1-4-12

[Mr. IWS]

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[Mr. IWS]

Dunkel

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4
Time Posted: 1:00 p.m. EST (12/11)

Game 261-262: West Virginia vs. Clemson (8:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: West Virginia 94.860; Clemson 94.321
Dunkel Line: Even; 64
Vegas Line: Clemson by 3 1/2; 60 1/2
Dunkel Pick: West Virginia (+3 1/2); Over

[Mr. IWS]

SB Professor College Bowl

262. Clemson -3

[Mr. IWS]

Pointwise phones:

2* wv

[Mr. IWS]

BANG THE BOOK

Wednesday's Best Bowl Bet

West Virginia Mountaineers at Clemson Tigers (-2.5, 62)

It is a battle of conference champions in this season’s Orange Bowl when the Big East’s West Virginia Mountaineers and the Clemson Tigers, out of the AAC collide in Miami Gardens on Wednesday, Jan. 4. The kick-off for this clash is slated for 8:30 p.m. (ET) and the game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.

West Virginia’s run through the regular season featured a couple of disappointing losses, but a 5-2 straight-up record along with a favorable BCS ranking as a three-way tie-breaker was enough to secure the conference title. The Mountaineers finished 9-3 SU overall and 6-6 against the spread. The total went ‘over’ in eight of their 12 games this season.

One thing that did remain consistent for most of the season was a West Virginia passing game that ended-up ranked seventh in the nation in total yards per game. Geno Smith led the way with 3,978 passing yards and 25 touchdowns. Stedman Bailey and Tavon Austin combined for 156 receptions for 2,260 yards and 15 TD’s.

Clemson made a legitimate run at the BCS title game with eight-straight victories to start the year, but stumbled down the stretch with three losses in its final four regular season games. The Tigers atoned for the slide with a convincing 38-10 victory over Virginia Tech as seven-point underdogs in the ACC title game. They finished the season 10-3 SU overall and 6-2 SU in conference play. Clemson was 8-5 ATS and the total went 6-7 in its 13 games.

The Tigers also boast a prolific passing game with an average of 284.8 yards per game. Tajh Boyd passed for 3,578 yards and 31 touchdowns while completing just over 60 percent of his attempts. Sammy Watkins was the leading receiver with 77 catches for 1,153 yards and he had a team-high 11 touchdowns, while Andre Ellington did a good job rushing the ball with 1,062 yards on 213 carries.

The Mountaineers are 1-4 ATS in their last five bowl games and 5-13 ATS in their last 18 games against the ACC. The total has gone ‘over’ in eight of their last 11 bowl games.

The Tigers are 1-5 ATS in their last six bowl games and 0-5 ATS in their last five games against the Big East. The total has stayed ‘under’ in six of their last seven bowl games.

With trends such as these, something has to give in this matchup. Stick with the Tigers, as the all-around better team, to come out on top with a victory that covers the 3.5 points.

ORANGE BOWL PICK: Clemson Tigers

[Mr. IWS]

NCAA CFB NEWS AND NOTES
What Bettors Need To Know: West Virginia at Clemson
By Covers Staff



West Virginia Mountaineers at Clemson Tigers (-2.5, 62)

DISCOVER ORANGE BOWL STORYLINES

1. It's a matchup of explosive offenses -- both teams average more than 33 points and 440 yards -- and dangerous quarterbacks. Clemson's Tajh Boyd is a dual threat who has passed for 3,578 yards with 31 touchdowns and 11 interceptions and added 194 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. West Virginia's Geno Smith, a native of the Miami area, has broken school records for attempts (483), completions (314) and passing yards (3,978) already this season.

2. The Tigers have been hurt at times by an inability to stop the run. While the Mountaineers don't run much -- they rank 100th in the nation with 117.8 rushing yards per game -- their ability to establish the ground game early could be the key to opening up the passing game and getting their offense going. It will be harder for West Virginia to accomplish that, though, without leading rusher Dustin Garrison (742 yards, six touchdowns), who suffered a serious knee injury during practice Friday.

3. It's Clemson's first trip to the Orange Bowl since its 22-15 win over Nebraska on Jan. 1, 1982, capped a perfect season and the school's only national championship. The return to Miami prompted Tigers coach Dabo Swinney to say, "This is the site of our program's greatest moment, and we've been wandering in the desert for a long time since."

4. Clemson is West Virginia's fourth consecutive ACC bowl opponent, and its fourth different one. The Mountaineers are 2-0 in BCS bowls, but they lost to N.C. State in last year's Champs Sports Bowl. The Mountaineers lost to Clemson 27-7 in the Gator Bowl on Dec. 30, 1989, in the only previous meeting.

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN LINE: Clemson -3.5

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA (9-3, 5-2 Big East): The Mountaineers had to win their last three games -- by a combined seven points -- to force a three-way tie atop the Big East with Cincinnati and Louisville and slip into their third BCS bowl. Smith has two dangerous receiving weapons in Stedman Bailey, a deep threat who has caught 67 passes for a school-record 1,197 yards and 11 touchdowns, and Tavon Austin, who has 89 catches for 1,063 yards. West Virginia will be without safety Terence Garvin, who has a knee injury that requires surgery. Garvin had 72 tackles and two interceptions this season.

ABOUT CLEMSON (10-3, 7-2 ACC): The Tigers went from off the national radar to start the season to surprise national title contender before losing three of their last four regular-season games. They bounced back with a 38-10 win over Virginia Tech in the ACC title game -- their second dominant performance against the Hokies this season -- to earn their first BCS bowl bid, their first ACC title since 1991 and their first 10-win season since 1990. The Tigers had a 1,000-yard rusher (Andre Ellington) and receiver (Sammy Watkins) for the third time in school history, but they will be without their No. 2 rusher, as freshman Mike Bellamy is still serving an indefinite suspension that began with the ACC title game.

TRENDS:
- West Virginia is 11-4 against the spread against teams with a winning record.
- Clemson is 1-4 against the spread in its last five overall.
- Each of Clemson's last five games have played under the total.

PREDICTION: Clemson 31, West Virginia 28. The Tigers' greatest weakness is its run defense, something the Mountaineers are ill-equipped to exploit.

[Mr. IWS]

Pick 'n' roll: Wednesday's best NBA bets


New Jersey Nets at Boston Celtics (-12.5, N/A)

If you ask Nets point guard Deron Williams, he’s pretty sick of his club’s five-game losing skid. Coach Avery Johnson is trying to stay more optimistic.

“This is not a dire moment for us,” Johnson told reporters after New Jersey fell 108-94 to Indiana as a 6-point underdog. “There is no surrender. That’s why I’m telling you guys, I’m pointing more towards the middle or end of January for us to really come together if we’re healthy and become a team.”

So what exactly does that mean to Nets bettors? New Jersey ranks 29th in offensive output and 26th in scoring so the outlook isn’t looking great unless some serious changes are made.

Boston has won three straight after its slow start and should use this one to build more momentum.

Pick: Celtics

Philadelphia 76ers at New Orleans Hornets (2.5, N/A)

So far Philadelphia head coach Doug Collins doesn’t have much to complain about.

His club is 2-2 straight up and has yet to play a game on home floor. Meanwhile, Sixers bettors are content with a 2-1-1 start against the spread.

But Collins is always looking ahead and he sees Wednesday’s date with New Orleans as a major test for his 76ers.

“What I have seen is we played well against teams that are like us, more finesse and we struggled against bigger, stronger teams,” Collins told reporters after Tuesday’s practice.

They’ll face a Hornets club that ranks fifth in scoring defense and first in offensive rebounding Wednesday, so it looks like Collins will get exactly what he’s looking for.

Pick: 76ers

[Mr. IWS]

College funds: Wednesday's best NCAAB bets

Duke Blue Devils at Temple Owls (6.5, N/A)

No. 3 Duke has been historically dominant over Atlantic 10 opponents and will look to continue the trend when it takes on Temple on Wednesday at the Wells Fargo Center. Duke enters off an 85-55 victory over Pennsylvania, a team the Owls needed overtime to beat in their season opener. The Blue Devils covered as 22-points favorites.

Behind Ryan Kelly’s double double — 18 points and 12 rebounds — the Blue Devils were able to top the 80-point mark for a fifth consecutive time en route to their fifth straight victory.

Duke hasn’t lost since an 85-63 defeat to No. 2 Ohio State on Nov. 29. Much of the Blue Devils’ success has come from a core of veteran starters, as well as the play of freshman Austin Rivers, who leads the team in scoring with 15 points. Three other players average double figures for the Blue Devils, including Mason Plumlee, who also leads the team in rebounding with nine per game. Duke, which ranks seventh in scoring and fifth in field-goal percentage, has shot 48 percent from 3-point range over its last three games.

Meanwhile, Temple enters after a 66-63 victory over Delaware as a 7-point favorite. The Owls trailed for most of the game, but Khalif Wyatt put Temple on top for good with a 3-pointer with 30 seconds left.

Pick: Blue Devils

Illinois Fighting Illini at Northwestern Wildcats (-2.5, 132.5)

Illinois had big hopes heading into Big Ten play, but a lot of that optimism was squashed in a 75-60 loss to Purdue on Saturday. The Fighting Illini struggled on offense, going long stretches without a field goal. The issues started with center Meyers Leonard, who was constantly double-teamed and got into early foul trouble.

The Illini have been plagued by inconsistency from their starters. Leonard has been off and on, and Bradley transfer Sam Maniscalco is having a tough time adjusting to Big Ten life. The one who has shown up more often than not is the player that coach Bruce Weber tagged as the team’s most inconsistent heading into last week. Brandon Paul has scored 21 and 17 points respectively in the first two conference games and has reached double figures in 11 this year.

Northwestern is still vying for its first NCAA Tournament appearance, but missed a major resume booster with a loss to Ohio State in the Big Ten opener. The Wildcats followed with a 68-56 victory over Penn State, snapping a five-game losing streak to the Nittany Lions. Northwestern has had better luck against Illinois recently, winning two of its last three meetings with the Illini, including a 71-70 win at home in February.

The Illini need this one and Leonard will bounce back.

Pick: Illini

[Mr. IWS]

Ice picks: Wednesday's best NHL bets

Winnipeg Jets at Montreal Canadiens (-125, 5.5)

After six straight road games, most teams would be happy to get back on home ice. But the Montreal Canadiens aren’t your average team right now.

They're heading right into the eye of the hurricane after dropping seven of their last eight games. That's not to mention the fact that they are in the middle of a major controversy over Randy Cunneyworth’s interim head coach position and are breaking up fights between teammates in practice.

P.K. Subban and Montreal’s leading scorer, Tomas Plekanec, had to be separated during a recent workout and it’s obvious this team has some major problems as it heads into a three-game home stand.

"We're still creating chemistry," Cunneyworth told reporters after a 3-2 loss at Florida. "We did a lot of good things and we'll get better. We have guys who are making new alliances on the lines and that's very important."

The Jets have been terrible on the road this season but this Habs club is a complete mess outside of Carey Price.

Pick: Jets

New Jersey Devils at Boston Bruins (-150, 5)

If you were too busy over the holiday season to keep tabs on the Devils, you might be surprised to know that they were just two points out of fifth place in the East ahead of Tuesday’s action.

New Jersey has won seven of its last 10 and know that there’s no room for error now.

"It's a critical time of year heading into the All-Star break the next 3-4 weeks," coach Pete DeBoer told reporters Sunday. "We have a tough schedule and we have tough teams on the schedule. We have Boston a couple times. We're in Pittsburgh next week. We have five games now in eight days. It's a tough schedule and we have to handle that."

The Devils will be tough to deal with down the stretch, but they may be in over their heads Tuesday.

Pick: Over

[Mr. IWS]

Double Dragon

CLEMSON -3 vs west virginia (JAN 4th)

[Mr. IWS]

Nelly's

RATING 2: Clemson (-3½) over West Virginia

[Mr. IWS]

Robert Ferringo

WEDNESDAY BOWL SELECTION
261 West Virginia (+3) over Clemson (8:30 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 4)

[Mr. IWS]

LuckyDaySports

Wednesday’s Comp Play

NCAAF
West Virginia vs Clemson OVER 62

[Mr. IWS]

*** PLATINUM SHEETS STATFOX ***

•ORANGE BOWL
261 W VIRGINIA VS. 262 CLEMSON
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Everything fell in place for West Virginia to be the Big East champion, but the Mountaineers have found ways to win, riding a three-game win streak, but winning all three games by three points or less. Clemson, on the other hand, has played in three straight blowouts, losing by 24 and 21 before crushing Virginia Tech 38-10 to capture the ACC crown. This matchup puts two exciting QBs on display with Clemson’s Tajh Boyd (275 pass YPG, 31 TD, 10 INT) and WVU’s Geno Smith (32 pass YPG, 25 TD, 7 INT). Each player should be able to thrive against defenses allowing a ton of points.

STATFOX FORECASTER: CLEMSON 35, W VIRGINIA 34

[Mr. IWS]

*** MARC LAWRENCE PLAYBOOK ***

WEST VIRGINIA OVER CLEMSON BY 3
--------------------------------
After vociferously defending the Tigers from upstate South Carolina, we’re going to do an about-face and go against them here. Clemson’s impressive 8-0 start included wins over three ranked teams in a row for the first time ever by a team in ACC history. Unfortunately, the press clippings seemed to go to their heads when the Tigers finished the regular season by going just 2-3 SU (1-4 ATS). But Dabo’s striped cats saved their best for last, ripping Virginia Tech to shreds in the conference title game to reach Clemmie’s first BCS bowl game. The Mountaineers arrive in south Florida anxious to wipe the egg off the face of the Big East after no team from the conference could be found in campaign-ending polls.

West Virginia experienced a mid-season stumble of its own with losses to Syracuse and Louisville as double-digit chalk but recovered to win its final three games – two of them on the road – by a total of only 7 points. Yes, the Big East may not have gotten any love from the BCS but its teams have cashed many a ticket in similar roles. Big East bowl pick or dogs of 3 or fewer points are 14-6-1 SU and 15-6 ATS while Clemson has struggled against the ‘northerners,’ going 1-6-1 SU and 1-7 ATS versus Big East opposition (Tigers have also cashed just ONCE in their last six postseason appearances). And let’s not forget that the Mounties outgained top-ranked LSU 533-366 in their Game Four loss to the Bayou Bengals, finishing the season with a 5-0-1 ITS mark against 2011 bowlers. With the underdog now 6-0 ATS in West Virginia’s last six bowl games, the dog with the better offense AND defense gets the call today. Stump-jumpers!