VEGAS SPORTS PICS
Massachusetts Minutemen + 4 over Xavier Musketeers
No.23 Xavier (16-4, 4-1) at UMass (13-5, 2-2) is 16-1 last 17 home games. Teams met once last season, UMass lost at Xavier, 83-77, despite leading in rebounds 47-31, attempting only four free throws versus 22 free throws for the home standing Musketeers.
Miami Hurricanes + 1 over Clemson Tigers
Clemson (15-4, 3-2) at Miami (14-4, 1-3) is 10-3 ATS last 13 games and 4-1 vs. Clemson dating back to Jan.'05, the loss coming at Clemson 74-70 last season.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets + 4.5 over (at) Virginia Cavaliers
Virginia (11-6, 1-3) vs. Georgia Tech (9-9, 2-3) has picked up the pace going 2-1 last 3 games the loss coming at home to then No.1 (now 19-1) UNC. 83-82. Jackets are 9-3 vs. Virginia under coach Hewitt.
Maryland Terrapins + 5 over Duke Blue Devils
No.4 Duke (16-1, 4-0) at Maryland (12-7, 2-2) enters off a confidence building 82-80 win at then undefeated No.1 UNC. Terps swept Duke last season, winning at home 72-60
Stephen Nover Comp
Maryland
REASON FOR PICK: Just how good is Maryland? Are the Terrapins the not-ready-for-prime-time team that lost back-to-back home games last month to Ohio and American University, or are they an NCAA Tournament-worthy team that stunned North Carolina last Saturday?
I'd say there are enough factors here that suggest the Terrapins are closer to the latter and can cover this spread.
Maryland ranks third in the nation in defensive field goal percentage. The Terrapins have held their last eight foes to under 40 percent shooting from the floor. Duke lacks a strong inside scoring presence. The Terrapins are going to make the Blue Devils earn their baskets.
Maryland has had eight days to prepare for this matchup. Duke played at Virginia Tech on Thursday. The Terrapins' confidence level is at an all-time high following their stunning victory over the previously unbeaten top-ranked Tar Heels.
Maryland is playing its best ball, winning six of its past seven. Gary Williams is noted for knocking off top teams. No coach has defeated more No. 1 teams than Williams, whose tally stands at seven.
Duke has played only four road games. The Blue Devils were swept in both meetings against Maryland last year. They have dropped three of their past five at Maryland.
The Terrapins' offense is picking up, too. The 82 points they scored versus North Carolina was a season-high. James Gist is averaging 18 points during the past nine games. Maryland's bench is playing better and guard Eric Hayes is back from an ankle injury.
Duke may win. They are Duke after all. But there's plenty of evidence that points to Maryland hanging close. The Terrapins certainly are a dangerous foe.
Greg Daraban
New York at Golden St
First game of the west coast swing for NY. The Knicks are playing much much better. The Warriors have won 7 of 10, but are just 12-8 on this court.The Knicks with all the bad press actually have better records than Miami, Seattle, Minnesota,and the LA Clippers. GS is good but they are laying a whopping number.Take New York
Ross Benjamin
Northern Illinois @ Bowling Green
Play On: Bowling Green -7.0
The Falcons will be out for big time revenge after losing both encounters with the Huskies last season. This is a Northern Illinois team that is 0-8 SU on the road this season and losing by an average of 19.0 points per game. Both teams are pretty equal offensively but Bowling Green is the better defensive team of the two. That will be a key factor versus a team that struggles on offense to begin with like the Huskies. Play on Bowling Green minus the points
Arthur Ralph
Super Pick UTAH JAZZ
900 DOUBLE PLAY Sunday Illinois State
Marc Lawrence
Game: Utah Jazz at Houston Rockets
Prediction: Utah Jazz
Reason: Play On: Utah Jazz
Note: The Rockets have lost the glare that shot them out of the gates with six wins in their first seven games to start the season back in November. A combination of reasons have led to their return to mediocrity, with the seemingly never-ending injured Tracy McGrady right at the top of the list. Tonight's game sets up nice for the Jazz as they catch Houston off a satisfying upset win at Portland, looking dead-ahead to a double revenge (17 and 19-point losses) affair with Golden State. Given the Rockets 7-14-1 ATS mark as favorites of 7 or less points this season, and Utah?s 16-9 SU & 17-8 ATS mark with revenge from a loss of 8 or more points in this series, look for the Ming Dynasty to take another hit this evening. KEY STAT: Utah is 12-1 ATS in its last 13 games with revenge from a double-digit loss.
Michael Cannon
20 Dime –
SOUTH ALABAMA
Lay the big number with South Alabama this afternoon when they host Denver.
This should be an easy win for the Jaguars, who are undefeated on their home court this year while the Pioneers have yet to win a road game.
It should also help South Alabama that Denver is playing without injured forward David Kummer, who is out for the season with an ankle injury.
The Pioneers could ill-afford to lose anybody, since they have a thin bench and usually go with only a six- or seven-man rotation. But the loss of Kummer really hurts because he was the teams’ leading scorer.
South Alabama is expected to challenge for the conference title and they are led by dynamic guard Demetric Bennett, who likes to gun from 3-point land and hits at a high percentage from there. The Jaguars have the advantage in the rebounding department as well, with DeAndre Coleman cleaning the glass at just under 10 rebounds per game.
South Alabama has won and covered two of the last three in this series, and the Jaguars are currently on a 9-4 ATS run in their last 13 games overall.
The favorite is on a 9-1 ATS run in the last 10 meetings between these two.
Lay the points with South Alabama as they lay the smack down on Denver.
10 Dime –
MIAMI (Fla)
Take Miami as the tiny home dog today over Clemson.
Clemson looks like a team ready to repeat last season’s fall, when they went from a 17-0 start straight to an NIT invite.
It seems like when conference play starts the Tigers lose their stripes.
Miami is perfectly capable of defending its home court today. The Hurricanes are off to a surprising start, although they did play a pretty weak non-conference schedule.
But they did that to build some confidence, as Miami had been the whipping boy since it joined the ACC.
Now that they have some wins under their belts, the Hurricane players know what it takes to pull a game off. They have many scoring options with their starting five, which will make it difficult for Clemson to lock down on one specific player.
Take Miami as the small home dog as they grab the cash over Clemson.
Lang
20 Dime Blazers
5 Dime New Orleans (college)
5 Dime Duke
5 Dime Timberwolves
Free Wizards
WINNERS EDGE
NBA
LA Lakers/Cleveland Cavs over 203 2 units
Bosston Celtics - 2.5 2 units
NJ Nets + 1.5 1 unit
CBB
Vanderbilt + 6.5 2 units
Maryland + 5.5 2 units
MIKE LINEBACK
4* Portland OVER 193
4* Vanderbilt +6
4* Northern Arizona -3.5
4.5* Boston Celtics -2
4* Maryland +5.5
LT's Lock Of The Day
Miami Hurricanes +1
Mr.A's
Los Angeles Lakers -4.5
Utah Jazz +3
Golden State Warriors -10
Gamblers Data
Florida -5
Root
Chairman - Michigan
Millionaire - Virginia
Trace Fields
4* Duke
4* U-Mass
4* Flor
Billy Coleman
5* N. Ariz
3* Cinn
3*B. Green
4* Rockets
3* Atl.
Larry Ness Vegas Insider
Mass
Sebastian
20* Ill St -10.5
10* Mia +1
10* Duke -5.5
10* Fairfield +1.5
10* Mavs -9
20* Milw +1
Insiders
100* NO (college) -2
SPECIAL K COMP
DUKE -4.5
Frank Rosenthal
NBA Hoops
701 Suns-6.5
704 Lakers-4
706 Magic+2.5
712 Mavs-9.5
719 Knocks+10.5
College Hoops
722 UMass+3.5
Under 159
728 FIU+2
730 Florida-5.5
732 Miami FL+1
743 North Texas-1
749 Georgia Tech+5
Under 156
754 Maryland+6
Over 147
755 NW+13
Spritze
direct line play......................niagra
ko..........................duke
tko beatdown gow...................ill st
tko............................mia-fla
ko......................wizzards
nba slam dunk............5 star............jazz
Cokin
fat man plays..........umass+4
big shot...................umass
window.................north ariz
under the hat...........s alabama
3 star.................mia-fla
under the hat...................cavs
total....................hawks under 82
3 star............................twolves
Feist
personal best...............niagra
platinum.....................providence
inner circle.......................rider
5 star......................duke
4 star.....................north ariz
platinum.........................magic
total......................jazz over 97
inner circle................twolves
5 star ....................hawks
Keith Martin Sports
Indiana St. o121
Iona u140.5
Xavier -3
Wolkosky Milan
10* DENVER +10
10* WASHINGTON PK
10* PHO/CHI UNDER 209