Akmens
Sharks under
California Sports
4* VCU
3* Old Dom
3* UNLV
3* Under Cavs
Robert Ferringo
2-Unit Play. Take #561 Siena (+18) over Pittsburgh (9:30 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 17)
1.5-Unit Play. Take #535 SMU (+19.5) over Texas A&M (8 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 17)
1.5-Unit Play. Take #563 Portland State (-5) over Cal-Poly SLO (10 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 17)
1.5-Unit Play. Take #529 Georgia State (+13) over Georgia Tech (7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 17)
1-Unit Play. Take #549 Canisius (+25) over Syracuse (7 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 17)
1-Unit Play. Take #551 Citadel (+29) over Michigan State (8 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 17)
1-Unit Play. Take #526 Marshall (-5.5) over Ohio (7 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 17)
1-Unit Play. Take #555 Jacksonville State (+11.5) over UAB (8 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 17)
IndianCowboy
Canisius Golden Griffins @ Syracuse Orange
3 units Syracuse Orange -25 (Play of the Day)
You don't think the #11 team in the country is even a little ticked off after losing from a shot from beyond half court? Rememkber that game? That was our game of the month that we cashed with Cleveland State Outright over Syracuse. Absolutely, the Orangemen are ticked off and they are going to take it out on Canisius today. Remember, Canisius is a team that averages 58 points per game while Syracuse averages over 82 points per game. Don't forget that Syracuse has a strength of schedule that is far more difficult as well. In fact, I would not be a bit surprised today if Canisius does not score more than 50 points. Heck, Syracuse could absolutely kill this team. Why not? This team is itching to play after their outright loss at home to Cleveland State and Canisius is the same team that lost to Albany by 28 points in their first game of the season. They lost to Metro teams in St. Peters by 24, to Manhattan by 18 and Washington State by 26. If Syracuse can beat a top 150 team in Long Beach State by 24 and Cornell by over 35, I certanly believe they are capable of defeating Canisius at home by more than 25 who is a top 300 ranked team. The Orange are 11-5 ATS after an ATS loss and the Golden Griffins of Canisius are 1-4 ATS when playing teams that have a winning % of 60% or greater. Syracuse lays a whooping down today after having to see the highlight of the Cleveland State Viking player make that shot from beyong half court over, and over and over again.
3G-Sports
New Jersey Devils vs. Buffalo Sabres
Pick: 4* Buffalo Sabres Play
Calgary Flames vs. Minnesota Wild
Pick: 4* Minnesota Wild
New York Rangers vs. Los Angeles Kings
Pick: 4* Angeles Kings
Bob Balfe
NBA Basketball
TWolves +10.5 over Cavs
NCAA Basketball
Central Michigan +6.5 over Illinois State
Bob Balfe
NBA Basketball
TWolves +10.5 over Cavs
NCAA Basketball
Central Michigan +6.5 over Illinois State
Young Guns
5* GOM--Cavs
4* N Jersey
MTi
4'* NO
4* Wash
4* Boston
3* Clippers
3* N Jersey
Jeff Benton
15 Dime: ST. MARY'S (minus the points vs. Oregon)
10 Dime: CLIPPERS (plus the points vs. Bulls)
St. Mary’s
Not long ago – and we’re talking as recently as last year – that the only teams that would be favored at McArthur Court in Eugene, Ore., were Pac-10 powers like UCLA and Arizona. That’s how tough a venue McArthur Court was, and how good Oregon basketball was. In fact, last year, the only visitor that was favored at Oregon was UCLA, and the Bruins lost by five points as a 3½-point chalk. Well, times – and the Ducks’ talent – have changed. Tonight, St. Mary’s – a small California college – invades McArthur Court as a short favorite, which tells us to two things: How far Oregon has fallen and how good the Gaels are.
The Ducks have lost three of their last four games, and they weren’t competitive in any of those four losses to North Carolina (98-69), Texas (70-57), Utah (95-81) and San Diego (64-57). Saturday’s loss to San Diego in Portland was especially disturbing, considering the Toreros had lost their best player in their previous game, yet still traveled north and outshot Oregon 55.8 percent to 35 percent and held the Ducks to just 17 first-half points.
Oregon’s struggles actually go back to the start of the season, when it barely beat Northern Colorado at home 66-64, then lost three days later at home to Division II Oakland 82-79 in overtime. That was an obvious sign that this was going to be a down year for the Ducks. Meanwhile, St. Mary’s is a program that’s on the rise. Last year, the Gaels challenged perennial power Gonzaga for the West Coast Conference championship, cracked the Top 25 for a spell, and earned a berth to the NCAA Tournament.
This year, St. Mary’s is off to a 6-1 start, and even though it hasn’t faced the most daunting of schedules yet, it is still averaging 77.2 points per game … and going up against an Oregon squad that’s been dreadful on defense, allowing 76.6 ppg on 46.1 percent shooting. In fact, the 64 points that San Diego scored on Saturday were the fewest an opponent has produced against the Ducks this year!
St. Mary’s is 4-1 ATS in its last five games against Pac-10 opponents, including last year’s 99-87 home rout of Oregon as a two-point favorite. Considering the Gaels could very well be better than last year while the Ducks are definitely worse, it’s easy to see why the oddsmakers have installed St. Mary’s as the favorite here. Lay the points.
Clippers
After a series of blowout and heartbreaking losses to start the season, the Clippers finally seem to be getting their act together. They’ve won three in a row and four of their last five games, and they’re on an 8-2 ATS run. Most impressively, Los Angeles has won three straight road games, and while two of those road wins (Minnesota and Oklahoma City) weren’t exactly against top-notch competition, the third road win (120-112 overtime win at Portland) definitely was. Besides, when you start out 3-15, any road win is a big road win.
Speaking of that 3-15 start, there’s no question that the Clippers laid an egg in several of those defeats. But they also were victims of bad luck in a bunch of those losses, too, falling to the Nuggets in overtime in the season-opener, losing to the Spurs at home by three points, losing at Philadelphia by four, losing again to Denver by one and losing at Dallas by a bucket. The point is that Los Angeles has been a lot more competitive than its 7-17 record indicates.
As for the Bulls, they’ve been among the most disappointing teams in the NBA for the second straight year. And when I say disappointing, I mean like losing to the Bobcats 110-101 in overtime (as the Bulls did last night) and losing to the Grizzlies at home 106-96 (as they did in their most recent home game). Not only that, but Chicago comes into this game in a 1-6 ATS slump, including 1-5 ATS as a favorite. And get this: The Clippers are 4-1 SU and ATS in their last five meetings with the Bulls, and they’re 4-0 the last four years when playing in Chicago! Throw in the fact that L.A. is 7-1 ATS in is last eight games as an underdog (4-0 as a road underdog) and 5-1 ATS in its last six on the road, and I’m grabbing the points with Baron Davis (22.7 ppg last six), big man Al Thornton (double-digit scoring in four straight games), rookie Eric Gordon (22 points last night at Oklahoma City) and the improving Clippers.
RON RAYMOND
5* NBA BEST BET WINNER!
Pick # 1 Dallas Mavericks (-2.5)
5* CBB BEST BET WINNER
Pick # 1 Southern Illinois (-5.5)
RON RAYMOND'S 3-GAME NHL PROLINE PICK PACK
Pick # 1 Columbus Blue Jackets (155)
Pick # 2 Buffalo Sabres (-160)
pick # 3 Los Angeles Kings (-115)
Billy Coleman
NBA
4* Chicago -5.5
3* Minnesota +9.5
College
3.5* Rice -4.5
3* Oregon +2.5
Rocketman
Georgia St.
Portland St.
Larry Ness
7* MASSIVE MISMATCH: 31-17 run
UNLV
15 Star TV Game of Week
New Orleans Hornets
AAA Sports
Austin Peay vs. Arkansas
Pick: Arkansas -6.5
A huge rebounding edge for the Hogs tonight and most recently that part of their game has been very dominent. The Governors are going to do their best to get open shots on the perimiter tonight but that is also a strong point for Ark, their perimiter D. They just simply matchup very well for tonight's action and we should cover this number easily, in my best estimation..