12-20-13

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Las Vegas Bowl: What bettors need to know

Fresno State Bulldogs vs. Southern California Trojans (-6, 63)

ROYAL PURPLE LAS VEGAS BOWL STORYLINES:

1. Fresno State had its BCS hopes dashed with a loss in its final regular-season game, but motivation shouldn’t be an issue when the Bulldogs face USC in the Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 21. "Any time Fresno State gets a chance to play against BCS teams like USC we get up for it and our fan base gets up for it," coach Tim DeRuyter said. The Bulldogs are led by quarterback Derek Carr, who has passed for a nation-leading 4,866 yards with 48 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

2. USC looks to finish on a high note while playing for its third coach this season. Offensive coordinator Clay Helton will lead the Trojans in Las Vegas before new coach Steve Sarkisian takes over next season.

3. Fresno State defeated the Trojans 24-7 in the 1992 Freedom Bowl in Anaheim, Calif., and USC escaped with a thrilling 50-42 victory on Nov. 19, 2005 in Los Angeles. The teams are scheduled to open the 2014 season against each other in Los Angeles on Aug. 30.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC.

LINE: USC has been bouncing back-and-fourth between -6 and -6.5. They currently sit at -6. The total opened at 62 an has been bet up to 63.

WEATHER: It will be a partly cloudy day with temperatures in the mid 50s.

ABOUT FRESNO STATE (11-1, 5-7 ATS): The Bulldogs boast the top-ranked passing and fifth-ranked scoring offense in the country, but allowed 736 total yards in a 62-52 loss at San Jose State and have struggled mightily against the pass. USC receivers Marqise Lee and Nelson Agholor should thrive against the Bulldogs’ much-maligned secondary, which could receive a boost if cornerback L.J. Jones returns after missing the last five games with a knee injury. Carr’s favorite target is star wideout Davante Adams, who has 122 catches for 1,645 yards and 23 touchdowns.

ABOUT USC (9-4, 6-7 ATS): The Trojans went 6-2 with impressive wins against Arizona and Stanford under interim coach Ed Orgeron, who was replaced after a 35-14 loss to rival UCLA in the regular-season finale. The Pac-12’s second-ranked scoring defense figures to be tested by the explosive Bulldogs, and cornerback Josh Shaw’s matchup against the dynamic Adams should be worth the price of admission. The Trojans can’t match the Bulldogs’ offensive firepower, but quarterback Cody Kessler has improved after a shaky start.

TRENDS:

* Fresno State is 0-4 ATS in its last four bowl games.
* USC is 4-1 ATS in its last five bowl games.
* Over is 8-2 in Fresno's States last 10 games versus the Pac-12.
* Under is 7-0 in USC's last seven games in December.

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NCAA Football Game Picks

Fresno State vs. USC

The Trojans bring a 4-1 ATS record in their last 5 bowl games against a Fresno State team that is 0-4 ATS in its last 4 bowl appearances. USC is the pick (-6) according to Dunkel, which has the Trojans favored by 21. Dunkel Pick: USC (-6). Here are all of this year's bowl games:

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20 Time Posted: 8:00 p.m. EST (12/16)

Game 143-144: New Hampshire at North Dakota State (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: New Hampshire 81.626; North Dakota State 98.127 Dunkel Line: North Dakota State by 16 1/2; 44 Vegas Line: North Dakota State by 20; 48 1/2 Dunkel Pick: New Hampshire (+20); Under

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Chicago Syndicate

CFB Division III Championship Game

Mount Union +4.5

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Alex Smart

CBB-
Georgia Southern+12.5
Cal Riverside-1.5
Nebraska Omaha+15.5
Indiana-27.5

NBA-
Miami-10.5
Milwaukee+9
Toronto/Dallas over 201
Lakers+6

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Sports Nostradamus
CBB Cal-Riverside (ML)

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Cappers Access

Lakers +6

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Gamblers Data

Free Plays Friday

Suns +4

Georgia Southern +12.5

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NCAA Basketball Picks

Nicholls State at Indiana

The Hoosiers look to bounce back from their 79-72 loss to Notre Dame as they host a Nicholls State team that is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 road games. Indiana is the pick (-27 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Hoosiers favored by 33 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Indiana (-27 1/2). Here are all of today's games.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20 Time Posted: 7:00 a.m. EST

Game 819-820: SMU at Wyoming (9:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: SMU 61.616; Wyoming 60.845 Dunkel Line: SMU by 1 Vegas Line: Wyoming by 1 1/2 Dunkel Pick: SMU (+1 1/2)

Game 821-822: Illinois-Chicago at UC-Riverside (10:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Illinois-Chicago 48.520; UC-Riverside 52.906 Dunkel Line: UC-Riverside by 4 1/2 Vegas Line: UC-Riverside by 1 1/2 Dunkel Pick: UC-Riverside (-1 1/2)

Game 823-824: Coppin State vs. Southern Mississippi (8:20 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Coppin State 48.040; Southern Mississippi 56.983 Dunkel Line: Southern Mississippi by 9 Vegas Line: Southern Mississippi by 12 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Coppin State (+12 1/2)

Game 825-826: Jacksonville State vs. AR-Little Rock (6:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Jacksonville State 40.243; AR-Little Rock 49.106 Dunkel Line: AR-Little Rock by 9 Vegas Line: AR-Little Rock by 4 Dunkel Pick: AR-Little Rock (-4)

Game 831-832: Bradley vs. Portland (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Bradley 50.748; Portland 52.942 Dunkel Line: Portland by 2 Vegas Line: Portland by 3 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Bradley (+3 1/2)

Game 833-834: Princeton vs. Pacific (10:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Princeton 61.727; Pacific 57.150 Dunkel Line: Princeton by 4 1/2 Vegas Line: Princeton by 2 Dunkel Pick: Princeton (-2)

Game 835-836: Georgia Southern at Georgia State (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Georgia Southern 47.252; Georgia State 55.691 Dunkel Line: Georgia State by 8 1/2 Vegas Line: Georgia State by 12 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Georgia Southern (+12 1/2)

Game 837-838: NE-Omaha at Minnesota (9:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: NE-Omaha 51.299; Minnesota 70.125 Dunkel Line: Minnesota by 19 Vegas Line: Minnesota by 15 Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (-15)

Game 841-842: Nicholls State at Indiana (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Nicholls State 39.674; Indiana 73.183 Dunkel Line: Indiana by 33 1/2 Vegas Line: Indiana by 27 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Indiana (-27 1/2)

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Today's NBA Picks

Minnesota at LA Lakers

The Lakers host a Minnesota team that is coming off a 120-109 win over Portland and is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games following an ATS victory. LA is the pick (+6 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the game Even. Dunkel Pick: LA Lakers (+6 1/2). Here are all of today's picks.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20 Time Posted: 6:00 a.m. EST

Game 801-802: Brooklyn at Philadelphia (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Brooklyn 112.540; Philadelphia 112.470 Dunkel Line & Total: Even; 215 Vegas Line & Total: Brooklyn by 6 1/2; 209 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (+6 1/2); Over

Game 803-804: Milwaukee at Cleveland (7:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee 108.450; Cleveland 121.441 Dunkel Line & Total: Cleveland by 13; 188 Vegas Line & Total: Cleveland by 8 1/2; 192 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (-8 1/2); Under

Game 805-806: Utah at Atlanta (7:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Utah 118.723; Atlanta 120.486 Dunkel Line & Total: Atlanta by 1 1/2; 204 Vegas Line & Total: Atlanta by 7 1/2; 198 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Utah (+7 1/2); Over

Game 807-808: Sacramento at Miami (7:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Sacramento 114.068; Miami 128.526 Dunkel Line & Total: Miami by 14 1/2; 201 Vegas Line & Total: Miami by 10 1/2; 206 Dunkel Pick: Miami (-10 1/2); Under

Game 809-810: Charlotte at Detroit (7:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Charlotte 113.810; Detroit 122.087 Dunkel Line & Total: Detroit by 8 1/2; 188 Vegas Line & Total: Detroit by 5 1/2; 192 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Detroit (-5 1/2); Under

Game 811-812: Houston at Indiana (7:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Houston 122.651; Indiana 125.492 Dunkel Line & Total: Indiana by 3; 207 Vegas Line & Total: No Line Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 813-814: Toronto at Dallas (8:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Toronto 116.034; Dallas 123.260 Dunkel Line & Total: Dallas by 7; 196 Vegas Line & Total: Dallas by 6; 201 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Dallas (-6); Under

Game 815-816: Phoenix at Denver (9:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 119.256; Denver 120.886 Dunkel Line & Total: Denver by 1 1/2; 212 Vegas Line & Total: Denver by 4 1/2; 206 Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (+4 1/2); Over

Game 817-818: Minnesota at LA Lakers (10:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota 118.326; LA Lakers 118.662 Dunkel Line & Total: Even; 215 Vegas Line & Total: Minnesota by 6 1/2; 210 Dunkel Pick: LA Lakers (+6 1/2); Over

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9xsports


Carolina Hurricanes
Detroit Pistons
Georgia Southern
Kasimpasa vs. Rizespor over

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POINTWISE

PRO BASKETBALL

(7:05) Brooklyn Nets 100 - PHILADELPHIA 76ERS 97

(7:35) CLEVELAND CAVALIERS 92 - Milwaukee Bucks 83

(7:35) Utah Jazz 101 - ATLANTA HAWKS 95

(7:35) MIAMI HEAT 106 - Sacramento Kings 102

(7:35) DETROIT PISTONS 95 - Charlotte Bobcats 90

(8:05) INDIANA PACERS 114 - Houston 104 (ESPN)

(8:35) DALLAS MAVERICKS 96 - Toronto Raptors 90

(9:05) DENVER NUGGETS 100 - Phoenix Suns 91

(10:35) Minnesota T'Wolves 98 - LA LAKERS 90 (ESPN)

BEST BETS
CLEVELAND (3)
INDIANA
MINNESOTA

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POINTWISE

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

(9:00) WYOMING 72 - Smu 60
(10:00) CAL-RIVERSIDE 63 - Illinois-Chicago 57

BVI TROPICAL SHOOTOUT @ British Virgin Islands
(3:00) Southern Mississippi 75 - Coppin State 66
(5:30) Arkansas-Little Rock 69 - Jacksonville State 63

BASKETBALL TRAVELERS CLASSIC @ Logan, Utah
(7:30) Troy 71 - Western Illinois 70
(10:00) UTAH STATE 74 - Cal-Santa Barbara 59

ADDED GAMES
(7:00) GEORGIA STATE 68 - Georgia Southern 61
(9:00) MINNESOTA 92 - Nebraska-Omaha 65

BEST BET --- WYOMING

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WINNING POINTS

PRO BASKETBALL

*Philadelphia over Brooklyn by 2
The teams just met on Monday. The Nets have a losing spread record on the road.
Point guard Deron Williams is back, but Brook Lopez (check status) was down again
with a sprained ankle. Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce have been huge busts up to this
point.
PHILADELPHIA 102-100.

*Cleveland over Milwaukee by 7
Cleveland has been respectable at home posting a winning record at Quicken Loans
Arena. Andrew Bynum is getting more minutes and improving the Cavaliers' interior
defense. Milwaukee was 2-6 ATS in its last eight away games.
CLEVELAND 101-94.

*Atlanta over Utah by 10
Atlanta's defense has been much better at home where the Hawks have covered seven of their first 12. The Hawks catch the Jazz in the middle of a five-game road trip. Former Jazz forward Paul Millsap shouldn't lack for motivation.
ATLANTA 101-91.

*Miami over Sacramento by 15
LeBron James is shooting a career-best from the floor, Dwayne Wade finally appears
healthy and Ray Allen has picked up after a slow start. All this doesn't bode well for a
Kings squad that is playing their third away contest in four days and lacks backcourt
depth.
MIAMI 108-93.

**BEST BET
*Detroit over Charlotte by 17
With Andre Drummond emerging as a star, Detroit has taken off this month. The
Pistons haven't had a good as offensive rebounder since Dennis Rodman. The Pistons
were 22-11-1 ATS versus foes with a losing record through this past Tuesday. This is
the Bobcats' third game in four days. They have a much easier game tomorrow hosting
Utah.
DETROIT 105-88.

*Indiana over Houston by 8
The league's No. 1 defense and home-court advantage figure to trump Houston's topranked offense. Indiana swept two games from Houston last season holding James
Harden to 11-for-43 shooting from the floor while winning by a combined 19 points.
INDIANA 102-94.

*Dallas over Toronto by 4
Toronto doesn't look as strong on paper minus Rudy Gay, but the Raptors may be
better without Gay's 38 percent shooting percentage. Dallas is 1-5 ATS the past six
times when playing on one day's rest.
DALLAS 107-103.

**BEST BET
Phoenix over *Denver by 4
Tanking? Not Phoenix. The Suns had a winning record through 20 games, have one
of the better backcourts in the league with Eric Bledsoe and Goran Dragic, ranked No.
1 in defending against 3-pointers, were getting strong bench play with eight players
averaging more than nine points a game and had covered 10 of their last 12 road contests.
PHOENIX 103-99.

*Los Angeles Lakers over Minnesota by 3
This is the Lakers' lone home matchup during a seven game stretch and they have
been idle since Tuesday. However, Kobe Bryant is rusty returning from an Achilles'
tendon tear. There is doubt he can reach his former superstar status. Pau Gasol is
unhappy and hasn't been 100 percent bothered by an ankle injury. Los Angeles' backcourt remains near depleted with Jordan Farmar out with a hamstring tear and Steve Nash (check status) sidelined leaving banged-up journeyman Steve Blake as the lone true point guard.
LA LAKERS 108-105

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WINNING POINTS

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Wyoming* over SMU by 3
With Laramie, WY situated at 7,000 feet elevation, they may need to provide an oxygenmask for SMU head coach Larry Brown. This is a tough place to play, against a
good defensive host, when a team has only played once in the last two weeks.
WYOMING, 69-66.

Illinois-Chicago over Cal-Riverside* by 2
When the prior athletic director bolted in July, Riverside hoops head coach Jim
Woolridge stepped down to become interim athletic director and you have to feel they
didn’t have to twist his arm for the opportunity to get away from the team and its 26%
three-point shooters for a while.
ILLINOIS-CHICAGO, 61-59.

Utah State* over Cal-Santa Barbara by 7
Second game in two nights for each, with Utah State coming off a non-board affair
vs. slowdown-side Western Illinois while UCSB was running around chasing chickenwithout-head Troy. The contrast probably favors the home side.
UTAH ST., 76-69.