Friday Trends and Indexes 03/14

[Udog]

NHL
Dunkel


The Hurricanes look to extend their five-game winning streak against a Buffalo team that has dropped four straight. Carolina is the underdog pick (+105) according to Dunkel, which has the Hurricanes favored straight up by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Carolina (+105). Here are all of today's games.

FRIDAY, MARCH 14

Game 1-2: Chicago at Columbus
Dunkel Ratings: Chicago 11.588; Columbus 11.077
Dunkel Line & Total: Chicago by 1/2; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Columbus (-140); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Chicago (+120); Over


Game 3-4: Atlanta at Washington
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta 10.260; Washington 11.961
Dunkel Line & Total: Washington by 1 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Washington (-230); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Washington (-230); Over


Game 5-6: NY Rangers at Florida
Dunkel Ratings: NY Rangers 11.989; Florida 11.264
Dunkel Line & Total: NY Rangers by 1; 5
Vegas Line & Total: NY Rangers (-125); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Rangers (-125); Under


Game 7-8: Carolina at Buffalo
Dunkel Ratings: Carolina 12.211; Buffalo 10.702
Dunkel Line & Total: Carolina by 1 1/2; 5 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Buffalo (-125); 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Carolina (+105); Under


Game 9-10: St. Louis at San Jose
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis 10.334; San Jose 12.268
Dunkel Line & Total: San Jose by 2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: San Jose (-230); 5
Dunkel Pick: San Jose (-230); Over

[Udog]

NHL
Short Sheet


Friday, March 14th

Chicago at Columbus, 7:05 ET
Chicago: 73-95 SU in a road game where where the total is 5.5
Columbus: 12-16 SU as a favorite

Atlanta at Washington, 7:05 ET
Atlanta: 12-5 SU off a home win
Washington: 5-19 SU on Friday nights

NY Rangers at Florida, 7:35 ET
NY Rangers: 10-4 SU in road games off a road win by 1
Florida: 0-6 SU after allowing 2 goals or less in 5 straight

Carolina at Buffalo, 7:35 ET
Carolina: 23-18 SU as a road underdog of +100 to +150
Buffalo: 1-6 SU in home games after allowing 5 goals or more

St Louis at San Jose, 10:35 ET
St Louis: 0-9 SU after allowing 4 goals or more 2 straight games
San Jose: 6-0 SU in March games

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

[pm530]

College Basketball – Short Sheet

NCAAB
Short Sheet

Complete

Friday, March 14th

ACC Tournament
Quarterfinals
Charlotte, NC

Florida State vs. North Carolina, 12:00 ET ESPN2
Florida State: 3-12 ATS off BB ATS wins
North Carolina: 18-8 ATS as favorite

Miami Florida vs. Virginia Tech, 2:20 ET ESPN2
Miami Florida: 15-7 ATS this season
Virginia Tech: 2-10 ATS when the line is +3 to -3

Georgia Tech vs. Duke, 7:00 ET ESPN2
Georgia Tech: 8-2 Over playing with revenge
Duke: 2-18 ATS on Friday Nights

Boston College vs. Clemson, 9:20 ET ESPN2
Boston College: 1-6 ATS revenging a road loss
Clemson: 5-0 ATS vs. Boston College

Big Ten Tournament
Quarterfinals
Indianapolis, IN

Michigan vs. Wisconsin, 12:00 ET ESPN
Michigan: 12-22 ATS as an underdog
Wisconsin: 11-3 Under as DD favorite

Ohio State vs. Michigan State, 2:30 ET ESPN
Ohio State: 18-9 Under this season
Michigan State: 1-14 ATS Away after playing as road underdog

(TC) Illinois vs. Purdue, 6:30 ET
Illinois: 3-10 ATS playing with revenge
Purdue: 14-3 ATS vs. conference

(TC) Minnesota vs. Indiana, 9:00 ET
Minnesota: 1-8 ATS playing with one or less days rest
Indiana: 6-0 Under on neutral court

Big 12 Tournament
Quarterfinals
Kansas City, MO

Oklahoma State vs. Texas, 12:30 ET ESPNU
Oklahoma State: 12-4 Under revenging road loss
Texas: 15-4 ATS off BB conference wins

Colorado vs. Oklahoma, 3:00 ET ESPNU
Colorado: 12-5 ATS vs. conference
Oklahoma: 0-8 ATS Away playing with revenge

Nebraska vs. Kansas, 7:00 ET
Nebraska: 0-6 ATS revenging two DD losses
Kansas: 5-1 ATS off road win

Texas A&M vs. Kansas State, 9:20 ET
Texas A&M: 6-0 ATS revenging DD loss
Kansas State: 12-4 Over vs. conference

SEC Tournament
Quarterfinals
Atlanta, GA

South Carolina vs. Tennessee, 1:00 ET
South Carolina: 9-2 ATS as DD underdog
Tennessee: 9-27 ATS in tournament games

Vanderbilt vs. Arkansas, 3:15 ET
Vanderbilt: 8-1 ATS in neutral court games
Arkansas: 1-7 ATS Away vs. conference

Alabama vs. Mississippi State, 7:30 ET
Alabama: 2-9 ATS after playing as an underdog
Mississippi State: 7-0 ATS off home SU win/ATS loss

Georgia vs. Kentucky, 9:45 ET
Georgia: 1-6 ATS after allowing 75+ points BB games
Kentucky: 12-4 ATS vs. conference

Conference USA Tournament
Semifinals
Memphis, TN

Southern Miss vs. Memphis, 4:30 ET CSTV
Southern Miss: 36-15 ATS vs. conference
Memphis: 8-1 Under off 3 straight wins by 15+ points

Tulsa vs. UTEP, 7:00 ET CSTV
Tulsa: 13-4 Under in conference tournament
UTEP: 4-0 ATS in tournament semifinals

Atlantic 10 Tournament
Semifinals
Atlantic City, NJ

St. Joseph's vs. Xavier, 6:30 ET
St. Joseph's: 5-2 ATS vs. Xavier
Xavier: 11-3 ATS on neutral court

Charlotte vs. Temple, 8:50 ET
Charlotte: 9-2 ATS playing with revenge
Temple: 13-3 ATS vs. conference

Big East Tournament
Semifinals
New York, NY

West Virginia vs. Georgetown, 7:00 ET ESPN
West Virginia: 5-1 Under vs. Georgetown
Georgetown: 2-9 ATS off ATS win

Pittsburgh vs. Marquette, 7:00 ET ESPN
Pittsburgh: 16-3 ATS on Friday Nights
Marquette: 11-3 ATS on neutral court

MAC Tournament
Semifinals
Cleveland, OH

Akron vs. Western Michigan, 7:00 ET
Akron: 11-3 ATS after scoring 80+ points
Western Michigan: 2-10 ATS on neutral court

Miami (OH) vs. Kent State, 9:30 ET
Miami (OH): 12-2 ATS in tournament games
Kent State: 5-1 ATS in conference tournament

WAC Tournament
Semifinals
Las Cruces, NM

Boise State vs. Utah State, 8:00 ET
Boise State: 16-8 Over this season
Utah State: 11-1 ATS Away after scoring 85+ points

Nevada vs. New Mexico State, 10:15 ET
Nevada: 29-10 ATS after a game with 9 or less assists
New Mexico State: 7-0 Over playing with revenge

Big West Tournament
Semifinals
Anaheim, CA

UC Irvine vs. Cal Santa Barbara, 8:30 ET
UC Irvine: 30-12 Under off BB conference games
Cal Santa Barbara: 4-13 ATS playing only their 2nd game in a week

CS Fullerton vs. CS Northridge, 11:00 ET
CS Fullerton: 5-1 ATS playing with revenge
CS Northridge: 1-8 ATS in March

Mountain West Tournament
Semifinals
Las Vegas, NV

San Diego State vs. BYU, 9:00 ET
San Diego State: 9-0 Under off conference win
BYU: 10-3 Under after a win by 15+ points

Utah at UNLV, 11:50 ET
Utah: 1-7 ATS off SU win as an underdog
UNLV: 8-1 ATS playing with one or less days rest

Pac 10 Tournament
Semifinals
Los Angeles, CA

USC vs. UCLA, 9:00 ET FSN
USC: 18-7 ATS as an underdog
UCLA: 9-1 Over when the total is 129.5 or less

Washington State vs. Stanford, 11:30 ET FSN
Washington State: 1-5 ATS vs. Stanford
Stanford: 5-1 Over off DD conference win

Added Game

Patriot League
Championship Game
Washington D.C.

Colgate vs. American, 4:45 ET ESPN2
Colgate: 0-7 SU vs. American
American: n/a

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

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[pm530]

National Basketball Association - Tips & Trends (Updated)

NBA


Friday, March 14

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Tips and Trends (Updated)
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Utah Jazz at Boston Celtics [7:30 PM ET]

Jazz: Utah will look to avenge its last home loss, which happened more than 2 months ago, in this trip to Boston. This is the benchmark game of their current road trip, and Utah’s toughest test left. The Jazz have been inconsistent all year long on the road, playing below .500 basketball compared to 25 games over .500 at home. According to team insiders coach Jerry Sloan has “run out of answers” for his team's road struggles.

Jazz are 3-8 ATS in the last 11 meetings.

Key Injuries- NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 99


Celtics (-7.5, O/U 204.5): The Celtics own the NBA’s best record at 51-12 and will take a 10-game winning streak into the game. “We are playing very well right now,” said Boston swingman Paul Pierce. While they are scoring 105 points per game during this streak, the Celtics have more importantly returned to form defensively, allowing 88 ppg.

Celtics are 18-7 ATS in their last 23 games against the Northwest Division.

Key Injuries- NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 106

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Los Angeles Lakers at New Orleans Hornets [8 PM] | Full Matchup

Lakers (-1.5, O/U 208.5): The Lakers begin their most trying road stretch left of the season with this game against the Hornets with the Rockets, Mavs and Jazz waiting on deck. They had a grand time in New Orleans back on January 9th, destroying the Hornets in a 109-80 rout. LA star Kobe Bryant said he will be more aggressive on offense to test opponents’ double-teams, and he proved this by scoring 34 points on Tuesday night.

Lakers are 19-7 ATS in their last 27 road games.

Key Injuries- NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 104


Hornets: The Hornets are also in the middle of a tough scheduling run, following up games against Houston and San Antonio with this one against the Lakers and then one at Detroit. New Orleans is happy to have forward David West (ankle) back in the lineup, as West scored 29 points last time out against the Spurs in a 25-point victory. The Hornets defeated the Lakers 118-104 back on November 6th at Staples Center.

Hornets are 19-5 ATS in their last 23 games against the Pacific Division.

Key Injuries- NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 105 (Side Play of the Day)

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San Antonio Spurs at Detroit Pistons [NBA | 8 PM] | Full Matchup

Spurs: San Antonio head coach Gregg Popovich is “concerned” with improving his team's overall performance, and rightfully so after suffering a 25-point defeat to the Hornets on Wednesday. The Spurs might be 7-3 SU in their last 10 games, but they are just 2-7-1 ATS.

The UNDER is 7-2 in San Antonio's last 9 games as an underdog.

Key Injuries- NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 87


Pistons (-3, O/U 178.5): Detroit is coming off a loss to the 76ers on Wednesday, which coach Flip Saunders said his team played “too cool.” Pistons F/C Rasheed Wallace (ankle) has returned and scored 23 points with 15 rebounds against San Antonio in January. Chauncey Billups is averaging 21 ppg over his last 10, but according to team insiders Richard Hamilton’s energy level and mental focus have “gone down” since the All-Star Break.

Pistons are 7-1-1 ATS in their last 9 games against the Southwest Divison.

Key Injuries- NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 90

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[pm530]

College Basketball - Tips & Trends

NCAAB


Friday, March 14

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Tips and Trends
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Big Ten Quarters: Michigan vs. #6 Wisconsin [ESPN | 12 PM ET]

Michigan: The Wolverines were able to overcome a brutal offensive performance in beating Iowa 55-47 on Thursday. They shot just 37.3 percent from the field and went on a 10-minute scoreless drought in the second half, but the Hawkeyes were simply worse, shooting 31.9 percent. Michigan ranked dead last in the Big Ten in shooting during the regular season, making 40.1 percent.

Michigan is 1-3 SU & ATS in its last 4 games.

Key Injuries- NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 53


Wisconsin (-13.5, O/U 118.5): The Badgers have lost both times in this round when they have held the top seed, getting upset by Iowa and Ohio State in 2002 and 2003, respectively. Head coach Bo Ryan has stressed winning as many games as possible though and will not be content getting extra rest if his team goes out early again. “I’d rather have my guys playing - I’d like to see our guys play three games,” Ryan said. “Every game they play they have a chance to learn something. I don’t think we can lose anything.”

Wisconsin has won 7 in a row SU, going 6-1 ATS.
The OVER is 9-4 in Wisconsin's last 13 neutral site games.
The OVER is 6-2 in the last 8 meetings.

Key Injuries- NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 68

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ACC Quarters: Florida State vs. #1 North Carolina [ESPN2 | 12 PM ET]

Florida State: The Seminoles' hot shooting of late will need to continue against NC because the Tar Heels have owned Florida State on the boards in 2 games this season. In the first meeting, North Carolina had a dominating 39-25 rebounding advantage. Things got even worse the second time around for the Seminoles when they were out-rebounded 50-25.

Florida State is 3-0-1 ATS in its last 4 games overall.
The UNDER is 11-2-1 in Florida State's last 14 neutral site games.

Key Injuries- NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 70


North Carolina (-14, O/U 155): The Tar Heels offense is rolling right now, scoring at least 90 points in 3 of their last 5 games. Over that span, North Carolina is averaging close to 87 points per game while shooting the ball at a 50 percent clip. Don’t expect the Tar Heels to let up in the ACC Tournament either. They want to leave no doubt as to who the best team in the ACC is, as they gun for the top overall seed in the field of 65.

North Carolina is 8-0 SU in its last 8 games overall, going 5-3 ATS.
North Carolina is 4-1 SU & ATS in the last 5 meetings.

Key Injuries- NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 85

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ACC Quarters: Virginia Tech vs. Miami [ESPN2 | 2 PM ET]

Virginia Tech (-1, O/U 134): The Hokies have lost 6 games by 5 points or less this season, a stat that could keep them out of the NCAA Tournament. Part of the reason for VA Tech’s struggles in close games is its poor free-throw shooting. The Hokies only hit 68 percent from the line. Miami, on the other hand, is one of the ACC’s top free-throw shooting teams at 74.4 percent. This could be a deciding factor in what figures to be a tight game.

Virginia Tech is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games overall.
The OVER is 12-4-1 in Virginia Tech's last 17 games vs. ACC.

Key Injuries- NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 68


Miami: The Hurricanes have not shot the ball well in their last 3 games, as they are 62-of-162 (37.2 percent) overall from the field during that stretch. Miami has been particularly inept from 3-point range, going 15-of-51 (22.2 percent). The 'Canes probably won’t find things any easier on Friday against Virginia Tech. The Hokies defense is only giving up 54.6 PPG in their last 3 contests.

Miami is 6-2-1 ATS in its last 9 games overall.

Key Injuries- NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 67

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Big Ten Quarters: Ohio State vs. #19 Michigan State [ESPN | 2:30 PM ET]

Ohio State: Some insiders believe the Buckeyes can punch their ticket to the Big Dance with a second straight win over Michigan State. They are sitting on the bubble right now but have a fan in Spartans head coach Tom Izzo. “Do I think Ohio State is deserving of being in the tournament? Hands down,” Izzo said. “The problem is our league gets so maligned by people - and for what reason I don’t know. But, yeah, I think Ohio State deserves to be in. They beat two ranked teams down the stretch and they played one of the tougher schedules early.”

Ohio State is 4-1 SU & ATS in the last 5 meetings.
The UNDER is 11-4 in Ohio State's last 15 games overall.
The UNDER is 10-3 in Ohio State's last 13 Friday games.

Key Injuries- NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 59


Michigan State (-4.5, O/U 122.5): Drew Neitzel has been the goat for a disappointing fourth-place finish in the Big Ten by the Spartans after they were picked to win it in the preseason. Neitzel has averaged just 13.4 points this season - down from 18.1 a year ago - and he will need to exorcise some demons in the Big Ten Tournament as well in order to get his team back on track. He is averaging just 7.8 points on 28.9 percent shooting in 6 Big Ten tourney games during his career.

Michigan State is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games overall.
Michigan State is 6-14 ATS in its last 20 Big Ten games.

Key Injuries- NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 63

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Patriot League Title: Colgate vs. American [ESPN2 | 4:45 PM ET]

Colgate: The third-seeded Red Raiders are peaking at the right time, and insiders would not be surprised if they pull off another upset en route to the Patriot League Tournament title. They are riding one of the hottest players in the country in guard Kyle Roemer, who scored a career-high 32 points in a first-round win over Lafayette. “It’s March - the intensity picks up - one and done," Roemer said after that game. "The pressure is on. The opportunities were there, and I took them.”

Colgate is 6-0 SU in its last 6 games overall.

Key Injuries- NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 57

American (-7, 121.5): The Eagles won both regular-season meetings with Colgate by a combined 16 points, the latest victory coming right before the Red Raiders went on their winning streak. In fact, American has won 7 straight vs. Colgate and 9 of 10. All of the wins have been decided by at least 6 points.

American is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games overall.
American is 7-0 SU in the last 7 meetings.

Key Injuries- NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 64

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Big East Semis: West Virginia vs. #9 Georgetown [ESPN | 7 PM ET]

West Virginia: The Mountaineers are assured of an NCAA tournament berth after upsetting UConn 78-72 in the quarterfinals on Thursday. They also might have the hottest player in the Big East right now in Joe Alexander, who scored a career-high 34 points against the Huskies. Alexander is averaging 29.8 points on 52.6 percent shooting in the last 5 games. He was limited by a groin injury in the first meeting, taking only 2 shots in a controversial 58-57 home loss in which Georgetown's Patrick Ewing Jr. was not called for goaltending in the final seconds.

The OVER is 5-1 in West Virginia's last 6 games overall.
The UNDER is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.

Key Injuries- NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 59

Georgetown (-3, O/U 121.5): The Hoyas set a school record for 3-pointers on Thursday with 17 in a 82-63 rout of Villanova while star center Roy Hibbert sat on the bench most of the game with foul trouble. Hibbert played just 14 minutes and went scoreless before fouling out with 5:09 remaining. “Roy had a tough time getting started,” Thompson said. “The nature of our team is when any particular guy is struggling, not doing well, we have other people that can step up.” Insiders believe Georgetown's multiple scoring threats makes this team a lot more difficult to defend compared to last year when the Hoyas depended mainly on Hibbert and Jeff Green.

Georgetown is 6-0 SU in its last 6 games overall, going 4-2 ATS.
The UNDER is 7-1 in Georgetown's last 8 Friday games.

Key Injuries- NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 62

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ACC Quarters: Georgia Tech vs. #7 Duke [ESPN2 | 7 PM ET]

Georgia Tech: Charlotte native Anthony Morrow scored 18 points on 6 3-pointers in a 94-76 win over Virginia on Thursday. Morrow helped lead the Yellow Jackets to the conference title game against Duke back in 2005 as a freshman - the last time the teams met in the postseason - and the senior would love nothing more than to pull off an upset of the Blue Devils in his hometown.

Georgia Tech is 5-13 ATS in the last 18 meetings.
The UNDER is 8-3 in Georgia Tech's last 11 Friday games.

Key Injuries- NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 72


Duke (-11.5, O/U 156): The Blue Devils are looking to bounce back from a tough home loss to North Carolina and will take their first step toward their 8th ACC tournament title in 10 years. They are 23-2 SU in ACC tournament games since 1999, with one of those losses taking place last year (an 85-80 setback to North Carolina State in overtime). That marked the first time Duke had failed to make the conference title game in 10 years.

Duke is 2-6-1 ATS in its last 9 games overall.
Duke is 1-15 ATS in its last 16 Friday games.

Key Injuries- NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 84

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Big East Semis: Pittsburgh vs. #24 Marquette [ESPN | 9 PM ET]

Pitt: The Panthers continue to thrive at Madison Square Garden, where they are 4-0 this season and 21-8 since 2001-02. They knocked off #2 seed Louisville 76-69 in overtime on Thursday to improve to 8-3 against Rick Pitino's teams. “It was a great win for us,” Pitt head coach Jaime Dixon said. “We battled through some things. We had foul trouble early, got performances from everybody. And like I said, our defense has been getting better and better.”

Pitt is 13-3-1 ATS in its last 17 Friday games.
The OVER is 8-0 in Pittsburgh's last 8 games overall.

Key Injuries- NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 67 (OVER - Total Play of the Day)


Marquette (-2, 133.5): Jerel McNeal is trying to make the most of this year's Big East Tournament after missing last year with a wrist injury. McNeal scored a career-high 28 points in Thursday's 89-79 win over Notre Dame after totaling 21 against Seton Hall on Wednesday. “It was one of the hardest times of my life, working all the way up to that point in the season and not getting to play in the most exciting part of the season, which is March Madness,” McNeal said. “I had a whole year to think about it and I was real anxious to get back to this point.”

Marquette is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games overall.
The OVER is 20-8 in Marquette's last 28 neutral site games.

Key Injuries- NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 70

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ACC Quarters: Boston College vs. Clemson [ESPN2 | 9:30 PM ET]
Key Injuries-
Boston College: The Eagles entered this postseason with no pressure after dropping 12 of 13 down the stretch. They are still a talented young bunch, led by a roster of 10 freshmen and sophomores. Insiders believe this team is playing the ACC Tournament like it's the Big Dance, knowing they have no chance at an at-large NCAA bid.

BC is 9-2 ATS in its last 11 neutral site games.
BC is 3-8-1 ATS in its last 12 Friday games.

Key Injuries- NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 70

Clemson (-9, O/U 140): The Tigers are 14-1 when Terrence Oglesby scores in double figures, which is key for a team that has five players average at least 10 points. Oglesby is Clemson's sixth man and will also be partially responsible for slowing down BC's Tyrese Rice, who can take over the game offensively at any time. Rice scored 17 of his 19 points in the second half of Thursday's 71-68 upset of Maryland.

Clemson is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games as a favorite.
The UNDER is 7-3-1 in Clemson's last 11 games overall.

Key Injuries- NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 79

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[pm530]

National Basketball Association – Hot Lines

NBA
Hot Lines


Friday, March 14

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Pick 'n' roll: Friday’s NBA picks
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Philadelphia at Chicago (-4, 199)

With the regular season winding down, the Philadelphia 76ers can't afford having players sit out due to injuries. The Chicago Bulls certainly aren't in any position to force any more players to stay on the bench.

The 76ers hope to have their two top guards in the lineup Friday night when they visit a Bulls team trying to make a playoff push despite team turmoil.

Philadelphia (31-34), in seventh place in the Eastern Conference, has gained some confidence following its biggest win of the season. In a possible first-round playoff matchup, the 76ers won 83-82 at Detroit on Wednesday night.

Starting guard Willie Green, though, missed the game with a lower back strain. Green, averaging 13.0 points per game, is uncertain for Friday's contest. With Green out, swingman Andre Iguodala moved to guard and Reggie Evans started at forward.

Andre Miller, Green's backcourt mate, left the game in the fourth quarter after straining his lower back. He expects to play against the Bulls (26-38), but missing Miller for an extended period would be a big blow to the Sixers' playoff chances.

Miller's play has been perhaps the biggest reason Philadelphia has a shot at making the playoffs for the first time in three years. The veteran is averaging 16.8 points, 6.7 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.2 steals a contest.

Chicago, chasing a postseason spot in the East, has had its lineup depleted in recent games.

Chris Duhon missed a shootaround at Detroit on Sunday and made some comments that didn't sit well with management after being held out of that game, a 116-109 Chicago loss. He was then inactive Tuesday night in a 108-96 win over Utah in what interim coach Jim Boylan said was a "coach's decision."

Duhon's incident wasn't the only episode the Bulls have had to deal with this month.

Tyrus Thomas decided to skip practice on March 5, and management suspended him for two games. Rookie Aaron Gray, meanwhile, reportedly mouthed off to Boylan during a game against Memphis last week.

"When people question our team, I respond that we have guys in the locker room with a lot of character who care about their craft and work at it," Boylan said. "The guys were hurt the last couple days. There were a lot of things swirling around our team, and no one likes to see that stuff in the paper. This is a basketball team, not a soap opera."

Pick: 76ers

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San Antonio at Detroit (-3, 178 1/2)

The San Antonio Spurs just suffered their worst loss of the season, while the Detroit Pistons lost a tight game that came down to the final shot.

Pistons coach Flip Saunders, however, seems a lot more angry about his team's latest performance than Spurs coach Gregg Popovich does about his club's blowout defeat.

Two of the NBA's best square off Friday when San Antonio (44-20) continues a three-game road trip in Detroit (46-18), with both teams hoping to prove their last games were nothing more than an aberration.

The Pistons began their five-game homestand with a 116-109 win over Chicago on Sunday, shooting 50.6 percent outrebounding the Bulls 42-28.

On Wednesday, though, Detroit was outrebounded 39-32 and committed an unusually high 15 turnovers, losing 83-82 to Philadelphia when Chauncey Billups' jumper bounced off the rim as time expired.

"We were terrible,'' Saunders said. "The score isn't reflective of the way we played - we shouldn't have only lost this game by one point.''

Detroit has the NBA's second-best record, but it's struggled lately against top teams. The Pistons are 4-3 in their last seven contests, the four wins coming against teams that would currently qualify for the draft lottery and the three losses to teams that are in playoff position.

The Spurs, however, didn't look much like a team bound for the finals Wednesday, losing 100-75 at Southwest rival New Orleans. It was their worst defeat since a 104-68 loss at Dallas on April 7, 2005.

Popovich, though, was content to give the Hornets credit and move on.

"They just played better than we did," Popovich said. "They shot the ball well. They were aggressive. Any way you want to slice it, they did a great job."

The loss was the Spurs' third straight on the road, and they've been outscored by an average of 15.0 points in those games. San Antonio has lost three of four since winning a season-high 11 in a row.

Pick: Spurs

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Toronto at Denver (-10, 219 1/2)

If the Denver Nuggets were in the Eastern Conference, they would probably be able to rest Allen Iverson. If the Toronto Raptors were in the West, Chris Bosh may have already played a game this month.

With the Nuggets playing for their playoff livelihood, Iverson intends to stay in the lineup Friday night in a matchup with a Raptors team that has been slumping with Bosh sidelined.

Iverson, who was already playing with a fractured right ring finger, banged his right knee early in Wednesday night's game against Memphis and was held to eight points on 2-for-12 shooting in a 108-86 Denver win. Iverson was initially injured in a win over San Antonio last Friday, but hasn't missed any time.

"It's a place I've been before in my career, so I'll just deal with it," said Iverson, averaging a team-high 26.6 points and 7.2 assists.

Iverson's skills and experience are essential for Denver (38-26), which is in a battle to make the playoffs in the highly competitive West. The Nuggets are off to their best 64-game start in 20 years, but still trail Golden State for eighth place in the conference.

"It's now or never. We don't have a choice," said Denver forward Kenyon Martin, who had 23 points versus the Grizzlies. "It's either win now or be watching come April, and I don't think anyone around here wants to be watching. We've got too much talent and the guys have too much pride, so we're going to approach every game like it's our last. That's what it's all about."

The Nuggets can't afford to lose many games down the stretch if they hope to make the playoffs for the fifth straight year. They'll meet Toronto (34-30) in the first of two more home games before beginning a five-game road trip against teams in the East.

Denver's win over Memphis was its first in three games. The Nuggets will now try to extend a three-game home winning streak against the Raptors.

Toronto enters this contest having lost six of eight, allowing an average of 108.4 points. The Raptors, though, are a virtual lock to earn a playoff spot, even though they're four games worse than the Nuggets.

Pick: Raptors

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[pm530]

National Hockey League – Hot Lines

NHL
Hot Lines


Friday, March 14

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Ice picks: Today’s NHL bets
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Carolina at Buffalo (-120, 6 1/2)

The last time the Carolina Hurricanes won six straight games, they were on their way to a Stanley Cup title.

The Southeast Division-leading Hurricanes will be trying to match that winning streak on Friday when they visit the stumbling Buffalo Sabres.

Carolina (38-29-5) won 3-0 at Chicago on Wednesday for its first five-game winning streak since Dec. 16-26 last season. The Hurricanes haven't won six in a row since a nine-game run Dec. 31, 2005-Jan. 19, 2006 en route to the first Stanley Cup in franchise history.

Eric Staal had a goal and two assists against the Blackhawks, and Carolina scored all three goals - two on ****** - during a 3:48 span midway through the first period. Staal has four goals and eight assists during a five-game point streak.

"It was awesome. We took advantage of it by coming out strong," said goalie Cam Ward, who made 25 saves for his fourth shutout of the season and the sixth of his career. "In the second period, it seemed like Chicago was coming on stronger, but our penalty killing was excellent. We were lucky enough that they hit a couple of posts."

Ward has made 10 straight starts, going 8-1-1 with a 2.17 goals-against average over that span. He was a big part of Carolina's 2006 Stanley Cup run, going 15-8-0 with a 2.14 GAA as a rookie during the postseason - including 3-3-0 with a 2.61 GAA in six games as the Hurricanes beat the Sabres in seven games in the Eastern Conference finals.

"The guys worked so hard, you want to do the best you can," Ward said. "We take pride in not letting any goals in. I'm feeling really good and fortunate to play on a team that allows me to play as much as I am."

Pick: Under

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New York Rangers at Florida (+110, 5 1/2)

The New York Rangers were arguably the league's most disappointing first-half team, but they are more than compensating in the second half.

The red-hot Rangers look to extend a 13-game point streak and move closer to the top of the Atlantic Division on Friday night when they visit the Florida Panthers, winners of a season-high five straight.

Reaching the All-Star break with a record of 28-24-7 and in danger of missing the playoffs was not what the Rangers (37-24-9) had in mind following an offseason in which they signed high-scoring centers Chris Drury and Scott Gomez to long-term contracts.

New York, though, went 1-0-1 in its final two games before the break and 9-0-2 in 11 contests since to move into sole possession of sixth place in the Eastern Conference. The surge has pulled the Rangers within five points of New Jersey for the Atlantic Division lead.

Panthers coach Jacques Martin knows his team doesn't have an easy assignment as it tries to win six in a row for the first time since a seven-game run from March 17-29, 2006.

"They're one of the better teams in the league in goals against," Martin said of the Rangers on the Panthers' official Web site. "We just have to think back a couple weeks ago when they spanked us. We've got to make good decisions with the puck. We've got to get our nose dirty."

Pick: Rangers

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[pm530]

National Basketball Association – Write up

NBA
Write-up


Friday, March 14

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Today's NBA analysis

Hot Teams
-- Celtics won last ten games, covering last four. Utah won six of its last seven games.
-- Magic won ten of their last thirteen games.
-- Lakers won sixteen of their last nineteen games. Hornets won six of their last eight games.
-- Charlotte won three of its last four games. Rockets won their last 20 games, covering their last eleven in a row.
-- 76ers won seven of their last nine games. Bulls covered four of their last five contests.
-- Dallas won its last three games, by 20-29-25 points.

Cold Teams
-- Hawks lost six of their last seven games. Clippers lost nine of their last eleven games.
-- Miami lost its last six games (1-5 vs spread).
-- Pistons are 0-5 vs spread in last five games. Spurs lost three of their last four games.
-- Pacers lost nine of their last thirteen games.
-- Raptors lost five of their last seven games. Nuggets are 1-6 vs spread in game after last seven losses.
-- Timberwolves lost six of their last eight games. Seattle lost six in row, ten of last eleven games.

Previous meetings this season
-- Celtics (-4.5) won 104-98 at Utah Dec 29.
-- Hawks (-3.5) lost 95-88 at Staples Jan 30.
-- Orlando is 3-0 vs Miami this season, winning by 21-7-16 pts.
-- Pistons (-3.5) won 90-80 at San Antonio Jan 10.
-- Road team won both Laker-Hornet games this season.
-- Rockets (-6.5) won 85-82 in Charlotte Nov 11.
-- Road team won both Chicago-Philly games this season.
-- Mavericks (-6.5) lost 111-107 at Indiana Nov 23.
-- Minnesota is 0-3 vs Sonics this year, losing by 3-19-11 pts.

Totals
-- Six of last nine Boston games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 3-1 in Atlanta's last four road games.
-- Under is 6-3 in Miami's last nine games.
-- Under is 4-1 in Spurs' last five road games.
-- Five of last six Laker games went over the total.
-- Nine of last ten Bobcat games went over the total.
-- Four of last five Chicago games went over the total.
-- Seven of last eight Dallas games went over the total.
-- Over is 5-2 in last seven Toronto games.
-- Five of last six Minnesota games went over the total.

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[pm530]

National Hockey League – Write up

NHL
Write-up


Friday, March 14

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Today's NHL analysis

Hot Teams
-- Panthers won last five games, allowing six goals. Rangers are 9-3 in their last dozen games.
-- Carolina won five in row, eight of last nine games.
-- Sharks won their last ten games, allowing 17 goals.

Cold Teams
-- Chicago lost last four games, outscored 15-8. Columbus lost three of its last four games.
-- Thrashers lost ten of their last twelve games. Washington is 3-8 in game after its last eleven wins.
-- Sabres lost their last four games, allowing 17 goals.
-- Blues lost four in row, nine of last ten games.

Series Records
-- Columbus is 12-9 vs Chicago the last 2+ seasons.
-- Thrashers won four of last five vs Washington.
-- Home side won last five Panther-Ranger games.
-- Hurricanes lost their last four visits to Buffalo.
-- Sharks won four in row, eight of last nine vs St Louis; they're 3-0 vs Blues this season: 1-0/4-1/2-0.

Totals
-- Over is 7-2 in last nine Chicago-Columbus games.
-- Under is 9-2 in last 11 Atlanta-Washington games.
-- Under is 6-3 in Florida's last nine games.
-- Over is 9-2-1 in last dozen Buffalo games.
-- Under is 4-0-1 in last five San Jose-St Louis games.

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[Dennis14072]

Thanks Guys, good luck tonight!