Free Picks: Service Plays for Thursday February, 23

DUNKEL INDEX

NCAAB

Stanford at Colorado
The Buffaloes look to build on their 8-1 ATS record in their last 9 Thursday games. Colorado is the pick (-5) according to Dunkel, which has the Buffaloes favored by 7 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Colorado (-5)

Game 709-710: Duke at Florida State (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Duke 71.009; Florida State 72.273
Dunkel Line: Florida State by 1 1/2; 145
Vegas Line: Duke by 2; 140 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Florida State (+2); Over

Game 711-712: Alabama at Arkansas (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Alabama 61.956; Arkansas 64.964
Dunkel Line: Arkansas by 3; 128
Vegas Line: Arkansas by 2; 133
Dunkel Pick: Arkansas (-2); Under

Game 713-714: South Alabama at Florida Atlantic (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: South Alabama 47.474; Florida Atlantic 55.611
Dunkel Line: Florida Atlantic by 8; 137
Vegas Line: Florida Atlantic by 6; 131
Dunkel Pick Florida Atlantic (-6); Over

Game 715-716: Detroit at Cleveland State (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit 58.746; Cleveland State 58.670
Dunkel Line: Even; 130
Vegas Line: Cleveland State by 3; 134 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (+3); Under

Game 717-718: Wright State at Youngstown State (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Wright State 54.279; Youngstown State 57.866
Dunkel Line: Youngstown State by 3 1/2; 124
Vegas Line: Youngstown State by 5 1/2; 122
Dunkel Pick: Wright State (+5 1/2); Over

Game 719-720: Troy at Florida International (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Troy 44.519; Florida International 53.570
Dunkel Line: Florida International by 9; 133
Vegas Line: Florida International by 6; 138 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Florida International (-6); Under

Game 721-722: WI-Green Bay at Loyola-Chicago (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: WI-Green Bay 55.565; Loyola-Chicago 50.010
Dunkel Line: WI-Green Bay by 5 1/2; 115
Vegas Line: WI-Green Bay by 2 1/2; 120 1/2
Dunkel Pick: WI-Green Bay (-2 1/2); Under

Game 723-724: WI-Milwaukee at Illinois-Chicago (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: WI-Milwaukee 54.206; Illinois-Chicago 50.451
Dunkel Line: WI-Milwaukee by 3 1/2; 129
Vegas Line: WI-Milwaukee by 5; 125 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Illinois-Chicago (+5); Over

Game 725-726: North Texas at Arkansas-Little Rock (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: North Texas 55.187; Arkansas-Little Rock 59.078
Dunkel Line: Arkansas-Little Rock by 4; 136
Vegas Line: Arkansas-Little Rock by 3; 131
Dunkel Pick: Arkansas-Little Rock (-3); Over

Game 727-728: Arkansas State at Western Kentucky (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Arkansas State 52.387; Western Kentucky 53.563
Dunkel Line: Western Kentucky by 1; 125
Vegas Line: Western Kentucky by 3; 129 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Arkansas State (+3); Under

Game 729-730: Middle Tennessee State at UL-Monroe (8:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Middle Tennessee State 59.459; UL-Monroe 46.809
Dunkel Line: Middle Tennessee State by 12 1/2; 125
Vegas Line: Middle Tennessee State by 14; 129 1/2
Dunkel Pick: UL-Monroe (+14); Under

Game 731-732: UCLA at Arizona State (8:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: UCLA 62.662; Arizona State 52.203
Dunkel Line: UCLA by 10 1/2; 127
Vegas Line: UCLA by 8 1/2; 124
Dunkel Pick: UCLA (-8 1/2); Over

Game 733-734: Wisconsin at Iowa (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Wisconsin 69.706; Iowa 67.307
Dunkel Line: Wisconsin by 2 1/2; 121
Vegas Line: Wisconsin by 4 1/2; 125 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Iowa (+4 1/2); Under

Game 735-736: Stanford at Colorado (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Stanford 60.657; Colorado 68.310
Dunkel Line: Colorado by 7 1/2; 137
Vegas Line: Colorado by 5; 130
Dunkel Pick: Colorado (-5); Over

Game 737-738: California at Utah (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: California 69.475; Utah 51.272
Dunkel Line: California by 18; 129
Vegas Line: California by 15 1/2; 126
Dunkel Pick: California (-15 1/2); Over

Game 739-740: Hawaii at New Mexico State (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Hawaii 54.254; New Mexico State 62.021
Dunkel Line: New Mexico State by 8; 147
Vegas Line: New Mexico State by 10 1/2; 153 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Hawaii (+10 1/2); Under

Game 741-742: San Jose State at Louisiana Tech (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Jose State 50.250; Louisiana Tech 57.988
Dunkel Line: Louisiana Tech by 7 1/2; 144
Vegas Line: Louisiana Tech by 5 1/2; 139
Dunkel Pick: Louisiana Tech (-5 1/2); Over

Game 743-744: Louisville at Cincinnati (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Louisville 68.559; Cincinnati 68.163
Dunkel Line: Even; 128
Vegas Line: Cincinnati by 2; 131
Dunkel Pick: Louisville (+2); Under

Game 745-746: USC at Arizona (8:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: USC 50.701; Arizona 69.002
Dunkel Line: Arizona by 18 1/2; 111
Vegas Line: Arizona by 13 1/2; 115 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Arizona (-13 1/2); Under

Game 747-748: St. Mary's at Portland (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: St. Mary's 58.624; Portland 51.678
Dunkel Line: St. Mary's by 7; 145
Vegas Line: St. Mary's by 12; 139 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Portland (+12); Over

Game 749-750: CS-Fullerton at Pacific (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: CS-Fullerton 57.468; Pacific 53.226
Dunkel Line: CS-Fullerton by 4; 144
Vegas Line: CS-Fullerton by 3; 142
Dunkel Pick: CS-Fullerton (-3); Over

Game 751-752: San Diego at Loyola-Marymount (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Diego 52.334; Loyola-Marymount 60.861
Dunkel Line: Loyola-Marymount by 8 1/2; 132
Vegas Line: Loyola-Marymount by 10 1/2; 137
Dunkel Pick: San Diego (+10 1/2); Under

Game 753-754: Pepperdine at Santa Clara (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Pepperdine 46.733; Santa Clara 47.927
Dunkel Line: Santa Clara by 1; 131
Vegas Line: Santa Clara by 4 1/2; 134
Dunkel Pick: Pepperdine (+4 1/2); Under

Game 755-756: BYU at Gonzaga (11:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: BYU 61.777; Gonzaga 69.614
Dunkel Line: Gonzaga by 8; 150
Vegas Line: Gonzaga by 6; 146
Dunkel Pick: Gonzaga (-6); Over

Game 757-758: Chattanooga at Furman (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Chattanooga 44.659; Furman 53.197
Dunkel Line: Furman by 8 1/2; 142
Vegas Line: Furman by 6; 136 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Furman (-6); Over

Game 759-760: Samford at Western Carolina (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Samford 49.272; Western Carolina 50.330
Dunkel Line: Western Carolina by 1; 122
Vegas Line: Western Carolina by 3 1/2; 128 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Samford (+3 1/2); Under

Game 761-762: Elon at Davidson (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Elon 45.889; Davidson 60.385
Dunkel Line: Davidson by 14 1/2; 147
Vegas Line: Davidson by 17 1/2; 152
Dunkel Pick: Elon (+17 1/2); Under

Game 763-764: Eastern Illinois at Morehead State (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Eastern Illinois 42.387; Morehead State 51.526
Dunkel Line: Morehead State by 9; 122
Vegas Line: Morehead State by 6; 118
Dunkel Pick: Morehead State (-6); Over

Game 765-766: SIU-Edwardsville at Eastern Kentucky (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: SIU-Edwardsville 42.815; Eastern Kentucky 48.822
Dunkel Line: Eastern Kentucky by 6; 132
Vegas Line: Eastern Kentucky by 9 1/2; 135 1/2
Dunkel Pick: SIU-Edwardsville (+9 1/2); Under

Game 767-768: Georgia Southern at College of Charleston (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Georgia Southern 50.575; College of Charleston 62.311
Dunkel Line: College of Charleston by 11 1/2; 141
Vegas Line: College of Charleston by 9; 136 1/2
Dunkel Pick: College of Charleston (-9); Over

Game 769-770: Austin Peay at Tennessee-Martin (8:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Austin Peay 46.836; Tennessee-Martin 36.727
Dunkel Line: Austin Peay by 10; 137
Vegas Line: Austin Peay by 8 1/2; 141 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Austin Peay (-8 1/2); Under

Game 771-772: Murray State at Tennessee State (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Murray State 60.742; Tennessee State 59.691
Dunkel Line: Murray State by 1; 140
Vegas Line: Murray State by 4 1/2; 135
Dunkel Pick: Tennessee State (+4 1/2); Over

Game 773-774: SE Missouri State at Jacksonville State (8:45 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: SE Missouri State 49.594; Jacksonville State 50.951
Dunkel Line: Jacksonville State by 1 1/2; 138
Vegas Line: Jacksonville State by 3; 134
Dunkel Pick: SE Missouri State (+3); Over

Game 775-776: Siena at Marist (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Siena 49.019; Marist 53.825
Dunkel Line: Marist by 5; 126
Vegas Line: Marist by 1; 133
Dunkel Pick: Marist (-1); Under

Game 777-778: Eastern Washington at Idaho State (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Eastern Washington 47.459; Idaho State 44.229
Dunkel Line: Eastern Washington by 3; 129
Vegas Line: Eastern Washington by 1 1/2; 136
Dunkel Pick: Eastern Washington (-1 1/2); Under

Game 779-780: Northern Arizona at Montana (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Northern Arizona 39.245; Montana 57.341
Dunkel Line: Montana by 18; 137
Vegas Line: Montana by 20; 131 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Northern Arizona (+20); Over

Game 781-782: Weber State at Northern Colorado (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Weber State 56.666; Northern Colorado 51.977
Dunkel Line: Weber State by 4 1/2; 144
Vegas Line: Weber State by 5 1/2; 148
Dunkel Pick: Northern Colorado (+5 1/2); Under

Game 783-784: Portland State at Sacramento State (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Portland State 51.257; Sacramento State 46.894
Dunkel Line: Portland State by 4 1/2; 147
Vegas Line: Portland State by 2; 144
Dunkel Pick: Portland State (-2); Over

Game 791-792: Western Illinois at South Dakota State (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Western Illinois 49.189; South Dakota State 59.339
Dunkel Line: South Dakota State by 10; 127
Vegas Line: South Dakota State by 13 1/2; 122 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Western Illinois (+13 1/2); Over

Game 793-794: Oakland at UMKC (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oakland 54.452; UMKC 45.347
Dunkel Line: Oakland by 9; 146
Vegas Line: Oakland by 6; 149 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Oakland (-6); Under

Game 795-796: IPFW at South Dakota (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: IPFW 49.962; South Dakota 50.028
Dunkel Line: Even; 142
Vegas Line: South Dakota by 1 1/2; 145
Dunkel Pick: IPFW (+1 1/2); Under

Game 797-798: IUPUI at North Dakota State (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: IUPUI 49.598; North Dakota State 59.205
Dunkel Line: North Dakota State by 9 1/2; 149
Vegas Line: North Dakota State by 8; 145
Dunkel Pick: North Dakota State (-8); Over

Scott Spreitzer

New York Knicks at Miami Heat
Prediction: Miami Heat

The Heat are on a 6-0 SU/ATS run against teams they have already beaten this season and they won the earlier meeting 99-89. Of course, the Knicks were a much different team in that early January meeting. Back then Jeremy Lin spelled his last name, "D-N-P" (Did Not Play). Carmelo missed that game due to injury and New York simply looked rudderless. New York rolls into this one off a big win last night, but it should be noted they were playing a Hawks' team without Joe Johnson and Al Horford. I suspect Miami is going to take this game quite seriously, with almost a chip on their shoulder approach...tired of playing second fiddle to "Lin-sanity." The Heat have won 7 straight, outscoring their opponents 108-90. They have held 5 of their last 7 opponents to 90 points or less. And Jeremy Lin is going to face a tough assignment in tonight's contest...and we all know Lin has a propensity to turn the ball over. The Harvard grad is a talent and I believe he's the
"real deal." But Lin and his teammates, particularly Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire have a long way to go before developing a chemistry that's strong enough to challenge the league's most talented squad. I'm backing the Miami Heat on Thursday.

Rob Vinciletti

CS Fullerton vs. Pacific
Play: CS Fullerton -3

Fullerton St is 9-1 after scoring 80 or more and has won 9 of 10 vs losing teams. When they are installed as favorites they have not disappointed winning 15 of the 16 times. They are on a nice roll winning their last five and are taking on a Pacific Team that is 1-7 vs winning teams and 3-11 in the series. Pacific has also lost 4 of the last 5 vs teams who average 77 or more points per game. Look for Fullerton St to win and cover tonight.

Bryan Power

Wisconsin @ Iowa
Pick: Wisconsin -4.5

Some good value here in going against Iowa at home with the Hawkeyes still fresh off a big upset of Indiana over the weekend. Furthermore, this is a huge revenge game for visting Wisconsin, who fell as big 16-point favorites in Madison, 72-65, on New Year's Eve. With only losses to Ohio State and Michigan State over the last month, Wisky remains a strong force and comes off a double digit win over Penn State over the weekend. That's worth noting because Bo Ryan's team is 8-2 ATS this season when coming off a win by 10+ points this season. A defense holding teams to just 55.7 PPG on the road should put the clamps down on Iowa as Wisconsin easily covers this small number.

Marc Lawrence

Wisconsin @ Iowa
PICK: Wisconsin

The Badgers were humiliated in a 72-65 home loss as 16.5-point favorites to Iowa earlier this season. However, with the Hawkeyes eyeing their own revenger with Illinois on Sunday, expect Wisky to kill two birds (namely, the win and cover) with one stone tonight in Iowa City as the hosts are just 2-9 SU and ATS versus conference foes before facing the Illini. Meanwhile, Fran McCafferey’s men have preyed on the weak this year (5-0 ATS as favorites of more than five points), but are only 6-9 ATS in games versus upper echelon opposition. And despite that aforementioned home loss to Iowa on New Year’s Eve (we’ll chalk it up to ringing in the new year a little early), that’s exactly where the 15th-ranked Badgers reside… and now with revenge, no less. In fact, not only is Wisky 14-2 ATS on the road in SU wins when seeking revenge, they are a perfect 5-0 ATS in this series when looking for payback. And with Iowa looking for a little payback of its own from 18th-rated Indiana earlier in the week, this second consecutive ranked matchup will prove too much for the mediocre hosts. Lay the points as the Hawks lay an egg tonight in Iowa City. we recommend a 1-unit play on Wisconsin.

Sean Murphy

Siena @ Marist
PICK: Siena

We missed the mark with Marist on Monday, but won't make the same mistake as the Red Foxes host the Siena Saints on Thursday night.

That was an absolute momentum killer for Marist, as it had won four of its last five games going in, and had been playing terrific basketball at both ends of the floor.

Yes, the Red Foxes were up against one of the MAAC's best teams in Fairfield, but that's no excuse for scoring only 12 first half points.

The loss dropped Marist to 5-11 in conference play, and with its home finale on deck this weekend, I don't see Thursday's game against Siena as a particularly strong motivational spot.

The Saints are 7-9 in MAAC play, but can still move up in the standings prior to the conference tournament next weekend, as it currently sits in sixth place, just a game behind Rider.

They did drop their most recent game, but that came on the road against Hofstra in a Bracket Buster matchup. I don't put a lot of stock in most Bracket Buster games; in a team like Siena's case, it isn't on the NCAA Tournament bubble, and benefits little from an out-of-conference matchup at this point of the season. Winning the MAAC Tournament is the only way for the Saints to book their ticket to the Big Dance.

Keep in mind, prior to that non-conference setback, the Saints had been playing well, having won back-to-back games over Canisius and Manhattan, and four in a row ATS.

Siena's road record in MAAC play leaves a lot to be desired (1-7 SU), however it has faced some tough competition along the way. The only truly disappointing loss came against St. Peter's, way back in early December, when the Saints were struggling mightily in the midst of a five-game losing streak.

This has been an extremely one-sided series over the years, with Siena routinely crushing an overmatched Marist squad. The Red Foxes have closed the gap this season, but I'm not convinced they've done so to the point that they're in position to take down the Saints. Remember, Siena took the first meeting this season by a 66-55 score.

I've been surprised by the support Marist has received in the betting marketplace leading up to this game. I expect to see a highly-motivated effort from the Saints tonight, and that should be enough to push them past an uneven Red Foxes squad.

Stephen Nover

L.A. Lakers @ Oklahoma City
PICK: Oklahoma City -6.5

Kudos to the Lakers for knocking off Dallas on the road Wednesday night. But that victory doesn't erase the fact the Lakers are a bad road team, have serious backcourt deficiencies and morale issues concerning the future of Pau Gasol and new coach Mike Brown's handling of the team.

Oklahoma City has clearly established itself as the best team in the Western Conference right now, three games better than the next best club and six games better than the Lakers.

The Thunder are anxious to prove to themselves and to the Lakers that they are legitimate. This is their chance to reinforce that on national television against a storied franchise.

The Thunder did play last night, but enjoyed an easy home win against Boston. The Lakers had a much tougher time beating Dallas, the team that eliminated them last season in the playoffs.

This marks the Lakers' fourth game in five days. Only once have the Lakers covered in back-to-back road games. They are 6-11 in their 17 away contests, 5-12 ATS. Only three times have the Lakers covered during the past 12 times they've been road 'dogs.

Only once in 15 games have the Thunder lost at home. The Lakers are 3-10 ATS the last 13 times they've faced a foe with a winning home mark.

Don't overrate the Lakers' road win against Dallas. The Lakers are not nearly in Oklahoma City's elite status right now. The timing is bad here for the Lakers and the Thunder have something to prove.

Jack Jones

Florida State +2

The Florida State Seminoles have been underrated all season. They continue to get no respect tonight from oddsmakers as they are an underdog to the Duke Blue Devils. This line just shows how the betting public believes Florida State's win at Duke earlier this season was a fluke.

I see it much differently and strongly believe that the Seminoles are going to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. FSU is 19-7 on the season, including 14-1 at home where they are outscoring opponents by a whopping 16.1 points/game.

The Seminoles know how to defend, which gives them a chance to beat any team in the country. FSU is only yielding 60.8 points on 37.0 percent shooting. One of their 14 home wins came against North Carolina. The Seminoles handed the Tar Heels their worst loss of the season, a 90-57 beat down on 1/14.

Florida State is 6-0 ATS off an upset win over a conference rival as an underdog over the last 3 seasons. They are winning by 21.0 points/game in this situation. The Seminoles are 22-4-1 ATS in their last 27 games as a home underdog of 0.5-6.5. FSU is 11-4 ATS in their last 15 meetings with Duke. Bet Florida State Thursday.

Jim Feist

USC vs Arizona
Pick: Arizona

Southern California has had a disastrous season at 6-21, with only one road victory. They won't double that here! Arizona (19-9) is going for 20 wins here and is 12-3 at home. The Trojans are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning percentage above .600. Arizona is playing well, on a 7-3 ATS run and the Wildcats are 12-5 ATS in their last 17 vs. the Pacific-12. The Trojans are 2-6 ATS in the last 8 meetings with the Wildcats, so grab the motivated home court. Play Arizona!

Dave Cokin

Hawaii vs New Mexico State
Pick: New Mexico State

Hawaii has shown substantial improvement from where they were at the start of the season. But this is a very tough scheduling spot for the Warriors and with New Mexico State also looking to exact some revenge for their loss at Hawaii earlier, I like the Aggies to win by a substantial margin tonight.

SPORTS WAGERS

MIAMI -9 over New York P

The two biggest stories, the Miami Heat and Linsanity, collide tonight on National TV the night before the all-star break and there's not a bigger ticket anywhere. Miami is an event town and this certainly qualifies, as some court-level seats are pushing $10,000 according to Twitter. The game itself could get lost in all this hype but let's call a spade a spade, shall we? The Knicks caught a little lightning in a bottle when Jeremy Lin first came on the scene. The kid is good and he makes the Knicks better but he doesn't turn them into a contender. Over their past four games, the Knicks have lost to both New Orleans and New Jersey. They whacked a Joe-Johnson less Hawks club last night. They still play Mike D'Antoni basketball and against the ferocious Heat, that style will get torn apart. Miami doesn't get up for a lot of games. This team has barely broken a sweat in dominating the regular season while waiting for the playoffs to begin. Unlike most nights, this game will get the Heats’ attention. This is what LeBron had to say, “Everyone knows the history between the Knicks and Heat, then you bring in the Jeremy Lin Linsation, you bring in the Miami Heat, Carmelo Anthony and those guys and Amare Stoudemire, Spike Lee, Pat Riley and all that and it’s a huge game.” You don't see us playing the Heat very often because they're usually overpriced. However, this is a spot in which they are not. The Knicks continue to attract money. They opened as a 10-point dog and it's been bet down. Expect the Heat to deliver a personal message tonight that says, “You're not even close to being on the same level as us”. Play: Miami -9 (Risking 2.1 units to win 2).

IOWA +5/+183 over Wisconsin

Wisconsin has split its last four games, losing to Ohio St and Michigan State while beating Penn State and Minnesota, the latter in OT. The Badgers have lost to every good team they've played this season. They come in as the 15th ranked team in the country but they're ranked 264th in points per game, 170th in rebounding, 268th in assists per game and 230th in FG percentage. Those are Nebraska-like numbers, not the numbers of a top ranked outfit. The Badgers are strong defensively but that's the only reason they're ranked. Truth be told, there are prtobably 50-60 teams that are better than they are and the Hawkeyes could certainly be one of them. Iowa is 12-5 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena with recent wins over Michigan State by 16 and Indiana by 12 among others. On Dec 31, the Hawkeyes went into Wisconsin and beat them by seven. The Badgers simply don't blow out good competition. The Hawkeyes are in an offensive groove right now and that sets this one up nicely for an upset. We get significant points and a a significant money-line takeback in a game the Hawkeyes can and probably will win outright. Play: Iowa +5 (Risking 1.09 units to win 1) Play: Iowa +183 (Risking 1 unit).

Larry Ness

Arkansas -2

Anthony Grant won 25 games with the Tide in his second season at Tuscaloosa last year, getting Alabama all the way to the NIT championship game (lost to Wichita St). Things have not gone smoothly for Alabama this year. The Tide have relied on three players all season, the 6-8 Green (14.1-7.2) and the 6-6 Mitchell (13.1-7.0) up front, plus guard Releford (12.2-3.1-2.9) in the backcourt. However, Grant suspended Mitchell for "conduct detrimental to the team" on Feb 7 and then prior to the team's Feb 11 game at LSU, suspended Green and Releford. Releford was reinstated after the game and word has it that Green has been now reinstated as well (although not expected to play here) but Mitchell has been banned for the rest of the season. The Tide enter this game 17-9 overall and 6-6 in the SEC. Arkansas is 17-10 (5-7 in the SEC) but coming off its first home loss of the season, an embarrassing 98-68 defeat at the hands of the Gators last Saturday. Mike Anderson is back at Arkansas, holding the job his mentor (Nolan Richardson) once held. He did excellent jobs at UAB and Missouri and his 17-10 record is not bad for a team which ended last year just 18-13 (7-9 in the SEC). Still, one wonders what "might have been" this year if the 6-7 Powell (10.8-4.5 LY and 19.5-6.0 in two games TY) was not lost to a season-ending injury so early? The Razorbacks frontcourt features two freshman in the 6-10 Mickelson (5.3-3.7) and the 6-7 Abron (5.9-4.3) plus 6-8 vets Sanchez (4.3-3.6) and 6-9 Waithe (5.5-3.4). However, the team's real strength is its perimeter group. Freshman guard Young (15.1-3.1-2.1) leads the team in scoring off the bench while the trio of Wade (10.4), Scott (9.1-3.6-2.4) and Nobles (8.9-3.7-3.3) typically start. Another freshman, Madden (6.9-3.6), is also contributing off the bench in the backcourt. Arkansas is 17-1 at home in Fayetteville this year and a far less than 100% Alabama team is in over its head in this one, as I expect the Razorbacks to bounce back in a big way after getting 'spanked' by Florida.

GoodFella

Knicks / Heat Over 199

BOTH teams will push, push, push the tempo on EVERY chance they get, off missed 3-balls, turnovers, etc. This is also obviously the last game before the all-star break & we may also see some "matador" play on defense. The Heat have REALLY been pushing tempo and are flat out a scoring machine at HOME of late, and of course with Lin now pushing the ball for the Knicks, I really expect to see at least 204 points being scored here tonight.

Jeff Scott Sports

4 UNIT PLAY

Duke -2 over FLORIDA STATE: Don't look now, but the Dukies are starting to play really good ball right now, ands it started with that road win over Carolina. Duke is now 23-4 on the year and at 10-2 they are currently tied for 2nd place in the ACC with the Noles. Duke has 2 home losses on the year, which is Rare for them, and one of those losses was on a last second 3 pointer by the Noles. Duke has won 4 in a row now and they are 6-0 in ACC road games , which has included wins at North Carolina, Va Tech and Clemson. The Noles continue to play well, but they have recently lost at Boston College and they needed a big comeback to win at home vs Va Tech, plus they struggled at home vs Miami as well. Alll of that in their last 4 games. FSU does have a solid defensive edge, but the Dukies have a solid offensive edge, they are playing with revenge and are starting to look like a team that is ready for a deep run in the NCAA tourney. I expect a Duke win of 7+ here.

3 UNIT PLAY

Georgia Southern +9 over CHARLESTON: Huh? What's up here. The Eagles are 12-4 in the SoCon, while Charleston has an 8-8 conference mark, plus we note that the Eagles have already beaten Charleston this year and that the last 4 in the series has been decided by 8 points or less, so why the high spread here. I just don't get it. The Eagles come in having won their last 6 overall and while they are just 4-11 on the road this year they have won their last 3 away from home in conference play. Charleston has been inconsistent as they come in off a road win over Kent State, but prior to that they did lose by 15 points on the road to a mediocre Greensboro squad. Charleston is 9-4 at home, but just 2-2 in their last 4 conference home games, which has included a 4 point win over a bad Western Carolina team and BB home looses to Wofford and Furman earlier in the year. They did beat Davidson in their last home game, but they still have just 2 conference home wins over 8 points (Citadel (6-22) and Elon (13-14). The eagles had some bad early season road losses, but they are playing much better now, and I just think this is too many points for a team that is 4 games behoind another team in the standing s to be laying. This one goes to the wire.

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