I'm backing the Thunder on Sunday night. We passed game one of the series, but have played and cashed the last two games, winning with OKC in game two and the Spurs last time out. We got what we thought we would in the Thunder's game two victory, but we felt fortunate to cover with San Antonio two nights ago. Even that particular win showed us the Spurs are having some trouble with OKC's athleticism. LaMarcus Aldridge was terrific again and he had plenty of help from Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker, yet the Thunder had their chances before losing by four. Russell Westbrook couldn't shoot straight, making just 10 of 31 shots and committed five turnovers, or we might be looking at a 2-1 series lead for the Thunder. Durant took just 18 FGA in the loss and I expect KD to be much busier on the offensive end in this one. Toss in Steven Adams dominant work on the glass and OKC is going to be a tough out. San Antone has struggled when playing with just one day off between games, covering just five of their last 17 in this spot. NBA underdogs, playing .600 to .750 basketball on the season, are on a 42-15 ATS run if they're trailing in a playoff series, provided their opponent is an elite one, playing at least .750 basketball. Finally, OKC is on an 11-3 ATS run at home against the Spurs. I'm backing the Thunder, my Knockout on Sunday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing the Spurs minus the points on Friday. We passed game one and cashed with the Thunder in game two. A quick recap - the Spurs were outplayed virtually start to finish in the loss. There were also some odd player combos throughout the contest by Gregg Popovich, which if you didn't watch the game, you can read about on a couple of the Spurs' newsworthy websites. Having said that, I expect Pop and the Spurs to get back to their normal pick-and-rolls (like they executed in game one), and back on track in game three. After all, it's what they do. The Spurs are 29-12 ATS when tied in a playoff series. They're also on a 9-1 ATS run in revenge of a SU loss as a favorite of seven or more, outscoring the 10 opponents by an average of 103-88. We also have a different situation for San Antonio's older veterans in this one, coming in with three days rest after playing game two with just one day off between games. NBA teams are on a 42-20 ATS run when the line is in the +3/-3 range, provided they're off a loss as home chalk and have played no more than three games in 10 days. And finally, OKC has covered just nine of their last 29, allowing 106 ppg, when the line is in tonight's range of +3/-3. I'm laying the short points with the Spurs, my Friday Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Raptors on Thursday. As poorly as the Toronto starting backcourt shot in game one, the Raptors still managed to take the Heat to OT, before losing the contest. But Miami suffered some bumps and bruises, including nagging injuries suffered by Hassan Whiteside and Dwyane Wade. While both are expected to play tonight, they're also expected to be less than 100% healthy. And let's not forget that before the loss, Toronto had won the last three meetings at home by nearly 13 ppg, with the closest margin coming in a 112-104 victory. Toronto has alternated wins and losses since April 21 and I expect the trend to continue in a spread covering manner. Toronto has played well against solid shooting teams, going 11-3 ATS against opponents who make 46% of their FGA on the season. Meanwhile, the Heat have not helped bankrolls in tonight's situation, covering just 11 of their last 35 off a road win. I'm laying the points with the Raptors, my Slam Dunk on Thursday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Raptors on Sunday. The road team has taken two of the games in this series, but I believe that stops here. The Pacers whipped the Raptors last time out, but Dwane Casey has gotten the most out of his teams off bad losses, going 41-23 ATS off a double digit road loss. The Raptors not only won 56 games, but because of players like DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry, Toronto has been called the greatest threat to the Cavaliers' attempt to win their second straight conference title. Toronto has yet to play their best game on the offensive end, yet can still win the series. And we do have history on our side. Only five 7-seeds have knocked 2-seeds from the postseason in 32 years. I do like the matchups and believe DeRozan will come through on the offensive end, leading his team to a spread covering win. I'm laying the points with the Raptors, my Knockout on Sunday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Miami Heat on Wednesday night.  The home team is 4-0 SU/ATS in this series and we expect the home team to win and cover again.  Miami came very close to taking a 3-1 series lead before losing game four, 89-85.  The Heat made just 39% of their FGA, got out-shot 30-21 at the FT line, outscored 25-14, and finished with a minus-seven turnover margin.  The Heat simply played poorly, yet had a chance, down by just two points over the final minute of the game.  Now back home I expect Dwyane Wade and company to regain their shooting prowess. Wade made 19 of 38, 50% of his shots in game's one and two.  The Heat are on a 7-0 ATS run at home against teams with a losing road record and 13-3 ATS in their last 16 home games, overall. They're also 9-1 ATS at home off a loss by six points or less, winning by an average of 104-92. The Hornets will want to take shots early in the clock again and they will fire it up from behind the arc, but that plays into Miami's hands at home where the Heat are on a 13-5 ATS run against teams that take at least 18 3-pointers per game.  Miami outscored those 18 opponents by an average of 111-101. We'll back the home team to make it five straight...I'm laying the points with Miami, my Eastern Conf Knockout. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night. The Hawks couldn't have shot much worse last time out, yet still had a chance to capture game four on a team that doesn't give up much on their home floor. Atlanta made just 12 of 43 3-pointers and connected on only nine FTs, but still took the Celtics to OT. The Hawks held a decent sized lead with 9:16 to go in the fourth quarter, then scored just four points over the next 7 1/2 minutes of game time. But we're talking about a team that closed the regular season extremely well, winning 15 of 20, and finished 27-14 at home on the season. Boston was another team that played well at home, but they finished a game under .500 on the road, where they're just 3-13 ATS in their last 16 against teams playing better than .600 basketball at home. Atlanta has lost the last two games in this series, but they're on a 15-5 ATS run in revenge of two losses, provided the opponent scored at least 100 points in each game. And the Hawks have owned Boston in three of their last four home wins against them, winning by scores of 118-107, 121-97, and 89-72. Even game-one's close call in this series was a bit misleading as the Hawks led by 18 points in the third quarter before seemingly taking their foot off the gas. They stayed focused throughout in game two and I expect more of the same in this one. I'm laying the points with the Hawks, my Knockout release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm playing the Under between the Heat & Hornets on Monday night. The Heat made nearly 58% of their FGA in each of the first two games in this series, both coming in Miami, but the adjustments made by Charlotte in game three made a huge difference in the contest. After scoring 123 & 115 points to begin the series, Miami was held to 80 points in a 16-point loss. I do believe the tone has been set, at least for one more lower scoring contest. We've seen that often between these two teams with 20 of their last 26 meetings in Charlotte staying under the total. The Hornets have been tremendous against quality shooting teams, those making at least 46% of their FGA, which has produced a 9-1 Under run at home. And opening round game-four tilts are on a 25-9 Under run, provided the total is in the 190 to 199.5 range. That's the case here and we'll look for a second straight "low" between these teams. I'm playing the Under between the Heat & Hornets, my Total Beatdown on Monday night. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Golden State Warriors on Sunday afternoon. The Warriors not only could have won game three without Steph Curry (ankle), but apparently, they should have. According to the NBA, James Harden should have been called for a personal foul on his game winning shot. But we're happy with the situation. Curry is expected to return and we believe the Warriors will win by a wide, spread covering margin. Golden State, the league's top shooting team and 3-point shooting squad, came within a point of the road win last time out despite making just 6 of 25 3-pointers and finishing with a minus-15 rebound margin. NBA road teams are 42-17 ATS if they're off a road loss as chalk and the opponent is off a home win as an underdog. And Golden State is on an 18-7 ATS run in revenge of a road loss over the last two seasons, averaging 112 ppg in the 25 outings. One final note: We will lay the points whether Curry plays or not. But again, he's been upgraded to probable for Sunday's contest. The Warriors minus the points are my Knockout GOM. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with OKC on Thursday night. The postseason has been pretty ugly with blowout after blowout. It seems as though only half of the 16 teams actually belong in the playoffs. OKC crushed Dallas in the series opener, but unlike several other series, the Thunder slipped-up in game two and actually lost outright at home laying roughly 14 points. The Thunder are 39-20 ATS off a home loss by no more than three points, and Dallas has been horrible against teams that make at least 46% of their FGA, covering six of 24 in the second half of the last two seasons. The Mavs are also on a 0-5 ATS slide at home. We also expect better results from the best player on the floor, Kevin Durant. The Thunder star missed 26 of his 33 FGA in game two. Add in Russell Westbrook's poor outing and the two combined for a 15 of 55, 27% shooting night. Obviously, if they were to repeat those numbers, OKC would be in trouble. But I expect Durant & Westbrook to come out of the locker room like men possessed. Dallas is a walking "MASH" unit right now and even Dirk Nowitzki will be less than 100% healthy after suffering a bone bruise to his knee in game two. There's even been swelling, but the Dallas star says he'll give it a go. Whether he plays or not, we expect a game that resembles game one more than game two. I'm laying the points with the Thunder, my Main Event on Thursday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Pistons on Wednesday. Detroit had their chances in game one, which included a seven-point lead early in the fourth quarter and a small, three-point deficit with just over two minutes to go before falling 106-101. The Cavs were a virtual three-man team with LeBron, Irving, and Love, scoring a combined 81 of the team's 106 points. The rest of the team made a grand total of just 11 FGs. Six Piston players scored between 21 and 9 points and Andre Drummond & Tobias Harris were strong on the glass. And of course, Reggie Jackson did a fine job directing traffic. The one change Detroit has mentioned is to give Stanley Johnson more playing time. Johnson was outstanding in game one, but played just 16 1/2 minutes. He can be a difference maker down the stretch. The Pistons enter on a 9-2 ATS run in Cleveland and the road team in this series has covered four straight. The Cavaliers have covered just four of their last 14 home games against teams with a losing road record. I'm grabbing the points with the Pistons, my DogPound release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Indiana Pacers on Monday night. The Pacers clocked the Raptors, 100-90 as a 7-point dog in Toronto in game one. I'm not one to zig-zag in the NBA. The common zig-zag theory in the NBA playoffs has not worked well for a while, and in fact, the oddsmaker grew used to it and began baking likely public reaction into the line. Toronto has truly struggled in the postseason under Dwayne Casey and it's more than a coincidence. They run a ton of isolation plays, relying too much on getting to the FT line. It hasn't worked. The Raptors are 3-9 SU in postseason play under Casey, losing seven straight SU and eight in a row ATS. And if that's not enough, the Raptors are are just 1-5-1 ATS as playoff chalk, winning just two of those games, outright. We could make the argument that the Pacers entered the playoffs a little better than their 45-37 record would indicate. Let's not forget that 20 of their losses came in games where they held a fourth quarter lead. Toronto may find the "sweet elixir" and snap their seven-game outright playoff skid, but I believe it'll go down to the wire. Remember last year's playoffs when Washington upset the Raptors in game one in Toronto then followed it up with a 117-106 upset win in game two, en route to a first round sweep. The pressure will certainly be on the shoulders of the Raptors in this one. There are a few techs worthy of mentioning. The Pacers enter on a 15-0 ATS run off a win by at least 10 points as an underdog of at least six points. Meanwhile, Toronto is on a 5-17 ATS slide in revenge of a SU loss as home chalk over the last two seasons. Combined with the 0-8 ATS slide mentioned above, we have three situations that add up to a 40-5 mark. I'm taking the points with the Pacers, my Monday night Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday. Boston is a "sexy" underdog to win this series, and even to open up the series with a game-1 win. But we'll buck the general feeling in the opener and side with the team that made it to the Eastern Conf Finals just one year ago. ATL was just 14-12 SU through their first 26 games this season, but went 15-3 SU when it mattered most before dropping the final two games of the season. The Hawks are able to match Boston's style of play and have fared quite well against uptempo teams, those who take at least 83 shots per game. ATL has outscored opponents 107-97 the last 27 times against teams of that ilk. They're 44-23 ATS at home under Mike Budenholzer when facing uptempo teams, outscoring those 67 opponents by an average of 104-96. Meanwhile, the Celtics could have used home floor advantage. While ATL went 27-14 at home this season, Boston finished a game below .500 on the road. They're just 3-14 ATS on the road against teams with a winning home record. Boston won the first meeting of the season, back on November 13. But Atlanta won convincingly in the final three meetings, including an 8-point win in Beantown and two wins in ATL by scores of 118-107 and 121-97. We'll back the Hawks to win and cover game-1. I'm laying the points with the Atlanta Hawks, my Knockout release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Miami Heat on Tuesday night. Both teams have something to play for with Detroit looking to potentially overtake Indiana for the 7th seed in the east, while Miami is looking to wrap-up home court in the first round of the playoffs. I don't believe Detroit sees a lot of difference between opening at Cleveland or opening at Toronto, but playing with home court advantage would be a big deal for Miami. The Heat enter on a 20-9 ATS run against teams that average at least 83 shots per game. Those teams are considered uptempo teams (Detroit being one of them) and the Heat outscored those 29 teams by an average score of 107-101. They're also on an 8-1 ATS run against teams that don't get after the basketball, averaging no more than seven steals per game. Miami is the better team and have more to play for in our opinion. While that doesn't equate to an automatic win, we believe we're getting the best of it with the Heat getting points. I'm playing Miami plus the points, my Slam Dunk on Tuesday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Rockets on Monday night. Minnesota has played better of late, but they have also been all over the west in April. Now back home after a 3-game sweep on the road, the T-Wolves will attempt to play spoiler. Houston has done themselves no favors and they need help to gain a playoff berth. They do catch a potential break tonight with Utah & Dallas matched against each other. If Houston takes care of business and the Mavs beat the Jazz, the Rockets and Utah will each own a 40-41 record with one game to go. James Harden has been playing like a man possessed of late and I expect him to lead his team to a spread covering win. The Rockets have owned this series, winning six straight and 10 of 11, while covering 11 of the last 15 at Minnesota. The Timberwolves have lost four straight ATS on their home floor and they're in a tough NBA spot tonight. NBA teams are on a 52-18 ATS run if the line is in the range it is tonight and they're facing an opponent allowing 103 ppg or more, provided they're off a win by no more than three points. Both teams fit the bill. Must win doesn't mean will win. But in this case, we'll back the Rockets minus the points on Monday, our Mismatch release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm playing the Under between the Knicks & 76ers on Friday night.  New York has slowed down their pace and it has certainly shown in their Over/Under results.  The Knicks and their opponents have played to the Under in 17 of their last 20 games.  We expect more of the same tonight.  And while the Sixers normally play with a higher posted total, they have gone Under in nine of their last 11 games.  Philly has made just 395 of 986 attempts, shooting 40% in the 11 games. Shooting 40% over the course of the entire season would have them dead last in FG percentage, dropping them below the L.A. Lakers.  With the way the Knicks are playing, the tempo they're employing, we doubt Philly will pick up the pace. The Knicks are 12-4 to the Under in their last 16 against teams with a losing record and they're 18-7 to the Under since Kurt Rambis took over as HC.  We're playing the Under between the Knicks & Sixers, my Total Dominator on Friday night.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the short points with the Rockets on Wednesday night. Houston is fighting for their playoff lives, trailing Utah by half a game for the 8th and final spot, and currently one full game behind the 7th-seeded Dallas Mavericks. We backed Houston last time out and cashed when they knocked off OKC, 118-110. The Rockets have stepped up their game against the better teams on their schedule, beating Toronto and Cleveland, along with the win over OKC in three of their last five games. They'll take on a banged-up Dallas squad that has paid much more attention to defense rather than the offensive end of late, turning a three-game losing streak and a 2-10 SU slide, into a current four-game winning streak. But three of the four wins came against Denver, New York, and Minnesota, while just one win came against a team playing winning basketball (Detroit). They happened to catch the Pistons in Detroit's first game after a big win over the Thunder. I don't believe the new defensive focus will work against the Rockets, who have averaged 110 ppg in their last nine meetings, winning and covering seven times. Dallas has covered just eight of their last 30 at home off a double digit road win, while Houston is at their best playing with two days off between games, going 17-4 ATS in this scenario. We backed Houston on Sunday and we'll do so again here. I'm laying the points with the Rockets, my Wednesday Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Trail Blazers on Tuesday night. Portland has taken five straight in this series and nine of the last 11. And while we have a Blazers' team, looking to win every game and catch Memphis for 5th in the Western Conference standings, the Kings have questionable motivation. Any wins in their remaining games would jeopardize Sacramento's top-10 draft pick. I'm not saying they don't want to win, but there is that situation hanging over their head. Portland coach Terry Stotts indicated his starters will play right to the very end. He mentioned on the team's website, "The goal is to win every game." A win tonight and Portland could move three full games ahead of 9th place Houston, further solidifying a playoff spot. I believe the team will be focused and play with big-time intensity after losing by 25 points to an angry Golden State team last time out. We should note that certain NBA road teams (including Portland in this instance) are on a 60-26 ATS run if they lost their previous game by at least 20 points. Also, road teams off a SU road loss are on a 63-26 ATS run if the line is in a +3/-3 range, and their opponent is off an outright win as an underdog. Both teams fit the bill in this one. Finally, we like the way Damian Lillard is playing over the last couple of games and we are betting he'll lead his team to an important win and also a cover tonight. I'm laying the points with the Trail Blazers, my Mismatch release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the North Carolina Tar Heels on Monday night. We cashed with the Heels on Saturday, while passing the Villanova/Oklahoma contest. UNC began the game playing a little out of character, attempting too many 3-pointers. But they eventually settled down, finished with their season-long 17 3-point attempts per game average and punished the Orange inside the arc. Tonight I expect the Heels to attack in the paint where they have averaged over 43 ppg during the Big Dance. Villanova caught fire as soon as the tourney began. Remember, the Wildcats shot a ton of treys during the regular season, but they made a mediocre 35% of those attempts. However, they have caught fire at the right time and are making nearly half of all 3-point attempts in the Big Dance. The difference in this game from their previous five is that Villanova is going to have to defend in the paint and I don't believe they match-up well with UNC at either end. I do believe the Heels own the talent and athleticism to deny Villanova open looks from behind the arc at the other end of the floor. The Heels also own something the 'Cats haven't faced in the Dance, which are tall guards. In fact, tall everything. This is a Carolina team with NBA size, which will make it tough for the Villanova guards to drive into the paint and kick the ball out. Deny the paint and Villanova's offense will get frustrated in my opinion. And unlike Oklahoma, the UNC backcourt can create their own shots at the other end. Not only that, but the Heels can work the ball inside whenever they want to check the tempo (if Villanova gets hot from distance). UNC has covered four straight and they're on a 16-5 ATS run in neutral site games, winning by an average of more than 11 ppg. We said UNC was the best team in CBB back in January. We'll back them here against the hottest shooting team in the dance. I'm laying the points with North Carolina, my Championship Slam Dunk. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Houston Rockets on Sunday afternoon. Huge game for the home team today as they continue to fight for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. If the regular season ended last night, Houston would be on the outside looking in. But they have a shot, trailing Dallas and Utah by one game with six to be played. OKC, meanwhile, is all but set with their seeding and we won't be shocked if a few Thunder stars don't see their usual minutes. We also know that Houston has had OKC's number, covering five straight meetings. They've won three straight meetings at home, outright, with the last two coming as an underdog, just like today's situation. We like the spot for the home dog and I'm taking the points with the Rockets, my Daytime Shocker. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with North Carolina on Saturday. Syracuse has shocked the basketball world with their run to the Final Four when many people felt they didn't deserve a spot in the Big Dance at all. I was not one of those people. I did feel they were deserving of an invite, but I didn't believe they'd make it through the second round. Give the Orange credit for the comeback win against Gonzaga and the big come from behind shocker over Virginia. But the defensive changes made in order to speed up the Cavaliers won't work here, in my opinion. North Carolina has the quickness, depth, and athleticism to overcome any defense Syracuse throws at them. Yes, we know the Orange played UNC tough in both regular season meetings, but while Syracuse is likely to be bothered by the sight-lines of NRG Stadium, the Heels will be the least affected of the four remaining teams. The Heels don't worry much about the 3-point line on the offensive end and will instead run their crisp passing offensive attack inside the arc like they have done all season. In order to beat Jim Boeheim's famed-zone, you must have supreme athletes, a crisp passing, and a high octane offense and the Heels have it all. UNC has covered five straight against fellow ACC opponents and they're 7-1 ATS in their last eight, overall. We should also note that UNC is 9-1 ATS under Roy Williams after allowing an opponent to make at least 55% of their FGA. Notre Dame nailed 55.1% of their FGA in the Elite-8 matchup, yet UNC still won by 14 points. Williams spoke about his team needing to focus in on Syracuse shooters better than they did against the Irish. History says they'll get it done. And one final note, UNC is +42 in rebounds in their four Big Dance games, combined. I don't believe we'll see many second chance opportunities for Syracuse in this one. I'm laying the points with North Carolina, my Knockout release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Heat on Friday night. Miami blew one against the Lakers in their most recent game and while that one stings, the unexpected loss should keep them focused on the task at hand tonight. DeMarcus Cousins is suspended for tonight's game after accumulating too many technical fouls, and under normal circumstances, it would be easy for the Heat to lose their intensity and focus with the Kings' star on the bench. That's not likely after the loss to the hapless Lakers. Sacramento has split their last 10 games SU, but they're 5-3 SU (6-1-1 ATS) when Cousins plays and 0-2 SU when he sits. In fact, Sacto has won three of four outright. The lone loss came with Cousins on the bench, while he averaged 26 ppg & 11 rpg in the three wins. Miami has enjoyed games against uptempo teams, currently on a 17-6 ATS run against teams that average at least 83 FGA per game and Sacto fits the bill. And finally, with the Kings off a 120-111 home win over Washington as a 1 1/2 point underdog, we have a strong NBA situation that comes into play. NBA road teams are on a 42-16 ATS run if they lost outright when laying points, provided their opponent won outright as a home dog. We have a nice combination of matchup advantages and situations pointing towards Miami. I'm laying the points with the Heat, my Beatdown on Friday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Blazers on Thursday. The Celtics are having their problems in road action against teams with a winning record. They haven't beaten a .500 or better team on the road since February 5, currently on a 0-5 SU/ATS slide against winning teams and losing by an average score of 111-95. All but one of the losses came by at least 14 points and the Celtics will enter this one on a 1-10 ATS slide on the road against teams playing .600 or better home basketball. Portland is not a team that rolls over on their home floor. The Blazers have won five straight home games and 14 of their last 16, and they own home wins over Golden State, Oklahoma City, and Cleveland. They'll look to gain a measure of revenge for an earlier loss to Boston, while also fighting for a Western Conference playoff spot. Portland is currently in 6th in the west, but they're only two games from being on the outside looking in. We should also note that the 116-93 loss at Boston came in a very tough spot for Portland. They were playing their second game in as many nights and their fourth road game in five nights. Besides Boston's 0-5 & 1-10 ATS slides, Portland enters on a 9-2 ATS run when playing with two days rest, the situation they're in tonight. Look for Portland to win by a spread covering margin. I'm laying the points with the Blazers, my Slam Dunk on Thursday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Nevada on Wednesday night. The Wolf Pack came within a 3-pointer of grabbing a road win in game-one of the best of three series, before losing 86-83. Nevada actually led with roughly five minutes to go and if they shot their normal rate at the FT line, they likely would have won the game. Instead, they made just 67% of their attempts, making just 18 of 27 FTA. The Pack have been outstanding at home this season with a 14-3 SU mark. They're 7-1 SU in their last eight home games and have covered nine of their last 10. And speaking of free throws, Nevada averages over 24 attempts per home game, while Morehead State gets whistled quite a bit on the road, allowing over 26 FTA per contest. The Wolf Pack ranks 26th in FG percentage defense and 81st in 3-point defense. I expect defensive play to be the difference in this one with the Eagles struggling on the defensive end for most of the season, including in the first meeting in this series. They have seen their hosts make over 46% of their FGA, while shooting under 42% on the road, themselves. Nevada puts four players in double figures per game, with a fifth player averaging 9.4 ppg. And Cameron Oliver cleans the glass, pulling down nine boards per game. I expect Nevada to even the series at one game apiece, while covering the number along the way. I'm laying the points with Nevada, my Knockout release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night. The Mavs have certainly taken a few beatings on the defensive end of late, but I'm betting they reached rock-bottom in last night's 133-111 loss at Sacramento. They're not at full health, but they have an elite coach and still have a HOF player leading the way. A couple of players questioned their desire last night and mentioned it's time to act like they want to play after the regular season comes to an end. I believe we'll get a top-shelf effort out of Dallas, at least for one night. Denver has been traveling all over the place of late, playing seven of their last eight games on the road, including last night's 105-90 loss to the Clippers in Los Angeles. They're returning home tonight, but I believe they're catching the Mavericks at the wrong time. Dallas enters on an 11-4 ATS run following a loss by 10 points or more, and they have covered five of their last seven, despite facing a tough schedule of late, including two games each against Golden State and Portland, and one each against the Cavaliers, Hornets, Pacers, and Pistons. Dallas has covered seven of the last 10 in Denver. I'm backing the Dallas Mavericks plus the points, my Monday Shocker. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Cavaliers on Saturday. Cleveland has won five straight against the Knicks, but New York has been the way to go ATS, covering three of those games. However, this one has a little more meaning to it. The Cavs lost at Brooklyn last time out, allowing 104 points to the hapless Nets. Lebron was none too happy, both on the floor and in the clubhouse. I expect the Cavs to bounce back with a highly focused and intense effort. The Cavs held NY to 84.8 ppg during the five game head-to-head win streak, so this one should be "just what the doctor ordered," to satisfy James and the gang on the defensive end. The Knicks are just 3-9 ATS in their last 12 home games and Kurt Rambis-coached teams have covered just four of 22 at home against teams that average at least 103 ppg. Finally, NBA road teams are 41-16 ATS if they're off a SU loss as a favorite, when facing a team off a SU win as a home underdog. Both teams fit the bill in this one and we'll back the Cavaliers. Cleveland minus the points, a rare Situational Slam Dunk on Saturday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Virginia on Friday night. The Cavaliers play a more deliberate tempo than anyone the Cyclones have faced this season. But UVA does so, not because they can't shoot, which is the case for many teams who play at a slower pace. Instead, the Cavaliers are as efficient as it gets, making 49% of their FGA, including 40% from behind the arc, ranking 10th and 8th in the nation, respectively. An example of how well they play on the offensive end: Virginia nailed over 53% of their FGA and 43% of their 3-point attempts in nine neutral site games this season, while averaging 15.6 apg and just 8.8 tpg. They averaged just 9.1 tpg in 11 road games. Iowa State allowed 80 ppg on the road this season, and while they shaved that to 73 ppg in seven neutral site games, they did allow opponents to make 45% of their FGA. ISU made 50.3% of their FGA on the season, overall, but since Tony Bennett took over at Virginia, the Cavaliers have played 96 games against teams that came into the contest shooting 45% or better. UVA held those 96 teams to an average of 59.5 ppg. And in 146 games as chalk under Bennett, UVA has outscored their opponents by an average margin of 11 ppg. And finally, with the style of play UVA utilizes on the defensive end, this looks to be the game where ISU's lack of depth comes into play. The Cyclones are mainly a six-man team, seven if we stretch it. The Cavaliers enter on a 6-1-1 ATS run and we'll back them to remain red-hot. I'm laying the points with Virginia, my Beatdown on Friday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Ohio on Wednesday. A couple of close calls by Ohio to get here, but I expect a more comfortable win margin in this one. The Bobcats have a lot of offensive "outs," with five players averaging between 17.4 ppg and 10 ppg, and while he averages over 15 ppg himself, Jaaron Simmons has been a fantastic creator for everyone around him, piling up 268 assists on the season (7.9 apg), and a better than 2:1 assists/turnovers ratio. His team averages nearly 80 ppg at home, where they make 47% of their FGA and rank 20th in 3-point accuracy. They'll host a Morehead State team that has been hot, putting W's in both the SU and ATS columns, but one that allows over 46% shooting in road action. They've also seen their hosts average 26 FTA per game, while Ohio has averaged over 25 FTA per game at home. MSU is upside down in the assists/turnovers department in true road games. Ohio is on a 7-1 ATS run as home chalk of six or less this season, averaging 83 ppg and allowing 74 ppg. I'm laying the points with Ohio, my Slam Dunk, as they look to extend their non-conference run to 10-2 ATS. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Valpo on Tuesday night. St. Mary's brings balanced scoring and they have shot well on the season. But Valpo brings incredible play on the defensive end that I believe will more than enough to gain the win and cover in front of the home folks. The Crusaders, the veteran team between these two programs, have held teams to less than 63 ppg, the 9th stingiest defense in college basketball. They rank 3rd in the nation in FG percentage defense, holding opponents to 38.4% shooting, and Valpo owns a rebound margin of +13 per contest. They've allowed just 21.5 made FGs per game at home, while forcing guests into a 0.78 assists/turnover ratio, and shut down their first two NIT opponents, winning by double digits in both games. One big advantage that means more in today's style of CBB is the amount of trips Valpo gets to the charity stripe compared to SMC. The Crusaders average more than 23 FTA per home game, while the Gaels average just 15 FTA per game on the road. And speaking of the road, SMC never left the state of California in non-conference play this season. In fact, their first trip out of California overall, came in a conference clash at BYU on February 4, 21 games in to the season. This marks their farthest road trip of the season up to this point. The Crusaders own the top player on the floor tonight with F) Alec Peters, who I expect to be a matchup nightmare for the Gaels. Valpo enters on a 6-1-1 ATS run at home against teams playing better than .600 basketball on the road. They're 9-0 ATS against teams that make at least 45% of their FGA and hold teams to 42% or less. I expect the Crusaders to advance to MSG and I'm laying the points with Valpo, my KO release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night. No Mike Conley (achilles), but Zach Randolph returned on Saturday night and had a huge game, scoring 28 points, to go along with 11 rebounds, and 10 assists, in a 113-102 win over the Clippers. I do believe the win and Randolph's play are a signal for a play again tonight. The Grizzlies lost both of this season's previous meetings, including a 109-100 loss to the Suns in Memphis just a couple of weeks ago. Phoenix, ranked 29th in the league in shooting, (43.4% FGA), nailed 52% of their FGA in the win. I don't expect that to be the case tonight, while I do expect Randolph to find success at the other end. Phoenix is off a 95-90 win at the Lakers on Saturday as a 4-point underdog. We should note that NBA teams off a double digit home win are on a 31-12 ATS run if the line is in the +3/-3 range and the opponent is off a SU road win as an underdog. Meanwhile, the Suns have covered just five of their last 21. Payback time with Randolph back on the floor. I'm backing the Grizzlies, my Mismatch release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing the Sacramento Kings on Sunday. The Knicks are in a very tough situation. It's not just that they played last night, but it's the fact they're playing their first home game following a 6-game road trip that ended last night. The game in DC wasn't too far from home, but it did follow a west coast road trip and New York is fragile enough as it is. The team is just 2-8 ATS in their last 10 road games and Kurt Rambis teams have covered just four of 21 at home against teams that score at least 103 ppg. Sacramento will feature Rajon Rondo and his league-leading assist average and DeMarcus Cousins, facing a Knicks' team that's banged-up on the interior and the backcourt. Sacramento has won and covered three straight in the series and I'm backing them here. I'm backing the Kings, my Slam Dunk on Sunday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with UConn on Saturday. Statistically speaking, these teams are closer than the casual observer would think. Kansas is a little better on the offensive end, while the Huskies are a little better on the defensive end. UConn can throw a wrench into the Jayhawks' game plan, at least enough to keep this close. The Big East entry allows just 21.7 made FGs per game on 38.4% shooting. Meanwhile, they nail nearly 80% of their free throws, which could prove very important with Kansas allowing over 22 FTA per game away from home (road & neutral). Daniel Hamilton has dished out 164 assists on the season and two more UConn guards have topped 80 each. The three can hang with the Kansas backcourt duo, top "dishers," Frank Mason and Devonte Graham. And then there's the coaching aspect with Kevin Ollie able to match Bill Self. Ollie coached the Huskies to a national title two years ago and was an assistant on their 2011 national championship team. Meanwhile, Self hasn't advanced beyond the second round of the Big Dance since 2013. We saw UConn's fortitude on Thursday when they came out of the locker room sluggish and fell behind Colorado early. The Huskies looked dead to rights, before Ollie directed his team to a solid, 74-67, come from behind win. The Huskies are on a 37-15-1 ATS run on neutral courts, and they're on a 5-0 ATS run, overall. Finally, UConn has never lost a Big Dance game (7-0 SU) with Ollie as coach. I believe this one will go down to the wire, making the points worth taking. I'm grabbing the points with UConn, my DogPound release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the chalk with the Oregon Ducks on Friday evening. My power ratings, good enough to have us on a 54-31 winning CBB run, tell me that the two worst teams in the Big Dance are Holy Cross & Southern, the team the Crusaders beat in the play-in game. You need to be able to score points to hang with Oregon if the Ducks care about a non-conference game, and obviously they care about this one. Holy Cross is 327th in scoring per game, 291st in FG percentage, and 265th in 3-point accuracy. The 15-19 (SU) Patriot tourney winners won their final five games just to get to four games under .500. You'd think they play decent denial basketball on the defensive end because of their low-scoring offense, but it's not the case. Holy Cross, ranked 287th in FG percentage defense and 263rd defending the trey, are involved in low-scoring games because of the tempo, not defensive prowess. Oregon should name the score in this one. The Ducks have four players averaging between 16.8 ppg and 12.1 ppg. Casey Benson has a ridiculous assists-turnover ratio, dishing out 103 assists with just 23 turnovers, and Chris Boucher (12.1 ppg) is a beast on the glass, pulling down over 7 1/2 rpg. Over the last five games, the Ducks have averaged over 23 FTA per game, while Holy Cross, too in love with the deep perimeter game, only attempted 16 FTA per game in their last five. A lack of focus would be the only thing that keeps the Ducks from winning big...and there's no reason to believe they'll lack focus at any point in this game, whether the starters or the reserves are on the floor. Oregon is 14-3 ATS under Dana Altman after committing 14 turnovers or less in each of their previous five games. They're 30-11 ATS in all March games he has coached at Oregon, and he's on a 6-1 ATS run in the Big Dance. We saw Virginia and Kansas cover big lines in mismatch's yesterday. I expect Oregon to join that club today. I'm laying the points with Oregon, my Beatdown release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with South Dakota State on Friday. To hang with or beat the Terps, a team's chances improve greatly if they have at least one solid "big," along with a decent backcourt. South Dakota State has it. Forward Mike Daum has the goods to give the Terrapins trouble, averaging over 15 ppg and 6 rpg on the season. Daum has been even better down the stretch, averaging nearly 20 ppg. The backcourt consists mainly of George Marshall and Deondre Parks. The two vets averaging almost 30 ppg combined, and the Jackrabbits have two more guards averaging 9.1 ppg & 8.6 ppg. In all, nine players on the SDSU roster average more than 10 minutes played per game. The Summit League entry allows just 5.9 made treys per contest and they average 23 FTA per game, while Maryland has averaged less than 16 FTA per game over their last five contests, while allowing teams to make 46% of their FGA and 40% of their 3's. The Terps do own a solid front-line, while Melo Trimble leads the team in scoring from the guard position. But Trimble has been struggling on offense of late. Then again, he's shot just 41% on the season, including 33% from behind the arc. Maryland simply didn't close well, winning three of their last eight games, including a 68-63 loss to Minnesota, a team SDSU beat 84-70 on the road. The Jackrabbits have handled good defenses well under Coach Nagy, going 14-4 ATS against teams that hold opponents to 42% shooting or less. I'm betting SDSU will hang the number and I'm taking those points with South Dakota State, my DogPound release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Fresno State on Thursday. The Bulldogs are a veteran-laden team who captured the MWC with a win over San Diego State, part of a current 9-game winning streak (8-1 ATS). Marvelle Harris is a nightmare matchup for any opposing backcourt. Harris averages 20.6 ppg, nearly 5 rpg, and owns better than a 2:1 assists/turnover ratio on the season. A total of seven Bulldog players average virtually 8 ppg or more. The veteran backourt averages over 8 steals per game and forces 15 turnovers per contest. This is a tough matchup for the Pac-12 runner-up that shoots too many treys for my blood. Fresno is used to facing teams that enjoy the deep perimeter, facing a slate of opponents who averaged over 21 3-point attempts per contest. They're not as big in the paint as Utah, but they fight and contest every single entry pass and shot. And we know the Utah bench is nothing to write home about, with questionable depth. Fresno enters on a 7-0 ATS run against teams with a winning record, and they're also on a 7-0 ATS run against teams that force no more than 12 turnovers per game, (Utah forces 10.2). We'll grab the points with Fresno State, my Main Event Dog. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Tulsa on Wednesday. One particular Las Vegas sports book group was set to open this game near PK'm. But they understood they'd have so much action coming in on Michigan, they had to adjust that number, according to the VP of Business Development at CGT. That in itself, tells how much public perception has meant to this number. Tulsa had won three straight and five of six, including wins over SMU, Cincinnati, and Temple, before losing two of their next three to Memphis. The more we look at it, the more it seems as though Memphis was just a bad matchup for the Golden Hurricane. By losing that second meeting, Tulsa has had an extra day of rest and we feel they'll be ready to potentially pull the upset here. Michigan misses Caris LeVert. Yes, they saw plenty of action without their top player, but the fact is, even though they're used to his absence, they're a different team when he's not on the floor. The Wolverines are also too reliant on the 3-pointer, with 44.5% of their shots coming from behind the arc. By doing so, they don't get to the FT line, averaging just 16 FTA per game. If the trey goes sour, they don't have the FT bailout. Tulsa averages 23 FTA per game, play a better brand of defense in FG percentage allowed than Michigan, and in a matchup of guard-heavy teams, are more diverse on the offensive end. Tulsa enters on a 5-0 ATS run against teams playing better than .600 basketball, while U-M is 1-4 ATS in their last five games. I'm grabbing the points with Tulsa, my Slam Dunk. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with IPFW on Tuesday night. A difference in styles and motivation in this opening night matchup in the NIT. The Mastadons rank 26th in scoring, averaging over 80 ppg and are one of the best deep perimeter shooting teams in the nation, ranked 6th in 3-point accuracy, making over 40% of their attempts. SDSU would be happy with a "first team to 60 wins," type of contest. If the Aztecs get their wish, it'll be tough to cover the double digit spread. As far as the motivation factor, IPFW came up short in the Summit League tournament after posting a 12-4 league mark. But they've had plenty of time to get over it, and the Mastadons are reportedly thrilled with the NIT bid. Meanwhile, the Aztecs are used to Big Dance invites with Sweet-16 potential under Steve Fisher, not settling for smaller tourneys. But those are the cards that have been dealt after falling to Fresno State in the MWC title tilt in Las Vegas. The team and its fans are not too excited for this NIT contest. Reports are saying SDSU's sellout streak at Viejas Arena will end at 72, as they're expecting the facility to be half full. Motivation in the NIT is not unlike motivation in pre-New Year's Day bowl games. Some teams are excited, while others go through the motions, used to bigger and better tourneys. IPFW puts four players in double figures in scoring per night and a 5th is averaging more than 8 ppg. Three players have piled up between 120 & 81 assists on the season. The Aztecs own strong defensive numbers, but they struggle badly with FG accuracy and 3-point shooting on the offensive end. They've also come up short in the steals department and IPFW is 8-1 ATS this season against teams that average no more than six steals per game. SDSU enters on a 4-9-1 ATS slide at home and they're 0-6 ATS over the last two seasons against teams that average at least eight made 3-pointers per contest (IPFW averages 10.4 made treys per game). Finally, the Summit League entry enters on a 36-14-2 ATS run on the road. I'm grabbing the points with IPFW, my Tuesday NIT Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Cavaliers on Monday. Cleveland is scoring more points with Channing Frye getting more comfortable in his new digs. He's made 17 of 36 3-pointers since the trade that brought him to Cleveland. I had mentioned on radio at the time of the trade that this would prove to be a shrewd move, giving the Cavs a "big" who forces an opponents' "big" out to the perimeter, and truly unclogging things in the middle. Tonight, Frye and his teammates will take on a short-handed Utah squad, playing without Gordon Hayward, in all likelihood. The Jazz are 3-9 ATS in their last 12 games, overall, and 0-7 ATS against teams playing better than .600 basketball. Meanwhile, the Cavs are 8-2 ATS against the Western Conference. Cleveland's offensive surge is the real deal and we expect it to continue tonight. I'm laying the points with the Cavs, my KO release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing the Bucks on Sunday. Brooklyn is back home, but in a tough spot, having just completed a 9-game, 17-day road trip, the longest road trip in the NBA so far this season. They did have Saturday off, but it's a team that lost five of their last six and ranks 30th in the league in FG percentage defense and 24th defending the trey. Milwaukee beat Indiana last night as they continue to look more cohesive on the offensive end with Giannis Antetokounmpo in charge. All five starters score at least 15 points last night and Greg Monroe had a solid double-double, back in the lineup. The Bucks enter this one on a 6-1 ATS run on the road against teams with a losing home record, and they're on a 10-1-1 ATS run on the road against the Nets. They have won and covered three straight meetings with Brooklyn and I'm betting they'll win and cover another tonight. I'm laying the short points with the Milwaukee Bucks, my Knockout release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Kentucky on Sunday.  The teams met once in the regular season, ending in a 79-77 Texas A&M win in OT.  We had the Aggies in that one and got a little fortunate at the end.  Kentucky led 76-75 with 10-seconds left in OT and had just gained possession of the basketball along with a foul on A&M to stop the clock.  But a controversial technical foul was called on Kentucky's Isaac Humphries, who was in celebration mode.  The official who made the call mistook his happiness with taunting, and A&M sank the FTs.  I had A&M that day, and realized right away I got help from the guys with the whistles.  The Wildcats were a 2-point road favorite in the matchup, and here they are, laying just 3 1/2 on a neutral floor.  A&M gets it done on the defensive end, but they didn't exactly shine against Kentucky. The Wildcats made 27 of 54 shots in the OT loss, including 10 of 20 from behind the arc.  And over the last four games, all wins & covers, the 'Cats have averaged 90 ppg on 52.5% shooting, including 50.7% from area code 3.  John Calipari's troops own a +33 rebound margin during the run and have committed just 34 turnovers, while piling up 73 assists to just 36 for the opposition.  A&M will attempt to throw a wrench into the Kentucky offense, but I don't believe the Aggies will be able to keep up at the other end.  The Wildcats have covered four straight games, enter on a 20-8-2 ATS run in SEC play and they're 10-4 ATS against teams playing better than .600 basketball.  I'm laying the points with Kentucky, my SEC Beatdown.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Purdue on Saturday. Nice comeback win by Michigan last night, a game that was reminiscent of the Wolverines win over Purdue in Ann Arbor on February 13. Last night, Michigan trailed Indiana 66-61 with 1:50 to go in the second half, but outscored the Hoosiers 11-3 to close the game and pull-off the 72-69 win. Last month, Michigan trailed Purdue 56-50 with three minutes to go in regulation. The Boilermakers had numerous chances in the paint, but never scored another point, falling 61-56, getting outscored 11-0 over the final 3:17. The Boilermakers whipped U-M by 17 points in the first meeting and their strengths were on display and seemed to be in control for most of the 80 minutes of action in the two games, combined. Michigan takes 44.5% of all their shots from behind the 3-point line. But Purdue defends the deep perimeter well, holding teams to 31.4% shooting from behind the arc. And due to the amount of treys, Michigan only attempts about 16 free throws per game. They're weak on the glass, while Purdue has dominated inside, and also produced nealy 18 assists per game. The Boilermakers enter on a 4-0-1 ATS run in their last five games, overall, and they're on a 6-1-1 ATS run against Michigan. I'm laying the points with Purdue, my Big-10 Beatdown. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Tulsa on Friday night. We ended up in the black playing against Memphis multiple times in conference action this season, but we did lose one when we backed Tulsa on February 28. The Golden Hurricanes lost 92-82 as short chalk, but the final score didn't give a true indication of how close the game actually was. Tulsa led at one point of the second half and were within four with less than three minutes to go in the game. But the Hurricanes went ice cold, scoring just four points over the final 2:43 of the contest. Memphis won just five of their final 14 games and went through some serious in-game dry spells on the offensive end. The Tigers rank 292nd in FG percentage and 275th in 3-point accuracy. Memphis played just one neutral site game this season, but in road action, they allowed 80 ppg on 45% shooting, and saw their opponents average a whopping 30 FTA per game. Tulsa was the much better team away from home this season, and while they're on a 5-1 ATS run against teams with a winning record, the Tigers enter on an 8-22 ATS slide against teams playing better than .600 basketball. Tulsa was a 2-point favorite at Memphis in the Tigers home finale just two weeks ago. I have no problem laying the number today on a neutral floor. I'm laying the points with Tulsa, my Knockout on Friday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing Mississippi State on Thursday night. It took a while, but Ben Howland has MSU on the same page and they have won four of their last six outright, covering five of those games. We have backed Mississippi State a couple of times down the stretch, cashing both times. MSU has scored 72 ppg on 46% shooting, while allowing just 68 ppg over their last five outings, a nice improvement over what was going on early in the conference season. Georgia has really been struggling with their accuracy, making just 40% of their FGA over their last five contests, while allowing those teams to make nearly 10 treys per game on 40% 3-point shooting. UGA has averaged more FTA per game over their last five than MSU, but the team from Athens also watched the opposition take more than 23 FTA on average. And while UGA has forced just 9.4 turnovers per game in their last five, MSU has forced a strong, 0.79 assists-turnovers ratio. We should also note that UGA forced fewer than 11 tpg on the season and Miss State is on a 10-1 ATS run against teams that force no more than 12 tpg. I expect Miss State's surge to continue at least for one more game. I'm backing Mississippi State, my SEC Shocker. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with North Carolina on Thursday. Those who follow me already know I'm not the biggest Panther fan in 2016. We have gone against Pitt in each of their last two games and we cashed both tickets. Obviously, yesterday's win was a little close for comfort, but the bottom line is that Pitt is not as strong as their 14-1 SU start to the season would indicate. The Panthers are just 7-9 SU in their last 16 games, even with yesterday's win. They're also on a 0-8 ATS slide this March and last, not finishing either season well. It wasn't easy plucking our money down on Syracuse, because Pitt had matched up well with them during the season. But the Panthers did not match up well with North Carolina in their regular season meeting. UNC smothered Pitt's ball handlers and forced 19 turnovers in an 85-64 win. Meanwhile, the Heels finished with 26 assists and just 11 turnovers. Roy Williams' 2016 version is all about getting the ball to the what is arguably the nation's best front-line. I expect more of the same here. And once Pitt collapses inside, the Heels will find open shots on the perimeter. Besides the 0-8 ATS slide mentioned earlier, we also note that Pitt is on a 0-7 ATS slide against elite rebounding teams, those that average at least seven more rpg than they allow (UNC +12.3). I'm laying the points with North Carolina, my Early Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Marquette on Wednesday night. Chris Mullin's first year on the job as coach of his alma mater got off to a decent start. SJU began 7-3 SU, with a win over Syracuse, included. The nightmare began following the win over the Orange on December 13, and the Red Storm are just 1-20 SU since then. The Johnnies have been simply ugly on the defensive end, while "simply ugly" would be a nice way to describe their play on the offensive end. Marquette, ranked 45th in FG percentage, and with virtually five players averaging in double figures in scoring, should have little trouble finding their shot and making it a 3-game season sweep. Twin Towers Henry Ellenson & Luke Fischer will lead an attack against a defenseless Red Storm team that has been non-competitive too often this season. The only difference I expect in this one compared to the first two meetings is for Marquette to win by a larger margin. They led St. John's by 18 points in the second half in the second meeting before letting up, and led by double digits with 20 seconds to go in the first meeting before winning by six. No let-up in the conference tourney. I'm laying the points with Marquette, my Mismatch on Wednesday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Penn on Tuesday night. The Penn/Princeton rivalry renews after a 73-71 OT win by Princeton in January. Penn held an 11-point lead with less than four minutes to go in regulation and owned a five point lead in OT, before losing by a bucket. Part of the problem was a huge disadvantage at the FT line. Penn finished 4 of 11, while the Tigers made 22 of 30. Two Quakers fouled-out, while five players finished with at least four personal fouls. Meanwhile, not a single Princeton Tiger was whistled for more than two personal fouls in the game. Darien Nelson-Henry was a nightmare matchup for the Tigers at both ends in the close win and I expect Penn's leading scorer and rebounder to find success once again. And while Princeton enters on a 1-5 ATS run at home against teams with a losing record, Penn is on a 13-3 ATS run at Princeton and they're 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings, overall. Both teams know their fate. Penn's season ends when this one goes final, while the Tigers are likely to get a call from the NIT, finishing runner-up to Yale in the Ivy League. I expect a closer game than the line states and I'm taking the points with Penn, my DogPound release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Spurs on Monday. LaMarcus Aldridge, Danny Green, and Tim Duncan all sat out of Saturday's contest, but at least two of the three are expected back tonight, and Aldridge is likely to return, also. The Spurs will face a Pacers' squad that's won and covered just three of their last eight games. They're struggling on the offensive end and enter on a 0-5 ATS slide. Indiana misses David West's scoring ability. At the same time, Indiana has allowed over 100 ppg on the season and in 47 games against teams that allow at least 99 ppg, the Spurs have averaged 105 ppg, while allowing just 91 ppg. Paul George has led the Pacers, of course, scoring a combined 73 points with 13 rebounds in his last two games, but the Spurs have the "sweet elixir" that most teams don't, a matchup with Kawhi Leonard. Indiana has covered just seven of their last 26 against the Western Conference and the Spurs have won eight straight, overall. I'm laying the points with the Spurs, my Monday Mismatch. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Wisconsin on Sunday. The Badgers will seek revenge in this one after losing 61-55 to Purdue earlier this season. That was one loss in a 9-9 SU start to the season for the Badgers. That included a 2-4 SU slide after Greg Gard took over the reigns when Bo Ryan retired in mid-December. The Badgers have since won 11 of 12 outright, while covering 10 of 12. The problem for the Boilemakers is that they'll face one of the top defensive teams in the nation. Purdue has shot well in three straight games, but the Badgers are a different situation, even on the road where they have held the opposition to 20 made FGs per game on 40% shooting. They have been outstanding in same season revenge for years, and Purdue is just 1-6-1 ATS against teams playing better than .600 basketball. I'm grabbing the points with Wisconsin, my KO play on Sunday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Texas A&M on Saturday. Both teams are red-hot, both teams own a win over Kentucky this season, but A&M is the team in revenge. Vandy whipped the Aggies 77-60 in early February on a night when the Commodores couldn't miss. Vandy nailed 51% of their FGA in the win, including 13 of 29 treys. That game started a four game losing streak for A&M, but they have since bounced back with a five game winning streak, and they have a shot at an SEC title. They have been outstanding at College Station this season, posting a 16-1 SU record, while outscoring their opponents by an average of 16 ppg. They have posted strong defensive numbers and I highly doubt the Commodores will come close to the same success they saw on the offensive end in the first meeting. A&M averages 24 FTA per game at home, while Vandy's hosts have averaged 24 FTA per contest. And while Vanderbilt only forces 8 turnovers per game on the road, A&M has a terrific assists-turnover ratio of 1.71 at home, averaging nearly 20 apg and just 11.5 tpg. A&M enters on a 7-0 ATS run in revenge of a loss when the opponent scored more than 75 points in the win. The Aggies won the rematch by an average of nearly 14 ppg, holding the opposition to 57 ppg. Last time on this floor, the Aggies beat the Commodores 69-58 as a 5-point favorite. I won't be surprised if we see a similar result today. I'm laying the points with Texas A&M, my Morning Massacre on Saturday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Illinois State on Friday night. Opening round action in the MVC and we have teams headed in the opposite direction over the last several weeks. Indiana State had dropped six in a row SU before ending their season with a home game against horrible Bradley. How bad were the 5-27 Braves? Well, Indiana State, on that 0-6 SU slide was a 13-point favorite. The Sycamores were also 0-8-1 ATS in their last nine games before the win. The boys from Terre Haute can't hit the broadside of the barn, ranked 337th in FG percentage and 309th in 3-point accuracy. And they have been outscored by an average of 75-61 in their last five games, making just 34.5% of their FGA and 23.3% of their 3-point attempts, (those numbers include the blowout win over BU). Illinois State enters on a 9-3 SU (8-4 ATS) run with the three losses coming at Wichita State (beat WSU earlier this season), at Northern Iowa, and in OT at Missouri State. They have held their last five opponents to 62 ppg on 39% shooting, while making 47% of their own FGA. They also held those teams to an average of five made 3-pointers per game on 25.7% shooting. The Redbirds are also making 76% of their FTA to less than 63% shooting by the Sycamores. The teams split the regular season meetings with Illinois State winning the most recent meeting by 28 points. I expect another spread covering win tonight by a team that's long and tough on the defensive end. I'm laying the points with Illinois State, my Friday Tourney Crusher. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Arizona on Thursday night. California has been hot, winning and covering seven straight games. They also own a win this season over Arizona, a 74-73 victory on January 23. Only two of the seven wins came on the road and those were against the two Washington schools. Toss the Cougars and Huskies out of the mix and Cal is 1-6 SU on the road this season, and an OT win over Wyoming away from 0-7. To beat Cal, especially by margin, you normally need the "bigs" inside to handle Cal's frontline and Arizona owns the personnel to win that battle. Arizona is a beast at home, going 15-1 SU this season and 106-12 since Sean Miller took the reigns in Tucson. They're shooting over 51% from the field at home, including nearly 40% from behind the arc. We should also note that the Wildcats attempt over 29 FTs per game at home, while the Bears have seen their opponents attempt 27 FTs when Cal is on the road. Arizona is the much better rebounding team in this situation and the Bears own a poor 0.71 assists-turnovers ratio on the road. Arizona enters on a 16-6 ATS run at home against teams with a winning record, winning by an average score of 81-61. They're also 7-0 ATS at home after losing at least two straight, outscoring the seven opponents by an average margin of 25 ppg. What a difference a year makes. Last time here, (March 5, 2015) Arizona beat Cal, 99-60 as a 19 point favorite. The Golden Bears are obviously a better squad this season, but I still expect a spread covering win for the Wildcats. I'm laying the points with Arizona, my PAC-12 MAIN EVENT. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Temple Owls on Thursday night. We have been playing against Memphis over the past couple of months and while we have turned a profit, we did lose one when they came from behind to beat Tulsa last time out. But that win came at home. In fact, it was the Tigers' home finale. This one is on the road where Memphis is 1-7 SU this season. They'll face a motivated Temple squad that's tied atop the AAC with SMU at 12-4. SMU has been banned from the postseason, but the Owls can't afford a home loss to a struggling Memphis team. There is same season revenge involved in this one after Memphis squeaked out a 67-65 win at home over Temple on January 13. The biggest note from that game involved free throws. Memphis made 23 of 30, while the Owls were afforded just nine FTA, making five. We should note that under Coach Dunphy, Temple is 9-2 ATS in revenge of a loss by three points or less. Temple outscored those 11 teams by an average of 72-62. And while the Owls have covered the last four meetings, the Tigers have covered just five of their last 19 road games against teams playing better than .600 basketball, and they're 1-8 ATS following a cover. I'm laying the points with Temple, my AAC Revenge GOM on Thursday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Butler on Wednesday. Some teams just have the other team's number in conference basketball action. Seton Hall and Butler have met six times since January of 2014 with the Bulldogs posting a 5-1 SU mark and 6-0 ATS record. In fact, the lone Seton Hall win came in a 51-50 final with the Pirates failing to cover as a 2 1/2 point favorite. Butler has since won and covered three straight meetings. I'm not the first to mention it, but the motion offense Butler employs has been baffling the Pirates and I expect more of the same in this one. Seton Hall also picked up a pair of huge wins in their last two outings, knocking off Providence and Xavier in their final two home games of the season. The wins will go far in solidifying the Pirates' Big Dance ticket. This is a big game for Butler and I do believe they'll respond in spread covering fashion. The Bulldogs nail virtually half of their shots at home and they are facing a Seton Hall squad that averages just 11 assists per game, while committing 14 turnovers per game on the road. Besides their 6-0 ATS head-to-head mark, the Bulldogs are on a 6-1 ATS run, overall. I'm laying the points with Butler, my Knockout release on Wednesday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Kentucky on Tuesday night. Nice chance for a quick bounce back for the Wildcats who fell short over the weekend at Vanderbilt. Kentucky is tied atop the SEC at 11-5 with Texas A&M and I expect the 'Cats to be refocused for this one. Kentucky had no trouble at all with Florida in the first meeting, winning 80-61. They not only couldn't miss, but also had little trouble with the Gators on the glass. Florida has had a tough time with their shot all season and rank 261st in FG percentage and 300th in 3-point accuracy. The Gators have made just 39% of their FGA over the last five games (26.7% 3-pointers) and will face a Kentucky squad that has held their last five opponents to less than 38% shooting. There aren't likely too be many "freebies" in this one either, with Kentucky averaging just over 7 turnovers per game over the last five contests. Florida has dropped three straight games SU/ATS and have lost seven of their last eight ATS. The Gators are also on a 0-4 ATS slide at home, and they're 0-7 ATS in same season revenge going back to last season. I'm laying the points with Kentucky on Tuesday, my Knockout release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Celtics on Monday night. A quick chance to exact some revenge after Boston watched Utah nail nearly 55% of their FGA in a 111-93 loss to the Jazz just 10 days ago. And while Boston is back on track, Utah has dropped three of four since that 18-point win. The Celtics have also won 10 straight home games, covering eight of those in the process. Boston has averaged 113.6 ppg during the winning streak, while winning by an average margin of nearly 10 ppg. Utah has lost four straight ATS and they've seen their play on the offensive end drop off over the last two games. The Jazz are on a 1-8 ATS slide on the road against teams with a winning record. I'm laying the points with the Celtics, my Monday Night Mismatch. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing Tulsa on Sunday. As I said on Thursday night when we backed SMU over Memphis, those who have followed me know I haven't been much of a Memphis fan all season. Josh Pastner could be out of a job if his team fails to make the Dance, which means the Tigers will have to win the postseason conference tourney. The biggest problem this season is that Memphis has been horrible on the offensive end. If you can't shoot, you can't beat the better teams on your schedule. Memphis ranks 315th in FG percentage and 299th in 3-point accuracy. They have shot less than 40% in five of their last seven games. It's tough to improve on their FG shooting against a Tulsa team that has held their opponents to 41% this season. The Golden Hurricanes are also the best in the conference at forcing turnovers and in steals. I expect Tulsa to harass Memphis all game. It's a Tigers' team that could be hungover as it is, following the heart-breaking loss to SMU on Thursday. Memphis enters on a 2-9 ATS slide at home against teams with a winning road record, while Tulsa is on a 5-0 ATS run against teams with a winning record, overall. I'm backing Tulsa, my Sunday Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Miami on Saturday. Give Louisville and Rick Pitino a ton of credit. They could have packed it in when it was announced they were banned from postseason play and lost back-to-back games to Duke and Notre Dame. But they have since won three straight games, including exacting revenge against Duke. Louisville turned a one-point halftime lead into a 72-58 win over Syracuse. The Cardinals trailed Duke by eight at the half and by five with less than seven minutes to go, before winning by seven. And they trailed Pitt by eight points with less than eight minutes to go before capturing the win. Include the close, hard-fought losses that preceded the winning streak and Louisville has been involved in five straight, virtually down to the wire battles. Facing Miami on the road is tough enough as it is. The Hurricanes are 14-1 SU at home this season, while the Cardinals have allowed as many points on average as they score, on the road. One of the Cards' problems away from home has been the amount of PF's they've committed. Louisville "hosts" have attempted an average of more than 27 FTA per game. That's an average of 12 more per game than Miami "guests" have averaged. Miami has shot lights-out at home, while holding opponents to less than 40% shooting. And, just one game back of UNC for top spot in the ACC, Jim Larranaga's squad will be completely focused with this being their final home game of the season. The Hurricanes enter on a 13-3-1 ATS run at home, while the Cardinals are 1-7 ATS in their last eight road games. I'm laying the points with Miami, my ACC Main Event. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm playing the Under between the Grizzlies & Lakers on Friday night. Memphis has been playing at a faster pace, especially since Marc Gasol was lost for the season with a foot injury. But the books have caught up to the fact, posting the highest total of the season for a Memphis game. It also doesn't hurt that these teams piled-up a combined 247 points when they met just two days ago. I expect a lower scoring game tonight. Memphis is on an 80% Under run after topping 125 points in a game. They scored 128 last time out. The Lakers tallied 119 points in the loss and they're on a 14-5 Under run after scoring at least 100 points in a game. And we note that despite the quicker pace, six of the last eight Memphis games would have finished below this posted total if you remove a pair of OT contests. I believe the value is on the "low." I'm playing the Under between the Grizzlies & Lakers, my Total Knockout on Friday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with SMU on Thursday night. The Mustangs aren't going to be involved in the Big Dance. They learned of their one-year ban back in October. But SMU has played well for Larry Brown all season and head to Memphis with a 22-4 SU mark. The Mustangs four losses all came against teams I have power rated higher than Memphis. Those who have followed me know I haven't been much of a Memphis fan all season. Josh Pastner could be out of a job if his team fails to make the Dance, which means the Tigers will likely have to win the postseason conference tourney. But the bottom line with Memphis, they're horrible on the offensive end. If you can't shoot, you can't beat the better teams on your schedule. Memphis ranks 316th in FG percentage and 300th in 3-point accuracy. Good luck fixing those numbers against one of the top defensive teams in CBB. And good luck keeping up with SMU, who ranks 6th and 3rd in the nation in FG percentage and 3-point shooting, respectively. Nic Moore leads six players averaging between 16.8 ppg and 9.4 ppg for SMU. Markus Kennedy, Ben Moore, and Jordan Tolbert are relentless on the glass where the Mustangs own a +13 rebound margin per game. Memphis is not too hot on the glass and in fact, they're 1-8 ATS against teams that average at least 7 rpg more than they allow. The Tigers are 2-8 ATS at home against teams with a winning road record. And finally, CBB favorites of 3 1/2 to 9 1/2 points are on a 47-20 ATS run if the opponent is off a SU loss as a road favroite of seven or more. Memphis lost 80-71 at South Florida last time out, as a 9-point favorite. We've enjoyed playing against Memphis throughout this season and we'll do so again tonight. I'm laying the points with SMU, my Road Warrior. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the short points with Ohio University on Tuesday night. We have two teams firmly headed in the opposite direction and the team that's playing well, Ohio in this case, also owns the revenge factor. In fact, it's revenge and then some. Long story short, Ohio led BG by five at the half in their mid-January meeting, before eventually losing, 91-75. BG shot extremely well in the second half, but the nail in the coffin came when the Bobcats were called for three technical fouls on one play late in the game. BG made a 3-pointer before and after the technicals, and shot FTs for the technical fouls, sealing the game for the Falcons with a 10-point possession. By the end of the game, Ohio had been whistled for 30 personal fouls and all five starters were in foul trouble. So much for home cooking. Ohio has kicked it into gear, winning and covering five straight games, averaging 81.6 ppg. The Falcons have lost seven straight games both SU & ATS, and have won just one of their last 10 SU/ATS. Most of all, the Falcons don't have an answer for the inside/outside game of Antonio Campbell & Jaaron Simmons. Ohio, as a team, has made over 50% of their FGA over their last five games, including nearly 44% from behind the arc. They're the better rebounding team and own a 1.55 assist-turnover ratio, while the Falcons are upside down. We'll back the Bobcats. Ohio minus the points, my KO play on Tuesday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the USC Trojans on Sunday. Andy Enfield's squad got back on track last time out, beating Colorado in the Trojans return home, but coming up just short against the number. They did look a little sluggish at times, but we expected it, coming off back-to-back road losses to the two Arizona schools. Today, with their home legs back under them, I expect USC to not only pick up their 16th home win of the season in as many tries, but to do so by spread covering fashion. USC is on a 13-3-1 ATS run at home and they are 6-0-1 ATS at home against teams with a winning road record. Utah is off their first ever win at Pauley Pavilion, but average just 69 ppg on the road and should be hard-pressed to "keep up" with USC's offensive prowess. The Trojans average 87 ppg at home on 48% shooting, (40% 3-pointers), while holding guests to 38.7% shooting. They also average nearly 25 FTA per game at home, while Utah averages less than 17 FTA on the road. USC has dropped five straight meetings with the Utes, but this is the first time they'll meet this season and I'm backing Andy Enfield's squad. I'm laying the points with USC, my Knockout release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Gonzaga on Saturday night. Things have been a little shaky of late for the Gaels, who are just 3-2 SU in their last five games with losses to BYU and Pepperdine. We have played against SMC twice since their January 21 home win over Gonzaga and cashed both times. And when watching the game with the Zags, we saw an overrated SMC squad benefit from mistake after mistake by the Bulldogs in the closing minutes. Gonzaga looked to be in control, winning by 10 points with 6 1/2 minutes to go in the game and by eight points with just over 5 minutes to go. But they couldn't get a call down the stretch, attempting just five free throws all night. Add in unforced mistakes and Gonzaga scored just three points over the final 4 1/2 minutes. SMC finished with a 70-67 win, while the Zags got the cover. But in a season when it looked to many like SMC would knock-off the Zags in the WCC, here we are, roughly one month later and Gonzaga is back on top of the conference standings. They're 7-1 SU in their last eight games with the lone loss coming at SMU, nothing to be ashamed of there. Mark Few's troops have kicked it into gear at home on the offensive end where they have averaged 87 ppg in their last four contests. The Bulldogs have nailed over 48% of their FGA at home this season, while holding their guests to less than 39% shooting, including 23.6% from behind the arc. GU is the much better rebounding team in this situation and I highly doubt they'll attempt just 5 FTA the entire game in this one. SMC enters on a 1-9 ATS slide, overall, and they're 0-7 ATS off a SU win. Meanwhile GU enters on a 9-2-1 ATS run at home against teams with a winning record and they're on an 8-0 ATS run in this series. The two perfect ATS spots add up to a combined 15-0. I'm laying the points with Gonzaga, my WCC GOY. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Syracuse on Wednesday. When Louisville announced its self-imposed postseason ban, the players reacted well, crushing Boston College 79-47. But the Cardinals have since lost two straight, dropping games to Duke and Notre Dame. We thought they'd have enough to get passed the Irish, but Louisville was unable to hang on after building a double digit lead. Rick Pitino has been candid, stating his team is having a tough time staying focused with the loss of a postseason berth. He also said he's going to use his team's remaining games to take a look at players who wouldn't normally receive a lot of playing time if all things were normal. They're catching a Syracuse team that's focused on the task at hand and one that's won five straight games and eight of their last nine (7-2 ATS). Five players are averaging between 9.6 and 17.4 ppg, keeping the pressure on the Cardinals on the defensive end of the floor. Syracuse has covered five straight road games, while Louisville has covered just eight of their last 26 as home chalk of 6 1/2 to 9 points. We'll grab the points with Syracuse, my DogPound release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with TCU on Tuesday.  Kansas State has been involved in a lot of tough games in conference play of late, with seven of their last eight games coming against Baylor (twice), Oklahoma, Kansas, West Virginia, Iowa State, and last time out, an OT loss to Oklahoma State.  I do believe they're ripe for the upset traveling to TCU.  The Horned Frogs are on a 7-1 ATS run at home against teams with a losing road record.  TCU takes on a K-State team that has seen their "hosts" make 47% of their FGA, while the Wildcats have made just 39% on the road.  And while Bruce Weber's squad has made less than 27% of their 3-point attempts on the road, they have allowed a 37% rate to the opposition.  And we should mention the 'Cats 0.79 assist-turnover ratio away from Manhattan.  K-State enters on a 1-5 ATS slide and I'm going against them tonight. I'm taking the points with TCU, my Tuesday Shocker.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Iowa Hawkeyes on Sunday. Once in a while we find a solid spot to lay big lumber and this is one of those times. The Hawkeyes are off a loss at Indiana last time out, yet with a win here, combined with a possible Indiana loss to Michigan State earlier in the day, Iowa could sit atop the Big-10 standings by the end of the day. So, there's motivation for focus from start to finish tonight. And although the teams haven't met this season, Minnesota did beat Iowa when they met a year ago. This season has been an absolute nightmare for Richard Pitino's Gophers. They'll enter Sunday 0-12 SU in conference play and 0-6 SU on the road. Minnesota allows 80 ppg on 48% shooting on the road, while Iowa turns it up at home, averaging 84 ppg on strong shooting inside and outside the arc. Minnesota has covered just nine of their last 34 road games against teams playing better than .600 basketball. In other words, Iowa gets "just what the doctor ordered." The Hawkeyes have been home favorites of more than 12 points 27 times under Fran McCaffrey, and they have outscored their "guests" by an average of 81-56 in those games, covering at a 67% winning clip. I'm laying the points with Iowa, my Sunday Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Iowa State on Saturday night. The Cyclones will aim for a little payback in this one after dropping a 3-point loss in OT in mid-January. Three is the key word as the Cyclones were outscored 39-18 from area code 3 in the defeat. But the Longhorns' 13 of 31 night from the 3-point line is not likely to be repeated in Ames, Iowa. Texas has made less than 34% of their treys on the season (213th) and Iowa State promises to be in an angry mood off an OT road loss at Texas Tech, not to mention a home loss to West Virginia the last time in Ames. The Cyclones have averaged 86 ppg at home this season on 50% shooting and they own a 1.68 assist-turnover ratio at home. That last stat is quite important when facing a Shaka Smart-coached team. ISU should have little trouble on the glass against a poor rebounding road team, and they're on a 49-20 ATS run at home as a PK or a fave up to 6. They're also on a 12-1 SU run (11-1-1 ATS) at home in same season revenge. I'm laying the points with Iowa State, my Big-12 Revenge GOM on Saturday night. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Evansville on Thursday. Illinois State picked up a big win at home last time out, handing Wichita State their only loss this conference season. But the win had as much to do with the Shockers loss of focus as it did anything else. After all, Wichita led ISU by as many as 16 points in the second half. The Redbirds made just 15 of 55, 27% of their FGA in the win, but overcame the Shockers due in part to a 22-9 advantage at the FT line. ISU's poor shooting was nothing new. The Redbirds rank 308th in FG percentage and 229th in 3-point accuracy. Yes, 229th, yet they fire-up 20 3-point attempts per game on the road. They took 31 3-pointers in the first meeting with Evansville, making just six and losing 66-55. The Purple Aces will enter with a 12-1 mark at home, where they average over 81 ppg on 51% shooting. They don't take a lot of treys, but when they do, they have made 40%, while holding "guests" to a 30% success rate. I don't believe ISU will be saved by the free throw in this one because Evansville drives and draws fouls, getting to the stripe almost 30 times per game at home, while the Redbirds average less than 18 FTA per game on the road. I also look to play teams with strong assist-turnover ratios and the Aces are strong in that department with a 1.45 ratio. Evansville has covered eight of the last 10 meetings at home and I'm on them again. I'm laying the points with Evansville, my Knockout release on Thursday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing the Baylor Bears on Wednesday. Good spot to jump on Baylor tonight. The Bears are looking to snap a two-game skid, while the Wildcats are off the big win over Oklahoma last time out. K-State has let down off of important wins already this season and have yet to win two straight conference games. Baylor has proven their worth on the road already this Big-12 season with wins in Ames, Iowa, Lubbock, Texas, and Stillwater. This also marks K-State's fourth game against a top-20 opponent in their last five outings and I don't believe they'll keep up with Baylor's offensive attack. The Bears are 45-21 ATS following at least two straight losses and we'll back them again tonight. Baylor is my Situational GOM. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Kansas on Tuesday. A win here and the Jayhawks can even up the season series and move into a tie for first place in the Big-12 standings. KU owns a big matchup advantage in this one as Perry Ellis should give the short-handed Mountaineers fits. Jonathan Holton will miss his second game due to suspension and his absence leaves a gaping hole on the defensive end, along with pulling down more than seven rebounds per game. KU held WVU to 33% shooting in the first meeting, a 74-63 Mountaineer win. But they couldn't overcome a 33 of 47 night from WVU at the FT line, compared to just 13 makes by the Jayhawks. And besides the FT situation, the Jayhawks also turned the ball over 22 times. I expect that to be remedied here at Phog Allen, where KU owns a 1.51 assist-turnover ratio. Bill Self's troops force a 0.69 ratio on their "guests," which means WVU may find the shoe on the other foot tonight. The home team is 6-1 ATS in this series and Kansas is 12-1 ATS at home in revenge of a double digit road loss, winning the rematch by an average margin of 16 ppg. I'm laying the points with Kansas, my Knockout release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing the Clemson Tigers on Monday night. To say the Tigers "dig" their temporary home would be a major understatement. Clemson has played their home games in Greenville, SC, while Littlejohn Arena undergoes renovations. They'll head into Monday on a 5-0 SU/ATS conference run at "home," beating Pittsburgh, Miami-Fla., Duke, Louisville, and Florida St., by an average margin of more than 8 ppg. Clemson has held their "guests" to 37.5% shooting and 56.2 ppg. The opposition has averaged just 11.7 FTA. That may be an important note tonight, because the Irish used a big FT disparity on Saturday to come from behind and beat North Carolina. The Irish didn't shoot well from the field, got out-rebounded by the Heels, but held a 31-16 advantage at the FT line, receiving 38 chances to just 21 for UNC. Notre Dame is a big foul drawing team on the road, averaging less than 14 FTA per contest. The Irish have allowed their "hosts" to make 48% of their FGA, including 39% from behind the arc. And they'll enter Monday just 2-6-1 ATS against teams with a winning record. I'm backing the Clemson Tigers, my Monday Mismatch. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Michigan State on Saturday. The Spartans overcame Maryland on January 23 to end a 3-game skid and begin a current 3-game winning streak. The Spartans are healthy now and we've seen what that means to Denzel Valentine, who has seen his offensive numbers climb over the last five outings. Michigan holds a one-game lead over Mich State for 4th place in the conference standings, but the Wolverines have not stepped up well against top notch opposition, while fattening up against the softer teams on their slate. Michigan is just 2-6 SU/ATS against Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Purdue, SMU, Texas, UConn, and Xavier. They lost those six games by an average margin of more than 15 ppg. The most recent, an 80-67 home loss to Indiana was even worse than the score would indicate. Michigan was never truly in the game, trailing 45-24 at the half, and by 24 points with less than three minutes to go in the game. They're still playing without leading scorer and best player Caris LeVert, and his absence hurts against Michigan State. The Spartans should be able to take advantage of the Wolverines mediocre defensive play and should have a huge advantage on the glass, where Sparty rocks, while U-M struggles. Michigan has covered just three of their last 16 against teams that average at least seven more rpg than their opponents, and they're on a 1-5 ATS slide in Big-10 play. Meanwhile, Michigan State is on a 14-4 ATS run as a road PK or favorite and the road team is on a 5-1 ATS run in this series. I'm laying the points with Michigan State, my Rivalry Wipeout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with BYU on Thursday night. SMC owns two big home wins this season, beating Gonzaga in a late Bulldog meltdown, and beating BYU 85-74 as a 6 1/2 point favorite. While the normally sound shooting Cougars made just 41% of their FGA that night, SMC made 31 of 55, 56% of their FGA and obviously, that was the difference in the game. Despite the huge shooting disparity, BYU actually led at one point of the second half and were down by only six points with a little more than six minutes to go in the game. I'm not completely sold on the team from Moraga, and in fact, we went against them on these pages on January 23 and cashed with Portland, a 16 1/2 point underdog. The Gaels have now lost five straight ATS and are again overvalued tonight, even though they're on the road. BYU enters with an 11-0 SU record at home this season where they've outscored their guests by 17 ppg. The Cougars are a monster on the boards in Provo, and average 19 apg, while committing just 11 tpg. And while BYU gets to the FT line 23 times per home game, SMC averages just 14 FTA per game on the road. We should note that under HC Dave Rose, BYU is 9-0 ATS at home against weak foul drawing teams, those that average no more than 18 FTA per game. I'm laying the points with BYU, my West Coast GOM. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Cal Irvine on Wednesday. The Anteaters enter with a 17-6 SU record, while holding a 1/2-game lead over Hawaii in the Big West standings. Before a lackluster, flat performance last time out in a home loss to Cal Santa Barbara, Cal Irvine's previous five losses came on the road at Kansas, Oregon, and St. Mary's, along with neutral site losses to Boise State and Evansville. Those teams own a combined record of 87-22 SU. I expect a bounce back in this one. Cal Poly has been quite permissive on the defensive end of the floor, even at home, where they have allowed their "guests" to make 45% of their FGA and 42% of their 3-pointers. Cal Irvine should have little trouble taking full advantage, especially after receiving a "wake-up" call on Saturday. They're fierce on the defensive end, where they rank 7th in the nation in FG percentage allowed, while holding teams to 63.5 ppg. The Anteaters enter on an 8-2 ATS run in conference action. Meanwhile, the Mustangs are 3-8-1 in their last 12 conference tilts and 0-4 ATS against teams playing better than .600 basketball. I'm laying the points with Cal Irvine, my Big West Knockout GOM. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Butler on Tuesday. The Bulldogs were rolling, posting an 11-1 SU record through their first 12 games, but have since dropped six of nine. But it's not like they have faced an easy slate. Butler lost four of those games on the road, including defeats at Creighton, Providence, and Xavier, along with a 5-point home loss at home to Villanova. Throw a road loss at Marquette where they had their chances and the Bulldogs are "this close" to a 7-2 SU mark in those nine games, rather than 3-6. Tonight, the Bulldogs get a chance to get back on track and I do believe they will. Butler nails over 51% of their FGA at home, while allowing their "guests" just 38.5% shooting, including 30.1% from behind the arc. They also crash the boards much better than Georgetown, which has led to a +10 rebound margin per game at home. The Hoyas are a Creighton collapse away from a 1-4 SU slide (trailed by 8 w/ :40 to go) and they're in the wrong spot at the wrong time tonight, covering just four of 17 following back-to-back home games as chalk. Butler will enter on a 6-0 ATS run at home the last two seasons after losing two of their last three games, winning by an average score of 70-54. I'm laying the points with Butler, my Tuesday night KNOCKOUT. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing Illinois on Sunday. Wisconsin is in a tough spot today. The Badgers have been in battle-after-battle over their last six games, losing the first three by a combined nine points to Indiana, Maryland, and Northwestern. They have since won the last three games by a combined 10 points, beating Michigan State by one point, Penn State by six, and most recently, exacting revenge in an 82-79 OT win over Indiana. I believe it's going to be tough for the Badgers to continue to play with the type of emotion they have played with for the last three-plus weeks. Meanwhile, Illinois will view this as a solid chance to pick up their second win in three games. And let's not forget, when the Illini are focused, they can play with the best of them, as we saw in a 14-point win over Purdue just a couple weeks ago. Mike Thorne, Jr., (knee), might suit-up for this one, but if not, the Illini have grown used to playing without him and we'll back them anyway. Illinois is playing their second straight at home and they're 8-1 ATS at home following a game in Champaign. I expect a win and cover in this one. I'm taking the available points with Illinois, my Sunday Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Cal Irvine on Saturday night. Cal Santa Barbara is coming off a tough 80-70 overtime loss at Long Beach State on Thursday as a great defensive effort was wasted when the Gauchos held the 49ers to 39.3 percent from the floor. Michael Bryson scored 25 points in the loss at Long Beach. Now a tired Santa Barbara team goes to Cal Irvine, a team that has won seven in a row and is 5-2 ATS in that span. The Anteaters beat Cal State Northridge 73-63 on Wednesday as Mamadou Ndiaye and Luke Nelson scored 14 points apiece and their team shot 51.8 percent from the floor. UC Irvine has a stifling defense allowing opponents only a .377 field goal percentage overall and just .324 at home. Irvine has covered the number the last five meetings and Santa Barbara hasn't fared well after losing with a 5-12 ATS in that situation dating to last season. Look for Cal Irvine to continue its winning ways with a win and cover on Saturday night. I'm laying the points with Cal Irvine, my Big West Main Event GOM. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Blazers on Friday. Portland suddenly is in line for a playoff spot after winning six of its last eight games, including a 112-97 win over Sacramento on Tuesday. The Trail Blazers had seven players score in double figures led by C.J. McCollum with 18 points as his team shot 48.9 percent from the field. The Blazers were fortunate to catch the Kings coming off a double overtime loss the night before. Portland knows who it has to contain tonight as it tries to avenge a 106-94 loss to the Hornets on Nov. 15 when Nicolas Batum poured in 33 points. The Hornets shot just 36.8 percent in Wednesday's 102-73 loss at Utah as they were decidedly tired after beating Sacramento in double overtime on Monday and shot just 36.8 percent from the field. The Hornets are playing their third road game in five days and they're 1-6 ATS their last seven games in Portland. Cody Zeller is out indefinitely for the Hornets and Jeremy Lin and Jeremy Lamb are questionable for this game with injuries. Charlotte is 4-9 ATS its last 13 games on the road. I'm laying the points with the Blazers, my Friday night Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Oregon Ducks on Thursday. These teams hooked-up three times last season and all three ended in blowouts, all in favor of the Arizona Wildcats. The final blowout win came in the Pac-12 postseason championship, an 80-52 win in Las Vegas. But this Oregon team is much more athletic than the one Dana Altman fielded last year and Arizona has just one starter back. The Ducks have other motivation, they'll enter with a chance to put two games between themselves and the Wildcats in the conference standings. Allonzo Trier is still out (hand) for Arizona and this is the kind of opponent where it catches up to them in my opinion. Oregon is led by forwards on the offensive end with three of their top scorers all playing the position and they matchup better than most teams do with the Wildcats. Oregon is 26-16 ATS as a road dog with Altman as coach and we'll back them here. I'm taking the points with Oregon, my Knockout release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Spurs on Wednesday night. San Antonio returns home off the beatdown they took at the hands of the Warriors. But we're still not sure if the Spurs were that overwhelmed, or if they were also playing possum a little on the defensive end, not caring to show Golden State what they might do in the postseason. What we do know is that the Spurs are 24-0 SU at home (17-7 ATS). They're also on a 13-3 ATS run off a SU loss. The Spurs entered this week with the league's most efficient defense. It doesn't stop there. One site that delves deeper than most, shows that heading into Monday, San Antonio had allowed a league best 0.94 points per possession. They were also the only team in the NBA to allow less than 1.00 ppp. The same site showed us that the Spurs were leading the league in transition points, or points per possession allowed after a turnover through the weekend. Once again, the Spurs were head-and-shoulders above the rest of the league. The information is worth repeating from Monday because that game was such an anomaly. And besides the 13-3 ATS mark mentioned above, we should note that the home team in this series is on an 8-0, 100% run. The Spurs won the last meeting by 18 points in early January. I expect similar results tonight, even with Duncan likely sidelined. I'm laying the points with the Spurs, my Knockout release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Va Tech on Wednesday night. The Hokies have played well at home, averaging 79 ppg, while drawing a lot of fouls. Va Tech gets to the stripe for an average of 31 FTA per home game, a likely advantage in this one with Louisville attempting less than 20 FTA per game on the road. Va Tech also forces "guests" into a 0.85 assist-turnover ratio and Louisville is upside down in this category on the road. Rick Pitino's troops have dropped four straight ATS away from home, winning two of five games SU on the season. And the biggest problem for the Cardinals in true road action is their deep perimeter shooting, making just 28% of their 3-pointers. We should also note that Louisville's biggest road win of the season came by five points. We'll back Virginia Tech, plus the points, as they look to extend their home spread run to 5-0. The Hokies are my Wednesday Hammer. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Alabama. These two teams have something in common...they are the only two teams to beat South Carolina this season. The Tide were the first to accomplish the feat with a 73-50 win on January 13. The problem is, after playing their most complete game of the season, Alabama hasn't been able to win since. Avery Johnson's crew has dropped three straight since knocking off the Gamecocks, but did cover two of the three games and had a shot to beat both Auburn and LSU. Tonight, I expect the Tide to put it all together and get back in the win column. Tennessee beat South Carolina in Knoxville last time out, but the road has not been too kind to the Volunteers. Rick Barnes' troops are 1-4 SU in true road action and 1-7 SU in all games away from home. The biggest problem comes on the defensive end where the Vols have allowed 83.5 ppg in their last six away from Knoxville. The six opponents nailed 48% of their FGA, including 40% from behind the arc, while out-rebounding Tennessee by a margin of 7.3 rpg. Alabama has made the most of home court when they're off a home loss, going 6-0 ATS the last two seasons. They lost by a basket to LSU at home last time out. The Tide are 8-1 ATS overall, following at least two straight conference losses. I'm laying the points with Alabama, my Tuesday night Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night. Tim Duncan is listed as doubtful, while LaMarcus Aldridge is expected to play at the time of this post. The Spurs are the deepest they have ever been and they are capable of winning games whether Duncan suits-up and scores 15, barely registers in the boxscore, or misses the entire game. We have the two most efficient teams in the league, overall, with the Spurs owning the league's most efficient defense. And as reported elsewhere, the Spurs own the NBA's biggest point-differential since December 1. It doesn't stop there. One site that delves deeper than most, shows that heading into this game, San Antonio allows a league best 0.94 points per possession allowed. They're the only team in the NBA to allow less than 1.00 ppp. The same site shows that the Spurs are leading the league in transition points, or points per possession allowed after a turnover. Once again, the Spurs are head-and-shoulders above the rest of the league. And without jumping too deep into it, we'll just relay the numbers. The Spurs own a 0.98 rate in this category, while the Warriors are a middle-of-the-pack, 1.22. This was the area Gregg Popovich worked to improve the most after bowing out of last year's playoffs. San Antonio has enjoyed their games against teams that make at least 36% of their treys, covering 11 of 13, while covering 12 of 13 off a spread loss. Golden State has struggled covering numbers at home of late, cashing just one of their last five. And while the spread isn't double-digits this time, I still believe they're laying more than they should. SAS took two of three from Golden State even in the Warriors championship season. The Spurs are better than they were a season ago. I'm taking the points with the Spurs, my Monday Showdown. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with USC on Sunday. We went against the Trojans a few nights ago and cashed when Oregon won and covered in an 89-81 victory. USC wasn't their normal selves from behind the arc and looked a little sluggish. That was part of the handicap since they were coming off an OT win over Arizona and another win over rival UCLA. But I liked the team's reaction following the loss. Coach Andy Enfield took a "no big deal" approach and simply stated that the team is off to a good start and they won't always play perfect basketball (paraphrasing). USC missed open shots and didn't have their legs under them. But they have had a couple nights off after the loss and I expect the Trojans to bounce back in Corvallis. USC leads the Pac-12 with more than 160 made 3-pointers on the season, at a 40.2% rate, which ranks 15th in the nation. They're an accurate shooting team, overall, and will force Oregon State to try to play "keep up" basketball. But while USC puts six players in double-figures in scoring per contest, the Beavers are short-handed; only two players average in double-figures and I do believe OSU will be extremely busy on the defensive end. Oregon State has covered just five of their last 19 conference tilts, while USC is on a 10-2 ATS run against teams that force no more than 14 turnovers per game. I'm laying the points with USC, my Knockout release on Sunday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Oregon on Thursday night. Andy Enfield has the USC Trojans off to the program's best start in 24 years. They're off wins over UCLA, Arizona, and Arizona State. In fact, USC is on a 10-1 run. But I don't like it when teams experiencing "new" success have a long break in the schedule right when they are playing their best basketball. That's certainly the case for the Trojans, who haven't played a game in eight days. The layoff can put a crimp in the flow and I expect that to be the case in Eugene. Oregon is on an 11-3 ATS run at home, where they have held their "guests" to just 64.5 ppg. Ducks' PG Casey Benson owns the Pac-12's top assist-turnover ratio at 5.2, while as a team, Oregon has forced their opponents into a 0.69 assist-turnover ratio (11.1 apg; 16.7 tpg) at home. The Ducks average 13 more FTA per game than their opponents at Matthew Knight Arena, and they're 15-5 ATS in their last 20 at home after making at least 50% of their shots, including 6-0 ATS under Dana Altman. They beat those six opponents by an average score of 80-54. I don't expect a blowout of that magnitude tonight, but I do expect a spread-covering win. I'm laying the points with Oregon, my Knockout release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Southern Illinois on Wednesday. SIU has been a force in Carbondale, entering tonight's contest hitting 47% of their FGA, while forcing their "guests" into a 0.70 assist-turnover ratio. They'll host Indiana State, and while the Sycamores have been playing winning basketball, they have had their troubles preventing their true hosts from scoring, allowing 74 ppg on 47% shooting. ISU is upside down in assists-turnovers on the road and average seven fewer rebounds than they allow. The Salukis, on a 22-8 ATS run off a SU win can take full advantage in all facets. SIU has one of the best scorers in America on their roster in Anthony Beane, Jr., who's averaging over 20 ppg on 46% shooting, including 43% from behind the arc. The Salukis have a shot to snap a four-game head-to-head losing streak and we believe they will. I'm laying the points with Southern Illinois, my Slam Dunk on Wednesday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Northwestern on Tuesday night. Tough spot as big chalk for the Terps. Maryland crushed Ohio State 100-65 last time out, getting right back in the win column after a loss to Michigan. The Terps have games against Michigan State and Iowa in their next two, and while Northwestern is 15-4 on the season, it's much easier getting up for the Buckeyes, Spartans, and Hawkeyes than a Northwestern team they manhandled on January 2. Maryland jumped out to a 40-20 lead at the break and cruised to the 13 point win in Evanston. The Wildcats were ice cold last time out, missing 17 straight 3-point attempts, finishing the game 3 of 26 from behind the arc and lost to Penn State as a 9-point favorite. Chris Collins' troops normally shoot well, hitting 47% of their FGA on the season and they have held their opponents to 39.3% shooting, which ranks 33rd in the nation. The 'Cats aren't used to losing by big margins, with their biggest loss coming in the aforementioned game with Maryland. Poor shooting and a stretch of game time where they couldn't hang onto the ball hurt the 'Cats in that meeting. I suspect they'll take better care of the basketball and refrain from being hurried on the offensive end in the rematch. Northwestern has five players averaging more than 9 ppg, while Bryant McIntosh and Tre Demps have combined for 203 assists and just 69 turnovers, a fantastic, 2.94 assist-turnover ratio. I expect a terrific effort from the Wildcats in a bit of a sandwich spot for the Terps. Maryland is 1-10 ATS in 11 tries as a home favorite of 12 1/2 to 18 points under Mark Turgeon, including six straight ATS losses. Meanwhile, the Wildcats are on a 7-0 ATS run in revenge of a double-digit loss over the last two seasons. I'm taking the points with Northwestern, my Shocker on Tuesday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Michigan State on Sunday. We have learned that Iowa has the Spartans' number so far this Big-10 season. We have also learned that the going is tough for Wisconsin this season without the Ryan-Kaminsky-Dekker, coach and players connection. Wisconsin still wants to mix it up, which I believe will play right into Michigan State's strengths on Sunday. And Tom Izzo will likely have his players' full attention after the getting swept by the Iowa Hawkeyes. Wisconsin doesn't shoot well and they're mediocre on the defensive end as far as FG percentage allowed, while being downright bad at defending the trey. Wiscy enters on a 0-4 ATS slide at home against teams playing better than .600 basketball on the road. Meanwhile, the Spartans are on a 21-7 ATS run off a SU loss, including 6-1 ATS after a double-digit home loss. They're also on an 8-1 ATS run against Wisconsin. I'm laying the points with Michigan State on Sunday, my Knockout release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday. Charlotte began the season 14-8 and looked like a "player" in the NBA Southeast, before the wheels started coming off. It's been a while since Al Jefferson played significant minutes and he remains out indefinitely with a knee injury. The Hornets have won just three of their last 15 games SU/ATS and have dropped seven in a row, outright. Making things tougher, Charlotte is playing their first home game following a four-game road trip with stops at Golden State, Phoenix, the Clippers, and Denver. Charlotte is on a 3-12-1 ATS slide in their first game at home following a road trip of at least seven days. The legs could be a little shaky and they're hosting a team that scores 103 ppg on 46% shooting. We'll back the Hawks, our NBA Main Event on Wednesday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with New Mexico on Tuesday night. These two teams are definitely headed in opposite directions. UNM has won three straight games and will be looking to begin MWC play with a 4-0 record. UNLV, meanwhile, has dropped three straight to start conference play and five of their last six games (SU & ATS), ending with the firing of HC Dave Rice following their latest loss at Wyoming. It's not just Rice's fault, (although he certainly leaves a lot to be desired), but also the lack of confidence among several players. Most importantly, they don't have a true point-guard and turnovers are a major issue. UNLV has just 31 assists in their last three games, combined, while committing 55 turnovers. Not having a PG makes the turnaround tough, even with a new coach. The interim coach is Todd Simon, who will make his collegiate head coaching debut. Simon has been an assistant under Rice for three years, and while he's much more fiery than Rice was, he was also part of the problem. New Mexico's Elijah Brown will be a tough matchup for the struggling Rebel backcourt. Brown leads three players averaging between 19.3 ppg and 14.6 ppg. We should note that road dogs of 3 1/2 to 9 1/2 points are on a 24-4 ATS run if they're off three straight double-digit wins and their opponent is off a game where they scored no more than 60 points. Also, New Mexico is on an 8-1 ATS run as a road dog of 6 or less (the Lobos are +6 at the time of this post). I'm grabbing the points with New Mexico, my Situational Slam. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Arizona on Saturday. We got what we wanted on Thursday when Arizona lost to UCLA in the first of their 2-game L.A. road trip. Now we just need Sean Miller and the players to oblige with their own personal bounce-back win. I do like what Andy Enfield is doing at USC, now in his third season and with a lot returning from last year's team. But I do believe we have seen and will see a few more growing pains this season. USC shoots and defends well, most of the time. But they can be had on the glass against top-notch opponents. We saw USC lose to Xavier 87-77, getting crushed on the boards. The were able to sneak by Wichita State earlier this season, but that was before the Shockers had their best player, who was sidelined by injury. Again, the Trojans were beat on the glass. I bring it up because Arizona rebounds quite well and they're extremely deep even if Elliott Pitts is still sidelined (doubtful). Without Elliott, Sean Miller has eight players averaging between 18 and 31 minutes played per game and seven players average between 15 ppg and 7 ppg. Then besides all the scoring, Arizona's Kadeem Allen and Parker Jackson-Cartwright have combine for 109 assists and just 47 turnovers through 15 games. Everyone knows their role. The 3-point loss to UCLA wasn't a bad game by Arizona, just a night when the Bruins couldn't miss. UCLA made 51.6% of their shots, including 11 of 22 3-pointers (equivalent of a 75% night from inside the arc). I expect an intense game on defense from UofA. After all, they have held their opponents to 69 ppg and to 30.8% from area code 3. The 'Cats are outstanding on offense and also own a +15 rebound margin per game average (back to the rebound notes mentioned above). Arizona enters on a 6-1 ATS run in their last seven against USC, and they're on a 5-0 ATS run against teams playing better than .600 basketball at the time of the game. USC is coming on under Enfield, but I expect Trojan growing pains in this one. I'm laying the points with Arizona, my Road Warrior. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Milwaukee on Thursday night. Youngstown State pulled off one of the biggest point-spread upsets of the season on Monday night, upsetting Oakland, 100-98 as a 17-point underdog. Oakland had played Virginia, Michigan State, and Washington in three of their last five games and had just whipped Cleveland State by 18 points. There was the chance they'd look passed YSU and you could see from the opening tip, the Grizzlies weren't engaged. However, it was another case of the Penguins playing little defense. Youngstown is a disaster on the defensive end. Remove a game against the Geneva Golden Tornadoes and they allowed 96.2 ppg on 52.6% shooting in their other five games since December 12. YSU allows over 46% shooting on the season and over 80 ppg, and they're on a 0-5-1 ATS slide at home against teams playing at least .600 road basketball. Milwaukee fits the bill. They have proven themselves on the road, beating Wisconsin and Minnesota, while covering in a loss at Notre Dame. The Panthers put five players in double figures nightly and average 80 ppg on 46% shooting. Matt Tilby is a nightmare macthup for YSU, averaging 15.5 ppg and 8.9 rpg. And Jordan Johnson is one of the best playmakers no one outside of the Horizon knows about, dishing out 118 assists with just 39 turnovers this season, an average of 7.9 apg and just 2.6 tpg. Milwaukee has the goods and with the Penguins off the big win over Oakland, the Panthers will be focused on the task at hand. The Panthers are on a 10-2 ATS run on the road and they have covered four straight against the Penguins. I'm laying the points with Milwaukee, my Conf Road Warrior GOM. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Raptors on Wednesday. We went against the Nets a couple nights ago on these pages and cashed with the Celtics. Boston was off two straight losses, losing to a pair of teams they shouldn't have, and bounced back in spread covering fashion. The Raptors are in the same situation tonight with the exception that while they were expected to beat Chicago, they weren't expected to beat Cleveland. Toronto went to sleep on the defensive end in both games, allowing 115 points and 122 points. Having said that, the Raptors are still 5th in the NBA in points allowed per game, allowing just over 97 points per contest. Toronto enters on a 19-7 ATS run after losing at least two consecutive games and NBA road teams are on a 25-10 ATS run after allowing 110 or more ppg in two straight games, provided they're facing a home team that allows at least 103 ppg. Brooklyn fits the bill and they have been worse of late, allowing 105 ppg over their last 16 contests. In fact, the Nets have been tagged for 100 or more points in 14 of their last 16 games. The Raptors lost their last two games against Brooklyn, but I'm betting they'll bounce back tonight in spread covering fashion. I'm laying the points with the Raptors, my Conf Mismatch GOM. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Furman on Tuesday. Niko Medved has a team that most expect to land in the upper three spots in the Southern Conference this season. The Paladins returned their top eight players, including all five starters from last year's squad. No less than 10 players are averaging over 11 minutes played per contest with guard Stephen Croone leading the way (14.5 ppg). Furman clobbered VMI in the conference opener last time out, winning 85-57 as a 6 1/2 point favorite. UNC-Greensboro didn't fair so well in their conference opener, losing 87-76 to then 3-9 Wofford. The Spartans were hoping for better things after last season, but the best player on the team, Tevon Saddler left the program in November. UNCG is off to a sluggish 4-10 start to the season and won't match Furman's abilities or depth in this one. The Paladins enter on a 7-0 ATS conference run going back to last season, while the Spartans enter on a 0-6 ATS slide as a home dog of no more than three points. I'm laying the short points with Furman, my Southern Conf Knockout GOM. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Boston Celtics on Monday night. The Celtics went into their last two games with an 18-13 SU record and a four-game win streak in the books. With back-to-back home games against the Lakers & Nets, most felt the Celtics would extend that winning streak to at least six games before heading to Brooklyn tonight. Instead, Boston played sluggish basketball and lost both games. Players spoke about their poor starts, while Brad Stevens held himself accountable. But tonight, after two embarrassing defeats, Boston has a chance to right one of the wrongs. Brooklyn is hamstrung for the rest of the season after losing Jarrett Jack to an ACL injury in the win over Boston on Saturday. Neither Shane Larkin or Donald Sloan are capable of replacing Jack. Boston will have the head-to-head matchup advantage even if Avery Bradley (questionable) sits this one out with a sore hip. The Celtics are on a 20-8 ATS run on the road, while the Nets have dropped four of their last five ATS at home. I'm laying the points with Boston on Monday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Iowa State on Saturday. Steve Prohm was named Cyclone head coach over the summer. Prohm had an outstanding run in the same position at Murray State and is considered to be one of the best young coaches in the nation. Prohm should send Fred Hoiberg a thank you letter for leaving the program loaded with talent. The Cyclones are off to an 11-1 SU start under Prohm and will face an Oklahoma team thinking about the top perch in college basketball. Even Lon Kruger mentioned his team could move up to #1 with a win today. But standing in their way is not only an undervalued Cyclone squad, but also a taxing travel log so far this season. OU made two trips to Hawaii in December. The Sooners were there for a game and subsequent win over Villanova on December 7. They then came home to take on Oral Roberts and Creighton, then flew back to the nation's 50th state for three more games in four days, culminating with a win over Harvard on Christmas day. While they have been home for a few days, this is not going to be easy to win by margin against a team that will push the tempo. ISU ranks 10th in the nation, making over 50% of their FGA, and they average 86.1 ppg, also 10th in the nation. This is not the team you'd want to face following all that travel. The Cyclones are on a 4-0-1 ATS road run and they're 7-1 ATS after scoring at least 90 points...a true momentum team. Meanwhile, the Sooners are on a 1-7 ATS Big-12 slide. I'm grabbing the points with Iowa State, my Conf DogPound GOM. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Central Michigan on Tuesday. The Chippewas got off to a disappointing 3-4 SU start, but the record hardly tells the story. CMU went into the 2015-16 season expecting big results with five starters back in the mix and coming off an outstanding season. But the Chips weren't at full strength for their first seven games. However, they are now with the return of Chris Fowler. The Chips' guard returned on December 7 and CMU is 3-1 SU ever since. Fowler could be called the "glue" to this team. He's averaged 13.3 ppg, 4.5 rpg, and 6 apg through his first four contests. The senior played in 94 games through his first three seasons and piled-up 532 assists to just 259 turnovers, a better than 2:1 ratio. He's averaged 16.2 and 17 ppg over the last two seasons, while nailing 50.1% of his shots. And with Fowler back in the mix, we saw CMU blast Howard 72-52. I bring up that particular game because Howard beat William & Mary 79-77 on November 28. Obviously, you can't base a team's strength off of one common opponent, but you can see that CMU is a different handicap now with Fowler back on the floor. The Chips now have six players averaging between 15.3 ppg & 8.2 ppg. John Simons is a beast on the glass and Rayshawn Simmons has already dished our 68 assists in 11 games. Simmons (14 ppg) & Fowler have combined for 54 assists and just 19 turnovers in CMU's last four games. William & Mary will be a player in their own conference, the CAA, but I believe they're laying too many points in this one. The now healthy Chips are getting some respect, but not enough, in my opinion. I'm grabbing the points with Central Michigan, my DogPound release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Spurs on Friday night. We have ridden the Spurs to the win column several times this season and we'll look to do so again tonight. Houston has been a major disappointment, both before and since the firing of Kevin McHale. They don't play an intense enough brand of defensive basketball when stepping up to the level of the San Antonio Spurs. That's a killer if you're the Rockets. The Spurs are on a 16-5 ATS run against teams that allow 99 or more ppg, winning by an average margin of 15 ppg. I've mentioned before that I believe this is the best Spurs' team since Popovich arrived on the scene and I'm sticking to it. Both ends of the court are played with an intense team effort, and even LaMarcus Aldridge has bought into Spurs' basketball. Kawhi Leonard is a defensive star and Tony Parker looks like he found the Fountain of Youth during the off-season. Once again, if the Spurs are focused, this one gets ugly. San Antonio has won and covered seven straight games, winning by an average margin of more than 21 ppg. I'm laying the points once again, with the Spurs, my Friday Knockout. Merry Christmas and best of luck. Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Spurs on Wednesday. We have backed the Spurs twice in the last week and cashed both times, including their 106-92 win and cover last time out against the Pacers. San Antone enters tonight's game with a 24-5 SU record and 21 of those wins have come by double digits. Tony Parker is on fire, nailing over 55% of his shots in his last four games and ball movement is as crisp as it gets. The Spurs are aiming for the best record in the NBA this season, they want home court advantage in the playoffs. Because of this, we aren't going to see a lot of "nights off," and even when a star or two takes a night off, this Spurs' version is so deep, those getting more playing time will continue to work towards the goal of the best record. And obviously, with Golden State cooking, San Antonio understands what's at hand. The Spurs certainly took no games off against Minnesota last season, winning and covering all four meetings. San Antonio averaged 118.8 ppg in those outings, topping 120 points in three of the four games and winning by an average margin of 23 ppg. The Spurs are on an 8-0 ATS run after covering three straight games as a favorite of seven or more and they're on a 10-2 ATS run against teams with a losing record, winning by an average final of 104-84. Meanwhile, the T-Wolves are just 2-11-1 ATS at home this season, allowing over 105 ppg. I'm laying the points with the Spurs, my Wednesday Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Wichita State on Tuesday night. This marks the fourth time we have played the Shockers this season and so far we're 2-1. Our loss came over the weekend when the Shockers blew a double-digit lead in the second half, eventually losing outright to Seton Hall as a 4-point favorite. The Shockers simply went ice cold. But as the team gets healthier, we expect Gregg Marshall's troops to catch fire. Anton Grady made his return against the Pirates, but he was rusty. I expect a big game in his second game back. We are also seeing Kansas transfer Connor Frankamp begin to get comfortable in his new digs. Frankamp scored 13 points in 21 minutes last time out, after scoring a total of just 7 points in a grand total of just 28 minutes through his first two games. And of course, Fred VanVleet and Ron Baker will only become even more effective as the team begins to round into shape. Nevada is the unfortunate opponent tonight as the Shockers look to bounce back from the game that got away. Nevada is on a 1-5 ATS slide, overall, and they have covered just 7 of their last 27 off a spread loss. Wichita State enters on a 44-28 ATS run, overall. I'm laying the points with Wichita State, my Tuesday Night BLOWOUT. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Miami Heat on Tuesday. Both teams have won four of their last five games, but the Pistons have been a mess on the road, winning and covering just three of their last 11. And tonight, Miami will look to exact some revenge for a 104-81 loss to the Pistons on November 25. Miami ranks 4th in the NBA, holding their opponents to 31.8% shooting from behind the arc. They're 3rd stingiest in FG percentage allowed, overall. This is why the meeting last month was so out of character. In fact, it was out of character for both teams. Detroit, one of the worst shooting teams in the league inside or outside the arc, nailed 16 of 31 3-pointers. Take a 1 of 6 night from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope out of the mix and the rest of the Piston players made 15 of 25 treys. That's equivalent to a 22.5 of 25 night from inside the arc, or 90% shooting. Andre Drummond had his best overall night of the season, to go along with it. Dwyane Wade stated after the game that his team did just about everything wrong and it was more of their failures than it was Detroit's play. Detroit enters this one on a 1-4 ATS slide on the road against teams with a winning record and I expect the Heat to take full advantage and gain that measure of revenge. I'm laying the points with the Miami Heat, my NBA Slam Dunk. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night. The Pacers normally go as Paul George goes and the Spurs have the "sweet elixir" to slow down the Pacer star in Kawhi Leonard. And thanks to the signing of LaMarcus Aldridge and his ability to "dial it down" and play Gregg Popovich, Spurs basketball, along with a rejuvenated Tony Parker, this may be the best team we have seen in San Antonio. The Spurs aren't letting up as they have done in seasons past. This team wants homecourt advantage and are playing hard each and every night. Besides, the depth is in place if any of the aging vets take a night off. San Antone will look to extend their 2015-16 home record to 16-0 SU tonight and I expect them to do so. The Spurs are 11-4 at home ATS, where they have won by an average margin of more than 16 ppg. And they're on a 6-0 ATS run at home against teams with a losing road record. Indiana has lost four straight on the road, both SU & ATS, (10-0 combined w/ 6-0 mark mentioned above), getting outscored by an average of more than 12 ppg. They're 2-9 ATS in their last 11 against Western Conference opponents. I'm laying the points with the Spurs, my Perfect-10 on Monday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.