Sports Picks & Predictions

This is a play on the TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS as part of our CBB Saturday Early Trifecta. Texas Tech has won four straight games but has failed to cover its last three games and is on a 1-6 ATS run. This is their most challenging home game to date as the Red Raiders are 7-0 here but have been favored by at least 20 points in all of those games. The Red Raiders are 5-0-1 ATS in their last six home games against teams with a winning road record. Oklahoma St. is coming off an 82-31 beatdown of Southeastern Louisiana but it is just on a 2-3 run. The Cowboys are 2-0 in true road games but this is the toughest one yet. The Cowboys are 3-10-1 ATS in their last 14 games after allowing less than 50 points in their previous game. 9* (604) Texas Tech Red Raiders

This is a play on the TULSA GOLDEN HURRICANE as part of our CBB Friday Trifecta. Tulsa has lost three straight games and four of its last five following a six-game winning streak but the recent stretch has not been that bad. One loss came in overtime while the most recent defeat came on Sunday at Kansas St. by just a bucket. This is a big team that does its damage down low as Tulsa has scored 47.2 percent of its points in the paint through 13 games. Tulsa has had nine games with a double-digit margin of points in the paint. Overall, the Golden Hurricane are 7-2 at home and going back, they are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games as a home underdog. The Owls are 1-0 in ACC play after defeating Central Florida by four points on Saturday in their conference opener. Temple is a perfect 3-0 in true road games which is why the Owls are favored in this game. While they are off to a hot start, the Owls were picked to finish 7th in the ACC so they have overachieved to start the season. They failed to cover their only game as road favorites and this is far from an easy venue as they well know with Tulsa winning all five home games in the series by a margin of 15.6 ppg. 9* (874) Tulsa Golden Hurricane

This is a play on the ILLINOIS-CHICAGO FLAMES as part of our CBB Friday Trifecta. The Flames were the least experienced team in the country in 2016-17, 287th in 2017-18 and 180th in 2018-19. This is the most experienced team that Illinois-Chicago has had over that stretch as it has four starters back and eight upperclassmen in the rotation. The Flames have opened 1-1 in Horizon action and they hit the road where they are 1-5 away from home but two losses were against Memphis and DePaul while two others came by just a single point. They have covered four of their last five and the Flames are 4-0 ATS in their last four games following a straight up loss. Green Bay is also off to a 1-1 start in the conference and after three straight road game, the Phoenix head home where they are a pedestrian 3-2. Two of those wins came against non-Division I teams while the other came against CS Northridge by just one point. The Phoenix are 2-6-1 ATS in their last nine home games following three or more consecutive road games. Here, we play on underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points in the second half of the season averaging between 63 and 67 going up against teams allowing 78 or more ppg. This situation is 39-14 ATS (73.6 percent) over the last five seasons. 9* (845) Illinois-Chicago Flames

This is a play on the TOLEDO ROCKETS as part of our CBB Friday Trifecta. We played on Toledo last Saturday and it fell down early and could not recover. That was the third straight loss for the Rockets but this game will have their attention with it being the conference opener. Toledo is predicted to win the MAC West and getting off to a good start is imperative especially against a fellow MAC West opponent. The Rockets have lost three straight games during a season for the first time in 73 games. This is a team that was dominating as they have six double-digit wins this season which gives them 21 victories of 10 points or more since the start of the 2018-19 season. Toledo has held all of its opponents to a 45 percent shooting or less, including six under 40 percent. The Rockets are 6-2 ATS in their last eight games as a road underdog. After losing the first two games of the Diamond Head Classic, Ball St. was able to win the consolation game against Portland. The Cardinals head home where they are just 3-3 on the season with those victories coming against Defiance, Howard and Indiana-Purdue. The Cardinals are 0-8 ATS in their last eight games against teams with a winning percentage above .600. 10* (841) Toledo Rockets

This is a play on the LOYOLA MARYMOUNT LIONS as part of our CBB Thursday Trifecta. Loyola Marymount has lost three of four games while failing to cover any of its last five games and that is keeping this number down on this contrarian play. The Lions are coming off a 22-win season a year ago, their most wins since 1989-90, and they welcomed back three starters from the CBI Semifinal team. Loyola Marymount is paced by Eli Scott who has three double-doubles this season, including the WCC's only triple-double. The Toreros are winners of four of their last five games, with the only loss in that stretch being a neutral site three-point defeat to Stanford. San Diego is still just 7-8 overall and are in rebuilding mode. It lost four senior starters who supplied 73 percent of the scoring from last year and it is showing as San Diego ranks 269th in the country in scoring (67.7 ppg) and that is after hanging 93 on Division III Whittier. San Diego's 220 turnovers this season are the most of WCC schools this season and rank 328 nationally among Division I programs. In the WCC, the Toreros are 10th in shooting percentage (42.9) and a distant 10th in three-point shooting (30.9 percent). The next worst shooting team from deep, Pepperdine, hits 35.7 percent behind the arc. 10* (684) Loyola Marymount Lions

This is a play on the DUQUESNE DUKES as part of our CBB Thursday Trifecta. Duquesne is off to one of its best starts in school history but it should not come as a huge surprise as the Dukes are coming off a 19-win season, their most victories since 2010-11, and returned four starters from that team. This is just the third time in school history that Duquesne enters conference play with 10 wins (10-3 in 2007-08 & 10-3 in 2015-16 are the others). The balanced Dukes have six players averaging between 9.0 and 13.5 points per game. Six players have either led, or tied for the team lead, in scoring and five have scored 20 or more in a game. This is Duquesne's first home game since Dec. 9. DU has played more games in the Bahamas (3), Florida (2) and Ohio (2) than it has within Pittsburgh's city limits. St. Louis is also off to a great start at 11-2 as it has won three straight games. The Billikens, the defending A-10 Champion, were picked to finish seventh in the conference's preseason poll, just one spot ahead of Duquesne. One huge factor not to overlook here is that Duquesne is hitting 79.2 percent of its free throws, seventh best in the country while the Billikens are shooting just 57.7 percent from the stripe, 351st in the nation. 9* (610) Duquesne Dukes

This is a play on the WILLIAM & MARY TRIBE as part of our CBB Thursday Trifecta. 80 percent of the public and 72 percent of the money is on Hofstra here and yet this line has not moved. The Pride have won five straight games, covering all five as well, including a pair of wins in the Colonial this past weekend to share the early conference lead with Charleston and Northeastern. Playing the second easiest schedule in the conference has helped to their 10-4 record and Hofstra will be tested here in this rivalry as eight of the last 10 meetings have been decided inside this number and six of the last 11 have finished within one possession. With its victory at Elon, the Tribe picked up its fifth road win, which is now tied for the second most road wins in the country. William & Mary tied a school record with three-straight road wins to open the year, including snapping Wofford's 17-game home win streak, the fourth-longest in the country, on Nov. 12. The Tribe leads the CAA and ranks 63rd nationally in rebounding margin (+5.4). They also lead the CAA in defensive rebounding percentage (78.3), which is 14th nationally. The Tribe are 7-2 ATS in their last nine games against teams with a winning percentage above .600. 9* (633) William & Mary Tribe

This is a play on the CINCINNATI BEARCATS for our CBB Wednesday Enforcer. Cincinnati is coming off a loss against Iowa in Chicago to make it three losses over its last four games but the lone win was an impressive one against Tennessee. The Bearcats are 7-1 at home with the only defeat coming against a pretty solid Colgate team although that was a game they never should have lost. This is a tough place for any opponent to win as the Bearcats are 54-4 at home since the start of the 2016-17 season, including a 25-2 mark against AAC teams. Additionally, the Bearcats are 25-4 in conference openers since 1990 (start of the Bob Huggins coaching era), including a 5-1 mark in AAC lid lifters. Connecticut enters league play having won three in a row and six of its last seven. There are not many high expectations for the Huskies as they have won 16 games or less in each of the last three seasons and are pegged to finish sixth in the AAC. The Huskies are 2-5-1 ATS in their last eight games following a straight up win of more than 20 points while going 4-13 ATS in their last 17 games following two straight up wins of more than 20 points. 10* (830) Cincinnati Bearcats

This is a play on the SAMFORD BULLDOGS for our CBB Wednesday Supreme Annihilator. Samford comes in rising a three-game losing streak but those came against three solid opponents in Hawaii, Alabama and Georgetown, two of which came on the road. The loss to Alabama was the only home loss of the season for the Bulldogs which are 5-1 at home although they are 5-0 at the Pete Hanna Center with that loss to the Tide taking place at Legacy Arena and they look to open SoCon season strong after a disappointing 6-12 season a year ago. The Bulldogs are 22-8 ATS in their last 30 games following a straight up loss of more than 20 points. The Citadel has won five of its last seven games while covering all four lined games over this stretch. This means three of those games came against non-Division I opponents. After finishing 4-14 in the SoCon last season, the Bulldogs are again expected to finished in or near the basement and they are already off to a 0-1 start with a 12-point home loss against East Tennessee St. The Bulldogs are 10-24-3 ATS in their last 37 games against teams with a losing straight up record. 9* (820) Samford Bulldogs

This is a play on the PROVIDENCE FRIARS for our CBB Tuesday Enforcer. Providence is coming off a much needed win prior to the Christmas break as it rolled over Texas by 22 points. The Friars held the Longhorns to an offensive rebounding percentage of 20.0 (below their season average of 30.5) and an effective field goal percentage of 0.342 (below their season average of 0.528). After a 4-1 start, the Friars went on a 2-5 run so that victory was big heading into conference action and it also snapped a seven-game non-cover run. The Hoyas have won six straight games while covering all of those as well. That is a big reason the line have flipped to Georgetown now favored on the road. Ball control will be a big factor here as the Friars are forcing turnovers while Georgetown has been prone to giving it away. Providence ranks second in the Big East in turnover margin at +3.4 while also second in the conference in steals at 9.8 per game. The Friars averaging 14.1 turnovers per game compared to 17.5 by its opponents. Georgetown is ranked 271st in the nation with a turnover percentage of 20.8 percent, while the Providence defense forces the 25th-most turnovers in the country at 24.6 percent. Here, we play on home teams with a winning percentage between .501 and .600 where the line is +3 to -3 after beating the spread by more than 18 points in their previous game, playing a winning team. This situation is 48-20 ATS (70.6 percent) since 1997. 10* (804) Providence Friars

This is a play on the DAVIDSON WILDCATS for our CBB Monday Enforcer. Davidson has won and covered three straight games as it heads into Vanderbilt for its final non-conference tuneup prior to Atlantic Ten play. The Wildcats have played a tough schedule thus far with some quality losses and while the Commodores are not much of a team, a win over an SEC team can do some good. Davidson defeated Loyola Chicago 59-56 eight days ago in its most recent win and Loyola Chicago defeated Vanderbilt earlier this season 78-70 in Phoenix. Vanderbilt has played no one up to this point and the Commodores are the worst team in the SEC and after having gone 9-23 last season including 0-18 in the conference. So far during non-conference action, they have played the 345th ranked schedule in the country and that is out of 353 teams in Division I. Vanderbilt lost a key contributor in Clevon Brown as he is out with a knee injury which hurts as only three other players are averaging more than 6.7 ppg. Here, we play against home teams as an underdog or pickem after going over the total by 48 or more points total in their last seven games going up against an opponent after going under the total by 48 or more points total in their last ten games. This situation is 36-12 ATS (75 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (749) Davidson Wildcats

This is a play on the RICHMOND SPIDERS for our CBB Sunday Enforcer. Richmond is coming off a loss at Radford in its last game a week ago which snapped a five-game winning streak for the Spiders. That was just the second loss of the season for the Spiders, the first coming against Auburn, and they will look to close the non-conference season strong with a win prior to A-10 action stating on Thursday. This team is loaded and deep as they returned all five starters as well as getting Nick Sherod back who missed most of last season with a knee injury after being a starter the previous two seasons. This is probably the deepest team Richmond has had since the team made the NCAA tournament in 2011 with at least 10 players in regular rotation. Alabama has won two straight games and four of its last five, covering all five of those games. That is pushing this number up higher than it should be. Ball control will be a factor here as the Richmond offense has turned the ball over on 16.2 percent of its possessions, the 20th-best mark in the country. Conversely, 21.5 percent of all Alabama possessions have resulted in a turnover which is 291st, nationally. 10* (715) Richmond Spiders

This is a play on the BYU COUGARS for our CBB Saturday Enforcer. BYU defeated Weber St. 91-61 a week ago, its third 30-point win during a current four-game win streak. The Cougars defeated UNLV 83-50 at Vivint Smart Home Arena and Nevada 74-42 at home as well. They are ranked No. 11 in the country in shooting at 49.5 percent while hitting 40.9 percent of shots from long range, good for No. 7 in the nation. This team is loaded as BYU has three players on its roster with 1,000 career points, including two in the top 20 on the BYU career scoring list. Of the four losses, two were against Kansas and San Diego St. while the other two came in overtime on the road. Oral Roberts has won four straight games as well but nowhere near against the same opposition and the Golden Eagles bring in a four-game ATS winning streak and it actually could be eight games but four games were not on the board as those came against non-Division I teams which shows how weak the schedule has been. Here, we play on teams after beating the spread by 30 or more points total in their last five games, team from a second tier division 1-A conference against a team from a mid-major conference. This situation is 82-49 ATS (62.6 percent) since 1997. 10* (660) BYU Cougars

This is a play on the OAKLAND GOLDEN GRIZZLIES for our CBB Saturday Supreme Annihilator. Oakland has lost four straight games, the latest coming in overtime at home against Fairfield a week ago which was just the second home loss of the season, the first coming against Michigan St. Oakland sits first in the Horizon League in defense, only allowing a league-best 64.8 ppg. The Golden Grizzlies held Michigan St. seven points below its season average, allowing just one Spartan to hit double-figures. Oakland has held opponents to under 60 point four times this season and opponents have hit just 40.3 percent of their field goals against Oakland, making the Golden Grizzlies defense tops in the Horizon League. The matchup here is ideal as Detroit is ranked No. 350 in the country in shooting as it is hitting just 36.4 percent of its shots. The Titans are 1-6 on the road with all six of those losses coming by double-digits. We are expecting a big rebound from the Golden Grizzlies which are again expected to contend in the conference going up against a Detroit team that has won just 29 games total going back to the 2016-17 season. 9* (626) Oakland Golden Grizzlies

This is a play on the TOLEDO ROCKETS for our CBB Saturday Afternoon Dominator. It was an ugly week last week for Toledo which lost both of its games as favorites against what are considered inferior teams. The Rockets were riding a five-game winning streak but have nor dropped four straight against the number which is adding value to this play here. The last two games can be chalked up as an aberration as the Rockets' six double-digit wins this season give them 21 victories of 10 points or more since the start of the 2018-19 season. Bradley is 7-0 inside Carver Arena this season and has won 11 straight home games dating back to last year. Junior forward Elijah Childs leads the Braves with 15.0 ppg and 9.4 rpg but he is out on Saturday as he is dealing with a hand injury and is expected to be out another week. Here, we play on teams after being beaten by the spread by 36 or more points total in their last five games going up against an opponent after going under the total by more than 12 points in two consecutive games. This situation is 53-23 ATS (69.7 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (621) Toledo Rockets

This is a play on the WASHINGTON HUSKIES for our CBB Wednesday Enforcer. Washington and Houston are coming off blowout wins in the first two rounds of the Diamond Head Classic and we are catching a great line with the Huskies. They defeated Ball St. by 21 points and then took out host Hawaii by 11 points on Monday. They are led by their trio of former McDonald's All-Americans and while they are young, they are extremely talented. Houston is off to a solid 9-3 start following wins against Portland and Georgia Tech. They made a trip to the Sweet 16 last season and finished 33-4 overall but they had to replace four starters and have not defeated anyone of note this season. Houston is a great rebounding team but this will be the biggest test of the season against a tall and athletic Washington team. The Huskies are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games as a favorite. 10* (828) Washington Huskies

This is a play on the WASHINGTON HUSKIES for our CBB Monday Enforcer. Washington and Hawaii are coming off wins in the first round of the Diamond Head Classic but the Huskies looked a lot more impressive. They defeated Ball St. 21 points but it was the way they did it early on that was special. The Cardinals opened the game making four of their first six three-pointers and head coach Mike Hopkins, who employs the 2-3 zone from his days as an assistant at Syracuse, decided to switch to man and Washington was able to pull away showing that this team has the ability to change it up when needed. They are led by their trio of former McDonald's All-Americans and while they are young, they are extremely talented. Hawaii defeated an average UTEP team by four points and while it is playing on its home floor, the Warriors are severely outmanned in this matchup. The only two games they have played against upper tier talent, they lost to Illinois and Oregon by 13 and 25 points respectively. Here, we play on neutral court teams as a favorite or pickem from a major Division 1 conference going up against a team from a mid-major Division 1 conference, playing their 2nd road game in 3 days. This situation is 43-16 ATS (72.9 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (815) Washington Huskies

This is a play on the SOUTH DAKOTA COYOTES for our CBB Sunday Enforcer. After getting drubbed by Kansas by 41 points, Kansas City returned home and defeated MAC favorite Toledo by 15 points as a seven-point underdog. The Rockets shot just 18 percent from long range while committing 16 turnovers and while you can chalk it up to a great defensive performance from the Kangaroos, that was not the case as this defense is not good as they are ranked No. 240 in shooting defense and now face a very efficient offense looking to rebound. South Dakota, a contender to win the Summit League, is coming off a bad loss against Northern Colorado as it got outscored by 17 points in the second half. Northern Colorado buried seven of its 10 three-pointers in the second half while South Dakota, one of the best three-point shooting teams in the country, was held without a triple in eight attempts. This is the final non-conference game for the Coyotes and they will be not only looking to bounce back from Friday, but also get some revenge from a two-point loss in this facility a year ago. The Kangaroos are 2-5 ATS in their last seven road games against teams with a winning home record while the Coyotes are 6-0-1 ATS in their last seven games following a double-digit loss at home. 10* (782) South Dakota Coyotes

This is a play on the TEXAS A&M AGGIES for our CBB Game of the Week. Oregon St. is off to a 9-1 start as it has won seven straight games following its lone loss against Oklahoma. This includes a 3-0 record on the road but all three wins were as double-digit favorites so the Beavers take a big step up in competition here even though the Aggies are not expected to do a whole lot in the SEC. They have not been favored on the road against a major conference team by this many points since 2012 and there really is no reason for it to happen now. Texas A&M snapped a five-game losing streak with a win over Texas A&M-CC but it was close with another non-cover which put the Aggies at 1-8 on the season against the number. These are the streaks we love to go against especially with a veteran team that returns a ton of talent as five of the six top scorers are back from last season and this is a great opportunity to build off that win. Home losses against Gonzaga and Temple were expected but this is one they should not let get away. 10* (708) Texas A&M Aggies

This is a play on the UNC-WILMINGTON SEAHAWKS for our CBB Saturday Ultimate Underdog. UNC-Wilmington had a rough season last year as its defense ranked dead last in all of the country and it was the worst defense according to defensive metrics dating back to 2002. That being said, the Seahawks have improved immensely this season and while they are 0-3 on the road, the losses have come against Davidson, Boise St. and Stanford which are all solid programs. Vanderbilt is not in that group as the Commodores are the worst team in the SEC and after having gone 9-23 last season including 0-18 in the conference, it is an uphill battle. Vanderbilt has been favored by double-digits four times this season and while it is 4-0, it has covered just twice against much inferior teams. Vanderbilt lost a key contributor in Clevon Brown as he is out with a knee injury which hurts as only three other players are averaging more than 6.7 ppg. The Commodores are 2-7 ATS in their last nine home games against teams with a losing road record. 9* (697) UNC-Wilmington Seahawks

This is a play on the MIDDLE TENNESSEE ST. BLUE RAIDERS for our CBB Saturday Enforcer. Middle Tennessee has lost seven of its last eight games but it has played a brutal schedule as six of those games came against teams expected to contend in their respective conferences with the other loss coming against Mississippi. The Blue Raiders are 0-7 in their last seven games and this again is where the value is to be found. They had a tough year last season but are once again contenders in C-USA. St. Bonaventure has turned things around after a rough start to win six straight games and not losing a cover in any of those. The last three wins have been blowouts but those games all were at home and while the Bonnies are 3-0 in neutral court games, they are 0-2 in true road games and are being asked to lay a bigger number than they should be putting down. The Blue Raiders are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a winning road record. 9* (660) Middle Tennessee St. Blue Raiders

This is a play on the VCU RAMS for our CBB Saturday Afternoon Dominator. VCU is off to a 9-2 start with the two losses coming against Purdue and Tennessee by three points. What makes this game value wise for the Rams is that they have dropped their last six games against the number including those aforementioned games by just one point each and they have been favored in all of the other games. Wichita St. has won and covered three straight games including a pair of impressive wins against Oklahoma and Oklahoma St. and that is also playing into this line. While they are 9-1, the Shockers have played the No. 248 ranked schedule which includes those two previous wins mentioned. VCU rolled in this meeting last season and seven of the top eight scorers are back so it again has the edge on the floor and yet is getting a great number. 10* (601) VCU Rams

This is a play on the GEORGIA BULLDOGS for our CBB Friday Supreme Annihilator. We played against Georgia last Saturday as it got hammered at Arizona St. A big reason for that was because of the scheduling as Georgia had won two straight games but those came against Chaminade and North Carolina Central in Hawaii and then it traveled to Arizona St. for its first true road game of the season. The Bulldogs are back home where they are 5-0 and their six wins overall are already more than half of what they had all of last season. It has been an overhaul for head coach Tom Cream, now in his second year, but he has the best player on the floor in guard Anthony Edwards who is the highest rated recruit ever to come to Georgia. The Bulldogs are 5-2 ATS in their last seven home games against teams with a road winning percentage of greater than .600. SMU is also coming off a loss, its first of the season, as it fell at home against Georgetown by 17 points. This will be the biggest test to date for the Mustangs which are picked to finish just sixth in the AAC following a 15-win season last year. The Mustangs are 4-10-2 ATS in their last 16 games following a double-digit loss at home. 10* (844) Georgia Bulldogs

This is a play on the SOUTH ALABAMA JAGUARS as part of our CBB Thursday Trifecta. South Alabama was pegged as the preseason favorite in the Sun Belt Conference so getting off to a strong start is necessary, especially with a game against contender Coastal Carolina on deck. The Jaguars are coming off a win on Tuesday but they have failed to cover their last three games and that is giving us a better price here at home. They are 5-1 on the season at home and going back, the Jaguars are 13-6-1 ATS in their last 20 games against teams with a winning straight up record. Appalachian St. has won two straight games in blowout fashion but those came against St. Andrews Presbyterian and Howard. The Mountaineers have been just the opposite as they have covered their last four games so this is the perfect contrarian betting spot. The Mountaineers are 1-5 ATS in their last six games following a straight up win of more than 20 points. Since splitting the first two games in the series in 2014-15, South Alabama has won the last seven and are 5-0 at home. 9* (720) South Alabama Jaguars

This is a play on the HOUSTON COUGARS as part of our CBB Thursday Trifecta. UTEP is coming off a tournament win in the annual Haskins Trophy, the first time in five years the Miners have brought home the championship. They are now 8-1 straight up and against the number but a lot of this success has to do with an easy schedule as they have yet to face a team ranked within the top 50. This is just the second game for the Miners and compounding that is the fact this is their third game in four days making the travel aspect even more difficult. The Miners are 1-6 ATS in their last seven road games following three or more consecutive home games. Houston is coming off a six-point loss at home against Oklahoma St. Trailing by as many as 18 points early in the second half, the Cougars mounted an impressive comeback and rallied to tie the game but fell short to see their four-game winning streak end. Going back the last three seasons, Houston is 12-0 after a loss so coaching plays a big role there. Additionally, the Cougars are 15-6-1 ATS in their last 22 games following an ATS loss. 9* (726) Houston Cougars

This is a play on the COASTAL CAROLINA CHANTICLEERS as part of our CBB Thursday Trifecta. Coastal Carolina has won four straight games, covering the last three, as it heads into Sun Belt Conference action looking to get off to a great start. The Chanticleers are contenders this season after a .500 finish last year, both overall and in the conference. Of the four losses on the season, two came against Mississippi St. and Baylor while the other two came against a single point. The Chanticleers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 road games. Troy is coming off an overtime loss at Chattanooga which snapped a three-game winning streak and the Trojans are now on a 4-0 ATS roll. They are currently ranked as the worst team in the Sun Belt despite playing the third easiest schedule as two of their four wins have come against non-Division I teams. Here, we play against home teams as an underdog or pickem averaging 62 or more shots per game going up against an opponent after a game where they made 55 percent of their shots or better. This situation is 42-15 ATS (73.7 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (713) Coastal Carolina Chanticleers

This is a play on the GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS as part of our CBB Wednesday Trifecta. Georgia Tech opened the season with an upset win at NC State and it has been pretty uneven since then. The Yellow Jackets lost a pair of games against Georgia and Arkansas by a combined five points before winning two straight. Then came an inexcusable home loss against Syracuse by 34 points but to their credit, they came back and held their own against Kentucky on the road. This is a veteran team with four returning starters and a team that is highlighted by seven juniors and seniors. Expectations are high and ending the two-game skid is imperative. Ball St. is coming off its lowest win total in five years and not much is expected this season. The Cardinals are coming off a win over Indiana-Purdue, a team projected to finish last in the Horizon League, to snap a two-game slide but this is a tough spot. Ball St. has not left home since November 17th and going back, the Cardinals are 5-12 ATS in their last 17 road games following three or more consecutive home games. 9* (646) Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

This is a play on the VCU RAMS as part of our CBB Wednesday Trifecta. VCU is coming off a pair of wins over Old Dominion and Missouri St. but failed to cover either of those games, running its non-cover streak to five straight games. Prior to those victories, the Rams lost to Tennessee and Purdue by three points each, their only two losses of the season, so those were quality losses and while favored again here, this is just the second time they have been favored by single digits. The first came against LSU, a game they won but missed the cover by a bucket. Charleston is coming odd a loss at Richmond on Saturday and comes in with just a 4-2 record at home with the lone quality win coming against a Providence team that has been underachieving all season including a 32-point loss against Florida last night. In their last three ATS losses, the Cougars have failed to cover by 15.5 points, 11.5 points and 22.5 points. The Rams are 7-1 ATS in their last eight games as a road favorite while the Cougars are 2-6 ATS in their last eight games as a home underdog. 9* (663) VCU Rams

This is a play on the EAST TENNESSEE ST. BUCCANEERS as part of our CBB Wednesday Trifecta. Based on name recognition, this is a mismatch especially with what LSU accomplished last season. And that is being factored into this line. The Tigers went 28-7 last season including a 16-2 record in the SEC and they managed to make a run into the Sweet 16 before eventually getting crushed by Michigan St. They are off to a 7-2 start including a 6-0 record at home but that includes so quality wins. A game against East Tennessee St. seems like it should be a layup but that is far from the case. The Buccaneers are 9-2 following a 24-10 record last season and this is arguably the best team head coach Steve Forbes has had in his five years at the school. They bring back all five starters and East Tennessee St. has two of the best players in the Southern Conference in Jeromy Rodriguez and Bo Hodges, the former being tabbed as the preseason Player of the Year. The Buccaneers have been underdogs only once this season and that was at Kansas, a game in which they held their own and covered. 10* (657) East Tennessee St. Buccaneers

This is a play on the CREIGHTON BLUEJAYS for our CBB Tuesday Star Attraction. Creighton is 8-2 this season, including an 83-76 overtime win vs. No. 12 Texas Tech in Las Vegas on Nov. 29 and a 95-76 romp over Nebraska on Dec. 7. The Bluejays are 7-0 at home this year, with each victory coming by nine points or more. This team is playing exceptionally well right now evidenced by its fast starts. Creighton has played four straight games with a halftime lead of 14+ points for the first time since Nov. 22-Dec. 6, 2003. That ties into a recent trend as Creighton is 6-0 ATS in its last 6 games after leading in their previous game by 15 or more points at the half. Oklahoma is off to a 7-2 start but it coming off a loss to Wichita St. on Saturday and has now failed to cover five of its last six games. The Sooners are 1-9 ATS in their last 10 road games after allowing 80 points or more. This is a revenge game for the Bluejays as they lost at Oklahoma last season by 13 points nearly a year ago to the day. Here, we play on teams where the line is +3 to -3 after leading their last three games by five points or more at the half going up against an opponent after scoring 75 points or more three straight games. This situation is 74-38 ATS (66.1 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (612) Creighton Bluejays

This is a play on the MARSHALL THUNDERING HERD for our CBB Monday Enforcer. Marshall is coming off a 23-win season which was culminated by winning the College Insider Tournament. This despite of lack of size and depth but the Thundering Hers are stronger in those categories this season. They found its way back into the winning column, picking up its third win of the season following a three-game losing streak. Marshall is now 3-6 overall in non-conference play. Marshall is ranked second in the CUSA with an average of 76.6 possessions per game. The uptempo Thundering Herd have raised that total to 78 possessions per game over their last five games. Marshall sits in first in the Division I in blocks per game with 7.7. The Thundering Herd sit second in Conference USA and 34th in the country in steals per game with 9.2. While just 0-3 on the road, those losses came against Toledo, picked to win the MAC West, Notre Dame and Florida. Morehead St. has lost five of its last six games and while the Eagles are undefeated at home, they have played nobody. The Eagles are 6-13 ATS in their last 19 games as a home favorite. Here, we play against home teams where the line is +3 to -3 in a game involving two teams averaging 20 or more three-pointers per game after three straight game shooting 40 percent or less. This situation is 37-14 ATS (72.5 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (821) Marshall Thundering Herd

This is a play on the BRADLEY BRAVES for our CBB Sunday Enforcer. Both Georgia Southern and Bradley come in riding modest two-game winning streaks and we give the edge to the home team. The Braves are a perfect 7-0 at home this season which includes a very impressive win over Kansas St. and they are outscoring opponents by over 20 ppg. Bradley's Darrell Brown, Nate Kennell and Koch Bar have combined to score 43 percent of the team's points this season, including 37 percent of all Braves scoring over the last five games. Bradley has an assist on 55 of 89 field goals (61.8 percent) across its past three outings while Georgia Southern has assists on 33 of 82 field goals (40.2 percent) during its past three games. The Eagles are coming off a win over Carver Bible College and they hit the road where they are 1-2 on the season. They play at a fast pace but they have one of the worst defenses in the country and that is a problem against the potent Braves offense. Here, we play on home favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points in a game involving two teams outscoring opponents by eight or more ppg, after leading in their previous game by 20 or more points at the half. This situation is 34-7 ATS (82.9 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (800) Bradley Braves

This is a play on the ARIZONA ST. SUN DEVILS as part of our CBB Saturday Trifecta. Georgia has won two straight games but those came against Chaminade and North Carolina Central and now it travels for its first true road game of the season. One factor that Georgia needed to improve upon from last season was long range shooting. The Bulldogs shot 32.2 percent from behind the arc which was 332nd in the nation and while that ranking has improved to 229th in the country, they are at just 32 percent with a lot of that to do with the new length and other teams not being able to adjust. The Bulldogs are 2-7 ATS in their last nine games following a straight up win. Arizona St. has won four straight games but failed to cover three of those as double-digit favorites. We do not have to worry about that here by laying a short price and going back, the Sun Devils are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games following an ATS loss. Here, we play on home favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points in a game involving teams outscoring opponents by 8.0 or more ppg, after scoring 85 points or more. This situation is 91-50 ATS (6.5 percent) over the last five seasons. 9* (746) Arizona St. Sun Devils

This is a play on the UTAH ST. AGGIES as part of our CBB Saturday Trifecta. Utah St. and BYU square off in the second game of the Beehive Classic and the Aggies are in excellent shape to break a seven-game losing streak in this series. Utah St. has just one loss this season, an eight-point loss at St. Marys which is nothing to shrug about. The Aggies have been pegged to win the MWC after going 28-7 last season and have four starters back including All-MWC Preseason Player of the Year Sam Merrill who missed the last game but will be back tonight. BYU is an improved and in their last two contests, the Cougars have rolled over MWC teams. They blasted UNLV a week ago, 83-50, and then thumped Nevada, 75-42, earlier this week. The Aggies have held opponents to 37.8 percent shooting for the season and 60.3 ppg. Defense will be key against BYU, who is shooting 48.6 percent from the floor and averaging 77.5 ppg. Here, we play on neutral court teams as a favorite or pickem, averaging 76 ppg going up against teams averaging between 74 and 76 ppg, after scoring 75 points or more two straight games. This situation is 208-134 ATS (60.8 percent) since 1997. 10* (767) Utah St. Aggies

This is a play on the NEW MEXICO LOBOS as part of our CBB Saturday Trifecta. New Mexico looks to build off a four-game winning streak as it heads back home following a 14-point win at Wyoming a week ago. Undefeated at home this year at 6-0, the Lobos have won their last eight games here dating back to last season. This year, their scoring offense ranks 63rd nationally (78.4 ppg) coupled with the nation's 23rd-highest field goal percentage (48.7 percent). New Mexico St. is expected to have another strong season but has already matched its loss total from all of last season. The Aggies are still without point guard A.J. Harris and he is a big part of this team on both sides of the floor as he was second team All-WAC and first team All-WAC defense. This is the second meeting this season with the Lobos coming out on top in the first meeting to snap a five-game losing streak in this series. While revenge may be on the side of the Aggies, New Mexico should be more motivated here against its hated rival. New Mexico St. is in search of its third-consecutive victory over the Lobos in Albuquerque which is a run the Aggies haven't been able to accomplish in almost 80 years. 9* (736) New Mexico Lobos

This is a play on the COLORADO BUFFALOES for our CBB Friday Enforcer. Colorado came into the week ranked in the AP Top 25 but that will be long gone following a pair of losses against Kansas and Northern Iowa. The Buffaloes have failed to cover in any of their last six games but there will be plenty of motivation here against their rival and they do not play again for six days when they face Prairie View. The disruptive Colorado defense has forced opponents to turn the ball over on 25.4 percent of all possessions, the 23rd-best rate in the nation. Colorado St. has a forced-turnover percentage of only 17.6 percent through 12 games which is 301st in the country. Colorado St. is coming off a narrow win over South Dakota St. but momentum is not on its side. The two losses that came before that victory came in early MWC play, a 79-57 blowout defeat at home to San Diego St. followed by a 75-64 setback at Boise St. Opponents have found too many open shots along the way with the Rams 246th in the country allowing opponents to convert nearly 45 percent from the field. Colorado has been pegged to win the Pac 12 while the Rams are expected to finish toward the bottom of the MWC so the talent differential here is pretty big. 10* (675) Colorado Buffaloes

This is a play on the IOWA ST. CYCLONES for our CBB Thursday Enforcer. Iowa St. is coming off a win on Sunday over Seton Hal which avenged a loss to the Pirates 10 days prior in the Bahamas and now the Cyclones will be out for revenge against their hated rival. The home team has won four straight in this series including an Iowa win by 14 points last season in a game that Iowa St. was actually favored in on the road. Iowa St. is 5-0 at Hilton Coliseum this season and puts its 12-game non-conference home winning streak on the line Thursday. Taking care of the ball has been the key to success for the Cyclones as they have had fewer turnovers than their opponent in all nine games this season and the starting guard trio of Tyrese Haliburton, Rasir Bolton and Prentiss Nixon own a 2.1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Overall, the Cyclones rank 18th nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio, ninth in turnover margin and 21st in turnovers per game. Iowa comes in at just 1-2 on the road and going back, the Hawkeyes are just 5-18 ATS in their last 23 road games. Here, we play on home favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points in a game involving two teams outscoring opponents by 8.0 or more ppg, after two straight wins by 10 points or more. This situation is 87-47 ATS (64.9 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (664) Iowa St. Cyclones

This is a play on the TULSA GOLDEN HURRICANE for our CBB Wednesday Enforcer. Tulsa is coming off a bad loss on Saturday as it lost at home against Arkansas St. as a 12.5-point favorite. It was their first non-conference loss in 19 games for the Golden Hurricane which had won six straight games prior to that. It was a bad luck game as Tulsa shot 51.1 percent from the floor but the difference was from the free throw line as Arkansas St. went 14-17 while Tulsa was just 8-11 from the charity stripe. Tulsa was 18-14 last season and while just two starters came back, Martins Igbanu is a potential All-AAC player and the addition of transfer Brandon Rachal has been huge as he is averaging 15.9 ppg and 7.1 rpg while shooting 59 percent from the floor. Boise St. comes into this game following a 75-64 win at home against Colorado St. which was the Broncos first in Mountain West Conference victory this season after losing its opener at New Mexico. The Broncos have covered five straight games which is a big reason they are getting two-thirds of the action here yet the line has actually stayed firm. Last season, Tulsa was one of just seven Division I programs without a scholarship freshmen on its roster but this season, the 14-man roster has a combined 18 years of Division I playing experience which will pay dividends in a bounce back spot. 10* (642) Tulsa Golden Hurricane

This is a play on the INDIANA HOOSIERS for our CBB Tuesday Enforcer. Indiana and Connecticut square off in the second game of the Jimmy V Classic from MSG and this is an important game for both side. Both have been out of the national conversation over the past few years, with neither team making the NCAA Tournament since 2016, but this game will hold a lot of weight as both programs are looking to have rejuvenating seasons. Indiana opened the season 8-0 but is coming off an uninspiring effort against Wisconsin on Saturday in its Big Ten opener as it lost by 20 points. That was the Hoosiers first venture away from home which puts them in a good spot tonight to bounce back. Connecticut has won three straight games to improve to 6-2 on the season. The Huskies are not a very good shooting team, especially from two-point range where they are shooting just 45 percent which is No. 283 in the country. Connecticut makes up for it with strong rebounding but Indiana holds a 10.4 rebounding advantage over its opponents. Additionally, Indiana leads the country in free throws made per game (20.9) and free throws attempted per game (29.7). Here, we play on neutral court teams as a favorite or pickem that are averaging 76 or more ppg after two or more consecutive overs, going up against teams averaging between 74 and 76 ppg. This situation is 55-24 ATS (69.6 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (629) Indiana Hoosiers

This is a play on the IOWA HAWKEYES for our CBB Monday Enforcer. Iowa looks to bounce back from its first conference loss of the season as it fell at No. 4 Michigan on Friday 103-91. The Hawkeyes are now 6-3 on the season and their three defeats have come to teams with a combined 26-1 record (DePaul, San Diego St., Michigan). Iowa will be playing its first home game since Nov. 24 versus Cal Poly. Minnesota is playing first game in a week after it defeated Clemson 78-60 at home in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge. This is the first conference game of the season for the Gophers and they are making their first road trip since Nov. 15 at Utah. Minnesota is making its living behind the three-point arc. Its 9.6 made threes per game ranks 29th nationally and first in the Big Ten but it is shooting just 35.4 percent on 218 attempts, which ranks 101st in the country. Minnesota is 0-2 on the road and going back, Iowa holds a 57-41 advantage in games played in Iowa City and a 21-10 advantage at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Iowa has won 12 of the last 17 meetings in Iowa City, including five of the last six. The Hawkeyes are 4-0 ATS in their last four games following a straight up loss while the Gophers are 1-4 ATS in their last five games following a straight up win. 10* (824) Iowa Hawkeyes

This is a play on the BUFFALO BULLS for our CBB Sunday Enforcer. We won with DePaul on Wednesday as it defeated Texas Tech and a big reason for the play was the line was off based on the prior season results for the Red Raiders. That is continuing here as the Blue Demons win was a quality one, but not one that should affect their lines going forward but that is the case here. DePaul is 9-0 and a team on the rise based on their big recruiting class but this is not a good spot for them coming off their biggest win of the season. Buffalo was the power team in the MAC last season with a 16-2 record and the Bulls won 59 games over the previous two seasons. While there is some expected dropoff, there is not enough to warrant a line of this sort. In two road games this season against major opposition, the Bulls were getting three and Connecticut and four at Vanderbilt and now they are suddenly getting nine at DePaul. Here, we play on road teams as an underdog or pickem after allowing 90 points or more going up against an opponent after two straight wins by six points or less. This situation is 98-55 ATS (64.1 percent) since 1997. 10* (797) Buffalo Bulls

This is a play on the SMU MUSTANGS as part of our CBB Saturday Trifecta. Georgetown is coming off a huge road win at Oklahoma St. by seven points as an 11-point underdog but there are big issues going on right now that could affect this program. The school announced two key members of the team are transferring and subsequent public records requests unearthed allegations against three Hoyas players that included sexual harassment, assault and burglary. Additionally, four-star recruit Terrance Williams decommitted on Thursday. SMU is off to an 8-0 start but it really has not played anyone as its schedule has been soft. The Mustangs are coming off a pair of poor seasons but a lot of that had to do with roster-depleting NCAA sanctions and injuries and it came into this season with a full roster for the first time since 2017-18. The good news for SMU is that it is winning all the games it should including two solid road victories at Evansville and UNLV. Look for the Mustangs to pass their first big test. 9* (676) SMU Mustangs

This is a play on the MISSOURI TIGERS as part of our CBB Saturday Trifecta. Missouri is riding a three-game losing streak as it heads to Temple for its second road game of the season. First came a double-dose of disappointing defeats at Hall of Fame Classic during Thanksgiving week, where Missouri went 0-2, with losses on back-to-back nights to Butler and Oklahoma. Then came a disaster. Charleston Southern, a 2-5 Big South Conference team with a 44-point home loss to Furman on its record, entered Mizzou Arena as 26-point underdogs and left as 68-60 winners. In each of the last three defeats, the Tigers have gotten off to early abysmal starts that leave them playing from behind. Temple is off to a solid 6-1 start including solid wins away from home against USC, Texas A&M and Davidson. The Owls have covered four straight games and with the way things have been going on both sides, you would expect a bigger line. It is short for a reason and we expect a bog bounce back effort from the Tigers. 9* (679) Missouri Tigers

This is a play on the WESTERN KENTUCKY HILLTOPPERS as part of our CBB Saturday Trifecta. After opening the season with five straight blowout wins and covers, it has been a rough stretch for Arkansas. It has won its last three games but it has not been pretty as the Razorbacks defeated a below average Georgia Tech team by one point in overtime and then escaped Northern Kentucky and Austin Peay by six and eight points respectively as 15-point favorites in each. Now comes the biggest road test and they are a false-favorite. The Razorbacks are 13-27 ATS in their last 40 games as a road favorite. Western Kentucky, the preseason favorite in C-USA, is off to a 6-3 start following a pair of losses. The Hilltoppers lost at home against No. 1 Louisville and then suffered a two-point loss at Wright St., the preseason favorite in the Horizon League. Western Kentucky is ranked 33rd in adjusted offensive efficiency and this will be the best offense Arkansas has seen. The Hilltoppers are 16-6 ATS in their last 22 games as an underdog. 10* (714) Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

This is a play on the RHODE ISLAND RAMS for our CBB Friday Enforcer. Providence rolled to a 93-56 win over Merrimack just over two weeks ago but it has been a struggle since then as the Friars have lost three of their last four games, failing to cover any of those as large favorites. In their only true road game this season, the Friars were dumped by Northwestern, picked to finish dead last in the Big Ten, by nine points as nine-point favorites. Providence is 4-14 ATS in its last 18 games after playing five consecutive games as favorite. Rhode Island has dropped three of its four nonconference games to date that could have opened some eyes on the national level. The Rams have only a home win over Alabama to show for a strong schedule, with road defeats against Maryland and West Virginia bracketing a loss to LSU on a neutral floor at the Jamaica Classic. The Rams are in good shape as all five starters are back from last season and they will be out for payback after losing against their rival by nine points on the road last season. Rhode Island is shooting 75.2 percent from the line at home which is a huge factor especially with lines this low. The Rams are 19-9 ATS in their last 28 games as favorites of seven points or less. 10* (620) Rhode Island Rams

This is a play on the FURMAN PALADINS for our CBB Thursday Enforcer. Auburn will play its first home game in over two weeks when they host the Furman Paladins on Thursday night. The Tigers have had more than a week off after winning the Legends Classic tournament in Brooklyn last week but those wins came against Richmond and New Mexico and Furman ranks right with those teams. Auburn was favored by a similar amount against Georgia Southern whose power ranking is double that of the Paladins and the Tigers failed to cover that game. While talented, this team lost a ton from the Final Four team from last season. Furman meanwhile brings back four of its five starters from its team that went 25-8 and made a trip to the NIT. The Paladins are 7-2 this season including an eight-point loss against Alabama, which was picked to finish right behind Auburn in the SEC. They are 8-2 in their last 10 road games and last season, the Paladins went on the road and beat then-No. 8 Villanova 76-68 in overtime. Furman is a perfect 7-0 when at least three of its players score in double-digits but 0-2 when fewer than three Paladins players score in double-digits. 10* (605) Furman Paladins

This is a play on the CS FULLERTON TITANS as part of our CBB Wednesday Trifecta. We played against CS Fullerton in its last game which resulted in a win as the Titans failed to cover as 10.5-point underdogs. Now they are getting just one bucket less against a much worse team as this is a very winnable game outright. Fullerton is just 1-3 on the road but the other two losses came against Stanford and BYU with the one win coming against Wyoming where it was getting three points. Pacific is off to a 7-3 start including a 7-2 record at home but it has taken out some very bad competition as its schedule has been one of the weakest in the country at No. 325. The Tigers are picked to finish ninth in the 10-team West Coast Conference which is right where they finished last season with a 4-12 record. Here, we play against favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points that are shooting between 45 and 47.5 percent going up against teams shooting 40 percent or worse, after three straight games allowing 40 percent shooting or less. This situation is 24-4 ATS (85.7 percent) since 1997. 9* (879) CS Fullerton Titans

This is a play on the NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS as part of our CBB Wednesday Trifecta. The seventh-ranked Tar Heels take on No. 6 Ohio State Wednesday night in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge. Following a loss to Michigan, North Carolina bounced back to defeat Oregon 78-74 behind a big effort from Armando Bacot. It was a positive sign for the Tar Heels, who are looking for a second player to take on a bigger scoring role outside of Cole Anthony. The Buckeyes are the higher ranked team and a lot of that has to do with the teams that started above them have mostly all fallen. They lead all of Division I in scoring margin on the season and have only one game that was decided by fewer than 10 points. That is the positive news. The bad news is that this is their first road game of the season and it could not come at a tougher place. On top of that, Ohio St. has played the No. 286 ranked schedule in the country. Here, we play on home favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points in a game involving teams outscoring opponents by 8 or more ppg, after scoring 45 points or more in the first half last game. This situation is 62-29 ATS (68.1 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (870) North Carolina Tar Heels

This is a play on the DEPAUL BLUE DEMONS as part of our CBB Wednesday Trifecta. DePaul is off to a surprising 8-0 start but it may not be as surprising as people think. The Blue Demons finished 19-17 last season, their most wins since 2006-07 and came within a game of winning the CBI Championship. They brought in one of their best recruiting classes in decades, ranked as high as No. 25. The Red Raiders nearly won the National Championship last season as they lost to Virginia in overtime and because of that result, they will remain a very public team. Texas Tech opened the season a perfect 5-0 but has dropped its last two games and now will be playing its first true road game of the season. Those five wins came against cupcakes so this will be the third straight game against a quality program. Here, we play on home teams where the line is +3 to -3 that are shooting 36.5 percent or better from long range against an average 3PT shooting team (32-36.5%), after a game where it made 50 percent of their three-point shots or better. This situation is 48-21 ATS (69.6 percent) over the last five seasons. 9* (856) DePaul Blue Demons

This is a play on the CREIGHTON BLUEJAYS for our CBB Tuesday Supreme Annihilator. After getting destroyed by Oklahoma St. by 31 points in Las Vegas, Creighton bounced back the next day with an impressive win over Texas Tech. that can be attributed to experience as it has four starters back from the 20-win team that made it to the NIT. The Bluejays are 5-2 with the other loss coming against No. 5 Michigan while going a perfect 4-0 at home. And going back, they are 21-9 ATS in their last 30 home games against teams with a road winning percentage of less than .400. Oral Roberts is 3-4 with the three wins coming against cupcakes including two non-Division I teams. The Golden Eagles are shooting just 35.4 percent from the floor on the road and they are 1-5 ATS in their last six road games against teams with a winning home record. Here, we play on favorites of 10 or more points after being beaten by the spread by 30 or more points total in their last five games, team from a major division 1-A conference against a team from a mid-major division 1-A conference. This situation is 39-15-1 (72.2 percent) since 1997 while going a perfect 55-0 straight up. 10* (788) Creighton Bluejays

This is a play on the ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI for our CBB Monday Enforcer. The ACC-Big Ten Challenge tips off tonight with two games and we are eyeing the big favorite of the two. Illinois is coming off its worst winning percentage since 1974-75 as it went just 12-21 last season but there is a reason for optimism as it returns four of five starters while bringing back 85.7 percent of its scoring which is the most of any team in the Big Ten. The Illini are off to a 6-1 start including a 5-0 record at home where they are outscoring opponents by nearly 25 ppg. Illinois is 10-2 ATS in its last 12 home games off two consecutive home wins by 10 points or more. Miami also struggled last season because of injuries and suspensions and the Hurricanes are not much better off this season with just five scholarship players. Miami has lost its last two games by 20 and 25 points and it is 5-18 ATS in its last 23 teams against teams outscoring their opponents by 4.0 or more ppg. 10* (718) Illinois Fighting Illini

This is a play on the WAKE FOREST DEMON DEACONS for our CBB Sunday Enforcer. Arizona rolled over the competition in its first six games of the season but all of those were at home and it has struggled at times in the first two games of the Wooden Legacy including a mere two-point win over Pepperdine as a 15.5-point favorite. The offense has been great but the Wildcats have struggled on the defensive end, giving up 91 and 82 points and that is significant when dealing with a line this big. The Wildcats are 0-5 ATS in their last five neutral site games. Stuck in neutral while winning just 11 games in the past two seasons, Wake Forest is showing signs of a revival so far this season. Six of seven top scorers returned this season to join a well-regarded recruiting class and the Demon Deacons have already won five games. Here, we play against favorites of 10 to 19.5 points after two straight games making 55 percent of their shots or better going up against an opponent after a game where a team made 20 percent of their three-point shots or worse. This situation is 26-6 ATS (81.2 percent) since 1997. 10* (711) Wake Forest Demon Deacons

This is a play on the SANTA CLARA BRONCOS for our CBB Saturday Enforcer. The final of the Cable Car Classic takes place tonight as Santa Clara host CS Fullerton. The Broncos have won both games to start and Santa Clara has won its last seven home games, scoring an average of 84.4 ppg while giving up 62.1 ppg. The big difference here is the offenses on both sides and the efficiency that comes with them. The Santa Clara offense is ranked 28th overall by scoring 81.9 ppg this season while the Titans have averaged just 62.4 ppg, which ranks 220th. Santa Clara has 63 assists on 94 field goals (67 percent) across its past three contests while CS Fullerton has assists on 33 of 65 field goals (50.8 percent) during its past three games. The big reason for the dip is that the Titans have had trouble replacing Khalil Ahmad and Kyle Allman who averaged a combined 27.7 shots per game last season with only two other players averaging more than 2.5 shots per game. The Broncos are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 home games against teams with a road winning percentage of less than .400. 10* (662) Santa Clara Broncos

This is a play on the SOUTH ALABAMA JAGUARS for our CBB Wednesday Enforcer. South Alabama and LaSalle square off for the Gulf Coast Showcase championship and the Jaguars have a significant edge. They are the preseason favorite in the Sun Belt Conference and showed how good they are by losing by just one point against Auburn in their first marquee game this season. South Alabama is coming off a win over Miami Ohio yesterday in relatively easy fashion as the Jaguars shot 59.6 percent from the field against the RedHawks, including 69.6 percent in the second half. La Salle, picked to finish 10th in the 14-team Atlantic 10, snuck out a two-point win over Wright St. as a seven-point underdog. Going back, the Explorers are 12-25 ATS in their last 37 games against teams with a winning straight up record. Here, we play on neutral court teams as a favorite or pickem in a game involving two teams allowing between 67 and 74 ppg, after three straight wins by 10 points or more. This situation is 76-32 ATS (70.4 percent) since 1997. 10* (707) South Alabama Jaguars

This is a play on the DAYTON FLYERS for our CBB Tuesday Enforcer. Both Dayton and Virginia Tech are coming off big wins in the first round of the Maui Invitational. The Hokies pulled off the stunner as they upset Michigan St. as 13-point underdogs and for a team in transition after a huge run last season, they could be caught reflecting on that victory. The Hokies made 10 of 21 3-pointers (47.6 percent) against the Spartans and committed only nine turnovers compared to 16 for Michigan St. Virginia Tech held Michigan State star Cassius Winston to seven points. He was limited to 25 minutes because of foul trouble. .Dayton meanwhile is coming off a blowout win over Georgia but that was a game it should have won as it came in favored by three points. What was most impressive about the Flyers dominance was their commitment to the gameplan, which involved getting Obi Toppin the ball early and often. The Flyers forced the Bulldogs into 23 turnovers and played tough defense all night on a Georgia team that is woefully short on perimeter shooting. The Flyers are now 4-0 on the season, easily winning their last three games by an average of 24.3 ppg. 10* (655) Dayton Flyers

This is a play on the OKLAHOMA SOONERS for our CBB Monday Supreme Annihilator. Oklahoma is off to a 5-0 start with two of those wins coming on a neutral court against Minnesota and Oregon St. the Sooners have failed to cover their last two games but they were listed as double-digit favorites in both. Now they are laying a short number in Kansas City in the second game of the Hall of Fame Classic. The Cardinal are off to an even better start at 6-0 but this is their first trip away from their home court. Not much is expected of them this year as they have been picked for 10th in the Pac-12. Now for even more bad news as the Cardinal has faced the 346th rated schedule in the nation with their best win coming against Santa Clara. Here, we play against neutral court teams as an underdog after three straight wins by 10 points or more going up against an opponent after a win by 20 points or more. This situation is 31-11 ATS (73.8 percent) over the last five seasons. 9* (834) Oklahoma Sooners

This is a play on the GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS for our CBB Monday Enforcer. Georgia Tech is coming off a loss against rival Georgia but that was all the way back on Wednesday and they are back home where the Yellow Jackets have won their lone game. They are catching a good number here as they covered a -22 spread in the first home game and going back, Georgia Tech is 9-0 ATS in its last nine home games when the line is +3 to -3. Arkansas is off to a perfect 5-0 start, covering all of those games as well. The Razorbacks have played no one however and all of those wins came at home. This is the first road game for new head coach Eric Musselman who did a great job in four years at Nevada but here comes his first true test against a team from a major conference. Here, we play on underdogs off a cover where the team lost straight up as an underdog, with four starters returning from last year in the first 10 games of the season. This situation is 75-41 ATS (64.7 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (772) Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

This is a play on the ST. BONAVENTURE BONNIES for our CBB Saturday Afternoon Dominator. We won with St. Bonaventure last Saturday and we are backing them again here in a great matchup. The Bonnies opened the season 0-3 before a trip to Toronto where they defeated Rutgers by six points as nine-point underdogs an that momentum carries forward. The early 0-3 start is still sticking with some and that creates line value today. Going back, the Bonnies are 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 games against teams with a losing straight up record. Canisius has played Brown, Albany and Bucknell and has allowed an average of 79.7 ppg on 49.4 percent shooting so this is a recipe for disaster against a Bonnies offense that finally busted out. On offense, the Golden Griffins lost their two top scorers from last season and with the exception of Malik Johnson, there is little offense so far this season. The Golden Griffins are 5-14 ATS in their last 19 home games. 10* (613) St. Bonaventure Bonnies

This is a play on the OREGON DUCKS for our CBB Friday Supreme Annihilator. Oregon, picked to win the Pac 12 in the preseason, is coming off a 67-47 win over UT-Arlington. The early schedule also includes an 82-74 win over then-No. 13 Memphis as well as impressive blowout wins over Boise St. and Fresno St. the wins over the Tigers marked the first time in 23 years that Oregon defeated a non-conference opponent ranked 13th or higher during the regular season. Oregon features a veteran lineup with the top three scorers, Payton Pritchard, Anthony Mathis and Shakur Juiston, all seniors. Houston needed a big second half to defeat Rice in a come-from-behind victory. It was not impressive as the Owls are pegged to finish last in C-USA and this is by far the biggest test to date. The Cougars made a run to the Sweet 16 last season but they have to replace four starters and things are expected to be choppy early on. Here, we play on home favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points outscoring their opponents by 12 or more ppg, after allowing 50 points or less. This situation is 40-14 ATS (74.1 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (810) Oregon Ducks

This is a play on the WYOMING COWBOYS for our CBB Thursday Supreme Annihilator. Wyoming snapped a three-game losing streak with a win over Detroit on Tuesday while improving to 2-2 at home. Wyoming is holding opponents to 38 percent from the field to rank third in the MWC. Opponents are scoring 59.6 ppg, which also ranks third in the conference. Wyoming hit a season-high nine threes on Tuesday and dished out a season best 16 assists. Louisiana is also coming off a big home win as it defeated Youngstown St. at home by 12 points. The win gave Louisiana a 3-1 record and the Ragin Cajuns are now 3-0 at home early in the season. The road loss came at TCU, which is picked to finish last in the Big XII, by 33 points and they will have a challenge here playing in the thin air of Wyoming. They lost five of their top six scorers and are very thin right now because of injuries and eligibility issues. Here, we play on home teams as a favorite or pickem after beating the spread by more than 24 points in their previous game, in November games. This situation is 60-25 ATS (70.6 percent) since 1997. 10* (764) Wyoming Cowboys

This is a play on the VANDERBILT COMMODORES for our CBB Wednesday Supreme Annihilator. Vanderbilt had one of the worst SEC seasons ever as it went 0-18 and became the first team since 1953-54 to finish winless in the conference. Head coach Bryce Drew was let go after just three seasons as a new culture was needed and Jerry Stackhouse was brought in to change the course of the program. The Commodores are off to a 2-1 start with the lone loss coming on the road in overtime by a point at Richmond. They are back home to face Austin Peay and this is a big game to get another winning streak going and regain that early season confidence. As bad as they were, four starters are back so they are not starting over. The best player on the floor belongs to the Governors in Terry Taylor, the preseason OVC Player of the Year. Other than that, it gets a little thin. Austin Peay is off to a 1-2 start as it defeated some school named Oakland City while losing to Tulsa and Western Kentucky by an average of 14.5 ppg. Here, we play on home teams as a favorite or pickem with a winning percentage between .200 and .400 from last season, first five games of the season, after closing out last season with eight or more losses in last 10 games, playing a team that had a winning record last year. This situation is 27-3 ATS (90 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (714) Vanderbilt Commodores

This is a play on the DAVIDSON WILDCATS for our CBB Tuesday Supreme Annihilator. Davidson is coming off a great season last year but it was a disappointing finish as it won 24 games and won the Atlantic Ten regular season title but lost to St. Louis in the tournament and then bowed out in the first round of the NIT. Expectations are higher this season with all five starters back including a pair of preseason Atlantic Ten First Team players. The Wildcats opened this season with a pair of losses away from home but bounced back with a blowout win over UNC Wilmington in its home opener by 38 points so that should be a springboard going forward. Nevada blew through the MWC last season with a 15-3 record and it won 29 games overall for the second straight season but lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. While it is not a total rebuild, the Wolf Pack will not be close to the same level as they have to replace all five starters. They are off to a 2-2 start and tonight represents their first road game of the season. Here, we play on favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points that had a winning percentage between .600 and .800 playing a team that had a winning record, with three or more starters returning from last year than opponent, in the first ten games of the season. This situation is 37-12 ATS (75.5 percent) since 1997. 10* (640) Davidson Wildcats

This is a play on the MISSOURI TIGERS for our CBB Monday Supreme Annihilator. We played against Missouri last Tuesday as it fell in overtime at Xavier but the Tigers head back home in a great spot. This defense is for real as they are allowing opponents to shoot just 32.4 percent from the floor which is 9th in the country while allowing only 53.7 ppg, 13th in the nation. The Tigers are 8-0-1 ATS in their last nine non-conference games. Wofford comes to Columbia on a two-game losing streak and in still trying to find their identity. The Terriers were one of the best unknown teams last year, ending the year at 18 in KenPom and only missing the Sweet 16 by six points. But Wofford no longer fields Fletcher Magee, the sharpshooting guard who holds the NCAA all-time career record for three-pointers. The Terriers traveled to Hinkle Fieldhouse to get whacked by Butler last week and things will not be any easier here. Here, we play on home teams off a cover where the team lost straight up as an underdog, marginal losing team from last season (40% to 49%) playing a team that had a winning record. This situation is 43-15 ATS (74.1 percent) since 1997. 10* (616) Missouri Tigers

This is a play on the SETON HALL PIRATES for our CBB Sunday Star Attraction. While Seton Hall rolled in its first two games against two cupcake teams, it was tested in Game Three and nearly pulled off the upset. The Pirates, ranked No. 12 in the AP Poll, nearly pulled off the upset as they lost by just three points against Michigan St. as they fell victim to a 10-2 run by the Spartans to close the game. This is a revenge game as well as a year ago to the day, the Billikens won at Seton Hall by a bucket and the Pirates have had this game circled, most notably Myles Powell who is arguably one of the best players in the country after he was held to 4-13 from the floor. While St. Louis is 3-0, it has beaten no one and it is a much different team than the one from last season that won four games in four days to make it to the NCAA Tournament. From the team that won at Seton Hall last season, the Billikens have three players from that game and they scored a combined seven points. Seton Hall is 10-1 ATS in its last 11 games coming off a cover where it lost straight up as an underdog. 10* (855) Seton Hall Pirates

This is a play on the ST. BONAVENTURE BONNIES for our CFB Saturday Star Attraction. St. Bonaventure is off to a surprising 0-3 start considering it brings back three starters from its 18-win team that made it all the way to the Atlantic Ten Conference Finals before losing to St. Louis by a bucket. The Bonnies are 0-3 for the first time in 15 years. They have been anemic offensively, averaging 59 ppg while shooting 35 percent from the field and 23 percent from three-point range. They trailed by two possessions or fewer deep into the second half of all three contests before fizzling out in the end and they are catching a big number here. Rutgers won its first three games but had a couple of close calls against Bryant and Drexel and that is saying a lot considering it was favored by double-digits in both of those. And all of those came at home so this is the Scarlet Knights first trip outside New Jersey. The Bonnies expect to have a big fan edge in Toronto based on campus proximity and how their fans travel. 10* (803) St. Bonaventure Bonnies

This is a play on the RHODE ISLAND RAMS for our CBB Friday Star Attraction. Both Alabama and Rhode Island enter this game with 1-1 records with the Tide coming off a win over Florida Atlantic while the Rams are coming off a blowout loss at Maryland. We feel Rhode Island bounces back at home as this is an experienced team that went through a lot of adversity last season and fought through it admirably. They have all five starters back this season and they are deeper and more talented than the team from last year. The Rams still have designs on doing enough damage in the nonconference portion of their schedule to be legitimate NCAA Tournament contenders by the time March rolls around. This is the first road game of the season for Alabama which likes to play up tempo but will likely be slowed down against the slower paced Rams. Alabama continues to list its top defender, Herb Jones, as a game-time decision with a hyperextended elbow. 10* (704) Rhode Island Rams

This is a play on the XAVIER MUSKETEERS for our CBB Tuesday Enforcer. Xavier remains home and will be out for some revenge tonight. The 2-0 Musketeers have limited their opponents to 39.3 percent shooting from the field and while the challenge goes up tonight, they have what it takes on both ends. In scouting Xavier, multiple Missouri players pointed to their big guards, Quentin Goodin and Dahmir Bishop, and experience, as the Musketeers bring back four starters. Forwards Tyrique Jones and Naji Marshall both average 18.5 ppg. Xavier is 13-3 ATS in its last 16 home games following two consecutive double-digit home wins. Missouri is also 2-0 and its defensive numbers are even more impressive. The unbeaten Tigers have held their first two opponents to 32.2 percent shooting from the floor but the competition goes up in a massive way. This is a rare non-conference road game for the Tigers and going back, they Tigers are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 road games against teams with a winning home record. Xavier lost at Missouri last season where nothing went right. The Musketeers made 19 shots in that game, turned the ball over 17 times and at one point, trailed by 29 points. They were out-rebounded, out-shot and out-hustled. 10* (756) Xavier Musketeers

This is a play on the HAWAII WARRIORS for our CBB Monday Enforcer. This is the second of a back-to-back for both Hawaii and Pacific with this being the third and final game of the Outrigger Resorts Rainbow Classic. Both teams were able to defeat Florida A&M but both lost to South Dakota. Hawaii should be able to make a run at the Big West Conference title this season after finishing fourth last year. The Warriors finished with 18 wins, the most since 2016-17, and they bring back three starters and nine players. They lost to South Dakota, which is expected to contend in the Summit League, as it was a two-point game with just 28 seconds left until the Coyotes pulled away. At the complete opposite end of the spectrum, Pacific brings in nine new players including just one starter. In their game against South Dakota, the Tigers lost by 10 points. This is going to be a long season for them with the new faces and coming off a season where it went 14-18, expectations are low. The Warriors are 6-2 ATS in their last eight games following a straight up loss while the Tigers are 4-13 ATS in their last 17 games following a non-conference game. 10* (746) Hawaii Warriors

This is a play on the LONG BEACH ST. 49ERS for our CBB Saturday Enforcer. Both San Diego and Long Beach St. are coming off losses in their openers but they were different results. The Toreros lost at home as an underdog to Cal Irvine but they did get the cover in the three-point loss. This is a big rebuilding year for San Diego following back-to-back 20-win seasons as it has to replace four starters including a pair of All-WCC players and three double-digit scorers. This team is very undersized and it showed in the first game as they were outrebounded 35-24. Long Beach St. had a much better loss at in lost by just four points at UCLA as a 17-point underdog. The 49ers fell victim to the home calls as they were outscored at the free throw line 22-8 so their 46.2 percent shooting including 47.4 percent from long range was for naught. It was a great effort and one that will give them confidence moving forward. As is the case every year with Long Beach St., it does not shy away from playing a tough schedule as it has upcoming games against Stanford, Sy. Marys and Arizona so this is a game for the taking. Here, we play on home teams that won between 40 and 49 percent of their games from last season off a cover where the team lost straight up as an underdog, playing a team that had a winning record. This situation is 41-13 ATS (75.9 percent) since 1997. 10* (666) Long Beach St. 49ers

This is a play on the SEATTLE REDHAWKS for our CBB Thursday Enforcer. Seattle heads to Pullman to take on Washington St. to face the Cougars, the first of four upcoming road games against major Division I schools. The Redhawks are coming off an 18-15 season where they made it to the CIT Tournament for the second year in a row and expectations are greater this season. They were gutted by injuries last season but were able to close the season strong to make another postseason run. Seattle has four starters back this season, two which are on the preseason WAC All-Conference First Team in Terrell Brown and Myles Carter. The Redhawks have a big edge here as they already have a game under their belt, a 98-64 win over Pacific Lutheran. The Cougars are under a different regime as Kyle Smith is in his first year as head coach. Washington St. went 11-21 last year and was 2nd to last in the Pas 12 with a 4-14 conference record. The Cougars are looking to improve this season and make moves to be competitive in the Pac 12 but they do not have a lot coming back and playing in a new system will have the Cougars come out of the gates slow. 10* (733) Seattle Redhawks

This is a play on the CHARLOTTE 49ERS for our CFB Wednesday Enforcer. It is safe to say that a lot of the making of this line is based on the results from last season, namely the 8-21 record posted by Charlotte. The 49ers are expected to be a much improved team as they were crushed with injuries last season and it already showed in an exhibition against Georgia where the Bulldogs had to use a 10-1 run to pull it out. Charlotte welcomes graduate transfers Amidou Bamba and Drew Edwards to the roster, as well as a talented group of freshmen featuring three-star recruit Jahmir Young. James Madison went 14-19 last season and there is not much to be too excited about as the Dukes are projected to finish seventh in the 10-team CAA. This game features two coaches that rely on aggressive defense which means this could be turned into a low scoring game. More importantly, James Madison coach Louis Rowe saw his defense regress from 2018-19 as it plummeted all the way down to 302nd in adjusted defensive efficiency. Meanwhile Charlotte coach Ron Sanchez, a disciple of Tony Bennett at Virginia, saw his team improve from 312th to 224th in his first year and the 49ers should be even better this season. 10* (707) Charlotte 49ers

This is a play on the CAL RIVERSIDE HIGHLANDERS as part of our CBB Tuesday Trifecta. Cal Riverside has won just 27 games over the last three years combined going from eight to nine to ten victories. This is the second season for head coach David Patrick and generally, there is improvement in year two ass long as there are pieces in place and that is the case for the Highlanders. They bring back four starters and the strength is in the backcourt as they finished ranked No. 27 in the country in three point shooting. Defense was an issue last season but they should not have to worry much about that here against a Nebraska team that was gutted. It was expected to be a big season for the Huskers last year but they had to settle for an NIT berth and failed to make it past the second round. Tim Miles was let go and Fred Hoiberg was hired and while that is a very good hire, he has nothing to work with. Only one player that saw playing time is back this season, Thorir Thorbjarnarson and he averaged just 2.0 ppg. There are solid transfers on the team but it will be along uphill battle. 9* (665) Cal Riverside Highlanders

This is a play on the NORTHERN IOWA PANTHERS as part of our CBB Tuesday Trifecta. Northern Iowa finished 16-18 last season including a 9-9 record in the MVC but the Panthers are expected to make a jump back up into the upper tier of the conference. They ended last season playing in the MVC Championship so there is positive momentum heading into this season. Inexperience has been an issue the last couple seasons but that is not the case as Northern Iowa has four starters back and six seniors on the roster. They are led by a sophomore however as A.J. Green led the team in scoring at 15 ppg, was named MVC Freshman of the Year and is on the preseason MVC All First Team. Old Dominion won the regular season C-USA Championship but it will be taking a step back this season. Only two starters are back and gone are 50.8 ppg from the program which is tough for a team that could not score last season while being ranked No. 238 in adjusted offensive efficiency. The Monarchs do not bring anyone back that average double digits in scoring. 9* (642) Northern Iowa Panthers

This is a play on the BRADLEY BRAVES as part of our CBB Tuesday Trifecta. Bradley made an improbable postseason run last season as it won the MVC Championship to secure its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2005-06. The Braves have two players on the preseason MVC All First Team in Elijah Childs and Darrell Brown and overall, they bring back their top three scorers. While Bradley was just 5-8 on the road, high expectations are making it the favorite here as is the fact that it looks like another rebuilding year for the Hawks. They finished 14-19 last season which led to the firing of longtime head coach Phil Martelli. St. Joseph's lost four starters and lost four players in total to transfer and chemistry will be an issue early on as only four players are back and one of those did not even play last season. Anthony Longpre is the one returning starter and he averaged a mere 3.2 ppg . The Hawks are in for a long season and now is the time to go against them before the market catches up. 10* (617) Bradley Braves

This is a play on the TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS for our CBB National Championship Winner. Virginia escaped another near loss as it has been taken to the brink in each of its last three games with the final two going their way on controversial calls. Texas Tech pulled away and survived a late rally from Michigan St. to reach its first ever championship game and it has looked much better in the process than the Cavaliers. Virginia has the stingiest defense in the country measured in points allowed at 55.5 ppg but Texas Tech has been even more impressive at that end of the floor during the tournament. What the Red Raiders, who top the nation in defensive efficiency, did against Michigan and Michigan St. en route to the title game was extraordinary. The Red Raiders have held their last three opponents to a combined 74 points under their average. They also showed a huge team effort and is just not made up of two stars. Texas Tech won on a night in which Jarrett Culver, its leading scorer, hit his last two shots to finish 3-of-12 from the field and scored just 10 points. It won on a night when its best shot-blocker, Tariq Owens, limped from the floor early in the second half and did not return for almost eight minutes. The Cavaliers force opponents to settle for outside shots and they excel at making those looks as ineffective as possible. However, Texas Tech has the ability to get it done from outside as the Red Raiders are shooting 36.5 percent from three-point range for the season. Texas Tech is 14-3 ATS against teams shooting 45 percent or better this season. 10* (811) Texas Tech Red Raiders

This is a play on the TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS for our CBB Texas Tech/Michigan St. Winner. This has the makings of a low scoring, grind-it-out type of game and that favors the underdog, a spot the Red Raiders have been in during their previous two wins over Michigan and Gonzaga. Texas Tech has won its tournament games by an average of 15 ppg thanks to a stop unit that has picked up right where it left off. Texas Tech has the nation's stingiest defense, according to KenPom, allowing just 84.0 points per 100 possessions. The Red Raiders are holding teams to 36.9 percent shooting overall and just 29.3 percent from three-point range, and the Spartans are making just 35.3 percent from beyond the arc in the NCAA tournament after finishing the regular season and Big Ten tournament at 38.1 percent. Texas Tech held Gonzaga's potent offense, the highest-scoring in the country, to just 69 point, almost 20 below their season average. The Spartans do possess Big Ten Player of the Year point guard Cassius Winston and many are saying he will be the difference maker. However, the Red Raiders could have the difference maker in Big 12 Player of the Year Jarrett Culver who is averaging 21.5 ppg, 6.8 rpg and 4.5 apg in the NCAA Tournament. Here, we play against neutral court teams after three or more consecutive unders and averaging 77 or more ppg on the season. This situation is 97-56 ATS (63.4 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (801) Texas Tech Red Raiders

This is a play on the AUBURN TIGERS for our CBB Auburn/Virginia Winner. Auburn escaped a late collapse against New Mexico St. and while many doubted the Tigers after that near collapse, they used that as motivation to take out three college basketball blue bloods in Kansas, North Carolina and Kentucky. That is a very impressive run and one that is much better than Virginia which played against much lesser competition and struggled over the last two games to get through to the Final Four. Some consider Auburn an underachiever but it came into the season ranked No. 11 so if anything, the Tigers underachieved during the middle of the season and are peaking at the right time. The NCAA Tournament run came on the heels of winning the SEC Tournament so this team is for real yet Auburn is getting no respect based on this line. This is a matchup of strength against strength on both ends as Auburn loves to put up points in a hurry, while Virginia is all about forcing difficult shots and playing stifling defense. On the other end, the Cavaliers only turn the ball over nine times per game, while the Tigers are one of the best in forcing turnovers with 17.33 per game which is seventh in the country. The Tigers are going to keep shooting threes no matter the score and whether they are falling or not, so they can mount comebacks, as we saw against Kentucky after falling behind 22-11, and build leads in a hurry. 10* (803) Auburn Tigers

This is a play on the LIPSCOMB BISONS for our CBB NIT Championship Enforcer. It was a disappointing end for the Bisons after losing to Liberty in the Atlantic Sun Championship but instead of calling it a season, they put their head down in search of another goal. They won their first three games on the road and then took care of Wichita St. in the Semifinals at MSG. Libscomb overcame an 11-point deficit with just over eight minutes remaining against the Shockers and ended up winning by seven points. The Bisons have the 18th-highest assist rate in the country, and that helped make the difference, generating assists on each of their final six made field goals. Lipscomb is 6-0 ATS in its last six games away from home when playing against a team with a winning record while going 12-2 ATS in non-conference games this season. Texas has used a strong defense to get this far but the offense has struggled over the last two games and the Longhorns could be in trouble against a tough perimeter defense. Lipscomb is surrendering the 47th-lowest three-point percentage at 31.9 percent with its sound on-ball defense. Texas went 7-15 from the free throw line against TCU and is hitting a dreadful 57.8 percent from the stripe over its last five games. The Longhorns are 1-8 ATS in their last nine games after a game shooting 53 percent our worse from the free throw line. 10* (727) Lipscomb Bisons

Duke has survived two close call in its last two games and those can be considered against non-elite competition so all signs point to a Michigan St. victory based on that. UCF and Virginia Tech each had a shot with a last second tip-in, the former for the win and the latter to send their game to overtime, but neither could capitalize on the opportunity. While the offense is what everybody talks about for Duke, it is the defense that has defined its season. Duke is a perfect 29-0 when it holds opponents to 76 points or fewer this season. On the other hand, the Blue Devils are 3-5 when opponents score more than 76 and they face a Michigan St. team that is averaging just 72.3 ppg in the six neutral site games since the start of the Big Ten Tournament. While these are two legendary coaches going at it, this has been a one-sided affair as Tom Izzo has a 1-11 career record against Mike Krzyzewski and that says something. The value is here as well as Duke 10-2 ATS in its last 12 games after failing to cover the spread in three or more consecutive games. 9* (692) Duke Blue Devils

The big upset yesterday came with Texas Tech taking out Gonzaga and we expect to see another one today in Auburn taking out Kentucky. The loss of Chuma Okeke is obviously huge for the Tigers but this is what brings teams even closer together. "I feel like it's gonna motivate us knowing that one of our soldiers aren't able to be out there and battle with us," guard Bryce Brown said. Auburn, with this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take out Kansas, North Carolina and Kentucky, will show up. The Tigers have hit 438 (11.5 per game), which is the most in college basketball this season (and just 26 shy of the all-time mark for a season, set last season by Villanova), so they are in good company. They have double-revenge on the plate as well and in the most recent meeting, Auburn was just 8-27 from long-range and we can call that an anomaly as Kentucky is not a great defense out on the perimeter. Auburn is 13-5 ATS in its last 18 games after two straight games where they made 10 or more three-point shots. 10* (693) Auburn Tigers

Defense will be the story in this game as well as Virginia has one of the best units in the country. The Cavaliers have allowed just 52 ppg in their three NCAA Tournament games so that side will not be an issue but it is the offense that will need to put up a better performance. They shot just 35.7 percent against Oregon as the Ducks matchup zone caused problems and there is one player ready for a breakout as Kyle Guy is just 8-for-38 in the tournament, including 3-for-26 from three-point range. The Boilermakers easily defeated Old Dominion and defending national champion Villanova in the first two rounds, but they needed overtime to defeat Tennessee in the Sweet 16 on Thursday after blowing an 18-point lead. It was a controversial end in regulation on a three-point shot foul so Purdue is fortunate to ever be here. Virginia is 10-1 ATS in its last 11 games away from home after allowing 50 points or less. 10* (682) Virginia Cavaliers

Defense plays a big role this far into the NCAA Tournament and Texas Tech is showing what it has and what it can do. The Red Raiders have held 13 opponents below 55 points and they are giving up 53 points on 35.6 percent shooting in three NCAA Tournament wins. The last game against Michigan was almost comical as All-Big Ten point guard Zavier Simpson did not score and had one assist in 35 minutes while the Wolverines made 1 of 19 three-point shots. They had nearly as many turnovers (14) as field goals (16). Gonzaga will be a challenge coming in as the best offense in the country but it was tested against a strong Florida St. defense, needing a late surge to pull away late. The Red Raiders have proven to be able to shut down good offenses they are 12-3 ATS against teams that are shooting 45 percent or better this season which will keep this one close and an outright win is more than possible. 10* (683) Texas Tech Red Raiders

This is a play on the HOUSTON COUGARS for our CBB Friday Enforcer. We played against Kentucky last Saturday and it was fortunate to come away with the win and cover as Fletcher Magee, the all-time leading three-point shooter, went 0-12 from long range yet the game still came down to the final seconds. Houston had no issues with Georgia St. and Ohio St. and the Cougars are catching the smallest number of the four Friday games but that is for a reason as the overall numbers actually favor them slightly. Kentucky currently ranks seventh overall in KenPom efficiency, thanks in large part to their eighth-ranked defense. The offense is not far behind at 11th overall. As for the Cougars, they rank 12th overall on the strength of their 12th-ranked defense. They are actually the top team in the nation in terms of opponent effective field-goal percentage. They rank fifth in opponent two-point percentage and first in opponent three-point percentage. Houston has had four players in double figures in both games and will need that balance throughout the lineup to beat Kentucky and that certainly is not out of the question. The Cougars are 20-9-1 ATS in their last 30 games against teams with a winning percentage above .600 while the Wildcats are 1-4 ATS in their last five games following an ATS win. 10* (671) Houston Cougars

This is a play on the TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS for our CBB Thursday Underdog Winner. Both Texas Tech and Michigan blew through their first two opponents but the test will be tough for each come Thursday. The Red Raiders are another team peaking at the right time as since a three-game losing streak in late January, they are 13-2 over their last 15 games. Michigan has not been nearly as consistent down the stretch and while its last three losses came against Michigan St., the Red Raiders are built very similar to the Spartans. Expect Texas Tech to challenge Michigan the same way Michigan St. did in its three wins over the Wolverines this year which is to force them to beat you off the dribble or hit tough shots from outside. The Wolverines have already proven it is difficult for them to beat defenses one-on-one as they are in the lower half of the country for scoring efficiency in isolation and they shoot just 32 percent on jump shots off the dribble. Offensively, the Red Raiders showed great balance against Buffalo last Sunday and the Bulls are very similar to Michigan in regard to the defense. Distributing the contributions on offense will lead to Texas Tech winning this game. The Red Raiders are 8-0 ATS in their last eight games against teams with a winning straight up record while the Wolverines are 4-11 ATS in their last 15 games after allowing less than 50 points in their previous game. 9* (657) Texas Tech Red Raiders

This is a play on the PURDUE BOILERMAKERS for our CBB Thursday Enforcer. Purdue and Tennessee come into the Sweet 16 riding different paths. The Boilermakers were not challenged in their two games, winning by a combined 39 points while the Volunteers struggled to beat Colgate and needed overtime to defeat Iowa after blowing a 25-point lead. While the previous two games should not have been too difficult, the Volunteers still struggled throughout large portions of both games and if they make the same mistakes against Purdue, they will have little chance of winning. Since losing by 18 points against Michigan St. back in January, Purdue is 16-3 so it comes in peaking at the right time. The key player and difference-maker in this matchup is Purdue guard Carsen Edwards, a first-team All-Big Ten selection. He leads the Big Ten in scoring at 23.6 points per game. And he isn't shy about getting up his shots, averaging 19.3 field-goal attempts per game. He shoots a modest 38.9 percent from the field, but that includes a clip of 34.6 percent from 3-point range. The Volunteers had issues with Jordan Burns and Jordan Bohannon in the last two games and neither of those two compare to Edwards. Tennessee is 2-8 ATS in its last 10 games against teams outscoring opponents by four or more ppg while the Boilermakers are 40-19 ATS in their last 59 non-conference games. 10* (651) Purdue Boilermakers

This is a play on the UC IRVINE ANTEATERS for our NCAA Sunday Late Night Winner. Oregon made an unexpected run through the Pac 12 Tournament, winning four games in four days, just to get into the field. While the win over Wisconsin was very impressive, shooting an unconscious percentage from the floor is unlikely to repeat itself. The Anteaters 17-game winning streak no longer can be dismissed as a product of playing in the Big West Conference after its win over Kansas St. The Ducks typically need to use their size to their advantage around the glass but that should be neutralized here as UC Irvine comes in ranked No. 12 in Team Total Rebounding Percentage whereas Oregon is just No. 104. Additionally, UC Irvine is the best rim-protecting team in the nation, holding opponents to 44 percent shooting and 0.9 points per possession. 10* (873) UC Irvine Anteaters

This is a play on the HOUSTON COUGARS for our NCAA Sunday Enforcer. Ohio St. looked impressive in its win over Iowa St. on Friday but it is running into a buzzsaw on Sunday. The Cougars like to speed up the pace and will try to do so against Ohio St. as their quickness and efficiency on both ends of the court are hard to contain much less slow down. While the offense gets the pub, the Houston defense is among the best in the country, holding opponents to just 61.2 ppg and it is ranked No. 5 in the country in defensive efficiency. Despite allowing just five more ppg on defense, Ohio St. is ranked only No. 63 in that same category. Ohio St. is 3-10 ATS against teams outscoring their opponents by eight or more ppg this season while the Cougars are 24-11-1 ATS in their last 36 games against teams with a winning straight up record. 10* (872) Houston Cougars

This is a play on the AUBURN TIGERS for our NCAA Saturday Enforcer. The public is on Kansas, well, because it is Kansas being an underdog which rarely happens for the Jayhawks prior to the Sweet 16 and the near collapse for Auburn against New Mexico St. on Thursday. The Tigers are the favorites here despite two completely opposite performances in the first round but we are backing them here as Kansas will not get nearly the same lackluster effort that Northeastern put up. The Huskies came into that game as a proficient three-point shooting team but went just 6-28 from long range. Auburn presents the same style but do not expect a repeat performance of bad shooting. Defense presents another problem for the Jayhawks, in that Auburn leads the country in forcing turnovers, with opponents turning it over on 25.1 percent of their possessions. Kansas actually turned it over 12 times against Northeastern and if you extrapolate that against a much better defense, that spells trouble for the Jayhawks. 10* (849) Auburn Tigers

This is a play on the BAYLOR BEARS for our NCAA Saturday Ultimate Underdog. Baylor is coming off a convincing win over Syracuse in the first round as it pulled away late for the nine-point win which snapped a four-game skid for the Bears. This is the biggest line for all of the 16 weekend games and we will take advantage of overpricing based on perceived Gonzaga dominance. The Bulldogs rolled through the West Coast Conference as expected but went just 2-2 in non-conference games and while one of those wins was against Duke, it was before the current Duke which was still trying to find its stride at the time. With a number this big, second chance points are key and Baylor has the edge here. The Bears rebound the ball extremely well as they are second in the nation in offensive rebounding percentage. Baylor has pulled down double-digit offensive rebounds in 14 of their last 18 games. Gonzaga has struggled all season on the defensive glass despite having a size advantage in most games against lesser teams. 9* (851) Baylor Bears

This is a play on the WOFFORD TERRIERS for our NCAA Saturday Early Shocker. Kentucky can typically go a long way with its athleticism but it can only go so far. The Wildcats are already short-handed, and sophomore forward P.J. Washington, their leading scorer and rebounder, will miss the game with a sprained right foot, leaving them with a slim eight-man rotation. Against a small conference, this is a game they typically would win going away but that is not the case today. Wofford is legit. The Terriers are 13th in the NET rankings, won a school-record 30 games and have won 21 consecutive games. Their No. 7 seed is the best for a Southern Conference team since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985. The Terriers rank 62nd in the country in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency and are also one of the few teams that can battle Kentucky on the offensive boards. They do play in the So-Con but their non-conference schedule was legit so there is no intimidation here. 10* (843) Wofford Terriers

This is a play on the VIRGINIA TECH HOKIES for our Friday NCAA Tournament Enforcer. The Hokies come into the NCAA Tournament as a No. 4 seed, the highest in program history, so there are expectations. Starting point guard Justin Robinson will rejoin the Hokies after missing 12 games due to a foot injury. Virginia Tech went 7–5 in his absence while going 17-3 prior to his injury. Robinson was averaging 13.7 ppg and 5.2 apg and was a staple to the team so his return is perfect timing for the Hokies. There will be added motivation as after first-round exits in each of the last two tournaments, the Hokies want to shed the label of a team that can't win in March. St. Louis comes in with a NET Ranking of No. 103 so there is a reason this line is what it is. The Billikens won four games in four days to capture the Atlantic Ten Tournament but this is not a good matchup. The rotation is extremely thin and foul trouble could be a problem moving forward with just two offensive big-men. Though Dion Wiley is listed as the seventh-man in the rotation, he played more than six minutes in the Atlantic Ten Tournament one time. Technically, the Billikens are a six-man rotation team. 10* (824) Virginia Tech Hokies

This is a play on the UTAH ST. AGGIES for our Friday NCAA Tournament Supreme Annihilator. Utah St. is one of just a handful of teams that come into the NCAA Tournament with a winning streak and it helps the Aggies out immensely. They took home the Mountain West Conference Tournament, although they avoided having to face Nevada, to extend their winning streak to 10 games. This is their first tournament since 2011 and the program has not won an NCAA Tournament game since 2001 when they beat Ohio St. in the first round so that momentum becomes even more important. The Aggies want to win with their up-tempo offense as they are tied for 39th in the country at 79.1 ppg. One of the ways they generate offense is by spreading the ball around as Utah St. is ninth in the nation at 17.1 assists per game. The Aggies went 3-2 against Quadrant 1 opponents, 2-3 versus Quadrant 2 foes and 22-1 against everybody else on their schedule. Washington made it all the way to the final game of the Pac 12 Tournament but the Huskies have had their issues recently. They are just 4-3 over their last seven games with all of those wins coming by no more than five points. The defense will have its hands full here as they struggled on that end during this recent stretch. 10* (812) Utah St. Aggies

This is a play on the UC IRVINE ANTEATERS for our Friday NCAA Tournament Early Shocker. Kansas St. is coming off a surprisingly good season as it captured a share of the Big XII regular season championship with Texas Tech and despite the seeding variance here, the Wildcats got a bad draw. Kansas St. will be without second leading scorer and leading rebounder Dean Wade and his absence will be felt down low. This hurts even more with this draw. The Wildcats take a third of their field goal attempts near the rim and are terrible at those attempts at 51 percent shooting and just one point per possession, putting them in the 8th percentile in the country. UC Irvine, by comparison, is the best rim-protecting team in the nation, holding opponents to 44 percent shooting and 0.9 points per possession. The Anteaters enter the NCAA Tournament having won 16 straight games. At 30-5 they have one of the best records in college basketball. The vast majority of their wins came against other mid-majors, but UC Irvine did beat Texas A&M in November, as well as NCAA Tournament teams Montana and Saint Mary's. This was tabbed by the public as a possible upset and despite the conference differential, the matchup itself does in fact call for it. 9* (827) UC Irvine Anteaters

This is a play on the IOWA HAWKEYES for our Friday NCAA Tournament Afternoon Dominator. With the way the seasons closed out in opposite ways for Iowa and Cincinnati, the public is all over the Bearcats in this matchup. Cincinnati is riding the momentum from winning the AAC Tournament that included an upset win over Houston in the championship game. Iowa closed the season with losses in five of its last six games but this is a very efficient offense as four of five starters average double figures in scoring and shoot 40 percent or better from the field. The Hawkeyes enter the tournament with the 15th best adjusted offensive efficiency in the country according to KenPom and are great at getting to the free throw line with free throw attempts accounting for 42 percent of all of its field goals, the 14th highest in the nation. Cincinnati's defense ranks 114th for putting opponents on the free throw line. The Bearcats also struggle to slow down spot-up shooters, a strength of Iowa. This season, the Hawkeyes scored 1.1 points per possession on spot-up attempts, placing them in the 95th percentile on these plays. Cincinnati's defense against these plays put it in the 78th percentile. 13 of the Bearcats games this year have been decided by five points or less. 9* (805) Iowa Hawkeyes

This is a play on the MURRAY ST. RACERS for our NCAA Tournament Enforcer. This is an intriguing matchup between two teams that have the top two scorers in the nation among teams playing in the NCAA Tournament. Murray St. matches up well here and has the ability on both sides of the ball to pull off the outright upset. Ja Morant, who is averaging 24.6 ppg, 10 apg and 5.5 rpg and is projected to be a top-three pick in the NBA draft this summer in leading the Racers to the OVC Championship. For as great as Morant is at scoring, no one in college basketball plays as critical of a role in complementing the entire team. Morant is No. 1 overall in assist rate per KenPom, which contributes directly to the Racers' No. 5 national ranking in two-point field-goal percentage. Marquette got off to a great start this season but is wilting at the wrong time as the Golden Eagles have lost five of their last six games coming into the NCAA Tournament. The offense is very good but the Racers were undefeated (17-0) this season when holding teams below 70 points. Murray St. is 11-3 ATS away from home after one or more consecutive wins this season. 10* (761) Murray St. Racers

This is a play on the VERMONT CATAMOUNTS for our NCAA Tournament Ultimate Underdog. Vermont owns impressive wins over Yale, Harvard, St. Bonaventure and Northeastern while sticking around against Kansas and Louisville. The Catamounts do the right things to win as they are ranked 2nd in the country at keeping opponents off the offensive glass, grabbing 78.2 percent of the available defensive rebounds. Vermont also excels at defending two-point shots, limiting opponents to 46.5 percent inside the arc, good for 38th in the nation. Impressively, they play good defense without fouling, ranking 22nd in the nation in terms of opponents FTA/FGA. Florida St. closed the season strong before running up against Duke and the Seminoles have been an historic disappointment in the NCAA Tournament. The underdog is 14-1 ATS with 11 outright wins in Florida State's last 15 NCAA Tournament games. And in Leonard Hamilton's 15 NCAA Tourney games as head coach, the underdog is 15-4 ATS with 11 outright wins. He is 3-8 ATS with 6 SU losses as a favorite. 9* (763) Vermont Catamounts

This is a play on the NEW MEXICO AGGIES for our NCAA Tournament Early Shocker. Auburn enters the Big Dance 26-9 overall after winning four games in four days in the SEC Tournament to claim an automatic bid. Despite this, Auburn is just a No. 5 seed. The Tigers are at a huge disadvantage on the glass as New Mexico St. is one of the top rebounding teams in the nation and it is ranked No. 1 in Total Rebounding Percentage. Auburn is 1-8 ATS in its last nine games against teams outrebounding their opponents by seven or more per game. No one comes into the NCAA Tournament hotter than New Mexico St. as it has not lost a game since Jan. 3, when it fell to California Baptist, 82-76. It was the worst loss on the Aggies resume this season but since then, they have won 19 consecutive games. The level of competition has had a lot to do with this as the Aggies have not played an actual, real team since they lost to Kansas on December 2. But it needs to be noted than they lost that game by just three points on a neutral floor in Kansas City. 9* (781) New Mexico St. Aggies

This is a play on the YALE BULLDOGS for our NCAA Tournament Afternoon Dominator. We played against LSU in its first game in the SEC Tournament as there are a lot of distractions with this team right now and we see it continuing. The Tigers will be without their head coach, Will Wade, who was suspended by the school due to recruiting violations. This is just the second NCAA Tournament appearance for the Tigers in the last 10 years. Interim coach Tony Benford was able to lead the Tigers to a convincing win in the regular season finale but that came against Vanderbilt which did not win a single game in the SEC this season. LSU beats teams by turning them over, but Yale has the guards that can take care of the ball. Yale can make shots, and that will keep them in this game. The Bulldogs have won three straight games that included taking the two games in the Ivy League Tournament. Yale was able to pull off an upset over Baylor in the 2016 NCAA Tournament, and this team has the same type of feel. The Bulldogs are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games against teams with a winning percentage above .600. 10* (767) Yale Bulldogs

This is a play on the ARIZONA ST. SUN DEVILS for our CBB Wednesday NCAA Tournament Opener. Arizona St. is in a unique situation where it is playing a play in game for the second straight season after losing to Syracuse last year. The Sun Devils lost four of their last five games and went down in the first round of the Pac 12 Tournament so they came in with no momentum but this year is a different story. Arizona St. is back on track after winning six of its last eight games with both losses coming against Oregon, the last coming in overtime in the conference tournament. The Sun Devils are 4-0 ATS in their last four games following a straight up loss. St. John's stumbled badly down the stretch as it lost five of its last seven games heading into the NCAA Tournament, the latest being a 32-point loss against Marquette in the Big East Tournament. St. John's biggest weakness this year has been on the glass, where it gets out-rebounded by an average of 5.8 boards per game while Arizona St. is 15th in the nation in rebounding. That is bad news as St. John's is 3-12 ATS in its last 15 games away from home after three straight games being outrebounded by its opponent by six or more. 10* (713) Arizona St. Sun Devils

This is a play on the SAN DIEGO TOREROS for our CBB Tuesday NIT Enforcer. Expectations were high in San Diego this season and while a trip to the NCAA Tournament eluded them, the Toreros have their sights set on another championship. A challenging early schedule saw San Diego go 12-4 with four Pac-12 Conference opponents, where San Diego went 2-2, and it carried momentum into the WCC season but injuries to Isaiah Wright and Olin Carter III were major factors despite Isaiah Pineiro having an All-WCC First Team season. San Diego is 20-8 ATS in its last 28 games as a road underdog. Memphis had its AAC Tournament run end on its home floor against Houston and the three-point loss was very misleading. The Tigers shot just 23.5 percent from the floor but were able to keep it close thanks to going 22-26 from the free throw line. That free throw advantage will not be in play tonight as the Toreros have shot 81.6 percent from the line over their last five games. The Tigers are 1-4 ATS in their last five games following a straight up loss. 10* (685) San Diego Toreros