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**pm530** · 11-18-2009, 08:43 AM

Daily Sports Roundup

Wednesday, November 18

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: Ball State plays host to Central Michigan, the Stars take on the Red Wings, and the Spurs try to get on track against the Mavs.

Colliding on the gridiron . . .

There are a pair of Mid-American college football games on the schedule for Wednesday, with Buffalo at Miami (Ohio) and Central Michigan at Ball State. The Chippewas (8-2 SU, 7-2 ATS) are the lone bright spot amongst that conference quartet, and they beat up on Toledo 56-28 in their last contest. The Cardinals (1-9 SU, 5-4 ATS) fell 26-20 to Northern Illinois last time out. The oddsmakers expect Central Michigan to roll to a win Wednesday, favoring them by 16.5 points.

Tipping off on the hardwood . . .

A busy Wednesday around the NBA has a dozen games on tap, including San Antonio at Dallas. The Spurs got both Tim Duncan and Tony Parker back on the floor in their last game on Saturday night, but they still managed to get tagged with a 101-98 home loss against Oklahoma City. Duncan scored a team-high 22 points to go along with 10 rebounds in that defeat, while Parker was good for 17 points and five assists. George Hill tossed in 18 points off the bench in that loss.

Also on the pro hardwood on Wednesday: Miami at Atlanta, Cleveland at Washington, Charlotte at Philadelphia, Oklahoma City at Orlando, New York at Indiana, New Jersey at Milwaukee, Houston at Minnesota, the Clippers at Memphis, Toronto at Utah, Detroit at Portland, and Golden State at Boston. The Celtics have lost two straight games after falling 113-104 in Indiana on Saturday night. Ray Allen had 24 points in that contest, while Kevin Garnett had 15 points.

The top college hoops teams in action on Wednesday are Texas and Butler. The Longhorns will get a visit from Western Carolina on Wednesday, after dispatching UC Irvine 89-42 in their season opener on Sunday. Damion Jones was good for 21 points in that victory for Texas. The Bulldogs will play at Northwestern on Wednesday, and they started their season with a 73-62 win over Davidson on Saturday. Gordon Hayward had 17 points for Butler that game.

Taking a trip around the rink . . .

Finally, there are five games on the NHL's schedule for Wednesday, with Florida at Buffalo, Phoenix at Minnesota, Colorado at Edmonton, Philadelphia at Los Angeles, and Dallas at Detroit. The Stars dropped to 8-5-6 on the season last time out, falling 3-2 in Phoenix on Saturday. Mike Modano and Matt Niskanen had the goals for Dallas in that loss. The Red Wings are 10-5-3 after beating Anaheim 7-4 on Saturday night; Henrik Zetterberg had a hat trick in that matchup.

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**pm530** · 11-18-2009, 08:44 AM

Bettor's best friend: Today's helpful tips

Wednesday, November 18

Eye on the Ball

Ball State is just 1-9 but has been much worse at home than on the road. The Cardinals are 0-5 straight up and 1-4 against the spread in home games, scoring more than 17 points just once. On the road, the number are 1-4 straight up, 4-1 ATS and four games of more than 17 points. Ball State is getting 14.5 points from visiting Central Michigan with a total of 50.

Backups up front

The Cleveland Cavaliers played without center Shaquille O'Neal (shoulder) and forward Anderson Varejao (hip) on Tuesday and will do so again Wednesday at Washington, which will have forward Antawn Jamison for the first time this season. Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Darnell Jackson filled in for O'Neal and Varejao. If Jamison starts, he will bump Andray Blatche. Washington has lost six in a row straight up and is getting four points with a total of 194.

Brownout

Miami Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown, the team's leading rusher and the trigger for their "Wildcat" offense, will not play Thursday against the Carolina Panthers. Replacement Ricky Williams does not throw or pitch the ball as well as Brown, which could impact Miami's offense. The Dolphins are fourth in the NFL in rushing and 30th in passing. However, the Panthers are 25th in rush defense. Carolina is giving three points with a total of 42.5.

"The Truth" hurts

Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce practiced at full speed Tuesday and will play Wednesday vs. the Golden State Warriors. Pierce mildly sprained his knee Friday and played Saturday; afterward, coach Doc Rivers said he should have rested his All-Star, which was what he did Monday and Tuesday. There is no line yet, but Boston has been favored by double digits at home vs. Golden State each of the last two seasons.

New Brand of forward

Elton Brand has been starting but not finishing for the Philadelphia 76ers, with his fourth-quarter minutes going to Marreese Speights. But Speights has a torn MCL and will miss at least six weeks, and coach Eddie Jordan hinted Monday that Brand may not start, saying he was "not a 40-minute player." The 76ers could go small with Thaddeus Young at power forward and Rodney Carney at small forward. Philadelphia is giving four points to Charlotte with a total of 182.

Missing the point

Missouri lost senior point guard J.T. Tiller to a left leg injury in its season opener Tuesday. Tiller shared 2009 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors and averaged team bests of 3.6 assists and 1.8 steals last season. He also averaged 8.8 points and is Missouri's top returning scorer. Tiller's backup is senior Zaire Taylor.

Oh, Bowe

The Kansas City Chiefs will be without wide receiver Dwyane Bowe for four games after he tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance that his agent said was a diuretic. Bowe is Kansas City's leading receiver with 33 catches for 466 yards and four TDs. Receivers Bobby Wade and Mark Bradley have combined for 37 catches. The Chiefs, who are 0-4 straight up and 1-3 against the spread with 53 points scored at home, are hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers and getting 10 points with a total of 40.

Notable quotable

"I don't think that any decision's been made because I probably would know, and I don't know. With that being said, it's full speed ahead to UConn, full speed ahead to Stanford and full speed ahead to recruiting. That's exactly the way we're approaching it."

-- Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis, answering questions about the uncertainty of his job. The Irish have lost two in a row to drop to 6-4.

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**pm530** · 11-18-2009, 08:44 AM

Six-pack for Wednesday

-- Buffalo Bills fired Dick Jauron, like its his fault. Unless he is the one who wanted to sign Terrell Owens, firing him now makes no sense.

-- Jets fired their defensive line coach this week; apparently foulups involving substitutions had hurt the Jets, costing them timeouts.

-- Injury-riddled Rams signed WR Jordan Kent, son of Oregon hoop coach Ernie Kent.

-- Ronnie Brown won't be playing for Dolphins Thursday, so time for Pat White to step up as the guy who runs Miami's Wildcat offense.

-- Chiefs' Dwayne Bowe is out four games for testing positive for a banned diuretic-- he was trying to lose weight in training camp.

-- Its easy to rip ESPN these days for some of the things they do, but the new College Basketball Marathon is a tremendous idea, one that I hope sticks around in future years. It gives college hoop kind of a feel like it is Opening Day, something the sport has lacked.

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Wednesday's List of 13: College knowledge from encyclopedia of college basketball........ESPN's book is huge, has lot of stuff in it

13) North Carolina went 18-9 in 1969-70; the next time the Tar Heels won less than 20 games was 2001-2, when they went 8-20 in the second of Matt Doherty's three years as Carolina's head coach.

12) South Carolina and Arkansas joined the SEC in 1983. Before that, Gamecocks had been an independent for 13 years after leaving the ACC. Carolina made the NCAAs their first three years as an independent, then missed out on March Madness the next 15 years, not returning until the sixth season they were in the SEC.

11) Tony Gwynn shares single-game assist record at San Diego State, dishing out 18 against UNLV 2-5-80. Gwynn also holds season record for assists (221, 1979-80) and career (590) for the Aztecs.

10) Western Kentucky has had eight players taken in first round of the NBA Draft, with Courtney Lee in 2008 the first one in 21 years.

9) Surprised to see that Anthony Grant is just fifth basketball coach at Alabama in the last 40 years. You don't think of Bama as a hoop school, but thats pretty good continuity, 10 years per coach.

8) From 1956-60, Cal Bears went 51-11 in conference play, winning the 1959 national title, the same year their footbal team won the Rose Bowl. From 1961-85, the Bears had only two winning seasons in league play, as things spiraled downward as soon as the great Pete Newell left Cal.

7) Norm Stewart is listed as Northern Iowa's greatest coach (111-57 in seven years from 1961-67) but UNI's greatest game was a 74-71 upset of Missouri in '90 NCAA tourney. Missouri's coach? Norm Stewart.

6) One of Ole Miss' top five players of all-time is Don Kessinger, who played from 1961-64; he is better known as the light-hitting shortstop for the Cubs in the late 60's/early 70's.

5) Maryland won the national title in 2002; the last six years, they've slipped to 47-49 in ACC play, so they didn't parlay their national title into recruiting successes to sustain their status as a top 20 team.

4) Georgetown won six Big East conference tournaments in the 80's, but have won only one (2007) since then.

3) Somewhere, Cal State Fullerton alum Kevin Costner is smiling after the Titans beat UCLA Monday night for the first time in ten tries.

2) Neither Auburn, Michigan has had NBA first round pick since 2000.

1) Arkansas State coach Steve Shields played college golf for his dad at Baylor; he once beat John Daly in a college match.

From: Armadillo
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**pm530** · 11-18-2009, 08:45 AM

NBA
Write-up

Wednesday, November 18

Hot Teams
-- Cavaliers won four in row, seven of last eight games.
-- Hawks won their last five games (4-0-1 vs spread). Miami won seven of its first ten games.
-- Pacers won, covered their last five games.
-- Magic won five of their last seven games. Thunder won three of its last four games.
-- Warriors covered their last three road games.
-- Houston is 4-0 vs spread in game following a loss.
-- Bucks won four of their last five games.
-- Mavericks won eight of their last ten games.
-- Portland won, covered six of its last seven games.

Cold Teams
-- Wizards lost their last six games (0-6 vs spread).
-- Knicks lost their last six games (1-5 vs spread).
-- 76ers lost four of their last five games. Bobcats lost last five games (are 2-3 vs spread in those games).
-- Warriors lost seven of their first ten games. Celtics lost three of their last five games, losing last two by 11-9 points.
-- Minnesota lost its last ten games (0-6 vs spread in last six).
-- Nets are 0-11 but covered four of last six games.
-- Grizzlies lost seven of their last eight games. Clippers lost four of last five games, covered two of last ten.
-- Jazz is 3-5 in last eight games (2-2 at home). Raptors lost four of last six games (3-4 vs spread on road).
-- Spurs are 0-3 on road, losing by 14-12-3 points.
-- Pistons lost four of their last five road games.

Totals
-- Seven of nine Washington games stayed under the total.
-- Seven of last nine Miami games stayed under the total; six of last seven Atlanta games went over.
-- Last three Charlotte road games went over the total.
-- Six of last seven Indiana games stayed under the total.
-- Five of six Orlando home games went over the total.
-- Five of Warriors' last six games went over the total.
-- Under is 4-1-1 in last six Memphis games.
-- Six of last eight Minnesota games stayed under the total.
-- Last five New Jersey games stayed under the total; Bucks last three games all went over.
-- Three of last four Toronto games stayed under the total; last three Utah games all went over.
-- Four of last six San Antonio games went over the total.
-- Five of last six Detroit games went over the total; nine of 12 Portland ganes stayed under.

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**pm530** · 11-18-2009, 08:46 AM

NBA

Wednesday, November 18

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
CHARLOTTE vs. PHILADELPHIA
Charlotte is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Philadelphia
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Charlotte's last 6 games when playing Philadelphia
Philadelphia is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games
Philadelphia is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games

7:00 PM
CLEVELAND vs. WASHINGTON
Cleveland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Cleveland is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Washington is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Cleveland
Washington is 7-17 SU in its last 24 games when playing Cleveland

7:00 PM
MIAMI vs. ATLANTA
Miami is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
Miami is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
Atlanta is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Atlanta is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

7:00 PM
NEW YORK vs. INDIANA
New York is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Indiana
New York is 5-17 SU in its last 22 games when playing on the road against Indiana
Indiana is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Indiana is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games at home

7:00 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY vs. ORLANDO
Oklahoma City is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Orlando
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Oklahoma City's last 5 games when playing on the road against Orlando
Orlando is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games at home
Orlando is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home

7:30 PM
GOLDEN STATE vs. BOSTON
Golden State is 7-2 ATS in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Boston
Golden State is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Boston
Boston is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
Boston is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games

8:00 PM
HOUSTON vs. MINNESOTA
Houston is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games on the road
Houston is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games on the road
Minnesota is 2-4-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing at home against Houston
Minnesota is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Houston

8:00 PM
LA CLIPPERS vs. MEMPHIS
LA Clippers are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games
LA Clippers are 8-4 ATS in their last 12 games when playing Memphis
Memphis is 2-4 ATS in their last 6 games when playing at home against LA Clippers
Memphis is 17-6 SU in their last 23 games when playing at home against LA Clippers

8:00 PM
NEW JERSEY vs. MILWAUKEE
New Jersey is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
New Jersey is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
Milwaukee is 8-3 ATS in its last 11 games
Milwaukee is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games

9:00 PM
TORONTO vs. UTAH
Toronto is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
Toronto is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Utah
Utah is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Toronto
Utah is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Toronto

9:30 PM
SAN ANTONIO vs. DALLAS
The total has gone OVER in 7 of San Antonio's last 10 games
San Antonio is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Dallas
Dallas is 9-3-1 ATS in its last 13 games at home
Dallas is 21-3 SU in its last 24 games at home

10:00 PM
DETROIT vs. PORTLAND
Detroit is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Portland
Detroit is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Portland
Portland is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Detroit
Portland is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Detroit

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**pm530** · 11-18-2009, 08:47 AM

NBA

Wednesday, November 18

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Pick ‘n’ Roll: Today's best NBA bets
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Toronto Raptors at Utah Jazz (-7.5, 215)

The Raptors have started their four-game Western road swing strong. Heading into Tuesday’s game in Denver, Toronto has a win over the Clippers and a 1-point loss to the Suns, covering the spread in both contests.

However, facing an elite Nuggets squad at altitude, then traveling that night to Utah for Wednesday’s game at altitude will make the Raptors weak in the knees for the road finale.

Coach Jay Triano told reporters that Denver always plays a physical game against his team. Perimeter star Hedo Turkoglu is nursing a hip injury and - despite playing and scoring 20 points against Phoenix - may be in slow motion come Wednesday.

"We're a finesse team right now," Triano told the Toronto Star. "We're trying to get tougher and we are but it's not happening overnight."

Utah, on the other hand, has a ton of time to lick its wounds. The Jazz have been off since losing at Cleveland on Saturday and will have All-Star guard Deron Williams back in the lineup after he was away from the team dealing with family issues.

Pick: Utah -7.5

Los Angeles Clippers at Memphis Grizzlies (-4, 202)

Getting rid of Allen Iverson sooner than later was the best move the Grizzlies made since dumping the fugly teal and brown jerseys left over from the failed Vancouver days.

Waiving bye-bye to the troublesome veteran won’t have any negative impact on the team but still leaves Memphis as one of the worst offensive clubs in the NBA. The Grizzlies are averaging just 85 points over their last three games, falling below the total in all three.

Their most recent effort was a 97-87 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, which snapped a seven-game losing streak. Memphis shot just under 49 percent from the floor but was a dismal 2-for-14 from the arc.

The Grizzlies haven’t been able to capitalize on the long ball. They’ve hit just five of their 31 3-pointers over the last three games and are shooting just over 30 percent from outside on the season.

The Clippers aren’t much to watch on offense, either. They’re scoring only 96 points a night and have a 4-7 over/under mark on the season.

Pick: Under 202

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**Udog** · 11-18-2009, 09:24 AM

NBA
Dunkel

New York at Indiana
The Pacers look to build on their 6-0 ATS record in their last 6 games with 0 days of rest. Indiana is the pick (-6 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Pacers favored by 9 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Indiana (-6 1/2). Here are all of today's picks.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18

Game 501-502: Cleveland at Washington
Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland 123.761; Washington 117.205
Dunkel Line & Total: Cleveland by 6 1/2; 198
Vegas Line & Total: Cleveland by 4 1/2; 194
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (-4 1/2); Over

Game 503-504: Miami at Atlanta
Dunkel Ratings: Miami 117.399; Atlanta 129.023
Dunkel Line & Total: Atlanta by 11 1/2; 186
Vegas Line & Total: Atlanta by 7 1/2; 191 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (-7 1/2); Under

Game 505-506: Charlotte at Philadelphia
Dunkel Ratings: Charlotte 115.256; Philadelphia 113.654
Dunkel Line & Total: Charlotte by 1 1/2; 178
Vegas Line & Total: Philadelphia by 4; 182
Dunkel Pick: Charlotte (+4); Under

Game 507-508: New York at Indiana
Dunkel Ratings: New York 111.741; Indiana 121.181
Dunkel Line & Total: Indiana by 9 1/2; 208
Vegas Line & Total: Indiana by 6 1/2; 214
Dunkel Pick: Indiana (-6 1/2); Under

Game 509-510: Oklahoma City at Orlando
Dunkel Ratings: Oklahoma City 118.152; Orlando 125.116
Dunkel Line & Total: Orlando by 7; 189
Vegas Line & Total: Orlando by 11 1/2; 190
Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma City (+11 1/2); Under

Game 511-512: Golden State at Boston
Dunkel Ratings: Golden State 113.397; Boston 124.043
Dunkel Line & Total: Boston by 10 1/2; 192 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 513-514: LA Clippers at Memphis
Dunkel Ratings: LA Clippers 111.711; Memphis 113.453
Dunkel Line & Total: Memphis by 1 1/2; 205 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Memphis by 4 1/2; 201 1/2
Dunkel Pick: LA Clippers (+4 1/2); Over

Game 515-516: Houston at Minnesota
Dunkel Ratings: Houston 120.576; Minnesota 113.091
Dunkel Line & Total: Houston by 7 1/2; 208 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Houston by 6 1/2; 199 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Houston (-6 1/2); Over

Game 517-518: New Jersey at Milwaukee
Dunkel Ratings: New Jersey 110.764; Milwaukee 120.988
Dunkel Line & Total: Milwaukee by 10; 215 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 519-520: Toronto at Utah
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto 115.819; Utah 121.303
Dunkel Line & Total: Utah by 5 1/2; 219
Vegas Line & Total: Utah by 8 1/2; 214 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (+8 1/2); Over

Game 521-522: San Antonio at Dallas
Dunkel Ratings: San Antonio 118.755; Dallas 126.247
Dunkel Line & Total: Dallas by 7 1/2; 189 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 523-524: Detroit at Portland
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit 116.333; Portland 128.355
Dunkel Line & Total: Portland by 12; 186
Vegas Line & Total: Portland by 10 1/2; 179
Dunkel Pick: Portland (-10 1/2); Over

**Udog** · 11-18-2009, 10:19 AM

NCAAB
Write-Up

Wednesday, November 18

-- Brown (+12) lost 76-74 at Rhode Island LY, after leading by four at half; Bears beat St Francis by 4, lost at Va Tech by 14. URI has three starters back from 23-11 team; this their season opener. Ivy road dogs are 5-3 against the spread. Atlantic 14 favorites are 7-1, 5-1 at home.

-- Western Michigan (+4) lost its opener 86-80 at Detoit, as Titans shot 51% from floor; Broncos (+12) lost 79-62 at VCU last year. MAC dogs are 2-3 vs spread, 0-1 at home. VCU has four starters back from 24-10 team; they do have a new coach. CAA favorites are 0-1 against spread.

-- Central Michigan (+11) lost 75-65 at Ill-Chicago LY, game Chippewas led by hoop at half; CMU has three starters back from 12-19 team that went 7-9 in MAC- they lost opener to Princeton. UIC has three starters back from 16-15 team. Horizon road teams are 2-8 against the spread.

-- Cincinnati struggled to beat Prairie View 69-62 in opener; they've got four starters back from 18-14 team (8-10 in Big East). Toeldo brought in seven new players to help three departed starters from LY's 7-25 wreck. Big East home favorites are 4-8 vs spread. MAC road dogs are 2-2.

-- Cornell has all five starters back from LY's 21-10 Ivy champ; Big Red won 71-67 (+7) at Alabama Saturday, making 10-18 from arc, shooting 50% for game. UMass (+3.5) lost opener 84-67 at Central Florida, with Knights shooting 55%. A-14 teams are 10-3 against spread this season.

-- Kent State lost three starters from 19-15 team (10-6 in MAC); they beat Youngstown 82-74 LY, after being down 7 at half. This is already fourth game for Kent (2-1 last weekend, losing in OT Sunday). Penguins have four starters back from 11-19 teamp- they lost by 26 at Xavier.

-- Northwestern's best player is out for year; they won opener 77-55 vs No. Illinois (-14), still have three starters back from 14-17 team (8-10 in Big 11). Wildcats lost 57-53 at Butler LY. Bulldogs have all five starters back from 26-6 team-- they won season opener by 12 over Davidson.

-- Utah lost its opener 94-87 at home to Idaho (Vandals shot 10-21 from arc, 22-33 from line); Utes lost by hoop at Utah State LY. Aggies won 66-60 at Weber State in opener (-4), holding Wildcats to 33% from floor. WAC home favorites are 1-3. Utes have eight new players this season.

-- Nebraska (-10) beat Saint Louis 71-57 LY in Lincoln; Huskers return only one of top five scorers from LY, with nine players who have never played a D-I game before last week. Billikens beat SE Missouri 59-41 in opener, holding SEMo to 27% shooting. A-14 teams are 10-3 vs spread.

-- UNLV (-1) won 64-57 at Nevada LY after being down hoop at half; Rebels lost three starters back from 21-11 team that went 4-7 in last 11 games. Nevada shot 53% in opener, beating Montana State by 14- they have three starters back from LY (21-13). WAC underdogs are 2-3.

-- Cal-Irvine has three starters back from 12-19 team that started season 1-9; Anteaters lost by 47 at Texas Sunday, shooting 27%, getting beat on boards by 21. LMU (+10) lost opener 90-87 at Boise, then lost by a point at Montana (64-63), despite outrebounding the Grizzlies by 14.

-- Georgia Southern has three starters back from 8-22 team that got LY's coach fired; Eagles allowed 78 ppg LY. Florida has three starters back from 25-11 team that missed NCAAs for second year in row; they beat Stetson by 28 in opener. SoCon road underdogs are 6-4 against spread.

-- Manhattan (-10.5) beat Princeton 76-66 LY; Jaspers have three of the starters back from 16-14 team (8-8 in MAAC)- they beat NJIT 70-58 in opener. MAAC road underdogs are 4-1 against spread. Princeton has all five starters back from 13-14 team, an improvement over '08's 6-23.

-- SE Missouri coach Nutt used to be coach at Arkansas State (189-186 in 14 years); this is his first year with SEMo (lost by 18 at Saint Louis in opener). ASU lost three starters from 13-17 team that lost its last 10 games. They have solid recruiting class, but only five returnees.

**Udog** · 11-18-2009, 10:31 AM

NCAAB

Wednesday, November 18

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
BUCKNELL vs. DELAWARE
No trends available
Delaware is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Delaware's last 6 games

7:00 PM
GEORGIA SOUTHERN vs. FLORIDA
Georgia Southern is 2-13 SU in its last 15 games
Georgia Southern is 1-8 ATS in its last 9 games on the road
Florida is 21-2 SU in its last 23 games at home
Florida is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games

7:00 PM
ILLINOIS-CHICAGO vs. CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Illinois-Chicago is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
Illinois-Chicago is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Central Michigan is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Central Michigan is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games at home

7:00 PM
MANHATTAN vs. PRINCETON
Manhattan is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Manhattan is 7-15 SU in its last 22 games on the road
Princeton is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Princeton's last 7 games at home

7:00 PM
MARIST vs. HARTFORD
Marist is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
Marist is 3-13 SU in its last 16 games
No trends available

7:00 PM
SACRED HEART vs. FORDHAM
No trends available
Fordham is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games at home
Fordham is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games

7:00 PM
STETSON vs. FLORIDA STATE
No trends available
Florida State is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Florida State is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games at home

7:00 PM
VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH vs. WESTERN MICHIGAN
Virginia Commonwealth is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Virginia Commonwealth's last 7 games on the road
Western Michigan is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games
Western Michigan is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games

7:30 PM
CORNELL vs. MASSACHUSETTS
Cornell is 17-4 SU in its last 21 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Cornell's last 5 games
Massachusetts is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Massachusetts is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home

7:30 PM
LOYOLA vs. UMBC
Loyola is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games on the road
Loyola is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
No trends available

7:30 PM
RHODE ISLAND vs. BROWN
Rhode Island is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Brown
Rhode Island is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Brown
Brown is 17-6 SU in its last 23 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Brown's last 7 games at home

7:30 PM
TOLEDO vs. CINCINNATI
Toledo is 3-12 SU in its last 15 games
Toledo is 3-9 ATS in its last 12 games on the road
Cincinnati is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
Cincinnati is 15-6 SU in its last 21 games at home

7:35 PM
KENT STATE vs. YOUNGSTOWN STATE
Kent State is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
Kent State is 13-5 SU in its last 18 games
Youngstown State is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Kent State
Youngstown State is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games when playing Kent State

8:00 PM
ARKANSAS STATE vs. SE MISSOURI STATE
Arkansas State is 1-10 SU in its last 11 games
Arkansas State is 1-4-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
SE Missouri State is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games at home
SE Missouri State is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games at home

8:00 PM
BUTLER vs. NORTHWESTERN
Butler is 8-4 ATS in its last 12 games on the road
Butler is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Northwestern is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games at home

8:00 PM
HIGH POINT vs. WAKE FOREST
No trends available
Wake Forest is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games
Wake Forest is 17-3 SU in its last 20 games at home

8:00 PM
IUPUI vs. EASTERN ILLINOIS
No trends available
Eastern Illinois is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Eastern Illinois is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games at home

8:00 PM
NEBRASKA vs. SAINT LOUIS
Nebraska is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Nebraska is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Saint Louis is 4-1-1 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Saint Louis is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home

8:00 PM
NORTH TEXAS vs. TEXAS-ARLINGTON
North Texas is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
North Texas is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games on the road
No trends available

8:00 PM
NORTHERN MICH vs. WISC-GREEN BAY
No trends available
Wisc-Green Bay is 15-7 SU in its last 22 games
Wisc-Green Bay is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games at home

8:00 PM
OAKLAND vs. WISCONSIN
No trends available
Wisconsin is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home
Wisconsin is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games

8:00 PM
ST. GREGORY'S vs. ARKANSAS-LITTLE ROCK
No trends available
Arkansas-Little Rock is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Arkansas-Little Rock is 15-6 SU in its last 21 games at home

8:00 PM
UTAH STATE vs. UTAH
Utah State is 1-4-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Utah
Utah State is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Utah
Utah is 12-4 SU in its last 16 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Utah's last 6 games

8:05 PM
ARK MONTICELLO vs. WICHITA STATE
No trends available
Wichita State is 11-1 SU in its last 12 games at home
Wichita State is 12-6 SU in its last 18 games

8:05 PM
SIU EDWARDSVILLE vs. EVANSVILLE
SIU Edwardsville is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games
SIU Edwardsville is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Evansville is 16-4 SU in its last 20 games at home
Evansville is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games

8:05 PM
SOUTHERN vs. OKLAHOMA STATE
No trends available
Oklahoma State is 10-3 SU in its last 13 games
Oklahoma State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

9:00 PM
PERU STATE vs. WYOMING
No trends available
Wyoming is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
Wyoming is 14-5 SU in its last 19 games at home

9:00 PM
TEXAS SOUTHERN vs. COLORADO
No trends available
Colorado is 2-12 SU in its last 14 games
Colorado is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games at home

9:00 PM
WESTERN CAROLINA vs. TEXAS
Western Carolina is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Western Carolina is 1-7-1 ATS in its last 9 games on the road
Texas is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games at home
Texas is 8-14-1 ATS in its last 23 games

9:05 PM
ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF vs. TEXAS EL PASO
No trends available
Texas El Paso is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Texas El Paso is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Arkansas-Pine Bluff

10:00 PM
ORAL ROBERTS vs. STANFORD
No trends available
Stanford is 2-3-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Stanford is 21-4 SU in its last 25 games at home

10:00 PM
POINT LOMA vs. SAN DIEGO
No trends available
San Diego is 5-10 SU in its last 15 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of San Diego's last 12 games

10:05 PM
BETHANY vs. SACRAMENTO STATE
No trends available
Sacramento State is 2-23 SU in its last 25 games
Sacramento State is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games at home

10:30 PM
NEVADA vs. UNLV
Nevada is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Nevada's last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of UNLV's last 6 games when playing Nevada
UNLV is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games

11:00 PM
UC IRVINE vs. LOYOLA MARYMOUNT
UC Irvine is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Loyola Marymount
UC Irvine is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Loyola Marymount
Loyola Marymount is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Loyola Marymount is 3-14 SU in its last 17 games at home

11:00 PM
UC SANTA CRUZ vs. UC DAVIS
No trends available
UC Davis is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games at home
UC Davis is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home

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**Udog** · 11-18-2009, 10:37 AM

NCAAB
Dunkel

Western Carolina at Texas
The Longhorns look to take advantage of a Western Carolina team that is 0-7-1 ATS in its last 8 road games against teams with a winning home record. Texas is the pick (-25) according to Dunkel, which has the Longhorns favored by 31. Dunkel Pick: Texas (-25). Here are all of today's picks.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18

Game 525-526: Rhode Island at Brown
Dunkel Ratings: Rhode Island 60.148; Brown 51.153
Dunkel Line: Rhode Island by 9
Vegas Line: Rhode Island by 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Brown (+9 1/2)

Game 527-528: VCU at Western Michigan
Dunkel Ratings: VCU 61.684; Western Michigan 51.581
Dunkel Line: VCU by 10
Vegas Line: VCU by 6
Dunkel Pick: VCU (-6)

Game 529-530: Illinois-Chicago at Central Michigan
Dunkel Ratings: Illinois-Chicago 57.578; Central Michigan 55.776
Dunkel Line: Illinois-Chicago by 2
Vegas Line: Central Michigan by 1 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Illinois-Chicago (+1 1/2)

Game 531-532: Toledo at Cincinnati
Dunkel Ratings: Toledo 44.378; Cincinnati 65.731
Dunkel Line: Cincinnati by 21 1/2
Vegas Line: Cincinnati by 21
Dunkel Pick: Cincinnati (-21)

Game 533-534: Cornell at Massachusetts
Dunkel Ratings: Cornell 59.761; Massachusetts 59.773
Dunkel Line: Even
Vegas Line: Cornell by 2 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Massachusetts (+2 1/2)

Game 535-536: Kent State at Youngstown State
Dunkel Ratings: Kent State 57.336; Youngstown State 53.764
Dunkel Line: Kent State by 3 1/2
Vegas Line: Kent State by 2
Dunkel Pick: Kent State (-2)

Game 537-538: Butler at Northwestern
Dunkel Ratings: Butler 67.319; Northwestern 66.486
Dunkel Line: Butler by 1
Vegas Line: Butler by 4
Dunkel Pick: Northwestern (+4)

Game 539-540: Utah State at Utah
Dunkel Ratings: Utah State 62.230; Utah 65.723
Dunkel Line: Utah by 3 1/2
Vegas Line: Utah by 2 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Utah (-2 1/2)

Game 541-542: Nebraska at St. Louis
Dunkel Ratings: Nebraska 65.411; St. Louis 59.984
Dunkel Line: Nebraska by 5 1/2
Vegas Line: Nebraska by 1
Dunkel Pick: Nebraska (-1)

Game 543-544: Nevada at UNLV
Dunkel Ratings: Nevada 60.835; UNLV 62.833
Dunkel Line: UNLV by 2
Vegas Line: UNLV by 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Nevada (+5 1/2)

Game 545-546: UC-Irvine at Loyola-Marymount
Dunkel Ratings: UC-Irvine 46.961; Loyola-Marymount 50.449
Dunkel Line: Loyola-Marymount by 3 1/2
Vegas Line: Loyola-Marymount by 2 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Loyola-Marymount (-2 1/2)

Game 547-548: Georgia Southern at Florida
Dunkel Ratings: Georgia Southern 38.128; Florida 68.904
Dunkel Line: Florida by 31
Vegas Line: Florida by 23
Dunkel Pick: Florida (-23)

Game 549-550: Manhattan at Princeton
Dunkel Ratings: Manhattan 52.761; Princeton 51.475
Dunkel Line: Manhattan by 1 1/2
Vegas Line: Princeton by 3
Dunkel Pick: Manhattan (+3)

Game 551-552: Arkansas State at SE Missouri State
Dunkel Ratings: Arkansas State 44.261; SE Missouri State 41.495
Dunkel Line: Arkansas State by 3
Vegas Line: Arkansas State by 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: SE Missouri State (+5 1/2)

Game 553-554: Western Carolina at Texas
Dunkel Ratings: Western Carolina 46.104; Texas 76.863
Dunkel Line: Texas by 31
Vegas Line: Texas by 25
Dunkel Pick: Texas (-25)

**Udog** · 11-18-2009, 10:39 AM

NHL
Write-Up

Wednesday, November 18

Hot Teams
-- Sabres won last three games, allowing four goals. Panthers won three of their last four road games.
-- Red Wings won six of their last seven games.
-- Flyers won six of their last seven games. Los Angeles won three of its last four games.

Cold Teams
-- Dallas lost five of its last seven games.
-- Minnesota lost its last three games: 4-3/3-1/5-4. Penguins lost their last three road games, outscored 13-2.
-- Edmonton lost four games in row and seven of last eight. Colorado lost three of its last four games.

Totals
-- Eight of last ten Buffalo games stayed under the total.
-- Last five Dallas games stayed under the total.
-- Three of last four Minnesota games went over the total.
-- Eight of last eleven Colorado games stayed under the total.
-- Three of Kings' last four games went over the total; three of Flyers' last four games stayed under.

Series Records
-- Sabres won their last four games against Florida.
-- Minnesota won 10 of last 11 games against Phoenix.
-- Dallas won five of last seven games against Detroit.
-- Road team won both Colorado-Edmonton games this season.
-- Flyers won three oflast four games against Los Angeles.

**Udog** · 11-18-2009, 10:42 AM

NHL

Wednesday, November 18

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
FLORIDA vs. BUFFALO
Florida is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing Buffalo
Florida is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Buffalo
Buffalo is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Buffalo's last 5 games

7:30 PM
DALLAS vs. DETROIT
Dallas is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Detroit
Dallas is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Detroit
Detroit is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
Detroit is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games at home

8:00 PM
PHOENIX vs. MINNESOTA
Phoenix is 1-10 SU in its last 11 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Phoenix's last 12 games
Minnesota is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Phoenix
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Minnesota's last 7 games when playing at home against Phoenix

9:00 PM
COLORADO vs. EDMONTON
Colorado is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games when playing Edmonton
Colorado is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games when playing on the road against Edmonton
Edmonton is 2-10 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against Colorado
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Edmonton's last 10 games when playing at home against Colorado

10:30 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. LOS ANGELES
Philadelphia is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing Los Angeles
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 5 games when playing Los Angeles
Los Angeles is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Los Angeles's last 10 games at home

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Udog** · 11-18-2009, 10:45 AM

NHL

Wednesday, November 18

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Ice picks: Wednesday's best NHL bets
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Philadelphia Flyers at Los Angeles Kings (+104, 5.5)

The Flyers finally look like the Stanley Cup contenders everyone pegged them as heading into the season.

Philadelphia has won six of its last seven games, with five of those victories coming at home. But the schedule could throw a wrench into that streak, sending the team on a five-game road trip which begins out west in Los Angeles.

The Flyers have only played five games away from home, going 3-2 outside of the Wachovia Center. The team is scoring just over three goals per road game but has allowed a total of just 12 goals over those five contests.

The team’s recent winning streak has a lot to do with solid goaltending from Ray Emery, who has 2.22 GAA and a .923 save percentage since signing with Philadelphia this offseason. Emery has also helped under bettors cash in on three of the team's last four contests.

Pick: Under 5.5

Dallas Stars at Detroit Red Wings (-166, 5.5)

The Stars' offense has been so bad in recent weeks that the team is asking its blueline to chip in on offense.

Dallas has scored just over two goals a game in its last six contests, going 2-4 in that span and playing under the total in five of those games. Coach Marc Crawford is asking his defensemen to get in on the rush, hoping to spark scoring Wednesday night.

"It's a little tough, because we were trained a different way than this," defenseman Stephane Robidas told the Dallas Morning News. "But we're excited about the way the coaches want us to play and we're learning the reads and the keys to the new games. It just takes a little time."

Taking on a more aggressive role means taking more risks. As the Stars learn how to time these attacks, there will be moments in which the defense is caught with its pants down. A savvy team like the Red Wings won’t allow much margin for error. Detroit’s offense is red hot, scoring 19 goals over its current three-game winning streak.

Pick: Over 5.5

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**Udog** · 11-18-2009, 10:47 AM

NHL

Wednesday, November 18

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Pucking the trends: The best shootout goalies going
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Malkin the Magnificent

Evgeni Malkin returned on Saturday after missing seven games with a shoulder injury. In those seven games, the Penguins managed just 11 goals and posted a 2-5-0 record.

Pittsburgh has scored 11 goals and won both its games since Malkin’s return.

Dave Molinari of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette observes that Malkin will be relied on to cure Pittsburgh’s recent power-play woes (1 for its last 36).

"He's a great player and gives us extra punch, extra force," said Penguins forward Ruslan Fedotenko. "He makes the players around him better and creates more opportunities offensively."

Beasts of the East (ATS)

The New York Islanders have exceeded expectations this year at 8-6-7.

But, as Dan Martin of the New York Post points out, the Isles’ record would be even better without their struggles in the extra frame. New York is 3-7 in games not ending in regulation.

The Islanders finally have a first line that can score with rookie sensation John Tavares Matt Moulson and Kyle Okposo (currently out with H1N1).

"There's a level of expectation that we can win," coach Scott Gordon said. "There's the confidence that if we're playing our game, we're going to have success.”

Puckline players should know that New York is 17-4 against the spread.

Saving the Shootout

Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Mathieu Garon picked up another shootout victory on Monday, improving his career shootout record to 18-4.

The Columbus Dispatch’s Aaron Portzline believes that Garon’s “attacking” style puts some shooters off balance.

"Love that," Blue Jackets center Antoine Vermette said. "We get pretty fired up on the bench watching him come so far out like that."

Other goalies performing well in the shootout include Johan Hedberg of Atlanta (13-3), Martin Brodeur (31-14), Anaheim’s Jonas Hller (8-3) and Montreal’s Jaroslav Halak (6-2).

Knowing how your team’s goalie fares in a shootout can help guide a bettor’s decision.

Power-Play Peculiarities

John Down of the Calgary Herald points out that Calgary has the second ranked power-play at home (30 percent) and the 26th ranked power-play on the road (12.9 percent).

“We just have to simplify the power play a little bit on the road, direct more pucks towards the net, win more battles around the net,” said Calgary Flames coach Brent Sutter.

The San Jose Sharks, on the other hand, have the league’s worst power-play at home at 10.3 percent, and the league’s best power-play on the road at 32.2 percent.

Have Calgary and San Jose’s power-play splits affected their chances of going over or under the total?

Calgary has a 6-3 O/U record at home and a 4-5 record on the road. San Jose has a 3-5 O/U record at home and a 7-7 record on the road.

On Schedule

Friday Nov. 20th, Colorado Avalanche at Vancouver Canucks

Colorado’s difficult schedule continues with a Western Canadian road trip. Colorado plays its third game in four nights against a Vancouver Canucks team that has been waiting at home since an 8-2 pasting of the Avalanche in Colorado last Saturday.

Saturday Nov. 21, Florida Panthers at New York Rangers

The Florida Panthers have a Wednesday game in Buffalo, a Friday date with the Wings at Joe Louis Arena and a Saturday night game at MSG. Other than a Tuesday matchup against the Washington Capitals, the Rangers have not played since last Saturday.

Sunday Nov. 22, Chicago Blackhawks at Vancouver Canucks

Another team doing the Western Canadian swing this week is the Chicago Blackhawks. The Hawks play Calgary on Thursday, Edmonton on Friday and travel to Vancouver on Sunday to face the Canucks. Vancouver’s only other game this week is against Colorado on Friday.

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Announcement

Wednesday Trends and Indexes 11/18 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

Wednesday Trends and Indexes 11/18 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

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