Sunday FREE Service Plays (Premiums and Comps)
Welcome New Members and Guests
Here are some helpful Links
-Want to introduce yourself and interact with other new members. This is the New Member Forum and you can ask any questions or make an introduction here. We encourage this for all new members. CLICK HERE..
-Want to post your own picks in the sports forums. We would very much enjoy this. CLICK HERE to access the sports forums.
-Today we also have a in-game chat, we have a bunch of regulars and new posters every time. Get involved and have some fun. CLICK HERE..
If you need any help or assistance. PM myself or one of the mods. And once again, WELCOME TO FBZ!
Support FBZ for all this Hard Work
We hate asking for support, so here is what we decided to do to make it easier on you.
CHAMPIONSHIP TIP SHEET
Selection Sunday has arrived and the field of 65 for the NCAA Tournament will be announced at 6:00 p.m. EST. Before the brackets are announced, there are still four conference tournaments to be played and the winner in each will receive automatic bids. Before you delve into the matchups, be sure to stay abreast with the results for Championship Week.
ACC Championship
The ACC Tournament has watched the underdogs go 9-0-1 against the spread through the first 10 games. The favorites have gone 4-6 straight up over this span. Despite those strong trends, oddsmakers have still made Duke (28-5 SU, 18-12 ATS) a solid 9 ½-point favorite over Georgia Tech (22-11 SU, 14-12 ATS) in the championship for Sunday.
Duke was tested again Saturday but it eventually rallied past Miami and held on for a 77-74 victory. The Blue Devils had a couple chances to pull away in the second but the Hurricanes held on to cover as 11 ½-point underdogs. The combined 151 points easily eclipsed the closing number of 132. Even though this game went ‘over’ the total, Duke has seen seven of previous nine contests go ‘under.’
Georgia Tech entered Saturday’s battle against N.C. State off an impressive 69-64 win over Maryland on Friday. Sure enough, the Yellow Jackets had a letdown and barely beat N.C. State 57-54 in the semifinals. G-Tech failed to cover as a four-point favorite and the 111 combined points never threatened the closing total of 128.
The Blue Devils and Yellow Jackets split the regular season series, with the home team winning and covering each contest. The ‘over’ hit in the encounter from Durham, but the previous nine all went ‘under’ the number.
Head coach Mike Krzyzewski and the Blue Devils have won eight of the last 11 ACC Tournaments, including last year’s victory in the final against Florida State, 79-69. Of those eight wins, five have come by double digits. Georgia Tech hasn’t played in the championship game since 2005, when the school lost to Duke (64-69).
ESPN offers coverage of this game at 1:00 p.m. EST.
A10 Championship
Will Temple (28-5 SU, 22-11 ATS) win its eighth overall and third straight A-10 Championship on Sunday? The Owls came into Atlantic City with a seven-game winning streak (6-1 ATS) and the club hasn’t let up at all. Temple ripped St. Bonaventure (69-51) in the quarterfinals before coasting past Rhode Island (57-44) yesterday in the semis.
Temple came into Saturday’s match with the league's best defense (56.8 points) and it outperformed itself. The effort has turned out a lot of low-scoring affairs, which has put together a 5-1 ‘under’ run.
The Owls only have five losses on the year but one of them came against today’s opponent, Richmond (26-7 SU, 18-10 ATS). The Spiders stopped Xavier 89-85 in Saturday’s other conference semifinals. Richmond trailed for the majority of the game but forced overtime and eventually toppled the Musketeers in the extra session.
Richmond beat Temple 71-54 at home on Feb. 6 as a 1 ½-point home favorite. The game down to shooting, as the Owls connected on 31 percent while the Spiders hit 58% of their shots, including a 9-of-16 spot from 3-point land.
Most books have Temple listed as a three-point favorite, while the total is sitting at 115. Gamblers expecting an outright win by Richmond can take the money-line price of plus-140 (Bet $100 to win $140).
Tip-off for this contest starts at 1:00 p.m. EST and CBS will provide coverage.
BIG XII CHAMPIONSHIP
Rivalries are just one of many things that make college sports so entertaining. Put one of those rivalries in a championship game and you have something pretty special. We’re getting something special as the Wildcats and Jayhawks do battle at 6:00 p.m. EST on ESPN for the Big XII championship.
Kansas (31-2 straight up, 13-16-1 against the spread) comes into this contest with the expectations of being this far. After all, the Jayhawks have been the top-ranked team in the nation for almost two-thirds of the season.
Bill Self’s starting crew is the perfect mesh of youth and experience. Senior guard Sherron Collins anchors a unit that features freshman Xavier Henry, plus sophomores Tyshawn Taylor, Marcus Morris and junior Cole Aldrich.
The result of that lineup for Kansas is an offense that is fifth in the nation in scoring (82.2 points per game), 56th in scoring defense (63.7 PPG) and second nationally in defensive field goal percentage (37.7).
As the Jayhawks found themselves clicking to close out the regular season, gamblers have been cashing in for a nice profit. That’s because KU has posted a 3-1 ATS mark in its final four contests with the ‘under’ going 2-1-1.
Any team will be able to help the better degenerates out there when you have guys like Collins lead with 26 points against Texas A&M as the Jayhawks won 79-66 as 9 ½-point favorites on Friday evening. Henry did his part with 15 points against the Aggies, while Aldrich cleaned the glass like a top-shelf hotel maid for nine rebounds.
I don’t want to say a game won’t mean anything towards its tourney chances, but this game means nothing for KU. The Jayhawks are already penciled in as a No. 1 seed for the NCAA Tournament and most likely the top seed for the whole thing.
While the Jayhawks are the national darlings, Kansas State’s (26-6 SU, 18-8-1 ATS) inferiority complex grows. Frank Martin’s Wildcats are currently ranked ninth on the Associated Press poll and finished just behind KU in the Big XII regular season standings.
The Wildcats have found themselves in the hunt for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament because of having one of the more veteran starting lineups in the country. Jacob Pullen anchors this unit with 19.1 PPG and a beard that would make Merlin Olsen send him some flowers from the next ethereal plane. Denis Clemente has been a strong producer for K-State with 16.2 PPG for the season.
K-State has been a solid wager for the gambling public by going 5-2 SU and ATS in its last seven contests. Bettors have been able to cash in on the ‘over’ with the ‘Cats as it is on a 3-0 run.
The Wildcats don’t have any problems about getting into the Big Dance. What is on the line for them is a potential No. 1 seed should they win. Of course, they’re fighting with the likes of Kentucky and Ohio State for that coveted station in the brackets.
Las Vegas Sports Consultants opened the Jayhawks as five-point favorites with a total of 146.
This year Kansas won both matchups, but covered in just one of those tilts. In fact, the head-to-head has been slanted squarely to the Jayhawks. KU is 9-1 SU and 7-3 ATS in the last ten contests between these intrastate rivals.
The Jayhawks have been favored in every game they’ve had on the board this season, going 28-2 SU and 13-16-1 ATS. The ‘under’ has gone 14-12-1 in that stretch as well.
Being an underdog is relatively foreign territory for K-State since they’ve only been in this position five times this season. The Wildcats went 2-3 SU and 3-2 ATS in that spot, with the ‘over’ going 3-2.
As far as the tournament history goes, this is a favorite’s championship game. In the 13 matchups, the faves are 11-2 SU and 8-5 ATS. The ‘under’ has gone 9-4 in those contests.
This is Kansas State’s first trip to the big game, but the Jayhawks’ eighth time on this stage. Kansas won six of its first seven trips to the title game, covering in five of those battles.
SEC TOURNAMENT: CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW AND PICK
Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Kentucky Wildcats (-7.5, 138.5), 1 p.m.
The Wildcats (31-2) flexed their muscles in Saturday's 74-45 blowout victory over Tennessee. And we're not just talking about the "John Wall Dance".
The freshman scored in double digits again with 14 points and added nine assists, finally getting classmate DeMarcus Cousins involved after a couple of letdowns. Cousins was a force, scoring 19 points and pulling down 15 rebounds, which could be bad news for the Bulldogs (23-9).
Mississippi State is the defending tournament champion and the Bulldogs were solid in defeating Vanderbilt 62-52 in Saturday's other semifinal. But they catch a red-hot Kentucky team at a bad time. Fortunately for the Bulldogs, they probably played their way into the NCAA Tournament by winning three games this week.
Mississippi State got a strong team effort. Barry Stewart scored 14 and Dee Bost, Jarvis Varnado and Phil Turner added 11 points apiece, but they don't have the horses to run with Kentucky. The Wildcats won the lone meeting between these two teams 81-75 in overtime and outrebounded the host Bulldogs 49-29 in that contest.
Bettors should take a look at the under in light of players' complaints about "tight rims" at Bridgestone Arena, and it's not just sour grapes from poor shooters. The under is 5-4-1 in the tourney so far and entering Saturday's games teams had converted just 30 percent from 3-point range after shooting 34 percent during the regular season.
Kentucky's Eric Bledsoe was one of the chief complaintants after going 0-for-4 from 3-point range Friday but he rebounded by going 5-for-8 Saturday. All the other shooters in the semifinals were a combined 17-for-63 (26.9 percent) from the arc Saturday.
"The rims, they're so tight," Bledsoe told the Tennessean Friday. "Every time I shot the ball, they would like rim in and out. I was terrible in shootaround today because every time I shot it, it would circle around and pop right back out."
The goals at Bridgestone are in their 13th year of use, although arena officials say the rims have been replaced since that time. The SEC requested they be replaced before the tournament to no avail.
Prediction: Kentucky 72, Mississippi State 60
ACC TOURNAMENT: CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW AND PICK
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets vs. Duke Blue Devils, 1 p.m.
Another year, another ACC title game for the Blue Devils.
Duke continued to chase its 19th tourney title by handling upstart Miami, 77-74 Saturday afternoon. The boys from Durham have had a pretty smooth ride into the championship game, downing Virginia by 11 in their opening game before pulling away late from the Hurricanes.
As the top seed in the ACC tournament, Duke has won 15 of its past 16 games and is 36-8 all-time.
The key for Duke has been the fantastic play of Kyle Singler, who had 18 points and 11 rebounds against the Cavaliers before throwing up 27 points and eight rebounds against Miami. The 6-foot-8, 230-pounder has been the catalyst for the team this year, averaging 17.2 points and 6.7 boards per game.
"That boy is a baller," Duke forward Lance Thomas told the media. “Kyle is one of the top players I have ever played with. When he plays like that we have a great chance to beat anybody."
But Singler will have to play his best game of the year against the one-man wrecking crew of Georgia Tech forward Derrick Favors.
The future NBA lottery pick had 18 points, nine rebounds and five blocks in an opening win over UNC, followed by 11 points and 11 rebounds and three blocks against Maryland and carried over this momentum by posting 17 points, eight rebounds and a pair of blocks in a 57-54 win over a scrappy N.C. State squad Saturday.
The presence of Favors in the middle also forced the Wolfpack to settle for numerous jump shots as the team shot a meager 30.6 percent from the floor.
"I was impressed with him as a physical talent,” Clemson coach Oliver Purnell told reporters. “He has a world of potential. I saw him in high school in AAU basketball. There is no denying his talent and how valuable he is to their team."
And he is going to have to be equally as good if the Yellow Jackets are going to become the first team to win the ACC tournament by winning four games in four days. Against the Blue Devils this season, however, he is averaging just 7.5 points and 7.5 rebounds.
The two squads split their meetings this year, with the first tilt in Atlanta going to Georgia Tech, 71-67, but their most recent game in Durham was in favor of the Blue Devils, 86-67.
The key to the games has been rebounding. In the Yellow Jacket’s win, they were plus-8 on the glass, but in the loss, they were minus-6.
Georgia Tech should be a lock to hear its name on Selection Sunday, but a victory over Duke would end all the drama. And behind a dominant Favors, the Yellow Jackets should do just that.
Prediction: Georgia Tech 72, Duke 68
NHL ON NBC BETTING: CAPITALS AND BLACKHAWKS
Washington (45-14-9) is coming into this game with the best record in the NHL, while Chicago (44-17-5) is third overall in points.
Washington is off a rare loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, a team struggling to make the playoffs.
Chicago plays a tough Philadelphia team Saturday before testing themselves against Washington Sunday.
Keys of the game
Both teams’ success comes from their core of high-scoring talent.
In Washington, Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and Alexander Semin lead the attack, while in Chicago, young guns Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews are regulars on the highlight reels.
Both teams play a fast-paced game and have plenty of offensive firepower. That being said, goaltending will be the biggest factor in the outcome of Sunday’s game.
Battle between the pipes
Chicago's goaltending needs to be strong if it wants a win against Washington on home ice.
There is currently a battle for the No. 1 spot in goal between Cristobal Huet and Antti Niemi. According to the Daily Chronicle, Niemi will start in goal Sunday. The biggest question mark going into the game for Chicago will be how the team as a whole will handle the goal-scoring talent of Washington.
Chicago defenseman Brian Campbell says that everyone needs to do a better job of preventing pucks from hitting the back of the net.
"We have to give our goalies an opportunity to make saves instead of breakaways or back-door empty-netters. We have to take care of everything (defensively) first and then go on the attack after that," he told reporters.
And the offensive attack is where the Hawks are looking to punish the Caps.
"As a team we can control the puck offensively, try to eliminate time in our end and be effective when we are down there," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville told the Chicago Tribune.
Back on track
Washington needs to rebound from the disappointing loss to Tampa Bay with a solid showing against the Chicago.
If the Capitals plan to beat the Blackhawks Sunday, they are going to have to play with more energy than they did against the Lightning.
"We stayed out too long, we got outworked, and we didn't play the way we're capable of playing, and that's the reason we lost," Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau told reporters.On Sunday, Boudreau is hoping his team puts more pucks in the net. "We should be able to score with [our] lineup, three goals a game," he said.
The Caps have some of the most dynamic scorers in the game and solid goaltending. This game should have a playoff like atmosphere when two of the top teams in the NHL square off on Sunday.
Trends
Chicago is 7-2-1 in its last 10 games.
Washington is 5-2-3 in its last 10 games.
This is the first matchup between these teams this season.
Injuries
Chicago is reporting no injuries prior to the game.
"Knock on wood there,” coach Joel Quenneville told reporters. “You know you're going to need to go and dig deep at times. But it's nice knowing everybody's healthy."
Washington has one player on the injured list. Milan Jurcina will sit out while he recovers from a sports hernia.
ICE PICKS
Sunday's Best NHL Bets
Nashville Predators at Los Angeles Kings (-160, 5.5)
Nashville’s man behind the plastic mask got paid in late February, signing a two-year $2.8 million extension with the team, and he’s performed like his worth every penny since.
In four games after the ink dried on the contract, Predators goalie Pekka Rinne is 3-1-0 with a 2.01 goals-against average. He is coming off a 31-save, shutout performance on Friday over the Ducks.
"He's been a great goalie ever since he's been here," said Shea Weber. "Obviously, the organization wants him for the long run. They showed that by signing him, and he's been rewarding them with his good play.”
Kings goalie Jonathan Quick has been just as lights out as Rinne recently, but is 0-3 in his career against Nashville, posting a paltry 3.31 goals-against average.
If Preds’ coach Barry Trotz elects to rest Rinne on Sunday, his second option under the net isn’t bad either. Dan Ellis is undefeated in three starts at the Staples Center and 5-1-0 against the Kings in his career.
The Predators have won six straight and 8-of-9 games versus the Kings. L.A. has lost four in a row at home to Nashville, getting outscored 17-5 in those games.
Pick: Predators
Pittsburgh Penguins at Tampa Bay Lightning (+140, 6)
The Lightning get a new owner and look what happens. In less than a week, Tampa Bay defeats the best team in the NHL on its home ice.
"It was probably the best road game we played all year," said goalie Antero Niittymaki. "Not just because we beat Washington. The overall game."
Niittymaki held the Caps to fewer than three goals for only the second time in their last 27 games and slapped Washington with its first home loss since December.
The Penguins come into this game having lost two straight and four of their last five on the road. Goalie Marc Andre-Fleury has been atrocious in those four losses with a 4.77 goals-against average and got yanked from the game in two of those outings.
These two teams have split the season series but Tampa Bay came away the victor in the latest meeting on Jan. 2. The Lightning are battling for the final postseason spot in the Eastern Conference and need this one more than Pittsburgh does.
Pick: Lightning
NBA: EARLY SUNDAY TIPS
The Sunday NBA slate gives basketball bettors a nice alternative to Selection Sunday over in college hoops. There are eight games to wager on, with the action split through the afternoon to the late evening. We'll start early in the day with the Bucks going for their 12th win in 13 tries, while the Celtics and Cavs renew acquaintances in Cleveland.
Pacers (21-44 SU, 29-36 ATS) at Bucks (35-29 SU, 42-21-1 ATS)
Milwaukee goes for the season sweep of the Indiana, while trying to maintain its spot as the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference (1:00 PM EST tipoff). The Bucks have been the best ATS team over the last month, compiling an 11-0-1 ATS mark since February 19. The Pacers, meanwhile, are just 1-5 SU in the month of March.
The hot streak by the Bucks has coincided with the acquisition of John Salmons from Chicago on February 18. Salmons is averaging 19.3 ppg in 12 games with Milwaukee, as the Bucks have finished 'under' the total nine times in this span. Milwaukee's last five opponents have scored 87 points or less during the Bucks' five-game winning streak.
The Pacers are 3-1 ATS the previous four games, but are coming off a blowout loss at Boston on Friday, 122-103 as nine-point underdogs. Indiana has dropped 10 of 11 away from Conseco Fieldhouse since January 31, including a 93-81 setback at the Bradley Center as 6 ½-point underdogs.
Scott Skiles' club is a scorching 14-2 ATS the last 16 as a favorite, but the two losses came at home by double-digits to the Pistons and Rockets. The Bucks own a 4-1 SU/ATS mark the last five home meetings against the Pacers, while going for the first sweep in this series since Indiana took all four matchups in the 2006-07 season.
Celtics (41-23 SU, 25-37-2 ATS) at Cavs (51-15 SU, 32-33-1 ATS)
The road team has claimed the first two meetings between these Eastern Conference rivals, as the two foes hook up at Quicken Loans Arena for a 3:30 PM EST tipoff. The Cavs have won seven of eight as LeBron James returned to the lineup for Friday's victory at Philadelphia. The Celtics snapped a two-game skid with a 19-point thrashing of the Pacers on Friday, covering for the first time in four games.
Cleveland put together a massive rally the last time these teams met up in Boston on February 25. The Cavs overcame an early 13-point deficit to knock off the Celtics, 108-88, as Mike Brown's squad ran off a 31-10 run to end the game. Cleveland did lose the services of center Shaquille O'Neal for the remainder of the regular season with a sprained thumb in the first half of that win, but the Cavs are 6-1 SU and 4-3 ATS since that injury.
It's tough to know which Boston team you'll get on a daily basis, but the Celtics are a mind-boggling 3-11 SU against the Cavs, Magic, Hawks, Lakers, Nuggets, and Mavs this season. Doc Rivers' team is 4-1-1 ATS the last six on the road, which includes victories over the Lakers (without Kobe Bryant) and the Blazers.
The results of this season's series have been in contrast of past years with the home team going 0-2. The win last month by Cleveland snapped a nine-game losing skid at TD Banknorth Garden, while the Opening Night victory by Boston ended an 11-game slide in Cleveland, dating back to December 2004.
Antawn Jamison is listed as 'questionable' for the Cavs with stiffness in his knee, an injury that caused him to miss Friday's win over the Sixers. Cleveland owns a 2-5 ATS mark the last seven when laying points at the "Q."
What else to watch for:
The Heat and Sixers do battle for a 6:00 PM EST tip at the AAA with Miami looking for its sixth win in seven games. The Heat has won four straight games at home, including the last two as double-digit favorites over the Clippers and Bulls. You can nearly stick a fork into the Sixers, as Eddie Jordan's squad is 1-8 SU and 3-6 ATS the last nine games. Miami dominated Philadelphia at the Wachovia Center in the first game after the All-Star Break, 105-78, the Heat's first road win in this series since December 2005.
We travel from south to central Florida, as the Magic returns home to host the streaking Bobcats. Charlotte is riding a five-game winning streak, even though three of the victories have come against the Warriors, Clippers, and Sixers. The Bobcats are 2-5 ATS and 3-4 SU the last seven on the road, but are looking to beat the Magic for the first time in four chances this season. Gerald Wallace is listed as 'questionable' for the Bobcats with a sprained ankle, but the swingman did make the trip with the team.
PICK 'N' ROLL
Today's best NBA bets
Indiana Pacers at Milwaukee Bucks (-9, 203)
Two weeks ago Bucks’ rookie point guard Brandon Jennings was defeated.
And why wouldn’t he be? Jennings was the frontrunner for the NBA Rookie of the Year title a month into the season and then went face first into the rookie wall. Jennings was even quoted as saying he didn’t even “want to shoot the ball.”
"We're not fond of that kind of statement,” coach Scott Skiles said of his 20-year-old’s lack of confidence in an effort to get his head right. “He's too important to our team and our franchise to have any that mindset right now.”
Jennings has responded by averaging 20.3 ppg over his last three games after posting 12 total points in the previous three.
Jennings also said recently that he didn’t care about the ROY award; all that mattered was that his team was going to be in the playoffs (while also pointing out the other candidate’s teams “suck”).
Some bettors predicted the Bucks ATS streak (11-0-1 ATS L12) would end when Boston rolled into Brew City last week but the home team turned the former world champs away. The piping hot Jazz suffered the same fate in Milwaukee as 1-point dogs on Friday night.
There is no question about it; the blazing Bucks are the hottest squad in the Association right now and have covered in five straight against the porous Pacers.
Pick: Bucks
New Orleans Hornets at Phoenix Suns (-8.5, 211.5)
Steve Nash’s list of injuries this season has been as extensive as the ailments of Kobe Bryant.
Much like Bryant, Nash has played through the pain while missing only one game this season, but he is beginning to show signs of breaking down.
"I just have no thrust," Nash said. "Every movement my back tightens, it tries to stop me from going somewhere. Our training staff does a great job to even get me out there at all."
Over the last three games Nash has averaged 10.0 points and just over eight assists while turning the ball over an astounding 16 times. He logged more than 34 minutes of action in each game, but a lot of that had to do with backup point Goran Dragic missing two of those contests.
As the NBA playoffs draw closer, expect Alvin Gentry to chisel down Nash’s playing time, especially with Leandro Barbosa and Dragic back in the lineup.
Pick: Hornets
BRANDON LANG
15 DIME - TEMPLE OWLS -
Note: This game starts at 1:00 pm eastern!
I went to war with this Temple team on Saturday, and I will go to war with them again on Sunday in this revenge spot against Richmond. The Spiders have been hot, but they were extended in their win over Xavier on Saturday, and that to me will be a major factor come the late stages of this game on Sunday.
FREE PICK - OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
Arthur Ralph Sports
411 - 298 run 58 %
Free Play Sun Kentucky
DCI CBB
Season
Straight Up: 3818-1248 (.754)
ATS: 1688-1669 (.503)
ATS Vary Units: 4572-4626 (.497)
Over/Under: 1503-1534 (.495)
Over/Under Vary Units: 2337-2334 (.500)
Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament
Championship at Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, NJ
Temple 63, Richmond 60
Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament
Championship at Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC
Duke 75, Georgia Tech 65
Big Ten Conference Tournament
Championship at Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
Ohio State 66, Minnesota 65
Southeastern Conference Tournament
Championship at Sommet Center, Nashville, TN
Kentucky 76, Mississippi State 67
DCI NBA
Straight Up: 653-277 (.702)
ATS: 503-459 (.523)
ATS Vary Units: 1187-1094 (.520)
Over/Under: 476-494 (.491)
Over/Under Vary Units: 637-657 (.492)
MILWAUKEE 107, Indiana 95
CLEVELAND 100, Boston 91
MIAMI 99, Philadelphia 90
ORLANDO 99, Charlotte 88
OKLAHOMA CITY 101, Utah 100
PHOENIX 113, New Orleans 103
PORTLAND 107, Toronto 96
SACRAMENTO 109, Minnesota 101
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
