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February 18th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Matchup: St. John's Red Storm @ Pittsburgh Panthers
Date: Saturday, February 19th, 12:00 ET
Location: Petersen Events Center, Pittsburgh, PA
Game Line: Pittsburgh -3.5
Over/Under 133

The Johnnies have had a history of slaying some real giants here at Madison Square Garden, and if they can pull this one off on Saturday afternoon, they'll surely be dancing regardless of what happens for the rest of the year. However, history really doesn't bode well in this one for the hosts. Pittsburgh has won and covered five in a row in this series. The two trips to MSG before that in 2005 and 2006 did end with St. John's upsets, but that doesn't mean that this is going to be the case again today. U-Pitt just doesn't have an immediate history of tripping up on the road, posting wins against the Villanova Wildcats and West Virginia Mountaineers there in recent weeks. Sure, St. John's now has two road wins after beating both the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Marquette Golden Eagles away from MSG over the course of the last few weeks, but that doesn't mean that Head Coach Steve Lavin's team is really ready for this challenge. You can bet that the Panthers have been watching intently as teams like the Duke Blue Devils and UConn Huskies have come in here and pulled off upsets. The oddsmakers are sure to not give us a break for backing the Red Storm, so we'll have no choice but to pull the trigger on the Panthers and hope that Brad Wanamaker can carry us to another victory since Ashton Gibbs is out of the lineup with an MCL sprain.

Free College Basketball Picks: Pittsburgh Panthers

Matchup: Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ West Virginia Mountaineers
Date: Saturday, February 19th, 1:00 ET
Location: WVU Coliseum, Morgantown, WV
Game Line: West Virginia -4
Over/Under 130

Home teams have had a fantastic history in this series, winning seven straight outright and nine out of the last 10 meetings dating back to 2004. Notre Dame has had a bit of a history of falling flat in games like this one, getting dropped by the St. John's Red Storm and the Marquette Golden Eagles on the road. Of course, since that point, the Irish are 7-0 SU and 6-1 ATS, and they are now in serious contention for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The 'Neers are coming off of a horrifying loss to the Syracuse Orange, their second straight road game in which they scored in the low 50s in points. However, one thing is for sure, and that's that Head Coach Bob Huggins isn't going to let Notre Dame drop three pointers all over the place on them, as demonstrated by last year's 53-51 win at Madison Square Garden in the Big East Tournament. WVU has a great team that matches up well with this Notre Dame squad, and the hosts badly need one more feather in their cap for the March Madness run. Don't be shocked if they get that feather on Saturday.

Free NCAA Basketball Picks: West Virginia Mountaineers

Matchup: Washington Huskies @ Arizona Wildcats
Date: Saturday, February 19th, 6:00 ET
Location: McKale Center, Tucson, AZ
Game Line: Arizona -2.5
Over/Under 157.5

If the Huskies are going to add a big time road win to their resume for the NCAA Tournament, this is where they're going to have to get it. Unfortunately, history really isn't on their side, as the home team is 6-2 ATS over the course of the last eight meetings, and the U of A will be a decided favorite on the college basketball odds. Washington was absolutely dreadful on the road on a trip that include a stop against the Washington State Cougars and two against the Oregon schools, going 0-3 SU and ATS even though it was a heavy favorite in all three games. Playing at home is just a different story. Arizona is playing significantly better ball right now, and it really should show up on the scoreboard on Saturday. The Cats would have no problem if they made it that they were the only Pac-10 team that got a bid to the NCAA Tournament, and if that happens to be the case, they could turn out to be a legitimate favorite to win the whole enchilada.

College Basketball Free Picks: Arizona Wildcats

Matchup: Utah State Aggies @ St. Mary's Gaels
Date: Saturday, February 19th, 9:00 ET
Location: McKeon Pavilion, Moraga, CA
Game Line: St. Mary's -4
Over/Under 136

Believe it or not, this BracketBusters showdown is the only battle of the entire day that pits a pair of teams ranked in the Top 25 against each other. The winner of this game is likely to keep their spot in the Top 25, though if the winner is St. Mary's, both might fall out. The Gaels have had a miserable week leading up to this point, as they were beaten down by the San Diego Toreros on Wednesday night in one of the biggest upsets of the entire season. This was a team that really should have been manhandled, and in the long run, if the Gaels don't end up making the NCAA Tournament, they can look back and shake their head at that loss as 17 point favorites to a team that won't finish with a Top 200 RPI ranking. Utah State suffered a similar loss two weeks ago against the Idaho Vandals, and this is their only chance to pick up an RPI Top 100 victory this entire season. They know that they aren't likely to get accepted to the dance in spite of the fact that they would have 27 wins under their belt without this win, and even then, the only sure route is going to be winning the WAC Tournament. This game means worlds more to Utah State than it does to St. Mary's, and we tend to believe that that will show on Saturday night. Will the Aggies pull off the upset? Probably not. But that doesn't mean they won't stick inside the number.

NCAA Basketball Free Picks: Utah State Aggies

Matchup: Texas A&M Aggies @ Oklahoma State Cowboys
Date: Saturday, February 19th, 9:00 ET
Location: Gallagher IBA Arena, Stillwater, OK
Game Line: Oklahoma State -2
Over/Under 127

It's a big, big day for the Pokes, as they really need this one to at least feel like they're on the right side of the NCAA Tournament bubble at the moment. They've dropped five of their last seven and seven of their last 10, but the good news is that the only home loss in this run has come to one of the best teams in the country, the Texas Longhorns. However, there's a point that we have to wonder whether this team is any good or not. After all, the Aggies slammed Okie State 71-48 back on January 12th in one of the worst beat downs of the season. The Cowboys were held to just 16-of-46 shooting from the field, and no one scored more than 11 points. The bench was kept incredibly quiet as well, so there were just no sparks that were able to fly. The scarier part about that win? Khris Middleton only had nine points and only took eight shots. Don't be surprised if the second verse goes the same as the first in this one, as the superior Aggies should be able to come into Stillwater and walk out victorious.

College Basketball Expert Picks: Texas A&M Aggies

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February 11th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Matchup: Syracuse Orange @ Louisville Cardinals
Date: Saturday, February 11th, 12:00 ET
Location: KFC Yum! Arena, Louisville, KY

The Redbirds have a real chance here to make a statement at home against a Syracuse team that has underachieved in recent weeks. Head Coach Jim Boeheim knows that he is up against it in this one, especially on the road where his team has already lost to the Marquette Golden Eagles and the Pitt Panthers over the course of the last month. Louisville is coming off of that crushing loss at the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, but things are definitely looking up. This is a team that generally plays remarkable defense, and that 'D' should really shine on Saturday. The home team is 5-2-1 ATS in the last eight clashes in this series, while Syracuse is just 5-12 ATS in its last 17 games played on Saturday. The Cards have also won and six in a row in this series and are 5-0-1 ATS in those meetings. Back Louisville.

Free College Basketball Picks: Louisville Cardinals

Matchup: Kentucky Wildcats @ Vanderbilt Commodores
Date: Saturday, February 11th, 1:00 ET
Location: Memorial Arena, Nashville, TN

This is a mighty interesting clash for the Wildcats, who really haven't played all that well on the road this year. Perhaps a different program with less of a history wouldn't even have a ranking right now at 17-6, just like this Vanderbilt team is just barely hanging on to the Top 25. The Cats, believe it or not, only have one win on the road in the SEC this year, and if they lose this one, there is a good chance that they will only end up beating one SEC East team on the road. Head Coach John Calipari has a talented bunch, but these youngsters just haven't figured out how to consistently put it together on the road. The 'Dores, on the other hand, are 13-1 at home on the campaign, and they do have some wins against some very quality foes here. Don't be shocked if the big men for Vandy, while are far more experienced, end up outworking the Wildcats in the Music City.

Free NCAA Basketball Picks: Vanderbilt Commodores

Matchup: Ohio State Buckeyes @ Wisconsin Badgers
Date: Saturday, February 11th, 2:00 ET
Location: Kohl Center, Madison, WI

Seemingly everyone and their brother is going to be backing the Badgers in this one, and the college basketball odds might even have the hosts as short favorites over the undisputed No. 1 team in the country. The problem is perception. No one really believes that OSU is that good of a team this year. Sure, Jared Sullinger is amazing, but the rest of this cast really doesn't look like a Final Four team, does it? Then again, does Wisconsin look like a Final Four team either? If Head Coach Thad Motta can figure out how to take the ball out of the hands of Jon Leuer and Jordan Taylor, Wisconsin is in a ton of trouble in this one. The Buckeyes have some big time mojo on their side, and there is a reason that they have withstood the first 24 challenges this year. They'll survive and get win No. 25, which should start the talks about a perfect season in a hurry.

College Basketball Free Picks: Ohio State Buckeyes

Matchup: Baylor Bears @ Texas Longhorns
Date: Saturday, February 11th, 4:00 ET
Location: Frank Erwin Special Events Center, Austin, TX

Texas needs to be particularly careful in this one, as the Bears are a dangerous club. There is a point that the No. 3 team in the country is overrated. We know that Texas is good, and that there is a good chance that this will be at least an Elite 8 team, if not more. However, the point of desperation is going to be kicking in at some point for the Bears, and this is a bit of a bipolar bunch of Longhorns that we are dealing with. Remember, this is a beatable team here in Austin; UConn proved that, and it did so with a big time game from Kemba Walker. Though there is no one quite like Walker in the country, Baylor does have some legit stars like LaceDarius Dunn to rely on. He's capable of going off for 30 in any game that he plays, and he has enough help around him to be able to take down some of the best and brightest in the country. Still, Baylor has struggled and has limped to a marginal record in conference and a terrible record against the NCAA basketball odds. The Bears might be good enough to stick inside of what is sure to be a hefty number, though.

NCAA Basketball Free Picks: Baylor Bears

Matchup: Pitt Panthers @ Villanova Wildcats
Date: Saturday, February 11th, 9:00 ET
Location: The Palestra, Philadelphia, PA

The Wildcats are going to be inevitably be getting very little respect from the oddsmakers thanks to the fact that they were upset in horrifying fashion by the Rutgers Scarlet Knights earlier this week at home as tremendous chalks. Many will think that this is the start of another one of these patented Villanova swoons, just like the team went on a few weeks ago, and just like the one that the squad had just before the NCAA Tournament last year. However, that was clearly a look ahead game, and it was a game in which the Cats were just flat the whole way through because they knew that there were bigger and better on the horizon. U-Pitt is a great team, but even the best and brightest in the Big East end up getting picked off in roadies like this one eventually. If this is anywhere even close to a pick 'em like we are thinking, we have no choice but to go with the hosts.

College Basketball Expert Picks: Villanova Wildcats

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February 7th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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There aren't two rivals in the college basketball betting world that hate each other more than the Duke Blue Devils and the North Carolina Tar Heels. These two teams will renew their ties on Wednesday night on Tobacco Road, as the Dookies try to get back on the No. 1 line for the NCAA Tournament.

Matchup: North Carolina Tar Heels @ Duke Blue Devils
Date: Wednesday, February 9th, 9:00 ET
Location: Cameron Indoor Stadium, Durham, NC

Tar Heels Notes: The Tar Heels are back in the Top 25, and Head Coach Roy Williams has to wonder if he has really gotten his team back to a level in which it can compete for the Final Four in the NCAA Tournament. Of course, we can't get all that excited about North Carolina due to the fact that it was only last year that the team had to go on the road to win games in the NIT. Playing without Larry Drew II is going to be interesting in this one. Though he was demoted out of the starting lineup, he was definitely the experienced ball handler that knows how to deal with the Cameron Crazies. Even though Drew is gone, the Heels are certainly rolling. They are 5-0 SU and ATS since getting blown away by 20 points by the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on the road. The offense has averaged 85.6 points per game in that stretch, one of the best marks in the conference and in the country. We can't ignore the play of Harrison Barnes. The freshman phenom was supposed to bring UNC to the next level, and perhaps he is about to start doing that. He has scored a total of 49 points in his last two duels to lead the Tar Heels. Still, Barnes is the second leading scorer on the team, averaging just 13.3 points per game. Tyler Zeller has been a constant all season long. He is averaging 14.1 points per game on the campaign, and though this isn't what was expected this year, it is more points than he has scored in total over the course of the last two years combined.

Blue Devils Notes: The Blue Devils are still dominating the ACC this year, as they only have that one loss on the road to the Florida State Seminoles and the aberration against the St. John's Red Storm at Madison Square Garden. Duke is really an offense juggernaut this year once again, the same way that it was last year when it made its epic run to the National Championship. Things just haven't looked the same over the course of the last nine games though, as the Dookies are averaging "just" 77.9 points per game in that stretch. Without Kyrie Irving, who is still nursing his toe injury, Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith are leading the way. Smith is averaging 21.0 points per game this year, and he has really come a long way to help keep this team in the Top 5 in the country. Singler's shooting percentage is a tad down at 44.6 percent this year, but he is getting the job done overall at 18.0 points per game. The defense is fantastic as well for Coach K as always. His team is conceding 64.6 points per game this year, and opponents are only shooting 40.5 percent from the floor. Keep an eye on Mason Plumlee as well, who has back to back double-doubles against some of the best big men in the ACC.

The Final Word: North Carolina is going to be in a world of hurt in this one. Drew's numbers weren't all that great this year, but these guards are really going to be up against it in baby blue. The Dookies should be able to romp to a double digit victory in front of the hometown crowd, especially after romping to a 32 point win in this fixture last season.

Free College Basketball Picks: Duke Blue Devils

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April 2nd, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

The NCAA Tournament will be whittled down to just two teams after Saturday night's college basketball betting action is complete, and in the second half of the double header from Lucas Oil Stadium, the Duke Blue Devils will take on the West Virginia Mountaineers.

What's At Stake: The Blue Devils, once one of the proudest programs in the NCAAs, hasn't been to a Final Four since 2004 and a National Championship Game since winning the 2001 title. West Virginia will be in search of its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament Championship Game since 1959, the only time that the team ever reached the Final Four. The Mountaineers have never won a title in men's basketball.

College Basketball Odds: Duke -2.5 at JustBet Sportsbook

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West Virginia Notes: It is unlikely that G Darryl Bryant will be able to take the court on Saturday night for the Mountaineers, meaning more playing time for G Joe Mazzulla, who scored 17 points in the Elite 8 against Kentucky. The 'Neers aren't a particularly deep team without Bryant in the starting five, as only six players will probably play more than five minutes or so on Saturday. Still, this is a squad that is averaging 72.8 points per game this year, which is a very respectable number considering that fact that it plays its regular season ball in the Big East.

Duke Notes: The Blue Devils aren't a very deep team either, and HC Mike Krzyzewski knows that he is going to have to rely on his main three scorers to pick up the slack. Both G Jon Scheyer and G Nolan Smith are coming off of 20+ point games in the Elite 8 against Baylor, and they'll need to be big once again for the Dookies to play for all of the marbles on Monday night. Duke has the second best three point shooting defense in the country, allowing just 27.8 percent of its three point field goal attempts to be made.

Players to Watch

F Kevin Jones, West Virginia Mountaineers: With all due respect to F Da'Sean Butler, we already know that he's going to get his points and his rebounds. Hopefully for HC Bob Huggins' sake, Butler can keep up with Smith in scoring for Duke. It's Jones that is going to be charged with keeping F Kyle Singler under wraps defensively and will be asked to keep up with Scheyer's scoring abilities. Jones was second on the team in both scoring (13.7 points per game) and rebounding (7.2 boards per game) in '09-'10.

F Kyle Singler, Duke Blue Devils: For the first time in his four year collegiate career, Singler put up a big, fat goose egg in the field goals made column for the Dookies in the Elite 8 against Baylor. He averaged 17.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game this year, so scoring just five points from the charity stripe for an entire game was shocking to say the least. Singler will absolutely have to do some damage in the paint for Duke to have success, as the outside game probably won't be able to stay hot forever.

Trends of Note

-West Virginia is 12-2-1 ATS in its L/15 NCAA Tournament betting affairs
-West Virginia is 5-1 ATS in its L/6 games against the ACC
-West Virginia is 5-0-1 ATS in its L/6 NCAA Tournament games as an underdog
-Duke is 4-0 ATS in its L/4 NCAA Tournament games
-Duke is 2-6 ATS in its L/8 NCAA Tournament games as a favorite of less than seven points
-Duke is 1-5-1 ATS in its L/7 games against the Big East

Final Analysis: The Mountaineers ended Duke's run in the 2008 tourney with a 73-67 win. The tide probably won't turn on Saturday night. West Virginia is just too athletic of a club to deal with, and unless the Scheyer/Smith/Singler combination can really get it going again and eclipsed their 53+ points per game scored on the season, the Dookies are going to be in a lot of trouble.

Selection: West Virginia +2.5

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April 2nd, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

Final Four betting action takes place at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday night, and the first ticket to college basketball's grandest stage will be punched in the duel between the Michigan State Spartans and the Butler Bulldogs.

What's At Stake: For Michigan State, it will get a chance to play in its second straight National Championship Game in its sixth trip to the Final Four under HC Tom Izzo. Butler, the first Horizon League team ever to advance to the Elite 8, let alone the Final Four, will obviously be searching for its first championship in school history.

College Basketball Odds: Butler -1 at BetUS Sportsbook

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Michigan State Notes: Izzo's squad clearly has the experience advantage having been here and done this a year ago. However, without G Kalin Lucas in the lineup, this offense could look lost at times. Against the Volunteers in the Elite 8, there were moments of sheer brilliance for the Spartans, but there were also moments in which no one appeared ready to take the shot when it counted the most. Michigan State scored 72.4 points per game this year, and it has already proven that it can win a game in the manner that Butler wants to play at, as it knocked off #9 Northern Iowa 59-52 in the Sweet 16. However, the Spartans, in spite of the fact that they allow just 64.1 points per game, have the worst defense of the Final Four teams.

Butler Notes: There really isn't a logical reason to describe how the Bulldogs got past both #1 Syracuse and #2 Kansas State in a matter of two days last week aside from the fact that they're really, really good. Now, they'll put a 24-game winning streak, the longest in the nation, on the line just seven miles from their own campus at Lucas Oil Stadium. Defense carried this team here, as all four tourney foes were held under 60 points, and defense is what must win it for the Horizon League champs, because there just aren't enough scorers on this team to shoot it out with the talented Spartans.

Players to Watch

G Durrell Summers, Michigan State Spartans: Without Lucas in the starting five, someone had to step up and take over the scoring load for Sparty, and that's exactly what Summers has done. He has put together three straight games of at least 19 points scored, and he's probably the best MVP candidate on this team right now. Summers can stroke it from long range and slice to the basket with equal proficiency, and he'll be the difference maker if MSU is going back to the big show on Monday night.

F Gordon Hayward, Butler Bulldogs: Hayward saved arguably his best game of the season for one of the most important stages that he'll ever play on. He put up 22 points and brought in nine boards against Kansas State last weekend to help boost the Bulldogs to the Final Four. It's been awhile since Hayward has recorded a double-double (five straight games after posting five straight double-doubles), but he's proving that he can play with anyone in the land, averaging 16.0 points per game in the tourney so far and having his best two games against his toughest two foes.

Trends of Note

-Michigan State is 25-10-1 ATS in its L/26 NCAA Tournament tussles
-Michigan State is 9-4 ATS in its L/13 games against Horizon League foes
-Michigan state is 4-0 ATS in its L/4 NCAA Tournament games as underdogs of less than seven points
-Butler is 5-1-1 ATS in its L/7 games against the Big Ten
-Butler is 43-21-1 ATS in its L/65 games outside of the Horizon League
-Butler is 3-10 ATS in its L/13 games following an ATS victory.

Final Analysis: This is the classic battle of youth versus experience. If exuberance and a slight home court advantage prove to be the difference, it'll be Butler that marches on. However, we're talking about a team coached by a Hall of Famer who has won in the most hostile of territories known in the college basketball world. Izzo knows what he's doing, and so does the rest of his team. This is unfinished business for the Spartans. They'll move on to the final and burst Cinderella's bubble.

Selection: Michigan State +1

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March 31st, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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A week ago, here at Cappers Info, we took a look at a handful of players that should've been on your radar to win the MVP of this tournament. One small problem: All five guys had their teams get eliminated by the end of the weekend. So we're back once again with the odds and picks for the MVP of the Final Four.

The Favorite: West Virginia F Da'Sean Butler (+340) – And why not? Butler has truly been the hero for the Mountaineers down the stretch of this season, nailing a pair of game-winning shots in the Big East Tournament and coming up big with 17.3 points per game so far in the NCAAs. There's virtually no way that West Virginia can win the NCAA Tournament without Butler playing like an MVP, and though he may not actually be the man that wins it, this is a pick that you just have to make if you happen to think that HC Bob Huggins is going to bring a title home to Morgantown.

The Dubious Dookie: Duke Blue Devils F Kyle Singler (+550) – It became pretty apparent last week when the Blue Devils took on Baylor that Singler was having all sorts of problems with the athleticism of Baylor's bigs such as F Ekpe Udoh. It was the first game in Singler's four year career in which he was held without a field goal (0/10 from the floor, 0/5 from downtown). He can expect to see similar athletes on the court in blue and gold this week, as Butler and fellow Fs Devin Ebanks and Kevin Jones are both long, lanky, pain in the neck defenders that should stuff him up. We don't like Duke's chances of winning the whole enchilada anyway, so toss Singler out of the mix to win MVP honors.

The Rabid Bulldog: Butler Bulldogs G Shelvin Mack (+1000) – Mack has a lot of things going against him right now, as his Bulldogs aren't likely to win the NCAA Tournament, and he plays second fiddle on a team that doesn't do a heck of a lot of scoring. Still, if there's a member of Butler that you're going to take at long odds to be hit or miss, this is a good candidate. Mack, unlike his teammate, F Gordon Hayward, has the ability to take over the game from the outside. He's also a very streaky player and does average over 13 points per game. He'll need to do better than that to cash this ticket for you, but he's got the capability to catching some fire, especially behind a crowd that is going to be pro-Butler, to carry the Bulldogs to the National Championship and to earn the MVP award.

Sparty's Sucker Bet: Michigan State Spartans G Korie Lucious (+1200) – Lucious would be a nice story to win the MVP award for the Spartans, as he replaced G Kalin Lucas in the lineup after he ruptured his Achilles tendon against Maryland in the second round of the dance. However, the truth of the matter is that Lucious has already had his moment in the sun, and his numbers just aren't going to warrant him winning the award. In what has amounted to be three games as a starting guard, Lucious has played plenty of minutes, but has only scored a total of 31 points and dished out ten assists. That just won't cut it, even on his own team, as guys like G Durrell Summers and F Raymar Morgan should be putting up better numbers.

 

Current Odds To Win 2010 NCAA Tournament MVP @ 5Dimes (as of 3/31/10)
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Da'Sean Butler +340
Nolan Smith +500
Jon Scheyer +525
Kyle Singler +550
Durrell Summers +650
Gordon Hayward +850
Kevin Jones +850
Shelvin Mack +1000
Korie Lucious +1200
Raymar Morgan +1400
Devin Ebanks +1500
Matt Howard +1500
Field +1800
Joe Mazzulla +2200
Chris Allen +2500
Lance Thomas +2500

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March 27th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Representatives from the ACC and the Big XII collide in a tremendous Elite 8 betting battle between the Duke Blue Devils and the Baylor Bears on Sunday night at the Toyota Center in Houston.

What's At Stake: The fourth and final ticket to Indianapolis and the Final Four, as well as the title of the South Region winners for 2010 will be awarded to the winner of this college basketball betting duel.

College Basketball Odds: Duke -4 at  Diamond Sportsbook
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Baylor Notes: The Bears have gotten stronger as this tournament has progressed, beating #14 Sam Houston State by nine, #11 Old Dominion by eight, and #10 St. Mary's by 23. The defense has held the three foes to an average of 58.7 points per game in the dance. The offense hasn't been up to stuff, averaging just 72.0 points per game, but this is still a Baylor team that averaged 77.1 points per game this year and can explode for 85+ on anyone in the country.

Duke Notes: The Blue Devils are one of just two teams that enter the Elite 8 saying that they have an average margin of victory of more than 15 points per game and won all three of their NCAA Tournament betting bashes by double digits (Kentucky). They've looked like one of the best sides from top to bottom in the dance, scoring easy wins against #16 Arkansas-Pine Bluff, #8 California, and #4 Purdue. Many recognize Coach K's crew as a fantastic offensive team at 77.4 points per game, but few realize that they're only allowing 60.9 points per game this year as well, making them one of the best defensive clubs left standing as well.

Players to Watch

F Ekpe Udoh, Baylor Bears: In Udoh, the Bears have an incredibly long, lanky, big man that can be a real pain in the neck on the inside for the opposition. Udoh is averaging 13.4 points and 9.8 rebounds per game, but he has also blocked a whopping 123 shots this year. The Blue Devils are going to have to throw the kitchen sink at him to keep up, and on the other end of the court, F Brian Zoubek is going to be challenged by the best big man that he has faced in quite some time.

G Jon Scheyer, Duke Blue Devils: The Blue Devils badly need Scheyer to step up once again and take over the reins of this team. He hasn't scored above his 18.9 points per game average in almost an entire month, and he has only put up 38 points in this tournament to date. Scheyer is clearly one of the cogs in this lineup, and for a team that isn't very deep, him not contributing could be fatal.

Trends of Note

-Baylor is 8-1 ATS in its L/9 games outside of the Big XII
-Baylor is 10-3 ATS in its L/13 neutral site games as an underdog
-Baylor is 10-4 ATS in its L/14 games as an underdog
-Duke is 4-1 ATS in its L/5 games against the Big XII
-Duke is 5-11 ATS in its L/16 NCAA Tournament games as a favorite
-Duke is 7-3 ATS in its L/10 neutral site games as a favorite

Final Analysis: Athleticism. That's how you beat the Dookies. That's how North Carolina did it for all those years, and that's how Baylor is going to do it on Sunday night. The Blue Devils just don't have the bodies to be able to keep up with the talent level of Udoh, F LaceDarius Dunn and G Tweety Carter. The Bears are ready for the next step, and they'll pronounce themselves as one of the best programs in the country by taking out the Dookies and moving on to the Final Four.

Selection: Baylor +4

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March 27th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

In what could be the best remaining March Madness betting affair of the entire tournament, conference champs collide in the Elite 8 when the #1 Kentucky Wildcats and #2 West Virginia Mountaineers face off at the Carrier Dome on Saturday night.

What's At Stake: The winner of this clash will join the three other bracket champions next Saturday in Indianapolis for the Final Four and will face the winner of the Duke/Baylor matchup.

College Basketball Odds: Kentucky -4 at BetUS

West Virginia Notes: It doesn't seem like the loss of G Darryl Bryant really hurt the Mountaineers any in the Sweet 16 against Washington. They still have the ability to totally dominated on the boards, winning the rebounding battle by almost seven rebounds per night. West Virginia has a decent offense at 72.8 points per game, but its strength has really been on the defensive end of the court. The 'Neers have held six straight foes under 60 points, averaging allowing just 54.2 points per game in that run.

Kentucky Notes: The Wildcats haven't exactly had the toughest road to the Elite 8, as they have only played a #9, #12, and #16 seed, but they've clearly been the most dominant side in the field, winning those three by an average of more than 25 points per game. Big Blue has a stellar offense at 79.6 points per game, and its 48.3 percent shooting percentage is amongst the best teams left standing in the field. However, it was the defense, which held Cornell to just 33.3 percent shooting on Thursday that really made the difference in Kentucky's road to the Elite 8.

Players to Watch

F Da'Sean Butler, West Virginia Mountaineers: Even when West Virginia is at its worst offensively, Butler seems to always be able to step up and come up in a big way. He's clearly got a flare for the dramatics having hit game winning shots in two of the 'Neers three Big East Tournament games, including the one that sealed up the championship. At 17.4 points per game, no one for HC Bob Huggins is scoring more.

G John Wall, Kentucky Wildcats: This was supposed to be the three week event that solidified Wall as the #1 pick in next year's NBA Draft. However, relatively speaking, the freshman phenom has put up three total dud games, scoring a total of just 39 points in three tournament tussles. Wall can take a game over like no other point guard in the country can, and it's high time that he steps up and makes himself a hero in Kentucky lore forever with a major triple-double type of performance.

Trends of Note

-West Virginia is 4-0-1 ATS in its L/5 NCAA Tournament games as an underdog
-West Virginia is 11-2-1 ATS in its L/14 NCAA Tournament games
-West Virginia is 6-2 ATS in its L/8 games against teams with winning percentage of at least .600
-Kentucky is 6-0 ATS in its L/6 NCAA Tournament games as a favorite
-Kentucky is 13-3-1 ATS in its L/17 games against the Big East
-Kentucky is 6-2 ATS in its L/8 NCAA Tournament games
-Kentucky holds a 2-0 SU and ATS advantage in this series since 2005

Final Analysis: This is a bit of a hefty line for an Elite 8 betting contest, but the Wildcats are hard to ignore in this one. They've clearly got a team that is on a mission right now, and what's scary is that they clearly haven't played their best possible basketball. It's going to come at some point, and we think that West Virginia is going to be the poor sacrificial lamb subjected to the wrath of Big Blue.

Selection: Kentucky -4

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March 26th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

The sweethearts of the NCAA Tournament match up with last year's national runners up in the Midwest Region semifinals between the #9 Northern Iowa Panthers and the #5 Michigan State Spartans.

What's At Stake: The winner of this crucial college basketball betting tilt will move on to the Elite 8 at the Edward Jones Dome on Sunday afternoon to face off with the winner of the #2 Ohio State/#6 Tennessee matchup.

College Basketball Odds: Michigan State -1 at BetUS

Northern Iowa Notes: The Panthers have made it to this point in the NCAA Tournament thanks to three point shooting and defense. Even though they only shot 35.6 percent from downtown this season, they have connected on 40 percent of their attempts from long range in the tourney through two games. Northern Iowa has the #2 rated defense in America, allowing just 55.0 points per game. HC Ben Jacobsen was just rewarded for his efforts in March Madness with a ten year contract extension. The Panthers have the seventh best free throw shooting team in America at 76.1 percent, and they only turn the ball over an average of 10.5 times per game.

Michigan State Notes: G Kalin Lucas won't be able to play for the rest of the season thanks to his ruptured Achilles tendon suffered against Maryland last weekend. That puts a ton of pressure on the inside men for HC Tom Izzo. Though they typically dominate on the glass (+9.5 rebounds per game), the big guys have a problem being consistent scorers. Sparty's 72.9 points per game is still pedestrian, but they've scored 155 points in two tourney games thus far. With Lucas out of the lineup, there are only two double digit point scorers on this team, and no one is averaging more than a dozen points per game.

Players to Watch

G Ali Farokhmanesh, Northern Iowa Panthers: For a man that is only averaging 9.7 points per game, Farokhmanesh is getting a ton of attention from the media. And rightfully so! He nailed the three pointer that sent UNI past UNLV in the first round of the tournament and followed that up with the absolute dagger of a three bomb that finished off the mighty Wildcats. Farokhmanesh has eight three balls in March Madness, and he'll be the key to victory for the Panthers on Friday night.

G Korie Lucious, Michigan State Spartans: They say that the tournament makes heroes out of players that are otherwise average. Lucious is a perfect example of that after he hit the three point basket as time expired to send the Spartans past the #4 Maryland Terrapins and into the third round of this event. No, we're not highlight Lucious because of that shot. Even though he averaged less than five points per game this year, he's the man that's going to have to step into Lucas' spot in the starting five. It's not that Lucious doesn't know what he's doing out there, as he picked up a ton of valuable experience in last season's run to the NCAA Tournament Final, but he'll have to be a star once again for Sparty to survive.

Trends of Note

-Northern Iowa is 5-0 ATS in its L/5 games following an SU win
-Northern Iowa is 54-24 in its L/78 games as an underdog
-Northern Iowa is 9-2 ATS in its L/11 games against the Big Ten
-Michigan State is 16-4-1 ATS in its L/21 NCAA Tournament games as a favorite
-Michigan State is 21-6-2 ATS in its L/29 games as favorites of less than seven points
-Michigan State is 2-8 ATS in its L/10 games against teams with a winning record

Final Analysis: Michigan State was an awful looking team when Lucas missed a handful of games in Big Ten play this year. That's what dropped Sparty from a potential #2 seed down to a #5. We're going to get on Cinderella's bandwagon as well on this one. The Panthers aren't your average #9 seed either. They're going to use their suffocating defense to put the wraps on a suddenly very inexperienced backcourt for MSU. Expect to see Northern Iowa become the second mid-major team to join the Elite 8 with a 'W' over Sparty.

Selection: Northern Iowa +1

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March 24th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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A pair of 30-win teams square off at Energy Solutions Arena in Salt Lake City on Thursday night when the #5 Butler Bulldogs face the #1 Syracuse Orange in March Madness betting action.

What's At Stake: A berth in the regional final is on the line for the winner of this one. The victor will take on either #2 Kansas State or #6 Xavier with one of the four slots in the Final Four in Indianapolis being at stake.

College Basketball Odds: Syracuse -6 at JustBet

Butler Notes: The Bulldogs have the longest winning streak in the nation at 21 games, and they were the only team in the entire country to win every single one of their conference clashes this year. They're a team built on defense (59.8 points per game allowed), and at times, if opposing teams can get their offenses working, Butler will struggle. The team doesn't have a truly prolific three point shooter on it, and the team is only +2.7 rebounds per game for the season, which is a suspect number considering the strength of the teams left in this field.

Syracuse Notes: F Arinze Onuaku was ruled out for the third straight game on Wednesday with his knee injury suffered in the Big East Tournament. Syracuse is the only team in the country left standing that can say that it shot better than 50 percent from the floor as a team this season (51.7%). The Orange are also three point sharpshooters, connected on 39.2 percent of their chances from long distance. At 81.6 points per game, HC Jim Boeheim has one of the highest scoring offenses left in the dance.

Players to Watch

F Gordon Hayward, Butler Bulldogs: A ton of pressure was heaped onto Hayward when F Matt Howard got himself into foul trouble against the Racers on Sunday. Hayward really hasn't answered the bell though of late, posting six straight games below his scoring average of 15.9 points per game. It has also been since the Horizon League semifinals since he posted a double-double, which is hard to believe considering the fact that he went for five double-doubles in a row before that.

G Andy Rautins, Syracuse Orange: With all due respect to F Wesley Johnson, Rautins is going to be the key man in this matchup for the Cuse. There isn't a player on Butler that can stick with Rautins from the outside if he gets going. He shot a shade over 40 percent from downtown this year and has already scored 35 points in this tournament, including 24 against Gonzaga. He nailed five of his nine three point attempts against the Zags, and will probably be asked to turn the tide of this Sweet 16 betting battle several times with momentum changing shots.

Trends of Note

-Butler is 21-7 ATS in its L/28 games as an underdog
-Butler is 2-8 ATS in its L/10 neutral site games
-Syracuse is 4-0 ATS in its L/4 NCAA Tournament games as a favorite
-Syracuse is 9-1 ATS in its L/20 games following an SU win of at least 20 points
-Syracuse is 9-2 ATS in its L/11 games as a favorite of less than seven points
-Syracuse is 30-11 ATS in its L/41 games overall

Final Analysis: With all of those trends in mind, it's very, very hard to pick against the Big East reps in this one. Syracuse just has too much muscle all over the court for Butler to be able to keep up. Unless the Bulldogs plan on bringing their A+ effort and a lot of magical luck, they won't be able to compete in this one, even if Syracuse is playing without Onuaku for the third straight game. Too much Johnson. Too much Rautins. Too much trouble for the Horizon League champions.

Selection: Syracuse -6

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