Basketball Handicapping Info. 2/4/2014

[TheGame]

NBA

Hot teams
-- Atlanta won five of its last seven games. Pacers won 17 of their last 22 games, covered two of last seven.
-- Suns won/covered their last five games.
-- Golden State won three of its last four games. Bobcats are 4-3 in their last seven games.

Cold Teams
-- Minnesota lost last two games, by 4-7 points. Lakers lost their last six games (0-4 vs spread in last four).
-- Bulls lost three of their last four games.

Series records
-- Pacers lost last three visits to Atlanta by 21-11-10 points.
-- Lakers won 19 of their last 20 games with Minnesota.
-- Bulls won five of their last six games with Phoenix.
-- Bobcats won six of last nine games with Golden State.

Totals
-- Eight of last nine Atlanta games went over the total.
-- Nine of last ten Laker games went over the total.
-- Last five Chicago games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 5-1-1 in last seven Golden State games.

Back to backs
-- Pacers are 3-9 vs spread if they played night before.
-- Chicago is 6-4 vs spread if it played night before.

[TheGame]

Re: Basketball Handicapping Info. 2/4/2014

College Basketball Hot & Not
By Mike Rose
VegasInsider.com

It's a bad time of year to be in the midst of a swoon, and there are some big time teams in college basketball betting action who are headed in the wrong direction. Check out the teams which have been on the biggest slides of late as we make our way towards the madness known as March.

Iowa State Cyclones (0-6 ATS L/6) – The slide of all slides. The Cyclones were a team ranked in the Top 10 in America, but all of a sudden, they have dropped three games in their last five, and they have failed to cover six in a row. There is a real threat here to maybe not totally fall out of the NCAA Tournament picture, but at least put themselves in some bubble trouble if they don't rebound in a hurry. The first game this week against Oklahoma State is definitely a losable game, but after that comes three straight games against TCU, West Virginia, and Texas Tech, all of which you'd figure have to be wins to avoid falling into that bubble discussion.

Florida State Seminoles (0-5 ATS L/5) – Speaking of teams in bubble trouble, we present the Seminoles, who seem to find themselves in this position every year in February. They might make the dance, and they might not, but regardless, they are going to need to get on Renegade and start to beat some of these teams which they should down in the ACC. Five straight ATS losses include four SU losses, and the only saving grace was a comeback win against Notre Dame at home by just a bucket in a game which could have easily been lost.

Texas A&M Aggies (0-5 ATS L/5) – Two weeks ago, the Aggies were 12-4 and seemed ready to at least challenge for a bid to the dance. However, since that point, they have rolled off five straight losses, and they haven't scored more than 55 points in their last four duels. A&M has really never come close to covering in this streak either. The team was beaten by 33 by Florida (17 points more than the spread), 28 by South Carolina (27 more than the spread), 11 by Vandy (17.5 more than the spread), 17 by Kentucky (only 3 points more than the spread), and nine by Mississippi State (12 more than the spread).

La Salle Explorers (0-5-1 ATS L/6) – At least the Explorers have an ATS push in the middle of all of this against Temple at home, but the team aside from that has watched as its season has collapsed. La Salle still has a chance to dance this year, but it is going to have to get back on the horse in a hurry with games against UMass and SLU coming up this week. C Steve Zack really needs some more consistency. He had 16 points and 16 boards in the win against Duquesne, but just a few nights earlier against GW, he didn't score and had just five rebounds.

Cal Poly SLO Mustangs (0-5 ATS L/5) – We don't spend a heck of a lot of time following the Big West, but perhaps we should. The Mustangs are routinely an 'under' team, and for good reason. They're averaging just 63.9 points per game this season, ranking 322nd in America, and on this five-game ATS skid, they have scored more than 58 points just once. The killer to all of this? The Mustangs have actually been favored in six straight games, yet they only have two SU wins to show for their work.

[TheGame]

Re: Basketball Handicapping Info. 2/4/2014

This Week's Best NBA Spot Bet Opportunities
By Steve Merril
Covers.com

Spot bets are classic handicapping practices that have proven profitable no matter what sport you’re betting. Whether it’s a team looking past this week’s opponent, one coming off a hard-fought victory, or a rough patch of schedule, bettors can find value picking their spots.

Letdown spot

Brooklyn slumped through the first two months of the season, but once the calendar changed to 2014, the Nets got hot. They started the New Year by winning 10 of their first 11 games and that built their confidence. Brooklyn was written off early, but it is starting to play up to its expectations.

The Nets haven’t played in too many spotlight games this season, but they will Thursday night when they host the San Antonio Spurs. Brooklyn will be playing with revenge after losing by 21 points (113-92) to the Spurs on New Year’s Eve. This is a big game for Brooklyn and with a game the following night in Detroit, the Nets may not be fully focused on the Pistons.

Lookahead spot

The Minnesota Timberwolves have two high-profile games this week. The first comes Wednesday when the Timberwolves play in Oklahoma City against the Thunder. The second comes Saturday night when they host Portland. Both of those games are revenge spots for Minnesota as it has recently lost to both of those teams.

Minnesota has a game sandwiched between Oklahoma City and Portland, and it comes Friday night in New Orleans. The Timberwolves just beat the Pelicans 88-77 at home on January 29. Off their game in Oklahoma City, the Timberwolves will likely be overlooking New Orleans Friday night, especially with Portland on deck the following night.

Schedule spot

The Houston Rockets will be a focused team Wednesday when they host the Phoenix Suns. The Rockets will be going into that game on three full days of rest while the Suns will be playing on a back-to-back set.

Houston will also be playing with revenge after losing at home to Phoenix 97-88 the last time they played. The Rockets only have two games this week, so we can be assured they’ll be rested and ready for a peak performance in this game.

[TheGame]

Re: Basketball Handicapping Info. 2/4/2014

Tuesday's Big 10 Action
By David Schwab
VegasInsider.com

Michigan State and Michigan have jumped out to the early lead in the Big Ten men’s college basketball regular season title race, but a pair of teams will try and make a statement that they are still legitimate contenders in a key conference double-header this Tuesday.

First, Ohio State will go on the road to face Iowa, followed by Illinois playing host to Wisconsin.

No. 24 Ohio State Buckeyes at No. 17 Iowa Hawkeyes

Ohio State kicked off the month of February with a huge 59-58 victory over Wisconsin this past Saturday as five-point road underdogs. This was just its second straight-up win in its last seven games, but it could signal a return to form that produced 15 SU wins to start the season. The Buckeyes are 17-5 SU on the year with a 4-5 record in conference play. They have failed to cover in five of their last six games to fall to 10-11 against the spread. They are 4-2 ATS on the road this season and the total has stayed UNDER in four of those six contests.

Defense was the key to Saturday’s win over the Badgers. The Buckeyes are averaging 72 points a game and holding teams to just 58.9 points on the other end of the court. LaQuinton Ross leads the team in scoring with 14.1 points a game and he is shooting 41.7 percent from 3-point range. Ohio State, as a team, is shooting 45.3 percent from the field and 34.7 percent from beyond the arc.

The Hawkeyes will be going for the season sweep after beating Ohio State 84-74 as 6½-point underdogs on the road on Jan. 12. Since that crucial win, they are just 3-2 both SU and ATS with losses to Michigan and Michigan State. Iowa is 17-5 SU on the year with a profitable 13-7 record ATS. The total went OVER the 138½-point closing line in the first meeting and it has gone OVER in five of its last eight games. The Hawkeyes are 6-3 SU and ATS in conference play including an 81-74 victory over Illinois this past Saturday as five-point road favorites.

Iowa is ranked seventh in the nation in scoring with 84.3 points a game and its 43.5 rebounds is the third-highest average in the country. It is shooting 47.3 percent from the field and 37 percent from 3-point range. Roy Devyn Marble has led the way with 16.3 points and Aaron White is a close second with 13.5 points a game. Marble is also dishing out 3.0 assists and White is tied for the team lead in rebounds with 6.5.

The Hawkeyes opened as six-point home favorites over Ohio State for Tuesday’s matchup.

Iowa’s SU win last month snapped an eight-game losing streak to the Buckeyes. It has now covered in five of the last seven meetings and even though the total went OVER this first time they met it had stayed UNDER in six of the last seven games between the two.

Wisconsin Badgers at Illinois Fighting Illini

The bloom is off the rose in Badgerland with five SU losses in their last six games after a sterling 16-0 start carried them all the way to No. 3 in the rankings. They are now just 4-5 in conference play as part of an overall record of 17-5 SU. Making matters worse, Wisconsin has failed to cover in six of its last eight games to fall to 11-10-1 ATS on the year. It is 3-3 ATS on the road and the total has gone OVER in four of the six games. As expected, the Badgers dropped out the AP Top 25 after being ranked in the last 19 polls.

To right the ship against Illinois, the Badgers will need to generate more offense then the 66 points they have been averaging over the course of this six-game slide. Wisconsin has four players scoring in double figures led by Sam Dekker and Ben Brust, who are each averaging more than 13 points a game. Dekker also leads the team in rebounds with 6.3 and Brust is shooting 39.7 percent from 3-point range. The Badgers are averaging 73.5 points a game and shooting 45.7 percent from the field.

Illinois finds itself bringing up the rear in the Big Ten with just two SU victories in its first eight conference games. The Fighting Illini are riding a seven-game losing streak into this matchup and they have failed to cover in six of those games. One of those losses was a 95-70 beatdown at the hands of Wisconsin on Jan. 8 as 10-point road underdogs. They are 13-9 SU with a 9-10-2 mark ATS. The total has stayed UNDER in 11 of 20 games with a posted line. Illinois has gone 4-6-1 ATS in 11 previous home games this year and it has now failed to cover in its last three games at the State Farm Center.

The Fighting Illini have nowhere to go but up after ranking in the bottom third of Division I in both points (67.8) and field-goal percentage (41.3). The one bright spot has been the play of Rayvonte Rice. He leads the team in scoring with 16.5 points a game and he is also pulling down an average of 5.8 rebounds a game. Tracy Adams and Joseph Bertrand are the other two players scoring in double figures and Betrand is the team’s best shooter; hitting 51.4 percent from the field and 44.1 percent from 3-point range.

Wisconsin has been opened as a four-point road favorite for this conference clash.

The Badgers have won the last six meetings both SU and ATS and the total has gone OVER in seven of the last nine games between these two. The favorite is 15-5-1 ATS in the last 21 meetings.

[TheGame]

Re: Basketball Handicapping Info. 2/4/2014

StatFox Super Situations

WISCONSIN at ILLINOIS
Play Against - Home teams where the line is +3 to -3 (ILLINOIS) in a game involving two good defensive teams (63-67 PPG), after a combined score of 155 points or more 67-31 since 1997. ( 68.4% | 32.9 units ) 1-0 this year. ( 100.0% | 1.0 units )

TEXAS at TCU
Play Against - Underdogs of +145 to +350 vs. the money line (TCU) cold team - having lost 8 or more of their last 10 games against opponent hot team -having won 6 or 7 of their last 8 games 121-19 over the last 5 seasons. ( 86.4% | 60.2 units ) 7-5 this year. ( 58.3% | -7.3 units )

ST PETERS at MANHATTAN
Play On - A home team vs. the 1rst half line (MANHATTAN) after allowing 80 points or more in a loss to a conference rival, in February games 57-25 over the last 5 seasons. ( 69.5% | 29.5 units ) 2-1 this year. ( 66.7% | 0.9 units )

[TheGame]

Re: Basketball Handicapping Info. 2/4/2014

7:00 PM
CHATTANOOGA vs. EASTERN KENTUCKY
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chattanooga's last 6 games on the road
Chattanooga is 5-13 SU in its last 18 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Eastern Kentucky's last 5 games at home
Eastern Kentucky is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games

7:00 PM
MISSISSIPPI vs. KENTUCKY
Mississippi is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Mississippi is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Kentucky's last 6 games
Kentucky is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games

7:00 PM
MIAMI (OHIO) vs. NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Miami (Ohio) is 5-14 SU in its last 19 games on the road
Miami (Ohio) is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Northern Illinois's last 5 games when playing Miami (Ohio)
Northern Illinois is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Miami (Ohio)

7:00 PM
OHIO STATE vs. IOWA
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Ohio State's last 9 games on the road
Ohio State is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games on the road
Iowa is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Ohio State
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Iowa's last 5 games when playing at home against Ohio State

7:00 PM
KANSAS vs. BAYLOR
Kansas is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Baylor
Kansas is 17-7 SU in its last 24 games on the road
Baylor is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Kansas
Baylor is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games when playing at home against Kansas

7:00 PM
ST. JOHN'S vs. PROVIDENCE
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of St. John's last 5 games when playing on the road against Providence
St. John's is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Providence
Providence is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games when playing St. John's
Providence is 14-4 SU in its last 18 games when playing St. John's

7:00 PM
RUTGERS vs. MEMPHIS
Rutgers is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Rutgers is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Memphis is 23-2 SU in its last 25 games at home
Memphis is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games

7:00 PM
JAMES MADISON vs. TOWSON
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of James Madison's last 5 games on the road
James Madison is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games on the road
Towson is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against James Madison
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Towson's last 6 games when playing at home against James Madison

8:00 PM
MARYLAND vs. NORTH CAROLINA
Maryland is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
Maryland is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of North Carolina's last 7 games when playing at home against Maryland
North Carolina is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Maryland

8:00 PM
GEORGIA TECH vs. CLEMSON
Georgia Tech is 7-18 SU in its last 25 games on the road
Georgia Tech is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Clemson
Clemson is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Georgia Tech
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Clemson's last 5 games when playing at home against Georgia Tech

8:00 PM
TEXAS vs. TCU
Texas is 7-17 SU in its last 24 games on the road
Texas is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
TCU is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Texas
TCU is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Texas

8:05 PM
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS vs. DRAKE
Southern Illinois is 10-5 SU in its last 15 games when playing on the road against Drake
Southern Illinois is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Drake
Drake is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Drake's last 5 games at home

8:05 PM
LYON COLLEGE vs. ARKANSAS STATE
No trends available
Arkansas State is 13-3 SU in its last 16 games at home
Arkansas State is 4-1-1 ATS in its last 6 games

9:00 PM
MISSOURI vs. FLORIDA
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Missouri's last 6 games on the road
Florida is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Florida's last 6 games

9:00 PM
WAKE FOREST vs. DUKE
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Wake Forest's last 9 games when playing on the road against Duke
Wake Forest is 2-11 ATS in its last 13 games when playing on the road against Duke
Duke is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Wake Forest
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Duke's last 7 games when playing Wake Forest

9:00 PM
BUTLER vs. MARQUETTE
Butler is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Marquette's last 5 games at home
Marquette is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home

9:00 PM
WISCONSIN vs. ILLINOIS
Wisconsin is 5-1-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Illinois
Wisconsin is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Illinois
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Illinois's last 6 games
Illinois is 16-3 SU in its last 19 games at home

[TheGame]

Re: Basketball Handicapping Info. 2/4/2014

Game of the Day: Ohio State at Iowa
Covers.com

Ohio State Buckeyes at Iowa Hawkeyes (-6, 138)

Ohio State is trying to prove that a rough end to January is not what the team will look like going forward. Earning a second straight road victory against a ranked opponent when the Buckeyes visit Iowa on Tuesday would go a long way to ease any concerns. The Hawkeyes survived a scare at Illinois on Saturday and are comfortably in third place in the Big Ten with a 6-3 mark that includes an 84-74 triumph at Ohio State from Jan. 12.

That loss to Iowa was the second in a string of four straight and five of six by the Buckeyes, who are hoping a 59-58 win at Wisconsin on Saturday is what the team needs to turn its season back in a positive direction. “We’ll enjoy this for half a day and then we have another tough one on Tuesday,” guard Aaron Craft told the Columbus Dispatch. “There’s not too much over-thinking going on. It’s find a way to be better than Iowa. That’s our only thought.” That is a tough assignment against a Hawkeyes team averaging 80.6 points in its last seven games.

LINE HISTORY: The Hawkeyes were sent out as suggested 6-point home favorites with the total at 138.

COVERS POWER RANKINGS: Ohio State (-9.7) - Iowa (-16.1) + Home Court (-3.0) = Iowa -9.4

KEY INJURIES: Ohio State: N/A. Iowa: N/A

WHAT BOOKS SAY: "Expect Iowa to be a popular play, as the Hawkeyes have covered in six of eight while the Buckeyes have only covered in one of their last six games." - Mike Perry, Sportsbook.ag.

WHAT SHARPS SAY: "Buckeyes in rare dog role (have been favored the last 13 games in row in this series), and are 8-0 SU in games after facing Wisconsin." - Marc Lawrence.

WHY BET OHIO STATE (17-5 SU, 10-11 ATS, 8-12-1 ATS): The Buckeyes will need all the defense they can muster to slow Iowa and may have found it against Wisconsin when they held the Badgers without a field goal over the final 6:43. “We had very good activity,” coach Thad Matta told the Dispatch of the defense. “I thought guys were reading things and we were pressuring the ball where we needed it.” Ohio State gave up 47 second-half points in the Jan. 12 meeting with Iowa and did not help itself by turning the ball over 17 times. LaQuinton Ross was a bright spot with 22 points in that loss and has reached double figures in six straight.

WHY BET IOWA (17-5 SU, 13-7 ATS, 12-7 O/U): Roy Devyn Marble scored 22 points and Aaron White put up 19 on 8-of-12 shooting in the win over Ohio State and the two continue to provide an effective outside-inside combination. Marble scored all 17 of his points in the second half of Saturday’s 81-74 win at Illinois while White chipped in 14 and six rebounds. The Hawkeyes are staring at a tough stretch of the schedule with Ohio State and Michigan at home before heading out on the road for two but are well-equipped to handle the rest of their Big Ten slate if reserves like center Gabriel Olaseni (15 points and 12 rebounds on Saturday) continue to produce.

TRENDS:

* Under is 5-1 in the last six meetings in Iowa.
* Under is 6-2 in the last eight meetings.
* Buckeyes are 2-5 ATS in the last seven meetings.
* Underdog is 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings.

[TheGame]

Re: Basketball Handicapping Info. 2/4/2014

College Basketball Information

Kentucky won 11 of last 13 games with Ole Miss; Rebels lost last five visits here, by 10-40-4-10-15 points, but they're 5-1 with Henderson in lineup, with only loss by 16 at Tennessee. Ole Miss is 2-2 on SEC road, with other loss by 4 at Mississippi State. Kentucky won four of its last five games, is 3-1 as SEC home favorite, winning at Rupp by 22-8-17-25 points. SEC double digit home favorites are 9-4 vs spread.

Iowa (+6) won 84-74 at Ohio State Jan 12, ending 8-game series losing skid; Buckeyes won won last four visits here by 2-8-5-29 points. OSU lost five of last seven games overall, getting out of Wisconsin with 59-58 win in last game. Big Dozen home favorites of 7 or less points are 5-7 vs spread. Iowa is 2-2 as home favorite, winning home games by 10-26-21, with an overtime loss to Michigan State in last home game.

James Madison won five of last six games with Towson, but are 3-7 in last ten visits here, losing by 26 LY. Dukes lost five of last seven games, are 2-2 as CAA road dogs, losing away games by 14-22 points, winning at UNCW/Northeastern. Towson is 5-2 in CAA, 1-3 as home favorite, winning home games by 7-18-2 points, with loss to Northeastern. CAA home favorites are 9-21 against the spread.

Providence (+4) scored last five points in second OT to nip St John's by point 84-83 in first meeting Jan 16, its fourth win in last six series tilts. Friars won six of last seven games, are 2-2 as home favorites, winning at home by 18-13-9-9 points, with loss to Seton Hall. St John's won three of its last four games; its last three losses are all by 3 or less points. Big East home favorites of 6 or less points are 8-6 vs spread.

Kansas (-10) beat Baylor 78-68 Jan 20, outscoring Bears 26-9 on foul line with Baylor making 13-27 from arc; Jayhawks are 13-3 in last 16 vs Baylor- their 81-58 loss here LY was first in last six visits. Baylor was on 1-6 skid before upsetting Okla State in Stillwater last game; Bears lost last three home games by 2-14-2 points. Big X home underdogs of 5 or less points are 6-3-1 vs spread. Kansas is 2-1 as a Big X road favorite.

Maryland lost its last four visits to Chapel Hill by 17-11-24-10 points; this is Terps' last visit here before bolting to Big Dozen. Terps are 0-3 as an ACC underdog this year, losing those games by 20-24-4 points. ACC home favorites of 7+ points are 13-8 vs spread. Tar Heels won/covered last three games, winning by 19-13-14 points; they're 2-2 as favorites at home- all four of their ACC wins are by 11+ points.

Clemson won its last seven games with Georgia Tech, winning last eight in Littlejohn, with last two by total of five points. This is first game at home in 17 days for Tigers, who are 1-1 as home faves, winning by 13-8 points with loss to Florida State. ACC home favorites of 7+ points are 13-8 vs spread. Tech covered last three road games, winning at BC and Wake Forest, losing by hoop in overtime at NC State.

Drake is 9-1 in last ten games with Southern Illinois, winning 57-54 (+2) in Carbondale Jan 22, when Salukis were 4-18 on arc, 12-28 on foul line. Bulldogs lost seven of last nine games, losing three of last four at home; they're 1-3 in last four games when favored. MVC home favorites of 6 or less points are 6-4-1 vs spread. Salukis won last two games after its 2-6 start in Valley- they're 3-1-1 in last five games as an underdog.

Butler's first Big East win after 0-5 start was 69-57 OT home win (even) vs Marquette Jan 18, after Bulldogs trailed by 12 in second half. Butler is 1-3 as road underdog, losing away games by 11-28-9 points, with a win at Seton Hall. Marquette is 1-2 as home favorite, winning at home by 10-1-11 points, with only loss to Villanova in OT. Big East home favorites of more than 4 points are 13-10 vs spread.

Missouri is only 4-4 in SEC, but none of its four losses was by more than six points; they're 2-2 on SEC road, 1-2 as dog, losing away games by 3 at Vandy, 6 at LSU. Home team won both Florida-Missouri games LY; Tigers lost 83-52 in this gym. Florida is 8-0 in SEC, 3-1 as home favorite, winning by 16-22-26-33 points in Swamp. SEC double digit home favorites are 9-4 vs spread.

Wisconsin won its last six games with Illinois, waxing Illini 95-70 (-10) in first meeting Jan 8, making 63.2% of 2-point shots, turning ball over only four times. Badgers won last two visits here, by 4-6, but they are 1-5 in last six games overall, after starting year 16-0. Illini lost its last seven games, losing last three home games by 8-16-7 points. Big Dozen home underdogs of 5 or less points are 6-5 vs spread.

Iona won/covered its last four games; they're 4-3 as home favorites, 3-0 in last three home games, winning by 14-22-12 points. Gaels are making 42.6% of 3's, 53.9% of 2's in league play. Monmouth covered four of last five games; they're 5-1 as road dogs, losing away games by 9-20-9-6-2 points, with win at Niagara. MAAC home favorites of 7 or less points are 4-7 against the spread.

Manhattan won last six games with St Peter's, winning last two here by 4-8 points; Jaspers beat Peacocks 74-62 (-9) in first meeting Jan 2, with St Peter's shooting 29.8% in foul fest with 77 free throws. MAAC home favorites of 9+ points are 9-6 vs spread. Peacocks are 2-3-1 as dogs on road, with SU wins at Rider/Fairfield. Jaspers are 3-3 as home favorites, with three home wins by 16+ points.

[TheGame]

Re: Basketball Handicapping Info. 2/4/2014

StatFox Super Situations

CHICAGO at PHOENIX
Play On - Any team (CHICAGO) average defensive team (92-98 PPG) against a poor defensive team (98-102 PPG) after 42+ games, after scoring 90 points or less 2 straight games 32-10 over the last 5 seasons. ( 76.2% | 21.0 units )

INDIANA at ATLANTA
Play On - Road teams with a money line of +135 to -155 (INDIANA) off a home win, second half of the season 120-71 over the last 5 seasons. ( 62.8% | 47.3 units ) 1-2 this year. ( 33.3% | -1.1 units )

CHICAGO at PHOENIX
Play Over - All teams where the first half total is between 95.5 and 100.5 points after going under the total by 42 or more points total in their last five games, in February games 49-20 over the last 5 seasons. ( 71.0% | 27.0 units ) 0-2 this year. ( 0.0% | -2.2 units )

[TheGame]

Re: Basketball Handicapping Info. 2/4/2014

7:30 PM
INDIANA vs. ATLANTA
Indiana is 17-5 SU in its last 22 games
Indiana is 1-14 SU in its last 15 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
Atlanta is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
Atlanta is 14-1 SU in its last 15 games when playing at home against Indiana

8:00 PM
LA LAKERS vs. MINNESOTA
LA Lakers are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
The total has gone OVER in 4 of the LA Lakers last 5 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Minnesota's last 10 games when playing LA Lakers
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Minnesota's last 6 games at home

9:00 PM
CHICAGO vs. PHOENIX
Chicago is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Chicago's last 5 games on the road
Phoenix is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Phoenix's last 6 games

10:30 PM
CHARLOTTE vs. GOLDEN STATE
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Charlotte's last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 12 of Charlotte's last 16 games on the road
Golden State is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games when playing Charlotte
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Golden State's last 5 games

[TheGame]

Re: Basketball Handicapping Info. 2/4/2014

Missouri at Florida
By Brian Edwards
VegasInsider.com

Florida will be looking for its 14th consecutive win Tuesday night when it hosts Missouri in Gainesville. The Gators are atop the SEC standings with a perfect 8-0 record in league play.


As of early this morning, most books had Florida (19-2 straight up, 9-7-1 against the spread) installed as a 12-point home favorite.


Billy Donovan's team has been destroying opponents at home, including Saturday's 69-36 beatdown of Texas A&M as a 16-point 'chalk.' Michael Frazier II scored a game-high 21 points and pulled down eight rebounds. Dorian Finney-Smith came off the bench to score 11 points and grab nine boards to go with a pair of blocked shots.


UF freshman center Chris Walker will make his much-anticipated debut against Frank Haith's team. Walker, a McDonald's All-American who led Holmes Co. High School to a state title in Lakeland last year, has served a 12-game suspension for minor nonsense involving the AAU team he played on in high school.


Florida is No. 5 in the RPI Rankings with a 5-2 record against RPI Top-50 opponents. The Gators beat the RPI's top-ranked squad (Kansas) convincingly in Gainesville in mid-December. Their only two losses -- at Wisconsin and at UConn on a buzzer-beater -- came when multiple players were out to injury or suspension.


UF has won its four SEC home games by margins of 33, 26, 22 and 16 points. The Gators own a 6-3-1 spread record at home, easily taking the cash in their last three outings.


Missouri (16-5 SU, 8-9-2 ATS) is in a three-way tie for sixth place in the SEC with a 4-4 record. UF and Kentucky are the only SEC locks for NCAA Tournament invites at this point, but Missouri is in the bubble picture along with LSU, Tennessee and Ole Miss.


Missouri is ranked No.51 in the RPI with a 5-4 record against the Top 100. The Tigers' best win was an 80-71 triumph over UCLA (RPI: 18) at home. Their only shameful loss was an overtime defeat as double-digit home favorites vs. Georgia.


Missouri had a chance to pick up a crucial win Saturday at home vs. Kentucky. But a second-half comeback sparked by Jabari Brown came up a little short in an 84-79 loss as a 1.5-point puppy.


Brown, who leads the SEC in scoring with a 20.1 points-per-game average, dropped 33 points on the Wildcats. Jordan Clarkson added 28 points for the Tigers, who get another shot at a resume-building victory tonight.


UF's Casey Prather, the team's leading scorer with a 16.2 points-per-game average, didn't practice on Sunday due to a sore ankle. He was expected to practice Monday and is listed as 'probable.'


In Missouri's debut season in the SEC, it split a pair of regular-season meetings with UF. The Gators smashed Mizzou by an 83-52 count as 13.5-point home favorites, but the Tigers responded with a 63-60 revenge win as five-point home underdogs.


The 'under' is 12-4-1 overall for Florida this year, 8-1-1 in its home games. The 'under' is 12-6-2 overall for Mizzou, but the 'over' has hit in four of its last six games.


Tip-off at the O-Dome is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.


B.E.'s Bonus Nuggets


Iowa State went into Stillwater and won a 98-97 decision over Oklahoma St. in triple overtime last night. The Cyclones covered the spread for the first time in seven outings, hooking up money-line backers with a +260 payout. 'The Mayor' led his team to victory as a seven-point underdog.


Oklahoma State star Marcus Smart was mired in an abysmal four-game shooting slump going into last night's backbreaking defeat vs. Iowa St. He had made just 13-of-53 shots from the field (20%) and 3-of-28 (9.7%) from beyond the 3-point line. Smart had a decent performance against the Cyclones, finishing with 20 points on 6-of-14 attempts. He remain ice cold from deep, however, hitting just 1-of-5 to extend his 3-ball slump to 4-for-33. Le'Bryan Nash scored a team-high 26 points for the Cowboys, who have lost four of their last five games. Now Travis Ford's bunch will have to move on without freshman guard Stevie Clark, who was dismissed from the squad on Monday following a Sunday morning arrest. Clark, the High School Player of the Year in Oklahoma after he led his team to a fourth straight state title last season, was also arrested on New Year's Day. With the injury to Michael Cobbins already, Oklahoma St. will have to play without two key players for the rest of the year.


Villanova jumped out on Xavier early and spent most of the second half ahead by double digits en route to an 81-58 win as a 10-point home favorite. The 139 combined points fell 'under' the 147-point total, ending an 11-1 run of 'overs' for the Wildcats and a 6-1 'over' spree for the Musketeers.


Georgia Tech point guard Trae Golden is 'questionable' Tuesday at Clemson. Golden, who averages 14.0 points and 3.4 assists per game, is nursing an ankle injury.


Wake Forest guard Codi Miller-McIntyre is 'questionable' tonight at Duke. Miller-McIntyre averages 14.1 points, 3.8 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game. The Blue Devils were 18-point home favorites early this morning.


After losing at Texas on Saturday, Kansas is on the road again tonight at Baylor. The Bears were slumping mightily until snapping out of it Saturday and winning at Oklahoma St. as 11-point underdogs. If Scott Drew's team can knock off KU tonight, it will have bolstered its resume by miles in a matter of only 72 hours.

[TheGame]

Re: Basketball Handicapping Info. 2/4/2014

NCAA Basketball Picks

Kansas at Baylor

The Jayhawks look to bounce back from their loss at Texas on Saturday as they face a Baylor team that is coming off a 76-70 win at Oklahoma State and is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games following a SU victory. Kansas is the pick (-3 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Jayhawks favored by 7 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Kansas (-3 1/2). Here are all of today's games.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4 Time Posted: 9:00 a.m. EST

Game 509-510: Mississippi at Kentucky (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Mississippi 62.925; Kentucky 77.470 Dunkel Line: Kentucky by 14 1/2; 144 Vegas Line: Kentucky by 12 1/2; 148 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Kentucky (-12 1/2); Under

Game 511-512: Rutgers at Memphis (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Rutgers 57.222; Memphis 69.950 Dunkel Line: Memphis by 12 1/2; 142 Vegas Line: Memphis by 15 1/2; 148 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Rutgers (+15 1/2); Under

Game 513-514: Ohio State at Iowa (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Ohio State 70.537; Iowa 73.687 Dunkel Line: Iowa by 3; 134 Vegas Line: Iowa by 5 1/2; 140 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Ohio State (+5 1/2); Under

Game 515-516: James Madison at Towson (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: James Madison 46.106; Towson 58.939 Dunkel Line: Towson by 13 Vegas Line: Towson by 7 Dunkel Pick: Towson (-7)

Game 517-518: St. John's at Providence (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: St. John's 66.599; Providence 65.353 Dunkel Line: St. John's by 1 Vegas Line: Providence by 3 1/2 Dunkel Pick: St. John's (+3 1/2)

Game 519-520: Kansas at Baylor (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Kansas 75.782; Baylor 68.404 Dunkel Line: Kansas by 7 1/2; 149 Vegas Line: Kansas by 3 1/2; 143 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Kansas (-3 1/2); Over

Game 521-522: Texas at TCU (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Texas 65.840; TCU 59.185 Dunkel Line: Texas by 6 1/2; 133 Vegas Line: Texas by 8 1/2; 138 1/2 Dunkel Pick: TCU (+8 1/2); Under

Game 523-524: Maryland at North Carolina (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Maryland 59.210; North Carolina 71.172 Dunkel Line: North Carolina by 12; 148 Vegas Line: North Carolina by 7; 144 1/2 Dunkel Pick: North Carolina (-7); Over

Game 525-526: Georgia Tech at Clemson (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Georgia Tech 60.304; Clemson 64.716 Dunkel Line: Clemson by 4 1/2; 117 Vegas Line: Clemson by 7 1/2; 122 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Georgia Tech (+7 1/2); Under

Game 527-528: Miami (OH) at Northern Illinois (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Miami (OH) 53.002; Northern Illinois 47.997 Dunkel Line: Miami (OH) by 5 Vegas Line: Miami (OH) by 2 Dunkel Pick: Miami (OH) (-2)

Game 529-530: Southern Illinois at Drake (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Southern Illinois 54.981; Drake 55.527 Dunkel Line: Drake by 1 Vegas Line: Drake by 4 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Southern Illinois (+4 1/2)

Game 531-532: Butler at Marquette (9:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Butler 59.516; Marquette 68.794 Dunkel Line: Marquette by 9 1/2; 132 Vegas Line: Marquette by 6 1/2; 127 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Marquette (-6 1/2); Over

Game 533-534: Wake Forest at Duke (9:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Wake Forest 62.329; Duke 78.167 Dunkel Line: Duke by 16; 140 Vegas Line: Duke by 18; 134 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Wake Forest (+18); Over

Game 535-536: Missouri at Florida (9:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Missouri 64.247; Florida 78.778 Dunkel Line: Florida by 14 1/2; 120 Vegas Line: Florida by 12; 128 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Florida (-12); Under

Game 537-538: Wisconsin at Illinois (9:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Wisconsin 66.164; Illinois 65.329 Dunkel Line: Wisconsin by 1 Vegas Line: Wisconsin by 3 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Illinois (+3 1/2)

Game 539-540: Chattanooga at Eastern Kentucky (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Chattanooga 46.100; Eastern Kentucky 60.768 Dunkel Line: Eastern Kentucky by 14 1/2 Vegas Line: Eastern Kentucky by 11 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Eastern Kentucky (-11 1/2)

Game 541-542: Iona at Monmouth (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Iona 57.824; Monmouth 53.387 Dunkel Line: Iona by 4 1/2 Vegas Line: Iona by 6 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Monmouth (+6 1/2)

Game 543-544: St. Peter's at Manhattan (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: St. Peter's 44.948; Manhattan 62.348 Dunkel Line: Manhattan by 17 1/2 Vegas Line: Manhattan by 13 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Manhattan (-13 1/2)

Game 551-552: Holy Cross at Colgate (9:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Holy Cross 53.541; Colgate 50.883 Dunkel Line: Holy Cross by 2 1/2 Vegas Line: Holy Cross by 1 Dunkel Pick: Holy Cross (-1)

[TheGame]

Re: Basketball Handicapping Info. 2/4/2014

Today's NBA Picks

LA Lakers at Minnesota

The Lakers come into Minnesota tonight with a 6-1 ATS record in their last 7 road games against the Timberwolves. Los Angeles is the pick (+10) according to Dunkel, which has the Timberwolves favored by only 7 1/2. Dunkel Pick: LA Lakers (+10). Here are all of today's picks.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4 Time Posted: 9:30 a.m. EST

Game 501-502: Indiana at Atlanta (7:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Indiana 120.462; Atlanta 123.772 Dunkel Line & Total: Atlanta by 3 1/2; 202 Vegas Line & Total: Indiana by 3; 197 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (+3); Over

Game 503-504: LA Lakers at Minnesota (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: LA Lakers 112.509; Minnesota 120.122 Dunkel Line & Total: Minnesota by 7 1/2; 222 Vegas Line & Total: Minnesota by 10; 216 Dunkel Pick: LA Lakers (+10); Over

Game 505-506: Chicago at Phoenix (9:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Chicago 118.195; Phoenix 123.752 Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 5 1/2; 186 Vegas Line & Total: Phoenix by 8; 192 Dunkel Pick: Chicago (+8); Under

Game 507-508: Charlotte at Golden State (10:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Charlotte 114.684; Golden State 128.525 Dunkel Line & Total: Golden State by 14; 192 Vegas Line & Total: Golden State by 10; 198 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Golden State (-10); Under

[TheGame]

Re: Basketball Handicapping Info. 2/4/2014

Hoop Trends - Tuesday
By Vince Akins
VegasInsider.com

ATS TREND OF THE DAY:

The Timberwolves are 14-0 ATS (11.93 ppg) since Feb 02, 2013 with less than five days rest after a loss in which their DPS was positive.

OU TREND OF THE DAY:

The Pacers are 9-0 OU (15.39 ppg) since May 22, 2012 on the road when facing a team they lost by at least three points to in their previous same-season match-up.

PLAYER TREND OF THE DAY:

The Suns are 13-0 OU (15.77 ppg) since Mar 28, 2013 at home after PJ Tucker scored fewer than 10 points in a game where they did not cover by 19+.

CHOICE TREND:

The Bobcats are 12-0 ATS (7.96 ppg) since Dec 10, 2004 on the road with at least one day of rest after a double digit loss in which their field goal attempt per turnover ratio was at least eight.

ACTIVE TRENDS:

The Lakers are 0-8 ATS (-10.88 ppg) since Feb 21, 2002 on the road with at least one day of rest when they have lost their last three games SU and ATS.

The Suns are 7-0 OU (15.21 ppg) since Mar 16, 2010 at home after Channing Frye scored fewer than 10 points the last two games and they won the last game.

[TheGame]

Re: Basketball Handicapping Info. 2/4/2014

Inside the Paint - Tuesday
By Chris David
VegasInsider.com

February has arrived which means football is officially over and basketball becomes the biggest attraction at the betting counter for the next five months. The Association only had one game played on Sunday but Monday’s card featured 11 games and some of the results from last night could be summed up as strange.

For starters, the first three games on the board were all on pace to be shootouts and easy ‘over’ winners.

1st Half - Indiana 59 Orlando 50
Final – Indiana 98 Orlando 79 (UNDER 189)

1st Half - Washington 55 Portland 54
Final – Washington 100 Portland 90 (UNDER 208)

1st Half – Miami 63 Detroit 57
Final – Miami 102 Detroit 96 (UNDER 206)

Including those results, the ‘under’ produced a 6-5 mark.

As far as sides, favorites went 8-3 straight up and 6-5 against the spread. The biggest underdog to cash was Milwaukee, who knocked off New York 101-98. The Bucks were catching eight points and listed as high as 3/1 odds (Bet $100 to win $300 on the money-line). Other home underdogs to win on Monday were Washington (+1) against Portland and Denver (+1) versus the L.A. Clippers.

New Orleans could’ve joined that group but the team collapsed in its 102-95 loss to San Antonio at home. The Pelicans were leading the Spurs 76-64 after three quarters and they were catching 3½-points only to be outscored 38-19 in the final 12 minutes.

Including the Spurs’ victory, visitors only went 2-9 last night.

Bettors have four games to focus on Tuesday and the oddsmakers have posted some healthy numbers in three of the matchups.

Indiana at Atlanta

Indiana will be looking to avenge a 97-87 loss at Atlanta on Jan. 8 as a four-point road favorite. For the rematch, oddsmakers opened the Pacers as 3½-point road favorites and the number has dipped to 2½ at most shops.

Indiana has been a solid investment on the road this season, going 14-8 SU and 13-9 ATS. However, fatigue could be a factor tonight with the Pacers beating Orlando 98-79 at home last night. On zero days rest this season, Indiana has gone 5-6 SU and 3-8 ATS. Plus, Atlanta has played since Saturday when it defeated Minnesota 120-113. Including that win, the Hawks have gone 3-1 SU and 4-0 ATS in their last four games.

Total players could be scratching their head on this matchup considering the Pacers have been a solid ‘under’ (28-19) look this season and the Hawks have been a great ‘over’ team (29-17). Atlanta has also watched the ‘over’ go 8-1 in its last nine games. Tonight’s number is hovering between 198 and 199 points.

L.A. Lakers at Minnesota

The Timberwolves opened as 12-point home favorites over the Lakers and the number has dropped to 10 ½ points. Los Angeles won’t have Pau Gasol (groin) in the lineup but it is expected to have guards Steve Blake and Steve Nash on the floor.

Even with the boost in the backcourt, it’s hard to make a case for the Lakers, who have dropped six straight and 12 of 15 in 2014. Defensively, the Lakers have given up 100-plus in 14 of their last 15 games, which has helped the ‘over’ go 12-2-1 during this span. Minnesota has had an up and down season but the club has gone 7-3 both SU and ATS in its last 10 spots as a favorite and that includes a run of four straight covers.

Chicago at Phoenix

The Suns have been the best team at the betting counter this season (32-14 ATS) and while tonight’s number is high (-8), it’s certainly deserving. Phoenix has won and covered five straight and all of the margins have been by eight points or more and all against teams from the Eastern Conference.

Do you lay the points tonight versus Chicago?

The Bulls have gone 1-3 both SU and ATS in their last four, which included last night’s embarrassing 99-70 loss at Sacramento. Chicago did defeated Phoenix 92-87 on Jan. 7 as a two-point home underdog but it was rested for that matchup and that won’t be the case tonight. The Bulls have gone 4-6 SU and 6-4 ATS on zero days rest this season but they’ve played better on no rest lately. Chicago has gone 3-0 both SU and ATS in its last three back-to-back situations.

The Bulls have gone 5-12 SU and 6-11 ATS versus the Western Conference this season while the Suns have produced an 11-6 SU and 12-5 ATS record against the East.

Charlotte at Golden State

The Warriors and Bobcats conclude Tuesday’s action from the Bay Area and the oddsmakers believe Golden State will cruise to another win at home. The Warriors opened as 9½-point favorites and they should be ready to go since they haven’t played last Friday when they defeated the Jazz 95-90 on the road. Some of you might be hesitant to lay points with Golden State, considering its just 6-8 ATS in its last 14 games as a favorite.

Charlotte has been a tough team to gauge this season but it should be noted that it has already eclipsed last year’s win total and if the playoffs started today, the Bobcats would be the eighth and final seed in the Eastern Conference. The Bobcats have been much better on the road this season, going 10-15 SU and 15-9 ATS. However, Charlotte hasn’t been able to answer the bell as a heavy underdog. When catching double digits this season, the ‘Cats are 0-6 SU and 3-3 ATS.

Kemba Walker (ankle) is listed as ‘questionable’ for Charlotte and so is Golden State forward David Lee (hip).