Ohio (9-3, 7-4 ATS) vs. Central Michigan (10-2, 9-2 ATS)
(at Detroit)
Central Michigan is gunning for its third Mid-American Conference title in the last four years when it takes on Ohio at Ford Field in Detroit.
The Chippewas closed the regular season on a 3-0 SU and ATS run – all as a double-digit favorite – including Saturday’s 45-31 rout of Northern Illinois, barely cashing as a 13-point chalk. Central Michigan, winners of the MAC West Division, posted the first-ever undefeated and untied conference record in school history, and its only losses this season were at Boston College and at Arizona, both schools from BCS conferences.
Ohio claimed the East Division crown last weekend with a 35-17 win over Temple, cashing as a two-point home ‘dog. The Bobcats, who piled up 494 yards against the Owls, rattled off four straight wins (3-1 ATS) down the stretch to secure the division title, with the offense averaging 30 ppg.
This is a rematch of the 2006 MAC title game, with the Chippewas routing Ohio 31-10 as 3½-point favorites, as QB Dan LeFevour – then a freshman – threw for 314 yards and three touchdowns. Last year, Central Michigan went to Athens, Ohio, to face the Bobcats and took a 31-28 victory as 2½-point road chalk with LeFevour again lighting them up for 361 passing yards and 45 rushing yards and a score. LeFevour will be playing in his third MAC title game tonight.
The Chips have won and covered three straight meetings in this rivalry, and the favorite is 5-0 ATS in the last five. Also, the SU winner has cashed in each of the last five meetings and seven of the last eight.
Central Michigan’s offense puts up 34.2 points and 419.9 total yards per game, with LeFevour leading the attack. This season, the fourth-year senior has completed 71.2 percent of his passes for 2,787 yards with 25 TDs and just five INTs. LeFevour, who is currently tied for the most career touchdown passes in Division I-A history at 146, also has rushed for a team-high 652 yards and 14 additional scores this season.
Defensively, the Chippewas allow just 17.8 points per game and 331 yards per contest. No opponent has scored more than 31 points against Central Michigan, which held eight of 12 foes to 23 points or less.
The Bobcats’ offense put up 73 points the last two weeks against Temple and Northern Illinois, with QB Theo Scott tossing five TD passes and no INTs. Scott had 324 yards passing and three TDs last week against Temple and rushed for another 69 yards and two scores. Scott tweaked an ankle against the Owls but is expected to play today. On defense, the Bobcats allow just 21.4 points and 352 total yards per game, but 153 rushing yards per contest.
Ohio is on ATS runs of 7-2 overall, 8-2 in MAC games, 6-0 on Fridays, 4-0 as an underdog and 7-2 against teams with a winning record. Central Michigan is just 1-3-1 ATS in its last four Friday games, but otherwise it is on a plethora of positive ATS streaks, including 39-15-3 overall, 25-7-2 in MAC contests, 25-8-2 as a favorite (6-2 when laying points this year), 23-9-2 after a spread-cover and 11-5 against teams with winning records.
The Bobcats are on “over” streaks of 4-0 as an underdog and 4-0 against teams with winning records, while the Chippewas are on “over” runs of 8-2-1 against winning teams and 5-1 in Friday contests. However, Central Michigan has stayed below the posted number in six of seven after a spread-cover.
ATS ADVANTAGE: CENTRAL MICHIGAN
NBA
Boston (15-4, 9-10 ATS) at Oklahoma City (10-8, 11-7 ATS)
The Celtics wrap up a four-game road trip in Oklahoma City looking for their seventh straight win.
Boston got a hard-fought 90-83 victory in San Antonio on Thursday, cashing as a one-point underdog, making it a perfect 3-0 (SU and ATS) on the current road trip. The Celtics have now rattled off four straight spread-covers on the heels of six-game ATS slide. Kevin Garnett had 20 points and seven rebounds while Rajon Rondo added 12 points and 12 assists to lead the Celtics over the Spurs.
Oklahoma City crushed the Sixers on Wednesday, winning 117-106 as a 6½-point home favorite. The Thunder have won three of their last four (SU and ATS) and at home this season they are averaging 101.3 points a game while allowing just 94.7, going 6-3 ATS as a host (3-1 ATS last four).
Boston has won five straight in this series (4-1 ATS) and seven of the last 10 (both SU and ATS) dating back to 2004. Last season the Celtics went to Oklahoma and scored a 96-83 win as a 9½-point road favorite and also crushed the Thunder 103-84 in their matchup in Beantown as 11-point favorites. The host is on a 4-1 ATS run in the last five series clashes.
The Celtics are still just 5-9 ATS in their last 13 overall and 2-4 ATS in their last six against Western Conference teams, but they are also 5-1 ATS in their last six road games against teams with a winning home record. Oklahoma City is on positive ATS trends that include 20-8-1 against Eastern Conference squads. 5-2 at home, 18-6 as a home ‘dog, 4-1 on Friday and 6-2 against Atlantic Division teams.
Boston has topped the total in four of six overall, four of five as a favorite and seven of nine on Friday, but the Celtics are on “under” runs of 11-2-1 against Northwest Division teams, 18-8 when they play the second night of a back-to-back and 6-2 against the Western Conference. The Thunder have gone over the posted total in eight of 10 overall, four of five at home and five straight against the Eastern Conference, but they are on “under” streaks of 10-3 as home ‘dogs and 6-2 against Atlantic Division squads. Finally, the “under” has been the play in six of eight meetings between these two in Oklahoma City.
ATS ADVANTAGE: OKLAHOMA CITY
Miami (10-8, 8-10 ATS) at L.A. Lakers (14-3, 8-9 ATS)
The surging Lakers will try to make it eight straight wins when they welcome the Heat to the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Miami is on a four-game West Coast road trip, having split the first two, beating Portland 107-100 as a 6½-point ‘dog on Tuesday and then losing 114-96 in Denver on Thursday, failing as a nine-point road pup. The Heat have lost six of their last nine overall and have really struggled at the betting window, failing to cash in nine of their last 11.
Los Angeles has won seven in a row overall (5-2 ATS), scoring in triple digits in each of the seven wins while keeping the opposition in double-digits in each game. The Lakers beat up the Hornets 110-99 on Tuesday but came up short as a 15-point home favorite. Over its last five games, L.A. is averaging 109.4 points and shooting 48.4 percent from the floor, while allowing just 91.6 ppg.
The home team has won eight of the last nine (5-4 ATS) in this rivalry, including both matchups last year when the Lakers got a 108-105 win at home, but came up way short as 11-point favorites, then lost 89-87 in Miami as an eight-point chalk. The underdog is on a 6-2 ATS run when these two get together, but despite getting the money in L.A. last year, the Heat are just 2-5 ATS in their last seven trips to Hollywood.
The Heat are 5-1-1 ATS in the last seven meetings with Pacific Division teams. Meanwhile, the Lakers are on a plethora of positive ATS streaks, including 7-3 at home, 8-3 as a favorite, 6-2 against Eastern Conference teams, 10-4 after getting two days off and 4-1 at home against teams with a winning road record.
Miami is on several “over” streaks, including 6-3 overall, 11-5 when they play the second night of a back-to-back, 4-1 on the road and 4-1 against Pacific Division teams. Los Angeles has topped the total in nine of 14 as a favorite and three of five against Eastern Conference teams, but the Lakers are also on “under” runs of 13-6-1 at home, 20-8 when playing on two days of rest, 7-2 against Southeast Division teams and 5-1 at home against teams with winning road records. Finally, in this rivalry, the “under” has been the play in seven of the last nine overall.
The Sports Advisors
Reply With Quote