| As expected, Monday's NBA games couldn't | | | | game (9:00 ET), it's Miami-Fla at Virginia (the Cavs |
| match Sunday's offensive explosion. Monday's | | | | are a 2 1/2-point choice with a total of 129.)U |
| six-game card averaged 184.7 PPG, with the | | | | Conn took over the No.1 spot from Duke (had |
| night's highest scoring game being Denver's | | | | been No. 1 since the preseason) in the latest AP |
| 107-101 win over Toronto. That fell woefully short | | | | poll. It's the sixth time the Huskies have been |
| of Seattle's 152-149 double-overtime win over | | | | ranked No. 1 and the school's longest stay at the |
| Phoenix, the NBA's highest-scoring game in 11 | | | | top was for 10 weeks back in 1998-99. Duke fell |
| years.Tracy McGrady had a 41-point game in | | | | to No.2, while former No. 2 Florida dropped to No. |
| Houston's 97-80 win over Milwaukee, the night's | | | | 5. Memphis is No. 3 and Texas (which won its |
| best scoring effort. Unfortunately, his 41 points | | | | ninth straight last night 80-46 over Okla St) is No. |
| left T-Mac a mere 40 points shy of Kobe's 81 on | | | | 4. Pittsburgh, which joined Duke and Florida on |
| Sunday, the second-highest scoring outburst in | | | | Saturday by losing for the first time this year |
| NBA history!My free play for Tuesday is in college | | | | (but won 80-67 last night over Syracuse), |
| hoops, Ohio over Akron at 7:00 ET. I'm on a | | | | dropped from No. 9 to No. 12.Super Bowl Update: |
| 12-5-1 70.5% CBB run since Jan 14 after last | | | | It looks as if the early money is all on Pittsburgh, |
| night's win on Pitt. Tuesday, I feature not one but | | | | as 'FOURS' are popping up in many sports books |
| TWO 20* plays in college hoops. I also have a 15* | | | | (in Las Vegas and off-shore). The Steelers are |
| in the NBA, looking to bounce back from Golden | | | | the NINTH non-division winner to make the Super |
| State's total collapse Monday!Tuesday night's | | | | Bowl. There have been seven previous wild card |
| schedule sees the league's two-best teams in | | | | teams to make it this far since the 1970 merger |
| action. Detroit (33-5) is at Minnesota where the | | | | plus there was the 1969 KC Chiefs.The Chiefs |
| Pistons are a five-point choice with a total of 175. | | | | finished second in the Western Division to the |
| The Spurs, who are tied with the Mavericks for | | | | Oakland Raiders that season but because the AFL |
| the league's second-best mark, are at home | | | | (in the final year before the merger) wanted to |
| against the Bobcats. San Antonio is 19-3 at home | | | | match the NFL's playoff structure (NFL had a |
| but just 9-13 ATS, while the Bobcats own the | | | | four-division league while the AFL had just two |
| league's worst overall record (11-30) and are 4-18 | | | | divisions), the league made a one-year playoff |
| on the road but 14-7-1 ATS. The Spurs are | | | | change. The division runners-up would meet the |
| favored by 15 with a total of 186 1/2.Memphis is | | | | division winners from the opposite division (East |
| in Miami, a rematch of an Opening Night game (11 | | | | winner playing West runner-up and West winner |
| 2) in which the Heat won in Memphis, 97-78. Miami | | | | playing East runner-up).The Chiefs beat the Jets |
| is favored by 6 1/2 points with a total of 184. | | | | 13-6 in New York and then in the AFC title game, |
| Phoenix is in Orlando and this game offers a stark | | | | beat the Raiders (who had beaten the Chiefs |
| contrast. Both teams are coming off OT games | | | | BOTH times in the regular season while finishing |
| in their last outings. However, while Orlando beat | | | | 12-1-1- to KCs' 11-3!) in Oakland, 17-7. The Chiefs |
| Sacramento on Saturday in OT 83-78, Phoenix | | | | then went on to upset the Minnesota Vikings in |
| lost its OT game in double-OT, by the score of | | | | Super Bowl IV, 23-7!FOUR of the previous eight |
| 152-149! Phoenix, 11-4 SU and ATS since | | | | 'wild card' Super Bowl teams (including KC in that |
| Christmas, is a 5 1/2-point favorite over Orlando | | | | group) have won the Super Bowl. The Raiders in |
| (total is 209 1/2), which enters on a six-game | | | | 1980 became the first "official" wild card team to |
| home winning streak.The college basketball | | | | do it when they beat the Eagles in Super Bowl |
| schedule is topped by two TV doubleheaders. On | | | | XV, with the 1997 Broncos (beat Green Bay in |
| ESPN, it's Kentucky at Auburn at 7:00 ET (the | | | | Super Bowl XXXII) and the 2000 Ravens (beat |
| Wildcats are favored by 3 1/2 points with a total | | | | the NY Giants in Super Bowl XXXV) joining the |
| of 127) and Indiana at Iowa at 9:00 ET | | | | Chiefs and Raiders. If the 2005 Steelers are to |
| (Hawkeyes are favored by 2 1/2 points with a | | | | join that group, they'll have to do it as the |
| total of 129). On ESPNU at 7:00 ET, Georgetown, | | | | first-ever wild card team to be FAVORED (more |
| which just beat Duke on Saturday and is ranked | | | | NFL stuff tomorrow).Ness Notes is available |
| in the top-25 (21) for the first time since 12/31 | | | | Monday through Friday by 1:00 ET.Larry Ness is a |
| 01, is at Notre Dame (Irish are favored by two | | | | documented member of the Professional |
| points with a total of 137 1/2). In the second | | | | Handicappers League. |