SPORTS ADVISORS
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
(21) Vanderbilt (15-3, 10-6 ATS) at (14) Tennessee (15-3, 8-6-1 ATS)
The Volunteers return from a two-game road trip to face in-state rival Vanderbilt in a Southeastern Conference clash at Thompson-Boling Arena.
Tennessee got a split of two roadies last week, topping Alabama 63-56 as a 2½-point chalk, then getting drubbed by Georgia 78-63 Saturday as a 6½-point favorite, ending a seven-game SU win streak (5-1 ATS in lined action). Saturday’s loss notwithstanding, the Volunteers are outscoring opponents by nearly 15 ppg on the year, averaging 78.8 ppg and yielding 64.1. Bruce Pearl’s squad is holding foes to just 38.7 percent shooting, which rates 20th nationally.
Vandy has reentered the Top 25 thanks to a nine-game winning streak (6-2 ATS) and it is 4-0 SU and 3-1 ATS in the SEC, including SU and ATS road wins over Florida and Alabama. On Saturday, the Commodores dropped Auburn 82-74, but fell short as a hefty 12½-point home favorite. Vanderbilt is putting up 79.2 ppg, with the 10th-best shooting percentage in the country at 49.7, while allowing 66.4 ppg on 40.2 percent shooting.
Tennessee won and covered in both of last year’s meetings with Vandy, both double-digit victories. The Vols won 76-63 on the road giving two points and 69-50 at home laying 10 points, moving to 4-1 SU and ATS in the last five meetings and improving to 7-2 ATS in the last nine contests (6-3 SU). Tennessee has cashed in the last four Knoxville meetings, the home team is 5-1 ATS in the last six matchups, the favorite is on a 4-1 ATS surge and the SU winner has cashed in eight straight.
The Vols are on ATS upticks of 5-2 overall and 5-1 against winning teams, though they are 2-5 ATS in their last seven Wednesday starts and 1-4 ATS in their last five following a SU loss. The Commodores are on nothing but positive ATS runs, including 6-1 overall, 5-0 in Wednesday, 6-1 after a SU win, 6-1 against winning teams, 6-2 in the SEC and 5-2 on the highway.
The under for Tennessee is on rolls of 22-8 overall, 5-0 against winning teams, 6-1 at home and 4-1 in SEC play, and in this rivalry, the total has remained low in five straight overall and four in a row at Thompson-Boling. On the flip side, the over for Vanderbilt is on streaks of 6-1 on the road, 4-1 in conference action and 4-0 after a non-cover.
ATS ADVANTAGE: TENNESSEE
Florida State (15-4, 4-10 ATS) at (8) Duke (16-3, 12-6 ATS)
The Blue Devils, aiming to stay perfect at home this season, take on the Seminoles in an ACC contest at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Duke was dealt an 88-74 bashing last Wednesday as an 11½-point chalk at North Carolina State, but bounced back Saturday at Clemson with a 60-47 victory giving two points for its first true road win of the season as it moved to 10-2 SU (8-4 ATS) in its last dozen games. The Blue Devils are outscoring opponents by an eye-opening 21.1 ppg, racking up 82.8 ppg (10th in the nation) and allowing 61.7 ppg. Furthermore, their 3-point defense rates ninth nationally, with foes hitting just 28.4 percent from long range.
Florida State bounced back from a two-game SU and ATS hiccup by posting a 63-58 win over Virginia Tech on Jan. 16 and a 68-66 win over Georgia Tech on Sunday, both at home. However, they failed to cash in both, laying six points against VaTech and five against the Yellow Jackets. In fact, the ‘Noles 4-10 ATS mark rates 293rd among the 304 Division I teams.
Where FSU is succeeding, though, is with its field-goal defense, which is No. 1 nationally at 35.5 percent. The Seminoles are allowing 60.2 ppg (21st) and scoring 72.6 ppg.
Duke has won the last four clashes in this rivalry but is just 2-2 ATS in that stretch. These teams met three times last year, with the Blue Devils prevailing 66-58 on the road as a 9½-point chalk, 84-81 at home giving 12½ points and 79-69 in the ACC tournament as a 6½-point favorite. Still, Florida State is 9-3 ATS in the last 12 meetings (all as an underdog) and is on a 5-1 ATS run at Cameron Indoor.
The Blue Devils are on ATS upswings of 6-2 overall, 4-0 at home, 6-2 against winning teams, 5-2 in the ACC and 9-4 following a SU win. Conversely, the Seminoles are on pointspread purges 0-4 overall (all in the ACC), 2-5 as a visitor, 2-5 after a SU win, 1-6 after a non-cover and 0-4 against winning teams.
Duke is on “under” runs of 9-3 against winning teams, 21-8 within the ACC, 10-4 on Wednesday and 21-9 coming off an ATS win. Florida State has gone high in its last six Wednesday starts, but is otherwise on “under” surges of 10-3 against winning teams, 9-4 in conference play and 8-3-1 after a non-cover. Finally, the under has hit in 10 of the last 13 meetings in this rivalry.
ATS ADVANTAGE: DUKE and UNDER
(12) BYU (20-1, 11-7 ATS) at (23) New Mexico (18-3, 13-6-1 ATS)
Red-hot Brigham Young hits the highway for the second straight game, trekking to The Pit in Albuquerque to take on Lobos in a Mountain West Conference showdown.
The Cougars were dealt a loss at Utah State on Dec. 2 and haven’t been beaten since, ripping off 15 consecutive victories (9-4 ATS in lined action), with 10 of those wins by double digits. The Cougars’ last game, however, was the tightest, as they escaped San Diego State with a 71-69 victory as a one-point road favorite Saturday.
Dave Rose’s troops are averaging 83.2 ppg (seventh in the country) while giving up 62.5 ppg, and they are in the top 10 in free-throw percentage (77.6, first), shooting percentage (50.7, fourth) and three-point percentage (41.6, sixth).
New Mexico has followed a two-game SU and ATS skid with four consecutive victories (3-1 ATS), all from the favorite’s role, including three by double digits. On Saturday, the Lobos whipped Colorado State 82-64 and cashed as a 14½-point favorite. Steve Alford’s squad is averaging 77.8 ppg while giving up 66.5 ppg.
BYU is 7-1 SU and ATS in the last eight clashes with New Mexico, though last year, the home team won and covered both contests. The Cougars notched a 73-62 win giving 6½ points at home, after getting thumped 81-62 as a one-point chalk at The Pit. The home team is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.
The Cougars are on pointspread rolls of 4-1 overall, 4-0 against winning teams, 13-4 after a spread-cover, 19-7-1 on the road and 12-5 in the Mountain West. Likewise, the Lobos are on ATS surges of 15-6-1 overall, 8-3 against winning teams, 18-7-1 on Wednesdays, 35-15-1 at home, 34-15-2 after a spread-cover and 11-5-1 after a SU win.
The under is on runs of 4-0 overall for BYU (all in conference play), 8-3 with the Cougars coming off a spread-cover, 5-1-1 overall for New Mexico, 6-1-1 for the Lobos in the Mountain West and 4-1-1 with Alford’s squad coming off a SU win. However, the over is 8-2 in BYU’s last 10 games against winning teams and 4-1 for New Mexico versus winning teams, and in this rivalry, the total has gone high in eight of the past 10 meetings overall and five of the last six in Albuquerque.
ATS ADVANTAGE: OVER
NBA
Atlanta (29-14 SU and ATS) at San Antonio (25-18, 21-21-1 ATS)
Two teams headed in opposite directions hook up at the AT&T Center, where the surging Hawks complete a quick two-game Texas road trip with a game against the slumping Spurs.
Atlanta won and covered its third straight game Monday, downing the Rockets 102-95 as a one-point road underdog. The Hawks, who have scored 108, 103 and 102 points during their three-game SU and ATS winning streak, have also won six of their last seven games and eight of their last nine (7-3 ATS), but only two of those victories came on the road. For the season, Atlanta is 11-9 SU but 13-7 ATS as a visitor, barely outscoring opponents (98.3-97.8).
San Antonio has dropped an unprecedented three straight home games, all as a favorite and all in convincing fashion: 105-98 to Utah as a 5½-point chalk; 116-109 to Houston as a six-point favorite; and, on Monday, 98-93 to Chicago as an 8½-point choice. The Spurs are 1-5 SU and ATS in their last six games – a slump that comes on the heels of a 15-4 SU and 12-6-1 ATS roll. Gregg Popovich’s squad has been held under 100 points five times during its 1-5 funk.
The Spurs have owned this rivalry, winning six straight meetings (3-2-1 ATS) and nine of the last 10 (6-3-1 ATS, all as a favorite) going back to the 2004-05 season. Also, San Antonio has beaten the Hawks 11 straight times at the AT&T Center, going 9-1-1 ATS. Atlanta’s lone spread-cover came last year when it ost 95-89 but got the cash as a 6½-point underdog. Despite that spread-cover, Atlanta is still just 5-12-1 ATS in the last 18 series battles.
Atlanta is on ATS runs of 5-2 overall, 19-7-1 against the Western Conference, 21-8 on Wednesday and 6-1 after one day of rest. The Spurs’ 8-1 ATS run against Southeast Division opponents is offset by negative pointspread streaks of 1-5 overall, 1-5 at home, 1-4 against the Eastern Conference and 4-9 versus winning teams.
In this rivalry, the under has cashed in six of the last eight clashes overall and four straight in San Antonio. Additionally, the Spurs are on “under” rolls of 7-1 against Eastern Conference teams, 36-16-1 versus Southeast Division opponents, 4-1 after a SU loss and 5-1 after a non-cover, while Atlanta carries “under” trends of 5-2 against Western Conference foes, 6-2 versus winning teams, 7-1 after a SU win and 5-1 after a spread-cover.
Conversely, the Spurs have topped the total in four straight Wednesday games, while the Hawks have done so in 20 of their last 26 on Wednesday.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER
Denver (30-14, 20-22-2 ATS) at Houston (24-20, 22-22 ATS)
The Nuggets put a seven-game winning streak on the line when they head south to the Toyota Center looking to hand the Rockets their third straight loss, all at home.
Playing without leading scorer Carmelo Anthony (injury) and key reserve J.R. Smith (suspension), Denver got past Charlotte 104-93 on Monday, covering as a 5½-point home favorite. During the winning streak, George Karl’s club has outscored its opponents by more than 11 ppg (112.4-101.3), topping triple digits in all seven contests. However, the Nuggets are just 7-14-2 ATS in their last 23 games, and they haven’t cashed in consecutive contests once during this stretch.
Anthony is expected to return to the Denver lineup tonight.
Houston followed up Saturday’s 104-97 loss to the Bulls as a six-point home favorite with Monday’s 102-95 setback to Atlanta as a one-point home chalk. The Rockets have just four wins in their last 11 games, going 2-9 ATS, including five straight non-covers at home (2-3 SU). Houston’s defense has been virtually nonexistent lately, giving up more than 100 points in six of the last seven games (106.3 ppg).
The home team has won eight of the last nine meetings between these teams (6-3 ATS), including Denver’s 111-101 rout as an 8½-point home chalk on Dec. 16. The Nuggets have lost four straight games in Houston (1-3 ATS), and the SU winner has cashed in six of the last seven meetings.
In addition to going 7-14-2 ATS in its last 23 overall, Denver has lost seven of its last nine on the highway (1-7-1 ATS). The Nuggets are in further pointspread declines of 2-9-2 against Western Conference opponents, 0-4 against the Southwest Division, 0-5-2 after a spread-cover and 2-7 when playing on one day of rest. The lone bright spot: a 4-1 ATS run on Wednesday.
Houston has cashed in seven of its last nine against Northwest Division foes, but is otherwise in ATS ruts of 1-6 overall, 0-5 at home, 0-4 on Wednesday, 1-5 after a SU defeat and 1-4 against teams with a winning record.
Denver has stayed under the total in five of its last seven road games, but from there it is on “over” streaks of 5-1 overall, 19-7 on Wednesday and 4-1 after one day of rest. Similarly, Houston is on “over” stretches of 6-1 overall, 4-1 at home, 4-1 against winning teams and 4-1 after a non-cover. Finally, four of the last five clashes in this rivalry have topped the posted total.
ATS ADVANTAGE: OVER
Utah (26-18. 26-16-2 ATS) at Portland (27-19, 24-21-1 ATS)
The Trail Blazers hope to extend the home team’s dominance in this Northwest Division rivalry, while looking to cool off the streaking Jazz.
Utah ran its winning streak to three in a row with Monday’s 124-115 rout of Phoenix, cashing as a seven-point home favorite. Not only have the Jazz won eight of their last 10 games (both losses came on the road), but they’re the hottest pointspread team in the league, going 8-0-2 ATS. Utah has scored more than 110 points in eight of those 10 games, averaging 111.9 ppg. Going back to Dec. 23, Utah has split its last eight road games (5-2-1 ATS).
Portland’s consistency issues continued Monday, as it returned home from a four-game road trip and lost to New Orleans 98-97 as a 2½-point home chalk, though the Blazers were missing star point guard Brandon Roy (injury). The Blazers are 2-3 SU and 3-2 ATS in their last five games, with those contests decided by a total of 21 points and Portland averaging just 95.8 ppg. Additionally, Nate McMillan’s club is just 5-6 SU in its last 11 games and 7-7 ATS in its last 14.
Roy, who has missed five of the last six games, has been ruled out tonight and is sidelined for at least the rest of the week.
In the first meeting between these division rivals this season, Utah crushed the Blazers 108-92 as a five-point home favorite. The host is 8-0 SU and ATS in the last eight series clashes and 14-1 SU and 13-2 ATS in the last 15 battles. Going back further, the home team is on a 22-8 ATS roll when these rivals hook up, and the favorite has cashed in each of the last seven Blazers-Jazz battles.
The SU winner is 18-2 ATS in Portland’s last 20 games and 25-4-2 ATS in Utah’s last 31 contests. Finally, the winner has cashed in each of the last 12 meetings in this rivalry.
Utah has failed to cash in nine of its last 13 Wednesday contests and is 2-9-1 ATS in its last 12 divisional contests. After that, though, Jerry Sloan’s squad is on ATS runs of 20-8-2 overall, 4-0-1 on the road, 5-0-1 against Western Conference opponents and 5-0-2 versus winning teams. The Blazers are on pointspread upticks of 5-2 overall, 5-1 in Northwest Division games, 4-0 after a SU loss, 4-1 after a non-cover, 4-1 on Wednesday and 7-2 against winning teams.
The Jazz sport “over” trends of 4-1 overall, 20-9-1 on the road, 10-2 in divisional games, 3-1-1 on Wednesday and 4-1 when playing on one day of rest. Similarly, Portland is on a slew of “over” streaks, including 12-4 overall, 5-1 at home, 4-0 against the Western Conference, 4-1 versus Northwest Division rivals, 6-2 after one day of rest and 4-1 on Wednesday. Finally, the over is 4-1 in the last five meetings between these teams.
ATS ADVANTAGE: PORTLAND and OVER
DUNKEL
Miami at Toronto
The Raptors look to build on their 6-0 ATS record in their last 6 games as a home favorite of 1 to 4 1/2 points. Toronto is the pick (-3 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Raptors favored by 8 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Toronto (-3 1/2)
Game 701-702: Miami at Toronto
Dunkel Ratings: Miami 115.664; Toronto 124.263
Dunkel Line & Total: Toronto by 8 1/2; 201
Vegas Line & Total: Toronto by 3 1/2; 204 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (-3 1/2); Under
Game 703-704: LA Lakers at Indiana
Dunkel Ratings: LA Lakers 121.503; Indiana 118.316
Dunkel Line & Total: LA Lakers by 3; 210
Vegas Line & Total: LA Lakers by 6 1/2; 209
Dunkel Pick: Indiana (+6 1/2); Over
Game 705-706: Minnesota at Cleveland
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota 111.311; Cleveland 128.067
Dunkel Line & Total: Cleveland by 17; 205
Vegas Line & Total: Cleveland by 13 1/2; 200
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (-13 1/2); Over
Game 707-708: LA Clippers at New Jersey
Dunkel Ratings: LA Clippers 116.562; New Jersey 108.492
Dunkel Line & Total: LA Clippers by 8; 182
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A
Game 709-710: Memphis at Detroit
Dunkel Ratings: Memphis 121.175; Detroit 116.000
Dunkel Line & Total: Memphis by 5; 197
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A
Game 711-712: Chicago at Oklahoma City
Dunkel Ratings: Chicago 116.354; Oklahoma City 125.348
Dunkel Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 9; 199
Vegas Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 5 1/2; 195
Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma City (-5 1/2); Over
Game 713-714: Philadelphia at Milwaukee
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia 114.130; Milwaukee 122.465
Dunkel Line & Total: Milwaukee by 8 1/2; 196
Vegas Line & Total: Milwaukee by 2 1/2; 199 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Milwaukee (-2 1/2); Under
Game 715-716: Atlanta at San Antonio
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta 121.888; San Antonio 121.479
Dunkel Line & Total: Even; 187
Vegas Line & Total: San Antonio by 3 1/2; 195
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (+3 1/2); Under
Game 717-718: Denver at Houston
Dunkel Ratings: Denver 123.298; Houston 119.264
Dunkel Line & Total: Denver by 4; 216
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A
Game 719-720: Utah at Portland
Dunkel Ratings: Utah 123.516; Portland 123.840
Dunkel Line & Total: Even; 192
Vegas Line & Total: Utah by 2; 195 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Portland (+2); Under
Game 721-722: New Orleans at Golden State
Dunkel Ratings: New Orleans 116.350; Golden State 119.272
Dunkel Line & Total: Golden State by 3; 215
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A
NCAAB
Florida State at Duke
The Blue Devils look to take advantage of a Florida State team that is coming off a 68-66 home loss to Georgia Tech and is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games following an ATS loss. Duke is the pick (-13 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Blue Devils favored by 18. Dunkel Pick: Duke (-13 1/2)
Game 723-724: Illinois at Penn State
Dunkel Ratings: Illinois 66.619; Penn State 63.699
Dunkel Line: Illinois by 3
Vegas Line: Illinois by 1
Dunkel Pick: Illinois (-1)
Game 725-726: Notre Dame at Villanova
Dunkel Ratings: Notre Dame 64.394; Villanova 77.862
Dunkel Line: Villanova by 13 1/2
Vegas Line: Villanova by 11
Dunkel Pick: Villanova (-11)
Game 727-728: Connecticut at Providence
Dunkel Ratings: Connecticut 67.081; Providence 65.819
Dunkel Line: Connecticut by 1
Vegas Line: Connecticut by 5
Dunkel Pick: Providence (+5)
Game 729-730: William & Mary at James Madison
Dunkel Ratings: William & Mary 60.411; James Madison 53.557
Dunkel Line: William & Mary by 7
Vegas Line: William & Mary by 3
Dunkel Pick: William & Mary (-3)
Game 731-732: St. Louis at George Washington
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis 57.400; George Washington 59.825
Dunkel Line: George Washington by 2 1/2
Vegas Line: George Washington by 4 1/2
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (+4 1/2)
Game 733-734: NC Wilmington at Hofstra
Dunkel Ratings: NC Wilmington 52.245; Hofstra 55.018
Dunkel Line: Hofstra by 3
Vegas Line: Hofstra by 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NC Wilmington (+5 1/2)
Game 735-736: Delaware at George Mason
Dunkel Ratings: Delaware 48.797; George Mason 62.405
Dunkel Line: George Mason by 13 1/2
Vegas Line: George Mason by 12 1/2
Dunkel Pick: George Mason (-12 1/2)
Game 737-738: Drexel at Northeastern
Dunkel Ratings: Drexel 52.063; Northeastern 69.245
Dunkel Line: Northeastern by 17
Vegas Line: Northeastern by 10
Dunkel Pick: Northeastern (-10)
Game 739-740: Illinois State at Wichita State
Dunkel Ratings: Illinois State 59.556; Wichita State 69.015
Dunkel Line: Wichita State by 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Wichita State by 7
Dunkel Pick: Wichita State (-7)
Game 741-742: Bowling Green at Eastern Michigan
Dunkel Ratings: Bowling Green 54.435; Eastern Michigan 51.991
Dunkel Line: Bowling Green by 2 1/2
Vegas Line: Eastern Michigan by 3 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Bowling Green (+3 1/2)
Game 743-744: Akron at Western Michigan
Dunkel Ratings: Akron 58.337; Western Michigan 57.927
Dunkel Line: Even
Vegas Line: Akron by 1 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Western Michigan (+1 1/2)
Game 745-746: Temple at Charlotte
Dunkel Ratings: Temple 66.492; Charlotte 62.499
Dunkel Line: Temple by 4
Vegas Line: Temple by 1
Dunkel Pick: Temple (-1)
Game 747-748: Massachusetts at St. Joseph's
Dunkel Ratings: Massachusetts 52.522; St. Joseph's 57.330
Dunkel Line: St. Joseph's by 5
Vegas Line: St. Joseph's by 3 1/2
Dunkel Pick: St. Joseph's (-3 1/2)
Game 749-750: LaSalle at Fordham
Dunkel Ratings: LaSalle 56.816; Fordham 44.474
Dunkel Line: LaSalle by 12 1/2
Vegas Line: LaSalle by 11
Dunkel Pick: LaSalle (-11)
Game 751-752: Vanderbilt at Tennessee
Dunkel Ratings: Vanderbilt 69.380; Tennessee 77.568
Dunkel Line: Tennessee by 8
Vegas Line: Tennessee by 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Tennessee (-5 1/2)
Game 753-754: Georgia at Florida
Dunkel Ratings: Georgia 65.007; Florida 68.564
Dunkel Line: Florida by 3 1/2
Vegas Line: Florida by 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Georgia (+8 1/2)
Game 755-756: Texas A&M at Oklahoma State
Dunkel Ratings: Texas A&M 67.138; Oklahoma State 68.711
Dunkel Line: Oklahoma State by 1 1/2
Vegas Line: Oklahoma State by 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Texas A&M (+5 1/2)
Game 757-758: Towson at VCU
Dunkel Ratings: Towson 48.564; VCU 65.671
Dunkel Line: VCU by 17
Vegas Line: VCU by 18 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Towson (+18 1/2)
Game 759-760: Ohio at Northern Illinois
Dunkel Ratings: Ohio 52.487; Northern Illinois 56.901
Dunkel Line: Northern Illinois by 4 1/2
Vegas Line: Ohio by 1
Dunkel Pick: Northern Illinois (+1)
Game 761-762: Creighton at Bradley
Dunkel Ratings: Creighton 56.323; Bradley 63.038
Dunkel Line: Bradley by 6 1/2
Vegas Line: Bradley by 3
Dunkel Pick: Bradley (-3)
Game 763-764: Evansville at Missouri State
Dunkel Ratings: Evansville 49.090; Missouri State 64.110
Dunkel Line: Missouri State by 15
Vegas Line: Missouri State by 13 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Missouri State (-13 1/2)
Game 765-766: Drake at Northern Iowa
Dunkel Ratings: Drake 60.610; Northern Iowa 69.845
Dunkel Line: Northern Iowa by 9
Vegas Line: Northern Iowa by 13 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Drake (+13 1/2)
Game 767-768: Memphis at Marshall
Dunkel Ratings: Memphis 64.396; Marshall 65.572
Dunkel Line: Marshall by 1
Vegas Line: Memphis by 1 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Marshall (+1 1/2)
Game 769-770: TCU at Colorado State
Dunkel Ratings: TCU 53.957; Colorado State 60.509
Dunkel Line: Colorado State by 6 1/2
Vegas Line: Colorado State by 4 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Colorado State (-4 1/2)
Game 771-772: Central Florida at SMU
Dunkel Ratings: Central Florida 6.605; SMU 57.191
Dunkel Line: SMU by 1
Vegas Line: SMU by 5
Dunkel Pick: Central Florida (+5)
Game 773-774: LSU at Alabama
Dunkel Ratings: LSU 55.219; Alabama 68.323
Dunkel Line: Alabama by 13
Vegas Line: Alabama by 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Alabama (-9 1/2)
Game 775-776: Ohio State at Iowa
Dunkel Ratings: Ohio State 73.290; Iowa 58.876
Dunkel Line: Ohio State by 14 1/2
Vegas Line: Ohio State by 10 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Ohio State (-10 1/2)
Game 777-778: Tulane at UTEP
Dunkel Ratings: Tulane 49.299; UTEP 70.758
Dunkel Line: UTEP by 21 1/2
Vegas Line: UTEP by 17
Dunkel Pick: UTEP (-17)
Game 779-780: Utah at Wyoming
Dunkel Ratings: Utah 61.642; Wyoming 56.448
Dunkel Line: Utah by 5
Vegas Line: Utah by 3
Dunkel Pick: Utah (-3)
Game 781-782: Texas Tech at Texas
Dunkel Ratings: Texas Tech 63.952; Texas 74.127
Dunkel Line: Texas by 10
Vegas Line: Texas by 17 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Texas Tech (+17 1/2)
Game 783-784: Iowa State at Oklahoma
Dunkel Ratings: Iowa State 63.505; Oklahoma 65.982
Dunkel Line: Oklahoma by 2 1/2
Vegas Line: Pick
Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma
Game 785-786: Florida State at Duke
Dunkel Ratings: Florida State 66.476; Duke 84.274
Dunkel Line: Duke by 18
Vegas Line: Duke by 13 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Duke (-13 1/2)
Game 787-788: BYU at New Mexico
Dunkel Ratings: BYU 72.598; New Mexico 69.080
Dunkel Line: BYU by 3 1/2
Vegas Line: New Mexico by 1
Dunkel Pick: BYU (+1)
Game 789-790: Nebraska at Colorado
Dunkel Ratings: Nebraska 61.471; Colorado 64.031
Dunkel Line: Colorado by 2 1/2
Vegas Line: Colorado by 4
Dunkel Pick: Nebraska (+4)
NHL
St. Louis at Vancouver
The Blues look to build on their 6-2 record in their last 8 games versus the Northwest Division. St. Louis is the pick (+180) according to Dunkel, which has the Blues favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (+180)
Game 1-2: Anaheim at Washington
Dunkel Ratings: Anaheim 13.600; Washington 13.211
Dunkel Line & Total: Anaheim by 1/2; 5 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Washington (-230); 6
Dunkel Pick: Anaheim (+190); Under
Game 3-4: Montreal at Tampa Bay
Dunkel Ratings: Montreal 11.521; Tampa Bay 12.850
Dunkel Line & Total: Tampa Bay by 1 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Tampa Bay (-130); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (-130); Over
Game 5-6: Carolina at NY Rangers
Dunkel Ratings: Carolina 11.690; NY Rangers 12.381
Dunkel Line & Total: NY Rangers by 1; 4
Vegas Line & Total: NY Rangers (-145); 5
Dunkel Pick: NY Rangers (-145); Under
Game 7-8: New Jersey at Buffalo
Dunkel Ratings: New Jersey 11.130; Buffalo 12.716
Dunkel Line & Total: Buffalo by 1 1/2; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A
Game 9-10: Detroit at Minnesota
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit 10.981; Minnesota 12.407
Dunkel Line & Total: Minnesota by 1 1/2; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Minnesota (-115); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (-115); Over
Game 11-12: Calgary at Dallas
Dunkel Ratings: Calgary 12.068; Dallas 10.744
Dunkel Line & Total: Calgary by 1 1/2; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Dallas (-130); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Calgary (+110); Under
Game 13-14: St. Louis at Vancouver
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis 13.525; Vancouver 12.542
Dunkel Line & Total: St. Louis by 1; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Vancouver (-210); 5
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (+180); Under
Matt Fargo
3* St. Joseph’s Hawks
I think it is becoming more and more clear that Massachusetts s8imply is not a good team. The Minutemen have lost five straight games including a blowout loss by 26 points at Baylor over the weekend. The Bears are from the Big XII and Massachusetts is from the much weaker Atlantic Ten but it is not doing much better within the conference as it is just 1-4 on the season. The lone conference win came against Fordham, one of the worst teams in the nation by just two points at home. Somehow, the Minutemen defeated Memphis earlier this season as the stars must have aligned that night as the other six wins have come against Division II Arkansas-Fort Smith as well as five Division I teams ranked 294th, 344th, 272nd, 220th and 309th. Massachusetts is just 1-7 in true road games with a win over Holy Cross back in December being the only win and it has been six straight losses since. St. Joseph’s is not having its best season either but that is helping in keeping this line down. The Hawks are 8-11 including 2-3 in the Atlantic Ten but they are riding a three-game winning streak that did include a quality win over Dayton so they are definitely coming together at the right time. St. Joe’s has been blasted on the road against quality teams including Rhode Island, Temple Siena, Minnesota, Cornell and Purdue. The difference here is that Massachusetts is not a quality team and this game is not on the road. The Hawks are 6-2 at home on the season and the numbers reflect that difference. The Hawks haven't held many teams to under 70 points this year, but in the past three wins, they have done just that. In two of the wins, they've limited them to fewer than 60 points as Towson scored just 57 points while Dayton had 59. Massachusetts is 1-10 this season when scoring fewer than 70 points while the Hawks are 7-2 when holding the opposition to fewer than 70 points. Assist/turnover ratio is a big factor here as Massachusetts comes in with a pretty bad 0.88 ratio. On the road, that drops to 0.71 and the ratio variance in road games is -0.62. The Hawks have a ratio of 1.13 at home and have a ratio variance of +0.32 in their eight home contests. Another key factor, free throw shooting, is also a huge advantage for the Hawks. Massachusetts is 0-6 ATS in its last six games as an underdog of fewer than seven points while the Hawks are 4-1-1 ATS in their last six games against teams with a losing record. 3* St. Joseph’s Hawks
Marc Lawrence
Connecticut at Providence
Prediction: Providence
The Friars host the Huskies in a Big East clash at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in a nice spot this evening. That occurred when Providence dropped a 109-105 decision on this court to South Florida this past Saturday while Connecticut upset Texas as a home dog in its last game. According to our database, the Friars are 8-1-1 ATS at home off a previous home loss when facing an opponent off a SU and ATS win. Playing with revenge from a 94-61 loss to the Huskies last year that snapped a three game series win skein, look for Providence to make amends here tonight.
BIG AL
Los Angeles Clippers at New Jersey Nets
Prediction: New Jersey Nets
The Nets are approaching a record that no franchise wants: That of the worst season in NBA history. In the early 1970s, the 76ers won just 9 games, but the Nets are on pace to win just six games! Tonight's game against the Clippers, then, represents one of the few opportunities New Jersey will have this season for a victory, and I expect a supreme effort by the homestanding Nets. Indeed, New Jersey is coming off a 33-point loss to the Jazz, and that was its worst defeat of the season. But NBA teams (even bad ones like the Nets) tend to rebound off very bad losses and tonight New Jersey falls into a 47-21 ATS system of mine that plays on certain teams off 3 straight losses, if their last defeat was by at least 22 points. Don't be surprised when the Nets win this ballgame with ease. Take New Jersey.
Nick “The BookieKiller” Parsons
Carolina Hurricanes @ New York Rangers
PICK: New York Rangers -150
For a number of different reasons I believe the Rangers are the sharp wager in this one:
After a dominating 5-1 win over Boston on Sunday, I expect a letdown from the Hurricanes today as they get set to face a determined New York club.
After reaching the East finals in 2009, Carolina sits in the basement in the East this year; it comes as no surprise to learn then that Carolina is 2-4 its last six overall and a horrible 5-20 its last 25 on the road.
On the other side of the ice: New York totaled 14 goals in home wins over Montreal and Tampa Bay last week before back-to-back shutout losses on the road against Philadelphia and the Canadiens.
The Rangers lost 4-2 on Monday night to Pittsburgh in their return home, allowing three unanswered goals after taking the lead midway through the final period.
The Rangers always play the Hurricanes tough at Madison Square Garden though; 5-2 their last seven vs. Carolina in front of the home town crowd.
Bottom line: New York is desperate for a win and has a big opportunity to break out of its mini-slump with a concerted effort and having the advantage of playing at home.
Also note that this is actually a spot that the Rangers have performed well in all season long; 4-2 (+1.5 units) after three or more consecutive losses.
A decent price when considering all of the above factors; the RANGERS are certainly worth a second look.
Jim Feist
Utah Jazz vs. Portland Trail Blazers
Play: Over 195½
The loss of Greg Oden has taken away Portland's big defensive presence in the middle. The offense, though, is playing well, on a 12-4 run over the total. into town comes Utah, an uptempo offensive team ranked 8th in the NBA in scoring. Utah is on 6-2 run over the total. These teams have met once in a game that sailed over the total by double digits and this has the makings of an uptempo tilt, too. Play the Jazz/Blazers Over the total.
EZWINNERS
Atlanta Hawks +3.5
The Spurs are not playing well and have lost five out of their last six games. They are struggling to score consistently on offense and they are giving up way too many points in the paint. Tony Parker is playing with a hurt foot, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobli appear to have lost a step and Richard Jefferson can't even make a free throw consistently right now. The Spurs have feasted on the bad teams in the league this season and half struggled against the good teams. San Antonio is only 4-9 against the spread in their last 13 games against a team with a winning record and they will have their hands full with this young, athletic Atlanta team. The Hawks are the real deal and should really make the Eastern Conference race very interesting. Atlanta has won five out of their last six games and they always play well against the Western Conference where they are 19-7-1 against the spread in their last 27 games. Take the points.
Cajun Sports
Game: Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ Villanova Wildcats
Selection: Villanova Wildcats -11
Notre Dame makes the trip to the Wachovia Center to face Big East rival Villanova Wildcats on Wednesday night a game that will be carried by ESPN with tipoff set for 7:00PM EST. The Wildcats enter tonight’s game off an 81 to 71 win over St. Johns on Saturday as seven-point road favorites. Nova has won nine straight games and has gone 8-1 against the spread during that span. Notre Dame feasted on non-conference foes to pad their record of 15-5 but they are only 4-3 in conference play while Villanova remains the only undefeated team in conference play with a record of 7-0. The Wildcats are led by Scottie Reynolds who has certainly made a case for Big East Player of the Year averaging 18.7 points per game and hitting 42.4 percent from behind the arc this season. Villanova should control the pace and tempo of this game on both ends of the floor which will allow them to easily cover the double-digit spread oddsmakers have placed on this contest. Notre Dame has struggled on the road after scoring eighty points or more posting a record of 2-9 against the spread in that situation. Villanova is 14-4 against the spread this season including 12-4 ATS as a favorite. The Wildcats step up their level of play when facing teams with a winning record especially after fifteen or more games of the season have been played going 17-6 ATS in this situation. They have also posted a record of 14-3 ATS when facing teams that average 77 or more points per game over the last two seasons. Lay the chalk with the Wildcats as Reynolds and company continue their perfect run in conference play and dispose of an overmatched Irish team on Wednesday night.
PROJECTED FORECAST: 2* Villanova Wildcats 88 Notre Dame 70
James Patrick Sports
Tulane vs. UTEP
The Green Wave lost 4th year starting point guard Sims with a broken arm and they put up (86 pts) on the Miners a year ago in the "Big Easy". The UTEP Miners are posting a solid (80 ppg) on offense and ther defense allows just 38 % field goal percentage by their opponents. It's Payback Time in the West Texas Town of El Paso as our Wednesday selection is on UTEP Miners.
Dominic Fazzini
Miami at TORONTO -3'
The Wizards weren't up to the challenge at home against the Lakers on Tuesday night, and I took a loss with my complimentary selection in the process. That dropped my record to 44-31-3 over the last 78 days, but I've got a NBA play today that will pick me back up.
The Raptors are rolling at home, winning nine of their last 10 in Toronto with the only loss coming against the powerful Celtics.
Toronto is coming off a one-point victory over the Lakers, and it has a solid threesome up front in Chris Bosh, Hedo Turkoglu and Andrea Bargnani that matches up well against Miami, which doesn't have the versatility on its front line to guard those three players.
The Heat are coming off a hard-fought 92-91 loss at home to Cleveland, and now they play six of their next seven games on the road, where they are just 10-10 this season.
Miami star Dwyane Wade is a remarkable player, and is averaging 34.2 points in his last five games at Toronto. But even a player of his caliber can't carry a team over the course of a season.
The Raptors are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 home games, and the Heat are 1-4 ATS in their last five road games against a team with a winning record. Miami is also 4-12 ATS in its last 16 games against the Raptors, including 2-6 ATS in the last eight in Toronto. Take the Raptors to cover the points in a home victory tonight.
3♦ TORONTO
Karl Garrett
Lakers at INDIANA +6
Tuesday comp play winner on the Bobcats, now 12-6 my last 18 comp plays.
Why not grab the points with the Pacers tonight at home, as the Lakers have got to be getting a little tired.
LA got to meet President Obama yesterday, then tuned up the Wizards on the road last evening, and now they are playing their 5th road game in the last 7 nights against a team that was resting yesterday.
Indiana has covered 7 of their last 10 games, and they have covered the last pair of series meetings against Los Angeles.
Also of note in this series, the home team is on a 10-2 spread run the last 12 times these teams have played.
Perfect spot for the host against a road-weary team that still has stops in Philly, Boston, and Memphis after this one.
Take the Pacers.
1♦ INDIANA
Karl Garrett
Massachusetts at ST. JOSEPH'S -4
Tuesday comp play winner on the Bobcats, now 12-6 my last 18 comp plays.
In college buckets, stick with the Hawks to handle their business against the Minutemen.
UMass brings a 5 game losing streak into the City of Brotherly Love, and the Minutemen have also dropped 7 of their last 8 overall.
Big time revenge spot for the Hawks who lost last February at home to Massachusetts by 1-point.
St. Joe's has won their last 3, including a nice conference upset win over Dayton at home as the 8-point underdog.
Prior to last February's loss to UMass, the Hawks had won 7 of 9 over the Minutemen.
With Massachusetts just 2-10 straight up away from home, expect the Hawks to increase their winning streak to 4 in a row.
Lay the points.
4♦ ST. JOSEPH'S
Stephen Nover
Minnesota +13 at CLEVELAND
As bad as the Timberwolves are - and they are very bad - they have been highly profitable as a road underdog of 11 or more points. They are 15-7-1 ATS the past 22 times in that role.
Consequently, Cleveland is 2-9 ATS the past 11 times it has been a double-digit favorite.
In the last six days, the Cavaliers have had narrow escapes in edging the Lakers, Thunder and Heat. All three of those games weren't decided until the end with the victories against the Thunder and Heat not being determined until the final shot.
Now come the Timberwolves. Do you think the Cavaliers are going to take them very serious? I sure don't.
Minnesota was blown out by the Knicks on Tuesday night, 132-105. The Knicks had just lost by 50 points to Dallas in their last game. The Timberwolves played terrible against the Knicks, but none of their players logged more than 31 minutes. Only backup point guard Ramon Sessions played more than 29 minutes.
Keep in mind, the Cavaliers are playing short-handed in their backcourt with starting point guard Mo Williams out and his backup, Delonte West, also out. Third-stringer Daniel Gibson is logging major minutes.
LeBron James has been taking up much of the slack, but this will be a golden opportunity for the Cavaliers to rest their superstar leaving the backdoor wide open for Minnesota.
2♦ TIMBERWOLVES
Texas A&M +5' at OKLAHOMA STATE
These two teams are very evenly matched so I'm attracted to the underdog Aggies especially with Oklahoma State in a letdown situation.
The Cowboys are off a huge road win at Kansas State.
Winning a road game in the Big 12 is a big deal. But Texas A&M is battle-tested and has the pedigree to pull the upset.
The Aggies have played six nationally ranked teams. They have met Clemson, West Virginia, New Mexico and Minnesota on neutral courts. They have played in three tough road venues facing Washington, Kansas State and Texas. The Aggies have a winning pointspread mark versus those seven opponents.
In fact, Texas A&M is 11-1 ATS as a road underdog of up to 6 1/2 points. The Aggies have covered in four of their last five trips to Stillwater.
The Cowboys aren't expected to have starting point guard Ray Penn, sidelined with a sore knee. The Cowboys have yet to produce a consistent No. 2 scorer to go with James Anderson. That's going to hurt them in this matchup.
1♦ TEXAS A&M
Bobby Maxwell
Philadelphia at MILWAUKEE -3
Delivered an NBA FREE winner on Tuesday with the Bobcats as they pulled off the outright upset in Phoenix. I'm on a 60-24 run with comp selections, including 37-10 over the last 47 days. Tonight I have a freebie on the Bucks as they host the Sixers in Milwaukee.
The Milwaukee Bucks have been a cash-making machine at the betting window lately, going 5-0 ATS, including Tuesday’s cover in Dallas. Now they return home to take on the Sixers and you’ve got to give the huge edge to the Bucks who have been lighting up the scoreboard lately.
It’s strange as a bad Philadelphia team has taken six straight over Milwaukee, including a 99-86 win at home back on October 30 to kick off the season, cashing as a six-point favorite. Milwaukee has blossomed since and these guys are tearing it up lately.
They are 12-8 ATS at home and average over 104 points a game at home. Over their last five, they’ve put up over 106 points a game and when they have to play on the second night of a back-to-back, they are an amazing 7-2 ATS. That’s young legs for you.
Milwaukee is 7-0 ATS against Atlantic Division teams, 4-1 as a favorite and 11-4 against teams with a winning percentage below .400. In this series, the favorite is on a 5-1 ATS run in the last six games.
I like the youngsters in Milwaukee. Lay the chalk with the Bucks in this one.
4♦ MILWAUKEE
BYU at NEW MEXICO +1
I'm dominating with my FREE selections, on a 60-24 run overall, including 37-10 over the last 47 days. Tonight I have a college hardwood winner on New Mexico as the Lobos host BYU in Mountain West Conference action.
This is a big test for the Cougars as they take their 15-game winning streak into The Pit in Albuquerque, a place not to many teams leave with a win. This is a tough place to play and the Lobos and their fans are going to be jacked up for this one. Play New Mexico.
BYU is on its second-straight road game after getting a 71-69 win as a one-point road favorite at San Diego State on Saturday. New Mexico has won four straight games (3-1 ATS), including three of those by double digits. Saturday the Lobos hammered Colorado State 82-64 as a 14 ½-point favorite and they average 11 points more than the opposition on the season.
Last year, the red-hot Cougars went into New Mexico and got stomped 81-62 as a one-point favorite in this exact position. The home team is 4-1 ATS in the last five clashes between these two teams.
New Mexico is red-hot at the betting window, currently on ATS runs of 15-6-1 overall, 8-3 against winning teams, 18-7-1 on Wednesdays, 35-15-1 at home and 34-15-2 after a spread-cover.
Don’t go against the Lobos at home, this place will be rocking tonight and they will light up the scoreboard. Play New Mexico in this one.
5♦ NEW MEXICO