Is No. 2 Villanova in serious trouble?

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Is No. 2 Villanova in serious trouble?

You would have to believe so by the way they are playing and evidently other actions off the court. Villanova (25-7, 18-13 ATS) has won three of their previous eight games, covering the spread twice (one was by a single point). The big question about the Wildcats seems to be commitment. Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher were the latest players late in the season to be a part of coach Jay Wright?s ?teaching points?, starting the a NCAA game on the bench. Does this appear to be a team hungry to return to the Final Four?

Villanova was a 17-point favorite over No. 15 Robert Morris and needed five extra minutes to put away the Colonials 73-70. Nova?s biggest lead of the game was six points as they shot 35.3 percent as a team and were 6-22 from behind the arc and at the end of the contest, one team got a standing ovation and it wasn?t Villanova. The Wildcats will have to work hard to keep 8-1 ATS record in road games playing their second game in three days over the last two seasons.

St. Mary?s (27-5, 21-9-1 ATS) is the opponent out of the 10th seed slot and they are very capable at 13-3 and 12-4 ATS on the road. After losing consecutive road games at Gonzaga and Portland in the middle of February and allowing 80 points in each, coach Randy Bennett made it point to reconstruct St. Mary?s practices, starting each one with defensive focus. This new strategy has work emphatically, as the Gaels have rattled off six straight wins and five covers.

Another big factor in St. Mary?s success and it big, literally, is the domination of 6?11 center Omar Samhan. He tore up the Richmond defense with his 29 points and 12 rebounds, leading the way in comfortable 80-71 upset of the Spiders. Samhan has enjoyed more freedom in the low blocks as point guard Mickey McConnell and freshman guard Matthew Dellavedova have shot the rock with greater effectiveness deep. St. Mary?s is 10-3 ATS away from home after two or more wins this season.

Villanova is 4.5-point favorite with total of 153 at Bookmaker.com, which should mean a high scoring affair. The Wildcats may be 15-6 ATS versus offensive teams scoring 77 or more points a game, but 10-seeds have won outright 40 percent of the time against No. 2?s if they average better than 72 points a game and if they outscore opponents by at least five points per contest (St. Mary?s at 13.5). The Gaels are 12-3 ATS on the road after scoring 80 or more points.

This is the opening game on Saturday slated for 1:05 Eastern and Villanova is 17-4 UNDER after failing to cover the spread in three or more consecutive games.

Power Line ? Villanova by 2

 

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Will Wildcats lead to cash Saturday Night?

Will Wildcats lead to cash Saturday Night?

Will Wildcats lead to cash Saturday Night?

High seeds Kentucky and Kansas State will complete a full day of Round 2 action after dark in locations east of the Mississippi River. Each of these Wildcat squads are favored, but not by large amounts as they seek to avoid the upset and move on to Sweet 16.

Wake Forest will have to play big

Wake Forest (20-10, 16-11 ATS) played their most complete game in a month in taking down Texas 81-80 in OT as five-point underdogs. Guard Ishmael Smith?s last shot was a swish, which helped him finish with 19 points, 12 boards and a victory. The next task will be far more daunting and you can forgive coach Dino Gaudio for inquiring about what eligibility the Ivan Brothers have left after watching tape on Kentucky (33-2, 18-15 ATS).

The Wildcats are the biggest team in college basketball, having NBA-size in the frontcourt and they looked similarly imposing in handing East Tennessee State its exit papers 100-71 as 18.5-point favorites. Though Wake Forest?s strength is its baseline players like Al-Farouq Aminu, Kentucky is 6-0 ATS on the road versus teams who average 40 or more rebounds a game on the season. The Demon Deacons are 9.5-point underdogs, but that might work for them since Wake is 12-4 ATS catching points the last two seasons, losing by one point a game in that situation.

K-State out to tames Cougars offense

The other Wildcats had a similarly easy time with first round foe North Texas, as Kansas State (27-7, 20-9 ATS) turned the Mean Green into Gumby with 20-point thumping. The Wildcats guard tandem of Denis Clemente and Jacob Pullen will have to not only score, but play defense against BYU (30-5, 19-13 ATS) who can match points with any team in the country.

The Cougars need two overtimes to finally frustrate Florida 99-92 and grab a fairly remarkable cover. Remarkable only begins to tell the story of Jimmer Fredette, who finished with 37 points. Fredette is the heart and soul of BYU and his point total matched Danny Ainge from 29 years ago, for tournament school record. The junior guard was clutch, with 29 of his points scored after halftime. The Kansas State guards are not dutiful defenders and the Wildcats are only 5-14 ATS when out of Manhattan versus teams outscoring opponents by eight or points a game.

K-State is 4.5-point favorite at Bookmaker.com with total of 155 and they are exquisite 7-1 ATS facing teams who make eight or more three bombs a game on the year. The Cougars will try and force the pace of the game even higher, as they are 6-0 ATS in road games when they score 81 to 86 points.

 

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'Dogs have their day in memorable first round

'Dogs have their day in memorable first round

'Dogs have their day in memorable first round
In case you missed it, Kyle Singler hit all the right notes Friday while leading Duke to a first-round victory in the NCAA Tournament. And if you missed it, that's OK, because there was no reason to watch.

Gonzaga was fending off a Florida State comeback. Georgia Tech and Oklahoma State were battling to the buzzer. Michigan State had its hands full with New Mexico State.

All of those games were heating up at the same time, so I didn't watch one second of the Duke game.

But I checked the box score, and Singler had 22 points and 10 rebounds as the Blue Devils handed 16th-seeded Arkansas-Pine Bluff a 73-44 beatdown. Duke covered as a 25-point favorite. That's all we need to know about that game.

The first two days of the tournament were mostly about underdogs, whether they were winning straight up or covering. The 'dogs made both days memorable.

"There hasn't been a dull moment the last two days," M Resort sports book director Mike Colbert said. "The first day, all the 'dogs were obviously good for the house."

Murray State, Ohio, Old Dominion, Saint Mary's, Wake Forest and Washington pulled outright upsets in Thursday's games. Lehigh, Montana, Robert Morris and Sam Houston State covered.

Underdogs opened 10-4 on the first day, counting San Diego State-Tennessee as a push and UNLV-Northern Iowa as a pick'em.

Colbert said Friday was "more of a grind" for the Las Vegas books. The favorite-underdog fight was split 6-6 going into the late games.

Cornell easily knocked off Temple. New Mexico State, a 13-point underdog, finally succumbed to Michigan State, 70-67. Siena, one of the most popular underdog picks of the first round, failed to cover in an eight-point loss to Purdue.

"More drama was crammed into the opening day of this year's NCAA Tournament than we usually get for the entire first weekend," said Bruce Marshall, a handicapper for The Gold Sheet. "So why were most of the pundits telling us this might be the worst-looking NCAA field in recent memory?"

Based on the results, the selection committee did a solid job. Some of the teams were seeded in wacky spots -- and Duke received another ridiculously favorable draw -- but it's hard to argue against the quality of the matchups.

Thirty-two games are in the books. Eight pretty good ones are on today's schedule.

Colbert, who has a nose for sniffing out winners, said he likes two 'dogs today: Murray State (+4?) over Butler and Old Dominion (+4) over Baylor.

He's also thinking it could be wise to bet on Jimmer Fredette. Colbert leans to Brigham Young, an underdog of 4 to 5 points, over Kansas State. The public will be riding the favorite.

"I wouldn't say I love BYU, but I couldn't bet Kansas State, either," Colbert said.

Will either of the two remaining Mountain West Conference teams survive today? Marshall said he can find more reasons to support Washington as a 1?-point favorite over New Mexico.

The Lobos' star, Darington Hobson, sprained his left wrist and was limited to 11 points in a 62-57 victory over Montana.

"How much Hobson is compromised remains to be seen. His wrist injury is a potential problem," Marshall said. "The Lobos have not looked too sharp since last week. The Huskies have learned to succeed on the road, winning their last eight away from Seattle. Right now, the Huskies just look better than the Lobos."

Marshall said he also likes the looks of Old Dominion, and he's leaning to Saint Mary's as a 4?-point underdog to Villanova.

I'm expecting two favorites to win in blowouts. Kentucky (-9) should wipe out Wake Forest. Kansas (-11?) is far more talented than the farm boys from Northern Iowa.

"Tourney betting has been really good. There's a long way to go. It's still early," said Colbert, who will offer in-running wagering at the M Resort on every game today and Sunday.

Throw out the first-round games involving Duke and the other No. 1 seeds and this NCAA Tournament has turned into a classic movie. Don't miss a minute of the rest of it.

 

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Betting Afternoon Round 2 Electricity

Betting Afternoon Round 2 Electricity

Betting Afternoon Round 2 Electricity

The afternoon session of the NCAA Tournament this Saturday has a wide variety of wagering options and games that could turn into real head-scratchers. Lower seeds Murray State, Ohio U., Washington and Old Dominion could make a mess of the most people brackets, if they could pull off yet another upset. Here is a preview of what the afternoon might look like for sports bettors.

Murray State vs. Butler 3:20E

The Racers proved oddsmakers correct in assigning them a low number as underdog against Vanderbilt with their thrilling one point buzz-beater against the Commodores. Few teams in college basketball are more balanced than Murray State (31-4, 16-13-1 ATS), with six players capable of scoring in double figures every game, making defenses having to guard everyone evenly. The Racers have run out to 22-1 SU streak and are adept this season to varying paces with 16-4 ATS mark in away games after two or more Under?s.

Butler (29-4, 14-19 ATS) passed their first test with bulldog determination, routing UTEP with huge 50-26 second half. The Bulldogs employed a great strategy against the Miners as explained by their head coach. "One of the things we try to do is we try to talk about not hitting home runs, it's single, single, single, single, one possession at a time, and we felt like if we played that way today we would be able to do some things," Stevens said of staying patient. Butler is 6-1 ATS the last seven times they have been a favorite of eight points or less.

Bookmaker.com has the Bulldogs as five-point faves with total of 128.5, but they are 3-10 ATS after they?ve covered the spread this season. Watch the total on this match, with Murray State 10-0 OVER after making 53 percent or less of their free throws and Butler 10-1 OVER in all neutral court games over the last three seasons. No. 13 seeds that score 70 or more points, concede less than 66 PPG and get less than 48 percent of points from the backcourt are 3-0 SU against five seeds. (Thanks, Bracketscience.com)

Ohio U vs. Tennessee 3:35E

Tennessee?s defense had problems with how San Diego State executed their offense in the paint area, in Saturday?s second round matinee, they will have to defend 25 or more feet to move on to Sweet 16. Ohio U. (22-14, 19-12 ATS) was the first 14th-seed to engineer an upset in four years, shooting 58.2 percent against Georgetown and draining 13-three balls. The dangerous duo of Armon Bassett and D.J. Cooper accounted for 55 points, making the Bobcats a tough out and they are 10-2 ATS after scoring 80 points or more this season.

Tennessee (26-8, 13-17-1 ATS) is an 8.5-point favorite and will have to use their size to move Ohio U. around and force feed the ball down low to Wayne Chism. After struggling mightily, J.P. Prince and Scotty Hopson are showing signs of finding their offense, which would be important since they are 1-8 ATS away from Knoxville after playing a game where both teams score 65 points or less.

Ohio U. is 6-0 ATS in March and 12-1 ATS in last 13 tries and 14th-seeds taking on six-seeds lose by 5.1 PPG on average.

Northern Iowa vs. Kansas 5:40E

Kansas doesn?t play in many games with a total of 126.5. That is the second lowest number that has popped up on their plate the last three seasons. The Jayhawks (33-2, 14-17-1 ATS) has the skill level to alter their pace, as they are 12-6-3 ATS when the total is 136 or less the past three years. Kansas has the size and quickness edge to contain Northern Iowa (29-4, 22-10 ATS) in the paint and they are 9-1 ATS in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

The Panthers desperately have to control tempo, or they will get blown out. Northern Iowa has veteran experience and isn?t going to find the moment too big facing the nation?s No. 1 team. Against UNLV, after having issues with the Rebels press, the Panthers settled in and played their game. UNI is an 11.5-point underdog and is 11-4 ATS after four or more consecutive wins this season. They will need eight or more three-point plays to hang with Kansas and stay out of foul trouble in the frontcourt. Nine seeds that average less than 73 points and have scoring margin differential of less than seven points, are 0-46 SU facing a top seed.

Old Dominion vs. Baylor 5:45E

Nobody is going to mistake Waco, TX as a basketball mecca, nevertheless Baylor (25-7, 16-9 ATS) is creating a stir with this talented bunch. The Bears wrestled with a hearty Sam Houston State bunch, winning by nine as 10.5-point chalk, but when it is your first NCAA victory in six decades, you don?t quibble about details. Baylor was led by Ekpe Udoh (20 points, 13 rebounds), who recorded his 15th double-double and they are 10-2 ATS having won four of their last five games this season.

Old Dominion (27-8, 13-17-1 ATS) followed the old tale of ? Cut off the head and the body will die. The Monarchs prevented Notre Dame?s Luke Hanargody from scoring until the final minute and upset the Fighting Irish. Old Dominion played outstanding perimeter defense as the normally reliable Irish shooters were 6-26 from behind the three-point line and they helped expertly when the higher seed tried to dribble and drive. "I guess I'm kind of old school. I think we can guard people and stop them," coach Blaine Taylor said. The Monarchs have six straight wins (4-2 ATS) and are 4.5-point underdogs. ODU however is 0-6 ATS after six or more consecutive triumphs and 3 vs. 11 matchups have the higher seed winning by 8.8 PPG and if that team was not in the tournament the prior year, they are 12-0 SU.

Washington vs. New Mexico 5:50E

The final contest of the afternoon session should be frantic affair. Both teams score in the mid to upper 70?s and stingy defense is the not the strength of either club. Washington (25-9, 15-18 ATS) moved ahead thanks to Quincy Pondexter?s efforts, making two clutch baskets in the final 34 seconds, including the game winner with 1.7 seconds left. The Huskies are now 13-2 and 10-4 ATS since lost weekend in L.A. in Pac-10 action.

New Mexico (30-4, 18-14-1 ATS) looked nervous in opening contest against Montana and played well only is spurts, winning 52-47 as nine-point favorites. The Lobos don't have a starter taller than 6?8, yet they have a number of players that can fill the basket, including Mountain West Conference Player of the Year, forward Darington Hobson. The Lobos are 14-5 ATS after a combined score of 125 points or less and the number three seed is a 1.5-point underdog to Pac-10 post season champions.

 

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CBB | (527) MURRAY ST @ (528) BUTLER | 03/20/2010 3:20 PM
Play ON BUTLER using the money line in All games in all lined games
The record is 38 Wins and 10 Losses for the last two seasons (+27.10 units)
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CBB | (527) MURRAY ST @ (528) BUTLER | 03/20/2010 3:20 PM
Play ON BUTLER using the money line in All games in all games
The record is 38 Wins and 10 Losses for the last two seasons (+27.10 units)
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CBB | (633) PRINCETON @ (634) IUPUI | 03/22/2010 7:00 PM
Play ON PRINCETON against the spread in All games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games
The record is 11 Wins and 0 Losses for the last three seasons (+11.00 units)
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CBB | (723) XAVIER @ (724) PITTSBURGH | 03/21/2010 4:50 PM
Play OVER XAVIER on the total in All games when the total is 130 to 139.5
The record is 12 Overs and 1 Unders this season (+10.90 units)
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CBB | (645) PACIFIC @ (646) N COLORADO | 03/22/2010 9:00 PM
Play ON N COLORADO using the money line in All games after a non-conference game
The record is 10 Wins and 1 Losses this season (+10.15 units)
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CBB | (635) MOREHEAD ST @ (636) BOSTON U | 03/22/2010 7:00 PM
Play ON MOREHEAD ST in the first half in All games as an underdog vs. the 1rst half line
The record is 22 Wins and 4 Losses for the last two seasons (+17.60 units)
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CBB | (533) NC STATE @ (534) UAB | 03/20/2010 5:00 PM
Play UNDER NC STATE on the first half total in All games after scoring 60 points or less
The record is 0 Overs and 9 Unders this season (+9.00 units)

 

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Today's capsules

Today's capsules

Today's capsules


EAST REGIONAL

No. 3 New Mexico vs. No. 11 Washington

■ SITE: San Jose, Calif.

■ TIME: 2:50 p.m.

■ ANNOUNCERS: Spero Dedes play-by-play, Bob Wenzel analyst

■ THE SPREAD: Washington -1?

■ RECORDS: New Mexico 30-4, Washington 25-9

■ HOW THEY GOT HERE: New Mexico d. No. 14 Montana 62-57; Washington d. No. 6 Marquette 80-78

■ THE BUZZ: New Mexico has shown it is comfortable in a fast-paced game or in a half-court contest. Washington must have a fast pace to win. The Lobos had problems with Montana's height, but that won't be a problem here. As with New Mexico, Washington is a bit undersized but makes up for it by crashing the boards. New Mexico swingman Darington Hobson injured his left wrist in the first round. If he's not 100 percent, the Lobos are in trouble. The Lobos enjoy an advantage in perimeter shooting.

No. 1 Kentucky vs. No. 9 Wake Forest

■ SITE: New Orleans

■ TIME: 5:15 p.m.

■ ANNOUNCERS: Dick Enberg play-by-play, Jay Bilas analyst

■ THE SPREAD: Kentucky -9

■ RECORDS: Kentucky 33-2, Wake Forest 20-10

■ HOW THEY GOT HERE: Kentucky d. No. 16 East Tennessee State 100-71; Wake Forest d. No. 8 Texas 81-80, OT

■ THE BUZZ: Wake prevailed in the first round despite being sloppy with the ball. If the Demon Deacons are that careless again, this could get ugly. Wake needs big games from C Chas McFarland and F Al-Farouq Aminu. The Demon Deacons, who shot barely 31 percent from 3-point range during the regular season, also need to find a way to be productive from the perimeter. There is no way they pull the upset if all the points have to come in the paint. While Wake has been sloppy with the ball, the Demon Deacons also do a nice job of forcing turnovers. That bears watching in this one because UK doesn't always take care of the ball.

SOUTH REGIONAL

No. 2 Villanova vs. No. 10 Saint Mary's

■ SITE: Providence, R.I.

■ TIME: 10 a.m.

■ ANNOUNCERS: Verne Lundquist play-by-play, Bill Raftery analyst

■ THE SPREAD: Villanova -4?

■ RECORDS: Villanova 25-7, Saint Mary's 27-5

■ HOW THEY GOT HERE: Villanova d. No. 15 Robert Morris 73-70, OT; Saint Mary's d. No. 7 Richmond 80-71

■ THE BUZZ: Villanova was lucky in the first round; it didn't play like a No. 2 seed. Saint Mary's didn't play like a No. 10, beating Richmond more decisively than the score indicates. Villanova could have problems with Gaels C Omar Samhan, a deft inside scorer. Look for Villanova coach Jay Wright to use his bench a lot. Saint Mary's lacks depth, and it's important to pressure Gaels Gs Mickey McConnell and Matthew Dellavedova. Villanova needs its guards to get into the lane and make Samhan play defense. Saint Mary's hits better than 41 percent from 3-point range. If the Gaels' perimeter shots fall, Samhan will have room to operate against a smallish Villanova frontcourt.

No. 3 Baylor vs. No. 11 Old Dominion

■ SITE: New Orleans

■ TIME: 2:45 p.m.

■ ANNOUNCERS: Dick Enberg play-by-play, Jay Bilas analyst

■ THE SPREAD: Baylor -4

■ RECORDS: Baylor 26-7, ODU 27-8

■ HOW THEY GOT HERE: Baylor d. No. 14 Sam Houston State 68-59; ODU d. No. 6 Notre Dame 51-50

■ THE BUZZ: Baylor struggled offensively for a good portion of its first-round game. ODU is a much better -- and more physical -- defensive team than Sam Houston State. But the Monarchs' offense isn't always productive, especially from the perimeter. ODU would much prefer to score in the low post, but the presence of Baylor's Ekpe Udoh will make that difficult. The key is how effective ODU's guards can be defensively against the Baylor backcourt of Tweety Carter and LaceDarius Dunn. Keep an eye on the point total: The lower it is, the better it is for underdog ODU.

MIDWEST REGIONAL

No. 6 Tennessee vs. No. 14 Ohio

■ SITE: Providence, R.I.

■ TIME: 12:35 p.m.

■ ANNOUNCERS: Verne Lundquist play-by-play, Bill Raftery analyst

■ THE SPREAD: Tennessee -8?

■ RECORDS: Tennessee 26-8, Ohio 22-14

■ HOW THEY GOT HERE: Tennessee d. No. 11 San Diego State 62-59; Ohio d. No. 3 Georgetown 97-83

■ THE BUZZ: Ohio won the Mid-American Conference Tournament as a No. 9 seed and then pulled a stunner in the first round by whipping Georgetown. Generally, Ohio plays good defense but struggles offensively. The key for the Volunteers is slowing G Armon Bassett, who began his career at Indiana. If Tennessee puts the clamps on Bassett, Ohio will look more like the ninth-best team in the MAC than the team that ran past Georgetown. Vols C Wayne Chism should have a big day in the low post, which is important because the Vols usually struggle from 3-point range.

No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 9 Northern Iowa

■ SITE: Oklahoma City

■ TIME: 2:40 p.m.

■ ANNOUNCERS: Kevin Harlan play-by-play, Dan Bonner analyst

■ THE SPREAD: Kansas -11?

■ RECORDS: Kansas 33-2, Northern Iowa 29-4

■ HOW THEY GOT HERE: Kansas d. No. 16 Lehigh 90-74; Northern Iowa d. No. 8 UNLV 69-66

■ THE BUZZ: Northern Iowa needs a half-court, grind-it-out affair to have any shot at the upset. UNI has allowed more than 68 points only twice and held 25 opponents to 60 or fewer. If the Panthers hold Kansas to 60 or fewer, it would be a monumental achievement. Northern Iowa shoots about 35 percent from 3-point range and must be hot from the perimeter. The Panthers also need 7-footer Jordan Eglseder to avoid foul trouble and stay on the floor. Kansas struggled in the first half against Lehigh, and one would think the Jayhawks will play with a bit more intensity against Northern Iowa -- which is much better than Lehigh.

WEST REGIONAL

No. 5 Butler vs. No. 13 Murray State

■ SITE: San Jose, Calif.

■ TIME: 12:20 p.m.

■ ANNOUNCERS: Spero Dedes play-by-play, Bob Wenzel analyst

■ THE SPREAD: Butler -4?

■ RECORDS: Butler 29-4, Murray State 31-4

■ HOW THEY GOT HERE: Butler d. No. 12 Texas-El Paso 77-59; Murray State d, No. 4 Vanderbilt 66-65

■ THE BUZZ: Neither team has much size, and it's an interesting contrast in styles. Murray State prefers a fast pace; Butler is content with a game in the 60s. Murray State averages 10 steals per game; Butler can be sloppy with the ball. Butler had problems with UTEP's athleticism early but dominated late. Murray must keep Butler PG Shelvin Mack under control. While Butler Fs Matt Howard and Gordon Hayward are better players, Mack is the Bulldogs' key player. He has a nice outside touch but also is strong enough to get to the rim. Keep an eye on Howard; he can be foul prone, and Murray has the type of athletic big men who could cause him problems.

No. 2 Kansas State vs. No. 7 Brigham Young

■ SITE: Oklahoma City

■ TIME: 5:10 p.m.

■ ANNOUNCERS: Kevin Harlan play-by-play, Dan Bonner analyst

■ THE SPREAD: Kansas State -4?

■ RECORDS: Kansas State 27-7, BYU 30-5

■ HOW THEY GOT HERE: K-State d. No. 15 North Texas 82-62; BYU d. No. 10 Florida 99-92, 2OTs

■ THE BUZZ: Both teams prefer a fast pace, though K-State is better-equipped to win a grind-it-out game. BYU is deadly on 3-pointers (better than 42 percent) and from the line (almost 79 percent). BYU does a nice job forcing turnovers, and K-State can be sloppy. But the Cougars frontcourt lacks athleticism. There will be good guards on display, with BYU's Jimmer Fredette (33-plus points six times) and K-State's Denis Clemente and Jacob Pullen sure to be focal points. K-State commits a lot of fouls, and putting BYU on the line can be dangerous.

 

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West regional Day 3 picks

West regional Day 3 picks

West regional Day 3 picks

Game is being played in Oklahoma City. All times ET.

Murray State Racers vs. Butler Bulldogs (-4.5, 128), 3:20 p.m.

Butler commanded a slow tempo versus Texas-El Paso and that?s exactly what it will have to do against Murray State, who raced to an upset over Vanderbilt Thursday.

The Bulldogs held UTEP to 59 points and 4-for-18 shooting from beyond the arc and have given up more than 70 points only three times all season. Murray State comes into this game averaging 77.2 ppg for the year.

It?s clear Butler isn?t going to change its style of play, but the Racers were relentless in their offensive attack on Vandy and the team?s momentum after a game-winning shot should carry over into Saturday?s affair.

"That shot was bigger than he could imagine," B.J. Jenkins told reporters. "It wasn't just a game-winning shot. We'll remember this for the rest of our lives."

Murray State is as balanced as they come with five players averaging in double digits and the team shot better than 50 percent from the field during the season.

The Racers also carry the sympathy card after reserve guard Picasso Simmons lost his mother in a car accident Monday. Witnessed by Thursday?s game, this team is playing with an inspired, not heavy, heart.

As long as Murray State doesn?t shoot 52 percent from charity stripe again, Butler?s 21-game winning streak will come to an end.

Prediction: Murray State 66, Butler 63

Game is being played in San Jose, Calif. All times ET.

Brigham Young Cougars vs. Kansas State Wildcats (-4, 154.5), 8 p.m.

If Florida doesn?t commit 21 turnovers Thursday, BYU probably isn?t in this matchup. It took the Cougars two overtimes and a pair of last-second Gator misses to advance in the Big Dance.

On the other side, Kansas State and Frank Martin rolled into the NCAA Tournament with a ton of confidence and coasted to an opening-round victory over North Texas, leading by 16-20 points throughout the game.

?We?ll have to score at a pretty good clip (to win),? BYU coach Dave Rose told the media. ?[Kansas State is] big, physical and strong,?

It?s clear that the Cougs? only scoring option in crunch time is Jimmer Fredette. Jonathan Tavernari has an amazingly quick 3-point release but he is streaky and the 26-point outburst from Michael Loyd in the first round was likely an aberration, as he only averaged 4.6 ppg during the season.

Fredette will not get easy layups off hesitation moves, as he did against the young Florida guards, because he will be defended by the more disciplined and talented backcourt of K-State in Denis Clemente and Jacob Pullen.

Both teams like to push the pace so this game should see a plethora of points, but Martin?s club will hit some key threes in the end to pull away.

Prediction: Kansas State 83, BYU 75

 

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Midwest regional Day 3 picks

Midwest regional Day 3 picks

Midwest regional Day 3

Game being played in Oklahoma City.

No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks vs. No. 9 Northern Iowa Panthers (+11.5, 127)

Northern Iowa (29-4) escaped with a 69-66 minor upset win over UNLV on Ali Farokhmanesh?s 3-pointer in the closing seconds. It was the first NCAA Tournament win for the Panthers in 20 years.

UNLV held Missouri Valley player of the year Adam Koch to 11 points on just 2-of-4 shooting, but Koch and the rest of the Panthers went 20-of-23 from the free-throw line.

?It feels good to do this for this program,? Farokhmanesh told the Des Moines Register. ?We?ve come from a long ways.?

While UNI will obviously be looking to pull off a major upset Saturday, the goal of this program since before the tournament started was to get that elusive win.

Kansas (33-2) looked unimpressive against No. 16 Lehigh before the Jayhawks wore down their opponent for a 90-74 first-round win. They shot 65 percent in the second half to pull away.

The game?s most interesting matchup will come in the paint, where Northern Iowa?s 7-footer Jordan Eglseder (11.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 54 percent FG) will bang with Kansas? 7-footer Cole Aldrich (11.2 ppg, 9.8 rpg (56 percent). Not many teams have attempted to attack Aldrich this season.

Northern Iowa is the kind of team that can put a scare into Kansas: deep, hits 3s, good size. But Kansas has all those attributes, too, and simply has superior weapons.

Prediction: Kansas 65, Northern Iowa 59

Game being played in Providence, R.I.

No. 6 Tennessee Volunteers vs. No. 14 Ohio Bobcats (+9, 140.5)

Ohio (22-14) pulled off the biggest stunner of the opening day, cruising to a 97-83 win over No. 3 Georgetown.

The Bobcats, who had no chance of matching up with the size of the Hoyas, shot over them, hitting 13-of-23 three-point attempts and were 58 percent overall. The backcourt tandem of Armon Bassett and D.J. Cooper befuddled G?town with 32 points and 23 points, respectively.

Ohio has been outscoring teams most of the season, averaging 74.9 ppg. Outscoring an offensive-minded Tennessee team, however, will be tougher than defensive-minded Georgetown.

The Volunteers (26-8) averaged 73.3 ppg but has the ability to play disruptive defense. Wayne Chism and Scott Hopson are constants for Tennessee, but the team is much better when J.P. Prince comes to play. The inconsistent 6-7 senior had 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting on Thursday.

Depth could become a concern for Ohio. Tennessee also goes a solid nine deep, while three Ohio starters played 37 or more minutes against Georgetown and typically plays just seven.

Ohio isn?t going to roll over, but Tennessee is just a better, deeper version of the Bobcats.

Prediction: Tennessee 81, Ohio 74

 

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South regional Day 3

South regional Day 3

South regional Day 3

Played in Providence. All times ET.

No. 10 St. Mary?s Gaels vs. No. 2 Villanova Wildcats (-4.5, 153), 1:05 p.m.

Trailing by eight points with only 4:19 remaining against 15th-seeded Robert Morris, Villanova rallied and survived a scare in Thursday?s opening round, winning 73-70 in overtime. Wildcats coach Jay Wright benched standouts Scottie Reynolds (18.6 ppg, 3.3 apg) and Corey Fisher (13.5 ppg, 4.0 apg), the team?s top two scorers, for the start of the game because of a ?minor infraction.?

Reynolds would see plenty of action but was cold from the field, making just 2-of-15 field goals. However, the star guard made 15-of-16 from the charity stripe, including a few clutch ones down the stretch.

While Villanova was disappointing in the tourney?s first round, St. Mary?s was certainly impressive, defeating favored Richmond 80-71. The Gaels? big man Omar Samhan (21.2 ppg, 11.0 rpg) had 29 points and grabbed 12 rebounds after scoring just 25 in St. Mary?s previous two games combined.

In winning their first NCAA tournament contest since 1959, the Gaels captured their sixth consecutive game (5-1 ATS), including two in a row as an underdog.

Villanova?s victory was just its third in the last eight games. Since the beginning of February, Nova is only 3-9 ATS.

The Wildcats are certainly having troubles, especially on the defensive end, but they are still a potent team. Reynolds will be back in the starting lineup against the Gaels and likely won?t have back-to-back outings of poor shooting.

Remember last year?s opening round? Villanova, a 15-point favorite, trailed 14th-seeded American by double digits before rallying for a win. The Wildcats would win three more games, two as an underdog, on their way to a Final Four.

St. Mary?s should fall victim in another close victory for Villanova.

Final score prediction: Villanova 78, St, Mary?s 73

Played in New Orleans. All times ET.

No. 11 Old Dominion Monarchs vs. No. 3 Baylor Bears (-4, 129.5), 5:45 p.m.

Baylor and Old Dominion face off in the second round in what is perceived to be a tussle between two great defenses. Old Dominion ranks in the nation?s top 20 in scoring defense, 3-point defense and defensive rebounds. Baylor is seventh in the county in field goal percentage defense.

It was the Bears? defense which led them to a 68-59 victory over Sam Houston State Thursday. The Bearkats, who actually led No. 3-seeded Baylor by one at halftime, shot less than 34 percent from the floor and made just six of 31 from beyond the arc. This was the same Sam Houston State team that scored 90 or more points 11 times this season, including 92 points versus Kentucky.

Baylor guard Tweety Carter (15.2 ppg, 6.0 apg), the Bears? second-leading scorer, was held to two points but Ekpe Udoh (14.1 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 3.8 blocks) picked up the slack with a team-leading 20 points, 13 rebounds and five assists. The Baylor victory was its first in the NCAAs in 60 years.

Old Dominion?s defense, as usual, was fantastic in a 51-50 opening-round win over Notre Dame. However, as has been the case for most the season, the Monarchs struggled on the offensive end, shooting less than 42 percent from the field, including hitting just 3-of-13 treys.

Since it is very difficult to get points inside on the Bears? 2-3 zone, Old Dominion will need to score points via 3-pointers and free throws if it is going to beat Baylor. The problem is shooting the three and making free throws are the Monarchs? main weaknesses, ranking 280th and 298th, respectively, in the two offensive categories of the 347 Division-I teams.

This game?s line is much too low. In what should be a relatively easy Baylor victory, the Bears? tremendous defensive play will continue while Carter likely bounces back after an off game.

Final score prediction: Baylor 67, Old Dominion 52

 

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East regional Day 3

East regional Day 3

East regional Day 3

Game being played in New Orleans. All times ET.

No. 1 Kentucky Wildcats (-9.5, 143) vs. No. 9 Wake Forest Demon Deacons, 8:15 p.m.

On paper, Wake Forest (20-10, 16-11 ATS) looks like it should be able to play with Kentucky.

That obviously didn?t mean much to oddsmakers, who made the Demon Deacons hefty underdogs in Saturday?s night cap in New Orleans.

The Demon Deacons have three players 6-11 or taller, including 7-foot stiff Chas McFarland. So they?ve at least got the size and depth to bang on Kentucky?s stud big men DeMarcus Cousins and Patrick Patterson as well as rapidly improving freshman Daniel Orton.

Wake is also talented enough not to get overwhelmed by the Wildcats? ridiculous wealth of future professionals.

Demon Deacon sophomore forward Al-Farouq Aminu is a future lottery pick, and point guard Ishmael Smith is one of the best in the ACC. Smith hit the game-winner in Thursday?s overtime win over Texas.

Kentucky (33-2, 18-15 ATS) had a much easier time with East Tennessee State in the first round. Everything was clicking for the Wildcats, who reached triple digits for the third time this season in Thursday?s 29-point rout of ETSU.

Kentucky has a significant coaching edge, with Wake?s Dino Gaudio coaching in only the third NCAA tournament game of his fledgling career.

Prediction: Kentucky 77, Wake Forest 68

Game being played in San Jose, Calif.

No. 3 New Mexico Lobos vs. No. 11 Washington Huskies (-2, 151), 5:50 p.m.

Yes, the Huskies (25-9, 15-18 ATS) were ultra impressive in their first-round win over Marquette. In front of a loud bunch of UW fans, they rallied from 15 down in the second half and got a game-winning bucket from star Quincy Poindexter to advance.

But it?s still somewhat surprising that 12th-seeded Washington opened as the favorite over the third-seeded Lobos, who couldn?t put away Montana in Thursday?s finale.

New Mexico, after all, has won 30 games this season. But who have they really beaten? The Lobos have two wins over a BYU team that needed two overtimes to beat a Florida team that was lucky to get an invite to the tournament.

Washington?s schedule wasn?t exactly loaded with juggernauts, either.

Both teams beat Texas A&M in December. New Mexico topped the Aggies, 80-77. Washington beat A&M, 73-64.

Prediction: Washington 79, New Mexico 71

 

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Battle of the boards could decide BYU-KSU

Cougars must improve in a hurry up front to match K-State?s active frontcourt in second-round battle

OKLAHOMA CITY ? It's pretty simple.

No. 2-seed Kansas State enters today's clash with 7-seed BYU as one of the nation's finest offensive-rebounding teams.

Meanwhile, the Cougars masked the 20 offensive boards they allowed to Florida in a 99-92 double-overtime victory Thursday at the Ford Center thanks to a combined 63 points between guards Jimmer Fredette and Michael Loyd Jr.

Against a high seed in K-State on Saturday ? as opposed to a 10-seed in Florida that was lucky to get into the tournament at all ? a repeat performance in the rebounding department more than likely spells the end of the Cougars' season.

"If you have momentum, I think it brings it down a notch when they keep getting offensive boards," said BYU freshman forward Brandon Davies. "Especially how we play, we have to get those defensive boards to be able to push like we do."

Those 20 offensive caroms turned into 16 second-chance points for Florida.

Kansas State, who averages 15.2 rebounds on that end per game this season, took notice.

The Wildcats employ one of the nation's most physical and active frontcourts with sophomore Jamar Samuels, junior Curtis Kelly ? a one-time UNLV recruiting target following his transfer from UConn ? and a host of lengthy reserves. They were up to their usual antics with 17 offensive boards in an 82-62 blowout of North Texas on Thursday in what was, essentially, a home game, with Oklahoma City being just a few hours from Manhattan, Kan.

"Hopefully we'll use that into our effect," Samuels said. "They're a good team, and if we get a lot of offensive rebounds, we have a nice chance of winning."

The wild card in the whole equation is BYU junior guard Jimmer Fredette, who has become one of the early candidates to be the darling of this year's tournament.

After being overlooked by much of the nation for the better part of three seasons, his 37-point explosion against the Gators ? including two NBA-range 3-pointers in the second overtime that helped clinch the victory ? have caught everyone's attention.

"The Fredette kid, he's amazing," said Samuels, who added that he'd hardly heard of the first team All-Mountain West performer before this weekend. "I haven't seen anyone like that so far this year. The way that he scores seems so effortless."

Now it's a matter of whose motivation for this game carries more weight.

BYU relieved some stress of its own by simply winning Thursday, the program's first NCAA tourney victory since 1993, and snapping an eight-game losing skid in that department.

Kansas State's program, meanwhile, is in the midst of a renaissance, returning to relevance in the past few years after almost two full decades of mediocrity.

Its last taste of the tournament came two years ago in Omaha, when the two players largely responsible for turning the Wildcats around ? Michael Beasley and Bill Walker ? fell to Wisconsin in the second round.

While the current team is building off of that foundation, its goals are bigger.

"We're not here to tie with the past," freshman forward Wally Judge said. "We're not complacent being the same team that goes to the same round. Our focus is winning this hole thing."

 

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NCAA Basketball Picks

NCAA Basketball Picks

NCAA Basketball Picks
Old Dominion vs. Baylor
The Bears look to take advantage of an ODU team that is 3-14 ATS in its last 17 neutral site games. Baylor is the pick (-4) according to Dunkel, which has the Bears favored by 5 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Baylor (-4). Here are all of today's games.

SATURDAY, MARCH 20
Time Posted: 7:30 a.m. EST
Game 515-516: St. Mary's (CA) vs. Villanova
Dunkel Ratings: St. Mary's (CA) 64.472; Villanova 69.422
Dunkel Line: Villanova by 5
Vegas Line: Villanova by 4 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Villanova (-4 1/2)
Game 517-518: Ohio vs. Tennessee
Dunkel Ratings: Ohio 65.289; Tennessee 66.815
Dunkel Line: Tennessee by 1 1/2
Vegas Line: Tennessee by 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Ohio (+8 1/2)
Game 519-520: Old Dominion vs. Baylor
Dunkel Ratings: Old Dominion 66.967; Baylor 72.233
Dunkel Line: Baylor by 5 1/2
Vegas Line: Baylor by 4
Dunkel Pick: Baylor (-4)
Game 521-522: Wake Forest vs. Kentucky
Dunkel Ratings: Wake Forest 65.653; Kentucky 72.682
Dunkel Line: Kentucky by 7
Vegas Line: Kentucky by 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Wake Forest (+9 1/2)
Game 523-524: BYU vs. Kansas State
Dunkel Ratings: BYU 71.440; Kansas State 73.783
Dunkel Line: Kansas State by 2 1/2
Vegas Line: Kansas State by 5
Dunkel Pick: BYU (+5)
Game 525-526: Northern Iowa vs. Kansas
Dunkel Ratings: Northern Iowa 66.982; Kansas 78.492
Dunkel Line: Kansas by 11 1/2
Vegas Line: Kansas by 12
Dunkel Pick: Northern Iowa (+12)
Game 527-528: Murray State vs. Butler
Dunkel Ratings: Murray State 62.824; Butler 70.268
Dunkel Line: Butler by 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Butler by 4 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Butler (-4 1/2)
Game 529-530: Washington vs. New Mexico
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 70.778; New Mexico 67.246
Dunkel Line: Washington by 3 1/2
Vegas Line: Washington by 1 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Washington (-1 1/2)
Game 531-532: North Carolina at Mississippi State
Dunkel Ratings: North Carolina 63.098; Mississippi State 71.047
Dunkel Line: Mississippi State by 8
Vegas Line: Mississippi State by 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Mississippi State (-7 1/2)
Game 533-534: NC State at UAB
Dunkel Ratings: NC State 67.331; UAB 65.650
Dunkel Line: NC State by 1 1/2
Vegas Line: UAB by 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NC State (+5 1/2)
Game 535-536: Jacksonville at Texas Tech
Dunkel Ratings: Jacksonville 54.986; Texas Tech 62.469
Dunkel Line: Texas Tech by 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Texas Tech by 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Jacksonville (+8 1/2)

 

[Lumi]

Saint Mary's-CA (27-5) vs. Villanova (25-7)

Saint Mary's-CA (27-5) vs. Villanova (25-7)

Saint Mary's-CA (27-5) vs. Villanova (25-7)



Saturday, March 20th, 1:05 p.m. (et)

FACTS & STATS: Site: Dunkin' Donuts Center (12,500) -- Providence, Rhode Island. Television: CBS. NCAA Tournament Record: Saint Mary's 2-5, Villanova 49-30. Series Record: Series is tied, 1-1.

GAME NOTES: With a trip to the "Sweet 16" on the line, the Villanova Wildcats will battle the Saint Mary's-CA Gaels in the second round of the 2010 NCAA Tournament from the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island.

The Gaels collected their first NCAA Tournament victory in 51 years when they defeated Richmond, 80-71, in the first round on Thursday. It was just the second victory for the Gaels in the Big Dance, as the team is now 2-5 all-time in this event. Saint Mary's earned a spot in its sixth NCAA Tournament by posting a 26-5 mark during the season, while also claiming the West Coast Conference Tournament title.

The Wildcats had a bit of a scare in the first round, but the team was eventually able to get past Robert Morris in overtime, 73-70. It was the third straight year Villanova has won its first round game, and the team is now an impressive 49-30 all-time in this event. The Wildcats earned the second seed in the South Region by entering the tournament with a 24-7 ledger, and that is the highest seed for the Wildcats since the 2005-06 campaign when the team earned a top seed in the Big Dance.

This will be the third-ever meeting between the two schools on the hardwood. The Gaels grabbed a 65-64 decision over Villanova in the first matchup, but the Wildcats retaliated with an 89-78 victory over Saint Mary's in the second meeting.

The winner of this contest will move into the "Sweet 16" where they will battle either Old Dominion or Baylor.

The Gaels were simply too much for Richmond in their first round matchup, as Saint Mary's dominated play in the paint, en route to the nine-point win over the Spiders. Saint Mary's controlled the play on the boards in the matchup, outrebounding Richmond by a whopping 40-17 margin. Omar Samhan had his way, as the center posted a double-double of 29 points and 12 rebounds for the Gaels, who as a team shot 49.1 percent from the floor and also connected on 20-of-28 attempts from the foul line. Mickey McConnell added 23 points, six rebounds and four assists, while Clint Steindl tallied 11 points. Throughout the season Saint Mary's has relied on the play of Samhan, who is currently averaging a double-double of 21.2 ppg and 11.0 rpg. McConnell is contributing 14.0 ppg and a team-best 169 assists, while Matthew Dellavedova is posting 12.3 ppg, to go along with 144 assists.

It was not pretty, but the Wildcats somehow clawed their way to an overtime victory over Robert Morris in the first round. Villanova was supposed to breeze past the Colonials, but the team was ice cold from the floor, connecting on just 35.3 percent of its field goal attempts, including just 6- of-22 shots from behind the arc. However, the Wildcats were bailed out by their success at the foul line, as Villanova made 31-of-40 shots at the charity stripe. Scottie Reynolds only made 2-of-15 of his shots in the matchup, but the guard still managed to finish with 20 points, thanks to a 15- of-16 clip from the foul line. Mouphtaou Yarou added 17 points and eight rebounds, while Taylor King tallied 10 points off the bench. Despite the poor shooting effort against Richmond, Reynolds is still leading the way for Villanova, as the guard is posting 18.6 ppg, to go along with 105 assists. Corey Fisher is contributing 13.5 ppg and a team-best 127 assists, while Antonio Pena is chipping in 10.6 ppg, to go along with a team-best 7.2 rpg.

The Wildcats were not at their best Thursday, and if they plan on remaining in this tournament, the team will have to put forth a much better showing against Saint Mary's. The Gaels will likely look for Samhan to lead the way again, but the Wildcats should be able to ride Reynolds and Fisher into the Sweet 16.

Predicted Outcome: Villanova 78, Saint Mary's-CA 73

 

[Lumi]

Murray State (31-4) vs. Butler (29-4)

Murray State (31-4) vs. Butler (29-4)

Murray State (31-4) vs. Butler (29-4)



Saturday, March 20th, 3:20 p.m. (et)

FACTS & STATS: Site: HP Pavilion (18,500) -- San Jose, California. Television: CBS. NCAA Tournament Record: Murray State 2-13, Butler 9-9. Series Record: Murray State leads, 2-1.

GAME NOTES: As one of the many giant killers from first-round action of the 72nd annual NCAA Tournament, the Murray State Racers try to replicate their magic moment from two days ago as they challenge the Butler Bulldogs at HP Pavilion in San Jose, California this afternoon.

Murray State, the 13th seed in the West Regional, whipped up on the rest of the Ohio Valley Conference this season and used that experience to take care of Vanderbilt on Thursday afternoon. In what was a tight game throughout, the Racers made their way into the second round of the tourney when Danero Thomas knocked down a jumper at the buzzer to give the squad a thrilling 66-65 win over the Commodores. The win was just the second all-time in 15 tries in the tournament for MSU and the second in five all-time meetings with Vandy.

As for the fifth-seeded Bulldogs, a squad that brings back all five starters from a year ago, they managed to knot their record in the tournament at an even 9-9 with their 77-59 romp over UTEP two days ago. Butler, which outscored the Miners by 24 in the second half, is trying to reach the "Sweet 16" for the third time in the last eight years.

The Bulldogs have been unstoppable the last three months, posting a perfect 18-0 record in Horizon League action and ripping off a nation-leading 21 consecutive victories overall since bowing to UAB three days before Christmas.

In terms of the all-time series between these two schools, Murray State records show the Racers with a 2-1 advantage, thanks to an 85-70 win back in 1976. The winner of today's matchup will face the winner of the Gonzaga/Syracuse contest in Salt Lake City next week.

Danero Thomas made a total of five field goals for the Racers two days ago, but it was his final shot attempt that propelled the team into the second round of the tournament. Thomas finished with 11 points, to go along with his six rebounds, three steals and three blocks, while Isacc Miles and B.J. Jenkins accounted for 17 and 14 points, respectively. The Racers ended up shooting better behind the three-point line (.467) than they did from the floor overall (.417), the squad converting a mere 9-of-17 at the charity stripe to keep things interesting. Jenkins who, in addition to getting beyond the cut in his finger from cutting down the net after the OVC Tournament also had to get beyond banging his right elbow on the floor early against the Commodores, is tops among the five double-digit scorers for the Racers with his 10.6 ppg, just ahead of Ivan Aska and Thomas who are both responsible for 10.4 ppg. Although he failed to reach his average two days ago, Tony Easley (10.1 ppg) continues to pay dividends for the squad with his 5.7 rpg and 93 blocked shots, both of which lead WSU on the season.

Butler started out the meeting with UTEP rather slow on Thursday, allowing the Miners to take a lead of seven points midway through the first half. However, the second half was a much different story as the Bulldogs got their act together by hitting not only 53.8 percent from the field, but also 10-of-19 behind the three-point line, en route to the 18-point victory. Shelvin Mack was on top of his game as he made good on 7-of-9 beyond the arc and 8-of-13 shots from the floor overall on the way to 25 points, followed by Gordon Hayward (13 points) and Matt Howard (11 points). Willie Veasley eased himself into the action with eight points and a team-best nine boards. Mack, who matched his and the team's scoring high two days ago, is right behind Hayward (15.3 ppg) overall on the season with his 14.2 ppg, thanks in large part to his 62 three-pointers. By comparison, Hayward tends to have his way in the paint where he is clearing a team-high 8.3 rpg, which allows the Bulldogs to top opponents on the glass by an average of almost four caroms per contest.

In a low-scoring game the Bulldogs have a huge advantage because that's the style of play that they are used to putting on the floor to begin with. Unless Murray State can find a little more magic this weekend, the thrill of the postseason might be gone for the group.

Predicted Outcome: Butler 66, Murray State 59

 

[Lumi]

Ohio University (22-14) vs. Tennessee (26-8)

Ohio University (22-14) vs. Tennessee (26-8)

Ohio University (22-14) vs. Tennessee (26-8)



Saturday, March 20th, 3:35 p.m. (et)

FACTS & STATS: Site: Dunkin' Donuts Center (12,600) -- Providence, Rhode Island. Television: CBS. NCAA Tournament Record: Ohio 5-12, Tennessee 14-18. Series Record: Series is tied, 2-2.

GAME NOTES: The 14th-seeded Ohio University Bobcats will try to continue their Cinderella run today, as they lock up with the sixth-seeded Tennessee Volunteers in the second round NCAA Tournament at the Dunkin' Donuts Center. The victor of this Midwest Regional matchup will advance to the Sweet 16 next week and meet either Georgia Tech or Ohio State.

After just one round it is hard to call any team a Cinderella, but considering Ohio's situation, the label is certainly fitting. As just the No.9 seed, the Bobcats won four straight games to claim the Mid-American Conference Tournament and their spot in the Big Dance. That alone was a remarkable feat considering the team went just 7-9 in conference play during the regular season. Ohio continued its magical run on Thursday, as it knocked off third- seeded Georgetown, 97-83, in convincing fashion. It was quite a performance from the Bobcats, who won their first NCAA Tournament game since 1983.

The Vols meanwhile, were snubbed on the seeding considering their record and quality wins, but were able to put that behind them and defeat 11th-seeded San Diego State, 62-59, in first-round play on Thursday. It was a hard fought win for Tennessee, which is one victory away from its third Sweet 16 appearance in the last four years.

The all-time series between the two schools is knotted at 2-2, with the Bobcats taking a 72-70 decision in the most recent meeting in 1987.

Ohio shot a blistering 58.2 percent from the field, including an impressive 13-of-23 performance from long range, as they knocked off Georgetown on Thursday. The Bobcats also did a nice job of icing the game at the foul line, converting on 20-of-26 attempts. Armon Bassett continued his terrific run with 32 points after averaging 29.0 ppg in the MAC Tournament. D.J. Cooper added 23 points and eight assists, while DeVaughn Washington registered a double-double of 12 points and 10 boards. Bassett, who played in the NCAA Tournament with Indiana, leads the team with 17.4 ppg for the season. Cooper, the MAC Freshman of the Year, is another weapon for the Bobcats and he has recorded 13.4 ppg, to go with team highs of 5.9 apg and 91 steals. Washington tacks on 11.2 ppg and 5.3 rpg, while Tommy Freeman pitches in with 10.1 ppg.

Three-point shooting made the difference on Thursday, as Tennessee went 8- of-17 from downtown compared to just a 3-of-18 effort by SDSU in a 62-59 decision. Both teams shot an identical 38.5 percent from the floor, but the Vols were far more successful from beyond the arc. Melvin Goins and J.P. Prince each scored 15 points to lead the way for Tennessee, while Wayne Chism and Bobby Maze had 11 points apiece. For the season, Chism and Scotty Hopson are tied for the team-lead in scoring at 12.4 ppg, with Chism grabbing a team- best 7.0 rpg as well. The Vols are a fairly deep squad and look for them to use that to their advantage today.

The Vols are a much better defensive team than Georgetown and should be able to slow down Ohio en route to the victory today.

Predicted Outcome: Tennessee 77, Ohio University 67

 

[Lumi]

Northern Iowa (29-4) vs. Kansas (33-2)

Northern Iowa (29-4) vs. Kansas (33-2)

Northern Iowa (29-4) vs. Kansas (33-2)



Saturday, March 20th, 5:40 p.m. (et)


FACTS & STATS: Site: Ford Center (17,611) -- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Television: CBS. NCAA Tournament Record: UNI 2-5, Kansas 87-37. Series Record: Kansas leads, 1-0.

GAME NOTES: The top-seeded Kansas Jayhawks clash with the ninth-seeded Northern Iowa Panthers in the second round of the NCAA Tournament this evening at the Ford Center. The winner of this Midwest Regional pairing will move on to the Sweet 16 against either Michigan State or Maryland next week.

The Jayhawks have won 33 of 35 games this season, including a sweep of the Big 12 regular season and tourney titles, as the program landed the No.1 overall seed for the Big Dance. Kansas showed it was deserving of the top seed by bouncing 16th-seeded Lehigh, 90-74, in first-round action on Thursday. It marked the sixth win in a row for the Jayhawks, who are moving on to the second round for the 25th time in the last 27 years. A win this evening would push Kansas through to the Sweet 16 for the fourth consecutive season and the 27th time in school history.

The Panthers have an impressive resume of their own, having won 29 games and both the Missouri Valley Conference regular season and postseason titles. UNI, playing as its highest seed ever in this tourney, pulled out a thrilling 69-66 victory over eighth-seeded UNLV in the first round on Thursday. It marks just the program's second NCAA Tournament win and first since 1990.

UNI and Kansas have met just one time previously on the hardwood, with the Jayhawks notching a 94-60 victory all the way back in 1973.

Ali Farokhmanesh buried a long three-pointer with 4.9 seconds remaining, lifting the Panthers to a dramatic 69-66 win over UNLV on Thursday. It was certainly a thrilling finish and a positive one for UNI, which went 9-of-19 from beyond the arc and 20-of-23 at the foul line. Farokhmanesh finished the night 5-of-9 from downtown for 17 points, while Kwadzo Ahelegbe and Adam Koch posted 13 and 11 points, respectively. Jordan Eglseder, a seven-foot center, added nine points and 10 rebounds and he leads the team with 11.9 ppg and 7.4 rpg for the season. Koch, the MVC Player of the Year, ranks second with 11.7 ppg and 4.9 rpg, while Ahelegbe tacks on 10.7 ppg. Farokhmanesh chips in with 9.5 ppg for UNI, which ranks second nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 54.6 ppg.

Marcus Morris poured in a career-best 26 points and ripped down 10 caroms to complete his seventh double-double, as Kansas pushed its way past Lehigh on Thursday. Sherron Collins added 18 points and six assists for the Jayhawks, who shot 55.1 percent from the floor and scored 52 of their 90 points in the paint. Collins is the driving force behind this Kansas attack, which is netting a healthy 82.0 ppg, as he leads the way with 15.7 ppg and 4.5 apg. Xavier Henry, who had 11 points and two swipes on Thursday, comes in with 13.6 ppg and he also tops the roster with 52 steals. Morris turns in 12.7 ppg and 6.2 rpg, while Cole Aldrich checks in with 11.2 ppg, 9.8 rpg and 3.5 blocks per game. The Big 12 Defensive Player of the year, Aldrich had 11 points, eight rebounds and five blocks in the win over Lehigh.

UNI is a tough and experienced squad, but it lacks the same kind of firepower as Kansas. Expect the Jayhawks to really assert themselves early on and come away with the win this evening.

Predicted Outcome: Kansas 75, Northern Iowa 57

 

[Lumi]

Old Dominion (27-8) vs. Baylor (26-7)

Old Dominion (27-8) vs. Baylor (26-7)

Old Dominion (27-8) vs. Baylor (26-7)



Saturday, March 20th, 5:50 p.m. (et)

FACTS & STATS: Site: New Orleans Arena (18,500) -- New Orleans, Louisiana. Television: CBS. NCAA Tournament Record: ODU 3-9, Baylor 4-7. Series Record: Old Dominion leads, 1-0.

GAME NOTES: Second-round action in the South Region of the NCAA Tournament will take place this evening when the Baylor Bears battle the Old Dominion Monarchs at the New Orleans Arena.

The Monarchs earned just their third victory in the NCAA Tournament, and their first since 1995 when they defeated Notre Dame 51-50 in first-round play on Thursday. Old Dominion, which is participating in its 10th NCAA Tournament, earned 26 victories during the regular season and also claimed the Colonial Athletic Association tournament title with a victory over William & Mary.

The Bears collected their first win in the NCAA Tournament since 1950 with a 68-59 decision over Sam Houston State in the first round. It was just the fourth overall win in the Big Dance for Baylor, which claimed the third seed in the South Region by racking up 25 victories during the regular season.

This will be just the second-ever matchup between the two schools on the hardwood, and the first since 1973. In the lone meeting between the two teams, the Monarchs grabbed an 87-79 decision over Baylor.

The Monarchs are getting ready for a second-round matchup with Baylor thanks to their outstanding play defensively against Notre Dame, as Old Dominion limited the Fighting Irish to just 50 points on a 35.6 percent shooting effort. Throughout the season the Monarchs have relied on their performance defensively, as Old Dominion is holding the opposition to just 56.9 ppg. Offensively however, Old Dominion is producing just 67.1 ppg, and is being paced by Gerald Lee, who is averaging 14.4 ppg. In the win over Notre Dame, the Monarchs only finished with 51 points behind a 41.7 percent shooting effort. Lee only scored nine points in the victory, but the team received a solid effort from Frank Hassell, who tallied 15 points, to go along with nine rebounds. Keyon Carter was the only other player in double figures for ODU, as the guard posted 11 points in a reserve role.

The Bears were not overwhelming in their first-round victory over Sam Houston State, but the team did enough to slip by the Bearkats and into the second round. Baylor shot 44.1 percent from the floor in the matchup and also won the battle on the glass by a 47-37 margin. Ekpe Udoh led the way in the win with a double-double of 20 points and 13 rebounds, while LaceDarius Dunn tallied 13 points. Anthony Jones and Quincy Acy added 10 points apiece, while Acy also grabbed seven rebounds. Throughout the season the Bears have been dangerous at the offensive end of the court, as the team is producing 77.3 ppg, behind an impressive 48.8 percent shooting. Dunn is currently pacing the squad with 19.2 ppg, while Tweety Carter is helping out with 15.2 ppg and a team-best 173 assists. Udoh has dominated play in the paint for Baylor, as the big man is averaging 14.1 ppg, to go along with a team-best 9.9 rpg and 126 blocks.

The Monarchs have done a great job defensively this season, and should be able to keep this matchup close. However, the Bears possess a very balanced attack at the offensive end, and should be able to slip past Old Dominion here.

Predicted Outcome: Baylor 69, Old Dominion 64

 

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Washington (25-9) vs. New Mexico (30-4)

Washington (25-9) vs. New Mexico (30-4)

Washington (25-9) vs. New Mexico (30-4)



Saturday, March 20th, 5:50 p.m. (et)


FACTS & STATS: Site: HP Pavilion (18,500) -- San Jose, California. Television: CBS. NCAA Tournament Record: Washington 16-15, New Mexico 7-12. Series Record: Washington leads, 3-2.

GAME NOTES: The third-seeded New Mexico Lobos and the 11th-seeded Washington Huskies both put forth tremendous efforts to win close games on Thursday, and the two squads will meet in the second round of the NCAA Tournament's East Regional today.

The winner of this game moves on to the "Sweet 16" to take on either 10th- seeded Missouri or second-seeded West Virginia.

Washington showed tremendous heart and toughness to knock off sixth-seeded Marquette by an 80-78 final two days ago. The program had lost its previous 10 games against Big East Conference foes, making the triumph over the Golden Eagles all the more impressive. The Huskies earned an automatic bid to this NCAA Tournament by winning the Pac-10 Conference Tournament title with three consecutive victories last week. They are 25-9 overall and are making their 14th appearance in the "Big Dance", posting a 15-15 record in their previous showings.

The Lobos were pushed to the edge by 14th-seeded Montana on Thursday, but they did just enough to survive with a 62-57 victory. The fact that they earned a No. 3 seed as an at-large squad from the Mountain West Conference shows great respect for both the program and that league. New Mexico is now 30-4 overall and was ranked eighth in the final AP poll. The Lobos earned a 6-12 record in 12 previous NCAA Tournament appearances, and they last took part in this event in 2005. They have now advanced to the second round seven times in program history.

The Huskies have won three of the five previous meetings with the Lobos, including an 81-71 victory in the most recent matchup in 2006.

Quincy Pondexter was the hero for Washington on Thursday, as he hit a shot with 1.7 seconds remaining to knock off Marquette. The Huskies shot 54.5 percent from the floor in that tilt, including a stellar 9-of-14 effort from three-point range. The squad also earned a 28-22 rebounding advantage and racked up 21 assists against 12 turnovers. Isaiah Thomas paced Washington with 19 points and eight assists against only one turnover, and Pondexter tallied 18 points. Elston Turner contributed 14 points off the bench on the strength of his 4-of-5 shooting from behind the arc, and Matt Bryan-Amaning netted 11 points. Pondexter is averaging 19.7 ppg this season on 53 percent shooting from the floor, and he is ripping down 7.6 rpg as well. As for Thomas, the other half of the team's dynamic duo, he provides 17.1 ppg. The Huskies are generating 79.8 ppg while allowing 70.2 ppg to opponents.

New Mexico shot a modest 41.5 percent from the floor against Montana in the first round, including a 5-of-20 effort from three-point range. The Lobos also missed 10 of their 23 foul shots and were outrebounded by six boards. Fortunately, they only turned the ball over six times, and that discipline was the most obvious reason for the win. Roman Martinez led the way for UNM with 19 points in the triumph, and Dairese Gary pitched in 15 points. As for Darington Hobson, he posted 11 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. The team is now averaging 76.2 ppg while allowing 66.8 ppg. The Lobos are outrebounding foes by 5.4 rpg, so the deficit on the boards against Montana was surprising. Hobson leads the squad with 16.0 ppg and 9.3 rpg, and the fact that he has also dished out 158 assists is proof of his tremendous versatility. Martinez checks in with 14.0 ppg and Gary adds 12.8 ppg for the Lobos, who have featured the same starting lineup in all 34 games.

In what figures to be a close game from start to finish, give a narrow edge to Washington. Pondexter will be the best player on the floor for either team.

Predicted Outcome: Washington 72, New Mexico 69

 

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B-Y-U (30-5) vs. Kansas State (27-7)

B-Y-U (30-5) vs. Kansas State (27-7)

B-Y-U (30-5) vs. Kansas State (27-7)



Saturday, March 20th, 8:10 p.m. (et)

FACTS & STATS: Site: Ford Center (17,611) -- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Television: CBS. NCAA Tournament Record: BYU 12-27, Kansas State 29-27. Series Record: Series is tied, 3-3.

GAME NOTES: Posting their first NCAA Tournament victory since 1993, the BYU Cougars again try to get the job done tonight as they clash with the Kansas State Wildcats in the second round of the West Regional at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City.

The seventh-seeded Cougars, now 12-27 in the tournament through 24 appearances, finally snapped a seven-game slide in the event with their 99-92 double-overtime win against the Florida Gators on Thursday. Now 8-17 in first- round games, BYU has not advanced beyond the second round since 1981 when the squad, then seeded sixth, topped Princeton, UCLA and Notre Dame before bowing to Ralph Sampson and the top-seeded Virginia Cavaliers in the regional finals.

Meanwhile, the second-seeded Wildcats pushed their record to 29-27 in the tournament as they easily handled North Texas out of the Sun Belt Conference, with an 82-62 victory two days ago. The win, the sixth in seven tries versus the Mean Green, also evened the Kansas State's record at the Ford Center to 2-2 in tourney play.

These two teams do have a history against each other in the NCAA Tournament as K-State posted a 64-54 win during the 1951 edition of the postseason gathering. More recently, the Cougars logged a 73-64 win back in 2002 to even the series at three games apiece.

The winner of this game heads to Salt Lake City next week where it will play the winner of the Xavier/Pittsburgh contest in the round of 16.

The Cougars survived a 20-point swing from the first half to the second against Florida, as they were able to get the game into a pair of overtimes where they eventually took control and locked up the seven-point win. Once again it was the "Jimmer Fredette show" for BYU as he matched Danny Ainge's school record for points in an NCAA Tournament game with 37, shooting 13-of-26 from the field as he lasted 46 of the game's 50 minutes. Also coming up big was reserve Michael Loyd off the bench with his 26 points, followed by Tyler Haws with 10. Key to the victory was the fact that the Cougars forced 21 turnovers. Setting a new program record for wins in a single season, now with 30, the Cougars attribute many of those victories to Fredette who, despite not being named Mountain West Conference Player of the Year, is one of the top scorers in the nation with his 22.1 ppg and he is also first on the team with 154 assists. A 44.4 percent shooter behind the three-point line, Fredette is also almost automatic at the charity stripe (214-of-240) and that has helped BYU knock down a staggering 78.6 percent at the charity stripe this season. Although he didn't play a significant role against Florida, it will be important for Jonathan Tavernari (10.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg) to have more of an impact in this game in order for the Cougars to be successful.

A layup by Eric Tramiel with just under 16 minutes to play in the first half gave the Mean Green their last lead against Kansas State on Thursday, as the Wildcats finished the period with a 16-point advantage and cruised from there. Except for Luis Colon who was held to only six points as he played with foul trouble, every starter for the Wildcats finished in double figures beginning with Denis Clemente with 17 points. Curtis Kelly and Jacob Pullen both tallied 15 points and Dominique Sutton added a dozen to go along with his team-best eight rebounds as the team shot 50.8 percent from the field and held UNT to 30.9 percent from the floor and 5-of-19 beyond the arc. Averaging just under 80 ppg at this stage of the season, the Wildcats lean heavily on Pullen and Clemente who are putting up 18.8 and 16.2 ppg, respectively. But more than just key scoring threats, the pair also makes it easy for teammates to get involved with their combined 264 assists this season. What makes the duo so tough to defend is that they not only put teammates in scoring positions, they also exploit perimeter defenses with a collective 175 three-pointers through 34 starts. Kelly (11.2 ppg) and Sutton (7.6 ppg) handle the action in the paint with a combined 12 rpg, which helps the squad pick up better than five rpg more than the opposition.

These two teams are sure to fight tooth and nail throughout, but in the end K- State's athleticism will be the difference in getting the team to the "Sweet 16".

Predicted Outcome: Kansas State 77, BYU 71

 

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Wake Forest (20-10) vs. Kentucky (33-2)

Wake Forest (20-10) vs. Kentucky (33-2)

Wake Forest (20-10) vs. Kentucky (33-2)



Saturday, March 20th, 8:20 p.m. (et)


FACTS & STATS: Site: New Orleans Arena (18,500) -- New Orleans, Louisiana. Television: CBS. NCAA Tournament Record: Wake Forest 28-21, Kentucky 99-44. Series Record: Kentucky leads, 4-0.

GAME NOTES: The top-seeded Kentucky Wildcats cruised to a first-round victory, and they are set for a matchup with the ninth-seeded Wake Forest Demon Deacons in the second round of the NCAA Tournament's East Regional.

The winner of this contest moves on to the "Sweet 16" to face either 12th- seeded Cornell or fourth-seeded Wisconsin.

In one of many dramatic first-round games, Wake Forest beat Texas by an 81-80 final in overtime on Thursday. The game-winning jumper came with just 1.3 seconds remaining, and it will be interesting to see how much physical and emotional energy Wake carries into this evening's affair. The squad is making its 22nd all-time NCAA Tournament appearance and second in a row under third- year head coach Dino Gaudio. The Demon Deacons, who are 28-21 at this event, earned an at-large bid after compiling a 19-10 record through the close of the ACC Tournament.

As for Kentucky, it is making its record 50th NCAA Tournament appearance after capturing its 26th SEC Tournament title with a dramatic win over Mississippi State. The Wildcats, who are 33-2 overall, are led by many newcomers to the program, including first-year head coach John Calipari and a tremendous trio of freshmen. On Thursday, they had no trouble disposing of 16th-seeded East Tennessee State by a 100-71 final in a game that was never close. The No. 1 seed is the 10th in school history for Kentucky, and the squad has its 12th 30-win campaign. The 'Cats are 99-44 all-time in the NCAA Tournament and happy to be back in the "Big Dance" after appearing in the NIT a year ago.

Kentucky has won all four previous meetings with Wake Forest, the most recent of which took place in 1996.

Wake Forest turned the ball over 20 times against Texas and forced the Longhorns into only five giveaways. The Demon Deacons also suffered a five- point disadvantage in points from the foul line, but they managed to limit the Longhorns to 37.7 percent field goal efficiency and earned a commanding 59-34 rebounding advantage, including 20-10 on the offensive glass. Al-Farouq Aminu was tremendous as usual, racking up 20 points and 15 rebounds. Ishmael Smith, the team's point guard, showed off his versatility with 19 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists, and while Smith did turn the ball over eight times, it was his jumper with just over a second left in overtime that won the game. Both Ari Stewart and Tony Woods tallied 11 points off the bench for the Deacs, who are netting 73.2 ppg while allowing 68.8 ppg to foes. Aminu, an All-ACC performer, provides 15.8 ppg and 10.8 rpg, and Smith is netting 13.5 ppg to go along with 181 assists and 52 steals.

When anyone mentions the Kentucky freshmen, point guard John Wall and power forward DeMarcus Cousins are always the focus of that conversation. However, the third and sometimes forgotten freshman in the starting lineup for the Wildcats, Eric Bledsoe, was tremendous against ETSU on Thursday, as he nailed 8-of-9 shots from three-point range, a new UK NCAA Tournament record. Bledsoe finished with 29 points, and Patrick Patterson tallied 22 points. As for Wall, he had 17 points and 11 assists, while Cousins was limited to five points in 24 minutes of action. The Wildcats connected on 51.4 percent of their field goal attempts and held the Bucs to 35.9 percent shooting. Wall is scoring 16.9 ppg to go along with 6.5 apg, and Cousins provides 15.0 ppg and 10.1 rpg to complement his 66 blocks. As for Patterson, a veteran leader, he adds 14.9 ppg and 7.3 rpg, while Bledsoe scores 11.4 ppg. Kentucky is generating 79.8 ppg while allowing 65.4 ppg to foes on 38 percent shooting.

Kentucky will beat Wake Forest by double figures, as the Wildcats have more talent in their starting lineup that any other team in the nation. Expect Cousins to bounce back strong from the sub par effort against ETSU.

Predicted Outcome: Kentucky 86, Wake Forest 69