I'm laying the points with Oklahoma on Saturday.  Tough slide of late for the Sooners but line value is on our side in this one and we're betting they're getting "just what the doctor ordered" with Texas coming to Norman.  Texas has dropped three in a row SU/ATS and are not shooting well.  I doubt it gets any better today, coming in making just 41 percent of their road FGA and 59.2 percent of their FTA, while showing a minus-4 rebound margin per game average. OU led the first meeting 40-35 at the half and out-rebounded Texas 35-25, but made just 3 of 22 treys and were minus-13 at the FT line, afforded 16 fewer opportunities.  But the Sooners are 11-1 SU at home where they average over 95 points per game, while allowing about 80.  They're making 52 percent of their FGA at home, including 45 percent 3-pointers.  Oklahoma enters on a 16-5 ATS run in revenge of a same season loss, while the Longhorns are on a 0-3 ATS slide.  I expect Trae Young and co., to get back on track.  I'm laying the points with Oklahoma on Saturday. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

We have a CBB Friday Hammer on Bowling Green plus the points.  Normal analysis returns with Saturday's slate.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with UC Irvine on Thursday night.  Hawaii has lost five in a row and comes off home losses to UC Riverside and Cal State Northridge, which is about as bad as it gets.  The Rainbow Warriors are 8-12 ATS overall and have won one true road game this season.  Cal Irvine allows opponents just a .399 field goal percentage and the Anteaters are finally living up to their preseason expectations by winning and covering five in a row, including three road wins.  Irvine held UC Riverside to 17 of 54 from the field in Saturday's win and Evan Leonard led the Anteaters with 18 points and Tommy Rutherford added 15 points and seven rebounds.  The Warriors are 2-6 ATS their last eight road games and the Anteaters are 4-1-2 ATS their last seven home contests.  The favorite has covered five of the last six meetings.  I'm laying the points with UC Irvine on Thursday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with North Dakota on Thursday.  The Fighting Hawks may not be a popular play, losing three in a row and six of their last seven games.  But those results plus SUU's back-to-back wins, including a rare road win give us value on the home chalk.  Both teams have been a little too permissive on the defensive end in Big Sky play, but North Dakota is much more capable at the other end of the floor.  In fact, SUU has made less than 42 percent of their FGA in conference action.  The T-birds also tend to get into foul trouble and their Big Sky opponents are averaging over 25 FTA per game against them.  SUU has allowed 85 points per game on the road this season on nearly 50 percent shooting.  They've been horrible on the glass and they're prone to a rough one here with North Dakota forcing guests into a 0.8 assists/turnovers ratio, while averaging a hefty 8.2 steals per game.  North Dakota is on a 13-6-1 ATS run at home, while Southern Utah have covered just 3 of their last 12 against teams playing less than .400 basketball and they're on a 1-4 ATS slide on the road.  I'm laying the points with North Dakota as they attempt to gain the season sweep. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Indiana on Wednesday night.  It's mid-February and Illinois still hasn't won a true road game in eight tries while Indiana is 8-0 ATS its last eight home games and in revenge after losing at Illinois 73-71 in the first meeting.  The Hoosiers have covered the spread the last five meetings and they have won their last two games against Rutgers and Minnesota in blowout fashion.  The Fighting Illini have lost three straight, including a 22-point loss at home to Penn State on Sunday.  Coach Brad Underwood might be wishing he hadn't spurned Oklahoma State after just one year to come to Illinois, which obviously is a year or two away from becoming a contender in the Big 10.  Indiana holds opponents to a .420 shooting percentage at home and the Illini shoots only 40.8 percent overall and 28.2 percent from 3-point range on the road.  The Hoosiers have covered seven of their last eight games versus teams with losing records.  Mostly, the line is short of the power rating.  I'm laying the points with Indiana on Wednesday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday.  Charlotte have lost four in a row SU & ATS, yet they're laying more than two buckets on the road in this one.  The number tells us a little bit about the state of these two teams.  Orlando is still without two of its best players as Aaron Gordon and Nikola Vucevic remain sidelined.  The Magic have been struggling on the defensive end, allowing nearly 110 points per game.  They don't matchup well against Charlotte and red-hot Kemba Walker has found little resistance in this season's meetings.  Charlotte has actually been "money" as chalk, covering nine of their last 14 in this role, and they're not only on a 9-0 SU head-to-head run, but the Hornets have covered each of the last seven meetings. Charlotte was in a tough spot last time out and we cashed going against them. Orlando was in a solid spot in their most recent game and we won playing on the Magic.  That's not the case in this spot.  We'll lay the points with the Hornets as they look to pick-up their 10th straight win in the series and improve their spread run to 12-2 in Orlando.  I'm laying the points with Charlotte on Wednesday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with St. Joe's on Wednesday.  The Hawks crushed Fordham 68-46 as an 11-point favorite earlier this season, thanks to a huge second half.  Having said that, SJU only made 36.6 percent of their shots in the contest, including 25.9 percent from behind the arc, and only made 9 free throws, yet won by 22.  One of the advantages was their +13 turnover situation, forcing the Rams to commit 20 turnovers, while totaling just 7, themselves.  I expect more of that in this matchup with the Hawks' backcourt tying up the Rams'.  SJU snapped a five-game skid last time out, but we note that three of the five losses came by a grand total of seven points.  James Demery and Shavar Newkirk lead the way for the Hawks and Pierfrancisco Oliva also gave Fordham serious problems with his big frame in the earlier win. Fordham is off a wide-margin win over Duquesne, scoring 80 points in the process, but this is a team that plays to their opponent's pace.  Fordham has scored 50 or fewer points in four of their last 10 games.  They've averaged just 60 points per game, while allowing 70 in conference play this season.  No less than 48.2 percent of all their shots come from beyond the 3-point line, yet they make just 31.7 percent, averaging less than 8 made treys per game on 25 attempts.  The Rams are on a 2-7 ATS slide off a SU win and they've covered just 6 of their last 22 overall.  Meanwhile, the Hawks enter on a 22-9 ATS run against teams playing less than .400 basketball and they're 12-3-1 ATS in the last 16 meetings.  I'm laying the points with St. Joseph's on Wednesday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Nebraska on Tuesday.  Nebraska still isn't getting any respect from the linemaker as it's only a small favorite even though the Cornhuskers are 13-1 at home straight up and 10-2 ATS while Maryland has only one true road win.  Coach Tim Miles has done a tremendous job recruiting and then blending in new players and keeping his team motivated by stressing continuing to win to have a shot at the NCAA Tournament.  Maryland's lone road win was in overtime at Illinois on Dec. 3 and Nebraska's only home loss was 73-72 to Kansas.  Also, the Huskers are going for the all-important 20th win of the season, which historically has gone a long way when it comes to postseason possibilities.  Nebraska has won five in a row and has covered the number seven straight, including 67-55 over Rutgers on Saturday when the Scarlet Knights were held to 34.8 percent shooting. The Huskers are holding opponents to a .419 field goal percentage.  A couple more notes - Nebraska is on an 8-0 ATS run against teams that are playing better than .600 basketball on the season and they're on a 15-1 ATS run overall.  I'm laying the points with Nebraska.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing Ole Miss on Tuesday night. Things haven't gone quite as well as hoped when Ole Miss brass hired Andy Kennedy a decade ago and it was announced yesterday that Kennedy will step down at the end of the season...no surprise there.  Tonight's play on the Rebels has nothing to do with Kennedy's job status, but everything to do with the matchups and the line.  Ole Miss have dropped five in a row, but the schedule has been tough.  The fact is, after their four point loss at Arkansas and a win over Alabama on January 23, the Rebels have been overvalued.  But not tonight.  Arkansas shot 54.7 percent in their 97-93 win in this season's first meeting.  They made 11 of 22 3-pointers, yet the exact difference in the game came down to four more made free throws.  The Razorbacks have won just one true road game this season where they play no defense, giving up 85 points per game on 48.3 percent shooting, including 43.6 percent from behind the 3-point line.  Ole Miss plays at the same pace as Arkansas on their home floor, but shoot better, rebound better, and take care of the basketball with a strong 1.55 assists/turnovers ratio.  And while the Hogs enter just 3-10 ATS in their last 13 games overall and 1-6 ATS in road games, the Rebels are on a 6-2 ATS run at home.  And finally Ole Miss is 13-2-1 ATS the last 16 meetings at home.  I'm backing Ole Miss on Tuesday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Orlando Magic on Monday night.  It's been a tale of three seasons for the Chicago Bulls.  There were the first six weeks of the season when Nikola Mirotic was sidelined due to injury and the Bulls won just 3 of 22 games.  Mirotic finally got on the floor on December 8 and Chicago won out of the blocks, including a 20-7 ATS run. However, "season-3" started as Mirotic trade rumors began to take hold.  Since Mirotic became obvious trade-bait, combined with his eventual trade to New Orleans, Chicago has lost 8 of 9 SU and ATS.  His absence not only takes 16.5 points & 6.7 rebounds per game off the floor, but Lauri Markkanen is taken from his natural position making him less effective.  The Magic have been playing better basketball, winning 4 of 6 outright, while covering 11 of their last 14 games, even with injuries to key players.  And when the Magic lace them up on Monday, they'll be aiming for their 8th straight road cover.  I believe they'll get it and I'm taking the points with the Orlando Magic on Monday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Mercer on Monday.  Mercer won this season's first matchup, 81-50.  They out-rebounded Samford, 41-24 and wide margin wins in this series have been the norm for the Bears.  The teams started playing on a regular basis in 2015 and the Bears have won seven straight meetings by an average score of 76-62, while covering five in a row.  Mercer owns the glass in league play, averaging +8 rebounds per game to -8 per game for Samford.  The Bulldogs are off a ridiculous performance on Saturday, not only beating The Citadel 116-103, but they made 40 of 59 shots (67.8 percent), including 16 of 25 from behind the 3-point line.  Samford is a decent shooting team making about 47 percent of their shots (same as Mercer). The difference comes on the defensive end where the Bulldogs allow 85.3 points per game on 49 percent shooting, including 40.2 percent from behind the arc. Samford allows 12 made treys per contest in Southern Conference action. The Bulldogs allow +6 assists to turnovers per game (20 apg - 14 tpg).  That's great news for Mercer, especially Jordan Strawberry, who's dished out 108 assists on the season with only 39 turnovers. Samford enters on a 1-7 ATS slide off a SU win.  They're 2-8 ATS against teams that make at least 45 percent of their FGA on the season, losing those 10 games by an average score of 88-68.  And finally, Samford has covered just 3 of their last 16 as an underdog.  I'm laying the points with Mercer on Monday. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Duke Blue Devils on Sunday afternoon.  Duke has dropped two in a row and three of the last four and the biggest problem for this incredibly talented squad is defensive intensity.  We're betting they're getting a case of "just what the doctor ordered," in Sunday's tilt.  Ga Tech doesn't possess the kind of talent needed to stay with Duke when the Blue Devils bring their "A-game."  We certainly expect them too here.  The Jackets average just 65 points per game and rank 262nd and 263rd in field goal percentage and 3-point accuracy, respectively.  Ga Tech's numbers are even worse in ACC play.  The chalk has covered 22 of 30 in this series and Duke is on a 9-4 ATS run at this venue. They're also on a 9-3-1 ATS run on the road against teams winning more than 60 percent of their home games.  The last time these teams met Duke was off a 14 point loss to Virginia Tech.  They responded with a 110-57 win over Ga Tech.  We expect another win and cover on Sunday.  I'm laying the points with Duke.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Toronto on Sunday afternoon. Tough scheduling spot for Charlotte, returning home after playing four road games in six nights and seven road games in their last eight games, overall.  This has been a tough spot for them, including having lost six in a row ATS at home against teams with a winning road record.  The Raptors have picked it up on the offensive end, scoring 113, 111, 101, and 130 points during their current 4-0 SU/ATS run. They had no trouble on this floor in their earlier meeting in December, winning 129-111.  The thing that makes Toronto so dangerous when they're in a mood to "bring it," is the fact they're not only 4th in the league in offensive efficiency, but they're 3rd in the league in defensive efficiency.  Add in the tough schedule for Charlotte mentioned above and we have a prime spot for the Raptors to grab another road win and cover.  I'm laying the points with Toronto on Sunday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Jacksonville State on Saturday night.  Occasionally, something odd will have to happen in a game for me to include the word "revenge" in the handicap of a game. Or, more often than not, I reserve "revenge" for a favorite that lost outright as chalk in the season's first meeting.  In the case of Jacksonville State, they fit both.  The Gamecocks were a 5 1/2 point favorite at Tennessee State on January 4, but lost 67-60.  I took note of one glaring oddity in that game - Tennessee State made 15 of 15 free throws, while Jacksonville State was afforded just 3 free throw attempts, making none. Jacksonville State out-rebounded the Tigers with relative ease and they shot well.  But along with the free throw disparity, the Gamecocks also committed 15 turnovers to just 10 for Tennessee State.  The rematch is in Jacksonville, of course, where JSU averages 20 FTA per contest and have a tremendous assists/turnovers ratio, averaging 17 assists per game and just 11 turnovers. Meanwhile, TSU can't find the handle on the road, sporting a poor, 0.74 ratio. One more note - Jacksonville State has a +11 rebound margin per game average at home and should dominate the poor rebounding Tigers all night long.  And while Tennessee State is on a 2-8 ATS slide off a spread loss, the Gamecocks are on a 5-1 ATS run against teams with a winning record and they've covered 17 of their last 25 games, overall.  We'll back Jacksonville State minus the points.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with UC Davis on Saturday night.  Even though they were a short underdog, UC Davis will have revenge on their collective mind for an 85-70 loss in Fullerton in mid-January. It was a wire-to-wire easy win for the Titans and with Davis committing 18 turnovers and making just 3 of 15 3-point attempts.  Jim Les was none too pleased with his team on that particular night and we believe he'll have his team in ready to go on Saturday.  We had CSUF last time out and cashed.  But the Titans are a different team on the road where they allow 80 points per game and 45 percent shooting.  I also expect the assists/turnovers battle to flip sides in this one.  CSUF has a horrible 0.66 ratio on the road, averaging 10.8 assists per game and 16.3 turnovers.  UC Davis has been almost unbeatable at home (8-1 SU) and part of the reason is their play on the defensive end where they force guests into a 0.71 assists/turnovers ratio.  They've held their nine visitors to 31.3 percent from behind the arc and under 40 percent shooting, overall.  The Aggies are on a 12-3-2 ATS run at home.  They lost last time out but are 19-7-1 ATS off a SU loss and the home team is on a 5-0-1 ATS run in this series.  UCD still won't have Chima Moneke on the floor, but they're used to his absence by now. We'll back UC Davis to gain a measure of revenge and we'll lay the points on Saturday night.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Loyola-Chicago on Saturday afternoon.  Loyola-Chicago has one home loss this season and it was against Indiana State as the Ramblers, who shoot 51.1 percent on the season, managed only 19 of 45 from the field against the Sycamores on Jan. 3. Loyola would like to avenge that loss and it had won and covered the previous three meetings.  The Ramblers also have a formidable defense allowing only a .417 shooting percentage and 62.8 points per game.  Loyola is 9-1 ATS its last 10 games and 4-1-1 ATS its last six road contests.  Indiana State is 1-3-1 ATS its last five home games and 1-4 ATS its last five overall.  Also, the Sycamores aren't a bounce back team as they are 0-5 ATS after losing by double digits at home as they did against mediocre Missouri State on Tuesday.  Indiana State has lost four of its last five games outright.  We're laying the points with Loyola-Chicago on Saturday. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

Late release on the Bucks plus the points on Friday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

Late release on the Cavaliers minus the points on Friday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Dartmouth on Friday night.  The SU record may not be shiny, but the Big Green have played just six home games all season.  They shoot well at Edward Leede Arena, making 48 percent of their shots and they've covered six of the last eight meetings at home.  Dartmouth has held their guests to 29.6 percent 3-point shooting this season and that's an important note because Penn hoists 45 percent of their overall shot attempts on the road from behind the 3-point line.  Penn has had a pretty easy slate as far as travel is concerned with this being their second true road game since December 9. Outside of A.J. Brodeur, Penn's roster is full of players with nearly as many turnovers as assists.  The best "disher" on the floor is Dartmouth's Brendan Berry.  We note that typically overvalued Penn is 0-4 ATS when facing teams playing less than .400 basketball and they're 0-4 ATS as a favorite of six or more this season (0-3 ATS in Ivy League action).  The Big Green enters on an 11-3-1 ATS run off a SU loss and they're on a 6-2-1 ATS run in their last nine games, overall.  I'm taking the points with Dartmouth on Friday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Cal State Fullerton on Thursday.  Cal Poly is 1-9 on the road and 0-6-2 ATS its last eight road games and 5-16 ATS the last 21 meetings with Cal State Fullerton, including a 101-97 overtime loss to the Titans on Jan. 6.  Cal Poly has had some awful performances away from home, including losses by 24 points at UC Davis, 18 points at Cal State Northridge and 12 points at Hawaii.  The Mustangs are shooting only 38.8 percent on the road while scoring just 60.8 points per game.  The Titans are 10-7 ATS and come off a bad shooting night against UC Irvine, however, they're shooting 46.0 percent on the season and 35.9 percent from 3-point range meaning a bounce back game is in order.  Fullerton has covered nine of its last 13 home games and 11 of its last 15 against teams with losing records.  I'm laying the points with Cal State Fullerton, our Slam Dunk on Thursday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing Duke on Thursday.  Duke is obviously always tough to beat, but it's even worse for opponents when the Blue Devils are coming off a loss.  In this case, an embarrassing loss at St. John's as a 10.5-point favorite and Mike Krzyzewski was none too happy with his team afterwards.  Duke had earlier losses to N.C. State and Virginia and then won the following games by an average of 28.5 points.  Duke is 4-1-1 ATS the last six meetings with the Tarheels, who are 1-3 ATS their last four games, including three outright losses.  Duke is shooting 50.7 percent from the field overall and 50.6 percent on the road.  The road team is 19-7-1 ATS the last 27 meetings and the Blue Devils are 10-3-1 ATS their last 14 road contests.  North Carolina comes off a win over Pittsburgh, but it's 1-4 ATS its last five games following an ATS win.  Duke has at least five future NBA players on its roster and the issue of occasional mediocre defensive play will have been address by Coach-K heading into this one.  I'm backing Duke, our Knockout release.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Va Tech on Wednesday.  Virginia Tech came out flat in its 84-75 home loss to the Miami Hurricanes on Saturday, but coach Buzz Williams won't let it happen again as the Hokies need this game before going on a three-game trip against Virginia, Duke and Georgia Tech.  The Hokies had won three in a row, including an overtime victory at Boston College and appeared to had suffered a letdown. N.C. State has won three straight, but the Wolfpack is shooting only 38.3 percent on the road while the Hokies shoot 53.3 percent at home.  N.C. State already has road losses by 30 points at Notre Dame and 17 points at Virginia and it barely beat Pittsburgh on the road as a 9.5-point favorite.  Justin Bibbs leads five players in double figures with 14.0 points per game followed by Ahmed Hill (13.7 ppg) and Kerry Blackshear Jr. (13.1 ppg).  The Hokies are shooting 40 percent from 3-point range.  N.C. State is 5-17 ATS its last 22 road games. We'll lay it with Virginia Tech on Wednesday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Villanova on Wednesday night.  Despite the big number, this one sets up a little like last night's play on Baylor when Oklahoma State came off the big win at Kansas.  Yes, we have to lay a load of points here, but SJU is fresh off a signature win in what has been a disappointing season.  The Red Storm knocked-off Duke at home last time out and celebrated (rightly so) like they just won the national championship. Lacing them up and playing at Villanova is their "reward."  The Wildcats just made quick work of a talented Creighton team and they won't take the Johnnies lightly after a relatively close 78-71 win at MSG in mid-January.  Jay Wright can prep his squad by showing them the SJU win over Duke and reminding his team they turned the ball over 17 times in the first meeting.  It's highly unlikely Villanova will suffer from a high turnover count again since they average 18 assists and just 8 turnovers at home, where they're 9-0 SU this season.  St. John's had lost 11 in a row SU before the win over the Blue Devils. They don't shoot well at one end and are horrible defending the perimeter at the other. In fact, Chris Mullins' troops have allowed their hosts to make over 46 percent of their 3 point attempts.  SJU will attempt to run with Villanova, a very bad idea, allowing over 80 points per game on the road.  SJU has dropped four in a row ATS in conference play, while the Wildcats are 16-5 ATS off a win. Villanova is 16-7 ATS as chalk, winning by an average margin that would cover tonight's spread.  And in their last 82 games as a favorite of more than 12 points, Nova has won by an average score of 82-62.  That's all great, but mostly we're on the 'Cats because the line is still too short...falling below our power rating.  I expect a wide margin win tonight.  I'm laying the points with Villanova on Wednesday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with San Diego State on Tuesday night.  Fresno State can have issues on the defensive end. It's not that they allow a lot of points, but it's the fact they allow a relatively high shooting percentage and a very high 3-point percentage where FSU ranks 329th.  SDSU is looking for true revenge.  The Aztecs lost outright as an 8-point home favorite to Fresno earlier this season, after being seemingly in control for much of the second half.  In fact, SDSU led by nine points on multiple occasions, but fell apart down the stretch and eventually lost 77-73. Fresno can be had at home where they're just 3-3 SU (2-4 ATS) in conference play. The Aztecs are the more talented team and although Trey Kell will miss another game, we like the recent play of Jeremy Hemsley and the team in general off the 81-50 win over Air Force.  We note that teams in revenge of a home loss are on a 44-16 ATS run if they're off a conference win by at least 20 points.  We'll back San Diego State plus the points on Tuesday night.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Iowa Hawkeyes on Tuesday night.  When Michigan State is focused, they might be the best team in college basketball. But while they're all but a shoe-in for the Big-10 tourney's double-bye, Iowa is in a fight as they look to climb the standings in the Big-10.  The Hawks shoot well, ranked top-40 in the nation in field goal percentage overall. They're making over half their FGA at home, including 40.2 percent from behind the arc.  And while the Spartans are slightly upside down on the road in the assists/turnovers department, Iowa has a fantastic 1.93 ratio at home.  Michigan State is often overvalued at the books and have covered just two of their last nine games and they're 1-7 ATS off a conference win.  Iowa is off an ugly loss at Penn State, but we expect Fran McCaffrey to coach his team up, as he normally does, covering 16 of 23 at home off a double digit loss.  We're betting the Spartans are once again overvalued and we'll grab the points with Iowa on Tuesday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Baylor on Tuesday.  The Bears are undervalued in this matchup.  They snapped a four-game skid last time out with an 81-67 win and cover over Iowa State.  Baylor has lost by two at Oklahoma, three at Kansas, and three at West Virginia over the last four weeks.  They're "this close" to a 16-7 overall record and what would be a fourth place 6-4 record in the Big-12. The Bears are catching Oklahoma State at an opportune time with the Cowboys off the "perfect game" and win at Kansas. Most importantly, while the public just looks at the road record, the books are telling us how talented and how competitive Baylor can be with this short number in Stillwater.  Baylor enters on a 19-8 ATS run on the road, while Oklahoma State has covered just two of their last 10 at home.  The Bears are on a 4-1-1 ATS run at Gallagher-Iba Arena, where OSU is just 3-2 SU (2-3 ATS) this conference season, with a home win coming in regulation by one point and the other two wins coming in OT. I'm grabbing the points with Baylor on Tuesday night. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Kentucky on Tuesday.  The Wildcats are off a loss at Missouri and lost to these Tennessee Volunteers when they met in January Knoxville.  Kentucky actually led by nine points in the game and led by eight at the half.  It was anyone's game through the first 10+ minutes of the second half before the Wildcats went cold.  John Calipari has been riding his young team since the loss to Mizzou and will point to this one as a great chance to right the ship.  He can also point to the fact that his team out-shot Tennessee in the first meeting, but came up short in a couple key hustle stats, including on the glass.  The Vols are a strong team and have a great chance to play deep into March, but we like the young Wildcats to gain a measure of revenge.  Calipari has been "money" in this situation, covering 46 of the last 69 in revenge of a road loss with his teams averaging 75 points per game to 65.  Also, Kentucky has covered 19 of their last 28 at home against teams with a winning record.  I'm laying the short points with Kentucky on Tuesday night.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

Late release on New Orleans on Monday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Tulane on Sunday.  Temple has won four of five after looking ready to pack it in and the win over Wichita State was impressive, hanging on in OT.  But they're back on the road where they have won just two of eight games this season. Temple struggles with their shot on the road and they're making an average of just 7 FTs per road contest.  They're also 9-25 ATS the last 34 times following an upset win over a conference rival.  Tulane has been a conference home underdog just two times this season, but won both outright, including wins over SMU and Houston as 8 1/2 and 7 point dogs, respectively.  They have the scoring depth and we expect another underdog win here.  I'm taking the points with Tulane on Sunday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Vanderbilt on Saturday.  The Commodores have the talent to compete with anyone in the SEC, keeping the score inside a big number like this one.  They have played a better brand of basketball of late with each of their last four games going right to the wire, while covering all four.  As anyone who handicaps this game knows, they have owned Auburn.  Vandy may not beat the Tigers outright for the 14th straight time, but I am betting they'll keep it close.  Vanderbilt's top two scorers are both hitting close to 50 percent of their FGA and they own the backcourt to put a little pressure on Auburn "disher," Jared Harper, who is really the only guard Bruce Pearl can count on to get everyone else involved in a consistent manner.  We note that Bryce Drew-coached teams are 11-1 ATS on the road off a road loss.  Drew knows the right buttons to push in this situation. And the Commodores have covered 11 of the last 12 meetings, including five in a row on the road.  The Tigers are been bumped up a bit in this one.  We'll grab the value and the points with Vanderbilt on Saturday. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Nevada on Saturday.  The Wolf Pack were upset two games ago, losing 104-103 in OT to Wyoming.  They bounced back next time out with a win over Fresno State.  One of my long-running favorite spots comes up in this game.  Double digit away favorites off a win after getting upset in their previous game are on a 139-103, 57% ATS winning run (over 25 years of data).  Even better, those teams are a healthy 78-46 ATS if their opponent has dropped at least two in a row SU. Colorado State has lost five straight.  They're "team dysfunction" right now with embattled HC Larry Eustachy almost assuredly out at the end of the season. Eustachy has reportedly been accused of plenty of wrong-doing by players on the roster and the end is near.  This has proven to be a distraction for a short-handed Rams' team that couldn't afford any.  Making matters worse, this squad blew a 15-point lead with about 5 minutes to go at home against Wyoming on Wednesday, eventually losing the game in OT.  I suspect the Rams will have little left in the tank.  As it is, they don't shoot well, don't defend well, and have already lost five of 12 home games this season.  The Wolf Pack own huge offensive advantages, including making more than 43 percent of their 3-pointers on the road.  They're sharp at the FT line on the road and own a strong, 1.43 assists/turnovers ratio.  I'm backing Nevada minus the points, our Knockout on Saturday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Bradley on Saturday.  Bradley at home and in revenge is a deadly combination for opponents and that's the situation here as the Braves look to avenge a 66-64 defeat at the hands of Drake on Dec. 28, which ended a six-game ATS winning streak against the Bulldogs.  Bradley is 12-0 at home this season and an astounding 22-3-2 ATS its last 27 home games dating to last season.  Drake has lost three straight, including 78-67 to Southern Illinois on Tuesday.  Bradley has won and covered four in a row and it allows just a .345 field goal percentage at home.  The Braves are 21-8-2 ATS their last 31 games overall and 13-5-1 ATS their last 19 after a win.  Drake is 5-11 ATS its last 16 road games and the Bulldogs aren't good at bouncing back as they're 1-4 ATS their last five games following a 10-plus point loss at home. I'm laying the points with Bradley. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Syracuse on Saturday.  We've backed Virginia on a couple of occasions, but not here.  UVA is in the middle of a serious slate, including recent games against Louisville, Duke, and Clemson, along with upcoming games against Florida State, Va Tech, and Miami.  Toss this road game into the mix and we're talking about seven straight games being tested between the ears, not just physically. It's tough for any team to keep peak focus against this type of schedule, including the 2nd ranked Cavaliers. Syracuse also has the confidence of knowing they can hang with and beat this team.  Virginia won the first meeting 68-61 at home as a 9 1/2 point favorite and if not for a +10 advantage in made free throws, the Cavs may not have escaped with a win.  Syracuse owns the 4th stingiest defense in FG percentage allowed, and are even more effective in the Carrier Dome where they hold opponents to 58 points per game and 36 percent shooting.  And while the Orange attempt 21 FTs per game at home, Virginia has averaged just 10 FTA per game on the road.  The FT advantage may lie with the Orange in the rematch. Syracuse is on a roll on the defensive end and they're on a 15-5 ATS run when holding at least two straight opponents to 55 points or less, the situation they're in today.  The Orange won 66-62 the last time they hosted Virginia and have covered four in a row in the series.  I'm grabbing the points with Syracuse on Saturday.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Loyola-Chicago on Saturday.  Missouri State is 0-8 ATS its last eight games and has lost the last four outright, including a 76-60 rout by Illinois State on Tuesday. The Bears are shooting only 43 percent and they face Loyola Chicago, which shoots 50.6 percent and allows only 40.8 percent at home.  The Ramblers had their seven-game winning streak snapped in a two-point loss at Bradley, but everyone loses on the road to Bradley.  Also, Loyola had covered the number in each of the seven wins during the streak and it will be ready for this matchup as Missouri State won the first meeting in December.  The Ramblers are 5-2 ATS their last seven home contests ans 3-0-1 ATS the last four meetings.  Five Loyola players are averaging in double figures led by Clayton Custer with 13.9 points per game while shooting 54.3 percent overall and 47.1 percent from 3-point range. I'm laying the points with Loyola-Chicago, our Afternoon Annihilator.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

Late release on Green Bay +7.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Dartmouth on Friday.  The Big Green don't own a shiny won/lost record on the road or overall, but played Yale to the spread, came within a basket of beating Brown, and took Harvard into OT in their last three games.  They have four players averaging in double figures, all scoring roughly 11 points per game and Brendan Barry is a solid playmaker, currently holding a 4:1.5 assists/turnovers ratio on the season.  Cornell owns a 5-1 SU record at home, but take away a win over Central Pennsylvania College and the Big Red haven't had a convincing win since a  nine point victory over Lafayette on December 20.  Cornell doesn't shoot well on the offensive end and they don't defend well either.  They're a two-man team when it comes to offense with no other active player averaging more than 7 points per game.  Look up and down the roster and you'll see there isn't much separation in the assists/turnovers department.  In fact, the Big Red's best "disher" has nearly as many turnovers (46) as assists (55).  Cornell enters just 6-19-1 ATS off a SU win. Meanwhile, Dartmouth is 9-3-1 ATS off a SU loss and they're 5-2 ATS on the road against teams playing better than .600 basketball at home.  Finally, the underdog is on a 6-1-1 ATS run in the series.  I'm taking the points with Dartmouth on Friday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

We're recommending a play on Washington plus the points on Thursday. Arizona State has cooled off after a 12-0 start and has lost five of its last nine games and now faces improving Washington, which has won two straight, including a 10-point win at Colorado.  The Sun Devils are 1-7-2 ATS their last 10 conference games and 0-3-2 ATS their last five road contests.  The Huskies are on a 4-1-1 ATS run and new coach Mike Hopkins has made a much-needed improvement defensively and the Huskies are allowing only 71.7 points per game and a .437 field goal percentage overall and .406 at home.  The Huskies have recorded at least 10 steals nine times in 20 games.  Washington comes off an 80-62 win over Washington State with Matisse Thybulle scoring a team-high 18 points and Jaylen Nowell added 14 points and nine rebounds.  It was the eighth time this season that the Huskies have shot at least 50 percent from the field. The value lies with the home underdog in this matchup.  We're recommending a play on Washington plus the points.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

Late release on Furman on Thursday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott.

I'm laying the points with Wichita State on Thursday night.  Wichita State has more road wins and the highest road winning percentage of any school since the 2010 season.  The Shockers had won 11 road wins in a row before losing at Houston on Jan. 20, but they bounced back with two wins and covers against Central Florida and Tulsa even with Landry Shamet in a current shooting slump.  Temple shot an uncharacteristic 49.2 percent in an 85-57 rout of Connecticut and the Owls are unlikely to do that again as they average only a .417 field goal percentage on the season.  That compares to .482 for Wichita State, which only allows opponents 40.3 percent shooting.  Temple is 2-6-1 ATS its last nine home games and 5-16-1 ATS its last 22 games after a win and 1-5 its last six following an ATS win.  The Shockers have a big advantage offensively averaging 83.4 points compared to 67.5 for Temple.  We're laying the points with Wichita State on Thursday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Long Beach State on Wednesday.  UC Irvine is 2-10 on the road and 3-7 ATS its last 10 road games and Long Beach State is in revenge for an 86-73 loss to the Anteaters in the first meeting.  Long Beach has won five of its last six games and shooting 49.4 percent at home while Irvine shoots only 40.5 percent in road games.  The Anteaters are 1-8-2 ATS their last 11 games after a win and the 49ers are 5-2 ATS their last seven following an ATS loss.  Gabe Levin leads three players scoring in double figures with 16.8 points per game along with averaging 7.1 rebounds and guards Bryan Alberts and Deishuan Booker score 12.7 and 10.4 points per game, respectively.  UC Irvine is 7-15-2 ATS its last 24 games dating to last season and its only true road wins this season were against Cal State Northridge and Denver.  We're laying the points with Long Beach State on Wednesday night.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

Late release on Memphis minus the points.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

Late release on Northern Iowa plus the points.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

Late release on the Raptors minus the points on Tuesday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing North Carolina on Tuesday night.  Clemson has lost 10 in a row and 20 of the last 21 games against North Carolina and the Tigers have a quick turnaround after playing at Georgia Tech on Sunday.  Clemson is without Donte Grantham for the rest of the season and reserve forward Mark Donnal is questionable after getting hit on the head Sunday.  Clemson made 15 shots in a row in the first meeting, but still was unable to come out with a win and Carolina has covered the spread six of the last seven meetings and only needs to get a win in this matchup, which is a pick 'em game at the time of this release.  The Tarheels come off an overtime loss to N.C. State on Saturday when they shot only 4 of 19 from 3-point range and Luke Maye scored 31 points. Clemson scored only 36 points its previous game at Virginia (we had the Cavaliers) and the Tigers are 0-5 ATS their last five after a win and 2-6 ATS their last eight games overall.  The Tarheels are 19-7-2 ATS their last 28 games following an ATS loss.  We'll back North Carolina on Tuesday.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Indiana State on Sunday.  Bradley has been a money maker at home and money burner on the road where the Braves are 2-6 straight up and  ATS.  Indiana State has won seven of the last eight meetings overall and Bradley hasn't beaten the Sycamores on the road since 2009.  Bradley has lost its last five away games by an average of 15.6 points and the Sycamores are 6-2-1 ATS their last nine games and 3-0-1 ATS their last four following a loss.  Bradley's shooting percentage is only .389 in road games while Indiana State shoots 46.0 percent at home overall and 39.7 percent from 3-point range. Jordan Barnes leads the Sycamores with a 17.3 scoring average while shooting 45.0 percent from beyond the arc and he has dished out a team-leading 82 assists. I'm laying the points with Indiana State on Sunday.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing San Diego State on Saturday night.  Two of the most talented teams in the MWC do battle tonight in Las Vegas. UNLV may own talent, but they're poorly coached and struggle just to run the most basic halfcourt offensive sets. They're also entering this one on a 0-9-1 ATS slide, while winning just three of their last seven games, outright.  The Aztecs aren't the same team we grew used to under Steve Fisher. This version wants to get up and down the floor and at the same time own a stingy defensive FG percentage. They're also just 11 total points away from a 7-game winning streak. SDSU has taken care of business in this series, including a 13-3 ATS head-to-head run. And besides UNLV's 0-9-1 ATS slide mentioned above, they're 0-4 ATS against teams with a winning record. I'm backing San Diego State on Saturday. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Long Beach State on Saturday night.  Long Beach State always plays a tough non-conference schedule with mostly road games and it's paying off now as the 49ers are playing the best they have all season winning six of their last eight games, including a 87-71 blowout win at Cal Poly on Thursday.  Long Beach won the first meeting 80-70 on Jan. 10 when Gabe Levin scored 29 points with nine rebounds for the 49ers.  Cal State Northridge is 19-41 ATS its last 60 home games and 6-10-1 ATS overall this season.  Northridge lost 63-56 at UC Davis on Thursday while shooting only 39.6 percent and 6 of 23 from 3-point range. The Matadors aren't a bounce back team as they are 6-23-1 ATS their last 30 games following a loss.  I'm laying the points with Long Beach State.  Thanks and GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with North Texas on Saturday.  UNT has two of the better guards in the conference at what they do.  Roosevelt Smart is a scorer, leading the Eagles averaging 18.5 points per game, while fellow backcourt mate Ryan Woolridge already has 121 assists on the season.  But this team also plays a nasty brand of defense at home.  North Texas holds their guests to 27.8 percent shooting from behind the 3-point line and they have forced a 0.55 assists/turnovers ratio, holding opponents to 7.4 assists per game and 13.4 turnovers.  FIU doesn't shoot well and they're upside down on the glass. They've made just 41.3 percent of their FGA on the road, including a pathetic .282 3-point shooting percentage, averaging just 5 made 3's per game on 18 attempts.  It's so bad on the road they can't even make free throws, making just 11.8 of 21 FTA per contest.  North Texas enters on an 11-3 ATS run, including 4-1 ATS in their last five games and 4-1 ATS in head to head meetings.  I'm laying the points with North Texas on Saturday.  Thanks! GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Butler on Saturday.  Butler is 10-1 at home and St. John's is 0-4 in true road games this season and the Red Storm has lost nine games in a row.  Making matters worse for St. John's is its second leading scorer, Marcus LoVett, is out for the season with a knee injury, and its leading scorer, Shamorie Ponds is questionable with a quadricep injury. The Red Storm is not a good shooting team to begin with as it has a .424 field goal percentage.  Meanwhile, Butler is shooting 47.7 percent overall and 54.2 percent at home.  The Bulldogs come off a 79-67 win at DePaul holding the Blue Demons to 21 of 60 from the floor and Kelan Martin scored a team-leading 24 points for the Bulldogs. Butler is 10-3 ATS its last 13 home games and won last year's meeting on this court by 24 points.  I'm laying the points with Butler on Saturday. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Indiana Pacers on Friday night.  This isn't the first time we've played against the Cavaliers during their bankroll burning season.  The Cavs are team-dysfunction right now and despite still leading the Central Division, Indiana is now just two games back.  The Pacers are on a 13-4-1 ATS run against Cleveland, including a 4-0 ATS run the last four times at tonight's venue.  The Cavs have dropped all the way to 29th in defensive efficiency and we expect Indiana and their 7th best offensive efficiency to take full advantage.  The Pacers are virtually equal to the Cavs on the offensive end at this point, but are much better on the defensive end.  While Cleveland continues to point the finger at the wrong guy (Kevin Love) and tear apart at the seams, we'll continue to play against them until they give us a reason not to.  The Cavs head into Friday on a 3-24 ATS slide at home against teams with a losing road record, meaning Cleveland continues to be overvalued.  I'm taking the points with the Pacers, our Friday Knockout. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Long Beach State on Thursday night.  Long Beach State played arguably its best game of the season in an 81-73 win over Cal State Fullerton on Saturday and the game wasn't as close as the score indicates as the 49ers held a 25-point lead at one point.  Temiyado Yussuf and Gabe Levin scored 19 points apiece and combined for 23 rebounds.  The 49ers made 11 of 21 3-pointers and held the Titans to 43.9 percent shooting.  Cal Poly is suffering through a 6-13 season and lost at Cal State Northridge 72-54 as a four-point favorite.  The Mustangs are shooting only 40 percent from the field this season and allowing 47.3 percent.  Cal Poly has lost nine of its last 11 games and one of the wins was against Notre Dame University of California.  The Mustangs don't have much of a home court advantage as they're 8-21 ATS their last 29 home contests and 5-17 ATS after three or more consecutive road games. I'm laying the points with Long Beach State on Thursday night.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Towson State on Thursday.  Towson won the first meeting on the road by 26 points on Jan. 13 and now the Tigers are only a seven-point favorite at home.  Towson comes off a 73-71 overtime loss at NC-Wilmington while shooting only 35.5 percent from the field, which means the Tigers should bounce back in this one as they're averaging a .490 shooting percentage at home and William & Mary allows opponents 50.4 percent.  The Tigers are also in a solid 35-9 ATS situation (7-0 this season) where we back good offensive favorites, those that average 74 to 78 ppg against bad defensive teams, those that allow at least 78 ppg, provided the favored team is off a loss by less than four points. The Tribe is 1-3 ATS its last four games, including the loss to Towson and Northeastern by a combined 46 points. Zane Martin leads the Tigers with 18.3 points per game followed by Mike Morsell, who averages 12.9 points. Towson is 8-2-1 ATS its last 11 home games and has won four of the last five meetings outright (3-1-1 ATS).  We expect more of the same tonight.  I'm laying the points with Towson State on Thursday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night.  The Pistons will look to bust-out and break a five game losing streak when they host Utah on Wednesday.  We feel the Pistons are getting "just what the doctor ordered." Detroit is one of the most accurate shooting teams in the league on the deep perimeter.  They're ranked 2nd overall, making 38.1 percent of their 3-point attempts.  Utah plays no defense, especially on the perimeter where opponents have nailed 38.5 percent of their 3-point attempts. I'm betting tonight's outside shots will eventually open things up closer to the basket for the Pistons.  The loss of Reggie Jackson has hurt this team, but at least they began addressing the problem after their most recent loss when they spoke about the need to take higher percentage shots.  Detroit lost by one-point at home as a favorite last time out, but they're 15-5 ATS at home off a loss when laying points.  Utah has covered just 5 of their last 21 when playing with one day off between games and they're on a 1-5 ATS slide against teams playing better than .600 home basketball.  As reported, Detroit owns one of the top home/road net rating differentials in the entire NBA.  We expect a strong performance at home tonight.  I'm laying the points with the Pistons on Wednesday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Syracuse on Wednesday.  Syracuse got a week off at just the right time as its starters play a lot of minutes and the Orange comes off a 59-45 win over Pittsburgh after four tough losses against some great competition, which ended with an overtime loss at Florida State. Syracuse has a young team that defends well holding opponents to a .381 field goal percentage overall and .356 at home. Boston College is shooting 36.4 percent from 3-point range overall, but it drops to just 28.9 percent on the road.  The Eagles are 1-5 on the road, including their last two to North Carolina and Louisville by a combined 38 points, and they're 3-8 ATS their last 11 road games dating to last season.  Syracuse is 11-2 at home this season and won last year's meeting on this court by 23 points. The Orange is led by Tyus Battle, who averages 19.8 points per game, followed by Frank Howard (15.6 ppg) and Oshae Brissett (14.9 ppg; 9.4 rebounds per game).  Boston College guard Jerome Robinson might play, but he's less than 100 percent healthy with a hamstring injury.  And finally, Syracuse has been strong in this spot, covering seven straight home games after dropping two of their previous three, winning the seven games by an average margin of 19 points per game.  I'm laying the points with Syracuse on Wednesday.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Fresno State on Tuesday night.  UNLV finally broke their ATS losing streak (some won, some pushed), which had grown to eight in a row before beating Colorado State, 79-74 on Saturday.  But before Rebel fans get too carried away, we note that the Rebels trailed the Rams 74-65 with just over 3 minutes left in the game before UNLV closed the game on a 14-0 run.  The Rebels were fortunate to face another dysfunctional team, yet were still unable to locate a halfcourt offense for most of the first 36 minutes of game time.  Fresno State could drive the Rebels crazy on the offensive end where the Bulldogs are one of the nation's best shooting teams from both inside and outside the 3 point line.  Five players average between 19 & 11 points per game and they'll get after a UNLV team that commits an average of 17 turnovers per game on the road.  UNLV is 3-22-4 ATS in their last 29 road games and 0-7 ATS on the road off a road win.  They've covered just 5 of their last 22 conference games, outscored by an average of 77-69.  And finally, Fresno State has won and covered each of the last four meetings with the last three coming by an average margin of 11 points per game.  I'm laying the points with Fresno State on Tuesday. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing the Bradley Braves on Tuesday.  The linemaker keeps shortchanging Bradley at home even though its been one of the toughest home courts for opponents to visit for several years.  Bradley is undefeated in 10 home games this season and 22-4-2 ATS its last 28 home contests.  The Braves beat Missouri State as a three-point underdog last year on this court and they held Evansville to a .316 field goal percentage in their 66-53 win on Saturday (we had Bradley as our top play).  Bradley holds opponents to 33.8 percent shooting and 56.0 points per game at home.  Missouri State has lost its last three road games and the Bears are 0-5 ATS their last five games overall.  The Bears made only 24 of 67 shots in their loss at Drake, including Alize Johnson, who missed all nine shots that he attempted.  We expect another Bradley win tonight and the Braves are our Value Beatdown.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing West Virginia on Monday night.  West Virginia has beaten TCU 11 times in a row and the Mountaineers come off an 86-51 win over Texas while holding the Longhorns to 34.0 percent from the field.  Jevon Carter scored 22 points for the Mountaineers and Sagaba Konata added 10 points and 14 rebounds. TCU has lost three of its last four, including 73-68 at Kansas State on Saturday when the Wildcats shot 52.9 percent from the field.  West Virginia has the edge on defense holding opponents to 40.1 percent and 64.9 points per game compared to 46.5 and 77.9 for the Horned Frogs.  TCU has lost starting point guard Jaylen Fisher for the season with a knee injury and he was averaging 12.3 points per game while shooting 50.3 percent and dishing out 91 assists.  The Mountaineers are 5-2 ATS their last seven games and 9-3-1 ATS their last 13 games against teams with winning percentages of .600 or better. I'm backing West Virginia on Monday. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Patriots on Sunday.  Obviously, all the talk is about the injury to Tom Brady's throwing hand and how serious or not-so-serious it actually is.  Ian Rappaport reported that he was throwing the ball well on Friday.  The problem for the Jaguars in this one is that they don't have a true matchup for Gronkowski.  Jalen Ramsey draws the assignment, but as reported, Ramsey has lined up outside all season, while Gronk lines up tight 90 percent of the time.  We doubt the Patriots will play right into Jacksonville's strength on defense like Pittsburgh did last week when the Steelers began the game throwing the ball often, rather than establishing the run.  Pittsburgh miscues also led to 17 Jacksonville points.  Bill Belichick and DC Matt Patricia have made a living off of designing confusion for inexperienced and shaky QBs.  Blake Bortles struggles in the passing game and if he misses early, his confidence is destroyed. Toss in a less than 100 percent healthy Leonard Fournette and the Jags will likely wear down in the second half of this one.  New England enters on a 10-1 ATS run, overall. They're on a 5-0 playoff spread run at home and 36-15-2 ATS run at home, overall.  We're laying the points with the Patriots on Sunday.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Bradley on Saturday night.  Bradley is 9-0 at home and Evansville is 1-5 on the road and the Braves get their chance at payback for a humiliating 68-44 loss to the Aces on Jan. 6.  Evansville has lost six of its last eight games with Missouri State being the only team other than Bradley that it's beaten in that span.  Bradley allows just a .341 shooting percentage at home this season and it's 22-4-1 ATS its last 27 home games.  Also, the Braves are 5-2-1 ATS following an ATS loss and 4-1 ATS the last five meetings at Bradley.  Evansville's defense is almost non-existent away from home where opponents have a .524 field goal percentage overall and .446 from 3-point range.  Revenge, home court and a small number to cover makes this a call on the Braves.  I'm laying the points with Bradley on Saturday.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Pitt Panthers on Saturday.  In no way do we expect Pitt to pull off the outright win, but the points are certainly worth taking.  Duke pounded Pitt 87-52 on January 10, part of their 16-2 SU start to the season.  Combine the easy win with Pitt's current six game losing streak and the Panthers are easy to look past.  We note that road dogs of at least 20 points are on a 44-16 ATS run if they're in a revenge of a loss, scored less than 60 points in the first meeting, and are off at least two straight double digit conference losses.  These teams are normally highly undervalued as Pittsburgh is on Saturday.  We also have Duke in a potential and relative flat spot, off their amazing comeback in an 83-75 win at Miami.  Duke trailed by 12 at one point of the second half but went on a 13-0 run to overtake the Hurricanes, and scored 15 points on only six possessions.  Duke will win this game, but Pitt will put forth a deliberate effort and we expect them to hang the number.  I'm taking the points with Pittsburgh on Saturday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the OKC Thunder on Saturday afternoon. Cleveland continues to lollygag (at best) through the first half of the season, covering just 3 of 20 home games thus far.  We went against them last time out and cashed with the Orlando Magic, covering as a 10 1/2 point underdog.  The Cavaliers jumped out to a 20 point halftime lead, but that lead was gone in the first 12 minutes of the second half and Orlando continued to play them toe-to-toe the entire fourth, covering in a 104-103 Cleveland win.  We are more of the belief Cleveland will have the ability to flip the switch in the postseason, much like they did in the first half against Orlando.  But until they show us differently, they're overvalued at home and we expect them to lose here.  OKC has won three in a row and continue to play strong on the defensive end, but they have a losing road record (9-12 SU).  Cleveland though, has covered just three of their last 26 at home against teams with a losing record, adding six more losses to the situation already mentioned.  The Cavs have dropped five in a row ATS against teams with a winning overall record.  We'll grab the points with the Thunder on Saturday.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Iowa on Saturday.  The Hawkeyes have been "money" against Purdue in Iowa City, covering seven of the last eight meetings at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.  We expect more of the same in this one.  The Boilermakers enter on a 14-0 winning SU run, but outside of an easy win against a Minnesota team in the midst of a scandal, Purdue has seen its other two conference road games go right to the wire.  Purdue eked out a 70-69 win at Michigan and escaped Maryland with an 80-75 victory and they have neutral court losses to Western Kentucky and Tennessee before the winning streak began. Iowa shoots .505 percent at home this season, while holding their opponents to .417 percent.  The Hawkeyes draw fouls at home, averaging over 26 FTA per game, while their guests have averaged half that amount.  We also note Purdue shoots less than 15 FTA on the road.  Iowa is the better rebounding team in this spot and own a tremendous 1.85 assists/turnovers ratio at home, averaging 22 assists per game and just 12 turnovers.  We note that underdogs of at least 10 points but less than 20 are on a 28-13 ATS run if they're off a loss by at least 15 points as a favorite.  Big game for Iowa...potential flat spot for Purdue. We're take the double digits with Iowa on Saturday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Wichita State on Saturday.  The Shockers are a favorite of many to reach this year's Final Four, but they sure didn't play like it at home in a loss to SMU last time out.  Coach Gregg Marshall wasn't happy with his team's effort and he normally gets their attention off a SU loss.  Wichita State is 7-2 ATS the last nine times off a SU loss and an amazing 42-20 ATS on the road against teams with a winning record.  Kelvin Sampson has the Cougars off to a solid start, but they have been overvalued of late, resulting in a 1-4 spread slide.  Wichita crushed Houston 81-63 on January 4, holding the Cougars to 41 percent shooting and a 4 of 15 night from behind the arc.  Wichita enters the weekend one of just six undefeated road teams in the nation and we expect their road perfection to continue for at least one more game.  I'm laying the points with Wichita State, our Morning Massacre on Saturday.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I have a late release on the Pistons on Friday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Indiana on Friday.  Indiana is getting a ton of points even though Archie Miller obviously is doing a great job in his first year as coach as the Hoosiers have won and covered five of their last six games.  The Hoosiers held Northwestern to 15 of 56 from the field in their 66-46 win on Sunday as just a three-point favorite.  Michigan State has lost two of its last three, including 82-72 at home to Michigan and the Spartans have shot only 41.7 percent their last three games.  The only win in that span was in overtime against Rutgers when the Spartans were a 22-point favorite.  MSU did play some national powers in the early going, such as Duke, North Carolina and Notre Dame, however, a closer look at their schedule shows the Spartans had several gimmes.  Indiana lost forward De'Ron Davis for the season, but it still has its two leading scorers, Juwan Morgan (15.6 points per game) and Robert Johnson (13.6 ppg). Michigan State is 1-4 ATS its last five conference games and 1-4 ATS overall after a loss.  Meanwhile, Indiana has covered five in a row against teams playing better than .600 basketball. I'm taking the points with Indiana on Friday.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Wright State, a late play release.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Magic, a late play release.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with William & Mary on Thursday.  William & Mary is averaging 82.6 points per game with a .497 field goal percentage while shooting 82.1 percent from the free throw line.  The Tribe won by 25 points and shot 64.3 percent on this court against Northeastern last year.  William & Mary had won five in a row before losing to Towson, which exploded for 50 points in the second half, but the Tribe was coming off an overtime win over James Madison two nights before.  The Tribe is 9-3 ATS this season compared to 6-8 for Northeastern, which is shooting only 43.6 percent overall and 30.8 percent from 3-point range on the road. William & Mary's three leading scorers, Nathan Knight, Matt Milon and David Cohn, all are shooting 55 percent or better from the field.  The Huskies are 2-6 ATS their last eight road games and the Tribe is 19-6-2 ATS its last 27 games after a double-digit home loss dating to previous seasons.  I'm laying the points with William & Mary on Thursday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the 76ers, a late play release.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Ohio State on Wednesday.  Chris Holtmann is a candidate for Big 10 Coach of the Year with what he is doing with the Buckeyes, who were picked to finish middle of the pack or worse in what was thought to be a rebuilding year.  The Buckeyes are 15-4 and have won five straight and covering the last four, including a 22-point rout of Rutgers on the road on Sunday.  Ohio State is shooting 49.4 percent overall and 37.6 percent from 3-point range while holding opponents to just a .404 field goal percentage. Northwestern appears to be having a hangover after making the NCAA Tournament for the first time in its history.  The Wildcats shot 26.8 percent in their 66-46 loss at Indiana (we had the Hoosiers) on Sunday and they're 6-10 ATS this season.  The Buckeyes have covered six straight conference games and four of their last five road contests.  Their only loss in the last 11 games was to North Carolina.  We're on Ohio State minus the points.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Illinois State on Wednesday.  Bradley is 9-0 at home but it has lost its last four road games by an average of 16.3 points, including 81-65 to Loyola-Chicago, which shot nearly 58 percent against the Braves on Saturday.  Bradley also owns a 24-point loss to a mediocre Evansville squad also on the road.  Illinois State looks to snap a two-game losing streak, but the Redbirds still have won five of their last eight games and they have beaten Bradley seven times in a row, including by an average of 17 points in two meetings last season.  The Redbirds are led by Phil Fayne, who was 11 of 12 from the field while scoring 24 points and grabbing 10 rebounds against Southern Illinois, which went on a 20-2 run to wipe out a 14-point Illinois State lead.  Illinois State is 12-3-1 ATS its last 16 games after a loss and it has played a tough non-conference schedule, including South Carolina, Boise State, Nevada and BYU.  We like them to bounce back at home tonight. I'm laying the points with Illinois State on Wednesday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Kentucky on Tuesday night.  Kentucky's latest heralded freshman class has had some bumps in the road, including losses to UCLA and Tennessee, but the Wildcats still are 14-3 overall and South Carolina hasn't come close to beating them the last four years.  The Gamecocks are rebuilding after losing three of their top four scorers from its Final Four squad and they're shooting only 41.2 percent from the field compared to 48.8 percent for Kentucky.  The Gamecocks had a deceiving win over Georgia when they made only 16 of 59 shots and still won the game.  But Carolina enters on a 4-12 ATS SEC slide. Kentucky has five players averaging double figures with Kevin Knox scoring a team-leading 14.2 points per game and Hamidou Diallo adds 13.8 points per game.  South Carolina is 2-5 ATS its last seven lined games and it has a .356 field goal percentage its last five games.  We note that Kentucky has covered five in a row in the series.  I believe the number is too small and we'll lay it with Kentucky on Tuesday. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Nebraska on Monday night.  Nebraska has covered the number eight lined games in a row and the only losses were to Kansas, at Purdue and in overtime at Penn State. Illinois has lost three straight, including 104-97 in overtime at home against Iowa while blowing a 20-point lead on Thursday.  The Illini are 2-6-1 ATS their last nine road games while the Cornhuskers are 5-0 ATS their last five home contests.  The Huskers are allowing opponents just a .409 field goal percentage at home and came back from 16 points down to force overtime against the Nittany Lions.  Starting center Jordy Tshimanga requested a transfer, but it has given sophomore forward Isaiah Roby an opportunity and he scored 12 points in 28 minutes off the bench against Penn State.  Also, Jack McVeigh helped with the comeback with some good defensive work. The Huskers are 6-0 ATS their last six games following a loss and we'll back them here.  I'm laying the points with Nebraska, our Monday Mismatch.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night.  Round 2 between the Warriors and Cavs tonight after Golden State won the first meeting 99-92 at home on Christmas Day.  Steph Curry and Isaiah Thomas were both absent from the game and both will go tonight. Cleveland has looked like a team going through the motions for much of the first half of the season, yet they are in first in the NBA Central.  Golden State has won 19 of 22 road games SU, but they're 11-11 ATS in those games, including 4-4 ATS as a road favorite of 6 or less.  Cleveland got crushed at Minnesota and Toronto on their most recent road trip and blew a 22 point lead in a 97-95 loss at Indiana last time out, but I do expect a different mindset tonight.  First of all, the Cavs are 15-4 SU at home this season and they will have Isaiah Thomas back on the floor after missing the most recent game.  I also expect LeBron to have his team highly motivated for this one after their recent poor showings.  Golden State enters having covered just 3 of their last 11 against teams playing better than .600 basketball.  Meanwhile, Cleveland is 6-2-1 ATS in their last nine home games against teams playing better than .600 road basketball, and they've covered four in a row at home against teams with a winning record in general.  I expect Cleveland to give their best effort and I'm taking the points with the Cavaliers on Monday. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Indiana on Sunday.  Northwestern has been underachieving considering it brought back four starters and six of its top seven scorers from last year's squad and it's only 6-9 ATS overall while winning only one of five road games. Conversely, Indiana has been overachieving in Archie Miller's first year as coach as it was expected to be a rebuilding year but the Hoosiers have won four of their last five, including a road win at Minnesota and then at home versus Penn State in spite of shooting only 40.3 percent overall and 6 of 27 from 3-point range against the Nittany Lions. Northwestern comes off a big win over Minnesota, but the Wildcats still have lost three of their last five games and have lost their last two road contests by an average of 20.5 points.  The Hoosiers are 4-1 ATS their last five home games and the home team has covered four of the last five meetings.  I'm laying the points with Indiana on Sunday. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.  We have nothing but respect for the Jaguars' defense.  It was the defense that won last week's wildcard game and the defense that made Ben Roethlisberger's head spin (5 INTs) in a 30-9 Jacksonville win on October 8.  It didn't hurt Jacksonville's cause that the Steelers were off their big rivalry game against Baltimore with then undefeated Kansas City up next.  This week Pittsburgh has just one thing to focus on, beating the Jaguars and doing so with all offensive hands on deck now that Antonio Brown has been upgraded to probable.  And let's not forget the Jags may be #1 in yards passing allowed, but they're 21st against the run.  Having said that, the main problem with Jacksonville remains at the QB position, obviously, where outside of a few Blake Bortles' runs, graded extremely low again.  The passing game stunk with Bortles completing 12 of 23 passes for 87 yards, a pathetic 3.78 yards per pass attempt.  Pittsburgh will force Bortles to make plays he hasn't been able to make since entering the NFL.  The Steelers are 7-1 ATS in their last eight home playoff games.  And we note that playoff teams that won no more than four games their previous season and are above .500 the current season have been dead-set go-against postseason teams, including 0-2 ATS this postseason (Jags & Rams both lost ATS last week). Finally, the Steelers are 11-1 ATS in revenge of a SU loss as home chalk.  The average final score in those 12 games: Pittsburgh 25-13.  We're laying the points with the Steelers, our Main Event on Sunday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing the (673) UC-Santa Barbara Gauchos on Saturday night (Sunday morning if you're on the east coast). We had Hawaii as our top play last Saturday and the Warriors came through for us on the mainland with an easy 65-46 win and cover at CSUN. They have since won another game beating Cal Poly at home last time out.  But the competition gets stiffer tonight and we don't believe Hawaii matches up quite as well.  Hawaii ranks 313th shooting the trey and they leave a lot to be desired on the glass when facing the tougher teams on their schedule.  UCSB has four players averaging in double figures in scoring, led by Max Heidegger and his 21.6 ppg. The Gauchos are tough to defend with several capable "dishers" with Heidegger, Gabe Vincent, and Marcus Jackson combining for 158 assists on the season.  Meanwhile, Leland King and Jalen Canty pull down a combined 18 rebounds per night.  The Gauchos are a complete basketball team.  They're on a healthy 20-9 ATS run against teams that average six or fewer steals per game. And UCSB is on a 6-0 ATS run against teams with a winning record and a 6-1 ATS run on the road.  UCSB is 11-2 SU in their last 13 games, but have underwhelmed in their last two outings, which gives us value on the islands. I'm backing the UC-Santa Barbara Gauchos on Saturday night.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with (672) UCLA on Saturday night.  UCLA appears to have learned its lesson after blowing a huge lead at Stanford and losing in overtime and the Bruins have rebounded to win and cover their next two games against California and Utah rather easily.  The Bruins are the best 3-point shooting team in Pac-12 conference play and have the highest-scoring offense with 91.8 points per game.  The Bruins had a tumultuous couple months dealing with suspensions and outside influences, but the players who are getting opportunities are producing, including freshman Kris Wilkes, who is averaging 18 ppg the last six games.  Also, Gyorgy Goloman and Alex Olesinski are making big contributions while Aaron Holiday leads the team with a 19.4 scoring average.  In addition, Thomas Welch pulls down 10.8 rebounds and averages 12.4 rebounds per game.  Colorado has yet to win a road game in five tries and the Buffaloes are 1-7 ATS the last eight meetings with the Bruins.  I'm laying the points with UCLA, our Slam Dunk on Saturday night.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the New England Patriots on Saturday night. Yes, the Pats' defense has not been great against the run at times this season. Yes, Tennessee has a nice pair of RBs. But whether the Patriots were going to face the Titans or Chiefs, they were going to have to slow down either team's ground game and put the onus of the offense on their opponents' passing game.  Therefore, New England didn't have to make huge defensive adjustments from what they were running on defense last week in practice just because it's Tennessee who's coming to town.  Marcus Mariota had a nice fourth quarter, but he was average for the game overall, completing 19 of 31 passes with 2 TDs and 1 INT.  KC choked the game away after building a 21-3 lead and they had no clue what to do offensively once Travis Kelce left with a concussion. The Pats don't panic and fall apart, they don't blow big leads, and outside of Tom Brady, they win games even when they lose star players during the course of a game.  Mariota still can't throw a decent ball outside the numbers and we won't be shocked if that's all New England allows here.  When the Pats load-up to slow the ground game the Titans' offense will rest on Mariota's shoulders.  We note that Dick LeBeau coached defenses have not matched-up well with the Patriots...just take a look at what New England did to the Steeler defenses he coached.  The Pats are on a 14-3 ATS run against teams with a winning record.  They're 5-1 ATS in their last six Divisional Round games.  And finally, they're on a dominating 8-2 ATS run when laying 11 points or more. New England won and covered as a double digit playoff favorite against Houston last postseason and we expect the same fate for Tennessee on Saturday.  I'm laying the points with the Patriots.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with (538) Georgia on Saturday.  Georgia has been invincible at home where it is 8-0 and 4-1 ATS this season.  The Bulldogs have covered five of the last six meetings and 22 of the last 27 against the Gamecocks and they remember losing a two-point decision at South Carolina in February as an eight-point underdog. The Gamecocks lost four starters from their Final Four squad and have lost three of their last four, including 76-62 at Alabama on Tuesday while shooting only 35.8 percent, which is even below their season average of 42.2 percent.  Georgia allows opponents just a .384 field goal percentage and .304 from 3-point distance.  The Bulldogs have bounced back big at home after their last two losses and they are led by Yante Maten, who averages 19.3 points and 8.9 rebounds per game.  South Carolina is 3-12 ATS its last 15 conference games and 0-4-1 ATS its last five road contests. Georgia is 19-7 ATS its last 26 games after a loss and we'll back the Bulldogs here.  I'm laying the points with Georgia, our Daytime Dominator.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Princeton on Friday night.  Columbia has managed to win only three games this season and those were against Longwood, Maine and Sarah Lawrence.  Guard Mike Smith leads the Lions with an 18.1 scoring average, but he makes only 39.5 percent of his shots overall and 33.3 percent from 3-point range.  Columbia as a team makes 37.2 percent of its 3-pointers, but allows 36.5 percent from long distance. Princeton already has wins over USC and Hawaii on the road and will be focused on this one after losing to Penn in its Ivy League opener on Saturday.  The Tigers have a solid backcourt with Devin Cannady, Myles Stephens and Amir Bell all averaging double figures in scoring. Princeton is 6-0-1 ATS its last seven games against teams with losing records and 5-2 ATS its last seven games overall.  I'm laying the points with Princeton on Friday night.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with San Francisco on Thursday.  San Francisco has alternated wins and losses its last eight games, but the Dons have an excellent opportunity to win their second in a row as they take on Loyola Marymount, which has lost six straight, including an 0-4-1 ATS record its last five games.  The Lions' five wins have come against the likes of Incarnate Word, Cal State Los Angeles and Cal State Northridge and they have lost their last two games against Gonzaga and Santa Clara by a combined 35 points. The Dons have a big defensive edge holding opponents to a .428 field goal percentage compared to .493 for Loyola and they have won and covered their last two road contests at Portland and Pepperdine.  USF shot 50 percent against the Waves with Jordan Ratinho leading the way with 20 points and Matt McCarthy and Nate Renfro added 16 points apiece. The Lions are 8-22-1 ATS after a double-digit loss at home and the road team has won 12 of the last 17 meetings.  I'm laying the points with San Francisco on Thursday.  Thanks and GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Clemson on Thursday.  Clemson already has beaten N.C. State by 16 points on Dec. 30 and now the Tigers catch the Wolfpack in a huge letdown situation after N.C. State pounded Duke 96-85 as a 12.5-point underdog.  The Wolfpack followed up the loss to Clemson with a 30-point defeat at Notre Dame, which is more representative of its rebuilding theme this season.  Clemson comes off a 74-69 overtime win over Louisville for its 10th win in a row and although they didn't cover the number in that one the Tigers still are 8-4 ATS on the season compared to 4-5 for N.C. State.  The Tigers had a bad shooting game against the Cardinals, but still were able to pull out a win as Marcquise Reed scored a team-leading 24 points.  The Wolfpack shot only 34.8 percent the first meeting and Clemson allows just a .402 field goal percentage and only 63.5 points per game. N.C. State got hot against Duke making 34 of 67 from the field, but don't expect that two games in a row. The Wolfpack is 1-8 ATS its last nine games after a win.  I'm laying the points with Clemson on Thursday. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Missouri State on Wednesday.  Missouri State looks to bounce back from a 72-68 loss at Illinois State and free throws were the main factor as the Bears were 9 of 13 compared to 20 of 25 for the Redbirds from the charity stripe.  Missouri State committed a season-high 18 turnovers, but outrebounded the Redbirds 32-22 even with its two centers suspended.  Alize Johnson leads the Bears with 15.1 points and 11.2 rebounds per game and J.T. Miller (9.9 ppg) and Reggie Scurry (9.3 ppg) are new to this year's squad and top contributors.  The Bears were picked to finish near the top and Evansville near the bottom in the MVC and the Bears are allowing opponents just a .386 field goal percentage overall and .307 from 3-point range.  Evansville recently had a four-game losing streak before beating Bradley on Saturday.  Missouri State is 7-2-1 ATS its last 10 games and clearly is the more talented team.  Also, don't forget the Aces own a 64-point loss to Duke, which even against the Blue Devils is a humiliating defeat.  We'll back the road team in this MVC clash.  I'm laying the points with Missouri State, our KO release.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Wizards on Wednesday night.  Washington saw their four-game win streak get snapped in a 110-103 home loss to Minnesota in their most recent game.  But in case a home loss wasn't enough to get the competitive juices flowing, the fact they're facing the team that beat them by 47 points in December ought to do the trick.  Washington shot 28.7 percent, including 4 of 20, 20 percent from the 3-point line in a 116-69 loss in Salt Lake.  It was so bad that the Wizards had a +5 scoring margin at the free throw line but still couldn't come close on the scoreboard.  The Jazz outrebounded Washington 52-31 and had a +26 scoring margin in the paint, while making 56.6 percent of their shots. Rudy Gobert had a big night for Utah in the contest, but we note Gobert has been out since December 16 and remains sidelined indefinitely with an ankle injury.  Utah enters just 3-17 SU on the road and they're on a 0-5 ATS slide on the road against teams playing better than .600 basketball at home.  Meanwhile, Washington is on a 51-34 ATS run in revenge of a loss where the other team topped 100 points.  I'm laying the points with the Wizards on Wednesday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Nebraska on Tuesday night.  Coach Tim Miles is doing a great job piecing together his team with several transfers on the roster to go along with holdover, Glynn Watson Jr., and the Cornhuskers are 11-6 and 8-1 at home with an overall 10-5 ATS record.  Wisconsin is having a down year as it retools after losing four starters.  The Badgers are 1-3 on the road while shooting only 41.4 percent. They come off a loss at Rutgers as a three-point favorite and Brad Davison and Brevin Pritzl were the leading scorers with only 13 points each and the Badgers were 2 of 13 from 3-point distance.  Nebraska had a four-game winning streak snapped in a loss at Purdue when it managed just a .407 shooting percentage, but the Huskers are shooting at a .460 clip at home.  Wisconsin is averaging a minuscule 54.0 points on the road while Nebraska averages 81.2 points at home.  Also, it's a true revenge game for the Huskers who lost 70-69 in overtime to the Badgers last season, a game where Nebraska owned a 50-35 advantage on the glass, but turned the ball over 22 times.  We expect the Huskers to get their revenge.  I'm laying the points with Nebraska on Tuesday.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

Late release:  Texas A&M plus the points.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Alabama on Monday night.  We had the Tide (our top bowl play) in the win over Clemson. The Alabama defense dominated and QB Jalen Hurts didn't make any costly mistakes. We like the defense to take care of business again in the championship game. Georgia fought back from a 17 point deficit and upended Oklahoma, but the Sooners shot themselves in the foot repeatedly after building the lead. Both Georgia and Alabama picked up a few injuries in the wins, but we feel Bama is in better shape against a one-sided Georgia offense.  The Bulldogs are 110th in the nation in yards passing per game and if the Tide load-up to slow down the ground game, the onus of the offense falls on Jake Fromm's shoulders and that's a definite advantage for Alabama. Under Nick Saban, the Tide have played 45 games after holding an opponent to less than 3.25 yards per play in a game. They outscored those 45 teams by an average of 32-17.  They've played 32 games against teams that hold opponents to 17 or fewer ppg, outscoring those teams by an average of 29-14.  Alabama is a combined 51-26 ATS in those 77 games.  I'm laying the points with Alabama on Monday night.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Southern Cal on Sunday night.  Stanford comes off an overtime win against UCLA, but it took a complete collapse by the Bruins that included 23 missed free throws, nine turnovers and bad defense.  Stanford shot an uncharacteristic 51.4 percent and 9 of 21 from 3-point range and Dorian Pickens led five players in double figures with 26 points.  The Cardinal had lost its previous game to California after getting blown out by Kansas 75-54.  USC is 10-6 ATS this season and 7-1 ATS its last eight road games dating to last season.  The Trojans won last year's meeting by 16 points and they defeated California 80-62 on Thursday for their fifth win and cover in six games.  The Bears were held to a .397 shooting percentage and Nick Rakocevis led the Trojans with 19 points and Bennie Boatwright added 15 points and seven rebounds.  Stanford is 1-6 ATS following an ATS win and 0-8-1 ATS its last nine games after allowing at least 90 points its previous game.  It's a letdown situation for Stanford after its deceptive win over UCLA.  I'm laying the points with USC, our KO release.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Hawaii on Saturday night.  Cal State Northridge is 3-11 and 2-8-1 ATS and coach Reggie Theus brought in his son to play for him, but it hasn't made much difference as the Matadors lost four starters from last year's squad and it's nearly impossible to recruit talent to the school, which has the equivalent of a high school gym.  Northridge is 18-39 ATS its last 57 home games and 10-26-1 its last 37 games overall.  Hawaii has won the last six meetings while covering the number in five of them.  The Rainbow Warriors come off an 89-81 loss at Long Beach State as the 49ers shot the lights out at a .633 clip.  However, now that the Warriors have had a couple days on the mainland after their long trip and the fact that the Matadors are shooting only 42.6 percent on the season means the Warriors should bounce back nicely in this matchup.  Northridge is 3-12 ATS their last 15 games against teams with winning records.  I'm laying the points with Hawaii on Saturday night.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with BYU on Saturday night.  BYU is 4-0 on the road and has won 10 of its last 11 games overall, including 69-59 at San Francisco on Thursday as Elijah Bryant scored 17 points and Yoeli Childs added 13 points and eight rebounds for the Cougars, who shot 51.1 percent from the field.  We had the Cougars and cashed. BYU is holding opponents to 66.1 points per game and Pacific has a .434 shooting percentage and has lost six of its last seven games.  The only times the Tigers have covered in their last nine games was a last-minute backdoor cover against UNLV and in overtime versus Loyola Marymount. Pacific's most recent loss was by 18 points at Saint Mary's on Thursday as it shot only 40.4 percent and allowed the Gaels a .500 field goal percentage.  The Tigers have previous losses by 39 points to Arizona State and 33 against Gonzaga.  Pacific is 5-13 ATS its last 18 home games and the Cougars are 5-1 ATS the last six meetings, including a 15-point win on this court last season.  I'm laying the points with BYU, our West Coast Wipeout on Saturday.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Atlanta Falcons on Saturday night.  Atlanta knows the terrain when it comes to getting to the Super Bowl and we believe it'll go a long way against an inexperienced team tonight.  And while the Rams finished the regular season atop the division and with an 11-5 SU record, they have little home field mojo, finishing just 4-4 SU.  Several weeks ago, we backed the Eagles in L.A. and watched Philly pile-up 43 points in a win and cover.  We mentioned the Rams' defensive issues and they aren't any better now, ranked 28th in yards allowed per game.  The Atlanta offense is decent on the ground and 8th in yards passing per game.  Defensively, the Falcons have allowed just 17 ppg in their last five contests and won 6 of their final 8 games to get here.  I'm taking the points with the Falcons on Saturday night.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Wright State 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 State.  A typical Detroit performance was its loss to Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Saturday when it shot 43.9 percent and the Panthers shot 55.3 percent and hit 12 of 24 from 3-point range.  The Raiders have won and covered the last three meetings and they're on a current run of winning six of their last seven games.  Grant Benzinger averages a team-leading 14.3 points and Justin Mitchell averages 11.6 points and 7.7 rebounds per game.  Also, center Loudon Love is a huge presence in the middle with his 6-9, 300-pound frame.  I'm laying the points with Wright State, our KO on Friday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with BYU on Thursday night.  BYU has beaten San Francisco nine times in a row, including by 16 points on this floor last season. The Cougars had won nine straight before losing in overtime to Saint Mary's on Saturday.  Jock Landale proved to be too much to handle for BYU as he exploded for 31 points on 13 of 15 shooting for the Gaels.  The Cougars are shooting 47.7 percent from the floor compared to 39.3 percent for the Dons and 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.  Saint Mary's had to shoot 50.0 percent from the field to defeat the Cougars in OT and the Dons don't have that kind of firepower.  I'm laying the short points with BYU on Thursday.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Missouri State on Thursday.  Missouri State is 12-3 and 7-4-1 ATS this season with only one home loss and Northern Iowa has largely been a disappointment and 3-7 ATS.  The Panthers have lost four in a row and didn't cover the number in any of them, including a 72-53 drubbing at Bradley on Sunday.  The Panthers shot only 36.7 percent against the Braves and they're shooting just 37.9 percent their last four games.  Missouri State has won three straight, including 67-50 at Valparaiso as a 1.5-point underdog.  The Bears are allowing only 62.8 points per game and a .385 field goal percentage on the season.  Northern Iowa is 0-5 ATS its last five road games and 0-7 ATS its last seven conference games.  Also, the Panthers are 4-18 ATS versus teams with .600 or better winning percentages dating to last season.  Missouri State will show two suspended players when you look this one up.  But one has already missed a few games and averages just over 8 minutes of play per contest, while the other is a complete non-factor.  Many, including us, touted Missouri State as this year's Mo-Valley champs before the season began, with Northern Iowa finishing in the 5th to 7th range.  Nothing has changed our mind to date.  We're laying the points with Missouri State on Thursday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Tulsa on Wednesday.  This just isn't going to be Connecticut's year as it has lost six of nine games, including its last three and all three were by double digits.  The Huskies are shooting only 40 percent from the field and 37.2 percent on the road.  Tulsa had a young team last season and beat the Huskies 61-59 in overtime and the Golden Hurricane has covered the last three meetings.  They come off a 65-56 win over Tulane even though they shot only 36.2 percent and 4 of 20 from 3-point range and the Golden Hurricane was led by Martins Igbanu and Sterling Taplin with 15 points apiece. The Tulsa defense held Tulane to a .356 shooting percentage and it's holding opponents to a .410 field goal percentage on the season.  UConn is 2-7 ATS its last nine games and Tulsa is on a current 5-0 ATS run.  Also, Tulsa has covered seven of its last nine home contests.  I'm laying the points with Tulsa our Wednesday Wipeout.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Georgia on Wednesday.  Georgia has covered the number the last six meetings, including last year's 69-47 blowout on the road. The Bulldogs are 9-3 this season and undefeated in six home games and they are holding opponents to just a .391 field goal percentage and 67.3 points per game.  Georgia comes off a 66-61 loss at Kentucky, but stayed within the 9.5-point spread and they won their previous games by an average of 19.5 points at home against Georgia Tech and Temple.  The Bulldogs defense held Kentucky to just 31.5 percent shooting but, unfortunately, they were just 2 of 21 from 3-point range.  Mississippi has played one true road game and it was a 19-point loss to Middle Tennessee State. The Rebels are 3-8 ATS their last 11 games overall and 2-6 ATS following a win.  Georgia is 5-1 ATS its last six games after a loss and 17-5 ATS the last 22 meetings.  The Bulldogs are led by Yante Maten, who averages 19.9 points and 9.5 rebounds per game and William Jackson is shooting 41.7 percent from 3-point distance.  I'm laying the points with Georgia on Wednesday, our Slam Dunk release.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Mississippi State on Tuesday.  Ben Howland is slowly but surely rebuilding Mississippi State's program and his team is 12-1 heading into SEC play with a young and improving squad.  Quinndary Weatherspoon leads the Bulldogs in scoring with 14.2 points per game and in steals and assists.  Aric Holman is making 60 percent of his 3-point shot attempts and freshman Nick Weatherspoon averages 10.7 points while hitting 38.9 percent from long distance.  The Bulldogs won last year's meeting on the road with a much younger team than this one and they are holding opponents to a .383 shooting percentage and just 62.7 points per game, which is not unusual for a Howland-coached team.  Arkansas is in a letdown situation after outlasting Tennessee in overtime on Saturday and it lost its only true road game this season by 26 points at Houston while shooting 34.5 percent.  MSU has covered 13 of the last 16 meetings at home.  This is a tough turnaround for the Razorbacks and we'll take the points with Mississippi State on Tuesday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing Alabama in the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day.  The reason the Tide deserve to be here in the opinion of Las Vegas is due to the fact they'd be favored over every team in college football, including Clemson.  Having said that, they're power rated to be 4.5 points better than Clemson on a neutral field.  We are jumping on Alabama out of the blocks to take advantage of line value.  We love interested bowl teams with A-plus running attacks and A-plus run defenses.  Very few teams are part of that club and Alabama is one of them.  In fact, they're the only team in college football ranked in the top-5 in both offensive and defensive efficiency.  We'll also get the Tide at the healthiest they've been for nearly the entire season.  Another important key factor - Clemson's Kelly Bryant has played well, but his TD to INT ratio is nothing special, with 11 TDs and 6 INTs.  He's no Deshaun Watson and let's not forget that Watson had to connect on 36 of 56 passes, for 420 yards, 3 TDs and no INTs in order for Clemson to eke by Alabama in last year's championship game.  In fact, the game winning score, as you'll remember, was a Watson TD pass with 1-second left on the clock.  Alabama's Jalen Hurts completed just 13 of 31 passes in the game and the Tide didn't have a 100-yard rusher, yet as well as Clemson played, again, it came down to the final play of the game.  Hurts is much more experienced, obviously, and he's thrown 15 TD passes with just 1 INT this entire season.  He doesn't make mistakes and he's rushed for 738 yards on 5.6 yards per carry with 8 TDs.  Damien Harris leads the running game with nearly 1,000 yards and 8.2 yards per carry.  He's one of three players on the roster to rush for more than 540 yards on the season.  We have nothing but respect for Clemson, but we feel they'll be on the short end of the talent card here.  I'm backing Alabama on January 1.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Notre Dame on Monday.  We give Ed Orgeron credit for keeping the team focused after the upset loss to Troy.  The Tigers won six of their final seven games with their only loss coming against Alabama.  LSU has also covered six in a row to end the season.  But outside of the impressive win over Auburn, the other wins down the stretch were against so-so opposition.  Piling up points against Ole Miss, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Texas A&M, is nothing special.  Notre Dame is the underdog due to public perception.  But the Irish were a true playoff candidate until a bad loss to a very good Miami team and to rival Stanford.  They shouldn't be ashamed of either loss.  Notre Dame should be able to run at and through LSU and wear down the Tiger defense.  We like the fact LSU has covered six straight and that Notre Dame has lost four in a row ATS.  This helps keep the line a little out of whack in our opinion.  Brian Kelly owns a solid 25-12 ATS record against teams playing better than .750 football.  We'll back them here.  I'm taking the points with Notre Dame on Monday.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.