I'm backing the NY Knicks on Tuesday. Orlando has been a disaster on the road winning just seven of 38 games SU and while they're actually a game above .500 ATS on the road, they don't normally cover a spread like tonight's.  The Magic are 2-8 ATS when getting no more than five points and just 1-5 ATS when the line is four or less.  The Knicks are actually one win away from a 19-19 SU mark at home and they've covered four of their last five at MSG.  Enes Kanter is doubtful tonight for the Knicks and Michael Beasley is questionable, but the line takes care of those issues. Finally, the Magic are on a 0-6 ATS slide when playing with one day off between games.  I'm backing the NY Knicks on Tuesday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Kansas on Saturday.  It's a rare occasion when KU fails from the deep perimeter or turns the ball over too much.  They're also strong against the 3-pointer, holding opponents to less than 33 percent shooting.  That's obviously an important number taking on a Villanova squad that can be heavily reliant on the trey.  The Wildcats take virtually half of all their shots from behind the 3-point line.  They had a horrible 3-point shooting game against Texas Tech, but were able to pull away down the stretch because at this level, the Red Raiders are not as difficult to defend, running almost all isolation on the offensive end.  Kansas is not so easy to defend and will prove too much for Nova in our opinion.  We like the trio in the backcourt for KU and the fact they can go big inside with Udoka Azubuike and even Silvio De Sousa.  Both teams will play small ball at times, but Kansas has the advantage with both interior players coming up big against Duke.  And while Villanova relies more on the trey than the Jayhawks, Kansas is actually more accurate from behind the arc over the last five games.  Kansas is on a 9-2-1 ATS run against teams playing better than .600 basketball.  They also went 12-5 ATS this season and outscored the 17 opponents by an average of 86-72 against 3-point-reliant teams, those that averaged making at least eight treys per game.  I'm backing Kansas plus the points on Saturday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Penn State on Thursday.  Penn State has won six of its last seven games overall and comes off three impressive wins and covers over Notre Dame, Marquette and Mississippi State in the NIT.  The Nittany Lions manhandled Mississippi State 75-60 on Tuesday and led by 24 points after three quarters and the Bulldogs were held to 39.6 percent from the field and 3 of 15 from 3-point range.  Tony Carr led the Lions with 21 points and Lamar Stevens added 17 points with eight rebounds. Penn State is 20-13-1 ATS, including 4-2 ATS on neutral courts.  Utah has had an easier road to the title game as far as opposition and didn't put away Western Kentucky until the final seconds.  The Hilltoppers had a terrible shooting game with a .348 percentage while Penn State has shot 51.3 percent its last two games.  The Nittany Lions have covered seven in a row following a win.  I'm laying the points with Penn State on Thursday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with North Texas on Wednesday.  San Francisco hit 14 shots from 3-point range and had a 22-2 run at one point in its 72-62 win in Game 1 of the CBI's best-of-three final. North Texas went just 4 of 21 from beyond the arc after making at least 12 shots from long range in each of its first three games of the tournament. The Dons shoot only 42.2 percent overall on the season and 33.8 percent from 3-point range and figure to cool off here on the road.  Also, North Texas had shot 58.6 percent from the field its two previous games, which were both at home and the Mean Green has a .471 field goal percentage at home this season.  The Dons are 7-17 ATS their last 24 games after a win and 2-5 ATS their last seven games overall.  North Texas is 8-2 ATS its last 10 non-conference games and 8-3 ATS following an ATS loss.  I'm laying the points with North Texas on Wednesday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing Western Kentucky on Tuesday night.  Western Kentucky has had three impressive games in the NIT with wins against Boston College at home and then USC and Oklahoma State on the road.  The Hilltoppers have won and covered four of their last five with the only loss being by one point to Marshall in the Conference USA Tournament.  WKU has shot 53.8 percent in its NIT games while allowing opponents only 41.2 percent. Tavelon Hollingsworth led five double-figure scorers with 30 points against Oklahoma State and Dwight Coleby added 16 points with 13 rebounds.  Utah easily dispatched UC Davis and LSU at home, but then had to go overtime to beat Saint Mary's on the road.  Western Kentucky shoots 49.9 percent on the season and has similar defensive statistics as the Utes.  And while the Utes rely on the 3-pointer with nearly half their shots taken from behind the 3-point line, Western Kentucky is more "old school" driving the paint, scoring at the basket and drawing fouls.  Advantage WKU!  Utah is 1-5-1 ATS its last seven neutral site games and the Hilltoppers have covered seven of their last nine after a win. I'm backing Western Kentucky on Tuesday night.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Texas Tech on Sunday.  Villanova comes off a physically draining win over West Virginia and it took 13 3-pointers to finally put away the Mountaineers.  Now the Wildcats have to come back two days later against another tough defensive squad in Texas Tech that forced 17 turnovers in its 78-65 win and cover against Purdue.  Keenan Evans led the Red Raiders with 16 points and Justin Gray added 12 points and four rebounds against the Boilermakers.  The Red Raiders allow only 64.6 points per game with an opponent field goal percentage of .404 overall and .328 from 3-point range.  Texas Tech leads the remaining NCAA Tournament teams with 15.1 forced turnovers per game and Villanova turned it over 16 times on Friday.  They'll see different schemes in this one and I expect the Wildcats to have their issues.  I also expect this game to go right to the wire making the points the way to go.  I'm taking the points with Texas Tech on Sunday.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing Loyola-Chicago on Saturday. Kansas State played great defense on Thursday, but that didn't have much to do with Kentucky blowing several layups and missing 14 free throw attempts. Loyola-Chicago has won 13 games in a row and 20 of its last 21 and shoots 50.7 percent from the field, 39.9 percent from 3-point range and 72.0 percent from the foul line.  Needless to say, Kansas State will have a tougher task defending the Ramblers even if they are perceived to be from an inferior conference than the Big 12 or SEC.  Loyola also can match the Wildcats defensively as it allows opponents a .417 field goal percentage and 62.2 points per game. The Wildcats shot only 19 of 54 against Kentucky and they are hitting only 37.8 percent of their shots their last two games.  Loyola is 5-1 ATS its last six games against Big 12 teams and 39-19-1 ATS its last 59 games overall dating to last season.  I'm backing Loyola-Chicago on Saturday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Kansas on Friday.  Kansas has won five in a row and now has power forward Udoka Azubuike available after he missed a few games with a knee injury.  Azubuike played 22 minutes in the win over Seton Hall and finished with 10 points and seven rebounds.  Malik Newman scored 28 points and Svi Mykhailiuk added 16 points for the Jayhawks, who shot 50 percent from the field and 9 of 21 from 3-point range.  Clemson destroyed Auburn, which shot a microscopic 25.8 percent, but the Tigers obviously will have a much tougher test against the Jayhawks, who have a .496 field goal percentage on the season and .403 from beyond the arc. Kansas is 5-1 ATS its last six games against ACC schools, 7-3 ATS its last 10 NCAA Tournament games, and they're on an 8-1-1 ATS run against teams playing better than .600 basketball.  It took some time for the Jayhawks to come together as a team, but they're peaking at the right time.  I'm laying the points with Kansas on Friday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Kentucky on Thursday.  It took a while, but the Kentucky freshmen finally appear to have come together as a team and are producing the way that was expected of them and the Wildcats have won nine of their last 10 games.  Kentucky shot 56.2 percent against Buffalo while outrebounding the Bulls 39-27 and holding them to 38.8 percent from the field.  Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a team-leading 27 points and Hamidou Diallo added 22 points and eight rebounds.  Kansas State needed only 18 field goals to beat UMBC, but that won't work against Kentucky and leading scorer, Dean Wade, still is only probable with a foot injury and is likely far short of 100 percent healthy if he plays.  Kentucky allows only a .405 shooting percentage overall and .298 from 3-point range and Kansas State is not an offensive powerhouse to begin with.  Kansas State is 1-5 ATS its last six non-conference games.  Meanwhile, Kentucky is 7-1 ATS in neutral site games this season, winning by nearly 10 points per game and they're 14-5 ATS in their last 19 March contests, winning by double digits on average.  I'm laying the points with Kentucky on Thursday. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday.  The Nets whipped the struggling Hornets, 125-111 on March 8, a night when Allen Crabbe scored 29 points and grabbed 8 rebounds.  I mention Crabbe because after missing a couple of games, he returned to the court on Monday and made 7 of 10 shots, scoring 22 points and Charlotte had no answer for him in the most recent meeting.  The Hornets are in a world of hurt on the defensive end allowing an average of more than 118 points per game in their last 10 outings.  This is music to Brooklyn's ears.  The Nets have been trying different lineups and they've found a good one on the offensive end. The Nets have scored 116, 114, and 118 points in their last three games and topped 110 points in seven of their last 10 contests.  The Nets are 8-3 ATS off a SU win, which is the situation tonight. Charlotte enters on a 2-9 ATS slide off a loss and they're 1-5 ATS in their last six when playing on one day rest.  The Hornets are 3-14 ATS in their last 17 against teams that force at least 14 turnovers per game.  I'm backing the Nets as they look to extend their head-to-head spread run to 8-1!  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Louisville on Tuesday.  Louisville comes off an 84-68 win over a good Middle Tennessee team while shooting 53.7 percent from the field and hitting 11 of 21 from 3-point range.  Ray Spalding led four double-figure scorers with 18 points and Jordan Nwora added 17 points.  Mississippi State won a thriller over Baylor 78-77 and the Bulldogs shot an uncharacteristic 53.8 percent overall and a mind-boggling 59.1 percent from beyond the arc.  Ben Howland's teams never have been known for their offense and it's unlikely the Bulldogs will come close to shooting that well again as they average only 31.5 percent from 3-point range on the season.  Also, the Cardinals hold opponents to just 32.7 percent from long distance and Middle Tennessee made only 5 of 15 3-pointers. The Cardinals have covered four of their last five home games, they're 9-2 ATS at home off a home win, and they're on a 6-1 ATS run against teams with a road win percentage of less than .400.  I'm laying the points with Louisville on Tuesday night.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Utah on Monday night.  LSU is 0-6-2 ATS its last eight road games and the Tigers had lost three of four games outright before beating UL Lafayette on Wednesday.  Utah is 11-4-2 ATS its last 17 home games. Tremont Waters (15.8 points per game) and Skylar Mays (11.2 ppg) are two of the three top scorers for LSU, but both are listed as probable for this game. Waters (nose) and Mays (thumb) are not 100 percent and the Tigers have had little depth all season to begin with. Utah comes off a 69-59 win over UC Davis, which was held to 39.7 percent from the field.  The Utes were led by Justin Bibbins, who scored 21 points, and Tyler Rawson and Donnie Tillman added 11 points apiece.  The Utes allow only a .417 field goal percentage and 68.4 points per game.  And while the extended 3-point line being used in the NIT has hurt some teams, it has hurt road teams more.  LSU and Utah take nearly the same amount of 3-point attempts per game and we'll give that advantage to the Utes.  I'm laying the points with Utah on Monday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Cincinnati on Sunday.  Nevada came back from a 14-point second-half deficit to beat Texas in overtime, but the Wolf Pack have a much tougher test against Cincinnati, which routed Georgia State for its eighth win in a row.  The Bearcats allow just a .371 shooting percentage and 57.0 points per game.  Georgia State was held to 39.6 percent from the field and Jarron Cumberland led the Bearcats with 27 points and 11 rebounds.  Cincy covered the number even while blowing a 10-point lead in the second half. Nevada is basically playing a six-man rotation due to injuries, which will be a factor coming off overtime.  Nevada is 1-4 ATS its last five games after a win and the Bearcats have held their last five opponents to a .379 field goal percentage and just .289 from 3-point range.  I'm laying the points with Cincinnati on Sunday.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Gonzaga on Saturday.  Ohio State was fortunate to get by South Dakota State while shooting just 37.5 percent, but the Buckeyes will have a much tougher test against Gonzaga which has won 15 games in a row and beat Ohio State by 27 points in November. The Zags had a tougher game than expected against NC Greensboro while shooting only 42.3 percent, but they're shooting 50.1 percent overall and 37 percent from 3-point range on the season and likely will bounce back with a better offensive showing in this matchup.  Greensboro was held to 3 of 22 from beyond the arc and a .418 field goal percentage overall. Johnathan Williams led the Zags with 19 points and 13 rebounds.  Ohio State is 1-5 ATS its last six games and 0-7 ATS its last seven NCAA Tournament games. In addition, the Buckeyes are 0-5 ATS their last five non-conference games.  I'm laying the points with Gonzaga on Saturday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Charleston on Friday.  Auburn has lost four of its last six games and got routed by Alabama 81-63 in the SEC Tournament.  The Tigers miss 6-7 forward Anfernee McLemore, who is out for the season with an ankle injury he suffered in mid-February. McLemore averaged 7.4 points and 5.3 rebounds and leads the team with 73 blocks.  Auburn's three leading scorers are guards and led by Mustapha Heron with 16.6 points per game and Bryce Brown (16.2 ppg).  They combined for only 10 of 27 against Alabama though as the Tigers shot just 32.3 percent as a team in that game.  Charleston has an experienced team that returned all five starters and the Cougars are lead by Grant Riller (18.7 ppg), Joe Chealey (18.5 ppg) and Jarrell Brantley (17.0 ppg; 7.1 rebounds per game).  Charleston has won 14 of its last 15 games, including winning the Colonial Athletic Association conference tournament. Auburn is 0-4 ATS its last four games. I'm taking the points with Charleston on Friday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Seton Hall. The Pirates are loaded with experienced upperclassmen who are looking to extend their season past the first round after a couple of early exits during their time in South Orange.  The Pirates have the guard to handle NC State on Hall's offensive end in Khadeen Carrington. And they have the kind of "big" we like underneath in Angel Delgado.  Desi Rodriguez is expected to play, listed as probable and that gives them a forward, their leading scorer, who can shoot down low or take an opposing "big" out deep. There's a lot to like about this team and we believe the line has been set too low against one of the worst defensive teams in the nation.  NC State is absolutely horrible defending the "2," and they're on a 5-15 ATS slide against teams that make at least 45 percent of their shots on the season.  The Pirates enter on a 5-0 ATS run and they're 42-26 ATS under Coach Willard when the line is in the +3/-3 range, proving our point, that Seton Hall is quite often the best coached team on the floor.  I'm laying the points with Seton Hall on Thursday afternoon.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Stanford on Wednesday night.  Stanford has won five of its last seven games and has covered eight of its last nine home games and 13 of 19 overall.  Reid Travis leads four double figure scorers with 19.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game and Dorian Pickens averages 14.6 points while shooting 42.2 percent from 3-point range.  Daejon Davis has 149 assists while scoring 10.7 points per game.  BYU comes off a 20-point loss to Gonzaga in the West Coast Conference Tournament for its third loss of the season to the Zags and BYU also has suffered losses at Pacific and Loyola Marymount.  Stanford finished tied for third in the Pac-12 with an 11-7 record and the Cardinal will look to duplicate the school's 2015 team that won the NIT.  Stanford is 10-2 ATS its last 12 games against .600 or better teams and should be favored on a neutral floor let alone home at Maples Pavilion.  I'm laying the points with Stanford on Wednesday.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Northern Kentucky on Tuesday.  It's no secret Louisville players don't want to be here.  In fact, according to a report in the Louisville Courier-Journal, the players voted against accepting a bid to the NIT and part of the reason is that they're exhausted after a tough ACC tourney, not to mention the disappointment in being left out of the Big Dance.  Northern Kentucky had bigger aspirations also, but they have the motivation of a chance to knock-off one of the two "big boys" in the state of Kentucky.  This wasn't a good tourney for disappointed teams like Louisville last season and it showed when 2-seeds went 1-3 SU in the opening round and not a single top-4 seed made it to New York for the NIT's version of the Final Four. The NIT will offer a few rules changes.  The teams will shoot 3's from a longer distance and the paint will be wider, to name a couple differences.  Neither team shoots an overabundance of 3-pointers, so I don't expect this to be too much of an issue and the teams are pretty even when it comes to their work on the boards.  Northern Kentucky is a road warrior, going 10-4-1 ATS on the road against teams with a home win percentage better than .600.  And the Norse have covered 14 of their last 17 non-conference games.  Meanwhile, the Cardinals have covered just one of their last seven at home after playing at least three straight away from home. I'm grabbing the points with Northern Kentucky on Tuesday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Houston on Sunday afternoon.  The teams have split the two meetings this season and Houston is one of the few teams that have the offense and shooting ability to stay with the Bearcats, who mainly depend on defense to win games.  Cincinnati shot just 38.6 percent in its 67-62 loss at Houston while the Cougars shot 48.0 percent and hit 7 of 17 from 3-point range.  Houston has won 10 of its last 11 games (8-2-1 ATS), including Saturday's impressive 77-74 victory over Wichita State.  The Cougars also are underrated defensively as they only allow 65.2 points per game and a .395 field goal percentage.  They held the Shockers to a .411 shooting percentage and Rob Gray poured in 33 points while Corey Davis added 19 points for the Cougars.  Cincy came back from a 13-point halftime deficit to beat Memphis and the Bearcats made just 24 of 59 from the field overall and 7 of 27 from 3-point range.  We made this number shorter and we'll grab the points with Houston on Sunday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Virginia on Saturday.  North Carolina accomplished its main goal by beating Duke for the first time in the ACC Tournament since 1998 and also not losing to the Blue Devils twice in one week.  Now the Tar Heels have to face the top defensive team in the nation while playing their fourth game in four days and they lost the first meeting while scoring only 49 points.  Virginia lost to the Tarheels in the 2016 ACC championship game and the Cavaliers are seeking their third ACC tourney title in their history. Virginia held Clemson to 34.7 percent from the field on Friday and the Tigers made just 5 of 25 from 3-point range. Kyle Guy led the Cavaliers with 15 points and Devon Hall and Mamadi Diakite added 10 apiece, but they fell a bucket short of the cover.  Virginia is 7-1 ATS off a spread loss and they're on a 19-8-1 ATS run overall.  UNC won't have much left after the last three days, including the emotional win over Duke. The chalk has covered eight of the last ten in this series.  We're laying the points with Virginia on Saturday night.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing the Houston Rockets on Friday night.  Tough to go against Houston until they give us a reason to do so.  There have been four winning streaks of at least 12 games in the NBA this season and two of them belong to the Rockets, including their current 17-game win streak.  Ten of the 17 wins have come on the road where they're 9-1 ATS.  Even more amazing, the Rockets are a 2-point loss to New Orleans from winning 22 in a row.  It's been a while, but Houston will remember having a 6-game win streak snapped by Toronto in November.  The Rockets were missing a couple players that night, including Chris Paul.  And according to Basketball Reference when Paul and James Harden both play in the same game, Houston has a ridiculously strong offensive efficiency rating close to 116, nearly 10 percentage points ahead of league average, which puts them in rarefied air in the NBA history.  Toss in their play on the defensive end and we believe they'll gain their revenge.  Besides the 9-1 ATS spot mentioned above, the Rockets are on a 14-3 ATS run against teams with a winning record.  Meanwhile, the Raptors have covered just 3 of their last 10 against teams with a winning record.  I'm backing the Houston Rockets on Friday night.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

NOTE: This is a top play up to -7.  I'm laying the points with Nevada on Thursday.  UNLV barely advanced past out-manned Air Force, winning in OT on Wednesday.  I don't get too worked up about a team's energy off an OT game in conference tourneys - they're well conditioned young men and are fired-up, after all.  But what I do play against are short lines - numbers that are at least a bucket or more short of current power ratings.  UNLV played zero defense for most of the second half against AFA. They even attempted to play a 2-3 zone and got consistently burned by dribble drives.  They need better ball-handling from Jordan Johnson on the offensive end after making poor decisions in crunch time again yesterday.  Nevada took apart UNLV in late February, beating the Rebels 101-75 and we note the final margin of 26 points didn't give a true indication of much of a blowout it actually turned out to be.  Four Wolf Pack players finished with 14 to 26 points and the Rebels had and have no answer for the Martin's, Caleb or Cody. Add in a huge coaching advantage in favor of Nevada's Eric Musselman over UNLV's Marvin Menzies and I'm betting we're in for another wide margin Reno win.  UNLV enters on a 5-16-1 ATS slide overall, and they've covered just 12 of their last 52 MWC games (3 pushes).  The Pack lost last time out, 79-74 at San Diego State.  Musselman has had little trouble getting his team's attention off a loss and they're 17-4 ATS in this spot.  We're backing Nevada minus the points on Thursday afternoon.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Utah State on Wednesday.  Our thoughts on Colorado State's basketball program are well chronicled both on radio and in writing. We've gone against them more than once since the wheels started coming off the Larry Eustachy regime.  Gone for weeks is Eustachy.  The brass tried to make his top assistant the interim coach and he was removed from the job shortly thereafter.  There isn't a lot of coaching going on at this point, both from a preparation standpoint or in-game adjustments.  USU isn't the best team in the MWC, but they're the better team here and actually have shown that they care how they finish the season as evidenced by their 12 point win over UNLV in the regular season finale, while CSU looks like they just want to finish the season.  USU is also in revenge.  The Rams won the January 10 meeting, two games before they packed it in.  Since then, CSU is 1-11 SU (3-8-1 ATS).  They play zero defense and shoot from everywhere on the floor...which isn't a wise idea for a team rannked 312th in FG percentage and 299th in 3-point shooting.  Finally, Utah State normally takes care of business when they're supposed to, currently on a 26-8 ATS run against teams playing less than .400 basketball.  I'm laying the points with Utah State on Wednesday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Orlando Magic on Monday.  Not a lot to say about this one other than the fact Orlando continues to be undervalued on the road and Utah continues to be overvalued in general.  The Magic are playing better basketball right now than they were a few weeks ago, winners of two straight. But they're a profitable 9-1 ATS in their last 10 road games.  Utah is the better team, no doubt about it.  But the Jazz began landing in the win column on a regular basis on January 24 and you're now paying a premium if/when you wish to back them.  The Jazz enter Monday on a 1-6 ATS slide and the lone cover came by just one point.  The Jazz are also 0-5 ATS off a SU win.  This one is all about line value and that key factor lies with Orlando.  We're taking the points with the Magic on Monday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Hofstra on Sunday.  The teams have split the first two meetings with each winning by 20 points, but Hofstra is clearly in better current form having won and covered its last four games.  NC Wilmington won at Drexel on Feb. 24, but the Seahawks have lost six of their last nine games and they are 10-20 on the season and just 10-16 ATS.  Wilmington is 2-15 away from home, including 0-4 on neutral courts. This is the quarterfinals of the Colonial Athletic Association in Charleston, South Carolina and the Seahawks are shooting 38.5 percent overall and 28.4 percent from 3-point range at neutral sites.  That's noteworthy because Hofstra is not a great defensive squad (helped out here), but on offense the Pride is shooting 46.3 percent from the field and 37.2 percent from long range.  NC Wilmington is 2-7 ATS its last nine after a win and the Pride has covered four of its last five against teams with losing records. We expect Hofstra to extend the lead in the second half and head onto the next round with a spread-covering win.  I'm laying the points with Hofstra on Sunday night.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with NC State on Saturday.  Louisville suffered one of the worst last-second collapses in history on Thursday against Virginia and now two days later the Cardinals have to go on the road and play N.C. State, which is 15-3 at home.  Louisville shot only 41.3 percent against the Cavaliers and the Cardinals have just a .431 field goal percentage on the road. N.C. State had a four-game winning streak snapped at Georgia Tech, but the Wolfpack has covered the spread six of its last eight home games.  They're also 28-13 ATS off a conference loss as a favorite. Allerik Freeman leads the Wolfpack with a 15.2 scoring average and Omer Yurtseven contributes 13.7 points and 6.9 rebounds per game.  Guard Markell Johnson has a team-leading 175 assists and 40 steals.  The Wolfpack has won its last two home games by an average of 18 points over Boston College and Florida State and we expect another spread covering win in their home finale.  The Pack are 21-10-2 ATS at home against teams with a losing road record   I'm laying the points with NC State on Saturday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Toronto on Friday night.  We give the Wizards all the credit in the world for actually advancing their situation since John Wall has been sidelined.  But the schedule has been a tough one and it gets even tougher tonight.  Washington is playing its third game in four nights and their sixth in nine, but it's mainly the level of competition over that time frame that makes this a difficult spot. The Wizards are off a home game with Golden State two nights ago and have also faced hard-charging Charlotte, the 76ers, and the Cavaliers, along with a road game at Milwaukee before the game against the Warriors.  We actually had the Wizards in the win over the Bucks. We have the Raptors power rated as the best team in the east, even ahead of the Cavaliers.  Toronto has covered eight of their last 10 games and they're a momentum team, having covered eight of their last nine on the road after scoring at least 105 points in three straight games.  I'm laying the points with the Raptors on Friday night. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Virginia on Thursday.  Virginia will be the first team in ACC history to go 9-0 in the conference on the road with a win at Louisville and the Cavaliers have won the last five meetings (4-0-1 ATS), including 74-64 at home on Jan. 31.  The Cardinals are one of the few teams that had some success offensively against Virginia as they shot 50 percent from the field for the game and 60 percent in the second half with eight 3-pointers. They still lost by 10 though and the chances of the Cardinals doing that again against the best defense in the country are slim.  The Cavaliers allow only 52.1 points per game on 37.5 percent shooting and they are 18-6-1 ATS overall this season and 20-8 ATS their last 28 road games dating to last season.  Also, Virginia is 7-1-1 ATS its last nine against teams with winning records while Louisville is 1-4-1 ATS its last six games versus winning teams. I'm laying the points with Virginia on Thursday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Kentucky on Wednesday night.  Kentucky appeared to be one of the most underachieving teams in the country, but the Wildcats seem to finally have turned the corner with three straight wins and covers, including an impressive 87-72 road victory against  Arkansas.  This normally would be Senior Night, but Kentucky has no seniors so we don't have to worry about a Senior Night letdown. The Wildcats shot 54.9 percent and held Missouri to 36.2 percent on Saturday with Kevin Knox scoring a team-leading 21 points and Jarred Vanderbilt added 11 points and 15 rebounds.  Mississippi has lost eight of its last nine games (1-8 ATS) and coach Andy Kennedy resigned effective immediately on Feb. 19 and assistant Tony Madlock is filling in. The Rebels are 1-4 ATS their last five road games and have seemingly packed it in for the season.  Kentucky has taken care of business of also-rans rather than taking the night off and cruising which shows in their 11-5 ATS run at home against teams playing less than .400 basketball on the road.  We'll back Kentucky minus the points as they extend their run to 6-1 ATS the last seven meetings.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing Mississippi State on Tuesday night.  Mississippi State is 18-1 at home and has covered the spread eight of its last nine games overall.  It took awhile but Ben Howland has rebuilt this program into one of the top teams in the SEC and the Bulldogs are led by Quinndary Weatherspoon, who averages 14.7 points and six rebounds per game. The Bulldogs have won three in a row, including Saturday's 72-68 overtime win against South Carolina.  Lamar Peters led MSU with 19 points and Weatherspoon added 13 points with seven rebounds. Mississippi State holds opponents to a .401 field goal percentage at home, which is typical for a Howland-coached team, but the Bulldogs also average 74.6 points overall while shooting at a .469 clip.  Tennessee has had a couple ugly losses on the road recently, including a 73-62 loss at Georgia and a 28-point loss at Alabama.  We expect another one here.  Finally, MSU is 6-0 ATS when facing teams playing better than .600 basketball on the season.  I'm backing Mississippi State on Tuesday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with West Virginia on Monday night.  Texas Tech is all but out of the race for the Big-12 regular season title after losing to Kansas on Saturday.  In fact, KU can wrap-up yet another Big-12 title tonight with a win over Texas.  Tech trailed by as many as 8 points in the second half on Saturday, but rallied back to tie the game with 1:40 to go before the Jayhawks wrapped it up.  The Red Raiders put everything into winning that game, which would have meant tying the Jayhawks in the conference standings and owning the tiebreaker with what would have been a season sweep.  Instead, they suffered their third straight loss.  West Virginia had a tough stretch to close January, but have won five of their last seven.  The Mountaineers are in revenge for a one-point loss to Tech in Lubbock, a night when they were outscored by 10 at the FT line, easily the difference in the game's outcome.  Tech also nailed 50 percent of their shots that night, but only won 72-71.  I expect the key categories to fall in WVU's favor tonight.  They nail half their shots at home, while Tech makes just 43 percent of their shots on the road and WVU owns a big average advantage at the charity stripe, also.  Texas Tech has dropped five in a row ATS off a SU loss and they're 4-9 ATS in their last 13 Big-12 games.  Meanwhile, WVU enters on an 8-2 ATS run off a spread loss and they're 33-15 ATS (outscoring opponents by 20 ppg) at home off a double digit home win.  I'm laying the points with West Virginia on Monday night.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing Nebraska on Sunday.  The Cornhuskers need a win to secure the 4th place spot in the Big-10 and a double-bye in the upcoming conference tourney. Doing so would also go a long way in securing an at-large Big Dance bid. Michigan won on Saturday to lead the Huskers by half a game for the 4-seed, but Nebraska owns the tiebreaker since they beat the Wolverines earlier this season.  Nebraska lost at Penn State 76-74 in OT in January and outside of rebounding the game was as close as the final score would indicate.  But since that game Nebraska has won 9 of 11 with the only losses coming on the road at Illinois and Ohio State.  Nebraska is 14-1 SU at home this season with the lone loss coming by a point to Kansas. The Huskers have held their guests to 41.2 percent shooting, including allowing just 5.7 made 3-pointers per game, an important note with Penn State averaging roughly 20 3-point attempts per road game.  Another important factor could rear its head at the free throw line where Nebraska averages 26.2 attempts per home game, while the Nittany Lions average less than 14 free throw attempts on the road.  Nebraska has covered 10 of their last 11 home games and they're 14-2 ATS in their last 16 conference games.  Penn State won't have the services of Mike Watkins who is out due to a knee injury he suffered earlier this week.  Watkins averages 8.9 rebounds per game and 12.7 points. Nebraska had no answer for Watkins in the January meeting and the 6'9, 255-lb forward scored 20 points and grabbed 15 rebounds.  Look for the Huskers to make it 15-1 SU at home and extend their run to 5-1 ATS when facing Penn State.  I'm backing Nebraska on Sunday. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Oregon on Saturday night.  Arizona HC Sean Miller has gone from Final Four contender to a likely spot in the unemployment line in a matter of months.  The Wildcats are a mess off the court.  Allonzo Trier was suspended on Thursday and won't likely be reinstated for Saturday's game.  Even worse is the situation with Miller who is now in the hottest of waters and DeAndre Ayton, who might be forced to miss this game, also. Whether or not Arizona is short-handed, the in-season distractions are virtually unparalleled. We had Oregon and cashed the ticket in their most recent game on Thursday.  The Ducks are 14-3 at home, where they're holding opponents to 39 percent shooting, while making 50 percent of their own shots. The Ducks have 18 wins on the season and have three more chances to reach 20 and this is the home finale.  Arizona escaped Corvallis with an OT win over Oregon State on Thursday, but I'm betting the Oregon trip doesn't end well.  Arizona is 4-14 ATS in their last 18 against teams with a winning record.  Meanwhile, the Ducks are on a 4-0 ATS run at home and they've covered four of the last five meetings.  They're also 8-1 ATS in revenge if their opponent scored at least 75 points. Oregon outscored those teams by an average margin of 10 points per game. I'm laying the points with Oregon on Saturday night.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing the Princeton Tigers on Friday night.  Princeton stood 3-1 in league play and 11-8 overall following their 76-73 win over Yale on February 2. Over the course of the last 21 days, the Tigers have dropped six in a row SU & ATS.  However, the Tigers couldn't be catching the Crimson at a more opportune time.  Harvard is 9-1 in league play and have a date for first place with Penn on Saturday.  They've won five in a row, but the last four all came in Boston (more on that in a bit).  They'll face a hungry Princeton squad with a chance to play spoiler in their own gym.  The Tigers average five more made FGs per game at home than Harvard does on the road and the FGs allowed in this spot are almost equal.  Harvard attempts 44.4 percent of their overall shot total on the road from behind the 3-point line, yet make just 31 percent of those shots. In fact, the Crimson may be 9-1 SU in the Ivy League, but they're one of the worst shooting teams in America. Harvard enters on a 2-11 ATS slide on the road as a PK or a dog of 3 or less and they're 2-10 ATS in their first game on the road after playing at least three straight at home.  Princeton had won the previous two meetings before losing earlier this season but we expect the Tigers to gain a measure of revenge. I'm backing Princeton on Friday night.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm playing the Over between the Nets & Hornets on Thursday.  Games involving two losing teams have meant less intensity on the defensive end when coming right out of the break.  Guys aren't quite set to get back into the swing of things and if they've nothing much to play for, the lack of defensive intensity has been magnified.  As is, the Hornets are already on a 6-1 Over run at home, while the Nets are on a 5-1 Over run when playing with at least three days rest.  The posted total between these two teams has been 219.5 and 222 in their previous two meetings.  We feel Thursday's total is too low. I'm playing the Over between the Nets & Hornets on Thursday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Virginia Tech on Wednesday.  Virginia Tech is seeking its 20th win and is 14-9 ATS on the season and comes off a 20-point win at Georgia Tech.  The Hokies have won six of their last eight games and one of the losses was to Duke in a letdown situation after beating Virginia in overtime.  The Hokies are shooting 51.1 percent from the field overall and 53.9 percent at home.  Also, Clemson's 3-point defense on the road is not good as it allows 41.7 percent from long range. The Tigers have lost two in a row, including 66-57 at home to Duke on Sunday when they made just 21 of 61 shots and failed down the stretch.  I believe the way they lost causes a bit of a hangover in this one.  Virginia Tech shot 52.8 percent against Georgia Tech, which was held to 36.4 percent and 4 of 25 from 3-point range.  Justin Robinson leads a balanced attack with 13.7 points per game, followed by Justin Bibbs (13.5 ppg) and Kerry Blackshear Jr. (12.7 ppg).  Clemson is 2-6-1 ATS the last nine meetings and 2-5 ATS its last seven road games.  Virginia Tech is 26-11-1 ATS its last 38 home games.  I'm laying the points with Va Tech on Wednesday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Oregon State on Saturday night.  You could argue Beavers are playing the better overall basketball over the last five games, including making 49.8 percent of their FGA, and we're getting a decent amount of points.  USC won the first meeting 74-67.  Oregon State crushed the Trojans on the glass but weak shooting did the Beavers in.  USC narrowly escaped Oregon with a 72-70 win last time out - a close affair despite the fact USC made 52 percent of their shots.  They're in a tough spot tonight having lost Bennie Boatwright for the season to a knee injury.  Boatwright was USC's second leading scorer and rebounder and his absence negatively affects leading scorer and fellow forward Chimezie Metu, who is forced to take on more of a burden against opposing "bigs."  We expect Oregon State to take full advantage.  The underdog in the series is on a 9-4-1 ATS run and we'll back the undervalued underdog.  I'm taking the points with Oregon State on Saturday night.  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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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.

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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 taking the points with Arizona State on Saturday night.  Arizona State is undefeated and 10-2 ATS, but still not getting enough respect, which has forced the linemaker to install the Sun Devils as a 5 to 6-point underdog for this matchup.  ASU is 19-7 ATS its last 26 games overall and already owns outright wins over Kansas State, Xavier and Kansas - all away from home.  The Sun Devils come off a 39-point win over Pacific in which it shot 53.7 percent from the field while holding the Tigers to 35.8 percent.  Defensively, Arizona State holds opponents to just a .409 field goal percentage and 71.7 points per game.  Arizona played three decent opponents in November and lost them all to N.C. State, SMU and Purdue before winning in overtime at UNLV.  The Wildcats are 1-7 ATS their last eight games against teams with winning records and the controversy regarding the FBI investigation into the U of A program sure doesn't make for an easy feeling in Tucson this season.  This is a statement game for the Sun Devils and we believe they're up to the task.  I'm taking the points with Arizona State on Saturday night.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Idaho on Thursday.  UC Irvine lost again 86-68 at Montana on Tuesday (we had Montana) and the Anteaters now have five losses in a row and this is their fifth straight game away from home and no improvement is in sight.  Montana shot 52.5 percent compared to 42.9 percent for the Anteaters whose leading scorer was John Edgar Jr. with just 13 points.  Idaho was picked to win the Big Sky Conference and has all five starters back from last year's 19-14 squad.  The Vandals have an 8-3 record and they have covered the number four of six lined games.  This game is being played in Boise as part of the Holiday Hoops Classic.  The Vandals blew out Western Michigan 82-52 on the road on Monday holding the Broncos to 16 points in the first half.  Idaho holds opponents to just 27.8 percent from 3-point range and on offense it is 10th in the country in 3-point field goal percentage (.424).  Victor Sanders scored 25 points and Jordan Scott added 10 points and 13 rebounds and the Vandals shot 50.0 percent against WMU. UC Irvine is 3-12 ATS its last 15 games dating to last season.  Idaho takes care of business against teams with sub-.400 records, posting an 11-3 ATS mark the last 14 times.  I'm laying the points with Idaho, our KO on Thursday. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Houston on Wednesday.  Kelvin Sampson is doing a great job of blending in his returnees with junior college transfers and the Cougars are off to a 9-2 start and have covered four of their last five lined games.  Houston not only is shooting at a 49.1 percent clip, but the defense is holding opponents to just 40.1 percent. Also, the Cougars are shooting 42.4 percent from 3-point range, which even tops last season's 39.4 percent. Providence is just 2-7 ATS and three of their guards are doubtful for this game. Maliek White, Alpha Diallo and Kyron Cartwright average 26.9 points combined and all are injured.  Forward Emmitt Holt already had been lost for the season with an abdominal  injury.  The Friars were fortunate to beat Stony Brook on Sunday and that followed a loss at Massachusetts after they needed overtime to defeat Brown.  Providence won't have enough firepower to keep up with the Cougars.  I'm laying the points with Houston on Wednesday.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Montana on Tuesday.  UC Irvine lost all-conference selection Jaron Martin to graduation and therefore lacked experience at the guard position coming into the season and the Anteaters are off to a 4-9 start and just 3-7 ATS.  Irvine is 1-7 on the road and has lost eight of its last 10 games with the only wins coming against Northern Arizona and small school Whittier.  Montana comes off a 77-61 win over UC Riverside while shooting 50 percent and holding the Highlanders to just a .385 shooting percentage.  The Grizzlies return four starters from last year's squad and have six players that are least 6 feet 6 inches tall.  Montana is shooting 50.0 percent at home and averaging 81.5 points per game while Irvine is scoring only 63.9 points on the road.  Irvine is 3-11 ATS its last 14 games dating to last season and they've covered just 9 of their last 28 road games against teams with a winning record.  I'm laying the points with Montana on Tuesday. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Western Kentucky on Wednesday.  This is definitely a down year for Wisconsin, which is 4-7 straight up and 3-6-1 ATS and two key players already are lost for the season with injuries to guards D'Mitrik Trice and Kobe King. The Badgers already have lost to Ohio State by 25 points and Virginia 49-37 while shooting 31.3 percent.  The Badgers come off an 82-63 loss to Marquette on Saturday when the defense was almost non-existent as the Golden Eagles shot 52.7 percent overall and made 14 of 22 from 3-point range. Coach Rick Stansbury has quickly put together a talented squad at Western Kentucky that has a .492 field goal percentage and won six of its last eight games and covering the number five of the last six. Wisconsin is just 2-7 ATS its last nine games against C-USA teams and that was when the Badgers had good teams and Wisconsin is just 1-4 ATS its last five home contests.  We're grabbing the points with Western Kentucky, our DogPound release.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Texas on Tuesday.  Texas has one of the most improved teams in the country and its only two losses were in overtime against Duke and Gonzaga.  The Longhorns also remember a tough, 53-50 loss to the Wolverines last season and Michigan has lost both true road games this season against North Carolina and Ohio State. Michigan also lost to LSU in the Maui Tournament and was fortunate to beat UCLA in overtime on Saturday, but U-M has covered just 5 of their last 20 off a home win.  Shaka Smart recruited a top-five class and his team comes off a 71-67 win at Virginia Commonwealth, his former school, last Tuesday giving the Longhorns a week to prepare for this matchup.  Texas is allowing just a .378 shooting percentage while shooting 47.1 percent on the offensive end.  Andrew Jones scored 19 points against VCU and Mo Bamba, another highly-touted recruit, added 13 points and grabbed 13 rebounds and the Longhorns shot 51.0 percent from the field.  Texas is 9-4 ATS its last 13 games against Big Ten schools.  We'll lay it with Texas, our TKO release. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Wichita State on Saturday afternoon.  We earmarked this one in our notes after watching Oklahoma State bust-up the Shockers on their home floor last season.  The Cowboys made over half their FGA, while the Shockers made just 36% of their own shots in a 93-76 loss as a 7-point favorite.  Oklahoma State returned just two starters from a season ago and while the record looks strong, the SOS has not been too difficult.  Oklahoma State's wins came against Pepperdine, Charlotte, Oral Roberts, Pittsburgh, Houston Baptist, Austin Peay, and Mississippi Valley State.  They've played one "step-up" game and lost 72-55 to Texas A&M as a 4 1/2 point underdog.  Oklahoma State doesn't shoot well, especially from the deep perimeter, despite facing a soft slate.  They have covered just one of five at home against teams with a winning road record.  Wichita State returned all five starters from last season, so this spot is not lost on anyone.  The Shockers have four players averaging between 14.6 ppg and 11.5 ppg. The backcourt duo of Landry Shamet and Conner Frankamp have combined for 57 assists and just 18 turnovers this season.  And the Shockers are on a 40-18 ATS run on the road against teams with a winning home record.  This is a spot HC Gregg Marshall will get the best from his squad in my opinion, and I'll back them.  I'm laying the points with Wichita State on Saturday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Cavaliers on Friday night.  Not only are the Cavs playing a much better brand of basketball than when these teams met on November 1, but they also have revenge on their mind.  Indiana used a 62-46 second half to beat Cleveland 124-107 that particular night.  The Pacers nailed 16 of 26 3-pointers, the equivalent of making 24 of 26 2-point shots, while Cleveland made just 7 of 31 treys, themselves.  Indiana has played well themselves, but had to come from 16 down in the fourth quarter to beat Chicago last time out.  The Cavs have not been good ATS as chalk this season, overall, however, they're on a 6-0 ATS run when laying 4 or less, or as a dog. The road team in this series has covered six in a row and NBA teams are 46-20 ATS if they are in revenge of a SU loss as home chalk, provided their opponent is off a SU win / non-cover, when laying points.  I'm laying the points with the Cavaliers on Friday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Kansas on Wednesday night.  This game is technically being played at a neutral site, the Sprint Center in KC, but the crowd will be pro-Jayhawk.  Washington owns a 6-2 SU record, but it's a bit misleading.  They turn the ball over quite a bit and Kansas should feed off of Huskies' mistakes.  The top four scorers for UW have a combined 74 assists and 78 turnovers in eight games. The Huskies are horrible from the deep perimeter, and it's not likely they'll get inside too often tonight.  Kansas, in comparison, is all about scorers and dishers.  In fact, Devonte' Graham and Legerald Vick have combined for 86 assists and just 31 turnovers in seven games.  As a team, KU averages 20 assists per game and just 11 turnovers per game, while UW is upside down on offense and allow nearly 19 assists per game.  Kansas is outstanding on the offensive and defensive ends of the floor and will face a team ranked 304th in FG percentage defense and 297th against the trey, while allowing 78 ppg. Washington wants to run and that plays right into the Jayhawks' strength.  UW enters on a 0-4 ATS slide, while KU has covered four in a row.  UW is 0-8 ATS since last season against teams that average at least 16 assists per game, allowing 91 ppg in those outings.  And finally, UW is 0-8 ATS against uptempo teams, those that attempt at least 62 shots per game.  I'm laying the points with Kansas on Wednesday.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the LA Clippers on Wednesday night.  Dallas comes to town the perfect foil for a big time LAC bounce back.  The Clippers will be chomping at the bit to get back on the floor after dropping two in a row to Detroit and Golden State, the second a 141-113 crushing.  Both the Pistons and Warriors controlled the flow of the game against the Clips, but that changes tonight in our betting opinion.  We were on Dallas and cashed when they beat Memphis on October 25, still the Mavs' only win of the season.  Dallas is second to last in the NBA in offensive and defensive FG percentage and they allow 107 ppg, while barely cracking 98, themselves.  The Mavs are on a 3-10-1 ATS slide going back to last season and they have covered just one of their last nine on one day of rest.  We'll back the LA Clippers minus the points.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday.  While Dallas struggles through more rebuilding, the Memphis Grizzlies have made a few changes, including their style of play, looking to shoot earlier in the shot clock than the teams we have grown used to over the last few years.  Memphis is off to a great start, including a 98-90 win over Houston.  They have three in a row to start the season, including two straight outright wins as an underdog. Memphis is just 8-19 ATS on the road after at least two straight wins and they're on a 1-5 ATS slide after winning at least two straight as an underdog. Dallas is not only winless in four games, but got crushed 133-103 by Golden State last time out.  Over the last three seasons, the Mavs are 13-4 ATS following a loss by 20 or more and 4-0 ATS after losing by 30.  And we also know that NBA teams are 6-25 ATS if they have won at least three straight games, had a winning season last year, and are facing a team that finished below .500 the previous season.  We like these situations early in the season and we'll follow it here.  I'm grabbing the points with the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm playing the Over between the Cavaliers & Warriors on Thursday night. I do believe the Warriors will look to set the tone in Game 1 after blowing the 3-1 series lead last year.  Because of this I expect the Warriors to play their typical fast-paced game against a Cavaliers' team that will oblige, something both the Jazz and Spurs tried to avoid without success.  The Cavs haven't played in a week and in the situation of playing a playoff game 7 days apart or more with LeBron on the roster, the Cavs have been at their offensive best, or at least, at their freshest.  The Cavs have averaged over 110 ppg the last five times in this spot, including scoring 117 and 116 points this postseason.  And let's not forget the Cavs ranked 21st in defensive efficiency this season.  The Over is on a 15-6 run in Cavaliers' games and has cashed in five straight Warriors' games.  And finally, Cavaliers games are on a 35-19 Over run against teams that attempt at least 18 treys per game. Golden State certainly fits the bill.  We're playing the Over between the Cavaliers & Warriors in Thursday's Game 1 tilt.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Celtics, our Monday Slam Dunk.  Boston let one slip away as John Wall nailed a trey in the closing seconds for the win on Friday.  But I like the way Al Horford played again, and I feel the same way about Avery Bradley.  Boston is tossing two game plans at Washington in the same game on the offensive end as we explained in our Friday write-up.  The Wizards have no answer for Horford when he sets up on the perimeter.  And if they come off Isaiah Thomas, the Celtic guard drives or finds openings from the outside.  Washington survived on Friday.  But they're 0-6 ATS on the road against teams playing at last .600 basketball at home. Boston has covered four straight home games and they're on an 8-0, 100% ATS run playing host to Washington.  I expect Boston to win and cover again on Monday. I'm laying the points with the Celtics my Slam Dunk. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Spurs in game-5 on Tuesday night.  Everything points to a powerful and stingy defensive performance by San Antonio in tonight's contest.  The #1 team in defensive efficiency this past regular season got shredded in game-4 after dominating games-2 & 3.  We note under Gregg Popovich the Spurs are 32-13 ATS when tied in a playoff series, holding the 45 opponents to 91.6 ppg.  They're 21-9 ATS at home off a loss by 20 or more points, holding those 30 teams to an average of 92 ppg, while winning by 12 ppg.  In fact, the Spurs are on a 6-2-1 ATS run off a SU loss in general. Houston couldn't miss last game making 19 3-point shots and fast-breaking their way past the sluggish Spurs. But as Manu Ginobili stated, they'll be treating game-5 like it was game-7. We also note the Rockets have covered just five of their last 18 games and they're on a 0-5 ATS slide off a win of 11 points or more.  No Nene is a big deal here.  And so is the fact the Spurs are off an ugly loss.  We'll lay the points with San Antonio on Tuesday. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Cavaliers as they aim for the series sweep.  As we mentioned when this series began, the changes the Raptors made to their lineup to turn around their series against Milwaukee would have no impact on the Cavaliers. Cleveland is hitting on all cylinders and will look to put the series to bed as soon as possible.  The Raptors may keep it close throughout the first half picking up the slack if Lowry doesn't play, but if they do, we believe the Cavs will pull away over the final 12 minutes just as they did in game-3. We note that LeBron James' teams are 41-22 ATS in the second round of the playoffs.  And they're outstanding as playoff favorites in general. The Cavs are on a 5-0 ATS run and they have covered four in a row in Toronto.  I'm laying the points with the Cavaliers, my Sunday Knockout.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm playing the Under between the Spurs & Rockets on Friday.  The Under is 4-0 the last four times these teams have met in Houston and we believe the Spurs fully understand their game-2 blowout win, scoring 121 points is not going to be the norm if they're going to have a true chance of winning this series. They can't get into a shootout.  Tony Parker may be long in the tooth, but he was the Spurs' second best player this postseason.  And with his loss the Spurs will use Patty Mills, Manu Ginobili, and maybe even rookie Dejounte Murray at the point.  We expect none of the three to deliver what Parker could when on his game on the offensive end, directing traffic and getting the ball to open shooters.  The Rockets enter on a 10-1 Under run (average of 204 ppg) at home against teams playing better than .700 basketball.  We expect a lower scoring affair tonight and we'll play the Under between the Spurs & Rockets on Friday. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the LA Clippers on Sunday.  An important change in the Clippers' rotation changed the outcome of game-6 and likely in this series.  The return of Austin Rivers, finally able to play at full health after shaking off the rust in game-5, provided the Clips with big dividends at both ends of the floor. Rivers not only adds to Doc Rivers' arsenal on the offensive end, but his ability to provide one more effective defender on Gordon Hayward at the other end, allowed the Clippers to defend Joe Johnson with Luc Mbah Moute.  And as far as the offensive end was concerned, the Clippers were even more effective in their Paul to Jordan pick-and-rolls.  I don't believe the Jazz will be able to adjust quick enough to capture game-7, SU or ATS.  And while Rudy Gobert is expected to play, his ankle is said to be less than 100% healthy and we've noticed Gobert settling for looks at the basket he didn't normally take during the regular season.  Other members of the Jazz are having trouble making shots, including Joe Ingles and Rodney Hood. Finally, NBA game-7 home teams are on a 62% winning ATS run the last 29 times and we'll stick with the home team here.  I'm laying the points with the Clippers, our Sunday Beatdown.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing the Milwaukee Bucks minus the points on Thursday night.  Dwayne Casey pulled all the right strings with the adjustments he made in his starting lineup and amount of minutes given to certain players.  Toronto has started Norman Powell the last two games and he has come through with flying colors. Casey moved Serge Ibaka to center and Jonas Valanciunas has been coming off the bench rather than in the starting five.  But the Bucks have now had two games to adjust and I believe Jason Kidd (43-23 ATS off at least two straight losses as Bucks coach) and his staff will be ready for the Raptors "new" look tonight.  Milwaukee is still 4-0 ATS when playing on two days rest and they're on an 8-0 ATS run at home after two straight double digit losses, with an average win margin of 10 ppg in the eight outings.  I believe there will be a game-7 in Toronto and I'm backing the Bucks minus the short number, our Beatdown on Thursday. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday.  Boston HC Brad Stevens made a wise choice when he inserted Gerald Green into the starting lineup in games three and four. Green's presence really paid off in game four when he made 7 of 13 shots, including 4 of 9 3-pointers when the rest of the Celtics made just 6 of 28 treys.  It's now time for Fred Hoiberg to make the adjustment and we like what he's doing. The Bulls are expected to start Isaiah Canaan for the first time in this series on Wednesday night.  Canaan scored 13 points in game four and brings an added dimension at both ends of the floor.  We also may see Rajon Rondo tonight (questionable) but we don't need Rondo to make this a play. We also saw Jimmy Butler start to get back on track with 33 points last time out, to go along with 9 assists.  I didn't like the inconsistent play of Isaiah Thomas in game four, including his hot-and-cold shooting and decision making, especially when you now have to win by more than four baskets if you're a Boston backer. Boston heads into this one on a 1-8 ATS slide at home, while the Bulls are on a 7-0 ATS road run against teams with a winning home record, and the visitor in this series has covered four straight.  I believe this game will go right to the wire, giving us plenty of value with the underdog.  I'm taking the points with the Bulls, my Wednesday Knockout.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Warriors on Monday.  Portland posted an outstanding effort in game three yet fell short in the end, losing 119-113. The Blazers led by 13 at the break, but once Golden State started clicking in the second half, they were unstoppable. I expect Portland to get after it again at the opening tip tonight, but I also expect GSW to pull away by an even greater margin down the stretch.  The Warriors fell well short of their season-long shooting percentages last time out and I don't believe they'll fall victim to poor shooting for a second straight game.  The Warriors are on a 6-0 ATS run on the road and they're on a 14-3-1 ATS run in their last 18 games, overall.  They will be without HC Steve Kerr tonight and potentially for the rest of the playoffs, but they're used to taking the court without him after his back problems a season ago.  Portland is expected to be missing Jusuf Nurkic, who gave the Blazers a boost in game three.  They were not the same when Nurkic was sidelined earlier in the series.  Even if he plays tonight, it's not expected to be for long or anywhere near 100%.  I expect the Warriors to wrap-up the series and I'm laying the points with Golden State, our Monday Knockout.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm playing the Under between the Bucks & Raptors on Monday.  Late releases don't include analysis with time being of the essence.  Thanks & GL!  Scott.

I'm backing the Houston Rockets plus the short points on Sunday afternoon.  Houston had a horrible night from the deep perimeter in their game-3 loss, making just 10 of 35 3-pointers, while OKC shot 55.4% overall and over 47% from behind the arc.  All that yet OKC only won by a bucket.  Houston still drove the paint and drew more fouls and we expect more of the same tonight. However, OKC shouldn't expect another bad shooting night from the Rockets. Houston finished 2nd in the NBA in offensive efficiency this season.  And while the Thunder are on a 1-5 ATS slide against teams playing better than .600 basketball on the season, the Rockets will aim for their 7th straight cover at OKC.  Houston is a perfect 7-0 ATS on the road in revenge, provided the opponent scored at least 110 points in the previous meeting.  They're also 13-4 ATS on the road this season when the line is in the +3/-3 range.  I'm backing the Rockets plus the short points, my Beatdown on Sunday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Spurs on Saturday.  The Spurs' starters will certainly be fresh for game-4 after none of them played more than 30 minutes in the 105-94 loss in game-3. Gregg Popovich expressed his distaste for their play by sitting the starting five late in the third quarter. Tony Parker didn't make a single FGA after averaging over 16 ppg in their first two games.  Bottom line:  San Antonio didn't bring their A-game.  I suspect they will tonight.  They normally do in this spot, going 36-19 ATS under Pop off a double digit loss as a road favorite, winning by an average score of 101-92.  Memphis made 51% of their FGA in the win as the Spurs failed on the defensive end after leading the entire league in defensive efficiency this regular season.  They normally get it done at both ends, while the Grizzlies rarely play as well on the offensive end as they did last time out.  The Spurs are 5-1 ATS after allowing at least 100 points in a game and despite the win, the Grizzlies enter on 4-11 SU slide.  Spurs bounce back.  I'm laying the points with San Antonio on Saturday, our KO release. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Raptors on Tuesday night.  Toronto looked on their way to capturing game-1, holding a 51-46 lead at the break.  But without taking too much away from Milwaukee, the fact is, the Raptors missed a lot of open looks over the final two quarters and HC Casey stated that his squad played without rhythm in the second half.  Toronto is also known for digging themselves a hole, having dropped nine straight opening round game-1 matchups.  Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan certainly must shoot better and we believe they will when you consider the number of open looks that went awry.  The chalk is on a 6-1 ATS run between these teams and Toronto has covered four straight off a SU loss.  These teams met twice in Toronto during the regular season and the Raptors won by 16 points and 22 points, covering both.  And while Jason Kidd is teaching his team toughness and defense, the fact is, his team has covered just 6 of 24 following a game where they held an opponent to no more than 85 points.  I do expect a bounce back from the Raptors.  They have been here before, including last year when they lost game-1 at home, 100-90 to Indiana as a 7-point favorite, then winning and covering game-2 as 8-point chalk.  I expect more of the same.  I'm laying the points with the Raptors, my Slam Dunk.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Cavaliers in Saturday's game-1 matchup.  The last time the Cavs took a full four quarters seriously, they crushed the Celtics in Boston and it wasn't even close.  The Cavs took the final three games in the regular season series with the Pacers after losing the initial tilt in November, piling up 127 ppg on 51% shooting.  Even when you exclude the two OT periods in the final meeting, the Cavs still averaged over 116 ppg during the three straight wins. I expect Cleveland to continue their offensive success against Indiana in game-1, and I don't believe the Pacers will keep up.  And while Indiana fought tooth-and-nail down the stretch just to be here, the Cavaliers were able to rest bodies.  Indeed, Cleveland is as healthy as they have been in a long time and we expect it to show on the defensive end.  The Pacers have covered just 4 of 17 on the road off a home win and they're on a 1-6 ATS slide on the road against teams with a winning home record.  Meanwhile, the Cavs have covered 17 of their last 25 in this round.  I'm laying the points with the Cavaliers, my NBA Knockout.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm grabbing the points with the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday night.  The Hornets have won four straight and thanks to a few losses by the teams in front of them, Charlotte is just one game out of the 8th & final spot in the Eastern Conference playoff standings.  Offense has been a main key in their recent surge, scoring an average of 111.5 ppg during their current 6-2 SU/ATS run. Washington will look to play an uptempo, high scoring game, but the Wizards play little defense, allowing 108 ppg on the season on 47% shooting.  They rank 20th in the league in defensive efficiency.  The Wizards are also off a tough road trip with just a day off between games and we note they're on a 5-15-1 ATS slide when playing with just one day off.  They're also on a 0-7 ATS slide off a SU loss and have been a go-against of late, dropping nine of their last 12 ATS.  We'll grab the points with Charlotte, our DogPound release on Tuesday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Indiana Pacers, my DogPound release.  The Cavaliers broke through with a nice effort and win over Philadelphia last time out.  But the Cavs' issues remain their play on the defensive end, where they have been horrible since the all-star break.  In fact, Cleveland ranks 23rd in the league in defensive efficiency on the season.  That's a far cry from last year's 10th best ranking. I do expect better results from the Cavs once the postseason begins, but right now this is a team more concerned with their health than with overtaking Boston for top spot in the East. Remember, LeBron teams have been the second seed four times in the East and those teams went to the NBA Finals all four times.  The Cavs enter on a 2-6-1 ATS slide in their last nine games and they're on a 7-19 ATS slide against teams that control the ball, turning it over no more than 14 times per game. Meanwhile, the Pacers are 6-2 ATS off a double digit loss and they're 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 against Cleveland. We'll grab the points with the Pacers, our DogPound on Sunday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Gonzaga on Saturday.  Sindarius Thornwell and the Gamecocks have set the tone in the second half of their Big Dance tilts, forcing a physical style of play, while playing scramble defense and forcing teams out of their offensive comfort zone.  But it's Gonzaga who I believe will set the tone tonight.  The Bulldogs have great backcourt players, led by Nigel Williams-Goss, but they want every possession to go through the low post and that's something South Carolina hasn't faced at the level they'll see on Saturday.  I do believe it'll take the Gamecocks out of their comfort zone and the last time that happened, SC lost 64-53 to Alabama in the SEC tourney.  Gonzaga heads into this one on a 13-3 ATS run against teams that outscore their opponents by at least four ppg, and they're on a 16-4-2 ATS run against teams playing better than .600 basketball on the season.  I like the evolution of Mark Few's coaching and Gonzaga's style of play over the last few years and I'm betting it pays off here.  I'm laying the points with Gonzaga, my Knockout on Saturday. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday.  We had the Bucks last night and while Boston was idle, we do note that Milwaukee is on a 6-1 ATS run when playing without rest, while Boston has covered just five of their last 21 with two nights off between games.  The Bucks also didn't have to work too hard, going up by 11 points at the end of the first quarter and never looking back in a 118-108 win.  The Bucks have won 12 of their last 16 games and I mentioned in last night's preview, it's not just about the team buying into Kidd's defensive style of coaching. The Bucks are also tough to defend, ranked 2nd in the NBA in FG percentage and last night they nailed 62% of their shots.  Boston has won four in a row and seven of their last eight, but they have been overvalued at the books where they're just 2-4 ATS in their last six.  While Boston will work hard to attempt to remain in front of the Cavs in the Eastern Conference standings, the Bucks won't take a night off either.  Milwaukee remains in a fight with Atlanta & Indiana for 5th through 7th and with just a two-game lead over the 8-seed.  Slip-up and the Bucks could have to face the Celtics or Cavaliers in the opening round.  These teams went to OT before Boston won 112-108 in their last meeting.  I expect another close one here.  I'm grabbing the points with the Bucks, my DogPound release.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Spurs on Monday night, our Slam Dunk.  If you're looking for the Cavaliers to turn things around and atone for their 127-115 loss to Washington last time out, it might not be so automatic.  The Cavs are on a 1-8-1 ATS slide off a double digit home loss.  Their defense has been the second worst in the NBA since the all-star break and they've allowed 120 or more points five times in March. The struggles on defense have come to the forefront in road games against the Western Conference, where they have covered just 3 of 14, while giving up 112 ppg.  The Spurs, meanwhile, own the league's most efficient defense since January 31.  They have dominated high scoring teams, covering 18 of 24 against those that average at least 106 ppg. Most impressive is the fact they have held those 24 teams to less than 99 ppg.  In reality, as ESPN reported, the Cavaliers would rather be healthy than the EC 1-seed when the postseason begins. After all, LeBron has been a 2-seed four times and made it to the finals in all four of those instances. I'm laying the points with the Spurs, our Monday Slam Dunk.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Baylor on Friday night.  South Carolina has surprised many by getting this far, but I'm betting the run comes to an end tonight at MSG.  The Gamecocks didn't shoot well all season and in fact, rank 299th in the nation in FG percentage. But USC shot lights-out against Maryland and made 71% of their shots in the second half of the win over Duke, after making just 7 of 35 shots in the opening 20 minutes.  South Carolina scored 63 points over the final 17+ minutes of game time after trailing 35-25 to the Blue Devils early in the second half.  USC was able to knock their first two Big Dance opponents around and I doubt they'll be able to do the same tonight.  Baylor has size.  Al Freeman is a decent-sized guard.  Jake Lindsey is a big guard who'll get 20+ minutes tonight.  The Bears are a team that can take South Carolina's physical style of play and won't back-off in the second half.  The Bears also have three players with more than 100 assists on the season a definite advantage in creating shots at the offensive end.  And as far as USC's sudden hot shooting goes, Baylor ranks 22nd in the nation, holding teams to 40.4% shooting.  The Gamecocks are on a 1-7 ATS slide against teams that allow no more than 42% shooting on the season.  Since Frank Martin took the gig, the Gamecocks are 4-19 ATS when facing a team that out-rebounds their opponents by at least 4 per game during the second half of the season (15 game mark).  And finally, Baylor is on a 7-2 ATS run in non-conference contests. I'm laying the points with Baylor, my KO GOM.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing Michigan, my Main Event. The Wolverines are taking care of business by not turning the ball over, shooting nearly 50%, and keeping opponents possessions per game at a minimum. We also feel this is the game and matchup where the Ducks will miss Chris Boucher.  The Wolverines have big bodies who will force guys like Jordan Bell to defend the perimeter, not just in the paint.  And U-M doesn't allow many open looks at the other end on the deep perimeter, denying players the ball.  After stealing a win from the jaws of defeat thanks to URI's inability to close out, I expect the Ducks to bow out here.  Oregon is on a 1-5 ATS slide against teams with a winning record, while the Wolverines are on a 6-1 spread run, overall, and they're 7-1 ATS in their last eight neutral site games.  They're doing everything well and I expect it to continue.  I'm backing Michigan, my Main Event.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday.  It's nitty-gritty time for the Mavs as they have fallen 3 1/2 games out of 8th place in the Western Conference standings.  But they're in a strong spot today.  In fact, while we're not big ATS situation bettors, today's spots are hard to ignore and we'll list a few.  Dallas is off a rock-bottom, 116-74 loss to the 76ers last time out. Both Rick Carlisle and Dirk Nowitzki spoke about how badly players and coaches performed, with adjectives flying.  I expect a bounce back, refocused effort today.  Dallas is actually 28-11 ATS under Carlisle when they're off a road loss by at least 20 points.  They're also on an 8-2 ATS run off a loss by 11 or more.  The Mavs beat Brooklyn 105-96 just nine days ago, falling short of covering as a 10-point favorite.  While this one is on the road, the line is much cheaper in the rematch and we note the Nets have been horrible ATS at home for the most part.  NBA teams in general have covered just 19 of their last 69 off a cover as a dog in a game they lost outright, provided they're facing an opponent off a double digit loss as a road favorite.  One final note: while Brooklyn has been playing better of late, they have been busy. This marks their 8th game in 14 days and the Nets have covered just nine of their last 36 in this spot, losing by an average score of 111-101.  The Nets have also allowed a hefty 114 ppg in their last 31 in revenge of a road loss. I'm backing Dallas minus the points, my Slam Dunk.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.