Saturday's Trends and Indexes - 1/1 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

[Udog]

Here's wishes for a great New Year from the trends crew!

Let's make it the best one yet!

Enjoy the day and the games,

Udog, PM530, StardustBum, Spark

[Udog]

Trends and Indexes

Saturday, January 1

Good Luck on day #1 of 2011!

At this time, the sports menu in this thread consists of NBA, NCAAB and NHL until their seasons are played out. Also, general sports news and notes will be posted.

NOTE:
As information becomes available, we will attempt to post the trends and indexes as soon as possible.
Information is posted from what we believe are reliable sources.
Any opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the posting member or BettorsChat.

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Matchup Links

NBA Hot and Not

NBA Injuries

NBA Referees

NCAAB Matchups

NCAAB Hot and Not

NCAAB Injuries

NHL Matchups

NHL Injuries

NHL Hot and Not

NASCAR Schedules

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[Udog]

Daily Sports Roundup: January 1

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: Wisconsin meets TCU in the Rose Bowl, UConn takes on Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl, and the Caps and Penguins play at Heinz Field.

Colliding on the gridiron . . .

It's No. 4 Wisconsin vs. No. 3 TCU (-3) in this year's Rose Bowl, with the third-ranked Horned Frogs looking to keep their perfect record intact. TCU (12-0 SU, 6-5 ATS) capped off their campaign with a 66-17 drubbing of New Mexico on the road, with Andy Dalton throwing for 156 yards and three touchdowns in that contest. Wisconsin (11-1 SU, 6-5 ATS) is riding a seven-game winning streak into Saturday's game, and they also ran up the score in a 70-23 home win over Northwestern in their last matchup of the regular season. Oddsmakers have the total for this year's Rose Bowl at 58.5 points.

In other bowl action on Saturday it's then Northwestern vs. Texas Tech (-9.5) in the TicketCity Bowl, Florida (-7) vs. Penn State in the Outback Bowl, No. 15 Alabama (-10) vs. No. 7 Michigan State in the Capital One Bowl, No. 21 Mississippi State (-4.5) vs. Michigan in the Gator Bowl, and No. 25 Connecticut vs. No. 9 Oklahoma (-17) in the Fiesta Bowl. The ninth-ranked Sooners (11-2 SU, 8-5 ATS) slipped past Nebraska 23-20 last time out, while the Huskies (8-4 SU, 7-4 ATS) are coming off a 19-16 road win over South Florida. The total for this year's Fiesta Bowl matchup has been listed at 55 points.

Tipping off on the hardwood . . .

The NBA offers up eight games on New Year's Day, with Cleveland at Chicago, New Orleans at Washington, Golden State at Miami, New Jersey at Minnesota, Sacramento at Denver, Dallas at Milwaukee, Memphis at Utah, and Oklahoma City at San Antonio. The Thunder played host to the Spurs back on November 14, falling 117-104 as a 2.5-point home favorite in that contest. Tony Parker had a team-high 24 points for San Antonio in that win, while Manu Ginobili and Matt Bonner picked up 21 points apiece. Kevin Durant had 23 points in that loss, and Russell Westbrook had 19 points that night.

As well, there are three games involving ranked teams on the college basketball schedule for Saturday, with DePaul at No. 9 Georgetown, Fresno Pacific at No. 16 BYU, and No. 15 Notre Dame at No. 5 Syracuse. The Orange improved to 14-0 SU (but sit at just 2-8 ATS) by knocking off Providence 81-74 at home last time out. Kris Joseph was good for 27 points for the Orange in that contest. Syracuse and Notre Dame last met in January 2010, with the Orange managing to pull out an 84-71 victory in that day's game.

Taking a trip around the rink . . .

Finally, there are seven games on the NHL's schedule for Saturday, with Boston at Buffalo, New Jersey at Carolina, Toronto at Ottawa, the Rangers at Tampa Bay, San Jose at Los Angeles, Calgary at Edmonton, and Washington at Pittsburgh. The Capitals/Penguins matchup is this year's Winter Classic event, and will be held outdoors at Pittsburgh's Heinz Field starting at 1pm ET (weather permitting). The Capitals ride a two-game winning streak into Saturday's game, but they lost 3-2 in a shootout at home to Pittsburgh when the teams met on December 23. Sidney Crosby and Chris Kunitz scored for the Pen in that victory, and Mike Green and Mike Knuble replied for the Caps.

[Udog]

Bettors' best friend: Saturday's wagering tips

Line moves

The over/under for the Rose Bowl started at 56.5. moved as high as 59 at most shops, and is now at 57.
Alabama opened as a 9.5-point favorite against Michigan State, moved to -11, and is now at -10.
Mississippi State opened as a 6.5-point favorite against Michigan, but the line is now at -3.5.
The over/under for Connecticut vs. Oklahoma opened at 56, but it is now at 54.5.

Weather to watch

Alabama vs. Michigan State: There is just a 10 percent chance of rain and a 13 mph wind is expected.
Florida vs. Penn State: There is just a 10 percent chance of rain and an 11 mph wind is expected.
Michigan vs. Mississippi State: There is just a 10 percent chance of rain and an 11 mph wind is expected.
Wisconsin vs. TCU: There is just a 10 percent chance of rain.

Who’s hot

NCAAF: Wisconsin is 6-0 ATS in its last six overall.
NBA: The Heat are 7-1 ATS in their last eight against the Western Conference.
NHL: The Penguins are 10-1 in their last 11 home games and 9-0 in their last nine against the Southeast Division.

Who's not

NCAAF: Northwestern is 1-8 ATS in its last nine overall.
NBA: The Nets are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 home games.
NHL: The Flames are 1-5 in their last six home games.
NCAAB: Arizona State is 0-5 ATS in its last five road games.

Key stat

25 – Turnovers this season by Florida, most in the SEC, heading into the Outback Bowl against Penn State. The Gators have turned the ball over six times in their last two games against FBS opponents--losses to South Carolina and Florida State. Penn State, however, has only 15 takeaways, second fewest in the Big Ten.

Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked

Carmelo Anthony is back from his leave of absence (sister's death) and practiced on Friday ahead of Saturday's game against Sacramento. The Nuggets, though, could still be shorthanded. Kenyon Martin (knee) returned on Dec. 22 and played in four games before getting a day off on Wednesday. He is listed as questionable. Nene (hamstring) also missed Wednesday's win over Minnesota and is questionable for Saturday.

Biggest games on the slate

Rose Bowl: TCU vs. Wisconsin (3, 57)

Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs

Notable quotable

''This game is big. It means a lot to the Falcons and it means a lot to us. We haven't had a lot of games that had a lot of weight on them, and this is one that does. So it'll be fun to go out there and give it our best and, if we win, send out (head coach John) Fox on a high note.'' -- Carolina Panthers' offensive tackle Jordan Gross on Sunday's trip to Atlanta. Fox, fired this week, will be coaching his final game with the team.

[Udog]

NBA
Long Sheet


Saturday, January 1

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NEW ORLEANS (19 - 14) at WASHINGTON (8 - 23) - 1/1/2011, 7:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 2-2 against the spread versus NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
NEW ORLEANS is 3-1 straight up against WASHINGTON 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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CLEVELAND (8 - 24) at CHICAGO (21 - 10) - 1/1/2011, 7:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
CLEVELAND is 8-6 against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
CLEVELAND is 9-5 straight up against CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
7 of 14 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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GOLDEN STATE (13 - 19) at MIAMI (25 - 9) - 1/1/2011, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 29-13 ATS (+14.7 Units) in a home game where where the total is between 200 and 204.5 points since 1996.
MIAMI is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) against Pacific division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 36-24 ATS (+9.6 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 64-49 ATS (+10.1 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 0-7 ATS (-7.7 Units) in home games after a non-conference game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 3-2 against the spread versus MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI is 5-0 straight up against GOLDEN STATE over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NEW JERSEY (9 - 24) at MINNESOTA (8 - 25) - 1/1/2011, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW JERSEY is 49-65 ATS (-22.5 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
NEW JERSEY is 9-19 ATS (-11.9 Units) after scoring 85 points or less over the last 2 seasons.
NEW JERSEY is 15-26 ATS (-13.6 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 37-57 ATS (-25.7 Units) in home games over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 10-26 ATS (-18.6 Units) in home games after scoring 105 points or more over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 3-1 against the spread versus NEW JERSEY over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA is 3-1 straight up against NEW JERSEY 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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OKLAHOMA CITY (23 - 11) at SAN ANTONIO (28 - 4) - 1/1/2011, 8:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN ANTONIO is 530-459 ATS (+25.1 Units) as a favorite since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 348-291 ATS (+27.9 Units) in home games since 1996.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 69-52 ATS (+11.8 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 66-44 ATS (+17.6 Units) as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 59-41 ATS (+13.9 Units) in road games over the last 3 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 15-5 ATS (+9.5 Units) in road games against Southwest division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 37-19 ATS (+16.1 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 39-26 ATS (+10.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN ANTONIO is 5-4 against the spread versus OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 6-3 straight up against OKLAHOMA CITY 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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SACRAMENTO (6 - 23) at DENVER (18 - 13) - 1/1/2011, 9:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
DENVER is 3-3 against the spread versus SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
DENVER is 4-3 straight up against SACRAMENTO 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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MEMPHIS (14 - 18) at UTAH (22 - 11) - 1/1/2011, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
UTAH is 73-49 ATS (+19.1 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
UTAH is 50-32 ATS (+14.8 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
UTAH is 38-23 ATS (+12.7 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
UTAH is 96-67 ATS (+22.3 Units) in home games after a division game since 1996.
UTAH is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
UTAH is 33-16 ATS (+15.4 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
UTAH is 37-24 ATS (+10.6 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

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

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DALLAS (24 - 7) at MILWAUKEE (12 - 18) - 1/1/2011, 9:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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[Udog]

NCAAB
Long Sheet


Saturday, January 1

First Post

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W VIRGINIA (8 - 3) at MARQUETTE (9 - 4) - 1/1/2011, 11:00 AM
Top Trends for this game.
MARQUETTE is 73-50 ATS (+18.0 Units) after a non-conference game since 1997.
MARQUETTE is 19-9 ATS (+9.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

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

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SAN DIEGO (3 - 10) at NC STATE (8 - 4) - 1/1/2011, 12:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN DIEGO is 1-10 ATS (-10.0 Units) in all games this season.
SAN DIEGO is 1-10 ATS (-10.0 Units) in all lined games this season.
SAN DIEGO is 1-9 ATS (-8.9 Units) as an underdog this season.
SAN DIEGO is 1-10 ATS (-10.0 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
SAN DIEGO is 1-10 ATS (-10.0 Units) in non-conference games this season.
SAN DIEGO is 7-17 ATS (-11.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning 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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DEPAUL (6 - 7) at GEORGETOWN (11 - 2) - 1/1/2011, 1:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GEORGETOWN is 26-16 ATS (+8.4 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
GEORGETOWN is 26-16 ATS (+8.4 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
DEPAUL is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
GEORGETOWN is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) in home games against conference opponents over the last 3 seasons.

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

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LOYOLA-IL (9 - 5) at YOUNGSTOWN ST (6 - 6) - 1/1/2011, 1:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
YOUNGSTOWN ST is 2-2 against the spread versus LOYOLA-IL over the last 3 seasons
YOUNGSTOWN ST is 2-2 straight up against LOYOLA-IL 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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WI-MILWAUKEE (6 - 8) at DETROIT (8 - 6) - 1/1/2011, 1:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WI-MILWAUKEE is 127-96 ATS (+21.4 Units) against conference opponents since 1997.
WI-MILWAUKEE is 71-47 ATS (+19.3 Units) in road games after a conference game since 1997.

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

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IL-CHICAGO (5 - 9) at CLEVELAND ST (14 - 1) - 1/1/2011, 2:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
CLEVELAND ST is 2-2 against the spread versus IL-CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
CLEVELAND ST is 5-0 straight up against IL-CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
5 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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VALPARAISO (10 - 4) at BUTLER (9 - 4) - 1/1/2011, 2:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
VALPARAISO is 17-8 ATS (+8.2 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
VALPARAISO is 3-1 against the spread versus BUTLER over the last 3 seasons
BUTLER is 4-0 straight up against VALPARAISO 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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N IOWA (9 - 4) at S ILLINOIS (6 - 6) - 1/1/2011, 2:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
N IOWA is 28-15 ATS (+11.5 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
N IOWA is 28-15 ATS (+11.5 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
N IOWA is 28-15 ATS (+11.5 Units) against conference opponents over the last 3 seasons.
N IOWA is 30-14 ATS (+14.6 Units) after a conference game over the last 3 seasons.
N IOWA is 22-10 ATS (+11.0 Units) after allowing 60 points or less over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
N IOWA is 3-1 against the spread versus S ILLINOIS over the last 3 seasons
N IOWA is 4-0 straight up against S ILLINOIS over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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DRAKE (6 - 6) at CREIGHTON (9 - 4) - 1/1/2011, 8:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
DRAKE is 3-1 against the spread versus CREIGHTON over the last 3 seasons
CREIGHTON is 2-2 straight up against DRAKE 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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NEW MEXICO (11 - 2) at DAYTON (11 - 3) - 1/1/2011, 4:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DAYTON is 20-8 ATS (+11.2 Units) as a home favorite of 3 points or less or pick since 1997.
DAYTON is 17-7 ATS (+9.3 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
DAYTON is 18-6 ATS (+11.4 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
NEW MEXICO is 74-48 ATS (+21.2 Units) after allowing 60 points or less since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
DAYTON is 1-0 against the spread versus NEW MEXICO over the last 3 seasons
NEW MEXICO is 1-0 straight up against DAYTON 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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NOTRE DAME (12 - 1) at SYRACUSE (14 - 0) - 1/1/2011, 3:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NOTRE DAME is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) when the total is 140 to 149.5 over the last 2 seasons.
NOTRE DAME is 20-7 ATS (+12.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
NOTRE DAME is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game over the last 2 seasons.
SYRACUSE is 51-75 ATS (-31.5 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
SYRACUSE is 2-0 against the spread versus NOTRE DAME over the last 3 seasons
SYRACUSE is 2-0 straight up against NOTRE DAME 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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WI-GREEN BAY (6 - 8) at WRIGHT ST (8 - 6) - 1/1/2011, 1:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WI-GREEN BAY is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) when playing with one or less days rest over the last 3 seasons.
WI-GREEN BAY is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) off a loss against a conference rival over the last 2 seasons.
WI-GREEN BAY is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) versus poor offensive teams - scoring <=64 points/game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
WI-GREEN BAY is 3-0 against the spread versus WRIGHT ST over the last 3 seasons
WRIGHT ST is 2-2 straight up against WI-GREEN BAY 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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WICHITA ST (10 - 2) at BRADLEY (6 - 6) - 1/1/2011, 7:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
BRADLEY is 3-1 against the spread versus WICHITA ST over the last 3 seasons
BRADLEY is 3-1 straight up against WICHITA ST 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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INDIANA ST (6 - 6) at EVANSVILLE (6 - 5) - 1/1/2011, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA ST is 26-14 ATS (+10.6 Units) against conference opponents over the last 3 seasons.
INDIANA ST is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) in road games off a win against a conference rival over the last 3 seasons.
INDIANA ST is 22-10 ATS (+11.0 Units) after scoring 80 points or more since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA ST is 3-1 against the spread versus EVANSVILLE over the last 3 seasons
EVANSVILLE is 2-2 straight up against INDIANA ST 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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ILLINOIS ST (8 - 4) at MISSOURI ST (9 - 3) - 1/1/2011, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ILLINOIS ST is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) in all games this season.
ILLINOIS ST is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) in all lined games this season.
ILLINOIS ST is 7-16 ATS (-10.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
ILLINOIS ST is 15-5 ATS (+9.5 Units) as a road underdog of 12.5 or more points since 1997.
MISSOURI ST is 11-27 ATS (-18.7 Units) against conference opponents over the last 3 seasons.
MISSOURI ST is 6-15 ATS (-10.5 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
MISSOURI ST is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) off a win against a conference rival over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ILLINOIS ST is 2-1 against the spread versus MISSOURI ST over the last 3 seasons
ILLINOIS ST is 3-1 straight up against MISSOURI ST 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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BOWLING GREEN (4 - 9) at SAINT LOUIS (5 - 7) - 1/1/2011, 4:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAINT LOUIS is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) in all games this season.
SAINT LOUIS is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) in all lined games this season.
SAINT LOUIS is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
SAINT LOUIS is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) in non-conference games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOWLING GREEN is 1-0 against the spread versus SAINT LOUIS over the last 3 seasons
BOWLING GREEN is 1-0 straight up against SAINT LOUIS 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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W KENTUCKY (5 - 7) at ARKANSAS ST (6 - 8) - 1/1/2011, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
W KENTUCKY is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
ARKANSAS ST is 22-12 ATS (+8.8 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ARKANSAS ST is 22-12 ATS (+8.8 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
ARKANSAS ST is 15-4 ATS (+10.6 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
ARKANSAS ST is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ARKANSAS ST is 2-2 against the spread versus W KENTUCKY over the last 3 seasons
W KENTUCKY is 4-0 straight up against ARKANSAS ST 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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ARIZONA ST (7 - 5) at OREGON (7 - 6) - 1/1/2011, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ARIZONA ST is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) in all games this season.
ARIZONA ST is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) in all lined games this season.
ARIZONA ST is 38-22 ATS (+13.8 Units) in road games when playing with one or less days rest since 1997.
OREGON is 25-45 ATS (-24.5 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
OREGON is 25-45 ATS (-24.5 Units) in all lined games over the last 3 seasons.
OREGON is 13-29 ATS (-18.9 Units) as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.
OREGON is 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) as a home underdog of 3 points or less or pick since 1997.
OREGON is 14-26 ATS (-14.6 Units) against conference opponents over the last 3 seasons.
OREGON is 8-19 ATS (-12.9 Units) off a loss against a conference rival over the last 3 seasons.
OREGON is 19-40 ATS (-25.0 Units) after scoring 60 points or less since 1997.
OREGON is 13-34 ATS (-24.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
OREGON is 8-18 ATS (-11.8 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ARIZONA ST is 3-1 against the spread versus OREGON over the last 3 seasons
ARIZONA ST is 4-0 straight up against OREGON over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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HAMPTON (10 - 3) vs. COLORADO ST (10 - 3) - 1/1/2011, 4:00 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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[Udog]

NHL
Long Sheet


Saturday, January 1

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WASHINGTON (22-12-0-5, 49 pts.) at PITTSBURGH (25-11-0-3, 53 pts.) - 1/1/2011, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 58-24 ATS (+17.1 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 3 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 9-15 ATS (-17.3 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 9-15 ATS (-15.2 Units) in home games 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
WASHINGTON is 10-6 (+3.2 Units) against the spread versus PITTSBURGH over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 10-6-0 straight up against PITTSBURGH over the last 3 seasons
13 of 16 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+9.5 Units)

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BOSTON (20-11-0-5, 45 pts.) at BUFFALO (15-18-0-4, 34 pts.) - 1/1/2011, 5:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 12-9 (+2.4 Units) against the spread versus BUFFALO over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON is 12-9-0 straight up against BUFFALO over the last 3 seasons
9 of 16 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+0.7 Units)

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TORONTO (13-19-0-4, 30 pts.) at OTTAWA (16-18-0-5, 37 pts.) - 1/1/2011, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 43-75 ATS (+134.1 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 21-38 ATS (+59.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 6-19 ATS (+30.2 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
OTTAWA is 9-1 ATS (+7.7 Units) in home games when playing on back-to-back days over the last 2 seasons.
OTTAWA is 7-13 ATS (-9.9 Units) in home games after allowing 4 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 9-6 (+4.1 Units) against the spread versus OTTAWA over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 9-6-0 straight up against OTTAWA over the last 3 seasons
12 of 15 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+8.7 Units)

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NEW JERSEY (10-25-0-2, 22 pts.) at CAROLINA (17-15-0-4, 38 pts.) - 1/1/2011, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW JERSEY is 10-27 ATS (-18.2 Units) in all games this season.
NEW JERSEY is 4-10 ATS (-8.4 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
NEW JERSEY is 4-10 ATS (-8.4 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the first half of the season this season.
CAROLINA is 23-43 ATS (-23.9 Units) after shutting out their opponent in their previous game since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
CAROLINA is 8-7 (+1.6 Units) against the spread versus NEW JERSEY over the last 3 seasons
CAROLINA is 8-7-0 straight up against NEW JERSEY over the last 3 seasons
8 of 13 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.2 Units)

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NY RANGERS (22-14-0-2, 46 pts.) at TAMPA BAY (22-11-0-5, 49 pts.) - 1/1/2011, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TAMPA BAY is 22-16 ATS (+0.0 Units) in all games this season.
TAMPA BAY is 12-7 ATS (+19.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
TAMPA BAY is 12-7 ATS (+20.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the first half of the season this season.
NY RANGERS are 13-7 ATS (+20.3 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
NY RANGERS are 12-6 ATS (+19.1 Units) in road games after a division game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY RANGERS is 7-3 (+3.4 Units) against the spread versus TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
NY RANGERS is 7-3-0 straight up against TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+3.0 Units)

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

SAN JOSE (20-13-0-5, 45 pts.) at LOS ANGELES (22-14-0-1, 45 pts.) - 1/1/2011, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LOS ANGELES is 11-4 ATS (+6.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
LOS ANGELES is 11-4 ATS (+6.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the first half of the season this season.
SAN JOSE is 15-4 ATS (+10.2 Units) in road games revenging a home loss versus opponent over the last 3 seasons.
SAN JOSE is 134-101 ATS (+28.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the first half of the season since 1996.
LOS ANGELES is 116-133 ATS (+255.2 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5.5 since 1996.
LOS ANGELES is 106-148 ATS (+271.4 Units) after a non-conference game since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN JOSE is 9-5 (+0.2 Units) against the spread versus LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
SAN JOSE is 9-5-0 straight up against LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
7 of 14 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.1 Units)

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

CALGARY (17-18-0-3, 37 pts.) at EDMONTON (12-17-0-7, 31 pts.) - 1/1/2011, 10:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
CALGARY is 11-4 (+6.0 Units) against the spread versus EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY is 11-4-0 straight up against EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
9 of 15 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+3.0 Units)

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

[Udog]

NBA


Saturday, January 1

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
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7:00 PM
NEW ORLEANS vs. WASHINGTON
New Orleans is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of New Orleans's last 5 games when playing on the road against Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington's last 6 games when playing New Orleans
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games when playing at home against New Orleans

7:00 PM
CLEVELAND vs. CHICAGO
Cleveland is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Chicago
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Cleveland's last 10 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Chicago's last 14 games when playing at home against Cleveland
Chicago is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Cleveland

7:30 PM
GOLDEN STATE vs. MIAMI
Golden State is 3-11 SU in its last 14 games on the road
Golden State is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Miami
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Miami's last 8 games when playing at home against Golden State
Miami is 13-2 SU in its last 15 games when playing at home against Golden State

8:00 PM
NEW JERSEY vs. MINNESOTA
New Jersey is 1-13 SU in its last 14 games on the road
New Jersey is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Minnesota's last 6 games at home
Minnesota is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against New Jersey

8:30 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY vs. SAN ANTONIO
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Oklahoma City's last 6 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
Oklahoma City is 2-11 SU in its last 13 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Antonio's last 6 games when playing at home against Oklahoma City
San Antonio is 11-2 SU in its last 13 games when playing at home against Oklahoma City

9:00 PM
MEMPHIS vs. UTAH
Memphis is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
Memphis is 3-9 SU in its last 12 games on the road
Utah is 12-1 SU in its last 13 games when playing Memphis
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Utah's last 5 games when playing at home against Memphis

9:00 PM
DALLAS vs. MILWAUKEE
Dallas is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games when playing Milwaukee
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Dallas's last 12 games
Milwaukee is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Milwaukee is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games when playing Dallas

9:00 PM
SACRAMENTO vs. DENVER
Sacramento is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Sacramento is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games when playing Denver
Denver is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Sacramento
Denver is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Sacramento


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

[Udog]

NCAAB


Saturday, January 1

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
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11:00 AM
WEST VIRGINIA vs. MARQUETTE
The total has gone OVER in 6 of West Virginia's last 9 games on the road
West Virginia is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Marquette is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
Marquette is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home

12:00 PM
SAN DIEGO vs. NORTH CAROLINA STATE
San Diego is 1-9 SU in its last 10 games on the road
North Carolina State is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
North Carolina State is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games at home

1:00 PM
WISC-MILWAUKEE vs. DETROIT
Wisc-Milwaukee is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Detroit
Detroit is 7-14-1 ATS in its last 22 games when playing Wisc-Milwaukee
Detroit is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Wisc-Milwaukee

1:00 PM
DEPAUL vs. GEORGETOWN
DePaul is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Georgetown is 11-2 SU in its last 13 games
Georgetown is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

1:00 PM
WISC-GREEN BAY vs. WRIGHT STATE
Wisc-Green Bay is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Wright State
Wisc-Green Bay is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games on the road
Wright State is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Wright State is 14-1 SU in its last 15 games at home

1:05 PM
LOYOLA OF CHICAGO vs. YOUNGSTOWN STATE
Loyola of Chicago is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Loyola of Chicago's last 6 games when playing on the road against Youngstown State
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Youngstown State's last 6 games when playing at home against Loyola of Chicago
Youngstown State is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Loyola of Chicago

2:00 PM
NEW MEXICO vs. DAYTON
New Mexico is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games on the road
Dayton is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
Dayton is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

2:00 PM
ILLINOIS-CHICAGO vs. CLEVELAND STATE
Illinois-Chicago is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Cleveland State
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Illinois-Chicago's last 6 games when playing on the road against Cleveland State
Cleveland State is 2-7 ATS in its last 9 games when playing at home against Illinois-Chicago
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Cleveland State's last 6 games when playing at home against Illinois-Chicago

2:00 PM
VALPARAISO vs. BUTLER
Valparaiso is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Butler is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Butler's last 6 games when playing Valparaiso

2:05 PM
NORTHERN IOWA vs. SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
Northern Iowa is 3-13 SU in its last 16 games when playing on the road against Southern Illinois
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Northern Iowa's last 5 games when playing on the road against Southern Illinois
Southern Illinois is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games at home
Southern Illinois is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Northern Iowa

3:00 PM
DALLAS CHRISTIAN vs. SOUTHERN METHODIST
No trends available
Southern Methodist is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Southern Methodist is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games

3:30 PM
NOTRE DAME vs. SYRACUSE
Notre Dame is 2-8 SU in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Syracuse
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Notre Dame's last 5 games when playing on the road against Syracuse
Syracuse is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Syracuse is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against Notre Dame

4:00 PM
HAMPTON vs. COLORADO STATE
No trends available
Colorado State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

4:00 PM
BOWLING GREEN vs. SAINT LOUIS
Bowling Green is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Saint Louis is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
Saint Louis is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home

5:00 PM
LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE vs. NORTH TEXAS
Louisiana-Lafayette is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against North Texas
Louisiana-Lafayette is 4-10 ATS in its last 14 games when playing on the road against North Texas
North Texas is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
North Texas is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

5:30 PM
BOSTON COLLEGE vs. SOUTH CAROLINA
Boston College is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston College's last 5 games on the road
South Carolina is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of South Carolina's last 5 games

7:00 PM
ST. JOHN'S vs. PROVIDENCE
St. John's is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
St. John's is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Providence
Providence is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Providence is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against St. John's

7:30 PM
WICHITA STATE vs. BRADLEY
Wichita State is 2-7 ATS in its last 9 games on the road
Wichita State is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Bradley
Bradley is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games at home
Bradley is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Wichita State

8:00 PM
DOMINICAN vs. SAN FRANCISCO
No trends available
San Francisco is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
San Francisco is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games at home

8:05 PM
WESTERN KENTUCKY vs. ARKANSAS STATE
Western Kentucky is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Western Kentucky is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Arkansas State is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Western Kentucky
Arkansas State is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games

8:05 PM
DRAKE vs. CREIGHTON
Drake is 3-12 SU in its last 15 games when playing on the road against Creighton
Drake is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Creighton's last 6 games when playing Drake
Creighton is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Drake

8:05 PM
ILLINOIS STATE vs. MISSOURI STATE
Illinois State is 3-11 SU in its last 14 games when playing on the road against Missouri State
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Illinois State's last 5 games when playing on the road against Missouri State
Missouri State is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing Illinois State
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Missouri State's last 5 games when playing at home against Illinois State

8:05 PM
INDIANA STATE vs. EVANSVILLE
Indiana State is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Evansville
Indiana State is 1-11 SU in its last 12 games on the road
Evansville is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home
Evansville is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Indiana State

9:00 PM
FRESNO PACIFIC vs. BYU
No trends available
BYU is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of BYU's last 5 games

10:00 PM
ARIZONA STATE vs. OREGON
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Arizona State's last 5 games when playing on the road against Oregon
Arizona State is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Oregon's last 5 games when playing at home against Arizona State
Oregon is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing at home against Arizona State


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

[Udog]

NHL


Saturday, January 1

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

7:00 PM
BOSTON vs. BUFFALO
Boston is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Boston is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Buffalo is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games at home
Buffalo is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing Boston

7:00 PM
NEW JERSEY vs. CAROLINA
New Jersey is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
New Jersey is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games
Carolina is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Carolina's last 17 games

7:00 PM
TORONTO vs. OTTAWA
Toronto is 7-14 SU in its last 21 games when playing on the road against Ottawa
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Toronto's last 5 games when playing on the road against Ottawa
Ottawa is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Toronto
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Ottawa's last 5 games when playing at home against Toronto

7:30 PM
NY RANGERS vs. TAMPA BAY
The total has gone OVER in 5 of the NY Rangers last 6 games when playing Tampa Bay
NY Rangers are 7-3 SU in their last 10 games when playing Tampa Bay
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Tampa Bay's last 15 games
Tampa Bay is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home

8:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. PITTSBURGH
Washington is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Pittsburgh
Washington is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games at home

9:00 PM
SAN JOSE vs. LOS ANGELES
San Jose is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games when playing on the road against Los Angeles
The total has gone OVER in 6 of San Jose's last 8 games on the road
Los Angeles is 5-15-1 SU in its last 21 games ,when playing at home against San Jose
Los Angeles is 6-12 SU in its last 18 games when playing San Jose

10:00 PM
CALGARY vs. EDMONTON
Calgary is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Edmonton
Calgary is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Edmonton's last 6 games at home
Edmonton is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home


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

[Udog]

NBA


Saturday, January 1

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pick 'n' Roll: Today's best NBA bets
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Dallas Mavericks at Milwaukee Bucks (NA)

The Mavericks won’t have their leading scorer Dirk Nowitzki for either of their two games this weekend. The All-Star forward continues to rest his banged up knee while his teammates search for scoring options with the big German on the sidelines.

Dallas managed just 76 points against the defensively-challenged Raptors on Tuesday and included professional brick layers Deshawn Stevenson and Brian Cardinal in its starting five against the Spurs.

"We just couldn't get over the hump," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle told the Associated Press after his club lost to the Spurs on Thursday. "It was tough, it was frustrating, but our guys kept battling. I take the positives out of it, but right now we've got to really work together. Without Dirk in the lineup, the margins for error are extremely slim."

The Bucks are dealing with their own injury issues as well. Starting point guard Brandon Jennings has missed the last five games and isn’t expected to return until the end of January. Milwaukee has slowed their pace considerably with Jennings out as evidenced by the club playing under the total in four of its five games without its leading scorer.

Pick: Under


Golden State Warriors at Miami Heat (-12, 204)

Who would have thought that reserve forward Louis Amundson would be playing such a vital role for the Warriors? The former Suns bench player missed the first 20 games of the season while recovering from offseason surgery but is now starting for Golden State because of injuries to centers Andris Biedrins and Dan Gadzuric.

Surprisingly, the Warriors are 4-2 against the spread since Biedrins went down with an ankle injury.

"I'm feeling more comfortable, feeling like my legs are getting back under me again," Amundson told the Oakland Tribune. "I didn't think sitting out this long would affect me as much as it did. Feel like it kind of slowed me down a little bit. Now that I've been playing, I feel like I'm getting back into it, finding my rhythm again."

Amundson isn’t the only Warrior playing catch up. Rookie forward Ekpe Udoh and Stephen Curry have both returned from injury over the past week.

Expect the surging Heat to expose the holes in the Warriors’ lineup on Saturday.

Pick: Heat


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[Udog]

NCAAB


Saturday, January 1

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
College hoops bettors' TV guide: Saturday's best games
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

West Virginia Mountaineers at Marquette Golden Eagles, 11 a.m. ESPN 2

The backcourt is getting very thin for the Marquette Golden Eagles. The team has a mere four guards on scholarship after point guard Reggie Smith announced he is transferring following his return to the team from Christmas break. Smith started five of the eight games he played this season before being slowed by an undisclosed illness that forced him to miss the past two contests.

Dwight Buycks will likely take over at the point, and will be joined by just Darius Johnson-Odom, Junior Cadougan and freshman Vander Blue. Marquette also could be a little slowed from its game against Vanderbilt on Wednesday and a physical game against West Virginia is a very tall task for a very thin backcourt.

New Mexico Lobos at Dayton Flyers, 2 p.m., CBS College Sports

The Dayton Flyers have a new secret weapon: sophomore center Matt Kavanaugh. After scoring no more than two points in any game during his collegiate career, Kavanaugh exploded for 15 points and seven rebounds in a 69-65 win over Seton Hall.

The 6-foot-10, 250-pounder has been virtually guaranteed more playing time by coach Brian Gregory, who used terms like “poise” and “strength” to describe his performance. And if Kavanaugh can give the Flyers a new dynamic with his low post game, Dayton appears poised to be a real threat in the A-10.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Syracuse Orange, 3:30 p.m., ESPNU

The Orange have some troubling injuries to their young front court players. Freshman Fab Melo, regarded as one of the best center prospects in the country, is dealing with a sprained ankle and a muscle tear in the same leg.

Meantime, C.J. Fair, a first-year player out of Baltimore, is averaging 5.3 points and 3.0 rebounds per game, and has missed several games recently with a sprained ankle.

Both players are among the most talented youngsters in the nation, but any extended absence will hurt their development come tournament time and seriously dent the substantial depth touted by the Orange.

Boston College Golden Eagles at South Carolina Gamecocks, 5:30 p.m., ESPNU

The Eagles are soaring thanks to the improved play of junior Reggie Jackson. Flourishing in new coach Steve Donahue’s system which emphasizes outside shooting from nearly every position on the floor, Jackson has emerged as an NBA prospect at point guard by finally being able to utilize his 6-foot-3, 208-pound frame.

Donahue refers to Jackson as a “triple-double waiting to happen.”

Jackson is already regarded as one of the most improved players in the Atlantic Coast Conference thanks to a seven point increase in his scoring average. He also has drastically cut down on his turnovers and is shooting 54 percent from the floor, 51 percent from beyond the arc and 80 percent from the line.

South Carolina better find a way to slow him down to have a chance.


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

[Udog]

NHL


Saturday, January 1

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ice picks: Today's best NHL bets
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

New York Rangers at Tampa Bay Lightning (-130, 5.5)

Rookie goalie Cedrick Desjardins is expected to get the start on New Year's Day when Tampa Bay meets the Rangers for the second time in the last nine days. Desjardins made 27 saves in a victorious NHL debut against Montreal on Thursday.

"It's opportunity," said Desjardins. "Right now I've got the ball in my hands and I just want to keep it and run with it."

New York, meanwhile, is without center Erik Christensen for at least one month. Christensen sprained his right knee on Monday. He has six goals and eight assists, often playing with Marian Gaborik on the top line.

Tampa Bay won at the Rangers in a shootout last week.

Pick: Lightning


San Jose Sharks at Los Angeles Kings (-120, 5.5)

The Kings are coming off a 6-3 loss to Phoenix earlier this week and a 7-4 setback against Philadelphia on Thursday.

Still, there is good news for L.A. heading into its New Year's Day clash with San Jose. The Kings are 13-3-1 at home and they just handled the Sharks 4-0 on Monday.

San Jose can expect to see L.A. goalie Jonathan Quinn in the net, just as it did in the previous matchup between the two teams. That's because Jonathan Bernier was in goal on Thursday.

Penalty killing and power plays could be the key in this one. The Sharks are tied for fourth in the NHL in power play conversion percentage, but they have allowed three goals in 10 power plays against during their current road trip.

Pick: Kings


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

[Udog]

NHL


Saturday, January 1

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What bettors need to know: Winter Classic
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Washington Capitals at Pittsburgh Penguins (-140, 6)

GAME ON

The biggest opponent for the Capitals and Penguins likely won’t be the opposing team – it will be the weather.

For a game played outdoors in Pittsburgh in January, the weather is figured to be cold and blustery with a chance of snow. Instead, it will be unseasonably warm with a high of 55 degrees and a 20 chance of thunderstorms. The heat doesn’t figure to be a big issue as the NHL has already played outdoor games in Las Vegas. However, the rain is the real issue.

When the rain hits the ice, it would freeze nearly instantly, creating an ice bubble on top of the skating surface that would be dangerous to skaters and would create wacky and choppy bounces of the puck.

The NHL has moved the start time of Saturday's Winter Classic between Washington and Pittsburgh to 8 p.m. ET, the league announced Friday.

The outdoor game at Heinz Field was scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on Saturday, when temperatures are expected to approach 50 degrees with steady rain - less than ideal conditions for ice skating. At 8 p.m., the rain is expected to have cleared the area with temperatures in the 40s.

Earlier reports had the NHL considering moving the game to Friday night, before the rain arrived.

LET’S GO STREAKING

It took 25 games, but the New York Islanders finally proved that Sidney Crosby is human. Looks like he should have kept the mustache, as Sid the Kid saw his 25-game point streak snapped in a 2-1 overtime loss on Long Island.

Crosby nearly propelling the Penguins to the top record in the NHL during his torrid scoring tear, notching 26 goals and 24 assists for 50 points as the Penguins went from 6-6-1 at the start of the streak to 25-11-3 when the dust finally settled.

Overall, it was the fourth-longest scoring streak in league history for a player under the age of 24. On the season, Crosby now leads the league in points with 60 on 32 goals and 33 assists.

"I try not to think about it, just go out there and do the same thing every night and hope that I capitalize and create things," Crosby said. "You've still got to evaluate your game. It's not always based on points."

STILL ON THE REBOUND

The Capitals have gone 4-0-1 in their last five games after enduring an eight game losing streak earlier in December. So which team will show up?

"I'm sick of talking about intentions and trying to measure ourselves and trying to play well," Capitals forward Brooks Laich said. "We got to win hockey games. That's the bottom line: Win hockey games."

The reason for the team’s streak play is simple – its scoring has been streaky. Washington, typically among the top-5 teams in scoring during the regular season, has been held to an average of just 2.95 goals per game. Good enough for 10th in the league, but still a far cry from the elite level the team has functioned at the past few seasons.

It’d help if Alexander Ovechkin could get rolling again. The two-time league leader in goals enters the outdoor game with 14 markers in 39 games. He’s found the back of the net in each of the last two games but he still has just one multi-point game in his last 13 contests.

OLD FASHIONED HATE

Sure, it’s not the Avalanche and Red Wings of the mid and late 1990s, but this may be the top rivalry in the NHL.

"There's some bad blood with the opponent, for sure," Washington Capitals defenseman Karl Alzner said. "There's a lot of underlying layers here, (Ovechkin) vs. Crosby, both coaches have been incredibly successful, the HBO thing -- this game is going to get worked up pretty good. I just hope it is a good game and meets expectations."

Still not convinced? Ask Pittsburgh forward Max Talbot about Ovechkin missing an early media activity to promote the event at Heinz Field.

"I'm kind of happy he's not there," said Talbot of Ovechkin. "I really didn't want to see him. I really hate the guy."

TRENDS

The Capitals are 6-2 in their past eight games in Pittsburgh.

The under is 16-5 in Washington’s past 21 games.

The Penguins are 10-1 in their past 11 home games.

The over is 4-1 in Pittsburgh’s past five home games.


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

[Udog]

NCAAB
Dunkel


West Virginia at Marquette
The Golden Eagles look to take advantage of a West Virginia team that is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games against a team with a winning SU record. Marquette is the pick (-1 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Golden Eagles favored by 3. Dunkel Pick: Marquette (-1 1/2). Here are all of today's games.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 1

Game 517-518: West Virginia at Marquette (11:00 a.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: West Virginia 69.809; Marquette 72.717
Dunkel Line: Marquette by 3
Vegas Line: Marquette by 1 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Marquette (-1 1/2)

Game 519-520: San Diego at NC State (12:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Diego 46.611; NC State 63.177
Dunkel Line: NC State by 16 1/2
Vegas Line: NC State by 20
Dunkel Pick: San Diego (+20)

Game 521-522: DePaul at Georgetown (1:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: DePaul 54.880; Georgetown 79.221
Dunkel Line: Georgetown by 24 1/2
Vegas Line: Georgetown by 22 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Georgetown (-22 1/2)

Game 523-524: Loyola-Chicago at Youngstown State (1:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Loyola-Chicago 53.998; Youngstown State 51.256
Dunkel Line: Loyola-Chicago by 2 1/2
Vegas Line: Loyola-Chicago by 4
Dunkel Pick: Youngstown State (+4)

Game 525-526: WI-Milwaukee at Detroit (1:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: WI-Milwaukee 51.302; Detroit 61.892
Dunkel Line: Detroit by 10 1/2
Vegas Line: Detroit by 9
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (-9)

Game 527-528: Illinois-Chicago at Cleveland State (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Illinois-Chicago 51.332; Cleveland State 67.503
Dunkel Line: Cleveland State by 16
Vegas Line: Cleveland State by 17
Dunkel Pick: Illinois-Chicago (+17)

Game 529-530: Valparaiso at Butler (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Valparaiso 58.386; Butler 68.135
Dunkel Line: Butler by 10
Vegas Line: Butler by 12 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Valparaiso (+12 1/2)

Game 531-532: Northern Iowa at Southern Illinois (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Northern Iowa 64.656; Southern Illinois 58.681
Dunkel Line: Northern Iowa by 6
Vegas Line: Northern Iowa by 2 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Northern Iowa (-2 1/2)

Game 533-534: Drake at Creighton (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Drake 51.289; Creighton 62.608
Dunkel Line: Creighton by 11 1/2
Vegas Line: Creighton by 10
Dunkel Pick: Creighton (-10)

Game 535-536: New Mexico at Dayton (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New Mexico 66.615; Dayton 64.529
Dunkel Line: New Mexico by 2
Vegas Line: Dayton by 1
Dunkel Pick: New Mexico (+1)

Game 537-538: Notre Dame at Syracuse (3:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Notre Dame 70.134; Syracuse 81.408
Dunkel Line: Syracuse by 11 1/2
Vegas Line: Syracuse by 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Syracuse (-6 1/2)

Game 539-540: UL-Lafayette at North Texas (5:15 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: UL-Lafayette 47.625; North Texas 58.494
Dunkel Line: North Texas by 11
Vegas Line: North Texas by 13
Dunkel Pick: UL-Lafayette (+13)

Game 541-542: Boston College at South Carolina (5:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Boston College 65.072; South Carolina 63.875
Dunkel Line: Boston College by 1
Vegas Line: Pick
Dunkel Pick: Boston College

Game 543-544: St. John's at Providence (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: St. John's 64.197; Providence 67.766
Dunkel Line: Providence by 3 1/2
Vegas Line: Providence by 1
Dunkel Pick: Providence (-1)

Game 545-546: WI-Green Bay at Wright State (1:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: WI-Green Bay 51.227; Wright State 62.623
Dunkel Line: Wright State by 11 1/2
Vegas Line: Wright State by 9
Dunkel Pick: Wright State (-9)

Game 547-548: Wichita State at Bradley (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Wichita State 62.416; Bradley 57.491
Dunkel Line: Wichita State by 5
Vegas Line: Wichita State by 6
Dunkel Pick: Bradley (+6)

Game 549-550: Indiana State at Evansville (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Indiana State 53.567; Evansville 57.905
Dunkel Line: Evansville by 4 1/2
Vegas Line: Evansville by 1 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Evansville (-1 1/2)

Game 551-552: Illinois State at Missouri State (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Illinois State 55.105; Missouri State 68.166
Dunkel Line: Missouri State by 13
Vegas Line: Missouri State by 14 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Illinois State (+14 1/2)

Game 553-554: Bowling Green at St. Louis (4:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Bowling Green 46.710; St. Louis 61.282
Dunkel Line: St. Louis by 14 1/2
Vegas Line: St. Louis by 13
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (-13)

Game 555-556: Western Kentucky at Arkansas State (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Western Kentucky 56.102; Arkansas State 55.641
Dunkel Line: Western Kentucky by 1
Vegas Line: Arkansas State by 4
Dunkel Pick: Western Kentucky (+4)

Game 557-558: Arizona State at Oregon (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Arizona State 62.577; Oregon 58.512
Dunkel Line: Arizona State by 4
Vegas Line: Arizona State by 1
Dunkel Pick: Arizona State (-1)

Game 559-560: Hampton vs. Colorado State (4:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Hampton 53.441; Colorado State 60.766
Dunkel Line: Colorado State by 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Colorado State by 9
Dunkel Pick: Hampton (+9)

Game 571-572: South Dakota State at Southern Utah (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: South Dakota State 54.042; Southern Utah 47.785
Dunkel Line: South Dakota State by 6
Vegas Line: South Dakota State by 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: South Dakota State (-5 1/2)