bring it.....LETS SEE WHAT YOU HAVEI have been looking at totals lately and have been on fire, which doesnt mean shit since I have not been sharing but Im gonna try to help ya guys out that love to play totals like I do. I will post between 5-10 a day dependin g on the card!!! THANKS AND GL
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MR A
College Bowl Selections
Tuesday, January 6th, 2009 8:00 p.m. est.
GMAC Bowl
(23) Ball State (12-1) vs. Tulsa (10-3) Over -75
Expect a high scoring contest when two of the nation’s top quarterbacks Ball State’s Nate Davis and Tulsa’s David Johnson have a shootout in Alabama. The Cardinals average 36.6 points per game, while the Golden Hurricane average 47.4. The total is set at a huge 75, but this battle will be a scoring frenzy.
MR A NBA TUES 1-6
Games: Selections
Washington (7-25) at Orlando (26-8) Orlando Magic -13
Sacramento (8-27) at Chicago (14-20) Sacramento Kings +8½
College Bowl Selections
Tuesday, January 6th, 2009 8:00 p.m. est.
GMAC Bowl
(23) Ball State (12-1) vs. Tulsa (10-3) Over -75
Expect a high scoring contest when two of the nation’s top quarterbacks Ball State’s Nate Davis and Tulsa’s David Johnson have a shootout in Alabama. The Cardinals average 36.6 points per game, while the Golden Hurricane average 47.4. The total is set at a huge 75, but this battle will be a scoring frenzy.
MR A NBA TUES 1-6
Games: Selections
Washington (7-25) at Orlando (26-8) Orlando Magic -13
Sacramento (8-27) at Chicago (14-20) Sacramento Kings +8½
THE SPORTS ADVISORS
GMAC BOWL
(23) Ball State (12-1, 9-3 ATS) vs. Tulsa (10-3, 7-5 ATS) (at Mobile, Ala.)
Ball State, which had its perfect season ruined in the Mid-American Conference title game, will try to bounce back against Tulsa, which also tumbled in its own league title game.
The Cardinals got bounced by Buffalo 42-24 as an overwhelming 15-point chalk in the Dec. 5 MAC final at Detroit’s Ford Field, bringing their 12-0 SU and 9-2 ATS run to a screeching halt. Ball State led 10-7 at halftime, but the Bulls put up 21 third-quarter points and another 14 in the fourth quarter to turn the game into a rout. In fact, Buffalo returned two fumbles for TDs in the third quarter, with one going for 92 yards and the other for 74. Cardinals QB Nate Davis (31 of 48, 351 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) and RB MiQuale Lewis (30 carries, 131 yards, 2 TDs) had decent outings, but Ball State couldn’t overcome a 5-2 turnover deficit after entering the game with just 10 turnovers for the entire season.
The Golden Hurricane finished the season on a 1-4 ATS skid (2-3 SU), including a 27-24 loss to East Carolina as a heavy 12½-point favorite in the Conference USA title game Dec. 6. QB David Johnson (23 of 42, 195 yards, 1 TD) got his lone TD pass in the fourth quarter, tying the game at 24, but the Golden Hurricane lost on a late field goal. Much like Ball State in the MAC final, turnovers were a huge issue, as Johnson threw a stunning five INTs, with one returned 72 yards for a score. Tulsa also lost two of its three fumbles to finish with a 7-1 turnover deficit, negating a solid day from RB Tarrion Adams (28 carries, 120 yards, 2 TDs).
These teams have never met before. Ball State has lost all four of its previous postseason appearances (1-2 ATS in lined games), including a 52-30 wipeout against Rutgers as a 10-point pup in last year’s International Bowl. Tulsa is in its fourth straight bowl contest (2-1 SU and ATS) and is in the GMAC Bowl for the second straight time. Last year, the Golden Hurricane hammered the MAC’s Bowling Green 63-7 as a five-point chalk, setting a bowl record for margin of victory.
Ball State ranks in the top 25 offensively with per-game averages of 36.6 points (17th), 459.4 total yards (11th), 266.7 passing yards (22nd) and 192.7 rushing yards (24th). Davis completed 66.9 percent of his passes for 3,446 yards with 26 TDs and just seven INTs, and Lewis (1,701 yards, 22 TDs, 5.6 ypc) was the nation’s third-leading rusher in the regular season.
Defensively, the Cards were middle-of-the-pack in allowing 347.9 total ypg, but they yielded just 18.6 ppg (19th).
Tulsa sports the No. 1 offense in the country in total yards, averaging a whopping 565 per game, including 310.2 passing ypg (seventh) and 254.8 rushing yards (seventh), while putting up 47.4 ppg, which rated second nationally. Johnson completed 64.8 percent of his throws for 3,866 yards with 43 TDs and 18 INTs, WR Brennan Marion (43 catches, 1,112 yards, 8 TDs) averaged an eye-popping 25.9 yards per catch, and Adams ran for 1,316 yards (5.8 ypc) and 11 TDs.
On the other side of the ball, though, the Golden Hurricane were quite generous, giving up 29.1 ppg (86th) and 392.3 total ypg (85th), including 258.8 through the air (104th).
The Cardinals are on a plethora of positive pointspread runs, including 20-8 overall, 5-1 after a SU loss, 10-2 after a non-cover, 10-2 outside the MAC, 7-2 as an underdog and 16-5 against winning teams. On the flip side, along with their current 1-4 ATS skid, the Golden Hurricane are on ATS slides of 1-5 on grass, 1-4 laying points, 3-8 against winning teams and 5-12 after a pointspread defeat.
The over is on a 4-1 run for Ball State against winning teams and is 5-2 in Tulsa’s last seven non-conference games, but the under for the Golden Hurricane is on stretches of 7-1 on grass and 6-1 after a SU loss.
ATS ADVANTAGE: BALL STATE
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Ohio State (10-2, 4-5 ATS) at (8) Michigan State (11-2, 6-4 ATS)
Off to a strong start in Big Ten play, Michigan State looks to keep rolling and extend a seven-game overall winning streak when it returns home to face suddenly slumping Ohio State.
The Spartans opened conference action with a pair of double-digit road wins at Minnesota on Wednesday (70-58 as a one-point road favorite) and Northwestern on Saturday (77-66 as a four-point road chalk). Six of the team’s contests during its current seven-game winning streak have come by 11 points or more, and Michigan State is 4-1 ATS in lined action during this run (3-0 ATS last three).
Ohio State vaulted into the Top 25 courtesy of a 10-0 start, but the Buckeyes slipped out of the rankings after losing two of their last three (0-3 ATS). After opening the league season with a narrow 68-65 home win over Iowa as an eight-point favorite, Ohio State went to Minnesota on Saturday and got dumped 68-59 as a 3½-point underdog. During its 1-2 slump, the Buckeyes have averaged 58.3 ppg while giving up 69.7 ppg.
These rivals split two regular-season meetings last year, with the home team winning each contest and Ohio State going 2-0 ATS. But in the Big Ten Tournament, the Spartans prevailed 67-60 as a 4½-point chalk at a neutral site, ending an 0-3 ATS drought against the Buckeyes. The favorite has gotten the money in the last two meetings after the underdog cashed in the previous five. Finally, the visitor is 8-2 ATS in the last 10 regular-season battles.
Ohio State is in ATS ruts of 1-4 overall, 1-4-1 in Big Ten play and 0-4 versus winning teams, but the Buckeyes are 4-0-1 ATS in their last five Tuesday contests. Conversely, in addition to cashing in four of its last five overall, Michigan State is on ATS runs of 4-0 in conference play and 6-1 at home against teams with a winning road record, but Tom Izzo’s squad is 1-4-2 ATS in its last seven Tuesday contests.
The over is 5-0 in Ohio State’s last five on Tuesday and 4-1 in its last five after both a SU and ATS loss, but the under is 10-2 in Michigan State’s last 12 on Tuesday and 5-2 in its last seven lined games overall. Finally, the under is 3-0-1 in the last four regular-season battles in this series.
ATS ADVANTAGE: MICHIGAN STATE and UNDER
(5) UConn (12-1, 5-4 ATS) at (25) West Virginia (11-2, 5-5 ATS)
West Virginia has used a five-game winning streak to climb into the Top 25 but now faces its toughest test of the season when it hosts fifth-ranked Connecticut.
The Mountaineers opened Big East play with a dominating 92-66 road win at Seton Hall, cashing easily as a nine-point road chalk. West Virginia started its five-game run with a 68-63 win at Duquesne but has since ripped off four blowout victories by 36, 35, 28 and 26 points, and including the Duquesne win, their average margin of victory during the winning streak is 26 ppg (81-55). Bob Huggins’ team has followed up an 0-5 ATS slump with three consecutive spread-covers.
UConn rebounded from its only loss of the season (74-63 to Georgetown as a 6½-point home favorite eight days ago) with Saturday’s 80-49 rout of Rutgers as a 21½-point favorite, halting a two-game ATS slide. With the exception of the game against Georgetown and a 68-64 win at Buffalo, the Huskies have scored at least 75 points in every game this season, and they’ve held eight of 13 opponents to 58 points or fewer.
These schools met twice in a two-week span back in March, with UConn prevailing 79-71 as a three-point home favorite in the first clash and the Mountaineers exacting revenge in the Big East Tournament with a 78-72 victory as a 2½-point underdog. Going back to 1999, the Huskies are 7-2 SU and 6-3 ATS against West Virginia, including 3-1 SU and ATS in Morgantown. Also, the favorite has cashed in five of the last seven series battles.
West Virginia averages 81 ppg while making 50 percent of its shots, while UConn puts up 76.1 ppg on 44.7 percent shooting. Defensively, the Mountaineers have the slight edge, giving up 56.2 ppg (39.6 percent) compared with the Huskies’ 61.6 ppg (37.8 percent).
UConn is 8-18 ATS in its last 26 true road games, 6-14 ATS in its last 20 against teams with a winning home mark and 1-7 ATS in its last eight when coming off a victory of more than 20 points. Meanwhile, despite cashing in their last three contests, the Mountaineers are only 4-10-1 ATS in their last 15 on Tuesday.
The over is on streaks of 9-4 for UConn overall in lined outings, 4-1 for UConn on the road, 5-1 for UConn in Big East play, 4-0 for UConn against winning teams, 7-1 for the Mountaineers in league play and 4-0 for the Mountaineers against winning teams. Also, the last four series clashes between these schools have topped the posted total.
ATS ADVANTAGE: OVER
Alabama (10-3, 4-4 ATS) at (12) Clemson (14-0, 5-4 ATS)
Clemson – off to a 14-0 start for the second time in three years – will try to match the school record for victories to start a season when it hosts surging Alabama at Littlejohn Coliseum in Death Valley.
The Tigers pounded a pair of regional rivals the last two times out, first knocking off South Carolina 98-87 as a 2½-point road chalk a week ago, then beating East Carolina 79-66 on Saturday, but falling well short as a 24-point home chalk. Clemson ranks 12th in the nation in scoring (82.7 ppg) and ninth in field-goal percentage (49.9); it has scored at least 70 points in every contest so far; and 10 of its 14 wins have come by double digits.
Since losing to Texas A&M in overtime back on Dec. 13, the Crimson Tide have reeled off five consecutive victories (2-2 ATS in lined action), and they’re 9-1 in their last 10. That includes Saturday’s 88-77 victory over Georgia Tech as a three-point home favorite. Like Clemson, Alabama can fill the bucket, averaging 72.6 ppg, but shooting only 43.5 percent from the field.
In a New Year’s Day clash last year, Clemson went to Tuscaloosa and rolled the Tide 87-61 as a two-point road chalk.
Both squads have been solid defensively, with the Tigers yielding 63.5 ppg (40.5 percent shooting) and ‘Bama giving up 65 ppg (38.2 percent).
Alabama is 6-2 ATS in its last eight against winning teams and 7-3 ATS in its last 10 following an outright win, but the Tide are mired in pointspread slumps of 3-8 after a spread-cover, 1-4 on Tuesdays and 3-11 on the road after playing three or more straight home games. Meanwhile, Clemson is 7-1 ATS in its last eight versus SEC opponents and 10-4 ATS in its last 14 after a non-cover.
Alabama sports “over” streaks of 5-0 overall (all in non-conference action), 4-1 on the road and 5-1 after a spread-cover, but the under is 9-3 in its last 12 Tuesday affairs. The Tigers are on “over” stretches of 15-7-1 in non-league games and 5-1 against the SEC.
ATS ADVANTAGE: CLEMSON and OVER
(7) Texas (11-2, 6-4 ATS) at Arkansas (11-1, 4-2 ATS)
Arkansas puts its perfect home record and a nine-game overall winning streak on the line when it hosts seventh-ranked Texas at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville.
Playing in their home-away-from-home in Little Rock on Saturday, the Razorbacks downed North Texas 86-75, barely holding on as a 10-point home chalk to improve to 16-0 in designated home games dating to last January. A week ago tonight, they handed then-No. 4 Oklahoma its first setback of the season, rolling to a 96-88 victory as a 5½-point home underdog. Arkansas has been a scoring machine this season, putting up 82.7 ppg (13th best in the nation) on 47.4 percent shooting, and it has tallied at least 79 points eight times during its nine-game winning streak.
The Longhorns have played just twice since a 67-63 loss to Michigan State in Houston on Dec. 20, first topping Wisconsin 74-69 as a one-point underdog, then knocking off Appalachian State 78-43 as a 23½-point home favorite on Friday. Although Texas is 8-1 SU in its last nine games, only four of the victories have come by more than nine points. Rick Barnes’ squad is putting up 73.7 ppg (45 percent shooting).
These regional rivals last met in 2006, with Texas edging Arkansas 80-76 but coming up short as a seven-point home chalk.
Texas rates a huge edge defensively over the Razorbacks, giving up just 59.9 ppg (38.6 percent) while Arkansas surrenders 69 ppg (42 percent). The Longhorns have held seven of 13 foes to 58 points or less.
Arkansas is on ATS runs of 4-0 overall, 8-3-1 at home and 6-1 against winning teams, but the Hogs are just 4-14 ATS in their last 18 battles with the Big 12 and 2-6-1 ATS in their last nine games on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Longhorns are on ATS upswings of 5-2 on the highway, 9-2-1 on Tuesday and 7-3 when coming off a victory of more than 20 points.
The over has been the play for both squads recently, including 6-2 for Texas on the road, 4-0 for Texas against the SEC, 4-0 for Arkansas overall, 4-1 for Arkansas on Tuesday and 4-0 for Arkansas versus Big 12 foes. Lastly, the 2006 meeting between these squads easily eclipsed the total.
ATS ADVANTAGE: OVER
NBA
New Orleans (20-10, 13-16-1 ATS) at L.A. Lakers (27-5, 16-16 ATS)
The streaking Lakers put their six-game SU and five-game ATS winning streaks on the line when they host the Hornets, who have already dropped two home games to Los Angeles this season.
Los Angeles looked sluggish for the first 1½ quarters against Portland on Sunday, then turned on the jets en route to a 100-86 victory as an 11-point home chalk. Five Lakers scored in double figures, led by Kobe Bryant’s 26 points, and the team outshot the Blazers 49.3 percent to 39 percent.
The Lakers are 18-1 SU at home, winning the last 15 in a row. They’ve also covered four straight games at Staples Center after going 0-5 ATS in their previous five. For the season, Phil Jackson’s team is averaging 109 points per game (48 percent shooting) in its building while allowing 97.1 ppg (43 percent), and 12 of their 18 home wins have been double-digit blowouts.
New Orleans had a four-game winning streak halted in its most recent contest Saturday at Denver, falling 105-100 as a 4½-point road underdog. It was just the second time in the last 12 games that the Hornets reached triple digits in scoring and just the third time in the last 15 outings that they allowed 100 points or more. New Orleans has followed a 7-2-1 ATS run by failing to cash in six of its last eight.
With the loss at Denver, the Hornets dropped to a modest 9-6 SU and 6-8-1 ATS on the highway, where they’re putting up just 94.6 ppg (45 percent shooting) and giving up 92.8 ppg (45.2 percent).
The Lakers are riding a three-game winning streak in this rivalry, taking the first two meetings this year in the Big Easy by scores of 93-86 as a 1½-point underdog on Nov. 12 and 100-87 as a two-point pup on Dec. 23. The underdog has cashed in nine consecutive contests between these two squads, including eight outright upsets. Going back to the 2006-07 season, New Orleans is 2-1 SU and 3-0 ATS in Los Angeles.
Although they’re mired in ATS funks of 2-6 overall and 2-5-1 on the road, the Hornets are still on positive pointspread streaks of 21-9 against the Pacific Division, 40-19-2 after a SU loss, 45-21-1 after a non-cover and 14-6-1 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game. In addition to being 5-0 ATS in its last five overall and 4-0 ATS in its last four at home, Los Angeles is on pointspread runs of 4-0 against the Western Conference and 6-2 against the Southwest Division, but the Lakers are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 when playing on one day of rest.
The last five meetings in this rivalry have stayed under the total, but the over is 5-1 in the last six clashes at Staples Center. Furthermore, the Hornets are on “under” stretches of 10-2 overall, 10-3 on the road, 29-13 when playing on two days of rest, 6-1 when facing Western Conference foes and 5-0 when playing on Tuesday. The Lakers have stayed low in eight of 11 against the Southwest Division and five straight against teams with a winning record, but the over is 13-5 in their last 18 home games and 6-1 in their last seven on Tuesday.
ATS ADVANTAGE: NONE
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GMAC BOWL
(23) Ball State (12-1, 9-3 ATS) vs. Tulsa (10-3, 7-5 ATS) (at Mobile, Ala.)
Ball State, which had its perfect season ruined in the Mid-American Conference title game, will try to bounce back against Tulsa, which also tumbled in its own league title game.
The Cardinals got bounced by Buffalo 42-24 as an overwhelming 15-point chalk in the Dec. 5 MAC final at Detroit’s Ford Field, bringing their 12-0 SU and 9-2 ATS run to a screeching halt. Ball State led 10-7 at halftime, but the Bulls put up 21 third-quarter points and another 14 in the fourth quarter to turn the game into a rout. In fact, Buffalo returned two fumbles for TDs in the third quarter, with one going for 92 yards and the other for 74. Cardinals QB Nate Davis (31 of 48, 351 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) and RB MiQuale Lewis (30 carries, 131 yards, 2 TDs) had decent outings, but Ball State couldn’t overcome a 5-2 turnover deficit after entering the game with just 10 turnovers for the entire season.
The Golden Hurricane finished the season on a 1-4 ATS skid (2-3 SU), including a 27-24 loss to East Carolina as a heavy 12½-point favorite in the Conference USA title game Dec. 6. QB David Johnson (23 of 42, 195 yards, 1 TD) got his lone TD pass in the fourth quarter, tying the game at 24, but the Golden Hurricane lost on a late field goal. Much like Ball State in the MAC final, turnovers were a huge issue, as Johnson threw a stunning five INTs, with one returned 72 yards for a score. Tulsa also lost two of its three fumbles to finish with a 7-1 turnover deficit, negating a solid day from RB Tarrion Adams (28 carries, 120 yards, 2 TDs).
These teams have never met before. Ball State has lost all four of its previous postseason appearances (1-2 ATS in lined games), including a 52-30 wipeout against Rutgers as a 10-point pup in last year’s International Bowl. Tulsa is in its fourth straight bowl contest (2-1 SU and ATS) and is in the GMAC Bowl for the second straight time. Last year, the Golden Hurricane hammered the MAC’s Bowling Green 63-7 as a five-point chalk, setting a bowl record for margin of victory.
Ball State ranks in the top 25 offensively with per-game averages of 36.6 points (17th), 459.4 total yards (11th), 266.7 passing yards (22nd) and 192.7 rushing yards (24th). Davis completed 66.9 percent of his passes for 3,446 yards with 26 TDs and just seven INTs, and Lewis (1,701 yards, 22 TDs, 5.6 ypc) was the nation’s third-leading rusher in the regular season.
Defensively, the Cards were middle-of-the-pack in allowing 347.9 total ypg, but they yielded just 18.6 ppg (19th).
Tulsa sports the No. 1 offense in the country in total yards, averaging a whopping 565 per game, including 310.2 passing ypg (seventh) and 254.8 rushing yards (seventh), while putting up 47.4 ppg, which rated second nationally. Johnson completed 64.8 percent of his throws for 3,866 yards with 43 TDs and 18 INTs, WR Brennan Marion (43 catches, 1,112 yards, 8 TDs) averaged an eye-popping 25.9 yards per catch, and Adams ran for 1,316 yards (5.8 ypc) and 11 TDs.
On the other side of the ball, though, the Golden Hurricane were quite generous, giving up 29.1 ppg (86th) and 392.3 total ypg (85th), including 258.8 through the air (104th).
The Cardinals are on a plethora of positive pointspread runs, including 20-8 overall, 5-1 after a SU loss, 10-2 after a non-cover, 10-2 outside the MAC, 7-2 as an underdog and 16-5 against winning teams. On the flip side, along with their current 1-4 ATS skid, the Golden Hurricane are on ATS slides of 1-5 on grass, 1-4 laying points, 3-8 against winning teams and 5-12 after a pointspread defeat.
The over is on a 4-1 run for Ball State against winning teams and is 5-2 in Tulsa’s last seven non-conference games, but the under for the Golden Hurricane is on stretches of 7-1 on grass and 6-1 after a SU loss.
ATS ADVANTAGE: BALL STATE
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Ohio State (10-2, 4-5 ATS) at (8) Michigan State (11-2, 6-4 ATS)
Off to a strong start in Big Ten play, Michigan State looks to keep rolling and extend a seven-game overall winning streak when it returns home to face suddenly slumping Ohio State.
The Spartans opened conference action with a pair of double-digit road wins at Minnesota on Wednesday (70-58 as a one-point road favorite) and Northwestern on Saturday (77-66 as a four-point road chalk). Six of the team’s contests during its current seven-game winning streak have come by 11 points or more, and Michigan State is 4-1 ATS in lined action during this run (3-0 ATS last three).
Ohio State vaulted into the Top 25 courtesy of a 10-0 start, but the Buckeyes slipped out of the rankings after losing two of their last three (0-3 ATS). After opening the league season with a narrow 68-65 home win over Iowa as an eight-point favorite, Ohio State went to Minnesota on Saturday and got dumped 68-59 as a 3½-point underdog. During its 1-2 slump, the Buckeyes have averaged 58.3 ppg while giving up 69.7 ppg.
These rivals split two regular-season meetings last year, with the home team winning each contest and Ohio State going 2-0 ATS. But in the Big Ten Tournament, the Spartans prevailed 67-60 as a 4½-point chalk at a neutral site, ending an 0-3 ATS drought against the Buckeyes. The favorite has gotten the money in the last two meetings after the underdog cashed in the previous five. Finally, the visitor is 8-2 ATS in the last 10 regular-season battles.
Ohio State is in ATS ruts of 1-4 overall, 1-4-1 in Big Ten play and 0-4 versus winning teams, but the Buckeyes are 4-0-1 ATS in their last five Tuesday contests. Conversely, in addition to cashing in four of its last five overall, Michigan State is on ATS runs of 4-0 in conference play and 6-1 at home against teams with a winning road record, but Tom Izzo’s squad is 1-4-2 ATS in its last seven Tuesday contests.
The over is 5-0 in Ohio State’s last five on Tuesday and 4-1 in its last five after both a SU and ATS loss, but the under is 10-2 in Michigan State’s last 12 on Tuesday and 5-2 in its last seven lined games overall. Finally, the under is 3-0-1 in the last four regular-season battles in this series.
ATS ADVANTAGE: MICHIGAN STATE and UNDER
(5) UConn (12-1, 5-4 ATS) at (25) West Virginia (11-2, 5-5 ATS)
West Virginia has used a five-game winning streak to climb into the Top 25 but now faces its toughest test of the season when it hosts fifth-ranked Connecticut.
The Mountaineers opened Big East play with a dominating 92-66 road win at Seton Hall, cashing easily as a nine-point road chalk. West Virginia started its five-game run with a 68-63 win at Duquesne but has since ripped off four blowout victories by 36, 35, 28 and 26 points, and including the Duquesne win, their average margin of victory during the winning streak is 26 ppg (81-55). Bob Huggins’ team has followed up an 0-5 ATS slump with three consecutive spread-covers.
UConn rebounded from its only loss of the season (74-63 to Georgetown as a 6½-point home favorite eight days ago) with Saturday’s 80-49 rout of Rutgers as a 21½-point favorite, halting a two-game ATS slide. With the exception of the game against Georgetown and a 68-64 win at Buffalo, the Huskies have scored at least 75 points in every game this season, and they’ve held eight of 13 opponents to 58 points or fewer.
These schools met twice in a two-week span back in March, with UConn prevailing 79-71 as a three-point home favorite in the first clash and the Mountaineers exacting revenge in the Big East Tournament with a 78-72 victory as a 2½-point underdog. Going back to 1999, the Huskies are 7-2 SU and 6-3 ATS against West Virginia, including 3-1 SU and ATS in Morgantown. Also, the favorite has cashed in five of the last seven series battles.
West Virginia averages 81 ppg while making 50 percent of its shots, while UConn puts up 76.1 ppg on 44.7 percent shooting. Defensively, the Mountaineers have the slight edge, giving up 56.2 ppg (39.6 percent) compared with the Huskies’ 61.6 ppg (37.8 percent).
UConn is 8-18 ATS in its last 26 true road games, 6-14 ATS in its last 20 against teams with a winning home mark and 1-7 ATS in its last eight when coming off a victory of more than 20 points. Meanwhile, despite cashing in their last three contests, the Mountaineers are only 4-10-1 ATS in their last 15 on Tuesday.
The over is on streaks of 9-4 for UConn overall in lined outings, 4-1 for UConn on the road, 5-1 for UConn in Big East play, 4-0 for UConn against winning teams, 7-1 for the Mountaineers in league play and 4-0 for the Mountaineers against winning teams. Also, the last four series clashes between these schools have topped the posted total.
ATS ADVANTAGE: OVER
Alabama (10-3, 4-4 ATS) at (12) Clemson (14-0, 5-4 ATS)
Clemson – off to a 14-0 start for the second time in three years – will try to match the school record for victories to start a season when it hosts surging Alabama at Littlejohn Coliseum in Death Valley.
The Tigers pounded a pair of regional rivals the last two times out, first knocking off South Carolina 98-87 as a 2½-point road chalk a week ago, then beating East Carolina 79-66 on Saturday, but falling well short as a 24-point home chalk. Clemson ranks 12th in the nation in scoring (82.7 ppg) and ninth in field-goal percentage (49.9); it has scored at least 70 points in every contest so far; and 10 of its 14 wins have come by double digits.
Since losing to Texas A&M in overtime back on Dec. 13, the Crimson Tide have reeled off five consecutive victories (2-2 ATS in lined action), and they’re 9-1 in their last 10. That includes Saturday’s 88-77 victory over Georgia Tech as a three-point home favorite. Like Clemson, Alabama can fill the bucket, averaging 72.6 ppg, but shooting only 43.5 percent from the field.
In a New Year’s Day clash last year, Clemson went to Tuscaloosa and rolled the Tide 87-61 as a two-point road chalk.
Both squads have been solid defensively, with the Tigers yielding 63.5 ppg (40.5 percent shooting) and ‘Bama giving up 65 ppg (38.2 percent).
Alabama is 6-2 ATS in its last eight against winning teams and 7-3 ATS in its last 10 following an outright win, but the Tide are mired in pointspread slumps of 3-8 after a spread-cover, 1-4 on Tuesdays and 3-11 on the road after playing three or more straight home games. Meanwhile, Clemson is 7-1 ATS in its last eight versus SEC opponents and 10-4 ATS in its last 14 after a non-cover.
Alabama sports “over” streaks of 5-0 overall (all in non-conference action), 4-1 on the road and 5-1 after a spread-cover, but the under is 9-3 in its last 12 Tuesday affairs. The Tigers are on “over” stretches of 15-7-1 in non-league games and 5-1 against the SEC.
ATS ADVANTAGE: CLEMSON and OVER
(7) Texas (11-2, 6-4 ATS) at Arkansas (11-1, 4-2 ATS)
Arkansas puts its perfect home record and a nine-game overall winning streak on the line when it hosts seventh-ranked Texas at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville.
Playing in their home-away-from-home in Little Rock on Saturday, the Razorbacks downed North Texas 86-75, barely holding on as a 10-point home chalk to improve to 16-0 in designated home games dating to last January. A week ago tonight, they handed then-No. 4 Oklahoma its first setback of the season, rolling to a 96-88 victory as a 5½-point home underdog. Arkansas has been a scoring machine this season, putting up 82.7 ppg (13th best in the nation) on 47.4 percent shooting, and it has tallied at least 79 points eight times during its nine-game winning streak.
The Longhorns have played just twice since a 67-63 loss to Michigan State in Houston on Dec. 20, first topping Wisconsin 74-69 as a one-point underdog, then knocking off Appalachian State 78-43 as a 23½-point home favorite on Friday. Although Texas is 8-1 SU in its last nine games, only four of the victories have come by more than nine points. Rick Barnes’ squad is putting up 73.7 ppg (45 percent shooting).
These regional rivals last met in 2006, with Texas edging Arkansas 80-76 but coming up short as a seven-point home chalk.
Texas rates a huge edge defensively over the Razorbacks, giving up just 59.9 ppg (38.6 percent) while Arkansas surrenders 69 ppg (42 percent). The Longhorns have held seven of 13 foes to 58 points or less.
Arkansas is on ATS runs of 4-0 overall, 8-3-1 at home and 6-1 against winning teams, but the Hogs are just 4-14 ATS in their last 18 battles with the Big 12 and 2-6-1 ATS in their last nine games on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Longhorns are on ATS upswings of 5-2 on the highway, 9-2-1 on Tuesday and 7-3 when coming off a victory of more than 20 points.
The over has been the play for both squads recently, including 6-2 for Texas on the road, 4-0 for Texas against the SEC, 4-0 for Arkansas overall, 4-1 for Arkansas on Tuesday and 4-0 for Arkansas versus Big 12 foes. Lastly, the 2006 meeting between these squads easily eclipsed the total.
ATS ADVANTAGE: OVER
NBA
New Orleans (20-10, 13-16-1 ATS) at L.A. Lakers (27-5, 16-16 ATS)
The streaking Lakers put their six-game SU and five-game ATS winning streaks on the line when they host the Hornets, who have already dropped two home games to Los Angeles this season.
Los Angeles looked sluggish for the first 1½ quarters against Portland on Sunday, then turned on the jets en route to a 100-86 victory as an 11-point home chalk. Five Lakers scored in double figures, led by Kobe Bryant’s 26 points, and the team outshot the Blazers 49.3 percent to 39 percent.
The Lakers are 18-1 SU at home, winning the last 15 in a row. They’ve also covered four straight games at Staples Center after going 0-5 ATS in their previous five. For the season, Phil Jackson’s team is averaging 109 points per game (48 percent shooting) in its building while allowing 97.1 ppg (43 percent), and 12 of their 18 home wins have been double-digit blowouts.
New Orleans had a four-game winning streak halted in its most recent contest Saturday at Denver, falling 105-100 as a 4½-point road underdog. It was just the second time in the last 12 games that the Hornets reached triple digits in scoring and just the third time in the last 15 outings that they allowed 100 points or more. New Orleans has followed a 7-2-1 ATS run by failing to cash in six of its last eight.
With the loss at Denver, the Hornets dropped to a modest 9-6 SU and 6-8-1 ATS on the highway, where they’re putting up just 94.6 ppg (45 percent shooting) and giving up 92.8 ppg (45.2 percent).
The Lakers are riding a three-game winning streak in this rivalry, taking the first two meetings this year in the Big Easy by scores of 93-86 as a 1½-point underdog on Nov. 12 and 100-87 as a two-point pup on Dec. 23. The underdog has cashed in nine consecutive contests between these two squads, including eight outright upsets. Going back to the 2006-07 season, New Orleans is 2-1 SU and 3-0 ATS in Los Angeles.
Although they’re mired in ATS funks of 2-6 overall and 2-5-1 on the road, the Hornets are still on positive pointspread streaks of 21-9 against the Pacific Division, 40-19-2 after a SU loss, 45-21-1 after a non-cover and 14-6-1 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game. In addition to being 5-0 ATS in its last five overall and 4-0 ATS in its last four at home, Los Angeles is on pointspread runs of 4-0 against the Western Conference and 6-2 against the Southwest Division, but the Lakers are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 when playing on one day of rest.
The last five meetings in this rivalry have stayed under the total, but the over is 5-1 in the last six clashes at Staples Center. Furthermore, the Hornets are on “under” stretches of 10-2 overall, 10-3 on the road, 29-13 when playing on two days of rest, 6-1 when facing Western Conference foes and 5-0 when playing on Tuesday. The Lakers have stayed low in eight of 11 against the Southwest Division and five straight against teams with a winning record, but the over is 13-5 in their last 18 home games and 6-1 in their last seven on Tuesday.
ATS ADVANTAGE: NONE
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Matt Fargo
Matt Fargo
Ball St. Cardinals v/s Tulsa Golden Hurricane 1/6/2009 8:00:00 pm Predicted Winner: Ball St. Cardinals
**7** Tuesday GMAC Bowl 80.6% ATS BLOWOUT There was a big line swing here as Ball St. opened up as the favorite but it completely shifted to Tulsa being the chalk once Cardinals head coach Brady Hoke decided to take a job at San Diego St. and not coach Ball St. in its bowl game. There have been examples both ways where a team plays hard for its new coach in the bowl game or they decide not to show up as they feel they have been let down by the guy who led them the whole season. Each case is different and this one does not justify the line move.
With Hoke gone, the Cardinals inked Stan Parrish, who served as the team\'s offensive coordinator the past three seasons, as his replacement and he signed a four-year deal. The important thing here is twofold. First, the IS the new as there is no interim in his title so these players will be going all out. Second, his former title is extremely important as he was the mastermind behind this offense so Nate Davis and company will not be missing a beat as the transition is seamless.
I really though Tulsa would show up big in the C-USA Championship but it laid down from the start and let East Carolina control the tempo of the game. The Pirates have a solid defense as does Ball St. and the Golden Hurricane have not seen that many good defenses this year. The defenses faced finished the season ranked 106th, 119th, 45th, 111th, 118th, 115th, 43rd, 72nd, 100th, 84th, 102nd and 41st in total defense. Seven games came against teams ranked 100th or worse in defense. That has no doubt helped the numbers.
Against East Carolina, Tulsa was held to a season-low 399 yards, and quarterback David Johnson finished with 195 yards on 23-for-42 passing. It was only the third time this season he was held below 200 yards. Tulsa leading receiver Brennan Marion is most likely out for this game and that is going to hurt as he averaged 85.5 ypg which was 24th in the nation. The Cardinals have set a team record with 476 points and rank 17th in the nation in scoring offense, averaging 36.6 ppg while the total offense is 11th.
Tulsa’s defense is 83rd overall and 85th in scoring. It had trouble stopping the opponents passing games and as bad as the numbers are in totals, take it away from home and they become even worse. The Golden Hurricane are allowing 474.3 ypg away from home and that is 109th in the nation and the second worst average for teams in bowl games, with Missouri being the worst. Their 7.0 yppl is 4th worst in the nation while the 8.4 ypa through the air is 107th and the 5.4 ypc is 108th .Basically, this defense is horrible.
Tulsa is 1-10 ATS over the last three years when it allows more than 6.5 yppl while Ball St. is 10-2 ATS when gaining at least 6.5 yppl over the last two years and there is no reason to believe that average will not be achieved. The Cardinals are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games following a non-cover so they are a great bounceback team. Also, they are 16-5 ATS in their last 21 games against a winning team while Tulsa is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 against winning teams. 7* Ball St. Cardinals
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Matt Fargo
Ball St. Cardinals v/s Tulsa Golden Hurricane 1/6/2009 8:00:00 pm Predicted Winner: Ball St. Cardinals
**7** Tuesday GMAC Bowl 80.6% ATS BLOWOUT There was a big line swing here as Ball St. opened up as the favorite but it completely shifted to Tulsa being the chalk once Cardinals head coach Brady Hoke decided to take a job at San Diego St. and not coach Ball St. in its bowl game. There have been examples both ways where a team plays hard for its new coach in the bowl game or they decide not to show up as they feel they have been let down by the guy who led them the whole season. Each case is different and this one does not justify the line move.
With Hoke gone, the Cardinals inked Stan Parrish, who served as the team\'s offensive coordinator the past three seasons, as his replacement and he signed a four-year deal. The important thing here is twofold. First, the IS the new as there is no interim in his title so these players will be going all out. Second, his former title is extremely important as he was the mastermind behind this offense so Nate Davis and company will not be missing a beat as the transition is seamless.
I really though Tulsa would show up big in the C-USA Championship but it laid down from the start and let East Carolina control the tempo of the game. The Pirates have a solid defense as does Ball St. and the Golden Hurricane have not seen that many good defenses this year. The defenses faced finished the season ranked 106th, 119th, 45th, 111th, 118th, 115th, 43rd, 72nd, 100th, 84th, 102nd and 41st in total defense. Seven games came against teams ranked 100th or worse in defense. That has no doubt helped the numbers.
Against East Carolina, Tulsa was held to a season-low 399 yards, and quarterback David Johnson finished with 195 yards on 23-for-42 passing. It was only the third time this season he was held below 200 yards. Tulsa leading receiver Brennan Marion is most likely out for this game and that is going to hurt as he averaged 85.5 ypg which was 24th in the nation. The Cardinals have set a team record with 476 points and rank 17th in the nation in scoring offense, averaging 36.6 ppg while the total offense is 11th.
Tulsa’s defense is 83rd overall and 85th in scoring. It had trouble stopping the opponents passing games and as bad as the numbers are in totals, take it away from home and they become even worse. The Golden Hurricane are allowing 474.3 ypg away from home and that is 109th in the nation and the second worst average for teams in bowl games, with Missouri being the worst. Their 7.0 yppl is 4th worst in the nation while the 8.4 ypa through the air is 107th and the 5.4 ypc is 108th .Basically, this defense is horrible.
Tulsa is 1-10 ATS over the last three years when it allows more than 6.5 yppl while Ball St. is 10-2 ATS when gaining at least 6.5 yppl over the last two years and there is no reason to believe that average will not be achieved. The Cardinals are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games following a non-cover so they are a great bounceback team. Also, they are 16-5 ATS in their last 21 games against a winning team while Tulsa is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 against winning teams. 7* Ball St. Cardinals
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