Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The Sprint Cup Series returns at Bristol, while the Blazers meet the Suns, and March Madness offers up eight matchups. All the top NCAA Tournament picks
Tipping off on the hardwood . . .
There are seven games around the NBA on Sunday, with Houston at New York, Oklahoma City at Indiana, Sacramento at the Clippers, Detroit at Cleveland, San Antonio at Atlanta, Washington at the Lakers, and Portland at Phoenix. The Trail Blazers and Suns last met on the court on February 10, with the Blazers picking up a 108-101 road victory. LaMarcus Aldridge scored a team-high 22 points for Portland in that contest, while Andre Miller and Steve Blake each tossed in 20 points. Amare Stoudemire scored a game-high 24 points in the loss for the Suns.
As well, top-seeded Syracuse and Duke highlight the second-round Big Dance matchups on Sunday.
Now to the college basketball odds.
The Orange thumped No. 16 Vermont in their tourney opener on Friday, getting 18 points from Wes Johnson in a 79-56 victory. Syracuse will take the court on Sunday as a 7.5-point favorite against No. 8 Gonzaga, which beat No. 9 Florida State 67-60 on Friday. Meanwhile, Duke blew past No. 16 Arkansas Pine Bluff 73-44 on Friday, and they'll face No. 8 California on Sunday as a 6-point favorite. The Golden Bears bounced No. 9 Louisville in the first round on Friday, as Theo Robertson tossed in 21 points in the 77-62 win.
Along with California vs. Duke it's No. 5 Texas A&M (-1.5) vs. No. 4 Purdue in South Region action on Sunday, while No. 6 Xavier vs. No. 3 Pittsburgh (PK) joins Gonzaga vs. Syracuse on the West Region slate. In the Midwest Region on Sunday it's No. 10 Georgia Tech vs. No. 2 Ohio State (-6.5) and No. 5 Michigan State vs. No. 4 Maryland (-1). Finally, the East Region offers up No. 10 Missouri vs. No. 2 West Virginia (-5.5) and No. 12 Cornell vs. No. 4 Wisconsin (-4). The Ivy League's Big Red dispatched No. 5 Temple 78-65 in their first-round contest.
Top expert picks….
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Taking a trip around the rink . . .
The NHL has nine games on tap for Sunday, with Calgary at Minnesota, Buffalo at Carolina, Tampa Bay at Florida, Nashville at St. Louis, Phoenix at Dallas, Atlanta at Philadelphia, San Jose at Edmonton, Colorado at Anaheim, and the Rangers at Boston. The 31-27-12 Bruins were blanked 3-0 by the Penguins in their last game on Thursday night, and they're 0-3 against New York so far this season. The 31-31-9 Rangers are coming off a 4-3 loss to St. Louis on Thursday night. Marian Gaborik scored his 37th goal of the year in that defeat for New York.
Roaring around the track . . .
Finally, the drivers of the Sprint Cup Series return from a one-week break to take the track in the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sunday afternoon. Kyle Busch won both races at Bristol last season, and he's pegged as the 5/1 Vegas favorite to make it three in a row on Sunday. Jimmie Johnson is next on the Vegas odds list at 6/1, with Jeff Gordon at 17/2, and Mark Martin at 9/1. Other odds to visit victory lane on Sunday: Tony Stewart (10/1), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (11/1), and Denny Hamlin (11/1). 2008 Food City champ Jeff Burton is at 18/1.
