Sports Picks & Predictions

6* NBA Non-Conference *CA$H COW* on Phoenix Suns +7

The Key: With the way the Bucks are playing right now they should not be 7-point favorites against anyone.  They are 0-5 in their last 5 games overall and clearly appear to be giving up on the season.  They lost by 24 points to the Hornets at home in their last game, which is evidence of that.  The Suns actually continue to play out the string and be competitive.  They are 6-3 ATS in their last 9 games overall, and they've only lost twice by more than 7 points during this stretch.  Phoenix is 6-0 ATS in its last 6 games following a loss.  Milwaukee is 0-4 ATS in its last 4 home games.  The road team is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings, and the Suns are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 visits to Milwaukee.  Take Phoenix.

6* Wizards/Warriors TNT *BAILOUT* on Washington +13

The Key: The Washington Wizards are fighting for their playoff lives as they are currently tied with the Chicago Bulls for 9th place in the East.  They trail the Detroit Pistons by 2.5 games and the Indiana Pacers by 3 games for the final two playoff spots.  They will be giving max effort tonight to beat the Warriors, and I believe it will be good enough to cover this massive 13-point spread.  The Warriors have consistently been overvalued here of late as they chase down the Bulls' record.  They are just 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games with only one of their wins coming by more than 12 points.  They only beat the 76ers by 12 as 22-point favorites at home last time out.  Bets on dogs of 10 or more points after being beaten by the spread by 18 or more points total in their last 3 games, with a winning percentage between 40% and 49% on the season are 29-8 ATS over the last 5 years.  Take Washington.

7* Rockets/Cavs TNT GAME OF THE MONTH on Houston +2

The Key: The Cleveland Cavaliers are more worried about being healthy and rested going into the playoffs than getting the No. 1 seed in the East.  That's why they are resting Lebron James tonight.  They should not be favored without James against a Houston Rockets team that is fighting for their playoff lives.  The Rockets are tied for 8th place with the Mavericks in the West.  Houston is 14-3 ATS on Tuesday nights over the last 2 seasons, and 37-15 ATS in its last 52 Tuesday games overall.  The Rockets are 84-54 ATS in their last 138 road games off a loss by 6 points or less.  Cleveland is 27-38 ATS as a favorite this season.  The Cavaliers are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win.  Take Houston.

6* Celtics/Clippers NBA *BAILOUT* on Boston +4

The Key: The motivational edge is clearly with the Celtics in this game.  They are the No. 4 seed in the East right now, but only 0.5 games behind No. 3 Atlanta and 0.5 games ahead of No. 5 Miami.  They need to keep winning to assure they get home court in the 1st round.  The Clippers have lost 5 of their last 8 and are having a hard time focusing right now.  You can pretty much pencil them in the the No. 4 seed in the West because they aren't going to catch the Thunder, and the Grizzlies aren't catching them.  Los Angeles is 2-8 ATS in its last 10 games overall and 0-7 ATS in its last 7 against a team with a winning record.  Boston is 9-1 ATS in its last 10 road games as a dog in the 3.5 to 6 price range.  Take Boston.

7* NBA Non-Conference GAME OF THE MONTH on Toronto Raptors +2.5

The Key: The motivational edge is clearly with the Raptors in this game.  They are chasing down the Cavaliers for home-court advantage in the Eastern Conference as they currently sit 2.5 games back.  You can pretty much pencil in the Thunder for the No. 3 seed in the West because they have a huge lead on the Clippers and can't catch the Spurs. The Raptors have a tremendous home-court advantage this season as they are 28-8 at home.  They are 8-0 ATS in their last 8 home games against teams who outscore the opposition by 3 or more points per game.  The Thunder are 0-9 ATS in their last 9 road games after covering the spread as a favorite of 10 or more points in their previous game.  Take Toronto.

7* UNC/Notre Dame Elite 8 *HEAVY HITTER* on UNC -9

The Key: The North Carolina Tar Heels have been rolling of late.  They have won 8 in a row.  They won the ACC Tournament, and they haven't had to break a sweat in the NCAA Tournament.  They have won all 3 NCAA Tournament games by 15 points or more.  That trend will continue tonight against Notre Dame, which could have lost each of its first 3 games in the NCAA Tournament.  The Fighting Irish have won their 3 games by a combined 13 points.  They last lost to UNC in the ACC Tournament by 31 points.  A repeat performance can be expected here as they take a huge step up in competition.  Notre Dame is 1-7 ATS in road games after covering 4 of their last 5 against the spread this season.  Take North Carolina.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Indiana Pacers -2

The Key: The Indiana Pacers are currently the #7 seed in the East.  They are just 2 games ahead of 9th place Chicago.  After missing the playoffs by 1 game last year, they are not going to let it happen again.  I really like the Pacers here as only 2-point favorites over the Rockets.  The Pacers are 22-13 at home this season, while the Rockets are just 16-21 on the road.  Indiana is 9-1 ATS after allowing 60 points or more in the first half of last game this season.  The Rockets are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games following a straight up win.  The favorite is 5-0 ATS in the last 5 meetings.  The Rockets are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 visits to the Pacers.  Take Indiana.

7* Kansas/Villanova Elite 8 *HEAVY HITTER* on Kansas -2

The Key: The Villanova Wildcats are obviously on fire right now.  But they haven't played a team that D's you up quite like Kansas, and that will be the difference in this game Saturday.  The Jayhawks have actually had the tougher path in my opinion with their last two games coming against UConn and Maryland, and they won those games by 12 and 16 points, respectively.  The Jayhawks only allow 39.7% shooting on the season, which is very impressive when you consider they play in the Big 12.  They also only allow only 6 made 3-pointers per game and 32.3% shooting from distance.  The key to stopping Villanova is defending the 3-point line, and not many teams do it as well as Kansas.  Not to mention, the Jayhawks put up 81.9 points per game on 49.6% shooting offensively, so they are pretty much unstoppable at that end.  Kansas is 7-0 ATS in Saturday road games this season.  The Jayhawks are 9-1 ATS off two straight wins by 10 points or more this year.  Take Kansas.

6* NBA Eastern Conference *CA$H COW* on Detroit Pistons -1.5

The Key: The Detroit Pistons are rolling right now and taking advantage of a long homestand.  They are 5-0 in their last five games overall and still have three more games on this homestand.  Now it's revenge time against the Hawks, who they lost to 114-118 to start this homestand on March 16 just 10 days ago.  The Pistons are 24-12 at home this season and have one of the most underrated home-court advantages in the league.  They are 22-12 ATS at home as well and should be more than just a 1.5-point favorite here.  Detroit is 37-18-2 ATS in its last 57 home games overall.  Both teams played yesterday, but the Pistons are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 games playing on 0 days rest.  Take Detroit.

6* Indiana/UNC Sweet 16 *BAILOUT* on UNDER 158.5

The Key: The public perception on UNC and Indiana is that they are both offensive juggernauts.  That's why this total has been set so high tonight.  But the fact of the matter is that both are better defensively than they get credit for, which is why both have been dominant down the stretch.  UNC has held 6 of its last 7 opponents to less than a point per possession, and it finished ranked 3rd in the ACC in defensive efficiency.  Indiana was able to win the Big Ten this season because it finished 3rd in the conference in defensive efficiency.  19 of UNC's last 20 games have seen less than 160 combined points, while 19 of Indiana's last 21 games have seen less than 160 combined points at the end of regulation.  The UNDER is 14-5 in UNC's last 19 games overall.  The UNDER is 4-1 in Hoosiers last 5 neutral site games.  Take the UNDER.

7* Iowa State/Virginia Sweet 16 *HEAVY HITTER* on Iowa State +6

The Key: Getting 6 points with Iowa State in a game that they will likely win outright tonight is simply too much.  All you have to do is look at how their season has gone to find that there is value in getting 6 points.  All 11 of Iowa State's losses this season have come by 10 points or less, and a whopping 7 of those have come by 5 points or fewer.  This team simply does not get blown out.  They have a Top 3 offense in the country that will test Virginia's pack-line defense.  The Cyclones have 6 different players who can beat you, which makes them so tough to stop.  Butler hung tough with Virginia for 40 minutes, and the Bulldogs are similar to ISU in that they shoot the 3-pointer well, which gives you a chance against Virginia.  The Cavaliers are 0-6 ATS when playing with 5 or 6 days of rest over the last 3 years.  Take Iowa State.

6* NBA Eastern Conference *CA$H COW* on Washington Wizards -7.5

The Key: Sitting in 10th place in the East, 2.5 games behind the No. 8 Pistons, the Wizards cannot afford to lose many more games going forward.  They will give the Minnesota Timberwolves their full attention.  Washington has won 5 of its last 6 games coming in with 4 of those wins coming by 10 points or more.  Home-court advantage has been huge in this series.  The home team is 6-1 ATS in the last 7 meetings.  Better yet, the Wizards are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 home meetings with Minnesota.  Take Washington.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Chicago Bulls -5.5

The Key: This is a home-and-home situation where the Chicago Bulls actually lost at home to the New York Knicks last night.  Now, the Bulls sit in 9th place in the Eastern Conference needing to make up some ground.  They will come out determined tonight and will take down the Knicks, who won't be as interested since they are out of the playoff hunt and just beat the Bulls last night.  New York is 3-11 ATS as a home dog of 6 points or less this season.  Bets on road favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points when revenging a loss vs. opponent against an opponent after a road game where both teams scored 100 points or more are 60-26 ATS since 1996.  Take Chicago.

7* Miami/Villanova Sweet 16 *HEAVY HITTER* on Villanova -4

The Key: The Villanova Wildcats have absolutely been on fire this month.  They have shot at least 48% from the field in 7 of their last 8 games, and their No. 1 scoring defense in the land continues to shut down opponents.  A big reason for their efficient offense is that they share the ball better than anyone left in the Sweet 16, averaging far and way more assists than any other team since the beginning of March.  I believe the Wildcats are really on a mission because they had the most to prove coming into the tournament.  The next victim is going to be Miami, which struggled to get by both Buffalo and Wichita State to get here.  The Wildcats are also an excellent free throw shooting team, and if this game comes down to it, they'll put it away at the line.  Plus, Miami is 0-8 ATS in its last 8 vs. teams who shoot 77% or better from the free throw line.  Take Villanova.

7* Clippers/Warriors ESPN GAME OF THE MONTH on Los Angeles +10

The Key: The Los Angeles Clippers are desperate for a win after losing four of their last five coming in.  They now take on a team that has beaten them five straight times in the Warriors, but not once were the Clippers overwhelmed.  In fact, all 5 losses came by 8 points or less, and now they're getting 10 points here.  This is too much, especially with the injuries the Warriors are dealing with to Andrew Bogut, Andre Iguodala and Festus Ezeli.  The Warriors have not played well of late with an 8-point loss at San Antonio and a 5-point win at Minnesota in their last two games.  Bets on road underdogs who allowed 105 points or more in 3 straight games against opponent off a win by 6 points or less are 29-8 ATS over the last 5 years.  Take Los Angeles.

7* St. Mary's/Valparaiso NIT *HEAVY HITTER* on Valparaiso -3.5

The Key: Valparaiso is 16-1 at home this season and laying only 3.5 points to St. Mary's Tuesday in NIT action.  The Crusaders have had 4 days' rest in between games having last played on March 17, while the Gaels have only had 1 days' rest in between games having last played on March 20.  This rest advantage is a big reason why I'm backing the Crusaders in a game that would otherwise be pretty evenly-matched.  The Crusaders are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 games vs. teams who win at least 80% of their games on the season.  They have played their best against the best competition.  Take Valparaiso.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Chicago Bulls -7.5

The Key: The Chicago Bulls are clinging on to the 8th seed in the East by mere percentage points over Detroit.  They gotta keep winning, and they're doing a good job of it since Jimmy Butler returned, winning 3 of their last 4 coming in.  Now they catch the Sacramento Kings in a very tough spot.  The Kings will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 5th game in 7 days.  They will have nothing left to give tonight against a Bulls team that desperately needs this win.  The Kings are 1-10 ATS in their last 11 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.  The Bulls are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.  Take Chicago.

7* GW/Monmouth NIT *HEAVY HITTER* on Monmouth -2

The Key: The Monmouth Hawks have gone on the road and beaten USC, Notre Dame, UCLA and Georgetown this season.  They are a very good team and arguably the biggest snubs of the NCAA Tournament Field.  But they are glad to be playing in the NIT anyway, and they proved that with their 10-point win over Bucknell.  George Washington doesn't even want to be here and was nearly upset in a 2-point home win over Hofstra.  This is a very short number for Monmouth to have to cover considering it is at home and the better team.  The Hawks are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 vs. teams who win more than 60% of their games, while the Colonials are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 vs. teams who win more than 60% of their games.  Take Monmouth.

6* Wisconsin/Xavier East Region *CA$H COW* on Xavier -4

The Key: Wisconsin simply doesn't have the firepower to keep up with Xavier.  The Badgers were held to 58 points in their 12-point loss to Nebraska in the Big Ten Tournament, and they only managed 47 points against Pitt last round.  Fortunately for the Badgers, Pitt couldn't make anything.  But Xavier is an explosive offensive team full of athletes.  The Musketeers have six players averaging at least 9.5 points per game.  Xavier made the Elite 8 last year and is determined to get back.  The Musketeers are 21-4-1 ATS in their last 26 NCAA Tournament games.  Take Xavier.

6* NBA *TOTAL* Annihilator on Jazz/Bucks UNDER 192

The Key: When the Jazz and Bucks get together, the end result is usually a low-scoring affair.  That will be the case again tonight when these teams meet up in Milwaukee.  Both teams are fighting to stay alive in their respective playoff races, which will add to the defensive intensity.  The last two meetings between these teams have seen 157 and 165 combined points.  That's an average of 161 combined points per game, which is 31 points below this 192-point total today.  The UNDER is 4-0 in Jazz last 4 games overall.  The UNDER is 14-3 in Bucks last 17 games following a win.  The UNDER is 6-1 in Bucks last 7 Sunday games.  Take the UNDER.

7* NCAA Tournament TOTAL OF THE YEAR on Villanova/Iowa UNDER 146

The Key: Villanova and Iowa are two of the best defensive teams in the country.  Villanova is the most efficient scoring defense in the land as it allows only 63.5 points per game and under 40% shooting.  Iowa allows 68.7 points per game and 41.6% shooting this season.  Villanova lives off the 3-pointer, but Iowa doesn't allow that, giving up just 30.8% 3-point shooting this season.  Villanova is 8-1 UNDER in its last 9 neutral court games when the total is 140 to 149.5.  Take the UNDER.

7* Providence/UNC Round of 32 *BAILOUT* on Providence +10.5

The Key: Providence is good enough to beat any team in the country, including UNC.  The good news is that it doesn't have to win to cover this massive 10.5-point spread.  The Friars have arguably the best 1-2 punch in the land in Kris Dunn and Ben Bentil, which gives them a chance to beat anyone.  We saw them go on the road and beat Villanova earlier this season.  We are seeing this team hit its stride with wins in 5 of its last 6 games with its only loss coming by 8 points to Villanova as 8.5-point dogs in the Big East Tournament.  UNC looked vulnerable only up 41-40 at halftime on Florida Gulf Coast, only to put them away in the 2nd half and win by 16 as 23.5-point favorites.  The Friars are 9-1 ATS vs. teams who commit 12 or fewer turnovers per game this season.  The Friars are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 neutral site games.  The Tar Heels are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 NCAA Tournament games.  The Tar Heels are 6-13 ATS as a favorite of 10 points or more this season.  Take Providence.

6* NCAA Tournament *TOTAL* Annihilator on Gonzaga/Utah UNDER 140

The Key: Utah and Gonzaga play similar styles that will make points hard to come by in this one.  Both have tremendous interior defense with their size inside, and they use that size on offense to try and get easy buckets.  But the buckets won't come easy in this one because both teams defend the paint so well.  The UNDER is 9-0 in Utah's last nine games vs. teams who outscore opponents by 12 or more per game on the season after 15 or more games.  The UNDER is 5-0 in Bulldogs' last 5 games vs. Pac-12 opponents.  The UNDER is 9-4 in Utah's last 13 games vs. WCC foes.  Take the UNDER.

6* Warriors/Spurs ABC National TV *Annihilator* on San Antonio -3

The Key: I have a feeling the San Antonio Spurs are going to want to make a statement tonight against the Golden State Warriors.  They want to show the Warriors that they mean business if these teams were to meet in the playoffs, especially after getting embarrassed 90-120 at Golden State in their last meeting.  The Spurs didn't have Tim Duncan in that game, but it might not have mattered.  However, the Warriors are now without Andre Iguodala and Andrew Bogut, two key pieces whose absences are bigger than most realize, especially defensively.  The Spurs are 34-0 at home this season, and they aren't about to lose their first game tonight.  Take San Antonio.

7* Friday NCAAB *UPSET SPECIAL* on Northern Iowa +4.5

The Key: The Northern Iowa Panthers are a live underdog who I believe will pull the 11/6 upset Friday.  They have made noise in the big dance before in knocking off Kansas a few years ago.  Few teams have better wins than they do.  The Panthers have beaten North Carolina, Iowa State and Wichita State (twice).  They can clearly hang with a Texas team that comes in having lost two out of its last three by a combined 46 points.  Northern Iowa has gone 12-1 SU & 11-1-1 ATS in its last 13 games overall.  It is 8-0 ATS versus teams who force 14 or fewer turnovers per game after 15 games this season.  The Panthers are 7-0-1 ATS in their last 8 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  The Longhorns are 0-7 ATS in their last 7 NCAA Tournament games.  Take this combined 33-1 angle in favor of the Panthers straight to the bank Friday.  Take Northern Iowa.

6* Friday East Region *CA$H COW* on Pittsburgh +2

The Key: Give Wisconsin credit for bouncing back after Bo Ryan retired early in the season after a terrible start that includes home losses to Western Illinois, Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Marquette.  But this isn't even close to the Badgers' team that made the championship game last year.  They have no business being favored over Pitt with the way they closed the season.  They lost by 11 at Purdue and by 12 to Nebraska in the conference tournament.  Common opponents are in Pitt's favor.  The Panthers are 3-1 against common opponents with Wisconsin, which is 1-2 in those games.  Pitt is scoring 76.0 points per game on 46% shooting against teams that allow 71.6 on 43.4% shooting, so it is an elite offensive team.  It is also allowing 67.9 against teams that average 73.8, so it is better than it gets credit for defensively, too.  The Panthers are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 games following a ATS loss.  The Badgers are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 non-conference games.  The Badgers are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 neutral site games.  Take Pitt.

6* Friday West Region *CA$H COW* on Oklahoma -14

The Key: Oklahoma went 12-0 in non-conference games this season while outscoring opponents by nearly 20 points per game.  They even beat Villanova by 23 on a neutral court.  They did not win the Big 12 like they wanted to, but they came very close to doing so as five of their conference losses came by 5 points or fewer.  CS-Bakersfield is no match for the Sooners, who will be essentially playing at home in Oklahoma City.  Bakersfield lost by 35 to Saint Mary's and by 16 to Arizona State, and it doesn't have any significant wins this season against quality competition.  The Sooners are by far the best team they will have played, and the end result won't be a pretty one for Bakersfield. Take Oklahoma.

7* NCAAB 1st Round GAME OF THE YEAR on Providence -2

The Key: Providence comes in having won 4 of its last 5 games overall while going 5-0 ATS in the process.  The Friars are getting back to playing like they were when they started 14-1.  Kris Dunn and Ben Bentil may be the best 1-2 punch in the tournament.  USC comes in having lost 7 of its last 10 games with all seven losses by at least 7 points each.  The Trojans are just 5-10 in all road games this season.  Their only significant win away from home came against a Wichita State team that was without Fred VanVleet.  The Friars already beat Arizona from the Pac-12 on a neutral court, while the Trojans lost to Xavier from the Big East by 10 on a neutral floor.  Providence is 13-3 ATS in its last 16 neutral site games.  Take Providence.

6* Thursday Midwest Region *CA$H COW* on Iowa State -7.5

The Key: Iowa State will be out to make a statement after losing to UAB in the opening round last year.  Without question, Iona has the Cyclones' full attention this time around.  I love this Iowa State team that is one of only two teams with 6 players scoring at least 10 points per game.  The Cyclones rank 3rd in the nation in offensive efficiency. They lost 11 games this season but were in every one of them as they all came by 10 points or fewer, including seven by 5 points or less.  Iona lost by 25 to Valpo and by 20 to Oregon State out of conference this year.  Betting against dogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points who have won at least 4 straight, who are seeded 13 through 16 in the NCAA Tournament has produced a 49-19 ATS record since 1997.  The Cyclones should be favored by more.  Take Iowa State.

6* Thursday South Region *CA$H COW* on Connecticut -3

The Key: UConn was very impressive in the AAC Tournament.  After beating Cincinnati in four overtimes, the Huskies rolled to a 15-point win over Temple and a 14-point win over Memphis to capture the title.  The Huskies get after it defensively as well as anyone in the country.  They allow 63.1 points per game and 38.2% shooting, including just 41% in the pain.  That's key because they will need to stop Colorado's Josh Scott, a forward/center who is their best player.  The Buffaloes were only 6-10 away from home this season.  They were actually outscored on a per possession basis in Pac-12 play this season as well.  The Huskies are 15-3 ATS in their last 18 NCAA Tournament games, while the Buffaloes are 3-13 ATS in their last 16 postseason tournament games.  Take UConn.

6* Tulsa/Michigan First Four *CA$H COW* on Tulsa +4

The Key: Tulsa is the one team that every expert in the country felt didn't belong in the NCAA Tournament.  Playing with that important chip on their shoulder, the Golden Hurricane will be out to prove a point tonight against Michigan. The Wolverines are fortune to be in the big dance themselves considering they needed OT to beat Northwestern and caught Indiana on an off day in the Big Ten Tournament, otherwise they wouldn't be in.  I love the veteran leadership of this Tulsa team with 7 seniors who play on a regular basis.  SMU and UConn are common opponents for these teams.  Tulsa beat both of them, while Michigan lost to both.  This is a game I expect the Golden Hurricane to win outright, but getting the points is an added bonus.  Take Tulsa.

7* NBA Eastern Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Chicago Bulls +5.5

The Key: Getting a healthy Jimmy Butler back in the lineup last time out helped the Bulls to a big road win over the Toronto Raptors.  There is a good chance Derrick Rose returns tonight, too, and the Bulls are going to be a very dangerous team going forward with these two.  Washington has lost 5 of its last 6 with three losses by 16 points or more.  The Wizards are coming off a blowout win over the Pistons, but they are just 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games following a win by 10 points or more. The underdog is 25-10 ATS in the last 35 meetings in this series.  The road team is also 11-4 ATS in the last 15 meetings.  Take Chicago.

7* NBA Eastern Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Toronto Raptors -2

The Key: The Toronto Raptors are 23-6 in their last 29 games overall.  Off a loss to the Bulls last night, I expect Toronto to come back focused tonight to take care of business against the Milwaukee Bucks, who are just 28-39 on the season.  The Raptors have owned the Bucks, going 9-1 in their last 10 meetings with them.  The Bucks are 2-15 ATS in their last 17 home games when coming off two or more straight wins.  Take Toronto.

6* NCAAB First Four *CA$H COW* on Florida Gulf Coast -5.5

The Key: Florida Gulf Coast is a very good team on both ends of the floor.  It is averaging 77 points and shooting nearly 48% on offense, while giving up just 70 points and 42% shooting defensively.  While Fairleigh Dickinson can score, it cannot defend, which is going to be its undoing here.  The Knights are actually the worst team defensively of the 68 teams in the field.  They give up 78.2 points per game on 45% shooting this season.  Gulf Coast is 12-1 ATS in its last 13 neutral site games.  Take Florida Gulf Coast.

7* NBA TOTAL OF THE MONTH on Timberwolves/Suns UNDER 222

The Key: It's pretty easy to see that this total has been inflated when you look at recent meetings between the Timberwolves and Suns.  The UNDER is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings and none of those five games saw more than 220 combined points.  They have averaged a combined 209 points per game in those five contests.  As you can see, that's 13 points fewer than the 222-point total set today.  Minnesota is 21-3 UNDER in its last 24 road games off an upset win over a division opponent.  Phoenix is 9-1 UNDER in March home games over the last two seasons.  Take the UNDER.

7* AAC Championship *HEAVY HITTER* on Memphis +5.5

The Key: The Memphis Tigers are playing their best basketball of the season heading into the AAC Championship Game against UConn.  Memphis has won its last 3 games by 20, 22 and 30 points, respectively.  Now the Tigers have a chance to make the NCAA Tournament with a win Sunday, and they won't blow this opportunity.  The UConn Huskies are already in the big dance no matter how this game turns out.  While they didn't show effects from the 4 OT game yesterday, I believe their 3rd game in 3 days here will finally get the best of them.  Memphis should be fresh with the ease of which it has won the last 2 days.  UConn is 2-10 ATS in its last 12 games off 3 or more straight wins.  Take Memphis.

6* NBA Non-Conference *CA$H COW* on Washington Wizards +1

The Key: The Washington Wizards have lost four straight and are now 30-34 on the season.  They need to get it together in a hurry if they want to make the playoffs.  A date with the lowly Denver Nuggets should help their cause tonight.  Washington is 15-7 ATS after having lost 4 or 5 of their last 6 games this season.  Denver is 15-28 ATS in its last 43 games games against a team with a losing record.  The Wizards are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games vs. a team with a losing straight up record.  Take Washington.

6* SEC Tournament *CA$H COW* on Kentucky -10.5

The Key: The Kentucky Wildcats have gone 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall and are getting better as the season goes on, which is usually the case for John Calipari since he took over at Kentucky.  They are coming off a 26-point win over Alabama yesterday, while Georgia barely survived in a 65-64 win over South Carolina.  Now the Wildcats get to face a Georgia team that they've owned.  They have won 5 straight meetings by 18.0 points per game, including their 34-point romp of the Bulldogs earlier this season.  Take Kentucky.

7* UConn/Temple AAC Tournament *HEAVY HITTER* on Temple +2

The Key: UConn played 4 overtimes yesterday in a 104-97 win over Cincinnati.  It's safe to say that they won't have much left to give today against Temple.  The Owls just keep flying under the radar this season.  They won the American Athletic, earned the No. 1 seed in this tournament, dismantled South Florida by 17 yesterday, and now they're underdogs to a team that just played 4 overtimes?  Give me a break.  Take Temple.

7* Conference Tournament GAME OF THE YEAR on South Carolina -1.5

The Key: South Carolina will be playing its 1st SEC Tournament game today, while it will be up against a Georgia team that will be playing its 2nd in 2 days.  Georgia expended a lot of energy in its 91-83 win over Ole Miss yesterday.  South Carolina has every reason to be motivated to bolster its NCAA Tournament chances, and to also avenge two earlier losses to Georgia this season, including a 2-point loss last Thursday.  Take South Carolina.

6* NBA Western Conference *CA$H COW* on Oklahoma City Thunder -12.5

The Key: The Oklahoma City Thunder have won 10 straight meetings with the Minnesota Timberwolves.  They have won 12 straight home meetings with the Timberwolves as well.  Most have come via blowout, too, as they last two home meetings have resulted in 20 and 14-point victories.  The Timberwolves are giving up 112.6 points per game in their last 16 games and have lost 17 of 19 games away from Minnesota.  Minnesota is 2-14 ATS off a blowout loss by 20 points or more over the last 2 seasons.  Take Oklahoma City.

6* Cavs/Lakers TNT *BAILOUT* on OVER 209

The Key: The Cleveland Cavaliers have really gotten going offensively here of late.  They have scored 100-plus points in five straight games, and that trend will continue against one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA in the Lakers.  Los Angeles has also shown some life offensively in averaging 109.5 points per game in its last two.  But the Lakers have allowed 101-plus points in 9 of their last 11 games  and yield 106.9 points per game on the season.  The Cavs and Lakers have combined for at least 211 points in 5 straight meetings with the OVER going 5-0.  They have combined for 231, 225, 211, 227 and 238 points in those five.  Take the OVER.

6* Pac-12 Tournament *CA$H COW* on Utah -6

The Key: The Utah Utes will be playing their first game of the Pac-12 Tournament today while the USC Trojans will be playing their 2nd game in 2 days.  The Utes are playing better than anyone in the Pac-12 right now, and that should continue.  They are 7-0 SU & 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games overall.  They have owned USC, too, going 6-0 SU & 6-0 ATS in the last 6 meetings.  They have won the last five all by 8 points or more by 11, 28, 24, 8 and 18 points. Take Utah.

7* Big 12 Tournament *HEAVY HITTER* on West Virginia -14.5

The Key: The West Virginia Mountaineers are playing for a 2 or 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament.  Look for them to make easy work of lowly TCU, which just upset Texas Tech yesterday and won't have much gas left to go up against this fierce WVU press.  WVU just beat TCU 73-42 on February 13 in their last meeting, and a similar blowout can be expected in the rematch.  The Horned Frogs are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games following a straight up win.  The Mountaineers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games overall.  Take West Virginia.

7* Pac-12 Tournament *HEAVY HITTER* on USC -2

The Key: The USC Trojans are one of the final teams in the field as of today according to Joe Lunardi.  But a loss to UCLA could put them on the wrong side of the bubble.  The Trojans simply must take care of business tonight,a nd they'll be focused to do so.  They get to play a UCLA team that is really struggling, going 0-4 in its last four games overall.  They also get to play a team they have owned this year.  The Trojans are 2-0 against the Bruins this season with both wins coming by a combined 33 points.  Given what's at stake, that trend should continue.  The Bruins are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games following 3 or more consecutive ATS losses.  UCLA is 0-9 ATS vs. teams who attempt 62 or more shots per game this season.  Take this 15-0 angle in favor of the Trojans straight to the bank.  Take USC.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Dallas Mavericks -2

The Key: The Mavs are coming off 3 straight losses, while the Pistons have won 5 of their last 7.  This recent poor play by the Mavs and recent solid play by the Pistons has made the oddsmakers set this line lower than it should be with the Mavs only 2-point home favorites.  But the Pistons are still just 13-20 on the road this season.  They shouldn't be getting this kind of respect from oddsmakers given that poor road record.  Also, the Mavs have lost lost 4 straight games all season.  They will give a big effort tonight to get back in the win column while also covering this generous 2-point spread.  The Mavericks are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.  Take Dallas.

7* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Orlando Magic -3

The Key: The Los Angeles Lakers are in a massive letdown spot here Tuesday.  They are coming off a win over the Warriors as 18-point home dogs, and now they're not going to be motivated at all to face the Orlando Magic off such a huge victory.  The Magic had two days off before losing by 6 to the Warriors last night, so they will get back at it tonight and won't be as tired as most teams on a back-to-back.  The Magic are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games off a loss.  Orlando is 20-6 ATS in its last 26 road games vs. Western Conference foes.  Los Angeles is 11-24 ATS in its last 25 games following a ATS win.  Take Orlando.

6* CBB *CA$H COW* on Denver +10

The Key: Denver lost the first two meetings against South Dakota State this year, but those games were much closer than their final score.    Both teams play a relatively slow pace and Denver's free throw shooting down the stretch should keep it close most of the way.  High probability for a possible upset here, but I'll take the points for a little insurance. Take Denver.

7* East Tennessee State/UT-Chattanooga *HEAVY HITTER* on UT-Chattanooga -4.5

The Key: Chattanooga has dominated the series this season and while you may have heard the old adage that it's hard to beat a team three times - it simply isn't true.  In fact, most of the time, the team that has won the first two games is simply the better team.  We are getting some great line value here as well with East Tennessee State on a six game winning streak against the spread and Chattanooga on a five game ATS losing streak.  The spread won't matter, the winner covers here.  Take Chattanooga.

6* NBA *CA$H COW* on Raptors/Rockets Under 214

The Key: Expect the Raptors to control the pace and slow this game down despite Houston's tendency to run the court on offense and try to force turnovers on defense.  The Rockets are on their second road game in a row after playing in Chicago Saturday and should fall into the Raptors more methodical pace.  Take the Under.

7* Cincy/SMU AAC *HEAVY HITTER* on Cincinnati -1.5

The Key: This line is off considering the Bearcats lost by just two at SMU in January as 6-point underdogs.  Cincy is a significantly better team at home than on the road, while 3 of SMU's 4 losses have come on the road  Take Cincinnati.

6* NBA Eastern Conference *CA$H COW* on Cleveland Cavaliers -7.5

The Key: The Cleveland Cavaliers want revenge from a last-second loss to the Celtics in which it appeared they had the game in hand late.  They will have the game in hand this time around, and by 8 or more points to cover this 7.5-point spread.  The Cavaliers are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  Take Cleveland. 

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

The Key: The Iowa State Cyclones are showing excellent value as double-digit road dogs to the Kansas Jayhawks.  Kansas just clinched the Big 12 title in their last game and has little reason to want to put away the Cyclones by more than 12 points today.  Take Iowa State.

6* NBA *TOTAL* Annihilator on Jazz/Grizzlies UNDER 193

The Key: It's hard not to like the UNDER in this game when you look at recent meetings. The Jazz and Grizzlies have combined for 190 or fewer points in 8 consecutive meetings.  They've averaged 179.6 points in those 8 meetings.  That's 13.4 points fewer than tonight's posted total of 193, and it's an 8-0 angle when you consider this 193-point total.  Take the UNDER.

7* MAC GAME OF THE MONTH on Northern Illinois -3.5

The Key: Northern Illinois is 16-1 at home this season.  They have dominated all comers at home, and they are going to win at home again Friday as they host Ball State.  They lost by 4 at Ball State a few weeks ago, but they had won four straight meetings with the Cardinals prior.  On Senior Night, the Huskies will cap off an awesome season at home with a 17-1 record while also covering the 3.5-point spread.  The Huskies are 20-7-3 ATS in their last 30 home games  Take Northern Illinois.

7* Missouri Valley Tournament *HEAVY HITTER* on Missouri State -2

The Key: At 12-18 on the season, the Missouri State Bears are far and away the superior team over the 7-23 Drake Bulldogs.  That has been proven in their two regular season meetings, and it will be proven again tonight.  Drake finished just 2-16 in conference play in the regular season, while Missouri State finished 8-10.  The Bears won both meetings with the Bulldogs by 9 points each, winning 79-70 on the road and 61-52 at home.  Drake is 0-10 ATS revenging a loss where it scored less than 60 points this season.  Take Missouri State.

6* NBA Thursday Night *CA$H COW* on Miami Heat -13.5

The Key: The Miami Heat have gone 6-1 ATS in seven games since the All-Star Break.  They have won their last two games by 17 points over the Knicks and by 18 over the Bulls.  Now they're up against the Phoenix Suns, who are 1-14 in their last 15 games with six straight road losses by double-digits.  That includes a 34-point loss at Charlotte and a 40-point loss at the LA Clippers in their last two road games.  Miami is 11-0 SU in its last 11 meetings with Phoenix, including a perfect 7-0 ATS in its last seven meetings.  Take Miami.

7* SEC GAME OF THE MONTH on Alabama -1.5

The Key: Alabama has given itself a chance to make the NCAA Tournament thanks to a recent 6-2 run that features wins over Texas A&M, Florida and LSU.  The Crimson Tide are 10-3 at home this season and should handle their business at home tonight against Arkansas.  After all, the Razorbacks are 2-11 in all games played away from home this season.  Arkansas has been historically one of the worst road teams in the country, too, going 68-111 ATS in its last 179 road games.  The Crimson Tide are 21-6 ATS in their last 27 games following an ATS loss.  Take Alabama.

6* NBA Non-Conference *CA$H COW* on Washington Wizards -2.5

The Key: The Washington Wizards have won three straight games all by 8-plus points to make a run at one of the final playoff spots in the Eastern Conference.  This team has a ton to play for right now, and it's nice to see them finally play up to their potential now that their backs are up against the wall.  Now they get to face another poor team in Minnesota, which is just 19-41 on the season and coming off a 27-point loss at Dallas.  The Timberwolves are 2-13 ATS off a blowout loss by 20 points or more over the last 2 seasons.  Minnesota is 1-9 ATS after covering the spread in 3 of its last 4 games this season.  The Timberwolves are 1-12 ATS in home games vs. poor defensive teams who allow 46% shooting or worse over the last 2 seasons.  Take Washington.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Atlanta Hawks +10

The Key: It's looking more and more like the Golden State Warriors are going to rest Steph Curry tonight.  That's going to make their job a lot more difficult in putting away Atlanta by double-digits if he does indeed rest.  But either way, this is a bad spot for the Warriors.  They are primed for a letdown after their huge overtime win over the Thunder on National TV Saturday night, which had the sports world buzzing with Curry's unreal performance.  But the Hawks are no pushovers, and they are going to want revenge from a 92-102 home loss to the Warriors on February 22 just over a week ago.  Atlanta has posted back-to-back blowout victories since with a 15-point win over the Bulls and an 11-point win over the Hornets.  The Warriors are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.  Take Atlanta.

7* Big Ten GAME OF THE MONTH on Iowa -4.5

The Key: The Iowa Hawkeyes really need a win tonight against Indiana to get back on track.  They have lost three straight by a combined 16 points and have simply choked late in games.  But I look for a big performance from them tonight on Senior Night.  The Hawkeyes are 13-1 at home this season and will have a huge advantage on their home floor tonight.  Indiana already clinched a share of the Big Ten Title and won't be as focused in this game.  Iowa will want it more as it actually has a chance to win a share itself if it wins out and has Indiana lose to Maryland next game.  Indiana is 1-9 ATS off a win by 10 points or more against a conference opponent over the last 2 seasons.  Indiana is 2-10 ATS in road games off a win by 20 points or more over the last 3 seasons.  Iowa is 8-1 ATS in home games vs teams who attempt 21 or more 3-point shots per game over the last 3 seasons.  Take Iowa.

6* Baylor/Oklahoma Big 12 *CA$H COW* on Oklahoma -7.5

The Key: With a No. 1 seed still at stake for the Sooners, and off a bad loss to Texas, I look for Oklahoma to really put its best foot forward tonight at home against Baylor.  It's also Senior Night for the Sooners, adding to their motivation.  This is a great matchup for the Sooners just as it was in their first meeting when they went on the road and beat the Bears 82-72.  Baylor plays zone defense, which is good against teams that don't shoot well from 3-point range, but that's not Oklahoma.  The Sooners shoot 42.8% from 3-point range on the season.  They connected on 16-of-28 attempts from 3-point range in their first meeting and should light it up again tonight.  Oklahoma is 13-1 at home this season, winning by 17.3 points per game.  Baylor is 4-12 ATS following a win this season, and 2-9 ATS following a win by 10 points or more.  The Sooners are 24-9-2 ATS in their last 35 meetings with the Bears.  Take Oklahoma.

6* NBA Monday *TOTAL* Annihilator on Thunder/Kings UNDER 227.5

The Key: The Sacramento Kings are really banged up right now with DeMarcus Cousins, Rudy Gay and Rajon Rondo all nursing injuries.  They have managed just an average of 99.5 points per game int heir last two games and will find it hard to score on Oklahoma City as well.  When looking at recent meetings, it's easy to seotal has been set way too high tonight.  In fact, the Thunder and Kings have combined for 220 or fewer points in 13 straight meetings.  That's a 13-0 angle when factoring in this 227.5-point total set.  Take the UNDER.

7* Syracuse/UNC ACC *HEAVY HITTER* on Syracuse +13.5

The Key: The Syracuse Orange are fighting to make the NCAA Tournament.  They will likely need to win one of their last two games here to get in without making a run in the ACC Tournament.  They lost two in a row before bouncing back with a 75-66 home win over NC State Saturday.  Now they'll be out for revenge on the Tar Heels, who turned a tie game at halftime into an 84-73 road win in their first meeting this season.  That was the first game back for Jim Boeheim, but the Orange have pretty much been rolling ever since.  They are a much better team now than they were in the first meeting.  This is also a sandwich game for UNC.  The Tar Heels lost a hard-fought 74-79 road game at Virginia on Saturday, and now they'll be looking ahead to their season finale against rival Duke next.  They won't give Syracuse the attention it deserves tonight as a result.  The Orange are 8-2 ATS after failing to cover the spread in 2 of their last 3 games this season.  The Tar Heels are 4-12 ATS in their last 16 conference home games.  Take Syracuse.

6* NBA Western Conference *CA$H COW* on Dallas Mavericks -6.5

The Key: The Dallas Mavericks are coming off a character-building 122-116 overtime victory over the underrated Denver Nuggets.  They trailed by 25 points in the first half, fought back and took the lead in the 4th quarter, only to fall back behind by 14 points.  But they fought back again to tie it and force overtime, only to eventually win in the extra session.  This team will be full of confidence now coming into this game against Minnesota.  This is a tough spot for the Timberwolves, who are coming off a road win at New Orleans last night, so they'll be playing 2nd of a back-to-back.  The Mavs own the Timberwolves, going 5-0 SU & 4-1 TS in the last 5 meetings, winning by an average of 12.2 points per game in the process.  The Timberwolves are 6-15-1 ATS in their last 22 Sunday games.  The Mavericks are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 Sunday games.  Take Dallas.

7* NBA GAME OF THE MONTH on Atlanta Hawks -4

The Key: After losing 3 straight, the Hawks got back on track with a 103-88 home victory over the Bulls last time out. Now they get to face the red-hot Hornets, who are getting too much respect from oddsmakers here due to winning 6 of their last 7 games overall.  But the Hornets are set up for failure here as this will be their 6th consecutive road games, and they are certainly tired with all that travel.  The home team is 6-1 SU in the last 7 meetings and 6-1-1 ATS in the last 8 meetings.  Atlanta has won 3 straight home meetings with Charlotte by an average of 19 points per game.  Take Atlanta.

6* American Athletic Game of the Week on Houston +10

The Key: At 20-8 on the season, the Houston Cougars are certainly better than they get credit for.  They are actually putting themselves back in the discussion of making the NCAA Tournament, and a road win over UConn (also 20-8) would go a long way into helping their cause.  The Cougars have played themselves into this position by going 7-2 SU & 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games overall.  That includes wins over 2 of the top teams in the AAC in SMU and Tulsa.  Now the Cougars have their sights set on getting revenge from a 69-57 home loss to UConn on January 17 in which they blew a 35-28 halftime lead with a horrid second half.  But they don't even have to win this game, they just have to stay within 10 points for us, which is very likely as I see it.  The Cougars are 11-3 ATS in their last 14 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.  The underdog is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.  Take Houston.

6* Spurs/Rockets Western Conference *CA$H COW* on Houston +6

The Key: The Houston Rockets have come out of the All-Star break guns-a-blazing and trying to prove their naysayers wrong.  They have gone 2-1 SU & 3-0 ATS with their only loss coming in overtime at Utah.  They won in Phoenix by 16 and put a halt to the red-hot Blazers with 14-point road win as 4-point dogs last time out.  Now they get to play their first home game since the break.  Home-court advantage has been huge between the Rockets and Spurs as the home team is 8-1 SU in the last 9 meetings with the only loss coming by 1 point.  Take Houston.

6* SEC Game of the Week on Auburn +11.5

The Key: The Auburn Tigers are playing well coming in having pulled off upset wins over both Arkansas and Georgia in 2 of their last 3 games.  They already beat Alabama 83-77 at home earlier this season.  Alabama is not playing well with an ugly home loss to Mississippi State and a blowout road loss at Kentucky in its last 2 days.  The Crimson Tide are just 1-8 ATS in Saturday home games the last 2 years.  The Tigers are 13-6-1 ATS in their last 20 meetings with the Crimson Tide.  Take Auburn.

7* Louisville/Miami ACC *HEAVY HITTER* on Miami -3

The Key: Getting Miami as only a 3-point home favorite over Louisville is a gift.  The Hurricanes are 14-1 at home this season and have not lost at home in ACC play, going 8-0 with most of those wins coming via blowout.  Louisville is just 4-5 on the road this season.  The Cardinals are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 road games, while the Hurricanes are 13-3-1 ATS in their last 17 home games.  The Hurricanes are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 home games as a favorite of 6 points or less.  Take Miami.

7* NBA TOTAL OF THE MONTH on Hornets/Pacers OVER 204

The Key: These teams recently played on February 10 with the Hornets winning 117-95 for 212 combined points.  I look for another shootout tonight between the Pacers and Hornets that easily exceeds this 204-point total.  The Pacers have topped 100 points in 8 of their last 12 games overall.  The Hornets have topped 100 points in 7 of their last 9 games overall.  Indiana is 9-1 OVER revenging a home loss vs opponent of 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.  Charlotte is 17-7 OVER as a road underdog of 6 points or less over the last 2 seasons.  The OVER is 6-1 in Pacers last 7 home games.  The OVER is 8-2 in Pacers last 10 vs Eastern Conference.  Take the OVER.

7* NBA Non-Conference GAME OF THE YEAR on Orlando Magic +8.5

The Key: The Golden State Warriors aren't going to have much left in the tank tonight.  They played in a hard-fought 118-112 win at Miami last night that took a lot out of them.  This will now be their 5th road games in 7 days.  The Magic are going to bring more energy to this game.  They are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games overall and fighting to try and get into playoff contention.  They have gone 4-2 SU in their last 6 games with their two losses coming to San Antonio and Indiana by a combined 5 points.  They only lost by 1 to Golden State as 14.5-point road dogs in their last meeting.  The Magic are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  Take Orlando.

6* NCAAB Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Providence +5

The Key: The Providence Friars are in desperate need of a victory tonight.  They went from surefire NCAA Tournament participants to needing a few more wins to secure their place.  That's because they are just 1-4 in their last 6 games overall.  But they've had some time to fix their problems as they last played on February 17 more than a week ago.  Seton Hall last played on February 21 in a fortunate 62-61 win at lowly St. John's.  Providence also wants revenge from a 72-81 upset home loss to Seton Hall in their 1st meeting.  Providence has won 3 straight trips to Seton Hall, including a 79-66 victory last year.  The Pirates are 8-23 ATS in their last 31 home games off a close win by 6 points or less.  The Friars are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.  The road team is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.  Take Providence.

6* NBA Eastern Conference *CA$H COW* on Indiana Pacers -7.5

The Key: The Indiana Pacers are 17-9 at home this season.  They have played three straight road games coming out of the break, winning at Oklahoma City and Orlando, and losing in overtime at Miami.  New York is 2-12 in its last 14 games, and with an 11-point road loss to Brooklyn and a 27-point home loss to Toronto out of the break, it's clear that the Knicks aren't playing with any fire right now.  Now they have to take on an Pacers team that has won 7 of the last 8 meetings, including the last four by an average of 16.5 points per game.  They have won their last two home meetings with the Knicks by 23 and 21 points, respectively.  The Pacers are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 home meetings with New York.  Take Indiana.

7* Atlantic 10 GAME OF THE YEAR on St. Bonaventure -6.5

The Key: At 18-7 on the season, St. Bonaventure is on the verge of making the NCAA Tournament.  It needs a strong finish to do so and cannot afford to lose to Duquesne tonight.  St. Bonaventure has won 6 of its last 7 games overall, which includes road wins over the top two teams in the Atlantic 10 in Dayton and St. Josephs, so it is arguably playing better than anyone in the conference right now.  Duquesne has lost 5 straight coming in an has nothing to play for as the season winds down.  St. Bonaventure is 11-2 at home this season.  The Bonnies are 8-1 ATS vs. teams who force 12 or fewer turnovers per game over the last 2 seasons.  The Bonnies are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.  The Bonnies are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 home games.  Take St. Bonaventure.

7* NBA Situational GAME OF THE MONTH on Denver Nuggets -1

The Key: The Denver Nuggets want revenge from a 110-116 loss at Sacramento on February 19, which was their first game back from the break.  I expect them to get it tonight at home against the Kings this time around, and as only 1-point favorites, so they essentially just have to win the game to cover.  Bets on home teams with a line of +3 to -3 who have failed to cover the spread in 2 of their last 3 and are playing 5 or less games in 14 days are 26-7 ATS over the last 5 seasons.  Take Denver.

6* SEC Game of the Week on Ole Miss -10

The Key: At 17-10 on the season, the Ole Miss Rebels have some work to do if they want to make the NCAA Tournament.  They have won four of their last six games overall to put themselves in position.  Now they really need to win out the rest of the way.  I like their chances of a double-digit victory tonight at home against the worst team in the SEC in the Missouri Tigers.  This line should be bigger than it is, but the Tigers have gone 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games overall to start getting some respect from oddsmakers.  But they have lost their 3 road games during this stretch by 9, 15 and 12 points, so it's not like they have been all that competitive.  The Tigers are 0-12 on the road this season, losing by 16.0 points per game.  The Rebels are 10-2 at home this year.  Take Ole Miss.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Detroit Pistons +9

The Key: I really like this situation for the Pistons.  We are buying low on the Pistons, who have lost 5 straight games while failing to cover the spread in 5 straight as well.  We are selling high on the Cavaliers, who are coming off five straight victories, including a 23-point win at Oklahoma City yesterday.  That win over the Thunder on National TV sets the Cavs up for a letdown here today.  After all, the Cavs are 6-15-2 ATS in their last 23 vs. a team with a losing record.  Detroit is 17-6 ATS in its last 23 off an upset loss as a favorite.  Take Detroit.

7* Texas/K-State Big 12 *HEAVY HITTER* on Texas +1.5

The Key: The Texas Longhorns are showing excellent value today as underdogs to the Kansas State Wildcats.  While the Longhorns are a team fighting for their NCAA Tournament lives, the Wildcats are out of that mix.  Texas will be motivated for a win after a 1-3 stretch with losses to Oklahoma, Iowa State and Baylor.  Now the Longhorns get to take a step down in competition against the Wildcats, who are just 4-10 in Big 12 play this season.  Kansas State is coming off a deflating loss to Kansas, and I don't expect it to show up tonight.  The Longhorns are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 road games when playing their 2nd game in 3 days.  Take Texas.

7* ACC GAME OF THE MONTH on Boston College +8

The Key: The Boston College Eagles should not be 8-point underdogs to the Wake Forest Demon Deacons Sunday.  This is a matchup between two teams who have little to play for at this point in the season, and I like siding with the dog in these situations.  The Demon Deacons have lost 11 straight and should not be favored by 8.  Wake Forest is 1-8 ATS in all home games this season.  The Demon Deacons are 0-7 ATS off a loss by 6 points or less over the last 2 years.  Take Boston College.

6* NBA Non-Conference *CA$H COW* on Memphis Grizzlies +7.5

The Key: Everyone is writing the Grizzlies off now that Mark Gasol may be out for the season, but this team is having none of it.  The Grizzlies came out of the All-Star Break with a win over the Timberwolves, and now I look for them to give the Raptors a run for their money tonight as 7.5-point dogs.  The Grizzlies are 8-0 ATS in their last 8 vs. Eastern Conference.  The Grizzlies are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.  Take this combined 15-0 angle backing the Grizzlies straight to the bank.  Take Memphis.

6* Kentucky/Texas A&M SEC *CA$H COW* on Texas A&M PK

The Key: The Texas A&M Aggies have one of the best home-court advantages in the country.  They are 14-1 at home this season with an average margin of victory of 18 points per game.  Kentucky is just 5-6 SU & 4-7 ATS in all road games this season.  The Aggies will have a big advantage in rest today as they last played on Tuesday while Kentucky last played on Thursday, getting only one day to prepare for the Aggies.  Kentucky is 0-7 ATS off three straight wins this season.  Take Texas A&M.

7* Pitt/Syracuse ACC *HEAVY HITTER* on Syracuse -3

The Key: The Syracuse Orange are 14-4 with Jim Boeheim on the sidelines, and 4-5 without him.  He has made all the difference for this team as he has turned the Orange from an NCAA Tournament afterthought into a real contender to make the big dance.  The Orange have gone 8-2 in their last 10 games overall with their only losses coming on the road to Virginia and Louisville.  Pitt has lost 3 of its last 4 games coming in and its last two wins have come against VA Tech and Wake Forest, including an overtime victory at home over the Demon Deacons.  The Panthers are 1-4 in their last 5 road games with their only win coming by 2 points at Florida State.  Pitt is 6-24 ATS following a win over the last 2 seasons.  The Panthers are 1-10 ATS in their last 11 games following a conference win.  Take Syracuse.

7* Pacers/Thunder ESPN *HEAVY HITTER* on Indiana +8.5

The Key: The Indiana Pacers won 5 of their final 8 games heading into the All-Star Break with two of their losses coming by 5 points to Cleveland and 6 points at Atlanta.  I believe they are catching too many points tonight on the road against the Oklahoma City Thunder, who have been overvalued all season.  The Thunder are just 21-32 ATS in all games this season.  Oklahoma City is 1-9 ATS in its last 10 games after outrebounding its last opponent by 15 or more.  Indiana is 8-1 ATS versus teams who average 56 or more rebounds per game this season.  The Pacers are 18-6 ATS vs. teams with winning records this season.  The Pacers are 19-7-2 ATS in their last 28 games playing on 3 or more days rest.  The Thunder are 3-9 ATS in their last 12 games following a ATS win.  Take Indiana.

6* NBA Eastern Conference *CA$H COW* on Milwaukee Bucks +1.5

The Key: The Milwaukee Bucks won their final two games before the All-Star Break and need more where that came from if they want to make a run at the playoffs and get back like last year.  They have the talent to do so, and it starts with tonight's home game against the Charlotte Hornets.  The Hornets made a move to acquire Courtney Lee from the Grizzlies, but he won't be playing tonight, and they'll be short-handed after trading away starter PJ Hairston.  Milwaukee has won 15 of its last 19 home meetings with Charlotte.  The Bucks are 10-1 ATS in home games after having lost 4 or 5 of their last 6 games this season.  Milwaukee is 13-2 ATS versus teams who average 83 or more shots per game this season.  Take Milwaukee.

6* NCAAB Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Pacific +18

The Key: The Gonzaga Bulldogs will be overlooking the Pacific Tigers and looking ahead to their game against the St. Mary's Gaels on Saturday in just two days.  That game will be for 1st place in the WCC, and the Bulldogs desperately want revenge on the Gaels after blowing a late lead to lose at Saint Mary's in their first meeting this season.  They won't be giving Pacific the focus they need to put the Tigers away by more than 18 points tonight.  Pacific has played Gonzaga tough in recent meetings with a 10-point loss as 11.5-point dogs and a 12-point loss as 17-point dogs in their last two meetings.  The Tigers are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games overall, which includes a 3-point loss to St. Mary's as 11.5-point favorites and a 5-point win at BYU as 17-point dogs.  Pacific has just one loss by more than 18 points in 24 games this season, which equates to a 23-1 angle backing the Tigers.  Take Pacific.

7* NBA TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Jazz/Wizards UNDER 198

The Key: The Utah Jazz play at the league's slowest pace by a wide margin, averaging just 92.9 possessions per game.  They win their games with defense as they rank 14th in defensive efficiency and only yielding 96.4 points per game on the season.  Washington and Utah are used to low-scoring games.  IN their two meetings last season, they combined for 172 points in Utah and 177 points in Washington.  As you can see, those two outputs were 26 and 21 points less than this 198-point total.  The UNDER is 11-3 in Jazz last 14 vs. a team with a losing straight up record.  The UNDER is 11-4 in Wizards last 15 home games.  The UNDER is 6-1 in the last seven meetings in Washington.  Take the UNDER.

7* Pac-12 *HEAVY HITTER* on Arizona -12

The Key: The Arizona Wildcats have simply owned the Arizona State Sun Devils in Tucscon in this rivalry in recent years.  The Wildcats are 5-0 in their last 5 home meetings with the Sun Devils with 4 of those 5 victories coming by 15 points or more and by an average of 17.2 points per game.  The last two have come by 24 and 23 points.  The Wildcats already beat the Sun Devils by 12 on the road in their first meeting this season.  Take Arizona.

6* NCAAB Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Loyola-Chicago +5

The Key: The Northern Iowa Panthers are in the ultimate letdown spot tonight.  They are coming off arguably their biggest win of the season, a 53-50 road victory over the Wichita State Shockers.  They now will have a hard time getting up for Loyola-Chicago tonight, and they'll be ripe for the upset as a result.  Loyola is playing very well of late, going 3-2 SU & 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games overall.  It has beaten Southern Illinois by 14 and Bradley by 11 on the road, as well as Indiana State by 8 at home.  Its only losses came by 8 at home to Illinois State and by 1 at home to Evansville.  Loyola already beat Northern Iowa 51-41 as 12.5-point road dogs in their 1st meeting this season.  Loyola is 9-1 ATS as a home underdog of 6 points or less over the last 3 seasons.  Take Loyola-Chicago.

7* Big Ten GAME OF THE MONTH on Rutgers +15

The Key: The Rutgers Scarlet Knights want revenge on the Illinois Fighting Illini tonight.  These two teams played in one of the most thrilling games of the season in their first meeting.  Illinois ended up walking away with a triple-overtime victory at Rutgers.  I can't see the Illini being too motivated for the rematch, especially with the awful season they are having.  They are just 11-14 on the season and 3-9 within the conference.  That's why they have no business being favored by 15 points against anyone, not even Rutgers.  Bets on road underdogs of 10 or more points when revenging a same season loss, who are off 2 consecutive losses by 10 or more points to conference opponents are 212-133 ATS since 1997.  The Fighting Illini are 1-10 ATS in their last 11 Tuesday games.  Illinois is 0-6-1 ATS in its last 7 games following an ATS win and 0-4 ATS in its last 4 home games.  Take Rutgers.

6* Florida/Georgia ESPN National TV *Annihilator* on Georgia +1.5

The Key: The Georgia Bulldogs are 12-3 at home this season and will upset the Florida Gators tonight.  The Gators are just 2-6 in true road games this season and should not be favored here.  The home team is 7-1 SU & 7-1 ATS in the last 8 meetings in this series, so home-court advantage has clearly been crucial.  The Bulldogs are 44-21-1 ATS in their last 66 conference games.  Take Georgia.

6* Vanderbilt/Mississippi State SEC *CA$H COW* on Vanderbilt -3

The Key: At 15-10 on the season, the Vanderbilt Commodores still have a lot of work to do if they want to make the NCAA Tournament.  They have turned their season around to at least give themselves a chance, going 7-3 in their last 10 games overall with wins over Florida and Texas A&M.  Now they get to face one of the worst teams in the SEC in Mississippi State, which is just 10-14 on the year.  The Bulldogs are 3-9 in conference play this season and are coming off a 9-point home loss to Georgia.  The Commodores are 39-15 ATS in their last 54 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.  The Bulldogs are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.  Take Vanderbilt.

7* Oklahoma State/Kansas Big 12 *HEAVY HITTER* on Oklahoma State +15

The Key: The Kansas Jayhawks are in a prime letdown spot tonight.  They are coming off their biggest win of the season, a 76-72 triumph at Oklahoma on Saturday to move into a first-place tie with West Virginia in the Big 12.  It's only human nature for them to suffer a letdown after such a big win, which is going to make it hard for them to cover this 15-point spread against Oklahoma State.  After all, Oklahoma State already beat Kansas 86-67 at home in their first meeting this season on January 19.  The Cowboys have played the Jayhawks very tough in recent meetings. They haven't lost by more than 12 points to Kansas in any of the last 9 meetings, and they haven't lost by more than 15 in any of the last 12 meetings.  Take Oklahoma State.

7* Minnesota/Iowa Big Ten *HEAVY HITTER* on Minnesota +20

The Key: The Minnesota Golden Gophers have not won a single game in Big Ten play this season, but it certainly hasn't been for a lack of trying here of late.  In fact, the Gophers have lost 6 of their last 7 games all by 8 points or less.  That includes road losses at Indiana by only 6 and at Michigan by only 5.  They are certainly capable of staying within this massive 20-point spread tonight.  Iowa is in a hangover spot here off its tough loss at Indiana on Thursday.  The Hawkeyes are 6-14 ATS in their last 20 games following a loss.  Iowa is also 1-8 ATS in its last 9 games after allowing at least 80 points.  The Gophers are 10-4-1 ATS in in their last 15 road meetings at Iowa.  Take Minnesota.

6* Gonzaga/SMU ESPN2 National TV *Annihilator* on Gonzaga +6

The Key: The Gonzaga Bulldogs are squarely on the bubble of the NCAA Tournament right now.  A signature road win over SMU would go a long way to helping their cause.  SMU won't be playing in the postseason either way, and that realization seems to have really hampered this team of late mentally.  The Mustangs are just 2-3 in their last 5 games overall with road losses to Temple and Houston, as well as a home loss to Tulsa.  Gonzaga is better than all 3 of those teams and can pull off the upset tonight, so getting the 6 points is just an added bonus.  The Bulldogs are 57-37 ATS in their last 94 games as an underdog.  SMU is 13-30 ATS in its last 43 home games vs. good offensive teams that score 77 or more points per game.  The Mustangs are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 home games.  Take Gonzaga.

6* MAC Game of the Week on Northern Illinois +2

The Key: The Northern Illinois Huskies have been a tough out at home all season.  They are 13-1 at home while winning by an average of nearly 17 points per game.  Now they get to face the top team in the MAC in Akron, and I believe they'll be up to the task tonight and pull off the upset here.  Helping matters is the fact that Akron is expected to be without its best player in Isaiah Johnson.  How important is Johnson to this team?  Well, he leads them in points, rebounds and blocks, so he's clearly the best player the Zips have, and going without him today will be tough for them.  NIU is 22-11 ATS when revenging a loss over the last 3 seasons.  The Huskies are 7-0 ATS vs. good offensive teams who score 77 or more points per game over the last 3 years.  Take Northern Illinois.

7* ACC GAME OF THE MONTH on Clemson -5.5

The Key: The Clemson Tigers are 11-3 at home this season.  They have gone 5-1 at home in ACC play alone with huge wins over Louisville, Duke, Miami, Pitt and Florida State.  Those are five of the better teams in the ACC.  Now the Tigers get to face once of the worst teams in the conference in Georgia Tech tonight.  The Yellow Jackets are 2-5 in road games this season and 3-8 in ACC games.  Clemson is 11-1 in its last 12 meetings with Georgia Tech, so it has clearly had the Yellow Jackets' number.  This series mismatch will continue this afternoon.  Take Clemson.

7* USC/Arizona State Pac-12 *HEAVY HITTER* on USC -1

The Key: I expect the USC Trojans to put a similar beat down on the Arizona State Sun Devils to the one they did in their first meeting this season in early January.  The Trojans won that game 75-65 at home on January 7th in a game that was a much bigger blowout than the final score would indicate.  USC is 18-5 on the season and 7-3 in Pac-12 play, while ASU is just 13-11 SU & 3-8 in conference action.  Two of the Sun Devils' conference victories have come against Washington State, too.  Arizona State is coming off a win over WSU, but it is just 1-10 ATS in its last 11 games after a conference win.  Meanwhile, USC is 12-1 ATS after playing a home game this year.  Take USC.

6* Wizards/Bucks Eastern Conference *CA$H COW* on Milwaukee -1

The Key: The Milwaukee Bucks have been a sneaky good home team this season.  They've gone 14-8 SU & 13-9 ATS at home, but unfortunately they've played a road-heavy schedule up to this point.  They are going to be a great team to back going forward.  The Bucks come in well-rested and ready to go as this will be just their 2nd game in 6 days, and knowing that the All-Star Break starts tomorrow, I look for them to put their best foot forward tonight.  That's especially the case considering they want revenge on the Wizards after losing each of their first 3 meetings this season, including two by exactly 5 points.  They don't want to get swept.  Washington is 0-7 ATS off a road win where it scored at least 110 points this season.  Milwaukee is 9-1 ATS in home games after having lost 4 or 5 of its last 6 games this season.  Take Milwaukee.

7* FSU/Syracuse ESPN *HEAVY HITTER* on Syracuse -2.5

The Key: Syracuse comes in red hot and looking for more tonight when it hosts the Florida State Seminoles.  The Orange have gone 6-1 in their last 7 games overall, and they've won 4 straight home games by 22, 15, 3 and 8 points.  Look for them to continue to roll tonight against the Seminoles, who they have owned the past two seasons.  Syracuse won 70-57 over FSU at home last year and 74-58 on the road in 2014.  The The Orange are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  Take Syracuse.