BIG AL
SE Missouri State at Tennessee Martin
The Skyhawks are 0-12 in the Ohio Valley Conference, and tonight's game against SEMO probably represents their last (realistic) chance to get a win in conference play. After all, SE Missouri is in 8th place in the 10-team league, and Tennessee-Martin's only other home game on the schedule is against 5th-place Eastern Illinois. Southeast Missouri has dropped four consecutive conference games, by an average margin of 15.5 ppg since defeating Tennessee Martin at home, 77- 63, back on January 21. But that was SEMO's first victory vs. the Skyhawks in five games, and I look for Tenn-Martin to win big tonight.
PLAY TENNESSEE MARTIN
SPORTS WAGERS
Florida +1.12 over CAROLINA
When the dogs are losing, so am I and a case in point was last night when the favorites swept the board, going 5-0 and Saturday the favorites went 10-4, so hopefully things will turn beginning with this game, as this is another one of those very favorable situations for the pooch. The Hurricanes have stepped up its game big time and have suddenly become a very tough out. However, they return home tonight from a four-game trip that saw them play twice in Western Canada, followed by games in Buffalo and Long Island. They won the final two games of said trip and have won six of eight so they’re surely not desperate for a win. They also return home minus defenseman Niclas Wallin (traded to the Sharks for a fifth rounder), Chad LaRose, Cam Ward, Scott Walker and Tuomo Ruutu. Meanwhile, the Panthers are hungry as hell and need this one badly. They’ve lost four of five and went from seventh place to 12th, four points out of a playoff spot. This team will show up tonight and they’ll play hard, that you can take to the bank. The Panthers are the superior team here and with Vokoun against Legace, they also have a huge edge between the pipes. Canes have a bunch of call-ups and while some teams may have taken them lightly recently, these Panthers will not, as they’re not in a position to take anyone lightly and they’re just too determined to come in here lame. Play: Florida +1.12 (Risking 2 units).
OTTAWA -½ +1.14 over Calgary
The excitement in Ottawa is just tremendous and the players are feeding off it big time. The Sens have won six in a row at home and that includes wins over Vancouver, Chicago and New Jersey, to name a few. The Sens have allowed two goals or less in 11 of its last 12 games and as you know, they won all 11 games. The Flames do not impress one bit despite winning three in a row. They caught three teams extremely flat, Carolina, Florida and Tampa Bay but they’re unlikely to catch the Sens flat, especially at Scotiabank Place. It’s also worth noting that the Flames will be without Rene Bourque, perhaps the Flames best player and without doubt one of the most underrated and underappreciated players in the game. Bourque does everything. He’s tremendous on the penalty-kill, he often shuts down the opposition’s top line and he also racks up points and plays the point on the power-play. Team Canada made a big mistake by not choosing a guy like him or John Madden but that’s another story. Anyway, the Flames are heading home after this to close out the pre-Olympic break and frankly they’re just not that good. Play: Ottawa -½ +1.14 (Risking 2 units).
TAMPA BAY +1.39 over Vancouver
The Canucks are in the midst of a tough stretch before the break and there’s a great chance of catching them fatigued and unmotivated here after games in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa and Boston. Those are four great hockey towns and exciting places to play while Tampa Bay is not. The Canucks have played here once in the past eight years and getting up for this one could be a challenge for sure. Besides, they’re not playing so good and were fortunate to leave Boston with a win after a late goal tied it 2-2. The Bolts have won three in a row and six of eight. They’re now in eighth place and they’ve been steadily moving up for weeks. They’ve also been sitting at home for a full week and should be the much more energized squad for this one. The Canucks a 3-2 favorite here is ludicrous, making this perhaps the biggest overlay on the tonight’s card. Play: Tampa Bay +1.29 (Risking 2 units).
Tom Freese
Tennessee at Vanderbilt
Tennessee is 18-4 overall and 6-2 in Conference Play. The Volunteers score 77 points a game. Guard Scotty Hopson leads the team in scoring with 13.2 points a game while shooting 41% from beyond the arc. Center Wayne Chism scores 13 points a game and grabs 7 rebounds a game. Tyler Smith has played just 12 games because he is injured. The Vols have three other players scoring between 8.8 points an 7.2 points a game. The Volunteers are 1-4 ATS their last 5 Conference games and they are 0-6 ATS in road games after playing 5 straight games as favorites. Vanderbilt is 17-5 overall and they are 6-2 in Conference Play. The Commodores are led in scoring by Guard Jermaine Beal and his 14 points a game. A.J Ogilvy scores 13.5 points a game and grabs 6.2 rebounds a game. Swing man Jeffery Taylor scores 12.3 points a game. Guard John Jenkins scores 10.4 points a game while shooting 41% from behind the arc. The Commodores score 78 points a game. Vanderbilt is 7-3 ATS their last 10 games vs. a team with a winning road record and they are and they are 8-3 ATS on Tuesday. PLAY ON VANDERBILT -
Cajun Sports
Oklahoma City Thunder @ Portland Trailblazers
OKC will be seeking their sixth straight win on Tuesday night in Portland when they face the host Trailblazers who are coming off a tough loss to the Lakers on Saturday. Portland is 6-1 against the spread and 5-2 straight up when playing off a straight up loss since early January. Even though the Blazers have been without star Brandon Roy for the last ten games they have been able to cover six of those contests against the spread despite posting a losing straight up record over that span. The Thunder have gone 4-2 ATS as an away favorite this season but they have struggled at the Rose Garden no matter which name they came in under (Thunder/Sonics) losing each of the last five road games against the Blazers at the Rose. We will back the Blazers here as a small home underdog as they upset the Thunder and put an end to their current winning streak. PLAY: 2* Portland Trailblazers
VEGAS EXPERTS
Chicago Bulls at Indiana Pacers
These teams combined to go Over the total when they last met, right before the New Year, and the public clearly expects the same taking the number up a full three points overnight. However, we respectufully disagree as we note that Indiana has gone Under in 11 of 14 games in which it was favored this season and Chicago is 8-1 Under when the total is 200 or higher.
Play on: Under
Steve Merril
Washington Wizards vs. Charlotte Bobcats
Play: Washington Wizards +8.5
Aside from losing Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton for the season because of their suspension (gun possession), the Washington Wizards finally have all of their pieces back on the court. Mike Miller, Caron Butler, and Antawn Jamison all have missed some significant time this season, but with all three back on the court at the same time, the Wizards have been playing better basketball. Washington has won three of their last five games which is just the second time they’ve done it this season. They enter tonight off a nice upset win at Orlando as double digit underdogs so there’s some good morale on this team right now. ‘Overall, it's probably been good. We've had some spirited practices,’ said Washington head coach Flip Saunders. ‘No doubt, winning that last game helps. Guys have a sense of feeling good about themselves and we can be more demanding of what we expect in practice from a perfection standpoint.’ Charlotte doesn’t come into this game the same way. The Bobcats have lost three straight games and six of their last nine. They are not in good form at all, and with point guard Raymond Felton a game-time decision, things do not look promising for the Bobcats tonight. Felton sprained his right ankle in practice on Monday, and he left the facility in a walking boot. If he does not play tonight, Charlotte will have trouble on the offensive end as he is the facilitator who gets scorers Stephen Jackson and Gerald Wallace the ball in perfect position to score. What keeps this play from being a Best Bet selection is the fact that Washington was caught in Orlando for a couple of days because they couldn’t get back home due to the snow in the D.C. area. So their routine was thrown off as they had to stay and practice in Orlando. Wizards’ coach Flip Saunders called it ‘a mini-all-star break before the all-star break’ (they’ve been off for 3 days) and that may have the players already off mentally for tonight’s game.
Craig Trapp
Illinois State vs. Bradley
Play: Bradley +1.5
Really surprised that Bradley has not had a better year overall. But they do play very well at home going 7-4 on the year and winning 4 of last 5 at home. Huge motivation for Bradley as they were embarrassed at ILL St earlier this year, losing by 20 plus. Also this same ILL St team beat them at home last year. ATS head to head Bradley is 9-1 L10 played. ILL St is not good on the road losing last 4 of 5. Really a good spot for a home underdog as they pull off upset and win outright.
Matt Fargo
Houston Rockets at Miami Heat
Prediction: Miami Heat
Miami is in need of something good to happen as the bad run to end January has carried over right into February. The Heat closed January with losses in three of their last four games and once the calendar flipped, good things did not come from it as Miami has dropped its first four games of the month. The run has coincided with the fact that Miami has played at home only twice over their last eight games and one of those home games came against the conference?s best team in Cleveland. That resulted in a one-point setback in the final seconds of the game and road games against Boston, Cleveland and Chicago have been the latest in the string of bad fortunes. Miami is home again but it certainly does not last long as the Heat travel to Atlanta tomorrow in their final game prior to the All-Star break and after that, it is four more consecutive road games post-break. That makes this one lonely home game really important. Miami is a game over .500 at American Airlines Arena and while nothing special, it is something to keep the confidence level high. Houston is in a very tough situation here. This is the final game for the Rockets prior to the All-Star break so an entire week off, not including practices, is what is waiting and that can makes things hard to focus. The Rockets have played only once on the road since January 22nd and while that game resulted in a win at Memphis, there has not been much travel taking place and that can be a problem when going to face a very hungry team looking for a win. Making matters worse is the fact that Houston is pretty banged up right now as it will be without guard Kyle Lowry because of an ankle injury and will also be without forward Trevor Ariza who is listed as doubtful tonight with a hip pointer but it has been confirmed he will not play. Chase Budinger is expected to start at shooting guard with guys like Jermaine Taylor and Garrett Temple providing bench support. Because of the injuries and the time off, it even is more incentive to get this back home and start healing. The Rockets are 0-6 ATS in their last six games against teams in the Eastern Conference and they are 1-5 ATS in their last six games against teams with a losing record. 3* Miami Heat
Sam Martin
New Jersey Nets at Cleveland Cavaliers
Prediction: New Jersey Nets
Clevelands winning streak most likely wont be in jeopardy tonight against league worst New Jersey, but taking the points might be the right call here. Cavs will get Delonte West back from injury tonight, and against a weak opponent like the Nets, head coach Mike Brown will probably test new rotations to see how West will fit back in with the rest of the team. Also, Cavs might be caught looking ahead to Thursdays clash with Orlando prior to the AS break, so while Cleveland notches the win, we think Jersey stays within 15 points here. Play on New Jersey.
BEN BURNS
Detroit Red Wings @ St. Louis Blues
PICK: Under 5.5
Both these teams are coming off relatively high-scoring road losses in their last game. The Wings fell 4-3 at LA on Saturday. The Blues were beaten 5-2 at Colorado last night. That should have both looking to clean things up at the defensive end this evening.
The Wings have seen the 'under' go 9-7 this season, after allowing four or more goals in their previous game. They've also seen the 'under' go 13-10 when playing a road game with an O/U line of 5.5. Additionally, the fact that the Blues beat them in the last meeting is worth noting, as the 'under' is 14-7-2 on the season when Detroit faced a team which defeated them last time out.
Speaking of that last meeting, it resulted in a score of just 1-0 ...
The Blues have seen the 'under' go 10-7-1 after a loss by two goals or more in their previous game. They've also seen the 'under' go a profitable 13-8 when playing a home game with an O/U line of 5.5. Additionally, its worth noting that the Blues have scored no more than two goals any of the last four times that they played the second of back to back games. Consider the Under 5.5.
Hollywood Sports
Virginia Commonwealth at George Mason
Prediction: George Mason
George Mason (15-9) returns home after losing two straight games on the road at Georgia State and Drexel. The Patriots had been heating up before this recent downturn as they had won seven games in a row while enjoying a 9-1 record in January. George Mason should bounce-back as they have covered in four of their last five games coming off a loss. The Patriots remain very strong on their home court where they have won 17 straight games in Colonial Athletic Association play as well as sporting a 10-1 record this season. Virginia Commonwealth (17-5) has won four games in a row after defeating Old Dominion, 70-58. But expect a letdown for the Rams who now have to go on the road again where they shoot only 43% from the field. This poor shooting will be troublesome against a Patriots' defense that holds their opponents to only 61.5 PPG on just 41.9% shooting. George Mason typically handles situations like this very well as they have covered their last six home games as an underdog of under seven points while also covering four of their last five games against teams with a win percentage above 60%. The Patriots enjoy a one-game lead over the Rams in the very competitive CAA Conference. Don't be surprised if George Mason wins this game straight-up -- but they certainly should keep this game very close. Take the points with George Mason.
JR O'Donnell
Chicago Bulls vs. Indiana Pacers
Play: Under 202½
Jr O going under here tonight as Indiana (18-33) limps home after a 2-6 stint to the friendly Conseco Arena following a 93-81 loss at Milwaukee the 6th . Big problems with a suspended Tyrus Thomas & big man Noah will be sidelined due to his foot injury plantar fasciitis. This is Indiana's last game before the all star game and they will play some defense @ home . Jr O has the UNDER circled here as the Chicago (24-25) scored 81, 91, 103 and 90 the last 4 games, they are 10-15-1 under the last 26 away & we note the Pacers 10-14 under at home. Chicago is 3-17 at Conseco Fieldhouse since its opening in the Bulls just don't play well in this Arena. Under is 12-3-1 in Pacers last 16 games as a home favorite pk to -5
Jeff Alexander
1 Unit on Indiana Pacers -1
The Bulls have really felt the absence of Joakim Noah in terms of what he does on the board, on the defensive end, and the energy he brings to this team. Without him, I expect the Bulls to have a tough go of it tonight in a city where they are just 6-23 since 1996. Indiana is coming off a road defeat, and that bodes well for us here as the Pacers are 18-8 ATS in home games off a road loss the last 2 seasons. Plus, the Pacers are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games following a loss so this is certainly a team that comes out harder the next time it plays after enduring a defeat. Lastly, the Bulls are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a losing home record. We'll take the Pacers.
Jimmy Boyd
1 Unit on Purdue/Michigan State UNDER 139.5
This matchup has been an Unders machine with these two teams playing to the Under in 13 of the last 16 meetings, including 6 of the last 7 meetings at Michigan State. Michigan State is a proud defensive team, only allowing 60.8 ppg at home this season, so you can imagine how well its consecutive losses are sitting, when it allowed 67 and 78 points respectively. This is as big a matchup as there has been in the Big Ten in recent years, and defense has stolen the show. Last season, these two teams combined for 126 points at Purdue and just 113 at Michigan State. Kalin Lucas is not at 100 percent, which takes away a major scoring option for the Spartans, but it also takes away their most trusted ball handler. Without him they ran into turnover problems at Illinois, but I expect the Spartans to do a much better job of taking care of the rock tonight as it has been made a major focus in practice. Huge turnover numbers is about the only thing that I see pushing this one Over other than otherworldly shooting so I like our chances. Plus, Michigan State is on a 14-1 Unders tear off an upset loss as a road favorite, and we are only seeing an average of 129.5 points in these games. Bet the Under for 1 Unit.
Ron Raymond
NAS (-135) vs NYI
The Islanders have lost 7 straight and they don't have anybody who is consistent right now. Plus, they have the Penguins on deck in their next game, look ahead spot. When NY ISLANDERS played as home team as a Underdog - During Last 3 Years - Lost Last Game by 2 Goals; the Islanders are 2-8 SU in this role.