20* American Athletic GAME OF THE WEEK on Temple +14.5

The Temple Owls are showing tremendous value as a massive underdog to the Cincinnati Bearcats Tuesday. This team is way undervalued due to its poor 5-9 record, but a closer look shows that this team is better than its record would indicate.

In fact, all nine of Temple's losses have come by 14 points or less, including eight by 10 or fewer, and seven by 7 or less. This team hasn't really been blown out yet, and I don't look for that to happen for the first time Tuesday, either.

Cincinnati is overvalued right now due to covering six of its last seven games overall. It is coming off a 20-point home win over Rutgers in a game that was much closer than the final score would indicate. The Scarlet Knights went 0-for-14 from the field over their final 14 shots of the game.

Plays against favorites of 10 or more points (CINCINNATI) - off a blowout win by 20 points or more over a conference rival against opponent off a loss by 10 points or more to a conference rival are 69-32 (68.3%) ATS over the last five seasons. The Owls are 5-0 ATS in their last five games following a double-digit home loss. Temple is 9-3 ATS in its last 12 road games. Take Temple Tuesday.

15* Big Ten PLAY OF THE DAY on Penn State +11

The Penn State Nittany Lions will be one of the most improved teams in the country by season's end. Six of their eight losses have come by 10 points or less. I look for them to put up a fight against Michigan tonight as well.

The Nittany Lions are coming off back-to-back losses to Minnesota and Indiana by exactly three points. In fact, they have opened 0-4 in Big Ten play, which is why they are undervalued here. There's no question they are hungry for their first victory.

After making the championship game last season, the Wolverines have clearly been overvalued this season. They have lost four times already and have very few impressive wins. Their only wins by more than this 11-point spread have come against UMass-Lowell, South Carolina State, Long Beach State, Coppin State, Houston Baptist, Holy Cross and Northwestern.

Penn State played Michigan very tough in both regular season meetings last year. It lost 71-79 at Michigan as a 22-point underdog, but got revenge with an 84-78 home victory as a 13-point dog. Just like the Wolverines overlooked them last year, I could easily see it happening again considering Michigan has a huge game on deck at Wisconsin Saturday and could be looking ahead.

The Nittany Lions are 15-3 ATS in road games versus teams who make 8 or more 3 point shots/game on the season after 15+ games since 1997. Penn State is 4-1-1 ATS in its last six road games. Michigan is 4-11 ATS in its last 15 vs. Big Ten opponents. The Wolverines are 2-7-1 ATS in their last 10 games vs. a team with a winning S.U. record. Roll with Penn State Tuesday.

20* NBA Eastern Conference GAME OF THE MONTH on Charlotte Bobcats -1

After losing three straight and eight of their last nine games overall, the Charlotte Bobcats are highly motivated for a victory tonight. They come in on two days' rest and will be ready to go as they welcome the New York Knicks.

While the Bobcats are well-rested, the Knicks are a tired team right now. They will be playing the second of a back-to-back and their 8th game in 13 days. Making matters worse is that they needed overtime to beat Phoenix at home last night.

Carmelo Anthony even questioned sarcastically "Do we really have to play tomorrow?" after last night's win over Phoenix. This is clearly a tired team, and one that could find itself looking ahead to Thursday's showdown with the East-leading Indiana Pacers.

New York is 4-16 ATS in its last 20 road games after having won six or seven of its last eight games over the past three seasons. The Bobcats are 12-2 ATS in their last 14 vs. NBA Atlantic Division foes. They have won two of their last three meetings with the Knicks. Bet the Bobcats Tuesday.

20* NBA Monday No-Doubt Rout on Chicago Bulls -2.5

The Chicago Bulls are way undervalued right now due to trading away Luol Deng. Instead of giving up after the trade, the Bulls have made a point to prove that they can win without him. They are playing their best basketball of the season leading into this game against Washington.

Indeed, the Bulls are a perfect 5-0 SU & 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall with all five victories coming by 5 points or more. D.J. Augustin has proven to be an excellent pick-up midseason. He has had seven or more assists in four of his last seven games overall and is really doing a heck of a job running the offense.

The Wizards have not played well of late, losing five of their last seven games overall with all five of those losses coming by 7 points or more. The home team has won each of the last four meetings in this series. The Bulls are 25-10 SU in their last 35 home meetings with the Wizards. Washington is a tired team right now as this will be its 5th game in 7 days.

The Bulls are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 games vs. a team with a losing S.U. record. Chicago is 5-0 ATS in its last five games overall. The Bulls are 4-0 ATS in their last four home games. Chicago is 4-0 ATS in its last four games when playing on one day of rest. These four trends combine for a perfect 20-0 system backing Chicago. Bet the Bulls Monday.

15* Virginia/Duke ESPN Monday No-Brainer on Virginia +7

The Virginia Cavaliers are one of the most underrated teams in the country. I even underestimated them early, but once they have hit conference play, they have really played tremendous basketball.

Indeed, the Cavaliers are a perfect 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in conference play this season. They are not only winning, they are dominating, which is impressive when you consider they have played two of three games on the road. They won at Florida State (62-50) and NC State (76-45), while also thumping Wake Forest (74-51) at home.

Duke has proven to be overrated in conference play, going 1-2 SU & 1-2 ATS. The Blue Devils lost at Notre Dame (77-79) and at Clemson (59-72), but beat lowly Georgia Tech (79-57) at home. Honestly, Duke doesn't have many impressive wins this season. It has beaten UCLA and Michigan, but fallen to Kansas, Arizona, Notre Dame and Clemson. The fact of the matter is that this Duke team just isn't as good as many in years' past.

Virginia played Duke extremely tough last season. It lost 58-61 on the road as a 10.5-point underdog, but got revenge at home with a 73-68 triumph as a 1-point favorite. Virginia is the second-best defensive team in the country, giving up just 55.2 points per game on 36.9% shooting. It is also outrebounding foes 38-29, while Duke is only outrebounding its opponents 34-33. The Blue Devils are simply soft this season.

Virginia is a sensational 8-1 ATS when playing its second game in three days over the last three seasons. The Cavaliers are 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 games following a SU win of more than 20 points. Virginia is 14-6 ATS in its last 20 games following an ATS win. The Cavaliers are 20-9-1 ATS in their last 30 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600. Duke is 1-8 ATS in its last nine Monday games. Take Virginia Monday.

15* CBB Sunday PLAY OF THE DAY on Iowa +8

The Iowa Hawkeyes are one of the most underrated teams in the country in 2013-14. I look for them to not only cover with ease today, but to likely win this game outright against the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Iowa returned basically everyone from last season's team that made it to the NIT Championship. It is off to a 13-3 start this year with its three losses coming to Villanova (83-88), Iowa State (82-85) and Wisconsin (71-75) all on the road. As you can see, the Hawkeyes were in every game they played.

Ohio State is in a hangover spot here after losing its first game of the season at Michigan State in overtime by a final of 68-72. It will not be completely focuses against Iowa after such a tough loss, and I look for the Hawkeyes to cover with ease because of it.

Iowa is 11-1 ATS versus teams who are called for 17 or less fouls/game after 15+ games over the last 2 seasons. The Hawkeyes are 33-15 ATS in all games over the last two seasons. Iowa is 16-3 ATS after playing a game as a home favorite over the last 2 seasons. Bet Iowa Sunday.

20* NBA Saturday Total DOMINATOR on Nets/Raptors UNDER 193.5

The Brooklyn Nets are coming off a double-overtime victory over the Miami Heat. That game was tied at 89-89 at the end of regulation for 178 combined points, and I expect this game to see a similar combined total at the end of four quarters.

That effort will really have the Nets worn down. This is an elder team comprised of many players who are past their primes. I believe last night's game will affect them more offensively than it will on the defensive end. Expect their jump shots to come up short the majority of the time.

Brooklyn is expected to be without Deron Williams again tonight, and that really hampers its offense. Shaun Livingston takes his place at point guard, which is an upgrade defensively but certainly a step back offensively.

Both of these teams rank in the bottom half of the league in pace. Toronto is 19th in pace at 95.3 possessions per game, while Brooklyn is 26th at 93.7 possessions per game. Just like the Nets miss Williams' offense, the Raptors miss Rudy Gay's offense after trading him to Sacramento.

Plays on the UNDER on all teams where the total is between 190 and 199.5 points (BROOKLYN) - after beating the spread by 36 or more points total in their last five games against opponent after beating the spread by 54 or more points total in their last ten games are 37-13 (74%) ATS since 1996. Brooklyn is 25-8 to the UNDER as a road underdog of 6.5 to 12 points over the last three seasons. Roll with the UNDER in this game Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday Night Line Mistake on Rutgers +14

Rutgers (7-8) is one of the most underrated teams in the country to this point due to its poor record. A closer look at the schedule shows that the Scarlet Knights have been competitive and in every game that they have played.

Indeed, all eight of Rutgers' losses have come by 11 points or less. That includes road losses to UAB (76-79) as a 5-point dog and to Georgia Washington (87-93) as a 10.5-point dog. The Scarlet Knights also lost at home to Seton Hall (71-77), Princeton (73-78) and Louisville (76-83).

That game against the defending national champion Cardinals last time out really showed what the Scarlet Knights are capable of. They covered with ease as a 14.5-point dog, and I believe they give the Bearcats are run for their money here.

I believe Cincinnati remains overvalued due to its 69-53 win at Memphis a week ago when everything went right. I faded the Bearcats with success as a 6.5-point favorite at Houston on Tuesday in a 61-60 win. I'm going to fade them again here as they simply should not be this heavily-favored.

Plays on road underdogs of 10 or more points (RUTGERS) - off a cover where the team lost straight up as an underdog against opponent off 2 or more consecutive road wins are 73-37 (66.4%) ATS since 1997. Each of the last three meetings between Cincinnati and Rutgers have been decided by 10 points or less.

Rutgers is 9-1 ATS in its last 10 road games after a home game where both teams scored 75 points or more. The Scarlet Knights are a perfect 8-0 ATS in their last eight road games after playing their last games as an underdog. Cincinnati is 0-10 ATS after playing a road game over the last two years. These three trends combine for a 27-1 system backing the Scarlet Knights. Take Rutgers Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday No-Doubt Rout on Connecticut -11.5

The UConn Huskies have played one of the toughest schedules in the entire country. They have managed to get through at 12-3 despite playing the likes of Maryland, Indiana, Florida, Stanford, Washington, Houston, SMU and Harvard among others.

After losing two of their last three games overall, there's no question that the Huskies will be focused today. They finally get a little bit of a 'break' in their schedule here taking on a UCF team that is 9-4, but one that has hardly played anyone.

All four of UCF's losses this season have come by 11 points or more. The Knights fell at home to both Florida State (68-80) and Louisville (65-90), while also losing at Valparaiso (70-85) and Florida Atlantic (70-85). This will be the Knights' toughest test of the season thus far, and I have no doubt they'll fail miserably while getting beat by 12-plus points.

The Huskies are 7-1 at home this season where they are outscoring opponents by 15.2 points per game. The Knights are 1-4 ATS in their last five games overall. UConn is 8-3 ATS in its last 11 Saturday games. Bet Connecticut Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday Undervalued Underdog on Texas A&M +12

The Texas A&M Aggies certainly aren't ecstatic about their 10-4 start this season. However, they were able to right the ship in their conference opener with their best performance of the season in a 69-53 victory over Arkansas.

Now, I believe the Aggies are showing their best value of the season as a double-digit dog at Tennessee. They will want revenge from the multiple-overtime thriller they played against the Vols last season, losing by a final of 85-93.

The Vols are way overvalued right now due to a four-game winning streak coming in. They are coming off a 68-50 blowout win at LSU on National TV on Tuesday, and that result is the biggest reason why this line has been inflated. The Tigers simply played awful in that loss.

Plays against a home team (TENNESSEE) - after allowing 50 points or less against opponent after 2 straight wins by 15 points or more are 59-29 (67%) ATS over the last five seasons. Roll with Texas A&M Saturday.

20* SEC GAME OF THE MONTH on Alabama -2

The Alabama Crimson Tide are the best 7-loss team in the country. Their seven losses have all come by 10 points or less to Oklahoma (73-82), Duke (64-74), Drexel (83-85), South Florida (64-66), Wichita State (67-72), Xavier (74-77) and UCLA (67-75).

As you can see, they have played a brutal schedule to this point and could have one every game that they played. This team is going to be a covering machine in the second half of the season due to its poor start record-wise, leaving it way undervalued.

Unlike Alabama, Georgia (7-6) is every bit as bad as its record would indicate. It has lost six games this season to Georgia Tech, Davidson, Temple, Nebraska, Colorado and George Washington. That slate doesn't come close to stacking up against the competition that Alabama has lost to.

Georgia is coming off a huge 70-64 overtime win at Missouri on Wednesday, setting it up for a big letdown spot here. The Bulldogs were playing for head coach Mark Fox, who recently lost his father. That was a classic 'win one for the gipper' game, but this one is not. The Bulldogs will get back to playing their same, poor basketball.

Alabama is a perfect 5-0 SU & 4-1 ATS in its last five meetings with Georgia. It has won its last two visits to Athens by finals of 52-45 and 74-59. The Bulldogs are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS win. Bet Alabama Saturday.

20* American Athletic GAME OF THE MONTH on Temple +7.5

The Memphis Tigers are in a massive letdown spot here. I was all over them as a 10-point underdog at Louisville on Thursday in a 73-67 road victory. Now, I'm going to fade them two days late in a game I don't expect them to show up for.

It's only human nature for a team to lack focus after beating the defending national champs. That will be the problem for the Tigers in this one as they won't get Temple the focus they deserve.

Despite being just 5-8 this season, there's no question that the Owls are a hell of a lot better than their record would indicate. In fact, seven of their eight losses have come by 7 points or less. They simply haven't been getting it done in close games, and I fully expect this one to go down to the wire, too.

The Tigers are 0-4 ATS in their last four Saturday games. The Owls are 6-1 ATS in their last seven Saturday games. Temple is 4-0 ATS in its last four games vs. a team with a winning percentage above 60%. Memphis won't be able to celebrate its Louisville win for long as it gets stunned today by the Owls. Take Temple Saturday.

15* NBA Friday No-Doubt Rout on Utah Jazz -2

The Utah Jazz are playing their best basketball of the season right now, especially at home. They should be a much bigger favorite tonight against the Cleveland Cavaliers, who simply cannot win on the road.

Utah has won three of its last four games overall, including a 112-101 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder last time out on Tuesday. The Jazz have reeled off a season-high four straight home wins, and a big reason for that is they are finally healthy.

Cleveland has lost eight of its last 10 games overall, and it is a woeful 2-15 on the road this season, getting outscored by an average of 11.0 points per game. The reason the Cavs are getting so much respect here is because of the trade for Luol Deng. However, it's going to take Deng some time to get acclimated to the new system. It's not like he makes them a playoff contender, either.

The Jazz have won six of their last seven meetings with the Cavaliers. The Jazz have won six of their last seven home meetings with Cleveland as well. Dating back further, Utah is 27-7 all-time against Cleveland in Salt Lake City.

Utah is 20-8 ATS in its last 28 non-conference home games. The Cavaliers are 5-14 ATS in their last 19 road games. Cleveland is 3-12 ATS in its last 15 Friday games. Utah is 14-6 ATS in its last 20 vs. NBA Central Division foes. Cleveland is 9-21-1 ATS in its last 31 vs. NBA Northwest Division opponents. Take the Jazz Friday.

20* NBA Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Houston Rockets -3

The Houston Rockets should be a much heavier favorite tonight against the Atlanta Hawks. I'll gladly back them as a small 3-point road favorite as they look to build on their 23-13 record this season.

Dwight Howard has certainly enjoyed his new home in Houston, averaging 17.8 points, 12.9 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game to return to his former self when he was in Orlando. With Atlanta being without Al Horford for the rest of the season, Howard is in line for a big game tonight.

The Hawks are simply getting too much respect due to their 97-87 win over Indiana last time out. Prior to that game, they have lost four of their previous five games overall. They simply caught the Pacers, who were playing the second of a back-to-back and their 4th game in 5 days, in a good spot.

Houston has simply owned Atlanta in this series. It is a perfect 6-0 straight up and 5-1 against the spread in its last six meetings with the Hawks. All six wins have come by five points or more, including the last two in blowout fashion by finals of 113-84 and 123-104.

Plays on road favorites (HOUSTON) - off two or more consecutive home wins, with a winning record on the season playing another winning team are 34-9 (79.1%) ATS over the last five seasons. The Rockets are 5-0 ATS in their last five meetings in Atlanta. Bet the Rockets Friday.

15* NBA Friday Undervalued Underdog on Washington Wizards +9

The Indiana Pacers are clearly one of the best teams in the league. However, I believe they are being overvalued here as a big home favorite against the Washington Wizards. Asking them to win by double-digits to beat us is simply asking too much.

Indiana has failed to cover the spread in three straight games coming in. A big reason for that is the fact that it is in the midst of a very tough stretch, as this will be its 5th game in 7 days. That is one of the hardest situations for a team to go through.

The Wizards have been very competitive this season as they've quietly gone a respectable 16-17 to position themselves to make the playoffs. They are coming off back-to-back road wins at Charlotte and at New Orleans, and they really want to see where they stack up by going into Indiana and coming away with a victory.

Washington is going to want revenge from its ugly 73-93 loss to Indiana in their first meeting this season. However, that result was an aberration as the Wizards played the Pacers very tough prior to that result. Three of the previous four games were decided by eight points or less, and the only one that wasn't was a 104-85 home victory for the Wizards.

The Wizards are a very healthy 48-31 ATS as an underdog over the past two seasons. Washington is 7-1 ATS in its last eight road games. The Wizards are 7-1 ATS in their last eight vs. Eastern Conference opponents. Indiana is 1-4 ATS in its last five games overall. The Pacers are 0-4 ATS in their last four vs. Eastern Conference foes. Roll with the Wizards Friday.

15* Pac-12 PLAY OF THE DAY on California +8

The Oregon Ducks are one of the most overrated teams in the country. They opened 13-0 this season against a very easy schedule before suffering a reality check at Colorado over the weekend, falling by a final of 91-100. Oregon is now 0-4 ATS in its last four games overall, which included narrow wins over BYU (96-100) and Utah (68-70).

California is undervalued due to suffering four early-season losses, all of which came on the road against quality teams in Syracuse, Dayton, UC-Santa Barbara and Creighton. This is a team that returned four starters from last year and one to watch out for as a sleeper to win the Pac-12. The Bears are off to a good start in conference play, winning 69-62 at Stanford in their opener.

That game against Stanford was last time out, which was one week ago today. That means the Bears have had a full week to prepare for Oregon. Meanwhile, the Ducks played on Sunday, meaning that they have only had three practice days to get ready for California. The edge in rest and preparation clearly favors the Bears in this one.

"They'll have a full week, so we'll see a team that's very well-prepared," Oregon head coach Altman said. "You give Mike a full week, he's going to have them ready to go. So we're going to have to be really sharp."

California is a perfect 11-0 S.U. in its last 11 meetings with Oregon. This has clearly been a match-up of their liking throughout the years, and that was evident again last season as they took all three meetings with the Ducks. This 11-game winning streak dates back to 2009 and cannot be ignored, especially with four starters back from last season. Roll with California Thursday.

20* Thunder/Nuggets TNT Late-Night BAILOUT on Denver +3

The Oklahoma City Thunder should not be favorite on the road at Denver tonight. This Thunder team is only a shell of itself without Russell Westbrook, and that has been evident of late. The Thunder has lost three of their last four games overall, including a home loss to Brooklyn, an da road loss to Utah (101-112).

Denver comes in playing well having won three straight with home victories over Memphis (111-108) and Boston (129-98), as well as a road win over the Lakers (129-98). A big reason for the turnaround is that head coach Brian Shaw has opened up the offense and allowed his players a little more free reign. The result has been an average of 125.7 points and 53.1 percent shooting during this three-game streak.

"Coach (Brian Shaw) let us hoop. He just let us get out and play," forward Kenneth Faried said. "He figured out that this altitude is a killer for teams and the personnel that we have is people who will get out and run, play great defense and it's fun when we do that instead of just calling plays all the time. It has really held and it got the burden off our back of wondering what he wants."

Faried has averaged 18.0 points on 20-of-29 shooting during the win streak after scoring 7.5 per game in his previous 12. Point guard Ty Lawson, meanwhile, has posted a season-best four consecutive double-doubles. Randy Foye has scored in double figures in six straight and has a season-high 23 against Boston on Tuesday, including seven made 3-pointers.

The Nuggets will be out for revenge tonight after having lost each of their first two meetings of the season with the Thunder. How important was Russell Westbrook in those two wins? The star guard averaged 25.5 points, 12.5 rebounds and 7.5 assists and clearly was the driving force behind them.

The Nuggets are 35-16-1 ATS in their last 52 home games vs. a team with a winning road record. Better yet, Denver is 10-1 ATS in its last 11 home games vs. a team with a road winning percentage greater than 60%. The Nuggets are 15-5-1 ATS in their last 21 games following a S.U. win of more than 10 points. Bet the Nuggets Thursday.

20* Memphis/Louisville ESPN Thursday No-Brainer on Memphis +10

The Louisville Cardinals are being way overvalued here tonight as a double-digit favorite against a very good Memphis team that will be making the NCAA Tournament. A win over Louisville tonight would certainly boost its chances.

I believe the reason this line has been inflated is due to the fact that Memphis is coming off its worst loss of the season, a 53-69 setback at home against Cincinnati. However, I have no doubt that the Tigers were looking ahead to this game, and that they simply overlooked the Bearcats.

Memphis is battle-tested in the early going having already played the likes of Florida, Cincinnati, Oklahoma State (twice) and LSU. It beat Oklahoma State and LSU, while also only losing to Florida by a mere two points. This team has proven that they can play with anyone in the country.

Another reason that the Cardinals are overvalued is that they won the title last year. However, against their two toughest opponents this season, they have been exposed. They lost to North Carolina (84-93) on a neutral court, while also falling at Kentucky (66-73). They honestly do not have a single good win this season as they rest of their opponents have been cupcakes. That's evident by the fact that they have been a double-digit favorite in all but one game this year.

Memphis is 8-1 ATS in its last nine games following an ATS loss. The Cardinals are 1-4 ATS in their last five home games following three or more consecutive road games. The Tigers are 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 meetings with the Cardinals, including 5-0-1 ATS in their last six trips to Louisville. The road team is 5-0-1 ATS in the last six meetings. Take Memphis Thursday.

15* Boise/SDSU ESPNU Late-Night BAILOUT on Boise State +7

The Boise State Broncos get the call tonight as a road underdog to the San Diego State Aztecs. This is a perfect spot bet on the Broncos, who will be the more motivated team tonight, hands down.

San Diego State is coming off its biggest win of the season, a 61-57 triumph at Kansas on Sunday. Rarely does anyone escape Lawrence with a victory, but the Aztecs accomplished that feat. It's only human nature for them to return home and suffer a letdown three days later.

This was a very closely-contested series last year. San Diego State won two of three meetings by finals of 63-62 at home, and 73-67 on a neutral court in the MWC Tournament. Boise State won 69-65 at home.

As you can see, all three meetings were decided by six points or less. Dating back to 2012, the last four meetings have been decided by six or fewer. Boise State, which returns five starters from last year, will be the more motivated team due to losing two of three last season.

The Broncos are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 conference games. San Diego State is 2-5 ATS in its last seven conference games. The Aztecs are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600. Roll with Boise State Wednesday.

20* Suns/Timberwolves ESPN No-Brainer on Phoenix +8

The Phoenix Suns are showing some of their best value of the season tonight as an 8-point underdog to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Somehow, despite their 20-13 start, this team continues to lack the respect they deserve from oddsmakers.

As a result, Phoenix has gone a sensational 23-9 ATS on the season. Sure, it is playing the second of a back-to-back off a loss at Chicago last night, but it had two days off prior to that game so fatigue will not be an issue for this deep team.

It's easy to see why the Suns are showing such good value tonight. Even in their losses they have been competitive. Indeed, the Suns have only lost three of their 33 games by more than eight points this season. That makes for a 30-3 system backing Phoenix pertaining to tonight's 8-point spread.

Phoenix is 14-3 ATS versus poor defensive teams that allow 99 or more points per game this season. The Suns are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games following a S.U. loss. The Timberwolves are 6-19-1 ATS in their last 26 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600. Minnesota is 9-23-1 ATS in its last 33 games following a S.U. win. Bet the Suns Wednesday.

15* Big Ten PLAY OF THE DAY on Illinois +10

The Wisconsin Badgers are way overvalued right now due to their perfect 15-0 start to the season. They have no business being a double-digit favorite against a very good Illinois team tonight, and I'll take advantage and fade them because of it.

Illinois is off to a 13-2 start this season with solid home wins over Indiana and Penn State to open conference play, as well as impressive road wins over Missouri and UNLV. In fact, Illinois' only two losses this season came by a combined 10 points on the road against Georgia Tech (64-67) and Oregon (64-71).

For the most part, Wisconsin has beaten up on an easy schedule. However, in games against its stiffest competition, all have been decided by 10 points or less. The Badgers beat Florida (59-53), Saint Louis (63-57), West Virginia (70-63), Virginia (48-38), Marquette (70-64) and Iowa (75-71) all by 10 points or less.

Really, this team is fortunate to be undefeated right now as it continues to win its close games. This one will go right down to the wire as well. The Fighting Illini are 3-0-2 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600. Take Illinois Wednesday.

15* Big 12 PLAY OF THE DAY on Texas +12.5

The Texas Longhorns are one of the most underrated teams in the country this season. They have opened 11-3 and have gotten back to playing team basketball under head coach Rick Barnes. Their only losses have come by BYU, Michigan State and Oklahoma with two of those coming by four points or less.

Texas does have some impressive wins on its resume, most notably its 86-83 victory at North Carolina as a 10.5-point underdog. The Longhorns did lose their Big 12 opener by a final of 85-88 against a very good Oklahoma team, but that result will only have them coming back more hungry tonight.

Oklahoma State is one of the better teams in the land, but it has no business being a double-digit favorite against Texas tonight. I went against the Cowboys as a 5.5-point favorite at Kansas State over the weekend as the Wildcats won outright. I'll gladly fade them again here as they are clearly overvalued.

The Cowboys are 12-26 ATS in their last 38 games as a home favorite of 12.5 to 18 points. Oklahoma State is 6-16 ATS versus good teams who outscore their opponents by 8 or more points per game over the past two seasons. The Longhorns are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games following a S.U. loss. Texas is 12-4 ATS in its last 16 games following a S.U. loss. The Cowboys are 5-17 ATS in their last 22 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600. Bet Texas Wednesday.

20* Pac-12 GAME OF THE WEEK on Colorado -7

I've been riding the Colorado Buffaloes with a lot of success this season, and I'm going to continue to do so tonight as I don't believe the oddsmakers have adjusted enough for how good this team really is.

I was on the Buffaloes as a 3-point favorite against Oregon Sunday in a game they won 100-91 at home to hand the Ducks their first loss. While some will see this as a letdown spot, I don't. Colorado can't afford letdowns if it wants to make the NCAA Tournament after falling just short last year.

This is a team that returned four starters from last season and one that will make some noise in the Big Dance. Their only losses have come to Baylor and Oklahoma State on a neutral court, and they have beaten the likes of Harvard, Kansas and Oregon already. The Buffs outrebound their opponents by nine boards per game, and shoot 12 more free throws than the opposition on average.

Washington State is in shambles right now. It has opened 7-7, including back-to-back blowout road losses to Arizona (25-60) and Arizona State (47-66) to open conference play. It's no surprise that these blowout losses have occurred considering they are without leading scorer DeVonte Lacy (17.7 ppg) for the past two games. He is expected to sit out this one, too. The Cougars' second-leading scorer is Royce Woolridge (9.8 ppg), so they are clearly lost offensively without Lacy.

'We have got to get better offensively," WSU coach Ken Bone said. "It's hard when arguably your best player, definitely your best scorer, is not out there, so again to try to manufacture points in creative ways. It makes it a little bit difficult, to say the least, but you got to keep plugging at it."

The Buffaloes are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 road games following three or more consecutive home games. Colorado is 7-1 ATS in its last eight games following a win. The Cougars are 1-9 ATS in their last 10 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game. Roll with Colorado Wednesday.

20* ACC GAME OF THE WEEK on Wake Forest +11.5

The Virginia Cavaliers are getting way too much respect from the books as a double-digit home favorite over the Wake Forest Demon Deacons tonight. I'll take advantage and back the dog in a game that will go right down to the wire.

Wake Forest is off to an 11-3 start this season, which includes a win over North Carolina last time out. Its only losses have come against Kansas, Tennessee and Xavier, which are three very good teams. This is a squad that returned four starters from last year and will be a tough out in the ACC all year.

Virginia is clearly not as good as it is perceived. This team has gone just 10-4 this season with some ugly losses along the way at home against Wisconsin (38-48) and on the road against Tennessee (52-87). It is coming off a 62-50 win at Florida State, but I believe that is why it is overvalued here.

Joe Harris, who led the team with 16.3 points per game last year and is their best player, went out with a concussion against Florida State early. That's why it was impressive that the Cavaliers went on to win that game, but they clearly are not the same team without this guy over the long haul. Harris is listed as doubtful to play tonight. Even if he does play, this spread is inflated, so it would just be an added bonus if he sits.

The Cavaliers are 3-10 ATS in their last 13 games vs. a team with a winning S.U. record. Virginia is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 home games. The Cavaliers are 2-9 ATS in their last 11 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600. Virginia is 1-5 ATS in its last six games following a win. The Demon Deacons are 7-1 ATS in their last eight meetings with Virginia. Take Wake Forest Wednesday.

15* Blazers/Kings NBA Late-Night BAILOUT on UNDER 217.5

The Portland Trail Blazers have created expectations for themselves as a high-scoring, dominant team that they cannot live up to. That is certainly reflected in this total tonight as the books have simply set the bar too high between the Blazers and Kings. One look at their season averages shows that.

Portland is averaging 108.7 points per game and giving up 102.6 points per game, combining with its opponents for an average of 211.3 points. Sacramento is scoring 100.6 points per game and giving up 104.5 points per game, combining with its opponents for an average of 205.1 points. The total should be set somewhere in between those averages around 208, providing us nearly 10 points of value with tonight's total set of 217.5.

One look at recent meetings between these teams, and it's also easy to see that this number has been inflated. You have to go all the way back to 2005 to find the last time these teams exceeded this total. Indeed, each of the last 31 meetings between the Kings and Blazers have seen 215 or fewer combined points, making for a perfect 31-0 system pertaining to tonight's total set.

Each of the last 10 meetings have seen 207 or fewer combined points, including a 96-85 road win for Portland in their first meeting this season on November 9. To compare, the oddsmakers set that total at 198.5 points. Now, two months later, they are setting it 19 points higher. You can just see that the value is with the UNDER in this one folks. Take the UNDER in this game Tuesday.

15* Ohio State/MSU ESPN Big Ten BAILOUT on Ohio State +5.5

The Ohio State Buckeyes should not be an underdog to the Michigan State Spartans tonight. The Buckeyes are off to a perfect 15-0 start this year and continue to get little respect from the books.

To open up Big Ten play, the Buckeyes have covered two straight with a 78-69 road win at Purdue as a 6-point favorite, and an 84-53 home win over Nebraska as a 15.5-point favorite. They have four starters back from last year including Aaron Craft, who guides what I believe to be the best defensive team in the country. The Buckeyes only allow 54.9 points per game and 36.9% shooting.

Michigan State is off to a great start as well at 13-1, but I believe this team has a lot more problems than most. The Spartans survived several close calls in the early going, and they proved they were beatable when North Carolina went into East Lansing and throttled them 79-65. MSU has rebounded since, winning and covering each of its last five games, but as a result it is overvalued heading into this one.

This has been a very closely-contested series to say the least, so I'm going to take all the points I can get. Remarkably, each of the last five meetings have been decided by eight points or less, including four by four points or fewer. The one eight-point game was a 68-60 home win for Ohio State. So, the Buckeyes have not lost by more than four points to Michigan State in any of the last five meetings. Ohio State is also 4-1-1 ATS in its last six trips to East Lansing.

Plays against home favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points (MICHIGAN ST) - after beating the spread by 24 or more points total in their last three games against opponent after going over the total by 18 or more points total in their last three games are 93-47 (66.4%) ATS since 1997. Ohio State is 21-6 ATS in its last 27 Tuesday road games. The Buckeyes are 7-0 ATS in their last seven vs. Big Ten opponents. Ohio State is 6-1 ATS in its last seven vs. a team with a winning record. Take the Buckeyes Tuesday.

20* American Athletic GAME OF THE WEEK on Houston +9.5

The Houston Cougars are showing their best value of the season tonight. Asking the Cincinnati Bearcats to go on the road and win at Houston by double-digits to beat us is simply asking too much.

The Cougars returned three starters from last year and a ton of talent. They have opened 10-5 this season, including 7-1 at home, where they have been virtually unbeatable. That includes a 75-71 win over UConn as a 9-point underdog. TaShawn Thomas (17.5 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 3.7 bpg) is an absolute beast and can carry this team when he needs to.

Cincinnati comes in red hot having won six straight, including an impressive 69-53 win at Memphis last time out despite being a 5.5-point underdog. However, I believe that win has the Bearcats way overvalued here, and they could easily suffer a letdown because of it. Remember, this team lost on the road to both New Mexico (54-63) and Xavier (47-64) in blowout fashion earlier this year.

Plays against road teams as an favorite or pick (CINCINNATI) - in a game involving two average offensive teams (67-74 PPG) after 15+ games, after allowing 65 points or less 5 straight games are 30-8 (78.9%) ATS over the last five seasons.

Cincinnati is 0-9 ATS after playing a road game over the last two seasons. The Bearcats are 0-7 ATS off an upset win by 15 points or more as an underdog since 1997. Houston is 6-0 ATS in home games after two straight games with nine or less offensive rebounds over the last three seasons. The Cougars are 6-0 ATS after allowing 30 points or less in the first half of two straight games over the last two years. These four trends combine for a perfect 28-0 system backing the Cougars. Roll with Houston Tuesday.

20* NBA TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Raptors/Pacers UNDER 188

The Toronto Raptors and Indiana Pacers will take part in a defensive battle tonight. This will be the third meeting of the season already between these teams, and familiarity breeds low-scoring games.

The first two have been very competitive and very low-scoring. Indiana beat Toronto 91-84 at home for 175 combined points on November 8, but the Raptors would have their revenge with a 95-82 home victory on January 1 for 177 combined points.

Dating back further, and not counting overtime, the Pacers and Raptors have combined for 180 or fewer points in each of the last six meetings. They have combined for an average of 171.7 points per game at the end of regulation over this span, which is over 16 points less than tonight's posted total.

Both teams like to play at a slow tempo, and both get after it defensively. Indiana ranks 24th in the league in pace at 95.0 possessions per game, while Toronto is 22nd in pace at 95.1 possessions per game. Indiana ranks 1st in defensive efficiency at 93.1 points per 100 possessions allowed, and Toronto is 7th in defensive efficiency at 100.6 points per 100 possessions.

Indiana is 7-0 to the UNDER in home games vs. good free throw shooting teams - making >=76% of their attempts this season. The Pacers are 11-1 to the UNDER as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points this season. The Pacers are 14-3 to the UNDER when the total is between 180 and 189.5 points this year. Bet the UNDER in this game Tuesday.

15* Tennessee/LSU ESPN Tuesday No-Brainer on LSU -2.5

The LSU Tigers (9-3) are coming off an ugly 70-74 home loss to Rhode Island, which I believe has them undervalued here. They were obviously looking ahead to their first SEC game, and I fully expect them to come back motivated with their best effort of the season tonight.

I have a lost of respect for Tennessee as I have backed them a couple times this year. However, after three straight blowout home wins, I believe this team is overvalued. Remember, the Vols were beaten 61-70 at Wichita State and at home against NC State by a final of 58-65 prior to this winning streak.

LSU returned four starters from last year, and these guys will be motivated to put an end to a five-game losing streak to Tennessee in this series. There are some absolute studs in this group of returnees, led by Johnny O'Bryant III (14.4 ppg, 7.5 rpg) and Jordan Mickey (14.2 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 3.6 bpg), who hold down the paint inside.

Tennessee is 5-16 ATS in its last 21 road games after scoring 85 points or more in two straight games. The Vols are 7-22 ATS in their last 29 games after two straight games where they made 50% of their shots or better. Tennessee is 0-2 SU in true road games this season, and 1-4 ATS in its last five road games vs. a team with a winning home record. The Tigers are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games following a loss. Bet LSU Tuesday.

15* Magic/Clippers NBA Late-Night BAILOUT on Orlando +9.5

The Orlando Magic are showing tremendous value Monday night. Asking the Los Angeles Clippers to win by double-digits to beat us is simply asking too much. I'll gladly take the points on the Magic in this one.

In its first game without Chris Paul (shoulder), Los Angeles was destroyed 92-116 at San Antonio on Saturday. The oddsmakers aren't giving Paul enough credit with this line as he's clearly worth more to the Clippers than this.

Orlando comes in undervalued due to failing to cover the spread in three straight games. Well, two of those were against two of the best teams in the league in the Heat and Warriors, so they come in battle-tested. The Magic have gone a very profitable 9-6 ATS in all road games this season.

The Magic beat the Clippers once already this season with a 98-90 home victory despite being a 7-point underdog. They also won their last visit to Los Angeles by a final of 104-101 last season as a 13.5-point dog. They clearly aren't afraid of the Clippers, especially now that they are without their best player in Paul.

Orlando is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games vs. a team with a winning percentage above 60%. The Magic are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600. Orlando is 10-2-1 ATS in its last 13 meetings with the Clippers, including a perfect 5-0 ATS in its last five meetings in Los Angeles dating back to 2008. Take the Magic Monday.

15* NBA Sunday Total DOMINATOR on Pacers/Cavaliers UNDER 187

I'm backing the UNDER in this game between the Indiana Pacers and Cleveland Cavaliers Sunday. Both teams play at a very slow pace, and each gets after it defensively due to their defensive-minded head coaches.

Cleveland ranks 17th in the league in pace at 95.9 possessions per game. Indiana ranks 21st in pace at 95.2 possessions per game. The Pacers rank 1st in defensive efficiency, surrendering just 93.3 points per 100 possessions. Cleveland ranks 28th in offensive efficiency at 96.9 points per 100 possessions.

The Cavaliers could be without Kyrie Irving again today, which would only be an added bonus for this UNDER. I am backing the UNDER whether or not Irving plays, but considering he sat out Saturday's game with a bruised knee, there's a good chance he's not healthy enough to return Sunday. He is currently listed as questionable.

These teams have met twice this season, and both have been extremely low scoring. Indiana beat Cleveland 89-74 at home on November 11 for 163 combined points. Indiana also won 91-76 at home on December 31 for 167 combined points. So, these teams are obviously very familiar with one another having played twice already, which certainly favors a low-scoring game tonight.

The UNDER is 6-1 in Pacers last seven games overall. The UNDER is 50-20-2 in Cavaliers last 72 Sunday games. The UNDER is 10-4-1 in Cavaliers last 15 vs. a team with a winning S.U. record. Bet the UNDER in this game Sunday.

15* NBA Sunday PLAY OF THE DAY on Washington Wizards +4

The Golden State Warriors have been put up on a pedestal due to their recent win over the Miami Heat on Thursday night. I faded them with success by backing the Hawks +3 Friday in a 1-point Warriors' win. I'll continue to fade them tonight as they are clearly in a letdown spot here off back-to-back huge road wins over the Heat and Hawks.

Off back-to-back home losses, the Wizards certainly won't be lacking any motivation tonight. They are undervalued due to their recent poor play, but after their head coach called them out, I look for them to come back with one of their best efforts of the season Sunday.

"More selfish play than we've had. We can't play that way. We've proven over the last couple years we can't play that way," Randy Wittman said. "Getting concerned with, `Why am I coming out? How many minutes am I getting? How many shots am I getting?' Rather than: `What is the team doing?' ... We're not good enough to do it that way."

Some of the players on the team were in agreement following an 88-101 home loss to Toronto Friday, getting booed by their fans. "At times, it looked like we didn't want to play," said Trevor Booker, who had eight points and 13 rebounds. "It's pretty embarrassing, especially when they started booing us."

Washington is a sensational 20-8 ATS as a home underdog over the past two seasons. The Wizards are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 home games after having lost two of their last three games coming in. The Warriors are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 Sunday games. Washington is 7-1 ATS in its last eight games following an ATS loss. The Wizards are 12-3 ATS in their last 15 home games vs. a team with a winning road record. Washington is 7-2 ATS in its last nine games following a S.U. loss. The Wizards are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game. Take the Wizards Sunday.

15* CBB Sunday PLAY OF THE DAY on Colorado -3

The Colorado Buffaloes are one of the most underrated teams in the country. They have opened the season 12-2 with their only losses coming to Baylor and Oklahoma State on a neutral court. They have beaten the likes of Harvard and Kansas this season.

Colorado has one of the best home-court advantages in the land dating back to last year. It has opened 10-0 at home this season, outscoring opponents by an average of 13.4 points per game. The Buffaloes are 4-1 against Oregon since joining the Pac-12, and they have won all four meetings in Boulder all-time.

Oregon is simply overvalued right now due to its 13-0 start. It is coming off a 70-68 overtime victory at Utah last time out, but it won't be as fortunate against a much better Colorado team today. The Buffaloes have won four straight at home against Top 25 teams after beating then-No. 6 Kansas on December 7.

The Ducks are 4-11-2 ATS in their last 17 vs. Pac-12 opponents. The Buffaloes are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games following a S.U. win. Colorado is 23-11-1 ATS in its last 35 games following an ATS loss. The Buffaloes are 4-0 ATS in their last four Sunday games. Roll with Colorado Sunday.

20* NBA Saturday PLAY OF THE DAY on Pelicans/Pacers UNDER 194.5

The books have simply set the bar too high in this game between the New Orleans Pelicans and Indiana Pacers. I look for a low-scoring, defensive battle tonight with neither team exceeding 95 points in this one.

It's sad to say it, but one of the biggest reasons I like this UNDER is that New Orleans sharp-shooter Ryan Anderson was carted off the court last night with a neck injury. The Pelicans aren't nearly as efficient without Anderson, who leads the team in scoring (19.8 ppg) while also shooting 40.9 percent from 3-point range and 95.2 percent from the free throw line. It's a huge blow to them offensively.

Now, the Pelicans will be up against the best defensive team in the NBA. Indeed, the Pacers rank 1st in the league in defensive efficiency, giving up just 93.4 points per 100 possessions. Indiana also like to play at a slow tempo, ranking 21st in the league in pace at 95.3 possessions per game. New Orleans is 19th in pace at 95.8 possessions per contest.

If you don't count overtime, the last four meetings between the Pacers and Pelicans would have gone UNDER this posted total of 194.5. They have combined for 185, 176, 194 and 186 points at the end of regulation in their last four meetings, respectively. There's clearly a ton of value with this UNDER tonight ladies and gents.

Indiana is 18-6 to the UNDER as a favorite this season, including 12-4 to the UNDER as a home favorite. The UNDER is 13-4 in Pacers last 17 home games overall. The UNDER is 22-10-1 in the last 33 meetings in this series. Bet the UNDER in this game Saturday.

15* American Athletic PLAY OF THE DAY on Rutgers +17

This play is more of a fade of the Louisville Cardinals than anything. They are simply way overvalued after winning the championship last year, and after their 12-2 start this season. They have no business being a 17-point favorite at Rutgers Saturday.

Forward Chase Behanan has been dismissed from the team recently, leaving Louisville thin along the front line. It didn't bother them one bit in a 90-65 win at UCF in its first game without Behanan last time out. However, that result is the reason that the Cardinals are overvalued here, and I fully expect them to come back down to earth in their second game without him.

Rutgers is off to a respectable 7-7 start this season while being competitive in every game under first-year coach, Eddie Jordan. Indeed, all seven of the Scarlet Knights' losses this season have come by 11 points or fewer, including five by 6 points or less. They are coming off an impressive 71-66 home victory over Temple last time out and are fully capable of competing with Louisville, which may be looking ahead to its game against Memphis next.

The Cardinals are 1-5 ATS in their last six games following an ATS win. Roll with Rutgers Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday Undervalued Underdog on TCU +5

Off a disastrous 2012-13 campaign, the TCU Horned Frogs came into the 2013-14 season way undervalued. They remain that way as a home underdog to the West Virginia Mountaineers in their Big 12 opener Saturday when they really should be the favorite.

TCU has opened 9-3 this year while going 5-1 ATS in all lined games to show how underrated it really is. Two of the three losses came against very good SMU and Harvard teams on a neutral court. The Frogs have gone on the road and beaten Washington State (64-62) as a 14-point dog, and Mississippi State (71-61) as an 8.5-point dog. They have also beaten Tulsa twice.

West Virginia has been unimpressive en route to an 8-5 start this season. It doesn't have a good win all season as its eight victories have come against the likes of Mount St. Mary's, Duquesne, Georgia Southern, Presbyterian, Old Dominion, Loyola-Maryland, Marshall and William & Mary. The Mountaineers were at least a 7.5-point favorite in all of those games.

The Mountaineers are 1-10 ATS vs. good free throw shooting teams that make 72% or more of their attempts over the past two seasons. West Virginia is 0-6 ATS in its last six vs. Big 12 opponents. The Mountaineers are 7-22-1 ATS in their last 30 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600. WVU is 16-33-2 ATS in its last 51 games overall. Take TCU Saturday.

20* Big 12 GAME OF THE WEEK on Kansas State +6.5

The Kansas State Wildcats get the call Saturday as a home underdog to the Oklahoma State Cowboys. The Cowboys are one of the most overrated teams in the country due to playing a pretty soft schedule up to this point and getting through it at 12-1.

Kansas State is playing its best basketball of the season heading into this win, winning eight straight games while going 6-1 ATS in lined games in the process. That includes wins over Ole Miss (61-58) and Gonzaga (72-62) to prove that they are for real. Their last two games weren't even close as they rolled over Tulane (72-41) and George Washington (72-55).

The Wildcats have owned the Cowboys in recent meetings. They have gone 4-1 SU & 4-1 ATS in their last five meetings with their only loss coming by a final of 70-76 on the road last season. I like that dominance to continue in the Big 12 opener today with likely an outright victory, though I'll gladly take the points for some insurance.

Kansas State is 8-1 ATS in home games versus good defensive teams - shooting pct defense of <=42% over the last two seasons. The Wildcats are 16-1 ATS in their last 17 home games after two straight wins by 10 or more points. The Cowboys are 5-16 ATS in their last 21 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600. Roll with Kansas State Saturday.

20* Pac-12 GAME OF THE WEEK on Washington +17.5

The Washington Huskies are showing tremendous value as a massive road underdog to the Arizona Wildcats today. I'll take advantage and back them as 17.5-point underdog fresh off their biggest win of the season.

I was all over the Huskies last time out as they went into Arizona State and came away with a 76-65 victory as a 10.5-point underdog. I still believe this team is underrated and their best is yet to come. There's no question that the Wildcats will bring out the best in them.

Arizona is the No. 1 ranked team in the country and for good reason. However, it has created expectations for itself that it simply cannot live up to in the near future now that we have entered conference play. That is especially the case off a 60-25 win over Washington State. There's no question that the value in this game is with the Huskies, especially considering that the Wildcats could be looking ahead to UCLA.

Plays on road underdogs of 10 to 19.5 points (WASHINGTON) - excellent free throw shooting team (>=73%) against an average free throw shooting team (65-69%), good ball handling team (<=14.5 TO's) against a poor pressure defensive team (<=14.5 TO's) are 26-7 (78.8%) ATS over the last five seasons.

Arizona is 3-11 ATS in its last 14 games following a home win over a conference rival. Lorenzo Romar is 22-6 ATS as an underdog of 10 or more points in all games he has coached. The Huskies are 13-6 ATS in their last 19 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600. Take Washington Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday Early ANNIHILATOR on Nebraska +17.5

The Nebraska Cornhuskers are going to be one of the most improved teams in the country by season's end. I believe they show that tonight and hang with a very good Ohio State team to stay within this inflated number, giving us the cover.

The Cornhuskers have played three very tough games in their last five contests overall, which will have them battle-tested heading into this showdown. They lost at Creighton (67-82), at Cincinnati (69-74) and at Iowa (57-67). This is a team that returned all five starters from a year ago and will be competitive in Big Ten play.

Ohio State is overvalued due to opening the season 14-0. It has created expectations for itself in terms of the point spread heading into conference play that it cannot live up to. Plus, I fully expect the Buckeyes to be looking ahead to their showdown against Michigan State on Tuesday, which will also help allow the Huskers to stay within the number.

Plays against favorites of 10 to 19.5 points (OHIO ST) - after 8 or more consecutive wins, undefeated on the season are 67-39 (63.2%) ATS over the last five seasons. Tim Miles is 11-1 ATS off a loss against a conference rival as the coach of Nebraska. Miles is 7-0 ATS in road games after playing two consecutive road games as the coach of Nebraska. Bet Nebraska Saturday.

15* Nebraska-Omaha/Hawaii CBB Midnight BAILOUT on Nebraska-Omaha +10

Nebraska-Omaha is a team that I have been on all season. I'm not about to stop now, especially catching them as a double-digit underdog against Hawaii tonight. This team will be ready to give the Warriors a fight tonight.

Despite playing a brutal schedule, the Mavericks have managed to open 10-4 and remain one of the most underrated teams in the country just because the betting public does not know about them. Their four losses have against quality competition, too.

Nebraska-Omaha lost at Iowa (75-83) as a 29.5-point underdog, at UNLV (70-73) as a 14-point dog, at Drake (80-88) as a 5.5-point dog, and at Minnesota (79-92) as a 16-point dog. As you can see, they have only lost by double-digits once all season, and No. 2 will not be coming tonight.

This is a Mavericks team that returned four starters from last season and does a lot of things right. They are scoring 84.9 points per game thanks in large part to their 78.2% from throw shooting. They don't foul often defensively, yielding an average of only 22 free throw attempts per game.

Nebraska-Omaha is 6-1 ATS in its last seven road games. The Mavericks are 6-1 ATS in their last seven non-conference games. The Mavericks are 5-1 ATS in their last six games overall. Roll with Nebraska-Omaha Friday.

15* NBA Friday Night Line Mistake on Atlanta Hawks +3

The Atlanta Hawks (18-14) have been underrated all season. They continue to be so as a 3-point home underdog to the Golden State Warriors tonight. I'll take the points in a game I believe they are going to win outright.

The Warriors are in their biggest letdown spot of the season. They are coming off a 123-114 road win at defending champion Miami last night in which everything went right. They shot 56.1% from the field and it just seemed like they could not miss.

It's only human nature for a team like the Warriors to have a letdown off such a big win. Plus, they will now be playing the second of a back-to-back and their 3rd game in 4 days. Meanwhile, Atlanta comes in on two days' rest and will be ready to go.

Plays against road teams where the line is +3 to -3 (GOLDEN STATE) - after going over the total by more than 18 points in their previous game, a good team (60% to 75%) playing a team with a winning record are 31-6 (83.8%) ATS over the last five seasons.

The Hawks are 12-4 SU & 10-6 ATS at home this season. Golden State is 27-55 ATS in its last 82 road games after scoring 60 points or more in the first half of last game. Atlanta is 6-1 ATS in its last seven vs. Western Conference foes. The underdog is 9-3 ATS in the last 12 meetings in this series. Take the Hawks Friday.

20* NBA TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Raptors/Wizards UNDER 193.5

The Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards will take part in a low-scoring, defensive battle tonight. Both of these teams like to play at below-average tempos, and their recent meetings have been low scoring.

Toronto ranks 21st in the league in pace at 95.4 possessions per game, while Washington is 23rd at 95.3 possessions per game. Toronto ranks 15th in the league in offensive efficiency with 102.4 points per 100 possessions, and Washington is 21st in that category at 101.1 points per 100 possessions.

What gets overlooked with both of these teams is how solid they have been defensively this year. Toronto ranks 8th in defensive efficiency, giving up just 100.3 points per 100 possessions. Washington is in the top half of the league in that category, ranking 14th at 102.7 points per 100 possessions allowed.

The UNDER is 5-1 in the last six meetings in this series. These teams have combined for 191 or fewer points in five of the last meetings. That includes a 96-88 road win by Toronto for 184 combined points in their first meetings of 2013-14 on November 22. The UNDER is 5-1 in Raptors last 6 vs. a team with a losing S.U. record. Bet the UNDER in this game Friday.

15* CBB Thursday PLAY OF THE DAY on Washington +11

The Washington Huskies are showing tremendous value as a double-digit road underdog to Arizona State in their Pac-12 opener Thursday. I'll take advantage and snag all the points I can get in this one.

Washington comes in undervalued due to failing to cover the spread in three straight games heading into this contest. Arizona State is overvalued due to covering the spread in three straight coming in.

This has been a one-sided series in recent years to say the least. Indeed, Washington is a perfect 7-0 in its last seven meetings with Arizona State. That makes it mind-boggling that the books have made the Huskies a double-digit underdog when they simply dominate this series.

Plays on road underdogs of 10 to 19.5 points (WASHINGTON) - excellent free throw shooting team (>=73%) against an average free throw shooting team (65-69%), good ball handling team (<=14.5 TO's) against a poor pressure defensive team (<=14.5 TO's) are 25-7 (78.1%) ATS over the last five seasons.

The Huskies are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600. Washington is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 meetings at Arizona State. The road team is 16-6 ATS in the last 22 meetings. Roll with Washington Thursday.

15* NBA Thursday PLAY OF THE DAY on Brooklyn Nets +12.5

There's no denying that the Brooklyn Nets have been the most disappointing team in the NBA up to this point. As a result, there's going to be some value in backing this team going forward. I believe that's the case tonight as a 12-point underdog to Oklahoma City.

The reason the Nets are being undervalued here is because they are coming off back-to-back blowout road losses to Indiana (91-105) and San Antonio (92-113). While those two teams are two of the best in the league, the Thunder in their current state are not.

Oklahoma City is without Russell Westbrook likely for the rest of the season due to another knee injury. This team is not the same without him, and just like it struggled in the playoffs last year, it will really struggle the rest of the way to find points.

Plays on road underdogs of 10 or more points (BROOKLYN) - off a road blowout loss of 20 points or more, a bad team (25% to 40%) playing a team with a winning record are 71-34 (67.6%) ATS since 1996.

Brooklyn is 13-4 ATS in its last 17 road games when playing only its 2nd game in 5 days. The Nets are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 road games after failing to cover the spread in two or more consecutive games. The Thunder are 1-9 ATS after a game with 15 or less assists over the last two years. Take the Nets Thursday.

15* NBA Wednesday PLAY OF THE DAY on Pacers/Raptors UNDER 193

The books have set the bar too high tonight in this contest between the Indiana Pacers and Toronto Raptors. I look for a low-scoring, defensive battle between two of the better teams in the league defensively.

The key here is that both teams play at a slow tempo. Toronto ranks 22nd in the league in pace at 95.2 possessions per game. Indiana is just behind them, ranking 23rd in the league in pace at 95.2 possessions per game. Both teams are right in the middle of the pack in offensive efficiency (Indiana 13th, Toronto 15th) as well.

As stated before, both teams get after it defensively. Indiana ranks 1st in the league in defensive efficiency, giving up 93.2 points per 100 possessions. Toronto is a surprising 9th in this category, yielding 100.9 points per 100 possessions.

This has been a very low-scoring series of late. The UNDER is 4-1 in the last five meetings with combined scores of 175, 174, 198, 146 and 178 points. Plus, that 198-point effort was tied 90-90 at the end of regulation for 180 combined points before overtime.

So, if you only count regulation, the Pacers and Raptors are combining for an average of 170.6 points per game in their last five meetings. That's over 22 points less than tonight's posted total of 193. As you can see, there's a ton of value with this UNDER. Roll with the UNDER in this game Wednesday.

15* CBB Wednesday PLAY OF THE DAY on Boston College +9.5

The Boston College Eagles are way undervalued due to their poor start. They returned all five starters and 96 percent of their scoring from last season, so I have no doubt that this team is better than it has shown thus far.

The reason the Eagles are undervalued here is because they have failed to cover the spread in five straight games coming in, while Harvard has covered in four straight leading up to this one. As a result, the public is on Harvard and off of Boston College.

Boston College is 97-64 ATS in its last 161 road games overall, including 36-19 ATS in its last 45 January road games. The Eagles are 71-43 ATS in their last 114 after having lost two of their last three games coming in. Harvard is 17-35 ATS in its last 52 games after allowing 80 points or more in its last game. Take Boston College Wednesday.

15* Bucks/Lakers New Year's Eve BAILOUT on Milwaukee +6.5

I faded the Los Angeles Lakers as an 8-point favorite over the Philadelphia 76ers last time out with success. I still believe they are overvalued tonight as a 6.5-point favorite against the Milwaukee Bucks, and I'll fade them again as a result.

Los Angeles already had a pretty poor roster before all of the injuries started happening. Now, it is without four key players in Kobe Bryant, Steve Blake, Steve Nash and Xavier Henry. Plus, Pau Gasol and Jordan Farmar are battling nagging injuries. This Lakers' team in its current state is no better than Milwaukee.

The Bucks are 33-16-2 ATS in their last 51 road games vs. a team with a losing home record. Milwaukee has won three of its last four meetings with the Lakers. The Bucks are 10-3-1 ATS in the last 14 meetings. The underdog is 14-4-1 ATS in the last 19 meetings. Roll with the Bucks Tuesday.

15* NBA Tuesday Total DOMINATOR on Blazers/Thunder UNDER 213.5

The books have set the bar too high in this game between two of the best teams in the Western Conference in the Portland Trail Blazers (24-7) and Oklahoma City Thunder (25-5). When two good teams like this get together, it usually brings out the best in both defensively.

The biggest reason this line has been inflated is that Portland has gone over the total in nine straight and 15 of its last 16 games overall. The books have been forced to set a higher total than they know they should simply because the betting public catches on to these trends and backs the over blindly.

Compared to tonight's total, this has been a pretty low-scoring series. In fact, six of the last seven meetings between the Thunder and Blazers have seen 206 or fewer combined points. If you don't count overtime, then 10 of the last 11 meetings have seen 206 or fewer combined points. The UNDER is 18-6-2 in the last 26 meetings in Oklahoma City.

Playing at home, I look for Oklahoma City to control the tempo. With Russell Westbrook lost with another knee injury, the Thunder do not want to try and run with Portland, or they will get beat. Look for them to make this a half-court game and to rely on their solid defense to get the win.

Plays on the UNDER on road teams where the total is greater than or equal to 200 (PORTLAND) - off an upset loss as a road favorite, with a winning record on the season playing another winning team are 85-42 (66.9%) since 1996. The UNDER is 19-7-2 in Thunder last 28 vs. a team with a winning S.U. record. The UNDER is 26-11-2 in Thunder last 39 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game. Bet the UNDER in this game Tuesday.

15* CBB Tuesday Night Line Mistake on Northern Illinois +23.5

The Northern Illinois Huskies are showing tremendous value as a massive road underdog to the Iowa State Cyclones. They will be up for this game to try and knock off one of the top-ranked teams in the country.

The same cannot be said for Iowa State, which is coming off a huge tournament win in Hawaii. Now, Iowa State has its Big 12 opener on deck Saturday against Texas Tech, and it will be looking ahead to that game. I simply do not see the Cyclones being motivated enough tonight to cover this massive spread.

I've liked what I've seen so far from Northern Illinois, which returned four starters from last year and is 5-5 on the season. Four of its five losses have come by 13 points or less, including three by five points or fewer. The only exception was a 54-80 road loss to a very good UMass team as a 20.5-point dog. The Huskies have gone 3-2 SU & 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall, which is impressive when you consider they were an underdog in each.

Northern Illinois is 8-1 ATS in road games versus poor pressure defensive teams - forcing <=14 turnovers/game over the last 2 seasons. The Huskies are 11-1 ATS in road games after a game with 9 or less assists over the last 2 seasons. Northern Illinois is 57-37 ATS in its last 94 games as a road dog of 10 or more points. Take Northern Illinois Tuesday.

15* NBA Monday No-Doubt Rout on Detroit Pistons -2.5

This is a classic home-and-home situation. These teams just played two nights go with Washington rolling to a 106-82 home victory. I look for Detroit to return the favor and get revenge in blowout fashion at home this time around.

The Pistons will be very hungry for a victory after losing four of their last five coming in. You have to like their chances of bouncing back considering they are a sensational 26-7 at home against Washington since 1996.

Plays on all teams where the line is +3 to -3 (DETROIT) - after going over the total by 48 or more points total in their last ten games, a marginal losing team (40% to 49%) playing a losing team are 30-8 (78.9%) ATS over the last five seasons.

Detroit is 20-8 ATS after failing to cover the spread in two or more consecutive games over the past two seasons. The Wizards are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games following a SU win of more than 10 points. The Pistons are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 home meetings with Washington. Bet the Pistons Monday.

15* CBB Monday PLAY OF THE DAY on Tennessee -2

The Tennessee Volunteers are showing tremendous value as only a 2-point home favorite over Virginia Monday. I'll gladly take advantage and back the Vols, who will be hungry after losing two of their past three games coming in.

Tennessee has played its best basketball at home this season. It is 5-1 at home, outscoring opponents by an average of 14.2 points per game. Virginia has only played one true road game all year, which was a 72-75 loss at Wisconsin-Green Bay.

Virginia is 16-32 ATS in its last 48 games as a road underdog of 6 points or less. Tennessee is 26-11 ATS in its last 37 home games with a line of +3 to -3. The Cavaliers are 1-8 ATS in their last 9 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600. Virginia is 5-13-1 ATS in its last 19 road games. Take Tennessee Monday.

15* NBA Sunday PLAY OF THE DAY on Philadelphia 76ers +8

The Los Angeles Lakers should never be an 8-point favorite against any team in the league with Kobe Bryant out. I'll gladly take advantage and back the Philadelphia 76ers as an 8-point underdog to the Lakers tonight.

The Lakers are 27-49 ATS when playing 6 or more games in 10 days over the last 3 seasons. Los Angeles is 4-13 ATS after covering the spread in two or more consecutive games over the past 2 seasons. The 76ers are 4-0 ATS in their last four meetings in Los Angeles. The road team is 8-1 ATS in the last nine meetings. Bet the 76ers Sunday.

15* NBA Saturday No-Doubt Rout on Washington Wizards -2

The Washington Wizards were blown out by the Minnesota Timberwolves last night. As a result, they are way undervalued as only a 2-point home favorite tonight over the Detroit Pistons. I'll take advantage of this value tonight.

Plays on all teams where the line is +3 to -3 (WASHINGTON) - after going over the total by 48 or more points total in their last ten games, a marginal losing team (40% to 49%) playing a losing team are 30-8 (78.9%) ATS over the last five seasons.

Detroit is 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons. Washington is 19-8 ATS (+10.2 Units) when playing on back-to-back days over the last 2 seasons. The Wizards are 24-9 ATS (+14.1 Units) revenging a loss where opponent scored 100 or more points over the last 2 seasons. Roll with the Wizards Saturday.

15* NBA Saturday Total ANNIHILATOR on Nets/Pacers UNDER 194

Indiana likes to play a half-court game, and it will control the tempo at home. The Pacers rank 20th in the league in pace at 95.4 possessions per game. The Nets like to play at a slow tempo as well, ranking 25th in pace at 94.6 possessions per game.

Indiana ranks 1st in the league in defensive efficiency, giving up just 93.4 points per 100 possessions. The Nets are in a world of hurt right now without their two best post scorers in Brook Lopez and Andray Blatche. They are forced to play defensive-minded Reggie Evans a ton of minutes because of it.

The UNDER is 12-3 in Pacers last 15 home games. The UNDER is 8-1 in Pacers last 9 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400. The UNDER is 18-8-1 in Pacers last 27 vs. a team with a losing record. Bet the UNDER in this game Saturday.

15* Louisville/Kentucky CBB Saturday No-Brainer on Kentucky +2.5

This is a classic case where the defending champions are way overvalued. Louisville should not be favored on the road at Kentucky, and I'll gladly take advantage by backing the home dog in this one.

Kentucky is one of the best rebounding teams in the country. It is outrebounding opponents 44-31 on the season and averaging 14 offensive boards in the process. It is also shooting 35 free throws per game.

The Wildcats are 35-17 ATS off three straight games where they outrebounded their opponents by six or more since 1997. Kentucky is 72-48 ATS off a no-cover where the team won straight up as a favorite since 1997. John Calipari has never lost as the coach off Kentucky off a combined score of 155 points or more in two straight games, going a perfect 6-0 ATS in this spot. Roll with Kentucky Saturday.

15* NBA Saturday Total DOMINATOR on Cavaliers/Celtics UNDER 195.5

The bar has been set too high in this game between Cleveland and Boston Saturday. This is going to be a low-scoring game and I'll back the UNDER because of it.

This line has been jacked up because the Cavs have gone over the total in seven of their last eight games overall. They are coming off a double-overtime game, which has created a ton of value on the UNDER toady.

Boston is 15-5 UNDER (+9.5 Units) in home games when playing against a bad team (Win Pct. 25% to 40%) over the last 3 seasons. Cleveland is 26-11 UNDER (+13.9 Units) after allowing 110 points or more 2 straight games since 1996. Boston is 9-1 UNDER (+7.9 Units) after 2 or more consecutive losses this season. Take the UNDER in this game Saturday.

15* NBA Friday Night Line Mistake on Utah Jazz -3.5

The Los Angeles Lakers are getting too much respect from the books as only a 3.5-point road underdog to the Utah Jazz. I realize that the Jazz have the worst record in the West, but they are a better team than the Lakers right now.

Los Angeles is without Kobe Bryant and its top two points guards in Steve Nash and Steve Blake. It is also expected to be without Pau Gasol tonight as he continues to recover from a respiratory infection. The Lakers simply cannot be competitive without these four players.

Utah his finally at full strength and has played its best basketball of the season over the past couple weeks. It has gone a respectable 4-4 in its last eight games overall despite playing seven of those games on the road. The four losses came to San Antonio, Miami, Atlanta and Memphis.

The Jazz have won four of their last five meetings with the Lakers. Los Angeles is 2-14 ATS in road games off a home loss over the last three seasons. After playing defending champion Miami tough at home on Christmas Day, this is clearly a letdown/hangover spot for the Lakers. Take the Jazz Friday.

20* NBA Friday No-Doubt Rout on New Orleans Pelicans -2.5

The New Orleans Pelicans just recently got back their best player in Anthony Davis, who is averaging 19.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game this season. They will be a force to be reckoned with with Davis back in the lineup going forward.

I believe the Pelicans are way undervalued due to losing four of their last five games overall. However, all five of those games were on the road and the four losses came against playoff contenders in the West in Denver, Golden State, LA Clippers & Portland. They capped off the trip with a 113-100 win at Sacramento, and will be looking forward to returning home where they have won their last two.

Denver has lost four in a row coming in to mostly quality competition as well. However, three of its four losses came at home, and three of the setbacks came by 8 points or more. The Nuggets' only win in their last six games came against New Orleans on December 15, with has the Pelicans in revenge mode heading into this rematch.

Home-court advantage has been huge in this series of late as the home team is a perfect 6-0 SU & 6-0 ATS in the last six meetings overall. The Nuggets are 4-10 ATS in their last 14 road games vs. a team with a winning home record. The Pelicans are 14-6 ATS in their last 20 games playing on 3 or more days rest. Bet the Pelicans Friday.

15* CBB Friday PLAY OF THE DAY on Louisiana-Monroe +25

The Ohio State Buckeyes are way overvalued right now due to their perfect 12-0 record and No. 3 ranking. I'll gladly fade them in their final non-conference game before Big Ten play. That makes this a huge lookahead spot for the Buckeyes, who play Purdue on December 31.

I've seen enough from Louisiana-Monroe this season against quality competition to make me believe that the Warhawks can be competitive. They have gone 4-1 ATS in their five lined games while playing some very good teams tough.

They lost 63-80 at Kansas as a 26-point underdog, 54-61 at Ole MIss as a 16.5-point dog, and 62-75 at LSU as a 15.5-point dog. If they can stay within 17 points of those three teams, who are all likely to make the NCAA Tournament, then they can certainly stay within 25 of Ohio State tonight.

Plays against favorites of 10 or more points off 10 or more consecutive wins are a healthy 145-92 (61.2%) ATS over the last five seasons. LA-Monroe is 7-0 ATS in road games off three consecutive non-conference games over the last three seasons. The Warhawks are 7-1 ATS in their last eight non-conference games. The Buckeyes are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 home games. Roll with Louisiana-Monroe Friday.

20* NBA GAME OF THE WEEK on Memphis Grizzlies +7.5

This is the perfect spot to fade the Houston Rockets. They will be playing the second of a back-to-back and their 5th game in 7 days, which is one of the toughest spots in the league. Plus, they are coming off a huge win at San Antonio last night, setting them up for a big letdown spot here.

After not spending Christmas with their families, these Rockets' players return home and will be more concerned about spending time with their loved ones rather than playing this game. Memphis, meanwhile, comes in on two days' rest having last played on Monday. It will be 100% focused heading into this one.

Houston is 8-28 ATS in its last 36 home games when playing its 5th game in 7 days. Memphis is 6-2 ATS in its last eight games when playing on two days rest. Houston is 0-6 ATS in its last six games following a S.U. win. Bet the Grizzlies Thursday.

15* NBA Thursday Total DOMINATOR on Hawks/Cavaliers UNDER 205

There is a ton of value on the UNDER in this game between Atlanta and Cleveland tonight. The books have been forced to set this total higher than it should be due to Atlanta going 10-1 to the over in its last 11 games, and Cleveland going 6-1 to the over in its last seven games.

A look at the recent meetings between these teams says everything. The Cavs and Hawks have combined for 205 or fewer points in six of their last seven meetings. The one 205-point effort was an overtime game in which the game was tied 91-91 at the end of regulation for 182 combined points.

These teams have met once this season with Atlanta winning 108-89 on the road for 197 combined points. That total was set at 195.5 on December 6, and this total has been set nearly 10 points higher at 205. That shows you how much value is on the UNDER in this game tonight.

Plays on the UNDER on all teams where the total is 200 to 209.5 (ATLANTA) - after going over the total by 36 or more points total in their last five games, winning between 51% and 60% of their games on the season are 72-25 (74.2%) over the last five seasons. Cleveland is 36-20 to the UNDER in home games following one or more consecutive losses over the last three seasons. Roll with the UNDER in this game Thursday.

20* Clippers/Warriors ESPN Late-Night BAILOUT on Golden State -2

The Golden State Warriors are back in business now that they have gotten a healthy Andre Iguodala back. This guy was one of the biggest acquisitions in the offseason, but he has gone unnoticed for the most part.

The Warriors have won each of their last two games with a blowout home win 102-83 over the Lakers, and an impressive 89-81 road victory over the Nuggets. Quietly, Iguodala has shot 52.2 percent from the field this season while averaging 11.2 points, 5.2 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists. He is their best perimeter defender, which always gets overlooked.

Los Angeles is being overvalued right now due to its five-game winning streak heading into this game. Four of those five wins have come at home. The Clippers are just 8-7 on the road this year, while the Warriors are 9-4 at home. The home team has won four straight meetings between these teams, including three by double-digits.

Plays against road teams where the line is +3 to -3 (LA CLIPPERS) - after going over the total by more than 18 points in their previous game, a good team (60% to 75%) playing a team with a winning record are 31-6 (83.8%) ATS over the last five seasons. Golden State is 9-1 ATS a home game where where the total is between 205 and 209.5 points over the last two seasons. The Clippers are 1-6 ATS in their last seven meetings in Golden State. Bet the Warriors Wednesday.

15* Iowa State/Boise State ESPN 2 No-Brainer on Iowa State -4.5

The Iowa State Cyclones are clearly one of the most underrated teams in the country. They have opened the season a perfect 10-0 while going 5-2 against the spread in lined games. They will be going for their best start in school history Wednesday, so they clearly want to accomplish that feat.

That shouldn't be a problem against a Boise State team that hasn't beaten anybody this season. It has lost to its two toughest opponents in Kentucky (55-70) and St. Mary's (74-82). It also barely escaped with a 62-61 victory over Hawaii a couple days ago to open up this tournament.

Iowa State has beaten three of the best teams in the country en route to this 10-0 start to really prove that it is for real. It has taken down the likes of Michigan, BYU and Iowa already this season, and Boise State is not as good as any of those three squads.

The Cyclones are 39-17 ATS in their last 56 games vs. a team with a winning S.U. record. Iowa State is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games overall. The Broncos are 0-7 ATS in their last seven games vs. a team with a wining record. Boise State is 0-7 ATS in its last seven games vs. a team with a winning percentage above 60%. Roll with Iowa State Wednesday.

15* Bulls/Nets ESPN Early Riser on UNDER 187.5

The books have set the bar too high in this game between the Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets. These teams do not like each other at all after playing in seven-game series in the opening round of the playoffs last year.

That also means that these teams are familiar with one another, and familiarity breeds low-scoring games. One big difference from the playoffs series last year is that the Bulls no longer have Nate Robinson at point guard to bail them out, which is big with Derrick Rose out.

Neither team really likes to push the tempo. Chicago ranks 28th in the league in pace at 93.5 possessions per game, while Brooklyn ranks 24th in pace at 94.9 possessions per game. The Bulls also rank 29th in the league in offensive efficiency, averaging just 96.2 points per 100 possessions. However, they make up for it on the other end, ranking 5th in defensive efficiency at 98.7 points per 100 possessions allowed.

Chicago is 14-3 to the UNDER when the total is between 180 and 189.5 points this season. The Bulls are 12-2 to the UNDER vs. a team with a losing record this season. The UNDER is 23-8 in Bulls last 31 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of less than .400. Take the UNDER in this game Wednesday.

15* NBA Monday Total ANNIHILATOR on Pacers/Nets UNDER 193

Both the Pacers and Nets have been going over the total frequently of late. The Pacers are 7-4 to the over in their last 11 games, while the Nets are 4-0 to the over in their last four games. This has forced the oddsmakers to adjust and set this total tonight higher than it should be.

A dead giveaway that there is value with the UNDER tonight is the fact that the books set the total at 187.5 in the first meeting of the season between these teams. Indiana won that contest 96-91 for 187 combined points.

Both Brooklyn and Indiana like to play at a slower pace than league average. Indiana ranks 22nd in the league in pace at 95.3 possessions per game, while Brooklyn ranks 25th in pace at 94.7 possessions per contest. The Pacers make nothing easy on their opponents as they rank 1st in the league in defensive efficiency, giving up just 93.6 points per 100 possessions.

Plays on the UNDER on all teams where the total is between 190 and 199.5 points (INDIANA) - after leading their last two games by 10+ points at the half against opponent after scoring 100 points or more 3 straight games are 29-7 (80.6%) since 1996. Indiana is 9-1 to the UNDER as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points this season. Roll with the UNDER in this game Monday.

20* NBA Monday PLAY OF THE DAY on Hawks/Heat UNDER 207.5

The books have set the bar too high in this contest between two of three teams in the Eastern Conference who actually have winning records on the season. I look for a low-scoring, defensive battle between the Hawks and Heat tonight.

It's easy to see that this total has been inflated. The reason why is that Atlanta has gone over the total in nine of its last 10 games overall, while Miami has gone over the number in eight of the last 10. These recent over trends have forced the oddsmakers to set too big of a number here as the betting public is all over the over. We'll take advantage and back the under.

This will be the second meeting of the season between Atlanta and Miami. The first resulted in a 104-88 home win by the Heat with a total set of 204.5 points. They combined for 192 points in that game, and I look for a similar result in this one.

Get this. If you don't count overtime, Miami and Atlanta have combined for 201 or fewer points in 28 straight meetings since 2008. That's a perfect 28-0 system backing the UNDER in this game pertaining to tonight's total set of 207.5 points. Take the UNDER in this game Monday.

15* NBA Monday Total DOMINATOR on Pistons/Cavaliers UNDER 203

This line is simply an overreaction from both the Pistons and Cavaliers playing in high-scoring games of late. The over is 9-0 in Pistons last nine games overall, while the over is 5-1 in Cavaliers last six games overall. This has created a ton of line value for us to pounce on the UNDER tonight.

Just looking at the season averages for both teams, it's easy to see that there is some value with this UNDER. Detroit is combining with its opponents to average 202.3 points per game on the season, while Cleveland is combining with its opponents for 196.8 points per game on the year.

Both teams rank in the bottom half of the league in pace. Detroit is 16th in the league in pace at 96.5 possessions per game, while Cleveland is 17th at 96.1 possessions per game. Detroit is 16th in offensive efficiency at 102.8 points per 100 possessions, and Cleveland is 26th at 97.8 points per 100 possessions.

Plays on the UNDER on all teams where the total is greater than or equal to 200 (DETROIT) - after being beaten by the spread by 18 or more points total in their last three games against opponent after going over the total by 48 or more points total in their last seven games are 73-39 (65.2%) over the past five seasons.

Cleveland is 26-9 to the UNDER off a division game over the last three seasons. The Cavs are 15-5 to the UNDER in home games versus good offensive teams that score 99 or more points per game over the last two seasons. The UNDER is 13-3 in Cavaliers last 16 games following a SU loss of more than 10 points. The UNDER is 41-18 in the last 59 meetings in this series, and 20-7 in the last 27 meetings in Cleveland. Bet the UNDER in this game Monday.

15* NBA Sunday Night Line Mistake on Toronto Raptors +10

The Oklahoma City Thunder are in a massive letdown spot here. They are coming off a 113-100 win at San Antonio Saturday night, which is their biggest rivals. It's only human nature for them to come back home tonight and not show up with the effort it will take to cover a double-digit spread in this 2nd of a back-to-back situation.

Toronto has been playing team basketball since trading away Rudy Gay to Sacramento. It has won four of its last six games since the trade, which includes a perfect 3-0 road record with wins over the Lakers, Bulls, and Mavericks. This is one of the most underrated teams in the league in my opinion.

Plays on road teams (TORONTO) - a good offensive team (98-102 PPG) against a poor defensive team (98-102 PPG), after allowing 100 points or more 2 straight games are 69-23 (75%) ATS over the last five seasons. Plays against favorites of 10 or more points (OKLAHOMA CITY) - after 6 or more consecutive wins, with a winning record on the season playing a losing team are 47-18 (72.3%) ATS over the last five seasons.

Mark Brooks is 15-29 ATS off five or more consecutive wins as the coach of Oklahoma City. The Thunder are only winning 101.2 to 99.2 in this spot, or by an average of 2.0 points per game. They are clearly overvalued here and it's time to fade them, especially on the 2nd of a back-to-back off such a big win over the Spurs. Take the Raptors Sunday.

15* CBB Sunday Night Line Mistake on California +11

The California Bears are showing tremendous value as a double-digit underdog to Creighton tonight. This is going to be one of the better teams in the Pac-12 despite some early struggles.

This is a classic case of overvalued and undervalued at its finest. Cal has favored to cover the spread in three straight games coming in, while Creighton has covered the spread in three straight. This automatically creates the kind of line value that is hard to pass up.

Cal's three losses this season have come against very good competition on the road in Syracuse, Dayton and UC-Santa Barbara. Creighton has some ugly losses to San Diego State and George Washington on a neutral court despite being a favorite in both contests, so this team is vulnerable.

Cal is outrebounding its opponents 40-33 on the season, and getting to the free throw line 24 times per game. Creighton is only outrebounding foes 37-32 and getting to the line 21 times per game.

Plays on road underdogs of 10 or more points (CALIFORNIA) - after failing to cover 4 of their last 5 against the spread against opponent after having covered 3 of their last 4 against the spread are 116-58 (66.7%) ATS over the last five seasons. This trend just goes to show that you should back a cold team ATS against a hot team ATS, especially when catching double-digits on the road. Bet California Sunday.

15* NBA Sunday Undervalued Underdog on Boston Celtics +12.5

The Boston Celtics are showing tremendous value as a big road underdog to the Indiana Pacers tonight. Boston will be motivated for a number of reasons tonight, not the least of which is an 82-97 home loss to the Pacers in their first meeting this season.

Boston blew a 50-42 halftime lead to Indiana in that game. Yesterday , Boston blew a 92-84 lead over Washington with 6:14 to play. A 14-1 run by the Wizards gave them a 106-99 win to escape with a victory from the jaws of defeat.

Sure, this will be a second of a back-to-back for Boston, but that's not concerning one bit. That's because the Celtics had two days off before that game against Washington, and now they won't play against until December 28 after this game against Indiana. That will have them playing with a sense of urgency as they want to enjoy their break with an upset victory over the Pacers.

Boston has played extremely well since that loss to Indiana back on November 22. It has gone 8-6 SU & 8-6 ATS in its last 14 games overall. What's most amazing about this run is that the Celtics have not lost one game by more than 8 points during this stretch, making for a perfect 14-0 system backing them pertaining to tonight's spread of 12.5. Roll with the Celtics Sunday.

15* UConn/Washington ESPNU No-Brainer on Washington +6

Washington is off to just a 6-4 start this season, but all but one of its losses have come against quality competition. Three of its four losses have come to Indiana, Boston College and San Diego State, which were all on the road.

The Huskies have played very well over the past month, winning four of their last five games with their only loss coming at San Diego State by a final of 63-70 as an 11-point underdog. They are 5-1 at home this season where they are putting up 85.3 points per game on the season.

UConn is overvalued due to its 9-1 start. This team has won a whopping four games by two points or less and by a combined five points. That's how close this team is to being a 5-5 squad right now.

What's most amazing about that is that UConn has yet to play a true road game this season. It will be traveling all the way out to the west coast to play in a hostile environment. UConn has lost three of its past four non-conference true road games dating to last season.

UConn is only even with teams in rebounding margin this season. It is only grabbing seven offensive boards per game while giving up 11. Washington is outrebounding opponents 37-33 on the year. While UConn is only getting to the free throw line 20 times per game, Washington is getting to the charity stripe 26 times per contest, cashing in 77.6% of them.

UConn is 0-6 ATS versus good foul drawing teams who attempt at least 25 free throws per game over the past two seasons. UConn is 0-6 ATS in road games off two straight non-conference games over the last two years. Take Washington Sunday.

20* Oklahoma State/Colorado ESPN 2 Late-Night BAILOUT on Colorado +6.5

The Colorado Buffaloes are one of the most underrated teams in the country. They continue to get no respect from oddsmakers Saturday as a 6.5-point underdog against Oklahoma State in a game that they should be favored in.

Colorado returned four starters from last year and will be an NCAA Tournament team in 2014. It has opened 10-1 with impressive wins over the likes of Kansas, Harvard and UC-Santa Barbara.

What I like most about the Buffaloes is their rebounding and free throw shooting. They are outrebounding opponents 40-30 on the season, which is one of the best margins in the country. They are also getting to the line 32 times per game, converting 70.5% of them.

Oklahoma State has arguably the best trio of guards in the country. However, the Cowboys will be overmatched on the glass in this one, which will be the difference in the game. They are only outrebounding their opponents 39-36 on the season against a pretty soft schedule to this point.

Colorado is 9-1 ATS versus good shooting teams that make 48% of their shots or better over the last three seasons. The Buffaloes are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games overall. The Cowboys are 1-6 ATS in their last seven neutral site games. Oklahoma State is 5-15 ATS in its last 20 games vs. a team with a winning percentage above 60%. Bet Colorado Saturday.

15* NBA Saturday Total DOMINATOR on 76ers/Bucks OVER 201.5

The books have set the bar too low tonight in this contest between the Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks. I'll take advantage and back the OVER in a game where I see both teams putting up 100-plus point.

The 76ers play at the fastest pace in the league. They average 101.8 possessions per game, and they force their opponents to play at their pace. Philadelphia also ranks 29th out of 30 teams in defensive efficiency, surrendering 106.7 points per 100 possessions.

Philadelphia is combining with its opponents for an average of 213.8 points per game on the season. These teams met on November 22 earlier this season with the 76ers winning by a final of 115-107 in overtime. The game was tied 102-102 at the end of regulation.

Michael Carter-Williams just recently returned to the lineup for the 76ers, and having him in there makes a huge difference considering he is the catalyst of the offense. He led the 76ers to a 121-120 win over the Brooklyn Nets last night.

The OVER is 8-1 in 76ers last nine games when playing on 0 days rest. The OVER is 35-15-1 in 76ers last 51 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game. The OVER is 4-0 in Bucks last four games overall. Take the OVER in this game Saturday.

15* NBA Saturday Undervalued Underdog on Utah Jazz +4.5

This is a great spot to fade the Charlotte Bobcats. They are coming off a huge come from behind win over the Detroit Pistons last night, erasing a 20-point deficit in the second quarter and a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter.

Clearly, the Bobcats used a ton of energy to come back and win that game, and they'll be flat tonight because of it. That's especially the case when you consider this will be their 4th game in 5 nights, which is one of the toughest situations an NBA team can have. The Bobcats are 14-31 ATS in their last 45 games playing on 0 days rest.

Sure, Utah got crushed by Atlanta last night, but that's actually going to work in our favor here. The Jazz were able to rest their starters in the fourth quarter, and thus they'll be fresh and ready to go. I look for the Jazz to play with an extra sense of urgency after last night's poor performance.

Utah is a perfect 9-0 straight up in its last nine meetings with Charlotte dating back to 2008. It is showing tremendous value as an underdog tonight, and I look for it to make it 10 straight wins over the Bobcats in this series. I'll just take the points for some insurance. Bet Utah Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday Night Line Mistake on Texas Tech +11.5

The Texas Tech Red Raiders are a much-improved team this season under former National Championship winner, Tubby Smith. Smith has taken 17 of his last 20 teams to the NCAA Tournament, and it won't be long before he gets the Red Raiders there, too.

Fortunately for Smith, the cupboard wasn't bare to start the season. The Red Raiders welcomed back four starters this year, and they have opened a solid 7-4 to this point. Their four losses have come to four of the better teams in the country in Arizona, Pittsburgh, LSU and Alabama. So, this team is certainly battle-tested.

Arizona State is simply getting too much respect here as I don't believe it has a win of any significance yet. However, it does have two losses that make me believe that this team is overrated. The Sun Devils fell 60-88 to Creighton and 57-60 to a depleted Miami team on a neutral court.

Plays on road underdogs of 10 or more points (TEXAS TECH) - excellent free throw shooting team (>=73%) against an average free throw shooting team (65-69%), good ball handling team (<=14.5 TO's) against a poor pressure defensive team (<=14.5 TO's) are 25-6 (80.6%) ATS over the last five seasons. Roll with Texas Tech Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday Undervalued Underdog on UAB +9.5

The UAB Blazers continue to go under the radar as a 9.5-point underdog Saturday. Asking LSU to win by double-digits to beat us is simply asking too much, and I'll take advantage and back the Blazers in a game that will go right down to the wire.

UAB returned four starters from last season and has opened a solid 9-2. That record is very impressive when you consider that they have already played New Mexico, Nebraska, Temple and North Carolina. Against the two toughest teams they've face, they beat UNC 63-59 at home, and only lost 94-97 to New Mexico on a neutral court.

What I love about the Blazers is that they are the best rebounding team in the country, averaging 48.2 boards per game, which including 15 offensive rebounds per contest. They are outrebounding their opponents by a whopping 13 boards per game.

LSU usually has an advantage over teams on the glass because of its height, but that won't be the case here. Another factor to watch is that the Tigers are only getting to the free throw line 20 times per game and making just 64.4% of them. They aren't an aggressive team when it comes to drawing fouls.

Plays on road underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points (UAB) - in a game involving 2 up-tempo teams (>=60 shots/game), after 2 straight games - allowing a shooting pct. of 37% or less are 24-3 (88.9%) ATS since 1997. LSU is 0-10 ATS in its last 10 home games off a close road win by three points or less. The Tigers are 4-16 ATS in their last 20 games as a home favorite of 9.5 to 12 points. Take UAB Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday Afternoon ANNIHILATOR on Northern Iowa +10.5

The Northern Iowa Panthers have played a brutal early schedule that will have them battle-tested heading into this showdown at Virginia, which will certainly help them be competitive and possibly pull off the upset.

Indeed, the Panthers have played George Mason, Maryland, La Salle, Iowa State and VCU already this season. They took an undefeated and Top 15 Iowa State team to overtime, while beating VCU 77-68 last time out.

That's the same VCU team that went on the road and beat Virginia 59-56 back on November 12, giving these teams a common opponent. Virginia has been off for a whopping two weeks since a 72-75 loss at Wisconsin-Green Bay, and I look for it to be rusty in this contest as a result.

Virginia has three losses already this season without a good win. The Cavaliers are 3-11 ATS In their last 14 games overall. Virginia is 1-5 ATS in its last six home games. Bet Northern Iowa Saturday.

15* CBB Friday PLAY OF THE DAY on Nebraska-Omaha +15

The Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks are one of the most underrated teams in the entire country. They have opened the season 8-3 SU and 4-1 ATS in their lined games. From what I've seen against solid competition, I have no doubt that the Mavericks can stay within 15 of the Minnesota Golden Gophers Friday night.

Nebraska-Omaha returned four starters from last season. CJ Carter (15.1 ppg) has led the way, but John Karhoff (13.0 ppg), Devin Patterson (12.6 ppg) and Marcus Tyus (9.9 ppg) have all made significant contributions as well.

The Mavericks' only three losses this season came on the road at Iowa (75-83) as a 29.5-point dog, at UNLV (70-73) as a 14-point dog and at Drake (80-88) as a 5.5-point dog. As you can see, they have lost a game by more than eight points all season. If they can stay within eight of Iowa, they can certainly do so against Minnesota.

The Golden Gophers are a quality team this season with an 8-2 record. However, it's not like they have blown away some of their poorest competition. They only beat Lehigh (81-62), Coastal Carolina (82-72), New Orleans (80-65) and South Dakota State (75-59) at home. They also only beat Chaminade (83-68) as a 20-point road favorite. Nebraska-Omaha is a much better squad than all five of those teams.

Plays against home favorites of 10 or more points (MINNESOTA) - after allowing 65 points or less three straight games against opponent after two straight wins by 6 points or less are 22-5 (81.5%) ATS over the last five seasons. The Mavericks are 5-1 ATS in their last six road games. Bet Nebraska-Omaha Friday.

15* Rockets/Pacers ESPN Friday No-Brainer on Houston +6

The Indiana Pacers are coming off a crushing loss to the Miami Heat. They blew a double-digit lead in the second half on Wednesday and fell by a final of 94-97. I look for them to suffer a hangover from that defeat as it was their biggest game of the season to this point.

Former All-Star Danny Granger is expected to make his season debut tonight for the Pacers. He has been out so long that I believe his return will only be a distraction for this team as they try to find ways to fit him in. They have been better off without him up to this point.

The Houston Rockets have played solidly all season and currently sit with a 17-9 record. James Harden is expected to play tonight as he continues to recover from an ankle injury. Houston is 8-1 against the Eastern Conference this season with its only loss coming in overtime in a game in which Harden was sidelined.

The Rockets are 5-1 ATS in their last six games vs. Eastern Conference opponents. Houston is 4-0 ATS in its last four Friday games. The Rockets are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 vs. NBA Central Division opponents. Bet Houston Friday.

15* NBA Friday Undervalued Underdog on Utah Jazz +7.5

The Utah Jazz are starting to play much better basketball now that they are finally healthy. Trey Burke has been very impressive in his return from a broken finger, and he has led the Jazz to three wins in their last five games overall.

All three of those wins came on the road over Sacramento (122-101) as a 7-point dog, Denver (103-93) as a 10.5-point dog, and Orlando (86-82) as a 3-point dog. The two losses came against the Spurs and Heat, who are arguably the two best teams in the league.

Speaking of the Heat, the Atlanta Hawks are in a huge lookahead spot tonight. They have a game against the defending champion Miami Heat on deck, and they won't be able to help themselves but to look ahead to that game. Their lack of focus will allow the Jazz to not only cover, but possibly win this thing outright.

Atlanta is 1-10 ATS off two consecutive covers as a favorite over the past three seasons. The Hawks are 1-10 ATS off two straight wins by 10 points or more over the past three years. Atlanta is 13-30 ATS off two or more consecutive ATS wins over the last three season. The Hawks are 3-12 ATS in home games off two or more straight wins over the last two years. The Hawks are simply overvalued in this spot tonight. Roll with the Jazz Friday.

20* NBA Non-Conference GAME OF THE MONTH on Sacramento Kings +11

The Miami Heat are in a massive letdown spot Friday. They are coming off their biggest win of the season, a 97-94 home victory over the Indiana Pacers Wednesday night. They erased a double-digit deficit in the second half to come back and beat their biggest rivals.

Now, I fully expect the Heat to come out flat against the Sacramento Kings Friday night. They won't be mentally locked in enough to win this game by double-digits, which is what it would take to beat us.

Sure, Sacramento hasn't been playing that well, but it does have a 106-91 win over Houston recently. Plus, the Kings are getting used to having Rudy Gay since the big trade. With a few games now under their belts with Gay in the lineup, I look for this team to really take off in the near future.

Last year, Sacramento took Miami to overtime as a 15-point road underdog. I look for this game to go right down to the wire as well for reasons mentioned above. The Kings will never be out of this game, and I wouldn't be surprised one bit to see them win this game outright.

Plays on road underdogs of 10 or more points (SACRAMENTO) - after one or more consecutive losses, on Friday nights are 74-34 (68.5%) ATS over the last five seasons. The Kings are 5-1 ATS in their last six after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game. Sacramento is 9-3 ATS in its last 12 games vs. a team with a winning percentage above 60%. The Heat are 1-7 ATS in their last eight home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400. Take the Kings Friday.

20* Bulls/Thunder TNT Thursday No-Brainer on UNDER 193

I look for a low-scoring, defensive battle tonight between Oklahoma City and Chicago. That has been the case in recent meetings between these teams, and I look for that trend to continue with no Derrick Rose in this one.

Indeed, the UNDER is 4-0 in the last four meetings in this series and 7-1 in the last eight meetings. The Bulls and Thunder have combined to score 189 or fewer points in each of the last four meetings, averaging 180.3 combined points during this stretch.

Chicago actually matches up pretty well with Oklahoma City. The Bulls have two of the best perimeter defenders in the league in Luol Deng and Jimmy Butler to match up with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook when needed.

These are two of the best teams in the league defensively. The Bulls are giving up just 42.9% shooting, while the Thunder are allowing 42.0% shooting. Chicago ranks 5th in defensive efficiency at 97.7 points per 100 possessions, trailing 4th place Oklahoma City (97.4) in that category.

The Bulls are 20-9 to the UNDER when playing their 3rd game in 4 days over the past two seasons. The UNDER is 5-0 in Bulls last 5 games following a SU loss of more than 10 points. The UNDER is 6-0 in Bulls last 6 vs. a team with a winning S.U. record. The UNDER is 34-16-2 in Bulls last 52 Thursday games. The UNDER is 24-9-2 in Thunder last 35 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game. Bet the UNDER in this game Thursday.

15* CBB Thursday PLAY OF THE DAY on Troy +14

The Cal-Santa Barbara Gauchos are getting too much respect from oddsmakers here as a 14-point favorite over Troy. They have a rematch with Utah State on deck tomorrow, and they will certainly be looking ahead to that contest and not giving Troy the attention it deserves.

The Trojans have played a couple of good teams tough this season to make be believe that they can hang with UCSB. They lost on the road to both Ole Miss (54-69) and UAB (69-81) as a 15-point underdog in each. That's the same UAB team that beat UNC.

Santa Barbara is a quality team, but it is getting too much respect for recent wins over Cal and San Diego. It has done most of its damage at home this season, and this will be a neutral court game played in Utah. The Gauchos do have three losses on the year, so they are clearly beatable.

The Trojans are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games vs. a team with a winning S.U. record. Troy is 6-0 ATS off a road loss in which it scored less than 60 points over the past two seasons. The Trojans are 18-7 ATS off a loss by 20 or more points since 1997. Take Troy Thursday.

15* Bulls/Rockets ESPN Wednesday Night BAILOUT on UNDER 192

In the second game of a double-header on ESPN, I fully expect a low-scoring, defensive battle between the Chicago Bulls and Houston Rockets tonight. Both teams have been hurt by injuries this season. and those injuries are a big reason why this game will stay UNDER the posted total.

Chicago is without Derrick Rose and could be without point guard Kirk Hinrich, who is listed as questionable. it is scoring just 91.2 points per game on the season and 90.2 on the road. Fortunately, the defense has been dynamite, holding opponents to just 92.4 points per game this year.

The Rockets are expected to be without leading scorer James Harden, who is doubtful with an ankle injury. Also, Jeremy Lin is doubtful with a back injury, meaning that they'll likely be without their two starting guards. I look for them to play at a much slower pace than they normally would because of it, and to try and feed Dwight Howard inside in more half-court sets.

Points are going to be very hard to come by for both teams tonight due to these injuries. Chicago has been forced to play at a slow pace without Rose, ranking 28th in the league at 94.0 possessions per game. It also ranks 28th in offensive efficiency, averaging 95.0 points per 100 possessions. The only thing saving the Bulls is that they rank 3rd in the league in defensive efficiency, limiting opponents to 96.9 points per 100 possessions.

The UNDER is 5-1 in Bulls last six games overall with combined scores of 167, 152, 161, 181, 176 and 165 points. As you can see, they haven't even sniffed this 192-point total recently. The UNDER is 21-7 in Rockets last 28 home games. The UNDER is 10-1 in Rockets last 11 games when playing on 2 days rest. Take the UNDER in this game Wednesday.

15* NBA Wednesday Undervalued Underdog on Phoenix Suns +2.5

The Phoenix Suns continue to get no respect from the book as a home underdog to the San Antonio Spurs. I'll take advantage once again and back them in a game that I believe they are going to win outright.

Phoenix will be going for its sixth straight win, which would be its longest winning streak since the 2009-10 season. First-year head coach Jeff Hornacek has this team playing unselfish basketball with 10 different players that can beat you on a given night.

The result has been a 14-9 start with league-best 17-5-1 ATS mark. I have almost been more impressed with some of the Suns' losses this season than their wins. Seven of their nine losses have come by eight points or fewer, including road losses to San Antonio (96-99) and Oklahoma City (96-103) as double-digit underdogs.

Now, the Suns will be out for revenge on the Spurs, who are going to be playing without their best player. Tony Parker is expected to miss the next two games with a shin injury. He is the one player that the Spurs simply cannot afford to play without because the offense goes as he goes. They have no business being favored without Parker in the line-up.

Phoenix is 8-1 ATS in its last nine games vs. a team with a winning record. San Antonio is 0-5 ATS in its last five games vs. a team with a winning record. These two trends combine for a 13-1 system backing the Suns. Bet Phoenix Wednesday.

20* NBA Wednesday No-Doubt Rout on Minnesota Timberwolves -1.5

The Portland Trail Blazers are simply overvalued right now due to their 22-4 start. I faded them last night with success by cashing in the Cavaliers +5 as the Blazers hit their second straight game-winner at the buzzer for a 3-point victory.

Not only does that set the Blazers up for a letdown spot here, it also has them coming in very tired. In fact, this will be the second of a back-to-back and the 4th game in 5 days for Portland. That is one of the toughest situations that a team can be in, and I look for that fatigue to show in Portland's play tonight.

There's no question that Minnesota is a vastly improved team in 2013-14. Kevin Love is healthy and has led the Timberwolves to a respectable 12-13 start. They have played their best basketball at home this season, going 7-4 while outscoring the opposition by 6.5 points per game.

Plays against favorites (PORTLAND) - after going over the total by more than 6 points in three consecutive games, vs. division opponents are 26-9 (74.3%) ATS over the last five seasons. The favorite is 17-6 ATS in the last 23 meetings in this series. The Timberwolves are 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 games following a S.U. loss. Minnesota is 14-5-1 ATS in its last 20 games following an ATS loss. Take the Timberwolves Wednesday.

15* CBB Wednesday Undervalued Underdog on Indiana State +10

The Saint Louis Billikens are way overvalued this season due to making the NCAA Tournament last year. Sure, they returned a lot of talent from that team, but asking them to beat a very good Indiana State team by double-digits tonight is asking too much.

The Sycamores have opened 7-2 this season and are two measly points away from being undefeated. Their two losses have both come on the road to Belmont (95-96) and Tulsa (62-63) by a single point. That's the same Belmont team that beat North Carolina on the road.

Indiana State really proved what it was capable of with an 83-70 win at Notre Dame as an 11-point underdog on November 17. This is a team that returned four starters from last year and will be underrated for most of the season, so it's important that you hop on board early to take advantage of the value.

The Sycamores are scoring 79.1 points per game while shooting 50% from the field, 44.8% from 3-point range, and 75.2% from the line. To compare, Saint Louis is scoring 70.5 points per game, shooting 43.7% from the field, 30.2% from 3-point range, and 70.7% from the charity stripe.

It's easy to see that Saint Louis is overvalued considering it is just 2-7 ATS in all lined games this season. The Billikens are 0-9 ATS off three straight games where both teams scored 70 points or less over the past two seasons. Bet Indiana State Wednesday.

15* NBA Wednesday Total DOMINATOR on Bobcats/Raptors UNDER 191.5

The books have set the bar too high in this battle between the Charlotte Bobcats and Toronto Raptors tonight. I don't expect either team to reach 96 points in this one, which is what it would take for this game to go over the posted total.

Rudy Gay has been shipped to Sacramento, meaning that Toronto is going to have a transition period to get used to playing without its best scorer. It did fine against Chicago in a 99-77 victory last time out, but that win can be attributed to great defensive play.

Both teams play at extremely slow paces. Charlotte ranks 24th in the league in pace at 95.4 possessions per game, while Toronto ranks 20th in pace at 96.1 possessions per game. Both rank in the bottom half of the league in offensive efficiency as well. Charlotte is 29th at 94.6 points per 100 possessions, while Toronto is 19th at 101.1 points per 100 possessions.

Surprisingly, both teams rank in the top half of the league in defensive efficiency. Charlotte is 4th in the league, giving up 97.1 points per 100 possessions. Toronto is 11th at 100.9 points per 100 possessions allowed. These teams played in a defensive battle in their first meeting of the season on November 6 as Charlotte won 92-90 at home for 182 combined points. I expect a similar combined points total here.

Plays on the UNDER on home teams where the total is between 190 and 199.5 points (TORONTO) - revenging a same season loss vs opponent, off a road blowout win by 20 points or more are 35-11 (76.1%) since 1996. Charlotte is 16-3 to the UNDER in a road game where where the total is between 190 and 194.5 points over the last three seasons. The UNDER is 8-0 in Bobcats last eight games after giving up 10 or less offensive rebounds in two straight games. Roll with the UNDER in this game Wednesday.

20* Pacers/Heat ESPN Wednesday No-Brainer on UNDER 190.5

As was the case in the first meeting of the season between the Pacers and Heat, the oddsmakers have set the bar too high. The total was set at 191.5 for that game, and the Pacers won by a final of 90-84 for 174 combined points.

These teams are very familiar with one another having played in the Eastern Conference Finals in seven games this past season. Familiarity breeds low-scoring games. The UNDER is now 4-0 in the last four meetings with combined scores of 175 or fewer points in each.

Indiana ranks 23rd in the league in pace at 95.6 possessions per game. Miami actually ranks in the bottom half of the league in pace at 18th with 96.6 possessions per game. Indiana ranks 1st in defensive efficiency, giving up 93.6 points per 100 possessions. Miami is 6th in defensive efficiency at 98.5 points per 100 possessions.

The UNDER is 11-1 in Pacers last 12 games when playing on one day of rest. The UNDER is 4-0 in Pacers last four vs. a team with a winning record. The UNDER is 6-0 in Heat last six home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600. The UNDER is 4-0 in Heat last four vs. a team with a winning record. The UNDER is 4-0 in the last four meetings. These five trends combine for a 29-1 system backing the UNDER. Bet the UNDER in this game Wednesday.

15* Texas/UNC ESPN 2 Holiday Hoops ANNIHILATOR on Texas +11

The Texas Longhorns are one of the most underrated teams in the league this year. They have gone completely under the radar while opening the season 9-1. They have won five straight since their lone loss of the season to then-No. 25 BYU.

Center Cameron Ridley scored a game-high 22, while freshman point guard Isaiah Taylor added 15 points and eight assists without a turnover in an 85-53 win over Texas State Saturday. The Longhorns featured a balanced offensive attack with five players averaging double figures scoring.

North Carolina is in a massive letdown spot here. It is coming off an 82-77 home win over then-No. 11 Kentucky, and I look for it to suffer a letdown off such a big victory. Remember, the Tar Heels lost to UAB and Belmont earlier this season, so they are vulnerable. They are simply getting too much respect here as a double-digit favorite due to the Kentucky win.

Rick Barnes and Texas have gone 4-1 against Roy Williams and North Carolina in their last five meetings. That includes an 85-67 home win for the Longhorns last year despite behind a 5-point underdog. That Texas team wasn't nearly as good as this year's version.

The Longhorns are 4-1 ATS in their last five meetings with UNC. North Carolina is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games following a win. The Tar Heels are 1-5 ATS in their last six vs. Big 12 foes. UNC is 1-4 ATS in its last five home games vs. a team with a winning road record. Roll with Texas Wednesday.

15* Memphis/Florida ESPN Tuesday No-Brainer on Florida -3

Now that they have finally gotten healthy and have all their key players back from suspension, the Florida Gators are going to be a very dangerous team going forward. They proved that last time out with a 67-61 victory over Kansas, and I look for them to build off that win with another triumph over Memphis tonight.

Florida has opened 7-2 this season with its only two losses coming on the road to Wisconsin (53-59) and UConn (64-65). As you may know, both Wisconsin (12-0) and UConn (9-0) remain undefeated this season. The loss to the Badgers came without some key players, while the loss to the Huskies game on a game-winning buzzer-beater.

Memphis (7-1) is a quality team that is improved this season, but I just believe that Florida is on a completely different playing field. The 80-101 loss at Oklahoma State early in the season shows me that the Tigers aren't ready to compete with the best teams in college basketball. Sure, they would beat the Cowboys in their second meeting, but that was obviously a letdown spot for OSU.

The Gators are 15-7 ATS in their last 22 games following a ATS win. Florida is 4-1 ATS in its last five games overall. Memphis is 4-9 ATS in its last 13 vs. SEC foes. The Tigers are 0-4 ATS in their last four Tuesday games. Billy Donovan is 54-37 ATS when the line is +3 to -3 as the coach of the Gators. Roll with Florida Tuesday.

20* NBA Tuesday PLAY OF THE DAY on Cleveland Cavaliers +5

The Cleveland Cavaliers come into this game playing their best basketball of the season. I look for them to knock off the red-hot Portland Trail Blazers tonight, but I'll take the points for some added insurance.

Cleveland has won five of its last seven games overall while going 6-1 ATS in the process. Its only losses during this stretch came on the road to Atlanta and Miami, which are two of only three teams with winning records in the Eastern Conference. The Cavs area perfect 4-0 at home during this stretch, beating Chicago, Denver, New York and the Clippers.

Portland is simply overvalued due to its 21-4 start. There's no question they are improved this season, but the Blazers have created expectations for themselves that they cannot live up to. Plus, this will be their 3rd game in 4 days, while the Cavaliers come in on two days' rest since a 107-114 loss at Miami as a 13-point underdog on Saturday.

Mike Brown is 56-29 ATS after successfully covering the spread in three or more consecutive games in all games he has coached. Terry Stotts is 22-39 ATS off a road win in all games he has coached. The Blazers are 0-7 ATS in their last seven Tuesday games. The Cavs are 4-0 ATS in their last four home games. Bet Cleveland Tuesday.

15* CBB Tuesday No-Doubt Rout on Wake Forest -6

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons are much-improved this season and will be making a run at the NCAA Tournament. Jeff Bzdelik returned four starters from last year, and this is a sleeper team to look out for in the ACC.

The Demon Deacons have opened 8-2 this season with their only losses coming to very good Kansas and Tennessee teams on a neutral court. They are a perfect 7-0 at home this year, which includes a solid win over Richmond (76-66) last time out as only a 1-point favorite.

St. Bonaventure may be 7-3 this season, but it really has played a soft schedule It has not beaten anyone of any significance this year. It has lost to Siena, Louisiana Tech and Buffalo, while barely escaping with victories over Wagner (70-67) and UMass-Lowell (67-58). Leading scorer Matthew Wright (17.3 ppg) is questionable to play tonight with an ankle injury after missing Saturday's game against Iona.

Wake Forest is 7-1 ATS in its last eight games vs. Atlantic 10 opponents. The Demon Deacons are 7-2 ATS in their last nine non-conference games. Wake Forest is 12-4 ATS in its last 16 home games. Take Wake Forest Tuesday.

15* NBA Monday Undervalued Underdog on Utah Jazz +13

The Miami Heat are in a huge lookahead spot tonight. They have a home meeting with the Indiana Pacers on deck coming up Wednesday on National TV. They are certainly more concerned with getting revenge on the East-leading Pacers after losing to them a week ago than they are in blowing out the Utah Jazz tonight.

Miami has a way of playing down to the level of its competition as it is, and now it has an excuse to do so with the Pacers on deck. The Heat are 0-3 ATS in their last three home games, and they were big favorites in each. They beat Charlotte (99-98) as an 11.5-point favorite and Cleveland (114-107) as a 13-point favorite, while also losing to Detroit (97-107) as a 9-point favorite.

Utah has played its best basketball of the season of late in winning two of its last three games. It crushed both Sacramento (122-101) and Denver (103-93) on the road as a big underdog in each contest for its two victories. Its lone loss came at home to San Antonio. This team has finally gotten healthy with the recent returns of Marvin Williams, Trey Burke and Derrick Favors, and it has made a big difference.

The Jazz have actually won four of their last six meetings with the Heat. Utah is 4-1 ATS in its last five games following a double-digit home loss. The Jazz are 6-2 ATS in their last eight road games. The Heat are 1-7 ATS in their last eight home games vs. a team with a losing road record. Utah is 19-7 ATS after having lost five or six of its last seven games over the past two seasons. Roll with the Jazz Monday.

15* NBA Monday Night Line Mistake on Detroit Pistons +11

The Indiana Pacers are in a huge letdown spot here. They have a game against Miami on deck on Wednesday that will be nationally televised on ESPN. It will be a rematch from their 90-84 win over the defending champs a week ago. They won't be able to help themselves from looking ahead to that game.

Sure, Detroit is playing the second of a back-to-back, but this team will come back motivated off a narrow loss to a very good Portland team last night. They have lost four of their last five coming in and want to stop the bleeding as soon as possible.

The Pistons have been playing their best basketball on the road of late. They are 4-1 SU & 4-1 ATS in their last five road games with their only loss coming to New Orleans by a final of 106-111 in overtime. That includes roads wins over Miami (107-97), Brooklyn (109-97) and Chicago (92-75) during this stretch.

Plays against home teams (INDIANA) - very good team - outscoring their opponents by 6+ points/game against opponent after allowing 110 points or more are 77-39 (66.4%) ATS over the last five seasons. Detroit is 10-1 ATS off a home game where both teams scored 100 or more points over the past two seasons. It is winning 105.5 to 96.3 in this spot, or by an average of 9.2 points per game. Take the Pistons Monday.

20* NBA Sunday No-Doubt Rout on Phoenix Suns +1

Time and time again the Phoenix Suns have not gotten the respect they deserve from oddsmakers in the early going. That is the case once again Sunday as they are listed as a home underdog to the Golden State Warriors. Once again, I'll take advantage.

Phoenix (13-9) has been the most profitable team at the pay window this season, going a ridiculous 16-5-1 ATS. It is 7-3 at home this year where it is outscoring opponents by 4.9 points per game. First-year head coach Jeff Hornacek has the Suns playing as a team, and the depth that they have allows him to simply play the hot hands throughout the game. This might be the most unselfish team in the game.

Golden State (13-11) has struggled on the road this season, going 6-8 away from home. The Warriors made a great move by signing Andre Iguodala this offseason to give them some perimeter defense and slashing offensively. However, Iguodala has been out since November 23, and his loss isn't getting the attention it deserves. The Warriors have lost eight of their last 13 games overall.

Phoenix is 9-1 ATS versus good 3 point shooting teams that make 36% or more of their attempts this season. The Suns are only allowing 32.3% from 3-point range this year. The home team is 7-2 ATS in the last nine meetings in this series. Take Phoenix Sunday.

15* CBB Sunday PLAY OF THE DAY on La Salle +14

The La Salle Explorers made it all the way to the Sweet 16 last year. They returned six of their top seven players from that squad, including second-leading scorer Tyreek Duren (13.6 ppg), who has scored 47 points while dishing out 10 assists in his last two meetings with Villanova.

I believe the Explorers came into this season overconfident with so much experience back from last year's Sweet 16 team. After a poor 5-4 start, I have no doubt this team will get it together sooner rather than later. A game against Big 5 rival Villanova will certainly spark their interest.

The Wildcats come into this game overvalued due to their 9-0 start and first Top 10 ranking since February of 2011. They'll be taking on a La Salle team that is clearly not afraid of them after winning 77-74 at home last season.

Plays against favorites of 10 to 19.5 points (VILLANOVA) - after 8 or more consecutive wins, undefeated on the season are 63-33 (65.6%) ATS over the last five seasons. La Salle is 6-0 ATS in road games after playing a game where both teams score 65 points or less over the last 3 seasons. Bet La Salle Sunday.

15* CBB Saturday Undervalued Underdog on North Dakota State +14.5

The Ohio State Buckeyes are way overvalued right now due to their 9-0 start against a very soft schedule. I would argue that North Dakota State will be the toughest opponent that the Buckeyes have faced all season.

This is an NDSU team that will likely be going to the NCAA Tournament this year with all five starters back. It has won five straight games coming in, which includes impressive road wins over both Santa Clara and Notre Dame.

With this being Finals Week for Ohio State, I expect the players to have been lacking focus leading up to this game. Also, the home crowd won't be as fierce as it normally would be. Both of these factors favor a cover by NDSU.

Plays against home favorites of 10 or more points (OHIO ST) - after allowing 65 points or less 3 straight games against opponent after 2 straight wins by 6 points or less are 22-4 (84.6%) ATS over the last five seasons. The Bison are 19-7 ATS in their last 26 non-conference games. The Buckeyes are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 home games. Bet North Dakota State Saturday.

15* NBA Saturday Undervalued Underdog on Philadelphia 76ers +10.5

The Portland Trail Blazers are way overvalued due to their 19-4 start to the season. They are coming off a huge win over the Houston Rockets on National TV Thursday, which sets them up for a letdown spot here against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Philadelphia has been very competitive for most of the season, but it has only resulted in a 7-17 record. That record certainly has the 76ers undervalued right now as a double-digit home underdog. I'll take advantage in a game that should go right down to the wire.

Sure, the 76ers have lost five straight games coming in, but four of those losses came by 11 points or less. Those four were against the Nuggets, Clippers, Timberwolves and Raptors, who are all legitimate playoff contenders.

Home-court advantage has been huge in this series. The home team has won five straight meetings dating back to 2010. Each of the last six meetings have been decided by single-digits. The 76ers are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.

Plays on home underdogs (PHILADELPHIA) - cold team - failing to cover the spread in 8 or more of their last 10 against opponent after having covered 5 or 6 of their last 7 against the spread are 69-36 (65.7%) ATS since 1996. Roll with the 76ers Saturday.

15* Xavier/Cincinnati Rivalry Play on Cincinnati -4.5

The Cincinnati Bearcats are showing excellent value as a mere 4.5-point favorite over rival Xavier Saturday. I'll take advantage and back them in what I believe is going to be a lopsided final similar to the 60-45 beat down the Bearcats gave the Musketeers last season.

Cincinnati has three starters back from that squad and has opened 7-1 this season with its only loss coming at New Mexico, which is a plays that opponents rarely win. All seven of the Bearcats' wins have come by double-digits this year.

Xavier also has three starters back from last year, but it's easy to see that this team isn't very good. It was beaten by both Tennessee (49-64) and USC (78-84) on a neutral court. Last time out, it barely beat Evansville (63-60) despite being a 10-point home favorite.

Plays against neutral court teams (XAVIER) - off a close home win by 3 points or less, a good team (60% to 80%) playing a team with a winning record are 25-6 (80.6%) ATS over the last five seasons. The Bearcats are 6-0 ATS as a neutral court favorite or pick over the last three seasons. Roll with Cincinnati Saturday.