12-27-13

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Fight Hunger Bowl betting: What bettors need to know

Brigham Young Cougars vs. Washington Huskies (-3, 60)

Game will be played at AT&T Park, San Francisco, California

FIGHT HUNGER BOWL STORYLINES:

1. Washington made a big splash by hiring Chris Petersen away from Boise State earlier this month, but its new coach will be a casual observer when the Huskies face BYU in the Fight Hunger Bowl in San Francisco on Dec. 27. With Steve Sarkisian headed to USC, quarterbacks coach Marques Tuiasosopo will lead the Huskies against BYU, which has won a school-record four consecutive bowl games. Washington is looking to win nine games for the first time since 2000, when Tuiasosopo was the Huskies’ starting quarterback.

2. BYU boasts a top-25-scoring defense, but the Cougars figure to be tested by an explosive Huskies' offense led by Bishop Sankey, who has rushed for 1,775 yards and 18 touchdowns. The Cougars also have to worry about Washington’s Austin Seferian-Jenkins, who caught seven touchdown passes and received the John Mackey Award as the nation’s top tight end.

3. The teams have split eight meetings in a series that began in 1985. BYU has won its past three games against the Huskies, including a 23-17 victory in 2010. The Fight Hunger Bowl marks the teams’ first meeting in a bowl game.

TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN.

LINE: The line has moved from Washington -3. The total has jumped up from 58.5 to 60.

WEATHER: It will be partly cloudy with temperatures in the high 50s.

ABOUT BYU (8-4, 5-6-1 ATS): The Cougars recorded six wins against teams going to bowl games, including an impressive 40-21 victory over Texas on Sept. 7. BYU averages 274.6 yards rushing with dual-threat quarterback Taysom Hill (28 total touchdowns) and running back Jamaal Williams leading the way. Linebacker Kyle Van Noy looks to follow-up last season’s star turn in the Poinsettia Bowl with another strong effort, but the Cougars’ defense could struggle if linebacker Spencer Hadley (knee), nose tackle Eathyn Manumaleuna (shoulder) and cornerback Robertson Daniel (neck) aren’t able to return from late-season injuries.

ABOUT WASHINGTON (8-4, 6-6 ATS): The Huskies won four of their last five games and finished third in the Pac-12 North Division, behind Stanford and Oregon. Senior quarterback Keith Price missed a game after suffering a shoulder injury against UCLA on Nov. 15, but he accounted for two touchdowns in a 27-17 win over Washington State in the regular-season finale. Defensive end Hau’oli Kikaha had 10 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss to lead the Huskies, who converted 16 of 22 takeaways into scores.

TRENDS:

* BYU is 4-0 ATS in its last four bowl games.
* Washington is 1-4 ATS versus a team with a winning record.
* Home team is 3-0-1 ATS in their last four meetings.
* Under is 4-1 in BYU's last five games overall.

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Texas Bowl betting: What bettors need to know

Syracuse Orange vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers (-4, 47.5)

Game will be played at Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas

TEXAS BOWL STORYLINES:

1. Minnesota heads to the Texas Bowl for the second straight season, even though the team won two more games than it did in 2012 and some pundits expected the Golden Gophers to play in a more prominent bowl game. "You can’t control any of that. Our control is getting nine wins and winning a bowl game," said coach Jerry Kill, whose team will play Syracuse on Dec. 27 at Reliant Stadium in Houston. Minnesota suffered a devastating loss to Texas Tech in last year's Texas Bowl: it led 31-24 before the Red Raiders scored the tying touchdown with 1:10 left, then picked off Philip Nelson to set up the game-winning field goal at the buzzer.

2. Syracuse will be playing a Big Ten opponent for the third time this year, after losing to Penn State and Northwestern by a combined 27 points. The Orange also faced a pair of Big Ten teams last year, including a 17-10 road loss to the Golden Gophers in which Syracuse did not score a touchdown until 46 seconds remained in the game.

3. Kill personally has endured a tough season that included his latest seizure, which caused him to miss the Michigan game Oct. 5 and the Gophers' ensuing four-game win streak as he continued his ongoing battle with epilepsy. He returned to coach from the booth for Minnesota's final two games, losses to nationally-ranked Wisconsin and Michigan State.

TV: 6 p.m. ET, ESPN.

LINE: Minnesota opened as 4.5-point faves and now sit at -4. The total has moved up slightly from 47 to 47.5

WEATHER: N/A.

ABOUT SYRACUSE (6-6, 7-5 ATS): Following a two-game skid, the Orange secured bowl eligibility in dramatic fashion as Terrel Hunt found Josh Parris for the game-winning touchdown with six seconds left in a 34-31 win over Boston College. Hunt has thrown three touchdowns over the last two games after not throwing for any scores - while throwing seven interceptions - over the previous six contests. Hunt is known more for his legs, joining Jerome Smith (840 yards, 11 touchdowns) and Prince-Tyson Gulley (440 yards, four TDs) to give Syracuse a solid three-headed rushing attack.

ABOUT MINNESOTA (8-4, 9-3 ATS): Minnesota uses two quarterbacks, Nelson and Mitch Leidner, and the duo has combined for more rushing touchdowns (13) than passing scores (10). David Cobb is the workhorse back for the Gophers, rushing for 1,111 yards and seven TDs, although he rushed for only two scores in Minnesota's last eight games. The Gophers' defense showed significant improvement late in the season, allowing 44 points over the last three games.

TRENDS:

* Home team is 4-0 ATS in their last four meetings.
* Syracuse is 7-1 ATS in its last eight non-conference games.
* Minnesota is 6-0 ATS in its last six games overall.
* Over is 8-2-1 in Syracuse's last 11 non-conference games.

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Military Bowl betting: What bettors need to know

Marshall Thundering Herd vs. Maryland Terrapins (+2.5, 62.5)

MILITARY BOWL PRESENTED BY NORTHROP GRUMMAN STORYLINES:

1. Marshall narrowly missed out on a Conference USA crown with a loss in its last game but can still count the season a success with a bowl win. The Thundering Herd will attempt to post a 10-win campaign when they face Maryland in the Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman in Annapolis, Maryland on Dec. 27. The Terrapins struggled to 3-5 in the ACC and dropped four of their last six games but ended the regular season on a high note with a win at North Carolina State.

2. Marshall plays wide open on offense and was one of the top scoring teams in the nation at 43 points per game. The Thundering Herd averaged 53.8 points during a five-game win streak that put them in line for the C-USA title before losing 41-24 at Rice in the conference championship game.

3. Maryland is playing close to home but proximity to its own fans did not help much this season, as the team lost its last three home games. The Terrapins utilize dual-threat quarterback C.J. Brown in a balanced offensive attack.

TV: 2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN.

LINE: Maryland have held steady as 2.5-point dogs. The total has jumped from 61 to 62.5.

WEATHER: It will be clear with temperatures in the mid 30s.

ABOUT MARSHALL (9-4, 8-5 ATS): The Thundering Herd are returning to bowl play after missing out last season and are thriving offensively behind quarterback Rakeem Cato, who has passed for 36 touchdowns and nine interceptions this season. Cato was at his best during Marshall’s five-game win streak, tossing 19 touchdowns and two picks. Cato’s only multiple-interception game came at ACC foe Virginia Tech on Sept. 21, when he threw for two scores and two picks in a 29-21 triple-overtime loss.

ABOUT MARYLAND (7-5, 7-5 ATS): The Terrapins played their own tight game at Virginia Tech, getting 122 rushing yards, 135 passing yards and three total TDs from Brown in a 27-24 overtime win Nov. 16. Brown went over 100 yards rushing in two of the last three contests and had one of his best passing days with 259 yards and a pair of scores in the regular-season finale at NC State. Maryland was left out of bowl season in each of coach Randy Edsall’s first two seasons at the helm, last appearing in the 2010 Military Bowl and earning a 51-20 win over East Carolina.

TRENDS:

* Marshall is 5-1 ATS in its last six non-conference games.
* Maryland is 5-0 ATS in its last five non-conference games.
* Over is 7-0 in Marshall's last seven games overall.
* Over is 4-1 in Maryland's last five games overall.

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Suns at Warriors: What bettors need to know

Phoenix Suns at Golden State Warriors (-6.5, 209.5)

The Golden State Warriors are showing some fight, and it is leading to wins. The Warriors will look to post their fourth straight triumph and gain ground in the Pacific Division when they host the scorching Phoenix Suns on Friday. Golden State earned a 105-103 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday in game that featured a pair of ejections, two flagrant fouls and a scrum after the final buzzer between the clubs.

The Warriors figured on battling the Clippers all season in the Pacific but the Suns are more of a surprise and have won three straight and eight of the last nine - including one over Golden State on Dec. 15 - thanks to a well-rounded offense and rapid ball movement. “It gets real contagious, especially when everybody else is hitting and making shots,” Phoenix guard Eric Bledsoe said. The Warriors can fill it up as well but are also making a mark defensively in the last three games.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona (Phoenix), CSN Bay Area (Golden State)

LINE: The Warriors opened as 6-point faves and now sit a -6.5. The total opened at 209.5.

COVERS POWER RANKINGS: Phoenix (-9) - Golden State (-9.5) + home court (-3) = Golden State -3.5

ABOUT THE SUNS (17-10, 20-6-1 ATS): Phoenix’s backcourt duo of Bledsoe and Groan Dragic makes the offense go, but bench pieces like Markieff and Marcus Morris and Gerald Green are also capable of putting up big scoring numbers. The Suns are getting surprising contributions from center Miles Plumlee, who played only 55 total minutes with Indiana last season but is averaging close to a double-double (9.7 points and 9.1 rebounds) and is coming off a 17-point, 20-rebound effort in a 117-90 drubbing of the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday. “It’s exciting, I guess,” Plumlee said, “because I know I can do better.”

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (17-13, 13-15-2 ATS): Golden State can counter Plumlee down low with Andrew Bogut and David Lee, who became the first pair of teammates since Rich Kelley and Truck Robinson of the 1978 New Orleans Jazz to post 10 consecutive games of 10 or more rebounds apiece in Wednesday’s win over the Clippers. Bogut is also a key to the defense, which held the Lakers and Denver Nuggets to an average of 82 points and kept Chris Paul off the board in the final minute of Wednesday’s triumph to extend the winning streak. The Warriors are playing their final home game Friday before a six-game road trip. “I think that’s three in a row now and we’re just trying to build something for this East Coast trip coming up,” Lee said after beating Los Angeles.

TRENDS:

* Home team is 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings.
* Over is 10-3 in the last 13 meetings in Golden State.
* Suns are 2-5 ATS in the last seven meetings.
* Suns are 6-16 ATS in the last 22 meetings in Golden State.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. The Warriors had a six-game winning streak in the series come to an end with a 106-102 loss at the Suns in the last meeting.

2. Dragic scored 21 points in the Dec. 15 matchup but has been limited to an average of 15 in his last four contests.

3. Golden State G Stephen Curry is struggling to 15.7 points on 32.6 percent shooting over the last three games.

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NBA action report: Public backing Spurs, Trail Blazers

Nothing is better than leftovers on Boxing Day, and NBA action is no different with a few intriguing matchups following the NBA's Christmas Day main course.

We talk to Brad Kennedy of topbet.eu, about the Boxing Day betting action and where the odds could end up before tipoff.

Atlanta Hawks at Cleveland Cavaliers - Open: +3, Move: N/A

The Hawks are the only other team in the East, besides Miami and Indiana, with a winning record and they take that winning record on the road to face the Cavaliers and the electric Kyrie Irving. The Cavs started the season 4-12, but have improved going 6-5 since and were taking some action at +3.

"Cleveland was seeing a little bit of action ATS when the lines opened with them as three point dogs," Kennedy told Covers. "The spread moved to 2.5-points and then the Hawks got all the attention. We've since seen that spread move back to three points. Eighty-five percent of the public is with Atlanta ATS."

Memphis Grizzlies at Houston Rockets - Open: -7.5, Move: N/A

The Grizzlies are reeling without Marc Gasol, with their three wins in the last 10 games coming against lowly Utah, New York and Orlando. While the Rockets are coming off a thrilling win over rival San Antonio on Christmas Day, the public like the Rockets to win, but maybe not cover.

"We haven’t seen as much action on the Grizzlies - Rockets game, but people seem to be comfortable with the idea that Houston is going to take this one straight up," Kennedy said. "Ninety-eight percent of public money is with the Rockets SU, currently priced at -350 on the money line."

San Antonio Spurs at Dallas Mavericks - Open +2.5, Move: +3

As mentioned above the Spurs are coming off a tough loss against Houston, but bettors believe the Spurs will bounce back against the Mavs. However, the Spurs will be playing back-to-back games against a well-rested Dallas squad.

"San Antonio was seeing a lot of action against the spread when the lines opened with them listed as 2.5-point faves," Kennedy said. "The spread has since moved to three points, and 69 percent of the public money is with the Spurs. An overwhelming 94 percent is on the Over."

Los Angeles Clippers at Portland Trail Blazers - Open -4.5, Move: -4

The Clippers are the third team who will be playing back-to-back games and unfortunately for them, they must head to Portland to take on one of the NBA's best teams and the public is backing the home side fave, Kennedy said.

"Since the move to four points, the Blazers started getting all of the attention. Seventy-seven percent of the public are going with them ATS and if that trend continues we could see that spread move back before the game tonight."

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Jackpot Sports

Bowl Game
Syracuse +4

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Dave Cokin

College Bowl

Syracuse +4.5

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Prediction Machine

SIDES

219 SYR vs MINN 4.5 0.5 57.2% $51
222 WASH vs BYU -3 8.0 57.0% $48
218 MD vs MARSH 3 0.9 55.2% $30

Straight-Up Picks

222 WASH vs BYU 37.5 29.4 61.3%
218 MD vs MARSH 27.5 26.6 50.8%
220 MINN vs SYR 21.2 21.7 50.1%

Over/Under Picks

222BYU vs. WASH 57.5 66.9 - Over 61.7% $98
218MARSH vs. MD 63.5 54.2 - Under 61.3% $94
220SYR vs. MINN 45.5 42.9 - Under 54.6% $23

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DOC SPORTS

2 Unit Play. #220 Take Over 47 in Syracuse Orange vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers (Texas Bowl, Friday, 12/27 6 pm ESPN)

2 Unit Play. #222 Take OVER 60 in Washington Huskies vs. BYU Cougars (Kraft Hunger Bowl, Friday, 12/27, 9:30 pm ESPN) Mag 7 Game. Both teams have had their moments this season with some quality wins, but there will be too much passing in this game to keep the scoring down. Both teams run a hurry-up, up-tempo offense, and both teams have dynamic quarterbacks that can beat you with their arm or their legs. Washington has an interim coach that wants to make a name for himself, and thus I expect them to not hold back and try and score as many points as possible. The Huskies have gone over the posted total in 5 of their last 6 games following an ATS loss in their previous game.

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60 Percent Guaranteed

BYU

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Goodfella

Military Bowl

3* Triple Dime Total Over Marshall/Maryland

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H&H Sports

CFB Triple Dime Marshall

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NCAA Football Game Picks

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27 Time Posted: 8:00 p.m. EST (12/16)

Game 217-218: Marshall vs. Maryland (2:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Marshall 86.002; Maryland 87.490 Dunkel Line: Maryland by 1 1/2; 66 Vegas Line: Marshall by 2 1/2; 61 Dunkel Pick: Maryland (+2 1/2); Over

Game 219-220: Syracuse vs. Minnesota (6:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Syracuse 85.446; Minnesota 95.916 Dunkel Line: Minnesota by 10 1/2; 43 Vegas Line: Minnesota by 4; 47 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (-4); Under

Game 221-222: BYU vs. Washington (9:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: BYU 101.765; Washington 98.866 Dunkel Line: BYU by 3; 64 Vegas Line: Washington by 3; 58 1/2 Dunkel Pick: BYU (+3); Over

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Allen Eastman
NCAA - Bowls
Military Bowl: MARSHALL -2.5 (Dec. 27 Fri. 11:30am PST)