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**Udog** · 02-15-2013, 09:20 AM

Armadillo: Friday's six-pack

According to Baseball Weekly, six top prospects of the Pittsburgh Pirates:

1) Gerrit Cole, P-- UCLA alum could get to big leagues this year.

2) Jameson Taillon, P-- Did better in AA than the Florida State League.

7) Kyle McPherson, P-- Had 2.73 ERA in 27 IP with Pirates LY.

11) Alex Dickerson, 1B-- Won Big Dozen triple crown at Indiana.

16) Vic Black, RP-- Had 16 saves, 1.65 in Eastern League LY.

22) Brock Holt, 2B/SS-- Hit .292 in 65 major league ABs last year.

*****

Armadillo: Friday's List of 13: Random thoughts with weekend here......

13) All this conference realignment in college sports revolves around the huge money generated by football, but it affects basketball bigtime, too; think about Maryland coach Mark Turgeon, who was a Big 12 coach at Texas A&M, but left to coach in the ACC, at Maryland, a step up in prestige.

12) Problem is, Maryland then bolted to the Big Dozen, something I'm guessing Turgeon never considered when he was changing jobs. Had he stayed with the Aggies, he would've wound up in the SEC, singe A&M moved there. None of these moves had anything to do with basketball, though.

If he had to do it all over again, would he have stayed with the Aggies?

11) Miami Heat beat Oklahoma City for 6th time in row; Lebron James had 39, as Miami gets to the All-Star break at 36-14.

10) Lakers limp into the break 25-29, amidst reports that owner Jerry Buss is in grave health with cancer/penumonia; Buss has been a great owner for the Lakers, who got hammered by the Clippers Thursday, 125-101.

9) Fred Couples is playing in the Los Angeles Open for 31st time, more than anyone else has; he shot -3 Thursday, is in contetion after the first day.

8) Brandt Snedeker is the hottest name in golf, but he withdrew from next week's Match Play championship; he would've been the fourth #1 seed, with McIlroy-Woods-Donald.

7) St Mary's made a run at Gonzaga and led 33-32 at half, after trailing by 7 early, but Zags put it into another gear after halftime and pulled away from the Gaels 77-60 in Moraga. Gonzaga is very good, with lot of pieces to win with- they're going to be a fashionable pick to get to the Final Four.

6) Colorado avenged its controversial loss to Arizona in Tucson by pasting the Wildcats 71-58 in Boulder; Buffs were 9-17 behind the arc.

5) Temple is screwing up its season; the win over Syracuse doesn't mean much when you lose to Duquesne at home. Dukes had been winless in A-16 play before their 84-83 win as 17-point underdogs Thursday.

4) Weber State avenged an earlier loss at Montana by beating the Griz 87-63 in Ogden; Montana lost its first conference game this season, but still leads the Big Sky by a game.

3) Brett Olson hit a fadeway 3-pointer at the buzzer in OT, giving Denver a 63-60 win and a season sweep over Utah State; Pioneers are 12-2 in WAC, but trail Louisiana Tech by two games.

2) Coaching is strangling the game in some places; Western Illinois beat North Dakota State 49-36; Wofford lost 40-33 at Samford; all that with a 35-second shot clock. Coaches, let your players play!!!!

1) Halftime score: Cal 47, UCLA 22. Huh? Has a guy who got to three straight Final Fours ever gotten less respect than Ben Howland? Bruin legend Bill Walton thrashed Howland on TV last week, which can't help, and this score will help less. How are those players down 25 at the half?

I can see Bruce Pearl coaching UCLA in two years; he is ineligible to be hired by anyone until then, because he lied to the NCAA in an investigation about where a team cookout was held. Considering some of the stuff that happened since then, they should let him back into coaching now.

**Udog** · 02-15-2013, 09:20 AM

NBA Rising Stars Challenge: What bettors need to know

Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal have selected their rosters for the NBA Rising Stars Game set to take place Friday night and oddsmakers are siding with Team Shaq.

Handicapping these kinds of games is nearly impossible. But, if there are odds on it, we’re going to be betting it. So, here’s a breakdown of both sides - by position – giving the edge to either Team Chuck or Team Shaq.

Team Chuck vs. Team Shaq (-6.5, 281.5)

Guards

Shaq used three of his first four picks to solidify his backcourt, taking Damien Lillard with his first pick, Kyrie Irving with his second, and Klay Thompson with his fourth selection. Diesel also snagged Irving’s teammate Dion Waiters and was assigned point man Kemba Walker, who is averaging over 17 points per game.

Barkley didn’t select a guard until his fourth pick (Bradley Beal), but was able to snag Spanish sensation Ricky Rubio with his fifth pick. Brandon Knight, Isaiah Thomas and Alexey Shved round out the talent at the back end.

Edge: Team Shaq

Forwards

Shaq selected Pistons C Andre Drummond as his first big and doesn’t have a true power forward on his roster. The Big Aristotle decided to go small by selecting SFs Harrison Barnes, Chandler Parsons, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist with his later picks and also has Cavaliers C Tyler Zeller to help with rebounding.

It’s no surprise that Chuck’s strategy consisted of grabbing the most talented forwards. Barkley wasted to time selecting former No. 1 pick Anthony Davis and beefed up his frontcourt with Kenneth Faried, Kawhi Leonard, and Tristan Thompson in the later rounds of the draft.

Edge: Team Chuck

Intangibles

Kyrie Irving had a game-high 34 points to lead Team Chuck to a 146-133 victory last season. Barkley’s roster consisted mainly of guards and swingmen in the up-tempo glorified track meet, much like the way Team Shaq’s roster is built this year. In a game where defense doesn’t matter, bigs should have less of an impact.

Edge: Team Shaq

**Udog** · 02-15-2013, 09:20 AM

James "Flight" White favored in possibly the best dunk contest ever

Hardcore basketball fans know about James “Flight" White. And come NBA All-Star Saturday Night, chances are the rest of the sports world will as well.

White, who has bounced around the NBADL and overseas since coming out of Cincinnati in 2006, is widely regarded among hoops heads as the greatest dunker of all time. His 6:45 minutes per game with the New York Knicks will finally give the 6-foot-7 leaper a chance to prove it.

Jump ahead to the 4:45 mark if you feel like changing your pants.

White is the favorite to win Saturday’s annual NBA Slam Dunk Contest, priced between +200 and +300 at online books (Nevada sportsbook can’t release odds on an event determined by judges – even though boxing and MMA are). White actually opened as high as +600 at UWin.com but was quickly bet down to +250 before settling at +300.

“We were the standout price on him and happy to lay him to be honest,” Russ Candler of UWin.com told Covers. “But on an event like this, there’s only enough $50 and $100 bets you can take before you say ‘enough is enough’.”

Behind White in the Slam Dunk odds are Raptors rookie Terrence Ross (+350), former dunk champ Gerald Green (+400) of the Pacers, Clippers guard Eric Bledsoe (+500), defending champ Jeremy Evans (+500) of the Jazz, and Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried (+600).

While the field lacks star power and name buzz, it's shaping up to be one of the greatest dunk contests ever. White, alone, could steal the show but you also have two past winners, a high-flying little man, a rookie riser and dreadlocked beast that is rumored to be working on a bowling ball dunk.

Who needs LeBron anyways?

**Udog** · 02-15-2013, 09:21 AM

Curry favored, but underdogs have hot hand in 3-point contest

When it comes to taking and making shots from beyond the 3-point arc, few NBA players are on the same level as Stephen Curry.

That’s why the Golden State Warriors’ baby-faced bomber is the favorite to win this Saturday’s annual All-Star 3-point Shootout. But, while Curry is the oddsmakers’ pick, you may not want to make him yours.

Underdogs have had the hottest hands in recent 3-point shootouts, like last year’s winner Kevin Love of the Minnesota Timberwolves, who was the biggest pup in the litter at +600. In fact, the last four 3-point champions were not the betting favorite heading into the event.

Behind Love’s title in 2012, James Jones of the Miami Heat won at +450 in 2011, Paul Pierce of the Celtics won at +400 in 2010, and Daequan Cook of the Heat won at +750 in 2009 – also the biggest odds on the board.

Books opened Curry, who is second in the NBA in 3-point percentage (44.7 percent), at +300 and early action has taken those odds down to +275 as of Thursday. He is up against Steve Novak (+400) of the Knicks, Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving (+350), Spurs forward Matt Bonner (+600), Ryan Anderson (+450) of the Hornets, and Pacers guard George Paul (+600).

Saturday is Curry’s second 3-point contest in the past four seasons. He finished second to Pierce in 2010, losing 20-17 in the final round after sinking a first-round best 18 shots from distance. He entered that event as a +300 co-favorite.

Anderson is the only other contestant with experience in the 3-point shootout, missing the cut with 17 makes in the first round after being the second-overall favorite at +325 last year. This season, he is shooting just over 40 percent from the arc and leads the league in 3-point attempts (396).

Last year, Love won with 17 makes in a tie-breaker against Kevin Durant, but both hit just 16 in the final round. That was the lowest winning total in the past 10 All-Star Weekends, with the average winning score being 20.2 makes since 2003.

For you horse racing bettors, who handicap pedigree, Curry's father - legendary marksman Dell Curry - competed in the 3-point shootout twice in his career. In 1992, he hit only 11 and failed to make it out of the first round. In 1994, the elder Curry hit just 12 in another first-round flop

**Udog** · 02-15-2013, 09:21 AM

Parker NBA Skills Challenge favorite over much younger field

If you’re one of those people crying that the NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contests lacks real All-Stars, then the Skills Challenge is likely your favorite event of All-Star Saturday Night.

The annual dribble-pass-shoot competition may not be as sexy as the dunk contest but it has touted the most name value of the three All-Star Weekend events, with past winners including Deron Williams, Baron Davis, Derrick Rose, Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, Dwyane Wade and reigning champion, San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker.

That was, until 2013. Parker, who is a +275 favorite to defend his Skill Challenge crown, is one of just two All-Stars among this year’s contenders. Jrue Holiday (+500) of the Philadelphia 76ers is the other.

Those two will go up against Hawks guard Jeff Teague (+350), Brandon Knight (+500) of the Pistons, Trail Blazers rookie Damian Lillard (+500), and Jeremy Lin (+500) of the Rockets.

While the field isn’t as deep as past year’s, Parker is substantially older than his competition at age 30. The average age of the other five contestants is almost 22.5 years old. In a timed event with a lot having to do with speed from station to station, the veteran could be at a disadvantage.

Parker has been shouldering the load for the Spurs in recent weeks, with Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili nursing injuries. He missed Monday’s win over the Chicago Bulls due to swelling around his knee but played in the Spurs’ final game before the break, scoring 24 points and adding seven assists and six rebounds in a win over Cleveland Wednesday.

Parker won last year’s Skills Challenge with a final-round time of 32.8 seconds – more than seven seconds over the event’s all-time best mark set by Williams at the 2008 All-Star Weekend. Parker's 2012 effort was also the third-slowest time for a winner in the 10-year history of the event.

**Udog** · 02-15-2013, 09:22 AM

NCAAB
Dunkel

Georgetown at Cincinnati
The Hoyas look to take advantage of a Cincinnati team that is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 home games. Georgetown is the pick (+3 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the game Even. Dunkel Pick: Georgetown (+3 1/2). Here are all of today's games.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15

Game 801-802: Columbia at Brown (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Columbia 48.933; Brown 52.690
Dunkel Line: Brown by 3 1/2
Vegas Line: Columbia by 4
Dunkel Pick: Brown (+4)

Game 803-804: Cornell at Yale (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cornell 51.360; Yale 52.343
Dunkel Line: Yale by 1
Vegas Line: Yale by 5
Dunkel Pick: Cornell (+5)

Game 805-806: Princeton at Dartmouth (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Princeton 57.189; Dartmouth 51.569
Dunkel Line: Princeton by 5 1/2
Vegas Line: Princeton by 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Dartmouth (+9 1/2)

Game 807-808: Pennsylvania at Harvard (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Pennsylvania 47.062; Harvard 62.405
Dunkel Line: Harvard by 15 1/2
Vegas Line: Harvard by 11
Dunkel Pick: Harvard (-11)

Game 809-810: WI-Milwaukee at Youngstown State (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: WI-Milwaukee 43.590; Youngstown State 57.660
Dunkel Line: Youngstown State by 12
Vegas Line: Youngstown State by 10
Dunkel Pick: Youngstown State (-10)

Game 811-812: Georgetown at Cincinnati (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Georgetown 69.944; Cincinnati 70.035
Dunkel Line: Even; 113
Vegas Line: Cincinnati by 3 1/2; 117
Dunkel Pick: Georgetown (+3 1/2); Under

Game 813-814: WI-Green Bay at Cleveland State (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: WI-Green Bay 58.557; Cleveland State 53.071
Dunkel Line: WI-Green Bay by 5 1/2; 133
Vegas Line: WI-Green Bay by 4 1/2; 129 1/2
Dunkel Pick: WI-Green Bay (-4 1/2); Over

Game 815-816: Iona at Manhattan (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Iona 58.383; Manhattan 54.571
Dunkel Line: Iona by 4; 140
Vegas Line: Iona by 2 1/2; 142 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Iona (-2 1/2); Under

Game 817-818: Niagara at Marist (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Niagara 56.967; Marist 47.026
Dunkel Line: Niagara by 10
Vegas Line: Niagara by 4
Dunkel Pick: Niagara (-4)

**Udog** · 02-15-2013, 09:23 AM

NCAAB
Long Sheet

Friday, February 15

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COLUMBIA (10 - 10) at BROWN (8 - 12) - 2/15/2013, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BROWN is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in home games versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game over the last 3 seasons.
COLUMBIA is 86-58 ATS (+22.2 Units) in road games since 1997.
COLUMBIA is 86-58 ATS (+22.2 Units) in road lined games since 1997.
COLUMBIA is 63-41 ATS (+17.9 Units) in road games after a conference game since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
BROWN is 2-2 against the spread versus COLUMBIA over the last 3 seasons
BROWN is 2-2 straight up against COLUMBIA 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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CORNELL (11 - 12) at YALE (9 - 14) - 2/15/2013, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
YALE is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) in February games over the last 2 seasons.
CORNELL is 102-74 ATS (+20.6 Units) as an underdog since 1997.
CORNELL is 98-63 ATS (+28.7 Units) in road games since 1997.
CORNELL is 98-63 ATS (+28.7 Units) in road lined games since 1997.
CORNELL is 63-42 ATS (+16.8 Units) in road games after a conference game since 1997.
CORNELL is 33-17 ATS (+14.3 Units) in road games after allowing 60 points or less since 1997.
CORNELL is 55-31 ATS (+20.9 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
YALE is 2-2 against the spread versus CORNELL over the last 3 seasons
YALE is 2-2 straight up against CORNELL 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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PRINCETON (11 - 8) at DARTMOUTH (6 - 14) - 2/15/2013, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PRINCETON is 23-11 ATS (+10.9 Units) in road games over the last 3 seasons.
PRINCETON is 23-11 ATS (+10.9 Units) in road lined games over the last 3 seasons.
PRINCETON is 14-4 ATS (+9.6 Units) on Friday nights over the last 3 seasons.
DARTMOUTH is 46-70 ATS (-31.0 Units) in all home games since 1997.
DARTMOUTH is 46-70 ATS (-31.0 Units) in home lined games since 1997.
DARTMOUTH is 20-35 ATS (-18.5 Units) in home games off a loss against a conference rival since 1997.
DARTMOUTH is 16-32 ATS (-19.2 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
DARTMOUTH is 2-2 against the spread versus PRINCETON over the last 3 seasons
PRINCETON is 4-0 straight up against DARTMOUTH 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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PENNSYLVANIA (5 - 17) at HARVARD (13 - 7) - 2/15/2013, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PENNSYLVANIA is 103-74 ATS (+21.6 Units) in road games since 1997.
PENNSYLVANIA is 103-74 ATS (+21.6 Units) in road lined games since 1997.
PENNSYLVANIA is 68-38 ATS (+26.2 Units) in road games against conference opponents since 1997.
PENNSYLVANIA is 42-24 ATS (+15.6 Units) in road games in February games since 1997.
HARVARD is 5-13 ATS (-9.3 Units) in all home games over the last 2 seasons.
HARVARD is 5-13 ATS (-9.3 Units) in home lined games over the last 2 seasons.
HARVARD is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
HARVARD is 5-15 ATS (-11.5 Units) in February games over the last 3 seasons.
HARVARD is 5-13 ATS (-9.3 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
HARVARD is 2-2 against the spread versus PENNSYLVANIA over the last 3 seasons
HARVARD is 3-1 straight up against PENNSYLVANIA 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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WI-MILWAUKEE (6 - 20) at YOUNGSTOWN ST (14 - 11) - 2/15/2013, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WI-MILWAUKEE is 2-11 ATS (-10.1 Units) after allowing 60 points or less over the last 2 seasons.
WI-MILWAUKEE is 156-114 ATS (+30.6 Units) against conference opponents since 1997.
WI-MILWAUKEE is 15-4 ATS (+10.6 Units) in February games over the last 3 seasons.
WI-MILWAUKEE is 149-113 ATS (+24.7 Units) after a conference game since 1997.
WI-MILWAUKEE is 30-14 ATS (+14.6 Units) revenging a home loss vs opponent since 1997.
YOUNGSTOWN ST is 16-34 ATS (-21.4 Units) after allowing 80 points or more since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
YOUNGSTOWN ST is 2-2 against the spread versus WI-MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
YOUNGSTOWN ST is 3-2 straight up against WI-MILWAUKEE 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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GEORGETOWN (18 - 4) at CINCINNATI (19 - 6) - 2/15/2013, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GEORGETOWN is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) against conference opponents this season.
GEORGETOWN is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in February games over the last 2 seasons.
GEORGETOWN is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) after a conference game this season.
GEORGETOWN is 11-4 ATS (+6.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
CINCINNATI is 7-18 ATS (-12.8 Units) as a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 2-9 ATS (-7.9 Units) in all home games this season.
CINCINNATI is 2-9 ATS (-7.9 Units) in home lined games this season.
CINCINNATI is 55-79 ATS (-31.9 Units) in home games against conference opponents since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 53-77 ATS (-31.7 Units) in home games after a conference game since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
CINCINNATI is 33-56 ATS (-28.6 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game after 15+ games since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 2-9 ATS (-7.9 Units) in home games versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CINCINNATI is 4-0 against the spread versus GEORGETOWN over the last 3 seasons
CINCINNATI is 4-0 straight up against GEORGETOWN 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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WI-GREEN BAY (13 - 12) at CLEVELAND ST (12 - 14) - 2/15/2013, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WI-GREEN BAY is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in a road game where the total is 120 to 129.5 over the last 2 seasons.
WI-GREEN BAY is 34-16 ATS (+16.4 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record after 15 or more games since 1997.
CLEVELAND ST is 7-14 ATS (-8.4 Units) in all games this season.
CLEVELAND ST is 7-14 ATS (-8.4 Units) in all lined games this season.
CLEVELAND ST is 4-13 ATS (-10.3 Units) as an underdog this season.
CLEVELAND ST is 44-88 ATS (-52.8 Units) off a loss against a conference rival since 1997.
CLEVELAND ST is 10-20 ATS (-12.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
WI-GREEN BAY is 3-1 against the spread versus CLEVELAND ST over the last 3 seasons
CLEVELAND ST is 3-2 straight up against WI-GREEN BAY 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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IONA (15 - 10) at MANHATTAN (9 - 15) - 2/15/2013, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
IONA is 34-62 ATS (-34.2 Units) in February games since 1997.
MANHATTAN is 21-11 ATS (+8.9 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
MANHATTAN is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) after allowing 60 points or less over the last 2 seasons.
MANHATTAN is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
MANHATTAN is 2-2 against the spread versus IONA over the last 3 seasons
IONA is 4-1 straight up against MANHATTAN 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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NIAGARA (14 - 11) at MARIST (7 - 18) - 2/15/2013, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NIAGARA is 2-9 ATS (-7.9 Units) in February games over the last 2 seasons.

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

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**Udog** · 02-15-2013, 09:23 AM

NCAAB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Friday, February 15

-- Columbia won six of last eight games vs Brown, with home sides 4-0 in last four series games; Lions lost last two visits here, by 8-16 points. Losing side scored 74+ points in three of last four meetings. Ivy League home underdogs are 4-2 vs spread. Lions lost four of last five, but upset Harvard last game; they're 0-2 on Ivy road, losing by 4-6 points at Penn, Princeton. Brown lost four of last five games, but all five were on road.
-- Cornell is 11-6 in last 17 games vs Yale, with home side winning last four; Big Red lost last two visits here, by 1-31 points. Cornell won two of three on Ivy road, with wins by 2-3 points- three of their last five games were decided by 3 or less points. Yale is 3-3 in Ivy, 3-0 when it allows 64 or less points, 0-3 when it allows more. Cornell scored 65+ points in all six of its conference games.
-- Princeton won its last six games vs Dartmouth, winning last four here, by 5-16-22-24 points; Tigers are 4-1 in Ivy, with three wins by 12+, but all those games were at home. Dartmouth is 2-4 in Ivy, turning ball over 23.8% of time in league- they allowed 75+ points in three of four losses, gave up 62-57 in its two wins. Ivy League home underdogs are 4-2 vs spread. Princeton is 3-3 on road, winning at Kent State/Elon.
-- Harvard is 5-1 in Ivy, but 0-6 vs spread, with no wins by more than 10 points, and two in OT; they've won six of last seven games vs Penn, but three of last five series games were decided by a single point. Penn lost its only Ivy road game by 12 at Princeton; they won at Harvard LY, after losing here previous two years, by 14-15 points. Ivy League double digit home favorites are 2-6 against the spread.

-- Milwaukee is 2-10 in Horizon, 0-5 on road, losing by 15-2-11-10-31 points; they're turning ball over 22.1% of time, making 28.8% of its 3's. Youngstown made 56% of 2-point shots, won 75-72 (-3) at Milwaukee Jan 19, its third win in row vs Panthers, by 2-8-3 points. Penguins lost three of last four games, with win by a point; they're 3-2 in Horizon home games, winning by 7-14-12. Horizon League home favorites of 8+ points are 11-7 vs spread.
-- Cincinnati won six of last seven games with Georgetown, winning last four, by 12-22-4-2 points, with double OT win in conference tourney LY. Cincy won three of last four home games, winning by 2-8-18; they held five of last six opponents under 60 points. Big East home favorites of 5 or less points are 2-15 vs spread. Georgetown won/covered last six games, with wins at Notre Dame/Rutgers.

-- Home side won 10 of last 11 Green Bay-Cleveland State games, with Phoenix losing last five visits here, by 17-8-14-7-10 points., but Vikings lost six of last eight games, with four of last five losses by 12+ points. Green Bay won seven of last ten games; they're 2-4 on Ivy road, winning by 20-8 points. Horizon League home underdogs of 5 or less points are 9-6 vs spread. Cleveland State allowed 86 ppg in last two games.
-- Iona (-13) beat Manhattan 78-70 Jan 6, making 10-19 from arc, with 19 forced turnovers; Gaels won four of last five series games, winning its last two visits here, by 37-12 points. Iona lost three of last four games, with two OT losses; they've also lost three of last four on road. Jaspers won last three games, allowing 47.7 ppg; they've won three of last four at home. MAAC home underdogs of 6 or less points are 6-4 vs spread.
-- Niagara shot 58% inside arc, raced out to 51-30 halftime lead as they drilled Marist 94-72 (-10.5) Jan 3; home teams won last six series games, with Eagles losing last two visits here, by 8-12 points. Niagara lost last three games, allowing 79.3 ppg; they've won five of last six conference road games. Marist's last five games were decided by 6 or less points. MAAC home underdogs of 6 or less points are 6-4 vs spread.

**Udog** · 02-15-2013, 09:23 AM

NCAAB

Friday, February 15

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
PENNSYLVANIA vs. HARVARD
Pennsylvania is 1-10 SU in its last 11 games on the road
Pennsylvania is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Harvard
Harvard is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Harvard's last 5 games

7:00 PM
IONA vs. MANHATTAN
Iona is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Manhattan
Iona is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Manhattan is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Manhattan is 4-7-1 ATS in its last 12 games when playing Iona

7:00 PM
CORNELL vs. YALE
Cornell is 2-9 SU in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Yale
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Cornell's last 6 games when playing on the road against Yale
Yale is 17-4 SU in its last 21 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Yale's last 6 games when playing at home against Cornell

7:00 PM
COLUMBIA vs. BROWN
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Columbia's last 8 games when playing on the road against Brown
Columbia is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Brown
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Brown's last 8 games when playing at home against Columbia
Brown is 10-2 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against Columbia

7:00 PM
PRINCETON vs. DARTMOUTH
Princeton is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Dartmouth
Dartmouth is 5-11 SU in its last 16 games at home
Dartmouth is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Princeton

7:05 PM
WISC-MILWAUKEE vs. YOUNGSTOWN STATE
Wisc-Milwaukee is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Wisc-Milwaukee's last 5 games on the road
Youngstown State is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Youngstown State's last 5 games when playing Wisc-Milwaukee

8:00 PM
NIAGARA vs. MARIST
Niagara is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Marist
Niagara is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Marist
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Marist's last 6 games when playing at home against Niagara
Marist is 3-12 SU in its last 15 games

9:00 PM
GEORGETOWN vs. CINCINNATI
No trends available
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Cincinnati's last 7 games at home
Cincinnati is 19-6 SU in its last 25 games

9:00 PM
WISC-GREEN BAY vs. CLEVELAND STATE
Wisc-Green Bay is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Cleveland State
Wisc-Green Bay is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Cleveland State
Cleveland State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Wisc-Green Bay
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Cleveland State's last 7 games when playing at home against Wisc-Green Bay

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**Udog** · 02-15-2013, 09:24 AM

NCAAB

Friday, February 15

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Handicapping Ivy League schools off back-to-backs
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With the college basketball season now in full conference swing, let’s examine a handicapping theory that yields a much better return on your investment than the banks do these days.

It deals with teams playing back-to-back days without rest during the regular season. In particular, Ivy League games, noted for playing back-to-back contests on Friday and Saturday nights.

What we’re looking to target on is how brain-chain teams fare the second night of these no-rest affairs. Let’s take a closer look at a few of the more suitable situations.

Creaky Double Digit Chalk

According to our database, the worst role for these teams is as double-digit home favorites, where they are just 53-82-3 ATS overall since the 1990-91 season.

Even worse, double-digit faves with a .687 or greater win percentage are just 16-38 ATS.

Digging deeper, if these tired hosts are facing an opponent that was a dog of 16 or more points the previous night, they check in at 14-34 ATS, including 5-20 ATS provided chalk has lost two or more home games this season.

Fool Me Twice

Revenge serves as a motivating tool in these no-rest Ivy League matchups, especially when we bring a visiting team in with double-revenge incentive from a pair of losses suffered last season.

That’s confirmed by a 50-32-1 ATS mark when these wonder-boys are on the road, including 34-13-1 ATS when taking seven or more points fueled with double-revenge incentive.

Better yet, bring these guys in with a lukewarm win percentage of .375 or less in this role and they make the Dean’s List, going 26-8 ATS.

Triskaidekaphobia Road

Our third and final theorem occurs when these non-rested Ivy Leaguers are on the Saturday night road as dogs off a loss of 13 or more points.

Dress them up as dogs in this role and they're 62-47-1 ATS, including 39-24 ATS when taking 10 or more points.

Bring them into these same games with a win percentage of .400 or less and they ratchet up to 35-14 ATS, including 21-6 ATS when facing a foe off a win of more than 10 points.

There you have it, the perfect calamine lotion for Ivy League teams in constant motion.

Keep an eye on this hypothesis throughout the end of the Ivy League campaign. Remember, should you feel a strange itch coming on, don’t scratch it. Simply apply the proper antidote.

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**Udog** · 02-15-2013, 09:25 AM

NCAAB

Friday, February 15

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NCAAB game of the day: Georgetown at Cincinnati
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Georgetown Hoyas at Cincinnati Bearcats (-4)

No. 15 Georgetown puts its six-game winning streak on the line against a Cincinnati squad that has had its number in recent years. The Bearcats, who enter the game in seventh place in the Big East, have won four in a row over the Hoyas, including a 72-20 win in double overtime in the Big East championship quarterfinals. Cincinnati also won the regular season matchup, 68-64, at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.

The Hoyas come into the contest in a three-way tie for first place with Syracuse and Marquette and also on a roll. Georgetown has defeated three ranked teams -- Louisville, Notre Dame and Marquette -- during its win streak and has allowed 60 or more points just once since Jan. 19. The Hoyas, who still have two games remaining with Big East co-leader Syracuse, scored an impressive 63-55 victory over Marquette at home on Monday while Cincinnati comes in off a 68-50 win over Villanova on Tuesday.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN

ABOUT GEORGETOWN (18-4, 8-3): Sophomore forward Otto Porter is having a breakout season, leading the team in scoring (15.3), rebounds (7.9) and 3-point shooting percentage (44 percent). He scored a game-high 21 points, grabbed seven rebounds and had three steals in Monday's win over Marquette. Junior guard Markel Starks ranks second on the team in scoring (12.4) while making a team-best 38 3-pointers while 6-8 junior forward Nate Lubick is shooting a Big East leading 61.7 percent from the floor. But the Hoyas' strength is hard-nosed defense. Georgetown ranks eighth in the nation in scoring defense (55.7) and 11th in field goal percentage defense (37.6). The Hoyas, who scored 24 points off 19 Marquette turnovers Monday, have held their last five opponents to an average of 54 points.

ABOUT CINCINNATI (19-6, 7-5): The Bearcats have won six of the last seven meetings with Georgetown including two of three played at home. Cincinnati is led by Big East Player of the Year candidate Sean Kilpatrick, a 6-4 junior shooting guard who ranks fourth in the conference in scoring (18.2) and is second in 3-pointers made (2.68 per game) and has attracted strong attention from NBA scouts. Senior point guard Cashmere Wright is second on the team in scoring (13.4) while another guard, senior JaQuon Parker, also averages in double figures (10.9). The trio combined for 49 points in Tuesday's win over Villanova. Like Georgetown, the Bearcats get it done on the defensive end where they are holding opponents almost 13 points below their average in Big East play.

TRENDS:

* Hoyas are 6-0 ATS in their last six games overall.
* Bearcats are 1-7 ATS in their last eight home games.
* Hoyas are 0-4 ATS in the last four meetings.
* Hoyas are 4-1 ATS in their last five road games.

TIP-INS:

1. The 6-8 Porter ranks third in the Big East in 3-point shooting percentage (44.3).

2. Wright needs one steal to become the school career leader. He is currently tied with David "Puffy" Kennedy who had 189 from 1977-81.

3. Cincinnati ranks 11th in the nation in rebounding margin (plus-8.0) and has out-rebounded 20 of its 25 opponents this season.

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**Udog** · 02-15-2013, 09:25 AM

NHL
Dunkel

Dallas at Vancouver
The Stars look to bounce back from their 7-4 loss to Calgary and build on their 12-4 record in their last 16 games following a defeat by 3 goals or more. Dallas is the pick (+170) according to Dunkel, which has the Stars favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Dallas (+170). Here are all of today's picks.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15

Game 51-52: Boston at Buffalo (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Boston 10.729; Buffalo 11.472
Dunkel Line & Total: Buffalo by 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Boston (-145); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Buffalo (+125); Over

Game 53-54: Pittsburgh at Winnipeg (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh 12.162; Winnipeg 10.741
Dunkel Line & Total: Pittsburgh by 1 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Pittsburgh (-135); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-135); Under

Game 55-56: Philadelphia at New Jersey (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia 11.211; New Jersey 12.141
Dunkel Line & Total: New Jersey by 1; 4
Vegas Line & Total: New Jersey (-145); 5
Dunkel Pick: New Jersey (-145); Under

Game 57-58: Anaheim at Detroit (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Anaheim 12.294; Detroit 11.546
Dunkel Line & Total: Anaheim by 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Detroit (-135); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Anaheim (+115); Over

Game 59-60: San Jose at Chicago (8:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Jose 10.304; Chicago 12.502
Dunkel Line & Total: Chicago by 2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Chicago (-145); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Chicago (-145); Over

Game 61-62: St. Louis at Calgary (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis 11.524; Calgary 10.462
Dunkel Line & Total: St. Louis by 1; 5
Vegas Line & Total: St. Louis (-125); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (-125); Under

Game 63-64: Dallas at Vancouver (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Dallas 12.322; Vancouver 11.435
Dunkel Line & Total: Dallas by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Vancouver (-200); 5
Dunkel Pick: Dallas (+170); Over

Game 65-66: Columbus at Los Angeles (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Columbus 11.246; Los Angeles 11.504
Dunkel Line & Total: Los Angeles by 1/2; 4
Vegas Line & Total: Los Angeles (-210); 5
Dunkel Pick: Los Angeles (-210); Under

**Udog** · 02-15-2013, 09:25 AM

NHL
Long Sheet

Friday, February 15

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BOSTON (8-1-0-2, 18 pts.) at BUFFALO (5-8-0-1, 11 pts.) - 2/15/2013, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BUFFALO is 239-173 ATS (+21.4 Units) vs. division opponents since 1996.
BOSTON is 146-124 ATS (+276.2 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5.5 since 1996.
BOSTON is 22-5 ATS (+14.0 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
BUFFALO is 8-19 ATS (-12.0 Units) after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
BUFFALO is 7-7 (+2.2 Units) against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
BUFFALO is 7-7-0 straight up against BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
9 of 12 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+6.6 Units)

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PITTSBURGH (9-5-0-0, 18 pts.) at WINNIPEG (5-6-0-1, 11 pts.) - 2/15/2013, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PITTSBURGH is 32-17 ATS (+13.6 Units) in road games revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 7-2 (+4.2 Units) against the spread versus WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
PITTSBURGH is 7-2-0 straight up against WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+1.8 Units)

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PHILADELPHIA (6-7-0-1, 13 pts.) at NEW JERSEY (8-2-0-3, 19 pts.) - 2/15/2013, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW JERSEY is 70-48 ATS (+12.6 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
NEW JERSEY is 24-9 ATS (+12.0 Units) in February games over the last 3 seasons.
NEW JERSEY is 49-33 ATS (+11.9 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
NEW JERSEY is 27-16 ATS (+9.9 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
NEW JERSEY is 18-9 ATS (+27.2 Units) after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 28-13 ATS (+12.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the first half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW JERSEY is 11-7 (+6.5 Units) against the spread versus PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
NEW JERSEY is 11-7-0 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
10 of 18 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.4 Units)

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ANAHEIM (9-2-0-1, 19 pts.) at DETROIT (7-4-0-2, 16 pts.) - 2/15/2013, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ANAHEIM is 9-3 ATS (+12.1 Units) in all games this season.
ANAHEIM is 50-39 ATS (+93.3 Units) in road games in February games since 1996.
ANAHEIM is 9-3 ATS (+12.1 Units) second half of the season this season.
DETROIT is 15-19 ATS (-15.2 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 6-2 (+3.7 Units) against the spread versus ANAHEIM over the last 3 seasons
DETROIT is 6-2-0 straight up against ANAHEIM over the last 3 seasons
6 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+4.0 Units)

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SAN JOSE (7-3-0-3, 17 pts.) at CHICAGO (10-0-0-3, 23 pts.) - 2/15/2013, 8:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN JOSE is 51-49 ATS (-20.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN JOSE is 0-6 ATS (-8.7 Units) in February games this season.
SAN JOSE is 13-23 ATS (-12.6 Units) in road games second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
SAN JOSE is 6-14 ATS (-10.2 Units) revenging a home loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
SAN JOSE is 21-26 ATS (-14.9 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 315-334 ATS (-35.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.
SAN JOSE is 149-112 ATS (+27.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the first half of the season since 1996.
CHICAGO is 47-59 ATS (-31.7 Units) in home games on Friday nights since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN JOSE is 5-4 (+1.2 Units) against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
SAN JOSE is 5-4-0 straight up against CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+2.4 Units)

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ST LOUIS (7-5-0-1, 15 pts.) at CALGARY (4-4-0-3, 11 pts.) - 2/15/2013, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CALGARY is 20-36 ATS (-17.5 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CALGARY is 5-3 (+2.1 Units) against the spread versus ST LOUIS over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY is 5-3-0 straight up against ST LOUIS over the last 3 seasons
6 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+3.8 Units)

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DALLAS (7-6-0-1, 15 pts.) at VANCOUVER (8-2-0-2, 18 pts.) - 2/15/2013, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
VANCOUVER is 138-84 ATS (+34.9 Units) when playing with 2 days rest since 1996.
VANCOUVER is 26-6 ATS (+13.5 Units) in home games after a division game over the last 3 seasons.
DALLAS is 91-73 ATS (+166.2 Units) in road games after allowing 4 goals or more since 1996.
DALLAS is 174-111 ATS (+39.7 Units) after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game since 1996.
VANCOUVER is 196-182 ATS (-105.1 Units) in home games second half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
VANCOUVER is 6-2 (+2.2 Units) against the spread versus DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
VANCOUVER is 6-2-0 straight up against DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.2 Units)

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COLUMBUS (4-7-0-2, 10 pts.) at LOS ANGELES (4-5-0-2, 10 pts.) - 2/15/2013, 10:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
LOS ANGELES is 6-3 (+0.6 Units) against the spread versus COLUMBUS over the last 3 seasons
LOS ANGELES is 6-3-0 straight up against COLUMBUS over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+2.1 Units)

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**Udog** · 02-15-2013, 09:26 AM

NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Friday, February 15

Hot teams
-- Bruins won six of their last eight games.
-- Penguins won six of their last eight games.
-- New Jersey won five of its last six games. Flyers won four of last six games, but lost four of last five on road.
-- Ducks won six of their last seven games. Detroit won three of last four.
-- Chicago won four of its last five games.
-- Vancouver won its last six games, outscoring opponents 19-6. Dallas Stars won four of their last five games.

Cold teams
-- Sabres lost seven of their last ten games.
-- Winnipeg lost five of its last seven games.
-- San Jose lost its last six games, outscored 17-7.
-- Blues lost five of their last six games. Calgary lost four of last six at home.
-- Los Angeles lost four of its last six games. Blue Jackets lost five of last seven.

Totals
-- Over is 9-3-1 in last thirteen Buffalo-Boston games.
-- Five of last seven Penguin-Jet games went over the total.
-- Three of last four Philly road games stayed under total.
-- Eight of last ten Anaheim games stayed under total.
-- Five of last seven Chicago-San Jose games went over total.
-- Eight of last ten St Louis-Calgary games stayed under.
-- Under is 7-1-2 in last ten Vancouver games.
-- Over is 7-3-1 in last eleven Columbus-LA games.

Series records
-- Bruins won three of last four games against Buffalo.
-- Penguins won 15 of last 18 games against Winnipeg.
-- Devils won their last five games against Philly.
-- Red Wings won six of last eight games with Anaheim.
-- Blackhawks won four of last six games with San Jose.
-- Blues won three of last four games against Calgary.
-- Canucks won seven of last ten games with Dallas.
-- Kings won nine of last twelve games against Columbus.

Announcement

Friday's Trends and Indexes - 2/15 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

Friday's Trends and Indexes - 2/15 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

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