Lakers vs. Nets

Los Angeles -13 1/2 vs. New Jersey

The Los Angeles Lakers just can not seem to lose, no matter how they play. They have one blemish on their record from 10 days ago, but have not looked back. Even though they have not been getting the best defensive performances as of late, the offense has picked up the pace and helped Los Angeles (11-1) win five straight.

Their most recent victory was over Sacramento 118-108, but the Lakers tied their season high for turnovers with 18. Those 18 turnovers lead to 33 points from the Kings. When the Lakers started 7-0, they allowed 86.7 points per games and did not allow an opponent to reach 100. Since then Los Angeles has allowed 101 points per contest and three foes have reached at least 106.

Their opponent tonight at the Staples Center would like nothing better than to see that shaky defense because the New Jersey Nets (6-6), while only at .500, have one of the highest scoring offenses in the NBA.

The Nets come in winners of two straight and four out of five. In their four wins during that stretch, New Jersey has scored 112 points or more each time. Saturday they defeated the Clippers 112-95. Yi Jianlian netted 27 points after struggling through his previous four in which he totaled only 23 points.

Vince Carter has helped propel the Nets back into contention this season with his 24.3 points per game, which make him the NBA’s sixth-leading scorer. He is also becoming dangerous beyond the arch, shooting 50 percent from 3-point range in the last four games.

Los Angeles can certainly match New Jersey in the offensive category. The Lakers are averaging 110.8 points per contest during their four game winning streak.

This game is a rematch of the 2002 NBA Finals, which the Lakers swept. The Lakers won the last game played in L.A. last year, but the New Jersey Nets have taken four of the past six games in the Staples Center.

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Calgary vs. Los Angeles

Flames -165 vs. Kings

The Calgary Flames could not keep the momentum of their home-and-home sweep of their divisional rival Colorado Avalanche long enough to face the Detroit Red Wings. The defending cup champions throttled the Flames at the Joe Louis Arena this past Saturday night.

It has been a tough few weeks for the Flames (11-9-1). If you do not count they sweep of the hapless Avalanche, the Flames have lost six out of their last eight. Part of the problem for Calgary has been goalie Miikka Kiprusoff’s inconsistent play. Kiprusoff had missed a few games earlier this month and is 11-8-1 this season with a bloated 3.21 goals against average.

The Flames had had recent success against Colorado and were able to beat the Avalanche in the two games last week. They will hope this trend continues with another team whose number they own: the Los Angeles Kings. The Kings will make the trip to the Canadian Rockies and face off against the Flames Tuesday night. Calgary has beaten Los Angeles in seven of the last 10 contests.

Los Angeles (8-8-3) comes in losers of three of their last four games. Saturday night, the Kings were the victims of a frustrated Colorado bunch who has been preyed on by the Flames earlier in the week. Los Angeles lost 4-3 in a shootout at home.

Erik Ersberg and Jason LaBarbera have split time in goal for the Kings this season although Ersberg has a better record and goals against average. Ersberg was in goal for the shootout loss to Colorado.

The Kings are continuing to sink in the standings while the NHL points leaders, the San Jose Sharks continue to win. Los Angeles is in third place in the Pacific Division, but actually closer to last than first. The Kings are 16 points behind the Sharks and only three points out of last place. They are six points behind second-place Anaheim.

Calgary, meanwhile, is tied with Minnesota for second place in the Northwest Division, five points behind first-place Vancouver.

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Ball State vs. Western Michigan

Cardinals -10 1/2 vs. Broncos

For another week, Ball State will put their undefeated status on the line as they play in a mid-week game against a powerful fellow Mid-American Conference foe. Last week it was traveling to a snowy and bitterly cold Mount Pleasant to play the fellow first place Central Michigan Chippewas. The Ball State Cardinals survived that game in a see-saw battle and came out on top 31-24. Ball State is now poised to claim their first 12-0 season and will battle in the MAC Championship game for a BSC berth. It will not be an easy task for the Cardinals as the second place Broncos travel to Muncie and will stand in the way of Ball State’s destiny on Tuesday night.

Nate Davis had a tremendous game for the Cardinals (11-0, 7-0) against the Chippewas. Despite only completing 12 passes on 22 throws for just over a 54 percent completion percentage, four of those completed passes went for touchdowns. The junior passed for 175 yards and rushed for another 42. MiQuale Lewis took some of the onus off of his quarterback as he rushed for 100 yards for the third straight time. The junior back has rushed for 100 yards in all but two of Ball State’s contests this year and ran for a season high 177 yards against Central Michigan.

Davis and Lewis lead a Ball State offense in the top 25 in many offensive categories, including total yards (462.5-13th), passing yards (264.8-23rd), rushing yards (197.6-24th) and total points (37-17th). But the Cardinals know they may be in a shootout with Western Michigan’s prolific passing attack which ranks 8th in the nation in passing yards with 318.5 and 22nd in total yards with 438.5.

The Broncos (9-2, 6-1) had last week off after a 27-17 victory over Toledo on November 15. They come in winners of three in a row and have won nine out of ten games after an opening loss at Nebraska. Tim Hiller has had an outstanding junior year in Kalamazoo. Hiller has thrown for 3382 yards with an incredible 33 touchdowns against an equally incredible six interceptions. The lack of interceptions is exceptional considering the Broncos have had to rely on the passing attack due to a lackluster and inconsistent rushing game.

The series has been very even in the last decade with both side winning five games. The teams have traded wins on each others home fields since 2005. Ball State was the last home team to win in 2004.

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Northern Illinois vs. Navy

Huskies -3 vs. Midshipmen

As it prepares for its annual battle with Army, Navy will tune up against Northern Illinois Tuesday night. Both teams have six wins and are looking to make their case for a bowl game with seven wins. For Northern Illinois (6-5, 5-3) this will more than likely be their final game of the year and it will be Senior Night at Huskie Stadium.

For those Huskie seniors, their final season in DeKalb was a bit of a roller coaster ride. They started the season with two tough close losses on the road to Minnesota and Western Michigan. They then five of their next six to give them some hope within the Mid-American Western Division, but three straight losses have pretty much caused any hope to evaporate.

Last Tuesday the Huskies were blown out at Kent State 42-14. Their toothless passing attack which ranks 101st in the nation once again reared its ugly head. Chandler Harnish, a freshman who replaced senior San Nicholson under center after an October 4 loss at Tennessee, played fairly well by throwing for 173 yards and two touchdowns, but could not make they key plays when needed.

Navy also has had its share of struggles throwing the ball this season, but they have had a very good ground game to rely on. The Midshipmen are second in the nation with 295 yards per games. Shun White and Eric Kettani have been a lethal combination in Navy’s backfield this season. The seniors have split time and have nearly identical statistics. Collectively they have nearly 1600 yards on the ground.

So goes the ground game is usually how Navy goes and this was seen in the Midshipmen’s last game, a 27-21 home setback to rival Notre Dame. Kettani gained only 42 yards, while White only mustered 39 yards as Navy failed to capitalize on winning last year’s game which snapped a 43-game, or year, losing streak to the Irish.

The teams have met only once before, last season at Navy with the Midshipmen holding their home field 35-24.

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