Daily tips for November 14

Note: Bets are listed in three categories – 1) Suggested (likely bet but yet to be finalised); 2) Confirmed (locked in at the price listed); and 3) Leans (tips, but not recommended bets); all times quoted are Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT).


Racing for November 14

Horse racing: Bendigo (Vic), Gosford (NSW), Rockhampton (Qld), Bunbury (WA). Harness racing: Redcliffe (Qld), Penrith (NSW), Cranbourne (Vic). Greyhound racing: Traralgon (Vic), Dubbo (NSW), Shepparton (Vic), Maitland (NSW), Warrnambool (Vic), Sandown Park (Vic), Angle Park (SA), Hobart (Tas), Dapto (NSW), Albion Park (Qld), Mandurah (WA).

A couple of items at the opposite end of the emotional spectrum caught my eye today. Firstly, Australian racing’s living legend James Bartholomew Cummings (pictured), turns 86 today. Bart has trained an astounding 266 Group I winners that includes 12 Melbourne Cups, more than 50 Derbies and Oaks as well as five Doncaster Handicaps, four Golden Slippers and two Cox Plates.  In 2001, he was the inaugural inductee in the Racing Hall Of Fame and in 2008 he was elevated to 'Legend' status. I also wanted to make mention that Racing Queensland and the National Jockeys’ Trust have established a fund to support the family of Desire Gill, who lost her life in a race fall at the Sunshine Coast last Saturday. Gill left behind a husband and two sons after passing away from injuries sustained in the accident. Anyone is welcome to donate to a bank account opened to hold all fund monies. The details of the account are – Name: The Desiree Gill Fund, BSB: 084-004, Account number: 39-452-7218. The $20,000 in prizemoney from the two races abandoned following the fall at Saturday's meeting is also being donated to the fund.

Confirmed bets

Bendigo R4 #14 Navajo Run (E/W 1x2) 1st ($4.70/$1.90)

Gosford R7 #4 Kreskin (E/W 1x2) LOSE (U/P)

Rockhampton R3 #1 Isis Devil (win) 1st ($1.70)

Leans

Bendigo R3 #2 Faith And Fury (E/W 1x2) 3rd ($1.70)

Bendigo R8 #12 Trust In A Gust (win) 1st ($2.30)

Gosford R1 #5 Time To Strike (win) 1st ($1.80)

Gosford R5 #2 Bilyana (win) LOSE (3rd)

Rockhampton R6 #6 Stage Exit (E/W 1x4) 1st ($4.00/$1.60)

Rockhampton R7 #1 Mortgage Lifter (E/W 1x3) 1st ($2.70/$1.40)

College Football (week 12) for November 14

MAC: Ball State Cardinals (9-1, 6-0 MAC) @ 15 Northern Illinois Huskies (9-0, 5-0 MAC), Huskie Stadium, Dekalb, IL, Thursday, November 14, noon

While Northern Illinois is in the midst of what could be a second straight special season, it’s not the only undefeated team in the Mid-American Conference's West Division. Riding two of the nation’s longest winning streaks, the Huskies can remain unbeaten by preventing visiting Ball State from clinching the division title with their 12th consecutive league victory. Northern Illinois (9-0, 5-0) has won 24 consecutive home games and 22 straight overall against conference opponents (the longest active such streaks in the FBS). The two-time reigning MAC champion Huskies are 15th in the BCS rankings and have 2012 Heisman candidate quarterback Jordan Lynch (pictured) leading an offence that ranks among the top 10 in the FBS averaging 44.2 points, 312.7 rushing yards and 545.4 total yards per game. However, it’s Ball State (9-1, 6-0) that can secure the division title for the first time since 2008 with its eighth consecutive overall victory. The Cardinals’ only loss this season came at North Texas on September 14, when the Mean Green erased a 20-3 deficit to stun Ball State 34-27. They are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 conference games.

The Huskies have been preparing for this game since November 2, which will feature two quarterbacks with impressive stats but very different styles – Lynch and Ball State’s Keith Wenning, who has 27 touchdowns against only five interceptions this season. Ball State’s two-pronged rushing attack of Jahwan Edwards and Horactio Banks has combined for 1344 yards and 19 touchdowns on the ground. The fuel to the Huskies’ engine is Lynch, who finished seventh in the Heisman Trophy balloting a season ago and could place even higher this year, with 1871 passing yards and 19 touchdowns to go along with 1150 rushing yards and 12 scores on the ground. Lynch is one of nine players in FBS history to accumulate at least 3000 rushing yards and 5000 passing yards, a list that also includes San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who did it at Nevada from 2008-11. While Northern Illinois’ offence gets most of the attention, its defense has yielded 24 points or less in six straight games, led by ball-hawking safety Jimmie Ward and his team-high five interceptions. The ‘over’ is 10-4 in Huskies last 14 games in November.

Confirmed bets

Ball State @ Northern Illinois -9.5 (one unit @ $1.91) WIN (27-48)

Miami (Ohio) @ Kent State -49 (one unit @ $1.91) WIN (6-24)

Leans

Ball State @ Northern Illinois +72.5 $1.91 WIN (27-48)

Miami (Ohio) +18 @ Kent State $1.91 PUSH (6-24)

NBA for November 14

New York Knicks (2-4, 1-1 away) @ Atlanta Hawks (4-3, 2-0 home), Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA, Thursday, November 14, 12.10pm

New York has won four straight and seven of eight in against Atlanta, but topping the Hawks (4-3) may prove to be tougher this season than it was in years past. For a start, the Knicks will need Carmelo Anthony back on track after his lowest-scoring performance of the season. Anthony took just 10 shots and scored 16 points Sunday, and the Knicks (2-4) were out of sync on both ends of the floor during a 120-89 home loss to San Antonio. Now they take on the Hawks, a team that the reigning NBA scoring champion has scored 36, 39, 42 and 40 points against in his past four match-ups while shooting 51.4 per cent including 14 of 23 from 3-point range. Relief for Anthony has been an issue for New York, though the return from suspension of reigning Sixth Man of the Year J.R. Smith may help. Smith had just five points and shot 1 for 9 in 21 minutes during his season debut Sunday, but he will be worked in quickly to an offence that could use some punch.

New Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer has the team rolling offensively, led by a pair of physical players up front. The duo of Al Horford (pictured) and Paul Millsap has dominated the paint early in the season, with both averaging more than 18 points and seven rebounds. With Knicks starting center Tyson Chandler sidelined because of a broken leg, the Atlanta big men could be in line for big games. Horford especially has thrived early on in the new system, as he is on pace for career highs in points per game and blocked shots. In the team’s most recent outing, a 103-94 win over the Bobcats on Monday night, Horford led four Hawks in double figures with 24 points. He scored 13 in the third quarter, when Atlanta rallied from an eight-point halftime deficit to take a 10-point lead into the fourth. The center also played strong defence on Al Jefferson, limiting him to 10 points. Atlanta had alternated between losses and wins during the first six games before finally winning two in a row. The Knicks have yet to post consecutive victories.

Confirmed bets

New York Knicks @ Atlanta Hawks -4 (one unit @ $1.91) LOSE (95-91)

New Orleans Pelicans @ Utah Jazz +2.5 $1.91 WIN (105-111)

Milwaukee Bucks @ Orlando Magic +195 (one unit @ $1.91) LOSE (91-94)

Cleveland Cavaliers @ Minnesota Timberwolves -8.5 (one unit @ $1.91) WIN (95-124)

Charlotte Bobcats @ Boston Celtics -5.5 (one unit @ $1.91) LOSE (89-83)

Brooklyn Nets @ Sacramento Kings +4 $1.91 WIN -195.5

Leans

Milwaukee Bucks @ Orlando Magic -7 $1.91 LOSE (91-94)

Houston Rockets @ Philadelphia 76ers -212.5 NT $1.91 WIN (106-106)

Cleveland Cavaliers @ Minnesota Timberwolves HT -101.5 $1.91 LOSE (47-70)

Toronto Raptors @ Memphis Grizzlies -6 $1.91 LOSE +185.5 $1.91 WIN (103-87)

Washington Wizards @ San Antonio Spurs -198.5 $1.91 WIN (79-92)

Los Angeles Lakers +10 $1.91 LOSE @ Denver Nuggets -208.5 $1.91 LOSE (99-111)

Phoenix Suns @ Portland Trail Blazers -201.5 $1.91 WIN (89-90)

Brooklyn Nets @ Sacramento Kings -195.5 $1.91 WIN (86-107)

Oklahoma City Thunder @ Los Angeles Clippers -4 $1.91 WIN +207 $1.91 WIN (103-111)

NHL for November 14

Dallas Stars (8-7-2, 18pts) @ Edmonton Oilers (4-13-2, 10pts), Rexall Place, Edmonton, AB, Canada, Thursday, November 14, 2.10pm

Well, it had to happen – four raging hot favourites on the road yesterday, with all four losing! Thankfully, the damage wasn’t too severe and I escaped 2-2 with a small loss on the huge card. There are just three games for consideration today, with the Dallas Stars my best of the day as they head to the struggling Edmonton Oilers. While it’s uncertain when veteran Ilya Bryzgalov will be ready to help the Edmonton Oilers in net, their current focus must be on finding a way to score at home. Looking to avoid a fifth consecutive home loss overall and to the Dallas Stars, the Oilers will be out to keep from being shut out in three straight games there for the first time ever. With the goaltending trio of Devan Dubnyk, Jason LaBarbera and Richard Bachman, Edmonton (4-13-2) has allowed a league-worst 3.95 goals per contest and yielded 13 while losing the final three of a four-game road trip. Though the Oilers signed Bryzgalov to a one-year deal Friday, he’s expected to first spend time with the team's AHL affiliate in Oklahoma City.

Though the Oilers snapped a 0-5-1 slide to the Stars (8-7-2) with a 5-1 victory at Dallas on February 28 in the teams’ last meeting, Edmonton has been outscored 13-5 during a 0-3-1 home skid in the series. On a trip to Ottawa, Boston and Detroit last week, the Stars posted a pair of shootout wins before a 4-3 overtime victory over the Red Wings. However, they returned home Saturday and fell 5-2 to Chicago. Coach Lindy Ruff will make some line changes after winger Ray Whitney went on injured reserve Tuesday with a lower-body injury. His spot will be filled by call-up Travis Morin, who leads the AHL with 24 points (10 goals, 14 assists). Ruff is also hoping for a better effort from a power play that is 2 for 29 over the last nine games. Jamie Benn has two goals and an assist in the last three games, and he has eight points in seven career games at Edmonton. Teammate Kari Lehtonen is 5-1-0 with a 2.24 goals-against average on the road this season and has a 1.24 GAA during the four-game win streak at Edmonton.

Confirmed bets

Dallas Stars WIN @ Edmonton Oilers (one unit @ $1.91) WIN (3-0)

Toronto Maple Leafs @ Minnesota Wild WIN (one unit @ $1.67) WIN (1-2)

Leans

Toronto Maple Leafs @ Minnesota Wild -5 $2.13 WIN (1-2)

Philadelphia Flyers TT -2.5 $1.68 WIN +1.5 $1.64 @ Pittsburgh Penguins WIN (2-1)

Dallas Stars TT +2.5 $1.74 @ Edmonton Oilers WIN (3-0)

Football (World Cup playoffs) for November 14

CONCACAF/OFC qualifier: Mexico v New Zealand, Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico, Thursday, November 14, 7.30am

The All-Whites of New Zealand find themselves in a spot that was once familiar to our own Socceroos – fighting for a World Cup finals berth via a two-leg playoff against Latin American opposition. In contrast, Mexico will either end a year of unimaginable chaos with a huge sigh of relief or with utter heartbreak for El Tri’s fans and the biggest crisis yet for the Mexican Football Federation. Heading into the qualifiers, Mexico was rightly considered a CONCACAF force and dark horses for the World Cup title in Brazil. Instead, they barely stumbled and crawled their way into the playoffs. Jose Manuel “Chepo” de la Torre started the qualifying campaign as coach but his negative tactics stifled the team’s attacking talent and held back the youth. Interim coach Luis Fernando Tena managed just the one game charge before Juan Manuel Vucetich was dismissed after two games at the helm despite securing a playoff berth. Miguel Herrera has since acquired this most poison of chalices that is the position of Mexican football manager.

Herrera’s squad to take on New Zealand is made up of entirely domestic-based players and with 10 of them taken from Herrera’s Club America side meaning they will be without the likes of Javier Hernandez and Giovani dos Santos, not to mention Carlos Vela, whose exile from the Mexico team continues. New Zealand has no such luxury about picking and choosing their talent. After completing the mere formality of finishing top of the final section of Oceania qualifying, the All Whites will be without captain and star player, West Ham defender Winston Reid, who will miss the playoff with an ankle injury. Midfielder Tim Payne was already ruled out through injury. New Zealand is likely to implement a game plan to sit back and try and absorb pressure. But Mexico still have ample ability up front, especially in the form of Oribe Peralta, and should be able to get a lead in front of a passionate Azteca crowd to take to New Zealand, with two goals the most likely margin.

Confirmed bets

Mexico (only to score) v New Zealand (two units @ $1.65) LOSE (5-1)
Jordan v Uruguay 2+ (two units @ $1.67) WIN (0-5)

Leans

Mexico (by 2) v New Zealand $4.60 LOSE (5-1)
Jordan v Uruguay +2.5 $1.77 WIN (0-5)

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