Marc Lawrence
North Carolina at Virginia Tech
Prediction: Virginia Tech
A few weeks ago we called for Virginia Tech to sneak out of Chapel Hill with a win but North Carolina was able to overcome a stunning loss to the College of Charleston and hold off the Hokies in a 14-point decision. However, that won’t stop us from coming right back with the Gobblers in today’s rematch. Not only is Seth Greenberg’s squad playing excellent basketball (16-4 this season), the Hokies have ruled at Cassell Coliseum, compiling a spotless 10-0 SU mark this season. They’re also 7-3 ATS with same-season double-digit loss revenge (5-1 ATS at home) and have visited the pay window in eight of their last twelve meetings with UNC. Back the Hokies tonight.
JIM FEIST
SAN ANTONIO SPURS / PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS
TAKE: UNDER
Spurs/Blazers Under the total. San Antonio has been picking up the defense the last month, plus the loss of guard Tony Parker hurts the offense. Portland can also play tough defense, and note these teams are both ranked in the Top 7 in the NBA in points allowed. With both teams playing last night, don't look for an uptempo game, particularly with the veteran Spurs and Tim Duncan preferring a half court pace. Play the Spurs/Blazers Under the total.
EZWINNERS
Portland Trailblazers (NL)
Portland and San Antonio are dealing with injury problems right now, but I like the Blazers to take this one. Portland is already 2-0 against San Antonio this season and this is another good spot for the Blazers to pick up a win. The Spurs are back to their old ways of performing badly on the second game of a back to back posting a record of 3-5 straight up and against the spread while the Blazers are a solid 8-3 straight up and against the spread with no rest. The Rose Garden has not been a bed of roses for San Antonio either as they are 0-5 against the spread in the last five trips to Portland. Lay the points when the line is posted.
Larry Ness
UCLA -4.5 vs Stanford
The Pac 10 was founded as the Athletic Association of Western Universities or AAWU in 1959 and went by the names Big Five, Big Six, and Pacific-8, becoming the Pacific-10 in 1978. Oregon (an original member of the AAWU) won the NCAA's first-ever national championship in 1939 (beat Ohio St) and California won the national championship in 1959. The Pac 8 gave us the UCLA dynasty of the 1960s and 1970s (10 titles from 1964-1975), with the Pac 10 adding titles in 1995 (UCLA's 11th) and Arizona's lone title in 1997. The Wildcats entered the 2009-10 season having made 25 consecutive NCAA appearances, the longest active streak and the second-longest in NCAA history (the Tar Heels made 27 straight appearances from 1975-2001). However, the latest AP poll (Feb 1) marked the fourth consecutive week in which not a single Pac-10 team was ranked. That hasn't happened even ONCE, since the final poll of 1986-87. Pac 10 teams are an abysmal 1-15 vs top-25 opponents in 2009-10 and the conference faces the very real possibility it won't receive an at-large bid to the "Big Dance." The last time the Pac 10 placed just one team in the NCAA field was 1978, when the tourney featured just 32 teams. How the mighty have fallen. UCLA, which reached the Final Four in three straight seasons from 2006 to 08, carries a losing record into its Thursday game with Stanford at 10-11. However, the Bruins' 5-4 Pac-10 mark has them tied for third (with ASU) and just one game behind Cal and Arizona (6-3). However, don't count out Ben Howland's team just yet. Roll (13.0-2.4-3.6) and Lee (12.7-4.4-3.7) are a nice guard combo with Dragovic (11.5-4.9), the lone starter returning from LY, and 6-8 freshman Nelson (11.1-6.0) making some 'noise' in the frontcourt. Stanford is basically a two-man team, led by the 6-7 Fields (22.3-8.6) and sophomore guard Green, who has gone from averaging 6.4 PPG last season to 18.0 this year. The Cardinal have yet to win on the road this season (0-8 SU and 1-7 ATS), so why expect them to start here? U-C-L-A!
James Patrick Sports
Santa Clara vs. Saint Marys Ca
The Gaels are on course to make another appearance in the Big Dance come March but they best not underestimate the Santa Clara Broncos, their nearby rivals, as the scrappy Broncos have cashed winning tickets in the past (4) meetings. The Broncos are (5-2) ATS in Thursday action and get Big Game James Patrick's call as Thursday NCAA Basketball's selection. Play Santa Clara Broncos.
DUNKEL
Georgia Tech at Duke
The Blue Devils look to build on their 5-0 ATS record in their last 5 home games. Duke is the pick (-12 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Blue Devils favored by 15. Dunkel Pick: Duke (-12 1/2)
Game 505-506: Purdue at Indiana
Dunkel Ratings: Purdue 71.739; Indiana 56.720
Dunkel Line: Purdue by 15
Vegas Line: Purdue by 11 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Purdue (-11 1/2)
Game 507-508: Georgia Tech at Duke
Dunkel Ratings: Georgia Tech 66.500; Duke 81.566
Dunkel Line: Duke by 15
Vegas Line: Duke by 12 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Duke (-12 1/2)
Game 509-510: Detroit at Butler
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit 58.672; Butler 73.146
Dunkel Line: Butler by 14 1/2
Vegas Line: Butler by 15
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (+15)
Game 511-512: Miami (OH) at Western Michigan
Dunkel Ratings: Miami (OH) 53.763; Western Michigan 59.723
Dunkel Line: Western Michigan by 6
Vegas Line: Western Michigan by 4
Dunkel Pick: Western Michigan (-4)
Game 513-514: Kent State at Eastern Michigan
Dunkel Ratings: Kent State 60.947; Eastern Michigan 54.983
Dunkel Line: Kent State by 6
Vegas Line: Kent State by 4 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Kent State (-4 1/2)
Game 515-516: Buffalo at Central Michigan
Dunkel Ratings: Buffalo 49.239; Central Michigan 57.240
Dunkel Line: Central Michigan by 8
Vegas Line: Central Michigan by 2 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Central Michigan (-2 1/2)
Game 517-518: Ohio at Toledo
Dunkel Ratings: Ohio 56.892; Toledo 41.932
Dunkel Line: Ohio by 15
Vegas Line: Ohio by 11 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Ohio (-11 1/2)
Game 519-520: Bowling Green at Ball State
Dunkel Ratings: Bowling Green 50.124; Ball State 56.241
Dunkel Line: Ball State by 6
Vegas Line: Ball State by 3
Dunkel Pick: Ball State (-3)
Game 521-522: Florida at Alabama
Dunkel Ratings: Florida 66.745; Alabama 66.224
Dunkel Line: Florida by 1
Vegas Line: Alabama by 2 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Florida (+2 1/2)
Game 523-524: Arkansas State at AR-Little Rock
Dunkel Ratings: Arkansas State 52.521; AR-Little Rock 48.812
Dunkel Line: Arkansas State by 3 1/2
Vegas Line: AR-Little Rock by 2 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Arkansas State (+2 1/2)
Game 525-526: Florida International at UL-Lafayette
Dunkel Ratings: Florida International 44.396; UL-Lafayette 55.616
Dunkel Line: UL-Lafayette by 11
Vegas Line: UL-Lafayette by 12
Dunkel Pick: Florida International (+12)
Game 527-528: Western Kentucky at UL-Monroe
Dunkel Ratings: Western Kentucky 53.151; UL-Monroe 48.990
Dunkel Line: Western Kentucky by 4
Vegas Line: Western Kentucky by 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: UL-Monroe (+6 1/2)
Game 529-530: South Alabama at New Orleans
Dunkel Ratings: South Alabama 50.191; New Orleans 44.596
Dunkel Line: South Alabama by 5 1/2
Vegas Line: South Alabama by 4 1/2
Dunkel Pick: South Alabama (-4 1/2)
Game 531-532: Cleveland State at Illinois-Chicago
Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland State 56.595; Illinois-Chicago 49.248
Dunkel Line: Cleveland State by 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Cleveland State by 5
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland State (-5)
Game 533-534: Youngstown State at Loyola-Chicago
Dunkel Ratings: Youngstown State 48.504; Loyola-Chicago 53.378
Dunkel Line: Loyola-Chicago by 5
Vegas Line: Loyola-Chicago by 4 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Loyola-Chicago (-4 1/2)
Game 535-536: Wright State at Valparaiso
Dunkel Ratings: Wright State 62.604; Valparaiso 56.742
Dunkel Line: Wright State by 6
Vegas Line: Wright State by 4 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Wright State (-4 1/2)
Game 537-538: Troy at Middle Tennessee State
Dunkel Ratings: Troy 50.103; Middle Tennessee State 59.137
Dunkel Line: Middle Tennessee State by 9
Vegas Line: Middle Tennessee State by 5
Dunkel Pick: Middle Tennessee State (-5)
Game 539-540: Florida Atlantic at North Texas
Dunkel Ratings: Florida Atlantic 55.645; North Texas 54.260
Dunkel Line: Florida Atlantic by 1 1/2
Vegas Line: North Texas by 4 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Florida Atlantic (+4 1/2)
Game 541-542: North Carolina at Virginia Tech
Dunkel Ratings: North Carolina 64.159; Virginia Tech 72.222
Dunkel Line: Virginia Tech by 8
Vegas Line: Virginia Tech by 3
Dunkel Pick: Virginia Tech (-3)
Game 543-544: Maryland at Florida State
Dunkel Ratings: Maryland 74.104; Florida State 71.307
Dunkel Line: Maryland by 3
Vegas Line: Florida State by 3
Dunkel Pick: Maryland (+3)
Game 545-546: Cincinnati at Notre Dame
Dunkel Ratings: Cincinnati 64.950; Notre Dame 65.715
Dunkel Line: Notre Dame by 1
Vegas Line: Notre Dame by 3 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Cincinnati (+3 1/2)
Game 547-548: San Jose State at Louisiana Tech
Dunkel Ratings: San Jose State 54.962; Louisiana Tech 69.119
Dunkel Line: Louisiana Tech by 14
Vegas Line: Louisiana Tech by 10 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Louisiana Tech (-10 1/2)
Game 549-550: Tennessee at LSU
Dunkel Ratings: Tennessee 67.153; LSU 59.495
Dunkel Line: Tennessee by 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Tennessee by 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Tennessee (-6 1/2)
Game 551-552: San Francisco at San Diego
Dunkel Ratings: San Francisco 49.511; San Diego 59.249
Dunkel Line: San Diego by 10
Vegas Line: San Diego by 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Diego (-7 1/2)
Game 553-554: Arizona State at Washington State
Dunkel Ratings: Arizona State 69.605; Washington State 63.493
Dunkel Line: Arizona State by 6
Vegas Line: Arizona State by 2 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Arizona State (-2 1/2)
Game 555-556: CS-Northridge at UC-Riverside
Dunkel Ratings: CS-Northridge 51.567; UC-Riverside 50.892
Dunkel Line: CS-Northridge by 1
Vegas Line: UC-Riverside by 3
Dunkel Pick: CS-Northridge (+3)
Game 557-558: UC-Santa Barbara at Pacific
Dunkel Ratings: UC-Santa Barbara 51.825; Pacific 61.743
Dunkel Line: Pacific by 10
Vegas Line: Pacific by 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Pacific (-9 1/2)
Game 559-560: Cal Poly at UC-Davis
Dunkel Ratings: Cal Poly 51.137; UC-Davis 49.780
Dunkel Line: Cal Poly by 1 1/2
Vegas Line: UC-Davis by 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Cal Poly (+5 1/2)
Game 561-562: Arizona at Washington
Dunkel Ratings: Arizona 63.804; Washington 72.552
Dunkel Line: Washington by 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Washington by 9
Dunkel Pick: Arizona (+9)
Game 563-564: California at USC
Dunkel Ratings: California 68.867; USC 67.054
Dunkel Line: California by 2
Vegas Line: California by 1
Dunkel Pick: California (-1)
Game 565-566: Stanford at UCLA
Dunkel Ratings: Stanford 59.255; UCLA 65.811
Dunkel Line: UCLA by 6 1/2
Vegas Line: UCLA by 4 1/2
Dunkel Pick: UCLA (-4 1/2)
Game 567-568: Portland at Gonzaga
Dunkel Ratings: Portland 63.674; Gonzaga 71.326
Dunkel Line: Gonzaga by 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Gonzaga by 9
Dunkel Pick: Portland (+9)
Game 569-570: CS-Fullerton at Long Beach State
Dunkel Ratings: CS-Fullerton 50.879; Long Beach State 55.846
Dunkel Line: Long Beach State by 5
Vegas Line: Long Beach State by 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: CS-Fullerton (+6 1/2)
Game 571-572: Santa Clara at St. Mary's (CA)
Dunkel Ratings: Santa Clara 49.106; St. Mary's (CA) 70.982
Dunkel Line: St. Mary's (CA) by 22
Vegas Line: St. Mary's (CA) by 20 1/2
Dunkel Pick: St. Mary's (CA) (-20 1/2)
Game 573-574: Georgia Southern at Western Carolina
Dunkel Ratings: Georgia Southern 44.719; Western Carolina 55.224
Dunkel Line: Western Carolina by 10 1/2
Vegas Line: Western Carolina by 16
Dunkel Pick: Georgia Southern (+16)
Game 575-576: Chattanooga at College of Charleston
Dunkel Ratings: Chattanooga 49.488; College of Charleston 57.161
Dunkel Line: College of Charleston by 7 1/2
Vegas Line: College of Charleston by 10
Dunkel Pick: Chattanooga (+10)
Game 577-578: NC Greensboro at Furman
Dunkel Ratings: NC Greensboro 44.232; Furman 51.273
Dunkel Line: Furman by 7
Vegas Line: Furman by 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Furman (-6 1/2)
Game 579-580: Samford at The Citadel
Dunkel Ratings: Samford 44.976; The Citadel 55.584
Dunkel Line: The Citadel by 10 1/2
Vegas Line: The Citadel by 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: The Citadel (-5 1/2)
Game 581-582: Jacksonville State at Morehead State
Dunkel Ratings: Jacksonville State 47.488; Morehead State 63.182
Dunkel Line: Morehead State by 15 1/2
Vegas Line: Morehead State by 13
Dunkel Pick: Morehead State (-13)
Game 583-584: Tennessee Tech at Eastern Kentucky
Dunkel Ratings: Tennessee Tech 47.275; Eastern Kentucky 57.011
Dunkel Line: Eastern Kentucky by 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Eastern Kentucky by 10
Dunkel Pick: Tennessee Tech (+10)
Game 585-586: Austin Peay at Tennessee Martin
Dunkel Ratings: Austin Peay 51.608; Tennessee Martin 41.091
Dunkel Line: Austin Peay by 10 1/2
Vegas Line: Austin Peay by 10
Dunkel Pick: Austin Peay (-10)
Game 587-588: Tennessee State at Murray State
Dunkel Ratings: Tennessee State 42.555; Murray State 67.634
Dunkel Line: Murray State by 25
Vegas Line: Murray State by 22 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Murray State (-22 1/2)
Game 589-590: Oral Roberts at IPFW
Dunkel Ratings: Oral Roberts 58.090; IPFW 51.041
Dunkel Line: Oral Roberts by 7
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A
Game 591-592: Centenary at Oakland
Dunkel Ratings: Centenary 39.818; Oakland 62.900
Dunkel Line: Oakland by 23
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A
Game 593-594: UMKC at North Dakota State
Dunkel Ratings: UMKC 43.245; North Dakota State 53.353
Dunkel Line: North Dakota State by 10
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A
Game 595-596: Southern Utah at South Dakota State
Dunkel Ratings: Southern Utah 39.706; South Dakota State 54.723
Dunkel Line: South Dakota State by 15
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A
NHL
NY Islanders at Tampa Bay
The Lightning look to take advantage of a New York team that is 2-8 in its last 10 meetings in Tampa. Tampa Bay is the pick (-155) according to Dunkel, which has the Lightning favored by 2. Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (-155)
Game 1-2: Dallas at Columbus
Dunkel Ratings: Dallas 11.460; Columbus 11.517
Dunkel Line & Total: Columbus by 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Columbus (-130); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Columbus (-130); Under
Game 3-4: Washington at NY Rangers
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 14.426; NY Rangers 10.950
Dunkel Line & Total: Washington by 3 1/2; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Washington (-160); 6
Dunkel Pick: Washington (-160); Over
Game 5-6: Montreal at Boston
Dunkel Ratings: Montreal 11.476; Boston 11.865
Dunkel Line & Total: Boston by 1/2; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Boston (-160); 5
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-160); Under
Game 7-8: NY Islanders at Tampa Bay
Dunkel Ratings: NY Islanders 10.335; Tampa Bay 12.504
Dunkel Line & Total: Tampa Bay by 2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Tampa Bay (-155); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (-155); Over
Game 9-10: Vancouver at Ottawa
Dunkel Ratings: Vancouver 12.069; Ottawa 13.944
Dunkel Line & Total: Ottawa by 2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Ottawa (-120); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Ottawa (-120); Over
Game 11-12: San Jose at St. Louis
Dunkel Ratings: San Jose 12.843; St. Louis 11.421
Dunkel Line & Total: San Jose by 1 1/2; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: San Jose (-160); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Jose (-160); Over
Game 13-14: Colorado at Nashville
Dunkel Ratings: Colorado 12.507; Nashville 10.790
Dunkel Line & Total: Colorado by 1 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Nashville (-135); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Colorado (+115); Under
Game 15-16: Edmonton at Minnesota
Dunkel Ratings: Edmonton 10.559; Minnesota 12.322
Dunkel Line & Total: Minnesota by 2; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A
Game 17-18: Anaheim at Los Angeles
Dunkel Ratings: Anaheim 13.571; Los Angeles 12.093
Dunkel Line & Total: Anaheim by 1 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Los Angeles (-160); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Anaheim (+140); Under
Jimmy Moore
Georgia Tech @ Duke
Pick: G Tech +13
This is a big number for Duke to be laying. Gerogia Tech is 9-4 ATS against winning teams this season and they are 4-2 ATS on the road. G Tech will be confident in this game since they beat Duke earlier this season at home.
Matt Fargo
3* Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans
This is one of those lines that make you wonder why it is what it is. Arkansas St. is 8-2 in the Sun Belt Conference and leading the SBC West by two games while Arkansas-Little Rock is 2-8 in the conference and is six games back of the Red Wolves. Yet the Trojans are favored, the public is all over Arkansas St. and the line is going up. Part of the reason is the home/road dichotomy and another is the injury factor. The Trojans are 6-4 at home this season including wins in its last two SBC games against Denver and La-Lafayette while Arkansas St. is just 5-5 on the road this season. The Red Wolves will likely be without guard Daniel Bryant again as he has a shoulder injury sustained two games back. He is the team’s second leading scorer and their top three-point shooter which is a big disadvantage here. Arkansas St. is not a good three-point shooting team to begin with as it is hitting just 33.2 percent on the season and that bodes well for the Trojans. In their last four losses, Arkansas-Little Rock allowed a whopping 50 percent shooting from long range (40-80) but in the last two wins, it has allowed just 29 percent (18-62). The Trojans held Denver, the nation’s second-best shooting team, to a season-low 32.8 percent shooting from the floor including only 28.1 percent from behind the arc. On the flip side, the Trojans are hitting 40.1 percent from three-point land including 40.9 percent at home and 42 percent over their last five games. Arkansas St. is ranked near the top of the Sun Belt Conference in most offensive categories but as mentioned, three-point shooting is not one of them and neither is free throw shooting as the Red Wolves are hitting just 63.7 percent at the line which is last in the conference. Conversely, the Trojans are hitting 70.9 percent from the charity stripe including 75.9 percent at home. Another factor is strength of schedules as Arkansas St. has played a slate ranked 258th in the nation while Arkansas-Little rock has played the nation’s 135th ranked schedule. This is important when looking at the overall numbers including assist/turnover ratio. The Trojans have a 0.91 ratio which certainly is not great but the Red Wolves have a 0.92 ratio which is horrendous considering the easy schedule it has faced. In home road games, those ratios go to 1.18 for Arkansas-Little Rock and 0.80 for Arkansas St. The Red Wolves are just 1-8 ATS in their last nine games in the second half of the season against teams with a losing record while going 1-5-1 ATS in their last seven games as an underdog of fewer than seven points. The home team has covered four of the last five meetings in this in-state rivalry and that continues tonight. 3* Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans
Tom Freese
Stanford at UCLA
Stanford is 10-11 overall and 4-5 in Conference Play. Landry Fields scores 22.3 points game while pulling down 8.6 rebounds a game. Guard Jeremy Green scores 18 points a game while shooting 41% percent from behind the 3 point line. The Cardinal scores 71.8 points a game. Stanford is 4-10 ATS their last 14 games overall and they are 1-6 ATS their last 7 road games. The Cardinal is 2-7-1 ATS their last 10 games off an ATS loss and they are 1-4 ATS their last 5 meetings in Westwood. Ucla is 10-11 overall and 5-4 in Conference Play. The Bruins have 5 double digit scorers. Guard Michael Roll scores 13 points a game while shooting 43% from behind the line. Guard Malcom Lee scores 12.7 points a game. Three other players score between 11.5 points 11.1 points a game. The Bruins are 8-3 ATS their last 11 home games vs. a team with a road win percentage of less than 40%. UCLA is 4-1 ATS their last 5 games vs. a team with a losing record and they are 5-2 ATS their last 7 home games. PLAY ON UCLA -
SPORTS ADVISORS
(21) Georgia Tech (16-5, 11-4 ATS) at (10) Duke (17-4, 13-7 ATS)
Duke tries to rebound from a humbling non-conference loss at Georgetown – and avenge last month’s loss at Georgia Tech – when it returns to Cameron Indoor Stadium for an ACC clash with the Yellow Jackets.
Georgia Tech stepped out of conference Saturday and crushed Kentucky State 98-50 in a non-lined home game, which came on the heels of last Thursday’s 21-point rout of Wake Forest as a 5½-point home favorite. The Yellow Jackets have won four of their last five games, cashing in all four lined contests, with the only setback being a 68-66 loss in their most recent road game at Florida State (as a five-point underdog). They’re 3-3 SU and 4-2 ATS in true roadies this season.
The Blue Devils went to Georgetown on Saturday as a two-point favorite but were never in the game, losing 89-77 to the seventh-ranked Hoyas. Prior to that, Duke had posted consecutive double-digit ACC wins over Clemson (60-47 as a two-point road chalk) and Florida State (70-56 as a 12½-point home favorite). The Blue Devils are 12-0 SU and 8-3 ATS at Cameron Indoor, outscoring visitors by a whopping 29 points per game (90-61). They shoot 50.3 percent from the field at home (42.6 percent from three-point range) and hold opponents to 38.4 percent overall and 29.6 percent from long range.
The Yellow Jackets stunned Duke 71-67 as a seven-point home underdog on Jan. 9, ending a four-game losing skid (1-3 ATS) in the rivalry. Although the Blue Devils had a 43.3 percent to 41.5 percent shooting edge, Georgia Tech dominated from the free-throw line (22-for-28 vs. 9-for-14) and had a 34-26 rebounding advantage.
Duke has won eight of the last 10 meetings with Georgia Tech (6-4 ATS) and is 10-1 in the last 11 clashes at Cameron Indoor. Going back further, the Devils have cashed in 16 of the last 21 clashes overall. The Jackets’ last victory at Duke came in 2004.
In addition to cashing in its last four games (all in ACC play), Georgia Tech is on ATS runs of 8-2 on the highway, 5-1 on Thursday, 11-4 after a SU victory and 8-2 when coming off a win of more than 20 points. The Blue Devils are on pointspread surges of 7-3 overall, 5-0 at home, 4-1 in conference, 4-0 after a non-cover and 7-3 against winning teams, but they have failed to cover in five of their last seven after a SU setback.
The under is on runs of 4-0 for the Yellow Jackets overall, 16-5 for the Yellow Jackets against winning teams, 5-2 for Duke at home, 22-8 for Duke in ACC play and 7-0 for Duke against winning teams. Finally, 16 of the last 21 meetings between these schools – including the last 13 in a row – have stayed low.
ATS ADVANTAGE: DUKE and UNDER
Maryland (14-6, 9-7 ATS) at Florida State (16-5, 5-11 ATS)
The Terrapins, who are coming off their first defeat in nearly three weeks, hit the highway for their second straight ACC road game when they visit the Tucker Center in Tallahassee for a battle with Florida State.
Maryland took a four-game SU and six-game ATS winning streak to Clemson on Sunday and stumbled 62-53, falling short as a 3½-point underdog. The Terps were held to a season-low in points and scored less than 70 for just the second time this season. Prior to playing Clemson, they had averaged 80.4 points in their first five ACC contests. Maryland is 3-5 (4-4 ATS) on the highway this year, including 1-2 (2-1 ATS) when visiting league rivals.
The Seminoles rebounded from last Wednesday’s 70-56 loss at Duke with Saturday’s 61-57 victory at Boston College. They covered as a one-point underdog, ending an 0-5 ATS slump, all in ACC play. Florida State has been held under 70 points in five of six conference games (including the last four in a row), and while the ‘Noles are 10-1 at home, they’re just 1-6 ATS in lined games.
The home team has dominated this rivalry, winning the last nine in a row (7-2 ATS). On Jan. 10, the Seminoles went to Maryland and fell 77-68 as a four-point underdog, falling to 1-3 SU and 0-4 ATS in the last four head-to-head battles. Also, the host has covered in 10 of the last 12 meetings – with Florida State going 4-1 ATS in the last five clashes at the Tucker Center – and the favorite is 5-1 ATS in the last six.
The Terps on are on ATS runs of 6-1 overall, 4-1 on the road, 9-3 after a SU defeat and 8-1 against the ACC. On the flip side, Florida State is in pointspread ruts of 1-5 overall (all in the ACC), 1-6 at home, 1-4 on Thursday, 2-6 after a SU victory and 1-5 against winning teams.
These teams have topped the total in four of their last five meetings overall and four of their last five in Tallahassee. Also, Maryland comes into this contest carrying “over” trends of 9-4 overall, 4-1 against winning teams, 6-1 after a SU defeat and 6-0 after a non-cover. Conversely, the under is on streaks of 4-0 for Florida State overall (all within the ACC) and 9-4 for the Terps in conference games.
ATS ADVANTAGE: MARYLAND and OVER
Arizona State (15-7, 8-10 ATS) at Washington State (14-7, 7-12 ATS)
Arizona State will try to sweep the season series from the Cougars when it heads to Pullman for this Pac-10 contest at Beasley Coliseum.
The Sun Devils snapped a brief two-game slide in dominating fashion Saturday, jumping out to a 54-22 halftime lead and rolling to an 88-70 victory as an 11-point favorite. Since dropping its first two conference games of the season SU and ATS (both on the road), Arizona State has won and covered five of its last seven, including two road victories at Oregon (76-57) and Oregon State (66-57). The SU winner has gotten the cash in each of the Sun Devils’ last 10 games (including all nine Pac-10 contests)..
Washington State took a 40-36 halftime lead at Washington on Saturday, then returned to the court and got outscored 56-24 over the final 20 minutes to lose 92-64 as a nine-point road underdog. The Cougars have dropped four of their last six games (1-5 ATS), including a trio of double-digit losses. The slump started with a 71-46 loss at Arizona State as an eight-point underdog on Jan. 10. Wazu is 7-2 at home, but just 1-6 ATS in lined games.
With its 25-point rout of Washington State last month, Arizona State snapped a six-game SU losing streak and a three-game pointspread slide in this rivalry. The Sun Devils have dropped six in a row in Pullman (1-5 ATS), and the host has covered in eight of the last nine head-to-head clashes.
While Arizona State is 5-2 ATS in its last seven games, the Cougars are in ATS funks of 1-5 overall, 0-5 at home, 0-4 after a SU defeat, 2-5 after a non-cover and 1-6 against teams with a winning record.
The Sun Devils are on “over” runs of 5-0 overall, 4-1 on the road, 6-2 on Thursday, 4-1 after a SU victory and 6-2 after a spread-cover, and Washington State is on “over” stretches of 12-5 overall and 6-1 at home. On the other hand, the under has been the play in five of the last six meetings in this rivalry overall and five of the last six at the Beasley Center.
ATS ADVANTAGE: ARIZONA STATE and OVER
Miami (24-25 SU and ATS) at Cleveland (39-11, 26-23-1 ATS)
The Cavaliers try to extend their winning streak to 10 when they welcome the struggling Heat to Quicken Loans Arena.
Miami lost its third straight (1-2 ATS) and fifth in its last six games (2-4 ATS) on Wednesday, falling 107-102 in Boston, but cashing as a 5½-point underdog. It was the first time the Heat reached triple digits in four games as they had put up just 90.2 in their previous five contests. Back-to-back games have not been good for Miami, which is just 3-6 ATS in its nine tries this when playing without rest.
Cleveland has rattled off nine straight wins (6-3 ATS) cashing in each of the last five, including Tuesday’s 105-89 victory over Memphis as a 10-point home favorite. In the victory, the Cavs got 13 points and 13 rebounds from Shaquille O’Neal, while LeBron James chipped in with 22 points and 15 assists. While the Cavs are an impressive 20-3 at home, they are just 10-13 ATS in those contests (but 4-1 ATS in the last five).
Cleveland has won each of the last four meetings (SU and ATS) with the Heat, including both games this season in Miami. Just last Monday, the Cavaliers scored a 92-91 win in South Beach as a one-point underdog. Cleveland has won four straight meetings at Quicken Loans Arena, but the road team still has a 6-2 ATS edge in the last eight battles.
Miami is on several negative ATS runs, including 1-5 overall, 1-5 against Eastern Conference teams, 1-5 on the second night of a back-to-back and 0-5 against teams with winning records. The Cavaliers are on ATS streaks of 5-0 overall, 4-1 at home and 5-0 after getting a day off.
The Heat topped the total on Wednesday in Boston, but they are on “under” runs of 6-0 against Central Division teams, 19-7 on Thursday and 7-4 on the road against teams with winning home records. Cleveland has stayed below the posted number in 10 of 14 against Eastern Conference squads, but has gone over in five of seven at home and four of five at home against teams with losing road records. In this series, the “under” has been the play in the last four clashes in Cleveland.
ATS ADVANTAGE: CLEVELAND
San Antonio (28-19, 23-23-1 ATS) at Portland (29-22, 27-23-1 ATS)
The Blazers shoot for their fifth straight win over the Spurs when these two Western Conference foes square off inside the Rose Garden.
San Antonio scored a 115-113 road win in Sacramento on Wednesday, failing as a 4½-point chalk. Despite last night’s win, the Spurs have dropped six of their last 10 games (3-7 ATS) and concluded a disappointing six-game homestand at 2-4 on Sunday with a blowout loss to the Nuggets, falling 103-89 as a 5½-point favorite. San Antonio has not been good in back-to-back situations, going 3-5 ATS in its eight chances this season.
Portland had its short two-game winning streak halted on Wednesday in Utah, losing 118-105 as a 7½-point underdog. The Blazers have lost four of their last six overall, but they have cashed in six of their last nine. Opposite of the Spurs, Portland has flourished in the back-to-back situation, cashing in eight of its 11 tries.
The Blazers have taken four in a row SU and ATS against the Spurs, including both meetings this season. On Nov. 6, Portland prevailed 96-84 as a four-point home favorite and then went to Texas on Dec. 23 and beat the Spurs 98-94 as a whopping 12-point pup. The Blazers are 7-2 ATS in the last nine series clashes, including 5-0 in Portland, as the home team has cashed in nine of the last 12 meetings.
San Antonio is on ATS slides of 2-9 against Northwest Division teams and 1-6 on Thursday. Meanwhile, the Blazers are on positive pointspread pushes of 6-3 overall, 12-3 when playing on back-to-back nights and 10-4 when facing a team with a winning record.
The Spurs have topped the total in five of six against Northwest Division foes, but they are on “under” runs of 6-2 on the road, 5-1 on Thursdays and 18-7-1 on the second night of a back-to-back. Portland is on a plethora of “over” streaks, including 21-8 overall, 11-3 at home, 11-1 against Western Conference teams and 7-0 when playing the second night of a back-to-back. In this rivalry, the “over” has been the play in four of the last six.
ATS ADVANTAGE: PORTLAND and OVER
SPORTS WAGERS
BOSTON -½ +1.05 over Montreal
The Bruins are in a horrible funk but there are signs that suggest they’re going to pop anytime now and there’s not a team in the league they’d rather accomplish that against. The B’s are coming off a 4-1 loss to the Caps but that score is somewhat misleading in that the game was tied with about 11 minutes to go. Jose Theodore made some tremendous saves when the score was 1-1 and the Bruins also had a terrific first period. The best news however, was that they looked pretty sharp throughout and created a lot of scoring chances. This team is too good to have this losing streak last much longer and the Canadiens are about as ripe as can be. First, they’re coming off a big win over Vancouver but were the second best team on the ice and it wasn’t close. Prior to that they lost seven of nine and it’s worth noting that Michael Cammalleri is now on the rack and he’s a key contributor to whatever offense the Canadiens can barely muster. Incredibly enough the Bruins find themselves in 12th place in the conference but they’re just two points out of a playoff spot. Expect that wake-up call to ignite them here and the only way they don’t win is if they run into a sizzling hot goaltender. Play: Boston -½ +1.05 (Risking 2 units).
Colorado +1.19 over NASHVILLE
The Av’s are another one of those teams that are so tough to beat and the proof is in the pudding. In 26 road games they’ve only lost eight in regulation and they’ve only lost 18 in regulation overall in 55 games. They’re as healthy as they’ve been in a long time and with the continued outstanding goaltending of Craig Anderson, why wouldn’t you bet them taking back a tag? The Preds are still laboring and they’re still having trouble scoring. In fact, they’ve scored just 11 goals in its last six games and if you take away the four they scored against Atlanta they’d have just seven goals in five games. To make matters worse, the Preds offense can’t be feeling too confident after they managed just one goal in a 10-round shootout vs the Coyotes in its last game. Frankly, the Av’s do just about everything better than this host, as they have scored more, allowed less, have more PP goals and have allowed less PP goals against and you can throw in an edge between the pipes. Play: Colorado +1.19 (Risking 2 units).
OTTAWA +1.06 over Vancouver
Yeah, the Sens will play the tail end of back-to-backs but when you’re killing it like the Sens have been fatigue is a non-factor. This team can’t wait to get back on the ice after winning its tenth straight in Buffalo last night. The Canucks favored here is simply incorrect and that’s all there is to it. Vancouver is just 11-12 on the road while the Sens are a very impressive 20-8 at Scotiabank Place and that stat alone makes them worthy of a wager. But it’s more than that. The Sens are playing about as flawless as any team has all season and have not allowed more than two goals against in any of the 10 wins of its current run. Among those wins was a 4-1 victory over Chicago and a 4-1 win over Pittsburgh, two of the leagues’ offensive powers but the Sens had little trouble shutting down either one. Lots of excitement in Ottawa and you can expect a playoff-like crowd tonight cheering everything this team does and a loss here would be a bigger surprise than a win. Play: Ottawa +1.06 (Risking 2 units).
Anaheim +1.44 over LOS ANGELES
This could be a tough spot for the Ducks and that’s likely one of the reasons this price is so high but it’s not the best spot for the Kings either. L.A. returned home from a long trip and beat the Rangers 2-1. This is their second game back and that’s always a vulnerable spot after winning the first one. Furthermore, the Kings shot total in three of its last four games was 18, 22 and 21 and that’s not going to get it done against the Ducks. Anaheim has allowed just two goals against in its last three games, as Jonas Hiller continues to play tremendous in the nets. The Ducks will play its third game in four nights here after a win over the Red Wings last night and although they won, they were really not that sharp. It’s worth noting that in addition to Jason Blake, who was playing in only his second game as a Duck, Saiku Koivu and Temmu Selanne are both relatively fresh off the injury list and now both have a few games back under their belt. The Ducks are so dangerous and at this price in this spot, with a short trip to L.A., they’re most definitely worth a look. This is only a play if Jonas Hiller is in net otherwise it's a pass. Play: Anaheim +1.44 (Risking 2 units).
Tony George
Virginia Tech -3.5
Already have beaten the Hokies by 14 at home about a month ago, the Tar Heels have a tough road game, in what is a disappointing year for Roy Williams and the boys. Revenge at home is always something you need to look at in conference play. NC off a devastating home loss to Virgina by 15 points as an 8 point fav in their last game. Just not the Tarheels best team, and this place is brutal to play in, as the Hokies are 10-0SU at home this year, and the Tar Heels are a paltry 1-3 SU on the road this year. VT has allowed an impressive 61 ppg on defense their last 5 games, while NC has allowed 75 ppg on defense, which is why they are losing.
BIG AL
San Antonio Spurs at Portland Trail Blazers
The Spurs have been one of the most perplexing teams of this NBA season. They're outscoring foes by 4.6 points per game, but have had great difficulty defeating teams this season with winning records. Portland, of course, fits that bill with a 29-22 record, and the Trail Blazers have already upended San Antonio twice this season: 98-94 in the Alamo City, and 96-84 at the Rose Garden. In this game, both teams will be without their floor leaders (Tony Parker and Brandon Roy are nursing injuries), but I still foresee a relatively high-scoring game. The Spurs have allowed six of their last seven opponents to shoot 50% or better from the floor and, not surprisingly, five of those games went 'over' the total. Last night, for example, Sacramento poured in 113 points vs. the Spurs on 52.3% FG shooting. The Trail Blazers have also gone 'over' the total in seven of their last eight games (and 16 of their last 21).
Play on: Over
VEGAS EXPERTS
Portland at Gonzaga
Coming into the year, many pundits expected Portland to challenge Gonzaga for the WCC Crown. Currently, the Pilots trail the Zags by two games in the league standings, but have won four straight games by an average of 23.5 PPG, including one (74-58 over San Francisco) over the team that just handed Gonzaga its first WCC Loss in 28 games. Since the Bulldogs have not lost consecutive conference games in nearly a decade, the oddsmakers have overcompensated this line. We say that because in the first meeting between the teams this season, Gonzaga won by just three.
Play on: Portland
LT Profits
North Carolina at Virginia Tech
We love the value on the Virginia Tech Hokies at home tonight, as we feel that they are an underrated club while the North Carolina Tar Heels are overrated, with their lines based more on past glories than on the plays of the inexperienced Heels this season.
North Carolina is just 13-8 straight up overall this season with five of those losses coming in their last seven games. Still, the lines on their games remain inflated, and as a result the Tar Heels are just 7-12 against the spread. They are also just 1-3 in their true road games this season, including a blowout loss at Clemson and a bad loss at Charleston. Now granted, one of their wins came vs. the Hokies, but that only sets up a nice revenge situation.
Virginia Tech is a nice 16-4 overall and a perfect 10-0 at home while outscoring their home opponents by an impressive average of +21.7 points per game. Granted, they have now lost the last five head-to-head meetings with the Heels after that 78-64 defeat at Chapel Hill, but they are primed for some serious revenge here vs. a much weaker Carolina team than the ones they lost to in past seasons, and the change in venue should be all Tech wins for a handy win.
The Hokies are ranked much higher in the Pomeroy Ratings (40) than the Tar Heels are (58), and the Virginia Tech defense is ranked 12 in adjusted defensive efficiency at just .869 points per possession. Thus, they should be able to slow down the North Carolina running game here, which should frustrate the young Heels.
The end result of all this should be a safe Virginia Tech victory.
Pick: Virginia Tech -3.5