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3* Purdue -3
2* Louisville +1.5
2* Atlanta Hawks -4.5
2* Minnesota Timberwolves +5
3* Purdue -3
2* Louisville +1.5
2* Atlanta Hawks -4.5
2* Minnesota Timberwolves +5
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SPORTS WAGERS
Western Michigan +2½ over Purdue
Western Michigan sports one of the nation's top quarterbacks in Alex Carder, while national receiving leader Jordan White headlines a deep and productive group. The Broncos are strictly one-dimensional though, which is good news for a Purdue team that has struggled to stop good rushing attacks but has a solid secondary. Western Michigan is fired up for its first bowl trip to nearby Detroit and while others from the Big Ten may have been disappointed with this bowl game, the Boilermakers are not. The Boilers should be able to run the ball on a soft Broncos rush defense despite losing RB Ralph Bolden to a serious knee injury in the season finale at Indiana but this team has suffered further roster issues since then. The leading tackler and third-leading receiver will miss the bowl with suspensions, two more starters have been arrested and some other players are in academic limbo. Purdue has split four games against MAC competition under Danny Hope, though the Boilers were giving double digits in each. The Broncos have some things going for them here but Western backers are still getting less than a field goal to oppose a program that's 38-9-1 all-time against MAC teams. We side with the underdog, but can't endorse this one strongly at the short price. Play: Western Michigan +2½ (No bets).
N.C. STATE –1½ +100 over Louisville
Charlie Strong has a Louisville team loaded with talented underclassmen that is poised to be a major player in an expanding Big East. This year's group matured as the season progressed but it's far from the senior-laden bunch that beat Southern Miss in St. Petersburg last bowl season. North Carolina State improved throughout the year as well, largely due to the return of several players injured in early fall and that has them flying under the radar. The Wolfpack's capable passing attack features all-conference threats at wideout and tight end and matches up well with a Louisville defense that's much more vulnerable against the pass than the run. The Pack's improving defense is second nationally in turnovers gained and is stout enough up front to handle the Wildcat/Pistol-oriented Louisville attack. This game will be played in front of a partisan crowd in Charlotte and we won't fade Tom O'Brien, who, at 7-2 straight up and 8-1 against the spread is one of the nation's most accomplished bowl coaches. We get the better side, more Bowl experience, a favorable crowd and all we have to lay is a pork chop? Louisville is getting far too much credit here. Play: N.C. State –1½ +100 (Risking 2 units).
DETROIT -½ +106 over St. Louis
After last night’s win, St. Louis has won 14 of 18 home games. On the road they’re a different story with just seven wins in 17 games. They’ve lost two of its last three road games with only win over that span coming against a Coyotes club that outshot them 26-18. The Blues have played some tough hockey but they’ve overachieved with the talent they have and a lot of their success has been due to hot goaltending. The kicker here is that the Blues have beaten the Red Wings both games this season and an inferior club will seldom beat the superior club three times in succession. As tough as the Blues have been at home, Detroit has been better with 13 wins in 16 games at the Joe. They were flat last night in Nashville and you can be sure they had this game on their minds, as St. Louis sits one point above them in the standings. If Brian Elliott beats us, so be it. Jimmy Howard can play too and what we can almost guarantee is that the Red Wings will be jacked up and determined to beat this intruder for the first time this season, reminding St. Louis of who is boss. Play: Detroit -½ +106 (Risking 2 units).
COLUMBUS +110 over Calgary
Much prefer a team playing its second game back after a break than a team playing its first game back. Despite some wins (and some losses too), we saw a bunch of teams come out flat yesterday including Detroit, Chicago, San Jose, New Jersey and Washington. Interestingly enough, the Jackets weren’t one of those teams. Down 3-0 headed to the third, Columbus absolutely dominated the Blackhawks in the final period, allowed just 22 shots on net the whole game and that shows a team that surprisingly has not quit. The Flames are coming off a couple of big wins prior to the break. They beat Detroit and followed that up with its biggest win of the year over the Canucks in Vancouver, thus creating this letdown spot. The Flames have won three in a row and will now play their second game of a six-game trip. However, they returned home for the Christmas break and have been off for three full days. After three days rest and following a win, the Flames are 0-2 this season. The Jackets are an enigma. They have more talent that many teams in this league but they keep losing. If last night’s effort is duplicated here, they’ll get the money and the short line strongly suggests that’s a distinct possibility. Play: Columbus +110 (Risking 2 units).Comment
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Royal Waldorf
NCAAB
10 units Notre Dame +1
ND has won 27 straight home games, including 9-0 last season against Big East foes;six straight versus ranked opponents. Normally a strong defensive team, Pitt is ranked 14th among 16 Big East teams in defense coming out of the holidays. Only Villanova and DePaul allowed more than the 65.2 points Pitt was averaging at that point. Pitt PG Tray Woodall is questionable for the game.Comment
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NHL
Hot teams
-- Penguins won their last three games, scoring 15 goals.
-- Flames won last three games, allowing four goals.
-- Maple Leafs are 5-3 in their last eight games.
-- Senators won three of their last four games.
-- Red Wings won their last ten home games. St Louis won seven of its last nine games overall.
-- Avalanche won their last five games, allowing eight goals.
Cold teams
-- Carolina lost five of its last six road games.
-- Columbus lost seven of its last eight games.
-- Florida lost its last three games, outscored 14-3.
-- Montreal lost its last five games, outscored 21-9.
-- Tampa Bay lost nine of its last 12 games. Flyers lost three of their last four games.
-- Winnipeg lost seven of its last eight road games.
Totals
-- Under is 5-2 in Pittsburgh's last seven home games.
-- Four of last five Calgary games stayed under the total.
-- Seven of last eight Toronto road games went over total.
-- Six of last eight Montreal road games stayed under total.
-- Six of last eight Philly road games went over the total.
-- Six of last seven Detroit home games went over the total.
-- Last four Colorado home games stayed under the total.
Series records
-- Hurricanes are 3-8 in their last eleven visits to Pittsburgh.
-- Blue Jackets won three of last four games against Calgary.
-- Panthers won 10 of last 13 games against Toronto.
-- Canadiens won five of last seven games against Ottawa.
-- Flyers are 6-4 in last ten games at St Pete Forum.
-- Blues won last three games vs Detroit, outscoring them 15-6.
-- Jets won three of last four visits to Colorado.
Back-to-Back
-- Carolina is 3-3 if it played the night before.
-- Columbus is 1-4 if it played the night before.
-- St Louis is 3-3 if it played night before, 1-2 if they won. Detroit is 4-3 if it played the night before, 2-0 at home, 4-1 if it won.
-- Colorado is 1-1 if it played the night before.Comment
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Hoopsgooroo
cfb
218 Purdue -2 @ 4:30p
219 Louisville +2 @ 8p
nba
502 Nets +4.5 @ 7:35p
503 Celtics +11 @ 8:05p
506 Bucks -5 @ 8:35p
508 Blazers -8 @ 10:05p
510 Lakers -4.5 @ 10:35p
cbb
542 St. John's +1 @ 7p
543 Pitt -2 @ 7p
546 Illinois -5.5 @ 7:30p
548 Nebraska +8.5 @ 9pComment
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