If you are a gamer and an avid reader of the Sports Gospel and Book of Prognostication, then you probably took my advice and wagered on Minnesota to upset Indiana in college basketball last week.
Now, I know it was a gutsy call and I know that only the experts can spot things like this, so I am gladly accepting all praise and acknowledgements of greatness for my superior intellect on that game. I have to get out of it all that I can — after all, it's the only game I've picked right in the three weeks I've done this column.
Yep, in three weeks, I've picked one game right. One game and two prop bets. I indeed have a lot to account for, including: my promised dark horse pick for the NCAA championship, why I didn't go through with my voodoo against Pittsburgh a few weeks back, how one girl is responsible for Pittsburgh's trip to the Super Bowl, why that girl is a bitch, and why Ron Artest's porn star name would be "Thomas Lay."
All in due time. I need to ride this for all it's worth, so this week, you need to know only two things. I'm 3-15 in the picks column so far, and, I'm picking Pittsburgh -4 to win the Super Bowl.
Now, in a desperate attempt to have some level of success associated with this column, I'm going to present you with some picks by someone who is not horrifically cursed. A.J. Braves is the host of "Takin' the Charge," which debuts next week on SportsRant Radio.
TTC is a fresh look at college basketball — a show that's not afraid to criticize, but will be the first to give credit where credit is due ... especially for the hustle plays. Braves knows his stuff, and soon you will, too. (Shameless plug: I'm going to be co-hosting with him for the first few months and the show is shaping up to be very strong, so make sure to check out the debut on Wednesday at SportsRant.com.)
As always, BetOnSports.com is giving an additional 10% signup bonus to all Sports Gospel readers, so make sure to type in "Sports Gospel Promo" to get your bonus.
Without further ado, here are some picks from someone with a far better track record than mine.
Saturday Picks
Arizona @ UCLA, (Pauley Pavilion, 4 PM EST)
If the line's less than UCLA -9, take the Bruins — don't trust the O/U.
Arizona is one of the most inconsistent teams in all of college basketball. They can beat (at the time) a Washington squad with the nation's longest winning streak, but then get blown-out on the road to an unranked UNC team. Arizona still lacks a go-to scorer/on the court leader, and they're frontcourt is practically non-existent (just ask Tyler Hansbrough). UCLA took care of the 'Cats at McKale earlier in the year, and contests at Pauley Pavilion has never been "fun," for Olsen's boys. Jordan Farmar is too smart and too strong with the ball for the Arizona defense, and the Bruins have more depth down the stretch.
Though Arizona has speed, UCLA can match them step-for-step for lose balls and the Bruins out-rebounded Arizona the first time out — and they'll do it once again on Saturday. One team will be lucky to eclipse 80 points, but in the end, the UCLA depth and skilled backcourt will hand the 'Cats another conference loss.
UConn @ Indiana (Assembly Hall, 1 PM EST)
Three words: take the over.
UConn is the nation's top team, coming into a hostile environment to take on another member of the top 25 ... the ball will find its way to the rim. Indiana has been streaky of late, but it's not tough to see that the Hoosiers play to the level of their opponent (i.e. up for Duke, down for Minnesota). This will be the second time Indiana gets a shot to knock off the nation's No. 1 team this season, and after ending their two-game skid at home vs. Northwestern, Mike Davis' squad has plenty of time to prepare for the all-around talented Huskies team. On the other side of the ball, UConn has weapons everywhere, and each player on that starting five has the ability to drop 20+ a game.
This will be a high-scoring affair, and could even be a lot closer than people think. That's why I'm not evening thinking about the line, and keeping my sights set on all of the balls I'll see falling through the hoop.
Florida State @ Duke (Cameron Indoor Stadium, 12 PM EST)
Duke -14 or less, take the Devils.
Last time the Blue Devils played an unranked conference opponent at home, J.J. Redick went for 40 on 11-of-13 shooting and Duke won by 19. Despite Virginia never being in the game, Duke didn't run up the score, and judging by how it looked (trust me, I was there), the score could have been a whole lot worse. But all of that aside, we're still talking about Duke at home here. FSU will stay around for the most part, but they don't have the manpower or talent to turn this into a high scoring or close affair.
I wouldn't look at the O/U — Duke takes this contest by a respectable margin, but they don't blow it wide open.
Sunday Games
Pittsburgh @ Georgetown (MCI Center, 12 PM EST)
The O/U could be tricky — if Pitt is -5 or less, jump on it.
Pitt's on the road once again, and last time out, they played UConn to a four-point defeat. They had a chance for the W, too, but watched it slip away. Winning for the Hoyas, however, has been a strong suit as of late. G-Town brings a five-game winning streak to the MCI Center, but that's where it ends. Pitt will not only have the best player on the floor (Carl Krauser), but they also have the frontcourt size and shooting ability to keep G-Town an arm's length away.
Expect this one to be close — vs. top 25 teams this season, Pitt hasn't had a contest reach more than a 10-point differential. I still see the Panthers taking care of business, but on the road vs. the red-hot Hoyas, it won't be easy.
The Sports Gospel According to Mark is sponsored by BetOnSports.com. BetOnSports.com gives you the greatest sports action to bet on. Wager on football, cricket, boxing, rugby, horse racing, and more. Mark Chalifoux is also a weekly columnist for SportsFan Magazine. His columns appear every Tuesday on Sports Central. You can e-mail Mark at markchalifoux@sports-central.org.
