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**pm530** · 12-17-2009, 06:54 AM

Daily Sports Roundup

Thursday, December 17

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The Trail Blazers play host to the Suns, the Ducks look for a win in San Jose, and the Colts and Jaguars meet in Jacksonville.

Colliding on the gridiron . . .

Still unbeaten, the Colts (13-0 SU, 9-4 ATS) will try to run their winning streak to 14 on the season (and avoid any injuries) when they play on the road against the Jaguars in Thursday night NFL action. Indianapolis roared out to a 21-0 lead and then hung on for a 28-16 win over the Broncos on Sunday, with Peyton Manning throwing four touchdown passes. Dallas Clark had three TD catches in that win.

The Jaguars (7-6 SU, 5-8 ATS) will try to improve their playoff chances with a win over the rival Colts on Thursday night. Jacksonville lost 14-10 at home to the Dolphins back in Week 14, as QB David Garrard went just 11-of-26 for 139 yards passing with no touchdowns. Maurice Jones-Drew rushed for 59 yards and a score on 18 carries in that defeat, while Josh Scobee booted a 25-yard field goal.

Tipping off on the hardwood . . .

The NBA has three games on tap for Thursday, with Orlando at Miami, New York at Chicago, and Phoenix at Portland. The Suns (17-8 SU, 15-9-1 ATS) dispatched San Antonio 116-104 at home in their last game on Tuesday night; Amare Stoudemire was good for 28 points and 14 boards in that victory. The Blazers (15-11 SU, 12-14 ATS) are coming off a 95-88 win over Sacramento on Tuesday night. Brandon Roy picked up 25 points and 10 assists in that matchup.

On the college hardwood there are no ranked teams in action on Thursday, although UNLV will be looking to grab a few more votes for the polls when they play host to Weber State. Other games involving notable teams include Elon at N.C. State, Nicholls State at LSU, Wagner at BYU, and Auburn at Florida State. The Tigers (5-4 SU, 1-6 ATS) got past Virginia 68-67 in their most recent game last week, with DeWayne Reed tossing in 18 points for Auburn in that matchup.

Taking a trip around the rink . . .

As well, there are nine games around the NHL on Thursday, with Minnesota at Montreal, the Rangers at the Islanders, Pittsburgh at Philadelphia, Dallas at Atlanta, Phoenix at Columbus, Tampa Bay at Detroit, Los Angeles at Calgary, Nashville at Edmonton, and Anaheim at San Jose. The Ducks fell 3-2 to the Sharks at home in their last matchup back on November 21. Joe Thornton picked up the game-winning goal for the Sharks, while Evgeni Nabokov made 28 saves.

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**pm530** · 12-17-2009, 06:54 AM

Bettor's best friend: Today's helpful tips

Thursday, December 17

Start me up

The million-dollar question on Thursday night is how long will the Colts starters play against Jacksonville, if at all.

All reports indicate that regulars such as Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark and Joseph Addai will be in action, but bettors should check inactives for the team prior to kickoff.

“That's kind of what I think most players wanted to hear,” said Manning in reaction to head coach Jim Caldwell’s statement on Monday. “That's kind of any competitive player's nature, is to go play. The plan is business as usual.”

Caldwell has again emphasized that this game will be treated like the previous 13 and only players that “are not able to go” will not play. A very ambiguous statement leaving bettors having to guess what type of injury could keep a player out.

Sportsbooks waited until Tuesday to release a line on the game because of the uncertainty of the Colts starters. Most shops are currently offering the game now with Indy listed as a 3-point favorite and a total of 43.

Short road trip

The Magic find themselves in a back-to-back situation on Thursday against the Heat. Normally a gruesome scenario for any team that is playing the second of two games in a row on the road, Orlando got off easy.

The Magic defeated the Raptors 118-99 at home on Wednesday as 11-point favorites and will labor through the half hour flight to Miami today.

Orlando is 10-4 on the road this season and 3-2 (3-2 ATS) in B2B situations. The only time they were at home for the first game and on the road for the second, the Magic defeated the Hawks in Atlanta, 93-76, as 3.5-point dogs.

The over has cashed in four consecutive games of this series and Miami has played to the over in five straight. The Magic opened as a 4-point favorite with a total of 202.

Quaker State collision

The Flyers lead the Penguins 132-80-30 in the intrastate rivalry series dating back to 1967. Although Philadelphia holds a commanding edge, it’s been Pittsburgh that has dominated the showdown as of late.

The two teams met on Tuesday with the Pens blasting the slumping Flyers in a 6-1 rout. The Wachovia Center crazies only hope to get a taste of the three fights witnessed in that game, but will look for a better outcome.

"In juniors I've seen that – back to back to back (fights) like that – but not up here," said Sidney Crosby. "It was pretty exciting for both teams. It lived up to the rivalry."

Crosby has nine goals and seven assists in his last seven games and the Penguins are 5-2 during that span.

The Flyers have dropped three straight against Pittsburgh and nine of the last 12 in the series. The team is 4-11 in its last 15 outings and is averaging 1.9 gpp in that timeframe.

"We're not playing with enough heart right now to win," Mike Richards said.

Philadelphia opened as a -110 favorite with a total of 6.

No ace in the hole

The Purple Aces will be without starting point guard Kevon Lacey for approximately four weeks after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery. The junior is Evansville’s court and locker room leader and is leading the team in assists (23) while averaging 5.9 ppg this season.

"Kavon is an important player for us, and fortunately this is just a minor setback," said Coach Marty Simmons. "He should be back to normal in a few weeks, and we look forward to having him back out there."

The Aces are coming of a 63-57 loss to Western Kentucky as 13-point favorites on Dec. 8 and will face a Georgia Southern that has dropped four in a row with a losing margin of 15.8 ppg during that slide.

Evansville is a 9-point favorite with a total of 141.

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**pm530** · 12-17-2009, 06:55 AM

Six-pack for Thursday

-- Big 11 is likely to add a team so they can have two divisions and play a conference championship football game every year. Missouri and Pitt are the two teams they're most likely to target.

-- If Missouri were to leave Big 12, Houston would be likely choice to replace them; Memphis could replace Pitt in the Big East, if need be.

-- Matt Holliday once turned down $18M a year from the Rockies. You wonder if he wishes he had that decision to do over again.

-- If Michael Vick winds up on the Rams, he won't wear #7; number has been retired in honor of Bob Waterfield, a QB from the 50's.

-- They're think North Carolina-Texas game in Jerry World Saturday night be the biggest crowd to ever see a college basketball game.

-- Kudos to Time magazine for naming financial guru Ben Bernanke Man of the Year; always good to see a bald man get some love.

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Thursday's List of 13: Studying first drive stats in the NFL......

To me, the first drive of each game is about motivation, game planning, and the first drive of the second half is about halftime adjustments. Looking at how each team does on first drive of each half, here are some findings.......

13) If you add up the first drive of each half in Vikings' 13 games, you see they outscored opponents 85-18, best mark in the NFL. 54 points they've scored on first drive of third quarter are 16 more than any other team.

12) On their first drive of the game, Chiefs have run 49 plays for 94 yards and three measly points; 29 of the 94 yards came on that FG drive.

11) On their opponents' 26 drives, 49ers haven't allowed a TD, only two FGs. Their 3.34 yards/play allowed is best in the league.

10) Eagles, Saints both scored 44 points (five TDs, three FGs) on the first drive of the game; Saints took 97 plays to score those points, Eagles just 65 plays (an average of 8.82 yards/play). Thats good game planning.

9) As for the Saints' defense, not so much. In their last seven games, New Orleans allowed five TDs and a FG, with all five TD drive 75+ yards. If Saints are going to get to the Super Bowl, their defense needs to get better.

8) Surprising how poorly the Cowboys do early in halves; they've scored total of just 16 points on 26 first drives, tied with Rams for least points in NFL. Only one TD, three FGs; thats pretty poor.

7) Buccaneers have been outscored 85-24 on first drives, fueling a theory that their young staff is overmatched; 48 points they've allowed on the 1st drive of a game is the most in the NFL.

6) Miami hasn't scored that many first drive points, but they've run 196 plays on those 26 drives, 56 more than their opponents. Moving chains and getting good field position is an underrated part of football.

5) Hope the Redskins keep Jim Zorn; his team plays hard every week; its 33-3 scoring advantage on first drive of third quarter shows the staff makes solid adjustment at halftime and gives the team a chance to win.

4) 2-11 Lions have done OK on first drive of game (outscored 30-23) but on first drive of third quarter, they've been waxed 43-7; 43 points gives up is second-most in the NFL.

3) Arizona has outgained opponents 475-176 on first drive of second half, outscoring them 27-0.

2) If you add up the 26 first drives of each half, here are leaders in yards per play on offense: Eagles (6.87), Saints (6.81), Colts (6.61).

1) On defense, these are the stingiest teams, in terms of yards per play: 49ers (3.34), Vikings (3.68), Chiefs (4.00).

From: Armadillo
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**pm530** · 12-17-2009, 06:55 AM

NBA
Long Sheet

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Thursday, December 17
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NEW YORK (8 - 16) at CHICAGO (8 - 15) - 12/17/2009, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW YORK is 48-31 ATS (+13.9 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 32-20 ATS (+10.0 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 6-15 ATS (-10.5 Units) in all games this season.
CHICAGO is 6-15 ATS (-10.5 Units) first half of the season this season.
CHICAGO is 14-33 ATS (-22.3 Units) against Atlantic division opponents over the last 3 seasons.

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

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ORLANDO (18 - 6) at MIAMI (12 - 11) - 12/17/2009, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 27-10 ATS (+16.0 Units) in a home game where where the total is between 200 and 204.5 points since 1996.
ORLANDO is 75-54 ATS (+15.6 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 91-68 ATS (+16.2 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
ORLANDO is 41-25 ATS (+13.5 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 15-5 ATS (+9.5 Units) in a road game where where the total is between 200 and 204.5 points over the last 3 seasons.
ORLANDO is 35-20 ATS (+13.0 Units) first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 23-9 ATS (+13.1 Units) revenging a home loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons.
ORLANDO is 53-27 ATS (+23.3 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons.
MIAMI is 40-58 ATS (-23.8 Units) in home games over the last 3 seasons.
MIAMI is 79-108 ATS (-39.8 Units) in home games first half of the season since 1996.
MIAMI is 65-91 ATS (-35.1 Units) in home games vs. division opponents since 1996.
MIAMI is 16-30 ATS (-17.0 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ORLANDO is 5-3 against the spread versus MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
ORLANDO is 7-2 straight up against MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
6 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PHOENIX (17 - 8) at PORTLAND (15 - 11) - 12/17/2009, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 20-33 ATS (-16.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
PORTLAND is 46-33 ATS (+9.7 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 37-18 ATS (+17.2 Units) in a road game where where the total is between 200 and 204.5 points since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHOENIX is 4-3 against the spread versus PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
PHOENIX is 5-2 straight up against PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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**pm530** · 12-17-2009, 06:55 AM

NBA
Write-up

Thursday, December 17

Hot Teams
-- Knicks won four of their last five games.
-- Orlando won 13 of last 16 games, covered one of last four.

Cold Teams
-- Bulls lost six of last seven games; they're 3-9-1 vs spread in last 13.
-- Miami is 1-5 vs spread in game after their last six wins.
-- Suns lost last five road games, covering last two. Portland is 3-7 vs spread in its last ten games.

Totals
-- Under is 7-2-2 in Chicago home games.
-- Last five Miami games went over the total.
-- Six of last seven Phoenix games stayed under the total.

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**pm530** · 12-17-2009, 06:56 AM

NBA

Thursday, December 17

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Trend Report
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7:30 PM
ORLANDO vs. MIAMI
Orlando is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Miami
Orlando is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Miami
Miami is 5-11 ATS in its last 16 games
Miami is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games

8:00 PM
NEW YORK vs. CHICAGO
New York is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Chicago
New York is 1-9 SU in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Chicago
Chicago is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games when playing New York
Chicago is 13-5 SU in its last 18 games when playing New York

10:30 PM
PHOENIX vs. PORTLAND
Phoenix is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Phoenix's last 5 games on the road
Portland is 5-12-1 ATS in its last 18 games when playing Phoenix
Portland is 2-11 SU in its last 13 games when playing Phoenix

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**pm530** · 12-17-2009, 06:56 AM

NBA

Thursday, December 17

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Pick ‘n’ Roll: Today's best NBA bets
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New York Knicks at Chicago Bulls (-2.5, 198)

You know things aren’t going well for your team when it losses and the players are telling reporters they’re happy about their effort.

''Even though we lost, this was a winning-type effort,'' Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich told the Chicago Sun-Times following a nine-point loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. ''I thought everybody played hard. You could tell there was a sense of urgency there.''

So, Chicago lets a sick and banged up Kobe Bryant score 42 points and suddenly everyone’s feeling good in the Bulls locker room?

''I really think since the Golden State game [on Friday], we've played hard,'' Luol Deng said. ''I think we're headed in the right direction. We just have to keep playing like this.''

What a bunch of loser talk. That Golden State game is Chicago’s only win in its last seven games and it needed overtime to finish off the Warriors.

Things aren’t good in the Windy City.

Everyone wants Derrick Rose to take over when the Bulls are struggling to score, but the point guard has reservations of going into ball-hog mode.

“People say they want me to shoot the ball more, but I’m the point guard; I can’t do that. I‘ve got to pass the ball to people and get people open,” Rose told the Chicago Tribune. “Taking over as a point guard is getting people open and shooting here and there.”

Until the Bulls figure out how to maximize Rose’s role, they’ll struggle to fill up the hoop. That doesn’t bode well going against the fast-paced Knicks.

Pick: Knicks

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**pm530** · 12-17-2009, 06:57 AM

NCAAB
Long Sheet

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Thursday, December 17
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AUBURN (5 - 4) at FLORIDA ST (8 - 2) - 12/17/2009, 7:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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NEW ORLEANS (5 - 4) at TROY (5 - 5) - 12/17/2009, 8:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
TROY is 1-1 against the spread versus NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
TROY is 1-1 straight up against NEW ORLEANS 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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FLA INTERNATIONAL (3 - 9) at DENVER (6 - 3) - 12/17/2009, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
FLA INTERNATIONAL is 116-153 ATS (-52.3 Units) in all games since 1997.
FLA INTERNATIONAL is 116-153 ATS (-52.3 Units) in all lined games since 1997.
FLA INTERNATIONAL is 21-37 ATS (-19.7 Units) in December games since 1997.
FLA INTERNATIONAL is 36-63 ATS (-33.3 Units) after a non-conference game since 1997.
DENVER is 25-13 ATS (+10.7 Units) against conference opponents over the last 3 seasons.

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

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CAL DAVIS (3 - 6) at FRESNO ST (4 - 5) - 12/17/2009, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CAL DAVIS is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) after allowing 80 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
FRESNO ST is 152-190 ATS (-57.0 Units) in all games since 1997.
FRESNO ST is 152-190 ATS (-57.0 Units) in all lined games since 1997.
FRESNO ST is 24-42 ATS (-22.2 Units) when the total is 140 to 149.5 since 1997.
FRESNO ST is 7-18 ATS (-12.8 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
FRESNO ST is 8-21 ATS (-15.1 Units) in all home games over the last 3 seasons.
FRESNO ST is 8-21 ATS (-15.1 Units) in home lined games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
FRESNO ST is 1-0 against the spread versus CAL DAVIS over the last 3 seasons
FRESNO ST is 1-0 straight up against CAL DAVIS over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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ELON (3 - 7) at NC STATE (7 - 1) - 12/17/2009, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ELON is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) in all games this season.
ELON is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) in all lined games this season.
ELON is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) as an underdog this season.
ELON is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
ELON is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in non-conference games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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GA SOUTHERN (3 - 8) at EVANSVILLE (4 - 3) - 12/17/2009, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GA SOUTHERN is 12-22 ATS (-12.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
GA SOUTHERN is 12-22 ATS (-12.2 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
GA SOUTHERN is 11-22 ATS (-13.2 Units) as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.
GA SOUTHERN is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
EVANSVILLE is 30-14 ATS (+14.6 Units) in home games after a non-conference game since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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WEBER ST (5 - 4) at UNLV (8 - 1) - 12/17/2009, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
UNLV is 150-116 ATS (+22.4 Units) in all games since 1997.
UNLV is 150-116 ATS (+22.4 Units) in all lined games since 1997.
UNLV is 39-21 ATS (+15.9 Units) in December games since 1997.
UNLV is 111-79 ATS (+24.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
WEBER ST is 20-9 ATS (+10.1 Units) in road games over the last 3 seasons.
WEBER ST is 20-9 ATS (+10.1 Units) in road lined games over the last 3 seasons.
WEBER ST is 67-38 ATS (+25.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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E WASHINGTON (4 - 5) at NEVADA (4 - 4) - 12/17/2009, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEVADA is 26-12 ATS (+12.8 Units) in home games after scoring 80 points or more since 1997.
NEVADA is 6-15 ATS (-10.5 Units) in all home games over the last 2 seasons.
NEVADA is 6-15 ATS (-10.5 Units) in home lined games over the last 2 seasons.
NEVADA is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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**pm530** · 12-17-2009, 06:57 AM

NCAAB
Write-up

Thursday, December 17

Information on Thursday's college basketball games.

Auburn is 4-4, losing road games at Missouri State (73-62, -4), Central Florida (84-74, -9.5); Tigers are playing for first time in 10 days. SEC road underdogs are 7-12 vs spread. Florida State is 8-2, 1-3 vs spread as a favorite; they're 1-1 vs SEC teams, losing by 16 at Florida, winning by 9 on neutral floor vs Alabama. ACC home favorites are 14-15.

New Orleans lost Sun Belt opener 66-48 at home Monday, making 35% from floor; Privateers lost by 11 at Troy LY, despite shooting 54% from floor. UNO is 1-3 on road this year, but 3-0 as a road underdog. Troy St. is 2-5 vs D-I teams, 1-1 as favorite (wins by 16-4). Third game for Troy in six nights- they allowed 96.5 ppg at Marshall/Houston.

Cal-Davis (-4.5) lost 71-70 to Fresno LY; Aggies are 1-6 vs D-I teams, losing last three games by 2-10-16 points. Big West road underdogs are 15-10 vs spread out of conference. Fresno State is 3-5 this year, 1-2 as a favorite; only one of their three wins is by more than eight points. WAC home favorites are 9-7 against the spread.

Elon is 2-7 this year, losing last game by 40 at Wake Forest; they're 1-4 vs spread as a road dog, with five losses by 20+ points. Road underdogs from SoCon are 13-17 vs spread. NC State has ACC opener Sunday at Wake; they're 7-1, but 2-4 vs spread as favorite, with only one win by more than 18 points. ACC home favorites are 14-15 vs spread.

Evansville is 3-3 vs D-I teams; four of its last five games were decided by six or less points. Aces are 0-1 as a favorite. MVC home faves have covered 9-10 vs spread. Georgia Southern is 1-8 vs D-I foes, losing last four games by 9-25-18-11 points. Eagles are 3-3-1 vs spread as the dog. SoCon road underdogs are 13-17 against the spread.

UNLV is 7-1 after 18-point road win Tuesday; Rebels are 2-2 as a fave, are playing second of three games-in-five nights stretch. MWC favorites are 19-10 vs spread at home this year. Weber State is 4-0 in December; they're 1-3 on road, losing by 9 at UCSB, 4 at Seattle, 17 at BYU, with a win at Sacramento State. Big Sky road underdogs are 15-15 vs spread.

Nevada is 2-4 vs D-I teams, 3-0 at home, with wins by 14-13-20 points; favorites are 5-1 vs spread in Wolf Pack games. WAC home favorites are 9-7 vs spread in non-league games. Eastern Washington is 2-4, losing at Idaho by 22, winning at UTSA by 4- they beat decent Seattle team by 3 in OT last game. Big Sky road underdogs are 15-15 vs spread.

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**pm530** · 12-17-2009, 06:58 AM

NCAAB

Thursday, December 17

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
AUBURN vs. FLORIDA STATE
Auburn is 6-14 SU in its last 20 games on the road
Auburn is 16-7 SU in its last 23 games
Florida State is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games
Florida State is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games

7:00 PM
DARTMOUTH vs. LEHIGH
Dartmouth is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games
Dartmouth is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
No trends available

7:00 PM
ELON vs. NORTH CAROLINA STATE
Elon is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Elon is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
North Carolina State is 2-3-1 ATS in its last 6 games
North Carolina State is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games

7:00 PM
JAMES MADISON vs. GARDNER-WEBB
James Madison is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
James Madison is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
No trends available

7:00 PM
MILLIGAN vs. APPALACHIAN STATE
No trends available
Appalachian State is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home

7:30 PM
ALBANY vs. IONA
No trends available
Iona is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games at home

8:00 PM
JACKSON STATE vs. TULSA
No trends available
Tulsa is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Tulsa is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games

8:00 PM
NEW ORLEANS vs. TROY
New Orleans is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Troy
New Orleans is 1-13 SU in its last 14 games on the road
Troy is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing New Orleans
Troy is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games

8:00 PM
NICHOLLS STATE vs. LSU
No trends available
LSU is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games at home
LSU is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games

8:05 PM
GEORGIA SOUTHERN vs. EVANSVILLE
Georgia Southern is 3-10-1 ATS in its last 14 games on the road
Georgia Southern is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Evansville is 18-5 SU in its last 23 games at home

9:00 PM
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL vs. DENVER
Florida International is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Denver
Florida International is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing Denver
Denver is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Denver is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games

9:00 PM
WAGNER vs. BYU
No trends available
BYU is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games
BYU is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

10:00 PM
UC DAVIS vs. FRESNO STATE
UC Davis is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
UC Davis is 9-3-1 ATS in its last 13 games on the road
Fresno State is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home
Fresno State is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games

10:00 PM
WEBER STATE vs. UNLV
Weber State is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Weber State is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games on the road
UNLV is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games
UNLV is 16-3 SU in its last 19 games at home

10:05 PM
EASTERN WASHINGTON vs. NEVADA
Eastern Washington is 7-16 SU in its last 23 games
Eastern Washington is 1-10 SU in its last 11 games on the road
Nevada is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games at home

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**pm530** · 12-17-2009, 06:59 AM

NHL
Write-up

Thursday, December 17

Hot Teams
-- Thrashers won three of last four home games.
-- Minnesota lost eight of its last ten games.
-- Islanders won six of their last seven home games.
-- Penguins won four of their last five road games.
-- Predators won four of their last five road games.
-- Los Angeles won six of its last eight road games.
-- Ducks won three of their last four games.

Cold Teams
-- Dallas Stars lost five of last six road games.
-- Coyotes lost seven of last ten road games. Blue Jackets lost four of last five at home.
-- Canadiens lost eight of last 12 home games.
-- Rangers lost five in row, eight of last nine games.
-- Flyers lost four of their last five home games.
-- Lightning lost its last six road games. Red Wings lost six of their last nine on the road.
-- Oilers lost their last three home games.
-- Flames won four of their last five games.
-- Sharks lost their last four home games.

Totals
-- Under is 7-3 in last ten Dallas road games.
-- Under is 9-2-1 in last dozen Phoenix road games.
-- Four of last five Minnesota games stayed under the total.
-- Seven of last nine Islander home games stayed under total.
-- Six of last eight Penguins road games stayed under the total.
-- Last nine Detroit home games stayed under the total.
-- Four of last five Edmonton home games stayed under total.
-- Seven of last eight Calgary home games stayed under the total.
-- Nine of last 12 Anaheim road games stayed under the total.

Playing second of back-to-back nights
-- Thrashers are 4-1 when they played the night before.
-- Road teams are 0-3 the night after playing Toronto. (Phx)
-- Teams are 7-0 the night after playing the Devils. (Mtl)
-- Islanders are 2-6 if they played the night before.
-- Ducks lost four of five if they played the night before.

Series Records
-- Coyotes won their last five games against Columbus.
-- Rangers won five of last six visits to Long Island, but they're 0-2 vs the Islanders so far this season.
-- Penguins are 17-6 in their last 23 games against the Flyers.
-- Red Wings won last three games against Tampa Bay: 6-3/4-2/4-3.
-- Edmonton lost 11 of last 13 games against the Predators.
-- Flames won 11 of last 13 games against Los Angeles.
-- Sharks won five of last six games against Anaheim.

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**pm530** · 12-17-2009, 06:59 AM

NHL

Thursday, December 17

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
DALLAS vs. ATLANTA
Dallas is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
Dallas is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
Atlanta is 1-10 SU in its last 11 games when playing Dallas
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Atlanta's last 10 games when playing Dallas

7:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. MONTREAL
Minnesota is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Minnesota is 6-13 SU in its last 19 games on the road
Montreal is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
Montreal is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home

7:00 PM
NY RANGERS vs. NY ISLANDERS
NY Rangers are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing NY Islanders
NY Rangers are 4-8 SU in their last 12 games on the road
NY Islanders are 1-5 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against NY Rangers
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of the NY Islanders last 13 games when playing at home against NY Rangers

7:00 PM
PHOENIX vs. COLUMBUS
Phoenix is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Columbus
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Phoenix's last 6 games when playing on the road against Columbus
Columbus is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home
Columbus is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games

7:00 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. PHILADELPHIA
Pittsburgh is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Philadelphia
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 6 games when playing Philadelphia
Philadelphia is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Pittsburgh
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 5 games when playing at home against Pittsburgh

7:30 PM
TAMPA BAY vs. DETROIT
Tampa Bay is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Tampa Bay is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
Detroit is 8-0-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Tampa Bay
Detroit is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games at home

9:30 PM
LOS ANGELES vs. CALGARY
Los Angeles is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Los Angeles's last 6 games on the road
Calgary is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Los Angeles
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Calgary's last 10 games when playing at home against Los Angeles

9:30 PM
NASHVILLE vs. EDMONTON
Nashville is 11-2 SU in its last 13 games when playing Edmonton
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Nashville's last 8 games when playing Edmonton
Edmonton is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Nashville
Edmonton is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games

10:30 PM
ANAHEIM vs. SAN JOSE
Anaheim is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games when playing on the road against San Jose
Anaheim is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games
San Jose is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Anaheim
San Jose is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games at home

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**pm530** · 12-17-2009, 07:00 AM

NHL

Thursday, December 17

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Ice picks: Today's best NHL bets
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Tampa Bay Lightning at Detroit Red Wings (-200, 5.5)

Rick Tocchet is fed up. After watching his team lose its eighth game in nine tries, the Lightning head coach decided there needed to be a shakeup.

Forwards Alex Tanguay and Jeff Halpern were benched for Tuesday’s game against the Predators. Tampa Bay lost 4-7 despite dressing eight defensemen.

“We have to get this thing straighten out,” Tocchet told the St. Petersburg Times. “We lose because teams are better than us, you can live with that. But there are some games wewere outplaying a team and for whatever reason we just went the other way.

“It’s mind boggling and it’s not going to happen any more. If I have to play a defenseman at center because we don’t have a guy doing a job, we’re going to do it until we do other things. But right now, I can only control the guys that are here.”

Tanguay, who has just four goals in 32 games, wasn’t surprised by the benching.

“What’s there to say? I try my hardest. I guess it’s not good enough. The team is slumping and I’m a big part of it.”

Those don’t sound like words of a motivated player.

Pick: Red Wings

Nashville Predators at Edmonton Oilers (-120, 5.5)

It’s funny how things go sometimes. The Oilers won five of six games on their road trip and they had time off to prepare for the Kings on Tuesday.

Maybe that’s why Edmonton coach Pat Quinn was beside himself after his club fell 3-2.

“I haven’t felt angry this year,” he told the Edmonton Sun. “But I am angry about how we played. We have lots of goddamn excuses, but the result is the same.”

Expect the Oilers to put together a more complete game Thursday against the visiting Predators.

Pick: Oilers

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**pm530** · 12-17-2009, 07:00 AM

NHL

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Pucking the trends: Western Conference owns the East
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Close encounters

John Vogl of the Buffalo News reports that the Buffalo Sabres’ record in one-goal games is one of the main reasons they’re at the top of the Northeast Division.

Buffalo is tied with the Pittsburgh Penguins for the second best winning percentage in one-goal games at .750 (9-1-2 record).

"There's been a big emphasis on it and the plays you need to make when the games are tight, the plays you need to make that won't allow the other teams to get the opportunities," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said.

The New Jersey Devils have the highest winning percentage in one-goal games at .786 (11-2-1), while the Tampa bay Lightning have the worst winning percentage at .250 (4-3-9).

Kings of the west?

The Los Angeles Kings have not made the playoffs since 2002, but they are currently tied with the San Jose Sharks for the most points in the Western Conference with 45.

"This is actually a carry-over from last year," said forward Anze Kopitar. "You could see signs that we were becoming a pretty good team last year. The difference was we would play good for a while and then not so good for a while.”

Helene Elliot of the Los Angeles Times writes that the Kings’ success has come as a result of “grit and surprising depth”.

On the topic of grit, forward Ryan Smyth is expected to return from injury as early as next week.

The Kings have a record of 21-11-3 and are 19-16 ATS.

Home is where the wins are

The Vancouver Canucks are winning at home by an average of 1.53 goals (3.53 goals for per game, 2.00 goals allowed per game), the best differential in the league.

The next best team is the Washington Capitals, who have been winning at home by an average of 1.00 goals per game.

As Jeff Paterson, a sports talk-show host on Vancouver sports radio points out, Vancouver must win now on its eight-game homestand, because during the second half of the season, they will play a stretch of 14 consecutive road games.

Vancouver is 13-4-0 at home this season and 11-6 ATS.

East is the least

As James Mirtle of the Globe and Mail points out, it is the mediocrity of the Eastern Conference - particularly in the bottom half of the conference - that has allowed almost every team to remain in contention for a playoff spot.

Mirtle observes that the Western Conference is 72-37-15 against teams from the East, and that the average Western Conference team is on pace for 97 points, seven points higher than the average Eastern Conference club.

“The whole league [is close],” said Ottawa Senators forward Daniel Alfredsson. “The standings change everyday – it’s unbelievable how competitive it is. It pushes everybody. As players, it’s mentally harder, but if you’re a fan, I think you see a lot more intense hockey every night now.”

On schedule

Thursday Dec. 17, Los Angeles Kings at Calgary Flames

The Los Angeles Kings finish the Western Canadian portion of their road trip with a game against the Calgary Flames. It will be Los Angeles’ third road game in four nights.

Thursday Dec. 17, Phoenix Coyotes at Columbus Blue Jackets

The Phoenix Coyotes must play on back-to-back nights (it will also be their third road game in four nights) against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday.

Friday Dec. 18, Tampa Bay Lightning at St. Louis Blues

After a game on Tuesday in Nashville, the Lightning must play in Detroit on Thursday before traveling to St. Louis on Friday.

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Announcement

Thursday Trends and Indexes 12/17 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

Thursday Trends and Indexes 12/17 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

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