Sunday's Tip Sheet
By Chris David
Sunday’s college basketball slate features 11 games on tap, including a primetime Pac 10 battle between Oregon and Washington State. This Great Northwest tilt will be televised on Fox Sports Net at 8:00 p.m. EST and is preceded by 10 afternoon games.
Let’s break ‘em down.
**Marquette at Connecticut **
Marquette (13-3 straight up, 6-4 against the spread) and Cincinnati (8-9 SU, 7-6 ATS) are both hoping to rebound from double-digit losses in this matchup. The Golden Eagles were blasted by Louisville 71-51 on Thursday, while the Bearcats were ripped by Notre Dame 91-74 on Wednesday. The Golden Eagles are 3-3 SU and 3-2 ATS away from home. The Bearcats have held teams to 66 points per game at home en route a 7-3 SU and 4-3 ATS record.
**Florida State at Wake Forest**
Florida State (12-6 SU, 6-9 ATS) suffered its second straight loss Wednesday, falling to Duke 70-57 as a 5½-point home underdog. The Seminoles are 2-3 SU and 1-4 ATS in their last five. Wake Forest hasn’t lost at home this year, notching a 10-0 SU and 3-1 ATS mark. Total players should note that the ‘under’ is 9-0 in the last nine games played on Sunday for FSU.
**Penn State at Indiana**
Penn State (10-6 SU, 6-6 ATS) is off back-to-back losses and saw its best player, Geary Claxton, go down to a season-ending knee injury. The Nittany Lions are 2-4 both SU and ATS on the road this year. Indiana (15-1 SU, 7-6 ATS) won its 11th straight game on Thursday after defeating Minnesota 65-60 as a 1 ½-point road favorite. The Hoosiers have won three straight against PSU, two of them against the spread.
**Missouri State at Northern Iowa**
Missouri State (10-8 SU, 5-9 ATS) is off a 21-point (65-44) win against Indiana State on Tuesday, but that game was at home. On the road, MSU is a horrendous 1-7 SU and 1-6 ATS. Northern Iowa (10-7 SU, 7-7- ATS) is mired in a four-game losing streak (1-3 ATS), two of the setbacks coming at home. Eight of the last 10 in this head-to-head series has gone ‘under’ the total. Northern Iowa is 6-4 SU and 3-6 ATS at home.
**Temple at Saint Louis**
Saint Louis (10-7 SU, 6-7 ATS) knocked off No. 23 Rhode Island 68-61 on Thursday as a five-point home underdog. Temple (7-8 SU, 8-6 ATS) also notched an upset this week, ripping Xavier 78-59 as a seven-point home ‘dog. The home team is 2-0 both SU and ATS in the last two meetings.
**West Virginia at South Florida**
South Florida (10-8 SU, 7-9 ATS) has been humbled of late, going 0-4 both SU and ATS in its last four games. The Bulls have played better at home, going 6-2 SU and 3-3 ATS. West Virginia has produced a 4-3 SU and 3-3 ATS ledger on the road this year. WVU is 2-0 SU, but 0-2 ATS in its last two meetings with USF.
**Michigan State at Minnesota**
Michigan State (15-2 SU, 5-6 ATS) downed Ohio State 66-60 on Tuesday, but failed to cover as an 8½-point home favorite. The Spartans needed the victory after getting embarrassed on Jan. 12 as a 9½-point road favorite against Iowa, 43-36. MSU has failed to cover the number in its last five games. Minnesota (12-4 SU, 7-4 ATS) suffered its first loss at home on Thursday after falling to Indiana 65-60 as a 1 ½-point underdog. Tubby Smith’s squad is still a respectable 8-1 SU and 4-2 ATS.
**Buffalo at Miami-Ohio**
Pick your poison in this matchup as Buffalo (6-9 SU, 5-7 ATS) and Miami-Ohio (6-9 SU, 7-7 ATS) both enter this game with losing streaks intact. The Bulls have dropped five of six, while the RedHawks have suffered five games in a row both SU and ATS. Miami has won and covered three of the last four against Buffalo.
**Bowling Green at Akron**
Akron (13-3 SU, 6-6 ATS) has outscored foes by an average of 17 PPG (78-61) at home this year en route to a 9-0 SU and 3-3 ATS mark. Bowling Green (7-8 SU, 8-6 ATS) has been respectable on the road, going 3-5 SU and 4-2 ATS. The Zips have gone 5-0 SU and 4-1 ATS in their last five meetings against the Falcons. The ‘over’ is also 5-0 during this stretch.
**Oregon at Washington State**
Washington State (15-1 SU, 8-5 ATS) bounced back from its first loss of the season on Thursday by destroying Oregon State 69-46 as a 19-point home favorite. Oregon (12-5 SU, 7-7 ATS) saw its three-game winning streak snapped this week after the school fell to Washington 78-70 as a two-point road underdog. All five of the Ducks’ losses (3-5 SU, 3-4 ATS) have come on the road. The Cougars’ defense is ranked first nationally, surrendering just 52.5 PPG. The Ducks have the best offense in the Pac 10, posting 81.6 PPG. Oregon has dominated WSU recently by winning the last 13 meetings, including a 77-74 overtime victory last year at Friel Court.
**Weber State at Montana – Added Game**
Weber State (8-8 SU, 8-4 ATS) has won and covered three straight contests heading into this battle, while Montana (7-10 SU, 5-8 ATS) has lost three of its previous four games. Weber State has covered eight of the last 10 contests and four straight against Montana, but has only won five of those games.
vegasinsider.com
Nets at Suns
By Josh Jacobs
While the NBA will be overshadowed by the NFL Conference Championships on Sunday, that doesn’t mean the schedule will totally be void of competition.
Beginning at 8:05 p.m. EST, New Jersey (18-20 straight up, 15-22-1 against the spread) will continue its five-game road trip when it travels to the desert in Phoenix.
Looking to manufacture their third win this week, the Suns (28-12 SU, 17-22-1 ATS) continue to pile up points on the board. In its last seven victories, Phoenix has found the bottom of the net for an average of 118.6 PPG (a little over 14 more points then its seasonal average).
Backers would love to correlate a 14-4 SU record at home with a comparable financial statement against the spread, but unfortunately that hasn’t been the case. In the last 12 home stands, the Suns have ripped through bettors’ wallets for a devastating 3-9 ATS debt (with a 2-4 total ATS run in their last six).
Just when the Jersey Nets looked to be meshing as a team, grabbing five in a row from late December into early January, the production seized. Now 1-4 SU and ATS, New Jersey once again has its backs against the wall.
Scoring just 93 PPG this season, the Nets have continued its struggle on offense. In the last five, Jersey has missed the broad side of the barn with 90.6 PPG of offense and a low 42% success rate from the field. All of these woes have now added up to 16 ATS loses in a total of 33 outings.
Trying to add some space in the Pacific Division, bettors would like nothing more then to see Phoenix improve on its 3-4 ATS record versus teams playing under .500 ball on its own home court.
While it might be just an inconsistency in the record books, it’s still worth noting that the Suns’ 2-4 ATS slump has run congruent with the absence of forward Grant Hill. Hill went under the knife for a successful appendectomy last Wednesday and is expected out for at least two weeks.
In head-to-head meetings together, the home team has gone 10-3-1 ATS in the last 14, while the favorite is 6-2-1 ATS in the last nine.
If there’s one money making stat that sticks out it’s that the ‘over’ at home has been a profitable play in favor of Phoenix. The Suns have gone ‘over’ the total score 11 times in 18 total games at the US Airways Center.
New Jersey’s Antoine Wright (7.9 PPG, 3.1 RPG) missed Wednesday’s game against the Knicks, and has been labeled ‘day-to-day’ with an sore right ankle.
vegasinsider.com.
Pacers lose O'Neal for 2 weeks
January 19, 2008
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -Pacers forward Jermaine O'Neal will miss at least two weeks with a bruised left knee, team officials said Saturday before Indiana played Sacramento.
Earlier this week, O'Neal said he was not fully healed from knee surgery to repair torn meniscus cartilage last April. He said he's surprised the healing process has been so slow.
O'Neal said he had trouble during Wednesday's practice, but he started that night against Golden State. He left the game with 2:58 remaining in the first quarter after going scoreless and committing four turnovers in the first 9 minutes.
O'Neal spoke with team doctors and trainers, and after a strength test, the decision was made to sit him the rest of the game.
He is a six-time All-Star who averaged 19.4 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.6 blocks last season, but has missed 89 games over the past 3 1/2 seasons because of injuries, illnesses and suspensions.
College Basketball cheat sheet
COVERS.com
Marquette at Connecticut
The Golden Eagles demolished Notre Dame last Saturday, producing one of their best wins of the season in the 92-66 affair. Junior guards Dominic James, Wesley Matthews and Jerel McNeal combined for 49 points in the victory and their performances are the main reason for Marquette’s 13-2 record.
The Huskies went 9-2 in non-conference play, but have dropped two of their first four Big East games. Head coach Jim Calhoun missed Saturday’s loss to Georgetown and Monday’s practice due to illness, but will be back on the bench for this Sunday’s game.
Michigan State at Minnesota
The Spartans bounced back from one of their most embarrassing defeats in years to beat Ohio State on Tuesday. They lost 43-36 against Iowa last weekend, their lowest scoring outing of the season. In fact, Michigan State scored only two fewer points in the first half against Ohio State than it did in the entire game at Iowa.
Minnesota has an 8-0 home record, but that will be put to the test on Sunday. The Golden Gophers have already faced the Spartans once this season, losing 65-59 at Michigan State. They did cover an 11-point spread in that meeting.
Oregon at Washington St.
The Ducks defeated No. 23 Stanford 71-66 last Saturday, a win which also signaled the return to form of guard Tajuan Porter. The sophomore was vital to Oregon’s playoff run last season, but made just 1 of 16 three-point attempts in three games before last weekend. He was 6 of 13 from the field in just 30 minutes against Stanford.
The Cougars lost their status as one of the nation’s unbeaten teams last weekend, falling to UCLA. That ended a run of 14 consecutive wins and was the first time in three games that Washington State failed to cover the spread. The Cougars lost twice to Oregon last season, failing to cover on both occasions.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
(13) Marquette (13-3, 6-5 ATS) at UConn (11-5, 4-8 ATS)
Two Big East rivals coming off disappointing league losses clash in Storrs, Conn., where the Huskies host 13th-ranked Marquette.
UConn followed up a buzzer-beating 72-69 loss at then-No. 7 Georgetown with Thursday’s stunning 77-65 upset loss to Providence as a nine-point home chalk. UConn, which averages 80.2 points per game, has been held to less than 70 points in three of its last four games, losing all three (1-2 ATS). The Huskies are off to a 2-3 start in the Big East (3-2 ATS).
Marquette was held under 60 points for the first time this season in Thursday’s ugly 71-51 loss at Louisville as a three-point underdog. The Eagles are 3-2 in Big East play (2-3 ATS), but both defeats have been blowouts on the road, including a 79-64 pasting at West Virginia.
These teams squared off once last year, also in Storrs, and Marquette eked out a 73-69 win as a nine-point underdog. The Golden Eagles also routed UConn the previous year 94-79 as a 10-point home pup.
Marquette is just 3-3 away from home this year (2-3 ATS), and going back to last season, Tom Creen’s club is mired in a 2-8 ATS slump on the highway. The Golden Eagles are also 1-4 ATS in their last five games on Sunday.
The Huskies fell to 8-1 at home with the loss to Providence (2-3 ATS in lined games). Also, going back to last season, they’re stuck in ATS ruts of 7-20 overall, 8-17 in conference play and 4-9 on Sunday.
The over is on runs of 7-3 for UConn overall, 15-6 for Marquette in Big East play and 2-0 in this rivalry.
ATS ADVANTAGE: OVER
(11) Michigan State (15-2, 5-6-2 ATS) at Minnesota (12-4, 7-4 ATS)
Minnesota welcomes a Top 25 league rival to The Barn in Minneapolis for the second time this week, as No. 11 Michigan State visits looking to sweep the season series.
The Gophers had No. 9 Indiana on the ropes all night on Thursday, but couldn’t get over the hump late, falling 65-60 as a one-point home underdog. Minnesota had won two in a row and covered the spread in three straight games – all in Big Ten action – prior to Thursday’s setback.
Michigan State bounced back from a horrific 43-36 loss at Iowa as a 10-point chalk with Thursday’s 66-60 win over Ohio State. However, despite jumping out to a 27-7 lead, the Spartans failed to cover as an 8½-point home favorite, dropping to 0-5 ATS in their last five (0-4 ATS in Big Ten play).
The Gophers went to East Lansing on Jan. 5 and gave Michigan State a scare before losing 65-59, but cashing as an 11-point road underdog. That snapped a string of five straight double-digit margins of victory in this rivalry. The Spartans have dominated Minnesota in recent years, winning eight of the last 10, but going just 5-5 ATS.
The home team is 8-2 SU in the last 10 meetings and 10-3 ATS in the last 13, with the Gophers cashing in five of the last six series clashes in The Barn.
Minnesota had won its first eight home games (4-1 ATS) prior to the loss to Indiana. Meanwhile, Michigan State is 3-2 in road/neutral-site games (2-1-2 ATS).
Both teams are similar statistically, with Michigan State averaging 74.6 points per game and Minnesota scoring 74.4 ppg. Defensively, the Spartans give up 62.2 ppg, compared with the Gophers’ 61.2 ppg.
Minnesota is just 2-8 ATS in its last 10 Sunday games, while the Spartans are on a 7-3 ATS roll on Sunday.
Going back to last year, Michigan State has failed to cover in six consecutive Big Ten contests.
The under is on runs of 19-7 for Michigan State on the road, 17-6-2 for Michigan State in Big Ten action (3-1 this year), 6-2 for Minnesota in league play (2-2 this year) and 5-1 in this rivalry (3-0 in the last three).
ATS ADVANTAGE: MINNESOTA and UNDER
Oregon (12-5, 8-6-1 ATS) at (8) Washington State (15-1, 10-5 ATS)
Oregon will try to avoid getting swept out of the state of Washington, but it doesn’t figure to be easy as the Ducks face an eighth-ranked Cougars squad that’s already crushed an Oregon school this week.
The Ducks went to Seattle on Thursday with a three-game SU and ATS winning streak, all in Pac-10 play, but fell to Washington 78-70 as a two-point home underdog. The straight-up winner has covered the pointspread in all five of Oregon’s league games.
Washington State bounced back from its first loss of the season – last Saturday’s 81-74 setback at No. 5 UCLA – with a 69-46 rout of pathetic Oregon State, cashing as a hefty 18½-point home chalk. The Cougars are 3-1 SU and ATS in the Pac-10, with the winner cashing in all four contests.
Oregon has owned this rivalry, winning 21 of the last 22 meetings, including the last 13 in a row. The Ducks have been covering numbers against Washington State, too, going 9-1 ATS in the last 10 meetings (5-0 ATS in the last five) and 5-0 ATS in their last five visits to Pullman. Last year, Oregon prevailed 77-74 in overtime as a four-point road underdog and 64-59 as a 2½-point home chalk.
The Cougars, who have given up more than 64 points just twice all year, continue to lead the nation in scoring defense, surrendering an average of just 52.1 ppg. Today, they face an Oregon squad that pours in 80.1 ppg overall and has scored at least 70 points in all four of its league games (76 ppg average).
Washington State is perfect through seven home games (4-2 ATS). However, the Cougars are just 1-4 ATS in their last five Sunday outings.
Oregon is 4-5 on the highway (4-4 ATS), and going back to last season, the Ducks are 4-9 ATS away from home. On the bright side, they’re on positive ATS streaks of 9-2 in Pac-10 play, 4-1 against teams with a winning record, 5-1-1 on Sundays and 5-1 following a non-cover.
Oregon has stayed under the total in three straight games, and the under is 5-1 in Washington State’s six at home. The under is also 37-18-1 in the lat 56 games inside the Wallis Beasley Performing Arts Coliseum.
ATS ADVANTAGE: OREGON and UNDER
gametimepicks.com
Sunday’s Pregame Buzz
New Jersey Nets at Phoenix Suns
* Nets are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 vs. Pacific Division.
* Suns are 3-9 ATS in their last 12 home games.
* Home team is 10-3-1 ATS in the last 14 meetings.
* Favorite is 6-2-1 ATS in the last 9 meetings.
* The OVER is 6-2 in New Jersey's last 8 vs. Pacific Division.
* The OVER is is 11-0 in Phoenix's last 11 vs. Eastern Conference.
* The OVER is 25-10 in Phoenix's last 35 Sunday games.
CBB
#13 Marquette at Connecticut
* Marquette is 2-8 ATS in its last 10 road games.
* UConn is 7-20 ATS in its last 27 games overall.
* UConn is 4-9 ATS in its last 13 Sunday games.
* The OVER is 15-6 in Marquette's last 21 games vs. Big East.
* The OVER is 7-3 in UConn's last 10 games overall.
Penn State at #10 Indiana
* Indiana is 3-10 ATS in its last 13 games vs. Big Ten.
* Indiana is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 Sunday games.
#11 Michigan State at Minnesota
* Michigan State is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 Sunday games.
* Minnesota is 2-8 ATS in its last 10 Sunday games.
* Home team is 10-3 ATS in the last 13 meetings.
* The UNDER is 6-2 in Minnesota's last 8 vs. Big Ten.
* The UNDER is 17-6-2 in Michigan States last 25 games vs. Big Ten.
* The UNDER is 19-7-1 in Michigan State's last 27 road games.
Oregon at #8 Washington State
* Oregon is 9-2 ATS in its last 11 vs. Pacific-10.
* Oregon is 4-9 ATS in its last 13 road games.
* The UNDER is 37-18-1 in Washington State's last 56 home games.
PREGAME.COM
New Jersey Nets vs. Phoenix Suns
- The New Jersey Nets and the Phoenix Suns will both be gunning for a victory on Sunday when they meet at US Airways Center.
New Jersey had 17 turnovers in Saturday's 120-107 overtime loss to the Clippers, falling as 1-point road favorites. The 227 points scored were OVER the posted total of 186.
Richard Jefferson was 11-for-13 from the foul line for 21 points, while Vince Carter netted 20 points for the Nets.
Phoenix nailed 11 three-pointers in Friday's 115-95 win over Minnesota, covering the 13.5-point home spread. The 210 points scored were OVER the posted total of 210.5.
Amare Stoudamire notched 23 points and 11 rebounds, while Steve Nash added 17 points and 13 assists for the Suns.
Current streak:
New Jersey has lost 4 straight games.
Phoenix has won 2 straight games.
Team records:
New Jersey: 18-21 SU, 15-23-1 ATS
Phoenix: 28-12 SU, 17-22-1 ATS
New Jersey most recently:
When playing on Sunday are 6-4
Before playing Sacramento are 2-8
After playing LA Clippers are 5-5
After a loss are 4-6
Phoenix most recently:
When playing on Sunday are 9-1
Before playing Milwaukee are 5-5
After playing Minnesota are 8-2
After a win are 5-5
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of New Jersey's last 7 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
New Jersey is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
New Jersey is 2-4-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Phoenix
New Jersey is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Phoenix's last 5 games at home
Phoenix is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against New Jersey
Phoenix is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games at home
Phoenix is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing New Jersey
Next up:
New Jersey at Sacramento, Tuesday, January 22
Phoenix at Milwaukee, Tuesday, January 22
NBA Today
SCOREBOARD Sunday, Jan. 20
New Jersey at Phoenix (8 p.m. EST). The Suns have won nine of their last 12 games.
HEAT STROKE
Portland beat Miami 98-91 on Friday night to extend the Heat's losing streak to 12 games, which matches the third-longest in franchise history. The Heat last won on Dec. 22, and their 8-30 record is the worst in the Eastern Conference.
ROAD WOES
Five Phoenix players scored 17 points or more Friday night in the Suns' 115-95 rout of Minnesota, the Timberwolves' 15th consecutive loss on the road. The Timberwolves fell to 1-19 on the road.
STREAKING
Antawn Jamison scored 32 points and stretched his free-throw streak to an NBA season-high 54 Friday night, leading the Washington Wizards to a 111-98 victory over New York.
SLUMPING
Memphis Grizzlies sent the Seattle SuperSonics to their ninth straight loss, 124-100 on Friday night. Seattle had not lost nine straight since early in the 1972-73 season.
STRONG IN DEFEAT
Dwyane Wade scored 37 points and set a team record for points in a third quarter with 20 but Miami lost to Portland 98-91 on Friday night.
SPEAKING
''I figured if they're going to boo me, I'm going to love 'em. I love Detroit.'' - Sacramento's Ron Artest after helping the Kings to a 100-93 victory over Detroit on Friday night. Artest, who was suspended 73 games after instigating a November 2004 brawl at The Palace of Auburn Hills, came off the bench to score 18 points.
ASSOCIATED PRESS