ILLINOIS - 9.5

ARKANSAS + 4.5, WAITING FOR MORE.... ARK ML

TEASER 4 PT ILL -5.5/ ND +13.5/ARK + 8.5

Wednesday 18 FEB 09

NOTRE DUMB + 9.5

- Nationwide Camping World 300

Nationwide Camping World 300 Field (Any Other Driver) +2000 for To Win

Nationwide Camping World 300 Kevin Harvick +800 for To Win

- Nationwide Camping World 300 Joey Logano +1500 for To Win

Nationwide Camping World 300 Clint Bowyer +1200 for To Win

2 GOLF MATCH UPS

1. Padraig Harrington -115 on Padraig Harrington - Vijay Singh [Sat, Feb 14 12:10PM] [Golf - Daily Matchups]; risking $57.50 to win $50.00
2. Jim Furyk -115 on Jim Furyk - Phil Mickelson [Sat, Feb 14 12:10PM] [Golf - Daily Matchups]; risking $57.50 to win $50.00

College BasketballTotal over 142 -110 on UCLA - Arizona

College BasketballUCLA -4½ -110 on UCLA - Arizona

College BasketballSyracuse -4½ -110 on Georgetown - Syracuse

College BasketballTotal over 120½ -110 on Northeastern - George Mason

2 GOLF MATCH UPS

1. Steve Elkington -105 on Steve Elkington over Fredrik Jacobson #201

2. Jim Furyk -110 on Jim Furyk over Phil Mickelson #203

2ND HALF BUMMER

SORRY ABOOT THAT ! THE TROJANS HAD THEM ALL THE WAY TO THE WIRE , THE BEAVERS ON THE OTHER HAND JUST FLAT OUT POOPED THE BED IN THE 2ND HALF.

FIDO

1. Oregon State +9 -110 on Oregon State - Washington U [Fri, Feb 13 12:12AM] [NCAA 2nd Half];
2. Total over 73 -110 on Oregon State - Washington U [Fri, Feb 13 12:12AM] [NCAA 2nd Half];


OVERTIME ?

USC +½ -110 on USC - Arizona [Thu, Feb 12 11:38PM] [NCAA 2nd Half];

1. Boston -4½ -110 on Boston - Dallas [Thu, Feb 12 11:20PM] [NBA 2nd Half

PORTLAND U/SAN FRAN 2ND HALF

PORTLAND U - 4

ucla over

71 2nd half

ND/LOOOOOVILE 2ND HALF

OVER 75

Teaser (NCAA: 4.0pts.)

Teaser (NCAA: 4.0pts.)

1. Troy Pk (Teased 4 points to spread: 4) -110 on Middle Tenn ST - Troy [Thu, Feb 12 8:00PM] [NCAA]
2. Utah State -5 (Teased 4 points to spread: -1) -110 on Utah State - Idaho U [Thu, Feb 12 10:00PM] [NCAA]
3. Oregon State +16½ (Teased 4 points to spread: 20½) -110 on Oregon State - Washington U [Thu, Feb 12 11:00PM] [NCAA]
4. Northern Arizona -5 (Teased 4 points to spread: -1) -110 on Montana State - Northern Arizona [Thu, Feb 12 8:30PM] [NCAA]

more

1. Louisville -3½ -110 on Louisville - Notre Dame [Thu, Feb 12 7:00PM] [NCAA]
2. Troy +1 -110 on Middle Tenn ST - Troy [Thu, Feb 12 8:00PM] [NCAA]
3. Elon +9½ -110 on Elon - Tennessee Chat [Thu, Feb 12 7:00PM] [NCAA]

FIDO ! TIME FOR HOOPS

MY BOOK LIMITED THE PARLAY TO 50 BECAUSE NOTRE DUMB IS ON THE CARD

1. Louisville -3½ -110 on Louisville - Notre Dame [Thu, Feb 12 7:00PM] [NCAA]
2. Troy +1 -110 on Middle Tenn ST - Troy [Thu, Feb 12 8:00PM] [NCAA]
3. Elon +9½ -110 on Elon - Tennessee Chat [Thu, Feb 12 7:00PM] [NCAA]

WELL THAT SUCKED

MATT WRECKS HIS CAR

LOGANO SNEAKS BY ALMIROLA THE LAST 200 METERS

ROBBY SHIT THE BED ON THE LAS LAP

TONY WON

I LOST SOME SERIOUS CLAMS

FIDO

GATORADE DUELS

Gatorade Duel Matchups - Duel 1 MatchupsAric Amarola -115 on Joey Logano - Aric Amarola [Thu, Feb 12 2:00PM] [Nascar Matchups

Gatorade Duel Matchups - Duel 1 MatchupsTony Stewart -140 on Tony Stewart - Jamie McMurray [Thu, Feb 12 2:00PM] [Nascar Matchups]

Gatorade Duel Matchups - Duel 1 MatchupsMatt Kenseth -115 on Matt Kenseth - David Ragan [Thu, Feb 12 2:00PM] [Nascar Matchups]

Gatorade Duel Matchups - Duel 1 MatchupsRobby Gordon Ev on Michael Waltrip - Robby Gordon [Thu, Feb 12 2:00PM] [Nascar Matchups


1. Dale Earnhardt Jr Ev on Kyle Busch - Dale Earnhardt Jr [Thu, Feb 12 3:30PM] [Nascar Matchups];
2. Carl Edwards -130 on Carl Edwards - Denny Hamlin [Thu, Feb 12 3:30PM] [Nascar Matchups];

1 NBA TOTAL

THE GRIZ/76ERS UNDER 189

I HATE DUKE ! ! BUT......

I AM GOING TO WAIT FOR THE TARHEEL BETTORS TO MOVE THE NUMBER SOME MORE ! !

AS OF NOW THESE ARE THE OTHER PLAYS;

1. Xavier -3 -110 on Xavier - Dayton [Wed, Feb 11 7:00PM] [NCAA]

2. Massachusetts -11 -110 on Massachusetts - Fordham [Wed, Feb 11 7:00PM] [NCAA]

3. Virginia Tech -7 -110 on Georgia Tech - Virginia Tech [Wed, Feb 11 7:00PM] [NCAA]

HOPING THE LUCK CONTINUES !

1. Wake Forest -6 (Teased 4 points to spread: -2) -110 on Wake Forest - NC State [Wed, Feb 11 7:00PM] [NCAA]
2. Xavier -3 (Teased 4 points to spread: 1) -110 on Xavier - Dayton [Wed, Feb 11 7:00PM] [NCAA]
3. Massachusetts -11 (Teased 4 points to spread: -7) -110 on Massachusetts - Fordham [Wed, Feb 11 7:00PM] [NCAA]
4. Virginia Tech -7 (Teased 4 points to spread: -3) -110 on Georgia Tech - Virginia Tech [Wed, Feb 11 7:00PM] [NCAA]

Tar Heels-Blue Devils break down

Tar Heels-Blue Devils break down


Basketball’s premier rivalry finally takes center stage on Wednesday night. Two teams separated by just a handful of miles on Tobacco Road are stocked full of McDonald’s All-Americans and pro prospects — and even better yet, they hate each other. Before we find out which shade of blue is best, take a look at how two of the top teams in the country compare.

GUARDS

Duke: Senior Greg Paulus (6.1 ppg, 1.6 apg) has emerged as a catalyst on offense for the Blue Devils. This isn’t a good thing, since he couldn’t guard my 85-year-old Nana. Jon Scheyer (13 ppg, 3.8 rpg) is one of the team’s best perimeter scorers, but not as athletic as any of North Carolina’s guards.

UNC: Ty Lawson (15.3 ppg, 6.6 apg) powers the Tar Heels as he is seventh in the country in assists per game and Wayne Ellington (15 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.7 apg) is an athletic complement to his fluid play. After this duo, however, the backcourt gets very thin.

Edge: UNC

FORWARDS
Duke: Kyle Singler (15.8 ppg, 8.2 rpg) is the team’s leading scorer and most consistent player. Gerald Henderson (15.2 ppg, 5 rpg), however, is the Blue Devil’s most dynamic player and easily their most complete.

UNC: Danny Green went from being one of the best sixth men in the country last season to one of the best wing defenders this year. Green (13.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg) averages 1.9 steals and 1.6 blocks per game and is a great complement to national player of the year candidate Tyler Hansbrough (22.1 ppg, 7.8 rpg).

Edge: UNC

BENCH

Duke: Even with Paulus switching spots with guard Nolan Smith (9.5 ppg, 1.7 apg), the Blue Devil’s reserves aren’t great. Forwards David McClure (2.1 ppg, 4 rpg) and center Brian Zoubek (5.6 ppg, 4.4 rpg) are very soft.

UNC: The Tar Heels lost Tyler Zeller and Marcus Ginyard for the year due to injuries and Will Graves has been suspended for the rest of the season. After the team’s top reserves — Bobby Frasor (2.4 ppg, 1.3 rpg) and Ed Davis (6.7 ppg, 7.4 rpg) — it slim pickings.

Edge: UNC

COACHING

Duke: Mike Krzyzewski has done a great job with this year’s team by masking their decencies with superb team play. The Blue Devils are struggling to find an offensive identity as conference play winds down and have just made a change at point guard — all bad signs for a team expected to contend for a national title. If the gamble works, he’s even more of a genius, but if it backfires, this team squanders a chance to contend in a wide-open season.

UNC: Roy Williams has the Tar Heels playing their best since the beginning of the season. A win over Duke not only establishes UNC as the top team in the Atlantic Coast Conference, it reaffirms its position as the main title contender. Williams will be forced to juggle a short bench, and the team’s success depends on it.

Edge: Duke

OFFENSE

Duke: The Blue Devils are 30th in the country, averaging 78.2 points per game, but have surpassed that mark just twice in the past nine games. The team also ranks just 114th in FG percentage (44.9), but 41st in three-point FG percentage (40). If Duke can’t hit threes, it struggles to score.

UNC: The Tar Heels have arguably the best offense in America, averaging 92.3 points per game. And they are efficient in their attack — first in the country with 19.7 assists per game. UNC is a fantastic shooting team, making 48.8 percent of its shots from the floor and 38.8 percent from beyond the arc, both in the top 25 nationally.

Edge: UNC

DEFENSE

Duke: This unit has been a consistent strength for the team as it is allowing just 61 points per game, 35th-best nationally. Opponents also are shooting a meager 31 percent from beyond the arc and Duke is 24th in the country in rebounding margin at plus-6.1.

UNC: The Tar Heels lone weakness. The team gets so fixated scoring points, it is yielding 71.2 per game, 253rd nationally. UNC, however, is 13th in blocks per game (6) and 23rd in steals (8.9), nationally. The Tar Heels also are a great rebounding team, ranked 10th in the country with a margin of plus-7.5.

Edge: Duke

CLUTCH/INTANGIBLES

Duke: The Blue Devils have struggled recently against North Carolina, but have experience in closes games this season. Duke is 4-2 in games decided by nine points or less and have put many opponents away late in games to turn close contests into routs.

UNC: The Tar Heels aren’t intimidated by Cameron Indoor Stadium — their seniors, Green and Hansbrough, are trying to go 4-0 there. UNC has rallied since loses to Boston College and Wake Forest to win seven in a row, but are just 1-2 in games decided by seven or fewer points.

Edge: Duke

VERDICT: UNC 4, Duke 3

The Tar Heels have too much athleticism. Duke slows down the talented team from down the road at first, but can’t execute on offense down the stretch, losing 74-62.

Basketball’s Best – North Carolina at Duke

Basketball’s Best – North Carolina at Duke

It all started on January 24, 1920, when North Carolina beat Trinity College (which four years later was change to Duke University) 36-25. Since that contest, this matchup has grown to be voted the third best rivalry in all of sports according to ESPN poll taken this decade. The intensity of the rivalry is augmented by the proximity of the two universities, roughly eight miles apart and is further enhanced with North Carolina being a public school and Duke a private university.

Just the two names of these schools evoke the joy of watching college basketball. North Carolina leads the all-time series 128-97 and annually these are among the best teams in the country. These two schools have played 123 consecutive games with one or both being in the AP Top 20 or Top 25. (It changed to the latter years ago) Duke and North Carolina have met 64 times when both teams were ranked in the Top 25, with the series tied, 32-32.

Though always a fierce rivalry, the modern era of hatred had its roots in the early 1960’s when Duke star and eventual national player of the year Art Heyman got into a fight on the court with North Carolina's Larry Brown, (that’s right, the long-time and current Charlotte Bobcats coach) which resulted in suspensions for both players. With the evolution of cable television in the mid-1980’s, these encounters were regularly broadcast to a larger audience, making coaches Dean Smith and Mike Krzyzewski even bigger stars. The Mar. 4, 2006 battle is the most viewed college basketball game ever on ESPN.

The number of legendary games are too numerous to mention, but they helped cultivate Dick Vitale’s broadcasting career and he has shown his appreciation countless times with his admiration by name-dropping each school at almost every broadcast he does.

With a couple of losses and a few closer than expected contests, North Carolina (21-2, 10-12 ATS) is no longer the most feared team in the country. Though extremely talented, the game to game intensity is not always there, granted, this won’t be an issue for this matchup. If the Tar Heels bring their A-Game, possibly only two or three teams in college basketball are capable of beating them, period.

Coach Roy Williams has two players that can drive the Cameron Crazies nuts, Tyler Hansbrough and Wayne Ellington. Hansbrough and teammate Danny Greene are trying to become the first players since Tim Duncan and Rusty LaRue marched into Durham and won four years in a row. Those Wake Forest teams did so five straight times from 1993-97. "You said it right there - it's winning," Hansbrough said. "Any time you beat them, here or there, it means a lot."

Ellington is nifty shooter and can stroke it with the best in college basketball. Duke has had their problems with guards that have two-way abilities to score, like Ellington. The Tar Heels are 9-2 but just 2-8 ATS playing with three or more days rest.

For Duke (20-3, 11-10-1 ATS) to win, they must keep up defensive intensity, like they have shown most of the year, but not recently. Three of the Blue Devils last four opponents have scored 70 or more points and they have failed to cover on each occasion. On offense, fewer forced three-point shots and more trips to the foul line would help. Duke can not afford to just have Gerald Henderson and Kyle Singler do the scoring. Guards Greg Paulus, Nolan Smith and Jon Scheyer must make stronger contributions and center Brian Zoubek will have to have eight points and seven rebounds to be a factor. The Blue Devils are 20-6 ATS when they score 81 or more points in a game over the last two seasons.

Swingman Gerald Henderson is the type of player that can been bothersome to the Tar Heels, being able to score as slasher or bury the jumper. Duke has similar record to UNC with rest at 11-2, however is much better against the spread at 8-4.

Sportsbook.com has listed Duke as 1.5-point home underdogs. The Dukies are 6-2 ATS off a non-cover this season and North Carolina are 5-2 ATS if their opponent has a winning home record The Tar Heels best shot every game, is imposing will on opponent. If the other teams starts playing aggressive defense, this band of Heels will sag for periods when they can’t score. Being as talented as they are, North Carolina is 7-1 and 5-3 ATS in true road games.

Duke is 14-0 at home (6-6-1 ATS) this year and is 7-4 SU in Durham against the team in the Carolina blue jerseys, but just 2-9 ATS. ESPN of course has the telecast starting at 9 Eastern and maybe they will play that unusual clip of Coach K talking about never making the eight mile trip to Chapel Hill.

Power Line – North Carolina by 1


North Carolina at Duke

The biggest rivalry in college basketball tips off at Cameron Indoor Stadium Wednesday night when third-ranked North Carolina visits sixth-ranked Duke. The Tar Heels and Blue Devils are currently tied atop the Atlantic Coast Conference standings with 7-2 records. Both schools are also chasing high seeds in the upcoming NCAA Tournament, with North Carolina currently projected as a top seed with Duke listed as a second seed according to various internet sites.

Las Vegas Sports Consultants installed North Carolina as a slight two-point road favorite over Duke, with the total listed at 155. ESPN will provide coverage of this ACC contest beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET.

North Carolina (21-2 straight up, 9-11 against the spread) enters this matchup riding a seven-game SU winning streak. The Tar Heels continued their winning ways after cruising past Virginia Saturday as a decided 25-point home favorite, 76-61. North Carolina is just 1-3 ATS its previous four games.

The Tar Heels dominated the Cavaliers on the boards, 42-29, while shooting 42 percent (28-of-67) from the field. Four starters reached double digits in scoring, led by Wayne Ellington’s 20 points and six rebounds while Tyler Hansbrough added 15 and 13. The bench only provided eight points over a combined 45 minutes.

North Carolina maintains a 10-1 SU and 6-4 ATS road record, winning those affairs by an average score of 92-71. The Tar Heels follow this contest with a road game against the Miami Hurricanes.

Duke (20-3 SU, 12-10 ATS) has alternated SU wins and losses its last five games after slipping past Miami (Fla.) Saturday in overtime as a 14-point home ‘chalk,’ 78-75. The Blue Devils are also just 1-3 ATS their last four outings.

Duke had to dig itself out of a 32-19 halftime deficit, and finished the contest by winning the rebounding battle, 39-35. The Blue Devils prevailed despite shooting just 33 percent (25-of-76) from the field, and 31 percent (12-of-39) from behind the arc. Guard Jon Scheyer paced the offense with 22 points, while Kyle Singler added 17 and 10 rebounds. The bench produced just two points over a combined 49 minutes.

Duke is 15-0 SU and 8-6 ATS on its home court, winning those matchups by an average score of 83-59. The Blue Devils follow this outing with a two-game road trip against Boston College and St. John’s.

North Carolina is 3-1 SU and ATS the previous four meetings with Duke, but this is the first encounter this season. The Tar Heels won their last trek to Cameron Indoor Stadium last March as a one-point road underdog, 76-68. These two teams will meet again in the regular season finale March 8 at North Carolina’s Dean E. Smith Center.

Neither team is reporting any players as ‘probable,’ ‘questionable’ or ‘doubtful’ for this contest.



Game of the day: North Carolina at Duke

North Carolina Tar Heels at Duke Blue Devils (+1.5)

What's at stake: First place in the ACC, potential NCAA Tournament seeding ramifications and Tobacco Road bragging rights until the rematch on March 8.

Series history: The Heels lead it 128-97, and no current Duke senior has beaten North Carolina at Cameron Indoor Stadium - UNC has won three in a row in Durham. Last year Duke was able to win in Chapel Hill in early February with the Heels down injured point guard Ty Lawson, but Duke fell at home a month later. Carolina, which has won four of the past five meetings overall, hasn't won four straight road games in this series since 1982-85.

"I don't even bring it up," Coach Mike Krzyzewski said of the losing streak to the Winston-Salem Journal. "Kids can't identify with history. They're too young. But they can identify with ‘now.' We've got to talk to them about ‘right now.' “

Since Krzyzewski took over at Duke, only three opposing players — UNC’s Buzz Peterson and Wake Forest’s Tim Duncan and Rusty LaRue — have played at Cameron Indoor Stadium four different times and left with four victories. Tyler Hansbrough and Danny Green can add their names to that list Wednesday night.
Duke lineup update: Senior point guard Greg Paulus will make his second straight start Wednesday night, according to Krzyzewski. Sophomore Nolan Smith, who started 21 of the first 22 games, will come off the bench again.

In the wake of that disaster against Clemson early last week, Paulus was inserted back into the starting lineup Saturday and responded with 18 points in an overtime win against Miami. Paulus, who was averaging less than six points and 20 minutes per game this season, logged 40 minutes in the victory, including all five in overtime.

Coach K praised his leadership, and Paulus is a better perimeter threat than Smith. Krzyzewski said Smith still will have a prominent role even though he was scoreless in seven minutes against the Hurricanes.

Another key in that Miami game was guard Jon Scheyer scoring a team-high 22 points after averaging just 9.5 points over the previous eight games. The Blue Devils are 5-0 this season when Scheyer scores 20 or more.

Forward Kyle Singler is struggling hitting just 5-of-23 from the field on Saturday. The sophomore, who leads the team in scoring and rebounding, totaled just 11 points in Duke's previous two games before Saturday. Singler did have an illness that caused him to miss some practice time nearly two weeks ago, but Coach K says Singler's health is fine.

Gerald Henderson has shared or led the Blue Devils in scoring in seven of the last nine contests and is averaging 17.7 points over his last 15 games.

Duke has not shot 50 percent from the field against North Carolina since March 15, 2003.
Heels on a roll: North Carolina has won seven games in a row and the surge is mainly due to junior Wayne Ellington. He averaged 27 points in the UNC's two wins last week and has scored at least 20 points four times during the winning streak. Only one of those seven wins has been by less than 15 points.

Green is averaging 16.8 points while going 14 of 28 from behind the 3-point arc in the past four games, while Lawson has 15 assists and no turnovers in the past two. All five Carolina starters average double figures in points. UNC leads the ACC in offense while Duke has the conference's best scoring defense.

The difference Wednesday probably will be Hansbrough (70 points the past three games), because Duke has no inside presence - the Blue Devils attempted a school-record 39 three-pointers Saturday against Miami. Of course, if Duke is hot from behind the arc, it can beat anyone.

UNC freshman center Tyler Zeller, who suffered a broken wrist in a Nov. 18 victory against Kentucky, won't be returning this week or any time soon, according to Heels coach Roy Williams said. He said the 7-foot-1 Zeller has returned to practice but needs a good 10 days to two weeks to be near ready to play.


Trends - No. 3 North Carolina at No. 5 Duke

ATS Trends

North Carolina

Tar Heels are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 Wednesday games.
Tar Heels are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a ATS loss.
Tar Heels are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Tar Heels are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Tar Heels are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Tar Heels are 3-9 ATS in their last 12 vs. Atlantic Coast.
Tar Heels are 3-10 ATS in their last 13 games following a S.U. win.

Duke

Blue Devils are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games following a ATS loss.
Blue Devils are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
Blue Devils are 6-14-1 ATS in their last 21 Wednesday games.
Blue Devils are 2-5-1 ATS in their last 8 games following a S.U. win.
Blue Devils are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.
Blue Devils are 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.

OU Trends

North Carolina

Over is 4-0 in Tar Heels last 4 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Over is 5-1 in Tar Heels last 6 vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.
Over is 4-1 in Tar Heels last 5 games following a S.U. win.
Over is 8-2 in Tar Heels last 10 Wednesday games.
Over is 4-1 in Tar Heels last 5 overall.
Over is 4-1 in Tar Heels last 5 vs. Atlantic Coast.
Over is 17-8 in Tar Heels last 25 games following a ATS loss.

Duke

Over is 5-1 in Blue Devils last 6 vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.
Under is 13-3 in Blue Devils last 16 vs. Atlantic Coast.
Under is 4-1 in Blue Devils last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Under is 4-1 in Blue Devils last 5 games following a ATS loss.
Under is 18-5 in Blue Devils last 23 home games.
Under is 21-6 in Blue Devils last 27 overall.
Under is 19-7 in Blue Devils last 26 games following a S.U. win.
Under is 5-2 in Blue Devils last 7 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Under is 35-17 in Blue Devils last 52 Wednesday games.

Head to Head

Over is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings.
Tar Heels are 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.
Tar Heels are 8-2 ATS in the last 10 meetings in Duke.
Underdog is 12-3 ATS in the last 15 meetings.
Road team is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.

ONE MORE TEASER

1. Oklahoma City +12½ (Teased 4 points to spread: 16½) -110 on Oklahoma City - LA Lakers [Tue, Feb 10 10:35PM] [NBA]
2. Golden State -4 (Teased 4 points to spread: 0) -110 on New York - Golden State [Tue, Feb 10 10:35PM] [NBA]

TOP 3 FOR DAYTONA 500

# 602 BOBBY LABONTE +3000

# 620 JUAN PABLO MONTOYA +1200

#628 MICHAEL WALTRIP +1500

TUESDAY

1. Dallas -11 (Teased 4 points to spread: -7) -110 on Sacramento - Dallas [Tue, Feb 10 8:35PM] [NBA]
2. Florida State -10 (Teased 4 points to spread: -6) -110 on Virginia - Florida State [Tue, Feb 10 7:00PM] [NCAA]
3. Villanova -5 (Teased 4 points to spread: -1) -110 on Marquette - Villanova [Tue, Feb 10 7:30PM] [NCAA]
4. Clemson -3½ (Teased 4 points to spread: ½) -110 on Clemson - Boston College [Tue, Feb 10 9:00PM] [NCAA]


1. Marquette +5 -110 on Marquette - Villanova [Tue, Feb 10 7:30PM] [NCAA]

2. Clemson -3½ -110 on Clemson - Boston College [Tue, Feb 10 9:00PM] [NCAA]

3. Seton Hall -1½ -110 on Seton Hall - Depaul [Tue, Feb 10 9:00PM] [NCAA]


DARE I SAY LAKERS IN THE 2ND HALF THIS EARLY ?

I ALREADY SAID IT

NBA: The Effect of the Three-Pointer

The NBA also has specialists. Some specialists are defensive stoppers, enforcers, or good ball handlers who can shoot free throws well late in the game. The specialist with the most influence on a game is the three-point specialist, ironically the long range “bomber”.

The three-pointer has seen a quantum leap in popularity these past ten years. To begin with, teams are putting up 36.5% more three-point attempts since the beginning of the 1998 season. In the 1998-99 season, the league average was 13.16 three-point attempts per team in a game.

This season that average is 17.96 downtown shots going up by a team per game. Before you start thinking that part of the reason for the increase is the pace of the game has increased tremendously over the past ten seasons, be mindful that the number of overall field goal attempts in a game has gone from 78.2 to 79.9, an increase of 2.2%.

Also, with the increase in attempts, the shooting percentage has improved significantly from 33.9% ten seasons ago to 36.6% this year. Has the players’ shooting improved or has the defense gotten worse over the past ten years? That’s a question for another day.

The gap between the worse three-point shooting team to the best in the league has narrowed measurably from 10.9% ten-seasons ago to just 7.3%. Interestingly enough, in the 1998-99 season the Philadelphia 76ers were the team clanging the most 3’s off of the rim, a paltry 26.4% average. Philly resides at the bottom this year at 32.6%.

Many of the better teams in the league this year are hitting a high accuracy in their bombs from downtown, 39% or better. These include the league leader, Orlando at 39.9%, and San Antonio, New Orleans, and Boston. Phoenix, Cleveland, and Portland are the next three from the top. Except for Phoenix at 57.1%, all of these teams are winning above 60% of their games.

In looking at the worst five teams in shooting the three, only one, Philadelphia, has a winning percentage above .350. The other four, Washington, LA Clippers, Memphis, and Minnesota all shoot 34% or worse on their three-pointers.

Those facts obviously raise the question of the influence on a team’s success in defending behind the arc. Are the bottom teams in the NBA also on the bottom in defensive ability against the three-pointer and visa versa? While the bottom five does include Golden State, Sacramento, and Washington again, a near .500 team, New Jersey, is down there along with a 60%+ squad, Portland.

Four of the top five in defending the arc were all 60%+ winners, Orlando, Houston, Boston, and Cleveland, but it is interesting to see the number one defensive squad is the Chicago Bulls, a team several games below .500.

With the weight of importance of the three-pointer increasing over the past decade, how can we profit from this?

Since the beginning of the 2005 season, the team who made more three-pointers won straight-up 63.4% of the time while covering the point spread at a 61.8% rate. That makes sense. However, if a team made more 3’s than their competitor in a game but the opponent shot a higher percentage on their three-pointers, the team who made more baskets but shot worse only won 41.9% of the games straight-up and covered just 38.1% of the time. Those games went over the lined total 55.3% of the time. The percentage of shots made has a larger influence than the number of 3’s a team drained.

If the optimum happens and you make more 3’s and shoot a better percentage than your foe in a game, your winning percentage improves to 69.5% and your ATS mark is a sweet 68.5%.

It seems like common sense to anticipate a game between two poor shooting three-point squads, 33.0% or worse for their season-to-date average, to have a tendency to go Under the lined total. In reality, the exact opposite occurs. Such a game between two poor three-point shooting squads has gone Over the total 57.1% of the time since the start of the 2005 campaign. That mark can be improved to 61.5% going Over, 75-47, if the home team went Over the total in their previous game. One last final improvement to a 65.8% winning rate for playing the Over is if both teams have at least a day of rest from their last game played.

And, if you think a game between two good shooting long-range clubs, 36.5% or better for the season, will be a good bet to go Over the lined total, you should think twice. There might be other reasons to bet the Over, but just because both teams can drain 3’s at a good rate isn’t enough as the Under actually happens in 53% of those matches.

A team having good success in their previous game from long-range has some good wagering advantages in their next contest. If a team made more than ten 3’s hitting over 50% of their attempts winning the game by more than ten points, they are 91-69 Over in their next game, 56.9%. We can bump that up to 63.8% if our team happens to be a home favorite in that next game. Instead of being a home fave, if our team is an away dog the Over still does well, 64.4%, and they also cover the point spread 60% of the time.

A similar situation with our team making more than 10 three-pointers at a rate over 50% in their previous game but lost that game, has done poorly in their next game, only winning 39.1% of the time and covering the spread just 41.7% of the time.

Having both teams hitting 50%+ from deep with each squad sinking six or more 3’s has produced a poor next-game ATS rate of 36.2% for the loser of the previous game if he is a home favorite. The Under is also a good play winning 60.4% of the time in those contests.

Another example to remember is that a team who shoots over 50% on 3’s two games in a row only covers the point spread 41.3% of the time in their next game.

Logic says that a team who does well from downtown in their previous game will have expectations of continued success hoisting shots deep from the perimeter. False expectations of being able to maintain that high of success level leads to failure more times than not.

Logic says that a team who does well from downtown in their previous game will have expectations of continued success hoisting shots deep from the perimeter. False expectations of being able to maintain that high of success level leads to failure more times than not.

The influence of the three-point shot has increased over the years. The most successful teams are the ones who can both shoot it well and defend against it.

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Betting Lessons Learned on the Hardwood

Betting Lessons Learned on the Hardwood

How could you not come away impressed with how Memphis completely bottled up Gonzaga’s offense. The Bulldogs had no good looks, never got close to an offensive rhythm. The difference in quickness resembled college vs high school teams.
Not putting the Tigers back in the Final Four, however this is a team on the come and oddsmakers are going to be adding points the rest of the season.

The SEC has caught a lot of grief and deservedly so. One team that has quietly emerged is the LSU Tigers. They have the conferences best record at 7-1 (6-1-1 ATS) and have bountiful experience with upperclassmen like Marcus Thornton, Tasmin Mitchell and Garrett Temple who were all on the team that went to the Final Four. With the SEC down and the Tigers losing by 30 at Utah and recently by 10 at home to Xavier, this is hardly an elite team, but they still have time to come together and be a force in March and should keep covering conference spreads.

While talking SEC, with Alabama’s loss at LSU, this makes it 17 consecutive road defeats for the Crimson Tide in conference play. (6-11 ATS)

Notre Dame’s performance (or lack there of) looked like the Irish football team when it flew West the last several years to face USC. No determination, no desire. Losing seven games in a row with do that after you have been in the Top 10. Luke Harangody is a great college player, yet obviously, not a locker room lawyer who shake up his teammates. No fight left in the Irish, being strictly play against.

Arizona State has won four Pac-10 road games in a row (4-0 ATS) for the first time in 28 years. True.

Two of the best teams in the Atlantic 10 were upset this past weekend. Xavier and Dayton both could have been looking ahead to this Wednesday’s matchup and got clipped in unusual fashion. The Musketeers were beaten because DuQuesne shot a blistering 81 percent in the first half and lost by four as five-point favorites. The next day, Dayton was in position to be tied for first place in the A-10 and they never came out of the locker room at halftime, outscored by Charlotte 46-29, who won for just the second time in league play.

Florida State is 18-5 (11-5-1 ATS) and four of their losses have come against North Carolina, Duke, Miami-Fl. and Pittsburgh. The Seminoles are the tallest team in the country and wore down Clemson at there place, closing the contest on 23-4 run to pull the upset. This is a dangerous underdog.

If anyone finds the Texas, Syracuse and Georgetown teams from early January, please make sure to call respective coaches, each is wondering where they disappeared to.
In the NBA, arguably the most impressive performance all season was the Los Angeles Lakers sweeping Boston and Cleveland on the road. They did so without Andrew Bynum and pedestrian to sub-par efforts from a somewhat ill Kobe Bryant. The Lakers demonstrated mental toughness not normally associated with this club.

You can’t help but feel for the Minnesota losing Al Harrington, back to being a doormat after 10-4 and 9-4-1 ATS January.

Did the Clippers really win back-to-back road games by a total of 45 points or was I just punch drunk from going a few a rounds with Chris Brown? That is the first time the Clips have won two road games consecutively since Nov. 6-7, 2007.

3-0 NIGHT !

3-0 NIGHT !


AWESOME FINISH TO THE MIZZOU/KU GAME, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I NEEDED FOR THE TEASER AND THE KU COVER ! FOR THOSE WHO FOLLOW WILL NEVER HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT A MULTITUDE OF GAMES TO CHOOSE FROM AND DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT A BUSTED BANK ROLL

2 more

1. Kansas +5 -110 on Kansas - Missouri [Mon, Feb 9 9:00PM

1. Pittsburgh -8½ -110 on West Virginia - Pittsburgh [Mon, Feb 9 7:00PM

ONE PLAY SO FAR

1. Pittsburgh -8½ (Teased 4 points to spread: -4½) -110 on West Virginia - Pittsburgh [Mon, Feb 9 7:00PM] [NCAA]
2. Missouri -5 (Teased 4 points to spread: -1) -110 on Kansas - Missouri [Mon, Feb 9 9:00PM] [NCAA]
3. Elon -8½ (Teased 4 points to spread: -4½) -110 on Furman - Elon [Mon, Feb 9 7:00PM] [NCAA]

FIELD BET IN THE DAYTONA 500 PAYS 25 TO 1

Field + 2500 on Field [Thu, Feb 12 12:00PM] [Daytona 500]; risking $25.00 to win $625.00

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16 illegals sue Arizona rancher

16 illegals sue Arizona rancher

An Arizona man who has waged a 10-year campaign to stop a flood of illegal immigrants from crossing his property is being sued by 16 Mexican nationals who accuse him of conspiring to violate their civil rights when he stopped them at gunpoint on his ranch on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Roger Barnett, 64, began rounding up illegal immigrants in 1998 and turning them over to the U.S. Border Patrol, he said, after they destroyed his property, killed his calves and broke into his home.

His Cross Rail Ranch near Douglas, Ariz., is known by federal and county law enforcement authorities as "the avenue of choice" for immigrants seeking to enter the United States illegally.
Trial continues Monday in the federal lawsuit, which seeks $32 million in actual and punitive damages for civil rights violations, the infliction of emotional distress and other crimes. Also named are Mr. Barnett's wife, Barbara, his brother, Donald, and Larry Dever, sheriff in Cochise

County, Ariz., where the Barnetts live. The civil trial is expected to continue until Friday.
The lawsuit is based on a March 7, 2004, incident in a dry wash on the 22,000-acre ranch, when he approached a group of illegal immigrants while carrying a gun and accompanied by a large dog.

Attorneys for the immigrants - five women and 11 men who were trying to cross illegally into the United States - have accused Mr. Barnett of holding the group captive at gunpoint, threatening to turn his dog loose on them and saying he would shoot anyone who tried to escape.
The immigrants are represented at trial by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), which also charged that Sheriff Dever did nothing to prevent Mr. Barnett from holding their clients at "gunpoint, yelling obscenities at them and kicking one of the women."

In the lawsuit, MALDEF said Mr. Barnett approached the group as the immigrants moved through his property, and that he was carrying a pistol and threatening them in English and Spanish. At one point, it said, Mr. Barnett's dog barked at several of the women and he yelled at them in Spanish, "My dog is hungry and he's hungry for buttocks."

The lawsuit said he then called his wife and two Border Patrol agents arrived at the site. It also said Mr. Barnett acknowledged that he had turned over 12,000 illegal immigrants to the Border Patrol since 1998.

In March, U.S. District Judge John Roll rejected a motion by Mr. Barnett to have the charges dropped, ruling there was sufficient evidence to allow the matter to be presented to a jury. Mr. Barnett's attorney, David Hardy, had argued that illegal immigrants did not have the same rights as U.S. citizens.

Mr. Barnett told The Washington Times in a 2002 interview that he began rounding up illegal immigrants after they started to vandalize his property, northeast of Douglas along Arizona Highway 80. He said the immigrants tore up water pumps, killed calves, destroyed fences and gates, stole trucks and broke into his home.

Some of his cattle died from ingesting the plastic bottles left behind by the immigrants, he said, adding that he installed a faucet on an 8,000-gallon water tank so the immigrants would stop damaging the tank to get water.

Mr. Barnett said some of the ranch´s established immigrant trails were littered with trash 10 inches deep, including human waste, used toilet paper, soiled diapers, cigarette packs, clothes, backpacks, empty 1-gallon water bottles, chewing-gum wrappers and aluminum foil - which supposedly is used to pack the drugs the immigrant smugglers give their "clients" to keep them running.

He said he carried a pistol during his searches for the immigrants and had a rifle in his truck "for protection" against immigrant and drug smugglers, who often are armed.
A former Cochise County sheriff´s deputy who later was successful in the towing and propane business, Mr. Barnett spent $30,000 on electronic sensors, which he has hidden along established trails on his ranch. He searches the ranch for illegal immigrants in a pickup truck, dressed in a green shirt and camouflage hat, with his handgun and rifle, high-powered binoculars and a walkie-talkie.

His sprawling ranch became an illegal-immigration highway when the Border Patrol diverted its attention to several border towns in an effort to take control of the established ports of entry. That effort moved the illegal immigrants to the remote areas of the border, including the Cross Rail Ranch.

"This is my land. I´m the victim here," Mr. Barnett said. "When someone´s home and loved ones are in jeopardy and the government seemingly can´t do anything about it, I feel justified in taking matters into my own hands. And I always watch my back."

adding...........

ILLINOIS -2 OVER PURDUE

GOLF, HOOPS & DAYTON QUALIFYING

HIT HARVICK LAST NIGHT IN THE SHOOTOUT !

TODAY STARTING WITH SETON HALL + 1

2 GOLF PLAYS

Buick Invitational - Final Round MatchupsRetief Goosen + 115 on Retief Goosen - Phil Mickelson [Sun, Feb 8 12:15PM] [Golf - Daily Matchups]

Buick Invitational - Final Round MatchupsNick Watney -115 on Charley Hoffman - Nick Watney [Sun, Feb 8 1:15PM] [Golf - Daily Matchups]

I WILL HAVE DAYTONA QUALS UP SOON:

EARLY LOOKS: BOBBY LABONTE, KYLE BUSCH, RYAN NEWMAN, 48,24 ?

Minnesota Timberwolves (17-31) at Houston Rockets (30-20), 8:30 p.m.

Minnesota Timberwolves (17-31) at Houston Rockets (30-20), 8:30 p.m.

- The Houston Rockets hope to bounce back from a bad loss in Memphis when they play host to the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Toyota Center tonight.

O.J. Mayo scored a game-best 32 points on 13-of-22 shooting to help the Grizzlies upend the Rockets, 104-93, at FedEx Forum on Wednesday.

Tracy McGrady ended with 21 points and Yao Ming 20 with nine boards for the Rockets, who had a brief two-game win streak halted. Rafer Alston donated 15 points and six assists in defeat.

Yao (illness) is probable for tonight.

The Timberwolves, who are embarking on a quick two-game road trip, lost for the fourth time in five outings on Wednesday when Mike Bibby scored 24 points, and Marvin Williams had a double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds, as the Atlanta Hawks hung on to beat Minnesota, 94-86, at Target Center.

The Hawks won despite playing without All-Star Joe Johnson, their leading scorer, who was at home with an illness.

Rookie Kevin Love, who has registered four double-doubles over the past seven games, ended with 16 points and 14 boards to pace Minnesota.

Al Jefferson had 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Timberwolves, while Mike Miller finished with 17 points.

Randy Foye added 15 points and Rashad McCants ended with 10 in the loss.
Houston, which is 17-6 at home this season, has taken five straight games over the Wolves, including a 109-102 win in the Twin Cities on December 20.

Minnesota, meanwhile, is 9-15 as the visitor on the year.


Trends - Minnesota at Houston


ATS Trends

Minnesota

Timberwolves are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games as a road underdog of 5.0-10.5.
Timberwolves are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 vs. NBA Southwest.
Timberwolves are 11-1 ATS in their last 12 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Timberwolves are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 vs. Western Conference.
Timberwolves are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 games following a S.U. loss.
Timberwolves are 7-1-1 ATS in their last 9 games playing on 2 days rest.
Timberwolves are 14-2 ATS in their last 16 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Timberwolves are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a ATS loss.
Timberwolves are 19-7 ATS in their last 26 games as a road underdog.
Timberwolves are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games as an underdog.
Timberwolves are 13-5-1 ATS in their last 19 games overall.
Timberwolves are 20-8 ATS in their last 28 road games.
Timberwolves are 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 Saturday games.


Houston

Rockets are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games following a SU loss of more than 10 points.
Rockets are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games following a ATS loss.
Rockets are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
Rockets are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a S.U. loss.
Rockets are 16-5 ATS in their last 21 Saturday games.
Rockets are 17-7-1 ATS in their last 25 games as a home favorite of 5.0-10.5.
Rockets are 4-10-1 ATS in their last 15 games as a favorite.
Rockets are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.
Rockets are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 vs. Western Conference.
Rockets are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games playing on 2 days rest.
Rockets are 2-9-1 ATS in their last 12 games vs. a team with a losing S.U. record.


OU Trends


Minnesota

Over is 4-0 in Timberwolves last 4 games following a S.U. loss.
Over is 4-1-1 in Timberwolves last 6 vs. NBA Southwest.
Under is 6-2 in Timberwolves last 8 games as a road underdog of 5.0-10.5.
Over is 9-3-1 in Timberwolves last 13 vs. Western Conference.
Under is 8-3-1 in Timberwolves last 12 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Over is 13-5-1 in Timberwolves last 19 games playing on 2 days rest.
Over is 5-2 in Timberwolves last 7 games as an underdog of 5.0-10.5.
Over is 15-7-1 in Timberwolves last 23 overall.


Houston

Over is 8-1 in Rockets last 9 vs. NBA Northwest.
Under is 4-1 in Rockets last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.
Under is 4-1 in Rockets last 5 games following a S.U. loss.
Over is 4-1 in Rockets last 5 vs. Western Conference.
Under is 6-2 in Rockets last 8 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
Over is 8-3 in Rockets last 11 games playing on 2 days rest.
Under is 8-3 in Rockets last 11 games following a ATS loss.
Under is 5-2 in Rockets last 7 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.
Under is 19-9 in Rockets last 28 games as a home favorite.


Head to Head

Favorite is 6-0-1 ATS in the last 7 meetings.
Timberwolves are 0-4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings

NBA Sunday Afternoon Wagering Opportunities

NBA Sunday Afternoon Wagering Opportunities

The NBA arrives front and center for the rest of this month as the featured product for wagering consumers. With football fading from our thoughts and the NCAA Tournament weeks away, David Stern will try and compel us that his product is worthy of attention in the middle of Sunday afternoon. Like every year, this requires a period of adjustment; however two powerhouse matchups should at least draw the curiosity factor. The well-rested San Antonio Spurs prepare for meeting with Boston in the undercard, immediately followed by the sports two best players, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, leading their respective teams to battle. Lines courtesy of Sportsbook.com.

San Antonio at Boston

The San Antonio Spurs are in the process traveling over 10,000 miles for eight games on their annual Rodeo Trip. The Spurs (33-15, 23-23-2 ATS) had to go to overtime to defeat Golden State last Monday 110-105. San Antonio’s very next game was in Denver the following day and though they wouldn’t play again until today, coach Greg Popovich made a somewhat controversial decision not to play Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Michael Finley in the second game on back-to-back nights. That news set off a firestorm of wagering activity on that Mile High matchup, taking the Nuggets from four-point favorites, all the way 13 points by tip off. The Spurs lost 104-96, covering the spread, and will be extra rested. Surprisingly they are 6-16 ATS in road games when playing six or less games in 14 days over the last two seasons.

Boston (41-10, 28-23 ATS) is back home after a quick trip to New York and will look to avoid a second straight defeat at TD BankNorth Garden. The Celtics are 24-3 and 16-11 ATS at home and are still in a bit of a foul mood after losing in overtime to the Lakers. When asked about Derek Fisher defense on his last shot attempt to win, Ray Allen stated emphatically, "I was fouled. I was pushed. I got pushed into the shot." The Celtics are 11-2 ATS in home games after having won eight or more of their last 10 games this season.

This is the opener on ABC starting at 1 Eastern and San Antonio is 9-2 and 7-3-1 ATS in downtown Boston.

Power Line - Boston by 11

L.A. Lakers at Cleveland

The Los Angeles Lakers (40-9, 25-23-1 ATS) have had two well-deserved days off since defeating Boston for a second time this season. This will be the final stop on the Lakers back East six game road trip, which has seen them compile a 5-0 record (4-0-1 ATS). Phil Jackson is teaching his players to adjust again without center Andrew Bynum, who could be out until the playoffs begin or beyond with torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee. This places more of a burden on Kobe and Pau Gasol and each shown they are willing for the challenge. The Lakers are now 14-3-1 ATS in February games since last year and 20-5 ATS in road tilts after the midpoint of the season. They will have the task of trying to do what nobody has this NBA campaign in Cleveland.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have yet to lose at Quicken Loans Arena this season, with a 23-0 record and nearly as impressive 18-5 spread mark. LeBron has often been able to watch the last few minutes or more from the sidelines in home games, as the Cavs are winning by 16.1 points per game. For a team that is 39-9 (32-16 ATS), Cleveland appears awfully agitated. They were upset the Lakers and Boston were taking their ink despite having the best record in the league for a good part of the season, as detractors mentioned an easier schedule. Mo Williams wasn’t chosen to the All-Star game by coaches, which created even more fire, though he could be picked with Jameer Nelson out. Cleveland is the top scoring defensive team in the NBA at 90.7 points per game and is 9-1 ATS in home games versus three-point shooting teams making 36 percent or more of their attempts like L.A. (37.9).

Cleveland was routed 105-88 at the Staples Center 20 days ago, ending a four game winning streak they had over the Lakers. The Cavs have won last four encounters with L.A. at home (3-1 ATS) and they haven’t played since LeBron had triple-double at The Garden on Wednesday.This will be part two of the twinbill on ABC and Cleveland is 3-1 and 4-0 ATS with three or more days rest.

Power Line -Cleveland by 2

"VI will always tell the truth, publish the facts and never hide behind a silly title"

Top NBA Weekend Power Trends - 2/6-2/8

Top NBA Weekend Power Trends - 2/6-2/8

The continuing series of huge NBA games offers up another treat this Sunday, as Kobe & the Lakers, fresh off their win at Boston on Thursday, invade Cleveland to take on Lebron & the Cavaliers. Both MVP candidates put on one-man shows this past week at Madison Square Garden, helping to build the hype for Sunday’s showdown. That game is brought to you by ABC and is the highlight contest of another full weekend of NBA basketball. We’re back with our weekly look at the three days of action, plus the Top Power Trends for you to consider in your wagering.

On Saturday night, there are seven games, highlighted by a matchup between Eastern Conference playoff-bound clubs Miami and Philadelphia. The Heat are 4-games over .500 heading into the weekend, but just 2-6 ATS vs. the Atlantic Division. The 76ers have fallen back to even at 24-24, and just found out the other day that they will be without the services of F Elton Brand for the rest of the season. Speaking of injuries, how about the situation that new head coach Scott Skiles has been left with in Milwaukee. Not only has Michael Redd been lost to injury for the season already, the Bucks learned this week that they will go it without C Andrew Bogut for the next eight weeks and PG Luke Ridnour for about four weeks. Their first game with the retooled lineup comes Saturday night at home vs. the struggling Pistons, 4-9 SU & 3-10 ATS in their L13 contests.

On Sunday, three nationally televised games highlight the schedule. In the first one, the Celtics welcome San Antonio to town. The Spurs have opened up a comfortable lead in the Southwest Division but will go into this contest with a record of just 5-11 ATS vs. the Eastern Conference. In the second of the two ABC broadcasts, Kobe & Lebron square off in Cleveland, with the Cavaliers putting their 23-0 home mark on the line. The Lakers have won five straight games and will have had three days off since beating the Celtics on Thursday. They are 5-0 SU & 4-1 ATS this season in spots with similar rest. The Cavs boast an 18-5 ATS mark at home to go along with the spotless won-lost record. They are also a healthy 13-5 ATS against the West in ’08-09. A bit later on ESPN, at 8:05 PM ET, the Pistons, on a back-to-back situation, host the Suns, who embark on a 3-game road trip.



Saturday, 2/7/2009(507) TORONTO vs. (508) MEMPHIS

MEMPHIS is 0-11 ATS (-12.1 Units) at home vs. good shooting teams (>=46% FG%) in 2nd half of last 2 seasons. The average score was MEMPHIS 94.5, OPPONENT 113.1 - (Rating = 4*) (511) CHICAGO vs. (512) DALLAS

CHICAGO is 17-40 ATS (-27 Units) vs. teams who attempt 18 or more 3PT shots/game over the last 2 seasons. The average score was CHICAGO 95.8, OPPONENT 103.2 - (Rating = 3*) (511) CHICAGO vs. (512) DALLAS

DALLAS is 18-6 UNDER (+11.4 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season. The average score was DALLAS 98.3, OPPONENT 94.3 - (Rating = 2*)

Sunday, 2/8/2009(801)

SAN ANTONIO vs. (802) BOSTON

BOSTON is 21-6 ATS (+14.4 Units) vs. poor pressure defensive teams - forcing <=14 turnovers/game this season. The average score was BOSTON 103.8, OPPONENT 88.9 - (Rating = 3*) (803) LA LAKERS vs. (804) CLEVELAND

CLEVELAND is 40-17 ATS (+21.3 Units) at home vs. very good teams outscoring opponents by 6+ PPG since 1996. The average score was CLEVELAND 92.8, OPPONENT 91.9 - (Rating = 2*) (807) NEW JERSEY vs. (808) ORLANDO

NEW JERSEY is 0-11 ATS (-12.1 Units) in road games vs. good 3PT shooting teams (>=36%) in 2nd half of L2 seasons. The average score was NEW JERSEY 90.1, OPPONENT 105 - (Rating = 4*) (813) MINNESOTA vs. (814) NEW ORLEANS

NEW ORLEANS is 39-16 UNDER (+21.4 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons. The average score was NEW ORLEANS 96.1, OPPONENT 92.1 - (Rating = 3*)

Memphis vs Gonzaga Betting Preview

Memphis vs Gonzaga Betting Preview

The Memphis Tigers are stepping out of Conference USA action one last time for a matchup against 18th-ranked Gonzaga. The 15th-ranked Tigers (19-3, 12-8-1 ATS) have been improving and coach John Calipari wants his team to be pushed in a hostile setting one last time before the NCAA tourney. Antonio Anderson has gotten more comfortable in his role as shooting guard and his accuracy has improved since freshman Tyreke Evans has taken over the point. The Tigers' defense has been great so far, holding teams to 61.5 points a game on 37.7 percent shooting. The team seems to finally have bought into coach Cal’s preaching about toughness and they are 16-6 ATS versus defensive teams allowing 39 percent or less shooting after 15 or games on the season
Gonzaga (17-4, 10-9 ATS) is very similar to Memphis in the respect they have been the dominant team in their conference and go after a demanding non-league schedule to improve resume and hopefully seeding. Since losing four of five games to finish December, the Bulldogs have regained their confidence and have a balanced attack. Four players average in double digits; with Josh Heytvelt the leading scoring and West Coast Conference assist leader and reigning player of the year Jeremy Pargo, nearly at 10 points per game. Mark Few squads are 11-3 ATS vs. teams that average nine or more steals a game past the midpoint of the season.

The official line from Bookmaker.com has Gonzaga favored by four points. Memphis has won 13 in a row (8-3-1 ATS) and is 11-3 and 8-5 ATS in non-conference action. The Tigers have covered last four outings against teams with winning records.

Gonzaga has offensive firepower, however their defense is overlooked; surrendering just 61.9 points per game and leads the country in defensive field goal percentage at 36.4 percent. The Bulldogs have had problems with teams with records above .500 with 2-7 ATS mark.

ESPN will have the telecast at 9 Eastern in what should be a very compelling matchup.

Power Line – Gonzaga by 2

Not my problem

Our business is doing just fine, in fact we had the best month ever in the history of the company this January, 2009 and more products will be coming out soon. The profits are soaring and we continue to add to our sales force, all this done despite the current administration, not because of.

If there are those want to live their lives with their collective heads up their asses, then fine ! They can all do the fucking elephant walk together ! I know this though, I certainly won't be losing my house or car soon because I planned for the future.

CELTS/LAKERS 2ND HALF

CELTS -4 @ -120

THURSDAY'S PLAYS

MTSU -3

TEASER 4PT

MICHIGAN -1/2 WISCONSIN PK

Lakers Playing Respect Card in Boston

Lakers Playing Respect Card in Boston


Revenge can be such an ugly word and today’s athlete doesn’t always find it to be a compelling argument to go out and give it everything you have. Choose a different say, “embarrassment” or even worse “disrespect” those are fightin’ words in this era. Players of today make a lot of money, which leads to bigger egos and when their friends and hangers on tell them they were essentially Punk’d, that’s not going to sit well. For the Los Angeles Lakers, they return to Boston for the first time since Game Six of the NBA finals, where they embarrassed 131-92.

“We had our most disappointing moments on that Boston Celtic court in Game 6,” Lakers coach Phil Jackson stated. “To be not only beaten, but humiliated, in a game like that to end the series, and have them celebrating and throwing (stuff) all over the court, disrupting the game with 2 1/2 minutes left to go. It was in your face and everybody remembers that. There’s a certain element of, you know, we have some serious work to do.”

The Lakers (39-9, 24-23-1 ATS) relieved some of that embarrassment on Christmas Day, with their 92-83 win as two-point home favorites. Back then Boston was in the midst of playing their worst basketball of the season, winning twice in nine games. The competitive nature of elite athletes, they want to beat others who are also at their best, which is exactly where the Celtics are at present, having won 12 in a row (9-3 ATS).

For L.A., this almost becomes a crusade of sorts with so many factors working against them.
Just like in last year’s finals, the purple-clad Lakers will be without center Andrew Bynum, who will miss eight to 12 weeks after tearing the medial collateral ligament in his right knee. This will be game five of a six-game road trip (4-0 SU and ATS) and doesn’t go unnoticed in the Lakers locker room; this will be their fifth game in seven days, having to play last night in Toronto, while

Boston had the night off. Bryant and the Lakers will try and build on recent success which has them 12-3 ATS playing back to back road games.
Pau Gasol tried to sum up the team’s feelings. “Last time we played there it was a pretty bad game for us,” he said. “I’m looking forward to bounce back there and prove a point.”

Boston (28-22 ATS) will be hell-bent on defending their own turf, where they are 24-2 and 16-10 ATS. The Celtics have followed up winning the championship, with quite an encore thus far with 41-9 record, best in the NBA. They will welcome back Kevin Garnett who has missed the last two games due to illness and look to sustain winning ways. Boston is 11-3 ATS in home games after having won eight or more of their last 10 games this season.

Boston is six-point pick with total of 204.5.

The Celtics could have the edge being 12-2 ATS in a home game where the total is greater than or equal to 200. The Lakers will attempt to counter posting 17-6 ATS record in road games after successfully covering the spread in two or more consecutive outings.
With contrasting styles of play, tempo will be important. L.A. is 17-4 OVER after three or more consecutive wins this season, winning by almost seven points a game. On the other hand, Paul Pierce and his gang (possibly poor choice of words) is 10-1 UNDER after scoring 100 points or more two straight contests, with average margin of victory 13 points.
The excitement starts at 8:05 Eastern on TNT with the C’s 4-1SU and ATS in last five meetings in Beantown.


Power Line – Boston by 10

Wisconsin Favored Despite Losing Streak

Wisconsin Favored Despite Losing Streak

Illinois hasn’t had much success lately away from home, and its most recent trip outside of Champaign ended with one of its worst offensive performances in decades. If the Fighting Illini can correct their road woes on Thursday, it’ll be Wisconsin experiencing something that hasn’t happened in more than 10 years. Losers of six straight overall, the Badgers haven’t dropped three in a row at home since their first month in the 11-year-old Kohl Center, a streak that’s in danger of ending on Thursday when No. 23 Illinois invades Madison.

The Illini (18-4, 11-7-1 ATS) have won their five conference home games by an average of 15.8 points, but their road trips have been considerably less impressive. Illinois opened its Big Ten road slate with an overtime win at Purdue, but has lost its next three away from home.Close losses at Michigan and Michigan State weren’t all that surprising, but what happened last Thursday at Minnesota was. The Illini shot 29.4 percent in a 59-36 loss to the Golden Gophers, leaving with the fewest points by any Illinois team since it scored 34 in a loss to Purdue on Jan. 30, 1985.

“You feel as low as you can feel,” coach Bruce Weber said. “It’s a humbler, that’s for sure. If it isn’t, we’re in trouble.”

The Illini seemed to carry their offensive struggles into the first half of Sunday’s game against Iowa, which they trailed 25-22 at halftime. This time, though, they got it together for the final 20 minutes. Mike Tisdale had 18 points and Illinois outscored the Hawkeyes 40-29 after the half to escape with a 62-54 victory, its ninth straight in Champaign. Illinois is 9-19 ATS after allowing 60 points or less.

“A lot of teams come on the road and can beat you,” senior guard Chester Frazier said. “It’s a tough league this year. There are really no upsets. Teams people think should win aren’t and isn’t going to be as easy. This is a tough league top to bottom this year.”

Wisconsin (12-9, 7-11-1 ATS) can certainly attest to the difficulty of the Big Ten. The Badgers have lost six in a row, their longest losing streak since an eight-game skid from Jan. 21-Feb. 14, 1998.

The first of those eight straight losses came just one game after Wisconsin’s Kohl Center hosted its first game, a 56-33 Badgers win over Northwestern on Jan. 17. Wisconsin dropped its next three home games after that, including an overtime loss to Illinois - but it hasn’t lost three in a row at the Kohl Center since.

During this six-game slide, though, the Badgers have been extremely close to breaking through. The two home losses - to Minnesota and Purdue - came by a combined four points, and the last three road losses have been by an average of 4.7 points. Wisconsin is 0-6 ATS when playing only their 2nd game in eight days this season.

One of those came at Illinois, when sophomore Demetri McCarney scored a season-high 25 points and added seven assists in the Illini’s 64-57 win on Jan. 24.

Wisconsin’s latest close call came Saturday at Northwestern. The Badgers shot 52.6 percent as a team, but Trevon Hughes was only 3-for-10, including 1-for-6 from the 3-point line, in a 66-63 loss. Wisconsin is 11-2 ATS in home games after failing to cover four or fivr of their last six against the spread.

Bookmaker.com has Wisky as four-point favorites, trying to break the losing skid, with a total of 120. The Badgers are 17-5 ATS as a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points and are in a much more favorable spot than Illinois. The Illini are 0-6 ATS when playing against a marginal winning team (51 to 60 win percentage) over the last three seasons.

The Badgers Hughes will look for bounce back effort, being the team’s second leading scorer (12.4 points), just behind Marcus Landry and he’s had success against Illinois in the past. The junior guard had a game-high 22 points to go with six steals and five assists in Wisconsin’s 70-60 win over the Illini on Jan. 10, 2008, Illinois’ last visit to Madison.

ESPN will provide the coverage from the Kohl Center at 9 Eastern, where Bucky Badger is 6-3 and 4-5 ATS vs the Fighting Illini.

Power Line – Wisconsin by 2

TUESDAY NIGHT PLAYS

FLORIDA -7.5

MARQUETTE - 11

3 TEAM 4 PT TEASER NBA
PACERS PK, CELTICS -1/2 , ROCKETS -3

Digging for Hoops Winners Can Be Done

Digging for Hoops Winners Can Be Done

With football over for yet another season, unless the Pro Bowl is part of your betting plans, it is time to turn full attention to college basketball wagering. With Wednesday, Thursday and especially Saturday cards often cumbersome because of the sheer volume of games, it can be wise to shave the number of contests down to more manageable numbers. How this can be accomplished is finding particular conferences that have proven to have value.

By now, every league is either at or halfway past the midpoint of conference slate and solid information can be found to utilize for wagering purposes. Three conferences in particular have yielded distinct info, which should be followed, with the intent of cashing in for significant profits.

The Sun Belt Conference is like a few other leagues in college landscape. The Big Ten has 11 teams, the Atlantic 10 has 14 squads and Denver U. and North Texas (Denton) would hardly be considered part of anybody’s list of vacation spots in the Sun Belt region. Fortunately, the goal isn’t to be like the late George Carlin and make sense of the arrangement, instead just to study the facts.

Presently, the Sun Belt ranks 19th in the latest Sagarin Ratings in college hoops among the 33 conferences. With the SBC a bit unwieldy with its 13 teams, certain numbers can be skewed in determining different factors. For example, a conference with vast number of universities could see the records of home team wins watered-down by those occupying the lower regions. The Big East is a perfect example of this, with the division between the have’s and have-nots, roughly the size of our domestic and foreign trade imbalance.

Sun Belt home teams have won 63 percent of conference games (41-24) which is about average overall. This is where things get interesting. Only one team in the league has a defense that allows below 40 percent shooting (39.8), and that is Arkansas State who comes in at 13-8 and .500 in league play.

Thus we establish the SBC is not a great defensive league, which leads to the profit point we are seeking. Sun Belt home teams cough up the cash with great regularity, sporting a 23-41-1, 35.9 ATS mark. With just a few better teams like Western Kentucky, Ark-Little Rock and Middle Tenn. State, the rest are pedestrian, with no atrocious teams, save Florida Atlantic.

This looks to be a real opportunity, with one caveat. Denver University, year in, year out, is one of the toughest stops in the Sun Belt because of the altitude. This season the Pioneers are 4-1 SU and ATS in league action playing at Magness Arena. Subtract Denver’s wins and are wager on SBC road teams improves.

The Western Athletic Conference from time to time makes some noise and is ranked 13th by the Sagarin numbers. Utah State has just one blemish on the docket this season, losing to BYU. In truth, the rest of the conference record-wise leaves much to be desired. Nevada and Boise State are both not as strong as a year ago and the rest of the other six schools are at or below .500.

In league play, the home teams have among the worst records in all of college basketball, with a 20-15 record (57.1 percent). In studying the WAC’s numbers, all the teams are ordinary to slight better than average defensively, and offensively, most teams shoot the ball relatively well. The point is, other than Utah State, every team is capable of beating another home or away. This presents a splendid opportunity to play against home teams who are 12-23 against the spread.

Earlier, imbalance was mentioned in different conferences, where the best teams are Dick Vitale “Flat-out superior”. This appears to be the case in the Colonial Athletic Association, where Northeastern, Virginia Commonwealth, George Mason and Drexel are far above the rest, especially playing on the own courts.

These four teams have compiled a 19-3 record in league play at home and are sensational 16-6 ATS against all CAA comers, including playing among themselves.

In these recessionary times, we all have to work a little harder to have what we need and as this proves; the extra work can place more money in your pocket.

SEC Betting on Improving Reputation

SEC Betting on Improving Reputation

The Southeastern Conference has taken as many hits as those in the banking industry for their lackluster play this season. Last night, even Dick Vitale managed to take a break from showering his praise on Duke and North Carolina and said the best teams in the SEC would have a hard time being anything other than middle of the road in the Big East. OucH

Though the conference is deeply rooted in football, the fans and league officials are similar to Portland Trailblazers general manager Kevin Pritchard, never at a loss to take praise even when they had little to do with situations. For the moment, SEC basketball is reminiscent of Big East football a few years ago (gasp), where ridicule came more frequently than praise.

Florida (18-4, 7-8 ATS) could have done something to alter this national perspective, but were dragged around like a gator by the tail at Tennessee in being wiped out 79-63 as 3.5-point underdogs. Though the Gators have talented players, they are dependant on point guard Nick Calathes to set the offense in motion. Against the Vols, Calathes picked up two quick fouls less than three minutes into the game. He ended up playing just nine total minutes in the first half and Florida never found an offensive flow.

We were a little rushed," Florida coach Billy Donovan said. "We took some ill-advised shots. On a couple of those possessions you want to push and attack, but there has to be a balance to it, and sometimes we didn't show good judgment." Coach Donovan teams are 31-20 ATS off a road loss.

Maybe it is a team like South Carolina (16-4, 8-7 ATS) that could bring excitement to the SEC. After suffering a pair of road defeats, the Gamecocks hosted Florida 17 days ago and ran away, literally, with a win which has started a streak. South Carolina scored on breakaway throw and catch at the buzzer to defeat the Gators 70-69 at home and have a four game conference winning streak after junior guard Devan Downey provided the winning basket on an eight-foot jumper with three seconds left for a 78-77 come from behind triumph at Kentucky.

Downey is the face of this club that is 13-4 ATS in road games after three consecutive conference games, having scored 20 or more points in half their games. A win in Gainesville keeps South Carolina in first place in the SEC East race, pending the outcome of Kentucky game. Even with the conference having a down year in basketball, any team being able to go to Lexington and Florida and win in consecutive games would have to draw attention. The Gamecocks are 11-2 ATS on the road versus teams outscoring their opponents by eight or more points a game after 15 or more contests over the last three seasons.

Bookmaker.com has established Florida as nine-point favorites, with a total of 151.5. The Gamecocks are 17-7 ATS as a road underdog or pick, however 0-6 against the spread if previous upset win came as a road dog. The Gators are 13-0 (4-3 ATS) at home playing a non-conference schedule loaded with empty tomato cans. Florida is only 2-5 ATS off a loss.

Florida has won nine of ten (5-5 ATS) at home against South Carolina, with the Gamecocks having covered four in a row. ESPN will provide the coverage starting at 9 Eastern with Brad Nessler and Jimmy Dykes, with the South Carolina attempting to mask the fact they allow 49.1 percent shooting on the road, while clanking only 57 percent of free throws in league play.


Power Line - Florida by 10

Connecticut to be No. 1, will it matter?

Connecticut to be No. 1, will it matter?

By game time, Connecticut will be the fourth different team to be ranked number one in as many weeks and will face the challenge of Louisville, who appears now they can beat virtually any team in the country with the type of basketball they are playing now. College basketball bettors have a real tough choice to make tonight in another Big Monday bash.

Coach Jim Calhoun, a veteran of many basketball wars is trying to keep the top ranking in perspective. “You don’t want to be No. 1 for a day,” said Calhoun. “It’s just a number that goes by quickly. But if there are 343 teams playing in the country and at some point in the season, especially 21 games into the season … it’s nice. No more. No less.”

Connecticut (20-1, 10-7 ATS) is caught in scheduling buzz saw, with this being their third game is six days and what a place to be forced to play at in Louisville. Truthfully, DePaul and Providence are not among the Big East hierarchy, however playing this many contests can take physical toll. Arriving to play the Cardinals precludes the Huskies from shilly-shallying around, with the 94-feet game and the pressure Louisville can provide. UConn is 5-14 ATS in road games off a home win over the last three seasons.

This figures to be a game forward Jeff Adrien has to come up big to match the brilliant play of Louisville’s Terrence Williams, who has been the best player on the floor in nearly each conference contest. Like the Cardinals, Connecticut can control the glass and coach Calhoun’s club is 22-8 ATS versus teams who average 40 or more rebounds a game past the midpoint of the season.


Louisville (17-3, 12-8 ATS) has the same scheduling situation as UConn, with the benefit of playing them all at home. Coach Rick Pitino’s squad is building momentum, with nine wins in a row (7-2 ATS) and unlike the Huskies, is still unbeaten in Big East play like Marquette.

Starters Earl Clark and Edgar Sosa are back in the coach’s good graces, but like their teammates, are prone to be a little self-indulgent. We fall in love with ourselves too much,” said Pitino, whose team overcame a season high 26 turnovers against West Virginia in 69-63 win. “In the long run, it’s probably better we had a war down the stretch.”

Their goal in this encounter is to make this an end to end game, making center Hasheen Thabeet less important, who is coming off his third double digit effort in blocked shots. This has been go time for the ‘Ville, sporting 13-2 ATS mark in February since 2007.

Sportsbook.com is impressed enough with Louisville to install them as 2.5-point favorites with total of 136.5. The Cardinals coincidently are 16-4 ATS off three straight wins against conference rivals, while UConn is 2-13 ATS in road games after two straight blowout wins by 20 points or more.

Will the top dog Huskies stay No.1 or will they be handled in first game like the last two teams that occupied the top spot? Answers forthcoming on ESPN starting at 7 Eastern.

Power Line - Louisville by 3

VI PICK LOUISVILLE BY 5 OR MORE

Big Monday Breakdown

Big Monday Breakdown


**Connecticut at Louisville**

--These are two serious national-championship contenders that will collide Monday at Freedom Hall. The calendar has hit February so it’s not too early to start thinking about No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament. The Huskies are already a consideration for a top seed and would become a big-time favorite with a win in this spot, while the Cardinals would also become a part of the conversation with a victory.

--Las Vegas Sports Consultants opened Louisville (17-3 straight up, 12-8 against the spread) as a 2 1/2-point favorite with a total of 138 1/2. --U of L has won nine consecutive games, posting a 7-2 spread record during that surge. The Cardinals are coming off Saturday’s 69-63 home win over West Virginia as 6 ½-point home favorites. Jerry Smith had a team-high 20 points for the winners, who had to overcome 26 turnovers in the non-covering victory.

--UConn (20-1 SU, 9-7 ATS) is also sporting a nine-game winning streak. The Huskies are 6-3 ATS over that nine-game stretch. They pounded Providence by a 94-61 count Saturday as 13-point home favorites. Hasheem Thabeet dominated with a triple-double, finishing with 15 points, 11 rebounds and 10 blocked shots. A.J. Price added 19 points, while Stanley Robinson had 18.

--Thabeet is third in the nation in blocked shots, swatting away 4.0 per game. He also averages 13.0 points and 10.1 rebounds per contest. Thabeet’s partner down low is power forward Jeff Adrien, who also averages a double-double with a 14.1 points per game average to go with 10.0 boards per contest.

--Rick Pitino’s team has won 12 of 13 home games, compiling an 8-5 ATS mark in the process. The Cards’ lone home loss came to UNLV back on New Year’s Eve.

--The catalyst for U of L is forward Terrence Williams, who averages 12.8 points, 9.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game. Earl Clark leads the Cards in scoring at a 13.5 PPG clip.

--Marquette and Louisville are tied for the Big East lead with identical 8-0 records in league play. UConn is right there also with a 9-1 mark in Big East action.

--The ‘under’ is 10-8 overall for the Cards, 6-6 in their home assignments. Meanwhile, UConn has seen the ‘under’ go 9-6 overall.

--Since 2000, UConn has won four of six head-to-head meetings against Louisville. However, the Cards are 3-0-1 ATS in the last four encounters.

--ESPN will provide television coverage at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.

**Kansas at Baylor**

--LVSC opened this game as a pick 'em with a total of 151 1/2. --Kansas (17-4 SU, 10-5 ATS) has won six in a row since losing at Michigan St. The Jayhawks saw their five-game ATS winning streak halted Saturday when they barely got past Colorado 66-61 as 22-point home ‘chalk.’ With Sherron Collins struggling through a 4-of-16 shooting performance, Cole Aldrich paced KU with 15 points and 13 rebounds.

--Baylor (15-6 SU, 6-7 ATS) could really use a resume-building ‘W’ in this spot. The Bears have lost three in a row both SU and ATS and still have plenty of work to do in order to solidify an NCAA Tournament berth. They are off Saturday’s 89-72 defeat at Missouri as 6 ½-point underdogs.

--Bill Self’s squad has been real nasty at home, winning 14 of its 15 games while taking the cash at a 7-2 ATS clip.

--Kansas is unbeaten in six conference games, while Baylor has a shaky 3-4 ledger in Big 12 play.

--KU has won seven in a row over Baylor, but the Bears are 4-3 ATS in those meetings.

--The ‘over’ is 8-7 for KU, 5-4 in its home games at Allen Fieldhouse. Meanwhile, Baylor has seen the ‘over’ hit at an 8-5 clip overall. The ‘over’ is on a 5-1 run for the Bears.

--Tip-off is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.

Cavs aim to extend Central Division lead vs. Pistons

Central Division rivals clash Sunday when the Cleveland Cavaliers make the short trek to the Motor City and take on the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills. The Central-leading Cavs haven't won a division title since the 1975-76 season but have opened up an imposing 11-game lead over the second-place Pistons. The Cavaliers improved to 22-0 as the host this season on Friday with a 112-95 win over the hapless LA Clippers, matching a franchise record for consecutive home wins, which the club first set in the 1988-89 campaign



Cleveland Cavaliers (36-9) at Detroit Pistons (25-20), 2:30 p.m.

- Central Division rivals clash Sunday when the Cleveland Cavaliers make the short trek to the Motor City and take on the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

The Central-leading Cavs haven't won a division title since the 1975-76 season but have opened up an imposing 11-game lead over the second-place Pistons.

The Cavaliers improved to 22-0 as the host this season on Friday with a 112-95 win over the hapless LA Clippers, matching a franchise record for consecutive home wins, which the club first set in the 1988-89 campaign.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas had 20 points and 11 rebounds in his return to the court in the win. Ilgauskas had missed the last 13 games because of a small fracture in his left ankle, but was sharp in his first game back, making 10-of-16 field goals.

LeBron James had a team-high 25 points to go with seven rebounds and six assists for the Cavaliers, who are the first team to win at least its first 22 home games in a season since the Chicago Bulls (37 games) and the Orlando Magic (33 games) accomplished the feat in the 1995-96 season.

Cleveland is the also first team since the 1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers (22 games) to win 22 straight home games to begin a season, each by a margin of at least four points.
Things have been a bit tougher on the road for the Cavs however, as the team has a more mundane 14-9 mark as the visitor on the year.

Mo Williams, fresh off an All-Star snub, added 23 points and six assists against the Clips, while Sasha Pavlovic and Wally Szczerbiak each scored 15 in the victory, the Cavs' fifth in six games.
The Pistons, meanwhile, lost for the third time in four tries Friday when Boston's Kevin Garnett had 22 points and eight rebounds, as the Celtics edged Detroit, 86-78, to extend their winning streak to 10 games.

Allen Iverson scored 19 points for Detroit, moving up the all-time NBA scoring leaders list. He had 23,749 career points coming into Friday's contest, but needed only nine to move past Charles Barkley (23,757) into 16th place.

Rodney Stuckey also had 19 points, while Antonio McDyess grabbed 14 rebounds for the Pistons, who fell to 13-10 as the host on the year.
Detroit has won three straight and five of its past six meetings with the Cavs, including a 96-89 win at The Palace in November.


CAVS BY 7 OR MORE

Super Bowl Sunday college basketball action

Super Bowl Sunday college basketball action


Before you wager on the big game, check out what the college kids are doing on Super Bowl Sunday.

Penn State Nittany Lions at Michigan State Spartans (-12.5, 140)


With star Raymar Morgan suffering from a viral infection, Michigan State has needed different players to help carry the team.
The backcourt duo of Kalin Lucas and Durrell Summers have been up to the challenge.
Lucas and Summers look to continue their sudden surge and help the ninth-ranked Spartans improve to 17-0 all-time at home against Penn State on Sunday.
Morgan, a preseason all-Big Ten selection, helped Michigan State (17-3, 7-1) climb atop the league standings, but his illness has limited his contributions in the last three games.
The 6-foot-8 junior forward finished with two points in eight minutes off the bench Thursday, but was hardly missed in a 71-56 victory over Iowa.
The backcourt led the way, as Lucas matched his career high with 24 points and Summers added 21 as the Spartans won for the 13th time in 14 games. That tandem has combined for 91 points in the last two games.
The Nittany Lions are off to their best conference start since beginning the 1995-96 season 6-2, but they open a daunting schedule with five of their next seven games on the road.
Penn State has lost nine straight road games against ranked opponents since a 66-65 win over then-No. 6 Illinois on Feb. 4, 2006.
The Nittany Lions should be rested for this game after having a week off since last Saturday's 63-59 win over Iowa.
The break came at a good time, with Big Ten scoring leader Talor Battle nursing a sore hip and groin in recent weeks.
"Got my wind back, my legs, 100 percent," Battle said on Friday.
Battle, who is averaging 18.5 points, had 20 points, five rebounds and five assists in the loss to the Spartans earlier this season.
The Nittany Lions, who have already surpassed last season's win total (15), have won three straight games. They have not won four consecutive league games since 1995-96.

Cincinnati Bearcats at Villanova Wildcats (-12, 131.5)

Villanova's confidence should increase after finally beating a ranked opponent. The same can be said for Cincinnati.
On Sunday, the 21st-ranked Wildcats hope to avoid a letdown after a huge Big East victory as they try to prevent the visiting Bearcats from knocking off their second straight ranked league foe.
In the final college basketball game at Philadelphia's historic Spectrum, Villanova (16-4, 4-3) used a dominating second-half performance in posting a 67-57 victory over No. 3 Pittsburgh on Wednesday.
It was the Wildcats' first victory over a ranked team after falling to then-No. 6 Texas in December and then-No. 23 Louisville and then-No. 3 Connecticut earlier this month.
The Bearcats enter this contest having won four of their last five, including road wins over the Red Storm and DePaul. The victory over the Hoyas marked the third time in five games Cincinnati has held an opponent to fewer than 60 points.
"We're getting our feet on the ground," said Vaughn of the Bearcats, who are 2-2 on the road in conference play. "We're letting everyone know we're coming out to play hard. We need to keep playing like this to win. It tells everybody that we play hard. We don't care who the team is but we are going to play hard."
Cincinnati has already surpassed its win total from last season, when it went 13-19 and won only three road games in the Big East.

Iowa Hawkeyes at Illinois Fighting Illini (-12.5, 114)

Coming off its lowest-scoring effort in 24 years, Illinois should be happy to return home where it's been practically unbeatable this season.
Hoping to remain in the Top 25, the No. 19 Illini look to bounce back while trying for an eighth straight home victory over struggling Iowa in a Big Ten contest Sunday afternoon.
Illinois (17-4, 5-3) continued its recent league road troubles with a 59-36 loss at Minnesota on Thursday. Despite shooting a Big Ten-leading 47.1 percent on the season, the Illini shot 29.4 percent in scoring its fewest points since a 54-34 loss to Purdue on Jan. 30, 1985.
"You feel as low as you can feel," said Illinois coach Bruce Weber, whose team was outrebounded 44-29. "It's a humbler, that's for sure. If it isn't, we're in trouble."
After a third straight Big Ten road loss, Illinois returns to Assembly Hall, where it is 11-1 and has won eight in a row - including all four league contests.
Illinois needs to improve on its facing a Hawkeyes team yielding 58.7 points per game. Dominique Keller scored a team-high nine points off the bench against Minnesota while Illinois' starters combined for 18 points.
Averaging a team-leading 12.2 points, sophomore guard Demetri McCamey looks to bounce back after being held to six against the Gophers. He did score a season-high 25 in the previous game, a 64-57 win over Wisconsin on Jan. 24.
Even if the Illini struggle again offensively, they have a chance to compensate on the defensive end.
Allowing a Big Ten-best 56.7 points per game, Illinois has limited conference opponents to 50.5 points on 36.7 percent shooting at Assembly Hall. That doesn't bode well for Iowa, which is 10th in the Big Ten in scoring at 62.3 per game and coming off a 71-56 loss to No. 9 Michigan State on Thursday.

Virginia Cavaliers at Duke Blue Devils (-22.5, 145.5)

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski liked what he saw when his team rallied from a late deficit against the No. 6 team in the country in its last outing. The conclusion of that game, however, was much less encouraging.
After giving up a game-winning layup in the final second of their first conference loss, the Blue Devils - still ranked No. 1 for now - look to bounce back by extending their dominance at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Sunday when they meet ACC rival Virginia.
Duke (18-2, 5-1) took over the top spot in the AP poll with a 5-0 start to ACC play only to lose its first game as No. 1 on Wednesday night. The Blue Devils allowed Wake Forest forward James Johnson to get to the basket off an inbounds play and make an open layup in the final second that sent them to a 70-68 loss to the sixth-ranked Demon Deacons.
"We were not physical on that play," Krzyzewski said. "We deserve to lose if you don't do that."
Though ultimately disappointing, the loss gave Krzyzewski reason to be optimistic. His team rallied from a 13-point deficit with 8:49 remaining to tie the game with 10 seconds left before its defensive lapse.
Duke has won 12 straight home games against Virginia (7-9, 1-4) since a 91-88 double-overtime loss Jan. 14, 1995. The Blue Devils have been ranked in each of their last 27 overall meetings with the Cavaliers, and are 24-3 in that stretch. They're 14-0 all-time in the series when ranked No. 1.
That doesn't bode well for a Virginia team that's lost four straight ACC games since opening conference play with an 88-84 overtime win at Georgia Tech on Dec. 28. The Cavaliers were held to three field goals in the first half of a 73-62 home loss to Florida State last Saturday, finishing the game 17-for-48 (35.4 percent).
Virginia coach Dave Leitao credited Florida State's defense.
"With the few open looks that you get and make and the other times that you don't, you have to really work to get balanced and quality shots and obviously we didn't do that," he said. "And obviously we paid a price for it."
Leitao's team could again have its hands full against Duke, the only team in the ACC that allows fewer points per game (60.0) than Florida State (63.3). The Blue Devils had given up an average of 51.6 points in conference play before Wednesday night's loss.