Rating: 2 Units

Toledo is 16-6, riding a 6-game win skein, while 16-6 Akron had ripped off 7 straight wins before a Friday game against Kent State, so something’s gotta give. The ATS archives suggest the Rockets are the right side. Not only do they own a 19-7 ATS edge in this series of late, but they’re also 5-2 ATS with LTKO revenge, including 3-0 ATS away. That’s a few light years better than the Zips’ 3-7-1 ATS mark versus foes seeking LTKO revenge, including 0-5-1 ATS when Akron sports a sub .777 win percentage. These two go at it again in two weeks, so pay close attention to this matchup. While grabbing the points, of course.

Rating: 2 Units

Wake Forest narrowly covered as 11.0-point underdogs in the first game, and playing at home I think they cover again. UNC's last two trips to Winston-Salem were blowout losses, and this UNC team has been pretty inconsistent this season. Wake Forest has performed almost identically to UNC this season, albeit with a weaker out-of-conference schedule. Wake Forest hit 47.6% of their threes against them in January, and their three-point shooting will keep them alive all night this time around too. Wake Forest covers against the Tar Heels again.

Rating: 2 Units

The Mavericks could possibly be without Luka Doncic in this game, as I simply don't trust them when he isn't on the floor. He does everything for them on the offensive end of the court. Dallas has also struggled to consistently score, as they are only averaging the 24th most points per game. The Jazz will be able to get consistent stops throughout this one and slowly pull away. Dallas hasn't impressed me on the defensive end of the court either. They are surrendering the 24th-highest shooting percentage from the field, as the Jazz will find open looks throughout this game and I expect them to take advantage. Utah is currently scoring the fourth most points per game and they have the fourth-highest adjusted offensive rating. They will efficiently score throughout this game and slowly pull away. Dallas isn't the same team without Doncic and I like this Jazz offense.

Rating: 2 Units

The Jayhawks are rarely rattled, but that wasn't the case on Saturday. The loss was a tough pill to swallow for KU and one it can't afford to obsess over with Texas looming. There's enough talent on this squad to play with anyone on any given night, but they can't be overly reliant on Wilson to do his thing. Turnovers aside, that's the main focal point coaches will demonstrate to players on Sunday. The Longhorns covered up a poor first-half showing with a second-half rally versus Kansas State. That will not be enough at Allen Fieldhouse against an impassioned Jayhawks squad. If they want to win or cover, the Horns will have to take better care of the ball and shoot much better from three (4-of-16 vs. KSU). Texas has proven itself in conference play, but the Big 12 race is far from wrapped up. In this game, I expect the Jayhawks players to run like their hair is on fire and rebound like linebackers hitting the hole to stop a running back on third and goal. There's no saying how well they'll take care of the ball, but I would be shocked if they turn it over a lot early in the game, as they did versus the Cyclones. If it's going to take this type of effort, Jalen Wilson needs support. Bet on him getting plenty of it, resulting in a Kansas cover.

Rating: 2 Units

The Los Angeles Clippers are at the end of a difficult five-game road trek. They lost to the Bucks on Thursday and needed overtime to beat the Knicks on Saturday. The Nets are winning games, logging the victory in three of their last four games. Durant and Simmons did not play in those games. Furthermore, the Nets are the better offensive squad here. They are averaging 114.2 points per 100 possessions compared to only 110.5 points from the Clippers while defensively they are even. The Clippers have only averaged 111 points in their last four games and that included an overtime game. The Nets were able to score 125 points without Durant, Simmons, and Irving on Saturday and I expect a victory in this one. 

Rating: 2 Units

The Cavs enter off a revenge affair of their own last night at Indiana and they stand 3-9 ATS in post-Pacer performances. Consider that Cleveland is 1-11-1 ATS as a road favorite without rest. 

Rating: 2 Units

The Celtics are already 2-0 against the Pistons this season with an average margin of victory of 12.5 points. Boston's high-powered offense should get right back on track against the Pistons' porous defense that is near the bottom of almost all defensive categories. In addition, the Celtics' defense has made a major uptick since the return of Williams. They should have their way against a Detroit offense that has struggled to put up points at times this season and has limited weapons. The Celtics won't overlook this game as the Bucks and Sixers close in on the top of the Eastern Conference and will come in rested with a full roster.

NBA Play of the Day

Rating: 3 Units

Knicks look to even the score from a 119-112 Christmas Day home defeat to Philly. With it they bring along a strong 10-5-1 ATS record in games with a .444 or greater mark as a division home dog with revenge, including 5-1-1 ATS when coming off a home game. They also pile on with a 12-8 SUATS mark this season with same-season loss revenge of 7-plus points. The 76ers are coming off a same-season revenge contest with the Spurs, (3-7 ATS away after facing San Antonio) with another same season revenge affair up next against Miami (3-9-1 ATS before Miami, including 0-3 ATS away). Finally, consider that the Knicks are 15-8 SU and 14-7-1 ATS series with same-season loss revenge if .428 or greater, including 7-1 ATS as a dog.

Rating: 3 Units

Temple is on a solid 4-0 SU run of late overall, but only 4-11 SU and 6-9 ATS in this series, including 3-8 ATS when Houston sports a sub .925- win percentage. In addition, head coach Aaron McKie owns a weak 5-10 ATS with a winning record with the Owls versus foes with revenge, and worse, Temple is 10-100-1 ATS in games they lose outright at home, including 0-38-1 ATS versus avenging foes. Remember, Sampson’s Cougars are a perfect 8-0 SUATS away this season, plus they get added backing from the fact that Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson is 36-17 SUATS with same season conference loss revenge, including 5-0 SUATS when coming off one win.

Rating: 2 Units

The Pacers snapped a four-game losing streak with a 107-104 win over the Sacramento Kings on Friday. Buddy Hield made five 3-pointers and scored 21 points, Aaron Nesmith added 17 points, and Myles Turner had 14 points and 13 rebounds. Indiana coach Rick Carlisle was encouraged by his team's defensive effort after causing 19 turnovers and holding Sacramento to 43.0 percent shooting. Indiana split its first two games against Cleveland this season, including a 135-126 victory on Dec. 29. Tyrese Haliburton and Hield combined for 11 3-pointers and 54 points in the win. The Pacers' frontcourt received a boost earlier this week with the season debut of center Daniel Theis, who was out while recovering from right knee surgery.  Consider that the Cavaliers are 3-13 ATS in their last 16 games following a ATS win.

Rating: 2 Units

Hornets guard Terry Rozier has scored 20 or more points in five consecutive games. In a late October game, Orlando picked up its first victory of the season after five losses by defeating the visiting Hornets 113-93. Charlotte won a rematch, 112-105 on Nov. 14 at Orlando. In those two matchups, the Hornets didn't have a player reach the 20-point mark. Gordon Hayward was the team's top scorer in the first game and Mason Plumlee led the scoring in the second meeting. In each case, those players scored 18 points. This marks the first visit of the season for the Magic to Charlotte. Clifford is a former Orlando head coach. For Charlotte, Sunday's game will be the only home appearance during a six-game stretch. Consider that the Hornets are 48-19-2 ATS in their last 69 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.

Rating: 3 Units

The Buckeyes are 1-4 ATS in their last five and 2-8 ATS in their last ten. I don't want to trust them to cover in this spot after they played well below their talent level against Wisconsin, losing a winnable game at home as seven-point spread favorites. While the Wolverines haven't been trustworthy this season, at least they woke up against Northwestern, taking down an NCAA Tournament-bound Wildcats team by double digits after getting blown out at Penn State. Michigan might not have the star power college hoops fans are accustomed to seeing in the maize and blue, but they're talented enough to defend their home court against the underwhelming Buckeyes. This likely won't be the best edition of the rivalry game, but it should be competitive for at least 3/4 of the afternoon. That said, by the time the final whistle blows, Michigan will be the school with the bragging rights.

Rating: 2 Units

When diving into KenPom’s adjusted efficiency margin, there is a large difference between these programs as San Jose State is 113th in the country with a +4.84 rating while Wyoming is 153rd in college basketball with a +1.11 rating thus far. A huge reason is the ability to grab rebounds as there is a massive difference with the Cowboys being 275th in the sport with 32.5 total rebounds per game while the Spartans are 116th in the nation with 35.7 total rebounds per game thus far. All in all, go with the better program that covers the spread more effectively to do just that.

Rating: 2 Units

When one team dominates another as the Thunder do the Rockets, a pesky loss such as the one Oklahoma City suffered at Houston as 6-point road chalk on Wednesday only serves to bring them back around to full focus. That’s what we expect to find tonight, as the Thunder will look to improve on their 10-2 ATS mark in this series, taking the floor sporting a 5-0 ATS record in their last five games when coming off a SU favorite loss. Meanwhile, the Rockets arrive off a home revenger against Toronto last night while standing 0-5 SUATS after the Raptors, and 0-5 SUATS the last five without rest. Making matters worse, Houie has another home revenger waiting on tap Monday night against the Sacramento, owning a 0-4 SU and 1-3 ATS log in post-Kings’ contests.

Rating: 2 Units

Chicago has covered the spread in 6 of its last nine at home. The Bulls will be well rested having played on Thursday while Portland will play its third straight road game and its second game in as many nights after facing Washington on Friday. The result is the Trail Blazers will be playing their third game in four nights, all of which were on the road. Portland has failed to cover the spread in eight of its last nine games played on the road and the Trail Blazers have failed to cover the spread in eight of the last nine games played on the road against the team that has a winning record at home (Chicago 14-11 at home). Portland struggles against teams with a losing record, failing to cover the spread in five of seven in that situation. Jerami Grant, who averages 20.1 points per game for Portland, is out on Friday in the first half of the back to back and could miss Saturday against Chicago.

Rating: 2 Units

From a squad that was a permanent fixture in the Top 25 poll under Wright, this year’s Wildcats still haven’t found their footing, standing 10-12 overall after losing 7 of their last 10 contests. They also bring along an 8-16-2 ATS log in games when sporting a losing record, including 1-5-2 ATS in conference play. Look, we’ll be the first to admit it’s not often you’ll find the Bluejays dressing up as favorites against the Wildcats (just 3 times in 20 meetings since they joined the Big East) but when they do, there is certainly provocation. It starts with last year’s 54-48 loss to Villanova in the finals of the Big East tourney, and with that Creighton brings a 5-1 SUATS record into tonight’s affair when looking to exact LTKO revenge, including 5-0 SUATS when they face sub .900 opponents. Greg McDermott’s troops have been a tough out at home this season, going 10-1 SU and scoring an average of over 81 points per game, and we think they’ll heap a little more misery on Nova here.

Rating: 2 Units

This feels like a good spot to put some money on the Pistons. Both of these teams come into this game playing the second half of a back to back so I have to think that the Suns will be overlooking the lowly Pistons, thinking they could go through the motions and get a win before gearing up for tougher games ahead. And they may well escape with a win, but I think this is a game the Pistons could possibly steal and win outright, or at least play close enough to cover the spread. They are 3-7 in back to backs this season, which is better than their overall winning percentage. Take the Pistons here to cover the spread.

Rating: 2 Units

I do not have any interest in backing New York right now, as the Knicks have been extremely inconsistent and overvalued in the betting market. They have only covered the spread three times in their last nine games, and they have gone 4-8 against the spread in their last 12 home games. Los Angeles is going to be undervalued after losing a game to Milwaukee that it clearly should have won. The Clippers have covered the spread in six of their last seven games, including five of their last six road games. They are a different team with George back on the court, but the market has not fully accounted for that, which has made them a profitable option.

Rating: 2 Units

I will be riding with the Los Angeles Lakers in this game. Los Angeles has been trending in the correct direction, as they are (6-4) in their last 10 and they've won two straight. They also have James and Davis back on the floor, as this has been a huge boost for their team. Now, the Pelicans have continued to slide. They are (0-10) in their last 10 and they don't seem to be warming up. The Lakers will dominate on the offensive end of the court, as they are scoring the sixth most points per game and they have the ninth-highest team shooting percentage. The Pelicans will allow them to find consistent open shots throughout this game and I expect them to take advantage. New Orleans has also struggled on the offensive end of the court, as they won't score enough points to cover this spread. The Lakers have been great at defending the perimeter and the Pelicans just haven't looked good enough for me to trust them.

Rating: 3 Units

The Hoosiers have won five of their last six games and four of their last five home games. They are very good offensively, especially at home where they are scoring more than 83 points per game while making over 53 percent of their shots. They do a good job finding the open man and they were very aggressive on the offensive glass in their last three games, grabbing more than 10 offensive rebounds per game in their last three games, which will give them more scoring opportunities. They also do a good job protecting the ball and won’t give the Boilermakers a lot of easy-scoring opportunities. The Boilermakers have played well defensively, but they aren’t as efficient on the road and will have a hard time slowing down the Hoosiers in this game. The Boilermakers have won nine straight games. They have played well offensively, but they’re not as good on the road where they are scoring more than 72 points per game. They struggled at the free throw line in their last three games, making less than 68 percent of their shots. They also didn’t rebound the ball as well as the Hoosiers in recent games and won’t get a lot of extra-scoring opportunities against the Hoosiers. The Hoosiers are very good defensively and do a better job at home where they are holding opponents under 65 points per game and will keep Purdue’s offense in check. Go with the Hoosiers to cover the spread.

Rating: 2 Units

This has the makings of a fantastic matchup, as Texas is atop the Big 12 (7-2) with Kansas State right behind (6-3). This means a lot is on the line, especially for the Wildcats, who want to keep their home winning streak alive while also ensuring that Kansas, TCU, and Iowa State, who are also 6-3, do not have a chance to jump over the Wildcats in the standings. So, look for Kansas State to play this game like it is a tournament game. They have been absolutely dominant at home while Texas is just 2-3 on the road. The Wildcats have covered the spread it in four of their last five games and eight of their last 10.

Rating: 3 Units

Miami is 0-12 SU on this floor since entering the ACC. Folks, that’s some bad ju-ju, made even worse by the fact that when the Hurricanes lose a game under head coach Jim Larranaga, they usually don’t cash a ticket. The offi cial results are 84-724 ATS in outright conference losses with the Canes, including 7-41 ATS versus avenging foes. Did that shift your perspective? How about Clemson’s perfect 12-0 record this season at Littlejohn Coliseum, where the Tigers average a 12.7-point win? Brad Brownell’s boys have not lost back-to-back games this campaign and we don’t look for it to happen here. Finally, Clemmie stands 5-1-1 ATS in this series when coming off consecutive ATS losses – which blends in with the fact that Clemson is 16-5 SU and 14-7 ATS as single-digit home chalk off a SU favorite loss, including 6-0 SUATS when coming off consecutive point spread losses.

Rating: 2 Units

Butler is going the wrong direction with six losses in seven games and their offense has been stuck in neutral for the most part. The Bulldogs have scored more than 61 points just once in their last seven games and have hung 58 or less in five of those matchups. That doesn’t bode well against a Marquette team that is in the top 20 in the nation in scoring offense and who leads the nation in two-point shooting. Butler is a decent defensive team but their inability to scare anyone on the offensive end, coupled with their road woes, is too much to ask for in this one. Take Marquette at home as they prevail in this contest.

Rating: 2 Units

ISU looks to get even for their recent 2-point setback to KU. We like the Cyclones’ chances to do just that: they own a 5-0 ATS series record versus Kansas when playing with same season revenge from a loss of fewer than 20 points, plus the Jayhawks have cashed just a single ticket in their last six games after clashing with K-State. Keep a close eye on the line today, too, as Iowa State stands 5-0 ATS as home dogs of 7-plus points if .666 or greater. Also keep in mind that Iowa State has won the rebound battle in its last 8 straight contests and won’t be overpowered here. With Kansas possibly looking ahead to a bigger game at Texas on Monday, we expect the Cyclones to keep their fans satisfied in this high-noon showdown

Rating: 2 Units

The Broncos are 4-0 ATS in their last four games vs. a team with a winning percentage above .600 and the underdog is 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings between BSU and SDSU. Give me the Broncos at +7 following a solid road win over Air Force. Boise will have a shot to assume complete control of the Mountain West, especially with a home rematch versus San Diego State in a few weeks. These two teams should determine the conference champion in those games. With its stellar defense, Boise State will cover the spread and give itself a shot at an outright win. The stats don't paint the entire picture, but they give a glimpse into BSU's defensive dominance. Ranked 9th in the country in defensive efficiency with a top 5 three-point defense, the Broncos will make life difficult for the home squad on offense.

Rating: 2 Units

Minnesota enters after looking to avenge a same season-defeat to Golden State (5-10 SUATS post Warrior workouts) with yet another same-season avenger on tap with Denver. After checking off all the boxes, consider that Orlando is 20-8 SUATS in this series, including 8-0 ATS when seeking same-season revenge. 

Rating: 2 Units

I know this spread is massive, but I am going to take the 76ers on the road. The Spurs are (1-9) in their last 10 games and they are one of the worst defensive teams in the league. They won't be able to stop the Sixers, as Philadelphia will slowly pull away throughout this game. The Spurs are currently allowing the most points per game and they have the highest adjusted defensive rating. Philadelphia will be able to score from anywhere on the floor, as they are averaging the 13th most points per game and they have the third-highest three-point shooting percentage. Philadelphia also has the 10th highest adjusted offensive rating and they are (8-2) in their last 10 games played. Now, the Spurs won't be able to consistently score either, as the 76ers have the seventh-lowest adjusted defensive rating and they are holding their opponents to the fourth least amount of points per game. They will contest shots near the rim and on the outside, as the Spurs won't score enough points to cover this spread.

Rating: 2 Units

I might be interested in backing Phoenix once Booker returns next week, but I am going to stay away from the Suns on Friday night. They are coming off one of their worst performances of the season, getting blown out by Atlanta in a game where they never competed. Phoenix is now having to go on the road for just the second time in the last two weeks to face a Boston team that is coming off a spectacular showing. The Celtics had everything working in their win over the Nets, and they are 9-1 in their last 10 home games. Phoenix simply does not have the firepower necessary to hang with Boston right now.

Rating: 2 Units

Both teams have been turnstiles on the defensive end of the floor this season. The Hornets are playing the second game of a back-to-back set here. They’ve been brutal on the road this season and they haven’t had much in the way of success in back-to-backs this year. Detroit has their own issues as injuries have taken a toll on them this season, as will the stress of the travel issues that led to the postponement of Wednesday’s contest. With that said, the Pistons do have a rest advantage going for them and they are at home. Given how poor the Hornets have looked as the visiting team this season, you have to give the slight edge to Detroit in this contest.

Rating: 2 Units

The Aggies are one of the most dangerous offensive teams in the country. They heavily lean on 3-point shooting and pace the nation in 3-point percentage, but the Aggies’ defense is far away from an elite level. That’s going to be an issue in this matchup, as New Mexico owns one of the best scoring trios in college basketball. Jamal Mashburn Jr, Jaelen House, and Morris Udeze will torture the Aggies’ D and help the Lobos to keep it close down the stretch. The Lobos defend the 3-point line well and love to get to the free-throw line. They are 17th in the country in free-throw rate. I’m backing the Lobos, who are 5-2 ATS in their previous seven outings on the road. The Aggies, on the other side, are 1-4 ATS in their previous five games overall. 

Rating: 2 Units

LSU’s 12-1 start to the season came to a grinding halt with seven straight losses for the Bengal Cats, and as a result they find themselves in a 3-way mess with both of the Mississippi’s at the bottom of the SEC totem pole. They also have to face off against a Missouri team tonight that remembers its season-ending loss to LSU in the Donkey Round of last year’s SEC tourney, and that sets the table here as they check in with a sparkling 3-0 SUATS log in home games when seeking LTKO revenge. The Tigers from COMO have lost just two games in Mizzou Arena this season, against Kansas and Alabama – two squads that are head-and-shoulders above the troubled Tigers from the bayou. With only one conference win in his pocket this season, we don’t see anything changing soon for first-year LSU head coach Matt McMahon. 

Rating: 2 Units

This is the type of game that the Thunder have to win if they truly want to compete for a play-in spot -- or more. They are on the road facing a lesser team and that lesser team is banged up with some key players questionable. It helps that they have the two best players on the floor in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey, while Houston may be missing their two best players -- Green and Alperen. Also, the Thunder have been great against the spread, going 31-18-1 against the number this season. Houston, on the other hand, is just 20-29-1 against the spread. Take Oklahoma City here to cover.

Rating: 2 Units

Indiana State won the first head-to-head meeting by 28 points, and I expect another dominating performance here. The Purple Aces' rank in the bottom 40 in the nation in field goal percentage, three-point percentage and scoring on both offense and defense. On the other end, Indiana State is 46th in field goal percentage, scoring and free-throw shooting on offense. The Sycamores are also much better defensively. There's always a chance that Indiana State overlooks Evansville here or falls victim to a late backdoor cover, but the Sycamores are the smart play here.

Rating: 2 Units

Boston is the better offensive team in this matchup and I don't think these two teams are even when Kevin Durant isn't on the floor. Boston is also (5-0) ATS in their last five meetings overall, as they will be looking to dominate again in this game. The Boston offense is also extremely tough to beat, as they have the third-highest adjusted offensive rating and they are scoring the third most points per game. Tatum and Jaylen Brown are tough to stop and they have multiple key players that can come off the bench and contribute as well. Brooklyn is still dealing with injuries and I don't see Irving carrying his team to victory in this one. Boston also has the fifth-lowest adjusted defensive rating and they are holding their opponents to the 10th-lowest shooting percentage from the floor. They will pressure the Nets consistently throughout this game and keep them from scoring enough points to cover the spread.

Rating: 2 Units

Tulsa has been one of the worst teams in college basketball to bet on this season as they have been awful against the spread. The Golden Hurricane is 3-15-2 against the spread this year. Meanwhile, Cincinnati has been a solid bet, going 14-7 against the spread on the season. One concern here is that Landers Nolley is listed as questionable for this game with a banged-up knee. Cincinnati may try to rest him thinking they can beat Tulsa without him as they prepare for bigger games coming up. If this game was at Tulsa I might give the Golden Hurricane a shot to cover, but the Bearcats have been great at home and I like them to cover with or without Nolley. Take Cincinnati here.

Rating: 2 Units

This is too big of a game for the Volunteers to expect any sort of letdown. In essence, Tennessee is in a two-team race for the SEC regular season crown and that outcome could ultimately determine whether or not the Volunteers earn a coveted #1 seed in one of the four tournament regions. Tennessee just has too much talent for this Florida team. Florida was overwhelmed by K-State on Saturday, particularly the Wildcats' defense. Now they face arguably the best defense in the country in the Volunteers. Tennessee has the nation's #1 scoring defense and #1 3pt defense. The Volunteers also have more than enough scoring to get off and running and keep the Gators at bay. I expect the Volunteers to dominate the interior, double Castleton in the post, and force Florida to try to beat them with the Gators' subpar perimeter shooting. Tennessee will roll in this spot.

Rating: 2 Units

Xavier (17-5, 9-2 Big East) enters the game tied for first in the conference but is coming off an 84-67 loss at Creighton on Saturday. The Friars (17-5, 9-2) also sit atop the conference, alongside the Musketeers and Marquette. The Musketeers received untimely news on Tuesday with the revelation that big man Zach Freemantle will be sidelined at least four weeks with a left foot injury. Freemantle is averaging 15.2 points and a team-best 8.1 rebounds per game and is shooting 58.5 percent from the field. Consider that the Friars are 35-16 ATS in their last 51 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.

Rating: 3 Units

The fact is Kansas stands only one game out of first place and we expect a strong surge down the stretch. It starts here with KU bringing a 3-0 SUATS mark in this contest in games in which they own the inferior record by an average win margin of 20 PPG. As for the over-achieving Wildcats, they’re just 1-5 ATS against foes they beat earlier in the season by one-point exact. And if that’s not bad enough, they crawl into this week’s contest with a gaudy 7-40 ATS mark in conference games they fail to win against avenging opponents. Let’s face it: Kansas is a ticking time bomb right now and we expect them to hit the 0:00 mark against hated Kansas State tonight. Finally, Kansas is 4-0 SUATS since 1990 when seeking same-season revenge against Kansas State, with every win by a double-digit margin.

Rating: 3 Units

The young guns from Cleveland host a team that has been a thorn in their side, only tonight they’ll be laying points to the angry visitors from Miami. It’s a sketchy setting for the Cavs who hosted the Clippers here on Sunday knowing they are just 3-13 SUATS in games after facing the Clips, including 0-5 SU and 0-4-1 ATS in the last five such occurrences. The Heat take the floor sporting a 12-5 SUATS mark in this series, including 4-1 ATS when looking to avenge a same-season defeat (they lost 113-87 here in their last matchup in November). One thing for certain, though, Is points figure to be at a premium in this matchup of the Association’s two top-ranked teams in scoring defense. Consider that Miami is 7-4 SU and 8-3 ATS as a road dog from Game 28 out with Eric Spoelstra when seeking revenge from a same-season loss of 25 or more points, including 6-1 ATS against winning foes.

Rating: 2 Units

The Fighting Illini are 4-0 ATS in their last four Tuesday games, 6-1 ATS in their last seven games overall, and 6-1 ATS in their last seven games. The Huskers are 0-7 ATS in their last seven road games and  0-6 ATS in their last six games vs. a team with a winning % above .600. This game should be one-sided, as the Huskers are down a few bodies and the Illini have a significant talent advantage. Nebraska will be boxed out for rebounds all night, and if it can't handle the press, turnovers will lead to easy Illinois baskets.

Rating: 2 Units

Neither team has been profitable ATS this season, and while I'm leaning towards the Longhorns winning straight-up, this should be a close game. With the Longhorns coming off a disheartening loss and the Bears riding a six-game winning streak, I'm siding with Baylor. Texas is 8-13 ATS this season, including 3-7 in its last ten overall. While Baylor is just 10-10-1 ATS overall, it has been the better side to back as of late, going 4-1-1 in its past six overall. History tells us the Bears are the profitable team to bet on Monday, as well. Baylor is 4-0 ATS in its last four Monday games and Texas is 0-4 in its last four Monday games. In what should turn out to be a one or two-possession game, I'll take the team that's getting points.

Rating: 2 Units

The Red Raiders are still red-faced thinking about the last time these two met in Ames three weeks ago, where the Cyclones annihilated them, 80-54 – Texas Tech’s worst loss this season, and its worst overall since 2015. The Raiders had gone 7-1 SU and 8-0 ATS in the series with ISU before the blowout, and just so happen to own a 7-1 ATS at home with revenge versus the Cyclones. Iowa State also has a revenge affair with Kansas on deck, and the Clones are just 3-22 SU away before facing the Jayhawks, including 6-10-1 ATS the last 17 games. Tech makes up for a season’s worth of hurt by bringing down the Cyclones.

Rating: 2 Units

The Detroit Pistons continue to struggle to win games as they are playing without their young star Cade Cunningham who is out for the remainder of the season. The Pistons have lost eight out of their last ten games including a home loss to Houston in their previous action. Many of these have been ugly losses. Six of the eight losses in that span were by double-digits. The Mavericks have enough depth even if Doncic and Wood don’t play. Detroit is one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA. They have squandered an average of 129 points in their last four games. This is not a good sign considering Dallas is averaging 113.3 points per 100 possessions, good for seventh in the NBA. 

Rating: 2 Units

The Thunder have been great on the defensive end of the court as of late and they are (7-3) overall in their last 10 games played. The Warriors are also (6-18) on the road this season, as I don't see them staying hot in this game. According to dunksandthrees.com, they only have the 20th-highest adjusted offensive rating and the Thunder have the seventh-lowest adjusted defensive rating. They are also holding their opponents to the sixth-lowest shooting percentage from the field, as they will get just enough stops to cover this spread. OKC has also shown that they can consistently put the ball in the basket. The Warriors have not been good defensively this season, as they are allowing the 26th most points per game and the 18th lowest three-point shooting percentage. The Thunder will find open shots throughout this game and I expect them to take advantage. They are scoring the sixth most points per game and they have been hot as of late.

Rating: 2 Units

The Timberwolves have won three in a row and five of the last six. They handled the Memphis Grizzlies and Kings, two of the top teams in the West, to open a six-game homestand during which the reigning NBA champs (Golden State) and current No. 1 team in the West (Denver) also will be visiting. The Kings, whose current .563 winning percentage is nearly 200 points higher than last year's .366, have stumbled lately, losing three of four. Saturday's loss to the Timberwolves was the opener of their longest trip of the season -- a seven-game excursion that will take them to San Antonio, Indian, New Orleans and two in Houston. Sacramento had won its previous three road outings before arriving in Minneapolis.  Consider that the Timberwolves are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record while the Kings are 1-5 ATS in the last 6 meetings in Minnesota.

Rating: 2 Units

Los Angeles is going to be very motivated coming into this game following its emotional loss to Boston on Saturday night. The Lakers should have had a pair of free throws to win the game in the final seconds, and they were still able to cover the spread as 7.5-point underdogs. They are also underrated in the betting market right now due to Davis’s return, as he is clearly more impactful than the odds are accounting for. Los Angeles has covered the spread in four of its last five games, and it has gone 5-0-1 ATS in its last six road games. Brooklyn is relying almost completely on Irving to win games right now, which has led to the Nets going 3-6 in their nine games since Durant’s injury.

Rating: 2 Units

The Cavaliers have won six straight games and three of their last four road games. They are playing well offensively, even on the road where they are averaging more than 71 points per game. They do a good job finding the open man and they’re aggressive on the offensive glass, which will give them more scoring opportunities. They also do a good job protecting the ball, turning it over less than 10 times per game, and won’t give the Orange a lot of easy-scoring opportunities. The Orange usually play well defensively, but they struggled in recent games, giving up more than 73 points per game in their last three games, and will have a hard time slowing down the Cavaliers in this game. The Orange have lost three of their last four games. They struggled offensively during the stretch, scoring a little more than 72 points per game in their last three games. Their rebounding also dropped off during the stretch, so don’t expect them to get a lot of extra-scoring opportunities against the Cavaliers. They were also careless with the ball, which will lead to easy-scoring opportunities for the Cavaliers, who average seven steals per game on the road. The Cavaliers play well defensively and they’re just as good on the road where they are holding opponents to 65 points per game, so expect them to keep Syracuse’s offense in check. Go with Virginia to cover the spread.

Rating: 2 Units

Clips enter off a same-season avenger of their own at Atlanta last night and given the fact that they are 5-15 SU and 6-14 ATS in games on the North coast, including 0-4 ATS when the Cavs are looking to settle up from an earlier season loss of fewer than 20 points in this series. With Los Angeles just 4-9-1 ATS in non-conference clashes on Sundays, and Cleveland 9-2 ATS on the first day of the week, look for a Cavs’ assault this evening. 

Rating: 2 Units

If the Charlotte Hornets could just stay whole for an extended period, they might be onto something. The lineup could be close to that when the Miami Heat visit for Sunday afternoon's game in Charlotte, N.C. The Hornets had LaMelo Ball and Gordon Hayward back in action Thursday night in a 111-96 victory against the visiting Chicago Bulls. Both players missed the previous games -- Ball sitting out three and Hayward the past two. Consider that the Heat are 9-20-2 ATS in their last 31 games following a straight up win.

Rating: 3 Units

Sparty suffered a 64-63 setback at home to Purdue just 13 days ago, stirring up bad memories of being booted from the Big Ten tourney in the semifinals by the Makers last season. The Wizard brings a lofty 18-10 SU and 17-11 ATS career record in conference games when seeking same-season revenge when his troops are coming off an ATS loss, including 5-2 SUATS versus .800 or greater opposition. State’s biggest concern will be putting the clamps on Purdue center Zach Edey, a 7-4, 305-pound monster from Toronto who averages 21 PPG and pulls down 13 rebounds. Still, the Boilermakers haven’t cashed a ticket in the last three meetings with MSU, which is a perfect setup for the fact that playing on the Michigan State Spartans when they are seeking revenge against a Big Ten opponent is 31-11-1 (75%) since 1975.

Rating: 2 Units

Michigan won the first meeting this season but the Wolverines continue to sputter in big games. The Wolverines simply don’t have a ton of scoring depth to rely on in clutch situations behind Dickinson, which makes things difficult. Jett Howard is questionable after missing the game against Purdue and logging only 15 minutes against Minnesota before leaving with an ankle injury. If he doesn’t go, that takes the team’s second-leading scorer out of the mix. Penn State is a terrific perimeter shooting team and they are eager to shake off their struggles against Rutgers. The Nittany Lions are 10-1 at home this season while Michigan is only 1-3 on the road with that win coming over a struggling Minnesota team back in December. That, coupled with the injury report, doesn’t help the Wolverines here: take Penn State in this contest.

Rating: 2 Units

Minnesota is scoring an average of 115.2 points per game and shooting 49.2% overall despite not having their second leading scorer Karl-Anthony Towns, who scores an average of 20.8 points per game. Minnesota has covered the spread in four of its last five games overall and in eight of the last 11 games when playing against an opponent from the Western Conference. The Kings will be playing their first game of an eight-game road trip on Saturday. Although Sacramento is leading the NBA in scoring, the Kings are also giving up plenty of points allowing an average of 116.6 points per game and 48.8% field goal shooting, which plays do the strength of the Timberwolves, who have a field goal shooting percentage of 49.2% which is fourth best in the NBA.

Rating: 2 Units

Spurs are 6-1-1 ATS with same-season revenge from a loss of 20-plus points in this series. That fits like a glove next to the Suns’ spotty 2-8-2 ATS record when facing foes they beat by more than 36 points earlier in the season. A quick check of each team’s body of work this season shows Phoenix flattening out on a 10-19 run at press time, after beginning the season 15-6. On the flip side, San Antonio put a halt to a 6-18 SU and 9-15 ATS beginning to this campaign as they’ve improved since, going 8-16 SU and 15-10 ATS. Finally consider that San Antonio is 5-0 ATS with revenge from a same-season defeat of more than 30 points under Greg Popovich when coming off a win or a loss of 5 or fewer points in its last game.

Rating: 2 Units

Consider that the Panthers are 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 games overall, 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record, and 0-5-1 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record. While the Thundering Herd are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games following a ATS loss, 7-3 ATS in their last 10 Saturday games, and 7-3 ATS in their last 10 home games.

Rating: 3 Units

Nebraska is struggling with injuries that minimize their rotation and hamper their ability to rebound. Reese should take advantage of Derrick Walker, who is not as big as some of the other centers in the league at 6-9. That doesn't sound small, but when you face the likes of 7-4 Zach Edey two games before and Reese had great success against him, that's an advantage. The Terps' pressure defense will also be crucial in this matchup Maryland needs to continue to win at home, where they have many students returning from winter break in what should be a raucous atmosphere in College Park.

Rating: 2 Units

Flyers return to UD Arena, where they own a legitimate home court advantage. Dayton has gone 22-2 SU in its last 24 games at home, including 10-1 SU this season where the Flyers have won by an average margin of just over 16 PPG. And when it comes to dueling with foes that own a sub .525 win percentage, Dayton has treated its backers to a 13-0 SU and 9-3 ATS effort. We can’t say the same for the 11-10 Spiders, who arrive on a 1-3 SU and 0-4 ATS slide in their last four games. Even worse, Richmond has gone 0-6 ATS versus foes coming off consecutive losses, including 0-4 ATS this season. Yikes. The hosts are hanging tough in the Atlantic 10 race in 4th place and will be facing a bunch of Spiders that could be more concerned about an upcoming double-revenger against St. Bonaventure. Don't forget Dayton’s 68-64 loss to Richmond in the semifinals of the Atlantic-10 tourney last season snapped a 7-0 SUATS series win skein against the Spiders.

Rating: 2 Units

This is a great battle between two of the top three teams in the NBA. These are two solid offensive clubs, would Denver averaging nearly two points more per game, while Philadelphia is allowing nearly two points fewer per contest. Both are solid shooting clubs, but Philadelphia has a huge edge at the free-throw line. The 76ers are hitting 83.0% of their free-throw attempts while Denver is at 74.3%. In a game that is expected to be close, that will be a key factor in the contest. One also has to like how hot Philadelphia is. While they have not been great at home of late, they are still on fire. Denver has some key injuries and will not know exactly what to expect out of Jokic.

Rating: 3 Units

The Crimson Tide have won nine straight games and six straight road games. They are very good offensively, even on the road where they are scoring more than 80 points per game. They’ve taken advantage of their opportunities at the charity stripe, making over 81 percent of their free throws in their last three games. They are very aggressive on the offensive glass, grabbing more than 10 offensive rebounds per game, which will give them more scoring chances. They also cut back on their turnovers in recent games and won’t give the Sooners a lot of easy scoring opportunities. The Sooners usually play well defensively, but they struggled in recent games, giving up more than 70 points per game in their last three games, and will have a hard time slowing down the Crimson Tide in this game. The Sooners have lost four of their last five games and three of their last four home games. They’re not very good offensively and they played worse in recent games, averaging less than 60 points per game in their last three games while making less than 40 percent of their shots. They don’t rebound the ball as well as the Crimson Tide and won’t get a lot of extra scoring opportunities against them. They’ve also been careless with the ball, which will lead to easy scoring opportunities for the Crimson Tide, who average more than five steals per game on the road. The Crimson Tide are very good defensively and they have played better in recent games, holding their last three opponents under 65 points per game. They won’t have trouble keeping Oklahoma’s offense in check. Go with Alabama to cover the spread.

Rating: 2 Units

When looking into the adjusted efficiency margin provided by KenPom, Northern Iowa is 170th in the sport with a -0.21 rating while Indiana State is 128th in the country with a +3.77 rating so far. Looking at the defenses throughout the last few games, there is a difference there as the Panthers are giving up 68.8 points in their last five games while the Sycamores are allowing 76.7 points in their previous three games. Go with the Indiana State Sycamores to cover the spread in their own building. 

Rating: 2 Units

Air Force is 12-9 SU overall this year while New Mexico comes in with an 18-3 SU overall record on the season.  Air Force is 62-34 ATS their last 96 games as a road underdog of 12.5 points or more.  Air Force is 5-1 ASTS their last 6 road games against a team with a winning record.  Air Force is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a SU loss of more than 20 points.  Additionally, the road team is 6-1 ATS in their last 7 meetings in this series.

Rating: 2 Units

The Oklahoma City Thunder are entering this game with a scoring advantage over the Cavaliers, considering Cleveland's top scorer is looking to be out in Friday's matchup. Mitchell did not play for the Cavs in Thursday's contest against the Rockets and looks to be out again on Friday. Without Mitchell on the court, the Thunder will have one less weapon to worry about. In addition, Oklahoma City has really heated things up offensively since facing Cleveland in early December, especially with how explosive Gilgeous-Alexander has been. The 6-foot-6-inch point guard is averaging 30.8 points per game ranking him 5th in the NBA. He has three consecutive games scoring 30 or more points, so look for him to earn his fourth straight 30+ point game. In his last game, he earned 36 points after shooting 59.1% from the floor and 100% from beyond the arc. With his offensive talent and the Cavs likely being without Mitchell, take the Thunder.

Rating: 3 Units

Memphis has the look and feel of a genuine threat to win the West as they rank No. 2 in Points Differential, No. 4 in Overall Rebounding, and No. 5 in Overall Scoring. Meanwhile, Minnesota checks in off a double revenge rumble with New Orleans with a 13-point revenger on tap with Sacramento. That puts the Grizz in an ideal revenge sandwich. Perhaps the most mind boggling stat, though, is Minny’s not-so mighty 9-188 ATS mark – yes, you read that right – at home in games it loses outright to an avenging foe. And finally, if history is your thing then you’ll love that Memphis is 19-8 SUATS overall in this series, including 5-0 SUATS when seeking revenge from a same-season loss of 5 or more points.

Rating: 2 Units

The Billikens are the better team, prepared to win on the road. They're just a half-game out of first and facing a Wildcats team that's 1-5 ATS in their last six home games. I'll take the more consistent team to cover the spread with this game essentially a toss-up. Saint Louis is on a five-game win streak, boasts the 26th-best assist-per-turnover ratio, and better-rated offensive and defensive efficiency ratings. It's also 12th nationally in rebounds per game, facing a Wildcats team averaging 30.0 per game, 286th-most, and giving up 33.7 per game. The Billikens are the team to beat, and they'll prove it on the road Friday.

Rating: 2 Units

UC Santa Barbara has shown no signs of slowing down in conference play, covering the spread in 10 of its last 11 games. I am thrilled to back the Gauchos again on Thursday night against a Hawaii team that has been struggling to put up points. The Rainbow Warriors rank outside the top 200 nationally in multiple key offensive statistics, and they are going to have trouble turning things around against a taller UCSB defense. The Gauchos’ height advantage should allow them to control the paint proceedings on the other end of the court as well, and their experienced lineup makes them a strong team to back on the road.

Rating: 2 Units

The Cougars stunned the Wildcats in their first meeting of the season on the back of Mouhamed Gueye’s 24-point, 14-rebound double-double. Arizona had a horrible shooting night (31.7% from the field and 16.0% from downtown), and the Wildcats’ backcourt couldn’t make the basket to save its life. I think the Wildcats can only play better this time around. The Cougars struggle to defend the paint, so I’m backing Arizona to win and cover. Keep your eyes on Azuolas Tubelis (19.9 PPG, 9.5 RPG) and Oumar Ballo (16.1 PPG, 9.0 RPG). This duo will torture the Cougars all night long. Arizona is 16-4 ATS in its last 20 games against Washington State.

Rating: 2 Units

Consider that the Beavers are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 Thursday games, 5-2 ATS in their last 7 home games, and 13-6 ATS in their last 19 games following a straight up win.  Additionally, the underdog is 9-4 ATS in the last 13 meetings. While the home team is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.

Rating: 2 Units

The Cavaliers come into this matchup looking to improve their sub .500 road record. Cleveland should be able to take advantage of the sloppy Rockets offense and turn turnovers into points. While Mitchell could possibly miss this contest, Darius Garland should have his way with a Rockets team playing without their starting point guard. The Cavaliers #1 rated scoring defense will be able to hamper a Rockets team that is far from efficient on the offensive end and ranked last in field goal percentage overall. Cleveland will ride the the strength of Garland on the perimeter and Allen will hold his own on the interior against a young Rockets front line. In addition, the Rockets are just 1-6 this season in the second game of back-to-backs.

Rating: 2 Units

The Spurs’ defense has been a joke so far this season. San Antonio has allowed 131 or more points in five of its last six outings which tells you a lot about the Spurs’ current form. Hereof, I would take the Lakers to cover even if LeBron James hit the sidelines. Both Thomas Bryant and Dennis Schroder have played well of late, and the Lakers should have enough weapons to deal with the slumping Spurs who lack talent everywhere. The Lakers are 3-0 SU and ATS in their previous three encounters with the Spurs in 2022-23.

Rating: 2 Units

The Grizzlies could possibly be without Morant and Adams, as I see both of them being huge losses to this team. Golden State is also (17-6) at home this season, as they have been a completely different team inside the Chase Center. I also see them being able to consistently score against this tough Grizzlies defense. The Warriors are scoring the third most points per game and they have the fifth-highest team three-point shooting percentage. They will get hot from deep and slowly pull away throughout this game. The Grizzlies have also struggled to consistently knock down shots from the floor, as they only have the 19th-highest team shooting percentage and the 21st highest three-point shooting percentage. They will go cold at different points in this game and the Warriors will slowly pull away. These two teams do not like each other and I expect Steph and Klay to be hyped up for this one.

Rating: 2 Units

The Alabama Crimson Tide has a high-scoring, elite offense that will tear down one of the top defenses in college basketball. Their explosive, fast-paced play will allow them to grow a comfortable lead very quickly, causing Mississippi State to scramble to keep up. In their last meeting, Alabama had two players put out on offense with Sears scoring 20 points and Miller scoring 19 points while also bringing down 11 rebounds. These two have been the dynamic duo that has a huge impact offensively and defensively, so watch for them to carry their team to their second win against the Bulldogs. In addition, the Bulldogs have a low-scoring offense, so expect the Crimson Tide to punish their slow offensive style. Take Alabama winning by a decent margin.

Rating: 2 Units

The Nuggets are banged up right now and I don't see them being healthy enough to cover the spread in this game. Denver has also struggled on the defensive end of the court, as they will allow the Bucks to consistently score throughout this game. Denver is allowing the 13th least amount of points per game, but they only have the 16th lowest adjusted defensive rating and they are holding their opponents to the 23rd-lowest shooting percentage from the field. The Bucks will be able to attack the basket and score enough points to cover this spread. Now, the Nuggets have been elite offensively this season, but if Jokic and MPJ don't play, they will be in huge trouble. The Nuggets look like a completely different team on offense without Jokic on the floor, as this could really hurt them in this game. Milwaukee is also elite on defense, as they are holding their opponents to the sixth least amount of points per game and they have the third lowest adjusted defensive rating. They will get consistent stops throughout and dominate at home.

Rating: 2 Units

Consider that the Beacons are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 road games, 2-6 ATS in their last 8 road games vs. a team with a winning home record, and 1-6 ATS in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600. While the Panthers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games following a straight up win and 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall. Additionally, the home team is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings.

Rating: 2 Units

Both teams are potentially missing pieces with Durant out for Brooklyn while it’s uncertain whether Embiid and/or Harden will take the floor for Philadelphia here. The Nets won their last two games but it could be tough dealing with a Philadelphia team that had a perfect 5-0 road trip as they took down Utah, the Lakers, Portland, Sacramento and the Clippers. Philadelphia is at home, where they are 17-7 on the season, and they have an extra day of rest in their pocket here. While the Nets are on a roll, the fact remains that Irving has had to shoulder a massive load recently, especially without Durant. Philadelphia has a deep rotation and if at least one of the Embiid/Harden duo takes the floor, they are in good shape. Take the 76ers in this contest.

Rating: 2 Units

Georgia has the ability to put up big point totals but they have their work cut out for them here when it comes to getting things down offensively against Tennessee. The Volunteers are extremely stingy on the defensive end of the floor, allowing more than 65 points just once in their last eight games entering this one. Tennessee has very good depth in their rotation as they have five guys averaging in double figures this season, so it could be any one of a handful of guys that could go for 20-plus points on any given night. Georgia doesn’t have that kind of weaponry to lean on as they rely mainly on Oquendo and Roberts on that end of the floor. Look for Tennessee to clamp down defensively and earn the home win here.

Rating: 2 Units

The Clippers have owned the Lakers as of late, going 9-0 SU and 8-1 ATS in their previous nine encounters. You won’t have a dilemma if you like to follow H2H betting trends. The Clippers are arguably a better defensive team than the Lakers, but I think Purple-and-Gold will be able to keep it close in this game. LeBron James has been unstoppable in the last few weeks, while both Dennis Schroder and Thomas Bryant are doing a great job for the Lakers. Purple-and-Gold have won three of their last four games and are 4-1 ATS in their previous five outings at any location. On the other side, the Clippers are just 4-8 SU and 3-9 ATS in their last 12 games overall.

Rating: 2 Units

I am going to pick the Phoenix Suns at home and I am going to lay the points (-6.5). Ayton is currently listed as questionable, but I am hoping he plays, as he is listed as questionable with an illness. The Hornets have also been one of the worst teams in the NBA this season, as they have struggled on the defensive end of the court. They won't be able to stop the Suns consistently throughout this game, which will allow them to slowly pull away. Charlotte currently has the 27th lowest adjusted defensive rating and they are surrendering the 28th least amount of points per game. The Hornets are also (8-18) on the road this season, as I don't see them showing up for this game. The Suns will be able to find different ways to score on them and they are also better on the defensive end. According to dunksandthrees.com, the Suns have the 11th lowest adjusted defensive rating and they are holding their opponents to the eighth least amount of points per game. The Hornets could also be without LaMelo Ball in this game, as I don't see them scoring enough points to cover this spread.

Rating: 2 Units

This matchup will be between two Mountain West Conference rivals that focus on defense first, which will result in a low scoring game and the advantage here goes to Boise State due to a better offense. The Broncos are allowing an average of only 61.6 points per game and at the same time are scoring an average of 73.2 points per game, while in contrast Fresno State Is tough on defense allowing an average of just 62.9 points per game but struggles offensively scoring just 61.4 points per game. Fresno State's weakness is its shooting, as the Bulldogs hit just 42.6% of their field goal attempts and 29.8% of their 3-point attempts.  Fresno State has failed to cover the spread in four of the last six. Boise State has covered the spread in each of its last five and on the season is an above average 13-5-1 ATS.

Rating: 2 Units

TCU is primed for a big win in this one, especially as they continue to ride the wave of confidence from their weekend win over Kansas. The more pressing concern continues to be Oklahoma's ability to find success in the Big 12 and especially as they hit the road. The offensive struggles are well documented and their issues hitting the offensive glass are only going to add to their issues of finding success in this one. TCU's balance on both sides of the ball has only improved as the season has progressed and with their depth of scoring, they are destined for success at home. Additionally, according to covers.com, TCU is 6-1-1 ATS in their last eight road games and 7-2-1 ATS in their last ten games overall.

Rating: 2 Units

I don’t think I can back Indiana until Haliburton is back in the lineup, as the Pacers have looked like a completely different team without him on the court. They have not only lost seven consecutive games, but they have only covered the spread once during that stretch. Their losing skid has almost entirely coincided with Haliburton’s injury, so I am looking to stay away from the Pacers. This is also not the worst scheduling spot for Chicago, even though it is the second leg of a back-to-back. The Bulls had four days off following their trip to Paris, giving them a rested roster heading into this two-game stretch.

Rating: 2 Units

The Golden Hurricane have lost seven of their last eight games and six straight road games. They aren’t very good offensively and they play worse on the road where they are scoring less than 70 points per game. They don’t rebound the ball as well as the Pirates and won’t get a lot of extra-scoring opportunities against them. They were very careless with the ball in their last three games, which will lead to easy-scoring opportunities for the Pirates, who average more than six steals per game at home. The Pirates have played well defensively, especially at home where they are giving up less than 68 points per game, so expect them to keep Tulsa’s offense in check. The Pirates also struggled in recent games, but they’ve won five of their last eight home games. They have played well offensively at home where they are scoring more than 71 points per game. They rebound the ball very well at home and they’re aggressive on the offensive glass, which will give them more scoring opportunities. They’ve also done a good job protecting the ball and won’t give the Golden Hurricane a lot of easy-scoring opportunities. The Golden Hurricane aren’t very good defensively and they play worse on the road where they are giving up more than 77 points per game, so expect them to have a hard time slowing down the Pirates in this game.

Rating: 2 Units

These teams are feeling completely different about themselves coming into this matchup, as Kansas has lost back-to-back games while Baylor has won four straight games. The Bears have been tough to beat at home dating back to last season, winning 14 of their last 16 home games. I am concerned not only about the Jayhawks’ mentality right now, but I am also worried about their lack of firepower in this matchup. Baylor has been one of the top offensive teams in the country, while Kansas relies on Wilson to do a large chunk of its scoring. The Jayhawks have only covered the spread once in their last five games, so they are a team that I want to avoid right now.

Rating: 2 Units

Wisconsin has won seven straight in this series and covered seven straight. It's tough to come back from a long break at this point of the season and play perfect or even solid basketball. Northwestern has the better metrics, but Wisconsin is the better team, especially now that Wahl is back and healthy.  Northwestern couldn't shoot worse at home (38.3) and the Badgers normally-solid defense will slow down a rusty team that hasn't played in over a week.

Rating: 2 Units

I am going to take the contrarian position on the Suns in this matchup. They should at least get several players back on Sunday, as most of their key players were sidelined on Saturday. Their injury situation has left them undervalued in the betting market, and they have gone 16-7 at home this season. Memphis is coming off its most emotional game of the season, which makes this a trap game on the schedule. The Grizzlies have only covered the spread at an 8-13-1 clip away from home this season.

Rating: 2 Units

The Knicks have dropped three straight after losing 139-124 to the host Atlanta Hawks on Friday. The Hawks opened the fourth quarter on a 20-4 surge as the Knicks showed how much they missed center Mitchell Robinson, who had thumb surgery on Thursday. Consider that the Knicks are 1-10 ATS in the last 11 meetings in Toronto and 2-5 ATS in the last 7 meetings.

Rating: 2 Units

California and Oregon State will look to halt skids at the other's expense this afternoon when the Pac-12 rivals meet in Berkeley, Calif. A losing streak is nothing new for the Golden Bears (3-16, 2-6), who began the season with 12 straight setbacks. Now, they find themselves mired in a three-game slide following an 87-58 loss to Oregon on Wednesday. Consider that the Golden Bears are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 home games, 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games vs. a team with a losing straight up record, and 1-5 ATS in their last 6 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.

Rating: 2 Units

LA put up a big offensive showing against the Spurs but you aren’t going to win a lot of games when you let the opposition shoot 57.3% from the floor. The Clippers are next to last in the league in putting points on the board and they have a tough task dealing with a Dallas team that is pretty stout defensively. We saw the Mavericks completely stifle the Heat on Friday night and they should be able to keep LA in check on that end of the floor. Dallas has some work to do in getting competent secondary scoring behind Doncic but facing a LA team that has struggled to score is beneficial for them. Give the Mavericks the upper hand at home as they make it two straight wins.

Rating: 2 Units

The Sacramento Kings are one of the NBA's top surprises and are making a solid run at ending a 16-season playoff drought. The Kings get another chance to prove they are for real tonight when they host the powerful Philadelphia 76ers. Sacramento will be attempting to match its season-best winning streak of seven games. The Kings also will be aiming to snap an eight-game skid against the 76ers. Sacramento's last win in the series was a 115-108 home decision on Feb. 2, 2019. De'Aaron Fox is the only current Kings' player to participate in that game.  Consider that the 76ers are 3-12-1 ATS in their last 16 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.

Rating: 2 Units

The Pacers have lost five straight games and their last five road games. Despite their slump, they continue to play well offensively, scoring more than 112 points per game on the road. They don’t rebound the ball as well as the Suns and won’t get a lot of extra-scoring opportunities against them. They’ve also been careless with the ball on the road and turned it over more than 20 times per game in their last three games, which will lead to easy-scoring opportunities for the Suns, who average more than six steals per game at home. The Suns have struggled defensively this season, but they play better at home where they are holding opponents under 110 points per game, so expect the Pacers to struggle offensively in this game. The Suns also struggled in recent games, but they have played well at home. Even though Devin Booker has been sidelined with a groin injury, they continue to play well offensively, especially at home where they are scoring more than 114 points per game. They are very aggressive on the offensive glass, which will give them more scoring chances. They also do a good job protecting the ball at home and won’t give the Pacers a lot of easy-scoring chances. The Pacers have struggled defensively on the road where they are giving up close to 120 points per game and they’re playing on consecutive nights, so expect them to have a hard time slowing down the Suns in this game. Go with Phoenix to cover the spread.

Rating: 2 Units

Even if Young doesn't play in this game, I still see the Hawks covering this spread. They are the better offensive team and the Hornets have continued to struggle this season. They are also extremely banged up and they could be without LaMelo Ball in this game. Charlotte has also been awful on the defensive end of the court this season, as I don't see them getting enough stops to cover the spread. They are currently allowing the third most points per game and they have held their opponents to the 26th-lowest shooting percentage from the floor. Atalanta is scoring the 10th most points per game and they are (6-4) in their last 10 games played. They are playing solid basketball right now and they have enough talent on their roster to outplay the Hornets at home. Charlotte has also struggled offensively, as I don't trust them to score enough points to cover this spread. They have the third-lowest adjusted offensive rating and the lowest three-point shooting percentage as a team. They will stay cold in this game and the Hawks will slowly pull away.

Rating: 2 Units

Consider that the Spartans are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 road games, 11-3 ATS in their last 14 road games vs. a team with a winning home record, and 10-3 ATS in their last 13 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.

Rating: 2 Units

Consider that the Mustangs are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600, 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games following a ATS loss, and 20-8 ATS in their last 28 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record. While the Aggies are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games overall and 1-4 ATS in their last 5 Saturday games.

Rating: 2 Units

Southern Mississippi is at the top of the Sun Belt Conference standings with three others and one game ahead of James Madison. The Golden Eagles have used a very strong defense to go along with an above average offense that has resulted in 16 victories in 20 games. Southern Miss has covered the spread in 10 of 17 games with a betting line. James Madison also has a very tough offense that scores the third most points per game in the nation but is allowing 66.7 points per game while Southern Miss is allowing an average of only 63.6 points per game. This matchup will be back and forth and will most likely come down to the final possession as both offenses are tough to stop and the team that makes the most stops on defense down the stretch and does not commit turnovers will be victorious, which favors the home team (USM).

Rating: 2 Units

Despite their overall record, I agree with the oddsmakers that Kentucky is the better team, but I expect the Aggies to keep this game too close to striking distance to lay the five points. The Aggies hold a 74% to 68.2% advantage from the free-throw line, which will help do the stretch. One of Kentucky's biggest strengths is on the boards, where they are fifth in the nation in total rebounding percentage (55.9%), but Texas A&M will be competitive in that area as they are 16th (54.6%). This is a big game on both sides, and Texas A&M is on 5-0 ATS run in road games, but Kentucky is just 1-7-1 ATS in their last nine home games. I will take Texas A&M to cover.

Rating: 2 Units

This is not the Georgia team that people got used to seeing under Tom Crean. After winning no more than 16 games in any of Crean’s seasons at the helm but White has got his team playing tough defense. The Bulldogs have been terrific at home this season, posting a perfect 10-0 mark in Athens. Vanderbilt has been average on both ends of the floor and they will have their work cut out for them in this contest. The Commodores are just 1-3 on the road this season and they have to be better when it comes to shooting the ball. Georgia is solid defensively, holding teams to 41.1% shooting overall (69th in the nation) and only 27.7% from beyond the arc (8th) this season. Look for Georgia to do the job defensively and remain unbeaten at home.

Rating: 2 Units

The Jazz have won four of their last five games and three of their last four home games. They are playing well offensively, especially at home where they are scoring more than 120 points per game while making over 48 percent of their shots. They are one of the best rebounding teams in the league and they’re very aggressive on the offensive glass, grabbing more than 11 offensive rebounds per game, which will give them more scoring chances. They also cut back on their turnovers in their last three games and won’t give the Nets a lot of easy-scoring opportunities. The Nets have struggled defensively on the road and they’re playing on consecutive nights, so expect them to have a hard time slowing down the Jazz in this game. The Nets have lost four of their last six games and they split their last four road games. They usually play well offensively, but they’ve struggled with Kevin Durant out of the lineup and scored less than 100 points per game in their last three games. They don’t rebound the ball as well as the Jazz and won’t get a lot of extra-scoring opportunities against them. They were also careless with the ball in their last three games, which will lead to easy-scoring opportunities for the Jazz, who average more than six steals per game at home. Even though the Jazz have struggled defensively, they played well in recent home games, holding two of their last three opponents under 110 points per game at home, so expect them to keep Brooklyn’s offense in check. Go with Utah to cover the spread.

Rating: 2 Units

I'm not thrilled with the line due to the open possibilities of a garbage time back door cover, but that's Indiana's best chance in this one. The Nuggets are on a roll since the New Year, which includes having beaten Boston by 12, the Clippers by 31, the Cavaliers and Lakers by 13, the Suns by 29, and the Clippers again by 12 points. Indiana has lost its last three games by 13 points or more, and without Haliburton, I can't trust them to compete in this one.

Rating: 2 Units

This is an excellent spot to back a Los Angeles team that I believe is undervalued right now due to George’s injury. He has only returned for one game, but he has had multiple days to rest since playing that game, so he should be good to go for a solid workload on Friday night. The Clippers are desperate to get back in the win column, and having their leading scorer drastically changes their outlook. They have been an outstanding defensive team all year, so having George and Leonard offensively makes them a much more dangerous team. San Antonio is the worst defensive team in the NBA, making this a perfect get-right game for the Clippers, who have won and covered the spread in five of the last seven meeting between these teams.

Rating: 2 Units

The New Orleans Pelicans have not been at their best recently. They have been decimated with key injuries and the losses are starting to pile on. They have now dropped seven of their last ten games and are playing without scoring leader Zion Williamson along with Brandon Ingram. The Magic have been solid on their home floor where they have won six of their last nine games. The Pelicans are struggling on the road, dropping five of their last seven road bouts. The Magic' defense is their top strength and they should contain a Pelicans team that has only scored 103 and 98 points respectively in their last two games. The Magic have been efficient, connecting on at least 49% of their field goals in two of their last three games.

Rating: 2 Units

The St. John's Red Storm has been playing great basketball this season, holding onto a 13-6 record while also sporting a two-game win streak. St. John's has really picked up their game since playing Villanova last, while the Wildcats have fallen off a bit. For this reason, I expect St. John's to come out on top this time around, especially with the strong performances of Storr and Soriano in the last matchup. In addition, the Red Storm has more scoring talent on their roster with Soriano averaging 16.5 points per game and Jones with 13 points per game. I expect them to score above their averages against the Wildcats while Storr comes through with a handful of points again. The defense is surrendering just above 70 points per game while averaging nearly 10 steals a game, so expect them to punish a struggling Villanova offense.

Rating: 2 Units

The Trojans defend the paint extremely well, so I’m backing them to keep it close against the Wildcats on the road and cover a 7-point spread. USC should have enough firepower to contain Azuolas Tubelis (20.4 PPG, 9.0 RPG) and Oumar Ballo (16.3 PPG, 9.1 RPG), while the Trojans’ backcourt will torture the Wildcats’ shaky defense. Arizona has allowed 74 or more points in three straight outings. The Wildcats’ defense has struggled all season, and Arizona will need a tremendous shooting night to beat USC by eight or more points. The Trojans are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games overall and 6-2 ATS in their previous eight meetings with the Wildcats, who have gone 1-5 ATS in their last six contests overall. Also, Arizona is 1-6 ATS in the conference play.