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**pm530** · 02-15-2009, 06:01 AM

Daily Sports Roundup

Sunday, February 15

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The Daytona 500 launches the Sprint Cup Series season, while the best in the NBA hit the hardwood for the All-Star Game.

Tipping Off in the NBA

The NBA got all of its preliminary All-Star festivities out of the way on Friday and Saturday, which just leaves the East vs. West game itself for Sunday night (with tipoff set for 8:00pm ET). With the game being played on a Western Conference court in Phoenix the oddsmakers have the home side pegged as the favorite - the line was hovering between 4.5 points and 7.5 points heading into the weekend. The East topped the West 134-128 in New Orleans last season, with LeBron James picking up his second MVP award in the last three years. The last time the game was in Phoenix was back in 1995, with the West winning 139-112.

The March to Madness

No. 3 North Carolina will try to follow up their impressive win over rival Duke with a road victory against Miami on Sunday. The Tar Heels went to 22-2 on the season with a 101-87 pounding of the Blue Devils on Wednesday; Ty Lawson was good for 25 points for North Carolina in that victory. The Hurricanes also met Duke last time out, but they came out on the wrong end of a 78-75 OT decision.

The No. 6 Blue Devils are also back in action on Sunday, as they'll be on the road to take on Boston College. As well, No. 5 Louisville will host DePaul, No. 12 Clemson will visit Virginia, No. 15 Butler will get a visit from Loyola Chicago, and Indiana will host No. 22 Illinois. As well, No. 18 Arizona State will be at home versus USC; the Sun Devils rolled to a 74-67 win over No. 11 UCLA last time out.

A Trip Around the Rink

There are seven games on the National Hockey League's schedule for Sunday, including an early 12:30pm ET matinee between the Flyers and Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Those two rivals last met on October 11, when the Rangers picked up a 4-3 road victory. Nikolai Zherdev had a goal and an assist in that win for New York, while Scott Hartnell had a shorthanded marker for Philly.

The Devils will have a tough home matchup on Sunday afternoon, as they'll get a visit from Joe Thornton and the Sharks. A pair of 5:00pm ET contests has Colorado at Detroit and Washington at Florida, while the Hurricanes and Sabres will get going in Buffalo an hour later. There are then two matchups set for Sunday evening, with Atlanta visiting Anaheim, and Vancouver hosting Montreal.

Rounding Out the Slate

Sunday afternoon's Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway is the first chance this season for Sprint Cup Series drivers to earn points for the standings. Martin Truex Jr. will be on the pole for the Daytona 500 this year, while Mark Martin will start from the No. 2 position on the grid. Gatorade Duel winners Jeff Gordon and Kyle Busch will follow those two in the starting lineup. Tony Stewart is fifth on the grid, while defending Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson starts seventh, and fan-favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr. will try to work his way up from 14th.

Ryan Newman won the Daytona 500 last year, but he's 36th on the starting grid and entered the week back at 12/1 odds to grab the checkered flag once again. Kyle Busch was at 7/2 odds to visit victory lane, with Earnhardt Jr. at 9/2, Johnson and Jeff Gordon at 5/1, and Stewart and Carl Edwards listed at 8/1 to win the season-opening race. Coverage is set to get going at 2:00pm ET on FOX.

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**pm530** · 02-15-2009, 06:05 AM

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2009 Eastern Conference All-Stars
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NO. PLAYER (TEAM) POS. HT. WT. BIRTHDATE FROM
1 * Allen Iverson (Detroit) G 6-0 180 07/07/75 Georgetown

3 * Dwyane Wade (Miami) G 6-4 216 01/17/82 Marquette

23 * LeBron James (Cleveland) F 6-8 250 12/30/84 St. Vincent/St. Mary HS

5 * Kevin Garnett (Boston) F 6-11 220 05/19/76 Farragut Academy (HS)

12 * Dwight Howard (Orlando) C 6-11 265 12/08/85 SW Atlanta Christian Academy (GA)

2 Joe Johnson (Atlanta) G 6-7 235 06/29/81 Arkansas

14 # i Jameer Nelson (Orlando) G 6-0 190 02/09/82 Saint Joseph's

20 Ray Allen (Boston) G 6-5 205 07/20/75 Connecticut

33 # Danny Granger (Indiana) F-G 6-8 228 04/20/83 New Mexico

34 Paul Pierce (Boston) F 6-7 235 10/13/77 Kansas

4 i Chris Bosh (Toronto) F 6-10 230 03/24/84 Georgia Tech

2 # Mo Williams (Cleveland) G 6-1 190 12/19/82 Alabama

34 # Devin Harris (New Jersey) G 6-3 185 02/27/83 Wisconsin

9 Rashard Lewis (Orlando) F 6-10 230 08/08/79 Alief Elsik HS (TX)

Head Coach: Mike Brown (Cleveland)

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2009 Western Conference All-Stars
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NO. PLAYER (TEAM) POS. HT. WT. BIRTHDATE FROM
24 * Kobe Bryant (L.A. Lakers) G 6-6 205 08/23/78 Lower Merion HS

3 * Chris Paul (New Orleans) G 6-0 175 05/06/85 Wake Forest

21 * Tim Duncan (San Antonio) F 6-11 260 04/25/76 Wake Forest

1 * Amare Stoudemire (Phoenix) F 6-10 245 11/16/82 Cypress Creek (Orlando, FL)

11 * Yao Ming (Houston) C 7-6 310 9/12/80 China

41 Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas) F 7-0 245 06/19/78 Germany

32 Shaquille O'Neal (Phoenix) C 7-1 325 03/06/72 Louisiana State

7 Brandon Roy (Portland) G 6-6 211 07/23/84 Washington

7 Chauncey Billups (Denver) G 6-3 202 09/25/76 Colorado

16 Pau Gasol (L.A. Lakers) F-C 7-0 250 07/06/80 Spain

30 David West (New Orleans) F 6-9 240 08/29/80 Xavier (OH)

9 Tony Parker (San Antonio) G 6-2 180 05/17/82 France

Head Coach: Phil Jackson (L.A. Lakers)

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What bettors need to know: NBA All-Star game
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East All-Stars vs. West All-Stars (-4.5, 263)

There’s no question what the overriding story is heading into Sunday’s All-Star game in Phoenix: Shaq and Kobe together again.

While Kobe Bryant will probably be an All-Star for the rest of his career, barring injury, Shaquille O’Neal is enjoying a renaissance season. The Big Cactus is playing his best basketball since leading the Heat to the title. He’s participating in his 15th All-Star game (first as a coach’s selection), the most among active players and second all time to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Shaq is averaging 17.3 points (highest since '05-06) and 8.9 rebounds while shooting 58 percent and blocking 1.5 shots a game, and his numbers are above those in the past two months.

On Sunday, he will play on the same team with Bryant for the first time since the 2004 NBA finals, when the Lakers were knocked off by Detroit and precipitated the Kobe-Shaq divorce. O’Neal says most of that supposed bickering was a media creation and that the two are on friendly terms.

"Kobe's playing at a very high level right now,” Shaq said to reporters. “It'll be like old times. I can remember, not that long ago, we were the best tandem ever created in the game. So it's going to be fun out there."

The East has won three of the past four games and LeBron James has won two of the past three MVP awards.

Does size matter? The West has the size advantage in this game - are four 7-footers are on the West squad. Tim Duncan, Amare Stoudemire, Yao Ming, Dirk Nowitzki, Shaquille O’Neal, Pau Gasol and David West are all comfortable banging bodies in the paint.

The East has mega-stars in big men Dwight Howard (probably the best of them all) and Kevin Garnett, but that’s about it in terms of true frontcourt players. Toss in LeBron James and Dwyane Wade into the mix and the East’s starting lineup looks to be the better of the two.

The East’s forwards, James, Danny Granger, Rashard Lewis and Paul Pierce, spend much more time outside the paint than they do in it. The loss of power forward Chris Bosh (injury) should hurt for depth in paint.

Bet on Kobe or LeBron? The debate rages on which is better, and they have dominated the All-Star game MVP award lately. James has won two of the past three, taking it home in 2008 after scoring 27 points, handing out nine assists and grabbing eight boards. James also holds the current highest All-Star career scoring average at 24.3 points.

He should be aided by the fact Cavs coach Mike Brown will be guiding the Eastern club.

Kobe, meanwhile, wasn’t a factor last year because of that injury but won the MVP 2007 All-Star game. He also took the honor in 2002.

No matter what you do, bet on a future Hall of Famer. There really hasn’t been an MVP winner not bound for Springfield since Glen Rice in 1997.

A few numbers: The winning team in this game has scored fewer than 130 points just six times in the past 25 All-Star Games. However, this year’s opening total of 263 might be a tad high it has been surpassed just three times since 2000 (tied once). The record is 303, set in 1987.

That opening line of 4.5 this year would have come into play for the underdog just three times since 1994.

The Western Conference has a 5-4 edge over the East in the All-Star game since 2000. But the last three times the game as been in a Western Conference city (not counting the 2007 game in Vegas), the East has won. The game hasn’t been played in an Eastern Conference town since 2003. The East leads overall 35-22.

Lakers coach Phil Jackson is 2-1 as an All-Star coach. He lost as East coach in his debut in 1992 but won in 1996. His lone stint as West coach was a win in 2000.

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NBA All-Star Game Betting
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The National Basketball Association takes this weekend off from its regular-season schedule to put its stars on display in an array of events culminating in the annual East vs. West All-Star game Sunday night (8 pm Eastern, TNT).

The weekend's action tips off Friday night when an all-league team of NBA rookies battles a team comprised of the top sophomores in the league (9 pm Eastern, TNT). The sophomore teams have won six of these exhibitions in a row, and seven of the nine that have been played, beginning in 2000. And the second-season troops have been absolutely hazing their freshmen brethren, winning those last six games by an average of 25 points.

The rookie team includes the top four picks in the 2008 draft: Derrick Rose of Chicago, Michael Beasley of Miami, OJ Mayo of Memphis and Russell Westbrook of Oklahoma City. The team also includes C Greg Oden of Portland, the top pick in the draft two years ago who missed his entire rookie season with a knee injury.

The sophomore team features the Thunder's Kevin Durant and Jeff Green, who were the second and fifth picks in the '07 draft, and Atlanta's Al Horford among others.

Saturday's festivities include the team-oriented shooting stars competition, the 3-point shootout and the big show – the dunk contest.

Jason Kapono of the Raptors will be shooting for his third straight 3-point contest title. But the former UCLA Bruin isn't hitting from long range at quite the rate this season as he's done in the past. After shooting 51 percent from beyond the arc for Miami two seasons ago, and 48% for the Raptors last season, Kapono is “only” hitting 42% of his shots from downtown this season.

Kapono's competition Saturday will come from Mike Bibby of the Hawks, Daequan Cook of the Heat, Danny Granger of the Pacers, Rashard Lewis of the Magic and Roger Mason of the Spurs.

Last season, Mason shot 40% from long range for Washington. This season, playing for San Antonio, Mason has hit 109 of 243 three-point shots, for a success rate of nearly 45%. Lewis is shooting 41.5% from 3-point land this season, Bibby and Cook 41%, and Granger 40%.

Six-foot-11 sky marshal Dwight Howard won the dunk contest – dressed as Superman – last year, and is back to defend his title Saturday night. But he'll have to contend with JR Smith of Denver, Rudy Fernandez of Portland, and Nate Robertson of the Knicks, the 5-foot-9 guard who won this event in grand style three years ago.

Last year, LeBron James scored 27 points, grabbed eight boards and dished out nine assists in helping the East hold on for a 134-128 victory over the West team in New Orleans. For his efforts, James was named game MVP, through the fan voting.

The East has won three of the last four All-Star games, after losing three straight to the West from 2002-04. And as you would expect, points come rather easy in these games, as those last seven All-Star games have averaged (excluding the two overtime periods played in 2003) 256 total points.

Phil Jackson of the Lakers will be head coaching in his fourth All-Star game, while Cleveland's Mike Brown is a first-timer. Jackson is 2-1 as an All-Star coach, having guided the Eastern Conference to a loss in 1992 and a win in 1996, and the West to victory in 2000.

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**pm530** · 02-15-2009, 06:06 AM

NCAAB
Long Sheet

Sunday, February 15

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ILLINOIS (20 - 5) at INDIANA (6 - 17) - 2/15/2009, 1:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ILLINOIS is 9-21 ATS (-14.1 Units) after allowing 60 points or less over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ILLINOIS is 5-1 against the spread versus INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA is 3-3 straight up against ILLINOIS over the last 3 seasons
5 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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CLEMSON (20 - 3) at VIRGINIA (7 - 13) - 2/15/2009, 1:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CLEMSON is 11-27 ATS (-18.7 Units) in road games in February games since 1997.
CLEMSON is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record after 15 or more games since 1997.
VIRGINIA is 129-164 ATS (-51.4 Units) in all games since 1997.
VIRGINIA is 129-164 ATS (-51.4 Units) in all lined games since 1997.
VIRGINIA is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
VIRGINIA is 1-1 against the spread versus CLEMSON over the last 3 seasons
VIRGINIA is 1-1 straight up against CLEMSON over the last 3 seasons
2 of 2 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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LOYOLA-IL (12 - 15) at BUTLER (22 - 2) - 2/15/2009, 2:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LOYOLA-IL is 7-15 ATS (-9.5 Units) in all games this season.
LOYOLA-IL is 7-15 ATS (-9.5 Units) in all lined games this season.
LOYOLA-IL is 4-11 ATS (-8.1 Units) against conference opponents this season.
LOYOLA-IL is 2-11 ATS (-10.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
LOYOLA-IL is 0-7 ATS (-7.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season.
BUTLER is 15-7 ATS (+7.3 Units) in all games this season.
BUTLER is 15-7 ATS (+7.3 Units) in all lined games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
LOYOLA-IL is 4-2 against the spread versus BUTLER over the last 3 seasons
BUTLER is 5-1 straight up against LOYOLA-IL 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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BUFFALO (17 - 5) at BALL ST (10 - 12) - 2/15/2009, 2:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BUFFALO is 9-21 ATS (-14.1 Units) in road games after scoring 60 points or less since 1997.
BALL ST is 30-45 ATS (-19.5 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
BALL ST is 30-45 ATS (-19.5 Units) in all lined games over the last 3 seasons.
BALL ST is 12-23 ATS (-13.3 Units) in all home games over the last 3 seasons.
BALL ST is 12-23 ATS (-13.3 Units) in home lined games over the last 3 seasons.
BALL ST is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in home games after 3 or more consecutive losses over the last 2 seasons.
BALL ST is 0-8 ATS (-8.8 Units) in home games versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
BALL ST is 2-0 against the spread versus BUFFALO over the last 3 seasons
BALL ST is 2-0 straight up against BUFFALO over the last 3 seasons
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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S FLORIDA (8 - 15) at NOTRE DAME (13 - 10) - 2/15/2009, 2:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NOTRE DAME is 1-9 ATS (-8.9 Units) after a conference game this season.
NOTRE DAME is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record after 15 or more games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
NOTRE DAME is 2-1 against the spread versus S FLORIDA over the last 3 seasons
NOTRE DAME is 2-1 straight up against S FLORIDA over the last 3 seasons
3 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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AKRON (16 - 8) at N ILLINOIS (6 - 16) - 2/15/2009, 3:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
AKRON is 17-6 ATS (+10.4 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
AKRON is 17-6 ATS (+10.4 Units) in road lined games over the last 2 seasons.
AKRON is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
AKRON is 13-3 ATS (+9.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
N ILLINOIS is 1-1 against the spread versus AKRON over the last 3 seasons
N ILLINOIS is 1-1 straight up against AKRON over the last 3 seasons
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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TOWSON ST (9 - 17) at DREXEL (13 - 10) - 2/15/2009, 3:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DREXEL is 15-7 ATS (+7.3 Units) in all games this season.
DREXEL is 15-7 ATS (+7.3 Units) in all lined games this season.
DREXEL is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) as a favorite this season.
DREXEL is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) after allowing 60 points or less this season.
DREXEL is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
DREXEL is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) in home games in February games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DREXEL is 3-2 against the spread versus TOWSON ST over the last 3 seasons
DREXEL is 4-1 straight up against TOWSON ST over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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TEMPLE (14 - 9) at DUQUESNE (15 - 8) - 2/15/2009, 3:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TEMPLE is 34-20 ATS (+12.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TEMPLE is 34-20 ATS (+12.0 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
TEMPLE is 20-6 ATS (+13.4 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
TEMPLE is 56-33 ATS (+19.7 Units) in February games since 1997.
TEMPLE is 18-8 ATS (+9.2 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
TEMPLE is 23-10 ATS (+12.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
DUQUESNE is 28-47 ATS (-23.7 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
DUQUESNE is 11-27 ATS (-18.7 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
DUQUESNE is 1-0 against the spread versus TEMPLE over the last 3 seasons
DUQUESNE is 1-1 straight up against TEMPLE over the last 3 seasons
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MICHIGAN (15 - 10) at NORTHWESTERN (13 - 9) - 2/15/2009, 3:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MICHIGAN is 16-29 ATS (-15.9 Units) as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.
MICHIGAN is 49-72 ATS (-30.2 Units) in road games since 1997.
MICHIGAN is 49-72 ATS (-30.2 Units) in road lined games since 1997.
MICHIGAN is 8-20 ATS (-14.0 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
MICHIGAN is 4-14 ATS (-11.4 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 3 seasons.
NORTHWESTERN is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
MICHIGAN is 3-1 against the spread versus NORTHWESTERN over the last 3 seasons
MICHIGAN is 3-1 straight up against NORTHWESTERN over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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IL-CHICAGO (11 - 14) at VALPARAISO (7 - 18) - 2/15/2009, 4:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
VALPARAISO is 3-13 ATS (-11.3 Units) off a win against a conference rival since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
IL-CHICAGO is 3-0 against the spread versus VALPARAISO over the last 3 seasons
IL-CHICAGO is 2-1 straight up against VALPARAISO over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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DEPAUL (8 - 17) at LOUISVILLE (18 - 5) - 2/15/2009, 4:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DEPAUL is 4-16 ATS (-13.6 Units) in all games this season.
DEPAUL is 4-16 ATS (-13.6 Units) in all lined games this season.
DEPAUL is 3-13 ATS (-11.3 Units) as an underdog this season.
DEPAUL is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) against conference opponents this season.
DEPAUL is 2-9 ATS (-7.9 Units) after a conference game this season.
DEPAUL is 2-9 ATS (-7.9 Units) off a loss against a conference rival this season.
DEPAUL is 1-9 ATS (-8.9 Units) after 3 or more consecutive losses this season.
DEPAUL is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
DEPAUL is 10-21 ATS (-13.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 3 seasons.
DEPAUL is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game this season.
LOUISVILLE is 21-9 ATS (+11.1 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
LOUISVILLE is 14-4 ATS (+9.6 Units) in February games over the last 3 seasons.
LOUISVILLE is 21-8 ATS (+12.2 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
LOUISVILLE is 2-0 against the spread versus DEPAUL over the last 3 seasons
LOUISVILLE is 2-0 straight up against DEPAUL over the last 3 seasons
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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DUKE (20 - 4) at BOSTON COLLEGE (18 - 8) - 2/15/2009, 5:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DUKE is 134-92 ATS (+32.8 Units) after scoring 80 points or more since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
DUKE is 2-1 against the spread versus BOSTON COLLEGE over the last 3 seasons
DUKE is 3-0 straight up against BOSTON COLLEGE over the last 3 seasons
3 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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E MICHIGAN (3 - 21) at BOWLING GREEN (14 - 9) - 2/15/2009, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
E MICHIGAN is 6-13 ATS (-8.3 Units) in all games this season.
E MICHIGAN is 6-13 ATS (-8.3 Units) in all lined games this season.
E MICHIGAN is 91-121 ATS (-42.1 Units) as an underdog since 1997.
E MICHIGAN is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) in road games against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
E MICHIGAN is 51-76 ATS (-32.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
BOWLING GREEN is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) in home games after scoring 60 points or less over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
E MICHIGAN is 2-0 against the spread versus BOWLING GREEN over the last 3 seasons
E MICHIGAN is 2-0 straight up against BOWLING GREEN over the last 3 seasons
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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ILLINOIS ST (20 - 5) at DRAKE (15 - 11) - 2/15/2009, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DRAKE is 30-19 ATS (+9.1 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
DRAKE is 30-19 ATS (+9.1 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
DRAKE is 21-8 ATS (+12.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
DRAKE is 18-9 ATS (+8.1 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game over the last 2 seasons.
ILLINOIS ST is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
DRAKE is 4-1 against the spread versus ILLINOIS ST over the last 3 seasons
DRAKE is 4-2 straight up against ILLINOIS ST over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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N CAROLINA (22 - 2) at MIAMI (15 - 8) - 2/15/2009, 7:45 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 26-16 ATS (+8.4 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 26-16 ATS (+8.4 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 85-58 ATS (+21.2 Units) as an underdog since 1997.
MIAMI is 54-35 ATS (+15.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game since 1997.
N CAROLINA is 54-37 ATS (+13.3 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
N CAROLINA is 54-37 ATS (+13.3 Units) in all lined games over the last 3 seasons.
N CAROLINA is 53-37 ATS (+12.3 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
N CAROLINA is 66-45 ATS (+16.5 Units) in road games after scoring 80 points or more since 1997.
N CAROLINA is 30-14 ATS (+14.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 23-39 ATS (-19.9 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
N CAROLINA is 2-1 against the spread versus MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
N CAROLINA is 3-0 straight up against MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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USC (15 - 8) at ARIZONA ST (19 - 5) - 2/15/2009, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ARIZONA ST is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in home games versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game over the last 2 seasons.
USC is 49-34 ATS (+11.6 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
USC is 49-34 ATS (+11.6 Units) in all lined games over the last 3 seasons.
USC is 23-10 ATS (+12.0 Units) as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.
USC is 19-9 ATS (+9.1 Units) in road games over the last 3 seasons.
USC is 19-9 ATS (+9.1 Units) in road lined games over the last 3 seasons.
USC is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) after allowing 80 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
USC is 40-26 ATS (+11.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ARIZONA ST is 4-2 against the spread versus USC over the last 3 seasons
USC is 4-2 straight up against ARIZONA ST 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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RIDER (14 - 10) at MANHATTAN (14 - 11) - 2/15/2009, 2:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MANHATTAN is 16-29 ATS (-15.9 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MANHATTAN is 16-29 ATS (-15.9 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
MANHATTAN is 11-22 ATS (-13.2 Units) in all home games over the last 3 seasons.
MANHATTAN is 11-22 ATS (-13.2 Units) in home lined games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MANHATTAN is 3-2 against the spread versus RIDER over the last 3 seasons
RIDER is 4-1 straight up against MANHATTAN over the last 3 seasons
5 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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**pm530** · 02-15-2009, 06:07 AM

NCAAB

Sunday, February 15

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Trend Sheet
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1:00 PM CLEMSON vs. VIRGINIA
Clemson is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Clemson is 20-3 SU in its last 23 games
Virginia is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing at home against Clemson
Virginia is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games when playing at home against Clemson

1:00 PM ILLINOIS vs. INDIANA
Illinois is 1-4-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Illinois is 20-5 SU in its last 25 games
Indiana is 4-8 ATS in its last 12 games when playing at home against Illinois
Indiana is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Illinois

2:00 PM BUFFALO vs. BALL STATE
Buffalo is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games when playing Ball State
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Buffalo's last 5 games when playing Ball State
Ball State is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Ball State is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home

2:00 PM LOYOLA OF CHICAGO vs. BUTLER
Loyola of Chicago is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Butler
Loyola of Chicago is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing Butler
Butler is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Butler's last 6 games at home

2:00 PM RIDER vs. MANHATTAN
Rider is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Manhattan
Rider is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Manhattan
Manhattan is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
Manhattan is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games

2:00 PM SOUTH FLORIDA vs. NOTRE DAME
South Florida is 1-10 SU in its last 11 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 7 of South Florida's last 10 games on the road
Notre Dame is 21-4 SU in its last 25 games at home
Notre Dame is 1-8 ATS in its last 9 games

3:00 PM AKRON vs. NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Akron is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Northern Illinois
Akron is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Northern Illinois
Northern Illinois is 5-13 SU in its last 18 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Northern Illinois's last 7 games at home

3:00 PM MICHIGAN vs. NORTHWESTERN
Michigan is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Michigan is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Northwestern is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Michigan
Northwestern is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Michigan

3:00 PM TEMPLE vs. DUQUESNE
Temple is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Duquesne
Temple is 2-3-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Duquesne
Duquesne is 10-4 SU in its last 14 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Duquesne's last 9 games

3:00 PM TOWSON STATE vs. DREXEL
Towson State is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Towson State is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Drexel is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Towson State
Drexel is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Towson State

4:00 PM DEPAUL vs. LOUISVILLE
DePaul is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games
DePaul is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
Louisville is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing at home against DePaul
Louisville is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against DePaul

4:00 PM ILLINOIS-CHICAGO vs. VALPARAISO
Illinois-Chicago is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Valparaiso
Illinois-Chicago is 2-4-1 ATS in its last 7 games
Valparaiso is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Valparaiso is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games

5:30 PM DUKE vs. BOSTON COLLEGE
Duke is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Duke is 20-4 SU in its last 24 games
Boston College is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Duke
Boston College is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Duke

7:00 PM EASTERN MICHIGAN vs. BOWLING GREEN
Eastern Michigan is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games
Eastern Michigan is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
Bowling Green is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games when playing Eastern Michigan
Bowling Green is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games when playing Eastern Michigan

7:05 PM ILLINOIS STATE vs. DRAKE
Illinois State is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games
Illinois State is 20-5 SU in its last 25 games
Drake is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Illinois State
Drake is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Illinois State

7:45 PM NORTH CAROLINA vs. MIAMI
North Carolina is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of North Carolina's last 6 games
Miami is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing North Carolina
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Miami's last 5 games when playing North Carolina

10:00 PM USC vs. ARIZONA STATE
USC is 10-5 SU in its last 15 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of USC's last 7 games
Arizona State is 4-9 ATS in its last 13 games when playing at home against USC
Arizona State is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games when playing USC

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**pm530** · 02-15-2009, 06:08 AM

NCAAB

Sunday, February 15

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College funds: NCAAB best bets
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North Carolina Tar Heels at Miami Hurricanes (+8, 165.5)

Ty Lawson and North Carolina had one of their most impressive offensive performances of the season at one of the nation's toughest venues.

The No. 3 Tar Heels now look to avoid a letdown as they visit Miami on Sunday, trying to maintain sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

North Carolina (22-8, 8-2) is coming off of its fourth straight win at Cameron Indoor Stadium after beating archrival and No. 6 Duke 101-87 on Wednesday. All five starters finished in double figures, led by Lawson, who finished with a season-high 25 points - one shy of his career high.

Lawson scored 21 in the second half, when the Tar Heels rallied back from an eight-point halftime deficit and became the first team in 26 years to score 100 points at Cameron. North Carolina, which has the nation's second-highest road-scoring average at 87.7 points, topped 100 for the second time in conference play and seventh time overall.

The Tar Heels now go into Miami looking to protect their one-game lead over Duke in the ACC standings. North Carolina, which started 0-2 in conference play after losses to Boston College and Wake Forest, has won eight straight overall and four consecutive road games by an average of 14 points.

The Tar Heels play four of their final six games against teams with a .500 record or worse in conference play. The two-time defending ACC regular-season champs close their season at home against Duke.

While North Carolina's visit to Miami won't elicit as hostile a reaction as its last road contest, the Tar Heels will still be expecting another tough game as they look to win their fifth straight over the Hurricanes, who have suffered some frustrating losses recently.

Miami (15-8, 4-6) hasn't played since losing 78-75 in overtime to Duke on Feb. 7. The Tar Heels will be the third consecutive Top 10 opponent for the Hurricanes, who are 2-4 against Top 25 teams.

Miami has dropped four of its last five overall, with three of those losses coming in overtime. In their last game, the Hurricanes held the Blue Devils to 19 first-half points, but squandered a 16-point lead in the second half. Jack McClinton scored a season-high 34 points on 12-of-18 shooting, including a 3-pointer with 14.8 seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime. He scored all seven points in the extra period.

McClinton had 21 in Miami's 82-65 loss at North Carolina on Jan. 17. Tyler Hansbrough scored 24 points for the Tar Heels and has averaged 26.2 in five lifetime games against the Hurricanes.

Pick: UNC

Clemson Tigers at Virginia Cavaliers (+8.5, 146)

Three-point shooters are getting plenty of attention lately from defenses trying to slow down Clemson. They weren't even a concern the last time Virginia lost nine straight.

The 12th-ranked Tigers look to continue their strong shooting away from home and hand the Cavaliers their worst losing streak in 47 years when the ACC rivals meet at John Paul Jones Arena on Sunday.

Clemson (20-3, 6-3) has won four of five, including a 74-47 home win over then-No. 4 Duke on Feb. 4. The Tigers have shot particularly well in their two games away from home during that span, going 25-for-50 from 3-point range, and are shooting 42.0 percent from beyond the arc in their seven road games this season.

A matchup with lowly Virginia (7-13, 1-8) seems to be an excellent opportunity for Clemson to continue its run.

The Cavaliers, mired in their worst losing streak since an eight-game skid in 1997-98, are in danger of dropping nine straight for the first time since the 1961-62 season. The 3-point arc was 25 years away from being implemented at that time, but opponents have been using it successfully to keep Virginia's skid going.

Teams are shooting 40.3 percent from 3-point range and averaging 77.6 points against the Cavaliers during their losing streak. Virginia ranks 11th in the ACC in 3-point defense, allowing teams to shoot 34.8 percent.

The Tigers shot 61.5 percent (16-for-26) from 3-point range in an 82-51 win at Virginia on Feb. 7, 2008, in the teams' only meeting last season.

K.C. Rivers scored a career-high 32 points in that game and went 8-of-11 from beyond the arc while Terrence Oglesby hit 4-of-8. Rivers hit three more 3-pointers and scored 17 points on Tuesday night, but Oglesby was the star in an 87-77 win over Boston College.

The sophomore guard had 18 of his 21 points in the second half and went 6-for-10 from 3-point range, including a four-point play with 11:54 left to put the Tigers ahead 61-57.

Virginia, trying to win for the first time since a 74-50 victory over Brown on Jan. 6, starts three underclassmen. Freshman guard Sylven Landesberg averages a team-high 17.8 points, but has shot 34.3 percent (12-for-31) over the last two games.

Pick: Under

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**pm530** · 02-15-2009, 06:09 AM

NHL
Long Sheet

Sunday, February 15

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PHILADELPHIA (28-16-0-9, 65 pts.) at NY RANGERS (30-20-0-6, 66 pts.) - 2/15/2009, 1:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NY RANGERS are 17-4 ATS (+10.6 Units) in home games after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 9-3 ATS (+12.2 Units) revenging a home loss versus opponent this season.
NY RANGERS are 116-135 ATS (-70.8 Units) in home games second half of the season since 1996.
NY RANGERS are 72-82 ATS (-59.6 Units) in home games vs. division opponents since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY RANGERS is 12-5 (+4.5 Units) against the spread versus PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
NY RANGERS is 12-5-0 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
8 of 16 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-0.7 Units, Under=-0.9 Units)

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SAN JOSE (37-7-0-9, 83 pts.) at NEW JERSEY (36-17-0-3, 75 pts.) - 2/15/2009, 3:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN JOSE is 13-18 ATS (-15.5 Units) in February games over the last 3 seasons.
NEW JERSEY is 36-20 ATS (-7.4 Units) in all games this season.
SAN JOSE is 8-1 ATS (+6.7 Units) in road games after playing 3 consecutive road games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW JERSEY is 1-1 (+0.0 Units) against the spread versus SAN JOSE over the last 3 seasons
NEW JERSEY is 1-1-0 straight up against SAN JOSE over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.0 Units)

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COLORADO (25-30-0-1, 51 pts.) at DETROIT (37-12-0-7, 81 pts.) - 2/15/2009, 5:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
COLORADO is 5-12 ATS (-9.3 Units) after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game this season.
COLORADO is 3-14 ATS (+20.7 Units) in road games on Sunday games over the last 3 seasons.
DETROIT is 41-9 ATS (+22.7 Units) in home games after a division game over the last 3 seasons.
COLORADO is 55-48 ATS (+108.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
DETROIT is 31-25 ATS (-24.6 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 10-4 (+2.4 Units) against the spread versus COLORADO over the last 3 seasons
DETROIT is 10-4-0 straight up against COLORADO over the last 3 seasons
8 of 14 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+1.5 Units)

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WASHINGTON (34-16-0-5, 73 pts.) at FLORIDA (28-19-0-8, 64 pts.) - 2/15/2009, 5:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
FLORIDA is 18-10 ATS (+5.7 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
WASHINGTON is 38-23 ATS (+68.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA is 95-108 ATS (+215.9 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5.5 since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
FLORIDA is 10-8 (+1.4 Units) against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
FLORIDA is 10-8-0 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
10 of 18 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.6 Units)

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CAROLINA (27-23-0-5, 59 pts.) at BUFFALO (29-21-0-6, 64 pts.) - 2/15/2009, 6:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BUFFALO is 18-21 ATS (-13.5 Units) in home games after allowing 4 goals or more over the last 3 seasons.
BUFFALO is 30-25 ATS (-16.5 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
BUFFALO is 13-21 ATS (-15.2 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
BUFFALO is 7-2 (+5.1 Units) against the spread versus CAROLINA over the last 3 seasons
BUFFALO is 7-2-0 straight up against CAROLINA over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+2.5 Units)

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ATLANTA (19-32-0-5, 43 pts.) at ANAHEIM (28-24-0-5, 61 pts.) - 2/15/2009, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 6-22 ATS (+31.2 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.
ANAHEIM is 26-22 ATS (-14.4 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
ANAHEIM is 2-6 ATS (-7.0 Units) in home games in non-conference games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
ANAHEIM is 1-0 (+1.0 Units) against the spread versus ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
ANAHEIM is 1-0-0 straight up against ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.1 Units)

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MONTREAL (30-20-0-6, 66 pts.) at VANCOUVER (26-21-0-8, 60 pts.) - 2/15/2009, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
VANCOUVER is 12-19 ATS (-10.1 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5.5 over the last 2 seasons.
VANCOUVER is 49-76 ATS (-38.9 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1996.
VANCOUVER is 6-11 ATS (-7.1 Units) second half of the season this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
VANCOUVER is 1-0 (+1.1 Units) against the spread versus MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
VANCOUVER is 1-0-0 straight up against MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.0 Units)

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**pm530** · 02-15-2009, 06:10 AM

NHL

Sunday, February 15

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Trend Sheet
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12:35 PM PHILADELPHIA vs. NY RANGERS
Philadelphia is 4-11 SU in their last 15 games when playing NY Rangers
Philadelphia is 10-5 SU in their last 15 games when playing on the road against NY Rangers
NY Rangers are 1-6 SU in their last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of the NY Rangers last 14 games

3:05 PM SAN JOSE vs. NEW JERSEY
San Jose is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing New Jersey
San Jose is 1-4-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against New Jersey
New Jersey is 12-2 SU in its last 14 games
New Jersey is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games at home

5:00 PM COLORADO vs. DETROIT
Colorado is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Colorado's last 9 games on the road
Detroit is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games when playing Colorado
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Detroit's last 6 games when playing Colorado

5:00 PM WASHINGTON vs. FLORIDA
Washington is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing Florida
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Washington's last 12 games when playing Florida
Florida is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Florida's last 8 games at home

6:00 PM CAROLINA vs. BUFFALO
Carolina is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games when playing Buffalo
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Carolina's last 5 games when playing Buffalo
Buffalo is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Buffalo's last 6 games at home

8:00 PM ATLANTA vs. ANAHEIM
Atlanta is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing Anaheim
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Atlanta's last 7 games when playing Anaheim
Anaheim is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Anaheim's last 5 games

10:00 PM MONTREAL vs. VANCOUVER
Montreal is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Montreal's last 7 games on the road
Vancouver is 9-0-1 SU in its last 10 games when playing Montreal
Vancouver is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Montreal

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**pm530** · 02-15-2009, 06:10 AM

NHL

Sunday, February 15

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Ice Picks: NHL best bets
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Atlanta Thrashers at Anaheim Ducks (-210, 5.5)

Coming off a pair of 100-point seasons and with their core in place just two years removed from a Stanley Cup title, the Anaheim Ducks have nonetheless struggled to find consistency.

They're hoping back-to-back victories over one of the Western Conference's top teams will send them on their way.

Anaheim will look to win a third straight game for the first time since November and bolster its position in the crowded Western playoff race Sunday when it hosts the woeful Atlanta Thrashers.

With veterans Scott Niedermayer and Teemu Selanne shunning retirement to return for the full season, the Ducks (28-24-5) were again hoping to be major players in their conference in 2008-09.

But since closing November with four straight victories, they've merely been mediocre, going 14-16-2, with Selanne missing 17 games due to injury and goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere enduring a tumultuous campaign.

Anaheim remains on tenuous footing in the West's playoff picture, near the top of a tight nine-team cluster battling for four spots.

The Thrashers (19-32-5) certainly can't make that claim, having entrenched themselves in 14th place in the East after dropping seven of their last nine.

Their struggling offense has 12 goals in eight games since the All-Star break, including one on 37 shots in Wednesday night's 3-1 home loss to Chicago.

Ilya Kovalchuk scored for the third straight game, matching his longest streak of the season, but he and Slava Kozlov have scored five of Atlanta's six goals in the last three games.

The surprising bright spot for the Thrashers lately has been goaltending, even though the team still ranks 29th in the league with a 3.46 GAA.

Kari Lehtonen stopped 25 of 27 shots against the Blackhawks after making 40 saves in Tuesday night's 3-1 win at Tampa Bay, improving his GAA to 3.14.

Pick: Over

Montreal Canadiens at Vancouver Canucks (-150, 5.5)

Carey Price would probably relish a shot to help the Montreal Canadiens finally beat the Vancouver Canucks. The All-Star, though, may have to wait a while longer for a start against his hometown team.

With Price struggling, the Canadiens may go with Jaroslav Halak in goal again as they try to snap a 10-game winless streak against the Canucks on Sunday night.

Price is from Williams Lake, British Columbia, approximately 340 miles from Vancouver. This will be the first time Price will get a chance to face the Canucks (26-21-8), and the Canadiens (30-20-6) could certainly use a strong effort in goal.

Montreal is 0-8-1 with one tie against Vancouver since a 4-3 road win on Nov. 30, 2003. Price would normally be a lock to start this game, but he is 2-7-0 with a 3.87 goals-against average in his last 10 games after missing the Canadiens' previous eight contests with a lower body injury.

He's been particularly bad in his last two games, allowing 12 goals.

Halak's strong play is another reason Montreal may lean away from starting Price. Halak made a career-high 46 saves as the Canadiens' snapped a seven-game road losing streak with a 4-2 win over Colorado on Friday night.

"The way we've been playing lately, we needed one goalie to step up," Canadiens coach Guy Carbonneau said.

Halak was more than up to the task against the Avalanche, stopping three breakaway chances. He is 12-9-1 with a 3.00 GAA in a career-high 23 starts.

The Canadiens had their best offensive game since a 4-2 victory over Pittsburgh on Feb. 3. They did it despite being short-handed, with winger Tomas Plekanec serving the first of a two-game suspension for tripping Edmonton defenseman Denis Grebeshkov from behind Wednesday night.

The Canadiens' offense will now face a Canucks team that has had its own problems with a No. 1 goalie. Vancouver lost 2-1 to Dallas on Friday night, giving Roberto Luongo a break after nine straight starts since returning from a groin injury.

Luongo is 4-2-3 during that span but his GAA is 3.51. The veteran has been outstanding in his last three starts versus the Canadiens, though, going 2-1-0 with a 0.67 GAA.

Pick: Canucks

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**Udog** · 02-15-2009, 10:09 AM

NCAAB
Dunkel

Towson at Drexel
The Dragons are 9-2 ATS as a favorite this season and face a Towson team that is 6-10 ATS as an underdog. Drexel is the pick (-11) according to Dunkel, which has the Dragons favored by 14. Dunkel Pick: Drexel (-11). Here are all of today's picks.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 15

Game 803-804: Illinois at Indiana
Dunkel Ratings: Illinois 66.007; Indiana 59.477
Dunkel Line: Illinois by 6 1/2
Vegas Line: Illinois by 10
Dunkel Pick: Indiana (+10)

Game 805-806: Clemson at Virginia
Dunkel Ratings: Clemson 75.186; Virginia 62.487
Dunkel Line: Clemson by 12 1/2
Vegas Line: Clemson by 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Clemson (-8 1/2)

Game 807-808: Loyola-Chicago at Butler
Dunkel Ratings: Loyola-Chicago 48.379; Butler 69.739
Dunkel Line: Butler by 21 1/2
Vegas Line: Butler by 19
Dunkel Pick: Butler (-19)

Game 809-810: Buffalo at Ball State
Dunkel Ratings: Buffalo 59.657; Ball State 55.242
Dunkel Line: Buffalo by 4 1/2
Vegas Line: Buffalo by 2 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Buffalo (-2 1/2)

Game 811-812: South Florida at Notre Dame
Dunkel Ratings: South Florida 56.842; Notre Dame 72.836
Dunkel Line: Notre Dame by 16
Vegas Line: Notre Dame by 13 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Notre Dame (-13 1/2)

Game 813-814: Akron at Northern Illinois
Dunkel Ratings: Akron 59.233; Northern Illinois 47.811
Dunkel Line: Akron by 11 1/2
Vegas Line: Akron by 10
Dunkel Pick: Akron (-10)

Game 815-816: Towson at Drexel
Dunkel Ratings: Towson 46.455; Drexel 60.303
Dunkel Line: Drexel by 14
Vegas Line: Drexel by 11
Dunkel Pick: Drexel (-11)

Game 817-818: Temple at Duquesne
Dunkel Ratings: Temple 63.468; Duquesne 64.890
Dunkel Line: Duquesne by 1 1/2
Vegas Line: Temple by 1 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Duquesne (+1 1/2)

Game 819-820: Michigan at Northwestern
Dunkel Ratings: Michigan 65.744; Northwestern 66.640
Dunkel Line: Northwestern by 1
Vegas Line: Northwestern by 4
Dunkel Pick: Michigan (+4)

Game 821-822: Illinois-Chicago at Valparaiso
Dunkel Ratings: Illinois-Chicago 52.900; Valparaiso 58.102
Dunkel Line: Valparaiso by 5
Vegas Line: Valparaiso by 1
Dunkel Pick: Valparaiso (-1)

Game 823-824: DePaul at Louisville
Dunkel Ratings: DePaul 52.517; Louisville 71.997
Dunkel Line: Louisville by 19 1/2
Vegas Line: Louisville by 21 1/2
Dunkel Pick: DePaul (+19 1/2)

Game 825-826: Duke at Boston College
Dunkel Ratings: Duke 72.891; Boston College 68.790
Dunkel Line: Duke by 4
Vegas Line: Duke by 7
Dunkel Pick: Boston College (+7)

Game 827-828: Eastern Michigan at Bowling Green
Dunkel Ratings: Eastern Michigan 41.902; Bowling Green 56.936
Dunkel Line: Bowling Green by 15
Vegas Line: Bowling Green by 14 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Bowling Green (-14 1/2)

Game 829-830: Illinois State at Drake
Dunkel Ratings: Illinois State 61.091; Drake 58.592
Dunkel Line: Illinois State by 2 1/2
Vegas Line: Drake by 1 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Illinois State (+1 1/2)

Game 831-832: North Carolina at Miami (FL)
Dunkel Ratings: North Carolina 78.530; Miami (FL) 73.035
Dunkel Line: North Carolina by 5 1/2
Vegas Line: North Carolina by 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Miami (FL) (+8 1/2)

Game 833-834: USC at Arizona State
Dunkel Ratings: USC 68.032; Arizona State 72.670
Dunkel Line: Arizona State by 4 1/2
Vegas Line: Arizona State by 8
Dunkel Pick: USC (+8)

Game 835-836: Rider at Manhattan
Dunkel Ratings: Rider 50.951; Manhattan 56.850
Dunkel Line: Manhattan by 6
Vegas Line: Manhattan by 1 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Manhattan (-1 1/2)

**Udog** · 02-15-2009, 10:10 AM

NCAAB
Write-Up

Sunday, February 15

Illinois coach Weber has no love for Indiana after recruiting battles that involved Eric Gordon; Illini (-11.5) drilled Hoosiers 76-45 Jan 10 in first meeting, making 13-25 from arc, but Illini got first road win in last five tries Thursday, pulling out 60-59 win at Northwestern when they were down 13 in last 5:00. Indiana is 3-2 as a Big 11 home underdog.

Clemson won four of last five games; they're 3-1 on ACC road, winning by 19-4-10 points- they're 3-2 as an ACC favorite. Virginia lost its last eight games (2-5 vs spread in last seven); they're 0-3 at home in league, losing by 22-11-10 points. Cavaliers shot less than 37% from the floor in four of last five games. ACC home underdogs are 9-7 vs spread.

Butler (-6) hammered Loyola 78-55 in first meeting, making 11-22 from arc, holding Ramblers to 34% from floor. Bulldogs are 13-1 in Horizon, 4-2 as home favorite, with home wins by 16-4-9-30-8-19 points. Home favorites in Horizon play are 28-14 vs spread. Loyola lost its last five games, is 2-6 as road dog, losing by 14-26-21-14-19 points on road.

Buffalo won last nine games (5-2 vs spread in last seven); they're 4-1 on MAC road, losing at Bowling Green, then winning by 2-12-3-9 points in next four on the road. Ball State lost last three games, by 18-7-8 points, losing to Kent by 7 for first home loss in five MAC games; they're 5-3 as MAC dog this season. MAC home underdogs are 4-8 vs spread.

Notre Dame ended 7-game skid with 90-57 win over Louisville in their last game, now they're double digit favorite over South Florida team that is 3-2 as Big East road dog, losing away games by 13-3-26-17 pts, with a win at winless DePaul. Irish are 2-4 as Big East favorite- their Big East wins are by 10-6-9-33 pts. Big East home favorites are 34-28 vs spread.

Akron won its last six games (5-1 vs spread); they're 5-2 as favorites in MAC, 2-0 on road, with road wins by 10-9-37 points. Northern Illinois has had off-court issues; they've lost last six games, losing last game in double OT. Huskies are 2-3 at home, 1-1 as home dog, with home losses by 13-8-3 points. Northern Illinois is 17-80 from arc in last five games.

Drexel (-3) won 60-53 at Towson in first meeting 15 days ago; they lost two of three since, with dog covering all three games. Drexel is 4-1 as a CAA home favorite, winning home games by 18-10-13-17 points, but they've also lost three CAA home games. Towson is 4-3 as road dog in CAA games, losing road games by 15-22-11-9-3 points (2-5 SU).

Temple is 2-3 on A-14 road, winning by 9 at Richmond, 2 at St Joe's; Owls are 3-3-1 as A-14 favorite, 0-3 on road. Duquesne is 4-1 at home in A-14, losing only to Dayton, winning other home games by 5-5-16-4 points- Dukes are 2-2 as A-14 underdog, 1-0 at home- they're 30-104 on arc in last five games. A-14 home underdogs are 9-10 against spread.

Northwestern had horrible loss to Illinois in last game, losing when they had double digit lead at home with 5:00 left; Wildcats lost at Michigan in first meeting 68-59 (+6), getting outscored 15-1 on foul line. Wildcats had won three in row at home before Thursday- they're 1-1 as a Big 11 fave. Michigan lost six of last eight games, is 0-4 as Big 11 road dog.

Valparaiso (+11) got smoked 77-52 at UIC in first meeting, shooting just 38% from floor, 4-16 from arc; Crusaders lost six of last eight games, but got coach Drew his 600th win Friday. Ill-Chicago lost six of last seven games, is 0-4-1 as Horizon road dog, losing away games by 10-10-26-11- 1-19 points. Valparaiso is 3-0 as a Horizon favorite this season.

Louisville lost by 33 Thursday, its second loss in three games since 8-0 start in Big East; Cardinals are 3-2 as Big East home favorite, winning at home by 14ot/6-26-6 points, before losing its last home game to UConn. DePaul is 0-12 in Big East, 2-3 as road dog, losing away games by 8-17- 9-9-19 points. Big East home favorites are 34-28 against the spread.

Duke is 2-3 in last five games, allowing 74-75-101 points in its last three games; Blue Devils lost last two road games, scoring 57.5 ppg at Wake, Clemson. Boston College allowed 90 ppg in losing last two games, also vs Wake/Clemson; they're 3-4 as ACC underdog, 0-2 at home, dropping home games by 6 to Miami, 20 to Wake, 10 to Clemson.

Bowling Green won its last six games, covered last four; they're 1-3 as a MAC home favorite, winning by 4-4-7 at home, with two losses. Key to know that every team in MAC East has better record than every team in MAC West, and Eastern Michigan is worst team in west-- Eagles are 1-3 as MAC road dog, losing away games by 12-20-22-12 points.

Drake (+8) lost 65-61 at Illinois State in first meeting, as Redbirds made 12-27 from arc; Bulldogs lost six of last eight games, are 3-3 as road dog in MVC, losing road games by 11-4-21-16-12 points, with couple wins, at SIU/Creighton. State's last five games were all decided by four points or less, or in OT; they led by 21 at half in last game, but won by a hoop.

Miami (+17) lost 82-65 in Chapel Hill Jan 17; Hurricanes are 2-4 since that game, but three of their last four losses came in OT- they beat Wake by 27 in last home game. Dog is 5-0 vs spread in Miami's home games in ACC, wuth 'canes 3-2 SU. North Carolina won last eight games, last four all by 14+ points. Tar Heels are 3-2 as an ACC road favorite.

Arizona State's Harden got shut down by Hackett at USC in first game between these teams, a 61-49 Trojan win; ASU won last three games, by 9-11-7 points- they're 2-2 as home favorite, winning by 31-18-7 points, with losses to both Washington teams. USC lost four of last five on road they're 2-3 as Pac-10 underdog. Pac-10 home favorites are 22-17.

Manhattan (+6.5) lost 76-73 at Rider way back on Dec 7; Broncs made 52% from floor in that game. Jaspers won three of last four games; they are 5-3 at home in MAAC, winning three of last four. Rider is 5-2 in last seven games, losing by point to St Peter's Friday, when Peacocks made 11-17 from arc. Rider won last three road games, by 17-11-13 points.

**Udog** · 02-15-2009, 10:12 AM

NCAAB

Sunday, February 15

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Tips and Trends
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#20 Illinois at Indiana [CBS | 1 PM ET]

Illinois (-10, O/U 123.5): The Illini snapped a four-game road losing streak on Thursday with a thrilling 60-59 victory at Northwestern. They saw guard Trent Meacham score eight straight points and then assist on the game-winning basket in the final minutes after trailing 31-25 at halftime. “We’re just thinking, ‘Here we go again. We can’t get stops when we need it - we can’t make the plays when we need it,’” said Meacham. Illinois' first meeting with Indiana was anything but close, resulting in a 76-45 rout.

Illinois is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games overall.
The UNDER is 8-1 in Illinois' last 9 games overall.

Key Injuries - NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 62 (UNDER - Total Play of the Day)

Indiana: The status of leading scorer Devan Dumes (13.8 points per game) remains a mystery after he was suspended following a flagrant foul against Michigan State on February 7th. Hoosiers head coach Tom Crean still does not know if Dumes will be active, and he started four freshmen in Tuesday's 62-54 loss at Minnesota. “We’ll just have to wait and see,” Crean said. “I’m being evasive. I’m not trying to hold it from you. I’m not trying to play strategy games. We’re just going day by day with this.”

Indiana is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games overall.
The OVER is 7-3 in Indiana's last 10 games overall.

Key Injuries - G Devan Dumes (suspension) is questionable.

PROJECTED SCORE: 52

USC at #18 Arizona State [10 PM ET]

USC: The Trojans have not dropped three straight games all season and are in danger of extending their skid after losing to UCLA and Arizona. They are coming off an 83-76 loss at Tucson on Thursday and will need to play better defense to beat Arizona State. USC is allowing just 63.1 points per game this season but struggled against the Bruins and Wildcats, giving up an average of 79.5 to them.

Underdog is 10-2 ATS in the last 12 meetings.
The UNDER is 7-2 in the last 9 meetings.

Key Injuries - F Marcus Johnson (shoulder) is questionable.

PROJECTED SCORE: 60 (Side Play of the Day)

Arizona State (-7.5, O/U 124): The Sun Devils will try to avoid a letdown following a huge 74-67 win over UCLA on Thursday. Leading scorer James Harden totaled 15 points and 11 assists against the Bruins but struggled in the first meeting with USC earlier this season. Harden scored a career-low four points and did not make a basket on eight shots from the field while being guarded by Daniel Hackett.

Arizona State is 3-0 ATS in its last 3 games overall.
The OVER is 7-3 in Arizona State's last 10 games overall.

Key Injuries - NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 64

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**Udog** · 02-15-2009, 10:15 AM

NHL
Dunkel

San Jose at New Jersey
The Sharks have dropped four of their last five and face a New Jersey team that has won three straight. The Devils are the underdog pick (+100) according to Dunkel, which has New Jersey favored straight up by 1. Dunkel Pick: New Jersey (+100). Here are all of today's picks.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 15

Game 1-2: Philadelphia at NY Rangers
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia 11.806; NY Rangers 11.112
Dunkel Line & Total: Philadelphia by 1; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: NY Rangers (-130); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (+110); Over

Game 3-4: San Jose at New Jersey
Dunkel Ratings: San Jose 12.005; New Jersey 12.710
Dunkel Line & Total: New Jersey by 1; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: San Jose (-120); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: New Jersey (+100); Under

Game 5-6: Colorado at Detroit
Dunkel Ratings: Colorado 10.829; Detroit 13.301
Dunkel Line & Total: Detroit by 2 1/2; 7
Vegas Line & Total: Detroit (-360); 6
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (-360); Over

Game 7-8: Washington at Florida
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 12.339; Florida 12.685
Dunkel Line & Total: Florida by 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Washington (-130); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Florida (+110); Under

Game 9-10: Carolina at Buffalo
Dunkel Ratings: Carolina 11.872; Buffalo 12.442
Dunkel Line & Total: Buffalo by 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Buffalo (-165); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Buffalo (-165); Under

Game 11-12: Atlanta at Anaheim
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta 11.056; Anaheim 12.006
Dunkel Line & Total: Anaheim by 1; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Anaheim (-210); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Anaheim (-210); Over

Game 13-14: Montreal at Vancouver
Dunkel Ratings: Montreal 10.386; Vancouver 11.337
Dunkel Line & Total: Vancouver by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Vancouver (-150); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Vancouver (-150); Over

**Udog** · 02-15-2009, 10:16 AM

NHL
Write-Up

Sunday, February 15

Hot teams
-- Flyers won three of their last four games.
-- Devils won three in row, 12 of last 14 games.
-- Red Wings won six of their last seven games.
-- Panthers won three in row, seven of last nine games. Washington won five of its last seven games.
-- Sabres won six of their last seven home games.
-- Ducks won four of their last six games.
-- Canucks won four of their last five games.

Cold teams
-- Rangers lost six of their last seven games.
-- Sharks lost five of last six games; their last four losses came in OT/SO.
-- Colorado lost last four games, outscored 14-5.
-- Carolina lost its last two games, 5-0/5-1.
-- Thrashers lost seven of their last nine games.
-- Canadiens lost four of their last five games.

Totals
-- Over is 3-1-1 in Rangers' last five home games.
-- Three of last four New Jersey games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 4-0-1 in last five Colorado games; six of the last eight Detroit games went over. .
-- Four of last five Florida games stayed under the total; over is 5-1-1 in last seven Washington games.
-- Six of last seven Buffalo games stayed under the total; four of last five Carolina games went over.
-- Four of last five Anaheim games stayed under the total.
-- Over is 3-0-1 in last four Montreal games, 6-1 in Canucks' last seven.

Back-to-Back
-- Rangers are 6-2 if they play again the next day/night.
-- Washington is 4-4 if it played the night before.
-- Carolina is 4-1 if they lost the night before.
-- Thrashers are 2-3 on road if they play again the next night.

Series Records
-- Flyers lost four of last five visits to Madison Square Garden.
-- Home side won last two San Jose-New Jersey games.
-- Colorado is 2-0 vs Detroit this season (3-2/4-3) after being 0-8 LY.
-- Washington lost five of last seven visits to Miami.
-- Home side won last six Carolina-Buffalo games.

**Udog** · 02-15-2009, 10:17 AM

NHL

Sunday, February 15

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POWER INDEX
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Philadelphia (-108) even with N.Y. Rangers* (+108)
New Jersey* (-112) even with San Jose (+112)
Florida* (-101) even with Washington (+101)
Detroit* (-213) 1½ over Colorado (+213)
Buffalo* (-169) 1 over Carolina (+169)
Anaheim* (-164) 1 over Atlanta (+164)
Vancouver* (-128) ½ over Montreal (+128)

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Announcement

Sunday Trends and Indexes 2/15 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

Sunday Trends and Indexes 2/15 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

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