TIM TRUSHEL
Washington State at UCLA
Recommendation: Under
There are no easy baskets when facing Washington State. With a perfect 13-0 record, the Cougars have struck perfection behind a tremendous defense that has allowed an average of less than 50 points per game. In their conference opener against an uptempo Washington Huskies team, they limited their rivals to just 52 points while forcing 14 turnovers. Entering that game, Washington had averaged 78 points per game and yet against the Cougars stifling defense they could manage just one field goal in the final 6:20. On the other side of this match-up UCLA is equal to the task on the defensive side as well having allowed only one opponent to eclipse 63 points scored this season. This becomes further impressive when you consider that up-tempo teams like Michigan State, Texas, California and Maryland are on their schedule.Off a road sweep last weekend against Stanford and California,the PAC-10 got its first taste of UCLA freshman Kevin Love.The 6-foot-10 center was tremendous scoring 19 points with 14 rebounds for his seventh double-double of the season. He also played excellent defense and stymied Stanford and California’s big men. Stanford was thought to be a team that could match the Bruins’ size and physical nature and true to form second chances were rare as UCLA tightened up in the second half. Last season in the two meetings between the teams neither eclipsed 55 points in either game as 98 and 107 were the total pointsscored. We expect more of the same in 2008. Play it Under.
ROB VENO
San Francisco at San Diego
Recommendation: San Diego
Conference season opener for each of these mid to lower rung WCC teams so focus and intensity should be there. With that aspect of the playing field being level, I’ll choose to side with the home team which has other notable advantages. For the young Toreros (three freshmen in their top seven), the non-conference schedule results find them far more ready for this contest than the transitioning USF squad. San Diego has played and competitively battled UNLV, USC, New Mexico, Boise State and Kentucky(won straight up 81-72) all away from home. Poor first halves versus South Alabama in the Anaheim Classic and at Nevada were backed by solid second halves which shows that this team adjusts and competes for the full 40 minutes. Their defensive superiority in this game (allow 11 ppg less than San Francisco) will likely factor into this result since despite their youth, San Diego matches up very well athletically. The Dons are currently struggling offensively under the new direction of defensive minded HC Eddie Sutton, averaging just 59.3 ppg in the three contests he’s coached. Expect USD to take advantage of the Dons who have not meshed yet and figure to have breakdowns on both sides of the floor during stretches of this game. The junior tandem of forward Gino Pomare (57.3 FG%) and explosive guard Brandon Johnson (teams leading scorer and three point shooter) are potent enough to provide a sizeable margin for the Toreros here as they get the league season off to a victorious start.
BRENT CROW
Vanderbilt at Kentucky
Recommendation: Vanderbilt
The Vanderbilt Commodores should be 16-0 when they travel to Rupp Arena to face the struggling Kentucky Wildcats. Kentucky dropped to 6-7 with its home loss to Louisville last week and has not played since. The Wildcats have finally gotten healthy with guards Jodie Meeks and Derrick Jasper returning to the lineup, but it did not help them against Louisville. Meeks was just 1-8 from the floor for seven points in 31 minutes and Jasper was 2-4 in 31 minutes, scoring six points. Even with Meeks and Jasper, the Wildcats are a team of just five players, with no help from the bench. They were worn out by the deeper Cardinals and the pace of the game,a problem that will hurt them again this week against the Commodores. Vanderbilt’s undefeated start is no fluke, this is a solid club.The Commodores have size, experience, shooting and depth, and should have no trouble waltzing out of Rupp with another win. The Commodores have 10 players that play at least 11 minutes per game,and only Shan Foster averages more than 28 minutes per contest.Foster leads them in scoring at 21.1 ppg, with freshman center Andrew Ogilvy next at 19.3. Ogilvy, Ross Neltner and Alan Metcalfe are three guys that will give the Wildcats fits inside, as Kentucky has only freshman Patrick Patterson to combat them. Vandy likes to play fast, averaging 87 ppg and their constant pressure will wear out the thin Wildcats. Look for Vandy to make it three straight road wins at Rupp Arena and keep their unbeaten season going
DAVID JONES
Indiana at Golden State
Recommendation: Over
Indiana has become a vastly different team under new head coach Jim O’Brien this season. The Pacers are second in the Eastern Conference in scoring while allowing the most points per game in the East (through January 3rd). Indy has three solid scoring options with Mike Dunleavy, Danny Granger, and Jermaine O’Neal all averaging more than 15 points per game. Point guard Jamaal Tinsley is thriving as the catalyst of the higher tempo offense.The Pacers also have some depth and the ability to score on the break or in half court sets. The Warriors counter by leading the NBA in scoring while giving up more points than any team in the league (through January 3rd). With a 19-7 run to close 2007,the Warriors are regaining their mojo from last season’s playoff run. With six players averaging in double figures, Golden State is able to provide constant offensive pressure to their foes. Baron Davis continues to be one of the NBA’s elite point guards with an average of over 20 points per game to lead the attack. The Warriors are especially explosive at home with an average of about seven more points per game compared to their offensive numbers on the road. Golden State went 9-5 to the over in their first 14 home games of the year. While this total will be very high, these clubs should be poised to go up and down the court in a game that should get into the 230s to yield an over in a showdown of the highest tempo teams from each conference.
TEDDY COVERS
Portland at Toronto
Recommendation: Toronto
The Raptors have a truly exceptional track record in these earlystart Sunday games at home, a regular occurrence on their schedule.We’ve seen Toronto beat Houston by 13 as 3.5 point underdogs.We’ve seen them beat Chicago by 15 as five point chalk. The Raptors even took mighty Boston into overtime before succumbing in a three point loss. Opposing teams that visit Toronto for a Sunday afternoon game have a decided disadvantage in both the awkward start time and the tremendous crowd support that the Raptors receive for these Sunday afternoon games. In my opinion,the strength of this scheduling spot is never reflected in the pointspread,giving us solid value with the Raptors. And let’s not forget that the Raptors took a 20 point lead against Cleveland this past Sunday, only to blow the game with a horrific fourth quarter, giving them a notch more motivation this time around. Portland has certainly been the single biggest surprise in the NBA this season,reeling off 16 victories in their last 17 games through the weekend.But Portland ’s success has largely come at home – this is not a team to fear on the highway as they are at the Rose Garden, with a 5-10 straight up mark in road contests. When these two teams met in Portland last month, Toronto had little trouble putting up points, hitting 50% from the floor. But the Raptors did not get many calls in that game, taking only ten free throws for the entire contest. As long as the refs don’t swallow their whistles this time around, we can expect a comfortable Toronto victory.
ERIN RYNNING
Orlando at Utah
Recommendation: Over
Two young, up and coming teams will square off Saturday night as the Magic face the Jazz in Salt Lake City. The common theme for both of these teams is exciting offense, but troubling defense. The defensive play from both of these clubs is and will continue to hold them back from breaking into the NBA’s elite class. The Magic can score efficiently in many directions all built around young-stud Dwight Howard on the inside commanding all the pressure. The tandem of Carlos Arroyo and Jameer Nelson at point guard teamed with Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu on the perimeter simply makes the Magic tough to stop. However, all four have their defensive deficiencies.Meanwhile, the Jazz own a similar blueprint. Especially the tandem of Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams give teams fits defensively. Note the latest addition of sharpshooter Kyle Korver to this offense completes this team, while teams in the last month have played a lot of zone defense against them. For whatever reason this team just can’t come together defensively.It’s especially troubling when you consider they possess defensive weapons like Andrei Kirilenko and Ronny Brewer. The chemistry just isn’t there in terms of stopping the opponent from a ‘team’ standpoint. Obviously this game just comes together as a high-scoring affair with little defense being played coupled with teams that can score in diverse ways. Play thisone OVER the total this weekend between the Jazz and Magic.
THE GOLD SHEET
SEATTLE (11-6) at GREEN BAY (13-3)
GREEN BAY 24 - Seattle 23
Familiarity angles abound in this matchup.
Green Bay’s last home playoff victory was 33-27 in overtime vs. Seattle in
2003, when the bold Matt Hasselbeck said the Seahawks would take the ball
after winning the OT coin flip, boasting into the microphone, “We want the ball.
We’re going to score.” He then proceeded to throw an interception into the
hands of Packer CB Al Harris, who easily returned it the distance for the
winning TD. Hasselbeck, of course, was Brett Favre’s backup two years in
Green Bay before being dealt to Seattle. Mike McCarthy was Packer QB
coach under then-HC Ray Rhodes the season after Mike Holmgren’s ended his
stay in Packerland to take over in the Emerald City.
But enough with familiarity and coincidence. The underdog Seahawks are
the preference here for far more substantial reasons, even despite G.B.’s
league-leading 12-3-1 pointspread mark TY and Brett Favre’s unexpectedly
magical 2007 campaign when he hit 66.5% with 28 TDs & 15 ints., breaking a
slew of lifetime passing records along the way.
In short, Seattle has its own playoff-seasoned QB in Hasselbeck (62.6%,
28 TDs, 12 ints. in the regular season), a more experienced and slightly more
versatile ground game featuring Shaun Alexander & Maurice Morris, an equal
defense (both teams gave up exactly 291 points in the regular season), and a
more experienced kicker in Josh Brown. And the Seahawks’ aggressive
pass rushers racked up 45 sacks in the regular season compared with G.B’s
36. Moreover, WR Nate Burleson turned out to be a revelation as a KR & PR.
Seattle has been tough to finish off as an underdog, going 10-1 getting
more than a TD the last 11 seasons. Contrariwise, the Packers have failed to
cover their last three in the playoffs at the previously-impenetrable fortress of
Lambeau Field. This will be Holmgren’s 24th playoff game; McCarthy’s first.
And let’s remember that there is still a core of Seahawk players who
advanced to the Super Bowl two seasons ago and took the then-powerful
Bears to overtime in this same Divisional Round LY (losing 27-24 in overtime in
Chicago), while G.B. had one of the youngest rosters in the NFL in 2007.
JACKSONVILLE (12-5) at NEW ENGLAND (16-0)
NEW ENGLAND 36 - Jacksonville 17
With Jacksonville on such a nice
late-season roll (7-1 its last 8—excluding its meaningless reg.-season loss in its
finale at Houston), it is very tempting to side with the fearless, physical Jaguars.
But to go against the “perfect” Patriots—when they are rested, focused, and
with their “evil” genius coach Belichick given extra time to plot his beloved game
plan—without every extra edge (namely, at least a two-TD oddsmaker cushion
here), appears to be the lower-percentage play.
Yes, it is true that N.E. was 2-6 vs. the spread to end the regular season. And
also that five of its last eight wins were recorded by margins of 4, 3, 3, 10, and
3 points. But let’s keep in mind that the Pats have proven themselves to be an
extraordinary team in 2007, able to keep their regular season in perspective
despite the constant hype, focusing on each opponent in turn, game-by-game,
never getting ahead of themselves and always speaking of the bigger picture—
namely, the home-field edge throughout the AFC playoffs and the ring at the end
of the season. With Belichick in command and Brady leading the charge, you
can expect them to be at their best in this one, especially with the rock ‘em, sock
‘em Jags representing a bona fide threat.
While we have nothing but respect for the performance of Jacksonville QB
David Garrard this season (64%, 18 TDs, 3 ints.; 1 TD, 2 ints. in his first playoff
start last week in Pittsburgh), his receiving corps is none too scary, allowing
Belichick to load up vs. the run with his deep corps of defensive linemen and oh-
so-experienced LBs. Jag RBs Fred Taylor & Maurice Jones-Drew might break
through that curtain. But if they don’t, the young Garrard is likely to suffer the
same fate as the young version of Peyton Manning and other QBs during the
six-year Brady-Belichick run, when the Pats have gone 12-2 SU in the playoffs
(8-5-1 vs. the spread; 4-1-1 at home).
The numbers of Brady (record 50 TDs vs. 8 ints.), Randy Moss (record 23
TDs), and Wes Welker (112 recs.) are mighty, like N.E.’s 16-0 record, indicative
of a “special” team. But the somewhat-overlooked defense was fourth overall,
second in sacks, sixth in interceptions, and third in rushing TDs allowed (only 7).
The rough-and-ready Jags are 6-2 as a dog TY. There is no disrespect for them
here. Merely a preference for the exceptional Patriots and their exceptional
coach and QB, especially when those two appear to have a definitive preparation/experience edge on their side.
MARC LAWRENCE
GREEN BAY over Seattle by 11
The Pack is back in the playoffs for the first time since 2005, where they were last bounced in a first round game here at Lambeau Field. Before we get too deep into this matchup, keep this thought foremost in your mind: like a hot chocolate vendor, QB Brett Favre is at his best the faster the temperature drops. That’s confirmed by the fact that, in his NFL career, he is 36-6 SU & 24-13-5 ATS at home from Game Thirteen out – including 21-2 SU & 17-3-3 ATS when facing an opponent off a win. Add to that the fact his counterpart, Matt Hasselbeck, has covered the number in only 10 of 35 tries off a win in nondivision battles. While Seattle rolled to a 21-point victory last week against Washington they did so despite being outgained, 319-304, in the contest, as they are just 9-8 ITS (In The Stats) this season. That win improved the Seahawks mark to 2-2 against winning teams this season, hardly a number to hang one’s hat on this time of the year. The clincher, though, is the success of rested home teams in the post-season. While they’ve struggled overall of late (0-4 ATS last season), rested hosts are 15-1 SU & 13-2-1 ATS as favorite of > 7 points when taking on a .600 > foe off a win since 1990. Get the hot cocoa and marshmallows ready, Martha. Because after all, by Favre, they make some of the best hot chocolate in the land in these parts.
NEW ENGLAND over Jacksonville by 10
In this corner, the undefeated heavyweight champs of the NFL, with a perfect 16-0 record – the New England Patriots. Their opponent, hailing from Jacksonville and sporting a knockout punch with a 12-5 mark – including eleven consecutive games with 24 or more points under their belt – the Jaguars. Adding to the Pats’ chance of
shattering the ’72 Dolphins’ undefeated Super Bowl legacy is the fact that playoffteams with lofty win percentages of .900 > are 11-3 SU & 9-5 ATS since 1980… but 0-3 ATS the last three games. After starting the year with eight consecutive pointspreadcovers, New England fell somewhat to the pressure of carrying an undefeated ledger when they closed out 2-6 ATS to conclude the campaign. They’ll host a Jaguar squad they defeated on this field in the 2005 playoffs, one who finished 7-1 ATS in its final eight games. With that we note Jack Del Rio’s lofty 13-2 ATS mark as a dog with revenge in games from a loss he’s suffered throughout his NFL career. Fundamentally Jack poses a potential problem as their strength – a rush offense that averages 4.6 YPR – goes into the Pats’ Achilles heel – a rush defense that surrenders 4.4 DYPR.Yes, Tom Brady against David Garrard is a huge edge in New England’s favor. And Bill Belichick’s unbeaten career post-season log at home (7-0 SU & 5-1-1 ATS) looks to be a knockout waiting to happen, but the impost and the pressure make the Jags a tempting underdog. Let’s get ready to rummmbbblle.
Arthur Ralph
SUPER PLAY: Drake
Regular Plays: Green Bay, Pats, Bowling Green and Baylor
Psychic
3 units Green Bay -7
3 units GB/Sea OVER 43
3 units Jacksonville +13.5
2 units JX/NE OVER 49.
Mighty Quinn
Pack & Under
Pats
Spylock
1 unit Green Bay
Larry Ness- GB triple dime
Stan Sharp- NE triple dime
J Whip- GB triple dime
Tony George- Sea and Jax
Ethan Law- NE single dime
Marco D'Angelo- GB double dime
Bob Akmens
GB - 7 1/2
Over Pats 49 1/2
Vegas Experts Tip Of The Day
Game projects to a 30-17 Pats win or 47 points. Jags will do what they can to limit the Pats possessions: they run the ball and don't turn it over. Teams like the Jags that have won four of their last five games are 37-17 Under the last 10 seasons when playing on Saturday. Last two meetings of these teams resulted in 31 and 45 points scored. Jags have held three of last five opponents to 22 points or less. Pats have held six of last seven to 20 or less.
Play on: Under
Gold Medal Club-Early
CBB: 10*
Florida -14
Texas -1
Oklahoma State -5
Georgetown -10
Notre Dame ML
De Paul ML
Ferrigino GOY
7-Unit Play. Take Miami (-6) over Georgia Tech
Note: This is our ACC Game of the Year. Play for 6-Units at -6.5 or -7.0. After that it's at your own discretion, but I'm looking for a double-digit victory. That being said, it's still about line value.
I love this situation and I’m loving the Hurricanes here. Miami is a very, very talented and deep team, a true sleeper in the ACC. They are 13-1 on the season and have a Top 25 resume but aren’t getting the love they deserve. Miami is 30th in points allowed defense and 13th in field goal defense and should lock down on a Tech team that has absolutely no inside presence. Miami has won its past two meetings with the Yellowjackets – including a win last year when Tech may have had more talent. Well, Miami is the better team here and should open conference play with a convincing home win. The Hurricanes beat VCU by six. They beat Providence by six. They beat Mississippi State by six. All three of those teams are better than the Jackets. Georgia Tech is coming off a disappointing road loss against rival Georgia on Thursday and has been one of the worst road teams in the nation over the past three years. Tech is 4-12 ATS in its last 16 road games and 6-17 ATS in their last 23 games played away from home. Miami is 5-1 ATS at home, 5-0 ATS as a favorite, 5-2-1 ATS in ACC play, and 13-3-1 ATS overall. I’m looking for an 8- to 12-point victory here and a solid 7-Unit score. Go Hurricanes!
Totals 4 U
Seattle at Green Bay
Seattle makes the trip to the Frozen Tundra of Lambeau Field to take on the franchise that Seahawk Head Coach Mike Holmgren (170-109 in 16th head-coaching season) guided to a pair of Super Bowls following the 1996 and 1997 seasons.
Seattles front seven puts all kinds of heat on the pocket with tackles Brandon Mebane and Rocky Bernard strong at both absorbing and splitting blockers, while ends Patrick Kearney and Darryl Tapp terrorize from the edges and bat down balls. Key to Defensive Coordinator John Marshall's scheme is sending SLB Leroy Hill and WLB Julian Peterson on the blitz, made possible by the much improved pass coverage by his squad this season. Safeties Deon Grant and Brian Russell have been physical, the play of nickel back and all-around football player Jordan Babineaux has demanded more playing time, while LCB Marcus Trufant has exploded into one of the league?s top one-on-one corners in his 5th season as a pro. And then there?s the man in the middle. 3rd-year MLB Lofa Tatupo has a remarkable sense for the ball and a relentless motor that controls the action from sideline to sideline with the unmistakable brand of intensity that few outside of the Fraternity of Polynesian Players bring to the field. If I were a General Manager, I?d stack my team with kids from the islands and drink Tiny Bubbles from the Lombardi Trophy! By the numbers, Seattle allowed 18.2 points on 102.8 rush yards and 219.1 pass yards per game while racking up 45 sacks, 20 picks, and 23 fumble recoveries during the regular season.
On the offensive side of the ball, QB Matt Hasselbeck is having a spectacular season behind the makeshift line of LT Walter Jones, LG Rob Sims, C Chris Spencer, RG Chris Gray, and RT Sean Locklear especially considering he has been without his starting wide receivers much of the season. Ostensibly, WR D.J. Hackett and Deion Branch make up the first string, but due to multiple reoccurring injuries, this pair has played less than two full games together coming into this weekend where they will get the call. In their spots have thrived Nate Burleson and WR Bobby Engram, each producing career seasons. Expect to see plenty of each on Saturday in Coach Holmgrens three and four wide receiver sets. Rushing the ball effectively for the Birds this season has been a struggle with Shaun Alexander (207 for 716 and 4 TD) managing just 3.5 yards per carry, while backup 5?11? 216 RB Maurice Morris (140 for 628 and 4 TD rushing, 23 for 213 and TD receiving) has showed more promise both on the ground and through the air. Just 101.2 yards rushing (9 TD) per game compared with 247.8 passing (30 TD) has led to 36 sacks, but, hey, that?s Holmgren. Its the 26 lost fumbles that drive him nuts, and the 24.6 points per game that still makes him one of the best offensive minds in football. It must be noted that Seattle?s regular season opponents finished with a combined record of 106-150, with only Wildcard Round losers Pittsburgh (0-21 road loss) and Tampa Bay (20-6 home win) reaching the postseason.
Green Bay (13-3, 0-0 playoffs) combined the youngest roster in the National Football League with a turn-back-the-clock season from 17th-year QB Brett Favre (356 of 535 for 4155 yards, 28 TD, 15 INT) to take NFC North Championship honors and earn the first round bye of a second seed. When Favre stated at the beginning of the 2006 campaign that GM Ted Thompson had assembled the best group of talent he had ever played with, the sports world thought that Old Brett was suffering from either too many hits to the head or an early onset of Alzheimers Disease. But here they are, ripping up defenses with a 378.2 yards of offense (2nd in the NFL), including 278.8 yards passing (2nd in the NFL), and 27.2 points per game, while holding Pro Football?s 3rd-best point differential behind only the Patriots and Colts. 9th-year veteran 60 190 WR Donald Driver (82 for 1048 and 2 TD) has been joined by youngsters 5?11? 197 Greg Jennings (53 for 940 and 12 TD, 17.4 yards per catch), 6?1? 207 James Jones (47 for 676 and 2 TD), and 6?4? 210 Ruvell Martin (16 for 242 and 4 TD), plus 6th-year Koren Robinson (21 for 241 and TD) who has returned to the NFL with a born-again attitude after serving a one year suspension for off the field issues. Also energizing the aerial attack has been the development of 6?4? 248 TE Donald Lee (48 for 575 and 6 TD), who has clearly left 6?6? 265 Bubba Franks (18 for 132 and 3 TD), who has teased fans with glimpses of his unlimited but never entirely fulfilled talent for eight years, in the dust. Green Bays rushing game has taken a lot of heat this season for averaging just 99.8 yards per contest, but at 4.1 yards per carry, the pass-heavy play calling of Head Coach Mike McCarthy (21-11 in 2nd season as head coach) is as much responsible as anything. It took injuries to 5?10? rookie Brandon Jackson (75 for 267 and TD), Noah Herron, Vernand Morency, and DeShawn Wynn for the Pack to find their workhorse back in 61 228 first-year RB Ryan Grant (188 for 956 and 8 TD), who has powered through defenses for a dynamite 5.1 yards per carry while displaying a burst rare for a man his size with runs of 24, 30, 23, 31, 62, 26, 24, 66, and 27 yards in just ten games as the primary ball carrier. Much credit must be given to the work of Offensive Line Coach James Campen. Tackles 65 320 Chad Clifton and 63 315 Mark Taucher are superb in all phases of the game, but Campen has had to mix and match the interior line all season, currently going with 64 305 LG Daryn Colledge, 62 295 C Scott Wells, and 6?3? 300 RG Jason Spitz, while 6?5? 304 Tony Moll backs up all three positions. Just 19 sacks surrendered in almost 600 drop-backs is absolutely superb.
Defensive Coordinator Bob Sanders has put together a crew that is both tough and deep. 6?2? 322 LDT Ryan Picket (39 T, S) has become a premier run stuffer and 6?4? 313 RDT Corey Williams (35 T, 7 S, INT) has eaten guards and centers for lunch on the way to the pocket all year. From the edge, 6?4? 270 LDE Aaron Kampman (64 T, 12 S) gets more out of his talent than any player in the NFL at the position, and although 6?4? 247 RDE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (26 T, 9 ? S) has lost his starting job for poor performance against the run, he continues to pile up the sacks, rotating to the field in pass situations. In the middle, 6?2? 232 MLB Nick Barnett (131 T, 3 ? S, 2 INT), 6?1? 247 WLB A.J. Hawk (105 T, S, INT), and 5?11? 211 SS Atari Bigby (86 T, 5 INT) are each swift and physical, plus few squads have a pair of corners that bring the experience of 6?1? 200 Charles Woodson (63 T, 4 INT) and 6?1? 188 Al Harris (37 T, 2 INT) ? especially key with such a young group in front of them. By the numbers, the Packers have held opponents to 18.2 points on 102.9 yards rushing and 224.0 yards passing per game while amassing 19 picks, 22 fumble recoveries, and 36 sacks. One more note. Has anyone else noted that for no obvious reason, wide receiver Ruvell Martin is the backup holder for rookie K Mason Crosby (31 of 39 field goals, 3 of 5 from 50+ yards)? A deeper look finds a former All-State High School quarterback wearing number 82.
This Saturday marks the 267th consecutive sellout at Lambeau Field for a Packers team that has won 17 of its last 20 games, but makes the franchise's first playoff appearance in three years and has 36 players on its 53-man roster that have never played in a professional postseason game. The forecast for Green Bay is 26 degrees and 8-10 mph winds at kickoff Seattle is 3-5 on the road this year, while the Pack is 7-1 at home. Take Seattle +8 and enjoy what's likely to be the best game of the weekend!
Dave Cokin comp
Kansas St
Special K free picks
Over 49.5 patriots
Marshall +16.5
John Fina's Free College Basketball Selection
Chattanooga -12
ATS Lock Club
4 units on the OVER 42 1/2 Sea/G Bay
3 units on the NEw England Patriots -13
Feist
Detroit is rested after a tough road trip through the Texas Triangle. They had an awful performance in a loss at Dallas, 102-86, that ended the Pistons' five-game road winning streak. "Terrible," coach Flip Saunders said. With a day off after concluding the trip, the Pistons take on a tired Charlotte team. They recently lost 7 of 9 games despite playing 6 of those at home. This is a tough spot, the second of a back to back game for the Bobcats after playing at Cleveland Friday. Play the Pistons!
Scott Spreitzer comp
South Bama
Jimmy The Moose
Pittsburgh Penguins
Philly-Connection Free play
IOWA + 10
ACCUSCORE
NFL Forecast
GB 25-18
NE 31-18
Gator's NFL "Tech" Report
NFL (Saturday): Jacksonville vs. New England
Play Under NFL home teams against the total with a team averaging >=7.3 PYA against a defense allowing 5.9-6.7 PYA after 8+ games, after gaining 8 or more passing yards per attempt in their last game, 36-10 Under the last ten seasons (78.3%)
Selection: Jacksonville / New England UNDER 48
COMPS
RAZOR SHARP SPORTS
YOUR FREE WINNER FOR SATURDAY: OKLAHOMA -8½ over Kansas St
TV HOTLINE COMP
CALIFORNIA -8
MIKE WYNN
Free Pick: Boston College -3½ Over Wake Forest
VEGAS STEAMLINE
Free Winner for Saturday: Take USC -6½ over Washington
ARTHUR RALPH COMP
57-33 last 90 63 % Fri Boston Celtics TY Sat St Mary's Calif
COMPUTER SPORTS
SATURDAY FREE WINNER
OHIO ST. PK
DR. VEGAS
Free winner today
W. Michigan -2 over E. Michigan
TOTALS 4U
SATURDAY'S FREE WINNER: AINA/KAI OVER 38 (HULA BOWL)
HUDDLE UP SPORTS
Saturday Free Winner
Oklahoma State -6'
GOLD SHEET
NBA
**KEY RELEASES **
ORLANDO by 5 over Utah
NCAA:
**KEY RELEASES **
VANDERBILT by 12 over Kentucky
CHARLOTTE by 15 over Temple
WINNING POINTS
NBA
***BEST BET
Detroit over *Charlotte by 15
DETROIT 102-87.
***BEST BET
Indiana over *Sacramento by 10
INDIANA 116-106.
NCAAB
Saturday, January 12
***BEST BET
George Mason* over Northeastern by 25
GEORGE MASON, 73-48.
***BEST BET
St.Mary's* over Santa Clara by 24
runs happily up and down the floor. ST. MARY'S, 84-60