Cashing In

Your "Bad Beat" for Tuesday is on:

Princeton (minus 13) vs. Penn.

There were a number of Bad Beats on Tuesday. The Colorado Avalanche blowing the 4-1 lead and losing 6-4 at home to Vancouver certainly was one of them.

Also Seton Hall not covering the 5 1/2 after leading 55-39 at the half and then 70-45 in the second half was borderline criminal. The Pirates allowed 67 second half points in the crazy 109-106 victory at the Garden.

But the "Bad Beat" of the day comes from the Ivy League where the Penn Quakers were getting absolutely embarassed against rival Princeton. The Tigers literally led 35-8 with 4 minutes to go in the first half. The game then went to the break at 40-14.

But Jerome Allen's halftime speech worked as the Quakers nailed over 53% of their shots in the second half compared to only 25% from the field (5-20) by the Tigers.

Penn actually got the game to within seven with a few minujtes to play and lost 68-56 narrowly covering that baker's dozen.

Unreal, 35 to freakin' 8 and cannot cover!?!?!?!?



Your winners for Wednesday are on:

4* Iowa State (plus 9) vs. Texas.

2* South Florida (plus 7) vsa. Georgetown.

Another 2-0 on Tuesday as my 3* on George Washington cashed the ticket and the 2* on Penn did so as well in miraculous fashion.



I am very anti Texas right now and for good reason. Nothing at all has gone right for about six weeks now for Rick Barnes' Longhorns. Remember back how Texas was number one in the country but ever since they have been awful. Both Ward and Balbay are lost for the season with injuries and the 'Horns have been absolutely terrible for awhile now.

UT has won some games in Austin but they have also been mediocre at best overall at home and beyond brutal on the road. Pittman and James are tough to defend down low and they will get some offensive boards but all in all Texas is just not a very good ballclub right now.

Iowa State is the weaker team for sure but they did just have that amazing overtime outright win in Kansas State over Clemente and Pullen and are a team with a stud in Craig Brackins. This guy is the real deal and can do it all. To get almost double digits with him alone is worth it and then when you throw in Marquis Gilstrap I can see the Cyclones not only cover but possibly win the game.

It is asking a lot for Iowa State here as they are far from being much of anything but Texas is a whole lot of nothing right now themselves and in this game in Missouri there is no reason to believe that the 'Horns can just regain that power.



I don't feel as great about the Bulls from South Florida because Georgetown is the better team and should be fresher after South Florida had to tangle with DePaul yesterday. But with that said the Hoyas are very very inconsistent and to get Dominique Jones and a Bulls team that a few months ago shockingly won at Georgetown is enough for me at this number. The underdogs' confidence level should be pretty high here knowing they already beat G-Town and have now won four in a row overall.

Greg Monroe is an instant mismatch and a guy that should dominate down low but in the end I do not trust John Thompson III's Hoyas in any regard and in any spot laying a half dozen plus.

Georgetown should advance but I don't think it'll be very easy as these Bulls are a scrappy club and should compete until the very end.

Your "Bad Beat" for Friday is on:

Drake (plus 9 1/2) vs. Northern Iowa.

A big-time consolation to any DePaul backers and under backers in that St. John's-DePaul clash as the Blue Demons blew the 16 point halftime lead and lost 90-82 in triple overtime!

Now to the beat at hand. The game was meant to be a total rout for the fresher and more talented Panthers but it was anything but early on.

The score was shockingly 24-13 Bulldogs 12 minutes into the game. Drake did not score for the final 8 minutes literally and Northern Iowa ended the first half on a 10-0 run and the score was 24-23 at the half, still looking good for this dog.

Drake's defense continued to play at a very high level limiting Northern to only 32 points in the second half and 55 total for the game. The problem though for Drake was their offense which tallied a whole 16 second half points in an unreal 55-40 defeat.

Drake was outscored 42-16 in the game's final 28 minutes. Now how the heck is that possible!?!?!?



Your winners for Saturday are on:

5* Baylor (minus 3) vs. Texas.

3* Villanova (minus 3) vs. West Virginia.

A winning 2-1 Friday as James Madison won outright with ease and The Citadel won going away!



A couple of small home favorites here that are just not giving as much as they should be.

Baylor has been great this season, flat out freakin' great. LaceDarius Dunn is phenomenal and Epke Udoh and Tweety Carter are no joke. Scott Drew has ressurected this program and in Waco should flat out win this thing by a ton.

Who the heck is Texas right now? The Longhorns are not good at all. They were the top team in the land and have done a whole lot of losing ever since. The road has been extremely cruel to the Longhorns and to expect things to change today is stupid.

The 'Horns had to rally in that last game at home just to beat a poor Oklama squad. The Sooners are in a total down year and controlled that game for 30 plus minutes.

It's asking way too much for the 'Horns to win this game and that is what it almost takes in order for them to cover.

All about da Bears!



Similar here as above with Villanova. The Wildcats at home are explosive and dangerous as all heck. Scottie Reynolds leads a team that boasts a very high ceiling. The Wildcats are well coached and are ultra deep and athletic. Jay Wright's team is probably one of about six that has a real chance of winning it all.

West Virginia can be scary at times as Butler is a stud but away from Morgantown makes them very vulnerable a lot of the time. This team can win games on the road but it just doesn't come as often and today are up against a 'Nova squad that is ready to bust out once again.

The Wildcats have not been all that in these last few games but most of them did come away from Philadelphia. Now back home should be just fine and get back to those winning ways.

Your "Bad Beat" for Sunday is on:

Florida State (minus 2 1/2, first half) vs. Clemson.

This is truly insanity! Florida State took the early 9-0 lead against Oliver Purnell's Clemson Tigers. It actually took the visitors seven full minutes to score a single point and eight minutes to finally get a field goal. The Seminole lead was an unreal 19-6 with only 4 minutes to go in the entire first half, yes 25 points in the first 16 minutes of game action, yuck!

It was 21-12 with under two to go before the break. Clemson mounted a bit of a comeback to get within 21-16 in the final minute but asking for the cover was still fairly silly.

Derwin Kitchen missed a three for the 'Noles and then at the buzzer Andre Young threw in a 50 foot prayer to make the score 21-19 Florida State at the break and a ridiculous/amazing/sensational cover for those Clemson Tigers!



Your winner for Monday is on:

3* Oklahoma (plus 14) at Texas.

A poor 0-2 Sunday, no other way to put it.



One play today as I'm just not going to push it. Jeff Capel's Oklahoma Sooners have been terrible this season and there is no other way to put it. This is not the Oklahoma program we are used to and certainly not the one that just boasted both Blake and Taylor Griffin among others. Things are terrible and OU should lose another game here but who the heck is Texas right now to be laying this much lumber!?!?!?

Rick Barnes had a team that was ranked first in the nation and then the you know what really hit the fan. Texas is still very talented with a beast down low in Damion James but these guys have now lost two point guards for the season in Varez Ward and Dougas Balbay and are a team that has very little momentum right now.

The Longhorns were just pounded at Texas A&M and are not worthy of even being in the top 25 right now. James, Bradley and Pittman along with a few others should be too good and get some revenge for the loss a few weeks back in Norman but I don't see a woodshed beating from UT.

I'm not too sure what Texas is right now. They have lost game after game and have failed to cover over and over again in the last month or so.

The 'Horns will get the win but not the cover!

Your "Bad Beat" for Friday is on:

Niagara (minus 3 1/2) at Manhattan.

There are bad beats and then there are bad beats!!!!

This one was insane and worthy of people jumping off a bridge over.

Niagara led the whole way and owned the 73-60 lead with six minutes to play. The Purple Eagles had been playing some great ball as they had won five of six and the Jaspers from Manhattan are fairly terrible. This thing seemed to be going according to plan and then bang.

Niagara literally scored one point in the final six plus minutes, missed five of six free throws from 82% and 77% ft shooters and walked away with the 74-72 win and non-cover absolutely destroying their backers in the most unbelievable way possible.

Go into some internet threads regarding this game and you will see a lot of words that say "fixed".

Absolutely beyond belief insane!



Your winners for Saturday are on:

4* Kentucky (minus 2) at Tennessee.

3* Texas A&M (pk) vs. Texas.

3* Virginia Tech (minus 1) vs. Maryland.

One Friday play and one easy Friday winner as the 3* on Fairfield was like stealing!



Sure I'll take John Calipari's Wildcats once again here at this bargain basement number. Could these yong guys lose in Knoxville? I guess, maybe, they did fall in South Carolina but these "diaper dandies" have smarted from that and if they come to play at all they are so much better than the Volunteers.

Tennessee is just not that good. Bruce Pearl has a team that may not even be top 25 worthy. They just stunk up the joint in Gainesville after falling in Rupp thanks to a late implosion after getting embarassed and destroyed in Vanderbilt.

Of course playing back home will be a lot easier but Wayne Chism is not healthy and to ask these guys to beat John Wall, Demarcus Cousins and this loaded KU team is asking way too much.

Laying two is basically a pick and Kentucky is just too freakin good!



Texas is another team that has been regressing for awhile now. Rick Barnes' Longhorns were number one and then bang, they stunk and still stink, relatively speaking of course. Dougas Balbay is done for the year after Varez Ward's injury earlier in the season and this team is just not what we thought they were earlier in the season.

A&M lost in overtime in Austin back when UT was a much better ballclub. Now back home is going to be too much for the visitors who have done nothing at all on the road of late. Texas has actually failed to cover in seven of their last eight away from Austin.

James and Pittman will bang down low and Avery Bradley is a young stud but the 'Horns are a bit of a disease right now and the way these Aggies have been for awhile now I can't believe anything changes.

Donald Sloan is a stud and at home the Aggies, who played toe-to-toe with Kansas a few weeks ago, will continue the 'Horns recent misery.



Maryland has just won incredible back-to-back games, the buzzer beater against Georgia Tech and then the great second half comeback against Clemson. That was at Cole and now venturing back out on the road to Blacksburg is going to be quite a difference.

Malcolm Delaney is great and Seth Greenberg's team is no fluke. The Hokies have yet to lose at home and in a game that is for second place in the ACC I don't see a good but far from great Terrapin team creating the first blemish.

The Turtle has been very good this season but they are not as rock solid on the road and just should not win this game in the end. Greivis Vasquez should be good and the Terps should not get blown out but to ask them to win is asking too much.

Your "Bad Beat" for Sunday is on:

Celtics (plus one) vs. Los Angeles.

There were some choices when it comes to the "Bad Beat" on Sunday but the Celtics imploding late took the cake.

The other candidates include Wiscy Milwaukee on the college hardwoods and the Devils on the ice.

Kobe and the Lakers were in a ton of trouble yesterday in Beantown. Boston controlled the game from the second quarter on and led by 11 with 9 minutes to play. That certainly should have been enough for the victory, I mean up 11 at home with 9 to play, 81-70, come on!?!?!?

But Phil Jackson's boys are the champs for a reason and are now 37-11 for a reason as well.

The Lakers went on an immediate 8-0 run to get within three and then down 89-88 in the waning seconds had their man, Kobe Bryant, nail a jumper with seven seconds remaining over unreal defense by Ray Allen, but it just didn't matter. Allen then missed a long three at the buzzer and the Lakers won by a single point in this great comeback and basically pushed the number.



Your winners for Monday are on:

4* Wizards (plus 5) vs. Boston.

2* Texas (minus 2) at Oklahoma State.

A poor poor 0-2 Sunday as my big play on 4* North Carolina was quite possibly the worst call I have ever had in my entire life!



The Wizards are fairly terrible and a team going absolutely nowhere with or without Gilbert Arenas but the way the Celtics have been playing and the fact they have played a ton of basketball of late (fourth game here in the past five days including this back-to-back) I'm not so sure that Washington won't win this game.

Of course Allen, Pierce, Rondo, Garnett and Wallace form the much better team but Boston is also a cold and gassed team that will be dragging in a major way today. They lost in a tough tough finish at Orlando blowing a huge lead, then the next night were swept 4-0 in the season series by the Hawks and yesterday (look above) crapped in their pants late against the Lakers in a narrow and depressing loss.

Things have not been going well for Doc's team of late and say what you want, Kevin Garnett, healthy or not, is not the same dominant force he used to be.

The Wizards are not good but Jamison and Butler are always at least dangerous and the C's have now lost three in a row and six of eight and are playing a fourth game in five days. Put all of that together and this is far from being an ideal spot for the visitors.



I just believe that Texas is too good tonight even if they are on the road in Stillwater. Oklahoma State has been good this season and Travis Ford is a quality coach who will have his boys get after it. James Anderson should fill it up and the Cowboys probably do believe they can beat the struggling Longhorns but when all is said and done I don't see that happening.

UT has not been nearly as good over the past few weeks as they were in the undefeated start where they were ranked number one but I do believe that Rick Barnes' squad is better than they have shown of late and will get the win here as they are just too big up front and too good and deep overall.

Look for James and Pittman to get after it in the paint and for the 'Horns depth to take advantage in the end as they get a big-time Big 12 road victory.

Your "Bad Beat" for Wednesday is on:

St Louis (Plus 4 1/2 AND Total of 122) at George Washington

Wow, wow, wow!

Overtime can have one person experience euphoria and the other crying like a baby That is the exact case here.

The St Louis Billikens looked to be the better team tonight. Rick Majerus' squad led 48-37 with about 8 minutes to go. It was 51-43 with just over 4 minutes to go. The dog and under looked good throughout. Unfortunately the under was too good for the under players as St Louis only scored two points in the game's final four plus minutes leading to the game being tied at 55 after regulation.

I think you know where this is obviously going!

Dwayne Smith nailed a pair of free throws with seven measley seconds left in the extra session and this game ended 67-62 George Washington.

Yikes!



Your winners for Thursday are on:

3* St John's (plus 9) at Pittsburgh.

2* Georgia State (plus 16 1/2) at Old Dominion.

A poor poor loser on 3* UCONN on Wednesday but an easy 2* winner on the Spurs makes for a small losing 1-1 day.



I really do like what Norm Roberts has done since becoming the head coach of St. John's as this program is on the come. Certainly the Red Storm are far removed from the glory years with Mullin and Berry and Wennington and others but improvement is evident and these guys should be able to compete tonight.

Pitt is not the most talented of teams as they just lost too much from last season's team to be but they have fought and improved greatly themselves since the fairly pedestrian first month and now are pretty good. Jamie Dixon's squad should win this game but I don't like this team to blow out many, I really don't. The Panthers are far from being an offensive juggernaut and don't have blue chip scorers that can help go on that quick 14-0 run.

DJ Kennedy is a solid ballplayer for the visitors and I can see the Panthers come out a little sluggish in this game and for this thing to come down to the wire which is just fine with me.



Not many people know much about Georgia State, as they probably shouldn't, but the Panthers are a pretty solid big dog team to back. Ever since Rod Barnes (yes the former Ole Miss Rod Barnes) took over the program GSU has competed well in this role. They don't win all that many games and rarely beat a much better team but that is not really the point at all.

The Panthers do not score all that much but they do defend well and play a lot of games in the 50's. With the total being around 117 or so we should be looking at once again a grind it out type of a struggle to score which is never terrible when getting so many points back.

Old Dominion is very good and quite possibly the class of the Colonial. They should win this game for sure as 16 1/2 or so point favorites rarely do lose but Barnes' squad will slow this thing down and keep the game fairly simple. Plus ODU has Northeastern on deck and that game could determine a lot in this conference so a little look ahead type scenario very well may be in play here.

9-12 overall and 3-6 in-conference is certainly leading a lot to be desired but Joe Dukes will score a little and this thing has 60-50 written all over it!

Your "Bad Beat" for Monday is on:

William & Mary (moneyline minus 450) vs. NC Wilmington.

Somebody out there was afraid to lay the 9 or so with the Tribe and figured that there was no chance at all that the home squad would lose outright. That certainly looked to be the case for awhile as Bill and Mary, who were seeking a school record 11th straight victory, jumped out to the 37-29 halftime lead.

With wins over Wake Forest, Maryland, VCU and Richmond under their belts already and seeing how Wilmington lost their last game by 34 to VCU and how the Seahawks were a poor 5-9 there appeared to be little fear of the visitors coming all the way back.

Or was there!?!?!?

Wilmington led only three times in the entire game but one of those was at the most important time, the end. John Fields had a tip in with right around 3 seconds remaining for the shocking comeback victory.



Your winners for Tuesday are on:

3* Arkansas (plus 16) vs. Texas.

2* Georgia Tech (minus 5 1/2) at Georgia.

A poor poor 0-2 Monday as neither TCU nor Cincinnati did what I thought.



The Arkansas Razorbacks are far removed from their glory years as this team is one of the worst teams we have seen in years. On the opposite extreme Texas is a beast that may be thee single best team in the entire nation.

But Arkansas-Texas is still an old school rivalry type of a game and to get such a hefty number at home is too good to pass up.

Of course the Longhorns should win the game but after looking as shaky as they did in the pedestrian 6 point victory over 5-7 Texas A&M Corpus Christi I can see Rick Barnes' squad go through the motions a bit here. Damion James and Dexter Pittman will control the glass and get a ton of offensive rebounds as they did in the huge win over North Carolina but to lay this much is just too much.

John Pelphrey's team is not very good at 7-7 but they did come back and compete in that last game against a solid UAB team and I can see Michael Washington and his boys stay close enough for the cover today.



Iowa is that team that just seems to find a way to stay close in any game they play, whether it's against a far better team or a far worse team. Ricky Stanzi can make plays against quality opponents and he can also wet the bed against poor competition. That definitely does scare me because I am laying a full handful here but when all is said and done I believe that Paul Johnson's triple option offense is too good and has too many athletes to be stopped.

The Yellow Jackets had a great season and were extremely dominant at times with Josh Nesbitt, who should have been a Heisman Trophy candidate. Throw in a future NFL running back in Jonathan Dwyer and I think Tech makes a few too many plays to not cover this thing.

Iowa has offensive issues against anybody so the Tech defensive struggles really should not be that big of a deal here. It's not like Iowa is a quick strike offense so Derrick Morgan, Morgan Burnett and the Jacket defenders should be alright.

We have seen Johnson's crew score 40 plus a ton. They may not get that high today but they will do enough to cover this contest.

Your "Bad Beat" for Wednesday is on:

Bowling Green (pick or plus 1) vs. Idaho.

The Bowling Green Falcons pretty much had won the game with 35 seconds to go. Tyler Sheehan threw a bomb to Freddie Barnes and Barnes not only caught his 17th ball of the game but scored an easy touchdown to give BG a 42-35 lead.

Idaho was crushed as they blew the 14 point lead and pretty much needed an impossible touchdown just to tie this thing up. But that would mean going about 70 yards as they did not break the kickoff. So with right around 25 seconds had to go 70 yards.

And that's exactly what the Vandals did.

Nathan Ederle threw up a Hail Mary that was answered with 18 seconds to go. In amazing fashion the ball was caught and all of a sudden things became a lot more possible down to the 18. Then Idaho marched to the 8 with right around 12 ticks on the clock.

And bang a touchdown pass with 4 seconds left and this thing was an extra point away from a tie and overtime.

Or was it?

Idaho used their momentum and went for a two and wouldn't you know it, they converted the pass and won the game in amazing fashion, 43-42.

Unreal!



Your winners for Thursday are on:

4* Iowa State (moneyline plus 110) vs. Minnesota.

3* Tennessee (plus 6) vs. Virginia Tech.

Luckily I did have the one with BG when all was said and done so that pushed and I nailed my other two plays in Nebraska on the gridion and Northwestern on the hardwoods for 4* of profit.



I am not going to go crazy saying that the Iowa State Cyclones are good or anything crazy like that but I do like the improvement in this program as they continue to improve unlike Minnesota who will once again be without their best player in Eric Decker and they continue to get worse.

Neither team is an offensive juggernaut by any means so this game should be fairly tight but it just seems to me that it's Iowa State who will be hungrier to win this game. ISU did beat Nebraska this season on the road and plays more spirited ball.

Adam Weber can be good for the Gophers but he really hasn't been this season and now without Decker again should be fairly blah at best.

Look for the Cyclones to want this game more and get the job done in the end. I don't want less than a field goal so I will take the moneyline and grab a little plus money.



Frank Beamer's Hokies will bring the defense and "Beamer Ball" and all of that stuff but in the end I just see this being a tight defensive struggle in which either team could come out on top.

Jonathan Crompton had a very successful season, limiting turnovers better than expected and even though he is not nearly as dynamic as Tyrod Taylor should be a decent game manager today and use Montario Hardesty and that running game.

Tech has a great freshman running back in Ryan Williams and I expect the kid to rumble for some yards but Monte Kiffin is a great defensive mind who will load the box and do what it takes to slow down the Hokies.

Eric Berry is a total defensive stud that I expect to make at least one big play today for UT and in the end to get around six points is more than enough for me in a flat out winnable game.

Your "Bad Beat" for Tuesday is on

Temple (plus 4 1/2) vs. UCLA.

Any Owls backers should feel semi robbed as their team collapsed a bit in the end.

Al Golden's team owened the 21-7 lead at the break and when getting 4 1/2 tacked onto that should spell a cover in the end.

Should.

UCLA flexed its muscles in the second half and got to within 21-20 with about six minutes to play. Temple was going backwards and on a 3rd and long from about their own 10 gave away the game with a pick 6. Then UCLA converted on the two point conversion to go up 28-21.

On the next possession Temple's long snapper on a punt snapped the ball into the endzone and all of a suden this thing was a two possession game at 30-21 and that's how it ended.

I guess Temple is still "Temple".



Your winners for Wednesday are on:

4* Bowling Green (pk) vs. Idaho.

2* Nebraska (minus 3) vs. Arizona.

2* Northwestern (plus 7) at Illinois.

A small losing 1-1 Tuesday as Miami sucked but UCLA came through in the end.



Freddie Barnes! If you don't know much about him you will soon enough. The Bowling Green receiver is as good as they come in the country and will completely destroy Idaho today.

The Vandals started the season out in amazing fashion at 6-1 but have regressed back to being poor ever since. They do have a few advantages with being here in Idaho as the game is on the blue turf in Boise but that won't be enough to counterract Tyler Sheehan hitting Barnes over and over and over again.

Idaho's defense is terrible against terrible teams. I say good luck to them here!



I do not love how the line has moved up here with Nebraska being favored by around a field goal when the game was a pick but I'm thinking that is more wise guy money as the line movement happened all of a sudden mid-day on Tuesday. Public money does not force a move like that so I do believe that I am on the right side with Ndamukong Su and his black shirts.

Neither team is better than good but both are good as Arizona and Nebraska had good seasons with improvement in the end. This should be a defensive hard hitting battle and in the end the Huskers should be too stout for another Pac-10 team which shows to be pretty bad. Cal and Oregon State proved to be dogs with fleas in their bowl games and UCLA was horrific in their first half yesterday.

I do not love Bo Pellini's offense but I do think their d will make enough plays for the 17-9 type of a victory.



Northwestern just gets no respect and all. Am I all in on Bill Carmody's Wildcats? No not all in but enough to grab the points with this 10-1 team here that's for sure.

Michael Thompson and John Shurna continue to silence the doubters and after beating up good competition including Notre Dame and NC State why can't the Wildcats compete here in Illinois? The Illinis are alright but certainly nothing too special.

Bruce Weber's team has four losses this season with two of those in the past two games. Illinois fell to Georgia and Missouri, neither exactly being North Carolina or Duke.

N'western is going for the best start in school history at 11-1. They may not do it but ya know what, they may!

Your "Bad Beat" for Monday is on:

Nuggets (minus 10) vs. Oklahoma City.

Let me preface this by saying there was really no great beat on Monday but there's always something that can be found.

Denver was laying 10 at home to Kevin Durant and the Thunder. The Nuggs were in complete control up by as many as 19 points in the third quarter. Okie City whittled it down to 10 late and with 20 seconds remaining Jeff Green nailed a 26 point three to make it seven. Chauncey Billups was then fouled and he made both.

So the game was then on 9. Russell Westbrook turned the ball over and the Thunder chose to not foul letting this game end on 9 and a cover for the visitors.

So much for that 19 point lead, huh!?!?!?



Your winners for Tuesday are on:

3* Spurs (plus 3) at Phoenix.

2* Georgia State (plus 17) at Florida State.

Lost 1* on Monday as the 3* Cardinals layed an egg. But the 2* Timberwolves shocked the world winning outright!

I'm not going to write War and Peace here as I just think that Gregg Popovich's Spurs are the much better and more well rounded team when compared to the Suns. Phoenix has looked better so far on the young season for sure as Nash and Stoudemire certainly can run the court and make some noise but in the end the Spurs are just the more complete team overall.

Duncan, Parker, Ginobili and Jefferson plus other key cogs form a team that has the ability to compete for a championship. This hasn't always shown through this season as 12-9 is very mediocre for this San Antonio franchise but the parts are in place and any points back in this spot is more than enough for me.

The Spurs have won three in a row and have covered two of the three with a push. They are scoring in bunches going over the century mark in each of their last four games and will be more than ready tonight, against what has become a total playoff rival, and there is no reason at all they can't win this game!



If you go back and look at this year's results for Florida State you will see a decent enough 7-2 team that has been winning pretty much low scoring defensive games in the 50's and 60's. Today the Seminoles play another weaker team and they should improve to 8-2 but to all of a sudden ask them to explode here and cover such a price is asking a lot.

Georgia State is not good but the program is also improving as Rod Barnes will have his guys play for 40 minutes and especially so on the defensive end.

Last season FSU won by five on the road in a competitive game and one year later, the way Leonard Hamilton's group has been performing I don't all of a sudden see a burial.

A few touchdowns and a field goal or so is just fine with me backing the Panthers!

Your "Bad Beat" for Thursday is on:

Maple Leafs (minus 115) at Carolina.

Anybody who backed the Toronto Maple Leafs last night has a reason to be pissed today!

For one, the Leafs opened up a 3-0 lead after the first period. With Carolina's unreal struggles this season that alone should have been enough for the visitor's to win this game going away.

The 'Canes, though, did rally and tie this thing up at four midway through the third on Tim Gleason's second goal of the game. But then the Leafs' Ian White, with only 30 seconds remaining, lit the lamp and it appeared that Carolina's horrific start to the season was going to continue.

Or not.

At 19:57, as in with only three seconds left, Erik Cole's wrister beat the goaltender and all of a sudden we are heading into overtime.

This game would go into a shootout where Carolina would eventually prevail and show a little bit of life in semi improbable comeback fashion!



Your winners for Friday are on:

2* Bowling Green (minus 10 1/2) vs. Akron.

2* Utah State (plus 24) vs. Boise State.

2* Eastern Michigan (plus 16 1/2) at Toledo.

A small winning 1-1 Thursday as the 3* Colorado Buffaloes came through in flying colors!

I like all three college football games today and therefore will play them. Now obviously with them all being only 2* I am not calling these stone cold locks or anything but I do see some value.

The days of Charlie Frye are long gone at Akron and now the Zips are a pretty bad football program. Just last week they had the lead after a quarter at home against Temple and imploded in amazing fashion losing 56-17. Sure the Owls are a much improved squad but to do that at home was dreadful. The Zips have actually failed to cover in five of seven and now go on the road to play a Bowling Green team that has some serious talent.

The Falcons boast a stud wide receiver in Freddie Barnes and a capable quarterback in Tyler Sheehan who knows how to get the ball to his main man.

BG has won four of five and has covered three of four. At home today I see nothing but a resounding victory for the men in orange and green!



Utah State is not close to being able to really compete with Boise State but the Aggies are a lot better than they used to be and you know that the players and their fans will treat this as the biggest game ever in the history of the program.

State has fared alright in game's against other superior teams like Nevada and Fresno State and to get such a gaudy number back is just too much.

The Broncos will win the game as Kellen Moore and Titus Young and the stout defense is way too good but Boise has shown some chinks in that armor this season and an inability at times to put the pedal down and step on the necks of an opponent.

Boise certainly needs to win impressively in order to impress the pollsters but I don't see that really happening here on the road against a decent enough foe.



Eastern Michigan is terrible and probably the worst team in the MAC but Toledo without Aaron Opelt does not scare me at all.

The Rockets appeared to be pretty good earlier in the season as they went north of 50 points in a blowout win over Colorado but that game was a mirage as these guys are just not very good at all.

Last week Toledo was pounded at Central Michigan which doesn't mean all that much because the Chippewas are great but without a lot of momentum and being a pretty bad team overall without their starting quarterback the Rockets are giving too many points.

Toledo should win but more like by 10 or so points, max!

Your "Bad Beat" for Wednesday is on:

Trailblazers (total of 189.5) at Minnesota.

The total in this game from the Target Center opened up at right around 192 and dropped to 189.5 by game time. That would be fairly meaningful in the end!

Portland was up big and going to win the game there was no question there as they led 85-61 after three quarters. But the total was still in doubt and it would stay in doubt until the bitter end.

Garbage time was going to determine this outcome and with the score well out of reach at 105-84, and still an under for all, the clock was winding down and wouldn't you know it with three seconds remaining Ramon Sessions fouled Martell Webster putting Webster on the line.

Oh the agitation to see a foul that late in such a meaningless spot when you have that under!??!!?

Webster nailed both free throws and the game would end 107-84 and pretty much an over for most players!

Ouch!



Your winners for Thursday are on:

3* Bears (plus 3) at San Francisco.

2* Bowling Green (minus 3 1/2) at Miami, Ohio

2* Lakers (minus 7) vs. Portland.

One play on Wednesday and I won and covered with ease on Central Michigan. I am on-fire!



I haven't liked many recent slates but tonight's is alright and therefore three plays in all.

The Bears have been putrid of late but so have the 49ers. This is an ugly ugly game as both team's need to win in the worst of ways and obviously only one will get the victory. So why not take the points? Either team can't win this game?

I can't help but side with Jay Cutler and the visitors here as they are still in my opinion the better of these two teams no matter how inept they have looked at times. I do not trust Alex Smith and despite Frank Gore being a stud I will take my chances with Matt Forte and the Chicago offensive line even with the recent struggles.

Lovie Smith is the more experienced coach when compared to former Bear great Mike Singletary and in the end I will take anything I can get with da Bears against the reeling 49ers.



Just a very cheap price here on Bowling Green. The Falcons have two MAC studs in Tyler Sheehan and Freddie Barnes and even being on the road that should be enough against, an improving yes, but still a bad Miami O team.

The Redhawks have been better since the 0-8 start to the season as Zac Dysert has been a solid quarterback but better is a relative term and I don't see tonight's home squad being able to stay within a small price like this.

BG is clearly the team with far more firepower as Barnes probably cannot be stopped and in the end that will be a bit too much.



Portland has been great and deserves to own the best record in the NBA right now at 8-1. But if there is ever a spot where the Trailblazers will run out of gas this is that spot.

Amare Stoudemire and Steve Nash are really leading this team in a major way but after the long five game road trip and a quality win last night at home against Chris Paul and the Hornets we have got to see an empty tank here on a back-to-back against Kobe Bryant.

It's a decent sized number to lay against such a hot and solid team, which Portland is, but Los Angeles can blow anybody out and in a statement game reclaming the division as clearly still theirs I don't see anything but a Laker stomping here at Staples.