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**Udog** · 12-02-2010, 11:02 PM

Bettors’ best friend: Friday's wagering tips

Lines to keep an eye on

Miami (OH) opened as a 14.5-point underdog against Northern Illinois, but the Redhawks are now getting 17.5 points.

Weather to watch

Illinois at Fresno State: There is just a 10 percent chance of rain.

Who’s hot

NCAAB: UAB is 6-1 ATS in its last seven overall.

NHL: The over is 6-1 in the Red Wings' last seven overall.

NBA: The Knicks are 8-1 ATS in their last nine overall and 6-0 ATS in their last six road games.

NCAAF: Northern Illinois is 9-1-1 ATS in its last 11 overall and 7-0-1 ATS in its last eight conference games.

Who’s not

NCAAB: Washington State is 1-6 ATS in its last seven against Big 12 opponents.

NHL: The Hurricanes are 1-5 in their last six overall.

NBA: The Magic are 1-7 ATS in their last eight road games.

NCAAF: Illinois is 3-12 ATS in its last 15 non-conference games.

Key stat

41 – Average points per game allowed by the Miami (OH) Redhawks in their four losses this season--to Floria, Missouri, Cincinnati, and Ohio. That could be an issue when they go up against a prolific Northern Illinois offensive attack. The Huskies have eclipsed the 50-point mark four times (against Akron, Toledo, Ball State, and Eastern Michigan) and scored more than 30 points on four other occasions (against Buffalo, Central Michigan, Minnesota, and Temple)

Injuries that shouldn’t be overlooked

Fresno State running back Robbie Rouse was already dealing with a broken left hand. Then last Saturday against Idaho he suffered a rib injury. Rouse, who has 1097 yards and eight touchdowns on 191 carries, is not expected to play on Friday when the Bulldogs host Illinois. Fresno State could also be without wide receiver Rashad Evans (30 catches, 335 yards, 3 TDs), who is questionable with a leg problem.

Biggest games on the slate

MAC Championship: Northern Illinois vs. Miami (OH) (17.5, 55)

Dallas Mavericks at Utah Jazz

Notable quotable

"Whatever we're going through, it's probably good for us. It humbles you. We're down to earth and understand that we can lose games if we don't play basketball the right way and do all the little things we need to do as a group collectively. Being humbled is good. It's good to use life lessons in life. We hope we can learn from it." -- Lamar Odom after the Lakers lost their fourth straight game to Houston on Wednesday. They will look to end the slide against Sacramento on Friday night.

Tips and notes

Northern Illinois running back Chad Spann was named MAC Player of the Year on Wednesday heading into Friday's conference championship against Miami (OH) on Friday at Ford Field in Detroit. Spann has rushed 226 times for 1239 yards and 20 touchdowns this season. The Huskies have won nine in a row and have averaged a ridiculous 65 points in their last three wins over Toledo, Ball State, and Eastern Michigan.

Montreal Canadiens' rookie defenseman P.K. Subban was a healthy scratch on Thursday against the New Jersey Devils. He was replaced in the lineup by Yannick Weber. Subban is having a solid season with one goal, eight assists, 27 penalty minutes, and a +5 plus/minus rating. However, he was burned for goals twice by the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday. Montreal's next game is on Saturday at home against San Jose.

Only six games in, Georgia's basketball team has already had an up-and-down season. That's not to be unexpected with star power forward Trey Thompkins dealing with an ankle injury. The Bulldogs won three straight to start the season, then lost two in a row when Thompkins made his return. But the 'Dogs beat Manhattan 61-58 last Sunday and Thompkins scored 18 points while pulling down eight boards. "That Manhattan win was one we needed just to get out of the sort of a daze we were in as a team," said Thompkins, whose team is going up against UAB on Friday.

**Udog** · 12-02-2010, 11:05 PM

NBA

Friday, December 3

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Pick 'n' Roll: Today's best NBA bets
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Oklahoma City Thunder at Toronto Raptors

The Oklahoma City did some serious maturing as a team Wednesday night.

With star player and MVP favorite, Kevin Durant, sitting out with a knee injury, the Thunder buckled down with a solid overall effort, escaping New Jersey with a 123-120 triple-overtime victory against the Nets.

Leading the charge were point guard Russell Westbrook, who put up 38 points, nine assists and 15 rebounds, and forward Jeff Green, who scored 37 points and grabbed five boards in Wednesday’s win.

“You tell your guys, ‘It’s not a time that you feel you have to do more. You just have to do what you do and do it well. Just go in there and do your best.’ That’s been our approach the last two times we played without Kevin and I think the guys have done a really good job with that,” Thunder head coach Scott Brooks told The Oklahoman.

Durant is still day-to-day heading into Friday’s game in Toronto. Oklahoma City is 3-0 SU with a 2-1 ATS record without the standout small forward on the floor. The Thunder are also 7-1 ATS in their last eight meeting with the Raptors.

Pick: Oklahoma City

Sacramento Kings at Los Angeles Lakers

All is not right in Tinsel Town.

The defending NBA champs are stumbling, losing four straight games while failing to cover the spread in each of those outings. Los Angeles most recent defeat was a 109-99 loss at the hands of the Houston Rockets Wednesday night.

The blame game is starting to make its rounds, with most fingers pointing at forward Pau Gasol. The talented forward is having to play extra minutes due to the Lakers paper-thin frontcourt and is beginning to wear out. Against the Rockets, Gasol scored only eight points – the first time he’s failed to post double-digits this season – and tweaked an already-tender hamstring.

"What's my concern? My concern is that it doesn't get better, or that it gets worse and it becomes a problem," Gasol told reporters of his injury. "Then we'll really have a problem."

With a dinged-up Gasol and no Andrew Bynum and Theo Ratlif until later in the month, expect opponents to attack the L.A. frontcourt, which now has just two healthy players. The Lakers have split covers in the past four games with the Kings while the road side is 14-3 in the past 17 head-to-head games between these California rivals.

Pick: Sacramento

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**Udog** · 12-02-2010, 11:09 PM

NCAAB
Long Sheet

Friday, December 3

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UAB (6 - 1) at GEORGIA (4 - 2) - 12/3/2010, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GEORGIA is 39-23 ATS (+13.7 Units) in home games after a non-conference game since 1997.
GEORGIA is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
UAB is 1-0 against the spread versus GEORGIA over the last 3 seasons
UAB is 1-0 straight up against GEORGIA over the last 3 seasons

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ST JOSEPHS (3 - 3) at VILLANOVA (5 - 1) - 12/3/2010, 8:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
VILLANOVA is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) as a home favorite of 12.5 or more points over the last 2 seasons.
VILLANOVA is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in home games after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
VILLANOVA is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in home games in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
ST JOSEPHS is 26-13 ATS (+11.7 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
ST JOSEPHS is 2-0 against the spread versus VILLANOVA over the last 3 seasons
VILLANOVA is 2-0 straight up against ST JOSEPHS 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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KANSAS ST (6 - 1) at WASHINGTON ST (5 - 0) - 12/3/2010, 11:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
KANSAS ST is 23-12 ATS (+9.8 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS ST is 23-12 ATS (+9.8 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS ST is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) when the total is 140 to 149.5 over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS ST is 20-8 ATS (+11.2 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS ST is 19-8 ATS (+10.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON ST is 9-19 ATS (-11.9 Units) as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON ST is 4-13 ATS (-10.3 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
KANSAS ST is 1-0 against the spread versus WASHINGTON ST over the last 3 seasons
KANSAS ST is 1-0 straight up against WASHINGTON ST 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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E MICHIGAN (1 - 3) vs. MONMOUTH (1 - 4) - 12/3/2010, 5:30 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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N DAKOTA (2 - 3) at IDAHO (2 - 3) - 12/3/2010, 11:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
IDAHO is 42-64 ATS (-28.4 Units) 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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NIAGARA (2 - 4) at MARIST (0 - 6) - 12/3/2010, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NIAGARA is 13-24 ATS (-13.4 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
NIAGARA is 13-24 ATS (-13.4 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
NIAGARA is 9-19 ATS (-11.9 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
NIAGARA is 30-15 ATS (+13.5 Units) in road games after allowing 80 points or more since 1997.
MARIST is 4-13 ATS (-10.3 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.
MARIST is 1-9 ATS (-8.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MARIST is 3-2 against the spread versus NIAGARA over the last 3 seasons
NIAGARA is 4-1 straight up against MARIST 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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CANISIUS (3 - 2) at IONA (3 - 3) - 12/3/2010, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
IONA is 34-55 ATS (-26.5 Units) in home games against conference opponents since 1997.
IONA is 36-55 ATS (-24.5 Units) after a non-conference game since 1997.

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

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PORTLAND (6 - 2) at MONTANA (3 - 2) - 12/3/2010, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PORTLAND is 39-61 ATS (-28.1 Units) in road games 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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**Udog** · 12-02-2010, 11:11 PM

NCAAB

Friday, December 3

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College Funds: Today's best NCAAB bets
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St. Joseph's Hawks at Villanova Wildcats (-19, 144)

If St. Joe's wants to be competitive as it takes a step up against a Big East opponent on Friday, it better hit the boards a lot harder than it did in a Wednesday loss to Drexel.

The Hawks were out-rebounded by the Dragons by an amazing 41-19 margin. St. Joe's grabbed just two offensive rebounds to Drexel's 14.

"From the first tape I watched to the pregame talk, it was, 'Rebound and we'll win the game,'" Hawks' head coach Phil Martelli said. "We didn't rebound, we didn't win the game. It was a real lesson on the backboards, by every one of our guys. There were too many no-shows on possessions for us. Some of that was their physicality, and some was from the noise of being in an opposing gym."

St. Joe's will be in another opposing gym on Friday, this time at Villanova. The Wildcats started the season 5-0 but are coming off a Nov. 26 loss to Tennessee, the only fellow Top 25 team they have faced this season. Villanova has a win over UCLA on its resume.

Pick: St. Joe's +19

Kansas St. Wildcats at Washington St. Cougars (1, 146.5)

All is well for Kansas State so far this season. The Wildcats are 6-1 and their only loss is to No. 1 Duke. Star guard Jacob Pullen also set the school record for career three-pointers (241) on Monday against Division II Emporia State.

"When his career is over here, he might rewrite that whole record book the way he's going," coach Frank Martin said.

"I didn't hear which record I broke," added Pullen. "I was just happy about the win. I'll deal with all the records and stuff after the season."

Of course, Pullen is not the only one lighting up the box scores for Kansas State so far. The Wildcats scored more than 70 points in their first three outings and they have scored more than 80 in their past two. Their only time scoring fewer than 70 was a 68-point effort against the Blue Devils.

Pick: Kansas St.

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**Udog** · 12-02-2010, 11:14 PM

NHL
Long Sheet

Friday, December 3

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COLORADO (13-9-0-2, 28 pts.) at CAROLINA (10-11-0-3, 23 pts.) - 12/3/2010, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
COLORADO is 58-54 ATS (+118.7 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 16-7 ATS (+24.5 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 76-54 ATS (+18.3 Units) in road games in non-conference games since 1996.
CAROLINA is 2-9 ATS (-8.7 Units) in home games after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
CAROLINA is 0-8 ATS (-9.8 Units) in home games after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
CAROLINA is 1-9 ATS (-8.3 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CAROLINA is 2-1 (+1.0 Units) against the spread versus COLORADO over the last 3 seasons
CAROLINA is 2-1-0 straight up against COLORADO over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+1.0 Units)

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NY ISLANDERS (5-12-0-5, 15 pts.) at NY RANGERS (14-11-0-1, 29 pts.) - 12/3/2010, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NY ISLANDERS are 9-34 ATS (+69.5 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5.5 over the last 2 seasons.
NY ISLANDERS are 3-23 ATS (+47.9 Units) in road games vs. division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
NY RANGERS are 17-22 ATS (-8.4 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5.5 over the last 2 seasons.
NY RANGERS are 81-92 ATS (-57.9 Units) in home games vs. division opponents since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY ISLANDERS is 5-8 (+0.3 Units) against the spread versus NY RANGERS over the last 3 seasons
NY RANGERS is 8-5-0 straight up against NY ISLANDERS over the last 3 seasons
6 of 13 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-1.0 Units, Under=-0.1 Units)

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COLUMBUS (14-8-0-1, 29 pts.) at BUFFALO (9-13-0-3, 21 pts.) - 12/3/2010, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
COLUMBUS is 8-21 ATS (+31.5 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
BUFFALO is 166-119 ATS (+2.6 Units) after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game since 1996.
COLUMBUS is 82-71 ATS (+161.1 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.
BUFFALO is 14-22 ATS (-15.4 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
COLUMBUS is 2-0 (+2.6 Units) against the spread versus BUFFALO over the last 3 seasons
COLUMBUS is 2-0-0 straight up against BUFFALO over the last 3 seasons
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.1 Units)

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CALGARY (10-13-0-2, 22 pts.) at MINNESOTA (11-11-0-2, 24 pts.) - 12/3/2010, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 66-38 ATS (+11.2 Units) in home games after allowing 4 goals or more since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 7-7 (+0.4 Units) against the spread versus CALGARY over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA is 7-7-0 straight up against CALGARY over the last 3 seasons
7 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+5.4 Units)

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VANCOUVER (13-7-0-3, 29 pts.) at CHICAGO (14-11-0-2, 30 pts.) - 12/3/2010, 8:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 64-31 ATS (+18.8 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game over the last 3 seasons.
CHICAGO is 46-20 ATS (+17.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
VANCOUVER is 116-88 ATS (+208.1 Units) in road games after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game since 1996.
VANCOUVER is 131-140 ATS (+310.2 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.
VANCOUVER is 33-19 ATS (+12.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the first half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 14-8 (+3.6 Units) against the spread versus VANCOUVER over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 14-8-0 straight up against VANCOUVER over the last 3 seasons
12 of 20 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+3.3 Units)

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DETROIT (16-4-0-2, 34 pts.) at ANAHEIM (13-11-0-3, 29 pts.) - 12/3/2010, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 9-13 ATS (-16.5 Units) when playing with 2 days rest over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 79-83 ATS (-37.6 Units) in road games after a 3 game unbeaten streak since 1996.
DETROIT is 5-12 ATS (-13.5 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
ANAHEIM is 12-2 ATS (+9.2 Units) in home games after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
ANAHEIM is 19-8 ATS (+8.2 Units) in home games revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 11-6 (+2.4 Units) against the spread versus ANAHEIM over the last 3 seasons
DETROIT is 11-6-0 straight up against ANAHEIM over the last 3 seasons
8 of 17 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-0.3 Units, Under=-1.1 Units)

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**Udog** · 12-02-2010, 11:18 PM

Daily Sports Roundup: December 3

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: Northern Illinois meets Miami-Ohio in the MAC title game, while the Red Wings look for a win in Anaheim, and the Jazz host the Mavericks.

Colliding on the gridiron . . .

There are two college football games on tap for Friday, with Illinois (-5.5) vs. Fresno State, and No. 24 Northern Illinois (-17.5) vs. Miami-Ohio. That Huskies/RedHawks matchup is the MAC Championship Game, and will be played at Ford Field in Detroit. The Huskies (10-2 SU, 9-1-1 ATS) destroyed Eastern Michigan 71-3 on the road last week, with Jordan Lynch rushing for 142 yards and two scores for Northern Illinois that day. The RedHawks (8-4 SU, 6-5 ATS) got past Temple 23-3 at home last game, with Austin Boucher throwing for two TDs. The total for the contest has been pegged at 54.5.

Tipping off on the hardwood . . .

A busy night around the NBA on Friday features 13 games: New Jersey at Charlotte, Oklahoma City at Toronto, Portland at Washington, Philadelphia at Atlanta, Orlando at Detroit, New York at New Orleans, Chicago at Boston, Houston at Memphis, Minnesota at San Antonio, the Clippers at Denver, Indiana at Phoenix, Sacramento at the Lakers, and Dallas at Utah. The Mavericks and Jazz are a combined 28-9 on the season – Dallas sits at 14-4, with Utah at 14-5. The Mavericks beat the Timberwolves 100-86 at home last time out with Tyson Chandler picking up nine points and 18 rebounds. The Jazz are coming off a 110-88 win over Indiana, with Deron Williams tossing in 24 points.

As well, three games involve ranked teams on the college basketball schedule for Friday: St. Joseph's at No. 12 Villanova, UMBC at No. 7 Connecticut, and No. 5 Kansas State at Washington State. The fifth-ranked Wildcats (6-1 SU, 2-2 ATS) had no trouble with Emporia State last time out, winning 85-61 behind 26 points from Jacob Pullen. The Cougars (5-0 SU, 4-0 ATS) are coming off an 84-36 pounding of Sacramento State.

Taking a trip around the rink . . .

Finally, there are six games on the National Hockey League schedule for Friday, with Colorado at Carolina, the Islanders at the Rangers, Columbus at Buffalo, Calgary at Minnesota, Vancouver at Chicago, and Detroit at Anaheim. The Red Wings are 16-4-2 on the season and ride a three-game winning streak into Friday's road game against the Ducks. Detroit beat San Jose 5-3 on the road last time out, with Henrik Zetterberg picking up two goals and two assists. The Red Wings played host to the Ducks twice back in October, winning the first game 4-0 and then claiming the second matchup 5-4.

**Udog** · 12-02-2010, 11:19 PM

NOTE:
For the initial posting of trends and indexes, we have provided information available up to the time of posting.
Additional updates for today’s games will be posted ASAP.

**Udog** · 12-03-2010, 09:32 AM

Friday's six-pack

NFL trends for the upcoming card of games........

-- Dolphins covered four of last 21 as a home favorite.

-- Bengals covered one of last eight home games.

-- Cowboys covered five of last seven as an underdog.

-- Vikings covered seven of last nine as home favorite.

-- Raiders covered 11 of last 13 divisional road games.

-- Steelers covered 12 of last 15 as an AFC North underdog.

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Friday's List of 13: What I'm looking for this weekend............

13) All eyes in college football are on Atlanta/Corvallis this weekend, to see if Auburn/Oregon can win and set up what would be a highly entertaining national title game in Arizona in January.

12) I’m sure the NFL schedule makers thought Cowboys-Colts would be a ratings grabber in the 4:15 timeslot on December 5, but what it is is a game between two teams whose combined record is 9-13. Whoops.

11) Of the six teams who played on Thanksgiving, only the Lions/ Cowboys are playing teams who didn’t also play last Thursday. Will it give them an advantage? They both could use one.

10) Major trap game for Nevada, playing at Louisiana Tech after knocking Boise State out of the national title hunt last week. Had Boise played in a BCS bowl, Nevada figured to rake in an extra $600,000 or so, giving a new meaning to the term “costly victory”.

9) Can Jimbo Fisher win the ACC title in his first year coaching the Seminoles? Virginia Tech hasn’t lost since the JMU game in early September. Interesting game.

8) Can the Rams win two in a row on the road and keep pace with Seattle, which figures to beat lowly Carolina at home?

7) North Carolina is 4-3, and not looking real good; they play Kentucky Saturday, and really could use a win. They could also use better guard play.

6) If Washington Huskies win the Apple Cup, they go bowling, which didn’t look too likely a few weeks ago. Apple Cup is always a spirited game, and Wazzu has been more competitive this year.

5) Fitting that Oklahoma-Nebraska play in last-ever Big 12 title game. The formation of the Big 12 ruined this once-great rivalry, and laid the seeds for the Cornhuskers bolting for the Big 11.

4) There are a sprinkling of conference matchups at the mid-major level in college hoops this weekend. Can Butler keep its long Horizon League win streak alive?

3) Jets-Patriots game Monday night is a showdown that probably decides the AFC East title; loser will be a Wild Card. Teams could meet for a third time in January.

2) If UConn beats South Florida (and its former coach, Skip Holtz) they go to a BCS bowl, and get hammered by the media. Randy Edsall is a real good coach; will be interesting to see if the Huskies can keep him in New England this winter.

1) Ravens-Steelers is always good theater, so Sunday night should be fun. Baltimore was lucky to edge the Steelers in Week 4, back when Roethlisberger was still suspended. Same scenario as Monday night game; winner takes division, loser becomes a Wild Card team. Home field and a week off before the playoffs is well worth fighting for.

**Udog** · 12-03-2010, 09:36 AM

NHL

Friday, December 3

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Ice picks: Today's best NHL bets
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Vancouver Canucks at Chicago Blackhawks (-108, 5.5)

The Blackhawks are playing their second straight home game on Friday night following a six-game road trip. They won three of their last four on the road and maintained the momentum by beating St. Louis 7-5 on Tuesday.

“It was mostly about keeping that momentum that we built on the road,” said Jonathan Toews. "We were happy to get on the board quite a bit, but at the same time we shouldn’t have to score five, six, or seven goals to win a hockey game."

They might not have to because Marty Turco is starting on Friday to give Corey Crawford a rest. Crawford has made three consecutive starts. In his three most recent appearances other than the Tuesday win, he allowed a total of three goals (one in each contest).

Turco, though, has allowed 11 goals in his last two appearances. Going up against a hot Vancouver team could be a bad mix. The Canucks have won three straight and have scored 17 goals in their past three games (13 in their past two and seven on Wednesday).

Pick: Canucks

Detroit Red Wings at Anaheim Ducks (120, 5.5)

The Red Wings are streaking and they are also scoring.

Detroit has won three straight and eight of its last 10. The team has scored at least two goals in 17 of its last 18 games. Four goals were scored on Sunday against Columbus and five were added on Tuesday against San Jose.

A big reason for Detroit's prolific offense is Danny Cleary. He had a goal and an assist in the win over the Sharks to push his season totals to 11 goals and 17 total points in 22 games.

"He's been excellent for us all year, skating real well," noted coach Mike Babcock. "He's healthy, and you can play him with anybody. When you put him on a line, it makes the line better."

Clearly also gives Babcock some flexibility. Although he usually plays on a line with Justin Abdelkader and Jiri Hudler, Cleary skated with Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk on Tuesday. The Ducks will have to be ready for anything.

Pick: Red Wings

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**Udog** · 12-03-2010, 09:41 AM

NHL
Write-Up

Friday, December 3

Hot Teams
-- Blackhawks won six of their last eight games.
-- Rangers won five of their last seven games.
-- Canucks won last three games, scoring 17 goals.
-- Anaheim won last three games, scoring 13 goals. Red Wings won eight of their last ten games.

Cold Teams
-- Hurricanes lost five of their last six games. Colorado lost three of four.
-- Islanders lost 15 of their last 16 games.
-- Columbus lost last three games, scoring six goals. Sabres lost three of their last four games.
-- Minnesota lost five of last six. Flames lost 12 of their last 16 games.

Totals
-- Last five Carolina games stayed under the total.
-- Four of last five Islander road games stayed under the total.
-- Last four Buffalo games stayed under the total.
-- Five of last six Calgary games stayed under total.
-- Over is 3-1-1 in last five Vancouver games.
-- Six of last seven Detroit games went over the total.

Back-to-Back
-- Islanders are 1-4 if they played the night before. Rangers are 6-0.

Series Records
-- Not available today.

**Udog** · 12-03-2010, 09:44 AM

NBA
Write-Up

Friday, December 3

Hot Teams
-- Toronto won five of last six games, covering all six. Thunder won six of its last seven road games.
-- Bobcats lost four of their last five games.
-- Hawks won last four games (3-1 vs spread). 76ers won last couple of games, covered five of last six.
-- Orlando won its last five games (2-1-2 vs spread).
-- Celtics won last five games, but are just 1-7 vs spread in last eight at home. Bulls covered six of last seven as a road underdog.
-- Knicks won seven of their last eight games, covered eight of nine.
-- Grizzlies won their last four home games (3-1 vs spread).
-- Spurs won 14 of last 16 games, covered four of last five at home.
-- Nuggets won last five games, covering three of last four. Clippers are 4-1 vs spread in last five games.
-- Pacers covered six of their last eight games.
-- Mavericks won their last seven games (6-1 vs spread). Jazz also won their last seven games (6-0-1 vs spread).

Cold Teams
-- Portland lost its last five games (1-4 vs spread). Washington lost last four games, with three losses by 11+ points.
-- Nets lost their last six road games (2-4 vs spread).
-- Pistons lost five of last six games (0-2-1 vs spread last three).
-- Hornets covered two of their last nine games.
-- Rockets lost last four road games, by 17-10-10-10 points.
-- Minnesota lost last five games (1-4 vs spread).
-- Lakers lost their last four games; they're 1-4 vs spread in last five tries as a home favorite. Sacramento lost last five games (0-3-1 vs spread in last four games).
-- Suns covered two of their seven home games.

Totals
-- Five of last six Portland games went over the total.
-- Over is 6-3 in Oklahoma City's road games.
-- Three of last four Charlotte games stayed under the total. Over is 5-2 in last seven New Jersey games.
-- Seven of last eight Philly games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 7-3 in last ten Detroit games.
-- Under is 10-1 in Chicago's last eleven games. Six of last eight Boston home games went over the total.
-- Six of last seven New Orleans games stayed under the total. Seven of last nine New Orleans games went over.
-- Four of last five Houston games stayed under the total.
-- Over is 5-1-1 in Spurs' last seven games.
-- Over is 5-1-1 in Denver's last seven home games.
-- Three of last four Indiana games went over the total.
-- Four of last five Laker home games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 5-2-1 in last eight Dallas games.

Back-to-Back
-- Suns are 1-3 if they played the night before.

**Udog** · 12-03-2010, 09:45 AM

NCAAB
Write-Up

Friday, December 3

College Basketball Knowledge

UAB is 6-1, losing only at Arizona St (69-66); Blazers are 6-1 against spread, already have road wins at Middle Tennessee/Arkansas/Troy. Georgia is 4-2, losing to Notre Dame in double OT, Temple by 7 down in Orlando tourney. UAB is 2-0 as underdog. Georgia 1-1 as a favorite.

St Joe's is 3-3, losing by 28 to Western Kentucky, 9 at Penn State, 12 at Drexel; Hawks are 3-2 vs spread as underdog. Villanova hasn't played in week since losing to Tennessee by 10 on neutral floor; Wildcats are 3-1 as a favorite this season. Wildcats beat St Joseph's last two seasons by 8-3 points.

First road game for 6-1 Kansas State team that lost by 14 to Duke; they beat Va Tech by 16, Gonzaga by 17. Wildcats are missing graduated PG Clemente as far as chemistry goes. Washington State has all five starters back from LY; they're 5-0 so far this year, but Portland is beat team they played so far, so K-State is major step up in class of opponent.

Marist is terrible, starting season 0-6 after LY's 1-29 debacle; Red Foxes haven't even covered a spread yet- all six of their losses this year are by 20+ points. Niagara lost four starters from LY's 18-15 team- they're 2-4 this year, with only wins by hoop over Mt St Mary's, 4 over Bowling Green. Niagara won last four series games by 19-16-29-8 points.

Iona won last three games after 0-3; double OT win over Richmond is a very good win. Canisius lost last three visits to Iona by 19-11-7 points. Griffins are 3-2 this season, losing 86-67 at Syracuse, winning 55-45 at Binghamton. Gaels lost SU as 19-point favorites in only game as a fave. Canisius covered at Syracuse, their only game as an underdog.

Portland is 6-2, with only losses to Kentucky/Washington State; they're 1-1 on road, losing to Wazzu by 16 in Seattle, winning by 13 at Idaho in game that was day after Kentucky loss. Montana is 3-2, beating same Idaho team 75-33, and Cal-Fullerton by 8. Portland lost four starters rom LY's team. Montana lost three starters from LY's 22-10 team.

**Udog** · 12-03-2010, 09:49 AM

NBA
Long Sheet

Friday, December 3

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NEW JERSEY (6 - 13) at CHARLOTTE (6 - 12) - 12/3/2010, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW JERSEY is 3-13 ATS (-11.3 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
CHARLOTTE is 59-34 ATS (+21.6 Units) after scoring 85 points or less since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHARLOTTE is 4-4 against the spread versus NEW JERSEY over the last 3 seasons
CHARLOTTE is 4-4 straight up against NEW JERSEY over the last 3 seasons
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PORTLAND (8 - 10) at WASHINGTON (5 - 12) - 12/3/2010, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 74-103 ATS (-39.3 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 36-54 ATS (-23.4 Units) in home games over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 2-11 ATS (-10.1 Units) in a home game where where the total is between 195 and 199.5 points over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 58-85 ATS (-35.5 Units) in home games after a loss by 10 points or more since 1996.
WASHINGTON is 16-29 ATS (-15.9 Units) after scoring 105 points or more over the last 3 seasons.

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

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OKLAHOMA CITY (13 - 6) at TORONTO (7 - 11) - 12/3/2010, 7:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
OKLAHOMA CITY is 3-1 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
OKLAHOMA CITY is 3-1 straight up against TORONTO 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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ORLANDO (14 - 4) at DETROIT (6 - 13) - 12/3/2010, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) against Southeast division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 122-93 ATS (+19.7 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
ORLANDO is 54-41 ATS (+8.9 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 80-104 ATS (-34.4 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
DETROIT is 34-56 ATS (-27.6 Units) in home games over the last 3 seasons.
DETROIT is 40-58 ATS (-23.8 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons.
DETROIT is 18-34 ATS (-19.4 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
DETROIT is 11-23 ATS (-14.3 Units) after 3 or more consecutive losses over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 6-1 against the spread versus ORLANDO over the last 3 seasons
DETROIT is 4-4 straight up against ORLANDO over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PHILADELPHIA (5 - 13) at ATLANTA (12 - 7) - 12/3/2010, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 94-65 ATS (+22.5 Units) when playing with 2 days rest since 1996.
ATLANTA is 1-9 ATS (-8.9 Units) in home games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 4-3 against the spread versus ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
ATLANTA is 4-3 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NEW YORK (10 - 9) at NEW ORLEANS (13 - 5) - 12/3/2010, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW ORLEANS is 140-94 ATS (+36.6 Units) after a non-conference game since 1996.
NEW YORK is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) as an underdog this season.
NEW ORLEANS is 20-32 ATS (-15.2 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 39-61 ATS (-28.1 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW YORK is 4-0 against the spread versus NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
NEW YORK is 4-0 straight up against NEW ORLEANS 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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HOUSTON (6 - 12) at MEMPHIS (8 - 11) - 12/3/2010, 8:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
MEMPHIS is 4-4 against the spread versus HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
HOUSTON is 6-2 straight up against MEMPHIS over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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CHICAGO (9 - 7) at BOSTON (14 - 4) - 12/3/2010, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 36-49 ATS (-17.9 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 23-37 ATS (-17.7 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 64-91 ATS (-36.1 Units) after 3 or more consecutive overs since 1996.
BOSTON is 1-10 ATS (-10.0 Units) in home games after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 7-7 against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON is 9-6 straight up against CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
10 of 14 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MINNESOTA (4 - 14) at SAN ANTONIO (15 - 3) - 12/3/2010, 8:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 43-66 ATS (-29.6 Units) against Southwest division opponents since 1996.
MINNESOTA is 16-34 ATS (-21.4 Units) after 3 or more consecutive losses over the last 2 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 342-286 ATS (+27.4 Units) in home games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 140-106 ATS (+23.4 Units) off a upset loss as a favorite since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 148-108 ATS (+29.2 Units) after scoring 85 points or less since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN ANTONIO is 4-4 against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 8-0 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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INDIANA (9 - 8) at PHOENIX (9 - 9) - 12/3/2010, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 65-48 ATS (+12.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 48-35 ATS (+9.5 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 40-27 ATS (+10.3 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 358-300 ATS (+28.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.
PHOENIX is 46-27 ATS (+16.3 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 3-1 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
PHOENIX is 2-2 straight up against INDIANA 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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LA CLIPPERS (4 - 15) at DENVER (11 - 6) - 12/3/2010, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA CLIPPERS are 76-105 ATS (-39.5 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 62-83 ATS (-29.3 Units) as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 41-63 ATS (-28.3 Units) as a road underdog of 9.5 to 12 points since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 36-53 ATS (-22.3 Units) in road games over the last 3 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 55-76 ATS (-28.6 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 16-29 ATS (-15.9 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 22-35 ATS (-16.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 30-43 ATS (-17.3 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 10-22 ATS (-14.2 Units) after a win by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 12-24 ATS (-14.4 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 16-35 ATS (-22.5 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DENVER is 4-4 against the spread versus LA CLIPPERS over the last 3 seasons
DENVER is 7-1 straight up against LA CLIPPERS over the last 3 seasons
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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SACRAMENTO (4 - 12) at LA LAKERS (13 - 6) - 12/3/2010, 10:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
SACRAMENTO is 5-4 against the spread versus LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
LA LAKERS is 8-1 straight up against SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
8 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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**Udog** · 12-03-2010, 10:01 AM

NBA

Friday, December 3

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Game of the day: Bulls at Celtics
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Chicago Bulls at Boston Celtics (-5,190.5)

If the Chicago Bulls are going to challenge for the Eastern Conference title, they’re going to have to get past the Orlando Magic and the Boston Celtics.

Thus far they’re 0-2 on the season against the conference’s heavyweights. The Bulls get another chance on Friday when they visit Boston.

Boozer’s back

Even with the much-anticipated debut of Carlos Boozer, the Bulls were blown out by the Magic 107-78 on Wednesday. Just as disturbing for Chicago was that it was outscored 46-26 in the paint.

Chicago will certainly discount Boozer’s effort on his first night with the team as he will soon provide the Bulls with a much-needed inside presence to go along with the hard-working Joakim Noah.

Boozer finished with just five points and two rebounds in 21 minutes in his Bulls’ debut. He averaged 19.5 points and 11.2 boards with the Utah Jazz last season.

The Bulls are in the midst of perhaps their toughest stretch of the season. Chicago went 4-3 on an extended West Coast road trip only to come home and face the Magic. After playing at Boston on Friday things don’t get much easier as Chicago hosts Houston and Oklahoma City.

Boozer will help once he gets his sea legs. The 6-9 power forward, who signed a five-year deal with the club, hadn’t played since Oct. 2 after breaking his pinkie.

Bulls guard Derrick Rose anticipated a slow transformation for the offense with Boozer involved and he got it.

"I think tonight, our timing probably (will) be off, (maybe) it won't,” Rose told the media before Wednesday’s game. “But he's a great player for us. He's been doing a lot in practice. He's the only one who has energized legs, so he's dunking everything. So hopefully he dunks all the balls tonight."

Five alive

Boston has won five straight including Wednesday’s near disaster against the Portland Trail Blazers. After starting slowly, Boston rallied and seemingly had put the Blazers away building a 16-point lead with five minutes to play.

But the Celtics, who have played brilliantly during stretches for most of the season only to lose focus in an instant, nearly squandered the entire lead. Portland scored 15 straight points to trim the deficit to 96-95 before Ray Allen bailed them out with a 3-pointer from the corner with 10 seconds to play.

Allen had missed his previous five 3-point attempts in the game.

Boston has been vulnerable to mental lapses several times this season. It lost at Cleveland when Kevin Garnett said the team had no focus and again at Toronto under much the same circumstances.

When alert, Boston has been dominant evidenced by a pair of acid-test victories against the Miami Heat. The Celtics are also 8-1 at home this season.
History

Boston beat Chicago earlier in the season 110-105 in overtime. Neither Boozer nor Boston’s Shaquille O’Neal were in the lineup in the contest and Noah led all scorers in the game with 26 points and grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds.

The teams split the season series last year with Boston winning the first two contests. The Celtics have won six of the past 10 meetings, going 5-4-1 ATS in those games.

Trends

- Over is 7-1 in the last eight meetings in Boston.
- Road team is 8-3-1 ATS in the last 12 meetings.
- Celtics are 0-3-1 ATS in their last four games playing on one-days rest. Bulls are 7-1 ATS in their last eight games playing on 1 days rest.
- Bulls are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 vs. NBA Atlantic.

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Announcement

Friday's Trends and Indexes - 12/3 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

Friday's Trends and Indexes - 12/3 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

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