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**StarDust Bum** · 02-08-2011, 08:06 PM

NBA Betting Preview: Hornets at NJ Nets

Few NBA teams, if any, are streakier than the New Orleans Hornets.

New Orleans surprised everyone opening with eight consecutive victories and 11 wins in its first 12 games.

After that the Hornets got cold dropping nine of their next 12. Sparked by point guard Chris Paul and center Emeka Okafor the Hornets got hot again. They rattled off 10 straight wins during a two-week period from Jan. 9-26.

Now, though, the Hornets are back losing going 1-5 in their last six while failing to cover all six.

Paul ranks No. 3 in assists and is first in steals, but the Hornets are missing Okafor and small forward Trevor Ariza.

The Hornets hope to end their skid Wednesday at 4:05 p.m. PT on the road against New Jersey. The Hornets rank No. 2 defensively holding foes to 92 points a game. However, they’ve allowed an average of 100 points during their last five games.

The Nets are struggling, too, but the Hornets can’t take any opponent for granted after losing, 104-92, as eight-point home favorites this past Monday against Minnesota. It was just the Timberwolves’ third road win of the season.

Paul had 17 points and 13 assists. David West had 18 points, but the Hornets continue to have trouble overcoming their injuries.

Okafor has missed the past four games with a strained left oblique muscle. He’s New Orleans’ leader in rebounds, blocks and field goal percentage where his 59.3 shooting ranks third in the league.

Ariza, who is averaging 11.1 points and is the Hornets’ most dangerous long range shooter, is ‘day-to-day’ with a sprained ankle.

The Hornets are 32-21, but 12-14 on the road although they have covered in eight of their last 11 away matchups.

New Jersey had the worst record in the NBA last season at 12-70. The Nets already have 15 victories. They are a respectable 12-13 at home, including 14-11 ATS. However, they are 3-24 on the road where their youth and lack of leadership is more exposed.

The Nets are putting up just 92.5 points per game, second-worst in the NBA. Center Brook Lopez and point guard Devin Harris – their two leading scorers – are respectable. The Nets’ next four top scorers, though, are Anthony Morrow, Sasha Vujacic, Travis Outlaw and Jordan Farmar. They were all bench players with other teams last season.

New Jersey lost 105-86 to Indiana as one-point home ‘dogs this past Sunday in its previous game. The combined 191 points dipped ‘under’ the 195 ½-point total. The loss was New Jersey’s fifth in its last six games. The Nets are 1-5 ATS, too, during this span.

“We’re really going to have to address this starting team before the (All-Star) break and after the break,” Nets coach Avery Johnson was quoted as saying following the loss to Indiana, “because we’re just not getting as much energy as we need.”

There may be only so much Johnson can do with the Nets apparently unable to land Carmelo Anthony, or upgrade their roster. The Nets are averaging only 87.6 points per game during their past six contests. Only twice in their past 10 games have they exceeded 93 points.

The two teams met on Dec. 22 at New Orleans and the Hornets won, 105-91, as eight-point favorites. The combined 196 points went ‘over’ the 186 ½-point total.

The ‘under’ has cashed in 18 of the Hornets’ past 26 road contests. The ‘over,’ though, has cashed the past six times the two teams have met, including five of the past six times in New Jersey. The ‘over’ also is 8-0 the past eight times the Hornets have faced a foe with a losing record.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-08-2011, 08:07 PM

Chicago Bulls, Utah Jazz battle NBA odds

Chicago (34-16 straight up, 28-20-2 against the spread) continues a five-game road trip trying to get back on the winning track. The Bulls currently enjoy the largest lead of any first-place divisional team, 12 games ahead of second-place Indiana, but they have dropped their past two games SU and ATS. Coach Tom Thibodeau’s squad has not dropped three games in a row SU all season.

Utah (31-22 SU, 24-28-1 ATS) remains in second place in the Northwest Division standings, and would be sixth in the Western Conference playoffs if the regular season ended today. The Jazz begin a brief two-game homestand with this contest, but they have struggled to a 3-8 ATS ledger their past 11 home outings.

Chicago takes the court for the first time since Monday’s setback to Portland as a 2 ½-point road ‘chalk,’ 109-103. The combined 212 points soared past the 181 ½-point closing total, helping the ‘over’ improve to 4-1 the past five games.

The Bulls won the rebounding battle, 41-31, but the Trail Blazers dished out more assists, 21-16. Chicago finished the contest by shooting 49 percent (44-of-89) from the field, and 25 percent (4-of-16) from behind the arc.

Point guard Derrick Rose stepped up with 36 points and six assists in a losing effort, while power forward Carlos Boozer added 17 and 12 rebounds. Small forward Luol Deng provided 15, while guard Kyle Korver had 14 and six.

Utah has alternated SU and ATS wins and losses its last eight outings after upending Sacramento Monday as a two-point road favorite, 107-104. The combined 211 points eclipsed the 200-point closing total, enabling the ‘over’ to cash the third consecutive contest.

The Jazz took control of the game by outscoring the Kings in the fourth quarter, 27-17. Utah was outrebounded in the matchup, 45-38, but did deliver more assists, 19-18. The Jazz shot a solid 49 percent (43-of-88) from the field, but a dismal 11 percent (1-of-9) from 3-point land.

Center Al Jefferson led a balanced scoring attack with 23 points on 10-of-18 shooting. Guard Deron Williams accounted for 21 and nine assists in the victory, while forward Paul Millsap had 18 and six boards.

Utah has won the previous two encounters with Chicago SU and ATS, but this is the first meeting this season. The ‘under’ is 5-2-1 the previous eight outings in this series. The underdog is 11-4 ATS the past 15 meetings.

Chicago center Joakim Noah remains ‘out’ indefinitely due to an injured thumb suffered in mid-December. The Bulls conclude their road trip with Saturday’s matchup at New Orleans before returning home for games against Charlotte and San Antonio. Chicago has struggled to a 3-7 ATS record its last 10 road games.

Utah guard Deron Williams (wrist), forward Paul Millsap (toe) and guard Raja Bell (personal) are all listed as ‘probable’ versus the Bulls. Center Francisco Elson (knee) is ‘questionable’ for this contest. The Jazz follow this contest with a home-and-home series with Phoenix. Utah has seen the ‘over’ go 7-2 the past nine games against Eastern Conference opponents.

Wednesday’s matchup is scheduled to start at 6:05 p.m. PT from Utah’s Energy Solutions Arena.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-08-2011, 08:08 PM

Stars host Coyotes in NHL betting battle

The top two teams in the Pacific Division renew their rivalry Wednesday night when the Phoenix Coyotes travel to Dallas to play a first-place Stars squad that is trying to snap a three-game losing skid.

The overnight line for this 5:30 p.m. (PT) contest has Dallas as a 145 home favorite, with the total set at 5 ½ ‘under’ (minus 120).

This will be the fourth meeting of the season between the two clubs, with the Coyotes capturing two of the first three. The two wins give the Coyotes a 9-3 record in the last 12 meetings against the Stars, including 7-3 in their last 10 trips to Dallas.

The first get-together took place on Nov. 5, with the Stars registering a 6-3 victory as small 105 home favorites. The combined nine goals sailed ‘over’ the 5 ½-goal closing total.

Though the Stars outshot the Coyotes by a slim 31-28 margin, most of the damage occurred on a power play that saw Dallas light the lamp four times in seven chances. The Coyotes went 1-for-6 with the man advantage.

Phoenix evened the series on Dec. 11 with a 5-2 victory as 155 home favorites. The combined seven goals once again catapulted ‘over’ the NHL odds. Dallas again outshot the Coyotes, 35-34, with each team notching a power play goal.

The Dec. 26 rubber match saw Phoenix blank Dallas as 135 road underdogs, 1-0. That was the lone game that ducked ‘under’ the 5 ½-goal closing total.

Kyle Turris scored the lone Phoenix goal, while Jason LaBarbera stopped 30 shots for his first shutout of the season. Dallas lost despite out-shooting the Coyotes for the third straight time, 30-25. Phoenix was 0-for-4 on the power play, while Dallas was 0-for-2.

Phoenix is off Monday’s 3-0 shutout victory against Colorado as 145 home favorites. The win moved the Coyotes two points behind the idle first-place Stars in the Pacific Division.

The combined three goals dipped below the 5 ½-goal closing total, marking the Coyotes’ second straight ‘under’ game after five consecutive ‘over’ outings. In fact, the ‘over’ is 11-3 in the Coyotes’ last 14 games and 32-21 overall. Only Tampa Bay has played more over games than Phoenix.

Ilya Bryzgalov stopped 25 shots for his second straight shutout, and Radim Vrbata scored twice to lead the Phoenix.

Bryzgalov had 25 saves in a 1-0 win over Minnesota on Saturday and followed that with another sterling performance to give Phoenix consecutive shutouts for the first time since Brian Boucher set the modern-day NHL record with five straight in 2003-04.

It was Bryzgalov's 21st career shutout and fifth this season. He is now 21-14-4-2 with a 2.61 GAA and .917 save percentage.

Phoenix is one of the rare NHL teams with a better record on the road (15-9-3-1) than at home (12-10-3-2). The Coyotes are 10 games above .500 despite scoring and allowing the same number of goals (156).

Dallas saw its losing skid reach three games last Saturday by dropping a 3-1 decision at Philadelphia as a 160 road underdog. The combined four goals ducked below the 5 ½-goal closing total, leaving the ‘under’ 28-25 in the club’s first 53 efforts.

Dallas, which has now dropped five of its last six, has suffered three straight setbacks to division-leading teams. The Northwest Division-leading Vancouver Canucks defeated the Stars on last Tuesday and the Northeast Division-leading Boston Bruins did the same two days later.

Kari Lehtonen finished with 29 saves fall for the fourth time in five outings. The Finnish netminder also saw his season mark drop to 22-14-5. He has a 2.63 GAA, a .915 save percentage and no shutouts.

The Don Best Sports injury report lists Dallas RW Raymond Sawada as “doubtful” with a head injury. Phoenix defenseman Ed Jovanovski is “questionable” with an upper body injury.

Phoenix continues its four-game road swing with a Friday stop in Calgary to play the Flames. Dallas plays the second contest on this seven-game homestand with a Friday matchup against the Minnesota Wild.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-08-2011, 08:09 PM

NHL Odds: Canadiens, Bruins hit the ice again

The Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens have already gotten quite familiar with one another, meeting three times this season.

The Habs have swept the series to date, but Boston is out to get its revenge in a Wednesday night NHL betting battle from TD Garden in Beantown. The puck drops at 4:00 p.m. (PT) in this one.

The B's hold a slender two-point lead over the Canadiens in the Northeast Division standings coming into this battle, and even just one point would be good enough to hold the lead for the time being. Montreal will be behind in games played regardless, keeping Boston in the driver's seat, though at some point the Bruins have to win a game in this series to ensure victory in this division this year.

It's never really all that flashy when the Canadiens get on the ice. There just aren't a ton of stars on this squad, especially with the team's second-leading scorer, Michael Cammalleri, out of the fold with a shoulder injury. Tomas Plekanec is the only healthy player on the team with even 30 points this year, and if Cammalleri is out too much longer, Plekanec will be the only one on a clip for even 50 points this year.

In fact, whereas most teams either have a slew of players that have at least 10 goals this season or a few stars that are in the 20s, Montreal only has four healthy double-digit goal scorers. Brian Gionta paces them all with 19, scoring four goals since January 21.

In net, Carey Price is one of the best in the biz. He has played in 48 of the 54 games this year for Montreal and is sure to be the man in the pipes when this one drops the puck on Wednesday. Price is 26-17-5 with a 2.32 GAA and a .922 save percentage this year.

Unfortunately for Price, he is going to be running up against Tim Thomas, the man that is clearly the frontrunner right now for the Vezina Trophy. Thomas is 25-6-6 this year with a 1.80 GAA and a .945 save percentage, but he has to be shaken that two of those 12 losses have come against these Canadiens.

Thomas hasn't given up more than two goals in an outing in seven straight, and the last team to beat him in a game in which the B's didn't get shut out was none other than these Canadiens on January 8.

The news that Marc Savard (concussion) was shut down for the season had to really sting the Bruins. With Savard out of the picture, the team has only averaged 2.2 GPG in five games, two of which ended in Boston getting blanked.

Still, this is a team that comes into this one ranking No. 1 in the NHL in shot production at 33.9 per game, and No. 6 in scoring at 3.0 GPG.

The domination for the Canadiens in this rivalry has been nothing short of amazing. Since the 2009 playoffs when Boston shocked the Habs in the first round as the No. 8 seed, Montreal has fired back, going 8-1 over the course of the last nine games.

The Canadiens are also 36-17 in their last 53 meetings with their divisional rivals from Beantown as well. Boston hasn't beaten its adversaries here at the Garden since that playoff series of 2009.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-09-2011, 11:41 AM

Trending: College hoops Over/Under relationship to PPG

This week, we’ve taken a look at the 10 best defensive teams (PPG allowed) and 10 best offensive teams (PPG scored) in major college basketball to see if any over/under trends have developed among these groups. For this study, we included all BCS schools, along with any school that is currently ranked in the AP Top 25. All statistics are through Monday, Feb. 7.
While examining the top defensive teams, we found that a high percentage of games involving these teams are indeed going under. Here is the breakdown:

TEAM – PPG ALLOWED, PCT. UNDER
Wisconsin – 56.1 PPG, 47% Under
Alabama – 57.1 PPG, 53%
Cincinnati – 57.5 PPG, 65%
Ohio State – 57.8 PPG, 48%
Utah State – 58.2 PPG, 58%
Nebraska – 58.4 PPG, 67%
San Diego State – 58.8 PPG, 62%
Clemson – 59.6 PPG, 65%
Texas A&M – 60.0 PPG, 69%
Texas – 60.0 PPG, 71%

Combined, there have been 103 unders and just 69 overs in games involving these teams. That’s 60% Under. When you remove the two Big Ten schools, Wisconsin and Ohio State, the numbers get even better: 85 unders, 49 overs (63.4% under). Six of the ten are 60% or better for the under.

What about the top 10 highest scoring major college teams? Are they hitting the over with similar frequency? Let’s see:

TEAM – PPG SCORED, PCT. OVER
Washington – 84.8 PPG, 47% Over
Duke – 84.7 PPG, 55%
Kansas – 83.7 PPG, 65%
Missouri – 83.5 PPG, 61%
BYU – 83.3 PPG, 58%
Colorado – 81.2 PPG, 69%
Marquette – 79.3 PPG, 50%
North Carolina – 79.1 PPG, 53%
Arizona – 78.5 PPG, 58%
Vanderbilt – 77.9 PPG, 56%

While the numbers aren’t quite as strong as the top defensive teams, they’re still pretty solid. As a group, their record is 106-80 in favor of the over, good for 57% Over. Only one is below 50% on the over (47% for Washington), and three of the 10 are 60% or better on the over.

Interestingly, the Big 12 is the only conference with three teams on either of the lists, and it happens to have three on BOTH lists. Consistent with their conference reputations, the Big Ten has two representatives among the top defensive teams and none of the top scoring teams, while the ACC and Pac-10 are not represented on the former, but place two each on the latter.

The teams on these lists should continue to provide value, as line-makers have undoubtedly already been factoring in these scoring averages, yet the teams have remained consistently strong against the totals.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-09-2011, 11:42 AM

Syracuse goes for 7th straight home win over Georgetown

GEORGETOWN HOYAS (18-5, 7-4 in Big East)

at SYRACUSE ORANGE (20-4, 7-4 in Big East)

Tip-off: Wednesday, 7:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Syracuse -4.5, Total: 140

If the Madness of March is the entrée, than the second week in February is the appetizer, and year after year, few things on the starters menu are tastier than No. 11 Georgetown versus No. 12 Syracuse. Recently, when these two teams have dined in the Carrier Dome, Syracuse has feasted on the Hoyas. February of 2002 is the last time that a Georgetown team went into the Dome and escaped with a victory. Last season was no different, as the Orange ran the Hoyas out of the gym for a 73-56 victory. Syracuse took the rematch in Washington, D.C., but in the third encounter between the schools in the first round of the Big East Tournament, Syracuse’s season took a turn for the worst. Starting center Arinze Onuaku strained his right knee, and left the court for the last time in his collegiate career. Later that day Syracuse left the Madison Square Garden court with a 91-84 defeat, a premature exit for a team that had the conference player of the year in Wes Johnson. Two weeks later the Orange left the Big Dance earlier than expected, losing to Butler in the Sweet 16 round, but the spiral to its season all started versus arch-rival Georgetown. Wednesday night, it’s payback time. If revenge is a dish best served cold, Jim Boeheim would like to have the Hoyas for dessert.

To beat up on Hoya Saxa, Syracuse will have to do so against the hottest team in the league. After a 1-4 start in conference play, Georgetown (18-5, 7-4) has won six straight games. Three on the road, three at home. Its most recent win coming at the Verizon Center Saturday afternoon, an 83-81 squeaker over Providence, as the team survived a tenacious offensive display from the Friars’ Marshon Brooks, who poured in a season-high 43 points. Georgetown got another huge game from its big three, as guards Austin Freeman, Jason Clark and Chris Wright combined for 57 points, building an 18-point cushion for the Hoyas to protect in the end. The resurgence of Freeman (18.7 PPG, 2.6 APG) has been one key, the senior is averaging 22.2 PPG in his past six games, shooting at a blistering 54.2% clip from the floor. Junior Jason Clark (12.8 PPG, 50.5% FG%) continues to provide steady play on both ends of the floor, while point guard Chris Wright is protecting the ball much better. John Thompson III team has also gotten an energy boost from freshman forward Nate Lubick, recently inserted into the starting lineup. Lubick provided five points and nine rebounds versus Providence. Wednesday night, he gets his first taste of what life is like in the Dome.

Syracuse seems to have navigated through the troubled waters of its four-game losing streak, with back-to-back road wins over Connecticut, 66-58, and South Florida, 72-49 last Saturday. The defense was back in full force versus Connecticut, as the Orange forced the Huskies into 36.2% shooting for the game, and outrebounded the nation’s sixth-best rebounding team by a margin of 42-32. Rick Jackson had 13 points to go with his 13 boards against UConn, and added 21 points and 12 rebounds in the win over USF. Shooting 58.3% from the floor, while averaging 11.5 RPG, Jackson leads the league in both categories. After clamping down on the Huskies shooters, Syracuse held USF to 35.5% shooting Saturday, a very pleasing sight to a fan base that had seen the Orange 2-3 zone shredded to bits during the four-game losing skid. Wednesday comes a huge test for the half-court defense as they will try and stop the best shooting team in the Big East (50.5%). Leading scorer Kris Joseph (15.0 PPG) has been lackluster (7-for-19) in his past two games. Look for him to be more active early on against the Hoyas.

Although the Hoyas have superior ATS numbers this season (13-9 overall, 9-3 on road) compared to Syracuse’s ATS marks (9-13 overall, 5-8 at home), the Orange are 5-1 ATS during their six-game home win streak over Georgetown and 7-2 ATS hosting the Hoyas since 2000. The FoxSheets give two more reasons to side with Syracuse to retain its home dominance over its rival.

Play On - Home favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points (SYRACUSE) - an excellent defensive team (<=63 PPG) against a good defensive team (63-67 PPG), after allowing 50 points or less. (72-41 since 1997.) (63.7%, +26.9 units. Rating = 2*).

SYRACUSE is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) versus bad pressure defensive teams - forcing <=12 turnovers/game after 15+ games over the last 3 seasons. The average score was SYRACUSE 83.4, OPPONENT 66.3 - (Rating = 2*).

Five of the past six meetings between the schools have finished Over the total and this FoxSheets trend also supports the Over.

SYRACUSE is 13-2 OVER (86.7%, +10.8 Units) after allowing 55 points or less over the last 3 seasons. The average score was SYRACUSE 80.9, OPPONENT 70.4 - (Rating = 3*).

**StarDust Bum** · 02-09-2011, 11:43 AM

No. 16 Louisville travels to No. 8 Notre Dame

LOUISVILLE CARDINALS (18-5, 7-3 in Big East)

at NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH (19-4, 8-3 in Big East)

Tip-off: Wednesday, 7:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Notre Dame -4, Total: 137

As the college basketball spectrum soaks up the flavor that is rivalry week, with fans relishing to devour those great conference matchups they’ve waited months to see, an underrated conference rivalry flying under the radar also takes center stage Wednesday night. Louisville versus Notre Dame may not make your toes curl at first glance, but recent history might will give you a reason to learn how to TiVO. Four of the past eight meetings between these two schools have gone to overtime, including last season’s 91-89 Louisville victory in double overtime. Add to that the fact that No. 8 Notre Dame has won five straight games, and No. 16 Louisville in its last five games has a double-overtime one-point win, a one-point last-second win, a four-point win, and two road losses by a total of eight points, and the stage is set for another heart stopper. It’s the Cardiac Cards versus the Cardiac Catholics.

Fitting to use a medical term to identify with the Louisville squad. With 10 players on its roster missing time due to injury at one point or another this season, the Cardinals don’t incorporate a second unit, they’re too busy resembling a M*A*S*H* unit. Coach Rick Pitino hopes to have leading scorer Preston Knowles (14.9 PPG) back in the starting lineup in South Bend after the senior missed Saturday’s victory over DePaul with a sore hamstring. The Cardinals are already without injured forwards Rakeem Buckles (finger), Jared Swopshire (hernia) and center Gorgui Dieng (concussion). Starters Chris Smith (eye) and Peyton Siva (back spasms) are expected to play despite dealing with injuries of their own. To withstand adversity and continue to win the way the Cardinals (18-5, 7-3) have, requires special efforts from unfamiliar faces. Faces like backup guard Kyle Kuric (8.5 PPG) who scored 19 in the win over DePaul, and is averaging 14.3 PPG over his last three games, shooting 15-of-24 from the floor during that stretch. "Someone has to step up every game," said Kuric, “we can't let (injuries) affect us."

Notre Dame (19-4, 8-3) is just one win away from recording its best start in the 11-year stint of Mike Brey. Despite the high of a win streak, the Irish know that they will need to tweak a few things coming off of its pedestrian 76-69 victorious performance Sunday over Rutgers. It was a hard game for us," Brey said. "It was good for our group because I think we're going to be in a lot of games like this the rest of the way." The Irish do have the home-court momentum working for them, as they will be going for their 17th consecutive win in South Bend, while hoping to send Louisville down to defeat for the third straight time in the Joyce Center. While conference POY attention has centered on Kemba Walker and Austin Freeman from day one, it may be time to start giving the candidacy of senior guard Ben Hansbrough some love. Hansbrough (17.2 PPG, 4.0 APG, 1.2 SPG) leads the Irish in scoring, assists, and steals. Over the past four games, he is averaging 24.0 points on 31-of-56 shooting (55.3%). In terms of his value to his team, no one is more cognizant of that fact than his head coach. "When you step back a bit, look at this, and get away from the preseason hype machine, certainly he is a Big East player of the Year candidate as well as national player of the year," Brey said. Senior forward Tim Abromaitis (14.0 PPG, 6.4 RPG) is trying to snap out of a mini-drought. He is averaging just 7.8 PPG over his past four games.

Although Louisville is 4-2 SU in the six meetings with Notre Dame since joining the Big East, the Irish have a 5-1 ATS advantage in the series. For the season, both schools have identical 11-8 ATS marks and similar Big East ATS records (Louisville 5-5, Notre Dame 6-5). But the Cardinals are allowing 76.5 PPG with a minus-2.7 RPG margin while Irish have been excellent at home with a 14-0 SU record and impressive margins of +18.1 PPG and +9.3 RPG. The FoxSheets give two more reasons to expect Notre Dame to win and cover the spread on Wednesday night.

LOUISVILLE is 3-15 ATS (16.7%, -13.5 Units) versus good ball handling teams - committing <=14 turnovers/game after 15+ games over the last 2 seasons. The average score was LOUISVILLE 70.2, OPPONENT 72.8 - (Rating = 3*).

NOTRE DAME is 24-12 ATS (66.7%, +10.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons. The average score was NOTRE DAME 71.3, OPPONENT 66.4 - (Rating = 1*).

Five of the six meetings between the schools in Big East play have finished Over the total and this highly-rated FoxSheets trend also backs the Over.

Play Over - All teams where the total is between 130 and 139.5 points (NOTRE DAME) - 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. (64-26 since 1997.) (71.1%, +35.4 units. Rating = 3*).

**StarDust Bum** · 02-09-2011, 11:44 AM

Clippers road trip continues in New York

LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (19-32)

at NEW YORK KNICKS (26-24)

Tip-off: Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. EDT
Line: New York -6.5, Total: 214

The Clippers continue their historic 11-game road trip with game No. 4 away from home as they visit the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. L.A.’s 11-game trip is tied for the second longest road trip in NBA history. Only the 1946-47 Detroit Falcons had a longer road trip when they played 13 straight away from home.

The Clippers fell 101-85 on Tuesday in Orlando, dropping them to 0-3 on this trip and losing their fourth straight game overall. Los Angeles is now 25-25 ATS this season, and has lost three of their past four ATS. On the road they are 9-11 ATS and are just 1-6-1 in their last eight games. The Clippers were outscored 35-20 in the fourth quarter in Tuesday’s loss at Orlando. After averaging 26.0 PPG in his previous four games, Blake Griffin matched his career-low with 10 points on 4-of-12 shooting against the Magic. He did record a double-double for the 37th time in his past 38 games by grabbing 12 boards in the loss. The first game of those 37 double-doubles came in a home loss to the Knicks on November 20 when Griffin scored 44 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. Baron Davis scored a season-high 25 points against Orlando and has now scored 20+ in two of his past three games after reaching that total just three previous times this season.

The Knicks have been the best team in the NBA ATS this season posting a 31-17 record (65%). Their 13-10 ATS record at home, while not as good as their overall record ATS, still ranks in the top 10 in the NBA. Amar’e Stoudemire exploded for 41 points and connected on 17-of-21 shots as the Knicks snapped a two-game losing streak on Sunday in a 117-103 win over the 76ers. His 81.0 FG Pct. was the highest for a player to score 40 points in the NBA this season. New York shot a season-high 59.7% FG, marking just the second time in the past 12 games that the Knicks shot at least 50 percent from the field. Landry Fields, who had averaged just 8.8 PPG in his previous 13 games, scored a career-high 25 points against Philadelphia. The 25 points marked the most by a Knicks rookie drafted after the completion of the first round since Gerald Wilkins posted four games of 25 or more points during the 1985-86 season.

Despite the Knicks ATS success this season, they are 1-4 ATS against Western Conference teams with losing records at home. Their only win came against Minnesota when they won by seven when the spread was 6.5. I’m taking the Clippers plus the points to cover, and possibly win outright, at MSG.

The FoxSheets provide another trend supporting Los Angeles:

Play On - Road underdogs (LA CLIPPERS) - off a road loss by 10 points or more, a bad team, winning 25% to 40% of their games on the season. (178-119 over the last 5 seasons.) (59.9%, +47.1 units. Rating = 2*).

**StarDust Bum** · 02-09-2011, 11:45 AM

Texas tries to remain unbeaten in Big 12 visiting Oklahoma

TEXAS LONGHORNS (20-3, 8-0 in Big 12)

at OKLAHOMA SOONERS (12-10, 4-4 in Big 12)

Tip-off: Wednesday, 9:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Texas -12, Total: 132

You’d be hard-pressed to find a hotter team in the nation than No. 3 Texas, and the Horns are not about to let up against rebuilding rival Oklahoma.

Since conference play began after an overtime home loss to Connecticut a month ago, the Longhorns have run off eight straight wins, each by 11 points or more. And they’re not just gobbling up cupcakes -- four of those opponents were ranked, including road wins at Kansas and Texas A&M. They covered the spread in seven of those games, the lone exception being Saturday’s win against Texas Tech. They were up 16 at halftime before letting up and failing to cover the 20-point spread in a 76-60 win. Since a baffling, 17-point loss at USC in early December, Texas has been especially strong on the road, winning six in a row SU and ATS.

The Longhorns have dominated on both ends of the court since Big 12 play began. On offense, their top five scorers are all shooting well (50.4% as a team). And their three-point shooters are all over 40% (Jordan Hamilton’s at 43.2%, Cory Joseph at 50.0% and J’Covan Brown’s at 41.2%) in conference play. Meanwhile, Big 12 opponents are shooting a laughable 36.3% from the field and 21.6% from three.

This young Sooners team has been playing pretty well of late themselves. They’ve won five in a row ATS and four of five SU. Sophomore guard Steven Pledger went 0-for-8 (0-for-6 on threes) at Texas on Jan. 15, but has since emerged as a more confident scorer (16.4 PPG in past five games) and forward Andrew Fitzgerald has provided a steadying presence in the frontcourt (14.0 PPG on 51.2% shooting in conference play).But while I think Texas has enjoyed a little bit of luck in their recent dominance, the Sooners just don’t match up in two big ways. First, a hot shooting team could certainly hang with the Longhorns (no matter how good your perimeter defense is, you’re getting a little bit lucky if conference opponents are hitting only 21.6% of their threes). But the Sooners just don’t have that consistent deep threat. In fact, they’re shooting just 28.7% from three in Big 12 play.More importantly, OU doesn’t have the size to hang with this Texas team. Tristan Thompson (7.4 RPG), Hamilton (7.6 RPG) and Gary Johnson (6.5 RPG) are a big reason why the Longhorns lead the Big 12 in rebounding margin during conference play (+7.4 RPG). The Sooners are 11th (-5.2 RPG), only because short-handed Iowa State essentially plays four guards.

The Longhorns have dropped their last two SU and ATS at the Lloyd Noble Center, but I think this one resembles their Jan. 15 meeting in Austin. That day, the Sooners actually held their own on the boards (32-33), but couldn’t hit an outside shot to save themselves (1-for-15 from three) in a 66-46 loss. I like Texas to win and cover in this one. The FoxSheets provide two highly-rated reasons to side with the Longhorns.

TEXAS is 10-1 ATS (+8.9 Units) versus good shooting teams - making >=45% of their shots this season. The average score was TEXAS 74.6, OPPONENT 61.6 - (Rating = 4*).

Play Against - Home teams as an underdog or pick (OKLAHOMA) - after allowing 80 points or more against opponent after leading in their previous game by 15 or more points at the half. (77-37 over the last 5 seasons.) (67.5%, +36.3 units. Rating = 3*).

Texas has played 12 of its past 15 games (including five straight) Under the total, and this FoxSheets trend also predicts a low-scoring game Wednesday to finish Under the total.

Play Under - Road teams against the total (TEXAS) - excellent defensive team (<=40%) against an average defensive team (42.5-45%) after 15+ games, hot shooting team - 3 straight games making >=47% of their shots. (39-13 since 1997.) (75%, +24.7 units. Rating = 3*).

**StarDust Bum** · 02-09-2011, 11:46 AM

Bulls slight underdog in Boozer's return to Utah

CHICAGO BULLS (34-16)

at UTAH JAZZ (31-22)

Tip-off: Wednesday, 9:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Utah -2.5, Total: 193

The Bulls travel to Utah to play the fourth game of their five-game road trip on Wednesday. This is the first meeting between these two teams this season. Utah won both games last season.

Chicago has lost two straight games, losing at Golden State on Saturday by 11 and dropping a six-point decision at Portland on Monday. The Bulls are 28-21 ATS this season, posting a 12-11 ATS record on the road. They have lost two straight ATS after winning their previous four. The Bulls allowed the Blazers to shoot 51.5 percent from the field, marking the first time since January 7 in a loss at Philadelphia that they allowed a team to shoot 50% from the field. They had held their previous 14 opponents to a combined 40.2 FG Pct. Derek Rose scored 30 points for the second time on this trip, totaling 36 after scoring just 14 points in the Bulls loss to the Warriors. Rose connected for 32 against the Clippers in the first game of the road trip last Wednesday. Rose is averaging 23.3 PPG on 54.9 percent shooting in four career games against Utah. Carlos Boozer recorded his fifth straight double-double in the loss at Portland, scoring 17 points and grabbing 15 boards. He is averaging 18.8 PPG and 11.6 RPG over that five-game span. Boozer will face his former team for the first time since he was a member of the Cavaliers in 2003-04.

Utah returns home after defeating the Kings in Sacramento 107-104 on Monday. Utah has struggled ATS this season, going 25-28, which includes a 12-15 ATS record at home. Only the Hawks, Lakers and Kings have more home losses ATS this season than the Jazz do. Utah has rebounded a bit ATS winning four of its past seven after dropping 14 of their previous 17. Utah will be trying to win consecutive games ATS for the first time since December 18-20. Deron Williams is still not fully recovered from a strained tendon in his right wrist and says he will be playing with the pain all season. His numbers in the three games since he’s been back have been excellent (20.3 PPG, 10.7 APG), but he’s just 2-for-16 from three-point land. Al Jefferson scored 23 points against the Sacramento and has recorded five consecutive 20-point games, averaging 22.6 PPG while shooting 54.8 percent over that span. Paul Millsap scored 18 points in the win over the Kings, but that was coming off a 34-point performance in their previous game against the Thunder. Millsap is averaging 17.1 PPG this season compared to averaging just 9.4 PPG in his first four NBA seasons.

The Jazz have just four wins in their last 13 games overall and the Bulls have not lost three straight games SU yet this season. I’m taking Chicago with the points to win on the road. The FoxSheets give two more reasons to expect the underdog Bulls to win:

Play Against - Home teams where the line is +3 to -3 (UTAH) - poor defensive team - allowing 99+ points/game on the season against opponent after a loss by 6 points or less. (141-88 since 1996.) (61.6%, +44.2 units. Rating = 2*).

Play On - All teams where the line is +3 to -3 (CHICAGO) - off a upset loss as a favorite, a good team (60% to 75%) playing a team with a winning record. (164-108 since 1996.) (60.3%, +45.2 units. Rating = 2*).

Since 1996, 11 of the 19 meetings (58%) at Utah have finished Under the total, and the FoxSheets provide another trend supporting the Under for Wednesday’s meeting.

CHICAGO is 16-4 UNDER (+11.6 Units) after a non-conference game this season. The average score was CHICAGO 99.2, OPPONENT 93.1 - (Rating = 3*).

**StarDust Bum** · 02-09-2011, 11:49 AM

Inside the Paint - Wednesday

February 9, 2011

Losing yet Winning
Cleveland (8-44 SU, 19-30 ATS) has dropped a league-record 25 straight games but for our purposes, the team has been winning lately. The Cavaliers are 4-1-1 against the spread in their last six and they’ve lost by seven points or less in the last four. Could tonight be the night that the streak ends? Cleveland is listed as a one-point home favorite against Detroit (19-33 SU, 28-23 ATS) and that say’s a lot. During their current losing streak, the Cavs were favored twice and they fell to the Timberwolves (97-98) and Raptors (105-120) at home. Like every other opponent Cleveland has faced, the Pistons are better on paper. However, Detroit is coming off loss to San Antonio (89-100) yesterday and has to play a back-to-back spot here. The Pistons have gone 3-9 SU and 5-7 ATS on zero days rest, and their road record (6-21 SU, 14-12 ATS) isn’t good. The pair has only met once this season, with Detroit capturing a 102-92 win at home on Dec. 5.

Back-to-Back Spots

We have a bunch of teams (in bold) playing two games in two nights on Wednesday.

Milwaukee at Washington: The Bucks snapped their four-game losing streak last night with a 92-74 decision over Toronto. Milwaukee has gone 6-7 SU and 8-5 ATS on zero days rest. Different faces on these rosters, but the Bucks have gone 6-2 SU and 7-1 ATS in their last eight against the Wizards.

Charlotte at Indiana: The Pacers were 4-0 under interim head coach Frank Vogel up until last night when the team ran into the LeBron James buzzsaw. Indiana fell to Miami (117-112) but managed to cover as a 9 ½-point underdog. The club returns home to host Charlotte and the Pacers are just 5-6 SU and 4-7 ATS on zero days rest. Total players might want to make a note that Indiana has watched the ‘under’ go 8-3 in the back-end of these situations. However, the team has busted 100-plus in the first five under Vogel. The Pacers are 2-0 both SU and ATS versus the ‘Cats this season.

Detroit at Cleveland: See above

San Antonio at Toronto: San Antonio only has eight losses this season and if you look at its record on zero days rest (5-4 SU, 6-3 ATS), this might not be a bad spot to fade the league’s top team. The problem is that you’ll have to bet on Toronto, who has lost 13 of its last 14. On no rest, the Raptors have gone 4-7 SU and 6-5 ATS. San Antonio beat Toronto 104-95 at home on Jan. 19, but failed to cover as a 12-point favorite.

Orlando at Philadelphia: The Magic stole a win over the 76ers (99-98) on Jan. 19 at home and now the pair meets in Philadelphia tonight. They both traveled to this venue after playing last night and neither Orlando (8-6 SU, 5-9 ATS) or Philadelphia (5-8 SU, 7-6 ATS) has shown any consistency on zero days rest.

L.A. Clippers at New York: Most handicappers saw the Clippers’ fall coming, especially with a huge road trip on tap and the more importantly the loss of shooting Eric Gordon (wrist). Los Angeles can’t find anybody to fill his shoes and it’s hurt the team badly on offense. The Clips have dropped four straight (1-3 ATS), including a loss to Orlando (85-101) last night. They should be able to score against New York tonight and the team’s record on zero days rest (4-8 SU, 6-5-1 ATS) has been decent from a covering standpoint. The two teams played on Nov. 20 and the Knicks outscored the Clippers 124-115 in what was known as the Blake Griffin dunkathon.

Contender or Pretender?

After Boston and Miami in the Eastern Conference, a lot of people would say that Chicago (34-16 SU, 29-21 ATS) is the one team that could surprise the two frontrunners. While the Bulls have some nice pieces in place, their inability to win on the road (11-12 SU, 12-11 ATS) isn’t a sign of a contender. After beating the Clippers (106-88) last Wednesday, the club fell to the Warriors (90-101) and Trail Blazers (103-109). Defensively, the Bulls have been known to stifle teams under head coach Tom Thibodeau and giving up 100-plus in back-to-back nights is surprising. The team looks to get back on track when it heads to Salt Lake City to meet Utah (31-22 SU, 24-29 ATS). Bulls’ forward Carlos Boozer will be facing his former team for the first time on Wednesday and he could expect to hear some cheers and jeers. The Jazz have alternated wins and losses in their last five and dropping six in a row. Utah was once a tough out at home (17-10 SU, 12-15 ATS) but its dropped two in a row at EnergySolutions Arena. Utah has been made a short favorite (-2) against Chicago.

Perfect 10

Dallas (36-15 SU, 27-22 ATS) has quietly ripped off nine straight wins (5-3-1 ATS) and four of those victories came on the road. The offense has busted triple digits in seven of the nine, which has helped the ‘over’ go 7-2 during this span. The Mavs head back on the road tonight for three games spread out over four days. The first opponent will be Sacramento (12-36 SU, 19-29 ATS), who has dropped three straight games, all coming at home too. To give the Kings some credit, they did fall to the Celtics (90-95), Spurs (100-113) and Jazz (104-107). It’s fair to say that Dallas is on par with those teams, which is why it’s laying five points on the road. The Mavs have gone 7-1 SU (5-3 ATS) in their last eight encounters against the Kings.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-09-2011, 11:50 AM

Hot Heels roll into Duke

February 9, 2011

There are 38 games on the college hoops board Wednesday, starting with Northwestern at Michigan on the Big Ten Network at 6:30 p.m. Eastern.

Most books opened Michigan (14-10 straight up, 12-7 against the spread) as a three-point favorite. As of late this morning, the Wolverines were favored by 2 1/2 with the total in the 135-136 range.

Michigan is suddenly playing well, snapping a six-game losing streak on Jan. 27 by going into East Lansing and beating arch-rival Michigan St. by a 61-57 count as 11-point underdogs. John Beilein’s team has won three of its last four games, covering the number in each of those contests.

Michigan is coming off a 65-62 win at Penn St. as a five-point underdog, hooking up money-line backers with a payout in the plus-170 range (risk $100 to win $170). Darius Morris was the catalyst against the Nittany Lions, scoring a team-high 23 points. Tim Hardaway Jr. added 13 points despite playing just 18 minutes due to foul trouble.

Northwestern (14-8 SU, 9-7 ATS) snapped a three-game losing streak by beating Illinois 71-70 Saturday in Evanston. The Wildcats failed to cover the number, however, as 1 ½-point home favorites. Michael ‘Juice’ Thompson paced the winners with 22 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field. Thompson, who played all 40 minutes, is a serious candidate for All-Big Ten honors.

Bill Carmody’s team has won three in a row over Michigan both SU and ATS, including a 68-62 win as an eight-point underdog in Ann Arbor last year.

The ‘over’ has been a money maker in Northwestern games this season, cashing at an 11-5 overall clip. Michigan has watched the ‘over’ go 10-8-1 overall, 6-3-1 in its home outings.

Syracuse (20-4 SU, 9-13 ATS) will play host to Georgetown on ESPN at 7:00 p.m. Eastern. Most spots are listing the Orange as a 4 1/2-point home ‘chalk’ with a total of 140.

Jim Boeheim’s team had lost four in a row before going to Storrs last Wednesday and capturing a 66-58 win at UConn as a three-point underdog. Then on Saturday, the ‘Cuse went down to Tampa and throttled USF 72-49 as an eight-point road favorite. Rick Jackson finished with 21 points and 12 rebounds in the blowout win over the Bulls.

Georgetown (18-5 SU, 13-9 ATS) has won six consecutive games, going 4-2 ATS in the process. The Hoyas have failed to take the money in back-to-back games, including Saturday’s 83-81 over Providence as an 11 ½-point home ‘chalk.’

John Thompson III’s team has only been an underdog once this year, winning 69-66 at Villanova as a 4 ½-point ‘dog on Jan. 29.

The ‘under’ is 13-8 overall for the ‘Cuse, 7-5 in its home games at the Carrier Dome. The ‘under’ is 11-10 overall for the Hoyas, who have seen the 'under' go 6-3 in their last nine contests.

The ‘over’ is on a 5-1 run in the last six head-to-head meetings between these old-school Big East adversaries.

Another key Big East clash will go down at the Joyce Center in South Bend, where Notre Dame (19-4 SU, 10-8 ATS) will welcome Louisville to town. The Greek opened the Irish as a three-point home favorite with a total of 136. As of late this morning, however, most betting shops had Notre Dame laying four with the total up to 139 1/2. Gamblers can take Rick Pitino's squad on the money line for a plus-160 payout (risk $100 to win $160).

Mike Brey’s squad is unbeaten in 14 home games, compiling a 5-4 spread record. The Irish have won five in a row but saw its four-game ATS surge end in Sunday’s 76-69 home win over Rutgers as an 11 ½-point home favorite.

Notre Dame senior guard Ben Hansbrough has been the spark behind the team’s recent success. The transfer from Mississippi St., who is in his second year of eligibility with the Irish, had 25 points, six rebounds and five assists against the Scarlet Knights. In the last four games, Hansbrough has averaged 24.0 points and 5.3 assists per game.

Louisville (18-5 SU, 11-8-1 ATS) survived a close call Saturday, holding off DePaul 61-57 as an 18 ½-point home favorite. The win improved the Cardinals to 7-3 in Big East play, leaving them in a third-place tie with Villanova.

On the SEC Network at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, Florida (18-5 SU, 8-11 ATS) will travel to Columbia to face South Carolina. Most books opened the Gators as four-point road favorites, but UF was up to 4 1/2 late this morning with the total at 133.

Billy Donovan’s team has a firm hold on first place in the rugged SEC East, leading the division by two games over Kentucky. UF picked up a pair of key home wins last week in nail-biting fashion. The Gators beat Vandy 65-61 in overtime before trumping Kentucky 70-68 Saturday night in Gainesville.

Senior forward Chandler Parsons appears to be ramping up his play at the perfect time. Parsons had 17 points, 12 rebounds and five assists against the Wildcats, making all the key plays at crunch time.

South Carolina (13-8 SU, 8-9 ATS) has dominated the head-to-head rivalry with UF in recent years, especially for our purposes. The Gamecocks own a 5-0-1 spread record against the Gators in the last six encounters, three of which were South Carolina victories.

One of the greatest rivalries in all of sports will be renewed tonight at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, where Duke (21-2 SU, 12-10 ATS) will take on the red-hot Tar Heels. The Greek opened the Blue Devils as nine-point favorites with a total of 153, but the Dookies were 10-point 'chalk' with the total in the 155-156 range as of late this morning. Bettors can take UNC to win outright for a lucrative plus-450 return (risk $100 to win $450).

Mike Krzyzewski’s club has responded well from a shellacking it took against St. John’s at MSG in NYC on Jan. 30. Since then, the Blue Devils have cruised to easy wins (and spread covers) at Maryland and vs. N.C. St.

Nolan Smith had 20 points, seven assists, six rebounds and a pair of steals in Saturday’s 76-52 home win over the Wolfpack as a 19-point favorite. Kyle Singler chipped in with 14 points and nine boards.

Duke is unbeaten in 13 home games, posting a 6-6 spread ledger.

North Carolina (17-5 SU, 10-9 ATS) has won five straight games both SU and ATS, including Sunday’s 89-69 demolition of an FSU team that came to Chapel Hill playing very good basketball. The Tar Heels took the cash as 6 ½-point ‘chalk.’

Harrison Barnes led a balanced offensive attack for UNC, scoring 17 points to go with 10 rebounds. Freshman point guard Kendall Marshall, who was recently inserted into the starting lineup, dished out a career-high 16 assists and also had three steals.

UNC has been an underdog twice this season, going 1-1 both SU and ATS. The Tar Heels beat Kentucky 75-73 as one-point home ‘dogs, but they lost 79-67 at Illinois.

ESPN will have the Duke-UNC telecast at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

--I’m starting to think my Gators are Sweet 16 material and perhaps capable of going even further than that. UF has as much depth and size as any team in the nation. The problem, however, is that this team sometimes struggles to get buckets. Guards Kenny Boynton and Erving Walker are streak shooters, capable of knocking down treys galore and going for 20-plus points on any given night, but just as likely to shoot 1-for-6 or 2-of-9 from the field. When both are enduring off shooting nights, it spells trouble for UF. But now that Parsons’ game is seemingly peaking, he appears to be that go-to guy the team can depend on. With a 6-1 record against teams in the RPI Top 50, UF is closing in on an excellent seed in the NCAA Tournament. Stay tuned…

--The underdog is 13-6 ATS in the last 19 games between Duke and UNC.

--During UNC’s five-game winning streak both SU and ATS, the ‘over’ has cashed each time.

--For the third straight season, Xavier ventured down into SEC Country during February and emerged with a victory in comfortable fashion. Two years ago, the Muskateers went to LSU and won handily against a team that gave eventual national champ UNC its toughest test in the second round of the 2009 NCAA Tournament. Chris Mack's team went to the O-Dome last year and thumped Florida. Xavier made Georgia its latest SEC victim last night, winning 65-57 as a 4 1/2-point road underdog in Athens. In a classic example of how big-time players find ways to contribute on off shooting nights, Tu Holloway scored 18 points, dished out five assists, grabbed five rebounds, made three steals and committed just one turnover while playing all 40 minutes. Holloway shot just 3-of-13 from the field, but he made all 11 of his free-throw attempts in the second half. I can't blame Jordan Crawford (now with the Hawks) for leaving school, but I sure wish he was on this Xavier team. With Crawford, the Muskateers would be a serious Final Four candidate.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-09-2011, 11:52 AM

Wednesday Fade Alert

February 9, 2011

Here’s a quick look at several "fade" candidates on Wednesday’s night’s extensive college hoops card. Teams listed in schedule order for tonight.

UCF... Remember when we were all talking about the Golden Knights as a virtual Big Dance shoe-in a few weeks ago? How times change. Now, HC Donnie Jones’ team is fighting to escape the Conference USA cellar after seven consecutive straight-up defeats and 9 straight losses vs. the number. Injuries to playmaking PG A.J. Rompza (team-high 3.4 apg) and key reserve 6'6 soph David Diakite have not helped matters. Rompza could be ready to return soon, however, and UCF finally saw you-know-who’s son Marcus Jordan break the 20-point barrier for the first time in a month last Saturday vs. East Carolina. But it still wasn’t enough to prevent a 68-61 loss to the Pirates in a game in which the Golden Knights committed 12 second half turnovers, compared to only 2 assists. Tonight: hosts Memphis

James Madison... The Dukes were setting the early pace in the Colonial race a few weeks ago, along with Hofstra. But six conference losses by six points or fewer later, JMU looks if nothing else like the hard-luck team of CAA. Indifferent form in the backcourt continues to hamper the Dukes, especially in crunch time, as HC Matt Brady hasn’t been able to strike the proper balance between his guards and 6'10 C Denzel Bowles (18 ppg). Losing and failing to cover 5 of its last 7, the Dukes need to win one of these close decisions or else risk continuing to slide down the CAA ladder. Tonight: at Drexel

Delaware... U-Dee appears to be on a slippery slope at the moment, losing and failing to cover its last three games. And without many reliable offensive outlets, some CAA observers believe the skid could extend several more games. The Blue Hens are having trouble loosening up enemy defenses because they are not shooting well from beyond the arc (only 32.3% on their triples, next-to-last in CAA), and the team is only scoring 61.3 ppg, which makes it difficult to manufacture a rally when falling behind. Little production from the frontline (F Jamelle Hagins the top scorer up front at only 8.2 ppg) has made U-Dee’s attack further imbalanced. Tonight: hosts Virginia Commonwealth

Hofstra... At least the Pride broke its recent 3-game losing streak last Saturday against Northeastern. But the Long Island bunch couldn’t cover against the Huskies and has now dropped four straight against the number. The attack seems to have become too reliant on its star Gs, in particular sr. Charles Jenkins (23.2 ppg), whose game has become ever more diversified now that he is handling PG dutries as well. But aside from Fordham transfer G Mike Moore (14.2 ppg), the Pride has no double-digit scorers. Some CAA observers believe a recent tough patch of games against league contenders VCU, Drexel, and George Mason had much to do with the slump, but others wonder if they lack of diversification on the attack end is beginning to catch up with the team. Tonight: at Georgia State

Towson... Poor HC Pat Kennedy. His Tigers are the only team other than the Cleveland Cavaliers that is still 0-for-2011 (Towson has lost 12 in a row), and Kennedy is staring down the barrel of his 11th consecutive losing season as a head coach, at multiple stops. How bad has it become for the Tigers? For their January 26 game at George Mason, what would normally be about a 75-minute bus ride from suburban Baltimore turned into a 10-hour ordeal into the D.C. Beltway and into suburban northern Virginia thanks to a wicked snowstorm. The game at Patriot Center was delayed until 9 PM (from its original 7 PM tip-off) to accommodate the traffic delay, but after moving about 10 feet in an hour due to the snow, the game was officially postponed until the next night. The team finally made its way to nearby Manassas by 1 AM, where it scrambled to find 17 hotel rooms that had to be put on the credit card of assistant coach Jim Meil (we’re assuming he was reimbursed by the school). And the next night the Tigers were routed by GMU, 84-58. But the Tigers have been shorthanded, with G Troy Franklin (12.6 ppg) leaving the team in late December and C Robert Nwankwo never regaining eligibility for the second semester. Moreover, Maryland transfer PF Braxton Dupree (12.8 ppg) has been hobbled by a toe injury that could keep him out of tonight’s game. Will the season ever end for the Tigers? Tonight: at Northeastern

Fordham... We knew the Rams were probably going to be overmatched once again this season, although there was some encouragement in the Bronx for new HC Tom Pecora in December when Vince Lombardi’s alma mater won 6 of its first 10 games. Like Towson (and the Cleveland Cavaliers), however, Fordham remains winless in 2011, having lost 11 in a row, failing to cover its last 6 and 10 of those last 11. Along the way, the Rams’ A-10 losing streak has climbed to an astounding 35 games, with no wins in a league game since January 28...2009. No surprise that Fordham continues to have problems scoring, reflected in that fact the Rams were under 40% from the floor in five straight games before hitting 43% of their FGs on February 5 vs. Richmond, a game the Rams still lost by 17. Moreover, a couple of promising freshman contributors, F Marvin Dominique (shoulder, out for the season) and G Lamount Samuell (ankle), have been out of the already-thin lineup. Does Pecora wish he were back at Hofstra? Tonight: at Temple

Wake Forest... How bad has it been for the Demon Deacons? They’ve lost and failed to cover 7 of their last 8 games against ACC competition, with all of those losses by 19 points or more. They’ve won and covered just 2 of their last 13 games overall. Absorbing new HC Jeff Bzdelik’s modified version of the Princeton offense has not been easy for Wake. The Deacs also have little presence in the paint and continue to get roughed up on the glass. And expected contributions from Georgetwon transfer F Nikita Mescheriakov, who became eligible in late December, have failed to materialize, as his court times has fluctuated from game to game despite making five starts. Do they miss Dino Gaudio yet in Winston-Salem? Tonight: hosts Miami-Florida

Wyoming... Although the Cowboys have covered three of their last four games, they’ve lost seven in a row straight up, and with little hope for a turnaround, Laramie administrators forced HC Heath Schroyer to walk the plank on Tuesday. An earlier eight-game losing streak had pot Schroyer on thin ice, and the injury situation has been a season-long issue, with F Afam Muojeke now down for the count since early January with knee problems and C Adam Waddell continuing to be hampered by ankle issues. MWC observers still liked the way the team battled, but shortcomings such as poor FT shooting (Wyo is less than 70% from the charity stripe in five of its last six games) have been hard to overcome. A revenge-minded New Mexico at the Albuquerque Pit is a tough way for interim HC Fred Langley to begin his new job (which will almost certainly be temporary). Tonight: at New Mexico

TCU... The Frogs have lost six straight and ten of their last eleven, and have dropped seven of their last ten vs. the number. HC Jim Christian, who had been battling with high-scorer G Ronnie Moss (15.6 ppg) all season, finally suspended Moss last week after dismissing another backcourt regular, Sammy Yeager, from the team in mid-January. Another key guard, J.R. Cadot, missed the recent San Diego State game (in which the Frogs put up a decent fight) with injury. Christian has already used 12 starting lineups this season, and his depleted offense hd scored 53 points or fewer in four of its first nine conference games, and is tallying only 60.2 ppg in league play. Are the Frogs sure they want to move to the Big East? Tonight: hosts UNLV

LSU... No wins or covers in six straight for the Tigers, with no relief in sight. A shooting percentage of 35.6 in SEC games ranks by far the lowest in the loop, and LSU has been outscored in the second half of its first eight conference games. One of the early-season bright spots for HC Trent Johnson, frosh G Ralston Turner, scored 13.7 ppg in pre-SEC play but missed the first five league games with a stress reaction in his foot. Turner has returned to the court for the past three games but his scoring touch is still absent, as he’s scored only 13 points total in the last three games, and shot an awful 3 of 14 in last Saturday’s home loss to Mississippi State. Another promising frosh, G Matt Derenbecker, hurt his ankle Feb. 2 vs. South Carolina and played only sparingly last Saturday vs. MSU. LSU, which hasn’t scored more than 57 points in its last seven games, cannot afford its limited sources of firepower to be hindered in such a way. Tonight: at Ole Miss

**StarDust Bum** · 02-09-2011, 11:57 AM

Chicago Bulls, Utah Jazz battle NBA odds

Chicago (34-16 straight up, 28-20-2 against the spread) continues a five-game road trip trying to get back on the winning track. The Bulls currently enjoy the largest lead of any first-place divisional team, 12 games ahead of second-place Indiana, but they have dropped their past two games SU and ATS. Coach Tom Thibodeau’s squad has not dropped three games in a row SU all season.

Utah (31-22 SU, 24-28-1 ATS) remains in second place in the Northwest Division standings, and would be sixth in the Western Conference playoffs if the regular season ended today. The Jazz begin a brief two-game homestand with this contest, but they have struggled to a 3-8 ATS ledger their past 11 home outings.

Chicago takes the court for the first time since Monday’s setback to Portland as a 2 ½-point road ‘chalk,’ 109-103. The combined 212 points soared past the 181 ½-point closing total, helping the ‘over’ improve to 4-1 the past five games.

The Bulls won the rebounding battle, 41-31, but the Trail Blazers dished out more assists, 21-16. Chicago finished the contest by shooting 49 percent (44-of-89) from the field, and 25 percent (4-of-16) from behind the arc.

Point guard Derrick Rose stepped up with 36 points and six assists in a losing effort, while power forward Carlos Boozer added 17 and 12 rebounds. Small forward Luol Deng provided 15, while guard Kyle Korver had 14 and six.

Utah has alternated SU and ATS wins and losses its last eight outings after upending Sacramento Monday as a two-point road favorite, 107-104. The combined 211 points eclipsed the 200-point closing total, enabling the ‘over’ to cash the third consecutive contest.

The Jazz took control of the game by outscoring the Kings in the fourth quarter, 27-17. Utah was outrebounded in the matchup, 45-38, but did deliver more assists, 19-18. The Jazz shot a solid 49 percent (43-of-88) from the field, but a dismal 11 percent (1-of-9) from 3-point land.

Center Al Jefferson led a balanced scoring attack with 23 points on 10-of-18 shooting. Guard Deron Williams accounted for 21 and nine assists in the victory, while forward Paul Millsap had 18 and six boards.

Utah has won the previous two encounters with Chicago SU and ATS, but this is the first meeting this season. The ‘under’ is 5-2-1 the previous eight outings in this series. The underdog is 11-4 ATS the past 15 meetings.

Chicago center Joakim Noah remains ‘out’ indefinitely due to an injured thumb suffered in mid-December. The Bulls conclude their road trip with Saturday’s matchup at New Orleans before returning home for games against Charlotte and San Antonio. Chicago has struggled to a 3-7 ATS record its last 10 road games.

Utah guard Deron Williams (wrist), forward Paul Millsap (toe) and guard Raja Bell (personal) are all listed as ‘probable’ versus the Bulls. Center Francisco Elson (knee) is ‘questionable’ for this contest. The Jazz follow this contest with a home-and-home series with Phoenix. Utah has seen the ‘over’ go 7-2 the past nine games against Eastern Conference opponents.

Wednesday’s matchup is scheduled to start at 6:05 p.m. PT from Utah’s Energy Solutions Arena.

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The Bum's Wednesday's Best Bets NBA-NHL-NCAAB

The Bum's Wednesday's Best Bets NBA-NHL-NCAAB

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