NCAA March Madness

Thursday Night Hoops

2008-12-11T15:42:00.000-08:00

Let's get it started!

Wisc Mil Vs Miami OH

Miami Oh is good and if you don't know much about them pay attention. This line is high based on past seasons by Wisc Milwaukee. The Panthers are coming off a pair of league wins against Detroit (71-62) and Wright State (66-59) and enter Thursday's contest with a 5-4 mark. UWM, however, is searching for its first road win with losses at Iowa State, Marquette and Wisconsin.

Michael Bramos is a force at forward for the Red Hawks and you can be assured he will hit the 30 point mark in this game. The key will be the defense of the perimeter by the Red Hawks, laying the double digits here.

Miami -13.5

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Michigan / North Carolina St

2008-12-03T16:55:00.000-08:00

Michigan St +10

Okay, okay UNC is the best team in the universe right now, but Michigan St is a pretty good team too and ten points is a bit much to me. Izzo is a great coach that can get them ready for this game and they are playing at For Field.

Michigan St has already lost to Maryland and they have some injuries they have to deal with tonight as Goran Suton won't play. The fact that have been inconsistent will actually help them because it means they were more focused in practices leading up to this game. Kalin Lucas is one of the best point guards in the country and he may have his hands full with Lawson in the backcourt but this will slow the break of the Heels. This and a friendly home crowd may be all the difference they need!!

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Friday Night

2008-11-21T14:59:00.000-08:00

Michigan +13.5

The early lines are biased to high ranking teams and that was evident when the Wolverines dumped UCLA. Tonight they will give the Blue Devils a tightly contested matchup!

Tuesday November 18th

2008-11-18T15:54:00.000-08:00

Let's get it started!!

San Diego St +3.5
Kentucky +18.5
Northern Illinois +4

start off slow with all one unit each!

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Championship Game

2008-04-07T08:53:00.001-07:00

NCAA Championship
game!!

Memphis
-2

The lines makers have figured it out that the
Memphis Tigers are
ready to make a big splash and the no respect angle has brought them far in this
tournament. This game is about the guard play and while both teams are solid in
this spot there is no one better than Rose at point. Memphis gets a title and
finally something that may have even wanted more,
respect!

NIT Madness

2008-04-03T09:05:00.000-07:00

Before you get ready for this weeks exciting finish to the college basketball season make sure to play tonight's game!
UMASS+3

UMASS Showed alot when they dismantled Florida and they are on a path for destiny and have a nice following at MSG! Take the minutemen to beat the Buckeyes!!

Sunday Memphis Vs Texas

2008-03-30T08:23:00.000-07:00

Memphis / Texas Under 144

This is going to be one of the better games of the tournament and the intensity will be well, intense. Memphis lit up the scoreboard against Michigan St and so they will be hard pressed to do that again against a bigger and tougher squad in the long horns. Texas will not want to run against Memphis because that will play right into their game plan. This game will settle under the total. Memphis is 7-1 Under vs. Big 12 and 14-4 Under off BB Overs.

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Elite 8 Action!

2008-03-29T14:50:00.000-07:00

College Basketball tonight:

Louisville +6

The only team that may be just as hot as the Tar Heels in the tournament are the Cardinal. They have been shooting very well and have played excellent defense. A look inside the coaching logs finds Roy Williams with a sterling 47-16 SU mark in the tournament, but just 5-10 ATS when facing a foe that is off back-to-back wins and covers. On the flip side, Rick Pitino is 37-9 SU and 28-15-3 ATS in the Big Dance since 1991, including a 6-2 SU and ATS log when facing an .885 or greater opponent

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Friday March Madness

2008-03-28T16:26:00.000-07:00

Stanford +3 UPSET ALERT!

The PAC-10 has been strong all season and it will be on display tonight when they topple Texas. The big men will score at will and dominate the boards as they move on to the next level!

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NIT Hoops

2008-03-24T16:11:00.000-07:00

Here are the hoops plays for tonight make sure to check out the MLB forum for opening
day picks!! Oh yeah and sign up for Bet Jam already!!

Two late games for me:

Utah +2.5--I follow the Utes and this club can take down
Tulsa tonight with they way they play--they can keep pace with that offense!

UAB +8--Tubby can get his kids ready for the tournament
play!

Easter NCAA Picks

2008-03-23T09:39:00.000-07:00

Happy easter everyone!
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Saturday College Basketball
Miami +6.5 Over Texas

Miami has played some decent opposition and done well this year and could pull off a big surprise against Texas today. I still look for Texas to win but this will be down to the wire and Texas should win by about 3 points. Miami is 8-0 ATS vs. non-conference and 11-3 ATS off SU win.
Oklahoma +7.5

Louisville is a team that lives and dies by the big shot and the offensive game while it is the Sooners that live by the defensive play. Louisville is 16-32 ATS on a neutral court and so don’t expect for them to play well in this tournament now that they have some tougher opposition.
Butler +4.5

Butler is in a dual spot today where they have proved to play well in the past. Butler is 8-0 ATS as an underdog and 9-2 ATS vs. non-conference. Tennessee on the other hand is a dual bad spot as they are 9-30 ATS in tournament games and 11-26 ATS as neutral court favorite.
Arkansas +10.5

This is just too many points here to give to a team as dangerous as Arkansas can be. They can rebound, run the floor and shoot the three. North Carolina is the superior team and will win but I don’t look for them to cash in on a double digit spread.

Saturday Winners!

2008-03-22T09:59:00.000-07:00

Nice day yesterday in college hoops and I look to continue with some winners for today.

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Kansas St. +5
The great thing about Kansas St is that they have a solid front court and the best player in college basketball right now in Beasley. I have never been sold on the Badgers and believe this team will bring them to an early exit and move on the next round.

Washington St. -2.5
Washington St is being over looked here as all of the so called experts like the Irish, but don’t underestimate the quickness and the guard play that the cougars have. The Irish are and they will see an exit today as this Washington St team moves on.

UNLV +13.5
Kansas is the better team here but UNLV will hang tough with Kansas as they match up well in the right spots. At this point in the tournament teams will play to the final tick of the clock to try and stay alive. UNLV is 8-0 ATS playing with one or less days rest and 9-2 ATS vs. non-conference this year which is good for today.

Marquette +3
This is a mistake on the lines based on the seedings. Marquette is better than Stanford. Stanford has some big bodies down low but will not be able to take advantage like they did in the first game. Marquette will win and move on!

Technorati Profile

Friday NCAA Hoops Picks

2008-03-21T17:13:00.000-07:00

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Today's Picks:
South Alabama +4

This is a nice home court for South Alabama and don’t be surprised when they pull off the upset here and advance. The Jaguars are a quality club and have been questioned by some people that think they should be here. Butler has done well in the first round in previous years and that will cause them to look right pas these guys!

Villanova +6

Clemson backers are coming out of the woodwork with how they fared in the ACC tournament but sorry I don’t see it and in fact if I had to put a line on this game I would make Villanova the favorite! That’s a huge swing and I will take the wildcats here! Clemson does not have one player that has played on this level and like Georgia, they will fall flat.

Oklahoma -1

The hawks of St. Joe’s seem to be the sweetheart pick to upset the Sooners and the dog is getting plenty of looks. I am backing the Sooners here and believe that defense will be the difference here and is the dame thing that gave the hawks fits against Temple. The sooners remember what its like to sit back and watch others play and will use that as motivation today.

Other picks: San Diego +11.5 and Arkansas +2

Big Monday on ESPN

2008-01-14T11:39:00.000-08:00

Gonzaga and Pepperdine:

Pepperdine +13.5

The waves do not have the best record at 6-11 but when it comes to cashing in for bettors they have excelled at 10-5 ATS and 9-2 ATS as an underdog. Pepperdine has a solid team and should be looking forward to this game at home on national television after an upset loss. That kicks in a system: Play On a home team like Pepperdine, off an upset loss to a conference rival as a home favorite against opponent off a blowout win by 20 points or more over a conference rival. This system is 21-4, 84 percent the last three years. The waves will play close and will full intensity and are the play as a sharp dog tonight.

Kansas / Georgia Tech ESPN

2007-12-18T10:48:00.000-08:00

Sneak Sheet

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Kansas Vs Georgia tech

Line: Kansas -10 / 151

Consensus Numbers: 66.67% on Kansas

58.7 % on the over

Sneak Peek: (A quick look at each team)

Kansas is 10-0 this year and easily one of the more dominant teams in the NCAA but a look at their schedule this year would show that they have only really traveled once and that was in a game against USC, but nonetheless they win in big fashion and that has turned into a 6-2 ATS record so far.

Georgia tech is one of the elite teams in the ACC and they have started off a bit slow with 4-4 record and just a 3-5 ATS record. They have however played four road games and are coming home off squeaker win to Georgia St as 13 point favorites that broke a two game losing streak.

On Campus: (information about the teams direct form the campus sites)

Kansas:

Kansas is using a balanced attack and solid defense in posting its 10-0 record this season. The Jayhawks are averaging 85 points per game and are giving up only 58.6. KU's top seven scorers go forward-guard-forward-guard-guard-center-guard. Sophomore forward Darrell Arthur leads KU in scoring with 13.9 points per game. He is second on the team with a 5.7 rebound average and with 16 blocked shots. Junior guard Mario Chalmers is next in scoring at 12.8 points per game and he leads the team with 52 assists, 32 steals, 19 three-pointers made and a 46.3 three-point field goal percentage. Senior forward Darnell Jackson paces the Jayhawks with seven rebounds per game to compliment his 11.2 points. Jackson is shooting 64.3 percent from the field. Sophomore Sherron Collins and junior Brandon Rush are each scoring 11 points per game. The duo has missed games due to injury but has worked their way back into the lineup. Rush is second on the team with 15 three-pointers. Senior center Sasha Kaun leads KU with 18 blocked shots this season to go along with his 8.3 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. Senior guard Russell Robinson is scoring seven points per outing and is making a team-best 76 percent from the free throw line.

Georgia Tech:

The game against Kansas is sold out except for a few single tickets that will go on sale for cash only before the game starts.

Head coach Paul Hewitt has used three different starting point guards this season, beginning with freshman Moe Miller in the first two games, then senior Matt Causey for one game and D’Andre Bell for four after Miller was injured in a practice just before the Paradise Jam. Causey returned to the starting lineup for Tech’s last game, Dec. 5, at Georgia State. The rest of the starting lineup remained the same for Tech’s first seven of the season -- senior Anthony Morrow and junior Lewis Clinch on the wings, senior Jeremis Smith at strong forward and junior Alade Aminu at center. Freshman Gani Lawal replaced Aminu in the lineup for the Georgia State game. Causey, a 6-0 senior from Gainesville, Ga., played 31 minutes against the Panthers, scoring five points with six assists and no turnovers. He ranks sixth in the

ACC in assist average (4.25) and fifth in assist-turnover ratio (2.62-1) while averaging 5.1 points for the season Head coach Paul Hewitt has said repeatedly this season that his Yellow Jackets can score, but the team’s success will depend on defense and rebounding the basketball. Tech is averaging 78.5 points per game (5th in the ACC), is hitting 47.6 percent of its shots from the floor (3rd in the ACC) and 38.7 percent of its three-point attempts (5th in the ACC).

Series: (records against one another)

This is the sixth meeting between Kansas and Georgia Tech with KU leading 4-1. The series dates back to 1971 as the Jayhawks defeated Tech in the first three meetings - 84-71 in 1971 in Atlanta, 93-65 in 1972 in Lawrence and 84-70 in 1999 in Anchorage, Alaska, in the Great Alaska Shootout. The two teams met in back-to-back seasons in 2004 and 2005. The 2004 match-up was in the NCAA Regional finals, where Georgia Tech won 79-71 in overtime. On New Year's Day 2005, the two battled to another overtime thriller with KU defeating Georgia Tech 70-68 in Allen Fieldhouse. Kansas has faced 10 of the 12 current members of the Atlantic Coast Conference and has a combined 31-21 record versus the league.

Inside the Numbers: (Just pure stats that I look at when handicapping a game)

The numbers are in favor of Kansas when it comes to defense as the Yellow jackets are more concerned with scoring then playing defense. This is displayed by the 79 points per game they allow compared to 58.6 for Kansas. The offensive numbers at home for GT is much better than Kansas numbers on the road. This can be a bit skewed with Kansas limited road games but it does show great home numbers for the Yellow Jackets. 3ptFT% 40& and they beat Kansas numbers at the charity stripe shooting 70% from the stripe compared to 60.6% for Kansas.

Trends: (current trends and why I think they are useful)

Kansas 2-6 ATS last 8 vs. ACC (shows a history of struggling to over against the ACC)

Georgia tech: 7-0 ATS at home against teams with a winning record (shows that GT plays up to their opponents at home) and they are 4-0 ATS in the last 4 games against the Big 12 (Shows success against the Big 12).They are 11-3 ATS in the last 14 home games.

Sneaks Synopsis:

Georgia Tech +11

(The line posted above of +10 is the opener in most cases and I suggest that everyone searches for the best line and in this case I found a +11 at Bet Jamaica!)

Georgia Tech is eager to get home and this game is obviously something they have looked forward to and may be evident by the close call they had to Georgia State. Kansas plays a better defense but they have no problem getting into a run and gun kind of game and this to me will favor the home team. GT’s numbers are much better at home on the offensive side of the board and since they do well from behind the arc and the charity stripe it will allow them to make a case for covering the double digits with a late barrage or by staying solid from the line. The sold out home crowd will play a role against a Kansas team that has not played enough on the road just yet.

Saturday Hoops

2007-12-15T09:41:00.000-08:00

College Basketball

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Arkansas +4.5

This team to me is one of the best in the SEC and are underrated coming out of the gate. John Pelphrey has a solid young squad that he has gotten the best out of. In my estimation this line is off and the wrong team is favored. The hogs have an outstanding 14-5 ATS record in the last 19 games on a Saturday.

Purdue +1

This home dog has some bite in this one. The Louisville program is in so much trouble they had to recruit players from the football team to fill a roster spot and hoop it up. Purdue is 7-0 ATS off a double digit loss and Louisville is 5-14 ATS in the last 19 games in December.

Missouri St. +5.5

Tough spot here for the Utes of Utah not because of when they are playing but whom. They have overlooked this game due to the name of the team they are playing but the match ups heavily favor Missouri St in this game today. Utah is just 21-27 ATS when playing teams with a winning record and gets upset today against Missouri St.

Saturday College Hoops

2007-12-08T08:49:00.000-08:00

The first full college basketball slate and I am ready to go after starting my season off right with a win with LSU.

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College Basketball Quick Hits

Georgia -4 Over Wake

Wake Forest: 4-15 ATS after scoring 80+ points

Pittsburgh / Washington over 150.5
Washington: 17-4 Over off BB ATS losses

Maui Invitaional

2007-11-19T15:42:00.001-08:00

NCAA Hoops

Three Unit: Arizona St. +4
Don’t under estimate this Arizona St team they are very talented and will go a long way this year. They start with a win in this tournament tonight!
Arizona State: 6-1 ATS as a neutral court underdog of 6 points or lessIllinois: 2-11 ATS off a non-conference game

Poof He's gone!

2007-06-04T10:09:00.000-07:00

Billy Donovan informed the Magic and the University of Florida over the weekend that he had second thoughts about agreeing to be Orlando's head coach, and the NBA team was deciding on Monday whether to let him go.
Donovan signed a five-year, $27.5 million deal on Friday, multiple sources told ESPN.com on Sunday. If the Magic do let Donovan out of the deal, they have to decide whether to enforce a financial penalty. Both sides aren't talking publicly because there are legal issues involved in such a decision.
Early Monday morning the Magic issued a statement. "While Central Florida, the Orlando Magic and Billy were energized with the announcement of his contract signing on Friday, we know there was a different feeling in Gainesville and people have been tugging at him since that time.
"Billy is conflicted with those emotions and the opportunity he has ahead in Orlando and in the NBA.

"We've had numerous conversations and a personal visit in Gainesville with Billy over the last 48 hours and we have a commitment from him that the dialogue between us will continue."
Multiple sources said the decision now rests in the hands of the Magic. Late Sunday night, the Orlando Sentinel cited a source close to the situation that reported that the Magic had decided to release Donovan. A source told ESPN.com that Magic ownership was out of the country and didn't arrive back until late Sunday night.
According to a source, Florida doesn't expect a resolution Monday unless the Magic are willing to release Donovan from his contract and as of Monday morning that wasn't the case. The Magic were still trying to convince Donovan to honor his commitment and his signed contract. The source said Donovan was expected to stay out of the public eye Monday and away from campus.
Florida won't have any announcement until the Magic and Donovan resolve the contractual issues. Until then, Florida's search for a head coach, which is centered on Anthony Grant of VCU, is on hold. Ultimately, Florida is of the belief that Donovan will return to the Gators but can't comment or make an assumption while there is an ongoing contractual issue with the Magic.
Once Donovan signed the contract, he was committed unless there is a provision allowing the party to get out of the contract within a certain period. The parties can either agree to rescind or the Magic could sue Donovan for breach of contract. But what are the damages? It is unlikely that there would be any financial damages to pursue a lawsuit.
Donovan's hiring Thursday prompted the sale of 200 Magic season tickets by Friday afternoon. Magic communications director Joel Glass confirmed that number after Friday's news conference introducing Donovan to a standing ovation from the entire on-site Magic organization at the RDV Sportsplex in Orlando. Losing Donovan as coach likely would be a public relations hit to a franchise that needed a pop.

Donovan is coming off back-to-back national titles at Florida, the first time a school has done that since Duke in 1991-92. Donovan, who turned 42 Wednesday, agonized over the decision to accept the Magic offer after first being approached last week.
Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley flew to Richmond, Va., on Saturday to meet with Donovan's former assistant, Grant, about the opening. But multiple sources confirmed that the plane was on the ground for less than an hour. Foley left without Grant aboard.
Over the weekend, multiple sources said that Grant was the top choice but that both he and Donovan wanted to make sure that all of their respective staffs were taken care of before any move was made.
"I have been contacted by the University of Florida regarding their coaching vacancy," Grant said in a statement on Sunday night. "I have not had any in-person contact with any Florida representative, nor have I been offered the job. At this point in time, I will have no further comment on this situation as my focus is on my responsibilities at VCU."
On Friday, Donovan was emphatic about why he ultimately made the choice. He said he wanted a new challenge and saw the proximity to his home in Gainesville and the young stars on the Magic roster, such as Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson, as well as $10-13 million in salary cap space as a primary reason for jumping at this job.

My initial reaction was to stay," Donovan said Friday. "But then I asked myself why? And [staying] was easier. If I don't take this job, then I don't have to talk to Jeremy Foley and the players. I was going to get paid a good salary and had a good life there. I just went back and forth.
"But then I asked myself, 'What do I really want?' I do want the challenge. That's what I wanted to do in my heart."
If Donovan had a change of heart, it wouldn't be the first in college basketball.
Creighton coach Dana Altman was introduced as Arkansas' new basketball coach earlier this spring, then decided two days later to return to Creighton.
Altman's reversal was not without precedent. In 1993, Bobby Cremins accepted the South Carolina job, then reneged two days later and returned to Georgia Tech.
And in June 2006, Charleston hired Winthrop's Gregg Marshall, but Marshall told the Cougars one day later that he was returning to Winthrop.
Should the Magic part ways with Donovan, former Miami coach Stan Van Gundy would likely become the leading candidate for the Orlando vacancy. He recently turned down the Indiana Pacers coaching job but had spoken with Magic officials before Donovan's hiring.
In May, Van Gundy said he had "a great interest" in coaching Orlando next season.

Donovan leaving Florida to coach Orlando Magic

2007-06-01T08:57:00.000-07:00

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Rich history wasn't enough to lure Billy Donovan away from Florida. In the end, it was just riches.
Donovan will have plenty of them after he was hired to coach the Orlando Magic on Thursday. The team confirmed the hiring Thursday night and scheduled a news conference for Friday morning.
Donovan agreed to a five-year deal paying $5.5 million annually, an official in the NBA told The Associated Press.
''Billy Donovan is a winner,'' general manager Otis Smith said. ''We feel he is the right person to develop and maximize the talents of our players. We look forward to Billy leading us to the next level.''
Donovan has been the subject of speculation since the Gators' second straight NCAA championship in April. He turned down an offer to coach Kentucky, whose storied program launched his career as an assistant in 1990, and was more recently linked to the Memphis Grizzlies' vacant coaching job.
Book Maker has Florida as +7500 longshots to win the NCAA Championship in 2008.

He seemed to squash those rumors after turning down the Kentucky position, proclaiming, ''I love the University of Florida.''
But Orlando, about 115 miles south of Gainesville, proved too strong to resist. The Magic job pays more than twice Donovan's $1.7 million annual deal with the Gators.
''There's going to be a lot of hamburgers, a lot of filet,'' departing Florida star Joakim Noah joked.

Both Donovan and the school had said all along they were negotiating a contract extension. Florida president Bernie Machen said Thursday the deal was basically done, just not signed.

''There's always a next,'' Machen said at the Southeastern Conference's annual spring meeting in Destin, Fla. ''Billy Donovan has been here for 11 years, won two national championships. He's been a great ambassador for the University of Florida. We'll always love Billy Donovan, whether he's here 11 years or 21 years.''

Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley also emphasized there were no hard feelings.
''We certainly wish this run could have gone on forever. It's been an incredible privilege to be a part of. We're indebted to Billy Donovan,'' Foley said in a written statement. ''We hired him 11 years ago to build Florida basketball and he did that beyond anyone's expectations. We'll miss him as a coach, but we'll always be friends and remain close to Billy and his family.''

Donovan replaces Brian Hill, who was fired after two consecutive losing seasons. Hill's ouster followed the Magic's first playoff appearance in four years, which ended in the first round against Detroit.

If he's going to go, now could be the best time for Donovan. Florida lost its top seven scorers after the season, including potential top-10 NBA picks Noah, Al Horford and Corey Brewer.

In Orlando, Donovan inherits a team without a single first-round draft pick - or much veteran experience. Orlando is rebuilding around third-year player Dwight Howard, who made his first All-Star team this season, and counting on bigger contributions from Trevor Ariza and J.J. Redick.

The Magic have vowed to re-sign free agent Darko Milicic, who flourished despite an injury in the playoffs, but the 7-footer still has to prove his NBA value.
Besides the coach, the big question mark for Orlando is whether Grant Hill will return. The often-injured star's contract expired this season, and he could opt to retire or chase a title elsewhere. If Hill leaves, it would open up a big load of salary cap room for a skilled offensive player.

Donovan has shown he can improve even mediocre programs. At Florida, a traditionally football-oriented school, he made it to the NCAA title game three times in his 11 years. He led the Gators to nine straight 20-win seasons, nearly doubling the amount it had before his arrival. Florida won three SEC championships under Donovan after getting just one in 77 years previously. He became the winningest coach in Florida history on Dec. 20 and now has 261 victories.
With the Magic, he'll face a similar challenge. Orlando hasn't been out of the first round of the playoffs in a decade.

Gators Win again!

2007-05-22T09:38:00.001-07:00

Gators beat Kentucky for prized recruit
Mon, May 14, 2007
By Associated Press

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Jai Lucas picked Florida over Kentucky, just like his future college coach.
The McDonald's All-American and son of former NBA player and coach John Lucas said Monday he will sign a letter of intent to play Florida and coach Billy Donovan.
Lucas picked Florida over Kentucky and Oklahoma State. He made the announcement at his high school in Bellaire, Texas, near Houston.
''They've lost almost their whole team, mainly the point guard position, Taurean Green,'' Lucas told the Houston Chronicle. ''I feel like if I come in and produce, I can play right away.''
The Gators are +7500 on sportsbooks to win the 2008 NCAA Championship.
Lucas averaged 25 points and six assists as a senior. The 5-foot-10 guard also shot 51 percent from 3-point range and 83 percent from the free-throw line.
He is one of the last highly touted prospects to sign during the monthlong signing period. Patrick Patterson, a 6-foot-8 power forward and McDonald's All-American from Huntington, W.Va., was expected to announce his decision Wednesday. He has narrowed his choices to Duke, Florida and Kentucky.
Donovan, who passed on a chance to replace Tubby Smith at Kentucky after winning a second consecutive national championship in April, could use both players.
The Gators lost their top seven scorers from last season's title team, the first since Duke in 1992 to repeat as champs. Green, Corey Brewer, Al Horford and Joakim Noah turned pro after their junior seasons, and each of them has signed with an agent, meaning they can't return to school.
That may have made Lucas' decision easier.
Asked when he made his final decision, Lucas told the paper, ''About 20 minutes before I walked in here.''
Donovan has plenty of experience dealing with sons of famous fathers.
Noah's father is former tennis star Yannick Noah. Horford's dad, Tito, played three years in the NBA and several more overseas. And Green's father, Sidney, was an All-American at UNLV and a first-round pick by the Chicago Bulls in 1983. He spent 10 years in the league and finished his career with 5,080 points and 4,128 rebounds.
Donovan has four other recruits heading to Gainesville this fall - guard/forward Nick Calathes and forwards Chandler Parsons, Adam Allen and Alex Tyus.
Calathes and Parsons are considered the best of that group. They played together at Lake Howell High in Winter Park, Fla.
Florida can't comment on prospects until they have officially signed.

2007-05-19T08:55:00.001-07:00

North Carolina signs Williams to 4-year contract extension

Thu, May 17, 2007
By Associated Press
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- North Carolina awarded coach Roy Williams a four-year contract extension Thursday that will keep him with the Tar Heels through the 2014-15 season.
Sportsbook.com has the Tar Heels listed as +550 favorites to win the 2008 NCAA Championship.
Williams, who signed an eight-year contract to coach his alma mater before the 2003-04 season, will make up to $1.8 million each year plus incentives based on the Tar Heels' performance on the court and in the classroom.
''Roy Williams is the most complete coach in the country,'' athletic director Dick Baddour said. ''I knew when we hired him he was an outstanding basketball coach, but he has also exceeded our every expectation in the manner in which he runs a basketball program. He believes in character first, he coaches for all the right reasons and he is a first-rate ambassador of our university.''
Williams, who will be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in September, is 106-30 in four seasons at North Carolina and 524-131 in 19 seasons with the Tar Heels and Kansas. He won his only national championship in 2005.
''I am excited about coaching at Carolina and look forward to these next eight years,'' Williams said. ''I am past the point in my career where people refer to 'that young coach Roy Williams,' but I know I can go this long. I just hope my players can put up with me.''
The new contract will pay Williams an annual base salary of $325,000, a $30,000 expense account and supplemental income paid by the university ranging from $1.2 million to $1.5 million. Bonuses are included for qualifying for and advancing in the NCAA tournament and for graduation rates that meet or exceed the general student body.
North Carolina finished 31-7 this season, shared the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season title, won the league tournament and advanced to the East Regional finals, where the top-seeded Tar Heels lost in overtime to Georgetown.

Sunday Hoops

2006-02-19T07:59:00.000-08:00

College Hoops for Sunday

Georgetown +7.5

There has to be a letdown here as the cats toppled Uconn and put a stranglehold at the top of the Big East. They played a flawless game and will be hard pressed to do that again against a Georgetwon team that is in desperate need of a win.

Oklahoma St. +10.5

OSU is off a blowout nationally televised loss to the Jayhawks and surrounded by controversy so of course we have to take them today. This is a soft spot for Texas as they will be hard pressed to come up with a reason to play tough here. OSU will surprise early with matchups and make this close.

Wake Forest +4.5

Time for a history lesson because Wake Forest has always gotten up for this game against North Carolina, they are 10-6 ATS against the heels and won straight up last year. North Carolina has just gotten over a stretch where they played one big game after another and will try to catch their breath just to get upset by Wake Forest today.

Make sure to check out Tips, Tools, and Trends for the rest of the day in college hoops by clicking here.

Also when you’re doing capping college hoops, make sure to go to Poker Circle and register for over $40,000 in free roll poker tournaments!

Saturday Bracket Buster

2006-02-17T21:51:00.000-08:00

When covering the college basketball games you have to start off with the Bracket Buster that ESPN has served up for us.

ESPN 2 @ Noon

Northern Iowa – 6 ½

Bucknell is a great team who was just promoted to the top 25 and that is always a good letdown spot for the team. Northern Iowa has beaten Iowa at home and should have no problem taking down Bucknell by double digits. Unranked home favorite over ranked team applies.

ESPNU @ 2:00

Butler +4.5

This one is going to be a close one down the stretch and in that case I like to do two things. Take the team with the better Free Throw percentage and the points and Butler owns both of these.

ESPN 2 @ 2:00

Wisc Milwaukee -3

Milwaukee was looking ahead to this one and got caught napping against Illinois Chicago and lost outright as 14 point favorites. This will keep them focused for this game. SW Missouri St drops in every statistical category when they play on the road.

ESPN 2 @ 6:00

So. Illinois -8

So. Illinois is a great home team and has been a money making 8-2 ATS in all lined home games this year. They are off a loss to Bradley and will make up the points they need to cover with a big edge in free throws in this game.

ESPN @ 1159

Fresno St. +10.5

These last two are exactly why Bracket Busters was put together. Fresno St. is the hotter teams of the two and they are on a winning streak, while Creighton has lost two straight and are now asking to cover ten points.

ESPNU @ 1000

Northwestern St. +10.5

This along with Fresno is my pick of the night, Utah st will get blind sided here and they will have a chance of losing outright, this game gets Northwestern St some of the national spotlight they may need to get the program jumpstarted.

Bracket Buster Saturday

2006-02-17T12:34:00.000-08:00

Bracket Buster Saturday

Make sure to check back early and often as NCAA March Madness will have your entire Bracket Buster Saturday covered! I will cover plenty of games with great articles from local newspapers and stats, trends and winning selections for Saturday!! The posts will start tonight and will continue throughout the night so do not miss out!! Make sure to sign up with a sports book and get with a safe and secure sports book for Bracket Buster Saturday!!

Click a banner or make sure to visit the Sports book Watchdog!

How to handicap College Hoops (Tournament Edition)

2006-02-16T10:24:00.000-08:00

How to handicap College Hoops (Tournament Edition)

It is the time of year when conference championships are almost upon us and there are several keys that should be looked at when handicapping the tournaments.

Experience pays off:
One has to look at teams that have played in championships to get back to the championship round. In the last five years teams that have won the championship has made it back to the big game 63% of the time. This has to do with being able to handle the pressure of the big game.

Depth:
Depth is a must for the championship tournament as it will always give an edge to a team when it comes to late in the tournament when teams have played several games over several days. Teams that are strong in depth allow players to be fresher longer and eat up precious time as well as fouls at any given time.

Rebounding:

This one is rather obvious has teams that rebound the ball well get a second chance at missed shots and will often control the tempo of the game for the most part. The teams in conference that have had the rebounding edge has gone to the championship round more often than not.

Free Throws:

Another obvious one is free throws. Teams that can shoot free throws will win games down the stretch and in conference tournaments they are invaluable. With the basics of picking a winner in the conference tournaments out of the way let’s look at some of the intangibles that will make you money ATS.

Ride the Streak:

Hot teams coming into the tournament are always a play in my book. These teams usually get all the bounces, play the game the hardest and take advantage of teams playing out the string. However a note here is if the team is undefeated in conference play when they enter the tournament I suggest a play against them SU and ATS.

Stay away from the last team to make the tournament: (Based on 8 teams)

The #8 seed is a dangerous go of things in conference tournaments. They have played the #1 seed before (often twice) and so the #1 seed knows exactly what to expect and is not surprised by the play or the temp unlike March Madness when the lower seeds surprise more often. The #8 seed is not a money maker ATS either as they are just 51% ATS in conference tournaments.

Your upsets will be from the middle of the pack:
This makes sense as the teams ranked #4-#6 are often playing opposition with equal talent or close to it. This is where the dog will become more valuable than not and will have an easier path to getting to the conference championship and often cashing as an underdog along the way.
The conference tournaments to me are very valuable when considering the big dance in March. The reason is simple.

When you play close attention to the conference tournaments you are watching teams that will make the Big Dance and you will get insight on how to play them when March Madness starts.

Conference Tournaments

2006-02-16T10:14:00.000-08:00

Coming Soon