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203-134-1 Overall Record

NCAA Basketball Predictions: Duke (+2) vs. North Carolina (-2) Over-Under 152

The Duke-North Carolina rivalry is undoubtedly one of the most historically significant games played between two teams in any sport. Mike Krzyzewski of Duke and Roy Williams of North Carolina, are two of the finest basketball minds in basketball and tonight’s showcase of their talents will be must see TV. Anything can happen in a Duke-North Carolina matchup, and the Heels are in a great position to get revenge on their cross-town rival.

At first glance, it appears that the Duke Blue Devils have a major upper-hand over the Tarheels based off their season resume. The Blue Devils have ranked among the top five teams in the nation all year, while the Heels have struggled against the teams ranked in the top 50 of the RPI. The Heels have posted a 2-6 record versus the RPI top 50 teams and 1-4 record against teams ranked in the AP top 25.

The Blue Devils are currently ranked number 3 in the country and number 1 in the RPI rankings, which would seem to be an insurmountable challenge for the Heels based off their resume this season. While the Blue Devils have posted a pristine record versus the AP top 25 to earn the number 1 RPI ranking, they have lost 4 contests within their ACC schedule and when the Blue Devils first faced-off with North Carolina it was the first game that Roy Williams introduced his small four guard lineup. Duke struggled versus this lineup from the Heels in its infant stages and it is safe to say that North Carolina has only gotten better since early February.

North Carolina has not lost a game since losing to Duke February 13^th and have won 6 games in a row by an average of 12.6 points per game. Roy Williams has changed his whole coaching philosophy to take advantage of the talent available to him in this Carolina team. The Tarheels are 7-0 against the spread in their last 7 games overall and and 7-0 against the spread in their last 7 versus ACC competition.

The Blue Devils are 2-6 against the spread in their last 8 road games and 0-4 against the spread in their last 4 games versus a team with a winning percentage above .600. There is no doubt that this game will be tightly contested and if the Tarheels can manage to make a good percentage of their free throws in this game, they will come away with a victory. Chapel Hill will be rocking and the smart bet will on the Heels in this one.

Pick: North Carolina(-2)

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204-133-1 Overall Record

NBA Predictions: L.A. Lakers (+6) vs. Denver (-6) Over-Under 217

Unfortunately, the Dallas Mavericks had to face the rage of Kobe Bryant as he went off for a 38 point performance in yesterday’s game in “The Lone Star State.” Mavericks owner, Mark Cuban, suggested that the Lakers should amnesty Mr. Bryant’s contract at the end of the season, and it was obvious that Kobe couldn’t wait to make everyone in Dallas regret that idea was ever brought up. Now, with the ridiculous statement from Cuban behind him, Kobe and the Lakers are playing to make sure that they make good on a guarantee.

Kobe has recently stated that the Lakers will not only make the post-season, but they will be a factor in the playoffs. As it stands right now Los Angeles is just 28-29 overall and in 9^th place in the Western Conference, but it is well known around the league that the Lakers have underachieved. Since the All-Star Break, the Lakers are 3-0 and they will need to continue their winning ways if they intend to catch the Portland Trailblazers for the 8^th and final playoff seed in the West.

The Denver Nuggets are a huge obstacle that stands in L.A.’s way and they get the chance to travel to Pepsi Center to take on a Denver team that owns two consecutive victories over them. Denver has also lost just 3 games at home all season and have gone 4-1 against the spread in their last 5 home games. George Karl has managed to make what many people around the league would consider an average team into a legitimate force to be reckoned with and the Lakers will get all that they can handle in this matchup.

Considering the Lakers newly found determination to salvage this season, many of the usual trends have become obsolete and its hard not to find yourself wondering how the Lakers even wound up in this position. Then you have to consider that the Lakers have always struggled to play in Denver going 3-7 against the spread in their last 10 meetings there and 1-6 against the spread in their last 7 games versus a team with a winning percentage above .600. Even a guarantee from Kobe will not likely change these numbers.

Age with definitely play a role in this game as Denver is the younger team in this matchup and the Nuggets will be playing with 1 day of rest. The Nuggets are 5-0 against the spread in their last 5 games played on 1rest and 5-1 against the spread in their last 6 versus a team with a losing record. Overall, this should be a very entertaining matchup but the Nuggets on their home floor will just be too much for the Lakers.

Pick: Denver(-6)

203-136-1 Overall Record

NBA Predictions: Chicago Bulls (+6.5) vs. Denver Nuggets (-6.5) Over Under 196.5

The red hot Denver Nuggets welcomes in the Chicago Bulls tonight in attempts to tie a franchise record of 8 straight wins

College Basketball Predictions: Kansas State (-11) vs.Texas Tech (+11)

Bruce Weber was fired after 9 years at Illinois. During that time he accumulated a overall record of 210-101 and took Illinois to the dance 6 out of 9 years. Now at Kansas State, he once again inherits a veteran and talented team, just like he did at Illinois  Remember in Weber’s first year at Illinois he took them to the Sweet 16, and in his 2nd year they were National Champion runner ups. Weber knows how to get the talented guys to buy into his system.

Free Picks Newsletter Lead Researcher

203-134-1 Overall Record

NBA Predictions: Oklahoma City Thunder (-2) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (+2) Over-Under 203

There is no denying that when the Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Clippers face-off, it will be a matchup of two of the most explosive offenses the NBA has to offer. These teams have also both held on to the league’s best record at one point or another this season , which adds to the intrigue of this matchup, as well. The last time the Thunder faced the Clippers, it was a high scoring game that required overtime to determine a winner and this game promises to be a closely contested game also.

Both the Clippers and Thunder have been playing extremely well as of late. The Clippers have won 7 of their last 10 games, while the Thunder are winners of 8 of their last 10. Both teams did lose their last game most likely in anticipation for tonight’s game.

Although the Thunder have performed well over the course of their last 10 games they are just 1-4-1 against the spread in their last 6 road games versus a team with a home winning percentage greater than .600. Obviously, the Clippers’ home winning percentage is well above .600 with their 19-4 record at Staples Center, and the Thunder have not enjoyed much success in their most recent trips there. The Thunder have dropped 4 of their last 5 trips to Los Angeles to take on the Clippers and are 0-4 against the spread in their last 4 meetings with the Clippers in Los Angeles.

To make matters worse the Thunder are just 2-5 against the spread in their last 7 meetings with the Clippers overall and this year’s Clippers team is probably the deepest most balanced team the Clippers have ever had in franchise history. The Thunder will have a tough time winning when the Clippers are 4-0 against the spread in their last 4 home games versus a team with a road winning percentage above .600 and 7-0 against the spread in their last 7 games after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game. The Clippers lost yesterday versus a Golden State team that always seems to give them trouble on the road and tonight Oklahoma City is in a similar predicament.

Pick: Los Angeles Clippers (+2)

Free Picks Newsletter Lead Researcher

202-133-1 Overall Record

NFL Predictions: Dallas Cowboys (+3) vs. Washington Redskins (-3) Over-Under 49

Almost everyone can recall at some point in their childhood participating in a good ole game of Cowboys and Indians. The NFL has played their own version with the historically significant Cowboys versus Redskins rivalry, but depending on the age of some NFL fans they would have a hard time understanding the significance of this rivalry. Thankfully for NFL fans around the world, this prime time Sunday Night clash between Dallas and Washington will easily be the most meaningful match-up between these two teams in over a decade.

What makes this game particularly special is the fact that the winner of this game will win the NFC East Title, which has been won by either Dallas or Washington 27 times. Dallas has reached this point after a sluggish 3-5 start to the first half of their season and Washington made it here after their 3-6 start. Not many people expected the Redskins to make such a turnaround after Mike Shanahan decided that it would be wise to reveal to the public after their poor start that he would be evaluating his young talent to see who would be around next year.

At the time of Shanahan’s revelation, it seemed destined to be a disastrous move that would potentially destroy any of the team’s motivation going into the rest of the season, but it remarkably had the opposite effect. The tactic was so effective that the Redskins have gone 6-0 since there head coach seemingly threw in the towel on the team’s season. Even more amazing is the fact that Washington has also gone 6-0 against the spread during that stretch, as well.

Dallas has gone 5-2 overall since their 3-5 start to the first half of the season, and their two losses in the second half of the season have come at the hands of the Redskins and the Saints. Even though the Cowboys have enjoyed an increasing rate of success in the win-loss column as of late, they are allowing 29.6 points per game to their opponents over their last 5 games, while Washington has performed slightly better only allowing 23.2 to their opponents in their last 5 contests. The Cowboys will need for their defense to step up big against Robert Griffin III if they hope to pull out a win in Fed Ex Field, tonight.

Fortunately for fans this game should be a shootout in true Cowboys and Indians fashion, as Tony Romo leads the NFL’s sixth best offense and Robert Griffin III is the signal-caller for the NFL’s fifth best offense. The Cowboys are 2-9 against the spread in their last 11 games versus NFC East competition and 0-5 against the spread in their last 5 meetings with the Redskins. Washington is also 5-2 against the spread in their last 7 meetings with the Cowboys at home and 5-0 against the spread in their last 5 games following an against the spread win.

Pick: Washington (-3)

College Football Predictions: Western Kentucky (-6.5) vs. Central Michigan (+6.5) Over-Under 57

So, you awaken from your Christmas treat induced coma to what may be the least sexiest bowl game oft he season, Western Kentucky Hilltoppers vs. Central Michigan Chippewas.  The only thing that may be more disappointing in Detroit this season is the performance of the Lions.  Despite the lack of a quality team in this bowl game, with no NFL games until Sunday, and the only bowl game on the slate for today, this is as good as it gets.

The Hilltoppers were once one of the better teams in the FCS, but made the move to the FBS division in 2009.  They were rudely treated to an 0-12 record their first season in the highest NCAA football division.  Things didn’t get much better during Willie Taggart’s first season with Western Kentucky, as they went 2-10.  However, two consecutive 7-5 seasons have Taggart headed to coach at South Florida next season, while Bobby Petrino (and perhaps his mistress?) is headed to coach the Hilltoppers next season.  In the interim, Defensive Coordinator, Lance Guidry will step in as head coach.   This won’t be unfamiliar territory for Guidry, as he lead Miami of Ohio in 2011 to a 2011 bowl victory following the departure of Mike Haywood, who at the time was slated to coach Pittsburgh.  The question tonight will be if Guidry can do it again.

The Chippewas are the benefactor of Northern Illinois’s BCS invite providing the MAC with one more bowl invite, otherwise they would be watching from home.  For a team picked last in the MAC West Division, they have exceeded expectations.
The Hilltoppers earned the bowl bid as the Big Ten lacked enough bowl eligible teams to fill their commitment to the Little Caesars bowl. It took victories in four of their last five over teams with losing records be bowl eligible.  They will face a Hilltopper team that lost 3 of their last 4, and who only avoiding dropping all four by scoring 15 unanswered fourth quarter points in their finale against North Texas.  The Chippewas, largely due to a a 41-7 loss to Michigan State and a 55-24 loss to Northern Illinoi were outscored on average by 4 points per game, and were outgained 50 yards per game  The Hilltoppers on the other hand outscored opponents by 3.2 points per game, and outgained their opponents by almost 50 yards per game.

One of the keys to the game will be the ability for the Hilltoppers to rush the ball.  The Hilltoppers average 186.2 YPG on the ground and will face a Chippewas defense that allowed 196.7 YPG on the ground, and 441.2 YPG overall.  There’s no reason to suspect Central Michigan can stop Western Kentucky’s offense.  In their last two games though they did hold Miami (OH) and UMass to less than 100 yards rushing, but both teams average less than 100 YPG rushing.  Expect Western Kentucky to control the clock and the game to minimize the passing attack of the Chippewas led by Senior QB Ryan Radcliff.  The only way Central Michigan stays in tonight’s game is by winning the turnover battle.  The Chippewas were +2 for the season, while the Hilltoppers were -3, but the Chippewas only forced 5 fumbles.  With Western Kentucky controlling the game on the ground, I see an even turnover game.  The play for tonight’s game is Western Kentucky as they should win by two scores.  Give the points, and enjoy the only gridiron action for tonight.

Free Picks Newsletter Lead Researcher

201-132-1 Overall Record

NBA Predictions: L.A. Lakers (+5.5) vs. New York (-5.5) Over-Under 212

As all of the basketball watching audience witnessed the once mighty Los Angeles Lakers lose a game to the Cleveland Cavaliers, it seemed that the situation in L.A. had finally hit rock bottom.If fans thought the Miami Heat’s 9-8 start to the 2010-11 season was an epic failure, imagine how any fan would react to the Lakers 9-13 start to this season.Los Angeles has already endured a season of intense turmoil and a trip to Madison Square Garden to take on the first place Knicks will only make matters worse for the Lakers.

The Knicks were able to steal a tightly contested game from the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center Tuesday night and will be ready to face Kobe Bryant and the Lakers.The Lakers bring their 2-7 road record to New York eying a shot at redemption for their embarrassing road loss Tuesday.A loss that caused Laker players and their coach to deliver an expletive laced post-game interview session with the media, which just may indicate that things are really spiraling out of control for the Lakers.

Part of the Lakers problem has been their defense, which currently ranks 19^th in the NBA in the points allowed category and their lack of bench depth. Many experts around the league pointed out that the Laker reserves may prove to be a problem for the Lakers and so far they have not disappointed.To make matters worse Los Angeles has played a majority of the year without Steve Nash in their lineup, and Pau Gasol has had to take time off with knee trouble, as well.

This has caused Kobe Bryant to attempt to compensate for the loss of two of the Laker’s best players single-handedly.Kobe has eclipsed the 30 point mark in 11 games so far this season and the Lakers have gone 1-10 in those games.Not very good numbers for a team that looked like serious contenders for an NBA Title this offseason when they signed Steve Nash as a Free Agent and completed a blockbuster trade to land Dwight Howard.

New York has surprised basketball fans, as well.The Knicks have been surprising, because of their stellar offensive firepower and their unselfishness as a team.Carmelo Anthony has shown a stronger commitment to rebounding basketball and the defensive end of the court, which has allowed the Knicks to earn two big victories over the Miami Heat and first place in the Eastern Conference standings.

They have earned this position in the standings, because they score 102.6 points per game and allow only 95.3 per contest.With the Lakers struggles on defense under Mike D’Antoni and the Knicks ability to score points this game could potentially be a blowout.Not to mention, the Knicks are 8-0 at home so far.

Los Angeles not only has a disappointing straight up record, but their performance against the spread has not been ideal for a Laker team either.The Lakers are 1-6 against the spread when playing on 1 days rest and 1-4 against the spread after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.The Knicks are 15-3 against the spread in their last 18 home games versus teams with road winning percentages below .400.

Pick: New York -5.5

Free Picks Newsletter Lead Researcher

200-132-1 Overall Record

NBA Predictions: New York (+3) vs. Brooklyn (-3) Over-Under 194

New York makes the trip back to the Barclay’s Center for a rematch of their losing effort from November versus the Nets. Somehow, the Nets were able to limit the Knicks’ ability to score as Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler were the only two players to reach double figures in points.  The Nets rank 5^th in the NBA in the all-important points allowed category, but they are coming into tonight’s game in the midst of a 4 game losing streak.

In fact, Brooklyn’s last win came versus the Orlando Magic way back on November 30^th.  Since that game, the Nets have lost to the Heat, Thunder, Warriors, and Bucks Sunday night.  Fortunately, the Nets were able to get a full days rest to get over their loss and they are 7-3-2 against the spread in that situation.

The Knicks have not played since Sunday night either, and they are 7-3 against the spread in that situation.  The Knicks are 4-1 overall in their last 5 games and their only loss came to the Chicago Bulls when Carmelo Anthony did not dress due to a figure laceration.  Anthony was able to play Sunday versus his old team, the Denver Nuggets, and he was able to score 34 points.

There is definitely a battle for New York in progress between the Knicks and Nets, and there is no doubt that Carmelo Anthony and company remember their overtime loss suffered last month.  In the previous matchup, Deron Williams dominated the point guard matchup between he and Raymond Felton, as he was able to hold Felton to only 8 points and 5 assists in 42 minutes.  Now, as the Nets are in the middle of a losing streak and Williams is shooting only 37% from the field in his last 10 games, Felton is in prime position to make up for his poor performance from their last matchup.

History is on the Knicks side in their matchups with the Nets, as well.  The Knicks are 7-2-1 against the spread in their last 10 meetings on the Nets home floor going back to the Net’s days in New Jersey and the road team is 5-2 against the spread in the last 7 meetings between these teams.  Look for New York to get even with Brooklyn tonight in the Barclays Center.

Pick: New York +3