Top-25 matchup pits Orange against Hoyas

NCAA Basketball Betting Lines

02/08/2012 - Syracuse, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 12th-ranked Georgetown Hoyas will attempt to tarnish the second-ranked Syracuse Orange's perfect home record tonight as the two square off in a Big East battle at the Carrier Dome.

This will be the 87th encounter between the Hoyas and Orange. Syracuse leads the all-time series 47-39 after it picked up a 58-51 victory over Georgetown last season on Feb 26th, 2011 in Washington, DC.

John Thompson III has led the Hoyas to an 18-4 overall record and an 8-3 mark in Big East action so far. Georgetown dominated South Florida, 75-45, its last time out for its second win in a row. The Bulls were the second straight opponent the Hoyas held under 50 points. Georgetown has not backed down from its top-tier opponents this season, as it is 4-1 against top 25 teams. The Hoyas' defense is allowing a league-best 58.6 ppg, while they average 71.0 ppg on the offensive end.

Jason Clark is pacing Georgetown this season with a team-highs of 15.2 points and 1.8 steals per game. The senior guard has shot 56.2 percent from the field in his last two outings. Hollis Thompson and Henry Sims are both vital to the Hoyas' success as well. Thompson is second in the team with a scoring average of 13.7 ppg. Sims had team-highs of 13 points, nine rebounds, and five assists in the recent win over South Florida. Otto Porter is reeling in a team-high 6.6 rpg.

Syracuse went back to its dominating fashion on Saturday as it rolled past St. John's to pick up a 95-70 decision. Head coach Jim Boeheim has led his team to sole possession of first place in the Big East as it has a 10-1 record in league play. The Orange's only loss this season was to Notre Dame, which they played without their impactful center Fab Melo. Syracuse leads the league in scoring with an average of 78.1 ppg, and has held its opponents to 60.8 ppg.

The Orange have had all their success come this season through a total team effort. There is not any player on Syracuse with jaw-dropping statistics, but the team's play as a solidified unit has led to superb results. Kris Joseph leads Syracuse in scoring with 13.7 ppg on 44.3 percent shooting. The senior forward has been consistent lately, reaching double figures in six straight contests. Dion Waiters averages a second-best 12.3 ppg, while Brandon Triche chips in an even 10.0 ppg. Scoop Jardine controls the offense for the Orange and leads it with 4.8 assists per contest. Melo anchors the patented 2-3 zone with 3.0 blocks per game.

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Is there such a thing as a trap game in the NFL?

I once asked that question to Pete Korner, who at the time was office manager and a senior linesmaker for Las Vegas Sports Consultants.

Korner almost ripped my head off. There is no such thing as a trap game, he loudly berated me. It’s a myth. The numbers are made using power ratings, he said.

There are trap games, though. They just might not be what you think. The perception is of a good team, say Philadelphia, laying a small number against New Orleans.

Using the highly-respected power ranking from The Gold Sheet, you’d find the Eagles with a power rating of 4 and the Saints at 8. When you factor the game being played in New Orleans, you could see why the line opened so short at less than a field goal.

For some, this makes it enticing to take the Eagles. That’s not a real trap game, though.

A real trap game, says professional gambler Dave Malinsky, is thinking you’re getting value betting a bad team, which brings us to the Oakland Raiders-Denver Broncos matchup.

The Raiders are +15 in this long-standing division rivalry. Denver is on a short week having dispatched Baltimore Monday. However, the Raiders haven’t covered the spread their last 10 games.

Many bettors don’t trust the Raiders to give a full effort. Few think much of Art Shell and his Oakland’s coaching staff.

So oddsmakers have to do something to make Oakland attractive if they hope to get equal action.

Now Malinsky is a value shopper. But he won’t touch the Raiders even getting more than two touchdowns.

“I try to eliminate the undisciplined, unfocused teams because they’re the ones most likely to suffer the bad beats,” he said.

Near the top of Malinsky’s list of stay-away teams is the Miami Dolphins, who have yet to cover a spread this season.

“Whatever you think of Nick Saban, you have to look at the penalties and turnovers,” Malinsky said.

It’s easy to point out the Dolphins failed to get the money this past week against New England because Olindo Mare missed a field goal and had another field goal blocked. But even though the Dolphins outgained the Patriots, 283-213, they committed eight penalties.

Bad teams not only cost themselves victories, but pointspread covers as well. The Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers are two more examples.

The Cardinals couldn’t have been in a better position this past Sunday, up 14-0 at home against a mediocre Kansas City Chiefs squad. But they couldn’t hold it. The Packers got a push against St. Louis, but also could have won losing by three when Brett Favre fumbled at the St. Louis 11-yard line with 44 seconds left.

“The Packers were in a position to beat Philadelphia, too,” Malinsky said. “But they couldn’t even cover double digits.

“These teams just make mistakes and it costs you … they always will look good from a value standpoint. They really will. But that’s the trap.”

Houston and Tennessee rank among the six-worst teams. Malinsky wouldn’t be afraid to take either of these teams, however, if the price were high enough.

The Texans are bad, Malinsky said, but they have some discipline. The Titans showed they could not only come up with an outstanding game plan, but execute it as well, losing by one to the Colts on the road as an 18 ?-point underdog this past Sunday.

“Jeff Fisher is a worker,” Malinsky said of the Titans coach. “I’m not sure how hard Art Shell wants to work when he gets out of bed.”

Fisher, though, could be out as Tennessee coach after this season. Is he still worth backing in the right spot, with the right price, as a lame duck coach?

“It’s in his nature to keep working hard and not worry about any possible lame duck status,” Malinsky said. “He’s coaching for his resume.”

Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting lines.