Baylor Bears vs Texas A&M Aggies | Preview, Predictions, Odds

FREE PICK – SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2010

#20 Baylor Bears (17-4) vs. Texas A&M Aggies (16-6)

The No. 20 Baylor Bears will make the short 92-mile trip to College Station to tip off against cross-state rival the Texas A&M Aggies in a Big 12 showdown at the Reed Arena on Saturday.

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The last time these two teams tangled the Bears edged out a 72-68 win back on Feb 14, 2009. Texas A&M will look to preserve their 15-game home winning streak when the two meet for the 200th time this weekend.

The Bears are coming off an 84-63 victory over Iowa State on Wednesday. LaceDarius Dunn finished with team-high 21 points in the win. Baylor has now won 17 games in their first 21. The backcourt play of Dunn and senior Tweety Carter has been the primary reason for Baylor’s success. Dunn is third in the Big 12 with 18.5 points per game, and is averaging 12.0 on 30.6 percent from the field per game. Carter is averaging 17.1 points and leads the conference in assists with 6.2 per game. He had 14 points and two assists in Baylor’s last game against the Aggies.

David Loubeau and Donald Sloan both scored 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds apiece to lead the Texas A&M Aggies to a 77-74 victory over the Missouri Tigers on Wednesday. After trailing 37-36 at the half, the Aggies fought back in the second, shooting 50.0 percent from the field while outrebounding Missouri by a 44-26 margin. A&M is a hard to team to try and figure out. They are inconsistent from both the outside and the inside offensively, and are currently ranked 11th in the Big 12 in field-goal percentage (.444) and last in 3-point accuracy (.319). The one constant is their scrappy defense, which has kept them in many a contest this season.

The odds are not posted yet for this one.

The Aggies will need to pester Baylor’s Carter and Dunn in an attempt to disrupt their rhythm while slowing down the game’s tempo.

This will be a close one. The Aggies have home court advantage, but I expect the Bears to take this one late in the second half edging out a 5-point win.

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Villanova Wildcats vs Georgetown Hoyas | Preview, Predictions, Odds

FREE COLLEGE BASKETBALL PICK – SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2010

#2 Villanova Wildcats (20-1) vs. #7 Georgetown Hoyas (16-5)

The No. 7 Georgetown Hoyas will host the No.2 Villanova Wildcats in a Big East battle on Saturday at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC.

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In the previous meeting this season, Villanova edged out the Hoyas by a score of 82-77.

Georgetown fell to the South Florida Bulls 72-64 on Wednesday. Greg Monroe had 21 points and eight rebounds, while Austin Freeman scored 21 points for the Hoyas in the loss. Georgetown, who blew a 13-point first-half lead, shot just 36 percent in the second half missing half of their free throws — making only 11 of 22 for the game, and committing 14 turnovers. At one point, South Florida had outscored Georgetown 30-13 in the second half. The Hoyas followed their worst game of the year with their best, losing by 17 at Syracuse and then blowing out Duke at home. Losses seem to fire up Georgetown. Each time they’ve rebounded to play even better in the following game than they had before their previous defeat.

In the meantime, Villanova extended their win streak to 11 as the Wildcats held off a serious run from Seton Hall in an 81-71 victory Tuesday night. They are the only Big East team unbeaten in conference play. The Wildcats got production out of every player on their roster.  Antonio Pena scored 16 points; Scottie Reynolds had 15 and Corey Fisher 12. Six players had at least five rebounds and 10 scored. The ‘Cats outrebounded the Pirates 50-31. Senior standout Scottie Reynolds continues to lead Villanova in scoring with 18.7 ppg, and is one of two players on the roster that has started all 21 games.

The odds are not posted yet for this one.

Villanova will need to contain Georgetown’s big man Greg Monroe, who dismantled the Wildcats’ in their Jan. 17 meeting at the Wachovia Center. Monroe put up 29 points, 16 rebounds and four blocks in that contest. Likewise, the Hoyas will need to do a better job guarding Scottie Reynolds who scored 27 points in that same game.

Even with home court advantage you can expect the Wildcats to take this one from Georgetown by double-digits.

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English Premier League Week 24 Predictions

It’s time for another week of Barclays Premier League football. Chelsea has reestablished their two-point led atop the league table, and have once again become to the team to beat this season. The transfer window closed on Feb 1, with no real significant changes. My pick for match of the week has to be Manchester United at Arsenal. Here I take a look at a few this week’s top matches, giving you insight on making your EPL soccer wager a winner.

Liverpool: -120
Draw: +235
Everton: +350

# 9 Everton are unbeaten in nine Barclays Premier League matches since a 0-2 home defeat by #5 Liverpool. The two will square off for the 213th Merseyside derby at Everton on Saturday. The Reds are on a run as of late, and are unbeaten in their last six league matches. They will look to repeat last year’s victory this weekend. Star striker Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard are still out injured, but Liverpool defender Fabio Aurelio is set to return. Meanwhile, Everton have been in much better form overcoming early season shortcomings due in large part numerous injured starters. They are coming off a 1-0 win over Wigan last week. Tim Cahill has been hot claiming two goals in two matches. Landon Donovan, a loan signing, is a welcome addition and will look to contribute before returning to his parent club, the LA Galaxy. While the Toffees are underdogs, they will be out for revenge from the last meeting between these two. This is one of the most contested derbies in English football, and you can expect Anfield to be in full voice come Saturday afternoon. I look for a draw in this one with both sides coming away with a point.

Manchester United: -900
Draw: +750
Portsmouth: +2000

#2 Manchester United will get a huge opportunity to pick up a much-needed three points as they host bottom table #20 Portsmouth.  The Red Devil posted a huge win at Emirates last weekend beating Arsenal 3-1. They have five win and one draw in their last six league matches. The Devils’Nemanja Vidic is expected to return to action this weekend. Vidic has been out of contention since the end of December after suffering pain from a nerve in his leg. Rio Ferdinand will miss this weekends contest as he serves the second part of a four-match ban. Former Chelsea manager Avram Grant has not any success with getting his squad out of a relegation spot since his arrival at Fratton Park. It probably won’t get any better as Portsmouth will now have to face the most in-form team on the road this weekend. It’s hard to see them finding any way to defend against the likes of Wayne Rooney and Nani, but we should be quick to remember that the Devils were beaten by Burnley earlier in the season. Nigeria striker Nwankwo Kanu is expected to be back having returned from the African Nations Cup. This should be an easy win for United at Old Trafford.

Hull City: +400
Draw: +250
Manchester City: -140

#18 Hull City looked like they might manage their first win of the New Year but gave up a second equalizer to the Wolves in last weeks match that ended in a draw. The Tiger will host #6 Manchester City this weekend. The two teams played to a draw in the corresponding fixture earlier this season. Hull is yet to record a win since November and now have a good opportunity to grab three points at home. Hull forward Geovanni will be unavailable to face his former team after suffering a minor medial ligament problem, but Nigeria midfielder Seyi Olofinjana is available after returning from the African Nations Cup while Jimmy Bullard remains around three weeks away from action after a knee problem. In the meantime, Roberto Mancini has had a fairly consistent few weeks with City so far beating Everton 2-0 in their last away match. With the return of Emmanuel Adebayor, the forward ranks have been replenished, and they are strong favorites to take all three points at the KC Stadium.

Chelsea: -125
Draw: +230
Arsenal: +375

The Blues are currently atop the league table and have the Premier League’s most impressive defensive record with 11 clean sheets in 24 outings. They will bid for a 12th this Sunday, as they host top scorers #3 Arsenal, who have netted 60 goals in the same number of games. The Gunners have slipped form as of late, having taken just a single point from their last two matches and dropped their first reverse to Manchester United 2-1 last weekend at Emirates Stadium. Arsenal has had some trouble finding the back of the net recently, and if not for defender Thomas Vermaelen, they could have been shut out by United. Brazilian striker Eduardo Da Silva is set to miss out once again after sitting out the defeat to Man U with the hamstring problem he picked up against Aston Villa. In the meantime, Chelsea have dropped just two points at home all season so a big win at Stamford Bridge seems in order. Defender Jose Bosingwa and Juliano Belletti are expected to miss the game as both players recover from knee injuries. John Terry will captain the side despite his very public personal issues that were brought to light over the past week. The Blues will tough to beat on their home pitch, but the Gunners will not be looking for two straight losses. This will definitely be a close game, as both clubs have plenty to prove. I expect this hard fought battle to end in a 2-2 draw.

My other picks for the week are Tottenham over Aston Villa, Birmingham City over Wolverhampton, Fulham over Bolton, Blackburn drawing with Stoke City, West Ham over Burnley, and Sunderland drawing with Wigan.

Wichita State vs Northern Iowa | Preview, Predictions, Odds

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2009  - College Basketball Free Pick

Wichita State Shockers (19-4) vs. #24 Northern Iowa Panthers (19-2)

The No. 24 Northern Iowa Panthers will host the Wichita State Shockers on Wednesday night in a Missouri Valley tilt at McLeod Center in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

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The Shockers ended the then-no. 20 Panthers 15-game win streak beating them 60-51 in Wichita back on Jan 19. The Panthers have won seven of the last 10 matchups against Wichita State, but the Shockers still own a 21-18 edge over Northern Iowa in the all-time series.

WSU improved their conference record to 8-3 with a thrilling, 55-54 win over Southern Illinois on Sunday. Graham Hatch had a team-high 13 points and Garrett Stutz put up 12 points off the bench while Clevin Hannah dished out seven assists, and seven points in the win. Hannah, along with Toure’ Murry are the teams leading scorers with 12.4 ppg apiece. Hannah has also posted a team-best 99 assists. The Shockers can attribute this season’s success to solid defense. They are holding opponents to just 59.6 ppg on 40.9 percent shooting, while averaging 70.6 ppg on the season.

Likewise, the Panthers have been just as tenacious at the defensive end of the floor and have earned a spot in the top 25 by positing its third straight with win over Missouri State, 55-54 on Saturday. The victory gave the Panthers the top spot in the MVC with a league-best 10-1 record. Jordan Eglseder led the team with 14 points, while Adam Koch added 10 points and six boards in the win. Koch is pacing the team with 12.7 ppg.  Northern Iowa is holding the opposition to just 55.1 ppg and a 40.0 percent shooting while averaging just 64.8 ppg, despite shooting a respectable 45.0 percent from the floor.

The odds makers have the Shockers as +5-point underdogs in this one.

Considering how well both teams play defensively this should be a low-scoring affair.

Look for this to be a close one with the Panthers edging out a 4-point win in the final minute.

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UAB vs Memphis | Preview, Predictions, Odds

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2010 – FREE NCAA PICK

UAB Blazers (18-3) vs. Memphis Tigers (11-6)

The UAB Blazers will travel to Memphis to do battle against the Tigers in a C-USA bout at FedEx Forum on Wednesday evening.

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The two teams last met on Feb 26, when then-No. No. 5 Memphis beat UAB 71-60 to clinch C-USA title.

The Blazers fell from the national rankings in a 74-65 double OT loss to UTEP on Saturday night. Kenneth Cooper had 18 points and 12 rebounds, Aaron Johnson scored 15 points and Howard Crawford added 10 in a loss that snapped the Blazers’ seven-game winning streak and handed them their first C-USA defeat of the season. Johnson left the court and did not return after colliding with UTEP’s Randy Culpepper late in the game. UAB officials said he has a broken nose, and will be out for an undisclosed amount of time. The Blazers shot a lousy 26 percent from the field in the first half while allowing UTEP to shot 48 percent in the first 20 minutes. Not good considering UAB leads C-USA in scoring defense at 59.9 points.

Meanwhile, after a 64-game C-USA winning streak, Memphis has lost two of its last four league contests including a 70-60 loss to SMU on Saturday. Elliot Williams had 19 points and Roburt Sallie 17 in the loss. Earlier in the season, the Tigers chemistry seemed off but as of late they are coming together.  However, their lack of depth will surely be tested against C-USA leader UAB. The Tigers is scoring 75.5 ppg while ranking third in the league in points allowed at 62.0 ppg on just 40.7 percent field goal efficiency while forcing from more than 17 turnovers per outing.

The odds makers have Memphis at –8-point favorites.

The Blazers have established themselves as a legitimate NCAA Tournament team, and they will have a huge opportunity to make a serious bid for the C-USA title as they play a Tigers team that is short on depth and does not carry the level of talent as they have in the past.  If they can contain Memphis’ Elliot Williams, the Tigers will struggle to outscore the Blazers.

Expect the Blazers to out gun and out rebound the Tigers and cruise to a double-digit victory.

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Mississippi State vs Vanderbilt | Preview, Predictions, Odds

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2010 – FREE NCAA BASKETBALL PICK

Mississippi State (16-5) v #18 Vanderbilt Commodores (16-4)

The No. 18 Vanderbilt Commodores will prepare to tip off against SEC West Division leader, the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Wednesday at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tennessee.

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The Bulldogs handed Vandy a 73-66 defeat the last time the two teams met back on Jan 17. The Commodores, who haven’t lost at home in more than a year, have won two in a row against Mississippi State in Nashville. The home team has also won the last five games in the series.

The Commodores will be looking to get back on the rails while trying to record their 16th consecutive home victory after their 10-game winning streak was snapped by an 85-72 loss at former No. 1 Kentucky on Saturday. Jermaine Beal recorded a team-high 19 while star 6-11 junior center A.J. Ogilvy was held to just 12 points, eight by way of free throws in the loss. Ogilvy also grabbed just four rebounds, as the Commodores were out rebounded 41-22. Vandy shot a decent47.8 percent, but allowed the Wildcats to drain 12 of 23 from beyond the arc.

Mississippi State is also looking to get back in track and at the same time avoid a third straight conference road loss. The Bulldogs have won four consecutive games and won nine of 10 against the SEC East including a 67-51 win over LSU on Saturday. Ravern Johnson scored a team-high 15 points while Jarvis Varnado scored 11 points and Barry Stewart and Phil Turner added 12 points each in the win. Despite State’s lack of scoring and shooting in recent games, its defense remains consistent, allowing a SEC-best 61 points per game.

The odds makers have the Bulldogs +4.5-point underdogs in this one.

This match up will produce a pair of critical duels. Ogilvy versus Varnado and Beal against State’s Dee Bost. Bost has to play better at the point, as he was just 3-for-14 from the field and 0-for-5 from the 3-point line this past week.

Expect this game to go down to the wire with Vandy hitting a pivotal 3-pointer to win this one at home.

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Mississippi vs Kentucky | Preview, Predictions, Odds

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2010 – FREE COLLEGE BASKETBALL PICK

#25 Mississippi Rebels (16-5) v #3 Kentucky Wildcats (20-1)

The No. 3 Kentucky Wildcats will look to regain their top ranking with a win over the visiting No. 25 Mississippi Rebels on Tuesday at the Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.

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The last time these two met was on Mar 12, 2009, with Kentucky cruising to a comfortable 71-58 victory in the opening round of the SEC conference tournament. The Wildcats also hold a 48-2 advantage at Lexington, taking the last five matchups there since falling 73-64 to then-No. 18 Ole Miss on Feb. 14, 1998.

Ole Miss struggled defensively, allowing the Razorbacks to shoot 48.1 percent from the field as Arkansas stunned Mississippi with an 80-73 loss at home on Sunday. The defeat dropped the Rebs seven spots in the national rankings. Forward Murphy Holloway had a team-high 19 points and 17 rebounds while Rebs leading scorer Chris Warren put up 17 points in the loss.  Ole Miss started the season with multiple double-digit wins in pre-conference and climbed as high as No. 14 in the national rankings, but has lost both of their contests against top 10 teams. The Rebs will most likely be without emerging freshman forward/center Reginald Buckner for tonight’s game, who is out with an ankle injury. That will leave just Holloway and the Rebs’ guards to handle defending the ‘Cats in the paint.

The Wildcats rebounded from a stunning loss of their own against South Carolina with an 85-72 victory over No. 21 Vanderbilt on Saturday. Freshman standout DeMarcus Cousins dominated inside registering his fourth consecutive double double and 12th of the season by posting 21 points and 10 rebounds. He also went 6-of-10 from the field and made nine free throws in the win. Kentucky totaled 18 offensive rebounds in the game and held Vanderbilt to 22 rebounds overall. The Wildcats not only controlled the paint but also were solid from 3-point range netting 12-of-23 shots from beyond the arc. Darnell Dodson made four 3-pointers en route to 16 points, while Eric Bledsoe and leading scorer John Wall each had 13 points in the win. The win put the Wildcats into a tie with Vandy at the top of the SEC Eastern Division. They will meet again in Nashville on Feb. 20.

The odd makers have the Wildcats as –10 ½-favorites and a game total of 151 in this one.

Ole Miss relies heavily on their ability to knock down shots from the 3-point range more than any team in the SEC. They went just 6-for-22 against Arkansas. What happens if they fall short again against Kentucky?  The matchup will pit Kentucky freshman’s Wall and Bledsoe against Ole Miss’ veterans Warren, White, and Polynice. Will experience topple youth?

I expect a close first half with Kentucky going on a run early in the second and notching an 11-point victory and UNDER.

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Michigan State vs Wisconsin | Preview, Predictions, Odds

FREE BASKETBALL PICK – TUESDAY, FEBRUARUY 2, 2010

#5 Michigan State Spartans (19-3) v #16 Wisconsin Badgers (16-5)

The No. 16 Wisconsin Badgers will host the red-hot No. 5 Michigan State Spartans in a Big 10 showdown on Tuesday at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin.

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The Spartans knocked off the Badgers 54-47 in their previous meeting at MSU back on Jan 6.

Wisconsin held Purdue scoreless for the first 5:44 of the second half to take a 34-27 lead but poor defense in the closing minutes allowed the No. 10 Boilermakers to hand the Badgers a heartbreaking 60-57 loss to on Thursday in a Big 10 contender match up.  Keaton Nankivil scored a career-high 25 points and shot 7 of 8 on 3-pointers in the loss.  Nankivil was 9 for 14 overall, but the rest of the Badgers shot just 11 for 36 from the field. Purdue outrebounded Wisconsin 37-25 and held the Badger’s scoring trio of Trevon Hughes, Jordan Taylor and Jason Bohannon to a combined 25 points on 8-for-28 shooting. The loss kept the Badgers from grabbing sole possession, and instead put them into a four-way tie with Purdue, Ohio State and Illinois for second place in the conference.

Meanwhile, the Spartans are coming off their tenth win in a row, and nine straight wins in the conference, as 6-foot-4 junior guard Durrell Summers helped his team by netting a season-high 24 points and 10 rebounds to lead Michigan State to a 79-70 win over Northwestern on Saturday night. MSU leading scorer Kalin Lucas scored 23 points and four assists while Draymond Green contributed with nine points, 11 rebounds and four assists in the win. The victory gives MSU a commanding three game conference lead.

The odds makers have the Badgers as –2-point favorites and a game total of 123 ½ in this one.

It’s hard to detect a distinct advantage for either team in Tuesday’s match up. However, the Badgers will be without junior forward Jon Leuer, who remains sidelined due to a broken left wrist. Leur put up 21 points and seven rebounds when the Badgers lost 54-47 to MSU early last month, so his absence could prove costly for Wisconsin.

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If anyone can derail Michigan State’s 9-0-conference start it’s the Badgers who are a perfect 12-0 at the Kohl Center. However, the Spartans are 4-0 in Big Ten road games.  I expect this game to come down to the closing minutes with the Wisconsin edging out a win 4-point at home and the UNDER.

English Premier League Week 23 Predictions

Things are heating up as we head into Week 23 of Barclays Premier League action.  After the excitement of midweek matches, FA Cup draws, and Carling Cup semis, we can only expect some tired footballers over the next few days. Chelsea has regained their thrown atop the league table, holding a one-point advantage over reigning champions Manchester United. After sitting at number one in Week 22, Arsenal has slipped to third place overall. My pick for match of the week has to be Manchester United at Arsenal. Here I take a look at a few this week’s top games, giving you insight on making your EPL soccer wager a winner.

Liverpool: -230
Draw: +325
Bolton Wanderers: +650

#15 Bolton should be rejuvenated as they are coming off a 1-0 win over Burnley in their last match. It is their first Barclays Premier League win under new manager Owen Coyle. The lone goal came at the 34th minute, when South Korean youngster Chung-Yong Lee found himself in space inside the area and chipped the ball up under the crossbar. Although the ball ended up outside of the goal, Lee had done just enough to get the ball over the line. The Wanderers will travel to Anfield this Saturday to take on #5 Liverpool who has moved up a couple of spots taking 11 points from a possible 15. The Reds seem to have turned their form around as of late and are undefeated in their last five matches, having won at home on the previous three occasions. Coach Rafa Benetiz is hoping his squad can keep that home form alive with a win, preserving his 5-year tenure for a bit longer. Liverpool has added some much needed depth to their midfield, picking up the Maxi Rodriguez, but will still be without star striker Fernando Torres. Bolton has been a better team, taking two wins from four, but heading to Anfield is never easy and the Wanderers haven’t managed a win in their last six games on the road. Expect Liverpool to pick up the win and three points.

Hull City: +125
Draw: +225
Wolves: +215

#17 Wolverhampton Wanderers have lost three of their last four on the road and visit a #19 Hull City who has gone nine matches without a win. Both teams will be looking for an important win to gather some points to avoid move up the table to avoid league relegation. The Tigers’ home form has slumped of late, but still manages to be solid enough, especially against struggling teams like Wolverhampton. The two teams played to a scoreless draw earlier in the season, but both squads have made several roster changes since that first meeting. Hull acquired Egypt international Amr Zaki, and the Wolves gained newcomer Geoffrey Mujangi Bia. Hull will still be without midfielder Jimmy Bullard, out for almost two months with a knee injury. The Wolves are only sitting outside of the relegation zone on a single goal difference, while the Tigers are battling to get themselves out of the relegation zone. A loss for either team this weekend could prove costly. Both squads will be looking to find some action up front, but I expect this one to end in another goalless draw.

Burnley: +1250
Draw: +420
Chelsea: -400

#18 Burnley are still seeking their first goal under new manager Brian Laws and have one point from a possible 15 with three straight losses, including a 1-0 loss at Bolton last weekend. It was another painful reminder of just how poor Burnley’s away form has been this season. They will host a red hot  #1 Chelsea squad this weekend, who are top of the form table and the Barclays Premier League. The bright side is the Clarets have only lost once at home this year, but it’s hard to see them beating the Blues even with home pitch advantage. Chelsea at the moment has three straight wins, and with star striker Didier Drogba returning from the Africa Cup of Nations, things are only looking up for the Pensioners. I expect that Chelsea will have no problem winning this one away from Stamford Bridge and walking away with three points.

Arsenal: +155
Draw: +225
Manchester United: +175

Probably one of the best matches thus far in the season will be on tap as #3 Arsenal host #2 Manchester United in a clash of the titans this Sunday. The last meeting between these two was close, but ultimately decided by an Arsenal error. The Gunners are coming off a scoreless draw at Aston Villa, and remain unbeaten in their last six matches. United pounded bottom table Hull City 4-0 in their last league match as star striker Wayne Rooney managed an incredible four-goal outing. Rooney scored three of his four goals in less than 10 minutes with the first slicing past Burnely keeper Andy Dawson in the second half, and then the hat-trick three minutes later. The Gunners will still be without Robin van Persie, but will welcome back Cameroon midfielder Alex Song from international duty for the visit of Manchester United on Sunday.

My other picks for the week are Tottenham over Birmingham City, Aston Villa over Fulham, Blackburn drawing with West Ham, Everton over Wigan, Manchester City over Portsmouth and Sunderland drawing with Stoke City.

Duke vs Georgetown | Preview, Predictions, Odds

COLLEGE BASKETBALL PICK – SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 2010

#8 Duke Blue Devils (17-3) v #7 Georgetown Hoyas (15-4)

The No. 8 Duke Blue Devils will do battle with No. 7 Georgetown Hoyas in non-conference clash on Thursday at the Verizon Center in the Nation’s Capital.

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The Devils beat the Hoyas 76-67 the last time the two teams met on Jan 17, 2009, wining their eighth straight and finishing their home nonconference schedule by winning their Division I-best 68th consecutive non-ACC game at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Georgetown will try to avoid a repeat as they look to get back on the rails after losing to No.5 Syracuse 73-56 on Monday night. Austin Freeman scored a team-high 23 points while Jason Clark had 15 in the loss. A much taller Orange squad proved to be too much for the Hoyas who struggled scoring from inside and eventually fell when their perimeter shooting dried up.  Leading scorer Greg Monroe recorded just eight points and fouled out for the first time this season with six minutes remaining.

Meanwhile Duke’s Kyle Singler scored 12 of his 20 points in the second half as the Blue Devils thrashed Florida State 70-56 on Wednesday night for their 14th straight win at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Jon Scheyer had a team-high 22 points in the win. The Devils shot 43 percent against the nation’s toughest 35.5 field-goal percentage defense and forced 22 turnovers. The Devils are just 1-3 on the road this season while the Hoyas is 9-1 at home. Duke is 4-1 this season against nationally ranked teams.

The odds makers have Georgetown as -2-point favorites in this one.

Georgetown will need more production from its bench. Only four subs have scored in Big East play this season. The Blue Devils rely heavily on Jon Scheyer, Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler for much of their offense, but have a number of players to rotate against Greg Monroe in the paint. Monroe will be hounded and could expect a lot of trips to the charity stripe.

This shapes up as another one of those physical types of games and I expect the Hoyas to take this one at home.

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