The Bum's Sports Page For Thursday September 3 rd Best Bets-Trends-News !

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Dunkel

Thursday, September 3


Atlanta @ Washington

Game 901-902
September 3, 2015 @ 7:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Atlanta
(Wisler) 15.887
Washington
(Zmmrmnn) 14.718
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Atlanta
by 1
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Washington
-260
8
Dunkel Pick:
Atlanta
(+220); Under

Pittsburgh @ Milwaukee

Game 903-904
September 3, 2015 @ 7:20 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Pittsburgh
(Liriano) 14.690
Milwaukee
(Jngmann) 15.798
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Milwaukee
by 1
8
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Pittsburgh
-150
7 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Milwaukee
(+130); Over

San Francisco @ Colorado

Game 905-906
September 3, 2015 @ 8:40 pm

Dunkel Rating:
San Francisco
(Vogelsong) 14.481
Colorado
(Rusin) 12.865
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
San Francisco
by 1 1/2
10
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
San Francisco
-135
11
Dunkel Pick:
San Francisco
(-135); Under

LA Dodgers @ San Diego

Game 907-908
September 3, 2015 @ 10:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
LA Dodgers
(Latos) 17.360
San Diego
(Rea) 14.967
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
LA Dodgers
by 2 1/2
8
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LA Dodgers
-135
7 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
LA Dodgers
(-135); Over

Detroit @ Kansas City

Game 911-912
September 3, 2015 @ 8:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Detroit
(Boyd) 14.051
Kansas City
(Volquez) 15.635
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Kansas City
by 1 1/2
7 1/2
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Kansas City
-215
8
Dunkel Pick:
Kansas City
(-215); Under

Chicago White Sox @ Minnesota

Game 909-910
September 3, 2015 @ 1:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Chicago White Sox
(Samrdzja) 14.700
Minnesota
(Gibson) 16.369
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Minnesota
by 1 1/2
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Minnesota
-140
8
Dunkel Pick:
Minnesota
(-140); Under

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Long Sheet

Thursday, September 3

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ATLANTA (54 - 79) at WASHINGTON (67 - 65) - 7:05 PM
MATT WISLER (R) vs. JORDAN ZIMMERMANN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 54-79 (-16.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ATLANTA is 21-47 (-19.0 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
ATLANTA is 7-20 (-15.2 Units) against the money line in September games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 8-19 (-12.0 Units) against the money line when playing on Thursday over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 52-76 (-16.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
ATLANTA is 12-30 (-14.8 Units) against the money line in road games in night games this season.
ATLANTA is 17-39 (-17.0 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters this season.
ATLANTA is 13-33 (-15.5 Units) against the money line in road games after a loss this season.
ATLANTA is 6-23 (-13.4 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
ZIMMERMANN is 61-31 (+20.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
ZIMMERMANN is 61-31 (+20.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
ZIMMERMANN is 45-20 (+20.3 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
ATLANTA is 80-55 (+24.8 Units) against the money line in road games after 3 or more consecutive losses since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 67-65 (-14.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
WASHINGTON is 66-64 (-14.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
WASHINGTON is 41-47 (-17.0 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
WASHINGTON is 49-49 (-8.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
WASHINGTON is 32-29 (-10.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 9-3 (+4.5 Units) against ATLANTA this season
7 of 12 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.8 Units)

MATT WISLER vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
WISLER is 1-1 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 3.86 and a WHIP of 1.608.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-2. (-2.0 units)

JORDAN ZIMMERMANN vs. ATLANTA since 1997
ZIMMERMANN is 6-2 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 2.59 and a WHIP of 1.115.
His team's record is 9-5 (+3.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 9-5. (+3.7 units)

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PITTSBURGH (79 - 52) at MILWAUKEE (57 - 75) - 7:20 PM
FRANCISCO LIRIANO (L) vs. TAYLOR JUNGMANN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
PITTSBURGH is 21-31 (-16.3 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
PITTSBURGH is 79-52 (+16.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
PITTSBURGH is 26-10 (+12.7 Units) against the money line as a road favorite of -125 to -150 over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 79-52 (+16.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
PITTSBURGH is 120-83 (+22.3 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 62-40 (+14.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
PITTSBURGH is 90-55 (+19.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 57-75 (-17.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 32-39 (-11.4 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 69-89 (-31.9 Units) against the money line in home games when playing on Thursday since 1997.
MILWAUKEE is 57-75 (-17.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
MILWAUKEE is 8-17 (-14.1 Units) against the money line in home games after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MILWAUKEE is 8-6 (+3.4 Units) against PITTSBURGH this season
7 of 13 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.4 Units)

FRANCISCO LIRIANO vs. MILWAUKEE since 1997
LIRIANO is 6-5 when starting against MILWAUKEE with an ERA of 4.12 and a WHIP of 1.251.
His team's record is 7-6 (-0.3 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 7-4. (+2.4 units)

TAYLOR JUNGMANN vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
JUNGMANN is 2-0 when starting against PITTSBURGH with an ERA of 1.29 and a WHIP of 0.857.
His team's record is 2-0 (+2.7 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-2. (-2.2 units)

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SAN FRANCISCO (69 - 64) at COLORADO (54 - 78) - 8:40 PM
RYAN VOGELSONG (R) vs. CHRIS RUSIN (L)
Top Trends for this game.
SAN FRANCISCO is 6-16 (-12.9 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive losses this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 169-143 (+16.6 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 80-78 (+9.0 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 169-143 (+16.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 1067-896 (+117.1 Units) against the money line in night games since 1997.
SAN FRANCISCO is 381-385 (+38.3 Units) against the money line in road games after a loss since 1997.
SAN FRANCISCO is 46-21 (+21.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
VOGELSONG is 64-50 (+16.8 Units) against the money line in night games since 1997. (Team's Record)
VOGELSONG is 45-33 (+16.5 Units) against the money line after a loss since 1997. (Team's Record)
COLORADO is 120-174 (-43.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 120-174 (-43.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 30-58 (-23.5 Units) against the money line in night games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
COLORADO is 7-5 (+2.5 Units) against SAN FRANCISCO this season
6 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.5 Units)

RYAN VOGELSONG vs. COLORADO since 1997
VOGELSONG is 6-3 when starting against COLORADO with an ERA of 4.41 and a WHIP of 1.248.
His team's record is 7-5 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 6-5. (+0.6 units)

CHRIS RUSIN vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
RUSIN is 0-0 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 1.35 and a WHIP of 1.200.
His team's record is 1-1 (+1.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (+0.0 units)

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LA DODGERS (75 - 57) at SAN DIEGO (64 - 69) - 10:10 PM
MAT LATOS (R) vs. COLIN REA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
LA DODGERS are 75-57 (-8.8 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
LA DODGERS are 36-33 (-15.2 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 or less this season.
LA DODGERS are 6-14 (-12.8 Units) against the money line as a road favorite of -125 to -150 this season.
LA DODGERS are 28-36 (-21.8 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
LA DODGERS are 11-18 (-15.2 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 7 or less this season.
LA DODGERS are 75-57 (-8.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
LA DODGERS are 55-43 (-9.6 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
LA DODGERS are 21-28 (-17.4 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters this season.
LA DODGERS are 42-34 (-10.5 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
LA DODGERS are 1-7 (-12.5 Units) against the money line in road games after 3 or more consecutive wins this season.
SAN DIEGO is 68-55 (+14.7 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 20-10 (+10.9 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 110-82 (+31.3 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Thursday since 1997.
SAN DIEGO is 5-14 (-12.0 Units) against the money line in home games when playing on Thursday over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA DODGERS is 8-4 (+2.8 Units) against SAN DIEGO this season
6 of 12 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.2 Units)

MAT LATOS vs. SAN DIEGO since 1997
LATOS is 0-2 when starting against SAN DIEGO with an ERA of 2.08 and a WHIP of 0.846.
His team's record is 0-4 (-5.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 4-0. (+4.0 units)

COLIN REA vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
No recent starts.

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CHI WHITE SOX (61 - 70) at MINNESOTA (69 - 63) - 1:10 PM
JEFF SAMARDZIJA (R) vs. KYLE GIBSON (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CHI WHITE SOX are 61-70 (-11.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 20-33 (-16.6 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 42-63 (-20.6 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 43-88 (-32.6 Units) against the money line in road games after a loss over the last 3 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 39-84 (-29.1 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
SAMARDZIJA is 22-39 (-23.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAMARDZIJA is 9-20 (-12.1 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAMARDZIJA is 11-19 (-11.5 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAMARDZIJA is 10-19 (-10.5 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAMARDZIJA is 21-38 (-23.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAMARDZIJA is 12-22 (-12.9 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAMARDZIJA is 15-34 (-19.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
MINNESOTA is 69-63 (+20.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
MINNESOTA is 36-33 (+9.5 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
MINNESOTA is 42-25 (+20.6 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
MINNESOTA is 28-25 (+8.6 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
MINNESOTA is 18-11 (+7.7 Units) against the money line in home games in day games this season.
MINNESOTA is 67-58 (+22.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
MINNESOTA is 44-43 (+10.3 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
MINNESOTA is 35-33 (+9.1 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
MINNESOTA is 40-26 (+21.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
GIBSON is 7-1 (+7.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season. (Team's Record)
MINNESOTA is 86-106 (-38.5 Units) against the money line in home games when playing on Thursday since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 11-4 (+8.8 Units) against CHI WHITE SOX this season
7 of 13 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.4 Units)

JEFF SAMARDZIJA vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
SAMARDZIJA is 3-1 when starting against MINNESOTA with an ERA of 5.12 and a WHIP of 1.263.
His team's record is 4-1 (+3.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-3. (-2.6 units)

KYLE GIBSON vs. CHI WHITE SOX since 1997
GIBSON is 3-0 when starting against CHI WHITE SOX with an ERA of 2.20 and a WHIP of 0.802.
His team's record is 4-0 (+5.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-1. (+1.8 units)

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DETROIT (61 - 71) at KANSAS CITY (81 - 51) - 8:10 PM
MATT BOYD (L) vs. EDINSON VOLQUEZ (R)
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 61-71 (-9.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
DETROIT is 26-39 (-15.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
DETROIT is 241-210 (-26.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.
DETROIT is 34-48 (-13.2 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
DETROIT is 42-56 (-13.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
DETROIT is 68-76 (-18.1 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 81-51 (+26.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
KANSAS CITY is 46-22 (+18.4 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
KANSAS CITY is 33-20 (+10.3 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
KANSAS CITY is 78-47 (+27.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
KANSAS CITY is 56-36 (+14.9 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
KANSAS CITY is 50-32 (+15.2 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
KANSAS CITY is 43-26 (+14.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
VOLQUEZ is 19-8 (+9.8 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
VOLQUEZ is 8-0 (+8.1 Units) against the money line when playing on Thursday over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
VOLQUEZ is 18-7 (+9.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
VOLQUEZ is 21-9 (+10.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
DETROIT is 31-21 (+11.0 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
KANSAS CITY is 1-9 (-15.6 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -175 to -200 over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 7-8 (+0.4 Units) against KANSAS CITY this season
7 of 15 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-1.4 Units, Under=-0.1 Units)

MATT BOYD vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
BOYD is 1-1 when starting against KANSAS CITY with an ERA of 2.92 and a WHIP of 1.379.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-2. (-2.2 units)

EDINSON VOLQUEZ vs. DETROIT since 1997
VOLQUEZ is 1-4 when starting against DETROIT with an ERA of 5.34 and a WHIP of 1.639.
His team's record is 1-4 (-3.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 4-1. (+2.8 units)

[StarDust Bum]

WNBA
Dunkel

Thursday, September 3

Chicago @ New York

Game 601-602
September 3, 2015 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Chicago
110.074
New York
120.888
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
New York
by 11
155
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
New York
by 7 1/2
151 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
New York
(-7 1/2); Over

Tulsa @ Seattle

Game 603-604
September 3, 2015 @ 10:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Tulsa
110.342
Seattle
113.877
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Seattle
by 3 1/2
143
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Seattle
by 1 1/2
149
Dunkel Pick:
Seattle
(-1 1/2); Under

Washington @ Los Angeles

Game 605-606
September 3, 2015 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Washington
109.488
Los Angeles
110.852
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Los Angeles
by 1 1/2
137
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Los Angeles
by 4 1/2
143
Dunkel Pick:
Washington
(+4 1/2); Under




WNBA

Thursday, September 3

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:00 PM
CHICAGO vs. NEW YORK
Chicago is 10-3 SU in its last 13 games when playing New York
Chicago is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against New York
New York is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
New York is 4-9 ATS in its last 13 games when playing Chicago

10:00 PM
TULSA vs. SEATTLE
Tulsa is 7-15 SU in its last 22 games when playing Seattle
Tulsa is 3-9 ATS in its last 12 games when playing on the road against Seattle
Seattle is 10-2 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against Tulsa
Seattle is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Tulsa

10:30 PM
WASHINGTON vs. LOS ANGELES
The total has gone OVER in 17 of Washington's last 25 games when playing Los Angeles
Washington is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Los Angeles is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Los Angeles is 6-18-1 ATS in its last 25 games at home

[StarDust Bum]

WNBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, September 3

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CHICAGO (18 - 12) at NEW YORK (21 - 8) - 9/3/2015, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW YORK is 21-7 ATS (+13.3 Units) in all games this season.
NEW YORK is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in August or September games this season.
NEW YORK is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) vs. division opponents this season.
NEW YORK is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) after a division game this season.
NEW YORK is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) after allowing 75 points or more this season.
NEW YORK is 14-4 ATS (+9.6 Units) after scoring 75 points or more this season.
NEW YORK is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 8-4 against the spread versus NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 9-3 straight up against NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
7 of 12 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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TULSA (15 - 14) at SEATTLE (9 - 20) - 9/3/2015, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SEATTLE is 110-75 ATS (+27.5 Units) in home games vs. division opponents since 1997.
SEATTLE is 51-31 ATS (+16.9 Units) in home games after a non-conference game since 1997.
TULSA is 11-4 ATS (+6.6 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
SEATTLE is 6-6 against the spread versus TULSA over the last 3 seasons
TULSA is 7-5 straight up against SEATTLE over the last 3 seasons
6 of 12 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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WASHINGTON (16 - 13) at LOS ANGELES (12 - 18) - 9/3/2015, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 274-331 ATS (-90.1 Units) in all games since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 39-66 ATS (-33.6 Units) in road games in August or September games since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 19-34 ATS (-18.4 Units) in road games when playing on back-to-back days since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 21-44 ATS (-27.4 Units) after 3 or more consecutive unders since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 37-57 ATS (-25.7 Units) in road games after a loss by 10 points or more since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 13-34 ATS (-24.4 Units) after scoring 55 points or less since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 27-39 ATS (-15.9 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) as a favorite this season.
LOS ANGELES is 9-24 ATS (-17.4 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 1-10 ATS (-10.0 Units) in home games against Eastern conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 8-17 ATS (-10.7 Units) in home games after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 1-10 ATS (-10.0 Units) in home games in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 5-13 ATS (-9.3 Units) in home games revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15+ games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 3-2 against the spread versus LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 3-2 straight up against LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Sky (18-12) at Liberty (21-8)

Date: September 03, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

With the New York Liberty boasting the WNBA's best defense and the Chicago Sky touting its highest-scoring offense, Thursday night's matchup figures to be a tightly contested matchup.

It may not live up to that billing if the Sky are still without their top two scorers, however.

The Liberty (21-8) limit opponents to 70.2 points per game, and have won nine of 11. Tuesday's 80-75 overtime victory against Atlanta brought them within two wins of clinching the top spot in the Eastern Conference and one shy of matching the single-season franchise record from 2010.

"It's definitely in our minds that we want to get the No. 1 seed," said Tina Charles, who is averaging a team-high 17.8 points.

Chicago is averaging 82.5 points, but the club was kept in check in an 84-63 loss at New York on Aug. 11, putting the Liberty in position to sweep the four-game season series. Elena Delle Donne, whose 23.9 points per game lead the league, did not play due to a sprained ankle.

Delle Donne returned for the next four games but has missed the last two with a foot injury and her status is uncertain.

Cappie Pondexter is Chicago's second-leading scorer with 15.0 points per game and scored a team-high 23 in that loss at Madison Square Garden, but she sat out Sunday's 72-68 loss to Connecticut after suffering a concussion in a 98-96 win at Atlanta on Saturday. She's being evaluated based on the league's concussion protocol.

The Sky (18-12) are tied with Indiana for second in the East but hold the tiebreaker after sweeping the season series 4-0 with three victories coming by 23-plus points. Catching New York for first place is far-fetched, though, as they must win out while the Liberty would have to lose their remaining games.

Chicago blew a nine-point lead in the fourth quarter of Sunday's loss, which snapped a three-game winning streak. Courtney Vandersloot led the team with 18 points without Delle Donne and Pondexter.

While the Sky's offense could be limited, Sugar Rodgers may have broken out of her slump for the Liberty. She matched a career high with 23 points against the Dream - two fewer than she had totaled over her previous six contests. Rodgers, who was 5 of 12 from 3-point range, hadn't scored in double figures since a 10-point performance at Phoenix on July 18.

"I knew something was coming, I just had to be patient," she said.

Epiphanny Prince could also be in for a big night considering she had a season-high 30 points on 11-of-14 shooting in a 77-63 win at Chicago on Aug. 7.

The Liberty, who had dropped six straight home meetings prior to last month's victory, have won eight of their last nine at Madison Square Garden.


WNBA HEAD TO HEAD

Aug 11, 2015 Score ATS Results
CHI 63 Under: 147
NEW « 84 Cover: 14.5
Tools: Recaps

Aug 7, 2015 Score ATS Results
NEW « 77 Cover: 18.5
CHI 63 Under: 140
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Jun 30, 2015 Score ATS Results
NEW « 89 Cover: 13.5
CHI 81 Over: 170
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Jul 31, 2014 Score ATS Results
NEW 74 Over: 161
CHI « 87 Cover: 9.5
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Jun 27, 2014 Score ATS Results
CHI « 73 Cover: 2
NEW 69 Under: 142
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Jun 18, 2014 Score ATS Results
NEW 100 Over: 205
CHI « 105 Cover: 3.5
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May 17, 2014 Score ATS Results
CHI « 79 Cover: 19.5
NEW 65 Under: 144
Tools: Recaps

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Preview: Shock (15-14) at Storm (9-20)

Date: September 03, 2015 10:00 PM EDT

A long homestand has helped keep the Seattle Storm in the Western Conference playoff race.

The Storm look to cap the six-game KeyArena stretch with a season-high third straight win Thursday night against the surging Tulsa Shock.

Seattle (9-20) is 3-2 on the homestand and coming off Sunday's confidence-building 69-59 victory over East contender Washington. The Storm trailed by 10 midway through the third quarter before holding the Mystics scoreless for more than nine minutes during a 19-0 run.

"We got more aggressive," guard Jewell Loyd told the Storm's official website. "We made plays for each other and our defense was on point. We knew we had to step it up a notch, get in a good rhythm, defensive rhythm and that's what we did."

Loyd scored 18 points and set a club record by going 14 of 14 from the foul line.

The Storm trail Los Angeles by 2 1/2 games for the West's final postseason spot with five remaining and face a difficult stretch. After Thursday's visit from the playoff-bound Shock, Seattle travels to Chicago before a home-and-home series with West-leading Minnesota.

Seattle does have recent history on its side Thursday, as the home team has won the series' last eight meetings and the Shock are 2-10 at KeyArena since moving to Tulsa in 2010. The Storm avenged two previous losses to the Shock with a 74-69 home victory June 30, when Tulsa lost star guard Skylar Diggins to a season-ending ACL tear.

Diggins' injury triggered a 2-13 stretch that included a 10-game losing streak July 15-Aug. 4. The Shock (15-14) have since bounced back to win five straight and secured their first playoff berth since 2009 with Sunday's 76-70 victory over Indiana.

"It means a lot," coach Fred Williams said. "For the city of Tulsa, I told them we were going to do big things here and I thought this was one of the biggest days for our franchise and our organization here and for our fans. They deserve this."

Odyssey Sims scored a season-high 30 points and Karima Christmas added 18 to help Tulsa overcome a shin injury to Riquna Williams in the second quarter. Williams, who had 23 points June 30 and is averaging 15.6 this season, is uncertain for Thursday.

The Storm will play for a third straight game without center Ramu Tokashiki, currently competing for Japan in the FIBA Asia Championship. The rookie totaled 33 points on 16-of-25 shooting in the last two matchups with Tulsa.


WNBA HEAD TO HEAD

Jun 30, 2015 Score ATS Results
TUL 69 Under: 143
SEA « 74 Cover: 7.5
Tools: Recaps

Jun 28, 2015 Score ATS Results
SEA 89 Cover: 8
TUL « 93 Over: 182
Tools: Recaps

Jun 9, 2015 Score ATS Results
SEA 45 Under: 116
TUL « 71 Cover: 20
Tools: Recaps

Aug 10, 2014 Score ATS Results
TUL 68 Under: 142
SEA « 74 Cover: 2.5
Tools: Recaps

Jul 29, 2014 Score ATS Results
SEA 74 Over: 154
TUL « 80 Cover: 1.5
Tools: Recaps

Jun 15, 2014 Score ATS Results
SEA 79 Cover: 0.5
TUL « 85 Over: 164
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Jun 1, 2014 Score ATS Results
TUL 60 Cover: 1.5
SEA « 62 Under: 122
Tools: Recaps

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Preview: Mystics (16-13) at Sparks (12-18)

Date: September 03, 2015 10:30 PM EDT

Though both the Washington Mystics and Los Angeles Sparks are closing in on postseason berths, only one's playing like a playoff-caliber team.

The slumping Mystics continue what's been a difficult trip on Thursday night against a Sparks team rejuvenated by Candice Parker's return.

These teams have veered off in opposite directions over the past two weeks, with the Sparks winning four of five and the Mystics losing four of five. Despite those struggles, Washington (16-13) needs to win only one of its remaining five games to secure a playoff spot.

Poor shooting has plagued the Mystics, especially on this trip. After being held scoreless for over nine minutes in the second half of Sunday's 69-59 loss at Seattle, Washington shot 31.1 percent and managed seven points in the third quarter in Wednesday's 73-53 defeat to Phoenix.

Top scorers Ivory Latta and Stefanie Dolson have both been off during the trek. Latta is 7 of 21 since netting a season high-tying 24 points in Friday's home win over the Mercury, while Dolson has just nine points on 4 of 15 shooting in the two losses.

A back injury that will sideline point guard Kara Lawson for a fourth straight game also has compounded matters.

The Mystics had been 8-1 against the Western Conference prior to the recent losses. They had little trouble generating offense in an 84-80 win over Los Angeles on June 23, receiving 20 points each from Emma Meesseman and Tierra Ruffin-Pratt.

That loss was part of a 3-13 start that placed the Sparks (12-18) at the bottom of the Western Conference. They've gone 9-5 since Parker returned in late July to vault into fourth place, 2 1/2 games ahead of Seattle.

Parker is averaging 17.9 points and 10.1 rebounds and Jantel Lavender is averaging 17.2 during the 4-1 stretch, highlighted by a season-high 24 in Sunday's 60-52 win over San Antonio.

The Sparks are just 3-7 against the East and have lost three straight to Washington, which swept last year's series by following a triple-overtime win with a 79-75 decision at the Staples Center in July.


WNBA HEAD TO HEAD

Jun 23, 2015 Score ATS Results
LOS 80 Cover: 7
WAS « 84 Over: 164
Tools: Recaps

Jul 17, 2014 Score ATS Results
WAS « 79 Cover: 11.5
LOS 75 Under: 154
Tools: Recaps

Jun 1, 2014 Score ATS Results
LOS 84 Over: 176
WAS « 92 Cover: 13
Tools: Recaps

[StarDust Bum]

Standings

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Team Win Loss Percent GB Home Away Conf. Last 10 Streak

New York Liberty 21 8 0.724 0 11-3 10-5 12-6 8-2 W-3

Chicago Sky 18 12 0.600 3 11-4 7-8 13-7 6-4 L-1

Indiana Fever 18 12 0.600 3 10-6 8-6 11-8 7-3 W-1

Washington Mystics 16 13 0.552 5 10-5 6-8 8-10 4-6 L-2

Connecticut Sun 13 18 0.419 9 7-9 6-9 5-15 2-8 L-1

Atlanta Dream 12 18 0.400 9 7-7 5-11 8-11 5-5 L-2


WESTERN CONFERENCE

Team Win Loss Percent GB Home Away Conf. Last 10 Streak

Minnesota Lynx 20 10 0.667 0 11-3 9-7 15-5 5-5 W-1

Phoenix Mercury 18 13 0.581 2 12-4 6-9 13-6 4-6 W-1

Tulsa Shock 15 14 0.517 4 10-5 5-9 8-10 5-5 W-5

Los Angeles Sparks 12 18 0.400 8 7-8 5-10 9-11 6-4 W-1

Seattle Storm 9 20 0.310 10 7-7 2-13 7-11 4-6 W-2

San Antonio Stars 7 23 0.233 13 7-8 0-15 5-14 1-9 L-7


Updated Thu Sep 3 10:37 AM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

ACC Report - Week 1

September 3, 2015

2014 ACC STANDINGS

Team SU Conference ATS Over/Under

Boston College 7-6 4-4 8-5 5-7-1

Clemson 10-3 6-2 6-7 4-9

Duke 9-4 5-3 8-4-1 4-8

Florida State 13-1 8-0 3-11 6-8

Georgia Tech 11-3 6-2 10-4 8-6

Louisville 9-4 5-3 7-6 5-7-1

Miami (Fla.) 6-7 3-5 5-8 4-9

North Carolina 6-7 4-4 5-8 5-7

North Carolina State 8-5 3-5 8-5 6-6-1

Pittsburgh 6-7 4-4 5-7-1 7-5-1

Syracuse 3-9 1-7 4-8 2-9-1

Virginia 5-7 3-5 7-4-1 4-8

Virginia Tech 7-6 3-5 6-7 5-7

Wake Forest 3-9 1-7 4-8 2-9-1

North Carolina at South Carolina (in Charlotte) (Thursday - ESPN, 6:00 p.m. ET)

The wait is over, and the battle of the Carolinas will take place at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte early Thursday night. South Carolina has had a little more success in recent seasons, but they have a bunch of relative unknowns heading into the 2015 season. In fact, on offense the 'Cocks are returning a total of just four starters, while eight starters are back on defense. It will be interesting to see if South Carolina's unproven offensive attack can take advantage of a North Carolina defense which was putrid in 2014. The Tar Heels have all of the key components on offense back for another turn, including QB Marquise Williams and WRs Quinshad Davis and Ryan Switzer. UNC is 1-4 ATS in their past five non-conference games, while South Carolina is 5-1 ATS in their past six against ACC foes.

Duke at Tulane (Thursday - CBS Sports Network, 9:30 p.m. ET)

Duke rolls into this season looking for its third straight trip to a bowl game. It will be interesting to see if the Blue Devils can reload, something that seemed unthinkable just a few seasons ago. QB Thomas Sirk takes over under center full-time. In a part-time roll, he shined, including 94 rushing yards and a touchdown in last season's win over Tulane. For the Green Wave, they have plenty of offensive talent returning, including Rob Kelley who missed the 2014 season due to suspension. Duke enters this game with 10 straight victories against non-conference opponents, including a 47-13 win Sept. 20, 2014 at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham. The Blue Devils are 5-1-1 ATS in their past seven non-conference games, and 19-7-1 ATS in their past 27 overall. Tulane is 11-5 ATS in the past 16 at home, although they're 0-4 ATS in their past four against ACC teams and 3-8 ATS in their past 11 in the month of September.

Virginia at UCLA (FOX, 3:30p.m. ET)

UVA heads out for the coast looking to take down UCLA and repay them for a home loss at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville last fall. This Bruins team has a much different makeup, including under center, where true freshman Josh Rosen starts at quarterback, replacing the departed Brett Hundley. Virginia also lost its top two rushers, but top-flight recruit Taquan Mizzell takes over and will get first crack. Dependable QB Matt Johns is back and looking to get the Cavaliers over the hump. He performed well in a 28-20 loss to the Bruins Aug. 30, 2014. UVA is 4-0 ATS in their past four non-conference games, and the over is 6-1 in their past seven against non-conference foes. The under went 4-1-1 in six home games for UCLA last season.

Louisville vs. Auburn (in Atlanta) (CBS, 3:30 p.m. ET)

The Cardinals and Tigers do battle in Georgia, and it will likely be a pro-Auburn crowd. That will help spur on QB Jeremy Johnson, who takes over under center with QB Nick Marshall having moved on. While Auburn has a fairly green QB going, that's nothing compared to Louisville, which lists four potential starters for Saturday. It's a bit of gamesmanship from head coach Bobby Petrino, who has already settled on a starter. Will Gardner and Reggie Bonnafon have the most experience at QB for the Cards. Auburn has several new starters on offense, including RB Roc Thomas, and two fullbacks who have zero games experience. It could mean a fairly sloppy start for both sides, making the total difficult to forecast. Struggling offenses could mean few points, but costly turnovers could mean plenty of points.

Ohio State at Virginia Tech (Monday - ESPN, 8:00 p.m.)

The defending champion Ohio State Buckeyes roll into Blacksburg looking to avenge its only loss of the season, a stunning early-season 35-21 home loss to Virginia Tech Sept. 6, 2014. The Buckeyes were obviously a much more complete team down the stretch and into the four-team playoff than that early-September club. RB Ezekiel Elliott was a stud, and is a Heisman Trophy candidate, while former QB Braxton Miller looks to shore up an inexperienced wide receiver corps. The quarterbacks Cardale Jones and J.T. Barrett are both back and likely to each see action against the Hokies. The defending champs are a two-touchdown favorite. Ohio State is 36-15-1 ATS in their past 52 road games, while the Va. Tech is 5-13-2 ATS in their past 20 non-conference games and 2-5 ATS in their past seven in Blacksburg. The over was the dominant trend down the stretch for both sides, going 21-6 in the past 27 for Ohio State and 5-1 in Va. Tech's past six non-conference games.

Other ACC teams in action

Elon at Wake Forest (THU - ESPN3, 7:00 p.m.)

Alcorn State at Georgia Tech (THU - ESPN3, 7:30 p.m.)

Rhode Island at Syracuse (FRI - ESPN3, 7:00 p.m.)

Wofford at Clemson (SAT - ESPN3, 12:30 p.m.)

Maine at Boston College (SAT - ESPN3, 1:00 p.m.)

Youngstown State at Pitt (SAT - ESPN3, 1:00 p.m.)

Bethune-Cookman at Miami (SAT - ESPN3, 6:00 p.m.)

Troy at North Carolina State (SAT - ESPN3, 6:00 p.m.)

Texas State at Florida State (SAT - ESPNews, 8:00 p.m.)

[StarDust Bum]

Ohio State-Virginia Tech matchup highlights ACC's Week 1

September 3, 2015

A look at things to watch in the Atlantic Coast Conference for the opening week of the season:

GAME OF THE WEEK:

No. 1 Ohio State at Virginia Tech. This marks the first time the reigning national champion opens on the road since USC visited Hawaii to open the 2005 season and only the third time in 20 seasons, according to STATS. Throw in the fact that the Hokies handed the Buckeyes their only loss last season - a curious result since Virginia Tech finished 7-6 - and this Labor Day tilt has plenty of national interest. ''The whole country will be watching,'' Hokies coach Frank Beamer said. ''People will have an opinion of Virginia Tech after that game, so we're going to determine whether it's a good opinion or not.''

BEST MATCHUP:

Louisville's defense vs. No. 6 Auburn's ground game. The Cardinals' defense, which lost half its starters, must try to slow the Southeastern Conference favorite in Atlanta on Saturday. Louisville had the nation's No. 6 total defense last year (309.5 yards), while the Tigers must replace SEC top rusher Cameron Artis-Payne in a ground attack that ranked 13th nationally.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

ACC player of the year James Conner is back at Pittsburgh and ready to put up more impressive numbers. The junior ranked among the nation's rushing leaders with 1,765 yards and an ACC-record 26 touchdowns. He enters Saturday's game against Youngstown State already ranked 10th in program history in rushing yards (2,564).

LONG SHOT:

Virginia travels to No. 13 UCLA on Saturday as a roughly 20-point underdog. The Cavaliers can at least take some hope from last year's season-opening meeting. Virginia hung around with then-No. 7 UCLA at home before falling 28-20. The trick now is trying to play tough again after traveling to the West Coast.

PLAYER TO WATCH:

North Carolina State's Matt Dayes. With top rusher Shadrach Thornton suspended for two games, the junior running back will start Saturday against Troy. He's in an offense that averaged 204.5 yards rushing last year in the program's best total since 1992. Dayes thrived once before when Thornton was suspended in 2013, running for 84 yards and three touchdowns in his college debut against Louisiana Tech.

[StarDust Bum]

Saturday's Top Action

September 3, 2015


LOUISVILLE CARDINALS (0-0) vs. AUBURN TIGERS (0-0)
Georgia Dome - Atlanta, GA
Kickoff: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: Auburn -10.5, Total: 56

No. 6 Auburn looks to kick off its season on the right foot when it travels to Atlanta Saturday to face Louisville.

The Cardinals have piled up 32 wins over the past three seasons, going 9-4 SU (7-6 ATS) last year. They have also been a great bet away from home this decade at 23-9 ATS (72%) since the 2010 season. Head coach Bobby Petrino has yet to name a starter between junior QB Will Gardner and sophomore QB Reggie Bonnafon, but what is known for Louisville is that RB Brandon Radcliff will be the focal point of the offense. The Tigers followed up their national championship appearance in 2013 with five straight wins to begin the 2014 campaign. But the team was only 3-5 SU (1-7 ATS) after that quick start to finish with just eight wins.

Do-it-all QB Nick Marshall is gone, but the Auburn coaches know that QB Jeremy Johnson is a better pure passer and should keep the passing attack lethal. Bettors should note that excellent rushing teams (5.25+ yards per carry last year) are 40-14 ATS (74%) over the past 10 seasons when favored between 10.5 and 21 points, which obviously favors Auburn. But if Louisville's offense can put up 28 points against a rebuilt defense, the team is 98-47 ATS (68%) when scoring 28 in a game since 1992. With Tigers star WR D'haquille Williams (ankle) upgraded to probable, both programs have relatively healthy rosters to begin the season.

Whoever is eventually named the starter between QB Will Gardner (1,669 pass yds, 7.6 YPA, 12 TD, 3 INT) and QB Reggie Bonnafon (864 pass yds, 7.2 YPA, 5 TD, 4 INT) will not have much experience to work with, as five of the top six receivers from last year are gone. The best remaining options are junior WR James Quick (566 rec yds, 3 TD) and UAB transfer WR Jamari Staples (648 rec yds, 5 TD in two seasons). Junior RB Brandon Radcliff (737 rush yds, 5.1 YPC, 12 rush TD) is the clear focal point of the offense and he should greatly improve the team's subpar 143 rushing YPG (92nd in nation) on 3.6 yards per carry from a year ago.

The defense departed with seven starters, but returning DE Sheldon Rankins (9 sacks, 54 tackles, 14.5 TFL) is a monster up front, and a pair of sure tacklers remain with ILBs Keith Kelsey (87 tackles) and James Burgess (71 tackles). The team's biggest question mark is in the secondary that lost all four starters on a unit that led the nation with 26 interceptions, including 14 by Gerod Hollimon. Louisville hopes Georgia transfer S Josh Harvey-Clemons (65 tackles, 3 FR in 2013) is even better than advertised.

Nick Marshall left this Auburn offense that averaged 35.5 PPG (25th in nation) and 485 total YPG (16th in FBS), but QB Jeremy Johnson (858 pass yds, 9 TD, 2 INT career) is a better passer than Marshall in the spread offense. He stands tall at 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds, and has been extremely accurate in his collegiate career with a 73% completion rate. Auburn's ground game chewed up 256 YPG (13th in nation) last year, but lost its top three rushers. Expect a committee approach with sophomore RB Roc Thomas (214 rush yds, 5.0 YPC, 2 TD) as the most experienced back on the roster.

The below-average defense (399 YPG allowed, 64th in nation) brought in new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp and provided him with eight returning starters to work with. That includes talented DT Montravius Adams (43 tackles, 8 TFL), tackling machine LB Cassanova McKinzy (91 tackles, 11 TFL) and star CB Jonathan Jones (6 INT).Muschamp's biggest worry is a thin pass rush that recorded only 1.62 sacks per game in 2014 (95th in FBS).

ARIZONA STATE SUN DEVILS (0-0) vs. TEXAS A&M AGGIES (0-0)
NRG Stadium - Houston, TX
Kickoff: Saturday, 7:00 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: Texas A&M -3, Total: 67

No. 15 Arizona State opens the 2015 campaign on Saturday night in Houston with a tough test versus a Texas A&M team that will have plenty of fans in the seats.

The Sun Devils won 10 games for the second consecutive year, going 10-3 SU (6-7 ATS) and rolling up 41.0 PPG in the final three contests. Although top QB Taylor Kelly and No. 1 WR Jaelen Strong are both gone, Arizona State does return 16 starters to help with the maturation of strong-armed senior QB Mike Bercovici. With Houston being a short two-hour drive from College Station, this is a virtual home game for Texas A&M, but the Sun Devils were 5-2 SU (3-4) ATS in non-road games last year.

The Aggies posted their fifth straight winning season in 2014, going 8-5 SU (5-8 ATS), but they closed the campaign with five losses in the final eight games, losing those five contests by an average of 20.8 PPG. The Texas A&M defense surrendered 517 total YPG in its final three games. Sophomore QB Kyle Allen beat out highly-recruited freshman Kyler Murray for the much-publicized starting job. Allen will be asked to throw early and often in a pass-heavy offense that rolled up 37.4 PPG and 507 total YPG in non-home games last season, going 5-2 SU (4-3 ATS).

While the Aggies are virtually injury-free, the Sun Devils are riddled with ailments, especially among pass catchers, as WR Cameron Smith (knee) is out, WR Jalen Harvey (collarbone) is doubtful and TE Grant Martinez (ankle) is questionable for Saturday. LB Laiu Moeakiola (foot) and OL Sam Jones (knee) are also questionable to suit up for Arizona State.

ASU's stacked backfield will allow former RB D.J. Foster (1,081 rush yds, 9 TD; 688 rec yds, 3 TD) to now wreak havoc as a slot receiver catching passes from senior QB Mike Bercovici (1,445 pass yds, 7.8 YPA, 12 TD, 4 INT). Bercovici will also rely heavily on seldom-used WRs Gary Chambers (204 rec yds, 2 TD) and Fred Gammage (127 rec yds, 1 TD). The ground game expects to improve its middling 169 rushing YPG (56th in nation) from a year ago, as sophomore RB Demario Richard (478 rush yds, 5.7 YPC, 4 TD) has a punishing running style. Foster will still take some handoffs as a change of pace.

ASU lost its two best defensive players (DE Marcus Hardison and S Damarious Randall) from a unit that surrendered 27.9 PPG (74th in FBS) and 417 total YPG (81st in nation). However, the cupboard is not bare with returning LBs Antonio Longino (94 tackles, 5.5 TFL) and Salamo Fiso (83 tackles, 11 TFL), as well as CBs Kweishi Brown (3 INT, 9 PD, 46 tackles) and Lloyd Carrington (6 PD, 58 tackles).

Texas A&M QB Kyle Allen (1,322 pass yds, 6.9 YPA, 16 TD, 7 INT) played very well as a freshman, and will continue his progression by targeting top WR Josh Reynolds (842 rec yds, 16.2 avg, 13 TD), as well as sophomore WR Speedy Noil (583 rec yds, 5 TD) and junior WR Ricky Seals-Jones (465 rec yds, 4 TD). The ground game was subpar last season with 150 YPG (82nd in nation), and was a big reason the team held the football for a mere 26:15 (4th-fewest in FBS). Senior RB Tra Carson (581 rush yds, 4.7 YPC, 5 TD) is the lead back with his 235-pound frame, and explosive sophomore RB James White (7.0 YPC) complements him nicely.

New defensive coordinator John Chavis, who comes from LSU, inherits a unit with plenty of upside, but they have to make more plays after a season of only 13 takeaways (119th in FBS). The lack of turnovers allowed teams to run up 451 total YPG (102nd in nation), including 216 YPG (109th in FBS) on the ground. DT Alonzo Williams (57 tackles, 5.5 TFL) and LB Shaan Washington (64 tackles) are the leaders in the front seven. They will do their best to help a poor passing defense that recorded only five interceptions (119th FBS) and surrendered 235 YPG (80th in nation) last season.

WISCONSIN BADGERS (0-0) vs. ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE (0-0)
AT&T Stadium - Arlington, TX
Kickoff: Saturday, 8:00 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: Alabama -10, Total: 53.5

A pair of top-20 programs open their 2015 season on Saturday night when No. 20 Wisconsin and No. 3 Alabama collide in Arlington, TX.

The Badgers are coming off their third 11-win season in the past five years, going 11-3 SU, but only 6-8 ATS. While they return 13 starters for new head coach Paul Chryst, only five are on an offense that no longer has RB Melvin Gordon. He was a big reason why the team ran for 320 yards per game (3rd in nation), but backup RB Corey Clement was just 51 yards shy of the century mark last year. Wisconsin was a respectable 4-3 SU (3-4 ATS) in road/neutral games last year, but averaged only 24.1 PPG away from Camp Randall.

The Crimson Tide were 12-2 SU last year, but fell short of their national championship quest and posted a weak 5-8-1 ATS mark, including 2-5 ATS in non-home games. Seven offensive starters from last year are gone, including the top three players in WR Amari Cooper, RB T.J. Yeldon and QB Blake Sims. New QB Jacob Coker, a Florida State transfer, still has plenty of depth to work with though. He'll also be helped out by Alabama's elite defense (18.4 PPG, 6th in nation) providing great field position for this offense.

There are no recent meetings between these schools and no significant injuries for either program as well. Although the Tide are a dismal 4-10 ATS in non-conference games in the past three seasons, their head coach Nick Saban is 113-83 ATS when playing on a Saturday as a college head coach.

New head coach Paul Chryst is not expected to hand the ball off 647 times like the Badgers did last year (13th-most in FBS), but he inherits a team that led the nation with 6.9 yards per carry. Junior RB Corey Clement (949 rush yds, 9 TD) rumbled for 6.5 YPC and ran for at least 100 yards in four of seven games in which he had 10+ carries. Chryst wants more balance this year, and new offensive coordinator Joe Rudolph -- formerly the Pittsburgh OC -- will implore senior QB Joel Stave (1,350 pass yds, 6.6 YPA, 9 TD, 10 INT) to not force the issue. The 6-foot-5 Stave tossed six interceptions in his final two games, the first of which was a 59-0 humiliating loss to Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship game. WR Alex Erickson (772 rec yds, 3 TD) is the clear No. 1 receiver, but will need help from another wideout or two to keep the double teams away.

The Wisconsin defense was outstanding last year in allowing just 294 total YPG (4th in FBS) and 20.8 PPG (17th in nation). The unit should remain top-notch with eight returning starters that include LB Vince Biegel (7.5 sacks, 16.5 TFL, 56 tackles, 2 FF), LB Joe Schobert (3 sacks, 13.5 TFL, 69 tackles) and S Michael Caputo (106 tackles, 6 PBU). The defensive line is the weak spot of the team, but big things are expected out of DE Chikwe Obasih (1.5 sacks) in his sophomore season.

Even without superstar WR Amari Cooper, senior QB Jake Coker (403 pass yds, 6.8 YPA, 4 TD, 0 INT) should be able to keep the Alabama passing offense just as potent as it was last year (278 YPG, 28th in FBS). Coker will get plenty of protection from an elite offensive line to throw to green-but-talented sophomore WRs ArDarius Stewart (149 rec yds) and Robert Foster (44 rec yds), as well as five-star freshman recruit Calvin Ridley. The Crimson Tide didn't run the ball as well as they would have liked last year (207 YPG, 35th in FBS), but RB Derrick Henry (990 rush yds, 5.8 YPC, 11 TD) is a 6-foot-3, 240-pound mountain of a man that will make this offense thrive as the lead back.

The nation's 12th-ranked defense returns seven starters, including superstars NT A’Shawn Robinson (49 tackles, 11 TFL) and ILB Reggie Ragland (95 tackles, 10.5 TFL) up front. The secondary underachieved last year in allowing 226 passing YPG (58th in FBS), but the unit has great depth at the cornerback position, including playmaking CB Eddie Jackson (6 PBU, 2 FF), who can also play safety.

[StarDust Bum]

Coach Ferentz overhauls Hawkeyes

September 2, 2015

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) It all seemed so very unlike Kirk Ferentz.

There was the 60-year-old Iowa coach, whose approach to football has often been mocked for being too old-fashioned, teasing new ''blackout'' uniforms in front of his Hawkeyes as a song by rapper Rick Ross played in the background.

A fashion show during fall camp?

That would seem to be the last thing the Ferentz of old would ever allow.

''We had some sharp young guys think about some stuff and come up with some ideas and did a little unveiling with our players. It was well-received,'' Ferentz said.

Ferentz couldn't help himself from chuckling that he found it ''amazing'' that anyone would be so interested in new uniforms. Still, it was a sign that Ferentz is trying to adapt to changing times after winning just 34 games in the last five seasons.

''It's a new era, right? New millennium and all that stuff,'' said Ferentz, who will open his 17th season at Iowa on Saturday against Illinois State.

And instead of the new coach many fans were hoping for, Iowa has apparently gotten a new Ferentz.

Ferentz, the nation's second-longest tenured coach, has spent the last eight months overhauling the program. It began in January, when Ferentz seemingly acceded to the howls of a frustrated fan base by elevating backup quarterback C.J. Beathard over two-year starter Jake Rudock.

The move came just a week after Tennessee blew Iowa out in a bowl game and was announced in a depth chart released to the media, a first for Ferentz for that time of year.

It was costly, too. Rudock responded by transferring to Michigan.

It was around that time that players and staff members finally moved into the Hansen Football Performance Center, a 76,000-square foot building that, paired with a new indoor field, is as modern as any football facility in the country.

Ferentz and his staff took advantage of the new digs by snagging way more early commitments than they have in the past. The Hawkeyes currently have their best-ranked recruiting class in about a decade as a result.

Ferentz, who visited with a number of schools in the offseason for new ideas, also switched Iowa's practices from the afternoon to the morning. The move has been met with wide approval by the players, who've said they've felt fresher as a result of the switch.

''You're always looking to get better and always looking for better ways to do things. The world of recruiting has changed dramatically. I think we've picked up the pace a little bit. You have to because it's a national trend, and then this facility has made a big difference,'' Ferentz said.

But it's not as though Ferentz has made all these changes in a vacuum.

Unlike contemporaries like Oklahoma's Bob Stoops and Georgia's Mark Richt, Ferentz doesn't have a ranked team that appears poised to compete for a playoff spot.

Ticket sales have also plummeted in recent years for the Hawkeyes. After years of sellouts, they could have as many as 12,000 empty seats for Saturday's opener.

And even though the $13 million buyout Ferentz would be owed if Iowa fired him before the season starts apparently makes him safe, change could be on the horizon for the entire athletic department.

Longtime university President Sally Mason retired on Aug. 1 - coincidentally the day Ferentz turned 60. Her replacement could be named as early as this week.

Whoever takes over will surely take a long look at the athletic department and director Gary Barta, who's come under heavy criticism of late.

An internal e-mail from head track coach Layne Anderson obtained by The Associated Press alleges that athletic department administrators ordered a female to be hired over male candidates for an assistant coaching job regardless of qualifications. The Education Department is also investigating gender bias complaints against Barta over his firing of field hockey coach Tracey Griesbaum and other female head coaches.

But Barta's decision in 2010 to sign Ferentz to what amounted to a lifetime contract - highlighted by that Ferentz-friendly buyout - has been the move that fans have been harping on as Iowa's fortunes took a downturn.

So even though alternate uniforms, fancy facilities and more aggressive recruiting have been trends for years around the country, it's symbolic that Ferentz and the Hawkeyes have joined in.

The game has undergone a revolution since Ferentz took over in 1999, and he finally appears ready to accept it.

''He knows that we have to adapt to the current situation,'' Iowa running back LeShun Daniels Jr. said. ''I never thought we'd do blackout uniforms and stuff like that. I guess he's sort of changing in his ways.''

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAF

Short Sheet

Week 1


Thursday, September 3

South Carolina vs North Carolina, 6:00 PM EST
S. Carolina: 7-0 UNDER in road games when playing on a Thursday
North Carolina: 1-9 ATS in the first half of the season

Florida International at UCF, 6:00 EST
FLA International: 1-9 ATS when they gain less than 250 total yards
UCF: 9-0 ATS when they allow less than 250 total yards

Oklahoma St. at Central Michigan, 7:00 EST
Oklahoma St: 70-19 OVER when they allow 28 or more points
Central Michigan: 18-34 ATS when they commit 2 turnovers

Michigan at Utah, 8:30 EST
Michigan: 21-8 OVER when they rush for 4 to 4.5 yards per attempt
Utah: 3-0 ATS versus MICHIGAN since 1992

TCU at Minnesota, 9:00 EST
TCU: 11-2 ATS when they score 28 or more points
Minnesota: 4-15 ATS when they're outgained by opponents by 1.5 to 2 yards/play

Duke at Tulane, 9:30 EST
Duke: 20-7 ATS in all games
Tulane: 1-9 ATS against ACC opponents

Ohio U. at Idaho, 9:00 EST
Ohio U: 11-1 UNDER in the first half of the season
Idaho: 24-48 ATS in home games

UTSA at Arizona, 10:00 EST
UTSA: 17-6 UNDER in games played on turf
Arizona: 49-82 ATS as a favorite

Colorado at Hawaii, 11:59 EST
Colorado: 54-79 ATS in the first half of the season
Hawaii: 19-8 ATS in the first two weeks of the season

Western Kentucky at Vanderbilt, 8:00 EST
W. Kentucky: 6-0 OVER in the first month of the season
Vanderbilt: 28-14 UNDER in September games


Friday, September 4

Baylor at SMU, 7:00 EST
Baylor: 6-0 ATS in the first month of the season
SMU: 0-8 ATS in non-conference games

Charlotte at Georgia ST, 3:30 EST
Charlotte: N/A
Georgia ST: 6-0 OVER in home games in the first half of the season

Michigan ST at Western Kentucky, 7:00 EST
Michigan ST: 18-8 ATS in all games
Western Kentucky: 6-17 ATS as a home underdog

Kent State at Illinois, 9:00 EST
Kent State: 3-0 ATS as an underdog of 10.5 to 21 points last 3 seasons
Illinois: 2-7 ATS vs Mac opponents

Washington at Boise ST, 10:15 EST
Washington: 9-2 UNDER in games played on turf
Boise ST: 99-67 ATS as a favorite


Saturday September 5

Old Dominion at Eastern Michigan, 3:00 EST
Old Dominion: 8-1 OVER in road games
E. Michigan: 13-26 ATS as an underdog of 3.5 to 10 points

New Mexico ST at Florida, 7:30 EST
New Mexico ST: 82-111 ATS in all lined games
Florida: 7-3 OVER as a home favorite

Penn State at Temple, 3:30 EST
Penn ST: 0-6 ATS as a favorite of 3.5 to 10 points
Temple: 9-1 ATS when the total is 42 or less

Florida Atlantic at Tulsa, 3:30 EST
Florida Atlantic: 11-3 ATS as an underdog
Tulsa: 0-8 ATS in non-conference games

Virginia at UCLA, 3:30 EST
Virginia: 2-5 when the total is between 49.5 and 56
UCLA: 50-31 ATS in September games

Stanford at Northwestern, 12:00 EST
Stanford: 3-1 as a favorite of 10.5 to 21 points
Northwestern: 3-11 ATS in home lined games

Louisville vs Auburn, 3:30 EST
Louisville: 17-7 UNDER in all games
Auburn: 10-2 UNDER against ACC opponents

Arizona ST vs Texas A&M, 7:00 EST
Arizona ST: 134-128 ATS in all lined games
Texas A&M: 16-33 ATS (-20.3 Units) in road games in the first half of the season

BYU at Nebraska, 3:30 EST
BYU: 8-19 ATS when the total is greater than or equal to 63
Nebraska: 9-2 OVER in all games over

Troy at NC State, 6:00 EST
Troy: 11-13 ATS in all lined games
NC State: 45-26 UNDER as a favorite

UNLV at Northern Illinois, 7:30 EST
UNLV: 12-25 ATS in road games in non-conference games
Northern Illinois: 78-55 UNDER in all lined games

Akron at Oklahoma, 7:00 EST
Akron: 6-0 UNDER as a road underdog
Oklahoma: 12-10 ATS as a favorite of 31 or more points

Bowling Green vs Tennessee, 4:00 EST
Bowling Green: 18-8 ATS as an underdog of 10.5 to 21 points
Tennessee: 29-39 ATS as a favorite of 10.5 to 21 points

LA Monroe at Georgia, 12:00 EST
LA Monroe: 12-27 ATS as a road underdog of 21.5 or more points
Georgia: 9-1 OVER as a favorite of 31 or more points

LA Lafayette at Kentucky, 7:00 EST
LA Lafayette: 35-18 OVER (+15.2 Units) in the first half of the season
Kentucky: 5-1 OVER as a home favorite

Utep at Arkansas, 3:30 EST
UTEP: 4-13 ATS as an underdog
Arkansas: 9-2 ATS when playing on a Saturday

Georgia Southern at West Virginia, 7:30 EST
Georgia Southern: 6-1 ATS as a road underdog
West Virginia: 1-5 ATS as a road favorite

Texas at Notre Dame, 7:30 EST
Texas: 10-2 UNDER as an underdog
Notre Dame: 46-68 ATS as a home favorite

Texas ST vs Florida State, 8:00 EST
Texas ST: 6-0 ATS in road lined games
Florida State: 3-11 ATS in all lined games

Wisconsin vs Alabama, 8:00 EST
Wisconsin: 75-57 ATS in the first half of the season
Alabama: 22-26 ATS when the total is between 49.5 and 56

Mississippi ST at Southern Miss
Mississippi ST: 13-8 ATS in games played on turf
Southern Miss: 4-13 ATS in home games in games played on turf

Arkansas ST at USC, 11:00 EST
Arkansas ST: 90-79 ATS when playing on a Saturday
USC: 61-69 ATS in the first half of the season


Sunday September 6

Purdue at Marshall, 3:00 EST
Purdue: 21-29 ATS as an underdog of 3.5 to 10 points
Marshall: 5-1 OVER when the total is between 56.5 and 63


Monday September 7

Ohio State at Virginia Tech, 8:00 EST
Ohio State: 12-3 OVER in all lined games
Virginia Tech: 10-2 ATS as a home underdog

[StarDust Bum]

CFL
Dunkel

Week 11

BC Lions @ Montreal

Game 291-292
September 3, 2015 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
BC Lions
106.988
Montreal
121.378
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Montreal
by 14 1/2
53
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Montreal
by 5
47
Dunkel Pick:
Montreal
(-5); Over

Winnipeg @ Saskatchewan

Game 293-294
September 6, 2015 @ 4:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Winnipeg
102.428
Saskatchewan
111.040
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Saskatchewan
by 8 1/2
46
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Saskatchewan
by 3 1/2
52
Dunkel Pick:
Saskatchewan
(-3 1/2); Under

Toronto @ Hamilton

Game 295-296
September 7, 2015 @ 1:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Toronto
116.873
Hamilton
121.364
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Hamilton
by 4 1/2
50
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Hamilton
by 7 1/2
54 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Toronto
(+7 1/2); Under

Edmonton @ Calgary

Game 297-298
September 7, 2015 @ 4:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Edmonton
120.959
Calgary
117.320
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Edmonton
by 3 1/2
53
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Calgary
by 5 1/2
49 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Edmonton
(+5 1/2); Over

[StarDust Bum]

CFL
Long Sheet

Thursday, September 3

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BRITISH COLUMBIA (3 - 5) at MONTREAL (4 - 5) - 9/3/2015, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 51-27 ATS (+21.3 Units) as an underdog of 3.5 to 9.5 points since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 34-18 ATS (+14.2 Units) as a road underdog of 3.5 to 7 points since 1996.
MONTREAL is 49-79 ATS (-37.9 Units) after 2 or more consecutive straight up wins since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
MONTREAL is 4-2 against the spread versus BRITISH COLUMBIA over the last 3 seasons
MONTREAL is 4-2 straight up against BRITISH COLUMBIA over the last 3 seasons
4 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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Sunday, September 6

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WINNIPEG (3 - 6) at SASKATCHEWAN (0 - 9) - 9/6/2015, 4:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WINNIPEG is 11-26 ATS (-17.6 Units) in road games in September games since 1996.
WINNIPEG is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) in weeks 10 through 15 over the last 3 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 30-15 ATS (+13.5 Units) in home games in September games since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 107-74 ATS (+25.6 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 9-18 ATS (-10.8 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 9-18 ATS (-10.8 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) when playing with 6 or less days rest over the last 2 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 9-18 ATS (-10.8 Units) in games played on turf over the last 2 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 0-7 ATS (-7.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record after 9 or more games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SASKATCHEWAN is 3-3 against the spread versus WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
SASKATCHEWAN is 4-2 straight up against WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
4 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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Monday, September 7

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TORONTO (6 - 3) at HAMILTON (6 - 3) - 9/7/2015, 1:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) in road games in September games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
HAMILTON is 6-2 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
HAMILTON is 5-3 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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EDMONTON (6 - 3) at CALGARY (7 - 2) - 9/7/2015, 4:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
EDMONTON is 18-9 ATS (+8.1 Units) in games played on turf over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CALGARY is 6-1 against the spread versus EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY is 7-0 straight up against EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons