1-4-14

[Can'tPickAWinner]

BBVA Compass Bowl: What bettors need to know

Vanderbilt Commodores vs. Houston Cougars (+2.5, 52.5)

Game to be played at Legion Field, Birmingham, Alabama

BBVA COMPASS BOWL STORYLINES

1. Houston and Vanderbilt meet at the BBVA Compass Bowl at Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala., on Jan. 4 without important pieces of the offense. Commodores senior quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels, who started the last three regular-season games, will not play after having surgery on his left knee. Houston offensive coordinator Doug Meacham took the same position at Texas Christian after the regular season, leaving assistant head coach Travis Bush to return to play-calling duties.

2. Vanderbilt extended its streak to nine straight November wins, finishing the regular season with four straight victories - including the last two by a combined six points. The Cougars lost all four of their games by seven points or fewer, including three straight in November before ending the season with a 34-0 victory over Southern Methodist.

3. The Houston defense - ranked first in the country in takeaways (40) and turnover margin (plus-25) - will have its hands full with Jordan Matthews, the SEC's record-breaking receiver. The Cougars also have a 1,000-yard receiver in Deontay Greenberry.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, ESPN.

LINE: Vanderbilt opened as a 3-point fave but is now -2.5. The total is down to 52.5 from the opening 54.

WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the mid-40s with sunny skies. Wind will blow toward the N endzone at 8 mph.

TRENDS:

* Cougars are 6-0 ATS in their last six non-conference games.
* Over is 5-2 in Commodores last seven non-conference games.
* Under is 4-0 in Cougars last four games overall.
* Commodores are 4-0 ATS in their last four games following a ATS loss.

ABOUT VANDERBILT (8-4, 4-4 SEC): Redshirt freshman Patton Robinette (40-of-69, 488 yards, two touchdowns, six rushing scores) made two starts for the Commodores, who are playing in their third straight bowl game for the first time in school history. Matthews broke his own single-season school record with 1,334 yards and owns Vanderbilt and SEC marks for career receptions (257), career yards (3,616), 100-yard games (18) and single-season receptions (107). Carta-Samuels, who injured his knee Oct. 19 and missed two games before returning, had the surgery after the regular season ended so he would be ready to participate in this spring's pro day activities.

ABOUT HOUSTON (8-4, 5-3 American Athletic Conference): Freshman John O'Korn, who started the last 10 games, went 239-of-399 for 2,889 yards, 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Adrian McDonald had five of the team's 23 interceptions and Trevon Stewart recovered six of the 17 fumbles. Bush called plays for 11 games in 2012 and was promoted to offensive coordinator - the Cougars' seventh in six years - Dec. 6.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Saturday's Top 25 NCAAB cheat sheet: Early games

College football's bowl season might be winding down, but there is still a jam-packed slate of college hoops. Here's a look at all the Top 25 betting action Saturday:

Cincinnati Bearcats vs. Memphis Tigers

The Bearcats have bounced back nicely from losses to New Mexico and Xavier to win five straight, including a 65-57 triumph over Southern Methodist in their American Athletic Conference opener. They find themselves on the fringe of the Top 25, and beating Memphis would prove they are for real. For that to happen, they'll need a better performance from leading scorer Sean Kilpatrick, who shot 5-for-25 in consecutive victories over Nebraska and SMU. They'll also need a solid defensive effort against a Memphis team averaging 82.8 points and 16.9 assists.

Tigers head coach Josh Pastner was pleased with his team's 8-for-20 performance from beyond the arc in the win over South Florida. "We made 3s," he told reporters after the game. "That was a big thing. When you make 3s, coach looks good. Making 3-point shots are important." Memphis is led by guard Joe Jackson, who averages 15.2 points and has hit double figures in 10 straight games.

Nebraska Cornhuskers at Ohio State Buckeyes

The Cornhuskers outrebounded Iowa and limited the Hawkeyes to a season-low 67 points before dropping a 10-point decision. Texas Tech transfer Terran Petteway recorded his first double-double and has scored at least 20 points six times to lead the team in scoring at 17.5 per contest.

Ohio State continues to roll along, winning 13 of its first 14 games by at least nine points, as it prepares to play Nebraska in its Big Ten home opener Saturday. LaQuinton Ross looks to extend his streak of double-double efforts to four after the third-ranked Buckeyes showed their experience to beat back a challenge at Purdue on Wednesday in a 78-69 victory.

TRENDS:

* Favorite is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.
* Cornhuskers are 2-5 ATS in their last seven road games.
* Buckeyes are 1-4 ATS in their last five home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
* Under is 5-1-1 in Buckeyes last seven home games.

Iowa State Cyclones at Texas Tech Red Raiders

The Cyclones have reeled off 12 consecutive wins to start the season and are coming off a 99-63 victory over Northern Illinois just hours after learning about the death of former coach Johnny Orr. The Cyclones are ranked in the top 10 nationally in scoring and assists and hope to record a win in their Big 12 opener without peeking ahead to the showdown with No. 11 Baylor on Jan. 7.

Texas Tech has lost three out of its last five games and is still looking for consistency under first-year coach Tubby Smith. The Red Raiders haven't won more than two games in a row this season and will have their hands full against an Iowa State team firing on all cylinders.

TRENDS:

* Cyclones are 2-7 ATS in the last nine meetings in Texas Tech.
* Red Raiders are 7-0 ATS in their last seven home games.
* Under is 4-0 in Cyclones last four road games.
* Over is 6-1-1 in Red Raiders last eight home games.

Michigan State Spartans at Indiana Hoosiers

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo lashed into his team at halftime of the 79-63 victory over Penn State, a contest in which the Spartans outscored the Nittany Lions 39-16 in the second half. Guard Gary Harris leads a balanced scoring team with a 17.8 average while floor leader Keith Appling is averaging 15.8 points and a team-leading 4.8 assists.

The Hoosiers are 5-4 after winning their first five games. They received a career-best 30 points from guard Yogi Farrell against Illinois before succumbing 83-80. Ferrell has emerged as a big-time scorer as a sophomore and has five games of 20 or more points after the career-high tally against the Fighting Illini - when he made five 3-pointers for the second time this season.

TRENDS:

* Over is 4-1 in the last five meetings.
* Spartans are 3-9 ATS in the last 12 meetings in Indiana.
* Spartans are 4-0 ATS in their last four games overall.
* Over is 4-1 in Hoosiers last five vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.

Miami Hurricanes at Syracuse Orange

The Hurricanes have shot 52.3 percent from the field and made 18-of-45 from behind the 3-point line combined the last three games after consecutive disappointing losses to Nebraska and Virginia Tech. Swingman Rion Brown is the go-to player for Miami, averaging 13.8 points and 6.5 rebounds, and Garrius Adams is the only other player scoring in double figures (10.7).

After an impressive first 13 games, Syracuse begins its maiden voyage in the ACC when Miami (Fla.) visits Saturday. The second-ranked Orange boast wins over California, Villanova, Baylor and Indiana as they join one of the toughest conferences in the country with a well-balanced offense led by senior forward C.J. Fair.

TRENDS:

* Road team is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings.
* Hurricanes are 1-7 ATS in their last eight games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Orange are 5-0 ATS in their last five home games.
* Under is 6-1 in Hurricanes last seven overall.

Washington Huskies at Arizona Wildcats

Washington, which opened Pac-12 Conference play with a surprisingly lopsided 76-65 victory at Arizona State, tries to complete a sweep of the Arizona schools when it takes on top-ranked Arizona on Saturday afternoon. The Huskies are 1-1 when facing a No. 1 ranked team under 12th-year head coach Lorenzo Romar.

Nick Johnson leads the Wildcats in scoring (15.4) and is an explosive leaper and dunker. Freshman forward Aaron Gordon, considered a future NBA lottery pick, is third in scoring (12.0) but leads the team in rebounding (7.8) and also has 15 blocks. Point guard T.J. McConnell, a transfer from Duquesne, has 86 assists to just 27 turnovers.

TRENDS:

* Under is 4-1 in the last five meetings.
* Huskies are 2-6 ATS in the last eight meetings in Arizona.
* Wildcats are 14-3 ATS in their last 17 home games.
* Under is 8-1 in Wildcats last nine overall.

Connecticut Huskies at Southern Methodist Mustangs

After appearing to break out of a long slump with 12 points against Eastern Washington on Dec. 28, Omar Calhoun was held scoreless for the second time in his career while playing a career-low seven minutes versus Houston. The sophomore guard was benched following the Huskies’ loss to Stanford on Dec. 18 after shooting 25.5 percent from the floor over his previous seven starts. Connecticut has converted 65-of-74 free throws over its last three games and ranks tied for 10th in the country in free-throw percentage (76.4).

The Mustangs have shown a knack for winning the battle inside, finishing with the rebounding edge in all but one contest while outscoring the opposition in the paint 460-246. While SMU’s reliance on getting inside scoring has led to some good looks beyond the arc (41.3 percent, 17th-best in the country), the team ranks 339th in the country in 3-point attempts (155). The Mustangs have held 11 of their foes under 40 percent shooting and rank third overall in the country in field-goal percentage defense (35.7).

TRENDS:

* Huskies are 1-6 ATS in their last seven games overall.
* Mustangs are 2-5 ATS in their last seven home games.
* Under is 7-2 in Huskies last nine overall.
* Over is 4-1 in Mustangs last five Saturday games.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Saturday's Top 25 NCAAB cheat sheet: Late games

College football's bowl season might be winding down, but there is still a jam-packed slate of college hoops. Here's a look at all the Top 25 betting action Saturday:

Richmond Spiders at Florida Gators

The Spiders, who blew an 11-point lead with six minutes left in the loss at Wake Forest, lost a double-digit lead late before beating Northeastern 70-66 on Tuesday. Cedrick Lindsay has paced the offense since returning from a knee sprain, averaging 20 points in his first three games back. The Spiders shot a season-best 55.1 percent against Northeastern and hit 9-of-16 from 3-point range.

The Gators likely will face a stronger challenge from Richmond than Savannah State offered up Sunday, a game in which Florida led 34-11 at halftime en route to a 76-34 rout. Casey Prather leads the SEC in field goal percentage at 62.4, and paces the Gators in scoring at 17.8 points. Florida is third in the conference in 3-point shooting at 37.5 percent.

TRENDS:

* Under is 6-0 in Gators last six Saturday games.
* Spiders are 4-1 ATS in their last five road games.
* Under is 3-0-1 in Spiders last four vs. Southeastern.
* Under is 4-1 in Gators last five home games.

Duke Blue Devils at Notre Dame Fighting Irish

The Blue Devils ended December with five straight wins - all by double digits - including a 38-point rout of Elon on New Year's Eve. While freshman sensation Jabari Parker (21.4 points) gets most of the attention for Duke, several of his teammates have had notable performances of late. Senior guard Andre Dawkins made five 3-pointers against Elon and is now 11-of-17 from behind the arc over his last two games, and sophomore forward Amile Jefferson notched a career-high 14 rebounds against Eastern Michigan on Dec. 28.

The Fighting Irish, meanwhile, blew an eight-point lead in the final minute of a crushing loss to Ohio State on Dec. 21 before sneaking past Canisius in overtime eight days later. Even worse, Notre Dame's leading scorer, senior guard Jerian Grant, withdrew from school due to academics and redshirting forward Cam Biedscheid announced that he was transferring from the program.

TRENDS:

* Blue Devils are 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall.
* Fighting Irish are 0-4 ATS in their last four home games.
* Blue Devils are 4-1 ATS in their last five games vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.
* Fighting Irish are 0-4 ATS in their last four vs. Atlantic Coast.

Oklahoma State Cowboys at Kansas State Wildcats

Oklahoma State has faced a series of difficult developments this week but will try to continue its impressive play when the sixth-ranked Cowboys travel to Kansas State to open Big 12 play Saturday. The Cowboys are in the midst of a five-game winning streak, but they've had a rough week nonetheless. Starting center Michael Cobbins (4.5 points, 4.3 rebounds) was lost for the season to a torn Achilles on Tuesday and backup point guard Stevie Clark (7 points, 3.7 assists) reportedly was arrested for possession of marijuana Wednesday morning and the freshman could be facing his second suspension of the season.

The Wildcats stumbled out of the gate but have won eight straight including a victory over then-No. 15 Gonzaga and a 72-55 rout of a solid George Washington team on Tuesday. "We had given the guys a goal when we left Puerto Rico to go unbeaten in December," Kansas State coach Bruce Weber told the school's website. "It was our opportunity to play ourselves back in the conversation for postseason play, so it was great to get it done."

TRENDS:

* Favorite is 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings.
* Home team is 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings.
* Cowboys are 0-4 ATS in their last four road games.
* Wildcats are 4-0 ATS in their last four games overall.

Long Beach State 49ers at Missouri Tigers

The Tigers return home after a pair of close contests - a 65-64 loss to Illinois in St. Louis and a 68-64 win at North Carolina State last Saturday - and look to continue their dominance at Mizzou Arena. Tulsa transfer Jordan Clarkson (20 points, 4.3 assists) continues to carry the Tigers and picked up his third SEC Player of the Week honor this season after putting up 20 points at N.C. State.

Long Beach State is wrapping up a brutal non-conference schedule that included losses to Arizona, Kansas State, Michigan, Virginia Commonwealth, Washington, Creighton and N.C. State. The 49ers have one win against a major-conference opponent - a 72-71 home victory over Southern California to start their three-game winning streak.

TRENDS:

* 49ers are 4-0 ATS in their last four road games.
* Tigers are 2-5-1 ATS in their last eight Saturday games.
* 49ers are 0-6 ATS in their last six games following a ATS win.
* Tigers are 5-2 ATS in their last seven non-conference games.

Louisville Cardinals at Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Louisville will try to avoid looking ahead when it continues its early American Athletic Association slate at Rutgers on Saturday. The 10th-ranked Cardinals, who throttled Central Florida 90-65 in their AAC opener New Year's Eve, have a home matchup with No. 18 Memphis - one of the few teams given a chance to contend with Louisville in the league - on the horizon.

While they can hang on the offensive end with most teams due to the play of Kadeem Jack and fellow standout Myles Mack, the Scarlet Knights have given up points in bunches at times, much of it when teams exploit them on the perimeter. Rutgers has allowed opponents to hit 116 3-pointers at a 38.2 percent clip, easily the highest numbers in those categories among AAC teams and a troubling trend against a Louisville squad that ranks among the nation's leaders in 3-point tries.

TRENDS:

* Cardinals are 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings in Rutgers.
* Under is 4-1 in the last five meetings in Rutgers.
* Cardinals are 1-5 ATS in their last six games following a ATS win.
* Scarlet Knights are 0-4 ATS in their last four home games vs. a team with a winning road record.

Miami (OH) Red Hawks at Massachusetts Minutemen

The Red Hawks received some bad news prior to their most recent game against Southern Illinois when second-leading scorer Reggie Johnson decided to transfer. Johnson, a sophomore, was averaging 11.8 points and 2.1 assists while playing 28.1 minutes per game. The loss leaves coach John Cooper with nine players, including leading-scorer Will Moore (14 per game) and Will Felder, who averages 13.2 points and a team-high 7.3 rebounds.

The fickle Western Massachusetts fans appear to be firmly behind No.22 Massachusetts, but the task now will be to keep them there, beginning with Saturday's game. Coming off their first sellout crowd at home in seven years, the Minutemen seem to have momentum on their side heading into one of their final non-conference games and the Atlantic 10 Conference schedule that follows.

TRENDS:

* Minutemen are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 non-conference games.
* Red Hawks are 1-4-1 ATS in their last six games following a S.U. win.
* Under is 7-1 in Red Hawks last eight road games.
* Over is 5-2 in Red Hawks last seven vs. Atlantic 10.

Pacific Tigers at Gonzaga Bulldogs

The Tigers boast six players averaging at least 7.8 points and nine at 11 minutes or more. Senior guard Sama Taku leads the way with 12.4 points per game and is second to senior forward Tony Gill (10.4 points, 5.8 rebounds) on the boards at 4.5. The Tigers, ranked 10th in the latest CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 but selected to finish seventh in the WCC preseason poll, lost to Saint Mary's 88-80 at home Dec. 30 in its first WCC game.

Gonzaga again proved it was capable of hanging with the boys by going 3-1 against major-conference teams during its non-conference season and its No. 21 ranking in the USA Today Coaches' Poll validates that belief. The Bulldogs have plenty of offensive weapons (23rd in the nation at 82.7 points per game) and are led by Pangos (17.5 points), but it was the defense that pleased coach Mark Few Thursday. “We took a really good basketball team and guarded them great,” Gonzaga coach Mark Few told reporters. “It was probably our best all-around effort of the whole year.”

TRENDS:

* Tigers are 0-4 ATS in their last four vs. West Coast.
* Bulldogs are 0-6 ATS in their last six Saturday games.
* Bulldogs are 6-2-1 ATS in their last nine vs. West Coast.
* Under is 13-5 in Tigers last 18 Saturday games.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

NBA

Hot teams
-- Indiana won five of its last six games (7-2 last nine HF). Pelicans won four of last six games (2-4 last six AU).
-- Heat won eight of last ten games (0-4 last four AF).
-- Hawks won six of their last nine games.
-- Minnesota won three of its last four games (3-1 last four HF).
-- Clippers won three of last four games (5-1 AU). Spurs won three of their last four games (2-10 last 12 HF).
-- Suns won five of last seven games (10-5-1 vs spread at home).
-- 76ers won last three games, all as underdogs of 7+ points. Portland won seven of its last ten games (2-4 last six HF).

Cold Teams
-- Magic lost five of its last seven games (1-5 last six HU).
-- Cavaliers lost six of their last seven games (4-2 last six AU). Nets lost six of last eight games (4-6 HF).
-- Bulls lost four of last six at home (6-9 vs spread at home).
-- Thunder lost last two games by total of six points (2-3 AU).
-- Bucks lost four of their last five games (3-6 last nine AU).
-- Bobcats lost their last five games (11-3-2 vs spread on road, 0-2 in last two games). Kings lost six of last nine games (0-9 as HF).

Series records
-- Pacers won last four games with New Orleans, winning last three here either by one point or in OT.
-- Heat won last three visits to Orlando by 2-14-28 points.
-- Nets won eight of last ten games with Cleveland.
-- Bulls won nine of last twelve games with Atlanta.
-- Thunder won 15 of last 17 games with Minnesota.
-- Clippers lost 16 of last 20 games with San Antonio.
-- Bucks swept Phoenix 2-0 LY, after going 1-8 in previous nine against the Suns.
-- Trailblazers won four of last five games with Philly.
-- Kings won three of last four games with Charlotte.

Totals
-- 12 of 16 Indiana home games stayed under.
-- Eight of last ten Miami games went over the total.
-- Eight of last eleven Cleveland road games went over.
-- Under is 12-3 in Chicago home games. Six of last seven Atlanta road games went over.
-- Last four Thunder games stayed under the total; four of Minnesota's last five games went over.
-- Over is 11-2-1 in last four San Antonio home games.
-- Seven of last nine Milwaukee road games went over.
-- Last nine Portland home games went over total.
-- Five of last seven Sacramento home games went over.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

NHL

Hot teams
-- Boston won nine of its last ten home games. Jets won three of their last four games.
-- Sharks won five of their last six games. Colorado won its last two games, after losing six of its previous eight.
-- Devils are 8-6 in their last fourteen road games.
-- Toronto won its last three games, allowing seven goals. Rangers won four of last six tilts.
-- Senators won four of their last five games. Montreal won seven of last nine at home.
-- Islanders won their last three games, scoring 13 goals. Carolina won last two games in OT, after losing seven of previous eight.
-- St Louis won six of its last seven games. Blue Jackets won three of last four road games.
-- Dallas Stars won five of their last eight games.
-- Flyers won six of their last eight games.

Cold teams
-- Sabres lost three of their last four games.
-- Predators lost six of their last eight games. Florida lost four of last five.
-- Red Wings lost three of their last four games.
-- Minnesota lost six of its last seven games. Washington lost five of its last six.
-- Coyotes lost seven of their last nine games.
-- Los Angeles lost its last five games, scoring a total of six goals. Canucks lost their last two games, 4-2/4-3so.

Totals
-- Over is 6-1-3 in last ten Boston games.
-- Four of last five San Jose games went over total.
-- Three of last four New Jersey games stayed under.
-- Over is 6-2-1 in last nine Ranger-Toronto games.
-- Over is 5-2-1 in last eight Ottawa games.
-- Over is 4-1-2 in last seven Nashville games.
-- Last five Carolina games went over the total.
-- Five of last seven Columbus games went over total.
-- Over is 3-1-1 in last five Detroit games.
-- Four of last five Washington games stayed under.
-- Over is 6-2-1 in last nine Philadelphia games.
-- Under is 11-4-3 in last eighteen LA-Vancouver games.

Series records
-- Jets lost their last eleven visits to Boston.
-- Sharks won eight of last ten games with Colorado.
-- Devils are 6-4 in their last ten visits to Buffalo.
-- Rangers won four of last five games with Toronto.
-- Senators won their last four games with Montreal.
-- Panthers lost five of last six games with Nashville.
-- Islanders lost their last five games with Carolina.
-- Blues won four of last five games with Columbus.
-- Red Wings won six of their last eight games with Dallas.
-- Minnesota lost three of its last four games with Washington.
-- Coyotes are 5-3 in their last eight games with Philly.
-- Kings are 2-0 vs Vancouver this season, 5-1/3-2ot.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

RICH ALLEN BETTING PROFESSOR NCAFF FOOTBALL

Vanderbilt -2.5 C BET

[Can'tPickAWinner]

2Halves2Win:

SAT, 01/04


(GAME: 1*): Colts PK (-110: Risking 1.10 units to win 1.00 units) - TBD (TBDu)


(GAME: 1*): Eagles -2.5 (-115: Risking 1.15 units to win 1.00 units) - TBD (TBDu)

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Chicago Syndicate

CFB
Houston
North Dakota State

NFL
Over Colts
Under Eagles

[Can'tPickAWinner]

LA Syndicate

CFB
Over Houston

NFL
Saints

[Can'tPickAWinner]

H&H Sports

CFB
Triple Dime Houston

NFL
Double Dime Chiefs
Dime Saints

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Sports Nostradamus

CFB
Over Houston

CBB
UConn
Syracuse
Boston College
Duke
Over Texas
Boise State

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Gamblers Data

Free Plays Saturday

Georgetown -6

Trailblazers -13

[Can'tPickAWinner]

NFL

Wild Card Round

Chiefs (11-5) @ Colts (11-5)—Chiefs won 23-13 (-4.5) at Buffalo in Week 9 in only game this season on artificial turf, when they were outgained 470-210 but scored two defensive TDs to turn tide in game they had no right winning; after starting season 9-0, Chiefs went 2-5 down stretch, losing to Broncos/Chargers twice each. Colts coasted to title in weak division; they beat Denver/Seattle at home, won at Candlestick but also lost 38-8 at home to Rams- go figure. Indy was +10 in turnovers in its last five games; they got bounced from playoffs in this round LY, while Reid/Chiefs combined to go 6-26- now Reid is Coach of Year in KC. Chiefs rested 20 starters last week and still almost KO’d Chargers from playoffs, week after Indy waxed Chiefs 23-7, holding KC to 132 passing yards with +4 turnover ratio (Chiefs were +22 in other 15 games). AFC #4 seed covered five of last seven when favored in this game. Five of last six Chief games, five of last seven Indy home games went over total. Curious to see if sitting 20 starters last week gives Chief players fresher legs.

Saints (11-5) @ Eagles (10-6)—New Orleans has never won a road playoff game (0-5) in franchise history; this year on road, Saints are 3-5 SU, 1-7 ATS, losing four of last five, with losses to also-ran Rams/Jets. NO scored 17 or less points in last four away games, while they averaged 34 ppg in Superdome; they do have edge at QB, with Super Bowl-winner Brees vs first-year starter Foles, who played college ball in desert (Arizona), but has had great year under rookie NFL coach Kelly. Eagles had long home losing streak until they beat Redskins in Week 11; now they’ve won four home games in row, scoring 64 points in second half of last two games at Linc. Philly led NFL in rushing yards which is big in night game in frigid condition; Saints are #19 in rush defense. Iggles were -2 in turnovers during 3-5 start to season; they were +13 during 7-1 run to division title. Saints have to play significantly better here than they have on road all year in order to advance. NFC #4 seed beat #5 seed in this game four of last five years. Six of last seven Saint games stayed under total; the of last four Philly games went over.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Today's NHL Picks

San Jose at Colorado

The Sharks come into their matchup with Colorado today carrying a 19-7 record in the last 26 meetings between the two teams. San Jose is the pick (-120) according to Dunkel, which has the Sharks favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: San Jose (-120). Here are all of today's picks.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 4 Time Posted: 8:00 a.m. EST

Game 1-2: Winnipeg at Boston (1:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Winnipeg 10.264; Boston 12.626 Dunkel Line & Total: Boston by 2 1/2; 5 1/2 Vegas Line & Total: Boston (-200); 5 Dunkel Pick: Boston (-200); Over

Game 3-4: San Jose at Colorado (3:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: San Jose 12.143; Colorado 10.583 Dunkel Line & Total: San Jose by 1 1/2; 4 Vegas Line & Total: San Jose (-120); 5 1/2 Dunkel Pick: San Jose (-120); Under

Game 5-6: Carolina at NY Islanders (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Carolina 10.327; NY Islanders 12.213 Dunkel Line & Total: NY Islanders by 2; 6 1/2 Vegas Line & Total: NY Islanders (-130); 5 1/2 Dunkel Pick: NY Islanders (-130); Over

Game 7-8: Nashville at Florida (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Nashville 10.832; Florida 9.985 Dunkel Line & Total: Nashville by 1; 4 Vegas Line & Total: Florida (-120); 5 Dunkel Pick: Nashville (+100); Under

Game 9-10: New Jersey at Buffalo (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: New Jersey 11.810; Buffalo 9.879 Dunkel Line & Total: New Jersey by 2; 3 1/2 Vegas Line & Total: New Jersey (-115); 5 Dunkel Pick: New Jersey (-115); Under

Game 11-12: NY Rangers at Toronto (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: NY Rangers 11.203; Toronto 10.353 Dunkel Line & Total: NY Rangers by 1; 6 Vegas Line & Total: Toronto (-135); 5 Dunkel Pick: NY Rangers (+115); Over

Game 13-14: Ottawa at Montreal (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Ottawa 10.772; Montreal 12.104 Dunkel Line & Total: Montreal by 1 1/2; 6 Vegas Line & Total: Montreal (-165); 5 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Montreal (-165); Over

Game 15-16: Philadelphia at Phoenix (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia 12.123; Phoenix 10.504 Dunkel Line & Total: Philadelphia by 1 1/2; 5 Vegas Line & Total: Phoenix (-130); 5 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (+110); Under

Game 17-18: Columbus at St. Louis (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Columbus 10.944; St. Louis 12.826 Dunkel Line & Total: St. Louis by 2; 6 Vegas Line & Total: St. Louis (-220); 5 1/2 Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (-220); Over

Game 19-20: Washington at Minnesota (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Washington 11.380; Minnesota 10.021 Dunkel Line & Total: Washington by 1 1/2; 4 Vegas Line & Total: Minnesota (-135); 5 Dunkel Pick: Washington (+115); Under

Game 21-22: Detroit at Dallas (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Detroit 9.962; Dallas 12.542 Dunkel Line & Total: Dallas by 2 1/2; 6 Vegas Line & Total: Dallas (-140); 5 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Dallas (-140); Over

Game 23-24: Vancouver at Los Angeles (10:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Vancouver 12.247; Los Angeles 10.768 Dunkel Line & Total: Vancouver by 1 1/2; 4 Vegas Line & Total: Los Angeles (-140); 5 Dunkel Pick: Vancouver (+120); Under

[Can'tPickAWinner]

J Clifton
CAL POLY
NC STATE

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Diamond Dog Sports

Chiefs/Colts Under 46
Saints/Eagles Over 53.5

Houston +3

Clippers +5.5
Bobcats +5.5

St Johns +6
Wright State +2.5
Yale +15.5

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Free Selection from Arthur Ralph Sports

Free winner Sat Missouri -14 CBB

[Can'tPickAWinner]

NCAAF

Bowl Season

Compass Bowl Birmingham, AL 1/4
Vanderbilt is playing in its 7th bowl game, but third year in row, wonder if they can keep coach Franklin; Commodores split pair of bowl last two years vs Cincinnati/NC State. Vandy is 3-1 in games decided by 4 or less points, 2-2 in games with single digit spread- they're 2-2 as favorite this year. Houston is 9-2 vs spread this year, 4-0 as an underdog; they scored 17 or less points during 3-game kid in November, also lost 47-46 at home to BYU; Cougars 7-1 in games with a single digit spread, are 2-3 in last five bowls. Levine won his only bowl game, as interim coach two years ago. Houston has a true frosh QB who is better than either of Vandy's QBs. SEC teams are 1-2 in this game; AAC teams are 5-0, even though they weren't AAC team at the time, since this is league's first year. AAC teams are 2-1 in bowls this year; SEC teams are 4-3- they were favored in five of the seven games.

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NCAAB

Saturday, January 4

January 4th is first true road game for Pitt, which is 3-1 in neutral court games, losing brutal 44-43 game to #32 Cincinnati. This is also the first ACC game for Panthers, who are #15 in defensive efficiency against the #306 schedule. NC State won eight of last nine games, losing last home game to #41 Missouri; they're 1-2 vs top 100 teams, also losing 68-57 at Cincinnati back in November.

Cincinnati-Memphis are league rivals again for first time since '09; last four meetings were won by Memphis, all by 10+ points. Tigers are 2-2 vs top 40 teams, splitting pair with Oklahoma State, losing at Florida, beating LSU- they force turnovers 23.8% of time. Bearcats are 4-2 vs top 100 teams, but lost by 9 at New Mexico in only true road game.

Georgetown won its last five games with St John's, all by 10+ points; Red Storm lost their last eight visits here, last three by 15-10-12 points. Red Storm is 9-4 with no good wins; best team they've beaten is #100 Ga Tech- this is also their first true road game. Hoyas are 2-2 vs top 100 teams, beating K-State/VCU- they're shooting 56.4% inside arc (#7).

UConn got upset 75-71 in AAC opener at Houston, giving up last seven points of game they led with 1:42 left; Huskies trailed by 21 late in first half, led by second TV timeout in second, but they made just 7-22 from arc in just their second true road game (1-1, won at Washington). SMU leads countrey, holding teams to 38.4% inside arc, but they're 0-3 vs teams in top 50, losing by 11-3-8 points.

Indiana won its last three games with Michigan State by 15-5-4 points, after losing previous six; Spartans lost last two visits here, won both true road games this year, by 14-16 at Texas/Penn State. Spartans are #9 in defensive efficiency- their only loss was to North Carolina. Indiana is 0-4 vs top 100 teams- best team they've beaten is #111 Stony Brook.

Xavier won its last six games, last four of which were all against top 100 tewams; Musketeers are 5-3 overall vs top 100 teams, with all three of its losses on trip to Atlantis Thanksgiving weekend. Butler lost its Big East opener by 3 at home to Villanova, they took 28 3's, 30 2's in that game, as Villanova shot 58% inside arc. Butler needs to get little bit more athletic to be a force in this tougher league.

Florida has its SEC opener Wednesday; they've won four in row, nine of last ten games, forcing turnovers 22.5% of time.. Gators are 3-2 vs teams in top 100, with none of wins by more than six points. Richmond is 3-1 in true road games, all vs weaker teams- they lost at Wake Forest in Ot; Spiders aren't shooting it well (29.8% on arc) but are forcing turnovers 22.9% of time, a higher rate than Florida.

Home teams won three of four Oregon State-Utah games since Utes got into Pac-12; teams split pair here, with Utes winning by 11 LY, losing by 18 year before. Beavers lost last three road games by 12-6-6 points; they were -10 in turnovers in Thursday's loss at Colorado, making 8-15 3's. Utah lost tough OT game to Oregon (led by 10 with 13:45 left).

San Francisco won five of last six games with Pepperdine, winning last four played here by 30-1-15-6 points, but Waves are off to 3-0 start in WCC this year, scorign 75 ppg with win at Santa Clara. Pepperdine has made 40% (#22) of its 3's, is 4-1 in true road games, with only loss at Washington State. USF is 6-3 at home, allowing 90+ in all three losses.

Notre Dame's first ACC game is at home vs Duke; Irish are 2-4 vs top 100 teams, beating Indiana on neutral floor, but losing to North Dakota State at home- they needed OT to beat Cansiuis last game, with leading Grant (grades) done for year. Duke's first true road games comes today; they're 3-2 on neutral courts, 2-2 vs top 100 teams, not a great team on interior defense- Vermont was 31-41 inside arc against them.

Kansas State won four of last five games with Oklahoma State, which is having bad week; big guy Cobbins tore his Achilles, backup point guard got busted for weed. Wildcats won last eight games after 2-3 start, with win over Gonzaga- they're holding teams to 26.3% on arc. Oklahoma St is 12-1, winning by 26 at South Forida in its only true away game, and that was before Thanksgiving.

Dayton is 11-3 but this is its first road game since loss at inexperienced Illinois State four weeks ago; Flyers have road win at Ga Tech, are 2-2 vs top 100 teams, beating Gonzaga/Cal (Solomon was hurt). Ole Miss is 9-3 but lost last three games vs top 100 teams; this is Henderson's last game for 11 days; he is suspended for Rebels' first two SEC contests.

Texas is 11-2 despite being 6th-least experienced team in country; they won seven of last eight games with Oklahoma, winning last eight in this gym, winning last two years by 8-6 points. Oklahoma won in Brooklyn vs Seton Hall, not a true road game but close- they haven't played a true road game and lost last game at home in OT to good Louisana Tech club.

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