POINTWISE:
ST BONAVENTURE over Wright St (Tues) RATING: 4
THE GOLD SHEET - CONFIDENTAIL TIP OFF- ( CTO)
10 *HOUSTON over Kentucky...Youthful 4-3 UK (prior to UAB Dec. 15) having some difficulty getting on same page with new HC Billy Gillispie,
who says in wake of 70-51 setback at Indiana Dec. 8, “We don’t carry out our assignments very well, and we have to pay better attention and
understand our margin of error is a bit small.” Wildcats probably won’t clean up mistakes vs. fast-paced, deep, good-shooting UH (nail nearly
10 treys pg) primed for NCAA resume-builder here. Cougs star 6-3 sr. G McKiver (20 ppg, 4 treys pg at 38%) is en fuego, while blue chip frosh
G duo of Nixon (from legendary Boys High in Brooklyn) & Pane (combined 21 ppg) fit like a glove.
*HOUSTON 81 - Kentucky 68 RATING - 10
Winners Edge - 12/18/07
NBA:
LA Lakers +2.5 , 2 units
Winning Points
NBA
Tuesday, December 18
*New Jersey over Sacramento by 8
Kevin Martin?s absence has meant more minutes for young, untested players such as
Francisco Garcia and Quincy Douby. Rookie center Spencer Hawes also is starting to
get more time for the Kings. NEW JERSEY 101-93.
*Chicago over Los Angeles Lakers by 2
The Bulls are getting better after a brutal 2-10 beginning. A healthy Luol Deng makes
a difference, but an inside force that can score is desperately needed. The Bulls live and
die each game based almost solely on their outside shooting. The Bulls have revenge
after the Lakers buried them, 106-78, as a 5 _-point home favorite a month ago. The
Bulls didn?t have Deng for that contest. CHICAGO 95-92.
Toronto over *Los Angeles Clippers by 2
The Clippers have dropped seven of their past eight entering the second week of this
month. Quietly, though, center Chris Kaman is putting together a solid season averaging
18 points, nearly 14 rebounds and three blocks per game. TORONTO 99-97.
COLLEGE HOOPS
Tuesday, December 18
Ohio State over Cleveland St. by 14 (at Quicken Loans Arena)
Buckeyes ended their exams on December 7, a week earlier than most other schools
including the school that Vikings players allegedly attend. OHIO STATE, 77-63.
Western Michigan* over Southern Illinois by 2
Visiting Salukis need a road map to find the basket. Black-and-blue affair coming up
that challenges the MAC refs, who ?never call the first bump in this building? according
to the defensive phonies on Western Michigan, who meet up with better bruisers
than themselves. WESTERN MICHIGAN, 56-54.
Wright State* over St. Bonaventure by 14
St. Bonaventure?s offensive meal-ticket is the three-pointer, which Wright defends wellagainst. WRIGHT STATE, 62-48.
Kansas over Georgia Tech* by 3
Jayhawks? guard Brandon Rush has the recent violations and jail time but it?s Georgia
Tech?s long, strong and deep group that gets to mug with immunity as the ACC home
dog targeting a visit from #3 in the nation. KANSAS, 74-71.
Middle Tennessee* over Florida International by 6
Florida Int. has better personnel and a deeper roster than usual to play at the coach?s
preferred quicker pace but can they shoot straight at that speed? MIDDLE TENNESSEE,
74-68.
Louisville* over Marshall by 17
Little Ricky needs a pick me up and we hope he gets it because listening to him, of all
people, moan about personnel issues is quite annoying. We?ll soon be removed from
the bi-annual ?anyone with eight healthy bodies can beat Louisville now? mode until
we get to the second week in February, which is Tank II phase of Little Ricky?s NCAA
Tourney primer plan. LOUISVILLE, 72-55.
Tulsa* over NC Charlotte by 4
Every now and then, an ordinary team loaded with sizable stiffs meets up with somebody
they can push around to win ugly against by controlling tempo, getting the ball
inside for mounting fouls and the double-bonus, and grabbing more rebounds.
TULSA, 70-66.
Arkansas-LR* over Pepperdine by 8
We?re done attempting to nail anything against Pepperdine. Nobody likes playing
them and they just go out and play 94 feet for as long and hard as they can.
ARKANSAS-LR, 85-77.
**PREFERRED
Houston* over Kentucky by 9
There comes a point in every season where you get bitten by playing on Penders and
you say, ?Never again!? And then a match-up between his shooters and the ex-Tubby
non-shooters materializes. Gillispie can coach Penders? pants off in 10 seconds all else
being equal, but since Kentucky can?t hit water from a boat, the ball must get past a
lot of hungry Houston hands on its way into the paint. Lots of bad stuff can happen
along the way. HOUSTON, 80-71.
San Francisco over Long Beach State* by 4
"It was ugly, but we'll take it," USF coach Jessie Evans said after beating Weber State.
Same deal here. Possible return of 6-8 soph Jay Watkins would make it less ugly for
them. SAN FRANCISCO, 68-64.
Southern Miss* over New Orleans by 2
Look for a lot of 0-0 runs and perhaps more free throws than field goals. SOUTHERN
MISS, 61-59.
ARTHUR RALPH SUPERPICK TUESDAY!
LONG BEACH STATE -3
Larry Ness' 20* Non-Conf game of the Month (6-0 in CBB last week / 14-4 since Dec 4!)
Houston
Lenny Del Genio's 20* CBB TV Game of the Week (11-2 Run)
Play on Houston at 9:00 ET. Let's just start out by saying this isn't your father's Kentucky basketball program. The Wildcats have lost three straight both SU and ATS and are faced with a Houston team that has won eight straight. Kentucky's lone "true" road experience was not a pleasant one, losing at Indiana by 19. What makes Houston so attractive here is their defense and rebounding. Defensively, the Cougars are allowing opponents to shoot just 39.7% from the floor and they hold a clear edge on the boards over KU. The Wildcats are also just 2-12 against the spread when faced with an opponent that averages better the 77 points/game, not to mention that Houston is playing with revenge for a seven-point loss in Lexington last year. Houston is our 20* CBB TV Game of the Week!
Lenny Del Genio's #1 NBA Total of the Week
Play Lakers/Bulls Under at 8:35 ET. Lenny spent years working on an NBA "totals system" and began using it last January on the net, with great success. It's based on numerous factors, some of them listed here. Anticipated pace and style of both teams' play. Days of rest for teams or lack of it. Number of points scored by starters as compared to subs in recent outings (plus season-long averages). It also factors in point and rebounding differentials of the two teams. With all these factors (and many more), it's not possible to provide Lenny's "typical analysis" with his NBA totals selections. However, after last year's success, he anticipates another banner year. Play are rated 10* (Game of Day), 15* (Game of Week), 20* (Game of Month) and some rare 25* plays. Good luck. Lakers/Bulls Under is our #1 NBA Total of the Week!
Michael Cannon
Tuesday's Plays...
20 Dime –
HOUSTON
Take Houston for the home win over Kentucky.
The Wildcats are in a serious transition faze, as they come in with a young team that’s trying to adjust to new coach Billy Gillispie’s system.
Houston is a fast-paced, deep, good-shooting team that will take advantage of every Kentucky mistake.
The Wildcats have struggled with their shooting and I can’t trust them to come through here on the road.
Houston, on the other hand, has Robert McKiver who can light it up from the outside. The senior guard is averaging just under 21 ppg and shoots 40 percent from 3-point range.
Take the Cougars to get it done tonight at home over Kentucky.
10 Dime –
GEORGIA TECH
Take the points with Georgia Tech tonight when they host unbeaten Kansas.
There’s no question Kansas is the more talented team, but they haven’t shot nearly as well in their two road games compared to when they are at home. The Jayhawks averaged just 59 ppg in their two road games on 37.9 percent shooting.
Georgia Tech is a long, deep group that will benefit from playing at home with an ACC officiating crew.
Kansas is just 2-6 ATS in its last eight games against the ACC, while Georgia Tech is on a 4-0 ATS roll against the Big 12.
Take the points as Georgia Tech stays within the number against the No. 3-ranked Jayhawks
MATT RIVERS
For Tuesday take the Kings in New Jersey
New Jersey is at home and still by far the more talented of these two teams but right now it appears that New Jersey is mailing it in. Lawrence Frank's team did not get off to a good start and then Jason Kidd had his whole migraine/protest game where he sat out and things have been snowballing the wrong way ever since.
Sacramento has not been the same team on the road as at Arco but these guys have been overall better than most expected. Mike Bibby has been out and Kevin Martin now as well but these guys have been playing good solid basketball.
Brad Miller and the fellas did drop their last game in Washington but for this team to be 9-14 SU and 13-10 ATS is really not that bad. 1-10 on the road is not exactly stellar but the Nets are complete mush right now which we saw once again in that last game at Madison Square Garden against the horrific Knicks. Sure Kidd, Richard Jefferson and Vince Carter are an imposing threesome but if they don't play like a team, which they pretty much have not, then all fear goes away.
New Jersey has failed to cover 8 of their last 10 games and have actually covered a whole 8 games the entire season. Until this negative streak gets broken I'm all about going against them tonight, even if that's backing a team that has had its share of issues on the road.
The Nets have lost to the Clippers as well as the Knicks twice over the past few weeks. Now they're laying a handful to a team that has covered 13 of their 23 games on the season!?!?!? Sure I'll take the points!
RAS -
one unit on SF plus 3 against Long Beach.
Striking Point (off doc's site)
Houston -3.5 over Kentucky
The Cougars have too much offensive firepower for a Kentucky team that is still struggling without the likes Derrick Jasper and more recently talented freshman Alex Legion who has left the team to decide if he wants to transfer. Jodie Meeks is expected to play, but it's doubtful he is in game shape and 100 percent. Houston has been as tough a team around at home in recent years, going 41-6 since 2005, and here they are the better team at 9-1. Tom Penders' program gets a nice resume win here
Sports Monitor
MATCHUP: Sacramento Kings (9-14) at New Jersey Nets (10-14)
WHEN/WHERE: Tuesday, December 18th 7:30pm EST
THE LINE:
New Jersey is -4 and the total is 188 points
TRENDS: The Nets have covered one of their last 11 home games. Thehome team has covered six of the last eight in this series.New Jersey has covered eight of their 24 games this season.
GAME SUMMARY: New Jersey has lost five of six overall, including a 94-86defeat at New York on Saturday night. After beating Cleveland105-77 the previous night, the Nets were held under 90 pointsfor the fourth time in five games.
SPORTS MONITOR
PREDICTION: New Jersey and Sacramento under the total
Vegas Experts Tip Of The Day
Kansas and Georgia Tech meet tonight in an inter-conference hardwood clash on ESPN. Kansas is unbeaten at 10-0. Can Georgia Tech pull the upset or, at the least, stay within the generous number?
Kansas is a long way from home here but it's early in the year before the beginning of Conference play so the travel should not be a factor. The Jayhawks have been better than advertised, winning by an average of 26.4 pts/game and going 5-2-1 ATS. In contrast, there is room for improvement with the Yellow Jackets who are 4-4 straight-up and 3-5 ATS. Turnovers, rebounds and opponent's shooting percentage are all areas of concern and those will show up versus Kansas. The Jayhawks have been favored in all their games this year and are 18-8 ATS in road games after playing 3 consecutive games as favorite over the last 3 seasons.
Play on: Kansas
Scott Rickenbach
Montana State (+) @ Arizona State @ 9 ET
While we certainly respect the job that Herb Sendek is doing at Arizona State this is definitely a tough spot for him and for his Sun Devils. Arizona State is coming off of a big win versus Xavier in their most recent game and now the Sun Devils must entertain Montana State as a big favorite. We just do not see this going well for Arizona State. The Bobcats haven?t lost a game by more than 15 points this season and they?ve notched some solid performances against decent programs. Montana State is coming off of a win versus Wyoming and they?ve also played tight games with both UNLV and Nevada. They will be able to hang inside the big number posted on this game. Again, this situation is enhanced for the Bobcats because Arizona State is off of their big win over the Musketeers. This is a flat spot for the Sun Devils and the Bobcats have the athleticism to hang around in this one. Play Montana State plus the points
Vernon Croy
Phoenix Coyotes vs. Philadelphia Flyers (NHL)
Dec 18, 2007 7:05 PM EST
Play: Philadelphia Flyers
1 Unit, Take Philadelphia -167, The Flyers are the superior team tonight and Phoenix is just 2-6 this season when after a win by 2 goals or more. The Flyers powerplay is on fire converting at 27.8% over their last 5 games and they are averaging 34.4 shot's on goal per game over their last 5 games. The Flyers are 5-2 in their last 7 games against the Coyotes. I have the Flyers winning this game hands down Tuesday night after losing 3 in a row. We are actually getting great value here tonight. Have a great Tuesday, Vernon Croy