Sports Picks & Predictions

7* East Region Game of the Year on Florida -2

The Key: The Virginia Cavaliers were fortunate to survive a 76-71 scare from UNC-Wilmington in the first round.  They trailed by as many as 14 in that game, which just goes to show how poor they have been playing.  Offensively, they are as challenged as they've ever been.  Now they'll be up against one of the best defensive teams in the country in Florida, which allows 9 fewer points per game than its opponents average on the season.  The Gators are clearly the stronger offensive squad here averaging 78.3 points per game on the season, while the Cavaliers average just 66.9.  We are getting the much better team as only a 2-point favorite and one that will have a home-court edge as this game is being played in Orlando, Florida.  Sign me up.  The Gators are 8-2 ATS when playing against a good team (Win Pct. 60% to 80%) this season.  The Gators are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games as a favorite of 0.5-6.5.  Take Florida.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Oklahoma City Thunder -12.5

The Key: The Oklahoma City Thunder certainly won the trade deadline when they traded for Taj Gibson and Doug McDermott.  These two are starting to gel with their new teammates as the Thunder have gone 4-0 SU & 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games, winning by 10 against San Antonio, 8 against Utah, 18 at Brooklyn and 21 at Toronto.  Now they play arguably the least-talented team in the entire NBA in the Sacramento Kings without DeMarcus Cousins.  The Kings have won back-to-back games against disinterested Orlando and Phoenix, which has them overvalued coming into this game.  The Thunder will put them away early and hold on for the cover with ease as 12.5-point favorites here.  OKC is 25-9 SU & 23-10 ATS at home this season.  The Thunder are 7-0 ATS in home games after a combined score of 215 points or more 2 straight games this season.  The Kings are 25-55-2 ATS in their last 82 games playing on 2 days rest.  Take Oklahoma City.

6* Wisconsin/Villanova *CA$H COW* on Villanova -5.5

The Key: The Wisconsin Badgers were fortunate to survive against VA Tech in the opener in what was a much closer game than the 84-74 final showed.  The Hokies are defensively-challenged and were way undersized.  But the Badgers won't have that same edge here.  They'll be up against arguably the best team in the country in defending national champion Villanova.  The Wildcats get after it defensively, holding opponents to just 62.6 points per game, which is 11 points per game than their opponents average on the season.  Bronson Koenig made 8 3-pointers against VA Tech and the Badgers were still in a dogfight.  He'll need more heroics if they are to be competitive against Villanova, and I'm just not seeing it.  The Wildcats are 11-1 ATS in their last 12 vs. Big Ten foes.  Take Villanova.

7* NKU/Kentucky South Region *BAILOUT* on Kentucky -20

The Key: Northern Kentucky took advantage of an easy path in the Horizon League Tournament to make the Big Dance.  Valparaiso, without its best player in Alec Peters, was upset by Wisconsin-Milwaukee.  Oakland was upset by Youngstown State.  That left NKU playing 11-win Milwaukee in the championship game.  NKU did not far well in non-conference play, losing by 15 at Illinois and by 31 at WVU.  I think they get their doors blown off here by Kentucky in what will be a Wildcat-heavy fan base in Indianapolis.  The Wildcats are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 neutral site games as a favorite.  Take Kentucky.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Miami Heat -4.5

The Key: The Miami Heat continue to get no respect in the market place despite the tremendous run they've been on.  They are 22-5 SU & 23-4 ATS in their last 27 games overall.  They have covered six straight coming in.  They will be playing just their 2nd game in 5 days here and will be fresh and ready to go.  The Timberwolves will be playing their 5th game in 8 days.  They are 0-3 SU & 1-2 ATS in their last 3 road games, losing by 7 at San Antonio, by 7 at Milwaukee and by 13 at Boston.  The Timberwolves are 4-10 ATS in their last 14 vs. Eastern Conference opponents.  The Heat are 11-1-1 ATS in their last 13 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.  Take Miami.

6* USC/SMU East Region *CA$H COW* on SMU -6.5

The Key: The SMU Mustangs are 26-1 SU & 20-5-1 ATS in their last 27 games overall.  One of their early-season losses came at USC, and now they'll be out for revenge in the rematch in the NCAA Tournament.  USC played late Wednesday night and used a lot of effort in coming back from 17 points down to beat Providence.  Now the Trojans have to play this afternoon just 1.5 days later and make the trip from Dayton to Tulsa.  The Mustangs are at a huge advantage here in rest and preparation and should roll Friday.  Take SMU.

6* FGC/FSU NCAAB *BAILOUT* on Florida Gulf Coast +12

The Key: The Florida State Seminoles went 18-0 at home this season, but it has been a different story on the road. The Seminoles are just 7-8 SU & 5-10 ATS in all games played away from home this year.  Florida Gulf Coast could take advantage of that inconsistency and pull off the upset here.  The Eagles actually play defense, giving up just 68.8 points per game on 42.1% shooting against opponents that average 74.5 points per game and 44.3% shooting.  They can fill it up offensively, too, averaging 79.4 points per game on 50.3% shooting.  FGC only lost 72-81 at Baylor and 77-78 at Michigan State in non-conference play, proving it could play with a couple of great Power 5 programs. The Eagles are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games as an underdog of 10 or more points.  The Eagles are 11-1 ATS in their last 12 neutral site games.  The Eagles are 30-9-1 ATS in their last 40 games overall.  The Seminoles are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 NCAA Tournament games as a favorite.  Take Florida Gulf Coast.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Toronto Raptors -2.5

The Key: I like this short price for the Raptors at home here Thursday.  They will be playing just their 2nd game in 5 days after having the past two days off following a 100-78 beat down of the Mavericks on Monday.  The Raptors are 22-11 at home this season, while the Thunder are just 13-20 SU & 14-19 ATS on the road.  Oklahoma City is 2-10 ATS in road games versus good offensive teams who score 106-plus points per game this season.  The Raptors are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 games playing on 2 days rest.  The Thunder are 1-6 ATS in the last seven meetings.  Take Toronto.

7* Thursday NCAAB *HEAVY HITTER* on Winthrop +11.5

The Key: Wintrhop has a legit chance to knock off Butler today.  The Eagles are 26-6 this season with competitive road losses at Dayton and Florida State, and an upset win at Illinois in non-conference.  Winthrop is 22-3 in its last 25 games with its three losses coming by 2, 3 and 3 points.  Butler isn't exactly hitting on all cylinders heading into the NCAA Tournament with back-to-back upset road losses to Seton Hall as 8.5-point favorites and Xavier as 6.5-point favorites.  The Bulldogs are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games as a favorite of 7.0-12.5.  Take Winthrop.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Dallas Mavericks +7

The Key: The Washington Wizards return home following a 5-game road trip.  I always like fading teams who are coming off a long road trip because there are so many distractions at home when they get back.  And the Wizards will also be playing their 6th game in 9 days here, so they are running on fumes.  The Mavericks have had the Wizards' number, going 12-1 SU in the last 13 meetings, and 7-1 ATS in the last 8 meetings.  Take Dallas.

7* NC Central/UC-Davis First Four *HEAVY HITTER* on UC-Davis +3.5

The Key: It's pretty clear to me that the wrong team is favored in this First Four showdown.  Cal Davis played the much tougher non-conference schedule and actually held up pretty well.  They also play in the tougher conference.  NC Central only played one NCAA Tournament team in non-conference play, which was Northern Kentucky.  Cal Davis is 10-1 ATS off 3 or more consecutive unders over the last 2 seasons.  Davis is 9-1 ATS versus teams who make 45% or more of their shots after 15+ games over the last 3 seasons.  Take UC-Davis.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on New Orleans Pelicans -4

The Key: The New Orleans Pelicans will be fresh tonight.  This will be just their 2nd game in 6 days.  The Portland Trail Blazers will be playing their 3rd game in 4 days.  The Pelicans have gone 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall.  Home-court advantage has been big in this series as the home team is 6-1 SU & 6-1 ATS in the last 7 meetings.  Take New Orleans.

7* NIT *HEAVY HITTER* on Oakland +11

The Key: Oakland hung tough in non-conference play this season.  It lost to Nevada 78-82, and Nevada is an NCAA Tournament team.  It lost at Michigan State by 12, and upset Georgia 86-79 at home.  Clemson also beat Georgia 74-64 at home for a common opponent.  I think the Golden Grizzlies are good enough to stay within double-digits of the Tigers tonight.  The Golden Grizzlies are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games as a road underdog.  Oakland is 24-8-1 ATS in their last 33 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.  Take Oakland.

7* NBA Total of the Month on Clippers/Jazz UNDER 201.5

The Key: You don't have to dig too deep to find that this total has been inflated.  Just look at the first two meetings of the season between the Jazz and Clippers.  The Clippers won both meetings, 88-75 at home for 163 combined points, and 88-72 on the road for 160 combined points.  Now the total has been set at 201.5 for the 3rd meeting here tonight.  The Jazz only allow 93.9 points per game at home this season and play at the slowest pace in the NBA.  They will control the tempo at home tonight.  The Clippers are 8-1 UNDER when playing against a good team (Win Pct. 60% to 70%) this season.  The UNDER is 16-5 in Jazz last 21 games following a loss.  Take the UNDER.

6* Cavs/Rockets ESPN *CA$H COW* on Houston -6

The Key: The Cleveland Cavaliers will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 3rd game in 4 days here.  The had to fly to Detroit, Orlando and now Houston over this span.  The Cavaliers have not hesitated to rest starters in these situations, and we may catch a break and have them rest either Lebron or Kyrie, or both.  Either way, I still like the Rockets here because they had yesterday off.  And the Cavaliers are 0-8 ATS in road games when playing back-to-back days this season.  They are also 1-10 ATS in their last 11 meetings in Houston.  Take Houston.

7* Cincinnati/SMU AAC *HEAVY HITTER* on Cincinnati +2

The Key: The Cincinnati Bearcats are 4-0 SU & 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games overall with four straight double-digit victories.  They are hitting on all cylinders right now and will be hungry to avenge their 51-60 loss at SMU in their last meeting.  I haven't been all that impressed with SMU in the tournament thus far as they only beat ECU 81-77 as 19-point favorites and pulled away late for a 70-59 win over UCF.  I think the Bearcats want this one more.  The Mustangs are 16-35-1 ATS in their last 52 neutral site games, and 8-21-1 ATS in their last 30 neutral site games as a favorite.  Take Cincinnati.

7* Pac-12 Tournament Game of the Year on Oregon -2

The Key: The Oregon Ducks played before the Arizona Wildcats yesterday.  Arizona played the late game against UCLA and will be the more fatigued team here.  Oregon handed Arizona its worse loss of the season, an 85-58 beat down in Eugene in their lone meeting.  Now the Ducks are only 2-point favorites in the rematch.  And the Ducks will be motivated here because a win would possibly get them a No. 1 seed, which would keep them in the West for the NCAA Tournament.  Oregon is 8-0 ATS vs. teams who are called for 17 or fewer fouls per game this season.  Arizona is 1-12 ATS vs. good rebounding teams who outrebound their opponents by 4-plus boards per game after 15-plus games over the past two seasons.  Take Oregon.

6* Wizards/Blazers NBA *BAILOUT* on Portland -4.5

The Key: The Washington Wizards have to be out of gas.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back, their 4th road game in 5 days, and their 8th game in 12 days overall.  The Portland Trail Blazers will take advantage and run them out of the gym tonight.  This will be just the 3rd game in 7 days for the Blazers.  They are coming on strong in going 4-0 SU & 3-1 ATS in their last 4 games overall.  Washington is 31-54 ATS in its last 85 when playing its 3rd game in 4 days.  The home team is 6-1 ATS in the last 7 meetings.  The Wizards are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 trips to Portland.  Take Portland.

6* AAC Tournament *CA$H COW* on UCF +8.5

The Key: UCF has now won six straight games to improve to 21-10 on the season.  This is clearly one of the most underrated teams in the country.  I cashed in the Knights -2 yesterday in an 84-54 beat down of Memphis.  Now they have their sights set on upsetting the No. 1 seed in SMU, which only won 81-77 over ECU as 19-point favorites yesterday and doesn't seem to be taking this AAC Tournament too seriously.  The Mustangs can afford a loss and are still in the NCAA Tournament, while UCF is playing for its season.  The Knights are 6-0 ATS in all tournament games over the last 3 seasons.  The Knights are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 neutral site games as an underdog.  The Mustangs are 7-21-1 ATS in their last 29 neutral site games as a favorite.  Take UCF.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Sacramento Kings +8

The Key: The home team has dominated this series between Washington and Sacramento.  In fact, the home team has not only gone 7-0 straight up in the last 7 meetings, but also 7-0 against the spread.  And the Wizards haven't done well in the road favorite role, either.  Washington is 0-7 against the spread in its last 7 road games when facing a team with a losing home record.  Take Sacramento.

6* SEC Tournament *CA$H COW* on Arkansas -4.5

The Key: Arkansas has the advantage of not playing yesterday and this being their first game of the SEC Tournament.  Ole Miss didn't get that same luxury as they had to play yesterday in an 86-74 win over lowly Missouri.  The Razorbacks keep coming out you with their pressing, attacking style, which is going to make their rest advantage even greater here today.  Arkansas beat Ole Miss 98-80 at home in their lone meeting this season.  Ole Miss is 1-7 ATS off two straight ATS wins this season.  The Razorbacks are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games overall, including 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games as a favorite.  Take Arkansas.

7* AAC Tournament Game of the Year on UCF -2

The Key: UCF won 5 straight games to close out the regular season and improve to 20-10 on the year.  This is one of the most underrated teams in the country.  And based off their first two meetings with Memphis this season, the Knights are clearly the superior team.  They only lost 70-65 at Memphis, but got their revenge with a 72-57 blowout home victory.  The Tigers are 0-6 ATS vs. teams who outrebound their opponents by at least 7 boards per game over the past 2 seasons.  Take UCF.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Memphis Grizzlies -2.5

The Key: The Memphis Grizzlies are hungry for a victory after losing 3 in a row coming into this game.  Now they've had two days off since their upset home loss to Brooklyn on Monday.  The Clippers don't have the same luxury.  They'll be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 5th game in 7 days here.  This situation couldn't favor the Grizzlies more, and I expect them to roll at home tonight.  The Clippers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games playing on 0 days rest.  The Grizzlies are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 Thursday games.  The Grizzlies are 13-5 ATS in the last 18 meetings.  Take Memphis.

6* Big Ten Tournament *CA$H COW* on Iowa +2

The Key: Iowa has fought its way into the NCAA Tournament discussion by going 4-0 in its final 4 games of the regular season.  The Hawkeyes have added huge upset road wins over Maryland and Wisconsin to their resume during this stretch.  Now they need a win over Indiana to get in, and that shouldn't be too hard considering the Hoosiers have won just 3 of their last 11 games overall.  The Hawkeyes are 17-7 ATS in the last 24 meetings, which includes a 96-90 win over Indiana this season.  Take Iowa.

7* Conference USA Game of the Year on UTEP +1.5

The Key: The UTEP Miners have quietly gone 12-2 SU & 12-1-1 ATS in their last 14 games overall after losing 12 in a row prior to this streak.  Tim Floyd may be doing the best coaching job in the country.  Now the Miners are underdogs to a Rice team that they beat 79-71 as 8-point road dogs during this streak.  The Miners are 12-0 ATS in their last 12 games overall and will cover their 13th straight game here this afternoon.  Take UTEP.

6* Big East Tournament *CA$H COW* on DePaul +10

The Key: This is a rematch from the final game of the regular season in which Xavier beat DePalu 79-65 on the road.  The Musketeers also won 72-61 at home over the Blue Demons in their previous home meeting.  So the Blue Demons have at least been competitive in this series this season, and I think they stay within double-digits in the 3rd meeting in the Big East Tournament.  Xavier had lost 6 straight prior to that win over DePaul.  And the Musketeers are just 3-13 ATS in their last 16 games overall.  DePaul is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 contests.  DePaul is 7-1 ATS off a loss by 10 points or more to a conference opponent this season.  Xavier is 1-10 ATS off a road game this season.  Take DePaul.

7* Pistons/Pacers ESPN *HEAVY HITTER* on Indiana -4

The Key: The Indiana Pacers are 21-10 at home this season and own one of the better home-court advantages in the NBA.  The Detroit Pistons are just 11-20 SU & 12-19 ATS on the road this season.  I think this is a very short price to be laying with the Pacers tonight.  The Pacers own the Pistons, going a perfect 5-0 SU & 5-0 ATS in the last 5 meetings.  They won 105-84 in their lone home meeting with the Pistons this season.  Look for them to win and cover their 6th in a row against Detroit.  Take Indiana.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Houston Rockets -7

The Key: The Utah Jazz are just 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games.  They lost by 27 at home to Minnesota, only won by 1 at Sacramento and narrowly beat the Pelicans by 5 at home.  They also lost by 3 at Oklahoma City and beat lowly Brooklyn by 15 at home.  This team is not playing well at all right now, and now they have to take a step up in class and face the Rockets.  The Jazz have some serious injury concerns as both Derrick Favors and Shelvin Mack are out, while George Hill and Joe Johnson are questionable.  Utah is 0-7 ATS as an underdog of 3.5 to 9.5 points this season.  It is losing by 11.1 points per game on average in this situation.  Take Houston.

7* St. Mary's/Gonzaga ESPN *HEAVY HITTER* on St. Mary's +5.5

The Key: The St. Mary's Gaels want revenge on Gonzaga after losing the first two meetings of the season to the Bulldogs.  I think they get that revenge in the WCC Championship Game tonight as 5.5-point dogs.  It's tough to beat a team three times, and the Gaels have been playing their best basketball coming in.  They are 6-0 SU & 4-0-2 ATS in their last six games overall.  They have won all six games by at least 13 points, including a 23-point win over Portland and a 31-point win over BYU in their first two games of this conference tournament.  That's the same BYU team that just recently upset Gonzaga 79-71 as 20.5-point dogs on the road.  The Bulldogs only won 77-68 over Santa Clara as 23.5-point favorites in the semifinals.  Take St. Mary's.

6* BYU/St. Mary's ESPN 2 *BAILOUT* on St. Mary's -7

The Key: St. Mary's has dominated BYU in both meetings this season, winning by 13 points at home and by 13 points on the road.  They were up by 25 at BYU in the second half on February 18th before taking their foot off the gas late.  Now they are only being asked to lay 7 points in the WCC Tournament semifinal.  The Gaels will be focused for this game as they desperately want a rematch with Gonzaga in the Championship Game.  They have gone 12-1 SU & 9-3 ATS in all road games this season.  The Cougars are 4-25 ATS in their last 29 neutral site games as an underdog.  The Gaels are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games as a favorite of 7.0-12.5.  Take St. Mary's.

7* NBA Western Conference Total of the Year on Rockets/Spurs UNDER 222

The Key: Oddsmakers have really inflated this total tonight between the Rockets and Spurs when you consider how the first 3 meetings this season went down.  The UNDER is 3-0 in the first 3 meetings with combined scores of 200, 206 and 202 points.  The highest total set for any of those games was 213.5, and now the total has been set all the way up at 222 for the 4th and final meeting.  There is a ton of value with the UNDER to say the least in this game, especially with the way the Spurs play and will control the tempo at home.  The Spurs and their last 3 opponents have combined for 199, 199 and 187 points.  And the last 2 games both went into overtime against the Pelicans and Timberwolves, so they were even more low-scoring than those scores indicate.  The UNDER is 7-2 in Spurs last 9 games overall.  Bets on the UNDER on all teams where the total is greater than or equal to 200 (HOUSTON) - in a game involving 2 very good teams - outscoring opponents by 7+ PPG in the 2nd half of the season are 32-6 over the last 5 seasons.  Take the UNDER.

7* Warriors/Knicks ABC *HEAVY HITTER* on New York +10.5

The Key: The Golden State Warriors are way overvalued in the betting markets right now.  They are 0-5 ATS in their last five games overall and come in on their first two-game losing streak of the season.  The culprit for this skid is the fact that Kevin Durant was lost with a knee injury, and they have dropped the two games since his absence.  Now they'll be playing their 4th straight road game and are being asked to lay 10.5 points on the road to the New York Knicks.  The Knicks haven't quit as their are 2-3 since the break with two of their losses coming by a combined 4 points, and the other being a double-digit loss on the road at Cleveland.  New York is 12-2 ATS in home games off a division game over the last 2 seasons.  The Warriors are 7-21 ATS in their last 28 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.  Golden State is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 Sunday games.  The Knicks are 19-10 ATS off an ATS loss this season.  Take New York.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Milwaukee Bucks +2

The Key: Both the Toronto Raptors and Milwaukee Bucks will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back here.  The difference is pretty simple, though.  Milwaukee will be staying at home after beating the Clippers 112-101 at home last night.  Toronto is the one that has to travel all the way from Washington DC after a 114-106 road win over the Wizards last night.  And the Raptors will be playing their 5th game in 7 days here, so they won't have much left in the tank, especially with Kyle Lowry out with injury making them short-handed at the PG position.  Take Milwaukee.

7* Big East Game of the Month on Seton Hall +8.5

The Key: The Seton Hall Pirates are on the bubble of the NCAA Tournament.  Just like last year, when they heated up down the stretch and won the Big East Tournament, the Pirates are hitting on all cylinders to close the 2016-17 campaign again.  The Pirates have won 3 straight and 6 of their last 8 games overall.  Butler is in a flat spot after back-to-back huge road wins over Villanova and Xavier.  I think the Bulldogs are also being overvalued now off those two wins being asked to lay 8.5 points to the Pirates today.  Seton Hall is 14-3 ATS after allowing 60 points or less over the last 3 seasons.  The Pirates are 12-4 ATS in their last 16 games as a road underdog.  Take Seton Hall.

7* Celtics/Lakers NBA *BAILOUT* on Los Angeles +8

The Key: The Boston Celtics are in a massive letdown spot here Friday night.  They are coming off their biggest win of the season, a 103-99 home victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night.  Now the Celtics will be feeling 'fat and happy' following that victory, and I don't expect them to give the Los Angeles Lakers their full focus. That's going to make it difficult to cover this 8-point spread on the road.  The Lakers have taken this rivalry very seriously, going 5-3 SU & 7-1 ATS in the last 8 meetings.  These teams just played on February 3rd with the Celtics winning 113-107 as 11-point favorites, which also places the Lakers in revenge mode.  This is just a great situation here to back the home dog.  Take Los Angeles.

7* Iowa/Wisconsin ESPN *HEAVY HITTER* on Iowa +12.5

The Key: This young Iowa team is really coming together down the stretch.  The Hawkeyes have won their last two with a 96-90 (OT) home victory over Indiana and a mightily impressive 83-69 road win at Maryland as 6.5-point dogs.  Now they are catching 12.5 points against an overrated Wisconsin team that has lost 4 of its last 5 games coming in.  The Badgers may win this game tonight, but asking them to do so by more than 12.5 points is asking too much.  The Hawkeyes are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games as a road underdog of 7.0-12.5.  The Badgers are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games overall.  Take Iowa.

7* Rockets/Clippers ESPN *BAILOUT* on Los Angeles -1.5

The Key: Chris Paul just returned to the lineup recently and should be at full strength now.  The Clippers have had the past two days off following their win over Charlotte on Sunday.  This extra practice time will help Paul and company gel as a team and get ready for this stretch run.  I like them laying a small number here at home to the rival Rockets, who lost at home to the Pacers on Monday despite being 10-point favorites.  The Clippers are 19-9 at home this season.  The Rockets are 3-9 ATS in their last 12 games playing on 1 days rest.  The home team is 7-3 ATS in the last 10 meetings.  Take Los Angeles.

6* Arkansas/Florida ESPN 2 *CA$H COW* on Arkansas +11

The Key: The Florida Gators are in a tough spot here mentally.  They just lost 66-76 at Kentucky on Saturday in a game that likely decided the SEC as they now trail the Wildcats by one game for first place.  They will suffer a hangover from that defeat, their first following a 9-game winning streak.  I don't think they'll have the focus it takes to put away Arkansas by double-digits.  The Razorbacks are playing their best ball of the season down the stretch, going 5-0 SU & 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games overall, yet they aren't getting any love from the books.  The road team is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.  The Razorbacks want revenge from an 81-72 home loss to the Gators in their first meeting this season back in December.  Take Arkansas.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Oklahoma City Thunder +1.5

The Key: The Utah Jazz are playing well have won and covered 3 in a row coming in.  But that has them getting too much respect from the books, and now they find themselves in the role of road favorites here against the Thunder.  Oklahoma City is 22-8 at home this season.  The Thunder have really owned the Jazz, going 5-1 SU & 4-2 ATS in the last 6 meetings.  Dating back further, the Thunder are 10-0 straight up & 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 home meetings with Utah.  The Jazz are 2-14 ATS in their last 16 vs. Western Conference opponents.  Take Oklahoma City.

7* Indiana/Purdue Big Ten *HEAVY HITTER* on Indiana +11

The Key: The Indiana Hoosiers have been through a brutal stretch.  They are just 1-5 in their last 6 games, but 4 of those losses came by 6 points or less.  They lost by 5 at Wisconsin, by 5 at home to Purdue, by 1 at Minnesota and by 6 at Iowa in OT.  So they have played with some of the Big Ten's best teams.  They were finally rewarded with a 63-62 win over Northwestern last time out to give them some confidence.  Now they'll be looking to avenge that earlier loss to the Boilermakers, and we are getting a tremendous discount on the Hoosiers as 11-point road dogs in the rematch here.  Indiana is 7-0 ATS after failing to cover 4 of their last 5 against the spread over the last 3 seasons.  They are winning in this spot by 16.3 points per game on average.  Take Indiana.

6* Pacers/Rockets TNT *CA$H COW* on Indiana +11

The Key: This line is an overreaction from each team's last game.  The Rockets are coming off 2 blowout victories with a 30-point win at New Orleans and a 12-point home win over Minnesota.  Indiana is coming off an 18-point loss at Miami.  Now the Pacers find themselves in the rare role of double-digit underdogs.  The Pacers are 12-1 ATS in road games off a blowout loss by 15 points or more over the last 3 seasons.  This trend just goes to show how resilient they have been when trying to bounce back from a bad loss.  Take Indiana.

7* WVU/Baylor Big 12 *HEAVY HITTER* on Baylor +1

The Key: Baylor should not be a home underdog to West Virginia today.  The Bears will be out for revenge from their first loss of the season in blowout fashion at WVU.  Baylor is 14-2 at home this season and hungry for a victory not only for revenge, but also because they have lost 3 of their last 4 coming in.  Five of their 6 losses this season have come by 6 points or less.  The home team is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.  Take Baylor.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Boston Celtics -1.5

The Key: I like this situation for the Boston Celtics, who are coming off 2 consecutive losses and will be hungry for a victory tonight in Detroit.  The Celtics are 10-2 ATS as a road favorite of 6 points or less this season.  Boston is 15-7-2 ATS in its last 24 road games overall.  The Pistons are 5-12 ATS in their last 17 games following a straight up win. The Celtics are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings in Detroit.  The road team is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.  Take Boston.

7* American Athletic *HEAVY HITTER* on UCF +6

The Key: UCF is one of the most underrated teams in the AAC.  The Knights have own 3 in a row coming in and have a chance to make their season with an upset home victory over Cincinnati today.  They hung tough in a 50-60 loss at Cincinnati on February 8th earlier this month and will be out for revenge.  The Knights are 12-3 at home this season, beating teams by 13.5 points per game on average and holding them to just 57 PPG on 33% shooting.  Their elite defense gives them a chance to pull the upset.  Cincinnati is 0-7 ATS in road games after a game committing 8 or less turnovers over the last 2 seasons.  The Bearcats are 5-13-1 ATS in their last 19 games as a favorite of 0.5-6.5.  The Bearcats are 15-36 ATS in their last 51 Sunday games.  Take UCF.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Indiana Pacers +4.5

The Key: The Indiana Pacers are ready to make a run after the All-Star Break.  They had lost 6 in a row coming into the break due to playing 6 games in 9 days and running out of gas.  They thumped Memphis 102-92 last night and had a 21-point lead going into the 4th quarter, so they were able to give their starters plenty of rest.  I think they'll be ready to go against Miami, which is overvalued right now due to winning 15 of its last 17 games coming in.  Bets against any team (MIAMI) - off 2 or more consecutive upset wins as a road underdog, playing on back-to-back days are 85-45 ATS since 1996.  Take Indiana.

7* Big Ten Game of the Month on Indiana -3.5

The Key: The Indiana Hoosiers have been through a gauntlet during their 5 straight losses.  They only lost by 5 at Wisconsin, lost by 5 at home to Purdue, lost by 12 at home to Michigan, lost by 1 at Minnesota and lost by 6 in overtime at Iowa.  4 of those 5 teams are going to the NCAA Tournament.  The Hoosiers are still 13-4 at home this season with an average win of 17.6 points per game.  This is a short number for them to be laying.  They'll be hungry for a win on Senior Day, and I think they get it against a struggling Wildcats team that is 2-4 SU & 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games overall.  The Hoosiers are 7-0 ATS in home games after failing to cover 3 of their last 4 against the spread over the last 2 seasons.  Take Indiana.

6* Big East *CA$H COW* on Seton Hall -7.5

The Key: Seton Hall is 17-10 on the season and right on the bubble of the NCAA Tournament.  The Pirates have wins over Creighton and Xavier in their last three games with their only loss to Villanova.  Now they can't afford a poor effort at DePaul and should be full focused for this game.  I think this is a letdown spot for the Blue Demons, who ended their 10-game losing streak with an upset 67-65 road win at Georgetown as 13.5-point dogs last time out.  The Blue Demons lost 8 of their 10 games by double-digits during their losing streak.  Seton Hall beat DePaul 87-56 at home earlier this season and is now laying only 7.5 points on the road.  DePaul is 1-7 ATS off a win this season.  The Blue Demons are 6-20 ATS in their last 26 Saturday games.  The Pirates are 23-9-1 ATS in their last 33 Saturday games.  DePaul is 4-16-1 ATS in its last 21 games following an ATS win.  Take Seton Hall.

7* Dayton/Davidson A-10 *HEAVY HITTER* on Dayton -2.5

The Key: Dayton is tied with VCU for first place in the Atlantic 10 at 13-2 in conference play this season.  That fact alone assures that the Flyers will not be taking Davidson lightly tonight.  Dayton has been one of the most underrated teams in the country over the past several seasons.  The Flyers are 12-4 ATS in their last 16 games overall.  Davidson is down this season at just 14-12 on the year and not capable of pulling off this type of upset.  The Wildcats are 3-11 ATS in their last 14 games as a home underdog.  Dayton is 6-0 ATS in road games off 2 or more consecutive home wins over the last 2 seasons.  The Flyers are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 road games.  Take Dayton.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Milwaukee Bucks +3

The Key: The Milwaukee Bucks are ready to make a playoff push.  They sit at 25-30 on the season and just 1.5 games out of the 8th seed.  They got it together before the break by going 3-0 in their last 3 games winning by 16 at Indiana, by 13 at home against Detroit and by 4 at Brooklyn.  Indiana is the 6th seed and Detroit is the 8th right now, so those were 2 huge wins.  Now they host the Utah Jazz, who have lost 3 of their last 4 games.  The Jazz are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 road games.  The home team is 14-5 ATS in the last 19 meetings.  Take Milwaukee.

7* Clippers/Warriors TNT *BAILOUT* on Los Angeles +12.5

The Key: The Los Angeles Clippers are sick and tired of losing to the Golden State Warriors.  They have lost all 3 meetings this season and 9 straight meetings overall.  But the Clippers went 4-0 SU & 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games heading into the break to build up some momentum.  Now they are expected to have Chris Paul back tonight.  I think the Warriors will be good fade material in their first game back from the break here because they had four players participate in All-Star Weekend and they won't be fully focused, especially after already beating the Clippers 3 times this season.  The Clippers are 28-14 ATS revenging a loss where opponent scored 100 or more points over the last 2 seasons.  The Clippers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 road games.  Take Los Angeles.

6* NCAAB Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Portland +11

The Key: This is a terrible spot for the BYU Cougars.  They are coming off a 13-point home loss to St. Mary's, and now they have an even bigger game on deck Saturday at Gonzaga.  They'll clearly be looking ahead to that game as this is a sandwich game for the Cougars and they won't be focused at all.  Portland only lost by 11 as 18.5-point dogs at BYU in their first meeting this season and should be able to stay within 11 at home in the rematch given the bad spot for BYU.  It's also senior night for Portland and they'll be motivated.  The Cougars are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 road games.  The Cougars are 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 games overall.  BYU is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games as a favorite.  The Pilots are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  Take Portland.

7* Big 12 *HEAVY HITTER* on Kansas State -3.5

The Key: The Kansas State Wildcats picked up a much-needed 64-61 road win at Texas to end a 3-game losing streak and get them back in the NCAA Tournament discussion.  Now they're up against another bubble team in Oklahoma State and need a win here at home, otherwise their chances are slim.  The Wildcats already beat the Cowboys 96-88 on the road earlier this season.  They are 10-4 at home this season and have suffered some excruciatingly close losses all season.  This is a team that is better than its record for sure.  The Wildcats are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 after playing 2 consecutive games as a favorite.  The Cowboys are 14-37-3 ATS in their last 54 games as a road underdog of 0.5-6.5.  The Wildcats are 34-15-3 ATS in their last 52 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.  The home team is 17-5 ATS in the last 22 meetings.  The Wildcats are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 home meetings.  Take Kansas State.

7* SEC Game of the Week on Mississippi State -1.5

The Key: Mississippi State is a perfect 6-0 ATS in its last 6 home games overall.  The Bulldogs have nearly pulled upsets over Kentucky (lost by 7), South Carolina (lost by 4) and Florida (lost by 5), covering the spread in all of those games.  They also beat Texas A&M by 8, Missouri by 15 and Tennessee by 5 over this stretch.  Home-court advantage has meant a ton in this series as Mississippi State is 16-3 SU in its last 19 home meetings with Ole Miss.  The home team is 10-3 ATS in the last 13 meetings.  Take Mississippi State.

7* ACC Game of the Week on Boston College +18.5

The Key: The Florida State Seminoles are coming off back-to-back blowout losses to Notre Dame (by 12) and Pitt (by 14).  Now they return home and the betting public is expecting them to blow out Boston College, but I'm not buying it.  This is a tough situation for the Seminoles as they will be playing their 2nd game in 3 days.  Meanwhile, the Eagles haven't played since Tuesday and will be by far the fresher squad.  The Eagles have only lost 1 of their last 9 games by more than this 18.5-point margin as they've been very competitive in ACC play despite their 2-12 record.  That's evident by the fact that they are 9-5 ATS in ACC games this year.  Boston College is 7-1 ATS when playing against a good team (Win Pct. 60% to 80%) this season.  The Eagles are 8-2 ATS versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game this season.  The Eagles are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  Take Boston College.

7* Syracuse/Georgia Tech ACC *HEAVY HITTER* on Georgia Tech +2.5

The Key: Josh Pastner has to be among the coach of the year discussion with what he's doing at Georgia Tech this season.  The Yellow Jackets find themselves on the bubble of the NCAA Tournament and in need of a win here Sunday to get on the right side of it.  What they've done at home this season is nothing short of remarkable.  They are 13-3 on their home floor.  They have upset home wins over the likes of North Carolina, Clemson, Florida State and Notre Dame.  Now they'll be up against a Syracuse team that is 2-8 SU & 2-8 ATS in all road games this season. Georgia Tech is 8-0 ATS in its last 8 home games after a game where it attempted 7 or less free throws.  The Yellow Jackets are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games overall.  The Orange are 0-4 ATS in the last 4 meetings.  Take Georgia Tech.

7* Big Ten Game of the Year on Michigan State +10

The Key: The Michigan State Spartans have really come on strong down the stretch again this season.  They have won and covered 4 of their last 5 games coming in.  Now they are catching double-digits against a Purdue team that they have gone 8-2 SU & 7-3 ATS against in the last 10 meetings.  Of course, the Boilermakers won the first meeting this season in East Lansing by 11, but that works in our favor here as the Spartans will be hungry for revenge.  Michigan State is 9-1 ATS in the month of February over the last 2 seasons.  The road team is 6-0 ATS in the last 6 meetings.  The Spartans are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 visits to Purdue.  Take Michigan State.

6* SEC *CA$H COW* on Mississippi State +10.5

The Key: Mississippi State is one of the more underrated teams in college basketball.  It has gone 8-4 ATS in its last 12 games overall and will give Florida a run for its money today as double-digit home dogs.  The Bulldogs have been an excellent bet at home of late, going 5-0 ATS in their last 5 home games.  Mississippi State is also 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games as a home dog of 7.0-12.5 points.  The home team is 7-3 ATS in the last 10 meetings.  The Gators are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 meetings in Starkville.  Take Mississippi State.

6* Missouri Valley *CA$H COW* on Northern Iowa +15.5

The Key: The Northern Iowa Panthers have really come on strong here down the stretch.  They are 9-1 SU & 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games with their only loss coming at Illinois State by a final of 51-57 as 7-point dogs.  Wichita State lost at Illinois State 62-76 earlier this season.  The Shockers come in getting too much respect from oddsmakers due to four straight wins by double-digits.  But now they are up against a team that is equally as hot as them in the Panthers, and they're laying a whopping 15.5 points.  The Panthers are 35-16-4 ATS in their last 55 games following a straight up win.  The Panthers are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 games as an underdog of 13.0 or greater.  The road team is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings.  The Panthers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 road games.  Take Northern Iowa.

7* Cal/Stanford Pac-12 *BAILOUT* on Stanford +3

The Key: California and Stanford are fierce rivals.  They met on January 29th in Cal earlier this season.  That game was tied 25-25 at half, but the Bears pulled away for an 11-point victory after intermission.  Now I think the Cardinal have their revenge at home Friday.  After all, Stanford is 16-3 SU in its last 19 home meetings with Cal.  The Golden Bears are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games as a road favorite of 0.5-6.5.  The Cardinal are 5-1 ATS in the last 6 home meetings.  The home team is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings.  Take Stanford.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Washington Wizards -2.5

The Key: The Washington Wizards are 17-3 in their last 20 games overall and look to go into the All-Star Break with momentum with another victory over Indiana Thursday.  I like their chances of picking up another win here against a Pacers team that is running on fumes right now.  The Pacers will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 5th game in 7 days.  They have lost to the Spurs and Cavs in their last two games and won't be able to put up much of a fight here against the Wizards.  They are certainly worn down right now as indicated by the fact that they are riding a 5-game losing streak.  The Wizards come in on 2 days rest and are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 when playing on 2 days rest.  The Wizards are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 road games.  The Pacers are 9-23-1 ATS in their last 33 games playing on 0 days rest.  Take Washington.

7* Wisconsin/Michigan ESPN *HEAVY HITTER* on Michigan -2

The Key: The Michigan Wolverines get the nod Thursday as small home favorites over the Wisconsin Badgers.  They only lost to the Badgers 64-68 on the road in their first meeting, and I think the home court will make all the difference in the rematch.  Plus Michigan is playing great right now coming off a 29-point home win over Michigan State and a 12-point road win at Indiana.  The Badgers just lost at home to Northwestern after needing overtime to beat Nebraska on the road in their last two games.  Michigan is 28-13 ATS in its last 41 home games off a conference road win.  The Badgers are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  The Wolverines are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  Take Michigan.

6* Hawks/Clippers Non-Conference *BAILOUT* on Los Angeles -3

The Key: The Clippers continue to play well even without Chris Paul because they have more depth this season than they had last year, and Blake Griffin has been in prime form.  They have gone 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in their last 3 games despite playing all 3 on the road, which includes an 88-72 win at Utah as 8-point dogs last time out.  Now the Clippers return home where they are 17-8 on the season.  I think they make easy work of the Atlanta Hawks, who are one of the most overrated teams in the NBA.  They are actually getting outscored on the season despite their 32-23 record and have simply been fortunate in close games.  I don't expect this one to be close, however.  The Clippers are 10-2 ATS after covering 3 of their last 4 ATS this season.  The Clippers are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 games playing on 1 days rest.  Take Los Angeles.

6* NCAAB Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Tulane +23

The Key: The SMU Mustangs have not only gone 8-0 SU, but also 7-0-1 ATS in their last 8 games overall.  It's safe to say that they are getting way too much respect from oddsmakers now after this run.  And now they are in their biggest letdown spot of the season off a huge 60-51 victory over Cincinnati to take over 1st place in the AAC.  I suspect their effort to be lackluster tonight against 4-20 Tulane as a result.  This will be their 2nd meeting of the season after Tulane lost by 16 as 16-point home dogs in the first meeting.  Tulane is 19-8 ATS in its last 27 road games off a blowout loss by 20 points or more.  Bets on road teams off 7 or more consecutive losses when playing with 5 or 6 days rest are 78-41 ATS since 1997.  Take Tulane.

7* Iowa State/K-State ESPN 2 *HEAVY HITTER* on Kansas State -4.5

The Key: The Kansas State Wildcats have lost 5 of their last 6 due to a brutal schedule, including 3 straight games against the 3 best teams in the Big 12 in Baylor, Kansas and WVU.  One of those losses was against Iowa State 65-70 on January 24th.  Now the Wildcats get their shot at revenge at home this time around.  They are 10-3 at home this season.  The Cyclones are just 3-5 in true road games.  The Cyclones are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS win.  The Wildcats are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games following a ATS loss.  The home team is 5-2 ATS in the last 7 meetings.  Take Kansas State.

7* Ohio State/Michigan State Big Ten *HEAVY HITTER* on Michigan State -6.5

The Key: Like clockwork, the Michigan State Spartans are starting to play their best basketball of the season down the stretch again this year.  They are 3-1 SU & 3-1 ATS in their last 4 games overall.  Now they get to host an Ohio State team with pretty much nothing to play for at this point.  The Spartans are 11-2 at home this season, while the Buckeyes are just 3-7 SU & 3-7 ATS on the road.  The home team is 7-1 SU in the last 8 meetings.  The Buckeyes are 7-24-1 ATS in their last 32 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.  The Buckeyes are 10-28-1 ATS in their last 39 road games.  The Spartans are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games as a home favorite.  Take Michigan State.

7* NBA Situational Game of the Month on Milwaukee Bucks -3

The Key: The Milwaukee Bucks are not getting any respect from oddsmakers right now due to having lost 12 of their last 15 games coming into tonight.  But they have won 2 of their last 4 in blowout fashion with a 25-point win at Phoenix and a 16-point win at Indiana, so the signs of a turnaround are there.  But this is more of a fade of the Pistons, who will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after a 16-point comeback in the 4th quarter last night to beat the Raptors 102-101.  It's going to be tough to follow up that performance, especially with as much effort as they put into the final period.  The Pistons are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games playing on 0 days rest.  The Pistons are 4-11 ATS in their last 15 games following a straight up win.  Bets against all teams with a line of +3 to -3 like Detroit who are revenging a loss vs. opponent while also off a road win by 3 points or less are 41-14 ATS over the last 5 seasons.  Take Milwaukee.

7* Cincinnati/SMU AAC *HEAVY HITTER* on SMU -4.5

The Key:  The Mustangs are one of the best teams in the country that nobody is talking about.  They have won 7 straight games with 6 of those coming by double-digits to improve to 21-4 on the season.  They are a perfect 14-0 at home this season and a tremendous 8-1 ATS on their home floor, mopping up opponents by an average of 22 points per game.  Now they get their shot at revenge on Cincinnati with the AAC regular season title likely at stake here.  They only lost 64-66 at Cincinnati to prove that they can play with them, and now they prove that they are the best team in the conference with a win and cover at home Sunday.  The Bearcats are 16-35 ATS in their last 51 Sunday games.  The Mustangs are 13-2-1 ATS in their last 16 vs. American Athletic Conference.  The Mustangs are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  Take SMU.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Phoenix Suns +14

The Key: One of the best-kept secrets in the NBA is that the Suns actually perform very well ATS when playing on zero or little rest.  That's because they have one of the deepest benches in the league.  The Suns are 11-3 ATS when playing their 3rd game in 4 days this season.  They just thumped the Bulls 115-97 at home last night while playing 12 players.  They won't be phased by this back-to-back situation because of their deep bench.  And the Suns are going to want some revenge here after losing their first 2 meetings of the season to the Rockets by 14 and 16 points.  I don't expect the Rockets to be too concerned here with beating the Suns by a margin having already done it twice this year.  Look for this game to be much closer than expected.  The Rockets are 3-13 ATS in their last 16 Saturday games.  The Suns are 22-8 ATS in the last 30 meetings in Houston.  Take Phoenix.

7* Big East Game of the Month on DePaul +10.5

The Key: The Creighton Bluejays cannot be trusted to lay double-digits on the road against anyone right now without star PG Mo Watson Jr.  They just haven't been the same without him.  After starting 18-1 with him, they are just 2-3 SU & 2-3 ATS without him.  They did beat DePaul 83-66 without him, but that was at home and just 2 weeks ago, meaning the Blue Demons will be seeking revenge in the rematch.  I think they have what it takes to stay within double-digits at home this time around.  Take DePaul.

6* K-State/WVU Big 12 *CA$H COW* on Kansas State +10.5

The Key: This is a bad spot for West Virginia.  They are coming off a big road win at Oklahoma, and they have a huge road game on deck against Kansas on ESPN's Big Monday just two days from now.  They won't fully be invested in beating Kansas State by a margin today as a result.  The Wildcats haven't been able to be beaten by margins all year.  They have lost 8 games, but 7 of those defeats came by 9 points or fewer.  They already beat WVU 79-75 as 3.5-point home dogs and they know another win over the Mountaineers would go a long way in helping them get in the tournament.  They just won their last road game at Baylor 56-54 as 7-point dogs.  They haven't lost a Big 12 road game by more than 5 points all season.  The Wildcats are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 road games.  The Mountaineers are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 Saturday games.  Take Kansas State.

7* Warriors/Grizzlies Western Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Memphis +8

The Key: This is a classic case of the Golden State Warriors being overvalued.  They come in off a blowout win over the Bulls, who were without both Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade.  The Warriors could be caught looking ahead to Kevin Durant's return to Oklahoma City Saturday against the Thunder here.  Plus, Memphis has already proven it can beat Golden State, going 2-0 SU & 2-0 ATS against them this season.  The Grizzlies won 110-89 as 13-point home dogs, and 128-119 as 13.5-point road dogs.  Now they are catching 8 points here, which is simply too much in a game that they could win outright.  The Grizzlies have won 3 straight with an 8 point win at Minnesota, a 15-point home win over San Antonio and a 19-point home win over Phoenix.  The Grizzlies are the best team in the NBA defensively, holding those 3 opponents to just 88 points per game.  The Grizzlies are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games overall.  Take Memphis.

7* American Athletic Game of the Month on Temple +7.5

The Key: The SMU Mustangs are overvalued right now due to their 6-game winning streak.  Not only have they won 6 straight, but they've also gone 5-0-1 ATS during this stretch.  The betting public is all over them, driving this line all the way up to 7.5.  The Mustangs shouldn't be laying this kind of price on the road to the Temple Owls tonight.  Temple is 8-0 ATS versus good passing teams that average at least 16 assists over the last 2 seasons.  SMU is 0-6 ATS in road games versus teams who attempt 21 or more 3-point shots per game over the last 2 years.  The home team is 6-1 SU & 6-1 ATS in the last 7 meetings.  Take Temple.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Dallas Mavericks +4

The Key: After going 4-0 SU & 3-1 ATS in their last 4 games overall, the Utah Jazz are now overvalued.  And the Jazz are in a difficult situation tonight.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 3rd game in 4 days.  The Mavericks will be ready for them as they come in playing their best basketball of the season.  Dallas is 11-3 ATS in its last 14 games overall, yet it continues to get no respect from oddsmakers here as 4-point home dogs.  Utah is 5-14 ATS when playing its 3rd game in 4 days this season.  The Jazz are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 road games.  The Jazz are 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 games playing on 0 days rest.  The Mavericks are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 home games.  Take Dallas.

7* Bulls/Warriors ESPN *BAILOUT* on Chicago +14

The Key: The Chicago Bulls have a way of playing to their competition.  They beat teams they're not expected to, and they lost to teams they shouldn't.  The Bulls are 16-5 ATS in their last 21 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  I think they'll put up a great effort tonight against the Golden State Warriors and easily stay within this 14-point spread.  The Bulls are 3-1 SU & 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games overall.  They beat the 76ers by 13 at home, went on the road and upset the Thunder by 28 as 2.5-point dogs, only lost by 4 at Houston as 10-point dogs, and upset the Kings by 5 as 4.5-point road dogs.  They will be playing just their 2nd game in 5 days, so they are fresh right now.  Take Chicago.

6* Big Ten *CA$H COW* on Ohio State -10.5

The Key: The Ohio State Buckeyes need to start piling up the wins if they want to make a run at the NCAA Tournament.  They sit at 14-10 right now and boosted their chances with a 70-66 win at Michigan as 9-point dogs on Saturday.  Now they'll be playing with confidence tonight as they host lowly Rutgers.  The Scarlet Knights are coming off an upset win of their own at Penn State.  Now this is a letdown spot for them as they aren't used to winning in Big Ten play.  Ohio State has owned Rutgers, going 3-0 in 3 meetings since the Scarlet Knights joined the Big Ten.  They won by 10 on the road, by 26 at home and by 19 on the road.  Expect another double-digit blowout here.  The Scarlet Knights are 14-39-1 ATS in their last 54 games following a ATS win.  The Buckeyes are 18-6 ATS in their last 24 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.  Take Ohio State.

6* ACC *CA$H COW* on Boston College +3

The Key: The Boston College Eagles have an excellent chance to pick up their 2nd win in ACC play this season.  They have been extremely competitive in going 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games overall, but they just haven't been able to translate that competitiveness into wins.  They'll be hungry to get their win tonight.  They host a Pitt Panthers team that has been atrocious, going 0-8 SU in their last 8 games overall.  The Panthers are coming off back-to-back games against UNC and Duke, and it's only human nature that they won't be able to get up for a team like Boston College after facing those two powerhouses in consecutive contests.  Pitt is 0-7 ATS as a road favorite or PK over the last 3 seasons.  The Panthers are 0-6 ATS when playing against a bad team (Win Pct. 20% to 40%) over the last 3 seasons.  Take Boston College.

6* NCAAB Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Texas +3

The Key: Iowa State is coming off one of the biggest wins in school history.  The Cyclones just ended Kansas' 54-game home winning streak with an upset victory over the Jayhawks in overtime.  Now it's only human nature that they'll go on the road and suffer a letdown here at Texas on Tuesday.  The Longhorns have won 10 of their last 12 home meetings with the Cyclones.  The Cyclones are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games vs. a team with a losing straight up record.  The Longhorns are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games as an underdog.  Iowa State is 5-15 ATS as a road favorite of 3 points or less or PK in its last 20 tries.  Texas is 9-1 ATS revenging a road loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.  Take Texas.

7* NBA Western Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Portland Trail Blazers -2

The Key: The Portland Trail Blazers were upset at home by the Dallas Mavericks this past Friday by a final of 104-108.  Now I expect them to return the favor just 4 days later as they get their shot at revenge in Dallas here Tuesday night.  The Mavericks will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after a loss in Denver last night.  Playing in the altitude last night will also have them extra tired in this back-to-back situation.  Look for the Blazers to take advantage.  The road team has gone 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings in this series.  Take Portland.

7* NBA Western Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Denver Nuggets -3.5

The Key: The Denver Nuggets have shown what they're capable of when healthy.  They are 8-5 in their last 13 games overall and most of their losses during this stretch can be attributed to an injury or two.  But they are almost fully healthy now and should make easy work of the Dallas Mavericks tonight.  The Mavs come in overvalued after a season-high 4-game winning streak.  That streak comes to an end tonight against the Nuggets.  Bets against teams where the line is +3 to -3 off an upset win as a road underdog, a bad team (25% to 40%) playing against a team with a losing record are 34-12 ATS over the last 5 seasons.  Take Denver.

7* ATL/NE Super Bowl *HEAVY HITTER* on New England -3

The Key: The Patriots have been on a mission all season to take out their frustration on the NFL pertaining from Deflategate that led to Tom Brady's 4-game suspension.  All they've gone is taken out their frustration on opponents to the tune of a 16-2 SU & 15-3 ATS record on the season.  Somehow they have been undervalued all season, and they continue to be in the Super Bowl as only 3-point favorites over the Falcons.  The Falcons haven't seen a defense as good as the Patriots, which leads the league in scoring defense at 15.7 points per game.  Both offenses are elite, but the difference in this game is going to be the Patriots' ability to get stops.  The Falcons give up 24.8 points and 367 yards per game on the season.  Tom Brady has only thrown two interceptions all season, and the team that has won the turnover battle has gone 37-4 in the Super Bowl.  The Patriots winning the turnover battle and having the better defense is the difference Sunday.  The Patriots are 10-1 ATS versus excellent offensive teams that average 6 or more yards per play over the last 3 seasons.  Take New England.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Oklahoma City Thunder -4.5

The Key: For starters, the Blazers are 8-18 on the road this season, while the Thunder are 17-7 at home.  This is a very small number being asked of the Thunder to cover today and I think this is a great price because of it.  That's especially the case with how important home-court advantage has been in this series.  The home team is 7-0 SU in ther last 7 meetings.  The Thunder have won their last 3 home meetings with the Blazers by 36, 16 and 11 points, or by an average of 21 points per game.  Take Oklahoma City.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Miami Heat -8.5

The Key: The Miami Heat are 9-0 SU & 9-0 ATS in their last 9 games overall.  Normally I'd look to fade teams on runs like this, but not the Heat here.  They have had two days off since throttling Atlanta 116-93 at home on Wednesday.  And they have not only been winning during this streak, they've been blowing teams out on the regular. Their last 4 wins have come by 12, 13, 8 and 23 points.  Philadelphia is 1-4 in its last 5 games overall with the 3 road games during this stretch resulting in blowout losses by 13, 18 and 16 points.  And the 76ers are without Joel Embiid tonight, and they could be without two other key players in Nerlens Noel and Robert Covington, who are both questionable after sitting out their last game against the Spurs.  Miami is 10-1 ATS off a home win this season.  The Heat are 6-0-1 ATS in their last 7 home games.  Take Miami.

6* Miami/NC State ACC *CA$H COW* on NC State +2.5

The Key: Miami has been one of the most overrated teams in the country this season.  The Hurricanes are just 5-14 ATS in their lined games this year.  Now they are actually favored on the road at NC State, a team that is 11-3 at home this season.  The home team is 4-0 SU in the last 4 meetings.  NC State beat Miami 85-69 as 5-point home dogs last season.  The underdog is 9-2-2 ATS in the last 11 meetings.  The Hurricanes are 3-15 ATS in their last 18 games as a favorite.  Miami is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 road games.  The Wolfpack are 24-11-2 ATS in their last 37 games following a straight up loss.  Take NC State.

7* Iowa State/Kansas Big 12 *HEAVY HITTER* on Iowa State +11

The Key: I love this situation for Iowa State.  The Cyclones will be hungry for a win off back-to-back losses to Vanderbilt and WVU.  They will also be hungry after already narrowly losing to Kansas 72-76 at home on January 16th.  I like them here catching double-digits in the rematch.  The Jayhawks are in a letdown spot off back-to-back narrow wins over Kentucky and Baylor, two of the top teams in the country.  They won't be able to get up for Iowa State after facing those two teams.  Iowa State has only lost to Kansas once by more than 11 points in the last 9 meetings.  The Cyclones always play them tough.  The Cyclones are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games as a road underdog of 7.0-12.5.  The Jayhawks are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 home games.  Take Iowa State.

7* NBA Western Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Oklahoma City Thunder +1

The Key: Off 3 straight losses to the Cavs, Spurs and Bulls, the Thunder will be hungry for a victory tonight.  These 3 losses have them undervalued as they are now home dogs to the Memphis Grizzlies.  The Grizzlies come in overvalued due to 3 straight road wins over the Jazz, Suns and Nuggets.  The only impressive win in there was the Jazz, but the win over the Nuggets last time out came against a very injury-ravaged team.  And it's unlikely the Grizzlies will be able to win a 4th consecutive road game here tonight.  The Thunder are 16-7 at home.  The home team is 7-1 SU in the last 8 meetings.  The home team is 9-1 ATS in the last 10 meetings.  The Grizzlies are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 trips to Oklahoma City.  The Thunder are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 home games.  Take Oklahoma City.

7* Warriors/Clippers TNT *BAILOUT* on Los Angeles +8

The Key: The Los Angeles Clippers are in about as tough a spot as they've been in all season here tonight.  They will be playing the second of a back-to-back and their 4th game in 5 days.  They will be playing on their 9th straight different court as they haven't been able to stay in the same city here over the past few weeks.  I think they run out of gas tonight against the Clippers.  I also like this revenge spot for the Clippers, who were embarrassed by the Warriors 98-144 on the road on January 28th just a few days ago.  Look for the fresher Clippers to be the more hungry team here and to give the Warriors a run for their money, possibly pulling off the upset.  Los Angeles is 13-4 ATS in home games revenging a same season loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.  The Warriors are 0-7 ATS in their last 7 games playing on 0 days rest.  Take Los Angeles.

6* Utah/Cal Pac-12 *CA$H COW* on California -3

The Key: California has one of the best home-court advantages in the country.  The Golden Bears have gone 12-2 at home this season with their only losses coming against Virginia (by 4) and Arizona (by 5), which are two of the best teams in the land.  I expect the Golden Bears to take down the Utah Utes tonight.  The home team is 4-0 SU in the last 4 meetings in this series, including a 71-58 victory for the Golden Bears last season as identical 3-point favorites. Cal is 10-1 ATS off a conference win by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.  The Golden Bears are 7-0 ATS in February games over the last 2 years.  Take California.

7* NBA Non-Conference Game of the Month on Charlotte Hornets +15.5

The Key: The Charlotte Hornets and Golden State Warriors just played a week ago on January 25th.  The Hornets blew a 5-point lead going into the 4th quarter and lost that game 103-113 at home as Stephen Curry went off int he 4th quarter.  But now the Hornets will be out for revenge in the rematch a week later, and we are getting a great price on them as 15.5-point dogs.  Bets on road dogs after allowing 105 points or more in 3 straight games against an opponent off a win by 6 points or less are 35-4 ATS over the last 5 seasons.  Take Charlotte.

6* UCLA/Washington State Pac-12 *CA$H COW* on Washington State +16.5

The Key: Washington State is one of the most improved teams in the Pac-12 this season.  They have won 4 conference games already while pulling off 3 upsets in the process.  They beat Washington on the road as 12.5-point dogs, Colorado at home as 7-point dogs and Arizona State on the road as 10.5-point dogs.  UCLA has been an overvalued commodity since entering Pac-12 play.  The Bruins are just 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games overall, yet they're again being asked to lay a big number on the road here tonight.  They haven't won a true road game by more than 15 points this season.  The Bruins are 5-21-1 ATS in their last 27 games as a road favorite  The home team is 7-1 ATS in the last 8 meetings.  The Cougars are 4-0 ATS in their last four home meetings with UCLA.  Take Washington State.

7* Mountain West Game of the Month on Colorado State -1

The Key: Colorado State continues to lack the respect they deserve from oddsmakers today as only 1-point home favorites over Boise State.  The Rams have gone 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games overall while beating both Utah State and San Diego State on the road outright as underdogs.  This stretch also includes a 73-74 loss at Boise State as 7.5-point dogs.  Now the Rams get the Broncos at home and will be out for revenge in the rematch.  Colorado State is 10-3 at home this season.  The Rams are 5-1 straight up in their last 6 home meetings with the Broncos.  The Rams are 6-0 ATS after 2 straight games with 12 or fewer assists this season.  Colorado State is 7-0 ATS vs. teams who force 14 or fewer turnovers per game this season.  Take Colorado State.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Houston Rockets -11.5

The Key: The Sacramento Kings are running on fumes right now.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 4th road game in 5 days.  They aren't going to have much left in the tank for Houston tonight, which is not a good thing with the way the Rockets like to push the tempo.  And they're going to be up against a hungry Houston squad that has lost 3 of their last 4 coming in.  The Kings have not fared well at all in their last 3 meetings with the Rockets, 2 of which have come this season.  They lost by 34 in Houston, by 13 at home, and by 35 in Houston in those 3 meetings.  Look for another lopsided affair in this game as the Rockets get back on track and take advantage of an extremely tired Kings squad.  The Rockets are 12-3 ATS in their last 15 games following a straight up loss.  The Rockets are 18-6 ATS in the last 24 meetings, and 5-1 ATS in their last 6 home meetings.  Take Houston.

7* Grizzlies/Suns TNT *BAILOUT* on Memphis -3.5

The Key: The Memphis Grizzlies beat Toronto at home, only lost by 3 at Portland and upset Utah by 7 as 7.5-point dogs in their last 3 games overall.  That's a very tough stretch, and the Grizzlies nearly went 3-0.  Now they take on one of the worst teams in the NBA in the Phoenix Suns, who have lost 3 straight to the Timberwolves and Nuggets (twice) coming in.  The Grizzlies are 13-3 ATS after playing a game as a road underdog this season.  The Grizzlies are 16-7 ATS in their last 23 vs. Western Conference.  The Suns are 6-15-1 ATS in their last 22 vs. Western Conference.  Take Memphis.

6* Oklahoma State/Oklahoma ESPN *CA$H COW* on Oklahoma State -2

The Key: The Oklahoma State Cowboys have played the single-toughest schedule in the country.  Their 13-8 record doesn't look impressive on the surface, but this team has some remarkable wins.  The Cowboys have beaten Georgetown, UConn and Witchita State in non-conference while only losing at Maryland 70-71.  Now they come in off 3 straight dominant showings with an 83-64 win at Texas Tech, an 89-76 home win over TCU and a 99-71 home victory over Arkansas.  Oklahoma has lost 3 straight while going 2-10 in its last 12 games overall, which includes a 52-84 home loss to Florida on Saturday.  The Sooners have swept the season series in 3 consecutive years while winning 7 straight over the Cowboys.  It's safe to say that Oklahoma State is going to be hungry to end this streak tonight.  The Sooners are 9-19-1 ATS in their last 29 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.  Take Oklahoma State.

6* Thunder/Cavs ABC *CA$H COW* on Cleveland -7

The Key: I'm seeing value on the Cleveland Cavs for once today because they have been so abysmal at the pay window of late.  The Cavs are just 2-11 ATS in their last 13 games overall.  The Thunder are starting to get too much respect from the books after covering 3 straight and going 8-3 ATS in their last 11 contests.  But now the Thunder are without one of their best players for over a month on Enes Kanter, who broke his arm punching a chair in their last game.  Kanter is a huge loss for them because he's instant offense and averages 14.4 PPG.  The Cavs are 20-5 at home this season and this is a relatively small spread for them to have to cover compared to most games.  Bets on home favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points (CLEVELAND) - a good team (+3 to +7 PPG diff.) against an average team (+/- 3 PPG diff.) after 42+ games, after scoring 110 points or more 2 straight games are 36-9 ATS since 1996.  Take Cleveland.

7* Pac-12 *HEAVY HITTER* on Washington State +10.5

The Key: I don't think Arizona State should be laying double-digits to any team in the Pac-12.  The Sun Devils are just 10-11 this season and not that much better than Washington State, who is 10-10 and one of the most improved teams in the league.  The Cougars gave Arizona a fight on the road last time out and will certainly be able to compete with Arizona State here.  The Sun Devils are 3-16 ATS after covering 2 of their last 3 against the spread over the last 3 seasons.  The Cougars are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games as a road underdog.  The Sun Devils are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games following a straight up win.  Arizona State is 2-10 ATS in its last 12 Sunday games.  Take Washington State.

6* St. Mary's/Santa Clara WCC *BAILOUT* on Santa Clara +10

The Key: Santa Clara is playing very well right now in going 9-4 in its last 13 games overall.  It has done a lot of its damage at home, but it also has an 87-80 road win at Valparaiso and a narrow 68-69 road loss to Washington State.  Santa Clara is 6-1 in its last seven home games with its only loss coming to Gonzaga.  The six wins have come by 25, 24, 14, 28, 1 and 8 points, including an upset 76-68 win over BYU last time out as 3.5-point dogs.  St. Mary's is 2-10 ATS in its last 12 after having won 18 or more of its last 20 games coming in.  I think the Broncos will stay within double-digits over the Gaels tonight, possibly pulling off the upset.  Take Santa Clara.

6* Saturday MAC *CA$H COW* on Akron -9

The Key: Akron is the best team in the MAC hands down.  The Zips continue to roll as they are 10-0 in their last 10 games overall.  Now they take on a Buffalo team that is just 4-6 in its last 10 contests.  The Zips are 10-0 at home this season while outscoring the opposition by nearly 19 points per game on average.  Take Akron.

7* ACC Game of the Month on Florida State -3

The Key: After failing to cover the spread in 4 straight games, including outright road losses to UNC and Georgia Tech, I expect the Florida State Seminoles to put forth a big effort today.  They went through a grueling stretch of 4 straight ranked opponents, which explains their letdown last time out against Georgia Tech.  But that poor showing will have them refocused here and ready to go.  The Syracuse Orange are way down this season compared to years' past, while the Seminoles have their best team in recent memory.  FSU is 12-1 ATS off 2 or more consecutive unders over the last 3 seasons.  Syracuse is 6-20 ATS in Saturday games over the last 3 years.  The Orange are 11-22 ATS off a home win over the last 3 seasons.  The Orange are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games following a straight up win.  Take Florida State.

7* NBA Eastern Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Atlanta Hawks -3

The Key: The Washington Wizards have been playing great basketball over the past month.  But now it's to the point where they are getting too much respect from oddsmakers and it's time to fade them.  I think this is a great price on Atlanta as only 3-point home favorites now.  After all, the Hawks have been playing just as good, winning 12 of their last 15 games coming in.  Yet, they aren't getting the respect they deserve.  And the Wizards are coming off a huge win over the Celtics in which they wore black to the game, signifying the Celtics' funerals.  They put a lot into that game and won't be nearly as focused for the Hawks here.  The Wizards are just 6-14 on the road this season.  Washington is 7-20 ATS in its last 27 road games after scoring 120 points or more.   Take Atlanta.

7* Pac-12 Game of the Week on Washington State +23.5

The Key: The Arizona Wildcats are in a flat spot here against the Washington State Cougars.  They are coming off their biggest win of the season, a 96-85 upset at UCLA as 5-point underdogs.  They will have a hard time getting up to play Washington State now, and that's going to make it very difficult to cover this 23.5-point spread.  The Cougars are a much-improved team this season that is senior-led and will be competitive in this game.  They have gone a respectable 3-4 in conference play this year.  Bets against home teams who have at least a +8 PPG differential on the season against a team with a PPG differential of -3.5 to -8, after scoring 95 points or more in their previous game are 70-35 ATS since 1997.  Take Washington State.