Bettors' best friend: Today's wagering tips
Thursday, January 7
Bowl history
The
BCS national championship game goes down on Thursday and knowing both
teams bowl histories can serve as a great handicapping tool.
First
of all, the Longhorns and Crimson Tide have met in five previous bowls
games. Texas is unbeaten against Alabama with a 4-0-1 record. The
largest margin of victory came in the 1947 Sugar Bowl when the Horns
defeated Bama 27-7. The other four games were decided by four points or
less.
Overall, Texas owns a 25-21-2 bowl record. The Longhorns
have won six of their last seven bowl appearances, going 3-4 ATS during
that span.
Alabama boasts a better bowl record at 31-22-3, but
has gone 3-5 straight up and ATS in its last eight appearances. The
three bowl wins all covered the number while the five losses failed to
cash.
X-Man down
Xavier will be minus a starting guard when it plays the La Salle Explorers on Thursday.
Mark Lyons will miss this game and the next after injuring his left knee in a double-overtime loss to Wake Forest last Sunday.
Since
Lyons stepped into the starting rotation five games ago, he’s averaged
10.2 ppg and 3.4 rpg. The 6-1, 195-pound freshman leads the team with
19 steals.
The 8-5 Musketeers haven’t won a road game this
season and are giving 5.5 points to La Salle with a total of 144.5. The
Explorers have covered in five of the last seven games in this series.
No shootout in NYC
After
Washington’s Gilbert Arenas was suspended indefinitely, Knicks
president Donnie Walsh reiterated to his team that guns were illegal in
the state of New York.
"Guns can really escalate a situation
between two guys," Walsh said after practice. "My objection to guys
this age with guns is that if you've got one and another guy has one,
now it's not a fistfight to settle your differences. Now, instead of
that, it's a shootout."
There likely won’t be a shootout on the
court Thursday as the Bobcats and Knicks have played to the under in
five of their last seven meetings.
The average total during that span was 193.7 ppg and one of those contests went into overtime.
Charlotte
is averaging 97.6 ppg over its last eight with five of those games
going under the posted total while New York has flown under in 10 of
its last 14.
These two squads met on Dec. 20 and Dec. 15 this
season and both games went under the total of 196. Oddsmakers have
increased the number by one point and installed a total of 197 for
Thursday’s matchup.
International problem
Isiah Thomas might have to get it done without one of his star players on Thursday when the Panthers host Louisiana-Monroe.
Florida
International could again be without starting guard Phil Gary who
missed the team’s last game on Saturday and is listed as questionable
heading into this matchup. Gary is averaging 9.3 ppg and 3.1 apg this
season and leads the team in steals with 28.
Antoine Watson replaced Gary in FIU’s loss versus New Orleans, contributing 11 points on 5 of 14 shooting with six assists.
The
Panthers have lost three straight and are 4-13 on the season. Florida
International is 0-3 all-time against the Warhawks and has never
covered a spread.
FIU has been installed as 1-point favorites for Thursday’s game with a total of 148.
Notable Quotable
"I
wasn't aware of that, but to me we should be favorites. I mean in the
whole [playoffs]. I think we have the best defense; I know we do. I
think we have the best rushing attack. If I had a choice to coach any
team in this tournament, I would choose this one."
-- Jets head coach Rex Ryan when asked about his team’s underdog status heading into the game against Cincinnati.
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