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**Udog** · 12-25-2013, 08:19 AM

Armadillo: Wednesday's six-pack

Six Christmas gift ideas........

-- Jerry Jones-- A real GM so his football team can compete with the other 31 NFL teams on an even plane. Jones is an amateur as a GM; it shows.

-- TV viewers-- A week without Will Ferrell on TV; we get it, you made a movie and you want us to go watch it. Enough already.

-- Arkansas State football-- A coach who will stay more than one season in Jonesboro. Next year will be their fifth coach in five years.

-- Arizona Cardinals-- A playoff spot they deserve.

-- DirecTV viewers-- Adding the Pac-12 Network; its not a lot to ask.

-- To my readers-- A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

*****

Armadillo: Wednesday's List of 13: Merry Christmas to everyone

13) NFL needs to put back in a rule where every team dresses three QBs every game; even if the #3 QB only plays in an emergency. Dallas is going to have two QBs dressed Sunday if Romo can't play, and Jon Kitna has been a high school teacher the last two years-- he is 41.

12) Dallas brought in five QB suspects to be Kyle Orton's backup against the Eagles Sunday night: Carr-Skelton-Thigpen-Hanie-Bartel, but they settled on Kitna because he knows the offense.

Guy has been a teacher for two years and is one injury away from being the QB in a play-in game for the playoffs. Wow.

11) If you turn your head and listen, Lou Holtz sounds like Uncle Si on Duck Dynasty.

10) Speaking of Duck Dynasty, family patriarch Phil Robertson played QB at Louisiana Tech in the late 60's, completing 179-411 passes with 12 TDs, 34 INTs and 2,237 yards.

You may have heard of his backup QB at Tech: Terry Bradshaw.

9) New York Post reports that Josh Brown is the first kicker in Giants history with three field goals of 40+ yards in the same game.

8) Only once since 2000 have two #1 seeds met in the Super Bowl. That was Colts-Saints in 2009.

7) Coaching turnover in college football is under-reported; of the 128 or so defensive coordinators in I-A football, the two who have been in their job the longest work at Navy-Oregon State. Go figure.

6) It'll be a shame if the Cardinals don't make the playoffs; they deserve to be in, but they'll need to Bucs to win at New Orleans Sunday, and the Saints are 7-0 at home, so thats probably not happening.

5) Cincinnati Bengals are third team to score 40+ points in four straight home games in same season; '52 Lions, '00 Rams are other two.

4) Expect a ridiculous amount of cash to be thrown at Japanese free agent pitcher Masahiro Tanaka, who is coming here next year. Bronx/Dodgers are expected to try and get him; Cubs and Boston could be involved, too.

Red flag: He has 53 complete games, which means that arm has thrown a lot of pitches. Not sure he'll be worth the $20M posting fee, plus salary.

3) Oregon State 38, Boise State 23-- Sometimes I think the best way to handicap bowl games is just to read the Internet and pick against teams who have drama off the field. Boise sent one of its backup QBs home and they got drilled in this game. Pac-12 is 2-1 vs Mountain West in bowls, and the loss was Washington State's collapse in New Mexico.

2) Fellow on FS1 was picking NFL games the other night, but they didn't post his record for the season. Would be nice to know if he was hot or not.

1) Rule of thumb: people getting off airplanes in Las Vegas are happier than people getting on planes in Vegas to go home.

**Udog** · 12-25-2013, 08:19 AM

Football lines that make you go hmmm...

Week 17 is that oddly shaped gift at the back of the tree that rattles like a tin can stuffed with marbles.

What the hell could it be?

NFL bettors don’t know what they’re tearing into when it comes to the regular season finale. Could it be a PS4 or an easy pointspread cover? Or is it a cheesy holiday-themed sweater or a team giving up on the year?

Needless to say, Week 17 gives us plenty to ponder with numerous head-scratching spreads to round of the schedule. Here are a few NFL lines making bettors go hmmm…

Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals (-6, 44.5)

This AFC North matchup holds a ton of playoff weight with the Ravens trying to get into the postseason and the Bengals attempting to improve their seeding. It opened at the always brow-furrowing 5.5-point spread and has since jumped to Bengals -6.

This number seems a little low – even with all things considered. Baltimore is on the road after getting coal stuffed in its stocking versus the Patriots in front of its home crowd while Cincinnati is playing some of its best football of the season down the stretch. The Ravens edged the Bengals in overtime back in Week 10 but Cincy is 4-1 in the five games since, with quality wins over San Diego and Indianapolis.

Denver Broncos at Oakland Raiders (+13, 53.5)

The Broncos do need to win this game to keep the No. 1 seed safe and won’t rest their starters – at least not until they run up the score early and coast on a comfortable lead. This 53.5 point total could be a tall task with the Broncos playing it safe in the final 30 minutes.

With many key players limping into the playoffs and star pass rusher Von Miller out for the year, Denver will likely hit the Silver and Black with everything it has for two quarters before turning the offense over to backup QB Brock Osweiler and the running game.

Oakland is putting Terrellle Pryor back under center, which means more runs keeping the clock ticking. The Raiders were one of the top rushing teams in the league with the dual-threat breaking off gains with his legs and are 3-5 O/U with Pryor taking the snaps this season.

Washington Redskins at New York Giants (-3.5, 45.5)

The Redskins have nothing left to give. Well, maybe Mike Shanahan's pink slip, but that's it. Washington played the Cowboys tough last Sunday, trying to spoil their rival’s playoff chances. And it looked like they were going to do it before Dallas scored the go-ahead TD on a fourth-down conversion in the dying minutes.

If the Redskins had any heart left, that loss ripped those leftovers out of their chests.

Enter the Giants who, after posting a goose egg through the first six games of the schedule, have been a solid 6-3 since with those losses coming to Dallas, Seattle and San Diego. New York knows how to finish strong as well, going 6-3 SU and 7-2 ATS in its last nine Week 17 contests.

**Udog** · 12-25-2013, 08:22 AM

NBA
Dunkel

Houston at San Antonio
The Spurs host at Rockets team that is coming off a 111-104 loss to Dallas on Monday and is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games after scoring 100 points or more in the previous game. San Antonio is the pick (-7) according to Dunkel, which has the Spurs favored by 11. Dunkel Pick: San Antonio (-7). Here are all of today's picks.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 25

Game 801-802: Chicago at Brooklyn (12:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Chicago 113.907; Brooklyn 113.672
Dunkel Line & Total: Even; 193
Vegas Line & Total: Brooklyn by 3 1/2; 187
Dunkel Pick: Chicago (+3 1/2); Over

Game 803-804: Oklahoma City at New York (2:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oklahoma City 128.040; New York 116.795
Dunkel Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 11; 194
Vegas Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 8 1/2; 200
Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma City (-8 1/2); Under

Game 805-806: Miami at LA Lakers (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Miami 122.729; LA Lakers 120.315
Dunkel Line & Total: Miami by 2 1/2; 211
Vegas Line & Total: Miami by 9; 206 1/2
Dunkel Pick: LA Lakers (+9); Over

Game 807-808: Houston at San Antonio (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Houston 117.223; San Antonio 128.314
Dunkel Line & Total: San Antonio by 11; 204
Vegas Line & Total: San Antonio by 7; 209 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Antonio (-7); Under

Game 809-810: LA Clippers at Golden State (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Clippers 120.010; Golden State 125.216
Dunkel Line & Total: Golden State by 5; 200
Vegas Line & Total: Golden State by 2; 205 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Golden State (-2); Under

NBA
Long Sheet

Wednesday, December 25

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CHICAGO (10 - 16) at BROOKLYN (9 - 18) - 12/25/2013, 12:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 50-69 ATS (-25.9 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 38-59 ATS (-26.9 Units) in road games in December games since 1996.
CHICAGO is 19-36 ATS (-20.6 Units) first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 16-29 ATS (-15.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
BROOKLYN is 33-55 ATS (-27.5 Units) in home games over the last 3 seasons.
BROOKLYN is 1-12 ATS (-12.2 Units) in a home game where where the total is between 185 and 189.5 points over the last 3 seasons.
BROOKLYN is 8-18 ATS (-11.8 Units) in December games over the last 2 seasons.
BROOKLYN is 5-20 ATS (-17.0 Units) in home games against Central division opponents over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 8-6 against the spread versus BROOKLYN over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 9-5 straight up against BROOKLYN over the last 3 seasons
9 of 14 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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OKLAHOMA CITY (22 - 5) at NEW YORK (9 - 18) - 12/25/2013, 2:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 66-52 ATS (+8.8 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 61-44 ATS (+12.6 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 132-100 ATS (+22.0 Units) in road games since 1996.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 26-11 ATS (+13.9 Units) in road games in December games since 1996.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 47-26 ATS (+18.4 Units) in road games first half of the season since 1996.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 27-11 ATS (+14.9 Units) off a upset loss as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
NEW YORK is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) in home games this season.
NEW YORK is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) in home games first half of the season this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW YORK is 2-1 against the spread versus OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
OKLAHOMA CITY is 2-1 straight up against NEW YORK 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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MIAMI (21 - 6) at LA LAKERS (13 - 15) - 12/25/2013, 5:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 13-2 ATS (+10.8 Units) as a road favorite of 6.5 to 9 points over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 37-25 ATS (+9.5 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 15-5 ATS (+9.5 Units) after 3 or more consecutive overs over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 18-8 ATS (+9.2 Units) in road games after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 20-8 ATS (+11.2 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 16-2 ATS (+13.8 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 49-63 ATS (-20.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 173-217 ATS (-65.7 Units) after a division game since 1996.
LA LAKERS are 20-35 ATS (-18.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MIAMI is 3-1 against the spread versus LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI is 3-1 straight up against LA LAKERS 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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HOUSTON (18 - 11) at SAN ANTONIO (22 - 6) - 12/25/2013, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN ANTONIO is 118-88 ATS (+21.2 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 95-70 ATS (+18.0 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 124-92 ATS (+22.8 Units) as a home favorite of 6.5 to 9 points since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 415-347 ATS (+33.3 Units) in home games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 277-214 ATS (+41.6 Units) after a non-conference game since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 23-10 ATS (+12.0 Units) after 3 or more consecutive overs over the last 3 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 165-126 ATS (+26.4 Units) in home games after a win by 10 points or more since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 32-17 ATS (+13.3 Units) after scoring 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 81-50 ATS (+26.0 Units) in road games off a upset loss as a favorite since 1996.
HOUSTON is 98-58 ATS (+34.2 Units) in road games after allowing 105 points or more since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
HOUSTON is 5-4 against the spread versus SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 5-4 straight up against HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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LA CLIPPERS (20 - 9) at GOLDEN STATE (16 - 13) - 12/25/2013, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA CLIPPERS are 191-249 ATS (-82.9 Units) after allowing 105 points or more since 1996.
GOLDEN STATE is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) in a home game where where the total is between 205 and 209.5 points over the last 2 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 19-9 ATS (+9.1 Units) in December games over the last 2 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 37-23 ATS (+11.7 Units) first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 6-3 against the spread versus LA CLIPPERS over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 5-4 straight up against LA CLIPPERS over the last 3 seasons
7 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, December 25

Hot teams
-- Thunder won 17 of last 19 games (6-2 AF).
-- Miami won seven of its last eight games (7-3 AF).
-- Spurs won seven of last nine games (1-6 vs spread last seven at home) Rockets are 6-1 vs spread in game following last seven losses.
-- Clippers won their last five games (4-1 vs spread). Golden State won three of last four.

Cold Teams
-- Bulls lost seven of their last nine games; Nets lost four of last five.
-- Knicks covered three of their 14 home games.
-- Lakers lost six of their last nine games (6-1-1 HU).

Series records
-- Bulls are 11-5 in last 16 games against Brooklyn; they beat Nets LY in seven games in playoffs.
-- Thunder won six of last eight games with New York.
-- Lakers lost six of last seven games with Miami.
-- Rockets lost their last seven visits to the Alamo.
-- Clippers lost six of last seven visits to Oakland.

Totals
-- Four of last five Brooklyn games went over total.
-- Over is 9-4 in New York's last thirteen home games.
-- Four of last five Laker home games stayed under.
-- Ten of last thirteen Houston road games went over.
-- Five of last six Clipper road games stayed under total.

NBA

Wednesday, December 25

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Trend Report
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12:00 PM
CHICAGO vs. BROOKLYN
The total has gone OVER in 14 of Chicago's last 19 games when playing on the road against Brooklyn
Chicago is 2-7 ATS in its last 9 games
Brooklyn is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games at home
Brooklyn is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games at home

2:30 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY vs. NEW YORK
Oklahoma City is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games
Oklahoma City is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
New York is 6-14 SU in its last 20 games
New York is 3-10 SU in its last 13 games at home

5:00 PM
MIAMI vs. LA LAKERS
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Miami's last 6 games on the road
Miami is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of the LA Lakers last 6 games when playing at home against Miami
LA Lakers are 3-6 SU in their last 9 games

8:00 PM
HOUSTON vs. SAN ANTONIO
Houston is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Houston is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Antonio's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 16 of San Antonio's last 23 games when playing at home against Houston

10:30 PM
LA CLIPPERS vs. GOLDEN STATE
The total has gone OVER in 5 of the LA Clippers last 5 games when playing Golden State
LA Clippers are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games on the road
Golden State is 14-6 SU in its last 20 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Golden State's last 5 games when playing LA Clippers

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**Udog** · 12-25-2013, 08:23 AM

NBA

Wednesday, December 25

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Bulls at Nets: What bettors need to know
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Chicago Bulls at Brooklyn Nets (-2.5, 187.5)

The NBA’s schedule-makers likely had a battle of Eastern Conference powers in mind when the Chicago Bulls and the host Brooklyn Nets were selected for the league’s Christmas slate, but that's far from the case when the teams meet Wednesday to begin the annual holiday showcase. The Bulls have won just twice in the past nine games and will be looking for their first winning streak in more than a month. The Nets, meanwhile, have lost three in a row, including Monday's 103-86 loss to Indiana.

Of course, injuries are a big reason why both teams have not lived up to their lofty expectations. Chicago is 4-12 since 2011 NBA MVP Derrick Rose suffered his second major knee injury in as many seasons on Nov. 22. Brooklyn has had to shuffle its rotation throughout the season, but the big blow came late last week when leading scorer Brook Lopez was ruled out for the season with a broken right foot.

TV: Noon ET, ESPN, WGN (Chicago), YES (Brooklyn)

LINE: The Nets opened as 3-point faves and now sit at -2.5. The total has gone down slightly from 188 to 187.5.

POWER RANKINGS: Chicago (-4) - Brooklyn (-3.6) + home court (-3) = Brooklyn -3.4

ABOUT THE BULLS (10-16, 9-17 ATS): Rose is far from the only player missing from coach Tom Thibodeau’s ideal rotation. Kirk Hinrich (back stiffness), Luol Deng (Achilles) and Jimmy Butler (ankle) all sat out Chicago’s 100-84 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday, and the trio's status for Wednesday’s game remains up in the air. "It's just one of those seasons,” Deng said of the rash of injuries. “I think we just got to hang in there. … We know what we're capable of when everybody's healthy.”

ABOUT THE NETS (9-18, 11-16 ATS): After a very rocky start to the season, Brooklyn appeared to be turning a corner earlier this month with four wins in five games, but the current skid and Lopez’s injury have chased away any positive vibes. "I think it's getting very close to just accepting losing," coach Jason Kidd said after the loss to the Pacers. The Nets did receive a bit of good news when reserve guard Jason Terry returned to action Monday after missing the previous 15 games with a knee injury, scoring 11 points.

TRENDS:

* Over is 4-0 in the last four meetings.
* Bulls are 6-2 ATS in the last eight meetings in Brooklyn.
* Over is is 14-5 in the last 19 meetings in Brooklyn.
* Road team in 9-4 ATS in the last 13 meetings.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. This is the fourth year in a row the Bulls are playing on Christmas, and Chicago is 1-2 in the previous three games.

2. Brooklyn is hosting a Christmas game for the second straight season after losing 93-76 to the Boston Celtics — featuring current Nets Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Terry — last year.

3. Bulls G D.J. Augustin, acquired from Toronto earlier this month, is averaging 13.8 points and eight assists in 37.5 minutes over the past four games.

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**Udog** · 12-25-2013, 08:23 AM

NBA

Wednesday, December 25

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Thunder at Knicks: What bettors need to know
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Oklahoma City Thunder at New York Knicks (+8.5, 200)

The last time Oklahoma City had a long winning streak snap, it answered with an even longer one. The Thunder will try to come back strong again when they hit the road for a Christmas Day contest with the New York Knicks on Wednesday. Oklahoma City has won 17 of its last 19 but had its nine-game winning streak end with a 104-98 home loss to Toronto on Sunday.

The Knicks held on for a 103-98 win at Orlando on Monday but it came at a cost, as star Carmelo Anthony (ankle) and point guard Raymond Felton (groin) left with injuries. Felton's injury came in his first game back after missing six contests with a strained hamstring. "I'm concerned (about Anthony) but I'm not as worried about him as I'm worried about Ray, the way he came back and then to go down again," reserve guard J.R. Smith told reporters. "It's tough. He's our point guard, for sure." The Knicks are 0-8 against Western Conference teams including an 0-5 mark at home, while the Thunder are 7-1 against the Eastern Conference.

TV: 2:30 p.m. ET, ABC, TSN

LINE: The Thunder opened as 8-point road faves and now sit at -8.5. The total has stayed put at 200.

POWER RANKINGS: Oklahoma City (-14) - New York (-3) + home court (-3) = Oklahoma City -8

ABOUT THE THUNDER (22-5, 15-12 ATS): Oklahoma City finished with more turnovers (19) than assists (17) and faded in the fourth quarter against the Raptors, perhaps a result of playing the second game of a back-to-back after a big win at San Antonio. That's far from the norm for a team that boasts two dominant players in Kevin Durant (28.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists) and Russell Westbrook (21.6 points, 6.8 assists, 5.7 rebounds) and a developing supporting cast. Getting to the foul line is pivotal to the Thunder's success, as they lead the NBA at 82.6 percent from the line.

ABOUT THE KNICKS (9-18, 10-17 ATS): The mounting injuries already were a concern for New York with reserve guard Pablo Prigioni (broken toe) and forward Kenyon Martin (abdominal strain) out for prolonged periods and forward Metta World Peace (knee) having missed the past two games. Losing Anthony (26.3 points, 8.8 rebounds) for any amount of time would be crushing, as he has led or tied for the team lead in scoring in every game. Felton (10.5 points, 5.1 assists) also would be a big loss for an already thin backcourt, and the Knicks will need Smith (11.5 points) to step up his production if either player misses more time.

TRENDS:

* Under is 4-1 in the last five meetings.
* Home team is 7-2 ATS in the last nine meetings.
* Thunder are 1-5 ATS in the last six meetings.
* Thunder are 0-4 ATS in the last four meetings in New York.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. Oklahoma City is 17-2 when outrebounding its opponent.

2. The Knicks have been outscored by 66 points in the paint over their last four games.

3. The Thunder have won 51 of 53 games since the start of last season when holding the opposition to 42 percent or lower from the field.

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**Udog** · 12-25-2013, 08:24 AM

NBA

Wednesday, December 25

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Heat at Lakers: What bettors need to know
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Miami Heat at Los Angeles Lakers (+8.5, 207)

Two of the holiday season's most popular attractions do battle Christmas Day as the two-time defending-champion Miami Heat take on the decidedly less star-studded Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center. Miami comes into the Wednesday evening showdown having escaped with a 121-119 overtime victory over the Atlanta Hawks two nights earlier. The Lakers find themselves scrambling to get back to the .500 mark after getting walloped 117-90 by Phoenix.

The matchup was undoubtedly put together with an eye toward Miami's Big Three, led by perennial MVP candidate LeBron James, tangling with Los Angeles' talented trio of Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash and Pau Gasol. But Bryant is out until February with a stress fracture in his knee while Nash continues to miss time with a nerve root irritation. Gasol has been the only reliable option in the struggling Lakers' starting five and faces a tall task against the powerhouse Heat.

TV: 5 p.m. ET, ABC

LINE: The Lakers are 8.5 point home dogs and opening at +8. The total moved from 206.5 to 207.

POWER RANKINGS: Miami (-14.5) - Los Angeles (-5) + home court (-3) = Miami -6.5

ABOUT THE HEAT (21-6, 13-14 ATS): Miami realized early in the season that it would need to regulate its star players' minutes in order to ensure they stay healthy heading into what is hopefully another long playoff run. The Heat employed part of that strategy Monday against the Hawks, giving veteran guard Dwyane Wade the night off to deal what the team called "soreness." It was curious timing - Wade is the reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week - but head coach Eric Spoelstra wanted Wade at his best heading into the game against the Lakers.

ABOUT THE LAKERS (13-15, 15-12-1 ATS): Los Angeles wishes its problems could be solved by a little extra rest. The season is quickly spiraling out of control and hit a new low against the up-tempo Suns as the Lakers shot just 37 percent from the field while getting outrebounded by an absurd 62-39 margin. Gasol returned to the lineup against Phoenix after missing the previous game with an upper respiratory infection but looked overmatched against Suns big man Mason Plumlee, who racked up 17 points and 20 rebounds in the one-sided win.

TRENDS:

* Heat are 9-1 ATS in the last 10 meetings.
* Under is 5-1 in the last six meetings.
* Heat are 4-1 ATS in the last five meeting in Los Angeles.
* Underdog is 8-2 ATS in the last 10 meetings.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. The teams last met Feb. 10, with the Heat rolling to a 107-97 triumph behind 32 points from James.

2. Wade averages 25 points and 6.5 assists in 19 career regular-season games versus Los Angeles.

3. Miami is 7-2 in Christmas Day games since coming into the league, while the Lakers are 6-8 since 1990.

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**Udog** · 12-25-2013, 08:24 AM

NBA

Wednesday, December 25

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Rockets at Spurs: What bettors need to know
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Houston Rockets at San Antonio Spurs (-7, 209)

The Houston Rockets hope to have star guard James Harden available when they visit the powerful San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night. Harden has missed back-to-back games with a sprained ankle and is waiting on the swelling to further subside but indicated to reporters that he hopes to be medically cleared to play against the Spurs. “I will keep icing it and getting treatment and hopefully be ready for Christmas Day,” Harden said.

San Antonio has the fourth-best record in the NBA but one of its six defeats was against the Rockets – a 112-106 home loss on Nov. 30. The Spurs dug themselves a 23-point hole but were unable to recover despite 27 points from Tony Parker. The standout point guard has put together consecutive strong outings since returning from a shin injury and is averaging 24.5 points and eight assists during the stretch after tallying 26 points in Monday’s victory over the Toronto Raptors.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN, CSN Houston, CW35 (San Antonio)

LINE: The Spurs have held steady as 7-point home faves. The total has gone down to 209 from 210.

POWER RANKINGS: Houston (-10.5) - San Antonio (-13.8) + home court (-3) = San Antonio -6.3

ABOUT THE ROCKETS (18-11, 15-13-1 ATS): Center Dwight Howard will again be asked to do yeoman work inside if Harden is unable to play. He is averaging 32 points and on 23-of-34 shooting in the two contests and scored 20 or more points in six of the past nine games. Howard is averaging 18.7 points and 13.3 rebounds but has often acquiesced to the Harden on the offensive end and focused more on his rebounding and defensive prowess. He also doesn’t want to hear anything about Houston being shorthanded. “We can’t use that as an excuse,” Howard said after Monday’s loss to Dallas. “It is five-on-five so we’re not going to make that excuse.”

ABOUT THE SPURS (22-6, 15-13 ATS): Struggling Danny Green didn’t start against Toronto but rediscovered his shooting stroke while playing 24 minutes off the bench. Green hit 4-of-6 3-pointers and scored 14 points against the Raptors to match his top scoring output since Nov. 23. The guard had failed to reach double digits in 11 of 14 games before his solid contributions against Toronto. “I didn’t bench him because he wasn’t making shots,” San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said afterward. “You don’t bench people because they’re not making shots. We changed the look and changed the rotation a little bit. It could change again.”

TRENDS:

* Under is 16-7 in the last 23 meetings in San Antonio.
* Underdog is 13-6 ATS in the last 19 meetings.
* Rockets are 4-0 ATS in their last four games following a SU loss.
* Over is 21-5 in the Spurs last 26 home games.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. Houston has won two straight meetings after San Antonio won the previous four.

2. Spurs SG Marco Belinelli is second in the NBA with 51.1 percent accuracy from 3-point range.

3. Rockets PG Patrick Beverley will be out 4-to-6 weeks after undergoing surgery on his right hand.

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**Udog** · 12-25-2013, 08:24 AM

NBA

Wednesday, December 25

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Clippers at Warriors: What bettors need to know
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Los Angeles Clippers at Golden State Warriors (-2.5, 205)

The Golden State Warriors briefly looked like a legitimate challenger to the Los Angeles Clippers atop the Pacific Division before a hot start cooled off. The Warriors will try to get back into the race when they host the Clippers on Wednesday night. Los Angeles is riding a five-game winning streak and is averaging 113.6 points in that span behind Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan.

Golden State is built similarly to the Clippers, with Stephen Curry and David Lee playing the Paul-Griffin part and Andrew Bogut matching Jordan as a rebounding and defensive force in the middle. Griffin and Jordan combined for 27 rebounds in a 120-116 overtime victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday while Paul put up his customary double-double with 19 points and 13 assists. Lee, who led the league in double-doubles with 56 last season, posted his ninth straight with 28 points and 10 boards in Monday’s 89-81 win at Denver.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, Prime Ticket (Los Angeles), CSN Bay Area (Golden State)

LINE: The Warriors opened as 2-point faves and are now at -2.5. The total hasn't moved from 205.

POWER RANKINGS: Los Angeles (-11) - Golden State (-9.5) + home court (-3) = Golden State -1.5

ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (20-9, 17-12 ATS): Doc Rivers had a few things to fix when he took over as head coach of Los Angeles in the summer - installing a consistent defense and a never-say-die attitude were two of the things at the top of the list. The Clippers came back from five points down in the final 26 seconds to force overtime on Sunday, proving Rivers’ message to the team. “We didn’t give up,” Griffin said. “Every single time we came through at the end of the game and in overtime. (Rivers) kept stressing, everybody on the bench was saying, ‘We have time to win this game.’ I think everybody just believed and we got it done.”

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (16-13, 13-14-2 ATS): Golden State has not put together three straight wins since taking four in a row to improve to 8-3 on Nov. 18. Things got a little rocky from there but the Warriors crushed the Lakers 102-83 on Saturday and pulled out a tough victory at Denver on Monday as Andre Iguodala began to look a bit like his old self. Golden State’s rocky stretch coincided with Iguodala’s 12-game absence due to a hamstring injury, and the veteran swingman had his most productive outing in four games since returning with 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting and six rebounds in 31 minutes on Monday. Iguodala also improves the team defensively, and the Warriors have held each of their last two opponents under 40 percent from the field.

TRENDS:

* Over is 6-0 in the last six meetings.
* Home team is 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings.
* Over is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings in Golden State.
* Clippers are 1-6 ATS in the last seven meetings in Golden State.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. Griffin was named Western Conference Player of the Week on Monday after putting up 26 points and 11.3 rebounds in four games.

2. Lee and Bogut are the first pair of teammates to each record 10 or more rebounds in nine straight games since Charles Barkley and Moses Malone in 1986 for the Philadelphia 76ers.

3. Paul went for 42 points and 15 assists as Los Angeles cruised to a 125-116 home win in the last meeting on Oct. 31

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**Udog** · 12-25-2013, 08:25 AM

NBA

Wednesday, December 25

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Essential betting tidbits for Christmas' NBA action
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Chicago Bulls at Brooklyn Nets (-3, 188)

The Bulls have not only struggled to win games since Derrick Rose went down with yet another knee injury, they have struggled to keep games close. They are just 4-11 SU and ATS without Rose in the lineup.

Brook Lopez's foot injury really hurt the Nets. Including the game Lopez got injured, the Nets are averaging just 32.6 total rebounds per game.That is four less than the worst rebounding team in the NBA.

Oklahoma City Thunder at New York Knicks (+8, 200)

The Thunder sport an impressive 8-5 mark ATS on the road this season. But recent visits to Madison Square Garden haven't been kind to the Thunder, who haven't covered in their last four trips there.

The Knicks already rank 25th in the NBA in scoring at 95 points per game and could be without their best player. Carmelo Anthony is questionable with a sprained ankle, he is averaging 26.3 points per game.

Miami Heat at Los Angeles Lakes (+8.5, 206.5)

It's crazy to think, but LeBron James may be getting better. He is shooting a ridiculous .599 from the floor this season and leads the Heat in scoring (25.4), rebounds (6.9) and assists (6.6) per game.

If you were told in October that Nick Johnson would be the leading scorer for the Lakers at this point in the season, you probably would have laughed. Don't. He is, at 15.6 points per game.

Houston Rockets at San Antonio Spurs (-7, 209)

If the Rockets want to be included in the list of elite teams in the West, they will have to improve at the defensive end of the floor. Of all the current playoff teams they allow the most points per game at 102.4.

The Spurs are not surprisingly 22-6, but have had a bit of trouble against top competition. Their last three losses have come against the Thunder, Clippers and Pacers and all have been by more than 10 points.

Los Angeles Clippers at Golden State Warriors (-2, 205)

The Clippers are looking for their sixth win in a row Wednesday. They have scored 113.6, while only giving up 98.2 points per game during their current win streak.

It's hard to beleive the Warriors would be the eighth seed in the Western Conference if the playoffs started today. Their last four losses have been by four points or less.

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**Udog** · 12-25-2013, 08:25 AM

NBA

Wednesday, December 25

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NBA Top 4: Popular Christmas Day attractions
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While most North Americans get to spend Christmas Day tearing through wrapping paper and gorging themselves on turkey and stuffing, a handful of men and women are forced to work - and that includes professional basketball players.

The annual Christmas Day NBA schedule is full of marquee teams and fierce rivalries, more often than not resulting in entertaining games. Some teams have become fixtures on the holiday schedule, due to the quality of the roster or the size of the market.

Here's a look at four of the most popular Christmas Day attractions (records since 1990-91):

Chicago Bulls (8-2 SU, 5-4-1 ATS, 4-6 O/U)

No team has spread more holiday cheer than the Michael Jordan-led Bulls of the 1990s, who ripped through opponents with no regard for human life. The Bulls won all seven Christmas Day games they played in the 1990s, while covering the spread five times over that span. The Bulls were pulled off the Christmas schedule following Jordan's "retirement" and subsequent relocation to Washington, but resurfaced after building a solid two-way team led by point guard Derrick Rose. Chicago hasn't fared as well over the last three holiday games, going 1-2 SU and 0-3 ATS. The Bulls visit Brooklyn on Wednesday.

Miami Heat (7-2 SU, 5-4 ATS, 2-7 O/U)

The holiday season seems to bring out the best in the Heat, who have been one of the showcase Christmas Day teams since the turn of the century - and with good reason. From the days of Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade to the present three-headed monster of Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh, Miami has represented must-see-NBA-TV for the better part of a decade. Their Christmas Day performances have been sensational - they have won their last four Dec. 25 contests, covering the spread in each one. Miami tangles with the host Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday.

Los Angeles Lakers (6-8 SU, 8-5-1 ATS, 5-9 O/U)

The franchise once known as "Showtime" has been anything but when it comes to performing on Christmas Day. The Lakers have struggled SU on Dec. 25, having dropped seven of their last 10 games despite performing well ATS over that span (6-4). They have also had remarkable success as an "under" play, going below the total in five consecutive games and seven of the last eight. Armed with a threadbare roster and dealing with a long-term injury to franchise centerpiece Kobe Bryant, expect that trend to continue.

New York Knicks (3-5 SU, 2-6 ATS, 4-4 O/U)

No team has appeared in more Christmas Day games than the Knicks (47), but they've only recently returned to prominence after spending most of the 2000s on the holiday sidelines. The acquisition of superstar Carmelo Anthony has livened things up at Madison Square Garden, but that hasn't translated to success on Dec. 25. New York is 2-2 SU in its last four holiday outings, and has covered the spread just once over that span. Low-scoring games have also been the rule, with the "under" converting in the three of the past four years. New York hosts Oklahoma City on Wednesday.

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**Udog** · 12-25-2013, 08:25 AM

NBA

Wednesday, December 25

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NBA on Christmas Day: Betting stats and trends
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'Twas an NBA day of Christmas when all through the sport, fans are stirring with no less than five games to sort.

Like Miley Cyrus the league speaks not a word and goes straight to work, looking to stuff their stockings while trying not to twerk.

With presents delivered under the Christmas tree, here's my gift to you, for all to see.

With the Bulls and Nets taking off in flight, Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Christmases past

Here is a breakdown of the 10 teams playing on Christmas this season and how they’ve performed on Dec. 25 since 1990:

• Brooklyn (New Jersey): 1-1 SU and 1-1 ATS and 1-1 O/U
Trending: 0-1 ATS last year

• Chicago: 7-2 SU and 5-4 ATS and 3-6 O/U
Trending: 0-3 ATS last three games

• Golden State: 1-1 SU and 1-1 ATS and 1-1 O/U
Trending: 0-1 ATS last year

• Houston: 2-3 SU and 4-1 ATS and 2-1-2 O/U
Trending: 4-0 ATS last four games

• L.A. Clippers: 2-3 SU and 2-3 ATS and 2-3 O/U
Trending: 2-0 ATS last two games

• L.A. Lakers: 7-9 SU and 9-6-1 ATS and 5-10-1 O/U
Trending: 4-0 ATS last four as a dog

• Miami: 7-2 SU and 5-4 ATS and 2-7 O/U
Trending: 1-6 UNDER last seven games

• New York: 3-5 SU and 2-6 ATS and 4-4 O/U
Trending: 0-4 ATS last four as a dog

• Oklahoma City: 2-3 SU and 1-4 ATS and 1-4 O/U
Trending: visitor 0-5 ATS Thunder/Xmas games

• San Antonio: 3-2 SU and 3-1-1 ATS and 1-4 O/U
Trending: 3-0-1 ATS vs. Western Conference foes

What have you done for me lately?

Noteworthy team trends wrapped inside each Christmas Day game…

• Bulls: 1-8 SU and 3-6 ATS away Wednesdays / 3-12 ATS last fifteen games in December

• Nets: playoff revenge from last season / 0-5 SUATS Wednesdays this season

• Thunder: 13-6 ATS away December / 2-5 SUATS away Wednesdays

• Knicks: 14-3 SU and 12-5 ATS home Wednesdays

• Heat: 18-2 SU on Wednesdays / 4-9 ATS December

• Lakers: 1-9 ATS last 10 games in this series / 7-13 ATS home December

• Rockets: 11-6 ATS last seventeen games here

• Spurs: 18-2 SU December / 0-4 ATS home Wednesdays

• Clippers: 10-2 SU and 9-3 ATS Wednesdays / 15-4 SU away December

• Warriors: 8-3 ATS last eleven games in this series

Defending champion doldrums

Christmas day has not been a gifting experience for NBA’s defending champions.

That’s confirmed by their lousy 0-5 SU and ATS mark since 2000 when facing an opponent playing with one day-exact rest.

The Lakers hope to add to that number when they host the Heat at the Staples Center.

Under the Christmas Tree

Non-conference games certainly bring the best defensive effort out in teams on Christmas Day.

Thirteen of the 16 games played on Dec. 25 since 1991 involving Eastern and Western Conference foes have played under the total.

Six of the seven games involving a team off loss have stayed under the total.

The gift that keeps on giving

The L. A. Lakers are 17-1 SU at home during December.

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**Udog** · 12-25-2013, 08:27 AM

NCAAB
Dunkel

Akron vs. South Carolina
The Zips face a South Carolina team that is coming off an 80-54 loss to Boise State on Monday and is 0-7 ATS in its last 7 games following a SU defeat of more than 20 points. Akron is the pick (-4 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Zips favored by 11. Dunkel Pick: Akron (-4 1/2). Here are all of today's games.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 25

Game 811-812: George Mason vs St. Mary's (CA) (1:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: George Mason 53.882; St. Mary's (CA) 69.279
Dunkel Line: St. Mary's (CA) by 15 1/2; 130
Vegas Line: St. Mary's (CA) by 9 1/2; 135
Dunkel Pick: St. Mary's (CA) (-9 1/2); Under

Game 813-814: Oregon State at Hawaii (4:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oregon State 58.727; Hawaii 60.550
Dunkel Line: Hawaii by 2; 161
Vegas Line: Hawaii by 5; 155 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Oregon State (+5); Over

Game 815-816: Akron vs. South Carolina (6:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Akron 61.596; South Carolina 50.794
Dunkel Line: Akron by 11; 133
Vegas Line: Akron by 4 1/2; 139
Dunkel Pick: Akron (-4 1/2); Under

Game 817-818: Iowa State vs. Boise State (8:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Iowa State 68.706; Boise State 66.179
Dunkel Line: Iowa State by 2 1/2; 162
Vegas Line: Iowa State by 4 1/2; 156
Dunkel Pick: Boise State (+4 1/2); Over

NCAAB
Long Sheet

Wednesday, December 25

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GEORGE MASON (5 - 6) vs. ST MARYS-CA (9 - 2) - 12/25/2013, 1:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GEORGE MASON is 8-18 ATS (-11.8 Units) after allowing 60 points or less over the last 3 seasons.
ST MARYS-CA is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in road games when playing with one or less days rest 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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OREGON ST (7 - 3) at HAWAII (8 - 3) - 12/25/2013, 4:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
HAWAII is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) in all games this season.
HAWAII is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) in all lined games this season.
HAWAII is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) when playing with one or less days rest over the last 3 seasons.
HAWAII is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
HAWAII is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) in non-conference games this season.

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

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AKRON (6 - 3) vs. S CAROLINA (3 - 6) - 12/25/2013, 6:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
AKRON is 25-13 ATS (+10.7 Units) as a favorite 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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IOWA ST (10 - 0) vs. BOISE ST (10 - 2) - 12/25/2013, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOISE ST is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) after allowing 60 points or less over the last 3 seasons.
IOWA ST is 41-25 ATS (+13.5 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
IOWA ST is 41-25 ATS (+13.5 Units) in all lined games over the last 3 seasons.
IOWA ST is 17-7 ATS (+9.3 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
IOWA ST is 33-17 ATS (+14.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record 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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NCAAB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, December 25

Keep in mind all eight teams here had yesterday off........

Rough trip to Hawai'i for St Mary's, which came here 9-0 but allowed 77 ppg in losses to South Carolina/Hawai'i by total of seven points. George Mason lost four in row, six of last seven games; they're turning ball over 21.9% of time (#319 in US), making 32.2% from arc. Patriots are 0-3 vs top 100 teams, losing by 5-15-12 points. St Mary's is #6 in US, making 43.3% of its 3-pointers.

Oregon State won four of its last five games; they're 3-2 vs teams in top 150, 1-1 in true road games, winning by 7 at Maryland, losing by 12 at DePaul. Hawai'i's two games this week were decided by total of three points; Rainbows force turnovers 22.1% of time (#23 in US)- all three of their losses are vs teams in top 65-- Oregon State is ranked #118 today.

South Carolina lost by 26 to Iowa State Monday after 78-71 upset win over St Mary's Sunday; Gamecocks turn ball over 21.2% of time, make only 44.7% of 2-pointers. Akron is 3-0 vs teams ranked below #150, winning by 9-28-19 points; Zips turn ball over 20% of time, make just 61.5% of foul shots. These teams play again in Columbia on Saturday.

10-0 Iowa State won first two games this week by 12-23 points; they're making 57.4% of 2-pointers (#4 in US), holding teams to 28.5% from arc. Boise State has all five starters back from LY; Broncos get 30.5% of their scoring behind arc- they're 1-2 vs top 100 teams, beating Utah by hoop, losing by 8 at home to St Mary's, by 15 at Kentucky. Cyclones get assist on 63.4% of hoops, #8 in US.

NCAAB

Wednesday, December 25

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Trend Report
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1:30 PM
GEORGE MASON vs. ST. MARY'S
No trends available
St. Mary's is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games

4:00 PM
OREGON STATE vs. HAWAII
No trends available
Hawaii is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games

6:30 PM
AKRON vs. SOUTH CAROLINA
No trends available
South Carolina is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games

9:00 PM
IOWA STATE vs. BOISE STATE
No trends available
Boise State is 10-2 SU in its last 12 games

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Announcement

Wednesday's Trends and Indexes - 12/25 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

Wednesday's Trends and Indexes - 12/25 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

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