PA Insider - Rickenbach NHL Game #60 Saturday 8* Philadelphia Flyers Puck Line -1.5 goals (+) vs Anaheim Ducks @ 1:05 ET - Classic case of hot versus not which is why the Flyers are a huge favorite here on the money line. That said, the value in this match-up is with the puck line as Philly is available at plus money by taking them at -1.5 goals. Should they win by 2 or more goals? It is actually quite likely as Anaheim has lost 6 straight games and ALL SIX defeats have come by THREE or more goals. The Ducks just are NOT scoring as they've averaged scoring only 1 goal per game during this 6-game run of futility. As for the Flyers, they are fired up after their first loss in 9 games and Carter Hart will be back between the pipes for this one. I know a lot of Philly's win have come by 1 goal recently but they've averaged 3.6 goals per game their last 9 games and, of course, you can do the math here. The Flyers are very likely to score 3 or 4 goals while the Ducks are likely to be held to just 1 goal based on current level of play of both of these teams. 8* PHILADELPHIA Puck Line -1.5 goals +115

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #612 Saturday 8* St John's Red Storm vs Providence Friars @ Noon ET - This line opened up at a 7.5 and is now down to a 6 as expected. That is why I have waited and let the markets do their thing. Many are looking at Providence here since they've won 3 straight games over St John's but "that was then and this is now". The key for the Red Storm coming into this season was the eligibility of Mustapha Heron. With Heron playing all season long St John's has been much better than many expected. He combines with Shamorie Ponds to give the Red Storm one of the best backcourts in the Big East. The weakness of St John's is size and depth in the frontcourt and that can be a problem against some teams in the Big East. However, Providence is also a guard-heavy team and their key big man is only a sophomore and I don't expect him to "go off" in this game as St John's 6'7 230lb Marvin Clark has enough size to make sure of that and he is a senior. One of the problems for the Friars is that, even though AJ Reeves is now back, he is still having a horrible time trying to get back into rhythm and has truly been unproductive. The Friars shooting percentage as a team has been atrocious in their last 4 games and it comes as no surprise that they enter this game having lost 3 straight SU and 3 of their last 4 ATS. The Red Storm are 10-2 SU at home this season and are going to make the most of what is just the 2nd home game they've had since mid-January! Providence is 3-7 ATS in conference action this season while the host here is 7-3 ATS in Big East games. Those trends continue here. 8* ST JOHN'S

Situational Slaughter - Rickenbach NBA Game #502 Friday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (-) vs Denver Nuggets @ 7:05 ET - Both these teams are looking to respond off back to back losses. Also, both the Nuggets and 76ers have fared well against the opposing conference this season. However, there are two key factors that strongly favor the Sixers here. First off, the huge trade with the Clippers that included Tobias Harris is going to lead to a ton of positive energy for Philly in this one. Secondly, that energy level is going to be boosted even higher here because this game is at Philadelphia with the home court edge being a huge factor in this one. The Nuggets are on an ugly 3-12 ATS run in home games! Conversely, the 76ers are a long-term 70-43 ATS in home games. Also, Philly has not lost 3 straight games this season. In other words, you can fully expect the bounce back here with a home victory. However, what about the all important cover? Philadelphia is 9-2 ATS this season when off a divisional game and they are fired up after the ugly loss to the Raptors. Also, the Sixers are 9-1 SU (and 8-2 ATS!) this season when off a loss by a double digit margin! Long-term the 76ers are 35-17 ATS when off a loss by a margin of 10 or more points! The Nuggets, of course, are also looking to bounce back here but they are an ugly 2-6 ATS this season when off an upset loss as a favorite. Also, Denver is an ugly 3-8 ATS in road games with a posted total of 220 points or more. While all 3 Sixers acquisitions from the Clippers are listed as probable for tonight, the Nuggets Gary Harris has been ruled out for this game and Paul Millsap is questionable with his ankle injury still a factor. The Sixers have held 9 of their last 11 opponents to 47% or less from the field. Denver has allowed their last 4 opponents to average 51.4% from the field! Look for the Nuggets to drop to 3-9 ATS this season when off a game in which they allowed 115 points or more. Home blowout here for Sixers rejuvenated with the Harris acquisition. 10* PHILADELPHIA

Situational Slaughter - Rickenbach NBA Game #575 Thursday 10* Top Play Los Angeles Clippers (+) @ Indiana Pacers @ 7:05 ET - This is one of my typical contrarian plays. The first line that popped up on this game was a -4 early this morning. Keep in mind this is after the public just watched the Pacers destroy the Lakers at home on Tuesday and hand LeBron James the worst loss of his career. Now Indiana is at home again and they're facing the "other" LA team that just traded away Tobias Harris (plus two other role players) to the 76'ers. So, of course, the betting masses are jumping all over the Pacers here and the line got driven up to a -6. I have said this many times before and will say it again here...actually, I will say two things. First off, anything can happen in any game but the key in this business is to always try and have the odds in your favor. That said, my second comment/question as I have stated before is - do you really think the odds makers are stupid? The point being that they are well aware of the impact of the trade. They certainly know Indiana is the home team in this game. Yet they set the line at a 4 with good reason. The betting markets jump all over it and now I am happy to fade the masses and grab the Clippers here. Watch LA "rally the troops" tonight while the Pacers get caught still feeling a little too good about themselves after the blowout of LeBron and Company on Tuesday. Keep in mind, Indiana is playing for the 3rd time in 4 nights. Also, prior to the win over the Lakers, the Pacers were on a 1-5 ATS run. Indiana is also 4-9 ATS this season after scoring 115 points or more. Long-term, the Pacers are an ugly 1-5 ATS (and SU!) when off a game in which they scored 130 points or more. In other words, don't be surprised if the Clips pull off the upset tonight. I am grabbing the "insurance" with having the points however and am happy to have a half dozen points on my side. The Clippers are 4-1 ATS their last 5 road games, on a 16-8 ATS run in February games, and are 20-11 ATS when they enter a game having played each of their 3 prior games on the road. 10* LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS

Situational Slaughter - Rickenbach CBB Game #795 Wednesday 10* Top Play Virginia Commonwealth Rams @ George Washington Colonials @ 7 ET - This line opened up at nearly double digits but, as of early game day morning, it has dropped to as low as a 6.5 in some big books. This is a great value add for us as we can get a Rams team that I do expect to win by double digits and yet we're laying only about a half-dozen points. Yes, Virginia Commonwealth is on the road here but that is actually part of the key to this play. What that does is keep the line manageable. Had the Rams been at home they would have opened up at around 15 points for sure. The other key about being on the road is that is often how revenge can best be served! VCU is absolutely out for revenge on this very court where they got thoroughly embarrassed last season by a final score of 80 to 56. For this season's rematch, Virginia Commonwealth enters with a solid 15-6 season while George Washington in currently struggling through an ugly 7-14 campaign. The Colonials are off a home win but that came against a bad Fordham team that is just 1-6 on the road this season. Prior to that win, George Washington had lost 5 of their 6 prior games and the average margin of defeat was 9.6 points in those 5 losses. The Rams are surging on an 8-2 SU run and the only two losses were at Rhode Island and Davidson. Those teams are a combined 17-2 SU at home this season! By comparison, the Colonials are 5-7 SU at home this season. By the way, the VCU wins in their 8-2 stretch their last 10 games have come by an average margin of 13 points per victory! The Rams are 20-9 ATS in a road game where the total is 130 to 134.5 points. George Washington is 7-14 ATS when off a win in conference action! 10* VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH

PA Insider - Rickenbach CBB Game #782 Wednesday 8* Temple Owls (-) vs Connecticut Huskies @ 6 ET - Even though the Huskies Alterique Gilbert did shoot yesterday he did not participate in practice and the expectation is that he he will not play Wednesday at Temple and will instead return to action at Memphis Sunday. Gilbert is one of Connecticut's top players so his loss is significant. This one sets up very well for the Owls. The Huskies are 1-7 straight-up away from home this season and that includes 7 straight losses with 6 of the 7 coming by 6 or more points! I certainly expect the Owls to take this one by at least a half-dozen points. Part of the key to the value here is that Connecticut has covered 4 straight games and 6 of their last 7 so that is giving them some market respect while bettors are a little down on the Owls right now. That's because Temple is on a 2-3 SU and ATS run. What is important to note about that however is that the Owls, prior to a road win at Tulane in their most recent game, had tough match-ups with Houston and Cincinnati. Of course the Cougars and Bearcats are two of the top teams in the conference and Temple covered at Houston and just missed the cover at home against Cincinnati. The Owls looked like the right side nearly the entire game and should have won the game outright. This is Temple's first home game since they let that game against Cincy get away from them. The Owls are 'chomping at the bit' to make up for that defeat here and will take advantage of a short-handed Huskies team. I look for UConn to drop to 1-4 ATS the last 5 times they have been a road dog in a range of 3.5 to 6 points. The Owls are 7-1 ATS when, past the midway point of a season, they face a team that is averaging 77 points or more on the season. 8* TEMPLE

Game of the Week - Rickenbach NBA Game #554 Tuesday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (-) vs Toronto Raptors @ 8:05 ET - This is a great spot for the Sixers from a situational standpoint. Philly is off a loss and they have had two days off since that defeat and they have two days off after this game hosting the Raptors. In other words the 76ers are all in on this game and they're hosting a Toronto team that is expected to be short-handed with Kyle Lowry listed as doubtful (back). The home team is a perfect 5-0 ATS in the last 5 meetings between these teams. 4 of those 5 wins have come by a double digit margin and, in fact, the average margin of victory has been 15 points in those 5 wins. Philadelphia got upset as a favorite at Sacramento Saturday but they are 6-2 ATS the last 8 times they've been off a SU loss. The Raptors are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 road games with a posted total of 220 points or more. The Sixers are 27-16 ATS when playing with 2 days of rest between games. The 76ers are also 33-12 ATS when, in the 2nd half of a season, they are a facing a team that averages 106 points or more per game. Philly is looking to close the gap with Toronto in the Atlantic Division standings and I expect them to get the job done in a big way with strong situational edges here. Of course Lowry being likely to miss this game makes the spot an even stronger one as you know the former Villanova star would love to be playing in Philly tonight but is unlikely the Raptors are going to risk a lot with Lowry so close to the All Star break. Play PHILADELPHIA

PA Insider - Rickenbach CBB Game #602 Tuesday 8* La Salle Explorers (-) vs St Joseph's Hawks @ 7 ET - This is a big rivalry game in Philly and the home team has won both games each of the last two seasons. Yes, the Explorers have a poor record this season but they've won 3 straight games and I really like what I have seen from La Salle's playing rotation of late. They have meshed well and certainly the same can not be said for the Hawks. St Joseph's has won just 2 of their 5 games since losing star Lamarr Kimble to a hand injury. Keep in mind those two victories came at home and came against two of the worst teams in the Atlantic Ten. While it is true the Explorers also have a poor record, the fact is they are playing very well of late plus this game is AT La Salle. These are key factors as is the recent return to form of Saul Phiri. He has made 13 of 25 three pointers in his last 4 games and averaged 13.3 points per game during this stretch. Combining with Isiah Deas and Pookie Powell, the veteran guard combinations of the Explorers lead them to a home win here. Coming into this season St Joseph's was counting on Kimble as well as relying on contributions from Pierfrancesco Oliva (also out) and Anthony Longpre (questionable with a concussion). The healthier and more confident team gets the win here. 8* LA SALLE

Situational Slaughter - Rickenbach CBB Game #618 Tuesday 10* Top Play Kentucky Wildcats (-) vs South Carolina Gamecocks @ 7 ET - Long-time followers know I rarely lay big points and for me to do so requires exactly the ideal situation. This particular case is the text book example of a perfect time to lay big points with a favorite that is set up perfectly to absolutely crush their opponent by 20+ points. The very first number that popped up on this game yesterday afternoon was 18 and it is down to a 15.5 as of early this morning. Both teams are off wins but while Kentucky had a "growth game" for its, as usual, young roster by rallying for a win; the Gamecocks were off a wire to wire win but that was thanks to hitting an insanely high percentage of their three pointers. That won't happen again here. The Wildcats have been patiently waiting for this opportunity. Last season the Cats led the Gamecocks by 14 in the 2nd half and then they watched Chris Silva take over for South Carolina and lead them to the huge comeback win. It is payback time here and that is a key when laying big points. The point is that the Wildcats, even with a big lead, will not take their foot off the gas in this one and it is set up to be a home blowout. Kentucky's frontcourt will be a key in stopping Silva. Note that PJ Washington is now a sophomore and another big forward, senior Reid Travis was NOT with the Wildcats last season (he played his first four with Stanford). Travis has been a key player for Kentucky this season and will help Washington in slowing down Silva. As for the outside game of the Gamecocks, their three-point shooting will cool off quickly at Kentucky as the Wildcats have turned up the heat on defense (including perimeter defense) and that has played a key role in their 8 games winning streak. The Cats have covered 6 in a row too! Also, in the last 7 games of this 8-game winning streak they only had 1 poor game defensively. In the other 6 they allowed an average of only 53 points per game! Keep in mind, Kentucky is averaging 80 points per game at home this season. So if the Wildcats hold South Carolina to 53 and they hit their usual scoring average they win this 80-53. I honestly would not be surprised to see that and I do see this win coming by 20 points or more! 10* KENTUCKY

Situational Slaughter - Rickenbach NBA Game #533 Monday 10* Top Play Atlanta Hawks (+) @ Washington Wizards @ 7:05 ET - When you look at Monday's full NBA card you see the following teams favored: Spurs, Rockets, Pacers, Bucks, Nuggets, and Wizards. What sticks out when you look at the list? There is only one team with a losing record that is in that list and it is the team I am fading right here. Now I know the Hawks, of course, are not a great team. However, they are catching about a half-dozen points here against a Wizards team that is only 4-5 SU in their last 9 games and two of those wins came by 4 points or less. In other words, laying 6 points with Washington would result in a 2-7 ATS record their last 9 games. The Hawks are seeking revenge for a double digit loss when these teams most recently met, also in DC, in early January. Atlanta is wrapping up a 7-game road trip and, although they are still not home, the Hawks are happy to be back east again. Atlanta is 3-3 so far on this trip and is hell-bent on finishing with a winning road trip. They are going hard for the 4th win here and I expect them to be the more motivated team here. Interestingly, the Wizards have a game on deck at Milwaukee and that is the same Bucks team that they just got throttled by at home by a double digit margin Saturday. Could the Wizards overlook the Hawks? With Atlanta having a 17-35 record you better believe it! Look for the Hawks to improve to 8-4 ATS this season in road games with a posted total of 230 points or more. Washington is off an ugly loss to Milwaukee but is 2-8 ATS this season when off a game in which they allowed 130 points or more. 10* ATLANTA

ESPN Smash Pass - Rickenbach CBB Game #852 Monday 10* Top Play Virginia Tech Hokies (-) vs Louisville Cardinals @ 7 ET - The line was as high as a -6 and has dropped to 3.5 as of early Monday morning. This line move is opening up great value on the home favorite here. I understand the move as the Hokies are off a dominating win over NC State Saturday while the Cardinals are off an ugly loss versus North Carolina the same day and so many bettors are playing the zig-zag theory here. Additionally, Virginia Tech will be without guard Justin Robinson again as he his out indefinitely with a foot injury. However, Robinson didn't play Saturday either and that was a 47-24 win at NC State! As for Louisville, they were at home on Saturday versus North Carolina but still had an ugly game and got dominated on the glass. Adding to the value with the Hokies here is the fact that they were swept by the Cardinals in last season's meetings and Louisville has won 5 straight over Virginia Tech! Coach Buzz Williams and his players are out for revenge (big-time!) on Monday night and being on their home floor certainly will help. The Hokies are 11-0 SU at Cassel Coliseum this season and they are beginning a three-game homestand with this revenge opportunity tonight. The Cardinals are just 4-4 SU this season in their games played away from Louisville. Only one of the Hokies 18 wins this season has come by less than 6 points and in fact, 15 of the 18 victories have come by a double digit margin. Look for another home blowout here. 10* VIRGINIA TECH

Super Bowl Side - Rickenbach NFL Sunday 10* Top Play Los Angeles Rams (+) vs New England Patriots @ 6:30 PM ET @ Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA - One could argue that the Rams are lucky to be here. After all, that was the story after the NFC Championship Game and the blown pass interference call. However, lets not forget the luck of the Patriots either. Not only did they catch the West Coast Chargers on the East Coast for back to back weeks when they met in the Divisional Round, New England got the added benefit of facing arguably the worst playoff coach in the history of the NFL in the form of Andy Reid in the AFC Championship Game. There are so many mistakes he made in that game it would be too tiring and lengthy to list them all here but lets just put it this way: Rams head coach Sean McVay is at another level compared to Andy Reid. Yes, McVay is very young but I trust his decision-making many times over in comparison with Mr. Reid - known for great regular seasons and horrible playoff flops throughout his career. However, the Patriots luck didn't just stop with the opportunity of facing the Chiefs, they also won yet another coin flip and the way those offenses were moving late in the game do you really think the Patriots would have stopped KC had it been the Chiefs that won the coin toss in overtime? The point is that the Pats have had their share of good fortune to say the least and the fact is I feel strongly that the Patriots reign ended with the Philly Special in the Eagles impressive Super Bowl win over the Pats last season. Everyone and their brother is going to be on New England in this Super Bowl as the savvy veteran Bill Belichick looks to become the oldest head coach to win a Super Bowl while, arguably, the "inexperienced" Rams head coach McVay would be the youngest to ever win a Super Bowl. I feel the Patriots defense is a glaring weakness and the Rams defense doesn't get enough credit for how solid they are. Both teams are good offensively but one could argue Los Angeles has the more dangerous weapons and I am expecting Todd Gurley to bounce back big after an awful performance in the NFC Championship game. The extra time off will no doubt help him. Now, about those defenses. The Patriots defense allowed 26 points or more in 6 of their 9 road games. The Rams have allowed just 15.8 points per game in their last 4 road games. All 4 of those opponents were held to 310 yards or less. Conversely, New England has allowed an average of 387 yards per game in their 9 games away from home this season! I am fully expecting the upset here but grabbing the points should the underdog fall just short. 10* LOS ANGELES RAMS

Game of the Week - Rickenbach CBB Game #746 Saturday 10* Top Play Auburn Tigers (-) vs Alabama Crimson Tide @ 8 ET - The Tigers have had to wait a long time for this rematch and I fully expect a home blowout here. Last March, in the SEC Tournament, Auburn led Alabama by double digits at the half. By virtue of a great shooting performance for the Crimson Tide and a horrible shooting performance for the Tigers, Alabama had a huge 2nd half and won the game by 18 points! It was a beatdown (outscored by 28 in the 2nd half) that Auburn most certainly has not forgotten and it is payback time here. The Tigers are the better team this season, they are at home, and they are playing with big-time revenge. That is why I am willing to lay a big number here as I feel strongly that Auburn will get a double digit lead here and then, because of what happened in March, the Tigers absolutely will keep their foot on the gas! The Crimson Tide are off a big win but that was at home against Mississippi State. Prior to knocking off the Bulldogs, Alabama had lost 4 of 6. The Tigers are a huge 10-1 this season and the lone loss was to Kentucky! The 10 home wins for Auburn have been games decided by a victory margin of 30.2 points! You read that right...THIRTY point margin of victory on average! Another home blowout expected here as the Tigers get revenge in a big way! 10* AUBURN

ATS Annihilation - Rickenbach CBB Game #623 Saturday 8* Youngstown State Penguins (+) @ Detroit Mercy Titans @ 1 ET - The scrappy Penguins continue to be road warriors. Yes this is a match-up of two of the weaker teams in the Horizon League but these are the types of situations that can create great value with a hungry underdog and that is the case here. Youngstown State is off of an upset win at Oakland Thursday. The Penguins are now 3-1 ATS when they are a road dog of 5 or more points and all 3 of those wins were outright upsets! Youngstown State won at IUPUI and Wisconsin-Milwaukee in addition to the Thursday win. The Penguins will be extra hungry here as, even though Detroit Mercy is off back to back poor seasons, the Titans continue to have Youngstown State's number. Detroit beat the Penguins at Youngstown State in late December and now it is payback time. With each road win, the confidence of the Penguins continues to grow. Also, Youngstown State is 5-1 ATS when on short rest (1 day or less) this season while Detroit Mercy is 8-12 ATS when facing a team with a losing record after the mid-way point in a season. Look for the typical Titans late season fade to be in full effect here. Keep in mind, though Detroit Mercy is off a win they previously were 2-4 SU and ATS in their six prior games and their defense has been atrocious. The Titans allowed an average of 83.3 points per game in this 6-game stretch. Detroit fits the bill as a false favorite here and though I do expect yet another road upset for the scrappy Penguins, I will grab the points as added insurance should they fall a bucket or two short. 8* YOUNGSTOWN STATE

Game of the Week - Rickenbach NBA Game #582 Friday 10* Top Play Charlotte Hornets (-) vs Memphis Grizzlies @ 7:05 ET - The Hornets had a 6-8 January but 10 of their 14 games were on the road! Charlotte is a different team when they are at home. They've won 3 straight home games and the average victory margin in those games was 16 points. Also, the Hornets run at home goes further back than that. They're 7-1 in all home games since mid-December and the 7 wins all came by 9 or more points with an average victory margin of 15.6 per win! While Charlotte, despite a sub-.500 record, is battling for the top spot in the Southeast Division, the Grizzlies are 12 games below .500 and in the basement of the Southwest Division. Memphis also had let it be know that they were willing to take offers on a Conley/Gasol package but they were trying to unload Parsons contract as part of the deal. In any event, the point is that the Grizzlies are in disarray right now while the Hornets are batting hard for the division lead as we head closer to the All-Star break. Memphis has lost 16 of their last 18 games! The Grizzlies are 0-8 in their last 8 road games and they lost those games by an average margin of 13.8 points per defeat! The Hornets are 4-0 SU and ATS in the last 4 meetings between these teams and the very first line that popped up on this game yesterday was 6.5 but it has dropped to 4.5 and I am grabbing the great value with the small home favorite. 10* CHARLOTTE

ATS Annihilation - Rickenbach CBB Game #864 Friday 8* IUPUI Jaguars (+) vs Northern Kentucky Norse @ 7 ET - The very first line that opened up on this one had the Norse at only -2 and that line got driven up to as high as a -4 as expected. As per usual, I am on the other side of the move. Of course it looked for bettors to take 18-4 Northern Kentucky at such a low number against a 13-9 IUPUI team but the key here is home court. The Norse are just 3-6 ATS in road games this season. They're coming off a great defensive effort at home versus UW-Milwaukee but they are 1-5 ATS this season when off a game in which they allowed 60 points or less. Also, Northern Kentucky is just 2-7 ATS this season in games against teams with a winning record. The Jaguars are a long-term 25-10 SU in home games and that includes 8-2 this season. Also, IUPUI has revenge on their minds as they've lost all 3 games against the Norse in Horizon League action. Though the Jags lost at Northern Kentucky in late December, IUPUI actually had 13 more field goal attempts than the Norse but it was simply an extraordinary shooting night for Northern Kentucky. That is highly unlikely to be repeated on the road and it will be the Jaguars that are likely to have the better shooting night (thanks to their home floor) in the rematch. Keep in mind, compared to last season's team, the Jags now have a Vandy transfer (Camron Justice) leading the way and I can see him taking over in a big game like this. Look for the Jaguars to improve to a perfect 3-0 SU and ATS the last 3 times they've been a home dog of 3.5 to 6 points. I am grabbing the points! 8* IUPUI

ATS Annihilation - Rickenbach CBB Game #634 Thursday 8* Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (-) vs UTSA Roadrunners @ 8 ET - This is an ideal set-up. UTSA is off of their miracle win at home against Old Dominion Saturday where the Roadrunners were down huge late but had an unreal rally in the final minutes for the last second win. Now UTSA goes back on the road where they lost (and failed to cover) each of their past two games. In fact, home teams are now on a 6-0 ATS run in Roadrunners games. Adding to the value here is they're heading to Western Kentucky and this Hilltoppers team has revenge on its mind. Not only did the Hilltoppers lose at UTSA last season, they also were knocked out of the CUSA Tourney the prior spring. That makes this a double revenge spot and Western Kentucky is at home and has played a tougher schedule in comparison with the Roadrunners. The Hilltoppers are 10-5 ATS when facing a team with a winning record this season. Also, they won by 15 the last time they hosted UTSA. The Roadrunners are 1-3 ATS the last 4 times they've been a road dog of 6.5 to 9 points. That is the range that this one opened up in and now that it has dropped to a 6 there is even more value with the host as I am expecting a home blowout in this one. The Hilltoppers are off a loss but that game was at Louisiana Tech and now they are at home where they've won 4 of their last 5 including wins over St Mary's and Wisconsin in non-conference action. 8* WESTERN KENTUCKY

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #571 Thursday 10* Top Play Dallas Mavericks (+) @ Detroit Pistons @ 7:05 ET - Though this is a back to back spot for the Mavericks, there are a couple of key factors as to why there is plenty of value here. First off, Dallas blew out the Knicks so easily last night that no one played more than 29 minutes. Secondly, that game was preceded by 2 off days. Also, up next for the Mavericks is a stretch that sees them with just 1 game in the first 5 days of February. In other words, Dallas will go all out here and they are a hot 5-0 ATS their last 5 games. Additionally, the Mavericks are actually on a 3-1 ATS run the last 4 times they've played the 2nd game of a back to back and that stretch included games at Portland, at Oklahoma City, at Philadelphia, and versus the Clippers. All 4 of those teams are much tougher opponents than this stumbling and bumbling dysfunctional Pistons squad. Detroit enter this game on a 5-12 SU run. Lets also not forget about the East/West factor. In non-conference games the Pistons are 7-10 SU this season. As for the Mavericks, with last night's blowout win, they are now 13-5 ATS in non-conference games. Also, Dennis Smith Jr had a triple double last night and the Mavs are a perfect 4-0 ATS in the 4 games since he returned to the lineup as he is a key running mate with Luke Doncic and this is a dangerous Dallas team when they are on the floor together. Of course the Pistons would like to get revenge for last week's loss at Dallas but the Mavericks are fighting even harder than Detroit has been when it comes to staying alive in their respective conference playoff races. The Pistons are 4-9 SU when off a double digit loss. The Mavs are 26-13 ATS against teams that allow 106 points or more per game. 10* DALLAS

PA Insider - Rickenbach NHL Game #5 Thursday 7* Philadelphia Flyers Puck Line (+1.5 goals) @ Boston Bruins @ 7:05 ET - Plain and simple the Bruins are overpriced here. Yes Boston is a solid team but the Flyers are red hot right now and the Bruins also might be going with their back-up goaltender again in this one. That said, for Boston to be priced as a 2 to 1 favorite is offering great value to the Flyers. Though I was enticed to take Philly as a huge money line dog here I feel the best way to play this is the puck line. We can get the +1.5 goals with Philadelphia and only have to lay a price of -140 and having the extra 1.5 could prove valuable should the Flyers fall just short here. The Flyers have won 5 straight games and goalie Carter Hart has been playing great and also netminder Anthony Stolarz was back between the pipes at New York against the Rangers Tuesday and he delivered the shutout win. As for the Bruins, the goalie situation is unsettled right now as Tuukka Rask is still trying to come back from a concussion. He missed the game Tuesday, a home loss to the Jets and could miss again here. That means Jaroslav Halak would get the start and the Bruins back-up netimnder is 1-5 in his last 6 starts. Philly is 6-1 SU their last 7 games and the lone loss was by a single goal. The Bruins are 2-5 their last 7 games and one of those wins came by a single goal. You can see why the puck line is a great value here. 7* PHILADELPHIA +1.5 goals

Game of the Month - Rickenbach CBB Game #784 Wednesday 10* Top Play Butler Bulldogs (-) vs Marquette Golden Eagles @ 6:30 ET - To the casual observer this line will look "off" but it is truly anything but. The betting markets may be a little confused as to how a Top Ten Marquette team that has won 7 straight games can be in the range of a 3-point dog against a Butler team that has lost 6 of its last 9 games. After all, take a look at the records too: Golden Eagles (18-3, 7-1 Big East) and the Bulldogs (12-9, 3-5 Big East). Wow, the odds makers made a big mistake, right? Long-time followers know how I feel about that. Many will be lining up on Marquette here but sharps will be on Butler as this game has home rout written all over it. The Golden Eagles are off an improbable win at Xavier as they were down by double digits to the Musketeers in the 2nd half. How did they do it? Ridiculous 3-point shooting which won't be repeated here. Marquette made 56% of their three pointers Saturday and that was in a road game folks. The Golden Eagles previously had one other insane road performance when they knocked down 57.1% of their threes at Creighton in a game they still only won by 2 points. Other than that, Marquette has been held to 28% from beyond the arc in their other 3 true road games (at Georgetown, St. Johns, and Indiana). The Bulldogs are a tough team to face at Butler and they're knocking down 40% of their threes in home games this season. They have played at Creighton and have faced Villanova and St John's in their last 3 games. Battle tested and ready for a statement win tonight, the Bulldogs did beat the Red Storm by 9 and that is the same team that crushed these Golden Eagles by 20 before they began their 7 game winning streak which has not included facing Villanova. The point is that the Golden Eagles are a little over-rated right now and the odds makers and sharp bettors know this but the betting masses are still overly high on Marquette right now. Creates an interesting match-up tonight and I also like the fact that Butler is a perfect 3-0 ATS this season when they're at home off back to back ATS losses. Marquette is 17-27 ATS (including 2-4 ATS this season) when off a game in which they scored 80 or more points. The Bulldogs are 5-0 ATS their last 5 games against the Golden Eagles and they get the cash again on Wednesday evening. 10* BUTLER

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #624 Tuesday 8* Northern Illinois Huskies (-) vs Ohio University Bobcats @ 8 ET - This line has dropped all the way from, in many books, opening as high as a 7 to getting bet down to a 4.5 as of early morning on game day. I do understand the move as everyone is looking at the revenge angle for the Bobcats here. The Huskies beat them at Ohio University in overtime in their MAC opener. However, the fact that Northern Illinois was able to erase a double digit deficit early in the second half of that game on the road at Ohio U is a bad sign for the Bobcats here. This game is being played at DeKalb and the Huskies are coming off a loss. That loss was not unexpected. After beating Buffalo, the best team in the MAC, Northern Illinois went on the road and was flat, as expected, and came up short at Akron. However, the Huskies are now back home and they are 7-1 SU (and 6-1 ATS) this season when coming off a loss this season. The Bobcats are a horrible team at the free throw line and that also tells you what kind of shooters they have. Ohio U, in road games this season, is making just 38.8% from the field (30% from beyond the arc) and just 62.8% from the free throw line. Northern Illinois is making 51.2% from the field at home (including 36% three pointers) and knocking down 72.3% from the charity stripe. The Huskies top four players all provide veteran leadership. I don't see them losing back to back games as that has happened only once this season. UNI is 6-1 ATS in home games and the Bobcats are 1-5 ATS in road games. All 8 Ohio U losses this season have come by 6 or more points. The Huskies only win this season by less than a 6 point margin was their 2-point upset win of the Bulls which was an accomplishment in and of itself. The point is that you can see why I am expecting the win and the cover for the home team in this one. 8* NORTHERN ILLINOIS

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach CBB Game #852 Monday 10* Top Play Notre Dame Fighting Irish (+) vs Duke Blue Devils @ 7 ET - With the Blue Devils off that suffocating effort on defense in their win over the Yellow Jackets Saturday, and the Fighting Irish off a blowout home loss versus Virginia the same day, everyone is lining up on Duke here (line has gone from -13 to -14.5 as of early Monday AM). The Blue Devils did get guard Tre Jones back from injury and that helped them run their full court press against Georgia Tech. However, even though Notre Dame lost senior guard Rex Pflueger to injury earlier this season and have turned to freshman Prentiss Hubb at the point, they still have done a great job of not turning the ball over. To that point, Duke is turning the ball over 13 times per game this season while Notre Dame is averaging only 10 turnovers per game. I like having the big points here with an Irish team that is off a blowout home loss and now facing a Duke team that has been struggling badly with its outside shooting for a few weeks now. From beyond the arc, the Blue Devils have been shooting a very poor percentage. That makes it tough to create a big winning margin in games and it comes as no surprise that Duke is just 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games. By the way, in games in which Tre Jones has played it is an 0-3 ATS run for the Blue Devils! Also, Duke is 0-2 ATS the past two seasons in road games where they are favored in a range of 12.5 to 15 points. When playing with one day or less of rest between games this season the Blue Devils are 2-2 SU (1-3 ATS) this season while the Fighting Irish are 2-0 SU. I expect Duke to win this game but by single digits as the Irish give a huge effort after the embarrassing home loss to the Cavaliers Saturday. 10* NOTRE DAME

ESPN Smash Pass - Rickenbach NBA Game #515 Sunday 8* Milwaukee Bucks (+) @ Oklahoma City Thunder @ 6:05 ET - The Thunder opened up as just a pick'em on their home floor. Of course they quickly became the popular choice of the betting markets on their home floor and the line has already moved their direction as of early Sunday morning. Look for the key to this game to be defense and that is where the Bucks have been the much more impressive team of late. Milwaukee has held 5 of its last 6 opponents to 41.9% or less from the field. Conversely, Oklahoma City is allowing opponents to hit 50.1% from the field their last 8 games! While it is true that the Thunder have won 4 straight games they are also just 5-5 their last 10 games. The Bucks have not only won 6 straight games, they've also gone 17-3 their last 20 games. 8* MILWAUKEE

PA Insider - Rickenbach CBB Game #831 Sunday 8* Seton Hall Pirates (+) @ Villanova Wildcats @ 2:30 ET - The Wildcats have won 7 straight games but 4 of their last 6 victories have come by a margin of 8 or less points. Seton Hall is "only" 12-7 on the season but, after getting blown out by a margin of 23 points in their first loss of the season, the Pirates last 6 losses have come by an average margin of just 4 points per game defeat. 5 of the 6 defeats came by a margin of 5 or less points. Look for Seton Hall to truly fit the definition of a "tough out" in this match-up with the Wildcats. The Pirates are 5-2 ATS this season as an underdog. Villanova enters this game having covered 3 straight games but that is their longest ATS streak of the season. Prior to the win at Butler in their most recent game, the last 3 times the Wildcats entered a game on an ATS winning streak of 2 or more games, they failed to cover ALL 3 times! As for the Pirates, they are off back to back non-covers. That has happened 4 other times this season with Seton Hall. All 4 occurrences have resulted in the Pirates covering their next game. A perfect 4-0 ATS run. 8* SETON HALL

Game of the Week - Rickenbach NBA Game #508 Saturday 10* Top Play Denver Nuggets (-) vs Philadelphia 76ers @ 9:05 ET - It is evident the Sixers are treating this as a "throw away" game. Joel Embiid is being given the night off even though Philadelphia has had two days off leading into this game and also has two days off coming up after this game. Jimmy Butler is dealing with a wrist injury that is likely to keep him out of this game. Also, Wilson Chandler is out with a hamstring injury. Of course he would have loved to go against his former team but that is not going to happen. As for his former team, the Nuggets, they are in a back to back spot here BUT it was a home game for Denver last night versus Phoenix and they rolled to an easy win. That 132 to 95 victory was so easy in fact that the Nuggets were able to rest a ton throughout the game. Speaking of fresh legs for tonight, Nikola Jokic did not play last night due to suspension. He is back tonight and will be particularly tough for the Sixers to handle without Embiid on the floor. This really sets up as an all-out rout in which the Nuggets can name the final margin and certainly I expect that margin to be at least a dozen! As I noted above, Philly is essentially conceding this game. Also, the Nuggets got swept by the 76ers last season so they'll keep their foot on the gas in this one. Denver is 17-8 ATS in home games this season. Philadelphia is 9-17 ATS this season after a game in which they scored 115 points or more. They were very fortunate to beat the Spurs Wednesday and now they get blasted here. 10* DENVER

Game of the Week - Rickenbach CBB Game #705 Saturday 10* Top Play Kansas Jayhawks (+) @ Kentucky Wildcats @ 6 ET - I am always happy to back high-quality teams when they are undervalued because the betting markets have turned against them. Keep in mind the betting markets tend to have a short-term memory. That said, there is an anti-Kansas mindset right now because the Jayhawks have covered just 1 of 7 games since the calendar turned the page to 2019. However, Kansas is still a team that is 16-3 SU this season and two of those losses game by 4 points or less! Also, the Jayhawks have played a slightly tougher schedule than Kentucky. But right now it is the Wildcats that are getting the love from bettors not only because of an 8-4 ATS run but 3 straight covers. Again, the short-term memory! Now there is no disputing that Kentucky is a great team but lets not just hand this game to the Wildcats! Kansas has won the turnover battle by a combined 35-23 in their last two meetings. That has helped lead to the Jayhawks having 22 more shot attempts from the field in the last two games (both Kansas wins) in the last two meetings between these highly regarded basketball powerhouses. Kentucky is on a 9-15 ATS run in January games and they are over-priced here, in my opinion, because the Cats are on an ATS run while Kansas is on an overall ATS slide. The fact is, of course, the Jayhawks are highly talented and very well-coached. Of course they can rise up for a game like this and if they do fall short I expect it to only be by a bucket or two. Upset is very possible here! Kansas has failed to cover the spread in 3 straight games. That is the first time that has happened this season. It happened 3 times in the past two seasons and, every single time, the Jayhawks won and covered their very next game. Look for that to be the result this time as well. 10* KANSAS

Afternoon Annihilation - Rickenbach CBB Game #632 Saturday 8* Xavier Musketeers (+) vs Marquette Golden Eagles @ 2 ET - This is the type of classic situation that has worked very well for me through the years. Marquette is highly ranked and rolling and they are facing a Xavier team that has struggled in recent games and yet the Golden Eagles were as low as a 1 point favorite here when lines first came out. Of course that immediately got pushed higher and is as high as a -3 as of game day morning. I am on the other side of this one as per usual. Why? For one thing the Golden Eagles have played a very friendly schedule loaded with home games. Note that Marquette's two neutral site games saw them win by just 3 versus Louisville and lose by 9 to Kansas. In terms of true road games, the Golden Eagles have won at Georgetown and at Creighton but neither win was by more than 3 points. In their other 2 true road games they lost at St John's by 20 and at Indiana by 23. Yes that is the same Hoosiers team that looked like they didn't even belong on the same floor as Michigan in last night's home loss to the Wolverines. The point is I feel that Marquette has really not proved much of anything on the road this season and Xavier (after a tight loss to Providence Wednesday) is going to add to their solid 9-3 SU home record on the season. Naji Marshall is listed as a game-time decision for the Musketeers but I don't see him missing this game. The Musketeers have dominated this series when at home and that will prove to be the case again here. Don't be fooled by the line on this game. Upset time here but I'll grab the points as added insurance. 8* XAVIER

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #852 Friday 8* Indiana Hoosiers (+) vs Michigan Wolverines @ 6:30 ET - I have said it before and I'll say it again...do you think the odds makers are stupid? The fact is the betting markets tend to jump on situations like this and this is when the true value is on the other side which is why I go contrarians. The Hoosiers enter this game on a 5-game losing streak. Also, the Wolverines have beaten Indiana 5 straight times and each of the last 4 victories have come by a double digit margin. That said, how can the odds maker open up with a -3.5 on Michigan in this one? Precisely! It is why I am on the Hoosiers as a dangerous home dog in this one. Keep in mind, the Wolverines have struggled particularly in their last 2 games and are on an overall 4-7 ATS run. Also, even though Indiana has lost 5 straight games, 4 of those were on the road. The Hoosiers are a very talented team but are quite young. Teams like this are much more dangerous on their home floor when their fans are behind them rather than when facing hostility on the road. Indiana lost their most recent home game but they were frustrated by the Nebraska defense. Prior to that defeat the Hoosiers were 10-0 SU at home this season. Also, Michigan's shooting has gone cold in the last two games. That is unlikely to suddenly cure itself on the road. The Wolverines are a long-term 15-24 ATS in road games with a posted total between 130 and 134.5 points. The Hoosiers are a long-term 15-9 ATS as a home dog in a range of 3.5 to 6 points. 8* INDIANA

TNT Annihilation - Rickenbach NBA Game #558 Thursday 8* Washington Wizards (+) vs Golden State Warriors @ 8:05 ET - The Warriors have been playing great but this line is up to as high as a 10.5 after opening up at a 9 and Golden State has a much tougher game on deck (at Boston) next. Keep in mind, the Warriors very nearly ended up meeting the Celtics in last year's NBA Finals and Boston is still a threat again this year. Of course Washington is not perceived as a threat to go too far this year but, make no mistake about it, they are playing good basketball right now. That said, the Wizards confidence is growing with each win and that makes for a dangerous dog in a spot like this. That is especially true when a team is catching double digits like the Wizards are here. Note that Washington is 8-2 ATS (and 7-3 SU!) in their last 10 games. The Warriors, as hot as they've been SU, are still on a long-term unimpressive 7-9 ATS run. Golden State enters this game off B2B covers but they are 0-3 ATS the last 3 times they've entered a game on an ATS winning streak of 2 or more games. The Wizards are 5-1 ATS (and SU!) in a home game with a posted total of 230 or more points. 8* WASHINGTON

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach CBB Game #617 Thursday 8* Michigan State Spartans (-) @ Iowa Hawkeyes @ 7 ET - These teams have nearly equivalent records on the season but the Spartans have played a tougher schedule. The early movement has been toward the Hawkeyes here but I am going contrarian and laying the points with the road favorite. While it is true that this is a revenge game for Iowa and they are at home, it is also true that Michigan State is battle tested and has proven they are one of the top teams in the nation. Look for defense to be a key factor here as the Spartans allow only 36.6% from the field while the Hawkeyes are allowing 43.4% from the field this season. Iowa is 3-6 ATS this season in games with a posted total in the 150s. Also, the Hawkeyes are a long-term 1-7 ATS in home games with a posted total in a range of 155 to 159.5 points. The Spartans are on an 8-0 ATS run and also a perfect 8-0 SU and ATS this season in Big Ten games. Their roll continues on Thursday evening. After a lackluster 2nd half performance at home against Maryland on Monday, the Spartans drew the ire of their head coach and you can bank on them going hard for the full forty minutes in this one and that leads to a solid road rout. 8* MICHIGAN STATE

ESPN Smash Pass - Rickenbach NBA Game #548 Wednesday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (-) vs San Antonio Spurs @ 8:05 ET - The Sixers got blasted at San Antonio on December 17th when the Spurs caught Philly in the 2nd night of a back to back and, of course, away from home. This situation is much different now with the 76ers at home and having not had any back to backs recently plus not having any games on deck again until Saturday when a Western road swing begins. Philadelphia, in fact, will not be at home again for nearly two weeks to tonight they certainly want to "make this one count" and I foresee them getting payback at home. Finally Joel Embiid is not even listed on the injury report plus Jimmy Butler (wrist) was at practice yesterday. Ben Simmons (illness) was not but I don't see him missing this game with two full off days on deck after this. Look for the training staff to have Simmons ready to go here and it should be "all hands on deck" for Philly. Note that 76ers head coach Brett Brown and assistant coach Monty Williams both worked for the Spurs prior to coming to Philadelphia. Brown logged 11 seasons as an assistant coach under Popovich from 2002 to 2013. Williams not only played for the Spurs from 1996 to 1998, he also later served as vice president of basketball operations from 2016 to 2018 in San Antonio. The point is that there is plenty of incentive here for both the players and coaches to respond after that embarrassing loss in mid-December in SA. The Spurs enter this game on a 2-5 SU (and ATS) run. The Sixers are 28-11 ATS versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season. The 76ers also are 31-9 ATS versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season. 10* PHILADELPHIA

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach CBB Game #803 Wednesday 10* Top Play Tennessee Volunteers @ Vanderbilt Commodores @ 7 ET - Tennessee opened up favored by about a dozen points here. The line has dropped all the way down to as low as an 8.5 this morning as Vanderbilt is getting plenty of attention here as a home dog against their biggest rival and a foe that is currently the #1 team in the country! I also understand that the Commodores have defeated the Volunteers the last two times they have faced them in Nashville. Additionally, I am aware of the fact that the last time Tennessee rose to a #1 ranking their next game was at Vanderbilt and they lost! This was in 2018 but the Commodores were a #18 ranked team that season. This team is much weaker this season especially because their offense is having all sorts of issues without point guard Darius Garland (out for the season). Vandy is not shooting well at all and they are a young team that makes many mistakes. Conversely, Tennessee was on fire from the field before not shooting well in their tight win over the Crimson Tide Saturday. However, the Vols blew a 15 points lead against Alabama in that game so it is not as if it was a tight game all the way. Plus you saw that the Tide are a solid team after they thrashed a ranked Ole Miss team last night. After already having had their "scare" against the Crimson Tide and also being plenty wary of the Commodores, I look for the Volunteers to roll on the road in this one. The Vols are the much more experienced team and they are the much better team offensively. Vandy simply won't be able to keep up here. In terms of technical support, the Volunteers are 18-9 ATS in road games including a perfect 3-0 this season. Vanderbilt is 3-7 ATS this season in games against teams with a winning record and also a long-term 2-7 ATS when off a game in which they scored 60 points or less. 10* TENNESSEE

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #781 Wednesday 8* Providence Friars (+) @ Xavier Musketeers @ 6:30 ET - Revenge has its spots in sports betting that is for sure. However, it tends to be one of the most over-played and over-used factors. That said, this appears to be one of those cases. Yes the Friars knocked the Musketeers out of the Big East Tournament last March. However, the fact is that Xavier is a bit down this season while Providence is arguably the better team this season. Yes I know the Friars have struggled of late but this is the perfect spot to "get healthy" with an upset win on the road and don't let the low line on the Musketeers fool you here. Xavier is just 2-3 SU in their last 5 games and one of those victories came by just a single point. Providence has faced a very tough schedule of late which has led to their 1-4 SU run. However, if not for the difference in 3-point shooting results in their game at Marquette Sunday, the Friars would have gotten the upset win. The fact is the Musketeers 3-point shooting has been awful and I look for Xavier to struggle badly in trying to stop Alpha Diallo and the Friars forward will be the best player on the floor in this game and lead the road team to victory. If they do fall short it will be by just a single possession in my opinion so grab the points in this one. 8* PROVIDENCE

PA Insider - Rickenbach CBB Game #607 Tuesday 8* Villanova Wildcats (+) @ Butler Bulldogs @ 7 ET - The Wildcats have been relying heavily on a couple key players but that is where the scheduling situation here favors them. While Butler did have two days off leading into this game and has two days off after it, Villanova's scheduling situation is even better. They have been off for 3 days heading into this game and also have 4 full off days after this game. That means Wildcats coach Jay Wright has no limits with how much he plays his top guys in this one. Villanova is 12-2 SU in their last 14 games and the only two defeats came by just 3 points each. Suffice to say the Wildcats are a tough team to beat and I like having the dog in this match-up. Yes this is a revenge game for the Bulldogs considering Nova knocked them out of the Big East tourney last year. However, Villanova has lost their last two visits to Butler (including last season) and they are looking for road payback here. The Wildcats are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games away from home. Butler has won just 3 of its last 12 games SU versus the Cats. Look for the dog to prove they're still the team to beat in the Big East! 8* VILLANOVA

TNT Annihilation - Rickenbach NBA Game #524 Monday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (-) vs Houston Rockets @ 8:05 ET - The 76ers are off a tough last-second loss to the Thunder on Saturday. Conversely, the Rockets are off an OT win and that was preceded by an OT loss. Look for Philly to take advantage of a Houston team that may not have a lot left in the tank after their big OT win over the Lakers Saturday. Additionally, the Sixers have been playing much better defense of late in comparison with the Rockets. Philadelphia has allowed just 41.5% from the field in their last 4 games. Houston has certainly been at the other end of the spectrum when it comes to defensive play in their last 3 games. The Rockets have allowed each of their last 3 opponents to shoot over 50% from the field! Also, Houston is still without Chris Paul and Clint Capela. As of early this morning Jimmy Butler is listed as questionable for the Sixers but it is with right wrist soreness and I expect he'll be upgraded to probable after this morning's shootaround. Also, 76ers big man Joel Embiid is probable with his continuing back issues. On that note, it has helped Philly that they haven't had any back to back situations recently and won't have one again until mid-February. The healthier team, the more rested team, the home team, and looking for revenge for losing last year's contest here versus the Rockets by a single point...all signs point to Philly getting a solid home win in this one. Houston is 1-6 ATS after a game in which they scored 130 points or more this season. The 76ers are 27-11 ATS versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season and also 30-9 ATS versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season. All Sixers in this one! 10* PHILADELPHIA

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #508 Monday 8* New York Knicks (+) vs Oklahoma City Thunder @ 12:35 ET - The Thunder are off a dramatic last second win at Philadelphia Saturday. Also, Oklahoma City has a huge home game on deck tomorrow with division rival Portland. It would be very easy for OKC to look right past a 10-34 Knicks team and that will prove to be a mistake. New York has been playing better and has had 3 full days off since losing by just a single point to the Wizards in London. In fact, this will be just the 2nd game for the Knicks since the 13th. To say the least, they'll have the fresher legs in this match-up. Also, New York is on a 5-2 ATS run as they have been more competitive of late. Keep in mind, Oklahoma City was on a 1-5 SU and ATS run prior to the late win over the 76ers Saturday. Also, the home team is a perfect 3-0 SU and ATS in the last 3 meetings between these teams. Grab the big points with the home dog in this one. 8* NEW YORK

Game of the Week - Rickenbach NFL Game #314 Sunday 10* Top Play Kansas City Chiefs (-) vs New England Patriots @ 6:40 ET - The Patriots are off a completely dominating win against the Chargers last week. However, that game was set up perfect for them. They were at home playing with an extra week of rest and facing a Chargers team traveling to the East Coast for a second straight week. Now the situation is much different as the Pats are on the road and facing a Chiefs team that will be playing a home game for the 5th time in their last 6 games! Only one time since an early December game at Oakland have the Chiefs had to leave Kansas City! The Chiefs lost at New England earlier this season but remember they won at New England the prior season and now they're finally getting the Patriots in Kansas City. That is certainly significant as the Chiefs were 8-1 SU at home this season and all 8 wins came by at least 3 points (the current line on this game as of Thursday night). New England went only 3-5 SU on the road this season and 4 of the 5 losses were by a margin of at least 7 points. The Patriots went 1-4 SU and ATS in games played on grass this season. Also, in road games with posted total of 49.5 points or more, the Pats went 0-3 SU and ATS this season! New England benefited this season, as usual, from playing in the weak AFC East and, in my mind, the Patriots dynasty ended when the Eagles got the best of them in the Super Bowl last season. This year, the Pats won't even get to the Super Bowl. It is the Chiefs turn! 10* KANSAS CITY

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NFL Game #311 Sunday 8* Los Angeles Rams (+) @ New Orleans Saints @ 3:05 ET - The Saints just beat the defending Super Bowl champs last week. Not only is that a big win to come down from in terms of the emotional high, New Orleans was quite fortunate to win that game. When the Eagles were up 14-0 and driving again a very ill-advised play call and poorly thrown ball by Philadelphia QB Nick Foles led to an interception that turned that game around. After the Saints locker room was blaring Meek Mill in the locker room after the game and making light of the Eagles Super Bowl win last year and that they've now "taken over", don't be surprised when they get knocked off their pedestal after just one week. I am well aware of home team's recent dominance in conference championship games. However, the Rams have won and covered 3 straight games and going on the road here actually helps Los Angeles remain focused and not over-confident. As for the Saints, they are on an 0-4 ATS run and over-confident here already talking Super Bowl, etc as New Orleans already beat the Rams here in the regular season as well. Lets not forget the Saints have not been as impressive down the stretch and the Rams get their revenge as they're firing on all cylinders at the right time. 8* LOS ANGELES RAMS

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #568 Saturday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (-) vs Oklahoma City Thunder @ 3:35 ET - The Sixers Joel Embiid is again on the injury report here as he continues to deal with a sore back. However, he got better in the 2nd half of Philadelphia's dominating win at Indiana on Thursday. The fact is I really don't see Embiid missing much time again until back to back type situations crop up again for Philly and that is not until mid-February. He should be ready to go here and, either way, I like the small number we're getting on the 76ers in this one as they are on their floor and hosting a Thunder team that is stuck in a slump. Oklahoma City has lost 5 of its last 6 games. Conversely, Philadelphia has won 7 of its last 9 games. Also, the Sixers defense has kicked into high gear in its last 3 games. As for OKC, their defense has been atrocious over their last 4 games. Additionally, the Thunder are a long-term 3-10 ATS after a game in which they allowed 130 points or more. This season Oklahoma City is 1-5 ATS after a loss by a double digit margin. The Sixers are a long-term 69-40 ATS in home games. Additionally, when past the midway point of a season and facing a team that allows 106 points or more per game, Philly is 27-10 ATS. When past the midway point of a season and facing a team that scores 106 points or more per game, the 76ers are 30-8 ATS. Look for a home rout in this day game Saturday. 10* PHILADELPHIA

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #557 Friday 10* Top Play Miami Heat (+) @ Detroit Pistons @ 7:05 ET - The Heat just got blasted by 38 points on Tuesday at Milwaukee. The Pistons are off a dramatic overtime win versus the Magic on Wednesday. Set ups simply don't get much better than this. Miami is angry and ready to bounce back and all the stuff you're reading about guys saying stuff complaining about playing time will be turned into positive aggressive energy in this game. When you get embarrassed like the Heat players did on Tuesday against the Bucks, you respond! Also, the Pistons are only 2 games over .500 at home this season. It is not a huge edge for Detroit to be at home. Additionally, the Heat have been a better team on the road than at home this season and do have a winning record away from Miami. The Pistons were 3-10 SU in their 13 games prior to the OT win over the Magic. The Heat were 10-4 SU in their 14 games prior to getting blasted by the Bucks. Also, Miami is 6-1 ATS when playing with 2 days rest this season and also a superb 14-6 ATS as an underdog this season. The Pistons are 14-24 ATS (including 5-8 ATS this season) when off a game in which they allowed 115 points or more. The Heat are 4-0 ATS in the last 4 games between these teams and that streak adds another W on Friday! 10* MIAMI 

Game of the Week - Rickenbach CBB Game #851 Friday 10* Top Play Maryland Terrapins (+) @ Ohio State Buckeyes @ 6:30 ET - This is a match-up of two teams going opposite directions and that means it is not going to be easy for the Buckeyes to turn things around. The Terrapins have been down big early in games and still found a way to win. Maryland has also had huge leads in games and then blown it in the 2nd half and still found a way to win. That is how a young team builds character and this Terps team is proving they are the real deal. They are 15-3 on the season and the 3 losses ALL came by 5 points or less. In other words there is no way to look at this match-up other than the fact that Maryland will, worst case scenario, be a threat to cover in the final minutes. However, I foresee them actually winning this game outright rather handily. The Buckeyes are struggling to find the right floor combinations with their players and the result has been ugly and confidence is now shaken after 3 straight losses. Granted Ohio State faced some tough competition but Maryland has also played just as tough of a schedule this season. Additionally, the "kicker" for me with this play is that the Terrapins got blasted by 22 points in last season's meeting. How did that happen? The Buckeyes outscored the Terps by 27 points from three point land because they made a ridiculous 58.6% of their three pointers. Of course had that not happened Ohio State loses the game by 5 points. You can see where I am going with this and the point is the Buckeyes are so discombobulated right now they truly are not functioning well enough to have some huge shooting game here. They are a mess. Ohio State is on an 0-3 SU run and 0-4 ATS run. Maryland has won 6 straight games SU. The Terrapins are set to improve to 5-0 ATS in road games this season while the Buckeyes shooting woes are unlikely to improve after a long layoff. From a technical standpoint that factor is also supported by this: Ohio State is 0-6 ATS when they enter a game with 5 or 6 days of rest between games. The road dog is barking loudly in this one and Coach Mark Turgeon gets revenge after his Terps were embarrassed here in Columbus by the Buckeyes and Coach Chris Holtmann in his first year with Ohio State last season. Payback time and the set up and current momentum of these teams make it an ideal situation. 10* MARYLAND

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach CBB Game #634 Thursday 10* Top Play Nebraska Cornhuskers (+) vs Michigan State Spartans @ 8 ET - When the betting masses have the opportunity to take one of the top ranked teams in the nation at nearly a pick'em price against an unranked foe, they tend to jump all over it. In typical contrarian fashion, I am on the other side in a situation like this and taking advantage of the extra value offered by the line move in a spot like this. One of the big keys here is that Michigan State is still without guard Joshua Langord and another key player, guard Kyle Ahrens may be out again for this game or, at the very least, limited. That said the Cornhuskers are likely to hold a key edge in the backcourt in this match-up as they have big guards and have a size edge over the Spartans. This is especially true given the current injury situation in the Michigan State backcourt. In terms of some technical value here: the Spartans, versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game after 15+ games, have gone 5-8 ATS the past two seasons. The Huskers, versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game after 15+ games, have gone 8-2 ATS the past 2+ seasons. The Cornhuskers have won 20 straight games at home and Michigan State is facing the tough task of trying to win back to back road games and are now facing the stingiest D (60.8 ppg) in the Big Ten other than Michigan. Look for the home dog to get the upset in this one. 10* NEBRASKA

TNT Game of the Week - Rickenbach NBA Game #543 Thursday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (+) @ Indiana Pacers @ 7:05 ET - Early movement was on Indiana here as the Pacers (15-5 SU in home games) opened up as only a 2.5 points favorite over a 76ers team that is 10-12 SU in road games this season. It's easy, right folks? Ladies and gentlemen, it is never easy in this business and this is precisely the type of situation I look for. Looks like easy money on the small home favorite an you know what usually happens when something looks easy in this business! The fact is that the 76ers are playing with a ton of confidence right now and are also seeking revenge for a home loss versus the Pacers last month. That game in fact marked the 3rd straight time in this series that the road team has won and covered. Look for that streak to make it 4-0 here! The Sixers are an incredible 29-8 ATS when, in the 2nd half of a season, they're facing a team that averages 106 points or more per game. Philly is also 33-16 ATS when playing with home loss revenge. The Pacers are just 2-5 ATS their last 7 games. Also, Indiana is an ugly 1-4 ATS when off a game in which they scored 130 points or more. 10* PHILADELPHIA

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #525 Wednesday 10* Top Play Orlando Magic (+) @ Detroit Pistons @ 7:05 ET - Now that we are past the midway point of the season teams are certainly already beginning to look at the playoff picture. That said, both these teams are just outside the top 8 in the Eastern Conference and this game carries plenty of extra meaning as a result. This situation favors the Magic. We're able to get a handful of points with Orlando and they were at home and have had two days off and are playing with plenty of confidence after beating the Rockets and Celtics in their last two games. Conversely, the Pistons are playing their first game back East after a long road trip out west and Detroit has had only one day off between games. From a technical standpoint, note that the Pistons are a poor 4-9 SU and ATS when off a non-conference game. The Magic are 6-3 SU and 7-2 ATS this season when off a game in which they scored 115 points or more. The road dog stays hot in this one and, should they fall short, look for it to be by just a bucket. 10* ORLANDO

Game of the Month - Rickenbach NBA Game #514 Tuesday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (-) vs Minnesota Timberwolves @ 7:05 ET - The 76ers Jimmy Butler is facing his former team and Philly will take advantage of a Timberwolves team that is hurting. Minnesota will be, at the very least, hobbled in this one but could also be short-handed. The problem is a cluster injury situation as both injuries are at the point guard position. Starting PG Jeff Teague and veteran PG Derrick Rose are both listed as questionable for this game with ankle injuries. Keep in mind that the Wolves are an ugly 6-15 SU on the road this season while Philadelphia is a stellar 18-4 SU in home game this season. That said, a Sixers home victory is quite likely but what about the all-important spread factor? It should get there for us! 16 of Minny's last 20 losses have come by a margin of at least a half dozen points! Also, note that Minnesota is 0-5 SU and 1-4 ATS in road games with a posted total of 230 points or more. The 76ers are off a tight win at New York but are 8-2 SU and ATS when off a divisional game this season. Also, the Sixers are a long-term 22-11 SU (and 21-12 ATS) in home games with a posted total of 220 points or more. Look for a home blowout here! 10* PHILADELPHIA

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB #601 Tuesday 10* Top Play Seton Hall Pirates (+) @ Providence Friars @ 6:30 ET - This line opened up at a pick'em and it is also a revenge game for the Friars. That said, it comes as no surprise that bettors jumped on Providence at home and the line is now up to a -2 on the Friars. I am happy to grab the extra value with another contrarian play. The key here is that Providence has had trouble with their shooting and that is why they sorely miss freshman phenom (and 2nd leading scorer) AJ Reeves. The Friars have now lost 3 straight games and are coming off a heart-breaking double-OT loss at Georgetown. Of course those types of defeats are very tough to bounce back from. Also, Providence is starting to develop a "losers mentality" as that is what happens when you lose 3 straight tight games in conference action and you're missing one of your best players. Seton Hall will pounce on this and be very aggressive and take advantage tonight. Keep in mind, the Pirates have thrived in situations like this. Seton Hall is a perfect 6-0 ATS in games with a line ranging from pick'em to +3 and all 6 wins were outright upsets! As for the Friars, they've gone 4-8 ATS when off a game in which they allowed 80 points or more. That includes Providence going 1-3 ATS this season when in that situation. The teams are roughly equivalent on the defensive end but the Pirates hold the edge on the offensive end as the Friars continue to struggle with consistency on the offensive end as they continue to adjust to life without Reeves. He will be back but not yet! Seton Hall is off a loss and they haven't lost back to back games since mid-November. By the way, the Pirates last 4 losses have come by average margin of just 3 points. The points could come in handy here but I fully expect an outright win as the Pirates bounce back off a defeat. 10* SETON HALL

Early Annihilation - Rickenbach NBA Game #501 Monday 10* Top Play Boston Celtics (-) @ Brooklyn Nets @ 7:35 ET - The Celtics have a big game at home with Toronto on deck for Wednesday. However, there is no way they're looking past this game. That's because this is the finale of a 3-game road trip that has seen Boston go winless so far. The Celtics are hungry for a win and the Nets should provide the perfect punching bag for Boston to take out their frustrations after back to back losses at Miami and Orlando. The Celtics are 6-2 ATS in road games with a posted total of 220 points or more. The Nets enter this game having won 4 of their last 6 games. However, Brooklyn is 6-12 ATS after having won 4 or 5 of their last 6 games. Also, the Nets are just 4-7 ATS this season when off a road loss and they just got smashed at Toronto Friday. Also, Brooklyn has a long history of struggles versus the Celtics and the Nets are on a long losing streak versus Boston. If Kyrie Irving (questionable) does not play tonight, Terry Dozier will get the start and he has played better as a starter compared to when coming off the bench. Either way the Celtics are a much more stacked team in comparison with the Nets. Brooklyn has lost 13 of 19 games this season when facing a team with a winning record. Celtics respond big off back to back losses here. 10* BOSTON

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #865 Monday 10* Top Play Nebraska Cornhuskers (+) @ Indiana Hoosiers @ 6:30 ET - The very first lines that popped up on this game offshore Sunday afternoon had Hoosiers -1 and, not surprisingly, the betting masses jumped on Indiana at home and this line is now up to as high as a -3 as of early Monday morning. Of course I am contrarian and grabbing the road dog here. This game was priced this way originally with good reason as the Cornhuskers are the better team. I am well aware of the fact that the Hoosiers have been strong at home and the Huskers have had some struggles on the road. However, this is not going to go on forever and Nebraska is going to make a statement in this game. The Cornhuskers have beaten the Hoosiers in each of the last two meetings. Also, Nebraska is 15-8 ATS as a road underdog or pick in recent seasons. The Huskers did win at Oklahoma State and Clemson and lost by just 2 points at Maryland. Indiana has been strong at home this season but, keep in mind, the Hoosiers won by just 2 points versus Northwestern and only 1 point versus Louisville. Indiana is 7-3 SU in their last 10 games but 4 of those 7 wins have come by 3 or less points. Again, there is value with having the dog here in an game in which Nebraska (preseason projections just behind Michigan State and Michigan in the Big Ten) has a great shot at the upset. The Hoosiers are just 4-8 ATS in recent seasons in games versus good defensive teams (allowing 64 points or less per game). 10* NEBRASKA

Game of the Week - Rickenbach NFL Game #307 Sunday 10* Top Play Philadelphia Eagles (+) @ New Orleans Saints @ 4:40 ET - Though they would deny it, there certainly were some questionable play calls (one in particular) in terms of the Saints running up the score when they met the Eagles in mid-November and crushed them 48-7. That loss easily could have sent Philadelphia into a tailspin but, instead, they "rallied the troops" and made the playoffs. Keep in mind they had to beat the Rams in Los Angeles just to get here. Then they won on the road at Chicago last week to open up the post-season. Just like the Rams game, the Bears game was another game where the Eagles had "no chance" and yet prevailed. Once again this week the Eagles have "no chance" against the Saints. Of course this is laughable. These are the defending Super Bowl champs. Philly is again building up confidence with Nick Foles at QB while the secondary which has been so injury-depleted all season continues to grow with confidence thanks to the continuity of more and more playing time together during this late season run. Keep in mind the Saints had a great season BUT their high-flying prolific offense truly peaked with the aforementioned blowout "rub salt in the wound" over the Eagles in mid-November. Since then New Orleans has averaged only 299 yards per game. I did not mis-type! The almighty Saints offense has averaged just 299 yards per game since ripping the Eagles to shreds on November 18th. In 3 of the games the Saints were held to 14 points or less. They do have the rest edge here of course and should win this game but I don't see the win coming by more than a TD and I truly feel the Eagles have a great shot at the upset win. This is a huge revenge game for the defending champs who took the worst beatdown ever for a SB champ at the hands of these Saints. It is payback time. Keep in mind, the Eagles are 12-4 SU and 11-5 ATS when entering a game on a winning streak of 2 or more games. The Saints went 0-3 ATS this season when a home favorite in a range of 7.5 to 10 points and 2 of those losses were outright upsets. 10* PHILADELPHIA

Game of the Week - Rickenbach CBB Game #836 Sunday 10* Top Play Penn State Nittany Lions (+) vs Michigan State Spartans @ 4:30 ET - The Nittany Lions are a much better team than their record shows. That said, there is great home dog value here with Penn State. After getting blown out by Wisconsin, PSU responded with a strong effort at Nebraska. Keep in mind, the Lions have been very competitive in nearly all their defeats this season except for the Badgers game. That said, though the Spartans have continue to play great even with Joshua Langford out, this is going to be a hard-fought game Sunday. The Nittany Lions are desperate for a Big Ten win and the home crowd will be ready for hosting one of the top teams in the nation. Will be a great atmosphere for Penn State to excel and they are well-coached under Patrick Chambers. Also note that Langord's back-up, junior Kyle Ahrens, is also dealing with an injury right now. The Spartans have been great at the betting window this season but went just 6-12 ATS in road games the prior two seasons and they are over-priced here. The Nittany Lions are 11-5 ATS versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game after 15+ games in a season. Technical and situational value here with the home dog. 10* PENN STATE

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #583 Sunday 8* Toronto Raptors (-) @ Washington Wizards @ 1:05 ET - On Thursday I lost my play going again the Wizards with the Bucks for two reasons. One big one was that Giannis Antetokounmpo went from being probable for that game to being out. Tough break for us. But even with him missing the game, Washington only won that game because they made a ridiculous 54.5% of their threes as they knocked down 18 of 33.  The Wizards outscored Milwaukee by 15 points from beyond the arc and that was the difference in the win and in the cover. I'll get payback here because Washington can't keep shooting like this. They have not done this all season long and they now face a Raptors team that is playing what is just one of two games they have between the 8th and 16th. In other words, Toronto will be fully focused here and is also well-rested. That is bad news for a Wizards team that has been playing "over their heads" of late and is set to come back down to earth today. Washington, courtesy of winning 5 of their last 7 games, has the full attention of the Raptors. With Toronto being the best team in the East this season, I expect nothing less than a road rout here. The Raptors are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games against the Wizards. Washington is only 7-12 ATS in games against teams with winning record this season. 8* TORONTO

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NFL Game #304 Saturday 10* Top Play Los Angeles Rams (-) vs Dallas Cowboys @ 8:15 ET - The Cowboys are set up to get pummeled here. While it has been a great run for Dallas and has rejuvenated Cowboys fans everywhere, Dallas has covered just once in their last four games. The point is that they're a bit over-valued by the betting markets over the past month and that has continued here. To be able to get the Rams at a -7 is a tremendous value. Keep in mind, Los Angeles has a significant rest edge here and the Cowboys have expended a lot of energy in back to back weeks as they barely squeaked by the Giants at the Meadowlands two weeks ago. Then last week it was post-season time of course and Dallas barely eeked out a win over the Seahawks. The Dallas offense, on the season, has averaged only 324 yards per game on the road. The fact is that the Cowboys have been a very lucky team this season and also have got a ton of help from the refs in tight games / crucial situations. I tell it like it is folks and while that also builds up momentum, it also leads to being over-valued when facing a VERY high-quality foe and that is certainly the case here with the Rams. Keep in mind, LA has averaged 37 points on 453 yards per game in home games this season. Remember the Cowboys 324 yards per game figure above, Dallas has averaged just 17 points per game on the road this season. That is a 20 point differential between these teams and yet the line here is a -7 and it is Los Angeles with the rest edge. This is VALUE! Look for Dallas to drop to 0-4 ATS in their last 4 January games while the powerful Rams improve to a potent 3-0-1 ATS when coming off a bye week. 10* LOS ANGELES RAMS

Playoff Game of the Year - Rickenbach NFL Game #302 Saturday 10* Top Play Kansas City Chiefs vs Indianapolis Colts @ 4:35 ET - The Colts are on a great run but they now run into the #1 seed in the AFC. Not only did the Chiefs certainly earn that #1 seed, they also earned the bye last week and home field edge. That means a lot here. Kansas City is rested and ready plus their defense was much stronger at home than on the road. For the season the Chiefs potent offense averaged 35.3 points per game but their much-maligned defense also allowed just 18 points per game at home. As strong as the Colts run has been, lets not forget that they've averaged only 19.5 points per game their last 4 road games. Simply put, Indianapolis won't be able to keep up with the potent Chiefs in this one. The Colts are 2-4 ATS in their last 6 games against AFC West opponents. Also, Indianapolis is a long-term 9-15 ATS in road games with a posted total of 49.5 points or more. The Chiefs went 10-2 SU (and 8-4 ATS) this season versus AFC foes. The Colts had dominated this series prior to Kansas City winning the most recent match-up. Also, the Chiefs (and head coach Andy Reid) are known for their playoff struggles. However, this team is different with Mahomes at the helm and with the play of the defense in home games as well as the rest factor, I do not see the Chiefs being denied here as they make up for a blowing a huge half-time lead in last season's playoff debacle. The Chiefs went 7-1 at home this season and only one of those 7 wins came by a margin of less than 7 points. 10* KANSAS CITY

Afternoon Annihilation - Rickenbach NBA Game #564 Saturday 10* Top Play Los Angeles Clippers (-) vs Detroit Pistons @ 3:35 ET - The Clippers are off a blowout loss at Denver but previously were on an 8-2 ATS run. Now facing the slumping Pistons at home should allow the Clippers to get right back on track. Detroit did win at Los Angeles last season so the Clips also have some extra motivation but truly they don't even need that extra incentive considering they are off the bad loss to the Nuggets. The Pistons enter this game on a 2-9 SU and ATS run and they've allowed each of their last 3 opponents to shoot better than 51% from the field. In fact the composite of those three games was a field goal allowance rate of 54% for Detroit. Of course that kind of defense is not going to get the job done and that is particularly true when the opponent (in this case the Clippers) has held their last two opponents at home to 40% or less from the floor. Detroit is 2-9 ATS when off a non-conference game. Los Angeles is a superb 17-6 ATS this season as a favorite. Also, the Clippers are 11-3 ATS this season in home games with a posted total of 220 points or more. The Clips take advantage of facing a struggling foe and this is something they've been doing all season long. LA is 12-3 SU (and 11-4 ATS) this season in games against teams with a losing record. Another home rout is in the offing here. 10* LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach CBB Game #649 Saturday 10* Top Play Drexel Dragons (+) @ NC-Wilmington Seahawks @ 2 ET - This line is going to look a little "off" to those that don't follow college hoops very closely. I say that because the Seahawks have hammered the Dragons by a double digit margin in each of the last two meetings at NC-Wilmington. That said, many may feel it is a mistake that the Seahawks are priced so low here on their home floor but there is much more than meets the eye here. First off Drexel has enough size and bulk in the middle to help counter the Seahawks top weapon Davontae Cacock. Additionally, the Dragons just welcomed back point guard Kurk Lee. He was one of their top players last season and in addition to returning starters Alihan Demir and senior guard Troy Harper, Drexel has seen others step up while Lee has been out. Trevor John, Camren Wynter, and James Butler are combining to contribute 33 points per game. That said, Lee and Demir and Harper are all guys that can contribute 15 points a night. The Dragons are still flying "under the radar" right now but are truly the better team in this match-up as the Seahawks have been "on the fade" this season. In terms of technical support, the Dragons are 6-2 ATS in games with a posted total in the 160s. Also, Drexel has gone 3-1 SU and ATS this season in games against teams with a losing record. NC-Wilmington is 2-5 ATS in home games with a posted total in the 160s. Also, the Seahawks are 3-9 ATS in their last 12 games against teams that allow 77 points or more per game. In a game projected to be a shootout, you can see why the situation favors the road dog. 10* DREXEL

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #623 Saturday 8* Ole Miss Rebels (+) @ Mississippi State Bulldogs @ 1 ET - Winning changes everything. Ole Miss brought in Kermit Davis as their new head coach for this season but the Rebels (off a 12-20 season including 5-13 in SEC action) were still projected to be the worst team in the SEC this season. Of course off a bad year change was needed at Ole Miss and thanks to constant winning and returning a number of key players from last season's team has completely rejuvenated this program. That said, the Rebels certainly are going to be more than ready for this match-up with rival Mississippi State as the Bulldogs are ranked and of course it is not as if Ole Miss needed any additional motivation. These teams are fierce rivals and Ole Miss had held the upper hand in recent meetings but Mississippi State crushed them by 17 in their most recent meeting here. That said, payback is on order and, while it will be tough for the Rebels to win outright over the Bulldogs on the road, it is also is tough not to imagine this game being very tight and decided by just a bucket or two. Ole Miss enters this game on a red hot winning streak, SU and ATS. In terms of technical support for this play the Rebels are 13-1 ATS this season. Also, Ole Miss is 13-5 ATS long-term in a road game where the total is 150 to 154.5 points. The Rebels are also on a 13-6 ATS run in January games. The Bulldogs defense has not been at the level of the Rebels and Mississippi State has allowed more than 80 points in 3 of their last 4 games. To put that in proper perspective, note that Ole Miss has allowed 74 points or less in 12 of their 14 games this season! Look for the Bulldogs to drop to 0-3 ATS on the season when they are off a game in which they allowed 80 points or more. 10* OLE MISS

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #545 Friday 10* Top Play Milwaukee Bucks (-) @ Washington Wizards @ 7:05 ET - The Bucks are a red hot 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games and they're certainly not going to slow down here. Being on the road is helping Milwaukee to stay focused and up next is a game at Atlanta so certainly there is no lookahead here. The Bucks also have extra motivation because the Wizards won the most recent meeting and that game was on Milwaukee's home floor. In fact, road dominance has been the theme in recent meetings between these foes as the away team is a perfect 4-0 SU and ATS and I'll gladly take advantage of the extra line value here since the typical "home factor" is factored into this line even though there has been no home court edge in recent meetings between these teams. The Wizards are off a ridiculously strong shooting performance against the Sixers in their most recent game. Off that huge upset win they'll fall flat here and the Bucks have too much talent and will pull away big as this game goes on and win it by double digits. Milwaukee is 6-2 SU and ATS in Friday night games this season. Washington is 0-9 SU (and 1-8 ATS) in Friday night games this season. Also, the Wizards are 1-5 SU and ATS this season against Central Division opponents. Last but not least, Washington is a poor 1-4 ATS this season when off an upset win as an underdog. 10* MILWAUKEE

ESPN Smash Pass - Rickenbach CBB Game #804 Northern Kentucky Norse (-) vs Wright State Raiders @ 7 ET - This is the only home game for the Norse between December 30th and January 24th. There is no doubt that Northern Kentucky wants to take advantage of this opportunity and who better to welcome to town than Wright State. The Norse have big-time revenge on their minds here as they won the regular season title in the Horizon League last season but they lost both games against the Raiders. They want payback here and I like the added line value here with this line dropping as of early game day morning. We can lay a rather small number to have the better defense and the home team in this match-up. Northern Kentucky has held opponents to 39.6% from the field this season while Wright State has allowed 46.3% from the field so far this season. Keep in mind, this is even with playing very similar early season schedules. Also, from 3-point land the Norse are allowing just 28.7% while the Raiders are allowing 39.5% from beyond the arc! Wright State is 1-5 SU (and 2-4 ATS) in road games this season. The Norse are 30-4 SU (and 23-11 ATS) in games the past 2+ seasons against teams with a losing record. 10* NORTHERN KENTUCKY

ESPN Smash Pass - Rickenbach CBB Game #612 Thursday 10* Top Play Tulsa Golden Hurricane (+) vs Cincinnati Bearcats @ 7 ET - Home court means a lot in this match-up. More on that in a moment but first off the motivation factor. Two years ago the Golden Hurricane got crushed by the Bearcats in the AAC Tourney by a score of 80-61. As a result, the rematch last season at Cincinnati was a revenge game for Tulsa and the Golden Hurricane did play very well in that game and actually led at the half. However, the Bearcats ultimately prevailed by an 8 point margin but that was thanks to an absolutely insane shooting performance from 3-point land. Cincy made 15 of 22 (68.3%) three-pointers! Of course that is not happening again this season and this time the teams are meeting at Tulsa. I like the fact that the Golden Hurricane returned some key cogs from last season's team plus are getting some key contributions from unexpected sources so far this season. They have looked stronger than expected early this season and the Golden Hurricane are 9-0 SU in home games! The Bearcats are 0-3 ATS in true road games this season and 2 of of those were outright losses. I am expecting another one here but am grabbing the points with Tulsa as added insurance. Long-term Cincinnati is on a 1-4 ATS run in road games with a total in a range between 130 and 134.5 points. The Golden Hurricane are 3-1 ATS as home dog in a range of 3.5 to 6 points and all 3 wins were outright upsets! This will be a hard-fought battle where having the points is truly invaluable. The Golden Hurricane want this game badly and have the talent to get it on their home floor. If they fall short, I expect it to be by the slimmest of the margins and that means we still cash our ticket! 10* TULSA

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach CBB Game #788 Wednesday 10* Top Play Temple Owls (+) vs Houston Cougars @ 7 ET - As long-time followers know I love to go contrarian and if you looked up contrarian in a sports betting dictionary that included an example, this game would be the perfect example. The Cougars are 15-0 this season and ranked. So the odds makers opened this game at very nearly a "pick'em" even though Houston still has not lost a game this season. Now, do you really think the odds makers are stupid? Of course they are not! They know, just as well as sharps like me know, this is a great spot for the Cougars to lose their first game. So while the masses are likely to back Houston as "they can't lose...they're undefeated, etc" the sharp money (including mine) is on the Owls. Why Temple? First off a road trip to Philly is NOT easy for Houston but certainly they made it look easy last year when EVERYTHING went their way and NOTHING went Temple's way in a blowout win by 21 points in February. The Owls haven't forgotten that home beatdown. Additionally, though Temple is "only" 11-3 this season while Houston is a sparkling 15-0, the Owls have played a much tougher early season schedule. That pays off BIG in this game and the home court helps key the win! The Cougars are 2-0 SU in road games this season but went just 12-10 SU away from home the past two seasons. The Owls are a solid 21-11 SU in lined home games the past 2+ seasons and that includes 5-0 SU this season. Give me a highly motivated home dog that is eager to give a conference foe the first blemish on their record this season. 10* TEMPLE

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #781 Wednesday 8* Vanderbilt Commodores (+) @ Georgia Bulldogs @ 6:30 ET - This is a revenge game for the Commodores as they were knocked out of the SEC Tournament by the Bulldogs in March. Georgia enters this game after getting absolutely demolished by Tennessee. To say the Bulldogs confidence is shaken now heading into conference action is a major understatement after they failed their first test by a mile. While the Commodores are also off an SEC loss, it was a much more respectable one and certainly they might even have been peeking ahead at this revenge opportunity. Also, Vandy does have Kentucky on deck so they that to avoid a likely 0-3 start to SEC action, a win at Georgia Wednesday is critical as certainly knocking off the Wildcats is highly unlikely. This is one of those early season situations I love in conference action as Georgia is 9-4 ATS this season while Vanderbilt is 5-8 ATS this season. As a result there is some extra value baked into this line because of non-conference performance at the betting window when the reality is that the Bulldogs were projected to be one of the worst teams in the SEC this season. The Commodores are 4-2 SU and ATS when their line ranges from a pick'em to +3 in a road game. The Bulldogs drop to 2-5 ATS this season in games with a posted total in the 140s. Look for a road upset in this one but grab the points for added insurance. 8* VANDERBILT

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #507 Tuesday 10* Top Play Denver Nuggets (+) @ Miami Heat @ 7:35 ET - Last night the Nuggets saw the Rockets hit a ridiculously high percentage of their 3-points as Houston went 22 of 47 from downtown while Denver only made 7 of 29 from beyond the arc. That said, the team with the best record in the Western Conference went down in flames despite outrebounding the Rockets by double digits and despite having 17 more field goal attempts in the game. When you get outscored by 45 from three point land it is hard to win. Suffice to say that is not happening again tonight and I fully expect the Nuggets to bounce right back. The Nuggets were 16-4 SU in their 20 games prior to last night's loss by a dozen points. Denver now visits a Miami team that is only 3-3 SU their last 6 games and has covered only 2 of the 6 games. The Heat play in the weaker Eastern Conference and the particularly weak Southeast Division. Miami is 0-4 SU and ATS in Tuesday games this season. The Nuggets are 4-1 SU in Tuesday games this season and tonight they will improve to 5-2 SU and ATS in games against Southeast Division opponents. 10* DENVER

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach CBB Game #626 Tuesday 10* Top Play Villanova Wildcats (-) vs St John's Red Storm @ 7 ET - The Red Storm are off to a great start this season and are ranked. However, they are now in the wrong place at the wrong time. Keep in mind, St John's (14-1) has played a much weaker schedule than Villanova (11-4) so far this season. Also, the Wildcats (accustomed to being the top team in the Big East) are now unranked while the Red Storm are ranked! Give credit to St John's for their strong start to this season for sure. However, Villanova not only is more battle-tested (long-term and this season due to tougher schedule), the Wildcats also have big-time revenge here. Last season in February Villanova lost at home to St John's as a 16 point home favorite. Suffice to say payback is on their minds here. The Red Storm simply had a great shooting night and also caught the Cats in a situation where they were back on the heels. Tuesday you can back on Nova being the team that is putting their opponent back on their heels! The Red Storm have gone just 14-23 ATS (including 2-5 ATS this season) in games with a posted total in the 140s and they simply won't be able to keep up with the revenge-minded Wildcats in this one. Villanova improves to 8-4 SU and ATS in games against teams with a winning record this season. Also, the Wildcats are a long-term 35-8 SU and 29-14 ATS in games against teams that average 77 points or more per game. 10* VILLANOVA

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #575 Monday 10* Top Play San Antonio Spurs (-) @ Detroit Pistons @ 7:05 ET - The Spurs are surging and have won 4 straight games and 12 of their last 15. In terms of their ATS run it is even better as San Antonio is 13-2 ATS their last 15 games. The Pistons are certainly going the opposite direction as they are 4-13 SU since December 2nd. Also, Detroit enters this game on a 2-7 ATS run. That said, the Pistons aren't just losing they're also failing to cover and there is no questioning the Spurs motivation here. They were held to just 79 points in a loss at Detroit last season. As for the Pistons, they've been having trouble with slow starts in games but then fixed that by surging ahead early and leading Utah by 18 points in their most recent game. However, thanks to turnovers and overall poor play (a recurring them for Detroit), they blew the lead and lost to the Jazz. The fact is that the Pistons are a fragile team right now and facing a Spurs team that is firing on all cylinders certainly isn't going to help matters. Take advantage of the small line here and the lay the short number with SA on the road in this one. San Antonio is 4-1 SU and ATS this season after playing each of their 3 prior games at home. Look for the Spurs to improve to 10-5 ATS this season when off a win by a double digit margin. The Pistons drop to 2-7 ATS on the season when off a non-conference game as Detroit's 10-20 SU run in January games adds another loss to the ledger. Spurs get payback for ugly loss here last year. 10* SAN ANTONIO

NBA TV Smash Pass - Rickenbach NBA Game #571 Sunday 10* Top Play Indiana Pacers (+) @ Toronto Raptors @ 7:35 ET - This is a tough scheduling spot for the Raptors. They are off a revenge win at Milwaukee last night and now had to travel back home to face a revenge-minded Pacers team. Not only is Indiana the more rested team, they've won 6 straight games since a 3-point loss at Toronto on December 19th. The Pacers have now lost 4 straight to the Raptors so they are amped up about this revenge opportunity Sunday. Overall it is a 13-2 SU run for Indiana and their two losses came by a total of just 4 points! Great value with the road dog in this spot. Toronto is just 3-7 ATS against Central Division teams this season and 1-4 ATS in Sunday games. Indiana is 6-2 SU and ATS against Atlantic Division teams. Also, the Pacers are a fantastic 23-9 SU and 24-8 ATS in Sunday games. Here they catch the Raptors still celebrating that huge win over the Bucks last night. 10* INDIANA

ESPN Smash Pass - Rickenbach CBB Game #823 Sunday 10* Top Play Memphis Tigers (+) @ Houston Cougars @ 6 ET - Long-time followers know I love seeking spots like this. The Cougars are a ranked team and undefeated while the Tigers are only 9-5 on the season and on the road here catching only single digits. Many will back an undefeated team in a spot like this but there are important keys as to why the Tigers are going to be a "tough out" for the Cougars. First off, Memphis has played a tougher schedule than Houston this season. Also, a key to winning on the road when the conference schedule rolls around is having a veteran team and being battle tested. The Tigers fit the bill in both regards. They returned their top four scorers from last season and all are now seniors. Additionally there is tremendous positive energy with this program as they brought in former NBA star Penny Hardaway at head coach and brought in a new influx of playing talent this season that already has led to some key contributions from new sources for Memphis. The Tigers losses this season have included LSU, Tennessee, Oklahoma State, and Texas Tech. That is not exactly a slate of cupcakes and those experiences will serve the Tigers well in their first key conference battle of the new season. Note that Memphis is already 6-3 ATS this season in games against teams with a winning record. The Cougars do play great defense but the Tigers have the veteran skilled players to break down a defense like this. In fact, Memphis is 2-1 SU and 3-0 ATS in their last 3 meetings with Houston and the lone loss came by just a single point. The Cougars are NOT shooting the ball well at ll this season and it will tough for them to build a significant margin here against a senior-laded Tigers team viewing this game as one of their BIGGEST of the season. 10* MEMPHIS

Game of the Month - Rickenbach NFL Game #107 Sunday 10* Top Play Philadelphia Eagles (+) @ Chicago Bears @ 4:40 ET - Be careful what you wish for. The Bears decided it was better to face the Eagles than the Vikings. Chicago got a big win at Minnesota last week and that kept a division rival out of the post-season and welcomed Philly to town. However, was that really a smart move? Would you rather face Kirk Cousins (a QB known for NOT being able to get the win in key games) or Nick Foles (Super Bowl MVP and absolutely red hot right now)? The fact is that I feel strongly that last week's Bears win that allowed the Eagles into the playoffs and stamped their invitation to Soldier Field is ultimately going to spell the demise of Chicago. Yes, I am grabbing the points here but I expect an outright victory for the Eagles. Make no mistake about it the Bears defense has been great this season. But Philly has positive history in recent meetings with Chicago and Alshon Jeffery (former Bear) is poised for another huge game and has become a key target for Foles. Also, Golden Tate (former Lion) has seen plenty of the Bears secondary in his recent seasons matched up against the division rival. Of course Darren Sproles being healthy is another key catalyst for the Eagles offense as the veteran has incredible quick play capabilities and it forces defenses to NOT be able to focus on just TE Zach Ertz (100+ catches this season) coming across the middle. Back to the QB situation, Foles ribs are only bruised. He will be fine here. No disrespect intended but just be honest with yourself here. Would you rather have Mitchell Trubisky leading your team or a Super Bowl Champion QB whom completed 25 straight passes before exiting last week's game with bruised ribs? The Bears defense has been great this season but there is something magical again (just like last season) about this Eagles team as certainly they were counted out by many when they dropped to 6-7 after that devastating (and ref-impacted) loss to the Cowboys. On the season the Eagles played a tougher schedule than the Bears. This line is offering tremendous underdog line value. The Bears are 0-6 SU (and 1-5 ATS) their last 6 against NFC East foes. The Eagles are 11-4 SU (and 10-5 ATS) when they enter a game on a SU winning streak of 2 or more games. They are hot again, Foles is feeling "it" again, and this team is truly feeling "it" again and also has had a chance to heal up some in their secondary. Keep in mind that is their biggest weakness (due to injuries all season long) but their defensive line (and offensive line for that matter) is one of the best in the game. Trubisky is not going to have much time to beat the Eagles downfield. They just won't give him time. 10* PHILADELPHIA

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NFL Game #105 Sunday 10* Top Play Los Angeles Chargers (+) @ Baltimore Ravens @ 1:05 ET - Give the Ravens credit for their big road win at Los Angeles last month. Certainly that road victory is going to have many backing Baltimore at home in this match-up. However, as per usual I am going contrarian and going with the Chargers in this match-up. Keep in mind that game at LA was played when the Chargers were in a divisional sandwich situation. They had just beat the Chiefs AT Kansas City and had another big divisional ROAD game on deck. In other words it was a definite flat spot for Los Angeles. Of course it goes without saying that the Chargers are NOT going to be flat here and I'll take Philip Rivers over Lamar Jackson at QB in a playoff game anytime anywhere. Keep in mind the Chargers are 7-1 SU and ATS on the road this season and their last 3 wins came at Denver (not an easy place to play) and Kansas City and Pittsburgh. That is no small feat! As for the Ravens, they wrapped up the season going 6-1 after going 4-5 prior to their bye week. However, Baltimore's wins (other than against the Chargers) came against a slate of sub-par teams! The Ravens other 5 wins came against teams with a combined 29-50-1 record. NONE of those 5 teams finished the season with a winning record. The Ravens are 4-8 SU and ATS when they enter a game on a winning streak of 2 or more consecutive games. In Sunday's match-up look for Baltimore to drop to 4-8 ATS on the season in games in which they are a favorite. The Chargers fully fit the definition of a "live dog" here! 10* LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

NBA TV Smash Pass - Rickenbach NBA Game #553 Saturday 10* Top Play Toronto Raptors (+) @ Milwaukee Bucks @ 8:35 ET - The Raptors embarrassed the hell out of me at San Antonio on Thursday but sometimes in this business one can be dead wrong and that was the case with me when Toronto faced the Spurs. However, the Raptors look like a live dog in this spot. Yes I am aware of the continuing Kyle Lowry injury situation. However, the Raptors have now lost 3 straight against the Bucks, including both meetings this season, and it is absolutely payback time here. Milwaukee is in a back to back spot here and has gone 2-4 ATS in Saturday games this season. Also, the Bucks are a poor 1-5 ATS (and SU!) the last 6 times they were off a game in which they scored 130 or more points. The Raptors are 4-1 SU this season in Saturday games. Toronto is 3-1 SU when off a loss by a double digit margin. Also, the Raptors are 6-3 SU when playing with revenge this season but that includes not faring well against the Bucks this season. In other words, payback time here in a big way and I like having the points in a game the Raptors are bound and determined to win and do have a rest edge. 10* TORONTO

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NFL Game #103 Saturday 10* Top Play Seattle Seahawks (+) @ Dallas Cowboys @ 8:15 ET - Just a couple days ago this line was very nearly a pick'em and now the Cowboys are inching closer to being a 3 point favorite as of early game day morning. With all due respect to the Cowboys, the Seahawks have some key edges here. First off at head coach I would take Pete Carroll over Jason Garrett any day of the week. Secondly at quarterback, I certainly like having the veteran leadership in crunch time of Russell Wilson over the talented but still learning Dak Prescott. Keep in mind too, when Prescott and the Cowboys have to play from behind, things become particularly problematic for them as Prescott seems to press and get rattled. The Cowboys are 2-9 SU in their last 11 playoff games. Certainly they do not have a good history while the Seahawks are a PERFECT 6-0 their last 6 Wild Card playoff games and 4 of those have been in the Pete Carroll era. Overall, under Carroll, the Seahawks are 7-3 in playoff games their last 10. This season Seattle has failed to cover just ONCE in NINE games with a line between +3 and -3. By comparison, the Cowboys have only 3 ATS win in NINE games with a line in that same range. That said, having the points here sure could prove handy though I do expect an outright upset win for the Seahawks! Seattle is also 5-1 ATS in their last 6 versus NFC East teams. The Seahawks are 4-0 ATS their last 4 versus teams with a winning record this season. Dallas has covered just 2 of their past 7 wild card round playoff games. The turnover battle has been won 3-0 in favor of the Seahawks in each of the past two meetings and look for that to be a key again here as Carroll has his team ready and the Cowboys make the crucial mistakes again. 10* SEATTLE

Daytime Dominator - Rickenbach CBB Game #645 Saturday 10* Top Play Kansas State Wildcats (+) @ Texas Tech Red Raiders @ 2 ET - I am well aware of the fact that the Wildcats, already without Dean Wade, have another senior (Kamau Stokes) listed as doubtful for this game. However, this is a horrible scheduling spot for the Red Raiders and a huge situational edge for Kansas State. While the Wildcats are off an embarrassing loss at Texas, the Red Raiders enter this game off a hard-fought road win at West Virginia. Also, Texas Tech has a huge game with Oklahoma on deck. In other words this is truly a sandwich game and flat spot for the Red Raiders. Additionally, the Wildcats have revenge on their mind as they were blown out by Texas Tech in both games last season. I like the talent on this Kansas State team and, right now, the Red Raiders continue to be over-valued. As a result, we can get a dozen points with the Wildcats in a game that is projected to be very low-scoring (posted total opened up in the 115 range!). With points at a premium in this one and the hungry and motivated defense ready to turn up the heat on defense, this game will be much closer than many are expecting. By the way, Texas Tech is on a 6-12 ATS run in January games. The Wildcats are a long-term 4-1 ATS in games with a posted total of 119.5 points or less. Give me the big dog in this one. 10* KANSAS STATE

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CFB Game #801 Eastern Washington Eagles (+) vs North Dakota State Bison @ Noon ET in FCS Championship Game @ Toyota Stadium in Frisco, TX - The Bison are looking to win their 7th title in the last 8 seasons. However, this will be the final game for North Dakota State head coach Chris Klieman as he accepted the head coaching job at Kansas State - replacing Bill Snyder home finally retired. This could be a bit of a distraction for the Bison no doubt. While they are the better team defensively in this match-up, the Eagles are arguably the better offense and grabbing the big points with Eastern Washington is the way to go. The Eagles have averaged 540 yards per game compared to 470 yards per game for the Bison. Eastern Washington QB Eric Barriere has stepped in and been fantastic (24 TDs, 7 INTs) after starting QB Gage Gubrud got hurt after just 5 games. The point being that the Eagles have been even better since the injury to Gubrud. Though the Bison have the huge experience edge in Title Games and have each of their last 6 appearances, the Eagles did win their only other appearance and it was here @ Toyota Stadium in Frisco, TX in 2010. Considering the possible coaching distraction as well as the huge points that are offered, North Dakota State (currently as high as a 16.5 point favorite) are over-priced here. Yes the Bison have rolled through the playoffs but that has resulted in an inflated line here and, don't forget, the Eagles offense is so potent it certainly has backdoor cover potential (should that be needed) but I expect them to hang in tough throughout this game. 10* EASTERN WASHINGTON

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #531 Friday 10* Top Play Washington Wizards (+) @ Miami Heat @ 8:05 ET - We're getting to the point in the season where you're going to see trends start to reverse. The NBA season is almost at it's mid-point and this is the time of the season where it is a good idea to take a look at teams that have under-achieved at the betting window but that are playing better of late. I especially like to look for those teams when they're facing a team that has over-achieved at the betting window and also when I can have my team as a sizable underdog. That is the case here because, as of 7:30 AM ET, the Wizards are available as high as a +7 in some big shops. Washington is a poor 13-25 ATS on the season but enters this game off back to back wins and covers and there is a different feeling in the Wizards locker room as they head into this match-up against a divisional foe. The Heat are on a ridiculous 15-4 ATS run which you know can't continue. Miami is just not that strong of a team and the absence of Goran Dragic is going to catch up with them. The Heat are 2-2 SU their last 4 games and I expect another SU loss here but, of course, am grabbing the generous points being offered. The Wizards are 5-3 SU and ATS in divisional games this season while Miami is a poor 2-7 SU and ATS in divisional games on the season. Washington is already adjusting to life without John Wall plus remember they've only had Trevor Ariza for the past 8 games and he has already had games with highs of 24 in points, 9 in assists, and 8 in rebounds. He is a key contributor that will be a difference maker tonight. The Wizards are playing scrappy and hungry basketball right now and that is the kind of dog (with plenty of fight) you want on your side. 10* WASHINGTON

Game of the Week - Rickenbach NBA Game #519 Thursday 10* Top Play Toronto Raptors (+) @ San Antonio Spurs @ 8:05 ET - I don't foresee Kawhi Leonard and the Raptors being denied here. Yes the Spurs are off a big win over another Atlantic Division opponent, the Celtics, but they hit 14 of 26 three-pointers in that game. That was the difference in the contest and, of course, the odds are very strong that such an insane shooting performance will not be repeated here! Leonard wants this game badly and his teammates know it as this will be his only game in San Antonio this season. He wants to show Coach Gregg Popovich and the Spurs that they made a big mistake in the way they handled him last season. Now it is payback time for Leonard. Note that the Raptors are a respectable 11-7 SU in games against teams with a winning record while San Antonio is only 9-9 SU in games against teams with a winning record this season. Also, when off an upset win as an underdog, the Spurs are just 10-11 SU and ATS. Toronto, though off a win, is not happy with their defensive performance in that game and they've gone 6-2 SU this season when off a game in which they allowed 115 points or more. Also, the Raptors are 14-4 SU when off a game in which they've scored 115 points or more this season. Additionally, Toronto is 21-7 SU this season when facing a team that is allowing 106 points or more per game on the season. The Raptors lost their most recent road game by 29 points. After getting thoroughly embarrassed in Orlando, they've had this road game circled blood red and it is payback time for Leonard and Company! 10* TORONTO

ESPN Smash Pass - Rickenbach CBB Game #612 Thursday 10* Top Play Miami Hurricanes (+) vs NC State Wolfpack @ 7 ET - The Wolfpack are a ranked team that is 12-1 on the season and, as such, they are very popular in the betting markets as they opened up as a very small favorite here. In typical contrarian fashion I'll take advantage of the line value on the other side as there has already been a move toward NC State early this morning and it has led to solid home dog value with Miami. The lone loss that the Wolfpack has this season was in their only true road game. 10 of their 13 games have been at home and two were neutral site games. The only road game was against the Badgers in Madison, WI. Not only did NC State lead that game by 7 at the half, there will still up by 8 with about 7 minutes to go! From that point on Wisconsin outscored them by a dozen points and the Wolfpack fell short. Don't be surprised if tonight plays out in similar fashion. NC State has a 10 man rotation but half of those players are freshmen and sophomores. Miami has a 7-man rotation with truly just 6 key players (at least until Hernandez is eligible to return). This is a detriment when they are on short rest BUT this is NOT a short rest situation. The Hurricanes have fresh legs and they also have won each of the last 3 meetings between these teams. The Wolfpack are a long-term 6-14 SU in road games and also have lost 6 of their last 9 visits to Miami. The Canes are a long-term 31-6 SU in home games. NC State is overvalued here because they've been strong SU and ATS this season. The Hurricanes at home are not getting enough respect in this one. I expect an outright upset but am happy to grab the points being offered as extra "insurance" in this one. 10* MIAMI

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #505 Wednesday 10* Top Play Dallas Mavericks (+) @ Charlotte Hornets @ 7:05 ET - Perfect set-up here. The Mavericks are off an ugly loss by 20 points at Oklahoma City Monday. The Hornets are off a huge win by 25 points versus Orlando Monday. Dallas is a fantastic 36-16 ATS (including 6-1 this season!) when off a loss by a double digit margin. Charlotte is an ugly 4-8 SU (and they're laying points here!) when off a victory by a double digit margin. Also, the road team is a perfect 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings between these teams and, long-term the Mavs are 10-3 ATS (and SU!) in games played at Charlotte. The Mavericks were on a 5-0 ATS run before the loss to the Thunder. The Hornets were on a 2-7 ATS run before the win over the Magic. Grab the points here but I don't expect to need them. 10* DALLAS

ESPN Smash Pass - Rickenbach CBB Game #794 Wednesday 10* Top Play West Virginia Mountaineers (+) vs Texas Tech Red Raiders @ 7 ET - I am well aware of the fact that the Mountaineers are without Sagaba Konate. However, the emergence of 6'10 Derek Culver is not being given enough of a look by the betting markets as early support is on the Red Raiders here. The fact is that Culver, due to suspension, got to the floor for the first time two games ago. Tonight's game, being his 3rd game back and also at home in a key match-up, is likely to see him play his best game yet. I love the fact that the Red Raiders are ranked quite high and have an 11-1 record with their only loss to Duke because it is masking the fact that, other than the loss to the Blue Devils, Texas Tech has played a rather weak schedule. The fact is that West Virginia started the season ranked but is now unranked and only 8-4 on the season but they've played a tougher schedule than Texas Tech has. If this game was in Lubbock it would be a different story but I like West Virginia at home here. Both teams are rather inexperienced this season and have had to reload. Of course when both teams are young it helps to be on your home floor. Also West Virginia is 3-2 SU in their last 5 meetings with the Red Raiders and the Mountaineers two defeats EACH came by just ONE point. Certainly, though I expect an outright upset here, having the points on our side could also prove very valuable. WVU has failed to cover the spread in 3 straight games but that is a situation that has seen them go 5-0 SU (4-1 ATS) in recent seasons. The Mountaineers are on a 36-6 SU run in home games. Texas Tech is 1-4 ATS in games with a posted total in the 130s while the Mountaineers are 7-2 SU their last 9 games with a posted total in the 130s. Also, the Red Raiders are just 5-15 SU in road games and this is their first true road game of the season. All of the previous Texas Tech games this season have been at home or at a neutral site. They are over-rated in my opinion and I fully expect coach Huggins to have his Mountaineers VERY ready for this Big 12 opener at home! Grab the points. 10* WEST VIRGINIA

January Game of the Month - Rickenbach CFB Game #278 Tuesday 10* Top Play Georgia Bulldogs (-) vs Texas Longhorns in Sugar Bowl @ Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, LA - The Bulldogs are out to prove they belong in the CFB Playoffs and I expect they will do just that. Sure Georgia is disappointed about their loss to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game and the fact that kept them out of the Playoff. However, they've had a full month to get over that and they are out to prove they still should have gotten the call for the CFB Playoffs. In my mind, it already has been proven. While Georgia played Alabama very tough in the SEC Championship Game (and truly should have won) and also lost last year's CFB Championship to the Crimson Tide in OT, let's talk about Oklahoma for a second. Yes, the same Sooners team that beat these same Longhorns in the Big 12 Championship Game and very nearly rallied to beat the Horns in their annual Red River Rivalry Game during the regular season got absolutely annihilated by the Crimson Tide in the Bowl Playoff Game. The point is that just like Oklahoma getting smashed by Alabama, I feel another Big 12 team is going to find out they don't match up well with an SEC powerhouse either! The Bulldogs, in my mind, are right up there with Alabama and Clemson as the top 3 teams in the nation while Texas finished up the season going 3-3 SU in their last 6 games. The 3 wins for the Longhorns came against 3 Big 12 teams with a combined record of 16-21 this season. Texas allows nearly 100 yards more per game than Georgia and the Bulldogs ground game averages nearly 100 yards more rushing per game. UT enters this game on a 2-6 ATS run. The Bulldogs went 6-1 ATS this season against teams with a winning record and are a long-term 7-1 ATS in games in which they are a favorite in a range of 10.5 to 21 points. Blowout alert! 10* GEORGIA

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CFB Game #272 Tuesday 8* Penn State Nittany Lions (-) vs Kentucky Wildcats @ 1 ET in Citrus Bowl @ Camping World Stadium in Orlando, FL - Penn State head coach James Franklin was the head coach at Vanderbilt before he came to the Nittany Lions beginning with the 2014 season. Of course the Commodores are an SEC team and Franklin has some extra familiarity with Kentucky as a result. In fact Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops began his career there in 2013 and Franklin's Vandy team beat Kentucky by 16 points in their lone meeting. Another double digit win is what I expect in this bowl game for Franklin's Nittany Lions. Note that Stoops has a losing record overall and has gone 0-2 in bowls while Franklin has enjoyed great success with Penn State and is also 3-1 ATS in bowls. Kentucky has a solid defense but their weakness is offense and the Wildcats simply won't be able to keep up with the Nittany Lions here. Also, when playing outside the SEC, Kentucky tends to be overvalued. The Cats are 3-11 ATS their last 14 non-conference games. As for PSU, they are 19-2 ATS when they enter a game on a winning streak of 2 or more games. While the Lions enter this bowl game having won 3 straight games, Kentucky wrapped up the season on a mediocre 4-3 SU run and went an ugly 2-5 ATS in those game. 8* PENN STATE

Divisional Dominator - Rickenbach NBA Game #563 Monday 10* Top Play Orlando Magic (+) @ Charlotte Hornets @ 6:05 ET - Even though this is a back to back spot for the Magic there are four important things to note here that will render that a mute point. Yesterday's game was a day game so that helps in terms of travel and rest. Flight time from Orlando to Charlotte is less than two hours so there was not significant travel involved. The Magic are much improved on defense this season and are entering this game off back to back wins and looking to close 2018 strong. Orlando has NOT forgotten about one of their most embarrassing losses of the season and that 32 point beatdown happened at HOME early this season which was the most recent time the Magic faced the Hornets. This is Orlando's first opportunity at revenge since that game and they'll make the most of it. The Magic are 6-3 ATS when playing with home loss revenge. Orlando is 10-4 ATS in road games. Charlotte is actually 6-11 ATS in games against teams with a losing record this season. Also, the Hornets enter this game on an overall 4-10 ATS run their last 14 games. Look for the Magic to improve to 6-2 ATS in their last 8 road games and I would not be surprised if their SU winning streak reaches 3 games as they are playing with a lot of confidence right now after home wins versus Toronto and Detroit. Looking for the upset but will gladly grab the big points as added insurance in this one. 10* ORLANDO

Game of the Month - Rickenbach CBB Game #753 Monday 10* Top Play Creighton Bluejays (+) @ Providence Friars @ 4 ET - The betting markets will love Providence in basically a "pick'em" game on their home floor. As per usual I am going contrarian here with Creighton and, as per usual, it is not without plenty of good reasoning. The Bluejays seek revenge for getting knocked out of the Big East tournament in March in overtime! It is time for payback here and this is the game where the Friars loss of 2nd leading scorer AJ Reeves to injury will prove significant. Though it is true Providence has won 3 straight since the foot injury for Reeves, teams need all the firepower they can get when facing a team with the offensive prowess the likes of Creighton. The Bluejays are averaging 85 points per game this season and knocking down 45% of their three-pointers! I also like the fact that, long-term, the Friars are just 37-51 ATS in games with a posted total in the 150s and Providence's SU record in those game is an ugly 33-55! Creighton is a long-term 41-21 SU in games with a posted total in a range of 150 to 159.5 points. Though they've struggled away from home in their past two games they did perform very well in late November in a neutral court tournament and they kick things up a notch for the revenge win here as the Bluejays roll to a road rout at Providence on Monday. 10* CREIGHTON

ESPN Smash Pass - Rickenbach CFB Game #264 Monday 10* Top Play Oklahoma State Cowboys (+) vs Missouri Tigers @ 3:45 ET in Liberty Bowl @ Liberty Bowl Stadium in Memphis, TN - I love taking the undervalued 6-6 team in a spot like this. Of course the Tigers are a big favorite as they are 8-4 and play in the SEC. However, not enough respect is being given to a Cowboys team that has a very dangerous offense. In fact, the Oklahoma State offense is the exact type of offense that makes a team a threat for a backdoor cover should one be needed here. That's because the Cowboys can score in a hurry. I also like the fact that OSU has gone 10-1 SU (9-2 ATS) in non-conference games. Additionally, the Cowboys are on a 8-2 ATS run (including 7 outright upsets!) as an underdog! Keep in mind, the underdog is on a PERFECT 7-0 ATS run in Oklahoma State's last 7 games. The Cowboys beat West Virginia and Texas during that stretch plus lost by just a single point as a 3 TD underdog against Oklahoma! As for Missouri, the Tigers lost to Kentucky and South Carolina plus lost by 2 TDs to Georgia and 4 TDs to Alabama. The point is that, even though Missouri is 8-4 this season, they did struggle against quality opposition. That said, I am comfortable challenging them to win this game by double digits. Missouri is 0-4 SU (1-3 ATS) when playing with 2 or more weeks between games. Also, the Tigers long-term run in December games is an ugly 4-11 SU (3-12 ATS). Look for those trends to continue here. 10* OKLAHOMA STATE

Game of the Year - Rickenbach NFL Game #309 Sunday 10* Top Play Philadelphia Eagles (-) @ Washington Redskins @ 4:25 ET - The Eagles post-season hopes are still alive. With a win here at Washington and a Vikings loss Philadelphia makes the playoffs. Certainly teams never try to worry about what the other teams are doing but, in the back of their minds, Eagles players know that a Minnesota loss is at least "possible" as the Vikes are playing an 11-4 Bears team that also still has motivation for playoff seeding purposes. Even without that, Philly would be going "all out" here as QB Nick Foles has stepped right in for the injured Carson Wentz and resumed his late season "magic" once again just like he did in last season's run that led to being Super Bowl Champions. The Eagles have won 4 of their last 5 games. The injury-depleted Redskins, once atop the NFC East not so long ago, have certainly gone the other direction. Washington has lost 5 of its last 6 games and this one has the makings of a road rout with Philadelphia fully capable of dominating the trenches on both sides of the ball. In terms of technical support here, the Eagles are 10-4 SU (and 9-5 ATS) when they enter a game on a SU winning streak of 2 or more games. Also, the Redskins are 0-3 SU (and ATS!) in their last 3 meetings with the Eagles and all 3 games were decided by a double digit margin. Look for that to be the case again in this one as well! Also, an interesting note here about Washington is they are 0-7 SU (and ATS!) in their final game of the season the last 7 years! 5 times it was a regular season game and 2 times it was a playoff game. All 7 seasons ended with a SU (and ATS!) loss and all 7 defeats came by 8 or more points. Considering that fact as well as the extremely injury-ravaged condition of the Redskins current roster, this one looks to take that "season-ending" ATS losing streak to 8 in a row! 10* PHILADELPHIA

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NFL Game #325 Sunday 8* Chicago Bears (+) @ Minnesota Vikings @ 4:25 ET - No offense intended to former Redskins QB Kirk Cousins but the results speak for themselves. The Vikings signal-caller had played his entire career with the Redskins prior to coming to Minnesota this season. That is noteworthy because Washington for the past 7 seasons ended their year with a loss (SU and ATS) whether it was a regular season game (5) or a playoff game (2). Full disclosure, Cousins was only the QB for 4 of those games but the point is that all 4 games were losses both SU and ATS and he certainly does NOT have a reputation as a winner in the biggest of games. This is a huge game for the Vikings. Win and they are in the playoffs. However, they face a Bears team that still has a chance to improve their seeding for the post-season and Chicago also would love to eliminate a division rival from making the post-season. That said, while the betting markets continue to back the Vikings here (line keeps moving up), I am happy to grab the value on the other side. The fact is that much is being made of Minnesota's improvement on offense since they made the switch at offensive coordinator. However, the Vikings two wins came against the Dolphins and the Lions. Those teams are a combined 12-18 on the season and Miami is truly even worse than their 7-8 record indicates. Either way, two wins over two losing teams is important to note because Minnesota is 0-5 SU this season against teams that are in the playoff field (Rams, Patriots, Seahawks, Saints, and these same Bears). The point is that now you have the Vikes laying nearly a full TD against a playoff team and they have not even beaten a playoff team this season! Also, Cousins reputation is not exactly one that exudes confidence in a potential "win or go home" game like this. Give me the Bears plus the points all day every day in a situation like this one! 8* CHICAGO

Bowl Game of the Year - Rickenbach CFB Game #256 Saturday 10* Top Play Clemson Tigers (-) vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish in Cotton Bowl @ AT & T Stadium in Arlington, TX @ 4 ET - Doesn't it seem surprising to see an undefeated team that statistically has played the tougher schedule installed as a double digit dog? As expected, the public sure thinks so! The Fighting Irish have received plenty of attention in terms of number of tickets written but the sharp money (including mine!) is on Clemson here. The Tigers have the playoff experience and are so strong in the trenches! I look for the Clemson defensive line to be particularly dominant in this game and that will be a key. The Tigers last 8 games featured one rare poor game defensively against South Carolina (but Clemson still won by a 21 point margin) but the other 7 games saw them allow just 9.9 points per game! The Fighting Irish have covered only twice in their last six games. Notre Dame was somewhat fortunate in their win at USC to close out the regular season and that was the 5th time this year that the Irish have been held to 24 points or less. The Tigers have NEVER been held below 27 points this season and they've played 13 games. In fact, in 10 of those games they scored 35 points or more. Knowing how dominant the Tigers defense is and how dynamic their offense is, this one is going to turn into a rout. It may stay close early but look for Clemson, as per usual, to exert their dominance as they wear down Notre Dame as the game goes on. The Fighting Irish are on a 6-13 ATS run in bowl games. The Tigers are 11-4 ATS (including 5-1 this season) when they are a favorite in a range of 10.5 to 21 points. Tigers head coach Swinney is 8-3 ATS in bowls and they're looking to make up for last year's loss in the CFB finals. Fighting Irish coach Kelly is just 3-4 SU and ATS in bowls. Advantage to the big favorite here all the way around and I expect a blowout rout. 10* CLEMSON

ESPN Smash Pass - Rickenbach CFB Game #249 Saturday 8* Florida Gators (+) vs Michigan Wolverines in Peach Bowl @ Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA @ Noon ET - Florida went 4-0 SU and ATS in non-conference games this season while Michigan went 1-2 ATS. The Wolverines are also an ugly 1-4 ATS when playing with 2 or more weeks of rest. The Gators are 4-1 ATS this season when they enter a game on a SU winning streak of 2 or more games. Michigan enters this bowl having failed to cover the spread in 3 straight games. A number of Wolverines players are out for this game including RB Karan Higdon. Look for them to still have a bit of a hangover too from the demoralizing season-ending blowout loss to Ohio State. Gators head coach Mullen is 5-2 SU in bowls. Michigan head coach Harbaugh has a losing record in bowls after being the lone Big Ten to lose in the bowls last year. Look for the Wolverines to continue to be a disappointment here. 8* FLORIDA

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #511 Friday 10* Top Play Brooklyn Nets (+) @ Charlotte Hornets @ 7:05 ET - Common thinking will be to back Charlotte in this chance at revenge for the loss at Brooklyn on Wednesday. As long-time followers know, my way of thinking is anything but common. Known for being contrarian, I am again going to contrary to the masses here and backing the Nets but is certainly not without reason. The Hornets are on a 3-9 ATS run their last dozen games. Brooklyn is on a 9-1 SU run their last 10 games. Charlotte actually has a losing SU record this season when playing with revenge and the past two seasons went a combined 34-56 SU when playing with revenge. The fact is that revenge is one of the most over-played angles in sports betting and, in this case, I am going against the grain and backing the Nets on the road. Brooklyn is a red hot team and is on a 29-14 ATS run long-term against Central Division opponents. Charlotte has gone cold and is on a 12-33 ATS run long-term versus Atlantic Division opponents. The Hornets are also just 5-10 ATS when playing against teams with a losing record this season. The Nets are 13-7 ATS in games with a posted total of 220 points or more. 10* BROOKLYN

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach CBB Game #811 Friday 10* Top Play Illinois-Chicago Flames (+) @ Wright State Raiders @ 7 ET - Though the Flames are allowing more points per game than the Raiders this season that has to with pace rather than defensive efficiency. In fact, Illinois-Chicago is allowing only 44.2% from the field including 35.1% from 3-point land while Wright State is allowing 46.3% from the field including 40.7% from beyond the arc. Additionally, the Raiders Loudon Love is listed as questionable for this game with an ankle injury. Wright State did win both games last season but the average margin was just 5.5 points per game and I feel UIC has closed the gap between these teams heading into this meeting. Also note that the Flames are the higher-scoring team and also the better shooting team from the field. Illinois-Chicago is 10-4 ATS in Friday games, 9-2 ATS when playing with 5 or 6 days of rest between games, and 18-8 ATS in games against teams with a losing record. Wright State is only 2-4 SU this season against teams that average 77 points or more per game and the Flames fall into that category. 10* ILLINOIS-CHICAGO

Game of the Month Side - Rickenbach CFB Game #244 Friday 10* Top Play West Virginia Mountaineers (-) vs Syracuse Orange @ 5:15 ET in Camping World Bowl @ Camping World Stadium in Orlando, FL - The Mountaineers were favored by a TD before QB Will Grier announced he was skipping the bowl. While the absence of star QB Grier is significant, we've now seen a 10-point swing on this line as West Virginia has gone from a 7 point favorite to a 3 point dog. The Mountaineers TEAM is not made up of just ONE player. Also, the QB that West Virginia will use is not some guy they just picked up yesterday off the streets. 6'6 Jack Allison is a sophomore whom played in multiple games this season. Trey Lowe III, a 6'2 freshman, will also be available. With the extra practice time afforded by all the bowl practices the Mountaineers have an "wide open playbook" for this one per coach Dana Holgorsen. West Virginia is aware of the line on this game. They are aware that no one is giving them a chance in this game without Grier. Yes I am aware of WR Gary Jennings JR and offensive tackle Yodny Cajuste also being out for this game. However, the Orange defense (which was already a MAJOR weakness of the team) is expected to be without a defensive end, defensive tackle, AND defensive back for this bowl game! Syracuse does have a strong offense but, from playing the high-flying Big 12, West Virginia is certainly used to facing high-paced dangerous offenses. The Mountaineers are also highly motivated here because, as noted above, no one is giving them a chance in this one. The Orange are just 2-3 SU in their last 5 games away from home. West Virginia went 3-1 away from home this season prior to a tough 4-point loss at Oklahoma State. The Mountaineers went an undefeated 3-0-1 ATS against teams with a winning record this season. The Orange went only 2-2 SU against teams with a winning record this season. I am happy to fade the masses here as Syracuse plays in the ACC. Think about it. Who impressed in the ACC this season other than, of course, Clemson! The Orange are over-rated and the Mountaineers defense, constantly ridiculed, gives one of its best efforts of the season today to support the Grier-less offense. 10* WEST VIRGINIA

ESPN Smash Pass - Rickenbach CFB Game #235 Thursday 8* Temple Owls (-) vs Duke Blue Devils @ 1:30 ET in Independence Bowl @ Independence Stadium in Shreveport, LA - Temple has an interim coach but it the same interim coach they had for their bowl game after the 2016 season. In other words, there is still some continuity here. Also, the Owls dominated on defense for much of the season. Temple allowed 19 points or less in 8 of their last 12 games. Taking a look at the Blue Devils defense, they allowed 329 rushing yards per game their last 5 games. In other words, they faded badly as the season went on. Also, a key player on defense, Jon Giles-Harris, is still being bothered by a knee injury and the Duke linebacker is questionable for this game. Yes, the Blue Devils played a tougher schedule than Temple did but they wrapped up the season with back to back losses and the Blue Devils are the type of team that, when they get in a funk, it often continues. In fact, Duke is 4-11 SU the last 15 times when off a loss in conference action. Also, the Blue Devils are 6-11 SU (including 1-3 SU this season) when facing a team with a winning record. Temple is 8-1 SU and ATS as a favorite in a range of 3.5 to 10 points. The Owls are also 11-2 ATS (including 4-0 ATS this season) in games played on turf. With QB Anthony Russo and RB Ryquell Armstead both upgraded to probable for this game. Look for the Owls to take advantage of a Duke defense that faded as the season went on. 8* TEMPLE

Primetime Punisher - Rickenbach NBA Game #583 Wednesday 10* Top Play Denver Nuggets (+) @ San Antonio Spurs @ 8:35 ET - Of course it looks enticing to play the small home favorite in a match-up like this but I am happy to back the road dog here. Both the Nuggets and Spurs are off losses but Denver is off their worst loss of the season and allowed a season-high in points. Note that they lost a key player to ejection midway in the 3rd quarter of that game and the Nuggets just didn't come ready to play that night. They paid for it and got dominated in the paint on both sides of the floor. Denver will undoubtedly be ready to make up for that effort here. The Nuggets entered that loss to the Clippers having won 11 of their last 13 games both SU and ATS! Also, Denver won the last two meetings with the Spurs last season and the prior loss was just a 2-point defeat at San Antonio. In other words, the 3 points could come in handy here but I am certainly making this play expecting an outright road upset. The Nuggets are 12-5 SU this season against teams with a winning record while the Spurs are just 6-8 SU this season against teams with a winning record. Also, Denver is a long-term 21-10 ATS, including 4-0 ATS the past two seasons, when they are off a game in which they allowed 130 points or more. The Nuggets have proven, as shown above, to be the better team in games against winning teams this season. Look for that trend to continue here. 10* DENVER

Game of the Month - Rickenbach NBA Game #561 Philadelphia 76ers (+) @ Boston Celtics @ 5:35 ET - The Celtics are off a win versus Charlotte but previously Boston lost three straight! Also this included back to back losses at home in which the Celtics were completely dominated on the boards by both the Suns and the Bucks. With the rejuvenated and revenge-minded Sixers also fully capable of dominating the rebound department, Boston is likely to again be in trouble here. The Sixers have been on a surge ever since the trade for Jimmy Butler. The 76ers enter this game having won 13 of their last 18 games. Philly is a long-term 25-12 ATS when playing with 2 days of rest between games and also 7-1 ATS when a divisional game. Also, the Sixers are 6-3 ATS (including 7-2 SU) when playing with revenge this season! This one has the makings of an upset with the strong motivation factor for Philly (0-1 versus Boston this season after being knocked out of playoffs by Celtics last season). With the Celtics recent slump and Boston a long-term 7-13 ATS in home games with a posted total of 220 points or more, I am grabbing the points with the underdog Sixers in this one. 10* PHILADELPHIA

ESPN Smash Pass - Rickenbach CBB Game #603 Tuesday 10* Top Play Hawaii Rainbow Warriors (+) vs Rhode Island Rams @ 3:30 ET in Diamond Head Classic @ Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, HI - The Rams are off a win and tight cover versus Charlotte but that comes as no surprise as the 49ers are struggling this season and averaging 58.5 points per game. Rhode Island is 0-3 ATS in road games this season. Though this is a tourney game, since they're facing the host of the tourney in this one, it is a road game. Hawaii is 6-2 SU in home games this season including 4-2 ATS in lined home games. Also, long-term the Rainbow Warriors are 13-6 ATS as a home underdog in a range of 3.5 to 6 points. Hawaii has played well on the defensive end in their last 3 games and they've gone 2-1 SU and ATS. Overall, the Rainbow Warriors have won 3 of their last 4 games SU. The 49ers are 2-3 ATS their last 5 as a favorite but one of those ATS wins coming by just half a point. The home dog definitely offering value in this one. Look for an upset but grab the points with the Rainbow Warriors as they defend (literally) their home court on the final day of this Christmas weekend tourney. 10* HAWAII

Game of the Month - Rickenbach NFL Game #129 Sunday 10* Top Play Kansas City Chiefs (-) vs Seattle Seahawks @ 8:20 ET - While it may surprise some that the Chiefs are favored here considering the Seahawks long-term success at home, do note that KC is on a 16-5 ATS run as a road favorite. I like the fact that we can take the Chiefs off a loss here. Kansas City has yet to lose two straight games this season. The Seahawks are off a loss as well but they've already had a pair of 2-game losing streaks this season and this is a tough match-up for them. Seattle is going to have trouble keeping up with the #1 rated offense in the league. The Seahawks pass protection is much worse than that of the Chiefs. KC is 5-1-1 ATS on the road this season and also a long-term 21-9-1 ATS in games against NFC West opponents. Seattle is on a 3-7 ATS run in games played in the final 4 weeks of a regular season. The Chiefs are averaging 39 points per game on the road this season. The Seahawks have been held to 28 points or less in 10 of their 14 games this season. The Chiefs have scored 30 points or more in 10 of their last 14 games. While the Seahawks have the better defense in this match-up they've also been fortunate in terms of yardage allowed compared to points allowed. Additionally, their defensive edge over Kansas City is not nearly as significant as the Chiefs offensive edge over Seattle. Lay the small number with the away team and look for a road rout in this one! 10* KANSAS CITY

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NFL Game #101 Sunday 7* Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+) @ Dallas Cowboys @ 1 ET - The Cowboys rate as the superior defense in this match-up but, statistically, the Buccaneers have the edge on the offensive side of the ball except for one key variable: turnovers. Tampa Bay has been done in by turnovers this season but they actually have moved the ball quite well for most of this season. As a result, we're getting solid line value here with the Bucs as a big dog and all the pressure on the Cowboys. Tampa Bay is playing for price and will play loose and relaxed. Dallas is still trying to lock up the NFC East after getting blasted 23-0 at Indianapolis last week. The Cowboys have an NFC East rivalry game next week at New York against the Giants so they really want to clinch the division this week. That is why, as noted above, all the pressure is on Dallas here. The Cowboys have a history of late season struggles and that includes their current long-term run of 40-62-4 ATS in December games. The Buccaneers are on a strong 8-3 ATS run when, in the 2nd half of a season, they're matched up with a team with a winning record. They've got a great shot at being the spoiler here. Even though the Cowboys won 5 straight games prior to last week's loss, all the games were decided by single digits with an average margin of victory of just 5.4 points. The Bucs have failed to cover only 1 of their past 5 games. 7* TAMPA BAY

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NFL Game #114 Sunday 8* Philadelphia Eagles (-) vs Houston Texans @ 1 ET - The Eagles are rejuvenated with Nick Foles taking over for the injured Carson Wentz and coming off the biggest Eagles upset win in 33 years last week. Philly took down the Rams in Los Angeles as a double digit dog for their biggest underdog upset victory since 1985. The Eagles are still very much alive in the playoff race but they need this win Sunday over the visiting Texans. Houston is 6-13 SU against NFC East opponents and also has not covered any of their 3 games against NFC East teams this season. Also, Houston is on a 1-8-1 ATS run in games played in the final 4 weeks of a regular season. The Eagles are on a 14-5-1 ATS run in games played against AFC opponents. Philly is on an 11-6 ATS run when, past the midway point of a season, they're facing a team with a winning record. So this match-up features a team that generally fades late against a team that has been "bringing it" in late season games. The Texans last 4 road wins came against teams that, entering Sunday, have a combined 21-36 record on this season. Now they face the defending Super Bowl champs that are fighting for their playoff lives and also playing their final home game of the season. The Eagles are strong in the trenches on both sides of the ball. This strength along both the offensive line and defensive line is a key to beating a team like the Texans. 8* PHILADELPHIA

Primetime Punisher - Rickenbach NFL Game #124 Saturday 10* Top Play Los Angeles Chargers (-) vs Baltimore Ravnes @ 8:20 ET - Yes the Ravens have won 4 of their last 5 games. However, all 4 wins came against teams currently in last place in their respective divisions. Atlanta and Tampa Bay are tied for last place in the NFC South. The Bengals are in the cellar in the AFC North and the Raiders are in the basement in the AFC West. Those 4 teams are a combined 18 games under .500 on the season! However, all these recent wins for Baltimore are helping to keep this line lower than it should be and I won't hesitate to take advantage with a Chargers team that still has a shot at the #1 seed in the AFC post-season picture! The Ravens are 2-4 SU and ATS against teams with a winning record this season. The Chargers are 3-0 SU and ATS against teams with a winning record this season. Considering LA is also at home for this one and the line has dropped to a -4 as of early Saturday morning, there is great value with the small home favorite. 10* LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

NBA TV Smash Pass - Rickenbach NBA Game #526 Saturday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (-) vs Toronto Raptors @ 7:35 ET - The Raptors Kyle Lowry is expected to miss this game and Toronto is in a back to back spot after the win versus Cleveland last night. They've gone 2-2 without Lowry in these 4 games he has missed but they lost both road games! Also, the Raptors are expected to be without Kawhi Leonard tonight since it is a back to back spot and he played 37 minutes last night. Surprisingly Toronto has had success in most of the games Leonard has missed this season but that is unlikely to be the case here. The 76ers are playing this game with double revenge as they have lost both games to the Raptors this season. Those losses came north of the border though and now the Sixers finally get their chance at home. Of course Philly is laying a small number here and that is certainly noteworthy as they are 15-3 SU in home games this season. Also, note that Philadelphia is 6-1 ATS (and SU) this season when off a divisional game. Prior to last night's big win over Cleveland, the Raptors were on a 3-8 ATS slide. Look for those struggles for Toronto at the betting window to resume as the 76ers get payback tonight. 10* PHILADELPHIA

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #608 Saturday 10* Top Play Villanova Wildcats (-) vs Connecticut Huskies @ 12:30 ET - The Wildcats are in a great value spot here. Villanova is off back to back losses and, while the loss to Penn certainly wasn't expected, there was no shame in falling just short against Kansas last Saturday. In fact, the Cats cover against the Jayhawks brought Villanova to 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games. For Nova, this is their final game of the calendar year as their next game is January 2nd versus DePaul in Big East action. In other words, you can bank on the Wildcats being ready to put forth a huge effort in this game. They are hungry and they don't want to end 2018 having not won a game since the 8th of December! As for Connecticut, they are off back to back wins but those came as a big favorite against both Drexel and Manhattan. The Huskies have played 4 games this season with a line in single digits and they've gone 1-3 SU and ATS in those 4 games. In other words, UConn has struggled in tougher match-ups and note also that the Huskies are 4-9 ATS in neutral court games. The Wildcats are on a 20-8 ATS run (including 3-0 ATS this season) in neutral court games. Grab the value with the rather small favorite in a spot where they are primed to dominate. 10* VILLANOVA

ESPN Smash Pass - Rickenbach CFB Game #222 Saturday 10* Top Play Memphis Tigers (-) vs Wake Forest Demon Deacons @ Noon ET - The absence of QB Sam Hartman and WR Greg Dortch is very significant for the Demon Deacons whereas the absence of RB Darrell Henderson for the Tigers is made up for by the fact they have another very talented runner in Patrick Taylor. Wake Forest finished the season with a blowout win at Duke but, prior to that, the Demon Deacons had allowed at least 316 passing yards in 4 of their 5 prior games. Wake Forest was so torched through the air in their two games just prior to the Blue Devils win, teams didn't have to run the ball on them well. But do not that prior to that the Demon Deacons run defense allowed 253 yards per game. The Tigers, even without Henderson, have Taylor and Tony Pollard and will do plenty of damage against this struggling run defense. The Demon Deacons went 2-7 ATS in games played on turf this season while the Tigers went 7-4 ATS on turf and will take advantage of the fast track at Legion Field in Birmingham, AL. Wake Forest is also on a 1-4 ATS run when playing with 2 or more weeks of rest between games while Memphis is on a 4-2 ATS run when playing with 2 or more weeks of rest. The Tigers defense got embarrassed in their loss at Central Florida 3 weeks ago (the 2nd time they blew a double-digit 2nd half lead against the Golden Knights this season) and they will make up for that here. 10* MEMPHIS