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Basketball Archive
Date	Match Up	Rating	Score	Result	Profit	Lead Time	Analysis
03-14-19	Oregon -4 v. Utah		66-54	Win	100	12 h 33 m	Show
I like the way Oregon is playing. The Ducks have five straight wins and covers, including zipping past Washington State, 84-51, in their opening Pac-12 Conference Tournament game. The Ducks handled Utah on the road winning, 78-72, during the regular season. Now they draw the Utes on a neutral court. Oregon won that first meeting despite shooting just 5-for-21 from 3-point range and getting fewer free throw attempts than Utah. Oregon has the 19th-stingiest defense in the nation giving up 63.3 points a game. The Ducks have held their last four foes to an average of 51.5 points a game. Utah permits 11 more points per game than Oregon. The Utes have failed to cover in four of their last five neutral site games.
03-14-19	Thunder v. Pacers UNDER 222	Top	106-108	Win	100	17 h 7 m	Show
Indiana is the No. 1 ranked defensive team in the NBA permitting just 103.9 points a game. The Pacers have held six of their past 10 home foes to fewer than 99 points. One of those 10 opponents was the Bucks, who rank No. 2 in the league in scoring. The Pacers held Milwaukee to 106 points, 11 points under its average. Oklahoma City has held its last two opponents, the Nets and Jazz, to a combined average of 93 points. The Thunder has gone Under in seven of its last nine games. Don't expect Russell Westbrook and the Thunder to play at breakneck speed either as this is Oklahoma City's third game in four days and second in two nights. There is more intensity than normal for a nonconference matchup because of Paul George, who starred for the Pacers for seven seasons before getting traded to the Thunder in 2017. George was jeered loudly when he played at Indiana against the Pacers last season. Indiana won that matchup, 100-95. George hasn't been shooting well either since returning from a right shoulder injury. George has made just 34.4 percent of his field goal attempts in his last five games.
03-14-19	Central Michigan v. Kent State UNDER 155		89-81	Loss	-105	5 h 41 m	Show
These two teams have been about offense rather than defense. But both have been in better defensive form and their intensity is way up with this being the MAC Tournament. The Under has cashed in Kent State's last three games. The Golden Flashes have been playing better defense holding their last two foes to 65 and 66 points. Central Michigan held Western Michigan to 67 points in its opening MAC Tournament victory.
03-13-19	Jazz -7.5 v. Suns	Top	114-97	Win	100	13 h 50 m	Show
It happened on Sunday, but the Suns still could be celebrating their stunning 115-111 upset win of the Warriors. Phoenix was 17-point road 'dogs. It was the first time the Suns had defeated the Warriors in 19 games having lost 18 in a row to them. The Jazz have won the past four meetings against the Suns by an average of 24.4 points. They whipped Phoenix, 116-88, as 15-point home favories in the previous meeting on Feb. 6. But no way now do the Jazz take the Suns lightly. Utah is in stop-the-pain mode have losting three of four, including two in a row. Utah's defense has been there. But the Jazz's shooting has been off. They hit just 36.4 percent against the Thunder at home on Monday in losing, 98-89. That was the fewest points the Thunder had scored in 27 games. Unfortunately for the Jazz too many of their normally reliable scorers were cold in that game. Donovan Mitchell, who is approaching superstar status, Jae Crowder and Joe Ingles were a combined 15-for46 from the floor in that loss to Oklahoma City. Expect the Jazz to shoot much better against a Phoenix defense that ranks 28th. The Suns have yielded 116 or more points in 18 of its last 22 games. The Jazz are 15-5-1 ATS the past 21 times following a loss and have played better on the road lately covering four of their last five away matchups.
03-13-19	Pittsburgh v. Syracuse -7		59-73	Win	100	11 h 54 m	Show
I'm not buying into Pittsburgh getting hot with victories against Notre Dame and Boston College on Tuesday in the opening round of the ACC Tournament. I don't trust the Panthers' freshmen. Pitt is a bad team - 0-8-1 ATS in its last nine games verus above .500 foes and 2-13 ATS in its last 15 games - and have had problems trying to solve Syracuse's vaunted 2-3 zone defense. The Orange beat the Panthers, 74-63, at home on Jan. 19 and 65-56 on the road on Feb. 2. The Panthers shot just 33.8 percent and 31.6 percent from the floor in those two games. Syrcause is stepping down in class after concluding its regular season with losses to Virginia and Clemson on the road. The Orange are 7-1 ATS following a straight-up loss.
03-13-19	Pistons v. Heat -120		74-108	Win	100	10 h 19 m	Show
Both teams are coming off bad losses. The Heat were routed at home, 125-104, by the Raptors this past Sunday. The Raptors, at least, are one of the elite teams in the East. The Pistons had their bubble burst losing, 103-75, on the road to the Nets Monday. The Pistons shot a season-worst 27.8 percent from the floor. I see the Heat bouncing back at home in this matchup. Not so for the Pistons. Detroit only has two reliable scorers, Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin. The Pistons are facing the No. 3 ranked defense and carry a fatigue factor being in action for the third time in four days. The Heat can't afford home losses to mediocre Eastern Conference foes in their quest to make the postseason. Miami had won four in a row until falling to the Raptors. The Heat haven't played since that Sunday loss. I expect them to have a lot of energy and for Erik Spoelstra to have a solid defensive game plan.
03-12-19	Blazers -2.5 v. Clippers	Top	125-104	Win	100	20 h 43 m	Show
There are reasons why Portland opened a road favorite against the Clippers. The Trail Blazers are the superior team holding a huge starting backcourt edge with Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum and also have the best big man in Jusuf Nurkic. It's a strong spot, too, for Portland. The Trail Blazers last played on Saturday while the Clippers are in action for the third time in five days and are playing without rest. LA is in danger of letting down after consecutive impressive home victories versus the Thunder and Celtics. The Trail Blazers have been sharp on the road covering in six of their last seven away contests. Portland also is 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings versus the Clippers, while covering in their last four visits against the Clippers.
03-11-19	San Diego +5 v. St. Mary's	Top	62-69	Loss	-109	9 h 18 m	Show
San Diego is playing well going 3-0 SU and ATS in the West Coast Conference Tournament. The Toreros enter this semifinal matchup with a lot of confidence having just destroyed BYU, 80-57, on Saturday. They are 8-3 ATS the past 11 times taking on foes with a winning record. St. Mary's enters the tournament off a disheartening loss to Gonzaga. That was nine days ago. So the Gaels are going to have some rust. Note this game is at neutral site Las Vegas. St. Mary's is 2-7 ATS the past nine times when playing at a neutral site.
03-11-19	Thunder v. Jazz -3		98-89	Loss	-110	20 h 22 m	Show
Want to know the coldest NBA team from a point spread perspective? Hint, it's not the Knicks. Congrats if you came up with Oklahoma City. The Thunder have covered just once in their last 10 games - and that one was in overtime. Now the Thunder enter their sixth straight different venue to take on the revenge-minded Jazz, who lost a wild 148-147 two-overtime game to Oklahoma City on Feb. 22 when Paul George hit a game-winner with less than a second left. The Jazz trail the Thunder by 2 1/2 games for the No. 4 playoff spot in the West. Utah has the superior defense and has the best inside player of the two teams with Rudy Gobert. Russell Westbrook and George are superstars, but Donovan Mitchell is rapidly reaching that elevated level. He is outscoring Westbrook on the season. The Jazz got caught peeking ahead to this matchup falling, 114-104, to Memphis as a 4 1/2-point road favorite on Friday. Look for Utah to be ready for this key home matchup. The Jazz have covered 76 percent of the past 22 times the following game after not covering in their previous game.
03-10-19	Raptors -113 v. Heat		125-104	Win	100	4 h 57 m	Show
Miami finally has gotten healthy, is home and riding a four-game win streak. So because of that we have around a pick'em game. That puts me into play backing the Raptors, a much superior team. Toronto hasn't been good as chalk, but it's certainly not too much to ask the Raptors just to win. Miami's four game win streak is against the the Nets, Hawks, Hornets and Cavaliers. Only the Nets have a winning record of those four teams at 35-33. The Raptors got their confidence back up by rolling past the Pelicans, 127-104, on Friday after a road overtime loss to the hot Pistons and a home loss to the elite Rockets. A significant development in that win against the Pelicans was newcomer Jeremy Lin producing 14 points for the Raptors. Toronto has fortified its rotation picking up Marc Gasol and Linn in recent moves. The Heat have played better on the road than at home where they are 15-18 SU, 14-19 ATS at American Airlines Arena. The Heat have failed to cover in seven of their last 10 home games.
03-10-19	Iowa v. Nebraska +1	Top	91-93	Win	100	11 h 25 m	Show
Nebraska plays much better defense at home and as bad as the Cornhuskers have been against the spread lately, Iowa has been worse. The Hawkeyes have failed to cover in their last seven games. Fran McCaffery is back coaching the Hawkeyes after being suspended the previous two games. But Iowa hasn't been good for the past three weeks. If it weren't for a home overtime victory against Indiana, the Hawkeyes would be riding a five-game losing streak instead of a three-game loss streak. The Cornhuskers have revenge for a 93-84 road loss to the Hawkeyes on Jan. 6. Nebraska surrenders 16.3 fewer points per game at home. This is Senior Day at Nebraska and I expect James Palmer and Glynn Watson to play well. This has been a home series with the host covering the last four times.
03-09-19	Suns v. Blazers -12.5		120-127	Loss	-102	20 h 43 m	Show
Break up the Suns. Phoenix has won three in a row. That doesn't change the fact the Suns own the worst record in the Western Conference at 15-51 and would like to land the No. 1 overall draft pick for the second year in a row. Closer inspection shows the Suns' three-game win streak occurred at home with two of the victims being the free-falling Lakers and Knicks, owners of the worst record in the NBA at 13-52. The Suns did stun the Bucks, which has caught the Trail Blazers' attention and should prevent them from taking the Suns lightly. The Suns have lost 13 of their last 14 road games, going 5-9 ATS in these contests. Portland has defeated Phoenix seven times in a row with the last coming, 120-106, as 8 1/2-point road favorites on Jan. 24. So I consider this line fair and I love the spot for Portland. The Trail Blazers are off a 129-121 home overtime loss to the Thunder on Thursday. That was Portland's first home game since Feb. 13. The Trail Blazers had played seven consecutive road games. Now they are settled back at home where they have covered 69 percent of their past 55 games. The Trail Blazers don't play again until Tuesday when they begin a three-game road trip. So expect the Trail Blazers to be motivated for a kill spot win here with zero chance of overlooking the Suns based on the situation and Phoenix riding a three-game win streak.
03-09-19	Northern Arizona v. Northern Colorado UNDER 144	Top	89-78	Loss	-110	14 h 54 m	Show
There is a good reason why Northern Colorado has gone Under in 17 of its last 22 games. The Bears have the best defense in the Big Sky Conference. They also play at a very slow tempo. The Bears are a heavy favorite in this matchup. So they certainly aren't going to be rushing shots especially if they built up a solid lead as expected. Northern Arizona also plays at at slower than normal pace. The Lumberjacks are very deliberate when going against an above .500 foe as reflected in the Under winning six of the last seven times they have faced a winning team. The teams met earlier this season in late January. Final score: Northern Colorado 63, Northern Arizona 48. That's a combined 111 points.
03-09-19	Texas State v. Texas-Arlington -1		73-81	Win	100	10 h 50 m	Show
Texas Arlington is coming on in its bid to finish first in the Sun Belt Conference winning three in a row. Texas State is feeling the pressure of trying to place first. The Bobcats are coming off a bad 77-63 road loss to South Alabama losing as a three-point favorite. The Bobcats' lone cover during their last four games is against free-falling Troy. Texas Arlington has the superior defense. The Mavericks rank first in the Sun Belt in defensive field goal percentage. They are are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games following a victory and have covered 12 of their past 15 league games. I'm going to ride them again.
03-09-19	Texas Tech -2 v. Iowa State		80-73	Win	100	9 h 49 m	Show
I want hot Texas Tech going for me here especially in a revenge spot. The Red Raiders have won 10 of their last 11 games, including the past eight while going 7-1 ATS. Don't expect any kind of letup either as the Red Raiders are tied for the Big 12 lead with Kansas State and want payback for a 68-64 home loss to the Cyclones. Iowa State is faltering losing six of its last eight games. The Cyclones have failed to cover six of the past eight times versus above .500 opponents. Texas Tech is holding foes to 58.2 points a game, which is the second-best mark in the nation. Iowa State just gave up 90 points to West Virginia and 86 to Texas in the game before that. Texas Tech defeated Texas, 70-51, in its last game.
03-08-19	Nuggets v. Warriors -6		105-122	Win	100	13 h 58 m	Show
When the Warriors are at full strength and really want a game, no opponent can beat them. That's the way I see this matchup. Klay Thompson is back for Golden State after missing the past two games with a sore knee. Golden State is home, has been idle since Tuesday and its next game is against the Suns at home on Sunday, which should be an easy victory. So the Warriors should be fully focused. The Warriors lead the Nuggets by only one game for the No. 1 seed in the West. Golden State also has had two full days to stew about its last game, an embarrassing 33-point home loss to the Celtics. Denver is for real this season. However, the Nuggets do not play that well on the road. They are 16-15 SU, 13-18 ATS on the season in away games. They are 4-7 ATS during their last 11 away matchups with straight-up losses to the Suns and Nets during this span.
03-08-19	Thunder v. Clippers -120	Top	110-118	Win	100	20 h 53 m	Show
This is the monster of all situational edges. The Clippers last played on Monday. They are going for a playoff spot and are rested and ready. The Thunder are playing for the fifth time in seven days and just had to play a late night overtime road game against the Trail Blazers on Thursday in which they won. Until beating Portland, the Thunder had failed to cover in their last eight games.
03-08-19	St. Joe's +12 v. VCU		63-75	Push	0	12 h 54 m	Show
This is a letdown spot for Virginia Commnwealth, which just clinched the Atlantic-10 regular season title by burying George Mason, 71-36, on Tuesday. St. Joe's has been competitive. The Hawks are 3-4 SU, 4-3 ATS in their last seven games. They have the conference's leading scorer, Charie Brown Jr. The Hawks have covered eight of the last nine times versus the Rams and are 6-0 ATS during their past six visits to VCU.
03-07-19	Thunder v. Blazers UNDER 233		129-121	Loss	-106	13 h 21 m	Show
Expect the Thunder to play better defense after they surrendered 131 points to the Timberwolves in their last game two days ago. Paul George is back for Oklahoma City. That is a double-edge sword for the total as George is strong on both ends of the court. He still could be rusty, though, after shooting just 8-of-25 versus Minnesota in his first game back from a three-game absence caused by a shoulder injury. The Thunder have gone Under the past five times when giving up triple digits in their past game. Portland is home for the first time since finishing a seven-game road trip with an embarrassing 120-111 loss to the Grizzlies on Tuesday. The Trail Blazers' intensity should be up, too, especially with triple revenge motivation. The Under has cashed in four the past five meetings between the two teams.
03-07-19	Indiana +2 v. Illinois		92-74	Win	100	6 h 55 m	Show
Don't be fooled by Indiana's record. The Hooisers have played the fourth-toughest schedule in the country as rated by KenPom.com. They have beaten a number of powerhouses, including Wisconsin and Michigan State during their past two games. It's a plus for the Hooisers that big man De'Ron Davis is expected to play after a bout with the flu. Illinois is going the other direction after peaking in mid-season. The Illini is 1-3 in their last four games. They have scored 63 or fewer points in three of their last five games. The Hooisers have covered six of the last seven in the series and are 4-0-1 ATS the past five times playing at Illinois.
03-07-19	Valparaiso v. Indiana State UNDER 131.5		77-55	Loss	-115	10 h 19 m	Show
Note this is a Missouri Valley Conference Tournament matchup and is being held at Enterprise Center in St. Louis. This is a huge arena notorious for its poor shooting backdrop. Valparaiso has played four consecutive Under games. The Crusaders are averaging just 53.2 points in their last four games. The Under is 20-8 in the Crusaders' past 28 conference matchups. Indiana State is much better on defense. The Sycamores have a premier shot blocker in Emondre Rickman. However, the Sycamores average fewer than 70 points a game.
03-06-19	Jazz -4 v. Pelicans		114-104	Win	100	17 h 15 m	Show
Short revenge situations don't happen too often in the NBA. They are even more rare when the better team gets upset at home by blowing a huge lead. But that's what occurred to the Jazz this past Monday. They blew a 17-point lead and fell, 115-112, to New Orleans. Now Utah gets a rematch with New Orleans just two days later. Expect a much different result. The Jazz are 16-4-1 ATS in their last 21 games after losing their previous game. They are playing for playoff seeding. The Pelicans are playing for the future. They are returning home fat and happy after four consecutive road games, having won the last three. Donovan Mitchell is reaching superstar status. He had an off-game against the Pelicans missing 16 of 24 shots from the floor and committing six turnovers. He has scored 20 or more points in 23 of his last 25 games. Rudy Gobert is the dominant big man with Anthony Davis playing less than half the game these days. Gobert had 19 points and 19 rebounds in the loss to the Pelicans. Davis played just 22 minutes. The Jazz have dominated the Pelicans in New Orleans going 9-1-1 ATS the last 11 times, including winning the past five times.
03-06-19	Louisiana Tech v. Florida Atlantic	Top	72-69	Loss	-108	17 h 22 m	Show
I don't understand this line. But I'll certainly take advantage of it. Louisiana Tech is great when playing at home as evidenced by a 15-1 mark. However, the Bulldogs are 3-10 on the road. They have lost their last eight road games. This includes a 69-61 loss to Florida Atlantic on Jan. 31. The Owls won that game despite shooting just 36 percent from the floor. Florida Atlantic outrebounded Louisiana Tech, 43-31. Louisiana Tech has lost and failed to cover its last two games, falling to Marshall, 90-79, as seven-point home favorites and losing, 83-76, as 1 1/2-point road favorites against Florida International this past Sunday. The Bulldogs are 7-16 ATS the past 23 times following a loss. Florida Atlantic should come in with a lot of energy and confidence. The Owls last played on Thursday when they defeated North Texas, 60-54, as eight-point road 'dogs pushing their record to 17-12. Kudos to first-year Florida Atlantic coach Dusty May as that victory ensured the Owls of their first winning season since 2010-11. The Owls have won and covered three of their last four games.
03-05-19	Utah State v. Colorado State +7	Top	100-96	Win	100	13 h 3 m	Show
Ambush time for Colorado State. The Rams have covered 11 of their last 15 Mountain West Conference matchups, including three of the last four. They draw Utah State off a huge home win from Saturday against Nevada in what was an intense, bitterly fought game. That victory moved the Aggies into first place in the Mountain West and puts them in a letdown spot here. The Rams have revenge motivation and are playing for playoff seeding in the Mountain West Conference Tournament.
03-05-19	Thunder +2.5 v. Wolves		120-131	Loss	-110	8 h 8 m	Show
It's a huge plus if Paul George can play for Oklahoma City. He has missed the past three games due to shouder soreness. But I like the Thunder as a 'dog even if George doesn't play. The Thunder still are the better team and have double revenge for a pair of close losses to the Timberwolves. Oklahoma City got out of its funk - a four-game losing streak - by coming from 13 points down to beat the Grizzlies, 99-95, at home. The Thunder have three tough road games following this game - Trail Blazers, Clippers and Jazz. So focus shouldn't be an issue. Minnesota has dropped three in a row. I'm far from sold on Timberwolves interim coach Ryan Saunders.
03-04-19	Texas +8.5 v. Texas Tech	Top	51-70	Loss	-108	19 h 56 m	Show
Texas Tech and Kansas State are tied for the Big 12 Conference lead with 12-4 league marks. The Red Raiders are 24-5 overall, while Texas is 8-8 in the Big 12 and 16-13 overall. So record-wise this line looks right. But I see this matchup being much closer than what the oddsmaker anticipates. Texas Tech is 16-1 at home, but has a losing home point spread mark. The Longhorns are 4-10 in games decided by six points or less. Their eight conference defeats have been by a combined 30 points for an average loss of 3.7 points. The Big 12 is a tough conference. Texas is a likley NCAA Tournament team with victories against North Carolina, Purdue, Kansas and a 17-point win against Iowa State in its last game this past Saturday. But the Longhorns can't assume anything. So they will be playing hard, too. Note that the Longhorns steamrolled Iowa State despite not having leading scorer Kerwin Roach, who is suspended. It's a plus if Roach is reinstated for this game, but I'm not counting on that. The Longhorns have covered their last four road games. They also are 4-1 ATS in their last five meetings against Texas Tech. The Red Raiders have won the past three in the series, including 68-62 on Jan. 12, but their average victory margin in these three matchups is four points.
03-04-19	Hawks v. Heat -8		113-114	Loss	-110	9 h 8 m	Show
The Hawks are headed to the lottery. So there aren't many letdown spots for them. This is one of those rare situations. The Hawks lost to the Bulls in a crazy four overtime game on Friday. Atlanta got its revenge on Sunday defeating the Bulls, 123-118, in Chicago. It was a chippy game with a lot of intensity. Atlanta achieved that victory without its leading scorer and rebounder, John Collins. He is ill and not expected to play today. The Hawks also are down two other big men with center Miles Plumlee out with a knee injury and power forward Omari Spellman sidelined with an ankle injury. The Hawks are 2-7 ATS following a victory. They also are 2-8 ATS when playing without rest. Both of those angles are at work here. The key, though, is trusting the Heat. Miami has been disappointing this season. Right now the Heat are outside of a playoff spot. The Heat have not played well at home. So can they be trusted? I believe they can for this matchup. The Heat are coming off a 117-88 home victory against the Nets from Saturday. That was Miami's most lopsided victory of the season and should provide some confidence. The Heat have added incentive, too, being in triple revenge mode against the Hawks. Yep, the Hawks are 3-0 versus the Heat this season. If Miami fails to make the postseason it could point to its multiple losses to the lowly Hawks, who have the fifth-worst record in the NBA at 22-42. I'm not expecting Goran Dragic to play. There is a possibility Hassan Whiteside returns to Miami's lineup. Both are game-time decisions. I'm fine laying points if neither plays. The Heat didn't need them when they destroyed the Nets by 29 points. Power forward Kelly Olynyk stepped up scoring 25 points versus the Nets and Bam Adebayo is an underrated backup center.
03-03-19	Magic -6.5 v. Cavs		93-107	Loss	-100	8 h 33 m	Show
Often it's not who you play, but when you play them. That's the case in this matchup. Orlando upset Golden State on Thursday and then came back to knock off the Pacers on the road Saturday night. Those victories moved the Magic into a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. This is really heady stuff for Orlando. The Magic have another big game on Tuesday facing the 76ers on the road. But first comes this away matchup versus the lowly Cavaliers. I don't see this being an easy game for Orlando, which is in a major letdown spot. The Cavaliers has a winning record in its last seven games sparked by the return of Kevin Love. Cleveland rested Love on Saturday and were embarrassed at home, 129-93, by the Pistons. Love is slated to play here and the Cavaliers won't lack motivation after laying an egg at home last night. The Cavaliers are 5-1 ATS following a non-cover and have covered 10 of the past 15 times when playing without rest. The first meeting between the teams was very close with the Magic coming from five points down in the final 40 seconds to pull out a 102-100 home win back in November. Evan Fournier hit a jumper at the buzzer to win the game.
03-03-19	Marshall +5 v. North Texas	Top	85-82	Win	100	6 h 8 m	Show
Revenge, much better current form and line value. Those three factors heavily line up in Marshall's favor here. The Thunder Herd lost 78-51 to North Texas on the road. That occurred on Feb. 7. The Mean Green haven't won since going 0-5 SU and ATS. They are 2-10 ATS in their last 12 home games. Marshall, by contrast, has started to play better winning its past two games. The Thundering Herd upset Louisiana Tech, 90-79, on the road in their last game this past Thursday. Jon Elmore showed why he's one of the best players in Conference USA by scoring 34 points for Marshall in that victory. Marshall is strong offensively averaging 79.9 points a game, which ranks 36th in the country. That's nine more points per game than North Texas scores per game. Defense is Marshall's weakness. North Texas, however, is struggling to score. The Mean Green are averaging a meager 54.4 points in their last five games, failing to reach the 60-point mark in any of their last five games.
03-02-19	Boise State v. UNLV -2		81-85	Win	100	19 h 18 m	Show
The Rebels beat Boise State, 83-72, on the road on Feb. 6 and certainly are capable of beating the Broncos at home. The Rebels are a basket away from being 4-1 in their last five games. Boise State, on the other hand, has fallen apart going 1-6 in its last seven games with losses in their past four games. The Broncos' lone win during this span is against San Jose State, the worst team in the Mountain West Conference. Boise State also could be minus its third-leading scorer as guard Derrick Alston is questionable with a toe injury.
03-02-19	Bucks v. Jazz -3.5		111-115	Win	100	10 h 16 m	Show
Surprised by this line considering the Bucks have won seven in a row and 19 of their last 21? Don't be. This is the mother of bad spots for Milwaukee. The Bucks are coming off a Friday night victory against the Lakers in which they had to rally late to win in a game that was far closer than the 131-120 final indicates. This marks Milwaukee's fourth road game in six days and this one is in high altiutde. The Bucks have a horrible history, too, playing at Salt Lake City. They are 1-4 ATS the past five times they've visited and haven't won there since John Stockton and Karl Malone roamed the court. Utah is playing well, too. The Jazz are 17-6 in their last 23 games and have won three in a row, including defeating the Nuggets, 111-104, on the road Thursday.
03-02-19	Warriors -5 v. 76ers		120-117	Loss	-103	7 h 45 m	Show
Enough is enough. The Warriors aren't going to lose three in a row after getting upset by the Magic and Heat. The 76ers are not in the Warriors' class. They aren't close to their level without Joel Embiid, who remains out. The 76ers also will be without their other rim protector with center Boban Marjanovic out, too. Golden State is in stop-the-pain mode and also has revenge for a home loss suffered to the Warriors. The Warriors will be missing Klay Thompson, but get Andre Iguodala back in the lineup.
03-02-19	Texas-Arlington -3 v. Troy State	Top	79-66	Win	100	13 h 20 m	Show
Texas Arlington is 10-6 in the Sun Belt Conference. The Mavericks are in must-win mode trailing Texas State by two games for the top spot. The Mavericks host Texas State next Saturday in their final regular season game. Texas State is a small road favorite against South Alabama today in a game that tips off five hours later than this one. Texas Arlington beat Texas State in the first meeting this season. So the Mavericks should be going all out here in order to potentially set up a first-place showing matchup next Saturday. Troy is last in the Sun Belt at 4-11. The Trojans couldn't withstand the suspension of forward Jordon Varnado, their leading scorer and second-leading rebounder. Varnado averages 21.5 points a game. Troy's second-leading scorer, Alex Hicks, averages 12.5 points. The Trojans are 1-5 SU and ATS since losing Varnado. Troy hasn't been good in the Sun Belt for a while now going 3-12-1 ATS in their past 16 conference games. The Trojans have lost the past two times to the Mavericks, including 86-76 this past Jan. 4.
03-02-19	Illinois State v. Southern Illinois OVER 133		63-72	Win	100	18 h 37 m	Show
Illinois State is averaging 66 points in its last two games. Nothing outstanding about that except the Redbirds have played at a faster tempo. They were averaging 58.4 points during their previous five games. Southern Illinois has picked up its pace, too. The Salukis are coming off their highest scoring game of the season, a 98-91 road win versus Evansville. Illinois State ranks seven in the 10-team Missouri Valley Conference in scoring defense. The Over has cashed four of the last five times Southern Illinois has hosted Illinois State.
03-01-19	Blazers v. Raptors -5	Top	117-119	Loss	-109	19 h 23 m	Show
Kudos to Portland on a great road trip - so far. The Trail Blazers are 4-0 on their road swing following a 99-92 victory against the struggling Celtics on Wednesday. So you can't blame the Trail Blazers if they feel fat and happy right now. Now, though, Portland draws Toronto. The Raptors went 8-1 in February concluding the month with an impressive 118-95 home blowout victory against the Celtics on Tuesday. Toronto is 26-6 at home. The Raptors draw the Trail Blazers playing in their fifth road game in nine days. So the Trail Blazers have a fatigue factor working against them, which isn't helped by swingman Evan Turner and center Enes Kanter not available to play. Portland has lost in its last three visits to Toronto going 1-2 ATS with its losing margin being 11 points. The Raptors have added motivation for this nonconference matchup. They lost 128-122 to Portland on Dec. 14. Point guard Kyle Lowery missed that game.
02-28-19	Jazz v. Nuggets -6		111-104	Loss	-109	21 h 34 m	Show
Denver owns the best home record in the NBA at 27-4. The Nuggets have covered 71 percent of those games, too, going 22-9 ATS at Pepsi Center. Next up for Denver is Utah, a team it has dominated at home. The Nuggets are 5-0 SU and ATS the past five times hosting the Jazz, including whipping them, 103-88, at Pepsi Center this season. The Jazz are weak on the road at 14-16. The Nuggets have a strong frontcourt with Nikola Jokic and Paul Millsap. Their backcourt is solid with lots of depth due to the return of Gary Harris and Isaiah Thomas. The Nuggets have more scoring weapons and their defense has improved enough to be on par with Utah's. Each team gives up 106 points a game. The Jazz have to play a second straight night in high altitude while the Nuggets were idle Wednesday.
02-28-19	Long Beach State +8.5 v. UC-Santa Barbara		69-64	Win	100	10 h 46 m	Show
If you go by won-lost records then this point spread is justified. Long Beach State is 11-18 overall and 5-8 in the Big West Conference. Cal Santa Barbara is 19-8 and 8-5 in league. Current form-wise, though, these teams are much closer than this point spread shows. The spot sets up well for Long Beach State, too. Oddsmakers don't have time to do in-depth study on minor conferences such as the Big West. They are assigning their point spread number based almost entirely on their power rankings. But now the 49ers are playing their finest basketball. They are 3-2 in their last five games, including winning their past two. Prior to last week, the 49ers had dropped eight of nine. Note, though, that five of those defeats occurred by seven points or fewer. Their last four defeats have been by an average of four points. Sophomore wing Jordan Roberts has helped spark this improvement scoring double digits during in each of the last three games after failing to reach that figure in 22 of the first 26 games. Santa Barbara was a level higher than Long Beach during the first half of the season. The Gauchos had aspirations to win the Big West title. But that's not going to happen. Santa Barbara won't be able to catch UC Irvine with only three regular season games left. The Gauchos are just about locked into a top-four spot. Long Beach State is 1 1/2 games out of fifth place in the Big West. The 49ers have incentive to finish fifith in the conference in order to gain a more favorable conference seeding. The Gauchos haven't been good in these type of situations. They are 1-7 ATS the past eight times going against sub .500 opponents and have failed to cover in five of their past seven home games. The 49ers average nearly two more points per game than the Gauchos. They also have covered in their last four road contests. Long Beach State is undervalued here and a very live 'dog in my view.
02-28-19	USC v. UCLA -3		88-93	Win	100	10 h 38 m	Show
UCLA is a better and different team than when it lost 80-67 to USC on Jan. 19. The Bruins had won the four previous games in the series. I see them bouncing back here. The Bruins are 12-5 ATS versus opponents sporting a losing road record. USC is 1-6 ATS in its last seven road games versus opponents who have a winning home floor.
02-28-19	Old Dominion +1.5 v. Texas-San Antonio		65-64	Win	100	8 h 48 m	Show
Old Dominion has lost just once in its last 12 games. That loss, though, occurred to Texas San Antonio. I see the Monarchs getting their revenge here. Old Dominion shot just 30 percent from the field in that defeat while the Roadrunners were on fire from long distance connecting on 16 of 31 3-pointers. The Monarachs are the superior defense ranking in the top-10 in scoring defense and defensive field goal percentage.
02-27-19	Marquette v. Villanova -5		61-67	Win	100	11 h 24 m	Show
I want Villanova going for me at home in desperate need of revenge and a victory. The Wildcats have lost three in a row. All of those defeats were on the road. They also lost to Marquette by one point on the road on Feb. 9. The Wildcats are 22-8 ATS in their last 30 home games. They have covered six of the past eight times versus Marquette.
02-27-19	Marquette v. Villanova UNDER 143.5	Top	61-67	Win	100	12 h 45 m	Show
Expect tremendous intensity in this matchup. Villanova is in revenge and stop-the-pain mode. The Wildcats' shooting has been way off. They need to win with defense. Marquette superstar Markus Howard isn't 100 percent because of a groin injury. There were only 131 points when the team's met the first time this season with Marquette nipping Villanova, 66-65. The teams are even more familiar with each other now.
02-27-19	Pacers -110 v. Mavs		101-110	Loss	-110	18 h 3 m	Show
Indiana is 19 games above .500. Dallas is a bottom feeder now after trading away four of its five best players. The Mavericks are 0-5 SU and ATS in their last five games, losing all of those matchups by nine or more points. So I find this number very cheap. The Pacers don't have their leading scorer, Victor Oladipo. But they have proven they can win without him going 8-2 in their last 10 games. Myles Turner has returned from a hip injury. He should be less rusty since this will be his second game back. The Pacers also have had recently acquired Wesley Matthews for the past five games. Matthews is averaging 17.3 points in his last three games. Matthews was one of the Mavericks' five best players this season until getting dealt. He knows Dallas well having been with the Mavericks for the previous four seasons. The Pacers are coming off a frustrating four-point road loss against the Pistons. Indiana has covered 67 percent of the time following a loss during the past 52 instances. The Pacers also have defeated the Mavericks in six of the past nine meetings, including 111-95 as 7 1/2-point home favorites on Jan. 19.
02-27-19	Bulls v. Grizzlies -3		109-107	Loss	-109	18 h 32 m	Show
Even in a down season such as this one the Grizzlies have two things going for them: Strong defense and a noticeable home-court advantage. The Grizzlies give up the second-fewest points in the NBA. They also have covered in six of their last seven games at FedEx Forum. Memphis has plenty of motivation for this matchup. The Bulls defeated the Grizzlies, 122-110, in Chicago two weeks ago in the final game before the All-Star break. Otto Porter was huge for Chicago in that win scoring a career-high 37 points. Porter is questionable for this game because of a leg injury. The Bulls also could be minus point guard Kris Dunn due to a migraine. Both players missed the Bulls' last game. Mike Conley didn't play well against the Bulls. He's having a strong season, though, and has been hot scoring 25 or more points in five of his last nine games. Conley gives the Grizzlies a key backcourt edge especially if Dunn is out. The Grizzlies have an underrated frontcourt with recently acquired Jonas Valanciunas and former Bull Joakim Noah, who has produced three consecutive double-doubles, averaging 17.3 points and 10 rebounds in those games. Noah should be psyched to meet his former team. The Grizzlies give up seven fewer points per game than the Bulls. They are home. Have a backcourt edge and short revenge motivation.
02-27-19	Houston v. East Carolina OVER 133.5		99-65	Win	100	9 h 5 m	Show
These teams met last month. East Carolina only managed 50 points. Yet the total still went Over. Now we have a much smaller total for the rematch. It's too short of a total given Houston's scoring ability and tendency to run up scores, which it did against the Pirates in the first meet. Houston poured in 94 points against East Carolina. That was the most points the Cougars had scored since their opening game versus non-league opponent Alabama A&M.
02-26-19	Wisconsin v. Indiana UNDER 126		73-75	Loss	-109	8 h 44 m	Show
I'm going to fade the line movement, which has been to the Over, and go with the Under in the belief this total has become inflated. Wisconsin has gone Under in nine of its last 11 games. The Badgers have a top-10 defense. So Under always is my first look with the Badgers. Wisconsin is giving up just 57.3 points per game during its last 10 games. Indiana is averaging only 56 points in regulation during its past four games. Indiana has a respectable defense giving up 67 points per game. The Hoosiers have surrendered just 55.5 points in regulation during their last two matchups. The Under has cashed in five of Indian's last six home contests.
02-26-19	Magic -6.5 v. Knicks	Top	103-108	Loss	-110	18 h 26 m	Show
The Knicks pleased Spike Lee by upsetting the Spurs on Sunday halting an 18-game home losing streak. But they didn't necessarily please New York management, which is angling for their team to get the No. 1 overall draft pick. I question the Knicks' motivation especially after putting a stop to the worst home losing streak in franchise history. New York has failed to cover the past five times after covering a spread. The Knicks also are 1-8 ATS the last nine times when playing on one day's rest. Orlando usually is in tank mode, too, at this stage of the season. Not this year, though. They are just one-half game behind Charlotte for the final playoff spot in the East. The Magic have achieved this by winning their past five road matchups, including knocking off the Raptors, 113-98, this past Sunday. That pushed the Magic's record to 8-2 in their last 10 games. Unlike the Knicks, the Magic are 7-0 ATS when playing on one day's rest. They have covered five of the last six times against the Knicks, including burying them by 26 points during their last visit to Madison Square Garden on Nov. 11. It's an added plus for the Magic if Knicks center DeAndre Jordan has to miss another game with an ankle injury.
02-25-19	Mavs v. Clippers -3.5		112-121	Win	100	6 h 58 m	Show
I want the Clippers going for me here and the price is right to back them. LA is off a 123-96 road loss to the Nuggets on Sunday. Dallas has become a bottom feeder after dealing four of its five best players at the trade deadline. That signalled the Mavericks clear intent to play for next season. The Mavericks are 0-4 in their last four games with all the losses coming by double-digits. Luka Doncic is back in action for Dallas after missing the past two games with a sore ankle. Doncic could be rusty, though.
02-25-19	76ers +1.5 v. Pelicans	Top	111-110	Win	100	22 h 17 m	Show
No Joel Embiid and Anthony Davis probably plays. Know this going in. But don't be intimidated by it. The 76ers have had several games to adjust to Embiid's absence. They still have other stars - Jimmy Butler and Ben Simmons - and won't lack for motivation coming off a 130-115 embarrassing home loss to Portland on Saturday. Philadelphia is 4-1 ATS the past five times coming off a defeat. The Pelicans are not going to make the playoffs. Davis wants out, the team ranks 27th defensively, morale is shot and they don't have much of a home-court advantage anymore. New Orleans is a little fat and happy, too, off a 128-115 home win against the Lakers on Saturday in which Davis didn't play. Even when Davis suits up he doesn't play many minutes anymore because of his trade request issued last month. The Pelicans know Davis won't be with them next season so they don't use him that much. The Pelicans are 3-12-1 ATS following a victory. They are just 3-5 SU, 4-4 ATS in their past eight home contests even with that victory against the Lakers. The 76ers have become more respectable on the road winning and covering four of their last six away matchups. This includes a nine-point victory against Golden State.
02-25-19	Spurs +2 v. Nets		85-101	Loss	-113	9 h 20 m	Show
I see the Spurs bouncing back on the final game of their hellish Rodeo road trip after am embarrassing 130-118 loss to the Knicks Sunday. Fatigue isn't a problem for the Spurs following the long All-Star break and they get Derrick White back for this game to help the point guard situation. The Nets are trying to work in Caris LeVert and D'Angelo Russell back together. They are not in sync yet. The Nets are trying to work in Caris LeVert and D'Angelo Russell back together. They are not in sync yet. The Nets are minus 11 in their first two games that Russell and LeVert have been on the court together since LeVert returned from injury.The Spurs have won the last seven meetings in the series and are 15-3 ATS in their last 18 visits to Brooklyn.
02-25-19	Pacers +3 v. Pistons		109-113	Loss	-112	21 h 28 m	Show
I am often attracted to the better team getting points. That's the case here. Indiana is 8-1 in its last nine games. The Pacers surrender nearly five fewer points per game than the Pistons. Indiana has covered in eight of its last 11 games versus Detroit, including smashing the Pistons, 125-88, in its first meeting this season on Dec. 28. Detroit is playing well, too. The Pistons are 6-1 in their last seven games. This spurt has elevated them into a playoff spot right now. So they actually could have a letdown after burying the Heat, 119-96, on the road Saturday. Among the Pistons' past six wins were two victories against the Knicks, one versus the Hawks and one against Miami. The Pistons don't step up well. They are 3-9-1 ATS the past 13 instances when facing above .500 opponents.
02-24-19	Michigan State v. Michigan -3.5		77-70	Loss	-130	4 h 45 m	Show
I am riding MIchigan here. The Wolverines are 16-0 at home. They have covered six of their last seven home games and have owned the Spartans recently beating them by double digits during each of the past three meetings. The Spartans are dealing with key injuries. Against some opponents they could get away with it. Not here, though,
02-24-19	Magic +9.5 v. Raptors	Top	113-98	Win	100	13 h 20 m	Show
Unlike the past few years, the Magic come out of All-Star break very live to make the playoffs. Orlando is playing well going 7-2 SU and ATS in its last nine games. The Raptors do not have a good history in this type of spot and have failed to cover in two previous meetings versus the Magic, winning 93-91 as seven-point road favorites on Nov. 20 and losing 116-87 as five-point road favorites on Dec. 28. Nikola Vucevic had 30 points and 19 rebounds in that Orlando victory. Vucevic gives the Magic the best big man on the floor. Toronto may not have its full intensity coming off an emotional, 120-117, home win against Kawhi Leonard's former team the Spurs this past Friday. The Raptors have failed to cover 11 of the last 16 times when meeting a foe with a sub .500 record. Toronto also is 10-20 ATS the last 30 times when favored. Orlando has covered in six of its past seven road contests.
02-23-19	Kings +7 v. Thunder		119-116	Win	100	18 h 15 m	Show
First off, Sacramento is one of the most improved teams in the league. The Kings have played 58 games - 70 percent of the season - and are above .500 just two games out of a playoff spot. The Kings have emerging young talent and they bolstered that at the trade deadline picking up solid pros Harrison Barnes, Alec Burks and Corey Brewer. So the Kings are capable of hanging in against Oklahoma City. But Sacramento also catches a break because the Thunder just nipped Utah, 148-147, in double overtime at home in a game that concluded late Friday night. The Thunder had four of their starters log more than 40 minutes with Paul George playing 50 minutes. The Thunder won in dramatic style on a basket by George with less than a second left. Sacramento has a strong recent history versus Oklahoma City covering in six of the last seven meetings. The Kings also are 6-1 ATS the past seven times playing in Oklahoma City.
02-23-19	Florida State +7 v. North Carolina		59-77	Loss	-109	12 h 39 m	Show
Florida State is riding a season-high eight-game win streak. The Seminoles are off a 77-64 road win against Clemson this past Tuesday. They draw North Carolina off an emotional victory against its biggest rival, Duke. Any time the Tar Heels just beat Duke they are ripe for a letdown in their next game. The Seminoles are the best in the ACC in two-point percentage defense. The Tar Heels rank seventh in the ACC in giving up points per 100 possessions.
02-23-19	Loyola Marymount -1 v. Pacific		63-56	Win	100	12 h 46 m	Show
Loyola Marymount buried Pacific, 60-42, in the first meeting between these teams as six-point favorites as they dominated the boards and the Lions are in a great spot to do it again. The Lions are off losses to Gonzaga and BYU. They have been idle for a week. Pacfic just played on Thursday night where the Tigers lost, 58-32, to St. Mary's. Pacific is averaging just 50 points in its last three games. Loyola Marymount is tough in these spots, too, going 10-4-1 ATS the past 15 times versus a foe with a losing mark.
02-23-19	Indiana State v. Missouri State UNDER 132.5		61-67	Win	100	18 h 45 m	Show
Missouri State has gone Under in 11 of its last 13 games. I'm going to ride that trend. The most points the Bears have surrendered during their last nine games is 65 points. They have held seven of their past nine opponents to 63 or fewer points. Indiana State just held Illinois State to 50 points in its last game.
02-22-19	Nuggets -3.5 v. Mavs		114-104	Win	100	16 h 5 m	Show
Denver is just about at full strength now with the return of underrated shooting guard Gary Harris. The Nuggets hold a solid frontline edge, too, on the Mavericks, who no longer have DeAndre Jordan to protect the rim against emerging superstar Nikola Jokic and Paul Millsap. The Mavericks got much worst at the trade deadline. In an effort to set themselves up for the future, the Mavericks dealt four of their five best players. Dallas coach Rick Carlisle is left with star rookie point guard Luka Doncic and a motley collection of role players whose spots in the rotation haven't been fully determined. The Nuggets own the second-best record in the Western Conference. They are clearly the superior team and shouldn't lack for motivation coming off break and with three Western Conference playoff teams looming as their next three opponents. This is a game the Nuggets can't afford to get tripped up on.
02-22-19	Clippers -116 v. Grizzlies		112-106	Win	100	16 h 50 m	Show
The Clippers would be in the playoffs if the season ended now. They are better than the Grizzlies and can't afford to take a loss here. The Clippers have a strong track record in this instance going 15-5-1 ATS in their past 21 road games versus an opponent with a losing home mark and being 17-5-1 ATS the past 23 times when playing on three or more days rest. Memphis, by comparison, is 1-5 ATS the last six times when in action after three or more days rest and has failed to cover 17 of the last 25 times when taking on an opponent with a winning record. The Grizzlies are in clear rebuild mode after dealing team cornerstone Marc Gasol at the trade deadline.
02-22-19	Pelicans v. Pacers UNDER 222.5		111-126	Loss	-110	3 h 53 m	Show
The Pacers are the No. 1 defensive team in the NBA yielding just 102.9 points a game. The Pelicans are not good defensively, but both teams figure to be rusty coming off break. In Thursday's action, five of the six games went Under the total, all by quite a bit. The Pacers are averaging only 100.3 points in their last three games. The Pelicans have cut back the minutes of star big man Anthony Davis, which hurts their offense.
02-22-19	Harvard -1.5 v. Brown	Top	79-88	Loss	-113	18 h 38 m	Show
Yale and Harvard are the class of the Ivy League. Harvard buried Brown, 68-47, as six-point home chalk on Feb. 2. So laying this short price on the road is more than fair. The Crimson have covered 71 percent of their last 33 Ivy League games. Brown has only covered 17 percent of its past 13 Ivy League contests. Harvard also covered 68 percent of its last 22 away matchups and is 5-1 ATS in its last six meetings versus Brown. Only once in their last eight games have the Crimson lost. That was against Cornell three games ago and came the day after the Crimson went three overtimes in a victory against Columbia.
02-21-19	Rockets -2.5 v. Lakers	Top	106-111	Loss	-109	20 h 11 m	Show
James Harden, Chris Paul and returning Clint Capela trump LeBron James. That's the bottom line here. The Rockets are back to full health. Paul is in shape and playing well again. Capela is expected to play after missing the last 15 games with a thumb injury. Harden is the MVP of the league scoring 30 or more points in 31 consecutive games. Houston is 21-10 in those games. While the Rockets are among the five best teams in the NBA, the Lakers may not even make the playoffs. They are 3-8 in their last 11 games. James has been back for five games since missing 17 games due to a groin injury. But Lonzo Ball remains out with an ankle injury. The Lakers learned one thing during James' absence - Luke Walton can't coach. Houston is 3-0 versus the Lakers this season after going 4-0 against LA last season. The Rockets also have covered in eight of their past 10 road games versus the Lakers.
02-21-19	Blazers -2.5 v. Nets		113-99	Win	100	3 h 20 m	Show
Now that word has come out that Damian Lillard will play, I'm going to get behind the Trail Blazers. Portland is the better team, plays in the better conference and upgraded its frontcourt recently picking up Enes Kanter, who is quite eager to display his talents having endured a difficult time in New York with the Knicks. Portland is 9-1 ATS following a layoff of three or more days.
02-21-19	UCF +8 v. Cincinnati		55-60	Win	100	6 h 9 m	Show
Central Florida is playing well with three straight victories. Cincinnati is tough at home, but I don't see the Knights being outclassed at all in this matchup. They are getting balanced scoring and play with a great deal of intensity. Both teams are strong defensively ranking among the top 40. So taking this many points is huge. The Bearcats have failed to cover seven of the past 10 times when going against an above .500 opponent.
02-20-19	Villanova -5.5 v. Georgetown	Top	73-85	Loss	-108	18 h 21 m	Show
I want Villanova off a rare loss. I also want to fade Georgtown now that they realistically are not going to get a bid to the NCAA Tournament unless it does extremely well in the Big East Conference Tournament. The Hoyas are 1-3 in their last four games and off a 90-75 loss to Seton Hall. Georgetown is 5-11-1 ATS in its last 17 Big East Conference games. The Hoyas also are 4-12-1 ATS during their past 17 home games versus opponents with a winning road mark. Star guard Phil Booth had a sub-par game against St. John's this past Sunday in a 71-65 road loss. The Wildcats blew an 11-point second half lead against the Red Storm. Jay Wright isn't taking that defeat lightly. Booth should help the Wildcats exploit St. John's youthful backdourt. Booth, the Hoyas' leading scorer at 18.3 points, didn't have a strong game in the first meeting between the two teams on Feb. 3. Yet the Wildcats still won, 77-65, covering as 11 1/2-point home favorites. Villanova has proven itself on the road covering 69 percent of its last 51 away matchups. The Wildcats also have covered the past four times versus Georgetown.
02-19-19	Alabama -123 v. Texas A&M	Top	56-65	Loss	-123	8 h 14 m	Show
Alabama is on a two-game losing skid. The Crimson Tide are coming off a terrible 18-point home loss to Florida. I expect them to be ready here. They have not lost three games all season and are 14-3 ATS following a double-digit home defeat. Alabama could damage its NCAA Tournament chances with a loss here. The Crimson Tide are the better team - ranked 56th in the latest Ken Pom ratings compared to Texas A&M being rated 98th - and have revenge. The Aggies nipped them, 81-80, on a buzzer beater. The Tide were 7 1/2-point home favorites in that matchup, which occurred on Jan. 12. Alabama led for all but four minutes in that game. Texas A&M is 3-9 in the SEC. The Aggies' other two conference victories were against Georgia and Missouri, who have a combined 4-20 SEC record. Texas A&M is just 4-10 ATS at home this season.
02-19-19	Vanderbilt +18 v. Tennessee		46-58	Win	100	8 h 3 m	Show
Vandy is on a 13-game losing streak. But the Commodores have hung close in eight of those losses, either leading or trailing by no more than five points in the final four minutes. They nearly upset then top-ranked Tennessee on Jan. 23 losing in overtime. Tennessee just lost it's No. 1 ranking by losing to Kentucky this past Saturday. The Volunteers have to be down about that defeat. The Commodores take this matchup far more serious than the Volunteers.
02-18-19	Illinois +11 v. Wisconsin	Top	58-64	Win	100	18 h 5 m	Show
Missing 17 of 21 shots from beyond the arc, Illinois lost 72-60 to Wisconsin on Jan. 23. Since then the Illini have gone 5-1 SU, 4-2 ATS as their talented but inexperienced freshmen have matured and become more consistent. The Illini are beating good teams during this stretch, too, knocking off Michigan State, Maryland and Ohio State on the road. While Illinois is coming on, Wisconsin is slipping. The Badgers have lost consecutive games to Michigan and Michigan State. No shame in that, but the Badgers are showing signs of fatigue. They are not a deep team either. Wisconsin wins with great defense. Illinois ranks No. 13, though, in forcing turnovers. The Illini average four more points per game than Wisconsin and can keep this one close.
02-17-19	Team LeBron v. Team Giannis UNDER 312	Top	178-164	Loss	-105	32 h 10 m	Show
The NBA switched their All-Star Game format last season with two superstars picking the teams. Team LeBron James beat Team Stephen Curry, 148-145, last season. This new format has made for more of a competitive game where there is a sliver of defense, especially compared to previous games, as the players seem to care more. The combined total of last year's game was 293. So I see this year's contest also coming under the posted total. There's a chance LeBron's team could be without Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis. Those are two of the top offensive players in the league.
02-17-19	Fairfield v. Niagara UNDER 147		73-78	Loss	-109	3 h 51 m	Show
Fairfield is having trouble scoring. The Staggs are averaging just 54.6 points per game during their last five games. But they are playing strong defense holding four of their last five foes to fewer than 63 points a game. The Under has cashed in each of their last nine games. Niagara is averaging 64.6 points per game in its last three games. These teams have a strong Under bias, too, with 10 of the last 13 meetings between the two schools going below the total.
02-16-19	Northwestern +5 v. Nebraska		50-59	Loss	-109	18 h 26 m	Show
Northwestern is in stop-the-pain mode suffering five straight losses, including close defeats to Iowa and Rutgers in their last two games. The Wildcats lost those two games by a combined four points. I see the Wildcats bouncing back against Nebraska, which has become a point spread nightmare going 1-10 ATS in its last 11 games, including failing to cover in its last six home contests. The Cornhuskers' collapse has coincided with a season-ending injury suffered by forward Isaac Copeland on Jan. 26. He is Nebraska's second leading scorer and rebounder. Nebraska was lucky to end its seven-game losing streak by beating Minnesota in its last game. The Gophers practically handed Nebraska the victory. That won't happen against Northwestern. Bottom line is Nebraska can't be a mid-sized favorite against any Big Ten team right now.
02-16-19	Tennessee v. Kentucky -3	Top	69-86	Win	100	21 h 58 m	Show
I understand the Volunteers have won 19 in a row and are 11-0 in the SEC. But I'm not sold on Tennessee, nor its coach, Rick Barnes. If the Vols win this game, I will be. But I don't see them beating Kentucky on the road. Kentucky's freshmen are starting to mesh. The Wildcats have covered eight of their last nine and are 19-7 ATS the past 26 times going against an opponent with a winning record. The Wildcats will be even more determined to win this game after suffering a 73-71 loss at home to LSU this past Tuesday that ended their 10-game win streak. The Wildcats let a nine-point second-half lead against LSU slip, losing on a tip-in at the buzzer. The Wildcats have the talented shooters to exploit Tennessee's lone real weak spot, their 3-point defense.
02-16-19	VCU v. Dayton OVER 135		69-68	Win	100	20 h 26 m	Show
The oddsmaker opened this total too low. VCU won the first meeting between the two teams, 76-71. Dayton has scored at least 75 points in three of its past five games. The Flyers average 74 points on the season, while VCU averages nearly 71 points per game. The Rams are an up-tempo team, too. The Over has cashed in four of their last five games. The Over also has won the past six times these teams have met.
02-15-19	Northern Kentucky v. Wright State -1	Top	77-81	Win	100	21 h 44 m	Show
This Horizon League showdown is being shown on ESPNU. It's the biggest game of the season for Wright State and I believe the Raiders will be up for the challenge. The Raiders are home and playing their best ball winning seven of their last eight games while going 5-3 ATS. Wright State is 11-2 at home. Northern Kentucky has a losing record on the road and has been very bad point spread-wise away from home covering only three of its last 12 road matchups. The Norse are 1-8 ATS the past nine times when on the road versus an opponent with a winning home record. Northern Kentucky defeated Wright State, 68-64, as 4 1/2-point home favorites on Jan. 11 The Raiders managed to cover despite shooting much worse from the floor than Northern Kentucky, making just three of 15 3-point attempts and shooing seven fewer free throws. Wright State's bench has improved since that defeat. The Raiders also rank 49th in the country in free throw percentage compared to Northern Kentucky, which rates 321st in the nation in free throw accuracy.
02-14-19	Thunder -3.5 v. Pelicans	Top	122-131	Loss	-120	18 h 1 m	Show
A disinterested superstar who scored three points in his last game. A likely soon-to-be-gone head coach. 27th-rated defense. Low morale. Add it all up and you have the New Orleans Pelicans, losers of 10 of their last 14 games. I don't see the Pelicans regrouping for this matchup, their final one before the week-long All-Star break. Anthony Davis, who scored all of three points in 24 minutes during the Pelicans' excruiating painful-to-watch, 118-88, home loss to the Magic on Tuesday, wants out of New Orleans. It's a given the Pelicans are going to deal him. So Davis isn't putting out and the Pelicans are reducing his minutes not wanting to risk him getting injured. Of course this takes a toll on the Pelicans' chemistry. Alvin Gentry isn't going to get through this as the Pelicans are close to falling apart. A 30-point home loss to the 26-32 Magic doesn't bode well for New Orleans. Neither does a 99-90 road loss to the Grizzlies in their previous game. Oklahoma City is an elite team that is a sizzling 11-1 SU, 10-2 ATS. Russell Westbrook is going for his 11th consecutive triple-double and Paul George has been on fire, too, averaging 38.8 points in his last eight games. New Orleans' bottom-four defense isn't going to be able to contain them. The Thunder shouldn't be letting up either since they won't be playing again for another eight days. New Orleans hasn't had much of a home-court edge either losing six of its last seven home games while the Thunder have covered five of their last six away contests.
02-13-19	Grizzlies v. Bulls OVER 203		110-122	Win	100	18 h 59 m	Show
Chicago had reached triple-digits in 18 straight games until putting up 99 points against the Bucks this past Monday in their last game. The Bulls have picked up their pace since acquiring Otto Porter at the trade deadline. Porter, Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and Lauri Markkanen are all good offensive players. Discount the 99-point performance against the Bucks and the Bulls are averaging 122 points in their last four games. Memphis is limited offensively, but should play loose with this being its final game before All-Star break. The Grizzlies are breaking in new players and scored 107 points on Tuesday versus the Spurs. They accomplished that without Mike Conley, their best player. Conley may play here after missing the Spurs game due to illness. The Bulls rank 18th in scoring defense and 21st in defensive field goal percentage. Chicago is giving up an average of 120.4 points in its last five games. So it's not like Memphis is going against some stellar defensive club.
02-13-19	Nets -6.5 v. Cavs		148-139	Win	100	17 h 59 m	Show
In each team's final game before the week long All-Star break, I trust Kenny Atkinson and the Nets to put forth a strong effort. I do not hold such faith for the Cavaliers especially after the Cavaliers halted a four-game losing skid with a 107-104 home victory against the Knicks. The Knicks, Cavaliers and Suns as the three worst teams in the NBA. Brooklyn is in stop-the-pain mode losing five of its past six games. The Nets are much deeper than the Cavaliers with better young talent. They have the best player on the court in emerging star D'Angelo Russell. The Nets nearly upset the Raptors on the road in their last game, losing 127-125 on Monday. The Nets are 5-1 ATS in their last six road contests, while the Cavaliers are 2-7 ATS after covering in their previous game. The Nets also have added incentive - revenge. They lost 99-97 at home to the Cavaliers in December.
02-13-19	Bucks -3.5 v. Pacers	Top	106-97	Win	100	17 h 0 m	Show
Indiana lost its first four games after its leading scorer and best player, Victor Oladipo, was lost for the season with a knee injury. Since then the Pacers have rebounded to win their next six games. The teams they beat are the Heat, Pelicans, Lakers, Clippers, Cavaliers and Hornets. Of that bunch only the Clippers are above .500. I don't see the Pacers stepping up in class now that they have to play the Bucks, who have the best record in the NBA and are 13-2 in their last 15 games. The Bucks are "A" level. The Pacers are "C" level. So this point spread is too short in my view. I don't see the Bucks going into All-Star break with a loss. They should have all hands on deck, including superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. He played on Monday when the Bucks whipped the Bulls, 112-99, in Chicago. There are a number of impressive trends pointing in the Bucks' direction such as being 12-3-2 ATS in their last 17 road games, 16-5 ATS when playing on one day's rest and 18-6-2 ATS during their past 26 Eastern Conference games.
02-13-19	Rutgers +6 v. Northwestern		59-56	Win	100	9 h 25 m	Show
I see a close, intense game here with every point mattering. Northwestern has lost four in a row. The Wildcats have been held to fewer than 53 points in three of their last four games. Rutgers has covered four of its last six games as its freshmen continue to improve. The Scarlet Knights own straight-up victories against Nebraska, Penn State and Indiana during this span. The Scarlet Knights should be pumped in revenge mode for a 65-57 home loss to Northwestern on Jan. 18. Rutgers was without its leading scorer, Eugene Omoruyi, in that game. He will play here.
02-12-19	Arkansas -117 v. Missouri		78-79	Loss	-117	11 h 16 m	Show
Arkansas has picked up its game going 4-2 SU and ATS in its last six games. The Razorbacks beat Missouri, 72-60, at home on Jan. 23. This time around, the Razorbacks catch the Tigers off a disappointing, 68-59, home loss to Texas A&M in which they blew a 12-point second half lead. The Tigers have been held to fewer than 61 points in three of their last four games missing their second-leading scorer injured Mark Smith. The Tigers have failed to cover in eight of their last 11 SEC matchups.
02-12-19	Spurs -3.5 v. Grizzlies	Top	108-107	Loss	-115	18 h 45 m	Show
This is the Spurs' final game before All-Star break. They won't play again for 10 days. So you know Gregg Popovich will pull out all the stops to prevent San Antonio from losing a season-high fifth straight game. Lack of defense has really hurt the Spurs on their current road swing. But so has the quality of opposition. San Antonio has faced the Jazz, Trail Blazers and Warriors during its past three games, all on the road. Memphis is 5-18 in its last 23 games, 8-15 ATS. The Grizzlies also are the lowest-scoring team in the league. Despite their losing streak, the Spurs still have covered 69 percent of their last 14 games following a defeat. Memphis is 7-17 ATS the last 24 times it has faced an above .500 opponent. The Grizzlies have won three of their last four. Those wins, however, came against the Knicks, Timberwolves and Pelicans. Those are three bad teams with a combined record of 61-108. The Grizzlies are a worse team, too, after trading Marc Gasol.
02-12-19	Marquette v. DePaul +3.5		92-73	Loss	-109	11 h 39 m	Show
This is a dangerous spot for 10th-ranked Marquette traveling after a huge home nationally televised victory against Villanova this past Saturday. DePaul is much improved. The Blue Demons have five wins in Big East play this season, which is their second-highest win total during the past 11 seasons. They have won two in a row. The Blue Demons are 13-3 when outrebounding their opponents. They outrebounded Marquette in the first meeting, but lost 79-69 on Jan. 23. DePaul made 15 of 19 free throws in that game. Marquette, however, was 28-for-32 from the foul line for 87.5 percent.
02-11-19	Clippers v. Wolves UNDER 230		120-130	Loss	-110	8 h 56 m	Show
The Clippers are a top-eight scoring team. But they are an Under team on the road going below the total in 10 of their past 12 away matchups. LA is breaking in four new players into its rotation. Several are defensive players first. So there is an adjustment period. This also marks the Clippers' sixth straight road game and fourth game in six days. So there also is a fatigue factor working against the Clippers. That means they are likely to slow things down. The Timberwolves should play with a great deal of intensity having lost four in a row and trailing the Clippers by five games for the final playoff spot in the West. Minnesota is extremely banged-up at point guard with all four of its point guards not 100 percent. Jeff Teague and Derrick Rose are likely to play, but they have a rust factor. Their ballhandling should be fine, but their shooting could be off.
02-11-19	Wizards +4.5 v. Pistons		112-121	Loss	-105	9 h 13 m	Show
Power rating-wise, I just don't see this kind of point spread difference between these two teams. Washington has a winning record in its last 15 games. The teams just met on Jan. 21 and Washington won, 101-87, as 5 1/2-point home favorites. The Wizards got stronger at the trade deadline getting Bobby Portis and Jabari Parker while the Pistons became weaker dealing Reggie Bullock and Stanley Johnson. Detroit has won three in a row, but the last two victories have come versus the pathetic Knicks in a home-away series. Washington isn't a good road team. But the Wizards are capable of beating below average foes away from home even stunning the Thunder in Oklahoma City last month.
02-10-19	Magic v. Hawks +2.5	Top	124-108	Loss	-105	19 h 46 m	Show
Orlando is on Cloud 9 after upsetting the Bucks, 103-83, at Milwaukee Saturday night. Even with that great victory, the Magic are just 9-17 on the road this season and 5-9 ATS in their past 14 away contests. The Hawks are in a great spot to get revenge for a 122-103 home loss to the Magic from Jan. 21. Not only do the Hawks draw the Magic in an obvious letdown spot, but also Orlando will be in action for the third time in four days and playing without rest arriving in Atlanta in the early Sunday morning hours. It's the first time the Magic have to play consecutive games since Jan. 18-19. Atlanta is below-the-radar with some excellent young players - John Collins, Trae Young, Taurean Prince and Kevin Huerter. So the Hawks are not at a talent disadvantage against the Magic. The Hawks are a respectable 12-14 in their last 16 games.
02-10-19	East Carolina +14 v. South Florida		68-72	Win	100	15 h 20 m	Show
Getting a late 3-pointer from David Collins, South Florida upset SMU as 5 1/2-point road 'dogs this past Thursday. That victory puts the Bulls 10 games above .500 for the first time in 27 years. South Florida is fat and happy as it returns home to face lowly East Carolina. The Pirates are having a rough season. But they should be pumped for this matchup while the Bulls are in a letdown spot. East Carolina has revenge for a 77-57 loss from two weeks ago and were called out by its coach following a dismal 65-49 loss to Wichita State on Wednesday. It's an added plus for East Carolina if South Florida is missing Alexix Yetna for a second straight game. He leads the American Athletic Conference in rebounding and had a huge performance in the Bulls' earlier victory against the Pirates with 28 points and 13 rebounds. Yetna is dealing with a hamstring injury. The Bulls may not want to take a chance on him for this game with a bigger matchup on deck Wednesday versus Central Florida.
02-10-19	Siena v. Rider UNDER 134		59-57	Win	100	2 h 19 m	Show
I'm going to ride the Under train with Sienna. The Saints have gone Under the total in their last eight games and are 12-2 to the low side during their past 14 Metro Atlantic Conference games. The Under also is 6-2-1 in Rider's last nine home games. Sienna has given up fewer than 55 points in five of their last six games, holding four opponents under 51 points during this current span. Rider's offense remains very inconsistent.
02-09-19	St. Mary's +17 v. Gonzaga	Top	46-94	Loss	-110	11 h 36 m	Show
I recall St. Mary's upsetting Gonzaga, 74-71, as 7 1/2-point road 'dogs last season. But while I'm not saying the Gaels can pull a similar upset in Spokane this season, I do believe they can hang in and that this line is inflated based on Gonzaga winning 13 in a row with many of those victories occurring in blowout fashion. The Gaels haven't lost a game in regulation by more than six points since Nov. 21. The Bulldogs are the No. 1 scoring team in the nation. St. Mary's may be down from previous seasons, but the Gaels still are very good. They rank 21st in field goal percentage and surrender fewer than 67 points a game. Gaels' guard Jordan Ford leads the West Coast Conference in scoring at 22.1 points a game.
02-09-19	Hornets -2.5 v. Hawks		129-120	Win	100	19 h 17 m	Show
If the Hornets are serious about making the playoffs they need to win a game like this. Charlotte is a bad road team. But the Hornets can beat bottom tier teams away from home. They have proven this defeating the Suns and Grizzlies during the past 4 1/2 weeks. Charlotte is 4-1 ATS the last five times meeting a foe with a winning percentage below .400. The Hornets are a better team with underrated big man Cody Zeller back from a broken right hand. He's rounding into shape having played the last two games after missing the previous 16 games. Charlotte has covered in eight of its last 11 meetings against Atlanta. The Hawks have a lot of youth and inexperience. They are home until Feb. 25 so complacently could settle in. The Hawks have failed to cover 16 of the last 21 times they have been home versus an opponent with a losing road mark. Atlanta hosts Orlando in a revenge spot on Sunday. That's a matchup the Hawks figure to be targeting more than this game. The Magic embarrassed them in Atlanta winning by 19 points on Jan. 21.
02-09-19	Tennessee Tech v. Tennessee-Martin UNDER 143.5		58-77	Win	100	7 h 40 m	Show
Offensive efficiency and tempo are two of the biggest keys in assessing a college basketball totals play. Both elements point to an Under in this Ohio Valley Conference matchup. Tennessee Tech is last in the conference in offensive efficiency. The Golden Eagles are 274th in the nation in scoring averaging less than 70 points a game. The Under has cashed in eight of their last 11 games. UT Martin plays at a slow pace. The Skyhawks have stepped up their defense recently holding four of their last five foes to fewer than 70 points per game.
02-09-19	Providence +7 v. St. John's		70-56	Win	100	10 h 45 m	Show
Providence is in circle-the-wagons mode here desperately needing a victory to keep alive thoughts of trying to make the NCAA Tournament for a school-record sixth straight time. The Friars catch St. John's in a possible letdown scenario after the Red Storm upset Marquette, 70-69, on Wednesday dealing the Golden Eagles their first home loss of the season. The Friars have the defense to hang in against St. John's leading the Big East in forcing turnovers and ranking in the top-50 in adjusted defense. The Friars also like to play at Madison Square Garden. They reached the finals of the Big East Tournament playing at MSG last season before losing to Villanova in overtime. The Friars are 9-4 ATS the past 13 times on the road when playing an opponent with an above .600 home record. Providence has defeated St. John's in six of the last seven meetings, including the past three. The Red Storm are 0-4 ATS the last four times they have hosted Providence.
02-08-19	Bucks -7.5 v. Mavs	Top	122-107	Win	100	19 h 36 m	Show
Maybe the oddsmaker doesn't quite realize how strong the Bucks are and how weak the Mavericks have become. Because this opening line is way short in my view. It's Milwaukee, not Golden State, that has the best record in the NBA at 40-13. The Bucks rank either first, second or third in points per game, rebounding, field goal percentage and 3-pointers. They are 15-5-1 ATS in their last 21 games. The teams met recently - Jan. 21 - with the Bucks winning, 116-106, at home. Since then, the Mavericks have traded four of their top five players. Gone are DeAndre Jordan, Wesley Matthews, Harrison Barnes and Dennis Smith Jr. Dallas is left with Luka Doncic and a bunch of lottery-type players. The Bucks will have at least four of the five best players on the court in Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Malcolm Brodon and Eric Bledsoe. Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle is left trying to sift out the garbage. It's going to take him a while to figure out his rotation and the Bucks are not the opponent to experiment on. This is a kill spot for the Bucks given how well they are playing, five consecutive victories all by double-digits, and how bad and vulnerable the Mavericks are now the day after the trade deadline.
02-08-19	Princeton +8 v. Yale		60-74	Loss	-106	4 h 53 m	Show
I see excellent value here with Princeton. The Tigers have won seven in a row while covering in their last five games. They are 20-8-1 ATS following a victory. Yale is strong, too. But the Bulldogs can be vulnerable defensively. I prefer Princeton's defense. I'm expecting a slow pace, which is a plus, too, for an underdog taking this many points. The Tigers are giving up only 55.5 points per game in Ivy League play this season.
02-07-19	Spurs +6 v. Blazers		118-127	Loss	-105	8 h 20 m	Show
I am a buyer at this number. Too much value on the Spurs, who are in stop-the-pain mode after opening their annual rodeo road trip with blowout losses to the Kings and Warriors last night. LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan, the Spurs' two best players, were rested against the Warriors. I expect them to produce strong efforts against Portland. The Spurs are 9-2-1 ATS following a loss and Gregg Popovich is really stressing defense for this game after not being pleased with the Spurs' effort against Golden State. Only once in their past five meetings with the Trail Blazers have the Spurs lost against the spread.
02-07-19	Hawaii +1 v. Long Beach State	Top	77-70	Win	100	21 h 33 m	Show
I'm usually attracted to the superior team in a pick or underdog spot. That's what we have here with Hawaii against Long Beach State. Hawaii is 4-3 in the Big West Conference. The Warriors are in must-win mode being 2 1/2 games out of first place. They are ranked 189th in the highly respected Ken Pom ratings. Long Beach State is 2-5 in the Big West with five consecutive losses. The 49ers are ranked 37 spots behind Hawaii by Ken Pom. The Warriors are surrendering 15 fewer points per game than the 49ers during the past five games. The two teams just met last Thursday and Hawaii was a 9 1/2-point home favorite. The Warriors shot 41.7 percent from the floor, missed 21 of 28 3-pointers and shot five fewer free throws yet still easily won, 74-57. So what has caused around a 10-point difference in the line? Well Hawaii is leaving the island following a 75-54 home loss to Santa Barbara as 3-point favorites, but that's not nearly worth that many points. The Warriors are 5-2 ATS in their last seven road games, 8-2 ATS in their last 10 road games following three or more straight home games and 9-1 ATS in their last 10 matchups versus a sub .500 opponent. Long Beach State is just 3-7 ATS in its past 10 games against foes with winning records.
02-06-19	Oklahoma State v. TCU UNDER 142	Top	68-70	Win	100	12 h 10 m	Show
TCU is one of those good home, bad road teams. The Horned Frogs are home here and primed for a strong game epecially defensively. TCU coach Jamie Dixon is really stressing defense following his team's embarrassing 90-64 road loss to Baylor this past Saturday. That was the Horned Frogs' worst loss since Dixon became their coach in 2016. TCU has held its last three home opponents to an average of 59.3 points a game. The Horned Frogs allowed their past two opponents - Baylor and Texas Tech - to make 24 of 49 3-point shots for 49 percent. Both of those games were on the road. Despite that, the Horned Frogs still rank 26th in the nation in 3-point defensive percentage and were leading the Big 12 in 3-point defense prior to those games. Oklahoma State leads the Big 12 in 3-point shooting. But I see the Horned Frogs really clamping down on the Cowboys. Oklahoma State is averaging just 62.7 points in its last four games. The Cowboys, though, rank 64th in defensive field goal percentage. They have slowed down their pace, too, from earlier in the season, which is a strong plus for the Under.
02-06-19	George Mason -117 v. Richmond		67-81	Loss	-117	10 h 40 m	Show
Look for George Mason to bounce back against Richmond. The Patriots had a five-game win streak snapped by VCU this past Saturday. The Patriots are tied for second in the Atlantic 10 with a 7-2 mark. They are 6-1 ATS in their past seven road games. Richmond is 2-7 in conference. The Spiders are 1-5 SU and ATS in their last six games. They have failed to cover in their past four home contests and have played much worse since losing guard Nick Sherod in late November. Richmond averages fewer than 70 points a game. George Mason ranks 89th in scoring defense.
02-05-19	Valparaiso +8 v. Illinois State		69-53	Win	100	11 h 48 m	Show
Taking points often is the way to go in the defensive-minded Missouri Valley Conference. Valparaiso gives up five fewer points per game than Illinois State and draws the Redbirds in a flat spot. Illinois State just beat Loyola of Chicago in front of a sell-out home crowd on Saturday in a first place conference showdown. Valparaiso is in stop-the-pain mode, strong defensively while the Redbirds are just average offensively. If the Crusaders can't pull the outright upset they should be able to hang around and get the cover.
02-05-19	Lakers -3 v. Pacers	Top	94-136	Loss	-115	11 h 44 m	Show
LeBron. That's the short answer as to why Lakers in this game. LeBron James is set to play in his second game back from injury after missing the Lakers' 115-101 road loss to the Warriors on Saturday. The Lakers are a fractured team right now. James can pull them through. LA has much tougher games on deck in this road trip meeting the Celtics and 76ers in its next two games. The Pacers carry a much higher fatigue rating than the Lakers. They just finished a four-game, six-day road swing that concluded with a 109-107 win against the Pelicans last night. That victory followed a win against the Heat on Saturday. Indiana was 0-4 since losing its leading scorer and top player, Victor Oladipo, with a knee injury for the season before those victories. Oladipo didn't play either when the teams met in the first meeting this season. James did and scored 38 points in the Lakers' 104-96 win.
02-04-19	Spurs -120 v. Kings		112-127	Loss	-120	22 h 48 m	Show
Sacramento is much improved this season as a number of its younger players have stepped up. The Kings have become a playoff contender. But they are not quite good enough to be a playoff team in the loaded Western Conference. They are at least one level behind the Spurs. The Kings are 3-9 ATS the past 12 times when taking on an above .500 foe. San Antonio embarks on its annual rodeo road trip riding a five-game win streak. LaMarcus Aldridge is having a huge season. Rudy Gay is playing well since returning from a wrist injury and DeMar DeRozan is back from injury. Those three reliable pros give the Spurs a veteran edge on the youthful Kings. Not only are the Spurs putting a huge emphasis on starting their eight-game road trip with a victory, but they have revenge motivation. The Kings beat the Spurs, 104-99, at home on Nov. 12. San Antonio had won the previous 14 games against the Kings. The Spurs have covered 73 percent of their last 16 games in Sacramento. The Spurs are the better team, have motivation and the price is right to back them.
02-04-19	Louisville +4 v. Virginia Tech		72-64	Win	100	20 h 54 m	Show
Chris Mack is a great coach and I expect Louisville to put forth a maximum effort following Saturday's 79-69 home loss to North Carolina. There is no shame in losing to North Carolina. There is shame, though, in how meekly the Cardinals went down to defeat. Louisville is 8-1-1 ATS following a point spread loss. The Cardinals also have covered in six of their past seven road contests. Until falling to the Tar Heels, the Cardinals had won six straight Atlantic Coast Conference games, winning those games by an average of 18 points. So maybe they were due for a flat performance. I don't expect a second bad game in a row. Virginia Tech is coming off a bizarre 47-24 road victory against North Carolina State on Saturday. The Hokies only hit 36 percent of their shots, but still won by 23 points. Virginia Tech got away with not having senior point guard Justin Robinson against the frigid-shooting Wolfpack. But the absence of Robinson, who is out with an ankle injury, could really hurt the Hokies versus the Cardinals. Robinson is Virginia Tech's second-leading scorer and leads the team in assists.