Hollywood Sports
Flames at Red Wings
Prediction: Under
Calgary (8-10-1-0) comes off a 4-1 loss at Colorado on Monday and they stay on the road tonight where the Under is 6-1-1 in their last 8 games away from home. The Flames have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. And Calgary has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total as a big underdog in the +151 to +200 price range. Detroit (11-7-1-0) comes off a 4-2 win at Anaheim on Sunday that concluded a four-game road stand. Now the Red Wings return home to face a Flames team that is just 4-5 on the road -- and Detroit has played 4 straight home games Under the Total against teams with a losing record at home. The Red Wings have also played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record. Take the Under in this one.
Larry Ness
Oklahoma St. PK
A pair of undefeated teams meet at New York's famed Madison Square Garden tonight, as the Stanford Cardinal (4-0) take on the Oklahoma State Cowboys (3-0) in the semifinals of the NIT Season Tip-Off. The winner moves on to Friday's title game to face the winner of Syracuse vs Virginia Tech. Stanford is coming off a 15-16 year and lost leading scorer Green (16.7). However, the Cardinal have opened 4-0, although double-digit wins over the likes of Central Arkansas, Fresno State, Colorado State and UC Davis does't actually impress too many possible critics. Sophome guard Bright (13.8-3.5 APG) is the team's lading scorer while the 6-8 Owens (12.3-4.3) continues his great comeback from missing an entire season due to an undisclosed illness. He came back last year to average 11.6-6.5 and this year's start proves he's fully recovered. Freshman guard Randle (8.8-3.8-2.5) is starting, along with returning guard Mann (6.5-5.3) and the 6-8 Zimmerman (2.8). Others making contributions are the 6-7 Huestis (7.3-6.8), swingman Brown (6.8-4.3) and the 6-9 Powell (6.5). Stanford is shooting an impressive 50.0 percent from the floor (just 32.8% on threes) but is making only 61.1% from the FT line (could hurt them here). After scoring 91 points vs Central Arkansas, Stanford has averaged a modest 70 PPG, since. The Cowboys played a tough schedule last year (ranked 37th-hardest) and lost their best player, the 6-7 Moses (14.1-7.3). Travis Ford is a highly thought of coach and he's got 'anchors' to this year team team with senior guard Page (8.5) and junior swingman Olukemi (12.7-5.0). Veteran guards Dowell and Williams are each averaging 5.7 PPG but three young players are major impacts. Brown is a 6-3 sophomore but he's leading the team in rebounding (8.3) and is chipping in 9.0 PPG. Freshman PG Guerrero is leading the team in scoring (15.7) and fellow freshman, the 6-7 Nash, is scoring 12.0 PPG while grabbing 6.3 RPG. Ford over Dawkins on the bench is a mismatch in favor of Oklahoma St and it should be noted that these two schools are meeting for the third straight year. The Cowboys won out in Palo Alto 71-70 two years ago and last year in Stillwater, 79-68. Winning here at a neutral site, completes the 'trifecta!' Take the Cowboys.