WEDNESDAY PREMIUM SERVICE PLAYS

Maddux Sports

Basketball

3 units on Orlando +1

3 units on Eastern Michigan +11
3 units on Georgia Tech +14
4 units on NC State +20
3 units on Eastern Kentucky -4.5

Unit Play Sports

3 Units - Niagara -4.5

Fairway Jay

Rider +4.5 / 3 units

Wyoming +7 / 5 units

RAS

Pacific -1

UC Davis +1

Irvine +2

Dr. Canada

Columbus Blue Jackets -140

Red Wings/Predators Over 5.5

Canadiens/Capitals Over 6

Kings/Ducks Over 5.5

Las Vegas Sport Picks

NBA:

1* Nuggets -1
2* Hawks -5
4* Blazers -11

NCAA:

1* Auburn/Georgia Over 135
2* Notre Dame/WVU Over 146
2* TN-Martin -5
3* Wright St. +3

NHL:

2* Canadians/Capitals Over 6

Plus Line Sports

NHL: Passed

NCAA

Va Tech +1.5

BRANDON LANG

15-Dime Ohio State

5-Dime Mississippi State

5-Dime Philadelphia Sixers

BeatYourBookie

100* Play James Madison (+2.5) over Hofstra (NCAA)
(Colonial Athletic Game of the Year)

James Madison is 12-3 ATS over the last 15 games
James Madison is 8-1 ATS in road games this season
James Madison is 11-4 ATS vs. conference opponents this season
James Madison is 8-2 ATS coming off an OVER the total

100* Play Mississippi (+5) over Tennessee (NCAA)

Mississippi is 11-2 ATS when playing on a Wednesday the last 2 seasons
Mississippi is 15-5 ATS in home games when the total is between 140 and 149.5
Mississippi is 8-2 ATS vs. conference opponents this season

Bonus Hoops & Hockey Plays

30* Play Minnesota (+9.5) over Miami (NBA)

Miami is 0-7 ATS coming off an upset win as a road underdog
Miami is 9-22 ATS when playing as a home favorite the last 2 seasons
Miami is 7-19 ATS after having won 2 of the last 3 games

30* Play Detroit (-315) over Nashville (NHL)

Matt Rivers 200,000* ?

John Fina

TV Game of the Year

Hornets

Larry Ness

15* Revenge Rout-CBB (13-6 BKB run since Feb 4)

It's starting to look like this is Buffalo's year. Turner Gill led the football team to the MAC championship and a bowl game and now Reggie Witherspoon is looking for a "repeat performance" by this year's basketball team. The Bulls were just 10-20 (3-13 in the MAC) last year but this year's team comes into this game 17-6 overall, while leading the MAC East with a 9-2 record. The Bulls saw their nine-game winning streak snapped this past Sunday, as they lost 53-51 at Ball State (shot just 37 percent as a team, including 2-of-9 on threes!) but don't expect that one loss to "burst the team's bubble." The Bulls have 11 players in their rotation, nine who have played in all 23 games. The 6-3 Betts (10.0-6.1) and the 6-4 Gamble (8.8-5.3) are two small forwards who get the most out of their abilities. The 6-9 Fedotov (5.3-2.4) and the 6-7 Bouderau (5.3-3.) have done decent jobs inside, while Pierce (14.0-3.7) has had a breakout season at one guard (he averaged just 7.6 PPG last year) and fellow guard Andy Robinson (8.2) has been the team's best perimeter defender. Bowling Green also 'slipped up' this past Sunday but it's transgression was much worse. The Falcons, 14-10 overall and 7-4 in MAC play, lost 65-57 at home to Eastern Michigan, which is just 4-12 overall, including 2-9 in MAC play. Louis Orr is in his second season at BG (went 13-17 LY) and like Buffalo, has two talented small forwards (both 6-4) in Miller (12.5-6.7) and Clements (10.3-4.3). The Falcons own a little more size than the Bulls, as the 6-7 Knight (6.6-4.9), the 6-9 Polk (5.9-5.6) and the 6-7 Marschall (4.9-3.7) are all contributors. BG's backcourt consists of Moten (11.2) and Jakubowski (8.3-2.8-3.7). Bowling Green beat Buffalo 86-82 back on Jan 10, while shooting 53 percent from the floor (including 8-of-13 on threes). One can't expect that kind of marksmanship again, as Buffalo is allowing just 59 PPG on its home floor, where it is 8-2. Revenge works here. Revenge Rout on Buffalo (7*).

Weekly Wipeout Winner-CBB (9-2 since Jan 27!)

Charles Koch went 11-20 (4-14 in MVC play) in his first season as the Shockers' head coach and lost four starters off that team. He enters this game 13-13 overall, with a 7-8 league mark. Freshman guard Murry (11.6-3.6) and his JUCO partner Hannah (10.4-4.5 APG) have solidified Wichita's backcourt but 7-0 freshman Stutz (4.6-2.9) has not lived up to expectations, in the frontcourt. The 6-7 Durley (8.0-4.5) has recovered nicely from LY's injury, while the 6-6 Clemente (7.2-7.7) has been fine all season, after collapsing during July drills. Hawkins (4.4-2.1), a 6-5 transfer from St Bonaventure, is about the only other major contributor. Illinois St opened the year 14-0 but is just 7-5 since. The Redbirds are 10-5 in the MVC, trailing both Northern Iowa and Creighton. Illinois St won 25 games last season in Tim Jankovich's first year at Normal and are well on their way to topping that total this year. Three starters are gone from LY's team but only the 6-7 Slack (9.5-7.1) is really missed. The 6-8 Odiakosa (9.2-7.3) and the 6-8 Sampay (7.2-5.0) have done a decent job up front and shouldn't have much trouble with Wichita's frontcourt. Illinois State's backcourt has been excellent all year, as returning players Eldridgre (14.0-6.1) and Holloway (11.1-4.1-2.9) have been joined by 6-5 Oregon transfer Oguchi (14.7-5.8) and JUCO point guard Phillips (11.6-3.5 APG). Phillips has missed the team's last two games because of personal reasons but it hasn't mattered, as the Redbirds won at Evansville and then routed last year's MVC champs Drake, 67-45 in Des Moines on Sunday (Phillips is expected back here). Illinois St knows failing to win the MVC regular season title likely means no NCAA bid without winning the MVC tourney, as LY's 24 wins left the team playing in the NIT. Illinois St still has games upcoming with Northern Iowa and Creighton but tonight, it's first things first. The Redbirds won't lack for motivation, as this will be the team's first home game since it lost 75-73 (in OT) in Normal to Indiana St on Feb 8. It's the team's lone home loss this year (14-1 SU) and came to a team which is 7-19 overall, including 5-10 in MVC play. What's more, Illinois St lost 64-58 at Wichita State back on Jan 21, so taking the Shockers lightly should not be a worry. Wichita State is just 1-8 SU on the road TY (won at Ind St), even losing 68-55 at MVC doormat Missouri St (Bears are 3-13 in MVC play). The Shockers have been a poor road team for quite some time now, while Illinois St has been tough to beat here in Redbird Arena. Weekly Wipeout Winner Illinois St (7.5*).

Oddsmaker's Error-CBB (13-6 BKB run since Feb 4)

Travis Ford led U Mass to 24 wins and 25 wins in each of the last two seasons and last year, led the Minutemen to the NIT championship game (lost to Ohio St). He used that as a 'springboard' to get the Okla St job, where Sean Sutton was let go. Things haven't exactly worked out as planned for Ford and their are rumors that he's alienated more than a few players. The Cowboys are an odd team to begin with, featuring no big men to speak of. The 6-11 Thomas (8.3-3.9) decided to transfer after seven games and OSU is basically down to a five-man rotation. It includes PG Eaton (14.5-3.4-6.0) and freshman Page (9.2), teamed with three 6-5 or 6-6 players. Anderson (17.7-5.8) is the team's leading scorer, Muonelo (14.1-8.3) its leading rebounder and Harris (14.3-5.0) completes the trio. OSU has been known as a poor road team long before Ford's arrival but he's dome little to change that reputation this year. OSU is 2-5 SU (1-5 ATS) in true road games this year, beating only Texas A&M-CC and Nebraska. In three neutral-site games, the Cowboys lost to Gonzaga and Mich St (0-2 ATS), while beating Siena. Now things are "far from perfect" in Lubbock either, as Pat Knight tries to fill his father's shoes. Tech is not a big team by any stretch of the imagination but the 6-5 Singleatry (10.2-5.3) is a pretty nice small forward, 6-9 freshman Lewandowski (6.9-4.0) has shown signs of being a pretty fair player plus the 6-7 Roberts (6.1-4.2) and the 6-7 Prince (4.3-3.2) add 'bodies.' Tech's backcourt is pretty good, led by sophomore PG Roberson (14.4-3.4-6.7), senior Voskuvil (14.0-4.2) and JUCO transfer Okorie (10.3.). Tech is 11-3 SU at home (losses are to TCU, Tex and Neb) and almost won at Stillwater back on Feb 4. In that game, Tech led 47-35 at the half, before barely losing, 81-80. Knight's team is fighting for a winning season right now (12-13 overall) and the poor-traveling, somewhat 'distracted' Cowboys should prove to be the perfect 'tonic.' OSU has lost eight games away from Stillwater this year, allowing 85.6 PPG. While I'm not calling for Tech to 'hang' 167 points on the Cowboys (like the Red Raiders did to East Central on Nov 20), I do expect them to have a big game. Why is this bunch of Cowboys even favored away from Stillwater? Oddsmaker's Error on Texas Tech (8*).

Scott Rickenbach

2* (Top Play) Drake Bulldogs (+) @ Northern Iowa

MATT FARGO

7* ACC SUPREME ANNIHILATOR **6-3 RUN**

Matchup: VIRGINIA TECH at VIRGINIA
PICK: VIRGINIA TECH +1.5

Virginia is coming off its best ACC wins of the year as it knocked off Clemson in overtime on Sunday. I was on the Cavaliers for that one but I am now heading the opposite way this time around as playing with that much energy for a second game in four days will be next to impossible. That big win improved Virginia to just 2-8 in the conference and things remain tough with a visit from rival Virginia Tech. The Cavaliers want nothing more than to avoid a season sweep against the Hokies and while that will be an angle for Virginia, the Hokies swept the season series last season. And that was against a much better Virginia team. While the Cavaliers are coming off a big win, Virginia Tech is coming off a disappointing loss as it went down by 10 points in Maryland on Saturday. It was just the fourth loss in the last 15 games for the Hokies and it dropped them into a tie for 4th place in the ACC. They will no doubt be up for this rivalry game but the fact that Virginia is coming off that win over Clemson, it will surely not be looking past this one. The last five ACC games for the Hokies are against Florida St. twice, Clemson, Duke and North Carolina. Therefore this is the last “winnable” game on the schedule so it is a must at this point. Virginia Tech enters this game 16-8 on the season and I believe this record could be a lot better even. The Hokies lost by 25 points at Duke and was the only real bad game of the season. They have registered victories on the road against Miami and Wake Forest in back-to-back games and winning in those venues is no small feat. The losses have been tough to take in some cases. Virginia Tech’s first four losses this season were by a total of eight points and two against Xavier and Wisconsin came with less than one second on the clock. Two other losses against Clemson and Boston College came by five points combined meaning they have lost six games by an average of 2.2 ppg. That is just some really bad luck and the majority of the defeats have come against some excellent competition in some tough places. Virginia is not an excellent team and John Paul Jones Arena is not a tough spot for visitors this season with Virginia going just 7-6 there on the season. Five of those came against VMI, Radford, Longwood, Hampton and Brown who are ranked 183rd, 177th, 291st, 279th and 304th. One of those losses came against Liberty, ranked 173rd. Proving that the Hokies are strewn with talent, Virginia Tech is one of only two Division I schools to have three different players record 30-point games this season against Division I opponents. That is pretty solid. The Hokies will be without forward Jeff Allen for this game as he is serving a one-game suspension stemming from the game against Maryland. Normally that would be a problem and while his production will no doubt be missed, it is not as bad playing against Virginia who is far from a dominant big team. Looking at the overall number, the Hokies have a huge edge in efficiency as well as the ever important assist/turnover ratio category. Virginia Tech has held the opposition to under 40 percent from the floor in nine of the 23 games this season and opponents have shot better than 45 percent from the field just six times this season. The Hokies fall into a very solid situation as well. Play on road teams as a favorite or pick that are averaging between 67 and 74 ppg going up against a team allowing between 67 and 74 , after a combined score of 155 points or more. This situation is 139-83 ATS (62.6 percent) since 1997 with the average point differential being +6.0 ppg. The percentage may not seem exciting however based on 222 games, it is extremely powerful, picking up close to 50 units in the process. 7* Virginia Tech Hokies