1-23-13

[Can'tPickAWinner]

[Can'tPickAWinner]

WINNING POINTS

Wednesday, January 23

Central Florida* over Rice by 16
Southern Miss* over Marshall by 20
Toledo* over Akron by 1
Bowling Green* over Kent State by 5
Ohio over Miami-OH* by 7
Central Michigan* over Northern Illinois by 11
Western Michigan* over Eastern Michigan by 11
Temple* over Penn by 19
Cleveland State* over Loyola-Chicago by 5
Dayton* over Fordham by 16
St. Joseph’s* over St. Bonaventure by 14
Rhode Island* over George Washington by 4

**PREFERRED
Miami-FL* over Duke by 7
We had the ‘NC State over Duke’ last Saturday, and since Duke has yet to prove its
mettle as a true-road favorite against decent competition, here we go again. Senior
guards on Miami, and some injury issue on Duke that may or may not be cleared up
by the time this game arrives. Either way, though…
MIAMI, 70-63

Indiana* over Penn State by 26
Saint Louis over Duquesne* by 4
Northeastern* over William & Mary by 15
Ball State* over Buffalo by 1

Youngstown State over Wright State* by 6
Not that it’s a bad match-up for Wright State, but it’s a fourth straight road game for
them.
YOUNGSTOWN STATE, 63-57

Butler over Lasalle* by 5
Seton Hall* over South Florida by 7
Drexel over Hofstra* by 6
George Mason over Towson* by 3
Georgia State* over NC-Wilmington by 4
West Virginia* over TCU by 14
Rutgers* over St. John’s by 2
NC Charlotte* over Xavier by 2
LSU* over Texas A&M by 2
Illinois-Chicago* over Wisconsin-Milwaukee by 3
UAB* over East Carolina by 6
Valparaiso* over Wisconsin-GB by 20
Creighton over Drake* by 9
Florida over Georgia* by 11
Northern Iowa* over Southern Illinois by 11
Houston* over Tulsa by 1
Wichita State over Missouri State* by 9
Illinois State* over Indiana State by 2
Evansville* over Bradley by 14
New Mexico* over Colorado State by 5
Boise State* over Fresno State by 12

**PREFERRED
Auburn over Vanderbilt* by 5
Wouldn’t be surprised to see Vandy take the Tigers lightly. It’s not like Vandy can fill
the net to make a margin via slick offense. Also, Vandy is an atrocious 58% from the
free-throw line. Their near-win against Kentucky was an overrated effort and will
probably cause them to be overrated for the near future.
AUBURN, 68-63

Arkansas* over Mississippi State by 9
Minnesota* over Northwestern by 22
North Carolina* over Georgia Tech by 14
Iowa State over Texas Tech* by 9
Oregon* over Washington State by 18
San Diego State over Nevada* by 5
New Mexico State* over Denver by 1
Washington over Oregon State* by 3

NBA BASKETBALL

Atlanta over *Charlotte by 7
Atlanta has beaten Charlotte seven straight times, including all three meetings this season with a winning margin of 12 points per game.
ATLANTA 109-102

**PREFERRED
Toronto over *Miami by 1
Toronto might be able to take advantage of Miami being rusty. The Heat have been
hanging around in South Beach having not played in five days. That’s too much rest.
The Raptors had covered eight of their last nine Eastern Conference games through
Jan. 12. Their young players will be psyched to go against superstars LeBron James and
Dwayne Wade.
TORONTO 104-103

*Chicago over Detroit by 7
The Pistons have lost 16 in a row to the Bulls, including 108-104 in the team’s last
matchup on Dec. 7.
CHICAGO 98-91

Brooklyn over *Minnesota by 4
So far the coaching change from Avery Johnson to P.J. Carlesimo has worked in
Brooklyn’s favor. The Nets went 7-1 in their first eight games under Carlesimo. We
wouldn’t want to lay too many road points, though, with the Nets if Gerald Wallace
(check status) hasn’t returned to the lineup by this time.
BROOKLYN 102-98

**PREFERRED
Denver over *Houston by 8
This is a promising spot for the Nuggets. Denver has been idle since Sunday, while the
Rockets are playing for the first time since returning home yesterday from a four-game
road trip. So the Rockets may not be fully focused.
DENVER 113-105

*Memphis over Los Angeles Lakers by 8
The Lakers, like many teams, usually encounter problems in Memphis and have yet
to turn things around. The Grizzlies have covered 64 percent of their first 17 games at
FedEx Forum.
MEMPHIS 106-98

*San Antonio over New Orleans by 14
The Hornets are playing much better, but this is a big revenge spot for the Spurs. San
Antonio committed 19 turnovers and missed 15 of 21 from 3-point range in a 95-88
road loss to the Hornets on Jan. 7.
SAN ANTONIO 107-93

**PREFERRED
*Utah over Washington by 20
John Wall is back to shore up the Wizards’ backcourt. Still, this has all the makings of
a kill spot for Utah. The Jazz have been idle since Saturday, were 4-1 ATS when laying more than six points through this past Friday and had covered 66 percent of their
first 15 home games.
UTAH 105-85

*Portland over Indiana by 2
Portland entered the mid-part of the month riding a nine-game home winning streak
getting big production from rookie point guard Damon Lillard. The Pacers are playing in their second of four consecutive road matchups.
PORTLAND 94-92

*Sacramento over Phoenix by 2
Phoenix has defeated the Kings four straight times, including 101-90 at home on Dec.
17. This is Sacramento’s first home game after a three-game road swing that ended this
past Monday.
SACRAMENTO 102-100

Oklahoma City over Golden State by 5
The Thunder have been highly reliable as road chalk going 8-1 ATS when laying four
or more points and 7-2 ATS when playing on the road versus a foe with a winning
home mark through Jan. 12.
OKLAHOMA CITY 107-102

[Can'tPickAWinner]

POINTWISE

COLLEGIATE BASKETBALL PROPHECY

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23 SCORE

(7:00) CENTRAL FLORIDA 68 - Rice 43
(7:00) SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI 77 - Marshall 60
(7:00) Akron 69 - TOLEDO 64
(7:00) BOWLING GREEN 65 - Kent State 55
(7:00) Ohio U 68 - MIAMI-OHIO 54
(7:00) CENTRAL MICHIGAN 73 - Northern Illinois 62
(7:00) WESTERN MICHIGAN 57 - Eastern Michigan 54
(7:00) TEMPLE 81 - Pennsylvania 55
(7:00) CLEVELAND STATE 62 - Loyola-Chicago 56
(7:00) DAYTON 84 - Fordham 71
(7:00) ST JOSEPHS 76 - St Bonaventure 49
(7:00) George Washington 70 - RHODE ISLAND 67
(7:00) MIAMI-FLORIDA 73 - Duke 68
(7:00) INDIANA 87 - Penn State 57 (BIG10)
(7:00) Saint Louis 72 - DUQUESNE 69
(7:00) NORTHEASTERN 81 - William & Mary 66
(7:00) BALL STATE 64 - Buffalo 60
(7:00) YOUNGSTOWN 73 - Wright State 72
(7:00) Butler 85 - LASALLE 68
(7:00) SETON HALL 62 - South Florida 54 (ESPNU)
(7:00) Drexel 58 - HOFSTRA 57
(7:00) TOWSON 66 - George Mason 65
(7:00) GEORGIA STATE 69 - UNC-Wilmington 62

(7:30) WEST VIRGINIA 74 - Tcu 66 (ESPN2)
(7:30) St Johns 65 - RUTGERS 64
(7:30) Xavier 71 - CHARLOTTE 70

(8:00) LSU 66 - Texas A&M 63
(8:00) ILLINOIS-CHICAGO 72 - Wisc-Milwaukee 62
(8:00) East Carolina 74 - UAB 71
(8:00) VALPARAISO 79 - Wisc-Green Bay 63
(8:00) Creighton 80 - DRAKE 74 (FSN)
(8:00) Florida 83 - GEORGIA 67
(8:00) NORTHERN IOWA 68 - Southern Illinois 48
(8:00) HOUSTON 66 - Tulsa 59
(8:00) Wichita State 71 - MISSOURI STATE 60
(8:00) Indiana State 62 - ILLINOIS STATE 61
(8:00) EVANSVILLE 84 - Bradley 69
(8:00) NEW MEXICO 80 - Colorado State 72 (CBSC)
(8:00) BOISE STATE 75 - Fresno State 63
(8:00) VANDERBILT 74 - Auburn 71

(9:00) ARKANSAS 69 - Mississippi State 54
(9:00) Minnesota 77 - NORTHWESTERN 60 (BIG10)
(9:00) NORTH CAROLINA 83 - Georgia Tech 76 (ESPN)
(9:00) Iowa State 72 - TEXAS TECH 63 (ESPNU)
(9:30) OREGON 81 - Washington State 71

(10:00) San Diego State 76 - NEVADA 68 (CBSC)

(11:00) NEW MEXICO STATE 80 - Denver 75 (ESPNU)
(11:30) Washington 72 - OREGON STATE 70

BEST BETS: CENTRAL MICHIGAN, CLEVELAND ST, ST JOSEPHS, WRIGHT STATE,
BUTLER, EAST CAROLINA, FLORIDA, EVANSVILLE, WASHINGTON.

NBA BASKETBALL

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23 SCORE

(7:05) Atlanta Hawks 98 - CHARLOTTE BOBCATS 88

(7:35) MIAMI HEAT 112 - Toronto Raptors 92

(8:05) CHICAGO BULLS 96 - Detroit Pistons 90
(8:05) MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES 99 - Brooklyn 97
(8:05) Denver Nuggets 104 - HOUSTON ROCKETS 100
(8:05) MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES 108 - LA Lakers 103

(8:35) SAN ANTONIO SPURS 99 - New Orleans 92

(9:05) UTAH JAZZ 96 - Washington Wizards 87

(10:05) Indiana Pacers 98 - PORTLAND BLAZERS 94
(10:05) SACRAMENTO KINGS 105 - Phoenix Suns 97

(10:35) GOLDEN ST WARRIORS 113 - Oklahoma City 99

BEST BETS: ATLANTA, MIAMI (3), INDIANA, GOLDEN ST (1)

[Can'tPickAWinner]

The Goldsheet

★★★SOUTHERN MISS 82 - Marshall 61—Tallish but slowish MU hasn’t
demonstrated any interest on the stop end away from home, going 0-5 as a road
dog, while allowing a whopping 87 ppg. That negative Herd trend should
continue vs. uptempo USM (78 ppg), pining to settle a score after LY’s 73-62
upset loss in the C-USA tourney. The ball-thievin’ Golden Eagles (11.8 spg; 2nd
nationally) will annoy MU’s mistake-prone PG DeAndre Kane, who has 3-ormore
miscues in the last six games. And kudos to USM’s first-year HC Donnie
Tyndall (former Morehead honcho), who quickly sold his new system and
philosophy to a team that lost four key performers from LY. 11-USM -5 67-63,
MAR -2' 79-75, Mar +2 73-62 (CT-neut.)

★★★St. John’s 67 - RUTGERS 61—We’ll side with Steve Lavin’s scrappy
St. John’s side that not only proved it could win on the Big East trail in last
Saturday’s win at DePaul, but also that it was immune to letdowns, with that
victory coming after its rousing midweek win over Notre Dame. Lavin getting
consistent contributions from 6-8 frosh F Jakarr Sampson (13.6 ppg) to
effectively complement high-scoring G DeAngelo Harrison (19.6 ppg).
Meanwhile, Rutgers HC Mike Rice not getting much scoring help from his
frontline, as most of the Scarlet Knight “O” being generated from Gs Eli Carter
(16.2 ppg) & Myles Mack (12.9 ppg). 11-RUT -7' 61-58

★★★OREGON 80 - Washington St. 57—With first-place Oregon 5-0 in
league play for the first time since back in 1974 (!) when the conference was still
the Pac-8, time to roll with the hot Ducks, with their confidence building with
every win. Oregon’s impressive frosh G pair of 6-1 Dominic Artis & 6-5
Damyean Dotson are now combining for more than 20 ppg to go with HC Dana
Altman’s very long & useful group of four senior players rotating up front. WSU
could not match up with Oregon LY; same deal TY. 11-Ore +4' 92-75, ORE -6'
78-69

★★★Indiana 91 - PORTLAND 81—Portland beginning to lose its grip after
mostly-impressive work in first two months of season, as Blazers took a 5-game
SU losing streak into Monday night’s game at Rose Garden vs. Wizards. Most
onlookers suggest the team is looking tired, as HC Terry Stotts has been
reluctant to go too deep into thin bench, with starters now paying the price for an
excessive workload. Until Portland can fortify its bench, we’ll be reluctant to
back Blazers vs. competent opposition such as Indiana, which has used NBA’s
best scoring defense (allowing mere 89.6 ppg) to stay afloat in Danny Granger’s
season-long absence and has now won 16 of last 21 SU after MLK Day matinee
win over Grizzlies. Meanwhile, Pacers compensating for Granger’s absence on
attack with third-year ex-Fresno State swingman Paul George (19.7 ppg), who
has emerged as a legit go-to option and scored 31 in recent home win over
Rockets. “Totals” alert—Indiana “under” 12-3 last 15 after Monday’s 82-81 win
at Memphis. 12-IND -4 99-92 (187); 11-IND -3 92-75 (191)

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Gold Medal Club Selections 23/01/2013
CBB:
25* #797 Colorado State +5
#793 Indiana State +7.5
#775 Texas A&M +1

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Mighty Quinn

Mighty missed with Missouri (-14 1/2) Tuesday.

Wednesday it’s Dayton. The surplus is 165 sirignanos.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Study Group: Wednesday's Top 25 NCB Betting Notes

Check out our quick-hitting betting notes on all of Wednesday’s ranked college basketball games:

(9) Butler Bulldogs at La Salle Explorers (Pick)

Butler probably shouldn't have a problem putting Saturday’s thrilling buzzer-beating victory over Gonzaga behind it when the Bulldogs travel to La Salle. The Bulldogs’ 64-63 victory over the then eighth-ranked Zags is Butler’s 13th victory in a row, and third this season over a top 10 squad. The Bulldogs continue to play well despite not having leading scorer Rotnei Clarke, who will miss his third consecutive game with a sprained neck. The Explorers are 3-3 in their past six games, falling 70-63 most recently at Xavier. Wednesday’s game matches two of the top scoring teams in the A-10 (La Salle is third at 72.8; Butler is fourth at 72.0). La Salle is 1-5 ATS in its last six games overall.

(1) Duke Blue Devils at Miami Hurricanes (+2.5)

The Blue Devils are 16-1 this season, but lost their only previous road game against North Carolina State on January 12. Duke is allowing 88.4 points per 100 possessions this season; on pace for the team's best defensive efficiency since the 1997-98 season. The Hurricanes’ ball control could limit Duke’s easy buckets. The Blue Devils lead the ACC with 19.1 points per game off turnovers and Miami surrenders a league-low 9.6 points per game off turnovers. The Blue Devils are 1-5-2 ATS in the last eight meetings between the schools.

Penn State Nittany Lions at (8) Indiana Hoosiers (-26)

Indiana should have ample opportunity to get its slumping bench back on track when it hosts Penn State on Wednesday. The Hoosiers have gotten 11 points and 3-for-24 shooting from their reserves in the last three games, and although they won two of them, a lack of depth does not bode as the rigors of Big Ten Conference play are just getting started. The Nittany Lions have lost six straight - all Big Ten games - by an average of 13.2 points, although they came closest to snapping the skid in Saturday's 68-64 loss to Nebraska. Penn State ranks last in the Big Ten in scoring defense (66.9 points), 3-point shooting percentage (28.4) and turnover margin (minus-1.22). The Nittany Lions are 1-4 ATS in their last five games overall.

Colorado State Rams at (17) New Mexico Lobos (-5)

The Lobos have been off for a week since escaping with an overtime victory last Wednesday at Boise State. New Mexico leading scorer Kendall Williams returned to the starting lineup after sitting out the previous game against Fresno State for being late to a meeting for a third time this season. Colorado State is coming off an upset victory Saturday against then-No. 23 UNLV, extending its home-winning streak to 24 games. The Lobos also have a killer home advantage. New Mexico averages 14,799 fans for its home games, more than six NBA teams. The Rams are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games against Mountain West foes.

(7) Florida Gators at Georgia Bulldogs (+17)

Florida provided SEC newcomers Texas A&M and Missouri a rude welcome to the heart of SEC play last week, beating the two newest members of the conference by a combined 52 points. The seventh-ranked Gators are red hot, winners of six in a row. Georgia notched its first conference victory on Saturday, beating LSU at home 67-58 in a matchup of SEC cellar-dwellers. The Bulldogs lost their first three conference games by a combined 61 points, including a 77-44 blowout loss to the Gators on Jan. 9 in Gainesville. The Gators lead the SEC and rank third nationally in scoring defense (51.7). Florida is 5-0 ATS in its last five overall.

(12) Creighton Bluejays at Drake Bulldogs (+11.5)

Creighton, which had its 11-game win streak snapped at Wichita State on Saturday, hits the road to take on I-80 rival Drake. The Bluejays are arguably the nation's top offensive team, beginning the week leading the nation in field goal percentage (51.8), 3-point percentage (45.2) and 3-pointers per game (9.6) while ranking second in 2-point field goal percentage (56.1). The Bulldogs average 72.4 points per game but are allowing an average of 74.1 per contest and have been outrebounded by 4.1 boards per game. The Bluejays are 4-0-1 ATS in their last five road games.

(21) Wichita State Shockers at Missouri State Bears (+11)

After snapping Creighton’s 11-game winning streak with a 67-64 victory on Saturday, Wichita State looks to avoid a letdown when the Shockers visit Missouri State. Missouri State has lost three straight, including last Saturday’s 69-66 loss at Bradley. The Bears are hoping to build on their second-half effort against the Braves, when they scored 46 points and shot a season-high 58.3 percent. The Shockers boast the top defense in the conference, allowing 60.1 points per game and will be facing the lowest scoring team in Missouri State (59.7). The Bears are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games overall.

(14) Minnesota Golden Gophers at Northwestern Wildcats (+9)

The Golden Gophers look to avoid a third straight defeat by ending a four-game road losing streak to Northwestern. The Wildcats are coming off a 67-59 home loss to then-No. 2 Indiana on Sunday, three days after beating then-No. 23 Illinois 68-54 on the road. Northwestern has been inconsistent in conference play, winning its last two road games by a total of 30 points while its losses - all at home - have come by an average of 18.3 points. The Golden Gophers are 8-1 ATS in their last nine vs. Big Ten foes.

Washington State Cougars at (19) Oregon Ducks (-10)

Oregon took over sole possession of the Pac-12 Conference lead by snapping UCLA's 10-game winning streak Saturday. The Ducks, who are 5-0 in conference play for the first time in 39 years, look to extend their own streak when they hosts Washington State. Oregon has won seven in a row and 11 of its last 12 games. It has also won 18 straight at home. The Cougars have struggled to score all season long and failed to reach 50 points for the second time this season, dropping a 58-49 home decision against Colorado last time out. Washington State ranks 266th in the nation averaging 63.3 points a game. The Cougars are 0-4 ATS in their last four road games.

(25) San Diego State Aztecs at Nevada Wolf Pack (+6)

San Diego State has lost back-to-back games for the first time this season, and the Aztecs are mired in a minor shooting slump after shooting 35.6 percent in their last three games. Aztecs starting point guard Xavier Thames has missed two of his last four games with a lower back strain, and it’s unclear whether he’ll be available against the Wolf Pack. Nevada’s defense ranks last in the conference, surrendering 70.2 points per game. The Wolf Pack are 1-4 ATS in their last five overall.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

NBA's Best Foul Shooting Teams are also its Best Bets

Nothing can make or break your NBA bet like free-throw shooting.

It’s happened to every bettor. Your bet is looking good until the final minute of a game. And then the foul-induced free throw fest begins. The final 60 seconds of any given NBA game can seem like it takes an eternity to finish, and it can certainly make or break your wager.

It’s no coincidence that some of the top free-throw shooting teams in the Association are also very profitable bets. In fact, the top five foul shooting teams this season have a combined 118-84-5 ATS record heading into action Tuesday night.

Let’s take a look at the TOP TEAMS from the charity stripe and their respective ATS records:

Oklahoma City Thunder (83.8 percent from the line, 24-15-2 ATS)

The Thunder are by far the best team in the league from the line. Six players on their roster shoot over 80 percent from the stripe and even big man Serge Ibaka boasts a 76 percent free-throw percentage. Not to mention Kevin Martin and Kevin Durant are the best shooters from 15 feet out in the league. Oklahoma City is the second-best bet with a 24-15-2 ATS mark.

Golden State Warriors (79.8 percent from the line, 23-16-1 ATS)

The Warriors have 10 players that shoot 70 percent or better from the line, led by sharp-shooter Stephen Curry’s 89 percent stroke. Golden State is the eighth-best bet with a 23-16-1 ATS record.

Dallas Mavericks (79.4 percent from the line, 23-19-0 ATS)

The Mavericks boast eight players on their roster that shoot over 80 percent from the charity stripe and surprisingly Dirk Nowitzki (77%) isn’t one of them. Dallas has covered in seven straight games to improve its overall ATS record to 23-19-0.

San Antonio Spurs (79.2 percent from the line, 25-18-1 ATS)

The Spurs are stacked with sharpshooters that thrive on free-throw attempts. San Antonio has 12 players that shoot 70 percent or better and not a single baller worse than 66 percent (Boris Diaw).

Memphis Grizzlies (79.2 percent from the line, 23-16-1 ATS)

Memphis has become one of the better bets because of its tenacious defense (89.4 ppg) and proficiency from the line. Marc Gasol is one of the best bigs from the stripe with an 88 percent mark. The Grizzlies are fifth in the league in free-throw percentage and that has translated into an equal fifth-best ATS mark.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Nine NBA Betting Trends to Consider

Bettors are always looking for a handicapping edge.

We rummaged through our stats to uncover some interesting NBA trends to assist you with your capping of the hardcourt.

Here are nine NBA trends for bettors to consider early this week:

Toronto Raptors

The Raptors have played over the total in five consecutive games, allowing opponents to score an average of 107.6 points in the process. Toronto travels to South Beach to face a potent Heat offense Wednesday.

Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets have also played over the number in five consecutive contests. Denver has turned up the heat on offense, scoring 111.4 points per game during that stretch. The Nuggets travel to Houston Wednesday to play the Rockets, who have a 24-19 over/under record.

Orlando Magic

The Magic have been a red-hot over bet, playing over the total in 12 of their last 13 games. Orlando faces a 195.5-point total in Detroit Tuesday night.

Phoenix Suns

The Suns have played under the total in five straight games. Phoenix is averaging 87.8 points per game during the streak, 7.6 points than its season output. The Suns visit the Kings Wednesday night.

Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks are riding a profitable seven-game cover streak into Friday’s home game with the Spurs.

Washington Wizards

We identified the Wizards as the hottest ATS bet in the Association in last week’s edition of Bank Shots. Washington has covered in seven straight games and nine of its last 10. The Wiz look to keep it going in Utah Wednesday night.

Houston Rockets

The Rockets went on a ridiculous 11-1 ATS run through the holiday season, but have failed to cover in their last eight games. Houston hosts Denver Wednesday.

Memphis Grizzlies

The Grizz have been a good under bet all season long thanks to their ball-hawking defense. Memphis has gone low in five straight games and host the Lakers Wednesday.

San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs have also played under in their last five games and have dates with the Hornets and Mavericks up next. San Antonio played under the number in both of its previous contests against those teams.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

See Spot. See Spot Bet: This Week's Best Spot Bet Opportunities

Spot bets are a classic handicapping practice that have proven profitable no matter what sport you’re betting. Whether it’s a team looking past this week’s opponent, one coming off a hard-fought victory, or a rough patch of schedule, bettors can find value picking their spots.

Letdown Spot

UCLA is trying to keep pace in the Pac-12 and needs a win over Arizona Wednesday night to do so. The Bruins, at 15-4 and 5-1 in the conference, took a step back with a loss to Oregon Saturday. They travel to Arizona for this highly-anticipated matchup Thursday then head to Tempe two days later to face Arizona State.

The Sun Devils are no pushovers at 14-4 heading into Thursday’s game with USC, and will be playing their third straight in-state game when UCLA comes to town. Expect a young Bruins team to be suffering from an Arizona hangover – win or lose Thursday - entering the weekend.

Lookahead Spot

The frantic pace of the lockout-shortened NHL season doesn’t give teams much time to think about the upcoming slate. But with the way the Pittsburgh Penguins have opened the season, upcoming opponents are circling the Pens on the calendar.

The Ottawa Senators could get caught looking ahead to Sunday’s date with Pittsburgh before they visit the Tampa Bay Lightning Friday. Not only are the Sens vulnerable to the lookahead but they could also be terribly flat thanks to a two-game stay in the Sunshine State (play the Panthers Thursday). Florida’s balmy weather is a far cry from the bitter Ottawa nights.

Schedule Spot

NBA bettors will know if the Oklahoma City Thunder are for real as they close out a six-game road trip this week. The Thunder split overtime games in Dallas and Denver and have a huge Western Conference showdown with the L.A. Clippers Tuesday.

That outing opens a stretch of four games in six nights, starting in L.A., then to Golden State, Sacramento and finally back to La-La-Land to take on the Lakers. When it’s all said and done, Oklahoma City will have played nine of 10 games away from home - starting back on Jan. 11. With another close contest expected Tuesday, the Thunder could be on fumes by the time this trip is over.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

RickJ's Handicapping Picks Wed College Hoops

1 Unit Play
743 St. Bon's +7.5

[Can'tPickAWinner]

NCAA Basketball Picks

Marshall at Southern Mississippi

The Golden Eagles look to take advantage of a Marshall team that is 0-8 ATS in its last 8 road games. Southern Mississippi is the pick (-9) according to Dunkel, which has the Golden Eagles favored by 12. Dunkel Pick: Southern Mississippi (-9). Here are all of today's games.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23 Time Posted: 6:30 a.m. EST

Game 723-724: Rice at Central Florida (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Rice 45.465; Central Florida 63.736 Dunkel Line: Central Florida by 18 1/2 Vegas Line: Central Florida by 16 Dunkel Pick: Central Florida (-16)

Game 725-726: Marshall at Southern Mississippi (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Marshall 56.127; Southern Mississippi 67.996 Dunkel Line: Southern Mississippi by 12 Vegas Line: Southern Mississippi by 9 Dunkel Pick: Southern Mississippi (-9)

Game 727-728: Akron at Toledo (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Akron 63.129; Toledo 58.243 Dunkel Line: Akron by 5 Vegas Line: Akron by 6 Dunkel Pick: Toledo (+6)

Game 729-730: Kent State at Bowling Green (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Kent State 54.794; Bowling Green 54.645 Dunkel Line: Even Vegas Line: Kent State by 2 Dunkel Pick: Bowling Green (+2)

Game 731-732: Ohio at Miami (OH) (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Ohio 61.053; Miami (OH) 53.998 Dunkel Line: Ohio by 7 Vegas Line: Ohio by 8 Dunkel Pick: Miami (OH) (+8)

Game 733-734: Northern Illinois at Central Michigan (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Northern Illinois 47.902; Central Michigan 54.268 Dunkel Line: Central Michigan by 6 1/2 Vegas Line: Central Michigan by 8 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Northern Illinois (+8 1/2)

Game 735-736: Eastern Michigan at Western Michigan (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Eastern Michigan 48.481; Western Michigan 55.714 Dunkel Line: Western Michigan by 7 1/2 Vegas Line: Western Michigan by 9 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Eastern Michigan (+9 1/2)

Game 737-738: Pennsylvania at Temple (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Pennsylvania 46.682; Temple 61.429 Dunkel Line: Temple by 14 1/2 Vegas Line: Temple by 18 Dunkel Pick: Pennsylvania (+18)

Game 739-740: Loyola-Chicago at Cleveland State (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Loyola-Chicago 53.212; Cleveland State 51.294 Dunkel Line: Loyola-Chicago by 2 Vegas Line: Loyola-Chicago by 2 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Cleveland State (+2 1/2)

Game 741-742: Fordham at Dayton (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Fordham 49.481; Dayton 62.334 Dunkel Line: Dayton by 13 Vegas Line: Dayton by 15 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Fordham (+15 1/2)

Game 743-744: St. Bonaventure at St. Joseph's (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: St. Bonaventure 57.317; St. Joseph's 66.587 Dunkel Line: St. Joseph's by 9 1/2 Vegas Line: St. Joseph's by 7 Dunkel Pick: St. Joseph's (-7)

Game 745-746: George Washington at Rhode Island (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: George Washington 58.144; Rhode Island 56.793 Dunkel Line: George Washington by 1 1/2 Vegas Line: Rhode Island by 1 Dunkel Pick: George Washington (+1)

Game 747-748: Duke at Miami (FL) (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Duke 73.232; Miami (FL) 74.196 Dunkel Line: Even; 133 Vegas Line: Duke by 2; 126 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Miami (FL) (+2); Over

Game 749-750: Penn State at Indiana (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Penn State 53.217; Indiana 76.788 Dunkel Line: Indiana by 23 1/2; 134 Vegas Line: Indiana by 26; 139 Dunkel Pick: Penn State (+26); Under

Game 751-752: St. Louis at Duquesne (4:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis 62.058; Duquesne 53.465 Dunkel Line: St. Louis by 8 1/2 Vegas Line: St. Louis by 9 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Duquesne (+9 1/2)

Game 753-754: William & Mary at Northeastern (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: William & Mary 45.903; Northeastern 60.552 Dunkel Line: Northeastern by 14 1/2 Vegas Line: Northeastern by 10 Dunkel Pick: Northeastern (-10)

Game 755-756: Buffalo at Ball State (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Buffalo 50.420; Ball State 50.217 Dunkel Line: Even Vegas Line: No Line Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 757-758: Wright State at Youngstown State (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Wright State 52.336; Youngstown State 56.197 Dunkel Line: Youngstown State by 4 Vegas Line: Youngstown State by 3 Dunkel Pick: Youngstown State (-3)

Game 759-760: Butler at LaSalle (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Butler 63.223; LaSalle 66.761 Dunkel Line: LaSalle by 3 1/2 Vegas Line: LaSalle by 2 1/2 Dunkel Pick: LaSalle (-2 1/2)

Game 761-762: South Florida at Seton Hall (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: South Florida 60.441; Seton Hall 60.987 Dunkel Line: Seton Hall by 1; 129 Vegas Line: Seton Hall by 4 1/2; 123 1/2 Dunkel Pick: South Florida (+4 1/2); Over

Game 763-764: Drexel at Hofstra (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Drexel 53.435; Hofstra 51.582 Dunkel Line: Drexel by 2 Vegas Line: Drexel by 6 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Hofstra (+6 1/2)

Game 765-766: George Mason at Towson (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: George Mason 56.852; Towson 53.132 Dunkel Line: George Mason by 3 1/2 Vegas Line: George Mason by 2 Dunkel Pick: George Mason (-2)

Game 767-768: NC Wilmington at Georgia State (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: NC Wilmington 48.352; Georgia State 58.303 Dunkel Line: Georgia State by 10 Vegas Line: Georgia State by 6 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Georgia State (-6 1/2)

Game 769-770: TCU at West Virginia (7:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: TCU 51.416; West Virginia 61.951 Dunkel Line: West Virginia by 10 1/2; 120 Vegas Line: West Virginia by 12; 115 Dunkel Pick: TCU (+12); Over

Game 771-772: St. John's at Rutgers (7:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: St. John's 57.795; Rutgers 65.029 Dunkel Line: Rutgers by 7 Vegas Line: Rutgers by 4 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Rutgers (-4 1/2)

Game 773-774: Xavier at Charlotte (7:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Xavier 61.044; Charlotte 65.091 Dunkel Line: Charlotte by 4 Vegas Line: Charlotte by 3 Dunkel Pick: Charlotte (-3)

Game 775-776: Texas A&M at LSU (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Texas A&M 63.063; LSU 61.380 Dunkel Line: Texas A&M by 1 1/2 Vegas Line: LSU by 1 Dunkel Pick: Texas A&M (+1)

Game 777-778: WI-Milwaukee at Illinois-Chicago (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: WI-Milwaukee 46.780; Illinois-Chicago 51.366 Dunkel Line: Illinois-Chicago by 4 1/2 Vegas Line: Illinois-Chicago by 9 Dunkel Pick: WI-Milwaukee (+9)

Game 779-780: East Carolina at UAB (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: East Carolina 52.917; UAB 54.004 Dunkel Line: UAB by 1 Vegas Line: UAB by 4 1/2 Dunkel Pick: East Carolina (+4 1/2)

Game 781-782: WI-Green Bay at Valparaiso (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: WI-Green Bay 54.902; Valparaiso 66.626 Dunkel Line: Valparaiso by 9 1/2 Vegas Line: Valparaiso by 8 Dunkel Pick: Valparaiso (-8)

Game 783-784: Creighton at Drake (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Creighton 71.924; Drake 61.419 Dunkel Line: Creighton by 10 1/2 Vegas Line: Creighton by 12 Dunkel Pick: Drake (+12)

Game 785-786: Florida at Georgia (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Florida 79.792; Georgia 58.787 Dunkel Line: Florida by 21 Vegas Line: Florida by 17 Dunkel Pick: Florida (-17)

Game 787-788: Southern Illinois at Northern Iowa (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Southern Illinois 54.523; Northern Iowa 64.561 Dunkel Line: Northern Iowa by 110 Vegas Line: Northern Iowa by 11 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Southern Illinois (+11 1/2)

Game 789-790: Tulsa at Houston (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Tulsa 53.662; Houston 56.701 Dunkel Line: Houston by 3 Vegas Line: Houston by 4 Dunkel Pick: Tulsa (+4)

Game 791-792: Wichita State at Missouri State (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Wichita State 66.804; Missouri State 53.134 Dunkel Line: Wichita State by 13 1/2 Vegas Line: Wichita State by 11 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Wichita State (-11 1/2)

Game 793-794: Indiana State at Illinois State (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Indiana State 60.371; Illinois State 61.038 Dunkel Line: Illinois State by 1 Vegas Line: Illinois State by 7 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Indiana State (+7 1/2)

Game 795-796: Bradley at Evansville (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Bradley 54.137; Evansville 64.562 Dunkel Line: Evansville by 10 1/2 Vegas Line: Evansville by 7 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Evansville (-7 1/2)

Game 797-798: Colorado State at New Mexico (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Colorado State 70.135; New Mexico 71.003 Dunkel Line: Even; 133 Vegas Line: New Mexico by 5; 129 Dunkel Pick: Colorado State (+5); Over

Game 799-800: Fresno State at Boise State (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Fresno State 54.395; Boise State 63.194 Dunkel Line: Boise State by 9 Vegas Line: Boise State by 11 Dunkel Pick: Fresno State (+11)

Game 801-802: Auburn at Vanderbilt (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Auburn 56.524; Vanderbilt 61.908 Dunkel Line: Vanderbilt by 5 1/2 Vegas Line: Vanderbilt by 4 Dunkel Pick: Vanderbilt (-4)

Game 803-804: Mississippi State at Arkansas (9:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Mississippi State 51.820; Arkansas 65.998 Dunkel Line: Arkansas by 14 Vegas Line: Arkansas by 15 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Mississippi State (+15 1/2)

Game 805-806: Minnesota at Northwestern (9:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota 74.676; Northwestern 62.068 Dunkel Line: Minnesota by 12 1/2; 128 Vegas Line: Minnesota by 8 1/2; 132 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (-8 1/2); Under

Game 807-808: Georgia Tech at North Carolina (9:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Georgia Tech 58.436; North Carolina 71.530 Dunkel Line: North Carolina by 13; 131 Vegas Line: North Carolina by 10 1/2; 136 Dunkel Pick: North Carolina (-10 1/2); Under

Game 809-810: Iowa State at Texas Tech (9:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Iowa State 65.014; Texas Tech 55.180 Dunkel Line: Iowa State by 10 Vegas Line: Iowa State by 11 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Texas Tech (+11 1/2)

Game 811-812: Washington State at Oregon (9:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Washington State 57.431; Oregon 73.841 Dunkel Line: Oregon by 16 1/2 Vegas Line: Oregon by 10 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Oregon (-10 1/2)

Game 813-814: San Diego State at Nevada (10:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: San Diego State 66.922; Nevada 59.055 Dunkel Line: San Diego State by 8; 128 Vegas Line: San Diego State by 5; 134 1/2 Dunkel Pick: San Diego State (-5); Under

Game 815-816: Denver at New Mexico State (11:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Denver 64.473; New Mexico State 63.096 Dunkel Line: Denver by 1 1/2; 122 Vegas Line: New Mexico State by 1 1/2; 115 Dunkel Pick: Denver (+1 1/2); Over

Game 817-818: Washington at Oregon State (11:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Washington 60.968; Oregon State 59.962 Dunkel Line: Washington by 1 Vegas Line: Oregon State by 1 Dunkel Pick: Washington (+1)

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Today's NBA Picks

Toronto at Miami

The Raptors look to build on their 7-3 ATS record in their last 10 games in Miami. Toronto is the pick (+11 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Heat favored by only 10. Dunkel Pick: Toronto (+11 1/2). Here are all of today's picks.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23 Time Posted: 7:00 a.m. EST

Game 701-702: Atlanta at Charlotte (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta 115.431; Charlotte 113.343 Dunkel Line & Total: Atlanta by 2; 199 Vegas Line & Total: No Line Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 703-704: Toronto at Miami (7:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Toronto 116.358; Miami 126.400 Dunkel Line & Total: Miami by 10; 191 Vegas Line & Total: Miami by 11 1/2; 196 Dunkel Pick: Toronto (+11 1/2); Under

Game 705-706: Detroit at Chicago (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Detroit 119.315; Chicago 122.340 Dunkel Line & Total: Chicago by 3; 178 Vegas Line & Total: No Line Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 707-708: Brooklyn at Minnesota (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Brooklyn 119.614; Minnesota 117.504 Dunkel Line & Total: Brooklyn by 2; 191 Vegas Line & Total: Brooklyn by 5; 187 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (+5); Over

Game 709-710: Denver at Houston (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Denver 118.491.; Houston 121.524 Dunkel Line & Total: Houston by 3; 212 Vegas Line & Total: Houston by 2; 217 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Houston (-2); Under

Game 711-712: LA Lakers at Memphis (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: LA Lakers 116.073; Memphis 117.370 Dunkel Line & Total: Memphis by 1 1/2; 192 Vegas Line & Total: Memphis by 4; 188 1/2 Dunkel Pick: LA Lakers (+4); Over

Game 713-714: New Orleans at San Antonio (8:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: New Orleans 118.979; San Antonio 127.773 Dunkel Line & Total: San Antonio by 9; 191 Vegas Line & Total: No Line Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 715-716: Washington at Utah (9:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Washington 116.642; Utah 122.342 Dunkel Line & Total: Utah by 5 1/2; 200 Vegas Line & Total: Utah by 7; 196 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Washington (+7); Over

Game 717-718: Indiana at Portland (10:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Indiana 119.149; Portland 118.846 Dunkel Line & Total: Even; 186 Vegas Line & Total: Portland by 2; 183 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Indiana (+2); Over

Game 719-720: Phoenix at Sacramento (10:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 114.754; Sacramento 114.268 Dunkel Line & Total: Even; 199 Vegas Line & Total: Sacramento by 3 1/2; 203 Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (+3 1/2); Under

Game 721-722: Oklahoma City at Golden State (10:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Oklahoma City 126.489; Golden State 122.019 Dunkel Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 4 1/2; 202 Vegas Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 1 1/2; 206 Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma City (-1 1/2); Under

[Can'tPickAWinner]

NBA

Hot Teams
-- Miami won three of last four games (6-3 last nine HF).
-- Pistons are 8-4 in last 12 games (3-7 last 10 AU). Chicago won four of its last five games (4-14 HF).
-- Nets won nine of last ten games (2-2 AF).
-- Nuggets won seven of last nine games (2-6-1 last nine AU).
-- Hornets won seven of last nine games (9-3 last 12 AU). Spurs won last five games (8-4 last 12 HF).
-- Washington won five of last seven games (8-1 last nine vs spread, 6-1 last seven AU). Jazz won seven of last nine games (3-0 last three HF).
-- Pacers won 16 of last 21 games (5-10 AU).
-- Kings won three of last four games (5-2 last seven HF).
-- Thunder won seven of last eight games (11-7 AF). Golden State won last two games, scoring 111 ppg (3-4 HU).

Cold Teams
-- Hawks lost eight of last 11 games (0-3 last three AF). Charlotte lost seven of last eight games (7-9 HU).
-- Raptors lost four of last five games (7-10-1 AU).
-- Minnesota lost six of last seven games (2-3 HU).
-- Rockets lost seven of last eight games (6-1 last seven HF).
-- Lakers lost nine of last 11 games (2-5 AU). Grizzlies lost four of last six games (3-5 last eight HF).
-- Portland lost last six games, all by 6 or less points (0-4 last four HF).
-- Suns lost seven of last eight games (5-3 last eight AU).

Totals
-- Six of last seven Atlanta road games stayed under total.
-- Eight of last nine Miami home games stayed under total.
-- Chicago's last four home games stayed under the total.
-- Four of last five Brooklyn road games went over the total.
-- Six of last seven Houston home games went over the total.
-- 12 of last 15 Memphis home games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 6-0-1 in last seven San Antonio home games.
-- 10 of last 11 Washington road games stayed under the total.
-- 10 of last 14 Portland home games stayed under the total.
-- Nine of last ten Sacramento home games went over the total.
-- Six of last nine Golden State games went over the total.

Back-to-backs
-- Pistons are 4-5 vs spread if they played nite before, 3-2 on road.
-- Thunder are 2-4 vs spread if they won the night before.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

CBB

-- Akron won last six games vs Toledo, winning last two here, by 9-18 points; Zips are 4-0 in MAC, winning road games at Northern Illinois by 15, Kent by 4. Toledo lost last two games by 23-9 points but won only MAC home game vs Central Michigan. MAC home underdogs are 1-4 vs spread. Zips hold teams to 41.2% inside arc (#14 in US); they've won last ten games vs teams outside top 100.
-- St Bonaventure just ended 0-30 lifetime skid at Temple; they beat St Joe's twice LY, by 5-4 points, after losing 11 of previous 12 in series- they've lost last six visits here, by 32-18-26-11-7-14 points. Before win at Temple, Bonnies had lost six games in row. St Joe's is 8-1 vs teams outside top 100, with six of eight wins by 10+ points. Atlantic 16 home favorites of 9 or less points are 10-4 vs spread.
-- Miami allowed 53.5 ppg in winning first four ACC games; Hurricanes are 13-3, scoring 55 or less points in all three losses. Duke won 11 of its last 13 games vs Miami but lost at home in OT to the 'canes LY; Blue Devils won four of last five visits here, winning by 9-7-22-10 points. Underdogs are 8-3 in ACC games with spread of 5 or less points; home dogs are 5-1 vs spread. Duke lost its only true road game, at NC State.
-- Butler had emotional home win over Gonzaga Saturday; Clarke (neck) is still out for Bulldogs, who haven't lost since Maui final vs Illinois on Nov. 21. LaSalle is 3-3 vs top 100 teams; best win is over #71 Dayton- Butler is #30. Three of Butler's last four wins are by six or less points. A-16 home teams are 10-5 in games where spread is less than 5 points. Butler is 4-1 on road, with only loss by 15 at Xavier 71 days ago.

-- Rutgers is 3-2 in last five games vs St John's after 58-56 road win two weeks ago; Red Storm shot 3-15 from arc, 15-27 from line in 4th straight series game decided by 3 or less points. Four of last five Rutgers games were decided by 5 or less points; they're 2-1 at home in Big East, with wins by 3-5 points (0-1 as HF). St John's covered three of last four as a a dog. Big East home favorites of 6 or less points are 0-11 vs spread.
-- LSU is 0-4 in SEC after playing #325 non-conference schedule; Tigers are playing #2 tempo in SEC games but are making just 30.5% from arc, 61% from line. Texas A&M won at Kentucky, then scored 47-49 points in losing next two games; Aggies are 2-1 on road overall. Underdogs are 6-4 vs spread in SEC games with spread of less than 5 points. A&M is 7-1 against teams outside top 100.
-- Indiana State won four of last five games vs Illinois State, winning the first meeting 77-75 at home, holding Redbirds to 33% inside arc. Home side won 10 of last 11 series games; Sycamores split last four visits here. Redbirds won at SIU Sunday after starting MVC play 0-6; they're 0-3 at home in Valley, 1-4 as a favorite. Sycamores lost last two road games, by 13-5. MVC home favorites of 8 or less points are 7-5 vs spread.
-- Home teams won last four Colorado State-New Mexico games; Rams lost last five visits to Pit, losing by 40-18-18-8-33 points. Favorites are 3-0 vs spread in State's MVC games; Rams lost at San Diego State by 7 in OT in only road game. Lobos had weekend off; they won/covered all three MWC games, winning by 5-27-5 points. MWC home squads are 8-4 vs spread; home favorites of 6 or less points are 4-3.
-- Home side won last eight Minnesota-Northwestern games; teams split in Big Dozen tourney last two years. Gophers lost last four visits here, by 9-3-11-11 points. Wildcats are 0-2 at home in league, losing by 28-20 to Michigan/Iowa. Minnesota allowed 88-83 points in losing last couple games after 3-0 start in league- they're 3-1 as Big Dozen favorite so far this month. Big Dozen home underdogs are 5-8 vs spread.

-- Home side won 10 of last 12 Georgia Tech-UNC games; Jackets won four of last five series games, but are 1-6 in last seven visits here, losing by 15-22-7-16-30-12 points. Tech is 0-4 in ACC, losing road games by 13-16 points at NC State/Duke; they're 1-3 as ACC dogs. Carolina won last two games, by 5-10 points; they scored 62 or less points in three of four ACC games. ACC double digit home favorites are 3-1 vs spread.
-- San Diego State was down 20-9 at half at Wyoming in last game, 2nd loss in row for Aztecs, who are 1-3 as MWC favorites, with wins by 7-3 in league play. Nevada is 1-2 in MWC, losing by 13-11 points- they lost by 11 to Wyoming in only home game. Wolf Pack is 8-2 at home, losing to Drake/Wyoming. Aztecs split last six games after 11-1 start. MWC home underdogs are 2-0 vs spread.
-- Denver won last seven games after 4-7 start, with six of seven wins by 11+ points; three of those wins were on road. Pioneers force turnovers 26.1% of time, #7 in country. New Mexico State is 4-0 in WAC home games (3-1 HF) with all four wins by 10+ points, but they're 1-5 vs top 100 teams. WAC home teams are 4-10 vs spread in games with spreads of 5 or less points.
-- Washington won 10 of last 12 games vs Oregon State, winning four of last five in Corvallis, but Beavers beat them 86-84 in Pac-12 tourney LY. OSU coach Robinson was in Washington for inauguration, so game prep was handled by assistants. Beavers are 0-5 in Pac-12, losing at home by 13-10-10 points, bad news for veteran team. Road teams are 15-1 in Pac-12 games where spread is 5 or less points.