Sunday's Slate
There are 23 games on the college basketball board for Sunday, giving gamblers a large number of opportunities as the gaming week comes to a close. Let’s take a look at a few of the key matchups.
**Michigan at Michigan State**
--Las Vegas Sports Consultants opened Michigan State (17-2 straight up, 7-6 against the spread) as a 17-point favorite with a total of 131. The Spartans return home in this spot after back-to-back wins both SU and ATS on the road. They are off a 78-62 win at Northwestern as 10-point favorites.
--Michigan (5-14 SU, 4-13 ATS) has been one of nation’s best teams to fade this season, burning their backers at a furious pace. However, the Wolverines took the cash and nearly pulled an upset in their last outing, a 64-61 loss at Wisconsin as 17 ½-point underdogs.
--Michigan St. is undefeated in 12 games at the Breslin Center, but it has a shaky 3-5 ATS mark at home.
--Tom Izzo’s team has been abysmal in double-digit favorite spots, compiling a 2-5 ATS record. Likewise, the Wolverines have limped to a 2-5 spread mark as double-digit underdogs.
--The ‘over’ is 4-1 in Michigan’s last five games, 11-6 overall.
--The ‘over’ is 8-7 overall for the Spartans, 5-3 in their home assignments.
--CBS will provide television coverage at 1:00 p.m. Eastern.
**Vanderbilt at Florida**
--The two-time defending national champions were expected to go quietly in a 2007-2008 campaign that was supposed to be of the rebuilding variety. Thing is, Florida (17-3 SU, 8-3 ATS) doesn’t rebuild these days, it reloads. Billy Donovan went with an unusually soft non-conference schedule to rack up wins and build this young team’s confidence in hopes of getting it ready for SEC play. The strategy has worked like a charm, as UF goes into Sunday’s SEC East showdown with a 4-1 record in SEC action.
--The Gators have covered the spread in six consecutive games. They are 3-1 ATS as single-digit favorites.
--Vanderbilt (17-2 SU, 9-9 ATS) won its first 16 games before losing in back-to-back contests at Kentucky and at Tennessee. The Commodores ended that two-game slide last Saturday by knocking off LSU by a 92-76 count as 10 ½-point home favorites. All five Vandy starters scored in double figures, paced by 18 points apiece from Shan Foster and Alex Gordon.
--Vandy’s Derrick Byars was the SEC Player of the Year last season. With Byars graduating after Vandy’s second trip to the Sweet 16 under Kevin Stallings, Foster is now making his bid for conference accolades. Foster leads the SEC in scoring at a 20.1 points per game clip. Australian freshman A.J. Ogilvy is fifth in the SEC in scoring (18.5 PPG) and 11th in rebounding (6.8 RPG).
--UF collected a 73-71 win Wednesday at South Carolina, taking the cash as a one-point road ‘chalk.’ Marreese Speights played his best game of the year, dominating the paint in a 22-point, 13-rebound effort. Nick Calathes added 21 points, four rebounds and four assists.
--Calathes, the two-time Mr. Basketball in the state of Florida, is a freshman from out of Orlando, the same city that produced Ole Miss freshman guard Chris Warren, who is battling with Calathes and Ogilvy for SEC Freshman of the Year honors. Calathes is averaging a team-high 16.0 PPG that’s good for 10th in the SEC. He leads the league in assists at 5.9 per game.
--Vandy leads the SEC in scoring with 84.9 PPG, while the Gators are fourth in the SEC at 80.8 PPG.
--Vandy is winless both SU and ATS in a pair of previous underdog spots (at UK and at UT). The Commodores are also 3-6 ATS in their last nine games.
--These schools split a pair of meetings last year, but Vandy took the cash in both encounters.
--The ‘over’ is 12-6 overall for Vandy, 6-5 overall for UF. Also, the ‘over’ is on a 7-3 run in the last 10 head-to-head meetings between these long-time conference rivals.
--LVSC opened the Gators as five-point home favorites with a total of 154.
**Duke at Maryland**
--LVSC sent out Duke (16-1 SU, 10-6 ATS) as a five-point ‘chalk’ with a total of 147. The Blue Devils bring a six-game winning streak to College Park. They are also looking for a fifth consecutive spread cover.
--Maryland (12-7 SU, 5-9 ATS) has dominated this rivalry recently, winning five of the last seven games both SU and ATS. Dominate might be a stretch, but it’s extremely rare for any team to take five of seven from the Blue Devils since the mid-1980s.
--The Terrapins pulled a shocker in their most recent outing, last Saturday’s 82-80 victory at North Carolina. They collected the outright win as 18-point underdogs. James Gist (22 points, 13 rebounds) and Greivis Vasquez (12 points, 11 assists) led the way with double-double performances.
--Duke has by double-digit margins in its last six games, including Thursday’s 81-64 win at Virginia Tech as a nine-point road favorite. Kyle Singler led the Blue Devils with a team-high 16 points and nine rebounds.
--Maryland has a 3-2 spread record in five games as an underdog this season. On the other hand, Duke is 5-3 versus the number as a single-digit favorite.
--Dating back to last season, the ‘under’ is on a 14-3 run in Maryland’s home games. The Terrapins have seen the ‘under’ go 6-2 at home this year.
--The ‘under’ is on a 5-2 run for Duke, but the ‘over’ has appeared in its last two outings.
--Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Eastern on FSN.
**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**
--I thought it was bad when ESPN’s Lee Corso called for UCF to pull his “biggest upset” of the bowl season. Of course, UCF was a three-point favorite over Mississippi State, and George O’Leary’s team ended up losing the game. But that was nothing compared to ESPN’s Jay Bilas and Digger Phelps on Saturday’s hoops version of College GameDay. At the top of the telecast, Rece Davis directed the three analysts (Herb Davis was the other) to identify their “upset alerts.” Bilas replied that he “liked the Bulldogs to pull the upset at home over Ole Miss.” Here’s the problem: Mississippi State was the favorite – by six points! As for Phelps, he wasn’t quite as bad, but he did call for West Virginia to pull an upset over Georgetown. The Mountaineers were three-point favorites. C’mon fellas, get a clue!
--Xavier and UMass will square off Sunday at noon Eastern in a key Atlantic-10 matchup. The A-10 has been down recently with the demise of Temple and St. Joseph’s failure to live up to the standards set by Jameer Nelson and Co. a few years back. However, the league has four teams that are legitimately in the running for an NCAA Tournament bid. Dayton and Rhode Island are two of ‘em, while the Minutemen and Muskateers are the others. LVSC opened Xavier as a three-point road favorite for Sunday’s showdown at UMass.
--For bettors chasing late games Sunday, the Northwestern-Illinois contest will be the last to tip at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. The Illini is a 13-point home favorite. There was no total as of late Saturday night, but we should note that the ‘under’ has cashed in five straight Illinois-Northwestern meetings.
VegasInsider.com
ASA: News and Notes
No. 1 Memphis: The Memphis basketball program accomplished something it hasn’t done in a quarter century this week. The Tigers were voted the No. 1 team in the country, aided greatly by Maryland’s upset of North Carolina. They’ll get their first big test as the country’s top-ranked team when they host Gonzaga Saturday. Memphis needed overtime to beat Gonzaga last year but was unable to cover the 4.5-point spread in the one-point win.
No. 5 North Carolina: The Tar Heels are 2-3 ATS in their last five games and much of that has to do with the odds-makers not taking North Carolina’s struggling defense into consideration. The Heels have fallen to 251st in the country with 71.8 points allowed per game and have surrendered 84 points per game in those three ATS losses. North Carolina is going to continue to have problems covering these big spreads, like the 18-point spread against Maryland, if it can’t play better defense.
No. 7 Indiana: With Eric Gordon and D.J. White demanding much of the opposition’s attention, the Hoosiers need an outside threat to step up to help spread the defense. Enter Lance Stemler. The senior forward has utilized a pregame ritual – 100 three-pointers prior to every game – to shoot 8-of-16 from that range over his last eight games. More shooting like that will make Indiana’s 32nd-ranked scoring offense even more dangerous.
No. 8 UCLA: Forwards Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and Lorenzo Mata-Real both suffered first-half concussions in UCLA’s upset loss to USC and were limited to just one minute each in the second half. Each showed improvement the following day and will be monitored on a daily basis.
No. 10 Michigan State: Guard Drew Neitzel had been struggling this year but received a boost from an unexpected source prior in Michigan State’s game with Ohio State. ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews interviewed him before the start of the game with Neitzel stating afterwards, “I was pretty pumped up after talking to her. She gave me that little boost I needed.” Maybe the Spartans should put Andrews on the payroll.
No. 11 Wisconsin: Many experts saw the Badgers falling off this year with the graduation of last year’s leading scorers, Alando Tucker and Kammron Taylor. They may not have any standout scorers but they boast a well-balanced attack. Wisconsin is 6-0 in conference action so far with five different Badgers scoring 20 or more points in each of those wins.
No. 16 Dayton: The Flyers dropped two spots in the most recent AP poll and injuries may lead to a more significant fall. Freshman forward Chris Wright, who is the team’s second-leading scorer and leading rebounder, is out until mid-February with an ankle injury. Junior forward Charles Little, who is fourth on the team in scoring and second in rebounding, is also sidelined with a broken foot. These injuries will likely force Dayton to go with a small lineup until each returns.
No. 17 Mississippi: The Mississippi frontline was missing one of its key pieces Saturday with primary backup big man Jermey Parnell sidelined with a sprained right ankle. Parnell’s stats are nothing spectacular but his absence severely weakens the Rebels’ frontline depth.
No. 21 Marquette: The Golden Eagles have been awful in Big East road play this year, going 0-3 SU and ATS and losing by 17 points per game. Dating back to last year, they’ve lost six straight conference road games outright and ATS with five of the six losses coming by double digits. A big part of the problem this year has been the injured wrist of leading-scorer Dominic James, whose wrist has bothered him since Marquette’s game against Seton Hall Jan. 8. He’s averaging just 9.3 points per game since then.
No. 22 Drake: The Bulldogs survived a three-game absence from leading-scorer Josh Young with wins in each game he missed and celebrated his return with perhaps their biggest win of the season. With Young coming off the bench to play 25 minutes, Drake downed Creighton on the road, snapping a five-game road losing streak to the Blue Jays.
No. 24 Arizona State: Leading-scorer James Harden is listed as questionable for Thursday’s game with Washington after sustaining a groin injury Saturday at Stanford. Harden, who is averaging 18.6 points per game, has been limited to shooting drills and riding the stationary bike this week. He’s a game-time decision.
VegasInsider.com
Sunday's NBA Tip Sheet
By Brad Young
Pro basketball takes center stage Sunday with the Super Bowl still a week away. There are 10 games scheduled, and we’ve taken a closer look at three of the marquee matchups. Saturday was a slow day in the league, featuring just four games while Friday was loaded with 13 outings.
**Cavaliers at Lakers**
-Caesars Palace installed Los Angeles as a 4½-point home ‘chalk’ over Cleveland, with the total set at 204. ABC Sports will provide coverage of this contest beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET.
-Cleveland (23-19 straight up, 19-23 against the spread) had won five games in a row SU and four consecutive contests ATS before falling to Phoenix Friday as a 1½-point home underdog, 110-108. The combined 218 points eclipsed the 212-point closing total, helping the ‘over’ improve to 4-1 the past five games.
-The Cavaliers jumped out to a 69-56 halftime advantage, and finished the contest by outrebounding the Suns, 41-33. However, Cleveland lost by allowing Phoenix to shoot 54 percent (36-of-67) from the field. LeBron James led all scorers with 36 points on 14-of-30 shooting, while Zydrunas Ilgauskas added 21 and 10 rebounds in the setback.
-The Cavs are 10-12 SU and 12-10 ATS on the road, dropping those affairs by an average score of 98-93. Cleveland begins a three-game West Coast road trip with this matchup, concluding against Portland and Seattle.
-Los Angeles (27-14 SU, 23-17 ATS) is mired in a two-game SU losing skid after falling to Dallas Friday as a seven-point road underdog, 112-105. The combined 217 points went ‘over’ the 205-point closing total, snapping three consecutive ‘under’ outings.
-It was a close contest until the Lakers were outscored by the Mavericks in the third quarter, 35-19. Los Angeles was outrebounded, 41-37, but shot a blistering 56 percent (36-of-64) from the field.
-Kobe Bryant stepped up with 40 points and 10 rebounds in the setback, while Jordan Farmer contributed 18 and five assists off the bench. Starters Lamar Odom and Luke Walton added just eight points in 55 minutes.
-The Lakers are 16-6 SU and 13-9 ATS at Staples Center, winning those affairs by an average score of 109-101. Los Angeles wraps up a brief two-game homestand Tuesday versus New York before going on a lengthy nine-game road trip.
-Cleveland is 4-0 SU and 3-1 ATS the previous four meetings with the Lakers after winning the lone encounter this season December 20 as a 2½-point home underdog, 94-90. The combined 184 points failed to eclipse the 204½-point closing total, helping the ‘under’ improve to 3-1 the last four games in this series.
-Cleveland forward Donyell Marshall (finger) and guard/forward Sasha Pavlovic (foot) are ‘out’ against the Lakers. Los Angeles center Andrew Bynum (knee), guard/forward Trevor Ariza (foot) and forward Vladimir Radmanovic (ankle) are ‘out.’
**Celtics at Magic**
-Caesars Palace opened Boston as a three-point road favorite over Orlando, with the total set at 194. This contest is scheduled to start at 6:05 p.m. ET.
-Boston (34-7 SU, 24-15 ATS) improved to 4-1 SU its last five games after slipping past Minnesota Friday as a 13½-point home ‘chalk,’ 87-86. That marked the second game in a row that the Celtics failed to cover. The combined 173 points went ‘under’ the 191-point closing total, ending a string of four consecutive ‘over’ outings.
-Boston dominated the Timberwolves on the boards, 47-35, while shooting 42 percent (29-of-69) from the field. Four starters reached double digits in scoring, led by Kendrick Perkins 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting while Kevin Garnett added 10 and 16 rebounds.
-The Celtics sport a 15-3 SU and 11-5 ATS road record, winning those affairs by an average score of 99-91. Boston concludes its brief two-game road trip with Tuesday’s matchup against Miami.
-Orlando (27-18 SU, 28-16 ATS) had strung together three victories in a row SU and ATS before falling to Detroit Friday as a seven-point road underdog, 101-93. The combined 194 points slithered ‘over’ the 193-point closing total, helping the ‘over’ improve to 2-1 the past three games.
-The Magic never recovered after falling into a 39-18 first-quarter deficit, and were dominated the entire game on the boards, 49-31. Orlando shot 44 percent (31-of-70) from the field, led by Hedu Turkoglu’s 23 points and Dwight Howard’s 22 and 14 rebounds.
-The Magic are 10-8 SU and 9-8 ATS on their home court, prevailing by an average score of 102-99. Orlando wraps up a brief two-game homestand with Wednesday’s matchup against Miami.
-Boston and Orlando have split the season series this year, with both home teams prevailing SU and ATS. The Celtics triumphed Dec. 23 as a 9 ½-point home ‘chalk,’ 103-91, while the Magic prevailed Nov. 18 as a one-point home favorite, 104-102.
-Boston forward James Posey (finger) and forward Brian Scalabrine (flu) are ‘questionable’ against the Magic, while center Scot Pollard (ankle) is ‘out.’ Orlando guard Keyon Dooling (knee) is ‘probable’ versus the Celtics, while guard Jameer Nelson (foot) is ‘doubtful.’
**Knicks at Warriors**
-Caesars Palace lists Golden State as a 10½-point home ‘chalk’ over New York, with the total set at 216. This matchup is slated to start at 216.
-New York (14-28 SU, 19-23 ATS) has alternated SU and ATS wins and losses the last five games after upending Philadelphia Friday as a 2 ½-point home favorite, 89-81. The combined 170 points never seriously threatened the 194½-point closing total, helping the ‘under’ improve to 2-1 the past three games.
-The Knicks prevailed by outrebounding the Sixers, 44-38, while shooting 46 percent (35-of-76) from the field. Jamal Crawford netted 18 points on 6-of-19 shooting, while Zach Randolph added 16 and 15 rebounds.
-New York is 4-14 SU and 9-9 ATS on the road, with the ‘over’ going 13-5. The Knicks have been losing those affairs by an average score of 103-94. New York begins a five-game West Coast road trip with this contest.
-Golden State (26-18 SU, 20-23 ATS) improved to 3-1 SU its last four games after outlasting New Jersey Thursday as a 9 ½-point home ‘chalk,’ 121-119. That marked the second game in a row that the Warriors failed to cover. The combined 240 points eclipsed the 217-point closing total, helping the ‘over’ cash the fifth consecutive contest.
-Golden State was dominated on the boards, 60-40, but prevailed by shooting 51 percent (42-of-83) from the field. Monta Ellis paced the offense with 39 points, while Baron Davis added 25, 12 rebounds and 10 assists.
-The Warriors are 12-8 SU and 8-12 ATS at home, with the ‘over’ going 13-7. Golden State has been winning those affairs by an average score of 113-109. The Warriors follow this contest with a two-game road trip against Houston and New Orleans.
-Golden State is 4-1 SU and 3-2 ATS the previous five meetings with New York after winning the lone meeting this season Nov. 20 as a two-point road underdog, 108-82. The combined 190 points never seriously threatened the 220-point closing total, enabling the ‘under’ to improve to 4-1 the last five games in this series.
-New York guard Fred Jones (flu) is ‘questionable’ against the Warriors. Golden State guard/forward Mickael Pietrus (flu) is ‘probable’ against the Knicks.
vegasinsider.com
Sunday’s Pregame Buzz
NBA
Phoenix Suns at Chicago Bulls
* Bulls are 6-22 ATS in their last 28 vs. Pacific Division.
* Bulls are 3-9 ATS in their last 12 home games.
* Favorite is 7-2 ATS in the last 9 meetings.
* Home team is 7-3 ATS in the last 10 meetings.
* The OVER is 14-2 in Phoenix's last 16 games vs. Eastern Conference.
* The OVER is 20-7 in Phoenix's last 27 games vs. Central Division.
* The OVER is 12-5 in Phoenix's last 17 Sunday games.
* The UNDER is 6-2 in Chicago's last 8 Sunday games.
Boston Celtics at Orlando Magic
* Celtics are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 Sunday games.
* Celtics are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 game vs. NBA Southeast Division.
* Celtics are 45-17-1 ATS in their last 63 road games.
* Magic are 7-21 ATS in their last 28 Sunday games.
* Home team is 20-7 ATS in the last 27 meetings.
* Favorite is 19-7 ATS in the last 26 meetings.
* The OVER is 9-3 in Orlando's last 12 games vs. Atlantic Division.
Cleveland Cavaliers at Los Angeles Lakers
* Cleveland has won the last 4 meetings with LA, going 3-1 ATS.
* The UNDER is 8-3 in Cleveland's last 11 Sunday games.
* The UNDER is 36-15-1 in LA's last 52 vs. Central Division.
Denver Nuggets at Dallas Mavericks
* Nuggets are 2-9 ATS in their last 11 games vs. Southwest Division.
* Nuggets are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 Sunday games.
* Home team is 6-2 ATS in the last 8 meetings.
* The UNDER is 21-8 in Denver's last 29 games vs. Southwest Division.
* The UNDER is 44-19 in Dallas last 63 games vs. Northwest Division.
* The UNDER is 10-4 in the last 14 meetings.
New York Knicks at Golden State Warriors
* Warriors are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 home games.
* The OVER is 10-1 in New York's last 11 road games.
* The OVER is 9-4 in New York's last 13 overall.
CBB
Michigan at #10 Michigan State
* Michigan State is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games vs. Big Ten.
* Michigan is 3-13 ATS in its last 16 games overall.
* Michigan is 7-19-2 ATS in its last 28 road games.
* The OVER is 8-3 in Michigan's last 11 road games.
* The OVER is 6-2 in Michigan State's last 8 home games.
* The UNDER is 17-8-2 in Michigan State's last 27 games vs. Big Ten.
#3 Duke at Maryland
* Duke is riding a 6-game winning streak, covering the last 4.
* Maryland is 5-2 both SU & ATS in the last 7 meetings with Duke, including a series sweep last year.
* Maryland is 2-7 ATS in its last 9 home games.
* The OVER is 6-2 in Duke's last 8 games vs. ACC.
* The UNDER is 7-1 in Duke's last 8 Sunday games.
* The UNDER is 14-3 in Maryland's last 17 home games.
Pregame.com
This weekend’s college basketball cheat sheet
COVERS.com
Xavier at Massachusetts
The Musketeers have won seven of their last eight games thanks to their powerful offense. Drew Lavender and B.J. Raymond lead the team with 12.4 and 12.0 points per game respectively, but six other Xavier players average double figures in points per contest.
The Minutemen have proved to be extremely dangerous opponents. They traveled to Syracuse and handed the Orange a stunning 107-100 loss in November and more recently ended Dayton’s 13-game unbeaten streak. UMass has won two straight conference games and could take the lead in the Atlantic 10 with a win on Sunday.
Vanderbilt at Florida
Vanderbilt lost two straight games ahead of last weekend’s meeting with Louisiana State, thanks to poor offensive performances. But they bounced back in style in the 92-76 win over the Fighting Tigers, with all five starters scoring in double figures.
A young Gators team has won five of their last six games, covering the spread in five straight. Freshman guard Nick Calathes is the driving force behind Florida’s success this season. He has team highs in points (15.7), assists (5.9) and steals (1.5) and he put up a season-high 24 points in his last game.
Duke at Maryland
Duke could be unbeaten for the season if it had a little more luck in its Dec. 20 overtime loss to Pittsburgh. As it stands, the Blue Devils are 5-1 and have blown past Clemson, Florida State and Virginia in the past few weeks, to go one game clear at the top of the ACC standings.
This season has been more of a challenge for the 12-7 Terrapins. They lost four of their six games in December, including a run of three straight losses. However, the season high point came last weekend when they upset then unbeaten North Carolina as whopping 18-point underdogs. The Terps won and covered both home and away against the Blue Devils last season.
(23) Xavier (16-4, 8-8 ATS) at UMass (13-5, 8-6-1 ATS)
Xavier will try to stay tied atop the Atlantic 10 Conference standings when it heads east to battle the Minutemen at the Mullins Center.
The Musketeers routed No. 16 Dayton 69-43 in an A-10 clash on Thursday, easily covering as an 11-point home favorite to snap an 0-4 ATS slide. Xavier is 4-1 in league action, a half-game behind St. Joe’s, but just 1-4 ATS.
UMass had a two-game winning streak halted in Wednesday’s 81-77 loss at St. Joe’s. However, the Minutemen stayed within the 6½-point spread and are 2-0-1 ATS in their last three, with both spread-covers coming as an underdog. UMass is 2-2 in the Atlantic-10 (2-1-1 ATS).
The Musketeers topped UMass 83-77 in last year’s lone meeting, pushing as a six-point home chalk. Xavier is 6-2 in the last eight in this series, but only 4-3-1 ATS, all as a favorite. In fact, the chalk has cashed in seven of the last nine battles.
Xavier is 0-3 ATS as a favorite of seven points or less this year. The Musketeers are also 1-3 ATS in their last four on the highway.
UMass is 7-3-1 ATS in its last 11 conference games going back to last year. The Minutemen are also 8-1 on their own floor this season, but just 2-4-1 ATS in lined contests.
The over is on runs of 13-5 for UMass overall, 9-2 for UMass at home and 2-0 in this rivalry.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UMASS and OVER
(14) Vanderbilt (17-2, 9-9 ATS) at Florida (17-3, 8-3 ATS)
The red-hot Gators shoot for their third straight win, all in conference play, when they host a Vanderbilt team that’s winless on the road in conference play.
Florida has been involved in three consecutive nail-biters, losing 89-87 at Ole Miss on Jan. 16, then bouncing back with an 81-70 home win over Kentucky and a 73-71 victory at South Carolina. The Gators cashed in all three games, and they’re 6-0 ATS in their last six lined contests (5-0 ATS in SEC play). Overall, Billy Donovan’s squad is on a 6-1 SU roll.
The Commodores ended a two-game slide with a 92-76 home win over LSU on Jan. 19, cashing as 10½-point favorites. The two-game slide came at SEC foes Kentucky (79-73 in overtime as a one-point underdog) and Tennessee (80-60 as 11½-point pups). Vandy is 2-2 in league play (1-3 ATS).
Vanderbilt snapped a seven-game losing streak to Florida with last February’s 83-70 victory as a six-point underdog. The Gators are still 5-3 ATS (all as a favorite) in the last eight meetings dating back to 2004.
Vandy is just 3-6 ATS in its last nine overall, 1-3 ATS in SEC action but the Commodores are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 Sunday tip-offs.
Florida is riding high on ATS streaks of 16-5 overall, 9-0 against SEC rivals and 8-2 at home.
The Gators are 13-1 SU in front of the home fans this season (4-1 ATS in lined games). They average 84.3 points per game in Gainesville while shooting 53.2 percent from the field.
The over is 7-3 in the last 10 head-to-head meetings, 19-9 in Vanderbilt’s last 28 overall and 5-2 in Florida’s last seven overall. However the last three series clashes at Florida have stayed low.
ATS ADVANTAGE: FLORIDA and OVER
(4) Duke (16-1, 10-6 ATS) at Maryland (12-7, 5-9 ATS)
The Blue Devils head to Maryland looking to snap a two-game losing streak against their ACC rival Terrapins, who are coming off one of their biggest victories in years.
Maryland swept the season series last year, winning 72-60 as a one-point home underdog and 85-77 as a seven-point road pup. Going back to the 2003-04 campaign, Maryland has won five of the last seven meetings with Duke, with the straight-up winner covering the spread in all seven contests.
The Terps went to North Carolina last Saturday and handed the then-No. 1 Tar Heels their first loss of the season, escaping 82-80 as 18-point road underdogs. Gary Williams’ team is on a 6-1 SU roll, going 4-1 ATS in lined games.
The Blue Devils come into this one riding a six-game winning streak (4-2 ATS), and they’re unbeaten in ACC action (4-0 SU and ATS). Duke went to Virginia Tech on Thursday and beat the Hokies 81-64 as a nine-point chalk, improving to 2-0 SU and ATS in ACC road games.
This one figures to be a defensive battle, as Duke holds the opposition to 61.7 points per game and 36.9 percent shooting on the road, while Maryland yields just 59.8 ppg and 34.9 percent from the field at home.
At home, Maryland is 10-3 SU, but just 2-6 ATS. The Terps are on further ATS slides of 3-7 at home against teams with a winning road record and 0-4 following a spread-cover.
Duke is 7-1 away from home (3-0 in true road games), but just 3-5 ATS.
The under is 14-3 in Maryland’s last 17 in front of the home fans (6-2 this year), 5-2 in the Blue Devils’ last seven overall and 7-1 in Duke’s last eight Sunday games.
ATS ADVANTAGE: MARYLAND and UNDER
Boston (34-7, 25-15-1 ATS) at Orlando (27-18, 29-16 ATS)
The Celtics head south to battle the Magic in Orlando, where they haven’t won in more than two years and are just 1-4 ATS since 2006.
Boston barely escaped at home against the lowly Timberwolves on Friday, eking out an 87-86 victory but coming up well short as 14-point favorites. The Celtics have won four of five overall, but they’ve followed a 3-0 ATS roll with back-to-back non-covers (both at home).
Orlando had a three-game SU and ATS winning streak halted in Friday’s 101-93 loss at Detroit, just missing as a seven-point underdog. The Magic have rattled off three straight wins at home (3-0 ATS), but they’re sill just 10-8 ATS in front of their own fans for the season.
Boston rattled off eight straight wins (7-1 ATS) to open the season, then went to Orlando on Nov. 18 and lost 104-102, failing as 1½-point favorites, their third consecutive setback at Amway Arena. The Celtics got some revenge on Dec. 23 when they scored a 103-91 home win as a 9½-point chalk.
The home team has won five straight in this series (4-1 ATS) and is 20-7 ATS in the last 27 meetings. The last visitor to win a game in this rivalry was in 2006, when Orlando prevailed 92-89 in Boston.
Boston is 12-5-1 ATS on the road this season and 45-17-1 in its last 63 on the highway, and the C’s are also 6-2 ATS in their last eight Sunday tip-offs. Conversely, the Magic have cashed in just seven of their last 28 on Sunday.
The Celtics are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 when playing on one day of rest, while Orlando is just 2-5 ATS in its last seven in that spot.
Boston is mired in a 4-13 ATS slump when favored by less than five points and now faces a Magic squad that’s 10-4 ATS in its last 14 as a home underdog.
The over is 4-1 in Boston’s last five overall, 9-3 in the Magic’s last 12 against Atlantic Division foes and 2-0 in the two head-to-head meetings this season.
ATS ADVANTAGE: ORLANDO and OVER
Cleveland (23-19, 19-23 ATS) at L.A. Lakers (27-14, 23-17-1 ATS)
LeBron James brings the Cavaliers into Hollywood for a superstar matchup with Kobe Bryant and the Lakers inside the Staples Center.
Cleveland had a five-game winning streak (4-1 ATS) snapped Friday when the Suns’ Shawn Marion hit a floater at the buzzer to win the game 110-108, with Phoenix getting the narrow cover as a 1½-point road favorite.
The Lakers are coming off an 0-2 Texas road swing, falling to San Antonio 103-91 on Wednesday as eight-point underdogs and then losing in Dallas on Friday 112-105, pushing as seven-point pups. Los Angeles has dropped three of four overall (1-2-1 ATS) and has followed up a 13-4 ATS run by going 1-5-1 ATS in its last seven (1-3 ATS at home).
Cleveland has won four straight against Los Angeles (3-1 ATS), including a 94-90 home win on Dec. 20, covering as two-point favorites. The Cavs also prevailed in their most recent visit to Staples Center last season, pulling off a 114-108 upset as 7½-point ‘dogs.
The Cavs, who are averaging 109.6 points in their last five games, are on ATS runs of 24-10 as a road underdog, 5-1 against a team with a winning record and 4-1 on the road.
Los Angeles, which pours in 109 ppg on its home floor, is on ATS streaks of 13-8 at Staples Center, 6-1 at home against teams with a losing road mark, 5-0-1 following a SU road loss and 5-2 against Central Division foes.
The under is on runs of 36-15-1 for the Lakers against the Central Division, 6-3 for the Lakers overall, 8-3 for the Cavs on Sundays and 6-3 in this series. On the flip side, Cleveland has topped the total in five of its last six overall.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER
Denver (26-16, 21-21 ATS) at Dallas (29-13, 18-21-3 ATS)
Two of the hottest teams in the Western Conference hook up at American Airlines Arena, where the Mavs will seek a bit of revenge against the Nuggets, one of just three visitors to win in Dallas this year.
The Nuggets are coming off back-to-back home wins over the Hawks on Wednesday (107-100) and the Nets on Friday (100-85), covering the spread in both contests. Denver is 11-5 SU in its last 16 and 11-6 ATS in its last 17.
One the downside, George Karl’s squad has dropped four consecutive road games, failing to cover in all four contests. Three of the four road setbacks have come by double digits. For the season, Denver is just 7-11 SU and ATS on the highway.
Dallas takes the floor on a modest two-game winning streak, prevailing 102-95 as a 6½-point road favorite in Charlotte on Wednesday, then holding off the Lakers 112-105 on Friday, pushing as a seven-point home chalk. The Mavs are 1-3-2 ATS in their last six, but they’re on a 15-4 SU roll.
Denver went into American Airlines Arena on Dec. 6 and scored a 122-109 victory as 8½-point underdogs. It was the second straight win and cover or the Nuggets against Dallas, but just their third outright victory in the last 10 series meetings (6-4 ATS). The host has cashed in six of the last eight battles.
The Nuggets are on ATS slides of 1-4 following a SU win and 2-9 against Southwest Division foes.
Dallas is 19-3 SU in front of the home fans but just 10-9-3 ATS. The Mavericks are also on ATS slides of 10-21-2 following a SU win, 2-5 in Sunday games and 9-24-3 when scoring 100 points or more in the previous outing.
The under is 10-4 in the last 14 series meetings, 44-19 in Dallas’ last 63 against Northwest Division opponents and 21-8 in Denver’s last 29 against Southwest Division rivals. However, the over is 5-1 in the Mavs’ last six overall.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER
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Sunday NBA Gameday
Steve Nash and the Suns will be looking to stay on a roll Sunday when they play on the road in Chicago. Here's a look at that matchup and three more in your NBA Gameday:
Phoenix Suns at Chicago Bulls, 1:00pm ET
The Suns have built up a bit of a lead in the Pacific Division again, as they've picked up victories in five of their past six games. Phoenix is coming off a 110-108 road win over the Cavaliers on Friday night, with Nash pouring in 26 points and adding nine assists in the contest. Raja Bell had a team-high 27 points, and Amare Stoudemire tossed in 22.
The Bulls have been going in the opposite direction, having lost five of their past eight outings. Chicago was embarrassed 90-77 at home by the Bobcats on Friday night, with Andres Nocioni scoring a team-high 25 points. Luol Deng will be out another couple weeks with an achilles injury, and Ben Gordon is questionable Sunday with a sore wrist.
Boston Celtics at Orlando Magic, 1:00pm ET
The Celtics fell 114-112 to division-rival Toronto on Wednesday night, but they bounced back with an 87-86 win over Minnesota on Friday night to boost their season record to 34-7. Kendrick Perkins led the way with 21 points against the T-Wolves, and Paul Pierce added 19 points. Kevin Garnett grabbed 16 boards despite a strained abdomen.
Orlando has won four of their past six games to hold onto the lead in the Southeast Division over the Wizards. However, the Magic are coming off a 101-93 loss to the Pistons on the road on Friday night. Hedo Turkoglu had 23 points for Orlando in that defeat, while Dwight Howard scored 22 points and grabbed 14 rebounds on the night.
Cleveland Cavaliers at Los Angeles Lakers, 3:30pm ET
The Cavaliers had their five-game winning streak snapped by the Suns on Friday night, and they'll be looking to start a new one versus the Lakers later on Sunday afternoon. LeBron James scored 36 points in the loss to Phoenix, and he also picked up seven boards and five assists in the contest. Larry Hughes contributed with a 25-point outing.
The Lakers have lost three of their past four games during this tough part of their schedule - they fell to the Suns, Spurs, and Mavericks, and managed to beat the Nuggets. Los Angeles is coming off a 112-105 loss on the road to Dallas, with Kobe Bryant scoring 40 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Jordan Farmar picked up 18 points.
Denver Nuggets at Dallas Mavericks, 6:30pm ET
The Nuggets have won four of their past five games to take a small lead over the Trail Blazers and Jazz in the Northwest Division. Denver is coming off a 100-85 home win over the Nets on Friday night, with Allen Iverson scoring a team-high 30 points in the contest. Carmelo Anthony is questionable to play on Sunday as he nurses a sore ankle.
The Mavericks have been red-hot in January, but that hasn't stopped the Hornets from staying ahead of them in the Southwest Division standings. Dallas has won nine of their 11 games this month, with that win over Los Angeles their most recent result. Josh Howard and Dirk Nowitzki each had 26 points and 10 rebounds in that big Friday win.
NBA Today
SCOREBOARD Sunday, Jan. 27
Denver at Dallas (6:30 p.m. EST). The Mavericks have won 10 of their last 12.
STARS
-Shawn Marion, Suns, dropped in a baseline floater with 1.1 seconds to lead Phoenix to a 110-108 win over Cleveland.
-Marvin Williams, Hawks, scored a career-high 33 points in a 99-90 win over Seattle.
-Kendrick Perkins, Celtics, scored on a putback with 16.6 seconds left to lead Boston to an 87-86 victory over Minnesota.
-Carlos Boozer, Jazz, scored 33 points to lead Utah to a 127-113 win over Sacramento.
DUMPED
Shawn Marion dropped in a baseline floater with 1.1 seconds left for his only field goal and the Phoenix Suns burned Cleveland with a season-high 17 3-pointers in a 110-108 win over the Cavaliers on Friday night. Marion was 0-for-3 from the floor before he took a pass in the corner, dribbled past a defender, and as LeBron James came toward him, arched in his shot on the run to put the Suns ahead.
FALTERING
Marvin Williams scored a career-high 33 points to lead the Atlanta Hawks to a 99-90 win over Seattle on Friday night, tying a SuperSonics franchise record with 13 straight losses. Seattle set the over the final five games of last season and the first eight this season.
SNAPPED
Tracy McGrady had 15 points, Carl Landry added 12 points and eight rebounds and the Houston Rockets stopped the Portland Trail Blazers' home winning streak with an 89-79 win Friday night. Brandon Roy had 16 of his 23 points in the first half for the Blazers, who had won 12 straight at the Rose Garden.
STAT STUFFER
New Jersey's Jason Kidd had his 11th triple-double of the year with 13 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in a 100-85 loss to the Nuggets on Friday night. It was his 98th career triple-double.
STREAKS
Peja Stojakovic hit six 3-pointers and scored 26 points and the New Orleans Hornets won their seventh straight game, 111-92 over the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night. ... In the Wizards' 104-93 win over the Grizzlies, Caron Butler converted three free throws without a miss to extend his streak to 60 in a row - longest in the NBA since Kobe Bryant made 62 straight in 2005-2006. ... The Nets have lost eight straight games, their longest skid in more than three years.
STRONG IN DEFEAT
Kobe Bryant scored 40 points for the Lakers in a 112-105 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night. ... Sacramento's Kevin Martin scored 32 points in a 127-113 loss to the Utah Jazz.
SPEAKING
''That's a veteran team with a lot of pride and we just beat them. I don't know what our guys were expecting from the Pistons, but we certainly weren't ready for them.'' - Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy after a 101-93 loss to the Pistons on Friday night. The Pistons built a large first-half lead that allowed them to cruise to the victory.
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