Thursday 12/22/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Spurs (23-5) at Clippers (21-8)

Date: December 22, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

LOS ANGELES -- The depth of the Los Angeles Clippers will allow them to overcome the absence of injured star forward Blake Griffin, coach Doc Rivers and his players say. That theory will receive an immediate stiff test when the Clippers play the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday at Staples Center in a matchup of two of the Western Conference's top three teams.

Griffin, who could be out as much as six weeks after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Tuesday, wasn't needed later that night when the Clippers trounced the Denver Nuggets 119-102.

Point guard Chris Paul, who almost recorded a triple-double with 16 points, 15 assists and eight rebounds, and Clippers shooting guard J.J. Redick, who finished with 27 points with seven 3-pointers, did much of the damage against the Nuggets. Center DeAndre Jordan also delivered valuable contributions with 13 points and 13 rebounds.

Jordan said a stronger cast of characters, most notably players off the Clippers' bench, should help them perform well without their leading man.

"That is why we have such a deep team this year," Jordan said. "You don't want to go through injuries this season, and there is no way we can replace Blake, but guys just step it up. This year, I feel like we have some firepower off of our bench.

"Guys like (Marreese Speights) and Brandon Bass are going to be ready to play. It is going to be exciting to have this challenge and go with it."

The Clippers (21-8) answered the challenge in their first meeting with the Spurs. With Griffin leading the way with 28 points, the Clippers pounded the Spurs 116-92 on Nov. 5 at San Antonio. The Spurs, though, played without starting point guard Tony Parker and shooting guard Danny Green.

Since then, the Spurs (22-5) have gone 17-3, including a 102-100 decision over the host Houston Rockets on Tuesday night. A 3-pointer by Patty Mills, after a superb pass from Manu Ginobili, with 12.9 seconds left capped a 19-4 spurt in the final 4:39 as the Spurs prevailed.

"I have no clue (how I got open)," said Mills, who finished with 13 points. "I didn't do anything other than just stand there. It was a hell of a pass. It was a broken play. It was what we work on all the time, driving and kicking. Manu did a great job of getting into the lane."

San Antonio, which has won five in a row and nine of its last 10, owns the NBA's best road record at 15-1. The lone defeat occurred Dec. 8 at Chicago.

Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard, who scored 21 points and recorded five steals in Tuesday's win, is experiencing another outstanding season, averaging 23.9 points per game on 46.8 percent shooting. Leonard, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, averages 2.04 steals per contest, which ranks sixth in the NBA.

San Antonio LaMarcus Aldridge has put up 16.6 points and 6.9 rebounds per game.

Although the Spurs also possess a solid bench, they will be without Ginobili against the Clippers and Friday's game at the Portland Trail Blazers. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has decided to rest the 39-year-old Ginobili.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Inside the Paint - Thursday
By Chris David

Thursday’s pro basketball card has five games on tap, which includes a nationally televised double-header on TNT. Half of the teams in action will also be playing on this year’s Christmas Day slate on Sunday.

Let’s handicap the game and offer up some quick leans as well.

Boston at Indiana: The Celtics opened as one-point road favorites for this matchup and based on what we’ve seen this season, it’s hard to back off the visitor in this spot. Boston has gone 9-1 straight up and 8-2 against the spread as a road favorite this season, with the lone loss coming by one point. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Pacers close as favorites knowing they’ve been better at home this season, going 11-4 SU and 8-7 ATS. As a home underdog, Indiana has gone 3-3 and one of the losses came to Boston on Nov. 12 with the Celtics grabbing a 105-99 victory at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Prior to that result, the Pacers had won three of four against the C’s. The total opened 208 ½ and was quickly steamed to 211 at most books. Bettors should note that the last seven meetings have gone ‘under’ the number in this series and Indiana has seen the ‘under’ go 5-1 when listed as a home ‘dog. Also, Boston has watched the ‘under’ go 11-7 on the road.

Lean: It’s hard to fade that Boston angle as a road favorite but Indiana won’t play again until Monday and I’d expect a much better effort in this spot, especially after they collapsed at New York on Tuesday.

Golden State at Brooklyn: Laying two touchdowns on the road in the NBA is never a wise investment but the Warriors are capable to run anybody when the shots fall. The Warriors have gone 7-0 (3-3-1 ATS) versus the Eastern Conference this season and four of those wins have come on the road. Brooklyn only has seven wins this season but it’s done surprisingly well against the West (5-7 SU, 6-5-1 ATS) and that includes an impressive 4-2 both SU and ATS mark at home. The Nets have averaged 113.8 PPG in those games, which has helped the ‘over’ go 5-1. Golden State has gone 4-2 in its last six meetings against Brooklyn but it’s only covered two of those games and the two SU losses came in New York.

Lean: The Warriors have seen the ‘under’ cash in eight straight games due to some great defensive efforts. Despite the run, I expect a fast pace with a ton of 3-pointers attempted and would play the high side (232).

Orlando at New York: Both clubs enter this game off comebacks wins on Tuesday. This will be the first matchup this season between the pair and last year’s four-game series ended in a split with each team capturing one road win while the ‘under’ went 3-1. New York opened as a 5 ½-point home favorite and it’s posted an eye-opening 7-0 record both SU and ATS when laying points this season at Madison Square Garden. Keep in mind that Orlando has been better on the road (8-7 SU, 9-6 ATS) than at home (5-10 SU, 3-10-2 ATS) this season.

Lean: It’s hard to ignore the chalky angle for the Knicks at home but Orlando is the better defensive team and when the Magic score over 100 points, they’ve gone 8-3 this season. New York’s scoring defense (108 PPG) ranked 25th in the league and that stat will make me grab the points.

L.A. Lakers at Miami: When you see how poorly the Lakers (1-9) and Heat (2-7) have struggled in December, it’s hard to make a case for either side in this matchup. Miami has gone 4-7 SU and 6-5 ATS versus the West this season but that includes a 1-4 mark at home while the ‘over’ has produced a 4-1 mark in the five contests played at American Airlines Arena. Los Angeles has been respectable versus the East this season, going 5-7 SU and 7-4-1 ATS. Different teams on the court for this one but hard to ignore Miami’s dominance over Los Angeles recently, 11-2 SU last 13 meetings. The ‘under’ has gone 4-0 in the last four encounters between the pair.

Lean: No feel on the side, slight edge to the ‘over’ based on the weak defense of the Lakers but your best bet is to sit back and enjoy Shaq Diesel’s jersey get retired at halftime on TNT.

San Antonio at L.A. Clippers: The Clippers handed the Spurs their worst loss of the season on Nov. 5 as they captured a 116-92 victory as 4 ½-point road underdogs. Blake Griffin scored 28 points in the win but he won’t be available for the rematch due to a knee injury. Los Angeles won without him on Tuesday as it ran past Denver 119-102 as an eight-point home favorite. Including that win, the Clippers have gone 10-4 SU at home this season but are just 7-7 ATS. The Spurs opened as one-point road favorites for the rematch and they’ve gone a league-best 15-1 (11-5 ATS) as visitors this season. San Antonio also enters this game with five straight wins and more importantly, five consecutive covers too. Part of the road success for the Spurs has come from their offense, which is averaging 106.6 PPG compared to 100 PPG at home. Los Angeles has gone 4-2 in its last six home matchups against San Antonio but four of these games were decided by four points or less. The ‘over’ has gone 4-2 during this span. TNT will provide national coverage of this matchup at 10:35 p.m. ET.

Lean: The total opened 207 and was bet down to 205 and I’m a little surprised by the quick drop because this Los Angeles team is a different squad without Griffin. The Clippers have gone 2-1 without him this season and even though the sample size is small, the Clippers attempted 36, 36 and 40 bombs from 3-point land in those games, up from their season average (26.9). The ‘over’ went 3-0 in those games and his absence was mising on defense. I expect another tight game but with the total dropping, I'd lean high and expect both clubs to get over the century mark on Thursday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Free NBA Picks: Thursday, Dec. 22, 2016, Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

What happened on Tuesday showed why some general manager of a contending team (ahem, Boston's Danny Ainge) should work out a trade for Kings star DeMarcus Cousins -- and also why said GM should be scared to death of getting Boogie. To recap Cousins' Tuesday: he was fined $50,000 for threatening a reporter from the Sacramento Bee over the weekend and told in no uncertain terms a suspension would be coming if it happened again. So Cousins, pretty clearly ticked off but motivated, then dropped a double-nickel (55 points) on the Trail Blazers in the Kings' win. Except it's never that easy for Cousins. In the final moments of the game, Cousins got ejected after barking at the Portland bench and his mouthpiece coming out. Apparently one official thought he purposefully spit it at the bench. So Cousins sprinted to the locker room, but then the referees talked, the call was reversed and Cousins came sprinting back and into the game. And of course he made a terrific block to help clinch the win. The guy is a major knucklehead but a Top-10 talent. Would you put your career on the line by trading for him? Your team better have strong leadership if so.

Celtics at Pacers (+1, 208.5)

Boston won a third straight on Tuesday, 112-109 in overtime behind a career-high 44 points from Isaiah Thomas as he led a rally from 17 points down. His previous career best was 38 on three occasions. Thomas also tied a career mark with seven made 3-pointers. Indiana saw its two-game winning streak end in a 118-111 loss at the Knicks on Tuesday. The Pacers led by 15 in the third quarter. Paul George was 6-for-16 from the field for only 16 points. Boston had lost five of the last six regular-season road games at Indiana before a 105-99 win at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Nov. 12. The Celtics have not won two regular-season road games at Indiana in one season since 2007-08.

Key trends: The Celtics are 8-2-1 against the spread in their past 11 road games. The "over/under" has gone under in the past four meetings in Indianapolis.

Early lean: Celtics and under.

Warriors at Nets (+13, 231.5)

Golden State won a fifth straight Tuesday, trashing visiting Utah 104-74. Steph Curry had 25 points and Kevin Durant 22. No Warriors starter played heavy minutes. Warriors backup point guard Ian Clark took a hard fall and had chest X-rays after the game, but those were negative. Brooklyn dropped a third in a row Tuesday, 116-104 in Toronto with Brook Lopez getting the night off to rest. He'll play here. Bojan Bogdanovic is the only Brooklyn player to start all 27 games this season. Brooklyn naturally was 0-2 vs. the Warriors last year but played them reasonably well in both.

Key trends: The Warriors are 0-4 ATS in their past four on the road. The Nets are 8-0 ATS in their past eight after a loss. The under is 7-0 in Golden State's past seven on the road.

Early lean: Nets and under.

Magic at Knicks (-6, 210)

Orlando won a wild one in Miami on Tuesday, 136-130 in double overtime. I would have expected a game in the 80s between those two. The Magic really stole the game, rallying from down five late in regulation and four late in the first OT. Nik Vucevic had 26 points and 12 rebounds, Evan Fournier scored 26 and hit the 3-pointer with 1:26 left that put Orlando up for good. The Magic are actually a solid 8-7 on the road, they just stink at home. New York's three-game losing streak ended in a 118-111 home win over Indiana on Tuesday. Carmelo Anthony had 35 points and Derrick Rose 24 after missing two games. The Knicks improved to 1-12 when trailing after three quarters. Orlando was 2-1 vs. New York last season and has won five of the last eight matchups overall with the Knicks.

Key trends: The Magic are 2-6 ATS in their past eight at the Knicks. The over is 4-0 in the Knicks' past four after a win.

Early lean: Knicks and over.

Lakers at Heat (-4, 208.5)

First of the TNT doubleheader. Los Angeles fell in Charlotte 117-113 on Tuesday for its second straight loss. Jordan Clarkson paced the Lakers with 25 points behind 7-for-9 3-point shooting, and Nick Young added 24 points. D'Angelo Russell returned after missing one game with a sore left knee and had 15 points. But forward Larry Nance Jr. one of the NBA's best dunkers like his dad used to be, hurt his knee in the third quarter and didn't return. Miami blew late leads in regulation and the first overtime in losing 136-130 in double OT at home to Orlando on Tuesday, the Heat's third straight defeat. It was the most points Miami ever scored in a loss. Tyler Johnson had a career-high 32 points, the most any Heat reserve has ever scored in a game. Last season, these teams split the season series with each winning on its home court. The Heat have won a franchise-best eight consecutive games against the Lakers in Miami.

Key trends: The Lakers are 2-6 ATS in their past eight in Miami. The under is 4-0 in the past four meetings.

Early lean: Heat and over.

Spurs at Clippers (-1.5, 205)

Second TNT game. San Antonio ended Houston's 10-game winning streak on Tuesday and won its fifth in a row, 102-100. Patty Mills' 3-pointer with 12.9 seconds left was the deciding bucket. Kawhi Leonard led the Spurs with 21 points, and LaMarcus Aldridge added 17 points with 10 rebounds. The Clippers began life without Blake Griffin (out 4-6 weeks following knee surgery) with a 119-102 home win over Denver on Tuesday. J.J. Redick scored 27 points, including 7-for-9 shooting on 3-pointers, and Chris Paul had 16 points, 15 assists and eight rebounds. Paul Pierce was a surprising starter for Griffin -- I doubt that continues. Los Angeles won the first meeting 116-92 in San Antonio on Nov. 5, but the Spurs were without Tony Parker and Danny Green. The Clippers have taken the past two meetings at home as well.

Key trends: The underdog is 6-2 ATS in the past eight meetings. The under is 6-0 in the Spurs' past six on the road.

Early lean: Spurs and under.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA

Thursday’s games

Knicks are 3-5 in last eight games with Orlando, but 3-2 vs Magic in last five games played here. Four of last five series games stayed under total. Orlando won four of last five road games, is 8-1 in last nine games as a road underdog- over is 7-2 in their last nine games. New York won/covered nine of its last 11 home games; they lost three of last four overall. Knicks are are 8-1 as a home favorite.

Lakers lost seven of last eight games with Miami but covered four of last six; they lost last five visits to South Beach (2-3 vs spread). Under is 8-2 in last ten series games. Lakers lost 10 of last 11 games overall, but covered last three; they’re 9-7 as a road underdog. Over is 6-3 in their last nine games. Heat lost their last three home games, are 2-4 as home favorites; three of last four Miami games stayed under total.

Golden State won four of last five games with Brooklyn but covered only one of last four; Warriors lost three of last five visits here. Over is 7-3 in last ten series games. Warriors won last five games overall, are 7-8 as road favorites (0-4 in last four). Under is 7-1 in their last eight games. Brooklyn lost five of last six games, is 7-5 as a home underdog. Over is 6-2 in their last eight games.

Indiana/Boston split their last ten games; home side was 7-3 in those games. Celtics lost four of last six visits to Beantown. Under is 8-2 in last ten series games. Boston won its last three games, all in OT; they’re 7-3 as road favorites. Four of their last six games stayed under. Pacers won/covered their last four home games; they’re 2-2 as home underdogs. Under is 5-1 in last six Indiana games.

Clippers won four of last six games with San Antonio; Spurs lost by 2-19 points in last two series games played here. Over is 5-3 in last eight series games. San Antonio won/covered last four games; they ended Rockets’ 10-game win streak Tuesday. Spurs are 14-1 on road, 10-4 as a road favorite. Clippers won four of last five games; they’re 7-7-1 vs spread at home, 0-1 as a home underdog. Over is 7-2 in their last nine games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

StatFox Super Situations

NBA*|*LA LAKERS*at*MIAMI
Play Over - All teams where the total is greater than or equal to 200 off a cover where the team lost the game straight up as an underdog against opponent off a home loss
54-23*over the last 5 seasons.**(*70.1%*|*28.7 units*)
4-1*this year.**(*80.0%*|*2.9 units*)

NBA*|*ORLANDO*at*NEW YORK
Play Against - Road teams vs. the money line (ORLANDO) after allowing 110 points or more against opponent after allowing 110 points or more 2 straight games
47-27*over the last 5 seasons.**(*63.5%*|*28.9 units*)
12-11*this year.**(*52.2%*|*0.8 units*)

NBA*|*GOLDEN STATE*at*BROOKLYN
Play Under - Home teams where the first half total is greater than 100 off 2 consecutive losses against division rivals against opponent off a home win
39-14*since 1997.**(*73.6%*|*23.6 units*)

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Marshall Thundering Herd (7-4) at Cincinnati Bearcats (9-2)

Date: December 22, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

CINCINNATI - It's often been considered how good the No. 24 Cincinnati Bearcats could be if UC's offense ever caught up to its vaunted defense.

At the moment, the Bearcats are shooting the ball as well as any UC team in recent memory. While it's come against questionable competition, head coach Mick Cronin believes it's just a matter of time for this year's team.

"We are unselfish, we pass the ball, but we just haven't been able to make open shots," Cronin said. "We have a chance to get a lot better, and be a devastating team, when we can shoot the ball."

After comfortable wins over Texas Southern and Fairleigh Dickinson, who they beat by 51 points, the schedule tightens up for the Bearcats beginning this week when they host Marshall (7-4) on Thursday night (7 p.m. ET) at Fifth Third Arena before beginning American Athletic Conference play on Dec. 28 at Temple.

Cincinnati (9-2) is led by junior forward Kyle Washington and sophomore guard Jacob Evans who each average better than 15 points per game. Point guard Troy Caupain averages 10.5 points and 4.4 assists for the Bearcats.

The Thundering Herd comes in averaging more than 86 points per game, but they'll hit a major roadblock Thursday against UC which has held nine of its 11 opponents this season under 70 points and six foes below 40 percent field goal shooting.

Marshall also allows more than 83 points, so there will be more opportunities for the Bearcats to score, coming off a record-setting 119-point performance against Fairleigh Dickinson.

Marshall could welcome back one of its key contributors on Thursday in starting forward Ryan Taylor who's been out with a calf injury. Taylor averages 12.5 points and 6.8 rebounds. Thundering Herd head coach Dan D'Antoni told the Herald Dispatch that Taylor's swelling is down and he feels confident that he can play on Thursday.

The Herd might still be without 6-foot-7 forward Terrence Thompson who averages 12 points and 7.8 boards but has missed six games with a stomach injury.

It's the 33rd meeting between the teams with Cincinnati leading the series 20-12. The Bearcats are 15-3 against the Thundering Herd in Cincinnati. It's the first meeting since 2012 when UC won 72-56 at the Civic Center in Charleston, WV.

The gaudy offensive numbers Cincinnati put up last week resulted in a pair of weekly honors. Freshman guard Jarron Cumberland earned AAC rookie of the week after shooting 64.7% and 70% from 3-point range while averaging a team-high 14.5 points. Senior guard Kevin Johnson was named to the league's weekly honor roll after averaging 14 points.

Cincinnati ranks 24th nationally with a .496 shooting percentage. That's UC's best shooting percentage since 1996.

"These guys, they share the ball, we just haven't made open shots consistently," said Cronin. "I think we have a chance to really improve as a team as the season goes on. Obviously, the competition is going to get a lot steeper."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Austin Peay Governors (4-8) at Indiana Hoosiers (9-2)

Date: December 22, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- No. 16 Indiana isn't just unblemished at home, the Hoosiers have made a habit of embarrassing teams that visit Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

Austin Peay (4-8) faces a daunting challenge Thursday at Indiana (9-2), which has won its eight home games by an average of 30.3 points. The only team to lose in single digits to the Hoosiers at home was No. 3 North Carolina, 76-67.

Delaware State was the Hoosiers' latest victim in a 103-56 rout on Monday. It's the fourth time Indiana has eclipsed 100 points this season and third 103-point game.

Indiana is looking to extend a home winning streak to 26 games, which would break a tie for fifth longest in program history.

Coming off a 99-85 home loss to Lipscomb Tuesday, Austin Peay has lost six in a row and is 0-5 in road games. What's particularly noteworthy about the latest loss is the Governors allowed 18 3-pointers.

"We're scoring enough points, but we sure aren't doing the job on the defensive end," said longtime Austin Peay coach Dave Loos, per The Leaf Chronicle in Clarksville, Tenn.

That's a rather inviting trend when considering Indiana averages 9.3 3-pointers per game and shoots 38.3 percent from beyond the arc (102 of 266). Junior guard James Blackmon Jr. averages a team-high 17.9 points and has hit 33 of 76 3-pointers (.434). Six Hoosiers have hit at least eight 3-pointers.

Indiana is averaging 88.1 points while Austin Peay is scoring at a 77.5-point clip. But the Governors are allowing 84.8 points while the Hoosiers are giving up 66.4 points per game.

While scoring is a given for the Hoosiers, head coach Tom Crean grilled his players about their lack of defensive intensity after an 83-78 loss to Butler Saturday in the Crossroads Classic at Indianapolis. His team responded by limiting Delaware State to 33.3 percent shooting (21 of 63).

Crean has been harping on not letting any offensive lapses impact the defensive effort.

"Absolutely we want to keep being more efficient defensively with our hands," he said. "We don't want silly reaches."

Three other Hoosiers are scoring in double digits. Junior guard Robert Johnson averages 13.2 points, sophomore forward OG Anunoby 13.2 points and sophomore center Thomas Bryant 12.4.

Indiana leads the country with a 15.0 rebounding margin. Bryant is pulling down 8.1 rebounds per game. Anunoby and sophomore forward Juwan Morgan are averaging 6.5 rebounds.

Austin Peay is averaging just 31 rebounds, 14.5 fewer than the Hoosiers, and are a minus-6.7 in rebounding margin.

Governors junior guard Josh Robinson is averaging a team-high 20.8 points, including 29 of 88 3-pointers (.330). Senior forward Kenny Jones is averaging 13.8 points and 6.8 rebounds. Senior guard/forward John Murry is averaging 12.7 points.

Jones and Murry are Indiana natives, Jones from South Bend and Murry from Indianapolis.

Loos is the most successful coach in Austin Peay and Ohio Valley Conference history with a 413-398 record in 27 seasons at the school and 495-451 in 31 seasons overall.

Crean has a 157-121 record in nine seasons at the Big Ten school and is 347-217 in 18 seasons overall.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Kansas Jayhawks (10-1) at UNLV, Rebels (7-5)

Date: December 22, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

LAS VEGAS -- Even the most gifted player on a team can find it difficult adjusting to additional talent.

In the case of Kansas freshman guard Josh Jackson, a likely one-and-done contributor trending toward the NBA, the transition to college basketball meant adapting to the skills other Jayhawks possess.

"I've never been on a team this talented before in my life," said the 6-foot-8 wing, "and it was kind of an adjustment for me when I first got here."

That required Bill Self, the coach of the 10-1 Jayhawks, to emphasize that Jackson simply blend in and use his talents to make No. 3 Kansas even more diverse.

"The thing he really helped me out with, the thing he told me was just to be myself and play my game," Jackson said.

"Sometimes in the time that I first got here I was kind of holding back a little bit because I knew I was playing with more talented guys, but he doesn't really want me to do that. He wants me to be who I am."

Jackson has shown great versatility, leading the Jayhawks in rebounds (6.3) and steals (1.7), while also carrying a 15.1-point scoring average entering a matchup Thursday against UNLV (7-5) at Thomas and Mack Center.

Although Jackson is certainly a key reason behind the Jayhawks' strong start, which includes a 10-game win streak since losing their opener to Indiana, Self contends "another gear" exists within his prized freshman. Jackson was rated as the nation's top recruit by some services.

"I may be nuts, whatever, because if you're averaging 15 and six and probably the best passer on the team you should be pretty happy with that," Self said. "But I still think he can do a lot more. I really do. I think the ceiling is so high with him."

If that ceiling is tapped, the Jayhawks could be considered a favorite to draw a No. 1 seed for the NCAA Tournament. Of course, that could also require them to capture a 13th consecutive Big 12 championship. After the trip to UNLV, the Jayhawks' first true road game of the season, Big 12 play begins Dec. 30 at TCU.

Senior guard Frank Mason has played at an All-America level so far, averaging a team-high 20.3 points on 52.1 percent shooting, while distributing 5.6 assists on average. He has led Kansas in scoring in nine of 11 games.

Although the matchup against Kansas is a still challenge for UNLV, a winning nonconference record for the Rebels reflects an initial stride achieved under Marvin Menzies. The first-year coach was hired in April, yet was forced to fill several roster spots.

The Rebels are coming off a 68-61 win over Southern Illinois, overcoming 23 turnovers behind a 23-point performance from Tyrell Green. The senior forward averages 14.1 points, second on the team behind sophomore guard Jalen Poyser (14.6). Poyser leads UNLV in 3-pointers (26) and assists (45).

"We'll try to design something (for Kansas), but we're not going to try to get too far out of our box," Menzies said. "We've got to get ready for conference. That's what this is all about. At the end of the day, we want to be able to go into conference and own our signature."

And that is?

"People have got to know when they play us they've got to take tough twos," Menzies said. "We're going to defend better than what we've been defending."

In two other meetings against ranked opponents, UNLV was walloped 94-45 by Duke and 83-63 by Oregon. The Rebels open Mountain West play on Dec. 28 at Colorado State.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Missouri State Bears (8-3) at USC Trojans (11-0)

Date: December 22, 2016 11:00 PM EDT

Missouri State will match up with a nationally ranked team for the first time this season on Thursday when the Bears face No. 23 USC in the semifinals of the Las Vegas Classic at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.

"We're excited to go on the road," said Jarrid Rhodes, who recently moved into the starting lineup for Missouri State. "This is a great opportunity for us, going to play a Top 25 team. I think we still have some things to work on, but I feel like, overall, we'll be ready."

USC (11-0) is off to its best start and enjoying its longest winning streak since going 16-0 to begin the 1970-71 season. That team went on to finish 24-2.

Missouri State (8-3) has won three in a row and four of its last five. The Bears could easily have an even better record. They suffered a two-point loss to DePaul and a three-point loss to Valparaiso.

The winner of Thursday's matchup will advance to the championship game to play DePaul or Wyoming, who will meet in the other semifinal.

USC will try to avoid the sluggish starts that forced them to come from behind in their most recent victories over Troy and Cornell. The Trojans have rallied to win after trailing by nine points or more six times already this season.

"We have to stop getting off to slow starts," said Jordan McLaughlin, the team's second-leading scorer. "We have to have focus and energy off the bat."

USC is led by Elijah Stewart, who is averaging 15.5 points and 5.9 rebounds. McLaughlin averages 13.6 points, 5.2 assists and 3.2 rebounds. Chimezie Metu is averaging 13.3 points and a team-high 7.8 rebounds.

Missouri State is led by Ronnie Rousseau III, who is averaging 13.2 points per game and shooting 37.9 percent from 3-point range. Alize Johnson is averaging 12.5 points and nine rebounds. Dequon Miller averages 11.3 points, four assists and 3.2 rebounds.

Obediah Church has adjusted nicely to his new role as a reserve for Missouri State. Church has made 14 of 17 shots from the field in four games since coming off the bench for the first time in his career on Dec. 10.

Church has filled a backup role since missing two games with an injury, but he recently said he is "close to 100 percent." He had 12 points, nine rebounds and two blocked shots in Monday's victory over Chicago State.

"It's been a rough patch the last couple weeks, but I plan on getting better real soon," Church said. "I'm just out there trying to do what I can do for the team -- defense, block shots, rebounding, whatever I can."

Before the semifinal matchups were finalized, Missouri State coach Paul Lusk said his team was excited about a potential game against USC.

"We get to play two games on a neutral floor," Lusk said. "One could be an undefeated team in the Top 25, so we're looking forward to playing basketball out there."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAAB

Thursday’s best 13 games

Rhode Island is 3-4 in its last seven games, with last three losses all by 5 or less points; Rams are 5-0 vs teams ranked outside top 100, with three of those five wins by 11+ points. URI has #46 eFG% defense, but always seems to have an injury or two. Wm & Mary is 5-4 vs schedule #295; they lost by 33-21 to Louisville/Duke, only top 100 teams they’ve played- they lost by 10 at Central Michigan, only other top 200 team they’ve played. A-14 home favorites are 16-25 vs spread; CAA road underdogs are 17-10.

Wake Forest scored 31 points in last 7:52 in a 77-71 win at LSU LY; Deacons had trailed by 5 with 7:52 left. Wake is 5-3 vs schedule #58; they’re 0-3 vs top 100 teams, losing by 19-7-4 points. Deacons are #268 experienced team; improving but still young. LSU is 8-2 vs schedule #221; they’re #327 experience team. Tigers are 3-2 vs top 100 teams. losing by 35 to Wichita State, 11 to VCU on a neutral floor in the Bahamas. ACC home favorites are 35-23 vs spread; SEC road underdogs are 4-6.

Tex-Arlington is 9-3 vs schedule #27; they’re #16 experience team, are 5-0 vs teams outside top 100, but three of five wins were by 7 or less points. Mavericks won their last eight games, with wins at Texas/St Mary’s. LMU won its last three games by total of five points, including upset win at Colorado State; Lions are #12 experience team, are coached by former NBA HC- they’re turning ball over 20.2% of time while playing tempo #312. C-USA favorites are 7-5 away from home; WCC home underdogs are 1-4.

DePaul is an underdog to a Mountain West team on a neutral floor? Oy. Blue Demons are 7-4 vs schedule #347, with home loss to #235 Ill-Chicago; they turn ball over 20.4% of time. Wyoming won its last six games, all at home; they’re 1-2 away from home, with only win by a point at Montana. Cowboys are 7-1 vs teams outside top 100, with a bad 73-65 loss at Pacific. DePaul lost by 9 to Temple in Miami, in its only game outside of Chicago this season. Mountain West home favorites are 17-13 vs spread; Big East underdogs are 11-7.

USC is 11-0 vs schedule #295; they’re 5-0 vs top 200 teams, with three wins by 7 or less points, best of which was 65-63 at #37 Texas A&M. Trojans are #324 experience team that is playing pace #114; they’ve scored 76+ points in last eight games. Missouri State is 8-3 vs schedule #345; Bears lost 84-81 at home to Valparaiso in their only top 100 games this season. State is #88 experience team that is 1-2 on road, losing by 2 at DePaul, 13 at Air Force. Pac-12 home favorites are 26-26 vs spread; MVC road underdogs are 7-12.

Tennessee beat East Tennessee State by 9-10 points the last two years; ETSU is 9-2 this year vs schedule #128- they have lot of kids who’ve transferred in from other places. Bucs lost by 9 at UNCW, 14 at Dayton in their only top 100 games, but they also won at Mississippi State- they’re playing pace #80. Tennessee is #333 experience team that is 6-5 vs schedule #96- they lost by a hoop at UNC, so they’re talented, just real young. Vols are 0-5 vs top 100 teams; their only top 200 win was by 23 over rebuilding Ga Tech. SoCon home favorites are 7-1 vs spread; SEC underdogs are 11-16 away from home.

Fort Wayne 9-3 vs schedule #252; they’re 2-3 in true road games, winning at Austin Peay and Stetson- their road losses are to top 80 teams. Mastodons are #86 experience team that plays pace #51; they shoot 39.8% on arc (#26), have #28 eFG%. Detroit has new coach, is 2-9 vs schedule #53; Titans are #257 experience team- they’re 0-4 vs teams in top 120, with all four losses by 20+ points. Teams are shooting 59.8% inside arc against Detroit. Summit League favorites are 4-4 away from home; Horizon League home underdogs are 6-2.

Siena beat an experienced Hofstra team 81-68 LY; holding Pride to 6-26 on arc; Saints are a disappointing 4-7 vs schedule #51 this year- they’re they’re 1-5 vs teams in top 160 this year, with only win by 3 over Bucknell in game played hour north of Albany on Saturday. Hofstra is #119 experience team that is 0-3 vs top 200 teams, losing by 14 to Vermont, 23 to Kentucky, 6 to St Bonaventure. Hofstra is once again thin; their subs have played #311 minutes. CAA home favorites are 2-10 vs spread; MAAC road underdogs are 15-14.

St Bonaventure beat Canisius last three years, by 22-4-6 points; Bonnies are 8-3 vs schedule #211- they’re #89 experience team that is 4-3 vs top 200 teams, with only ugly loss by 3 on a neutral court to Little Rock. Canisius won its last four games, winning last game* over Buffalo in OT; Griffins are turning ball over 21.4% of time- they lost by 24 to Kentucky, to Monmouth by 6 in their only top 100 games. Canisius is shooting 41% on the arc (#13). A-14 home favorites are 16-25 vs spread; MAAC road underdogs are 15-14.

Mercer lost last five D-I games (there was a D-II win in there), losing last game by 2 at Auburn after Clemson had beaten them by 43. Bears are 5-6 vs schedule #27; they’re #124 experience team that is playing 5th-slowest tempo in country. Mercer is 2-6 vs top 200 teams, with best win over #145 Ga Southern. LaSalle is 5-4 vs schedule #92; they’re #53 experience team that is 3-1 vs teams ranked outside top 100, with only loss to #194 Texas Southern. A-14 road favorites are 5-6 vs spread; SoCon home underdogs are 1-2.

Murray State is 5-7 vs schedule #156; they’ve lost four of last five D-I games, with two of last four losses in OT. Racers are 1-5 in games decided by 6 or less points, but 3-0 at home vs D-I teams; they were 4-21 on arc in 65-49 loss at Wright State LY. Raiders are 8-4 vs schedule #163; they’re 5-2 in games decided by 7 or less points, but are turning ball over 22.1% of time. Wright is shooting 38.2% on arc; they’ve got a new coach despite going 77-61 the last four years. OVC home favorites are 7-4 vs spread; Horizon League road underdogs are 19-20.

Cleveland State is 13-30 the last 1.5 years, as transfers depleted their talent base; Vikings are 4-7 this year vs schedule #292- they’re 0-6 in true road games, with four of six losses by 18+ points. State does force turnovers 23.1% of time (#26). Belmont 5-4 vs schedule #81; they just won by 6 at Milwaukee of Horizon League in last game. Bruins are shooting 28.9% on arc this year, much worse than usual for them. Belmont is 5-0 vs teams outside top 200, with only one win by more than 8 points. OVC home favorites are 7-4 vs spread; Horizon League road underdogs are 19-20.

Pepperdine lost its last six games, losing by 26 at UL-Lafayette Tuesday; no easy way to get from Lafayette to Missoula, so Waves could be tired. Montana was 1-16 on arc in 69-63 loss at Pepperdine LY, game that was tied with 7:21 left. Griz is 4-8 this year vs schedule #102; they’re 2-1 at home, losing by a point to Wyoming. Montana is 4-2 vs teams outside top 200, with best win over #202 San Jose State. Pepperdine lost by 6 at home to Portland State of Big Sky* Big Sky home favorites are 4-10 vs spread; WCC road underdogs are 10-10.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Thursday's Bowl Action

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (ESPN, 7:00 p.m. ET)
Idaho Vandals vs. Colorado State Rams

Odds: Colorado State (-13.5); Total set at 65.5

Although it's not a true home game for the Idaho Vandals in the Idaho Potato Bowl, playing down the road at Boise State's famed blue turf field should have the feel of a home game for the in-state team.

The Vandals will be looking for every edge they can get in this game as nearly two-touchdown underdogs against one of the point spread darlings of the year in Colorado State.

Colorado State went 10-2 ATS in their 12 games this year and ended the season covering the number seven straight times. Runs like that against the number will always be noticed by bettors everywhere, and the fact that Colorado State not only did so well, but won outright three times as underdogs suggests that this team has the attitude that they've always got a chance.

Flipping around to the roll of favorites is a bit different for the Rams, but it's nothing knew, and actually could be even better for those looking to back them here as they were a perfect 4-0 ATS when favored by 7 or more points this year.

Colorado's strong money making play down the stretch was largely due to their offense putting up monster numbers, as they scored 40+ points in four of their final five games, and likely could have made it five straight had they not taken their feet off the gas pedal in a 37-0 blowout win over Fresno State.

Efficiency and production like that is not good news for an Idaho team that relies on their defense to lead the way, and even if this is a de-facto home game for the Vandals, their own offense better be ready to put up some points if they want to stay in it.

The problem for this Idaho program is that playing in the Sun Belt doesn't bring the best competition and any time they did venture out of the conference to play upper echelon competition they were blown out of the building. Games at Washington (ranked #4) and @ Washington State ended in 59-14 and 56-6 blowout losses for the Vandals.

There is no comparision between those Power-5 schools and Colorado State, but the Rams are statistically better than most of anything Idaho sees in Sun Belt play and finished the year on such a roll offensively that the Vandals likely won't be able to keep up.

Idaho did finish the campaign covering the number seven straight times themselves (8-2 ATS last 10) and that's part of the reason why the numbers currently show the Vandals getting about 60% of the support, but this is definitely a step up in class for Idaho – a program not used to the big stage – and de-facto home game or not, two touchdowns may not be enough.

This is Idaho's first bowl game as a program since 2009 and like we see every year at this time of the year, often times teams in that situation are merely happy to have reached a post-season game.

The same can't be said for a Rams program that is making their fourth straight appearance in a bowl game and trying to continually build a winning culture within their walls.

Two straight losses in those most recent bowl games haven't escaped the memory banks of these players and they'll be doing everything they can to cruise to victory and end this year on a high note.

Playing on the “Smurf Turf” in Boise is nothing new for the Rams either as they almost shocked the college football world with a huge upset there as +28 point underdogs vs. Boise earlier this year (28-23 loss).

Knowing what to expect – from the blue turf and the bowl atmosphere – gives the Rams a huge edge mentally, and their 8-0 ATS run against winning foes, and 14-3-1 ATS run against non-conference foes helps put them over the top to cover this large spread.

Best Bet: Take Colorado State -13.5

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
By Brian Edwards

The bowl season continues Thursday night on the famous smurf turf where Idaho will take on Colorado State at the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl at Albertson’s Stadium in Boise. As of Wednesday afternoon, most betting shops had the Rams installed as 15-point favorites with a total of 65. The Vandals were +500 on the money line (risk $100 to win $500).

Colorado State (7-5 straight up, 10-2 against the spread) has covered the spread in seven consecutive games. Mike Bobo’s squad is a double-digit ‘chalk’ for the third time this year after going 2-0 in a pair of such spots.

CSU closed the regular season by winning four of five games with the only loss coming by a 49-46 count at Air Force. Bobo’s club finished the regular season in style, blasting eventual Mountain West Conference champ San Diego State 63-31 as a 12-point road underdog.

Junior quarterback Nick Stevens completed 10-of-15 passes for 210 yards and four touchdowns without an interception. Michael Gallup had seven receptions for 139 yards and three TDs, while Izzy Matthews rushed 14 times for 104 yards and a pair of scores. Dalyn Dawkins finished with 103 rushing yards on 15 carries.

The CSU defense forced a pair of turnovers and limited the NCAA’s all-time leading rusher Donnel Pumphrey to a season-low 53 rushing yards on 18 attempts.

This is the fourth straight season CSU is going bowling. After a pair of postseason trips under Jim McElwain, Bobo, the long-time Georgia offensive coordinator, took over in Ft. Collins when McElwain took the Florida job.

Bobo led the Rams to a 7-5 record and a trip to the Arizona Bowl in his first campaign as a head coach. However, CSU took a 28-23 loss to Nevada as a 3.5-point underdog to finish with a 7-6 ledger.

The season began on a dismal note in Denver, where Colorado destroyed CSU 44-7 as a seven-point favorite. In fairness, though, nobody had a clue what sort of season the Buffaloes were going to have at that time. The Rams would bounce back with victories over UTSA (23-14) and No. Colorado (47-21), but then they dropped to 2-3 with losses at Minnesota (31-24) and vs. Wyoming (38-17).

Since then, CSU has won five of its last seven games with four of those victories coming by margins of 18 points or more. The only setbacks were losses at Boise State (28-23) as a 28-point underdog and the aforementioned 49-46 loss at Air Force as a seven-point ‘dog.

For the season, Stevens has completed 65.2 percent of his passes for 1,488 yards with a 14/3 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He lost his hold of the starting job in September but when true freshman Colin Hill (8/2 TD-INT) went down with a torn ACL on Oct. 8 vs. Utah St., Stevens resumed control and the Rams are perfect for our purposes since then.

Not only that, but Stevens has thrown at least a pair of TD passes in each of the six starts since Hill was injured. His lone interception in those six games came at Air Force.

Bobo utilized a balanced trio of running backs during the regular season. Dawkins has rushed for a team-best 801 yards and three TDs while averaging 5.5 yards per carry. Matthews has run for 705 yards and 12 TDs with a 4.9 YPC average, while Marvin Kinsey has 546 rushing yards, seven TDs and a 5.9 YPC average. However, Kinsey tore his ACL at practice in early December and is ‘out.’

Gallup has 71 receptions for 1,170 yards and 11 TDs, earning him All-MWC first-team honors along with senior OG Fred Zerblis. The only other CSU player earning first-team All-MWC honors was senior punter Hayden Hunt.

The CSU defense is led by senior LB Kevin Davis, who recorded 101 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, four forced fumbles, four QB hurries, two passes broken up and one interception.

Idaho (8-4 SU, 8-4 ATS) is one of the nation’s biggest postseason surprises. Paul Petrino went 1-11, 1-10 (game at Florida was postponed) and 4-8 in his first three years at the helm. Going into his fourth season, the program found out it was being kicked out of the Sun Belt Conference following the 2017 campaign and would be moving down to the FCS level.

Under those far-from-ideal circumstances, Petrino led his team to just its third bowl bid in 21 seasons as an FBS program. Like CSU, Idaho took the cash in seven straight to close the regular season, winning six of those games outright.

Idaho has won four consecutive games, including three wins by double-digit margins. The Vandals are off a 37-12 win over Georgia State as four-point home favorites. They scored one TD on special teams and forced six turnovers. Matt Linehan connected on 15-of-19 passes for 126 yards and three TDs without an interception.

Linehan, a junior QB who is the son of Scott, the former Rams’ head coach, has competed 61.5 percent of his throws for 2,803 yards with a 15/10 TD-INT ratio. He spreads the wealth around with six players making 23 catches or more. This group is led by Deon Watson and Trent Cowan. Watson has 36 receptions for 555 yards and two TDs, while Cowan has 46 catches for 532 yards and six TDs.

RBs Aaron Duckworth and Isaiah Saunders split carries out of the backfield. Duckworth has run for 615 yards and four TDs with a 4.5 YPC average, while Saunders has 584 rushing yards, six TDs and a 4.6 YPC average.

Idaho owns a 4-3 spread record with three outright victories in seven games as an underdog. The Vandals have been double-digit ‘dogs five times, going 2-3 ATS with one outright win at UNLV (33-30 in overtime).

Idaho faced a pair of Power Five programs, losing 59-14 at Washington and 56-6 at Washington State.

Totals have been an overall wash for the Rams (6-6), but they’ve seen the ‘over’ hit in three straight and four of their last five. CSU’s games have averaged combined scores of 61.9 PPG.

Totals have been an overall was (6-6) for the Vandals, too, but they’ve seen the ‘under’ go 3-1 in their last four contests. Their games have averaged combined scores of 58.0 PPG.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Colorado State Rams (7-5) at Idaho Vandals (8-4)

Date: December 22, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Idaho has been largely uncompetitive in 21 seasons at the FBS level, so the program is dropping down to FCS status, beginning with the 2018 season.

So it is no stretch to say the Vandals are probably the most unlikely participant of the 80 bowl teams this season.

Idaho (8-4) concludes its next-to-last season as part of college football's top level by playing in a bowl game for only the third time when it meets streaking Colorado State (7-5) in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on Thursday (7 p.m. ET, ESPN) in Boise, Idaho.

The Vandals made the decision to drop down a level after being dismissed from the Sun Belt Conference. The university figured it might enjoy more success and lose less money as an FCS school.

So expectations were even lower than normal at the outset of this season and Idaho certainly didn't look like it was headed to its first winning campaign since 2009 or second in the past 17 seasons when it lost back-to-back September games to Washington and Washington State by a combined 115-20.

Yet coach Paul Petrino kept the squad from crumbling and Idaho finished the regular season by winning four straight and six of its last seven. And saying the Vandals are reveling in the bowl berth would be quite the understatement.

"That's one reason I'm so proud of our players," Petrino said during a press conference. "They've been kicked out of a conference and told they were going to change divisions. They never worried about that. They worried about playing one game at a time."

The date with Colorado State will definitely be challenging for the Vandals. The Rams won four of their past five games, and put 63 points on the scoreboard in a late-season road trouncing of Mountain West champion San Diego State.

Colorado State averaged a scorching 47.4 points and 520.6 yards over its final five games and the four victories during the stretch were by an average of 26.5 points. The Rams are playing in a bowl for the fourth consecutive season, the second-longest streak in school history (five under Sonny Lubick from 1999-2003).

Junior quarterback Nick Stevens tossed 14 touchdown passes against one interception over the final six games and standout junior receiver Michael Gallup (70 catches for 1,164 yards) had 11 touchdown receptions, second most in school history.

Senior weak-side linebacker Kevin Davis posted a team-high 101 tackles as the leader of the defense.

"Our football team has consistently improved throughout this season by the way they have worked and learned to compete, and I believe we are playing our best football late in the season," Rams coach Mike Bobo said. "We are appreciative of this invitation to play in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, and I'm excited for this football team to have one more chance to play together, to keep improving and finish the season on a high note."

The Idaho defense limited three of its last four opponents to 14 or fewer points. Sophomore middle linebacker Tony Lashley recorded a team-best 99 tackles.

Vandals junior quarterback Matt Linehan passed for 2,803 yards and 15 touchdowns against 10 interceptions. He is the son of Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Scott Linehan.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Eastern Michigan Eagles (7-5) at Old Dominion Monarchs (9-3)

Date: December 23, 2016 1:00 PM EDT

There must be something in the chicken.

The Popeyes Bahamas Bowl has been a wide-open affair with lots of scoring and little defense. In two years of play, teams are averaging 43.3 points each.

Expect more of the same this in this year's game as the ingredients are in place for another shootout when Eastern Michigan of the Mid-American Conference and Conference-USA's Old Dominion tangle at 1 p.m. on Dec. 23 at Thomas Robinson Stadium in Nassau.

ESPN will broadcast the game.

The Eagles (7-5 overall, 4-4 in MAC play) will be making their first bowl appearance since the 1987 now-defunct California Bowl when Eastern Michigan beat San Jose State, 30-27.

Eastern Michigan comes into the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl with victories in two of its last three games and has victories over conference championship participants Ohio (MAC) and Wyoming (Mountain West).

Chris Creighton, in his third year at the Ypsilanti school, spread the credit and beamed like a proud new father when the Eagles were selected to play.

"For everybody who has been a part of this school, who has been a part of this program for years, decades, I hope everyone takes great joy and pride," he said.

"We said at the very beginning that our vision when coming here was to make Eastern Michigan football a source of pride -- in our department, in the university, in Ypsilanti and in the region. That is what kept me up at night. That is what I have been charged up about," he added.

There's a lot of pride and joy on the other side, too.

The Monarchs (9-3 overall, 7-1 in Conference USA) will be making their first bowl appearance of any kind having only recently made the transition from FCS to FBS. Old Dominion is led by Bobby Wilder, the only head coach the school has had since restarting the program in 2009.

"We are all thrilled to play in the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl," Wilder said shortly after the Monarchs accepted an invitation. "The coaches I spoke with about the bowl said it is a great experience for the kids, which is what this is all about. This is an historic moment for Old Dominion University and our football program."

Getting a bowl invite is pretty special for many of the seniors.

"It's been everything you could ever dream about," right guard Troy Butler told the Daily Press. "It's just been an awesome experience, and I'm glad to be a part of it. We're thankful to all the players who came before and set us up to be in this position."

While Old Dominion will be making history in Nassau, much of this past season already has been a milestone for the Monarchs.

ODU comes into the game with a five-game winning streak. The Monarchs boast the top rushing offense in Conference-USA and have a dangerous and balanced attack.

Running back Ray Lawry leads the Monarch rushing attack having compiled six 100-yard games on his way to 1,112 yards and 11 touchdowns this season.

Sophomore running back Jeremy Cox added another 685 yards and 13 touchdowns.

A dangerous tandem indeed.

Senior quarterback David Washington earns high praise for guiding an offense that turned the ball over a total of nine times.

Washington threw for 2,648 yards and 28 touchdowns with only four interceptions. He is one of four quarterbacks in the country with more than 25 TD passes and four or fewer interceptions. (The other three are Western Michigan's Zach Terrell, North Carolina's Mitch Trubisky and Oklahoma State's Mason Rudolph.)

"He's the epitome of a selfless player," Butler said. "He'll do whatever it takes to get the team a win."

His favorite target, wide receiver Zach Pascal, caught 63 passes for 893 yards and eight TDs. Pascal has caught a pass in 48 consecutive games, which is tied for the longest current streak in FBS.

Eastern Michigan quarterback Brogan Roback has compiled some pretty impressive statistics himself.

The three-time MAC Offensive Player of the Week guided an offense that set school records for total offense (5,447), passing offense (3,549) and total points (396).

Much of that success should be credited to the offensive line, which allowed the 12th-fewest sacks in the nation, as well as the second-fewest tackles for loss.

The one-two punch of sophomore running back Ian Eriksen and wide receiver Sergio Bailey II should lead to plenty of offense for the Eagles if Eriksen is healthy. He has been listed as questionable with a knee issue.

Eriksen rushed for 741 yards and nine touchdowns; Bailey caught 55 passes for 799 yards and six TDs.

The Eagles were among the top 20 teams in creating turnovers, but as mentioned earlier, the Monarchs are one of the top teams at taking care of the ball.

When it comes to Conference USA, the Monarchs' defense was one of the best having a plus-13 turnover margin and recording 34 sacks.

The Eagles and Monarchs have played twice since ODU's resurgence in 2011, as the teams had a home-and-home in 2014-15. Old Dominion won both times, winning the 2014 game in Norfolk, 17-3, and the return trip in Ypsilanti, 38-34, in the 2015 season opener.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (8-5) at Navy Midshipmen (9-4)

Date: December 23, 2016 4:30 PM EDT

Injury-marred Navy will try to keep pace with Louisiana Tech and its high-flying offense when the teams meet Friday in the Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth, Texas (4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).

The Midshipmen (9-3) have lost two starting quarterbacks and both co-captains this season, which directly led to the late slump.

The Bulldogs (8-5) are ranked fifth in the nation in total offense and reached the Conference USA title game.

Both teams dropped their past two games and are looking to finish the season strong.

"Every time you play in a bowl, you are representing not only your school, but your conference as well," Louisiana Tech coach Skip Holtz said. "This is a chance to show the nation that Louisiana Tech has a good program and that Conference USA plays good football."

Navy also had one of the nation's most powerful attacks in the nation before starting quarterback Will Worth and slotback Toneo Gulley were injured on the same play in a 34-10 loss to Temple in the American Athletic Conference championship game. Navy then had its 14-game winning streak against Army snapped the following week with sophomore quarterback Zach Abey forced into action in a 21-17 loss.

It was the first time the Midshipmen dropped back-to-back games since 2014, when they lost three in a row to Rutgers, Western Kentucky and Air Force. Nonetheless, a win in the Armed Forces Bowl would give the Navy back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time in school history.

"This is a big game for us," Navy offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Ivin Jasper said. "We have to win this football game. We've had a great year. We've had some losses here and there, but at the same time, we've won nine games with a chance to win 10. We're not going to hold our heads down. We're going to find a way to win this football game."

Despite the injuries, Navy enters the game averaging 310.9 rushing yards per game. The Midshipmen will lean heavily on fullbacks Shawn White and Chris High to keep Louisiana Tech's offense off the field.

The Bulldogs average 44 points per game and are led by quarterback Ryan Higgins, who has thrown for 4,208 yards -- third best in the nation. Higgins also has 37 touchdown passes with just eight interceptions. He is ranked sixth in the country in passing efficiency (166.6) and eighth in completions per game (25).

"What Higgins has been able to do as a fifth-year senior is very impressive," Holtz said. "His development has been one of the big reasons for our success. Higgins has done a great job of protecting the football and making good decisions. He understands the offense and has a very accurate arm."

Higgins' two favorite targets are receivers Trent Taylor and Carlos Henderson. Taylor has 124 receptions for 1,570 yards with 10 touchdowns, while Henderson enters the game with 72 catches for 1,406 yards and 17 touchdowns -- second in the nation. Henderson is also averaging 30.4 yards per kickoff return with another two touchdowns.

Jarred Craft leads Louisiana Tech's ground attack with 1,011 yards and nine touchdowns on 174 carries.

The Bulldogs started the season 1-3 before going on a seven-game winning streak. Louisiana Tech then lost Southern Mississippi 39-24 in the regular-season finale and fell to Western Kentucky 58-44 in the Conference USA title game.

The Midshipmen are allowing 429 yards and 29.7 points per game. Navy was dealt a key loss on defense when linebacker and co-captain Daniel Gonzales sustained a season-ending foot injury against Air Force on Oct. 1.

The rest of the Midshipmen are trying to carry the load. They know a big challenge awaits against Louisiana Tech.

"They have a great offense, great receivers and great line," said Navy linebacker Micah Thomas, who leads the team with 98 tackles. "We just have to play hard. They're going to catch the ball. They're going to get some yards on the ground. It's going to happen. We just have to play with our fundamentals and tackle well. Then, I think we should be OK to slow them down a little bit."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NFL Week 15 lines that make you go hmmm...
By PETER KORNER

Longtime Las Vegas oddsmaker Peter Korner sizes up this week’s NFL schedule and picks out some of the lines making him go “hmmmm…” in Week 15:

New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles (+2, 41.5)

Philadelphia has now lost five straight heading into Week 16 and it’s the defense which has been particularly poor. Allowing 26, 27, 32, 27 and 27 points while averaging 18 points per game isn’t such a difficult trend to spot. Philadelphia, now out of the playoffs, still will be incentivized to play somewhat against an arch-rival and being at home.

The Giants are quietly having a banner year with 10 wins under their belt. New York is a winner of two straight and eight of nine games heading into play, and the defense has been sensational. In four wins in their past five games, the G-Men have held its opponents to 16, 13, 7 and six points. It’s hard not to think that this spread could easily be four or higher. If the bookmakers are giving you an obvious play, take it and head to the cashier.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Wiseguys are advising that these Week 16 NFL lines are going to move
By AAA SPORTS

Each week during the pro football season, Art Aronson of AAA Sports looks at the NFL odds and tells you which spread to bet now, which one to bet later, and which total to watch as the week plays out.

Game to bet now

New York Giants at Philadelphia (+2.5) (Thursday)

Never get in the way of a runaway train, and that’s pretty much the Eagles’ problem at this point of the season. Five straight losses (and 7 in the last 8), combined with solid seasons from Dallas and the Giants, have relegated Philadelphia to Baltic Ave. status in the NFC East. By contrast, the Giants are on one of their don’t-you-dare-forget-us late-season rolls and have an outside shot at winning the division and actually robbing the Cowboys of the overall No. 1 playoff seed in the conference. With defense as its calling card, New York has won 8 of 9 and is crushing it defensively with the league’s third-best defense in points allowed (17.9/game). The game opened at 3, then surprisingly moved to 2.5 – a gift for NY backers.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Giants, Eagles clash on TNF

TNF Betting Preview
New York Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Odds: New York Giants (-3); Total set at 41.5

There is no denying that the Giants have been one of the better teams in football over the past few months as at 10-4 straight up they are in great shape to get into the playoffs and make a run at the Super Bowl.

The Giants are 8-1 SU (7-2 ATS) over their past nine games, but despite that have yet to clinch their spot in the postseason tournament and will need one win over these final two games to get there. It's been the spectacular play of the Giants defense that has propelled this run (six straight 'unders') and New York fans are hoping that the old adage of “defense wins championships” holds true for their team this season.

But after three tough games against division leaders (Pittsburgh, Dallas, Detroit), this week's game in Philadelphia on short rest has the potential to be one of those dreaded “trap” games that could really put a bit more pressure on the Giants to perform in Week 17 that they definitely would love to avoid.

Philadelphia and New York played their first meeting seven weeks ago and that game got closer than expected. New York entered the 4th quarter with a 28-17 win, only to rely heavily on that stout defense of theirs to preserve the win. That W was the Giants third in a row at the time and helped propel them to three more victories before they fell to the Steelers in Pittsburgh.

However, it was also the last time the Giants cashed an 'over' ticket for total bettors and with nothing left to play for other then improvement from an Eagles perspective, don't be surprised to see Philly pull out all the stops this week.

While we could very well see an ultra-aggressive offensive approach from the Eagles, and the trap game narrative in their favor against the spread, this line is a point or two too short to seriously consider backing the Eagles. That's not to say there is tremendous value on the Giants because their isn't, but trusting the Eagles to keep this game within a FG is tough simply because of how bad their defense has been down the stretch.

Philly has allowed 27 or more points in four straight games and have given up 26 or more in eight of their past 10. With numbers like that it's no surprise that they are 2-8 SU during that span with all eight losses coming in those contests of giving up 26+ points. For a Giants offense that hasn't exactly been good during this winning run, facing this porous Eagles defense is exactly what the Giants need at this time of the year to get off the slide and pull their own weight.

Everyone knows how dangerous New York's defense can be, but if Eli Manning and company can get on a roll heading into January, the Giants might be the team in the NFC to watch out for.

Secondly, that same Giants defense that has been dominant is long overdue for a sub-par performance by their standards. That side of the ball has carried New York to their 10-4 SU record, but in a division game against an opponent that knows them well, has nothing to lose, and actually had quite a bit of success against them before (23 points scored), this sets up as a great spot for that sub-par performance to occur.

TNF games have been an 'under' bettor's dream for the bulk of the season – seven straight have stayed low – but that should change this week.

Philadelphia is 7-0 O/U in their last seven division gmaes and have seen 22 of their past 30 games in December sail 'over' the posted total. They are also one of the few organizations who buck the league-wide trend of playing 'under' the total on TNF as they are 5-2 O/U in their last seven appearances, and have a 44-21 O/U run going when coming off a loss.

It's been a while since New York has seen a losing opponent, but their 5-2 O/U mark on the road against a team with a losing record at home suggests that things will open up more than people expect this week, and thanks to their stellar defensive play for weeks, the number of 41.5 is more than a FG too low for an Eagles game when 30 points is always threatened by a Philly opponent.

Best Bet: Take Over 41.5 points

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Thursday Night Football betting preview: Giants at Eagles

New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles (+2.5, 41.5)

The New York Giants' road to their first postseason berth in five years could reach its intended destination on Thursday, as they travel down Interstate 95 to visit the NFC East-rival Philadelphia Eagles. The Giants have won two in a row overall, but their mediocre 3-3 mark away from home leaves a bit to be desired as they attempt to capture their first playoff berth since their magical 2011 season when they went on to win Super Bowl XLVI.

Eli Manning threw two of his season-high four touchdown passes to Odell Beckham Jr. in New York's 28-23 victory over Philadelphia on Nov. 6 and has tossed multiple scoring strikes in six of his last seven contests. Beckham reeled in a one-handed gem for a touchdown in Sunday's 17-6 triumph over Detroit and joined John Jefferson and Randy Moss as the lone players in NFL history with at least 1,000 receiving yards and 10 TD catches in each of their first three seasons. Manning and Beckham could be in for a big day against cellar-dwelling Philadelphia, which has dropped five in a row overall and has allowed two passing scores in each of its last four games. Rookie Carson Wentz failed to throw for a touchdown in the first meeting with the Giants and for the fourth time in seven games in the Eagles' 27-26 setback to the Ravens.

TV: 8:25 p.m. ET, NBC, NFL Network.

POWER RANKINGS: Giants (-2.5) - Eagles (2.5) + home field (-3) = New York Giants -2

LINE HISTORY: The Giants opened as three-point road favorites and Wednesday the books increased the spread to the key number of 3. The total opened at 42 and came down slightly to 41.5.

WEATHER REPORT: The weather will be decent (for this time of year) in Philadelphia on Thursday night. Clear skies, temperatures in the mid-30's and 8-11 mph winds.

INJURIES:

Giants - S N. Berhe (Questionable, concussion), T W. Beatty (Questionable, leg), LB J. Casillas (Questionable, knee), T M. Newhouse (Questionable, shoulder), LS Z. DeOssie (Questionable, hamstring), DE O. Odighizuwa (Questionable, knee), LB K. Robinson (Questionable, shoulder), CB J. Jenkins (Questionable, back), DE J. Pierre-Paul (Out For Season, hernia), QB R. Nassib (I-R, elbow), RB S. Vereen (I-R, tricep), RB O. Darkwa (I-R, leg), S D. Thompson (I-R, foot), S M. Thompson (I-R, knee), FB N. Whitlock (I-R, foot), LB J. Thomas (I-R, knee), FB W. Johnson (I-R, stinger), TE M. LaCosse (I-R, knee).

Eagles - RB D. Sproles (Probable, concussion), TE B. Celek (Probable, stinger), WR J. Matthews (Probable, ankle), T H. Vaitai (Questionable, knee), G A. Barbre (Questionable, hamstring), CB N. Carroll (Questionable, undisclosed), G I. Seumalo (Questionable, ankle), DT T. Hart (Out Indefinitely, ankle), RB K. Barner (I-R, hamstring), RB W. Smallwood (I-R, knee), LS J. Dorenbos (I-R, wrist), G M. Tobin (I-R, knee), CB R. Brooks (I-R, quadricep), LB J. Walker (I-R, knee), DE A. McCalister (I-R, calf).

ABOUT THE GIANTS (10-4 SU, 8-5-1 ATS, 3-11 O/U): Veteran Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie could be inserted in the starting lineup in place of fellow cornerback Janoris Jenkins, who was limited in Tuesday's practice due to a balky back. Signed to a five-year deal worth $62.5 million in the offseason, Jenkins has shadowed the opponent's No. 1 receiver while starting all 14 games for New York this season and has missed just four contests in his five-year career. Both Jenkins and Rodgers-Cromartie have a team-best 17 pass deflections in addition to three interceptions, with the latter picking off a pass last week versus the Lions. New York's opportunistic defense has stepped it up by recording at least one turnover in eight straight games.

ABOUT THE EAGLES (5-9 SU, 6-8 ATS, 8-6 O/U): Ryan Mathews continued his hot streak at the expense of the Ravens' top-ranked defense, rushing for a season-best 128 yards on 6.4 yards a carry while collecting his fifth touchdown in six games. Mathews found the end zone in the first meeting with the Giants, but was limited to just 15 yards on five carries while fellow running back Darren Sproles had 57 yards on 13 totes in that contest. Sproles was limited to just 19 carries for 81 yards in his last five games before sustaining a concussion, but the veteran could be closing in on a return after practicing on Tuesday.

TRENDS:

* Giants are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.
* Eagles are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 vs. NFC.
* Under is 6-0 in Giants' last 6 road games.
* Over is 7-0 in Eagles' last 7 vs. NFC East.
* Under is 6-0 in the last 6 meetings in Philadelphia.

CONSENESUS: The public is pounding the road favorite Giants at a rate of 72 percent and Over is picking up 60 percent of the totals wagers.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Giants (10-4) at Eagles (5-9)

Date: December 22, 2016 8:25 PM EDT

PHILADELPHIA -- The New York Giants can clinch a playoff spot for the first time since 2011 with a win over the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on Thursday.

The Giants (10-4) hold the top wildcard spot, two games ahead of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-6) and the Green Bay Packers (8-6).

They finish the season on Jan. 1 against the Washington Redskins.

The Eagles (5-9) will play the role of spoiler against their East Division rivals, having been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday with a loss at Baltimore. The Giants knocked off the Eagles 28-23 in Week 9. The game was one of six losses for the Eagles in games decided by seven points or fewer.

Philadelphia's rookie quarterback Carson Wentz threw for 364 yards in the first meeting with the Giants, a career high, but he will be facing a defense that has allowed an NFL-low passer rating of 70.0 since Week 5.

Since Week 7, the Big Blue defense have the best scoring defense in the league, allowing just 14.9 points a game, and are the best in third-down defense, allowing a conversion just 29.6 percent of the time.

The architect of New York' defense is Steve Spagnuolo, the defensive coordinator who oversaw the 2007 championship defense.

"He's done a really good job," said Giants defensive tackle Damon Harrison of Spagnuolo. "Historically, the defense speaks for itself because it's a Super-Bowl winning defense. It was a just a matter of getting everyone in the right position and getting everyone to buy in and used to playing with each other.

"That's tough when you bring in a new group like we've done this offseason. It's a credit to 1/8Spagnuolo 3/8 in getting guys to buy in and play together."

One of those guys Harrison referred to is defensive end Romeo Okwara, an undrafted free-agent out of Notre Dame, who has done a nice job of filling in for Jason Pierre-Paul who is out with season-ending surgery. In his first start of the season against Dallas in a nationally-televised game on December 11th, Okwara recorded eight combined tackles and the first sack of his career.

"Their defense is playing really well," said Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich. "They are getting after the passer and rushing the passer very well. They have two really good corners, obviously a good safety, good secondary.

"They have good personnel on their defense. It just seems like they are hitting their stride defensively. We know 1/8Spagnuolo 3/8 is a very good coordinator. They are playing with a lot of momentum right now and playing at a high level. Really good in the red zone. Really good on third down. Pretty good against the run. So it will be a good challenge for us."

The Eagles running game will get a boost from running back Darren Sproles, who was cleared after undergoing concussion protocol. However, his replacement in the Baltimore game, Kenjon Barner, is out with a hamstring injury. Sproles is second to Ryan Mathews (615 yards) in rushing with 366 yards.

Philadelphia averages 112.9 yards on the ground and 227.5 in the air.

The Giants will be without running back Shane Vereen who reinjured his triceps in the 17-6 win over the Detroit Lions on Sunday. Vereen has endured a tough-luck season. He missed nine games earlier with the triceps injury, returned to face Dallas, but lasted just three plays before sustaining a concussion. Vereen was cleared for the Lions game, but re-injured his triceps.

The workload will go to Paul Perkins, who is coming off the best game of his rookie season. The UCLA product carried the ball 11 times for 56 yards against the Lions.

"Whenever any player is able to get in a rhythm -- not just running backs -- quarterbacks, receivers, anybody. Whenever you're able to get in that rhythm the game starts to slow down and you get more comfortable."

The Eagles have outscored the Giants 54-7 in the last two games they've hosted New York at Lincoln Financial Field. Giants quarterback Eli Manning's five career losses against the Eagles are his most against any opponent, as are his 26 career interceptions thrown against Philadelphia.