Announcement

**Udog** · 01-23-2012, 07:59 AM

Monday’s betting tips: Back-to-backs stinging Bucks bettors

Who’s hot

NBA: Dallas is 23-7-1 against the spread in its last 31 home games.

NBA: Houston is 12-3-1 against the spread in its last 16 meetings with Minnesota.

NHL: The New York Islanders have won four of their last five.

NHL: The under is 20-6-10 in St. Louis’ last 36 games.

NCAAB: Iona is 9-4-1 against the spread in its last 14 road games.

NCAAB: The over has cashed in each of Cincinnati’s last four games.

Who’s not

NBA: The Milwaukee Bucks are 0-6 against the spread when playing the second half of a back-to-back.

NBA: New Orleans is 1-7 against the spread in its last eight home games.

NHL: Edmonton has lost nine of its last 10.

NHL: Winnipeg is 2-5 in its last seven.

NCAAB: Drexel is 2-9 against the spread in its last 11 meetings with William and Mary.

NCAAB: Texas A&M is 2-5 against the spread in its last seven road games.

Key stat

2.10 – The Los Angeles Kings rank last in the NHL averaging just 2.10 goals per game this season. The under is 27-11-11 in their games this season ahead of Monday’s date with Ottawa.

Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked

Ray Allen, Boston Celtics – Allen sprained his ankle during Sunday’s win over Washington, but X-rays came back negative and he says he will try to play Monday against Orlando. The veteran had seven points in 11 minutes before the injury and averages 14.9 points per game.

Game of the day

Syracuse Orange at Cincinnati Bearcats (4, 135)

Notable quotable

"I am improving day by day. But this time I felt that the first day I played well, and second, two days ago I played well. And today I played another complete match in my opinion, serious match." – Rafael Nadal after advancing to the Australian Open quarterfinals. Nadal is set at +500 to win the tournament.

Notes and tips

Celtics GM Danny Ainge told reporters he’s willing to hear offers for Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett and, according to the New York Daily News, another Celtics front office official said the team is ready to move on. Boston is mired in an offensive slump, averaging just 88.9 points per game, and has lost six of its last seven games. The Celtics managed just 71 points in a loss to the Phoenix Suns Friday, getting 36 combined points from Pierce, Allen and Garnett.

Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki will miss the next four games in order to better his conditioning, according to the team. Nowitzki will engage in hard workouts for the next eight days, in order to get in better shape. His projected return is Jan. 29 when the Mavericks face the San Antonio Spurs. Dallas head coach Rick Carlisle told reporters he’d rather have Nowitzki, who is struggling with a knee injury, on the floor but the training staff recommended the break from play. Backup forward Brian Cardinal is expected to start in Nowitzki’s place. Nowitzki is averaging 17.5 points per game – his lowest scoring average since 1999-2000, his second year in the NBA.

New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski left the stadium in a walking boot after injuring his left ankle in Sunday's 23-20 victory over the Baltimore Ravens.Gronkowski hurt his ankle on a 23-yard reception in the final minute of the third quarter. He later returned to the game, telling reporters he went to get the ankle re-taped.The second-year tight end downplayed the injury after the game, saying the ankle was "fine." He finished with five receptions for 87 yards but did not make a catch after he was hurt.Gronkowski has had a monster season, setting records for tight ends for touchdowns (17) and receiving yards (1,327).

Boston Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference has been suspended for the first time in his NHL career and will sit out the next three games for his check on New York Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh Saturday afternoon. That will make him available to play on Thursday, Feb. 2 when the Boston Bruins host the Carolina Hurricanes. Ference has four goals, 16 assists and 37 penalty minutes this season.

**Udog** · 01-23-2012, 08:02 AM

Armadillo: Monday's six-pack

v-- Betting line for the Super Bowl; Patriots favored by 4, total 55.5; it opened at 54, but ton of over money came in right away.

-- NC State won at Miami; Mark Gottfried has the Wolfpack at 15-5, 4-1 in ACC, but his heavy lifting (Carolina/Duke) still lies ahead.

-- Dayton alum Jon Gruden addressed the Flyer basketball team before their Saturday game with Xavier. Typical Gruden. Dayton won.

-- Have to admit, I like Ed Hochuli's explanations of the rules.

-- Whats up with all these Masters promos in January? Its not for 11 more weeks. CBS doesn't promote the NCAA tournament at all.

-- So the Colts are hosting their only Super Bowl after a 2-14 season and the Patriots are playing in it, as well as Peyton's brother, a month before they cut Peyton loose. Have fun, Indianapolis!!!!!

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

Armadillo: Monday's List of 13: Baseball knowledge for a winter Monday

13) Players with the best batting average with runners in scoring position (RISP) LY:

1) Victor Martinez .394, 2) Miguel Cabrera .388, 3) Joey Votto .383.

Not that I'm bitter about VMart's torn ACL. No, not at all.

12) Michael Bourn led the big leagues with 61 stolen bases LY, stealing 3rd base 14 times, but Toronto’s Rajai Davis stole third 17 times, most in the majors LY.

11) Carl Pavano allowed 262 hits LY, 18 more than anyone else in major leagues (unfortunately, Ricky Nolasco allowed 244; he is on my fantasy team. Need a better 2012 from Nolasco).

10) John Lackey led the big leagues by hitting 19 batters, four more than any other pitcher (Tim Hudson/Alfredo Aceves each hit 15).

9) Vernon Wells made $23M last year, and had a .248 on-base percentage; considering the Angels traded Mike Napoli as part of the package to get Wells, no surprise heads rolled in the Halos’ front office this winter.

8) James Shields led the major leagues by picking off 13 baserunners; Clayton Kershaw was next, with nine. Odd that a righthander would have the most pickoffs.

7) Cincinnati’s Brandon Arroyo allowed 46 homers LY, eleven more than anyone else in baseball (Rangers’ Colby Lewis allowed 35).

6) Most pitches thrown in one game LY:
1) Tim Lincecum 133, 2) Chris Carpenter/Justin Verlander 132, Roy Halladay 130. Lincecum threw 127+ pitches in three of his starts LY.

5) AJ Burnett threw 25 wild pitches LY; no one else in baseball had more than 15 (Cahill/knuckleballer Wakefield).

4) Batters who struck out the most times in 2011:
1) Drew Stubbs 205, 2) Mark Reynolds 196, 3) Austin Jackson 181.

3) Toronto’s Jose Bautista walked 132 times LY, most in majors; 24 of those were intentional. Joey Votto was next, with 110 walks.

Prince Fielder led the big leagues with his 32 intentional walks.

2) Carlos Quentin was hit by a pitch 23 times LY, four times more than anyone else (Justin Upton/Danny Espinosa both got hit 19 times).

1) Batters who took the highest %age of pitches:
1) Bobby Abreu 65.9% T2) Jamey Carroll/Gardner 63.5%, 4) Marco Scutaro 62.9%. You can go get a snack when these guys come to bat, good news for vendors in Colorado with Scutaro now a Rockie.

**Udog** · 01-23-2012, 08:05 AM

Patriots open as 3.5-point faves, but SB line not holding

SUPER BOWL XLVI, SUNDAY, FEB. 5, LUCAS OIL STADIUM, INDIANAPOLIS

NEW YORK GIANTS (12-7) VS. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (15-3)

Caesars Palace opening line: Patriots -3.5, 55.5; Moved to -3

MGM Mirage opening line: Patriots -3.5, 55.5; Moved to -3.5 (even)

5Dimes.com opening line: Patriots -3.5, 54; Moved to -3 (-115), 55

Cantor Gaming opening line: Patriots -3 (-115), 53.5; Total moved to 54.5

BetOnline.com opening line: Patriots -3 (-120), 55.5

Lucky’s opening line: Patriots -3.5 (even), 55

Las Vegas Hotel & Casino opening line: Patriots -3, 53.5

As soon as MGM Mirage opened the Patriots as 3.5-point favorites Sunday night, the book took a six-figure bet on New England followed by substantial professional money on the Giants.

Sportsbook manager Jay Rood hoped the two-way action was a sign of things to come.

But the book soon moved to Pats -3.5 (even), part of a trend that saw most lines shrinking toward 3.

At Caesars Palace, Giants money immediately cut the line from 3.5 to 3.

“We anticipated we’d see some New England money since they’ve been a pretty public side, but it was almost like a feast of sharks,” senior sports analyst Todd Fuhrman told ***********. “The casual gamblers and some professionals came in and grabbed the hook.”

Fuhrman believes the line will settle at 3 everywhere. So underdog players who can find 3.5 – the few 4s out there Sunday night are long gone -- should act fast.

“Three is exactly the right number to get two-way action on this game,” Fuhrman said. “If you go to 2.5, Patriots money will come flooding in. At 3.5 you’ll have nothing but Giants money.”

Rood didn’t want to post 3 initially because the game could easily end in a push. Plus, there were some 4s around when MGM Mirage opened its line.

“You book so much action on this, a push is pretty anti-climactic and financially it’s not a good situation when we’re going to do a very significant portion of our business for the year on this game,” Rood said.

“Win or lose, we want to have a decision. Ultimately, if the market pushes it to 3 or 4, it is what it is. But I wanted to open it so it would be a decision one way or the other.”

Rood expects to take a lot of Giants money through Monday from bettors who cashed with them Sunday.

“They’re rolling some of those tickets over before they leave town,” he said.

Cantor Gaming opened at -3 (-115) and drew Patriots money only because many books opened at 3.5.

Sportsbook director Mike Colbert believes the wrong team is favored.

“I just think the Giants are the better team,” he said. “I think they’ll run right through New England and defensively they’ll pressure Brady. And they already won in New England this season.”

Cantor operates multiple Vegas sportsbooks, including at the M Resort and the Venetian.

Like other book directors, Colbert is thrilled with the matchup.

“It will be tremendous two-way action,” he said, predicting the line will close at 3 flat. “We know the whole state of New York is going to be in Vegas and we know there’s a ton of support for the Patriots. This is absolutely the ideal Super Bowl.”

The public will be on both sides, Colbert said, but sharps "will do whatever they can to get 3.5 or 4 with the Giants.”

Lucky’s oddsmaker Jimmy Vaccaro expects heavy money line action on the Giants. So he opened his at Patriots -150 and Giants +130. Other books had the Giants at +135 or +140.

“When it comes to a dog in the Super Bowl, people love to bet the money line if that’s the team they’re rooting for,” he said. “Because of that, the money line on the favorite will close at a little bit of a bargain.”

While the spread looks straightforward and most expect it to close at 3, Vaccaro said he’s seen strange things happen in 37 years in the business.

“These games have a life of their own,” he said. “You think you can figure one out, but sometimes you’re left shaking your head.”

Total could be second highest ever

The total ranges from 53.5 to 55.5 at most books. A closing total of 55.5 would be the second-highest in Super Bowl history, behind only the 57 for the 2010 Saints-Colts matchup. The first Giants-Pats Super Bowl closed at 55.

Everyone will be calling this one "The Rematch," so get used to it.

New York spoiled the Patriots’ perfect 2007 season in Super Bowl XLII, winning 17-14. The Giants have 14 players remaining from that game, the Patriots seven.

In fact, the last two times Eli Manning faced the Pats, he led a last-minute touchdown drive to beat them.

It happened most recently Nov. 6 in Foxborough, the Giants winning 24-20 on Manning’s 1-yard scoring pass to Jake Ballard with 15 seconds left.

In their stunning Super Bowl upset four years ago, the Giants sacked Tom Brady five times and disrupted New England’s record-setting offense. Manning threw a 13-yard TD to Plaxico Burress with 35 seconds to go – four plays after David Tyree trapped Manning’s third-down pass against his helmet for a 32-yard gain.

Super Bowl Fact Sheet

The under is 5-2 in the last five Super Bowls.

The underdog has won four of the last 10 Super Bowls outright (6-4 ATS).

New York is 7-1 ATS in its last eight games, while New England is 4-4 ATS.

In two playoff games, New England has been penalized three times for a total of 25 yards.

The Giants have covered three straight against the Patriots (2-1 SU).

**Udog** · 01-23-2012, 08:07 AM

NCAAB
Long Sheet

Monday, January 23

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NORTHEASTERN (9 - 9) at OLD DOMINION (11 - 9) - 1/23/2012, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NORTHEASTERN is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) after scoring 60 points or less this season.
OLD DOMINION is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) off a loss against a conference rival over the last 3 seasons.

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

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SYRACUSE (20 - 1) at CINCINNATI (15 - 5) - 1/23/2012, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SYRACUSE is 58-82 ATS (-32.2 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game since 1997.
SYRACUSE is 110-81 ATS (+20.9 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 10-22 ATS (-14.2 Units) in all home games over the last 3 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 10-22 ATS (-14.2 Units) in home lined games over the last 3 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 5-15 ATS (-11.5 Units) in home games against conference opponents over the last 3 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 27-49 ATS (-26.9 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game after 15+ games since 1997.

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

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DREXEL (14 - 5) at WM & MARY (4 - 16) - 1/23/2012, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DREXEL is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) after a conference game this season.
WM & MARY is 102-135 ATS (-46.5 Units) after a conference game since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
WM & MARY is 3-1 against the spread versus DREXEL over the last 3 seasons
WM & MARY is 3-1 straight up against DREXEL over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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HOFSTRA (7 - 13) at VA COMMONWEALTH (15 - 5) - 1/23/2012, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
HOFSTRA is 18-6 ATS (+11.4 Units) in road games against conference opponents over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
VA COMMONWEALTH is 3-0 against the spread versus HOFSTRA over the last 3 seasons
VA COMMONWEALTH is 3-0 straight up against HOFSTRA 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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JAMES MADISON (9 - 10) at GEORGIA ST (13 - 6) - 1/23/2012, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GEORGIA ST is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) in all home games over the last 2 seasons.
GEORGIA ST is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) in home lined games over the last 2 seasons.

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

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TOWSON ST (0 - 20) at DELAWARE (8 - 10) - 1/23/2012, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DELAWARE is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) in home games after a conference game over the last 3 seasons.

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

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UNC-WILMINGTON (8 - 10) at GEORGE MASON (15 - 5) - 1/23/2012, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
UNC-WILMINGTON is 16-28 ATS (-14.8 Units) against conference opponents over the last 3 seasons.
GEORGE MASON is 31-19 ATS (+10.1 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
GEORGE MASON is 31-19 ATS (+10.1 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
GEORGE MASON is 25-13 ATS (+10.7 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
GEORGE MASON is 98-71 ATS (+19.9 Units) in all home games since 1997.
GEORGE MASON is 98-71 ATS (+19.9 Units) in home lined games since 1997.
GEORGE MASON is 73-50 ATS (+18.0 Units) in home games against conference opponents since 1997.
GEORGE MASON is 30-13 ATS (+15.7 Units) in home games when playing with one or less days rest since 1997.
GEORGE MASON is 20-7 ATS (+12.3 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
GEORGE MASON is 16-7 ATS (+8.3 Units) off a win against a conference rival over the last 2 seasons.
GEORGE MASON is 17-8 ATS (+8.2 Units) after allowing 60 points or less over the last 2 seasons.
UNC-WILMINGTON is 86-61 ATS (+18.9 Units) in road games after a conference game since 1997.
UNC-WILMINGTON is 71-44 ATS (+22.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
GEORGE MASON is 4-0 against the spread versus UNC-WILMINGTON over the last 3 seasons
GEORGE MASON is 4-0 straight up against UNC-WILMINGTON over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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TEXAS A&M (11 - 7) at KANSAS (16 - 3) - 1/23/2012, 9:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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LOYOLA-MARYMOUNT (11 - 8) at SANTA CLARA (8 - 10) - 1/23/2012, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LOYOLA-MARYMOUNT is 57-82 ATS (-33.2 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.
SANTA CLARA is 14-5 ATS (+8.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 3 seasons.
LOYOLA-MARYMOUNT is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) against conference opponents this season.
LOYOLA-MARYMOUNT is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) after a conference game this season.
SANTA CLARA is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) when the total is 140 to 149.5 this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
LOYOLA-MARYMOUNT is 3-2 against the spread versus SANTA CLARA over the last 3 seasons
SANTA CLARA is 3-2 straight up against LOYOLA-MARYMOUNT 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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IONA (15 - 4) at SIENA (8 - 10) - 1/23/2012, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
IONA is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) after scoring 80 points or more this season.
SIENA is 29-14 ATS (+13.6 Units) after scoring 60 points or less since 1997.
IONA is 15-5 ATS (+9.5 Units) when the total is 140 to 149.5 over the last 3 seasons.
IONA is 35-20 ATS (+13.0 Units) in road games in January games since 1997.
SIENA is 7-20 ATS (-15.0 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
SIENA is 6-17 ATS (-12.7 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.

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

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THE CITADEL (4 - 14) at GA SOUTHERN (7 - 11) - 1/23/2012, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
THE CITADEL is 12-24 ATS (-14.4 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
THE CITADEL is 12-24 ATS (-14.4 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
THE CITADEL is 6-16 ATS (-11.6 Units) when the total is 130 to 139.5 over the last 2 seasons.
THE CITADEL is 11-21 ATS (-12.1 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
THE CITADEL is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
THE CITADEL is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) in road lined games over the last 2 seasons.
THE CITADEL is 8-18 ATS (-11.8 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
GA SOUTHERN is 2-2 against the spread versus THE CITADEL over the last 3 seasons
GA SOUTHERN is 2-2 straight up against THE CITADEL over the last 3 seasons
4 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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N CAROLINA A&T (8 - 12) at COPPIN ST (9 - 10) - 1/23/2012, 7:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
COPPIN ST is 2-2 straight up against N CAROLINA A&T over the last 3 seasons

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ARK-PINE BLUFF (3 - 16) at PRAIRIE VIEW A&M (7 - 12) - 1/23/2012, 9:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
PRAIRIE VIEW A&M is 1-0 against the spread versus ARK-PINE BLUFF over the last 3 seasons
ARK-PINE BLUFF is 3-1 straight up against PRAIRIE VIEW A&M 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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MISS VALLEY ST (5 - 13) at TEXAS SOUTHERN (6 - 12) - 1/23/2012, 9:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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**Udog** · 01-23-2012, 08:08 AM

NCAAB

Monday, January 23

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
SYRACUSE vs. CINCINNATI
Syracuse is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Syracuse's last 5 games on the road
Cincinnati is 10-2 SU in its last 12 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Cincinnati's last 5 games

7:00 PM
NORTHEASTERN vs. OLD DOMINION
Northeastern is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Northeastern is 8-16 SU in its last 24 games on the road
Old Dominion is 2-3-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Old Dominion is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games

7:00 PM
DREXEL vs. WILLIAM & MARY
Drexel is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Drexel is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against William & Mary
William & Mary is 4-17 SU in its last 21 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of William & Mary's last 7 games

7:00 PM
HOFSTRA vs. VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH
Hofstra is 1-9 SU in its last 10 games on the road
Hofstra is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Virginia Commonwe
Virginia Commonwealth is 12-2 SU in its last 14 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Virginia Commonwealth's last 6 games

7:00 PM
BROWN vs. BRYANT
Brown is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
No trends available

7:00 PM
IONA vs. SIENA
Iona is 14-2 SU in its last 16 games on the road
Iona is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Siena
Siena is 2-2-2 ATS in its last 6 games
Siena is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home

7:00 PM
JAMES MADISON vs. GEORGIA STATE
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of James Madison's last 5 games on the road
Georgia State is 13-3 SU in its last 16 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Georgia State's last 8 games

7:00 PM
TOWSON vs. DELAWARE
Towson is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Towson is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Delaware
Delaware is 2-4-1 ATS in its last 7 games
Delaware is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games

7:00 PM
THE CITADEL vs. GEORGIA SOUTHERN
The Citadel is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
The Citadel is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Georgia Southern is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Georgia Southern is 8-17 SU in its last 25 games

9:00 PM
TEXAS A&M vs. KANSAS
Texas A&M is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
Texas A&M is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games on the road
Kansas is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Kansas's last 7 games

9:00 PM
UNC WILMINGTON vs. GEORGE MASON
UNC Wilmington is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
UNC Wilmington is 5-12 SU in its last 17 games on the road
George Mason is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games
George Mason is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games at home

10:00 PM
LOYOLA MARYMOUNT vs. SANTA CLARA
Loyola Marymount is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Loyola Marymount is 6-13 ATS in its last 19 games when playing on the road against Santa Clara
Santa Clara is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
Santa Clara is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games

10:00 PM
CS BAKERSFIELD vs. SAN JOSE STATE
No trends available
San Jose State is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
San Jose State is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games

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**Udog** · 01-23-2012, 08:10 AM

NCAAB

Monday, January 23

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What bettors need to know: Syracuse Orange at Cincinnati Bearcats
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Syracuse Orange at Cincinnati Bearcats (4, 135)

THE STORY: No. 1 Syracuse showed plenty of weaknesses in its first loss Saturday. Now it must try to show resiliency as it enters another hostile environment at Cincinnati. Syracuse’s school-best 20-game win streak was snapped by a disciplined Notre Dame team that caught fire from behind the 3-point arc. The Orange’s 2-3 zone was frail on the back line with the loss of 7-footer Fab Melo, who will miss Monday’s game as well due to reported academic issues. Cincinnati is coming off a loss of its own, but features four scorers in double figures and plays smart with the ball, much like Notre Dame. The Bearcats average just 10.5 turnovers per game, fewest in the Big East.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN

THE LINE: Oddsmakers opened with Cincinnati set as a 4-point home underdog with a 135-point total.

ABOUT SYRACUSE (20-1, 7-1 Big East): Notre Dame held Syracuse to a season-low in field-goal percentage (34.0) and field goals made (18), but perhaps the most embarrassing aspect of the 67-58 loss was the lack of leadership. Neither senior point guard Scoop Jardine nor leading scorer Kris Joseph was very vocal during the second half, as the Orange looked disorganized on both ends and settled for contested 3-pointers. Both players need to step up their scoring against the Bearcats, whom the Orange defeated 67-52 at home last season. However, Syracuse used a 7-for-8 performance from big man Rick Jackson in that contest. Jackson, of course, has graduated so the loss of Fab Melo really hurts in this matchup. Syracuse does not have an interior scorer to take advantage on the blocks.

ABOUT CINCINNATI (15-5, 5-2 Big East): The Bearcats won't be intimidated by Syracuse, as they've won their past three games against ranked teams – all on the road. Cincinnati, off to its best start in Big East play since joining the conference in 2005-06, can jump into first place with a victory Monday night. It has perhaps the most balanced scoring Syracuse will face all season; four players reached double figures in a 77-74 overtime loss to West Virginia on Saturday. Big man Yancy Gates, who went just 1 of 6 in last year’s meeting, could see a lot of favorable looks underneath against a soft interior that now features freshman Rakeem Christmas instead of Fab Melo.

TRENDS:

-Syracuse is 6-1 against the spread in its last seven road games.
- Cincinnati is 1-6 against the spread in its last seven home games.
-The over is 4-0 in Cincinnati's last four overall.

TIP-INS

1. Syracuse builds momentum by takeaways in the backcourt. Cincinnati point guard Cashmere Wright, though, has just 17 turnovers in his last 11 games.

2. Like the Irish, the Bearcats can be lethal from long range. They rank second in the conference in 3-point shooting percentage (36.8) and lead in made 3-pointers (162).

3. Syracuse leads the all-time series 6-2 and has won three straight over Cincinnati.

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**Udog** · 01-23-2012, 08:12 AM

NCAAB

Monday, January 23

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College funds: Monday's best NCAAB bets
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Texas A&M Aggies at Kansas Jayhawks (-18, 124.5)

Preseason prognostications suggested this would be a matchup of the Big 12's top two teams.

Texas A&M and Kansas were projected as co-favorites in the preseason coaches poll, but the Aggies and the seventh-ranked Jayhawks are headed in opposite directions. Kansas — which has won or shared seven straight league titles — is off to a 6-0 conference start and is again in the driver’s seat, while Texas A&M is 2-4, including an 0-3 mark on the road.

Entering this season, coach Bill Self and the Jayhawks knew they’d need a ton of production out of senior guard Tyshawn Taylor if they were to continue their impressive run in the Big 12. And in the last three games, Taylor has delivered.

He’s scored 78 points in that stretch, including 22 in a 69-66 victory at Texas on Saturday. Taylor made a slew of clutch plays with the game on the line, saying afterward: “Coach says big-time players make big-time plays, and that’s what I was thinking about.”

Pick: Over

Iona Gaels at Siena Saints (9.5, 150)

The Siena Saints finally had enough healthy players to run a solid practice on the weekend.

“Today was the best practice maybe we’ve had all year,” coach Mitch Buonaguro told reporters. “It was spirited, a lot of bodies.”

The Saints had been forced to run half-court practices recently with sophomores Trenity Burdine and Rakeem Brookins ailing. Both were able to take part in last weekend’s practice but aren’t ready for game action yet.

Siena will have trouble keeping up with Iona’s offense, but 9.5 points seems like a lot here. We’ll take a shot with the Saints.

Pick: Saints

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**Udog** · 01-23-2012, 08:14 AM

NCAAB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Monday, January 23

Northeastern is 4-5 in its last nine games with Old Dominion, 1-3 in last four visits here, with losses by 6-12-15 (49-34 LY) points; Huskies are 6-2 in last eight games, winning three of four on CAA road. Both teams had 4-game win streak snapped Saturday. Monarchs are 10-1 this season against teams ranked below #131. Northeatern turn ball over on 23.9% of possessions (#309 in country). CAA single digit home faves are 6-10 against the spread this season.

Syracuse is still missing C Melo, whose presence in middle made Orange 2-3 zone defense lot more effective; Notre Dame shot 50% from floor and was +13 on boards in upsetting Syracuse. Cincinnati lost last three games with Orange by 24-17-15 points but Bearcats are 5-2 in Big East, with two losses by combined total of five points- they can tie for first in Big East here. Big East home underdogs of 7 or less points are 6-8 vs spread. Curious to see how Syracuse responds to its first loss.

Home side won last seven Drexel-Wm&Mary games, with Dragons on short end of last four visits here, by 7-1-1-14 points. Dragons won six in row, 12 of last 13 games; they hold teams to 26% behind arc, second in country. Tribe is 3-16 vs D-I teams, losing last two games by total of 3 points, dropping last game in OT at VCU, as 20-point dogs. Drexel has big game with Georgia State on deck Wednesday. CAA home underdogs are 5-13 vs spread, 1-4 if they're getting more than five points.

Hofstra lost its last seven games with VCU, losing last six visits here, by 12-12-23-10-8-15 points. Pride got first CAA win in eight tries at JMU Saturday; they're 1-3 on CAA road, losing by 1-6-8 points. Only one of its seven CAA losses is by more than 8 points. CAA double digit home favorites are 9-4 against the spread. Rams won last four games, three by 13+ points; they're 12-2 in last 14 games overall. VCU won first meeting this season, 80-63 (-7) on Long Island.

James Madison lost three of last four games with Georgia State, with all three losses by 5 or less points; Dukes are 0-3 vs top 100 teams, losing by 9-20-6 points. JMU is 2-6 in conference, but both wins came on the road (0-4 at home), with road losses by 7-20 points. Georgia State lost couple road games last week; they're 4-0 in CAA home games, winning by 32-14-14-15 points. CAA double digit home favorites are 9-4 against the spread. State has big game with Drexel looming in two nights.

Towson State lost its last 39 games overall, they're 0-4 on CAA road so far this season, losing by 33-37-15-12 points. Tigers are actually 5-2 in last seven games with Delaware, losing by 3-10 points in LY's meetings. CAA home favorites of 15+ points are 3-4 vs spread. Delaware lost six of last nine games, but they did upset Georgia State Saturday; they force least turnovers of anyone in country. Six of Towson's last ten losses are by 16+ points.

NC-Wilmington lost its last seven games with George Mason, losing last three visits here by 41-13-15 points; Seahawks lost three of their last four games- three of their four CAA losses are by 14+ points. Patriots won three in row, eight of last nine games; they're 4-0 at home in CAA, with home wins by 14-3-26-12 points. CAA double digit home favorites are 9-4 against the spread. Mason scored average of 83.3 ppg last three games, after scoring average of 57 ppg the four games before that.

Texas A&M lost six in row, nine of last ten games with Kansas, losing last four visits here, by 5-3-20-18 points. Aggies lost six of last eight vs D-I opponents, losing all three conference road tilts by 9-10-19 points- they're down a bit from level they were at under Turgeon. Big X double digit home favorites are 5-6 against the spread. Jayhawks won last nine games, winning first three Big X home games by 18-9-18 points. So far in league play, only one of their six wins is by more than 18 points.

LMU lost seven of last nine games with Santa Clara, losing three times to Broncos LY, by 7-6(2ot)-8 points; Lions lost three of last four here, with only win two years ago. LMU is 11-8 with five losses to teams in top 40, but they've also lost to Columbia/Morgan State; they are first WCC team to win at BYU and also upset Saint Louis, so they're hard to figure. WCC home underdogs are 6-5-1 vs spread, 3-2 if spread was less than five points. Santa Clara allowed 85.5 ppg in losing last six games.

Iona clubbed Siena 95-59 in Madison Square Garden in first meeting this year, its third straight series win (first two by 4-30). Gaels lost five in a row in Albany, by 1-5-1-20-6 points; they're 7-1 in MAAC, with every win by 12+ points (only loss was at home to Manhattan). MAAC home underdogs are 4-6 against the spread. Shorthanded Siena scored 56 ppg in losing last two games, by 19-11 points; they're basically playing only six guys, with a 7th guy getting a minute or two, but thats it.

Home side won six of last seven Citadel-Georgia Southern games, with Bulldogs seven of last eight visits here, losing by 28-34-28-19-30-3-12 points. Southern Conference home favorites are 21-13 vs spread, 7-3 if laying double digits. Citadel is 1-6 in SoCon, with only one loss by less than 15 points, and that was to an awful NC-Greensboro team. Eagles are 2-3 in last five games, with wins by 5-6 points; they're 4-0 at home in conference, with only one win by more than eight points.

**Udog** · 01-23-2012, 08:15 AM

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Monday, January 23

Hot Teams
-- 76ers covered seven of eight tries as a home favorite.
-- Orlando won six of last seven games (covered last four on road).
-- Thunder won eight of last nine games (4-3 as home favorite).
-- Bulls are 7-0 at home (3-3-1 as home favorite).
-- Hawks won five of last seven games, losing last two at home. Bucks won four of their five home games.
-- Rockets won their last six games (4-1-1 vs spread). Minnesota won three of last four games, is 4-1-1 vs spread in last six.
-- Dallas won/covered its last six home games, but Nowitzki (knee) is out. Suns won their last two games on road, are 4-4 as road underdogs.
-- Sacramento won last two games; they're 2-7 as a road underdog.
-- Grizzlies won their last six games (5-1 vs spread).

Cold Teams
-- Wizards are 0-6 on road (1-4-1 as road underdog).
-- Celtics lost six of their last eight games.
-- Pistons are 1-5-1 vs spread as a road underdog.
-- Nets lost three of last four road games (5-5 as road dog).
-- Spurs lost six of seven road games (1-5-1 vs spread). New Orleans lost its last seven games (2-6 as home underdog).
-- Portland lost five of last seven games (5-2 as home favorite).
-- Warriors lost four of their last five home games.

Totals
-- Last six Washington games went over the total.
-- Last seven Boston home games stayed under the total.
-- Six of eight Detroit road games stayed under the total.
-- Three of last four New Jersey games stayed under total.
-- Under is 3-1-1 in last five Atlanta games.
-- Seven of last ten Houston games stayed under the total.
-- Five of last seven San Antonio games stayed under total.
-- Five of last six Phoenix road games stayed under the total.
-- Eight of Kings' nine road games stayed under the total.
-- Six of seven Memphis road games stayed under total.

Wear and Tear
-- Wizards: 4th game/6 nites. 76ers: 4th game/6 nites.
-- Magic: Had last two nights off. Celtics: 4th game/6 nites.
-- Pistons: 5th game/7 nites. Thunder: 2nd game/5 nites.
-- Nets: 3rd nite in row. Bulls: 3rd game/4 nites.
-- Hawks: 4th game/6 nites. Bucks: 3rd game/4 nites.
-- Rockets: 3rd game/5 nites. Wolves: 4th game/6 nites.
-- Spurs: 5th game/7 nites. Hornets: 4th game/6 nites.
-- Suns: Had last two nites off. Mavericks: 4th game/6 nites.
-- Kings: 4th game/6 nites. Blazers: 4th game/6 nites.
-- Grizzlies: 4th game/6 nites. Warriors: Had last two nites off.

**Udog** · 01-23-2012, 08:15 AM

NBA

Monday, January 23

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. PHILADELPHIA
Washington is 1-8 ATS in its last 9 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Washington's last 5 games when playing Philadelphia
Philadelphia is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Washington
Philadelphia is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Washington

7:30 PM
ORLANDO vs. BOSTON
Orlando is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Orlando's last 5 games on the road
Boston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Orlando
Boston is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games when playing Orlando

8:00 PM
NEW JERSEY vs. CHICAGO
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New Jersey's last 6 games when playing Chicago
The total has gone OVER in 7 of New Jersey's last 10 games
Chicago is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against New Jersey
Chicago is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games

8:00 PM
SAN ANTONIO vs. NEW ORLEANS
San Antonio is 1-11 SU in its last 12 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Antonio's last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New Orleans's last 5 games when playing San Antonio
New Orleans is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games when playing San Antonio

8:00 PM
ATLANTA vs. MILWAUKEE
The total has gone OVER in 14 of Atlanta's last 19 games when playing Milwaukee
Atlanta is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Milwaukee
Milwaukee is 19-6 SU in its last 25 games when playing at home against Atlanta
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Milwaukee's last 9 games when playing at home against Atlanta

8:00 PM
DETROIT vs. OKLAHOMA CITY
Detroit is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games on the road
Detroit is 4-13 ATS in its last 17 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Oklahoma City's last 6 games when playing Detroit
Oklahoma City is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games

8:00 PM
HOUSTON vs. MINNESOTA
Houston is 14-1 SU in its last 15 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Houston's last 11 games
Minnesota is 2-12-1 ATS in its last 15 games when playing Houston
Minnesota is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games

8:30 PM
PHOENIX vs. DALLAS
Phoenix is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Phoenix is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Dallas
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Dallas's last 7 games
Dallas is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Phoenix

10:00 PM
SACRAMENTO vs. PORTLAND
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Sacramento's last 8 games
Sacramento is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Portland's last 5 games when playing Sacramento
Portland is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games when playing Sacramento

10:30 PM
MEMPHIS vs. GOLDEN STATE
Memphis is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Golden State
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Memphis's last 5 games when playing on the road against Golden State
Golden State is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home
Golden State is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Memphis

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**Udog** · 01-23-2012, 08:17 AM

NBA

Monday, January 23

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NBA Top 5: Best under bets in basketball
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The abbreviated NBA season is more than a month old, and already NBA bettors are starting to see some definitive trends.

The biggest pattern standing out is the overwhelming amount of games finishing under the betting total. Heading into Sunday’s schedule, the under has hit in 58.02 percent of NBA games this season (110-152 over/under).

Blame it on post-lockout rust, good defense, or just the grind of the 66-game schedule – whatever the cause, these five teams have been solid bets to stay below the number:

Los Angeles Lakers (5-12 over/under)

The Lakers have played under the total in three straight games heading into Sunday’s date with the Indiana Pacers. Los Angeles doesn’t have the offensive depth it has had in past seasons with Lamar Odom and Shannon Brown playing elsewhere, and rank 24th in the league in bench scoring. The defense has remained stout, giving up just over 90 points a night – fifth in the league.

Minnesota Timberwolves (3-11-1 over/under)

Minnesota isn’t just making money for down-on-their-luck T-Wolves fans playing the spreads (10-5 ATS), the Timberwolves are also cashing in big for under bettors. Kevin Love is the focal point of the offense inside, slowing down the pace of the game, and injuries have stunted any growth in the scoring department. The T-Wolves, however, continue to play tough defense, allowing just three opponents to top the century mark this season.

New York Knicks (4-11 over/under)

Perhaps oddsmakers are overvaluing Mike D'Antoni’s offense. The Knicks head coach is notorious for pushing the tempo, but his stars Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire are pleading with their coach to pick up the pace after averaging just 88 points in their last six outings – going 1-5 over/under in that span.

The addition of Tyson Chandler immediately improved New York on defense and the return of Jared Jeffries adds some length inside as well. With the Knicks losing five straight, there may be plenty of value to go the other way and bet the over with New York as they change their offensive philosophy.

Phoenix Suns (4-11 over/under)

The Suns are the fifth-oldest team in the NBA, which doesn’t bode well when thrown into the night-in, night-out grind of the 66-game sked. Steve Nash and Grant Hill have already missed time with injuries, taking a major chunk of offense out of Phoenix’s backcourt. The Suns really don’t boast a go-to-guy like most NBA franchises, and when Marcin Gortat is your second-leading scorer, you know you have issues. Phoenix is currently on an old-timers tour, coming off a 79-71 win over Boston (fourth oldest team) and facing Dallas (NBA’s oldest team) on Monday.

Toronto Raptors (4-11 over/under)

Toronto shares some similarities with Phoenix – and not just because of current GM Bryan Colangelo, who served as the Suns GM for 11 years. The Raptors have a marginal star in forward Andrea Bargnani, who has missed the last five games with a calf injury. Outside of the sharp-shooting Italian, Toronto doesn’t have much scoring prowess and is under the defense-first philosophy of new head coach Dwane Casey.

Shooting guard DeMar DeRozan has hit the ceiling around 20 points per game, leaving the rest of the heavy lifting to reserve guard Leandro Barbosa. It will be interesting to see how low the number goes when the Raptors meet the Suns Tuesday.

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**Udog** · 01-23-2012, 08:19 AM

NBA

Monday, January 23

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Pick 'n' roll: Monday's best NBA bets
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San Antonio Spurs at New Orleans Hornets (5, 178.5)

The San Antonio Spurs head to the Big Easy looking for an answer to their two-game losing skid.

The Spurs, knowing rougher roads could be ahead, gave veteran forward Tim Duncan the night off Saturday, losing 105-102 to the Houston Rockets. Saturday was San Antonio’s fourth game in five nights, and coach Gregg Popovich wanted to give his all-star a two-game hiatus before Monday’s game against the New Orleans Hornets.

New Orleans has lost seven straight games with the two most recent defeats coming at the hands of Texas teams – Dallas and Houston. The Hornets' offense can’t keep pace with star guard Eric Gordon on the sidelines.

They have topped the 90-point mark only once during their slide. San Antonio has won seven of the last nine meetings, but the Hornets defeated the Spurs 96-72 at home in their most recent meeting last January.

Pick: Under

Orlando Magic at Boston Celtics (-2.5, N/A)

In the very recent past, a battle between the Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics could represent a preview of the Eastern Conference finals or at least the semifinals.

This season, the Celtics are three games below .500 and the Magic are holding their breath as their franchise player keeps a trade demand on the table. Right now, Orlando is tied for first in the Southeast Division. A trade of Dwight Howard dulls their outlook considerably.

Boston got a turn-back-the-clock performance from Paul Pierce on Sunday but lost Ray Allen to a jammed ankle in the second quarter of a win over the lowly Washington Wizards.

“At the end of the day, your big players have to play well for you to win, especially games when you have guys out,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. Boston hopes to have both Allen and point guard Rajon Rondo back in the lineup when they host the Magic on Monday.

Pick: Magic

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**Udog** · 01-23-2012, 08:25 AM

NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Monday, January 23

Hot teams
-- Islanders won four of their last five games.
-- Detroit won its last six games, allowing ten goals. Blues won four in row, eight of last nine games.
-- Predators won six of their last seven home games.
-- Ottawa won ten of its last thirteen games.

Cold teams
-- Winnipeg/Carolina both lost seven of their last ten games.
-- Toronto lost four of its last five games.
-- Blue Jackets lost seven of their last nine road games.
-- Oilers lost eight of their last nine games. San Jose lost three of its last four.
-- Los Angeles lost its last three home games.

Totals
-- Six of last nine Winnipeg games stayed under the total.
-- Five of last six Islander games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 7-0-3 in last ten St Louis road games, 6-0 in Detroit's last six games overall.
-- Under is 5-2 in last seven Columbus road games.
-- Under is 9-4 in Sharks' last thirteen road games.
-- Last six Ottawa games stayed under the total.

Series records
-- Jets won four of last five games against Carolina.
-- Islanders lost three of last four games against Toronto.
-- Blues lost five of last six visits to Detroit.
-- Predators won eight of last ten games with Columbus.
-- Sharks won ten of last twelve games against Edmonton.
-- Kings won three of last four games against Ottawa.

Back-to-Back
-- None

NHL

Monday, January 23

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
NY ISLANDERS vs. TORONTO
NY Islanders are 8-16 SU in their last 24 games on the road
NY Islanders are 4-15-1 SU in their last 20 games ,when playing on the road against Toronto
Toronto is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Toronto's last 5 games at home

7:00 PM
WINNIPEG vs. CAROLINA
Winnipeg is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Carolina
Winnipeg is 4-11 SU in its last 15 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Carolina's last 5 games
Carolina is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Winnipeg

7:30 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. DETROIT
The total has gone OVER in 13 of St. Louis's last 18 games when playing Detroit
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of St. Louis's last 5 games when playing Detroit
Detroit is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against St. Louis
The total has gone OVER in 13 of Detroit's last 18 games when playing St. Louis

8:00 PM
COLUMBUS vs. NASHVILLE
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Columbus's last 15 games when playing on the road against Nashville
Columbus is 1-18 SU in its last 19 games when playing on the road against Nashville
Nashville is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Columbus
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Nashville's last 6 games at home

9:30 PM
SAN JOSE vs. EDMONTON
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of San Jose's last 14 games
San Jose is 10-2 SU in its last 12 games when playing Edmonton
Edmonton is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against San Jose
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Edmonton's last 7 games

10:30 PM
OTTAWA vs. LOS ANGELES
Ottawa is 0-4-1 SU in its last 5 games ,when playing on the road against Los Angeles
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Ottawa's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Los Angeles's last 18 games at home
Los Angeles is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home

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NHL

Monday, January 23

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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: Detroit Red Wings

The Western Conference has been a bastion of activity when it comes to the “it” team. There are several clubs who have carried that label at times only to see another squad rise up and take it away. Minnesota had it for a while. Chicago, too. But now, it resides in Hockeytown.

Detroit is turning a corner that it may never go back on. The Red Wings have just two losses in the new calendar year. A 3-2 win over Columbus on Saturday night was Detroit’s eighth in January and sixth in a row. And they are doing it with defense, as the scores show. In fact, six of those eight wins came by way of 3-2 scores. Now, that’s consistency.

Things are still ultra-tight in the Central Division, as the Red Wings closed Saturday just one point ahead of St. Louis and Chicago. But as long as this type of steady play continues in Detroit, a No. 1 seed in the West won't be far behind.

COLD TEAM: Buffalo Sabres

The Sabres are learning fast that money doesn’t buy championships in hockey. Under new ownership, Buffalo added payroll, beefed up its defensive corps, and even redid its training and locker-room facilities. But on Saturday night, the Sabres fell five games under .500, with a 4-2 loss at St. Louis, their fifth in a row.

Coach Lindy Ruff, the league’s longest tenured coach, is in danger of losing his job, goaltender Ryan Miller is searching for answers, and Christian Ehrhoff, the big summer acquisition on the back line, is on injured reserve with an upper-body injury.

Other than that, things are just fine for Buffalo, a team that closed Saturday’s action nine points out of the final playoff spot, and tied with Carolina for the lowest point total (43) in the East. Anything can happen in this game, and comebacks do occur, but you’re probably pretty safe treating the Sabres, moving forward, as a fade team.

OVER PLAY: Vancouver Canucks

The topsy-turvy beginning to the season for the defending Western Conference champions is now a distant memory, as the Canucks have bounced back, regained their dominant form, and seem primed for another run at the Stanley Cup Finals.

A 4-3 win over San Jose on Saturday afternoon gave the Canucks 62 points and an eight-point cushion over Colorado in first place of the Northwest Division. And while the goaltending has been adequate, it hasn’t stopped the Canucks from becoming one of the better over buys in the league.

In the last five games headed into Tuesday’s game against Edmonton, Vancouver has gone 3-0-2 over, including three games with at least six goals total. The run has given them a 23-21-4 over mark this season, and with only two games on their schedule the rest of this month, expect those high-scoring forwards to be rested and ready for more.

UNDER PLAY: Los Angeles Kings

New coach Darryl Sutter has steadied the ship a bit in Los Angeles. Through Saturday night, in fact, the Kings were 8-2-6 since he replaced Terry Murray. In the new regime, the scoring still needs some work, but the defense and goaltending are there, and you know what that means in the betting world: Unders.

A 3-1 loss to Colorado on Saturday was Los Angeles' 27th under of the season. It extended an overless streak to five games (three unders, two pushes), and reinforced the fact that the Kings may be the best under bet out there.

And as long as the Kings' duo in net -- Jonathan Quick and Jonathan Bernier -- maintain their combined 2.09 goals-against average, Los Angeles games will continue to be boring, but profitable for under players.

SURVEYING THE SCHEDULE:

** An impressive 3-2 overtime win over the Bruins in Boston on Saturday made for a great trip home and gave the Rangers plenty to feel good about with plenty of time on their hands. In fact, with the All-Star break on the horizon, the Rangers will play just two games the rest of this month, including Tuesday’s home tilt against Winnipeg. So, the top team in the East has a good stretch here to relax and get ready for the home stretch.

** It’s the same deal for the Blues, who also just have two games left in January. The big difference here, though, is that they’re in the back-to-back form, and it begins on Monday at Detroit. Indeed, depending on how you look at it, St. Louis has a golden opportunity or a daunting task, facing the Red Wings and Penguins in a span of 24 hours this week. But either way, the Blues will have plenty of time to think about it, as they won’t play again until Feb. 3.

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NHL

Monday, January 23

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Ice picks: Monday's best NHL bets
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Columbus Blue Jackets at Nashville Predators (-255, 5.5)

The Nashville Predators are going to experience the NHL's version of "Groundhog Day." After facing the Columbus Blue Jackets and Chicago Blackhawks in their last two outings, Barry Trotz's charges will once again face those same two Central Division rivals on back-to-back nights before heading into the All-Star break.

Nashville, which began its two-game winning streak with a 3-0 triumph over Columbus, will host the Blue Jackets on Monday before traveling to Chicago to face the Blackhawks on Tuesday.

The Blue Jackets, who have dropped two in a row, certainly got their fill of Pekka Rinne in the last outing. The 29-year-old Finn stopped all 38 shots - including 18 in the third period - as Columbus became the last NHL team to fall victim to a shutout.

Rinne has won 10 of his last 11 starts - allowing only 19 goals in the process - and owns a 13-4-1 career mark versus the Blue Jackets.

Pick: Under

Winnipeg Jets at Carolina Hurricanes (-130, 5.5)

The Winnipeg Jets have struggled on the road this season and that's where they'll find themselves until Feb. 7. The Jets begin a six-game road trip on Monday against the Southeast Division rival Carolina Hurricanes.

Claude Noel's club hasn't fared well away from Manitoba, posting a 7-12-4 mark. The Jets' task has also gotten tougher with the loss of leading scorer Evander Kane, who has been diagnosed with a concussion. It is not known when or how he was injured.

"It's a fairly gray area, and you just don't know what you're dealing with. That's the problem," Noel said. "Is it going to be a few days? Is it going to be a few weeks? You don't know. But I'll handle that the way I've had to deal with everything else. We have what we have."

Carolina knows that situation all too well since promising star Jeff Skinner had just returned from a month-long absence because of a concussion. The reigning Calder Trophy winner netted the goal in a 2-1 setback to the New York Islanders on Saturday.

Pick: Under

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

**Udog** · 01-23-2012, 08:48 AM

NCAAB
Dunkel

Texas A&M at Kansas
The Jayhawks look to take advantage of Texas A&M team that 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games against teams with a winning record. Kansas is the pick (-17 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Jayhawks favored by 24 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Kansas (-17 1/2). Here are all of today's picks.

MONDAY, JANUARY 23

Game 741-742: Northeastern at Old Dominion (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Northeastern 52.111; Old Dominion 62.695
Dunkel Line: Old Dominion by 10 1/2; 110
Vegas Line: Old Dominion by 7 1/2; 116
Dunkel Pick: Old Dominion (-7 1/2); Under

Game 743-744: Syracuse at Cincinnati (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Syracuse 72.313; Cincinnati 71.425
Dunkel Line: Syracuse by 1; 142
Vegas Line: Syracuse by 5; 135
Dunkel Pick Cincinnati (+5); Over

Game 745-746: Drexel at William & Mary (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Drexel 60.717; William & Mary 52.587
Dunkel Line: Drexel by 8; 112
Vegas Line: Drexel by 10; 117
Dunkel Pick: William & Mary (+10); Under

Game 747-748: Hofstra at VCU (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Hofstra 52.541; VCU 68.338
Dunkel Line: VCU by 16; 138
Vegas Line: VCU by 13 1/2; 134 1/2
Dunkel Pick: VCU (-13 1/2); Over

Game 749-750: James Madison at Georgia State (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: James Madison 51.432; Georgia State 60.230
Dunkel Line: Georgia State by 9; 132
Vegas Line: Georgia State by 11; 127
Dunkel Pick: James Madison (+11); Over

Game 751-752: Towson at Delaware (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Towson 35.567; Delaware 57.060
Dunkel Line: Delaware by 21 1/2; 119
Vegas Line: Delaware by 15 1/2; 123
Dunkel Pick: Delaware (-15 1/2); Under

Game 753-754: NC-Wilmington at George Mason (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NC-Wilmington 52.508; George Mason 62.623
Dunkel Line: George Mason by 10; 147
Vegas Line: George Mason by 11 1/2; 142 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NC-Wilmington (+11 1/2); Over

Game 755-756: Texas A&M at Kansas (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Texas A&M 57.219; Kansas 81.958
Dunkel Line: Kansas by 24 1/2; 119
Vegas Line: Kansas by 17 1/2; 124 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Kansas (-17 1/2); Under

Game 757-758: Loyola Marymount at Santa Clara (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Loyola Marymount 59.188; Santa Clara 52.857
Dunkel Line: Loyola Marymount by 6 1/2; 141
Vegas Line: Loyola Marymount by 1 1/2; 144 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Loyola-Marymount (-1 1/2); Under

Game 759-760: Iona at Siena (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Iona 60.392; Siena 55.847
Dunkel Line: Iona by 4 1/2; 155
Vegas Line: Iona by 10; 150
Dunkel Pick: Siena (+10); Over

Game 761-762: The Citadel at Georgia Southern (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: The Citadel 40.070; Georgia Southern 47.836
Dunkel Line: Georgia Southern by 8; 133
Vegas Line: Georgia Southern by 10 1/2; 136
Dunkel Pick: The Citadel (+10 1/2); Under

Game 763-764: NC A&T at Coppin State (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NC A&T 43.005; Coppin State 53.253
Dunkel Line: Coppin State by 10; 139
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 765-766: Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Prairie View A&M (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Arkansas-Pine Bluff 35.846; Prairie View A&M 40.277
Dunkel Line: Prairie View A&M by 4 1/2; 138
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Announcement

Monday's Trends and Indexes - 1/23 (NFL, NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

Monday's Trends and Indexes - 1/23 (NFL, NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

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