The Golden Eagles know their NCAA Tournament hopes could ride on this game. The Bradley Center is going to be packed and rocking. The No. 1 team in the country is Villanova with a 19-1 SU record and 14-6 ATS record. Marquette is a very tough team at home who shoots the 3-ball well. Villanova has played a very easy road schedule so far with just one away game versus a Top-50 opponent. The Wildcats have five left on their schedule, starting with Sunday's game at Marquette. Steve Wojciechowski, now in his fourth season at Marquette, has shown improvement each year. Marquette is very efficient offensively and I expect a tight game throughout.

5* 

John Calipari's Kentucky teams historically gel and make a strong mid-to-late season run, but we've yet to see such progress from these Wildcats, who lack the NBA-ready talent of years past. They struggle with pressure and shooting from the perimeter. They struggled against pressure-defensive clubs such as Tennessee and South Carolina, showing a lack of poise and resilience. W Virginia has senior led guards and I like them big here at home where they play extremely well.

5* 

The Tennessee Vols have been consistently competitive this season standing 14-5 overall and 5-3 in the better than expected SEC. Tennessee has been able to move into the top 25 on the strength of their balanced attack this season as the Vols rank 103rd in the nation in scoring and 94th in total defense. This group is also very unselfish sharing the ball ranking 38th in the nation in assists. This past week Tennessee handled their business grabbing a win at South Carolina and a home win over rival Vanderbilt. Grant williams is going to put a lot of Iowa st players in foul trouble with his low post presence plus with the 3 point snipers Tennessee has this could be a game that put tennessee on radar as a top seed as ISU is playing very inconsistent. Tennessee is a tough group that has shown they can come through on the road like in their win at South Carolina this past week. We like Tennessee to handle their business today against the worst team in the Big 12 as they go on to cover this manageable 3 pt spread.

5* 

Northern Kentucky is a very good team that no one talks about. They play extremely well at home and I all they do is win and they have played a very tough schedule so far and they win big tonight. They are 10-2 on their home court winning by an average of 20 ppg. Northern Kentucky is a top 70 offense and defense has won seven of its last eight games and has won its last three by an average of 18 points while shooting 50 percent from the field. Oakland has won four straight, but it's just 1-6 ATS its last seven games. Northern Kentucky has a big edge defensively as it allows a .427 field goal percentage overall and just .316 from 3-point range, which is important when facing the Golden Grizzlies. At home, the N Kentucky Norse(whatever that is) defense is even better as it holds opponents to only 29.1 percent from long distance. Drew McDonald leads the Norse with a 16.8 scoring average while grabbing 8.4 rebounds per game. Northern Kentucky is 18-6-2 ATS its last 26 games overall and 15-5-1 ATS its last 21 home contests. Look for a double digit win for the home team here on Friday night!

10* 

Tulane is a team that was only 6-25 LY but in the 3rd season under former NBA HC Mike Dunleavy Sr the change in attitude is now complete. Tulane has learned how to play very well at home as indicated by the upsets of SMU and Houston. USF is a train wreck. They are 0-7 SU and 1-6 AT Sin conference play and the lone cover was their last game, at home, against their rival (UCF) who was playing their first game without 7-6 Tacko Fall.

5* 

Central Florida was dealt a tough blow when it lost starting center Tacko Fall last week. Fall is a great rim protector. Without Fall, the UCF defense will not be the same. Wichita State has lost two in a row and will be ready to explode here at home. The Shockers have one of the best offensive clubs in the NCAA, ranking 18th in points per possession. More importantly, they play a much faster pace at home. Look for the Wichita St Shockers to get a big win here at home on Thursday night!

10* 

UConn has been hammered twice in a row by 20-plus points. Against SMU, the Huskies must find a solution likely without F Terry Farrier (facial injury), their second most productive score and rebounder. His replacement is an inexperienced freshman. In the betting universe, UConn is living off of its reputation, having gone 7-15 in its most recent 22 home games. The Mustangs have covered in four of the past five head-to-heads and are the better balanced team tonight.

5* 

Rutgers has been a tough team to figure out at times this year, but the Scarlet Knights have been more of a threat this year than perhaps in recent seasons in the Big Ten. Rutgers came through for us in their last outing at home getting past Iowa in impressive fashion by a final of 80-64. Occasionally the Scarlet Knights have been able to cobble together some strong showings at home off the strength of their defense. On the year Rutgers ranks 9th in the nation in total defense compared to 299th in scoring. Rutgers has the edge of their home court as well as the fact that Nebraska is heading into a second leg of their current road trip. Rutgers played great for us in their last outing at home and we see that being the case again today as the Scarlet Knights get the win here at home on Wednesday night!

5* 

Rider already beat Fairfield by 19 at home in the first meeting earlier this month, and there isn't enough that has changed from a few weeks ago to avoid another similar outcome for these two. The Broncs have flourished in MAAC play at 6-2 and are putting up some strong offensive numbers at 81.3 points per game. Fairfield are on the opposite end of the spectrum, just 7-11 overall and 2-5 in league play, even allowing more points than scoring. Fairfield are 0-6 against the RPI Top 100, and Rider rank inside that number. There is value on the road, and this is one of those spots. Rider gets its second double digit win over Fairfield and sweep the season series in the process.

5* 

TCU started a hot 12-0 and earned a Top 15 ranking, but they have since dropped five of seven Big 12 games to begin league play. That's not that big of a concern, as the conference is arguably the toughest in the country with the high level of competition. Of the Horned Frogs five losses this year, four have been to RPI Top 50 teams and all four by a combined 11 points. Head Coach Jamie Dixon's is very familiar with the WVU coach and team. They need a resume win here in conference play, missing out on so many close games in recent weeks. We go with the small home dog and TCU here on Monday night.

5* 

After 2 straight road games I expect AUBURN to return home and get a convincing win. Georgia tends to struggle to score points and the Tigers and Bruce Pearl will be ready for this one on Saturday. Auburn shot poorly in their last game at just 39% and get man-handled and outrebounded. Pearl will have his team ready for a big win at home on Saturday evening.

10* College Hoops Game of the Week 

I like Monmouth tonight as a home dog.  This is only their 3rd home game since Dec 9th.

Monmouth has been competitive in the MAAC, and they are always solid at home. They were sloppy on the road in their last game with 18 turnovers and they got beat on the boards.

Look for Monmouth to get a win at home tonight as they usually take care of business with Iona.

5*

The Niagara Purple Eagles have lost four straight years to Quinnipiac, but finally Niagara has a better team. After just ten wins all of last season, Niagara has already eclipsed that number with 11 so far this year, including four straight in MAAC play to move into the top quarter of the league standings. Niagara is in the Top 30 in the country in scoring and has one of the best scoring combinations with 20-point scorers Matt Scott and Khahlil Dukes. Their partnership will be too much for Quinnipiac to handle. Niagara gets another conference victory and cruises to their 5th straight win here as they are the better team by far in my opinion.

10* 

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 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* 

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* 

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* 

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* 

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 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.

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* 

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* 

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* 

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*

4*

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*

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*

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* 

4*

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* 

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* 

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*

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* 

Vermont will almost certainly go on to win the American East this season given how much veteran talent returns for this roster. Vermont has been a pesky opponent so far this year standing 6-2 overall with their only losses coming in competitive fashion on the road against Kentucky and Bucknell. The main concern we have with Vermont is they’re heading into their 4th straight true road game and that can have a wearing effect on a team.

Marquette has been testing themselves during the nonconference standing 5-3 overall with some tough defeats coming against teams like Purdue, Wichita State, and Georgia. Marquette has shown explosiveness at times on the offensive end putting up 81.5 points per game on average and it’ll be interesting to see if the Golden Eagles can take advantage of what should be a somewhat fatigued defensive opponent. Marquette has been led by Rowsey and Howard who’re each averaging over 20 points per contest. I think behind their strong home court advantage I like Marquette to take take of business and get the win and cover here and dominate in the paint and on the boards.

10* 

Florida State isn’t expected to reach near the heights they showed last season given the amount of talent that moved on and the Seminoles could even struggle getting into the Big Dance given how tough consistent wins will be to get in the ACC. 

We love what we’ve been seeing out of the Gators so far this season as Florida stands 5-1 overall with their only loss coming against the top team in the nation on a neutral site in a game that could have gone either way against Duke. Florida has been testing themselves with some of their better wins thus far coming against Stanford and Gonzaga. The Gators are one of the most entertaining teams to watch given how they push the ball in transition. Right now Florida ranks first in the nation in scoring putting up nearly 100 points per contest on average. Jalen Hudson has led the squad averaging 21.7 points per contest.

This is always a fun rivalry matchup during the nonconference when Florida and Florida State go head to head. Florida is clearly the team with a higher ceiling this season just like FSU was last year when the Noles beat the Gators in Tallahassee. We like Florida to come through behind their own home crowd today as they go on to win big!

5*

Kansas State hasn’t had the toughest slate to open the season with their only high level matchup coming in their one defeat against Arizona State. K-State lost some key pieces from last year’s tournament teams, but the Wildcats still have enough talent to be a factor in the Big 12 and perhaps make another run at the Big Dance this season. 

The Vanderbilt Commodores might stand just 3-4 overall, but this group has been testing themselves in the nonconference with defeats coming against solid opposition in Seton Hall, Virginia, USC, and on the road against Belmont. Vandy hasn’t been picking up resume wins, but they’ll get their chance today behind their home court advantage. 

Vanderbilt is better than their overall record would indicate and we believe the only reason the Commodores aren't favored by more at home today is because of the records both of these squads currently have and not purely based on the talent of each roster. We like Vandy behind their unique home court edge as they go on to get the Sunday win.

5*

Pitt is not a very good team as we played against them facing Penn St a few weeks ago but Duquesne is a very bad team. The Dukes are 2-2 but they played the #350 toughest schedule (only Georgetown played a weaker) and in their 4 games the BEST they shot was 40.7% (shooting 37.9% on the season). Duquesne has a first year head coach and he clearly has year 2 circled as he brought in 5 transfers that have to sit out but are using up scholarships. Pitt’s offense has topped 50% shooting in each of its last 3 games and that includes a solid Oklahoma St team. LY’s loss in the rival “City Game” was the first in 16 seasons for the Panthers and they get their revenge tonight!

5* 

La Salle has been going against a brutally tough schedule so far this season standing 4-3 overall with their defeats coming against opponents like Northwestern, Boston College, and Miami. In their last outing La Salle picked up a great win getting past rival Temple by a final of 87-83 in a game where the Explorers stepped up in a big way on the offensive end. It was nice seeing La Salle put up a strong offensive performance in their last outing coming off a tough 46 point showing against Miami in their prior outing and we see that positive momentum carrying over.

This has the ingredients to be a defensive battle as Towson loves to grind it out and La Salle has generally played to the tempo of their opposition so far this season. Given the tougher slate La Salle has challenged themselves against I like them to win here on Friday afternoon.

5*

New Mexico is trying to get their program back on track as they bring in a new head coach this season and it’d be a surprise to see this program down for long given how tremendous the fan support is for the Lobos program. New Mexico has gone against a tough slate to open the year and the Lobos have had some mixed results standing 2-4 overall. New Mexico was impressive in their 67-69 loss against TCU, but the Lobos have also had some less than great showings in their losses against Tennessee Tech and NMSU. The key for New Mexico to get back on track is coming back to their home court where they can rally around the support from their elite home court advantage. NM has a Big home court advantage here at The Pit and they should get a big win and cover tonight.

5* 

There is no rest for the weary Xavier Musketeers, who had three days to recover from a loss to Arizona State before hosting No. 16 Baylor on Tuesday night at Cintas Center. Three days wouldn't seem like ample time to fix the defensive issues that led to No. 21 Xavier's 102-86 loss to the Sun Devils at the Las Vegas Classic. But, it's all part of the development process for head coach Chris Mack. Xavier returns home and is coming off its first loss of the season as the defense was to blame. It led by as many as 15 points in the first half but allowed 73 points over the final 23 minutes of the game. Xavier will be out for immediate redemption and there will be added motivation as well. Xavier has won 33 straight non-conference home games and I expect them to bounce back here at home. This is the first true road game of the season for Baylor and it comes against a pissed off Xavier teams. I like Xavier by 9 or more.

10* Game of the Week 

This tournament a bit different as the team played Thursday/Friday and had Saturday off. Harvard lost to St Mary’s and then pulled the upset over St Joe’s. Fullerton was assured at least one win because after losing to Georgia that faced Sacramento St winning by 5 as a 9.5 pt HF. Now Harvard plays the easiest game in their stretch as they are well equipped with 6 players averaging 20 minutes/game and nine players averaging over 12.7 minutes/game. Look for Harvard to get the win and cover here on Sunday night.

5*

Niagara comes into this game 1-4 with 3 straight losses. They pulled an upset in their opener and while they lost the next 3 they played all 4 on the road, with an average line of +12 PPG and they have faced the #18 toughest schedule. Alabama A&M was 2-27 LY and they return only one starter this season. They are 0-4 and this is their 5th straight road game.

I expect Niagara to win and win big here on Friday afternoon.

5*

We cashed with Virginia last week as they won and cover at VCU shooting 51% and holding the Rams to 67 points. We also cashed playing against Vanderbilt in their only game away from home this season as they went to Belmont as a favorite and shot 35%. Now Vandy away from home faces the best defense in the country. Significant edge to Virginia which played here twice LY in the ACC Conference Tournament.

5*

I have Wichita St as the best team in the country and despite being down one of their 5 returning starters they are a very deep experienced team. Wichita for more tested having plated California and Marquette and they dispatched them by allowing 38% and 42% shooting. Notre Dame played Chaminade and LSU and shot 54% and 52% against them which is something they will not do against the Shockers top 10 defense. I like Wichita St here late on Wednesday night!

5* 

We roll with Idaho here because we are fans of Don Verlin and his coaching style as he led this team to 19 and 21 wins after a 13 win season 3 years ago. He is led by Sanders and Blake who have plenty of big game experience and that have been with this program for some time and given that this team faces a Santa Clara team led by Herb Sandek, who mind you has one of the worst offensive efficiencies in the country, this sets up for a nice opportunity for Idaho and the consistency they have had under Verlin's system to shine through here. 

This is a great spot for Idaho to get up for this game and they are the better talented team and with the better coach.

5*

I already have Fresno 10 points better and the situation is greatly in our favor. Prefer to back the Bulldogs were tested and are coming off a loss at Arkansas losing by 8 as a 13 point dog. Evansville has been home for all 4 games and has been a favorite in every game with 2 against non-lined opponents. They struggled to beat small school Binghamton. The other factor I like is that Fresno has 4 players averaging between 13 and 17 points meaning they withstand a cold shooter. Evansville’s Ryan Taylor is averaging 24 PPG thanks to shooting 49% (16-33) from 3-pt something tougher to do away from home especially in Mexico. I like FRESNO in this one BIG TIME!

10* 

Penn State looked downright dominant vs. Pitt on Monday, but have you seen Pitt? They are awful this year! Texas A&M only laying 5 pts here is a nice play. They've got the three best players on the floor (Robert Williams, D.J. Hogg, Tyler Davis) and should be able to romp the Nittany Lions on the boards. Only a matter of time before Texas A&M starts getting more respect nationally as I have them as a TOP 10 team this year.

5* 

Northern ended last season as a better team between these two and started this season better as well. The Huskies were only playing their second game of the season, and first away from home, yesterday and an experience Penn squad jumped on them early and they could fight back. NI has played better competition and are shooting 49.6% compared to FAU’s 39.4 while allowing 40.6%. Tough for both teams to be playing a 1:30 games but Huskies game started at 5 PM yesterday while FAU tipped off almost at 8 PM.

5* 

We really liked Penn State to take the next step in their progression this season and thus far the Nittany Lions have found success against a manageable slate standing 4-0 with all their wins coming at home. Penn State barely came through against the spread in their last outing for us taking down Columbia by a final of 79-65, but by and large the Nittany Lions have been taking care of business against their mid-major opposition. Tony Carr has been impressive out of the gate leading Penn State averaging 20 points per contest. The Pitt Panthers are picked to finish in the basement of the ACC this season and that’s not a surprise considering the rebuilding job that’s going on with this program. Pitt hasn’t looked great so far this season standing 1-2 overall with their losses coming against the likes of Navy and Montana. Penn State has looked like the clear better team out of the gate and we like the Nittany Lions to come through today on the neutral site as they go on to cover the spread.

5* 

We feel this Boise State squad has a great chance to compete right at the top of the Mountain West this year given the Broncos have arguably the best player in their conference with Chandler Hutchison leading the way. Veteran combo player Hutchison has already gotten off to a strong start averaging 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game, and Hutchison does a little bit of everything for the Broncos. Boise State stands 4-0 with great wins thus far coming in the invite against Illinois State and UTEP.

Iowa State knew they were coming into a serious rebuilding season, but I’m not sure the Cyclones foresaw these kind of struggles out of the gate. Iowa State stands 2-2 overall opening the year with back to back double digits losses against Missouri on the road and Milwaukee at home, followed by competitive wins over App State and Tulsa in this invite. 

Boise State has looked like the better team so far this season and given their veteran experience they’re going to be a tough out today for the Cyclones. We like Boise State to get us the cash here on Sunday.

5*

The La Salle Explorers are hoping to be more of a factor this year in the A-10 returning a lot of experience to a squad that went 15-15 overall a season ago. La Salle has opened the year 3-0 against a adequate slate getting past teams like Saint Peter’s, Penn, and South Alabama. La Salle hasn’t been overly impressive in their wins.

Northwestern is a talented and experience group, but the Wildcats haven’t gotten off to the kind of start they were hoping for. Northwestern opened with two less than dominant single digit wins against Loyola Maryland and Saint Peter’s, followed by a 4 point loss against a dangerous Creighton squad. Many are selling Northwestern given their slow start, but the Wildcats started looked better, especially offensively in the second half of their loss to Creighton, and that’s the kind of positive momentum this group needed to get back on track.

Northwestern has gotten off to a poor start, but that’s given us some better odds today and at home.

NW gets the call and should win by 11 or more.

5*

We really liked the pieces Penn State was developing last year and we feel that maturation will pay off this year as the Nittany Lions should be able to make a run to the NCAA tournament, or the NIT at the very least. Penn State has been steady thus far opening 3-0 against a fairly manageable slate with their best wins thus far coming against Campbell and Montana. Penn State has a deep rotation and this group has been led by Tony Carr who’s averaging 20 points per game. Veteran guard Shep Garner is the glue guy who’ll likely step up his game come tougher matchup. Penn State has been handling their business at home thus far and there’s no reason to assume that’ll end here today against a mid-level IVY League squad. Take Penn State to continue to dominate here at home and get an easy win tonight!

5* 

Wisconsin has also looked strong to open the year against a manageable schedule standing 2-0 with convincing victories coming against South Carolina State and Yale. In their last outing Wisconsin came in has rather sizeable favorites against a decent Yale squad, and the Badgers still went on to blow the spread out of the water winning by a final of 89-61. Wisconsin shares the ball well with 4 players averaging in double figures and big man Ethan Happ has led the way averaging an double-double. They are also a very solid defensive and rebounding team and very tough at home.

Wisconsin has one of the best home court advantages in college basketball and that’ll certainly be a factor here with the Badgers bringing in a top 25 opponent. Wisky get the win and cover here tonight!

5*

Missouri is a completely different team this year given they bring in respected head coach Cuonzo Martin along with some players to interject some life by into this program. Missouri has looked strong out of the gate standing 2-0 with home wins coming against Iowa State and Wagner, and now the Tigers get a great test today going into one of the tougher road settings in college basketball. Missouri has 3 players averaging at least 14 points per game and none of them or Michael Porter Jr. who's one of the most talented players in college basketball. Utah has gone against a very manageable schedule thus far handling their business getting past Prairie View and MVSU in convincing fashion. Missouri has a higher ceiling than Utah this year and the Tigers have shown some good signs early on under head coach Martin. They'll get a win on the road here Thursday night.

5* 

The Butler Bulldogs are picked to finish in the mid-tier of the Big East this season, but they’ll probably be taking a step back given some of the important players that moved on this past offseason and with the head coaching change. Butler has opened the year 2-0 with their victories coming at home against the likes of Kennesaw State and Princeton. 

Maryland has also opened the year 2-0 winning against manageable opposition taking down Stony Brook and UMES at home. Maryland blew the doors off of Maryland Eastern Shore in their last outing picking up the win by a final of 96-43. Maryland might be without Melo Trimble, but that doesn’t mean the Terps will take a step back this season. Maryland developed a highly impressive freshman class last season that should only continue to get better heading into their second years. Maryland has been spread the ball around and it’s been Anthony Cowan who’s led the way thus far averaging 15.5 points per game.

Maryland has a strong home court advantage which should be a factor today given a program like Butler is coming into town to play. We like the Terps to take care of business here on Wednesday night.

5* MARYLAND

BYU has played third fiddle in the WCC it seems ever since they’ve moved into the league and that looks to be the case again this year with both Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s having the makeup of top 25 squads. 

Princeton is expected to take a slight step back this season given some of the veteran talent that’s moved on, but the Tigers are still expected to be a serious factor in the IVY League again this year. Princeton was competitive in their opener on the road against Butler falling in the end by a final of 75-85. 

BYU will look to push the pace of play today while Princeton wouldn’t mind playing more in the half court. We like the advantages that BYU brings in on the offensive side of the ball and as a result we feel the Cougars have a decent shot to pick up the upset, even with Nick Emery out, as they go on to cover the spread.

5*

This game is being played on a neutral court at the United Center in Chicago. I'm excited to see how Devonte' Graham has grown in the off-season. Look for a big early season win for Kansas. Kentucky played in the mud a bit with Utah Valley, then got taken to the wire by Vermont. Kansas outclasses UK in the backcourt, is more experienced in my opinion and should get a 7-14 pt win.

5* 

The Spartans have far much more experience, and arguably a better frontcourt. Michigan State's going to provide much tougher resistance in the paint with scoring and rebounding. Plus, MSU fans should show up in droves at the United Center. When we talk about Tom Izzo, we talk about defense and rebounding plus Final Four appearances. Izzo has his most talented team ever with Miles Bridges, Joshua Langford, Nick Ward, Cassius Winston and freshman Jaren Jackson, who was a McDonald's All-American. Duke has six freshmen among its top nine players and very young besides Grayson Allen. I'll take the more experienced team that works on rebounding and defense with the Michigan St Spartans.

5* 

I'm taking the points with North Texas on Monday night. Nebraska basketball coach Tim Miles may not be in as much hot water as his football counterpart Mike Riley, but his seat is getting warm. Nebraska's major issues under Miles of late has been an inability to make 3-pointers and an inability to defend the 3-point line. New season, same results against EIU, making just 31% of their treys, while allowing the Panthers to make nearly 40% of their shots. The Huskers are laying too many in our opinion and we'll grab the points with North Texas here on Monday night.

5* 

I like W Virginia with their athletes and pressure to get the win here in Germany.  As long they hit their FT's they should be fine.

The Aggies are really going to miss future NBA lottery pick Robert Williams who is suspended for the first three games of the season. Look for Daxter Miles and Jevon Carter to lead West Virginia to a comfortable win.

5*

I'm going with Gonzaga tonight as they are an underdog for the 1st time this season. What's not to like about a team that takes smart shots, squares up, and shoots 50 percent from the field. They've also got a defense that allows only 37 percent shooting. They've already been battle tested against tough teams like WV and SC. North Carolina has been hanging by a thread, and needed late free-throw rebounds to beat Oregon by one in a game it should have won by double figures and they got by Kentucky by just 2 pts. Gonzaga has the size and skill inside with Zach Collins and Przemek Karnowski to compete on the boards with NC. Take GONZAGA here on Championship Monday.

5*

Oregon has great guards that can hit 3's and drive to the basket. The NC guards are prone to foul trouble. The Ducks just whipped top-seeded Kansas in a game that was never really in doubt in the second half. Remember, Kansas entered that Elite Eight game looking invincible. While North Carolina deserves to be favored, this one will go down to the wire and I'm taking the 5 points with Oregon in this one.

5*

Gonzaga is a solid all around team. They can offset any defensive adjustment South Carolina may make with a balanced inside-outside attack. They also have the ability to play at a fast or slow tempo. That'll be a challenge for a South Carolina team that has exceeded their regular-season offensive and defensive standards. I don't think SC will be able to keep up offensively. Gonzaga is legit and Mark Few has done a masterful job of implementing the offense around Colins and Karnowski. This team plays two 7- footers and they are both good. Gonzaga is simply too deep and talented for South Carolina to hang. For Gonzaga is everything South Carolina is, but better. Led by Williams-Goss, the 3 guard attack has versatility and depth. Then there is the interior where a pair of 7 footers Karnowski and Colins patrol the paint and its tough for teams to drive and penetrate inside. But the real difference maker for the Zags has been Missouri transfer, Williams, for whom South Carolina may have no answer. South Carolina has a great defense but Gonzaga has an even better defense and a top 15 offense. Zags can play a slow game in fact they can adjust to any style and I can see them winning by double digits on Saturday night.

10*

Coastal Carolina Chanticleers have been afforded a few days to adjust to the sky-high altitude in Laramie and coming off a 24 pt loss in the CBI championship series. Their coach, Cliff Ellis, is a master and will make the proper adjustments for tonight. I expect a close game between these 2 teams as they've seen each other now 3 times in the past week. Take the underdog here on Friday.

5*

Why would anyone lay this many points, two days after the underdog whipped the favorite by 10? The oddsmakers are smart- Thats why! Wyoming normally has a huge home edge as they are the highest altitude home court (over 7,000 ft) but while Coastal Carolina has to fly to Wyoming with only one day between games. Two Coastal Carolina players -- Colton Rat-St. Cyr and Demario Beck -- suffered knee injuries that might sideline them. Coastal has yet to play a road game in the CBI. It must adjust to altitude that could slow its up-tempo offense. The Cowboys are plus-five at home for point differential, while Coastal is minus-11 on the road.

5*

We roll tonight with little Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners, nobody ever heard of them. They are very underrated and 75% of the public is on GT tonight. They beat CAL, Colorado St,  UT Arlington all on the road.
They won the WAC conference regular season title and just missed out on the big tournament. Made it last year and lost to Oklahoma with Buddy Hield and actually could have won that game. This team isnt getting much respect as an 8th seed. Just keep knocking the higher seeds off.
They are 14-2 their last 16 games and
during the season they lost to SMU by 6, BYU by 10, Arizona by 12 & were 1st in the WAC as the regular season concluded. Cal St should be fired up to play at MSG tonight as well.
Cal St Bakersfield plays great defense  and is a balanced senior led team.  GT is young and playing on a neutral count I give this Cal St team the edge.

10* NIT GAME OF THE YEAR

If South Carolina can beat Duke and steamroll Baylor, I just can not see them losing to Florida. The Gators like to fire up 3-pointers and if they are on they are tough to beat.
 The gamecocks are looking really really good right now.

South Carolina advances to its first Elite Eight in program history after making it to the Sweet 16 for the first time. Martin's squad is a defensive force. It limited Baylor to just 30 percent shooting, forcing 16 turnovers and holding the Bears to a season-tying-low 22 first-half points.

Frank Martin is a great coach and motivator and has the SEC player of the year in Thornwell and the BEST DEFENSIVE team left in the tournament.  We'll take the points with SC +3.5

5*

Gonzaga looks to punch its ticket to the Final Four and make it to the Championship game for the first time in school history. The Bulldogs haven’t been steam-rolling opponents like many predicted that they would, but they’ve been getting a balanced attack. Xavier looks poised for a letdown here though after its big upset of Arizona. Gonzaga held WVU to just 26% shooting from the floor and only 5 of 23 from 3-pt range. Look for Gonz to have another dominant game and great defensive play and to find a way to get the job and get the cover. Xavier also struggles from the FT line and I think that may be the different here on Saturday. Look for the Zags to win by 10 or more.

5*

Kentucky is a completely different team and has improved especially on Defense which is smothering. They are also playing with revenge here tonight and should have more fans at this game than UCLA. Kentucky starts 4 freshman and they are just hitting their groove right now. I have Kentucky 3.2 points better in my power ratings and give them a point for a home edge in Memphis while they played the first round in Indianapolis. UCLA played their first round in San Jose and now has to travel cross country. Ucla with my #2 offense but #81 defense while Kentucky has my #11 offense and #13 defense. Significant coaching edge as well for the Wildcats and some distractions for the Bruins. Lets back Kentucky here on Friday night.

10*

Oregon is a solid team but the loss of Boucher when he got injured really hurts them. He completes that team and as good of a shot blocker Bell is, Oregon just doesn't have that interior presence on defense anymore. Everybody underrates Michigan because of the record/resume but that fact of the matter is they've been playing like a top 10 team since the beginning of February. Michigan has all 5 starters who can stretch the floor and knock down threes. And that's not including Robinson coming off the bench who might be the best 3 point shooter in the nation. The fact Michigan will knock down around ten 3's a game and a very good FT team shooting near 80% will be the difference. Lastly, Michigan lead the country in fewest turnovers per game and I like them to get the WIN here on Thursday night.

10*

Wyoming has been a very good team at home going 16-3 on the season. These two teams are almost mirror images of each other. They rank #13 and #14 in adjusted tempo and both shoot a very high number of 3-pointers. Both teams take about half of their shots from behind the arch (Wyom 45.9%, UV 45.6%) and the Cowboys have a better 3-pt offense (#170 & #41) then the UV Wolverines do (#282 & #70). Wyoming is home for a 3rd straight CBI game while Utah Valley is the only team left in the tourney that is playing a third straight road game, which will have more of an effect with the country’s highest altitude home court and both teams playing a second game in 3 days. I'm backing the Wyoming Cowboys here at home.

10* Sure Shot

Ole Miss wants to play in the NIT and they are thrilled to get that chance. GT is a good team at home but does not play well on the road. This MISS team started playing much better near the tail end of the regular season and it showed including beating South Carolina at home by 5 points, losing to Arkansas by just 1 point in the SEC Tournament, beating Syracuse on the road by 5 points, beating Monmouth by 8 points on the road, beating Vandy by 7 points on the road and losing to Florida by just 7 points on the road as well. This is a team that is top 60 in offense and top 100 in defense I like the Rebels to win by double-digits tonight.

5*

The Richmond Spiders had a better year than most were expecting standing 22-12 overall and 8-5 in true road tests. They also have 3 seniors on the team who are from Texas so they will be fired up for this game and a chance to goto MSG.

Richmond surprised everyone finishing in a tie for third place in the A-10 going 13-5 in conference and this group had a knack for coming through in a number of close games. The Spiders are led by veteran forward T.J. Cline who’s averaging an impressive 18.1 points and 5.6 assists per game.
The TCU Horned Frogs are not good defensively and have allowed 46.7% or better from three point land in their last 3 games.
Look for a close game here and I'm taking the points with Richmond.

5*

I've got a strong play on this second-round NIT game Monday night. Bakersfield is a very defensive team with a very poor offense. Colorado State is 5-1-1 ATS in its last seven home games, a trend I believe will continue. Colorado St has experienced guards including the MWC Player of the Year, Gian Clavell, and are 21st in fewest TO’s allowed. Moby Arena is at 5,000 feet which helps the home team as the rams are 9-3 ATS as a fav and tough at home.

5*

5*