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**StarDust Bum** · 02-05-2011, 12:14 AM

NBA Odds: Worried Lakers in New Orleans

It’s officially worry time for the Los Angeles Lakers and they begin a seven-game road trip Saturday night at the New Orleans Hornets who have major injury questions for this contest.

Los Angeles still has the second-best record in the Western Conference at 34-16 straight-up (21-28-1 against the spread), but is playing nothing like two-time defending champions.

Coach Phil Jackson’s team just had a five-game homestand. It started with a win and ‘cover’ over Utah (120-91), but finished at 1-3 SU and 0-4 ATS. The one win came in overtime against Houston (114-106 as 8 ½-point favorites).

The latest indignity was Thursday night against San Antonio. Los Angeles was favored by three-points, but lost 89-88 after a tip-in at the buzzer by 36-year-old veteran Antonio McDyess.

Kobe Bryant scored just 16 points (5-of-18 from the field) and the Lakers don’t have enough other guys producing to win when he struggles. L.A. would have been held under 100 points the last four games if not for the OT period versus Houston.

Equally troubling for the Lakers is their inability to step up in big games. Conference-leading San Antonio (41-8 SU) already beat them down once this year (97-82) in Texas, but L.A. couldn’t even respond on its own floor. That wouldn’t have happened in prior years.

Los Angeles is 0-4 SU and ATS combined against San Antonio, Boston and Miami, the three best teams in the league. Three of those games were in Staples Center, including Boston this past Sunday (109-96 loss as three-point ‘chalk’).

The Lakers start a seven-game trip that will go until the All-Star break. Both Boston and Orlando are on the docket. They’re 15-8 SU and 11-11-1 ATS on the road this year. The ‘under’ is 13-6 in L.A.’s last 19 road games.

Center Andrew Bynum (knee) will be available for the trip. He missed the Houston game before returning against San Antonio (10 points and 10 rebounds). Reserve forward Matt Barnes (knee) is out until after the break.

New Orleans (32-19 SU, 26-24-1 ATS) had a recent 10-game winning streak (7-3 ATS), but hit a speed bump at 1-3 SU and 0-4 ATS in its last four games. The losses were all away at Sacramento (102-96), Phoenix (104-102) and Oklahoma City (104-93).

The Oklahoma City game was last Wednesday and Kevin Durant led all scorers with 43 points. New Orleans center Emeka Okafor (oblique) missed his second consecutive contest, with Jason Smith (six points) starting in his place. Little used David Andersen also played 14 minutes off the bench (13 points).

Small forward Trevor Ariza also sprained his ankle last game and he’s out Saturday in addition to Okafor. Point guard Chris Paul is probable with an ankle injury of his own.

The Hornets have been great at home this year at 20-5 SU (13-12 ATS). However, they’ve relied heavily on their starters all season with all five scoring in double-digits. Now guys like Smith and rookie Quincy Pondexter will have to start. That makes an already weak bench even weaker.

New Orleans is 26th in the league in scoring (94.8 PPG) and second in points allowed (91.9 PPG). It’s the biggest ‘under’ team in the NBA at 34-17, going 16-9 at home.

Los Angeles is 2-0 SU and 1-1 ATS against New Orleans this year. The game in New Orleans was on Dec. 29 with the Lakers winning 103-88 as three-point favorites. New Orleans lost the game in L.A. (101-97) on January 7, but covered the 7 ½-points.

Both games went ‘over’ the total and the ‘over’ is 4-0 in the last four meetings overall. The road team is 8-2 ATS in the last 10.

Tip-off from New Orleans Arena will be at 5 p.m. (PT) and broadcast locally.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-05-2011, 12:14 AM

Islanders and Senators in NHL odds cellar clash

Two teams wallowing in the basement of their respective division’s faceoff Saturday at 4:00 p.m. (PT) when the Ottawa Senators bring their eight-game losing streak into New York to face the Islanders.

The Senators may actually have an opportunity to snap their slump if past history has any bearing. Ottawa has defeated the Islanders in both meetings this season and is 6-1 against them in the last seven series matchups.

The first meeting took place on Nov. 4, with the Sens registering a 4-1 victory as 170 home favorites. The combined five goals dipped ‘under’ the 5 ½-goal closing total.

The Jan. 13 rematch saw the Sens outlast the Islanders 6-4 as 105 road underdogs. The combined 10 goals soared ‘over’ the 5 ½-goal closing total. The road win lifted Ottawa’s record to 18-6-3 in its last 27 trips to Nassau Coliseum.

Ottawa was 0-for-5 on the power play during the two meetings this season, while the Islanders were 1-for-4. The Sens outshot New York in the two games, 65-53.

Cory Clouston’s Senators saw their losing skid reach eight games with Wednesday’s 7-5 setback against Detroit as 150 home underdogs. Though the combined 12 goals catapulted ‘over’ the NHL odds, the ‘under’ is still 29-21-2 in Ottawa’s first 52 efforts.

Prior to notching five goals against Detroit, the Senators had not recorded more than two goals in seven straight contests. The scoring drought has lowered the Senators to 29th in the league offensively with a 2.2 goals per game average.

Keeping the puck out of the net has also been a problem for Ottawa. The club is allowing an average of 3.2 goals per game, which ranks 28th.

Brian Elliott, who has been between the pipes for 39 of Ottawa’s first 52 games, has a 12-18-4-3 ledger with a 3.16 GAA and .896 save percentage. He also has three shutouts.

The Senators are getting outscored on the road by an average of 3.42 to 2.25 en route to an 8-12-3-1 record.

Though the Islanders are 3-7 in their last 10 games, at least they went down fighting in their most recent outing.

New York’s 3-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday featured a bout between Islanders goalie Rick DiPietro and Penguins netminder Brent Johnson. The scuffle didn’t last long, as Johnson sent DiPietro down to the ice with a quick left jab to the head.

DiPietro came away with a bruised face and a loss, which lowered his ledger to 7-10-3-1. He has a bloated 3.36 GAA and .890 save percentage.

The Islanders have allowed the first goal in 13 of 14 games and are 5-25-4 in games in which they trailed 1-0. They also have now scored two goals or less in five of their last eight games.

Playing at Nassau Coliseum hasn’t helped the Islanders either, as they are 8-12-1-3 through their first 24 home dates. That includes a current four-game home losing skid. They are getting outscored at home by an average of 3.21 to 2.88.

The ‘over’ is 17-7 in the Islanders’ first 24 home dates, including 6-1 in the last seven. The ‘over’ is also 26-23-2 in their first 51 overall outings.

The Don Best Sports injury report lists Islanders defenseman Milan Jurcina as “questionable” with an upper body injury.

Ottawa continues its four-game road trip Monday with a stop in Vancouver to play the Canucks. The Islanders stay home for a Tuesday match against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-05-2011, 12:15 AM

NCAA Odds: UNLV Rebels at BYU Cougars

It’s not just a clash of different cultures when UNLV meets BYU Saturday at 1 p.m. PT in Provo, Utah. It’s also a clash of styles.

BYU is 21-2, ranked eighth in the country, and tied for first place in the Mountain West Conference at 7-1 with San Diego State.

The Cougars average the sixth-most points per game in the country at 83.5. They have topped the 80-point barrier 12 times already.

Guard Jimmer Fredette leads the nation in scoring at 27.6 points. He also tops the Cougars in assists per game at 4.2. If the season ended tonight, Fredette probably would earn Player of the Year honors.

UNLV is not the Running Rebels of old. They are defensive-minded holding foes to 61.1 points a game, which ranks them 31st in defense.

Strong defensively, the Rebels lack cohesion on offense. They are averaging only 63.3 points in their last six games. Chace Stanback leads UNLV in scoring at a meager 13 points per game. No other player averages more than 11 points per contest.

The Rebels are 17-5 overall and 5-3 in the Mountain West, good for a third place tie with Colorado State.

UNLV, though, has the worst spread mark in the conference at 8-13 ATS overall. The Rebels have won three in a row, but are 0-4 ATS in their last four games. They have been the biggest underachievers in the league.

The Rebels did get a huge performance from sophomore Quintrell Thomas in beating Utah, 67-54, at Thomas & Mack Center this past Wednesday in their last game. UNLV was 14 ½-point favorites. The combined 121 points went ‘under’ the 143-point total.

Thomas was riding the bench just a couple of weeks ago. He erupted for a career-high 15 points and 16 rebounds, the most boards by a UNLV in five seasons. Thomas, a 6-foot-8 transfer from Kansas, accomplished the double-double while playing only 21 minutes.

Freshman forward Carlos Lopez chipped in with a career-high 14 points for the Rebels and nine rebounds.

BYU had a narrow escape in its last game, a 69-62 road win in Laramie against Wyoming. The Cougars were minus 14. The combined 131 points went ‘under’ the 146 ½-point total.

The Cougars and Cowboys were tied 28-28 at halftime. Fredette scored a game-high 26 points but was just seven-for-21 from the field, including making only two of 11 shots from beyond the arc.

BYU entered the Wyoming matchup off just its second loss, 86-77 to New Mexico on the road. The Cougars were 2 ½-point favorites in that contest.

This is the Cougars’ first home game since Jan. 26 when they defeated San Diego State, 71-56, as 5 ½-point favorites with Fredette pouring in 43 points.

BYU rolled past UNLV, 89-77, at Thomas & Mack Center on Jan. 5 behind 39 points by Fredette and 22 from Jackson Emery. The Cougars won as four-point underdogs, the only time all season they have received points. The combined 166 points sailed ‘over’ the 147 ½-point total.

UNLV has lost in four of its last five visits to BYU. The Cougars edged UNLV, 77-73, last season at home failing to cover as 7 ½-point ‘chalk.’ The combined 150 points went ‘over’ the 146 ½-point total.

UNLV defeated the Cougars, 70-66, as one-point favorites in the Mountain West Conference Tournament at Thomas & Mack Center. The combined 136 points went ‘under’ the 147-point total.

The Rebels also defeated the Cougars at home during the regular season, 88-74, as two-point favorites. The combined 162 points went ‘over’ the 146 ½-point total.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-05-2011, 12:16 AM

NCAAB Betting Preview: West Virginia at Villanova

The West Virginia Mountaineers will be looking to boost their resume for the postseason with a quality win over the Villanova Wildcats this Saturday afternoon in this Big East clash. Tip-off from The Pavilion is set for 9 a.m. (PT) and the game will be broadcast on ESPN.

West Virginia is already headed in the right direction by posting a solid 56-44 victory over Seton Hall this past Wednesday night as an 8 ½-point home favorite. This followed a 66-55 victory over Cincinnati as a 4 ½-point road underdog last Saturday to run their overall record to 15-6 straight-up (9-9 against the spread) and 6-3 SU in the Big East.

Senior guard Casey Mitchell has led the Mountaineers in scoring this season with an average of 16.6 points per game, but has been suspended indefinitely for violating team rules. Junior forward Kevin Jones, who leads the team in rebounds with an average of 6.9 and is the second leading scorer with 13.2 points a game and senior forward John Flowers, who has averaged 13 points in the last two games, have been forced to pick up the slack in Mitchell’s absence.

West Virginia is averaging 73 points a game and is shooting 43.8 percent from the field, but is only connecting on 32 percent of its three-point attempts and 69 percent of its foul shots. The Mountaineers’ defense remains solid and is ranked 31st in the nation in rebounds with an average of 39 a game.

Last Saturday Villanova fell to No.14 Georgetown 69-66 as a 4 ½-point home favorite after getting stomped by Providence 83-68 as a 5 ½-point road favorite in its previous game. The Wildcats were able to snap the two-game slide with a 75-70 win over Marquette as a six-point home favorite on Wednesday night. The net result is an overall record of 18-4 SU and 10-8-1 ATS. Villanova is currently tied for second-place in the conference at 6-3 SU.

Senior guard’s Corey Fisher and Corey Stokes continue to lead the way for Villanova. Fisher is averaging 15.6 points and five assists a game, while Stokes is averaging 15.2 points and 3.6 rebounds. Sophomore guard Maalik Wayns has been a key contributor with 14 points and five assists a game, and along with senior forward Antonio Pena (10.4 points and 7.5 rebounds), helps to round out a very talented starting lineup.

The Wildcats are shooting 44.5 percent from the field and averaging 76 points a game. They are hitting 34.7 percent of their three-point shots and have been extremely effective from the foul-line; converting on 78 percent of their attempts. Villanova matches up well with the Mountaineers under the boards, averaging 39 rebounds a game as well.

West Virginia is 3-2 ATS in its last five road games and 6-2 ATS in its last eight games overall. The total has stayed ‘under’ in seven of its last nine games.

Villanova is 4-2 ATS in its last six games at home but 0-3 ATS in its last three games overall. The total has stayed ‘under’ in five of the last six games.

Head-to-head, these two have split the last four games with each team winning a game at home and on the road. The SU winner of each game also won ATS and the total was evenly split at 2-2.

The Wildcats should open as a four- to five-point favorite this time around and remain a solid pick to win and cover as West Virginia will sorely miss its leading scorer down the stretch of this game.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-05-2011, 12:17 AM

Kentucky visits Florida in SEC showdown

The No. 11 Kentucky Wildcats and No. 23 Florida Gators have played some tight defense recently, with the ‘under’ going a combined 8-1-1 in each squad’s last five games. Saturday night’s college hoops slate has the two Southeastern Conference rivals clashing at Florida’s O’Connell Center, where the Gators are 4-1 against the spread in their last five home matchups against Kentucky.

Kentucky had a two-game winning streak end with Tuesday’s 71-69 loss as a 6 ½-point road favorite against the Mississippi Rebels. The Wildcats allowed Mississippi to connect 8-of-17 three-point buckets, including a game-clincher from Mississippi’s Chris Warren with three seconds remaining.

Wildcats forward Terrence Jones notched team-highs of 22 points and 12 rebounds. The squad’s leading scorer (17.9 PPG) hit 8-of-11 free throws,
while adding four blocks.

Kentucky’s Doron Lamb logged 20 points and three assists off the bench. The freshman guard hit 8-of-13 from the field, including 2-of-5 from beyond the arc.

The tight battle’s combined 140 points ducked below the ‘total’ of 144 ½. Kentucky outrebounded the Rebels, 35-24, while recording a sizable 18 turnovers.

The Wildcats dropped to 5-6 ATS in their first 11 games away from home, with the ‘under’ moving to 7-2-2. Jones and Co. have put up 71.6 PPG in that span.

Florida escaped with a 65-61 overtime win as a 4 ½-point home favorite in Tuesday’s matchup against the Vanderbilt Commodores. The Gators went scoreless in the final 3:50 of regulation, allowing a 6-0 run from Vanderbilt to send the duel into extra minutes.

Gators forward Chandler Parsons logged 18 points and 11 rebounds, picking up his second double-double in three games. The senior added all three of his squad’s steals.

Florida’s Erving Walker and Kenny Boynton finished with 15 points each. Walker notched a team-high four assists, while Boynton drained 3-of-8 from three-point land.

The contest’s combined 126 points stayed south of the 140-point ‘total.’ Florida went a meager 15-for-26 at the foul line, while outrebounding the Commodores, 42-29.

The Gators slipped to 2-8 ATS in their first 10 home ‘board’ dates, with Billy Donovan’s crew notching 74 PPG in the last five games of that stretch. The ‘over’ dipped to 5-4 in the span’s nine games that contained a ‘total.’

Florida is 5-2 ATS in its last seven meetings against the Wildcats, with the ‘over’ going 4-3.

The foes have not squared off since last March, when Kentucky picked up a 74-66 win as an 11-point home favorite. The Wildcats hit a lofty 8-of-18 from beyond the arc, while being outrebounded, 36-31. Walker and Boynton struggled for Florida, uniting to hit 8-of-29 from the field.

Florida and Kentucky will meet once more on the regular season schedule when the Wildcats host the Gators in three weeks (Feb. 26).

Saturday’s tip is scheduled for 6 p.m. (PT), with ESPN providing the national television coverage.

Florida will be idle for three days, visiting the South Carolina Gamecocks as part of Wednesday’s college hoops card. Kentucky will be off for two days before Tuesday’s home game against the Tennessee Volunteers.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-05-2011, 11:20 AM

Villanova favored by 5.5 over West Virginia

WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS (15-6, 6-3 in Big East)

at VILLANOVA WILDCATS (18-4, 6-3 in Big East)

Tip-off: Saturday, 12:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Villanova -5.5, Total: 136

Eight is Enough.

That could easily be the theme of the remainder of the season for the No. 25 West Virginia Mountaineers (as opposed to a reference to Dick Van Patten’s best TV job ever!). Since Bob Huggins suspended indefinitely his leading scorer Casey Mitchell (16.6 PPG through 18 games) on January 25, the Mountaineers have been limited to eight scholarship players. In fact, in two of the three games since, they have played only seven players. Undaunted, the Morgantown eight have marched forward, and if not for a twisting, scooping, desperation layup by Louisville’s Peyton Siva with time running out on January 26, the Mountaineers would be 3-0 since Mitchell’s punishment began. As it is, they have won two straight games, are just two games behind first-place Pittsburgh (who they play on Monday evening at home) and are looking to keep the winning streak alive against the 12th-ranked Villanova Wildcats Saturday in suburban Philly.

Jay Wright’s squad is 3-3 over its past six games in a stretch that has been emblematic of just how difficult Big East play can be for a ranked team. Villanova recovered from its three-point loss last Saturday to the surging Georgetown Hoyas, to defeat Marquette Wednesday night, 75-70 in The Pavilion. It was a solid effort from the starting five, as four of the starters scored in double figures, with senior Antonio Pena scoring 14 and pulling down 10 rebounds, while Mouphtaou Yarou matched his season-high effort with 18 points. Corey Stokes had his second straight game in double figures, scoring 14 points and hitting three baskets from beyond the arc. Maalik Wayns came off the bench in this game, and became the fifth Wildcats player to score in double figures with 10. It will be interesting to see whether Jay Wright returns to his three-guard starting lineup (that includes Stokes, Wayns and Corey Fisher) against the Mountaineers, as well as how much Villanova will incorporate full-court pressure against a shorthanded West Virginia team whose starters, for the most part, are all averaging well over 30 minutes per game since Mitchell’s disciplining.

When in doubt, bring the D, that’s what West Virginia is depending on amidst the adversity. In its past four games the Mountaineers are allowing just 50.0 PPG. They held Seton Hall to 29.5% shooting, Cincinnati was held to 35% shooting, and despite the win, Louisville made just 37.5% from the floor. Combine that defensive effort with the fact that they average 39.0 RPG (30th-best in Division I) and you have a team that finds a way to stay in almost every contest. Senior Cam Thoroughman (2.2 PPG) has gotten increased minutes in Mitchell’s absence. He responded with a season-high 10 points to go with his four rebounds in Wednesday’s 56-44 victory over Seton Hall. Second leading scorer Kevin Jones (13.2 PPG, 7.1 RPG) added 13 against the Pirates, but has struggled of late, scoring just 10.2 PPG over his past five games, shooting 18-for-56 (32.1%) during that stretch. Junior Darryl Bryant (11.4 PPG) isn’t doing much better. He is averaging just 7.2 PPG over that same five-game stretch, shooting 6-for-38 from the floor (15.8%). In the 12-point win over the Hall, West Virginia did not score a FG in the game’s final eight minutes. Sooner or later, the Mountaineers will need to re-discover the offense, because after all, no matter how well they clamp down opponents on the defensive end, you still need to outscore the other team to win the game. (Basketball 101).

Villanova is an impressive 6-3 (SU and ATS) in Big East play this year, outscoring its opponents by 5.4 PPG. The Wildcats are also 7-4 ATS in home games and 10-5 ATS following an SU win. The Mountaineers are just 4-7 ATS outside of Morgantown. Although WVU won in Philadelphia last season, 68-66, expect Villanova to hold serve on its home court and come away with a win and cover.

This FoxSheets trend also supports the Wildcats as the pick here.

VILLANOVA is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game this season. The average score was VILLANOVA 79.5, OPPONENT 64.8 - (Rating = 2*).

The FoxSheets also expect a high-scoring game to finish Over the total.

Play Over - All teams where the total is between 130 and 139.5 points (WEST VIRGINIA, VILLANOVA) - after going under the total by 48 or more points total in their last ten games against opponent after going under the total by 48 or more points total in their last seven games. (59-24 since 1997.) (71.1%, +32.6 units. Rating = 3*).

**StarDust Bum** · 02-05-2011, 11:21 AM

Lavin's St. John's team visits UCLA

ST. JOHN’S RED STORM (13-8)

at UCLA BRUINS (15-7)

Tip-off: Saturday, 1:00 p.m. EDT
Line: UCLA -4, Total: 136.5

Welcome back.
Your dreams were your ticket out.

The sweathogs will not be waiting at Pauley Pavilion to welcome Steve Lavin back to his old stomping grounds, but his successor, Ben Howland will. Lavin makes his return Saturday to the school where he guided one of college sport’s most iconic programs to an 81-48 record, and five straight NCAA Tournament appearances over six years. Good by most school’s standards, unfortunately for Lavin, UCLA is not most schools, and he was fired in 2003 after a 10-19 season. He returns to L.A. with one of the most improved teams in college basketball, and less than a week removed from the school’s biggest win in nearly a decade, a 93-78 decimation of Duke. While the attention will be on the visiting team‘s coach, this is a very important game to the Red Storm and its NCAA Tournament hopes. At 13-8, and with five out of its last nine games on the road, a win in California would be a huge step towards possibly securing a 20-win season, a figure that should guarantee the Johnnies an at-large bid.

UCLA will be playing its second of four straight home games, and is coming off a 64-50 victory over cross-town rival USC. In a game where its two top scorers, Reeves Nelson (14.2 PPG, 8.4 RPG) and Tyler Honeycutt (13.2 PPG, 8.0 RPG) failed to crack double figures, the Bruins got a big night out of freshman center Joshua Smith, who chipped in 15 points to go along with six rebounds. Smith is one of five UCLA players averaging double figures in points, as well as one of three averaging six or more rebounds per game. Like most Ben Howland teams, they are balanced, defensive-minded and proficient on the boards, but far below average when it comes to stroking the three ball (32.9% as a team). Point of reference, in Pac-10 conference play, UCLA is holding teams to 42% FG Pct., and is the second-best team in the conference at defending the three-pointer. Howland’s defense should salivate at the sight of the Johnnies, who at 31.2% from beyond the arc, have been, shall we say, horizontally challenged in its distance shooting (translation: they don’t hit deep shots).

St John’s is coming off of a 58-56 nail-biter over Rutgers in a game in which they blew a 10-point lead with just under seven minutes to play. Robert Lumpkins was a one-man comeback machine for Rutgers, hitting three straight three-point jumpers to tie the game at 56, before Justin Brownlee (13.3 PPG, 4.9 RPG) won the game on a layup with four seconds remaining. The Red Storm allowed Rutgers to shoot 47.6% from the field, and nearly 44% from beyond the arc, while the Johnnies were only 18% from downtown. Lavin is hoping that sometime between getting off the plane at LAX, and the opening tip, his team markedly improves its performance at making the three-point shot, and defending the three-point shot. Senior Dwight Hardy (15.0 PPG) leads the Red Storm in scoring, and put up a monstrous 26-point effort in the win over Duke. Fellow senior D.J. Kennedy (10.7 PPG, 5.7 RPG) leads the team in rebounding, and is the second-best three-point threat (36.4%). Playing a non-conference road game this late in the season certainly carries great risk, especially against an opponent as tenacious on defense as UCLA, but if Lavin can make this a successful homecoming, his present team could be on its way to hearing an old familiar tune from the NCAA selection committee:

Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back.

Although St. John’s won at UCLA when they last met on Jan. 11, 2003 (80-65), Pauley Pavilion is a tough place to play, even if you don’t have to travel cross-country like the Red Storm do. St. John’s has been a brutal road team this season, going 2-5 both SU and ATS. Its past three contests away from the Big Apple have been horrendous -- 15-point loss at Notre Dame, 25-point loss at Louisville and 25-point loss at Georgetown. This is more than enough reason to choose UCLA to win and cover on Saturday.

The FoxSheets give another reason to back the Bruins.

Play On - Favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points (UCLA) - off a home win by 10 points or more, in a game involving two good teams (60% to 80%). (161-109 over the last 5 seasons.) (59.6%, +41.1 units. Rating = 2*).

The FoxSheets expect this game to finish Under the total.

Play Under - Home teams where the total is between 130 and 139.5 points (UCLA) - average 3-PT shooting team (32-36.5%) against a poor 3-PT defense (>=36.5%).(249-179 over the last 5 seasons.) (58.2%, +52.1 units. Rating = 2*).

**StarDust Bum** · 02-05-2011, 11:23 AM

Texas A&M searching for offensive boost hosting Baylor

BAYLOR BEARS (14-7, 4-4 in Big 12)

at TEXAS A&M AGGIES (17-4, 4-3 in Big 12)

Tip-off: Saturday, 2:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Texas A&M -5, Total: 127

No. 16 Texas A&M looks to get its struggling offense back on track when it hosts Baylor on Saturday afternoon.

Following a 13-game winning streak, the Aggies have dropped three of their past four games and two straight, including a 69-49 rout by Texas on Monday. In those four games, they're averaging 55.2 PPG and shooting 37.1% from the field. During their winning streak, they averaged 72.2 PPG on 45.3% shooting. Texas A&M made a season-worst 30.9% of its field goals in its loss to the Longhorns, which marked its lowest output at College Station since a 28.6% shooting performance to Kansas State in 2001. Leading scorer Khris Middleton (15.0 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 38.3%) had his worst game of the season with zero points on 0-for-9 from the floor. David Loubeau, the only other Aggie who scores in double-figures with 10.6 PPG and 5.2 RPG, had nine points on 4-of-12 shooting. He's hitting just 14-of-42 (33.3%) from the field in his past five games. B.J. Holmes (9.3 PPG, 38.5% three-pointers) finished with a season-high 19 points in 27 minutes versus Texas, but suffered a bruised right knee late in the game. He is expected to play on Saturday.

Baylor has lost four of its past six games and brings a three-game road losing streak into Saturday's contest. The Bears are coming off a 73-66 loss at Oklahoma on Wednesday. Anthony Jones (8.8 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 37.0% three-pointers) led Baylor with 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting, while LaceDarius Dunn (20.7 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 42.7% three-pointers), the Big 12's top scorer who has hit double-digits in all 18 games he's played in this season, added 15 points. Dunn suffered a hip contusion in the first half versus the Sooners, but should be ready to go on Saturday. He scored 23 points in each of the two games against the Aggies last season. Freshman Perry Jones (14.1 PPG, 7.0 RPG) had 19 against the Sooners on 8-of-14 shooting. It marked his 18th double-figure scoring game of the season. Jones is hitting 57.1% of his field goals and has been even better in his past nine games (64.2% on 61-of-95). He's also scoring 17.9 points and pulling down 6.1 rebounds in eight conference games.

Texas A&M has won its past two home games against Baylor, including a 78-71 victory last season. The Aggies have a five-game ATS win streak over the Bears and lead the all-time series, 127-74, including a 74-28 edge in games played in College Station. Speaking of College Station, despite the home loss to Texas, the Aggies are still 30-2 in their past 32 games at Reed Arena. They are also 7-2 ATS as a favorite this season. Combine these numbers with Baylor’s 2-6 ATS mark against Big 12 teams this season, and you have enough to support Texas A&M to win and cover the spread on Saturday.

The FoxSheets give another big reason to pick the Aggies.

BAYLOR is 0-7 ATS (-7.7 Units) versus very good teams - outscoring their opponents by 8+ points/game this season. The average score was BAYLOR 64.1, OPPONENT 71.9 - (Rating = 3*).

The FoxSheets also show a four-star trend leaning towards the Under.

TEXAS A&M is 9-0 UNDER (+9.0 Units) after 2 straight games with 12 or less assists over the last 2 seasons. The average score was TEXAS A&M 66.4, OPPONENT 61.0 - (Rating = 4*).

**StarDust Bum** · 02-05-2011, 11:24 AM

Washington tries to end losing skid at surging Oregon

WASHINGTON HUSKIES (15-6, 7-3 in Pac-10)

at OREGON DUCKS (11-11, 4-6 in Pac-10)

Tip-off: Saturday, 4:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Washington -8, Total: 150

No. 20 Washington hopes to halt its two-game losing streak when it visits Oregon on Saturday afternoon.

The Huskies, which began the Pac-10 schedule at 7-1, dropped their second straight road game on Thursday at Oregon State, 68-56. In its past two losses to the Beavers and Washington State (87-80 on Jan. 30), UW shot 34.7% from the field and scored 68.0 PPG, 17.2 points fewer than its average of 85.2 PPG -- third best in the nation. The Huskies are led by Isaiah Thomas's 16.7 PPG and 5.8 APG, but he's struggled in the previous two contests. Thomas shot 5-of-24 versus OSU and WSU and committed a career-high seven turnovers in each contest. He matched a season-low with nine points on 2-of-11 shooting against the Beavers. But Thomas has played well against Oregon, averaging 21.2 PPG in five career matchups. He finished with 20 points, nine assists and six boards in a 87-69 home win over the Ducks on Jan. 6. Matthew Bryan-Amaning (15.5 PPG, 8.0 RPG) had 12 points and 10 rebounds against Oregon State for his seventh double-double of the season. Bryan-Amaning finished with 13 points and eight boards against Oregon in the January matchup.

Since losing six in a row, Oregon has won four of its past six games. The turnaround can be attributed to an improved defensive effort. The Ducks have allowed just 62.5 PPG and 40.7% shooting in the past six games. During their first four Pac-10 contests, they surrendered 75.0 PPG and allowed opponents to hit 48.9%. Oregon limited Washington State to 25.9% from the floor in a home win on Thursday, 69-43, its biggest margin of victory in conference play since beating Washington State 67-37 in 2006. Leading scorer Joevan Catron (15.8 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 52.5 FG%) had 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting versus the Cougars and has averaged 18.0 points and 7.7 boards in the past three games. He had 20 points and 10 boards in the first meeting with Washington last month. E.J. Singler (11.0 PPG, 5.8 RPG), the only other player on the team who averages double figures, had 10 points against WSU after combining to score eight in his previous two contests, including a 1-for-8 effort and two points in an 85-77 loss at Cal on Jan. 29.

Washington has won the past two games in Eugene and four of the past six. It has also won 11 of the past 14 overall versus the Ducks and leads the all-time series 184-103. However, in the past 12 meetings at Oregon, the teams have an even split of 6-6 ATS. Terrence Ross (7.7 PPG) started in place of the injured Abdul Gaddy (8.5 PPG, 40.6% three-pointers) and had a season-best 25 points in the Huskies' victory over Oregon in January. The Huskies are just 4-5 ATS (4-6 SU) on the road this season, while the Ducks are 6-4 ATS against Pac-10 foes, including four straight ATS victories. This FoxSheets coaching trend expects Oregon to at least cover the spread on Saturday.

Dana Altman is 23-8 ATS (74.2%, +14.2 Units) versus teams who average 40 or more rebounds/game on the season in all games he has coached since 1997. The average score was Altman 77.4, OPPONENT 66.9 - (Rating = 2*).

The past five games in this series have all finished Over the total and this FoxSheets trend sides with a sixth straight Over between the two schools.

WASHINGTON is 10-1 OVER (+8.9 Units) as a road favorite of 6.5 to 12 points since 1997. The average score was WASHINGTON 85.6, OPPONENT 74.2 - (Rating = 2*).

**StarDust Bum** · 02-05-2011, 11:25 AM

Duke favored by 20 points over NC State

NORTH CAROLINA STATE WOLFPACK (12-10, 2-6 in ACC)

at DUKE BLUE DEVILS (20-2, 7-1 in ACC)

Tip-off: Saturday, 6:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Duke -20, Total: 152

No. 5 Duke looks to extend the nation's longest home winning streak to 32 games when it hosts North Carolina State on Saturday night.

The Blue Devils rebounded from their worst loss of the season (93-78 to St. John's on Jan. 30) to rout Maryland, 80-62, on the road Wednesday. After struggling from the field versus the Red Storm, Duke had no issues with the Terrapins' defense as it hit 52.6% of its field goals, including 10-of-23 (44%) from long range. Kyle Singler (18.1 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 37.2% three-pointers) broke out of a shooting slump to score 22 points on 10-of-15 shooting against the Terps. It marked his second consecutive 20-point game and third in the past four contests. Singler was just 38-of-93 for 40.9% shooting in his previous six games. Leading scorer Nolan Smith (21.0 PPG, 5.5 APG, 4.8 RPG) added 21 points, but hit only 6-of-16 from the field, while Mason Plumlee (6.7 PPG, 8.7 RPG) had 12 points and 11 rebounds for his first double-double since Dec. 1 versus Michigan State. Duke has scored at least 80 points in 16 games this season, and it has won 31 consecutive contests when reaching the 80-point mark. The Blue Devils rank fourth in the nation in points (85.0 PPG) and 19th in field-goal percentage (48.0%).

North Carolina State has lost six of its past seven contests (0-6-1 ATS), including three in a row. Four of the six losses were by double-digits and the lone win was against Miami, 72-70. The Wolfpack are coming off a 77-69 home setback to Virginia Tech on Wednesday. C.J. Leslie (10.7 PPG, 7.3 RPG) had 18 points off the bench versus the Hokies, and is 13-for-23 from the floor for a combined 32 points in his past two games. Tracy Smith (14.7 PPG, 5.4 RPG) and Scott Wood (10.3 PPG, 43.8% three-pointers) chipped in with 11 points apiece. Smith, NC State's leading scorer, hit only 4-of-11 shots against the Hokies and is just 19-of-47 (40.4%) in his past four contests. Freshman point guard Ryan Harrow (11.0 PPG, 3.5 APG) has not played in the past two games due to an illness, and his status for Saturday's game is unknown. He had 15 points (4-of-13 shooting) and five assists in the first meeting with the Blue Devils last month.

Duke defeated NC State, 92-78, in Raleigh on Jan. 19 behind Smith's 22 points and Singler's 18. The Blue Devils shot 50.7% (34-of-67) from the field, while the Wolfpack were held to 36.8% (25-of-68) shooting despite a 45.5% clip from three-point range. The Blue Devils won the rebounding battle 44 to 34. Since 1997, Duke has dominated this series straight up (24-4), but it has been very close ATS, with the Blue Devils holding a slight 14-13-1 ATS edge. The Wolfpack have lost their past 10 trips to Durham, but are 4-6 ATS, losing by an average of 18.1 PPG.

This season, Duke is 0-4 ATS when hosting ACC foes and NC State is 0-4 ATS on the road in ACC play. The Blue Devils have won these four games outright with a +12.5 PPG scoring margin, while the Wolfpack have lost their four ACC road tilts by an average of 13.0 PPG. NC State is 1-9 ATS as an underdog, losing all 10 games by an average of 14.4 PPG, while Duke carries a +18.3 PPG margin and an 11-10 ATS record as the favorite this season. All signs point to a blowout win for Duke, but none of these numbers suggests the Wolfpack will lose by 20 points. Therefore, the ATS pick is NC State to keep the final margin under 20 points.

The FoxSheets provide two more reasons to side with the Wolfpack.

Play On - Road underdogs of 10 or more points (NC STATE) - cold team - having lost 6 or 7 of their last 8 games against opponent hot team - having won 12 or more of their last 15 games. (111-61 over the last 5 seasons.) (64.5%, +43.9 units. Rating = 2*).

Play Against - Home favorites of 10 or more points (DUKE) - good ball handling team - committing <=14 turnovers/game, after 3 straight games forcing opponent to commit 14 or less turnovers. (558-396 since 1997.) (58.5%, +122.4 units. Rating = 2*).

The FoxSheets also lean towards the game finishing Under the total.

NC STATE is 7-0 UNDER (+7.0 Units) revenging a same season loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons. The average score was NC STATE 58.0, OPPONENT 62.7 - (Rating = 2*).

**StarDust Bum** · 02-05-2011, 11:26 AM

Kentucky is slight favorite at Florida

KENTUCKY WILDCATS (16-5, 4-3 in SEC)

at FLORIDA GATORS (17-5, 6-2 in SEC)

Tip-off: Saturday, 9:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Kentucky -1.5, Total: 132

At 6-2 and leading their rivals from the Bluegrass state by a game and a half in the SEC East, the Florida Gators are exactly where they hoped to be in the first week of February. At 4-3 and struggling to establish a consistent level of play on the road, especially in conference action, the No. 10 Kentucky Wildcats are probably about where John Calipari thought his young team, laced with wall-to-wall freshmen and sophomores, would be as well. Calipari knows what it’s like to coach talented freshmen, and witness the frustration that comes with the growing pains. At times this year Calipari’s “kiddie kats” have been as exhilarating as they have been exasperating. Fortunately for Coach Cal, he has enough talent to withstand the learning curve in his young stars, and still be ranked 10th in the country, and in the hunt for the top spot in the SEC East, which just goes to show you, it’s good to be Coach Cal.

The Gators are coming off a huge 65-61 overtime victory Tuesday night over visiting Vanderbilt. The win did not come without some controversy. While Kenny Boynton’s go-ahead three-pointer with a hand in his face gave Florida a 63-61 lead, John Jenkins’ three-point attempt with Boynton’s well-placed hand on his back went horribly awry. The Commodores bench went ballistic, but the referee whistles remained silent. Small consolation for Vanderbilt coach Kevin Stallings after the game, when Boynton admitted to committing a foul on the play. "I think I got him, but I think on the other end they missed some fouls, too," Boynton said. "If they called it, they called it. I think I jumped too high and he kind of tried to draw it. It was a foul, but they missed it." We've heard of the luck of the Irish. Call this the luck of the Gators. Senior Chandler Parsons led the way with 18 points and 11 rebounds. It marked the fourth straight game Parsons has posted double figures in rebounds and his second double-double in his past three games. Junior Erving Walker (14.5 PPG) is averaging 19.0 PPG in his past three games, while backcourt mate Boynton (13.0 PPG) has hit some of the biggest shots of the year for the Gators.

The Wildcats are coming off of a shocking road defeat at the hands of the Ole Miss Rebels, 71-69 Tuesday in Oxford. Chris Warren’s three-pointer with 2.9 seconds remaining sent the Wildcats down to their third defeat in SEC play, and its second loss in two weeks to a team from the SEC West, perceived as the weak half of the conference. All of Kentucky’s defeats in league play have come on the road (of its five overall defeats, four have been on the road, the fifth game was on a “neutral” court). That is what makes a game in Gainesville against a team at the top of the standings more than just important. It is a challenge to Calipari to see who amongst his young ‘Cats will answer the call in a game that could make a major statement about this team for the remainder of the year. To meet the challenge, Calipari will need to see the best that leading scorer freshman Terrence Jones (17.9 PPG, 9.0 RPG) and fellow frosh Brandon Knight (17.2 PPG, 3.8 APG) can bring to the table. Jones responded against Ole Miss with 22 points and 12 boards, his second double-double in SEC play this season. In the past monster games from Jones have been followed by lackluster performances. Wildcat fans are hoping that Saturday night Jones and Knight can show that they have arrived … for good.

Although Kentucky is only 2-5 ATS against SEC teams, Florida isn’t much better at 3-5 ATS, including 1-3 ATS at home. The Wildcats won last season’s contest in Gainesville 89-77, and they are also nearly even at 6-7 ATS in the past 13 meetings at Florida.

These two FoxSheets trends also support Kentucky as the pick here.

KENTUCKY is 55-31 ATS (64.0%, +20.9 Units) in road games when playing against a good team (Win Pct. 60% to 80%) after 15 or more games since 1997. The average score was KENTUCKY 74.4, OPPONENT 67.1 - (Rating = 1*).

KENTUCKY is 51-30 ATS (63.0%, +18.0 Units) when the line is +3 to -3 since 1997. The average score was KENTUCKY 70.8, OPPONENT 68.5 - (Rating = 1*).

The FoxSheets also side with the Under on Saturday night.

FLORIDA is 10-1 UNDER (+8.9 Units) after failing to cover the spread in 2 or more consecutive games over the last 2 seasons. The average score was FLORIDA 71.1, OPPONENT 57.2 - (Rating = 3*).

**StarDust Bum** · 02-05-2011, 11:50 AM

Early Games:

NCAAB

Saturday, February 5Game Score Status Pick Amount

Saint Louis - 11:00 AM ET Xavier -11 500
Xavier - Over 126.5 500

VCU - 12:00 PM ET James Madison -2.5 500
James Madison - Under 146 500

West Virginia - 12:00 PM ET West Virginia +4.5 500
Villanova - Under 136 500

Providence - 12:00 PM ET Providence +11.5 500
Georgetown - Over 151.5 500

Butler - 12:00 PM ET Cleveland St. -3.5 500
Cleveland St. - Under 134 500

Richmond - 1:00 PM ET Richmond -14 500
Fordham - Over 135.5 500

St. John's - 1:00 PM ET St. John's +3.5 500
UCLA - Over 136 500

Illinois - 1:00 PM ET Northwestern -1.5 500
Northwestern - Over 138 500

Wake Forest - 1:00 PM ET Wake Forest +21 500
Maryland - Under 147 500

Samford - 1:00 PM ET Samford -1.5 500
Georgia Southern -

Virginia Tech - 1:00 PM ET Virginia Tech -1.5 500
Boston College - Over 143.5 500

Clemson - 1:00 PM ET Georgia Tech +1.5 500
Georgia Tech - Under 131.5 500

Northern Iowa - 1:00 PM ET Drake +4.5 500
Drake - Over 120.5 500

South Carolina - 1:45 PM ET South Carolina +11.5 500
Vanderbilt -

Auburn - 1:45 PM ET Georgia -17 500
Georgia -

Oklahoma - 1:45 PM ET Oklahoma St. -10 500
Oklahoma St. -

Kansas St. - 1:45 PM ET Iowa St. +4 500
Iowa St. -

Loyola-Chicago - 2:00 PM ET Loyola-Chicago +4.5 500
Detroit -

George Washington - 2:00 PM ET Charlotte -3.5 500
Charlotte -

Old Dominion - 2:00 PM ET George Mason -5 500
George Mason -

Virginia - 2:00 PM ET Miami - Florida -9 500
Miami - Florida -

NC-Greensboro - 2:00 PM ET Western Carolina -11 500
Western Carolina -

Rhode Island - 2:00 PM ET Rhode Island +11.5 500
Temple - Over 130.5 500

Buffalo - 2:00 PM ET Buffalo -2 500
Ball St. -

Syracuse - 2:00 PM ET South Florida +8 500
South Florida -

Baylor - 2:00 PM ET Texas A&M -5 500
Texas A&M - Over 127.5 500

Wis.-Green Bay - 3:00 PM ET Wis.-Milwaukee -4 500
Wis.-Milwaukee -

Northern Illinois - 3:00 PM ET Northern Illinois +9.5 500
Ohio -

Texas-El Paso - 3:00 PM ET Rice +4 500
Rice -

UAB - 3:00 PM ET UAB -4.5 500
Tulane -

Bradley - 3:05 PM ET Southern Illinois -6.5 500
Southern Illinois -

Indiana St. - 3:05 PM ET Indiana St. +10 500
Missouri St. -

Evansville - 3:05 PM ET Creighton -8 500
Creighton -

Georgia St - 4:00 PM ET Georgia St +1.5 500
Towson -

Kansas - 4:00 PM ET Nebraska +6 500
Nebraska -

Furman - 4:00 PM ET Furman +6.5 500
Charleston -

Iowa - 4:00 PM ET Indiana -5.5 500
Indiana - Over 139.5 500

Memphis - 4:00 PM ET Memphis +9 500
Gonzaga - Under 147 500

Northeastern - 4:00 PM ET Hofstra -5 500
Hofstra -

Washington - 4:00 PM ET Oregon +8 500
Oregon - Under 150 500

South Alabama - 4:00 PM ET Middle Tennessee St. -6.5 500
Middle Tennessee St. -

UNLV - 4:00 PM ET Brigham Young -7.5 500
Brigham Young - Under 146.5 500

Mississippi St. - 4:00 PM ET Mississippi St. -2 500
Louisiana State -

Houston - 4:00 PM ET Tulsa -9.5 500
Tulsa -

Miami (OH) - 4:30 PM ET Miami (OH) -1 500
Eastern Michigan -

Louisiana-Monroe - 4:30 PM ET Louisiana-Monroe +11 500
Western Kentucky -

Alabama - 5:00 PM ET Alabama +5.5 500
Tennessee -

Central Michigan - 5:00 PM ET Kent St. -12 500
Kent St. - Under 120.5 500

Western Michigan - 5:00 PM ET Bowling Green -3.5 500
Bowling Green -

Central Florida - 5:00 PM ET Central Florida -1.5 500
East Carolina -

Eastern Kentucky - 5:30 PM ET Eastern Kentucky -2 500
Jacksonville St. -

Dayton - 6:00 PM ET Dayton -1 500
La Salle - Under 144.5 500

Mississippi - 6:00 PM ET Arkansas -3 500
Arkansas - Over 143 500

N.C. State - 6:00 PM ET Duke -19.5 500
Duke - Over 152 500

Cincinnati - 6:00 PM ET Cincinnati +9 500
Pittsburgh -

Marshall - 6:00 PM ET Southern Mississippi -6 500
Southern Mississippi -

Arizona St. - 6:00 PM ET Stanford -5.5 500
Stanford - Under 120 500

Montana St. - 6:00 PM ET Weber St. -7 500
Weber St. -

NBA-NHL-NCAAB Evening Games Posted Later.

Good Luck !

**StarDust Bum** · 02-05-2011, 05:19 PM

Evening College Games:

Connecticut - 7:00 PM ET Connecticut -3 500
Seton Hall -

Illinois-Chicago - 7:00 PM ET Wright St. -10.5 500
Wright St. -

Akron - 7:00 PM ET Toledo +9.5 500
Toledo -

Chattanooga - 7:00 PM ET Davidson -11 500
Davidson - Over 146 500

Massachusetts - 7:00 PM ET St. Joseph's -2.5 500
St. Joseph's -

William & Mary - 7:00 PM ET NC-Wilmington -3.5 500
NC-Wilmington -

Appalachian St. - 7:00 PM ET Appalachian St. +3.5 500
Elon University -

Harvard - 7:00 PM ET Harvard -3 500
Pennsylvania -

Duquesne - 7:00 PM ET St. Bonaventure +8.5 500
St. Bonaventure -

Oakland - 7:00 PM ET Oakland -3.5 500
Indiana - Purdue - Over 155.5 500

Wofford - 7:05 PM ET Wofford -6 500
Citadel -

Valparaiso - 7:05 PM ET Youngstown St. +7 500
Youngstown St. -

SE Missouri St. - 7:15 PM ET SE Missouri St. +8.5 500
Eastern Illinois -

Colorado - 7:30 PM ET Missouri -10 500
Missouri -

Drexel - 8:00 PM ET Drexel -3.5 500
Delaware -

Florida International - 8:00 PM ET Florida International +12.5 500
Florida Atlantic -

DePaul - 8:00 PM ET Louisville -19 500
Louisville -

Arizona - 8:00 PM ET Arizona -2 500
California -

Loyola Marymount - 8:00 PM ET Loyola Marymount +17 500
St. Mary's -

Washington St. - 8:00 PM ET Washington St. -2.5 500
Oregon St. -

IUPU - Ft. Wayne - 8:00 PM ET IUPU - Ft. Wayne -7 500
Western Illinois -

Colorado St. - 8:00 PM ET Colorado St. -4.5 500
Wyoming -

Air Force - 8:00 PM ET Air Force +3.5 500
Utah -

Illinois St. - 8:05 PM ET Illinois St. +15.5 500
Wichita St. -

North Dakota State - 8:05 PM ET North Dakota State +6 500
Oral Roberts

Arkansas-Little Rock - 8:05 PM ET Arkansas-Little Rock +5 500
Louisiana-Lafayette -

Denver - 8:05 PM ET Arkansas St. -3 500
Arkansas St. -

Murray St. - 8:30 PM ET Austin Peay -2.5 500
Austin Peay -

Montana - 8:35 PM ET Northern Arizona -4 500
Northern Arizona -

Morehead St. - 8:45 PM ET Morehead St. -5 500
Tennessee Tech -

Tenn-Martin - 8:45 PM ET Tenn-Martin +10 500
Tennessee St. - Over 143 500

Kentucky - 9:00 PM ET Kentucky -1 500
Florida -

Pepperdine - 9:00 PM ET San Diego +1.5 500
San Diego -

Texas Tech - 9:00 PM ET Texas Tech +20 500
Texas -

UC Riverside - 9:05 PM ET UC Riverside +5 500
Cal St. Fullerton -

Boise St. - 9:05 PM ET Utah St. -11 500
Utah St. -

Eastern Washington - 9:05 PM ET Idaho State -3 500
Idaho State -

Portland St. - 9:05 PM ET Portland St. +13 500
Northern Colorado -

UMKC - 9:30 PM ET UMKC +4 500
Southern Utah -

Santa Clara - 10:00 PM ET Santa Clara -1 500
San Francisco -

Pacific - 10:00 PM ET Pacific -4.5 500
Cal Poly SLO -

Hawaii - 10:05 PM ET Hawaii +5 500
Idaho -

UC Irvine - 10:05 PM ET CSU Northridge -3.5 500
CSU Northridge -

UC Davis - 10:30 PM ET UC Santa Barbara -10.5 500
UC Santa Barbara -

San Jose St. - 10:30 PM ET Nevada -5.5 500
Nevada -

Texas Christian - 10:30 PM ET Texas Christian +20.5 500
San Diego St. -

Louisiana Tech - 11:00 PM ET Louisiana Tech +7 500
Fresno St. -

=============================================

Saturday, February 5Game Score Status Pick Amount

Atlanta - 7:00 PM ET Washington +3 500
Washington - Under 195.5 500

Dallas - 7:00 PM ET Dallas -2.5 500
Charlotte - Over 187.5 500

Portland - 7:30 PM ET Portland -6 500
Cleveland - Under 194.5 500

L.A. Lakers - 8:00 PM ET New Orleans +4 500
New Orleans - Over 191 500

Detroit - 8:30 PM ET Milwaukee -5.5 500
Milwaukee - Under 182 500

Memphis - 8:30 PM ET Memphis +4.5 500
Houston - Over 206.5 500

Denver - 8:30 PM ET Denver -4.5 500
Minnesota - Under 223 500

Oklahoma City - 9:00 PM ET Oklahoma City +1.5 500
Utah - Over 204.5 500

Chicago - 10:30 PM ET Golden State +3 500
Golden State - Over 204 500

==============================================

Saturday, February 5Game Score Status Pick Amount

NY Rangers 0 3rd 18:20 Montreal -127 500
Montreal 1 Under 5 500

Anaheim 1 2nd 14:15 Anaheim +128 500
Colorado 0 Under 5.5 500

Toronto - 7:00 PM ET Buffalo -148 500
Buffalo - Over 5.5 500

Ottawa - 7:00 PM ET Ottawa +106 500
NY Islanders - Under 5.5 500

Dallas - 7:00 PM ET Dallas +152 500
Philadelphia - Over 5.5 500

Atlanta - 7:00 PM ET Atlanta +126 500
Carolina - Over 5.5 500

Edmonton - 7:00 PM ET Columbus -175 500
Columbus - Under 5.5 500

Detroit - 8:00 PM ET Detroit -104 500
Nashville - Over 5.5 500

Minnesota - 8:00 PM ET Phoenix -135 500
Phoenix - Under 5.5 500

Los Angeles - 10:00 PM ET Los Angeles +103 500
Calgary - Over 5 500

Good Luck !

**StarDust Bum** · 02-05-2011, 05:21 PM

Cincinnati tabbed as 9-point underdog at Pittsburgh

CINCINNATI BEARCATS (18-4, 5-4 in Big East)

at PITTSBURGH PANTHERS (20-2, 8-1 in Big East)

Tip-off: Saturday, 6:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Pittsburgh -9

Fitting that No. 4 Pittsburgh is playing a rivalry game on the eve of a Steelers Super Bowl.

As the “other” team in town prepares to do battle in a game that will be cast as a rivalry that will live on in the history books, Pitt basketball will take on a team from a city that most Steel City residents grow up hating as a condition of their birth. Mick Cronin’s Cincinnati Bearcats are in no position to get caught up in the hysteria of some little game in Dallas. That’s because the Bearcats (18-4, 5-4) are trying to make the big dance, and despite the impressive record, the road ahead is full of hazards. Five of Cincinnati’s last nine games are on the road, four of the games are against ranked opponents. With zero conference wins against teams with a winning conference record, and just two quality wins on its resume overall (Xavier and St. John’s), the Bearcats only boast a SOS of 121. Simply put, they need a signature win against a marquee team, for as Virginia Tech (23-8, 10-6 entering selection Sunday) found out last year, 20+ wins and an above-.500 league mark brings with it no guarantees from the selection committee.

The Petersen Events Center is a good place to try and get that high profile signature win, but it won’t be easy. Pitt has lost just one game at home in Big East play this season (56-51 January 24 to Notre Dame), and dropped just one game at home in conference play last season. The Panthers are 145-12 (92.4%) all-time in “The Pete”, and that includes a 61-11 mark (84.7%) versus league opponents. Pitt is coming off of a 65-62 scare against Rutgers last Saturday, a game in which the Scarlet Knights missed several golden opportunities to pull off the upset. Leading scorer Ashton Gibbs (15.9 PPG) led all scorers with 24 points, while big Gary McGhee chipped in with 13 points and eight boards. McGhee (8.0 RPG) leads the team in rebounding, and consistently sets the tone on the glass for a team that averages 42.2 RPG, second best in Division I. Brad Wanamaker (12.5 PPG, 5.3 RPG) leads the team in assists, on a team that also is second in Division I in assists per game (18.8). Simply put, if the ball is up on the glass the Panthers know how to go get it, and if it’s on the offensive half of the court, they know how to share it. That’s a good combination for playing championship basketball.

Cincinnati is coming off a 66-55 home loss to West Virginia, and its coach, former Bearcat head man Bob Huggins. The Bearcats wasted a fine effort from sophomore guard Cashmere Wright, whose offensive game was velvety smooth as he weaved his way through the Mountaineers defense for a season-high 24 points. Unfortunately the Bearcats were throttled on the boards, where they were outrebounded 42-30. The team’s 35% shooting percentage from the floor did not help matters. Top scorer Dion Dixon (12.0 PPG, 1.8 APG) has struggled to generate his offense lately, averaging 8.2 PPG over his last four contests on 9-of-33 shooting (27%). Junior forward Yancy Gates (11.4 PPG, 6.9 RPG) is the Bearcats leading rebounder. Despite the offensive cold stretches, Cincy can still defend. At 56.9 PPG, they boast the stingiest defense in the Big East, and the sixth-best in the nation, holding opposing teams to 40% shooting from the floor. Between Pitt’s rebounding prowess and Cincinnati’s defensive grit, this game could easily be decided in a low scoring game. Pittsburghers wouldn’t mind seeing this, and that other game, decided by at least a touchdown.

These schools have met seven times since 2006, with the Panthers winning six of those SU, and holding a 4-3 ATS advantage. The Bearcats are 4-3 ATS on the road, where they have allowed just 58.1 PPG on 40.7% FG this season. But Pittsburgh has outscored Big East opponents by an average of 11.0 PPG (74 to 63), holding them to 39.5% FG and winning the rebound battle by an 8.9 RPG margin. Cincinnati averages just 63.4 PPG on 39.9% FG in Big East play, going 3-6 ATS against conference foes. This lack of offense should allow the Panthers to win comfortably.

The FoxSheets heavily favor Pittsburgh to win and cover on Saturday, including these three highly-rated reasons.

PITTSBURGH is 10-1 ATS (90.9%, +8.9 Units) after 2 straight games forcing opponent to commit 11 or less turnovers over the last 2 seasons. The average score was PITTSBURGH 74.1, OPPONENT 59.5 - (Rating = 3*).

CINCINNATI is 2-14 ATS (12.5%, -13.4 Units) vs. top caliber teams - outscoring their opponents by 12+ points/game over the last 3 seasons. The average score was CINCINNATI 64.6, OPPONENT 71.9 - (Rating = 3*).

Mick Cronin is 12-30 ATS (28.6%, -21.0 Units) after playing a game as a home favorite as the coach of CINCINNATI. The average score was CINCINNATI 66.3, OPPONENT 66.7 - (Rating = 3*).

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