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[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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[superbeets]

Italian Super Cup TODAY 16:30

Juventus

v

Milan

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS4		8/13	14/5	5	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT ALL VENUES	RECENT FORM
AWALHWHWAWHW​ Most recent​	0 - 1 1 - 0 2 - 1 1 - 0	AWHDAWHWALHD​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: The last five meetings have produced a total of four goals in normal time

EXPERT VERDICT: Juventus broke the hearts of the Milan faithful with an extra-time winner in last season’s Coppa Italia final and it could be worth supporting this Super Cup clash to go the distance in Qatar. The Old Lady are preparing for their fifth consecutive Super Cup but they have required extra time on two occasions and Milan - who have lost just one of their last seven - have a point to prove.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
1


REFEREE: Antonio Damato STADIUM:

Premier League Mo 26Dec 12:30

Watford

v

C Palace

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS1		6/4	23/10	19/10	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT WATFORD	RECENT FORM
HWHLALHWALAL​ Most recent​	0 - 1 2 - 2 0 - 2 1 - 1	HLALHWADHLHL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Crystal Palace have won just twice in 19 league away games

EXPERT VERDICT: Watford have seen off some strong opposition at Vicarage Road this season, beating Manchester United and Everton as well as Leicester and Hull, and while they did suffer an off-day to lose to Stoke in November, that was a rare blemish on a solid record. Crystal Palace have one win in ten and are conceding too many goals.

RECOMMENDATION: Watford
3


REFEREE: Mark Clattenburg STADIUM:

Premier League Mo 26Dec 15:00

Chelsea

v

Bournemouth

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		4/11	4	15/2	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT CHELSEA	RECENT FORM
AWHWAWHWAWAW​ Most recent​	0 - 1 1 - 0 2 - 0	AWALHWALHWHL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Eden Hazard has scored eight goals in 16 league games

EXPERT VERDICT: Chelsea’s title challenge continues to gather pace and they should give their fans plenty of Christmas cheer with a victory over Bournemouth. Eden Hazard, rejuvenated by the arrival of Antonio Conte, can lead the way for the Blues in the absence of the suspended Diego Costa as the leaders look for a 12th straight Premier League win.

RECOMMENDATION: E Hazard first goalscorer
1


REFEREE: Mike Jones STADIUM:

Premier League Mo 26Dec 15:00

Burnley

v

Middlesbro

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		19/10	21/10	8/5	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT BURNLEY	RECENT FORM
ALHLALHWALAL​ Most recent​	1 - 1 0 - 1 0 - 0 0 - 2	HLADHWALHLHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Burnley have claimed 16 of their 17 points at home

EXPERT VERDICT: Burnley will be happy to be back on home soil after consecutive away defeats at West Ham and Tottenham. The Clarets are a much better outfit when playing in front of their own fans, claiming all but one of their 17-point tally and 14 of their 16 goals at Turf Moor. Middlesbrough have won just once on the road and look vulnerable favourites.

RECOMMENDATION: Burnley
2


REFEREE: Craig Pawson STADIUM:

Premier League Mo 26Dec 15:00

Arsenal

v

West Brom

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		1/3	9/2	15/2	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT ARSENAL	RECENT FORM
HLAWAWHWALAL​ Most recent​	2 - 0 4 - 1 1 - 0 2 - 0	HWADHWALHWHL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Arsenal have conceded at least one goal in each of their last five home games

EXPERT VERDICT: Arsenal’s last league defeat at the Emirates came on the opening day of the season and the Gunners are a warm order to record a Boxing Day victory. They should justify short prices but West Brom have been potent in front of goal, including on the road where only Bournemouth and rock-solid Chelsea have prevented them from finding the net.

RECOMMENDATION: Arsenal to win 2-1
1


REFEREE: Neil Swarbrick STADIUM:

Premier League Mo 26Dec 15:00

Leicester

v

Everton

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		6/4	23/10	19/10	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT LEICESTER	RECENT FORM
HDALALHWALAD​ Most recent​	3 - 1 2 - 2 1 - 1 0 - 0	HDALHDALHWHL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: both teams have scored in Leicester’s last five home games

EXPERT VERDICT: Leicester showed glimpses of their title-winning form when they hammered Man City at home but their inconsistencies resurfaced when they were beaten away at Bournemouth just three days later. The Foxes have scored in all but two of their home games this season, while Ronald Koeman’s team are also capable in attack.

RECOMMENDATION: Both teams to score
2


REFEREE: Stuart Attwell STADIUM:

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL roundup: Jackets thumps Pens for 11th straight win
By The Sports Xchange

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Scott Hartnell scored three goals and the Columbus Blue Jackets extended their franchise-record winning streak to 11 games on Thursday night with a 7-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins in a battle at the top of the Metropolitan Division.
Also scoring goals for the Blue Jackets were Cam Atkinson, Brandon Saad, William Karlsson and Boone Jenner. Sergei Bobrovsky finished with 23 saves and boosted his record to 20-5-2. He is 10-0-1 during the Blue Jackets' winning streak, which is the longest in the NHL this season.
Sidney Crosby scored Pittsburgh's only goal in the first period. Matt Murray gave up six goals before he was replaced in the third period by Marc-Andre Fleury.

Bruins 3, Panthers 1
SUNRISE, Fla. -- Frank Vatrano scored in his season debut as Boston beat Florida on a night when Jaromir Jagr made history.
Patrice Bergeron and David Backes also scored for the Bruins. Torey Krug had a pair of assists. Ryan Spooner and Brad Marchand added a helper each. Boston's Tuukka Rask made 29 saves in running his career record against the Panthers to 18-3-1.
Jagr recorded an assist with 6:40 left in the game when Michael Matheson's shot bounced off the 44-year-old right winger. Aleksander Barkov then collected the puck and netted his ninth goal to cut Boston's lead to 2-1. The point was the 1,888th for Jagr in his career, breaking a tie for second with Mark Messier. Wayne Gretzky is the NHL's all-time points leader with 2,857.

Kings 4, Predators 0
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Peter Budaj stopped 28 shots for his fourth shutout of the season as Los Angeles dumped Nashville at Bridgestone Arena.
Nic Dowd, Jeff Carter, Devin Setoguchi and Nick Shore scored for the Kings.

Senators 2, Ducks (OT)
OTTAWA -- Mike Hoffman scored on a one-timer with 56.2 seconds left in overtime to give Ottawa a win over Anaheim at Canadian Tire Centre. It was the fourth win in a row for the Senators.
Ryan Dzingel scored in regulation for the Senators while Jakob Silfverberg replied for the Ducks.
Mike Condon made 24 saves to improve his record to 8-3-2. John Gibson stopped 16 shots in the Anaheim net.

Lightning 5, Blues 2
TAMPA, Fla. -- Alex Killorn scored 5:25 in to the third period as Tampa Bay scored five unanswered goals to defeat St. Louis at Amalie Arena.
Jonathan Drouin scored twice and Michael Bournival and Brian Boyle also scored for the Lightning. Victor Hedman finished with three assists and Andrei Vasilevskiy finished with 21 saves.
David Perron and Wade Megan scored for the Blues.

Wild 4, Canadiens 2
MONTREAL -- Eric Staal scored a short-handed goal early in the third to lift Minnesota to a victory over Montreal at the Bell Centre.
Jordan Schroeder, Jared Spurgeon and Jason Zucker also connected for the Wild while Max Pacioretty and Artturi Lehkonen scored for the Canadiens.
It's the Wild's ninth straight win, matching a franchise mark set back in March 2009.

Devils 4, Flyers 0
NEWARK, N.J. -- Playing their most complete game in recent memory, New Jersey snapped a seven-game losing streak with a victory over Philadelphia at the Prudential Center.
P.A. Parenteau and Adam Henrique each had a goal and an assist for the Devils, who also got goals from Miles Wood and Kyle Palmieri.

Hurricanes 3, Sabres 1
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Three players scored and Cam Ward made 22 saves to lead Carolina to a win over Buffalo.
Jeff Skinner, Justin Faulk and Sebastian Aho scored for the Hurricanes.
Johan Larsson scored the lone goal for the Sabres and Robin Lehner made 31 saves.

Maple Leafs 6, Avalanche 0
DENVER -- Frederik Andersen had 38 saves for his first shutout of the season, Nazem Kadri had two goals, and Toronto beat reeling Colorado.
James Van Riemsdyk had a goal and an assist and rookie Auston Matthews stayed hot with a goal. He now has 25 points this season and returns to his home state of Arizona when Toronto plays the Coyotes on Friday. Connor Brown and Frederik Gauthier also scored and Jason Gardiner, Mitchell Marner and Nikita Zaitsev had two assists each.
The Avalanche are winless in their last eight home games and have lost five in a row overall.

Jets 4, Canucks 1
VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Nikolaj Ehlers scored two third-period goals and collected an assist as Winnipeg defeated Vancouver.
Rookie Patrik Laine and Bryan Little also scored for the Jets, who scored three times in the third period. Markus Granlund scored for the Canucks.
Ryan Miller stopped 21 shots for Vancouver. Michael Hutchinson made 22 saves for Winnipeg.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL

Friday’s games

Rangers won five of last seven games with Minnesota; Wild lost last three visits to Manhattan, giving up 13 goals. Over is 3-0-1 in last four series games. Minnesota won its last nine games, allowing total of 12 goals- four of those games were on road; over is 3-1-1 in their last five games. Rangers won six of last eight games, winning three of last four sat home. Under is 5-2-1 in their last eight games.

Penguins won three of last four games with New Jersey; Devils lost four of last five games in this building. Under is 7-2 in last nine series games. New Jersey lost seven of its last eight games, were outscored 21-7 in losing last five on road. Over is 3-1-2 in their last six road games. Pittsburgh lost three of last four games- they lost 7-1 in Columbus last nite. Penguins won five of last six home games; over is 8-2 in their last ten series games.

Islanders won three of last four games with Buffalo; Sabres won three of last five visits to Brooklyn— five of last six series games stayed under total. Buffalo lost its last three games with two of those in OT; they lost last three road games, all in OT/SO. Three of their last four games stayed under. Islanders lost five of their last six games; they were outscored 15-8 in losing last three home games. Over is 7-2 in their last nine games.

Columbus won its last three games with Montreal; they crushed the Canadiens 10-0 back on Nov 4, which was Habs’ first loss of season. Blue Jackets won last three series games; four of last five went over the total. Montreal lost three of its last five games— they split last four on road; over is 6-2-1 in their last nine games. Columbus is 20-2-3 in its last 25 games, winning last four by combined score of 20-6. Under is 5-3-1 in their last nine games.

Washington won five of last six games with Tampa Bay; over is 7-3 in last ten series games. Lightning was outscored 13-7 in losing last three visits to Washington. Tampa Bay lost four of its last five road games; they won last two games overall. Over is 5-1-1 in last seven Lightning tilts. Washington won three of last four games, with all three wins in OT/SO; under is 3-1-1 in their last five home games.

Bruins won seven of last ten games with Carolina; road team won four of last five series games. Boston won three of last four visits to Raleigh. Under is 6-0-1 in last seven series games. Bruins lost six of their last nine games, split last four on road; over is 6-4 in their last ten games. Carolina won three of its last four games, both overall and at home- over is 5-4 in their last nine games.

Florida won six of last eight games with Detroit; Red Wings lost three of last four games in this building. Over is 3-1-1 in last five series games played here. Panthers lost seven of their last ten games- they split last four home games. Over is 6-2-1 in their last nine games. Detroit lost five of its last six games- they split last four road games. Over is 4-2-3 in their last nine games.

Blackhawks won last four games with Colorado; Avalanche lost 4-0/6-3 in last two visits to the Windy City. Under is 4-2-2 in last eight series games. Chicago won five of its last six games; they split last six home games. Over is 3-0-1 in their last four games. Colorado lost its last five games, outscored 19-5; three of their last four games stayed under. Avalanche lost three of last four road games.

Kings won three of last four games with Dallas; they won three of last four visits to Lone Star State. Last three series games went over total. Los Angeles is 4-3 in its last seven games, 4-3 in last seven on road; their last four games stayed under total. Dallas Stars lost four of their last six games, split their last six home games. Four of last five Dallas games stayed under the total.

Calgary won four of last five games with Vancouver; Canucks lost five of last six games in the Saddledome. Over is 4-2-1 in last seven series games. Vancouver lost five of its last seven games, four of last five on road. Over is 3-0-2 in their last five games. Flames lost three of last four games; over is 3-1-1 in their last five. Calgary lost 6-3/4-1 in its last two games.

Arizona won its last five games with Toronto; Maple Leafs lost three of last four visits to desert, losing last two, both by 3-2 scores. Under is 6-2 in last eight series games. Coyotes was outscored 11-5 in losing last three games; they lost three of last four at home. Under is 7-2-1 in their last ten games. Toronto lost seven of last ten games, but won 6-0/4-1 in last two road tilts. Nine of last ten Maple Leaf games stayed under total.

Sharks are 5-3 in last eight games with Edmonton; Oilers lost four of last six visits to San Jose (over 5-1). Edmonton won four of its last five games, with all four wins by 3-2 scores- their last five games stayed under the total. San Jose won five of its last six games, including three of last four at home; over is 4-1-3 in their last eight games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA roundup: Paul injured in Clippers win
By The Sports Xchange

LOS ANGELES -- Despite losing Chris Paul to a hamstring injury, the Los Angeles Clippers beat the San Antonio Spurs 106-101 Thursday night at Staples Center.
Paul suffered a strained left hamstring early in the third quarter and did not return. He finished with team-high 19 points, six assists and seven rebounds in 23 minutes.
Without Paul, the Clippers received a boost from their bench. Marreese Speights had 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists, while Raymond Felton added 13 points. Jamal Crawford chipped in 11 points. The Clippers' reserves outscored the Spurs' bench 58-31.
Clippers center DeAndre Jordan had 11 points and nine rebounds, and J.J. Redick also scored 11 for the Clippers (22-8), who beat the Spurs for the second time this season.
Kawhi Leonard led the Spurs (23-6) with 27 points and nine rebounds. Pau Gasol contributed 21 points and eight rebounds. Danny Green and LaMarcus Aldridge scored 10 apiece. The Spurs lost for only the second time on the road. They are 15-2 away from home.

Celtics 109, Pacers 102
INDIANAPOLIS -- Isaiah Thomas scored 28 points, including 14 in the fourth quarter, and Boston defeated Indiana in Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
Boston won its fourth in a row, sealing it with two free throws from Thomas and two from Jae Crowder during the final 14.9 seconds after Indiana closed to within 105-102 on two C.J. Miles free throws with 19 seconds to play.
Jeff Teague had a season-high 31 for Indiana, which lost its second straight. Paul George and Miles each had 19 for the Pacers, and Thaddeus Young added 15 points and 12 rebounds. The Pacers shot 42.7 percent.

Knicks 106, Magic 95
NEW YORK -- Derrick Rose tossed in 19 points and reserve center Willy Hernangomez added 15 points to lead New York to a win over Orlando at Madison Square Garden.
Kyle O'Quinn contributed 14 points and a career-high 16 rebounds in recording his third double-double of the season for the Knicks.
Serge Ibaka led the Magic with 23 points and 10 rebounds and Evan Fournier added 21 points.
With Kristaps Porzingis forced to leave the game with what appeared to be an ankle injury with 11:58 to play, Hernangomez took over. He contributed 10 straight points to provide the Knicks with a 92-78 lead with 8:15 to play.

Warriors 117, Nets 101
NEW YORK -- Kevin Durant scored 26 points as Golden State clamped down defensively in the second half and rallied from a 16-point deficit to earn a victory over Brooklyn.
Klay Thompson added 23 points for the Warriors, who ran their winning streak to six games by completely turning things around after halftime. Stephen Curry contributed 15 points despite shooting 6 of 19, including 3 of 13 from 3-point range.
Golden State's Zaza Pachulia contributed 15 points and 14 rebounds. Durant added nine boards and seven assists.

Heat 115, Lakers 107
MIAMI -- Justise Winslow scored a career-high 23 points and Hassan Whiteside had his sixth double-double in a row to lead Miami past Los Angeles at AmericanAirlines Arena.
Whiteside and Winslow each had 23 points and 13 rebounds. Whiteside has 23 double-doubles this season, tying him for the NBA lead with Russell Westbrook and James Harden.
It was the first career double-double for the second-year forward Winslow as the Heat (10-20) snapped a three-game losing streak. All three of those losses came at home.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Free NBA Picks: Friday, Dec. 23, 2016, Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

The NBA goes dark on Christmas Eve before its annual five-game regular-season showcase on Christmas Day. So perhaps it's a good time to take a look at some futures odds. Although really nothing has changed since the preseason other than some prices. The Warriors are -130 favorites to win the NBA title and -250 to take the Western Conference for a third straight season. The Cleveland Cavaliers are +225 to repeat as NBA champions and -275 to threepeat in the East. Nothing is going to change with those two teams barring major injury. Probably the most interesting prop the site currently has is whether Russell Westbrook will average a triple-double on the season. "No" is -220 and "yes" +175. Westbrook is a ridiculous talent, but I can't see him keeping this up all year. The NBA's dog days are coming and he's going to start to wear down a bit. He is the +140 favorite for MVP and should be. James Harden is next at +350. Friday is one of the busiest days of the season with 28 of the 30 teams in action.

Bulls at Hornets (-4, 204.5)

Chicago lost for the fourth time in five games Wednesday, 107-97 at home to Washington. Jimmy Butler had 20 points to lead the Bulls, but afterward Dwyane Wade said the team is relying too much on Butler and other guys not doing their part down the stretch. Charlotte won a second straight Tuesday, 117-113 over the visiting Lakers. Kemba Walker had 28 points and Nic Batum hit the tiebreaking jumper off the glass with 13 seconds to go. He had 23 points. Charlotte won three of four meetings last year vs. Chicago and has won the past three in the series at home.

Key trends: The Bulls are 0-4 against the spread in the past four meetings. The "over/under" has gone under in five straight Bulls games.

Early lean: Hornets and under.

Lakers at Magic (-4, 212.5)

Second of a back-to-back for L.A. as it was in Miami on Thursday, and the NBA usually does that Florida double in a back-to-back format. I'm not sure that D'Angelo Russell will play both Thursday and this game as he's just back from a knee injury. Larry Nance is going to miss a while with a knee injury. Orlando actually will be traveling further as it visited the Knicks on Thursday. These teams split last year. The Magic have won seven of the last eight meetings at home.

Key trends: The Lakers are 4-1 ATS in the past five meetings. The over is 5-1 in Orlando's past six at home.

Early lean: Magic and over.

Nets at Cavaliers (TBA)

Brooklyn is doing something that only Toronto has done and will do all season: a back-to-back against the Warriors and Cavaliers as the Nets hosted Golden State on Thursday. The Cavs, who have lost J.R. Smith indefinitely to a broken thumb, completed a home-and-home sweep of the Bucks on Wednesday, 113-102 in Cleveland. Kyrie Irving had 31 points and a career-best 13 assists. Kevin Love missed a second straight with a bruised knee and of course Smith was out. Cleveland beat Brooklyn handily three times last year but did lose one at the Nets.

Key trends: The Nets are 3-1-1 ATS in the past five meetings. The under is 5-0 in the past five.

Early lean: Wait on Love

Thunder at Celtics (-5.5, TBA)

First of an NBA TV doubleheader. Boston was in Indiana on Thursday. Oklahoma City won in New Orleans on Wednesday, 121-110. Westbrook had 42 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Victor Oladipo sat again with his wrist injury. Oklahoma City beat Boston 99-96 on Dec. 11 behind 37 points and 12 rebounds from Westbrook. The Thunder also have won three straight at TD Garden.

Key trends: The road team is 5-0-1 in the past six meetings. The under is 7-2 in OKC's past nine.

Early lean: Thunder -- not sure why no opening total yet a line (assuming for Oladipo)

Warriors at Pistons (+9, 211)

Golden State was in Brooklyn on Thursday. I have a feeling Coach Steve Kerr might rest a key guy or two in that one or here with the Warriors having a huge game in Cleveland on Christmas. Detroit lost a fourth straight Wednesday, 98-86 against Memphis. Coach Stan Van Gundy planned to make a change to his starting lineup and insert Jon Leuer into it in place of Marcus Morris (1-for-11 from field on Wednesday) but Leuer was late to shootaround after getting in a car accident. He's expected to start in this one. Detroit snapped an eight-game losing streak to the Warriors last season by splitting.

Key trends: The Warriors are 0-4 ATS in their past four in the second of a back-to-back. The under is 17-4 in Detroit's past 21 at home.

Early lean: Pistons and under.

Wizards at Bucks (-4, 213.5)

Washington won in Chicago 107-97 on Wednesday and is inching toward .500. John Wall and Bradley Beal combined for 44 points and 14 assists with just four turnovers. The Wizards are 13-11 when both are in the starting lineup. Forward Otto Porter missed the second half with back spasms. Milwaukee lost both games of a home-and-home vs. the Cavs, falling 113-102 in Cleveland on Wednesday. Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 28 points and Jabari Parker 27 for the Bucks. Washington won the first meeting at home 110-105 on Dec. 10. The Wiz have won eight of the past 10 meetings overall.

Key trends: The favorite is 8-1 ATS in the past nine meetings. The over is 8-0 in Washington's past eight after a win.

Early lean: Bucks and over.

Rockets at Grizzlies (+3.5, 207)

Houston had its 10-game winning streak snapped on Tuesday but bounced back Wednesday with a 125-111 victory in Phoenix. The Rockets were 18-for-38 from long range. Harden had 27 points and 14 assists. Patrick Beverley finished with a season-high 18 points, nine assists and nine rebounds. Memphis ended a three-game skid with a 12-point win in Detroit on Wednesday behind a career-high 38 points from Marc Gasol. He was 14-for-17 from the field. The Grizzlies also saw the return of small forward Chandler Parsons. He played 15 minutes after missing the past 17 games with a left knee bruise. These teams split last year, each going 1-1 at home.

Key trends: The Rockets are 3-8 ATS in the past 11 in Memphis. The over is 6-2 in the past eight meetings.

Early lean: Grizzlies and over.

Heat at Pelicans (-4, 206)

Miami hosted the Lakers on Thursday. New Orleans lost 121-110 at home to Oklahoma City on Wednesday. Anthony Davis had 34 points and 15 rebounds for the Pels and Jrue Holiday added 23 points and 10 assists. Rookie Buddy Hield got a start but was 0-for-3 in 20 minutes. Miami won both meetings last year vs. NO. Hassan Whiteside averaged 16.0 points on .722 shooting from the floor, 15.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocks.

Key trends: The Pelicans are 7-1 ATS in their past eight vs. the East. The under is 5-2 in the Heat's past seven on the road.

Early lean: Pelicans and under.

Kings at Timberwolves (TBA)

Sacramento won a second in a row Wednesday, an impressive 94-93 victory in Utah in the second of a back-to-back. The Kings were down 20 in the third quarter. DeMarcus Cousins had 21 points and Ty Lawson a season-high 19. Rudy Gay was out a fifth straight with a hip injury and Omri Casspi a second in a row due to illness. Minnesota is on its first two-game winning streak following a 92-84 victory in Atlanta on Wednesday. Karl-Anthony Towns had 17 points and 18 rebounds. Sacramento won the first meeting vs. Minnesota 106-103 on Oct. 29. Eight of the teams' past 13 games have been decided by five points or less.

Key trends: The Kings are 1-6 ATS in the past seven meetings. The under is 4-1 in the previous five.

Early lean: Wolves and under regardless of Gay playing or the numbers.

Hawks at Nuggets (TBA)

Atlanta lost 92-84 at home to Minnesota on Wednesday as the Hawks played a second straight without Dwight Howard (back). They were thus killed on the boards. Tim Hardaway Jr. played just one minute of the first quarter before straining his groin and missing the rest of the night. Denver's three-game winning streak ended in a 119-102 loss at the Clippers on Tuesday. Will Barton, who has been rumored in trades, led the Nuggets with 22 points off the bench. Emmanuel Mudiay was scoreless. Atlanta swept Denver last year.

Key trends: The Hawks are 0-5 ATS in their past five vs. teams with a losing record. The over is 11-5 in the past 16 meetings.

Early lean: Nuggets whether Howard plays or not.

Raptors at Jazz (pick'em, 200)

Toronto beat Brooklyn 116-104 on Tuesday for its second straight win. Kyle Lowry had 23 points and eight assists, and Norman Powell scored a season-high 21 off the bench. It was the 15th straight game in which the Raptors scored at least 100 points. Utah was surprised 94-93 at home by Sacramento on Wednesday, although not a huge shock considering the Jazz played at Golden State on Tuesday. Guards Dante Exum (knee tendinitis) and Rodney Hood (flu-like symptoms) sat out. These teams split two low-scoring meetings last season, each winning at home.

Key trends: The Raptors are 6-0 ATS in the past six meetings. The under is 6-1 in Utah's past seven overall.

Early lean: Jazz and under.

76ers at Suns (TBA)

This could have major relevance for next spring's NBA draft lottery. Philadelphia lost 108-93 at home to New Orleans on Tuesday. Joel Embiid was vastly outplayed by Anthony Davis. Nerlens Noel, who has been seemingly banished to the bench, saw four minutes of action. Phoenix dropped its fourth straight Wednesday, 125-111 at home vs. Houston. Devin Booker had 28 points on his bobblehead night. Philly won the first meeting 120-105 on Nov. 19 and swept Phoenix last year.

Key trends: The Sixers are 1-5 ATS in their past six vs. teams with a losing record. The over is 8-3 in the Suns' past 11 at home.

Early lean: Honestly not sure why the opening TBA. I will love the over here no matter the number.

Spurs at Trail Blazers (TBA)

San Antonio was at the Clippers on Thursday. I expect the Spurs to rest a guy or two here as they play Christmas. Portland lost its fourth in a row Wednesday, and it was the worst of them: 96-95 at home to Dallas. Damian Lillard missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer. He had 29 points. Evan Turner missed the game with an ankle injury and he's not likely here. First meeting between San Antonio and Portland this season. The Spurs have won the past three in the series.

Key trends: The home team is 9-4 ATS in the past 13 meetings. The over is 6-1 in the past seven.

Early lean: Wait on the Spurs

Mavericks at Clippers (TBA)

Second NBA TV game. Los Angeles hosted San Antonio on Thursday. The Clippers also play Christmas so they might sit a Chris Paul or someone here. Dallas won in Portland 96-95 on Wednesday but nearly blew a 25-point third-quarter lead. Harrison Barnes had 28 points. Dirk Nowitzki sat out again but there's a legitimate chance he returns here. The Clippers have won three straight (124-104 in first meeting this year) and 12 of the last 16 regular-season meetings with the Mavericks.

Key trends: The Mavs are 1-4 ATS in the past five meetings. The over is 5-1 in the Clippers' past six in the second of a back-to-back.

Early lean: Wait on Dirk, but I think this sets up well for the Mavs to cover regardless.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA

Friday’s games

Hornets won five of last seven games with Chicago; Bulls lost last three visits here, by 10-17-25 points- over is 3-1 in last four series games played here. Chicago lost four of last five games, are 5-2 in last seven games as a road underdog. Under is 7-1 in their last eight games. Hornets won their last three home games, covered three of last four as a home favorite. Under is 5-3 in last eight Charlotte games.

Home side won last six Laker-Magic games; LA lost last three visits to Orlando by 9-6-2 points. Under is 8-2 in last ten series games. Lakers lost nine of last ten games but covered three of last four; they’re 4-7 in last 11 games as a road underdog. Over is 7-3 in last ten games for both of these teams. Orlando lost four of its last five home games- they’re 4-3-1 as home favorites.

Golden State won nine of last ten games with Detroit, covering six of last nine; Warriors won four of last five visits here (they lost LY but covered four of the five). Last five series games stayed under the total. Golden State won its last six games; they’re 1-4 in last five games as a home favorite. Last nine Warrior games stayed under. Pistons lost their last four home games, all by 12+ points; they’re 1-1 as home underdogs. Under is 8-2 in their last ten games.

Cavaliers won seven of last nine games with Brooklyn but are 2-4-1 vs spread in last seven meetings; Nets lost last five visits here (2-3 vs spread). Brooklyn lost eight of last ten games; they’re 6-6-1 as a road underdog- over is 3-1-1 in their last five road games. Cavaliers won eight of last nine games (7-2 vs spread); they’re 7-2 vs spread in last nine home games. Last three Cleveland games went over total.

Thunder won seven of last eight games with Boston; they won last three visits to Beantown, by 18-15-21 points. Over is 3-1 in last four series games played here. Oklahoma City is 3-4 in its last seven games, 2-4 as a road underdog. Under is 7-2 in last nine Thunder games (2-0 in last two). Celtics won their last four games with three OT wins; they’re 5-4 as a home favorite (0-3 in last three). Over is 3-2 in their last five games.

Wizards won eight of last ten games with Milwaukee but split last four visits here. Over is 5-3 in last eight series games. Washington won four of its last five games, is 4-2 as a road underdog. Over is 8-2 in Wizards’ last ten games. Bucks lost five of last seven games but they just played the Cavaliers back/back; six of their last eight series games went over. Milwaukee is 2-5 in its last seven home games.

Miami is 7-3 in its last ten games with New Orleans but split last four visits to Bourbon Street; over is 7-2 in last nine series games. Heat lost seven of their last ten games; they’re 7-4 as a road underdog. Over is 4-3 in their last seven games. Pelicans lost seven of last ten games; they’re 3-6 as home favorites. Four of their last six games stayed under the total.

Houston is 4-3 in its last seven games with Memphis; road team won four of last six series games. Rockets lost three of last five visits here- over is 6-2 in their last eight games. Houston won 11 of its last 12 games; they’re 6-3 as road favorites. Three of their last four games stayed under total. Memphis lost three of its last four games; they’re 5-4 as home underdogs. Under is 8-1 in Grizzlies’ last nine games.

Minnesota won four of last five games with Sacramento; they covered six of last seven series games. Four of last five series games stayed under. Kings lost by 4-9 points in last two visits to Twin Cities. Sacramento won three of its last four games; they’re 5-8 as road underdogs. Under is 6-2 in their last eight games. Minnesota won three of last four games; they’re 4-2 as home favorites. Four of their last five games stayed under.

76ers won last three games with Phoenix by 7-10-15 points; they lost three of last four visits to the desert (1-3 vs spread). Five of last six series games went over total. Sixers split their last six games, won last two on road; they’re 4-5 as road underdogs, covering last three of those. Under is 6-1-1 in their last eight games. Phoenix lost eight of last ten games; they’re 0-4 as home favorites. Over is 7-3 in their last ten games.

Hawks won four of last five games with Denver but lost four of last five games in this building (3-2 vs spread). Last three series games went over total. Atlanta is 2-3 in its last five games but won its last three road games- they’re 5-6 as a road underdog (3-0 in last three). Over is 4-2 in their last six games. Nuggets won three of last four games; they’re 5-4 as home favorites. Last six Denver games went over the total.

Raptors won five of last six games with Utah; they won three of last five visits to Salt Lake City. Over is 7-2 in last nine series games. Toronto won six of its last seven games; they won last three road games SU. Over is 6-3 in their last nine games. Jazz lost last two games after winning seven of previous eight- they blew 20-point lead in losing last game. Jazz is 6-9 vs spread at home- six of their last seven games stayed under.

San Antonio won its last three games with the Blazers by 12-13-8 points but they lost three of last four games at Moda Center. Six of last seven series games went over total. Spurs won five of last six games; they’re 10-5 as road favorites. Over is 4-2 in their last six games. Trailblazers lost four in row, eight of last nine games; they’re 0-3 as a home underdog. Over is 8-4 in their home games.

Clippers won/covered six of last eight games with Dallas, which lost last three visits here, by 20-16-7 points. Over is 7-3 in last ten series games. Mavericks split last eight games, covered three of last four; they’re 6-9 as road underdogs. Over is 6-4 in their last ten games. Clippers won six of last seven games, are 7-5-1 as home favorites. Over is 8-2 in Clippers’ last ten games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Northern Kentucky Norse (9-3) at West Virginia Mountainers (10-1)

Date: December 23, 2016 4:00 PM EDT

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Albeit on different scales, No. 11 West Virginia and Northern Kentucky enter Friday's matchup attempting to gain a better grip on handling success.

The Mountaineers (10-1) won their sixth straight game 84-57 over Radford despite an underwhelming second half that coach Bob Huggins labeled "really lethargic."

Northern Kentucky (9-3), after defeating NAIA member Brescia 97-73 to extend a five-game winning streak, heard coach John Brannen muttering similar criticism.

"I didn't think it was our best effort, and I was a little disappointed in how we came out," Brannen said. "I'm sitting here saying that with a 20-point win, but the bottom line is we have to get better."

Against West Virginia's waves of athleticism and pressure defense, the Norse probably need to play a lot better. No opponent has threatened the Mountaineers at home, where they're 8-0 with an average margin of victory exceeding 41 points.

Still, Huggins sees lapses from his players that won't be so tolerable once Big 12 play begins next week.

"It's a progression of things. You try to get competent at something and then you try to add something to it," he said. "And if you don't stay competent at the building blocks of what you're trying to do then everything's going to crumble. We're trying to explain to them that we don't want it to crumble."

While West Virginia dominated last year's meeting 107-61 in Morgantown, Northern Kentucky appears better than advertised in Brannen's second season. After being picked seventh in the 10-team Horizon League, the Norse are 4-1 in road games so far, with the loss coming at Illinois, 79-64.

"Schematically, they'll do as good a job as anybody has done against pressure," said Huggins, whose squad leads the nation by forcing 26.3 turnovers a game.

Sophomore forward Drew McDonald averages a team-high 17.3 points and 7.8 rebounds for NKU while guard Lavone Holland contributes 15.7 points and shoots 43 percent from 3-point range.

Cole Murray, a 6-foot-7 senior who averages 10.7 points, has taken 94 of his 99 shots from 3. The Norse also draw big contributions from freshman Carson Williams (10.8 points, 6.1 rebounds).

West Virginia's rotation goes 13 players deep, though Huggins figures to tighten it up come conference play. Forwards Esa Ahmad (13 points, 5.6 rebounds) and Nathan Adrian (10.6 points, 6.1 rebounds) are inside-out scoring threats, and Jevon Carter (9.7 points, 4.5 assists) ranks fifth nationally in steals.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Wyoming Cowboys (10-2) at USC Trojans (12-0)

Date: December 23, 2016 11:00 PM EDT

USC will put its perfect record on the line when the 23rd-ranked Trojans face Wyoming in the championship game of the Las Vegas Classic on Friday at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.

The Trojans (12-0) advanced to the final with an 83-75 victory over Missouri State in Thursday's semifinals. Elijah Stewart scored 21 points, Jordan McLaughlin added 19, and Chimezie Metu posted 13 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three blocked shots for USC.

The Cowboys (9-2) advanced with a 72-58 victory over DePaul. Hayden Dalton, a 6-foot-8 forward, came off the bench to record his third consecutive double-double, posting 18 points and 12 rebounds.

"One thing that Hayden has is his tremendous skill for a player of his size," Wyoming coach Allen Edwards said. "He also plays so hard and creates such great matchups for us. He gives us great length and skill, and plays with such great energy."

The Cowboys have won seven in a row, but they probably will need to be better against USC than they were against DePaul. Wyoming shot 42.1 percent from the field, made just 6 of 25 from 3-point range and committed 22 turnovers.

Despite the shooting struggles, Edwards wasn't entirely dissatisfied with the Cowboys' performance after they scored 43 points in the second half.

"My thing is the process and play the course," Edwards said. "I wanted an up-and-down game, and I liked the tempo. We settled for some bad shots in the first half. We moved the ball and got better looks in the second half."

USC is enjoying its best start and its longest winning streak since going 16-0 to begin the 1970-71 season.

Coach Andy Enfield experimented with a new lineup against Missouri State, starting four guards after watching his team fall behind by double digits in three of its previous four games. This time, the Trojans led from start to finish.

The Trojans were remarkably efficient. They shot 54.7 percent from the field, made eight 3-pointers and converted 17 of 19 free throws, including 15 of 16 over the final 2:17.

"I just wanted to try something different," Enfield said, according to the Orange County Register. "We got out in transition and spread the floor. We played really good defense."

The Trojans are led by Stewart, McLaughlin and Metu. Stewart is averaging 15.5 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. McLaughlin averages 13.6 points and 5.2 assists. Metu is averaging 13.3 points and 7.8 rebounds.

USC is celebrating its unbeaten streak with a block party. The Trojans had a school-record 14 blocked shots against Pepperdine on Dec. 11, nine against Troy on Dec. 17 and 10 against Cornell on Sunday. They had four blocks against Missouri State.

Wyoming is led by Justin James, who averages 16.6 points per game. James is shooting 49.1 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from 3-point range. He scored 13 in the win over DePaul.

Jason McManamen averages 14.8 points per game for the Cowboys, though he was held to nine on Thursday. Dalton is averaging 11.4 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAAB

Friday’s best 13 games

Texas State is 4-5 vs D-I teams (schedule #342), 0-4 in true road games, with three of those four losses by 11+ points- they’re 4-3 vs teams ranked outside top 200. Bobcats are #95 team in experience playing pace #315— by far best team they’ve beaten this year is #223 Fla Atlantic. Tulane lost seven of last nine games; they’re #237 experience team that is 3-2 vs teams ranked outside top 200.

Auburn is 9-2 vs schedule #202; Tigers are #320 experience team whose bench is playing #32 minutes. Auburn won its last three games, is 2-1 vs top 100 teams, beating Oklahoma/Texas Tech, losing to Purdue by 25 on a neutral court. UConn has been decimated by injuries; they’re #250 experience team whose bench plays #255 minutes. Huskies are 1-3 vs top 100 teams, beating Syracuse by a hoop- their top 100 losses are by 8-10-4 points.

Home side won last six Providence-Boston College games; Friars lost last three visits here, by 2-3-9 points. Providence lost by 5 at Ohio State in only true road game this year; they’re 2-2 vs top 100 teams, with wins over Memphis/URI. Boston College lost to Fairfield Tuesday and it was not even an upset; Eagles are 6-6 vs schedule #337 with two losses to teams outside top 300- they’re turning ball over 21.6% of the time.

Seton Hall beat Rutgers last three years by 6-29-27 points; Pirates are #163 experience team that has #63 eFG% defense. Seton Hall has had one sub transfer, another got booted already this season; despite that, Pirates are 9-2 vs schedule #200; they’re 6-0 vs teams outside top 100, with all six wins by 11+ points. Rutgers is 11-1 under new coach Pikiell against 2nd-easiest schedule in country- their only loss was by 12 at Miami.

Oakland is playing its third game in four nights after losing to Northeastern/Michigan State earlier in week; Grizzlies are 9-3 but 0-2 vs top 100 teams, losing by 12 to MSU, 4 to Nevada up in Alaskan Shootout. Unusual for them, Oakland has #35 eFG% defense; they play #30 pace. Georgia is 8-3 with all three losses to top 40 teams; Dawgs’ best win was over #120 ULL. Dawgs split pair of true road games with loss at Clemson, win at Georgia Tech.

Houston is 9-2 vs schedule #298; they’re #42 experience team that 3-2 vs teams vs teams ranked #155 or better with only two losses by 19 at LSU, 12 at Arkansas. Cougars are #2 team in country, making 43.4% of their 3’s- their eFG% is #14. Harvard hasn’t played in 16 days; they’ve won last three games, lost at Stanford by 10 in their only top 100 game this season. Crimson is #341 experience team; they’re turning ball over 22.6% of time.

Tulsa lost seven of top eight scorers from LY but is 6-2 in its last eight games after an 0-2 start; Hurricane are 1-2 vs top 100 teams, with win by hoop over Illinois State, losses to Wichita State by 27, Oklahoma State by 4. Tulsa made 11-21 3’s in fairly easy win over SF Austin yesterday; they used eight guys double digit minutes. San Diego State is only 6-4 vs schedule #272; they are #99 experience team playing pace #327- Aztecs are shooting 33% on arc, 45.5% inside arc- their eFG% is #277.

Southern Mississippi is 20-48 the last 2+ years, losing last six games this year, with five of those six by 11+ points. Eagles have an experience team but none of them can shoot: USM is making 26.6% on the arc, turning ball over 21.5% of time- they used all five starters 30:00+ in loss to San Diego State last night. SF Austin is 4-6 vs schedule #44; they’ve turned ball over 27.1% of time, 2nd-worst %age in country, even while playing a slowish pace.

San Francisco made a ridiculous 16-28 on arc, upset Utah 89-86 as a 9-point underdog yesterday; Dons are 9-2 vs 3rd-easiest schedule in country- they start two frosh, two sophs under 1st-year coach Smith. Last night was USF’s first top 200 game this season. Illinois State won six of its last seven games, crushing Hawai’i by 26 last night. Redbirds have made 39.8% on arc, have #59 eFG% defense on country. USF played nine kids 13:00+ last night.

Utah has to be stunned losing to USF; Utes used three guys 34:00+ last night, their second loss in last three games. Utes are 5-0 vs teams outside top 200, with three of five wins by 18+ points. Hawai’i has 11 new players this year; they’re ineligible for postseason play- Rainbows are 0-4 vs top 100 teams, with all four losses by 11+ points. Hawai’i is turning ball over 22.4% of time, shooting just 27.9% from the arc.

DePaul trailed Missouri State by 13 with 7:29 left, rallied to nip Bears 68-66 at home Nov 23 in Chicago. Bears made 10-24 on arc in tough loss. Blue Demons lost on neutral floor to Wyoming last night and it wasn’t even an upset; DePaul is 7-5 vs schedule #338- they’re 1-4 vs teams in top 200. Could be a rough winter in Big East for them. DePaul played three kids 29:00+, forced 22 turnovers (+8) but still lost. Missouri State was 14-36 on arc in 83-75 loss to USC last night; hard to make lot of 3’s playing second night in row.

USC is 12-0, using four starters 33:00+ in 83-75 win over Missouri State last night; Trojans are 4-0 vs top 150 teams, with all four wins by 8 or less points. USC is #325 experience team that is 4-0 away from Galen Center, beating Texas A&M/BYU. Wyoming is 10-2 but lost by 10 at Cal in its only top 100 game; Cowboys played three guys 31:00+ in its win over DePaul yesterday. Wyoming has #28 eFG% defense in country- they’re #127 experience team.

Richmond is 6-5 vs schedule #247, splitting its two true road games, losing by 5 at Bucknell, winning by 20 at James Madison. Spiders are making only 32.5% on arc and they don’t sub a lot- they’re little disappointing. Oral Roberts beat Little Rock by 15 in last game after losing to unbeaten Creighton by a point before that- that was their first win in 11 D-I games this season. Golden Eagles have #298 eFG% offense, #272 defense, but they’ve played schedule #8.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Bahamas Bowl betting preview: Eastern Michigan vs Old Dominion

Eastern Michigan Eagles vs Old Dominion Monarchs (-4, 63.5)

A pair of postseason strangers face off when Eastern Michigan meets Old Dominion in the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl in Nassau, Bahamas, on Dec. 23. While the Monarchs have never played in a bowl game, the Eagles make their first appearance in 29 years. The two teams are no strangers to each other, however, as Old Dominion defeated Eastern Michigan in a shootout on the road last season 38-34, getting a 45-yard touchdown run with 1:57 to play for the winning margin.

Chris Creighton directed the turnaround for Eastern Michigan, which won a combined three games in his first two years with the program. Creighton took over for coach Ron English, who was fired after addressing his team with what the school's administration deemed as “wholly inappropriate language” in 2013. Quarterback Brogan Roback fuels the offense, throwing for 2,394 yards with 16 touchdowns and he passed for 468 yards and three scores in the Eagles' bowl-clinching win over Ball State earlier in the season.

Old Dominion's only loss in Conference USA play came to Western Kentucky but it proved to spell the end of its title hopes as both teams finished 7-1 in conference play. The Monarchs averaged 36 points per game (27th in the FBS) led by David Washington, who is one of four FBS quarterbacks to have thrown for 25 touchdown passes with four or fewer interceptions. Washington threw for 2,648 yards overall while completing 59.7 percent of his passes for the Monarchs, who ride a five-game winning streak all of which came by double figures.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, ESPN.

LINE HISTORY: Old Dominion opened as 3-point favorites and the spread climbed up a full point to 4. The total hit the betting board at 64, went as high as 65 before fading back down to 63.5.

WHAT BOOKS SAY: "A lot of public support for Old Dominion, possibly spurred by the motivation of its first bowl game. We have 70 percent of the tickets on the Monarchs, mostly small bets as there hasn't been much interest from the sharper players thus far." - Scott Cooley

WEATHER REPORT: The forecast for Thomas A. Robinson Stadium in Nassau is partly sunny skies with a chance of showers and temperatures in the low-80’s for the afternoon kickoff. There will be a bit of wind out of the east ranging from 10-14 mph.

INJURY REPORT:

Eastern Michigan - RB Ian Eriksen (questionable, undisclosed)

Old Dominion - TE Melvin Vaughn (questionable, ankle), QB David Washington (questionable, knee)

TRENDS:

* Eagles are 6-0 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
* Monarchs are 1-4-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
* Monarchs are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 non-conference games.
* Over is 4-0 in Eagles last 4 games on grass.
* Over is 5-1 in Monarchs last 6 games on grass.

CONSENSUS: The public is backing Old Dominion with 61 percent of the bets being laid on the Monarchs. Users are split 50/50 on the total.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Armed Forces Bowl betting preview: Louisiana Tech vs Navy

Louisiana Tech Bulldogs vs No. 25 Navy Midshipman (+6.5, 67.5)

Both Navy and Louisiana Tech carry two-game losing streaks - including setbacks in their respective conference title games - into the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl on Dec. 23 in Fort Worth, Texas. The Midshipmen, who fell to Temple in the American Athletic Conference championship before losing to Army for the first time in 15 years, have won three straight bowl games - including this one in 2013. The Bulldogs have won two bowl games in a row and are seeking their third consecutive nine-win season.

Navy has not been the same team since losing senior quarterback Will Worth - the nation's leader with 25 rushing touchdowns - early in the loss to Temple on Dec. 3. Sophomore Zach Abey has run for three scores since taking over but has thrown four interceptions in the two games. Abey and his crew will need to get some early points in order to prevent a situation where they need to play catch up through the air opposite Louisiana Tech's relentless passing attack.

Bulldogs quarterback Ryan Higgins was named Conference USA MVP after throwing for 4,208 yards and 37 TDs against eight interceptions for the nation's fifth-ranked scoring offense (44 points per game) and third-ranked passing unit (359.8 yards). Navy's rushing game is fourth in the country at 310.9 yards, making for an intriguing clash of styles. "It certainly has some interesting dynamics when you look at the two teams and where both of our strengths are and both of our weaknesses are," Louisiana Tech coach Skip Holtz - who is 4-3 in bowl games - told reporters.

TV: 4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN.

LINE HISTORY: Louisiana Tech opened as 3.5-point favorites and that number wasn’t high enough for bettors and has been climbing settling at 6.5. The total hit the board at 66 and has risen to two full points to 68.

WHAT BOOKS SAY: “We opened Navy as a 1 point favorite this bowl game, but took early action on Louisianna Tech (over 70%) The action has been so overwhelming on Louisiana Tech that the line has moved all the way to Tech -6.5 with over 85% of the action on Tech to cover.” - Michael Stewart

WEATHER REPORT: The forecast for Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth Texas is looking wet, with cloudy skies and showers expected at kickoff. Temperatures in the mid-50’s and slight wind to the north, make for a less than ideal day for football.

INJURY REPORT:

Louisiana Tech - LB Dalton Santos (questionable, academics), LB Jordan Harris (questionable, academics), S Secdrick Cooper (questionable, neck)

Navy - LB Ryan Harris (out, lower body), LB Josiah Powell (out, leg), WR Tyler Carmona (doubtful, foot), LB Mike Kelly (questionable, shoulder), WR Craig Scott (questionable, ankle), S Jerry Thompson (questionable, ankle), SB Darryl Bonner (questionable, head), S Kyle Battle (questionable, knee), SB Joshua Walker (questionable, shoulder), SB Josh Brown (questionable, foot), CB Elijah Merchant (questionable, concussion), G Marcus Edwards (questionable, personal), LB Hudson Sullivan (questionable, knee)

ABOUT LOUISIANA TECH (8-5 SU, 8-5 ATS, 10-3 OU): Higgins has one of the nation's top targets in senior Trent Taylor, who is second in the country in receptions (124), third in yards (1,570) and among 31 players with at least 10 receiving TDs, although he has only two in his last eight games. Junior Carlos Henderson had 52 fewer grabs but nearly the same number of yards (1,406) and ranks tied for second among FBS players with 17 receiving scores. Junior running back Jarred Craft had a total of 31 yards on the ground over the last two games but gained 1,350 total yards this season and 13 TDs, nine of which came on the ground.

ABOUT NAVY (9-4 SU, 7-5-1 ATS, 8-5 OU): The Midshipmen will be challenged early and often by Higgins after allowing 25 TDs through the air and ranking 122nd in the country in passing efficiency defense. It'll be up to Abey and a fleet of backs - led by junior Chris High (500 rushing yards, five TDs) - to maintain possession and burn the clock. Senior fullback Shawn White had 310 of his 443 yards over the final five games, as well as four of his seven scores, while senior wideout Jamir Tillman has team highs of 38 catches and 615 receiving yards.

TRENDS:

* Bulldogs are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 Bowl games.
* Midshipmen are 0-4 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
* Over is 7-1 in Bulldogs last 8 games overall.
* Over is 4-0 in Midshipmen last 4 Friday games.

CONSENSUS: The public is backing Louisiana Tech with 55 percent of the wagers on the Bulldogs. The Over is getting 54 percent of the total action.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Dollar General Bowl betting preview: Ohio vs Troy

Ohio Bobcats vs Troy Trojans (-4, 49)

Two teams that ended the season with close losses to miss out on conference championships get a chance to remove that bitter taste when Ohio meets Troy in the Dollar General Bowl in Mobile, Ala., on Dec. 23. The Bobcats gave No. 14 Western Michigan all it could handle before losing 29-23 in the MAC championship game. The Trojans were upset by Georgia Southern 28-24 to miss out on a share of the Sun Belt crown.

This is the eighth straight season of bowl eligibility for Ohio under coach Frank Solich, who also guided the Bobcats to Mobile in 2007. The MAC East Division champion missed out on its first conference crown since 1968 but still can reach nine wins for the first time since 2012 - the last time Ohio won a bowl game. The Bobcats are 2-7 overall in bowl games.

Troy led the Sun Belt in scoring, passing and total offense with 49 touchdowns and 5,263 total yards. The Trojans are 2-3 in bowl games and are making their first bowl appearance since 2010 - when they beat the Bobcats 48-21 in the New Orleans Bowl. Troy nearly upset No. 3 Clemson in a 30-24 nail-biter Sept. 10.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN.

LINE HISTORY: Troy opened as 3.5-point favorites and that number held until Tuesday when the line inched up to -4. The total hit the board at 49 and briefly fell to 48.5 before returning to 49, where it currently stands.

WHAT BOOKS SAY: "We opened Troy as -35. point favourites and took solid two way action on that number. We have since moved to Troy -4 as we are starting to see more action come in on Troy, 63% to be exact." - Michael Stewart

WEATHER REPORT: The forecast for Mobile, Alabama is a mostly cloudy night with temperatures in the low-60’s at kickoff. There will be minimal wind, but no rain is expected.

INJURY REPORT:

Ohio - S Mayne Williams (questionable, head), WR Andrew Meyer (questionable, undisclosed), OL Jacob Ready (out indefinitely, suspension)

Troy - No injuries to report

ABOUT OHIO (8-5 SU, 7-6 ATS, 1-11-1 OU): Since allowing 56 points to Texas State in triple overtime in the season opener, the Bobcats have held every opponent to fewer than 30 points, with MAC Defensive Player of the Year Tarell Basham being a big reason why. The senior defensive lineman led the conference with 11.5 sacks and is the school’s career leader with 29.5. Senior linebacker Blair Brown had a conference-high 116 tackles (13.5 for loss), and MAC Freshman of the Year Javon Hagan had 50 tackles and led the team with five forced fumbles and three interceptions.

ABOUT TROY (9-3 SU, 6-6 ATS, 4-7-1 OU 6-2): The Trojans got as far as 8-1 and became the first Sun Belt team to be ranked in the Top 25 before losing two of their final three games and missing out on their sixth conference title. Despite the slide, it still was a season of major strides for Troy, which improved by five wins in coach Neal Brown’s second season - tied for the fifth-best turnaround in the nation. Junior running back Jordan Chunn led the resurgence, rushing for 1,232 yards and a conference-best 13 touchdowns.

TRENDS:

* Bobcats are 6-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
* Trojans are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a straight up loss.
* Over is 8-0-1 in Bobcats last 9 vs. S-Belt.
* Over is 5-0 in Trojans last 5 Bowl games.

CONSENSUS: 57 percent are taking the favored Trojans and the Over is picking up 53 percent of the totals action.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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

Date: December 23, 2016 4:30 PM EDT

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Ohio Bobcats (8-5) at Troy Trojans (9-3)

Date: December 23, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

Ohio and Troy meet on Friday night in the Dollar General Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala. It could just as easily be named the "Oh-so-close" Bowl.

Both the Bobcats (8-5) and the Trojans (9-3) nearly missed a couple of major upsets this season. Ohio was driving for the potential game-winning touchdown before getting intercepted and losing to undefeated Western Michigan 29-23 in the MAC title game at Ford Field.

Troy, meanwhile, nearly upset Clemson back on Sept. 10 in Death Valley, losing 30-24.

Still, both programs have a lot to build on heading into the 7 p.m. ET contest that will be televised by ESPN.

The Trojans became the first Sun Belt Conference team to be ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 after an 8-1 start that featured the Clemson loss as its only blemish. Troy dropped out of the poll after a stunning 35-3 home loss to Arkansas State that featured five Trojan turnovers. They lost two of its final three games, but are headed to their first bowl game since 2010, quite a turnaround for a team that finished just 4-8 a year earlier.

"It's a huge accomplishment for this football team," second-year Troy head coach Neal Brown said. "You look at a team that was picked to finish in the middle of the Sun Belt, we only had two guys that were selected as preseason All-Sun Belt. So to turn that into a year that we get nationally ranked for the first time in school and Sun Belt history, play on national television three times and to finish 9-3, which ties the record for most wins in a season in Troy Division I history, is a great accomplishment for our staff and players."

Led by junior running back Jordan Chunn (1,232 yards rushing and a conference-best 13 touchdowns), Troy led the Sun Belt in scoring, passing and total offense with 49 touchdowns and 5,263 total yards.

The Trojans will be going up against an Ohio defense led by defensive end Tarell Basham, the MAC Defensive Player of the Year, that registered 43 sacks and ranks sixth nationally in rush defense allowing an average of 105.8 yards per game and 26th in scoring defense (22.2).

Basham led the MAC with 11.5 sacks and has 29.5 in his career.

"They've got a great recipe for success," Brown said. "They know how to run the football; they stop the run as good as anybody in the country this year. They can put pressure on the quarterback. We know we're going to have our hands full, and we're excited about that challenge."

This is the eighth straight year that Ohio has been bowl eligible under head coach Frank Solich. The Bobcats are still searching for their first MAC championship since 1968 but made things real interesting two weeks ago against Cotton Bowl-bound Western Michigan, which needed an interception by linebacker Robert Spillane on its own 30 with 51 seconds left to seal the win against the East Division champion Bobcats in the MAC title game in Detroit.

"We know we have a challenging opponent, obviously, in Troy," Solich said. "Great football program; had a tremendous season. Coach Brown is doing an outstanding job along with his staff. So it should be a great game."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Bowl Tech Trends - Week 2
By Bruce Marshall

Friday, Dec. 23

EASTERN MICHIGAN vs. OLD DOMINION (Bahamas Bowl)...Teams met in 2014 & ‘15, with ODU winning SU on each but failing to cover. EMU was 9-3 vs. line this season in major turnaround, also 4-1 vs. spread away from home. But ODU was also 9-3 vs. number as well as SU, and closed with five straight wins and covers with all wins by double-digit margins. In fact all nine Monarchs wins this season by double-digits margins. First-ever bowl for ODU! EMU first bowl since 1987 California Bowl in Fresno when upsetting San Jose State, 30-27!

ODU, based on recent trends.


LOUISIANA TECH vs. NAVY (Armed Forced Bowl)...Navy has won and covered last three years in bowls, while La Tech has won and covered last two years in bowls. Mids 7-4-2 vs. spread this season, 17-8-2 last 27 on board, though only 3-5 vs. line last seven away from Annapolis. Mids also “over” 12-6 last 18 since late 2015, but just 8-7 vs. line last 15 away from Ruston. Skip Holtz 26-14 vs. spread since 2014 and “over” 13-4 last 17 since mid 2015.

“Over,” based on “totals” trends.


OHIO vs. TROY (Dollar General Bowl)...Rematch of 2010 New Orleans Bowl won big by Troy, 48-21. Solich, however, has covered 3 of 4 bowls since, and is 8-1 vs. spread last nine away from home as well as covers in last six as dog. Trojans only 2-5 vs. spread last seven this season after covers in first five out of the chute. MAC teams recovered to 4-3 bowl spread mark LY after struggles in previous seasons.

Ohio, based on recent Solich trends.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAAF

Bowl game writeups

Dec 23
Popeye’s Bahamas Bowl: Eastern Michigan-Old Dominion
First-ever bowl for Old Dominion, which is in its third year of I-A football; first bowl for Eastern Michigan since 1987, their first/only bowl. EMU was 7-41 the last four years, jumped to 7-5 this year; Eagles are 8-2 vs spread in last ten games, 7-2 as an underdog, 6-2 in games with single digit spread. Four of EMU’s five losses are by 13+ points; five of their six I-A wins are by 7 or less. Old Dominion won its last five games (4-0-1 vs spread), scoring 41 pts/game; they’re 7-0-1 as a favorite this year, 6-0 in games with single digit spread. ODU’s senior QB Washington threw 28 TD’s with only four INTs; he is Monarchs’ 3rd-leading rusher. MAC teams are 14-7-1 vs spread in last 22 games vs C-USA opponents. Under is 8-2 in last ten EMU games, 0-3 in Monarchs’ last three games. First two Bahamas Bowls ended 49-48/45-31; this should be good.

Dollar General Bowl, Mobile AL; Ohio-Troy
This is first bowl in six years for Troy, which should have crowd edge given Mobile site; Trojans are 2-3 in bowls, with two of those games going OT. Ohio coach Solich (ex-Nebraska HC) is 4-8 in bowl games; Bobcats are 2-7 in bowls, losing last two 37-20/31-29- this is their 5th bowl in last six years. Ohio is 8-5 this year, 3-0 vs spread as an underdog, 3-2 in games with single digit spread- they used two QBs, a freshman and senior with mixed results. Troy lost two of last three games after an 8-1 start; they’re 4-5 as a favorite this year, 2-5 vs spread in last seven games, 1-3 in games with single digit spread- their junior QB is a 3-year starter. Sun Belt non-conference favorites are 3-3 vs spread; MAC underdogs are 15-11. Under is 10-0-1 in Bobcats last 11 games, 6-2-1 in Troy’s last nine. Underdogs are 3-2 SU in this bowl the last five years; Sun Belt teams won three of last four.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

At the Gate - Friday
By Mike Dempsey

Christmas came early for two of the most influential horse racing scribes in history, as the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), Daily Racing Form, and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (NTWAB) announced that Andy Beyer and Steven Crist will each receive the Eclipse Award of Merit for a lifetime of outstanding achievement in thoroughbred racing.

The Eclipse Awards will be presented on January 21 at Gulfstream Park.

Crist was the founder of The Racing Times and later was part of a group of investors that purchased The Daily Racing Form.

“I am genuinely touched and honored by this award, not only on my own behalf but also for its recognizing the important role that journalists, publishers and handicappers play in Thoroughbred racing,” Crist said.

Beyer was the long-time horse racing columnist for The Washington Post, often writing from the perspective of a horseplayer, which he very much was.

His books were very influential in making me become a horseplayer and his Beyer Speed Figures, which first appeared in The Racing Times and later The Daily Racing Form helped transform the game.

“I am very gratified by it,” said Beyer upon learning of the Award. “I really believe that over the last 25 years that our speed figures have really changed the way the industry look at horses. I am proud of what we’ve done and that the industry has recognized us.”

After reading his book “Picking Winners” back in the ‘80’s I spent four days in my local library accumulating information from past charts (this was before the World Wide Web) and I started making my own speed figures based on his formulas from his book.

It quickly turned me from a losing horseplayer into a winning one.

I credit Andy (or should I say blame?) for my total obsession with horse racing over the past three decades.

It is a well-deserved honor for both Crist and Beyer.

We have a two-day break after today’s action and I hope everybody has a very Merry Christmas!


Here is the opening race from Gulfstream Park to get the day off to a good start:

GP Race 1 OClm $25,000SAL (12:35 ET)
#1 Dreamofjean E. 4-1
#2 Defying Gravity 7-2
#7 One Penny Piece 9-2
#10 Spring Spirit 5-1

Analysis: Dreamofjean E. beat $16,000 starter handicap foes last out at Tampa Bay Downs in a sharp effort and is perfect in her two career starts on turf. This mare seldom runs a bad one, landing in the exacta in 17 of her 23 career starts, doing her best work on the fake stuff. She looks well spotted here by Rivelli facing starter optional claimers and looks sharp enough to win right back.

Defying Gravity was outrun early and not much of a threat in a 10th place finish in the Claiming Crown Tiara last out. This gal had won six in a row before running third two back against $12,500 starter allowance company at GP West. She drops into an easier spot here but her form looks as if it could just be tailing off. A tough call but she is a 10-time winner over the turf here.

Wagering
WIN: #1 to win at 3-1 or better.
EX: 1,2 / 1,2,7,10
TRI: 1,2 / 1,2,7,10 / 1,2,3,7,10

Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Gulfstream Park:

GP Race 9 Clm $16,000 (4:32 ET)
#5 Littlemissperfect 7-2
#2 Red Parasol 6-1
#3 Sawyer 5-2
#8 Rhythm Queen 10-1

Analysis: Littlemissperfect failed to fire last out in the Claiming Crown Glass Slipper and perhaps Maker shifting the mare back to dirt was not a wise move. She beat $25,000 claimers on turf at Belmont Park and then was a good second against $20,000 starter allowance foes at Churchill Downs on grass in her first start off the claim by the barn. She is back on turf here and drops into a good spot here tagged for $16,000. Maker is 18% winners moving runners from dirt to turf. Sher figures to bounce back with a better effort here on the class drop and surface switch.

Red Parasol stalked the early pace and finished evenly in a third place finish last out against $12,500 claimers. She was claimed out of the race by a low % outfit but has run well on turf in her career, landing in the money in 12 of 15 trips and has won twice on the turf here. She makes her second start off a two month break and should be a fair price.

Wagering
WIN: #5 to win at 3-1 or better.
EX: 2,5 / 2,3,5,8
TRI: 2,5 / 2,3,5,8 / 2,3,5,8,13

Live Longshots:
These are price plays for exotic players looking to find a couple of extra contenders to use in their trifecta and superfecta wagers. Or for those with smaller bankrolls, you might want to get in a small win-place wager.

Gulfstream Park
R2: #5 Morichal 10-1
R3: #6 Bellamy Torch 8-1
R4: #8 Old Sport 10-1
R5: #2 Kathy’s Song 8-1
R5: #12 Butter Up Katie 12-1
R6: #2 Dioscuri 8-1
R7: #2 Tizthesound 8-1
R8: #9 American Pioneer 8-1
R9: #8 Rhythm Queen 10-1
R10: #11 Gray Ransom 15-1
R10: #3 Cotton Sails 10-1

Good luck today!

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by Chatsworth Consortium at Dayton Raceway

Always check program numbers.
Odds shown are morning line odds.

Race 11 - Post: 9:25 - 1 mile. PACE - Class Rating: 85 - Purse:$15000 - FILLIES & MARES OPEN HCP. DRAW 1-3 & 10; DRAW 4-7; DRAW 8-9 NO. 10 STARTS FROM 2ND TIER DAYTON RACEWAY C. PAGE - LISTED 2-5 T. TETRICK - LISTED 6-8
CONSORTIUM*CHOICES

# 8 AMERICAN GIRL 5/2
# 4 POP THE TAGS 7/2
# 9 ANISTON SEELSTER 3/1

All signs point to AMERICAN GIRL for the choice. This horse looks dangerous considering the high class rankings. Don't throw out of any exotics. Had one of the best TrackMaster Speed Ratings of the bunch in her last race. Must use in your wagers. When the trainer George puts Tetrick up for the drive formidable things happen. Just check out the 31 win percent. POP THE TAGS - She's running in fine form, recording very strong TrackMaster speed figs. An excellent selection. The knowledge group gives this contender a competitive chance to come home a winner, class numbers are tops in the group of animals. ANISTON SEELSTER - Could dominate this field of starters, just look at the TrackMaster Speed Rating - 89 - from her most recent affair. Talk about a dynamic duo, Sutton and Morgan have some of the best driver-trainer numbers at the track.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by Chatsworth Consortium at Woodbine

Always check program numbers.
Odds shown are morning line odds.

Race 2 - Post: 7:50 - 1 mile. PACE - Class Rating: 85 - Purse:$22000 - FILLIES & MARES, NW $15,000 LAST 5 STARTS OR NW $28,000 LAST 10 STARTS. AE: NW $115,000 LIFETIME. AE: OPT CLM. $35,000.
CONSORTIUM*CHOICES

# 6 DAZZLING ROCKETTE 7/2
# 2 FOREVER LIZA 4/1
# 7 GREYSTONE LADYLIKE 10/1

Hey, listen up! DAZZLING ROCKETTE is the educated wager if you like to win. She has formidable class numbers, averaging 86. Worth considering for a bet in this race. That 82 TrackMaster Speed Rating clocked in the most recent race puts this interesting entrant in the mix here. A better than expected ROI exists for harness racers beginning from the 6 hole at Woodbine. FOREVER LIZA - Should be in the hunt again in this event, looking to increase that already high lifetime winning percentage. Has really good TrackMaster Speed Ratings and more than likely has to be thought of for a wager in this one. GREYSTONE LADYLIKE - Saftic and Belore have a very nice working relationship. Stellar results from their races. Has been running strongly lately and her style of running should result in a huge performance.