Friday 10/28/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Warriors (0-1) at Pelicans (0-1)

Date: October 28, 2016 9:30 PM EDT

NEW ORLEANS -- There's no question which was the bigger shocker on opening night: the Golden State Warriors losing their home opener by 29 points to the San Antonio Spurs or the New Orleans Pelicans wasting a superhuman, 50-point, 16-rebound, seven-steal, four-block performance by Anthony Davis in a 107-102 home loss to Denver.

The Warriors won that bar bet -- or actually lost it -- hands down.

The new-look Warriors, with the gaudy addition of All-Star forward Kevin Durant, were not supposed to be 0-1 after going 39-2 on their home court last year en route to an NBA-record 73 regular-season victories.

The Pelicans, with Davis as their only bankable star, were supposed to find creative ways to lose, and they came through with a whopper, squandering a stat line unique in NBA history.

The two 0-1 teams will face each other Friday night at the Smoothie King Center, and they will be searching for early-season redemption.

"It was a slap in the face," Durant said after scoring 27 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in the loss to San Antonio. "Woke us up a bit."

Davis said after his 50-point opener -- only the third 50-point performance in an NBA season opener since 1963-64 -- that he expects to play as many minutes as Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry needs him to play, but he added he was due for "a massage."

Carrying the load of a lightweight roster may get pretty heavy, but Davis said no one is shedding tears for him. And, now, the wounded Warriors await.

"After what happened a few nights ago, we know that they're going to come in hungry for a win," Davis said. "We've just got to come out prepared knowing those guys are going to take some bad shots and make them go in. We've got to stay composed and not let that kill our spirit and let the momentum go to them."

Gentry saw the Pelicans give up 60 first-half points against Denver before settling in and being more physical in the second half. He knows Golden State, for whom he coached as an assistant in 2014-15, will be looking to push the ball.

"Transition defense is going to be the key," Gentry said. "You've got to keep those guys out of the paint. The drive and kick is what they live on, spotting up at the 3-point line. People have to help on drives, and then they kick the ball and hit 3-point shots."

This is the first of a three-game road trip for Golden State. The Warriors -- like the Pelicans -- were embarrassed on the boards in their opener, losing the battle to San Antonio 55-35, including a 21-8 edge on the offensive glass. In six of their nine regular-season losses last year, the Warriors were outrebounded. That was the case in seven of their nine postseason losses last year.

Golden State also pushed the pace against San Antonio but committed 16 turnovers, which led to 17 Spurs' points.

For all their talent in one locker room, the Warriors still need continuity. They are breaking in six new players, including two new starters, Durant and center Zaza Pachulia.

"People don't value continuity enough," Golden State GM Bob Myers said. "It's just so important -- experience together, continuity together. We will get there, but we're not there now. People may rear back at that kind of comment, but it's OK not to be a finished product in October."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Friday's Tip Sheet
By Kevin Rogers

Cavaliers (-2 ½, 204 ½) at Raptors – 7:05 PM EST

The last time these teams met in late May, Cleveland eliminated Toronto in the sixth game of the Eastern Conference Finals by 26 points. The Cavaliers finished last season with one more regular season victory than the Raptors en route to the franchise’s first ever NBA title. Cleveland raised its championship banner on Tuesday night and promptly routed New York, 117-88 to easily cash as 9 ½-point favorites. LeBron James posted a triple-double with 19 points, 11 rebounds, and 14 assists for Cleveland, while the Cavs knocked down 13 three-pointers.

The Raptors were equally impressive in their season opener by pounding the Pistons, 109-91 as 6 ½-point home favorites. DeMar DeRozan led Toronto with 40 points, while center Jonas Valanciunas put up 32 points and 11 rebounds as the Raptors overcame a 3-of-18 performance from three-point range. For the exception of the Game 6 blowout to end their season, the Raptors fared well against the Cavaliers by winning four of five matchups at Air Canada Center, all in the underdog role.

Magic at Pistons (-4, 198 ½) – 7:35 PM EST

The Frank Vogel era in Orlando got off to a bumpy start as the Magic lost to the rival Heat as three-point favorites, 108-96. The Magic were held to 38% shooting from the floor, while allowing 48% shooting to Miami as Orlando couldn’t capitalize on a 5-1 finish at Amway Center to close last season. Orlando begins a three-game road swing that continues to Cleveland on Saturday as the Magic didn’t fare well against the Pistons last season. Detroit has won the past six matchups with Orlando, including a three-game sweep in 2016.

The Pistons will try to move forward following a 109-91 loss at Toronto on Wednesday as the loss of point guard Reggie Jackson was impactful. Jackson is sidelined with a knee injury as his replacement, journeyman Ish Smith shot 3-of-10 from the floor and scored only six points. In all three victories over the Magic last season, the Pistons topped the 108-point mark each time, while all three games sailed OVER the total. Detroit took care of business in the role of a home favorite last season by posting a 19-9-1 ATS mark, while Orlando’s last win at the Palace of Auburn Hills came in November 2014.

Pacers (-6 ½, 214) at Nets – 7:35 PM EST

Indiana’s offense exploded for 130 points in an opening victory over Dallas. Granted, 15 points came in overtime, but the Pacers shot 50% from the floor and drilled 10-of-19 attempts from three-point range. Myles Turner dominated the Dallas frontcourt with 30 points and 16 rebounds, while Paul George knocked down a key three-pointer in overtime to solidify a cover as 5 ½-point favorites. Last season, the Pacers posted a 9-9 ATS record in the role of a road favorite, as Indiana captured three of four meetings from Brooklyn (2-2 ATS).

The Nets put together a good fourth quarter effort in their opening night loss at Boston to cash as 11 ½-point underdogs in a 122-117 defeat. Dating back to last season, Brooklyn has dropped 11 consecutive games. Who was their last win against? You guessed it, the Pacers on March 26 as six-point underdogs in a 120-110 victory at Barclays Center. In spite of a new head coach and new faces on the roster, Brooklyn’s defense isn’t expected to improve as the Nets have allowed over 100 points in 17 of their last 18 games since last March.

Suns at Thunder (-9 ½, 209) – 8:05 PM EST

Oklahoma City rallied past Philadelphia in the season opener, avoided an embarrassing loss to the 76ers in a 103-97 victory. The Thunder failed to cash as nine-point favorites in their first game without Kevin Durant, as Russell Westbrook came within an assist of a triple-double with 32 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists. OKC swept the three-game series from Phoenix last season, while every game finished OVER the total. The Thunder has won 10 consecutive home meetings with the Suns since 2011, but Phoenix has covered in three of the past five road matchups.

Phoenix put together the ugliest opening night performance as the Suns were chased out by the Kings as three-point favorites, 113-94. The Suns scored 38 first half points, while allowing Sacramento to shoot 51% from the floor. Phoenix closed last season with a solid 7-4 ATS record in its final 11 games in the road underdog role, including outright victories at Memphis, Houston, and Orlando as ‘dogs of 9 ½ points or higher.

Hornets at Heat (-2, 198) – 8:05 PM EST

Miami knocked Charlotte out of the first round of the playoffs in seven games, including three victories at home. The Heat won their first game in the post-Dwyane Wade era on Wednesday at Orlando, 108-96, led by Hassan Whiteside’s 18-point, 15-rebound effort. Each of the past five meetings between the Heat and Hornets have finished UNDER the total, while Charlotte has scored 91 points or less in five of the last seven matchups. Since 2009, the Heat have won eight consecutive home openers, including last season’s victory over the Hornets.

Charlotte cruised past Milwaukee in its season opener, 107-96 as 1 ½-point road favorites. The big men of the Hornets stepped up as Roy Hibbert and Cody Zeller each scored 15 points, while Michael Kidd-Gilchrist paced Charlotte with 23 points and 14 rebounds. Charlotte has sailed OVER the total in 10 of the past 15 road games, but the Hornets own a 4-8 ATS in the past 12 games as a road underdog since February.

Rockets at Mavericks (-2, 221) – 8:35 PM EST

Not a lot of defense was played by these Texas teams in their openers as each lost on the road. The Mavericks fell short in overtime at Indiana, 130-121, as Dallas hoisted up 48 three-point attempts and 104 shots from the floor. Rick Carlisle’s team won three straight home openers from 2012-2014, but lost its first home game last season to Toronto. Dallas and Houston split four meetings last season, while both games at American Airlines Center finished UNDER the total.

The Rockets failed to grab a victory as a road favorite against the Lakers on Wednesday in a 120-114 setback. Houston put up only 43 points in the second half after a 71-point output in the first half, even though James Harden scored a game-high 34 points and dished out 17 assists. The Rockets have covered nine of their last 15 regular season games in the road underdog role, while winning outright as an away ‘dog at Dallas last December, 100-96.

Lakers at Jazz (-8 ½, 201 ½) – 9:05 PM EST

The Lakers rallied past the Rockets, 120-114 at Staples Center as six-point underdogs to kick off the Luke Walton era as head coach. Jordan Clarkson scored 25 points off the bench for Los Angeles, while the Lakers shot 50% from the floor. The Lakers struggled against the Jazz last season by losing three of four matchups, but erased a 15-point deficit in the season finale at Staples Center as Kobe Bryant put up 60 points in his final game in a Los Angeles uniform in a 101-96 triumph.

The Jazz couldn’t hold on to a six-point lead in the final minutes of a season opening loss at Portland on Tuesday, 113-104. Joe Johnson scored 27 second half points against the Blazers, while Rodney Hood contributed 26 points for Utah, who played without Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors. Hayward remains sidelined with a finger injury, while Favors is questionable with a knee injury. Utah is in the midst of a rough stretch with upcoming games against the Spurs (twice) and Clippers over the next week. The Jazz have struggled to cover numbers as a home favorite since last February by compiling a 5-7 ATS mark in this role.

Warriors (-10, 219 ½) at Pelicans – 9:35 PM EST

The debut of Kevin Durant in a Golden State uniform didn’t work out too well for the Warriors, who were blown out by the Spurs on Tuesday, 129-100 as 8 ½-point favorites. Durant did his part in his first game as a Warrior, scoring a team-high 27 points, but Golden State shot 7-of-33 from three-point range. Golden State has won seven straight meetings against New Orleans since the 2015 playoffs, including a three-game sweep last season.

Anthony Davis took honors for the top individual performance on opening night by scoring 50 points and pulling down 16 rebounds in New Orleans’ 107-102 home setback to Denver. The Pelicans will likely lean on Davis all season after Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson bolted to Houston in the offseason. New Orleans had its ups and downs as a home underdog last season by posting a 10-9 ATS record, while the Pelicans hope to avoid another poor start after beginning 2015 with a 1-11 mark.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Friday's Tip Sheet
By Kevin Rogers

Cavaliers (-2 ½, 204 ½) at Raptors – 7:05 PM EST

The last time these teams met in late May, Cleveland eliminated Toronto in the sixth game of the Eastern Conference Finals by 26 points. The Cavaliers finished last season with one more regular season victory than the Raptors en route to the franchise’s first ever NBA title. Cleveland raised its championship banner on Tuesday night and promptly routed New York, 117-88 to easily cash as 9 ½-point favorites. LeBron James posted a triple-double with 19 points, 11 rebounds, and 14 assists for Cleveland, while the Cavs knocked down 13 three-pointers.

The Raptors were equally impressive in their season opener by pounding the Pistons, 109-91 as 6 ½-point home favorites. DeMar DeRozan led Toronto with 40 points, while center Jonas Valanciunas put up 32 points and 11 rebounds as the Raptors overcame a 3-of-18 performance from three-point range. For the exception of the Game 6 blowout to end their season, the Raptors fared well against the Cavaliers by winning four of five matchups at Air Canada Center, all in the underdog role.

Magic at Pistons (-4, 198 ½) – 7:35 PM EST

The Frank Vogel era in Orlando got off to a bumpy start as the Magic lost to the rival Heat as three-point favorites, 108-96. The Magic were held to 38% shooting from the floor, while allowing 48% shooting to Miami as Orlando couldn’t capitalize on a 5-1 finish at Amway Center to close last season. Orlando begins a three-game road swing that continues to Cleveland on Saturday as the Magic didn’t fare well against the Pistons last season. Detroit has won the past six matchups with Orlando, including a three-game sweep in 2016.

The Pistons will try to move forward following a 109-91 loss at Toronto on Wednesday as the loss of point guard Reggie Jackson was impactful. Jackson is sidelined with a knee injury as his replacement, journeyman Ish Smith shot 3-of-10 from the floor and scored only six points. In all three victories over the Magic last season, the Pistons topped the 108-point mark each time, while all three games sailed OVER the total. Detroit took care of business in the role of a home favorite last season by posting a 19-9-1 ATS mark, while Orlando’s last win at the Palace of Auburn Hills came in November 2014.

Pacers (-6 ½, 214) at Nets – 7:35 PM EST

Indiana’s offense exploded for 130 points in an opening victory over Dallas. Granted, 15 points came in overtime, but the Pacers shot 50% from the floor and drilled 10-of-19 attempts from three-point range. Myles Turner dominated the Dallas frontcourt with 30 points and 16 rebounds, while Paul George knocked down a key three-pointer in overtime to solidify a cover as 5 ½-point favorites. Last season, the Pacers posted a 9-9 ATS record in the role of a road favorite, as Indiana captured three of four meetings from Brooklyn (2-2 ATS).

The Nets put together a good fourth quarter effort in their opening night loss at Boston to cash as 11 ½-point underdogs in a 122-117 defeat. Dating back to last season, Brooklyn has dropped 11 consecutive games. Who was their last win against? You guessed it, the Pacers on March 26 as six-point underdogs in a 120-110 victory at Barclays Center. In spite of a new head coach and new faces on the roster, Brooklyn’s defense isn’t expected to improve as the Nets have allowed over 100 points in 17 of their last 18 games since last March.

Suns at Thunder (-9 ½, 209) – 8:05 PM EST

Oklahoma City rallied past Philadelphia in the season opener, avoided an embarrassing loss to the 76ers in a 103-97 victory. The Thunder failed to cash as nine-point favorites in their first game without Kevin Durant, as Russell Westbrook came within an assist of a triple-double with 32 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists. OKC swept the three-game series from Phoenix last season, while every game finished OVER the total. The Thunder has won 10 consecutive home meetings with the Suns since 2011, but Phoenix has covered in three of the past five road matchups.

Phoenix put together the ugliest opening night performance as the Suns were chased out by the Kings as three-point favorites, 113-94. The Suns scored 38 first half points, while allowing Sacramento to shoot 51% from the floor. Phoenix closed last season with a solid 7-4 ATS record in its final 11 games in the road underdog role, including outright victories at Memphis, Houston, and Orlando as ‘dogs of 9 ½ points or higher.

Hornets at Heat (-2, 198) – 8:05 PM EST

Miami knocked Charlotte out of the first round of the playoffs in seven games, including three victories at home. The Heat won their first game in the post-Dwyane Wade era on Wednesday at Orlando, 108-96, led by Hassan Whiteside’s 18-point, 15-rebound effort. Each of the past five meetings between the Heat and Hornets have finished UNDER the total, while Charlotte has scored 91 points or less in five of the last seven matchups. Since 2009, the Heat have won eight consecutive home openers, including last season’s victory over the Hornets.

Charlotte cruised past Milwaukee in its season opener, 107-96 as 1 ½-point road favorites. The big men of the Hornets stepped up as Roy Hibbert and Cody Zeller each scored 15 points, while Michael Kidd-Gilchrist paced Charlotte with 23 points and 14 rebounds. Charlotte has sailed OVER the total in 10 of the past 15 road games, but the Hornets own a 4-8 ATS in the past 12 games as a road underdog since February.

Rockets at Mavericks (-2, 221) – 8:35 PM EST

Not a lot of defense was played by these Texas teams in their openers as each lost on the road. The Mavericks fell short in overtime at Indiana, 130-121, as Dallas hoisted up 48 three-point attempts and 104 shots from the floor. Rick Carlisle’s team won three straight home openers from 2012-2014, but lost its first home game last season to Toronto. Dallas and Houston split four meetings last season, while both games at American Airlines Center finished UNDER the total.

The Rockets failed to grab a victory as a road favorite against the Lakers on Wednesday in a 120-114 setback. Houston put up only 43 points in the second half after a 71-point output in the first half, even though James Harden scored a game-high 34 points and dished out 17 assists. The Rockets have covered nine of their last 15 regular season games in the road underdog role, while winning outright as an away ‘dog at Dallas last December, 100-96.

Lakers at Jazz (-8 ½, 201 ½) – 9:05 PM EST

The Lakers rallied past the Rockets, 120-114 at Staples Center as six-point underdogs to kick off the Luke Walton era as head coach. Jordan Clarkson scored 25 points off the bench for Los Angeles, while the Lakers shot 50% from the floor. The Lakers struggled against the Jazz last season by losing three of four matchups, but erased a 15-point deficit in the season finale at Staples Center as Kobe Bryant put up 60 points in his final game in a Los Angeles uniform in a 101-96 triumph.

The Jazz couldn’t hold on to a six-point lead in the final minutes of a season opening loss at Portland on Tuesday, 113-104. Joe Johnson scored 27 second half points against the Blazers, while Rodney Hood contributed 26 points for Utah, who played without Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors. Hayward remains sidelined with a finger injury, while Favors is questionable with a knee injury. Utah is in the midst of a rough stretch with upcoming games against the Spurs (twice) and Clippers over the next week. The Jazz have struggled to cover numbers as a home favorite since last February by compiling a 5-7 ATS mark in this role.

Warriors (-10, 219 ½) at Pelicans – 9:35 PM EST

The debut of Kevin Durant in a Golden State uniform didn’t work out too well for the Warriors, who were blown out by the Spurs on Tuesday, 129-100 as 8 ½-point favorites. Durant did his part in his first game as a Warrior, scoring a team-high 27 points, but Golden State shot 7-of-33 from three-point range. Golden State has won seven straight meetings against New Orleans since the 2015 playoffs, including a three-game sweep last season.

Anthony Davis took honors for the top individual performance on opening night by scoring 50 points and pulling down 16 rebounds in New Orleans’ 107-102 home setback to Denver. The Pelicans will likely lean on Davis all season after Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson bolted to Houston in the offseason. New Orleans had its ups and downs as a home underdog last season by posting a 10-9 ATS record, while the Pelicans hope to avoid another poor start after beginning 2015 with a 1-11 mark.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rockets (0-1) at Mavericks (0-1)

Date: October 28, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

The Dallas Mavericks open their home schedule Friday night at American Airlines Center against the Houston Rockets, with both Texas rivals in search of their first win.

The Southwest Division foes lost high-scoring season openers on the road Wednesday night. The Mavericks fell 130-121 in overtime at Indiana, while the Rockets dropped a 120-114 decision at the Los Angeles Lakers.

Dallas fought back from 14 points down late in the first half to send its first game into OT. The effort wasn't lost on Mavs coach Rick Carlisle.

"I like the rally. I don't like going down 14," he said. "We spread the floor and got some penetration in, and it opened up some things. We were struggling through most of the game, and we had some good stretches late in the first half and parts of the second.

"I like the way we fought and hung in, but the defense has obviously got to be better. Giving up 130 points is no way to do business, and it was a high-turnover game for two low-turnover teams."

The Pacers shot 50.5 percent and outrebounded Dallas. Deron Williams paced the Mavericks with 25 points. Dirk Nowitzki and J.J. Barea each scored 22, and Harrison Barnes added 19 points and nine rebounds in his first game with Dallas.

Barnes sent the game into the extra session by hitting a 3-pointer with 2.3 seconds left in regulation.

"We battled and we fought, and we definitely showed some promise out there in a couple of areas," Williams said. "But if you look at, 130 points is just a lot of points, even in overtime, so there's definitely some things we've got to clean up and learn from."

The Mavericks also jacked up 48 3-pointers -- one shy of their franchise and NBA record. Dallas made 18 from distance.

The Rockets also let it fly from deep plenty in L.A., but couldn't find their stroke in the second half. Houston missed 15 of 16 3-pointers after halftime after going 6-13 in the first half.

Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni pinned the late shooting woes on fatigue.

"We were 1-16 and that's the biggest telltale we lost our legs," he said.

The pairing of D'Antoni's up-tempo system with James Harden did pay immediate dividends. The All-Star guard racked up 34 points and a career-high 17 assists against the Lakers.

"Just being able to get my teammates the ball and give them opportunities to finish layups or shoot the 3," Harden said, "it's a good feeling, as long as they do the right things, like run the floor. I feel like it's my job to reward them."

The Mavericks are facing Houston in their home opener for the third time in franchise history. The teams also square off against each other Sunday in Houston's first home game.

The Mavs and Rockets will finish off their four regular-season matchups before the end of the calendar year with two more meetings in December.

Nineteen of the last 25 regular-season meetings have been decided by eight points or less. Dallas has won 29 of the last 43 between the two teams, but Houston has taken six of the last nine.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Free NBA Picks: Friday, Oct. 28, 2016, Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

Obviously I'm not going to overreact to one game in an NBA season, especially this early. But can we stop calling Golden State the Super Warriors or whatever they have been labeled with? They are still the NBA title betting favorites and are going to win the Western Conference for a third straight season barring injury. But, wow, I surely didn't see Tuesday's home blowout loss to San Antonio coming. It will take the Warriors some time to figure each other out as there are several new players on the team. Kevin Durant looked just fine and so did Steph Curry. The defense and bench, however, were considered the only two question marks entering the season, and those two areas were exposed by the Spurs. I'm quite sure we will see a very different effort from the Warriors in their first road game of the season on Friday.

Cavaliers at Raptors (+3, 202.5)

First of an ESPN doubleheader. Could be a bit of a letdown game for the Cavaliers after Tuesday's emotional ring ceremony and raising of the franchise's first championship banner in Cleveland. Then the Cavs went out and blew out the Knicks 117-88 behind a triple-double of 19 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds from LeBron James. Cleveland did see Iman Shumpert go down with a possible concussion. Toronto opened with a 109-91 home win over Detroit as DeMar DeRozan scored 40 and Jonas Valanciunas had 32 and 11 rebounds. The duo became the first teammates in NBA history with a 40-point game and a 30-point game in a season opener. These two teams met in last season's Eastern Conference Finals, won by Cleveland in six. The Raptors won both regular-season meetings last year vs. Cleveland.

Key trends: The home team is 8-1 against the spread in the past nine meetings. The "over/under" has gone under in seven of Toronto's past eight after scoring at least 100 points in their previous game.

Early lean: Raptors and under.

Pacers at Nets (+6, 209.5)

Indiana beat visiting Dallas 130-121 in overtime on Wednesday. A lot of experts liked Myles Turner as one of this season's breakout stars in the NBA, and the second-year center had 30 points, 16 rebounds and four blocks. Jeff Teague had 20 points and eight assists in his Indiana debut. That team is going to be fun to watch this year as the Pacers are playing totally different (i.e. up tempo) and have some great athletes. Brooklyn only lost by five Wednesday in Boston, 122-117. The Nets' bench played a big role in cutting a 23-point deficit to just 3 at one point. Brooklyn will shoot a ton of 3-pointers this season and shot 44 of them vs. the C's. Indiana won three of the four regular-season matchups with the Nets last season, including a 114-100 road win at Brooklyn on Feb. 3.

Key trends: The Pacers are 10-4 ATS in their past 14 in Brooklyn. The over is 4-0 in the past four there.

Early lean: Pacers and over.

Magic at Pistons (-3.5, 202)

Orlando didn't look good at all in its opening 108-96 home loss to Miami. The Magic played without big free-agent acquisition Bismack Biyombo due to a one-game suspension, but he doesn't do anything offensively so I doubt the result would have changed much. Serge Ibaka had 14 points in his Magic debut. Detroit was blown out in Toronto on Wednesday. Andre Drummond took an elbow to the jaw and left for a bit. He had an off game, finishing with 16 points and only six rebounds. He's the defending rebound king. Orlando has lost six straight meetings with Detroit and nine of the last 14 overall.

Key trends: The Magic are 0-6 ATS in the past six meetings. The over is 5-0 in the past five.

Early lean: Pistons and over.

Suns at Thunder (-9.5, 213)

It will be a long year in Phoenix as the Suns were handled 113-94 at home by Sacramento on Wednesday. Devin Booker, plagued by foul trouble, scored 18 points for the Suns. At one point, the Suns had three teenagers on the court, the first NBA team to do that. Oklahoma City failed to cover in a 103-97 win in Philadelphia on Wednesday. Russell Westbrook fell one assist shy of what should be many triple-doubles this season with 32 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists. I watched some of that game, though, and I think the Thunder might struggle more than I thought this season at times, at least offensively. There's no one else to fear other than Westbrook. Oklahoma won all three meetings last season vs. Phoenix.

Key trends: The underdog is 7-3 ATS in the past 10 meetings. The over is 10-1 in the past 11 in OKC.

Early lean: Thunder and over.

Hornets at Heat (-3, 196.5)

Charlotte won 107-96 in Milwaukee on Wednesday. Great to see Michael Kidd-Gilchrist healthy as he's one of the NBA's best defenders and had 23 points and 14 rebounds vs. the Bucks. Frank Kaminsky missed the game with a strained foot. Miami won't be very good this year but won 108-96 in Orlando. Hassan Whiteside will put up big numbers this season, however, with 18 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks. The Heat were without Josh Richardson with a sprained MCL in his right knee, and he's not expected here. These teams split four meetings last year. The Heat have won 12 of the past 13 vs. the Hornets in Miami.

Key trends: The favorite is 5-2 ATS in the past seven. The under has hit in the previous five.

Early lean: Hornets and under.

Rockets at Mavericks (-2, 224)

Houston is really going to stink defensively this year and that showed Wednesday in a 120-114 loss at the Lakers. The Rockets ran out of gas, missing 15 of 16 3-pointers in the second half. James Harden is going to fill the stat sheet all year and had 34 points, a career-high 17 assists and eight rebounds. Eric Gordon had 19 points in his Rockets debut. Dallas lost 130-121 in OT at Indiana. New Maverick Harrison Barnes sent the game to OT on a 3-pointer with 2.3 seconds left. He finished with 19 points. These teams split four meetings in 2015-16. Harden averaged 24.8 points, 8.8 rebounds and 8.3 assists in them. Both teams scored under 90 points in the last meeting for the first time since February 2007.

Key trends: The Rockets are 10-4 ATS in the past in the series. The over is 13-6 in Dallas' past 19.

Early lean: Rockets and over.

Lakers at Jazz (TBA)

Los Angeles began the post-Kobe Bryant Era with a 120-114 win over Houston. The Lakers outscored the Rockets by 12 in the fourth quarter. Reserve Jordan Clarkson had 12 of his 25 points in the fourth. Rookie Brandon Ingram had nine points. Utah led in Portland by six entering the fourth quarter on Tuesday but lost 113-104. Joe Johnson scored 29 points in his debut with the Jazz and Rodney Hood added 26. The Jazz were without Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors and Alec Burks. You won't see Hayward or Burks for a while, but Favors could play here. Utah won the 2015-16 series vs. Los Angeles 3-1 and held the Lakers to just 83.0 points per game.

Key trends: The Jazz have covered four of the past five meetings. The under is 7-1 in Utah's past 8 after scoring at least 100 in the previous game.

Early lean: TBA for Favors. Jazz will be favored and I think they win comfortably whether he plays or not.

Warriors at Pelicans (+9.5, 216)

Second ESPN game -- get used to Golden State being on national television. The Warriors were stomped by the Spurs 129-100 on Tuesday. By comparison, in the previous two seasons Golden State lost a total four regular-season home games by a combined 25 points. Durant had 27 points and 10 rebounds and Curry 26 vs. San Antonio, but the Warriors were killed on the boards and their reserves were terrible. FYI: no eventual NBA champion has lost by more than 25 points in a season opener. New Orleans lost 107-102 at home to Denver despite 50 points, 16 rebounds, seven steals, five assists and four blocks from Anthony Davis. Man, I hope that guy stays healthy because he's unbelievable. But the Pelicans are really short-handed in the backcourt right now with Tyreke Evans and Jrue Holiday out. Thus, they had to start Tim Frazier and E'Twaun Moore. That's not good. The Warriors were 3-0 vs. the Pelicans last year.

Key trends: The Warriors are 4-0 ATS in the past four meetings. The over is 20-6-1 in the Pelicans' past 27 vs. the West.

Early lean: Warriors and over.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA

Friday’s games
Cavaliers lost four of last five visits to Canada, but one win was in Game 6 of playoff series that sent Toronto home for summer last May. Over is 4-2 in Cavs’ last six visits here. Cleveland beat the Knicks by 29 in their home opener. Toronto won their opener by 18 over Detroit.

Detroit won/covered its last six games with Orlando; seven of last eight series games went over total. Magic lost four of last five visits (1-4 vs spread) here. Orlando lost its home opener by 12 to Miami. Pistons lost their opener by 18 in Toronto.

Pacers won three of last four games with Brooklyn; eight of last nine series games went over the total. Indiana is 3-2 in last five games in Barclays Center (last four went over). Pacers won their home opener by 9 in OT over Dallas. Nets lost their opener by 5 in Boston.

Thunder won six of last seven games with Phoenix, covering three of last four; over is 8-2 in last ten series games. Suns lost last five (3-2 vs spread) visits here. Phoenix lost its home opener by 19 to the Kings. Oklahoma City won its opener by 6 at Philadelphia.

Miami beat Charlotte in seven games in last spring’s playoffs, winning Game 7 here by 33; Hornets lost three of last four visits here (1-3 vs spread). Last five series games stayed under the total. Charlotte won its opener by 11 in Milwaukee. Heat won its first game by 12 in Orlando.

Houston won seven of last ten games with Dallas (over 5-5); Rockets are 3-2 in last five visits to Dallas (3-2 vs spread, under 3-2). Houston lost 120-114 in Staples Center to the Lakers in their opener. Mavericks lost their opener by 9 in OT at Indiana.

Utah won four of its last five games with the Lakers; LA lost three of its last four visits here (1-3 vs spread). Over is 3-2-1 in last six series games. Lakers ran up and down and upset Houston 120-114 in their home opener. Jazz lost its opener in Portland by 9.

Golden State won its last seven games with New Orleans, covering last four (over 3-2 in last five); Warriors won last three visits to Bourbon Street (over 3-2 in last five). Golden State lost its home opener by 29 to the Spurs. Pelicans lost their home opener by 5 to Dallas, despite Davis scoring 50 points, grabbing 17 rebounds.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

CFL Betting Notes - Week 19
By David Schwab

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats successfully avenged last week’s loss to Ottawa with a 39-36 overtime victory this past Friday as 3 ½-point road underdogs to kick off action in Week 18 of the CFL regular season. Calgary extended its incredible straight-up winning streak to 14 games later that night with a 31-13 win at home against Toronto as a heavy 16 ½-point favorite.

In the first of two games on Saturday’s slate, Montreal snapped Saskatchewan’s four-game winning streak with a 19-14 victory as a 6 ½-point underdog on the road. British Columbia bested Edmonton 32-25 as a 2 ½-point home favorite in a West Division clash to close things out for the week.

Friday, Oct. 28

Edmonton Eskimos (8-8 SU, 6-9-1 ATS) vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (7-9 SU, 6-10 ATS)
Point-spread: Hamilton -1 ½
Total: 56

Game Overview

Edmonton is in the CFL Playoffs as a crossover team from the West Division so this game could be a preview of a first round matchup a couple of weeks from now. In last week’s loss to BC, the Eskimos fell behind early before making it a game in the second half. Mike Reilly completed 24-of-32 passing attempts for 261 yards and a score to increase his total passing yards this season to 5,315, which is the second-most in the CFL.

The Tiger-Cats have also clinched a playoff spot and last week’s win against Ottawa closed the gap to just a half game between the two teams for the lead in the East Division. Jeremiah Masoli remains Hamilton’s starting quarterback for an injured Zach Collaros and he may have secured a permanent role at that spot with 359 yards passing and three scoring strikes in last week’s crucial win. Kevin Elliott had a big day catching the ball with five receptions for 102 yards and a score.

Betting Trends

Hamilton won the first meeting this season 37-31 as a 4 ½-point road underdog to improve to 4-2 both SU and against the spread in the last six meetings. The total went OVER 54 points in that game after staying UNDER in three of the previous four matchups.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

CFL Betting Notes - Week 19
By David Schwab

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats successfully avenged last week’s loss to Ottawa with a 39-36 overtime victory this past Friday as 3 ½-point road underdogs to kick off action in Week 18 of the CFL regular season. Calgary extended its incredible straight-up winning streak to 14 games later that night with a 31-13 win at home against Toronto as a heavy 16 ½-point favorite.

In the first of two games on Saturday’s slate, Montreal snapped Saskatchewan’s four-game winning streak with a 19-14 victory as a 6 ½-point underdog on the road. British Columbia bested Edmonton 32-25 as a 2 ½-point home favorite in a West Division clash to close things out for the week.

Friday, Oct. 28

Edmonton Eskimos (8-8 SU, 6-9-1 ATS) vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (7-9 SU, 6-10 ATS)
Point-spread: Hamilton -1 ½
Total: 56

Game Overview

Edmonton is in the CFL Playoffs as a crossover team from the West Division so this game could be a preview of a first round matchup a couple of weeks from now. In last week’s loss to BC, the Eskimos fell behind early before making it a game in the second half. Mike Reilly completed 24-of-32 passing attempts for 261 yards and a score to increase his total passing yards this season to 5,315, which is the second-most in the CFL.

The Tiger-Cats have also clinched a playoff spot and last week’s win against Ottawa closed the gap to just a half game between the two teams for the lead in the East Division. Jeremiah Masoli remains Hamilton’s starting quarterback for an injured Zach Collaros and he may have secured a permanent role at that spot with 359 yards passing and three scoring strikes in last week’s crucial win. Kevin Elliott had a big day catching the ball with five receptions for 102 yards and a score.

Betting Trends

Hamilton won the first meeting this season 37-31 as a 4 ½-point road underdog to improve to 4-2 both SU and against the spread in the last six meetings. The total went OVER 54 points in that game after staying UNDER in three of the previous four matchups.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Week 19 CFL games

Eskimos (8-8) @ TigerCats (7-9)— Hamilton (+4.5) won first meeting 37-31 in Edmonton July 23, rallying back from 24-6 halftime deficit- they outscored Eskimos 17-0 in 4th quarter. TiCats snapped 3-game skid with OT win in Ottawa LW; they’re 3-4 SU at home, 2-4 as home favorite. Eskimos are 3-2 in last five visits here; they won three of last four games but are on road for 4th game in row. Edmonton is 4-4 on road, 2-2 as a road underdog. Last three series games here stayed under the total.

RedBlacks (7-8-1) @ Blue Bombers (10-6)— Senators won last three games with Winnipeg, sweeping Bombers 27-24/27-20 LY; teams split two games here. Ottawa lost three of its last four games, with last two losses both in OT; average total in their last four games: 67.3, with all four going over total. RedBlacks are 2-2 as a road underdog. Winnipeg is 9-2 in its last 11 games after a 1-4 start; they’re 2-3 as home favorites, but scored 34+ points in four of their last five games. Eight of their last nine games went over.

Lions (10-6) @ Roughriders (5-11)— BC (+1.5) won first meeting 40-27 on this field July 16, rallying back from down 23-10 at half; Lions outscored Riders 21-4 in 4th quarter in their fourth straight series win- they won last three visits here, by 13-3-13 points. Three of last four series games went over. BC split its last four games, despite scoring 34.8 pts/game; they’re 5-3 SU on road, 2-0 as a road favorite. Saskatchewan won four of last five games, covered seven of last eight; five of their last six games stayed under. Riders are 3-5 SU at home, 4-1 as home dogs.

Stampeders (15-1-1) @ Alouettes (5-11)— Calgary won first meeting 22-8 (-15) at home two weeks ago; Stampeders are 8-3 in last 11 series games, but they lost 31-15/29-11 in last two visits here, as home side won last six series games. Calgary hasn’t lost since Opening Day; they tied their third game, in Ottawa, but are 14-0 since then, covering 10 of last 12 games. Three of their last four games stayed under. Montreal won in Regina LW with Oregon alum Adams at QB; Alouettes lost six of last eight games; they’re 0-4 as a home underdog.


Week 19 CFL games

—*Underdogs*38-30-1, home teams 27-44-2 vs spread…….Over: 36-34-3

—*Edmonton (8-8) @ Hamilton (7-9) (-1, 56.5)
— Ottawa (7-8-1) @ Winnipeg (10-6) (-5, 55)
— BC Lions (10-6) (-3, 52.5) @ Saskatchewan (5-11)
— Calgary (15-1-1) (-9.5, 50) @ Montreal (5-11)

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Week 19 CFL games

Eskimos (8-8) @ TigerCats (7-9)— Hamilton (+4.5) won first meeting 37-31 in Edmonton July 23, rallying back from 24-6 halftime deficit- they outscored Eskimos 17-0 in 4th quarter. TiCats snapped 3-game skid with OT win in Ottawa LW; they’re 3-4 SU at home, 2-4 as home favorite. Eskimos are 3-2 in last five visits here; they won three of last four games but are on road for 4th game in row. Edmonton is 4-4 on road, 2-2 as a road underdog. Last three series games here stayed under the total.

RedBlacks (7-8-1) @ Blue Bombers (10-6)— Senators won last three games with Winnipeg, sweeping Bombers 27-24/27-20 LY; teams split two games here. Ottawa lost three of its last four games, with last two losses both in OT; average total in their last four games: 67.3, with all four going over total. RedBlacks are 2-2 as a road underdog. Winnipeg is 9-2 in its last 11 games after a 1-4 start; they’re 2-3 as home favorites, but scored 34+ points in four of their last five games. Eight of their last nine games went over.

Lions (10-6) @ Roughriders (5-11)— BC (+1.5) won first meeting 40-27 on this field July 16, rallying back from down 23-10 at half; Lions outscored Riders 21-4 in 4th quarter in their fourth straight series win- they won last three visits here, by 13-3-13 points. Three of last four series games went over. BC split its last four games, despite scoring 34.8 pts/game; they’re 5-3 SU on road, 2-0 as a road favorite. Saskatchewan won four of last five games, covered seven of last eight; five of their last six games stayed under. Riders are 3-5 SU at home, 4-1 as home dogs.

Stampeders (15-1-1) @ Alouettes (5-11)— Calgary won first meeting 22-8 (-15) at home two weeks ago; Stampeders are 8-3 in last 11 series games, but they lost 31-15/29-11 in last two visits here, as home side won last six series games. Calgary hasn’t lost since Opening Day; they tied their third game, in Ottawa, but are 14-0 since then, covering 10 of last 12 games. Three of their last four games stayed under. Montreal won in Regina LW with Oregon alum Adams at QB; Alouettes lost six of last eight games; they’re 0-4 as a home underdog.


Week 19 CFL games

—*Underdogs*38-30-1, home teams 27-44-2 vs spread…….Over: 36-34-3

—*Edmonton (8-8) @ Hamilton (7-9) (-1, 56.5)
— Ottawa (7-8-1) @ Winnipeg (10-6) (-5, 55)
— BC Lions (10-6) (-3, 52.5) @ Saskatchewan (5-11)
— Calgary (15-1-1) (-9.5, 50) @ Montreal (5-11)

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

'Road Warriors'

Golden State at New Orleans October 28, 9:30 EST

The 2016-17 campaign did not get off to a good start for the Warriors. Despite the addition of Kevin Durant, the two-time Western Conference champions took it on the chin in their home opener, spanked 126-100 by San Antonio. The good news, star-studded Warriors will put that one-day disaster behind them and get back to they're old self when they visit New Orleans on Friday.

One situation that has proven profitable is to 'Play-On' Warriors after a regular season blowout loss (-15 or more points). Steve Kerr's troops have shown they can bounce back after being taken out behind the woodshed. The last ten times the team is 9-1 SU with a 8-2 record against the betting line including 5-1 SU/ATS on unfriendly hardwood.

Yet another nod towards Golden State. The Pelicans are no Spurs. Warriors have dominated Pelicans recently. In the past eighteen meetings the result has been 17 wins, 1 loss. Add the great equalizer (point spread) Warriors have kept backers happy over the span cashing 11 of 18 tickets (11-6-1 ATS) including 7-3-1 against the betting line running the hardwood in New Orleans.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview and Prediction: Edmonton Eskimos (9-8) vs Hamilton Tiger Cats (7-9)
By Randy Chambers
Friday, October 28, 2016 at 7:00 pm (Tim Hortons Field)
The Line: Hamilton Tiger-Cats -1.5 -- Over/Under: 56.5
TV: TSN

The Edmonton Eskimos and Hamilton Tiger-Cats play a week 19 CFL game Friday night at Tim Hortons Field on TSN.

The Edmonton Eskimos could use a strong road victory to get a game above a .500 record. The Edmonton Eskimos have split their last six road games overall. Mike Reilly is completing 71.4 percent of his passes for 5,315 yards, 26 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Reilly has two or less touchdown passes in eight straight games. Adarius Bowman and Derel Walker have combined for more than 3,200 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns while John White has 58 receptions. The Edmonton Eskimos ground game is averaging 97.8 yards per contest, and White leads the way with 754 yards and eight touchdowns. Defensively, Edmonton is allowing 28.3 points and 397.6 yards per game. Deon Lacy leads the Eskimos with 81 tackles, Almondo Sewell has nine sacks and J.C. Sherritt has three interceptions.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats look for back-to-back victories for the first time since mid-July. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have lost their last two home games overall. Zach Collaros is completing 67.1 percent of his passes for 2,531 yards, 17 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Collaros and Jeremiah Masoli have combined for 32 touchdown passes. Andy Fantuz and Terrence Toliver have combined for more than 2,000 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns while Luke Tasker has 76 receptions. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats ground game is averaging 68.2 yards per contest, and C.J. Gable leads the way with 627 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, Hamilton is allowing 27.6 points and 382.4 yards per game. Simoni Lawrence leads the Tiger-Cats with 86 tackles, John Chick has 13 sacks and Emanuel Davis has five interceptions.

The Eskimos are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 Friday games and 7-3 ATS in their last 10 road games. The Tiger-Cats are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 home games and 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games overall. The Eskimos are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings in Hamilton and the under is 7-2 in the last 9 meetings in Hamilton.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are coming off a solid road victory over Ottawa and enters this game with some confidence. Edmonto didn't look good in its last contest and now has to play back-to-back road games. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have also won two of the last three games against the Edmonton Eskimos, including a road victory back in july. So, in a toss-up game, I'm going to side with the home team and the small line.

RANDY'S PICK
Hamilton Tiger-Cats -1.5

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Navy at South Florida
By Brian Edwards

**Navy at South Florida**

-- Navy is unbeaten in AAC play and holds sole possession of the lead in the West Division going into Friday’s showdown at South Florida in Raymond James Stadium. The Bulls were atop the AAC East standings until falling at Temple last Friday night. Now they’re in a first-place tie with the Owls as both schools are 3-1 in league play, but Matt Rhule’s squad owns the head-to-head tiebreaker. Therefore, Willie Taggart’s squad is in dire need of a bounce-back victory, while the Midshipmen are 1.5 games ahead of Memphis and Tulsa, both of whom are 2-1 in conference action.

-- As of Wednesday, most betting shops had South Florida (6-2 straight up, 5-3 against the spread) installed as an 7.5-point favorite with a total of 63 points. The Midshipmen were +260 on the money line (risk $100 to win $260).

-- USF saw its three-game winning streak snapped in a 46-30 loss at Temple as a 5.5-point road ‘chalk’ last Friday. The 76 combined points sailed ‘over’ the 58.5-point total. The game had five lead changes until the Owls took the lead for good on a Ryquell Armstead 42-yard touchdown run with 3:53 left in the third quarter. They extended the advantage to 34-23 with Jahad Thomas’s TD scamper before the end of the third and tacked on a field goal to lead by 14 with 10:09 remaining. USF’s Marlon Mack trimmed the deficit to 37-30 with 8:42 left on a 30-yard TD run, but another Thomas TD put the game on ice with 3:17 remaining.

-- In the losing effort at Temple, USF junior quarterback Quinton Flowers completed 11-of-19 passes for 187 yards and two TDs without an interception. Flowers also rushed for a team-high 90 yards on 14 carries, including a three-yard scoring run that gave the Bulls their last lead with 5:21 left in the third. Mack rushed for 67 yards and one TD on 13 totes. The junior RB also had three catches for 33 yards.

-- Flowers has completed 117-of-200 passes (58.5%) for 1,717 yards with a 15/5 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He has rushed for a team-best 745 yards and eight TDs while averaging 6.9 yards per carry. Flowers will look early and often for his favorite target, Rodney Adams. The senior WR has 34 receptions for 502 yards and four TDs.

-- Mack is USF’s all-time leading rusher already, producing 659 yards and 10 TDs so far this year. Mack (6.8 YPC) also has 13 catches for 121 yards. D’Ernest Johnson is Mack’s back-up who has rushed for 321 yards and four TDs with a 5.4 YPC average.

-- USF is 12th in the nation in rushing yards (256.1 YPG) and 11th in scoring, averaging 42.4 points per game. The defense has struggled, though. This unit gives up 28.4 PPG and ranks No. 103 among FBS teams in total defense (448.0 YPG).

-- Navy (5-1 SU, 4-1-1 ATS) has stormed out to a 4-0 record in AAC play. The Midshipmen pulled a stunner on Oct. 8 by beating Houston 46-40 as a 15.5-point home underdog. Josiah Powell’s 34-yard interception return for a TD shifted all the momentum and led to the Cougars’ first loss of the year. Senior QB Will Worth threw a pair of TD passes and ran for 115 yards and one TD on 32 carries.

-- Navy is off a 42-28 home win over Memphis as a one-point home favorite. Worth was the catalyst with a monster performance, accounting for five TDs and 286 all-purpose yards. Worth completed 3-of-4 passes for 85 yards and two TDs without an interception. He also rushed for 201 yards and three scores on 31 attempts. Dishan Romine added 92 rushing yards on just seven carries.

-- Worth has completed 37-of-62 passes (59.7%) for 688 yards with a 5/2 TD-INT ratio. He has rushed for a team-best 487 yards and nine TDs while averaging 3.6 YPC. Chris High is Navy’s second-leading rusher with 392 yards and five TDs on 55 totes. High is averaging 7.1 YPC. Romine averages 9.2 YPC, producing 258 yards on the ground on only 28 carries.

-- Senior WR Jamir Tillman is duplicating his 2015 production when he caught 29 balls for 597 yards and five TDs. In 2016, Tillman has 19 receptions for 286 yards and one TD.

-- Navy has been a road underdog 28 times during Ken Niumatalolo’s nine-year tenure, compiling an incredible 19-9 spread record. However, it is 0-1 both SU and ATS as a road ‘dog this year, losing 28-14 at Air Force while catching seven points in Week 5.

-- South Florida owns a 7-4 spread record in 11 games as a home favorite during Taggart’s four-year tenure. The Bulls are had covered in six straight home ‘chalk’ spots until beating UConn by a 42-27 count as 20-point favorites two weeks ago.

-- USF owns wins over Towson (56-20), No. Illinois (48-17), at Syracuse (45-20), at Cincinnati (45-20) and vs. East Carolina. In addition to the aforementioned loss at Temple, the Bulls lost 55-35 to FSU at home as four-point underdogs.

-- On top of the noted victories over Houston and Memphis, Navy has wins vs. Fordham (52-16), vs. UConn (28-24) and at Tulane (21-14). Going back to late in the 2014 regular season, the Midshipmen have won 22 of its last 26 games with the lone defeats coming against Notre Dame (twice), at Houston and at Air Force.

-- USF could be without three key players who are listed as ‘questionable’ and didn’t play last week at Temple. Starting sophomore CB Ronnie Hoggins (calf) and starting safety Devin Abraham (thumb) are two of those players. Abraham had 51 tackles and three interceptions in 2015, while Hoggins had 26 tackles, two interceptions and six passes broken up. So far this year in six games, Hoggins had 29 tackles, one tackle for loss, three PBU, one forced fumble and one interception. Meanwhile, Abraham has recorded 28 tackles. The other injured player, WR Ryeshene Bronson, has missed back-to-back contests with a shoulder issue. Bronson has nine catches for 175 yards and one TD this season.

-- Navy senior LB Daniel Gonzales was lost for the season to a foot injury earlier this month. In the team’s first four games, Gonsales had 23 tackles and one tackle for a loss.

-- The ‘over’ has hit at a 6-2 overall clip for USF, going 4-1 in its home games. The Bulls have seen their games average combined scores of 70.8 points per game.

-- The ‘over’ is 4-2 overall for Navy, but the ‘under’ has cashed in both of its previous road assignments. Navy’s games have averaged combined scores of 58.8 PPG.

-- When these AAC adversaries met last season, Navy captured a 29-17 win as a six-point home favorite. The 46 combined points stayed ‘under’ the 51-point tally. USF took a 17-13 lead early in the third quarter and maintained a 17-16 advantage until Navy’s Keenan Reynolds scored on a one-yard TD plunge with 6:58 remaining. Another one-yard TD run by Reynolds with 1:49 left gave the Middies the frontdoor spread cover. Mack was limited to 29 rushing yards and one TD on 10 carries. Flowers connected just 12 times on 20 throws for 208 yards. He was held to 15 rushing yards on six attempts.

-- Kickoff on Friday night in Tampa is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN2.


**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

-- There are two other games on Friday’s card: San Diego State at Utah State and Air Force at Fresno State. The Aztecs and Aggies will collide at 8:00 p.m. Eastern on the CBS Sports College Network, while Air Force and Fresno State will kick at 10:30 p.m. Eastern on ESPN2.

-- As of Wednesday, most spots had the Aztecs as six-point road favorites with a total of 44 points. This is the lowest total San Diego State has seen this year. Rocky Long’s team has seen the ‘under’ go 4-3 overall, but the ‘over’ is 2-1 in its road assignments. The Aztecs are 6-1 SU and 3-3-1 ATS. They are unbeaten in three Mtn. West games, taking their only defeat by a 42-24 score at South Alabama as 18.5-point road ‘chalk.’ Utah State (3-4 SU, 3-4 ATS) has limped to a 1-3 spread record in four games as a home underdog on Matt Wells’s watch over the last four years.

-- As of Wednesday, most books had Air Force (4-3 SU, 3-4 ATS) listed as a 14-point road favorite. The Falcons are 12-12 ATS as road favorites during Troy Calhoun’s 10-year tenure, going 1-1 both SU and ATS in a pair of such spots this year. Fresno State has taken the cash in three consecutive outings. The Bulldogs, who are 1-7 SU and 4-3 ATS, have covered the number in both lined home games. They just fired head coach Tim DeRuyter after last week’s 38-20 loss at Utah State.

-- Wisconsin LB Jack Cichy is out for the rest of the season with a torn pectoral muscle. Cichy was the Badgers’ leading tackler with 60 stops, seven TFL’s, two forced fumbles, 1.5 sacks, three QB hurries and two PBU.

-- Michigan State has lost five in a row both SU and ATS after dropping a 28-17 decision at Maryland as a three-point road ‘chalk.’ The Spartans had never lost four straight on Mark Dantonio’s watch until this season. Now they have to host a Michigan team starved for revenge after last year’s gut-wrenching and improbable home loss to Michigan State on a blocked punt return for a TD as time expired.

-- Marshall has to be one of the nation's biggest disappointments. After leading the Thundering Herd to three consecutive seasons with double-digit win totals, Doc Holliday's team has fallen on hard times this year. Marshall is 2-5, losing three games outright as a double-digit favorite. The Thundering Herd lost 27-24 at home to Charlotte last week as an 8.5-point home 'chalk.' They are double-digit 'dogs at So. Miss this weekend. Marshall has posted a 1-0-1 spread record in both games as a double-digit 'dog this year.

-- Here’s what Texas Tech junior QB Patrick Mahomes’ stat line looked like in last week’s narrow loss vs. Oklahoma: 52-of-88 passes for 734 yards and five TDs with one interception. He also rushed 12 times for 85 yards and two TDs.

-- Texas Tech and Oklahoma shattered NCAA records galore in OU’s 66-59 victory in Lubbock. Both teams produced 854 yards of total offense apiece. Baker Mayfield threw for 545 yards and seven TDs without an interception. DeDe Westbrook had nine receptions for 202 yards and two TDs, while RB Joe Mixon rushed for 263 yards and a pair of scores on 31 attempts. Mixon also had four catches for 114 yards and three more TDs.

-- Washington State turned a 14-3 deficit into a 31-14 advantage and then held on to win 37-32 at Arizona State. The Sun Devils covered the spread thanks to a 29-yard field goal from Zane Gonzalez with 4:36 remaining. The Cougars have won five in a row and are a perfect 4-0 in Pac-12 play. They will probably be favored in their next four games before facing now-unbeaten Washington at home on Nov. 25. Not only will the Apple Cup be on the line, but a spot in the Pac-12 Championship Game will likely be at stake.

-- Playing for only the second time this year, Gunner Kiel sparked Cincinnati to a 31-19 home win over East Carolina as a one-point underdog by throwing for 348 yards and four TDs without an interception.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Navy Midshipmen (5-1) at South Florida Bulls (6-2)

Date: October 28, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

No. 22 Navy can edge closer to a spot in the American Athletic Conference title game with a win against South Florida at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa on Friday.

The Midshipmen (5-1, 4-0) are the only remaining undefeated team in AAC play and sit atop the West Division with four league games remaining. South Florida suffered its first league setback last week against Temple and dropped to second place behind the Owls in the East Division.

Navy has been dominant with its triple-option attack, led by senior quarterback Will Worth. However, Midshipmen coach Ken Niumatalolo is wary of the Bulls, who are scoring a league-best 42.4 points per game.

"It's another highly explosive offense, another tough challenge for our defense," Niumatalolo said. "They spread you out with a lot of different formations and stretch you vertically and horizontally."

South Florida (6-2, 3-1) is looking to bounce back from the disappointing 46-30 loss to Temple. The setback not only knocked the Bulls from first-place, it also ended a nine-game winning streak against their AAC division opponents.

Navy and its high-powered offense could pose an even bigger challenge.

"We really didn't do much of anything right. In every aspect, we did something wrong," Bulls coach Willie Taggart said about the loss to Temple. "You just can't play that way against a good team on the road and expect to win."

The Bulls do have enough talent on offense to get into a shootout with Navy. South Florida quarterback Quinton Flowers has been one of the most dominant players in the AAC and has completed 117 of his 200 pass attempts for 1,722 yards with 15 touchdowns and five interceptions. He is also the team's leading rusher with 745 yards and eight touchdowns on 108 carries.

Navy has spent time at practice this week preparing for the multi-faceted Flowers.

"Flowers is a bigger kid and maybe a more powerful runner, but they are very similar," Niumatalolo said. "Whenever the quarterback is able to carry the football it presents some problems. He has great running ability and a strong arm. He throws a really good deep ball."

South Florida wide receiver Rodney Adams is one of Flowers' favorite targets and he has 34 catches for 502 yards and four touchdowns. Adams also has had some success against Navy, returning a kickoff for a touchdown in the Bulls' 29-17 loss in Annapolis last year.

Flowers also likes to throw to D'Ernest Johnson, who has 18 catches for 171 yards and four touchdowns, while rushing for 321 yards and four touchdowns on 59 carries. Marlon Mack is the primary running back for the Bulls with 659 yards rushing on 97 carries with 10 touchdowns.

The Bulls will face a stern challenge from the Navy defense, which has forced at least one turnover in 24 of the last 26 games, including in five of six games this year. The Midshipmen are 5-0 when the defense creates a turnover.

On offense, Navy will look to run the ball against the Bulls, who have given up huge chunks of yards in their two losses. In the loss to Temple, South Florida allowed 319 rushing yards. Florida State ran for 478 yards in its 55-35 victory over the Bulls on Sept. 24.

"In both losses we didn't stop the run and couldn't get off the field," Taggart said. "We have a ranked Navy team coming in here that is going to run the ball so we have another tough challenge ahead of us."

Navy averages 293.2 rushing yards per game. Last week in a 42-28 victory over Memphis, the Midshipmen had 447 rushing yards. Worth ran for a career-high 201 yards and three touchdowns on 31 carries. He also completed three of his four pass attempts for 85 yards with two touchdowns and was named the AAC Offensive Player of the Week.

Worth has now scored a touchdown in every game this year and leads the Midshipmen with nine rushing scores on the season. Not bad for a quarterback who is only starting because of a season-ending knee injury to Tago Smith.

"I thought Will could run our offense, but he's playing a lot better than I thought he would," Niumatalolo said.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAAF

Friday’s games

Navy ran ball for 753 yards, scored 44 pts/game in beating Houston/Memphis last two games. Middies are 24-10 vs spread as road underdog last nine years, 0-1 this year- their only loss was 28-14 (+7) at Air Force. Navy ran ball for 428 yards LY in 29-17 home win (-7) over South Florida LY. USF is 6-2, giving up 797 YR, 101 points in losses to Florida State (55-35), Temple (46-30). Bulls covered six of last seven games as a home favorite (2-1 this year). AAC home favorites are 4-6 vs spread. Over is 3-1-1 in last five USF games.

San Diego State won last three games by combined score of 85-13 since second consecutive loss to South Alabama. Aztecs are 7-4 in last 11 games as a road favorite, 1-2 this year- they ran ball for 336 yards in 48-14 home win over Utah State LY; they were +4 in turnovers, outgained Aggies 429-239. Utah State snapped 3-game skid with win over lowly Fresno LW; Aggies are 1-3 vs spread as home underdogs under Wells, 0-1 this year. Mountain West home underdogs are 4-3 vs spread. Aztecs’ last three games stayed under the total.

Fresno State fired its coach Sunday, which means assistants are updating their resumes for this winter; Air Force option attack is tough to prep for in a normal week. Bulldogs gave up 458 rushing yards in 42-19 loss to Flyboys LY. Air Force lost its last three games, all as double digit favorite, giving up 114 points; AF is 4-8 in its last 12 games as a home favorite. Fresno State is 7-5 in last 12 games as a home underdog, 2-0 this season. Mountain West home underdogs are 4-3 vs spread. Last three Air Force games went over; over is 4-2 in last six Fresno games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAAF

Friday’s games

Navy ran ball for 753 yards, scored 44 pts/game in beating Houston/Memphis last two games. Middies are 24-10 vs spread as road underdog last nine years, 0-1 this year- their only loss was 28-14 (+7) at Air Force. Navy ran ball for 428 yards LY in 29-17 home win (-7) over South Florida LY. USF is 6-2, giving up 797 YR, 101 points in losses to Florida State (55-35), Temple (46-30). Bulls covered six of last seven games as a home favorite (2-1 this year). AAC home favorites are 4-6 vs spread. Over is 3-1-1 in last five USF games.

San Diego State won last three games by combined score of 85-13 since second consecutive loss to South Alabama. Aztecs are 7-4 in last 11 games as a road favorite, 1-2 this year- they ran ball for 336 yards in 48-14 home win over Utah State LY; they were +4 in turnovers, outgained Aggies 429-239. Utah State snapped 3-game skid with win over lowly Fresno LW; Aggies are 1-3 vs spread as home underdogs under Wells, 0-1 this year. Mountain West home underdogs are 4-3 vs spread. Aztecs’ last three games stayed under the total.

Fresno State fired its coach Sunday, which means assistants are updating their resumes for this winter; Air Force option attack is tough to prep for in a normal week. Bulldogs gave up 458 rushing yards in 42-19 loss to Flyboys LY. Air Force lost its last three games, all as double digit favorite, giving up 114 points; AF is 4-8 in its last 12 games as a home favorite. Fresno State is 7-5 in last 12 games as a home underdog, 2-0 this season. Mountain West home underdogs are 4-3 vs spread. Last three Air Force games went over; over is 4-2 in last six Fresno games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview and Prediction: San Diego State Aztecs (6-1) at Utah State Aggies (3-4)
By Brett Nault
Friday, October 28, 2016 at 8:00 pm (Romney Stadium)
The Line: Utah State Aggies +6.5 -- Over/Under:
TV: CBS Sports Network

The San Diego State Aztecs will travel to Romney Stadium to take on the Utah State Aggies this Thursday night in College Football action.

The San Diego State Aztecs improved to 6-1 (3-0 MW) on the season after easily defeating the San Jose State Spartans, 42-3, this past Friday. San Diego State dominated on the both sides of the ball and had little trouble securing the victory after taking a 21-3 halftime lead. The Aztecs outgained the Spartans by a 460-209 margin however, did lose the turnover battle by a 1-0 margin. Leading the way for San Diego State was RB’s Donnel Pumphrey and Rashaad Penny who combined for 5 TD’s and 240 rushing yards. On the season, San Diego State is averaging 32.4 ppg on 418.3 total yards per game (165.6 passing, 252.7 rushing). Offensively, the Aztecs are led by RB Donnel Pumphrey who is the nation’s leading rusher as is averaging 178.0 rushing yds/game while adding 12 rushing TD’s. QB Christian Chapman has completed 64.0% of his passes for 9 TD and 3 INT while averaging 164.4 passing yards per game. RB Rashaad Penny has also had a nice season in the backfield with Donnel Pumphrey as he has 6 TD’s and is averaging 64.57 yds/game on 11.1 att/g. Mikah Holder (2.5 rec/g, 59.7 yds/g, 3 TD), Rashaad Penny (1.1 rec/g, 25.9 yds/g, 3 TD), and Eric Judge (1.9 rec/g, 21.3 yds/g) are the leading receivers for the Aztecs. Defensively, San Diego State is holding their opponents to an average of 17.6 ppg on 284.6 total yards per game (191.0 passing, 93.6 rushing). The Aztecs have only committed 7 turnovers on the season and currently have an overall turnover margin of +5.

The Utah State Aggies snapped their three game losing streak and improved to 3-4 (1-3 MW) on the season after defeating the Fresno State Bulldogs, 38-20, this past Saturday. Utah State used a big 2nd half in which they outscored Fresno State by a 21-6 margin, to help pull away for the victory. Utah State outgained Fresno State by a 392-319 margin and didn’t commit any turnovers in the win. Leading the way for the Aggies was QB Kent Myers who completed 17 of 29 passes for 188 yards and 3 TD’s while also rushing for 66 yards on 8 carries. On the season, Utah State is averaging 25.4 ppg on 391.4 total yards per game (213.9 passing, 177.6 rushing). Offensively, the Aggies have been led by QB Kent Myers who has completed 59.0% of his passes for 7 TD and 4 INT while averaging 212.1 passing yards per game. Myers also has contributed with his legs as he has 3 rushing TD’s and is averaging 38.86 rushing yds/game. In the backfield for the Aggies are Tonny Lindsey (14.1 att/g, 63.1 yds/g, 3 TD) and Devante Mays (6.8 att/g, 58.5 yds/g, 3 TD). Rayshad Lewis (4.0 rec/g, 52.9 yds/g, TD), Ron’Quavion Tarver (3.6 rec/g, 46.1 yds/g, 2 TD), Wyatt Houston (3.3 rec/g, 29.3 yds/g, 2 TD), and Andrew Rodriguez (2.9 rec/g, 28.6 yds/g, TD) are the leading receivers for the Aggies. Defensively, Utah State is holding their opponents to an average of 24.3 ppg on 359.6 total yards per game (208.0 passing, 151.6 rushing). Utah State has only committed 6 turnovers on the season however, have an overall turnover margin of just 0.

The Aztecs are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a losing record and 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 games in October. The Aggies are 16-5-1 ATS in their last 22 Friday games however, 1-6 ATS in their last 7 conference games.

San Diego State is one of the best teams in the Mountain West as not only do they have the leading rusher in the all of College Football in Donnel Pumphrey, they also have one of the better defenses in the country that have given up just 13 combined points in their last three games. Utah State has struggled a bit on the offensive end as they ranked just 90th in the country in scoring offense, however, the Aggies are pretty solid on the defensive end as they rank 35th in total defense and 44th in scoring defense. Utah State was defeated by San Diego State by a 48-14 margin on the road last year and although I think the Aggies will put up more of a fight in this one, I just don’t see Utah State being able to score enough points against the tough Aztecs defense to keep this one within the number. Take San Diego State to cover this road spread.

BRETT'S PICK
San Diego State Aztecs -6.5

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview and Prediction: Air Force Falcons (4-3) at Fresno State Bulldogs (1-7)
By Brett Nault
Friday, October 28, 2016 at 10:30 pm (Bulldog Stadium)
The Line: Fresno State Bulldogs +13.5 -- Over/Under:
TV: ESPN 2

The Air Force Falcons will travel Bulldog Stadium (CA) to take on the Fresno State Bulldogs this Friday night in College Football action.

The Air Force Falcons lost their 3rd straight game and dropped to 4-3 (1-3 MW) on the season after being defeated by the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors, 34-27 in 2OT, this past Saturday. Air Force had a chance to win the game at the end of regulation, however, Luke Strebel missed a 32 yard FG as time expired. Air Force outgained Hawaii by a 409-387 margin however, did lose the turnover battle by a 3-2 margin. Leading the way for the Falcons was RB Shayne Davern who has 98 rushing yards and a TD. On the season, Air Force is averaging 33.3 ppg on 452.3 total yards per game (160.9 passing, 291.4 rushing). Air Force currently has the 5th ranked rushing offense in the country which is led by RB D.J. Johnson (14.1 att/g, 64.6 yds/g), RB Jacobi Owens (9.3 att/g, 62.0 yds/g, 3 TD), RB Shayne Davern (11.7 att/g, 43.6 yds/g, 2 TD), RB Timothy McVey (5.1 att/g, 40.3 yds/g, 5 TD), and QB Nate Romine (12.3 att/g, 36.1 yds/g, 3 TD). QB Nate Romine has completed just 40.4% of his passes for 9 TD and 4 INT while averaging 158.4 passing yards/game. Jalen Robinette (3.0 rec/g, 81.1 yds/g, 4 TD), Timothy McVey (0.7 rec/g, 23.7 yds/g, 2 TD), and Ryan Reffitt (0.9 rec/g, 19.0 yds/g, 2 TD) are the leading receivers for the Falcons. Defensively, Air Force is holding their opponents to an average of 26.1 ppg on 350.3 total yards per game (229.0 passing, 121.3 rushing). Air Force has committed 10 turnovers on the season and has an overall turnover margin of -2.

The Fresno State Bulldogs lost their 6th straight game and dropped to 1-7 (0-4 MW) on the season after being defeated by the Utah State Aggies 38-20, this past Saturday. Fresno State once again struggled on the defensive end and was outscored by a 21-6 margin in the 2nd half in the loss. Fresno State was outgained by Utah State by a 392-319 margin. Fresno State was led by RB Dontel James who had 80 rushing yards and a TD. On the season, Fresno State is averaging 20.5 ppg on 350.4 total yards per game (229.1 passing, 121.3 rushing). Offensively, the Bulldogs have been led by QB Chason Virgil who has completed 51.8% of his passes for 10 TD and 6 INT while averaging 213.8 passing yards per game. Virgil’s main targets on the season has been WR Jamire Jordan (4.4 rec/g, 65.1 yds/g, 2 TD), KeeSean Johnson (6.3 rec/g, 64.6 yds/g, 3 TD), and WR Aaron Peck (4.9 rec/g, 73.0 yds/g, 2 TD). Leading the way for the Bulldogs backfield has been Dontel James (20.3 att/g. 72.8 yds/g, 4 TD). Defensively, Fresno State is allowing their opponents to average 34.1 ppg on 431.9 total yards per game (167.1 passing, 264.8 rushing). Fresno State has forced just 5 turnovers on the season and has an overall turnover margin of -7.

The Falcons are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games on field turf however, are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a losing road record. The Bulldogs are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall and 4-1 in their last 5 home games.

Air Force was able to get off to a great 4-0 start this year which included a 28-14 win over Navy, however, have really struggled defensively as of late as during their 3-game losing streak, the Falcons are allowing their opponents to average 38.0 ppg. Fresno State decided to let go of Head Coach Tim DeRuyter after their loss to Utah State and will hope intern coach, Eric Kiesau, will be able to find some answers and the Bulldogs currently rank 121st in scoring offense and 109th in scoring defense. Air Force should be able to do some damage on the ground against the Bulldogs 124th ranked rushing defense, however, as the Bulldogs have been competitive at home this season (14-3 loss to SDSU; 48-41 loss to Tulsa) and should come out fired up to get a win for their new coach, I’m taking Fresno State to cover with the points in this one. Take Fresno State and the points.

BRETT'S PICK
Fresno State Bulldogs +13.5

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

At the Gate - Friday
By Mike Dempsey

We are just a week away from the Breeders’ Cup, with four of the races slated for Friday and the remaining nine on Saturday.

If you must work next Friday start working on a plan now to call in sick. The $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) is not to be missed.

For the first time in Breeders’ Cup history, three champions will square off in the same race—Songbird, Beholder and Stellar Wind.

The undefeated Songbird will be taking on older for the first time in her career, which has started with 11 consecutive victories including last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1).

She is the current favorite in early Distaff betting at -120. She has won her races by a combined 60 lengths and really has not been tested.

However, she has only earned a triple digit Beyer Speed Figure once in her career, the 101 earned in the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) victory at Saratoga in July.

By comparison, Beholder has hit the triple digit mark nine times including her last four. Some say now at the age of six she may have lost a step, but I’m not buying it.

Beholder has lost three in a row, one to California Chrome and the other two she could not match strides late with Stellar Wind, last year’s champion three-year-old.

Stellar Wind is the second choice at +400 while Beholder is +500. Beholder has gone off at even money or less in 16 of her 25 career starts.

I am not tossing Curalina, Forever Unbridled and I’m a Chatterbox, all Grade 1 winners that are going to offer good value as the trio of champs are going to get all the attention.

I’m just glad I have a few more days to come up with the winner.

Current Betting Odds for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff:
Songbird -120
Stellar Wind +400
Beholder +500
I’m A Chatterbox +1400
Forever Unbridled +1800
Carina Mia +2000
Curalina +2500
Corona Del Inca +6000
Land Over Sea +6000


Here is the opening race from Belmont Park to get the day off to a good start:

BEL Race 1 Md $62,500 (12:55 ET)
#6 Fast Eddie E 3-1
#4 Cause of the Royal 5-2
#3 Always a Suspect 4-1
#8 Magic Holiday 7-2

Analysis: Fast Eddie E makes his debut for the Clement barn that is 17% winners (with a +ROI) with first time starters. This colt is by Wildcat Heir out of a Sky Mesa mare that has dropped two foals to race, both dirt winners, top earner stakes winner April Gaze ($130,020).

Cause of the Royal drops in for a tag here for his third career start. The colt showed some early interest in his debut before tiring to finish eighth and was not a threat last out in a distant eighth place finish. he adds blinkers here while catching a softer group. He is out of a Royal Academy mare that has dropped two winners, top earner stakes winner Cowboy Cool ($107,390).

Wagering
WIN: #6 to win at 5-2 or better.
EX: 4,6 / 3,4,6,8
TRI: 4,6 / 3,4,6,8 / 3,4,5,6,8

Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Belmont Park:

BEL Race 8 Alw $50,000 (4:46 ET)
#1 Grey Stark 8-5
#2 Jet Majesty 6-1
#3 Joyful Hope 3-1
#6 Sympathy 5-1

Analysis: Grey Stark was the beaten favorite last out in her first try at this condition, stalking the early pace and making a mild late rally to finish fourth, beaten just a length. The third place finisher Daring Duchess came back to beat Alw-2 optional claimers in her next outing on here on Oct. 5 and then ran fifth in the Dowager (G3) at Keeneland. Our top pick passed her first allowance condition at nine furlongs and the cut back here from 1 1/2 miles should suit her. She was a $485,000 Keeneland purchase and has two sibs that are also grass winners.

Jet Majesty took the field gate to wire to win at this level last out at Laurel Park off a 2 1/2 month break. The third place finisher Moon Virginia came back to win at this level in her next start at Laurel Park on Oct. 8. There are a couple of foes in here that look quicker early but still worth tossing in the mix here if she goes off near her 6-1 morning line for the Tony D. barn.

Wagering
WIN: #1 to win at 8-5 or better.
EX: 1,2 / 1,2,3,6
TRI: 1,2 / 1,2,3,6 / 1,2,3,6,7

Live Longshots:
These are price plays for exotic players looking to find a couple of extra contenders to use in their trifecta and superfecta wagers. Or for those with smaller bankrolls, you might want to get in a small win-place wager.

Belmont Park
R2: #2 Glare Ice 12-1
R4: #8 Exulting 10-1
R5: #12 Saratoga Smoke 8-1
R7: #9 Sir Bond 8-1
R9: #13 The Eagle is Gone 8-1

Good luck today!

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Tech Trends - Week 9
By Bruce Marshall

Friday, Oct. 28

NAVY at SOUTH FLORIDA...Bulls 12-4-1 vs. line last 16 reg.-season games on board, though 0-2-1 last three at home after covering 8 in a row at Tampa and did lose at Annapolis LY. Mids 9-4 last 13 as dog and 18-11 last 29 as visitor vs. number.

Slight to USF, based on recent trends.


SAN DIEGO STATE at UTAH STATE...Aztecs 12-2 vs. line last 14 MW reg.-season games. Rocky Long 7-4 vs. line last 11 away from home. Utags just 6-10 as dog for Matt Wells since 2013.

SDSU, based on team trends.


AIR FORCE at FRESNO STATE...Bulldogs 9-16 last 25 as dog. Force 16-9 last 25 on board.

Air Force, based on team trends.