Part I - Part II

Numerology is an art unto itself. According to Webster it is the study of occult meanings of numbers and their supposed influence on human life. To a basketball handicapper it's something that is actually closer to life and death. That's because numbers transcend into probability, which leads to percentages that ultimately, determines our bottom line - winning and losing.

Having been a professional handicapper for more than 30 years, numbers have certainly become the foundation of what I do best. I can't tell you the nuclear equation required in the design makeup of a patriot missile, but I can tell you the names of the #1 seeds in each of the upcoming college basketball conference tournaments. Heck, I can even tell you how higher seeded underdogs do against sub .500 teams in post season play. Because, that's what I do. Handicapping games for a living.

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It's these types of numbers that keep me up at night. Like a practicing pharmacist determining proper dosages, I'm always looking for the right prescription, or formula, when it comes to working up the games.

With the NCAA tournament race to Atlanta right around the corner and set to tip off March 20th, let's do some pre-dance 'number crunching' as we look inside the conference tourneys. Listed below are relevant team trends and technical notes that have occurred in conference tournament play of late. Meanwhile, we present stats and facts for the first FIVE Conference Tourneys. Note that all trends are Conference Tournament results. Enjoy these numbers. Next week we'll conclude with the remaining TWELVE Conference Tourneys...

COLONIAL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

TOURNEY TRENDS & NOTES:

DELAWARE: 1-4-1 ATS off SUATS win, 0-4 ATS off DD win, 0-4 ATS vs #3 or higher seed, 4-1 vs #4 or lower seed…

DREXEL: 1-5 ATS vs opp off BB SU wins, 1-4 ATS as #4 seed or lower…

GEORGE MASON: 8-1 ATS vs opp off DD win, 5-1 vs opp off SU dog win, 6-2-1 ATS vs #1 or #2 seed, 1-4 ATS off DD ATS loss...

GEORGIA ST: 4-0 ATS in this tourney, 3-0 ATS with same-season double revenge…

HOFSTRA: 3-1 SUATS vs #6 or lower seed, 3-0 ATS L3 as favs, 1-4 ATS vs op off DD SU win, 0-3 SUATS vs #1 seed, 0-4 ATS off SU dog win...

JAMES MADISON: 5-0 ATS w/ > 3 days rest vs opp off SUATS loss, 7-1-1 ATS fav 9 < points, 6-2 ATS vs opp off BB wins...

NC WILMINGTON: 10-1 SU & 8-2-1 ATS 1st game, 10-3 ATS vs opp off DD SU win, 4-1 ATS w/ same-season double revenge, 20-7-3 ATS in all conference tourney games S/96...

NORTHEASTERN: 3-1 ATS off DD win, 2-0 ATS w/4+ days of rest…

OLD DOMINION: 5-1-1 ATS vs #5 seed, 8-2 ATS as favs vs opp off DD SU win, 0-4 ATS vs opp off SU favorite loss, 2-7 ATS 1st game...

TOWSON ST: 3-0 ATS DD dog, 3-1 ATS off SU win, 2-0 ATS vs #1 or #2 seed…VCU: 8-2 ATS as favs vs opp off DD SU win, 1-6-1 ATS dog, 2-8 ATS off win 9 > points, 2-7 ATS off SU win vs opp off BB SU wins...

WILLIAM & MARY: 0-10 ATS dog 7 < points, 0-8 SU & 1-6 ATS vs #1-3 seeds, 0-6 ATS vs opp off BB losses, 2-17 SU & 4-15 ATS L19 games, 2-7 ATS with revenge, 3-13 ATS 1st game.

TECH NOTES:
Teams off SU fav loss are 12-4 ATS… DD favs off win 15 > points are 3-9 ATS… #1 seeds are 18-0 SU & 13-4-1 ATS… #3 seeds are 11-3 ATS as dogs or favorites 3 < points… #4 seeds are 2-6 ATS as favorites 4 > points… #6 seeds are 2-9 ATS L11 games… #8 seeds are 1-10 ATS L11 games.

HORIZON CONFERENCE

TOURNEY TRENDS & NOTES:

BUTLER: 1-6 ATS dog or favorite < 8 points, 0-4 ATS off BB SU wins, 1-5-1 ATS as #1 or #2 seed, 2-7 ATS vs opp off SU win...

CLEVELAND ST: 0-6 SUATS in this tourney...

DETROIT: 4-0-1 ATS vs opp off SUATS loss, 6-1 ATS favs 2 > pts, 0-2 ATS vs opp off SU dog win...

ILLINOIS CHICAGO: 10-3 ATS in this tourney, including 6-0 ATS as a dog...

4-0 ATS vs opp off SU loss...

LOYOLA CHI: 3-0 ATS vs opp off SUATS loss, 4-1 ATS as #5 or lowers seed, 4-1 ATS off DD SU win, 0-2 ATS as DD dogs...

VALPARAISO: incomplete (joined conference this season)…

WISCONSIN-GREEN BAY: 3-1 ATS L4 as favs, 3-1 ATS vs opp off BB SU wins, 0-3 ATS off BB SU wins, 0-3 ATS vs #3 or higher seed, 1-3 ATS w/ revenge…

WISCONSIN-MILWAUKEE: 3-0 ATS vs revenge, 3-0 ATS vs opp off SU dog win, 1-3 ATS vs #2 or #3 seed…

WRIGHT ST: 2-0 ATS off DD SU win, 0-2 ATS off BB SU wins, 1-3 ATS L4 as dogs, 1-3 ATS vs opp off DD SU win, 1-5 ATS as #4 or lower seed…

YOUNGSTOWN ST: 0-3 ATS dogs off SU win, 0-3 dogs < 10 pts, 1-3 ATS vs #4 or higher seed.

TECH NOTES:
Teams off win 14 > points are 18-9-1… dogs with revenge are 3-17-1 ATS… #1 seeds are 5-1 ATS L3Y… #2 seeds are 4-1 ATS as dogs or favorites < 3 points… #9 seeds are 1-7 ATS L8 games.

MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE

TOURNEY TRENDS & NOTES:

BRADLEY: 2-11 ATS off a win of 8 or more points, 1-6 ATS vs opp off SUATS win, 6-12 ATS off a SUATS win, 3-5 SUATS vs .750 > opp…

CREIGHTON: 7-0 SUATS vs #1 or #2 seed, 11-2 ATS vs > .666 opp, 16-3 ATS off BB wins, 18-3 SU & 16-5 ATS S/99, 11-1 off BB SUATS wins…

DRAKE: 6-2 ATS L8 with DD loss revenge, 0-8 SU & 2-6 ATS vs #1-2 seeds, 0-6 SU & 1-5 ATS vs > .700 opp, 2-8 SU L10 games...

EVANSVILLE: 2-8-1 ATS off a win, 1-6-1 ATS L9 off BB wins, 1-6-1 ATS L6 w/ same-season double revenge, 1-6 SU & 2-5 ATS vs opp off a loss...

ILLINOIS ST: 7-1-1 ATS off a win with 3+ days of rest, 10-3 SU & 9-4 ATS vs #7-10 seeds, 2-7-2 ATS L11 games, 1-4-1 ATS vs #1 or #2 seed...

INDIANA ST: 6-1 ATS off loss, 5-1 ATS vs opp off SUATS loss, 3-9 ATS off SUATS win...

MISSOURI ST: 5-0 ATS w/ 3 + days rest vs opp off SUATS win, 4-0 SUATS vs #7 or lower seed, 12-1 SU & 8-4 ATS 1st game, 2-5 SU & 1-6 ATS vs #2 seed...

NORTHERN IOWA: 5-2-1 ATS off BB wins, 9-4 (1-3 L4) ATS vs opp off a win, 1-4-1 ATS vs #8 or lower seed, 2-7 vs foe off SU loss...

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS: 13-1 SU & 9-4-1 ATS vs #6 or lower seed, 1-5 SU & 1-5 ATS w/ revenge, 1-5 SUATS off SUATS win vs .700 > opp...

WICHITA ST: 6-17 SU & 9-14 ATS L23G games, 0-13 SU & 4-9 ATS vs #1-4 seeds, 0-6 SU & 1-5 ATS vs > .660 and < .725 opp, 0-6 SU & 1-5 ATS off DD win.

TECH NOTES:
Higher seeded favorites are 57-5 SU & 41-19 ATS in first round games (no Donkey games)… .700 > teams are 29-0 SU & 21-6-2 ATS vs < .555 opponents… teams that are 3-0 SUATS L3 games are 18-9 ATS, including 11-2 ATS as dogs… teams with win percentage .280 < are 10-4 ATS… teams off BB losses are 1-7 ATS with revenge vs opp off BB wins...#2 seeds are 11-1 ATS L12 games and 25-11 ATS as dogs or favorites of < 10 points...#7 seeds are 6-16-1 ATS L23 games...#9 seeds are 7-12-1 ATS L20 games...#9 Seeds 0-6 ATS off a SU win.

SUN BELT CONFERENCE

TOURNEY TRENDS & NOTES:

ARKANSAS-LITTLE ROCK: 0-6 SUATS vs higher seeded teams, 1-8 ATS off a win...

ARKANSAS ST: 3-8 ATS L11 games, 0-4 ATS w/ revenge…

DENVER: 3-1 ATS off SUATS loss, 4-2 ATS dog 5 > points, 4-2 ATS vs #4 or lower seeds…

FLORIDA ATLANTIC: incomplete (joined conference last season)…

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL: 5-2 ATS 7 games, 0-5 SU & 1-4 ATS vs foe that was favored last game…

LA LAFAYETTE: 13-5 SU & 9-7 ATS all games, 6-2 ATS dog or favorite < 3 points...

LA MONROE: incomplete (joined conference last season)…

MIDDLE TENN ST: 5-2 ATS vs opp off win, 6-2 ATS vs < 600 opp…

NEW ORLEANS: 0-5 SUATS vs .625 > opp, 3-11 ATS (2-5 ATS as a favorite) all games...

NORTH TEXAS: 8-1 ATS off loss or win 18 < points, 4-2 ATS pick or dog …

SOUTH ALABAMA: 6-0 ATS fav > 6 points, 8-4 ATS vs #2 or lower seed...

TROY: 2-0 ATS dogs, 2-0 ATS off DD win, 2-0 ATS as #6 seed…

WESTERN KENTUCKY: 10-5 ATS vs opp off BB SU wins (4-0 ATS as DD favorite).

TECH NOTES:
.730 > teams are 13-5 ATS (8-1 ATS w/ rest)...DD favorites are 8-2 ATS...#3 seeds are 5-18 ATS (2-10 ATS pick or dog)… #4 seeds are 5-15 ATS… #5 seeds are 11-4 ATS as dogs.

WEST COAST CONFERENCE

TOURNEY TRENDS & NOTES:

GONZAGA: 18-1 SU all games, 4-0 SUATS after scoring 72 < points, 4-0 SUATS vs opp scored 61 < points last game…

LOYOLA MARYMOUNT: 3-0 ATS vs opp favored -12 > last game, 1-4 SUATS vs #2-5 seeds…

PEPPERDINE: 0-5 ATS vs opp off ATS loss > 1 point, 1-5 ATS 1st game, 1-4 ATS off BB SUATS wins...

PORTLAND: 3-1 ATS vs a opp off a DD win, 1-8 SU all games, 1-5 ATS vs opp off loss or win 6 < points...

SANTA CLARA: 8-1 ATS vs opp off ATS loss or win < 3 points...

6-1 ATS a favorite, 6-1-1 ATS off BB wins...

SAN DIEGO 5-0 ATS off SUATS loss, 1-5 ATS vs opp off win 16 > points...

SAN FRANCISCO: 0-8 SU & 1-7 ATS vs #5 or higher seed, 1-6 ATS dog, 1-5 SUATS off loss or win < 6 points…

SAINT MARYS: 7-0 SU & 6-0-1 ATS vs #3 or lower seed, 0-8 SUATS vs #1-2 seed, 0-5 ATS DD dog, 0-5 SUATS w/ same-season single revenge 10 > points, 0-4-1 ATS vs opp off BB wins.

TECH NOTES:
Teams off BB SUATS losses are 7-4 ATS...dogs are 8-47 SU & 18-36-1 ATS (6-23-1 ATS +7 <) in this tourney...teams with win percentage of .425 < are 4-20 SU & 8-16 ATS… #8 seeds are 0-8 SU & 1-7 ATS.