9-16-11

[Mr. IWS]

Friday's Best WNBA Bet

Connecticut Sun at Atlanta Dream (+3.5, 161.5)
No. 2 Connecticut (21-13) vs. No. 3 Atlanta (20-14)
Season series: Tied 2-2, with the home team winning each matchup.

Connecticut: The Sun are back in the playoffs after a two-year absence, earning the conference's No. 2 seed with a win over New York on Sunday that tied them with Seattle for the league's best home record at 15-2. With seven players who began the season with less than three years' experience in the league, Connecticut is led by reigning Rookie of the Year Tina Charles (17.6 ppg, 11.0 rpg). The MVP contender was sixth in the league in scoring, tops in rebounding and second in total blocks (60). She also had 23 double-doubles, eclipsing the WNBA record she set last year. Charles is complemented by starters Renee Montgomery (14.6 ppg, 4.9 apg) and Asjha Jones (13.3 ppg, 6.4 rpg) and veteran reserve guard Kara Lawson (10.4 ppg, 2.9 apg, 2.6 rpg). The Sun were fourth in scoring (80.1) and third in rebounding (35.6), but 10th in field-goal shooting (42 percent) and seventh in 3-point shooting (36 percent). Charles averaged 15.0 ppg and 10.5 rpg against the Dream and Montgomery 15.8 ppg and 6.5 apg.

Atlanta: After a surprising run to the WNBA finals last year, the Dream got off to a 3-9 start this season before going 17-5 the rest of the way. Atlanta has improved every year since entering the league in 2008, going from four wins the first season to 14 in 2009, 15 a year ago and increasing that by five victories this year. The Dream earned the No. 3 seed in the East with a win at Indiana in the finale on Sunday, finishing as the only team in the East with a winning road record. Angel McCoughtry (21.6 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 2.5 apg) led the way, narrowly finishing second behind Phoenix's Diana Taurasi for the scoring title. Erika DeSouza (11.8 ppg, 7.5 rpg) and Lindsey Harding (10.5 ppg, 4.8 apg, 3.2 rpg) were also solid starters. Sancho Lyttle (10.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg) played well after missing the early part of the season with an injury and playing for Spain. Atlanta led the league with 317 steals, and was second in scoring (82.5) and rebounding (36.1), and third in shooting (35 percent). McCoughtry averaged 28.8 points and 7.5 rebounds against the Sun.

PICK: Connecticut

[Mr. IWS]

CANADIAN BACON

Friday's Best CFL Bet

Edmonton Eskimos at Hamilton Tiger-Cats (-5, 50.5)

Both the Eskimos and Tiger-Cats had a brutal reality check last week.

Edmonton, plagued with injuries, must find a way to stop its skid after a strong start, while the Tiger-Cats need to rebuild their confidence after being mauled by the Alouettes.

To fill a gap in the secondary, Hamilton will move CB Ryan Hinds to safety and Jason Shivers will take the spot of all-star LB Markeith Knowlton, who missed practices this week and probably won’t play this Friday.

On offense, expect to see Aaron Kelly taking over for rookie Bakari Grant, who dropped a few easy passes against the Alouettes last Sunday. Center Marwan Hage is doubtful and Mark Dewitt should replace him for a second week in a row .

While the Eskimos also have a long injury list, keep in mind the Tiger-Cats will be playing their third game in eleven days and fatigue is expected. But that shouldn’t be enough for the Eskimos to pick up a win in Hamilton, where they’ve gone just 1-8 since 2003. Their last win at Ivor Wynne Stadium goes back to 2008.

PICK: Hamilton

[Mr. IWS]

Prophet

Yanks over
Boise over

[Mr. IWS]

Robert Ferringo

1.5-Unit Play. Take 'Over' 8.5 (+100) Chicago at Kansas City (8 p.m., Friday, Sept. 16)

1-Unit Play. Take 'Under' 7.5 Florida at Washington (7 p.m., Friday, Sept. 16)

[Mr. IWS]

Jen Barry

30* MLB Underdog #14 Out of 21

Florida Marlins +110 over Washington

Vasquez / Lannan

[Mr. IWS]

WUNDERDOG (MLB)
1 OF 6
Game: Cleveland at Minnesota (8:10 PM Eastern)
Pick: Cleveland -130 (moneyline)

The Minnesota Twins have always managed to get more out of less than any other team, and always seemed to find a way to win or hang around the top of the AL Central. That is not the case this season, as the Twins are 59-89 and are in danger of posting the dreaded 100-loss season. This team has all the earmarks of a team that has packed it in long ago. The Twins have amassed a 9-33 mark in their last 42 games. Ubaldo Jimenez has finally found himself in the AL and has not allowed more than 3 runs in each of his last four starts. He should have no problem navigating a Twins' lineup that has produced just 17 runs in their last 10 games, getting shutout in three of them. Play Cleveland for the win here.

[Mr. IWS]

APPLEHANDICAPPERS (Dave Marshall)

3* U.Conn -4
3* Toledo +20.5

[Mr. IWS]

Jimmy Boyd

3* UCONN Huskies -4

3* New York Yankees -1½ RL

3* Texas Rangers -1½ RL

[Mr. IWS]

RICHIE CARRERA

Tampa Bay/BOSTON UNDER 8- 5 Dimes

List: Shields/Beckett

[Mr. IWS]

JACK HOWARD

Boise St -20 Over Toledo 10 Dimes
-Boise may be the best coached team in the country and it helps that they have one of the best quartbacks in the country as well

[Mr. IWS]

Mike Jacobs CEO

3500* UCONN HUSKIES -4

[Mr. IWS]

OCAL SPORTS

4* Toledo +20.5

[bballfiend]

Anyone see Anthony Redd's 100 Dime on Iowa St/UCONN tonight??

[Mr. IWS]

Rocketman

3* Detroit Tigers -127

Detroit is now 87-63 overall this year while Oakland limps in with a 68-82 overall record on the season. Detroit is now 12-2 in September of this year. Detroit bullpen has a 3.64 ERA on the road this year. Doug Fister has a 3.06 ERA overall this year, 3.47 ERA on the road this season and 2-0 with a 0.79 ERA his last 3 starts. Fister has lacked run support all year as shown in his overall record but the Tigers have helped him out after the trade. Trevor Cahill has a 6.46 ERA in his last 3 starts. Fister is 4-3 with a 2.77 ERA overall vs Oakland in his starts. We'll play Detroit for 3 units tonight

[Mr. IWS]

Info Plays

7* Milwaukee Brewers -108