Announcement

**Udog** · 12-20-2012, 08:52 AM

Where the action is: NFL mid-week line moves

Playoff pushes and towel tossing teams make Week 16 a tough stretch of schedule for NFL bettors. We talk to Jeff Stoneback, sportsbook manager at the MGM Mirage in Las Vegas, about the biggest line moves on the board:

New Orleans Saints at Dallas Cowboys – Open: -3, Move: -1

Some online books have taken early action on the Saints, dropping the opening number to Dallas -1. The MGM Mirage is still dealing a field goal on the Cowboys, but Stoneback expects bettors side with the underdog by Sunday.

“That’s a tough game. The Saints have the capacity to play well while the Cowboys are in a must-win spot,” Stoneback told Covers. “If I had to guess, I’d have to think they’d take the points with the Saints.”

San Diego Chargers at New York Jets – Open: -3, Move: -1

New York has switched QBs for this second-last game on the sked, benching Mark Sanchez for Greg McIlroy. Stoneback says the move doesn’t impact the odds and actually believes it to be an upgrade.

“If this happened in Week 2 or 3, we’d say it definitely has an impact. But what (Sanchez) has shown, especially last week, there is no drop off,” Stoneback says. “He’s actually hurt the team. With him out, it’s probably better for the team.”

Minnesota Vikings at Houston Texans – Open: -7.5, Move: -9.5

MGM took some early sharp money on Houston, bumping their spread to -8.5. However, Stoneback says Minnesota has been a favorite of wise guys in recent weeks.

“Sharp money has shown up on the Vikings,” he says. “They bet them last week against the Rams and came in late on Minnesota against Chicago two weeks ago.”

Tennessee Titans at Green Bay Packers – Open: -11.5, Move: -14

Some online shops have Green Bay as high as a two-touchdown favorite but the early money at MGM has been limit bets on the Titans, taking that spread to -12.5 after opening at -13.

“It’s a double-digit spread with the price a little bit inflated because it’s the Packers at home,” says Stoneback. “Sharps come in on those double-digit dogs. It’s almost an automatic play with them.”

Cleveland Browns at Denver Broncos – Open: -11, Move: -13.5

Surprisingly, some of the early money on this game came in on Cleveland. But Stoneback isn’t sweating a line move at his book, knowing that the public will pile on Denver come Sunday afternoon.

“Sharps took the underdog but we’ll have plenty of money on the Broncos,” he says.

New York Giants at Baltimore Ravens – Open: Pick, Move: +2.5

Some online shops opened this game at a pick’em but action quickly dictated the line move in favor of the Giants. New York is in must-win mode, tied atop the NFC East, while Baltimore is already locked into a postseason spot despite its recent skid.

“Baltimore seems to be a in a bad funk right now and is going the wrong way,” says Stoneback. “The game is much more important to the Giants and I wouldn’t be surprised to see this go off at a field goal.”

San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks – Open: -1, Move: +1

This spread is teetering between the two teams, moving to San Francisco -1 after its win in New England Sunday. Stoneback says the early sharp money is on Seattle but he’s hesitant to move because plenty of Niners money will show up before Sunday night.

**Udog** · 12-20-2012, 08:52 AM

NCAAB
Dunkel

Iona at LaSalle
The Gaels look to build on their 6-4 ATS record in their last 10 games as an underdog. Iona is the pick (+5 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has LaSalle favored by only 2 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Iona (+5 1/2). Here are all of today's games.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20

Game 507-508: Texas State at Central Michigan (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Texas State 48.020; Central Michigan 54.133
Dunkel Line: Central Michigan by 6
Vegas Line: Central Michigan by 4
Dunkel Pick: Central Michigan (-4)

Game 509-510: UL-Monroe at UAB (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: UL-Monroe 41.022; UAB 58.892
Dunkel Line: UAB by 18
Vegas Line: UAB by 20 1/2
Dunkel Pick: UL-Monroe (+20 1/2)

Game 511-512: Pepperdine at Tulane (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Pepperdine 50.314; Tulane 59.154
Dunkel Line: Tulane by 9
Vegas Line: Tulane by 7
Dunkel Pick: Tulane (-7)

Game 513-514: Eastern Michigan at Michigan (8:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Eastern Michigan 48.075; Michigan 75.806
Dunkel Line: Michigan by 27 1/2; 111
Vegas Line: Michigan by 24 1/2; 115 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Michigan (-24 1/2); Under

Game 515-516: Cal Poly at Washington (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cal Poly 52.217; Washington 63.993
Dunkel Line: Washington by 12
Vegas Line: Washington by 10
Dunkel Pick: Washington (-10)

Game 517-518: Idaho at Boise State (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Idaho 53.101; Boise State 67.589
Dunkel Line: Boise State by 14 1/2
Vegas Line: Boise State by 12
Dunkel Pick: Boise State (-12)

Game 519-520: UC-Irvine at USC (11:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: UC-Irvine 51.250; USC 62.393
Dunkel Line: USC by 11
Vegas Line: USC by 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: USC (-8 1/2)

Game 521-522: UC Davis vs. Southern Illinois (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: UC Davis 45.715; Southern Illinois 54.539
Dunkel Line: Southern Illinois by 9
Vegas Line: Southern Illinois by 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Southern Illinois (-6 1/2)

Game 523-524: Nicholls State at Utah State (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Nicholls State 42.506; Utah State 58.846
Dunkel Line: Utah State by 16 1/2
Vegas Line: Utah State by 18
Dunkel Pick: Nicholls State (+18)

Game 525-526: Elon at Duke (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Elon 52.839; Duke 83.262
Dunkel Line: Duke by 30 1/2
Vegas Line: Duke by 23 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Duke (-23 1/2)

Game 527-528: Iona at LaSalle (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Iona 56.842; LaSalle 59.575
Dunkel Line: LaSalle by 2 1/2
Vegas Line: LaSalle by 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Iona (+5 1/2)

Game 529-530: Rider at Princeton (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Rider 52.842; Princeton 56.621
Dunkel Line: Princeton by 4
Vegas Line: Princeton by 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Rider (+6 1/2)

Game 531-532: IUPUI at Valparaiso (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: IUPUI 42.727; Valparaiso 57.994
Dunkel Line: Valparaiso by 15 1/2
Vegas Line: Valparaiso by 18
Dunkel Pick: IUPUI (+18)

Game 533-534: Weber State at Eastern Washington (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Weber State 56.001; Eastern Washington 52.939
Dunkel Line: Weber State by 3
Vegas Line: Weber State by 7
Dunkel Pick: Eastern Washington (+7)

Game 535-536: Idaho State at Portland State (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Idaho State 40.759; Portland State 51.769
Dunkel Line: Portland State by 11
Vegas Line: Portland State by 8
Dunkel Pick: Portland State (-8)

**Udog** · 12-20-2012, 08:53 AM

NCAAB
Long Sheet

Thursday, December 20

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TEXAS ST (4 - 7) at C MICHIGAN (5 - 4) - 12/20/2012, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
C MICHIGAN is 28-46 ATS (-22.6 Units) in December games since 1997.

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

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LA-MONROE (1 - 6) at UAB (5 - 6) - 12/20/2012, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
UAB is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.

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

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PEPPERDINE (7 - 4) at TULANE (8 - 3) - 12/20/2012, 8:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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E MICHIGAN (6 - 3) at MICHIGAN (11 - 0) - 12/20/2012, 8:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
E MICHIGAN is 119-155 ATS (-51.5 Units) as an underdog since 1997.
E MICHIGAN is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) as a road underdog of 12.5 or more points over the last 3 seasons.
E MICHIGAN is 71-98 ATS (-36.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
MICHIGAN is 46-25 ATS (+18.5 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
MICHIGAN is 46-25 ATS (+18.5 Units) in all lined games over the last 3 seasons.
MICHIGAN is 22-11 ATS (+9.9 Units) in all home games over the last 3 seasons.
MICHIGAN is 22-11 ATS (+9.9 Units) in home lined games over the last 3 seasons.
MICHIGAN is 21-10 ATS (+10.0 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.
MICHIGAN is 38-20 ATS (+16.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
MICHIGAN is 21-8 ATS (+12.2 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game over the last 3 seasons.

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

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CAL POLY-SLO (4 - 5) at WASHINGTON (6 - 4) - 12/20/2012, 9:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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IDAHO (4 - 5) at BOISE ST (7 - 2) - 12/20/2012, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOISE ST is 78-53 ATS (+19.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.
IDAHO is 22-11 ATS (+9.9 Units) as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
IDAHO is 3-0 against the spread versus BOISE ST over the last 3 seasons
BOISE ST is 3-0 straight up against IDAHO 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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UC-IRVINE (5 - 7) at USC (4 - 6) - 12/20/2012, 11:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
UC-IRVINE is 55-78 ATS (-30.8 Units) when playing with one or less days rest since 1997.
UC-IRVINE is 43-24 ATS (+16.6 Units) in December games since 1997.
USC is 12-27 ATS (-17.7 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
USC is 12-27 ATS (-17.7 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
USC is 4-16 ATS (-13.6 Units) in all home games over the last 2 seasons.
USC is 4-16 ATS (-13.6 Units) in home lined games over the last 2 seasons.
USC is 2-15 ATS (-14.5 Units) after allowing 60 points or less over the last 2 seasons.
USC is 0-9 ATS (-9.9 Units) in home games versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
USC is 0-0 against the spread versus UC-IRVINE over the last 3 seasons
USC is 1-0 straight up against UC-IRVINE over the last 3 seasons

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CAL DAVIS (2 - 6) vs. S ILLINOIS (6 - 2) - 12/20/2012, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CAL DAVIS is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in all neutral court games over the last 3 seasons.
CAL DAVIS is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) when playing on a neutral court over the last 3 seasons.

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

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NICHOLLS ST (1 - 5) at UTAH ST (6 - 1) - 12/20/2012, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
UTAH ST is 19-8 ATS (+10.2 Units) in home games in all tournament games since 1997.

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

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ELON (6 - 4) at DUKE (10 - 0) - 12/20/2012, 7:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
ELON is 1-0 against the spread versus DUKE over the last 3 seasons
DUKE is 1-0 straight up against ELON 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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IONA (5 - 4) at LASALLE (6 - 2) - 12/20/2012, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
IONA is 6-15 ATS (-10.5 Units) after scoring 80 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
LASALLE is 14-28 ATS (-16.8 Units) in home games in non-conference games since 1997.
LASALLE is 35-59 ATS (-29.9 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.

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

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RIDER (6 - 5) at PRINCETON (3 - 6) - 12/20/2012, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
RIDER is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) off a loss against a conference rival over the last 3 seasons.
PRINCETON is 88-61 ATS (+20.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
RIDER is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
RIDER is 1-0 against the spread versus PRINCETON over the last 3 seasons
PRINCETON is 1-0 straight up against RIDER 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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IUPUI (4 - 9) at VALPARAISO (7 - 4) - 12/20/2012, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
IUPUI is 1-9 ATS (-8.9 Units) in all games this season.
IUPUI is 1-9 ATS (-8.9 Units) in all lined games this season.
IUPUI is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
IUPUI is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) in non-conference games this season.
IUPUI is 1-9 ATS (-8.9 Units) after failing to cover the spread in 3 or more consecutive games over the last 2 seasons.
VALPARAISO is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) in December games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
IUPUI is 1-0 against the spread versus VALPARAISO over the last 3 seasons
IUPUI is 1-0 straight up against VALPARAISO 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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WEBER ST (4 - 3) at E WASHINGTON (2 - 8) - 12/20/2012, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WEBER ST is 115-82 ATS (+24.8 Units) against conference opponents since 1997.
E WASHINGTON is 26-48 ATS (-26.8 Units) in December games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
E WASHINGTON is 3-2 against the spread versus WEBER ST over the last 3 seasons
WEBER ST is 4-1 straight up against E WASHINGTON 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 (1 - 7) at PORTLAND ST (2 - 5) - 12/20/2012, 10:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
IDAHO ST is 127-169 ATS (-58.9 Units) in all games since 1997.
IDAHO ST is 127-169 ATS (-58.9 Units) in all lined games since 1997.
IDAHO ST is 78-110 ATS (-43.0 Units) against conference opponents since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
PORTLAND ST is 3-1 against the spread versus IDAHO ST over the last 3 seasons
PORTLAND ST is 3-1 straight up against IDAHO ST 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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**Udog** · 12-20-2012, 08:53 AM

NCAAB

Thursday, December 20

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
ELON vs. DUKE
Elon is 2-9 SU in its last 11 games on the road
Duke is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Duke is 7-14 ATS in its last 21 games at home

7:00 PM
IONA vs. LA SALLE
Iona is 19-6 SU in its last 25 games on the road
La Salle is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
La Salle is 16-4 SU in its last 20 games at home

7:00 PM
STETSON vs. CENTRAL FLORIDA
No trends available
Central Florida is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Stetson
Central Florida is 22-3 SU in its last 25 games at home

7:00 PM
ST. FRANCIS PA vs. KENT STATE
No trends available
Kent State is 16-6 SU in its last 22 games at home

7:00 PM
RIDER vs. PRINCETON
Rider is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Princeton is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games
Princeton is 20-5 SU in its last 25 games at home

7:00 PM
TEXAS STATE vs. CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Texas State is 3-13 SU in its last 16 games on the road
Central Michigan is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home

7:30 PM
UC DAVIS vs. SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
No trends available
Southern Illinois is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games

8:00 PM
LOUISIANA-MONROE vs. UAB
Louisiana-Monroe is 1-9 SU in its last 10 games on the road
UAB is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games
UAB is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

8:00 PM
CHARLESTON SOUTHERN vs. WICHITA STATE
No trends available
Wichita State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Wichita State is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games

8:00 PM
LIPSCOMB vs. MEMPHIS
No trends available
Memphis is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Memphis is 21-3 SU in its last 24 games at home

8:00 PM
LEHIGH vs. NORTH TEXAS
No trends available
North Texas is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games at home
North Texas is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games

8:00 PM
ROBERT MORRIS vs. ARKANSAS
No trends available
Arkansas is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
Arkansas is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home

8:00 PM
PEPPERDINE vs. TULANE
Pepperdine is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Pepperdine is 5-13 SU in its last 18 games on the road
Tulane is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Tulane is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games

8:05 PM
IUPUI vs. VALPARAISO
No trends available
Valparaiso is 15-8 SU in its last 23 games when playing IUPUI
Valparaiso is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against IUPUI

8:30 PM
EASTERN MICHIGAN vs. MICHIGAN
Eastern Michigan is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Michigan
Eastern Michigan is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Michigan
Michigan is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Eastern Michigan
Michigan is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

9:00 PM
IDAHO vs. BOISE STATE
Idaho is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Idaho's last 5 games when playing on the road against Boise State
Boise State is 1-4-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Idaho
Boise State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

9:00 PM
CAL POLY vs. WASHINGTON
Cal Poly is 1-10 SU in its last 11 games on the road
Cal Poly is 2-7 ATS in its last 9 games on the road
Washington is 18-6 SU in its last 24 games at home
Washington is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games

9:05 PM
WEBER STATE vs. EASTERN WASHINGTON
Weber State is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Eastern Washingto
Weber State is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Eastern Washington is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Weber State
Eastern Washington is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Weber State

10:05 PM
NICHOLLS STATE vs. UTAH STATE
No trends available
Utah State is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
Utah State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

10:35 PM
IDAHO STATE vs. PORTLAND STATE
Idaho State is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Idaho State is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Portland State
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Portland State's last 6 games when playing Idaho State
Portland State is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games

11:00 PM
UC IRVINE vs. USC
UC Irvine is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games on the road
UC Irvine is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
USC is 5-12 SU in its last 17 games at home
USC is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games

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**Udog** · 12-20-2012, 08:56 AM

NBA
Dunkel

Miami at Dallas
The Heat look to build on their 7-2-1 ATS record in their last 10 games in Dallas. Miami is the pick (-5) according to Dunkel, which has the Heat favored by 8. Dunkel Pick: Miami (-5). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20

Game 501-502: Oklahoma City at Minnesota (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oklahoma City 126.965; Minnesota 121.408
Dunkel Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 5 1/2; 202
Vegas Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 3 1/2; 198
Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma City (-3 1/2); Over

Game 503-504: Miami at Dallas (9:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Miami 122.467; Dallas 114.667
Dunkel Line & Total: Miami by 8; 198
Vegas Line & Total: Miami by 5; 202 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Miami (-5); Under

Game 505-506: Denver at Portland (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Denver 121.829; Portland 114.685
Dunkel Line & Total: Denver by 7; 192
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

NBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, December 20

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OKLAHOMA CITY (21 - 4) at MINNESOTA (12 - 11) - 12/20/2012, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 62-47 ATS (+10.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 55-40 ATS (+11.0 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 107-76 ATS (+23.4 Units) in road games since 1996.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 20-7 ATS (+12.3 Units) in road games in December games since 1996.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 75-51 ATS (+18.9 Units) first half of the season since 1996.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 10-1 ATS (+8.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 5-2 against the spread versus OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
OKLAHOMA CITY is 7-0 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
5 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MIAMI (16 - 6) at DALLAS (12 - 13) - 12/20/2012, 9:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DALLAS is 271-216 ATS (+33.4 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
DALLAS is 252-201 ATS (+30.9 Units) after a non-conference game since 1996.
DALLAS is 65-42 ATS (+18.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
DALLAS is 50-33 ATS (+13.7 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DALLAS is 6-4 against the spread versus MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
DALLAS is 6-4 straight up against MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
6 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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DENVER (14 - 12) at PORTLAND (11 - 12) - 12/20/2012, 10:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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NBA

Thursday, December 20

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Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

7:00 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY vs. MINNESOTA
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Oklahoma City's last 6 games on the road
Oklahoma City is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games on the road
Minnesota is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Minnesota's last 6 games at home

9:30 PM
MIAMI vs. DALLAS
Miami is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Miami is 7-2-1 ATS in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Dallas
Dallas is 2-7-1 ATS in its last 10 games when playing at home against Miami
Dallas is 2-3-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Miami

10:00 PM
DENVER vs. PORTLAND
Denver is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Portland
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Denver's last 12 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Portland's last 5 games when playing at home against Denver
Portland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Denver

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NBA

Thursday, December 20

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NBA TNT doubleheader: Thunder at T-Wolves, Heat at Mavs
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Oklahoma City Thunder at Minnesota Timberwolves (+4.5, 199.5)

Oklahoma City takes the best record in the league and a 12-game winning streak into Thursday road contest against Minnesota. Oklahoma City, which dropped two of three to begin the season, has won 20 of 22 and hasn't lost since Nov. 23. Kevin Durant scored a season-high 41 points in Wednesday's 100-92 victory over Atlanta. He scored 18 points in the fourth quarter, when the Thunder held off a late rally by the Hawks, and had 13 rebounds.

The Timberwolves will play their second straight game against a team that made last season's NBA Finals. Minnesota fell 103-92 win at Miami on Tuesday. Ricky Rubio is expected to play Thursday after sitting out against the Heat. The second-year point guard, who struggled in 16 scoreless minutes Monday against Orlando, won't play in back-to-back games for now as he comes back from knee surgery. He had eight points and nine assists in 18 minutes in his season debut Saturday against Dallas.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, TNT, Fox Sports Oklahoma (Oklahoma City)

ABOUT THE THUNDER (21-4, 16-8-1 ATS): Russell Westbrook didn't play like someone who had a bad wrist on Wednesday. He scored 27 points, including 21 in the first half, and 11 assists. Westbrook fell on his right wrist while driving to the basket late in Monday's win over San Antonio, but played 39 minutes against the Hawks. Westbrook has played in 337 consecutive games, the longest streak among active players. He's never missed an NBA game since being drafted out of UCLA in 2008.

ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (12-11, 13-10 ATS): Minnesota began the week with a four-game winning streak, but that could soon be a distant memory. After playing the Thunder, the Timberwolves face a Saturday road game against the New York Knicks, who have the best record in the Eastern Conference. A second-half collapse on Monday led to more criticism from forward Kevin Love. A week after questioning the franchise's direction, Love said following the game that the Timberwolves must be more physical, especially on defense.

TRENDS:

* Over is 4-1 in the last five meetings.
* Thunder are 1-5 ATS in the last six meetings in Minnesota.
* Thunder are 0-5 ATS in the last five meetings.
* Underdog is 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. Minnesota C Nikola Pekovic, playing with a sore back against Miami, scored 18 points and had 12 rebounds, but committed six turnovers.

2. The Thunder's 12-game winning streak is the franchise's longest since it moved from Seattle to Oklahoma City in 2008. The Seattle SuperSonics had a 14-game winning streak in 1996.

3. Oklahoma City has 12 straight wins over Minnesota dating back to 2009.

Miami Heat at Dallas Mavericks (+5.5, 202)

While receiving good news regarding Dirk Nowitzki, the Dallas Mavericks may be shorthanded when they host the reigning champion Miami Heat on national television on Thursday. Nowitzki on Wednesday participated in his first practice since undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery on Oct. 19 and is hoping to make his season debut shortly after Christmas. However, Dallas will be without point guard Derek Fisher for its meeting with Miami and also could be missing Elton Brand and Brandan Wright. Both are game-time decisions.

Fisher hurt his right knee during an awkward fall in the first quarter of Tuesday's home triumph over Philadelphia, which halted Dallas' three-game skid. Brand suffered a groin injury and Wright sprained his right ankle in the same contest. The Mavericks begin a stretch of three games in four nights against the Heat, who completed a 4-2 homestand Tuesday with a 103-92 triumph over Minnesota. Miami has won four of five after losing consecutive games for the first time this season.

TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT

ABOUT THE HEAT (16-6, 11-11 ATS): Miami continued its strong fourth-quarter play in the win over the Timberwolves. The Heat never trailed in the final period, marking the 10th time this season and fourth time in the last five games they maintained the lead throughout the quarter. Superstar LeBron James is the first player to score at least 20 points in each of his team's first 22 games since Utah's Karl Malone in 1989-90. James is averaging 30.4 points in his last seven regular-season meetings with the Mavericks. The Heat are looking for their first three-game winning streak against the Mavericks since capturing 16 in a row from 1992-99.

ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (12-13, 12-13 ATS): Nowitzki is cautiously optimistic about his prospects of returning to action before the end of the calendar year. "This is the first day we're stopping, pushing off, moving, and we'll just see how (the knee) reacts," he said. "I'm gonna do that a couple of times and do some contact for a while, and maybe anytime after Christmas I'll be fine." Coach Rick Carlisle refuses to speculate on when Nowitzki will suit up. "We don't know when he's gonna play," Carlisle said. "When it happens, it will happen. We hope it's sooner than later, but we don't have a time yet."

TRENDS:

* Over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.
* Heat are 7-2-1 ATS in the last 10 meetings in Dallas.
* Favorite is 3-1-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
* Road team is 15-5-2 ATS in the last 22 meetings.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. The Mavericks have allowed fewer than 90 points only once this season.

2. The Heat are 22-29 overall in the all-time series and 10-15 at Dallas.

3. Dallas is 8-3 at home and has won three straight at American Airlines Center.

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

**Udog** · 12-20-2012, 12:09 PM

NBA
Short Sheet

Thursday, December 20

Oklahoma City at Minnesota, 7:05 ET TNT
Oklahoma City: 26-12 ATS away after playing as a road favorite
Minnesota: 13-2 Over vs. division opponents

Miami at Dallas, 9:35 ET TNT
Miami: 21-6 Under after making 50%+ of their three point shots
Dallas: 20-9 ATS off ATS losses in 2 of their last 3 games

Denver at Portland, 10:05 ET
Denver: 6-1 ATS off BB wins
Portland: 0-6 ATS off ATS wins in 2 of their last 3 games

**Udog** · 12-20-2012, 12:10 PM

NCAAB
Top 25 Short Sheet

Thursday, December 20

Eastern Michigan at Michigan, 8:30 ET BTN
Eastern Michigan: 1-8 ATS as a road underdog of 10+ points
Michigan: 21-10 ATS off a non-conference game

Elon at Duke, 7:00 ET ESPNU
Elon: 10-3 Over off ATS wins in 2 of their last 3 games
Duke: 7-1 ATS after playing as a favorite

**Udog** · 12-20-2012, 01:54 PM

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, December 20

Hot Teams
-- Thunder won its last 12 games (6-2 as AF).
-- Miami won four of its last five games (2-5 as AF).
-- Portland won its last three games, allowing 86 ppg (3-1 as HU). Nuggets won four of last five games (4-4 as AF, 3-1 in last four).

Cold Teams
-- Minnesota lost last two games, by 10-11 points; favorites are 8-1-1 vs spread in its home games (0-2 as home dog).
-- Mavericks lost three of last four games (two losses in OT; they're 8-3 SU at home, 1-1 as home dogs).

Totals
-- Six of last eight Minnesota games went over the total.
-- Last four Miami games stayed under the total.
-- Three of last four Portland games stayed under total; three of last four Denver games went over.

Back-to-backs
-- Thunder is 3-2 vs spread if they played night before.

**Udog** · 12-20-2012, 03:42 PM

NCAAB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, December 20

-- Central Michigan is 4-4 vs D-I teams, winning its two games against teams not in top 200 by 2-3 points. Texas State lost seven of last nine games, with wins over teams ranked #341/329; Bobcats play at #3 pace in country- three of their last four games went over total. WAC single digit road dogs are 11-10. MAC single digit home favorites are 9-7.
-- Pepperdine won seven of last nine games; they're 2-1 vs teams in top 150, but lost three games to teams ranked lower- they turn ball over 24% of time, not good. Tulane has played 3rd-easiest schedule in country but they've also won seven of last nine games. WCC single digit road dogs are 1-6 vs spread; C-USA single digit home favorites are 7-5.
-- 11-0 Michigan just beat West Virginia in NYC; they're 3-0 vs teams not in top 200, winning by 37-32-28 points; Wolverines shoot 57.5% inside arc. Eastern Michigan upset Purdue at home, lost at Syracuse by 36 in its two games vs top 100 teams- they're shooting 39% inside arc. MAC road underdogs of 18+ points are 2-6 against the spread.
-- Cal Poly is 2-5 vs D-I teams but won at UCLA, its only win in five road games, with losses by 7-18-13-8 points; Mustangs play #343 pace in country (5th-slowest). Washington is just 4-3 at home, with losses to Albany/Nevada, so they're not reliable favorite. Big West road dogs are 24-20 vs spread. Pac-12 home favorites are 30-18 vs spread.

-- Boise State won four of last five games vs Idaho, winning last two by three points each; Broncos are much improved team at 7-2- they're the #9 3-point shooting team in country. Idaho is 1-3 on road, losing by 15-9-4 points, winning in OT at Eastern Washington. MWC double digit home favorites are 11-7 vs spread; WAC double digit dogs are 8-6.
-- Cal-Irvine lost six of last seven games vs D-I teams; they've lost four games by 4 or less points- they shoot 29.7% behind arc. USC lost five of last six games, but they're 3-1 vs teams not in top 100, winning by 14-18-44 points. Pac-12 single digit home favorites are 13-6 vs spread. Big West single digit road dogs are 11-10 vs spread.
-- Southern Illinois is 5-2 vs D-I teams despite turning ball over 23% of time; Salukis are 2nd-shortest team in country. Cal-Davis lost six of first eight games, with only wins vs teams ranked #245/282; they're 0-4 vs teams in top 200, losing by 1-7-8-23 points. MVC favorites are 5-7-1 vs spread away from home. Big West single digit underdogs are 12-12.
-- Duke hammered Cornell by 41 last night, has another ESPNU thriller here vs Elon squad that is 5-4 vs D-I teams, losing by 15 at Butler, by 5 in OT at UMass, its two games vs top 100 teams. Duke is 4-0 vs teams not in top 100, winning by 19-21-38-41 points. SoCon road underdogs of 16+ points are 15-4 against the spread so far this season.
-- Erratic Iona lost by hoop at St Peter's, won at Georgia by 3 in OT in its two road games; 5-4 Gaels play #18 pace in country- they lost by 8 to Rutgers, beat Denver by 7 in their games vs top 100 teams. LaSalle had 5-game win streak snapped at #45 Bucknell Saturday; they lost to Central Connecticut, beat Villanova, tough team to figure.

-- First game in 11 days for Rider squad that lost in OT to Princeton at home (72-71) LY; Broncs are 2-3 vs teams in top 150, with losses by 8-11-13 points. Princeton lot six of last eight games, losing two of three vs teams not in top 200. Tigers are turning ball over 22% of time. MAAC single digit road underdogs are 4-16. Ivy home favorites are 1-8.
-- Valparaiso is 7-4 after losing at Oakland of Summit League by a hoop Monday; Crusaders are turning ball over 25.2% of time. IUPUI lost its last eight games vs D-I teams (two non-D-I wins) with last five losses all by 14+ points; Jaguars beat Valpo by 9 LY. Horizon double digit home favorites are 3-4; Summit League double digit road dogs are 9-15.
-- Weber State won eight of last nine games vs Eastern Washington, with four straight wins here, by 7-12-28-8 points. Wildcats won by point at #69 Dayton, after losing at San Jose State/Utah State, their only games on road this year. EWU is 2-8, 1-2 at home, losing to Seattle by 6, by a hoop in OT to Idaho. Teams shoot just 23.5% behind arc vs Weber.
-- Idaho State is 0-7 vs D-I teams, turning ball over 23.5% of time; they are making 27.2% behind arc; Bengals lost five of last their six visits to Portland, with losses by 12-35-27--23-7 points. Portland State is 0-5 vs D-I teams, turning ball over 23.0% of time, making 28.6% behind arc. Favorites covered three of first four Big Sky conference games.

**Udog** · 12-20-2012, 03:46 PM

Armadillo: Thursday's six-pack

-- Game of Night: UTEP 91, Oregon 84 in three OTs. Ducks are only team to beat UNLV, but they lost in El Paso two nights after UNLV won there by a hoop. Miners were 30-41 on foul line, Oregon 14-27.

-- Louisville 79, FIU 55; Rick Pitino beats his son by 24, but didn't cover the 27-point spread. I'm sure FIU got a hefty check to come to Louisville and lose, as dad helps his son get his program started.

-- Coastal Carolina 69, Clemson 46--This is why big-time name schools o not go on the road much in December. Ugly loss for the Tigers.

-- Green Bay 49, Marquette 47-- Exhibit #2 for not going on road.

-- Went to Northern Iowa-UNLV game last night; surprised at how poorly UNI's big men played; they were totally intimidated.

-- Canisius plays UNLV Saturday; they beat Temple by 10 last night, a huge win for new coach Jim Baron, who is a very good coach.

*****

Armadillo: Thursday's List of 13: Our NFL List of 13.........

32) Chiefs-- Gained 119 total yards in Oakland last week; depressing year has only two games left.

31) Jets-- Need a big broom to sweep out the front office; also need a new quarterback and some WRs who can get open.

30) Cardinals-- That said, Arizona would probably be glad to have Mark Sanchez play QB for them; thats how awful their QBs are.

29) Raiders-- Couldn't score a TD against the Chiefs last week.

9) Cowboys-- Won five of last six games; scoring lot of points in second halves, finding ways to win games in fourth quarter.

8) Colts-- Clinch unlikely playoff berth with win at KC Sunday.

7) Packers-- Trailed four of last five games at halftime.

6) Falcons-- Saturday's game at Detroit is their true test; they had terrific win last week, have to follow it up with another strong effort.

5) Texans-- My pick to win the AFC, as long as they get home field edge throughout playoffs.

4) Patriots-- Don't think they'll win a road playoff game; right now, they are the #3 seed in the AFC, which means a road game Jan 12-13.

3) 49ers-- Interesting game in Seattle Sunday night.

2) Seahawks-- Not often a team scores 50+ points two weeks in a row.

1) Broncos-- Haven't lost since Week 5. This time LY, they were struggling to make playoffs with Tebow at QB. Things are better now, a lot better

**Udog** · 12-21-2012, 07:15 AM

Never mind.... wrong thread.

Announcement

Thursday's Trends and Indexes - 12/20 (NBA, NCAAB, Misc.)

Thursday's Trends and Indexes - 12/20 (NBA, NCAAB, Misc.)

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