Sports Picks & Predictions

This is a play on the NEW MEXICO LOBOS as part of our CBB Saturday Trifecta. New Mexico is 2-1 at home within the conference and while an 11-point loss against UNLV may look bad, it came three days after a 27-point win over Nevada as a 15-point home underdog. The Lobos are home dogs again and this time coming off a loss which happened to be another one against the Rebels. New Mexico has covered two of three games this season as a home underdog. Utah St. has won three straight games to improve to 4-2 in the MVC and while it does include a pair of road wins, those were against San Jose St. and Wyoming which are a combined 8-29 on the season. The win at home came against 7-12 Colorado St. so by no means is the recent winning streak impressive. Utah St. is 0-9 ATS in its last nine road games after scoring 85 points or more. 9* (660) New Mexico Lobos

This is a play on the OREGON ST. BEAVERS as part of our CBB Saturday Trifecta. We played against Washington on Thursday as it dominated the first half against Oregon and held on for a five-point win. The Huskies are now a perfect 6-0 straight up and against the number in the Pac 12 and they are catching roughly the same number here as they were against Oregon which makes this intriguing considering the Beavers are ranked much lower in the power rankings than the Ducks. Oregon St. is coming off a 13-point win over Washington St. on Thursday and while that is not saying much, it does own impressive home wins over USC and UCLA and overall, the Beavers are 8-1 at home on the season. Oregon St. is 11-3 this season when favored and it has covered three of four home games against teams with a winning record and the Beavers have covered their last four games at home. 10* (670) Oregon St. Beavers

This is a play on the CREIGHTON BLUEJAYS for our CBB Friday Enforcer. Creighton is 11-8 overall and 2-4 in the Big East while having played the nation's ninth-toughest schedule, having already played 12 teams that won 21 games or more a year ago. The Bluejays are one of the best shooting teams in the country as they are second nationally in three-point percentage (.431), third in total three-pointers (231), third in three-pointers made per game (12.2) and fifth in field goal percentage (.505). While this might be considered a letdown for Creighton considering it is coming off a win at Georgetown as an underdog, the Bluejays are in full revenge mode here from a loss at Butler by 15 points just 20 days ago. Creighton is 11-2 ATS in its last 13 home games after allowing 80 points or more. The Bulldogs are coming off a loss against Villanova and they hit the road where they are just 1-4 with the lone victory coming against DePaul. Butler is 1-9 ATS in its last 10 road games against teams shooting 48 percent or better while going 2-12 ATS in its last 14 road games after playing a home game. 10* (858) Creighton Bluejays

This is a play on the OREGON DUCKS as part of our CBB Thursday Trifecta. Washington is off to a perfect 5-0 start in the Pac 12 and it has covered all of those games as well. Four of the five victories have come by double-digits including one of two conference games played on the road. While the Huskies start in conference play is impressive, it has also come against some of the weaker teams in the Pac 12 as none of five wins have come against teams ranked in the top 99 of the latest NCAA Net Rankings. Going back, the Huskies are 2-6-1 ATS in their last nine games against teams with a winning percentage above .600 while going 3-12 ATS in their last 15 road games after two straight wins by 15 points or more. Oregon upset Arizona on the road last Thursday but letdown the next game as it lost at Arizona St. two days later by 14 points. Overall, it has been a disappointing season for the Ducks but this is a chance for another quality win. Oregon is 20-9 ATS in its last 29 games against teams outscoring their opponents by four or more ppg in the second half of the season while going 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games following a loss. 10* (654) Oregon Ducks

This is a play on the SOUTHERN MISS GOLDEN EAGLES as part of our CBB Thursday Trifecta. Southern Miss is coming off its toughest stretch of its schedule as eight of its last 10 games have come away from home resulting in six losses. The Golden Eagles are 3-4 in C-USA with both home games turning into wins against Middle Tennessee St. and UAB and they are 6-1 at home on the season. They are coming off a loss at Old Dominion as Southern Miss led 22-15 at the nine-minute mark of the first half, but four straight three-pointers from allowed Old Dominion to retake the lead and closed the first half on a 25-7 run. The Golden Eagles are 28-14 ATS in their last 42 home games after a loss by 15 points or more while going 18-7 ATS in their last 25 home games against teams with a road winning percentage of less than .400. The Hilltoppers are coming off a three-game homestand where they went 2-1 including wins in the final two games against Marshall and Florida Atlantic. The road has not been kind as Western Kentucky is just 2-6 and going back, it is 17-32 ATS in its last 49 games as a road favorite of three points or less or as a pickem. 9* (636) Southern Miss Golden Eagles

This is a play on the UTSA ROADRUNNERS as part of our CBB Thursday Trifecta. We played on Charlotte on Monday and after building a 10-point lead at halftime, the 49ers eventually fell behind by 15 points but were still able to come back and sneak in under the number. That was their third straight home game and now they hit the road where they are 1-7 including 1-4 in true road games. As mentioned Monday, their defense has steadily improved but their five-guard lineup could struggle here against one of the best backcourt duos in Jhivvan Jackson and Keaton Wallace, who average combined 39.8 ppg. Charlotte 3-11 ATS in its last 14 road games after a game where they covered the spread while going 1-6 ATS in its last seven road games following three or more consecutive home games. UTSA is 4-2 in the conference with both losses coming last week on the road but it heads back home where it is riding a six-game home winning streak. The Roadrunners have been solid when laying points as they are 4-1 ATS as favorites and included in the six-game winning streak is a five-game ATS unbeaten streak on their home floor. 9* (644) UTSA Roadrunners

This is a play on the TCU HORNED FROGS as part of our CBB Wednesday Trifecta. Texas snapped a three-game losing streak on Saturday as it defeated Oklahoma by three points and now it hits the road where it has played just three road games, going 1-2. The Longhorns are struggling to defend the three-point line, ranking ninth in the Big 12 in opposing three-point percentage and in the last four games, Texas has allowed opponents to shoot 42.9 percent from beyond the arc. This is not a good trend considering the Horned Frogs are shooting 39.5 percent from long range over their last five games. The Longhorns are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games against teams with a winning percentage above .600. TCU has lost three of its last four games to fall to 2-3 in the conference but those three losses came on the road. The Horned Frogs are 8-1 at home and going back, TCU is 6-0 ATS in its last six home games after one or more consecutive losses. 9* (794) TCU Horned Frogs

This is a play on the VANDERBILT COMMODORES as part of our CBB Wednesday Trifecta. Tennessee has taken over the No. 1 spot in the country for just the second time in program history and playing its first game on the road against a hungry opponent is not the ideal situation. The Volunteers spent one week at No. 1 in February 2008 but a loss followed against Vanderbilt. We expect some complacency here with Tennessee as teams not used to this stature tend to celebrate a little too long. The Volunteers have won 12 straight games while Vanderbilt has dropped five straight games and this is adding to the value. The Commodores are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games following a double-digit loss at home. Here, we play on underdogs of 10 or more points in the second half of the season that are averaging between 74 and 78 ppg going up against a team allowing between 63 and 67, after a loss by 15 points or more. This situation is 39-14 ATS (73.6 percent) since 1997. 9* (804) Vanderbilt Commodores

This is a play on the GEORGIA BULLDOGS as part of our CBB Wednesday Trifecta. Georgia has lost three straight games to fall to 1-4 in the SEC but the schedule has been a brutal one. The Bulldogs four losses came against Tennessee, Auburn, Kentucky and Florida and while this is another tough foe, the linemakers have taken that into consideration. They were on a 7-1 ATS run and going back, the Bulldogs are 6-2-1 ATS in their last nine games following a double-digit loss at home. LSU has started conference play 4-0 but only one of those was a quality win and now it is laying its biggest number in SEC play. The Tigers are 1-3-1 ATS in their last five games following a straight up win of more than 20 points. Here, we play on road teams as an underdog or pickem with a winning percentage between .501 and .600 coming off three straight losses against conference rivals, playing a winning team. This situation is 61-26 ATS (70.1 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (805) Georgia Bulldogs

This is a play on the ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE as part of our CBB Tuesday Triple Play. The Rebels have won 11 of its last 12 games and has beaten solid conference opponents Mississippi St. and Auburn along the way. The Rebels are coming off a dominating win over Arkansas on Saturday which made up for that lone loss with came against LSU by 14 points. The Crimson Tide have gone 2-3 in the SEC, including a buzzer-beater loss at the hands of Texas A&M and a road loss to Tennessee this past Saturday by three points. Alabama is 6-2 at home with the two losses coming by a combined four points and included in the wins are victories against Kentucky and Arizona. Alabama is currently tied with LSU and Mississippi St. in the SEC for most total wins against Quadrant 1 and Quadrant 2 opponents with seven. Overall, the Crimson Tide are 7-3, and undefeated against Q2 teams. The Alabama winning percentage is also tied for second-best behind Tennessee, who leads with .857 so this team is underrated right now. the Crimson Tide are 6-1-1 ATS in their last eight home games against teams with a winning road record. 10* (638) Alabama Crimson Tide

This is a play on the FLORIDA ST. SEMINOLES as part of our CBB Tuesday Triple Play. Clemson snapped a three-game losing streak with a win over Georgia Tech last Wednesday and has been off since then. That moved the Tigers to 1-3 in the conference and while those three wins have been against elite opposition, they have yet to defeat anyone of note the entire season as Clemson is 0-6 against the top 50. Its best win of the season came against No. 91 ranked South Carolina. The Tigers are 4-10 ATS in their last 14 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600 and they head to Tallahassee at the wrong time. Florida St. has dropped three straight games that opened with a two-point loss against Duke at home but the last two losses were inexcusable, coming at Pittsburgh and Boston College. This is a quick turnaround for the Seminoles which played Sunday and had their flight delayed foe six hours out of Boston but that is not a bad thing here considering what is at stake. Florida St. has won 39 of its last 42 games at home and will look to up its home record to 9-1 this season. 9* (618) Florida St. Seminoles

This is a play on the TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS as part of our CBB Tuesday Triple Play. Here we have two teams with identical 4-2 Big XII records and both have been put together in opposite ways. Texas Tech opened the season 4-0 in the conference but have since lost consecutive games for the first time this season. The Red Raiders fell at home to Iowa St. and then put up a bad second half on Saturday in an 11-point loss. Texas Tech's defense continues to lead nation by limiting opponents to 34.9 percent shooting, while it is second by holding opponents to 55.8 ppg and to 26.2 percent shooting on three-pointers. Kansas St. dropped its first two conference games but has won four straight since then, the last two coming by double-digits. The Wildcats have a very inconsistent offense as it is averaging only 65.6 ppg on 42.6 percent shooting including 31.4 percent from long range. This is the second meeting this season and Texas Tech held the wildcats to 33.3 percent shooting including 4-23 from behind the arc. Granted, Dean Wade did not play for Kansas St. so his return helps but the Wildcats are 2-5 ATS in their last seven home games. 9* (619) Texas Tech Red Raiders

This is a play on the CHARLOTTE 49ERS for our CBB Monday Enforcer. We played on Charlotte back on 12/18 against East Carolina with a big factor being the improved defense under new head coach Ron Sanchez who brought in the same system as Virginia where was an assistant coach. While it has taken some time, that unit is starting to gel and the 49ers are coming off their best defensive game of the season as they held Louisiana Tech to 40 points on 27.8 percent shooting. The 49ers are 5-0 ATS in their last five games against teams with a winning straight up record. Old Dominion defeated Southern Miss by 18 points which was its third straight win while snapping a three-game ATS losing skid. The Monarchs are 3-2 on the road but have failed to cover their last two, losing outright at Florida Atlantic as a favorite of seven points and defeating Florida International by just one point. The Monarchs are 2-5 ATS in their last seven road games against teams with a losing home record. Here, e play on underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points with a winning percentage between .200 and .400 off a double digit win as a underdog of six or more, playing a team with a winning record. This situation is 47-17 ATS (73.4 percent) since 1997. 10* (852) Charlotte 49ers

This is a play on the MISSOURI ST. BEARS for our CBB Sunday Enforcer. Missouri St. is coming off a home loss on Wednesday against Evansville as it shot just 39.7 percent from the floor including going only 3-16 (18.8 percent) from long range. That stopped some positive momentum as the Bears has won their previous two games, both on the road, against Indiana St. and Bradley. They have been favored in the last six meetings against Drake but are now catching points. The Bulldogs won at Bradley by 17 points on Wednesday as four-point underdogs but they are just 2-3 in the conference. They suffered a huge loss earlier this month with graduate transfer point guard Nick Norton going down for the season with a knee injury. He was their leading scorer with 15.5 ppg at the time while also leading the team in assists. 10* (825) Missouri St. Bears

This is a play on the TEXAS LONGHORNS as part of our CBB Saturday Triple Play. While this is a bigger rivalry on the football field, there is bad blood between these two teams on the basketball court as well and Texas is out for some payback after a recent poor stretch. The Longhorns have dropped three straight games including a pair against the top two teams in the Big XII in their last two. We won with Texas against Kansas on Monday as it lost by a bucket despite dominating the boards and committing just five turnovers. Going to the free throw line only seven times shows the home floor edge the Jayhawks had. Oklahoma came into the week ranked but is long gone following a 13-point home loss against Kansas St. The Sooners do possess a winning record on the road but two of those wins came against UTSA and Texas Rio Grande Valley. They are 2-15 ATS in their last 15 games following a double-digit loss as a favorite and they head to Texas at the wrong time. 9* (750) Texas Longhorns

This is a play on the BUTLER BULLDOGS as part of our CBB Saturday Triple Play. Butler is back home following three straight road games and it bounced back in the third one in a big win over Creighton following a pair of one-point losses at Seton Hall and Xavier. The Bulldogs are 8-1 at home this season with the lone loss coming against Georgetown by eight points in a game they were outscored by 11 points from the free throw line. They are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 home games against teams with a winning road record while going 11-3 ATS in their last 14 home games after one or more consecutive wins. St. John's is also coming off a win following a pair of losses to improve its record to 15-3 on the season which is one-win shy of its total victories from all of last season. It has certainly been a solid start for the Storm but they have played the No. 173 ranked schedule compared to Butler which has played the second toughest slat in the Big East at No. 26. 9* (692) Butler Bulldogs

This is a play on the VALPARAISO CRUSADERS as part of our CBB Saturday Triple Play. Valparaiso did not have a good transition from the Horizon League to the MVC as it finished in last place in its inaugural season. Things are on the way up however as the Crusaders are off to a 4-1 start in conference action and they look to bounce back following a loss at Loyola-Chicago by 17 points on Tuesday. That snapped a five-game winning streak and heading back home following two straight road games puts them in a great spot. Northern Iowa used to dominate the MVC but it finished send to late place last season and not much is expected this year either. The Panthers are coming off a pair of wins against Drake and Indiana St. but those were at home where they possess bad losses against Grand Canyon and Stony Brook. Northern Iowa is 1-4 on the road and going back, it is 5-15-1 ATS in its last 21 road games against teams with a winning home record. 10* (682) Valparaiso Crusaders

This is a play on the OHIO ST. BUCKEYES for our CBB Friday Enforcer. The Buckeyes have lost three consecutive games for the first time under second-year coach Chris Holtmann with the last two coming on the road. Ohio St. is 8-2 at home with the two losses being quality ones against Syracuse and Michigan St. and the goal tonight is to clean up the mistakes as it turned the ball over 34 times the past two games, including a season-high 21 vs. Iowa. Another key struggle area for Ohio St. has been the foul trouble of its top scorer, sophomore forward Kaleb Wesson so keeping him on the floor is huge. Ohio St. is 15-5 ATS in its last 20 home games after failing to cover four of its last five games. Maryland is a team trending very much in the opposite direction as after a tough loss to Seton Hall at the end of December, the Terrapins have rattled off six straight wins to work their way into the Top 25. They have had only two road games over this stretch and now comes their biggest test. Despite being ranked, we like the fact Maryland is the underdog here and Ohio St. gets the much needed victory to turn its season around. 10* (852) Ohio St. Buckeyes

This is a play on the ARIZONA ST. SUN DEVILS as part of our CBB Thursday Triple Play. The biggest early surprise in the PAC 12 is Oregon St. which is off to a 3-0 start which includes wins over USC and UCLA at home last week. The Beavers are up to 11 wins on the season which is just five fewer than all of last season and they are one of the remaining three teams undefeated in conference play along with Arizona and Washington. This is their best conference start since 1992-93 but going back, Oregon St. is 5-19 ATS in its last 24 games after four or more consecutive wins. Arizona St. got some momentum going with a pair of double-digit wins over Colorado and California but fell to Stanford by 14 points on Saturday. It returns home where it is 7-2 on the season including a win over then No.1 Kansas. The Sun Devils are 7-0 ATS in their last seven home games after allowing 85 points or more. 9* (652) Arizona St. Sun Devils

This is a play on the NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS as part of our CBB Thursday Triple Play. Michigan St. has gotten off to a 6-0 start in the Big Ten as it has now won 10 straight games while covering their last six. The Spartans are 3-0 on the road within the conference but this is their biggest test from an unlikely candidate. Michigan St. is 0-7 ATS in its last seven road games in the second half of the season against teams outscoring opponents by eight or more ppg. Nebraska has shook off a 1-3 start in the Big Ten with a pair of wins including a 15-point win at Indiana on Sunday. The Huskers are a perfect 9-0 at home including impressive wins over Creighton and Seton Hall by double-digits and going back, they are 8-1 ATS in their last nine home games against teams with a winning road record. Additionally, Nebraska is 6-0 ATS in its last six games against teams averaging 84 or more ppg. 9* (634) Nebraska Cornhuskers

This is a play on the UAB BLAZERS as part of our CBB Thursday Triple Play. UAB opened the conference season with a pair of wins over Florida Atlantic and Florida International but lost both games last week on the road to fall to 2-2 in C-USA. The Blazers are back home where they are 8-1 with the lone defeat coming against Troy by just one-point. They are extremely balanced with seven players averaging between 6.6 and 12.4 ppg and going back, the Blazers are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games following a straight up loss. UTEP snapped a three-game losing streak with an unimpressive one-point win over Rice on Saturday, considered by most as the worst team in the conference. That was the third straight home game for the Miners where they are 6-4 but they hit the road after dropping their first five games by an average of close to 18 ppg. The Miners are 0-5 ATS in their last five road games following three or more consecutive home games. 10* (636) UAB Blazers

This is a play on the BOSTON COLLEGE EAGLES for our CBB Wednesday Enforcer. Louisville is coming off a monumental upset as it went to Chapel Hill and beat North Carolina by 21 points as an 11-point underdog. It was even more shocking considering its previous game resulted in a loss against Pittsburgh, a team that did not win a single conference game last season. The Cardinals are 0-3-1 ATS in their last four games following a straight up win. Boston College has opened 0-3 in the ACC but two of those games came against Virginia and Virginia Tech, two top ten teams, while the other came at Notre Dame, which is a difficult venue, by just three points. The Eagles have covered all five games away from home this season and they are 6-0 ATS in their last six games after having lost four of their last five games. Here, we play on road underdogs of 10 to 19.5 points off a road cover where the team lost straight up as an underdog going up against an opponent off an upset win as a road underdog. This situation is 73-36 ATS (67 percent) since 1997. 10* (797) Boston College Eagles

This is a play on the TEXAS LONGHORNS for our CBB Monday Star Attraction. We played on Kansas last Wednesday as it defeated TCU but the matchup is more difficult tonight and the Jayhawks are laying a bucket more. They are coming off a win over Baylor on Saturday as they were outrebounded 44-26 with a lot of that due to the season-ending injury to junior center Udoka Azubuike. With Azubuike out, the Jayhawks lack mismatches the 7-footer created and they have trouble attacking teams from three-point range. While sitting at 14-2, six wins have been decided by six points or less, including two in overtime. Texas lost to eighth-ranked Texas Tech on Saturday, and there is no shame in that. But there is no winning in that, either. Playing well for a half or so will only get you a losing record in this conference. This roster is talented enough to compete with anyone but the Longhorns have underachieved at times, including losses to Radford and VCU. Guards Kerwin Roach (13.6 ppg), Matt Coleman (10.1) and Elijah Mitrou-Long (7.5) and forwards Jaxson Hayes (10.1) and Dylan Osetkowski (9.5) provide balanced scoring for Texas. Kansas is 2-12 ATS in its last 14 games of a conference road win. 10* (873) Texas Longhorns

This is a play on the LOYOLA-MARYMOUNT LIONS as part of our CBB Saturday Trifecta. When it comes to teams from smaller conferences, lines are sometimes based on names since bettors do not follow these teams very closely and that is the case here. St. Mary's is off to a 10-7 start and those seven losses are already more than they have had in each of the last three seasons. The slow start should not be a big surprise as the Gaels lost three starters from last season as well as five of their top seven scorers yet they are still a public favorite. Loyola-Marymount has not been prominent in a long time but this could be a special season with all five starters back. The Lions opened 5-0 for the first time since 2003 which included wins over Georgetown and UNLV and those came without Eli Scott who is starting to get back into form. They are 8-0 at home and going back are 6-2 ATS in their last eight home games against teams with a losing road record. Meanwhile, the Gaels are 2-6 ATS in their last eight road games against teams with a winning home record. 10* (760) Loyola-Marymount Lions

This is a play on the NEVADA WOLF PACK as part of our CBB Saturday Trifecta. While we are going against the public on Tennessee, we are on the consensus side here as Nevada has something to prove. The Wolf Pack suffered an embarrassing loss at New Mexico by 27 points as a 15-point road favorite and they took their frustrations out on a horrible San Jose St. team in a 39-point win on Wednesday. Now they will be out to show they can beat a quality opponent on the road which goes a long way come NCAA Tournament time. Fresno St. is off to a great start at 12-3 but it has defeated no quality team along the way. Its best win is against Utah St. which was its last game on the road and playing the No. 250 ranked schedule in the nation can confirm that the record on the season is skewed. Here, we play against underdogs with a winning percentage of .800 or better off a win over a conference rival as an underdog of six points or more, playing a team with a winning record. This situation is 31-9 ATS (77.5 percent) since 1997. 9* (739) Nevada Wolf Pack

This is a play on the FLORIDA GATORS as part of our CBB Saturday Trifecta. Tennessee has been in cruise control most of this season as it is currently ranked No. 3 in the country with a 13-1 record. The only loss came against Kansas in overtime and the Volunteers posses an impressive win over Gonzaga which took place in Phoenix. They have won their last six games by double-digits and because they are laying a short number here, the public is all over them. It has been an up and down season for Florida as it is 9-5 with all of those losses being quality ones for what it is worth. The Gators have played the toughest schedule of any team in the SEC and are coming off a confidence building win at Arkansas following an upset home loss in their conference opener against South Carolina. Here, we play on home teams that are allowing 39 percent shooting or better on the season going up against an opponent that has gone three straight games of shooting 47 percent or better. This situation is 83-44 ATS (65.4 percent) over the last five seasons. 9* (712) Florida Gators

This is a play on the INDIANA HOOSIERS for our CBB Friday Star Attraction. The Hoosiers are coming off its first conference loss of the season as they were defeated in Michigan by 11 points on Sunday. Indiana is just 1-3 on the road but two of those losses came against the top two teams in the country while the third came by just one point at Arkansas. On Thursday, Hoosiers head coach Archie Miller said the team is hopeful it will have De'Ron Davis available in College Park and that will be a huge boost against the Maryland size advantage. The Hoosiers are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games following a straight up loss. The Terrapins have won five straight games including a pair on the road in their last two to improve to 4-1 in the Big Ten. They do have a rebounding advantage but that it is as they are on the wrong side of effective offense and defense on both sides of the floor. Maryland does not force many turnovers and can be turnover prone because of its youth and decision making, so a performance similar to what the Hoosiers produced in Ann Arbor (season low 11.9 turnover percentage) is a clear key. The Terrapins are 4-10-1 ATS in their last 15 home games. 10* (801) Indiana Hoosiers

This is a play on the CONNECTICUT HUSKIES for our CBB Thursday Supreme Annihilator. As is the case almost every year, SMU has played a very weak schedule is it is ranked No. 342 in the nation. The Mustangs have opened AAC action with a pair of wins over East Carolina and Tulane but those are the two worst teams in the conference. This is just the third true road game for SMU and the biggest test to date on the highway. The Mustangs are 7-18-1 ATS in their last 26 games against teams with a winning straight up record. The Huskies have opened their conference schedule with a pair of losses at South Florida and at home against Central Florida, arguably the top team in the AAC. Connecticut has faced six teams ranked in the top 50, which is the most in the conference, and while it has gone just 1-5 in those games, playing those teams will help going forward. Take note that SMU is not part of that group, it is part of the group that the Huskies have gone 8-1 against. The Huskies are 13-6-1 ATS in their last 20 games following a double-digit loss at home. 10* (622) Connecticut Huskies

This is a play on the KANSAS JAYHAWKS as part of our CBB Wednesday Trifecta. Kansas is coming off a 77-60 defeat at Iowa St, a game where center Udoka Azubuike, who averages 13.4 ppg and 6.8 rpg, missed after suffering his latest injury a day earlier in practice. That was significant considering there was little time to prepare without him, especially with that game taking place on the road. Now the Jayhawks are back home where they are 8-0 which puts them in a great spot after they have failed to cover their last two games and going back, Kansas is 14-3 ATS in its last 18 games after failing to cover the spread in two or more consecutive games. Additionally, when the game following a loss is in Allen Fieldhouse, Kansas is 47-3 in the Bill Self era. TCU has won nine straight games including a win over Baylor in its conference opener and it hits the road for just the second time this season. The Horned Frogs have played a soft schedule and they hare the only team in the conference that has yet to face a top ten team. The Horned Frogs are 1-4 ATS in their last five games following an ATS loss. 9* (826) Kansas Jayhawks

This is a play on the AUBURN TIGERS as part of our CBB Wednesday Trifecta. Last night, we played against NC State with a lot of that based on being overrated based on its weak schedule. Mississippi is in a similar spot tonight as it is 11-2 but has played the second easiest schedule of all teams in the SEC. The Rebels are 1-0 in the conference and that came against Vanderbilt which has played the easiest schedule in the SEC. The soft schedule has played a role in the 8-0 straight up and ATS run for the Rebels and that is ideal contrarian material for tonight. Auburn has two losses this season and it has been ansy to get back on the court as it has not played in 10 days and this will be just its second game in 17 days. The Tigers are the reigning SEC Champions and this is their conference opener so getting off to a big start is top priority. Auburn has four players averaging double-digit points, led by senior guard Bryce Brown at 15.3 ppg. Auburn is 7-0 ATS in its last seven games after scoring 85 or more points in two straight games and will be ready to fire on all cylinders again. 9* (785) Auburn Tigers

This is a play on the CREIGHTON BLUEJAYS as part of our CBB Wednesday Trifecta. The Bluejays opened Big East play with a win at Providence but lost at Butler by 15 points on Saturday to fall to 10-5 on the season overall. That record looks average but they have played the 6th ranked schedule in the nation as they have played 10 teams that won at least 21 games last year. They have been a great bounce back team, going 8-0 ATS in their last eight games after allowing 80 or more points. Marquette is coming off an 18-point win over Xavier on Saturday but that was at home where it is 11-0 on the season. The Golden Eagles have been blown out in their only two road games this season, including an 89-69 loss at St. John's to open conference play on January 1st. Marquette is 4-13 ATS in its last 17 games after a win by 10 points or more and here, we play on favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points in a game involving two teams outscoring opponents by 8 or more ppg, after allowing 45 points or more in the first half last game. This situation is 35-9 ATS (79.5 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (800) Creighton Bluejays

This is a play on the NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS as part of our CBB Tuesday Trifecta. North Carolina has not gotten off to the start it expected but it opened the season ranked No. 8 and now sits No. 12 so it has not been a big fall considering the losses were all quality ones. The Tar Heels won their ACC opener on Saturday as they rolled past the Panthers in Pittsburgh and while the challenge will be tougher here, this is a case of a team being a false favorite. NC State came into the season unranked and received only one vote and now with a 13-1 record, the Wolfpack are ranked No. 15. They did have a solid win in Miami to open conference play but this will be their first true ACC test for what is an overrated team. Out of 353 teams in Division I, NC State has played the No. 352 ranked schedule so its record is deceiving. Here, we play against teams where the line is +3 to -3 in a game involving two teams outscoring opponents by 8 or more ppg, after scoring 80 points or more three straight games. This situation is 77-35 ATS (68.8 percent) over the last five seasons. 9* (639) North Carolina Tar Heels

This is a play on the TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS as part of our CBB Tuesday Trifecta. Oklahoma is another team that came into the season unranked but it is off to a 12-2 start and has cracked the top 25. The Sooners are 1-1 in the Big XII as they bounced back from a loss at Kansas with a home win over rival Oklahoma St. on Saturday. They are 3-1 on the road and while a win at Northwestern was nice, it took overtime and the other two wins came at UTSA and Texas Rio Grand Valley. Texas Tech is now ranked in the top ten with a 13-1 record thanks to a pair of wins to open conference play over West Virginia and Kansas St. The Red Raiders only loss came against Duke in a close one. Texas Tech is 17-4 ATS in its last 21 home games after failing to cover six or seven of its last eight games. Here, we play on favorites after failing to cover the spread in four or more consecutive games going up against an opponent after successfully covering the spread in four or more consecutive games. This situation is 96-54 ATS (64 percent) since 1997. 10* (642) Texas Tech Red Raiders

This is a play on the OKLAHOMA ST. COWBOYS as part of our CBB Tuesday Trifecta. Texas has opened Big XII play with a 2-0 record with impressive wins at Kansas St. and at home against West Virginia. Overall, the Longhorns have won three straight games and five of their last six since suffering consecutive home losses against Radford and VCU. The Longhorns are 1-4 ATS in their last five games against teams with a losing straight up record. Oklahoma St. has gotten off to the opposite start as it has opened 0-2 in conference action with a home loss against Iowa St. and a road loss at Oklahoma, both of which are ranked. The Cowboys have lost six of their last eight games although most have been competitive and the value is clearly on their side here as they have dropped seven straight games against the number and that puts them into a great situation. Here, we play on home teams after failing to cover the spread in seven or more consecutive games. This situation is 37-12 ATS (75.5 percent) over the last five seasons. 9* (614) Oklahoma St. Cowboys

This is a play on the ST. JOSEPH'S HAWKS for our CBB Sunday Enforcer. We are not sure what happened to St. Joseph's in its conference opener as it fell to George Mason by 25 points as a seven-point favorite. The Hawks could not buy a basket as they shot just 34.6 percent from the floor including 23.3 percent from long range but we expect a big rebound today at the expense of one of the worst teams in the conference. They are laying a big number for a reason. George Washington is 0-5 away from home and it has lost those games by an average of 22.4 ppg. This is nothing new for the Colonials as they won just two games away from home last season while getting outscored by 18.6 ppg. The situation today makes it even better as George Washington has covered five straight games while the Hawks have failed to cover in their last four games which puts this number even lower than it should be. Here, we play on favorites after failing to cover the spread in four or more consecutive games going up against an opponent after successfully covering the spread in four or more consecutive games. This situation is 96-53 ATS (64.4 percent) since 1997. 10* (812) St. Joseph's Hawks

This is a play on the ARIZONA ST. SUN DEVILS for our CBB Game of the Week. Arizona St. pulled off a big upset at home against Kansas but could not sustain the momentum as it lost at home against Princeton as a 14.5-point favorite and then lost by 10 points against Utah in its conference opener as an 11-point chalk. To say the Sun Devils are hungry is an understatement. Colorado also lost its PAC 12 opener at Arizona and the Buffaloes are road weary at this point with this being their sixth straight game away from home. Arizona St. falls into two superb situations. First, we play against road teams as an underdog or pickem that are averaging between 74 and 78 ppg going up against a team allowing between 67 and 74 ppg, after three straight games where both teams scored 70 points or less. This situation is 25-2 ATS (92.6 percent) since 1997. Second, 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 54 or more points total in their last ten games. This situation is 44-11 ATS (80 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (698) Arizona St. Sun Devils

This is a play on the WISCONSIN BADGERS for our CBB Thursday Supreme Annihilator. We played against Wisconsin on Saturday as it lost to Western Kentucky to fall to 2-2 on the road. The Badgers are back home where they are 6-0 and those six home games are tied for the fewest in the conference. Despite playing more games away from home than in Madison, Wisconsin is the only team with that distinction that is ranked. Wisconsin is 19-7 ATS in its last 26 games after scoring 75 points or more three straight games while going 4-0 ATS in its last four home games against teams with a losing road record. Minnesota has won five straight games but considering it did not cover any of the last four shows that record is overblown. The Gopher were favored by at least 15 points in all of those games which shows they clearly did not live up to what they were supposed to do. Now they hit the road and the venue has played a big role this season as Minnesota is 8-0 at home and 0-2 in true road games. The Gophers are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games after one or more consecutive wins this season while going 0-5 ATS in their last five road games against teams with a winning home record. 10* (656) Wisconsin Badgers

This is a play on the UNLV RUNNIN' REBELS for our CBB Wednesday Supreme Annihilator. UNLV is back home for the first time in over a month as its last five games have taken place on the road. The Rebels lost their two most recent home games but those were against Valparaiso and Cincinnati and they take a big step down in competition in their conference opener/ Last season, UNLV ranked 6th in the country in free throw rate, a testament to their focus on attacking the basket, aided by the 20th-best offensive rebounding percentage in the country. The free throw rate is down slightly this season but the Rebels are ranked 2nd in offensive rebounding percentage. Colorado St. is 5-8 to open the season with none of those victories coming against a quality opponent. The Rams finished 10th in the Mountain West and had the dishonorable distinction of sporting the worst defense in the league. They are not much better this season ac their .528 effective field goal percentage allowed is in the bottom sixth in the nation. The Rebels are 20-7-1 ATS in their last 28 games against teams with a winning percentage below .400 while the Rams are 5-12-1 ATS in their last 18 road games against teams with a winning home record. Here, we play on favorites off two or more consecutive losses as a favorite going up against an opponent off a home loss. This situation is 142-84 ATS (62.8 percent) since 1997. 10* (830) UNLV Runnin' Rebels

This is a play on the CLEVELAND ST. VIKINGS for our CBB Sunday Enforcer. Detroit opened Horizon League play with an upset win at Youngstown St. by 12 points. That snapped a six-game losing streak for the Titans, four of which came on the road by double-digits. Detroit finished last in the conference last season with a 4-14 record and they are predicted to finish in the basement again this season. Going back, Detroit is 10-26 ATS in its last 36 games off a road win by 10 points or more. Cleveland St. meanwhile is coming off a loss in its conference opener against Oakland. The Vikings closed as a small favorite but ended up losing by 12 points as the Golden Grizzlies shot 50 percent from the floor. Cleveland St. should not have to worry about that tonight as Detroit is shooting under 40 percent for the season including 36.5 percent over its last five games. The Vikings are 6-0 ATS after allowing 80 points or more this season while going back, they are 15-3 ATS in their last 18 games following a straight up loss. 10* (730) Cleveland St. Vikings

This is a play on the WESTERN KENTUCKY HILLTOPPERS as part of our CBB Saturday Triple Play. Western Kentucky was picked by most outlets to win C-USA and at 6-6, some may be doubting that prediction. The Hilltoppers have played a tough schedule however and are catching a ton of points at home and this game could go a long way into their postseason future. They have not hosted an AP-ranked team since beating No. 25 Old Dominion at home in 2015. Wisconsin is ranked No. 16 in the country and heads to Bowling Green with a 2-1 record in true road games and this looms as the Badgers biggest road test. This is a rare non-conference road game against a team not from a major conference and it is certainly one Wisconsin can look past. The Hilltoppers are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games against teams with a winning straight up record and they fall into a solid situation where we play on teams averaging between 67 and 74 ppg going up against an excellent defensive team, allowing 63 ppg or less, after a win by six points or less. This situation is 216-142 ATS (60.3 percent) over the last five seasons. 9* (636) Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

This is a play on the LOUISVILLE CARDINALS as part of our CBB Saturday Triple Play. Kentucky opened the season as the No. 2 ranked team in the nation but the Wildcats found a quick dose of reality. They had played down to competition, been blown out by Duke in the season opener and had even suffered an overtime loss to Seton Hall. However, they came together in Chicago to dominate North Carolina and potentially find their turning point for the season but this is the first true road game of the season and it could not come in a tougher environment in a rivalry game. Louisville has been up and down and while it posted a big win against Michigan St., it has looked shaky the last three games including a four-point win at home against Lipscomb. While they are 1-3 against the top 25, the Cardinals have looked good in those losses, none of which came at home. Here, we play against teams where the line is +3 to -3 in a game involving two teams outscoring opponents by 8.0 or more ppg, after scoring 80 points or more three straight games. This situation is 76-33 ATS (69.7 percent) over the last five seasons. 9* (614) Louisville Cardinals

This is a play on the UTAH UTES as part of our CBB Saturday Triple Play. It is no secret that Nevada is one of the best teams in the country and while it won and covered its two road games this season, Saturday is the biggest test thus far. The Wolf Pack have yet to lose but they have failed to cover their last four games because of being overpriced and that is the case again here. Utah is undefeated at home and has an eight-game winning streak dating back to last season. One area it has been good is getting second-chance opportunities as Utah has excellent size and grabs 30.1 percent of its misses which is a key factor against a big Nevada team that normally has an edge down low. Playing in the thin air of Salt Lake City is a big edge for the home team. Here, we play against road teams as a favorite or pickem with a winning percentage of .800 or better off a home no-cover where it won straight up as a favorite, playing a team with a winning percentage between .501 and .600. This situation is 113-65 ATS (63.5 percent) since 1997. 10* (616) Utah Utes

This is a play on the SAN DIEGO TOREROS as part of our CBB Saturday Triple Play. It is rare to see a team from a power conference getting a significant amount of points against a non-power conference team but that is the case here and for good reason. Washington St. is not expected to be very competitive this season and even though it is off to a 7-3 start, it has played the easiest schedule in the country. The Cougars have bad losses against Seattle, New Mexico St. and Montana St. and have no wins of significance. San Diego is not a big basketball name but this team is loaded and all three of its losses came on the road against power conference teams and all were competitive. This gamed is in Las Vegas so no true road game for the Toreros and they fall into a great situation where we play on neutral court teams as a favorite or pickem in a game involving two teams outscoring opponents by 8 or more ppg, after scoring 85 points or more. This situation is 106-64 ATS (62.4 percent) over the last five seasons. 9* (681) San Diego Toreros

This is a play on the MISSOURI TIGERS as part of our CBB Saturday Triple Play. After a 3-3 start to the season, Missouri has run off four straight wins including an impressive 15-point win over Xavier as an underdog. The Tigers are expected to be competitive in the SEC despite losing another Porter to injury and this is a game they want desperately. This annual rivalry takes place on a neutral floor in St. Louis and Missouri has surprisingly lost five straight in this series. Illinois finished 4-14 in the Big Ten last season and with just one starter back, things are looking bleak once again. The Illini are 4-7 but to their credit, they have played a difficult schedule with four losses coming against top 25 power ranked teams. Still, while playing those elite teams can toughen them up, they were not very competitive. Here, we play on teams off an upset win by 15 points or more as an underdog going up against an opponent off a home win by 10 points or more. This situation is 81-38 ATS (68.1 percent) over the last five seasons. 9* (668) Missouri Tigers

This is a play on the HAWAII RAINBOW WARRIORS as part of our CBB Saturday Triple Play. Hawaii is again playing host to the Diamond Head Classic and it has had the luxury of no travel since November 28 which gives it a big edge against the other seven teams in the tournament. The Rainbow Warriors are 5-1 at home so far this year with its lone loss coming to 11-1 North Texas. They are balanced as they have had a different leading scorer in each of its last six games. UNLV is coming off an upset win over BYU and this is just its third game away from home. The Rebels had lost three straight prior to that after opening the season 5-1. UNLV is without forward Shakur Juiston who was injuries two games back. He is the leading rebounder and third leading scorer on a team that is thin down low. Here, we play against road teams as a favorite or pickem after allowing 90 points or more going up against an opponent after a win by 15 points or more. This situation is 50-18 ATS (73.5 percent) since 1997. 10* (694) Hawaii Rainbow Warriors

This is a play on the MIDDLE TENNESSEE ST. BLUE RAIDERS for our CBB Friday Enforcer. This is the classic overreaction line based on early season performances. Mississippi has one of the best spread record at 9-1 ATS while Middle Tennessee St. is one of two teams in the country that has yet to cover a game, going 0-9 ATS. Considering the newness of the roster as Mississippi has five returners compared to seven newcomers, a first-year coach in Kermit Davis and the 2017-18 results of 12-20 overall record, 5-13 SEC mark, it has been a surprisingly good start for the Rebels. Playing a schedule ranked No. 179 in the country helps and while a win over Baylor looks impressive, the Rebels were fortunate that the Bear were 2-18 from long range and they outscored them 29-18 from the free throw line. They have been picked to again finish dead last in the SEC. The Blue Raiders have lost seven straight games and while there are no excuses, they have faced the 3rd toughest schedule in the nation. Here, we play on underdogs of 10 to 19.5 points after three straight losses by 15 points or more. This situation is 51-21 ATS (70.8 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (822) Middle Tennessee St. Blue Raiders

This is a play on the AUBURN TIGERS for our CBB Wednesday Supreme Annihilator. NC State is back home after defeating Penn St. on a neutral floor in New Jersey on Saturday for its third consecutive win. The Wolfpack are now 9-1 on the season and despite making the NCAA Tournament last season with a 21-12 record, they are still unranked. But this is for good reason. NC State returned three starters from last year but those are the only three players that returned on the whole team so facing an elite team for the first time this season is going to show its shortcomings. Thus far, the Wolfpack have played the No. 352 ranked schedule in the country compared to Auburn which has faced a schedule ranked No. 90. And the Tigers are the real deal. They are ranked No. 7 in the nation coming off a 26-win season and the only Auburn loss this season came against Duke in the Maui Invitational over the week of Thanksgiving. Here, we play against teams where the line is +3 to -3 in a game involving two teams outscoring opponents by 8 or more ppg, after scoring 80 points or more three straight games. This situation is 76-31 ATS (71 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (701) Auburn Tigers

This is a play on the CHARLOTTE 49ERS for our CBB Tuesday Supreme Annihilator. The Pirates enters Tuesday's game with a 6-4 record with wins over Delaware St., Lamar, Texas-Rio Grande, Prairie View A&M, Appalachian St. and Maryland Eastern Shore, not exactly the most imposing of opponents. All of those wins have come either at home or on a neutral floor as East Carolina comes into tonight with a 0-2 record on the road. Overall, the Pirates have played the No. 351 ranked schedule in the country and that is out of 353 Division I teams. East Carolina is 0-5 ATS in its last five road games while going 0-6 ATS in its last six games following two or more consecutive wins. Charlotte is back home following three straight losses on the road and while the 49ers check in at just 2-2 at home, one of those wins came against Oklahoma St. so as long as the offense does not completely shut down, the 49ers are in good shape for a bounce back. Additionally, this is a great tune up for the Diamond Head Classic which starts on Saturday against TCU. 10* (616) Charlotte 49ers

This is a play on the MIDDLE TENNESSEE ST. BLUE RAIDERS for our CBB Saturday Enforcer. Three teams currently possess 0-8 ATS records on the season and Middle Tennessee St. is one of those. The Blue Raiders have lost six straight games to fall to 3-7 on the season and after a week off, this is a good spot to get things going in the other direction. We played on Middle Tennessee St. last Saturday as it lost at home against Murray St. and while the losses are no excuse, the opposition has been brutal. The Blue Raiders have played a very tough schedule as they have played the No. 4 ranked slate in the nation. Toledo meanwhile has won seven straight games but the schedule has been a complete opposite as the Rockets have played the No. 235 schedule in the nation so this is the perfect contrarian setup as this line is set on records alone. The Rockets are 3-12 ATS in their last 15 home games against teams with a losing road record while the Blue Raiders are 4-1 ATS in their last five games after scoring less than 50 points in their previous game. Additionally, we play on underdogs of 10 to 19.5 points after three straight losses by 10 points or more going up against an opponent after scoring 40 points or more in the first half in two straight games. This situation is 56-25 ATS (69.1 percent) since 1997. 10* (635) Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders

This is a play on the TEMPLE OWLS for our CBB Wednesday Enforcer. Temple is back on the court following a week off as it looks to bounce back from its second loss of the season, a 10-point loss at Villanova. The Owls are going to stoked to bounce back from that but also are glad to be back home for the first time in close to a month as their last five games have been on the road. Against Villanova, they had a four-point lead late but allowed the Wildcats to go on a 26-12 run to end the game as they were destroyed on the offensive glass. The good news is that Temple is 11-2 ATS in its last 13 games after a game with five or fewer offensive rebounds. Additionally, the Owls are 5-1 ATS in their last six home games against teams with a road winning percentage of greater than .600. Massachusetts is coming off a one-point upset win at Providence as it rallied from a 20-point deficit which was its first true road game of the season. While that was an impressive win, the Minutemen have had some ugly losses including home defeats against Howard and Holy Cross. Do not be surprised for a letdown and going back, Massachusetts is 0-8 ATS in its last eight games after a road game where both teams scored 75 points or more. 10* (704) Temple Owls

This is a play on the MIDDLE TENNESSEE ST. BLUE RAIDERS for our CBB Saturday Enforcer. Middle Tennessee has gotten off to a poor start this season as it is 3-6 after losing just eight games all of last season. The Blue Raiders have played a very tough schedule as they have played the No. 6 ranked slate in the nation and they head back home following a blowout loss at Vanderbilt on Wednesday. They are catching a significant number of points at home with a lot of that based on the fact the Blue Raiders have yet to cover a game this season. Murray St. is once again expected to win the Ohio Valley Conference after posting a 16-2 conference record a season ago. The Racers are off to a 4-1 start and really have not been tested yet after losing their two top players from last season. Making matters worse, senior forward Anthony Smith will miss the remainder of the season due to season-ending ankle surgery, which not only takes a toll to the Racers frontcourt depth but it also hurts their efforts on the offensive glass. Going back, the Blue Raiders are 48-21-2 ATS in their last 71 home games against teams with a losing road record. Here, we play on home teams after failing to cover the spread in seven or more consecutive games. This situation is 36-11 ATS (76.6 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (818) Middle Tennessee St. Blue Raiders

This is a play on the IOWA HAWKEYES for our CBB Thursday Enforcer. Iowa St. is off to a 7-1 start including wins in four straight games but it finds itself in a tough spot against a better rival on the road. This is the first true road game for the Cyclones and they are catching Iowa at the wrong time. After starting the season 6-0 and rising to No. 14 in the AP Top 25 poll, the Hawkeyes have lost their first two conference games and been exposed in the paint. In losses to Michigan State and Wisconsin, the Hawkeyes were outscored 86-46 in the paint. Iowa St. has three players 6-9 and taller so it can do similar damage but that will not be the case according to head coach Steve Prohm as the Cyclones have relied on a four-guard rotation and they are sticking to it because of the early success. Iowa St. is 1-10 ATS in its last 11 road games after two straight games allowing its opponent to shoot 37 percent or worse while the Hawkeyes are 3-0-1 ATS in their last four games following a straight up loss of more than 20 points. Here, we play on underdogs off a loss by 10 points or more to a conference rival going up against an opponent after two straight covers as a double digit favorite. This situation is 108-60 ATS (64.3 percent) since 1997. 10* (714) Iowa Hawkeyes

This is a play on the TEXAS LONGHORNS as part of our CBB Wednesday Triple Play. While it is still early in the season, this is a big game for Texas to get its season back in order. The Longhorns defeated North Carolina on November 22 and then blew an eight-point halftime lead against Michigan St. the next day and that seemed to carry over in their return home a week later as they lost to Radford. While a loss like that looks horrible, it was not as bad since Radford is the team to beat in the Big South Conference but that is still a team Texas should never lose to. With Purdue on deck, now is the time to get right. VCU looks about like what you would expect as the Rams are very good defensively, are athletic, and typically play 11 guys. However, they have struggled with shooting and with turnovers and coming into the season were picked to finish 6th in the Atlantic Ten Conference. Their typical style of defense is to pressure the passing lanes, which tends to open up driving lanes of the sort that Texas has been able to exploit this year, such as in the game against North Carolina. The Rams are 4-10 ATS in their last 14 road games against teams with a winning home record while Texas is 22-11 ATS in its last 33 games coming off a game as a home favorite. 10* (558) Texas Longhorns

This is a play on the NORTH TEXAS MEAN GREEN as part of our CBB Wednesday Triple Play. North Texas is 8-1 and though three of the wins have been against non-Division I teams, the Mean Green are a solid team. They were the CBI champions a season ago so the extension of the season for a few extra weeks was a big thing for a young team, especially when all five starters are back this season. They have four players averaging double figures. Umoja Gibson leads the way at 14.8 ppg and he's a 47.5 percent three-point shooter. North Texas has also defended well. Against Division I opponents, North Texas has given up just 60 ppg and overall, their 38.7 percent shooting allowed ranks 45th in Division I. Indiana St. has won five straight games including impressive victories over Wright St. and Western Kentucky and this is the best start since 2011-12 but we cannot read too much into it as the Sycamores will not be at full strength until December 16. One big disadvantage in this matchup is rebounding as the Mean Green have four players averaging 4.7 or more rpg while the Sycamores are ranked 320th out of 353 Division I programs in defensive rebounding. The Mean Green are 11-4 ATS in their last 15 road games against teams with a winning home record. 9* (531) North Texas Mean Green

This is a play on the WRIGHT ST. RAIDERS as part of our CBB Wednesday Triple Play. The Raiders have lost three of their last four games heading into a home date with the RedHawks tonight. Wright St. most recently fell to Indiana St. this past Saturday with the other three losses also coming away from home including a pair in Riviera Maya against Penn St. and SMU. Wright St. was picked to win the Horizon League by Blue Ribbon following a 25-10 record last season that took the Raiders to their third straight NCAA Tournament. They have four starters back and the 4-4 record cannot be taken too seriously as they started 0-3 last season and we know what that turned into. Wright St. is 4-0 at home with covers in all three lined games and going back, the Raiders are 6-0 ATS in their last six home games while going 7-0 ATS in their last seven games following a loss. Miami Ohio is also 4-4 with all four losses coming away from home while two home wins came against non-Division I teams and another against Army. The RedHawks are 0-4 ATS in their last four road games. This is a pretty big rivalry and it comes as no surprise that the home team has won the last six meetings which means Wright St. will be out for revenge from the overtime loss last season. 9* (542) Wright St. Raiders

This is a play on the WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS for our CBB Tuesday Star Attraction. West Virginia came into the season ranked No. 16 by Blue Ribbon and No. 13 in the AP Poll but that did not last long following a home loss to Buffalo in overtime in its season opener. The Mountaineers additionally lost to Western Kentucky, part of a string of six straight non-covers but they have won four straight games and have covered their last two. Florida comes into tonight having split its last four. Last time out, it walloped North Florida 98-66, but that followed a 61-54 loss to Butler in the Bahamas. Before that, the Gators beat Stanford soundly, 72-49, after opening their trip to the Bahamas with a 65-60 loss to Oklahoma. The Gators are very balanced on offense with eight players averaging 6.4 or more ppg but there is not one player that looks to be a clear go-to guy. Sophomore guard Deaundrae Ballard leads Florida this season at 10.9 ppg. Senior guard KeVaughn Allen is next at 8.7 ppg and freshman guard Noah Locke follows him at 8.3 ppg. Here, we play on teams with a winning percentage between .600 and .800 where the line is +3 to -3 off two consecutive home wins by 10 points or more, playing a team with a winning percentage between .501 and .600. This situation is 24-5 ATS (82.8 percent) over the last five seasons. 9* (739) West Virginia Mountaineers

This is a play on the SYRACUSE ORANGE for our CBB Tuesday Supreme Annihilator. After suffering a pair of bad losses against Connecticut and Oregon, Syracuse has bounced back with three straight wins including an impressive 10-point win at Ohio St. That victory is a likely reason the Orange put up a lethargic effort on Saturday against Cornell as they won by just eight points as 21.5-point favorites. We will see a better and more focused effort tonight as they need to start clicking on a more consistent basis and this is even more so considering they have a big game against Georgetown on deck. Northeastern got off to a 2-4 before winning its last two games against fairly poor opposition and the Huskies take a big step up tonight. They are picked to win the CAA this season as they bring back all five starters from their 23-win team last year. The problem is that two of those are out as the backcourt duo of Vasa Pusica and Shawn Occeus, who averaged a combined 28.7 ppg, are both on the shelf with injuries and those losses are significant here in this matchup when trying to solve the 2-3 zone. Syracuse is struggling from the field with a .419 shooting percentage including .291 from long range but they face a poor defense as Northeastern is allowing opponents to shoot 49 percent including 37.2 percent from behind the arc. 10* (720) Syracuse Orange

This is a play on the HOUSTON COUGARS for our CBB Saturday Supreme Annihilator. After a solid win over Syracuse, Oregon put up a lethargic effort against Green Bay and that spilled over into a home loss against Texas Southern on Monday as a 25-point favorite. A bounce back would be typical but not in the first true road game of the season and against a quality opponent. Houston is 5-0 with all five wins coming by double digits including an impressive one at BYU by 14 points. Oregon is 5-14 ATS in its last 19 games against teams who make eight or more three-point shots per game on the season while Houston is 21-9 ATS in its last 30 games as a home favorite of three points or less. Here, we play against teams where the line is +3 to -3 in a game involving two teams that are outscoring opponents by 8.0 or more ppg after scoring 80 points or more three straight games. This situation is 71-30 (70.3 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (596) Houston Cougars

This is a play on the IOWA HAWKEYES for our CBB Friday Supreme Annihilator. Iowa was picked to finished 11th in the 14-team Big Ten Conference following a dreadful 2017-18 season where it went 14-19 overall including 4-14 in the conference, one game ahead of Rutgers for last place. Fast forward to this season and quality wins over Oregon, Connecticut and Pittsburgh has got the Hawkeyes back on the national radar as they come into tonight ranked No. 14 in the nation after coming into the season unranked and not even receiving one top 25 vote. Iowa returned all five starters so this team is experienced and they are showing it by averaging 85.3 ppg. Whether it is a more experienced roster that includes Ethan Happ and D'Mitrik Trice playing at high levels, the tweaks to the scheme or a combination of the two, the Wisconsin offensive numbers have been positive early the season. The Badgers finished last season with an adjusted offensive efficiency rating of 109.7, according to Ken Pomeroy and that was the second-lowest mark in the KenPom era, which dates to the 2001-02 season. So we are not sure if the Badgers can keep it up and we know that the 60 percent long-range shooting from Trice will not hold up. 10* (736) Iowa Hawkeyes

This is a play on the ILLINOIS ST. REDBIRDS as part of our CBB Wednesday Triple Play. BYU opened the season with a 16-point loss at Nevada and things will become tough once again tonight. The Cougars head out on the road after six straight home games, five of which they won, so they will be back facing a hostile environment. Illinois St. will be out for payback after a loss in Provo last season by 12 points. Guard Elijah Bryant, who nearly had a triple double against the Redbirds last season, turned professional after averaging 18.2 ppg while former BYU starting guard Nick Emery, who left school for a year before returning, has to sit out the first nine games due to NCAA sanctions. A weapon most seasons, the three-point shots are not falling as BYU is shooting just 28.8 percent from long range this season. Illinois St. has won three straight games following a loss to Georgia and looks to improve upon its 3-0 record at home. The Redbirds are 5-2 ATS in their last seven home games against teams with a losing road record while the Cougars are 1-4 ATS in their last five games against teams with a winning straight up record. 9* (752) Illinois St. Redbirds

This is a play on the VIRGINIA CAVALIERS as part of our CBB Wednesday Triple Play. While the home underdog may look appealing here, the experience of Virginia will go a long way here.. The Cavaliers are playing with a chip on their shoulder after being the first No. 1 seed to lose to a No. 16 seed in the NCAA Tournament and they have enough back to remember it. Three starters are back along with three of the top four scorers and in total, eight players with experience return which is huge in this system. The Terrapins, with five freshmen among their top eight players, will have to contend with a Virginia defense ranked second in the nation, allowing just 49.3 ppg and coming off a 53-46 win over Wisconsin in the championship game of the Battle for Atlantis in the Bahamas. Maryland is ranked for the first time since 2016-17 thanks to a perfect 6-0 start but it is misleading with a win over Marshall being the best of the bunch. This will be the first game they have played where someone else will dictate the flow, and that is going to be a rude awakening for a team that ranks 349th in the country in experience. 9* (745) Virginia Cavaliers

This is a play on the SAN DIEGO TOREROS as part of our CBB Wednesday Triple Play. The public is all over Mississippi tonight as it is the second biggest consensus on the college hoops board and the only logical reason is a shorter than expected number for a power conference school playing a mid-major. The Rebels are young and are projected to finish in last place in the SEC and they are still feeling the aftermath from last year when long time head coach Andy Kennedy resigned during the season. San Diego is 5-1 with a home win against Colorado and a three-point loss at Washington and is ranked No. 65 in the NCAA's "Net Rankings," its new metric designed to help choose postseason at-large bids. While it may not be perfect, the fact that Mississippi is ranked No. 93 shows that the Rebels are totally overvalued here. The Toreros won 20 games last season and while their coaching situation is similar after Lamont Smith resigned after the regular season last year, they carried forward under Sam Scholl and made a CIT run which brought momentum into this season. Four starters are back as well as 81 percent of their scoring so this team is loaded. 10* (735) San Diego Toreros

This is a play on the NEVADA WOLF PACK for our CBB Tuesday Supreme Annihilator. Nevada will be out for some payback after losing in the Sweet 16 to Loyola-Chicago last season. The Wolf Pack are now ranked No. 5 in the nation which is probably to the surprise of many but they are legit and have won all six games by at least 10 points. Nevada is coming off a 110-87 victory over UMass in the title game of the Continental Tire Las Vegas Holiday Invitational Friday night. This is their first true road game of the season but after going 11-3 on the road last season with the same core, this is not a problem. The Ramblers are coming off a loss against Boston College down in Fort Myers to fall to 4-2 on the season. There is still talent left over from the Final Four team from a season ago but they lost more than the Wolf Pack did and the matchup will be different this time around. Nevada is not the fastest-playing team (118th in tempo), but it will have the athletic advantage in this one and would like to get the game moving. A lot of that will come down to either forcing turnovers or getting stops and running off misses. If this game gets into the 80s, it is a huge edge for the Wolf Pack. Here, we play on favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points in a game involving two teams outscoring opponents by 8.0 or more ppg, after allowing 45 points or more in the first half last game. This situation s 34-9 ATS (79.1 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (523) Nevada Wolf Pack

This is play on the CLEMSON TIGERS for our CBB Monday Supreme Annihilator. The Tigers are coming off an 87-82 loss to Creighton in the championship game of the Cayman Island Classic last Wednesday. The Tigers won their first five games prior to that including impressive wins over Akron and Georgia and they are now up to No. 16 in the AP Poll. This is a very experienced team with four fifth-year senior starters and three of those nearly left after last season to go pro but all three changed their minds including the backcourt of Marcquise Reed and Shelton Mitchell, which currently lead the team in scoring at a combined 34.5 ppg. Clemson is 8-1 ATS in its last nine games after scoring 80 points or more. Nebraska is coming off a 73-49 win over Western Illinois on Saturday, less than a week after getting trounced by Texas Tech 70-52 in the championship game of the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City. The Huskers are also ranked at No. 24 and this will now be their first true road game of the season. Nebraska is 2-10 ATS in its last 12 games after playing four consecutive games as favorite while going 7-19 ATS in its last 26 road games following three or more consecutive home games. Additionally, we play on favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points in a game involving two teams outscoring opponents by 8.0 or more ppg, after allowing 45 points or more in the first half last game. This situation s 34-8 ATS (81 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (716) Clemson Tigers

This is a play on the NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS for our CBB Thursday Supreme Annihilator. After making its first ever trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2017, Northwestern took a big step back last season as it finished 15-17. Injuries played a big role along with the fact the Wildcats had to play their home games at Allstate Arena in Rosemont as Welsh-Ryan Arena was undergoing renovations. They are back to their regular home and opened the season with three straight blowout victories, albeit against some very poor opposition. Still, they have three starters back, bring in a pair of graduate transfers including Ryan Taylor who led the MVC in scoring last season with 21.3 ppg while at Evansville and welcomed a very strong freshman class. Fresno St. opened the season with a blowout win over Alaska in a glorified exhibition and then hit the road and was thoroughly outplayed at TCU. The Bulldogs have just two starters back from its 22-win team and are also breaking in a new head coach in Justin Hutson who has no head coaching experience. Fresno St. will struggle in this matchup with the defense of Northwestern as well as giving up too many easy looks down low. Here, we play on favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points coming off a home win by 10 points or more, in the first five games of the season, after closing out last season with four or more straight ATS losses. This situation is 51-21 ATS (70.8 percent) since 1997. 10* (727) Northwestern Wildcats

This is a play on the AUBURN TIGERS for our CBB Wednesday Supreme Annihilator. Auburn hung around with Duke last night before eventually falling by six points and we expect a bounce back tonight in the consolation game of the Maui Invitational. The Tigers shot just 36.4 percent from the floor but the defense did its part by holding the Blue Devils to 44.2 percent and the difference was at the free throw line where Auburn went to the stripe only nine times, making five of those while Duke was 23-34. The Tigers possess of the best backcourt duos in the nation in Bryce Brown and Jared Harper, two seniors that were All SEC players last season. Arizona could be in for a rough season and it is coming off its first loss of the season yesterday, a 17-point blowout loss against Gonzaga. The Wildcats lost all five starters from last season and had a few top rated recruits decommit following the FBI probe so only six players were on the roster following its early exit from the NCAA Tournament. Going back, the Wildcats are 8-20-1 ATS in their last 29 games against teams with a winning straight up record. Auburn falls into a great situation taking experience into account as we play on favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points (in a game involving two teams who had winning percentage between .600 and .800 from last season, with three or more starters returning from last year than opponent. This situation is 27-6 ATS (81.8 percent) since 1997. 10* (577) Auburn Tigers

This is a play on the WASHINGTON HUSKIES for our CBB Tuesday Supreme Annihilator. While Washington is considered the road team here in this neutral site game, the location gives it the big edge where the venue is being taken into consideration. The Huskies easily took care of Santa Clara in the first round of the Vancouver Showcase on Sunday to improve to 3-1 on the season and while the defense struggled in the lone loss at Auburn, this is becoming a staple. Head coach Mike Hopkins won 21 games in his first season at Washington and while it took a while to get going, the Huskies found their form and they should be even better this season. Hopkins brought over the 2-3 zone from his days at Syracuse and while it took a while for the players to pick up on the new concept, this is not the case this season with all five starters back and the top eight in minutes played from last season. On the other side, Texas A&M lost a ton of experience from its Sweet 16 team as three double-digit scorers departed along with a key senior. Two starters are back but one has yet to suit up as Admon Gilder, who was their second leading scorer, leading three-point shooter and leading free throw shooter from last season, remains out with a hamstring injury. Here, we play on teams with a winning percentage between .600 and .800 where the line is +3 to -3 after failing to cover the spread in three or more consecutive games, playing a team with a losing record. This situation is 30-9 ATS (76.9 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (767) Washington Huskies

This is a play on the RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS for our CBB Friday Supreme Annihilator. Rutgers has played Fairleigh Dickinson and Drexel, blowing both teams out. Neither of those squads are expected to be major players in their conference, but Rutgers did display some intriguing scoring, shooting 56 percent clip from beyond the arc and assisting on 60 percent of their made shots. 6'7", 234 pound Eugene Omoruyi shot 0-16 from outside the arc in his first two seasons and in two games this year, he is 6-7. St. John's is a talented team, but Rutgers usually plays local teams tough at home and this team has that youthful confidence to play loose. Based on the first two games, it should be clear that Rutgers is moving towards a Michigan type offense that can mix and match multi-skilled players on the perimeter, making them a matchup nightmare for opponents. The Red Storm have won their first two games as they are led by Mustapha Heron and Shamorie Ponds who are each averaging 20.5 ppg. St. John's struggled in its last game as it was favored by 18.5 points over Bowling Green but won by just four points and now it hits the road for the first. The Red Storm are 0-6 in their last six road games after playing a game where both teams scored 80 points or more. Meanwhile, Rutgers is 10-2 ATS in its last 12 non-conference games while going 12-3 ATS in its last 15 games coming off a home win over. 10* (730) Rutgers Scarlet Knights

This is a play on the ILLINOIS-CHICAGO FLAMES for our CBB Thursday Supreme Annihilator. Illinois-Chicago is off to a 0-3 start but all three of those games were on the road and the Flames are back in Chicago for their home opener. We played on them in their first game this season and while they lost by 17 points and failed to cover, the game was decided at the free throw line with Notre Dame going 36-38and Illinois Chicago going just 13-20. Illinois-Chicago lost two starters from last season but brings back four players with starting experience from its 20-16 team that was a win away from taking home the CIT Championship. The Flames have a deep and talented backcourt and while the loss of Dikembe Dixon looks big, he left the program to turn pro before the CIT run so they will be just fine. William & Mary is off to a 1-1 start with a home win over High Point and a road loss at Duquesne. The Tribe allowed the Dukes to shoot 52.5 percent from the floor and that has been an on going issue. The defense last season finished No. 335 in adjusted defensive efficiency. William & Mary has struggled on the road in recent years and with a big game at Notre Dame on deck, a lookahead is very possible. This is the first of three straight home games for the Flames and they get back on track tonight. 10* (514) Illinois-Chicago Flames

This is a play on the MICHIGAN WOLVERINES for our CBB Wednesday Star Attraction. Despite losing four players to the NBA from last season's team, guards Donte DiVincenzo and Jalen Brunson along with forwards Mikal Bridges and Omari Spellman, the Wildcats are off to a strong start once again but it has come against a pair of cupcakes. Villanova is highly ranked yet again with a lot that due to the fact that it has won National Championships in two of the last three years. Like Villanova, the Wolverines feature a new-look team, though seven players are back from last season including three starters. They have also played an easy schedule and this matchup pits offense versus defense. Villanova is averaging 93 ppg and defensively, the Wolverines picked up right where they left off from last season and that is a good thing. Michigan is allowing just 40.5 ppg, which is third in the country. Teams are also shooting just 30 percent from the field. This early in the season in high profile games with elite players, the defense tends to trump the offense and it will up to Michigan to stifle the Wildcats offense as it does not want to get involved in a shootout. Obviously, Michigan wants payback from the National Championship last season and it will be playing with a ship on its shoulder. Going back, Michigan is 13-4 ATS in its last 17 games after allowing 30 points or less in the first half in two straight games. 10* (723) Michigan Wolverines

This is a play on the SOUTHERN ILLINOIS SALUKIS for our CBB Monday Supreme Annihilator. Southern Illinois let a big upset slip away as it was leading Kentucky for a majority of the game but got hurt by late foul trouble. First Team All-MVC guard Armon Fletcher hit the bench with about seven minutes to go in the first half. He came back in briefly but fouled out in the second half with 9:20 to play. Fletcher, who missed the Salukis' exhibition game while in the concussion protocol, scored eight points and grabbed three rebounds in 15 minutes. which was well under his normal production. We can expect a big bounce back tonight. Buffalo pulled off an upset in its last game as it won at West Virginia in overtime as an 11-point underdog. The Bulls were the Cinderella of the NCAA Tournament last season with the upset over Arizona and hanging with Kentucky for 32 minutes before the Wildcats pulled away. With a lot of talent back from last season, the win over the Mountaineers cannot be all that surprising but because of it, the line has been overinflated. The Salukis are going to challenge for the MVC title so they should not be getting points at home against another mid-Major team. 10* (734) Southern Illinois Salukis

This is a play on the TOLEDO ROCKETS for our CBB Friday Supreme Annihilator. Oakland opened its season with a 54-point win over Kalamazoo College, a Division III team and a bad one at that which went 8-17 last season. That victory gives no indication of how the Golden Grizzlies are going to be and the likely answer to that question is going to be not good. They have only one starter back as they lost four key seniors, as well as losing four more players who transferred. In total, Oakland lost its top five players in minutes, scoring and blocks while losing its top four rebounders. Going back, Oakland is 0-6 ATS in its last six home games after scoring 80 points or more. Toledo is loaded with six of its top seven players returning. The Rockets finished 23-11 and will be playing with a chip on its shoulder from the start. They knew the NCAA tournament would bypass them last year but no did the NIT which was a slap in the face and Toledo declined to play in the lesser tournaments thus ending their season. With this being their first game, look for the Rockets to play with a ton of fire. Here, we play against underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points in a game involving two teams that had winning records last season, with just one or fewer starters returning from last year in the first 10 games of the season. This situation is 35-10 ATS (77.8 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (535) Toledo Rockets

This is a play on the ILLINOIS-CHICAGO FLAMES for our CBB Tuesday Season Opener. Notre Dame was supposed to make a huge run at the ACC title and go deep into the NCAA Tournament last season but injuries kept that from happening and the Irish ended a disappointing season with a second round exit at the NIT. This has been a team that usually reloads every year but that is not the case this season as Notre Dame has just one senior and this is the most inexperienced roster head coach Mike Brey has had in his 19 years at the school. Only seven players with experience are back so things are going to be touch and go early on. Illinois-Chicago lost two starters from last season but brings back four players with starting experience from its 20-16 team that was a win away from taking home the CIT Championship. The Flames have a deep and talented backcourt and while the loss of Dikembe Dixon looks big, he left the program to turn pro before the CIT run so they will be just fine. Before losing to Northern Colorado in the CIT Championship game, the Flames had won nine consecutive road games so the experience and that confidence is a great combination to start the season. This line is based on name and conference affiliations and not what the current rosters are made of making this inflated line an east take. 10* (715) Illinois-Chicago Flames

This is a play on the MICHIGAN WOLVERINES for our National Championship Enforcer. Both Michigan and Villanova covered their numbers on Saturday as favorites and with the public flocking to the Wildcats after their dominating performance over Kansas, we are on the underdog tonight as the Wolverines are seeing a 12-point swing on the number. If Villanova goes 18-40 from long range again tonight, it will not lose but we do not anticipate another effort like that. Michigan has the defense to not let that happen and not necessarily for the actual three-point shooting defense but for the way it can attack the offense in allowing fewer attempts. During the Michigan 14-game winning streak, only twice has an opponent attempted more than its average from three-point range and the Wolverines have allowed only 27.8 percent shooting. They had it on display on Saturday as Loyola-Chicago came in averaging 18.4 three-point attempts per game and put up only 10 while making just one of those. Michigan has no issues with playing against teams that are elite as they have covered their last six games against teams with a winning percentage of .800 or better while going 14-3 ATS in their last 17 games against teams that shooting 45 percent or better from the floor. Additionally, they are 6-1 ATS this season as dogs of three or more points. 10* (601) Michigan Wolverines

This is a play on the VILLANOVA WILDCATS for our CBB Final Four Enforcer. The only two No. 1 seeds to make it to the Sweet 16 square off in the Final Four and Kansas is the public consensus based on what is considered an inflated line. Typically, a battle between top seeds would have a shorter line but this is a game where Villanova has distinct advantages as we have seen thus far as it has cruised in all four games. Both teams rely on the three-point shot as a big part of their offense as they both shoot over 40 percent from long range. Villanova has a much more diverse offense, so it is the team that can survive a cold spell from outside should it occur. The Wildcats free throw shooting can be a difference as well if it is a close game late as they are hitting 83 percent over their last five games and they are No. 8 in the nation overall. They also have an extra advantage over the Jayhawks from an experience perspective since they already know what kind of pressure comes playing on a big stage like the one they are about to see in San Antonio. Kansas has had a tougher time as it had to deal with a pesky Penn team to open the tournament and it has escaped the last three games with four-point wins in each. Here, we play against underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points in a game involving two teams that are outscoring opponents by eight or more ppg, after allowing 75 points or more three straight games. This situation is 56-21 ATS (72.7 percent) since 1997. 10* (814) Villanova Wildcats

This is a play on the MICHIGAN WOLVERINES for our CBB Final Four Supreme Annihilator. We have been on the wrong side of Loyola-Chicago is each of the last two games, but the Cinderella season comes to an end this Saturday as the Ramblers have their worst matchup of the tournament thus far. They have not had to defend a stretch-five player like Michigan 6-foot-11 forward Moe Wagner, a likely NBA future player. Both teams shoot the ball well with excellent ball movement and both play tough defense, but this game comes down to taking care of the ball. Michigan does an excellent job protecting the ball, with the third-lowest turnover rate in the country. Loyola-Chicago can get sloppy at times, as it did in the first half of its Sweet 16 win over Nevada and it ranks 219th in turnover rate. Michigan loves to push the ball off turnovers and this is where it can have a big edge. Overall, the Wolverines have the better numbers in assist/turnover ratio on both ends of the floor. This is also a game where experience can come into play and while the Wolverine players do not have it, it is there on the sidelines. Michigan has arguably the best coach in the country in John Beilein and this is his second Final Four in six years as his team lost to Louisville in the National Championship in 2012-13. Michigan is 10-2 ATS this season against teams shooting 48 percent or better while going 13-5 ATS this season against teams allowing 42 percent shooting or better. 10* (812) Michigan Wolverines

This is a play on the NORTH TEXAS MEAN GREEN for our CBB Friday Enforcer. We had North Texas in Game Two of the CBI Championship and we are going to back the Mean Green for the same reasons so pardon the regurgitation of the analysis. In Game One, San Francisco was 12-18 from beyond the arc in the first half and to put that number in perspective, it had 16 made field goals in total through the first half. The Dons are typically not a good three-point shooting team to begin with and overall, they are ranked No. 247 in the country in effective field goal percentage while North Texas is ranked No. 80 in effective field goal defense so we can toss the Monday performances out. In the second game, San Francisco came back to earth as expected as it shot just 42 percent, but a shocker was that North Texas hit just 39.7 percent of its shots including going 2-18 from long range. They dominated the boards however and should again tonight which mean that just an average shooting night means a runaway win. San Francisco is just 4-8 on the road with those four wins coming against four of the bottom five teams from the WCC, none of which had winning records. The Mean Green are 13-6 at home with the four of the losses since December coming by 2, 2, 2 and 3 points and a fifth coming in overtime. 10* (520) North Texas Mean Green

This is a play on the PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS for our NIT Championship Enforcer. We won with Penn St. on Tuesday and we will back the Nittany Lions again here what looks like another very favorable matchup. They rolled over Mississippi St. as the game was never in jeopardy as the Nittany Lions trailed for all of 16 seconds, and then used a 24-0 run to make the game unreachable for the Bulldogs. They are comfortable at MSG as they also played the Big Ten Tournament here and the real edge is in fan support as a Penn St. contingent was present on Tuesday and will definitely be there again tonight. The Utes needed every second of the 40 minutes in order to beat Western Kentucky, who started the game up 18-5. Utah methodically erased the deficit to go onto the half tied, and used the final seconds, and back-to-back turnovers by the Hilltoppers, to finally win the game. A deficit like that here will be deadly as Penn St. will not let them back in the game. Utah is ranked No. 85 in defensive efficiency which is solid, but the Nittany Lions are ranked No. 24 so the clear edge goes to the latter and the 24-0 run that Penn St. had against Mississippi St. showed what that defense is capable of. The Nittany Lions are 10-2 ATS this season after two or more consecutive wins. 10* (711) Penn St. Nittany Lions

This is a play on the NORTH TEXAS MEAN GREEN for our CBB Wednesday Enforcer. San Francisco took Game One of this best-of-three series for the CBI Tournament Championship and now the series heads to Denton for the final two games should the game on Friday be necessary. We expect it to be as North Texas will rebound from the opener on Monday as it did not play great, but the difference was an absolute fluke. San Francisco was 12-18 from beyond the arc in the first half and to put that number in perspective, it had 16 made field goals in total through the first half. The Dons are typically not a good three-point shooting team to begin with and overall, they are ranked No. 247 in the country in effective field goal percentage while North Texas is ranked No. 80 in effective field goal defense so we can toss the Monday performances out. San Francisco is just 4-7 on the road with those four wins coming against four of the bottom five teams from the WCC, none of which had winning records. The Mean Green are 12-6 at home with the four of the losses since December coming by 2, 2, 2 and 3 points and a fifth coming in overtime. San Francisco is 1-8 ATS this season coming off a double-digit win while the Mean Green are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games following an ATS loss. 10* (518) North Texas Mean Green

This is a play on the PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS for our NIT Tuesday Enforcer. Both Mississippi St. and Penn St. pulled off a pair of road upsets to make it to the NIT Semifinals. After playing a somewhat uninspired game against the Temple Owls, going on the road to beat Notre Dame and withstanding an assault from one of the best offensive teams in the country in Marquette, the Nittany Lions head back to MSG for a chance at an NIT championship. They had a good run here in the Big Ten Tournament with wins over Northwestern and Ohio St. and putting up a good fight against Purdue. Penn St. has shot at least 20 free throw attempts in each of their last five games and is averaging just under 25 attempts per game. while making just over 77 percent of those shots. Mississippi St. has peaked at the right time as well and a win at Louisville by 23 points it its last game was very impressive. The Bulldogs will have a tough time matching up against the Penn St. offense, a team that takes very good care of the ball as it commits just 11.5 tpg. Going back, Mississippi St. is 1-8 ATS in its last nine games after a win by 20 points or more while Penn St. is 11-3 ATS after three straight games committing 14 or less turnovers this season. 10* (780) Penn St. Nittany Lions

This is a play on the KANSAS STATE WILDCATS for our CBB Saturday Elite Eight Enforcer. The Loyola-Chicago Cinderella story is a good one as it snuck out its third straight last second victory, this time a one-point win over Nevada. The Ramblers have shot 51 percent through the three games but the defense has been just as much part of the success as they have allowed just 64 ppg. While the Ramblers can dictate the pace on offense with any one of four shooters averaging better than 55 percent from inside the three-point line, Kansas St. has no problem playing at a slow pace. Kansas St. can certainly be considered a Cinderella as well as a No. 9 seed, making this the first ever 9-vs.-11 matchup in the history of the tournament. The Wildcats are not getting the pub though and that seems to be fine with them. They were even dissed by Kentucky following their victory on Thursday as players and coaches left the court without shaking the hands of Kansas St. players. This team is playing with a chip on its shoulder and it is doing so with a stout defense that has allowed 53.3 ppg and two of those games were against teams ranked No. 15 and No. 61 in offensive efficiency. Loyola-Chicago is No. 73 but the Wildcats showed what they are capable of and getting out to a lead will make it much more difficult for the Ramblers to come back from as opposed to the first three games in the tournament. Leading scorer Dean Wade has played only eight minutes in the tournament and the Wildcats have still been able to win and he will likely see more significant action on Saturday. 10* (514) Kansas St. Wildcats

This is a play on the WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS for our CBB Friday NCAA Tournament Enforcer. Strength vs. strength will be on display on Friday night as West Virginia brings in its pressing defense going up against the top efficiency offense in the country. The Mountaineers are in the top 10 in the country in turnover margin and forced turnovers (16.5 per game) while also racking up more than eight steals a game and the Wildcats have not seen anything like this. The only Villanova opponent that forced turnovers at that level was St. Johns (16.2 per game) and in n two games, the Wildcats struggled as they won one game by seven points and lost the other by four points. West Virginia is far superior to the Red Storm so we can envision seeing the Wildcats struggle again. The Mountaineers can score, which makes them different than in past years, as they average 80.2 ppg so they have the capability to keep up is Villanova gets hot from the floor. West Virginia is 15-8 ATS against teams shooting 45 percent or better from the floor this season and it falls into a fantastic situation where we play on underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points after two consecutive covers as a favorite going up against an opponent after two straight covers as a double digit favorite. This situation is 33-10 ATS (76.7 percent) since 1997. 10* (871) West Virginia Mountaineers

This is a play on the TEXAS A&M AGGIES for our CBB Thursday NCAA Tournament Ultimate Underdog. Texas A&M has had the tougher road to the Sweet 16 than Michigan but it has made it look easier. The Aggies beat a very good Providence team and they dominated that game in shooting and rebounding but the Friars kept it close by committing only four turnovers. Against North Carolina, it was a complete domination as the Tar Heels were considered to have the size and rebounding advantage but were outrebounded 47-36. They grab 34 percent of their offensive rebound opportunities and they are the bigger team in this matchup as Robert Williams and Tyler Davis have the advantage down low over both Moritz Wagner and John Teske. Wagner has been prone to foul trouble in recent games and that will kill the Wolverines here. Michigan has not looked good though the first two games for a team that is riding an 11-game winning streak. They started out each game slowly and went through long stretches where they missed wide-open shots. It took a last-second three-pointer to advance over Houston so the Wolverines are fortunate to be here. Michigan is a well-coached team where John Beilein gets the most out of his players but the Aggies are playing their best basketball since December when they were once ranked No. 7 in the country. 10* (817) Texas A&M Aggies

This is a play on the NEVADA WOLF PACK for our CBB Thursday NCAA Tournament Enforcer. Two unlikely Sweet 16 teams square off in the first game on Thursday and while Loyola-Chicago is the Cinderella story of this tournament, we are backing Nevada as the better team with more talent from top to bottom. Twins Caleb and Cody Martin starred at Oak Hill Academy, one of the most prestigious prep schools in the country, went to NC State for two years before transferring to Nevada where they have starred. They are two of four transfers from major conference schools with Kendall Stephens, who relocated from Purdue, being the third that averages double-figures in scoring so this team is made up of top level talent. Nevada ranks 16th nationally, fourth among Sweet 16 teams, with 83 ppg and has scored at least 80 points in 21 games, losing only two of those. The Wolf Pack are ranked sixth in the Kenpom adjusted offensive efficiency ratings. The Ramblers possess a stingy defense and they bring in a 12-game winning streak highlighted by two last-second game winning shots to open the NCAA Tournament. The feeling though is that the Nevada 22-point comeback against Cincinnati was more impressive to move forward with. For the first time in the NCAA Tournament, Nevada enjoys a huge edge in size and athleticism which will prove to be the difference. 10* (816) Nevada Wolf Pack

This is a play on the OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS for our CBB Wednesday NIT Enforcer. Oklahoma St. was dissed by the NCAA Tournament committee and it is out to prove that it belonged. The Cowboys were one of three remaining No. 2 seeds heading into last night but Marquette lost as Tuesday saw both home teams fall, Louisville being the other. This is now guaranteed to be the final home game of the season for the Cowboys and it is a big one. If the Cowboys defeat the Hilltoppers, they will tally their 800th victory in Gallagher-Iba Arena and their 16th home victory this season. That would mark 2017-18 as their winningest home season ever, though it fell short of a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Students are getting in for free making sure the environment will be raucous. Western Kentucky has looked good in the first two rounds of the NIT but it has not been overly impressive. The Hilltoppers defeated Boston College at home but the Eagles came in with just two road wins on the season and while they defeated USC on the road, the Trojans were without their top two scorers as the 29.3 combined ppg from Chimezie Metu and Bennie Boatright were on the bench. Here, we play on home favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points from a major conference going up against a team from a mid-major conference, off two or more consecutive home wins. This situation is 59-27 ATS (68.6 percent) since 1997. 10* (766) Oklahoma St. Cowboys

This is a play on the ST. MARY'S GAELS for our CBB Monday NIT Enforcer. This is not what St. Mary's envisioned toward the end of the season as it finished with a 28-5 record, closed as the No. 25 team in the final AP Poll and No. 42 in the RPI. Yet, the Gaels were not given an at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament because of their strength of schedule which was the lowest in the West Coast Conference. Because of the disappointment in the snub. It was questionable how they would come out in their first game in the NIT and they answered those questions with a 44-point win over Southeastern Louisiana showing they are out to win this thing. Washington caught a break in its first-round game as it was a higher seed than Boise St. but benefitted from playing the game at home as the Broncos facilities were unavailable. The Huskies still had a tough time as they won by just three points and now hit the road where they are 4-5 on the season. Going back, Washington is 2-10 ATS in its last 12 games against teams that are outscoring opponents by 12 or more ppg while St. Mary's is 15-3 ATS in its last 18 games coming off a home win by 20 or more points. Additionally, the Gaels fall into a solid situation where we play on home favorites of 10 to 19.5 points after a cover as a double-digit favorite, in March games. This situation is 62-29 ATS (68.1 percent) since 1997. 10* (622) St. Mary's Gaels

This is a play on the MARSHALL THUNDERING HERD for our CBB Sunday Enforcer. The Thundering Herd came through for us on Friday as they pulled off the outright upset over Wichita St. and instead of any sort of letdown, they will use that as confidence moving forward knowing they can beat top-level talent. Marshall missed out last season on the NCAA Tournament as it lost to Middle Tennessee St. in the C-USA Championship, but it ran the table to get to the Big Dance for the first time since 1987. The Thundering Herd had some tough losses this season as five of their 10 losses came by six points or less and they possess one of the most underrated players in the country in Jon Elmore who proved that on Friday. Now the Thundering Herd are playing a higher seed yet are getting more points. West Virginia had no issues with Murray St. and the line is going against it here as the Mountaineers are laying more than they were against the Racers. It has been an up and down season for the Mountaineers after a 15-1 start as they lost eight of their final 15 regular season games when the competition got tougher. Despite a run and gun style that where it would seem fatigue could come into play, Marshall is a perfect 10-0 ATS this season when playing with one day or no rest. Additionally, the Thundering Herd are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games against teams with a winning percentage above .600. West Virginia is 4-11 ATS this season in its 15 games after a cover. 10* (721) Marshall Thundering Herd

This is a play on the PURDUE BOILERMAKERS for our CBB Sunday Afternoon Dominator. We won with Butler on Friday as it won in a rout over Arkansas as it jumped ahead 21-2, lost the lead and still ended up winning by 17 points. The challenge gets a bit tougher on Sunday and one that the Bulldogs have already witnessed first hand this season as they lost to Purdue by 15 points in a game that was not even as close as that score indicates. As mentioned Friday, Butler has won some big games this season and this would qualify but the matchup is not in its favor with a lot of that proven from the first meeting this season. Butler is 0-6 ATS in its last six games when playing against a team with a winning percentage of .800 or better while going 0-7 ATS this season against teams outscoring opponents by 12 or more ppg. Purdue took a huge loss in its game against CS-Fullerton as center Isaac Hass fractured his elbow and is likely done for the season although there is cautious optimism that he can somehow return and play through it. His loss will be felt but the Boilermakers are deep with three 1,000-point scorers even without Haas and his 1,555 career points, Vincent Edwards (1,606), Dakota Mathias (1,126) and Carsen Edwards (1,003) and a fourth player who is not all that far away in P.J. Thompson (781) and shoots 44.4 percent from long range. Purdue is 17-4 ATS in its last 21 games against teams averaging 77 or more ppg. 10* (714) Purdue Boilermakers

This is a play on the MICHIGAN WOLVERINES for our CBB Saturday Enforcer. After a long layoff following winning the Big Ten Tournament., Michigan had the possibility of showing some rust and that was the case as it fell behind 10-0 but ran away with it after that as it defeated Montana 61-47. The defense has picked it up of late as the Wolverines have allowed opponents to shoot just 37.7 percent from the floor over their last five games and two of those games were against Purdue and Michigan St. They have allowed 66 or fewer points in eight of their last nine games and the lone exception was an overtime game. Rob Gray is the real deal as he poured in 39 points including the game-winner over San Diego St. and he has taken this team over offensively, scoring 30 or more points in four of his last eight games but he will have a tougher time here. The Cougars victory was the first one for them since 1984 and it was a nail-biter and while we will not expect a letdown, the matchup will be much more of a challenge. The fact Michigan played poor against the Grizzlies is in our favor as a rebound is expected similar to what happened in the Big Ten Tournament as the Wolverines were horrible against Iowa but came out next game against Nebraska and shot lights out. Michigan is 17-4 ATS this season against teams shooting 45 percent or better from the floor this season while going a perfect 9-0 ATS against teams who make eight or more three-pointers per game. The Wolverines show what they are made of on Saturday. 10* (530) Michigan Wolverines

This is a play on the KANSAS JAYHAWKS for our CBB Saturday Supreme Annihilator. Kansas had a scare for a while again Penn on Thursday before finally pulling away for a 16-point win. This was an example of a lot of games that the Jayhawks played this season as they failed to play a full 40 minutes and clearly came out flat. This game will be different as the matchup is tougher, but the line is taking this into consideration with a low number for a No. 1 seed in the round of 32. While there have been inconsistencies this season, Kansas looks to be peaking at the right time as it blew through the Big XII Tournament with three double-digit wins and then a late surge against the Quakers. The Jayhawks are all about the three-pointer as they make 10.1 per game and shoot 40.3 percent from long range, both tops in the Big XII Conference. The Pirates come off an impressive win over NC State which was considered a sleeper team by some. They were able to take advantage at the free throw line as Seton Hall was 31-39 as it outscored the Wolfpack by 17 points from the charity stripe and we will not see a repeat of that here. The venue and date are huge advantages for Kansas as this one is pretty much a home game for the Jayhawks taking place in Wichita and a late start on St. Patrick's Day will have this environment jazzed up. 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 68-29 ATS (70.1 percent) since 1997. 10* (528) Kansas Jayhawks

This is a play on the RHODE ISLAND RAMS for our CBB Saturday Afternoon Dominator. We are backing Rhode Island again in the round of 32 following an overtime win and cover against Oklahoma. Because of the overtime and because Duke cruised over Iona in its first game, the Rams will be faded by some based on the fatigue factor but after 33 games, fatigue is not an issue. The win over the Sooners should give the Rams a spark of confidence even though the shooting was not great, but they did a great job in taking care of the ball with just six turnovers, something that needs to be repeated against Duke. The Blue Devils pulled away late as they went 13-30 (43 percent) from long range but do not expect to see a repeat of that against the Rams strong perimeter defense. Duke comes in with the No. 6 RPI which is right on track when compared to the seeding, but No. 7 seed Rhode Island has an RPI of No. 13 and that does not correlate with its seeding which shows the Rams are severely underseeded. Rhode Island is 11-4 ATS against teams that shoot 45 percent or better from the floor this season while going 13-4 ATS in its last 17 games after a game committing eight or fewer turnovers. Meanwhile, Duke is 9-19 ATS in its last 28 games as a neutral court favorite of 9.5 to 12 points. The Blue Devils clearly have the better overall roster but because of the slight RPI differences, these teams are not as far off as the line is reflecting which makes the Rams a live dog on Saturday. 10* (523) Rhode Island Rams

This is a play on the CHARLESTON COUGARS for our CBB Game of the Week. Charleston comes from a small conference, but this is a very dangerous team that is playing with a chip on its shoulder. The Cougars finished a game behind UNC-Wilmington last season and eventually lost to the Seahawks in the CAA Championship, so they were out on a mission this season. They returned all five starters and rolled to 26 victories including an overtime win over Northeastern to punch their ticket. The real advantage here for Charleston is the fact it defeated Northeastern three times and the Huskies are very similar to Auburn in style which has actually prompted Tigers head coach Bruce Pearl to focus on those tapes. Auburn got off to a terrific start this season, winning 21 of its first 23 games but the last six weeks have been a struggle as it has gone just 4-5 over its last nine games. The Tigers have been tenacious on defense as they create a ton of turnovers but that does not favor them in this matchup. Charleston turns the ball over just 9.6 times per game, which ranks third in the country, so the Tigers strength is negated here. Auburn was the top seed in the SEC Tournament and were destroyed by Alabama, so the confidence of this team is a big concern as well. Going back, the Cougars are 5-2-1 ATS in their last eight games against teams with a winning straight up record while the Tigers are 0-4 ATS in their last four games against teams with a winning straight up record. 10* (893) Charleston Cougars

This is a play on the NEVADA WOLF PACK for our CBB Friday Enforcer. We had Nevada in the MWC Tournament against San Diego St. but clearly caught the Aztecs at the wrong time. There is unfinished business for the Wolf Pack as they will be facing a Big XII team for the second straight season in the NCAA Tournament after getting ousted by Iowa St. last year by 11 points. This team has the experience to compete with anybody and that includes the Big XII. They have never been blown out of the gym and have kept the game close even in losses to teams like Texas Tech and TCU which are both considerably better than Texas which comes in with an RPI of 51 which is more than the Red Raiders and Horned Frogs combined. Meanwhile, Nevada is No. 19 in the RPI and it is now catching a point as of Thursday afternoon so clearly the value is on the Wolf Pack. Texas has five good wins on the season and while every loss came against a team playing in either the NCAA Tournament or NIT, the Longhorns will have trouble matching up here. While they do have an advantage in height down low, the Wolf Pack are long on the perimeter, athletic, experienced, and highly skilled. The loss in the MWC Tournament stings for Nevada but it has thrived in these spots, going 7-0 ATS in its last seven games following a loss as a favorite and 17-3-1 ATS in its last 21 games following any sort of loss. 10* (880) Nevada Wolf Pack

This is a play on the BUTLER BULLDOGS for our Supreme Annihilator. Butler is similar this season to past seasons as it is efficient on offense and takes good care of the ball. The Bulldogs lost to Villanova in the Big East Tournament, but they do have some quality wins this season including a victory against Villanova and they possess five top 50 wins. This team shares the ball very well, led by the backcourt trio of Aaron Thompson, Kamar Baldwin and Paul Jorgensen. One quick look on paper shows that Butler is not very good at defending the perimeter as it allows opponents to shoot 37.4 percent from long range while Arkansas shooting 40.1 percent from behind the arc which is No. 11 in the nation but that is skewed as Arkansas does not take many three-pointers as their three-point rate is just 32 percent which is 303rd in the country. The Razorbacks made a good run in the SEC Tournament to solidify a good seeding but this one of those games where the higher seed is actually the underdog and that is a red flag for Arkansas which has been thinned in the frontcourt with the suspension of forward Dustin Thomas. Butler is a well-coached team which goes back for years and that is a big reason for the success of the Bulldogs in the tournament. On the season, Arkansas is 7-14 ATS against teams outscoring opponents by four or more ppg while going 3-11 ATS against teams that average 77 or more ppg. While it looks like a toss-up, this is a game the Bulldogs should win going away. 10* (871) Butler Bulldogs

This is a play on the MARSHALL THUNDERING HERD for our CBB Friday Ultimate Underdog. Marshall missed out last season on the NCAA Tournament as it lost to Middle Tennessee St. in the C-USA Championship, but it ran the table to get to the Big Dance for the first time since 1987. The Thundering Herd had some tough losses this season as five of their 10 losses came by six points or less and they possess one of the most underrated players in the country. Jon Elmore averages 22.8 ppg, 6.0 rpg and 6.9 apg so he can do it all, but he is not the only backcourt producer as C.J. Burks averages 20.5 ppg. Marshall runs and guns more than any team in the country and Wichita St. has been nowhere near what we think they would be defensively this season. Wichita St. had a solid first season in the AAC as it finished tied for second with Houston at 14-4. The two big things for the Shockers that can cause an early exit that hurt them during the season is streak shooting and turnovers and if their shooting is off on Friday, they can lose this game outright. The Shockers have been overvalued quite a bit this season which stems from their dominance in the MVC and while they won a lot, they were not able to cover especially against solid opposition which is the opposite of the Thundering Herd. Wichita St. is 6-16 ATS this season against teams with a winning record while Marshall is 12-7 ATS this season against winning teams. Additionally, Wichita St. is 3-13 ATS against teams who attempt 21 or more three-point shots per game this season. 10* (889) Marshall Thundering Herd

This is a play on the ST. BONAVENTURE BONNIES for our CBB Thursday Late Night Crusher. We won with the Bonnies in one of the First Four play-in games and we are going right back to them here. St. Bonaventure snuck into the NCAA Tournament as one of the last four teams in, which came as a surprise as the thought was that the Bonnies were securely in, but a few upsets the final two days knocked them down some. The Bonnies have arguably a top-five backcourt in the country in Matt Mobley and Jaylen Adams although that was not on display against the Bruins. They combined to go 6-28 from the floor but it was a clutch shot by Adams late that made a big difference. The fact that those two played so bad and they still defeated UCLA shows how good this team really is. The Bonnies push the ball and that is a style of play that can hurt the Gators on defense. Florida closed the season 3-4 over its last seven games and it had some poor losses along the way against many non-tournament teams. The Gators rely on the three-pointer as they hoist up over 24 per game and the St. Bonaventure guards can also play defense as the Bonnies allow 32.1 percent from long range which is No. 32 in the country. These teams met early last season in Olean and the Bonnies gave Florida all it could as Mobley and Adams combined for 48 points in a seven-point loss and they no doubt have the memories of that and they have the confidence. 10* (739) St. Bonaventure Bonnies

This is a play on the SAN DIEGO STATE AZTECS for our CBB Thursday Ultimate Underdog. We won with Houston in the AAC Championship game as it lost to Cincinnati by a point. The Cougars have had an excellent season as they are 26-7 and while two of those losses came against Cincinnati and another one against Wichita St., the other four defeats were anything but good and all against non-NCAA Tournament teams. This is a team that could have been a sleeper, but the Cougars got a brutal draw with one of the hottest teams in the country and a potential game against Big Ten Champion Michigan. While we won with the Cougars in their last game, we lost with San Diego St. as the Aztecs won three games in three days against some excellent competition to win the Mountain West Conference Tournament. There was a turning point in the season back in early February when they lost against Nevada by 25 points but since then, they have not lost as they have reeled off nine straight wins. It is important to note that san Diego St. was without senior guard Trey Kell as he missed four games and the Aztecs went 1-3 and his return came right after that Nevada game, so they have not lost since his return. San Diego St. owns a win over Gonzaga which shows it can complete with anyone, as long as it wants to. San Diego St. is 8-2 ATS this season against teams allowing 42 percent or less shooting while going 7-0 ATS in its last seven games against teams with a winning straight up record. 10* (731) San Diego St. Aztecs

This is a play on the LOYOLA-CHICAGO RAMBLERS for our CBB Thursday Enforcer. Strong guard play and defense are two important factors for teams to have success in the NCAA Tournament and the Ramblers possess both. Their backcourt features three guards averaging double-digits in scoring and while it may have been considered a down year in the Missouri Valley Conference, they rolled through with an 18-3 record. And it cannot be ignored Loyola-Chicago defeated the Gators in Florida and it so with a defense known as the Pack Line Defense, the same that is employed by the Virginia Cavaliers. Going back, the Ramblers are 11-2 ATS in their last 13 games in the second half of the season against teams shooting 45 percent or better from the floor and they are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games against teams with a winning straight up record. Miami obviously played a much tougher schedule because of the ACC and it closed the regular season with four straight wins before getting bounced by North Carolina in the ACC Tournament by 17 points. Because of the strong schedule, the Hurricanes possess an RPI of 27 which is very solid, but the Ramblers are right behind them at No. 28 and this is a big reason why the line is so low which is putting the public squarely on Miami. The Hurricanes are 2-6 ATS in their last eight games against teams with a winning straight up record while going 0-6 in their last six games against teams allowing 42 percent shooting or less. 10* (735) Loyola-Chicago Ramblers

This is a play on the RHODE ISLAND RAMS for our CBB Thursday Afternoon Dominator. We get things going with the first tipoff on Thursday of the NCAA Tournament as we will be backing the Rhode Island Rams. They got off to a 21-3 start including a perfect 13-0 start in the Atlantic Ten and those three non-conference losses came against three other NCAA Tournament teams. Then, things took a turn as they closed the regular season going 2-3 including a bad loss at home against the Hawks by 30 points and then lost the A-10 Championship to Davidson, their second loss to the Wildcats in four games. This typically could be a stretch to fade but this team is too good to end its season right here. Rhode Island has a great backcourt than can neutralize Oklahoma. The Sooners took a lot of heat for getting into the tournament and rightfully so. After a 14-2 start, Oklahoma got waxed by Kansas St. by 18 points which led to a 4-10 finish and it got bounced by Oklahoma St. in the first round of the Big XII Tournament. Trae Young is a star and the Sooners are in the Big Dance because of him as the NCAA wants to showcase these players and not only that, they get the very first game of the day with all eyes watching. We play on favorites averaging between 74 and 78 ppg going up against teams allowing 78 or more ppg, after a loss by three points or less. This situation is 68-26 ATS (72.3 percent) since 1997. 10* (724) Rhode Island Rams

This is a play on the TEMPLE OWLS for our NIT Wednesday Ultimate Underdog. This is another play based on skewed seedings when comparing to the real RPI of the teams that are participating in the NIT. Only five teams have a higher RPI than Temple, which possess the No. 48 RPI thanks to playing the seventh toughest schedule in the nation and the toughest schedule within the American. The Owls have three wins over top 25 teams and have come close in others, so they come in with a solid body of work and now it all comes down to motivation. And with these two teams not fans of each other, there will be motivation for sure. Penn St. was a bubble team for the NCAA Tournament but in reality, it was not that close. The Nittany Lions ended up further from the bubble than expected as shown by a No. 4 seed here which is backed up by an RPI of No. 78, 30 spots lower than their opponent here yet are favored by double-digits in some spots. Penn St. had a very strong year but the Big Ten was a weak conference with only four teams getting into the Big Dance. The Nittany Lions will again be without the services of sophomore forward Mike Watkins, whose absence for the better part of the last six games has left a gaping hole in their post presence. The Owls are 6-2 ATS in their last eight games against teams with a winning straight up record while going 9-1 ATS in its last 10 road games after scoring 80 points or more. 10* (617) Temple Owls