A.REDDS
Saturday's Plays
50 Dime Release on Troy over Ohio. As this play is releasid at 8 AM Eastern, the Trojans are currently 2 point favorites in this contest pretty much everywhere here in Vegas and offshore.
15 Dime 1st Half Release on Troy over Ohio. The Trojans are currently 1 point favoreites in the 1st Half of this contest.
15 Dime Release on UTEP plus the points over BYU. The Miners are currently getling 11 1/2 points in this contest.
15 Dime Release on Fresno State plus the points over Northern Illinois. The Bulldogs are currently getting 1 1/2 points in this contest
Saturday's Plays
50 Dime Release on Troy over Ohio. As this play is releasid at 8 AM Eastern, the Trojans are currently 2 point favorites in this contest pretty much everywhere here in Vegas and offshore.
15 Dime 1st Half Release on Troy over Ohio. The Trojans are currently 1 point favoreites in the 1st Half of this contest.
15 Dime Release on UTEP plus the points over BYU. The Miners are currently getling 11 1/2 points in this contest.
15 Dime Release on Fresno State plus the points over Northern Illinois. The Bulldogs are currently getting 1 1/2 points in this contest
The Sports Network
Humanitarian Bowl
Northern Illinois vs Fresno State
GAME NOTES: The 14th annual Humanitarian Bowl brings back a familiar face in the Fresno State Bulldogs who will be taking on the Northern Illinois Huskies this weekend in Boise, Idaho.
Fresno State, guided by head coach Pat Hill, is playing in this particular bowl game for the third time in the last seven years and already has wins over Virginia (37-34 OT) and Georgia Tech (40-28) in 2004 and 2007, respectively. Known as a program that is willing to take on anyone, anytime, anywhere, the Bulldogs managed to put together an 8-4 record in 2010 and were an impressive 5-3 versus the rest of the Western Athletic Conference. Coach Hill had little trouble guiding the squad to wins over the second-tier programs in the WAC and almost pulled off a huge upset against nationally-ranked Nevada as well, before bowing in a 35-34 final at home in the middle of November. The Bulldogs are currently riding a two-game win streak thanks to victories over Idaho and Illinois, although they came by a combined five points.
Meanwhile, Northern Illinois is a program in transition. Earlier this month head coach Jerry Kill accepted an offer to become the next head coach at Minnesota and that means assistant coach Tom Matukewicz will handle the head coaching responsibilities for this particular contest before the team is handed over to Dave Doeren, who will become the full-time man after his Wisconsin Badgers have finished up their season in the Rose Bowl against TCU on January 1, 2011.
The Huskies ran the table in the Mid-American Conference this season, sporting a perfect 8-0 record as they captured the West Division title. In fact, the team won nine straight games to close out the regular season, with the streak beginning with a 34-23 win at Minnesota ironically enough. However, even being the top scoring offense in the league (37.9 ppg) couldn't help the squad when it came to the MAC Championship game against Miami-Ohio. A week after putting up an incredible 71-3 win over Eastern Michigan, the Huskies found themselves with a disappointing 26-21 defeat at the hands of a RedHawks team that converted a late 4th-and-20 play to stay alive.
Needless to say, it was a devastating setback for a Northern Illinois group that had scored a combined 195 points in the third previous, but still there is work to be done.
"The staff and I are thrilled to have a plan in place to lead our football team at the Humanitarian Bowl in Boise, Idaho.," said Matukewicz when he assumed control. "Our hearts were broken in Detroit, then we lost our coach on Sunday, so we have a choice to make. We can all come together as a team, a university, a community and a region for a common goal, or we can start to fracture. On December 18, on national television, we have an opportunity to tell our story about a great university and a team everyone can be proud of. We have three goals in Boise - win, have fun and celebrate one of the best seasons in school history."
NIU's bowl history dates back to 1983 when the team took down Fullerton by a final of 20-13 in the California Bowl, but after that it was more than two decades before the Huskies made it back to the postseason with their 34-21 victory against Troy in the 2004 Silicon Valley Bowl. Unfortunately, the last three bowl appearances for NIU have all resulted in defeat, the most recent of those being a 27-3 loss to South Florida in last year's International Bowl which dropped the group to 2-3 in bowl outings.
As for the Bulldogs, they are into the postseason for the fourth straight year and the 24th time overall dating back to the 1937 All-American Bowl which brought them a 27-26 win over Arkansas State. Last season, FSU lost in double- overtime to Wyoming in the New Mexico Bowl, 35-28, which means the Bulldogs are now just a game over .500 in the postseason at 12-11.
"Our team is excited to play in the uDrove Humanitarian Bowl against a very talented Northern Illinois team," said coach Hill, who is in his 14th season at Fresno State. "Boise is a great football town with great fan support not only for their hometown Broncos but for college football in general. Our two previous trips were special and memorable for our team and we had two historic wins for our program. We are looking forward to the great hospitality of the people of the Treasure Valley."
The guiding force behind the high-powered Northern Illinois offense down the stretch came from the rushing attack which finished the season with not only 3,442 yards, but a staggering 38 touchdowns. In the final three regular-season dates, the group scored an amazing 18 TDs on the ground and Chad Spann played a big part of that as he hit the end zone eight times on his own versus Toledo, Ball State and EMU. Spann didn't exactly blow away opponents with overwhelming yardage totals, outside of his 223 yards on just 15 carries versus the Golden Gophers early on, but he was always there to get the team into the end zone which he did a total of 20 times.
Quarterback Chandler Harnish was a model of consistency with his 64.7 percent passing accuracy and 20 TDs through the air, against just five interceptions, which means the Huskies can beat you a couple of different ways when they face the right defense. Willie Clark led the group with 38 catches for 514 yards and seven TDs as well.
On defense, the Huskies have a couple of ball hawks who always seem to be part of the action in one way or another. Tyrone Clark and Chris Smith combined to log seven interceptions, the latter leading the team with nine pass breakups and a total of 12 defended. Tommy Davis accounted for three recovered fumbles as he also placed third on the squad with 69 tackles and because of that trio the Huskies finished second in the MAC and 17th in the nation in turnover margin (0.77) per game.
The hallmark of a Pat Hill-coached team continues to be the defense and, outside of the ugly 51-0 loss to Boise State on the road back in late November, it was again the centerpiece around what everything else was built in 2010. The group placed second in the conference and sixth in the nation in sacks with better than three per game and was 21st nationally with almost seven tackles for loss per outing and a lot of the credit there goes to senior defensive end Chris Carter. The California native led the WAC and was seventh in the nation in sacks with 11.0 for a loss of 63 yards on the season. He was tied for second in the conference in TFLs with 16.5 and forced four fumbles on the year as he became the fourth FSU member to earn the Western Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year award.
Once again the offense for the Bulldogs was rather ordinary in 2010, but of course that will always be the case when the program is going up against the likes of Hawaii, Nevada and Boise State every year anyway. Quarterback Ryan Colburn was responsible for converting almost 62 percent of his pass attempts for more than 2,500 yards and 21 touchdowns, against just nine interceptions, but after throwing nine TDs over the first three games he didn't exactly raise many eyebrows until the regular-season finale when he threw three TDs and posted just his second 300-yard passing game in the win over Illinois.
Receiver Jamel Hamler earned all-conference honors as he turned his 47 catches into 725 yards and five scores, all of which paced the Bulldogs, but once again this year the offense leaned heavily on the running back position and one Robbie Rouse who gained close to 1,100 yards and hit the end zone eight times. Rouse ran for more than 100 yards in four straight games and had back- to-back 200-yard efforts as well, but he missed the Illinois matchup and is listed as questionable this weekend with an injury to his ribs.
Going up against another high-powered offense won't be easy but coach Hill, who agreed to take less money to stay on with Fresno State, will have his boys ready after studying the film on how Miami-Ohio turned the trick. It also wouldn't hurt for the Bulldogs to take a look at the tape from the last meeting with NIU, an overwhelming 55-7 win for FSU back in 1991 which evened the all-time series at 2-2.
Fresno State 31, Northern Illinois 23
Humanitarian Bowl
Northern Illinois vs Fresno State
GAME NOTES: The 14th annual Humanitarian Bowl brings back a familiar face in the Fresno State Bulldogs who will be taking on the Northern Illinois Huskies this weekend in Boise, Idaho.
Fresno State, guided by head coach Pat Hill, is playing in this particular bowl game for the third time in the last seven years and already has wins over Virginia (37-34 OT) and Georgia Tech (40-28) in 2004 and 2007, respectively. Known as a program that is willing to take on anyone, anytime, anywhere, the Bulldogs managed to put together an 8-4 record in 2010 and were an impressive 5-3 versus the rest of the Western Athletic Conference. Coach Hill had little trouble guiding the squad to wins over the second-tier programs in the WAC and almost pulled off a huge upset against nationally-ranked Nevada as well, before bowing in a 35-34 final at home in the middle of November. The Bulldogs are currently riding a two-game win streak thanks to victories over Idaho and Illinois, although they came by a combined five points.
Meanwhile, Northern Illinois is a program in transition. Earlier this month head coach Jerry Kill accepted an offer to become the next head coach at Minnesota and that means assistant coach Tom Matukewicz will handle the head coaching responsibilities for this particular contest before the team is handed over to Dave Doeren, who will become the full-time man after his Wisconsin Badgers have finished up their season in the Rose Bowl against TCU on January 1, 2011.
The Huskies ran the table in the Mid-American Conference this season, sporting a perfect 8-0 record as they captured the West Division title. In fact, the team won nine straight games to close out the regular season, with the streak beginning with a 34-23 win at Minnesota ironically enough. However, even being the top scoring offense in the league (37.9 ppg) couldn't help the squad when it came to the MAC Championship game against Miami-Ohio. A week after putting up an incredible 71-3 win over Eastern Michigan, the Huskies found themselves with a disappointing 26-21 defeat at the hands of a RedHawks team that converted a late 4th-and-20 play to stay alive.
Needless to say, it was a devastating setback for a Northern Illinois group that had scored a combined 195 points in the third previous, but still there is work to be done.
"The staff and I are thrilled to have a plan in place to lead our football team at the Humanitarian Bowl in Boise, Idaho.," said Matukewicz when he assumed control. "Our hearts were broken in Detroit, then we lost our coach on Sunday, so we have a choice to make. We can all come together as a team, a university, a community and a region for a common goal, or we can start to fracture. On December 18, on national television, we have an opportunity to tell our story about a great university and a team everyone can be proud of. We have three goals in Boise - win, have fun and celebrate one of the best seasons in school history."
NIU's bowl history dates back to 1983 when the team took down Fullerton by a final of 20-13 in the California Bowl, but after that it was more than two decades before the Huskies made it back to the postseason with their 34-21 victory against Troy in the 2004 Silicon Valley Bowl. Unfortunately, the last three bowl appearances for NIU have all resulted in defeat, the most recent of those being a 27-3 loss to South Florida in last year's International Bowl which dropped the group to 2-3 in bowl outings.
As for the Bulldogs, they are into the postseason for the fourth straight year and the 24th time overall dating back to the 1937 All-American Bowl which brought them a 27-26 win over Arkansas State. Last season, FSU lost in double- overtime to Wyoming in the New Mexico Bowl, 35-28, which means the Bulldogs are now just a game over .500 in the postseason at 12-11.
"Our team is excited to play in the uDrove Humanitarian Bowl against a very talented Northern Illinois team," said coach Hill, who is in his 14th season at Fresno State. "Boise is a great football town with great fan support not only for their hometown Broncos but for college football in general. Our two previous trips were special and memorable for our team and we had two historic wins for our program. We are looking forward to the great hospitality of the people of the Treasure Valley."
The guiding force behind the high-powered Northern Illinois offense down the stretch came from the rushing attack which finished the season with not only 3,442 yards, but a staggering 38 touchdowns. In the final three regular-season dates, the group scored an amazing 18 TDs on the ground and Chad Spann played a big part of that as he hit the end zone eight times on his own versus Toledo, Ball State and EMU. Spann didn't exactly blow away opponents with overwhelming yardage totals, outside of his 223 yards on just 15 carries versus the Golden Gophers early on, but he was always there to get the team into the end zone which he did a total of 20 times.
Quarterback Chandler Harnish was a model of consistency with his 64.7 percent passing accuracy and 20 TDs through the air, against just five interceptions, which means the Huskies can beat you a couple of different ways when they face the right defense. Willie Clark led the group with 38 catches for 514 yards and seven TDs as well.
On defense, the Huskies have a couple of ball hawks who always seem to be part of the action in one way or another. Tyrone Clark and Chris Smith combined to log seven interceptions, the latter leading the team with nine pass breakups and a total of 12 defended. Tommy Davis accounted for three recovered fumbles as he also placed third on the squad with 69 tackles and because of that trio the Huskies finished second in the MAC and 17th in the nation in turnover margin (0.77) per game.
The hallmark of a Pat Hill-coached team continues to be the defense and, outside of the ugly 51-0 loss to Boise State on the road back in late November, it was again the centerpiece around what everything else was built in 2010. The group placed second in the conference and sixth in the nation in sacks with better than three per game and was 21st nationally with almost seven tackles for loss per outing and a lot of the credit there goes to senior defensive end Chris Carter. The California native led the WAC and was seventh in the nation in sacks with 11.0 for a loss of 63 yards on the season. He was tied for second in the conference in TFLs with 16.5 and forced four fumbles on the year as he became the fourth FSU member to earn the Western Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year award.
Once again the offense for the Bulldogs was rather ordinary in 2010, but of course that will always be the case when the program is going up against the likes of Hawaii, Nevada and Boise State every year anyway. Quarterback Ryan Colburn was responsible for converting almost 62 percent of his pass attempts for more than 2,500 yards and 21 touchdowns, against just nine interceptions, but after throwing nine TDs over the first three games he didn't exactly raise many eyebrows until the regular-season finale when he threw three TDs and posted just his second 300-yard passing game in the win over Illinois.
Receiver Jamel Hamler earned all-conference honors as he turned his 47 catches into 725 yards and five scores, all of which paced the Bulldogs, but once again this year the offense leaned heavily on the running back position and one Robbie Rouse who gained close to 1,100 yards and hit the end zone eight times. Rouse ran for more than 100 yards in four straight games and had back- to-back 200-yard efforts as well, but he missed the Illinois matchup and is listed as questionable this weekend with an injury to his ribs.
Going up against another high-powered offense won't be easy but coach Hill, who agreed to take less money to stay on with Fresno State, will have his boys ready after studying the film on how Miami-Ohio turned the trick. It also wouldn't hurt for the Bulldogs to take a look at the tape from the last meeting with NIU, an overwhelming 55-7 win for FSU back in 1991 which evened the all-time series at 2-2.
Fresno State 31, Northern Illinois 23
TheSports Network
New Mexico Bowl
Texas El Paso vs Brigham Young
B-Y-U (6-6) vs. Texas-El Paso (6-6)
GAME NOTES: A couple of .500 programs kick off the 2010 bowl season this weekend, as the BYU Cougars clash with the Miners of Texas-El Paso in the fifth annual New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque.
BYU, a program that has been one of the elite in the Mountain West Conference for several years, fell on hard times in 2010 and almost appeared to be preparing for a long, hard rebuilding campaign. Following a 23-17 win against Washington in the opener, the Cougars dropped four in a row and the question about the direction in which they were headed began popping up on a regular basis. However, despite having a fresh-faced quarterback, head coach Bronco Mendenhall refused to give up and thus began the great reclamation project that led to a 6-6 overall record and a 5-3 mark in conference play thanks to a string of four consecutive triumphs over the likes of Wyoming, UNLV, Colorado State and New Mexico before bowing at Utah in the regular-season finale by just a single point, 17-16.
As for the Miners, they built themselves up with early success by posting five wins in the first six games, the lone setback coming against a powerful Houston program on the road in week two. Unfortunately, from the middle of the season on the wins became more and more scarce for head coach Mike Price and his crew and as a result they just barely made the cut for the postseason with six wins in 12 opportunities. In fact, UTEP has won just once in the last six outings, a 28-14 triumph over SMU during Conference USA play.
In terms of past bowl experience, the Cougars are taking part in the postseason for the sixth consecutive year but the squad is still struggling with a 10-17-1 mark stretching back to 1974's loss to Oklahoma State in the Fiesta Bowl. A year ago the squad claimed a 44-20 win over Oregon State in the Las Vegas Bowl, the third time in the last four years that BYU has claimed that particular trophy.
Meanwhile, the Miners are back in the postseason for the first time since the 2005 GMAC Bowl when the group suffered a 45-13 loss to Toledo. UTEP has fallen in four straight postseason appearances and hasn't won since putting up a 14-7 decision against Ole Miss in the 1967 Sun Bowl. For their efforts, the Miners have a bowl record of 5-7 overall dating back to 1937.
Both programs are taking part in this bowl for the first time, but if past results are any indication of future expectations, the Cougars should be pleased to know that the last three winners of the event all hailed from the Mountain West Conference as well. A year ago it was Wyoming that secured a 35-28 double-overtime win against Fresno State.
As far as an all-time series between these two programs is concerned, BYU owns a 28-7-1 mark versus the Miners, thanks in part to a 31-14 win in the last encounter in November of 1998 between the two former members of the Western Athletic Conference. One interesting note that binds these two programs together is that Price once recruited Mendenhall many moons ago.
Coach Mendenhall has the Cougars in the postseason yet again, despite the team operating with a freshman quarterback for much of the season. Initially the plan was to go with a combination of Jake Heaps and Riley Nelson, but once the latter went down with an injury all the pressure was placed on the shoulders of Heaps. In the second half of the season when the Cougars really needed a boost, Heaps came alive with four straight passing efforts of at least 225 yards and he tossed nine touchdowns against just a single interception in those outings, showing tremendous growth down the stretch.
Making the second half of the season a bit easier on Heaps was JJ Di Luigi, who not only led the team in rushing with 819 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground, he also reeled in a team-high 42 receptions for another 422 yards and a TD as well. Luke Ashworth responded with 31 catches in just two starts during his 12 appearances, but he still turned those into 359 yards and six TDs. During the team's late four-game win streak the rushing attack was a crucial element in the success as the backs gained at least 200 yards and scored a combined 12 touchdowns to take some of the heat off Heaps.
While the offense was slowly building momentum for the Cougars in the second half of the season, so was a defense that allowed a combined 61 points in the final five games. Prior to that run, opponents of BYU had tallied no less than 17 points in any one contest so it was both facets of the team that began to turn the corner when it meant the most. The pass defense for the Cougars was one of the best in the MWC this season, ranking third in the league and 21st nationally with just 187.8 ypg allowed and because of that opponents struggled to generate more than 21.4 ppg on the season overall.
When it comes to offense, the Miners have been paced by quarterback Trevor Vittatoe for a number of years now and has thrown for more than 12,000 yards in his career. The signal-caller has tossed 94 TDs and been picked off 39 times during his time in El Paso, but this year he seemed to have some wild swings in which he either piled up the numbers or struggled to reach even the most basic of achievements. Five times this season, Vittatoe threw for at least three touchdowns in a game, hitting a total of five versus New Mexico State early on, but in the other seven contests he threw for a total of two scores.
Unfortunately for Vittatoe, the rushing attack barely made a dent against the competition on most weekends, averaging just 149.5 ypg to place seventh in Conference USA and 69th in the country, so there wasn't much help coming out of the backfield for UTEP. Wideout Chris Adams had some strong numbers down the field for the Miners with his 44 receptions for 917 yards and 11 TDs, but like Vittatoe those scoring plays seemed to come in clusters, like the one during a four-game streak in the first half of the season when Adams hit the end zone seven times in three games.
"They are pretty hot right now," notes coach Price of the Cougars heading into this meeting. "They might be one of the hottest teams in college football. Their freshman quarterback (Jake Heaps) has really turned it on lately and he's not a new freshman anymore. He's got 12 games under his belt so he knows how to play. They are huge up front and their backs are going to be hard to bring down. It is going to be a challenge I think for our defense."
The Miners are well aware of how much potential the BYU offense has when everything falls into place, which is why it will be important for the entire UTEP defense to be ready to go. Unfortunately, the squad doesn't have any singular stand-out performer that the Cougars have to key on with their blocking schemes and that could come back to haunt the Miners. In fact, UTEP failed to get much pressure at all at the line of scrimmage this season, averaging a mere 3.58 tackles for loss per game to rank last in the conference and 118th in the nation. Generating sacks was of similar concern as the group logged just 1.2 per contest to tie for 105th in the nation at the end of the regular season.
One player that might stand out for the Miners on that side of the ball is defensive back Travaun Nixon who leads the group with three interceptions and ranks third on the unit in total tackles with 69 as he was named to the All- Conference USA Second Team.
"I expect them to play really hard and be as motivated as we are to prove that maybe they are a better team than 6-6," says coach Mendenhall about the Miners..."Coach Price, you just look at his history and what he has done at UTEP, you can tell they will be well prepared and have good schemes. I've seen it on film so I think you'll get good coaching in the game and two motivated teams with an intriguing matchup. I think it's going to be a great game."
The outcome of this meeting will rest squarely in the hands of the respective quarterbacks and even though Heaps had the hotter hand down the stretch, there's something to be said for Vittatoe who has seen more than his share of action under center and deserves to finish off his senior campaign with one final shinning moment.
Texas-El Paso 41, BYU 24
New Mexico Bowl
Texas El Paso vs Brigham Young
B-Y-U (6-6) vs. Texas-El Paso (6-6)
GAME NOTES: A couple of .500 programs kick off the 2010 bowl season this weekend, as the BYU Cougars clash with the Miners of Texas-El Paso in the fifth annual New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque.
BYU, a program that has been one of the elite in the Mountain West Conference for several years, fell on hard times in 2010 and almost appeared to be preparing for a long, hard rebuilding campaign. Following a 23-17 win against Washington in the opener, the Cougars dropped four in a row and the question about the direction in which they were headed began popping up on a regular basis. However, despite having a fresh-faced quarterback, head coach Bronco Mendenhall refused to give up and thus began the great reclamation project that led to a 6-6 overall record and a 5-3 mark in conference play thanks to a string of four consecutive triumphs over the likes of Wyoming, UNLV, Colorado State and New Mexico before bowing at Utah in the regular-season finale by just a single point, 17-16.
As for the Miners, they built themselves up with early success by posting five wins in the first six games, the lone setback coming against a powerful Houston program on the road in week two. Unfortunately, from the middle of the season on the wins became more and more scarce for head coach Mike Price and his crew and as a result they just barely made the cut for the postseason with six wins in 12 opportunities. In fact, UTEP has won just once in the last six outings, a 28-14 triumph over SMU during Conference USA play.
In terms of past bowl experience, the Cougars are taking part in the postseason for the sixth consecutive year but the squad is still struggling with a 10-17-1 mark stretching back to 1974's loss to Oklahoma State in the Fiesta Bowl. A year ago the squad claimed a 44-20 win over Oregon State in the Las Vegas Bowl, the third time in the last four years that BYU has claimed that particular trophy.
Meanwhile, the Miners are back in the postseason for the first time since the 2005 GMAC Bowl when the group suffered a 45-13 loss to Toledo. UTEP has fallen in four straight postseason appearances and hasn't won since putting up a 14-7 decision against Ole Miss in the 1967 Sun Bowl. For their efforts, the Miners have a bowl record of 5-7 overall dating back to 1937.
Both programs are taking part in this bowl for the first time, but if past results are any indication of future expectations, the Cougars should be pleased to know that the last three winners of the event all hailed from the Mountain West Conference as well. A year ago it was Wyoming that secured a 35-28 double-overtime win against Fresno State.
As far as an all-time series between these two programs is concerned, BYU owns a 28-7-1 mark versus the Miners, thanks in part to a 31-14 win in the last encounter in November of 1998 between the two former members of the Western Athletic Conference. One interesting note that binds these two programs together is that Price once recruited Mendenhall many moons ago.
Coach Mendenhall has the Cougars in the postseason yet again, despite the team operating with a freshman quarterback for much of the season. Initially the plan was to go with a combination of Jake Heaps and Riley Nelson, but once the latter went down with an injury all the pressure was placed on the shoulders of Heaps. In the second half of the season when the Cougars really needed a boost, Heaps came alive with four straight passing efforts of at least 225 yards and he tossed nine touchdowns against just a single interception in those outings, showing tremendous growth down the stretch.
Making the second half of the season a bit easier on Heaps was JJ Di Luigi, who not only led the team in rushing with 819 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground, he also reeled in a team-high 42 receptions for another 422 yards and a TD as well. Luke Ashworth responded with 31 catches in just two starts during his 12 appearances, but he still turned those into 359 yards and six TDs. During the team's late four-game win streak the rushing attack was a crucial element in the success as the backs gained at least 200 yards and scored a combined 12 touchdowns to take some of the heat off Heaps.
While the offense was slowly building momentum for the Cougars in the second half of the season, so was a defense that allowed a combined 61 points in the final five games. Prior to that run, opponents of BYU had tallied no less than 17 points in any one contest so it was both facets of the team that began to turn the corner when it meant the most. The pass defense for the Cougars was one of the best in the MWC this season, ranking third in the league and 21st nationally with just 187.8 ypg allowed and because of that opponents struggled to generate more than 21.4 ppg on the season overall.
When it comes to offense, the Miners have been paced by quarterback Trevor Vittatoe for a number of years now and has thrown for more than 12,000 yards in his career. The signal-caller has tossed 94 TDs and been picked off 39 times during his time in El Paso, but this year he seemed to have some wild swings in which he either piled up the numbers or struggled to reach even the most basic of achievements. Five times this season, Vittatoe threw for at least three touchdowns in a game, hitting a total of five versus New Mexico State early on, but in the other seven contests he threw for a total of two scores.
Unfortunately for Vittatoe, the rushing attack barely made a dent against the competition on most weekends, averaging just 149.5 ypg to place seventh in Conference USA and 69th in the country, so there wasn't much help coming out of the backfield for UTEP. Wideout Chris Adams had some strong numbers down the field for the Miners with his 44 receptions for 917 yards and 11 TDs, but like Vittatoe those scoring plays seemed to come in clusters, like the one during a four-game streak in the first half of the season when Adams hit the end zone seven times in three games.
"They are pretty hot right now," notes coach Price of the Cougars heading into this meeting. "They might be one of the hottest teams in college football. Their freshman quarterback (Jake Heaps) has really turned it on lately and he's not a new freshman anymore. He's got 12 games under his belt so he knows how to play. They are huge up front and their backs are going to be hard to bring down. It is going to be a challenge I think for our defense."
The Miners are well aware of how much potential the BYU offense has when everything falls into place, which is why it will be important for the entire UTEP defense to be ready to go. Unfortunately, the squad doesn't have any singular stand-out performer that the Cougars have to key on with their blocking schemes and that could come back to haunt the Miners. In fact, UTEP failed to get much pressure at all at the line of scrimmage this season, averaging a mere 3.58 tackles for loss per game to rank last in the conference and 118th in the nation. Generating sacks was of similar concern as the group logged just 1.2 per contest to tie for 105th in the nation at the end of the regular season.
One player that might stand out for the Miners on that side of the ball is defensive back Travaun Nixon who leads the group with three interceptions and ranks third on the unit in total tackles with 69 as he was named to the All- Conference USA Second Team.
"I expect them to play really hard and be as motivated as we are to prove that maybe they are a better team than 6-6," says coach Mendenhall about the Miners..."Coach Price, you just look at his history and what he has done at UTEP, you can tell they will be well prepared and have good schemes. I've seen it on film so I think you'll get good coaching in the game and two motivated teams with an intriguing matchup. I think it's going to be a great game."
The outcome of this meeting will rest squarely in the hands of the respective quarterbacks and even though Heaps had the hotter hand down the stretch, there's something to be said for Vittatoe who has seen more than his share of action under center and deserves to finish off his senior campaign with one final shinning moment.
Texas-El Paso 41, BYU 24
The Sports Network
New Orleans Bowl
Ohio vs Troy
Ohio University (8-4) vs. Troy (7-5)
GAME NOTES: Troy will make its third straight bowl appearance this Saturday, when the Trojans take on the Ohio University Bobcats in the New Orleans Bowl from the Louisiana Superdome.
This is the third straight bowl appearance for the Trojans, and the fifth in the last seven years. Two of those postseason matchups have taken place in the New Orleans Bowl, so it is safe to assume the Trojans will not be overwhelmed by the lure of Bourbon Street. Overall the Trojans are just 1-3 in their bowl appearances, and one of those setbacks came against Southern Mississippi in the Superdome back in 2008. However, the lone victory also came in the building, as the Trojans claimed the New Orleans Bowl title with a 44-17 victory over Rice in 2006.
When the season started in Troy, the players had a goal for the season and along with that goal came the catchy moniker "Drive for Five". With the team clinching at least a share of the four previous Sun Belt Conference titles, the Trojans were driven for a fifth title, and while the team achieved that goal, it certainly wasn't easy. Thanks to a little help from Middle Tennessee, which defeated FIU in its regular-season finale, the Trojans finished tied with the Golden Panthers atop of the league standings at 6-2.
"We did it," receiver Jason Bruce said. "We completed the 'Drive for Five'. That was the main thing on my mind. Middle Tennessee came through to beat FIU. A lot of guys that graduated before wanted us to keep the legacy alive. They wanted us to keep the things going that they started which was winning the conference."
Entering their second bye of the season the Trojans were a healthy 4-2 on the year, but a poor four-game stretch which saw Troy lose three games, including a 52-35 setback to FIU left another league title in doubt. However, Larry Blakeney is a veteran coach, and he kept his team focused on the prize, and the team's unbreakable will to win pushed the Trojans through Western Kentucky and Florida Atlantic in their final two matchups.
While the Trojans' regular season ended with a bang, the Bobcats closed out their schedule with a whimper. Coach Frank Solich's crew opened the year with a poor September, losing three of its first four games, but once the calendar shifted to October the Bobcats turned opponents into prey. One by one the Bobcats dominated their competition, and when the dust settled Ohio went into its regular-season finale with a seven-game winning streak and a chance to claim its third Mid-American Conference East Division title in five seasons. All the Bobcats needed to do was beat a mediocre Kent State squad and it was off to Detroit to take on Northern Illinois in the MAC Championship. However, that was not the case, as the Bobcats were stunned by the Golden Flashes, 28-6. It was truly a shocking turn of events for coach Solich and his Bobcats, who scored over 30 ppg during their winning streak. Despite the loss, Ohio still earned a trip to New Orleans and these players understand it is an honor and a privilege.
"The traditions in New Orleans are very rich," said Ohio senior safety and captain Donovan Fletcher. "The opportunity to play a bowl game there makes the experience even more memorable. Troy is an exceptional team and competing against them will be a challenge that I know our team is looking forward to."
Surely a division title and chance at a conference championship would have sent the Bobcats charging into a bowl game, but instead Ohio will need to pick up the pieces, forget about what could have been, and try to capture the first bowl victory in school history. This is only the fifth bowl matchup for the Bobcats, but it is the third since 2007. Ohio made a trip to the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl last year, but was narrowly defeated by Marshall, 21-17.
What will make this game even more appealing is the fact that this will be the first-ever battle between the two programs on the gridiron.
Over the past few seasons the offense for Troy caused terror inside the Sun Belt. However, the year began with a fresh-faced quarterback, who was replacing one of the all-time greats at the school. When the season opened no one in Troy knew what to expect from Corey Robinson, and the departure of Levi Brown could have meant the reign for the Trojans was finally coming to an end.
Clearly, that was not the case. Robinson stepped in and instantly started airing the ball out, as if he was picking up where Brown left off. The redshirt freshman threw for 3,339 yards and 24 touchdowns while completing over 62 percent of his throws. All those numbers added up to Second Team honors in the Sun Belt and a Freshman of the Year award as well, but more importantly to Robinson and the fans of Troy, they led to another league title. Now the next step for the young gunslinger will be to prove he can perform on the big stage of a bowl game.
It definitely helped Robinson's maturation process having a player as explosive and talented as Jerrel Jernigan at his disposal. Jernigan will go down not only as the best receiver in the program's history, but will also be on a short list of some of the best to ever play in the Sun Belt. Jernigan will finish his college career as the record holder for receptions, yards and all-purpose yards at Troy and in the Sun Belt. This year, the veteran wideout led the team with 77 receptions and 774 yards, while also hauling in five touchdowns. Along with his ability to burn defensive backs, Jernigan is also a tremendous return man and will definitely be on coach Solich's list as the number one player that needs to be contained in this matchup.
Opponents are going to focus their attention on stopping Robinson and the passing attack from putting up its usual numbers, but if Ohio is too worried about the pass, than the Bobcats could be burned on the ground. With all the attention being diverted to the passing game, and rightfully so, the rushing attack for Troy can quietly put up solid numbers. In fact, the team comes into this game averaging 151.3 ypg and is being paced by Shawn Southward (548 yards, seven TDs) and DuJuan Harris (498 yards, five TDs).
Coach Blakeney went to bed every night before a game knowing his offense was going to produce, but in the back of his mind lied the play of the defense. For everything the offense did right this season, the defense responded with inconsistent play. It wasn't all bad for this unit, as the Trojans made plenty of big plays and finished the regular season with 35 sacks and 28 takeaways. However, with all those sacks and takeaways, the defense still surrendered an inexcusable 31.0 ppg.
The majority of those sacks were racked up by Jonathan Massaquoi and Mario Addison. Massaquoi, who is a First Team All-Sun Belt selection tallied 11, while Addison (Second Team) collected nine. The two players also combined for 31.5 TFLs on the year, but no matter how much pressure the duo brought, the defense still could not stop the pass, allowing 247.6 ypg through the air.
Also by mid-season it was clearly that Massaquoi and the rest of the frontline, might play like gangbusters against the pass, but when it came to defending the run, the unit was lacking. Troy was simply overmatched and overpowered on the ground, as opponents gashed the team for 170.8 ypg and 26 touchdowns.
The reason Troy's top priority should be to stop the run, is because the Bobcats are dedicated to pounding the rock. Behind two First Team All-MAC tackles in Joe Flading and A.J. Strum, the Bobcats will definitely try to establish the run early and wear down this Trojan defense through four quarters.
The Bobcats head into this matchup averaging a respectable 169.2 ypg on the ground, but Troy will not be able to focus on one player, and will also need to worry about the quarterback taking off down the field as well. Because of that, Ohio has the ability to fool opponents with its ground game. Sure, Vince Davidson is leading the team with 513 yards, to go along with six touchdowns, but the second two rushing leaders are quarterbacks. Phil Bates, who is mainly brought into the game to run the football, has rumbled for 508 yards, while starting quarterback Boo Jackson has rushed for 325 yards and a team-best seven touchdowns.
While the Bobcats might pose a threat on the ground, their passing attack is not going to scare any opponent, even Troy. Jackson did complete slightly over 60.0 percent of his throws, but comes into New Orleans with just 15 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. And as for Bates, his passing numbers are a clear indication why he is brought into games, because the young QB has completed just 40.9 percent of his throws. If Jackson is unable to make Troy respect the pass, than the Bobcats could be in for another performance similar to the one against Kent State.
Since coach Solich has been at Ohio, the number one priority has been playing tough, and tenacious defense. Each year the Bobcats seem to be one of the best defensive teams in the MAC, and that was certainly the case this season, as they held the opposition to just 21.8 ppg.
The leader of this unit is veteran safety Donovan Fletcher, who racked up 68 tackles, while earning Second Team honors in the MAC. Fletcher collected five of the team's 17 interceptions and was the biggest reason for the team's success against the pass. Fletcher is more than a playmaker, he is virtually a coach on the field, and his guidance and understanding of the defense is the reason why Ohio allowed only 17 touchdowns via the pass. One of the key matchups in this game on Saturday will be the play of Fletcher and this tough defensive backfield against the arm of Robinson and Troy's receiving corps.
Troy should not expect much success on the ground, because if there is one area where the Bobcats have excelled it is against the run. Ohio was suffocating this season, limiting opponents to just 115.0 ypg on a mere 3.2 yards per attempt.
The defense will definitely keep the Bobcats within striking distance throughout the matchup, but the Trojans simply have too many weapons and will score enough to gain a victory.
Troy 31, Ohio University 20
New Orleans Bowl
Ohio vs Troy
Ohio University (8-4) vs. Troy (7-5)
GAME NOTES: Troy will make its third straight bowl appearance this Saturday, when the Trojans take on the Ohio University Bobcats in the New Orleans Bowl from the Louisiana Superdome.
This is the third straight bowl appearance for the Trojans, and the fifth in the last seven years. Two of those postseason matchups have taken place in the New Orleans Bowl, so it is safe to assume the Trojans will not be overwhelmed by the lure of Bourbon Street. Overall the Trojans are just 1-3 in their bowl appearances, and one of those setbacks came against Southern Mississippi in the Superdome back in 2008. However, the lone victory also came in the building, as the Trojans claimed the New Orleans Bowl title with a 44-17 victory over Rice in 2006.
When the season started in Troy, the players had a goal for the season and along with that goal came the catchy moniker "Drive for Five". With the team clinching at least a share of the four previous Sun Belt Conference titles, the Trojans were driven for a fifth title, and while the team achieved that goal, it certainly wasn't easy. Thanks to a little help from Middle Tennessee, which defeated FIU in its regular-season finale, the Trojans finished tied with the Golden Panthers atop of the league standings at 6-2.
"We did it," receiver Jason Bruce said. "We completed the 'Drive for Five'. That was the main thing on my mind. Middle Tennessee came through to beat FIU. A lot of guys that graduated before wanted us to keep the legacy alive. They wanted us to keep the things going that they started which was winning the conference."
Entering their second bye of the season the Trojans were a healthy 4-2 on the year, but a poor four-game stretch which saw Troy lose three games, including a 52-35 setback to FIU left another league title in doubt. However, Larry Blakeney is a veteran coach, and he kept his team focused on the prize, and the team's unbreakable will to win pushed the Trojans through Western Kentucky and Florida Atlantic in their final two matchups.
While the Trojans' regular season ended with a bang, the Bobcats closed out their schedule with a whimper. Coach Frank Solich's crew opened the year with a poor September, losing three of its first four games, but once the calendar shifted to October the Bobcats turned opponents into prey. One by one the Bobcats dominated their competition, and when the dust settled Ohio went into its regular-season finale with a seven-game winning streak and a chance to claim its third Mid-American Conference East Division title in five seasons. All the Bobcats needed to do was beat a mediocre Kent State squad and it was off to Detroit to take on Northern Illinois in the MAC Championship. However, that was not the case, as the Bobcats were stunned by the Golden Flashes, 28-6. It was truly a shocking turn of events for coach Solich and his Bobcats, who scored over 30 ppg during their winning streak. Despite the loss, Ohio still earned a trip to New Orleans and these players understand it is an honor and a privilege.
"The traditions in New Orleans are very rich," said Ohio senior safety and captain Donovan Fletcher. "The opportunity to play a bowl game there makes the experience even more memorable. Troy is an exceptional team and competing against them will be a challenge that I know our team is looking forward to."
Surely a division title and chance at a conference championship would have sent the Bobcats charging into a bowl game, but instead Ohio will need to pick up the pieces, forget about what could have been, and try to capture the first bowl victory in school history. This is only the fifth bowl matchup for the Bobcats, but it is the third since 2007. Ohio made a trip to the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl last year, but was narrowly defeated by Marshall, 21-17.
What will make this game even more appealing is the fact that this will be the first-ever battle between the two programs on the gridiron.
Over the past few seasons the offense for Troy caused terror inside the Sun Belt. However, the year began with a fresh-faced quarterback, who was replacing one of the all-time greats at the school. When the season opened no one in Troy knew what to expect from Corey Robinson, and the departure of Levi Brown could have meant the reign for the Trojans was finally coming to an end.
Clearly, that was not the case. Robinson stepped in and instantly started airing the ball out, as if he was picking up where Brown left off. The redshirt freshman threw for 3,339 yards and 24 touchdowns while completing over 62 percent of his throws. All those numbers added up to Second Team honors in the Sun Belt and a Freshman of the Year award as well, but more importantly to Robinson and the fans of Troy, they led to another league title. Now the next step for the young gunslinger will be to prove he can perform on the big stage of a bowl game.
It definitely helped Robinson's maturation process having a player as explosive and talented as Jerrel Jernigan at his disposal. Jernigan will go down not only as the best receiver in the program's history, but will also be on a short list of some of the best to ever play in the Sun Belt. Jernigan will finish his college career as the record holder for receptions, yards and all-purpose yards at Troy and in the Sun Belt. This year, the veteran wideout led the team with 77 receptions and 774 yards, while also hauling in five touchdowns. Along with his ability to burn defensive backs, Jernigan is also a tremendous return man and will definitely be on coach Solich's list as the number one player that needs to be contained in this matchup.
Opponents are going to focus their attention on stopping Robinson and the passing attack from putting up its usual numbers, but if Ohio is too worried about the pass, than the Bobcats could be burned on the ground. With all the attention being diverted to the passing game, and rightfully so, the rushing attack for Troy can quietly put up solid numbers. In fact, the team comes into this game averaging 151.3 ypg and is being paced by Shawn Southward (548 yards, seven TDs) and DuJuan Harris (498 yards, five TDs).
Coach Blakeney went to bed every night before a game knowing his offense was going to produce, but in the back of his mind lied the play of the defense. For everything the offense did right this season, the defense responded with inconsistent play. It wasn't all bad for this unit, as the Trojans made plenty of big plays and finished the regular season with 35 sacks and 28 takeaways. However, with all those sacks and takeaways, the defense still surrendered an inexcusable 31.0 ppg.
The majority of those sacks were racked up by Jonathan Massaquoi and Mario Addison. Massaquoi, who is a First Team All-Sun Belt selection tallied 11, while Addison (Second Team) collected nine. The two players also combined for 31.5 TFLs on the year, but no matter how much pressure the duo brought, the defense still could not stop the pass, allowing 247.6 ypg through the air.
Also by mid-season it was clearly that Massaquoi and the rest of the frontline, might play like gangbusters against the pass, but when it came to defending the run, the unit was lacking. Troy was simply overmatched and overpowered on the ground, as opponents gashed the team for 170.8 ypg and 26 touchdowns.
The reason Troy's top priority should be to stop the run, is because the Bobcats are dedicated to pounding the rock. Behind two First Team All-MAC tackles in Joe Flading and A.J. Strum, the Bobcats will definitely try to establish the run early and wear down this Trojan defense through four quarters.
The Bobcats head into this matchup averaging a respectable 169.2 ypg on the ground, but Troy will not be able to focus on one player, and will also need to worry about the quarterback taking off down the field as well. Because of that, Ohio has the ability to fool opponents with its ground game. Sure, Vince Davidson is leading the team with 513 yards, to go along with six touchdowns, but the second two rushing leaders are quarterbacks. Phil Bates, who is mainly brought into the game to run the football, has rumbled for 508 yards, while starting quarterback Boo Jackson has rushed for 325 yards and a team-best seven touchdowns.
While the Bobcats might pose a threat on the ground, their passing attack is not going to scare any opponent, even Troy. Jackson did complete slightly over 60.0 percent of his throws, but comes into New Orleans with just 15 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. And as for Bates, his passing numbers are a clear indication why he is brought into games, because the young QB has completed just 40.9 percent of his throws. If Jackson is unable to make Troy respect the pass, than the Bobcats could be in for another performance similar to the one against Kent State.
Since coach Solich has been at Ohio, the number one priority has been playing tough, and tenacious defense. Each year the Bobcats seem to be one of the best defensive teams in the MAC, and that was certainly the case this season, as they held the opposition to just 21.8 ppg.
The leader of this unit is veteran safety Donovan Fletcher, who racked up 68 tackles, while earning Second Team honors in the MAC. Fletcher collected five of the team's 17 interceptions and was the biggest reason for the team's success against the pass. Fletcher is more than a playmaker, he is virtually a coach on the field, and his guidance and understanding of the defense is the reason why Ohio allowed only 17 touchdowns via the pass. One of the key matchups in this game on Saturday will be the play of Fletcher and this tough defensive backfield against the arm of Robinson and Troy's receiving corps.
Troy should not expect much success on the ground, because if there is one area where the Bobcats have excelled it is against the run. Ohio was suffocating this season, limiting opponents to just 115.0 ypg on a mere 3.2 yards per attempt.
The defense will definitely keep the Bobcats within striking distance throughout the matchup, but the Trojans simply have too many weapons and will score enough to gain a victory.
Troy 31, Ohio University 20
Winning Points
NBA
Miami over *Washington by 10
The Heat opened a mediocre 9-8, but since then have posted eight consecutive double-
digit victories through Nov. 12. They started the streak beating the Wizards by 11
points. MIAMI 100-90.
***BEST BET
*Orlando over Philadelphia by 22
The 76ers have been playing much better, but this is a bad scheduling spot. They hosted
the Lakers last night, while Orlando has been idle since Tuesday. The Magic have
been bit by the flu bug, but should be at 100 percent following the long layoff.
Dwight Howard ranked 15th in scoring, second in rebounding and fourth in blocked
shots. He’s a matchup nightmare for the 76ers. ORLANDO 112-90.
New York over *Cleveland by 3
The scary thing isn’t that the Cavaliers are losing, but how bad they have been losing.
They’ve been outscored by an average of 23 points in their last 12 games through Dec.
11. NEW YORK 105-102.
*Chicago over Los Angeles Clippers by 13
Derrick Rose, much improved defense and Carlos Boozer in sync with his new teammates
have transformed the Bulls into one of the most dangerous teams in the Eastern
Conference. The Bulls have been particularly strong against Western Conference
opponents going 38-17-3 ATS. CHICAGO 100-87.
*San Antonio over Memphis by 7
The Grizzlies entered the second weekend of this month leading the league in points
scored in the paint thanks to Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol. San Antonio, though,
was 7-2 ATS as home chalk through Dec. 11. SAN ANTONIO 102-95.
Utah over *Milwaukee by 6
The Jazz shouldn’t be bothered playing in the second of back-to-back nights since they
previously were in action back on Monday. No point guard has been performing as
well as Deron Williams. UTAH 98-92.
***BEST BET
Minnesota over *Denver by 2
While not fans of Kurt Rambis, we do like Minny’s youngl talent. Luke Ridnour has
been providing a steady hand at point guard too. Chauncey Billups isn’t the player he
once was for Denver. Since an opening night victory against Utah, the Nuggets are 1-
7-1 ATS as home chalk through Dec. 13. When hosting foes with a losing road mark,
the Nuggets are a brutal 5-22-2. This also is a bit of a sandwich spot for Denver since
it is in-between games versus the Spurs. MINNESOTA 114-112.
*Portland over Golden State by 4
Until Brandon Roy proves he’s past his knee injury and demonstrates his old explosiveness,
the Trail Blazers can’t be trusted to cover medium-sized spreads. PORTLAND
107-103.
NCAA
Georgia* over Arkansas State by 15
Sun Belt team averaging less than 70 ppg doesn’t seem like good leverage on the road
against an SEC team gearing up, with four double-digit scorers. GEORGIA, 78-63.
Kansas* over USC by 20
Close call vs. UCLA, and USC’s ripping of Big 12 foe Texas, allows Kansas coach Self
to get his team’s attention and once he has it, 55% shooting percentage from the field,
and 40.5% three-point shooting, should take care of the rest against depth-shy visitor.
KANSAS, 81-61.
Miami-FL over Central Florida by 7 (Sunrise, FL)
VCU* over Tulane by 15
Loyola-Chicago over DePaul* by 3
Illinois over Illinois-Chicago* by 15 (United Center)
***BEST BET
Ohio State over South Carolina by 30
The only two real teams on South Carolina’s schedule so far scored 82 and 87 points,
and both of those games were on the road at Michigan State and Western Kentucky.
Ohio State plays a quicker pace than either, and has a better balanced offense, too.
Gamecocks’ leading scorer is a 5’9" freshman who will become more of a target the
longer he is exposed. OHIO STATE, 91-61.
Butler* over Stanford by 11
Texas A&M* over Arkansas by 9
St. Bonaventure* over Ohio by 6
Temple* over Northern Illinois by 16
After beating Maryland and Georgetown, then destroying Akron, try telling your
Owls players to take NIU – a team that won’t challenged Temple for any kind of
NCAA berth – seriously. TEMPLE, 69-53.
St. Mary’s over Long Beach State* by 10
LBS’s 91-point outburst at North Carolina – in defeat -- is more than likely a fluky
kinda thing to eventually attract too much money on them vs. yet another good offensive
opponent. ST. MARY’S, 85-75.
Evansville* over Middle Tennessee by 2
Kansas State over Florida by 7 (Sunrise, FL)
Texas over North Carolina by 2 (Greensboro, NC)
Virginia Tech over Mississippi State by 10 (Bahamas)
Purdue* over Indiana State by 19 (Indianapolis, IN)
Baylor* over Gonzaga by 11
Not trusting Gonzaga against good offensive opponents. They only covered Notre
Dame by a close shave because of missed free throws by the Irish. BAYLOR, 86-75.
BYU over UCLA by 8 (at Anaheim)
California* over Cal Poly-SLO by 18
Oklahoma State over Alabama by 10 (Oklahoma City)
***BEST BET
Wright State* over Miami-OH by 18
With N’Gai Evans back in the fold, Wright State features three senior guards averaging
from 13.5 to 17.2 points per game. Wright’s first-season head coach was promoted
from within, so this program’s defensive mentality remains intact. Miami’s two
leading scorers are frontcourt players, which is not what you want to have going
against a tenacious zone defense. WRIGHT STATE, 67-49.
South Florida* over James Madison by 14
West Virginia* over Cleveland State by 14
Central Michigan* over Detroit by 1
**PREFERRED
Richmond over Georgia Tech by 14 (Bahamas)
Nobody from power-conferences takes Richmond seriously, and the Spiders weave
their tangled web around opponents as a result. This foe features sub-30% three-point
shooting, lousy coaching, players who left early after last season. Richmond’s defense
just begs for an opponent whose second- and third-leading scorers are kids seeing
many more minutes than they did last season, with the point guard that has to get the
ball to them as the leading scorer. RICHMOND, 72-58.
Oregon State* over George Washington by 6
OSU will roll out the red carpet for a visitor that shoots worse than they do. GW is
hitting only 35.9% from the field. Ugh! Their only other true road game was a 14-
point loss at George Mason. OREGON STATE, 63-57.
Villanova* over Delaware by 29
Having more turnovers than assists, and moving up in class on the road, and also having
the fewest steals in the nation among all bettable college basketball teams, is not
the formula for staying close on the road. VILLANOVA, 88-59.
**PREFERRED
Wichita State over LSU* by 10
LSU’s 59-55 recent home win against Central Michigan, one of the youngest teams
in the nation, is probably foreshadowing a home loss to this more experienced
Missouri Valley visitor, whose good team defense is matched up well against an LSU
offense that still has a lot to prove. The Tigers get only 12.8 assists per game to the
Shockers’ 17.6. WICHITA STATE, 70-60.
Iowa over Drake* by 8
Missouri State* over Saint Louis by 17
Xavier* over Wake Forest by 2
Wake Forest is among the nation’s leaders in blocked shots, and Xavier is struggling to
generate offense. XAVIER, 63-61.
Wisconsin-Milwaukee* over Bowling Green by 14
Live dangerously when using road teams that shoot the three-pointer as poorly as
Bowling Green does (26%). WISCONSIN-MILWAUKEE, 72-58.
Washington* over San Francisco by 26
Home team averages better than 90 per game overall and is coming off a loss. Visitor
nets less than 70 per game overall. Not a good spot for the visitor. WASHINGTON,
95-69.
New Mexico State* over Pacific by 2
Cincinnati over Oklahoma by 4 (Oklahoma City)
San Diego State* over Cal-Santa Barbara by 1
Pepperdine* over Cal-Irvine by 5
Florida State over Loyola Marymount* by 6
Does Florida State head coach Leonard Hamilton have a relative he wants to visit in
Los Angeles, CA? Maybe, maybe not, but the Seminoles are going to Hawaii after this,
so they thought they might as well stop along the way. LMU needs to wake up from
three-point range (27%). FLORIDA STATE, 71-65.
NBA
Miami over *Washington by 10
The Heat opened a mediocre 9-8, but since then have posted eight consecutive double-
digit victories through Nov. 12. They started the streak beating the Wizards by 11
points. MIAMI 100-90.
***BEST BET
*Orlando over Philadelphia by 22
The 76ers have been playing much better, but this is a bad scheduling spot. They hosted
the Lakers last night, while Orlando has been idle since Tuesday. The Magic have
been bit by the flu bug, but should be at 100 percent following the long layoff.
Dwight Howard ranked 15th in scoring, second in rebounding and fourth in blocked
shots. He’s a matchup nightmare for the 76ers. ORLANDO 112-90.
New York over *Cleveland by 3
The scary thing isn’t that the Cavaliers are losing, but how bad they have been losing.
They’ve been outscored by an average of 23 points in their last 12 games through Dec.
11. NEW YORK 105-102.
*Chicago over Los Angeles Clippers by 13
Derrick Rose, much improved defense and Carlos Boozer in sync with his new teammates
have transformed the Bulls into one of the most dangerous teams in the Eastern
Conference. The Bulls have been particularly strong against Western Conference
opponents going 38-17-3 ATS. CHICAGO 100-87.
*San Antonio over Memphis by 7
The Grizzlies entered the second weekend of this month leading the league in points
scored in the paint thanks to Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol. San Antonio, though,
was 7-2 ATS as home chalk through Dec. 11. SAN ANTONIO 102-95.
Utah over *Milwaukee by 6
The Jazz shouldn’t be bothered playing in the second of back-to-back nights since they
previously were in action back on Monday. No point guard has been performing as
well as Deron Williams. UTAH 98-92.
***BEST BET
Minnesota over *Denver by 2
While not fans of Kurt Rambis, we do like Minny’s youngl talent. Luke Ridnour has
been providing a steady hand at point guard too. Chauncey Billups isn’t the player he
once was for Denver. Since an opening night victory against Utah, the Nuggets are 1-
7-1 ATS as home chalk through Dec. 13. When hosting foes with a losing road mark,
the Nuggets are a brutal 5-22-2. This also is a bit of a sandwich spot for Denver since
it is in-between games versus the Spurs. MINNESOTA 114-112.
*Portland over Golden State by 4
Until Brandon Roy proves he’s past his knee injury and demonstrates his old explosiveness,
the Trail Blazers can’t be trusted to cover medium-sized spreads. PORTLAND
107-103.
NCAA
Georgia* over Arkansas State by 15
Sun Belt team averaging less than 70 ppg doesn’t seem like good leverage on the road
against an SEC team gearing up, with four double-digit scorers. GEORGIA, 78-63.
Kansas* over USC by 20
Close call vs. UCLA, and USC’s ripping of Big 12 foe Texas, allows Kansas coach Self
to get his team’s attention and once he has it, 55% shooting percentage from the field,
and 40.5% three-point shooting, should take care of the rest against depth-shy visitor.
KANSAS, 81-61.
Miami-FL over Central Florida by 7 (Sunrise, FL)
VCU* over Tulane by 15
Loyola-Chicago over DePaul* by 3
Illinois over Illinois-Chicago* by 15 (United Center)
***BEST BET
Ohio State over South Carolina by 30
The only two real teams on South Carolina’s schedule so far scored 82 and 87 points,
and both of those games were on the road at Michigan State and Western Kentucky.
Ohio State plays a quicker pace than either, and has a better balanced offense, too.
Gamecocks’ leading scorer is a 5’9" freshman who will become more of a target the
longer he is exposed. OHIO STATE, 91-61.
Butler* over Stanford by 11
Texas A&M* over Arkansas by 9
St. Bonaventure* over Ohio by 6
Temple* over Northern Illinois by 16
After beating Maryland and Georgetown, then destroying Akron, try telling your
Owls players to take NIU – a team that won’t challenged Temple for any kind of
NCAA berth – seriously. TEMPLE, 69-53.
St. Mary’s over Long Beach State* by 10
LBS’s 91-point outburst at North Carolina – in defeat -- is more than likely a fluky
kinda thing to eventually attract too much money on them vs. yet another good offensive
opponent. ST. MARY’S, 85-75.
Evansville* over Middle Tennessee by 2
Kansas State over Florida by 7 (Sunrise, FL)
Texas over North Carolina by 2 (Greensboro, NC)
Virginia Tech over Mississippi State by 10 (Bahamas)
Purdue* over Indiana State by 19 (Indianapolis, IN)
Baylor* over Gonzaga by 11
Not trusting Gonzaga against good offensive opponents. They only covered Notre
Dame by a close shave because of missed free throws by the Irish. BAYLOR, 86-75.
BYU over UCLA by 8 (at Anaheim)
California* over Cal Poly-SLO by 18
Oklahoma State over Alabama by 10 (Oklahoma City)
***BEST BET
Wright State* over Miami-OH by 18
With N’Gai Evans back in the fold, Wright State features three senior guards averaging
from 13.5 to 17.2 points per game. Wright’s first-season head coach was promoted
from within, so this program’s defensive mentality remains intact. Miami’s two
leading scorers are frontcourt players, which is not what you want to have going
against a tenacious zone defense. WRIGHT STATE, 67-49.
South Florida* over James Madison by 14
West Virginia* over Cleveland State by 14
Central Michigan* over Detroit by 1
**PREFERRED
Richmond over Georgia Tech by 14 (Bahamas)
Nobody from power-conferences takes Richmond seriously, and the Spiders weave
their tangled web around opponents as a result. This foe features sub-30% three-point
shooting, lousy coaching, players who left early after last season. Richmond’s defense
just begs for an opponent whose second- and third-leading scorers are kids seeing
many more minutes than they did last season, with the point guard that has to get the
ball to them as the leading scorer. RICHMOND, 72-58.
Oregon State* over George Washington by 6
OSU will roll out the red carpet for a visitor that shoots worse than they do. GW is
hitting only 35.9% from the field. Ugh! Their only other true road game was a 14-
point loss at George Mason. OREGON STATE, 63-57.
Villanova* over Delaware by 29
Having more turnovers than assists, and moving up in class on the road, and also having
the fewest steals in the nation among all bettable college basketball teams, is not
the formula for staying close on the road. VILLANOVA, 88-59.
**PREFERRED
Wichita State over LSU* by 10
LSU’s 59-55 recent home win against Central Michigan, one of the youngest teams
in the nation, is probably foreshadowing a home loss to this more experienced
Missouri Valley visitor, whose good team defense is matched up well against an LSU
offense that still has a lot to prove. The Tigers get only 12.8 assists per game to the
Shockers’ 17.6. WICHITA STATE, 70-60.
Iowa over Drake* by 8
Missouri State* over Saint Louis by 17
Xavier* over Wake Forest by 2
Wake Forest is among the nation’s leaders in blocked shots, and Xavier is struggling to
generate offense. XAVIER, 63-61.
Wisconsin-Milwaukee* over Bowling Green by 14
Live dangerously when using road teams that shoot the three-pointer as poorly as
Bowling Green does (26%). WISCONSIN-MILWAUKEE, 72-58.
Washington* over San Francisco by 26
Home team averages better than 90 per game overall and is coming off a loss. Visitor
nets less than 70 per game overall. Not a good spot for the visitor. WASHINGTON,
95-69.
New Mexico State* over Pacific by 2
Cincinnati over Oklahoma by 4 (Oklahoma City)
San Diego State* over Cal-Santa Barbara by 1
Pepperdine* over Cal-Irvine by 5
Florida State over Loyola Marymount* by 6
Does Florida State head coach Leonard Hamilton have a relative he wants to visit in
Los Angeles, CA? Maybe, maybe not, but the Seminoles are going to Hawaii after this,
so they thought they might as well stop along the way. LMU needs to wake up from
three-point range (27%). FLORIDA STATE, 71-65.
NCAA Basketball Picks
Texas vs. North Carolina
The Tar Heels look to take advantage of a Texas team that is 2-7 ATS in its last 9 games as an underdog from 1 to 6 1/2 points. North Carolina is the pick (-2 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Tar Heels favored by 5. Dunkel Pick: North Carolina (-2 1/2). Here are all of today's games.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18
Time Posted: 8:30 a.m. EST
Game 517-518: Arkansas State at Georgia (12:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Arkansas State 49.495; Georgia 63.909
Dunkel Line: Georgia by 14 1/2
Vegas Line: Georgia by 12 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Georgia (-12 1/2)
Game 519-520: USC at Kansas (12:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: USC 60.310; Kansas 75.196
Dunkel Line: Kansas by 15
Vegas Line: Kansas by 17 1/2
Dunkel Pick: USC (+17 1/2)
Game 521-522: Central Florida vs. Miami (FL) (1:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Central Florida 60.890; Miami (FL) 65.038
Dunkel Line: Miami (FL) by 4
Vegas Line: Miami (FL) by 2 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Miami (FL) (-2 1/2)
Game 523-524: Tulane at VCU (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Tulane 52.046; VCU 62.850
Dunkel Line: VCU by 11
Vegas Line: VCU by 13
Dunkel Pick: Tulane (+13)
Game 525-526: Loyola-Chicago at DePaul (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Loyola-Chicago 58.138; DePaul 52.472
Dunkel Line: Loyola-Chicago by 5 1/2
Vegas Line: Loyola-Chicago by 3 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Loyola-Chicago (-3 1/2)
Game 527-528: Illinois vs. Illinois-Chicago (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Illinois 68.819; Illinois-Chicago 52.197
Dunkel Line: Illinois-Chicago by 16 1/2
Vegas Line: Illinois-Chicago by 18
Dunkel Pick: Illinois-Chicago (+18)
Game 529-530: South Carolina at Ohio State (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: South Carolina 64.449; Ohio State 79.813
Dunkel Line: Ohio State by 15 1/2
Vegas Line: Ohio State by 18
Dunkel Pick: South Carolina (+18)
Game 531-532: Stanford at Butler (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Stanford 58.943; Butler 70.145
Dunkel Line: Butler by 11
Vegas Line: Butler by 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Butler (-9 1/2)
Game 533-534: Arkansas vs. Texas A&M (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Arkansas 62.614; Texas A&M 67.581
Dunkel Line: Texas A&M by 5
Vegas Line: Texas A&M by 6
Dunkel Pick: Arkansas (+6)
Game 535-536: Ohio at St. Bonaventure (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Ohio 52.972; St. Bonaventure 59.321
Dunkel Line: St. Bonaventure by 8 1/2
Vegas Line: St. Bonaventure by 4 1/2
Dunkel Pick: St. Bonaventure (-4 1/2)
Game 537-538: Northern Illinois at Temple (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Northern Illinois 46.766; Temple 70.274
Dunkel Line: Temple by 23 1/2
Vegas Line: Temple by 25 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Northern Illinois (+25 1/2)
Game 539-540: St. Mary's (CA) at Long Beach State (2:45 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: St. Mary's (CA) 69.863; Long Beach State 59.303
Dunkel Line: St. Mary's (CA) by 10 1/2
Vegas Line: St. Mary's (CA) by 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: St. Mary's (CA) (-8 1/2)
Game 541-542: Middle Tennessee State at Evansville (3:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Middle Tennessee State 51.505; Evansville 54.567
Dunkel Line: Evansville by 3
Vegas Line: Evansville by 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Middle Tennessee State (+5 1/2)
Game 543-544: Kansas State vs. Florida (3:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Kansas State 69.592; Florida 66.189
Dunkel Line: Kansas State by 3 1/2
Vegas Line: Kansas State by 1
Dunkel Pick: Kansas State (-1)
Game 545-546: Texas vs. North Carolina (4:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Texas 66.275; North Carolina 71.308
Dunkel Line: North Carolina by 5
Vegas Line: North Carolina by 2 1/2
Dunkel Pick: North Carolina (-2 1/2)
Game 547-548: Mississippi State vs. Virginia Tech (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Mississippi State 58.430; Virginia Tech 63.652
Dunkel Line: Virginia Tech by 5
Vegas Line: Virginia Tech by 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Mississippi State (+6 1/2)
Game 549-550: Indiana State at Purdue (4:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Indiana State 55.567; Purdue 70.352
Dunkel Line: Purdue by 15
Vegas Line: Purdue by 16 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Indiana State (+16 1/2)
Game 551-552: Gonzaga vs. Baylor (4:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Gonzaga 65.103; Baylor 73.875
Dunkel Line: Baylor by 9
Vegas Line: Baylor by 7
Dunkel Pick: Baylor (-7)
Game 553-554: BYU vs. UCLA (5:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: BYU 74.301; UCLA 66.043
Dunkel Line: BYU by 8 1/2
Vegas Line: BYU by 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: BYU (-6 1/2)
Game 555-556: Cal Poly at California (5:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cal Poly 50.456; California 62.946
Dunkel Line: California by 12 1/2
Vegas Line: California by 14 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Cal Poly (+14 1/2)
Game 557-558: Alabama vs. Oklahoma State (6:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Alabama 60.599; Oklahoma State 69.506
Dunkel Line: Oklahoma State by 9
Vegas Line: Oklahoma State by 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma State (-5 1/2)
Game 559-560: Miami (OH) at Wright State (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Miami (OH) 55.122; Wright State 60.289
Dunkel Line: Wright State by 5
Vegas Line: Wright State by 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Miami (OH) (+5 1/2)
Game 561-562: James Madison at South Florida (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: James Madison 52.895; South Florida 61.620
Dunkel Line: South Florida by 8 1/2
Vegas Line: South Florida by 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: South Florida (-5 1/2)
Game 563-564: Cleveland State at West Virginia (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland State 63.397; West Virginia 71.809
Dunkel Line: West Virginia by 8 1/2
Vegas Line: West Virginia by 11
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland State (+11)
Game 565-566: Detroit at Central Michigan (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit 52.108; Central Michigan 54.793
Dunkel Line: Central Michigan by 2 1/2
Vegas Line: Central Michigan by 1
Dunkel Pick: Central Michigan (-1)
Game 567-568: Richmond vs. Georgia Tech (5:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Richmond 65.659; Georgia Tech 60.034
Dunkel Line: Richmond by 5 1/2
Vegas Line: Richmond by 7
Dunkel Pick: Georgia Tech (+7)
Game 569-570: George Washington at Oregon State (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: George Washington 47.688; Oregon State 56.371
Dunkel Line: Oregon State by 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Oregon State by 6
Dunkel Pick: Oregon State (-6)
Game 571-572: Delaware at Villanova (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Delaware 53.613; Villanova 67.823
Dunkel Line: Villanova by 14
Vegas Line: Villanova by 16
Dunkel Pick: Delaware (+16)
Game 573-574: Wichita State at LSU (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Wichita State 62.205; LSU609.133
Dunkel Line: Wichita State by 2
Vegas Line: Wichita State by 4
Dunkel Pick: LSU (+4)
Game 575-576: Iowa at Drake (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Iowa 62.620; Drake 53.181
Dunkel Line: Iowa by 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Iowa by 4
Dunkel Pick: Iowa (-4)
Game 577-578: St. Louis at Missouri State (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis 54.927; Missouri State 69.676
Dunkel Line: Missouri State by 14 1/2
Vegas Line: Missouri State by 12 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Missouri State (-12 1/2)
Game 579-580: Wake Forest at Xavier (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Wake Forest 52.231; Xavier 62.684
Dunkel Line: Xavier by 10 1/2
Vegas Line: Xavier by 14
Dunkel Pick: Wake Forest (+14)
Game 581-582: Bowling Green at WI-Milwaukee (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Bowling Green 45.336; WI-Milwaukee 57.954
Dunkel Line: WI-Milwaukee by 12 1/2
Vegas Line: WI-Milwaukee by 10 1/2
Dunkel Pick: WI-Milwaukee (-10 1/2)
Game 583-584: San Francisco at Washington (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Francisco 52.000; Washington 76.800
Dunkel Line: Washington by 25
Vegas Line: Washington by 28
Dunkel Pick: San Francisco (+28)
Game 585-586: Pacific at New Mexico State (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Pacific 55.342; New Mexico State 57.044
Dunkel Line: New Mexico State by 1 1/2
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A
Game 587-588: Cincinnati vs. Oklahoma (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cincinnati 64.182; Oklahoma 59.125
Dunkel Line: Cincinnati by 5
Vegas Line: Cincinnati by 7
Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma (+7)
Game 589-590: UC-Santa Barbara at San Diego State (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: UC-Santa Barbara 60.374; San Diego State 71.960
Dunkel Line: San Diego State by 11 1/2
Vegas Line: San Diego State by 13 1/2
Dunkel Pick: UC-Santa Barbara (+13 1/2)
Game 591-592: UC-Irvine at Pepperdine (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: UC-Irvine 51.440; Pepperdine 54.801
Dunkel Line: Pepperdine by 3 1/2
Vegas Line: Pepperdine by 2 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Pepperdine (-2 1/2)
Game 593-594: Texas Tech at UTEP (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Texas Tech 58.376; UTEP 66.024
Dunkel Line: UTEP by 7 1/2
Vegas Line: UTEP by 9
Dunkel Pick: Texas Tech (+9)
Game 595-596: Florida State at Loyola-Marymount (11:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Florida State 66.544; Loyola-Marymount 57.149
Dunkel Line: Florida State by 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Florida State by 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Florida State (-6 1/2)
Game 597-598: Loyola-MD at Georgetown (12:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Loyola-MD 50.989; Georgetown 70.760
Dunkel Line: Georgetown by 20
Vegas Line: Georgetown by 22
Dunkel Pick: Loyola-MD (+22)
Game 599-600: Western Carolina at Dayton (4:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Western Carolina 49.752; Dayton 62.128
Dunkel Line: Dayton by 12 1/2
Vegas Line: Dayton by 11
Dunkel Pick: Dayton (-11)
Game 601-602: South Alabama at Georgia Southern (2:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: South Alabama 46.034; Georgia Southern 40.148
Dunkel Line: South Alabama by 6
Vegas Line: South Alabama by 2 1/2
Dunkel Pick: South Alabama (-2 1/2)
Game 603-604: Iona at Syracuse (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Iona 58.976; Syracuse 70.811
Dunkel Line: Syracuse by 12
Vegas Line: Syracuse by 15
Dunkel Pick: Iona (+15)
Game 605-606: Hofstra at Manhattan (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Hofstra 54.202; Manhattan 44.086
Dunkel Line: Hofstra by 10
Vegas Line: Hofstra by 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Hofstra (-5 1/2)
Game 607-608: Eastern Washington at Nebraska (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Eastern Washington 43.327; Nebraska 61.059
Dunkel Line: Nebraska by 17 1/2
Vegas Line: Nebraska by 19 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Eastern Washington (+19 1/2)
Game 609-610: Northern Colorado at Denver (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Northern Colorado 53.418; Denver 50.133
Dunkel Line: Northern Colorado by 3 1/2
Vegas Line: Northern Colorado by 1
Dunkel Pick: Northern Colorado (-1)
Game 611-612: Idaho State at Creighton (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Idaho State 47.606; Creighton 61.406
Dunkel Line: Creighton by 14
Vegas Line: Creighton by 18 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Idaho State (+18 1/2)
Game 613-614: Eastern Kentucky at Austin Peay (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Eastern Kentucky 47.897; Austin Peay 52.614
Dunkel Line: Austin Peay by 4 1/2
Vegas Line: Austin Peay by 7
Dunkel Pick: Eastern Kentucky (+7)
Game 615-616: Western Kentucky at Murray State (8:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Western Kentucky 55.789; Murray State 64.085
Dunkel Line: Murray State by 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Murray State by 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Murray State (-6 1/2)
Game 617-618: Portland at Portland State (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Portland 60.294; Portland State 54.833
Dunkel Line: Portland by 5 1/2
Vegas Line: Portland by 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Portland State (+7 1/2)
Game 619-620: Montana at Idaho (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Montana 60.414; Idaho 50.448
Dunkel Line: Montana by 10
Vegas Line: Montana by 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Montana (-5 1/2)
Game 631-632: Oakland at Michigan (12:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oakland 62.634; Michigan 71.134
Dunkel Line: Michigan by 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Michigan by 4
Dunkel Pick: Michigan (-4)
Game 633-634: Centenary at Marquette (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Centenary 35.094; Marquette 69.974
Dunkel Line: Marquette by 35
Vegas Line: Marquette by 37
Dunkel Pick: Centenary (+37)
Game 635-636: South Dakota State at Western Michigan (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: South Dakota State 58.010; Western Michigan 59.738
Dunkel Line: Western Michigan by 2
Vegas Line: Western Michigan by 1
Dunkel Pick: Western Michigan (-1)
Game 637-638: IUPUI at Duquesne (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: IUPUI 56.261; Duquesne 62.265
Dunkel Line: Duquesne by 6
Vegas Line: Duquesne by 8
Dunkel Pick: IUPUI (+8)
Game 639-640: IPFW at Valparaiso (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: IPFW 51.910; Valparaiso 61.384
Dunkel Line: Valparaiso by 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Valparaiso by 6
Dunkel Pick: Valparaiso (-6)
Game 641-642: North Dakota State at Fresno State (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: North Dakota State 56.948; Fresno State 54.884
Dunkel Line: North Dakota State by 2
Vegas Line: Pick
Dunkel Pick: North Dakota State
Game 643-644: Southern Utah at UNLV (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Southern Utah 43.132; UNLV 75.190
Dunkel Line: UNLV by 32
Vegas Line: UNLV by 28
Dunkel Pick: UNLV (-28)
Texas vs. North Carolina
The Tar Heels look to take advantage of a Texas team that is 2-7 ATS in its last 9 games as an underdog from 1 to 6 1/2 points. North Carolina is the pick (-2 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Tar Heels favored by 5. Dunkel Pick: North Carolina (-2 1/2). Here are all of today's games.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18
Time Posted: 8:30 a.m. EST
Game 517-518: Arkansas State at Georgia (12:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Arkansas State 49.495; Georgia 63.909
Dunkel Line: Georgia by 14 1/2
Vegas Line: Georgia by 12 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Georgia (-12 1/2)
Game 519-520: USC at Kansas (12:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: USC 60.310; Kansas 75.196
Dunkel Line: Kansas by 15
Vegas Line: Kansas by 17 1/2
Dunkel Pick: USC (+17 1/2)
Game 521-522: Central Florida vs. Miami (FL) (1:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Central Florida 60.890; Miami (FL) 65.038
Dunkel Line: Miami (FL) by 4
Vegas Line: Miami (FL) by 2 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Miami (FL) (-2 1/2)
Game 523-524: Tulane at VCU (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Tulane 52.046; VCU 62.850
Dunkel Line: VCU by 11
Vegas Line: VCU by 13
Dunkel Pick: Tulane (+13)
Game 525-526: Loyola-Chicago at DePaul (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Loyola-Chicago 58.138; DePaul 52.472
Dunkel Line: Loyola-Chicago by 5 1/2
Vegas Line: Loyola-Chicago by 3 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Loyola-Chicago (-3 1/2)
Game 527-528: Illinois vs. Illinois-Chicago (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Illinois 68.819; Illinois-Chicago 52.197
Dunkel Line: Illinois-Chicago by 16 1/2
Vegas Line: Illinois-Chicago by 18
Dunkel Pick: Illinois-Chicago (+18)
Game 529-530: South Carolina at Ohio State (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: South Carolina 64.449; Ohio State 79.813
Dunkel Line: Ohio State by 15 1/2
Vegas Line: Ohio State by 18
Dunkel Pick: South Carolina (+18)
Game 531-532: Stanford at Butler (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Stanford 58.943; Butler 70.145
Dunkel Line: Butler by 11
Vegas Line: Butler by 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Butler (-9 1/2)
Game 533-534: Arkansas vs. Texas A&M (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Arkansas 62.614; Texas A&M 67.581
Dunkel Line: Texas A&M by 5
Vegas Line: Texas A&M by 6
Dunkel Pick: Arkansas (+6)
Game 535-536: Ohio at St. Bonaventure (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Ohio 52.972; St. Bonaventure 59.321
Dunkel Line: St. Bonaventure by 8 1/2
Vegas Line: St. Bonaventure by 4 1/2
Dunkel Pick: St. Bonaventure (-4 1/2)
Game 537-538: Northern Illinois at Temple (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Northern Illinois 46.766; Temple 70.274
Dunkel Line: Temple by 23 1/2
Vegas Line: Temple by 25 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Northern Illinois (+25 1/2)
Game 539-540: St. Mary's (CA) at Long Beach State (2:45 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: St. Mary's (CA) 69.863; Long Beach State 59.303
Dunkel Line: St. Mary's (CA) by 10 1/2
Vegas Line: St. Mary's (CA) by 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: St. Mary's (CA) (-8 1/2)
Game 541-542: Middle Tennessee State at Evansville (3:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Middle Tennessee State 51.505; Evansville 54.567
Dunkel Line: Evansville by 3
Vegas Line: Evansville by 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Middle Tennessee State (+5 1/2)
Game 543-544: Kansas State vs. Florida (3:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Kansas State 69.592; Florida 66.189
Dunkel Line: Kansas State by 3 1/2
Vegas Line: Kansas State by 1
Dunkel Pick: Kansas State (-1)
Game 545-546: Texas vs. North Carolina (4:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Texas 66.275; North Carolina 71.308
Dunkel Line: North Carolina by 5
Vegas Line: North Carolina by 2 1/2
Dunkel Pick: North Carolina (-2 1/2)
Game 547-548: Mississippi State vs. Virginia Tech (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Mississippi State 58.430; Virginia Tech 63.652
Dunkel Line: Virginia Tech by 5
Vegas Line: Virginia Tech by 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Mississippi State (+6 1/2)
Game 549-550: Indiana State at Purdue (4:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Indiana State 55.567; Purdue 70.352
Dunkel Line: Purdue by 15
Vegas Line: Purdue by 16 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Indiana State (+16 1/2)
Game 551-552: Gonzaga vs. Baylor (4:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Gonzaga 65.103; Baylor 73.875
Dunkel Line: Baylor by 9
Vegas Line: Baylor by 7
Dunkel Pick: Baylor (-7)
Game 553-554: BYU vs. UCLA (5:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: BYU 74.301; UCLA 66.043
Dunkel Line: BYU by 8 1/2
Vegas Line: BYU by 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: BYU (-6 1/2)
Game 555-556: Cal Poly at California (5:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cal Poly 50.456; California 62.946
Dunkel Line: California by 12 1/2
Vegas Line: California by 14 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Cal Poly (+14 1/2)
Game 557-558: Alabama vs. Oklahoma State (6:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Alabama 60.599; Oklahoma State 69.506
Dunkel Line: Oklahoma State by 9
Vegas Line: Oklahoma State by 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma State (-5 1/2)
Game 559-560: Miami (OH) at Wright State (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Miami (OH) 55.122; Wright State 60.289
Dunkel Line: Wright State by 5
Vegas Line: Wright State by 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Miami (OH) (+5 1/2)
Game 561-562: James Madison at South Florida (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: James Madison 52.895; South Florida 61.620
Dunkel Line: South Florida by 8 1/2
Vegas Line: South Florida by 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: South Florida (-5 1/2)
Game 563-564: Cleveland State at West Virginia (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland State 63.397; West Virginia 71.809
Dunkel Line: West Virginia by 8 1/2
Vegas Line: West Virginia by 11
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland State (+11)
Game 565-566: Detroit at Central Michigan (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit 52.108; Central Michigan 54.793
Dunkel Line: Central Michigan by 2 1/2
Vegas Line: Central Michigan by 1
Dunkel Pick: Central Michigan (-1)
Game 567-568: Richmond vs. Georgia Tech (5:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Richmond 65.659; Georgia Tech 60.034
Dunkel Line: Richmond by 5 1/2
Vegas Line: Richmond by 7
Dunkel Pick: Georgia Tech (+7)
Game 569-570: George Washington at Oregon State (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: George Washington 47.688; Oregon State 56.371
Dunkel Line: Oregon State by 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Oregon State by 6
Dunkel Pick: Oregon State (-6)
Game 571-572: Delaware at Villanova (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Delaware 53.613; Villanova 67.823
Dunkel Line: Villanova by 14
Vegas Line: Villanova by 16
Dunkel Pick: Delaware (+16)
Game 573-574: Wichita State at LSU (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Wichita State 62.205; LSU609.133
Dunkel Line: Wichita State by 2
Vegas Line: Wichita State by 4
Dunkel Pick: LSU (+4)
Game 575-576: Iowa at Drake (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Iowa 62.620; Drake 53.181
Dunkel Line: Iowa by 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Iowa by 4
Dunkel Pick: Iowa (-4)
Game 577-578: St. Louis at Missouri State (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis 54.927; Missouri State 69.676
Dunkel Line: Missouri State by 14 1/2
Vegas Line: Missouri State by 12 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Missouri State (-12 1/2)
Game 579-580: Wake Forest at Xavier (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Wake Forest 52.231; Xavier 62.684
Dunkel Line: Xavier by 10 1/2
Vegas Line: Xavier by 14
Dunkel Pick: Wake Forest (+14)
Game 581-582: Bowling Green at WI-Milwaukee (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Bowling Green 45.336; WI-Milwaukee 57.954
Dunkel Line: WI-Milwaukee by 12 1/2
Vegas Line: WI-Milwaukee by 10 1/2
Dunkel Pick: WI-Milwaukee (-10 1/2)
Game 583-584: San Francisco at Washington (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Francisco 52.000; Washington 76.800
Dunkel Line: Washington by 25
Vegas Line: Washington by 28
Dunkel Pick: San Francisco (+28)
Game 585-586: Pacific at New Mexico State (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Pacific 55.342; New Mexico State 57.044
Dunkel Line: New Mexico State by 1 1/2
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A
Game 587-588: Cincinnati vs. Oklahoma (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cincinnati 64.182; Oklahoma 59.125
Dunkel Line: Cincinnati by 5
Vegas Line: Cincinnati by 7
Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma (+7)
Game 589-590: UC-Santa Barbara at San Diego State (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: UC-Santa Barbara 60.374; San Diego State 71.960
Dunkel Line: San Diego State by 11 1/2
Vegas Line: San Diego State by 13 1/2
Dunkel Pick: UC-Santa Barbara (+13 1/2)
Game 591-592: UC-Irvine at Pepperdine (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: UC-Irvine 51.440; Pepperdine 54.801
Dunkel Line: Pepperdine by 3 1/2
Vegas Line: Pepperdine by 2 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Pepperdine (-2 1/2)
Game 593-594: Texas Tech at UTEP (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Texas Tech 58.376; UTEP 66.024
Dunkel Line: UTEP by 7 1/2
Vegas Line: UTEP by 9
Dunkel Pick: Texas Tech (+9)
Game 595-596: Florida State at Loyola-Marymount (11:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Florida State 66.544; Loyola-Marymount 57.149
Dunkel Line: Florida State by 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Florida State by 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Florida State (-6 1/2)
Game 597-598: Loyola-MD at Georgetown (12:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Loyola-MD 50.989; Georgetown 70.760
Dunkel Line: Georgetown by 20
Vegas Line: Georgetown by 22
Dunkel Pick: Loyola-MD (+22)
Game 599-600: Western Carolina at Dayton (4:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Western Carolina 49.752; Dayton 62.128
Dunkel Line: Dayton by 12 1/2
Vegas Line: Dayton by 11
Dunkel Pick: Dayton (-11)
Game 601-602: South Alabama at Georgia Southern (2:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: South Alabama 46.034; Georgia Southern 40.148
Dunkel Line: South Alabama by 6
Vegas Line: South Alabama by 2 1/2
Dunkel Pick: South Alabama (-2 1/2)
Game 603-604: Iona at Syracuse (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Iona 58.976; Syracuse 70.811
Dunkel Line: Syracuse by 12
Vegas Line: Syracuse by 15
Dunkel Pick: Iona (+15)
Game 605-606: Hofstra at Manhattan (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Hofstra 54.202; Manhattan 44.086
Dunkel Line: Hofstra by 10
Vegas Line: Hofstra by 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Hofstra (-5 1/2)
Game 607-608: Eastern Washington at Nebraska (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Eastern Washington 43.327; Nebraska 61.059
Dunkel Line: Nebraska by 17 1/2
Vegas Line: Nebraska by 19 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Eastern Washington (+19 1/2)
Game 609-610: Northern Colorado at Denver (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Northern Colorado 53.418; Denver 50.133
Dunkel Line: Northern Colorado by 3 1/2
Vegas Line: Northern Colorado by 1
Dunkel Pick: Northern Colorado (-1)
Game 611-612: Idaho State at Creighton (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Idaho State 47.606; Creighton 61.406
Dunkel Line: Creighton by 14
Vegas Line: Creighton by 18 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Idaho State (+18 1/2)
Game 613-614: Eastern Kentucky at Austin Peay (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Eastern Kentucky 47.897; Austin Peay 52.614
Dunkel Line: Austin Peay by 4 1/2
Vegas Line: Austin Peay by 7
Dunkel Pick: Eastern Kentucky (+7)
Game 615-616: Western Kentucky at Murray State (8:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Western Kentucky 55.789; Murray State 64.085
Dunkel Line: Murray State by 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Murray State by 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Murray State (-6 1/2)
Game 617-618: Portland at Portland State (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Portland 60.294; Portland State 54.833
Dunkel Line: Portland by 5 1/2
Vegas Line: Portland by 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Portland State (+7 1/2)
Game 619-620: Montana at Idaho (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Montana 60.414; Idaho 50.448
Dunkel Line: Montana by 10
Vegas Line: Montana by 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Montana (-5 1/2)
Game 631-632: Oakland at Michigan (12:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oakland 62.634; Michigan 71.134
Dunkel Line: Michigan by 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Michigan by 4
Dunkel Pick: Michigan (-4)
Game 633-634: Centenary at Marquette (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Centenary 35.094; Marquette 69.974
Dunkel Line: Marquette by 35
Vegas Line: Marquette by 37
Dunkel Pick: Centenary (+37)
Game 635-636: South Dakota State at Western Michigan (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: South Dakota State 58.010; Western Michigan 59.738
Dunkel Line: Western Michigan by 2
Vegas Line: Western Michigan by 1
Dunkel Pick: Western Michigan (-1)
Game 637-638: IUPUI at Duquesne (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: IUPUI 56.261; Duquesne 62.265
Dunkel Line: Duquesne by 6
Vegas Line: Duquesne by 8
Dunkel Pick: IUPUI (+8)
Game 639-640: IPFW at Valparaiso (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: IPFW 51.910; Valparaiso 61.384
Dunkel Line: Valparaiso by 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Valparaiso by 6
Dunkel Pick: Valparaiso (-6)
Game 641-642: North Dakota State at Fresno State (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: North Dakota State 56.948; Fresno State 54.884
Dunkel Line: North Dakota State by 2
Vegas Line: Pick
Dunkel Pick: North Dakota State
Game 643-644: Southern Utah at UNLV (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Southern Utah 43.132; UNLV 75.190
Dunkel Line: UNLV by 32
Vegas Line: UNLV by 28
Dunkel Pick: UNLV (-28)
