NCAA Game Summary – Butler vs. Kansas State

March 28, 2010

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(Saturday, March 27th)

Final Score: Butler 63, Kansas State 56

Salt Lake City, UT (Sports Network) – Gordon Hayward scored six of his 22 points in the final minutes to counter a furious Kansas State comeback that swung momentum and the lead, as Butler sealed a trip to the Final Four with a 63-56 victory in the West Regional final of the NCAA Tournament.

Shelvin Mack scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds and Matt Howard chipped in eight points for the fifth-seeded Bulldogs (32-4), who are not only on their longest run into the NCAAs but also as a representative of the Horizon League.

Butler now heads to Indianapolis next Saturday, essentially in its own back yard, to take on either Michigan State or Tennessee in the Final Four. The Bulldogs boast the nation’s longest winning streak at 24 games, having last tasted defeat in December against UAB.

“It’s hard to put into words. But it has always been a team thing at Butler. And these guys continued on that path today,” said third-year Butler coach Brad Stevens.

Denis Clemente and Jacob Pullen combined for two points in the first half, but recovered to help erase a double-digit deficit and gain a 52-51 lead with under five minutes to play.

Clemente ended with 18 points and Pullen 14 with six steals. Curtis Kelly added 14 points, five boards and three blocks for the second-seeded Wildcats (29-8), who got by Xavier in a double-overtime thriller on Thursday for their first Elite Eight appearance since 1988.

Kansas State began an assault on Butler’s 10-point lead as the clock rolled past eight minutes left with Pullen and Clemente hitting consecutive threes around a Mack triple for the Bulldogs.

Pullen stroked another three to answer two free throws by Hayward and sank two of his own from the charity stripe for a one-possession game, 51-49, with 5:06 remaining.

Clemente then got a steal off Hayward and was sent to the line. He missed the front end, Dominique Sutton secured the carom and kicked it out to Clemente in the right corner for a three that gave K-State its first lead of the game.

Butler dug deep, though, and showed the mettle of a Final Four team with 12 of the next 14 points to secure a spot in Indianapolis.

“I think mentally we looked tired. We were sluggish. I don’t think it was about our wrongdoing as much as it was about Butler’s right-doing. Every time we made a couple shots, they stepped right back up and make a shot or make a play,” said Kansas State coach Frank Martin.

A pair of trips to the line had Butler back up two until Clemente cut across the left baseline to float in a tear-drop basket and tie the game with 3:06 left.

Ronald Nored had perhaps the best of his five assists on a stinging feed to Hayward down low for a high-percentage hoop on the other end. Nored then took it in himself with a strong move through the lane after a missed Pullen three to open up a four-point gap with 2:04 on the clock.

Clemente squandered a chance for points at the line by missing the front end of a one-and-one opportunity, and Butler came back with a hustle play to run the lead to six with 1:06 left.

Willie Veasley couldn’t get a layup to go, but Mack scrambled to save the ball from going out of bounds. It made its way to Hayward, who drove left from the top of the key and angled his way to the rim for a banked layup and a 60-54 difference.

“We weren’t able to guard. We had defensive breakdowns. We didn’t make shots. We made some bad decisions on offense, and they capitalized. They’re a good team,” said Pullen.

Nored pestered both Clemente and Pullen into quick turnovers on the next two possessions before the ‘Cats could even set up their offense. The sloppy sequence for K-State led to an additional three points for Butler, which essentially put the game away on Nored’s layup with nine seconds to go.

“It’s special for all of us here. It will be special anywhere we went. The fact we get to play in front of our home crowd, they’ve just been tremendous all year supporting us, kind of makes it a little more special,” said Hayward of returning to Indianapolis for the Final Four.

The Wildcats were lucky to be down only 27-20 at the break after a poor opening half. Butler held Pullen, the ‘Cats leading scorer, without a point and their second leading scorer Clemente to a single bucket. Kelly helped offset KSU’s 35.7 percent shooting with a dozen points on 6-of-10 field goals.

Kansas State got some signs of life early in the second with four points from Clemente and a pair of Pullen free throws to get the junior guard off the schnide. The brief 6-0 stretch made it a one-point game, but Butler was back in business shortly thereafter.

Two successful trips to the line preceded a Hayward three to open back up an eight-point margin, 34-26, and a Mack three-ball moments later stretched the lead to nine.

Pullen managed his first field goal in the midst of Butler’s run and Clemente got a pair of layups to fall, but Hayward’s jumper with 11 minutes on the clock still made it a 10-point game, 44-34.

Butler got out to a 10-4 lead on Shawn Vanzant’s three-pointer approaching seven minutes in. Mack dropped a three two minutes later to kick off a 10-2 Bulldog run that netted a 20-10 advantage with under six minutes to go.

Kansas State’s struggles continued and Clemente finally got to the hoop for a layup for the half’s final score to limit the damage.

Game Notes

Nored had four points, five rebounds and four steals. Hayward, who was named Most Oustanding Player for the West Region, was 6-of-6 at the line and grabbed a team-high nine rebounds…Butler held a 41-29 rebounding advantage and shot 45.7 percent from the floor…K-State starters Sutton and Luis Colon were 1-of-7 from the field for two points…The Wildcats wound up shooting 38.6 percent for the game and 5-for-15 from three-point range…This game marked the first-ever meeting between Butler and Kansas State on the hardwood.

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free pick Tennessee Volunteers vs. Michigan State Spartans 3-28-10

March 28, 2010

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The Tennessee Volunteers and the Michigan State Spartans will both be trying to pick up a win on Sunday when they battle at Edward Jones Dome.

Oddsmakers currently have the Volunteers listed as 2-point favorites versus the Spartans, while the game’s total is sitting at 136.

Tennessee roared back and came away with a 76-73 victory over Ohio State on in the Sweet 16 on Friday. Tennessee won the game as 4.5-point underdogs, while the 149 points sailed OVER the posted total of 137.

Wayne Chism collected 22 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double in leading Tennessee.

Michigan State roared back in the second half and defeated Northern Iowa 59-52 in the Sweet 16 on Friday. Michigan State won the game as a pick’em, while the 111 points went UNDER the posted total of 121.5.

Durrell Summers led the way with 19 points and seven rebounds.

Current streak:
Tennessee has won 3 straight games.
Michigan State has won 3 straight games.

Team records:
Tennessee: 28-8 SU, 15-16-2 ATS
Michigan State: 27-8 SU, 14-20 ATS

Tennessee most recently:
When playing on Sunday are 7-3
After playing Ohio State are 0-2
After a win are 7-3

Michigan State most recently:
When playing on Sunday are 8-2
After a win are 7-3

A few trends to consider:
Tennessee is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games
Michigan State is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games

Free Pick: Tenn -1

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free pick Baylor Bears vs. Duke Blue Devils 3-28-10

March 28, 2010

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The Baylor Bears and the Duke Blue Devils will both be gunning for a victory on Sunday when they meet at Reliant Stadium.

Oddsmakers currently have the Blue Devils listed as 5-point favorites versus the Bears, while the game’s total is sitting at 139.

Baylor advanced to the Elite Eight on Friday with a convincing 72-49 victory over St. Mary’s. Baylor covered the 5-point spread, while the teams played UNDER the posted total of 141.5.

LaceDarius Dunn netted 23 points to lead Baylor, and Tweety Carter had 14 points in the win.

Kyle Singler poured in 24 points and grabbed eight rebounds as Duke defeated Purdue 70-57 on Friday in the Sweet 16. Duke covered the 8.5-point spread, while the 127 points went UNDER the posted total of 127.5.

Jon Scheyer netted 18 points for Duke and Nolan Smith added 15 in the win.

Current streak:
Baylor has won 3 straight games.
Duke has won 7 straight games.

Team records:
Baylor: 28-7 SU, 18-10 ATS
Duke: 32-5 SU, 21-14-1 ATS

Baylor most recently:
When playing on Sunday are 5-5
After a win are 8-2

Duke most recently:
When playing on Sunday are 8-2
After playing Purdue are 1-1
After a win are 9-1

A few trends to consider:
Baylor is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games
Duke is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

Free Pick:  Duke  -4.5

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On College Basketball: Resetting the brackets

March 27, 2010

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As we approach the Sweet Sixteen and Regional Finals, two things stand out in my mind. First, beware the mid- majors; and second, why are they even making Duke play?

As far as the non-mid-majors are concerned, I am most surprised by the team I one week ago dubbed “vastly overrated.” Third-seeded Baylor has proved worthy of its seeding (keep in mind though, a three-seed in the south is like a six in the East or Midwest) and now carries my hopes of finishing Duke if Purdue cannot get it done. I think Purdue has been tremendously overlooked as a tournament contender, and probably benefited from that status to last longer in the south. Ideally, I would like to see St. Mary’s defeat Baylor, but I know that is unlikely and also counterproductive to my overall goal of seeing anyone but Duke proceed to Indianapolis in the south region of this year’s tournament bracket.

Looking ahead this week, below are my predictions as to who I believe will be filling those coveted four positions Sunday evening.

EAST

(12) Cornell and (11) Washington are far better than I had anticipated. However, neither team is talented enough to take down the likes of (1) Kentucky or (2) West Virginia. Washington has greater opportunity to advance strictly because Quincy Pondexter has such an overwhelming presence on the court. An on- day for him and an off for the Mountaineers could lead to another victory for the Huskies.

That does not mean Kentucky should not fear the Big Red. A team with everything to prove (and what seemed to be an easy defeat of veteran Bo Ryan’s Wisconsin team) can easily lead to upset. In this instance though, I think the Cornell run will likely stop the minute they find themselves matched up with future NBA stars, John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins and Patrick Patterson. John Calipari’s biggest mistake though, would be to enter this game anything less than prepared.

In the 1 vs. 2 matchup I foresee, I predict Kentucky coming out on top. The Wildcats’ talent is unparalleled, and it was the fact that Calipari left a bad taste in the mouths of many, in addition to UK’s youth, that swayed popular opinion to Kansas as the consensus pick for 2010 National Champion (Calipari’s pariah status also led Vanderbilt’s Kevin Stallings to be named SEC Coach of the Year). I never believed the Jayhawks to be the next national champions because they were unbalanced at either ends of the court. Kentucky is dangerous competition for any team in the nation right now because they are playing well at all angles. So are the Mountaineers. This matchup will be the most difficult of any in the Regional Finals and although I believe the ‘Cats have a better chance of coming out on top, I am far from certain in that calculation.

WEST

I know I just said that whole thing about “beware the mid-majors” but truthfully, we are too far into the tournament for the mid-major teams to make all that much noise. Sure, there will be at least one (maybe two) surprises heading into the Elite; but when Sunday evening rolls around, the phrase “mid- major” will be virtually void from tournament talk.

(6) Xavier beat Minnesota and Pitt. Solid and impressive wins. Well, not that impressive. Xavier is no stranger to the Sweet Sixteen and it is no shock that it made it this far. What will be a shock though, is if the Musketeers upset heavily favored Kansas State (2). Although, I cannot shake this feeling that K-State is just a little too good to be true.

(1) Syracuse playing (5) Butler brings one thing to mind. “Defense wins ball games.” I have always replaced ‘defense’ with ‘free throws’ because it is absolutely true…anybody watch the Northern Iowa-Kansas upset? Butler has a sound offense but Syracuse is a heavy-D team that is playing its best defensive game in the tournament. The Bulldogs are going to put up a decent fight but will break under pressure.

As well as Syracuse has been playing, it is difficult for me to say the Orange will fall to the Wildcats. As far as star power goes, Wesley Johnson is one of the most well-rounded players in the nation. Kansas State does not boast a leader as powerful, although K-State is not lacking in depth or talent. For no reason other than I want to see them in the Final Four, I pick the Wildcats to advance. I realize this is not convincing evidence, but I have yet to truly convince myself.

MIDWEST

(6) Tennessee may appear to be a better team than you may have thought. Don’t let them fool you. They cake-walked into the second round…wait a minute, they cake-walked out of the second-round too. San Diego State and Ohio are not proving you Final Four worthy in my book, Bruce Pearl (not that you ever were). Make no mistake, I would be perfectly happy seeing the Vols take out (2) Ohio State; but seeing how I doubted UT’s ability to even make it into the Sweet Sixteen, I’m pretty sure OSU will walk away with this win.

I may be asking too much of the tournament gods to see the Northern Iowa Panthers upset another team, but I am going to anyway–mainly because it is a reasonable request. Michigan State would be my pick had Kalin Lucas not become injured against Maryland. Lucas’ torn Achilles just may be the proverbial weak heel for the Spartans as well. The Spartans are not as talented as MSU tournament teams in the past. The injury is a major blow and the tremendous amount of pressure brought by tournament games makes a Spartan team recovery seem difficult.

(9) Northern Iowa took down Kansas, the President’s pick for title winner. Surely they could take down Evan Turner’s Buckeyes, right? If any team standing in the Midwest can take down Ohio State, it is the Panthers. The top- three defense will be able to run down OSU’s limited bench, but do they have enough man power to take down Turner? If this game happens, that will be the biggest factor. I think Northern Iowa has a better chance than the Spartans, but I doubt the Panthers can remain rolling on the upset train into the Final Four.

SOUTH

Dear Purdue,

End this conspiracy, please. Without Robbie Hummel most of the nation has discarded you and although that is unfair, you may return an American Hero (in our eyes at least) if you put an end to this ridiculous and purposeful attempt at Duke’s Final Four advancement.

(3) Baylor may defeat (10) St. Mary’s, but I still find reasons to believe the Gaels may advance. I realize that a win over Villanova is hardly a defense as it faded late in the year and just barely beat Robert Morris, but I still like to believe that St. Mary’s proved itself in the first two rounds.

Who am I kidding? I just do not trust Baylor to get the job done. Baylor will probably beat St. Mary’s but I just cannot leave the important duty of restoring justice to the 2010 NCAA tournament up to either team.

A heavy weight has been cast upon your shoulders, Boilermakers. I beg you, reach deep into your bench and use it. E’Twan Moore, show up for the ENTIRE game and guide your team around the perimeter. If you stifle the Blue Devils with your superior defense you will be tournament heroes…no matter how many more teams Northern Iowa upsets.

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free pick Butler Bulldogs vs. Kansas State Wildcats 3-27-10

March 27, 2010

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The Butler Bulldogs and the Kansas State Wildcats will both be trying to pick up a win on Saturday when they battle at EnergySolutions Arena.

Oddsmakers currently have the Wildcats listed as 4-point favorites versus the Bulldogs, while the game’s total is sitting at 135.

Butler raced out to a 10-point halftime lead and held on for a 63-59 win over Syracuse on Thursday to advance to the Elite Eight. Butler won the game as 6.5-point underdogs, while the 122 points went UNDER the posted total of 138.

Gordon Hayward led the way with 17 points and five rebounds, while Shelvin Mack netted 14 points in the win.

Kansas State clawed their way to a thrilling 101-96 double OT victory over Xavier to reach the Elite Eight on Thursday. Kansas State failed to cover the 5-point spread, while the 197 points sailed OVER the posted total of 150.5.

Jacob Pullen poured in 28 points with four rebounds in leading the way, and Denis Clemente added 25 in the win.

Team records:
Butler: 31-4 SU, 15-20 ATS
Kansas State: 29-7 SU, 22-9 ATS

Butler most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 8-2
After a win are 10-0

Kansas State most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 4-6
After playing Xavier are 3-2
After a win are 8-2

A few trends to consider:
Butler is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Kansas State is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games

Free Pick: Butler   +4

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free pick West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Kentucky Wildcats 3-27-10

March 27, 2010

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The West Virginia Mountaineers and the Kentucky Wildcats will both be trying to pick up a win on Saturday when they battle at Carrier Dome.

Oddsmakers currently have the Wildcats listed as 4-point favorites versus the Mountaineers, while the game’s total is sitting at 133.

West Virginia roared back with 42 points in the second half and came away with a 69-56 win over Washington in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday. West Virginia covered the 4.5-point spread, while the 125 points went UNDER the posted total of 140.

Kevin Jones led the way with 18 points and eight rebounds, while Da’Sean Butler added 14 in ther win.

Kentucky ended Cornell’s run with a 62-45 win over the Big Red in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday. Kentucky covered the 8.5-point spread, but the combined score went UNDER the posted total of 146.

DeMarcus Cousins dropped 16 points and Eric Bledsoe added 12 in the win.

Team records:
West Virginia: 30-6 SU, 16-19 ATS
Kentucky: 35-2 SU, 20-15 ATS

West Virginia most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 8-2
After a win are 9-1

Kentucky most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 5-5
After a win are 9-1

A few trends to consider:
West Virginia is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Kentucky is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

Free Pick: West Virg  +4

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Resetting The Brackets

March 26, 2010

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As we approach the Sweet Sixteen and Regional Finals, two things stand out in my mind. First, beware the mid- majors; and second, why are they even making Duke play?

As far as the non-mid-majors are concerned, I am most surprised by the team I one week ago dubbed “vastly overrated.” Third-seeded Baylor has proved worthy of its seeding (keep in mind though, a three-seed in the south is like a six in the East or Midwest) and now carries my hopes of finishing Duke if Purdue cannot get it done. I think Purdue has been tremendously overlooked as a tournament contender, and probably benefited from that status to last longer in the south. Ideally, I would like to see St. Mary’s defeat Baylor, but I know that is unlikely and also counterproductive to my overall goal of seeing anyone but Duke proceed to Indianapolis in the south region of this year’s tournament bracket.

Looking ahead this week, below are my predictions as to who I believe will be filling those coveted four positions Sunday evening.

EAST

(12) Cornell and (11) Washington are far better than I had anticipated. However, neither team is talented enough to take down the likes of (1) Kentucky or (2) West Virginia. Washington has greater opportunity to advance strictly because Quincy Pondexter has such an overwhelming presence on the court. An on- day for him and an off for the Mountaineers could lead to another victory for the Huskies.

That does not mean Kentucky should not fear the Big Red. A team with everything to prove (and what seemed to be an easy defeat of veteran Bo Ryan’s Wisconsin team) can easily lead to upset. In this instance though, I think the Cornell run will likely stop the minute they find themselves matched up with future NBA stars, John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins and Patrick Patterson. John Calipari’s biggest mistake though, would be to enter this game anything less than prepared.

In the 1 vs. 2 matchup I foresee, I predict Kentucky coming out on top. The Wildcats’ talent is unparalleled, and it was the fact that Calipari left a bad taste in the mouths of many, in addition to UK’s youth, that swayed popular opinion to Kansas as the consensus pick for 2010 National Champion (Calipari’s pariah status also led Vanderbilt’s Kevin Stallings to be named SEC Coach of the Year). I never believed the Jayhawks to be the next national champions because they were unbalanced at either ends of the court. Kentucky is dangerous competition for any team in the nation right now because they are playing well at all angles. So are the Mountaineers. This matchup will be the most difficult of any in the Regional Finals and although I believe the ‘Cats have a better chance of coming out on top, I am far from certain in that calculation.

WEST

I know I just said that whole thing about “beware the mid-majors” but truthfully, we are too far into the tournament for the mid-major teams to make all that much noise. Sure, there will be at least one (maybe two) surprises heading into the Elite; but when Sunday evening rolls around, the phrase “mid- major” will be virtually void from tournament talk.

(6) Xavier beat Minnesota and Pitt. Solid and impressive wins. Well, not that impressive. Xavier is no stranger to the Sweet Sixteen and it is no shock that it made it this far. What will be a shock though, is if the Musketeers upset heavily favored Kansas State (2). Although, I cannot shake this feeling that K-State is just a little too good to be true.

(1) Syracuse playing (5) Butler brings one thing to mind. “Defense wins ball games.” I have always replaced ‘defense’ with ‘free throws’ because it is absolutely true…anybody watch the Northern Iowa-Kansas upset? Butler has a sound offense but Syracuse is a heavy-D team that is playing its best defensive game in the tournament. The Bulldogs are going to put up a decent fight but will break under pressure.

As well as Syracuse has been playing, it is difficult for me to say the Orange will fall to the Wildcats. As far as star power goes, Wesley Johnson is one of the most well-rounded players in the nation. Kansas State does not boast a leader as powerful, although K-State is not lacking in depth or talent. For no reason other than I want to see them in the Final Four, I pick the Wildcats to advance. I realize this is not convincing evidence, but I have yet to truly convince myself.

MIDWEST

(6) Tennessee may appear to be a better team than you may have thought. Don’t let them fool you. They cake-walked into the second round…wait a minute, they cake-walked out of the second-round too. San Diego State and Ohio are not proving you Final Four worthy in my book, Bruce Pearl (not that you ever were). Make no mistake, I would be perfectly happy seeing the Vols take out (2) Ohio State; but seeing how I doubted UT’s ability to even make it into the Sweet Sixteen, I’m pretty sure OSU will walk away with this win.

I may be asking too much of the tournament gods to see the Northern Iowa Panthers upset another team, but I am going to anyway–mainly because it is a reasonable request. Michigan State would be my pick had Kalin Lucas not become injured against Maryland. Lucas’ torn Achilles just may be the proverbial weak heel for the Spartans as well. The Spartans are not as talented as MSU tournament teams in the past. The injury is a major blow and the tremendous amount of pressure brought by tournament games makes a Spartan team recovery seem difficult.

(9) Northern Iowa took down Kansas, the President’s pick for title winner. Surely they could take down Evan Turner’s Buckeyes, right? If any team standing in the Midwest can take down Ohio State, it is the Panthers. The top- three defense will be able to run down OSU’s limited bench, but do they have enough man power to take down Turner? If this game happens, that will be the biggest factor. I think Northern Iowa has a better chance than the Spartans, but I doubt the Panthers can remain rolling on the upset train into the Final Four.

SOUTH

Dear Purdue,

End this conspiracy, please. Without Robbie Hummel most of the nation has discarded you and although that is unfair, you may return an American Hero (in our eyes at least) if you put an end to this ridiculous and purposeful attempt at Duke’s Final Four advancement.

(3) Baylor may defeat (10) St. Mary’s, but I still find reasons to believe the Gaels may advance. I realize that a win over Villanova is hardly a defense as it faded late in the year and just barely beat Robert Morris, but I still like to believe that St. Mary’s proved itself in the first two rounds.

Who am I kidding? I just do not trust Baylor to get the job done. Baylor will probably beat St. Mary’s but I just cannot leave the important duty of restoring justice to the 2010 NCAA tournament up to either team.

A heavy weight has been cast upon your shoulders, Boilermakers. I beg you, reach deep into your bench and use it. E’Twan Moore, show up for the ENTIRE game and guide your team around the perimeter. If you stifle the Blue Devils with your superior defense you will be tournament heroes…no matter how many more teams Northern Iowa upsets.

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free pick Tennessee Volunteers vs. Ohio State Buckeyes 3-26-10

March 26, 2010

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The Tennessee Volunteers and the Ohio State Buckeyes will both be gunning for a victory on Friday when they meet at Edward Jones Dome.

Oddsmakers currently have the Buckeyes listed as 4½-point favorites versus the Volunteers, while the game’s total is sitting at 135.

Tennessee put an end to Ohio’s Cinderella run, winning 83-68 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at the Dunkin Donuts Center Saturday.

Tennessee covered as a 9-point favorite while the final score played OVER the 143.5-point total.

Ohio State defeated Georgia Tech 75-66 as a 6.5-point favorite in their tourney matchup on Sunday. The combined score went OVER the posted over/under total (134.5).

Evan Turner nearly posted a triple-double with 24 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists for the Buckeyes and Jon Diebler added 20 points in the win.

Team records:
Tennessee: 27-8 SU, 14-16-2 ATS
Ohio State: 29-7 SU, 18-18 ATS

Tennessee most recently:
When playing on Friday are 3-5
After a win are 7-3

Ohio State most recently:
When playing on Friday are 5-4
After playing Georgia Tech are 1-0
After a win are 9-1

A few trends to consider:
Tennessee is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Tennessee’s last 16 games
Tennessee is 6-11-1 ATS in its last 18 games
Ohio State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Ohio State’s last 5 games

Free Pick: Tenn  +5

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free pick St. Mary’s Gaels vs. Baylor Bears 3-26-10

March 26, 2010

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The St. Mary’s Gaels and the Baylor Bears will both be trying to pick up a win on Friday when they battle at Reliant Stadium.

Oddsmakers currently have the Bears listed as 5-point favorites versus the Gaels, while the game’s total is sitting at 141½.

Tenth-seeded St. Mary’s is throwing its hat in the ring as this year’s Cinderella after knocking off second-seeded Villanova 75-68 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at the Dunkin Donuts Center Saturday.

St. Mary’s covered as a 4-point underdog while the final score played UNDER the 153-point total.

LaceDarius Dunn netted a game-high 26 points to lead Baylor to a 76-68 victory over Old Dominion in the second-round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday. Baylor covered the 4.5-point spread, and the 144 points sailed OVER the posted total of 129.5.

Josh Lomers added 14 points for Baylor, and Tweety Carter chipped in with 12 in the win.

Team records:
St. Mary’s: 28-5 SU, 22-9-1 ATS
Baylor: 27-7 SU, 17-10 ATS

St. Mary’s most recently:
When playing on Friday are 4-6
After a win are 9-1

Baylor most recently:
When playing on Friday are 2-7
After a win are 7-3

A few trends to consider:
St. Mary’s is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Baylor is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games

Free Pick:  St. Mary’s +5

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free pick Northern Iowa Panthers vs. Michigan State Spartans 3-26-10

March 26, 2010

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The Northern Iowa Panthers and the Michigan State Spartans will both be gunning for a victory on Friday when they meet at Edward Jones Dome.

Oddsmakers currently have the Spartans listed as 1-point favorites versus the Panthers, while the game’s total is sitting at 121.

Northern Iowa clawed their way out to an eight-point halftime lead and held on for a 69-67 upset victory over Kansas in the second round of the NCAA tournament on Saturday. Northern Iowa won the game as 11.5-point underdogs, and the game’s 136 points made it OVER the posted total of 127.5.

Ali Farokhmanesh led the way with 16 points and Jordan Eglseder added 14 in that win.

Michigan State defeated Maryland 85-83 as a 1.5-point underdog on Sunday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The combined score went OVER the posted over/under total (147.5).

Durrell Summers scored 26 points for Michigan State and Raymar Morgan added 17 points in the win.

Team records:
Northern Iowa: 30-4 SU, 23-10 ATS
Michigan State: 26-8 SU, 13-20 ATS

Northern Iowa most recently:
When playing on Friday are 6-4
After a win are 8-2

Michigan State most recently:
When playing on Friday are 5-3
After playing Maryland are 2-1
After a win are 7-3

A few trends to consider:
Northern Iowa is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Northern Iowa is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 17 of Northern Iowa’s last 25 games
Michigan State is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games

Free Pick: N. Iowa +1

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free pick Purdue Boilermakers vs. Duke Blue Devils 3-26-10

March 26, 2010

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The Purdue Boilermakers and the Duke Blue Devils will both be gunning for a victory on Friday when they meet at Reliant Stadium.

Oddsmakers currently have the Blue Devils listed as 8½-point favorites versus the Boilermakers, while the game’s total is sitting at 126½.

Purdue defeated Texas A&M 63-61 in overtime as a 2-point underdog on Sunday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The combined score fell UNDER the posted over/under total (127).

Chris Kramer scored 17 points and grabbed six rebounds for Purdue, while E’Twaun Moore added 15 points in the win.

Duke defeated California 68-53 as a 6.5-point favorite on Sunday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The combined score fell UNDER the posted over/under total (148).

Nolan smith delivered 20 points for Duke and Brian Zoubek had 14 points and 13 rebounds in the win.

Team records:
Purdue: 29-5 SU, 14-18-2 ATS
Duke: 31-5 SU, 20-14-1 ATS

Purdue most recently:
When playing on Friday are 5-5
After playing Texas A&M are 0-1
After a win are 8-2

Duke most recently:
When playing on Friday are 7-3
After a win are 9-1

A few trends to consider:
Purdue is 15-2 SU in its last 17 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Purdue’s last 8 games
Purdue is 2-6-1 ATS in its last 9 games
Duke is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Duke’s last 6 games

Free Pick: Duke  -8

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Cornell battles Kentucky in Sweet 16

March 25, 2010

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Syracuse, NY (Sports Network) – The “Cinderella” Cornell Big Red, the 12th seed in the East Region, will attempt to upset the top-seeded Kentucky Wildcats in the Sweet 16 of the 2010 NCAA Tournament tonight.

The winner of this contest will move on to the Elite Eight to do battle with either the second-seeded West Virginia Mountaineers or the 11th-seeded Washington Huskies.

Cornell is the first Ivy League team to reach the round of 16 since 1979, a tremendous accomplishment to say the least. The Big Red, who are 29-4 overall, had never won an NCAA Tournament game prior to the start of this year’s event. After beating fifth-seeded Temple by a 78-65 final in the first round, Cornell was even more dominant in the second round, easily handling fourth-seeded Wisconsin, 87-69. The Big Red have set the Ivy League single-season wins record, but coach Steve Donahue’s group is still hungry for more and refuses to view itself as an underdog despite Kentucky’s prowess.

Speaking of the Wildcats, they are led by first-year head coach John Calipari, and he boasts quite possiblly the nation’s most talented starting five. Three of the starters are freshmen, and while youth can be a detriment, Kentucky has been dominant through the first two rounds of this event. After crushing 16th- seeded East Tennessee State to open play, 100-71, the team rolled past ninth- seeded Wake Forest by a 90-60 final on Saturday. The Wildcats are making their record 50th NCAA Tournament appearance and own a 100-44 record in the tourney. They are 34-2 overall this season and won both the SEC regular season and tournament titles.

The Big Red won their only previous meeting with the Wildcats way back in 1967.

Cornell is led by Ivy League Player of the Year Ryan Wittman, who is scoring 17.8 ppg on the strength of his 43.0 percent shooting from three-point range. While that efficiency from behind the arc is tremendous by most standards, it actually leaves Wittman slightly below the curve in regard to the team’s overall accuracy. The Big Red are connecting on 43.4 percent of their three- pointers, staggering to stay the least, and they are netting 75.8 ppg while holding opponents to 63.4 ppg on 41.8 percent shooting from the floor. Louis Dale, Cornell’s point guard, provides 12.6 ppg and 144 assists against a mere 66 turnovers. As for Jeff Foote, a 7-0 center, he checks in with 12.4 ppg and 8.1 rpg. Taking a look at the 18-point win over Wisconsin, the Big Red shot a stellar 61.1 percent from the floor, including 8-of-15 from three-point range. Dale led the charge with 26 points, and Wittman added 24 points. Foote and Chris Wroblewski pitched in 12 points apiece for Cornell, which earned a 29-21 rebounding advantage and only committed eight turnovers.

Kentucky freshmen John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins may be the two most talented players in the nation. Wall, a dynamic point guard who recently garnered SEC Player of the Year honors, is scoring 16.8 ppg to go along with 228 assists and 60 steals. As for Cousins, a bullish power forward, he is posting 15.1 ppg and 10.0 rpg to complement his 67 blocked shots. Fellow forward Patrick Patterson is sometimes overshadowed by the rookies, but his 14.6 ppg and 7.2 rpg shouldn’t be overlooked. The third freshman starter in the fold is Eric Bledsoe who brings 11.4 ppg to the floor. Kentucky is posting 80.1 ppg while limiting opponents to 65.3 ppg on 37.9 percent shooting. In the 30-point blowout of Wake Forest, it was Darius Miller, the only starter not averaging double figures in scoring, who led the squad with 20 points. Cousins added 19 points and eight boards for the Wildcats, who shot 60.3 percent from the field and limited Wake to 32.8 percent efficiency.

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free pick Butler Bulldogs vs. Syracuse Orange 3-25-10

March 25, 2010

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The fans at EnergySolutions Arena will be treated to a game between the Butler Bulldogs and the Syracuse Orange when they take their seats on Thursday.

Oddsmakers currently have the Orange listed as 6½-point favorites versus the Bulldogs, while the game’s total is sitting at 137½.

Butler’s defense caused a critical turnover in the dying seconds of the game, giving them a 54-52 win over Murray State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at HP Pavilion Saturday.

Murray State covered as a 4-point underdog while the final score played UNDER the 131.5-point total.

Syracuse defeated Gonzaga 87-65 as a 6.5-point favorite in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday. The combined score went OVER the posted over/under total (147.5).

Wesley Johnson scored a game-high 31 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for Syracuse, while Andy Rautins added 24 points.

Team records:
Butler: 30-4 SU, 14-20 ATS
Syracuse: 30-4 SU, 20-9 ATS

Butler most recently:
When playing on Thursday are 9-1
After a win are 10-0

Syracuse most recently:
When playing on Thursday are 6-4
After a win are 8-2

A few trends to consider:
Butler is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Butler’s last 7 games
Syracuse is 17-3 SU in its last 20 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Syracuse’s last 8 games
Syracuse is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games

Free Pick: Syracuse   -6

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free pick Washington Huskies vs. West Virginia Mountaineers 3-25-10

March 25, 2010

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The Washington Huskies and the West Virginia Mountaineers will both be gunning for a victory on Thursday when they meet at Carrier Dome.

Oddsmakers currently have the Mountaineers listed as 4-point favorites versus the Huskies, while the game’s total is sitting at 140.

Washington roared out to a 12-point lead and never looked back in a convincing 82-64 victory over New Mexico in the second round of the NCAA tournament on Saturday. Washington covered the 2.5-point spread, while the teams played UNDER the posted total of 151.

Quincy Pondexter led Washington with 18 points, while Matthew Bryan-Amaning and Isaiah Thomas had 15 points each in that win.

West Virginia defeated Missouri 68-59 as a 6-point favorite on Sunday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The combined score fell UNDER the posted over/under total (138.5).

Da’Sean Butler netted 28 points for West Virginia and Devin Ebanks added 14 points and eight rebounds.

Team records:
Washington: 26-9 SU, 16-18 ATS
West Virginia: 29-6 SU, 15-19 ATS

Washington most recently:
When playing on Thursday are 5-5
After playing New Mexico are 3-0
After a win are 8-2

West Virginia most recently:
When playing on Thursday are 4-6
After a win are 8-2

A few trends to consider:
Washington is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Washington is 8-1 ATS in its last 9 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of West Virginia’s last 5 games
West Virginia is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

Free Pick: Wash  +4

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free pick Xavier Musketeers vs. Kansas State Wildcats 3-25-10

March 25, 2010

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The fans at EnergySolutions Arena will be treated to a game between the Xavier Musketeers and the Kansas State Wildcats when they take their seats on Thursday.

Oddsmakers currently have the Wildcats listed as 5-point favorites versus the Musketeers, while the game’s total is sitting at 151½.

Xavier defeated Pittsburgh 71-68 as a 2-point underdog on Sunday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The combined score went OVER the posted over/under total (134.5).

Jordan Crawford poured in 27 points for Xavier and Jason Love added 14 points in the win.

Jacob Pullen dropped a game-high 34 points as Kansas State defeated BYU 84-72 in the second round of the NCAA tournament on Saturday. Kansas State covered the 4-point spread, while the 156 points went UNDER the posted total of 156.5.

Denis Clemente added 19 points in the win for Kansas State.

Team records:
Xavier: 26-8 SU, 22-11 ATS
Kansas State: 28-7 SU, 21-9 ATS

Xavier most recently:
When playing on Thursday are 6-4
After playing Pittsburgh are 1-0
After a win are 8-2

Kansas State most recently:
When playing on Thursday are 4-6
After playing BYU are 0-1
After a win are 8-2

A few trends to consider:
Xavier is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games
Xavier is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Xavier’s last 5 games
Kansas State is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Kansas State is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Kansas State’s last 9 games

Free Pick:  Xavier  +5

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free pick Cornell Big Red vs. Kentucky Wildcats 3-25-10

March 25, 2010

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The Cornell Big Red and the Kentucky Wildcats will both be trying to pick up a win on Thursday when they battle at Carrier Dome.

Oddsmakers currently have the Wildcats listed as 8½-point favorites versus the Big Red, while the game’s total is sitting at 146.

Cornell upset Wisconsin 87-69 as a 4-point underdog on Sunday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The combined score went OVER the posted over/under total (126.5).

Louis Dale scored a game-high 26 points for Cornell and Ryan Wittman added 24 points in the win.

Kentucky jumped out to a 16-point halftime lead and went on to defeat Wake Forest 90-60 in the second round of the NCAA tournament on Saturday. Kentucky covered the 9.5-point spread, while the 150 points went UNDER the posted total of 147.

Darius Miller netted 20 points and grabbed nine rebounds for Kentucky, while DeMarcus Cousins added 19 in that win.

Team records:
Cornell: 29-4 SU, 18-10 ATS
Kentucky: 34-2 SU, 19-15 ATS

Cornell most recently:
When playing on Thursday are 5-5
After a win are 9-1

Kentucky most recently:
When playing on Thursday are 6-4
After playing Wake Forest are 1-0
After a win are 9-1

A few trends to consider:
Cornell is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Cornell is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Kentucky is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Kentucky’s last 5 games
Kentucky is 8-4 ATS in its last 12 games

Free Pick: Kentucky  -8

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NCAA Game Summary – Wake Forest vs. Kentucky

March 21, 2010

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(Saturday, March 20th)

Final Score: Kentucky 90, Wake Forest 60

New Orleans, LA (Sports Network) – Darius Miller led a balanced scoring attack with a career-high 20 points and nine rebounds, and top-seeded Kentucky walloped Wake Forest, 90-60, to move on to its first Sweet 16 since 2005.

Miller, who scored 16 in the first half, went 7-of-9 from the field for the Wildcats (34-2), who avoided the upset bug on a day full of them by shooting a robust 60.3 percent from the field. Kentucky will next take on either Wisconsin or Cornell in the East Regional Semifinals after winning an NCAA Tournament game for the 100th time in its storied history.

“We’re still a bunch of freshmen and sophomores. Our second NCAA Tournament game. They’ve never played in any other games. The guys that we’re playing have never played in it,” said UK head coach John Calipari. “So all we’re going to worry about is us. We’re going to get home, take a day off tomorrow. Practice on Monday and Tuesday, and head on up to Syracuse, and get ready.”

DeMarcus Cousins added 19 points and eight rebounds for Kentucky, which became the de facto top seed remaining in the tournament after top-ranked Kansas was shocked by ninth-seeded Northern Iowa, 69-67, earlier on Saturday. A total of three lower-seeded teams won on Saturday, but UK made sure it wouldn’t suffer the same fate it did when it earned its last top seed; the Wildcats were a top seed in 2004 but lost to UAB in the second round.

“We weren’t allowed to know what was the results of (the Kansas-Northern Iowa game), Cousins said, explaining that Calipari forced them to turn off the televisions in the locker room. “We were told to focus on our own game.”

John Wall added 14 points and seven assists in the convincing victory, while Eric Bledsoe, coming off a record performance in which he converted eight three-pointers, contributed with 13.

Al-Farouq Aminu battled foul trouble from the start and finished with 16 points to lead ninth-seeded Wake Forest (20-11), which had earned a comeback 81-80 overtime victory over Texas in the first round. C.J. Harris had 11 points in the defeat, as the Demon Deacons were limited to 32.8 percent shooting from the field.

“I told our kids after the game I’m really proud of them the year that they had,” said Wake Forest head coach Dino Gaudio. “No one expected them to be where they are. I think we were picked six or seventh preseason. We lost two underclassmen early to the draft. But our seniors did a great job this year. I’m really, really proud of them. What they’ve accomplished this season despite the losses that we incurred.”

Wake Forest looked solid early on, grabbing a 10-5 lead, but Aminu was whistled for two fouls in the first four minutes, prompting a 7-0 UK run that put the Wildcats in front on a Miller three.

Aminu returned shortly and helped the Demon Deacons keep it close, and a Harris three had Wake Forest even, 19-19, eight minutes into the game.

Just seconds after the shot, though, Aminu was whistled for his third foul, forcing him out for the remainder of the half. A 17-5 Kentucky burst ensued, taking all the momentum from the Deacons.

Wall had six points during the run and finished it with a layup for a 36-24 lead with 4 1/2 minutes to go. The Wildcats then scored the final eight points of the half to take a commanding 44-28 cushion into halftime.

Kentucky picked up right where it left off in the second half, scoring on each of its first seven possessions. The Wildcats outscored Wake Forest, 16-5, during the spurt, which ended with a 60-33 advantage on a Daniel Orton layup four minutes in.

The outcome was never in doubt down the stretch.

Game Notes

Kentucky has won each of the five meetings with Wake Forest; the teams had not met since 1996…The Wildcats became the second team in history to reach 100 NCAA Tournament wins (North Carolina)…Wake Forest is now 28-22 all-time in the NCAA tourney…Kentucky went 7-of-17 from the free throw line, including a 1-for-7 effort from Cousins…Aminu had eight rebounds.

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free pick Cornell Big Red vs. Wisconsin Badgers 3-21-10

March 21, 2010

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The Cornell Big Red and the Wisconsin Badgers will both be gunning for a victory on Sunday when they meet at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena.

Oddsmakers currently have the Badgers listed as 4½-point favorites versus the Big Red, while the game’s total is sitting at 125½.

Cornell scored 41 points in the second half and came away with a 78-65 victory over Temple in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Friday, as 3-point underdogs. That game’s 143 points made it OVER the posted total of 122.5.

Louis Dale tossed in 21 points and dished out seven assists, while Ryan Wittman added 20 in the win.

Jon Leuer poured in 20 points and grabbed eight boards in helping Wisconsin hang on for 53-49 victory over Wofford in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Friday. Wisconsin failed to cover the 10-point spread, and the teams played UNDER the posted total of 114.

Trevon Hughes added 19 points in that win.

Current streak:
Cornell has won 8 straight games.

Team records:
Cornell: 28-4 SU, 17-10 ATS
Wisconsin: 24-8 SU, 17-13 ATS

Cornell most recently:
When playing on Sunday are 7-3
After a win are 9-1

Wisconsin most recently:
When playing on Sunday are 7-3
After playing Wofford are 0-1
After a win are 5-5

A few trends to consider:
Cornell is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Wisconsin is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games

Free pick: Cornell +4.5

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free pick Gonzaga Bulldogs vs. Syracuse Orange 3-21-10

March 21, 2010

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The fans at HSBC Arena will be treated to a game between the Gonzaga Bulldogs and the Syracuse Orange when they take their seats on Sunday.

Oddsmakers currently have the Orange listed as 6½-point favorites versus the Bulldogs, while the game’s total is sitting at 148.

Gonzaga was outplayed in the second half, but managed to hang on and defeat Florida State 67-60 in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Friday. Gonzaga won that game as a slight 1,5-point spread, while the 127 points went UNDER the posted total of 132.

Matt Bouldin had 17 points and nine rebounds to lead the way, while Steven Gray chipped in with 15 points.

Wes Johnson went for 18 points and seven rebounds as Syracuse defeated Vermont 79-56 in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Friday. Syracuse covered the 15.5-point spread, while the 135 points went UNDER the posted total of 144.5.

Scoop Jardine had 14 points for Syracuse and Rick Jackson added 12 in the win.

Team records:
Gonzaga: 27-6 SU, 15-12-2 ATS
Syracuse: 29-4 SU, 19-9 ATS

Gonzaga most recently:
When playing on Sunday are 8-2
After a win are 7-3

Syracuse most recently:
When playing on Sunday are 5-5
After a win are 8-2

A few trends to consider:
Gonzaga is 19-3 SU in its last 22 games
Syracuse is 16-3 SU in its last 19 games

Free Pick: Syracuse  -6

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NCAA Game Summary Ohio vs. Georgetown

March 19, 2010

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(Thursday, March 18th)

Final Score: Ohio 97, Georgetown 83

Providence, RI (Sports Network) – Armon Bassett helped set the tone with five three-pointers and 32 points, as the 14th-seeded Ohio Bobcats held on down the stretch to shock the Midwest’s No. 3 seed Georgetown, 97-83, in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

D.J. Cooper added five threes as well on the way to 23 points while collecting eight assists for Ohio (22-14), which continued an improbable postseason run as the Mid-American Conference’s tourney champ.

The Bobcats were just 7-9 in conference play during the regular season and earned a nine seed in the MAC tourney for their efforts. Five straight wins since sets up an unexpected second-round matchup with the sixth seed Tennessee, which posted a narrow 62-59 triumph over San Diego State.

It was just the second NCAA Tournament win for Ohio in 45 years as the last victory came in 1983 against Illinois State.

“I thought of being really mentally and physically prepared to play and we knew we were going to have to do that because we were playing such a great Georgetown team,” said Ohio head coach John Groce. “I felt like we had the floor space. Our perimeter shooting game and our ability to dribble drive the ball to the lane really complimented each other well.”

Chris Wright came up with 28 points for Georgetown (23-11), which had posted solid wins over Syracuse and Marquette in the Big East Tournament before falling to West Virginia in the championship game.

Greg Monroe, the Hoyas vaunted big man, had 19 points and 13 rebounds but also seven of Georgetown’s 18 turnovers. Hollis Thompson scored 16 in the Hoyas’ forgettable 26th all-time NCAA appearance.

“They were spectacular, to tell you the truth. They handled everything that we threw at them tonight,” said Georgetown coach John Thompson III. “Either Greg or Chris said it, they were the better team today. Chris talked about the ball screens, no matter how we guarded it they were able to find a way to score.”

One of college basketball’s most storied programs, Georgetown was making its fourth trip to the “Big Dance” in five years, including a trip to the 2007 Final Four.

However, an undeterred Ohio squad didn’t flinch and stirred the fans at Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence with a strong first half to enter the break with a 12-point lead.

The Bobcats took control early with eight of the first 10 points, and trailed only briefly over the next several minutes. Wright’s three-pointer at the half’s mid-point gave Georgetown an 18-17 edge, but the lead would be their last of the game.

An ensuing 8-0 burst was capped by a Tommy Freeman three-pointer for a seven- point game and Bassett delivered a layup moments later for a double-digit margin.

Bassett, MVP of the MAC Tournament, strung together a pair of makes from beyond the arc on consecutive possessions with the clock winding under five minutes as the lead reached 13.

The score stood at 48-36 at halftime, and the Bobcats remained the aggressors early in the second half. Bassett dropped another three approaching five minutes in and Freeman’s jump shot with close to 13 minutes remaining put the Hoyas’ deficit at 63-44.

Cooper answered a Thompson three with one of his own at the head of a Georgetown surge minutes later. The teams traded baskets on each of the next four possessions capped by yet another Cooper three-ball to make it a 71-55 affair with 10 1/2 minutes to go.

Bassett’s three-ball two minutes later kept it a 16-point game, but Georgetown was able to build of its earlier stretch to put together a last charge. It took less than three minutes to get within seven, 79-72, via a 12-3 run that Jason Clark ended with a layup.

But the Bobcats were not about to led their lead slip away. Cooper, MAC Freshman of the Year, put in nine straight points on the Ohio side to help build back an 88-75 lead with 2 1/2 minutes on the clock, and Georgetown found itself playing out the remainder of the game with defeat already decided.

Game Notes

DeVaughn Washington had 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Bobcats, while Freeman chipped in 11 points…It was Ohio’s first NCAA appearance since 2005 and 12th overall. It improved to 5-12 all-time…The victors hit 13-of-23 from three-point range, while Georgetown connected on eight of it’s 22 tries…Both teams wound up shooting over 50 percent from the floor; Georgetown (50.8 percent), Ohio (58.2 percent)…It was the first-ever meeting between the programs.

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