Free Picks: Service Plays for Thursday February, 16

NCAAB

Wisconsin at Michigan State
The Badgers look to take advantage of a Michigan State team that is 5-17-1 in its last 23 games as a favorite of 1 to 6 1/2 points. Wisconsin is the pick (+6 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Spartans favored by only 2 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Wisconsin (+6 1/2)

Game 707-708: Virginia Tech at Florida State (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Virginia Tech 58.930; Florida State 71.970
Dunkel Line: Florida State by 13; 133
Vegas Line: Florida State by 9; 126
Dunkel Pick: Florida State (-9); Over

Game 709-710: Wisconsin at Michigan State (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Wisconsin 70.349; Michigan State 73.865
Dunkel Line: Michigan State by 2 1/2; 111
Vegas Line: Michigan State by 6 1/2; 114 1/2
Dunkel Pick Wisconsin (+6 1/2); Under

Game 711-712: UL-Lafayette at Denver (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: UL-Lafayette 52.407; Denver 63.926
Dunkel Line: Denver by 11 1/2; 125
Vegas Line: Denver by 9 1/2; 130 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Denver (-9 1/2); Over

Game 713-714: Florida International at Arkansas-Little Rock (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Florida International 52.276; Arkansas-Little Rock 55.588
Dunkel Line: Arkansas-Little Rock by 3 1/2; 119
Vegas Line: Arkansas-Little Rock by 5 1/2; 123 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Florida International (+5 1/2); Under

Game 715-716: UL-Monroe at North Texas (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: UL-Monroe 42.943; North Texas 59.187
Dunkel Line: North Texas by 16; 134
Vegas Line: North Texas by 13 1/2; 138
Dunkel Pick: North Texas (-13 1/2); Under

Game 717-718: Iowa at Penn State (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Iowa 61.318; Penn State 62.559
Dunkel Line: Penn State by 1; 140
Vegas Line: Penn State by 3; 137 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Iowa (+3); Over

Game 719-720: Florida Atlantic at Western Kentucky (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Florida Atlantic 54.979; Western Kentucky 51.281
Dunkel Line: Florida Atlantic by 3 1/2; 128
Vegas Line: Florida Atlantic by 1 1/2; 132
Dunkel Pick: Florida Atlantic (-1 1/2); Under

Game 721-722: Troy at Arkansas State (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Troy 48.298; Arkansas State 51.392
Dunkel Line: Arkansas State by 3; 141
Vegas Line: Arkansas State by 6; 136 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Troy (+6); Over

Game 723-724: Portland at San Diego (8:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Portland 48.734; San Diego 52.857
Dunkel Line: San Diego by 4; 135
Vegas Line: San Diego by 6; 140 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Portland (+6); Under

Game 725-726: Arizona at Washington State (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Arizona 67.394; Washington State 62.323
Dunkel Line: Arizona by 5; 144
Vegas Line: Arizona by 2; 136 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Arizona (-2); Over

Game 727-728: Vanderbilt at Mississippi (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Vanderbilt 68.737; Mississippi 63.554
Dunkel Line: Vanderbilt by 5; 127
Vegas Line: Vanderbilt by 3 1/2; 132
Dunkel Pick: Vanderbilt (-3 1/2); Under

Game 729-730: North Carolina State at Duke (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: North Carolina State 63.427; Duke 70.264
Dunkel Line: Duke by 7; 154
Vegas Line: Duke by 11; 150 1/2
Dunkel Pick: North Carolina State (+11); Over

Game 731-732: Boston College at Maryland (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Boston College 52.322; Maryland 63.293
Dunkel Line: Maryland by 11; 123
Vegas Line: Maryland by 9; 128 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Maryland (-9); Under

Game 733-734: West Virginia at Pittsburgh (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: West Virginia 64.966; Pittsburgh 65.598
Dunkel Line: Pittsburgh by 1; 142
Vegas Line: Pittsburgh by 3; 137
Dunkel Pick: West Virginia (+3); Over

Game 735-736: Oregon State at Stanford (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oregon State 58.303; Stanford 64.105
Dunkel Line: Stanford by 6; 141
Vegas Line: Stanford by 4 1/2; 144 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Stanford (-4 1/2); Under

Game 737-738: BYU at San Francisco (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: BYU 65.895; San Francisco 62.273
Dunkel Line: BYU by 3 1/2; 164
Vegas Line: BYU by 5 1/2; 159
Dunkel Pick: San Francisco (+5 1/2); Over

Game 739-740: Oregon at California (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oregon 60.819; California 73.128
Dunkel Line: California by 12 1/2; 135
Vegas Line: California by 11; 140
Dunkel Pick: California (-11); Under

Game 741-742: Gonzaga at Santa Clara (11:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Gonzaga 65.915; Santa Clara 53.532
Dunkel Line: Gonzaga by 12 1/2; 149
Vegas Line: Gonzaga by 14; 145 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Santa Clara (+14); Over

Game 743-744: Arizona State at Washington (11:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Arizona State 51.180; Washington 63.802
Dunkel Line: Washington by 12 1/2; 137
Vegas Line: Washington by 15 1/2; 132 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Arizona State (+15 1/2); Over

Game 745-746: The Citadel at Western Carolina (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: The Citadel 40.548; Western Carolina 52.285
Dunkel Line: Western Carolina by 11 1/2; 131
Vegas Line: Western Carolina by 9 1/2; 135
Dunkel Pick: Western Carolina (-9 1/2); Under

Marc Lawrence

Iowa at Penn State
Prediction: Iowa

When the Hawkeyes travel to no-so Happy Valley tonight Iowa will take the floor knowing they are 11-4 SU and ATS the last 15 games in this series. Meanwhile the Lions check in off a 16-point revenge win over Nebraska knowing they are 1-6-1 ATS in games off a victory this season. With PSU looking dead ahead to another revenge affair up next against Wisconsin and just 5-14 SU in games against winning teams this season, look for Iowa to improve to 8-0 SU against sub .500 opposition this season here tonight. We recommend a 1-unit play on Iowa.

Matt Fargo

Wisconsin vs. Michigan State
Play: Michigan State -6

Michigan St. is coming off a huge upset at Ohio St. and while some may expect a letdown, there is little chance of that happening. The Spartans are now 9-3 in the Big Ten and sit just a half-game behind the Buckeyes for first place. They meet once again in the season finale which could decide the championship but in order for that to happen, Michigan St. needs to take care of business leading up to that. Their last two losses, both on the road, came by just one point so the record could be even better. Wisconsin in back on track following a three-game losing streak in December and January. The Badgers have won seven of their last eight games with the lone loss in that period coming against Ohio St. they have won four straight games on the road but all four came against teams that won't be making the NCAA Tournament or are right on the bubble, as is the case with Purdue and Illinois. Wisconsin has eight conference wins but only one against a legitimate tournament team, Indiana. Michigan St. is a perfect 15-0 at home this season which includes double-digit wins over the top two teams in the conference that came to East Lansing, Indiana and Michigan. Under head coach Tom Izzo, the Spartans are an incredible 235-29 at the Breslin Center. Wisconsin comes in looking for some revenge but this series won't allow it as the home team has won 12 of the last 13 games played, with the lone exception being the Spartans overtime win at Wisconsin in January. The Spartans are doing with their usual style of defense and rebounding and those two categories have seen the best numbers in years. Michigan St. currently ranks fifth in the nation in field goal percentage defense and third in rebounding margin and it is the only team in the nation to rank in the top five in both categories. Michigan St. is 6-0 ATS this season in home conference games and 113 ATS in its 14 games this season after a game where it allowed 60 points or fewer.

Rob Vinciletti

Iowa vs. Penn State
Play: Iowa +3

Iowa has won 44 of the last 58 vs teams who scored 63 points or less per game, and have won 8 of the last 9 vs losing teams. They have covered 3 of 4 after allowing 80 or more points. They defeated Penn St by 13 earlier in the month. Penn. St has lost 11 of 16 vs winning teams, and have failed to cover in 6 of 7 when the total is 130 to 140. They have dropped 10 of 13 in conference play and 4 of 5 to the spread after allowing 60 or less last out. Look for Iowa to get the cash.

David Chan

Sabres @ Flyers
PICK: Under 5.5

The 24-26-6 Buffalo Sabres barge into Philadelphia to take on the 31-18-7 Flyers.

Ryan Miller gets the start in net for the visitors; he'll be opposed by Ilya Bryzgalov.

The Flyers are desperate for a victory, stuck in a 1-4-1 stretch after losing 4-3 at Detroit on Sunday:

“We have to win the next game,” coach Peter Laviolette said. “What the Rangers do or what somebody behind us does that’s out of our control. We need to focus on our next game and get on a little bit of a roll here down the stretch.”

Byrzgalov has gone 1-1-3 in his last six games with a 1.92 GAA.

Miller and the Sabres are mired in the basement, and offense has been the main issue.

Buffalo has scored three or more goals in regulation this year just five times in 20-games.

Expect a hard-hitting affair between these two "hungry" teams, and for this total to sneak below the posted number!

Scott Rickenbach

Oregon @ California
PICK: Oregon +11

The Pac-12 is one of the toughest conferences in college hoops to figure out. While the level of play may not be up to the standards of past years, the amount of betting value has never been better. Take the Oregon Ducks road trip to Cal Thursday, for example. Oddsmakers are offering a very deep and experienced Ducks squad at a discount price. Oregon is just one game out of first in the Pac-12 and will be out for revenge against the Golden Bears, who defeated the Ducks 77-60 in Eugene back in January. Allen Crabbe had a field day against the Ducks in their last meeting and will be the focus of the defense Thursday night. Oregon turned up the defensive intensity in their last two wins – over Washington State and Washington – giving up just 57 and 69 points, respectively. They held to conference-leading Huskies to only 24-of-66 shooting, including just 2 for 16 from beyond the arc. Oregon has complemented that tough defensive play with some solid offensive numbers, scoring just under 80 points in their last three wins. Oregon has been one of the best bets in the country in recent weeks, going 7-2 SU and ATS in its last nine outings, including four straight paydays coming into Thursday.

Jack Jones

Wisconsin +6½

This line is a big overreaction from the huge win that Michigan State picked up at Ohio State over the weekend. That victory sets the Spartans up for a big letdown spot tonight as they return home to face the underrated Wisconsin Badgers.

Despite not getting much national attention, the Badgers have quietly gone about their business in impressive fashion. Wisconsin is 19-6 on the season, which includes a 7-1 stretch of their last eight games. Their lone loss was a 6-point setback to those same Buckeyes.

The Badgers have arguably been playing their best basketball on the road this season. Wisconsin is 8-2 SU & 7-3 ATS away from home, outscoring opponents by 7.1 points/game. Their defense has been incredible all year, limiting foes to 50.3 points on 36.8 percent shooting.

After losing in overtime to the Spartans at home in their first meeting, the Badgers will certainly be seeking revenge. Bo Ryan is 46-27 ATS revenge a loss as the coach of Wisconsin, including 12-3 ATS when revenging a close loss by 3 points or less. The Spartans are 5-17-1 ATS in their last 23 games as a favorite of 0.5-6.5. Bet Wisconsin Thursday.

Jim Feist

Gonzaga vs Santa Clara
Pick: Santa Clara

Gonzaga just finished up an impressive two-game home stand, but the Bulldogs are 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 road games. That happens often with good teams or public teams and the Zags have been a power for years. They are just 2-7 ATS the last nine games overall. Santa Clara is 6-6 at home and has covered two of the last three games despite being on a 3-game road trip. The home team is 7-1 ATS in the last 8 meetings between these teams and the Zags are 0-4 ATS the last 4 meetings in Santa Clara. Play Santa Clara.

Dave Cokin

Arizona State vs Washington
Pick: Washington

Washington hasn't exactly been sensational this season, but aside from an outrageously bad game at Oregon last week, the Huskies have been pretty good of late. Arizona State is terrible and they also don't seem to have any intensity, a deadly combo. I'll look for the wipeout and will spot the points with Washington.

SPORTS WAGERS

Buffalo +148 over PHILADELPHIA

The Flyers have one win in their past six games. They allowed five goals or more in three of those losses and four goals in one other. Philadelphia's road record (18-9-2) is much better than its home record (13-9-5) and when you throw in the long list of injuries to key players, you just can't lay this much weight with them right now. Then we have Ryan Miller against either Ilya Bryzgalov or Sergei Bobrovsky. Whomever the Flyers decide to go with, it's not going to favor them, as both their goaltenders are a soft goal waiting to happen. The Sabres and Flyers have played twice in Buffalo this season. Philly won them both by a single goal with one occuring in OT. Buffalo came out of the all-star break blazing. They've cooled off with back-to-back losses but there's no reason they can't get back on track here. When you consider Philly's injury woes, goaltending issues, current form and that they have the Penguins on deck on Saturday, the Sabres offer up the true value in this contest. Play: Buffalo +148 (Risking 2 units).

Winnipeg +105 over MINNESOTA

Make a list of the 30 teams in the NHL. Now grade them 1 through 30 on which you would trust as a favorite all the way to the team you would least trust. Number 30 on just about everyone's list shouyld be the Minnesota Wild. The Wild has dropped six straight. They scored one goal in five of those six games and two goals in the other. That's seven goals in their past six games. Minnesota has five wins in its last 26 games. In 15 of those they scored one goal or less. In terms of futility, the NHL has not seen a team this offensively challenged in a long, long time. The Jets come in here healthy and with four wins in their last eight. They've won three of their past five on the road with victories in Philly, Washington and Tampa. The Jets are coming off back-to-back losses in Pittsburgh and Long Island but deserved a better fate against the Islanders. The Jets are in jeopardy of falling out of this thing, as they now sit six points out of the final playoff spot and seven points behind Florida for the division lead. This is a game they need in the worst way. Win or lose, expect a strong effort from this guest against the most beatable team in the NHL right now. Play: Winnipeg +105 (Risking 2 units).

Calgary +114 over DALLAS

Dallas has two wins over its last six games. Those two wins came against Columbus and Minnesota. The Stars have four wins in their past 14 games and the other two wins over that span both came against the Ducks. Frankly, there's absolutely nothing appealing about laying juice with Dallas. Its goaltending is shaky just about every game, they're offensively challenged and it sure doesn't help that the arena is half empty. Meanwhile, the Flames have found a winning formula. They've picked up points in six straight with four wins and two OT losses. So, while the Stars have have beaten the Jackets and Wild, Calgary's last four wins have come against Chicago, San Jose, Vancouver and Toronto. Getting Alex Tanguay back has been a huge boost for the Flames offense and they're now just a point behind the Coyotes for the final playoff spot. That playoff push continues here. Play: Calgary +114 (Risking 2 units).

Free NHL Release for 2/16: Calgary Flames +110 over the Dallas Stars. Calgary is showing excellent value coming into tonights game with the Stars. The Flames have won two straight games against two very solid opponents in the Leafs and the Canucks. They've now won 3 of their last 4 as they are fighting for a playoff spot. They've been averaging a solid 2.8 goals/game while allowing only 2 goals/game over their last five outtings. Dallas is scoring just 2 goals/game in that same stretch while allowing opponents to 3 goals/game. The Stars have now lost 3 in a row, and 4 of their last 5, with their only victory coming against the lowly Columbus Blue Jackets. WIth the Flames outperforming the Stars of late, and knowing that Calgary also outranks Dallas in Overall Defense, Power Play, Penalty Kill, and Goaltending this year, it looks to us like the wrong team is favored here. The Flames are a perfect 4-0 in their last four meetings with the Stars, and 4-1 in their last five visits to Dallas. They enter this game off a day of rest, and they're 4-0 in their last four such situations. The Stars are just 2-5 in their last 7 home games, and only 1-4 in their last 5 games as a favorite of -110 to -150. We'll side with the better team tonight in Texas, the Calgary Flames +110. Our free picks are now 163-85-1 all-time, and 3-0 last three. Sign up today at www.iseewinners.com to receive all of our free releases via email. Thank you, and best of luck.

SPORTS WAGERS

West Virginia +135 over PITTSBURGH

When the Panthers recently beat the Mountaineers in Morgantown, it came on the heels of that heart-breaking loss WVU suffered against Syracuse. In other words, it was a tough loss to swallow and the Mountaineers have not recovered since. They've now lost two in a row and three of four with only win since that day coming in OT against Providence. It's time to put that all behind them now and get back to the business at hand. West Virginia has to be considered a bubble team right now. They need big wins on the road and this is one that can help to make a case for them if it should come down to that. Bog Huggins is a master at getting the most out of his players in situations just like this one. They'll play a Panther squad that has dropped two straight and that is not better than they are. Expect the Mountaineers to shake off this bad run and completely focus in this crucial game. Of course they can win. Play: West Virginia +135 (Risking 2 units).

Hollywood Sports

Islanders at Blues
Prediction: Under

St. Louis (34-15-1-6) saw their four-game winning streak snapped on Tuesday in their 2-1 loss in Columbus. The Under is a decisive 16-4-8 in the Blues' last 28 games after scoring two goals or less in their last game. St. Louis is playing their fourth game over the last six days -- and the Under is 5-0-1 in the Blues' last 4-in-6 situations. Additionally, in St. Louis' last 5 home games as a favorite in the -151 to -200 price range, the Under is 3-0-2. New York (24-24-5-3) enters this game coming off a 3-1 win at Winnipeg on Tuesday -- and the Over is 6-2-1 in their last 9 games after allowing two goals or less in their last game. This is the Islanders' fourth game in the last six days as well -- and the Under is 5-1-3 in their last 4-in-6 situations. The Islanders have played 5 straight Unders against teams with a winning record. Furthermore, in New York's last 5 games on the road as an underdog in the +151 to +200 price range, the Islanders have played 4 of these Under the Total. Take the Under in this one.

Bryan Power

Winnipeg Jets @ Minnesota Wild
PICK: Minnesota Wild

The home Wild come into Thursday's game w/ the Jets having lost five straight - and four straight at home all in regulation. That's a club record. I look for them to get back on track Thursday after a poor performance the other night, getting only 18 shots on net in a 2-1 loss to Anaheim. Note that Minnesota did lead that game 1-0 heading into the final period. Winnipeg is not exactly playing great hockey either right now as they come off a 3-1 loss to the Islanders at home Tuesday night, which was preceded by a horrific defensive effort against the Penguins in an 8-5 road loss. This is a Jets team that has scored only 17 goals in its last 10 games, five of them coming in that blowout loss the Pens. So, that's just 12 goals in the other nine games and that lack of offensive productions catches up w/ them here as the Wild get back on track.