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**Udog** · 01-16-2012, 07:33 AM

Monday’s betting tips: Tired Rockets primed for a letdown?

Who’s hot

NBA: Cleveland is 10-4 against the spread in its last 14 overall.

NBA: Dallas is 12-3-1 against the spread in its last 16 road games.

NHL: Colorado is 10-4 in its last 14.

NCAAB: Missouri is 8-3 against the spread in its last 11 games overall.

NCAAB: Pitt is 5-0 against the spread in its last five games in Syracuse. The Panthers are also 13-3 ATS in the last 16 meetings between the two teams.

Who’s not

NBA: Boston has dropped four straight against the number.

NBA: New York is 3-11 against the spread in its last 14 overall and 1-7 ATS in its last eight home games.

NHL: Buffalo is 1-4 in its last five and has lost eight straight road games.

NCAAB: Kansas is 0-6 against the spread in its last six home games against Baylor.

NCAAB: Marquette is 1-7-1 against the spread in its last nine home games.

Key stat

4 – Kobe Bryant has scored at least 40 points in four straight games and sits third in NBA history with 110 40-point games in his career, trailing only Wilt Chamberlin and Michael Jordan. Bryant, who is still battling a wrist injury, leads the league averaging 32 points per game. The Lakers host the Dallas Mavericks Monday.

Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked

Jamie Benn, Dallas Stars – Benn will be out of action for up to three weeks after undergoing an appendectomy on Sunday. Benn is the club’s leading scoring, piling up 13 goals and 29 assists for 42 points in 43 games. The Stars are set as +175 underdogs at St. Louis Monday.

Game of the day

Baylor Bears at Kansas Jayhawks (-6, 136.5)

Notable quotable

"They're playing too many minutes - we've got to give them more rest, there's no doubt. But while they're getting that rest we've got to be able to maintain leads and expand leads." – Houston Rockets coach Kevin McHale on playing his backcourt of Kyle Lowry and Kevin Martin a combined 180 minutes in back-to-back wins over the weekend. After an off day on Sunday, the Rockets are back at it for a matinee in Washington against the hapless Wizards, so maybe McHale will look to get them more rest. Houston, which has covered the number in five straight is set as a 5.5-point favorite.

Notes and tips

Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul suffered a strained left hamstring in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s 102-94 win over the rival Los Angeles Lakers and is questionable for Monday’s game against New Jersey. Paul scored 33 points and dished out six assists in the win Saturday. He’s averaging 18 points and 8.4 assists in his first season with the Clippers.

The Pitt Panthers have been known for their tight man-to-man defense over the years, but Jamie Dixon is ready to do anything to snap his club's six-game losing streak. Dixon has had his team work on zone defense lately and could use it Monday against Syracuse. At this point, it's worth a shot. The Panthers rank 14th in the Big East allowing 66.5 points per game. The Panthers are set as big 15-point underdogs.

New York Knicks leading scorer Carmelo Anthony is expected to return for Monday’s matinee against the Orlando Magic. He sat out Saturday’s loss at Oklahoma City with a sprained right ankle and left wrist injury, but should return to action after practicing Sunday. Anthony is averaging 25.5 points per game.

**Udog** · 01-16-2012, 07:35 AM

Armadillo: Monday's six-pack

Super Bowl participants in the playoffs the next season........
2011-- Steelers L23-29 ot.......Packers L13-30

2010-- Colts L16-17........Saints L36-41

2009-- Steelers DNP........Cardinals W51-45 ot/L14-45

2008-- Patriots DNP........Giants L11-23

2007-- Colts L24-28.........Bears DNP

2006-- Steelers DNP........Seahawks W21-20/L24-27 ot

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

Armadillo: Monday's List of 13: Nobody asked me, but.........

13) Network TV announcers should know better, but they don't; the team that gives up the most yards doesn't necessarily have the worst defense. Teams that are behind try harder to score; NFL teams that are ahead get so conservativs that their offensive numbers suffer, so it figures that when a team is ahead all the time , their defense will give up more yardage.

Put it this way, if the Packers/Patriots had the two worst defenses in the league, they wouldn't have been the #1 seeds in their conference.

12) Its the same reason you can't play totals in the NFL, because teams that are winning, except for Sean Payton/Norv Turner's teams and couple other clubs, pull in the reins on offense when they're winning. So teams they're beating don't give up as many yards as they should.

11) NFL referee Gene Steratore worked the Denver-New England game Saturday night in Foxboro, then did the Indiana-Ohio State hoop game in Columbus at 4:30 Sunday. Man raked in lot of cash this weekend.

10) If St John's basketball coach Steve Lavin was healthy enough to be in Springfield recruiting Sunday, shouldn't he have been coaching his team in its game with Georgetown? I'm just asking.....

9) There is a golfer on the European tour named Andrew Parr. Cool.

8) A regulation NFL football helmet costs between $200-250.

7) USC's basketball team is incredibly unwatchable; hard to imagine that Kevin O'Neill won't get fired this spring. Bad and boring doesn't work. In a year when the Pac-12 has slipped to 9th in conference power ratings, Trojans are still winless, and usually don't even score 50 points. Yikes.

6) The words "silent" and "listen" contain the same letters.

5) Joe Flacco earned a $200,000 bonus when the Ravens won Sunday.

4) Defending Super Bowl champs have now lost their last five playoff games; last defending champ to win a playoff game? '05 Patriots. Last time the two conference championship games were both #1 seed against the #2 seed? Way back in 2004.

3) If you like tennis and you have DirecTV, channels 702-706 are all set on different courts in Melbourne, so you can watch many of the matches going on at the same time at the Australian Open.

2) Good season for the Houston Texans; in retrospect, best thing for the Texans was Matt Leinart getting hurt, since TJ Yates is better. Now they know they have a quality backup for Matt Schaub next season.

1) Now Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade are hurt; at this rate, rosters for the NBA All-Star Game next month are going to have some unfamiliar faces.

**Udog** · 01-16-2012, 07:38 AM

NFL opening line report: Early action shifting odds

NFC Championship Game, New York Giants at San Francisco 49ers, 6:30 p.m. ET Sunday

Las Vegas Hilton SuperBook opening line: Pick, 44.5; Moved to 49ers -1.5

The Sports Club recommended line: 49ers -1, 45

Betonline.com line opening line: 49ers -1, 44.5; Moved to 49ers -2.5

MGM Mirage opening line: 49ers -2.5, 44.5

BetCris.com line as of late Sunday: 49ers -3 (even), 43.5

The 49ers money that poured in after books hung San Fran -1 or pick-‘em in the NFC Championship Game might be misleading sharp action, one industry leader told ***********.

“We think most of the money is going to come in on the Giants and these are false moves,” said Jay Kornegay, director of the Las Vegas Hilton SuperBook. “I think they’re just trying to drive the line up.”

Kornegay also expects the public to back the Giants in a big way.

“They haven’t been on San Fran all year,” he said. “I can’t see ‘em being on San Fran here against this Giants team. I’m pretty confident it will be close to a pick by kickoff, or the Giants might even be favored by kickoff.”

Nevertheless, the Hilton and other books were forced to react to the early money. The Hilton moved from pick to Niners -1.5. Offshores, which opened anywhere from Giants -1 to Niners -1, generally moved to Niners -2.5.

BetCris was offering Niners -3 (even) late Sunday night.

Expect this line to be all over the place this week.

In Week 10, the Niners beat the Giants 27-20, covering as 4-point favorites. The score went over the 42.5 total.

The game wasn’t decided until the final minute, when the Niners batted down Eli Manning’s fourth-down pass inside their 10-yard line.

Super Bowl futures update

The Giants have won and covered four straight, outscoring their opponents 121-50. If they go on to win it all, it will be the worst of the four possible outcomes for books’ Super Bowl futures.

A few bettors hold 80-to-1 Giants tickets; more have the Giants in the 60-to-1 to 30-to-1 range.

But, as usual, Super Bowl futures cashed for the books. They wrote boatloads of worthless tickets on the Packers, Saints, Steelers and more.

“We were taking big bets on everybody except the Jaguars, basically,” Kornegay said. “We don’t have any VCUs out there, that’s for sure.”

MGM Mirage sportsbook manager Jeff Stoneback said only the Lions could have caused a loss on Super Bowl futures.

“The Giants would be our smallest winner, then the 49ers,” he said.

AFC Championship Game, Baltimore Ravens at New England Patriots, 3 p.m. ET Sunday

MGM Mirage opening line: Patriots -7.5, 49.5

Wynn Las Vegas opening line: Patriots -7, 49.5; Moved to -7 (-120)

The Sports Club recommended line: Patriots -7 (-120), 52

Betonline.com line as of late Sunday: Patriots -7.5, 50

Cantor Gaming opening line: Patriots -7.5, 49.5

Pinnacle line as of late Sunday: Patriots -9, 50

MGM Mirage’s opening line of 7.5 for Ravens-Patriots looked solid Sunday night, as if it might hold all week. Sharps didn’t pounce either way.

“Apparently it’s a good line because nobody’s jumped on it,” Stoneback said. “It hasn’t moved. Hopefully next Sunday we can still say it was a good line.”

But that line wasn’t unanimous. Pinnacle was offering -9 late Sunday.

Wynn Las Vegas sportsbook manager John Avello opened at -7 and moved to -7 (-120) after taking Patriots money.

“Call it three-and a half for homefield and they’re probably three-and-a-half points better than Baltimore, so that’s my number,” Avello told ***********, adding he hopes he doesn’t have to move to 7.5.

Stoneback said the line has to be more than a touchdown given how impressive the Pats looked Saturday, when they blasted Denver 45-10.

“They seem to be clicking at the right time,” he said. “They made a good Denver defense look bad.”

Most books are using a total of 49.5 -- by far the highest for a Baltimore game all season. The Ravens own the league’s No. 3 defense (16.6 points).

“It’s the combination of New England’s offense and its defense,” Stoneback said, meaning the Pats can give up points as fast as they score them.

New England beat Baltimore 23-20 in Week 6 at home last season, but when they met in the playoffs after the 2009 season, the Ravens rolled 33-14 in Foxborough.

Baltimore rushed for 234 yards and four touchdowns, and intercepted Tom Brady three times in that upset. The Ravens were getting 3.5 points.

**Udog** · 01-16-2012, 07:42 AM

NCAAB
Dunkel

Louisville at Marquette
The Cardinals look to build on their 7-1 ATS record in their last 8 road games. Louisville is the pick (+5) according to Dunkel, which has the Golden Eagles favored by only 3. Dunkel Pick: Louisville (+5). Here are all of today's picks.

MONDAY, JANUARY 16

Game 741-742: Louisville at Marquette (3:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Louisville 67.965; Marquette 70.820
Dunkel Line: Marquette by 3; 144
Vegas Line: Marquette by 5; 135
Dunkel Pick: Louisville (+5); Over

Game 743-744: Texas A&M at Missouri (5:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Texas A&M 59.557; Missouri 73.791
Dunkel Line: Missouri by 14; 127
Vegas Line: Missouri by 16; 133
Dunkel Pick Texas A&M (+16); Under

Game 745-746: Pittsburgh at Syracuse (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh 66.406; Syracuse 78.332
Dunkel Line: Syracuse by 13; 132
Vegas Line: Syracuse by 15; 138
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (+15); Under

Game 747-748: Notre Dame at Rutgers (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Notre Dame 66.216; Rutgers 63.544
Dunkel Line: Notre Dame by 2 1/2; 133
Vegas Line: Rutgers by 3; 127
Dunkel Pick: Notre Dame (+3); Over

Game 749-750: Baylor at Kansas (9:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Baylor 74.648; Kansas 78.040
Dunkel Line: Kansas by 3 1/2; 132
Vegas Line: Kansas by 6; 136 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Baylor (+6); Under

Game 751-752: BYU at San Diego (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: BYU 69.520; San Diego 51.459
Dunkel Line: BYU by 18; 153
Vegas Line: BYU by 15; 147 1/2
Dunkel Pick: BYU (-15); Over

Game 753-754: Rider at Fairfield (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Rider 47.966; Fairfield 58.805
Dunkel Line: Fairfield by 11; 147
Vegas Line: Fairfield by 9; 142 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Fairfield (-9); Over

Game 755-756: Tennessee State at Austin Peay (8:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Tennessee State 46.858; Austin Peay 56.030
Dunkel Line: Austin Peay by 9; 133
Vegas Line: Austin Peay by 6; 145
Dunkel Pick: Austin Peay (-6); Under

Game 757-758: Idaho State at Portland State (10:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Idaho State 42.516; Portland State 53.876
Dunkel Line: Portland State by 11 1/2; 150
Vegas Line: Portland State by 9 1/2; 145
Dunkel Pick: Portland State (-9 1/2); Over

Game 759-760: Hampton at Morgan State (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings:
Dunkel Line:
Vegas Line:
Dunkel Pick:

**Udog** · 01-16-2012, 07:44 AM

NCAAB
Long Sheet

Monday, January 16

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LOUISVILLE (14 - 4) at MARQUETTE (14 - 4) - 1/16/2012, 3:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MARQUETTE is 62-40 ATS (+18.0 Units) when the total is 130 to 139.5 since 1997.
MARQUETTE is 31-17 ATS (+12.3 Units) against conference opponents over the last 3 seasons.
MARQUETTE is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) in January games over the last 3 seasons.
MARQUETTE is 35-22 ATS (+10.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
MARQUETTE is 47-26 ATS (+18.4 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game after 15+ games since 1997.
MARQUETTE is 83-51 ATS (+26.9 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game since 1997.
LOUISVILLE is 89-64 ATS (+18.6 Units) in road games since 1997.
LOUISVILLE is 89-64 ATS (+18.6 Units) in road lined games since 1997.
LOUISVILLE is 15-5 ATS (+9.5 Units) in a road game where the total is 130 to 134.5 since 1997.
LOUISVILLE is 14-4 ATS (+9.6 Units) after allowing 60 points or less over the last 2 seasons.

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

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TEXAS A&M (10 - 6) at MISSOURI (16 - 1) - 1/16/2012, 5:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MISSOURI is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in home games in January games over the last 3 seasons.
TEXAS A&M is 38-21 ATS (+14.9 Units) in road games after allowing 60 points or less since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
TEXAS A&M is 2-1 against the spread versus MISSOURI over the last 3 seasons
TEXAS A&M is 3-0 straight up against MISSOURI over the last 3 seasons
3 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PITTSBURGH (11 - 7) at SYRACUSE (19 - 0) - 1/16/2012, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PITTSBURGH is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.

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

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NOTRE DAME (11 - 7) at RUTGERS (10 - 8) - 1/16/2012, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NOTRE DAME is 8-0 ATS (+8.0 Units) in a road game where the total is 120 to 129.5 since 1997.
RUTGERS is 2-9 ATS (-7.9 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.

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

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BAYLOR (17 - 0) at KANSAS (14 - 3) - 1/16/2012, 9:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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BYU (15 - 4) at SAN DIEGO (6 - 10) - 1/16/2012, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BYU is 19-34 ATS (-18.4 Units) in road games when playing with one or less days rest since 1997.
BYU is 160-107 ATS (+42.3 Units) as a favorite since 1997.
BYU is 61-35 ATS (+22.5 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.
SAN DIEGO is 14-25 ATS (-13.5 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 14-25 ATS (-13.5 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 12-32 ATS (-23.2 Units) in home games in January games since 1997.

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

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RIDER (6 - 12) at FAIRFIELD (8 - 9) - 1/16/2012, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
RIDER is 14-5 ATS (+8.5 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
RIDER is 14-5 ATS (+8.5 Units) in road lined games over the last 2 seasons.
RIDER is 18-7 ATS (+10.3 Units) in road games against conference opponents over the last 3 seasons.
RIDER is 38-19 ATS (+17.1 Units) in road games in January games since 1997.
RIDER is 18-8 ATS (+9.2 Units) in road games after a conference game over the last 3 seasons.

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

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TENNESSEE ST (11 - 8) at AUSTIN PEAY (5 - 13) - 1/16/2012, 8:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TENNESSEE ST is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) after a conference game this season.
TENNESSEE ST is 1-9 ATS (-8.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.

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

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IDAHO ST (4 - 13) at PORTLAND ST (8 - 9) - 1/16/2012, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
IDAHO ST is 116-160 ATS (-60.0 Units) in all games since 1997.
IDAHO ST is 116-160 ATS (-60.0 Units) in all lined games since 1997.
IDAHO ST is 72-104 ATS (-42.4 Units) against conference opponents since 1997.
IDAHO ST is 35-55 ATS (-25.5 Units) in January games since 1997.
IDAHO ST is 33-59 ATS (-31.9 Units) when playing with one or less days rest since 1997.
IDAHO ST is 67-102 ATS (-45.2 Units) after a conference game since 1997.
IDAHO ST is 19-38 ATS (-22.8 Units) off a win against a conference rival since 1997.
IDAHO ST is 45-66 ATS (-27.6 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.
IDAHO ST is 25-42 ATS (-21.2 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record after 15 or more games since 1997.
IDAHO ST is 11-26 ATS (-17.6 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game since 1997.

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

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**Udog** · 01-16-2012, 07:47 AM

NCAAB

Monday, January 16

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Trend Report
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3:30 PM
LOUISVILLE vs. MARQUETTE
Louisville is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Marquette
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Louisville's last 6 games when playing on the road against Marquette
Marquette is 3-7-1 ATS in its last 11 games
Marquette is 14-4 SU in its last 18 games

5:30 PM
TEXAS A&M vs. MISSOURI
Texas A&M is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Texas A&M is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games on the road
Missouri is 16-1 SU in its last 17 games
Missouri is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

7:30 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. SYRACUSE
Pittsburgh is 13-5 SU in its last 18 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games on the road
Syracuse is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Syracuse's last 10 games

7:30 PM
RIDER vs. FAIRFIELD
Rider is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Rider is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games on the road
Fairfield is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Fairfield is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games

8:30 PM
TENNESSEE STATE vs. AUSTIN PEAY
Tennessee State is 2-12 SU in its last 14 games on the road
Tennessee State is 1-13 SU in its last 14 games when playing on the road against Austin Peay
Austin Peay is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Austin Peay is 5-15 SU in its last 20 games

9:00 PM
NOTRE DAME vs. RUTGERS
Notre Dame is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
Notre Dame is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Rutgers is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Rutgers's last 6 games

9:30 PM
BAYLOR vs. KANSAS
Baylor is 4-1-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Baylor is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Kansas is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Kansas's last 5 games

10:00 PM
BYU vs. SAN DIEGO
BYU is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
BYU is 15-6 SU in its last 21 games on the road
San Diego is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games
San Diego is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games at home

10:05 PM
IDAHO STATE vs. PORTLAND STATE
Idaho State is 4-21 SU in its last 25 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Idaho State's last 6 games on the road
Portland State is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Portland State's last 7 games

10:10 PM
EASTERN WASHINGTON vs. SEATTLE
Eastern Washington is 1-6-1 ATS in its last 8 games on the road
Eastern Washington is 6-19 SU in its last 25 games on the road
No trends available

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**Udog** · 01-16-2012, 07:49 AM

NCAAB

Monday, January 16

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NCAAB Top 5: Best national championship value bets
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The start of conference play is like pulling back the curtain on the Wizard of Oz. A lot of the time, a program that seemed great and powerful is just some little fat man, pulling ropes and levers.

The beginning of the league schedule weeds out many of the pretenders and forces oddsmakers to shake up their NCAA National Championship odds. While the favorites to win remain the same – UNC, Kentucky, Ohio State, Syracuse – there is value to be had in some of the other programs with national title potential.

Call them long shots or value bets, these five teams could pay off big come the end of March.

Baylor Bears (+1,500)

The Bears are No. 4 in the country and look like the team to beat in the Big 12. But books still aren’t buying into Baylor, pricing them at a very tempting +1,500 to claim the national championship. The Bears have one of the most athletic teams in the country and have proved that they’re not just a one-man show behind Perry Jones, with five guys averaging double figures. Depth and energy are crucial come bracket time.

Duke Blue Devils (+1,500)

Before you start sending in reader emails and lighting torches in preparation of your assault on Covers Castle, just hear us out. Duke could be overvalued at this price – maybe. But we’re talking about the Blue Devils. Not many people were banking on the Dukies to run to the national title two years ago, and I believe they have a better team this season. Their two losses were to Ohio State and Temple – two programs capable of Sweet 16 runs – and they have great balance inside and out.

Michigan State Spartans (+2,000)

Bet against the Green and White come March – I dare you. Tom Izzo is a master of getting his teams ready for the grind of the NCAA Tournament and has already made major leaps and bounds with this year’s squad. The backcourt is finally coming together and Draymond Green is a dark-horse contender for Player of the Year. The senior is averaging 16 points, 10 rebounds and 3.5 assists while anchoring MSU with experience and leadership.

Kansas Jayhawks (+2,500)

The Jayhawks’ futures odds soared when they fell victim to Davidson in mid December. Since then, Kansas has reeled off six in a row heading into the weekend and looks like the Rock Chalk of old. Bill Self is another coach you can’t count out come tournament time and he’s got the talent to cash in as a sizable long shot. Thomas Robinson is on the radar for Player of the Year and a deep bench will provide a nice cushion when the going gets tough come March.

UNLV Runnin’ Rebels (+5,000)

You want long-shot picks, you got one. The Runnin’ Rebels have already shocked the college basketball world with victories over North Carolina, Cal and Illinois and their two losses came against Wichita State (a nice tournament underdog) and Wisconsin. UNLV can play any pace and runs five deep down the pine with nine players average more than 14 minutes per game.

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**Udog** · 01-16-2012, 07:51 AM

NCAAB

Monday, January 16

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College funds: Monday's best NCAAB bets
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Louisville Cardinals at Marquette Golden Eagles (-4.5, 135)

No. 24 Marquette, held off Pittsburgh, 62-57 in large part because of Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder's combined 33 points. Monday's matchup showcases the stingy defense of Louisville against the offensive juggernaut of Marquette.

The Cardinals have relied on their defense, which has allowed 60 points or less 12 times and is second in the Big East in field goal percentage defense. While the defense has been excellent, the offense has struggled as the Cardinals are 12th in the conference in field goal percentage (43 percent), with only Gorgui Dieng and Kyle Kuric shooting over 43 percent.

The Golden Eagles have been one of the best scoring teams in the Big East (2nd at 76.8 points) and are led by Darius Johnson-Odom, who is second in the conference, averaging 18.1 points per game. Jae Crowder adds 16.3 points and a team-high 7.2 rebounds, while shooting 51 percent from the field.

Marquette’s been excellent distributing the ball as well and is tied with Syracuse for the conference lead in assists

Pick: Golden Eagles

Texas A&M Aggies at Missouri Tigers (-15.5, 133)

Texas A&M will have its hands full trying to slow down No. 9 Missouri's high-powered offense on Martin Luther King Day. The Aggies are averaging only 62.4 points per game, one of the lowest totals in the country, while the Tigers are putting up 83.9 points per contest. Missouri is making 58.3 percent of its field goals, including 8.4 3-pointers per game.

Marcus Denmon is coming off an 18-point performance against Texas. Denmon, who averages a team-high 17.9 points as well as 5.3 rebounds, had two excellent games against the Aggies last year, scoring 22 and 19 points.

Phil Pressey is coming off his second double-double and now has four games of 10-plus assists. Ricardo Ratliffe (13.7 points, 6.8 rebounds per game) has scored in double figures in 15 games and has been over 20 points four times.

Each of the last six meetings between these two teams have played over and we like that trend to continue.

Pick: Over

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**Udog** · 01-16-2012, 07:53 AM

NHL

Monday, January 16

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Trend Report
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1:00 PM
NASHVILLE vs. NY ISLANDERS
Nashville is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
Nashville is 6-1 SU in their last 7 games when playing NY Islanders
NY Islanders are 1-6 SU in their last 7 games when playing Nashville
The total has gone OVER in 5 of the NY Islanders last 6 games

4:00 PM
COLORADO vs. PHOENIX
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Colorado's last 5 games on the road
Colorado is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Phoenix's last 12 games when playing Colorado
Phoenix is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games at home

7:30 PM
BOSTON vs. FLORIDA
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Boston's last 7 games on the road
Boston is 11-3 SU in its last 14 games
Florida is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games
Florida is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Boston

7:30 PM
BUFFALO vs. DETROIT
Buffalo is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Buffalo is 1-10 SU in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Detroit
Detroit is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games when playing at home against Buffalo
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Detroit's last 11 games

7:30 PM
WINNIPEG vs. OTTAWA
Winnipeg is 3-10 SU in its last 13 games on the road
Winnipeg is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Ottawa's last 8 games when playing Winnipeg
Ottawa is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Winnipeg

8:00 PM
DALLAS vs. ST. LOUIS
Dallas is 7-15-1 SU in its last 23 games ,when playing on the road against St. Louis
The total has gone OVER in 17 of Dallas's last 24 games when playing on the road against St. Louis
St. Louis is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
St. Louis is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Dallas

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**Udog** · 01-16-2012, 07:55 AM

NHL

Monday, January 16

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

HOT TEAM: Ottawa Senators

There have been many in and around the Eastern Conference -- players, coaches, fans -- simply waiting for the Senators to come back to life. Expected to hover around the bottom of the league when the season started, it's probably time to admit that this club is here to stay.

A 3-2 win over Montreal on Saturday night pushed Ottawa to within one point of first-place Boston in the Northeast Division, which is a feat in itself.

Ottawa has at least one point in all six games it's played this month, and has won five of them. Jason Spezza has 19 goals, Erik Karlsson has 38 assists, Daniel Alfredsson has 33 points and all is well with the surprising Senators. Keep them on your radar, moving forward.

COLD TEAM: Phoenix Coyotes

The Western Conference playoff race is jammed so tight, a losing streak here and there and a team might be out of it ... for good. The Coyotes are not to that point yet, but a bit of a rut has them below the cutoff line and it won't be easy to get back up above it. With 22 goals, Radim Vrbata is having a great season, but no one else has more than 14 and it's starting to show on the scoreboard.

Phoenix lost at lowly Columbus, 4-3, on Thursday night, continuing a miserable month that dropped them to fourth place in the Pacific Division through Saturday night. The Coyotes were also four points out of a playoff spot at that point.

In January, and heading into Monday's game versus Colorado, the Coyotes have only one win in six tries -- a 5-1 decision over the Islanders on Jan. 7 -- and that game with the Avalanche starts a stretch of four games in six days. So, there's a lot of work ahead for a team that not many care about in the desert to begin with.

OVER PLAY: Carolina Hurricanes

Nine points out of a playoff spot through Saturday night, the Hurricanes are probably not going to rally behind new coach Kirk Muller and make the postseason. But they continue to play entertaining hockey, and clearly have become one of the better over bets in the league.

A 4-2 victory over the Bruins on Saturday night was the second straight over for the Hurricanes, and ninth in the last 10 games. Last Tuesday, they dropped a 2-1 decision to Philadelphia in a random, out-of-the-ordinary defensive battle, but other than that, it's been up-and-down hockey aplenty for the Hurricanes.

It doesn't show necessarily in the statistics sheet. The Hurricanes have five players in double digit goals -- Tuomo Ruutu, Jeff Skinner, Eric Staal, Chad LaRose and Brandon Sutter -- but no one is over 15. The defense, though, has been a little behind the times, and when you have a team 3.14 goals-against average, that's going to net some overs, folks.

UNDER PLAY: San Jose Sharks

The Sharks have been erratic at times, but one of the good things about having the playoff pedigree that they have, is they know when to turn it on. And it's getting to that point this year. Headed into Sunday's game against Chicago, San Jose was 7-1-2 in its last 10 games, was in first place in the Pacific Division and was the proud owner of the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.

And they've done it with defense. A 2-1 win over the Blue Jackets on Saturday night was the Sharks' second straight under, and eighth in the last 10 games. The Sharks allowed one goal or less in five of those games, and they took a 6-0-1 mark in January into the tilt versus the Blackhawks.

San Jose has seven players in positive double digits in plus-minus, led by Marc-Edouard Vlasic (plus-19), and goaltenders Antti Niemi and Thomas Greiss have combined for a 2.22 goals-against average. As long as that keeps up, the Sharks will remain a consistent, efficient under play.

SURVEYING THE SCHEDULE:

** Maybe a 4-1 win at Florida on Friday night is what the Penguins need to finally get kick-started. Either way, we’ll know a lot more about that team in a week, as Sunday’s game at Tampa Bay began a stretch of four games in six days, including a back-to-back set versus the Rangers and Canadiens on Thursday and Friday, respectively.

** The Canucks, who played the Ducks on Sunday, have a light road ahead of them. Monday, in fact, begins a stretch in which they will play just two games in eight days. So, expect some fresh legs when Vancouver plays Los Angeles on Tuesday and San Jose on Saturday.

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**Udog** · 01-16-2012, 07:56 AM

NHL

Monday, January 16

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Ice picks: Monday's best NHL bets
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Nashville Predators at New York Islanders (100, 5.5)

Pekka Rinne and the Nashville Predators are as stingy as a conservative uncle, but there is no discounting their success as of late.

Last season's Vezina Trophy finalist has surrendered just 16 goals in his last eight contests, good enough to allow the Predators to win four straight and seven in that stretch. As modest as he is talented, Rinne credited his teammates for the club's good fortune.

"It comes down to playing a full 60 minutes," Rinne told the Tennessean. "We've had nights where we play 40 minutes and it's not enough, but now we've been playing more solid, a full 60 minutes."

Despite being in fourth place in the Central, Nashville sits just six points behind the front-running Chicago Blackhawks. Rinne and the Predators will look to continue their winning ways on Monday afternoon when they visit the New York Islanders.

For its part, New York has posted a 2-1-0 mark on its current four-game homestand but the Isles will have a tough time solving Rinne.

Pick: Under

Colorado Avalanche at Phoenix Coyotes (-145, 5.5)

It has been quite a struggle for the Phoenix Coyotes lately. They’ve managed just two victories in 11 games since Dec. 23, dropping out of playoff position in the Western Conference.

On the bright side, the Coyotes have a chance to turn things around with nine of the next 11 games at home starting with a matinee against the Colorado Avalanche on Monday.

The Coyotes failed on all five power-play opportunities at Colorado in a 3-2 loss Dec. 29. The Coyotes won the first meeting 4-1 at home Nov. 2 as Mike Smith made 39 saves. Colorado, who snapped a three-game losing streak at Dallas Saturday, is 5-1-1 in its last seven on the road.

Forward Peter Mueller has recorded seven shots in two games since his return from concussion symptoms, which forced him to miss 41 games. Mueller scored 35 goals his first two seasons with Phoenix, then was traded to Colorado after netting four in his third. He has played just 20 games during the last season and a half.

Perhaps Mueller can help an ailing Avalanche power play.

Pick: Avalanche

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**Udog** · 01-16-2012, 07:58 AM

NBA

Monday, January 16

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Trend Report
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1:00 PM
ORLANDO vs. NEW YORK
Orlando is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing New York
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Orlando's last 5 games when playing New York
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of New York's last 5 games
New York is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games at home

1:00 PM
CHICAGO vs. MEMPHIS
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chicago's last 7 games on the road
Chicago is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Memphis's last 7 games when playing Chicago
Memphis is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games

2:00 PM
CLEVELAND vs. CHARLOTTE
Cleveland is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Cleveland's last 6 games
Charlotte is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games
Charlotte is 8-17 SU in its last 25 games when playing Cleveland

2:00 PM
HOUSTON vs. WASHINGTON
Houston is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
Houston is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Washington
Washington is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Washington's last 6 games at home

2:00 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. PHILADELPHIA
Milwaukee is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
Milwaukee is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Philadelphia is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Milwaukee
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Philadelphia's last 7 games

3:00 PM
PORTLAND vs. NEW ORLEANS
Portland is 6-12-1 ATS in its last 19 games
Portland is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
New Orleans is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games at home
New Orleans is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Portland

3:30 PM
NEW JERSEY vs. LA CLIPPERS
The total has gone OVER in 5 of New Jersey's last 5 games when playing on the road against LA Clippers
The total has gone OVER in 6 of New Jersey's last 7 games when playing LA Clippers
The total has gone OVER in 5 of the LA Clippers last 5 games when playing at home against New Jersey
LA Clippers are 6-1 SU in their last 7 games when playing at home against New Jersey

4:00 PM
TORONTO vs. ATLANTA
The total has gone OVER in 17 of Toronto's last 25 games when playing Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Toronto's last 6 games when playing Atlanta
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Atlanta's last 8 games when playing at home against Toronto
Atlanta is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games

8:00 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY vs. BOSTON
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Oklahoma City's last 7 games on the road
Oklahoma City is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Boston is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing Oklahoma City
Boston is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against Oklahoma City

8:00 PM
SACRAMENTO vs. MINNESOTA
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Sacramento's last 5 games on the road
Sacramento is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Minnesota is 2-11 SU in its last 13 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Minnesota's last 7 games at home

10:30 PM
DALLAS vs. LA LAKERS
Dallas is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Dallas is 6-19 SU in their last 25 games when playing on the road against LA Lakers
LA Lakers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games when playing Dallas
LA Lakers are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing Dallas

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**Udog** · 01-16-2012, 08:02 AM

NBA

Monday, January 16

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NBA weekly odds tip-off: Hot and cold betting trends
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HOTTEST BET: Philadelphia 76ers

It may be time to start believing in whatever is going on in the City of Brotherly Love. The Sixers have emerged as one of the biggest surprises in the league, opening with victories in nine of their first 12 games. They've been especially sizzling when it comes to the spread, going 7-1 ATS so far in 2012. That includes a 3-1 mark last week in which their only failure to cover came in a hard-fought six-point loss against the Knicks in New York.

Defense has been the biggest catalyst for the Philadelphia resurgence. The Sixers are allowing the second-fewest points per game in the NBA; only the Chicago Bulls have been stingier. Another solid season from Andre Iguodala, along with potent bench scoring from Louis Williams and Evan Turner, has Philadelphia looking like one of the more well-balanced offenses in the Eastern Conference. Expect oddsmakers to start respecting the Sixers a lot more moving forward.

COLDEST BET: Boston Celtics

Considered one of the East's playoff locks heading into the season, the Celtics have looked an awful lot like a team that won't be playing in May. It's been a campaign of streaks so far, with Boston losing its first three games, winning the next four and then putting together a four-game skid featuring some of the worst offensive showings of any team this season. Boston went 0-3 ATS last week and has come up on the short end in four straight games overall, failing to score more than 85 points in any of them.

With the Celtics' Big Three another year older, the loss of Jeff Green to an offseason heart issue has been devastating. Green was being counted on to provide significant bench offense with Boston hoping to give Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen more rest than in seasons past. The result: balanced scoring from four of the five starters but virtually nothing from any reserve not named Brandon Bass. That problem will only become more pronounced as the grueling season wears on.

BEST OVER/UNDER BET: Minnesota Timberwolves (under)

Playoff basketball is still a few years away from making its return to Minnesota, but the Timberwolves have been giving opponents fits in ways they hadn't been for most of the previous decade. They have yet to lose a game by more than 11 points, and five of their seven defeats have been by four points or fewer. The biggest change: a vastly improved defense that few experts could have seen coming, and one that has resulted in a remarkable number of under results.

The Timberwolves played under the total three times in four games last week (though two of those came within three points of the line), and have nine unders through 11 contests so far this season. Oddsmakers have had trouble keeping up with a Minnesota team allowing just 93.7 points per game - a full 14 points fewer than last season, when they boasted the worst defensive unit in the league. Young legs and a new commitment to the defensive end has given T-Wolves fans reason for optimism.

SCOUTING THE SCHEDULE:

** The Los Angeles Clippers have had one of the cushiest January schedules in the league so far, playing just six times over the first 15 days of the month. That changes this week, with Blake Griffin and Co. facing a three-games-in-three-nights stretch featuring home games against New Jersey and Dallas sandwiched around a road trip to Utah. The Clippers will play five games in the week, wrapping it up with home dates against Minnesota and Toronto.

** The San Antonio Spurs have what could be the biggest gimme of the week, putting their spotless home record on the line against a Sacramento Kings team that was thumped by 39 points in Dallas on Saturday. The Kings have been one of the worst road clubs so far this season, going 1-6 while being outscored in those losses by an average of more than 24 points per game.

** The Washington Wizards get four cracks at home to add to their grand victory total of one. The John Wall-led Wizards will host the Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder and Nuggets before winding down the week with a date against the Boston Celtics. The Wizards' only win so far this season came in Washington, a 93-78 triumph over the Toronto Raptors on Jan. 10.

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**Udog** · 01-16-2012, 08:05 AM

NBA

Monday, January 16

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Referee report: Betting NBA referee trends and stats
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We all know how much NBA referees can impact the result of your daily wagers.

That’s why if you aren’t scouting the daily official assignments before laying down your cash, we have no sympathy for you and your busted bankroll.

Most teams have already played 10 games in this 66-game season, so we thought it was about time to take a look at the most significant referee betting trends we’ve seen so far.

Daily referee assignments are normally posted about 11 a.m. ET on this page and you can keep track of all the NBA’s referee betting statistics here.

Hot homer refs:

Kevin Cutler: Cutler has seen the home team cover in eight of the nine games he’s officiated so far this season, with the home club averaging 101.2 points per game.

Marc Davis: Home teams are averaging a whopping 103.7 points per home game while going 6-1 against the spread.

Mark Lindsay: Home teams are 7-2 against the spread in the nine games Lindsay has worked, winning by an average score of 8.4 points. Lindsay also saw home teams go 38-23 against the spread last season.

Hot over refs:

Zach Zarba: Eight of the 10 games Zarba has officiated have played over the total. Those games averaged 206.9 points per contest.

Michael Smith: Smith has seen seven of his nine games play over the number even though those games averaged only 195.6 points.

Hot under bets:

David Jones: All nine games that Jones has worked have checked in under the total. Teams combined for just 170.1 points in those games.

Mike Callahan: Callaghan has under bettors on an 8-0 run to start the season. The under ended up with a 40-34 record in his games last year.

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Announcement

Monday's Trends and Indexes - 1/16 (NFL, NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

Monday's Trends and Indexes - 1/16 (NFL, NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

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