Billy Coleman
4* NC State + 7
SIXTH SENSE
1% NORTHWESTERN +12.5
1% NC STATE +7
Don Wagner
3* NC State
DR BOB
NC State (+8) 3-Stars at +7 or more, 2-Stars from +6 1/2 to +4
CKO
11* (9-5-1) THIS YEAR IN COLLEGE FOOTS
11* MISSOURI over Northwestern
MISSOURI 45 - Northwestern 20
Long-time Big XII sources report early, fast-paced workouts indicate veteran Missouri has suffered no "hangover effect" from the painful pair of losses to end the regular season. Therefore, compelled to "lay it" with explosive Tigers (42 ppg), who've covered their bowl game each of the last three years, including lopsided 38-7 victory vs. Arkansas in LY's Cotton Bowl. Mizzou's marvelous QB Chase Daniel (74%, 37 TDP), who's pumped up to end record-breaking career in style after 4 ints. last two games, will dissect ill-prepared NW defense that faced no QB ranked in top 30 nationally (Tiger D faced 7!) in a truly down year in Big Ten. Wildcats so-so QB Bacher (14 TDs, 14 ints.; meager 5.8 yds. per attempt) and his small-play attack won't keep pace (surpassed 30 pts. just once). Note, Tigers have won by 13 pts. or more in 17 of past 20 victories.
Brand X Sports
North Carolina State Wolfpack versus Rutgers Knights
Line Rutgers -7.5 Total 53
Two red hot teams that BOTH overcame four game losing streaks during the season to make a Bowl appearance.
Rutgers comes into this Bowl riding a six game win streak, the last five games were also covers.
NC State comes into this game with four straight victories, including a road win against ‘nationally ranked North Carolina and a home win versus Miami which kept the Canes out of the ACC Championship game.
Rutgers has the experience edge at QB (senior Mike Teel Rutgers all time passing leader versus ACC Rookie of the Year Russ Wilson)
I am going to lean on NC State’s 5-0 record in Bowl games and that irresistible hook to make this pick
4* NC State Wolfpack +7.5
Northwestern Wildcats versus Missouri Tigers
Line Missouri -14.5 Total 66
I find this game very interesting.
Despite being higher ranked that Missouri, the Wildcats are two touchdown PLUS
Underdogs to the Tigers!
This is a classic “trap game” for Bowl bettors.
Missouri looks like a sure thing but the mindsets of these two teams are at different ends of the spectrum.
The Tigers were expected to make a run at the Nation Title and did get as high as #6 in the rankings. Then Missouri lost their four of their last six games.
The Wildcats had ZERO expectations before the season started and now find them selves
in a Major Bowl.
This is a “My Name is Earl” pick as all the Karma is with the underdog.
4* Northwestern Wildcats +14.5
PSYCHIC
3 units Missouri -12.5
2 units Rutgers -7
Da Stick
5 units Rutgers -7
I'm looking for Ethan Law's NC State/Rutgers pick.
Anyone find it?
Thanks.
I'm looking for Ethan Law's NC State/Rutgers pick.
Anyone find it?
Thanks.
We don't post his plays sorry
Special K
20* UConn
Frank Patron
Bowl Game Lock Of Year
NC State +6.5
BIG AL
94% COLLEGE HOOPS CONFERENCE GAME OF THE MONTH
At 7 pm, our Big East Game of the Month is on the 2nd-ranked Connecticut Huskies minus the points over 12th-ranked Georgetown
Larry Ness
Weekly Wipeout Winner-CBB
John Brady was less than two years removed from a Final Four appearance when LSU fired him last February. He took over at Arkansas State this year for Dickey Nutt, who was let go at the end of last season, his 20th in Jonesboro and his 13th as the school's head coach. Just goes to prove, coaching is a tough gig in the college ranks! Arkansas St is coming off a 10-20 season and at 9-3, can match last year's win total with a victory tonight in Stillwater. Don't count on it! Brady did a good job bringing in some JUCO players and that's been a huge bonus but the team's 9-3 record is more a reflection of the team's 'cupcake' schedule, than it is on the team's prowess. One of the Red Wolves' JUCOs is 6-5 swingman Boone (12.7), who is the team's lone double digit scorer. Also making contributions are fellow JUCOs the 6-8 McKinney (8.3-6.8), the 6-7 Brown (7.0-5.3) and guard Ayers (6.3). PG Koggu (6.1-3.8-4.9) is a holdover from last year, as is 6-6 small forward Morgan (8.8-5.8). The 6-7 Kur (11.1) has had eligibility issues and hasn't played yet this year. Travis Ford (former Kentucky three-point 'bomber') took over for Sean Sutton at Oklahoma State after leading U Mass to back-to-back seasons of 24 and 25 wins (reached NIT semis LY). OSU is Ford's type of team. It's perimeter-oriented and loves to "shoot the three." The 6-11 Thomas (8.3-3.9) was dismissed from the team earlier TY and that leaves only the 6-8 Kirkland (3.2-2.8) and the 6-6 Brown (3.5-2.5) adding any real contributions inside. The 6-6 Anderson (17.4-5.9) leads the team in scoring with two other 6-5 players off to excellent starts as well. Harris (15.3-5.3) is a senior while junior Muonelo (14.6-9.10 is proving to be an outstanding rebounder. PG Eaton (12.8-3.5-6.4) is a senior and freshman Page (10.0) is not starting but is sure contributing. OSU's "M.O." hasn't changed, the Cowboys a poor team away from home (LY's Feb 16 win at Texas A&M ended a 19-game road losing streak) but is brutally tough to beat here in Stillwater. The Red Wolves come in averaging just 68.1 PPG and will face a OSU team which is averaging 83.8 PPG and shooting .411 from three-point range. OSU just had an impressive win over a talented Rhode Island team 86-82 at Oklahoma City (semi-neutral site) and is already 5-0 at home this year, averaging 92.4 PPG. This is the very definition of a W-I-P-E-O-U-T!
Weekly Wipeout Winner on Oklahoma State
9* CBB Tourney Game
I predicted a 20-win season for UTEP this year and maybe even an NCAA invite. The Miners got off to a slow start but they've been outstanding in their last two games, easy home wins over Texas Tech (97-78) and a "revenge game" win over New Mexico St (84-69). I had them in BOTH of those games and will play them again here vs James Madison, in the opening round of the Cable Car Classic in Santa Clara (four-team tourney including the host, Santa Clara). UTEP is not deep and but senior Jackson (23.6-6.5) and sophomore Culpepper (19.6) are a terrific backcourt duo. The 6-6 Stone (5.4-4.3) joins them in the starting lineup with two 6-11 players, freshman Moultrie (9.3-7.1) and sophomore Britten (4.8-2.9). As far as depth goes, it's really only 7-0 Memphis transfer Kareem Cooper (6.5-4.6) and 6-7 senior McCulley (4.4-3.5). James Madison comes off a 13-17 season but that was quite a 'leap,' as the school had not won more than seven games in any of the previous four years. Four starters returned for this year and the Dukes are off to a 7-4 start (not bad). However, senior guard Jalloh (15.5 PPG and 5.5 RPG last year) has been lost for the season with a rotator cuff injury and his absence will hurt. Good news comes in the fact that after missing seven games, the 6-6 James (14.3-6.5) is back and over his last three outings, has scored 47 points (15.7 per). The 6-7 Swantson (14.6-3.7) is off to a very good start plus three freshman, 6-5 swingman Wells (12.2-5.1), the 6-7 Semenov (7.8-4.2) and guard Moore (9.9-3.7-3.8) have all played well. Returning players Curtis (7.5-4.7-3.0) starts with Moore in the backcourt plus the 6-7 Thornton (6.3-3.2) contributes up front. Head coach Matt Brady is in his first year at the school (he went 73-50 in four years at Marist) and while he's highly thought of, I'm not sold on the team's early season record. The Dukes lost at Davidson (no shame there) but also lost games at Loyola-Maryland (a 4-7 team), Longwood (a school which went 1-30 in the 2004-05 season and followed that with years of 10, nine and nine wins!) and a 6-4 Northeastern team. Granted this is a neutral site game but I'm not about to trust these Dukes away from Harrisonburg, while UTEP has beaten St Mary's 75-62 at a tourney in Anaheim (St Mary's lone loss this year at 12-1) plus lost 82-79 to Wake at the same tourney, a school which has yet to lose this year (11-0)
9* CBB Tourney Game on UTEP
Las Vegas Insider- NBA
Talk about being "home for the holidays?" Someone in the NBA's scheduling office must owe the Atlanta Hawks, as Atlanta has been home since Dec 13 and plays the final contest of what's been an eight-game homestand. Wouldn't every team in the league want that type of treatment? In comparison, the visiting Nuggets are playing the second game of a four-game road trip which began yesterday afternoon in Madison Square Garden, continues New Year's Eve in Toronto and ends Jan 2 in Okla City. Which team got the better holiday 'treatment?' There is good news for Denver though, as Carmelo Anthony returned in Sunday's 117-110 win over the Knicks, after missing three games with a sore right elbow. Anthony returned to the court for the 20-11 Nuggets on Sunday following a three-game absence because of a sore right elbow. After being held to 11.5 PPG while shooting just 8-of-27 (29.6 percent) in losses to Cleveland and Phoenix, the Nuggets decided to give their leading scorer (at 21.0 PPG) some time off. The rest worked, as Anthony scored 32 points on 13-of-19 from the floor, adding nine rebounds and four assists. The Nuggets are definitely a better team with Billups (17.9-6.9 APG) replacing Iverson but the real proof won't come until playoff time. A for now, the undersized Nene (14.1-7.8) is playing well at center, PF Martin (12.0-6.8) has been mostly healthy, JR Smith (13.7-4.) has "found his groove" coming off the bench plus role players like Kleiza (9.7-3.8), Carter (6.0-4.4) and even the 6-10 Anderson (5.5-5.0), are making solid contributions. However, this is not a good spot for Denver. The Hawks are 6-1 SU (5-2 ATS) through the first seven games of this homestand, losing only a three-point decision to the Celtics. With Josh Smith (13.6-7.6) now healthy, the team's starting-five is very impressive. Johnson (23.2-4.7-5.7) and Bibby (16.0-5.1 APG) comprise a superb backcourt plus Williams (13.9-6.4) and Horford (10.9-8.6) join Smith inside. Flip Murray (8.6) has "found a home" in Atlanta's backcourt (Detroit is a distant memory) plus Evans (7.4) and Pachulia (5.4-5.9) are quality backups. Atlanta 'exploded' for a season-high 129 points in its win Saturday night over the Bulls and are 13-2 SU at home TY, holding opponents to 93.1 PPG in Phillips Arena. The team's won its six games on this homestand by an average margin on 9.2 PPG and that would be more than enough to 'cover' tonight's number. In fact, I expect a 15-point win.
Las Vegas Insider on the Atl Hawks
Blade,
Is there a way to control the smileys? Yes, they're out of control...
;D
When I posted a reply with an 8, followed by a close parenthesis, a smiley pops in.
Little bastards.
8 )
Go to additional options right under the posting area and open it click " Don't use smileys " ;D
Most forums have the same option