Race: Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 – Martinsville Speedway
Date: Sunday, March 29, 2009
Time: 2:16 PM EST (scheduled Green Flag)
TV: 2:00 PM EST on FOX
Preview: NASCAR drivers might need some Goody’s Headache Powder by the time Sunday’s race on the Martinsville “paperclip” is over.
March Madness isn’t the only game in town tonight with a good TNT Doubleheader in addition to the L.A. Lakers (-8.5) at Detroit.
Sportsbook.com is your home for all basketball wagering, so check out the Live Lines Page now.
Miami (+5.5) at Chicago – 8 pm ET
Miami (38-33, 33-38 ATS) has the same number of losses as Philadelphia and is situated in the number five slot in the Eastern Conference.
We know what to expect entering 2009 MLB betting for the NL East. The Marlins are in the middle of their typical five-year cycle: dismantle World Champion roster, acquire boatloads of prospects, slowly develop them, become competitive, sign a couple free agents for playoff push, win World Series, rinse and repeat.
While MLB betting fans will never mistake the Washington Nationals for the 2008 Tampa Bay Rays or even the 2009 Kansas City Royals, things may finally be looking ever-so-slightly up for them this season. While only a die-hard online sports betting player knows anything about their obscure pitching staff, it definitely looks like this team will hit in 2009. Think of them as the Baltimore Orioles of the NL East.
Controversial bid
When the 34 at-large teams were announced for the NCAA tournament, the most controversial bid went to Arizona which extended Wildcat’s NCAA-leading streak of tournament appearances to 25 in a row. Arizona was just 19-13 straight-up and many felt that a non-BCS team such as San Diego State, St. Mary’s-CA, or Creighton should have been dancing.
Thursday
Connecticut (-7) vs. Purdue – Strong defense tends to thrive in the tournament, and both of these teams have top-rate defenses – in the Top 5 by defensive efficiency. The difference here is going to be the pace of play. UConn plays a far more up-tempo style that capitalizes on their size advantage over virtually everyone they play.
With the 2009 NCAA Tournament entering the SWEET 16 round, let’s take a different perspective in analyzing the teams that have arrived. It pertains specifically to teams that are returning to the SWEET 16 for the 2nd straight year. Do they perform like a team with experience and panache, or do they execute like CEO’s expecting cushy bonuses while steering a sinking ship? Let’s take a look.
The NL Central has been dominated by the Chicago Cubs the last two seasons as they have clearly been the class of this division. While there have been some significant player moves by the rest of the teams to try and close the gap, it remains to be seen if it will enough to dethrone the Cubs.
Chicago Cubs -200: While shuffling their line up somewhat, this year’s team remains basically intact from last season’s team that won 97 games.
2009 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Action
Friday March 27, 7:27 PM ET
Memphis, TN FedEx Forum – South Region
Syracuse is on an unbelievable 9-1 run ATS. They are 5-1 ATS on neutral courts and 9-3 ATS is the last contests vs. Big 12 teams. The over is 4-0 in the last 4 as an underdog overall. It is 14-2 as an underdog of .5-6.5 points.
2009 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Action
Friday March 27, 10:07 PM ET
Memphis, TN FedEx Forum – South Region
Gonzaga is 1-7 vs. non conference opponents in the last 8 games. They are on a 4 game ATS losing streak in the NCAA Tournament. In the tournament the Zags are beating opponents by an average of 7.5 points.
2009 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Action
Friday March 27, 9:37 PM ET
Indianapolis, IN Lucas Oil Stadium – Midwest Region
Kansas is an impressive 26-8-1 ATS in the last 35. They are 6-0 on neutral sites and underdogs. But they have lost the last 7 ATS vs. Big 10 opponents. The under is 8-2 on neutral courts and 9-1 in the last 10 in the NCAA Tournament.
2009 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Action
Friday March 27, 7:07 PM ET
Indianapolis, IN Lucas Oil Stadium – Midwest Region
Arizona is 11-4 ATS in the last 15 games which includes a 2-0 record in the tournament. They are also 8-2 in the last 10 non conference matchups. The over is 11-4 overall with a 5-1 record in non-conference and neutral sites as an underdog.
2009 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Action
Thursday March 26, 10:07 PM ET
Glendale, AZ University of Phoenix Stadium – West Region
Missouri is 13-2 ATS in the last 15 and 7-2 on neutral courts this year. But they are just 1-4 ATS in the last 5 vs. Conference USA opponents. The under is 4-1 in the last 5 and 5-1 in the last 6 neutral court games.
2009 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Action
Thursday March 26, 10:07 PM ET
Boston, MA TD Banknorth Garden – East Region
Villanova beat down a fairly decent UCLA team in the 2nd round after struggling vs. American in the opening round. They are 5-2 in the last 7 vs. ACC opponents. They are also 8-3 following an ATS win.
2009 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Action
Thursday March 26, 7:27 PM ET
Boston, MA TD Banknorth Garden – East Region
Xavier is 6-3-1 ATS in the last 10 games and 6-2 ATS in the last 8 as underdogs. They are 4-0 ATS vs. the last 4 non-conference opponents. The under has hit in the last 7 neutral site games and the last 4 games overall.
2009 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Action
Thursday March 26, 7:07 PM ET
Glendale, AZ University of Phoenix Stadium – West Region
Purdue is 6-9 ATS in the last 15 games overall and 3-5 in the last 8 neutral court games. They are also 3-6 ATS in the last 9 non conference contests. The over is 8-3 in last 11 neutral games and 8-2 in last 10 as underdogs.
