Your Hoops and Horses Selections for March 27-28

Welcome to ABR’s Hoops and horses column, where winners play!
Horse racing is Joe Kristufek’s means to an end, and he loves the sport like no other, but as a Chicago Bulls season-ticket holder for seven years and a feared participant in fantasy hoops, he also has his finger on the pulse of the NBA.
From growing up with the Flintstones of Michigan State, running March Madness pools out of his hidden manila envelope in high school, to attending conference tournaments, Sweet 16s and Final Fours ... college basketball runs in Derek Cooley’s blood.
Let’s sprint out on the fast break, spring the horses from the gate and pad our bankrolls!
Pro Hoops – by Joe Kristufek
We’ve hit the eighth pole in the NBA season and this is the time teams start to jockey for playoff position. Talent, injuries and chemistry are all major factors in late-season success.
Our picks clicked nicely in our most recent blog and a couple of them not only beat the big number, but were outright winners. #moneyline
Last Week: 3-1 (.750)
Year to Date: 9-11 (.450)
Friday, March 27
New Orleans Pelicans (-7) v. Sacramento Kings
The Pels still hold faint playoffs hopes and at least their two most important players, Anthony Davis and Tyreke Evans, are healthy.
ANTHONY DAVIS

Photo by Keith Allison/WikiMedia Commons
Golden State Warriors at Memphis Grizzlies UNDER 198.5
This is a great test for the top team in the league. Golden State can put the ball in the hoop but they also play underrated defense. This probably will be a hard fought game with a playoff like atmosphere in Memphis.
San Antonio Spurs (-9) v. Dallas Mavericks
The Spurs are clicking on all cylinders and despite the similarities in records, there's a reason for the wide spread. Take the chalk, give the points.
Utah Jazz (+2) at Denver Nuggets
The Jazz defense and efficiency will very likely overcome the Nuggets offense and homecourt advantage. 
College Hoops – by Derek Cooley
Saturday is usually the best day for college hoops, with marquee match-ups morning, noon and night. Weekly, I’ll provide a brief synopsis of what I see - as well as a final score “prediction” - which you can use as a guide to tackling the money line, spread and/or the over/under total. This week, we’ll tackle the Sweet 16 games on Friday night.
Let’s take a look at how we faired against the spread and over/under the final totals according to our most recent score predictions, in comparison with the outcomes … as well as the upset selection.
Against the Spread (last week/overall): (1-2) (9-6)
Over/Under: (2-1) (12-3)
Upset Pick: (1-0) (2-3)
Last Week: 4-3 (.571)
Year to Date: 23-12 (.657)

Friday, March 27
UCLA v. Gonzaga (7:15 p.m. ET, CBS)
Gonzaga is one of the hotter teams in the tournament entering the Sweet 16, putting on a shooting display to be remembered against Iowa in Round 2/3. UCLA didn't have to do a whole lot to make it to this round, compared with getting into the tourny in the first place.   A lucky win over SMU, following by a win over 14-seed UAB doesn't bode well for the Bruins in preparation for the Zags. However, UCLA has played Gonzaga once this year already ... a 13-point loss in December. More of the same here.
Gonzaga - 80
UCLA - 70
NC State v. Louisville (7:37 p.m., TBS)
NC State has been a nice story so far this March, being the first team to topple a No. 1 seed in its victory over Villanova last weekend. Louisville was impressive in its own right, beating up a favored Northern Iowa squad out west. Montrezl Harrell is too athletic and Terry Rozier is the hot shooter right now, both of whom will be too much for the Wolfpack to sustain for another upset. I'll take the Cardinals.
Louisville - 69
NC State - 62
Utah v. Duke (9:45 p.m. ET, CBS)
A very intriguing matchup will be featured in the nightcap from Houston, with the Utes of Utah and the Blue Devils of Duke. Not only are two Coach K's facing each other, but the combined letters in Utah and Duke may be the least amount in NCAA history.  Maybe ... maybe not. But those two similarities are too tough to ignore, and this one will be much closer than anticipated. I think Justice Winslow wins it for Duke in the end.
Duke - 72
Utah - 70
THE DUKE-UTAH GAME COULD COME DOWN TO COACH KRZYZEWSKI'S FINAL PLAY

Photo by D. Myles Cullen/WikiMedia Commons
UPSET WATCH: Michigan State vs. Oklahoma (10:07 p.m. ET TBS; Michigan State is currently a 2-point favorite)
Ponies – by Joe Kristufek
When last we met, American Pharoah won as the chalk, Untapable didn't and Carve failed to light the tote.
Last Week: 3-1-1-0 ($2 WPS * $16 wagered * $9.20 returned)
Season Total: 76-22-13-6 ($2 WPS * $454 wagered * $467.40 returned = $6.15 ROI)
Saturday, March 28
Meydan Racecourse - Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Race 4 - United Arab Emirates Derby (G2)
#9 Maftool (morning-line odds, 9-2)
The venue is halfway across the globe, but Kentucky Derby points are on the line in the desert. The prevailing opinion has Mubtaahij as the one to beat here, but my selection has already beaten him on the square, and he's well rested for this tilt. Here's hoping they run 1-2
Gulfstream Park - Hallandale, Fla.
Race 14 - Florida Derby (G1)
#7 Materiality (morning-line odds, 7-2)
The runaway winner of both of his career starts, this impressive son of Afleet Alex must now prove his class while earning coveted Kentucky Derby points. He won at the 1 1/8-mile Florida Derby distance last time out and, not being a big fan of race favorites Upstart or Itsknockout, he's the logical choice for me.
MATERIALITY

Photo by Kenny Martin/Gulfstream Park
Fair Grounds - New Orleans, La.
Race 11 - Louisiana Derby (G2)
#6 War Story (morning-line odds, 4-1)
Second to race favorite International Star in both of their previous encounters, perhaps this Tom Amoss charge can turn the tables here. The "Star" already has enough Kentucky Derby points, so he probably won't go all out here. A clean break from the gate would certainly help the cause for War Story, who certainly can finish well enough.