beted.com THE LINE

[Shame About Ray]

Friday March 27th, 2009 - betED.com THE LINE



Here we are, in the midst of March Madness, the most wonderful and often profitable time of year for basketball bettors. We highlight two Sweet Sixteen matchups tonight, as well as the first two tilts of the Elite Eight round on Saturday. In Sweet Sixteen action Friday night, the Arizona Wildcats take on the No. 1-seeded Louisville Cardinals, and the Kansas Jayhawks battle the Michigan State Spartans. In the Elite Eight on Saturday, the Missouri Tigers take on the No. 1-seeded Connecticut Huskies in the West Regional Final, and the Villanova Wildcats battle the No. 1 Pittsburgh Panthers in the East Region Final. And in Hot Props, the MLB regular season is right around the corner, so make your pick for the 2009 World Series winner.

In the 1994 NCAA Tournament, which team ended the North Carolina Tar Heels' streak of 13 straight Sweet Sixteen appearances, and dashed the Heels' hopes of repeating as National Champions?

Arizona
Arkansas
Boston College
Florida
ANSWER AT BOTTOM

NCAA BASKETBALL:
Friday
ARIZONA WILDCATS @ LOUISVILLE CARDINALS
7:05 pm ET, CBS

The Arizona Wildcats take on the No. 1-seeded Louisville Cardinals in the Sweet Sixteen round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday night.

Arizona beat Cleveland State 71-57 as a 3-point favorite in the second round on Sunday. The score went under the total of 135.5. Louisville beat Siena 79-72 as a 12-point favorite on Sunday. The score went over the total of 145.5.

Arizona is 21-13 SU and 20-14 ATS and Louisville is 30-5 SU and 21-14 ATS.

Arizona is 10-5 SU in its last 15 games while Louisville is 5-0 SU in its last five. Louisville is 16-7 ATS in its last 23 games.

betED Line: Cardinals (-9)(-110) (ML: -575) Total: 139.5

Bet this Game!

Friday
KANSAS JAYHAWKS @ MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS
9:35 pm ET, CBS

The Kansas Jayhawks battle the Michigan State Spartans on Friday in their Sweet Sixteen matchup in the NCAA Tournament.

Kansas beat Dayton 60-43 as an 8-point favorite in the second round on Sunday, with the score going under the total of 134. Michigan State got past USC 74-69 as a 4-point favorite, also in the second round on Sunday. The score went over the over/under total of 129.5.

Kansas is 27-7 SU and 20-8-1 ATS while Michigan State is 28-6 SU and 18-13 ATS.

Kansas is 16-3 SU in its past 19 games. Michigan State is 8-1 SU in its past nine and 4-1 ATS in its past five.

betED Line: Spartans (-1.5)(-110) Total: 138.5

Bet this Game!

Saturday
MISSOURI TIGERS @ CONNECTICUT HUSKIES
4:40 pm ET, CBS

The Elite Eight round of the NCAA Tournament starts Saturday with the Missouri Tigers battling the No. 1-seeded Connecticut Huskies in the West Regional Final.

Missouri jumped out to a 10-point halftime lead against the favored Memphis Tigers in their Sweet Sixteen matchup Thursday night, en route to a 102-91 win. Missouri won as a 4.5-point underdog and score sailed over the total of 141.5.

Missouri was led by J.T. Tiller’s 25 points, three rebounds and three assists while DeMarre Carroll chipped in with 17 points.

Connecticut beat Purdue 72-60 in their Sweet Sixteen matchup on Thursday. Connecticut covered the 7-point spread and the score went under the total of 134.

Missouri is 31-6 SU and 20-9-1 ATS. Connecticut is 30-4 SU and 16-14 ATS.

betED Line: Huskies (-5.5)(-110) Total: 149.5

Bet this Game!

Saturday
VILLANOVA WILDCATS @ PITTSBURGH PANTHERS
7:05 pm ET, CBS

The Villanova Wildcats battle the No. 1 Pittsburgh Panthers in the East Region Final on Saturday.

Villanova scored 51 points in the second half to upset the Duke Blue Devils 77-54 on Thursday. Villanova won as a 2.5-point underdog and the 131 points went under the total of 148.

Scottie Reynolds had 16 points for Villanova and Dante Cunningham added 14 points and 12 rebounds for a double-double.

Pittsburgh recovered from an eight-point deficit to beat Xavier 60-55 in their Sweet Sixteen tilt on Thursday. Pittsburgh failed to cover the 6.5-point spread, and the score went under the total of 138.

Villanova is 29-7 SU and 18-14 ATS while Pittsburgh is 31-4 SU and 17-12 ATS.

betED Line: Panthers (2)(-110) Total: 142

Bet this Game!

Hot Props:
The Major League Baseball regular season is right around the corner – it starts Sunday, April 5 – so now would be a good time for baseball bettors to make a wager on the 2009 World Series.

Here are the top five favorites to win this year’s Fall Classic at betED.com:

New York Yankees +400
Boston Red Sox +525
Chicago Cubs +800
Los Angeles Angels +975
New York Mets +1000
Bet on the 2009 World Series

TRIVIA ANSWER:

3. Boston College

Ninth-seeded Boston College, behind Bill Curley and Howard Eisley, stunned top-seeded and defending champ North Carolina, 75-72, in the second round.