Daily tips for November 20

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).

College Football (week 13) for November 20

MAC: Buffalo Bulls (7-3, 5-1 MAC) @ Miami-Ohio RedHawks (0-10, 0-6 MAC), Yager Stadium, Oxford, OH, Wednesday, November 20, noon

The Buffalo Bulls will more than likely be playing for top spot in the Mid-American Conference's East Division next week when it tangles with Bowling Green. But first, the Bulls will need a strong showing against Miami (Ohio) as they visit the winless RedHawks at a freezing Yager Stadium. Buffalo is coming off a wild 51-41 defeat at the hands of the Toledo Rockets last week. While Buffalo is a heavy favorite against a team that manages just over 220 yards of total offence per game, the Bulls are wise not to look past this game after falling behind 38-0 against Toledo, then watching their stunning second-half rally fall just short. Quarterback Joe Licata (pictured, with thanks to the Buffalo Bulls) was one of the lone bright spots in that one with 497 passing yards and four touchdowns. Licata has shown plenty of promise as a sophomore, passing for 2235 yards and 20 touchdowns. He has thrown just one interception in his previous six games. Senior running back Branden Oliver ground out 102 yards against the Rockets, extending his streak of triple-digit rushing games to six while scoring for the eighth time in four games.

Miami (Ohio) fell to 0-6 in the conference, and 0-10 overall, with a 24-6 loss at the hands of Kent State last week. The RedHawks are playing out the string, having scored just one touchdown in their last three games. There aren’t many positives to glean from the RedHawks’ performance on either side of the ball, but things have looked particularly dire on offense. Miami (Ohio) is averaging fewer than 10 points per game, with senior quarterback Austin Boucher throwing for just 1036 yards with seven touchdowns and eight interceptions. The team is averaging only 2.6 yards per carry on the season, with a paltry three touchdowns on the ground. The RedHawks are 6-15-1 ATS in their previous 22 games while the ‘over’ is 5-0 in the last five meetings at Miami (Ohio). The Bulls are 5-0 ATS against teams with losing records. The game total is tricky here, as the Bulls will be required to post the majority of the 48 points in icy conditions. The line of 24.5 looks a safer bet.

Confirmed bets

Buffalo Bulls -24.5 @ Miami-Ohio RedHawks (two units @ $1.91) WIN (44-7)
Kent State Golden Flashes @ Ohio Bobcats -6.5 (one unit @ $1.91) LOSE (44-13)

Leans

Kent State Golden Flashes @ Ohio Bobcats +51.5 $1.91 WIN (44-13)

Buffalo Bulls @ Miami-Ohio RedHawks -48.5 $1.91 LOSE (44-7)

Racing for November 20

Horse racing: Sale (Vic), Canterbury (NSW), Doomben (Qld), Morphettville (SA), Pinjarra (WA), Launceston (Tas – night). Harness racing: Bathurst (NSW), Redcliffe (Qld), Mildura (Vic). Greyhound racing: Angle Park (SA), The Meadows (Vic), Richmond (NSW), Bendigo (Vic), Albion Park (Qld), Geelong (Vic), Ballarat (Vic), Bulli (NSW), Rockhampton (Qld), Cannington (WA).

Trainer Leon Wells has a strong hand in today’s feature race – the $90,000 Tasmanian Turf Club Newmarket Handicap over 1200m at Launceston tonight. Indeed, #3 Rebel Bride is in rare form and looks mighty hard to beat. The 6yo mare, with Craig Newitt (pictured) taking the ride, has been unplaced just once in 23 starts, including 11 wins – three of which Newitt has been aboard. She won the Goodwood Handicap at Hobart in her first run this prep and carted 60kg into second at this track over 1100m a fortnight ago behind Arenzano.  Rebel Bride drops 2kg at the weights under quality conditions here where the well-performed Geegees Blackflash carries the top-weight of 60kg.

Confirmed bets

Sale R1 #2 By The Grace (E/W 1x2) 2nd ($1.80)

Launceston R6 #3 Rebel Bride (win)

Canterbury R3 #7 Supreme Joy (win) LOSE (4th)

Canterbury R6 #5 Choisir La Rouge (win) LOSE (U/P)

Leans

Sale R3 #9 Tremont (win) LOSE (2nd)

Sale R8 #5 Prince Jester (E/W) LOSE (U/P)

Canterbury R1 #2 Mutajara (win) LOSE (2nd)

Doomben R4 #8 Germayne Lass (E/W 1x4) 2nd ($1.30)

Morphettville R7 #4 Éclair Samba (win) 1st ($2.90)

Pinjarra R4 #1 First Flight (E/W 1x4)

Launceston R2 #7 Big Tilly (E/W)

NHL for November 20

Chicago Blackhawks (14-3-4, 32pts) @ Colorado Avalanche (14-5-0, 28pts), Pepsi Center, Denver, CO, Wednesday, November 20, 1.10pm

After a tremendous start to the season, the Colorado Avalanche have lost three straight games and dropped three spots in the Central Division standings in less than a week. They’ll look to snap that skid and get things going in the right direction when they host the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks here. The Avalanche (14-5-0) hadn’t lost consecutive games before the current skid, which was extended Saturday with a 4-1 home loss to Florida. Colorado opened the season 14-2-0. The loss included a key injury. Leading scorer Matt Duchene left the game after suffering a third-period oblique injury and is expected to miss at least a week. The Avs will also be without Alex Tanguay (knee) and Ryan Wilson (back) against the Blackhawks. Brad Malone and Tyson Barrie have been recalled from AHL Lake Erie. The Avalanche are looking at the match-up against first-place Chicago as an opportunity rather than a difficult way to overcome a losing streak. However, the Blackhawks won two of three against the Avalanche last season.

The Blackhawks (14-3-4) bounced back from their worst loss of the season with Sunday’s 5-1 home win over San Jose. Corey Crawford made 23 saves as the Blackhawks won for the fifth time in six games after Saturday’s 7-2 loss at Nashville. Crawford is 2-4-1 with a 3.14 goals-against average and .877 save percentage against Colorado. Among teams he’s played more than three games against, those numbers are worse than every opponent other than Edmonton. Patrick Sharp had an assist and two goals, including one on a penalty shot late in the third period. Patrick Kane extended his point streak to seven games with an assist, while Jonathan Toews (pictured) scored his 10th goal of the season. Toews has scored in each of his last three games against the Avalanche. The five-goal night bumped Chicago’s league-best goals-per-game mark to 3.57. Chicago rolled to a 5-2 road win in its last meeting with Colorado on March 18. Kane and Toews each had a goal and two assists. Their 6-2 loss in Colorado on March 8 snapped their NHL-record 24-game streak to start a season without a regulation loss.

Confirmed bets

Chicago Blackhawks WIN @ Colorado Avalanche (1.5 units @ $1.77) LOSE (1-5)

Ottawa Senators @ Philadelphia Flyers WIN (one unit @ $1.87) WIN (2-5)

Nashville Predators @ Detroit Red Wings -5 (one unit @ $1.68) WIN (2-0)

Tampa Bay Lightning @ Los Angeles Kings WIN (one unit @ $1.68) WIN (2-5)

Leans

New York Islanders @ Toronto Maple Leafs WIN $1.74 WIN (2-5)

St Louis Blues WIN $1.62 @ Buffalo Sabres WIN (4-1)

Minnesota Wild WIN $1.95 @ Montreal Canadiens LOSE (2-6)

Boston Bruins @ New York Rangers -5 $1.74 WIN (2-1)

Chicago Blackhawks @ Colorado Avalanche +5.5 $1.87 WIN (1-5)

Columbus Blue Jackets @ Edmonton Oilers WIN $1.87 WIN (0-7)

Florida Panthers @ Vancouver Canucks -5 $2.05 PUSH (3-2)

Tampa Bay Lightning @ Los Angeles Kings -5 $2.10 LOSE (2-5)

NBA for November 20

Minnesota Timberwolves (7-4, 2-3 away) @ Washington Wizards (2-7, 1-2 home), Verizon Center, Washington DC, Wednesday, November 20, 11.10am

After eight losing seasons in a row, the Minnesota Timberwolves seemed to have turned a corner. The same can’t be said for the Washington Wizards. The Timberwolves try to pick up a rare victory in the nation’s capital here against the struggling Wizards. Kevin Love (pictured) recorded his 10th double-double with 23 points and 12 rebounds as Minnesota (7-4) beat visiting Boston 106-88 on Saturday for its fourth win in six games. The Timberwolves, averaging 108.5 points to rank near the top of the NBA, haven’t had a winning season since going 44-38 in 2004-05. Nikola Pekovic also came up big with 20 points and 12 boards for Minnesota, which held Boston to 39.5 per cent shooting and scored 28 points off 22 turnovers. Kevin Martin has been a big part of Minnesota’s success. The 10-year veteran, who scored 14.0 points per game with Oklahoma City last season, is averaging 24.4. While his 27 went to waste in Friday’s 117-113 loss at Denver, Martin scored 20 against the Celtics.

Martin is averaging 22.4 points in 13 career match-ups against the Wizards (2-7), his second-highest mark versus any opponent. Minnesota has dropped eight of nine in Washington, falling 114-101 during its last visit on January 25 while playing without Love and Pekovic. The Wolves could have an edge this time around against a Wizards team that has averaged 93.8 points and shot 41.2 per cent during a four-game losing streak. Bradley Beal and Nene combined for 52 points as Washington let one slip away Saturday, falling 103-96 to Cleveland in overtime. The Wizards are allowing 104.6 points per game, one of the league's worst marks. While the Wizards are hoping to get on track, they know it’s not going to get any easier here. A more efficient performance from point guard John Wall could help. He has averaged 12.8 points on 29.0 per cent shooting in the last five games. There’s appeal for the game total ‘over’ but Minnesota at the line looks even sweeter.

Confirmed bets

Minnesota Timberwolves -3.5 @ Washington Wizards (one unit @ $1.91) LOSE (100-104)

Atlanta Hawks @ Miami Heat -207 (one unit @ $1.91) WIN (88-104)

Boston Celtics @ Houston Rockets +205 (one unit @ $1.91) LOSE (85-109)

Leans

Minnesota Timberwolves @ Washington Wizards +203.5 $1.91 WIN (100-104)

New York Knicks @ Detroit Pistons -198.5 $1.91 WIN (86-92)

Atlanta Hawks +9.5 $1.91 @ Miami Heat LOSE (88-104)

Boston Celtics +11 $1.91 @ Houston Rockets LOSE (85-109)

Phoenix Suns WIN $2.00 @ Sacramento Kings LOSE (104-107)

Football (World Cup playoffs) for November 20

Europe group playoffs, second leg: France v Ukraine, Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France, Wednesday, November 20, 7am

No team has ever emerged victorious trailing 2-0 after the first leg of the World Cup or European Championship playoff. That’s the challenge that awaits France as they trail Ukraine by two goals heading into the second leg of their Europe Group playoff. To be fair, Ukraine are lucky to head to Paris with such an advantage – Roman Zozulya scored on their first real attack on goal while Andriy Yarmolenko scored from the penalty spot. As Paris St Germain midfielder Matuidi said: “For most of us, this is the most important game in our careers”. France, who finished second in their qualifying group behind world and European champions Spain, last failed to reach a World Cup in 1994. On that occasion, they missed out in the playoffs at the hands of Bulgaria. France will be without Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny, who is suspended following his red card in the first leg. Real Madrid’s Raphael Varane (knee) is a doubt, so manager Didier Deschamps must choose whether to pick Liverpool’s Mamadou Sakho or Arsenal right-back Bacary Sagna to play alongside Eric Abidal in the centre of defence.

Ukraine has excelled under the stewardship of Mikhail Fomenko who became manager at the beginning of the year. They are unbeaten in 10 since his appointment – winning eight and drawing two. To emerge victorious, France will have to end Ukraine’s impressive run of eight successive clean sheets, a national record for which goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov (pictured) was quick to share the credit with his defenders. Ukraine conceded just four goals in their World Cup qualifying campaign and picked up impressive wins in Poland and Montenegro in that time, scoring seven goals across the two fixtures. That defensive unit will be missing Olexander Kucher who, like France’s Laurent Koscielny, is suspended after his dismissal late in the first leg. Artem Fedetskiy is also suspended, while second-choice goalkeeper Maxym Koval (fever) is also unavailable. Ukraine lost World Cup play-offs against Germany (2002) and Greece (2010) and a Euro 2000 play-off against Slovenia in 1999. With a disciplined performance here, they should be able to end their lousy run in major tournament playoff series but we’ll take some insurance given the ridiculous price on offer for a France victory.

Confirmed bets

France v Ukraine +2 (two units @ $1.57) LOSE (3-0)
Sweden v Portugal WIN (one unit @ $2.70) WIN (2-3)
Croatia v Iceland -2.5 (one unit @ $1.65) WIN (2-0)

Leans

Egypt v Ghana +2.5 $2.00 WIN (2-1)

Algeria v Burkina Faso (double chance) $2.30 LOSE (1-0)
Romania WIN $2.20 v Greece LOSE (1-1)
Sweden v Portugal +2.5 $2.10 WIN (2-3)
Croatia v Iceland WIN $10.00 LOSE (2-0)
France v Ukraine BTS $2.35 LOSE (3-0)
New Zealand v Mexico +2.5 $1.65

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