Announcement

**Udog** · 01-02-2011, 10:27 PM

Bettors' best friend: Monday's wagering tips

Lines to watch

Orange Bowl – Stanford opened as a 1-point favorite against Virginia Tech and is now sitting around -3.5 at most books.

Who’s hot

NBA: Orlando has covered in five straight.

NBA: Minnesota has covered in seven of their last nine.

NBA: Philadelphia has covered in eight of their last 10 road games.

NBA: Houston is riding a 10-5-1 ATS run.

NHL: Boston has won 10 of its last 13 meetings with Toronto.

NCAAB: St. John’s has covered in three straight.

Who’s not

NBA: Golden State has covered in three of their last 10 in Orlando.

NBA: Charlotte has dropped four of its last five against the spread.

NBA: Utah has dropped four of its last five ATS.

NHL: Florida is 3-23-2 in its last 28 trips to Carolina.

NHL: Los Angeles has lost three straight.

NHL: New York Islanders have won four of their last 14 meetings with Calgary.

Key stat

16 – number of receivers playing in Monday’s Orange Bowl that have at least 100 receiving yards – eight for both Virginia Tech and Stanford.

Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked

Gerald Wallace (leg), Charlotte Bobcats – Wallace suffered a leg injury during Sunday’s practice that seems like it could be serious. Wallace went down hard after driving to the bucket and had to be carried off the floor by his teammates. He couldn’t put any weight on the leg, so he could be out for a while.

Game of the day

Orange Bowl – No. 13 Virginia Tech vs. No. 4 Stanford (-3.5, 58)

Notable quotable

"Andrew is the best football player I've ever been around or coached. He is just like my wife, perfect just the way he is." – Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh told reporters about his quarterback Andrew Luck, who is a candidate to be selected first overall in the upcoming NFL draft.

Notes and tips

Virginia Tech has relied on three running backs this season but may have only one of them on the field on Monday. Sophomore David Wilson will be held out for at least the first quarter after missing curfew on New Year’s Eve, while redshirt sophomore Ryan Williams is a game-time decision with a hamstring problem. That makes Darren Evans as the probable starter on Monday. He had 817 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns this season.

Carmelo Anthony returned to the lineup on Saturday after mourning the passing of his sister. It looks like he is going to need some time to get his game back after scoring only 16 points with six turnovers in 32 minutes. He missed 15 of his first 18 shots from the floor. Denver is set as a 6.5-point favorite over Houston on Monday.

The Utah Jazz could be down a couple of guys on Monday against the Detroit Pistons. Mehmet Okur is waiting for MRI results on his strained lower back and didn’t practice Sunday. C.J. Miles also missed the workout. He has the flu and is questionable for Monday’s game.

**Udog** · 01-02-2011, 10:30 PM

NBA

Monday, January 3

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Pick 'n' Roll: Today's best NBA bets
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Golden State Warriors at Orlando Magic (-10.5, 211)

When the Orlando Magic blew up their roster before Christmas, they knew it was going to take some time for the team to come together. Apparently not as much time as most would think.

Orlando dropped its first two games after the big trade, but has reeled off five straight wins since then, covering each time. Speculation after the deal was that the team wasn’t finished with the shakeups and that they needed to add at least another big man to back up Dwight Howard, though now it looks like that is on the backburner.

"It's a matter of when the guy is available that you like,” coach Stan Van Gundy told reporters. “I think the one thing you don't want to do is just go out and commit to anybody and that takes you out of being able to get somebody who could really help you. So, I think right now we're OK."

Orlando has covered in seven of its last 10 games against Golden State and catch the Warriors need the end of a tough road trip. Look for the Magic to continue their streak.

Pick: Magic

Miami Heat at Charlotte Bobcats (+9, 191)

From the beginning, the Miami Heat have said their success will depend on their defensive play night in and night out. That’s not to say there won’t be hiccups along the way.

The Heat gave up 72 points and were trailing by 20 in the first half against Golden State before rallying in the second half to pull out a 114-107 victory as an 11.5-point favorite.

"We didn't have a lot of energy to start the game. Some of it had to do with us and some of it had to do with them executing their offense,” LeBron James told reporters. “We just didn't have what we usually have on the defensive end. When that happens, it makes it a lot easier for them offensively."

In the second half, it was a totally different story. The Heat pressured the ball on the perimeter to force turnovers and Golden State managed only one point midway through the third quarter. Miami regained the lead in the fourth quarter and put the game away.

The Heat have now won five straight and should continue on that run on Monday. They’ll come out quicker this time around.

Pick: Heat

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**Udog** · 01-02-2011, 10:35 PM

NCAAB
Long Sheet

Monday, January 3

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NORTHEASTERN (4 - 8) at JAMES MADISON (10 - 3) - 1/3/2011, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NORTHEASTERN is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
NORTHEASTERN is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in road lined games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NORTHEASTERN is 2-0 against the spread versus JAMES MADISON over the last 3 seasons
NORTHEASTERN is 2-0 straight up against JAMES MADISON 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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GEORGETOWN (12 - 2) at ST JOHNS (9 - 3) - 1/3/2011, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GEORGETOWN is 16-28 ATS (-14.8 Units) against conference opponents over the last 3 seasons.

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

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HOFSTRA (7 - 5) at DREXEL (9 - 2) - 1/3/2011, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DREXEL is 41-27 ATS (+11.3 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
DREXEL is 41-27 ATS (+11.3 Units) in all lined games over the last 3 seasons.
DREXEL is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) in home games after allowing 60 points or less over the last 3 seasons.
HOFSTRA is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
DREXEL is 6-17 ATS (-12.7 Units) when playing with 5 or 6 days rest since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
DREXEL is 3-1 against the spread versus HOFSTRA over the last 3 seasons
DREXEL is 3-1 straight up against HOFSTRA 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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OLD DOMINION (9 - 3) at TOWSON ST (4 - 7) - 1/3/2011, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TOWSON ST is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TOWSON ST is 2-2 against the spread versus OLD DOMINION over the last 3 seasons
OLD DOMINION is 4-0 straight up against TOWSON ST over the last 3 seasons
4 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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VA COMMONWEALTH (9 - 4) at GEORGIA ST (6 - 5) - 1/3/2011, 7:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
VA COMMONWEALTH is 3-2 against the spread versus GEORGIA ST over the last 3 seasons
VA COMMONWEALTH is 5-0 straight up against GEORGIA ST over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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DELAWARE (6 - 5) at GEORGE MASON (9 - 3) - 1/3/2011, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GEORGE MASON is 88-63 ATS (+18.7 Units) in all home games since 1997.
GEORGE MASON is 88-63 ATS (+18.7 Units) in home lined games since 1997.
GEORGE MASON is 66-45 ATS (+16.5 Units) in home games against conference opponents since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
DELAWARE is 2-1 against the spread versus GEORGE MASON over the last 3 seasons
GEORGE MASON is 3-1 straight up against DELAWARE 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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UNC-WILMINGTON (6 - 6) at WM & MARY (4 - 8) - 1/3/2011, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
UNC-WILMINGTON is 5-15 ATS (-11.5 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
WM & MARY is 3-1 against the spread versus UNC-WILMINGTON over the last 3 seasons
WM & MARY is 3-1 straight up against UNC-WILMINGTON 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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BUFFALO (6 - 4) at CORNELL (3 - 9) - 1/3/2011, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CORNELL is 50-30 ATS (+17.0 Units) after a non-conference game since 1997.
CORNELL is 47-28 ATS (+16.2 Units) in non-conference games since 1997.
BUFFALO is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) as a road favorite of 3 points or less or pick since 1997.

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

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PENNSYLVANIA (5 - 5) at KENTUCKY (11 - 2) - 1/3/2011, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PENNSYLVANIA is 6-17 ATS (-12.7 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.
PENNSYLVANIA is 7-17 ATS (-11.7 Units) in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.
KENTUCKY is 81-55 ATS (+20.5 Units) when the total is 130 to 139.5 since 1997.

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

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MICHIGAN ST (9 - 4) at NORTHWESTERN (9 - 2) - 1/3/2011, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MICHIGAN ST is 11-21 ATS (-12.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
NORTHWESTERN is 22-12 ATS (+8.8 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
NORTHWESTERN is 22-12 ATS (+8.8 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
NORTHWESTERN is 16-7 ATS (+8.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

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

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BUTLER (10 - 4) at WI-MILWAUKEE (7 - 8) - 1/3/2011, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WI-MILWAUKEE is 128-96 ATS (+22.4 Units) against conference opponents since 1997.
WI-MILWAUKEE is 123-93 ATS (+20.7 Units) after a conference game since 1997.
BUTLER is 123-88 ATS (+26.2 Units) after allowing 60 points or less since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
WI-MILWAUKEE is 4-1 against the spread versus BUTLER over the last 3 seasons
BUTLER is 4-1 straight up against WI-MILWAUKEE 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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TOLEDO (3 - 10) at ALABAMA (7 - 6) - 1/3/2011, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TOLEDO is 86-115 ATS (-40.5 Units) as an underdog since 1997.
TOLEDO is 19-34 ATS (-18.4 Units) in road games after scoring 60 points or less since 1997.
ALABAMA is 55-78 ATS (-30.8 Units) after a non-conference game since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
ALABAMA is 1-0 against the spread versus TOLEDO over the last 3 seasons
ALABAMA is 1-0 straight up against TOLEDO 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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N ILLINOIS (4 - 7) at IOWA ST (12 - 2) - 1/3/2011, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
N ILLINOIS is 55-35 ATS (+16.5 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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FLORIDA ST (11 - 3) at AUBURN (6 - 7) - 1/3/2011, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
FLORIDA ST is 12-23 ATS (-13.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA ST is 12-23 ATS (-13.3 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
AUBURN is 1-0 against the spread versus FLORIDA ST over the last 3 seasons
FLORIDA ST is 1-0 straight up against AUBURN 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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RHODE ISLAND (9 - 4) at FLORIDA (10 - 3) - 1/3/2011, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
FLORIDA is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) as a favorite this season.

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

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NEVADA (4 - 10) at FRESNO ST (5 - 6) - 1/3/2011, 11:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEVADA is 4-17 ATS (-14.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
NEVADA is 53-33 ATS (+16.7 Units) in road games after a conference game since 1997.
FRESNO ST is 166-207 ATS (-61.7 Units) in all games since 1997.
FRESNO ST is 166-207 ATS (-61.7 Units) in all lined games since 1997.
FRESNO ST is 89-124 ATS (-47.4 Units) as a favorite since 1997.
FRESNO ST is 95-128 ATS (-45.8 Units) against conference opponents since 1997.
FRESNO ST is 89-127 ATS (-50.7 Units) after a conference game since 1997.
FRESNO ST is 44-75 ATS (-38.5 Units) off a win against a conference rival since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
FRESNO ST is 4-0 against the spread versus NEVADA over the last 3 seasons
FRESNO ST is 2-2 straight up against NEVADA 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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MANHATTAN (2 - 10) at RIDER (9 - 5) - 1/3/2011, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MANHATTAN is 2-14 ATS (-13.4 Units) when playing with 7 or more days rest since 1997.
RIDER is 51-76 ATS (-32.6 Units) as a favorite since 1997.
RIDER is 45-66 ATS (-27.6 Units) in all home games since 1997.
RIDER is 45-66 ATS (-27.6 Units) in home lined games since 1997.
RIDER is 35-54 ATS (-24.4 Units) in home games against conference opponents since 1997.
RIDER is 7-20 ATS (-15.0 Units) in home games after a non-conference game since 1997.
RIDER is 21-37 ATS (-19.7 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.

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

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CANISIUS (6 - 6) at ST PETERS (7 - 6) - 1/3/2011, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ST PETERS is 33-19 ATS (+12.1 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
ST PETERS is 33-19 ATS (+12.1 Units) in all lined games over the last 3 seasons.
ST PETERS is 27-12 ATS (+13.8 Units) against conference opponents over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ST PETERS is 3-1 against the spread versus CANISIUS over the last 3 seasons
ST PETERS is 4-0 straight up against CANISIUS 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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IONA (8 - 5) at SIENA (4 - 8) - 1/3/2011, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
IONA is 23-39 ATS (-19.9 Units) in road games after a non-conference game since 1997.
IONA is 5-15 ATS (-11.5 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
SIENA is 24-9 ATS (+14.1 Units) after scoring 60 points or less since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
SIENA is 3-1 against the spread versus IONA over the last 3 seasons
SIENA is 4-0 straight up against IONA 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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MARIST (3 - 10) at LOYOLA-MD (4 - 8) - 1/3/2011, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MARIST is 2-9 ATS (-7.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
LOYOLA-MD is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
LOYOLA-MD is 2-11 ATS (-10.1 Units) in all home games over the last 2 seasons.
LOYOLA-MD is 2-11 ATS (-10.1 Units) in home lined games over the last 2 seasons.
LOYOLA-MD is 1-9 ATS (-8.9 Units) in home games against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
LOYOLA-MD is 3-1 against the spread versus MARIST over the last 3 seasons
LOYOLA-MD is 4-0 straight up against MARIST over the last 3 seasons
4 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NIAGARA (3 - 11) at FAIRFIELD (9 - 3) - 1/3/2011, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NIAGARA is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) in all games this season.
NIAGARA is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) in all lined games this season.
NIAGARA is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) in road games against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NIAGARA is 3-2 against the spread versus FAIRFIELD over the last 3 seasons
NIAGARA is 3-2 straight up against FAIRFIELD 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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TENN-MARTIN (4 - 10) at SE MISSOURI ST (3 - 11) - 1/3/2011, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TENN-MARTIN is 8-23 ATS (-17.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TENN-MARTIN is 8-23 ATS (-17.3 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
TENN-MARTIN is 8-22 ATS (-16.2 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
TENN-MARTIN is 6-15 ATS (-10.5 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
TENN-MARTIN is 6-15 ATS (-10.5 Units) in road lined games over the last 2 seasons.
TENN-MARTIN is 5-15 ATS (-11.5 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
TENN-MARTIN is 2-11 ATS (-10.1 Units) after 3 or more consecutive losses over the last 2 seasons.
SE MISSOURI ST is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
TENN-MARTIN is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) as a road underdog of 3.5 to 6 points since 1997.
TENN-MARTIN is 36-19 ATS (+15.1 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.
SE MISSOURI ST is 22-41 ATS (-23.1 Units) as a favorite since 1997.
SE MISSOURI ST is 6-18 ATS (-13.8 Units) in all home games over the last 3 seasons.
SE MISSOURI ST is 6-18 ATS (-13.8 Units) in home lined games over the last 3 seasons.
SE MISSOURI ST is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in home games after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
SE MISSOURI ST is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in home games after scoring 60 points or less over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SE MISSOURI ST is 3-1 against the spread versus TENN-MARTIN over the last 3 seasons
TENN-MARTIN is 3-1 straight up against SE 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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UT-CHATTANOOGA (7 - 7) at AUSTIN PEAY (9 - 6) - 1/3/2011, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
UT-CHATTANOOGA is 29-47 ATS (-22.7 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
AUSTIN PEAY is 1-0 against the spread versus UT-CHATTANOOGA over the last 3 seasons
AUSTIN PEAY is 1-0 straight up against UT-CHATTANOOGA over the last 3 seasons

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ORAL ROBERTS (5 - 10) at AKRON (8 - 5) - 1/3/2011, 7:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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**Udog** · 01-02-2011, 10:39 PM

NCAAB

Monday, January 3

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College Funds: Today's best NCAAB bets
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No. 9 Georgetown Hoyas at St. John’s Red Storm (+3, N/A)

Steve Lavin’s Red Storm are looking to be a force in the Big East this year. They’re off to a good start so far but face a stiff test in their first home conference game Monday against Georgetown.

St. John’s has won four straight games and have covered in their last three, including a 67-65 win at Providence on Saturday. Dwight Hardy has been a major factor in the club’s early success. He scored 21 points against Providence and is averaging almost 22 points per game over his last six.

"It's a great honor, the brightest lights in the world," Hardy told reporters about Monday’s game. "We're playing a great team in Georgetown, it's going to be a good matchup. They've got some good guards, we've got some good guards."

That much is true, but Georgetown is showing a few holes. The Hoyas dropped a 69-55 decision to Notre Dame before the New Year and then couldn’t cover as a big 22.5-point favorite in a win over DePaul on Saturday.

St. John’s will give the Hoyas a good run here.

Pick: Red Storm

Pennsylvania Quakers at No. 12 Kentucky Wildcats (-24.5, N/A)

Everyone knew the Kentucky Wildcats had the skill to compete with the best of the nation this season. Now they’re coming together as a team to make the most of that talent.

Terrence Jones and Brandon Knight can get the Wildcats by on most nights on their individual skills, but things have changed since the team first faced any competition in Maui back in November.

“It's more than just me and Brandon,” Jones told reporters after Kentucky won outright at Louisville as a 3-point underdog on Friday. “Everybody's stepping up. Everybody's playing better (than) what we played in Maui, when it just looked like it was individuals playing.”

Monday’s game serves as one last tune-up before Kentucky opens conference play on Saturday at Georgia. The competition in the conference looks weaker this year with only Vanderbilt, Florida and Tennessee ranked among the top 50 in RPI index and Louisville coach Rick Pitino said after Friday’s loss that the Wildcats are tougher to defend this year now that they’re spreading the offense around a bit.

That spells trouble for a Pennsylvania club that has dropped two of its last three.

Pick: Wildcats

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**Udog** · 01-02-2011, 10:44 PM

NHL

Monday, January 3

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Pucking the trends: Weekly NHL betting trends
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Every week, we update you on who's hot, who's not and situational betting spots in the National Hockey League.

HOT TEAM: Columbus Blue Jackets

In the topsy-turvy world that is the Western Conference this season, hot and cold teams change like the weather. Just a few short weeks ago, the Blue Jackets were in trouble, struggling for offense, and not living up to their fast fall start.

But Columbus -- which has received a major boost from R.J. Umberger, a perfect complement to Rick Nash -- recaptured a little magic to end the calendar year. The 4-3 victory over Ottawa on New Year’s Eve was the club's third consecutive win, and fourth in six games.

Umberger has 12 goals and 26 points, and has allowed Nash a little room to find his groove this season. Nash has 18 goals and 31 points, and combined, the two have 246 shots on net.

Columbus looks to start the new year off on the right foot, at Nashville on Sunday. It’s the first of four games this week for the Blue Jackets, all on the road. So, if you’re buying this hot run, be careful this week. Remember, the West is whacky.

COLD TEAM: Philadelphia Flyers

After what was perceived to be a much-needed, nine-day respite, the Flyers showed some serious signs of rust out of the gate last week.

After an uncharacteristic 5-0 loss to Florida on home ice, the Flyers disappeared for nine days through the holidays. Coach Peter Laviolette let the players go home to see their families and get away from the daily grind. But perhaps now, he’s rethinking things.

The Flyers returned last Wednesday with a 6-2 loss to Vancouver in a game that was not as close as the score. The game was talked of, in many circles, as a potential Stanley Cup Final preview. But only one team showed up.

Philadelphia, which takes on the Red Wings Sunday in Detroit, has now lost three of four and has fallen into second place in the Atlantic Division, behind Pittsburgh.

The good news? There’s a home-and-home set with bottom-feeder New Jersey later this week. With decreased price value, it might be a good time to jump back on the Flyers’ bandwagon.

OVER PLAY: Anaheim Ducks

It’s going to be a struggle for the Ducks to maintain a playoff position the rest of the way in the West. They just don’t have the depth this season that Anaheim fans have grown accustomed to.

But say this for the Ducks. They can score goals … and give them up, too. Their 5-2 win over the Flyers on New Year’s Eve marked the sixth time in December that they topped five goals, for and against, and they reached five three more times.

Corey Perry, with 20 goals, leads a group of five Ducks who have hit double digits in tallies, and four of them have at least 30 points.

Keep an eye on Anaheim this week, as it plays three home games, starting with Chicago on Sunday. In the last two at home, Anaheim and its opponents combined for 15 goals. That’s quality over territory.

UNDER PLAY: Montreal Canadiens

Considering the goalie duo of Carey Price and Alex Auld, it’s surprising that the Canadiens don’t earn this title more often.

Montreal, which lost 4-3 to Atlanta on Sunday, had not topped five goals, for and against, in its five games before Sunday’s result, and failed to do so in eight games total in December.

Captain Brian Gionta has 14 goals, which leads the team, and only Tomas Plekanec has more than 30 points (32). It’s been a little dry in Montreal, for sure.

This week might be a good opportunity to ride the under train with the Canadiens, as they play two games – all at home – vs. quality Eastern Conference defensive opponents: the Penguins on Thursday and the Bruins on Saturday.

Surveying the schedule:

** Keep an eye on the Capitals as a team that will be rested and ready in January. After the Winter Classic win in Pittsburgh, Washington only plays two games this week, vs. Tampa Bay on Tuesday, and Florida on Saturday. By the time they begin a three-game stretch in four days on Jan. 11, the Capitals may have the freshest legs in the league.

** San Jose opened the calendar year vs. Los Angeles on Saturday night, beginning a stretch of five games in nine days. All told, they’ll play eight games in the first two weeks of January. That's a bunch. For a team that has quite a few veteran players, this might be a run too tough to overcome.

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**Udog** · 01-02-2011, 10:47 PM

NHL

Monday, January 3

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Ice picks: Today's best NHL bets
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New York Islanders at Calgary Flames (-210, 5.5)

So who here thought the woebegone Islanders could pull of successive wins over the two best teams in the NHL? New York’s other hockey team is 5-1 in its last six games but four of those five victories came with Dwayne Roloson in net.

Roloson, if you haven’t already heard, joined defenseman James Wisniewski as the latest contributing Islander shipped out of town for a crap prospect or draft pick.

It’s not like anyone thought the Isle were going to make the playoffs or anything but the timing of the trades has to be off putting for a locker room full of players who’ve fought tooth and nail for 10 points over the last six games.

Rick DiPietro will resume his position as the team’s starting netminder but he’s only recently started to play well. DiPietro is 2-0 with a 1.50 goals-against average in his last two starts but still carries a .888 save percentage and a bloated 3.49 GAA on the season.

The Flames meanwhile are riding their longest win streak (four games) of the campaign despite the shakeup in their front office.

Pick: Flames

Vancouver Canucks at San Jose Sharks (-135, 5.5)

The one thing the Sharks have proven this season is that if you back them regularly, you’re going to get bit. San Jose had its four-game win streak snapped two days after Christmas, falling 0-4 to the Kings and followed that up by surrendering three goals in the final 11 minutes to drop a 5-3 decision to the low-scoring Wild.

"It seems to happen to us. We just go to sleep for five minutes, and they popped three on us. It's hard to come back there. I wish we could do those 20 minutes over again,” Sharks center Logan Couture told the San Jose Mercury News after losing to Minnesota.

"We just stopped playing. We've done that four or five times this year. I don't know why. We go to sleep for five to 10 minutes. You can't do that in this league. You're going to lose every night in this league, if you do that."

Of course, San Jose bounced back by topping the Blackhawks and Kings.

Things aren't nearly as chaotic for the Canucks. Vancouver is 13-1-2 in its last 16 games while outscoring opponents 66-35 during the hot spell.

Pick: Vancouver

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

**Udog** · 01-02-2011, 10:48 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** · 01-03-2011, 10:18 AM

Daily Sports Roundup: January 3

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: Stanford and Virginia Tech meet in the Orange Bowl, while the Bobcats play host to the Heat, and the Canucks pay a visit to San Jose.

Colliding on the gridiron . . .

It's the Orange Bowl between No. 5 Stanford and No. 12 Virginia Tech at Sun Life Stadium on Monday night, with the fifth-ranked Cardinal pegged as 3.5-point favorites. Stanford (11-1 SU, 7-3-1 ATS) ended the season on a seven-game winning streak, blanking Oregon State 38-0 last time out behind four touchdown passes from Andrew Luck. The Hokies (11-2 SU, 10-2 ATS) have won 11 games in a row, and they're coming off a 44-33 win over Florida State as Tyrod Taylor threw for three touchdown strikes. The oddsmakers have the total for this year's Orange Bowl matchup listed at 58 points.

Tipping off on the hardwood . . .

The NBA offers up six games on Monday, with Golden State at Orlando, Minnesota at Boston, Philadelphia at New Orleans, Houston at Denver, Detroit at Utah, and Miami at Charlotte. The Heat (26-9 SU, 16-18-1 ATS) have won five straight games, knocking off Golden State 114-107 at home in their last game on Saturday. The Bobcats (11-20 SU, 12-17-2 ATS) are coming off a 96-95 home loss to Golden State on Friday. The Heat managed to beat the Bobcats 95-87 as 12-point home favorites when those teams met back on November 19. LeBron James poured in 32 points for Miami in the win that day.

As well, there are five games involving Top-25 teams on the college basketball schedule for Monday, with Pennsylvania at No. 11 Kentucky, No. 20 Michigan State at Northwestern, Savannah State at No. 17 Kansas State, Nicholls State at No. 18 Texas A&M, and No. 9 Georgetown at St. John's. The ninth-ranked Hoyas (12-2 SU, 8-4 ATS) slipped past DePaul 86-75 last game, with Austin Freeman tossing in 21 points in that contest. The Red Storm (9-3 SU, 5-6 ATS) ran their winning streak to four games by edging Providence 67-65 last time out; Dwight Hardy poured in 21 points in that game.

Taking a trip around the rink . . .

Finally, there are five games on the NHL's schedule for Monday, with Florida at Carolina, Boston at Toronto, the Islanders at Calgary, Chicago at Los Angeles, and Vancouver at San Jose. The Sharks improved to 21-13-5 on the season with a 1-0 road win in Los Angeles in their last game on Saturday night. Devin Setoguchi had the lone goal for San Jose in that contest, while Antti Niemi stopped all 29 Los Angeles shots. The Canucks blasted the Sharks 6-1 as -130 home favorites when the two teams met back on November 26. Mikael Samuelsson had two goals for Vancouver in that contest.

**Udog** · 01-03-2011, 10:22 AM

Monday's six-pack

Teams with top six picks in NFL Draft next April.......
6) Browns 5-11-- What coach will be coaching the new player?

5) Cardinals 5-11-- Almost definitely will take a quarterback.

4) Bengals 4-12-- Whoever they draft they won't want to pay.

3) Bills 4-12-- No idea how this franchise thinks.

2) Broncos 4-12-- Elway's first draft pick should refuse to play for the Broncos and demand a trade to Baltimore.

1) Panthers 2-14-- Person who makes this pick hasn't been hired yet.

**************************

Monday's List of 13: Wrapping up an NFL Sunday.......

13) Spreads/matchups for Wild Card round of NFL playoffs:
Colts -3 vs Jets (44.5)...............Ravens -2.5 @ Chiefs (41)
Eagles 2.5 vs Packers (46).........Saints -10.5 @ Seahawks (45.5)

12) Houston's Arien Foster won the NFL rushing title in a season where he made $310,000; Randy Moss played for three different teams with no tangible positive effect, and was paid $360,000 a game. Go figure.

11) Ryan Fitzpatrick sat out for the Bills so they could clinch #3 pick in next April's draft; he finished the season with exactly 3,000 yards. He is the second NFL QB to pass for exactly 3,000 yards (Tommy Kramer, 1986) in a season. What are the odds that the two QBs to do this went to Rice and Harvard? Life is fascinating sometimes.

10) Tampa Bay QB Josh Freeman is a much better NFL QB than he was at Kansas State; he reminds me of Roman Gabriel from the 60's Rams, or more recently, he's a more mobile version of Ben Roethlisberger. In any event, he's good and he's young and the Buccaneers hit the jackpot.

9) Sean Payton is now 0-5 as a head coach in Week 17; it didn't seem to bother him last season, and it probably won't this year, either.

8) Oakland Raiders are the first team to go undefeated in its division and still miss the playoffs; rumors are they're not bringing back Tom Cable as head coach, which seems odd for a team that improved a lot. Must be a lot more behind the scenes that we don't know about yet.

7) Washington kick returner Brandon Banks weighs 149 pounds. Not a lot of NFL players who carry the ball have ever been that slight.

6) Steelers' first four drives Sunday: 25 plays, 225 yards, four TDs. It doesn't look good for the Browns keeping Eric Mangini as coach, but his name did come up in connection with the now-vacant UConn job.

5) Wouldn't want to have been sitting next to Ronnie Brown on the ride home from Foxboro Sunday; all he needed were 30 rushing yards to cash in a $500,000 bonus. Instead, he carried the ball only six times for only 14 yards. The game was lost early; they couldn't get him some carries later in the game?

4) Hopefully the Lions' season-ending four-game win streak will give a boost to their season ticket sales. They still don't know who their QB is going to be going forward, since Stafford has shown an inability to stay healthy, but their defense was a lot better this season.

3) Sounds like John Elway is going to be the decision maker in Denver, and one of his first decisions will be a biggie; what to do with #2 pick in the draft? Is Tim Tebow the QB of the future? Who is Denver's coach going to be? Going to be an interesting winter/spring in the Rockies.

2) Fans of the Bucs and Rams were disappointed when their teams did not make the playoffs, but Week 17 results weren't the killers; Rams lost at San Francisco when they couldn't stop the Niners from getting a first down after they had 3rd and 32 on the game-tying drive........Tampa Bay was the first team in three years to lose at home to the Lions; if they win that game, they're in the playoffs. Those were the fatal blows.

1) San Diego Chargers gained the most yards, allowed the least and still missed the playoffs. First time its ever been done.

**Udog** · 01-03-2011, 10:27 AM

NBA
Long Sheet

Monday, January 3

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MIAMI (26 - 9) at CHARLOTTE (11 - 20) - 1/3/2011, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHARLOTTE is 27-13 ATS (+12.7 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHARLOTTE is 7-1 against the spread versus MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI is 5-4 straight up against CHARLOTTE over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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GOLDEN STATE (13 - 20) at ORLANDO (21 - 12) - 1/3/2011, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GOLDEN STATE is 20-34 ATS (-17.4 Units) in road games after scoring 105 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
ORLANDO is 129-101 ATS (+17.9 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
ORLANDO is 61-47 ATS (+9.3 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 19-6 ATS (+12.4 Units) against Pacific division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
ORLANDO is 57-40 ATS (+13.0 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
ORLANDO is 55-36 ATS (+15.4 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.
ORLANDO is 66-47 ATS (+14.3 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 65-49 ATS (+11.1 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 45-32 ATS (+9.8 Units) after allowing 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ORLANDO is 3-1 against the spread versus GOLDEN STATE over the last 3 seasons
ORLANDO is 4-0 straight up against GOLDEN STATE 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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MINNESOTA (9 - 25) at BOSTON (25 - 7) - 1/3/2011, 7:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 2-2 against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON is 4-0 straight up against MINNESOTA 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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PHILADELPHIA (13 - 20) at NEW ORLEANS (20 - 14) - 1/3/2011, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW ORLEANS is 144-99 ATS (+35.1 Units) after a non-conference game since 1996.
PHILADELPHIA is 22-10 ATS (+11.0 Units) in all games this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 17-8 ATS (+8.2 Units) as an underdog this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 97-66 ATS (+24.4 Units) when playing with 2 days rest since 1996.
PHILADELPHIA is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 3-2 against the spread versus NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
PHILADELPHIA is 3-2 straight up against NEW ORLEANS 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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DETROIT (11 - 22) at UTAH (23 - 11) - 1/3/2011, 9:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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

HOUSTON (16 - 17) at DENVER (19 - 13) - 1/3/2011, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DENVER is 19-6 ATS (+12.4 Units) as a home favorite of 6.5 to 9 points over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 16-7 ATS (+8.3 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
DENVER is 50-64 ATS (-20.4 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 32-49 ATS (-21.9 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 11-24 ATS (-15.4 Units) after a win by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 15-29 ATS (-16.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 19-40 ATS (-25.0 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DENVER is 5-3 against the spread versus HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
DENVER is 4-4 straight up against HOUSTON 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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**Udog** · 01-03-2011, 10:33 AM

NHL
Long Sheet

Monday, January 3

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FLORIDA (17-17-0-2, 36 pts.) at CAROLINA (18-15-0-4, 40 pts.) - 1/3/2011, 7:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
CAROLINA is 8-7 (+0.6 Units) against the spread versus FLORIDA over the last 3 seasons
CAROLINA is 8-7-0 straight up against FLORIDA over the last 3 seasons
8 of 14 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+0.9 Units)

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BOSTON (20-11-0-6, 46 pts.) at TORONTO (14-19-0-4, 32 pts.) - 1/3/2011, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 15-22 ATS (-19.8 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 273-274 ATS (-64.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.
BOSTON is 26-13 ATS (+7.1 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 44-35 ATS (+86.1 Units) in road games after playing 3 consecutive road games since 1996.
TORONTO is 44-75 ATS (-78.4 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 85-104 ATS (-81.9 Units) in home games after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 10-4 (+4.2 Units) against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON is 10-4-0 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
8 of 13 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+2.9 Units)

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NY ISLANDERS (11-19-0-6, 28 pts.) at CALGARY (18-18-0-3, 39 pts.) - 1/3/2011, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NY ISLANDERS are 10-36 ATS (+74.4 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5.5 over the last 2 seasons.
NY ISLANDERS are 16-35 ATS (+62.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY ISLANDERS is 1-1 (+0.4 Units) against the spread versus CALGARY over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY is 1-1-0 straight up against NY ISLANDERS over the last 3 seasons
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.2 Units)

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CHICAGO (20-17-0-3, 43 pts.) at LOS ANGELES (22-15-0-1, 45 pts.) - 1/3/2011, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LOS ANGELES is 15-8 ATS (+23.4 Units) after 3 or more consecutive losses over the last 3 seasons.
CHICAGO is 136-140 ATS (+303.5 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5.5 since 1996.
CHICAGO is 20-6 ATS (+10.7 Units) when playing on back-to-back days over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 50-25 ATS (+17.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 116-134 ATS (+256.3 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5.5 since 1996.
LOS ANGELES is 11-16 ATS (-11.6 Units) in home games revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 8-3 (+4.1 Units) against the spread versus LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 8-3-0 straight up against LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
8 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+5.0 Units)

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VANCOUVER (24-8-0-5, 53 pts.) at SAN JOSE (21-13-0-5, 47 pts.) - 1/3/2011, 10:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN JOSE is 135-101 ATS (+239.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the first half of the season since 1996.
VANCOUVER is 135-141 ATS (+314.6 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.
VANCOUVER is 27-13 ATS (+12.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
SAN JOSE is 101-99 ATS (-67.1 Units) in home games after a division game since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN JOSE is 6-3 (+3.0 Units) against the spread versus VANCOUVER over the last 3 seasons
SAN JOSE is 6-3-0 straight up against VANCOUVER over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.9 Units)

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**Udog** · 01-03-2011, 10:36 AM

NBA
Write-Up

Monday, January 3

Hot Teams
-- Miami covered seven of its last eight games as a road favorite.
-- Orlando won/covered its last five games. Warriors covered four of their last five road games.
-- Minnesota covered seven of its last nine games.
-- 76ers are 17-4 vs spread in their last 21 games.
-- Pistons covered five of their last six games. Utah won five of last seven games, but they're 2-5 vs spread in last games as home favorite.
-- Nuggets won/covered their last three games.

Cold Teams
-- Bobcats lost seven of their last ten games.
-- Celtics are 5-9 vs spread in last 14 games as a home favorite.
-- New Orleans is 4-6 vs spread in last ten games as a home favorite.
-- Rockets are 3-6 vs spread in last nine games as a road underdog.

Totals
-- Seven of last nine Charlotte games stayed under the total.
-- Five of last seven Golden State games went over the total.
-- Six of last seven Boston games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 3-1-1 in last five New Orleans games.
-- Five of last seven Detroit games went over the total.
-- Three of last four Denver games stayed under the total.

Back-to-Back
-- Celtics are 2-4 vs spread if they won night before.
-- Houston is 2-3 vs spread on road if they played night before, 0-2 if they lost.

**Udog** · 01-03-2011, 10:38 AM

NCAAB
Write-Up

Monday, January 3

Northeastern won eight of last nine games vs James Madison, winning last three by 18-5-12 points; Huskies won last three visits to JMU by 3-3-5 points. Dukes won four in row, 10 of last 12 games; they're 3-4 as favorite, losing 64-63 at Georgia State in only CAA game. Huskies lost eight of last ten games; they're 5-3 vs spread as an underdog.

Georgetown won six of last eight games vs St John's, winning three of last four visits here, with wins by 14-24-32 points. St John's has much better team now, winning at West Virginia/at Providence in first two Big East games. Hoyas are 2-2 in true road games, winning at Old Dominion by 3, 17 at Memphis, losing at Temple by 3, Notre Dame by 14.

Drexel won three of last four games vs Hofstra, winning 70-62/75-62 in last two games played here; Dragons won seven of last eight games, are 4-1 vs spread as favorite, winning home games by 12 over St Joe's, 4 vs Rider, 45 over Niagara. Hofstra won six of its last eight games, but they lost their last game by 25 at Iona.

Old Dominion won last 12 games over Towson State, winning five in a row at Towson by 21-9-14-12-16 points- they beat Tigers three times LY, by 16-16-30 points. Monarchs are 9-3, but 1-2 on road, losing by 23 at Missouri, 8 at Delaware in CAA opener- they're 3-3 as favorites. Towson is 4-3 as underdog, winning as 12-point dog in last game. .

VCU won its last dozen games over Georgia State, winning last five in this gym by 2-11ot-5ot-15-13 points. Rams are 1-3 in true road games, with only win by 21 at Wake Forest- they're 2-6 vs spread as favorite. Georgia State is 3-4 in last seven games, with last three losses by 4-2-2 points. Panthers are 2-0 against the spread as an underdog.

George Mason is 9-2 in last 11 games vs Delaware; Blue Hens lost last seven visits to Fairfax by 14-14-30-14-12-23-11 points. Delaware lost three of last four games (losses by 19-10-12 points)- they're 2-3 against spread as the underdog. Mason is 6-1 vs spread as a favorite this year, 5-0 at home- they lost last game by 6 at Dayton.

NC-Wilmington lost four of last six games vs Wm&Mary, losing two of last three visits here, with losses by 4-29 points; Seahawks are 1-5 on road, 2-2 as road underdog, losing away games by 17-40-5-1-28 points. Wm&Mary is 3-0 at home vs D-I teams, but none of the three foes are ranked higher than #246. Tribe is 0-3 vs spread as a favorite.

Michigan State won 13 of last 14 games vs Northwestern, winning last six visits to Evanston by 12-11-11-16-11-21 points; Spartans are 8-4, losing only true road game by 5 at Duke. Wildcats are 9-2, supposed to nake NCAAs for first time, but they've lost by 16 at St John's, by 13 at Purdue in only two games as an underdog this season.

Butler won eight of last nine games vs Milwaukee, winning three of last four visits here, by 5-8-7 points. Bulldogs are 10-4, winning first two in Horizon play by 2-17 points- they're 2-3 in true road games, winning by 2 at Loyola, 13 at Siena. Butler is 5-2 as favorite, 1-1 on road. Panthers are 7-8, with six of the eight losses by 12+ points.

Nevada is 11-4 in last 15 games vs Fresno State, but lost last two visits here, by 2-10 points; home team won last four series games. Wolf Pack is down this year at 4-10, 0-5 in true road games, losing by 17-3-30-4-2 points. Nevada is 5-3 vs spread as a dog. Fresno won its WAC opener by 13 over San Jose, its fourth win in last five games.

St Peter's won its last six games vs Canisius, winning last three games in this gym by 11-1-24 points; Peacocks are 7-6, winning first two MAAC games by 3-17 points- they're 1-0 vs spread as favorite. Canisius is 0-2 in MAAC games, losing at Iona by 9, at 3-10 Marist by 10- they're 2-0 against the spread as an underdog this season.

Iona won eight of last 10 games after 0-3 start; they're 3-2 in true away games, losing by 6 at Syracuse, 10 at Cleveland State. Gaels lost nine in row to Siena, losing last four visits here, by 1-5-1-20 points. Iona won its first two MAAC games, by 9-24 points. Siena has beaten Georgia Tech but lost to two America East squads- they're 2-3 at home.

Loyola won last four games vs Marist by average of 8 points; Foxes lost last five visits here, by 3-8-12-10-7 points. Loyola lost five of last six games; they're 3-2 at home- their best win is at Morgan State. Marist is 3-10 but 2-0 in MAAC, upsetting Niagara/Canisius at home. Red Foxes are 4-5 against the spread as an underdog, 1-2 on the road.

**Udog** · 01-03-2011, 10:40 AM

NHL
Write-Up

Monday, January 3

Hot Teams
-- Carolina won last three games, outscoring foes 14-6. Florida is 7-5 in its last dozen road games.
-- Flames won last four games, allowing seven goals. Islanders won five of their last six games.
-- Canucks won last five games, outscoring foes 22-9. San Jose won six of its last eight games.

Cold Teams
-- Bruins lost five of their last seven road games. Toronto lost five of its last seven games overall.
-- Chicago lost its last three games, outscored 10-5. Kings lost their last three games, outscored 14-7.

Totals
-- Under is 6-2 in last eight Carolina home games.
-- Over is 3-1-1 in last five Boston road games.
-- Four of last five Calgary games stayed under the total. Over is 3-1-1 in last five Islander games.
-- Six of last seven Chicago games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 8-3 in last eleven San Jose games.

Back-to-Back
-- Panthers are 2-5 if they played the night before.
-- Chicago is 5-3 if it played the night before, 3-1 if it lost.
-- Vancouver is 3-1 if it played the night befoe.

Series Records
-- Home side won eight of last nine Carolina-Florida games; Panthers lost their last four games in Raleigh.
-- Home side won seven of last eight Boston-Toronto games; Bruins lost three of last four visits to this building.
-- Islanders lost three of last four games against Calgary.
-- Kings lost their last five games against Chicago.
-- Home team won nine of last 11 Vancouver-San Jose games; Canucks lost last six visits to the Shark Tank.

Announcement

Monday's Trends and Indexes - 1/3 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

Monday's Trends and Indexes - 1/3 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

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