READ THIS BEFORE YOU POST!!!!!!!!!

REMEMBER - A MAXIMUM OF 4 LOCKS PER WEEK!

AND A MAXIMUM OF ONE LOCK PER DAY!

 
LOCK THREAD CONCEPT -

This thread has been created for all of us to share our expertise with everyone else to benefit the group.

THIS IS NOT A PICKING CONTEST!

PLEASE make special note of this!!! If you have an area of expertise - Pac-10, NBA, Soccer, MLB, Big East, NHL, etc. - please make some LOCK choices from your area of expertise when you have a game you are confident enough in to call it a "LOCK". The difference between a PICK and a LOCK is that a PICK is a game you like, a LOCK is a game that you KNOW. We are here to help each other win. If you are claiming your choice is a LOCK, and you really have NO true knowledge of that game, then you are just cheating us and posting your PICK just for attention and to see your name on the board.

RULES FOR POSTING -

We take it upon ourselves to donate our time and track everybody's LOCK every day, as long as you agree to do your part by doing a few simple things. We will not track your LOCKs if you do not follow these rules. You are welcome to still post your PICK or card, but unless you do the things below, we won't be putting your LOCK on the spreadsheet.

- Post only 1 LOCK per day.  You may post a MAXIMUM of 4 LOCKS per week.  A week starts on Monday, and ends on Sunday.  Choose NCAA, NBA, NFL, or NHL.  You do not have to stay in one sport.  Spread them around if you like.

- No "buying" points for LOCKS.

- First half or mini lines are OK.  No second half or quarter lines.  We want the LOCKS posted early enough so we can all benefit.  Time constraints make second half lines too tough to track.

- No other "line-manipulations: like teasers, etc.

- No parlays.

- No props (unless you give a site where we can check the line).

- Hockey, baseball, and soccer plays need to be -129 or better.  No HUGE favorites for LOCKS.  Anything -130 and over, take the -1.5 goals or runs if you feel like it is still a LOCK.

- Do not try to cheat on lines. We, as a group, are all over the lines and every time someone gives a stinky spread, it is always called out. If the line is off, the LOCK doesn't go into the spreadsheet.

- LOCKs MUST be posted 30 minutes before the game is set to go off, anything less than 30 minutes the LOCK will not count.

And, THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE!

You must give an original explanation as to why you KNOW this LOCK will win. And don't just "stat" us to death. Tell us about the game. And if you are going to try and fool us by cutting and pasting from another website, at least figure out how to remove all the HTML and other garbage. People on this thread are all over the internet and will find your plagiarism. I guarantee it. You can use Last 10, ATS, etc., numbers to support your argument, but stats from a gambling website are not an explanation. They are stats that any of us can get anywhere on the internet. Also, how about if you have actually SEEN the team play that you pick. I'd say that if you haven't seen a team play at least a few times, you can't really be an expert on the said team.

FOLLOW THESE RULES AND YOUR LOCK WILL GET TRACKED

Thank you for your understanding and your help in keeping this thread for the benefit of everybody, not just a place for you to blather out random picks and toot your own horn.

Good luck today and let's work together to win some cash!

Tuesday's betting tips: Slumping Heat big faves again

Lines to watch

NBA: Atlanta opened as a 3.5-point underdog Tuesday against the Lakers, but that line was quickly bet up to +4.5.

Who’s hot

NBA: Los Angeles Lakers have won seven straight games, covering the number in six of those contests.

NBA: 14 of Cleveland’s last 17 home games have played over the total and the Cavs have topped the total in 35 of their last 52 games overall.

NCAAB: Nine of Marquette’s last 11 games have played under the total.

NHL: New Jersey has lost just once over the last 13 games.

Who’s not

NBA: Washington has dropped eight of its last 10 matchups against Milwaukee against the spread.

NBA: Miami has lost six straight games ATS and five of those contests outright.

NCAAB: Rutgers has just one win over its last six games, covering twice over that span.

Key stat

13 – The number of goals the Vancouver Canucks have allowed over the last seven games, all of which have played under the total. That works out to about 1.86 goals per game and backup goaltender Cory Schneider picked up his first career NHL shutout in Sunday’s 3-0 win over Anaheim.

Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked

Channing Frye, Phoenix Suns:  Phoenix will be without Frye for at least two weeks after he dislocated his shoulder in Sunday’s overtime loss to Oklahoma City. It’s a big loss for the Suns as Frye puts up better than 12 points and six rebounds per night and had 11 points and 15 rebounds against the Thunder before suffering his injury. Phoenix is set as a 5-point home favorite Tuesday against Houston.

Game of the day

Los Angeles Lakers at Atlanta Hawks (4.5, 185.5)

Notable quotable

"When you put your heart and your soul, your blood, your sweat, your tears into something and you want something so bad and it just slips from you by one point, two points, three points, 30 points, just to come up short again and again, it hurts." - Heat forward Chris Bosh after the club an 87-86 decision to the Chicago Bulls on Sunday as a 6.5-point favorite. Miami, which has lost its last four outright and is riding an 0-6 run against the spread, now looks to rebound Tuesday when Portland comes to town. The Heat are currently listed as 8.5-point favorites.

Notes and tips

UConn has a great chance to snap a nasty slump on Tuesday in its opening game of the Big East Tournament against DePaul. The Huskies have lost their last six games at the conference tournament at Madison Square Garden, getting ousted in their first game of the tourney in each of the last five years. They’re up against a last-place DePaul club that is without Cleveland Melvin, who led the team with 14.3 points per game before hitting the shelf for the rest of the season with a sprained thumb. UConn is set as a fat 15-point favorite.

Both the Milwaukee Bucks and Washington Wizards have some significant injury concerns heading into Tuesday’s matchup. Aussie center Andrew Bogut is considered questionable to play with his ribcage injury and Corey Maggette’s status is also reportedly in question as he’s bothered with a nagging knee injury. Bogut has missed the last three games, while Maggette was held to just five points in less than 12 minutes during Sunday’s loss to Boston. Josh Howard and Rashard Lewis are questionable for the Wizards, who have just one straight up win in their last nine games.

The Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins get together for the first time since a crazy 8-6 Boston victory over the Habs that featured a couple of brawls and a halfhearted scrap between goaltenders Carey Price and Tim Thomas. The Bruins absolutely manhandled the Canadiens in that one, but the Habs say they’re going to stick with their speed game on Tuesday. “It’s Boston-Montreal,” said Canadiens center Scott Gomez. “We’ll let you guys (reporters) hype this one up but I don’t think anyone is going home tonight and putting on Rocky One, Two or Three. We want to win the game.” Montreal has won eight of the last 10 meetings between the two clubs

We had just a few LOCKS on Monday, but the card is getting bigger and bigger as the week goes on and I am hoping we get some LOCKS from some more old-schoolers this week as well.  When you find it, make sure you LOCK up your best play of the week so everyone can benefit from your knowledge.  I will get the Blog up and running as early as I can and try to get the LOCKS posted on there as they come in.  I will be out for much of Tuesday morning, but should be back by noon easily.  Good luck today and great job yesterday guys.

How to bet college basketball conference tournaments:

It’s time once again for the most wonderful week of the year: Championship Week.

Don’t overlook these crucial factors as you look to fatten your bank roll.

BOX SCORES MIGHT LIE – SEASON STATS DON’T

Do your homework. Seton Hall smoked Syracuse in the Carrier Dome earlier this year. If the two meet again in Madison Square Garden, it would lead you to believe the Pirates, known for their fast pace and high-scoring games, have a great chance to again pick apart the Orange’s 2-3 zone.

Not at all.

The 90-68 win by the visitors saw them drain a staggering 10 of 17 3-pointers and make 54.1 percent of their shots overall. That is a huge aberration for this team. Seton Hall actually is last in the Big East in 3-point percentage (29.7) and next to last in 2-point percentage (46.4).

“I like the fact teams have already played once or twice as you can often find misleading results from the earlier meetings,” Covers Expert Steve Merril said. “Maybe a key player was missing or played with foul trouble.”

REVENGE

Think the Michigan Wolverines don’t want another crack at Ohio State? After collapsing late and losing on an impossible 3-pointer from Evan Turner at the buzzer in the Big Ten Tournament last year, the Wolverines dropped close games against the Buckeyes this year.

Playing a rival on a neutral court after so many near breakthroughs could be the difference. The past two seasons against Ohio State, the Maize and Blue have gone 1-4 SU but a staggering 5-0 ATS.

“One key angle is fading teams trying to go for a three-game sweep over the opponent,” Covers Expert Matt Fargo said. “While trying to beat a team three times in a season is difficult in its own self, trying to do so and cover when a line is over-adjusted because of it makes it even tougher.”

PRO-READY TALENT

Sometimes, a team simply has better players. There’s a reason why Northwestern has never made the NCAA Tournament and always fades in Big Ten play. In smaller leagues, this is an even bigger deal. Norris Cole from Cleveland State (21.5 points per game), Charles Jenkins (23.2) from Hofstra and Justin Harper (18.1) from Richmond are all among ESPN’s Chad Ford’s Top 50 NBA Draft Prospects

Look for NBA talent in smaller conferences,” Covers Expert Nick Parsons said. “(This includes) players who are trying to raise their draft stock or simply get on scout's radars. This is the last chance for a lot of guys to impress, so a guy who had a horrible year might all of sudden step it up during conference tourneys.”

UNCLE MO

Don’t forget about momentum. Last year, Minnesota went into the Big Ten tournament on the NCAA bubble. But sharps saw a team that went 4-2 SU and 5-1 ATS its previous six games entering the event.

Smart bettors rode the Gophers to a 3-1 SU and ATS finish in the league tourney. Two teams to watch this year: Boston College is 4-3 SU and 6-1 ATS its past seven games and Mississippi State is 3-2 SU and 4-1 ATS over its last five.

“Momentum… can carry a team a long way, especially if they are playing their best ball of the season at tourney time,” Covers Expert Marc Lawrence said.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

Be sure to understand the format of the league you are betting on. The Big Sky played first-round games at higher seeds on March 5, but then the semifinals and championship game are hosted by the regular season winner.

The America East plays its first three rounds this week in Hartford, Connecticut, but the final will be played on the highest remaining seed’s own floor next Saturday. The opening round of the Atlantic 10 Tournament takes place on March 8 at the higher seeds before heading to Atlantic City from Friday through Sunday.

“Location is often overlooked in the smaller conferences and not necessarily a home court but a court that is close to home,” Fargo said. “Those teams have an edge with more fans coming to the game and the line likely is not going to incorporate a home court advantage. This can also be applied to the bigger conferences.”

Who's Hot, Who's Not?
By Bruce Marshall

Conference tournament action is already underway, but the majority of leagues will be tipping off their season-ending extravaganzas this week. Following is a conference-by-conference look at "who’s hot" and "who’s not hot" against the point-spread, as well as any team "totals" trends worth noting, for loops beginning their tourney action this week.

All records are vs. the points, thru March 6...

ATLANTIC 10: Who’s hot...George Washington 6-1-1 last 8, 8-1-2 last 11; LaSalle 3-0 last 3; Richmond 4-1 last 5, 5-1 last 6; last 7 as dog; St. Joe’s 6-3 last 9; St. Bonaventure 8-2 last 10; Xavier 4-0 last 4, 7-1 last 8; Who’s not hot...Charlotte no covers last 4; Duquesne no covers last 5 or 7 of last 8; Fordham 4-14 last 18; Saint Louis 2-5 last 7; Temple 1-4 last 5; "TOTALS"...Dayton "under" 5-0 last 5; Duquesne "under" 6-2 last 8; Fordham "over" 7-1 last 8; Richmond "under" last 3 and 5 of last 6; Saint Louis "under" last 4; St. Joe’s "under" 8-3 last 11; St. Bonaventure "over" 5-1 last 6; Xavier "under" last 3 and 6 of last 8.
   
ACC: Who’s hot...Boston College 6-2 last 6, 10-5 last 15; North Carolina 10-3 last 13; Virginia 12-4 last 16; Who’s not hot...Duke no covers last 3; Maryland no covers last 3; Virginia Tech 1-4 last 5; "TOTALS"...Clemson "under" 7-2-1 last 10; Duke "under" last 6 and 9 of last 10; Georgia Tech "under" 5 of last 6 and 9 of last 12; Maryland "over" last 3 and 7 of last 8; Miami-Florida "under" 5-1 last 6; North Carolina "under" 6-2 last 8; Virginia under 5-2 last 7.

BIG XII: Who’s hot...Iowa State has covered last 3; Kansas State 5-1 last 6; Texas A&M 4-1 last 5; Texas Tech 9-3 last 12; Who’s not hot...Baylor 1-4 last 5, 4-11 last 15; Oklahoma State 2-10 last 12; "TOTALS"...Baylor "under" last 4 and 5 of last 6; Iowa State "over" 7-3-1 last 11; Kansas "under" last 2 but "over" 8-3 last 11; Missouri "under" 4-1 last 5; Nebraska "under" 5-2 last 7; Oklahoma State "under" 5-2 last 7; Texas "under" 14-5 last 19; Texas A&M "under" 4-0 last 4, 8-3-1 last 12.

BIG EAST: Who’s hot...Cincinnati 5-1 last 6; Louisville 5-0 last 5; Notre Dame 9-3 last 12; Seton Hall 5-2 last 7; St. John’s 7-1 last 8; Syracuse 3-0 last 3, 4-1 last 5; Who’s not hot...UConn 3-8 last 11; DePaul 0-3-1 last 4; Georgetown 0-5 last 5; Providence 1-6 last 7; Villanova no covers last 8 and just 1-11 last 12; "TOTALS"...Cincinnati "under" last 4 and 6 of last 7; UConn "under" 4-0-1 last 5, 10-3-1 last 14; DePaul "over" 10-4 last 14; Georgetown "under" last 4, 6-1 last 7, 9-2 last 11; Louisville "under" 5-1 last 6; Marquette "under" 4-1 last 5; Notre Dame "over" 6-1-2 last 9; Pitt "under" 7-0 last 7; Seton Hall "under" 6-3 last 9; South Florida "under" 8-3 last 11; Syracuse "under" 7-3 last 10; Villanova "under" 8-4 last 12; West Virginia "under" 4-1 last 5. Lots of "unders" lately in the Big East!

BIG TEN: Who’s hot...Illinois 3-0 last 3; Michigan 5-0 last 5, 10-1 last 11; Penn State has covered 5 of its last 6; Purdue has dropped its last two but is still 6-2 its last 8; Who’s not hot...Indiana no covers last 5, just 1-7 last 8; Minnesota no covers last 4, 1-8 last 9; Northwestern 2-6 last 8; "TOTALS"...Iowa "over" 4-1 last 5; Michigan "over" 6-2 last 8; Minnesota "under" 6-3 last 9; Ohio State "over" last 5 and 7 of last 8; Penn State "over" 6 of last 8; Wisconsin "over" 6-1 last 7.

BIG WEST: Who’s hot...Cal Poly 8-1-1 last 10; Long Beach State 6-2 last 8; UC Riverside 4-0 last 4; Who’s not hot... Pacific no covers last 5 or 7 of last 8; UC Santa Barbara 2-10-1 last 13; UC Davis 1-4 last 5; "TOTALS"...Cal Poly "under" 7-2 last 9; Cal State Fullerton "over" last 5; Cal State Northridge "under" last 7; Long Beach State "under" 5-1 last 6; Pacific "over" 8-3 last 11; UC Davis "over" 7-1 last 8; UC Riverside "under" 6-2 last 8.

CONFERENCE USA: Who’s hot...Marshall 5-2 last 7; SMU 9-2-1 last 12; Tulsa 5-2 last 7; UAB 3-0 last 3; UTEP 3-0 last 3; Who’s not hot...UCF 3-13-1 last 17; Houston 1-3-2 last 6; Memphis no covers last 3, just 1-4 last 5; Tulane 2-7-1 last 10; "TOTALS"...UCF "under" 8-2 last 10; Marshall "over" 4-1 last 5; Memphis "under" last 10 and 14 of last 16; Rice "under" last 2 but "over" 6-3 last 9; SMU "under" last 3 and 5 of last 7; Southern Miss "over" last 2 but still "under" 5-2 last 7; Tulane "under" 6-3-1 last 10; UAB "under" 6-2 last 8.

MID-AMERICAN: Who’s hot...Akron no covers last 2 but 7-0 last 9; Miami-Ohio 7-3 last 10; Northern Illinois 3-0 last 3; Ohio 6-1 last 7; Western Michigan 3-0 last 3; Who’s not hot...Bowling Green 1-8 last 9; Eastern Michigan 1-5 last 6; Toledo 1-5 last 6; "TOTALS"...Bowling Green "over" 10-2 last 12; Buffalo "over" 7-3 last 10 and 16-6 last 22; Central Michigan "over" 5-2 last 7; Kent State "over" 8-1 last 9; Northern Illinois "under" 5-1 last 6; Ohio "over" 7-3 last 10; Toledo "over" 5-2 last 7; Western Michigan "over" last 3 and 11-2 last 13.

MOUNTAIN WEST: Who’s hot...Air Force 7-0-1 its last 8 on MWC road, will be playing at Las Vegas for MWC Tourney this week; San Diego State 5-2 last 7; Who’s not hot... TCU 5-12 last 17; UNLV 0-7 last 7 at home, will be hosting MWC Tourney this week; Utah 0-3 last 3; "TOTALS"...Colorado State "under" 7-3 last 10; New Mexico "under" 5-1 last 6; Utah "under" last 3; Wyoming "over" last 3 and 5 of last 6.

PACIFIC 10: Who’s hot...Cal 4-0 last 4; Southern Cal 5-1 last 6; UCLA 4-0 last 4, 8-2 last 10; Who’s not hot...Arizona 0-5 last 5; Stanford 1-4 last 5; Washington 0-3 last 3; Washington State 2-5 last 7; "TOTALS"... Arizona State "under" 5-2 last 7; Cal "over" 7-1 last 8 and 14-3-1 last 18; Oregon State "over" 4-1 last 5; Southern Cal "under" 7-2 last 9; Stanford "over" 7-2 last 9; UCLA "under" last 4 and 8 of last 10; Washington "under" last 3; Washington State "over" 5-2 last 7.

SOUTHEASTERN: Who’s hot...Alabama 8-3 last 11; Auburn 4-0 last 4 and 10-3 last 13; Vanderbilt 5-2 last 7; Who’s not hot...Arkansas 0-3 last 3, 2-6 last 8; LSU 0-3 last 3, 2-5 last 7; Tennessee 2-6 last 8; "TOTALS"...Alabama "under" 4-1 last 5; Auburn "under" 4-1 last 5; Florida "over" last 5; Georgia "under" last 3 and 6 of last 8; Kentucky "under" last 2 but "over" 5-2 last 7; LSU also "under" last 2 but "over" 5-2 last 7; Ole Miss "over" 5-2 last 7; Tennessee "under" 11-4 last 15.

WAC: Who’s hot...Boise State 4-0 last 4; Fresno State 5-2-1 last 8; Hawaii 4-1 last 5, 9-3 last 12; Idaho 5-2 last 7, 15-6-2 last 23; Utah State 5-2-1 last 8; Who’s not hot...La Tech 0-4 last 4, 1-6-1 last 8; "TOTALS"...Boise State "under" last 3 and 6 of last 7; Hawaii "over" last 5 and 7 of last 8; San Jose State "under" 4-1 last 5 after "overs" in previous 6 outings; Utah State "under" 6-2 last 8

Big East Tourney - First Round
By Judd Hall

The first round of the Big East tournament is normally reserved for the lower tier teams that don’t have a prayer of making it to the big dance. Tuesday’s opening action at Madison Square Garden in NYC, however, gives us something different.

Villanova, Connecticut and Marquette all appear to be heading to the NCAA tournament next week. But a loss on Tuesday against the scrubs of the league can hurt seeding in the field of 68 or even get forced out of the tourney altogether.

The drama begins early with the Huskies facing DePaul, then Seton Hall will take on the Scarlet Knights to round out the day games. Primetime battles showcase the Wildcats playing South Florida, which will lead into the Golden Eagles matching up with Providence.

The betting shops aren't giving much chance to any of these teams to win the Big East tourney. After all, you must win five games in five days to do so. Sportsbook.com currently doesn't have any lines for UConn or 'Nova to win it all, lumping them into the plus-400 "field" bet (risk $100 to win $400).

Connecticut vs. DePaul – 12:00 p.m. EST, ESPN

Connecticut (21-9 straight up, 13-11 against the spread) comes into this game looking for something to stop the bleeding. The Huskies closed out the regular season with a 4-7 SU and 3-8 ATS. Jim Calhoun’s club finished up with a disappointing 70-67 loss to the Fighting Irish as a three-point home favorite. Kemba Walker put UConn on his back with 34 points and six boards. Yet he missed a key three-point attempt with eight seconds remaining in the game that would have put his Huskies up 70-69.

As bad as the Huskies think things are going for them, it’s worse to play for or on DePaul (7-23 SU, 14-14-1 ATS). The Blue Demons are on a five-game losing skid that has seen them fail to cover the spread in three of them with one push. Oliver Purnell’s team laid down last Saturday as they lost 107-59 to the Orange as a 19½-point road underdog. Only five DePaul players wound up with points against the ‘Cuse. Tony Freeland was the lone bright spot by scoring 25 points and six rebounds.

If history is to repeat itself here, then take Connecticut big in this first round test. The Huskies railed DePaul for an 82-62 win as 9½-point road favorites back on Jan. 15. Walker lit the Blue Demons up for 31 points, four boards and five assists. We shouldn’t be surprised by that win since UConn is 5-1 SU against DePaul since 2004. The Blue Demons are 3-3 ATS in that run, but 1-2 ATS over the last three games. Consider hammering the ‘under’ for this test as well as it has cashed tickets in all six of those meetings.

DePaul has been an underdog 23 times this season at the betting shops. The Blue Demons are 1-2 SU and 11-11-1 ATS in that stretch. UConn is 10-5 SU and 7-8 ATS when tabbed as a favorite.

The winner of this game will get to take on eighth-place Georgetown at noon EST on ESPN on Wednesday.

Seton Hall vs. Rutgers – 2:00 p.m. EST, ESPN2

The sheer size of the Big East makes any team in the league feel like they have a chance at getting into the big dance. That isn’t the case in this matchup as both the Pirates and Scarlet Knights are just looking to extend their respective seasons by one game.

Seton Hall (13-17 SU, 14-14 ATS) has nobody to blame but itself for not being relevant right now. After all, they have five losses on the schedule that were decided by five or fewer points. They have picked up a couple of good wins to close out the regular season. The Pirates doused a red-hot St. John’s side 84-70 as three-point home pups last Thursday. They followed that up with an 85-72 triumph over Marquette as one-point home underdogs on March 5. The win against the Golden Eagles was particularly impressive as six Seton Hall players scored at least 10 points, led by Jeremy Hazell’s 21.

I’d like to say something good about Rutgers (14-16 SU, 12-12-2 ATS) in this spot, but it’s tough to do. The Scarlet Knights closed out the year 1-5 SU and 2-3-1 ATS to help them secure the 13th place in the Big East. Rutgers actually held a 38-33 advantage at halftime against the Friars, but wound up losing 75-74 to them as a 3½-point road pup. The game could have went to overtime had Mike Coburn not missed a foul shot in the waning moments of the game.

These teams met twice this season, with the road side winning and covering on both occasions. But Seton Hall has the clear edge in the head-to-head history with a 5-1 SU and 3-3 ATS. The ‘under is 4-1-1 during that stretch.

The Pirates have been dependable favorites when tabbed as such at the betting shops, going 8-5 SU and ATS this season. The ‘over’ went 8-5 in those games as well.

Rutgers has not done fans any favors by going 3-12 SU when listed as an underdog in Big East play. However, they aren’t terrible to back to cover, evidenced by its 8-7 ATS record this season. The ‘over’ is 8-7 in those tests.

A date with St. John’s awaits the winner of this contest at 2:00 p.m. EST on ESPN the following day. I’m pretty sure that Steve Lavin wants to get another crack at the Pirates, should they win.

Villanova vs. South Florida – 7:00 p.m. EST, ESPN

If there was ever a team that looked forward to the regular season coming to a close, it has to be Villanova (21-10 SU, 11-16-1 ATS). This is a team that started the year at 16-1 SU and 8-5-1 ATS to rank seventh in the AP Poll. Then the season collapsed to an extent for Jay Wright’s Wildcats, going 5-9 SU and 3-11 ATS in the bulk of league play. That, of course, includes a 4-0 SU and ATS skid to wind down the season.

The Wildcats finished off the season with a 60-50 setback to Pittsburgh as 9½-point road pups. Oddly enough, this was a fairly good performance out of ‘Nova, who tried to slow the tempo down. What was an issue for them was Maalik Wayns being the only player to score in the double-digits with 27 points. Take Wayns out of the score sheet and the ‘Cats shot just 31 percent from the field.

There was hope to have Corey Stokes back in the lineup for this game. Stokes missed the game against Pitt with a hamstring injury and is still listed as “questionable.” That’s 14.9 points per game missing from Villanova’s lineup.

South Florida (9-22 SU, 15-13-1 ATS) wishes that it could have the same type of collapse that the Wildcats had. The Bulls have never been able to get on level footing all season. They’ve won just three Big East games all year long, two of those victories coming against DePaul. USF finished off the year with a 72-56 loss to the Johnnies as a 12-point road underdog on March 5. Ron Anderson Jr. had the most complete game of anyone on the Bulls that day, scoring 13 points with six rebounds. Augustus Gilchrist did supply 16 points of his own in the losing effort.

Villanova has won all five meetings since 2006 with the Bulls, the year they joined the Big East. Plus, the Wildcats are 4-1 ATS in that stretch of games. The ‘under’ holds a slight 3-2 edge.

While the ‘Cats dominate the history books against South Florida, current standing will make bettors shy away. Villanova is 4-6 SU and 1-9 ATS in its last 10 Big East games as a favorite. The ‘under’ is a healthy 7-3 in those contests.

South Florida is 0-15 SU and 7-8 ATS this year as an underdog in league battles. The ‘under’ is 8-6 during that run.

No. 7 seed Cincinnati will be waiting for the winner of this showdown the following night at 7:00 p.m. EST on ESPN.

Marquette vs. Providence – 9:00 p.m. EST, ESPN

Of any team that must advance out of the first round for a NCAA tourney berth, it’s Marquette (18-13 SU, 14-11 ATS).

The Golden Eagles have played one of the tougher schedules in college basketball, evidenced by them coming in No. 28 in strength of schedule. That’s what happens when you take on 12 ranked teams during the course of the regular season. What Marquette’s problem is that they’ve gone 3-9 SU against those teams in the AP Poll. Bettors shouldn’t give a damn about that since they’re 8-4 ATS in those ranked games. The ‘under’ is 8-4 in that group of tests.

As strong as that ATS mark is, Marquette is only as good as its last game. Unfortunately for them it was an 85-72 loss to the Pirates as a one-point road “chalk” last Saturday. The Golden Eagles couldn’t snuff Seton Hall’s offense in this battle, allowing them to hit 49 percent from the field and 57 percent from three-point land. Plus, the Pirates’ bench outscored Marquette’s reserves 33-18.

Providence (15-16 SU, 11-16 ATS) has to feel like they can make some noise in this tourney early on after beating edging the Scarlet Knights 75-74 on March 5. Marshon Brooks put in 28 points for the Friars, which helped him set the single season scoring record in Big East history with 468 points. Too bad he could score a little more as Rutgers wound up covering as a 3½-point home favorite.

These two teams should remember each other quite well, having just met back on Feb. 27. The Golden Eagles won 86-62 as 10½-point home favorites on Feb. 27. Marquette has won six straight against the Friars, covering the number five times in a row. The ‘over’ is 4-2 in those head-to-head meetings.

The Golden Eagles have been solid favorites to back this year in conference matches, going 8-3 SU and 7-4 ATS. The ‘over’ is 9-3 in those contests as well.

Providence is just 2-12 SU in Big East contests that they were posted as an underdog. It was slightly better for our purposes as the Friars went 6-8 ATS.

The Mountaineers await the victor of this contest for a 9:00 p.m. EST tip-off on Wednesday night on ESPN

Interesting lines for Tuesday:

Dayton -2 @ UMass: UMass won by 5 earlier in season at home

Butler -3 @ Milwaukee: milwaukee won both meetings this season

Princeton -2 @ Penn: Princeton playing for ivy league title.

All 3 games public seems to be heavy on with very little to no movement.

can I do my blank post for Peter over?

Yep.  Now that I know what it means! 

thanks holmey

A lot of garbage match ups tomorrow, at first glance.   
Something about Seton Hall -3.5 seems like a good pick for me.  And for some reason Toledo +19.5 has some value.  Toledo, as bad as they are, doesn't lose too many games by that margin, and Ohio is not know for running teams out of the gym.
Sometimes at this time of year I struggle with my picks.  Had a really bad run over the weekend, but bounced back nicely today.  I think, like a lot of us, I play too many games, to many halftime bets, tails, etc.  Hard to cap these neutral court games, where some teams have a lot to play for, and some have a little.  You just never know which teams are going to show up.  In these tournaments, including the big dance, the intangibles grow larger.
I plan on taking a closer look tomorrow morning.  

Good evening/morning to the board.  Will have the rest of my plays up later but I am posting my LOCK right now.  Coming off a nice 2-0 on posted plays my LOCK for today is.....................


UWM +3.  I am actually shocked at this line.  When discussing this game on Monday's thread I said I thought UWM would be a 2-3 point favorite, but are actually a three point dog.  As anyone who follows this thread knows I have been riding UWM for the better part of a month now.  They are easily one of the hottest teams in the country right now and they have won 10 straight league games.  They have already played Butler twice this season and beaten them both times.  They rolled them in Milwaukee 76-52 and outlasted them at Butler by six.  Where is this game being played?  In Milwaukee.  Now having said that UWM is not known for having sell out crowds and a rowdy fan base.  In fact for most games the empty seats outnumber the occupied ones.  However, with a spot in the tournament on the line and a national TV game I expect the US Cellular Arena to be full and rocking.  This gives UWM a huge advantage having the home court in this game.  Another key match-up to watch is Anthony Hill against Matt Howard.  Whichever big man can establish himself first on the offensive end will really open up his teams offense.  Anthony Hill has been virtually unstoppable during this UWM win streak and there is no reason to believe he won't carry it over into this game.  Another key for both teams will be three point shooting.  Both teams have guys who can light it up from outside and if UWM is hitting early from distance it could make it a long game for Butler.  Of course when it comes to experience in big games like this Butler has a huge advantage.  Experience can only take you so far though and I still think they are living off of the name they made for themselves last year.  I will ride the team with home court edge and the team with a huge 10 game league winning streak to make it 11 and punch their ticket to the Big Dance.
LOCK UP : UWM +3



Rest of the card to follow.


Good luck to everyone and lets get the cash$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

SOCCER PLAYS FOR TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY..UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE.

**TUESDAY PLAYS**

Barcelona -1 goal  @  -170    Barcelona lost 2-1 at Arsenal. They were dominating the whole game, and had a few slip ups. Barcelona is going to dominate again but score goals this time, as they show. Why they are the best team in the world.

Roma to win @ +240    I really like this play, as you can see I have the bottom play, ready to cover me in case of a draw. But I think the +240 is hard to pass up on a team that is very good and needs to score goals to get to the next round. Roma is solid in all phases, I think they will pressure from the beggining with the long balls and if Shakhtar cracks a little, there can be opportunities.

Roma +1 goal  @ - 130    (see above)


**WEDNESDAY PLAYS**

Valencia to Win @ +150  (small play)  Score of the first game was 1-1. Valencia is the better team, they are 3rd in the spanish league and schalke is in the middle of the german league. Valencia will come with everything. It will be a 0-0 most of the time, and eventually Valencia will score and win.


Valencia +1  @ -180   *SEE ABOVE*



Milan +1  @ -170    This will be a close game, Tottenham strength is offense and AC Milan is defense and the middle. I thought about going with Milan, but I dont think they will have enough firepower to win this game. Plus I think Tottenham will be a more defensive team and they are at home as well. So with the home crowd and a 1-goal lead. Draw is a good play. I just cant see Milan winning, so ill take the +1.



I understand that the lines might be different on everybodys sportsbook, I use the lines of Caliente Sportsbook, because I live near the border and go down to Mexico when I wager on soccer. Any other sport I use BETUS. But look at the lines you are getting and in case you like something you see. Go for it.

I dont post often, so just wanted to give an insight on the UEFA Champions as I seen every game. You can take it or leave it, just my opinions on what i will be wagering on.. Good luck all. Should be fun either way.

Peace!!

I know its early but I LOVE Seton Hall over Rutgers on Tuesday in the first round of the Big East Tourney. its The Hall -3.5 right now but thats going no where but up i would think.....I like the OVER 129.5 as well and might make it a parlay but lets go with The Hall laying the wood as they look to continue their hot shooting of the last two games. I know that both games were fairly low scoring afairs and FT shooting from Seton Hall always makes me nevrvous (they missed 16 vs Marquette and 14 vs St Johns) but look for a shooting display from behind the arc  and they wont need to worry about those misses against Rutgers

Two other plays to throw out there if you are looking for some action, not to be considered as gospel, im only playing them for fun and certainly wont tout them if they win and wont cry if they lose...
 
2 Team Parlay.....

Minnesota Twins -155 over the Pirates and the OVER 2.5 UEFA game between Roma and Donetsk -120

Barcelona lost 2-1 at Arsenal. They were dominating the whole game, and had a few slip ups. Barcelona is going to dominate again but score goals this time, as they show. Why they are the best team in the world.

Its not that I disagree with this play but I have a question about your opinion....how do you thin that Arsenals complete meltdown last week in FA cup will effect thier play this game. Do you think they come out more focused and look for the SHOCKER against arguably the best team in the world

Rutgers scares me every game they play is close.

Jisland I like the Roma play at +240 as well.....so I'll tail that one and  Im going to parlay it with Barca -1.5 (-120). I think you are right that they are going to dominate Arsenal and COULD easily win this game 3-1 or 3-0.....all the credit goes to you if it hits and the loss is all mine

These are the only plays im playing today as I am going to be selective with my own calls today so I dont give mcuh of the 3-0 day back from yesterday

Here is the official call list of my own plays, its only one play for the record even though im playing 3 total bets

Seton Hall -3.5

Good Morning @ Good Luck All Make That$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Welcome back Holmey

NCAA_BBALL   Basketball - Princeton - spread -2 (-110) LOCK OF THE DAY, LOCK IT UP

The Crimson ended 100 years of frustration two days ago by beating Princeton University 79-67 to claim at least a share of the title. Harvard will be champion if Princeton loses to the University of Pennsylvania in its final regular-season game tomorrow. A victory for the Tigers will force a playoff for a National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament berth.

The Tigers beat Penn 62-59 in overtime the last time the teams met, on Feb. 8 at Princeton. The Quakers (12-14, 5-5 Ivy) lost at home to Princeton 58-51 last season. “It’s just a blessing that we have another game to play,” Princeton coach Sydney Johnson, 36, told reporters after the Harvard defeat. “It’s almost a gift".


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