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NCAA Basketball Archive
Date	Match Up	Rating	Score	Result	Profit	Lead Time	Analysis
02-08-21	Nebraska v. Minnesota -11.5	Top	61-79	Win	100	16 h 26 m	Show
Nebraska has lost 23 straight Big Ten Conference games. Don't expect that streak to end here. Not at Minnesota. The Cornhuskers played for the first time since Jan. 10 because of COVID issues this past Saturday and lost, 66-56, at Michigan State. The obviously rusty Cornhuskers shot just 36.2 percent from the floor and 17.6 percent from 3-point territory. Minnesota is 0-6 on the road, but 11-1 at home. The Gophers have covered six of their last seven home contests. One of their home victories was 81-56 against Michigan State, which just defeated Nebraska.
02-05-21	California Baptist +10.5 v. New Mexico State	Top	85-75	Win	100	17 h 17 m	Show
This line is way off in my view. New Mexico State will be fortunate to beat Cal-Baptiste, which has a better record than the Lobos and far more firepower. Yes, New Mexico State is home and getting close to full strength. But the Lobos are one of the weaker teams in the Western Athletic Conference seeking their first league win. Their home games are being played in a high school gym in El Paso with no spectators allowed. El Paso is 46 miles from Las Cruces, which is where New Mexico State is located. So the Lobos really don't have a home-court edge. Cal-Baptiste leagues the WAC in scoring at 83.5 points. The Lancers have two excellent outside shooters in Ty Rowell and Reed Nottage. They've helped the Lancers rank eighth in the nation in 3-point shooting at 39.9 percent. The Lancers do a good job moving the ball around, too, ranking No. 2 in the country in assist percentage on made field goals and they have a very good rim protector in 6-foot-11 Gorjok Gak. He averages nearly 11 rebounds and two blocks per game, while shooting better than 61 percent from the floor. New Mexico State has been held to fewer than 64 points in three of its last four games. The Lancers had won five in a row until suffering a 79-75 home upset loss to Dixie State this past Saturday. I expect Cal-Baptiste to bounce back in strong fashion. The Lancers haven't had two straight non-covers all season. They also have covered 13 of their last 17 road games.
02-04-21	Colorado State v. Wyoming +8.5	Top	74-72	Win	100	17 h 45 m	Show
This has been a huge underdog series with the favorite being just 1-8-1 ATS during the past 10 meetings. I see that trend continuing here. Wyoming averages more points than Colorado State and the Rams defense has shown signs of slippage lately giving up 76 or more points in three of their last four games. The Cowboys were impressive in their last two games defeating Nevada twice, winning by five and seven points.
02-03-21	Fordham v. Massachusetts -13	Top	54-60	Loss	-105	15 h 13 m	Show
Fordham was the preseason pick to finish as the worst team in the Atlantic 10. The Rams haven't disappointed. They are 1-8 and rank fourth-from-the-bottom in scoring nation-wide averaging 51.2 points. UMass, which is 5-4, averages nearly 30 more points per game than the Rams. The Minutemen have a huge talent edge with one of the top players in the conference, Tre Mitchell. The teams met at Fordham on Jan. 17 and UMass won handily, 65-49. Now the Minutemen catch Fordham at home where they are 20-6-1 ATS the past 27 times. So UMass should romp again. It's not just having destroyed Fordham earlier on the road either. Compare how these teams fared against LaSalle. UMass beat the Explorers twice by 19 and 16 points, respectively. Fordham lost to LaSalle by 27 points.
02-02-21	USC -2 v. Stanford	Top	72-66	Win	100	18 h 8 m	Show
Stanford has the Pac-12's leading scorer, Oscar da Silva. But USC has star 7-foot center Evan Mobley and a much stronger bench. This could factor since the Cardinal have been without three starters - Daejon Davis, Bryce Willis and Ziaire Williams - during the past three games. Those are their No. 2, 4 and 5 scoring leaders. Mobley leads the Pac-12 in rebounding and blocked shots. He's a probable top-three NBA draft pick if he decides to leave USC at the end of the season. A key for the Trojans is that they've been able to get in some much needed practice time and rest having played only twice since Jan. 20. Their last game was this past Thursday when they beat Oregon State, 75-62, as 12 1/2-point home favorites. USC should be primed as it goes on the road. The Trojans have covered nine of their last 12 away matchups.
01-27-21	Utah State -6 v. UNLV	Top	83-74	Win	100	17 h 2 m	Show
Utah State has the second-best league record in the Mountain West Conference at 9-2. The Aggies have covered nine of their past 11 games. But one of those losses and non-covers occurred two days ago against UNLV. The Aggies didn't play well and lost, 59-56, as six-point road favorites to the Rebels. Now Utah State has rapid revenge. UNLV has a short bench. The Rebels primarily use just six players. They had four players log 34 minutes or more in their Monday victory against Utah State. The Aggies should dominate the boards with 7-footer Neemius Queta, one of the best defensive centers in the country. Utah State ranks 15th in the country in defense holding foes to 61 points a game. Neither team shot well on Monday. But the Aggies' numbers were stunningly bad - 33 percent from the floor and just 5-of-22 from 3-point range. UNLV, by contrast, hit 13 of 30 3-pointers. Expect Utah State to play much better.
01-22-21	San Diego State v. Air Force UNDER 127.5	Top	98-61	Loss	-110	20 h 8 m	Show
Not only are these two defensive-minded teams, but they also rank first and second in terms of slowest pace in the Mountain West Conference. San Diego State is an upper tier defensive team ranking 12th in the country, giving up 60.7 points per game. Air Force ranks among the bottom teams scoring-wise at 58.9 points. The Falcons have failed to reach 60 points in four of their last six games. They rate 342nd in the nation in scoring. Air Force catches a break in that San Diego State won't have their leading scorer, senior Matt Mitchell. He has a knee injury and won't play for at least another week. MItchell averages 15.3 points, the only Aztec player to average more than 13 points. MItchell had played in 114 out of a possible 114 games for the Aztecs before his injury. His likely replacement is Keshad Johnson, who recently returned from a shoulder injury and averages only 3.2 points. There are several pertinent Under trends that dovetail together - The Under is 7-1 the last eight times San Diego State has played a sub .500 opponent and the Under is 22-7 the past 29 times Air Force has met a team with a winning record.
01-19-21	Seton Hall +10 v. Villanova	Top	74-76	Win	100	14 h 56 m	Show
Seton Hall hasn't played since defeating DePaul 10 days ago. But that's nothing compared to Villanova. The Wildcats haven't seen action in 27 days due to COVID-19. Villanova only was able to start practicing a few days ago and then for a limited time. They have several players questionable for this game, including fourth-leading scorer, guard Caleb Daniels. It would be somewhat surprising if the Wildcats weren't at least somewhat rusty. The Pirates have been turning it up winning eight of their last 10 games. They have the frontcourt to hang against Villanova with Sandro Mamukelashvili and Tyrese Samuel. Seton Hall has proven itself on the road posting upset wins against Penn State, Marquette and Xavier. Villanova has only covered one of its last eight home games.
01-15-21	Bowling Green +4.5 v. Buffalo	Top	76-69	Win	100	13 h 42 m	Show
I'm surprised the line is this high as Bowling Green was the preseason pick to win the Mid-American Conference this season. I think the oddsmaker is underrating the Falcons based on them coming off an 88-64 home loss to Ball State this past Tuesday and Buffalo having defeated Bowling Green eight of the last nine times at home. Spectators haven't been allowed in Buffalo home games this season so that knocks down some of the Bulls' home-court edge. Bowling Green should be in bounce back mode. The Falcons had won their first five MAC games. They probably have the conference's top player, senior guard Justin Turner. He scored 33 points when Bowling Green defeated Buffalo, 86-78, back on Dec. 6.
01-13-21	Tulsa +4.5 v. Wichita State	Top	53-72	Loss	-110	15 h 50 m	Show
Wichita State defeated Tulsa, 69-65, as a short road underdog a month ago. Tulsa wasn't playing that well back in mid-December breaking in new players and coming off a 10-day layoff caused by COVID-19. Tulsa had only one day of practice before that game and was out of sync. That was back then. Since that defeat to Wichita State, the Golden Hurricane have won six in a row covering all five of their lined games during this span. Tulsa has defeated four opponents picked to finish above them in the American Athletic Conference preseason poll. Tulsa is 3-0 in road games and has had a week to rest and prepare for this revenge matchup after its scheduled home game this past Saturday against Central Florida was postponed because of COVID issues on the UCF team. The Golden Hurricane have caused scoring problems for foes with their matchup zone defense. Only 13 teams give up fewer points per game than Tulsa, which also ranks fourth in the nation in defensive field goal percentage. Wichita State is not a good shooting team. The Shockers rank 290th in field goal percentage at 40.8 percent and are 224th in free throw percentage at 68.5 percent.
01-12-21	Cal-Riverside +15 v. USC	Top	62-67	Win	100	13 h 9 m	Show
Cal-Riverside is good enough to hang in against USC especially with the Trojans banged-up in the backcourt and in a flat spot. USC has played four straight Pac-12 games. This is its only remaining non-league regular season game. The Trojans just returned home after a satisfying Arizona trip beating Arizona this past Thursday and Arizona State this past Saturday. Letting down against a Big West Conference team is a real possibility for USC. Riverside has decent size and will play slow. The Highlanders should have plenty of energy and motivation stepping up in class. This is just their third game since Dec. 10. Riverside surrendered 88 points to Hawaii this past Friday. However, that was the Highlanders' first game in nearly a month. If you discount that matchup, the Highlanders are giving up an average of 57.8 points in their other five games. They own a 57-42 victory over Washington, a Pac-12 team, on a neutral court.
01-08-21	Central Connecticut State v. Bryant -12.5	Top	64-76	Loss	-108	6 h 46 m	Show
Bryant buried Central Connecticut State on Thursday, 93-68. That score wasn't some fluke. Bryant is far superior. This class difference showed up on the boards and on the scoreboard. The Bulldogs put up 93 points, which is no big deal. They average 92.3 points per game, which is third-best in the nation. They have by far the best record in the Northeast Conference at 8-2, going 8-1 ATEarn a tidy profit before even sitting down for Friday dinner courtesy of basketball guru Stephen Nover, who was 2-0 on his Thursday college basketball plays pushing his three-year CBB mark to 146-105-5! Stephen has feasted on mispriced small conference matchups just like this one. This is his strongest small conference early-game play this season - and it's specially discounted! So take advantage and score a big reward. S in their lined games. CCS is 2-6-1 ATS in its last nine tries as an underdog. The Blue Devils average 18 fewer points per game than Bryant.
01-07-21	Idaho State v. Northern Arizona OVER 132.5	Top	73-69	Win	100	10 h 15 m	Show
The Big Sky Conference and defense are words that don't go together. The Over often is the way to look in Big Sky games and this matchup is no exception. Both teams are playing better and more offensive-minded rather than defensive-minded. Idaho State is averaging 84.2 points in its last four games. Northern Arizona has a decent scoring backcourt with Cameron Shelton, one of the better players in the Big Sky, and Luke Advadalovic averaging a combined 32 points per game. The Lumberjacks are averaging 81.5 points in their last two games. The combined total in two regular season meetings between these teams last season was 149 points.
01-05-21	Florida +2.5 v. Alabama	Top	71-86	Loss	-101	13 h 13 m	Show
The last time I got involved in a Florida basketball game was taking 3 points with the Gators on the road against Florida State back on Dec. 12. Things looked good for Florida early. The Gators were leading the Seminoles, 11-3, when Florida State called a time-out. It was at that point Keyontae Johnson, the Gators' star player and preseason pick for SEC Player of the Year honors, collapsed on the court. The Gators obviously were shaken as Johnson was taken to the hospital. They went on to lose, 83-71. Johnson was hospitalized for 10 days. Florida postponed its next four games. Johnson is back with the Gators, although he's not playing. He's helping coach the team. The Gators have played twice since Johnson's collapse beating Vanderbilt, 90-72, on the road and nipped LSU, 83-79, at home this past Saturday. So Florida knows first-hand about adversity this season. The Gators have regained their focus. They can beat Alabama on the road. The Crimson Tide are coming off a huge road win against seventh-ranked Tennessee from this past Saturday night. Alabama beat Tennessee, 71-63, as 10 1/2-point 'dogs. It was the Crimson Tide's first road victory versus a top-10 team in 16 years. So there could be a letdown factor for Alabama even though this is an important SEC battle.
01-02-21	Marshall -115 v. Louisiana Tech	Top	80-73	Win	100	8 h 19 m	Show
I see Marshall getting revenge on Louisiana Tech after losing, 75-68, to the Bulldogs on New Year's Day. The Thunder Herd shot just 39 percent from the floor and connected on 10 of 15 free throws for 67 percent. Marshall shoots 76 percent for the season from the foul line, which ranks 34th. Louisiana Tech, by contrast, sank 47 percent of its field goals and got to shoot 11 more free throws than Marshall. Marshall has a size edge on Louisiana Tech and has covered seven of its last 11 games. The Thunder Herd outscore the Bulldogs by six points on the season.
12-30-20	Portland +4.5 v. Seattle University	Top	68-84	Loss	-105	17 h 56 m	Show
Seattle beat Portland in its season opener coming back from an eight-point halftime deficit. Portland was a 2 1/2-point home favorite in that game. The oddsmaker had it right. The Pilots are the better team. I believe the Pilots still are the superior team. They've gone 6-1 since that loss and have played a stronger schedule than Seattle. The Redhawks are 5-5 and have only two wins versus Division I teams - against Portland and Air Force. The difference could come at the free throw line where Portland ranks 20th in the nation sinking 77.8 percent. Seattle makes less than 69 percent of its free throws.
12-28-20	NJIT +12 v. Vermont	Top	81-80	Win	100	3 h 15 m	Show
I'm attracted to the underdog in this America East Conference matchup. The teams just played each other on Sunday and Vermont won, 92-78. So this is the shortest of revenge spots for NJIT. The Highlanders have the best player on the court in Zach Cooks. He made just 7 of 18 shots from the field, though, on Sunday. I expect the Highlanders to shoot better as a team and for Vermont to shoot much worse. Each team averages 73 points a game. NJIT made just 36 percent of its field goal attempts and was 6-of-25 from 3-point range in yesterday's game, while Vermont hit 56 percent of its shots from the floor and made 12 of 23 3-pointers. I see the rematch being much closer.
12-26-20	Robert Morris +3.5 v. IUPU Ft Wayne	Top	102-88	Win	100	13 h 2 m	Show
I'm not buying Purdue Fort Wayne being better than Robert Brown. The Mastodons have failed to cover the last six times they've been a home favorite and home-court doesn't mean as much this season with limited or no fans in the stands. Robert Morris went 20-14 last season while capturing the NEC championship. The Colonials could have the best player on the court in AJ Bramah, who averages 18.7 points and seven rebounds a game. The Colonials have covered six of the last seven times they've been an underdog.
12-23-20	New Mexico v. Boise State UNDER 141	Top	52-89	Push	0	17 h 32 m	Show
Boise State is going to factor in the Mountain West Conference and it's because of defense. Only 20 teams yield fewer points per game than the Broncos, who are holding foes to 59 points. The Broncos just beat New Mexico, 77-53, on Monday. The Lobos had scored 72, 104 and 90 during their previous three games although that came against extremely weak competition. But it's not just New Mexico. In its previous two games, Boise State held BYU eight points under its scoring average and kept Weber State 21 points under its scoring average. Defense should prevail again in this quick rematch since the teams are familiar with each other. New Mexico heavily relies upon Makuach Maluach, who averages 17 points. The Broncos held him to 13 points on 41.7 percent shooting. The Lobos lack any other consistent scorers. The Lobos are not a quick pace team so that's another plus for the Under. The Under is 6-0-1 in the Lobos' last seven games. Boise State has been a big Under team, too, with 12 of its last 15 games going below the total, including the last six at home.
12-21-20	Murray State -3 v. Austin Peay	Top	70-74	Loss	-110	17 h 35 m	Show
The teams played against each other two weeks ago and Murray State won, 87-57, as 3 1/2-point home favorites. The Racers have dominated this series winning eight of the past nine times. They are 8-1-1 ATS in the past 10 meetings against Austin Peay. Murray State averages 18 more points per game than the Governors. Austin Peay has been one of the worst point spread teams going 2-13-1 ATS the past 16 times, including 1-6-1 ATS in its last eight home games. The Racers have too much offense again for Austin Peay. The price is cheap to back them.
12-18-20	Weber State v. Portland State OVER 147.5	Top	94-66	Win	100	15 h 43 m	Show
Neither team was sharp offensively in their last game. Weber State scored just 59 points in an 11-point road loss to Boise State. Portland State suffered a nine-point road defeat to Washington State scoring only 60 points. I expect both Weber State and Portland State to score far more points than it did in those games as each is stepping down in class in this Big Sky Conference matchup. Weber State has a high-scoring guard , Isiah Brown. He's averaging 24.3 points. The Wildcats scored 88 and 85 points, respectively, in their first two games against lesser competition before running into Boise State. The Over has cashed in 12 of Weber State's last 16 games following a loss. Portland State produced 88 points in its last game versus a weaker foe before it met Washington State. The Vikings have gone Over in eight of their last nine home contests.
12-16-20	Samford -120 v. Troy State	Top	71-79	Loss	-120	17 h 21 m	Show
Samford has gotten my attention with its last two games. The Bulldogs upset Belmont, 96-83, as 17 1/2-point road 'dogs and hung in against Georgia, in a 79-75 defeat, as 18-point road 'dogs despite not shooting well from the floor. Troy has played far easier competition in its last two games. Samford is far more explosive than the Trojans averaging 30 more points per game. This is a step down game for Samford and a step up game for Troy. The point spread is ripe to get involved with Samford.
12-14-20	Longwood +3.5 v. Radford	Top	66-67	Win	105	14 h 22 m	Show
This is the Big South Conference opener for both schools. Longwood is 1-3. Radford is worse at 1-4. I disagree about the Highlanders being favored even though they are home. Radford is 3-7-2 ATS in its last 12 home games. The Highlanders have back only one of their top seven scorers from last season. The Lancers are 6-1 ATS in their past seven road contests and 9-3-1 ATS in their last 13 overall games. Longwood has held three of its first four foes to fewer than 70 points. Freshman guard Justin Hill has looked good for the Lancers. His 6.2 assists per game is second-best in the nation for a freshman. He and Juan Munoz give the Lancers a strong backcourt edge.
12-13-20	Massachusetts -3 v. Northeastern	Top	75-78	Loss	-112	10 h 55 m	Show
These two teams opened their seasons just two days ago facing each other in the front end of a home-and-home series. It was no contest. UMass built a 20-point lead and easily handled Northeastern, 94-79. The Minutemen also defeated Northeastern last season by nine points. Tre Mitchell of UMass was the best player on the court scoring 31 points. The sophomore guard averaged 17.7 points last season. Northeastern is in rebuild mode having lost its two top scorers from last season. The Huskies are 3-12 ATS in their last 15 home games. The Minutemen are ranked 119th in Ken Pomeroy's highly-respected college basketball ratings while the Huskies are placed at 182nd. I see no reason why UMass shouldn't win and cover again in this short turnaround.
12-12-20	Dayton v. Mississippi State UNDER 135	Top	85-82	Loss	-110	11 h 51 m	Show
After opening with three home games, Dayton is playing on the road for the first time. The Flyers have failed to break the 66-point barrier in any of their games going against Eastern Illinois, SMU and Northern Kentucky. SMU ranks 91st in scoring defense, Northern Kentucky rates 170th in scoring defense and Eastern Illinois is 192nd. So it's not like the Flyers have played outstanding defensive opponents. Dayton is committing an average of 18.7 turnovers a game. So this has hampered the Flyers' offense. Mississippi State is the best defensive team the Flyers have faced. The Bulldogs rank 56th in scoring defense. Mississippi State does not play at a fast pace. The Bulldogs lost much of their offense from last season. This game is being played at neutral site Atlanta so that's a plus for the Under, too.
12-11-20	Marquette v. UCLA UNDER 140.5	Top	60-69	Win	100	19 h 49 m	Show
Marquette remains a very good team, but the Golden Eagles are a different kind of good team from last season since they no longer have superstar Markus Howard. Howard led the nation in scoring last season. The Golden Eagles go all the way down from Howard averaging nearly 30 points a game to Koby McEwen, who leads Marquette in scoring at 16.6. The Golden Eagles use more motion offense now with frequent passing that leads to a balanced attack and takes time off the clock. The result is they've dropped 81 spots in terms of tempo ranking 141st in pace. Marquette has played five games. This is the Golden Eagles' first road road matchup. So I expect them to play even more cautious and deliberate especially given that UCLA is a high-scoring team. The Bruins, however, are stepping up against a much stronger defensive foe than they've encountered. Marquette ranks 17th in defensive field goal percentage. UCLA is talented, too, on the defensive end. The key in accessing the Bruins is their pace. Second-year UCLA coach Mick Cronin wants to take advantage of his team's quality depth by playing up-tempo. So far, though, that hasn't transpired as the Bruins rate among the bottom 20 percent in pace.
12-09-20	Furman +4 v. Cincinnati	Top	73-78	Loss	-110	13 h 22 m	Show
If you go by the highly respected KenPom.com ratings you'll see that Cincinnati is ranked 63rd and Furman right behind the Bearcats at 64. The Paladins are favored to win the Southern Conference. They have played only low-major opponents so far, but the results have been impressive: 4-0 with an average victory margin of 31.2 points. Furman had one of the 100 most efficient offenses in the country last season. The Paladins were among the top 10 best mid-majors in the country. So this isn't going to be an easy opponent for Cincinnati, especially given that the 1-1 Bearcats aren't playing well defensively and don't have a set rotation. This quote from Cincinnati coach John Brannen is telling: "I'm really learning our team," Brannen said following the Bearcats' 77-69 loss to Xavier this past Sunday. "We don't have a rotation yet. Those are things that we're learning." Furman guard Mike Bothwell is playing at a very high level averaging nearly 22 points a game. The Paladins have covered five of their last six road games. The Bearcats are 0-7 ATS at home going back to last season and 1-6 ATS after not covering in their previous game.
12-08-20	Green Bay v. Marquette UNDER 153.5	Top	68-82	Win	100	15 h 5 m	Show
Marquette is learning to adjust to life post Markus Howard, who was the leading college basketball scorer last season averaging 27.8 points. The Golden Eagles' leading scorer so far this season is Koby McEwan at 13.8. The Golden Eagles are more defensive-minded and passing the ball more now that they no longer have superstar Howard. Green Bay is likely to slow the pace, which will be OK with Marquette. The Phoenix averaged just 55.5 points in losses to Minnesota and Wisconsin.
12-07-20	Hampton v. Norfolk State UNDER 147	Top	64-76	Win	100	15 h 50 m	Show
My first look in rivalry matchups such as this is to the Under. The more I study this game the clearer it becomes that Under is the right play. Hampton is down four of its top six scorers from last season, including Jermaine Morrow and Ben Stanley. Those two combined to average nearly 47 points a game. The Pirates like to play inside to their strength. That means more of a half-court game and slower pace. Norfolk State usually is one of the top defensive teams in the Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference. Defense, not offense, is the Spartans' calling card. The teams met last season and Hampton won, 64-53, at home. That game went Under by 25 1/2 points.
12-05-20	South Carolina v. Houston UNDER 140.5	Top	67-77	Loss	-110	14 h 56 m	Show
Only five teams have surrendered fewer points per game than Houston. The 3-0 Cougars have held their foes to 52 points on 36.7 percent shooting from the floor while forcing nearly 18 turnovers per game. Houston has become much more of a half-court team slowing down pace. That has factored into the Cougars' strong defensive showing. South Carolina has been slow to begin the season without getting to play any exhibition games. The Gamecocks are averaging 65.5 points in losing 78-62 to Liberty and beating Tulsa, 69-58. The Gamecocks are better on defense than they are on offense. Games played at Houston historically are lower-scoring than projected. The Under is 21-7-1 in the Cougars' last 29 home contests.
12-04-20	Oregon v. Seton Hall +3	Top	83-70	Loss	-103	13 h 23 m	Show
Oregon may have the higher ceiling, but right now these teams are very even. I consider this a pick''em type game so I'll gladly accept points with the underdog Pirates. This game is at neutral site Omaha, Neb. The Pirates have covered a highly impressive 81 percent of their last 22 neutral site games. Due to COVID-19 issues, Oregon has been able to play only one game. The Ducks' opener against Eastern Washington was postponed. Oregon is breaking in four new starters. The Ducks are without Will Richardson, one of their best players. He's out with a thumb injury. So Oregon really needs to get into action. Seton Hall already is battle tested. The Pirates defeated Iona, but lost 71-70 to Louisville as a 5-point 'dog and fell 76-63 to Rhode Island.
12-02-20	Oregon State v. Washington State UNDER 139	Top	55-59	Win	100	20 h 6 m	Show
Neither Oregon State nor Washington State is expected to be much of a factor in the Pac-12 this season. So far so good, though, as each team is 2-0. Both teams have been winning with defense and slowing the ball down. I'm expecting a half-court type game here with plenty of defensive intensity. Oregon State opened its season defeating California, 71-63, and then buried overmatched NAIA opponent Northwest, 114-42, this past Friday. That was the Beavers' highest-scoring game in 33 years. It also skews their statistics. Their offense isn't as efficient this season minus Tres Tinkle. Washington State opened with a 56-52 victory against Texas Southern. That game went Under by 36 points. The Cougars followed up that impressive defensive effort with a 71-68 victory against offensively-talented Eastern Washington this past Saturday. That game also went Under. Lack of practice time and games being cancelled have slowed down some offenses. Here's a telling quote from Cougars coach Kyle Smith. "It's just an odd (feeling)," Smith was quoted as saying. "The scores in these games are going to be different to where you should be come January."
12-01-20	Kentucky v. Kansas -4.5	Top	62-65	Loss	-110	17 h 37 m	Show
Both teams are replacing key players. But Kansas' rebuild job is further along and far less daunting than Kentucky's. The Wildcats are likely to get better as the season progresses, but right now they are extremely inexperienced and not ready for an opponent the caliber of Kansas. Kentucky, starting four freshmen, was exposed by Richmond two days ago losing, 76-64, as 6 1/2-point favorites. The Wildcats were 0-for-10 from 3-point range and committed 21 turnovers. Keion Brooks Jr. is Kentucky's only returning starter and he has a leg injury. The Wildcats have missed 18 of 26 3-pointers on the season. Kansas had a good test in its opener falling, 102-90, to top-ranked Gonzaga. The Jayhawks rebounded to beat Saint Joseph's, 94-72, this past Friday. Kansas showed good depth in that game. Christian Braun and redshirt freshman point guard Dajuan Harris were sharp in that game. The Jayhawk are ahead of the Wildcats right now. Kansas has shown offensive efficiency while Kentucky's defense and outside shooting have not been impressive.
11-28-20	Loyola Marymount v. Minnesota OVER 143	Top	73-88	Win	100	15 h 43 m	Show
Minnesota is going to be a higher scoring team this season. The Gophers have more players who can effectively score and they are playing at a very up-tempo pace. That was evident in Minnesota's first game, a 99-69 win against Green Bay. The Gophers nearly hit the century mark despite missing 27 of 34 shots from 3-point range. Loyola Marymount showed under new coach Stan Johnson that it will be playing much faster, too. The Lions nipped Southern Utah, 85-83, in their opener. A major takeaway from that game was the number of possessions, it exceeded any of the Lions' games from last season. This is just the fourth day of the college basketball season and the oddsmaker hasn't caught up to these two teams yet setting this total too low.
11-26-20	Utah State v. South Dakota State +2.5	Top	59-83	Win	100	9 h 49 m	Show
Utah State lost, 85-69, to Virginia Commonweath as a short favorite on Wednesday in its first round game in the Crosscover Classic in Sioux Falls, S.D. It was the fourth straight time the Aggies have failed to cover laying points. Utah State has a lot of inexperience this season. Aggies coach Craig Smith is using the early part of the season to experiment and get playing time for his inexperienced team of which nine members enter the season having never played a minute for the Aggies. So there is a huge unknown quality to Utah State. Not so with South Dakota State. The Jackrabbits have been one of the best spread teams in the country covering 20 of their last 26, including losing 79-71, to West Virginia as 11-point 'dogs in their first game of the tournament on Wednesday. The Jackrabbits were hanging tough trailing by four points during the second half, but could not get closer. They have covered six of the last eight times as a 'dog.
11-25-20	Eastern Illinois +19.5 v. Wisconsin	Top	67-77	Win	100	13 h 8 m	Show
Wisconsin should be very good again this season returning nearly its entire rotation from its 21-10 team of last season. The Badgers, though, needed a late 15-0 run to beat Eastern Illinois, 65-52, last season. The Panthers had kept the game close trailing by just 46-43 with less than nine minutes remaining. Eastern Illinois went 17-15 last season and returns its top seven scorers, including Josiah Wallace. He was the fifth-leading scorer in the Ohio Valley Conference last season averaging 19.6 points.
03-11-20	Kansas State v. TCU -1.5	Top	53-49	Loss	-109	16 h 43 m	Show
TCU was 2-0 versus Kansas State during the regular season. I don't see that pattern changing in their Big 12 Conferernce Tournament game. The Horned Frogs have played better down the stretch even defeating Baylor three games ago. TCU has a chance to draw an NIT bid with a good tournament showing. Kansas State is not going anywhere with a 10-21 record, 3-15 mark in the Big 12. The Wildcats actually are a little fat and happy having halted a 10-game losing streak with a 79-63 home win against Iowa State this past Saturday on their senior day. TCU is the better and more motivated squad. The Horned Frogs also have revenge incentive. Kansas State defeated them, 70-61, in the Big 12 Tournament last year.
03-09-20	Coastal Carolina +5 v. Appalachian State	Top	65-70	Push	0	11 h 40 m	Show
Coastal Carolina averages nearly 10 more points per game than Appalachian State. That showed when the teams last met 10 days ago at Appalachian State. The Chanticleers won, 84-77, as 4-point road 'dogs. The Chanticleers average nearly 80 points on the road. The Mountaineers are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 home agmes and 1-8 ATS the past nine times when favored. I really like Coastal Carolina point guard DeVante Jones. I also like the way the Chanticleers stepped up defensively in their last game nipping Texas-Arlington, 63-62, as 5.5-point road 'dogs in their first round Sun Belt Conference Tournament game this past Saturday. The Mountaineers have short revenge, but Coast Carolina certainly isn't going to lack incentive knowing it needs to win this Sun Belt Conference Tourney to qualify for the NCAA Tournament.
03-08-20	North Dakota v. South Dakota UNDER 154.5	Top	74-71	Win	100	15 h 56 m	Show
South Dakota won both games from North Dakota during the regular season shooting better than 50 percent combined from the floor during the two games. The Coyotes beat North Dakota, 77-67, at home on Feb. 29 and on the road, 82-68, on Feb. 8. It's important to note that the combined total of those two games was 144 and 150 despite South Dakota's hot shooting. Both of those final numbers are less than what this total opened at. I don't expect either team to shoot that well for several reasons. There is going to be a rust factor since neither team has played since that Feb. 29 matchup. This game is at a neutral site in Sioux Falls being the first game of the Summit League Tournament. South Dakota really could be impacted since it relies on its 3-point shooting. North Dakota has had some misleading final scores recently due to overtime games. If you just count regulation, the Fighting Hawks have scored 74 or fewer points in seven of their last eight games.
03-07-20	Penn State -7 v. Northwestern	Top	69-80	Loss	-105	8 h 16 m	Show
Penn State needs to get well and Northwestern is the perfect remedy. The Nittany Lions are in a kill mood after losing four of their last five games, including a 79-71 loss to 17th-ranked Michigan State this past Tuesday. Before meeting the Spartans, the Nittany Lions played at Iowa, hosted Rutgers, played at Indana and hosted Illinois. Now they are dropping way down in class. Northwestern has lost 13 of its last 14 games with its one win during this span coming in overtime against Nebraska when the Cornhuskers missed a mind-boggling 22 of 30 free throws. Each of the Wildcats' last six losses have been by eight or more points. Northwestern is on pace to lose its most Big Ten games in 30 years. The Wildcats are 1-8 ATS in their last nine home games, too. The teams met on Feb. 15 and Penn State had no problem handling Northwestern winning, 77-61.
03-06-20	Austin Peay v. Murray State -113	Top	61-73	Win	100	11 h 25 m	Show
The teams just met on Feb. 29 and Murray State had no trouble this time putting away an opponent. The Racers buried Austin Peay, 75-61, as 4-point home favorites. So I was expecting this line to open a little higher being on a neutral court in this Ohio Valley Conference Tournament being played in Evansville, Ind. Austin Peay has failed to cover in its last three games. The Governors are 4-9 ATS the last 13 times they were an underdog. Murray State, on the other hand, enters this matchup on a three-game win streak while not allowing more than 63 points during its last five games.
03-06-20	Ohio +2 v. Miami-OH	Top	67-65	Win	100	12 h 7 m	Show
Wrong team favored. Ohio buried Miami of Ohio, 77-46, when it hosted the Redhawks on Feb. 8. I don't see anything that has changed now a month later. Miami of Ohio being home doesn't alter that. The Redhawks are 3-7 in their last 10 games, scoring 65 or fewer points in seven of those matchups. They are last in the Mid-American Conference East Division with a 5-12 record. The Bobcats have held eight of their last 10 opponents to 69 points or fewer, while averaging 71.1 points. They are 7-1 ATS in their last eight games. Jason Preston has been hot for the Bobcats scoring at least 18 points in five of his last six games.
03-05-20	Portland v. Santa Clara -7	Top	62-76	Win	100	18 h 1 m	Show
Portland enters tournament play on one of the worst runs in the nation going 0-14 SU, 4-9-1 ATS in its last 14 games. The Pilots have scored 65 or fewer points in nine of their last 11 games. Santa Clara averages 75.8 points a game. Santa Clara buried Portland, 85-61, on the road in the first meeting this season on Feb. 1. Santa Clara hosted the Pilots in a rematch on Feb. 29 and just won by five, 73-68. Portland, a bad shooting team, made 10 of 24 from 3-point range and sank 80 percent of its free throws. The Pilots are a 67.5 percent shooting free throw team. Now the stakes are raised with this being a first-round West Coast Conference Tournament game at neutral site Las Vegas. I don't see Portland being able to stay within single digits this time around.
03-04-20	Florida State v. Notre Dame +2.5	Top	73-71	Win	100	13 h 4 m	Show
I like Notre Dame as a home 'dog in revenge. Florida State nipped the Irish, 85-84, as a 9-point home favorite on Jan. 25. The Seminoles may not be completely recovered from a last-second, 70-69, road loss at Clemson this past Saturday. The Irish need a victory to boost their NCAA Tourney chances. The had won three straight until an 84-73 road loss to Wake Forest on Saturday. Notre Dame has never lost to Florida State at Purcell Pavilion. The Irish give up the fewest turnovers per game and have a huge inside advantage thanks to John Mooney, who is tied with Tim Duncan for the single-season record of 15 double-doubles in ACC competition. This has been a 'dog series, too, with the favorite just 1-5 ATS the last six times.
03-03-20	Cleveland State v. Oakland -7	Top	59-80	Win	100	14 h 9 m	Show
Oakland is home for this first-round Horizon League Conference Tournament matchup. The Golden Grizzlies are peaking winning five of their last six. Their scoring has increased since star guard Rashad Williams returned from injury 13 games ago. Oakland has scored 68 or more points in each of its last 10 games. Cleveland State averages 64.3 points and ranks 329th in KenPom's adjusted offensive efficiency ratings. The Vikings are terrible long-rang shooters, which impacts their ability to come from behind. While Oakland is on the upswing, Cleveland State enters the tournament having lost three of its past four. The Vikings are 0-2 to the Golden Grizzlies this season losing by an average of nine points.
03-02-20	North Carolina A&T -1 v. South Carolina State	Top	76-65	Win	100	15 h 4 m	Show
I have found one college basketball game I like on the Monday board and it comes from the small Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. North Carolina AT&T opened the slightest of favorites against South Carolina State. The Aggies are not a good road team, but they still are superior to South Carolina State. The Aggies rolled past the Bulldogs, 78-63, in the first meeting a month ago despite missing 16 of 19 shots from 3-point range. The Aggies are tied for first in the conference with an 11-3 mark. They are 15-14 overall and have won eight of their last 10. South Carolina State is 11-16 overall and 6-9 in conference. The Aggies hold a huge backcourt edge with Kameron Langley and Ronald Jackson. They have helped the Aggies score 71 or more points in 14 of their last 15 games. I find this a very cheap price to get the much better team.
03-01-20	Florida International +5 v. Charlotte	Top	67-52	Win	100	5 h 9 m	Show
This should be a closely contested game as these two teams are nearly even in the Conference USA standings and playing for tournament seeding. Florida International outscores Charlotte by nearly eight points a game and forces the most turnovers in Conference USA. Turning the ball over is a weakness for Charlotte. The 49ers have scored fewer than 69 points in four of their last six games and are going to have problems scoring inside facing the Panthers' ace shot blocker Osasumwen Osaghae. I also like the Panthers having revenge motivation for a blowout loss suffered to the 49ers on Jan. 25.
02-29-20	Wyoming v. Fresno State OVER 127	Top	55-63	Loss	-105	13 h 47 m	Show
Both offenses have picked up since Fresno State won the first meeting, 65-50, on Jan. 18. The Bulldogs have scored 70 or more points in six of their last eight games. They also have given up 71 points or more in seven of their past 10 games. Wyoming has produced 68 or more points in four of its past five games. The Cowboys have picked up their pace averaging six more possessions per game during their last seven matchups.
02-27-20	Arizona State +4 v. UCLA	Top	72-75	Win	100	16 h 18 m	Show
Arizona State romped past UCLA, 84-66, at home as six-point favorites three weeks ago. The Bruins have gone 5-0 SU, 4-1 ATS since then. But Arizona State also has been playing well winning its past seven games. So I have to get involved taking these points. The Sun Devils can hold their own inside against the Bruins and have top-notch guards in Remy Martin and Alonzo Verge Jr. They both average more than 20 points a game. Martin ranks second in the Pac-12 in scoring while also averaging four assists a game and 1.6 steals.
02-26-20	Bradley -3 v. Illinois State	Top	74-71	Push	0	17 h 17 m	Show
Bradley buried Illinois State, 75-63, as 8 1/2-point favorites on Jan. 22. The Braves accomplished that despite not having their two top scorers, Elijah Childs and Darrell Brown. Both are back for the Braves. It was the fourth straight time Bradley has defeated Illinois State. Illinois State plays better at home and is the host team. However, the Braves are the superior team and the spot sets up well for them. Illinois State is off an upset home win against Drake in their Senior Day game. The Redbirds are fat and happy after that win. They also are locked into the No. 9 seed for the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, which opens next week. Bradley still has a shot at being as high as a No. 2 seed. The Braves rank 27th in the nation in defensive field goal percentage. Illinois State ranks last in the MVC in assist-to-turnover ratio and is ninth in the conference in scoring at 65.8 points. So not only is Bradley much better, but the situation is ripe, too, for the Braves. Considering this, I believe this line is way too short as I expect the Braves to win by double-digits again.
02-22-20	Fresno State v. Nevada -6.5	Top	76-78	Loss	-107	14 h 25 m	Show
Nevada-Reno should keep rolling. The Wolf Pack have won four in a row. Their scoring has taken off as the Wolf Pack have produced 86 or more points in six of their last eight games. The Wolf Pack own a strong home-court edge, too, winning 19 straight Mountain West home contests. They are 11-2 at home this season. Fresno State isn't playing nearly as well, isn't as good as Nevada and is a poor road team. The Bulldogs beat Air Force at home in their last game. However, they were 1-3 in their previous four games before that with the lone victory coming in overtime against a pathetic San Jose State squad. The Bulldogs are 4-9 on the road. They don't have the firepower to hang with the Wolf Pack, who are averaging 77.5 points and rank 12th in the nation in 3-point shooting.
02-20-20	Murray State -4 v. Eastern Illinois	Top	60-63	Loss	-110	14 h 47 m	Show
Eastern Illinois had won four in a row when it played on the road against Murray State on Jan. 30. Murray State beat the Panthers for the fifth straight time, 73-70. Since that loss, Eastern Illinois has gone 1-4 SU and ATS. The Panthers are not playing well like they were at the end of last month. Murray State is 13-2 in its last 15 games. The Racers are tied with Austin Peay on top of the Ohio Valley Conference. They are clearly better than Eastern Illinois, which is 5-9 in conference and has a losing overall record. The Panthers have failed to cover in their last four home games. The superiority of Murray State is illustrated by the KenPom ratings, which have the Racers ranked 153rd in offensive efficiency and 141st in defensive efficiency compared to Eastern Illinois, which is rated 242nd in offensive efficiency and 249th in defensive efficiency.
02-19-20	Valparaiso v. Drake -4	Top	75-77	Loss	-102	15 h 21 m	Show
Drake has a size advantage with 7-footer Liam Robinson and is a very strong 13-1 at home. Valparaiso is just 4-8 on the road. The Crusaders, however, nipped Illinois State, 65-62, on the road in their last game this past Saturday for their second straight victory. Valparaiso hasn't won three Missouri Valley Conference games in a row all season. The Crusaders are averaging 59.7 points in their last four games. Drake has scored a minium of 71 points in six of its last eight games.
02-18-20	Nevada -1.5 v. New Mexico	Top	88-74	Win	100	17 h 7 m	Show
If you toss out a 73-64 road loss to Boise State, Nevada is averaging 89.6 points during its last six games. New Mexico has surrendered 78 or more points in eight of its last 10 games and five of its past six games. The Wolfpack have a backcourt edge with Jalen Harris and Jazz Johnson. Nevada forces a lot of turnovers and New Mexico commits a lot of turnovers. New Mexico lost its low post edge when double/double machine Carlton Bragg was dismissed from the team in mid-January. The Lobos didn't have Bragg when they were slaughtered by Nevada, 96-74, in Reno on Jan. 25. The Wolfpack are ascending while the Lobos are going downhill. New Mexico is 1-5 SU, 2-4 ATS in its last six games. The Wolfpack have won three in a row while covering seven of their last eight.
02-17-20	Iowa State v. Kansas -16	Top	71-91	Win	100	17 h 3 m	Show
Iowa State is real down this season. Poor play on the road and the loss of star guard Tyrese Haliburton for the season are factors the Cyclonces can't overcome. The Cyclones are 0-8 SU, 2-6 ATS in true road games. In their last two road games, they lost by 29 at Oklahoma and by 15 at West Virginia. By comparison, Kansas just trounced Oklahoma by 17 points at home this past Saturday and two games ago defeated West Virginia on the road by nine points. That's a good current comparison showing the difference between Iowa State and Kansas and why I feel confident laying this many points with the Jayhawks. Kansas destroyed Iowa State, 79-53, on the road in the first meeting between the teams, too. The Jayhawks are 10-0 SU, 7-3 ATS since losing to Baylor. They trail the Bears by one game for first place in the Big 12 with six games left to play. So I'm not expecting a letup from Kansas especially after Iowa State beat Kansas in the Big 12 Conference Tournament last season. If there's a letdown it probably would come from Iowa State as the Cyclones are coming off an 81-52 home win against Texas from Saturday.
02-16-20	Memphis +4 v. Connecticut	Top	61-64	Win	100	12 h 56 m	Show
I'm often attracted to the better team receiving points. That's the case here. Memphis is 17-7 and defeated Connecticut, 70-63, at home on Feb. 1. It was the Tigers' fourth straight victory against the Huskies. Despite their excellent record, Memphis has had a number of close losses. The Tigers have lost to Georgia, SMU and South Florida by a combined nine points. They just lost in overtime at Cincinnati in their last game this past Thursday. The Tigers blew a 10-point lead with six minutes left against the Bearcats. The Huskies are 13-11, but are not playing well losing eight of their last 12. The Huskies are going to have problems controlling Memphis' Precious Achiuwa inside.
02-15-20	West Virginia v. Baylor -5	Top	59-70	Win	100	9 h 49 m	Show
I don't see Baylor's 21-game win streak ending at home to West Virginia. The Bears have too much guard depth for the Mountaineer and flexibility with the ability to win playing either slow or fast. West Virginia has scored just 49 and 59 points during its last two games shooting under 32 percent in each. The Bears have held nine of their last 13 opponents to 57 points or fewer. The Mountaineers have lost and failed to cover in each of their last three road contests losing by 10 points to Oklahoma, by eight to Texas Tech and by 16 to Kansas State.
02-14-20	Illinois-Chicago +11 v. Wright State	Top	58-75	Loss	-107	8 h 8 m	Show
Wright State is on top of the Horizon League standings at 11-2, while Illinois-Chicago is 7-6. But that doesn't mean Wright State is strong as a favorite. In fact, the Raiders are most decidedly not going 4-11-1 ATS as favorites of five points or more. Illinois-Chicago is 6-1-1 ATS in its last eight games. The Flames are road tested, too, winning four of their past six away games with the two losses coming by a combined three points. This has been a 'dog series with the underdog covering four of the last five times. That has meant Illinois-Chicago. The Flames have won and covered the past three times versus Wright State, including 76-72 at home this season as six-point 'dogs.
02-14-20	Fairfield +3 v. Marist	Top	57-53	Win	100	17 h 54 m	Show
I have found an underdog spot I like between two lower tier teams from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Fairfield and Marist are two of the lowest-scoring teams in the nation. Fairfield averages 59.7 points. Marist averages 60.7 points. Fairfield has the better defense ranking 45th in the nation in scoring defense. The Stags have gone 7-5 in their last 12 games. They have proven themselves away from home with a neutral floor victory against Texas A&M and road win against Oakland. Marist is 6-15 on the season. The Red Foxes have been favored just twice this season, both times back in November. They lost both of those games straight-up.
02-13-20	Arizona v. California +10	Top	68-52	Loss	-109	16 h 59 m	Show
Arizona is highly talented. The Wildcats also are widely inconsistent and don't play that well on the road where they have failed to cover 10 of the past 14 times. California is a bad road team, but 10-3 at Haas Pavilion. The Golden Bears have covered five in a row at home and own Pac-12 home victories against Washington, Stanford and Oregon State. Point guard Paris Austin has stepped up his play recently for the Bears, who also have been clamping down defensively holding their last six foes to an average of 62.5 points a game. The Wildcats are coming off their worst shooting game of the season, a 65-52 home loss to UCLA this past Saturday. Cal's slow play can frustrate the Wildcats.
02-12-20	Cal-Irvine -4 v. Cal-Riverside	Top	63-59	Push	0	20 h 38 m	Show
Cal Irvine is the best team in the Big West Conference. The Anteaters have covered 68 percent of the time during the past 26 instances they have been favored. I want them going for me in this short point spread range off a loss and against a mediocre UC Riverside squad, who has just one player averaging in double figures. That's Arinze Chidom and he's scores 11.1 points a game. The Anteaters had a four-game win streak snapped by UC Santa Barbara this past Saturday. The Highlanders have lost five of their last seven games. They are 3-8 ATS the past 11 times when taking on an above .500 opponent. They also have failed to cover four of the past five times as a home 'dog. Cal Irvine beat the Highlanders by 16 points when the teams met earlier this season.
02-11-20	Northern Illinois +8 v. Ball State	Top	59-63	Win	100	11 h 19 m	Show
Points really matter here as this figures to be a grind-out type of matchup as evidenced by the total. Northern Illinois has won five in a row. The Huskies have held their past five opponents to an average of 56.2 points a game. Ball State is an inconsistent shooting team and not as good from the foul line as Northern Illinois. The Cardinals have allowed 67 or more points in three of their last five games and are 6-14 ATS the past 20 times when going against foes with a winning record. The Huskies are 9-2 ATS, by contrast, when playing an above .500 opponent. They also have covered in their last five road contests. This has been an underdog series with the 'dog going 5-0-1 ATS in the past six meetings.
02-10-20	Baylor -6 v. Texas	Top	52-45	Win	100	20 h 42 m	Show
Probably some team is going to end top-ranked Baylor's win streak, which sits at 20 in a row. But I highly doubt Texas is going to be that team. The Longhorns don't have it this season. They just blew a 31-19 halftime lead at home to Texas Tech on Saturday losing, 62-57. Texas also lost a pair of starters to injuries in that game, Kai Jones and Jase Febres. Neither is expected to play today. Both are guards. Jones is Texas' second-leading scorer although none of its players average more than 13 points a game. Baylor is 7-0 in true road games. The Bears also rolled past the Longhorns, 59-44, at home on Jan. 4. Baylor whipped Texas by 15 points in that game despite being outshot from the floor and making just 5-of-15 free throws. It was the eighth time in the last nine meetings Baylor has beaten Texas.
02-09-20	Ohio State v. Wisconsin -1.5	Top	57-70	Win	100	10 h 46 m	Show
Wisconsin is very strong at home as evidenced by its 10-1 mark in Madison. The Badgers do their best at home against strong opponents. I'm expecting a focused, strong effort from the Badgers after they suffered an embarrassing, 70-52, road loss to Minnesota this past Wednesday after knocking off Michigan State at home in their previous game. The Badgers shot a season-low 28.4 percent from the floor against the Gophers. The Badgers shot just 38 percent from the field in the first meeting this season against Ohio State. Wisconsin missed 17 of 23 shots from 3-point range in that game yet still won, 61-57, on the road despite being outshot. Ohio State is coming off a 61-58 road win against Michigan this past Tuesday. I don't see the Buckeyes pulling off consecutive away victories against the Wolverines and Badgers.
02-08-20	Gonzaga -6 v. St. Mary's	Top	90-60	Win	100	18 h 41 m	Show
Gonzaga is the class of the West Coast Conference and I expect the Bulldogs to get the job done against the Gaels. Saint Mary's is just 6-13 ATS in its last 19 home games. The Gaels also have been a poor underdog going 4-12 ATS the past 16 times in that role. Gonzaga should be a lot sharper than it was when it beat Loyola Marymount this past Thursday, 85-67. The Bulldogs missed 14 of 15 shots from 3-point range in that victory. That was a fluke, though, as the Bulldogs were leading the nation in 3-point shooting previous to that. The Gaels don't have the firepower and scoring depth Gonzaga does. The Bulldogs were averaging 12 more points per game than St. Mary's, leading the nation in scoring and ranking No. 2 in field goal percentage. The Bulldogs haven't forgotten losing to Saint Mary's in the WCC tourney last season. They have owned the Gaels beating them 15 of the past 19 times.
02-05-20	Bradley v. Drake	Top	60-73	Win	100	18 h 26 m	Show
Bradley beat Drake, 80-72, at home to begin Missouri Valley Conference play. Now Drake gets its revenge. The Bulldogs are much stronger at home - 11-1 - and the Braves are much weaker on the road. Bradley averages fewer than 64 points on the road. Drake holds road foes to 64.6 points at home, while averaging 76.2 points when playing in Des Moines.
02-01-20	Rutgers v. Michigan	Top	63-69	Win	100	10 h 0 m	Show
This matchup is part of the Big Ten's Super Saturday series at Madison Square Garden in New York. Michigan is 3-0 in neutral site games this season, while Rutgers is 1-5 in neutral-site matchups. The Wolverines have won nine in a row playing at Madison Square Garden. They also are a perfect 10-0 lifetime verus Rutgers winning the last five in the series by an average of 10.4 points. Rutgers is a much stronger team when playing at home. The Wolverines defeated Nebraska, 79-68, this past Tuesday minus suspended guard Zavier Simpson. Rutgers struggled against Nebraska two games ago, finally defeating the Cornhuskers, 75-72, as 13.5-point home favorites last Saturday. Simpson will be back in action in this game for Michigan. That's huge. Theer's a chance the Wolverines also could get back Isaiah Livers from a groin injury. That would be an added bonus, but I like Michigan to win this game with or without Livers.
01-30-20	Cal-Irvine -4.5 v. UC-Davis	Top	80-65	Win	100	20 h 7 m	Show
Cal Irvine is a class above UC Davis and due to play better after its coach, Russell Turner, took his team to task for recent performances. The Anteaters went 31-6 last year giving up 63.6 points a game. Irvine is strong again this season yielding 65.6 points while averaging 73.4. The Anteaters had their 14-game Big West Conference road streak broken in their last away game, losing to Long Beach State, 63-56, eight days ago. They followed that up with a lackluster, 74-67, home win against Cal Poly this past Saturday as 16-point favorites. Prior to those two games, the Anteaters had covered five in a row. I see Cal Irvine getting back on track with a focused road effort here. UC Davis is 2-6 ATS at home this season. The Aggies lost both matchups to Irvine last season, including, 64-48, at home last Feb. 28.
01-28-20	Florida State v. Virginia OVER 115	Top	56-61	Win	100	14 h 60 m	Show
The teams met just three games ago and Flordia State won, 54-50. Both teams shot terrible from long-range - a combined 11-for-37 from 3-point territory - and there were only a combined 16 free throws attempted with just 11 made. Yes these are outstanding defensive teams and this is going to be a slow-paced game. But this total is very low reflecting that and the teams are due to shoot better. Florida State has scored 78 or more points in four of its last five games. Also overtime is a stronger possibility than normal with the game lined in the pick range.
01-25-20	CS-Northridge -1.5 v. CS-Fullerton	Top	75-82	Loss	-109	17 h 13 m	Show
Lamine Diane is firmly back in Cal State-Northridge's lineup after missing games due to off-court issues. Diane makes a huge difference. Just ask Cal Santa Barbara. Sparked by Diane's 27 points, the Matadors upset Santa Barbara as big road 'dogs, 83-75, this past Wednesday. It was the seventh time in their last nine road games, the Matadors have covered the spread. Cal State-Fullerton is 7-18-1 ATS in its last 26 home games, including failing to cover the past nine times as a home 'dog.
01-24-20	Kent State v. Buffalo -3.5	Top	70-66	Loss	-107	8 h 18 m	Show
These two teams are going in opposite directions. Kent State started 13-3, but the Golden Flashes are struggling now with a three-game losing streak. I don't see Kent State getting well on the road against two-time defending Mid-American Conference champion Buffalo. The Bulls have won four in a row and won't want to be embarrassed on national TV. Buffalo can be outstanding rebounding on the offensive end and Kent State hasn't done a good job rebounding on the defensive glass.
01-23-20	Washington v. Utah UNDER 136	Top	66-67	Win	100	15 h 1 m	Show
Both Washington and Utah need to get untracked. So I'm expecting a lot of defensive intensity in this matchup. The Huskies rank in the top-40 in scoring defense and are No. 1 in the Pac-12 in defensive field goal percentage. The Huskies have one of the more difficult zone matchup defenses in the country for opponents to solve and Utah has scored much better when going against defenses that primarily play man-to-man. The Huskies held Utah to an average of 49 points in two games last season. Utah's defense hasn't looked good the last three games. But Washington's offense isn't good. The Huskies are averaging just 56 points during regulation in their last four games. Washington has slowed down its offense minus team assists leader Quade Green, who was ruled academically ineligible for the winter semester.
01-21-20	Illinois v. Purdue -5.5	Top	79-62	Loss	-110	14 h 2 m	Show
I want Purdue going for me here off a loss and in revenge mode. Illinois is playing well, winning four in a row. But the Illini are 2-6 ATS in their last eight road contests when meeting a foe with a winning home record. Purdue has one of the strongest home-courts in the nation. The Boilermakers are 8-1 at home this season and have won 15 consecutive Big Ten home matchups. Purdue is coming off a 57-50 road loss to Maryland this past Saturday. The Boilermakers are 9-1-2 ATS following a loss. The Boilermakers also have revenge for an embarrassing 63-37 road defeat to Illinois four games ago. Purdue shot a school-worst 25 percent from the floor in that loss. The Boilermakers have won the last eight times they've hosted the Illini.
01-20-20	Oklahoma +10 v. Baylor	Top	57-61	Win	100	13 h 23 m	Show
Baylor got past Iowa State and escaped Oklahoma State on Saturday. Things don't let up for the No. 2 ranked Bears, though, with this matchup. Oklahoma has its confidence again after beating TCU, 83-63, two days ago. Baylor had a much more difficult time with its Saturday victory against the Cowboys trailing by 12 in the second half. It was a terrible beat for those who backed Oklahoma State at plus 6. The Cowboys trailed by three with 14 seconds left, but ended up losing by seven when Baylor sank four free throws at the end. It was the only time all game that the Bears led by that many points. This has been a road team series with the visitor going 6-1-1 ATS the past eight times.
01-18-20	West Virginia v. Kansas State +6	Top	68-84	Win	100	7 h 41 m	Show
West Virginia is in a vulnerable spot coming off probably its best game of the season, an 81-49 home win against TCU this past Tuesday. The Mountaineers shot a season-high 58 percent from the floor. The Mountaineers are going to have to take desperate Kansas State's best punch. The Wildcats' Big 12 season hangs in the balance as they are 0-4. Kansas State is one of the top 45 defenses in the country and they are going to be tough at home in this spot. West Virginia has failed to cover six of the last eight times it has been a road favorite.
01-17-20	Wisconsin v. Michigan State -9	Top	55-67	Win	100	15 h 55 m	Show
Wisconsin is not the same team on the road as it is at home. The Badgers have a losing away mark. The spot isn't good either for Wisconsin. The Badgers are off a thrilling, 56-54, home win against 17th-ranked Maryland this past Tuesday, while Michigan State has had five days to think about its worst loss in three years, a 71-42 road defeat to Purude this past Sunday. The Spartans have covered 68 percent of their last 52 home games versus below .500 road opponents. They have won 11 straight against Wisconsin in East Lansing. Michigan State's best players - Cassius Winston, Xavier Tillman and Aaron Henry - are all off their worst performance. They won't lack motivation. The Badgers can't match that being away from Madison.
01-15-20	Stanford v. UCLA UNDER 133	Top	74-59	Push	0	9 h 51 m	Show
Stanford leads the Pac-12 in giving up the fewest points per game at 58.3, which ranks seventh nationally. The Under is 19-6-1 in Stanford's last 26 overall games. UCLA is giving up an average of 10 more points per game than the Cardinal. However, I see the Bruins clamping down on the defensive end after their coach, Mick Cronin, ripped their lack of defense. The Bruins also are in desperation mode having dropped five of their last six.
01-14-20	Maryland v. Wisconsin -3	Top	54-56	Loss	-105	15 h 0 m	Show
Wisconsin has a very strong home-court and is a better team with big man Micah Potter, an Ohio State transfer, settling in. Potter, who became eligible six games ago, scored a career-high 24 points with 13 rebound as the Badgers defeated then 20th-ranked Penn State, 58-49, on the road this past Saturday. Now the Badgers are in Madison where they are extremely tough. Big Ten home teams are a mind-boggling 32-5 in conference games this season for 86 percent! Consequently, Maryland is a weak road club. The Terrapins have lost their three true road games and are 1-5 ATS in their past six away contests. Maryland just lost by 18 points at Iowa three days ago.
01-12-20	Michigan State -3.5 v. Purdue	Top	42-71	Loss	-119	3 h 15 m	Show
I'm going to ride Michigan State. The Spartans are playing well - eight straight wins - and match up well to Purdue. The Boilermakers have a tough frontcourt with big men Matt Haarms and Trevion Williams. But the Spartans rank No. 2 in the country in rebounding margin and have the tough perimeter defense that Purdue needs to dent in order to set up its inside game. The Boilermakers, though, have been cold from the outside especially from long range missing 27 of their last 36 shots from 3-point range. Michigan State holds a backcourt edge led by point guard Cassius Winston, who is one of the best in the country. The Boilermakers are 0-5-1 ATS the last six times they've been 'dogs.
01-11-20	Western Michigan v. Toledo -10.5	Top	59-67	Loss	-110	15 h 16 m	Show
Toledo is superior to Western Michigan and in the ultimate stop-the-pain mode having lost five in a row. I'm expecting the Rockets to take their frustrations out on the Broncos. They have defeated Western Michigan the past four times, including whipping the Broncos by 19 points at home last March. Toledo is a much better offensive team than Western Michigan averaging nearly 10 points more per game. The Broncos are also weak defensively ranking 279th.
01-10-20	Pennsylvania -115 v. Princeton	Top	58-63	Loss	-115	7 h 31 m	Show
I like Penn in short revenge for a 78-64 loss to Princeton six days ago. The Quakers missed 20 of 23 shots from beyond the arc in that loss. The Quakers have covered their last four road games, while Princeton is 2-5 ATS in its last seven home contests. Penn played a tough non-conference schedule knocking off Alabama and Providence. I expect the combination of the Quakers being the more battled tested team, shooting much better from 3-point territory than they did in the first meeting and being more focused will lead to a victory.
01-09-20	Coastal Carolina v. Texas State UNDER 141.5	Top	66-78	Loss	-110	9 h 19 m	Show
Texas State hasn't scored more than 70 points during its last five games. The Bobcats, though, rank 81st in scoring defense and 56th in defensive field goal percentage. Coastal Carolina has a high scoring average, but commits a lot of turnovers. This has been a low-scoring series. Not once since 2017 has a total exceeded 139 points and that's taking into account seven past meetings during this span. The teams combined to produce 126 points during each of their two games last season.
01-07-20	South Florida v. East Carolina +4	Top	59-62	Win	100	5 h 55 m	Show
South Florida is nothing special. But the Bulls are inflated road favorites here after defeating Connecticut by 15 points at home in their last game. The Bulls have not won a road game all season. East Carolina has the best player in Jayden Gardner and plays better at home. The Pirates have won their last four home games.
12-30-19	Green Bay +6 v. Northern Kentucky	Top	73-59	Win	100	14 h 22 m	Show
Wright State and Northern Kentucky were the preseason picks to win the Horizon League with Green Bay in the top four. Green Bay played at Wright State this past Saturday and was leading by five points with less than five minutes left before losing, 90-84, but covering as 10-point underdogs. Now the Phoenix draw Northern Kentucky on the road. The oddsmaker is taking into account not only Northern Kentucky being at home, but also beating Green Bay five consecutive times. Half of those victories, though, were by six points or less. Northern Kentucky also has a pair of key injuries. Leading scorer and rebounder for the Norse Dantez Walton is out. Jalen Tate, the Norse's top assist guy and one of the best players in the Horizon League, isn't likely to play either. So Green Bay catches a huge break to be playing the Norse now. The Phoenix play fast and have been receiving solid guard play. They are averaging more than 82 points a game, which is eight points more per game than Northern Kentucky averages.
12-10-19	Louisville v. Texas Tech UNDER 130.5	Top	57-70	Win	100	14 h 49 m	Show
This may seem like a low total, but it's not given who these teams are and where this game is being played. Texas Tech has a top defensive coach in Chris Beard. The Red Raiders rank in the top 15 in defensive efficiency, giving up more than 75 points only once in eight games. They also haven't met an opponent nearly the defensive caliber of Louisville. The Cardinals rank 15th in the nation in fewest points allowed at 57.6 and in the top-five in defensive efficiency giving up 0.853 points per possession. Louisville has held its last two opponents - Michigan and Pittsburgh - to an average of 44.5 points a game. Only once have the Cardinals permitted more than 62 points during their last eight games. Making things worse for Texas Tech is its leading scorer, freshman guard Jahmi'us Ramsey, is questionable with a hamstring injury. He's missed the last three games - all Texas Tech losses. The Red Red Raiders have averaged 62.6 points in regulation during those three defeats. This game is at neutral site Madison Square Garden as part of the Jimmy V Classic tournament in New York. The Garden is known for being favorable to Unders because of the tough shooting backdrop, especially so for teams not use to playing there.
12-03-19	UTEP +5 v. New Mexico State	Top	56-59	Win	100	19 h 56 m	Show
Yes, home-court and revenge are worth something. Just not this much. The teams met three weeks ago and Texas El-Paso won by 15 points, 65-50. New Mexico State had trouble handling UTEP's press. The Aggies have played better since then. But the Miners also are playing well. They are 5-0 on the season and their bench strength just got a huge boost with Kaden Archie, a transfer from TCU, now eligible. The Miners won the first matchup despite Bryson Williams limited to just 17 minutes due to foul trouble. Williams is the best player on the court averaging 18 points and 6.8 rebounds a game. He still scored 19 points and pulled down eight rebounds in the first meeting. UTEP has covered eight of its last nine nonconference games for 89 percent.
11-27-19	SE Missouri State v. CS-Fullerton UNDER 135.5	Top	57-64	Win	100	19 h 59 m	Show
Cal-State Fullerton has plyed four Division I foes this season. The Titans are averaging 57.2 points in those games. They didn't break 60 points in any of those games. It's not a big surprise considering the Titans no longer have their high-scoring backcourt due of Khalil Ahmad and Kyle Allman Jr. Those two combined to average more than 35 points a game last season. The Titans not only have to replace the scoring of Ahmad and Allman, but also the way they ran the offense. That's going to take time. Southeast Missouri State also has to replace several of its top scorers from last season. The Redhawks rank 209th in scoring at 71.2 points. That number is skewed, though, by the Redhawks having played two really bad defensive teams of the four opponents they have met. They aren't a good free throwing shooting team either. The Titans have been a big Under team under coach Dedrique Taylor. This has been especially so on neutral courts such as where this one is being played. The Under has cashed in 17 of the Titans' last 23 neutral site games for 74 percent.
11-15-19	Gonzaga -6 v. Texas A&M	Top	79-49	Win	100	19 h 57 m	Show
Guess what? Gonzaga is going to be good again this season - real good. The Bulldogs are ranked seventh in the KenPom rankings and that high rating is totally justified. The Zags have reloaded. They are strong at every position with excellent depth. Each of their three games has been a blowout victory. The Bulldogs rank third in the nation in scoring per 100 possessions and also are No. 2 in field goal percentage. They are undoubtedly a top-five offense. Texas A&M has tuned-up well for Gonzaga meeting two weak foes, Northwestern State and Louisiana Monroe. The Aggies didn't come close to covering big spreads against those foes. Texas A&M ranks 66th in KenPom's rankings. The Bulldogs buried the Aggies, 94-71, last season and hold a huge talent edge again this season.
11-06-19	Belmont v. Illinois State +6.5	Top	72-79	Win	100	17 h 13 m	Show
Belmont is coming off an outstanding season. But the Bruins could struggle in this opener. They are a team in transition right now playing with a new coach following the retirement of Rick Byrd and losing their two leading scorers from last season, Dylan Windler and Kevin McClain. Windler averaged 21.3 points and 10.8 rebounds. The Bruins draw Illinois State, a middle-of-the-road Missouri Valley Conference team. MVC schools are known for defense and slow tempos. Illinois State is no exception. I can see the Redbirds frustrating the Bruins at home and getting the cover if not pulling off the outright upset.
11-05-19	St. Mary's v. Wisconsin UNDER 129.5	Top	65-63	Win	100	12 h 56 m	Show
This is a very good opening game, especially if you like defense. Saint Mary's plays at a slow, deliberate tempo under coach Randy Bennett. The Gaels have ranked among the bottom-10 percent in average possession length during each of the last six seasons. Wisconsin finished fourth in KenPom's adjusted defensive efficiency ratings last season. There is going to be an adjustment period, too, for the Badgers on offense with Ethan Happ gone. He was the focal part of Wisconsin's offense last season. Note this matchup is being played at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. So both teams will be dealing with a completely different environment in a small setting. Keep in mind, too, the new rule where the 3-point line has been moved back to the international distance. That's going to reduce the number of 3-pointers made.
04-08-19	Texas Tech +1.5 v. Virginia	Top	77-85	Loss	-106	34 h 33 m	Show
Texas Tech plus 1 1/2 vs. Virginia Great, great job by Chris Beard and Texas Tech reaching the NCAA Tournament title game. Virginia is here, too. The pressure is all on the Cavaliers - and they usually don't respond well to it. The Cavaliers were the first No. 1 seed in NCAA Tourney history to lose to a 16th seed last year. They trailed Gardner-Webb at halftime in their opening NCAA Tourney game this year. Virginia is darn lucky to even survive having nipped Oregon by four points, slipped past Purdue in overtime and received a couple of official's gifts in edging Auburn by one on Saturday winning in highly controversial fashion. Virginia is 2-7 ATS in its last nine NCAA Tournament games. Texas Tech is 14-3 ATS in its last 17 games and 11-0 ATS the past 11 times going against a foe that has a winning record. The Cavaliers for the first time are going to face an opponent that can match them - if not exceed them - defensively. The Red Raiders held Michigan State to its lowest point total of the season, something I'm not sure Virginia could have done.
04-08-19	Texas Tech v. Virginia OVER 117.5	Top	77-85	Win	100	25 h 11 m	Show
I understand these are the two best defensive teams in the country and that obviously the intensity is going to be at its highest level. But the oddsmaker and early marketplace activity is overreacting to this driving this total to this number. It's the lowest of the season for Texas Tech and second-lowest for Virginia. Texas Tech has been a decent scoring team. The Red Raiders are averaging 76.3 points during their past 13 games. The Cavaliers have reached at least 63 points in all but two of their last 13 games. The overtime also is more of a possibility given the close point spread. So is excessive fouling at the end with this being the championship game.
04-06-19	Auburn v. Virginia -5	Top	62-63	Loss	-110	102 h 15 m	Show
Auburn is really going to miss Chuma Okeke. He's the Tigers' leading rebounder, top defender and third-leading scorer. The Tigers have gotten away with his absence by their long-range hot shooting. That's not going to work against Virginia. Not only do the Cavaliers give up the fewest points per game in the nation, but they rank in the top five in defensive field goal percentage, 3-point defense and defensive rebounding. The Cavaliers haven't played up to their capabilities in the NCAA Tournament so far. I see them finally bringing their "A" game to the table here. The Cavaliers have covered 75 percent of their 20 non-home games this season. I trust them in this spot against this one-dimensional opponent missing its best player.
04-02-19	Wichita State v. Lipscomb +1	Top	64-71	Win	100	16 h 16 m	Show
Lipscomb lacks the name recoginition of Wichita State. But the Bisons are the better team. The Bisons had 14 road victories, most in the nation. So they are well-tested away from home. They are 21-7-1 ATS during their past 29 nonconference games. The Bisons have plenty of experience from last season's NCAA Tournament team. They are 19-3 in their last 22 games and rank in the Top 10 in scoring, scoring margin and assists. I respect Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall. But the Shockers are going to have problems matching up against senior guard Garrison Mathews, who can light things up from the perimeter like he did against North Carolina State in the quarterfinals of this NIT tournament scoring 44 points. Matthews has averaged at least 20 points in each of the past three seasons.
04-01-19	DePaul v. South Florida -114	Top	61-63	Win	100	16 h 27 m	Show
Note this is the College Basketball Invitational championship series. But it is the best two-of-three. South Florida needs to protect its home court. The Blue Devils will host South Florida on Wednesday. The Bulls are by far the better defensive team. DePaul is weak defensively and bad on the road. South Florida is ranked higher in Ken Pomeroy's ratings. The Bulls have surrendered just 57 points and 47 points, respectively, during their past two games in the tournament. South Florida is 17-5 at home. DePaul is 3-8 on the road and has failed to cover in its past four away matchups.
03-30-19	Texas Tech v. Gonzaga -4	Top	75-69	Loss	-109	19 h 13 m	Show
Sure Texas Tech has the capability of upsetting Gonzaga. The Red Raiders play tenacious defense and have a tremendous coach in Chris Beard. But Texas Tech would have to play its "A" game and Gonzaga would have to be off its game. I don't see that happening. Gonzaga has the deep tournament experience, a height advantage, leads the nation in scoring and has a very strong defense, too. Gonzaga ranks No. 1 in the country in scoring, field goal percentage, scoring margin and assist-to-turnover ratio. But the Bulldogs aren't just offense. They also ranked sixth in defensive efficiency, tied for sixth in defensive field goal percentage and were tied for 18th in defensive 3-point field goal percentage. The Bulldogs are deeper than Texas Tech, too, with a 10-man rotation. The Red Raiders are going to have problems up front dealing with Gonzaga's star big men, Rui Hachimura and Brandon Clarke. Add it all up and Gonzaga has enough edges to cover this number.
03-29-19	Virginia Tech v. Duke -7	Top	73-75	Loss	-104	18 h 11 m	Show
Duke had its scare surviving Central Florida, 77-76, in its last game. The Blue Devils pulled that one out down three points with 14.4 seconds left. Expect a much better performance here from the Blue Devils. Duke is big-game, tournament experienced while Virginia Tech hasn't made the Sweet 16 since 1962. The Hokies are 2-6 ATS the past eight times meeting a foe with a winning record. The Blue Devils were missing Zion Williamson when they fell, 77-72, to Virginia Tech on the road during the second-to-last week of the regular season. Duke won't be flat here. The Hokies aren't beating the Blue Devils a second time this season.
03-28-19	Florida State v. Gonzaga UNDER 147.5	Top	58-72	Win	100	19 h 59 m	Show
Gonzaga always is one of the highest scoring teams in the country. That certainly was true this season. The Bulldogs led the nation in scoring at 88.6. But what also is true is the oddsmaker sets very high totals on Gonzaga games knowing the public roots for offense. That's a reason why the Under has won 11 of the last 16 times the Bulldogs have played in the NCAA Tournament. The flip side of this equation is Florida State is very strong defensively. The Seminoles hold foes to 67 points per game and rank 30th in defensive field goal percentage. Florida State held Gonzaga to 60 points when the teams met in the NCAA Tournament last season. The combined score added up to 135 points with the Seminoles scoring a 75-60 upset win. Gonzaga should play with super intensity in this rematch. The Bulldogs, though, didn't encounter too many elite defenses competing in the West Coast Conference. St. Mary's probably was the best. The Gaels held Gonzaga to an average of 58 points during the past two meetings. The Bulldogs are a very underrated defensive club. They ranked 31st defensively surrendering an average of 64.8 points a game. Forida State is not a good shooting team and well below average in 3-point shooting percentage ranking a dismal 221st. Note, too, the venue for this matchup. It's the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., where the Under has covered 73 percent of the time during the past 55 times when the total was 124 1/2 or higher.
03-27-19	Colorado v. Texas -5.5	Top	55-68	Win	100	19 h 54 m	Show
Texas is home and the superior team. The Longhorns rank 30th, according to Kenpom ratings, while Colorado checks in at No. 63. The key question is how motivated are the Longhorns? They were tremendously disappointed not to make the NCAA Tournament. Colorado, on the other hand, has embraced the NIT with its young players having the attitude of using this tournament to gain valuable postseason experience for next year. Fewer than 1,600 fans showed up for Texas' first round home game in the NIT. Normally the Longhorns draw more than 10,000 fans for their home contests at the Erwin Center. The Longhorns doubled their attendance for their second NIT home game. Now with the Longhorns a win away from going to New York for the semifinals of the tournament, the fans and team are starting to get excited. If motivated, Texas should cover this number against Colorado. The Buffaloes are 5-8 in true road contests. Texas is 14-6 at home. Among the Longhorns' home wins were victories against Purdue, Oklahoma, Kansas, Baylor and Iowa State. All of those teams made the NCAA Tournament. The Big East was much better than the Pac-12 this season. Texas didn't make the Big Dance because it went 1-4 down the stretch, including losing to Kansas in the Big 12 Tournament. Star guard Kerwin Roach was suspended for all those games. Roach is back and off his best game in more than a month scoring 21 points with eight rebounds and six assists in the Longhorns' 78-76 overtime victory in their second-round NIT game against Xavier. That's a very encouraging sign for Texas. And just another reason why I like the Longhorns to cover this number.
03-25-19	Longwood +15 v. DePaul	Top	89-97	Win	100	16 h 55 m	Show
If you're going to lay this big of a number in a tournament, you better play at least decent defense. DePaul doesn't. The Blue Demons give up 75.5 points a game, which ranks 276th. Only once in their last 20 games have the Blue Demons won by a margin this big. DePaul is 11-26-3 (29.7 percent) following a victory. Reaching the quarterfinals of the College Basketball Invitational may not be a big deal for some teams, but it is for Longwood, a team from the Big South Conference. The Lancers opened the tournament rolling past Southern Mississippi, as 9 1/2-point home 'dogs. That was the 10th time in their last 11 tries the Lancers had covered in a non-conference matchup. DePaul is the home team here. Yet it should be noted that the Blue Demons won't be on their regular home court. It's being used to host a women's basketball tournament. So this game is being played at a much smaller gym that is the home of the DePaul women's volleyball team.

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