Sportspicks
Take the Jazz -2 against the Wizards
WELCOME to GAMEDAYNETWORK
Members Picks
TUE 16-DEC-03
10* Inside Information NBA
Atlanta Hawks @ Miami Heat
Pick: Hawks +160
Game Time: 7:35 PM ET
10* Inner Circle NBA
Orlando Magic @ Chicago Bulls
Pick: Magic +115
Game Time: 8:35 PM ET
9* Inner Circle NBA
Utah Jazz @ Washington Wizards
Pick: Jazz -2
Game Time: 7:05 PM ET
Insideredge MEMBER SELECTIONS
Tuesday Selections
NCAA Football
3* Memphis ?4
NCAA Basketball
3* Portland +7.5
NBA
2* Chicago -2.5
NCAA FB
New Orleans Bowl @ New Orleans - North Texas Mean Green vs. Memphis Tigers 7:00 pm EST
Memphis ?4 (3 Units)
Memphis is in their first bowl game since 1971 and they are very fired up to be playing in the post-season and won't let down just because it's playing a Sun Belt team. Offensively, Memphis will be without its star. DeAngelo Williams, who is rehabbing a torn MCL in his left knee, will not play. Doctors gave Williams the ?okay? to step-up his rehab process, but West determined that the C-USA Offensive Player of the Year isn't healthy enough to risk playing in the game. Junior Derron Parquet, who rushed for 164 yards in the Tigers? finale, will most likely get the start as a result of Williams? absence. QB Danny Wimprine will look to rebound from back-to-back bad games. In Wimprine's defense, he played the final two games without leading receiver Maurice Avery, who will return for the New Orleans Bowl. He will be facing the North Texas defense that is ranked 82nd in the country in pass efficiency. The Memphis defense will be keying on the nation?s leading rusher Patrick Cobbs. Cobbs knows Memphis's blitzing defensive scheme might keep him from exploding as much as he did at times this season. This is the best defense North Texas has faced in months. Joe Lee Dunn's pressure defense, laden with blitzes and unpredictability, improved gradually throughout the fall, ending the regular season as C-USA's top unit. Dunn said he didn't know of many defenses he has directed that have played better than the Tiger unit did in November. During the season's second half, the Tiger defense shut down several highly regarded offenses and turned offensive, too, scoring three times off interceptions. The Tigers did not allow any of four opponents to rush for more than 60 yards in the month of November. North Texas QB Scott Hall has been solid, but he'll have a hard time getting much done against the Tiger secondary. He hasn?t been called upon to win games, only to not lose them. That role might change Tuesday. With far more offensive weapons, Memphis can afford more for this to be a bit of a shootout with the talent on both sides of the ball to win without a problem as long as it doesn't screw up like it did against South Florida where they committed 7 turnovers. Two North Texas assistants have recently bolted from the team to take jobs at other schools. Freddie Kitchens, who coached running backs at North Texas, has been hired by new Mississippi State coach Sylvester Croom. Eric Wolford, the offensive line coach, has been hired by new Arizona coach Mike Stoops. That will not help the patchwork line of North Texas. Only right guard Nick Zuniga and center Andy Brewster have started every game for the Mean Green. Seven different players have started on the line this season, and two have started at two different positions. Memphis has last year?s New Orleans bowl on their side. Cincinnati thought it was going to be able to walk into the Superdome last year and walk all over the Mean Green. A few big plays later and the momentum was all on the North Texas side. The Tigers will not commit the same mistake. The Tigers have a high-powered offense and they come in with the 12th ranked defense in the country. North Texas is on a roll but the competition has not been anything spectacular. Memphis is hungry for this game and should walk out of the Superdome with an easy one.
NCAA Basketball
Portland Pilots at Weber St. Wildcats 10:00 pm EST
Portland +7.5 (3 Units)
Portland looks to rebound from a horrible game at Duke on Sunday. Badly out of synch because of Duke's smothering pressure defense, the Pilots missed 16 of their first 17 shots, scored 12 points in the first half, and were held to their fewest points in eight seasons. "That was probably the best defense I've ever seen, and I know it's the best defense my players have ever seen,? Pilots coach Michael Holton said. ?They suffocated us from the opening tip." Portland was third in the nation in three-point shooting but made 1 of 6 in the first half and 7 of 18 for the game. The Pilots won?t have to worry about that defense on Tuesday, as Weber St. is 306th in the country in defensive shooting percentage, allowing 49.6% from the floor. Even with their effort against Duke, Portland is still hitting 44.4% from behind the arc. They know how to win on the road as they have gotten wins at Oregon St. and New Mexico already this season. Weber St. is 3-1 at home but only one game was against a division 1-A foe and that turned out to be the one defeat, a 66-60 loss to Utah St. "It just hasn't kicked in yet with our guys," said Wildcats' coach Joe Cravens following their loss Saturday to Nevada. "You can't let a team shoot 50 percent and still have a whole lot of success." Pat Danley started at center in place of Lance Allred, who stayed home recover from a punctured lung. "We're a different team without Lance in there," said Cravens. "We miss his size. But we've just got to keep trying to improve." Last year the Wildcats not only had conference player of the year Jermaine Boyette, they had five other seniors who all knew and understood their roles on the team. This year, there are five seniors on the team, but they simply don't have the same chemistry as the previous group. We know the Pilots will shoot better tonight than they did at Duke and with the lack of defense Weber St. brings, this should go down to the wire.
NBA
Orlando Magic at Chicago Bulls 8:35 pm EST
Chicago ?2.5 (2 Units)
Saturday's victory over Indiana could be a jumpstart for the Bulls. Jamal Crawford and Kirk Hinrich formed the starting backcourt and it looks like it will be that way for a while. Hinrich has been more aggressive in looking for his shot, posting back-to-back games of season highs in points. Averaging 17.5 points over the last two games, Hinrich has drained 6-of-8 three-pointers. "When Jamal and I are out there, it can be tough to handle because we're interchangeable and we're both guards who can attack with the dribble or shoot it," Hinrich said. "That's what we're doing." Also, the Bulls are looking to be more of an up tempo team. In two weekend games, the Bulls averaged 30.5 points coming out after halftime. In the previous 12 games, the Bulls had failed to top 20 points in the third quarter. Head coach Scott Skiles is also making the team work defensively. In their last 6 games, opponents have gone over 90 points only 3 times compared to teams going over 90 points in 15 of their previous 16 games. Orlando has now won 3 of their last 4 games after breaking their 19-game losing streak. They were fortunate to get the win at Atlanta in their last game as they throughout the game with shoddy defense. The Hawks managed just two points in the three minutes down the stretch. Orlando did score 20 fast-break points, matching their season high, which isn?t saying much. However, they were pummeled inside, letting the Hawks score 56 of their points from around the lane. The Bulls should find a lot of easy baskets running the ball more now and going against the team that doesn?t enjoy playing defense.
VegasSI Concensus Report
TUESDAY PICKS(NSA)
20* CFB Memphis -4
Line at BoDog
10* CBB Miss St -14.5
10* NBA New Orleans +3.5
5* CBB Michigan St -16.5
2* CBB Orlando +2.5
RATING SYSTEM TUESDAY PICKS(CHICAGO)
FORTUNE 500: 20* CFB Memphis -4
EXECUTIVE: CFB Memphis UNDER 48.5
EXECUTIVE: NBA Phoenix over 202
DIRECTORS: CBB Utah +7
RATING SYSTEM
TUESDAY PICKS(CAMPONE)
CADILLAC: 20* CFB Memphis UNDER 48.5
WISEGUY ACTION: CFB Memphis -4
WISEGUY ACTION: NBA Phoenix -3
SHARP EDGE: CBB Denver -7
RATING SYSTEM TUESDAY PICKS(CALLAHAN)
20* CFB Memphis UNDER 48.5
15* CFB Memphis -4
10* CBB Utah +7
5* NBA Memphis over 202
RATING SYSTEM
TUESDAY PICKS(FOOTE)
CHECK BACK BY 1PM EST
RATING SYSTEM TUESDAY PICKS(HOLLYWOOD)
INSIDE ACTION: 20* CFB Memphis -4
BLUE RIBBON: CFB Memphis UNDER 48.5
BLUE RIBBON: NBA Miami under 181
WISEGUY EDGE: CBB Illinois St -3.5
RATING SYSTEM
TUESDAY PICKS(MICHIGAN)
BIG HOUSE: 20* CFB Memphis UNDER 48.5
LOCKERROOM: 10* NBA Minnesota over 174
LOCKERROOM: 10* NBA Knicks -3.5
PRESSBOX: 5* CBB Utah +7
RATING SYSTEM TUESDAY PICKS(NEW YORK)
INNER CIRCLE: 20* CFB Memphis UNDER 48.5
SYNDICATE: NBA Miami -4.5
SYNDICATE: NBA Minnesota -4
SYNDICATE: CBB Denver -7
RATING SYSTEM
TUESDAY PICKS(SOUTH BEACH)
ZEBRA CLUB: 20* CFB Memphis UNDER 48.5
BIG ACTION: CFB Memphis -4
BIG ACTION: NBA Memphis +4
HILTON: CBB Illinois St -3.5
RATING SYSTEM TUESDAY PICKS(VIP ACTION)
VIP CLUB: 20* CFB Memphis -4
ROXY'S: CFB Utah -2
ROXY'S: CBB Virginia -16.5
RIVERBOAT: CBB Utah +7
RATING SYSTEM
TUESDAY PICKS(20* CONSENSUS)
20* CFB No Texas-Memphis UNDER 48.5
Line at BoDog
7 of our 10 Handicappers have given
No. Texas-Memphis under 48.5 as one of their top
plays. 5 of the 7 have it as their BEST PLAY today.
_______________________________________________
Take the Jazz -2 against the Wizards
WELCOME to GAMEDAYNETWORK
Members Picks
TUE 16-DEC-03
10* Inside Information NBA
Atlanta Hawks @ Miami Heat
Pick: Hawks +160
Game Time: 7:35 PM ET
10* Inner Circle NBA
Orlando Magic @ Chicago Bulls
Pick: Magic +115
Game Time: 8:35 PM ET
9* Inner Circle NBA
Utah Jazz @ Washington Wizards
Pick: Jazz -2
Game Time: 7:05 PM ET
Insideredge MEMBER SELECTIONS
Tuesday Selections
NCAA Football
3* Memphis ?4
NCAA Basketball
3* Portland +7.5
NBA
2* Chicago -2.5
NCAA FB
New Orleans Bowl @ New Orleans - North Texas Mean Green vs. Memphis Tigers 7:00 pm EST
Memphis ?4 (3 Units)
Memphis is in their first bowl game since 1971 and they are very fired up to be playing in the post-season and won't let down just because it's playing a Sun Belt team. Offensively, Memphis will be without its star. DeAngelo Williams, who is rehabbing a torn MCL in his left knee, will not play. Doctors gave Williams the ?okay? to step-up his rehab process, but West determined that the C-USA Offensive Player of the Year isn't healthy enough to risk playing in the game. Junior Derron Parquet, who rushed for 164 yards in the Tigers? finale, will most likely get the start as a result of Williams? absence. QB Danny Wimprine will look to rebound from back-to-back bad games. In Wimprine's defense, he played the final two games without leading receiver Maurice Avery, who will return for the New Orleans Bowl. He will be facing the North Texas defense that is ranked 82nd in the country in pass efficiency. The Memphis defense will be keying on the nation?s leading rusher Patrick Cobbs. Cobbs knows Memphis's blitzing defensive scheme might keep him from exploding as much as he did at times this season. This is the best defense North Texas has faced in months. Joe Lee Dunn's pressure defense, laden with blitzes and unpredictability, improved gradually throughout the fall, ending the regular season as C-USA's top unit. Dunn said he didn't know of many defenses he has directed that have played better than the Tiger unit did in November. During the season's second half, the Tiger defense shut down several highly regarded offenses and turned offensive, too, scoring three times off interceptions. The Tigers did not allow any of four opponents to rush for more than 60 yards in the month of November. North Texas QB Scott Hall has been solid, but he'll have a hard time getting much done against the Tiger secondary. He hasn?t been called upon to win games, only to not lose them. That role might change Tuesday. With far more offensive weapons, Memphis can afford more for this to be a bit of a shootout with the talent on both sides of the ball to win without a problem as long as it doesn't screw up like it did against South Florida where they committed 7 turnovers. Two North Texas assistants have recently bolted from the team to take jobs at other schools. Freddie Kitchens, who coached running backs at North Texas, has been hired by new Mississippi State coach Sylvester Croom. Eric Wolford, the offensive line coach, has been hired by new Arizona coach Mike Stoops. That will not help the patchwork line of North Texas. Only right guard Nick Zuniga and center Andy Brewster have started every game for the Mean Green. Seven different players have started on the line this season, and two have started at two different positions. Memphis has last year?s New Orleans bowl on their side. Cincinnati thought it was going to be able to walk into the Superdome last year and walk all over the Mean Green. A few big plays later and the momentum was all on the North Texas side. The Tigers will not commit the same mistake. The Tigers have a high-powered offense and they come in with the 12th ranked defense in the country. North Texas is on a roll but the competition has not been anything spectacular. Memphis is hungry for this game and should walk out of the Superdome with an easy one.
NCAA Basketball
Portland Pilots at Weber St. Wildcats 10:00 pm EST
Portland +7.5 (3 Units)
Portland looks to rebound from a horrible game at Duke on Sunday. Badly out of synch because of Duke's smothering pressure defense, the Pilots missed 16 of their first 17 shots, scored 12 points in the first half, and were held to their fewest points in eight seasons. "That was probably the best defense I've ever seen, and I know it's the best defense my players have ever seen,? Pilots coach Michael Holton said. ?They suffocated us from the opening tip." Portland was third in the nation in three-point shooting but made 1 of 6 in the first half and 7 of 18 for the game. The Pilots won?t have to worry about that defense on Tuesday, as Weber St. is 306th in the country in defensive shooting percentage, allowing 49.6% from the floor. Even with their effort against Duke, Portland is still hitting 44.4% from behind the arc. They know how to win on the road as they have gotten wins at Oregon St. and New Mexico already this season. Weber St. is 3-1 at home but only one game was against a division 1-A foe and that turned out to be the one defeat, a 66-60 loss to Utah St. "It just hasn't kicked in yet with our guys," said Wildcats' coach Joe Cravens following their loss Saturday to Nevada. "You can't let a team shoot 50 percent and still have a whole lot of success." Pat Danley started at center in place of Lance Allred, who stayed home recover from a punctured lung. "We're a different team without Lance in there," said Cravens. "We miss his size. But we've just got to keep trying to improve." Last year the Wildcats not only had conference player of the year Jermaine Boyette, they had five other seniors who all knew and understood their roles on the team. This year, there are five seniors on the team, but they simply don't have the same chemistry as the previous group. We know the Pilots will shoot better tonight than they did at Duke and with the lack of defense Weber St. brings, this should go down to the wire.
NBA
Orlando Magic at Chicago Bulls 8:35 pm EST
Chicago ?2.5 (2 Units)
Saturday's victory over Indiana could be a jumpstart for the Bulls. Jamal Crawford and Kirk Hinrich formed the starting backcourt and it looks like it will be that way for a while. Hinrich has been more aggressive in looking for his shot, posting back-to-back games of season highs in points. Averaging 17.5 points over the last two games, Hinrich has drained 6-of-8 three-pointers. "When Jamal and I are out there, it can be tough to handle because we're interchangeable and we're both guards who can attack with the dribble or shoot it," Hinrich said. "That's what we're doing." Also, the Bulls are looking to be more of an up tempo team. In two weekend games, the Bulls averaged 30.5 points coming out after halftime. In the previous 12 games, the Bulls had failed to top 20 points in the third quarter. Head coach Scott Skiles is also making the team work defensively. In their last 6 games, opponents have gone over 90 points only 3 times compared to teams going over 90 points in 15 of their previous 16 games. Orlando has now won 3 of their last 4 games after breaking their 19-game losing streak. They were fortunate to get the win at Atlanta in their last game as they throughout the game with shoddy defense. The Hawks managed just two points in the three minutes down the stretch. Orlando did score 20 fast-break points, matching their season high, which isn?t saying much. However, they were pummeled inside, letting the Hawks score 56 of their points from around the lane. The Bulls should find a lot of easy baskets running the ball more now and going against the team that doesn?t enjoy playing defense.
VegasSI Concensus Report
TUESDAY PICKS(NSA)
20* CFB Memphis -4
Line at BoDog
10* CBB Miss St -14.5
10* NBA New Orleans +3.5
5* CBB Michigan St -16.5
2* CBB Orlando +2.5
RATING SYSTEM TUESDAY PICKS(CHICAGO)
FORTUNE 500: 20* CFB Memphis -4
EXECUTIVE: CFB Memphis UNDER 48.5
EXECUTIVE: NBA Phoenix over 202
DIRECTORS: CBB Utah +7
RATING SYSTEM
TUESDAY PICKS(CAMPONE)
CADILLAC: 20* CFB Memphis UNDER 48.5
WISEGUY ACTION: CFB Memphis -4
WISEGUY ACTION: NBA Phoenix -3
SHARP EDGE: CBB Denver -7
RATING SYSTEM TUESDAY PICKS(CALLAHAN)
20* CFB Memphis UNDER 48.5
15* CFB Memphis -4
10* CBB Utah +7
5* NBA Memphis over 202
RATING SYSTEM
TUESDAY PICKS(FOOTE)
CHECK BACK BY 1PM EST
RATING SYSTEM TUESDAY PICKS(HOLLYWOOD)
INSIDE ACTION: 20* CFB Memphis -4
BLUE RIBBON: CFB Memphis UNDER 48.5
BLUE RIBBON: NBA Miami under 181
WISEGUY EDGE: CBB Illinois St -3.5
RATING SYSTEM
TUESDAY PICKS(MICHIGAN)
BIG HOUSE: 20* CFB Memphis UNDER 48.5
LOCKERROOM: 10* NBA Minnesota over 174
LOCKERROOM: 10* NBA Knicks -3.5
PRESSBOX: 5* CBB Utah +7
RATING SYSTEM TUESDAY PICKS(NEW YORK)
INNER CIRCLE: 20* CFB Memphis UNDER 48.5
SYNDICATE: NBA Miami -4.5
SYNDICATE: NBA Minnesota -4
SYNDICATE: CBB Denver -7
RATING SYSTEM
TUESDAY PICKS(SOUTH BEACH)
ZEBRA CLUB: 20* CFB Memphis UNDER 48.5
BIG ACTION: CFB Memphis -4
BIG ACTION: NBA Memphis +4
HILTON: CBB Illinois St -3.5
RATING SYSTEM TUESDAY PICKS(VIP ACTION)
VIP CLUB: 20* CFB Memphis -4
ROXY'S: CFB Utah -2
ROXY'S: CBB Virginia -16.5
RIVERBOAT: CBB Utah +7
RATING SYSTEM
TUESDAY PICKS(20* CONSENSUS)
20* CFB No Texas-Memphis UNDER 48.5
Line at BoDog
7 of our 10 Handicappers have given
No. Texas-Memphis under 48.5 as one of their top
plays. 5 of the 7 have it as their BEST PLAY today.
_______________________________________________
