6* Bulls/Spurs Christmas Day *CA$H COW* on Chicago +9

The Key: The San Antonio Spurs aren't putting teams away at home this season.  They are only outscoring their opponents by 3.0 points per game on average at home.  The Chicago Bulls are the type of team that plays well against good teams, and poorly against bad teams.  That is indicated by the fact that they are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games vs. teams with a winning percentage above .600.  They are also 18-8 ATS against teams who have at least a +3 PPG differential on the season over the last 2 years.  The Bulls have covered 4 of their last 5 meetings with the Spurs, including an outright upset in their first meeting this season.  Take Chicago.

7* NFL Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Washington Redskins -3

The Key: I always look to back teams off a bad loss and fade teams off an emotional game.  In this case, we have the perfect situation.  The Redskins are coming off a bad home loss to the Panthers in which they lost by 11 as 7-point favorites.  Now everyone is writing them off, but we've seen them bounce back before.  They won four straight following their 0-2 start, and they have only lost two games in a row twice all season.  Those were to the Steelers/Cowboys and Cowboys/Cardinals, so it's understandable.  They aren't going to lose to the lowly 3-11 Bears this week as the Redskins need to win out to have any chance of making the playoffs.  The Bears will be deflated following back-to-back heartbreaking losses to the Lions (by 3) and Packers (by 3).  They fought back from a 17-point deficit to tie it against the Packers last week, only to lose on a last-second field goal.  I don't think these players will be able to get back up off the mat from that crushing defeat against their biggest rivals.  I fully expect a no-show from the Bears here.  Washington is 7-1 ATS vs. teams who complete 61% or more of their passes this season.  The Redskins are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 road games and 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games following an ATS loss.  Washington is a perfect 6-0 straight up in its last 6 meetings with Chicago.  The Redskins are also 5-0 ATS in their last 5 trips to Chicago.  Take Washington.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Detroit Pistons +6.5

The Key: This is a great spot to fade the Golden State Warriors.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 3rd game in 4 days after a come-from-behind 117-101 victory over the Nets last night.  They were down 11 points at halftime and had to exert a ton of effort in the 2nd half to get the win.  Now they have a huge game on deck against Cleveland on Christmas Day, and you know they're going to want revenge against the defending champs.  I fully expect them to have a flat effort here as they look ahead to that game.  Expect the Pistons to put their best foot forward to try and end a 4-game losing streak, which has them undervalued.  And the Pistons beat the Warriors 113-95 as 7-point home dogs last year.  The Warriors are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games playing on 0 days rest.  Take Detroit.

6* Providence/BC ESPNU *CA$H COW* on Boston College +9.5

The Key: Boston College and Providence are huge rivals.  I love getting nearly double-digit points here with the home team as the Eagles will be amped up for this game.  And Providence has only played one true road game all season, which was a 67-72 loss at Ohio State.  Home court has been a deciding factor in this series as the home team is 6-0 straight up in the last 6 meetings.  The Friars are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games as a road favorite of 7.0-12.5.  The Eagles are 5-3 at home this season with all 3 losses coming by 8 points or fewer.  Take Boston College.

7* Eastern Michigan/Old Dominion NCAAF *HEAVY HITTER* on Eastern Michigan +6

The Key: It's safe to say that the Eastern Michigan Eagles are happy to be going bowling.  After all, they haven't been to a bowl game in 29 years.  The Eagles haven't been handed anything this year.  They've earned it with a pair of wins over conference championship participants in Ohio (MAC) and Wyoming (Mountain West).  The Eagles are led by three-time MAC Offensive Player of the Week Brogan Roback, who guided an offense that set school records for total offense (5,447), passing offense (3,549) and total points (396).  The offensive line has allowed the 12th-fewest sacks in the national and the second-fewest tackles for loss.  There is another motivational angle that favors the Eagles.  They want revenge from a 38-34 loss to Old Dominion last season, and they are far and away better than they were last season.  The Eagles are 7-0 ATS off 1 or more consecutive unders this season.  The Eagles are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 vs. a team with a winning record.  The Monarchs are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 non-conference games.  Take Eastern Michigan.

6* NY/PHI NFC East *CA$H COW* on New York Giants -1.5

The Key: The New York Giants have won 8 of their last 9 games with their only loss coming on the road to the Steelers, who are one of the best teams in the NFL.  They are on a mission to make the playoffs and can clinch their spot in the postseason with a win today.  That would allow them to rest their starters in Week 17, which would be huge for them to get healthy.  The Eagles have lost 6 of their last 7 because of their awful defense, which has allowed at least 26 in six of those games.  The Giants are 3rd in the NFL in scoring defense and have held their last 2 opponents in the Cowboys and Lions to an average of 6.5 points per game.  I'll back the more motivated team here in the Giants with the much superior defense.  Take New York.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Brooklyn Nets +15.5

The Key: The Golden State Warriors come in overvalued off 5 straight victories, including two blowout home wins over the Jazz and Blazers.  But they have struggled on the road recently, going 0-4 ATS in their last 4 road games with their largest victory coming by 8 points.  The Nets are fully healthy now and will be amped up to face the Warriors at home.  All they have to do is stay within 15 points to cover this massive spread, and I think they are more than capable of that.  The Warriors are 2-12 ATS in their last 14 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.  The Nets are 8-0 ATS in their last 8 games following a straight up loss.  The Warriors are 4-10 ATS in their last 14 trips to Brooklyn.  Take Brooklyn.

7* Thursday NCAAB *HEAVY HITTER* on George Washington +14.5

The Key: Miami has been one of the most overvalued teams in the country.  The Hurricanes are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games overall, time and time again failing to cover big numbers.  They won by 12 over Rutgers as 14.5-point favorites, won by 17 as 19-point favorites over Wofford and won by 20 as 20.5-point favorites over Florida Atlantic in their three most recent non-covers.  Now they're laying 14.5 points to a George Washington team that won the NIT last year and is better than this line would suggest.  Three of the Colonials' 4 losses this season have come by 8 points or less.  The only exception was  19-point loss to a very good Florida State team.  The Colonials are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 road games.  The Hurricanes are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games overall.  Take George Washington.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Oklahoma City Thunder -2

The Key: This is a good spot to back the Oklahoma City Thunder, who will be hungry for a win after losing 3 of their last 4 games coming in.  They will be playing just their 4th game in 9 days here and will be ready to go.  The same cannot be said for the Pelicans, who will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 8th game in 12 days after a win in Philadelphia last night.  The Thunder are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a losing record.  The Pelicans are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games vs. a team with a winning record.  The Thunder are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 meetings in New Orleans.  Take Oklahoma City.

7* Kentucky/Louisville ESPN National TV *Annihilator* on Louisville +2

The Key: Kentucky is coming off a 103-100 win over North Carolina on Saturday in what was one of the best college basketball games you could ever witness.  Malik Monk scored 47 points, including the game-winner for the Wildcats.  Off such an huge win like that, I can only think the Wildcats will suffer an emotional letdown here.  They will still get up to play Louisville, but I think the Cardinals will want this one more, especially after losing four straight to the Wildcats in this series.  All four losses have come by 8 points or less, including a 73-75 road loss last year, so they've been right there with a chance to win.  I look for the Cardinals to get over the hump here and get the victory.  They are 7-0 SU & 6-0 ATS at home this season, winning by an average of nearly 27 points per game.  Take Louisville.

6* Tuesday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Iowa -11

The Key: The Iowa Hawkeyes got off to a terrible start this season, but they're now starting to play up to their potential and remain under-priced here as only 11-point home favorites over North Dakota.  The Hawkeyes are 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in their last 3 games, beating Stetson by 27 as 20-point favorites, Iowa State by 14 as 6-point dogs and Northern Iowa by 23 as 2.5-point dogs.  They have covered the spread by a combined 45.5 points in their last 2 games just to show how undervalued they are right now.  These teams have a common opponent in Northern Iowa, and North Dakota lost at UNI 70-78 on December 10th, while Iowa obviously beat them by 23 on a neutral.  Iowa is 6-0 ATS in home games versus good defensive teams who allow 42% shooting or less over the last 2 seasons.  North Dakota is 2-12 ATS in its last 14 games after allowing 85 points or more.  The Hawkeyes are 29-14-1 ATS in their last 44 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.  Take Iowa.

7* NBA Western Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on San Antonio Spurs +1

The Key: The Houston Rockets have won 10 in a row and are starting to get a lot of love from oddsmakers.  But they just lost starting center Clint Capela, who averages 12 points, 8 boards and nearly 2 blocks per game, to a broken leg.  Look for the Spurs to capitalize on his absence and for LaMarcus Aldridge and Pau Gasol to dominate inside.  The Spurs will get a ton of layups in this game with no resistance since Capela is no longer in there.  San Antonio has won 4 of its last 5 meetings with Houston.  The Rockets are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games on 2 days rest.  Take San Antonio.

6* Memphis/WKU ESPN National TV *Annihilator* on Memphis +7

The Key: The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers lost head coach Jeff Brohm to Purdue.  He is a bigger loss than most head coaches because he calls the plays on offense.  And the Hilltoppers have had one of the best offenses in the country since he took over.  They are sure to suffer a little bit on that side of the ball with Brohm's departure.  I don't think these WKU players are going to be all that motivated to win this bowl game because their season is already a success after winning Conference USA.  Memphis went 8-4 this season against a tougher schedule than what WKU faced.  The Tigers beat the likes of Houston and Temple, which are two better wins than anything WKU has.  And the Tigers can match the Hilltoppers score for score with an offense that averages 39.5 points per game and played even better down the stretch, scoring 51, 42, 34 and 48 points in their final 4 games, respectively.  The Tigers are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 vs. C-USA foes.  The Hilltoppers are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 non-conference games.  Take Memphis.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Denver Nuggets -8

The Key: The Denver Nuggets are finally fully healthy and playing up to their potential now.  They have won their last two games by double-digits over both Portland (132-120) and New York (127-114).  I think they make it 3 straight double-digits wins against a Dallas Mavericks team in a bad spot tonight.  The Mavs will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 7th game in 11 days.  They have plenty of injuries and are short-handed, making this spot even tougher.  Plus they have to play in the altitude in Denver tonight, only worsening matters further.  I don't expect much of an effort from them here tonight.  The Nuggets are 38-16-1 ATS in their last 55 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points.  Denver is 19-6-1 ATS in its last 26 games after scoring more than 125 points in its previous game.  Take Denver. 

6* Stanford/SMU ESPN 2 *CA$H COW* on SMU -7

The Key: The SMU Mustangs have one of the more underrated home-court advantages in the country.  They have gone 7-0 at home this season, outscoring opponents by 21.9 points per game along the way.  That includes a recent 74-59 win over TCU, which is better than this Stanford outfit.  Stanford has only played one true road game all season.  It has been owned by the better teams it has faced like SMU, losing by 14 to Miami, by 15 to St. Mary's and by 15 to Kansas.  The Cardinal are 3-11 ATS in road games after playing a road game over the past 3 seasons.  The Cardinal are 2-9 ATS in their last 11 games as a road underdog.  Stanford is 0-6 ATS in its last 6 games as a road dog of 7.0 to 12.5 points.  The Mustangs are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 home games.  Take SMU.

7* Panthers/Redskins NFC *TOTAL* Annihilator on OVER 50

The Key: I don't expect much defense to be played in this contest between the Washington Redskins and Carolina Panthers tonight.  These are two of the worst defenses in the NFL.  The Panthers are giving up 25.9 points per game overall and 32.5 points per game on the road.  The Redskins are allowing 24.4 points per game overall and 24.8 points per game at home.  But these are more than capable offenses as the Redskins are averaging 27.5 points per game at home and the Panthers are scoring 23.9 points per game overall.  There are key injuries on both defenses as the Redskins are going to be without LB Will Compton and S Su'a Cravens, while the Redskins are without DE Charles Johnson and could be without LB Luke Kuechly again.  The OVER is 8-0 in Redskins last 8 home games.  The OVER is 5-1 in Panthers last 6 road games.  The OVER is 13-3 in Panthers last 16 vs. a team with a winning record.  Take the OVER.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Philadelphia 76ers -2.5

The Key: I like this spot for the 76ers, who will only be playing their 4th game in 10 days.  They are rested and just returned Nerlens Noel to the lineup last time out against the Lakers, though he only played 8 minutes and voiced his frustration.  After he and coach Brett Brown hashed things out, I expect a big performance from Noel here.  He and Joel Embiid will dominate the paint in what will be a sign of things to come for years moving forward.  This is a very winnable game for the 76ers against the Brooklyn Nets, who are just 7-18 on the season, including 1-11 in road games.  They are giving up a ridiculous 118.5 points per game on the road this year.  The Nets are 6-14-2 ATS in their last 22 road games.  The 76ers are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games following a double-digit loss at home.  The 76ers are 12-4 ATS in their last 16 games following a ATS loss.  Take Philadelphia.

6* Gonzaga/Tennessee NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Tennessee +10.5

The Key: This will basically be a home game for the Tennessee Vols as it will be played in Nashville.  The Vols come in playing their best ball of the season, going 5-1 in their last 6 games overall with their only loss coming at North Carolina 71-73 as 19.5-point dogs.  That effort alone showed their potential.  But they also have a 23-point win over Georgia Tech during this stretch, and four of the five wins have come by 14 points or more.  Gonzaga is getting a lot of love because of its 10-0 record this season, but it has yet to play a true road game, and this will be the closest thing to it that the Bulldogs have faced all year.  Gonzaga is 15-33 ATS in its last 48 road games off 2 straight home wins by 10 points or more.  The Bulldogs are 4-10 ATS in their last 14 vs. SEC opponents.  The Volunteers are 24-7-1 ATS in their last 32 games as a home underdog.  Tennessee is 8-0 ATS in its last 8 games after scoring more than 90 points in its previous game.  Take Tennessee.

7* NFC Game of the Month on New York Giants -4

The Key: Matthew Stafford has a bum finger on his throwing hand that is going to limit what he's able to do against the Giants this week.  It's not going to help having such cold weather in the Meadowlands, either.  Stafford threw two interceptions against the Bears after injuring his finger last week.  He needs to be at full strength for the Lions to have any chance of moving the football on a Giants defense that only allows 18.8 points per game this year.  I look for Stafford to struggle, and the Lions don't have a running game to bail him out.  The Giants are 6-1 at home this season and will take care of business on their home turf Sunday.  Stafford has exactly one career road win over a team that finished with a winning record.  The Lions will get exposed for the frauds that they are this week.  Take New York.

6* NBA Non-Conference *CA$H COW* on Los Angeles Lakers +16

The Key: The Lakers finally ended an 8-game losing streak that prompted Luke Walton to call his players 'soft' heading into the Philadelphia game last night.  His players responded well with a 100-89 road win over the 76ers.  Now the Lakers will be amped up for a showdown with the defending champion Cavaliers, who are laying too many points here with this 16-point spread.  The Lakers are as healthy as they have been all season, and they have the depth to play well again despite this being the 2nd of a back-to-back.  Cleveland is 2-12 ATS after covering 5 or 6 of its last 7 against the spread over the last 2 seasons.  Bets on underdogs who have failed to cover 12 or more of their last 15 against opponent who covered 4 or 5 of their last 6 against the spread coming in are 81-38 ATS since 1996.  Take Los Angeles.

6* UNC/Kentucky NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Kentucky -1

The Key: Kentucky is 9-1 this season with its only loss to UCLA, which may be the best team in the country.  I think the Wildcats are the better team here against North Carolina, which comes in playing suspect basketball.  The Tar Heels lost 67-76 at Indiana a few weeks ago.  And their last two home games have been lackluster.  They only beat Davidson 83-74 as 16.5-point favorites, and needed a big second-half comeback to beat Tennessee 73-71 as 19.5-point favorites.  They have been without guard Joel Berry II the past two games, which explains part of the struggles, and he's questionable to return against Kentucky here.  The Wildcats are 13-4 ATS in their last 17 games overall.  Kentucky is 19-7 in its last 26 vs a team with a winning record.  The Wildcats are 8-1-1 ATS in their last 10 games after scoring more than 90 points in their previous game.  Take Kentucky.

7* UTSA/New Mexico NCAAF *HEAVY HITTER* on New Mexico -7.5

The Key: The New Mexico Lobos will be playing in their hometown bowl for a second consecutive season.  After falling just short in a 37-45 loss to Arizona last year, they will be hungry to earn their first bowl win since 2007 Saturday.  That's why I'm not concerned about any lack of motivation playing in this bowl game again.  Bob Davie has done as good a coaching job as anyone in the country.  He got them to their first bowl since 2007 last year, and now the Lobos have a chance to win 9 games.  Davie has this Lobos' offense hitting on all cylinders with 37.8 points per game and a FBS-best 361 rushing yards per game.  The Lobos have a big-play offense with two running backs in Teriyon Gipson (1,209 yards, 12 TD) and Tyrone Owens (1,084 yards, 7 TD) who both average over 8.0 yards per carr on the season.  UTSA's offense is only averaging 376 yards per game and 5.4 yards per play this season.  They don't have the firepower to keep up with the Lobos in this one.  New Mexico is 11-2 ATS in its last 13 games off an upset win over a conference opponent as a home dog.  The Lobos come in confident after throttling Wyoming 56-35 as 3-point dogs in their season finale.  They put up 690 total yards on the Cowboys, who went on to play in the MWC Championship Game.  The Roadrunners are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games following a straight up win.  Take New Mexico.

6* Long Beach/Oregon State NCAAB *BAILOUT* on Long Beach State -4.5

The Key: The Oregon State Beavers are one of the worst power-5 teams in college basketball this season.  They lost Gary Payton Jr. from last year's roster, who was their best player.  Now they are without their best player on this year's roster in coach's son Tres Tinkle.  The Beavers are 3-7 on the season with their three wins coming against Prairie View A&M, UTSA and Southern Oregon.  They just lost at home to Savannah State 90-93 as 19-point favorites to really show you how far they've fallen.  Savannah State has been getting blown out by everyone.  Long Beach has played the toughest schedule in the country with games against Wichita State, UNC, Louisville, UCLA, Washington, Kansas and Texas already.  They only lost 65-71 at Texas last time out and are battle-tested.  This is a break in the schedule here against the Beavers, one the 49ers will take advantage of.  Oregon State is 2-15 ATS in road games after playing a home game over the last 3 seasons.  The Beavers are 1-8 ATS in their last 9 non-conference games.  The 49ers are 18-8 ATS in their last 26 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.   Take Long Beach State.

7* NBA *Situational* Game of the Month on Chicago Bulls -5

The Key: I like this situation here for the Chicago Bulls.  They lost 97-108 in Milwaukee last night.  Fortunately, they only have to wait 24 hours for their chance at revenge.  And they get the Bucks at home tonight.  Look for a hungry effort from them to get the win and cover here.  The Bucks are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games playing on 0 days rest.  Milwaukee is 3-10 ATS in its last 13 road games.  The home team is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.  The Bulls are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 home meetings with the Bucks.  Take Chicago.

7* LA/SEA NFC West *HEAVY HITTER* on Los Angeles Rams +16

The Key: Betting underdogs of this size in the NFL has been a very profitable move over the long haul.  I especially like doing it when we're talking about division games.  Even the worst teams get up for these division games, and I think the Rams will bring their best effort tonight.  They have a new coach in John Fassel and a better outlook now with Jeff Fisher gone.  The Rams have actually owned the Seahawks recently.  They've won 4 of the last 5 meetings outright as underdogs.  They won both meetings last year, and they won 9-3 at home this year over the Seahawks.  The Rams have the defense that will keep them in this game for 4 quarters.  I expect Jared Goff and Todd Gurley to make just enough plays to keep them competitive throughout.  Take Los Angeles.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on New Orleans Pelicans -2.5

The Key: The Pelicans are in a great situation here.  They are getting healthier and nearly beat the Warriors on Tuesday at home.  Now I expect them to beat a gassed Indiana Pacers team here tonight.  The Pacers are on the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 5th game in 7 days.  They lost in Miami last night, and they'll lose in New Orleans tonight.  The Pacers are just 3-9 SU & 3-9 ATS on the road this year.  They are allowing 113.6 PPG away from home on the season.  Indiana is 1-10 ATS in its last 11 Thursday games.  Take New Orleans.

6* Thursday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on George Washington -3

The Key: UCF just lost its best player in BJ Taylor.  He is the Knights' leading scorer (16.0 PPG) and assist (5.0 APG) man this season, so his loss is huge.  The Knights have been without him their last two games.  They beat lowly MD-East Shore, but lost 49-58 at home to Pennsylvania as 10-point favorites last time out.  George Washington is playing very well going 4-1 in its last 5 games overall.  The Colonials beat Harvard 77-74 as 3-point road dogs.  They also won 66-63 at Temple as 9-point dogs.  Their only loss came to a very good Florida State team in which they were playing their 2nd game in 2 days, while the Seminoles were not.  Take George Washington.

7* NBA Non-Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Dallas Mavericks +5.5

The Key: The Dallas Mavericks are getting healthier and starting to play a lot more competitive basketball.  They are coming off a 20-point home win over the Denver Nuggets.  They have gone 6-3 ATS in their last 9 games overall.  They are lacking respect from oddsmakers tonight once again as 5.5-point dogs.  Detroit should not be favored in this game after losing 79-97 to the 76ers last time out.  The Pistons also shouldn't be favored considering they are 5-9 SU & 5-9 ATS on the road this season.  The Mavs are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 home games.  Take Dallas.

6* Wednesday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Saint Louis +11

The Key: It was going to take some time for Saint Louis to gel in Travis Ford's first season on the job.  And it didn't help that they played a brutal schedule to open the season and currently sit with a 3-6 record because of it.  They have losses to the likes of BYU, Alabama, Kansas State and Wichita State.  But that has them battle tested, and now they take a big step down in class against 5-5 Southern Illinois, which just lost 73-79 at home to Sam Houston State.  The Salukis only have two wins this season by this margin, and those were against Missouri Southern State and SIU Edwardsville.  This is a team that also lost at home to Wright State earlier this season.  Southern Illinois is 2-10 ATS off a home loss over the last 3 seasons.  The Billikens are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win.  The Salukis are 6-19-2 ATS in their last 27 games following a straight up loss.  The road team is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.  Take Saint Louis.

6* Thunder/Blazers ESPN National TV *Annihilator* on Oklahoma City +1.5

The Key: The Portland Trail Blazers put a lot into their game against the Clippers last night.  They wound up losing 120-121 in an absolute shootout.  Now the Blazers are gassed as they will be playing their 5th game in 7 days here.  That fatigue has clealry shown as the Blazers have lost 4 straight coming in.  The Thunder are rested and will be playing just their 3rd game in 8 days.  And the Thunder are playing very well, going 7-1 SU & 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 games overall.  The Blazers are 0-7 ATS in their last 7 games playing on 0 days rest.  Take Oklahoma City.

7* Tuesday NCAAB *HEAVY HITTER* on Tennessee Tech +16

The Key: I don't expect Tennessee to show up for this game at all.  The Volunteers are coming off a crushing 71-73 loss at North Carolina on Sunday after blowing a big lead in the second half.  After playing a national power like the Tar Heels just two days ago, the Vols will come out flat here tonight against Tennessee Tech.  Tennessee Tech has only lost one game by more than 15 points this season despite their 4-7 overall record.  The Vols are getting too much respect from oddsmakers now after covering five straight and playing UNC tough.  Tennessee is 5-19 ATS as a home favorite over the last 3 seasons.  Tennessee Tech only lost 58-61 as 13-point dogs in its last trip to Tennessee.  Take Tennessee Tech.

7* BAL/NE AFC *Total* Annihilator on UNDER 45

The Key: The Baltimore Ravens rank 1st in the NFL in total defense (296.1 YPG) and 1st in rushing defense (73.8 YPG).  They have what it takes to hold this New England offense in check, especially since they're without Rob Gronkowski and Danny Amendola.  New England's defense has been superb all season, giving up just 17.2 PPG overall and 16.3 PPG at home.  The cold weather in New England will also play a role in keeping this game UNDER the number Monday night.  The Ravens have failed to top 19 points in 6 games this season, which is half of them.  The Ravens are 20-5 UNDER in their last 25 off 2 consecutive covers as a favorite.  The UNDER is 4-1-1 in Ravens last 6 games overall.  The UNDER is 7-2 in Ravens last 9 December games.  The UNDER is 7-3 in Patriots last 10 games overall.  Take the UNDER.

6* Monday NBA *Total* Annihilator on Bucks/Raptors UNDER 212

The Key: Just looking at the head-to-head history between the Bucks and Raptors shows that the books have inflated this 212-point total.  Each of the last 13 meetings between Toronto and Milwaukee have seen 210 or fewer combined points.  That equates to a 13-0 angle backing the UNDER in this game.  You have to go all the way back to 2013 to find the last time they combined for more than 212 points.  Take the UNDER.

6* Sunday NBA *Total* Annihilator on Celtics/Thunder UNDER 207

The Key: The Celtics are without Isaiah Thomas right now and it really makes them a much less efficient offensive team.  That was evident last time out as they scored just 94 points on 37.3% shooting against the Raptors.  It does make the Celtics a better defensive team without him in there because elite PG defender Marcus Smart has to play more minutes.  The Celtics only allowed 87 points and 37% shooting to the Magic and 101 points and 41.5% shooting to the Raptors in their last two games without Thomas.  Smart should make things difficult for Russell Westbrook, just at Patrick Beverly did on Friday when the Rockets beat the Thunder 102-99.  The UNDER is 22-7 in Celtics last 29 games playing on 1 days rest.  The UNDER is 12-5 in Celtics last 17 overall.  The UNDER is 6-1 in Celtics last 7 vs. Western Conference.  The UNDER is 5-1 in Thunder last 6 overall.  Take the UNDER.

6* NCAAB Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Northern Illinois +15

The Key: This is all about scheduling for me.  Minnesota should not be a 15-point favorite over Northern Illinois considering the disadvantage it has on its hands with the schedule coming in.  Minnesota just played Georgia Southern on Friday, meaning it has had only one day to get ready for Northern Illinois.  The Golden Gophers will also be playing their 4th game in a span of 9 days here.  Northern Illinois hasn't played since November 30th, having 10 days off in between games.  The Huskies will certainly be prepared to face Minnesota.  They are capable of hanging with the Gophers even without this scheduling advantage.  They are just 4-4 this season, but their 4 losses have come by 2, 4, 5 and 11 points.  Minnesota only beat lowly New Jersey Tech by 6 as 18-point favorites on December 6th.  The Huskies are a much better outfit than New Jersey Tech.  Northern Illinois is 72-45 ATS in its last 127 games as a dog of 10 points or more.  The Huskies are 34-12 ATS int heir last 46 road games after scoring 55 points or fewer.  Take Northern Illinois.

6* Falcons/Rams NFC *CA$H COW* on Los Angeles +6.5

The Key: Back-to-back blowout road losses have the betting public wanting nothing to do with the Rams.  But they played in two tough environments against two great teams in the Saints and Patriots.  Now they return home where they have been much more competitive this season.  The Rams are only getting outscored by 3.0 points per game at home this year.  Their defense has held opponents to just 15.0 points and 273.7 yards per game at home.  And I think Jared Goff is primed for his best game yet against an Atlanta defense that allows 25.7 points and 392 yards per game on the road this year.  And the Falcons are missing two of their best defensive players in CB Desmont Trufant and DE Adrian Clayborn.  Offensively, they could be without both LT Jake Matthews and WR Mohamed Sanu, and WR Julio Jones is a game-time decision.  He has a leg injury where he was visibly hobbled and ineffective against the Chiefs last week.  It's hard to see him at 100% health a week later even if he plays.  Jeff Fisher is 14-4 ATS off a loss by 14 points or more as the coach of the Rams.  Dan Quinn is 3-12 ATS as a favorite as the coach of Atlanta.  Quinn is 0-6 ATS off a loss by 6 points or less as the coach of the Falcons.  The Rams are 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.  The home team is 6-2 ATS in the last 8 meetings.  Take Los Angeles.

7* NFL Game of the Year on Tennessee Titans -1

The Key: Just imagine how excited the Tennessee Titans were over their bye last week.  They haven't been in contention this late in the season for a long time as they are in a three-way tie for the AFC South lead with the Colts and Texans.  They have had a bounce to their step all week leading up to this game, and they are primed for a huge performance at home against the Denver Broncos.  The Titans have been the best team in the AFC South in my opinion.  They have actually scored 11 more offensive touchdowns than they've given up to opposing offenses this year.  Marcus Mariota has thrown at least two touchdown passes in 8 consecutive games.  That's impressive when you consider the Titans are known for running the football, as they rank 3rd in the NFL in rushing at 141.5 yards per game.  They will be able to exploit the weakness of the Broncos' D, which is their 28th-ranked run defense allowing 122.8 rushing yards per game and 4.2 per carry.  The Broncos defense has to be fatigued after playing a combined 157 snaps over the past 2 weeks, which has to be some kind of NFL record.  Their offense continues to put them in bad spots week after week.  The Broncos have been outgained in 4 of their last 5 games.  I just think the rest and motivational edges here for the Titans should warrant them being more than 1-point favorites.  They essentially just have to win the game to cover this week, and win they will do.  Take Tennessee.

6* Sunday NFL *UPSET SPECIAL* on Cleveland Browns +5.5

The Key: This is the Cleveland Browns' best chance to get a win this season.  They got a much-needed bye last week to recover.  Now they'll come back motivated to get that first win of the season against a division rival in the Cincinnati Bengals.  And the Bengals are in no shape to be laying 5.5 points on the road here.  They are without AJ Green and Giovani Bernard, arguably their two best weapons on offense.  The fact that they handled the Eagles at home last week has only added to the line value here, but the Eagles didn't show up for that game.  The Browns will show up this week, and they should have some new life now after the bye and with a new starting QB in Robert Griffin III, who started the season under center before getting hurt in his first game.  Bets under underdogs or pick after 7 or more consecutive losses in the second half of the season are 96-54 ATS since 1983.  Bets on underdogs or pick revenging a loss where opponent scored 28 points or more who are also winless on the season are 43-16 ATS since 1983.  Take Cleveland, and don't hesitate to sprinkle in a little money line bet for part of it.

6* Michigan/UCLA ESPN 2 National TV *Annihilator* on UCLA -8.5

The Key: UCLA has been the most impressive team in the country in my opinion during its 9-0 start.  The Bruins are scoring 97.0 points per game and their talent can match anyone in the nation.  That was evident in a 97-92 win at Kentucky as 10.5-point dogs last Saturday.  Normally this would be a letdown spot after such a big win, but not with a team like Michigan visiting Pauley Pavilion.  And the Bruins have had a full week to prepare for the Wolverines, which is a huge advantage.  Michigan just beat a down Texas team 53-50 as 10-point home favorites on Tuesday and hasn't had as much time to prepare.  The Bruins are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games overall as they've been undervalued all season.  Michigan is 0-7 ATS after allowing 30 points or less in the first half of 2 straight games over the last 2 seasons.  The Wolverines are 9-21 ATS in their last 30 games as a road dog of 6.5 to 9 points.  The Bruins are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.  The Bruins are 13-4 ATS in their last 17 games as a home favorite of 7.0-12.5.  Take UCLA.

7* NBA Non-Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Portland Trail Blazers -1

The Key: We'll fade the Indiana Pacers tonight because they are a very tired team.  They are coming off a 5-game road trip that concluded with a 103-111 loss at Dallas last night.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 5th game in 7 days now.  After blowing a big lead at Memphis on Thursday to lose by 2, the Blazers will come back hungry here for a win.  Indiana is 3-13 ATS after scoring 100 points or more in 4 straight games over the last 3 seasons.  The Pacers are 7-19 ATS in their last 26 games playing on 0 days rest.  The Blazers are 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings, winning by 22, 9, 13 and 10 points.  They are 5-0 straight up in the last 5 meetings as well.  Take Portland.

6* NBA Eastern Conference *CA$H COW* on Washington Wizards -4

The Key: John Wall called out his teammates for their lack of effort following a 116-124 home loss to Orlando on Tuesday in which Wall scored 52 points, yet they still lost.  These players seemed to respond well, allowing a season-low 85 points to the Nuggets on Thursday in a 92-85 victory.  I look for them to build some momentum here with another win and cover as 4-point favorites over the Milwaukee Bucks.  The Bucks are in a much tougher spot as they will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 3rd game in 4 days after a 110-114 home loss to Atlanta last night.  The Bucks have only played 7 road games all season and have gone 3-4, scoring just 94.7 points per game on the highway this year.  Milwaukee is 4-16 ATS after having won 5 or 6 of its last 7 games over the last 3 seasons.  The bucks are 7-21 ATS after playing a game as a favorite over the last 2 years.  The Bucks are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games playing on 0 days rest.  The favorite is 7-1 ATS in the last 8 meetings.  The Wizards have won 7 of their last 9 meetings with the Bucks, including 4 straight home meetings all by an average of 14.5 points per game.  Take Washington.

7* NBA Eastern Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Boston Celtics -1.5

The Key: We're going to fade the Toronto Raptors tonight in this tough spot for them.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 5th game in 8 days.  They just beat the Timberwolves 124-110 at home last night.  But now they have to go on the road and take on a very tough Boston Celtics team that is coming off a 117-87 road win at Orlando despite playing without Isaiah Thomas.  They will likely be without Thomas again, and that's the reason they are only 1.5-point favorites here, which has only added to the value.  Bets against any team in a game involving two teams who score at least 102 points per game, after scoring 110 points or more in 4 straight games are 36-12 ATS since 1996.  The Raptors are 3-10-1 ATS in their last 14 trips to Boston.  The home team is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings. Take Boston.

6* Spurs/Bulls TNT National TV *Annihilator* on Chicago Bulls +4.5

The Key: The San Antonio Spurs are getting way too much credit from oddsmakers because of their 13-0 road record this season.  But the Bulls are the value play here because they have lost 3 straight coming in and will be hungry for a victory and to end this Spurs streak.  The Bulls have actually won their last 2 home meetings with the Spurs outright as underdogs, winning 92-89 as 4.5-point dogs last year, and 104-81 as 5.5-point dogs the year before.  The Spurs are 3-13-1 ATS in their last 17 Thursday games.  The Bulls are 24-9 ATS in their last 33 Thursday games.  The Bulls are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  Take Chicago.

7* AFC West Total of the Year on Raiders/Chiefs UNDER 46

The Key: I think points will be hard to come by in this game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders.  First place is on the line in the AFC West, so the intensity will be high.  And this is their 2nd meeting of the season, so the familiarity is clearly there.  They combined for 36 points in their first meeting and a similar result can be expected in the rematch.  They have combined for 44 or fewer points in 4 of the last 5 meetings as well.  Temperatures are going to be around 10 degrees for kickoff with wind chills below zero.  That's not exactly ideal scoring conditions, either.  The Chiefs are 7-0 UNDER In home games vs. bad defensive teams who allow 24 or more points per game over the last 3 seasons.  Oakland is 9-1 UNDER in its last 10 road games off 4 or more consecutive overs.  The UNDER is 36-15 in Chiefs last 51 home games.  The UNDER is 7-1 in the last 8 meetings in Kansas City.  Take the UNDER.

6* Thursday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Middle Tennessee -2

The Key: Middle Tennessee is one of the most underrated teams in the country.  This is a squad that went 25-10 last year and upset No. 2 Michigan State in the NCAA Tournament.  They brought back their top two scorers from that team in Giddy Potts and Reggie Upshaw.  Now they're off to an 8-1 start this season which includes wins over Toledo (twice), Evansville and a 77-62 road win at Ole Miss, which was their most impressive win yet.  Vanderbilt is in a rebuilding phase in the 1st year of Bryce Drew after losing its two best players to the NBA.  The Commodores are 5-4 this season with losses to Marquette, Bucknell, Butler and Minnesota.  The Commodores are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games as a road underdog.  The Blue Raiders are 34-15-2 ATS in their last 51 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.  Middle Tennessee is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games as a home favorite of 0.5 to 6.5 points.  Take Middle Tennessee.

7* NBA Eastern Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Atlanta Hawks -8.5

The Key: There's a good reason the Atlanta Hawks are favored by 8.5 tonight despite losing 7 straight and 10 of their last 11 overall.  It's because they will be hungry for a victory to end the skid, and they are fully healthy now, which wasn't the case during the losing streak.  And also because the Miami Heat are not healthy and in a tough spot.  The Heat are playing the 2nd of a back-to-back here after losing at home to the Knicks 103-114 last night.  They are expected to be without several key players in Justise Winslow, Josh Richardson, Luke Babbitt, James Johnson, Dion Waiters and Chris Bosh.  The Hawks are 30-15 ATS in their last 45 home games following 5 or more straight losses.  Take Atlanta.

6* Wednesday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Temple -8.5

The Key: The Temple Owls have been one of the most impressive teams in the country in the early going.  They are 6-2 on the season with their two losses coming by a combined 8 points.  They have outright wins as underdogs over Florida State as 10-point dogs, West Virginia as 12.5-point dogs and St. Joe's as 1.5-point dogs.  George Washington is clearly down this season as it lost a lot of talent from last year.  The Colonials are just 5-4 SU & 1-6 ATS on the season.  They just lost to Florida State by 21 points in their last game, giving these teams a common opponent.  And the Colonials are tired right now as this will be their 3rd game in 5 days.  The Owls are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 non-conference games.  TheOwls are 20-8 ATS in their last 28 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.  Take Temple.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Boston Celtics PK

The Key: The Orlando Magic will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back here and their 5th game in 7 days.  That's one of the toughest situations you will find in the NBA.  The Boston Celtics should take advantage here despite likely being without the services of Isaiah Thomas.  The Magic won't have anything left in the tank here, especially after playing in a 124-116 shootout in Washington last night.  The Celtics are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 road games.  The Magic are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 home games.  Orlando is 0-7 ATS in its last 7 Wednesday games.  Take Boston.

7* NBA Western Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Minnesota Timberwolves +4.5

The Key: The San Antonio Spurs will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after their 97-96 win in Milwaukee last night kept their road record a perfect 12-0 on the season.  But I believe that perfect record comes to an end tonight against the Minnesota Timberwolves, who have had 2 days off since beating the Hornets in overtime on Saturday.  I'll take these young rested Timberwolves against the veteran Spurs on no rest every time.  The Spurs are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 vs. a team with a team with a winning percentage below .500.  Take Minnesota.

6* NCAAB Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Wisconsin-Green Bay +7

The Key: Wisconsin-Green Bay and Central Michigan just played less than two weeks ago on November 26th.  The Chippewas won 89-77 as 5-point road underdogs over the Phoenix.  Now it's time for the Phoenix to return the favor and win on Central Michigan's home court as 7-point dogs in the rematch.  The Chippewas made 14-of-36 from 3-point range in the first meeting, and that's not going to happen again.  The Phoenix will make the proper adjustments here and will clearly be the more hungry team.  Green Bay is 50-23 ATS in its last 73 when revenging a loss where opponent scored 75 points or more.  Green Bay is 6-0 ATS in road games vs. teams who average 12 or fewer assists per game over the last 2 seasons.  The Phoenix are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games as a road underdog of 0.5-6.5.  The Chippewas are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 home games.  Take Green Bay.

6* Tuesday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on California -2

The Key: There is a huge talent gap here between California and Princeton.  The Golden Bears should be much bigger than 2-point favorites in this game as a result.  But the reason they aren't is because despite the fact that they are 6-1 straight up, they are just 1-6 ATS this season.  So bettors have been burnt by them all season.  However, they were a double-digit favorite in 6 of those 7 games, and this 2-point spread is by far the smallest price on the Golden Bears yet this season.  It's time to back them while they are undervalued.  Princeton already has road losses to BYU, Lehigh and VCU and won't be able to compete with Cal here, either.  The Tigers are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 non-conference games.  Take California.

6* Monday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Montana State -8

The Key: The Montana State Bobcats are a team on the rise as they are in their 3rd year under Brian Fish.  They returned 3 starters from last year, including sophomore sensation Tyler Hall, who averaged 19.2 points as a freshman.  Hall has picked up where he left off with 22.6 points per game this season.  Zach Green (12.8 PPG, 5.8 RPG) and Quinton Everett (9.9 PPG) are the other returning starters.  Harald Frey (11.0 PPG, 4.8 APG) was a big catch for Fish this offseason.  The Bobcats boast elite shooters as they are averaging 11 made 3-pointers per game at a 39.8% clip.  Montana State is 5-0 at home this season.  Wisconsin-Milwaukee had to break in 5 new starters this year and is clearly down.  It is just 1-5 on the road this year, losing to Memphis by 14, DePaul by 18, East Tennessee State by 24 and South Dakota State by 23.  Wisconsin-Milwaukee is coming off a 69-75 loss at Montana on Saturday and has only had one day to prepare for Montana State.  The Bobcats have had three days off since a loss to Utah on Thursday.  The Bobcats' only three losses this season have all come on the road, but they were competitive in each one as they lost by 4 at Washington State as 10-point dogs, by 5 at Rice as 10.5-point dogs and by 8 at Utah as 17-point dogs.  The Bobcats are 8-1 ATS after allowing 85 points or more over the last 3 seasons.  Milwaukee is 3-14 ATS versus good 3-point shooting teams who make 37% or more of their attempts over the last 3 years.  Take Montana State.

7* IND/NYJ AFC *HEAVY HITTER* on New York +1.5

The Key: The biggest reason for the Colts having a better record to this point than the Jets is that they have played an easier schedule.  They have played the 6th-easiest slate of games this season, while the Jets have played the 5th-hardest.  I think we see the Jets rise to the occasion here on Monday Night Football as this may be the last time we get max effort out of them because they are on such a big stage.  The Colts have been outgained in 7 of their last 8 games overall and just aren't a very good team, mainly because of their defense that ranks 30th in the league.  And that defense has some huge injuries right now as LB Robert Mathis, S Clayton Geathers and CB Patrick Robinson are all expected to miss this game.  Not to mention CB Vontae Davis is questionable with a groin injury that has made him ineffective in recent weeks.  The Jets' defensive line has a huge advantage against the Colts' offensive line, which has given up 36 sacks this season.  The Jets have been a great late-season bet as they are 10-1-2 ATS in their last 13 December games.  Take New York.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Boston Celtics +5.5

The Key: This is a great situation to fade the Houston Rockets.  They are coming off a 4-1 road trip and this will be their first game back home.  Players get distracted with duties at home in their first game back from a long road trip. We saw that last night with the Clippers losing outright to the Pacers as 12.5-point favorites (we had the Pacers) as they returned from a long trip themselves.  I think the Celtics win this game outright as they catch the Rockets in a flat spot, especially off back-to-back road wins over the Warriors and Nuggets.  The road team is 4-1 SU in the last 5 meetings, including a 111-95 Celtics win as 4.5-point dogs in Houston last season.  The Celtics are 18-4 ATS in road games vs. teams who score at least 103 points per game over the last 3 seasons.  The Rockets are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games when playing on 2 days rest.  Take Boston.

6* Pacers/Clippers NBA *BAILOUT* on Indiana +12.5

The Key: I always like fading teams off a long road trip in their first game back home.  The Los Angeles Clippers just completed a 6-game road trip with back-to-back wins over the Cavs and Pelicans on consecutive nights.  Now they've only been home for one day, and players usually have a bunch of family priorities when they get back from these long trips.  Their focus isn't on basketball.  The Clippers are going to need to be focused to cover this huge 12.5-point spread against the Pacers.  The Pacers will be fresh and ready to go as they're working on 3 days rest right now having last played on Wednesday.  Indiana is 21-7 ATS when playing 4 or fewer games in 10 days over the last 3 seasons.  The Pacers are 19-6-2 ATS in their last 27 games playing on 3 or more days rest.  The Clippers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 vs. Eastern Conference.  The Pacers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 meetings in Los Angeles.  Take Indiana.

6* NCAAB Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Bowling Green +20

The Key: This is a perfect situation to fade the Cincinnati Bearcats.  I expect them to be flat in this spot Sunday against Bowling Green.  They went on the road and beat Iowa State in overtime on Thursday night.  They play Butler this coming weekend in their next game.  They could care less about blowing out Bowling Green tonight with this game being in between both of those two huge contests.  I look for the Falcons to take them right down to the wire.  The Falcons are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games after playing their previous 2 games at home.  They haven't lost by more than 16 points this season.  Take Bowling Green.

6* Redskins/Cardinals NFC *CA$H COW* on Arizona -2.5

The Key: The Arizona Cardinals are the definition of a team that is better than their 4-6-1 record.  The Cardinals actually rank 1st in the NFL in yardage differential while outgaining their opponents by 75.1 yards per game on average.  They are 4th in yards per play differential as well, bolstered by their league-best defensive yards per play of just 4.7 allowed.  The Cardinals will be giving it their all here as this is their last chance to turn their season around.  They may need to run the table to make the playoffs.  They are 2 games behind Washington for the final wild card spot in the NFC, and conveniently they play the Redskins here.  You'll see some fire from this team Sunday as I expect a blowout.  And this is a great matchup for the Cardinals because they are No. 1 in total defense and No. 2 against the pass, allowing just 195.1 passing yards per game.  Washington is a pass-heavy team, and Kirk Cousins will have one of his worst performances of the season Sunday.  Arizona is 41-22 ATS in its last 63 home games off 2 or more consecutive losses.  Bruce Arians is 6-0 ATS against NFC East opponents as the coach of the Cardinals.  Take Arizona.

7* NFL Dog of the Year on Los Angeles Rams +13.5

The Key: The fact that the Los Angeles Rams got blown out by the Saints on the road last week has added value to this line.  The betting public wants nothing to do with them after that blowout.  But they will show up Sunday to face a team the caliber of the Patriots.  And the Patriots just aren't the normal Patriots right now.  They are without Rob Gronkowski because of a season-ending injury, and Tom Brady missed a lot of practice this week with a knee injury.  The Patriots were lucky to win 22-17 over the Jets last week, and they lost their last home game to the Seahawks.  They aren't going to win this game by 2 touchdowns, so they shouldn't be 13.5-point favorites in their current state.  After all, the Patriots are just 11-25-1 ATS in their last 37 games as double-digit favorites.  And Jeff Fisher has been dominant in the underdog role.  Fisher is 14-3 ATS off a loss by 14 points or more as the coach of the Rams, and they're coming back to actually win these games 18.9 to 16.1 on average.  Take Los Angeles.

6* Sunday NFL *Total* Annihilator on Lions/Saints OVER 52

The Key: Expect a good old fashioned shootout in the Superdome Sunday when the New Orleans Saints host the Detroit Lions.  The Saints boast the league's No. 1 ranked offense that just put up 49 points on a good Rams defense last week.  They still have one of the worst defenses in the NFL, and the Lions have faced the easiest opposing offenses of anyone thus far, so their defensive numbers aren't as bad as they will be in the coming weeks.  The Over is 9-2 in Saints last 11 home games.  They are combining with their opponents to average 64.7 points per game at home this season.  The OVER is 34-14-3 in Lions last 51 games after allowing less than 15 points in their previous game.  The OVER is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings, which included a 35-27 road victory by Detroit last season and 62 combined points.  Take the OVER.

6* Suns/Warriors NBA *BAILOUT* on Phoenix +16

The Key: The Phoenix Suns are once again catching too many points against the Golden State Warriors.  The Suns are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 meetings with the Warriors, losing all 4 meetings by 8, 7, 6 and 13 points.  They have already faced the Warriors twice this season, so it's not like Golden State is going to be all that motivated to beat them for a 3rd time.  And it's going to take a motivated Warriors team to cover this massive 16-point spread.  The Suns are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.  Take Phoenix.

6* Gonzaga/Arizona ESPN *CA$H COW* on Gonzaga -4.5

The Key: Gonzaga wants this one badly.  Arizona has beaten Gonzaga in all 3 meetings each of the past 3 seasons, including a 68-63 win in the 2014 NCAA Tournament.  "Like I said, we've got something for them. Send a message Saturday," Gonzaga guard Josh Perkins said after a 97-63 home victory over Mississippi Valley State improved the Bulldogs to 7-0 on Thursday night. "We feel like we owe them some payback. It's been some years building up. Saturday's a time for us to get back at them."  There chances at revenge are good.  Arizona is expected to have only seven available scholarship players after the team's latest injury.  Starting point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright suffered a high ankle sprain Wednesday in a win over Texas Southern, with coach Sean Miller saying the junior would be out for a "considerable" period of time. Arizona previously lost two players to torn ACLs, an incoming freshman turned pro and sophomore guard Allonzo Trier, the team's top returning scorer at 14.8 points per game, hasn't played yet because of unspecified eligibility issues. It's no surprise the Wildcats are struggling early with narrow wins over Michigan State, CS-Bakersfield and Santa Clara, as well as a loss to Butler.  Take Gonzaga.

6* Saturday NCAAF *UPSET SPECIAL* on Louisiana-Monroe +6.5

The Key: This has been a very closely-contested in-state rivalry.  Six of the last 7 meetings between UL-Monroe and UL-Lafayette have been decided by a touchdown or less.  Monroe has played pretty well at home this year, beating both South Alabama and Texas State, while only losing to Idaho by 3.  That's an Idaho team that is 5-2 in Sen Belt play this year.  The Warhawks have been running the ball well in conference play as they average 204.3 rushing yards per game.  Lafayette is in a prime letdown spot in this game.  It beat Arkansas State 24-19 at home last week, handing the Red Wolves their first conference loss of the season.  But the Rajin' Cajuns were thoroughly outplayed in that game as they were outgained by 229 yards.  They shouldn't be laying nearly a touchdown on the road to the Warhawks a week later in this clear letdown spot, especially considering the Warhawks have had 2 full weeks to prepare for this game after last playing on November 19.  The underdog is 16-2-1 ATS in the last 19 meetings.  Take Louisiana-Monroe.

7* Okie State/Oklahoma Big 12 *HEAVY HITTER* on Oklahoma State +11

The Key: This is a much more evenly-matched game than this spread would indicate, and thus I find value on the double-digit underdog in this rivalry game with the Big 12 title at stake.  Oklahoma State is outscoring teams by 13.2 PPG this season and Oklahoma by 14.8 PPG.  The Sooners can't be trusted to cover this big number because they have their worst defense in years.  They allow 30.5 points, 443 yards per game and 5.9 yards per play this season.  Two of the three meetings between these teams between 2012 and 2014 went to overtime, and the other was decided by 9 points.  But the Cowboys will be out for revenge from their 58-23 loss to the Sooners last year.  That was closer than the score as the Sooners only outgained the Cowboys by 67 yards.  The Cowboys have actually played their best on the road this season as they won 44-20 at Kansas, 43-37 at Kansas State and 31-6 at TCU.  They were dogs in those latter two games.  The Cowboys are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 games after rushing for more than 200 yards in their previous game.  The road team is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings.  Take Oklahoma State.

6* Temple/Navy AAC Championship *CA$H COW* on UNDER 61

The Key: Navy has been putting up video game-type numbers offensively of late against very suspect defenses, which has inflated this total.  They scored 75 on SMU just last week to cover the over themselves.  But now they'll be up against one of the best defenses they've faced all year.  Temple only gives up 17.8 points and 273 yards per game.  And the Owls are elite at stopping the run, giving up only 128 rushing yards per game and 3.6 per carry.  I don't expect either team to get to 30 points in this game as it's played on the ground as both teams prefer to run the football.  Temple averages 42 rushes compared to 27 passes per game.  There will be plenty of punts in this game, something that Navy hasn't been accustomed to doing in recent weeks.  Navy is 26-10 UNDER in its last 36 vs. teams who possess the ball for 32 or more minutes per game.  The UNDER is 4-0 in Owls last 4 games overall.  The UNDER is 7-2 in Owls last 9 games vs. a team with a winning record.  Each of the last 6 meetings between these teams have seen 60 or fewer combined points and an average of 53 points per game.  There is clearly value with the UNDER in this contest.  Take the UNDER.v

6* Rockets/Nuggets ESPN National TV *Annihilator* on Denver -4

The Key: The Rockets just played a double-OT thriller in Golden State last night and pulled off the upset as double-digit underdogs.  They aren't going to have much left to give tonight here on the road against the Denver Nuggets a night later.  While Houston should have an off game because of the circumstances, Denver should be primed for once of its best games of the season as it will be excited to play on National TV on ESPN.  Plus the Nuggets have lost 3 of their last 4 and need a win here.  Denver has won 3 straight meetings with Houston while covering the spread in all three.  The Nuggets are 9-0 ATS in their last 9 games after allowing at least 105 points in 5 straight games coming in.  Take Denver.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on New Orleans Pelicans +5.5

The Key: The Los Angeles Clippers are coming off a huge road win over the Cleveland Cavaliers last night.  Now they're in a prime letdown spot here against the New Orleans Pelicans, and they're a tired team playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 3rd game in 4 days after losing in double-OT to Brooklyn on Tuesday as well.  The Pelicans are 5-2 SU & 5-2 ATS since Jrue Holiday returned to the lineup.  Four of those wins have come by 12 points or more as well.  They are playing their best ball of the season and are primed to upset the Clippers here, especially since they've had 2 days off in between games.  New Orleans is 26-12 ATS as a home dog over the last 3 seasons.  The Pelicans are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 home games and 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a winning record.  The Clippers are 10-24 ATS in the last 34 meetings and 5-16 ATS in the last 21 road meetings.  Take New Orleans.

7* NBA Eastern Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Atlanta Hawks -2.5

The Key: The Atlanta Hawks are hungry for a victory after losing 4 straight and 7 of their last 8 games overall against a brutal schedule where 7 of the 8 games were on the road.  It's safe to say they're happy to return home tonight, where they are 6-2 SU & 6-2 ATS and winning by 6.5 points per game.  They get to face a terrible road team in the Pistons, who are 3-8 SU & 3-8 ATS on the road this season and losing by 7.1 points per game.  The Pistons are coming off back-to-back road wins, which is rare for them and has them overvalued now.  The chances of them winning 3 straight on the highway are slim to none, especially against a hungry team like the Hawks.  Bets against any team off 2 or more consecutive upset wins as a road underdog; tired team playing 6 or more games in 10 days are 28-7 ATS over the last 5 seasons.  The Hawks are 6-2 ATS in the last 8 meetings.  Take Atlanta.

6* NCAAB Situational *SLAM DUNK* on SIU-Edwardsville +26

The Key: The Indiana Hoosiers are primed for a letdown tonight.  They are coming off a 76-67 home win over North Carolina on Wednesday just two days ago.  They won't give the same kind of effort they gave in that one as they probably just feel like they need to show up to win tonight against SIU-Edwardsville.  We saw this same effect after Indiana beat Kansas in its season opener.  It came back flat the next game and only beat UMass-Lowell 100-78 while failing to cover as 28.5-point favorites.  SIU-Edwardsville is a decent team that is 4-3 this season with three outright wins as underdogs against Hawaii, FAU and IUPUI.  It also picked up a big 76-64 road win at Grand Canyon last time out and has had 3 days off since to prepare for the Hoosiers.  The Cougars are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games as an underdog of 13.0 or greater.  The Hoosiers are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games as a favorite of 13.0 or greater.  SIU-Edwardsville is 22-8 ATS in its last 30 games after playing 5 consecutive games as an underdog.  Indiana is 11-24 ATS in its last 35 games following an ATS win.  Take SIU-Edwardsville.

6* Ohio/WMU MAC Championship *CA$H COW* on UNDER 59

The Key: These are two of the best defensive teams in the MAC, which is a big reason why both are in the MAC Championship Game tonight.  Western Michigan only allows 19.2 points per game this season while Ohio gives up just 21.7 points per game.  The Broncos are allowing only 18.4 points per game in MAC play, while the Bobcats are yielding only 16.7 points per game in conference action.  Ohio also features a below-average offense that puts up 21.9 points per game in MAC play.  All of these numbers really show that the books have set this 59-point total too high.  The UNDER is 10-1-1 in all Ohio games this season, including 7-0-1 in all Oho conference games.  Take the UNDER.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Utah Jazz -9.5

The Key: The Utah Jazz have won 4 straight games by an average of 20 points per game.  Look for their domination to continue tonight against the Miami Heat.  The Heat are running on fumes right now as they will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 5th game in 7 days.  They are also dealing with some injuries, and after playing in the altitude last night in Denver, they won't have a whole lot left to give tonight.  The Jazz are 17-4 ATS in their last 21 vs. a team with a losing record and 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings.  The Heat at 12-27 ATS in their last 39 following a road win.  Take Utah.

6* DAL/MIN Thursday NFL *CA$H COW* on Dallas -3

The Key: The Minnesota Vikings continue to get too much respect from the books.  They got off to a 5-0 start but were a flawed team.  Now their true colors have shown during a 1-5 slide since.  The Vikings cannot move the football because they have no running game and their offensive line is so banged up that it's one of the worst in the NFL.  The Cowboys have the best offensive line in the NFL and the best rushing attack.  They can move the football on this Minnesota defense.  This is a very small number for them to have to cover here in what is a complete mismatch on paper.  The Cowboys are 9-1-1 ATS in all games this season.  Dallas is 7-0 ATS in road games off a home win over the last 3 years.  Take Dallas.

7* Clippers/Cavs TNT *HEAVY HITTER* on UNDER 215.5

The Key: This is a battle between two of the best teams in the NBA.  Both squads will be laying it all on the line defensively tonight to get a win.  The Clippers are coming off 3 straight losses, while the Cavs are coming off an upset loss to the Bucks where both teams didn't play well defensively.  That will be the focus heading into tonight's game.  The Clippers rank 2nd in the NBA in defensive efficiency this season.  Clippers games have averaged roughly 207 combined points per game while Cavs games have averaged roughly 214.  I think there's some value with the UNDER tonight.  Bets on the UNDER in a game involving 2 very good teams who outscore their opponents by 7-plus points per game after a combined score of 205 points or more are 43-13 over the last 5 seasons.  Take the UNDER.

6* Wednesday NBA *Total* Annihilator on Spurs/Mavs UNDER 189.5

The Key: We have two of the slowest teams in the NBA matching up tonight in the Spurs and Mavs.  The Mavs rank 29th in the NBA in pace this season while the Spurs are 27th.  The Mavs haven't done much with those few possessions as they also rank 28th in offensive efficiency.  The Spurs have beaten the Mavs 96-91 in consecutive meetings for 187 combined points in each.  The most recent was on November 21st just over a week ago, so these teams are familiar with one another.  And I can't see them getting to 190 combined points here, which is what it would take to top this 189.5-point total.  The UNDER is 9-2 in Spurs last 11 vs. NBA Northwester Division opponents.  The UNDER is 7-2 in the last 9 meetings.  The UNDER is 5-1 in Mavericks last 6 home games.  Take the UNDER.

6* Wednesday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Rutgers +15

The Key: Rutgers is off to a 6-0 start this season, yet continues to get no respect from the books here as 15-point dogs to the Miami Hurricanes.  I realize that the Scarlet Knights have played a soft schedule, but they are certainly way improved this year as they returned three players who averaged at least 12.3 PPG last season.  And it's clear that Miami is taking a big step back this year.  That was evident in blowout losses to Iowa State (56-73) and Florida (56-65) over the weekend.  The Scarlet Knights are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 non-conference games.  The Hurricanes are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.  Miami is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 vs. Big Ten opponents.  Take Rutgers.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Detroit Pistons +3

The Key: The Detroit Pistons have owned up to their road woes as they are just 1-8 away from home this season.  They realize it's a problem if they want to be a playoff contender, and look for them to tackle it head-on tonight.  There's every reason they should win this game against Charlotte.  The Hornets will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 4th game in 5 days, one of the toughest situations you'll find in the NBA.  I expect a pretty weak effort from them here tonight as they just don't have much left to give.  The Pistons come in on 2 days' rest after last playing on Saturday.  This is a huge scheduling advantage that they must capitalize on tonight.  Take Detroit.

7* Tuesday NCAAB *HEAVY HITTER* on North Dakota State +18

The Key: North Dakota State has been one of the best small school programs in the country throughout the years.  They nearly made their 3rd straight NCAA Tournament appearance last season, falling just short with a loss to rival South Dakota State in the Summit League Championship Game.  They brought back 4 starters from that team and 3 key reserves who all averaged at least 6.3 points per game last year.  They're 5-2 this season thus far and looking to hang with a Top 25 program like Xavier.  I think this is a bad spot for Xavier,  After playing Missouri, Clemson, and Northern Iowa (twice) in their last 4 games, and with huge road games against both Baylor and Colorado on deck, this could be a sandwich game for the Musketeers.  I don't expect them to bring the kind of effort it's going to take to beat this solid NDSU outfit by more than 18 points tonight.  The Musketeers are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 vs. Summit League foes.  Take North Dakota State.

7* GB/PHI ESPN National TV *Total* Annihilator on OVER 47.5

The Key: The Green Bay Packers still boast an explosive offense that has scored at least 24 points in 5 consecutive games.  But their defense has been their downfall, giving up 30 or more points in 4 straight and 5 of their last 6 games overall.  I expect this trend to continue as we see a shootout in Philadelphia tonight.  The Eagles have had no problem putting up points at home as they average 27 points per game at home this season.  Green Bay is 10-1 OVER in its last 11 road games after a road game where both teams scored 24 or more points.  The Packers are 7-0 OVER in road games after allowing 30 points or more in 2 straight games.  Green Bay is 8-0 OVER after a game with a turnover margin of -2 or worse over the last 3 seasons.  Philadelphia is 6-0 OVER vs. terrible defensive teams that allow 6 or more yards per play over the last 2 years.  This is a combined 31-1 angle backing the OVER.  Take the OVER.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Charlotte Hornets -1

The Key: The Charlotte Hornets opened as 2.5-point dogs and are now 1-point favorites.  I completely agree with this move as they should beat the Memphis Grizzlies.  They'll be out for revenge from a home loss to the Grizzlies on November 21st exactly one week ago today.  And they should be able to get it because they are nearly 100% healthy, while the Grizzlies are battling several key injuries right now.  They are without two starters in Chandler Parsons and James Ennis, and they are also without the best 6th man in the NBA in Zach Randolph.  I can't see the Grizzlies even being competitive tonight this short-handed.  Memphis is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 home games.  The road team is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.  Take Charlotte.

6* ASU/Kentucky ESPN 2 *CA$H COW* on Kentucky -16.5

The Key: Somehow the Kentucky Wildcats continue to be undervalued.  This is a team that gets a lot of public support but the books haven't been able to set their numbers high enough.  The Wildcats have covered 4 straight games and have won all 6 games by 21 or more points during their 6-0 start, including a 21-point win over Michigan State as 6.5-point favorites.  Arizona State isn't going to break this streak today.  The Sun Devils are clearly down this season as they are 4-2 SU but 1-4-1 ATS.  ASU lost to Northern Iowa 63-82 and Davidson 60-68 on neutral courts.  Those two results alone show that the Sun Devils aren't going to be able to hang with one of the top teams in the country here.  ASU is 8-20 ATS after winning 2 of its last 3 games over the last 3 seasons.  Kentucky is 9-2 ATS off a combined score of 155 points or more over the last 2 years.  The Wildcats are 17-5 ATS in their last 22 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.  The Wildcats are 18-6 ATS in their last 24 games as a favorite.  The Sun Devils are 1-7-1 ATS in their last 9 games as an underdog.  Take Kentucky.

6* NBA Dog of the Week on Indiana Pacers +10

The Key: The Indiana Pacers should not be catching double-digits at home to the Los Angeles Clippers today.  The Clippers are overrated right now because they have the best record in the NBA.  Bets on underdogs of 10 or more points after being beaten by the spread by 18 or more points total in thier last 3 games, with a winning percentage between 40% & 49% on the season are 25-5 ATS over the last 5 seasons.  Take Indiana.

6* Iowa State/Gonzaga NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Iowa State +4

The Key: The Iowa State Cyclones are a legit Top 25 team that can make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament because they have tremendous guard play across the board.  They came through with their most complete performance of the season last time out in a 73-56 win over Miami.  Now they're up against a Gonzaga team that isn't as strong as last year despite the 5-0 start against week competition.  The Bulldogs beat Florida 77-72 last time out, and Iowa State is better than Florida.  The Cyclones are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 Sunday games.  The Cyclones are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.  The Bulldogs are 4-9-1 ATS in their last 14 non-conference games.  Take Iowa State.

7* NFL Situational Game of the Year on San Diego Chargers -2.5

The Key: The Houston Texans are playing on a short week after returning from Mexico City and their Monday Night Football game against the Oakland Raiders.  Now they'll be up against a San Diego Chargers team that is coming off their bye week and desperate for a win.  Given this awful spot for the Texans and great one for the Chargers, I think the road team gets the job done today.  The Chargers are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games following a loss and 5-0 ATS in their last 5 meetings with the Texans.  Take San Diego.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Oklahoma City Thunder -3.5

The Key: This line has been bet down from -6.5 to -3.5 and I feel that we are now getting the right price to back the Thunder.  I get the move because the Thunder played on overtime game last night against the Nuggets.  But they showed a lot of fight in that game to end a 3-game losing streak.  And now they'll want revenge from an 88-104 loss in Detroit back on November 14th just less than 3 weeks ago.  They were in a bad spot there as they were on a back-to-back while the Pistons were not.  And the Pistons also played yesterday in a 108-97 home win over the Clippers, so it's not like they'll be much fresher than the Thunder here.  They'll be playing their 6th game in 9 days.  And they could have a letdown off such a big win over the Clippers, plus the fact that they've already beaten the Thunder once this season.  And the Pistons have been a terrible road game, going 1-7 SU & 1-7 ATS on the highway this season while losing by 11.3 points per game.  The home team is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings.  Take Oklahoma City.

6* Utah/Colorado Pac-12 *CA$H COW* on Colorado -9

The Key: Looking ahead last week this game appeared to be for all the marbles in the Pac-12 South.  Colorado took care of its business with a home win over Washington State, but Utah failed to do the same.  It was upset 30-28 at home by Oregon on a last-second touchdown.  Talk about a deflating loss because now the Utes are eliminated from the Pac-12 race.  I don't see them getting up emotionally for the Buffaloes this week after that loss to Oregon.  The Buffaloes need a win and they'll be playing Washington in the Pac-12 title game.  A loss would allow USC to partake.  The Buffaloes have been undervalued all season as they are 10-1 ATS this year.  They are 5-0 at home and winning by nearly 28 points per game.  The Utes are 1-9 ATS in their last 10 games after allowing more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.  The Buffaloes are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 vs. a team with a winning record.  Utah is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 meetings with the Buffaloes.  Take Colorado.

6* Providence/Virginia Emerald Coast Classic *CA$H COW* on Virginia -13

The Key: The Virginia Cavaliers are clearly one of the best teams in the country this season.  They haven't even been letting their opponents come up for air.  They have won each of their first 5 games by at least 24 points.  None were more impressive than their 74-41 win over Iowa yesterday.  Their suffocating defense is only giving up 39.2 points and 29.3% shooting this season.  Providence is in rebuild mode after losing its two best players from last year in Ben Bentil (21.1 PPG, 7.7 RPG) and Kris Dunn (16.4 PPG, 6.2 APG, 5.3 RPG).  The Friars erased a double-digit deficit yesterday to beat a down Memphis team 60-51.  But they won't have much success here against this Virginia defense because they don't shoot the ball very well, especially from 3-point range, and the Cavaliers force you to shoot from outside with their pack line defense.  The Cavaliers are 5-0-1 ATS in their last 6 non-conference games.  Virginia is 14-3-1 ATS in its last 18 vs. a team with a winning record.  Take Virginia.

6* NCAAF Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Virginia +18.5

The Key: This is a great situation to back Virginia.  The Virginia Tech Hokies just took a collective sigh of relief when they saw North Carolina get upset by NC State on Friday.  That's because the Hokies were gifted the ACC Coastal Division title with that upset.  Now they don't have nearly as much at stake in this game, and they will most certainly be more worried about saving up for Clemson next week in the ACC Championship Game.  But this game means everything to Virginia, which won't be going to a bowl game, so it will be their Super Bowl.  We've seen the Cavaliers be competitive all season as they haven't lost once by more than 21 points this year.  Bronco Mendenhall is getting his players to show up week in and week out.  This has been a very tight series recently.  The Cavaliers are 3-1 ATS in the last 4 meetings as they've all been decided by 10 points or less, and by 20 points total.  The underdog is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings.  Virginia is 18-8 ATS as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.  The Cavaliers are 6-2-2 ATS in their last 10 road games.  The Hokies are 4-11-1 ATS in their last 16 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.  Take Virginia.

7* Michigan/Ohio State Big Ten *HEAVY HITTER* on Ohio State -5

The Key: This is a very cheap price for the Ohio State Buckeyes here.  They have the home-field edge and a big edge at quarterback with J.T. Barrett over John O'Korn.  The Buckeyes are beating teams by 42 points per game at home this season.  We saw Michigan lose on the road at Iowa and struggle beating Michigan State away from home.  We also saw O'Korn struggle against Indiana at home last week.  Ohio State has won 11 of its last 12 meetings with Michigan and there hasn't been an upset in this series in 11 years.  Urban Meyer is 8-0 ATS when favored by less than 10 points or an underdog in his last 8 games as a head coach.  Take Ohio State.

6* NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Providence -2

The Key: Providence has been impressive in its two toughest games this season to show what it is capable of.  In the opener it beat a very good Vermont team that is likely headed to the NCAA Tournament 80-58 as only 4.5-point home favorites.  Then it traveled to Ohio State and only lost 67-72 as 6.5-point road dogs.  Memphis is starting over with first-year head coach Tubby Smith.  The Tigers are 4-0, but they haven't played anyone as their four opponents have been UTRGV, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Savannah State and McNeese State, all at home.  I like the fact that the Friars are battle-tested here having played two tough opponents already, while the Tigers don't have the same luxury, and this will be the first road game for Memphis.  Providence is 8-0 ATS away from home when playing its 3rd game in a week over the last 3 seasons.  Memphis is 7-17 ATS as an underdog over the last 3 years.  Take Providence.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Detroit Pistons +6.5

The Key: This is a very nice price for the Detroit Pistons at home tonight.  They have had one of the more underrated home-court advantages over the past few seasons.  They are 6-2 SU & 6-2 ATS at home this season with their only two losses coming to Boston (92-94) and Houston (96-99) by a combined 5 points.  They are actually outscoring opponents by 13.1 points per game at home this year.  The Los Angeles Clippers are getting too much respect from the books now after their NBA-best 14-2 start to the season.  The Clippers are 9-22 ATS in their last 31 games as a road favorite of 6.5 to 9 points.  The Pistons are 8-0 ATS in home games revenging a loss where they scored 85 points or fewer over the last 3 seasons.  The home team is 4-0-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.  Take Detroit.

6* Washington/Washington State Apple Cup *CA$H COW* on Washington -6

The Key: The Washington Huskies are by far the superior team in this matchup.  They have played the tougher conference schedule having to face USC, Utah and Stanford.  Washington State has only had to play one of those three teams this season and has benefited from a watered-down conference schedule.  But the Cougars took a step up in class last week and lost 24-38 at Colorado while getting outgained by 141 yards.  Washington owns Washington State, going 6-1 SU & 5-2 ATS in the last 7 meetings.  All 6 wins have come by at least a touchdown and 5 have come by double-digits.  They won 45-10 as only 7.5-point home favorites last year.  Their defense will be the difference in this game as it is way better than the stop unit Washington State has to offer.  And the Huskies only give up 196 passing yards per game and 6.0 per attempt, so they are equipped to stop Luke Falk and the Cougar passing attack.  Washington is 6-0 ATS off 2 or more consecutive ATS losses over the last 3 seasons.  The Huskies are 6-0 ATS in road games vs. poor defensive teams that allow 5.9 or more yards per play.  Take Washington.

7* NCAAF Friday *HEAVY HITTER* on Northern Illinois -5

The Key: The Northern Illinois Huskies are playing very well here down the stretch at 4-3 SU & 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 games overall.  They have found their QB of the future in Daniel Santacaterina, who led them back from 21-0 down to beat Eastern Illinois last week.  He rushed for 91 yards in the second half alone after taking over for their injured starting QB.  Kent State is down to its 3rd-string QB now after losing 7-42 at Bowling Green last week.  That was an alarming loss and it's hard to tell what kind of effort you are going to get from the Golden Flashes this week.  The Huskies are 8-0 SU & 6-1-1 ATS in the last 8 meetings winning seven of those by at least 7 points.  The Huskies are 8-0-1 ATS in their last 9 road games against a team with a losing home record.  Take Northern Illinois.

6* LSU/Texas A&M ESPN National TV *Annihilator* on LSU -6.5

The Key: LSU is by far the superior team in this matchup with Texas A&M.  The Tigers do have 4 losses, but they came to Wisconsin, Auburn, Alabama and Florida, and they could have won every one of those games.  Texas A&M is on a downward spiral while going 0-7 ATS in its last 7 games overall.  The Aggies barely beat lowly UTSA 23-10 last week after falling to both Mississippi State and Ole Miss, two teams that LSU has beaten this season.  The Aggies will get run over in this game defensively behind the power rushing attack of the Tigers.  The Aggies have allowed 282-plus rushing yards in 3 of their last 6 contests.  LSU is 5-0 SU & 5-0 ATS in its last 5 meetings with Texas A&M.  Look for that series dominance to continue as the Tigers send Ed Orgeron out a winner in the regular season finale.  Take LSU.

7* WAS/DAL NFC East Game of the Month on Washington Redskins +7

The Key: The Washington Redskins will be out for revenge from their 23-27 home loss to the Dallas Cowboys back in Week 2.  That was the start of a 9-game winning streak both straight up and ATS for the Cowboys.  They are getting way too much respect from the books now as the Redskins were 3-point favorites in that first game, and now they're 7-point dogs in the rematch, a whopping 10-point swing.  The Redskins continue flying under the radar as they've gone 6-1-1 SU & 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games.  Statistically these teams are very similar as the Redskins outgain teams by 48 yards per game and 0.4 per play while the Cowboys outgain teams by 65 yards per game and 0.3 yards per play.  The Redskins are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 trips to Dallas, so clearly the Cowboys don't have much of a home-field advantage in this series at all.  Take Washington.

6* Thursday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Virginia Tech -5

The Key: Virginia Tech came out of nowhere to finish 6th in the loaded ACC last season.  Buzz Williams has this Hokie basketball program on the rise and flying under the radar once again this season.  He returns 3 starters this season, including each of his top two scorers in Zach LeDay (15.5 PPG, 7.9 RPG last season) and Seth Allen (14.4 PPG).  It's no surprise that both LeDay (18.3 PPG, 9.7 RPG this season) and Allen (13.3 PPG) are leading the team in scoring once again this season.  But they are getting plenty of held as they have 5 other players averaging at least 8.7 points per game.  New Mexico only beat Idaho State by 11, Houston Baptist by 16 and New Mexico State by 13 in its first 3 games this season and appears down a notch this year.  The Lobos simply aren't as good away from home, where they have one of the best advantages in the country.  New Mexico is 0-6 ATS in its last 6 neutral site games.  Virginia Tech is 18-5 ATS in its last 23 games overall.  The Hokies are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games following a win.  Take Virginia Tech.

6* Thunder/Kings Western Conference *BAILOUT* on Sacramento -2.5

The Key: The wheels have fallen off in Oklahoma City.  The Thunder are 2-6 SU & 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games overall.  This is a tired team right now as they will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 7th game in 11 days.  The Sacramento Kings are rested as they have had 2 days off and will be playing just their 4th game in 12 days.  They only lost by 5 to the Spurs, by 6 to the Clippers and beat the Raptors by 3 in their last three contests, which are three of the best teams in the NBA.  The Thunder are 3-15 ATS in road games after playing 5 consecutive games as favorite over the last 2 seasons.  Oklahoma City is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 road games.  The Kings are 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 home games.  Sacramento is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games vs. a team with a winning record.  The Thunder are 1-5 ATS in the last 6 meetings.  Take Sacramento.

7* NCAAB Wednesday Night *HEAVY HITTER* on Houston -7

The Key: The Houston Cougars took a big leap forward last season in Kelvin Sampson's second year.  They went 22-10 and are going to make a run at the NCAA Tournametn this season with 3 starters back, including Damyean Dotson (13.9 PPG, 6.8 RPG), Rob Gray Jr (16.0 PPG) and Galen Robinson Jr (7.9 PPG, 3.4 APG).  The Cougars are 4-0 this season and winning by 29.2 points per game.  They covered easily in their two games with point spreads, beating George Mason 93-56 as 12-point favorites and South Dakota 85-58 as 13.5-point favorites.  Vermont is off to a 5-1 start but overvalued as its loss came by 22 points as 4.5-point dogs to a down Providence team.  The five wins have come against Quinnipiac, Marist (by 4), Wofford (by 1) and Hofstra.  The Catamounts are outclassed here.  Vermont is 3-14-2 ATS in its last 19 games following a win.  The Cougars are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.  Sampson is 11-1 ATS after scoring 85 points or more in 2 straight games in all games he has coached.  Take Houston.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Cleveland Cavaliers -11.5

The Key: I think we're actually getting a discount on the Cleveland Cavaliers for once because they have gone 2-7-1 ATS in their last 10 games overall.  But Lebron James returned to the lineup last time out, and they rolled the Pistons 104-81 at home.  That was five days ago as they have had four days off in between games.  They will be primed for a big performance tonight.  The Blazers are running on fumes right now as they will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 5th game in 7 days.  They have gone 1-4 straight up in their last 5 games, and they are 1-8 ATS in their last 9 games as they have been consistently overvalued.  Portland is 1-9 ATS vs. good offensive teams who score 99-plus points per game this season.  The home team is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.  Take Cleveland.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Atlanta Hawks -8.5

The Key: The Atlanta Hawks have lost two straight road games to the Hornets and Knicks to fall to 9-4 on the season.  It's safe to say they will be very hungry for a win tonight to get back on track.  The opposite is true for the Pelicans, who are coming off two straight home wins over the Blazers and Hornets to get to 4-10 on the season.  Now the Pelicans hit the road where they are 1-5 and losing by 7.3 points per game.  The Hawks are 6-1 SU & 6-1 ATS at home this season, outscoring opponents by 10.0 points per game.  Take Atlanta.

7* CMU/EMU MAC *HEAVY HITTER* on Eastern Michigan +1.5

The Key: Eastern Michigan is looking to get to its first bowl game since 1987.  The Eagles are 6-5 this season, but they may need another victory to secure their spot in the postseason.  And after blowing a 21-0 lead and losing to Northern Illinois last week, they will come back very hungry on Senior Night here against Central Michigan.  The Chippewas are also 6-5, but with their win over Oklahoma State earlier this season, they're probably going to a bowl either way.  They had lost 3 straight before winning 27-20 over Ohio last week, but Ohio pretty much gave that game away by committing four turnovers.  CMU was held to just 286 total yards in that game and outgained by 71 yards.  EMU is 6-0 ATS off one or more consecutive unders this season.  The Eagles are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 games after accumulating more than 450 total yards in their previous game.  The Eagles are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 vs. a team with a winning record.  Take Eastern Michigan.

6* NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Northwestern +4

The Key: The Northwestern Wildcats won 20 regular-season games for the first time in school history last year.  They  returned G Bryant McIntosh, who averaged 13.8 points and finished 9th in the nation in assists at 6.7 per game.  Forward Aaron Falzon is back after nailing 63 3-pointers as a freshman last year.  Forward Vic Law missed last season because of a shoulder injury, but he's back after averaging 7 points and 4.8 rebounds while shooting 35.5 percent from 3-point range as a freshman in 2014-15.  Northwestern is 3-1 this season with a 31-point win over Miss Valley State, a 14-point win over Eastern Washington, a 2-point loss as 7.5-point dogs at Butler, and a dominant 19-point win over Texas yesterday as 3-point dogs.  I like the value here with the Wildcats as I feel they are a better team than Notre Dame this year and will win outright.  Notre Dame is 4-13 ATS in its last 17 games as a neutral court favorite of 3.5 to 6 points.  The Wildcats are 10-1 ATS in road games versus good rebounding teams who outrebound their opponents by 4-plus per game over the last 3 seasons.  The Wildcats are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 non-conference games.  The Fighting Irish are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games following a ATS win.  Take Northwestern.