Tuesday CAPPER PLAYS (3-0 SWEEP on Leans!)

RIGHT ANGLE SPORTS (RAS)

Rotation: 729
Texas-El Paso (+3)
Rating: 1.00
Game Time: 01:55pm PST
Released at: 3:05:00pm PST

Rotation: 712
Richmond (-1.5)
Rating: 1.00
Game Time: 12:00pm PST
Released at: 3:07:30pm PST

Rotation: 708
Tennessee (-2.5)
Rating: 1.00
Game Time: 06:55pm PST
Released at: 3:10:00pm PST

Rotation: 723
Northern Iowa (+1.5)
Rating: 1.00
Game Time: 04:10pm PST
Released at: 3:12:30pm PST

Rotation: 852
Texas A&M (-2.5)
Rating: 1.00
Game Time: 01:55pm PST
Released at: 3:15:00pm PST

Rotation: 838
California (+1)
Rating: 1.00
Game Time: 06:55pm PST
Released at: 3:17:30pm PST

ICE PICKS

Tuesday's Best NHL Bets

Montreal Canadiens at New York Rangers (-145, 5.5)

Sean Avery is the Ron Artest of the NHL.

The enigmatic and agitating forward was benched last Friday by his coach, who was looking to spark a reaction from Avery after only registering four points in his previous 11 games.

"I don't know if that worked," John Tortorella said of the benching. "You guys get a little crazy with all that stuff as far as the motivation. Sean concentrated. He deserves the credit in the things he does.

"The thing I liked about his game, he let his play do his talking. That is very important."

Avery did some talking with his stick by scoring a pair of goals on Sunday in a 3-1 win over Philadelphia. Apparently he still dished out some smack talk during the game as he also incurred three penalties.

Montreal goalie Jaroslav Halak has been nails during the team’s current five-game winning streak, but holds a dismal 1-3-0 record at Madison Square Garden with a 4.11 goals-against average.

His counterpart under the net, Henrik Lundqvist, is 6-1-0 in his last seven home starts against the Canadiens with a 1.86 goals-against average. Look for the desperate Rangers to end the Habs’ streak.

Pick: Rangers

Colorado Avalanche at St. Louis Blues (-130, 5.5)

The Blues have been a welcomed opponent this year for the Avalanche. In three games Colorado has destroyed St. Louis, outscoring them 15-7 and covering the puckline in each win.

St. Louis’s goalie, Chris Mason, was pulled in the last two contests that ended in 7-3 and 5-2 victories for the Avs and posted a 7.23 goals-against average in all three outings.

Colorado has played to the over in three of their last four games, averaging 4.75 goals per, and have converted eight of 20 power play opportunities during its last six affairs.

"I think we're shooting and getting more shots through," Paul Stastny said. "You can't get too cute. Sometimes when you get shots off, that's when plays open up."

The over is 8-2 in the Blues’ last 10 games and puck should be flying around on Tuesday in this matchup.

Pick: Over

Pick 'n' Roll: Today's best NBA bets

Charlotte Bobcats at Indiana Pacers (+1, 197.5)

Gerald Wallace was Charlotte’s lone All-Star this season but if you ask anyone who watches they’ll tell you the team’s real MVP is Stephen Jackson.

The shooting guard did everything for Charlotte but hand out the Gatorade during his club’s win over the Magic on Sunday. Jackson finished with 28 points, six rebounds and six assists, and didn’t turn the ball over once.

The Bobcats needed an offensive boost with Wallace missing due to injury.

"Stephen made huge plays throughout," Bobcats head coach Larry Brown told the Charlotte Observer, "and without Gerald, I don't know that we could have played any better."

The win was the club’s sixth straight and its fifth cover over the same stretch. The hot spell can be attributed to a recommitment to the defensive end. Charlotte is allowing just 87.5 points per game during the win streak and has played under the total in seven of its last nine games.

Pick: Under


Minnesota Timberwolves at Phoenix Suns

The Timberwolves are in full-out tank mode. Wanna know why? Forget that they’ve lost 15 of their last 16 games; Minnesota is 4-9-1 against the spread in its last 14 games and has lost by double digits in six of its last eight contests.

"Right now, our guys feel when things go bad, it's 'Here we go again,'” T-Wolves coach Kurt Rambis told the Minneapolis Star Tribune following his team’s latest loss. “We don't have the leadership out on the floor to get the guys rallied."

General manager David Kahn is hoping Rambis can squeeze in some time to scout the NCAA Tournament. That doesn’t exactly scream of a team focused on the Suns.

Phoenix backers haven’t cashed the last few times the Suns played on their home court, but getting Leandro Barbosa back should spark Alvin Gentry’s group.

Pick: Suns

NCAAB DUNKEL


Winthrop vs. AR-Pine Bluff
The Eagles come into the play-in game looking to take advantage of an Arkansas-Pine Bluff team that is coming off a win over Texas Southern in the SWAC final and is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games following a SU win. Winthrop is the pick (-4 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Eagles favored by 9. Dunkel Pick: Winthrop (-4 1/2).

TUESDAY, MARCH 16

Game 567-568: Winthrop vs. AR-Pine Bluff
Dunkel Ratings: Winthrop 51.690; AR-Pine Bluff 42.757
Dunkel Line: Winthrop by 9
Vegas Line: Winthrop by 4 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Winthrop (-4 1/2)

NCAAB WRITE-UP


Tuesday, March 16

NCAA play-in game

Winthrop can't shoot; they rank 345th out of 347 teams on 3-pointers, making just 26.5%; 323rd on 2-point shots (42.6%) and 314th from the foul line (314th). They finished 3rd in Big South that is ranked 28th out of 31 leagues, but Ark-Pine Bluff plays in SWAC, worst league in the country, by far. Pine Bluff started season 0-11, playing seven games vs teams ranked in top 60; they finished 2nd in SWAC, so they didn't win the worst league in country. Best team they beat is Texas Southern, the 276th-ranked team. Winthrop beat 147th-ranked Coastal Carolina twice.

The other three tournaments also start tonight; I'm going to give shorter writeups on these games

Other tournaments and their games

Jim Calhoun came to UConn from Northeastern; Huskies lost last four games; you have to think this game means more to Northeastern, which went 3-4 in last seven games, a is veteran team that plays in half-court (rank 329th in pace). CAA road underdogs are 25-22 vs spread.

NC State won five of last seven games; they won at Marquette back in December; ACC road underdogs are 10-7 vs spread. South Florida has best player in game (Jones); they won four of last five games, but got waxed by Georgetown in Big East tourney. Big East home faves: 31-37.

Coastal Carolina lost Big South title game on its home floor; best team they beat is #139 Indiana State. UAB was awful down stretch, losing its last three games, scoring just 53 ppg. Blazers are 12-2 outside of CUSA; they only have nine guys, we'll see if they can get momentum back.

Texas Tech-Seton Hall could be very high scoring; Tech allowed average of 81.7 ppg in its three non-league road games (1-2)- their win in Big 12 tourney vs Colorado ended 7-game losing skid for Raiders. Pirates will have chip on should after going 9-9 in Big East but staying home. Big 12 road underdogs are 14-15 against the spread.

North Carolina has sub-standard guards; they lost 12 of last 16 games, you have to think they'll be relief when this season finally ends, but still, their talent level is way higher than Wm Mary team that gets 39.4% of its scoring behind arc (4th in country). Tribe won at Maryland and Wake Forest in the fall, so they won't be in awe here.

Mississippi State is very unhappy about missing NCAAs; they took Kentucky to OT two days ago, playing three days in row, so that makes this their fourth game in five nights, against Jackson State team that was 17-1 in SWAC but started season 0-10, losing at SEC's Alabama by 17.

Arizona State has senior PG- they went 8-3 in last 11 games, but lost in first round of Pac-10 tourney- they went 10-3 out of conference, with all three losses vs teams in NCAAs. Jacksonville won tiebreaker in a 4-way deadlock in Atlantic Sun- they lost by 32 at Cal back in November.

VCU beat Rhode Island (82-80). Richmond (65-57) of A-14; Rams won four of last six games, won nine of 10 games outside CAA. CAA road favorites are 8-6 out of conference. George Washington lost three games, by 9-13-10 points; they went 3-0 vs lower-level CAA clubs. A-14 home underdogs are 5-7 against the spread.

Saint Louis won its first six games in February, but finished 2-3, losing by 16 to URI in first round of A-14 tourney; they split pair of games vs MVC teams. Billikens don't have any seniors, could be good next year. Indiana State covered nine of its last 11 games. MVC road underdogs are 16-17 against the spread. A-14 home favorites are 22-15.

Fairfield lost MAAC title game in OT on Siena's home floor, ending its six-game win streak; Stags lost by 4 at Hofstra in its only game against a CAA team. MAAC road dogs are 17-14 vs spread. George Mason lost six of its last eight games- they're 5-7 in their non-conference games.

Marshall has a future NBA player in freshman shotblocker Whitehead; they got bad draw in C-USA tourney, having to play Tulsa on its home court (Herd had won seven of eight before that game). Problem for Herd is that well-coached Western Carolina gets 32.6% of its points behind the arc, which somewhat negates the shotblocker inside.

South Dakota won a new league, so they got automatic bid into tourney; they lost to Cornell at home by 6, in game right after Big Red almost got upset win at Kansas- they got crushed by Marquette/K-State. Creighton is 4-5 in last nine games- they beat Houston Baptist by 29, a team that is in South Dakota's conference.

NCAA TOURNAMENT PLAY IN GAME
ODDS AND PREVIEW

Arkansas-Pine Bluff vs. Winthrop (-4.5, 117.5)

Game is being held at Dayton, Ohio and can be seen on ESPN 7:30 p.m. ET, Tuesday night.

The annual NCAA play-in game features a pair of low-scoring teams who’ve both posted upsets in their conference tournaments. It is the first NCAA appearance for Arkansas-Pine Bluff while Winthrop is making its ninth trip to the Big Dance.

The winner faces Duke, the No. 1 seed from the South region, on Friday.

Who are these guys?

Arkansas-Pine Bluff lost its first 11 games of the season. You’d think after that type of start the Golden Lions would have packed things in, but that wasn’t the case.

UAPB coach George Ivory actually took a little positive out of the tough start. The Lions only lost those games by an average of 15 points and they played every one of them on the road. They lost to big-name schools like Oklahoma State, Missouri, Kansas State and Georgia Tech during the winless streak.

UAPB played its first three contests on the road when the conference season began but this time it won two of them and ended finishing 14-4 in the SWAC.

No Bluffing

UAPB earned its first NCAA berth beating Texas Southern 50-38 on Saturday in the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game.

“This means a lot for our school and our fans,” UAPB coach George Ivory said. “We worked all year to get to the Big Dance and now we can always brag that at least for one year, we got to The Dance.

“We put a lot of pride in our defense and rebounding. We played a tough preseason schedule and it prepared us for playing physical in our league.”

The Golden Lions were seeded second in their conference tourney. They held conference opponents to just 37.3 shooting from the field and were second in the conference in rebounding.

Winthrop, who?

The Eagles are 1-8 in their NCAA Tournament history. They finished the season with an RPI of 162 playing a schedule ranked 242nd in the nation.

The Big South champs knocked off top-seeded Coastal Carolina 64-53 to earn the bid. Guard Reggie Middleton is the lone Eagle averaging double figures (10.3 ppg, 2.9 apg) while center Matt Morgan chips in with 9.6 ppg.

Winthrop defeated Notre Dame 84-74 in the 2007 NCAA tourney and is making its fifth NCAA trip in the last six years. That type of tourney experience led the Eagles to believe they wouldn’t be playing in 64-65 seed game.

“I expected us to go right in and play a No. 1 seed,” freshman guard Robbie Dreher said. “We’ll use this as motivation.”

They’re no shooting stars

Offensively Winthrop is one of the worst teams in the country. It ranks 295th in the nation in scoring (62.4 ppg.). And, if you think they stink at the free throw line (298th in the nation) watch them build a brick house beyond the arc – they’re dead last in the country in 3-point percentage.

How did they get in the Big Dance? Well, they played a lot of lousy teams and they suffocated them with a fantastic defensive style.

Winthrop held its opponents to 39 percent shooting from the floor and 29 percent from 3-point range. It ranks 33rd in the nation in scoring defense (61.4 ppg.) Winthrop finished third in the Big South and was 2-2 ATS in the limited games that you could get a line on them. The Eagles will also have a bit of a height advantage up front.

Injury update

Junior point guard Justin Burton was unable to practice on his injured right knee on Sunday. He came down awkwardly on the leg in Big South championship win. Burton had 11 points in 21 minutes of floor time with starter Reggie Middleton on the bench in foul trouble. Burton is questionable for Tuesday’s game.

Trend-setting

Winthrop is 11-3 ATS in its last 14 neutral site games and 0-4-1 ATS in its last five non-conference games.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff is 1-4 ATS in its five lined games this season.

It’s been all under for Winthrop recently.

Winthrop has gone under in its last four NCAA Tournament games.

The under is 15-3 in Winthrop’s last 18 games following a straight up win.

The under is also 14-3 in Wintrop’s last 17 neutral site games, 4-1 in Winthrop’s last five non-conference games and 20-8 in the team’s last 28 overall.

NBA WEEKLY NOTES
EAST

1) Cleveland

Weekly Recap – The Cavaliers put together another perfect week, going 3-0 in their three games. LeBron James sat out Monday’s game versus San Antonio (97-95) but returned against Philadelphia (100-95) on Friday. Sunday’s win at home over Boston (104-93) showed you once again more how the guard has changed in the Eastern Conference. The ‘over’ went 2-1 in the three affairs.

Weekly Outlook – Cleveland has four battles this week and all of them should be wins barring a terrible performance. They catch the Pistons twice, the Pacers and a Chicago team that is struggling very badly.

2) Orlando

Weekly Recap – Stan Van Gundy’s club started the week with three double-digit victories against the Clippers (113-87), Bulls (111-82) and Wizards (109-95). Unfortunately, the team saw its eight-game winning streak snapped on Sunday at home to Charlotte (89-96). The team went 3-1 ATS and the total was 2-2.

Weekly Outlook – Orlando catches a little break this week with just two games on tap, but it will be played in a back-to-back set. San Antonio visits the Magic Kingdom on Wednesday and then the team faces Miami in a TNT showdown from South Beach on Thursday.

3) Atlanta

Weekly Recap – It seems like Atlanta is going through the motions lately, which isn’t a good thing for gamblers backing them. The Hawks went 2-1 last week, but were just 1-2 ATS. A loss at New York (98-99) was humbling, but victories over the Wizards (105-99) and Pistons (112-99) quickly erased any bad memories. Atlanta is 1-5 ATS in its last six and 3-7 ATS over its last 10.

Weekly Outlook – Atlanta starts the week on Tuesday with two road games in two nights against the Nets and Raptors. The last two games both come at home, versus Charlotte and San Antonio. The game against the Spurs will be televised nationally on Sunday and be aware that the Hawks have gone 19-9 against the Western Conference this year.

4) Boston

Weekly Recap – The Celtics struggled late in a loss at Milwaukee (84-86) on Tuesday and then really tanked it the next night. The team was booed off their homecourt in a 20-point (91-111) setback to Memphis. Boston did bounce back on Friday albeit against Indiana (122-103) but lost at Cleveland (93-104) on Sunday. The ‘over’ cashed in three of the four.

Weekly Outlook – Boston faces Detroit on Monday at home on zero days rest and then welcomes New York on Wednesday. After a day off, the Celtics play two games in two nights from the Lone Star State starting Friday. Doc Rivers’ team plays Houston on Friday before Dallas on Saturday.

5) Milwaukee

Weekly Recap – Will the Bucks ever cool off? Milwaukee went 3-0 last week, and is now 12-2 since the All-Star Break. Even more impressive, the club has gone 12-2 ATS. Victories over the Celtics (86-84) and Jazz (95-87) certainly helped Scott Skiles and company silence any critics. Total players should make a note that ‘under’ has cashed in six straight games and is 10-4 over this span.

Weekly Outlook – The Bucks will embark on their final road trip to the Western Conference this week, which starts against the L.A. Clippers on Wednesday. A battle at ARCO Arena against Sacramento follows Friday and then a back-to-back against Denver on Saturday will be a true test for this red-hot club.

6) Charlotte

Weekly Recap – The Bobcats are starting to heat up at the right time. Larry Brown’s team extended their winning streak to six games last week with a perfect 4-0 performance. Two of the wins were expected against the hapless 76ers (102-87) and Clippers (106-98). However, the other pair of victories against the Heat (83-78) and Magic (96-89) gave the team even more confidence. The ‘Cats are 5-1 ATS during their winning streak and the ‘under’ has gone 4-2.

Weekly Outlook – Charlotte has four games on tap this week and they’re split into a pair of back-to-back sets. The club visits the Pacers on Tuesday, and then hosts the Thunder on Wednesday. After this pair, the Bobcats face two Southeast Division rivals, Atlanta and Miami, in two nights and both are on the road as well.

7) Miami

Weekly Recap – Miami started the week with a rough loss at Charlotte (78-83) but rallied for three straight wins. All three victories came by double digits, which helped the team cover the number in all three as well. The offense averaged 106.7 PPG in the wins, but only put up 78 in the loss. The ‘over’ went 3-0 in the wins and is on a 6-1 run overall.

Weekly Outlook – The Heat will have confidence this week and they’ll need it. Three games are at home, but all of the opponents will be tough outs. San Antonio heads to South Beach on Tuesday and then Orlando comes to town on Thursday. Charlotte concludes the week with a Saturday Night battle from American Airlines Arena.

8) Toronto

Weekly Recap – The Raptors’ trip out West started with a buzzer-beater loss to the Lakers (107-109) on Tuesday, and that setback opened up the flood gates. Toronto lost its final three games on trips and all three came by double digits. The defense has given up 109 points or more in the last five games, which has resulted in a five-game losing skid. The recent skid has pushed Toronto down to the eighth and final playoff spot in the East, just one game ahead of Chicago.

Weekly Outlook – Toronto will look to stop the bleeding this week with three games, with two coming at Air Canada Centre. The Hawks and Thunder will be the opponents at home, where the Raptors have gone 22-10 this season. After the contest versus Oklahoma City, the Raptors travel to the Nets on zero days rest Saturday.

9) Chicago

Weekly Recap – The Bulls are in a serious funk on both ends of the court and it’s translated into seven straight losses (0-7 ATS), all coming by double digits too. Last week, the team was ripped by the Jazz (108-132) at home before losing back-to-back games in the Sunshine State to the Magic (82-111) and Heat (95-108). Point guard Derrick Rose sprained his wrist but he’s expected to return this week. If the playoffs started today, the team would be on the outside looking in.

Weekly Outlook – Chicago could have trouble snapping the skid this week when you look at the schedule. Starting Tuesday, the Bulls play at the Grizzlies and Mavericks in a tough back-to-back set. After that pair, the team plays another two games in two nights against the Cavaliers and 76ers.

10) Philadelphia

Weekly Recap – The 76ers have gone 3-11 SU and 5-9 ATS since the All-Star break and that includes a 0-4 SU and 1-3 ATS effort last week. The defense has given up 100-plus in 11 of the 14 games and nine of the losses during this stretch came by double digits. I don’t know about you but I’m still surprised head coach Eddie Jordan has a job.

Weekly Outlook – Philadelphia has a chance to get back on track this week with a home-and-home set versus the Knicks and two other home games against the Nets and struggling Bulls. If you see the 76ers listed as favorites this week that should certainly tell you something. But we still urge you to be careful with Jordan and company.

11) New York

Weekly Recap – The Knicks showed a little toughness this week as the team posted a 2-2 SU and 3-1 ATS mark. Victories against the Hawks (99-98) and Mavericks (128-94) were unexpected and certainly helped gamblers taking the money-line. The total went 2-2.

Weekly Outlook – New York has another four games on the docket this week and the first two happen on the road against Atlantic Division rivals. After playing the 76ers on Monday, the team heads to Boston on Wednesday. The Knicks then host Philadelphia on Friday before Houston visits Madison Square Garden on Sunday.

12) Detroit

Weekly Recap – The Pistons posted a 1-2 record last week, both SU and ATS. The losses came by double digits to the Jazz (104-115) and Hawks (99-112). The lone victory occurred at home, against the struggling Wizards (101-87). The ‘over’ went 2-1.

Weekly Outlook – Detroit will play three of its four games this week on the road. Trips to Boston and Cleveland appear impossible but a Friday encounter at Indiana could be a look. The home contest happens Tuesday and that’s on zero days rest versus the Cavaliers. Make a note that Detroit has dropped five straight (2-3 ATS) games on the road.

13) Washington

Weekly Recap – The Wizards lost all four of their games last week and nobody should be surprised considering that three of the contests were played in consecutive days. The team went 1-3 ATS and is now 2-5 ATS during its current seven-game losing streak. The offense continues to be struggling, which has helped the ‘under’ go 5-2 during this stretch.

Weekly Outlook – It’s going to be hard to see Washington snap its losing skid this week, since the team heads to the West Coast. The Wizards face the Jazz on Monday and then Denver on Tuesday. After a couple days off, the trip resumes in Portland on Friday and finishes against the Lakers on Sunday.

14) Indiana

Weekly Recap – The Pacers went 1-2 SU and 2-1 ATS this past week. The lone victory came at home against Philadelphia (107-96), and the team did it without All-Star Danny Granger. The ‘under’ went 2-1.

Weekly Outlook – Indiana will play three of four at home this week, with Charlotte, Detroit and Oklahoma City visiting Conseco Fieldhouse. A road trip to Cleveland is nestled between those contests.

15) New Jersey

Weekly Recap – I guess we can say the Nets had a semi-productive week. New Jersey did go 0-4 in its four games but it helped gamblers with a 4-0 record against the spread. What’s more impressive is that all four tilts were on the road too. The ‘over’ cashed in three of the four.

Weekly Outlook – The Nets have three games on tap this week, two coming at home. The Hawks visit Tuesday and then the Raptors come to town on Saturday.

NBA WEEKLY NOTES
WEST

1 - Lakers

Weekly Rewind: The Champs bounced back from an 0-3 East Coast swing to knock off the Raptors and Suns. Kobe Bryant sunk Toronto with another game-winning jumper at the buzzer, but the Raptors managed a cover as 11 ½-point underdogs. The Lakers won in more comfortable fashion at Phoenix, beating the Suns, 102-96 as two-point road 'chalk.'

Weekly Outlook: This week shouldn't be too terribly challenging for the Purple and Gold, playing four teams who are all out of playoff contention. The Lakers head up I-5 for a pair of games in Northern California on a back-to-back starting Monday at Golden State. L.A. travels to Sacramento on Tuesday, followed by two home games to close the week against Minnesota (Friday) and Washington (Sunday).

2 - Nuggets

Weekly Rewind: After dropping consecutive road games to the Lakers and Suns, the Nuggets have bounced back nicely with five straight victories. Denver is a perfect 3-0 SU on their four-game road trip after sweeping through Minnesota, New Orleans, and Memphis. The lone non-cover came as eight-point favorites against the Wolves, as the Nuggets rallied for an eight-point win and a 'push.'

Weekly Outlook: The road trip concludes in Houston on Monday, as the Nuggets are averaging 114 ppg during their current five-game hot streak. Denver has a quick turnaround on Tuesday, returning home for three games starting with Washington. The Nuggets host the Hornets on Thursday, followed by a visit from Milwaukee on Saturday. Both the Wizards and Hornets will be playing their fourth game in five nights when they invade the Pepsi Center this week.

3 - Mavericks

Weekly Rewind: The good news for Dallas this past week was it finished 2-1. The bad news is the Mavs had their 13-game win streak come to an abrupt halt by the Knicks. Yes, the same New York squad that lost by 50 to Dallas at the Garden in late January. The Knicks obliterated the Mavs, 128-94, dropping Rick Carlisle's team to 2-24-1 ATS the last 27 as a home favorite.

Weekly Outlook: The Mavs stay at the American Airlines Center for the final two games of a four-game homestand. Dallas hosts Chicago on Wednesday, followed by a Saturday matchup with Boston. The Mavs have beaten both those squads on the road already this season, as the Bulls and Celtics will be playing with no rest.

4 - Jazz

Weekly Rewind: Utah concluded a four-game road trip in Oklahoma City a bit undermanned, with Andrei Kirilenko and Mehmet Okur each missing the game due to injury. The Jazz knocked off the Bulls and Pistons each by double-digits, but Utah was tripped up by Milwaukee and Oklahoma City as short road 'dogs.

Weekly Outlook: Jerry Sloan's club returns home for three of four games this week, starting with the Wizards invading Salt Lake on Monday. The Jazz face the Wolves for the final time this season on Wednesday, prior to a Friday road showdown in Phoenix against the Suns. Utah can claim the season series with a win over Phoenix, after the Jazz rallied past the Suns earlier this month. The Jazz have a quick turnaround on Saturday when they host the Hornets.

5 - Thunder

Weekly Rewind: Oklahoma City accomplished one of its early-season goals by picking up its 40th victory of the season against New Jersey. The Thunder failed to cover as 11-point home favorites, but that SU win was the fourth straight for OKC. Scott Brooks' squad also racked up a home victories over the Hornets and Jazz.

Weekly Outlook: The Thunder embarks on a three-game road trip on Wednesday against the Bobcats in Charlotte. OKC will have one day off before traveling to Toronto on Friday, prior to a Sunday meeting in Indiana. The Thunder owns a 4-2 SU mark the last six games, but just a 2-4 ATS ledger.

6 - Spurs

Weekly Rewind: San Antonio has quietly caught fire as the Spurs have won seven of eight following a 3-0 SU/ATS week. The Spurs took care of business against three also-rans in the Knicks, Wolves, and Clippers, while holding each opponent to 88 points or less.

Weekly Outlook: The Spurs will be tested this week with three of four road games against Southeast Division opponents. San Antonio heads to the Sunshine State on Tuesday to tangle with Miami, followed by a Wednesday meeting in Orlando. The Spurs come home on Friday to host the Warriors before finishing the week in Atlanta against the Hawks.

7 - Suns

Weekly Rewind: Phoenix had a relatively light week with just two games, losing to the Lakers while beating on the Hornets on Sunday night. The Suns had covered eight straight from mid-February through March, but Phoenix is riding a 1-3 ATS slump.

Weekly Outlook: The seven-game homestand in the Valley continues this week with the Wolves invading Phoenix on Tuesday. The Suns will have a pair of crucial contests to wrap up the week when they host the Jazz (Friday) and Blazers (Sunday), trying to avenge four losses to those two squads.

8 - Blazers

Weekly Rewind: Portland is nearly back to health and it's showing in the win column as the Blazers have won six of their last seven. The Blazers picked up three victories over the mediocrity of Northern California, beating the Kings twice and the Warriors. The offense has opened up with over 100 points scored in eight of the last nine.

Weekly Outlook: The Blazers won't hit the court again until Friday night against the struggling Wizards. Portland goes for its third win over Phoenix this season when the Blazers head to the Valley on Sunday. Nate McMillan's team is 6-3 ATS the last nine away from the Rose Garden.

9 - Grizzlies

Weekly Rewind: Memphis is still hanging around in the playoff race, while helping itself with a 111-91 thrashing of Boston on the road. The Grizzlies held off a furious Knicks' rally before falling short in a home loss to the Nuggets. Memphis is now 1-9-1 ATS the last 11 at FedEx Forum, a far cry from the 11-game winning streak it owned at home in December and January.

Weekly Outlook: The Grizzlies have the potential to sweep the three-game week, starting with the beat-up Bulls at home on Tuesday. Memphis hits the road for a quick trip to Houston on Wednesday, as the Grizzlies are 7-0 SU/ATS the last seven on the highway. The week concludes on Saturday with a home matchup against the Warriors.

10 - Rockets

Weekly Rewind: Houston is still on the outside looking in, but the Rockets won three of four games this past week. Rick Adelman's squad downed lowly Washington on the road, then needed to hold off feisty New Jersey at home, but the Rockets failed to cover against the Nets as nearly double-digit favorites.

Weekly Outlook: The home slate won't be easy this week, hosting the Nuggets (Monday), Grizzlies (Wednesday), and Celtics (Friday). Houston owns a dreadful 3-14 ATS mark the last 17 games at the Toyota Center. The Rockets begin a three-game roadie on Sunday with a trip to the Garden to battle the Knicks.

11 - Hornets

Weekly Rewind: Things have nearly unraveled for the once-promising Hornets, dropping seven of eight and falling below .500. New Orleans outlasted Golden State, 135-131, but failed to cover as six-point 'chalk.' The Hornets were then tripped up by the Thunder, Nuggets, and Suns, moving New Orleans to 0-7 ATS the last seven games.

Weekly Outlook: New Orleans continues a five-game trip with two winnable games in California starting Monday against the Clippers. The Hornets head to the northern part of the Golden State to battle the Warriors on Wednesday, prior to a nationally televised contest on Thursday at Denver. Things don't get easier on Saturday when the trip concludes in Salt Lake against the Jazz.

12 - Clippers

Weekly Rewind: The season can't end fast enough for the Clippers, losers of seven straight, including all five on their recent road trip. Los Angeles picked up only one cover on its latest road venture, cashing a backdoor ticket in an eight-point loss at Charlotte as ten-point 'dogs. The other four games weren't even close, losing each contest by double-digits.

Weekly Outlook: The Clips return to the friendly confines of Staples Center for three games this week. The Hornets arrive in Southern California on Monday, prior to a visit from Milwaukee on Wednesday. The week ends with an epic division showdown against the Kings, as the home team has claimed each of the first two meetings.

13 - Kings

Weekly Rewind: The Kings have turned into a covering machine, cashing eight of ten games after Sunday's win over the Wolves. Sacramento hasn't been winning many games, but the Kings' did pick up a pair of blowouts, including one over the Raptors, aided by a 43-point third quarter. That win was sandwiched by a pair of losses to the Blazers, including an ugly 110-94 defeat at home.

Weekly Outlook: Paul Westphal's club returns to the court on Tuesday to host the Lakers, already taking the Champs down to the wire twice this season in losses. The Kings look to knock off the Bucks for a second time when Milwaukee visits Arco Arena on Wednesday. The week concludes on Sunday with a trip down the coast against the Clippers.

14 - Warriors

Weekly Rewind: Golden State wrapped up a disastrous road trip, going 0-5 SU, but the Warriors went 3-2 ATS. Stephen Curry hit a couple of late three-pointers to cash as underdogs against the Hornets to end the trip, playing one of the highest-scoring games of the season with 266 combined points. The Warriors covered in consecutive games as home 'dogs against the Blazers and Raptors. Golden State ran out of gas in a six-point loss to Portland, but exploded for a huge third quarter to pull away from Toronto.

Weekly Outlook: The Warriors will be tested four times this week starting with the Lakers at home on Monday. Golden State tries to avoid a season sweep to New Orleans when the Hornets invade the Bay Area on Wednesday. The Warriors go back on the road for consecutive contests at San Antonio (Friday) and Memphis (Saturday).

15 - Timberwolves

Weekly Rewind: Some thought Minnesota was turning the corner with four straight wins in late January, but the Wolves are who we thought they were with losses in 15 of the last 16 games. Minnesota didn't have it easy with home losses to the some of the West's elite, falling to Dallas, Denver, and San Antonio. The low point came in a 114-100 setback at Sacramento, but the Wolves trailed by as many as 34.

Weekly Outlook: Kurt Rambis' team will continue a four-game trip on Tuesday at Phoenix against the Suns. Things don't ease up on Wednesday on the second of a back-to-back at Utah. The Wolves will end the road trip on a solid note, battling the Lakers on Friday.

RedZone Sports/Jr. O'Donnell

free internet play: Texas Tech (NCAAB)

SPORTS ADVISORS

TUESDAY, MARCH 16

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

NCAA TOURNAMENT

(at Dayton, Ohio)

Winthrop (19-13, 2-2 ATS) vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (17-15, 1-4 ATS)

Winthrop scored consecutive upsets in the Big South tournament, capped by a 64-53 win over Coastal Carolina as a nine-point underdog in the championship game on March 6, to clinch their fifth Big Dance berth in the last six years. The Eagles had lost three of four to end the regular season in third place in the Big South standings, but they swept three games in the conference tourney, also knocking off Liberty (80-72, falling short as an 8½-point favorite) and Radford (61-46 as a 2½-point ‘dog).
Arkansas Pine-Bluff topped Texas-Southern 50-38 as a two-point favorite on Saturday to capture the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship and secure its first ever NCAA Tournament bid. The Golden Lions have won four in a row and 11 of their last 12, and their only two losses since mid-January came against Jackson State, which won the SWAC regular-season title.
This is the first meeting between these schools.
While the Golden Lions are in the Tournament for the first time in school history, Winthrop is making its ninth appearance, all since 1999. The Eagles are 1-8 SU all-time, the lone victory being a 74-64 first-round upset of Notre Dame as a 3½-point underdog in 2007.
In addition to going 2-1 ATS in their conference tournament, the Eagles played one other lined game this season, and that was a Bracket Buster contest at Eastern Kentucky, and they got hammered 77-57 as a 7½-point road ‘dog. That dropped Winthrop to 0-4-1 ATS in its last five lined non-conference contests, but otherwise it is on spread-covering surges of 11-3 at neutral sites, 12-5 as an underdog, 8-3 as a ‘dog of less than seven points and 8-3 when catching points at neutral venues.
Arkansas Pine-Bluff’s easy win and cover in the SWAC championship ended a 0-5 ATS slump. However, the Golden Lions are just 1-5 ATS in their last six after a SU victory.
The favorite has won the last three “play-in” games, and after a 5-1 ATS run by the underdog in this event, the chalk has cashed in the last two.
Winthrop’s recent lined contests have been low-scoring affairs, as it is on “under” runs of 20-8 overall, 4-0 in NCAA Tournament games, 14-3 at neutral sites, 6-1 as an underdog and 7-1 as a neutral-site pup. Meanwhile, the Golden Lions stayed low in three of their last four lined games, including the last two in the SWAC tournament.
The winner of tonight’s game at Dayton Arena heads to Jacksonville, Fla., to face top-seeded Duke on Friday.

ATS ADVANTAGE: WINTHROP and UNDER


NIT

N.C. State (19-15, 17-13-1 ATS) at South Florida (20-12, 19-10-2 ATS)

The Wolfpack made a valiant run to the ACC tournament semifinals last weekend, eventually falling to Georgia Tech 57-54 on Saturday, but cashing as a four-point underdog. N.C. State rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit and actually had a three-point lead late but couldn’t hang on. Still, the Wolfpack have rebounded from an 0-5 slump (1-4 ATS) to win five of their last seven, going 6-1 ATS including 4-0 ATS in the last four.
South Florida ended the regular season with three straight victories over Providence, DePaul and UConn, then got past DePaul again a week ago in the opening round of the Big East tournament (58-49 as a seven-point favorite). However, the Bulls’ Big Dance dreams ended the following day in an ugly 69-49 loss to Georgetown as a 6½-point underdog. The SU winner is 8-0-1 ATS in South Florida’s last nine games.
The Wolfpack are back in the postseason for the first time since 2007, when they won their first two games of the NIT before losing to West Virginia, finishing 2-0-1 ATS. South Florida’s last qualified for postseason play in 2002, losing an opening-round NIT game at Ball State.
The Bulls are 11-4 at home (8-4-2 ATS), while N.C. State has lost seven of 11 on the road, but it is 7-4 ATS. This is the first meeting between these schools.
N.C. State’s 4-0 ATS run overall is buoyed by pointspread streaks of 18-7-1 on the road, 4-1 after a spread-cover and 4-0 against winning teams. The Bulls are on ATS upticks of 3-1-1 overall, 6-1-1 at home, 9-3 in non-conference play, 4-1 against the ACC, 3-0-1 on Tuesday and 9-4 versus winning teams.
The Wolfpack are on “under” streaks of 5-0 overall, 4-0 on the road, 5-0 after a SU defeat and 4-0 after a non-cover, while South Florida has stayed low in eight of 11 overall, four of five versus the ACC and four of five on Tuesday. However, the over is 4-1 in N.C. State’s last five against ACC competition and 6-2 in South Florida’s last eight at home.

ATS ADVANTAGE: SOUTH FLORIDA


Texas Tech (17-15, 15-11 ATS) vs. Seton Hall (19-12, 8-17 ATS)

Texas Tech ended a seven-game losing skid with an 82-67 rout of Colorado as a one-point underdog in Wednesday’s opening round of the Big 12 tournament. The Red Raiders then gave top-seeded and top-ranked Kansas a bit of a scare the next day, eventually coming up well in an 80-68 loss but easily covered as a 17½-point underdog. The back-to-back spread-covers came on the heels of a 2-5 ATS funk.
A 7-3 end-of-season hot streak wasn’t enough to get the Pirates invited to the big party. They ended regular-season play with a pair of double-digit road wins over Rutgers and Providence, then they matched up with Providence again a week ago today in the Big East tournament and nearly blew a 29-point second-half lead, holding on 109-106 as a 5½-point favorite. However, Seton Hall was no match for Notre Dame the following day, losing 68-56 as a 2½-point pup.
This is Texas Tech’s first postseason appearance since losing an opening-round NCAA Tournament game in 2007. Seton Hall hasn’t played this deep into March since losing a first-round Tournament game to Wichita State in 2006.
The Red Raiders, who have never faced Seton Hall, are 3-9 in true road games this year (5-6 ATS in lined action). The Pirates are 13-4 at the Prudential Center, but a woeful 3-9 ATS in lined contests.
Texas Tech has cashed in six of its last seven non-conference games, but it has failed to cover in 17 of 22 on Tuesday and is 0-4-1 ATS in the last five against Big East opponents. The Pirates are on pointspread slides of 6-16 overall, 0-6 at home, 1-4 versus winning teams and 2-5 after a non-cover.
The under is 4-1 in the Raiders’ last five against the Big East, 4-1-1 in Seton Hall’s last six non-conference tussles and 6-1 in Seton Hall’s last seven Tuesday outings. However, Tech is on “over” streaks of 22-8 on the highway, 12-3-1 in all non-league games, 23-11-2 after a SU defeat and 5-2 on Tuesday, while the Pirates have topped the total in four of five overall and four of five at home.

ATS ADVANTAGE: TEXAS TECH and OVER


William & Mary (22-10, 17-10-1 ATS) vs. North Carolina (16-16, 10-20 ATS)

William & Mary nearly punched its first-ever ticket to the NCAA Tournament, but came up short to Old Dominion in the Colonial Athletic Association tournament championship on March 8, losing 60-53 but cashing as a nine-point underdog. Although that defeat snapped a three-game losing skid for the Tribe, they still enter their first-ever postseason game having won seven of 10 both SU and ATS.
One year after winning their fifth NCAA title, the Tar Heels find themselves out of the Big Dance for the first time failing to qualify in both 2002 and 2003. North Carolina started the year strong, winning 10 of their first 13 games (with the three losses coming to Syracuse, Kentucky and Texas, three teams that spent time ranked No. 1 this season). Then injuries piled up, the Tar Heels suffered a stunning 82-79 overtime loss at Charleston, followed by an ugly ACC campaign that saw them go 5-12 SU and ATS.
After getting destroyed at Duke in the regular-season finale March 6 (82-50 as a 15-point road underdog), the Heels went one-and-one in the conference tournament for the first time ever, falling to Georgia Tech 62-56 as a 3½-point underdog Thursday. The last time UNC was in the NIT was 2003, when it went 2-1 SU and ATS, losing a third-round game to Georgetown at home.
These teams met in 2005 in Chapel Hill, N.C., and even though North Carolina rolled 105-66, the Tribe barely got inside the whopping 40½-point spread.
William & Mary was 12-7 (12-6 ATS) on the highway this year, including 10-6 in true road games (10-5 ATS).
The Tribe’s ATS hot streaks include 7-3 overall, 5-1 on the road, 6-1 in non-conference play, 4-1 against the ACC and 10-4 after a SU defeat. North Carolina had one of the worst pointspread records in the country this season, ranking 224th out of 329 lined teams. And while the Heels have cashed in 43 of 61 non-conference games and four of five on Tuesday, they’re sill in pointspread funks of 5-14 overall, 2-5 at home, 2-6 after either a SU or ATS loss and 4-11 against winning teams.
William & Mary is riding “under” streaks of 16- overall, 11-1 on the highway, 5-1 after a SU defeat and 6-1 after a non-cover. Likewise, the Tar Heels are on “under” runs of 19-7 overall, 7-1 at home, 4-0 on Tuesday, 13-3 after a SU loss and 10-2 following an ATS setbacks.

ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER


NBA



NBA

San Antonio (39-25, 33-30-1 ATS) at Miami (35-32, 34-33 ATS)

Two teams riding three-game winning streaks hook up at American Airlines Arena in South Beach, where the Heat continue their playoff push when they host the Spurs.
San Antonio has been idle since Saturday’s 118-88 beat-down of the Clippers, easily covering as an 11½-point home favorite. In addition to winning their last three in a row, the Spurs are on a 7-1 SU surge, and they’ve cashed in a season-best seven consecutive games. During this eight-game push, San Antonio is 3-1 SU and 4-0 ATS on the road, the only setback being a 97-95 loss at Cleveland eight days ago. Still, the Spurs remain a .500 team on the highway (15-15, 14-16 ATS).
Miami has won three in a row SU and ATS, all in double-digit fashion and all at home. The Heat pummeled the Clippers 108-97 on Tuesday, the Bulls 108-95 on Thursday and the 76ers 104-91 on Sunday. They’ve started off the month 6-1 SU, with all six victories coming in American Airlines Arena. Miami also has followed up an 0-4 ATS drought by going 5-1 ATS in the last six. For the season, Dwyane Wade and Co. are 20-14 in South Beach (17-17 ATS).
San Antonio swept the season series from the Heat last year, winning 91-84 in Miami as a 3½-point favorite and cruising 108-78 as a 7½-point home chalk. The Spurs have won seven of the last nine meetings, and their two spread-covers last year ended Miami’s 4-0 ATS run in this rivalry.
In addition to cashing in seven straight games overall and four straight on the road, the Spurs are on ATS upticks of 9-1 against the Southeast Division and 5-1 versus winning teams. Meanwhile, Miami is on pointspread runs of 5-1 overall, 5-0 at home, 6-2 versus Western Conference woes, 4-0 against the Southwest Division, 4-0 after a day off, 5-1 following a double-digit win and 15-7-1 on Tuesday.
The under has cashed in six straight meetings between these squads and 17 of the last 19 overall. That includes an 8-1 “under” streak in Miami. On top of that, the Spurs are on “under” stretches of 5-1 overall, 14-6 on the road, 10-3-1 in Eastern Conference games, 36-16-2 versus the Southeast Division and 7-1 versus winning teams. Finally, Miami carries “under” trends of 14-2 against winning teams, 15-7 against the Southwest Division, 34-16-1 after a spread-cover and 5-1 on Tuesday.
Conversely, the Heat have topped the total in six straight home games and six of their last seven overall.

ATS ADVANTAGE: SAN ANTONIO and UNDER