The Delaware Blue Hens have won three straight as well as seven of their last nine overall. They'll be good for a cover here as an underdog against Hofstra. These two played three times last year and each game finished in single digits to the winner. Delaware already has as many true road wins as Hofstra has home wins. The Pride are 1-4 ATS as a favorite this year and 0-3 ATS at home. The points hold up in a close game between these two tonight.

5* 

For the most part Big East home teams have dominated league play. But in this spot I really like the road Pirates. Seton Hall is 6-2 against the RPI Top 100, while Creighton is just 5-4. Both teams are having rankings in the Top 30. The Hall have won both its games outright as a road underdog, and I think this is a good spot for them to cash again. The Pirates get it done against Creighton here with the +4.5 points.

5* 

The Redbirds have consistently established themselves as a tough home out in Missouri Valley play. So while Bradley has started its season strong, they aren't validated away games yet. The Braves are 0-3 on the road in league play, and their last two were lopsided losses. ISU has won each of the last seven meetings against Bradley, but more specifically five straight by double digits. I like the home team with ILLINOIS ST here tonight.

5* 

This is an angry Syracuse team that rarely loses back to back games in general under Boeheim but then you tack on the fact this team has revenge, comes off 4 straight losses including a double-overtime loss to FSU, loss to Virginia, Notre Dame and Wake Forrest on the road. They've played some very stiff competition and I look for them to beat the snot out of a weak Pitt team.

Pitt might not be as focused and outside the top 220 in offensive efficiency in general and that should set up well for Syracuse and a BLOWOUT win at home tonight!

5*

The Celtics had plenty of time to rest up following their London trip, and I like them to get their eighth straight win here tonight. If there's one team that might come out flat, I'll say it's the Pelicans, who are coming off a taxing long OT win at New York on Sunday where the starters played a ton of minutes. Back Boston to improve to 13-5-1 ATS in its last 19 games versus winning teams and they play the better defense and have the better coach.

5*

The Commodores have lost three straight SEC games (1-4 overall) and tonight they are going to get into a tough spot.
Vandy is 1-10 against the RPI Top 100 this season (Miss State ranked 62), and their losses have come by an average of nearly ten points each. The Bulldogs suffered their first home loss of the year last time out to a very good Auburn team, but overall MSU is 12-1 on their home floor while Vanderbilt is winless away from Nashville. At home Miss State is holding opponents to just 64.5 points per game, while scoring 78.8 points in Humphrey Coliseum. The home team has won each of the past four meetings,and I expect another strong effort tonight from Miss St.

5*

If you noticed West Virginia has received some bad press lately given how things worked out between them and Texas Tech and we like them to take some anger out on Kansas today. I like W Virginia on Monday night to take out some anger on this Kansas team as they will come out motivated and united today. This is a WVU team that is top 10 in defense and top 10 in offensive rebounding as well and as Kansas comes off a big win against Kansas State. WVU will be ready for this game, they are angry and Kansas is outside the top 180 in offensive rebounding and the extra possessions likely make the difference today. I think this is a clear mismatch on Big Monday College Hoops action!

10* 

The Hurricanes were one of a handful of unbeaten teams remaining in college basketball just a few weeks ago. Since then they have gone 3-3, with all the losses by nine points or more. Monday, they’ll have to figure out how to keep up with a Duke team that averages 93.2 points (2nd best in the country). Still, Duke’s home-friendly schedule has not prepared the Blue Devils for tough road defensive tests. Monday marks just their 5th road game and the Devils went 2-2 in the first four. I'm grabbing the value on Miami as the home underdog.

5* 

Memphis has been solid at home over the past few weeks. Lonzo Ball played 43 minutes in Saturday's OT win over Dallas, and he suffered a minor knee sprain in the process. It makes no sense for the Lakers to push their rookie sensation to play Monday in Memphis, and we all know LA is a much different team without him. Not to mention, Brandon Ingram also is dealing with an ankle injury. He had been playing lights out until going down Saturday. Even if Ball and/or Ingram play, chances are they won't be as effective as usual. Lay the small number with the Griz.

5* 

Devin Booker needs to hit his 3 point shot - as his smooth shooting game has shown he can do. Booker has on many occasions, done just that, with more than his fair share of games of knocking down 3+ treys over the last few seasons. He always seems finds a way to get wide open shots and make defenses pay. The guards of Phoenix have been playing very good lately - that is going to be the the answer here. Indiana doesn't look at the 25yr old journeyman, Victor Oladipo, as the player who brings them to the next level. Even with 25ppg and shooting 41% from deep - it is hard to see the concern for him, but he hasn't brought them to a serious level. Indiana has had their problems with defense - and they will have problems doing that vs the shooters of Phoenix. The Suns know what they need to do to throw the frontcourt of Indiana off. Phoenix gets this win here at home on Sunday night.

5* 

I like Rutgers getting 6.5 on its home floor against a team that's closer to 35th best in the country than 25th-best. The Scarlet Knights' have more than enough defense to outright win this game, let alone cover. Rutgers is on the rise. Great basketball coaching staff, and good recruits and they bring defense, rebounding and never give up. Take Rutgers with a solid chance to get the upset win on Sunday night at home.

5* 

The Eagles had 2 weeks to prepare for this game and also playing at home.  Their defense is very good.

 I think they have enough to slow down the Falcons and Philadelphia’s offense should do enough to grind out the win. 

Zach Ertz is a natural leader, and has all the physical tools needed to be great here vs Atlanta. The Eagles have speed with their defense - especially with Brandon Graham on the outside - and excellent strength up front. Philadelphia will continue their hot defensive trend making them far too tough to beat here. They are very balanced and they can play any kind of game, they can pass or run the ball, and they have been really good with their pass coverage as of late.

Atlanta will never be consistently competitive until they find a steadier running game - Atlanta has only generated one 100 yard rusher over the last 14 games. Philly will be able to shut that down here, with their aggressive line play as well. Atlanta enters the game allowing opponents to pass at 66% percent. Which is the 27th ranked passing percentage in the league.

I'm taking the EAGLES with the points.

5*

Miami last played last Sunday in their first home game since early December as the Hurricanes defeated (and covered) the Florida State Seminoles. Clemson just played on Thursday night, and they expended some energy, as did their pair of games prior to Thursday, as Brad Brownell's team needed overtime to beat back Louisville the game before (they did not cover as the home chalk), and against Boston College the game prior, Clemson blew a double-digit lead at Boston College but held on for a 4-point win (again no cover). I know Clemson has yet to lose at home, but I have to believe they are about out of gas in this spot, while Miami comes into this game with a full tank of gas, and series wins in 5 of the last 7 meetings. The Hurricanes have not been an underdog since November 29th when they won outright at Minnesota. I know the 'Canes are not a massive dog, but I also know they are in a better situation schedule-wise than their ACC rivals.

5* 

Booker is back for the Suns and he provides a big spark as Phoenix has shown big wins over Oklahoma City, Memphis twice and Sacramento on the road, and this team without a doubt has not quit on the season and will play with a lot of pride and revenge when they host Houston on Friday night with a great home crowd behind them

When will the injuries end for Houston?

They have 6 injured players right now: Harden, Nene, Mbah a Moute, Tarik Black, Troy Williams, and Chinanu Onuaku.

The Rockets are allowing even more points per game than Phoenix does since they lost Mbah a Moute last month.

They allowed just 102.8 PPG in the games he has played, but without him they allow 113.8 PPG, 11 more PPG!

 The Suns will be looking forward to this game as the last time they played the Rockets they were embarrassed by a score of 142-116. These are professional NBA players, and nothing gets them more upset given their competitive nature than to get routed by a team by allowing 142 points, which was one of the most embarrassing defeats even for this franchise. I like the home UNDERDOG with the Suns here at home on Friday night.

10* GAME OF THE WEEK

The ILL-Chicago Flames come in having won back-to-back games for the first time all season, and they'll make it three straight tonight at home against Milwaukee. UIC is 7-10 overall, so on paper their play isn't showing much, but currently this team is playing the best basketball of the season. The Flames are 5-2 ATS in their last seven, and despite only playing three home games the last month, they won all three by double digits. Wisc-Milwaukee is going the other direction, just 1-5 ATS in their last six and 1-4 SU in their last five away from home.

5* 

N.C. State is coming off a monumental home upset of Duke, providing value again Thursday as a shorter home dog against Clemson. My simulations have the Wolfpack covering the number about 60 perent of the time, making them a worthy side to support. What a great result and exciting game to watch in NC State's last outing at home against Duke. Sometimes it can be tough getting back up after such a big time emotional victory and it'll be interesting to see how the Wolfpack respond today at home against another quality opponent. This is a revenge game for NC State after having a tough time offensively in their loss at Clemson to open ACC play. I look for NC State to come up strong and get their revenge with Clemson.

5* 

The Cougars have dropped two straight on the road since opening up CAA play 2-0. But getting on their home floor again will yield instant dividends. Charleston is 7-0 at home with wins by an average of 14.7 points. They have also played some tough out of conference teams like RI and Wichita St. For most of the season Charleston hasn't been fully healthy, but they are now with league action in full swing. Lay the number with them at home as they continue their stellar play on their home floor as our TOP SMALL SCHOOL 10* selection.

NM is in complete rebuilding mode and nowhere in the same class as Wyoming is at this point of the season. The Lobos are 2-2 in the conference, but those two wins have come against San Jose State and Air Force, the two worst teams in the league. Wyoming has played a brutal schedule thus far in MWC play and they are 2-1 with their only loss coming at Nevada, the best team in the league. Wyoming is 7-1 ATS in their last 8 conference games and I'll take them here tonight.

5* 

10* Oddsmaker Mistake PLay:

With B.J. Taylor still out for the Knights, UConn will take advantage with much superior advantage on the wings. The Huskies' top three scorers are combining to produce 47 points, led by Jaylan Adams' 18.9 ppg. This is a match-up the Huskies have dominated, winning seven straight over UCF and nine of the past ten. UConn is 7-1 at home this year with their lone loss coming top Top 5 ranked Wichita State. Take UConn here at home in a early pick'em tipoff. 

  I just believe Boise State is the second-best team in the MWC this season. The Broncos are coming off a bad loss against Wyoming in which they blew a double-digit lead in that game to lose by one point. I expect them to be more focused and bounce back with a win tonight. Fresno State is always a tough out at home, but they lost a lot of firepower from last year. The Broncos are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games overall.

5* 

Marquette has taken a step in the right direction this year opening better than many expected standing 11-5 overall and 2-2 against a tough conference slate. The Golden Eagles are an offensive force, and a very good team at home. It’s never easy going back to back on the road in the Big East, so we are backing MARQUETTE here on Tuesday night to knock off the #13 ranked S.H. Pirates.

10* College Hoops GAME OF THE WEEK 

Tulane is a team that could win this game outright and is coached by Mike Dunleavy - the same coach who used to coach the LA Clippers. Ex-NBA Coaches that move to College have had success including Lon Kruger who coaches Oklahoma now who is an elite team and he used to coach the Atlanta Hawks, Dunleavy is afraid of no one and especially not anyone in this conference. They are already 11-4 to start the year after winning just 6 games last year, top 120 in defense, top 100 in 3 point shooting, beat top 35 SMU at home by 3 points, beat Temple on the road by 10 points and they face a Memphis team who is outside the top 200 in turnover margin and outside the top 250 in effective field goal percentage. Take TULANE

5* 

Alabama will put a ton of pressure on Georgia’s true freshman QB Jake Fromm.  He doesn't scramble much and the Bama defense will shut down the run. The Georgia offense is very similar to Alabama's and their defense has practiced against those type of runs and pocket passers all year.  QB's who scramble are what gives the Tide problems.

The Alabama defense is the big difference maker in this spot. This isn't the Sooners' defense. Alabama doesn't lose to QBs like Jake Fromm and the Dawgs' running game will be slowed. The Crimson Tide don't lose to SEC East teams, either. Look for Alabama to win by 2 scores or more here on Monday night in the Championship Game.

5*

This is a double revenge game for Carolina. Cam Newton is coming off an awful game last week. Look for Cam to run the ball and get on the right page with his TE Greg Olsen. The Panthers have won seven of their last nine, covering six of them. I'm a fan of Ron Rivera as his teams are always prepared to play. While Carolina lost both regular-season meetings with the Saints, New Orleans went 2-5 ATS down the stretch and its defense has shown some cracks, allowing 288 passing yards or more in four of the last seven games. I'm backing the underdog with the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

5* 

Michigan State's offense is clicking on all cylinders in the last three weeks, going 5-1 to the Over and scoring 100+ in four of its last five games. Ohio State has played more Unders but hasn't played anyone as good as the Spartans on offense. In two of their last three games, the Buckeyes went Over with a 92-81 win at Iowa and a neutral-site loss to North Carolina, 86-72, both finishing well over this total.

5* 

It's hard to win by over nine points when the total for the game is just 39.5. This will be a slow, grind it out, run the ball game from both teams. Jax QB Blake Bortles remains mistake-prone despite improving on the season, and the Bills defense has enough to force a turnover or two from him. In a game that figures to be defensive receiving a touchdown-plus offers solid value. Neither of these two teams have players that are postseason experienced to any significant degree and the Jags are being overvalued by the oddsmakers based on a regular season that saw the defense standout. The Bills want you to believe that there is a question mark about the playing status of Shady McCoy but Tyrod Taylor will have his running back active and ready for Sunday's contest. I believe the Jaguars win this one, but Buffalo will keep it close, and they have an outside shot of stealing this game. Take the+ 8.5-9 points.

5* 

Goff doesn't take unnecessary quick shots, he will be patient, making the DBs of Atlanta work defensively. When LA is moving the ball by ground they are a very different team. The Falcons have just been incredibly inconsistent, and their scoring is unpredictable. Atlanta have faired poorly on the road, vs good teams - as all 3 of their road losses were to playoff teams this year. This isn't any easier vs a team that went 11-5. I know it's the first playoff game for Jared Goff and Sean McVay, but I don't care. They are real rested from sitting out a lot of their starters in last weeks season finale. Goff gets better coaching and play calls than Matt Ryan, who's saddled with Steve Sarkisian, and Goff will outplay the veteran Saturday. Rams get the double-digit home win.

10* GAME OF THE WEEK 

The Titans have been one of the more frustrating teams to analyze all season long. They limp into the playoffs for the first time since 2008. The key in this game will be avoiding the big mistake, which is very tough to avoid for a young team going up against a Chiefs squad well-equipped for the challenge. KC has the veteran QB, offensive and special teams weapons and they are playing at home. Lay the points as the CHIEFS win big on Saturday evening.

5* 

This is quite simply an injury play. The line jumped to 6.5-7 so I’m only making a 5*. Irish without their All-American Bonzie Colson (21.4 PPG/ 10.4 reb) and then in their last game also lost PG Matt Farrell. ND rallied against NCSt and shot 52% mostly from the perimeter, but that will now be the case with a freshman PG taking on the Syracuse matchup zone.

5* 

Georgetown is as fake of an 11-3 team as you can get as they have faced the #350 schedule (out of 351 teams) and 11 of their first 12 wins all came against teams ranked 300 or higher (other was #212). Creighton’s last road game was a loss and the team talked about a lack of 2H energy in the 2H against Seton Hall and they’ve taken care of business since beating Providence and St John’s. Creighton has faced Georgetown 4 times since joining the conference and are 0-4 SU and they’ll get their revenge today.

5* 

I'm laying the points with Wright St on Friday. Detroit was expected to improve from its 8-23 season a year ago with three returning starters but it hasn't worked out that way as the Titans have lost nine in a row and are 4-11 on the season. Detroit historically has been a bad shooting team and it's no different this year as they have a .420 field goal percentage. The big edge in this matchup is on defense as the Titans allow 92.2 points per game compared to 65 for Wright St. Wright St has a major size and rebounding advantage here and I like them to win this with confidence.

5* 

The road team is 10-1 ATS in the last 11 meetings and BYU should be primed to roll in this road spot after coming off an overtime loss to Saint Mary's last week. The loss ended a nine-game win streak, and the Cougars have won all three of their true road games so far. This is San Francisco's first home game in two weeks. The Dons are a terrible shooting team at 39.3 percent from the field. BYU shoots 47.7 percent. BYU gets the cover here. The road team has covered 10 of the last 11 meetings. BYU has covered the last four at San Francisco. The Dons are 2-10 ATS their last 12 games against teams with winning records and 2-5 ATS their last seven home games. Yoeli Childs leads the Cougars with 18.1 points and 8.9 rebounds per game and Elijah Bryant averages 16.7 points followed by T.J. Haws at 11.5 points per game. Take BYU here on Thursday night.

5* 

I like SAC St here on Thursday late night. Katz's team won 21, 14 and 13 games the last 3 years and this year is a bounce-back year for them. This team has started conference play 1-0 as they beat Portland State by 5 points at home who is a top 140 team and they have consistently gotten better over the season as note that they have faced some big teams this year such as Colorado State, San Diego State, Saint Mary's (only losing by 16 points to a top 30 team on the road) and Boise State. So, playing Idaho on the road is not intimidating for this team who is led by a Senior, Junior and 2 Sophomores. I think this game is tight throughout.

5* 

Virginia has lost each of their last 2 trips here as a 5 pt fav LY and as a 12.5 pt fav two years ago. Virginia is playing their 3rd game in 12 days coming off a battle against BC where they were flat with 8 days rest as a 15.5 pt HF and came out a 59-58 win. VT is playing their 3rd game in 6 days and they shot 34.6% in a loss to Syracuse. The Hokies have a played one of the worst group of defenses (#343 of 351 teams) and they now face the #1 D in the country. In fact, VT has faced only THREE defenses in the top 120 (Syracuse #13, Kentucky #15 & St Louis #81) and those are their 3 SU losses also going 0-3 ATS against them.

5* 

St Bonaventure is playing great BB with losses to Niagara in the season opener and TCU. The Bonnies now get revenge after getting swept last season and with their 4 returning starters they as a veteran team that can win on the road as they did at Syracuse back on Dec 22nd. Dayton returned just one starter and has a new HC and they are 6-7with the 6 wins coming against teams that are all ranked #109 or higher with three of the losses also coming against teams ranked #146 or higher. Bonnies are #53! Bonus is that Dayton PG John Crosby is ? with a concussion (missed last game) and his injury is not reflected in the line and is a selection even if he plays.

5* 

Memphis came into this season with 2 starters and had 8 newcomers and started 9-3 beating opponents mostly in the bottom third of the country’s 351 teams. They are not a good team especially on the road. A home loss to LSU and blowout at Cincinnati has them rattled and there are actually petitions floating around to can Tubby Smith. Now Memphis which has shot under 40% four times this year including their last 2 games travels to take on UCF with the country’s #7 defense and the 7-6 Tacko Fall in the middle. UCF is 8-2 ATS on the season with the 2 non-covers against West Virginia and an eleven point win against William & Mary (UCF was -13). I love Central Florida tonight to win by double digits.

10*

 The Islanders are coming off a horrible road loss to Colorado 6-1, while the Bruins have been red hot lately thanks to Goalie Tuukka Rask going 10-1 last 11 and allowing only 13 goals in those 11 games. 

On the other hand the Islanders are headed in a different direction as they are just 3-6 in their last nine games. Huge edge to Boston as they are 13-3 last 16 games that they played in New York.

Boston plays extremely well when they are rested, they are 5-0 when playing on two days rest. They also play well vs the East, they are 5-1 last six vs. the Eastern Conference. New York, on the other hand, does not fare well against good teams, they are 3-7 last 10 vs teams with winning records. 

This one is all Boston. 

The TCU Horned Frogs have been living up to their hype and then some so far this season standing 12-1 overall with their only defeat coming in their last outing to Oklahoma by 1 point. TCU might not have gone against the toughest nonconference slate, but this group was still able to pick up some resume building wins against teams like South Dakota, UNLV, Belmont, SMU, and Nevada. The Horned Frogs have had success primarily pushing the pace of play ranking 15th in the nation in scoring and 3rd in assists compared to 219th in total defense.

 Baylor is top 150 in turnover margin, they have Texas on deck and if Baylor can only put up 62 and 63 points against Creighton and Wichita State, they simply might not be able to compete with TCU on the offensive side of the ball. Let's roll with TCU with revenge, off a loss, with the better offense and looking to start conference play 0-2 this year.

I think this is going to be a major mismatch. Central Florida has simply never faced a defense like Auburn’s this season. This is a major step up in class for Central Florida. The Tigers rank fifth in the country in overall defensive and No. 1 in limiting explosiveness. Look for Auburn to get the job done on the offensive and defensive lines and pull away for a big win in the 2nd half. PLAY AUBURN with confidence.

5* 

Ole Miss is another high-scoring team (82.5 PPG) that will now be slowed by a very good defense (SC #14). SC will control the tempo and eat the clock. Take the UNDER

5* 

Arizona coach Bruce Arians is 3-1 at Seattle during his tenure as Cardinals coach. His teams have twice handed the Seahawks their lone home loss of the season. Look for Arizona to be stubborn again Sunday.

 The Seahawks with Russell Wilson are 1-4 against the spread at home over the last five games. 

The idea that the Seahawks are impervious to defeat, or even a tough battle at home because they're playing in from the 12th man. The Rams were up 40 to nothing on them two weeks ago. That's who the Seahawks truly are. Russ has been sacked 14 times over the last four games. No quarterback in the NFL has been pressured more than Russell-- Russell Wilson. 207 pressures. Oh Yeah, by the way, this is probably Bruce Arians last game coaching for the Arizona Cardinals. 

I don't think the Cardinals win, but they'll keep the score within single digits.

5*

Miami would like nothing more than to put an end to the Bills playoff dreams and chances.

The Dolphins are tough at home as they already beat New England. THey also beat the Titans and Falcons.

Look for Jay Cutler to get some revenge from a earlier loss.

Their defense is young but good and the roster and positional players seem to be improving heading into 2018. I like the home underdog here with MIAMI as we try and end the NFL regular season with yet another 10* NFL WINNER

Bounce-back play here. UT Arlington won the Sun Belt conference LY and is favored again this year so opening conference play with a 25 point loss is a wake-up call. The Mavs shot a season low 37.9% and allowed 50% (only allowed 50% to Alabama and Fl Gulf Coast this season). App St 1-5 SU/ATS their last 5 games and while they are off a 4 point win against Texas St they shot 37% and allowed 46% but won thanks to the Bobcats shooting 11% from 3pt.

5* 

Portland St has played the #63 schedule and they are 10-3 with losses to Duke, Butler and Oregon and they are 10-0 ATS. The Vikings are an up-tempo full court press team, under new HC Barret Peery, that leads the nation in steals at 12.9/game and they are #2 in TO margin again against one of the toughest schedules. Sacramento St has played this season w/out injured PG Marcus Graves (started previous 62 games) and a first year PG will struggle against this defense. The Hornets are 3-10 with the 3 wins coming against #328 Cal St Northridge and two lower division teams.

5* 

Not only does Northeastern have the better record (7-5 vs 4-9) they’ve have played a far tougher schedule (#85 vs #253). Northeastern played to nobodies to start the season and then went 0-4 SU/ATS but since that time they won 5 straight before losing their last game at St Bonaventure. James Madison three wins came against teams that are ranked #224, #248 & #290 while the Huskies are in the 130’s. Northeastern comfortable at this site having won 4 straight before LY’s loss when an illness caused them to travel with only 7 players.

5* 

I’m not sure Mississippi State cares much about this game after a disappointing finish to the year, especially considering the Bulldogs’ entire staff took off for Gainesville, leaving the running backs coach behind to coach this bowl game. More importantly, Miss State will also be without their star quarterback Nick Fitzgerald, so I don’t think they can exploit the Louisville defense. 

 At the end of the day, Petrino still hates the world and has a lot to prove and he would love nothing more than to rout the SEC team.

 Bottom line Louisville and their high powered offense and consistently improved defense from week to week will get it done here over Louisville. Look for Louisville to come up big here.

5*

The pay-back now starts for Northern Colorado. They, as my regulars know, they self-imposed sanctions LY and red-shirted 4 senior starters. That meant they returned 8 starters this season plus an Arizona St transfer. The Bears failed to cover their first two games but have gone 7-0-1 ATS since. Last year N. Colorado was also at home to the Cougars and were embarrassed 70-44! N Colorado is a very good rebounding team, forces turnovers and get to the FT line a lot which I like. Eastern Washington is 1-7 SU on the road and hasn’t played a road game since Dec 12th. Look for a home cooking blowout tonight from Northern Colorado.

10* 

Ohio State will get up to face USC in a big way as this team will absolutely relish the opportunity to face the Trojans and they have a lot to prove to the Committee in particular for next year. This is a USC team that has struggled agianst elite defenses and this is a Ohio State that is prepped by Urban Meyer who is as good as it comes when it comes to Bowl Games and he has a lot to prove to himself and his fanbase in regards to the Bowl game after falling short the previous year. Ohio State’s defense is one of the top units in the country. Look for it to dominate and the Buckeyes to pull away. Let's roll with Ohio State on Friday night!

5* 

I have Siena as the far better team and while they are 4-9 they have faced the #136th rated schedule. Marist is 2-10 having faced the #223 schedule. Last season Siena won and covered both games laying 11.5 at home and 6.5 on the road and have dominated this opponent winning 18 of the last 22 games. The Saints are 2-1 ATS on the road while the Red Foxes have allowed their last 5 foes to shoot 52%. SIENA should have no problem here on Friday night.

5* 

Wake Forrest will get up to face the SEC team here as this team is vastly underrated coming into this game. You have a Wake Forrest team that did not like how they finished against Duke giving up 31 points and falling short but this is a team that had beat the likes of top 25 NC State 30-24, dropped 64 on Syrause, went toe to toe against Notre Dame and played both Clemson and FSU close. Let's roll with Wake to get it done over Texas A&M who is without their regular season coach Sumlin.

5* 

 THis is one of the weaker Navy teams I've seen in years.  Virginia coach Bronco Mendenhall has plenty of experience facing the triple option, and his Cavaliers notched an upset win over Georgia Tech earlier this season. Navy ranks 112th in sacks, which should give Virginia all day to pass. As a result of the Army/Navy game, UVA will have the preparation advantage, and the Cavaliers won’t lack in motivation for the program’s first bowl appearance since 2011. Virginia’s 69.7% red zone scoring percentage allowed (fifth in the nation) will play a major role; Navy’s defense ranks 111th in comparison. I think Virginia is the far superior team.

San Jose St now has a healthy group on the court and they showed that are a much-improved team by going into Santa Clara and pulling the upset as an 8 pt dog. 

Utah St is has been banged up and have not won & covered a game since Nov 25th. Utah St just played Life Pacific & Youngstown St (#329) and while they shot 60% & 59.6% Life Pacific is an NAIA team and the Penguins have the #339 defense. Aggies think they can win the conf and they have San Diego St on deck , a team they are 0-9 against the L4Y including getting knocked out of the MW conf tourney twice. 

5*

Khalil Tate should be a good enough reason to back Arizona here on Wednesday night, as Purdue ranks 92nd in defending rush explosiveness. Arizona is bigger and better in the trenches and I like the Wildcats to be able to move the ball. Khalil Tate ARZ QB is an electric dual-threat quarterback will thrive after getting some time as the No. 1 quarterback in a camp-like setting during bowl prep, and become even more dangerous in an offense under Rich Rodriguez that thrived under his direction in 2017. Purdue will be forced into point-a-minute football, and the Boilermakers will run out of gas. PLAY ARIZONA -3 with confidence here as our 10* COLLEGE BOWL GAME OF THE WEEK! 

The West Virginia offense will be without Will Grier, and the West Virginia defense is one of the nation’s worst units, allowing well above of 6 yards per play. 

Utah will be up for this game and their defense forces a lot of turnovers and give how banged up and disappointed West Virginia is that their quarterback is not playing and this will be a major difference maker.

 Utah is a team that is 6-6 and it would look great for this coaching staff to pull a win here against West Virginia for morale for sure. This is a team that would love nothing more than to bring pride to their conference by beating a Big 12 team and the Utes are a disciplined Football Team when it comes to their defense as a top 35 defense, a top 50 offense, a team that beat Colorado 31-13 in their last game, lost to Washington by just 3 points as a heavy underdog on the road, beat UCLA 48-17 and nearly beat USC by losing by 1 point on the road which speaks volumes. 

Utah should get their 12th victory in their past 13 Bowl games with a big ATS win and cover against the Mountaineers in the ZAXBY'S HEART OF DALLAS BOWL GAME.

10* BOWL BURIAL PLAY

This is a terrible spot for the Raiders, as they're basically out of the playoff race and have to travel cross-country for a Christmas Day game against a team fighting for homefield advantage. I don't see how the Raiders, a team that has seemingly had motivation issues this season, gets up for this game. 

The Raiders are 2-8-2 ATS since Week 2, and while the Eagles are 1-2 ATS in their last three, all three came on the road (2 on the West Coast). With some extra practice time I like the Eagles and Nick Foles to roll on Christmas Night.

5*

The narrative here is the return of Ezekiel Elliott, who figures to run all over and through the Seahawks as the Cowboys try and keep their playoff hopes alive. But don't overlook the Seahawks defense getting healthier, with defensive leader Bobby Wagner missing from the final injury report as he, Michael Bennett and Earl Thomas are all good to go after missing practice Thursday. I am backing the Seattle Seahawks getting 5 pts in a bounce back game after getting humiliated by the Rams. It may be Zeke’s return game, but this is all about Russell Wilson coming off a loss. Seattle will come out strong and the Cowboys secondary is weak. Sunday was only the Seahawks 3rd Loss by 10+ points since drafting Wilson. Following the previous 2, Seattle won both games by an average of 23.5 PPG. This one comes back to a FG and I'll take Seattle as our 10* NFL GAME OF THE WEEK!

10* NFL GAME OF THE WEEK 

The Bengals will make the most of it today but they are eliminated from the post-season. The pressure on Detroit is far more enormous than Cincinnati. The Bengals know matter what they do here have everything to gain and nothing to lose and thus will be bound to play looser. This is especially true given the venue of this contest. The fact remains a raucous crowd will be in Detroit’s face every step of the way and we can’t trust them spotting this kind of lumber given the slip-up factor that accompanies a team with the potential to play tight. The Bengals will be playing hard as its their head coaches final home game and I believe they'll get him one final win on Christmas Eve. Cincinnati may just win this game outright and ruin Detroit’s post-season aspirations.

5* 

The Colts are dismal right now and the Ravens need this game in a bad way. You have a Ravens team that is 8-6 with Harbaugh on the hot seat and he cannot afford to shit the bed here at home. His team has won 4 of its last 5 games, come together on offense, is 12th in the league in rushing now, a top 10 defense, scored 27 against the Browns, nearly beat the Steelers outright on the road, 44 against Detroit and gave up a combined 16 points to Green Bay and Houston. This shows that this team is consistent as it relates to beating teams they are supposed to with quality defense and controlling the game and consequently we like the Ravens to get it done here. They will pressure the Colts and I cant see the Colts being able to rush the ball. Take the Ravens by 21.

5* 

You have an Army team that is underrated on defense, and who faces a San Diego Statea team who is also underrated on defense. Army is ranked 34th in the nation in defense and 25th in the nation in pass defense as well. This is a team that is is nearly dead last in passing but is #1 in rushing but faces a San Diego State who is an elite rush defender. Army comes off a huge win against Navy which is an emotional win but faces a SD State team that has covered 4 straight and given up just 47 points over their last 4 games. Look for both teams to run the ball, chew up clock and this game to stay UNDER THE TOTAL.

5*

One area in which Texas Tech has a distinct advantage over South Florida in is how much more battle tested they have been this season, with a strength of schedule that ranked over 100 spots more difficult that the Bulls. All six losses by the Red Raiders this season came against teams that made a bowl game, while USF played only three teams that made the postseason and went a disappointing 1-2 in those games, including a home loss to a Houston team that Texas Tech was able to beat on the road as a touchdown underdog. 

It comes down to - will Texas Tech keep their guys on the same page on the field and have them step up? Keke Coutee and the very skilled Dylan Cantrell needs to continue improving his route running - when he is hitting his edges it makes them that much more dangerous. And no question - Justin Stockton is going to absolutely thrive in the Texas Tech backfield, Stockton is an underrated player and shakes up the entire Texas Tech offense in a good and big way.

I think a serous defensive and coverage improvement - is not entirely possible without a complete DB overhaul for South Florida. 

Bulls are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 non-conference games.

I’m not sure how high the South Florida motivation level will be for a repeat trip to the Birmingham Bowl, after the last-minute loss against UCF kept them out of the AAC Championship. USF had much higher preseason expectations, so Texas Tech should come out as the more fired up and hungry team. Texas Tech wins here on Saturday afternoon.

5*

4*

The Wizards had a seven-game winning streak snapped in the series in their last visit to Brooklyn. 

Washington is 12-3 in the last 15 meetings and I look for that trend to continue tonight.

Very unique scheduling spot as the Wizards made the same trip 10 days ago and lost 103-98. That game was the last of 5 game road trip and the tired group shot 40% which is the second lowest they % they have made this season (at Utah 12/4 28.7%). Since that game Washington has had played 4 games, all at home, winning 3 and losing only to the Cavs. 

The Wizards defense is what has impressed me as they have held their last 5 opponents to 42.5, 47.1%, 38.8%, 28.3 and 40.5% shooting with the 47.1% coming against Cleveland. 

Brooklyn has lost 4 straight with an offense that has shot 38.6%, 42.0% and 42.1% the last 3 games while the defense has allowed 48.8%, 56.6% and 55.7%. Washington is the far superior team here and the Wiz get their Revenge!

10* NBA GAME OF THE WEEK

Towson impressed me shooting 47.1% and 52.9% from 3 pt and now they play a Pitt squad that is without its starting center. Panthers off B2B home wins and they are 3-1 their last 4 games but all 3 victories came against teams that are in the bottom 50 of the 351 Div-I teams and they needed OT to beat Mt St Mary’s and only beat Delaware St by 6 points. 

Don't be fooled here.

The Towson Tigers HC Pat Skerry was a Pitt asst for 2 years under Jamie Dixon (which Pitt basically booted out – dumbest move ever).  He'll get a big win over his former team on Friday night.

5*

These two teams ended their seasons in completely different ways. Central Michigan won and covered each of its final five games, while Wyoming ended the year with an embarrassing loss to San Jose State. 

Even if Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen plays, which I don't think he will as he could be a first-round NFL draft pick. As good as Allen is, he was unable to carry the Cowboys to a great season. The Chippewas ended their season on a five-game winning streak and a huge victory over a very good Northern Illinois squad. I think Central Michigan is the right play here on Friday evening as the MAC get a win in the Bowls.

5*

UAB played about as a weak of a schedule as you could play.  Ohio played well but struggled in the end with a few cold weather games.  Now they get to go to the Bahamas being recharged and fresh and ready for a big win in the warm weather. 

UAB’s offense struggled considerably in their L/3 gms. While being

held to just 180 yds vs Fla wasn’t surprising, they were also held to

just 265 yds vs UTSA & their 334 yds vs UTEP was 123 yds less than

the Miners allow on avg.

UAB cannot stop the run and that is the strength of the OHIO U team.

The Ohio rushing attack, which averages 5.6 yards per carry (top 12 in the nation), should feast against a UAB defense allowing 4.4 yards per carry (70th in the nation). I like the experienced team and coach Frank Solich to get a double digit WIN here on Friday afternoon.

10* BOWL BURIAL

The Temple Owls have started playing better offensively down the stretch. Their defense has also been the direct beneficiary of this and will look to keep it rolling on Thursday night.

I'm laying the 7 with Temple here as we have another team with FIU as just like last night they aren't traveling anywhere and the team doesn't get hyped up for a bowl in their home state usually.

 It’s tough to trust an FIU defense that ranks outside of the top 100 in both rushing and passing. The Temple athletes will shine in the warm weather and the Temple defense is tough.

5*

I think this is a great spot for the Rams to lay the wood. Iona doesn't play any defense at all. And that's the end of the court that Rhode Island excels at. The Rams are finally healthy with E.C. Matthews back in the fold and I expect him to be even better than he was against Charleston, which was his first game in over a month. The Rams are on a 12-4 ATS push and they have the edge at both ends of the court here tonight and should roll. They should get it done easily. 

10* BURIAL

We roll with Liberty here in a small conference game that might surprise you and please note that this is an early game on the docket today. This is a Liberty team that is a bit undervalued considering they are a top 110 defense, a team that lost to a very dynamic Houston team by just 2 points earlier this year and held them to just 68 points, lost to a very good UNC Greensboro team who is a top 115 team in triple overtime, a team that beat a very good Georgia State team on the road.  We also have Fort Wayne who beat Indiana in its last game and this is a classic let down spot for them as they face an even better defensive team than Indiana in Liberty who are very sound. 

By the way, Liberty is the #1 Free Throw Shooting team in the Country as well. Liberty will be fired up for this game and I like them to get the WIN this afternoon.

5*

SMU New head coach Sonny Dykes will coach the Mustangs in the Frisco Bowl on Wednesday night, as Chad Morris left for Arkansas. 

SMU should enjoy the support of the home crowd playing 30 miles from campus, but teams don't normally get fired up playing in a Bowl game so close to home.

Also you cant really lay points with an SMU defense that allows 6.7 yards per play, 123rd in the country and worst among all bowl teams.

 The coach is gone and we saw what happened to Oregon after their coach bolted.  Now, I see that their best playmaker, cornerback Jordan Wyatt, will not play against a La Tech team that has won their bowl game in each of the past three years and know how to prep with the extra time. Also, Louisiana Tech ranks 43rd in defending explosive passing, which should generate enough stops and put a lot of pressure on SMU.  I'll take the points with LOU TECH.

5*

4*

Once March rolls around these are the kind of matchups during the nonconference that can hold a lot of weight if both of these teams find themselves around the bubble of making the Big Dance. This should be a good measuring stick game to see how the AAC stacks up against the Big East. Houston been solid during the nonconference and the Cougars' 91-65 win over Arkansas was really impressive to see. Providence hasn't picked up much in the way of nonconference resume buidling wins up to this point, but the Friars will get more than their fair share of chances come Big East play. Providence is struggling and half their team is injured. I think HOUSTON is the overall much better team.

10* 

This could be a blowout from the get go as you have an elite top 15 offense in the nation facing an Akron team that though is 7-6, is 83rd in pass defense. 

FAU, one of only five teams in the country averaging more than 6 yards per rush attempt, will face an Akron defense allowing 5.0 yards per carry, 105th in the country. FAU should run it up as they get to play in their home stadium, as they have been doing for the last month-plus. 

Akron also lost 0-52 to Penn State and 14-41 to Iowa State as well whereas you have a team like FAU that will want to make headlines and will want to blow some teams out of the water as Lane Kiffin continues to make waves and looks to show off to both Athletic Directors across the country in his first successful season at FAU. FAU just beat a better North Texas team than Akron 41-17 and also beat Louisiana Tech on the road 48-23, make no mistake, a strong showing here will allow for a big bowl to come calling next year.

5*

We roll with the Over here between The Citadel vs. Ohio State here as they likely set up for a very high scoring contest. You have a Ohio State led by first year Coach Chris Holtmann who has taken the helm of a team that went 17-15 last year and already has them at  9-3 including big wins against Wisconsin and Michigan. This team faces a team outside the top 300 and the last time they faced teams outside the top 200 including Radford and William and Mary they won by 31 and 35 points respectively and have been able to score points at relative ease. 

Yes, it's a bit scary that they have UNC on deck and could be looking ahead, but Citadel lost by 35 to FSU and lost by 39 and both those games were final scores of 132-93 and 113-78. Run and Gun is what they said.

I look for this game to be very fun and high scoring this evening.

10*

The Avalanche are coming off a grueling 6-5 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. That’s a heck of an effort against the best team in the NHL at the moment. The defense just wasn’t able to contain the speed of Tampa. 

The Avalanche defeated the Penguins back on December 11th by a score of 2-1. They came back the next night to lose to the Caps. Now they play the Lightning and Penguins back-to-back.

The Penguins are just 4-4-0 in December. Their win over the Coyotes stopped a three-game losing streak for them. 

I think this is just a brutal stretch for the Avs in terms of their schedule. They took a hard 6-5 loss against the Lightning, and it’d seem they expelled a lot of energy into that game. Now they must turn around and play the Penguins. After taking a 2-1 loss to the Avs on the 11th, I see the Penguins responding in a big way on Monday night.

5* NHL ICEMAN GAME OF THE WEEK

This line feels too high to me. 

The Falcons' biggest road win of the season was six points against the Bears in Week 1, and they have to go on the road and face New Orleans in a huge divisional game next week. They might be looking ahead.

The Bucs will be playing their Super Bowl here on MNF: a rare primetime game against a divisional rival at home. They've only been blown out once at home this year, to a better defense than the Falcons (Carolina).  I'll take the HOME UNDERDOG with TB on MNF.

5*

The New England Patriots, coming off a shocking loss to the Miami Dolphins, go on the road to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers who are fresh off a nail biter of a win over the Baltimore Ravens.  Tom Brady played terrible in that game with 2 INT's and the Pats were 0-11 on 3rd downs.

New England is the best passing team in the league and are averaging the 4th most points and get Gronk back for this game.  Also Tom Brady is 6-0 with 22 TD's and 0 INT's in his last 6 versus the Steelers.

The Steelers have been playing close games all season long and have had their last three games decided by three points or less. Big Ben has not really looked like himself all season long and when you look back at the schedule this team has had you really struggle to find a single impressive win except when they beat the Vikings in week two. The Steelers defense is allowing only 19.3 points per game but have had very weak opposition.

You know that Tom Brady has a track record of bouncing back from losses and Belichick is not the kind of coach to tolerate anything but a great performance the week after a letdown.   Take the NE Patriots on Sunday evening as our 10* NFL GAME OF THE YEAR!

10* NFL GAME OF THE YEAR

With the Dolphins coming off their biggest win of the season against the Patriots, look for the Bills to take advantage of a letdown spot for Miami. Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor will return from injury Sunday, giving Buffalo's offense a needed boast. The Bills also remain on the threshold of playoff contention, so this is essentially a must-win in order to stay alive in the playoff hunt. Jay Cutler is 12-15 all-time when the temperature is under 40 degrees, including losing 5 of his last 6. Buffalo’s 6th-ranked rushing offense should be effective against a Dolphins defense that has given up the 5th-most rushing yards in the NFL since Week 8. Shady McCoy is coming off a monster game in the weather against the Colts, and should be even more effective this Sunday. Following its most impressive performance of the season in an upset of New England, I'm counting on a letdown from the Dolphins on Sunday playing in the cold.

5* 

QB Justice Hansen leads a prolific Arkansas State passing attack that averages 341 yards per game, sixth best in FBS. MTSU simply does not have the personnel in their defensive backfield to slow down the Red Wolves. Both teams possess vulnerable offensive lines, but Arkansas State’s defensive line, a unit ranked fifth overall in adjusted sack rate, is much better equipped to generate pressure than the Blue Raiders’ defensive line, which is ranked 47th. The ARK ST Red Wolves are one of the best teams in the Sun Belt Conference. They’re explosive on both sides of the ball. The Blue Raiders have struggled this season on the defensive side of the ball and will find it very difficult to contain the spread attack of Arkansas State especially on this fast turf field which favors Arkansas St. on Saturday night.

10* BOWL GAME OF THE WEEK 

Looking back at Week 11, a 27-24 Detroit win, you can almost see into the future for this weekend. Chicago jumped out to 7-0 and 17-7 leads but the Lions were able to get 299 passing yards and two scores out of Stafford. Look for Detroit to play and pass much better here at home. The Lions will also key on stopping the Bears running attack which will shut down the Bears offense. Ultimately, I see Detroit pulling out a win as they have more playmakers than Chicago. Alongside Jones and Tate, the Lions have a matchup edge with tight end Eric Ebron when he is matched up against a linebacker and Theo Riddick provides many of the same problems when he is catching the ball out of the backfield. Ameer Abdullah is probable after missing a week with a neck injury so Detroit will at least have its full complement of skill position players to use today. Look for Detroit to get enough production to stay alive in the playoffs with a win & cover here at home.

5* 

A lot of question marks in this game, as Boise State’s leading rusher Alexander Mattison is listed as questionable with an ankle injury. If everyone can go, this is strength on strength, as we will see an Oregon offense that ranks top 20 in yards per carry (5.4) meet a Boise State defense that ranks top 20 in yards per rush allowed (3.5). Oregon is a different team with Justin Herbert back under center, and they are also without their head coach. I think the Oregon Ducks have enough speed to get this win as the Boise St defense is good but their offense is terrible. Oregon coach Mario Cristobal confirmed today that Freeman has decided not to risk injury in Saturday's bowl game against Boise State. Even with Royce Freeman their RB OUT, the Ducks have enough talent to get the cash. Lay the 7 pts with Oregon.

5* 

Let's roll with the underdog here in the first Bowl Game of the year as North Texas is trying to shake off a horrible game against FAU in losing 17-41 as an 11-point underdog. They will be very angry coming into this game facing Troy. Remember, this was a North Texas team that had covered 4 straight games coming into the FAU game, including big wins over Rice, Army, Louisiana Tech and UTEP. This is a team that is ranked 19th in the nation in total offense, 21st in pass offense, and 64th in passing yards allowed with some decent defensive backs. Plus, Troy has won 6 straight and covered 3 straight, but they face a very potent North Texas team in this one. At the end of the day, this comes down to the more motivated team, and for a team like Troy who had beat LSU, for them to face North Texas after winning 10 games is a disappointment for a Bowl game. Let's roll with the active underdog here to get it done.

5* 

4*

This game features the 13-15 Jazz and the 24-6 Celtics. I feel the rested Jazz are getting no respect in this game they play the Celtics tonight and Cavs Saturday so I expect them to go all in tonight to try and get a win in tonight's game. They have the talent and the Jazz are coming off a sloppy game with 19 turnovers vs the Bulls. Look for Rodney Hood and 1st year star Donovan Mitchell to come up big along with the Jazz defense to get the win and cover. The public is all over the Celtics at 90% but we'll take the pts with the Utah Jazz.

10* NBA GAME OF THE WEEK 

Most Colleges are taking finals this week so there haven't been many games this week.

I think the best play of the board tonight is NWestern who has played the much tougher schedule and they are a solid shooting and defensive team at home.

Lay the 10.5 with NW and watch and win on the Big Ten network.

5*

LSU will get another tough challenge today on their home court in what has been an up and down nonconference slate. LSU has faced just 7 opponents so far this season standing 5-2 overall with their defeats coming against strong opposition in Notre Dame and Marquette. LSU is a tough competitive team and in a good spot tonight.

 The Tigers have been able to pick up one resume building win over Michigan and in their last outing LSU got past UNCW at home by a final of 97-84. LSU is expected to have another difficult campaign in the SEC conference but I see them getting the win here on Wednesday night.

5*

We roll with Cincinnati here in what should be a great opportunity for them to to step up and pick up an important win. Cincinnati comes off back to back losses and desperately needs to pick up a big win. They had a season high 21 turnovers and playing poorly on Saturday. Now they are at home and ready to bounce back. Cincinnati will be highly motivated given that they face a good SEC team here with a solid record and they can make their mark here. This team can ill afford to keep losing non-conference games if they want to make it back to the Big Dance. Look for Cincinnati to step up here at home, at 7-2, behind a very motivational coach in Mick Cronin, as this team knows how to win as they have won 30, 27, 22 and 23 games the last few years, to step up with the 5th best defense in the country and a top 40 offense to lay the wood down today. Remember, Mississippi State has not faced anyone this good yet and they'll be in for a surprise tonight. CINCY BIG!

10* 

Lets go with the OVER in this matchup.  We have Bryant a team here in a great opportunity for them to step up offensively against a Louisville team that comes off a big win against Indiana and who will be motivated to play well. Imagine you are Louisville and you just come off a huge  win against Indiana, obviously, you are going to have a let down defensively against a Bryant team that can score points and who will get up in a big way to face Louisville. Bryant is a solid 3-point shooting team and put up more than 70 points against NC State and Louisville after big wins have shown a tendency to have a let down defensively. Look for both teams to push the pace and this one to go OVER THE TOTAL.

5*

The Denver Nuggets, coming off solid road win against the Orlando Magic, go on the road once again here on Sunday evening. The Pacers shoot the ball very well at home and from behind the arc. The Indiana Pacers have been one of the most surprising teams in the league this season and with a win over the streaking Cavaliers it is becoming clear this team is not one to be taken lightly. The main question that has arisen from the success of the Pacers this season is where the hell was this version of Victor Oladipo last year? Offensively Indiana has been great with Oladipo leading the way and are doing a great job moving the ball, averaging 23.2 assists per game.

The Nuggets have been trying to keep their heads above water as they wait for Nikola Jokic to recover from a sprained ankle. It has become very obvious during his absence that Denver is not going to be a great road team or really much of anything without him on the floor. Denver has struggled all season long on defense as they are allowing 106.9 points per game, a number that puts a ton of pressure on them on a nightly basis to put the ball in the basket. I'm sure they are tired and had to travel. Take the Pacers to get the win and cover at home where they are 8-5 ATS and going up against a Denver squad that is a near league worst 3-10 ATS.

5* 

This Rams team has a bunch of very good players.

Getting the Rams laying anything less than a field goal is tremendous value. There's also a big coaching edge with Sean McVay facing Doug Pederson. The PUBLIC is all over the Eagles expecting them to bounce back.  NOT ME- as I think the Rams are the better team.

 The Rams should have success in their passing game and they are a very dangerous team with their offensive playcalling and weapons with speed when playing in the warm weather.  I'm backing the LA Rams in this game here Sunday evening.

10* NFL GAME OF THE WEEK

I like Arizona as a home underdog against Marcus Mariota and Tennessee. What happened in the past does not dictate what happens in the future. In terms of the law of averages Arizona is better now than they were a month ago - even though that's not saying a lot. If the Cards D improves and the O stays healthy, this will get back to being a good team. Over the last 4 weeks of the 2017 season Arizona has really been showing their improvement vs the passing game. Titans are 3-13-1 ATS in their last 17 road games vs. a team with a losing home record The Titans are 1-4 over their last 5 on the road and 2-3 overall in their last 5, while averaging just 14.6 PPG, 248.8 YPG, and almost 3 Giveaways per game. In his last 4 road games, Mariota has 2 touchdowns, 8 picks, and a pathetic passer rating of only 62.1. Arizona has forced 6 turnovers in their last 3 games. Since the bye in Week 8, Larry Fitzgerald is averaging 10.2 Targets/PG, 7.4 Rec/PG, 76.8 YPG, 2 TD, and he could do damage against a Titans D that has allowed 7 Passing TD’s in their last 4. Take the Cardinals at home PLUS the FG here on Sunday.

5* 

Cincinnati Cincinnati meets Florida in a matchup of two top 25 ranked teams. This game is being played at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. in the Never Forget Tribute Classic. The Florida confidence is rocked and now have to meet a very good Cincinnati Bearcats team. The Bearcats are well balanced and know how to hustle. The Bearcats rank among the nation's top 10 in scoring margin (second at plus-25.1), rebound margin (ninth at plus-11.4) and field-goal percentage defense (ninth at .362). They are also among the top 25 in total rebounds per game (12th with 43.1), scoring defense (15th at 61.3); total blocks (15th with 48), blocked shots per game (19th at 6.0) and assists per game (24th at 18.4). Cincinnati has won 35 of its last 40 regular-season games dating to a 61-54 win over SMU in March 2016. Bearcats senior forward Gary Clark ranks third in the nation with 883 career rebounds. His 20 career double-doubles are the most among all active players in the American Athletic Conference. The Bearcats are the tougher team and better defensive squad. This is a bad spot for Florida to try to regroup especially against a quality team. Take CINCY this evening!

10* 

Marquette put together a strong offensive showing in their last outing getting past a very good Vermont squad at home by a final of 91-81. The Golden Eagles bring in a significant offensive edge to today’s matchup, but Wisconsin will look to slow things down into the half court to mire the Marquette attack. Wisconsin has been downright ugly at times this year on the offensive side of the ball, but the Badgers’ defense has kept them competitive and they will slow down the pace here at home.

5* 

The Toronto Raptors, winners of their last four in a row, go on the road tonight to take on the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Raptors, at 15-7, are starting to look like a slightly better version of the team they were a season ago. Offensively Toronto is putting up very solid numbers, averaging 111.5 points per game and with Kyle Lowry and DeRozan both playing great that number actually looks sustainable for this squad. The ball movement on this team really sets them apart as they are averaging 23.6 assists per game and really get everyone involved across the board. 

The Memphis Grizzlies have been predictably floundering with Mike Conley out of the lineup and at 8-16 have a huge hole to dig themselves out of if they want to be able to compete for a playoff spot. The Grizzlies had little offense before Conley was sidelined but now that he is out and they have only Marc Gasol to rely on things have gone from bad to worse. In addition to having no offense the Grizzlies rebounding is near worst in the league as they average only 38.8 boards per contest. 

Take the Raptors to get the win and cover in this one as they are the better team by a landslide margin and are fully capable of winning this game in blowout fashion on the road here Friday night!

Take the TORONTO RAPTORS as our 10* NBA Game of the Week

Nashville is 8-1 their last 9 games at home and I like them in this spot tonight. Vegas had cooled off after their hot start and their defense is struggling. The Nashville Predators last played on Tuesday and well rested coming into this one. We have Pekka Rinne penciled in as the confirmed starter for the Nashville Predators. Over 22 appearances, he has delivered a 2.38 GAA and 0.926 SV% this season. In Rinne's latest appearance, he faced 40 shots and allowed 3 goals. The Nashville Predators are 11-2-1 when playing at home this season. The Vegas Golden Knights have gone 6-7-1 on the road. Getting the home team at this price is solid value. Look for the Nashville Predators to get the Friday night win.

4* 

Brian Elliott is expected to get the call here for the Flyers. Over 20 appearances, he has delivered a 2.92 GAA and 0.908 SV% this season. In Elliott's latest appearance, he faced 26 shots and allowed 2 goals. He has been above average recently, with a 0.907 save percentage in his last 5 appearances. 

The Vancouver Canucks are 5-5-3 when playing at home this season. The Philadelphia Flyers have gone 5-5-3 on the road. The Vancouver Canucks have gone 2-3 when playing Eastern-Metropolitan opponents this season. 

All of the value in this line is on the road club. The Philadelphia Flyers will certain pepper the opposition with shots in this one. Take the Flyers in this late Thursday night game.

4*

I think this line is a bit too high.  The Big 10 is going to 20 conference games next season so they wanted to acclimate their teams by starting the conference schedule this past week. Purdue is off wins against Arizona and Louisville then they won at Maryland before a non-cover win against Northwestern. Valpo now an in-state ‘Little Brother’ that is 8-0 this season, and while they have played a fairly weak schedule they have held those opponents to 34% from 2pt and 25% from 3pt land.

I'll back Valpo behind their defense to stay within 16 pts.

5*

Craig Anderson should be in goal for the Ottawa Senators. 

The Anaheim Ducks have been average at home, posting a 6-7-2 record. The Ottawa Senators have been okay when playing on the road with a 5-5-1 record. The Anaheim Ducks have gone 1-1 when playing Eastern-Atlantic opponents this season. 

Playing on the road is always tough, but we like the chances that the Ottawa Senators have with this match-up. Take the Ottawa Senators to prevail in this game. We've got the Ottawa Senators bouncing back with a win here after getting shutout 5-0 in their previous game.

4*

The Harvard Crimson haven’t gotten off to the start they were hoping for this season, but this is still on the most talented teams in the IVY League and we expect the Crimson to be a serious threat come conference play. 

Fordham has been one of the worst offensive teams in the nation this season ranking 335th in D1 in scoring average.

This has defensive battle written all over it and it’d be a surprise if either team breaks 65 points. Look for a low scoring game and this one to stay UNDER THE TOTAL.

5*

This game is being played at the home of the Phoenix Suns. Arizona has beaten 4 teams at home by 32 PPG but those teams are ranked #336, #207, #185 and #240. In their 4 games at a neutral setting or on the road they lost to NCSt, SMU and Purdue and then won by 3 in OT at UNLV Saturday. A&M is the best team they have faced. A&M has faced the #40 schedule and is 7-0 and with a shutdown defense (#4) and we’ll back them here.

5* 

Virginia has posted a perfect 6-0 ATS record in their last six games following a straight up win and they have that same perfect 6-0 ATS record in their last six non-conference games. Virginia with the #1 defense looks for revenge for a home loss to WV LY. Mountaineers have played a weak schedule (#274) and have only faced one top 50 team which was a 88-65 loss to Texas A&M another top defensive squad. WV relies on their full court pressure to force TO’s but Virginia is #3 in fewest TO’s (bit misleading because they play such a slow pace). I think W Virg will struggle to score in their half-court offense vs this very good Cavalier defense. Take Virginia plus the pts.

5*