Sports Picks & Predictions

20* NBA DOG OF THE WEEK on Oklahoma City Thunder +7

The Oklahoma City Thunder are playing their best basketball of the season right now as they try and earn a spot in the Western Conference playoffs.  They have gone 7-2 SU & 7-2 ATS in their last nine games overall with six wins by 9 points or more and are currently the 9th seed in the West and one win away from getting back to .500 on the season.

The Los Angeles Clippers are also playing better of late but it's not like they are blowing out the opposition.  They are 5-1 SU & 4-2 ATS in their last six games overall with three wins by 8 points or fewer, and an upset home loss to the Orlando Magic as 6.5-point favorites.

The Thunder have the rest advantage playing just their 2nd game in 5 days, while the Clippers will be playing their 3rd game in 4 days.  The Thunder have owned the Clippers, going 4-3 SU & 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings with four outright upsets, including two in two meetings this season.

The Clippers are 2-12 ATS in home games following a road game this season.  The Thunder are 14-2 ATS vs. poor pressure defensive teams that force 13 or fewer turnovers per game this season.  Bet the Thunder Tuesday.

15* NBA Tuesday Night BLOWOUT on Cleveland Cavaliers -2.5

I like the spot for the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight.  They come in on three days' rest last playing on Friday.  There's a good chance they are fully healthy tonight as C Jarrett Allen has been upgraded to questionable, and everyone else is a go for the Cavaliers.

They should be bigger favorites over the Brooklyn Nets, who are 0-3 SU & 0-3 ATS in their last three games overall losing by 14 at OKC, by 5 at home to the Kings and by 6 at home to the Nuggets.  They aren't on the same level as the Cavaliers right now.

Brooklyn is 0-8 ATS in its last eight home games after failing to cover the spread in three or more consecutive games.  The Nets are 6-21 ATS in their last 27 home games vs. good defensive teams that allow 108 or fewer points per game.  Bet the Cavaliers Tuesday.

20* NIT GAME OF THE WEEK on North Texas +4.5

Conference USA was one of the best mid-major conferences in the country this season.  Florida Atlantic, UAB and North Texas were all NCAA Tournament-worthy teams, and FAU is still playing in the Sweet 16.  That easily could have been North Texas instead.

North Texas has been dominant in its first two NIT games beating Alcorn State by 16 and Sam Houston State by 20.  Oklahoma State has been much more lackluster, beating Youngstown State by 5 and Eastern Washington by 11.  I think the Cowboys get caught here and lose this game outright to the Mean Green, but we'll take the points for some insurance.

The Cowboys are 4-6 SU & 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games overall and have been consistently overvalued.  The Mean Green are 13-2 SU & 11-4 ATS in their last 13 games overall.  North Texas is 23-9-3 ATS in its last 35 road games.  Bet North Texas Tuesday.

15* NBA Western Conference PLAY OF THE DAY on Houston Rockets +11

The Golden State Warriors are 0-11 SU & 0-11 ATS in their last 11 road games with nine losses by 8 points or more.  They have rarely even been competitive on the highway.  The Warriors are now 7-29 SU & 9-27 ATS on the road this season.  In what world should they be double-digit road favorites against anyone?

The Houston Rockets are playing some of their best basketball of the season of late and will relish this opportunity to face the defending champs.  I think that's a big reason for Golden State's road struggles this season is they get the opposing team's best effort, plus games are usually close to being sold out with them coming to town.  It's an even bigger home-court advantage than normal.

Houston is 3-1 SU & 3-1 ATS in its last four games overall with three outright upsets over Boston, the Lakers and Pelicans.  They came back and lost to the Pelicans last night, but that was a letdown spot after beating them two days earlier.  It was also a lookahead spot with the Warriors on deck.  They will be back to being locked in for this game tonight.

Houston has lost just one of its last nine games by more than 10 points.  The Warriors are 3-13 ATS as road favorites this season.  Houston is 8-0 ATS in its last eight games following four consecutive games where they went under the total.  Bet the Rockets Monday.

20* NBA Eastern Conference GAME OF THE WEEK on Chicago Bulls +8.5

The Chicago Bulls sit in 10th place in the East and in the final play-in spot.  They are just 1.5 games ahead of both the Pacers and Wizards for that spot.  They are clearly fighting hard to try to make the playoffs with the way they have been playing of late.

Indeed, the Bulls are 4-1 SU & 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall winning by 21 as 9-point dogs at Denver, by 8 at Houston, by 8 at home over Minnesota and by 14 at home over Miami after playing the second of a back-to-back.  Their lone loss came by 3 at home to the Kings on a buzzer-beater.  The Kings are playing as well as anyone in the NBA right now.

It's time to 'sell high' on the Philadelphia 76ers after going 8-0 SU & 6-2 ATS in their last eight games overall.  They followed up a five-game road trip with a buzzer-beater 120-119 home win over the Blazers, who are playing terrible right now.  The 76ers now return home from a three-game road trip before going back on the road for four more games.  There will be distractions to deal with at home with so many road games of late and coming up that I think we get a flat effort from the 76ers here.

Chicago is 9-0 ATS in its last nine games following an upset win as a home underdog.  The Bulls won 126-112 as 4.5-point road dogs in their last trip to Philadelphia on January 6th.  This number is inflated tonight folks.  Bet the Bulls Monday.

15* Creighton/Baylor TBS ANNIHILATOR on Baylor PK

It's a great time to 'buy low' on the Baylor Bears after going 2-4 SU & 2-4 ATS in their last six games to close out the season.  They lost three times to Iowa State this season, including two during this stretch as the Cyclones were a bad matchup for them.  They also had road losses at Kansas and at Kansas State during this stretch.

A big reason for their struggles was the injury to leading scorer Keyonte George (15.6 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 1.1 SPG).  But George returned for the Big 12 Tournament, and the early exit to Iowa State was actually a good thing because it gave his ankle even more time to rest.  Baylor has arguably the best trio of guards in the country in George, Flagler (15.6 PPG, 4.7 APG) and Cryer (14.5 PPG), and guards win in the NCAA Tournament.

I took advantage and backed Baylor as a top play as 10.5-point favorites in a 74-56 win over UC-Santa Barbara in the opener.  And I'll 'buy low' on them again as a PK against Creighton as they are clearly the better team in my opinion, and they'll win this game comfortable.

Creighton has been overvalued all season after opening the season ranked in the Top 10 and considered a national title contender.  All they have done is disappoint, including a 22-point loss to Xavier in the Big East Tournament.  They needed a late surge to beat a bad NC State team that had no business being in the NCAA Tournament anyway in the opening round.  

They were life and dead with the Wolfpack despite them shooting just 3-of-14 (21%) from 3.  Baylor won't let them off the hook like NC State did.  The Bears make 10 3's per game at a 37.1% clip on the season.  They rank 2nd in the country in offensive efficiency and 31st in 3-point shooting.  Creighton ranks 167th in defending the 3-pointer.

Baylor is 7-1 ATS in its last eight NCAA Tournament games.  I believe the Bears have the coaching advantage with Scott Drew over Greg McDermott as well, and that's key with these teams only having a day to prepare for one another.  I'll side with the tougher Big 12 over the weaker Big East in this matchup as well.  Bet Baylor Sunday.

20* St. Mary's/UConn TNT No-Brainer on UConn -3

The UConn Huskies are as good as anyone in the country at their best.  They are loaded at guard  with Hawkins (16.0 PPG), Newton (10.0 PPG, 4.6 APG) and Jackson (6.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 4.4 APG) and especially in the post with the trio of Sanogo (17.1 PPG, 7.4 RPG), Karaban (9.6 PPG, 4.3 RPG) and Clingan (7.2 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 1.8 BPG).

The Huskies have virtually no weaknesses.  That's why KenPom has them as the 4th-best team in the country, and I agree with it.  He only has Houston, Alabama and UCLA ranked ahead of them, and I would have them ahead of the Bruins given their current injury situation.

What I don't agree with is KenPom having St. Mary's ranked 12th, which is why the Gaels get so much respect from the books.  But they lack the athleticism of UConn and will struggle to defend them and to score against their length.  The Huskies rank 28th in average height.  They are the best offensive rebounding team in the country and their ability to win the battle on the glass will be a key factor here.

UConn is 10-2 SU & 9-3 ATS in its last 12 games overall and playing its best basketball of the season with all 10 wins coming by 6 points or more, and the two losses coming by a combined 5 points in road/neutral environments to Creighton and Marquette.  UConn is 11-1 ATS in non-conference games this season.  St. Mary's is 1-9 ATS in its last 10 road games vs. good passing teams that average 16 or more assists per game.  The Gaels are 0-5 ATS in their last five games following an ATS win.  

This is essentially a home game for UConn being played in Albany, NY.  St. Mary's had the furthest travel of any team in the NCAA Tournament from the West Coast to the East Coast.  That's another hidden factor in favor of the Huskies here, and I don't think it's being priced into this number enough as they are clearly the better team as well.  Bet UConn Sunday.

15* NBA Sunday No-Doubt Rout on Oklahoma City Thunder -1

The Phoenix Suns are without two of their best players in Kevin Durant and Deandre Ayton right now.  It's no wonder they are struggling as they are 1-3 SU & 0-4 ATS in their last four games overall with their lone victory coming over the Magic by 3 as 8-point home favorites.  They lost by 9 at home to Sacramento, by 11 at Golden State and by 12 at home to Milwaukee.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have been the most underrated team in the NBA for two seasons running now.  They are legit playoff contenders this season and fighting hard to make the postseason right now.  The Thunder have gone 6-2 SU & 6-2 ATS in their last eight games overall with both losses coming on the road.  Amazingly, all six wins came by 9 points or more.

One of those losses came to the Suns on the road, but that was a bad spot for them playing the 2nd of a back-to-back off a home win over the defending champion Warriors.  So they were tired and in a letdown spot, while Phoenix was on two days' rest.  Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sat out that game as well.  Now it's the Thunder that are on two days' rest coming into this revenge spot.

Oklahoma City is 12-2 ATS in its last 14 games when revenging a blowout road loss by 20 points or more.  The Thunder are 32-8 ATS in their last 40 Sunday games.  Oklahoma City is 4-1 ATS in its last five home meetings with Phoenix.  Bet the Thunder Sunday.

20* Maryland/Alabama TBS Late-Night BAILOUT on Alabama -8

The Alabama Crimson Tide are the best team in the country, period.  They are still very fresh right now as they have won four consecutive blowouts en route to winning the SEC Tournament and advancing to the Round of 32.  They beat Mississippi State by 23, Missouri by 11, Texas A&M by 19 and Texas A&M CC by 21.

The fact that they're still fresh is why I'm willing to lay the 8 points here with them against Maryland.  The Terrapins needed a double-digit comeback to beat West Virginia 67-65.  That was more WVU bad than Maryland good, and I think the Terrapins are getting too much respect for that win.  Alabama should be favored by double-digits here.

That was a rare win for the Terrapins away from home. They went 2-9 SU in true road games this season with their two wins coming against two of the worst Power 5 teams in college basketball in Minnesota and Louisville. This will essentially be a home game for the Crimson Tide being played in Birmingham.

Alabama is 7-0 ATS vs. teams that commit 12 or fewer turnovers per game this season.  The Crimson Tide have a big coaching advantage with Nate Oats over Kevin Willard today as well.  I trust Oats to get his team ready for this game in only two days over Willard.  Bet Alabama Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday Undervalued Underdog on Northwestern +8

Injuries to UCLA are going to catch up to them sooner rather than later.  After making easy work of UNC-Asheville in their opener, I think this is where the injuries catch up to them as they take a big step up in class here against the Northwestern Wildcats.

Jaylen Clark (13.0 PPG, 6.0 RPG) is one of the best big men in the country and suffered a season-ending injury in the Pac-12 Tournament.  Fellow big man Adem Bona (7.8 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 1.7 BPG) is nursing a shoulder injury and is highly questionable to play today.  That leaves the Bruins very thin on the inside, and if they win this game it won't be by margin, so getting 8 points with the Wildcats is a very nice value.

This will be more of a guard-oriented matchup, and Northwestern has two stud guards in Boo Buie (17.3 PPG, 4.5 APG) and Chase Audige (14.0 PPG) who can match up with Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Tyger Campbell of the Bruins.  Keep in mind UCLA lost to fellow Big Ten opponent Illinois 79-70 on a neutral earlier this season.  Northwestern beat Illinois by 13 at home and lost to the Fighting Illini by 4 on the road to give us a common opponent.

Northwestern is 8-1 ATS in its last nine road games after playing a game as a favorite this season.  The Wildcats went 9-6 SU & 11-4 ATS in all games played away from home this season and were one of the best road teams in the country.  Bet Northwestern Saturday.

20* NBA Saturday No-Doubt Rout on Miami Heat -2.5

The Miami Heat are getting healthy and playing up to their potential right now.  They have gone 5-2 SU in their last five games overall with all five wins coming against playoff contenders.  Now they have had the last two days off, so they are rested and ready to go in Chicago tonight.

The same cannot be said for the Bulls, who are coming off a double-OT 139-131 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves last night.  DeRozan played over 51 minutes, LaVine 46 and Vucevic 45 last night for the Bulls.  They clearly won't have anything left in the tank for the Heat tonight.

Home-court advantage has meant little int his series as the road team is 5-2 SU & 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings.  Miami is 8-3 SU in its last 11 meetings with Chicago.  The Heat are 6-0 ATS in their last six trips to Chicago.  The Bulls are 4-11-1 ATS in their last 16 games overall.  Chicago is 0-4 ATS in its last four games when playing on zero rest.  Bet the Heat Saturday.

15* NBA Saturday Undervalued Underdog on Orlando Magic +7

It's time to 'sell high' on the Los Angeles Clippers after going 4-1 SU & 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall.  They are coming off a win over the defending champion Clippers, which sets them up for a letdown spot.  And they won't have their best player in Kawhi Leonard as he rests today, and they have been terrible without him this season.

Conversely, it's time to 'buy low' on the Orlando Magic after going 1-5 SU & 2-4 ATS in their last six games overall against a brutal schedule.  Three of the losses came by 7 points or less, including a 3-point loss at Phoenix as 8-point dogs last time out.  The Magic are basically fully healthy right now and will give the Clippers a run for their money.

The Magic are 16-7 ATS in their last 23 road games.  Orlando is 14-4 ATS in its last 18 games following a loss.  The Clippers are 5-21 ATS in their last 26 games playing on two days' rest.  Orlando is 9-4-1 ATS in its last 14 trips to Los Angeles.  Bet the Magic Saturday.

25* Round of 32 GAME OF THE YEAR on Duke -2

I've been fading Tennessee all season with a ton of success.  But I think this is my favorite spot of the season to fade Tennessee despite all that success.  Duke is rolling right now, and Tennessee is reeling.  So getting Duke as only a 2-point favorite given all the factors in their favor is a nice value.

Tennessee has been overvalued due to ranking as one of the best defensive teams in the country.  However, they are a terrible offensive team, especially now without starting PG Zakai Zeigler.  They went on a big scoring drought Thursday and let Louisiana back in it, eventually winning 58-55 as 11.5-point favorites.  And that was a good matchup for them.  The Volunteers are now 6-7 SU & 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games overall.

Duke is playing as well as anyone in the country right now.  The Blue Devils have won 10 consecutive games while also going 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall, winning by 5 as 4-point dogs at UNC, beating Pitt by 27 as 5.5-point favorites, beating Miami by 7 as 2.5-point favorites, beating Virginia by 10 as 3-point favorites and crushing Oral Roberts by 23 as 5.5-point favorites.

Duke played the early game Thursday and made easy work of Oral Roberts, so they'll be fresh for this one.  Short-handed Tennessee had to go to the wire with Louisiana in the late game Thursday, so they'll be far from fresh.  I love taking the fresher team that played the early game in the Round of 32.  They got to scout Tennessee in the late game while watching from the stands which is a hidden advantage.

Rick Barnes is 2-14 ATS his his last 16 NCAA Tournament games.  The Volunteers are 1-7 ATS in their last eight NCAA Tournament games.  Barnes continues coming up short in these situations time and time again, and he has his hands full with this short-handed Vols team this year going up against a juggernaut in the Blue Devils.  Bet Duke Saturday.

20* Furman/San Diego State CBS No-Brainer on Furman +6

The Furman Paladins have that confident feeling after stealing victory from the jaws of defeat against Virginia.  They were down 4 with seconds remaining, hit two free throws and got a steal and a game-winning 3-pointer.  They won despite their best player Mike Bothwell (17.8 PPG) fouling out and playing only 20 minutes while being in foul trouble the entire game.  I love the confidence they'll be playing with going into this game against a very similar San Diego State team, and having Bothwell for 40 minutes will make them even better.

I also love fading Mountain West teams, and I faded all four already in the NCAA Tournament and went 3-1 ATS.  It would have been 4-0 ATS if not for a bullshit foul call on Charleston +5.5 with 0.7 seconds left that allowed San Diego State to make both free throws and win by 6.  I'm not bitter or anything.

Death, taxes and fading the Mountain West in the NCAA Tournament.  The Mountain West is now 1-13 SU & 1-13 ATS in their last 14 NCAA Tournament games with the lone cover being that San Diego State miracle on Thursday.  It's crazy how lucky this SDSU team has been in close games this season as they simply aren't very good.  The Aztecs now have a whopping 10 wins by 6 points or less this season, and I think this game will go down to the wire as well, so getting 6 points is a nice value.

One hidden factor here that goes against the Aztecs is that this is a 12:10 EST start time, which makes it a 9:10 AM body clock game for San Diego State.  They aren't used to playing this early in the day, and I think it will be a shock to the system for them.  I think the Aztecs will start slow and struggle to recover to beat Furman, let alone beat them by 6-plus points.  Bet Furman Saturday.

15* FAU/Memphis TNT Late-Night BAILOUT on Memphis -2

I was pissed when I found out Memphis and Florida Atlantic were matched up in the opening round.  I was going to take both to make deep runs in the NCAA Tournament because I think very highly of both.  I just so happen to think a lot more highly of Memphis, and thus I think there's value on the Tigers as 2-point favorites.

Nobody is playing better than Memphis heading into the NCAA Tournament.  They avenged two regular season losses to Tulane with a an emphatic 94-54 win over the Green Wave in the AAC Tournament semifinals.  They followed it up by avenging a pair of close losses to Houston in the regular season with a 75-65 win in the AAC Championship Game.  They controlled that game from start to finish and it was never close, and most believe Houston is the best team in the country right alongside Alabama.

The Tigers are as healthy as they have been all season and playing up to their potential.  They have one of the best guards in the country in Kendric Davis (22.1 PPG, 5.6 APG, 2.0 SPG).  DeAndre Williams (17.8 PPG, 8.0 RPG) is a great compliment to Davis.  And they have a bunch of key role players that play their roles well as Penny Hardaway has this team hitting on all cylinders going into the Big Dance.  Remember, Memphis gave Gonzaga all they wanted in the second round last season and nearly pulled off the upset.

 Florida Atlantic put together an impressive 31-3 season.  But they did lose by 13 to Ole Miss in the non-conference, and my biggest problem with the Owls is that they played a very easy schedule.  They had narrow wins by 4 of Louisiana Tech without their best player and Middle Tennessee by 3 in two of their last four games as well.  They rank 61st in the luck factor, which means they had a ton of close wins throughout the season.  They went 7-1 in games decided by 4 points or fewer.

Memphis is battle-tested and ready for this moment, while the bright lights may be too big for the Owls, who will be making their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2002 and this will be just their second appearance ever.  Memphis is 16-4 ATS in its last 20 games in March.  The Tigers are 32-8 ATS in their last 40 games following an upset conference win.  The Tigers are 6-0 ATS vs. teams that win more than 80% of their games this season.  Bet Memphis Friday.

20* NBA DOG OF THE WEEK on San Antonio Spurs +9

The San Antonio Spurs are 4-4 SU in their last eight games overall and not tanking.  They were very impressive in their last two games crushing Orlando 132-114 as 5-point home dogs and taking the Dallas Mavericks to OT as 5-point home dogs the next night.

The Spurs are as healthy as they have been in a long time and have each of their top seven scorers expected to play tonight.  They are good enough to give the Memphis Grizzlies a run for their money tonight and won't be taking it easy on their division rivals.

Memphis has no business being a 9-point road favorites over the Spurs without JA Morant, Brandon Clarke and Steven Adams.  The Grizzlies are coming off a 119-138 loss at Miami and are now 1-4 SU in their last five road games with their lone win coming at Dallas, which was playing without Doncic, Irving and Wood.

The Grizzlies are now 13-22 SU & 12-21-2 ATS on the road this season, and asking them to go on the road and win by double-digits to beat us is asking too much.  The Spurs are 4-0 ATS in their last four meetings with the Grizzlies, all of which were decided by 8 points or less.  Bet the Spurs Friday.

25* Round of 64 GAME OF THE YEAR on Drake +2.5

The Drake Bulldogs are a veteran team that can make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.  They won a deep Missouri Valley conference this season with a blowout 77-51 win over Bradley on May 5th.  They've had nearly two weeks to rest up and sharpen their system and are a very dangerous out for anyone in the NCAA Tournament.

Sophomore Tucker DeVries (19.0 PPG, 5.6 RPG) is the coach's son and does it all for this team.  He is surrounded by four senior starters including PG Roman Penn (12.6 PPG, 5.4 APG), who played for Siena in 2017 and has been around forever.  These guys have been through a ton of wars together and have as good of chemistry as any team in the NCAA Tournament.

The ACC was way down this season, and I think Miami is overrated.  The Hurricanes are a great offensive team but a terrible defensive team, ranking 131st in the country in adjusted defense.  Forward Norchad Omier (13.6 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 1.3 BPG) suffered a bad ankle injury in the loss to Duke in the ACC Tournament and left the game early.  He is unlikely to play, and even if he does he won't be near 100%. That's a big blow to the Hurricanes, especially defensively where they were already lacking.

Drake is 13-1 SU in its last 14 games overall and playing as well as anyone in the country.  The Bulldogs are 8-1 ATS in their last nine games overall.  The Hurricanes are 0-4 ATS in their last four games overall which includes a pair of 2-point wins over Pitt and Wake Forest and an upset home loss to Florida State as 13-point favorites.  Bet Drake Friday.

15* NBA Friday Night BLOWOUT on Atlanta Hawks -4

The Golden State Warriors are 0-9 SU & 0-9 ATS in their last nine road games with seven losses by 8 points or more.  They have rarely even been competitive on the highway.  The Warriors are now 7-27 SU & 9-25 ATS on the road this season.

I cashed against them with a 25* on the Clippers -2 on Wednesday and they won and covered despite 50 points from Steph Curry.  You could see how dejected Curry was doing so much for this team, yet it still isn't enough.  Now Curry is questionable to play tonight with a thumb injury, and the Warriors will be without both Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green, who is serving a suspension.

The Atlanta Hawks are fully healthy and rested and highly motivated for a victory coming off consecutive losses to the Celtics and Timberwolves.  They have had the last three days off, so they couldn't possibly be any more fresh.  Meanwhile, the Warriors will be playing their 9th game in 16 days.  The spot and the injuries really favor the home team in this one.  Bet the Hawks Friday.

20* CBB BLOWOUT GAME OF THE WEEK on Baylor -10.5

It's a great time to 'buy low' on the Baylor Bears after going 2-4 SU & 2-4 ATS in their last six games overall.  They lost three times to Iowa State this season, including two during this stretch as the Cyclones were a bad matchup for them.  They also had road losses at Kansas and at Kansas State during this stretch.

A big reason for their struggles was the injury to leading scorer Keyonte George (15.8 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 1.1 SPG).  But George returned for the Big 12 Tournament, and the early exit to Iowa State could actually be a good thing because it gives his ankle even more time to rest.  Baylor has arguably the best trio of guards in the country in George, Flagler (15.5 PPG, 4.7 APG) and Cryer (14.5 PPG), and guards win in the NCAA Tournament.

UC-Santa Barbara won the Big West, which is one of the worst conferences in the country.  They played a very easy non-conference schedule and even lost to Northern Arizona by 9 as 9-point favorites and Duquesne by 11 as 3.5-point dogs.  This will be by far their toughest test of the season to date.

We'll 'sell high' on the Guachos, who are 7-0 SU & 6-1 ATS in their last seven games overall against Big West competition.  Scott Drew is one of the best head coaches in the country, and the Bears are 6-1 ATS in their last seven NCAA Tournament games.  The Bears bounce back in blowout fashion in the opening round.  Bet Baylor Friday.

15* CBB Thursday Night BLOWOUT on Houston -19

Houston would be a bigger favorite over Northern Kentucky had they won the AAC Tournament.  But their best player in Marcus Sasser (17.1 PPG) sat out the championship game against Memphis, and they lost to a Memphis team that just seems to have their number and matches up well with them.  Northern Kentucky does not match up well with Houston.

The Cougars should make easy work of NKU here thanks to a matchup advantage that shows them as one of the top offensive rebounding teams in the country up against one of the worst defensive rebounding teams.  NKU plays a zone defense that gives up a ton of offensive rebounds.  Houston is 4th in offensive rebounding rate while NKU is 333rd in allowing offensive rebounds.

The Cougars are likely to get Sasser back for this game, but it's not going to matter.  Northern Kentucky lost by 22 to Kent State, by 21 to Florida Gulf Coast, by 13 to Toledo, by 21 to Washington State and by 15 to Florida Atlantic in the non-conference.  Houston has a way of blowing out overmatched competition.  The Horizon League is way down this season and Horizon League teams have not fared well at all in recent NCAA Tournaments.

Northern Kentucky is 1-8 ATS in non-conference games this season.  Houston is 21-9 ATS in its last 30 non-conference games.  The Cougars are 8-1 ATS in their last nine road games vs. teams who average 33 or fewer rebounds per game.  Houston is 49-17-1 ATS in its last 67 games following an ATS loss.  I think it was a good thing the Cougars lost to Memphis in the AAC Championship Game because it will have them refocused and not taking this game lightly.  Bet Houston Thursday.

20* NBA Non-Conference GAME OF THE WEEK on Oklahoma City Thunder +6

The Oklahoma City Thunder are playing their best basketball of the season right now trying to make the playoffs.  They have gone 6-1 SU & 6-1 ATS in their last seven games overall and are now one win away from getting back to .500 for the season.  Amazingly, all six of those wins have come by 9 points or more, so they are simply blowing teams out including playoff contenders like the Jazz (twice), Warriors, Pelicans and Nets.

The Toronto Raptors are 1-3 SU & 2-2 ATS in their last four games overall.  They are getting too much respect from a blowout win over the Nuggets last time out.  But they wanted revenge on Denver after losing to them on the road the week prior, and they were coming in on three days' rest.  That now makes this a bit of a letdown spot for the Raptors after getting their revenge against the Nuggets, who have the best record in the West but aren't playing well at all right now as they have been just going through the motions.

Oklahoma City is a 9-0 ATS in its last nine road games vs. Atlantic Division opponents.  The Thunder are 7-0 ATS following two straight wins by 10 points or more this season.  Toronto is 0-8 ATS in its last eight games following a win by 15 points or more as an underdog.  These three trends combine for a perfect 24-0 system backing Oklahoma City tonight.  Bet the Thunder Thursday.

20* CBB Thursday Undervalued Underdog on College of Charleston +5.5

Mountain West teams are 1-12 straight up in the first round of the NCAA Tournament since 2016.  They are also 0-10 ATS in their last 10 NCAA Tournament games.  Death, taxes and fading the Mountain West in the NCAA Tournament.  The committee has somehow put four Mountain West teams into the NCAA Tournament this year.

Admittedly, San Diego State is the best of the four Mountain West teams this season.  But they are also the biggest favorites of the four, and I think there is value in fading the Aztecs here.  They went 27-6 this season and dominated MWC competition, but didn't fare so well when they stepped up in competition outside the conference.

They lost by 17 to Arizona on a neutral, by 4 to Arkansas on a neutral and by 7 to St. Mary's on a neutral.  They also only beat BYU by 7 as 11-point home favorites.  The Aztecs rank 73rd in the country in the luck factor and won a ton of close games this season.  They had nine wins by 6 points or less this season.

College of Charleston went 31-3 this season with only one loss by more than 4 points all season, which came at UNC in their second game of the season. That makes for a 33-1 system backing the Cougars pertaining to this 5.5-point spread.  They beat the likes of Richmond, Davidson, Colorado State, Virginia Tech and Kent State in the non-conference to prove themselves.  They are an elite offensive team averaging 80.8 points per game and are better than they get credit for defensively, ranking 71st in adjusted defense while yielding 67.4 points per game.

San Diego State is 1-7 ATS following four or more consecutive wins this season.  Charleston is 13-3-1 ATS in its last 17 games following an ATS loss.  This is a tough travel spot for the Aztecs having to travel to Florida to play an early start time.  The Cougars will will have the home-court advantage.  Bet College of Charleston Thursday.

15* Furman/Virginia TruTV Early ANNIHILATOR on Furman +5.5

Furman is a finesse team that is elite on offense and just average on defense.  It would have been a bad matchup for them if they got paired with a big-time athletic team.  But this is a perfect matchup for them against a Virginia team that lacks athletes and plays at a snail's pace.

Furman ranks 33rd in adjusted offense, 10th in effective field goal percentage and 1st in 2-point percentage.  They are an extremely efficient team.  They went 27-7 this season with only three losses all season by more than 5 points.  They took a similar Penn State team to the wire in a 5-point loss on a neutral.

Virginia has not been impressive at all here down the stretch.  They have lost three of their last seven, getting upset by 15 at Boston College as 9-point favorites, losing by 8 at UNC and losing by 10 to Duke in the ACC Championship.  They just lost Ben Vander Plas (7.4 PPG, 4.6 RPG) to a season-ending injury.  He averages 25 minutes per game and is a key cog on this team, so it's a big loss for them.  They lost him going into the ACC Tournament.

Furman is 8-1 ATS in its last nine games vs. good teams outscoring their opponents by 4-plus points per game.  The Paladins are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games vs. a team with a winning record.  The Cavaliers are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 NCAA Tournament games.  Bet Furman Wednesday.

25* NBA Western Conference GAME OF THE YEAR on Los Angeles Clippers -2

I love the spot for the Los Angeles Clippers tonight.  They are quickly forming chemistry with Westbrook, George and Leonard and are one of the deepest teams in the NBA.  They are 3-1 SU & 3-1 ATS in their last four games overall with their lone loss coming by a single point at Sacramento.  They beat three playoff contenders in Toronto, Memphis and New York at home.

Now the Clippers have had the last three days off and will be playing just their 2nd game in 7 days.  They are rested and ready to go and primed for a big effort tonight against the defending champion Warriors.  I think this number is way short considering the favorable spot for the Clippers tonight.

I think it's a great time to 'sell high' on the Warriors coming off two hard-fought home wins over the Bucks and Suns.  It's a letdown spot off those two huge victories.  The Warriors will now be playing their 7th game in 13 days and are still without Andrew Wiggins and others.  But with Steph Curry back, they are starting to get a lot of respect from oddsmakers.

The problem all season for the Warriors has been their home/road splits.  They have been a dominant home team, but the reason they are just 36-33 on the season after winning the title last year is because they are just 7-26 SU & 9-24 ATS on the road.  They haven't been able to correct their road woes all season even when Curry was healthy.

The Warriors are 0-8 SU & 0-8 ATS in their last eight road games losing outright to Minnesota as favorites, losing by 17 at Denver, by 3 as 2.5-point dogs at Portland, by 10 to the Clippers, by 13 to the Lakers, by 8 to the Lakers, by 9 to the Thunder and by 21 to the Grizzlies.  They've rarely even been competitive in these road losses, and they won't be tonight given the favorable spot for Los Angeles.  Home-court advantage has been huge in this series as the home team is 8-1 SU & 7-2 ATS in the last nine meetings.  Bet the Clippers Wednesday.

20* Arizona State/Nevada First Four No-Brainer on Arizona State -2

Mountain West teams are 1-11 straight up in the first round of the NCAA Tournament since 2016.  They are also 0-9 ATS in their last nine NCAA Tournament games.  Death, taxes and fading the Mountain West in the NCAA Tournament.  The committee has somehow put four Mountain West teams into the NCAA Tournament this year.

The most shocking of the four was Nevada, which had no business making the big dance after closing the season going 0-3 SU & 0-3 ATS in their final three games.  They got upset by 9 as 5-point favorites at Wyoming, upset by 2 as 8-point home favorites to UNLV and upset by 4 as 4-point favorites in the MWC Tournament opener to San Jose State.  That loss certainly should have knocked them out of the big dance and allowed one of Rutgers, Clemson or Oklahoma State to get in.

But we'll take advantage on the Wolf Pack's good fortune here and fade them in the First Four.  They take on Arizona State from the Pac-12, a team that came up with two huge victories in the Pac-12 Tournament to punch their ticket.  They also upset Arizona on the road late in the season to get in and are playing much better than Nevada right now.

Arizona State was impressive in the non-conference picking up wins over VCU, Michigan, and Creighton.  Nevada lost to Kansas State by 9, Loyola-Marymount by 12 and Oregon by 13 in the non-conference.  So they lost to a worse Pac-12 team than ASU in Oregon in blowout fashion.  ASU beat Oregon by 17 on the road and lost by 5 to them at home to compare.

Arizona State is 6-0 ATS in road games following a loss by 15 points or more over the last three seasons.  Bet Arizona State Monday.

15* NBA Wednesday Undervalued Underdog on Houston Rockets +4

The Los Angeles Lakers will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after a 123-108 win in New Orleans last night.  Now they have to travel to Houston to take on the pesky Rockets, and they won't have Anthony Davis for this one after he led the way with 35 points against the Pelicans last night.  They will be without both LeBron and Davis now and can't be trusted without these two.

The Rockets have quietly gone 3-3 SU & 4-2 ATS in their last six games overall and are as healthy as they have been all season.  That includes a pair of blowout wins over the Spurs, an upset win over the Celtics as 12.5-point dogs, and they took both the Pacers (OT) and the Bulls to the wire.  They had three players score at least 20 points in the win over the Celtics last time out and are a very talented, young team that is not tanking.

The Rockets are 4-2 ATS in the last six meetings with the Lakers and were competitive in all six that were decided by 10 points or fewer.  The Lakers are 7-17 ATS in their last 24 games following a road win.  Los Angeles is 16-31 ATS in its last 47 games following a win by 10 points or more.  Bet the Rockets Wednesday.

15* Mississippi State/Pittsburgh First Four ANNIHILATOR on Pittsburgh +2.5

It has been a bad look for Mississippi State to close out the season and they were fortunate to make the NCAA Tournament.  They are 2-2 SU but 0-4 ATS in their last four games overall.  The two wins weren't impressive as they beat lowly South Carolina by 6 as 15.5-point favorites and Florida by 1 in OT as 5-point favorites on a neutral.

That was a Florida team that didn't have their best player in Colin Castleton and have been struggling without him.  They also lost at Vanderbilt by 5 as 3.5-point favorites against a Commodores team that was also missing their best player in Liam Robbins.  Then the Bulldogs took a step up in class in the SEC Tournament and were blasted by 23 by Alabama as 8-point dogs.

Pittsburgh's last three losses have all coming on the road with two in the role of underdog against Miami and Duke.  The Panthers knocked off what has been a red hot Georgia Tech team by 8 in the ACC Tournament prior to losing to Duke, which is the hottest team in the ACC.  I think they come in undervalue here after that loss to Duke and should not be the underdogs.

Of course, Pittsburgh has been undervalued all season going 22-10-1 ATS in all games this season.  The Panthers are 21-7 ATS in their last 28 games overall.  The Bulldogs are 0-4-1 ATS in their last five neutral site games.  I also think the Panthers have the coaching edge here with Jeff Capel over Chris Jans.  They will have more fans here with the short trip from Pittsburgh to Dayton.  And they have an extra day of rest after last playing on Thursday while Mississippi State last played on Friday.  Bet Pittsburgh Tuesday.

20* NBA Tuesday No-Doubt Rout on Orlando Magic -5

The Orlando Magic continue to show up on a nightly basis and are a young team looking to improve to close out the season.  They are also fully healthy right now, and they have been a dangerous team when that has been the case.

The San Antonio Spurs are 4-24 SU in their last 28 games overall.  They are also 4-18 ATS in their last 22 games overall.  Amazingly, each of San Antonio's last 24 losses during this stretch have come by 5 points or more, and 17 of their last 21 losses have come by double-digits.

The Spurs have rarely even been competitive largely due to all the injuries they are dealing with right now which could be partially due to tanking.  The Spurs are without Tre Jones, Romeo Langford, Malaki Brandham and Jeremy Sochan right now and they could be without Keldon Johnson, who is questionable.  That's three of their top four scorers.  Bet the Magic Tuesday.

20* NBA DOG OF THE WEEK on Utah Jazz +8

The Utah Jazz will be completing their five-game road trip here Monday and want to end it with another victory.  They have four days off after this, so they will be 'all in' tonight for a win.  They are 3-0 ATS in their last three road games only losing by 4 at Dallas as 10-point dogs, upsetting Orlando by 7 as 4-point dogs and topping Charlotte by 8 as 1-point favorites.

I don't think Miami can be trusted to lay this kind of number with the way they are playing right now.  The Heat are just 4-8 SU & 3-9 ATS in their last 12 gams overall with their four wins coming by 2, 8, 2 and 4 points.  In fact, Miami hasn't won any of its last 23 games by more than 8 points making for a 23-0 system backing the Jazz pertaining to this 8-point spread.  Each of Miami's last 11 wins have come by 8 points or fewer.

The Heat are also a tired team right now playing their 7th game in 11 days.  They are coming off an OT loss at Orlando to boot.  They won't have much left in the tank for the Jazz, which will make it hard for them to put them away by margin.

Miami is 2-10 ATS in its last 12 games as a home favorite of 6.5 to 12 points.  Utah is 24-10 ATS as an underdog this season.  The Heat are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 home games.  Bet the Jazz Monday.

15* Knicks/Lakers ESPN Late-Night BAILOUT on Los Angeles -2.5

The Los Angeles Lakers still have plenty of talent to win without LeBron James and are proving it.  They have gone 8-3 SU & 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games overall including two upset wins over Golden State, an upset win at Dallas, an upset win at OKC and two upset home wins over Memphis and Toronto coming in.

Anthony Davis is playing like a superstar, scoring at least 28 points in five of his last six games.  De'Angelo Russell just returned from injury for the Lakers last time out and scored 28 points with 9 assists in a 122-112 victory over Toronto.  Beasley, Schroder, Walker IV, Hachimura, Reaves, Vanderbilt and Brown Jr. all have key roles on this team and are playing them well.

While the Lakers are rested and ready to go playing just their 2nd game in 5 days, the Knicks will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 10th game in 17 days after a 95-106 loss to the Clippers yesterday.  The Knicks are a contender in the East is due to the addition of Jalen Brunson (23.8 PPG, 6.1 APG), one of the most underrated players in the NBA.  Unfortunately for the Knicks, Brunson suffered a foot injury two games back and sat out yesterday.  He's unlikely to return tonight.

Plays on home teams where the line is +3 to -3 (LA Lakers) - after winning five or six of their last seven games, winning between 40-49% of their games on the season are 30-9 (76.9%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Bet the Lakers Sunday.

20* NBA Sunday No-Doubt Rout on Portland Trail Blazers PK

The Portland Trail Blazers just got two starters back in Anfernee Simons (21.3 PPG, 4.1 APG) and Jusuf Nurkic (13.5 PPG, 9.3 RPG) for the stretch run.  They took the 76ers to the brink last time out losing 119-120 as 8.5-point road dogs.  I think they come back here and get a win at short-handed New Orleans.

The Pelicans are banged up right now and struggling to win games, going 2-7 SU & 2-7 ATS in their last nine games overall.  They are without Zion, Nance and Alvarado and could be without Brandon Ingram again tonight.  They didn't have him last night in their 96-110 upset home loss to the Thunder, and now they'll be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back here and won't have much left in the tank for Portland.  Bet the Blazers Sunday.

20* Memphis/Houston AAC No-Brainer on Memphis +6

The Memphis Tigers are the one team that have pushed the Houston Cougars to the brink in the American Athletic Conference.  The Tigers are 9-1 ATS in the last 10 meetings with only one loss by double-digits during this stretch.  

They lost by 8 at Houston and by 2 at home to the Cougars in their two meetings this season, including a buzzer-beater at home on March 5th just a week ago today.  They want revenge from that loss, and I think there's a ton of value getting them at +6 here in the 3rd and final meeting in a game that will likely be decided in the final seconds again.

Memphis is fresh and ready to go after a 94-54 blowout victory over Tulane yesterday.  They avenged two regular season losses to the Green Wave and are in the same situation here again today.  Houston may be without leading scorer Marcus Sasser (17.0 PPG, 61.1% FG's), who suffered a groin injury in the first half against Cincinnati yesterday and likely will rest for the NCAA Tournament.  Bet Memphis Sunday.

20* NBA Saturday No-Doubt Rout on Boston Celtics -4.5

It's time to 'buy low' on the Boston Celtics after going 2-4 SU & 2-4 ATS in their last six games overall going through one of their worst stretches of the season.  It has had to do with a tough schedule coupled with some injuries to key players.

But the Celtics are now healthy, rested and ready to go coming in on two days' rest.  The only key player they are missing is Robert Williams, who they have gotten used to playing without the past two seasons.  They got right in a 115-93 victory over Portland on Wednesday and now I'm expecting another blowout in their favor tonight.

This is a terrible spot for the Atlanta Hawks, who will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 6th game in 9 days after a hard-fought 114-107 win over the Washington Wizards last night.  They have played four consecutive games that went to the wire and are simply out of gas right now.  They won't have much left in the tank for the Celtics tonight.

Boston is 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in its last three meetings with Atlanta winnings by 10, 9 and 25 points.  The Hawks are 4-14 ATS in their last 18 games revenging a blowout loss by 20 points or more.  The Celtics are 20-5 ATS in their last 25 games vs. a team with a winning record in the 2nd half of the season.  Atlanta is 9-24 ATS in its last 33 games following an ATS win.  Bet the Celtics Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday UPSET SHOCKER on Kent State +1

The Kent State Golden Flashes have been one of the most underrated teams in college basketball this season.  They have gone 27-6 SU & 20-10-1 ATS this season and have been the best team in the MAC this season.  They are being disrespected here again as underdogs to Toledo in the MAC Championship Game.

Toledo has had to work a lot harder than Kent State has the past two days to beat Miami Ohio and Ohio.  Kent State crushed Northern Illinois by 19 before being in control the entire game against Akron and settling for a 79-73 victory.  All five starters played at least 29 minutes yesterday for Toledo, while two starters played 22 minutes or fewer for Kent State as they are the deeper team and can handle this 3rd game in 3 days better than Toledo.

Kent State is 6-3 SU & 8-1 ATS in its last nine meetings with Toledo.  That includes a 75-63 home win over Toledo as 4-point favorites in their lone meeting this season.  It should be more of the same in the rematch here.  The Golden Flashes are 23-5 ATS in their last 28 games following an ATS win.  Bet Kent State Saturday.

20* NBA Saturday UPSET SHOCKER on Orlando Magic +2.5

It's a great time to 'buy low' on the Orlando Magic after going 0-3 SU & 0-3 ATS in their last three games overall.  They had yesterday off and will be rested and ready to try and take down their hated Florida rivals in the Miami Heat.

But this is more of a fade against Miami than it is a play on Orlando.  This is a terrible spot for the Heat.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after a double-digit comeback victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, getting revenge from a loss to the Cavaliers the game prior.  It will also be the 6th game in 9 days for the Heat, which is about as difficult a situation as there is in the NBA.

Orlando is 10-1 ATS in its last 11 games following three consecutive ATS losses.  Miami is 5-22-1 ATS in its last 28 games following an ATS win.  The Heat are 10-27-2 ATS in their last 39 games following a SU win.  The Magic are 12-4 ATS in their last 16 games following a SU loss.  Bet the Magic Saturday.

20* Texas/Kansas Big 12 No-Brainer on Kansas -2

The Kansas Jayhawks won the Big 12 regular season title and now look to capture the sweep by winning the conference tournament.  They are a better team than Texas and should be more than 2-point favorites considering this is essentially a home game for them being played in Kansas City.

Kansas also wants revenge from a 59-75 loss at Texas in the regular season finale.  I was on Texas in that game because I knew the Jayhawks were in a letdown spot after clinching the Big 12 title the game prior.  They indeed let down and weren't competitive.  They will be fully locked in for this one with another title on the line, and their best effort is better that of Texas.

Kansas is 6-0 ATS in its last six conference tournament games.  Texas is 1-9 ATS in its last 10 games following two consecutive conference wins.  The Jayhawks are 9-1 ATS after winning three of their last four games this season.  Bet Kansas Saturday.

15* Utah State/San Diego State MWC ANNIHILATOR on San Diego State -1.5

Utah State played the final game on the board last night that finished around midnight.  The Aggies needed a double-digit comeback to beat Boise State.  Now they have to come back and play at 3:00 local time this afternoon and won't have much left in the tank for San Diego State.

Meanwhile, the San Diego State Aztecs made easy work of the San Jose State Spartans in a 64-49 victory the game prior.  They have had extra time to rest and this early start time won't be an issue for them.

San Diego State swept the season series winning 85-75 at home and 63-61 on the road, so they clearly match up well with Utah State.  San Diego State is 7-0 ATS in its last seven games vs. teams that make 8 or more 3-pointers per game.  Utah State is 1-8 ATS in its last nine games vs. good rebounding teams that outrebound their opponents by 4-plus boards per game after 15-plus games.  Bet San Diego State Saturday.

20* Penn State/Indiana Big Ten No-Brainer on Indiana -3

Penn State's miraculous run of four consecutive victories by 3 points or less comes to an end today.  It's just too tall of a task for them to keep this up today playing their 4th game in 4 days and coming off an OT game against Northwestern yesterday to boot.  They run out of gas and get blown out of the building by the Indiana Hoosiers today.

This is a step up in class for Penn State as the Hoosiers have gone 12-4 SU in their last 16 games overall including a pair of wins over Purdue.  Indiana wants revenge from a 66-85 loss at Penn State prior to this 12-4 run.  The Nittany Lions shot 18-of-31 (58.1%) from 3-point range in that game, and that's clearly not going to happen again, especially on their tired legs.

Penn State is 0-6 ATS after covering four or five of their last six games coming in.  Indiana is 6-0 ATS in neutral court games with a total of 130 to 139.5 over the last three seasons.  The Hoosiers are 6-0 ATS in their last six games vs. teams that average 33 or fewer rebounds per game.  These three trends combine for a perfect 18-0 system backing the Hoosiers.  Bet Indiana Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday Afternoon BLOWOUT on Purdue -7.5

Ohio State's impressive Big Ten Tournament run comes to an end in blowout fashion today.  The Buckeyes will be playing their 4th game in 4 days and they are expected to be without their best player in Brice Sensabaugh (16.5 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 48.1% FG's, 41.5% 3-pointers) today.

It's just too tall of a task for the Buckeyes to try and win 4 games in 4 days against a healthy, rested Purdue team that earned a double-bye and will be playing just their 2nd game in 2 days.  The Boilermakers crushed the Buckeyes in their most recent meeting, an 82-55 home victory as 12-point favorites.  They outrebounded Ohio State 44-21 in that game and it will be more of the same here.  Bet Purdue Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday Undervalued Underdog on Missouri +10

The Missouri Tigers are 24-8 this season and one of the most underrated teams in the country.  They come in playing their best basketball with five consecutive victories including an upset 79-71 win over Tennessee yesterday.  Now I expect them to give Alabama a run for their money today.

Alabama is 1-4 ATS in its last five games overall and getting too much respect for a blowout win over Mississippi State yesterday.  That was a Mississippi State team coming off a hard-fought OT win over Florida the day prior while Alabama came in rested.  The Crimson Tide took advantage of a tired Bulldogs team.

I also think this number is inflated due to Alabama's 85-64 win at Missouri as 5.5-point favorites in their first meeting this season.  That was the worst performance of the season for the Tigers as they shot just 3-of-28 (10.7%) from 3-point range.  That's not going to happen again as Missouri averaged 9 made 3-pointers per game at a 36.3% clip, one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the country.

The Tigers are 5-0 ATS in their last five neutral site games.  The Crimson Tide are 0-5 ATS in their last five games following a win.  Bet Missouri Saturday.

15* Clemson/Virginia ACC ANNIHILATOR on Clemson +3.5

The Clemson Tigers are still somehow on the bubble despite going 23-9 this season including 15-6 in the ACC.  These players feel disrespected and are taking out their frustration here to close out the season.

The Tigers are 4-1 SU & 4-0-1 ATS in their last five games overall beating Syracuse by 18 as 4.5-point favorites, NC State by 25 as 6-point road dogs, Notre Dame by 23 as 10-point favorites and NC State by 26 as 1-point favorites.  They got to rest their starters late yesterday due to the blowout, while Virginia was in a 2-point game late against UNC but pulled away for a 68-59 victory.

Now they have their sights set on revenge from a 57-64 road loss at Virginia on February 28th in their lone defeat during this stretch. The Tigers get the Cavaliers on a neutral this time around in what will feel like a home game for them played in Greensboro, NC.  

Clemson is 9-2 ATS when the line is +3.5 to -3.5 this season.  The Tigers are 19-6-1 ATS in their last 26 games following a win by more than 20 points.  The Cavaliers are 1-5-1 ATS in their last seven games overall.  Bet Clemson Friday.

20* Maryland/Indiana Big Ten No-Brainer on Indiana PK

The Indiana Hoosiers have the rest advantage today after receiving a double-bye into the quarterfinals.  They are rested and ready to go against a Maryland team that just played yesterday in a 70-54 win over lowly Minnesota, which was tired from the day prior beating Nebraska and they took advantage.

This will now be a huge step up in class for the Terrapins.  The Hoosiers want revenge from a 55-66 road loss at Maryland in their first meeting this season.  But if you remember that was a terrible spot for Indiana.  They had Purdue on deck and were looking ahead to that game, and they wound up beating the Boilermakers in that game.  They also beat Purdue on the road on February 25th in the rematch to flash their potential.

This will feel like a home game for the Hoosiers with thousands of fans making the short trip to Chicago.  The Hoosiers are 6-2 ATS in their last eight neutral site games.  The favorite is 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings.  Bet Indiana Friday.

20* UConn/Marquette Big East No-Brainer on UConn -3.5

The UConn Huskies have been one of the best teams in the country when playing at their best.  They showed that with their 14-0 SU & 11-3 ATS start to the season, and they have showed it down the stretch here going 9-1 SU & 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games overall with their lone loss coming by 3 at Creighton.  All nine wins during this stretch came by 6 points or more.

Marquette is just 3-6 ATS in its last nine games overall and has been overvalued due to winning the Big East regular season title.  They just beat St. John's by 2 and 2 points in their last two games coming in and only beat DePaul by 6 at home four games back.  They had to go to OT to beat St. John's yesterday, which will add to their fatigue playing for a 2nd consecutive day.

UConn did lost the first meeting 76-82 at Marquette back when they weren't playing their best on January 11th.  But they got their revenge in blowout fashion over the Golden Eagles, winning 87-72 at home on February 7th.  They had a 48-24 rebounding advantage in that game and have a big advantage on the boards in this matchup.  It should be more of the same in the 3rd and final meeting here in the Big East semis.

UConn is 8-1 ATS following three or more consecutive ATS wins this season.  Marquette is 0-6 ATS in its last six games on the highway following three consecutive games as favorites.  The Huskies are 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall.  UConn is 4-0 ATS in its last four neutral site games.  The Golden Eagles are 1-4-1 ATS in their last six neutral site games.  The favorite is 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings.  Bet UConn Friday.

25* Conference Tournament GAME OF THE YEAR on Missouri +6

Missouri comes in rested and ready to go after receiving a double-bye into the quarterfinals.  The are playing some of their best basketball of the season heading into the SEC Tournament by winning four consecutive games to earn this double-bye.  And now they are catching 6 points in the opener against Tennessee when I think they should be favored.

That's especially the case considering Tennessee will be playing for a 2nd consecutive day after beating Ole Miss yesterday.  That was a rare win recently for the Volunteers, who are 5-6 SU & 4-7 ATS in their last 11 games overall.  They just lost starting PG Zakai Zeigler (10.7 PPG, 5.4 APG) to a season-ending injury to boot and are vulnerable here in the postseason.

Missouri won 86-85 as 12-point road underdogs in their lone meeting this season with the Volunteers.  That spread was way off, and this spread is, too.  The Tigers are 4-0 ATS in their last four neutral site games.  Missouri is 9-1 ATS in its last 10 games after failing to cover four or five of its last six games coming in.  Tennessee is 0-6 ATS in its last six road games after four straight games committing 14 or fewer turnovers.  Bet Missouri Friday.

15* CBB Friday Afternoon BLOWOUT on North Texas -1

North Texas is 11-1 SU & 10-2 ATS in its last 12 games overall and coming off a 74-46 blowout victory over Louisiana Tech yesterday.  That blowout win means they will be fresh and ready to go taking on UAB today.

UAB will also be fresh, but I can't help but look at both regular season meetings between these two teams and feel like North Texas is simply the better team.  The Mean Green went 2-0 SU & 2-0 ATS in their two meetings with the Blazers winning 82-79 at home and 63-52 on the road.  Contrary to popular belief, it's not hard to beat a team three times in the same season.

UAB is 0-7 ATS following two consecutive games giving up 9 or less offensive rebounds.  North Texas is 9-1 ATS in its last 10 games away from home vs. good offensive teams that score 77 or more points per game.  The Blazers are 4-14-1 ATS in their last 19 games following an ATS win.  UAB is 1-7 ATS vs. teams that commit 12 or fewer turnovers per game this season.  I'll gladly back the better defensive team in North Texas that takes care of the ball here.  Bet North Texas Friday.

20* Knicks/Kings TNT Late-Night BAILOUT on Sacramento -2.5

The Sacramento Kings have been one of the most underrated teams in the NBA this season.  They are 38-26 SU & 35-28-1 ATS this season and currently in 2nd place in the Western Conference.  Yet nobody wants to give this team the respect they deserve.

Now the Kings come in fully healthy and on two days' rest and are primed for a big effort at home on National TV on TNT.  They have one of the best home-court advantages in the NBA when they are good.  I think they make easy work of the Knicks tonight.

It's time to 'sell high' on the Knicks, who just had their 9-game winning streak snapped with a 105-112 upset home loss to Charlotte.  I always like fading teams the game after having an extended winning streak snapped because there tends to be a 'hangover' effect.  They aren't as motivated to keep their winning streak alive anymore.  

The Knicks are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games overall and have a huge betting bandwagon right now.  That's why we'll 'sell high' on them.  Their best player in Jalen Brunson (23.9 PPG, 6.2 APG) is nursing an ankle injury right now and questionable to play tonight.  Brunson has been on a tear averaging 27.5 PPG in his last 10 games.  Bet the Kings Thursday.

15* Villanova/Creighton Big East ANNIHILATOR on Villanova +5.5

The Villanova Wildcats are still trying to earn a bid into the NCAA Tournament.  A win over Creighton would go a long way.  They want this game more and it will show, and thus getting 5 points with the Wildcats with everything factored in is a nice value.

I realize Villanova will be playing for a 2nd consecutive day while Creighton is off a bye, but it's a non-factor here.  Villanova crushed Georgetown 80-48 yesterday and was able to rest starters in the 2nd half as a result.  The Wildcats will come back fresh  with a big effort tonight.

Villanova has been the better team in their two meetings with Creighton this season and clearly match up well with them.  They lost 61-66 as 10-point road dogs at Creighton in a game they had a chance to win in the closing seconds.  They came back and made easy work of Creighton 79-67 as 2-point home underdogs in the rematch.  I expect them to win outright again today, but I'll certainly take the value and the 5.5 points here.

Creighton is 2-10 ATS vs. teams that attempt 21 or more 3-pointers per game this season.  The Wildcats are 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall and have been competitive in 26 consecutive games with only one loss by more than 10 points which was a 12-point defeat to UConn.  The underdog is 10-2 ATS in the last 12 meetings.  Bet Villanova Thursday.

15* NC State/Clemson ACC ANNIHILATOR on Clemson +2

Wrong team favored here.  Clemson had a bye into this round and is rested and ready to go.  NC State played a shootout yesterday beating Virginia Tech 97-77.  They Wolfpack are now getting too much respect for that victory coming back as favorites today.

This despite the fact that Clemson has owned them this season.  Clemson won 78-64 as 2.5-point home favorites over the Wolfpack and backed it up with a 96-71 road win at NC State as 6-point dogs in the rematch.  The Tigers clearly match up well with the Wolfpack.  Clemson also needs this game more to make the NCAA Tournament so won't be taking them lightly.

NC State is 1-8 ATS following a win by 15 points or more this season.  Clemson is 8-2 ATS when the line is +3 to -3 this season.  The Tigers are a perfect 9-0 ATS in their last nine games vs. up-tempo teams that average 62 or more shots per game.  The Wolfpack are 0-7 ATS in their last seven games after scoring more than 90 points in their previous.  The Tigers are 13-5 ATS in their last 18 neutral site games.  I'll gladly back the much better defensive team here in Clemson against the flashy offensive team in NC State.  Bet Clemson Thursday.

15* TCU/Kansas State Big 12 ANNIHILATOR on Kansas State +2.5

Kansas State will have the home-court advantage today with this game being played in Kansas City.  They should not be underdogs to TCU considering that fact, plus they are fully healthy while TCU is going to be without key big man Eddie Lampkin Jr.

Kansas State crushed TCU 82-61 at home this season and it should be more of the same in the rematch here.  The Wildcats have been one of the most underrated teams in all of college basketball this season going 23-8 SU & 20-11 ATS.  They are 16-1 SU at home this season, and while this isn't a true home game it will feel like one for them.

The Horned Frogs are 2-7 ATS in their last nine games overall.  Kansas State is 7-0 ATS when playing against a good team (60% to 80%) this season.  Bet Kansas State Thursday.

20* UNLV/Boise State MWC No-Brainer on Boise State -4

UNLV needed OT to beat Air Force 78-70 yesterday in a game that was tied 57-57 at the end of regulation.  It was a brutal beat for me on Air Force +7, and I'll gladly fade the Rebels in this spot considering they lack depth without second-leading scorer Keshon Gilbert (11.5 PPG).

Meanwhile, Boise State comes in rested after receiving a bye.  The Broncos might still have some work to do to make the NCAA Tournament so they won't be taking UNLV lightly.  They have won both meetings with the Rebels this season, including a blowout 84-66 road win at UNLV.  The Broncos are now 7-0 SU In their last eight meetings with the Rebels winning six of them by 4 points or more.  Bet Boise State Thursday.

20* CBB BLOWOUT GAME OF THE WEEK on North Texas -8

Louisiana Tech (15-17) just lost its bet player in G Cobe Williams (18.8 PPG, 4.1 APG) as he is no longer with the team.  The Bulldogs couldn't afford to lose him. The Bulldogs are 2-5 SU & 2-5 ATS in their seven games without him.  

Louisiana Tech needed OT to beat Florida International 81-76 yesterday.  Willis played all 45 minutes and Crawford played 44 minutes for the Bulldogs, who are short on depth especially without Williams.  They won't have much left in the tank for North Texas today.

North Texas (25-6) is one of the best mid-majors in the country.  The Mean Green are rested and ready to go after getting a bye into this round.  They just won 72-62 at LA Tech on February 18th in their most recent meeting, and I like their chances of winning by double-digits in the rematch here given the rest advantage and the home-court advantage as the C-USA Tournament is being played in Frisco, TX.

The Mean Green are 8-1 ATS in their last nine games overall with seven wins by double-digits.  Bet North Texas Thursday.

15* Pac-12 PLAY OF THE DAY on UCLA -8.5

Colorado was in a dog fight with Washington yesterday but pulled out the 74-68 victory.  Now the Buffaloes will be playing for a 2nd consecutive day and are short on depth right now.  They just lost leading scorer KJ Simpson (15.9 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 3.8 APG) to Mono right before the Pac-12 Tournament.  They were already without third-leading scorer J'vonne Hadley (8.0 PPG, 5.9 RPG) and couldn't afford to lose Simpson.

Now they have to take on a rested UCLA team coming off a bye that is the best team in the Pac-12.  This has double-digit blowout written all over it.  UCLA has won four consecutive meetings with Colorado in this series, including both meetings this season.

Colorado is 54-90 ATS in its last 144 games played away from home following two consecutive wins.  The Bruins have won 10 consecutive games with six wins by 9 points or more.  They are 6-2-1 ATS in their last nine games overall.  Bet UCLA Thursday.

20* Ohio State/Iowa Big Ten No-Brainer on Iowa -1.5

It's a good time to 'buy low' on the Iowa Hawkeyes after an upset loss to Nebraska in their regular season finale.  They had won 90-68 at Indiana in the game prior, so it was more of an aberration than anything.  Iowa won the Big Ten Tournament last year and will be locked in and focused to repeat.

The Hawkeyes have the rest advantage here after getting a bye into this round, while Ohio State won a hard-fought 65-57 game against Wisconsin yesterday.  It's a good time to 'sell high' on the Buckeyes, who are 3-1 SU & 4-0 ATS in their last four games overall.  Their brief run comes to an end today.

Iowa beat Ohio State 92-75 at home on February 16th.  Ohio State is 3-10 ATS as an underdog this season.  The Buckeyes are 6-15 ATS in their last 21 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  The favorite is 8-3 ATS in the last 11 meetings.  The Hawkeyes are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games following a loss. Bet Iowa Thursday.

15* CBB Thursday Undervalued Underdog on St. John's +8

Oddsmakers and the betting public are making the mistake of not realizing that this is a home game for St. John's at Madison Square Garden.  Thus, they should not be catching 8-plus points against the Marquette Golden Eagles.

I realize the Red Storm will be playing for a 2nd consecutive day while the Golden Eagles are off a bye, but the Red Storm made easy work of Butler 76-63 yesterday which softens the blow.  Marquette is a terrible rebounding team while St. John's is a great one, which will keep them in this game.

St. John's just lost 96-94 at Marquette as 11.5-point dogs in the regular season finale to prove they could play with the Golden Eagles on the road.  So they are revenge-minded here, and oddsmakers aren't adjusting enough towards them considering they are flipping home courts here.

The Red Storm are 6-0 ATS in their last six neutral site games.  The Golden Eagles are just 3-5 ATS in their last eight games overall and have been overvalued for weeks after winning the Big East regular season title.  Bet St. John's Thursday.

20* Wake Forest/Miami ACC No-Brainer on Miami -5

Wake Forest won at the buzzer yesterday over Syracuse.  That game took a lot out of the Demon Deacons as it was played at a fast pace.  They are without second-leading scorer Monsanto (13.3 PPG) and lack depth.

Miami is rested and ready to go after getting a bye into this round.  The Hurricanes are fully healthy and not only a legit ACC title contender, but also a NCAA Tournament contender after making a deep run last year and bringing back mostly the same team.

Miami beat Wake Forest 96-87 at home in their lone meeting this season on February 18th.  Monsanto scored 14 points in that game for Wake Forest and they won't have his production this time around.

Miami is 7-0 ATS off a win where they failed to cover the spread this season.  The Hurricanes are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games off a win by 3 points or less.  The Demon Deacons are 1-6-1 ATS in their last eight neutral site games.  Bet Miami Thursday.

20* CBB Wednesday UPSET SHOCKER on Florida International +2.5

Louisiana Tech (14-17) just lost its bet player in G Cobe Williams (18.8 PPG, 4.1 APG) as he is no longer with the team.  The Bulldogs couldn't afford to lose him.  He has been off the team for their last six games, a 62-72 home loss to North Texas as 4-point dogs, a 67-74 home loss to Charlotte as 1-point dogs, 66-76 road loss at Western Kentucky as 4.5-point dogs, a 49-63 road loss at Middle Tennessee as 8.5-point dogs, a 1-point home win over FIU as 5-point favorites and a 4-point home loss to FAU as 9-point dogs.

So the Bulldogs are 1-5 SU & 1-5 ATS in their six games without Williams.  That includes their 77-76 (OT) home win over Florida International on March 2nd less than a week ago.  Now the Panthers will be out for revenge and I like their chances of pulling off the upset on a neutral this time around.

Florida International is just 1-5 SU in its last six games overall but four of those losses came by 7 points or fewer and the other was an 11-point loss at Middle Tennessee, which is a very tough place to play.  They closed the season with a 90-83 upset win at Rice as 5.5-point dogs to gain some confidence and momentum heading into this C-USA Tournament.

The Panthers are 7-1 ATS in their last eight games following a win.  The Bulldogs are 0-5 ATS in their last five games following a loss.  The Panthers are 13-6 ATS in their last 19 games overall.  The underdog is 7-1 ATS in the last eight meetings.  Bet Florida International Wednesday.

15* Big East PLAY OF THE DAY on Georgetown +12

Georgetown made a shocking run to win the Big East Tournament a few years back under Patrick Ewing.  This team has a lot of similarities to that one, playing competitive basketball but having a poor record to show for it.

Well, Georgetown is actually 9-4 ATS in its last 13 games overall but just 2-11 SU during this stretch.  The Hoyas have been competitive, including a 73-77 loss at Villanova as 13.5-point dogs in their most recent meeting.  I think they can hang with the Wildcats on a neutral this time around as well.

Villanova has all the pressure on them trying to make the NCAA Tournament.  The Wildcats could have likely clinched a spot in the regular season finale but lost 59-71 at home to UConn.  They know they won't get any credit for a win over Georgetown and style points won't matter, so their mindset is just to win and advance.  

They will be conservative, which is their nature ranking 340th in the country in adjusted tempo.  They remind me a lot of Virginia, which struggles to cover big spreads because they play so slow.  Villanova is 7-14 ATS as a favorite this season.  Georgetown will be free willing it here with nothing to lose, and I like that mindset better.

Georgetown is 9-1 ATS in its last 10 road games when revenging a same-season loss.  Villanova is 3-11 ATS in its last 14 games vs. a team with a losing record.  The Wildcats are 1-5 ATS in their last six neutral site games.  The underdog is 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings.  Bet Georgetown Wednesday.

20* NBA Eastern Conference GAME OF THE WEEK on Atlanta Hawks -3

The Washington Wizards are in a brutal spot tonight.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 4th game in 5 days after a 119-117 win in Detroit last night.  They struggled to beat the lowly Pistons, which meant their starters had to play big minutes to close the deal.  That will leave them on tired legs tonight and with not much left in the tank for the Hawks.

Atlanta comes in highly motivated for a victory following consecutive losses in Miami prior to having yesterday off.  They also want revenge from a 116-119 home loss to the Wizards on February 28th just over a week ago.  I expect the Hawks to win with room to spare tonight given the favorable spot both from a motivation and rest perspective.

Atlanta is 13-3 ATS in its last 16 road games following a loss by 6 points or less.  Plays on favorites (Atlanta) - revenging a loss as a home favorite of 7 points or more against an opponent that is coming off a road win are 40-15 (72.7%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Bet the Hawks Wednesday.

15* Big Ten PLAY OF THE DAY on Wisconsin +2

Wisconsin is squarely on the bubble of the NCAA Tournament and won't take Ohio State lightly in the Big Ten Tournament as a result.  That's key because the Buckeyes are struggling to close the season going just 3-15 SU & 4-14 ATS in their last 18 games overall.

I backed Wisconsin in a 65-60 upset win at Ohio State as 7.5-point underdogs in their lone meeting this season on February 2nd.  I stated that Ohio State shouldn't even be favored with how they are playing right now.  And I feel that is the case again here as they are once again getting too much respect from oddsmakers as neutral court favorites to Wisconsin.

The Badgers are playing much better than Ohio State right now.  They are 3-3 SU & 3-2-1 ATS in their last six games overall with their three losses coming by 1 to Rutgers, by 2 to Purdue and in OT to Michigan.  That's how close they are to being 6-0 against a brutal schedule.

Wisconsin is 13-4 ATS in its last 17 games with a line of +3 to -3.  The Badgers are 4-0 ATS in their last four neutral site games.  Wisconsin is 4-0 ATS in its last four games following a loss.  Bet Wisconsin Wednesday.

15* Mountain West PLAY OF THE DAY on Air Force +7

Air Force just lost 53-54 at UNLV on February 24th in their second-to-last game of the season.  They led that game basically the entire way until a costly turnover leading by 1 in the final seconds that led to a layup by UNLV.  No question they want revenge, and there's no sweeter revenge then ending UNLV's season.

At the very least, I think this game goes down to the wire, so getting 7 points with the Falcons is a nice value.  UNLV is struggling down the stretch going 2-4 SU & 2-4 ATS in its last six games overall with both victories coming by a combined 3 points, and the four losses coming by a combined 49 points.

While Air Force is fully healthy, UNLV is without Keshon Gilbert (11.5 PPG, 3.2 APG, 46.1% shooting, 38% 3-pointers).  The Rebels lost him in their season finale against Nevada and he has been suspended for this game and won't return until next game if UNLV advances.  That's a huge blow for the Rebels as he is their second-leading scorer and it puts a ton of pressure on Harkless to do more.

The Falcons are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 road games.  The underdog is 12-4 ATS in the last 16 meetings.  The Rebels are 4-11 ATS at home this season, including 0-4 ATS in their last four home games.  Bet Air Force Wednesday.

20* Colorado/Washington Pac-12 No-Brainer on Washington +4

The Washington Huskies have been one of the most underrated teams in the Pac-12 this season going 11-5 ATS in their last 16 conference games.  They have beaten Colorado twice already this season, winning 73-63 as 1-point home dogs and 75-72 as 9-point road dogs.  Now they are catching 4 points in the 3rd and final meeting, and it will be more of the same here with another upset victory in favor of the Huskies.

The key here is that Colorado just lost leading scorer KJ Simpson (15.9 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 3.8 APG) to Mono right before the Pac-12 Tournament.  They were already without third-leading scorer J'vonne Hadley (8.0 PPG, 5.9 RPG) and couldn't afford to lose Simpson.  Those two combined for 28 points in their first meeting with Washington this season, and 18 points in the second meeting.  Not having to deal with those two guys will make the task even easier on the Huskies tonight.

Washington is 4-0 ATS in its last four neutral site games.  The Huskies are 6-0 ATS in their last six games after allowing more than 90 points in their previous game.  Washington is 27-7 ATS in its last 34 games following a loss.  Colorado is 1-7 ATS in its last seven road games following an ATS win.  The Huskies are 6-0 ATS following two consecutive conference losses this season.  The Huskies are 8-0 ATS in their last eight road games after failing to cover the spread last game.  Bet Washington Wednesday.

20* Wake Forest/Syracuse ACC Early ANNIHILATOR on Syracuse +3

Syracuse just beat Wake Forest 72-63 at home to close out the season.  The Orange were a PK in that game at home, and now are +3 on a neutral.  They should have been favored in that game, and they should be favored in this game as well.  We'll gladly take the value and the +3 with the Orange in the rematch.

Wake Forest has been a dead team for weeks.  The Demon Deacons are 0-5-1 ATS in their last six games overall with their only two victories both coming at home over Georgia Tech by 1 as 13-point favorites and Notre Dame by 8 as 8-point favorites.  They lost by 9 at Miami, by 14 at NC State, were upset at home as 8-point favorites by Boston College, and lost by 9 at Syracuse.

Wake Forest's season really went in the dumpster when they lost G Damari Monsanto (13.3 PPG, 40.5% 3-pointers) in that loss to NC State.  They have been without him for each of their last three games and just aren't very good without his shooting prowess.  They are a terrible defensive team allowing 70 or more points in 23 of their last 27 games overall, which is why they can't be trusted laying points.

Syracuse is 19-6 ATS when the line is +3 to -3 over the last three seasons.  The Orange are 35-15 ATS in their last 50 games as neutral court underdogs or PK.  Jim Boeheim thrives in these neutral court tournaments and will have his team ready to go to make one final run at the Big Dance.  Bet Syracuse Wednesday.

20* NBA Tuesday No-Doubt Rout on Minnesota Timberwolves -2

The Minnesota Timberwolves are 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in their last three games overall with road wins over the Clippers, Lakers and Kings.  Now they have had the last two days off to rest and prepare to face the Philadelphia 76ers tonight.

The 76ers don't have that same luxury.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 5th road game in 7 days, which is about as tough a spot as there is in the NBA.  They have been life and death in each of their last three games, including last night in a 147-143 shootout win at Indiana.

Embiid played 37 minutes, Harden 39 and Maxey 37 last night.  The 76ers could elect to rest some starters tonight, and they were already without both Tobias Harris and P.J. Tucker, two starters.  They might be wise to just punt this game and rest everyone given the circumstances.

Plays against road teams with a line of +3 to -3 (Philadelphia) - off a road win scoring 110 points or more, a tired team playing their 3rd game in 4 days is 58-27 (68.2%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Bet the Timberwolves Tuesday.

15* NBA Tuesday Undervalued Underdog on Orlando Magic +7.5

The Orlando Magic have been one of the most profitable teams to back in the NBA over the past couple months.  They have gone 26-15 ATS in their last 41 games overall and continue to show up on a nightly basis.  They clearly aren't tanking.

The Magic are 10-1 SU & 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games following a loss. Dating back further, the Magic are 12-2 ATS in their last 14 games following a loss.  Adding to their motivation is the fact that they just lost in Milwaukee on March 1st less than a week ago.

The Bucks are overvalued right now due to their recent 16-game winning streak that was ended with a 130-133 home loss to Philadelphia.  They did go on to beat the Wizards by 6 on the road, and I don't see them getting margin against the Magic tonight, either.  This one will got to the wire so getting 7.5 points with Orlando is a nice value.  Bet the Magic Tuesday.

20* Georgia Tech/Florida State ACC Early ANNIHILATOR on Georgia Tech PK

The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets have gone 6-2 SU in their final eight games of the season and are playing their best basketball heading into the ACC Tournament.  They have gone a perfect 8-0 ATS in their last eight games overall as they have consistently been undervalued with four outright upsets during this stretch.

They are once again being undervalued as a PK against lowly Florida State, which is 9-22 SU & 12-19 ATS this season while consistently being overvalued.  The Seminoles did not finish well going 2-9 SU in their final 11 games with one of those wins coming by 3 against Louisville and the other a miracle 1-point win over Miami after being down 25.

The Seminoles are 1-8 ATS in their last nine games overall.  They lost by 22 at Va Tech, by 11 at home to UNC, by 6 at home to BC, by 40 at Clemson, by 8 at home to Pitt, by 9 at home to Syracuse and by 28 at NC State.  They have rarely even been competitive here down the stretch and are getting way too much respect from oddsmakers in the ACC Tournament opener.  Bet Georgia Tech Tuesday.

20* CBB Monday UPSET SHOCKER on Wisconsin-Milwaukee +2.5

Wrong team favored here.  Wisconsin-Milwaukee won both regular season meetings with Cleveland State 68-64 as 5.5-point road dogs and 81-72 as 1.5-point home dogs.  And here they are in the underdog role against the Vikings again in the conference tournament when they are clearly the better team.

Milwaukee upset Wright State 87-70 as 1.5-point dogs in their Horizon League Tournament opener in one of the most impressive performances of the season in this conference.  Cleveland State struggled to beat Robert Morris 75-70 as 6.5-point home favorites in their tournament opener.

Cleveland State is 0-9 ATS after winning six or seven of its last eight games this season.  Bet Wisconsin-Milwaukee Monday.

20* NBA BLOWOUT GAME OF THE WEEK on Cleveland Cavaliers -6

I love the spot for the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight.  They will be playing just their 2nd game in 5 days and will be out for revenge from a 113-117 loss at Boston on March 1st.  Now they get to face them again at home this time around five days later.  The Cavaliers are 27-7 SU & 23-11 ATS at home this season.

The Boston Celtics are struggling going 1-3 SU & 0-4 ATS in their last four games overall.  They are in an absolutely terrible spot tonight playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after a double-OT loss to the New York Knicks last night.  Tatum played 48 minutes, Brown, 47, Horford 45, Willaims 44 , Smart 39 and White 32 last night.  They won't have anything left in the tank for the Cavaliers and may rest some guys.

Cleveland is 8-1 ATS following a blowout win by 20 points or more this season.  The Cavaliers are 10-1-1 ATS in their last 12 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of great than .600.  Cleveland is 6-0 ATS in its last six games following a win by more than 10 points.  Bet the Cavaliers Monday.

20* NBA Sunday No-Doubt Rout on Orlando Magic -2

The Orlando Magic have been one of the most profitable teams to back in the NBA over the past couple months.  They have gone 26-14 ATS in their last 40 games overall and continue to show up on a nightly basis.  They clearly aren't tanking.

The Portland Trail Blazers have some significant injuries that have led to them going just 3-8 SU & 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games overall with all three victories coming at home.  They are 0-4 SU & 0-4 ATS in road games during this stretch losing by 18 at Atlanta, by 18 at Golden State, by 17 at Sacramento and by 8 at Chicago.  They are without both Simons (21.1 PPG) and Nurkic (13.8 PPG, 9.4 RPG) right now.

Orlando is 14-4 ATS in its last 18 games after playing two consecutive road games.  The Magic are 16-6 ATS vs. Western Conference opponents this season.  Portland is 3-13 ATS vs. teams that win 40-49% of their games this season.  The Blazers are 3-13 ATS in their last 16 road games.  Orlando is 20-7 ATS in its last 27 games when playing on one day of rest.  Bet the Magic Sunday.

20* South Alabama/James Madison Sun Belt No-Brainer on James Madison PK

James Madison lost 62-63 as 3-point road favorites at South Alabama in their lone meeting this season.  Now the Dukes want revenge, and we are getting them at a better price here at PK in the rematch despite this being on a neutral and not a true road game.

The value is there, plus the Dukes have the rest advantage.   They will be playing just their 2nd game in 9 days here while South Alabama will be playing its 3rd game in 4 days after beating App State and Southern Miss in their first two games of this Sun Belt Tournament.  

I don't think the Jaguars will have much left in the tank for the Dukes, who will test their tired legs ranking 31st in adjusted tempo and 9th in average possession length on offense in the entire country.  The Dukes average 81.0 points per game this season.  They are also 69th in adjusted defense.

Plays on all teams where the line is +3 to -3 (James Madison) - in conference tournament games, a good team (60% to 80%) playing a marginal winning team (51% to 60%) are 39-13 (75%) ATS over the last five seasons.  The Dukes are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games vs. a team with a winning record.  Bet James Madison Sunday.

15* CBB Sunday Undervalued Underdog on East Carolina +11.5

East Carolina has quietly gone 4-3 SU & 5-2 ATS in their last seven games overall with an upset home win over Tulane, an upset home win over Cincinnati and only a 3-point road loss at Tulane as 12-point dogs.  The Pirates are once again catching too many points here as 11.5-point road dogs to UCF.

This is a UCF team that is not playing well at all down the stretch and just going through the motions.  The Knights are 3-9 SU in their last 12 games overall with two of those wins coming against Tulsa, the worst team in the American Athletic.  They cannot be trusted to lay this big of a number with the way they have been playing.

ECU wants revenge from a 61-64 home loss to UCF as 5.5-point dogs.  Each of the last six meetings have been decided by 10 points or less, making for a 6-0 system backing the Pirates pertaining to this 11.5-point spread.  The Pirates are 8-1 ATS vs. teams that make 8 or more 3-pointers per game this season.  The Knights are 2-9 ATS in their last 11 games following a loss.  Bet East Carolina Sunday.

15* CBB Sunday Afternoon Line Mistake on South Florida +8

These are two very evenly-matched teams here in South Florida and Wichita State and this line should be much closer to PK than 8.  South Florida is 4-1 SU in its last five games overall which includes an upset win at UCF as 10-point dogs.

Wichita State is coming off a 66-83 loss at Houston on Thursday and now only has two days to get ready for South Florida.  I like fading teams after playing the No. 1 team in the country because they just aren't as motivated in their next game out.  I think the Shockers suffer a hangover here from that Houston defeat.

USF wants revenge from a 66-70 home loss as 2-point favorites to Wichita state in their first meeting this season.  So the books have adjusted this number 10 points for home-court advantage now making the Shockers an 8-point favorite in the rematch.  That's way too big of an adjustment as Wichita State has actually been better on the road than at home this season, while USF has been at is best on the road.

Indeed, the Bulls are 11-1 ATS in all games played away from home this season.  Wichita State is 4-12 ATS at home this season.  The Bulls are 40-18-1 ATS in their last 59 road games dating back further.  The Shockers are 17-36-2 ATS in their last 55 home games dating back further.  The road team is 5-1-1 ATS in the last seven meetings.  Bet South Florida Sunday.

20* Houston/Memphis CBS No-Brainer on Memphis +5

The Memphis Tigers are 11-2 in their last 13 games overall with their two losses coming by 1 to Tulane and by 8 on the road at Houston.  Now they get their shot at revenge on the Cougars, who don't have much to play for here in what feels like a letdown spot for them.

Nobody has played Houston as tough as Memphis in recent meetings.  The Tigers are 8-1 ATS in their last nine meetings with the Cougars with three outright upsets and five losses by 8 points or fewer.  Memphis is 13-1 SU at home this season with its lone loss coming by a single point.

Home-court advantage has been huge in this series as the home team is 7-1 SU in the last eight meetings with the lone exception being an upset road win by Memphis.  The home team has only lost by more than 3 points once in the last 11 meetings, making for a 10-1 system backing the Tigers pertaining to this 5-point spread.  Bet Memphis Sunday.

25* College Basketball GAME OF THE YEAR on Villanova +3

Villanova has been competitive in each of its last 10 games since Justin Moore returned to the lineup.  Moore is getting better with each passing game and just had 25 points in an upset road win over Xavier three games back.  It was a team effort in an 79-67 upset win over Creighton last Saturday that moved the Wildcats closer to making the NCAA Tournament.

The Wildcats came up clutch again on Tuesday winning 76-72 at Seton Hall.  Moore iced that game by making every free throw down the stretch and finished with 23 points.  This team is gaining confidence with each passing game and now has an opportunity to put a stamp on its season on Senior Night with an upset win over Connecticut that would likely get them in the NCAA Tournament.

UConn comes in overvalued off a blowout home win over a dead DePaul team that has lost 11 consecutive games now.  That win clinched a Top 5 seed in the Big East Tournament for the Huskies, and each of the Top 5 seeds get a bye.  So I think there will be a bit of a letdown factor here for the Huskies with not much to play for, while the Wildcats have everything to play for.

Villanova is 10-2 at home this season with four consecutive home victories coming in.  UConn is just an average road team, going 5-5 SU in true road games.  The Wildcats are 1st in the country in defending catch and shoot 3's which UConn is a Top 25 team in.  UConn is a dominant offensive rebounding team, but Villanova also ranks very highly in defending offensive rebounds.  The matchup is a good one for the more motivated home underdog here tonight.  Bet Villanova Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday Night BLOWOUT on Florida Atlantic -9.5

Louisiana Tech (14-16) just lost its bet player in G Cobe Williams (18.8 PPG, 4.1 APG) as he is no longer with the team.  The Bulldogs couldn't afford to lose him.  He has been off the team for their last five games, a 62-72 home loss to North Texas as 4-point dogs, a 67-74 home loss to Charlotte as 1-point dogs, 66-76 road loss at Western Kentucky as 4.5-point dogs, a 49-63 road loss at Middle Tennessee as 8.5-point dogs and a 1-point home win over FIU as 5-point favorites.

So the Bulldogs are 1-4 SU & 0-5 ATS in their five games without Williams.  Now they have to face the best team in C-USA in Florida Atlantic (27-3).  Making matters worse is that they are a tired team playing their 2nd game in 3 days after needing OT to beat FIU on Thursday, so they won't have much left in the tank for the Owls.

FAU is trying to make a statement here at the end of the season to try and earn an at-large berth in case they were to lose in the conference tournament.  They have gone 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in their last three games overall winning by 40 over UTSA as 17.5-point favorites, by 26 over UTEP as 12-point favorites and by 29 over Rice as 8.5-point favorites.  They should still be very fresh following three consecutive blowouts.

FAU is 9-0 ATS following two consecutive wins by 10 points or more this season.  The Owls will win this game by double-digits again today.  Bet Florida Atlantic Saturday.

20* Duke/UNC ESPN No-Brainer on North Carolina -2.5

The North Carolina Tar Heels caught fire as an 8-seed and made it to the championship game of the NCAA Tournament last year.  They have pretty much the same team back and after going through the motions most of the season, they are playing their best basketball of the season here down the stretch.  They are squarely on the bubble so will be max motivated.

The Tar Heels have won three consecutive games beating Notre Dame on the road, Virginia at home and FSU on the road.  Now they have their sights set on revenge from a 57-63 road loss at Duke in their first meeting this season.  They shot just 36.4% as a team in that game and just couldn't get a 3 to fall late.  But they are heating up from 3 and will be coming into this game with a ton of shooting confidence.

Duke is 3-6 SU & 2-7 ATS in true road games this season.  The Blue Devils are 0-7 ATS in their last seven games as road underdogs or PK.  UNC is 12-2 SU at home this season.  Duke is 2-9 ATS in its last 11 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  The Blue Devils are 4-12 ATS in their last 16 games overall.  Bet North Carolina Saturday.

15* Kansas/Texas ESPN ANNIHILATOR on Texas -2

The Kansas Jayhawks escaped with home victories over West Virginia 76-74 as 9.5-point favorites and Texas Tech 67-63 as 8-point favorites in their last two games to clinch the Big 12 regular season title.  Now the Jayhawks are primed for a letdown here as this game really means nothing to them as they are basically locked into a No. 1 seed after winning the toughest conference in the country.

I question their motivation tonight, but I have no doubt Texas will be max motivated for revenge from an 80-88 road loss at Kansas.  They want to prove they can beat the top dog in the Big 12, and I think they are favored for good reason tonight.  The Longhorns have one of the best home-court advantages in the country at 16-1 SU at home this season.

The Longhorns are coming off two consecutive road losses to Baylor and TCU to add to their motivation.  The Longhorns are 7-1 ATS in their last eight games following a loss.  Kansas is 2-8 ATS in its last 10 games following a win by 6 points or less.  The Jayhawks are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games following five or more consecutive wins.  Bet Texas Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday Undervalued Underdog on Louisville +20

Virginia struggles to get margin due to ranking 360th in adjusted tempo.  There just aren't enough possessions in Virginia games for them to get margin.  That's why they are such a terrible bet as a big favorite and have been for years, especially this season.

Virginia is 1-4 ATS in its last five games overall which includes a 48-63 upset loss at Boston College as a 9-point favorite and a 63-71 loss at UNC.  The Cavaliers only beat Notre Dame by 2 as 12.5-point home favorites and Louisville by 3 as 16-point road favorites.

So Louisville already showed they could hang with Virginia two weeks ago losing 58-61 at home.  I am confident they can stay within 20 on the road in the rematch today.  Each of the last 14 meetings in this series were decided by 17 points or less, making for a 14-0 system backing the Cardinals pertaining to this 20-point spread.

Virginia is 2-8 ATS in its last 10 games as a double-digit favorite.  Louisville is 19-8 ATS in its last 27 games as a road underdog of 10 points or more.  The Cavaliers are 1-7 ATS in their last eight games vs. a team with a losing record.  Bet Louisville Saturday.

20* Tennessee/Auburn ESPN No-Brainer on Auburn +2.5

After losing six of their last eight games overall, the Auburn Tigers are squarely on the bubble of the NCAA Tournament.  Five of those six losses came on the road.  They need this signature win over Tennessee like blood and I trust them to get it at home today.

Now the Tigers are back home where they are 13-2 SU this season with their only losses coming to Alabama and Texas A&M.  They will be out for revenge from a 43-46 road loss at Tennessee in their first meeting this season.  The Volunteers are 0-4 SU & 0-4 ATS in their last four road games losing by 13 at Florida, by 1 at Vanderbilt, by 12 at Kentucky and by 5 at Texas A&M despite being favored in three of those four games.

The Volunteers were already banged up, but now they just lost starting PG Zakai Zeigler (10.7 PPG, 5.4 APG) to a season-ending torn ACL last time out.  That's terrible news for a Tennessee team that was already struggling on offense all season, especially down the stretch.  Not having their floor general out there is going to make them even more stagnant on offense.

Tennessee is 0-6 ATS in its last six road games following two consecutive covers as a favorite.  Auburn is 12-4 ATS in its last 16 games when revenging a loss.  The Tigers are 12-5 ATS in their last 17 games following a loss.  Bet Auburn Saturday.

15* NBA Friday Undervalued Underdog on Los Angeles Clippers +6.5

This is the ultimate 'buy low' spot on the Los Angeles Clippers.  They have gone 0-4 SU & 0-4 ATS in their last four games overall which includes two OT losses and a blown double-digit lead to the Warriors.  They are close to putting it together.

I think the Clippers fire back with an inspired effort tonight out for revenge from a historic 175-176 (double OT) loss to the Sacramento Kings in their first game back from the All-Star Break on February 24th.  Now they get their shot at revenge here a week later, and I think this one goes down to the wire again, so getting 6.5 points with the Clippers is a really nice value.

We'll 'sell high' on the Kings, who are 4-0 SU & 4-0 ATS in their last four games overall against a soft schedule of the Blazers, that double OT win over the Clippers and beating the Thunder without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander twice by single-digits.

The Clippers are 14-3 ATS in their last 17 road games after failing to cover four of their last five coming in.  Plays on underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points (LA Clippers) - after being beaten by the spread by 48 or more points total in their last seven games against an opponent that went over the total by 48 or more points in their last seven games are 33-9 (78.6%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Bet the Clippers Friday.

20* NBA BLOWOUT GAME OF THE MONTH on Orlando Magic -3.5

Tough break for the Charlotte Hornets after going 5-0 SU & 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall, they lost their best player in La'Melo Ball (23.3 PPG, 8.4 APG, 6.3 RPG) to a season-ending injury.  They promptly lost by 14 at home to the Suns in their first game without him.  They are also without PJ Washington (15.3 PPG) right now.

The Orlando Magic are fully healthy and should make easy work of the short-handed Hornets.  The Magic continue to battle here down the stretch, especially when coming off a loss.  The Magic are 9-1 SU & 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games following a loss.

Dating back further, the Magic are 11-2 ATS in their last 13 games following a loss.  Orlando is 6-0 ATS in its last six games following a loss by more than 10 points.  Orlando is 14-6 ATS in its last 20 road games.  Charlotte is 1-6 ATS in its last seven games following a loss.  The Hornets will have questionable motivation the rest of the way without Ball.  Bet the Magic Friday.

20* MAC GAME OF THE MONTH on Kent State -4

I love the spot for the Kent State Golden Flashes tonight.  They want revenge from a 55-67 road loss at Akron in their first meeting this season.  They were 1.5-point road favorites in that meeting, and now are only 4-point home favorites in the rematch.

That 2.5-point adjustment for switching home courts isn't enough, especially when you consider Kent State is 14-0 at home and outscoring opponents by 19.2 points per game.  Now they go for a perfect home record on Senior Night and will be max motivated.

Kent State is 8-0 ATS in its last eight home games following two consecutive conference wins.  The Golden Flashes are 6-0 ATS in their last six games as home favorites of 6 points or less or PK.  Akron is 1-7 ATS in road games vs. good teams that outscore their opponents by 4-plus points per game this season.  The Zips are 1-8 ATS in their last nine games vs. a team with a winning % above .400.  The Golden Flashes are 16-5-1 ATS in their last 22 home games.  Bet Kent State Friday.

20* Clippers/Warriors TNT Late-Night BAILOUT on Los Angeles -3.5

I love the spot for the Los Angeles Clippers tonight.  We'll 'buy low' on them after going 0-3 SU & 0-3 ATS in their last three games overall.  That assures they will be highly motivated for a victory, and now they've had a few games to work out their chemistry with Russell Westbrook.  At their best, this Clippers team is one of the best in the league and would crush this current version of the Golden State Warriors.

While the Clippers are fully healthy, the Warriors are without their two best players in Steph Curry and Andrew Wiggins right now.  They have six players on the injury report currently including Jordan Poole.  This version of them isn't good enough to hang with the Clippers, not even at home.

Los Angeles is 16-5 ATS in its last 21 road games after failing to cover five or six of its last seven games coming in.  Plays on road favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points (LA Clippers) - off an upset loss as a home favorite against a team that is off a home win where they scored 110 or more points are 31-7 (81.6%) since 1996.  Bet the Clippers Thursday.

15* CBB Thursday Night BLOWOUT on Temple PK

I love the spot for Temple tonight.  We'll 'buy low' on the Owls after losing five of their last six games against a brutal schedule.  They have been off since February 22nd so they are rested and ready to go and primed for a big effort on Senior Night, their final home game.

UCF is getting a lot of respect from oddsmakers for a team that is just 3-8 SU & 4-7 ATS in its last 11 games overall with two of those wins coming against AAC bottom feeder Tulsa.  The Knights already lost 70-77 at home to Temple in their first meeting this season as well.

UCF is 0-7 ATS in its last seven road games following three consecutive games where they committed 14 or fewer turnovers.  Temple is 23-10 ATS in its last 33 games as a home favorite of 3 points or less or PK.  The Owls are 13-5-2 ATS in their last 20 games following a loss.  Bet Temple Thursday.

20* AAC GAME OF THE WEEK on Wichita State +18

Only Memphis and Wichita State have played Houston tough in the AAC in recent seasons.  When you look at recent history in this series, the Shockers should not be catching this many points against the Cougars tonight.

Wichita State is 5-0 ATS in its last five meetings with Houston.  The Shockers haven't lost any of their last five meetings with the Cougars by more than 10 points.  They lost by 9 as 13-point home dogs, by 2 as 6.5-point home dogs, by 10 as 11-point road dogs, by 7 as 11-point road dogs upset them by 5 as 7-point home dogs.

The Shockers have done their best work on the road this season going 5-0 SU & 5-0 ATS in their last five road games with upset wins at SMU, at Temple by 14 and at Tulane by 7.  The Shockers are 9-1 ATS in all games played away from home this season.  Wichita State is 35-14-2 ATS in its last 51 road games overall.  Bet Wichita State Thursday.

20* Big 12 GAME OF THE WEEK on TCU -2

TCU has been one of the best teams in the country when Mike Miles Jr. has been healthy.  He returned three games ago and they promptly crushed Oklahoma State 100-75 to end a four-game losing streak.  They went on to lose at home to Kansas by 5 due to shooting just 30.3% and missing a ton of layups.  But they rebounded with an 83-82 road win at Texas Tech.

Now the Horned Frogs have their sights set on revenge from 75-79 road loss at Texas where they blew a 13-point halftime lead in their first meeting this season.  I like their chances of getting revenge at home this time around as a short favorite.

Texas is 4-5 SU & 3-6 ATS on the road this season.  That includes 2-5 SU & 2-5 ATS in their last seven road games losing by 11 at Iowa State, by 11 at Tennessee, by 8 at Kansas, by 7 at Texas Tech and by 9 at Baylor.  Keep in mind the Bears lost their best player in Keyonte George in the opening minutes of that game over the weekend and they still beat the Longhorns by 9.

TCU is 7-0 ATS in home games when revenging a road loss over the last two seasons.  The Longhorns are 2-9 ATS as road underdogs or PK over the last two years.  The Horned Frogs are 9-3-1 ATS in their last 13 home games.  Bet TCU Wednesday.

15* NBA Wednesday Undervalued Underdog on Orlando Magic +7.5

It's time to 'sell high' on the Milwaukee Bucks following 15 consecutive victories.  But now is the spot they let down playing the 2nd of a back-to-back following a comeback win at Brooklyn from 10 points down at halftime last night.

The Orlando Magic have been one of the most underrated teams in the NBA over the past couple months.  They have gone 25-13 ATS in their last 38 games overall.  The Magic are fully healthy right now and ultra competitive even against the best teams in the NBA.

Indeed, the Magic are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.  Orlando is 8-1 ATS vs. teams that make 14 or more 3-pointers per game this season.  Bet the Magic Wednesday.

15* CBB Wednesday Undervalued Underdog on Oklahoma +7.5

Oklahoma (14-15) is the best team in the country that currently has a losing record.  They have lost a ton of close games this season and still have a chance to make the NCAA Tournament with a big finish here despite their record.  They will be the more motivated team here against a Kansas State team that is comfortably in the NCAA Tournament and in the midst of a surprising 22-7 season.

Oklahoma clearly matches up well with Kansas State, winning 79-65 as 1.5-point favorites in their first meeting this season.  Now this has been a 9-point adjustment for flipping home courts, which is too much.  I fully expect this game to go down to the wire tonight.

Oklahoma's last three road games were very impressive as they took Baylor to the wire, only lost by 2 at Texas in OT and upset Iowa State by 11 as identical 7.5-point dogs.  The underdog is 11-5-1 ATS in the last 17 meetings.  Bet Oklahoma Wednesday.

20* Cavs/Celtics ESPN No-Brainer on Cleveland +5.5

It's a great time to 'buy low' on the Cleveland Cavaliers.  They had lost three straight before crushing the Toronto Raptors 118-93 at home on Sunday.  Now they have had the last two days off and are rested and ready to go tonight.

Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics will be playing in their 4th different city in 7 days.  They have been shaky since returning from the break, needing OT to beat the Pacers, winning by 3 over the 76ers and losing by 15 to the Knicks.  I fully expect this game to go down to the wire tonight.

The Cavaliers have had the Celtics number in their two meetings this season, pulling the 132-123 upset on the road as well as beating the Celtics at home.  They clearly match up well with them and that won't change here tonight.

Boston is 1-13 ATS when revenging a loss as a favorite this season.  The Celtics are 0-10 ATS when revenging a same-season loss this season.  The Cavaliers are 5-0 ATS in their last five games following a win by more than 10 points.  Bet the Cavaliers Wednesday.

15* NBA Wednesday Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Charlotte Hornets +10.5

The public is all over the Phoenix Suns tonight in anticipation of Kevin Durant's debut with the team.  That's why they are double-digit road favorites here when they shouldn't be, and we'll take advantage.  Chemistry will be an issue for the Suns in the immediate future trying to incorporate Durant, and he'll also be on a minutes restriction.

Couple that with the fact that La'Melo Ball just suffered a season-ending injury for the Hornets and the public is really on the Suns.  But teams tend to rally in their first game without their superstar, and the Hornets will do just that tonight.

The Hornets have quietly gone 5-0 SU & 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall with three outright upsets as underdogs of 5.5 points or more.  They still have plenty of talent without Ball to compete with the Suns with the likes of Oubre Jr., Rozier and Hayward all healthy right now.

The Suns are 1-5 ATS in their last six games when playing on two days' rest.  The Hornets are 6-0 ATS in their last six games following a win.  Bet the Hornets Wednesday.

15* Big East PLAY OF THE DAY on DePaul +17.5

It's a good time to 'buy low' on DePaul following 10 consecutive losses where they have been competitive with nine losses by 14 points or fewer.  That includes an 84-90 road loss at Marquette as 14-point dogs last time out.  And now the Blue Demons are once again catching too many points at UConn tonight.

DePaul wants revenge from a 76-90 home loss to the Huskies as 11-point dogs in their first meeting this season.  I don't see UConn being focused enough to put away the Blue Demons by 18-plus points, which is what it's going to take to cover this inflated number.  We'll 'sell high' on a Huskies team that has won six of their last seven while going 5-2 ATS in the process.

DePaul is 8-1 ATS in its last nine games after scoring 30 points or fewer in the first half of two consecutive games.  UConn is 6-16 ATS in its last 22 games after winning six or seven of its last eight games coming in.

Plays on underdogs of 10 to 19.5 points (DePaul) - following 10 or more consecutive losses in Wednesday games are 79-40 (66.4%) ATS since 1997.  Bet DePaul Wednesday.

20* SEC GAME OF THE WEEK on Vanderbilt +10.5

The Vanderbilt Commodores have gone 6-1 SU in their last seven games overall with an upset road win over Florida as well as upset home wins over both Tennessee and Auburn.  They are playing their best basketball of the season and have an outside shot of making the NCAA Tournament, especially if they can beat Kentucky and Mississippi State to close out the season.

While the Commodores remain undervalued on a nightly basis and lacking the respect they deserve, the Wildcats are starting to get a ton of respect from oddsmakers after going 4-0 SU & 4-0 ATS in their last four games overall.  It's time to 'sell high' on Kentucky following a blowout home win over Auburn last time out.

Vanderbilt as a road underdog is just pure gold.  That has been the case in this series as well as Vanderbilt is 6-0 ATS in its last six trips to Kentucky losing by 7 as 14.5-point dogs, by 3 as 11.5-point dogs, by 9 as 21-point dogs, by 9 as 13-point dogs, by 2 as 9-point dogs and by 6 as 10.5-point dogs.  As you can see, the Commodores haven't lost by more than 9 points in any of their last six trips to Kentucky.

The road team is 20-5-2 ATS in the last 27 meetings.  The Commodores are 37-18-1 ATS in their last 56 road games.  Vanderbilt is 11-3 ATS in its last 14 games as an underdog of 10 or more points.  The Wildcats are 0-8 ATS in their last eight games after winning six or seven of their last eight games.  Kentucky is 2-9 ATS in its last 11 games following four or more consecutive wins.  The Commodores are 7-0 ATS in their last seven road games vs. teams that force 12 or fewer turnovers per game.  Bet Vanderbilt Wednesday.

15* ACC PLAY OF THE DAY on Louisville +10.5

Virginia Tech has now lost four of its last six games overall to fall to 16-13 on the season and will now have to win the ACC Tournament to make the big dance.  I think the Hokies will just be playing out the string in these final two games against Louisville and Florida State and will be lacking motivation until they get to the tournament.

Louisville has quietly gone 6-2 ATS in its last eight games overall with upset home wins over both Georgia Tech and Clemson.  The Cardinals have been competitive in 3-point losses to Virginia and Florida State, as well as an 8-point loss at Miami as 20-point dogs.  They also covered on the road at Duke.  Asking the Hokies to win by double-digits to beat us is asking too much tonight given their current mental state.

Virginia Tech is 1-9 SU & 1-9 ATS in its 10 road games this season with its lone win coming by 6 at Notre Dame.  The Hokies are 11-29-1 ATS in their last 41 road games.  The Cardinals are 4-0 ATS in their last four home games.  Bet Louisville Tuesday.

20* Texas Tech/Kansas ESPN No-Brainer on Texas Tech +9.5

Texas Tech is playing its best basketball of the season here down the stretch to play itself into the NCAA Tournament.  The Red Raiders have gone 6-3 SU & 7-2 ATS in their last nine games overall with two losses coming by 1 and 3 points.  They are catching too many points tonight against Kansas.

The Red Raiders want revenge from a 72-75 home loss to the Jayhawks in their first meeting this season.  This is a Kansas team that has been vulnerable at home losing by 23 to TCU, only beating Oklahoma by 4, Iowa State by 2, WVU by 2 and Oklahoma State by 2 in conference play this season.

Kansas is 9-19 ATS in its last 28 games following four or more consecutive wins.  Plays on road teams as an underdog or PK (Texas Tech) - revenging a home loss against an opponent that is off two consecutive close conference wins by 5 points or less are 170-104 (62%) ATS since 1997.  Bet Texas Tech Tuesday.

20* NBA Non-Conference GAME OF THE WEEK on Indiana Pacers +9

The Indiana Pacers are 2-1 SU & 3-0 ATS in their last three games overall with their lone loss coming in OT to the Celtics.  They went on the road and beat the Magic by 13 last time out, and I think they take the Dallas Mavericks to the wire tonight.  They are as healthy as they have been all season which is a big reason for their recent surge.

The Dallas Mavericks are over-hyped right now due to trading for Kyrie Irving.  They are 1-4 SU & 1-4 ATS in their last five games overall with their lone victory coming against the worst team in the NBA in the San Antonio Spurs.  Asking the Mavericks to beat the Pacers by double-digits to beat us is asking too much tonight.

The Pacers are 13-3 ATS when playing just their 2nd game in 5 days this season.  The Mavericks are 13-27 ATS as favorites this season.  Dallas is 4-14 ATS in non-conference games this season.  The Mavericks are 6-19-1 ATS in their last 26 games vs. a team with a losing record.  Bet the Pacers Tuesday.

15* NBA Tuesday UPSET SHOCKER on Oklahoma City Thunder +3.5

I love the spot for the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight.  They will be out for revenge from a 115-124 home loss to the Sacramento Kings on Sunday, and now they get their shot at revenge here just two days later.  And there's a chance the Kings won't have De'Aron Fox, who is questionable with a wrist injury and means everything to them.  Either way I think the Thunder pull off the upset.

The Thunder are 15-5-1 ATS in their last 21 games following a loss.  Oklahoma City is 6-1 ATS in its last seven games following an ATS loss.  The Thunder are 14-2 ATS in their last 16 games after losing four or five of their last six games.  The Kings will suffer a letdown tonight after just beating this team two days ago.  Bet the Thunder Tuesday.

15* NBA Tuesday Undervalued Underdog on Brooklyn Nets +6.5

It's a great time to 'sell high' on the Milwaukee Bucks following 14 consecutive victories, and a great time to 'buy low' on the Brooklyn Nets following two consecutive losses while also losing four of their last five games overall.

It was going to take the Nets a few games to form some chemistry following the trades.  They played well in Atlanta losing 127-129 as 6.5-point dogs last time out.  And now they are back home for the first time since the break and will be highly motivated to try and knock off the Bucks.  Don't be surprised to see Milwaukee take them lightly tonight.

Brooklyn is 46-29 ATS in its last 75 games as an underdog.  The Nets are 19-10 ATS after playing a road game this season.  The Nets are 7-1 ATS in their last eight home games.  Brooklyn is 25-9-1 ATS in its last 35 games after allowing more than 25 points in its previous game.  Brooklyn has an elite defender in Mikal Bridges to sick on Giannis, which is a factor that is getting overlooked here.  Bet the Nets Tuesday.

15* CBB Tuesday Undervalued Underdog on La Salle +14

La Salle has quietly gone 7-2 ATS in their last nine games overall and have played some very competitive basketball with just one loss by more than 7 points in their last 10 games overall.  They are catching too many points here against the Dayton Flyers tongiht.

La Salle has done its best work on the road this season.  They are 9-2-1 ATS in their 12 road games this season which includes upset wins over UMass, St. Joseph's and St. Bonaventure.  They have only one road loss by more than 13 points all season.

Dayton just showed they were vulnerable with an upset home loss to George Mason as 11-point favorites last time out.  The Explorers are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games vs. poor pressure defensive teams that force 12 or fewer turnovers per game after 15-plus games.  La Salle has pulled the upset over Dayton in each of the last two meetings as 9.5-point home dogs and as 11.5-point road dogs.  Bet La Salle Tuesday.

15* CBB Tuesday UPSET SHOCKER on Georgia +2

Georgia wants revenge from a 75-82 road loss at Florida in their first meeting this season as 8.5-point underdogs.  Now the Bulldogs are catching 2 points at home in the rematch when they shouldn't be underdogs at all.

The Gators lost their best player in Colin Castleton (16.0 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 3.0 BPG) to a season-ending injury against Ole Miss.  That's a huge blow to a Gators team that was already short on talent.  They only have one other double-digit scorer, nobody else averages more than 4.7 rebounds per game, and nobody else even averages a block per game.  Simply put, Castleton means as much to Florida as almost any other player means to their team in the country.

The Gators are 1-6 SU & 1-6 ATS in their last seven games overall in what is quickly becoming a lost season.  They were outrebounded by 15 by Arkansas in a 19-point loss in their first game without him.  They were then outrebounded by 19 in an 8-point home loss to Kentucky in their second game without him.  And they were outrebounded by 11 in a 16-point loss at Vanderbilt in their third game without him.

Castleton has 12 points, 8 rebounds, 7 blocks and 5 assists in the first meeting with Georgia this season.  The Bulldogs will be glad to not have to deal with him this time around.  The Bulldogs have been great at home this season going 13-3 SU with upset wins over Auburn, Mississippi State and Kentucky.  Florida is 0-7 ATS in its last seven games after three straight games being outrebounded by 6 or more.  The Gators are 0-5 ATS in their last five road games.  Bet Georgia Tuesday.

25* Big East GAME OF THE YEAR on Butler +9.5

The Marquette Golden Eagles have already clinched at least a share of the Big East title.  They can win it outright when they host St. John's on Saturday, so they know they can afford to lose this game to Butler.  I don't think they will be fully focused as a result.

Butler wants revenge from a 52-60 loss at Marquette as 15-point dogs in their first meeting this season on February 4th.  So they already proved they could play with the Golden Eagles on the road, and asking Marquette to beat them by double-digits to beat us here is asking too much.

Butler comes in playing some of its best basketball of the season going 3-3 SU & 4-2 ATS in their last six games overall.  The Bulldogs beat St. John's at home and Xavier at home while also upsetting DePaul on the road.  

The Golden Eagles are 1-4 ATS in their last five games following a win and it's a great time to 'sell high' on them here.  They were shaky in their 8-point home win over DePaul as 14-point dogs last time out.  The Bulldogs are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.  The underdog is 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings.  Bet Butler Tuesday.

20* NBA Monday No-Doubt Rout on New Orleans Pelicans -3.5

This is a great time to 'buy low' on the New Orleans Pelicans following three consecutive road losses to the Lakers, Raptors and Knicks.  Now the Pelicans return home highly motivated for a victory where they are 20-10 SU & 17-13 ATS this season.

They host an Orlando Magic team that is quickly playing themselves out of playoff contention after going 3-4 SU & 2-5 ATS in their last seven games overall.  They barely beat the Pistons by 2 as 7.5-point home favorites in their first game back from the break, and were blown out by the Pacers by 13 as 2.5-point home favorites last time out.  This is a step up in class for them and now having to go on the road.

The Pelicans are 28-14 ATS in their last 42 games after losing four or five of their last six games.  New Orleans is 24-13 ATS in its last 37 games as a home favorite.  Plays against underdogs (Orlando) - off an upset losses as a favorite, in a game involving two teams that win 40-49% of their games are 26-9 (74.3%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Bet the Pelicans Monday.