Karl Garrett
Ohio State +7' at ILLINOIS
Big-time revenge game for Illinois, as last season Ohio State went into Champaign and blasted the Illini, 74-58 as the 4-point underdog. In fact, the Buckeyes swept the season series last year, and while the G-Man thinks Illinois is going to get their "revenge" win, I expect the Buckeyes to battle them tooth-and-nail.
Ohio State is off back-to-back conference wins, including a road win at Michigan last time out, and they are a profitable 4-1 against the spread on the highway this season.
Illinois is a decent 6-4 against the spread at home, but this line seems a little high, as I feel sure the linesmakers are making you pay a higher price than normal in light of the blowout State put on Illinois at Assembly Hall last January.
I like this one to be hotly-contested, and for the Buckeyes to stay inside of the impost.
G-Man on the Bucks to get us the bucks.
1♦ OHIO STATE
Sports Gambling Hotline
NC State at DUKE -19
The Cameron Crazies will be loud, and happy tonight, as Duke puts a pasting on NC State.
The Wolf Pack are seriously challenged when it comes to actually putting the round ball through the hoop, as evidenced by their anemic 62 ppg average away from Raleigh.
Look for that lack of offensive punch to become a problem pretty early in this 40-minute session in Duke's gym.
The Blue Devils are averaging 84 ppg on their home floor, and Coach K's team is a perfect 11-0 straight up at home, going 6-4 in lined home games.
Duke has dumped the 'Pack in 3 of the last 4 series meetings, and the last time these schools met in Durham, the Blue Devils picked up the win, and the cover as they routed NC State by 20.
Looks like more of the same to us tonight, as Duke breaks out the whipping stick, and takes State to the wood shed.
Play on Dookie minus the number!
4♦ DUKE
Brett Maverick Sports
Illinois -6.5
For our free selection today we catch Ohio State in a tough schedule spot going back on the road to face a tougher team than the Michigan team they just beat. Very hard to step up in the second of Back to Back road games. Practice is limited with the travel. We find Illinois coming home off a tough road loss to Michigan State, which is a better team than the opponent tonight. In other words, Illinois is home and stepping down in talent,while Ohio State is away and must step up in talent. Always a tough spot to be in, take the Illini.
Carlo Campanella
Tennessee at Vanderbilt
Tennessee has won 2 of their last 3 games, including an 82-79 home win over South Carolina, however, they barely walked away with that 3 point victory in a game they were favored by 11 points! They find themselves a small road favorites as they head to Vandy on Tuesday night, where they're 0-2 SU & ATS the last three years, including a 72-69 loss last season, knowing that Vandy is a profitable 21-9 ATS as home Dogs under Head Coach Stallings. Take the point(s) with a Vandy squad that comes off a 7 point loss at Mississippi State, but has been on fire while winning 7 of their last 9 games.
Play on: Vanderbilt
Vegas Experts
Sacramento Kings at Denver Nuggets
It's a pretty high number we're facing tonight, but considering the Kings allow 108 PPG on the road this season and are facing a Nuggets squad that already averages 105 PPG at home, it shouldn't be an issue. Sacramento has gone Over in its last three game and is 12-1 Over on the road when coming off a home loss. The Kings recent run of Overs is not a surprise as they have allowed a shocking 139, 129 and 133 points in those last three games.
Play on: Over
Brian Hansen
Detroit Red Wings at Phoenix Coyotes
Prediction: Under
The Red Wings look to regroup from a rare defeat on Tuesday when they pursue their 10th consecutive victory over the Coyotes and their eighth straight in Phoenix in the teams' final game before the All-Star break; that being said, the Coyotes have also been playing well lately, having gone 6-4 their last 10 and I look for both teams to concentrate on defense tonight. In fact Phoenix has seen the total go under the number in 11 of 16 games after allowing 4 goals or more; play on the UNDER!
Jimmy Boyd
1 Unit on NC State +19.5
System play on underdogs of 10 to 19.5 points (NC STATE) - good shooting team (45-47.5%) against an excellent defensive team (<=40%), good ball handling team (<=14.5 TO) vs. an average pressure defense (14.5-17.5 TO) after 15+ games are 24-5 ATS the last 5 seasons. While NC State lost by 20 at Duke last season it also played the Devils to a 1-point game at home and that gives this team lots on confidence to draw on. We'll take the points.
Nite Owl Sports
Game: Atlanta Hawks @ Chicago Bulls
Pick: 3 units: Atlanta Hawks +3
We like Hawks here for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that they are getting 3 points in a game that we have rated a toss up, even with Bulls HCA figured in, even though Bulls are playing better lately, with Deng and Hinrich both off the injured list and back in the lineup. Let’s start with fact that Hawks have beaten the Bulls twice TY, by 5 in Chicago and 12 in Atlanta. And while Hawks have an average MOV of 5 points in their 8 roadies TY at C teams like Bulls, Chicago has lost six of its last 8 at home ATS, incl 1-3 SU and ATS L4 at home vs A and B teams (Hawks being a B team). And both of these teams are playing w/o rest and after having had to fly into the Windy City after day games monday, but Hawks are better TY in the no rest mode, with a 7-4 ATS record and an average score of tie in its 11 no rest games TY, incl 5-1 ATS away, while Bulls are just 6-6 in no rest mode with an average MOL of 4 points, although they are a decent 5-3 w/o rest at home. Finally, Atl is 14-9 ATS after a win (the mode they are in for this game), compared to a crappy 4-8 after a loss.
(OVER - Total Play of the Day) - pregame.com
(vegas O/U 217.5)
Kings:
PROJECTED SCORE: 107
Nuggets
PROJECTED SCORE: 117
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Maddux Sports:
Today's Free Pick is Boston College +2.5
Complimentary Selection from Jeff Benton
Let’s build on my 18-8 run with College Hoops freebies as we head to the Missouri Valley Conference and play Evansville plus the points at home against Creighton.
At 14-5, Creighton is having a decent season, but that doesn’t mean this pointspread makes sense. For one thing, Evansville’s 12-5 record really isn’t any worse than the Bluejays’ mark. Both teams are 4-3 in Missouri Valley Conference play, with Creighton going 2-2 on the road (the two losses by 13 and 22 points) and the Purple Aces going 3-1 at home in league play.
Also, statistically, these teams are about virtual equals. Both teams shoot 43.7 percent from the field on offense, while Creighton allows the opposition to shoot 42.7 percent and Evansville allows 42.2 percent. And away from home, the Bluejays average 66.7 ppg on 41.2 percent shooting and give up 66.9 ppg on 43.1 percent, while Evansville puts up 68.4 ppg on its own floor (45.2 percent) and gives up 59.7 ppg (38.3 percent). Again, I ask, why is Creighton favored tonight?
And when you look at the series history between these teams, you’ll see that the underdog has cashed in seven of the last nine meetings (Advantage: Evansville), the home team is 8-3 ATS in the last 11 (Advantage: Evansville) and Creighton has failed to cover in five of its last six trips to Evansville (Advantage: Evansville). In fact, the Purple Aces scored a 60-56 upset as a nine-point underdog in last year’s meeting in Evansville.
The wrong team is favored in this one, folks. So grab the value with the home underdog.
(based on a 1♦ to a 10♦ Rating)
3♦ EVANSVILLE
WUNDERDOG
Columbus at Edmonton
Pick: UNDER 5.5
The Blue Jackets are a hot team in the NHL right now. They are enjoying a season best 8-3 mark in their last 11 games, and it has been the sharp goaltending they have received from Steve Mason that has lead the surge. Mason has recorded four shutouts in the last 11 games, and that certainly makes this game look favorable on the UNDER, as they are allowing just 2.3 goals a game in this stretch. Edmonton has been a sub-.500 team at home over their last 15 games, and has scored two goals or less in more than half of their last 13 on home ice. With the Blue Jackets’ hot goal-tending they have played 16 of their last 23 UNDER the total. I like the UNDER in this one.
John Ryan
Eastern Michigan at Northern Illinois
Prediction: Eastern Michigan
Ai Simulator 3* graded play on Eastern Michigan as they visit Northern Illinois slated to start at 8:00 EST. Supporting this graded play is a system that has gone 38-15 ATS for 72% since 1997. This system has also gone 8-3 ATS over the past 3 seasons. Play on a dog that is a poor free throw shooting team hitting 61-65% and is a terrible free throw shooting team hitting <=61% in a game involving two average rebounding teams posting a differential of +/-3 reb/game. EM is also in several strong money making roles for this game. Note that they are 14-5 ATS (+8.5 Units) off a loss against a conference rival over the last 3 seasons. Northern Illinois is just 3-13 ATS (-11.3 Units) after 1 or more consecutive unders over the last 2 seasons; 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) after 3 or more consecutive unders since 1997; 1-9 ATS (-8.9 Units) after scoring 60 points or less over the last 2 seasons. Take Eastern Michigan for 3* play.
Ben Burns
Montreal Canadiens at Atlanta Thrashers
Prediction: Atlanta Thrashers
I feel that this price is too high and that the home underdog Thrashers have a solid shot at the upset. Since making Ilya Kovalchuk captain, the Thrashers are playing much better hockey. They've won two in a row, including a 7-2 victory last time out. Consider backing the home dog.
Dave Price
1 Unit on Georgia Tech -2
Both BC and Georgia Tech are struggling but I'll take the Jackets to get back on track tonight. Since the Eagles upset the Tar Heels, they have lost 4 in a row SU and ATS. Georgia Tech comes in having lost 3 straight but is in a much better spot to rebound at home. The Yellow Jackets are 4-1 SU and ATS versus BC in the last5 meetings and a perfect 2-0 SU and ATS over the last 3 seasons. The Eagles have struggled defensively and against good rebounding teams this season. BC is 1-8 ATS in road games versus good rebounding teams - outrebounding opponents by 4+ per game after 15+games over the last 3 seasons and 0-8 ATS after allowing 75 points or more 2 straight games over the last 2 seasons. GT is 24-8 ATS after 3 or more consecutive losses since 1997. Take the Yellow Jackets to bounce back tonight.
Jeff Alexander Sports
1 Unit on Vanderbilt pk
Tennessee is certainly not the team many expected it to be as a lack of consistent outside shooting has cost the Vols in big games. Vandy always comes to play against the Vols, especially at home, and the result has been wins for the 'dores at home each of the past two seasons. Vandy is 25-11 ATS as a home underdog or pick since 1997 while the Vols are 6-15 ATS in road games off a home win over the last 3 seasons and 0-6 ATS in road games after playing 2 consecutive games as a home favorite over the last 3 seasons. In addition, Vandy is 32-14 ATS in home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game since 1997. Take the Commodores at home.