07:00 PM CBB [726] Duquesne -10-115
08:00 PM CBB [739] North Carolina -8.5 -115
07:00 PM CBB [1738] 1H Marquette -3-110
10:35 PM NBA [712] TOTAL u208.5 -110 (Orlando Magic vrs Los Angeles Clippers)
09:35 PM NHL [58] Calgary Flames -125
1 unit bet pays 22 ....betdsi line
Goood luck everyone!! :firing: :toast: :SIB:em71:
Marquette due for a breakout, and perfect spot tonight (revenge and coming off a performance their coach called them out on):
I read Marquette saying here: "Revenge game for us coming off a poor performance like this, the way we come out and play will really speak a lot to what our team is about.?
and Marquette does not want to get swept by the Pirates, that would really put a dent in the invite to the Big Dance too...considering how strong a second half team Pirates are, and Marquette primed to start strong with all these reasons - Marquette first half is the better bet...
Duquesne ain't a great offensive power, but they do put up 74 at home, vs St Louis 51 they've produced in 3 true road games...Duquesne does hit a solid 46.7% of their attemps from long range, so decent chance of a big margin of victory just from a bit a hot shooting...both teams visited La Salle in the last several days,
Saint Louis got blasted by the Explorers 54-75, not cover +14 line, while Duquesne L 81-88, easily covering the +11 - and woulda been closer but for the paltry 5 trips to charity stripe they were granted by the home-cookin' zebras...Now they are at home, ready for nice bounce back big win in conference.
Saint Louis is 8-20 ATS in their last 28 road games...Duquesne is 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games overall and 4-1 ATS in their last 5 conference matchups
UNC was sent notice losing to GA and close win vs Clemson, so they now got Piston back and blasted NC State out of the water (most of us were on that big dog!)...Wake F has been sliding downhill of late, especially in conference play...and it's an especially bad matchup for Demon Deacons as Veteran-laden UNC can take advantage of this rebuilding/youthful Demon Deacons in experience and especially depth on the rotation...NC St also has a weakness for tunrnovers, but not much a problem tonight as Demon Deacons bottom of conference in forcing turnovers..
Wake is 225th in defense, Tar Heels ranked 7th in the country in scoring...yeah, ya worry about a trap game as Tar Heels face the Seminoles this weekend, but Coach Williams only has to point out recent loss to GA, should have no problem keeping focus on game tonight....I expect them to blast out another opponent like the last...
UNC is 8-1 ATS in their last 9 games overall and 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall..Wake Forest is 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games overall and 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 conference matchups
ripped, cut and pasted, otherwise written by others, from across the internets:
Memphis vs. Tulsa
Play: Tulsa +2
This game has the 12-4 Memphis Tigers at the 7-7 Tulsa. Memphis is red hot having won 3 straight games crushing Tulane 80-59 in their last game. Tulsa is a good team that has had some close losses most recent to the Houston Cougars by 3 and UConn by 2 I believe we are getting a great deal on this line getting points with a team that is just as good as Memphis IMO. 86% public betting on the road Memphis I'll gladly take the home dog here plus the points.
NC State vs. Boston College
Play: Boston College +6
These teams faced each other at NC State last season. Laying -15 points, the Wolfpack won by only one. The previous season, in the most recent game here at Boston College, the (+5.5) Eagles won by 16 points. Including that result, the Eagles, who have currently covered four in a row, are 7-1 ATS the last eight times that they were a host in this series. With the Wolfpack off a 51-point loss, the Eagles could easily give them all they can handle once again this year.
Houston vs. East Carolina
Play: Under 127
The Pirates have failed to score more then 62 points in five straight games and their coach is saying that the offensive confidence is just not there with their squad. They've played three straight unders at home as the defense hasn't been that bad against certain offenses. Houston has gone under in five straight and nine of their last 11 lined games. They play fantastic defense holding eight straight opponents to less then 70 points. I just think this one gets played at a lesser pace and the under is in play. We may not see ECU get to 60 points with their current offensive struggles.
Houston vs. East Carolina
Play: Over 126
This total plummeted from near 130 down to a 126 and is holding there as of early gameday morning. This move has opened up some exceptional value on the over. Both of these teams are off of frustrating efforts on the offensive end and that is what strengthens this play even more. A recent Houston practice had plenty of focus on moving the ball quicker on the offensive end and look for better ball movement to lead to higher percentage shots for the Cougars in this one. The Pirates will bounce back at home as their last game here was a disaster versus SMU and then East Carolina went on the road for a pair of games and they struggled away from home. They'll be better on the offensive end now that they are back home and settling in for a pair of games here in Greenville. The over is 6-1 the past 3 seasons when the Pirates are off of a game where they allowed 80 points or more. The over is 8-4-1 in Houston's last 13 match-ups with East Carolina. The Cougars are currently on an under streak but they are averaging 77 points per game on the season and have shot the ball well, even away from home, so far this season. The Pirates have scored at least 60 points in 13 of their 17 games this season and there is no reason this game shouldn't get to about 70-60 at a minimum and that gets us over the total. Take advantage of the low number here as both teams will be emphasizing better scoring opportunities in this one after the Pirates were held to 44 points by the Mustangs in their most recent home game.
Dayton at UMass
Play: Over 142.5
This one is a numbers play for me. I believe this one should be lined at 147 points. Dayton's offense gets a nice boost here as Charles Cooke is expected back in the lineup. Dayton has been much more willing to run this year, and I think the tempo will be quick in this one. UMass is the fastest paced team in the Atlantic 10 by a wide margin so far this year. The Minutemen are using only 15.0 seconds of the shot clock on average this year. UMass' defense has been a major problem of late. They have allowed 89, 86, and 81 points in their last three games. I don't expect UMass to shoot a high percentage against the Dayton defense, but the tempo should be fast enough that it won't matter unless they shoot a terrible percentage.
Nebraska Omaha vs. IUPUI
Play:Nebraska Omaha +5.5
The Mavericks are in Indianapolis for a conference clash against the home town Jaguars. The IUPUI Jaguars are coming in off a two-game road swing that saw them lose both games with the last at South Dakota on Saturday losing 85 to 74 as a 1.5-point road underdog. IUPUI is 15-36 ATS coming off a pair of straight up losses including 0-6 ATS in the current price range. The Jaguars are 2-12 ATS after playing their last two games away from home. The Mavericks were also in action on Saturday playing at South Dakota State where they were installed as 2.5-point road underdogs. The Mavericks had a much better outcome than the Jaguars as the Mavericks won their game straight up which also cashed the ticket against the spread. The Jaguars are 4-19 ATS at home and 0-3 ATS as a home favorite. Our BTPR Index projects a point advantage of 1.31 points. The BMM projects a point differential of -4.98 points against the current line of +5.0 to +7.0. With solid support for the visiting Mavericks we will take the points in Indianapolis on Wednesday night. Make sure you join us for our Wednesday NBA and College Basketball Report. Cajun Sports is coming off another documented #1 finish in college hoops last season at the Sports Watch Monitor. Cajun Sports finished #1 in Win Percentage and #2 in Net Units. Have a great Wednesday and as always good luck.
Memphis vs. Tulsa
Play: Tulsa +2?
Memphis is in the midst of a pretty solid run where it has gone 5-1 over its last six games including wins and covers in its last three games. The Tigers are now 2-1 in the AAC in the first season with head coach Tubby Smith and they hit the road for the second straight game, the first time this season that they have had to play consecutive road games. The Tigers do have two road wins but those came against 3-12 Tulane and struggling 6-9 Connecticut. Tulsa dropped to 1-1 in the conference with a loss at Houston but it was a solid performance as it was a loss by just three points. The Golden Hurricane have been off for a week since then so they definitely have the edge as far as rest and prep as Memphis has just two days of rest plus the travel aspect. Other teams are coping with a lack of depth, but that is not an issue for the Golden Hurricane, which has 12 players contributing at least six minutes per game. Tulane is cashing in with 25.8 ppg from its reserves, close to 10 points more than its opponents, and its bench has accounted for 38.2 percent of the overall team points. The Golden Hurricane are 5-0 ATS in their last five home games against teams with a winning road record while the Tigers are 2-5 ATS in their last seven road games against teams with a winning home record.
Tulane at South Florida
Play: Over 139.5
It's been a rough season for Tulane under first-year head coach Mike Dunleavy Sr. The Green Wave are 3-12 overall and 0-3 in AAC play; outclassed by UCF, Cincinnati and Memphis. The main issue has been defense. Despite playing a fairly soft schedule in terms of opposing offenses (304th nationally), Tulane is allowing 1.11 points per possession and an alarming 41% from three. And because of wanting to play up-tempo, only two of Tulane's games have featured less than 70 possessions. South Florida is far from competent on the offensive end but you'll notice that much of their schedule features slow paced, defensive-minded teams. The Bulls' first three AAC opponents, ECU, Houston, and SMU certainly fit that profile hence USF's outputs of 49, 56, and 65 points. But perhaps last game's 65-point effort at SMU was a sign of better things to come. It was the team's first game following the firing of Orlando Antigua. He was replaced by veteran Murry Bartow who spent much of his head coaching career at UAB and ETSU. Bartow's teams were generally fast paced and offensive-minded and I expect the Bulls to play a bit looser and more aggressive moving forward. At home against the weakest defense in the league suggests USF could be sitting on a decent offensive performance. And you can make the same argument for Tulane who against comparable competition has shown the ability to score. At 139.5, we'll look to play this game over the total.
Creighton -4?
I'm backing the Bluejays at home as a short favorite against the Bulldogs Wednesday night. I've played on Creighton multiple times this season with a lot of success, including their most recent game when they covered as a 5.5-point road favorite in a 78-64 win at Providence. While these are two evenly matched teams, I believe the home court edge for the Bluejays will be the difference in this one.
Butler is 2-2 in true road games. One of the wins was at Utah, which came before the Utes added in their two big transfers and the other was their last game at Georgetown, where they escaped with a win in overtime. That game after the Bulldogs huge upset at home over Villanova and I just feel like they are going to be out of gas here, as this will be their 2nd straight on the road in just 5 days.
As I've stated in previous write-ups, this Creighton team is shooting at a ridiculous clip this season. The Bluejays are shooting 53.7% from the field on the season and it hasn't slowed down in conference play, where they are at 53.4%. Butler's defense hasn't been nearly as good on the road and with their tired legs I think this could get ugly, as they are going to have to score to keep it close.
Bluejays are 8-1 SU at home this season, have gone 12-3 ATS in their last 15 home games against a team that's won more than 60% of their road games and are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 as a favorite of 6.5 or less.
Evansville @ Missouri
Pick: Evansville +7
Evansville has won the last five meetings and now is getting points against Missouri State, which is coming off two losses, including 75-67 against Southern Illinois on Saturday. Jarred Dixon and Dequon Miller led the Bears with 15 points each, but their team was just 5-of-19 from long range and made 10 fewer free throws than the Salukis. This followed a 74-71 overtime loss at Illinois State when the Bears shot just 35.6 percent from the floor. Evansville has lost three of four after earlier winning seven in a row. The Aces hold the defensive edge in this matchup as they allow only a .415 field goal percentage while allowing 66.9 points per game. Missouri State is 1-6 ATS as a favorite and 1-5 ATS its last six home games.
on the Oklahoma State Cowboys, laying a very cheap number to the Iowa State Cyclones, who are facing a ton of pressure over the next two weeks - beginning tonight.
The Cowboys are looking for revenge - triple-revenge as a matter of fact - as the Clones have seen this junket into Stillwater favor them the last three seasons. Overall, Iowa State has won this matchup seven straight times.
And with the Cowboys (10-5, 0-3) still looking for their first Big 12 victory, there is added motivation for a win tonight. They're not as bad their record may indicate with a dangerous offense, especially at home, where they're scoring 98.3 points per game.
Iowa State averages just 63.5 points when ordering room service, so I'm thinking this is going to be a tough game for the Cyclones to keep up in. They lost at Baylor in their last road game, and at Iowa in the road game before that. Those are their two true road games this season.
Oklahoma State is looking to snap a three-game skid, and this is the right spot to do so.
4* OKLAHOMA STATE
South Carolina over Tennessee.
The Vols are still in the rebuild mode with Rick Barnes at the helm, and their back-to-back conference losses have dropped their season mark to just 8-7 on the year.
South Carolina is on the verge of a breakthrough under Frank Martin, and they sport a modest 2 game winning streak that has bumped their mark to 12-3 on the season.
If the Gamecocks are for real, then this is the type of game they simply have to win in order to beef up their Big Dance resume.
The Vols have long dominated this series, but of late the Gamecocks have been able to win and cover 2 of the last 3 series showdowns.
With South Carolina ascending, and Tennessee still trying to ascend, I will back the Gamecocks as the small road favorite on Wednesday.
2* SOUTH CAROLINA
I took a long look at this game, and feel frankly this is too many points for Wichita State to lay against a very under rated Loyola of Chicago team whom I have cashed this year already.
The Ramblers rank 4th in the nation in FG% at 51% and can put up points (they are ranked 18th in 3 point shots as well!), and when you have a scenario where you have a high scoring team getting double digits with that type of prowess in shooting, that is a red flag for laying this type of number against them.
No doubt the Shockers are the better team here and they are on a strong home floor where they are 9-1 SU this season. That said, Loyola is 12-5 on the year and a more than tough opponent if you have a average to below average night shooting the ball,m because they are consistent at scoring. The Shockers beat this Ramblers team by 8 at home last year in March with a better team, and the Ramblers are 11-5 ATS their last 16 road games and I like them to cover the Number here.
Nebraska-Omaha vs. IUPU
Play: IUPU -4?
We feel, very similar to last year, that IUPUI is undervalued early in the season. We were very successful with this team last season and we're about to start a roll with them again. They have just a 7-10 overall record but they?ve played a brutally tough schedule. 12 of their 17 games have been on the road. At home, this team is 5-0 on the season. In those five games the Jaguars have beaten their opponents by an average score of 83-65 and they are holding their opponents to just 39% shooting here at Indiana Farmers Coliseum. IUPUI is a veteran team that has aspirations of a Summit League Title this year after finishing 9-7 in conference play last year. They are 1-2 in the Summit and this is a must win for them at home. They are catching UNO off a huge road win @ South Dakota State as a 2.5 point underdog. Not only are the Mavericks on the road for the 2nd straight game, this is actually their 5th road game in their last 6 games. Leading into last Saturday?s road win, Nebraska Omaha had lost 4 straight games including their last 3 on the road all by double digits. IUPUI just played two of the top teams in the Summit on the road over the last week. They could have won both games as they lost @ North Dakota State by 4 and then blew a 7 point lead with 6:00 remaining @ South Dakota. The Jags will be more than ready here after blowing those two tough road games. They should shred a terrible (and road weary) Omaha defense that has allowed at least 90 points 7 times already this year.
Nebraska Omaha +5 over IUPUI
This Summit League Conference game is not going to draw much attention but it?s a good opportunity to take back some points with the superior team. The reason that the inferior team is favored here is because of the obligatory three-points awarded to the home team and because the dog has lost four of its last five games.
The Jaguars of IUPUI come in with a 7-10 overall record but they have won four of their last seven games. However, two of those victories came against non-division I teams, Marian and Urbana while the other two victories occurred against Western Illinois and Southern Utah, who are a combined 10-21. What?s even more relevant is that IUPUI was at home against Western Illinois and the odds makers had them listed as just a 9?-point favorite. In other words, this host can?t be -9? over WIU and four points less against Omaha because the Mavericks are massively superior to Western Illinois. The Jaguars are getting WAY too much credit in this line. There are other examples of similar comparisons but they all equal to the same thing, which is IUPUI being overpriced in this game. The Jags toughest opponent over their last eight games was Northwestern, which they lost to by 22 points. As a 1?-point favorite over South Dakota in its last game, IUPUI lost outright by 11.
Omaha indeed has dropped four of five and even lost to Fort Wayne in their own building over that span so their stock is low. However, we are going to give the Mavs a break because of their gruelling schedule that has seen them play nine of their past 12 on the road, which also included a game in Pittsburgh against the Panthers. The Mavericks out-of-conference schedule ranks 42nd in the country after games against Iowa State, Iowa, Southern Cal, K-State, Cal State Fullerton and Eastern Michigan among others. Despite all the road games and the difficult schedule, Omaha is just one game under .500 at 8-9. The Mavs tough road to this point can only help to serve them better and that was on full display when they hit 16 triples in their last game in a 101-93 victory over South Dakota State. For these lower-tiered conference teams playing difficult road games against quality opposition makes things so much easier when you get to conference play and we expect to reap those benefits here.
UMASS +6? over Dayton
Let?s not get into numbers here because if we do, we could not make a case for the Minutemen. Dayton is a monster this year with a 13-2 overall record and a 3-0 conference rmark while UMass is 0-3 in the A-10 with an overall record of 10-6. Dayton is in first place in the A-10 while the Minutemen sits in 12th. Furthermore, the Flyers have reeled off five in a row and 10 of their last 11 while UMass has lost by 12, 5 and 17 points respectively to St. Bonnies, George Mason and VCU in its laast three games. What sticks out even more is that 17-point UMass loss to VCU, who are tied with Dayton atop the A-10 with a 12-3 record also. Hell, if VCU just destroyed the Minutemen, surely the Flyers can do the same. No matter how you break this game down, you are going to come up with the same conclusion, which is or should be an easy win for the superior Flyers. Unfortunately, things just aren?t that easy.
This is not some under the radar game between two teams from some remote conference that gets little to no media coverage. This game with its seemingly soft number sticks out like a sore thumb. The Minutemen are a struggling franchise that has played a weak schedule and whose last three victories came against Rider, Georgia State and Kennesaw State while Dayton is hot and has played the 54th toughest schedule in the country. The game itself looks like a slam-dunk in favor of the visitor.
There are many strategies we employ and one of them is being able to recognize something that looks too good and this falls into that category. The oddsmakers are fully aware of the market propensities and this game sets up as the perfect trap. Our guess is that most of the market is going to eat this number up and swallow the points. It may work out for them but chances are that it will not. Laying road points in conference games is not a winning strategy and it is especially not a winning strategy when the favorite appears to be so much better than the dog. The oddsmakers are taking a position here, much like they did last night when they were offering 7-points to Baylor, the #1 team in the country. Baylor got destroyed last night and while the Minutemen will not destroy the Flyers, chances are they?ll come in under the number or win a close one. The line says so and that is worth more to us than any stat you can find on paper.
Note: We certainly expect to get a better number closer to game time so we?ll wait to pull the trigger here. If the number unexpectantly drops, we can always back off but we trust well get +7 by tip-off so we?ll update this after dinner.
Utah St +4? over WYOMING
Records have more influence on the market than performances, which continues to provide us with great opportunities in this sport and this is one such case of that. The Cowboys come into this game with an overall record of 11-5 while the Aggies are a mere game over .500 at 8-7. Furthermore, the Cowboys are 9-0 at home and now this 9-0 home team is spotting a small number to a near .500 club that is traveling but we?re urging you not to bite.
Wyoming?s nine home wins occurred against a lot of weak teams that they were not favored by a whole lot over. The Cowboys were mostly favored in the -3? to -9? range against teams like Denver, Northern Iowa, Montana, Cornell, Air Force, Troy and others. When the Cowboys played Colorado Christian, there wasn?t even a betting line but Wyoming won by just seven. The Cowboys strength of schedule ranks 214th in the country while their offensively efficiency ranks 206th. This is a very average or below average Mountain West team spotting points to a decent team.
Utah State has played Purdue, Texas Tech, BYU, Boise State and Weber State among others to make up their 146th ranked schedule, which is roughly 70 positions higher than Wyoming?s SOS. The Aggies were very recently a -7? point favorite over UNLV while the Cowboys were a 1-point dog against the same Rebels at almost the exact same time that USU beat UNLV by 16. Incidentally, Wyoming lost to the Rebels by five points. The Aggies have the best player on the floor in Jalen Moore and they usually defeat teams that do not have a significant rebounding edge against them. In "step up" conference games on the road, the Aggies almost always came up short last year but vowed to make the right adjustments this year. They?re now more experienced and better prepped to do so. This early in conference play, it's not wise to be a hero with these short-lined favorites at home. This favorite has danger written all over it so we?ll put it to the test and grab the points,
INDIANA STATE -1 over Drake
The Sycamores of Indiana State have struggled this season but they have owned the Drake Bulldogs the last few years winning and covering 5 of their last 6 meetings. They are also catching Drake at a good time as the Bulldogs rarely win, losing 20 of their last 25 games, and they have not won two games in a row in almost two years! The previous 4 times the Bulldogs won a game, they failed to cover the next game. Drake upset Evansville last Saturday and won?t make it two wins in a row tonight. Take Indiana State.
Wizards vs. Celtics
Play: Celtics -6
The Boston Celtics will be hungry tonight after blowing a 16-point lead in the 3rd quarter to lose to the Raptors 106-114 last night. I'm not concerned about this being the 2nd of a back-to-back because the Celtics had two days off prior to that game against Toronto. Washington is also playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after a lackluster 101-99 win over Chicago last night. The Bulls were playing without both Jimmy Butler and Derrick Rose. They will be playing their 3rd game in 4 days. They also got a break and beat the Bucks 107-101 on Sunday after Giannis Antetokounmpo was a late scratch. The Wizards are just 4-12 SU & 6-10 ATS on the road this season. The Celtics are 4-1 SU & 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings with the Wizards. They have won their last 2 home meetings by 33 and 20 points. Washington is 5-15 ATS off a win by 3 points or less over the last 3 seasons. The Wizards are 4-11 ATS in their last 15 games playing on 0 days rest. The Celtics are 39-17-1 ATS in their last 57 games playing on 0 days rest.
Orlando vs. LA Clippers
Pick: Orlando
The 16-23 Orlando Magic will be in Staples Center tonight to take on the 26-14 Clippers. The Magic lost 111-95 to the Lakers on Sunday at Staples and have had a few days in LA before this one. I'm not so sure the team much enjoyed itself, as Orlando has lost five of its last six games and has had head coach Frank Vogel perplexed the team's performances. "It's tough to figure out, and we just have to feel the game out better," Vogel said. "When we're too perimeter-oriented and the shots aren't falling from the perimeter, we've got to drive the basketball more and get it inside and not settle. This team doesn't pass the ball instinctually very well, and we preach it all the time. We show them the situations where they can improve, and they show flashes where they are making a real genuine effort and it looks good, but it leaves us for whatever reason."
The Clippers lost six games in a row from Dec 23 through Dec 31, with most of the damage coming without both PG Chris Paul (17.7-5.3-9.8 ) and PF Blake Griffin (21.2-8.8-4.7). Griffin remains out after undergoing knee surgery last month but Paul returned Friday (he had sat out seven of eight games) in a 106-98 victory over the Sacramento Kings, hitting some clutch free throws to seal the win late. He was then outstanding Sunday in a 98-86 win over the Miami Heat, scoring 19 points and handed out 18 assists in 29 minutes!
The Magic are an inconsistent offensive team, ranking 27th in scoring (98.9 PPG), while connecting on 43.8 percent of their shots (25th), including 33. percent on threes (27th). The Magic haven't been awful on the road (9-10 SU & 10-9 ATS) and they are catching the Clippers at a time when Doc Rivers sees his team coming back together, after a shaky stretch. The Clippers allowed 110.5 PPG during their six-game losing skid but in the four straight wins, have allowed 97.0 PPG. LA owns SIX straight wins over Orlando butthe Magic lost just 113-108 in their last meeting back on Dec 14 at Orlando. The Clipps have righted the ship but this is still a lot of points to lay with Griffin out and Rivers keeping an eye on Paul's minutes. Take teh points with the Magic.
Orlando vs. LA Clippers
Pick: LA Clippers
The set-up: The 16-23 Orlando Magic will be in Staples Center tonight to take on the 26-14 Clippers, who have rebounded from losing six in a row to win their last four games. The Magic lost 111-95 to the Lakers on Sunday at Staples and have had a few days in LA to "hang around." Orlando has lost five of its last six games and has had an inconsistent offense for most of this season.
Orlando: The Magic rank 27th in scoring (98.9 PPG), while connecting on 43.8% of their shots (25th), including 33.7% on threes (27th). Magic head coach Frank Vogel is perplexed by his team's performances. "It's tough to figure out, and we just have to feel the game out better," Vogel said. "When we're too perimeter-oriented and the shots aren't falling from the perimeter, we've got to drive the basketball more and get it inside and not settle. This team doesn't pass the ball instinctually very well, and we preach it all the time. We show them the situations where they can improve, and they show flashes where they are making a real genuine effort and it looks good, but it leaves us for whatever reason."
LA Clippers: The majority of the Clippers' losses occurred without PG Chris Paul, who was nursing a sore left hamstring (he sat out seven of eight games), and Blake Griffin, who remains out after undergoing knee surgery last month. However, Paul returned Friday in a 106-98 victory over the Sacramento Kings, hitting some clutch free throws to seal the win late, and was outstanding Sunday in a 98-86 win over the Miami Heat (scored 19 points and handed out 18 assists in 29 minutes).
The pick: Los Angeles has regrouped after dropping six in a row and has now won four in a row, with its defense playing well again (lA has allowed 97.0 PPG in its winning streak). The Clippers defeated the Magic 113-108 in their last meeting on Dec. 14 at Orlando but they have won six in a row over the Magic, with the average margin of victories coming by just over 15 PPG.
Magic vs. Clippers
Play: Under 209
The Clippers have won four straight, and Chris Paul has played the last two games after missing time with a sore hamstring. Paul scored 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting in a 98-86 win over the Heat on Sunday. LA has been locked in defensively in recent games, holding opponents under 100 points in three of their last four. They've failed to reach the total in four of their last five overall, and the under is 6-1 in their last seven versus teams with a losing record. Orlando has lost five of it's last six overall, and has failed to score 100 points in each of it's last three games. The Magic only average 98.7 points per game, ranking 27th in the NBA in scoring. An injury to starting PG Elfrid Payton won't help, he's listed as questionable with a sore quadricep. The 22 year old only played 19 minutes in a loss to the Lakers on Sunday. These teams have failed to reach the total in six of the last eight meetings, and tonight's total is higher than it was in nine of the last 10 meetings.
Magic vs. Clippers
Play: Under 209
Orlando is a long way from home and the offense has disappeared, scoring 92, 93 and 95 the last three games (all under the total). Orlando is #27 in the NBA in points scored. The Under is 7-3 away against a team with a winning home record. The Clippers play great defense, #8 in points allowed, #6 in field goal shooting defense, on a 4-1 run under. And the Under is 6-2 in the last 8 meetings.
Grizzlies vs. Thunder
Play: Thunder -5
Memphis enters off an 88-79 home win over the Jazz, holding Utah to just 38 percent shooting. The Grizzlies weren?t impressive on the offensive end though, connnecting on 43 perecent. So far Memphis averages 99.3 PPG and allow 98.6. The Thunder come in off a 109-94 road win over Chicagon on Monday, shooting a red hot 56 percent from the floor. OKC averages 106.9 PPG and allows 105 per contest. Note though that Memphis is already 0-4 ATS this year when playing on two days rest, while OKC is 6-1 ATS when playing the role of favorite.
Cleveland @ Portland
Pick: Portland +3.5
The Cleveland Cavaliers look to increase their hold on the Eastern Conference?s top spot and gain another win on their current road swing. Cleveland will visit Portland on Wednesday after a Tuesday night matchup with Utah. The Cavs have won their last two and five of their last six. The team just recently completed a trade for guard Kyle Korver, one of the NBA?s best three-point shooters. Korver has yet to play and it is unclear as to when he will be ready to go.
The Cavs continue to ride the trio of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love. The Big Three averages over 70 points a game. Love leads the team with 10.9 rebounds a game and Irving averages 5.9 assists. The three Cavs have had to pick up some of the slack created by the injury to J.R. Smith. Korver can help to fill some of the void and add another dimension with his 3-point shooting. A 14-year NBA veteran, Korver shoots 43 percent from 3-point range.
In Portland, Cleveland will face a Trail Blazers team that is struggling. Though Portland is currently in the eighth and final playoff position currently, the Trail Blazers have just three wins in their last 12 games. Portland dropped a 125-124 decision to Detroit at home in double overtime on Sunday night. The backcourt of Damian Lillard (26.5 ppg) and C.J. McCollum (23.9 ppg) continues to shine but the Trail Blazers defense is awful. Currently, they are 28th in the NBA in points allowed giving up 111.9 per game.
In the Sights, Wednesday NBA?
When Cleveland left the court as losers at Salt Lake City, and Portland showered at the Staples Center in Los Angeles after being victorious against the Lakers, I was ready to begin liking the Cavaliers for tonight?s setting. Circumstances have made it even better since then, so it will be #709 Cleveland (10:35 Eastern) going into pocket, with -4 available in the early Wednesday trading, and this one good to -5.
The fundamentals behind the play are easy to set up, with Cleveland bringing some extra focus to atone for what is now becoming the annual road loss to the Jazz, and in particular for Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love to bounce-back off of a dismal showing -
@ESPNStatsInfo Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love: 9-32 FG at Jazz (28.1%) It's their worst combined FG pct in a game as teammates (min. 30 shots).
That bounce-back is aided by the process of going from facing one of the NBA?s best defensive teams, the Jazz having elevated to #1 this morning, to one of the worst, the Trail Blazers at #28. What I also believed matters is how difficult the Portland defensive transition is going to be, having to adjust for all of those Cleveland 3-point shooters without any practice time, especially since the Blazers have been weak all season at guarding the perimeter (#26 in allowing 37.6 percent from 3-point range). Since those teams walked off the court last night it has gotten better.
Portland is in the midst of one of the biggest snowstorms in recent history for the region. It created havoc for both teams in their travel plans, but I believe the Cavaliers have had by far the best of it ? they were able to land in Portland at 2:15 AM (local time) last night, and while that was several hours behind schedule, they can get to their hotel and rest until a shoot-around, which Tyronn Lue may opt to not have. For the Trail Blazers it is going to be a much tougher trip.
The Portland flight from Los Angeles ended up in Seattle, where the Trail Blazers did not land until 3:26 AM, before spending the rest of their night at a hotel near the airport. The next leg of their trip is expected to be a flight from Seattle to Portland, currently projected to land at 2:50 PM, with a 170-mile bus ride the alternative should more snow close the runways at PDX.
I believe this plays directly into the notions of the Trail Blazers having a difficult tactical transition on defense ? the Cavaliers are tough enough to game plan for when you have time. For tonight expect both the Portland tactics and physical energy to be lacking, which makes this price point a fair value.
PENGUINS AT CAPITALS
PLAY: PENGUINS +105
It doesn?t get much better than this in the NHL regular season. The Penguins and Capitals will renew hostilities tonight at Washington, and I think it?s fair to say that this is a game every hockey fan will want to watch.
Both Pittsburgh and Washington are arriving on fire for tonight?s battle. The Penguins have won five straight, while the Caps are riding a 6-0 run. Neither team is in perfect health, but one would think that unless the questionable guys are simply too beat up to skate, it will be all hands on deck for this one.
It?s all about getting an edge as far as the bet is concerned, and I?m giving the visitors a slight advantage tonight. They might be the reigning Stanley Cup champs, but I?m pretty sure the Pens are going to be looking to extract a bit of revenge from the prior meeting with the Caps. That was a very bad game for Pittsburgh as they were bombed out in a dominating 7-1 Washington win. That doesn?t automatically mean the Penguins are winners here, but I do believe it insures they?re going to be very focused.
As for the Capitals, they?ve kicked it into high gear lately, and there?s really no negatives I can use from a technical standpoint to make a case against them. So this is clearly more about playing on Pittsburgh in a game they?re really going to want, and being able to do so while they?re on a roll of their own, while also getting a bit of plus money thanks to the betting line. I?ll be watching from the outset and my play tonight will be on the Penguins.
San Jose/Calgary - take under and Calgary
I see Aaron Dell listed as probable. He grew up in a suburb of Calgary. He'll have family and friends at the Saddledome watching him tonight...when he played against his former coach in Phila this season, he nailed his first career NHL shutout, 2-0....I would expect a similar "look at me" game from him tonight...if Jones starts, that's not so bad either, he's been very good.
Calgary net minder is off the bad end of a shutout, you can expect a stronger game from him tonight, and the team has promised a much stronger game than that lackadaisical effort in Winnipeg other night.
that means less turnovers, more hard work in the corners, etc...not necessarily more shots on goal...
SJ in first in Pacific, Calgary would like to be in that place, but they currently hold down the wildcard spot....Flames have spoken to the press about how important a game this is, like a playoff game...and SJ are down a second important defenseman..
WINNIPEG -1? +218 over Montreal
The Canadiens have a rather comfortable lead in the Atlantic with nobody threatening to push them at the moment. While the Habs are not going to take anything for granted after last year?s collapse, they?re up against it once again with so many bodies on the rack, not to mention the flu going around the locker room. Montreal?s brutal schedule caught up with them last game when they returned home from a seven-game trip and got outshot by Washington 39-23 in a 4-1 loss. After one home game that followed a seven game trip, the Canadiens are now forced to take a long trip to Winnipeg for one more game. It?s almost not fair what the Habs are going through right now in terms of scheduling and we can't imagine they?ll be at their best. Al Montoya makes this start in place of Carey Price, which is another sure sign that the coach understands the toll that all this travel and games in a short time is taking on his team. Michel Therrien does not want to risk an injury to Price.
While we always have reservations about playing the Jets because of their disappointing performances over the years, one has to figure that the Jets will be jacked up here in a big way and so will this arena. The Canadiens and Maple Leafs have storied histories and if you lived in Canada before expansion, you were either a Leafs' fan or a Habs' fan. The Habs and Leafs still have followers and fans by the thousands in every Canadian City and Winnipeg is no exception. This is a rare opportunity for Winnipeg fans to see Montreal and we promise you that the crowd will be an electric one. It doesn?t hurt either that the Jets are in good form with three wins in their last four games while scoring 12 goals in those three victories and shutting out the Flames in their last game. The Jets are rested and ready to go and they could not have handpicked a better time to face the Habs. Montreal has to be running on fumes here.
The 2017 Sony Open.
They tee off early on Thursday morning (7:00 AM EST) so get your bets in tonight before bed. The PGA TOUR will remain in beautiful Hawaii for the next leg of the season and the Sony Open at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu. The event has been a mainstay during the winter months since the early 1970?s and was first established as a stop for the players in 1965. A par-70, 7,044-yard setting has allowed for some big names to win over the last decade and once again a solid group will be making their way to Honolulu thanks to the Tournament of Champions just coming to a conclusion. Of those players, 22 will be making a start at the Sony Open but under the radar will be some other players at big odds that we are going to target.
The following bets to win outright will be made at Bet365 because of their cash-out options during the event while the heads up plays will be bet at :
Luke List +80-1
List is a golfer to watch this season after his great first five outings in which he has two top-10s, including a runner-up finish at the Sanderson Farms Championship where he shot 16 shots under par. Overall, List has not done worse than 26th on the year and has nailed over 73% of GIR (Greens in Regulation) in four of his five starts. His improved results have come from a massive drive which has averaged 320.5 yards off the tee (2nd on Tour) as he?s gained 1.984 strokes on the field on average (13th on Tour). Although he hasn?t done much in his first two professional seasons and has failed to make the cut in his first two attempts here, List is on fire as of late and should be able to continue playing at a high level in Hawaii (Risking 0.2 units to win 16).
Heads- up:
L. List -115 over H. Swafford (risking 1.15 units to win 1).
Zac Blair +125-1
Last year, Blair was unable to replicate his 59th in the FedExCup standings from his rookie year, falling outside of the top-100 after making 19-of-31 cuts (61%) with a mere three finishes in the top-25. The failure to get into the top part of the leaderboard will scare many away, but he did make it to the weekend more often than not and had one of his two top-10s when visiting Honolulu. His third place in the Sony Open last year was his second straight top-six start here and over the two outings he?s shot a 67 or better in 7-of-8 rounds while combining to go 31-under-par. This is the perfect opportunity for the 26-year-old to get back on track and outplay his odds. (risking 0.2 units to win 25 units).
Heads-up
Z. Blair -104 over P. Rodgers (risking 1.04 units to win 1).
Mackenzie Hughes +125-1
A number of Web.com Tour graduates have shown rather nicely in their early PGA TOUR careers; one of whom notably is Mackenzie Hughes. The Canadian won the RSM Classic of course, another windy test of ball striking, and also showed well at the Safeway Open and Sanderson Farms Championship in his first pair of starts, yet he remains underrated and very much under the radar.
Hughes didn?t turn many heads last week at Kapalua, but look how he finished, as only Spieth and Perez went lower than his last round of 68. That momentum can not only carry over to this event but it also has to be good for his confidence. In key stats, Hughes has some credentials too, as he ranks 1st on tour in Scrambling from the Fringe, 5th in Total Birdies and 24th in Strokes Gained Putting over the past six events. (risking 0.2 units to win 25 units).
Note: No heads up available for Hughes.
Anirban Lahiri +100-1
It?s been an excellent start to the campaign for Lahiri, who sits at 20th in the FedExCup rankings, with T3 at the CIMB Classic and T13 at the RSM as the standouts. He might have been very frustrated that the Christmas break derailed his momentum, but figure that his excellent game from fairway to green will hold firm. A prolific winner on the Asian and European Tour, Lahiri is still awaiting his first PGA TOUR title, but five top-25 returns from 40 starts is a sure sign of his excellent progress. These key stats also reveal just how dangerous he might be:
Strokes Gained: Approach-the-Green ? 2nd
Birdie Average ? 4th
Scoring Average ? 7th
With odds of 100-1, Lahiri has a legit chance to be right in the mix on Sunday and we?re thrilled to get him at this price. (risking 0.2 units to win 20 units).
Heads up:
A. Lahiri +110 over S. Kjeldsen (risking 1 unit).
08:00 PM CBB [739] North Carolina -8.5 -115
07:00 PM CBB [1738] 1H Marquette -3-110
10:35 PM NBA [712] TOTAL u208.5 -110 (Orlando Magic vrs Los Angeles Clippers)
09:35 PM NHL [58] Calgary Flames -125
1 unit bet pays 22 ....betdsi line
Goood luck everyone!! :firing: :toast: :SIB:em71:
Marquette due for a breakout, and perfect spot tonight (revenge and coming off a performance their coach called them out on):
I read Marquette saying here: "Revenge game for us coming off a poor performance like this, the way we come out and play will really speak a lot to what our team is about.?
and Marquette does not want to get swept by the Pirates, that would really put a dent in the invite to the Big Dance too...considering how strong a second half team Pirates are, and Marquette primed to start strong with all these reasons - Marquette first half is the better bet...
Duquesne ain't a great offensive power, but they do put up 74 at home, vs St Louis 51 they've produced in 3 true road games...Duquesne does hit a solid 46.7% of their attemps from long range, so decent chance of a big margin of victory just from a bit a hot shooting...both teams visited La Salle in the last several days,
Saint Louis got blasted by the Explorers 54-75, not cover +14 line, while Duquesne L 81-88, easily covering the +11 - and woulda been closer but for the paltry 5 trips to charity stripe they were granted by the home-cookin' zebras...Now they are at home, ready for nice bounce back big win in conference.
Saint Louis is 8-20 ATS in their last 28 road games...Duquesne is 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games overall and 4-1 ATS in their last 5 conference matchups
UNC was sent notice losing to GA and close win vs Clemson, so they now got Piston back and blasted NC State out of the water (most of us were on that big dog!)...Wake F has been sliding downhill of late, especially in conference play...and it's an especially bad matchup for Demon Deacons as Veteran-laden UNC can take advantage of this rebuilding/youthful Demon Deacons in experience and especially depth on the rotation...NC St also has a weakness for tunrnovers, but not much a problem tonight as Demon Deacons bottom of conference in forcing turnovers..
Wake is 225th in defense, Tar Heels ranked 7th in the country in scoring...yeah, ya worry about a trap game as Tar Heels face the Seminoles this weekend, but Coach Williams only has to point out recent loss to GA, should have no problem keeping focus on game tonight....I expect them to blast out another opponent like the last...
UNC is 8-1 ATS in their last 9 games overall and 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall..Wake Forest is 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games overall and 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 conference matchups
ripped, cut and pasted, otherwise written by others, from across the internets:
Memphis vs. Tulsa
Play: Tulsa +2
This game has the 12-4 Memphis Tigers at the 7-7 Tulsa. Memphis is red hot having won 3 straight games crushing Tulane 80-59 in their last game. Tulsa is a good team that has had some close losses most recent to the Houston Cougars by 3 and UConn by 2 I believe we are getting a great deal on this line getting points with a team that is just as good as Memphis IMO. 86% public betting on the road Memphis I'll gladly take the home dog here plus the points.
NC State vs. Boston College
Play: Boston College +6
These teams faced each other at NC State last season. Laying -15 points, the Wolfpack won by only one. The previous season, in the most recent game here at Boston College, the (+5.5) Eagles won by 16 points. Including that result, the Eagles, who have currently covered four in a row, are 7-1 ATS the last eight times that they were a host in this series. With the Wolfpack off a 51-point loss, the Eagles could easily give them all they can handle once again this year.
Houston vs. East Carolina
Play: Under 127
The Pirates have failed to score more then 62 points in five straight games and their coach is saying that the offensive confidence is just not there with their squad. They've played three straight unders at home as the defense hasn't been that bad against certain offenses. Houston has gone under in five straight and nine of their last 11 lined games. They play fantastic defense holding eight straight opponents to less then 70 points. I just think this one gets played at a lesser pace and the under is in play. We may not see ECU get to 60 points with their current offensive struggles.
Houston vs. East Carolina
Play: Over 126
This total plummeted from near 130 down to a 126 and is holding there as of early gameday morning. This move has opened up some exceptional value on the over. Both of these teams are off of frustrating efforts on the offensive end and that is what strengthens this play even more. A recent Houston practice had plenty of focus on moving the ball quicker on the offensive end and look for better ball movement to lead to higher percentage shots for the Cougars in this one. The Pirates will bounce back at home as their last game here was a disaster versus SMU and then East Carolina went on the road for a pair of games and they struggled away from home. They'll be better on the offensive end now that they are back home and settling in for a pair of games here in Greenville. The over is 6-1 the past 3 seasons when the Pirates are off of a game where they allowed 80 points or more. The over is 8-4-1 in Houston's last 13 match-ups with East Carolina. The Cougars are currently on an under streak but they are averaging 77 points per game on the season and have shot the ball well, even away from home, so far this season. The Pirates have scored at least 60 points in 13 of their 17 games this season and there is no reason this game shouldn't get to about 70-60 at a minimum and that gets us over the total. Take advantage of the low number here as both teams will be emphasizing better scoring opportunities in this one after the Pirates were held to 44 points by the Mustangs in their most recent home game.
Dayton at UMass
Play: Over 142.5
This one is a numbers play for me. I believe this one should be lined at 147 points. Dayton's offense gets a nice boost here as Charles Cooke is expected back in the lineup. Dayton has been much more willing to run this year, and I think the tempo will be quick in this one. UMass is the fastest paced team in the Atlantic 10 by a wide margin so far this year. The Minutemen are using only 15.0 seconds of the shot clock on average this year. UMass' defense has been a major problem of late. They have allowed 89, 86, and 81 points in their last three games. I don't expect UMass to shoot a high percentage against the Dayton defense, but the tempo should be fast enough that it won't matter unless they shoot a terrible percentage.
Nebraska Omaha vs. IUPUI
Play:Nebraska Omaha +5.5
The Mavericks are in Indianapolis for a conference clash against the home town Jaguars. The IUPUI Jaguars are coming in off a two-game road swing that saw them lose both games with the last at South Dakota on Saturday losing 85 to 74 as a 1.5-point road underdog. IUPUI is 15-36 ATS coming off a pair of straight up losses including 0-6 ATS in the current price range. The Jaguars are 2-12 ATS after playing their last two games away from home. The Mavericks were also in action on Saturday playing at South Dakota State where they were installed as 2.5-point road underdogs. The Mavericks had a much better outcome than the Jaguars as the Mavericks won their game straight up which also cashed the ticket against the spread. The Jaguars are 4-19 ATS at home and 0-3 ATS as a home favorite. Our BTPR Index projects a point advantage of 1.31 points. The BMM projects a point differential of -4.98 points against the current line of +5.0 to +7.0. With solid support for the visiting Mavericks we will take the points in Indianapolis on Wednesday night. Make sure you join us for our Wednesday NBA and College Basketball Report. Cajun Sports is coming off another documented #1 finish in college hoops last season at the Sports Watch Monitor. Cajun Sports finished #1 in Win Percentage and #2 in Net Units. Have a great Wednesday and as always good luck.
Memphis vs. Tulsa
Play: Tulsa +2?
Memphis is in the midst of a pretty solid run where it has gone 5-1 over its last six games including wins and covers in its last three games. The Tigers are now 2-1 in the AAC in the first season with head coach Tubby Smith and they hit the road for the second straight game, the first time this season that they have had to play consecutive road games. The Tigers do have two road wins but those came against 3-12 Tulane and struggling 6-9 Connecticut. Tulsa dropped to 1-1 in the conference with a loss at Houston but it was a solid performance as it was a loss by just three points. The Golden Hurricane have been off for a week since then so they definitely have the edge as far as rest and prep as Memphis has just two days of rest plus the travel aspect. Other teams are coping with a lack of depth, but that is not an issue for the Golden Hurricane, which has 12 players contributing at least six minutes per game. Tulane is cashing in with 25.8 ppg from its reserves, close to 10 points more than its opponents, and its bench has accounted for 38.2 percent of the overall team points. The Golden Hurricane are 5-0 ATS in their last five home games against teams with a winning road record while the Tigers are 2-5 ATS in their last seven road games against teams with a winning home record.
Tulane at South Florida
Play: Over 139.5
It's been a rough season for Tulane under first-year head coach Mike Dunleavy Sr. The Green Wave are 3-12 overall and 0-3 in AAC play; outclassed by UCF, Cincinnati and Memphis. The main issue has been defense. Despite playing a fairly soft schedule in terms of opposing offenses (304th nationally), Tulane is allowing 1.11 points per possession and an alarming 41% from three. And because of wanting to play up-tempo, only two of Tulane's games have featured less than 70 possessions. South Florida is far from competent on the offensive end but you'll notice that much of their schedule features slow paced, defensive-minded teams. The Bulls' first three AAC opponents, ECU, Houston, and SMU certainly fit that profile hence USF's outputs of 49, 56, and 65 points. But perhaps last game's 65-point effort at SMU was a sign of better things to come. It was the team's first game following the firing of Orlando Antigua. He was replaced by veteran Murry Bartow who spent much of his head coaching career at UAB and ETSU. Bartow's teams were generally fast paced and offensive-minded and I expect the Bulls to play a bit looser and more aggressive moving forward. At home against the weakest defense in the league suggests USF could be sitting on a decent offensive performance. And you can make the same argument for Tulane who against comparable competition has shown the ability to score. At 139.5, we'll look to play this game over the total.
Creighton -4?
I'm backing the Bluejays at home as a short favorite against the Bulldogs Wednesday night. I've played on Creighton multiple times this season with a lot of success, including their most recent game when they covered as a 5.5-point road favorite in a 78-64 win at Providence. While these are two evenly matched teams, I believe the home court edge for the Bluejays will be the difference in this one.
Butler is 2-2 in true road games. One of the wins was at Utah, which came before the Utes added in their two big transfers and the other was their last game at Georgetown, where they escaped with a win in overtime. That game after the Bulldogs huge upset at home over Villanova and I just feel like they are going to be out of gas here, as this will be their 2nd straight on the road in just 5 days.
As I've stated in previous write-ups, this Creighton team is shooting at a ridiculous clip this season. The Bluejays are shooting 53.7% from the field on the season and it hasn't slowed down in conference play, where they are at 53.4%. Butler's defense hasn't been nearly as good on the road and with their tired legs I think this could get ugly, as they are going to have to score to keep it close.
Bluejays are 8-1 SU at home this season, have gone 12-3 ATS in their last 15 home games against a team that's won more than 60% of their road games and are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 as a favorite of 6.5 or less.
Evansville @ Missouri
Pick: Evansville +7
Evansville has won the last five meetings and now is getting points against Missouri State, which is coming off two losses, including 75-67 against Southern Illinois on Saturday. Jarred Dixon and Dequon Miller led the Bears with 15 points each, but their team was just 5-of-19 from long range and made 10 fewer free throws than the Salukis. This followed a 74-71 overtime loss at Illinois State when the Bears shot just 35.6 percent from the floor. Evansville has lost three of four after earlier winning seven in a row. The Aces hold the defensive edge in this matchup as they allow only a .415 field goal percentage while allowing 66.9 points per game. Missouri State is 1-6 ATS as a favorite and 1-5 ATS its last six home games.
on the Oklahoma State Cowboys, laying a very cheap number to the Iowa State Cyclones, who are facing a ton of pressure over the next two weeks - beginning tonight.
The Cowboys are looking for revenge - triple-revenge as a matter of fact - as the Clones have seen this junket into Stillwater favor them the last three seasons. Overall, Iowa State has won this matchup seven straight times.
And with the Cowboys (10-5, 0-3) still looking for their first Big 12 victory, there is added motivation for a win tonight. They're not as bad their record may indicate with a dangerous offense, especially at home, where they're scoring 98.3 points per game.
Iowa State averages just 63.5 points when ordering room service, so I'm thinking this is going to be a tough game for the Cyclones to keep up in. They lost at Baylor in their last road game, and at Iowa in the road game before that. Those are their two true road games this season.
Oklahoma State is looking to snap a three-game skid, and this is the right spot to do so.
4* OKLAHOMA STATE
South Carolina over Tennessee.
The Vols are still in the rebuild mode with Rick Barnes at the helm, and their back-to-back conference losses have dropped their season mark to just 8-7 on the year.
South Carolina is on the verge of a breakthrough under Frank Martin, and they sport a modest 2 game winning streak that has bumped their mark to 12-3 on the season.
If the Gamecocks are for real, then this is the type of game they simply have to win in order to beef up their Big Dance resume.
The Vols have long dominated this series, but of late the Gamecocks have been able to win and cover 2 of the last 3 series showdowns.
With South Carolina ascending, and Tennessee still trying to ascend, I will back the Gamecocks as the small road favorite on Wednesday.
2* SOUTH CAROLINA
I took a long look at this game, and feel frankly this is too many points for Wichita State to lay against a very under rated Loyola of Chicago team whom I have cashed this year already.
The Ramblers rank 4th in the nation in FG% at 51% and can put up points (they are ranked 18th in 3 point shots as well!), and when you have a scenario where you have a high scoring team getting double digits with that type of prowess in shooting, that is a red flag for laying this type of number against them.
No doubt the Shockers are the better team here and they are on a strong home floor where they are 9-1 SU this season. That said, Loyola is 12-5 on the year and a more than tough opponent if you have a average to below average night shooting the ball,m because they are consistent at scoring. The Shockers beat this Ramblers team by 8 at home last year in March with a better team, and the Ramblers are 11-5 ATS their last 16 road games and I like them to cover the Number here.
Nebraska-Omaha vs. IUPU
Play: IUPU -4?
We feel, very similar to last year, that IUPUI is undervalued early in the season. We were very successful with this team last season and we're about to start a roll with them again. They have just a 7-10 overall record but they?ve played a brutally tough schedule. 12 of their 17 games have been on the road. At home, this team is 5-0 on the season. In those five games the Jaguars have beaten their opponents by an average score of 83-65 and they are holding their opponents to just 39% shooting here at Indiana Farmers Coliseum. IUPUI is a veteran team that has aspirations of a Summit League Title this year after finishing 9-7 in conference play last year. They are 1-2 in the Summit and this is a must win for them at home. They are catching UNO off a huge road win @ South Dakota State as a 2.5 point underdog. Not only are the Mavericks on the road for the 2nd straight game, this is actually their 5th road game in their last 6 games. Leading into last Saturday?s road win, Nebraska Omaha had lost 4 straight games including their last 3 on the road all by double digits. IUPUI just played two of the top teams in the Summit on the road over the last week. They could have won both games as they lost @ North Dakota State by 4 and then blew a 7 point lead with 6:00 remaining @ South Dakota. The Jags will be more than ready here after blowing those two tough road games. They should shred a terrible (and road weary) Omaha defense that has allowed at least 90 points 7 times already this year.
Nebraska Omaha +5 over IUPUI
This Summit League Conference game is not going to draw much attention but it?s a good opportunity to take back some points with the superior team. The reason that the inferior team is favored here is because of the obligatory three-points awarded to the home team and because the dog has lost four of its last five games.
The Jaguars of IUPUI come in with a 7-10 overall record but they have won four of their last seven games. However, two of those victories came against non-division I teams, Marian and Urbana while the other two victories occurred against Western Illinois and Southern Utah, who are a combined 10-21. What?s even more relevant is that IUPUI was at home against Western Illinois and the odds makers had them listed as just a 9?-point favorite. In other words, this host can?t be -9? over WIU and four points less against Omaha because the Mavericks are massively superior to Western Illinois. The Jaguars are getting WAY too much credit in this line. There are other examples of similar comparisons but they all equal to the same thing, which is IUPUI being overpriced in this game. The Jags toughest opponent over their last eight games was Northwestern, which they lost to by 22 points. As a 1?-point favorite over South Dakota in its last game, IUPUI lost outright by 11.
Omaha indeed has dropped four of five and even lost to Fort Wayne in their own building over that span so their stock is low. However, we are going to give the Mavs a break because of their gruelling schedule that has seen them play nine of their past 12 on the road, which also included a game in Pittsburgh against the Panthers. The Mavericks out-of-conference schedule ranks 42nd in the country after games against Iowa State, Iowa, Southern Cal, K-State, Cal State Fullerton and Eastern Michigan among others. Despite all the road games and the difficult schedule, Omaha is just one game under .500 at 8-9. The Mavs tough road to this point can only help to serve them better and that was on full display when they hit 16 triples in their last game in a 101-93 victory over South Dakota State. For these lower-tiered conference teams playing difficult road games against quality opposition makes things so much easier when you get to conference play and we expect to reap those benefits here.
UMASS +6? over Dayton
Let?s not get into numbers here because if we do, we could not make a case for the Minutemen. Dayton is a monster this year with a 13-2 overall record and a 3-0 conference rmark while UMass is 0-3 in the A-10 with an overall record of 10-6. Dayton is in first place in the A-10 while the Minutemen sits in 12th. Furthermore, the Flyers have reeled off five in a row and 10 of their last 11 while UMass has lost by 12, 5 and 17 points respectively to St. Bonnies, George Mason and VCU in its laast three games. What sticks out even more is that 17-point UMass loss to VCU, who are tied with Dayton atop the A-10 with a 12-3 record also. Hell, if VCU just destroyed the Minutemen, surely the Flyers can do the same. No matter how you break this game down, you are going to come up with the same conclusion, which is or should be an easy win for the superior Flyers. Unfortunately, things just aren?t that easy.
This is not some under the radar game between two teams from some remote conference that gets little to no media coverage. This game with its seemingly soft number sticks out like a sore thumb. The Minutemen are a struggling franchise that has played a weak schedule and whose last three victories came against Rider, Georgia State and Kennesaw State while Dayton is hot and has played the 54th toughest schedule in the country. The game itself looks like a slam-dunk in favor of the visitor.
There are many strategies we employ and one of them is being able to recognize something that looks too good and this falls into that category. The oddsmakers are fully aware of the market propensities and this game sets up as the perfect trap. Our guess is that most of the market is going to eat this number up and swallow the points. It may work out for them but chances are that it will not. Laying road points in conference games is not a winning strategy and it is especially not a winning strategy when the favorite appears to be so much better than the dog. The oddsmakers are taking a position here, much like they did last night when they were offering 7-points to Baylor, the #1 team in the country. Baylor got destroyed last night and while the Minutemen will not destroy the Flyers, chances are they?ll come in under the number or win a close one. The line says so and that is worth more to us than any stat you can find on paper.
Note: We certainly expect to get a better number closer to game time so we?ll wait to pull the trigger here. If the number unexpectantly drops, we can always back off but we trust well get +7 by tip-off so we?ll update this after dinner.
Utah St +4? over WYOMING
Records have more influence on the market than performances, which continues to provide us with great opportunities in this sport and this is one such case of that. The Cowboys come into this game with an overall record of 11-5 while the Aggies are a mere game over .500 at 8-7. Furthermore, the Cowboys are 9-0 at home and now this 9-0 home team is spotting a small number to a near .500 club that is traveling but we?re urging you not to bite.
Wyoming?s nine home wins occurred against a lot of weak teams that they were not favored by a whole lot over. The Cowboys were mostly favored in the -3? to -9? range against teams like Denver, Northern Iowa, Montana, Cornell, Air Force, Troy and others. When the Cowboys played Colorado Christian, there wasn?t even a betting line but Wyoming won by just seven. The Cowboys strength of schedule ranks 214th in the country while their offensively efficiency ranks 206th. This is a very average or below average Mountain West team spotting points to a decent team.
Utah State has played Purdue, Texas Tech, BYU, Boise State and Weber State among others to make up their 146th ranked schedule, which is roughly 70 positions higher than Wyoming?s SOS. The Aggies were very recently a -7? point favorite over UNLV while the Cowboys were a 1-point dog against the same Rebels at almost the exact same time that USU beat UNLV by 16. Incidentally, Wyoming lost to the Rebels by five points. The Aggies have the best player on the floor in Jalen Moore and they usually defeat teams that do not have a significant rebounding edge against them. In "step up" conference games on the road, the Aggies almost always came up short last year but vowed to make the right adjustments this year. They?re now more experienced and better prepped to do so. This early in conference play, it's not wise to be a hero with these short-lined favorites at home. This favorite has danger written all over it so we?ll put it to the test and grab the points,
INDIANA STATE -1 over Drake
The Sycamores of Indiana State have struggled this season but they have owned the Drake Bulldogs the last few years winning and covering 5 of their last 6 meetings. They are also catching Drake at a good time as the Bulldogs rarely win, losing 20 of their last 25 games, and they have not won two games in a row in almost two years! The previous 4 times the Bulldogs won a game, they failed to cover the next game. Drake upset Evansville last Saturday and won?t make it two wins in a row tonight. Take Indiana State.
Wizards vs. Celtics
Play: Celtics -6
The Boston Celtics will be hungry tonight after blowing a 16-point lead in the 3rd quarter to lose to the Raptors 106-114 last night. I'm not concerned about this being the 2nd of a back-to-back because the Celtics had two days off prior to that game against Toronto. Washington is also playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after a lackluster 101-99 win over Chicago last night. The Bulls were playing without both Jimmy Butler and Derrick Rose. They will be playing their 3rd game in 4 days. They also got a break and beat the Bucks 107-101 on Sunday after Giannis Antetokounmpo was a late scratch. The Wizards are just 4-12 SU & 6-10 ATS on the road this season. The Celtics are 4-1 SU & 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings with the Wizards. They have won their last 2 home meetings by 33 and 20 points. Washington is 5-15 ATS off a win by 3 points or less over the last 3 seasons. The Wizards are 4-11 ATS in their last 15 games playing on 0 days rest. The Celtics are 39-17-1 ATS in their last 57 games playing on 0 days rest.
Orlando vs. LA Clippers
Pick: Orlando
The 16-23 Orlando Magic will be in Staples Center tonight to take on the 26-14 Clippers. The Magic lost 111-95 to the Lakers on Sunday at Staples and have had a few days in LA before this one. I'm not so sure the team much enjoyed itself, as Orlando has lost five of its last six games and has had head coach Frank Vogel perplexed the team's performances. "It's tough to figure out, and we just have to feel the game out better," Vogel said. "When we're too perimeter-oriented and the shots aren't falling from the perimeter, we've got to drive the basketball more and get it inside and not settle. This team doesn't pass the ball instinctually very well, and we preach it all the time. We show them the situations where they can improve, and they show flashes where they are making a real genuine effort and it looks good, but it leaves us for whatever reason."
The Clippers lost six games in a row from Dec 23 through Dec 31, with most of the damage coming without both PG Chris Paul (17.7-5.3-9.8 ) and PF Blake Griffin (21.2-8.8-4.7). Griffin remains out after undergoing knee surgery last month but Paul returned Friday (he had sat out seven of eight games) in a 106-98 victory over the Sacramento Kings, hitting some clutch free throws to seal the win late. He was then outstanding Sunday in a 98-86 win over the Miami Heat, scoring 19 points and handed out 18 assists in 29 minutes!
The Magic are an inconsistent offensive team, ranking 27th in scoring (98.9 PPG), while connecting on 43.8 percent of their shots (25th), including 33. percent on threes (27th). The Magic haven't been awful on the road (9-10 SU & 10-9 ATS) and they are catching the Clippers at a time when Doc Rivers sees his team coming back together, after a shaky stretch. The Clippers allowed 110.5 PPG during their six-game losing skid but in the four straight wins, have allowed 97.0 PPG. LA owns SIX straight wins over Orlando butthe Magic lost just 113-108 in their last meeting back on Dec 14 at Orlando. The Clipps have righted the ship but this is still a lot of points to lay with Griffin out and Rivers keeping an eye on Paul's minutes. Take teh points with the Magic.
Orlando vs. LA Clippers
Pick: LA Clippers
The set-up: The 16-23 Orlando Magic will be in Staples Center tonight to take on the 26-14 Clippers, who have rebounded from losing six in a row to win their last four games. The Magic lost 111-95 to the Lakers on Sunday at Staples and have had a few days in LA to "hang around." Orlando has lost five of its last six games and has had an inconsistent offense for most of this season.
Orlando: The Magic rank 27th in scoring (98.9 PPG), while connecting on 43.8% of their shots (25th), including 33.7% on threes (27th). Magic head coach Frank Vogel is perplexed by his team's performances. "It's tough to figure out, and we just have to feel the game out better," Vogel said. "When we're too perimeter-oriented and the shots aren't falling from the perimeter, we've got to drive the basketball more and get it inside and not settle. This team doesn't pass the ball instinctually very well, and we preach it all the time. We show them the situations where they can improve, and they show flashes where they are making a real genuine effort and it looks good, but it leaves us for whatever reason."
LA Clippers: The majority of the Clippers' losses occurred without PG Chris Paul, who was nursing a sore left hamstring (he sat out seven of eight games), and Blake Griffin, who remains out after undergoing knee surgery last month. However, Paul returned Friday in a 106-98 victory over the Sacramento Kings, hitting some clutch free throws to seal the win late, and was outstanding Sunday in a 98-86 win over the Miami Heat (scored 19 points and handed out 18 assists in 29 minutes).
The pick: Los Angeles has regrouped after dropping six in a row and has now won four in a row, with its defense playing well again (lA has allowed 97.0 PPG in its winning streak). The Clippers defeated the Magic 113-108 in their last meeting on Dec. 14 at Orlando but they have won six in a row over the Magic, with the average margin of victories coming by just over 15 PPG.
Magic vs. Clippers
Play: Under 209
The Clippers have won four straight, and Chris Paul has played the last two games after missing time with a sore hamstring. Paul scored 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting in a 98-86 win over the Heat on Sunday. LA has been locked in defensively in recent games, holding opponents under 100 points in three of their last four. They've failed to reach the total in four of their last five overall, and the under is 6-1 in their last seven versus teams with a losing record. Orlando has lost five of it's last six overall, and has failed to score 100 points in each of it's last three games. The Magic only average 98.7 points per game, ranking 27th in the NBA in scoring. An injury to starting PG Elfrid Payton won't help, he's listed as questionable with a sore quadricep. The 22 year old only played 19 minutes in a loss to the Lakers on Sunday. These teams have failed to reach the total in six of the last eight meetings, and tonight's total is higher than it was in nine of the last 10 meetings.
Magic vs. Clippers
Play: Under 209
Orlando is a long way from home and the offense has disappeared, scoring 92, 93 and 95 the last three games (all under the total). Orlando is #27 in the NBA in points scored. The Under is 7-3 away against a team with a winning home record. The Clippers play great defense, #8 in points allowed, #6 in field goal shooting defense, on a 4-1 run under. And the Under is 6-2 in the last 8 meetings.
Grizzlies vs. Thunder
Play: Thunder -5
Memphis enters off an 88-79 home win over the Jazz, holding Utah to just 38 percent shooting. The Grizzlies weren?t impressive on the offensive end though, connnecting on 43 perecent. So far Memphis averages 99.3 PPG and allow 98.6. The Thunder come in off a 109-94 road win over Chicagon on Monday, shooting a red hot 56 percent from the floor. OKC averages 106.9 PPG and allows 105 per contest. Note though that Memphis is already 0-4 ATS this year when playing on two days rest, while OKC is 6-1 ATS when playing the role of favorite.
Cleveland @ Portland
Pick: Portland +3.5
The Cleveland Cavaliers look to increase their hold on the Eastern Conference?s top spot and gain another win on their current road swing. Cleveland will visit Portland on Wednesday after a Tuesday night matchup with Utah. The Cavs have won their last two and five of their last six. The team just recently completed a trade for guard Kyle Korver, one of the NBA?s best three-point shooters. Korver has yet to play and it is unclear as to when he will be ready to go.
The Cavs continue to ride the trio of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love. The Big Three averages over 70 points a game. Love leads the team with 10.9 rebounds a game and Irving averages 5.9 assists. The three Cavs have had to pick up some of the slack created by the injury to J.R. Smith. Korver can help to fill some of the void and add another dimension with his 3-point shooting. A 14-year NBA veteran, Korver shoots 43 percent from 3-point range.
In Portland, Cleveland will face a Trail Blazers team that is struggling. Though Portland is currently in the eighth and final playoff position currently, the Trail Blazers have just three wins in their last 12 games. Portland dropped a 125-124 decision to Detroit at home in double overtime on Sunday night. The backcourt of Damian Lillard (26.5 ppg) and C.J. McCollum (23.9 ppg) continues to shine but the Trail Blazers defense is awful. Currently, they are 28th in the NBA in points allowed giving up 111.9 per game.
In the Sights, Wednesday NBA?
When Cleveland left the court as losers at Salt Lake City, and Portland showered at the Staples Center in Los Angeles after being victorious against the Lakers, I was ready to begin liking the Cavaliers for tonight?s setting. Circumstances have made it even better since then, so it will be #709 Cleveland (10:35 Eastern) going into pocket, with -4 available in the early Wednesday trading, and this one good to -5.
The fundamentals behind the play are easy to set up, with Cleveland bringing some extra focus to atone for what is now becoming the annual road loss to the Jazz, and in particular for Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love to bounce-back off of a dismal showing -
@ESPNStatsInfo Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love: 9-32 FG at Jazz (28.1%) It's their worst combined FG pct in a game as teammates (min. 30 shots).
That bounce-back is aided by the process of going from facing one of the NBA?s best defensive teams, the Jazz having elevated to #1 this morning, to one of the worst, the Trail Blazers at #28. What I also believed matters is how difficult the Portland defensive transition is going to be, having to adjust for all of those Cleveland 3-point shooters without any practice time, especially since the Blazers have been weak all season at guarding the perimeter (#26 in allowing 37.6 percent from 3-point range). Since those teams walked off the court last night it has gotten better.
Portland is in the midst of one of the biggest snowstorms in recent history for the region. It created havoc for both teams in their travel plans, but I believe the Cavaliers have had by far the best of it ? they were able to land in Portland at 2:15 AM (local time) last night, and while that was several hours behind schedule, they can get to their hotel and rest until a shoot-around, which Tyronn Lue may opt to not have. For the Trail Blazers it is going to be a much tougher trip.
The Portland flight from Los Angeles ended up in Seattle, where the Trail Blazers did not land until 3:26 AM, before spending the rest of their night at a hotel near the airport. The next leg of their trip is expected to be a flight from Seattle to Portland, currently projected to land at 2:50 PM, with a 170-mile bus ride the alternative should more snow close the runways at PDX.
I believe this plays directly into the notions of the Trail Blazers having a difficult tactical transition on defense ? the Cavaliers are tough enough to game plan for when you have time. For tonight expect both the Portland tactics and physical energy to be lacking, which makes this price point a fair value.
PENGUINS AT CAPITALS
PLAY: PENGUINS +105
It doesn?t get much better than this in the NHL regular season. The Penguins and Capitals will renew hostilities tonight at Washington, and I think it?s fair to say that this is a game every hockey fan will want to watch.
Both Pittsburgh and Washington are arriving on fire for tonight?s battle. The Penguins have won five straight, while the Caps are riding a 6-0 run. Neither team is in perfect health, but one would think that unless the questionable guys are simply too beat up to skate, it will be all hands on deck for this one.
It?s all about getting an edge as far as the bet is concerned, and I?m giving the visitors a slight advantage tonight. They might be the reigning Stanley Cup champs, but I?m pretty sure the Pens are going to be looking to extract a bit of revenge from the prior meeting with the Caps. That was a very bad game for Pittsburgh as they were bombed out in a dominating 7-1 Washington win. That doesn?t automatically mean the Penguins are winners here, but I do believe it insures they?re going to be very focused.
As for the Capitals, they?ve kicked it into high gear lately, and there?s really no negatives I can use from a technical standpoint to make a case against them. So this is clearly more about playing on Pittsburgh in a game they?re really going to want, and being able to do so while they?re on a roll of their own, while also getting a bit of plus money thanks to the betting line. I?ll be watching from the outset and my play tonight will be on the Penguins.
San Jose/Calgary - take under and Calgary
I see Aaron Dell listed as probable. He grew up in a suburb of Calgary. He'll have family and friends at the Saddledome watching him tonight...when he played against his former coach in Phila this season, he nailed his first career NHL shutout, 2-0....I would expect a similar "look at me" game from him tonight...if Jones starts, that's not so bad either, he's been very good.
Calgary net minder is off the bad end of a shutout, you can expect a stronger game from him tonight, and the team has promised a much stronger game than that lackadaisical effort in Winnipeg other night.
that means less turnovers, more hard work in the corners, etc...not necessarily more shots on goal...
SJ in first in Pacific, Calgary would like to be in that place, but they currently hold down the wildcard spot....Flames have spoken to the press about how important a game this is, like a playoff game...and SJ are down a second important defenseman..
WINNIPEG -1? +218 over Montreal
The Canadiens have a rather comfortable lead in the Atlantic with nobody threatening to push them at the moment. While the Habs are not going to take anything for granted after last year?s collapse, they?re up against it once again with so many bodies on the rack, not to mention the flu going around the locker room. Montreal?s brutal schedule caught up with them last game when they returned home from a seven-game trip and got outshot by Washington 39-23 in a 4-1 loss. After one home game that followed a seven game trip, the Canadiens are now forced to take a long trip to Winnipeg for one more game. It?s almost not fair what the Habs are going through right now in terms of scheduling and we can't imagine they?ll be at their best. Al Montoya makes this start in place of Carey Price, which is another sure sign that the coach understands the toll that all this travel and games in a short time is taking on his team. Michel Therrien does not want to risk an injury to Price.
While we always have reservations about playing the Jets because of their disappointing performances over the years, one has to figure that the Jets will be jacked up here in a big way and so will this arena. The Canadiens and Maple Leafs have storied histories and if you lived in Canada before expansion, you were either a Leafs' fan or a Habs' fan. The Habs and Leafs still have followers and fans by the thousands in every Canadian City and Winnipeg is no exception. This is a rare opportunity for Winnipeg fans to see Montreal and we promise you that the crowd will be an electric one. It doesn?t hurt either that the Jets are in good form with three wins in their last four games while scoring 12 goals in those three victories and shutting out the Flames in their last game. The Jets are rested and ready to go and they could not have handpicked a better time to face the Habs. Montreal has to be running on fumes here.
The 2017 Sony Open.
They tee off early on Thursday morning (7:00 AM EST) so get your bets in tonight before bed. The PGA TOUR will remain in beautiful Hawaii for the next leg of the season and the Sony Open at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu. The event has been a mainstay during the winter months since the early 1970?s and was first established as a stop for the players in 1965. A par-70, 7,044-yard setting has allowed for some big names to win over the last decade and once again a solid group will be making their way to Honolulu thanks to the Tournament of Champions just coming to a conclusion. Of those players, 22 will be making a start at the Sony Open but under the radar will be some other players at big odds that we are going to target.
The following bets to win outright will be made at Bet365 because of their cash-out options during the event while the heads up plays will be bet at :
Luke List +80-1
List is a golfer to watch this season after his great first five outings in which he has two top-10s, including a runner-up finish at the Sanderson Farms Championship where he shot 16 shots under par. Overall, List has not done worse than 26th on the year and has nailed over 73% of GIR (Greens in Regulation) in four of his five starts. His improved results have come from a massive drive which has averaged 320.5 yards off the tee (2nd on Tour) as he?s gained 1.984 strokes on the field on average (13th on Tour). Although he hasn?t done much in his first two professional seasons and has failed to make the cut in his first two attempts here, List is on fire as of late and should be able to continue playing at a high level in Hawaii (Risking 0.2 units to win 16).
Heads- up:
L. List -115 over H. Swafford (risking 1.15 units to win 1).
Zac Blair +125-1
Last year, Blair was unable to replicate his 59th in the FedExCup standings from his rookie year, falling outside of the top-100 after making 19-of-31 cuts (61%) with a mere three finishes in the top-25. The failure to get into the top part of the leaderboard will scare many away, but he did make it to the weekend more often than not and had one of his two top-10s when visiting Honolulu. His third place in the Sony Open last year was his second straight top-six start here and over the two outings he?s shot a 67 or better in 7-of-8 rounds while combining to go 31-under-par. This is the perfect opportunity for the 26-year-old to get back on track and outplay his odds. (risking 0.2 units to win 25 units).
Heads-up
Z. Blair -104 over P. Rodgers (risking 1.04 units to win 1).
Mackenzie Hughes +125-1
A number of Web.com Tour graduates have shown rather nicely in their early PGA TOUR careers; one of whom notably is Mackenzie Hughes. The Canadian won the RSM Classic of course, another windy test of ball striking, and also showed well at the Safeway Open and Sanderson Farms Championship in his first pair of starts, yet he remains underrated and very much under the radar.
Hughes didn?t turn many heads last week at Kapalua, but look how he finished, as only Spieth and Perez went lower than his last round of 68. That momentum can not only carry over to this event but it also has to be good for his confidence. In key stats, Hughes has some credentials too, as he ranks 1st on tour in Scrambling from the Fringe, 5th in Total Birdies and 24th in Strokes Gained Putting over the past six events. (risking 0.2 units to win 25 units).
Note: No heads up available for Hughes.
Anirban Lahiri +100-1
It?s been an excellent start to the campaign for Lahiri, who sits at 20th in the FedExCup rankings, with T3 at the CIMB Classic and T13 at the RSM as the standouts. He might have been very frustrated that the Christmas break derailed his momentum, but figure that his excellent game from fairway to green will hold firm. A prolific winner on the Asian and European Tour, Lahiri is still awaiting his first PGA TOUR title, but five top-25 returns from 40 starts is a sure sign of his excellent progress. These key stats also reveal just how dangerous he might be:
Strokes Gained: Approach-the-Green ? 2nd
Birdie Average ? 4th
Scoring Average ? 7th
With odds of 100-1, Lahiri has a legit chance to be right in the mix on Sunday and we?re thrilled to get him at this price. (risking 0.2 units to win 20 units).
Heads up:
A. Lahiri +110 over S. Kjeldsen (risking 1 unit).
