07:05 PM NHL [6] Pittsburgh Penguins -220
07:35 PM NHL [11] Washington Capitals -140
08:05 PM NHL [14] Nashville Predators -170
08:35 PM NHL [20] Chicago Blackhawks -155
07:35 PM NHL [3410] TOTAL u2.5 -160 (Calgary Flames)
7:05 PM NBA [702] Washington Wizards PK-110
8:00 PM CBB [740] Syracuse -3.5 -110
1 unit bet pays 37 ....betdsi line
Goood luck everyone!! :firing: :toast: :SIB:em71:
ripped, cut and pasted, otherwise written by others, from across the internets:
since Super Bowl XXX, the team with the better regular season record is 1-14-1 vs spread in Super Bowls...Underdogs won last five, and seven of last nine Super Bowls SU.
Blues vs. Penguins
Play: Over 6
This is the first time we've seen a posted total of six in this matchup since October of 2009, but the relatively high number is warranted in my opinion.
The Blues can't keep the puck out of their net right now, having allowed a whopping 18 goals during their three-game losing streak.
The Penguins are obviously primed to take full advantage, having scored 24 goals during their four-game winning streak.
Note that the Blues are giving up 3.5 goals per game on the road this season while the Pens have put up a whopping 4.1 goals per contest at home.
Last year's two meetings in this series each produced an identical seven goals. Expect a similar story to unfold at PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday.
Kings vs. Devils
Play: Under 5
The Devils don't score a lot of goals, ranking 28th in the NHL averaging just 2.2 goals per game. They've won four of their last five overall though, and they've been great defensively during that span. They host the LA Kings tonight, the Los Angeles is one of the better defensive teams in the league, allowing just 2.5 goals per game (ranked 7th). The Kings have lost four straight, and they failed to score more than two goals in all four of those games. These two teams have a history of playing close, low scoring games. Seven of the last 10 head to head meetings have come up short of the total, and the under is 14-3-1 in the last 18 meetings. The Devils have only gone over once in their last eight games overall. There's every reason to expect another low scoring battle here tonight.
Flames vs. Canadiens
Play: Canadiens -191
The Flames are struggling right now and are off a loss at Toronto last night. Thats noteworthy as they're just 3-6 when playing the second of b2b games, 1-6 when doing so on the road. That includes an 0-5 mark the last five times that they played on the road, after playing the previous day. With the Canadiens, who are 16-8 at home, off two day's rest, consider "laying the wood."
Blue Jackets vs. Islanders
Play: Blue Jackets -130
Columbus comes in off a 7-6 OT win at Ottawa, while the Isles enter off a 3-2 OT home loss to the Flyers. Columbus has won three of its last four. Jackets? netminder Sergei Bobrovsky is 28-9 with a 1.98 GAA on the year, including 11-5 with a 2.19 GAA on the road. He?s also dominated New York throughout his career, going 12-4 with a 2.24 GAA. Note that Columbus is ranked third in scoring at 3.33 GPG, while ranked fourth in goals allowed at just 2.28 GPG. The Isles turn to goaltender Thomas Greiss, who is 12-9 with a 2.30 GAA on the season, and 4-5 with a 2.77 GAA lifetime against Columbus. Note that the Isles average 2.84 GPG and allow 2.89. Also note that the Blue Jackets are 11-4 in their last 15 in the fourth game of a 4-in-6 situation, while the Islanders are just 2-5 in their last seven after scoring two goals or less in their previous game. We think the Blue Jackets superior goaltending and offense prove too much for the inconsistent Islanders.
Flames vs. Canadiens
Play: Under 5?
The Calgary Flames have allowed a total of 15 goals through three consecutive losses, but I think we'll see a low-scoring affair when they visit the Montreal Canadiens Tuesday night. The Flames were shut out in a 4-0 loss at Toronto last night, and the schedule has been brutal lately for Calgary. Under is 10-1-3 in Flames' last 14 in the fourth game of a 4-in-6 days situation. The Habs had played three straight unders before a 3-2 overtime loss against Buffalo on Saturday was a push with the total set at five goals. The Flames are averaging just 2.00 goals per game on the road, and the over/under is 7-15 in Calgary's 22 road games this season.
Underdogs went 8-1 in the NBA last night. A $100 moneyline parlay of the 8 underdog winners would have paid: $4,562,889.20
Calgary TT under 2.5 has hit 15-5 on road since Nov 1....and Calg is 3-6 when playing the second of b2b games, 1-6 when doing so on the road
It never is easy for an opponent to go on the road to face the Chicago Blackhawks...For the Tampa Bay Lightning, the challenge could be particularly tough. An illness has spread through the locker room...Defenseman Victor Hedman missed three games last week because of the illness. Fellow defenseman Jason Garrison has not skated since Thursday because he is sick, and other players could be feeling the effects of the bug.
South Carolina is 12-3-1 ATS in their last 16 games following an ATS loss
Pittsburgh Panthers are 6-15-2 ATS in their last 23 games overall
Wichita State is 46-22-1 ATS in their last 69 versus the Missouri Valley
The West Virginia Mountaineers are 22-9 ATS in their last 31 home games
Wake Forest is just off thier first ACC win on the road in three years, and they are 5-14 ATS in their last 19 games following a straight up win.
The Tulane Green Wave are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS loss and 8-20-3 ATS in their last 31 games overall.
Kentucky is 18-8 ATS in their last 26 overall...Tennessee is 5-11-1 ATS in their last 17 games following a straight-up win, and 1-4 ATS in their last five home games...The Vols are 5-1 ATS in the past six meetings, KY will be without thier best player Fox. Calipari (since return to college coaching in 2001) have lost more games (6) vs TN than any other team except Louisville. Game is on ESPN.
Detroit Red Wings are 22-9 in their last 31 road games vs. a team with a losing home record...Red Wings are 3-12 in the last 15 meetings.
St Louis is 5-11 in their last 16 road games....St. Louis (23-19-5) ranks in the bottom five in goals against per game at 3.11
Pittsburgh is 45-12 in their last 57 home games...The Penguins (30-11-5) lead the NHL with an average of 3.63 goals a game..avg of 6 in last 4 games
Chad Johnson lasted just 5:58 into his last game before getting pulled after allowing three goals. Johnson is 7-5 with a 1.91 GAA on the road this season.
Washington at Ottawa: Home team is 23-9 in the last 32 meetings. And WA playing 3 in 4, and back to back vs Senators in winning streak, still, you bet against WA?
Over is 13-3 in Raptors last 16 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Spurs vs. Raptors
Play: Over 209
The San Antonio backcourt are always looking up court to find their stars, their outstanding frontcourt guys as well as anyone in the NBA. They can get this San Antonio team moving in a hurry down court and scoring, as their 107/game indicates. San Antonio has been shooting a league leading 41% from deep which isn't easy to defend. San Antonio on their road trip is still San Antonio. San Antonio will have Toronto on the ropes in a hurry with their ball movement and great knock down shooters. The frontcourt of Toronto have suffered with some injuries and the offensive rebounding being given up to opponents, has proven that, and their team is damaged because of this. Toronto is recently coming off their own road trip, getting home will be nice, but the Spurs are not a standard visitor.
Utah vs. Denver
Pick: Denver -2
The set-up: The Utah Jazz had a six-game winning streak snapped after Monday's 97-95 home loss to Oklahoma City in a matchup of the top teams in the Northwest Division. The 29-17 Jazz still lead the Thunder by 2 1/2 games and will travel to Denver Tuesday night, to face the 18-25 Nuggets.
Utah: Despite last night's loss, the Jazz are making a convincing case that this year's team is a solid playoff team for the 2016-17 season. SF Gordon Hayward and Rudy Gobert have built strong cases for a spot in the upcoming All Star game while PG George Hill (18.40-3.7-4.1) has made management look smart for trading for the 30-year-old veteran in the off-season. The Jazz are 17-5 with Hill in the lineup, including 10-0 when Hill scores 20 or more points in a game. Hayward is averaging career highs in points (22.1), rebounds (5.7) and free-throw shooting percentage (87.3). Center Rudy Gobert had just nine rebounds against Oklahoma City, halting a streak of 30 consecutive double-digit rebounding efforts, but leads the league in blocked shots per game (2.50), ranks second in field-goal percentage (64.4) and fifth in rebounds (12.6), while scoring 12.9 PPG. The Jazz allow the fewest points in the league (95.3) while ranking second in opponents' FG percentage (43.3).
Denver: In stark contrast to the Jazz,who are vying for a top-four seed in the Western Conference, the Nuggets are just trying to get into the playoffs. They currently hold the eighth and final seed in the conference but there is a lot of basketball left for them to either secure a postseason spot or fall out for the fourth straight season. More games like Sunday night, won't help the cause. Denver led Minnesota by nine points in the fourth quarter but crumbled in the final two minutes, settling for a disappointing 111-108 loss. "We just turned the ball over too consistently," guard Jamal Murray told The Denver Post after the loss. "There wasn't a stretch when we didn't turn it over. Our offense kept us in the game, but it should be the other way around; our defense should keep us in the game." Murray (8.0) saw his minutes increase with the absence of starting PG Emmanuel Mudiay (12.1 & 4.2 APG), who didn't make the one-game road trip because of lower back soreness. It bothered him before Saturday's win over the Los Angeles Clippers and then it became too much to play when he was knocked to the ground on a hard, legal screen by Clippers center DeAndre Jordan in the third quarter. Mudiay's status for Tuesday is unknown. However, the Nuggets did see the return of guard Gary Harris (12.8) from a right ankle sprain, and he responded with a team-high 22 points. He has missed 19 games with various injuries this season but came back strong against the Timberwolves.
The pick: Tough spot for the Jazz in this one, coming off a two-point loss to the Thunder in a game they were looking to show OKC that they were 'boss' in the Northwest. Denver did lose a close one to Minnesota on Sunday but had won four of its previous five contests. The Nuggets are averaging 109.8 PPG (4th), led by Gallinari (16.9), Chandler (16.2) and center Jokic (15.0 & 8.3). That average jumps to 113.2 PPG at home plus the Nuggets are averaging 121.7 points over their past six games, with Jokic averaging 25.5 points and 11 rebounds during the stretch.
Kentucky @ Tennessee
Pick: Kentucky -9.5
The fifth-ranked Kentucky Wildcats are continuing business as usual in the SEC having won seven straight to start the conference season. Head coach John Calipari?s Wildcats (17-2, 7-0) knocked off No. 24 South Carolina 85-69 on Saturday to take command of the conference. The Gamecocks (15-4, 5-1) were previously unbeaten but had no answers for Kentucky leading scorer Malik Monk who tallied 27 points. It was Monk?s fifth game of 25 points or more this season, moving Monk into second place behind Jamal Murray who had six such games in his first year at Kentucky.
The Wildcats will take on Tennessee on Tuesday night. The Volunteers (10-9, 3-4) are struggling having lost four of their last six games. Surprisingly, Tennessee has played its best basketball in losses to five ranked teams including early season defeats to Oregon and North Carolina, a pair of games Tennessee lost by a combined six points. Athletically, it will be tough for the Vols to match Kentucky.
Head coach Rick Barnes goes 11 deep into his bench. Tennessee is led by Robert Hubbs III, a 6-5 senior who scores 14.7 points per game. Grant Williams (10.8 ) and Detrick Mostella (10.5) are the only other double figures scorers for Tennessee. Barnes and company will have to keep pace with the Wildcats, the nation?s No. 3 scoring team averaging 92.9 points per game. Freshman De?Aaron Fox (16.2), Isaiah Briscoe (14.3) and Edrice Adebayo (13.1) all average in double figures for the Wildcats. Fox did leave the South Carolina game with an ankle injury and his status is uncertain for Tuesday.
San Diego State vs. Air Force
Play: San Diego State -6
San Diego State Aztecs -6 Both teams enter tonight?s contest on three-game streaks albeit one is winning and one losing. The Aztecs are riding a three-game straight up and against the spread win streak while the Flyboys are riding a three-game losing streak but they were able to cover the last two of those against the spread. The Falcons have struggled against the spread when coming off a three-game losing skid posting a record of only 19-30-1 ATS. They are also 7-16-1 coming off back-to-back spread victories. San Diego State is 41-25-1 ATS when installed as a favorite of three to six and half points. The Aztecs playing in the current price range and coming off a road game their last time out have posted a record of 21-8-2 ATS in this situation. We recommend laying the chalk and back the Aztecs on the road on Tuesday night as they roll past an overmatched group of Falcons.
Kansas vs. West Virginia
Play: West Virginia -4
I'm going to go against the public here and jump on the Mountaineers as a small home favorite against the Jayhawks. Kansas comes into this game having won 18 straight, as they have not lost since falling to Indiana in their opener. This will be the first time the Jayhawks are listed as a dog, since being a 2-point dog on a neutral court against Duke. For West Virginia to be laying 4-points here, the books have to feel pretty good about them winning this game, as they know the public will be all over Kansas. Keep in mind the Mountaineers have lost 2 straight, including a 87-89 defeat to Oklahoma as a 16.5-point favorite in their last home game.
This West Virginia team is certainly capable of knocking off this Kansas team and doing so by 5+ points. The Mountaineers are 10-1 at home and it's not easy leaving Morgantown with a win. West Virginia is also catching the Jayhawks at the right time. As big as this game is to the Mountaineers, Kansas has a massive showdown on deck this Saturday at Kentucky. West Virginia is 6-0 ATS in their last 6 home games on a Tuesday night, while the Jayhawks are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 when playing only their 2nd game in a week.
Purdue @ Michigan St
Pick: Purdue -2
Tom Izzo has a long history of elite teams during his tenure at Michigan State. His teams have won 27 games or more in seven of the last eight seasons, but at 12-8 this year, he is definitely in rebuilding mode. While his team is 9-1 straight-up at home on the season, they have been -10 or more chalk in seven of those. Purdue is having a great season at 16-4 and have been well above the line at 11-6 ATS. The Boilermakers are a sharp shooting team, connecting on over 49% and have knocked down three-pointers at an impressive rate, nailing 40.6% on the season. I think that is where the difference lies in this contest, so play on Purdue.
Akron vs. Western Michigan
Pick: Western Michigan
This is going to be mainly a ?situational? play on Western Michigan tonight. It has to deal with MAC home dogs this year along with a home team coming off a pair of road losses and Akron riding a 9 game win streak that has signals it will be ending soon.
MAC home dogs are 7-2-1 ATS this year. 9 of the 10 games have been decided by 5 points or fewer. One game that was a blowout involved Western Michigan who was a homedog, coming off 2 road losses, the same situation for tonight.
Western Michigan is 12-3 ATS as a home underdog since the 2012-13 season of 4 or less points, winning ALL 12 games straight up. When coming in off back to back losses, the Broncos are 9-0 ATS as a homedog the last 10 years! They won 7 straight up and lost the other two by 2 and 3 points only.
Akron is on a 9 game win streak. They have played 2 MAC road games and won only by 4 in both games. They were losing in the 2nd half of both games. There is a distraction here also for Akron. They have an upcoming revenge game against Buffalo. Buffalo beat Akron last year in the MAC Championship that kept the Zips out of the NCAA tourney.
As a road favorite of 4 points or less, Akron is 5-11 ATS since 2012. This is a strong situational play here and over-rides the head to head matchup I feel.
Southern Illinois vs. Wichita State
Play: Wichita State -17?
The Shockers have been pounding teams at home during conference play this season. Wichita State has wins by 26, 12, 25 and 34 already in MVC games. They beat teams with good balanced scoring and really good defense. Markis McDuffie leads the way with 12.3 points per game and is one of five who average at least eight. The Salukis have lost two straight and three of their last four. They have had an inconsistent offense and a defense that has struggled against the better offenses in the league. Wichita State has no soul and has no problems blowing teams out. They've covered 19 of their last 29 at home as a favorite of 12.5 points or more. Last year they beat SIU by 21 and 25 with wins by 12 and 22 the year before that. I think this is another blowout in the making.
Villanova @ Marquette
Play: Villanova -5
The Villanova Wildcats travel to Marquette to take on the Golden Eagles on Tuesday night. Villanova is 19-1 SU overall this year while Marquette comes in with a 13-6 SU overall record on the season. Villanova is 60-9 SU and 44-23 ATS last 3 years when playing against a team with a winning record. Villanova is 17-7 ATS last 3 years against good offensive teams scoring 77 points per game or more. Marquette is 0-10 SU and 2-8 ATS last 3 years against good defensive teams allowing 64 points per game or less after 15 or more games. Villanova is scoring 78.6 points per game overall this year, 77.1 points per game on the road this season and 79.2 points per game their past 5 games overall. Villanova is allowing only 62 points per game overall this year, 61.2 points per game their past 5 games overall and 63.4 points per game against conference opponents this season. Marquette is allowing 83.8 points per game their past 5 games overall and 79.1 points per game in conference games this year. Villanova is 6-0 SU and 5-1 ATS overall vs Marquette past 3 years. We'll recommend a small play on Villanova tonight!
BOWLING GREEN AT CENTRAL MICHIGAN
PLAY: BOWLING GREEN +6.5
Now that we?re into the later stages of January and a good number of conference games are already in the archives, I can start playing one of my favorite angles.
There?s really not much more than some common sense involved here. I like the idea of identifying mediocre teams who are giving more than two possessions, and siding with the underdog. The logic here is pretty simple. Bad teams don?t do very well when it comes to getting straight up wins, let alone doing so by enough to cover a good sized spread.
The fly in the ointment is that one has to also be willing to be wagering on teams that might be even worse. Obviously, if Team A is lousy and is spotting three possessions to Team B, then it follows that Team B is likely pretty terrible. Nevertheless, this is a theory I?ve had fun with for several years and it?s in play in this game.
Bowling Green is not good. The Falcons are a lower level MAC team, so there?s not much in the way of positives to bestow on this squad. But if Central Michigan is the better team in this matchup, it?s not by a big margin. Tonight?s game between the Falcons and Chippewas figures to be fast-paced and the home team will be hoisting threes from start to finish. If CMU has a big night fro beyond the arc, they probably win this big. The Chips are also nails from the foul line, so there?s always the chance they could extend a late lead.
But for me, the bottom line is catching more than two possessions against a team that isn?t really deserving of giving this many points. I?ll take the points with Bowling Green.
Villanova vs. Marquette
Play: Villanova -5
I'm laying the points with Villanova on Tuesday night as the Wildcats aim for the season sweep of Marquette. The defending champs beat the Golden Eagles 93-81 on January 7, nailing 65% of their FGA and a sizzling, 14 of 23 from behind the arc. While it's unlikely the 'Cats will put up those numbers tonight, the fact is, Marquette does leave a lot to be desired on the defensive end and they will play at Villanova's desired tempo. The Eagles are off a win in Omaha, but caught the Creighton Blue Jays in their first full game without National MVP candidate Maurice Watson, Jr., and the Jays are certainly a few rungs lower without him. Marquette is allowing teams to make 45% of their FGA and nearly 39% of their 3-pointers, ranking 325th in the nation. They're also rather anemic on the glass, another area where Villanova should shine tonight. The Wildcats have been true road warriors, covering eight of their last 10 on the road against teams playing better than .600 home basketball. They're also on a 16-5 ATS run when laying less than seven points. Meanwhile, the Golden Eagles have covered just three of their last 13 as a home dog. We'll look for Villanova to cover for the 6th straight time at Marquette.
In the Sights, Tuesday NCAA?
I don?t believe the markets are treating tonight?s ACC showdown in South Bend properly, and with +1 available across the board in the current trading there will be some #742 Notre Dame (8:00 Eastern) going into pocket. I believe the Fighting Irish are every bit as good as the Cavaliers, and may be targeting this game as much as any on their schedule this season, while bringing the savvy and poise to make such a focused effort hold up.
Mike Brey?s team has gone 0-4 SU and ATS vs. Virginia since joining the conference, and he is open about it - ?We have a very focused upperclass group that has had their butts beat by Virginia a bunch. We?re playing a team that we?ve had no answers for.?
I believe the answers are there ? Notre Dame is among the few teams that are not bothered tactically by the Virginia tempo, but in those past matchups the Cavaliers were simply more physical. That isn?t the case now. Keyed by some of those upperclassmen, Bonzie Colson and V. J. Beachem, the Fighting Irish have elevated from a soft #158 in defensive efficiency last season to the current #62, and are doing a much better job at clearing the boards. Colson has lost enough times to Virginia to understand what it takes for a turnaround - ?That?s something that?s going to be the most important thing, for us to be locked in mentally and understand that if our offense doesn?t go well, we have to focus on our defense. We have to get kills, have to get rebounds and outlets. If we can get rebounds and outlets with one-and-dones, it?s hard for them to set up in their defense.?
I also see Virginia as bringing some vulnerabilities this season. The tempo and defense have not changed, but this time Tony Bennett does not have great end-game scorers to rely on, London Perrantes leading the team at just 11.6 ppg. And if it is indeed close late the major gap in FT shooting can matter, the Irish leading the nation at 82.1 percent, while the Cavaliers are a below average 69,4.
Villanova?
I would expect the energy level to be high early; the question is whether the physical and mental toughness are there to stand up for 40 minutes. This will be the 7th go-round over the past 3 seasons vs. the Wildcats, all Villanova wins in double figures, with a 5-1 ATS, and note how misleading the earlier 93-81 home win was for Jay Wright's crew - they led 82-55 with 7:30 remaining. The Golden Eagles have grown up since then, but have they developed this level of maturity yet? I might prefer a First Half +3 as the path, more willing to rely on their early energy than their staying power, since the opponent is one of the most mentally tough outfits in recent years.
LAC tonight:
That game is a true Wild Card - there will be no Joel Embiid for the 76ers, with Jahlil Okafor ???, while Blake Griffin is expected to see some action for the Clippers. So to show how challenging some of these NBA settings have been this season this is a game in which I do not have a power rating at all, just a letter grade of "F" to show a total lack of confidence in putting a rating together. Part of me would like to disagree with the Over money - might the Clippers off of fatigue (Austin Rivers got up to 41:03 last night), and the 76ers off of a lack of manpower, prefer a slower tempo? But I just don't know a proper way to tie the various components together, and in such instances I find it not only good money management, but also good time management, to move on...
07:35 PM NHL [11] Washington Capitals -140
08:05 PM NHL [14] Nashville Predators -170
08:35 PM NHL [20] Chicago Blackhawks -155
07:35 PM NHL [3410] TOTAL u2.5 -160 (Calgary Flames)
7:05 PM NBA [702] Washington Wizards PK-110
8:00 PM CBB [740] Syracuse -3.5 -110
1 unit bet pays 37 ....betdsi line
Goood luck everyone!! :firing: :toast: :SIB:em71:
ripped, cut and pasted, otherwise written by others, from across the internets:
since Super Bowl XXX, the team with the better regular season record is 1-14-1 vs spread in Super Bowls...Underdogs won last five, and seven of last nine Super Bowls SU.
Blues vs. Penguins
Play: Over 6
This is the first time we've seen a posted total of six in this matchup since October of 2009, but the relatively high number is warranted in my opinion.
The Blues can't keep the puck out of their net right now, having allowed a whopping 18 goals during their three-game losing streak.
The Penguins are obviously primed to take full advantage, having scored 24 goals during their four-game winning streak.
Note that the Blues are giving up 3.5 goals per game on the road this season while the Pens have put up a whopping 4.1 goals per contest at home.
Last year's two meetings in this series each produced an identical seven goals. Expect a similar story to unfold at PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday.
Kings vs. Devils
Play: Under 5
The Devils don't score a lot of goals, ranking 28th in the NHL averaging just 2.2 goals per game. They've won four of their last five overall though, and they've been great defensively during that span. They host the LA Kings tonight, the Los Angeles is one of the better defensive teams in the league, allowing just 2.5 goals per game (ranked 7th). The Kings have lost four straight, and they failed to score more than two goals in all four of those games. These two teams have a history of playing close, low scoring games. Seven of the last 10 head to head meetings have come up short of the total, and the under is 14-3-1 in the last 18 meetings. The Devils have only gone over once in their last eight games overall. There's every reason to expect another low scoring battle here tonight.
Flames vs. Canadiens
Play: Canadiens -191
The Flames are struggling right now and are off a loss at Toronto last night. Thats noteworthy as they're just 3-6 when playing the second of b2b games, 1-6 when doing so on the road. That includes an 0-5 mark the last five times that they played on the road, after playing the previous day. With the Canadiens, who are 16-8 at home, off two day's rest, consider "laying the wood."
Blue Jackets vs. Islanders
Play: Blue Jackets -130
Columbus comes in off a 7-6 OT win at Ottawa, while the Isles enter off a 3-2 OT home loss to the Flyers. Columbus has won three of its last four. Jackets? netminder Sergei Bobrovsky is 28-9 with a 1.98 GAA on the year, including 11-5 with a 2.19 GAA on the road. He?s also dominated New York throughout his career, going 12-4 with a 2.24 GAA. Note that Columbus is ranked third in scoring at 3.33 GPG, while ranked fourth in goals allowed at just 2.28 GPG. The Isles turn to goaltender Thomas Greiss, who is 12-9 with a 2.30 GAA on the season, and 4-5 with a 2.77 GAA lifetime against Columbus. Note that the Isles average 2.84 GPG and allow 2.89. Also note that the Blue Jackets are 11-4 in their last 15 in the fourth game of a 4-in-6 situation, while the Islanders are just 2-5 in their last seven after scoring two goals or less in their previous game. We think the Blue Jackets superior goaltending and offense prove too much for the inconsistent Islanders.
Flames vs. Canadiens
Play: Under 5?
The Calgary Flames have allowed a total of 15 goals through three consecutive losses, but I think we'll see a low-scoring affair when they visit the Montreal Canadiens Tuesday night. The Flames were shut out in a 4-0 loss at Toronto last night, and the schedule has been brutal lately for Calgary. Under is 10-1-3 in Flames' last 14 in the fourth game of a 4-in-6 days situation. The Habs had played three straight unders before a 3-2 overtime loss against Buffalo on Saturday was a push with the total set at five goals. The Flames are averaging just 2.00 goals per game on the road, and the over/under is 7-15 in Calgary's 22 road games this season.
Underdogs went 8-1 in the NBA last night. A $100 moneyline parlay of the 8 underdog winners would have paid: $4,562,889.20
Calgary TT under 2.5 has hit 15-5 on road since Nov 1....and Calg is 3-6 when playing the second of b2b games, 1-6 when doing so on the road
It never is easy for an opponent to go on the road to face the Chicago Blackhawks...For the Tampa Bay Lightning, the challenge could be particularly tough. An illness has spread through the locker room...Defenseman Victor Hedman missed three games last week because of the illness. Fellow defenseman Jason Garrison has not skated since Thursday because he is sick, and other players could be feeling the effects of the bug.
South Carolina is 12-3-1 ATS in their last 16 games following an ATS loss
Pittsburgh Panthers are 6-15-2 ATS in their last 23 games overall
Wichita State is 46-22-1 ATS in their last 69 versus the Missouri Valley
The West Virginia Mountaineers are 22-9 ATS in their last 31 home games
Wake Forest is just off thier first ACC win on the road in three years, and they are 5-14 ATS in their last 19 games following a straight up win.
The Tulane Green Wave are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS loss and 8-20-3 ATS in their last 31 games overall.
Kentucky is 18-8 ATS in their last 26 overall...Tennessee is 5-11-1 ATS in their last 17 games following a straight-up win, and 1-4 ATS in their last five home games...The Vols are 5-1 ATS in the past six meetings, KY will be without thier best player Fox. Calipari (since return to college coaching in 2001) have lost more games (6) vs TN than any other team except Louisville. Game is on ESPN.
Detroit Red Wings are 22-9 in their last 31 road games vs. a team with a losing home record...Red Wings are 3-12 in the last 15 meetings.
St Louis is 5-11 in their last 16 road games....St. Louis (23-19-5) ranks in the bottom five in goals against per game at 3.11
Pittsburgh is 45-12 in their last 57 home games...The Penguins (30-11-5) lead the NHL with an average of 3.63 goals a game..avg of 6 in last 4 games
Chad Johnson lasted just 5:58 into his last game before getting pulled after allowing three goals. Johnson is 7-5 with a 1.91 GAA on the road this season.
Washington at Ottawa: Home team is 23-9 in the last 32 meetings. And WA playing 3 in 4, and back to back vs Senators in winning streak, still, you bet against WA?
Over is 13-3 in Raptors last 16 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Spurs vs. Raptors
Play: Over 209
The San Antonio backcourt are always looking up court to find their stars, their outstanding frontcourt guys as well as anyone in the NBA. They can get this San Antonio team moving in a hurry down court and scoring, as their 107/game indicates. San Antonio has been shooting a league leading 41% from deep which isn't easy to defend. San Antonio on their road trip is still San Antonio. San Antonio will have Toronto on the ropes in a hurry with their ball movement and great knock down shooters. The frontcourt of Toronto have suffered with some injuries and the offensive rebounding being given up to opponents, has proven that, and their team is damaged because of this. Toronto is recently coming off their own road trip, getting home will be nice, but the Spurs are not a standard visitor.
Utah vs. Denver
Pick: Denver -2
The set-up: The Utah Jazz had a six-game winning streak snapped after Monday's 97-95 home loss to Oklahoma City in a matchup of the top teams in the Northwest Division. The 29-17 Jazz still lead the Thunder by 2 1/2 games and will travel to Denver Tuesday night, to face the 18-25 Nuggets.
Utah: Despite last night's loss, the Jazz are making a convincing case that this year's team is a solid playoff team for the 2016-17 season. SF Gordon Hayward and Rudy Gobert have built strong cases for a spot in the upcoming All Star game while PG George Hill (18.40-3.7-4.1) has made management look smart for trading for the 30-year-old veteran in the off-season. The Jazz are 17-5 with Hill in the lineup, including 10-0 when Hill scores 20 or more points in a game. Hayward is averaging career highs in points (22.1), rebounds (5.7) and free-throw shooting percentage (87.3). Center Rudy Gobert had just nine rebounds against Oklahoma City, halting a streak of 30 consecutive double-digit rebounding efforts, but leads the league in blocked shots per game (2.50), ranks second in field-goal percentage (64.4) and fifth in rebounds (12.6), while scoring 12.9 PPG. The Jazz allow the fewest points in the league (95.3) while ranking second in opponents' FG percentage (43.3).
Denver: In stark contrast to the Jazz,who are vying for a top-four seed in the Western Conference, the Nuggets are just trying to get into the playoffs. They currently hold the eighth and final seed in the conference but there is a lot of basketball left for them to either secure a postseason spot or fall out for the fourth straight season. More games like Sunday night, won't help the cause. Denver led Minnesota by nine points in the fourth quarter but crumbled in the final two minutes, settling for a disappointing 111-108 loss. "We just turned the ball over too consistently," guard Jamal Murray told The Denver Post after the loss. "There wasn't a stretch when we didn't turn it over. Our offense kept us in the game, but it should be the other way around; our defense should keep us in the game." Murray (8.0) saw his minutes increase with the absence of starting PG Emmanuel Mudiay (12.1 & 4.2 APG), who didn't make the one-game road trip because of lower back soreness. It bothered him before Saturday's win over the Los Angeles Clippers and then it became too much to play when he was knocked to the ground on a hard, legal screen by Clippers center DeAndre Jordan in the third quarter. Mudiay's status for Tuesday is unknown. However, the Nuggets did see the return of guard Gary Harris (12.8) from a right ankle sprain, and he responded with a team-high 22 points. He has missed 19 games with various injuries this season but came back strong against the Timberwolves.
The pick: Tough spot for the Jazz in this one, coming off a two-point loss to the Thunder in a game they were looking to show OKC that they were 'boss' in the Northwest. Denver did lose a close one to Minnesota on Sunday but had won four of its previous five contests. The Nuggets are averaging 109.8 PPG (4th), led by Gallinari (16.9), Chandler (16.2) and center Jokic (15.0 & 8.3). That average jumps to 113.2 PPG at home plus the Nuggets are averaging 121.7 points over their past six games, with Jokic averaging 25.5 points and 11 rebounds during the stretch.
Kentucky @ Tennessee
Pick: Kentucky -9.5
The fifth-ranked Kentucky Wildcats are continuing business as usual in the SEC having won seven straight to start the conference season. Head coach John Calipari?s Wildcats (17-2, 7-0) knocked off No. 24 South Carolina 85-69 on Saturday to take command of the conference. The Gamecocks (15-4, 5-1) were previously unbeaten but had no answers for Kentucky leading scorer Malik Monk who tallied 27 points. It was Monk?s fifth game of 25 points or more this season, moving Monk into second place behind Jamal Murray who had six such games in his first year at Kentucky.
The Wildcats will take on Tennessee on Tuesday night. The Volunteers (10-9, 3-4) are struggling having lost four of their last six games. Surprisingly, Tennessee has played its best basketball in losses to five ranked teams including early season defeats to Oregon and North Carolina, a pair of games Tennessee lost by a combined six points. Athletically, it will be tough for the Vols to match Kentucky.
Head coach Rick Barnes goes 11 deep into his bench. Tennessee is led by Robert Hubbs III, a 6-5 senior who scores 14.7 points per game. Grant Williams (10.8 ) and Detrick Mostella (10.5) are the only other double figures scorers for Tennessee. Barnes and company will have to keep pace with the Wildcats, the nation?s No. 3 scoring team averaging 92.9 points per game. Freshman De?Aaron Fox (16.2), Isaiah Briscoe (14.3) and Edrice Adebayo (13.1) all average in double figures for the Wildcats. Fox did leave the South Carolina game with an ankle injury and his status is uncertain for Tuesday.
San Diego State vs. Air Force
Play: San Diego State -6
San Diego State Aztecs -6 Both teams enter tonight?s contest on three-game streaks albeit one is winning and one losing. The Aztecs are riding a three-game straight up and against the spread win streak while the Flyboys are riding a three-game losing streak but they were able to cover the last two of those against the spread. The Falcons have struggled against the spread when coming off a three-game losing skid posting a record of only 19-30-1 ATS. They are also 7-16-1 coming off back-to-back spread victories. San Diego State is 41-25-1 ATS when installed as a favorite of three to six and half points. The Aztecs playing in the current price range and coming off a road game their last time out have posted a record of 21-8-2 ATS in this situation. We recommend laying the chalk and back the Aztecs on the road on Tuesday night as they roll past an overmatched group of Falcons.
Kansas vs. West Virginia
Play: West Virginia -4
I'm going to go against the public here and jump on the Mountaineers as a small home favorite against the Jayhawks. Kansas comes into this game having won 18 straight, as they have not lost since falling to Indiana in their opener. This will be the first time the Jayhawks are listed as a dog, since being a 2-point dog on a neutral court against Duke. For West Virginia to be laying 4-points here, the books have to feel pretty good about them winning this game, as they know the public will be all over Kansas. Keep in mind the Mountaineers have lost 2 straight, including a 87-89 defeat to Oklahoma as a 16.5-point favorite in their last home game.
This West Virginia team is certainly capable of knocking off this Kansas team and doing so by 5+ points. The Mountaineers are 10-1 at home and it's not easy leaving Morgantown with a win. West Virginia is also catching the Jayhawks at the right time. As big as this game is to the Mountaineers, Kansas has a massive showdown on deck this Saturday at Kentucky. West Virginia is 6-0 ATS in their last 6 home games on a Tuesday night, while the Jayhawks are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 when playing only their 2nd game in a week.
Purdue @ Michigan St
Pick: Purdue -2
Tom Izzo has a long history of elite teams during his tenure at Michigan State. His teams have won 27 games or more in seven of the last eight seasons, but at 12-8 this year, he is definitely in rebuilding mode. While his team is 9-1 straight-up at home on the season, they have been -10 or more chalk in seven of those. Purdue is having a great season at 16-4 and have been well above the line at 11-6 ATS. The Boilermakers are a sharp shooting team, connecting on over 49% and have knocked down three-pointers at an impressive rate, nailing 40.6% on the season. I think that is where the difference lies in this contest, so play on Purdue.
Akron vs. Western Michigan
Pick: Western Michigan
This is going to be mainly a ?situational? play on Western Michigan tonight. It has to deal with MAC home dogs this year along with a home team coming off a pair of road losses and Akron riding a 9 game win streak that has signals it will be ending soon.
MAC home dogs are 7-2-1 ATS this year. 9 of the 10 games have been decided by 5 points or fewer. One game that was a blowout involved Western Michigan who was a homedog, coming off 2 road losses, the same situation for tonight.
Western Michigan is 12-3 ATS as a home underdog since the 2012-13 season of 4 or less points, winning ALL 12 games straight up. When coming in off back to back losses, the Broncos are 9-0 ATS as a homedog the last 10 years! They won 7 straight up and lost the other two by 2 and 3 points only.
Akron is on a 9 game win streak. They have played 2 MAC road games and won only by 4 in both games. They were losing in the 2nd half of both games. There is a distraction here also for Akron. They have an upcoming revenge game against Buffalo. Buffalo beat Akron last year in the MAC Championship that kept the Zips out of the NCAA tourney.
As a road favorite of 4 points or less, Akron is 5-11 ATS since 2012. This is a strong situational play here and over-rides the head to head matchup I feel.
Southern Illinois vs. Wichita State
Play: Wichita State -17?
The Shockers have been pounding teams at home during conference play this season. Wichita State has wins by 26, 12, 25 and 34 already in MVC games. They beat teams with good balanced scoring and really good defense. Markis McDuffie leads the way with 12.3 points per game and is one of five who average at least eight. The Salukis have lost two straight and three of their last four. They have had an inconsistent offense and a defense that has struggled against the better offenses in the league. Wichita State has no soul and has no problems blowing teams out. They've covered 19 of their last 29 at home as a favorite of 12.5 points or more. Last year they beat SIU by 21 and 25 with wins by 12 and 22 the year before that. I think this is another blowout in the making.
Villanova @ Marquette
Play: Villanova -5
The Villanova Wildcats travel to Marquette to take on the Golden Eagles on Tuesday night. Villanova is 19-1 SU overall this year while Marquette comes in with a 13-6 SU overall record on the season. Villanova is 60-9 SU and 44-23 ATS last 3 years when playing against a team with a winning record. Villanova is 17-7 ATS last 3 years against good offensive teams scoring 77 points per game or more. Marquette is 0-10 SU and 2-8 ATS last 3 years against good defensive teams allowing 64 points per game or less after 15 or more games. Villanova is scoring 78.6 points per game overall this year, 77.1 points per game on the road this season and 79.2 points per game their past 5 games overall. Villanova is allowing only 62 points per game overall this year, 61.2 points per game their past 5 games overall and 63.4 points per game against conference opponents this season. Marquette is allowing 83.8 points per game their past 5 games overall and 79.1 points per game in conference games this year. Villanova is 6-0 SU and 5-1 ATS overall vs Marquette past 3 years. We'll recommend a small play on Villanova tonight!
BOWLING GREEN AT CENTRAL MICHIGAN
PLAY: BOWLING GREEN +6.5
Now that we?re into the later stages of January and a good number of conference games are already in the archives, I can start playing one of my favorite angles.
There?s really not much more than some common sense involved here. I like the idea of identifying mediocre teams who are giving more than two possessions, and siding with the underdog. The logic here is pretty simple. Bad teams don?t do very well when it comes to getting straight up wins, let alone doing so by enough to cover a good sized spread.
The fly in the ointment is that one has to also be willing to be wagering on teams that might be even worse. Obviously, if Team A is lousy and is spotting three possessions to Team B, then it follows that Team B is likely pretty terrible. Nevertheless, this is a theory I?ve had fun with for several years and it?s in play in this game.
Bowling Green is not good. The Falcons are a lower level MAC team, so there?s not much in the way of positives to bestow on this squad. But if Central Michigan is the better team in this matchup, it?s not by a big margin. Tonight?s game between the Falcons and Chippewas figures to be fast-paced and the home team will be hoisting threes from start to finish. If CMU has a big night fro beyond the arc, they probably win this big. The Chips are also nails from the foul line, so there?s always the chance they could extend a late lead.
But for me, the bottom line is catching more than two possessions against a team that isn?t really deserving of giving this many points. I?ll take the points with Bowling Green.
Villanova vs. Marquette
Play: Villanova -5
I'm laying the points with Villanova on Tuesday night as the Wildcats aim for the season sweep of Marquette. The defending champs beat the Golden Eagles 93-81 on January 7, nailing 65% of their FGA and a sizzling, 14 of 23 from behind the arc. While it's unlikely the 'Cats will put up those numbers tonight, the fact is, Marquette does leave a lot to be desired on the defensive end and they will play at Villanova's desired tempo. The Eagles are off a win in Omaha, but caught the Creighton Blue Jays in their first full game without National MVP candidate Maurice Watson, Jr., and the Jays are certainly a few rungs lower without him. Marquette is allowing teams to make 45% of their FGA and nearly 39% of their 3-pointers, ranking 325th in the nation. They're also rather anemic on the glass, another area where Villanova should shine tonight. The Wildcats have been true road warriors, covering eight of their last 10 on the road against teams playing better than .600 home basketball. They're also on a 16-5 ATS run when laying less than seven points. Meanwhile, the Golden Eagles have covered just three of their last 13 as a home dog. We'll look for Villanova to cover for the 6th straight time at Marquette.
In the Sights, Tuesday NCAA?
I don?t believe the markets are treating tonight?s ACC showdown in South Bend properly, and with +1 available across the board in the current trading there will be some #742 Notre Dame (8:00 Eastern) going into pocket. I believe the Fighting Irish are every bit as good as the Cavaliers, and may be targeting this game as much as any on their schedule this season, while bringing the savvy and poise to make such a focused effort hold up.
Mike Brey?s team has gone 0-4 SU and ATS vs. Virginia since joining the conference, and he is open about it - ?We have a very focused upperclass group that has had their butts beat by Virginia a bunch. We?re playing a team that we?ve had no answers for.?
I believe the answers are there ? Notre Dame is among the few teams that are not bothered tactically by the Virginia tempo, but in those past matchups the Cavaliers were simply more physical. That isn?t the case now. Keyed by some of those upperclassmen, Bonzie Colson and V. J. Beachem, the Fighting Irish have elevated from a soft #158 in defensive efficiency last season to the current #62, and are doing a much better job at clearing the boards. Colson has lost enough times to Virginia to understand what it takes for a turnaround - ?That?s something that?s going to be the most important thing, for us to be locked in mentally and understand that if our offense doesn?t go well, we have to focus on our defense. We have to get kills, have to get rebounds and outlets. If we can get rebounds and outlets with one-and-dones, it?s hard for them to set up in their defense.?
I also see Virginia as bringing some vulnerabilities this season. The tempo and defense have not changed, but this time Tony Bennett does not have great end-game scorers to rely on, London Perrantes leading the team at just 11.6 ppg. And if it is indeed close late the major gap in FT shooting can matter, the Irish leading the nation at 82.1 percent, while the Cavaliers are a below average 69,4.
Villanova?
I would expect the energy level to be high early; the question is whether the physical and mental toughness are there to stand up for 40 minutes. This will be the 7th go-round over the past 3 seasons vs. the Wildcats, all Villanova wins in double figures, with a 5-1 ATS, and note how misleading the earlier 93-81 home win was for Jay Wright's crew - they led 82-55 with 7:30 remaining. The Golden Eagles have grown up since then, but have they developed this level of maturity yet? I might prefer a First Half +3 as the path, more willing to rely on their early energy than their staying power, since the opponent is one of the most mentally tough outfits in recent years.
LAC tonight:
That game is a true Wild Card - there will be no Joel Embiid for the 76ers, with Jahlil Okafor ???, while Blake Griffin is expected to see some action for the Clippers. So to show how challenging some of these NBA settings have been this season this is a game in which I do not have a power rating at all, just a letter grade of "F" to show a total lack of confidence in putting a rating together. Part of me would like to disagree with the Over money - might the Clippers off of fatigue (Austin Rivers got up to 41:03 last night), and the 76ers off of a lack of manpower, prefer a slower tempo? But I just don't know a proper way to tie the various components together, and in such instances I find it not only good money management, but also good time management, to move on...
