College Basketball Picks – Michigan vs. #1 Kansas

A couple of seasons ago, when John Beilein arrived at Ann Arbor, he was taking over a rather moribund program that had been beaten into the ground by yet another Duke "winner," Tommy Amaker, who didn’t do much against the college basketball lines. When he comes on board, it isn’t unlike the kind of transition the football team had to undertake under Rich Rodriguez, who like, Beilein, was a coach who came over from West Virginia.

While Rodriguez had the Wolverines transitioning into a spread offense, Beilein brought a much more up-tempo style to his team, relying a lot on fast-break offense, penetration, kick-out, and lots of three-point shooting. In fact, Michigan threw up 281 more shots from beyond the arc than its opponents last season.

Here are some of the college basketball betting trends as they relate to this matchup:

• MICH has lost four of its last six games SU
• MICH is 0-5 ATS in its last six games on the board
• MICH has played three of its last four games UNDER the total
• MICH has lost eight of its last ten road games SU
• MICH has covered four of its last six road games
• KAN has won 11 of its last 12 games SU
• KAN has covered four of its last six games on the board
• KAN has won its last 20 home games SU
• KAN is 8-1-1 ATS in its last ten home games

Now in his third year, Beilein (pronounced BEE-line) thinks he is ready to make his move toward deeper participation in the NCAA tournament. The Wolverines made it to the Big Dance last season, beating Clemson, then losing to Oklahoma in the second round.

Unlike long-time Big Ten mainstay Bob Knight, Beilein says his primarily goal is not to win the conference, but to make to the NCAA’s. This season his team is not off to a tremendous start, but the schedule has been relatively rough, as they have lost games to Marquette, Alabama, Boston College and Utah. Two of those losses were by double digits.

When they play Kansas, they’re going against a team that is one of the highest scoring in the country (90 ppg) and shoots 51% from the field, not to mention one that has covered four of the six games posted in the NCAA basketball lines.

They play the up-tempo game and play it better. They have a big man (Cole Aldrich) and a point guard (Sherron Collins) who are going to show up on a lot of All-America teams. They also have more depth than Beilein has at his disposal.

There’s another side to this coin too. Kansas is undefeated and is #1 in the country, but has been tested just once, in St. Louis against Memphis, and barely escaped with a 57-55 victory. Collin sis going to have his hands full with Manny Harris, who is averaging 22 points, 8.4 rebounds and five assists. DeShawn Sims (15.6 ppg) may be able to keep Aldrich plenty busy.

Michigan has shown it is capable of pulling off upsets, and essentially this same group beat Duke, UCLA and Purdue last season, and gave a huge scare to U-Conn. There will plenty of room in this number, and Michigan shoots enough threes to climb back into things in a hurry.

We’ll take Michigan plus the points in the NCAA basketball betting odds, looking for a Kansas victory that is not as overwhelming as expected.

JAY’S PREDICTION: KANSAS BY 8

Football Bowl Odds – #24 USC vs. Boston College in the Emerald Bowl

2009 Emerald Bowl:

No. 24 USC Trojans (8-4 SU, 3-9 ATS) vs. Boston College Eagles (8-4 SU, 6-5 ATS)

Saturday, December 26: 8:00 p.m.
AT&T Park, San Francisco, CA

Football Bowl Odds: USC -9, Total Points 44

 

Here are some betting trends which may impact this game:

• USC: 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games
• USC: 2-3 SU in their last 5 games
• USC: The total has gone UNDER in 3 of their last 4 games
• Boston College: 0-3 ATS in their last 3 games
• Boston College: 4-2 SU in their last 6 games
• Boston College: The total has gone UNDER in 4 of their last 5 games

USC Trojans (-9) vs Boston College Eagles >> Join to Bet Now

Usually this time of year, the USC Trojans have won the Pac-10 and are getting ready to do battle in the Rose Bowl. In 2009, they struggled down the stretch and are now playing their first non-BCS bowl game since 2002.

Unlike years past, the Trojans struggled significantly on offense in 2009. It was due in large part to injuries, but also in part to freshman quarterback Matt Barkley. Barkley, finished the season throwing for 2385 yards, but had just 13 touchdowns to 12 interceptions. While he will most certainly get better in time, he did not show his true capabilities in 2009.

In the running game, the Trojans are led by backs Joe McKnight, a quicker, slashing back, and Allen Bradford, a more physical intimidator. On the year, they’ve combined to rush for 1600 yards and 16 touchdowns.

On defense, the Trojans were good this year, but could hardly keep pace with a year ago, when they were one of the top teams in the history of the sport. They are led by a strong linebacking group, headed by Malcolm Smith and Chris Galippo. Their defensive line has been decimated by injuries though, a large reason why they gave up an average of 342 yards per game.

As for Boston College, it’s been a transitional year under Frank Spaziani, their third coach in four years. On offense, 25-year-old freshman Dave Schinskie emerged, and was productive for the Eagles as the season went on. However, despite his impressive record as a starter, he does get a little turnover prone, as he threw six interceptions in the Eagles final two games.

On defense, the Eagles actually have one of the more underrated groups in the game, as they allowed just 19 points per game (18th in college football), and 318 yards a contest (23rd).

So now the question is, which team has the upper hand? It’s really hard to say. Boston College is traditionally one of the best bowl teams out there having won seven of their last eight. USC on the other hand also plays well in bowl games, but will they be excited to be playing in San Francisco?

Despite their potential lack of motivation, I’m going to take the Trojans to win straight up, but Boston College to cover the point spread. It’s no secret that USC is one of the worst teams against the spread this year, and when you combine their offense with Boston College’s low scoring defense, I expect it to be a close one. Take USC in a win, but the Eagles in the college football betting odds.

Football Bowl Odds and Pick: Boston College +9

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NBA Betting Odds – King James vs. The Kings

Cavaliers vs. Kings (+6)
(O/U) 204½
Wednesday, December 23 10:00 PM ET

The Cleveland Cavaliers (21-8 SU, 14-15 ATS, 12-15-2 O/U) are legitimate conference title contenders in the Eastern Conference and have one of the game’s best players in superstar forward LeBron James.

The Sacramento Kings (13-14 SU, 18-8-1 ATS, 14-11-2 O/U) may not be title contenders in the powerful Western Conference right now, but the Kings have a blossoming superstar of their own in rookie point guard Tyreke Evans.

Key Trends

• Cavaliers are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games as a favorite.
• Kings are 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 games as an underdog.
• Over is 4-1-1 in the last 6 meetings.
• Cavaliers are 2-5 ATS in the last 7 meetings in Sacramento.
• Cavaliers are 0-4 ATS in the last 4 meetings.
• Underdog is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings.

Sacramento 411

The Kings have been one of my favorite teams this season as they rebuild under veteran head coach Paul Westphal.

The feisty ballclub has shown a ‘never-say-die’ attitude this season as they have scraped and clawed for everything they’ve gotten so far.

Sacramento has won two straight games coming into tonight’s matchup including a 102-98 win over the Chicago Bulls on Monday night in which they came back from 35 points down.

"I’m not sure I understand what happened nor am I sure I believe it," coach Paul Westphal said.

Evans, a bruising 6-5 point guard, scored a team-high 23 points and hauled down eight rebounds to lead the Kings to victory while four other Kings also reached double figures in scoring.

Sacramento cashed in for pro basketball betting enthusiasts as 4.5-point road underdogs to improve on their league-best 18-8-1 ATS record and move to an impressive 6-3-1 ATS over its last 10 games.

Cleveland 411

The Cavaliers bounced back from their convincing loss to Dallas on Sunday to beat the Phoenix Suns 109-91 on Monday as LeBron James scored a team-high 29 points and added six rebounds.

Cleveland provided NBA basketball betting backers with a convincing payday, covering the NBA moneyline as 2.5-point road underdogs to move to a dismal 3-7 ATS over its last 10 games overall.

Analysis: I really don’t like the Cleveland Cavaliers and their ‘one-man-gang’ style of play, but after watching them totally dismantle the Phoenix Suns on Monday – and also witnessing the Kings fall into a 35-point deficit against the Bulls – I think the feisty Kings may be in trouble.

Just looking at the defensive scoring averages of each ballclub is very revealing with Cleveland allowing just 94.1 points per game this season and the Kings giving up a whopping 104.7 points per contest.

The Kings don’t have a single perimeter player capable of guarding James and look a little more balanced offensively with Delonte West starting to play more consistently following his early-season off-court issues.

With west on the floor, the Cavaliers have been able to space the perimeter better and play off of James with a drive-and-kick style whenever Cleveland’s superstar goes to the rack.

The Cavaliers are 0-4 ATS in the last four meetings against the Kings, but tonight’ the Cavs are going to snap that trend and cover the NBA moneyline as slight road favorites as James and Tyreke Evans likely put on a show.

NBA Expert Picks: Cavaliers -6 Points

Week 16 XBOX Picks – Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Redskins

The Dallas Cowboys (9-5, 7-7 ATS) head into their Week 16 battle with the NFC East rival Washington Redskins (4-10, 6-7-1 ATS) looking to build off last week’s huge win at New Orleans and keep pace with the Eagles to set up an NFC East title bout with the Eagles next week. This divisional pro football betting battle can be seen nationally on NBC with kick-off set for 8:20 ET.

The Redskins get the primetime slot for the second week in a row, and NFL handicapping experts looking to back them are hoping they put forth a much better showing than the one they did last Monday against the Giants. They had the Cowboys dead to rights back in Week 11, but gave up a late TD and ultimately lost 7-6 as lofty 10.5-point underdogs. The underdog has cashed 21 of the L/28 times in this series, and these two have played to the under in 5 of their L/8 meetings in Washington. The SU winner in this division rivalry is 26-6-1 ATS the L/16 years.

Weather: Mostly sunny with highs in the mid 30s.

1 2 3 4 FINAL  

DALLAS

14

7

7

3

31

 

WASHINGTON

3

0

0

7

10

 

Looking to squash its December woes for the second week in a row, the Cowboys picked right back up where the Giants left off in last week pro NFL football betting battle by continuing to pick apart the Redskins defense through the air. QB Tony Romo connected on each of his first six passes of the game with the final one going to WR Roy Williams for a 7-yard TD strike to give the visitors a quick 7-0 lead. Washington answered with a 33-yarder from K Graham Gano, but that’s the closest the Redskins got the rest of the game. RB Marion Barber dove in from 2-yards out for the first of his two TDs on the night to give “The Boys” a 14-3 lead after one.

Dallas Cowboys -6.5 vs. Washington Redskins >> Join Now to Bet!

The 2nd quarter was a comedy of errors for Washington. It turned the ball over twice, and missed a chip shot FG. To add insult to injury, the Cowboys found the end zone just before the break when Romo found his TE wide open (Jason Witten) from 11-yards out. Dallas held a commanding 21-3 lead at the break.

After forcing a three and out on the Redskins opening possession of the 2nd half, Dallas game plan was to milk as much clock as possible and get out of DC with the “dub”. The trio of RBs Barber, Felix Jones, and Tashard Choice alternated carries on each of Dallas’ next 11 plays from scrimmage. After nine minutes was erased from the game clock, Romo tossed his third TD pass of the day to WR Austin Miles who scampered in on a dump off WR screen.

After taking shot after shot and getting sacked five times through the first 45 minutes of action, QB Jason Campbell was taken out of the game in favor of Todd Collins. The veteran immediately came in and tossed a TD pass to TE Fred Davis to give a jolt to the few Skins fans remaining at FedEx Field.

After Washington’s “D” forced a three and out, Collins got greedy and tried to sneak one in, but it was picked by DAL SS Ken Hamlin and returned to the Redskins 28-yard line. The newly acquired K Shaun Suisham nailed his first FG as a member of the Cowboys for the game’s final score, and Dallas went on to trounce the Skins by the largest margin of victory this rivalries seen since 2005.

 

DAL

WSH

 

TOTAL OFFENSE

468

191

 

RUSHING YARDS

186

62

 

PASSING YARDS

282

129

 

1ST DOWNS

13

5

 

TOTAL YARDS

567

334

 

TURNOVERS

1

4

 

3RD DOWN CONV

11/21 52%

3/17 17%

 

PENALTIES

5-25

11-85

 

TIME OF POSSESSION

35:21

24:39

 

Take Dallas (-6.5) -110 and Under 42 –110

College Bowl Prediction – #17 Pittsburgh vs. UNC in the Meineke Car Care Bowl

College Bowl Games Betting Odds: Pittsburgh -3, Total Points 44 ½

One of the most underrated games on this years bowl schedule will take place in the Meineke Car Care Bowl, between the Pittsburgh Panthers and the North Carolina Tar Heels.

For Pittsburgh, they were just seconds away from shocking Cincinnati last weekend, and winning the Big East championship. However, with the loss, they’re in Charlotte.

Here are some NCAA football betting trends which may impact this game:

• Pittsburgh: 0-3 ATS in their last 3 games
• Pittsburgh: 6-2 SU in their last 8 games
• Pittsburgh: The total has gone UNDER in 6 of their last 8 games
• North Carolina: 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games
• North Carolina: 4-1 SU in their last 5 games
• North Carolina: The total has gone OVER in 4 of their last 6 games

The Panthers are led by superstar freshman running back Dion Lewis, who has burst onto the college football scene this year. Lewis finished third in college football in rushing yards (1640) and also rushed for an additional 15 touchdowns. He is joined in Pitt’s backfield by senior quarterback Bill Stull, who had a phenomenal last year in Pittsburgh. Stull threw for 2100 yards and 21 touchdowns, while being intercepted just eight times. He has struggled in Pitt’s last two games however, throwing four interceptions to just three touchdowns.

Pittsburgh Panthers -3 vs North Carolina Tar Heels >> Join Now to Bet!

As for Pitt’s defense, it is simply one of the most underrated in the country. They ranked 20th in college football in scoring defense, allowing just 20 points per game, and the 108 yards rushing allowed is 17th in college football. They have a big, physical defensive front, led by senior defensive end Greg Romeus, a future NFL superstar.

Speaking of great defenses, North Carolina has one of their own, as they rank in the top 15 in college football in every major category. They finished an impressive 9th in college football, allowing just 92 rushing yards per game, and their total of 267 yards per game allowed is ranked 6th. The Tar Heels have several future NFL superstars on this unit, including linebackers Bruce Carter and Quan Sturdivant.

Offensively, the Tar Heels struggled quite a bit this year, as they averaged just 311 yards of total offense per game. Quarterback T.J. Yates did not improve as many expected as he threw for just 12 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.

What is interesting about this game is that both teams might not be particularly excited to be in Charlotte, especially considering that one more win could have gotten them a better bowl bid. However, I give the upper hand to Pittsburgh. They certainly won’t score 44 points like they did against Cincinnati last week, but they won’t give up 45 either. Meanwhile, their defense might be the best North Carolina faces all year. I expect the Tar Heels to have trouble moving the ball, and for the Panthers to win a low scoring game.

Take Pitt in the college football betting odds.

College Bowl Prediction: Pittsburgh -3

College Hoops – #10 North Carolina vs. #2 Texas from Cowboys Stadium

COLLEGE BASKETBALL BETTING – Game Match-Up 12/19

North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Texas Longhorns 2:00 ET

For the first time in the history of Jerry Jones’ new Taj Mahal in "Big D," college basketball betting action will take place on Saturday with a double header of games. In the featured contest, the defending champion North Carolina Tar Heels (8-2, 4-4 ATS) will match-up with the Texas Longhorns (9-0, 5-2 ATS). Tipoff is slated for 2:00, and the game can be seen nationally on ESPN.

Both of these teams are legitimate Top-10 squads in the country, with Carolina entering this game ranked #10 and Texas coming in at #2. The Horns hope that an impressive victory can bump them up to the top spot in the country as one of the few undefeated teams left in the land.

The NCAA basketball point spread has not been released at the time of writing in this one but you can find it on game day in the NCAA Basketball section in the BetOnline Sportsbook or by clicking here.

After a very difficult schedule to start the season, North Carolina has taken a bit of a breather over this last week and change. The Tar Heels have only played one game since losing in Lexington against the Wildcats, and that was a 103-64 victory against Presbyterian. Fs Deon Thompson and Ed Davis are going to be tremendously difficult matchups for the Longhorns. Even though neither player is averaging more than 21 minutes per game yet this season, they’re both filling up the stat sheets.

Thompson is averaging 16.9 points and 7.8 rebounds per game, while his frontcourt counterpart is averaging 14.0 points and 9.9 rebounds. Even though the level of competition will inevitably get a bit tougher for UNC on the year, expect both of their minutes to go up and their stats to go up with them.

UNC has been good this year, but has it been as good as Texas? The Longhorns may have the top team in the country behind an offense that ranks 8th in the NCAA in scoring (85.4 points per game) and 1st in defense (53.8 points per game). It doesn’t matter who your competition is; When you’re averaging outscoring your foes by almost 32 points per game, you’re doing something special. HC Rick Barnes has a ton of weapons at his disposal and legitimately has a team that goes ten players deep. Five are averaging in double digits in scoring, led by G Damion James, who is pouring in 15.4 points per game.

The Tar Heels and Longhorns have only matched wits twice since 1995, and in both meetings, UT came away with a victory both SU and ATS. Who knows how many people could be crammed into that massive stadium on Saturday for this game? One thing’s for sure, though. The majority of those fans are going to be wearing burnt orange, and not Carolina’s baby blue. Expect to see Texas improve to 10-0 in an easy victory against a North Carolina team not nearly as dominant as the one that won the National Championship a year ago.

Rose’s Recommendation: 3* Texas Longhorns

Rating Scale 1* – 5*

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Super Santa Saturday – Three $100,000 Race Picks

Christmas is coming early to Fair Grounds with Super Santa Saturday, a 13 racebook card that features nine stakes races.

The Saturday card was originally scheduled to have five stakes, but Mother Nature knocked out racing last Saturday halfway through the card, and four of the Louisiana Champions Day races were rescheduled for this afternoon.

While the Louisiana Champions Day Classic drew a compact field of six, with Star Guitar the 3/5 morning line favorite, the three other Champions Day races are excellent betting races.

The sixth race is the $100,000 Ladies Sprint, which drew a field of eleven fillies and mares who will go six furlongs on the main track.

The $100,000 Turf drew a field of ten runners, with hall of fame trainer Bill Mott sending out the imposing favorite in Desert Wheat, who is coming off a very impressive victory in the Mr. Sulu Stakes on Nov. 14.

The final Champions Day race on the card is the $100,000 Sprint Stakes, which is the 12th race on the card and drew a full field of 12.

Flashy Wise Cat beat five runners he faces again today when winning a state bred allowance race that served as a prep, which was his first start over the main track.

There is plenty of value to be found in the race, and I am looking for a big effort from longshot Silent Pipe, who is making his second start off a 4 ½ month layoff.

Fair Grounds Race 6 Louisiana Champions Day Ladies Sprint S. (Post time 2:25 CT).

#5 Cajun Conference 6/1
#8 Master Link 5/2
#6 Seven Sevenythree 5/1
#10 Carmel Coffee 7/2

#5 Cajun Conference went gate to wire at 6/5 last out beating state bred Alw-2 company and is perfect in two trips over the main track at Fair Grounds. She was in the mix in state bred stakes company in her three previous starts going two turns but looks better suited sprinting. Her previous sprint came in the Salute Stakes going seven furlongs and she missed in a photo. She owns a solid pace profile throughout and she left something in the tank despite earning a career top speed fig in her last start.

#8 Master Link had a trough trip last out as the beaten chalk. The filly had to steady when caught in tight quarters on the far turn, had to check when trying to squeeze through an opening in the stretch, then finished up well when clear, missing the runner up spot by a head. She is a two time stakes winner including winning the Louisiana Lassie over the main track here last December as a two year old.

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Wagering
WIN: #5 to win at 7/2 or better.
EX: 5,8 / 5,6,8,10
TRI: 5,8 / 5,6,8,10 / 3,5,6,8,10

Fair Grounds Race 10 Louisiana Champions Day Turf S. (Post time 4:23 CT)

#9 Desert Wheat 2/1
#2 Wildrally 8/1
#4 Lee’s Spirit 8/1
#3 Nowandforevermore 9/2

#9 Desert Wheat made a good late rally to roll by the field to win the Mr Sulu last out off a 2 ½-month break for the Mott barn. The six year old has now won 4 of 11 over the turf at Fair Grounds and has handled ground with some give to it. The six year old missed winning this race last year over soft footing by a neck. There looks like there should be enough pace in here to set things up for him to win right back.

#2 Wildrally won this race last year and had a three race win streak snapped last out in the Mr Sulu where he stalked the early pace and had no punch in the stretch in a seventh place finish. He finished behind four he faces again today but the gelding is better than he showed last out and I think he bounces back here with a much better effort. If he runs back to his efforts two and three back where he beat open Alw-3 optional claimers that will put him in the mix here and his 8/1 morning line looks fair enough.

Wagering
WIN: #9 to win at 9/5 or better.
EX: 2,9 / 2,3,4,9
TRI: 2,9 / 2,3,4,9 / 1,2,3,4,9

Fair Grounds Race 12 Louisiana Champions Day Sprint S. (Post time 5:23 CT).

#11 Silent Pipe 15/1
#9 Mr. Porter 8/1
#10 Flashy Wise Cat 3/1
#6 Power Surge 6/1

#11 Silent Pipe put in a very dull effort last out in a eighth place finish in his first start off a 4 ½-month layoff. This gelding has had a productive year, bankrolling $113K and taking a state bred stake at Louisiana Downs back in May. The gelding has come back with three quick works including a couple of bullet drills. He figures to bounce back with a much better effort here for the Scherer barn that is 20% winners with horses making their second start off a 45-180 day layoff. We should catch a generous price on this guy.

#9 Mr. Porter was a game winner last out at Delta Downs versus Alw-2 optional claimers in a two turn sprint. The gelding has done some of his best work over the surface here (14-4-3-1) including a pair of stakes wins. The gelding looks primed for a good effort here in his third start of his current form cycle.

Wagering
WIN: #11 to win at 8/1 or better.
EX: 9,11 / 6,9,10,11
TRI: 9,11 / 6,9,10,11 / 6,7,9,10,11,12

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NFL Week 16 – Ravens and Steelers Preview with Props and Pick

BetOnline NFL Point Spread: Pittsburgh -2.5, O/U: 42

At the beginning of the season, this was supposed to be a game that could have decided who would have won the AFC North. Instead, a win by either team won’t even guarantee a playoff spot at all. The Ravens, sitting at 8-6, have a much better chance than Pittsburgh to make it to the postseason.

If Baltimore wins and both Jacksonville and the Jets lose, the Ravens will make the playoffs. If Pittsburgh wins, they’ll have to also beat Miami next week and pray that Baltimore loses to Oakland as well, or else the defending Super Bowl Champions will have an early vacation.

This is a fate that no one saw coming. Baltimore won the first contest of the season between the two clubs, 20-17 back in Week 11. However, Ben Roethlisberger missed that game with a concussion. The Ravens won’t be so lucky this week.

What The Ravens Have To Do To Win

Ray Rice continues to be the driving point of the Ravens offense, but he will have it tough against Pittsburgh and their Number 1 ranked rush defence. If there is an edge for Baltimore, it will emerge in the fourth quarter. The Steelers defence has been awful in the final frame. They’ve allowed 121 points in the fourth quarter, second most in the league. Their 11 touchdowns allowed in the last quarter is a league high. If the Ravens can keep it close for the first three quarters, they may be able to break out at the end and run over a Pittsburgh defence that clearly has trouble closing out games.

What The Steelers Have To Do To Win

Ben Roethlisberger threw for a career high 503 yards against a Green Bay defence that was ranked Number 2 in the league before the matchup. Roethlisberger obviously won’t get that amount of yards again against Baltimore, but the Steelers passing game will have to be working to beat the Ravens.

That will be a much easier task than it usually is considering the Ravens secondary is hurting. Safety Ed Reed has missed three straight games and is uncertain for Sunday. Cornerback Lardarius Webb tore a ligament in his knee last week and is out for the season. Big Ben probably won’t throw for over 500 yards again, but he shouldn’t be too afraid to air it out against the Baltimore backfield.

Outlook & Pick

One of these teams is not going to make the playoffs. An incredible fact considering these two played each other in the AFC Championship last year. The Ravens have won big for two straight games, but those wins were against Chicago and Detroit, neither of whom are NFC powerhouses.

The Steelers, however, had an offensive outburst against a team that doesn’t allow too many of those. The Ravens always have a hard time playing in Pittsburgh, as evident by their 2-8 record over their last 10 visits. Big Ben and the Steelers will prevail.

NFL Free Pick: Pittsburgh -2.5 & over 44

Prop NFL Football Betting: Team To Score First And Score In First Seven Minutes

Both teams are going to pound the run early to try and control the clock and the tempo of the game. It won’t be until later when the footballs start flying through the air. The first points will most likely be a field goal.

Expert Pick: Pittsburgh Will Score First, No Score In First Seven Minutes

Meineke Car Care Bowl – Pittsburgh Panthers vs. North Carolina Tar Heels

College Football Point Spread: Pittsburgh -2.5

Pittsburgh: The Week That Was

The Panthers had their guts punched on Dec. 5 at Heinz Field. Playing on home turf in the Steel City, coach Dave Wannstedt’s boys endured a crushing 45-44 loss to Cincinnati, falling just short of a Big East championship and a trip to the Sugar Bowl. Pittsburgh accumulated a 31-10 lead in the second quarter, the product of complete domination against a shell-shocked Cincy squad. With running back Dion Lewis going wild against Cincinnati – the fabulous freshman rolled for 194 yards on 47 carries – the Panthers should have been in prime position to protect a 21-point lead. Yet, after botching an extra point with 1:36 remaining, Pitt watched the Bearcats score a touchdown with 33 seconds left, followed by a winning extra point kick.

North Carolina: The Week That Was

The Tar Heels weren’t playing for a conference title, but coach Butch Davis saw his team suffer a season-ending defeat that was considerably painful in its own right. UNC dropped its third consecutive contest against rival North Carolina State, 28-27.

It’s never fun to lose an in-state showdown, but what has to sting North Carolina partisans is the fact that the Tar Heels were facing one of North Carolina State’s weaker ballclubs. The woeful Wolfpack entered the Nov. 28 game with a 4-7 record, thanks to a consistently toothless defence. However, quarterback T.J. Yates and the rest of the Carolina offense were shut out in the final 22 minutes. Such a miserable showing against a weak opponent ultimately caught up with UNC.

The Week That Is:

As Dave Wannstedt and Butch Davis – former colleagues as assistant coaches with both the Miami Hurricanes and Dallas Cowboys – reunite in Charlotte this Saturday, the big question concerns the motivation levels of the two teams, particularly the Panthers.

Pittsburgh has a better club, without much question; no one on North Carolina can match Dion Lewis as a runner, and the Tar Heels can’t equal the receiving skills of Pitt wideout Jonathan Baldwin. If Pittsburgh plays with passion, Carolina won’t be able to keep up.

Ah, but that’s where predicting this game becomes tricky. Pittsburgh had no business losing to Cincinnati three weeks ago…not after gaining an early 21-point lead. The Panthers often slip on the banana peel in big moments, and their lack of mental toughness is their biggest fundamental weakness. Will it come into play in this game? It easily could.

Ultimately, though, the verdict is that a team with its eyes on the 2010 Big East title (Pitt will be a strong favourite) will begin the push for next season. Wannstedt will get his team to focus, and North Carolina will fall short as a result.

College Bowl Predictions: Pittsburgh -2.5

Xmas Day NBA Action – Miami Heat at New York Knicks

Miami Heat at New York Knicks

Friday, December 25th – 12:05 PM ET

Basketball Betting Spread:

The Week That Was: Heat

The Heat ended a decidedly mixed week on a high note by taking out the Jazz last night 80-70. Coach Erik Spoelstra saw his club win a game it was expected to lose, and drop a game it figured to win.

On Dec. 17, Miami Heat waxed an Orlando team that has traditionally been a nemesis for Dwyane Wade and Co. The Heat had won just one game against the Magic in a three-season span, but last week’s 104-86 romp over Orlando gave Miami two wins this season against the defending Eastern Conference champions. The not-so-secret element of Miami’s success was pronounced rhythm at the offensive end of the floor.

The Heat – who had historically been bothered by Orlando’s combination of length and power – moved the ball fluidly and created good opportunities for everyone on the court. Wade dished out seven assists while scoring 25 points, as the Heat shot 52 percent from the field in their 18-point triumph.

On Dec. 20, the positive vibes from the Orlando win evaporated, as Miami lost at home to injury-depleted Portland, 102-95. Brandon Roy carried the Trail Blazers by scoring 11 of his 28 points in the game’s final five minutes.

The Week That Was: Knicks

The New York Knicks are hardly a member of the NBA’s elite, and at 11-17 on the season, they’re still not in playoff position. But after starting their season 4-15, their current situation isn’t all that bad by comparison.

Why are the Knicks rising, and not falling, in the Eastern Conference playoff chase? Because they’re piecing together weeks like the one they just had. New York didn’t play dynamic basketball, but coach Mike D’Antoni’s club won games over the past seven days to inch toward the East’s eighth playoff spot.

On Dec. 17, the Knicks fell to Chicago by a 98-89 score, but they rebounded the next night to outlast the Los Angeles Clippers, 95-91. New York drew two more sub-.500 opponents as the week continued, and threw a pair of parties at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks held off Charlotte on Dec. 20 by a 98-94 score, and then gained revenge against Chicago on Dec. 22, besting the Bulls, 88-81. The week of good work lifted New York to 8-3 in December and secured a winning month for a team that’s grown accustomed to losing. The Knicks don’t care that they’ve drawn bad opponents; they’ve beaten them – that’s news in itself.

Outlook & Pick

The Heat are hard to read, but they’re also a winning team. New York is moving upward in the standings, but the Knickerbockers have gotten fat against subpar competition. It’s very hard to read this contest at Madison Square Garden, but if the Heat play close to their capabilities, they should prevail in the Big Apple.

Pick: Heat

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