Royal Sports
10* West Virginia
DR BOB
Cincinnati (-9) 3-Stars at -10 or less, 2-Stars up to -13 1/2.
Don Wallace Sports
Minnesota +11
Denver -3
Magic -15.5
Boston -8.5
Kyle Bales
Portland Trailblazers at New Orleans Hornets
After a slow start Hornets Coach Byron Scott was fired and replaced with general manager Jeff Bower who will make his head coaching debut tonight. Things will not be easy in Bowers first game as these two teams are going in opposite directions. The Blazers shot superbly (.553 from the field, .400 from three-point range, .867 at the line) against Minnesota Wednesday night and won the rebound battle 41-29 and had 30 assists. Greg Oden played superb scoring 18 and grabbing 11 rebounds in 26 minutes. The biggest news that in the first time in his NBA career he committed no fouls! The Hornets have not played well at home this season with narrow victories against the Kings and the Mavericks (in overtime) and got blown out by the Raptors in their last home game. Portland is 4-0 since coach Nate McMillan switched the starting lineup, using point guards Steve Blake and Andre Miller in the backcourt, moving Brandon Roy to small forward with LaMarcus Aldridge at power forward and Greg Oden at center. This lineup will wreak havoc on this Hornet team tonight.
Play: 15* Portland Trailblazers -1.5
Los Angeles Lakers at Denver Nuggets
Do you think the Nuggets have been looking forward to this one? Losing to the Lakers 4-2 in last spring's Western Conference finals, it is still fresh on their minds. "Just keeping that in the back of my mind," said Carmelo Anthony, "I kept harping that we lost and we were two games away from getting where we wanted to be. I know I used that as motivation this summer to get better, to work harder." Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin has said on several occasions since last spring he believes Denver had the better team last summer and still does. The Nuggets lost two games in the final seconds when they threw away inbound passes. "We thought if we played a little bit better, we could've gotten to the Finals," said Nuggets coach George Karl. "If we had gotten to the Finals, we think we could've been fortunate in catching a team like Orlando that we felt we could've competed against." Karl was right about the Magic as the Lakers coasted to another championship winning 4-1. The Nuggets can be as optimistic as they want but they still have to lace up their sneakers and prove it. Denver is coming home off a long six game road trip as we caught this tired team last game winning a 10* play on the Milwaukee Bucks +3.5, an outright winner. Denver is a good team, but you just can't give this great Laker team points.
Play: 10* Los Angeles Lakers +3
West Virginia Mountaineers at Cincinnati Bearcats
After a big 47-45 game last week against UConn, Cincinnati QB Zach Collaros earned Big East Offensive Player of the Week honors after breaking a Big East Conference record with 555 yards of total offense. Collaros was 29-of-37 for 480 yards and a touchdown as well as rushing for 75 yards and two more scores. The Bearcats spread-no-huddle offense ranks third nationally with 482.6 yards per game. This does not boast well for the Mountaineers secondary having already been lit up by Uconn and Auburn for at least over 300 years in the air this year. After Tony Pike went down on Oct 15th, Collaros added a new dimension to Cincinnati’s offense by running for 132 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries in the 34-17 win. In three starts since then, Collaros has gone 66 for 82 for 1,028 yards and eight touchdowns without an interception. On Monday Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly named a now healthy Pike as the starter for tonight's game but changed his mind on Tuesday naming Collaros the starter. Pike will get some snaps tonight and Kelly states that Pike will likely start Nov 27th against Illinois. I see this as being even more incentive for Collaros to come out firing and having a huge game to get the ball coach thinking again. Last week things got scary for West Virginia as star running back Noel Devine (Ranked #13 nationally) injured his ankle. Quarterback Jarrett Brown also suffered a similar injury but coach Bill Stewart said he’s optimistic both players will play this week. “They both should be ready,” Stewart said. “Jarrett should be ready quicker than Noel; I don’t know if Noel will play or not. He should if treatments go well.” Cincinnati allowed 201 yards rushing last week. If that happens tonight against West Virginia, it could be a big blow to the Bearcats national title hopes. After a rare 45 point defensive letdown last week look for the UC defense to really step it up tonight. I have no doubt in my mind that Cincinnati will throw over 400 yards passing tonight. Need anymore incentive? The Bearcats look for their first 10-0 start in school history tonight.
Play:1 0* Cincinnati Bearcats -8.5 (play up to -10)
Cleveland St. Vikings at St. Bonaventure Bonnies
I look for the public to be all over Cleveland St. tonight after last season’s first-round NCAA Tournament upset of Wake Forest. That will be a feat this season after losing All-Conference players Cedric Jackson and J’Nathan Bullock and two other important seniors. The Bonnies however return four starters from last year’s 15-15 squad that recorded their first .500 season in six years and a berth in the Atlantic 10 Championship for the first time since the league expanded to 14 teams in 2005. This team of then freshmen and newcomers will enter this season more experienced, more confident and hungry to improve the A-10. “There was negativity when I first took over but I think the students, community and alumni are behind us again and, as you know, Bonaventure basketball is extremely important up here.” Coach Mark Schmidt sais on the improving perception of the program. I expect a good home crowd tonight as the Bonnies win this game outright.
Play: 5* St. Bonaventure Bonnies +1
Charlie
500* West Va vs @ Cincy Over 55
500* Temple @ Akron Over 44'
500* Sacramento +4
30* West Va +9'
20* Temple -4'
20* Nets +15'
10* Knicks -1
Hawks +8 Free Play
PRIMETIME SPORTS ADVISORS
1* Toronto Raptors -2.5
Underground Sports Connection
100* Raptors/Clippers Under 209
National Sports Service
5* Temple -4
4* WV/Cincy Over 54.5
3* Atlanta +8.5
MR EAST
FRIDAY UNDER THE RADAR SPECIAL
W. VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS @ CINCINNATI BEARCATS
PLAY: W. VIRGINIA / CINCINNATI OVER 54 FOR 4 UNITS
This is obviously a big game for both teams as Cincinnati is trying to stay unbeaten, and see if they can make a move toward a Championship Game if someone stumbles, and West Virginia with just 1 conference loss can draw even with the Bearcats with a win. The one thing that stands out to me in this game, is neither defense has been able to stop a good offense. The numbers look good defensively for both teams, but when you look where the numbers came from it opens eyes. W. Virginia played Liberty, who isn't even a FBS team, and 5 other teams ranked 74th or lower on offense. The only 3 games they played vs a legitimate offense was Uconn #36, S, Florida #58, and Auburn #11. Those teams averaged 31.7ppg against W. Virginia, and also 441 yards a game. What is even more glaring is the Mountaineers were defenseless against the pass, where they allowed over 9 yards an attempt on average in the 3 games. Well guess what? Cincinnati is averaging 9.5 yards per attempt and will be up and down the field really fast in this one. Cincinnati is similar, as they played a non FBS team, as well as 4 others ranked 74th or worse offensively. Their 3 games against at least a decent offense showed 416 yards per game, 27.7ppg, so the Mountaineers will move the ball on them as well. I see this one more in the 60+ range, and I'm playing this one over the total.
Brandon Lang
15 DIME - TEMPLE OWLS - You give this Temple Owls team a manageable number and they will get it done.
This year they have covered every single number in front of them with exception of two ball games and in those ballgames they were asked to cover double digits.
Laying 14 1/2 at home to Ball State they won by 5, and laying 17 at home to Miami-Ohio they won on the last play of the game 34-32.
Let's talk about that game for a moment.
They were up big 31-13, and had Miami pinned back on their own 11 facing a 2nd and 25. They somehow convert that, move to midfield and once again face an even more horriffic 2nd and 29.
They somehow get it to 4th and 4, and another breakdown in coverage gives Miami a 25 yard TD and following a 3-and-out, Temple's soft prevent allows Miami to go on a 9 play, 62 yard drive, and all of a sudden a 31-13 destruction turns into a 31-26 ballgame.
My feeling is this kind of game couldn't have come at a better time for Temple. With their first ever MAC championship game within their fingertips, I look for a complete renewed focus facing a 2-7 Akron team they should dominate defensively.
Temple runs the football. It's what they do and they have one of the best freshman running backs in the country in Bernard Pierce.
In their 9 games this year Akron's defense has been gashed for over 100 yards in 7 of those 9 games, including Central Michigan for 326, Syracuse for 234 and Northern Illinois for 275.
Teams have been putting 8 in the box the last 3 weeks to stop Temple's run game all year long and the Owls still have put up impressive numbers.
How about 211 at Toledo, 274 at Navy and 224 last week versus Miami-Ohio.
Temple has all the edges here and with best defensive front in the MAC facing a freshman QB, pressure gets the best of Akron tonight and Temple covers another ball game here.
5 DIME - PHILADELPHIA 76ERS - Love Philly in this spot here.
Now I understand both of these teams have been terrible against the number, as they have both only covered 2 games this year.
So the bottom line is something has to give here.
However, you look a little closer and you will see the fact Utah has yet to cover on the road, while the Sixers two home losses were to Boston and Phoenix.
My feeling is the Sixers at home as a small dog is the way to go, as the Jazz continue to struggle along at 3-5, just 1-3 on the road and as I said above, 0-4 ATS on the road as well.
Look for Philly to push tempo and get the Jazz out of their halfcourt set and for the Sixers to get the home win.
5 DIME - PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS - Love going against a team that just fired their coach.
This New Orleans team is in trouble. Simple as that, and having a GM come down from the front office and coach isn't going to make a damn bit of difference. Hornets are on the way down.
Just as well Byron Scott doesn't coach this team. Let the GM come down and deal with it since it was his moves that created this mess.
New Orleans is 3-6 SU and ATS, and catch a Blazers team that is completely on the other side of that at 6-3 SU and ATS, including 4 straight wins and covers.
This game tonight is about one team knowing who they are, know how they are supposed to play and everyones roles are defined and set in place.
I'm rolling with the Blazers and the small chalk tonight
WAYNE ROOT
2009 Football Upset Club
3* Cincinnati (-9½) over West Virginia
RAS
All 1 Unit
Purdue -20'
UC Davis +1
Loy-Mary +10
Idaho +12
Pepperdine +4
N. Ill +14'
Weber St +4
CHRISTIAN ALEXANDER
TEMPLE -4
Royal Sports
10* West Virginia
9* Temple Owls
Bob Valentino
25 DIME: West Virginia-Cincinnati OVER