Sports Picks & Predictions

The Bucks are one of the hottest teams in the NBA and they have won and covered in seven of eight games. They won straight up last time out at the Clippers and they don’t have any travel involved here as they play in the same building and against a much worse team. The Lakers are the definition of a team that is tanking. They have covered only one of their last 10 games. They have to keep losing to have a good chance to keep their draft pick, and they have been making an art of it lately. We don’t think that the Bucks will rest on their laurels after the win against the Clippers, and this is a team playing with a lot of confidence right now.

4 Unit Play. #846 Take UCLA -18 over Kent State (9:55 pm Tru TV) The Bruins have too much talent for this to be a competitive game. Not many teams in the MAC can get up and down the floor like USCLA can and they just have too many athletes in this game. UCLA is 9-1 ATS in their last 10 conference games.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

4 Unit Play. #819 Take Marquette over South Carolina (9:50 TBS) This is the top consensus underdog selection with 65% of the money coming in on the Golden Eagles. Marquette is all about offense and does not play much defense but I believe that will be good enough to advance to the Round of 32. The Golden Eagles average 83 points per game. As in most seasons under Frank Martin, the Gamecocks faded down the stretch losing five of their last seven and they will be a quick out in this tournament. South Carolina is 1-9 ATS in their last 10 games. 

The more Miami wins the more the value starts to rise going against them and we just think that this line is way too large on Friday as we thought -2 would be a more appropriate line and we would lean to the Wolves at that number. But we really like them a lot at the current line and we think they have a great chance to win this game straight out. Minnesota can be inconsistent. But they have recent wins over Washington, Golden State and the LA Clippers, and they will come into this game with every intention of winning. These teams are pretty evenly matched in our opinion and we have to take the points here on Friday.

10 Unit Play. #832 Take Dayton over Wichita State (Friday 7:10 pm CBS) It is not often you see this big of a favorite from a lower seed in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. That being said, Dayton is no slouch and played in a much better conference. Yes Wichita State was under seeded but this is not a final four team. The Missouri Valley Conference was way down this year and going 17-1 in that league this year is just not that impressive. The Flyers will be ready to get back on the court after two straight losses. The Shockers only beat 1 team that made the NCAA Tournament this year in South Dakota State, a team that finished fourth in the Summit League. Wichita State is 6-14 ATS in their last 20 neutral site games as a favorite. Dayton is 14-6 ATS in their last 20 games. Dayton has the motivation in this game as nobody is giving them a chance but we feel they have a great chance to win straight-up. 

The Wizards have lost two straight but they are the much better team in this matchup and we thought that this line should be double digits. The Bulls have won and covered only one of their last seven games. This team lost Wade for the season and we think that was the final nail in the coffin for them and we expect some more poor results down the stretch. The Wizards have lost two straight entering this game, but this is their second game back home after a long road trip and we expect a really solid effort tonight. John Wall is questionable here but we think he will play and even if not we feel like the Wizards are due for a big game.

4 Unit Play. #835 Take USC over SMU (3:10 pm Tru TV) The Trojans are a very streaky team but when they play with confidence they are one of the better teams on the West Coast. USC was left for dead on Wednesday against Providence but they played a brilliant second half to emerge victorious from the play-in game and now are onto Tulsa to play the Mustangs. SMU has a gaudy 30-4 record but one must remember they play in the American Athletic Conference and one of those four losses came against USC. That will give the Men of Troy confidence in this game and I feel it will go down to the wire. Everyone it seems one of the at-large play in teams wins a Round of 32 game and that will again be the case on Friday. USC is a different team against nonconference foes going 20-8 ATS (1 push) in their last 29 nonconference games. SMU is 9-21 ATS (1 push) in their last 31 neutral site games as a favorite. 

4 Unit Play. #842 Take Oregon -15 over Iona (2 pm TBS) 

Orlando has dropped three straight, but we expect their best effort tonight as everyone seems to get up to play the Warriors lately. Golden State has covered just once in 10 games. They almost lost to Philly last time out here at home but they pulled out a two-point win. This team has been bad all season at covering big lines and they are 16-27 ATS against double-digit lines. Orlando is 6-3 ATS against lines of 10 or higher, so this matchup is good for both of those trends. Orlando is also 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings in the Bay Area. They lost by six points and one point the last two times they have played here, and the Warriors are not playing as well as they were last season.

4 Unit Play. #742 Take Arizona over North Dakota (9:50 pm TBS) It is now or never for Arizona. They have a great draw to get to the Final Four and if they accomplish that they will be playing their final two games in their home state. The Wildcats are healthy and they had a great season going 30-4 and winning the regular season and conference tournament. 69% of the money is coming in on the Wildcats and it is with good reason as North Dakota just does not have the bodies to keep this game under twenty points. Arizona is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 neutral site games. 

4 Unit Play. #715 Take Virginia Tech over Wisconsin (9:40 pm CBS) Buzz Williams is set to do battle with his former in-state rival tonight in Buffalo as the Hokies take on the Badgers in Buffalo. This is just a case of one team being happy to be here where as the other team feels they were grossly under seeded. Wisconsin finished second in the Big 10 and second in the Big 10 tournament yet was given an 8th seed in Buffalo instead of a top five seed in Milwaukee. Virginia Tech has the much more consistent offense and I feel they will go on a run at some point in this game and that will be enough for them to take it down to the wire. Virginia Tech is 23-7 ATS in their last 30 games as an underdog. The Wisconsin fans have turned on this team and I do not see things going well for them on Thursday. 

4 Unit Play. #744 Take Saint Mary’s (CA) -4.5 over VCU (7:20 TBS) The Gales can be a tricky team to play if you have not seen them before and I expect them to do to VCU what they did to BYU. Will Wade has not been able to create the same magic during his two years and they are going to run into a buzz saw today. All Saint Mary’s does is win games with just four loses on the season and three of them were at the hands of Gonzaga. Saint Mary’s is 13-4 ATS (1 push) in their last 18 games nonconference games. VCU is 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games as an underdog. 

These teams played a few nights ago and the Nets scored an eight-point win at home. Forget about revenge here as the Knicks have so many issues right now that getting revenge on the lowly Nets is probably their last priority. Porzingis has been the lone bright spot for New York this season and he is probably out here and team brass has already conceded that this is a lost season and is management has given up then why would the players, who have stunk all season, want to give any effort? Brooklyn has been really good at bouncing back from a loss and they are 6-1 ATS in these situations this season. This is a good chance in our eyes for the Nets to get a rare road win (even though they are just a subway ride from home here).

Utah comes in on a back-to-back but has won six of their last seven overall and this team is playing as well as any team right now. We always look for a spot to go against the Cavs, who have a good record SU but are a sub-.500 team ATS. The Cavs have actually covered in three straight so their lines get inflated again quickly, especially after playing one of their best games of the season last time out. Utah is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings and we expect them to keep this one close as well. This team is on a roll right now and they can possibly win this one straight up.

4 Unit Play. #728 Take Maryland -1.5 over Xavier (6:50 pm TNT) Xavier has been a sinking ship for most of the second half of the season just beating DePaul three times before beating Butler in the Conference Tournament. This is just not the same team without Edmond Sumner and they will be a quick out in the 2017 NCAA Tournament. This play is all about fading Xavier as I do not have much confidence in Maryland. The Terrapins have talent and laid an egg last time out against Northwestern and I hope they take out their frustration in a big way today. The Musketeers are 3-9 ATS in their last 12 games as an underdog. Maryland is 8-3 ATS (1 push) in their last 12 neutral site games. 

10 Unit Play. #721 Take UNC Wilmington over Virginia (12:40 pm Tru TV) Just do not believe that Virginia will go very far in this tournament. For most of the conference season their offense has fallen off of a cliff and you cannot win game in the tournament solely based on your defense. The Seahawks had an outstanding season winning CAA regular season and conference tournament in route to a 29-5 record. Wilmington is the much better offense team in this game and I just do not see them getting blown out. They will get hot from the three-point line at some point in this game and take it down to the wire. The Seahawks played in the NCAA Tournament last season and that should help them in this game as well. Wilmington is 8-2 ATS in their last 10 neutral site games as an underdog. It is not very often that more money comes in on the underdog but that is the case in this game and it is with good reason. 

The Bucks just beat down the Clippers in Milwaukee less than two weeks ago, and that was a double-digit win. Revenge is an overstated handicapping angle for the NBA and the Clippers are not focused on an out-of-conference foe but instead they are trying to work Chris Paul and Blake Griffin back in the lineup and trying to get on the same page for a playoff run. The Clippers just have not been playing up to their potential lately and we think this is likely a close game and the Bucks showed recently already that they can match up well with LA.

The Kings have been playing pretty well lately for what they have on their roster and we think this is a very winnable game for them tonight. They beat Orlando last time out as an underdog and they took the Wizards to OT in a loss and also played the Spurs pretty tough on the road. While some thought this team would roll over when Cousins was traded, they seem to be playing harder on a nightly basis. The Suns are just 3-8 ATS as a favorite this season and this is not a good role for them. Maybe we could see three points here for this line but this line is too large for the way the Suns have performed as a favorite.

4 Unit Play. #624 Take USC -2.5 over Providence (9:10 pm Tru TV) Just expect USC to come to play tonight after a lackluster finish to the regular season. Providence played well down the stretch but most of that came against injured or bottom feeder teams. USC has talent they just need to come to play tonight. USC is 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games as a favorite. 

Dallas has had great success in this series in covering in seven of the last eight meetings. Dallas has lost two straight and they have failed to cover in their last three so they are undervalued tonight but overall this team has been playing very well for awhile and the Wizards have cooled off a bit since their really hot streak. They have covered only two of their last seven games and this looks like an inflated line tonight as we thought that 4.5 would be a more suitable line for this game.

4 Unit Play. #640 Take UCF -2.5 over Colorado (7 pm ESPN 3) The Golden Knights finished up well down the stretch winning 6 of their last 7 games. They are excited to be in the NCAA Tournament as they have a new coach this season who did well to get them to this point. The Buffaloes are a different team on the road and they finished with three home games before losing to Arizona in the quarterfinals of the PAC-12 Conference Tournament. Colorado is 0-4 ATS in their last 4 road games. UCF is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

4 Unit Play. #621 Take NC Central -3.5 over UC Davis (6:40 pm Tru TV) Was not impressed at all with the Aggies performance in the Big West Finals. The refs gave them the game against Irvine and I feel karma will catch-up with them in this game. The Aggies are an underdog for a reason going 1-4 ATS in their last 5 neutral site games when they are not expected to win. NC Central has covered the spread in 6 straight games. 

4 Unit Play. #557 Take Richmond over Alabama (9:15 pm ESPN 2) Just do not feel Alabama is good enough to be laying this many points against a decent Richmond team. The Spiders are the more efficient offensive team as the Crimson Tide score just under 69 points per game. The last game out was the only time Alabama scored over 70 points per game in their last 7 games. Richmond is 7-3 ATS in their last 10 road games. Alabama is 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games against Atlantic 10 teams. 

4 Unit Play. #544 Take Wake Forest over Kansas State (9:10 pm Tru TV) Just feel that the upside for Wake Forest is much greater than it is for Kansas State. The Wildcats had a losing record in conference play and are getting too much credit for a bunch of close losses. The Demon Deacons won 4 of their last 5 games and are the much better offensive team in this match-up. Wake Forest is 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games against Big 12 opponents. 

The Pacers have played better on the road lately but the fact remains that even with improved play that they are just 11-21 on the road this season. They are a better team overall than the Knicks but at least the Knicks have 15 wins at home this season and we think they have the edge here and they are getting points at home tonight. New York has covered in four of the last six matchups between these clubs. The Pacers have lost three of their last four on the road. New York has had a tough road-heavy schedule lately and we think that being back home will give this team a boost and a chance for a much-needed win.

Detroit always seems to get up for this matchup and they won the last two meetings and they have covered in three of the last four overall. They won by five last week in Detroit when these two teams met up. Revenge isn’t a major factor in the NBA and the Cavs don’t really take the regular season all that seriously, hence their 30-33-2 ATS mark, and we don’t think they will be super focused on revenge here and this should just be another game to them that they should win, but we think that the Pistons can keep this one close with a chance for the upset. Five of the last six meetings have gone under the total and we think this total is too high once again with both teams trending to the under recently.

The Clippers have won four of five and now that they are getting healthy they are finally putting it together ahead of the playoffs. This game is crucial for the No. 4 seed in the playoff and home-court advantage. The Clippers are currently one game back but they already have the tiebreaker by virtue of winning both of the previous matchups this season (they have won and covered in four straight meetings). The Clippers are much better than the Jazz when playing well and fully healthy and they have matched up very well against them in the past. In a playoff-type atmosphere we will back the better team here.

This line is a bit of a head scratcher. The Spurs played good against the Warriors on Saturday but this team is missing Aldridge and Parker tonight and possibly Leonard as well. Yes, they beat the Warriors shorthanded but Golden State had their JV squad playing and Atlanta will be much tougher competition tonight. The Hawks coach used to be an assistant in San Antonio so this is a big game for them when these teams meet. The Hawks won the first meeting in OT and they should be able to stay very competitive here against a watered-down Spurs team.

With six straight wins the Bucks are playing as well as any team in the NBA right now and the oddsmakers still haven’t caught up with this team. They face a Memphis team tonight that is slumping big time with five straight losses. It’s not like the Grizzlies have faced a murderer’s row, either. They lost to the Hawks, Nets and Clippers at home, all as a favorite, and they lost on the road to the Mavs as a favorite as well. They actually haven’t covered a line in this losing streak and they look overvalued tonight against a Bucks team that has been playing lights out.

Both teams started off the season slow but both are now realizing their potential and we just have to back the home team here. The Wolves have had a road-heavy schedule lately but when they have been at home they have been amazing with three straight wins, against the Warriors, Clippers and Mavs. Those are three very good teams (the Mavs are playing like a playoff team now). They have won two of four on the road, including a win at Utah and an OT loss at San Antonio. This is the last game of a long road trip for the Wizards, who played in OT in their last two games and will be playing their third game in four nights. Bad spot for the road team here.

Dallas has covered in three of the last four meetings in this series and we think they make it four of five tonight. This team has won six of eight and is playing its best basketball of the season and the oddsmakers still seem to be lining this team based on their overall body of work instead of their current form. This team is playing like a playoff team right now despite a slow start to the season. Toronto has lost three of four and this is the dreaded first game home after a long road trip when teams tend to struggle in this spot. We expect a real close game here that the Mavs have a great chance to win.

Both teams have similar records but the Rockets are 38-28 ATS this season while the Cavs are just 29-33-2 ATS. That just goes to show you which one of these teams is normally overvalued by the oddsmakers. The Rockets can pick their own score when their offense is clicking and this should be a fast-paced game that plays into the Rockets strengths. Houston has been really good as a favorite this season and when you like them you can normally be confident that they will score enough to cover the line when laying points and that is definitely the case here tonight. Cleveland has lost four of their last six and this team isn’t playing very well right now and we don’t think this is a good spot for them tonight.

Five of the last six meetings in this series have gone under the posted total. The under is also 4-0 in the Heat’s last four road games. This team has had trouble scoring on the road and they have failed to reach the century mark in two of their last three on the road. This Pacers defense is playing very well lately and we think the Heat are going to have a tough time on offense today, especially with Dragic likely to miss this game for the Heat. Indiana has won and covered in four straight meetings at home in this series and they are an excellent home team overall this season and we expect them to get the job done in a big way Sunday and the under should be an easy cash as well.

4 Unit Play. #890 Take Wisconsin over Michigan (3 pm CBS) Both teams have been playing outstanding basketball at the moment but I just feel Michigan playing the extra game will doom them in. Michigan lives and dies with the 3-point shot and I just get the feeling tired legs will doom them in. These teams split during the regular season but Wisconsin may have more to play for with a NCAA Tournament game in Milwaukee should they win this game. Michigan is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games played on Sunday. Wisconsin is 11-3 ATS in their last 14 games as a small favorite of 6.5 points or less.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

4 Unit Play. #760 Take UC-Irvine -5 over UC-Davis (11:30 ESPN 2) The top two teams in the Big West are set to do battle for a winner take all game tonight in Anaheim. I still felt the Aggies were a year away from rebuilding after a terrible 2015-2016 season. The Anteaters have won five straight games including a 30-point victory against the Aggies three games ago. 

10 Unit Play. #758 Take Oregon -2 over Arizona (11 pm ESPN) Conference Tournament Game of the Year. The Ducks beat the Wildcats big in their only meeting this year to earn the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament. Now they look for the season sweep of them and back-to-back PAC-12 Conference Tournament titles. Oregon did not play well yesterday especially Dillon Brooks and I look for them to right the ship in a big way tonight. Arizona played outstanding yesterday against UCLA and it will be hard to follow that performance up with another high caliber opponent. I felt Oregon had an advantage by avoiding UCLA or Arizona until the finals and that will become evident tonight. Oregon is 15-5 ATS in their last 20 games. Arizona is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games played on Saturday. 

Atlanta is coming in on a back-to-back and this team has played six straight at home. That puts them in a bad spot to head on the road to play a physical team like the Grizzlies and we don’t see it going too well for them tonight. Memphis played on Thursday but they had two nights off before that so they should be much more well rested than their opponents tonight. Atlanta hasn’t been good after a win lately as they have dropped four straight against the spread after a win, and like we said we just think this is a real bad spot for the road team against a Memphis squad that has dropped four straight, albeit against a pretty tough schedule. They need this win badly and they will go all out to get it and should cover the number pretty easily.

4 Unit Play. #755 Take Duke -4 over Notre Dame (9 pm ESPN) Duke was really struggling when they faced Notre Dame in their only meeting this season. Yet they went into South Bend without Coach K and beat the Irish by double digits. I see another double-digit victory tonight for Duke in Brooklyn. Duke was the consensus No. 1 team to start the season and they are starting to show why now. Notre Dame needs to make shots from the three point line to stay close in this game and I do not believe that will happen. 

Well, this one sure turned out to be a lemon. The Warriors are resting their four best starters and the Spurs are sitting a couple key guys as well. This was supposed to be one of the best games of the season but not it’s looking like anything but. The ABC execs have to be fuming. Nonetheless, we expect the Spurs to win big here. They are a deeper team. The stars of the Warriors elevate the other players around them and make them much better but for San Antonio it’s more of the system and they have some nice depth and we think they will take this game very seriously and expect them to win big.

4 Unit Play. #761 Take Weber State +1 over North Dakota (8:30 pm ESPN U) The Fighting Hawks have beaten the Wildcats twice, won the outright title and yet are just a small favorite in this game. That tells me all I need to know about why Weber State is our selection for this winner take all championship game in the Big Sky. 

6 Unit Play. #752 Take Akron -4 over Kent State (7:30 pm ESPN 2) The Zips have been the top team in the league all season long and they are going to go to the NCAA Tournament. Akron stabilized their season with a victory at Kent State to close out the regular season and have not looked back ever since. Akron faced two tougher teams in the MAC tournament in the quarters and semi than what they will see today. Akron has great inside out balance to go along with finesse and strength.  The Zips are 17-8 ATS (1 push) in their last 26 neutral site games as a favorite. Akron marches onto the Big Dance. 

4 Unit Play. #748 Take Nevada -4.5 over Colorado State (6:15 pm CBS) Twice I felt I had Nevada figured out against Colorado State and Fresno State. Both times they were down big in the first half yet won the game going away (easily covered the spread). So, we will play them this time expecting them to get hot at some point and win this game going away. They won the regular season championship and have a huge edge playing the early game last night since the Rams did not get off the court until after midnight local time. Colorado State now must play a 3:15 pm tip-off the following day with a short bench. 

4 Unit Play. #732 Take Wisconsin -4.5 over Northwestern (3:30 pm CBS) Northwestern is getting a lot of love because 90% of the commentaries have Duke ties and Chris Collins is a former player and coach with the Blue Devils. But this team is not that good and throw in the fact Wisconsin has revenge and I see this being a double-digit victory by the higher seed. Wisconsin has gotten back on track in a big way the last two games winning big against Indiana & Minnesota. The Badgers have dominated Northwestern in the past and that will continue on Saturday as well as they march onto the finals. 

Utah is playing great basketball right now and they have won four straight and their defense has really been getting the job done lately. We expect their defense to be in top form today and expect a real low-scoring game which the Jazz have a chance to win straight up. OKC has dropped four of five overall and this team is just not in top form lately despite a win over San Antonio last time out. The under is 9-2 in the last 11 meetings and a low-scoring game plays into the Jazz’s hands. We think Utah is the much better and more well-rounded team and we expect them to win this one straight out on Saturday afternoon.

4 Unit Play. #585 Take Fresno State +5.5 over Nevada (10 pm CBSSN) The Wolf Pack struggle against Fresno State. Nevada won the outright MWC title yet lost both games to Fresno State. Nevada has been on an ATS roll and feel they are due not to cover one of these games in this tournament. Do not expect a blowout as this game goes down to the wire. 

4 Unit Play. #600 Take Alcorn State -2 over Southern (9:30 pm) This is the top consensus play of the evening with 76% of the money coming in on Alcorn State. The Braves beat the Jaguars in both games this season and we will gladly lay the small number of points in this game. The Braves have won 12 of their last 14 games and finished second in a very competitive SWAC this season.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

6 Unit Play. #524 Take Maryland -1.5 over Northwestern (9 pm BTN) This is a defacto home game for Maryland and I feel this line is way too low. The Wildcats did not finish out the season well down the stretch and beating Rutgers is just not that impressive in my book. Maryland finished in second place in the Big 10 and I believe that they will make some noise in this conference tournament. Northwestern is 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games played on Friday. Maryland is 15-5 ATS (1 push) in their last 21 neutral site games when they are a favorite. 

The Bulls just have a knack for winning these games against top competition at home. They beat Golden State here. They also won when facing their biggest tests against Boston and Toronto recently. The Bulls have lost three straight since that win against the Warriors but that just means they are more desperate for a win tonight and we are getting a very good line because with this team’s history against top opponents at home we expected a line closer to 3 here and we would have leaned to the Bulls at that number as well but the big line here warrants a top play. The Bulls are 8-4 ATS at home against above-.500 teams and they are 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings against Houston in Chicago. Houston has dropped two straight as well heading into this matchup and they are not in great form right now. We expect a pretty close game here and we think this is a coin flip as to the winner but getting the points here is just too good to pass up for our top play for Friday.

4 Unit Play. #570 Take North Carolina over Duke (7 pm ESPN) Yes this is a rivalry but this line is way too low considering how Duke is playing compared to North Carolina. The Tar Heels will be playing their second game in the tournament compared to Duke playing their third game in three days. Louisville had Duke on the ropes on Thursday but could not put them away. North Carolina will not make this same mistake. Carolina is more experienced and has much better size in the paint. Duke is just 2-7 ATS in their last 9 games as an underdog of 6.5 points or less. North Carolina is 20-7 ATS (2 pushes) in their last 29 neutral site games. Grayson Allen is still not shooting the ball very well and thus Carolina will win this rubber game by double digits. 

6 Unit Play. #574 Take Iowa State -4.5 over TCU (7 pm ESPN 2) With Kansas and Baylor going down this tournament is wide open with all 4 teams believing they have a chance to win it. TCU is coming off an emotional high and I believe they will come back down to reality in this game against a team that does very well in this conference tournament. This is a rubber match with each team winning on their home floor but the Cyclones have played extremely well down the stretch winning 7 of their last 8 games. Despite being Kansas yesterday they Horned Frogs have gone the other losing 7 of their last 9 games and falling out of at-large contention (they must win the Big 12 Conference Tournament to make the Big Dance). 

4 Unit Play. #522 Take Wisconsin -4 over Indiana (6:30 pm BTN) Indiana has not been able to handle prosperity well this season. Despite playing an outstanding second half against Iowa I feel things will come crashing down on them on Friday in Washington D.C. Wisconsin beat them twice this season and appeared to get back on track following their senior day victory against Minnesota on Sunday. Indiana is 16-35 ATS (1 push) in their last 52 games following an ATS victory in their previous game. 

4 Unit Play. #789 Take San Diego State -1 over Boise State (11:30 pm CBSSN) The Aztecs were all but dead yesterday against UNLV. They not only rallied from a 21 point second half deficit but they covered a 9 point spread. They have a chance to win this conference tournament and will carry that momentum into tonight’s games against Boise State. The Aztecs being favored tells me all I need to know about this game. Boise State just does not have many athletic playmakers and that usually spells trouble the deeper you go into the conference tournament. SDSU has revenge and not many teams can sweep the season series against them. Boise State is 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games. 

4 Unit Play. #820 Take UMKC -6.5 over UT Rio Grande Valley (10 pm) Usually the chalk holds serve in these lesser conference tournament in the earlier rounds and expect that to be the case again on Thursday. The Vaqueros have lost nine straight games to close out the regular season. The Kangaroos beat them twice and they will complete the trifecta on Friday. RGV is 1-9 ATS (1 push) in their last 11 games.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

OKC has lost four straight and they should be desperate for a win tonight and especially against one of their main rivals. And OKC is 3-1 ATS in the last three meetings and they have been a great bet at home all season at 21-10-1 ATS. The Spurs come in on a back-to-back and they have to play it on the road, which is always tough. Plus, the Spurs had to mount a major rally last night vs. Sacramento and they outscored the Kings 32-18 in the fourth quarter, which caused them to use up a lot of energy. We think they might be really lacking in effort tonight compared to what we are used to from the Spurs. Despite winning nine straight the Spurs have covered in just three of those games, and this team has been overvalued by the oddsmakers compared to their current effort on the court.

We have been on the Clippers lately with poor results but we have to go with where we see value so we will back them Thursday for our top play. The Clips are getting Blake Griffin and Chris Paul back in playing shape and they should start to play better as they make their playoff push. Memphis has had the edge in this series for a long time but the Clippers scored a nine-point win last time out so maybe the tide is turning in this series. The Clippers come in on a back-to-back after a poor effort last night in Minnesota but it’s just hard to see this team playing games like that on back-to-back nights and maybe they were looking ahead to this game against a more traditional rival. We had LA as a slight favorite in this game and expect them to win straight up.

6 Unit Play. #772 Take Vanderbilt -3 over Texas A&M (7 pm SEC Network) The Commodores have come too far to gag this game. The Aggies are not great three-point shooting team and this is a recipe for disaster in today’s game. Vanderbilt beat Texas A&M twice this season and will enter this game having won five of their six games. Texas A&M is 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games as an underdog. Vanderbilt is 15-3 ATS in their last 18 games against teams with a winning record. 

6 Unit Play. #723 Take Indiana -2 over Iowa (6:30 pm ESPN 2) I just believe the upside for Indiana is much greater than it is for Iowa. The Hawkeyes have won four straight games but I just do not believe they have much talent. Indiana got healthy towards the end of the season and I feel they will make some noise in this tournament (must win it to make the NCAA Tournament). Iowa is 5-18 ATS in their last 23 neutral site games. 

4 Unit Play. #802 Take Tulsa over Tulane (6 pm ESPNN) The line tells me something about this game. Tulsa got run out of the gym last game against Tulane yet enters as a small favorite in this game. That is because the Green Wave have won just six games this season and they are one of the worst teams in the country. The Golden Hurricanes were 8-10 this season in the American Athletic Conference and most of those wins came against the bottom of the league and Tulane qualifies as a bottom feeder team. Tulane is 13-40 ATS in their last 53 games as an underdog of 6.5 points or less. Tulsa is 20-9 ATS (2 pushes) in their last 31 games against teams with a losing record. Tulsa learned their lesson last week and will win this game by double digits. 

4 Unit Play. #800 Take Temple -5 over East Carolina (3:30 pm ESPN U) 78% of the money is coming in on Temple and it is with good reason. This is the rubber match as both teams come in with blowout home victories against each other. The Owls have won two straight games by double digits and that is how is see this game going as well. East Carolina is 3-13 ATS in their last 16 games played on Thursday. Temple is 8-1 ATS in their last 9 games played on Thursday. 

7 Unit Play. #745 Take Western Michigan -1.5 over Ball State (2:30 pm) Just cannot go against the Broncos at the moment having won nine straight games including a 25-point victory against Ball State during this time. They have had a remarkable turnaround to the 2016-2017 season and they will advance to the semi-finals. Ball State is 0-3 ATS (1 push) in their last 4 neutral site games. Western Michigan is 23-9 ATS (1 push) in their last 33 games following an ATS loss in their previous game. 

4 Unit Play. #713 Take Duke +2.5 over Louisville (2:30 pm ESPN) Just not been sold on this Louisville team this season especially away from the YUM Center. Duke has more talent it is just a matter of them playing together. Playing yesterday should help them to set up a rubber match with North Carolina. 

4 Unit Play. #744 Take Akron over Eastern Michigan (12 pm ESPN 3) Akron won a lot of close games this season before that caught up with them down the stretch, as they lost three of their last five games. But they righted the ship last time out against Kent State and now they must win three straight games in order to make the NCAA Tournament (1 bid league). Akron won both meetings this season with Eastern Michigan, the first one by 7 in Akron and the last meeting by 11 points in Ypsilanti. The Eagles started off conference play hot and I thought they would be the team to beat in the MAC West but they hit a lull losing seven straight games before beating some bottom feeder teams to close out the regular season (Northern Illinois – 2, Central Michigan). The Eagles are 2-9 ATS in their last 11 games. Akron is 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games as a small favorite of 6.5 points or less. 

Golden State has covered just one of the past eight meetings between these clubs. We thought that this line should have been around 6 but it’s on the other side of the NBA key betting number of 7 so there is some nice value with the underdog here. Boston seems to always get up to play the Warriors and they were one of their biggest thorns in their side last season. Boston won here last season and they should have won in Boston but they fell in OT. The Celtics were blown out by the Warriors by 16 early in the season in Boston, but we don’t think that this will happen twice as by all indications the Celtics take this matchup very seriously and we think they give their all tonight while this is likely just another game for the home team. Golden State has covered only one of their last seven games and they look overvalued again here tonight.

4 Unit Play. #580 Take Auburn over Missouri (9:30 pm SECN) The Kim Anderson Era is thankfully coming to an end and I do not see his team playing hard to try and save his job for one more game. Missouri is just a complete disaster and a shaky Auburn team already beat them twice this season. Missouri will enter this game having lost six straight games and did not win a conference road game this season (won just 2 home games). Auburn has covered the spread 4 straight games against teams with a losing record. 

4 Unit Play. #538 Take Marshall over FAU (9 pm) Marshall is an offensive juggernaut and a team that does not play much defense. They need to outscore their opponents and that is exactly what they will do tonight. They beat FAU by 17 points in Boca Raton in their only meeting this season. FAU is 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games as an underdog. Marshall is 26-11 ATS in their last 37 games as a favorite. 

We really like the Bucks in this spot. They are trending upwards and have won and covered three straight and they have covered in four of five overall. They are now 7-3 straight up in their last 10 games and this team is making a major move towards the playoffs. The Knicks beat Orlando twice and they have a recent win against Philly (and a loss against the Sixers as well), and this team is just not playing well lately. Carmelo Anthony is banged up although he is listed as probable tonight but the Knicks seem to just be waiting for the season to win unlike their motivated opponent tonight who is a team on the rise lately. This will also be the Knicks third game in four nights and fatigue should be an issue, especially on the road.

The Clippers have just dominated this series in Minnesota and they are going for their 10th straight win here on Wednesday night. The Wolves have been covering a lot of lines lately but the oddsmakers are giving them too much credit here. LA has been playing well lately and they are finally healthy and they have shown over and over that they match up well in this series. They are 12-3-1 ATS in the last 16 meetings and they are 5-1 ATS in their last six road games. We expect to see the best Clippers team tonight against an opponent that hasn’t had many answers for them the past few years.

Detroit has been a covering machine lately and they have covered in five of their last seven games. This is the Pacers first home game back after a five-game road trip and sometimes in these situations the home team has their minds elsewhere. They didn’t look very good last time out in a 12-point loss at Charlotte, and we think they are in tough tonight against a Pistons team that has been playing well lately. This will be the Pacers third game in four nights and this team has shown that they do not play to their best abilities when fatigued. We think that this game is a coin flip as to who wins on Wednesday so taking the points here is the way to go.

4 Unit Play. #552 Take San Diego State over UNLV (7 pm) Most years people think UNVL can win this conference tournament since it is annually played on their home court. Nobody is making that claim this season. UNLV is terrible and they have won just one game since January 22nd. San Diego State has already beaten this team twice by double digits and I feel SDSU can make some noise in this winner take all tournament. If San Diego State can take control early, UNLV will fold. That did not happen in their last game against Utah State but it will happen tonight. UNLV is 3-12 ATS (1 push) in their last 16 games. San Diego State is 16-7 ATS (3 pushes) in their last 26 games following an ATS loss in their previous game. 

4 Unit Play. #550 Take Wyoming over Air Force (4:30 pm) Air Force is a sinking ship now and Wyoming will beat them for a third straight game this season. The Falcons have won just one game since January 25th and they only have been competitive in one of those nine losses. The Cowboys play a different style of offense this season and expect them to run Air Force right out of the gym. Wyoming has covered the spread in 4 straight games. 

4 Unit Play. #540 Take Coastal Carolina over South Alabama (12:30 pm ESPN 3) Both teams finished close to the bottom in the standing but Coastal Carolina beat USA in their only meeting this season. The Chanticleers have alternated wins and losses in their last six games and expect that to hold true again on Wednesday. The Jaguars have lost four of their last five games and I do not see things getting any better today. 82% of the money is coming in on Coastal Carolina and we will go with them as well.  

4 Unit Play. #524 Take Syracuse over Miami (12 pm ESPN) The Orange will have a major edge in crowd since the ACC Tournament is in New York City this season. Syracuse might still need to win this game to make the NCAA Tournament this season and they always seem to win the games they need when they need it. Syracuse beat Miami in their only meeting this season by 15 points. Miami is 0-8 ATS in their last 8 games played on Wednesday. Syracuse is 7-1 ATS in their last 8 neutral site games when they are an underdog. 

The Lakers are a team to fade down the stretch. While we don’t think they are blatantly tanking, they need to finish with one of the NBA’s worst record to get a chance to keep their high draft pick in the upcoming draft. No one is going to get fired for bad performance, so they just don’t have a lot of motivation to win right now. They have not covered in seven straight games, so that just goes to show you how they are playing lately despite some generous lines. Dallas has covered in four of the last seven meetings and they won the last meeting by 49 points! We think this one will be a blowout as well, and Dallas is a couple games out of the playoffs in the west standings so they aren’t going to overlook any opponent right now.

We were on Portland last time these teams played last week in Portland, and we will go for the other side here in this home-and-home, and that just goes to show how important home-court advantage is in the NBA. The Thunder lost all three games in their three-game road trip, so they will be pretty desperate for a win here, and this team is a completely different club at home (23-8) compared to the road (12-20). They are 21-9-1 ATS at home and that is one of the best ATS trends in the league for home teams. They are also 4-0 ATS in the last four games of this series in OKC.

4 Unit Play. #730 Take South Carolina State over Florida A&M (6:30 pm ESPN 3) All the early money is coming on the Bulldogs and it is with good reason. They just beat the Rattlers by 11 points last week and Florida A&M will enter having lost 5 straight games (the last 4 by over tonight’s posted number). Florida A&M is 4-12 ATS in their last 16 games. South Carolina State is 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games following a loss in their previous game.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

6 Unit Play. #711 Take Pittsburgh over Georgia Tech (7 pm ESPN U) Georgia Tech had their moment during the conference season but this team is a fraud and is not going to sniff the NCAA Tournament at all this season. Pittsburgh is 4-14 during conference play yet enters this game as a favorite and that tells me all I need to know. The Panthers have the two best players on the floor and they also have revenge on their minds after losing to Georgia Tech in Atlanta last week. Georgia Tech is 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games played on Tuesday. 

4 Unit Play. #717 Take Northern Arizona over Portland State (5:30 pm) We will grab the points in this game as it is a rubber match between Northern Arizona and Portland State. The Lumberjacks might have played their best game of the season last time out against Eastern Washington and I just do not see a blowout in this game. Northern Arizona is 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games. Portland State is 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games against teams with a losing record. 

10 Unit Play. #541 Take BYU over Saint Mary’s (11:30 pm ESPN) Just feel that BYU is playing at an equal level of Saint Mary’s at the moment and they must win this game to have any thoughts of making the NCAA Tournament this season. Do not be fooled by the final score of the Gaels game on Saturday against the Pilots. Portland is a very depleted team and yet trailed by just single digits for some of the second half before running out of gas in a big way to lose by 23 points. BYU has much more depth and talent compared to Portland and I just do not believe Saint Mary’s is good enough to beat them three times in one season. Throw in the fact we are getting this many points and it is just too good to pass up. Saint Mary’s is 4-9 ATS (2 pushes) in their last 15 games following an ATS win in their previous game. 

Charlotte is home after a long road trip while the Pacers are on their last-game of a five game road trip. Advantage Hornets there. Indiana is also one of the worst teams on the second end of a back-to-back and they are just 3-10 SU and 2-10-1 ATS in these situations this season. They played on Sunday in Atlanta and won a very hard-fought game on a last-second shot and it’s very tough to go on the road after a game like that and give another solid performance. Charlotte went 3-4 on their road trip but they lost OT games to the Pistons and Clippers and they are playing much better than their recent results would indicate. This is a team on the upswing and we think this number is very beatable tonight.

We went with the Warriors on Sunday and watched that game very closely and even though they won it’s obvious that they just don’t have that killer instinct right now. It’s probably the best thing for their championship aspirations to take it somewhat easy right now as last season they wore themselves out and faltered in the finals. They have now failed to cover in six straight games. The Hawks have failed to cover in three straight but they have been very competitive and this is a huge game for them tonight as the lone time they host the Warriors this season. Atlanta is 7-1 ATS this season as a dog of four or more points and they are undervalued again here on Monday and we think this will be an extremely close game that the Hawks have a chance to win straight out.

When teams play back-to-back, home-and-home contests like this, the team that lost the night before is normally a strong play the second game. But this is just too many points the Heat are getting tonight! Miami destroyed the Cavs on Saturday while two of the Big 3 sat for Cleveland. LeBron and Irving will be back on the court tonight, but the Cavs are overvalued all the time and despite the best record in the east they are well below .500 ATS, and Miami is a blue collar team that is just not going to rest on its laurels and be happy with the win last time out. We expect them to compete hard here and this one should stay well within double digits.

Sometimes all it takes is a little confidence for a talented team to start playing well and we have seen that with the Sixers at points this season and now we are starting to see it with the Bucks. They have been amazing the last couple games in home wins vs. the Raptors and Clippers, and we think that confidence will carry over here into this very winnable game. The Sixers are really banged up right now and they haven’t been playing all that well lately and we think there is a good chance that the Bucks win this one by 7+.

4 Unit Play. #532 Take Kent State over Central Michigan (7 pm) The Chippewas have fallen off a cliff to finish out the 2016-2017 season and will lose seven straight games to close out the season. Keno Davis has always been flawed as a coach and he is starting to wear out his welcome here as well. The Golden Flashes have won five of their last six games with their only loss coming against Akron (best team in the league). CMU is 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games as an underdog. Kent State is 4-1 in their last 5 games overall. 

4 Unit Play. #836 Take Wisconsin over Minnesota (6 pm BTN) Sooner or later Wisconsin is going to put it together and it might as well be on Sunday. The odds makers are daring you to bet Minnesota but Wisconsin has too much pride to go out on senior day with a whimper. They cannot continue to miss every free throw and every three point shot from three of their players on the court. Wisconsin already won at Minnesota this season and they realize they importance of getting back on track in this game. Minnesota is 3-18 ATS in their last 21 games as a road underdog of 6.5 points or less. 

Boston has just not been a good bet this season as a big favorite. They are 7-13 ATS when laying six or more points. We see this as a pretty big sandwich game for the Celtics as they just played the Cavs and Lakers (a big rivalry for them) and then they play at the Clippers against former coach Doc Rivers tomorrow in LA, and they probably won’t take this game as seriously as they took any of those others. The Suns have played two straight very solid games on this same court with straight up wins and covers (as underdogs in both games) against the Thunder and Hornets, and they are playing with a lot of confidence right now. We think they play a strong game here and keep this one close with a chance to win straight up if Boston doesn’t play well, which we are expecting.

Just like this Golden State team when they have a chip on their shoulder, and after losing at the Bulls and Wizards they will be very anxious to get back on track here on national TV from New York. We normally haven’t liked taking the Warriors minus the big points as they have tended to be hit or miss in these situations. And of course Durant is out for awhile. Golden State has dominated this series and they have won all of the last five meetings by an average of 26 points. They have covered in three of the last four, but the only one they didn’t cover was still a 13-point win at home in December. They led that game by as many as 25. The bookies are punishing this Golden State team because of the Durant injury. But this team has done pretty well in the past without Durant. Yes, their supporting cast may not be as good as the last couple years, but they still have the best team in the league even without KD and after cold shooting last game we think that things even out the other way here. The Knicks are the opposite of the Warriors, a very dysfunctional group, while the Warriors play the most unselfish team basketball in the NBA. Golden State should roll here.

4 Unit Play. #642 Take New Mexico +1 over San Diego State (10 pm CBSSN) This is an important game for both teams as the winner will receive a bye next week in the conference tournament and must win three games instead of four games. New Mexico should get a big boast with Tim Williams back in the line-up. This should give New Mexico an added punch on offense and expect them to take care of business at home. San Diego State just does not have much offensive firepower especially if they are not making shots for the outside. San Diego State is 2-7 ATS (2 pushes) in their last 11 road games. 

The Grizzlies normally come to play in this matchup and they have covered in five of the last eight meetings. Memphis has some real offensive ability and they have shown in recent games against Phoenix (130 and 110 points scored in two matchups) and Brooklyn (112) that they can score some points when they play a team that likes to run or plays weak defense. The Rockets are better defensively than those teams but they do like to run and take a lot of shots, and the Grizzlies can hang with that pace is presented with that scenario. We expect a close game here and the Grizzlies will be able to score and hang with the Rockets all game long in what will probably be a shootout.

Denver has been playing well and Charlotte really hasn’t, but you have to look at these two teams on paper and think that this is too many points. Denver has been below average this season when laying big points and we just don’t think they are good enough to lay this many points. Maybe against a team like Brooklyn or Philly, but the Hornets have some nice talent and they are probably desperate for a win tonight in a very winnable matchup. They haven’t been terrible in their last five games if you look closer at the results as they have two wins and two OT losses (at Detroit and at LA Clippers). A little luck in those two games and this team is on a hot streak right now. We think the Hornets go all out here to end this long road trip on a positive note.

The Clips have covered in six of the last nine meetings. This team has struggled lately and burned us a couple times but we just have to take the value here tonight. The Clippers are a much better team here. They have been dealing with players coming back into the lineup and it has taken everyone a bit of time to mesh. They went down big in the first half last night at Milwaukee but they played really well in the second half and probably would have won the game eventually if they had more time. They have dropped four of their last five and they really need a win badly here and there will be no taking the night off, especially in front of a national TV audience. Chicago is probably a little too high after their big win over Golden State and they have a road trip coming up and we just think this is a real bad spot for the Bulls tonight.

10 Unit Play. #692 Take East Tennessee State over Mercer (8:30 pm ESPN 3) Mercer is a traditional power in the Southern Conference and thus this line is lower than what it should be. But this is nowhere near as strong as past Bears teams and ETSU will complete the three game sweep of them on Saturday night. Neither of the first two meetings was very competitive with the Buccaneers winning the first game by 9 points and the second game by 17 points last month. This is a one bid league for ETSU has yet to accomplish anything and must win this conference tournament to make the NCAA Tournament. ETSU has won six of their last seven games. ETSU is 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games played on Saturday. 

4 Unit Play. #631 Take Colorado State +6.5 over Nevada (8 pm ESPN 3) This is a winner take all game for the regular season crown and I just do not see a blowout. Both teams enter with long winning streaks but Nevada has been playing bottom feeder teams during most of this five-game winning streak. Colorado State has been living right of late and I believe that luck will carry over into this game. Colorado State is 10-1 ATS in their last 11 road games. 

4 Unit Play. #622 Take Pennsylvania -1 over Harvard (7 pm) Harvard is coming off a tough road loss at Princeton last night and now must go on the road again in a game that means absolutely nothing to them. Remember Harvard still has a chance next week to make the NCAA Tournament as the Ivy League now has a conference tournament featuring the top four teams. 

4 Unit Play. #604 Take Brown -3 over Cornell (6 pm) This is the last game of the season for both teams. The Bears pounded Columbia last night and now face a worse team in Cornell tonight. The Big Red have lost 9 of their last 10 games and only one of their last 4 games has been competitive. Cornell is 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games played on Saturday. 

4 Unit Play. #586 Take Utah -8 over Stanford (4 pm PAC-12 Network) Utah is just a different animal at home. Although they do not have many quality wins away from Salt Lake City they have a ton of them at home. Stanford got blown out by Colorado last time out and Utah is a better team than the Buffs. Stanford is 6-20 ATS in their last 26 games as a road underdog. Utah is 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games played on Saturday. 

4 Unit Play. #546 Take Colorado -2.5 over California (2 pm PAC-12 Network) Cal is seeing their season crumble now and I just do not think they can win a true road game in a hostile environment. They got blown out last time out at Utah and it would not surprise me if history repeats itself on Saturday in Boulder. Colorado is 15-6 ATS in their last 21 home games as a favorite of 6.5 points or less. 

4 Unit Play. #517 Take Illinois over Rutgers (12 pm EXPN U) When it seemed that John Groce was all but fired and Illinois had no chance of making the NCAA Tournament, the Illini win four straight games including two against NCAA Tournament teams. They have just come too far to gag this game against the worst, who is far and away the worst team in the league. Rutgers has been competitive in a few games of late but Maryland was reeling and beat them by 20 points and I see this as a 10-12 point victory for Illinois. Rutgers is 19-42 ATS in their last 51 Big 10 games. Illinois is 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games against teams with a losing record. Illinois goes into the tournament sky high with a double digit road victory to close out the season. 

10 Unit Play. #882 Take San Diego over Portland (11:30 pm) Portland will be out after a quick appearance in the WCC tournament. The Pilots have not won a conference game since 12/31 and the Toreros have already beaten them twice this season. Without Alec Wintering this is just not a very good offensive team. They gave San Diego a battle last week losing by just three points and I see them losing this game by 8-10 points. 6-12 is a much better record than 2-16 and we will lay the points tonight. San Diego is 16-5 ATS (1 push) in their last 22 games against teams with a losing record.  

4 Unit Play. #894 Take UT Martin over Murray State (10 pm ESPN U) Murray State will be running out of gas as this will be their third straight game in the last three days. That includes a double overtime game on Thursday. The Skyhawks lost to the Racers in the only meeting this season so they will not take them lightly in this game. The Racers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games overall. UT-Martin is 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games as a favorite of 6.5 points or less. 

4 Unit Play. #878 Take James Madison over Drexel (8:30 pm) No bet against Drexel is a bad bet and expect the Dukes to knock them out tonight in Charleston. James Madison beat Drexel twice this season and look for them to complete the trifecta on Friday. James Madison is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 neutral site games when they are a favorite. Drexel is 5-11 ATS in their last 16 games as an underdog.