Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAB Thursday 10* (Top Play) on UTEP at Florida Atlantic @ 8:00 p.m. ET
The Florida Atlantic Owls host the UTEP Miners Thursday. The Miners are back on track after to tough road losses, winning back-to-back outings at home heading into Thursday. UTEP has to prove it can win away from home before March rolls around and has that chance Thursday in Boca Raton. The Owls limp into this C-USA showdown on a three-game losing slide, most recently getting upended by Florida International. Florida Atlantic’s biggest culprit during this skid has been its interior defense, allowing 118 combined points in the paint during that span. C-USA rivals are knocking down nearly 50 percent of their looks against the Owls, who don’t have the offensive firepower to counter those defensive issues. The Miners can fill up the basket in a hurry, averaging 70.4 points on the year and coming off an 83-point performance against Middle Tennessee. UTEP shot 50 percent from the floor in that contests, including a 12-for-16 mark from beyond the arc. With the Owls unable to defend, inside and out, the Miners shouldn’t have much of an issue covering this spread Thursday.
Play on UTEP as a 10* Top Selection Thursday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAB Thursday 8* (Regular Play) on Auburn at LSU @ 7:00 p.m. ET
The LSU Tigers host the Auburn Tigers Thursday. Auburn is hungry for its first real road win of the season and sets its sights on a stumbling LSU squad returning home after a loss at Mississippi State this past weekend. Auburn is getting greatly discounted away from home but is showing solid value as a road dog, having covered at Tennessee and at Alabama in their last two road trips. Auburn can counter LSU’s inside presence with stud big man Cinmeon Bowers, who averages 13.5 points and 11 rebounds. LSU’s Jordan Mickey is fighting through an ankle injury and could be a step behind in this battle on the blocks. Bowers has also stepped up on defense in SEC play and should be a handful for LSU on both ends of the floor. Auburn gets very small beyond Bowers, but will stretch the floor and look to push the tempo, getting LSU’s lumbering big men on their heels. Auburn will attack LSU’s key players hoping to draw them into foul trouble. LSU has shown a weakness to committing bad fouls, especially its other star big man Jarell Martin. Auburn won’t back down from his size and will get to the foul line early and often Thursday.
Play on Auburn as an 8* Regular Selection Thursday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAB Thursday 8* (Regular Play) on LaSalle vs. Richmond @ 6:30 p.m. ET
The LaSalle Explorers host the Richmond Spiders Thursday. Richmond is ripe for a letdown after a big win at VCU last time out. The Spiders topped their Virginia rivals by nine points for their second straight win heading into this road test, but could come out flat after recording resume win. LaSalle has also won back-to-back games heading into this home stand. The Explorers took a victory in St. Bonaventure in their most recent effort, following a home win against St. Joseph’s. LaSalle is getting great value in this home game, with the market overreacting to Richmond’s recent win over the Rams. The home team has been the wise bet in recent meetings between these two A-10 rivals, going a perfect 4-0 ATS in their last four meetings. The Explorers have a suffocating defense and allow only 58 points per conference game in A-10 play – second lowest in the conference. LaSalle is winning the turnover battle against league foes, with a 1.62 turnover margin in A-10 play.
Play on LaSalle as an 8* Regular Selection Thursday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAB Wednesday 10* (Top Play) on Clemson at Florida State @ 9:00 p.m. ET
The Florida State Seminoles host the Clemson Tigers Wednesday. Clemson is heating up hitting the home stretch of the season and looks to better its spot in the ACC standings with a big road win in Tallahassee Wednesday. The Tigers take a three-game winning streak into this matchup with Florida State, and have covered in five of their last eight contests. Clemson has revenge on its mind after losing at home, 59-55, to the Seminoles in mid-January. The Tigers face a daunting schedule in February with some tough tests on the road but have been up to the challenge with a 5-2 ATS mark away from home in their last seven road trips. Clemson is a solid rebounding team and have increased the intensity on the glass during that three game streak, pulling down 39 rebounds per game, including 10.3 on the offensive end. Florida State is a bigger team, so the Tigers’ ability to keep them off the boards will limit the amount of second-chance looks FSU can gather. The Noles don’t have as much fight on the glass, and could get pushed around by a physical Clemson side that plays tough defense, giving up just 61.6 points on the road.
Play on Clemson as a 10* Top Selection Wednesday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAB Wednesday 8* (Regular Play) on TCU at Baylor @ 8:30 p.m. ET
The Baylor Bears host the TCU Horned Frogs Wednesday. The Bears find themselves in a tough situational spot at home against the Horned Frogs, coming off a one-sided win over rival Texas and looking ahead to a road showdown with No. 12 West Virginia this weekend. There is value in going against Baylor here, especially with the way TCU has fought hard in recent games. The Horned Frogs have run the gauntlet of power teams in the Big 12, losing to Iowa State, Kansas, WVU, and Texas in their last four contests, but managing to cover in two of those matchups. Texas Christian ran with ISU for most of the game Saturday, but fell apart down the stretch. The Frogs fell to the Bears 66-59 in overtime on Jan. 10 and did a good job limiting BU’s chances, holding its Texas rival to just 29.8 percent shooting from the field. With Baylor in a tough situational spot here, TCU could once again take advantage and keep this game much closer than oddsmakers expect. The road team has covered in six of the past seven clashes between these programs.
Play on TCU as an 8* Regular Selection Wednesday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAB Tuesday 10* (Top Play) on Miami vs. Louisville @ 8:00 p.m. ET
The Miami Hurricanes host the Louisville Cardinals Tuesday. Miami plays everyone tough – no matter their place in the standings. The Hurricanes have already stunned ACC heavyweights Duke and Syracuse, and put scares into Notre Dame and Virginia this season, so taking on a ranked Louisville team at home isn’t going to phase Miami. The Canes catch the Cardinals in a tough situational spot, coming off an overtime win against North Carolina and making the trip to play Virginia this weekend. It’s a rare letdown/lookahead spot and Miami is the perfect team to take advantage of that. The Hurricanes have a steady backcourt and don’t make many mistakes, averaging only 10.2 turnovers a game – 13th fewest in the country – which will do them well against UL’s pressure defense. Point guard Angel Rodriguez is quickly becoming a star in the ACC and will hold down the fort against the Cardinals defensive attack.
Play on Miami as a 10* Top Selection Tuesday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Tuesday 10* (Top Play) on Philadelphia vs. Denver @ 7:00 p.m. ET
The Philadelphia 76ers host the Denver Nuggets Tuesday. The Sixers are coming off a hard-fought loss against the Cavaliers, covering the 17-point spread in a 97-84 defeat. It was Philadelphia’s fourth straight ATS win and they continue to get good value, even at home to a team like Denver. The Nuggets have just one win in their last 10 games, managing to cover in just three of those contests. Denver is dismal 9-13-1 ATS away from the Mile High City this season and has covered just twice in its last six meeting with the Sixers. The Nuggets are a mess defensively, giving up 105.7 points per game in their last nine contests. Offensively, Denver is scoring enough to counter those points. The team is scoring just under 83 points and shooting 38.3 percent in its last three outings – both NBA lows for that span.
Play on Philadelphia as a 10* Top Selection Tuesday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAB Tuesday 8* (Regular Play) on St. John’s at Butler @ 7:00 p.m. ET
The Butler Bulldogs host the St. John’s Red Storm Tuesday. The Bulldogs bring a three-game winning streak into Tuesday, including a tough win at Marquette which could leave Butler open for a letdown at home. The Bulldogs edged the Johnnies at home already this season, defeating the Red Storm 73-69. St. John’s will be out to avenge that loss Tuesday night. The Johnnies picked up an impressive win at home over Province last time out, snapping a two-game slide with a 75-66 victory. The Red Storm have a very deep offensive rotation that features four players scoring 12 or more points per game, making them a very tough team to contain. They’ve been able to absorb some off nights from star players and still put up big scores. St. John’s actually performs better on the road, averaging 72.4 points per away game. Books are giving the Johnnies a lot of points in Hinkle Fieldhouse Tuesday, presenting solid value for a team this explosive.
Play on St. John’s as an 8* Regular Selection Tuesday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAB Monday 8* (Regular Play) on Iowa State at Kansas @ 9:05 p.m. ET
The Kansas Jayhawks host the Iowa State Cyclones Monday. The Cyclones already have a win over the Jayhawks this season – defeating KU 86-81 in Ames last month – and have won their last two meetings against the Big 12’s gatekeeper. Iowa State is ready for a changing of the guard in the conference and has the offensive firepower to do so. The Cyclones put up 80.4 points a game and shot a very efficient 49.1 percent from the field. Kansas, which is leaning on it defense, don’t have that same firepower, with ISU getting production from all five positions on the floor – making them a very tough team to key in on and slow down. Iowa State has covered in five of their last six road games and bring a ton of confidence into Allen Fieldhouse Monday.
Play on Iowa State as an 8* Regular Selection Monday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Monday 8* (Regular Play) on Philadelphia at Cleveland @ 7:00 p.m. ET
The Cleveland Cavaliers host the Philadelphia 76ers Monday. The Cavs are heating up again and the market is handing over a pile of points in a knee-jerk reaction to Cleveland’s success. However, a deeper look at the Cavs schedule reveals that plenty of weaker opponents have led to that 10-game run. Cleveland has faced basement dwellers like the LA Lakers, Utah, Charlotte, Detroit, Sacramento and most recently Minnesota – wins that should be taken with a grain of salt. Sure, the Sixers fit that mold as well, but have been playing competitive basketball in recent outings. Philadelphia won back-to-back tilts with the T-Wolves and Pistons and gave Atlanta, the Eastern Conference’s other red-hot team, a good fight in a six-point road loss to the Hawks, covering the 16-point spread. The 76ers are getting more than that in Cleveland and have covered in nine of their last 11 games versus the Cavs.
Play on Philadelphia as an 8* Regular Selection Monday.
Good luck, Scott.

Rickenbach NFL *10* Top Play NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS vs Seattle @ 6:30 ET Sunday, February 1st - The Patriots are on a mission and, as tough as it is to repeat as NFL Champions, the Seahawks face an even tougher task then most teams who have earned themselves the opportunity to repeat. Note that Seattle is facing New England, and mastermind coach Bill Belichick, when he's off of back to back Super Bowl losses. The Patriots, in their last two visits to the Super Bowl, lost to the Giants each time. One defeat occurred in 2008 and the most recent loss occurred in 2012. By the way, the last team to repeat as Super Bowl Champions was the Patriots when they won it back to back in 2004 and 2005. For the Pats and Belichick, this offers even more motivation for this Super Bowl. The Patriots want to take away the sting of losing in their last two trips to the big game and they also want to maintain their status as the only team in this century to repeat as Super Bowl Champs. That's right, the last team to do it was Denver back in '98 and '99. Motivation and history aside here, the biggest key to this play is that no team is playing as complete as football is New England is right now. The power running game, the physical defense, an elite quarterback, and all of these factors are strengthened by having an amazing head coach. As for the Seahawks, while I certainly respect their solid defense and the success that Russell Wilson has had on the other side of the ball for Seattle, there is no doubt the Hawks do not belong in this game. Green Bay had them beat in the NFC Championship Game and let's not forget that the Packers barely slipped by the Cowboys in the Divisional Round. With injuries to Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas (even if they turn out to be minor and they do play in the Super Bowl) will certainly not help matters for a Hawks defense that struggled earlier this season when they were not healthy. After their miracle comeback win over the Packers, the Seahawks luck runs out here. Belichick and the Pats machine (that truly is what they are, a machine with amazing systems), will hoist the trophy this year. Play New England as a *10* Top Play.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAB 8* Sunday (Regular Play) on Houston vs. Connecticut @ 3:00 p.m. ET
The Houston Cougars host the Connecticut Huskies Sunday. The defending national champs are having some serious issues away from home this season. The Huskies have dropped three straight road games, including a 70-58 loss in Cincinnati. UConn is scoring 64 points per road tilt while allowing host teams to score 64.1 points per game. However, those numbers have taken a turn for the worse in recent road trips. The Huskies have been outscored 208-175 in their last three away games and face a sizable amount of chalk Sunday afternoon. UConn has failed to cover in five straight games. The Cougars snapped an eight-game losing skid with the win over Rice this week. Houston has suffered some tight losses during that slide – a bounce here and there would have its record looking much different. The Cougars know the blueprint for beating the Huskies, having done so last season, sinking 49 percent of their looks and getting big 3-pointers from Jherrod Stiggers. Stiggers is scoring 15 points per game for the Cougars this season.
Play on Houston as an 8* Regular Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAB 8* Sunday (Regular Play) on Washington vs. California @ 3:00 p.m. ET
The Washington Huskies host the California Golden Bears Sunday. Washington in home after two tough games against the Pac-12 elite, losing to Stanford and Utah. The Huskies are looking to get back on track against a struggling Cal team. The Golden Bears have covered just once in their last six contests. The Golden Bears snapped a six-game slide with a win over Washington State last game, but now face a revenge-fueled Washington squad out to erase a loss to California on Jan. 2. The Huskies are playing much better basketball, having won three straight games before the back-to-back losses, including a sweep of the two Oregon teams. Washington has had some time to tinker with its rotation after dismissing defensive stopper Robert Upshaw from the team this past week. The Huskies rolled out different looks in the loss to Stanford and have had a full week to plug up that hole in the lineup.
Play on Washington as an 8* Regular Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAB 8* Sunday (Regular Play) on Miami at Florida State @ 12:30 p.m. ET
The Florida State Seminoles host the Miami Hurricanes Sunday. The Hurricanes could be the most dangerous team in the ACC. Miami has already gone into Duke and Syracuse – two of the top home courts in the country – and come out with the wins. Now, the Canes have their hated state rivals in their sights, set for another road stunner on Super Bowl Sunday. Miami suffered a letdown spot to Georgia Tech following the win at Syracuse. However, there will be no lack of motivation with this trip to Tallahassee. The Hurricanes are a rare breed of basketball team, actually performing significantly better when away from home. Miami averages 72.9 points per road game – compared to 66.5 points on at home. Florida State is coming off a grueling double OT victory against Wake Forest and has just two wins in its last six games. The Seminoles are slipping defensively, giving up 70 or more points in six of their last seven games. The Canes have proven just how explosive they can be on offense, most notably hanging 90 points on the Blue Devils in Cameron Indoor last month.
Play on Miami as an 8* Regular Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAB Saturday 10* (Top Play) on Texas at Baylor @ 6:00 p.m. ET
The Baylor Bears host the Texas Longhorns Saturday. The Longhorns are hungry for a win after dropping back-to-back games against Big 12 powerhouses, Kansas and Iowa State, and have a heated Lone Star State rivalry in Waco. Texas is a tough matchup for the Bears, who are used to beating up their opponents on the boards. The Horns will give BU a taste of their own medicine, with a long and athletic forward corps that averages 11.8 offensive rebounds per game and 42.2 total boards an outing – third best in the country. While the final score will have a huge dependency on which team dominates the glass, it could come down to which one misses the fewest shots. Baylor is a terrible 38.2 percent from the field against Big 12 opponents and may run low on options when compared to Texas’ deep scoring attack that boasts four players averaging double-digits points. The Longhorns have covered the spread in five of their last six meeting with BU and have cashed in ATS in each of their last four trips to Waco.
Play on Texas as a 10* Top Selection Saturday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAB Saturday 8* (Regular Play) on Louisville vs. North Carolina @ 4:00 p.m. ET
The Louisville Cardinals host the North Carolina Tar Heels Saturday. Louisville can make some major leaps in the ACC with a win over North Carolina at home, throwing their famous brand of pressure defense against a shorthanded UNC backcourt. The Tar Heels will take the court without guards Joel Berry II and Theo Pinson, facing UL’s full-court ball-hawking press that forces 16.1 turnovers per game – 14th most in the entire country. North Carolina has limited options going up against that kind of pace and will quickly run out of steam, forcing even more errors against an opportunistic Cardinals team. The Tar Heels cough the ball up 12.9 times per game and are coming off an especially sloppy performance with 20 turnovers in their win over Syracuse Monday, thanks to those missing cogs in the backcourt. Louisville will have UNC on its heels from the tip and should cruise to an easy win and cover with its defense producing plenty of offensive chances.
Play on Louisville as an 8* Regular Selection Saturday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAB Saturday 8* (Regular Play) on Kansas vs. Kansas State @ 2:00 p.m. ET
The Kansas Jayhawks host the Kansas State Wildcats Saturday. The Jayhawks continue to pick up steam as they try to lock down the Big 12 and a top seed in the NCAA tournament. Kansas is coming off two straight road win and is back home in Lawrence, where is has covered in each of its last five home stands. The Jayhawks will be playing with added motivation when rival Kansas State comes to Allen Fieldhouse, with KU covering in 26 of the last 35 meetings between these schools. Kansas got a wakeup call last time out, barely beating TCU 64-61 on Wednesday. It was a rare off day for KU’s offense, which has piled up the points in recent efforts. In the three games prior, the Jayhawks averaged over 80 points. The Wildcats are stumbling into this matchup, having lost to West Virginia Tuesday and dropping two of their last three. Kansas State is a tough team on their own court but haven’t matched that same defensive intensity on the road. The Wildcats give up 68.9 points per road stop – 10 points more than in Manhattan. To make matters worse, KSU will likely be without second-leading scorer Nino Williams, who injured his knee early into the loss to WVU. Williams averages 11.7 points per game and is the team’s leading rebounder at 4.9 per game. Expect the Jayhawks talented frontcourt, which pulls down 11.5 offensive rebounds per game, to exploit that big hole under the basket.
Play on Kansas as an 8* Regular Selection Saturday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAB Saturday 8* (Regular Play) on Providence at St. John’s @ 12:00 p.m. ET
The St. John’s Red Storm host the Providence Friars Saturday. The Friars rolling into Queen’s on a three-game winning streak, having taken victories over DePaul, Xavier and Creighton and covering the spread in each of those Big East battles. In fact, Providence is one of the hottest bets in the country but still remain under the radar, having failed to cover just twice in their last 10 games. The Friars are a versatile team that can out-gun its opponents with an offense that has proven it can put up big points. Or, Providence can win the slowed-down, dragged out defensive battles, having limited foes to just 41.5 percent shooting on the season. St. John’s limps into the weekend of back-to-back losses and has only two wins in its last eight games, covering the spread only once in that span. The Johnnies are allowing more than 74 points per game in those eight Big East games and are a dismal 2-6 ATS as hosts this season. The road team has covered in four of the last five meetings between these schools.
Play on Providence as an 8* Regular Selection Saturday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAB Friday 10* (Top Play) on Oregon at Arizona State @ 8:00 p.m. ET
The Arizona State Sun Devils host the Oregon Ducks Friday. Oregon is looking to put a terrible loss behind it heading into Tempe after getting rolled by the Arizona Wildcats last time out. The Ducks are a resilient program and are getting great value here in this Pac-12 matchup. Oregon is an explosive offensive teams, averaging 76.8 points per game – ranked 24th in the country. The Ducks, unlike most teams in the Pac-12, don’t sure an offensive letdown when they hit the road. Oregon averages 72.5 points away from home, a slight decrease compared to other conferences foes. Oregon will turn to its talented frontcourt to wear on ASU Friday. The Ducks dominate the glass with 37.7 rebounds per game, and will test the Sun Devils’ rebounding prowess. Oregon’s interior offense is a big reason why the team is shooting 45 percent from the field and will be met by an ASU defense that has trouble slowing down bigger, strong rivals – allowing teams to shoot 47.7 percent over its last three games.
Play on Oregon as a 10* Top Selection Friday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Friday 8* (Regular Play) on Portland at Atlanta @ 7:35 p.m. ET
The Atlanta Hawks host the Portland Trail Blazers Friday. The markets continues to react to the Hawks’ hot play, and is giving plenty of points to a very good Blazers team Friday night. Atlanta, which has won 17 in a row SU and ATS, is now seeing its lines padded against the public opinion and this could be the game where it all comes crashing down. Portland presents a tough challenge for Atlanta. Not only is star forward LaMarcus Aldridge a mismatch nightmare for the Hawks, but Blazers guard Damian Lillard is playing with added purpose after being left off the NBA Western Conference All-Star roster. Lillard is the type of explosive player that can single handedly break open a game. On defense, no team in the league guards against the 3-pointer better than the Blazers, who have limited opponents to just 30.6 percent shooting from beyond the arc. The Hawks have been heavily dependent on their perimeter prowess during this streak. Atlanta gets 28.4 percent of its offensive production from 3-point buckets and won’t have those looks against a tough Portland perimeter defense.
Play on Portland as an 8* Regular Selection Friday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAB Thursday 10* (Top Play) on UCLA vs. Utah @ 10:00 p.m. ET
The UCLA Bruins host the Utah Utes Thursday night. The Bruins are out to avenge a bad loss to the Utes in Salt Lake City, getting clobbered 71-39 on Jan. 4. UCLA has proven to be a much stronger team inside Pauley Pavilion, where is averages almost 84 points per game, against just 60 points per road outing. Not only are the Bruins getting a boosting from the Pauley faithful Thursday but welcome the return of forward Tony Parker to the lineup after he missed the last two games. Parker is the team’s fourth leading scorer and paces UCLA in the rebounding department, where it has an edge over the Utes Thursday. Utah has allowed its last three opponents to haul in 10.3 offensive boards per game. The Utes haven’t been tested away from home much, going just 3-3 on the road this season. They have been solid at home, putting up almost 82 points per home stand but average only 60 points on away from Salt Lake City. Those issues could be magnified with a revenge hungry crowd in Los Angeles Thursday.
Play on UCLA as a 10* Top Selection Thursday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAB Thursday 8* (Regular Play) on Missouri vs. Kentucky @ 9:00 p.m. ET
The Missouri Tigers host the Kentucky Wildcats Thursday. Despite the Tigers five-game slide, Mizzou Arena is still a tough venue to play in and it will be bumping Thursday’s when the No. 1 team in the nation makes its way to Columbia. The Tigers are 4-1-1 ATS in their last six games at home, and are getting a barrel of points from oddsmakers in this SEC showdown. It’s easy to see why books would have UK as such a big favorite, after embarrassing Missouri 86-37 in their last meeting. The Tigers managed to shoot just 27 percent from the field, including a 1-for-18 performance from beyond the arc. However, those poor statistics can be chalked up to an off night from a team that let nerves get the best of it in always-imposing Rupp Arena. Missouri was actually in that game for most of the first half before things suddenly went south. Leading scorer Johnathan Williams III finished just 1 for 13 from the floor and second-leading scorer Montaque Gill-Caesar didn’t play against the Wildcats due to injury. I expect a much better effort from Missouri this time around, fueled by pride and a solid home-court edge.
Play on Missouri as an 8* Regular Selection Thursday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAB Thursday 8* (Regular Play) on Maryland at Ohio State @ 7:00 p.m. ET
The Ohio State Buckeyes host the Maryland Terrapins Thursday. Despite being ranked No. 15 in the country, the Terps continue to be disrespected by the betting market and are getting a handful of points in this trip to Columbus. Maryland is no stranger to the road, picking up wins in Oklahoma State, Michigan State and Purdue, but knows it can’t afford to have many more sub-par performances. It squeaked out a win over Northwestern last time out and lost in Indiana the game before. The Terrapins are going to have to use their size advantage to get the ball deep in the Ohio State zone and dominate the boards, picking up plenty of second-chance buckets. The Buckeyes don’t have much height up front, so Maryland will have an edge when it comes to those loose balls. The Terps haul down 36.8 rebounds per game and matchup against an OSU team that gives up an average of 9.4 offensive rebounds. The Buckeyes have struggled to cover against conference opponents with a 4-10 ATS mark in their last 14 Big Ten battles.
Play on Maryland as an 8* Regular Selection Thursday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAB Wednesday 8* (Regular Play) on Kansas vs. TCU @ 9:00 p.m. ET
The Texas Christian Horned Frogs host the Kansas Jayhawks Wednesday. The Jayhawks are building momentum in a tight Big 12 race and have a chance to pick up their third straight win and their eighth win in the last nine games in Fort Worth. Kansas is rounding into that familiar form and has covered the spread in each of those past seven victories, including a convincing win in Texas this past weekend. The Jayhawks are throwing just too much talent at TCU in this matchup, especially with the Horned Frogs running the risk of a major letdown spot after such a crushing loss the last time out. Wins are hard to come by for TCU and it just missed picking up another ‘W’ in an overtime loss at West Virginia. This team snapped a 23-game Big 12 losing skid the week before, so coming this close to a rare conference win is deflating for the Horned Frogs. On top of that, there is a major gap in talent between these two programs – which is normal when measuring KU against the rest of the majority of the conference. The Jayhawks have covered in 26 of their last 37 Big 12 battles – a 72 percent ATS winning rate.
Play on Kansas as an 8* Regular Selection Wednesday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAB Wednesday 10* (Top Play) on Mississippi State at Mississippi @ 9:00 p.m. ET
The Ole Miss Rebels host the Mississippi State Bulldogs in basketball’s version of the Egg Bowl Wednesday. We’re seeing tremendous value with the underdog in this matchup, and oddsmakers are being far too generous with the points when these rivals clash in Oxford. Mississippi State has proven it can win on the road, recently snapping a 22-game losing skid, and has made leaps and bounds during SEC play this winter. The most noticeable improvements have come on the offensive end, where MSU has put up scores well above their season production, including 78 points in a win at Auburn last week. Ole Miss may be a few ticks ahead in the standings but with the way the Rebels have defended – or we should saw not defended – this spread it far too much to give a team of this calibre. Mississippi has allowed opponents to average 72.5 points per game during SEC play and are in danger of suffering a letdown – even against this old rival – after knocking off Florida last time out.
Play on Mississippi State as a 10* Top Selection Wednesday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Wednesday 10* (Top Play) on Sacramento vs. Toronto @ 7:35 p.m. ET
The Toronto Raptors host the Sacramento Kings Wednesday. The Kings have enjoyed an extended hiatus from the court thanks to poor weather in New York cancelling their scheduled matchup with the Knicks Monday. Sacramento has actually been out East with its feet up since Sunday, giving it extra time to game plan for the Raptors. Toronto, on the other hand, is coming off a tough game in Indiana Tuesday and had to fly home overnight to be ready for the well-rested Kings Wednesday. The Raptors haven’t covered in each of their last five road games and are giving up big points to Sacramento in this tough situational spot. The Kings are hungry for a win after suffering a six-game slide heading into this road matchup and have covered in five of their last seven head-to-head encounters with Toronto.
Play on Sacramento as a 10* Top Selection Wednesday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Wednesday 8* (Regular Play) on Portland at Cleveland @ 7:05 p.m. ET The Cleveland Cavaliers host the Portland Trail Blazers Wednesday. The Blazers have had some extra time off after a very busy schedule in recent weeks. Portland was supposed to play in Brooklyn Monday, however, winter weather force the NBA to postpone the game, giving the Blazers a three-day break. It comes at a good time for Portland, which had been back and forth between road and home a lot in recent games, and it also allows them to focus on shutting down Cleveland Wednesday night. Blazers big man LaMarcus Aldrdige didn’t seem phased playing through a thumb injury, netting 26 points in the win over Washington last time out. Aldridge is key in keeping the Cavs frontcourt busy and opening up the paint with his ability to step outside and knock down mid-range looks. Cleveland is coming of a physical matchup with Detroit Tuesday, having to fly home immediately following that win. This will be the Cavaliers’ third game in four nights, so expect some tired legs on the Cleveland sideline. The Cavs rely on their starters to play big minutes and produce big numbers, rolling with a shallow talent pool in reserve. Cleveland’s bench averages just 15.4 points per game – lowest in the NBA – and may be called upon in this tight schedule spot Wednesday. Play on Portland as an 8* Regular Selection Wednesday. Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAB Tuesday 6* (Regular Play) on Oklahoma State vs. Baylor @ 8:00 p.m. ET
The Oklahoma State Cowboys host the Baylor Bears Tuesday. Stillwater will be rocking when the Pokes open the doors of Gallagher-Iba Arena to the nationally ranked Bears. Oklahoma State are always tough at home, as evidenced by a 60-29-4 ATS mark in their last 93 home games – covering the spread at a 67 percent rate as a host. The Cowboys have held true to that form, with a 5-2 ATS record in Stillwater this season. The biggest boost OSU gets playing at home is on offense, where it averages 72.3 points per game, compared to just 63.4 points per road game. The Pokes play a smothering defense that ranks among the best in the country, limiting opponent to just 59.7 points per game. Baylor hasn’t been sharp away from Waco during conference play, with losses at Kansas State and Oklahoma, and a near miss in OT at TCU. It’s not surprise the home team has covered in 12 of the last 16 meetings between these Big 12 rivals.
Play on Oklahoma State as a 6* Regular Selection Tuesday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Tuesday 6* (Regular Play) on Dallas vs. Memphis @ 8:30 p.m. ET
The Dallas Mavericks host the Memphis Grizzlies Tuesday. The Mavericks catch their Western Conference rivals coming off a game in Orlando Monday and having to travel overnight to the Lone Star State. Dallas is a tough matchup for the Grizzlies, with shot-blocking defender Tyson Chandler in the paint making life tough on Memphis’ big men and Dirk Nowitzki stretching the Grizzlies on defense with his perimeter play. On top of that, the Mavs high-energy backcourt combo of Rajon Rondo and Monta Ellis is snapping out of its slump. The pair combined for a 53 points in the loss to New Orleans Sunday and should test the Grizzlies road-weary legs. Dallas has covered in five of its last six matchups with Memphis and has going 4-1 ATS in its last five home games against the Grizz. It took a 103-95 win in Memphis as 3.5-point road underdogs on Jan. 19, overwhelming the Grizzlies with its outside shooting.
Play on Dallas as a 6* Regular Selection Tuesday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAB Tuesday 6* (Regular Play) on George Washington at VCU @ 7:00 p.m. ET
The VCU Rams host the George Washington Colonials Tuesday. Both teams bring a ton of momentum into this A-10 matchups, however, the best value lies with the Colonials. George Washington has rolled to four straight wins and has just one loss in its last 10 games. This trip to Virginia Commonwealth is a huge statement game for GW, which is trying to claim a stake as the conference’s top team. The Colonials have a smothering defense that limits opponents to just 59.4 points per game and have held their last three foes under that season average. The Rams have won 11 in a row but have managed to produce just five ATS paydays during this span, playing well under the oddsmakers’ expectations. Virginia Commonwealth isn’t going to get many clean looks at the hoop with GW’s dominant defense hounding them and won’t win the loose ball battle either, with the Colonials topping the A-10 in rebounding with 37.3 boards per game including 10.8 offensive rebounds an outing. The Rams have managed to cover just once in their last five against conference rivals.
Play on George Washington as a 6* Regular Selection Tuesday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAB Monday 10* (Top Play) on Iowa State vs. Texas @ 9:00 p.m. ET
Iowa State is looking to erase an upset loss to Texas Tech in its last outing and finds the perfect victim in Texas, which is ripe for a letdown following its loss to Kansas this weekend. The Cyclones suffered an ice-cold shooting night on the road in Lubbock, especially from beyond the arc – shooting a dismal 6 for 31 from long range. Iowa State is back home in friendly Ames Monday, where it shoots 50.4 percent from the field and puts up 83.5 points per game. The Longhorns don’t have the scoring prowess to keep pace with ISU, which was evident in their loss to Kansas. Texas mustered only 62 points on 40 percent shooting, and going a frigid 3 for 18 from 3-point range. The Longhorns average only 63.1 points per road game on the year, a 10 point decrese from their production at home. The host team has been the dominant side in this Big 12 series and few teams play better on their home court than the Cyclones.
Play on Iowa State as a 10* Top Selection Monday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Monday 8* (Regular Play) on Philadelphia at New Orleans @ 8:00 p.m. ET
The Philadelphia 76ers catch the New Orleans Pelicans coming off a big win over the Dallas Mavericks Sunday night, and we’re taking advantage of not only a proper letdown spot but also a rough slate of schedule that has the Pelicans playing back-to-back nights and three games in four days. Oddsmakers are asking a lot of New Orleans with this spread and giving a rested Sixers side some added value, especially since Philly has gone 4-0-1 ATS in its last five matchups with Southwest Division foes. Philadelphia’s offense remains a bit of a mess but this club has shown some toughness when it comes to the defensive end. After watching teams run up the score in the first half of the year, the 76ers have clamped down on defense in 2015 and turned in plenty of respectable efforts, limiting their last three opponents to under 97 points on just 42.8 percent shooting. Not only can Philadelphia make foes work on the offensive end but the Sixers run a quick pace that can pull slower teams – like the Pelicans – out of their game plan. The 76ers are tied for the fifth fastest pace in the NBA while New Orleans drags its feet at 25th. That increase in tempo will be a lot for a fatigued Pelicans side to handle and we could see their tank hit empty well before the fourth quarter rolls around.
Play on Philadelphia as an 8* Regular Selection Monday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAB Monday 8* (Regular Play) on North Carolina vs. Syracuse @ 7:00 p.m. ET
North Carolina is showing plenty of character these days, facing a daunting ACC schedule with some of its depth cut short. The Tar Heels have won five straight games despite some injury issues to key reserves, putting a bigger work load on the starters. However, UNC continues to come out on top and is back home in Chapel Hill for this showdown with Syracuse Monday night. North Carolina is a tough matchup for the Orange, with the Tar Heels using their quick pace to beat SU’s zone defense down the floor. North Carolina averages 79.4 points per game and has plenty of scoring options, making it tough for Syracuse to key in on just one contributor. The Orange don’t have the offensive firepower of past seasons, averaging only 68.4 points per game and relying on a shot-clock sucking playbook to lull foes to sleep on defense. With UNC at home to a rabid crowd in the Smith Center, North Carolina can build a quick lead and cruise to an easy ATS victory with SU struggling to play at that pace.
Play on North Carolina as an 8* Regular Selection Monday.
Good luck, Scott.

Rickenbach NCAA-B #851 - *10* Washington Huskies (+) @ Utah @ 8:30 ET - The Huskies aren't interested in style points. Simply put, ugly basketball or not, Washington continues to get the job done. That being said, everyone is certainly taking notice of the Runnin' Utes and what they've been doing in Utah. This has resulted in exceptional value. Yes, Utah's dominance on their home floor has been impressive at the surface. But look a little deeper and you will find a plethora of weak foes that the Utes have hosted so far this season. Washington certainly does not fall into that category and I expect the Huskies to give Utah all it can handle Sunday. After starting the season 11-0, Washington then lost 4 straight. Not only have the Huskies responded by winning 3 straight, the Huskies four losses all came by a margin of defeat of 8 points or less. Washington has not been blown out yet this season and I don't expect that to happen Sunday either. Utah's dominating home wins in Pac-12 action came against Washington State (worst defense in conference), Colorado (when they were decimated with injuries), and UCLA and USC (both southern cal teams struggling on the road this season). In fact, the four teams that the Utes have hosted are a combined 5-22 on the road this season. Now Utah faces a Huskies team that is a respectable 15-11 ATS on the road the last 3 seasons and is a solid 4-1 ATS as an underdog this season. The Utes have been so successful ATS this season that the odds makers are having to adjust the lines upward and this one is simply too much. The Huskies are on a long-term 18-10 ATS run as an underdog of 12.5  points or more and they also seek revenge for last spring's Pac-12 conference tourney loss to the Utes. By the way, that game was decided by 6 points and each of the last 4 meetings between these clubs has been decided by single digits. Look for a similar result Sunday. Play Washington plus the points as a *10* Top Play.

Rickenbach NBA *8* Dallas Mavericks (-) @ New Orleans @ 6 ET - The Pelicans have survived so far without Jrue Holiday but that had a lot to do with facing a number of weak teams since Holiday got hurt. Now the Pelicans step up big in talent level and, worse yet, the Mavericks are angry coming off of a home loss as they enter this game. Dallas had won 10 of their last 13 before losing to the Bulls at home on Friday. Now, someone has to pay for that. Welcome to the "revenge rout" New Orleans. The Mavs have won 9 of their last 10 meetings with the Pelicans and they certainly won't have any sympathy for New Orleans sans Holiday. New Orleans is 5-13 ATS the last 3 seasons as a home dog of 3 points or less. The Mavericks are 13-1 straight-up and 11-2-1 ATS the last 3 seasons as a road favorite of 3 points or less! Play Dallas minus the short number as an *8* selection.

Rickenbach NBA *10* Phoenix Suns (+) vs LA Clippers @ 6 ET - Phoenix can't wait to get back on the floor after a tough two-point home loss to the Rockets on Friday. They are hosting another strong offense tonight as the Clippers come to town but the Suns are 15-8 ATS this season against teams averaging 99 points or more per game on the season. Unlike Phoenix, the Clips have performed poorly with the same parameters as they are 7-16 ATS this season against teams averaging 99 points or more per game on the season. Phoenix lost by a single point at Los Angeles back on December 8th and it's certainly revenge time here as the Suns came so close and yet they have now lost five straight games to the Clippers. The Clips are off of a blowout win and cover over Brooklyn but the Clippers had failed to get the cash in each of their previous three games. Note that as a road favorite of 3 points or less the Clippers are 8-20 ATS the last 3 seasons combined. Also, the Clips are 0-3 straight-up and ATS in Sunday games this season. The Suns are 6-2 ATS in divisional games this season and they have plenty of motivation as they host the team that is just above them in the Pacific Division standings. Play Phoenix plus the points as a *10* Top Play.

Rickenbach NCAA-B #841 - *8* Seton Hall Pirates (+) @ Butler @ 3 ET - These teams met at Seton Hall earlier this month and it was a revenge spot for the Bulldogs. I used Butler that day and they got me the cash in their overtime win over the Pirates. The Bulldogs were seeking revenge for getting knocked out of the conference tourney by Seton Hall by a single point last spring. Now, after what happened less than two weeks ago, it's the Pirates who come into a match-up with revenge on their mind. Seton Hall is fired up after that home loss in overtime to the Bulldogs. The Pirates have been so anxious for this rematch that they overlooked the only game that was in between this "home and home" scheduling set with the Bulldogs. Yes, Seton Hall suffered an embarrassing home loss to DePaul on the 22nd but, again, that was their only game sandwiched between these two dates with Butler. Seton Hall was 13-3 on the season before these back to back losses and note that these two defeats came by just 4 points apiece. There is nice value being offered with the generous line in today's match-up with Butler. The Bulldogs are 14-6 on the season but they are 4-3 in Big East action with 3 of those 4 wins coming by 4 points or less. The point is this...put them at -6.5 in all their Big East games and they'd be 1-6 ATS. This is going to be a war today at Butler and, just like the overtime game at Seton Hall, there will not be a big margin achieved either way. Excellent value with the points as a result. The Pirates are 17-9 ATS the L3 seasons. The Bulldogs are not the same team they were under coach Brad Stevens. We take advantage of the line value attributable to that here as this is just Butler's second season without him. Play Seton Hall plus the points as an *8* selection.

Rickenbach NCAA-B #823 - *8* South Florida Bulls (+) @ Connecticut @ Noon ET - The Bulls had one of their worst games in school history the last time they visited Connecticut. Their 12 field goals made in that game was their second worst performance ever - the worst being 11 field goals made against Villanova. South Florida will be plenty motivated for redemption this afternoon at UConn. While an outright upset is unlikely a much more competitive defeat can be expected. South Florida lost by 14 points at home against the Huskies earlier this season. But in their four prior match-ups the Bulls were highly competitive in all but one of them. South Florida won one of the games and lost the two others by just five points apiece. I like having the Bulls in an early game on Sunday. Connecticut's players are expected to blowout a team after enjoying a Saturday night at home. I just don't see that happening. The likelihood of a blowout is even less likely, not only because the Bulls are seeking revenge, but because the Huskies have a much bigger game on deck (at Cincinnati). The Huskies have failed to cover 3 straight games and the Bulls have been "chomping at the bit" to get back on the floor after an ugly loss at Temple this week where they were stifled by the Owls defense. Note that the Bulls are on a long-term 32-21 ATS run as a road dog of 12.5 points or more. The Huskies are just 1-4 ATS in home games this season. Connecticut also is on a long-term 13-20 ATS run as a home favorite of 15.5 to 18 points. Play South Florida plus the big points as an *8* selection.

Rickenbach NCAA-B Game #647 - *10* San Diego State Aztecs (+) @ Colorado State @ 10 ET - Don't be fooled by this line. It certainly would like enticing to take the team with the better record at home and laying only about a bucket. However, there is a reason this line is the way that it is. The Aztecs are absolutely the superior team despite their 15-4 mark falling short of the Rams 17-2 mark on the season. Here is all you need to know. The Rams two losses came in the two Mountain West games where they had to step up and face top competition. Colorado State lost at home against Wyoming by 6 points and on the road at New Mexico by 13 points. Contrast that with how San Diego State has stepped up in big games. The Aztecs won at Wyoming by 8 points and versus New Mexico by 14 points. The past two years San Diego State has taken 3 out of 4 match-ups with Colorado State. Overall, the Aztecs have beaten the Rams in 24 of their last 34 meetings. Overall, when playing against a team with a winning record the last 3 seasons San Diego State is 44-18 straight-up. As for Colorado State, they are an ugly 16-31 ATS the last 3 seasons in games against teams with a winning record. The Rams step up in class in Mountain West Conference action for the 3rd time this season and, once again, they fall short. Play San Diego State plus the points as a *10* Top Play.

Rickenbach NCAA-B Game #629 - *10* Utah State Aggies (+) @ UNLV @ 8 ET - With UNLV at home some nice line value is being offered on Utah State here. The Aggies lost both match-ups with the Runnin' Rebels last season so this is a double revenge spot for Utah State. That helps elevate this play to my Top Play rating as the Aggies coach Stew Morrill is doing a great job this season considering he lost so many key players from last season's squad. Utah State is starting to gel as they have won 8 of their last 11 after a tough 3-4 start to the season. As for UNLV, they are heading the other direction as the Runnin' Rebels have lost 6 of their last 7 games and that is helping to offer some nice line value here with the road dog Aggies. Note that 4 of UNLV's 10 wins this season have come by a margin of 4 points or less and, again, as of late the Rebels are slumping. After the midway point of the season, when facing a solid defense team (allowing 64 points or less per game), UNLV is an ugly 6-14 ATS the last 3 seasons. Look for the Aggies to improve to 5-2 ATS in conference games this season as their confidence has built in recent weeks and they can take advantage of a Rebels team that also lost a lot of firepower from last season's team. Play Utah State plus the points as a *10* Top Play selection.

Rickenbach NCAA-B Game #610 - *8* Pennsylvania Quakers (+) vs St Joseph's @ 7 ET - The money flowed in early on St Joseph's in this one. Can you blame anyone for that? The Quakers from Penn are an ugly 4-10 on the season so who would want them? I do. With the Rickenbach family roots near Philadelphia I have closely followed the "Big Five" match-ups in Philly for many years. The key I love here with the Quakers and the points is that Pennsylvania has been embarrassed so far in Big Five action this season and this is their last chance to notch a win in the series this season. In other words, Penn will not be short on emotion here and they're taking on a Hawks team that is off of a win versus U. Mass but had lost five of it's six prior games. St Joseph's simply has not gelled this year and, in fact, in their games against Philly teams this season (including non-Big 5 team Drexel) the Hawks have recorded two tight wins (by margins of just 3 and 2 points) and gotten clobbered by Villanova in the other game. The Hawks are just 11-16 ATS when they are off of a game where they allowed 60 points or less. The Quakers are 4-2 straight-up and 3-1 ATS (2 non-lined games) in their match-ups with teams with a losing record this season. In summary, a motivated Quakers squad is going to be very tough on their Philly rival in this one. Having lost their 1st three games against the other 3 members of the Big 5 this is a big game for Penn. The Quakers have had five losses by single digits this year and 3 of those came by 4 points ore loss. They will be in this one all the way and i do expect an outright upset. Play Pennsylvania plus the points as an *8* selection.

Rickenbach NCAA-B Game #607 - *8* Oklahoma Sooners (+) @ Baylor @ 6 ET - Even though Oklahoma got some measure of revenge against the Bears about 3 weeks ago, the Sooners certainly haven't forgotten that Baylor knocked them out of the Big 12 Tournament last March. That said, Oklahoma will be plenty focused here. The Sooners have taken 5 of their last 6 meetings with the Bears. Oklahoma is off of a loss at Kansas on Monday by a count of 85 to 78 but Baylor is certainly no Kansas. That said, it's also noteworthy that the Sooners are 13-4 ATS when they are off of a game where they allowed 80 points or more. As for Baylor, they are coming off of a non-conference win over an outclassed foe but in Big 12 action the Bears have failed to cover 4 of 5 games so far this season. Also, Baylor scored 81 points in their most recent game (again, it was a weak foe that they faced) and the Bears are 8-15 ATS the last 3 seasons combined when they are off of a game where they scored 80 points or more. Play Oklahoma plus the points as an *8* selection.

Rickenbach NCAA-B Game #519 - *8* Michigan State Spartans (-) @ Nebraska @ 4 ET - The Cornhuskers burned me with their tight win over Minnesota Tuesday. I'll get some payback here as the Huskers step up in class and host a very strong Michigan State team. Like the Cornhuskers, the Spartans are very strong defensively. The difference lies in the potency of the Michigan State offense! While the Huskers have been held under 60 points in 3 straight games and 7 of their last 10, the Spartans have scored at least 64 points in all but 2 of their games this entire season. Overall, on the season, Michigan State is averaging 73.4 points per game and Nebraska lags behind that by about 9 points per game. The Spartans are 16-8 ATS the last 3 seasons combined. The Huskers are just 13-18 ATS when they are off of a game where they held their opponent to less than 60 points. After celebrating their tight win over the Golden Gophers earlier this week, Nebraska gets walloped by the Spartans here. We get line value since this is a road game for Sparty. We'll take it! Play Michigan State minus the points as an *8* selection.

Rickenbach NCAA-B #564 - *8* Mississippi State Bulldogs (+) vs Georgia @ 3 ET - Who better to get advice from on a "Battle of the Bulldogs" then "The Bulldog" himself. Scott loves the value here with this dangerous home dog. Mississippi State is fired up for revenge on their home court after losing both match-ups to Georgia last season with each defeat coming by a 20+ point margin. Mississippi State shot an unbelievable 3 of 40 from 3-point range in those two games combined. Look for more a much better effort from long range for the home team this afternoon. Mississippi State enters this game off of 3 straight covers as a dog including 2 straight outright upsets. They are playing with a ton of confidence as a result and they catch Georgia at a time when Georgia is struggling defensively. Note that Georgia has allowed their last five opponents to shoot a combined 46% from the field! Look for Georgia to drop to 2-7 ATS as a road favorite of 3.5 to 6 points. Look for Mississippi State to improve to 8-3 straight-up at home this season but I will of course grab the sizable points being offered to the home team in this one! Play Mississippi State plus the points as an *8* selection.

Rickenbach NCAA-B #535 - *8* Kansas Jayhawks (+) @ Texas @ 2 ET - Texas is enjoying another strong season but can't ignore the fact that Kansas is even stronger in my opinion plus the Jayhawks have taken 3 of the last 4 meetings. Also, Kansas has faced stronger opposition this season in comparison with the Longhorns. Although Texas is off of back to back wins and covers, the Horns had previously failed to cover 5 of their last 6 games! Earlier this season the Jayhawks were embarrassed in a 32 point loss to Kentucky. They win on a spread-covering tear immediately after that. Kansas is on a similar ATS run right now as they have covered 6 of their last 7 since getting hammered by 25 points at Temple just before Christmas. Ever since then the Jayhawks look like a team "on a mission" and I don't foresee the Horns as being able to slow them down. Coming into the season, it was known that the Jayhawks ultra-talented freshmen would have to mesh well with the rest of the team. It takes awhile for that to occur. It is happening now that the season has reached it's midway point. Note that Texas is just 8-13 ATS off of a win against a conference rival. The Jayhawks are 11-4 ATS this season against teams with a winning record. Play Kansas plus the points as an *8* selection.

Rickenbach NCAA-B Game #827 - *10* Valparaiso Crusaders (+) @ Wisconsin - Green Bay @ 9 ET - Wisconsin - Green Bay is a perfect 9-0 at home this season. But take a look at the opponents they've faced on their home floor and then decide how truly impressive that is. Fact is, it's not so impressive and now the Phoenix are facing a Crusaders team that had beaten them in four straight meetings before getting hammered by a double digit margin in Green Bay in February. That makes this a big revenge game for Valparaiso who comes into this game having held each of their last 5 opponents (and 7 of their last 8 foes) below a shooting percentage of 38%. The defensive intensity the Crusaders have displayed in recent weeks has certainly been impressive. On the other side of the floor, Valparaiso has shot the ball extremely well in 3 of their last 4 games. They are well coached under former NBA player (and Valparaiso star) Bryce Drew. He's followed in his father's footsteps as a Crusaders head coach and he thrives on these key conference games. He'll have his team ready to go here and I love getting the added value of extra points due to Green Bay's unblemished record in home games this season. Note that as a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points the Phoenix are on a long-term 14-24 ATS run. As for the Crusaders, they are 5-2 ATS this season against teams with a winning record. Play Valparaiso plus the points as a *10* Top Play.

Rickenbach NBA *10* Top Play Oklahoma City Thunder (+) @ Atlanta @ 7:35 ET - Certainly much respect must be given to the Hawks and their amazing run. But if ever there was a perfect spot to play against that, this is it. Atlanta is at home so line value is available and they are facing a Western Conference foe. There still remains a huge disparity in the NBA in terms of the overall talent level between the Eastern and Western conference. That said, the Thunder also are able to "sneak up" on the Hawks because of their unimpressive 22-20 mark on the season. Of course now that the Thunder are healthy, they are much more dangerous as a dog than their record would indicate. Note that Oklahoma City has won and covered four straight games. Also, the Thunder are a respectable 9-4 their last 13 games. Of course, no one will see that in this match-up because everyone is looking the way of the Hawks and their ridiculous string of 14 straight wins and covers. You can bet that Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and Company want to be the team to put an end to Atlanta's insane run. The Hawks are playing their 7th game in 11 nights. While the Thunder have also seen their schedule intensity pick up over the last week do note that they had nearly a full week off just prior to this stretch as they were off between games on the 9th and the 15th. Oklahoma City's straight-up record is 55-21 in non-conference games the last 3 seasons. Atlanta's record over that same stretch is 35-37. The only reason we are getting points here is the Hawks current insane winning streak. The last time here the Thunder were a 3.5 point favorite and won by 9 points. Are the Hawks really 8 points better than the Thunder comparing this match-up to the last match-up in Atlanta? Of course not! Grab the value with the road team here as the Hawks face a highly motivated Thunder team tonight that has the talent level to knock them off. Talent and motivation = dangerous NBA underdog! Play Oklahoma City plus the points as a *10* Top Play selection.

Rickenbach NCAA-B Game #823 - *8* Detroit Titans (+) @ Cleveland State @ 7 ET - Thanks to the 7-1 home record that the Vikings have this season there is excellent line value with the underdog Titans in this match-up. Cleveland State has played four home games in the past five weeks. The Vikings went 3-1 but two of the wins came by just 4 points and the loss was to a team from the Ohio Valley Conference. That said, I am not sold on the "power" of Cleveland State at home. Their two home floor conference wins came over teams that are a combined 2-18 on the road this season. Now the Vikings are facing a much tougher foe and Detroit has gone 4-4 in the Titans last 8 games away from home. Detroit is also playing this game with plenty of motivation as the Titans were swept last season by Cleveland State as the Vikings took both match-ups. Yates and Hales are both listed as doubtful to play for the Vikings tonight and that will effect their backcourt depth. They will need fresh legs in the backcourt as this game goes because the Titans do like to "run and gun" as they have averaged 74.2 points in their last five games. Look for the Titans to improve to 7-3 ATS in their last 10 Friday night games while Cleveland State falls to 2-5 ATS in home games as the Vikings continue to be over-valued on their home floor. Play Detroit plus the points as an *8* selection.

Rickenbach NCAA-B Game #559 - *10* Top Play Maryland Terrapins (+) @ Indiana @ 9 ET - Maryland is a team on a mission this season. They haven't received an NCAA bid since 2010 and they came into this season determined to change all that. Not since the days of the Coach Gary Williams-led squads have we seen such a solid effort night in and night out from this Terrapins team. Maryland is 17-2 on the season and playing fantastic defense. Big D like that is a key to notching road wins and that's why I am not afraid to back the Terps here at Indiana. Maryland is allowing just 61.4 points per game this season. The Hoosiers are allowing ten points more than that at 71.4 points per game. Another key for Maryland in a game like this is the veteran leadership they have. Conversely, Indiana doesn't have a single senior on the entire roster! The 4 guys playing the most minutes per game for the Hoosiers include one junior, one sophomore, and two freshmen. Maryland is 7-3 ATS against teams with a winning record this season. Indiana is off of a big road win at Illinois and prior to their win over Penn State in their previous game, the Hoosiers had been just 9-15 ATS the L3 seasons when off of a win over a conference rival. Indiana's 4 conference wins have come by a total of just 17 points while in their toughest test in conference action (prior to tonight's game against a very tough Maryland team), they were blown out by 20 points against Michigan State. Conversely, the Terrapins just beat that same Spartans team by 17 points Saturday and the Terps have won their conference games by an average margin of 10 points per game. Play Maryland plus the points as a *10* Top Play.

Rickenbach NBA *10* Top Play Chicago Bulls (+) vs San Antonio @ 8:05 ET - Yes the Spurs are hot but this is still a team that was 2-5 in their last 7 road games prior to winning at Denver on Tuesday night. San Antonio, with it's aging veterans still being key cogs in the rotation, has a home game on deck with the Lakers. That will mark the Spurs 7th game in 11 nights. That said, this is certainly not an easy point in the schedule for San Antonio. The line has been on the rise for this one because the Spurs have been hot and Chicago has struggled recently. This is giving nice line value to a Bulls team that has gone 6-3 ATS the L3 seasons as a home dog of 3.5 to 6 points. Chicago is fired up after losing by 14 points at Cleveland on Monday. Unlike the Spurs, the Bulls schedule situation is favorable here. Chicago is playing just their 2nd game in 5 nights. Though the Bulls do have a game on deck it is a non-conference match-up as Dallas is up next for Chicago. San Antonio is 1-5 ATS this season in road games with a posted total between 195 and 199.5 points. The Bulls have won 6 of their 8 games this season when playing with rest of 2 days. The fresh legs of the Bulls will get the job done again here. Even without Joakim Noah, the Bulls are the play here. Play Chicago plus the points as a *10* Top Play.

Rickenbach NCAA-B Game #546 - *8* Miami Hurricanes (-) vs NC State @ 8 ET - This is a big revenge spot for Miami. The Hurricanes were knocked out of the ACC tournament last year by the Wolfpack. Additionally, the Canes suffered a tight home loss (56-55) to NC State back in February of last year. Miami is fired up for revenge tonight and they have been much better than "advertised" so far this year! Lacking depth in the frontcourt and trying to integrate new personnel into the rotation, it was expected that the Canes may struggle this season. However, after going just 17-16 last season, note that the Hurricanes are already 12-5 this season! Miami is coming off of a tough loss at Notre Dame Saturday but that was after their huge upset at Duke on the 13th. Note that Miami has gone 3-1 when off of a loss this season and those 3 wins came by an average margin of 20.7 points per victory! Look for Miami to take advantage of an NC State team that has had a friendly home schedule so far this season. Although the Wolfpack are off of a 72-63 win at Florida State on Saturday note that the game was tied at 60 in the final minutes. That deceiving final score is helping to give some added line value in this ACC match-up Thursday. NC State hasn't won back to back games since defeating Wake Forest and Charleston Southern back on Dec 6th and Dec 12th. The Hurricanes will bounce back off of a rare loss and the Wolfpack will once again fail to string together back to back wins as they continue to alternate wins and losses. Look for the Canes to improve to 9-4 ATS the L3 seasons when they are off of a loss against a conference foe. Play Miami minus the points as an *8* selection.

Rickenbach NCAA-B Game #529 - *8* Alabama Crimson Tide (+) @ Arkansas @ 7 ET - Another dangerous SEC dog here. A lot of line value for the Crimson Tide because they are off of a 13-19 season while the Razorbacks are coming off of a 22-12 season. It's hard for bettors to ignore recent history and therefore Arkansas had to be set at a much higher line than they should. Yes, the Razorbacks certainly are deserving of respect on their home floor. But this is too much. Arkansas just lost by 14 points at home against Mississippi Saturday. In SEC action, the Razorbacks have now allowed each of their last 3 foes to shoot at least 51% from the field. Additionally, in all 4 of their SEC games this season, Arkansas has allowed their opponent to connect on at least 43% of their 3 pointers! This kind of defense is going to catch up with the Razorbacks and they face a tough challenge with Alabama tonight. The Crimson Tide just got blasted by Kentucky but very few teams don't get crushed by the Wildcats! The key is that, before that defeat, Alabama had covered all 3 of their games in SEC action and had played very solid defense overall and against the 3-ball. The Crimson Tide struggled against Kentucky, but they are a solid 16-9 ATS the L3 seasons when they are off of a game where they were held to 60 points or less. As for Arkansas, one might expect their defense to respond off of a poor effort. However, the Razorbacks are on a long-term 33-45 ATS run when they are off of a game where they allowed 80 points or more. The Arkansas defense struggles again tonight. Play Alabama plus the points as an *8* selection.

Rickenbach NCAA-B Game #767 - *10* Mississippi State Bulldogs (+) @ Auburn @ 9 ET - I have plenty of respect for Bruce Pearl as a head coach. No doubt about that. However, it's going to take awhile before Pearl has the right players to execute as he wants to down in Auburn. That said, the Tigers have certainly shown some weaknesses early on in SEC action and they should not be this large of a favorite over a respectable Mississippi State team. Note that Auburn allowed their first 3 SEC opponents to all hit a FG % in the mid to high 40's. Even more concerning their 4th SEC opponent this season was South Carolina and the Gamecocks hit 50% from the field against Pearl's club. Even more concerning is that Auburn has not shot the ball well in SEC action. Since conference action got underway, the Tigers have been held under 37% from the field in 3 of the 4 games. It's tough to cover a large spread over a conference foe when you're not shooting well and not defending well. Mississippi State comes into this game with confidence thanks to notching their first SEC win of the season on Saturday. The Bulldogs held on to defeat Vanderbilt and holding an SEC foe to just 54 points and getting that key first win gives Mississippi State a boost heading into this game. The Bulldogs have gone 3-1 ATS the L3 seasons as a road dog of 6.5 to 9 points. Auburn is 2-4 ATS and just 3-5 straight-up in games against teams allowing 64 points or less per game this season. The Tigers will struggle to get any kind of sizable margin in this one. Great value with the points. Play Mississippi State plus the points as a *10* Top Play.

Rickenbach NBA *10* Toronto Raptors (+) @ Memphis @ 8 ET - At first glance this looks like a great spot to play the Grizzlies because they lost at Toronto earlier this season and will be seeking revenge. However, Memphis has only gone 5-4 ATS in that situation so far this season so it certainly has not been a strong factor for the Grizzlies this season. Another big concern for Memphis is they out-rebounded the Raptors by a ridiculous 61-38 count in the match-up earlier this season but they still lost the game. Toronto is actually a solid team on the glass so don't look for a repeat of that crazy rebounding stat in the rematch tonight. Both teams, ironically, have Philadelphia on deck. That said, there is certainly no look-ahead for either team. The Raptors have played respectable defense in 3 of their last 4 games. This has helped result in 4 straight unders. This is noteworthy because Toronto is 10-3 ATS the last 3 seasons when they enter a game on a under streak of 3 games or more. Memphis comes into this game off of an upset loss as a favorite as they lost at home to the Mavericks. While one might expect the Grizzlies to respond well off of a loss, note that Memphis is just 2-4 ATS this season when they are off of a loss in a game where they were favored. The Raptors have won 3 straight over the Grizzlies and another upset tonight would not surprise at all. That said, taking the points is a great value. Play Toronto plus the points as a *10* Top Play.

Rickenbach NCAA-B Game #729 - *8* Missouri Tigers (+) @ Texas A & M @ 7 ET - Of course the Aggies have long been known for their success at home in college basketball. They do have a big home court edge. Additionally, the Tigers have certainly struggled so far this season. However, even with all of that said, this is simply too many points! The Aggies are laying very close to double digits in this game and yet, Texas A & M (10-5 in their L15 games) has just 4 wins by a double digit margin in those 15 games. By the way, those victories came over Mercer, Youngstown State, New Orleans, and New Mexico. That said, only the win over the Lobos really carries any weight. Missouri's 7-10 record on the season is helping to give line value here to the Tigers. Missouri is off of a loss (SU and ATS) to Tennessee in their most recent game but they had previously failed to cover just twice in their last six games. By the way, in their last 7 games, only one loss came by more than 8 points and that was to powerhouse Kentucky. In fact, the Tigers other 4 losses came by an average margin of defeat of less than 5 points! The Tigers will continue fighting here and Texas A & M, shooting just 38% from the field in their last 5 games, will struggle to cover this inflated spread. Play Missouri plus the points as an *8* selection.

Rickenbach NCAA-B #525 - *10* Minnesota Golden Gophers (+) @ Nebraska @ 8:30 ET - Minnesota came into their Saturday match-up versus Rutgers with an ugly 0-5 mark in Big Ten conference action. Getting that win over the Scarlet Knights was key for the Golden Gophers to turn their season around. Don't be fooled by their poor record thusfar in conference action. Four of those losses came by a combined 13 points! The only bad loss the Gophers had in conference action was at Maryland when they lost by 12 but Minnesota had a rare, awful shooting performance in that game. The Golden Gophers have lost each of their last two visits to Nebraska but both were very tight defeats and Minnesota is seeking revenge tonight. Note that Minny had won 4 of their 5 prior visits to Lincoln. The Golden Gophers are coming into this game with confidence after their high-scoring performance against Rutgers. Note that Minnesota is 4-2 ATS this season, and 16-9 ATS the L3 seasons, when they are off of a game where they scored 80 points or more. The straight-up records (and keep in mind they are getting points tonight) are even more impressive in that situation as the Golden Gophers are 7-1 this season and 22-6 the L3 seasons combined! The Cornhuskers are 2-8 ATS in games against teams with a winning record this season and Nebraska is also just 2-5 ATS in home games this season. Just like last season, the Huskers are having problems on the glass and they are also recording more turnovers than assists! Play Minnesota plus the points as *10* Top Play.

Rickenbach NCAA-B #505 - *8* Michigan Wolverines (+) @ Rutgers @ 6:30 ET - With Caris LeVert going down with a season-ending injury no one will want Michigan here. That's actually the perfect time to step in on a dangerous dog. The respiratory virus that had swept through the team has settled down. The injury issues, other than LeVert, are minor. That said, don't doubt coach John Beilein in a game like this. He has 30+ years of coaching experience for a reason. He knows how to work with young players and he will get the most out of his team tonight. This is what you call a "rally the troops" game and other players will be anxious to step up in their first game without LeVert on the floor. If the Wolverines were facing a tough Big Ten opponent that I might not be involved here. But they're facing a Rutgers team that is just 2-4 in the Big Ten this season for a reason. The Scarlet Knights have averaged just 55 points of offense per game in their last 3 home games. Rutgers has given up an average of 81 points per game in their last two games in conference action. Unlike Beilein, Rutgers coach Eddie Jordan is in just his second season of coaching at this level. The Scarlet Knights are just 1-3 ATS as a favorite this season and they've lost two of those games straight-up. As a home favorite of 3 points or less, Rutgers is on a long-term 10-17 ATS run and they've lost 16 of those games straight-up. This is a crucial point in the schedule and Beilein knows how to get the most out of his players at a most critical time. That's why the Wolverines are 13-7 ATS and 18-3 straight-up in January games the last 3 years combined. Play Michigan plus the points as an *8* selection.

Rickenbach NCAA-B Game #741 - *8* Florida State Seminoles (+) @ Clemson @ 9 ET - Florida State knocked Clemson out of the ACC tournament two years ago. The Tigers did not forget that loss and last season (after losing at home to the Seminoles in January), Clemson got some revenge with a road win at Florida State in February. The Noles were held to just 49 points in that game and they have been looking forward to this opportunity for revenge tonight. While the Noles come into this game looking for some payback, don't be surprised if the Tigers aren't quite "ready" for this game. Clemson is coming off of a big win over Syracuse Saturday. That makes this the perfect spot to ride the underdog Noles as they catch the Tigers off of a key win and, prior to that, Clemson had lost 3 of their 4 prior games by an average margin of 18 points per defeat! Florida State will be fired up because they were at home Saturday and tied at 60 with NC State before a game-ending 12-3 run in the wrong direction for the Seminoles. It was the 3rd straight loss for the Noles and they are 31-15 ATS when entering a game on a losing streak of 3 games or more. As for Clemson, they are just 47-65 ATS and 46-71 straight-up when they are off of a win against a conference rival. Nice situational edges for the Seminoles here and the points are an added bonus. Play Florida State plus the points as an *8* selection.

Rickenbach NBA *8* Detroit Pistons (+) @ Atlanta @ 2:35 ET - Because the Hawks have won and covered 12 straight some extra line value is being offered here. Atlanta's amazing ATS run is masking the fact that the Pistons are on an 11-2 run and have covered 10 of those 13 games. That means we are getting exceptional value here with a Pistons team catching about 8 points here even though they've only had one loss by more than five points in the past month! Detroit will be fired up for this game as they have lost both prior match-ups with the Hawks this season. The last defeat came by just 3 points on the Pistons home floor earlier this month and Detroit has revenge on their minds this afternoon. The Pistons are 5-1 ATS this season as a road dog of 6.5 to 9 points. Detroit is also 5-1 ATS this season when they are off of a game they won by a margin of 10 points or more. The Pistons, over the last 3 seasons, are 35-18 ATS when they are off of a game where they scored 105 points or more. They catch Atlanta here off of a long road trip that was wrapped up with key wins at Toronto and at Chicago. Now watch the Hawks struggle as they take on a team that is perceived as a weaker foe (because of 16-25 season record) but that is actually playing rock solid basketball for a full month now. Play Detroit plus the points as an *8* selection.

Rickenbach NCAA-B Game #821 - *10* Oregon Ducks (+) @ Washington @ 8:30 ET - The Huskies entered this season really needing 6'10 Jernard Jarreau to get healthy. Instead, the 6'10 sophomore is once again out with a knee injury. His statistics may not be that impressive but he does a lot on the court that Lorenzo Romar's team is going to miss. Yes, they did beat Oregon State in their first game without him but now they face a Ducks team that is a world of difference in terms of level of opposition compared to the Beavers. The Huskies Shawn Kemp, Jr. averages only 4 boards a game even though he's 6'9 250. 7-footer Robert Upshaw is having a solid season but now without Jarreau, and with 7-footer Gilles Dierickx hurting (foot), Washington is going to struggle to stop the high-flying Ducks. Oregon comes into this game having won 4 of their last 5 meetings with the Huskies. The Ducks have plenty of confidence facing Washington and the lone loss they had to the Huskies came by just 4 points. Young, Brooks, and Cook combine to give the Ducks nearly 46 points and 17 rebounds per game. The Ducks will push the tempo here (they average 78 points per game!) and that will wear down a short-handed Huskies team that is particularly short on healthy big men capable of stopping the Ducks from having their way with drives to the bucket for easy hoops! Oregon is on a long-term run of 17-9 ATS as a road dog of 3.5 to 6 points. The Huskies are just 3-7 ATS as a favorite this season. Also, Washington is an ugly 6-11 ATS when they are off of a game where they allowed 60 points or less. Yes, they held "the other Oregon team" to just 43 points on Thursday. But now they face the high-scoring Ducks who provide match-up problems all over the floor for the Huskies. Play Oregon plus the points as a *10* Top Play.

Rickenbach NFL *8* NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (-) vs Indianapolis @ 6:40 ET - As for Monday evening, the weather is expect to be decent (by New England winter standards) for Sunday's AFC Championship game so the Patriots offensive machine should be able to execute at it's highest level in this game. With that said, I won't hesitate to step up now on the Patriots as this line has dropped to 6.5 in some spots (including some big books) as of Monday evening. Though the Pats got caught in a bit of "back and forth" with the Ravens in the Divisional Round, the Patriots will not only match Indy score for score in this one, they just might be unstoppable on offense. The Colts faced a struggling and injured Peyton Manning last week. That had a lot to do with my play against the Broncos in the divisional round. Manning just didn't look right late this season and the Colts took advantage. But now the Indy defense faces the potent machine in this one: the Patriots offense led by Tom Brady. Note that the Pats have scored 274 points in their last 7 meaningful home games (Bills game in season finale did not matter). That works out to an average of 39 points per game! The Pats simply can't be stopped in Foxboro. The last time these two teams met (earlier this season) the Patriots rolled by a 42-20 final score! A similar result would not surprise. As for supporting trends, the Patriots are 3-0 straight-up and ATS against the Colts in their last 3 meetings. The Pats have won those games by an average score of 48-22. New England is 9-1 ATS the last 3 seasons in home games with a posted total of 49.5 points or more. The Patriots are at their best against strong teams as they have gone 15-9 ATS the L3 seasons against teams with a winning record. As for the Colts, they normally fade as a season goes on. They are 5-9 ATS when they face teams with a winning record past the mid-point of the season. Of course we are now in the post-season and, just like last year, the Patriots eliminate the Colts from the post-seasons. Andrew Luck got his signature win over this predecessor last week as they beat Peyton Manning and the Broncos. Getting a second straight big road win is too much to ask. Especially when that road win must come in Foxboro against Bill Belichick and Company. The Colts will score their fair share here but they won't be able to stop the Patriots. Play New England minus the points as an *8* Play selection.

Rickenbach NFL *10* Top Play GREEN BAY PACKERS (+) @ Seattle @ 3:05 ET Sunday, 18 January - The Packers came up just short of covering the spread in their win over the Cowboys in the Divisional Round. They did win the yardage battle handily in that game though and the payoff for Packers backers will come this week. A generous amount of points are being offered here considering the weak offenses which Seattle has faced of late. Certainly I am well aware of the fact that the Seahawks have covered 7 straight games but the level of offenses they faced must be considered. Seattle's defense is solid, certainly not arguing that point. But the Hawks have faced Arizona twice (Cardinals without their starting QB each time), San Francisco twice (49'ers finished the season looking completely inept as a team), St Louis (Rams without their starting QB), Philadelphia (Eagles inconsistent with Sanchez at QB), and Carolina (Panthers made the playoffs but with a losing record). The point is that the Packers offense, even with Aaron Rodgers hobbling some, is absolutely going to present the biggest test that the Seahawks defense has had in a long time. Seattle is a little overconfident right now and their defense gets tested here. Let's not forget that the Panthers did roll up 362 yards against the Seahawks in the divisional round. For comparison sake, note that the Packers defense held a much more potent offense (the Cowboys) to 315 yards in the divisional round. Additionally, the Packers certainly have not forgotten about the beating they took at Seattle in the opening game of this season. Time for a little payback? Without a doubt! That said, I'll gladly grab the big points here. Green Bay is on a long-term 7-3 ATS run when installed as a road dog of 7.5 to 10 points. The Packers have gone 5-2 ATS against teams with a winning record this season. Seattle has certainly been a spread covering machine the last few seasons but it's so insanely tough to repeat as Super Bowl champs. That said, just getting to the Super Bowl will be a huge battle for the Hawks. In other words, great line value with all the points here as the Packers are fully capable of pulling off the upset. Play Green Bay plus the points as a *10* Top Play selection.

Rickenbach NCAA-B Game #677 - *10* Mississippi Rebels (+) @ Arkansas @ 9:30 ET - Ole Mississippi is 5-0, 100% PERFECT ATS as an underdog this season. Ole Miss is 7-3 ATS this season against teams with a winning record and the Rebels are a perfect 4-0 ATS in road games this season. Mississippi is coming off of a tight home loss to LSU and that followed a blowout home win over South Carolina and an amazing road showing at Kentucky where they took the Wildcats to OT before finally coming up just short of an outright win as a 23 point underdog. Earlier this season the Rebels got victories over Oregon, Cincinnati, and Creighton plus suffered a tight loss against Dayton. All of those teams were in the big dance last season. The point is that Ole Miss has proven they can play with anybody, anywhere. That said, getting some big points at Arkansas is the perfect spot to ride the confident Rebels. After beating the Razorbacks by double digits two years ago, Mississippi was embarrassed by the Hogs in Arkansas last year in a 110-80 loss. Of course the Rebels have not forgotten that ugly defeat and they are fired up to atone for that loss tonight. The Hogs are off of a loss at Tennessee and earlier this season when off of a loss to Iowa State, the Razorbacks followed it up with another loss in their very next game. It will be tough for the Hogs to bounce back here as they face a very talented and athletic Rebels team that has all the motivation in the world for this game. Arkansas has a big game versus Alabama on deck and the Razorbacks have allowed opponents to hit 44% from the field against them while the Rebels are allowing just 38% from the floor. The better defensive team, motivated and getting points, is the way to go here. Play Mississippi plus the points as a *10* Top Play!

Rickenbach NBA *10* Washington Wizards (-) @ Brooklyn @ 8:05 ET - Having won 18 of their prior 25 games, the Wizards did not expect to get embarrassed on their home floor last night by Brooklyn. But indeed it happened as the Nets won by 22. That sets up the perfect spot for "right back revenge" as Washington can "give it right back" to the Nets in Brooklyn tonight. After last night's embarrassment on their home floor, that is exactly what should be expected from the Wizards tonight. Washington is 31-18 ATS the L3 years when they are revenging a home loss. Also, the Wizards are a perfect 2-0 ATS this season when they are off of a game where they scored 85 points or less. Washington won those two games by an average margin of 14 points and a similar margin tonight should be expected. Brooklyn had lost 7 straight before notching the win over the Wizards last night. Washington simply overlooked them. Note that the Nets are 1-5 ATS this season when they are off of an upset win as an underdog. Also, prior to last night's upset victory, Brooklyn was just 4-12 ATS this season in their games against teams with a winning record. It's a return to reality for the Nets tonight and that means a huge Washington win as they will take the court with motivation in this one. Play Washington minus the points as a *10* Top Play!

Rickenbach NCAA-B Game #606 - *8* Arizona State Sun Devils (-) vs Colorado @ 4:30 ET - Injuries are playing a key role in this one. Colorado has two key injuries. Even if these two guys do play today they are nowhere close to 100%. The Buffaloes Xavier Johnson continues to struggle with an ankle injury while Josh Scott also battles recurring back spasms that have greatly limited his productivity. The last time these teams met was Feb. 19th and the Sun Devils lost in Boulder. They will get revenge today and the small number of points they are laying here should be no problem to cover. Colorado has recently been trounced by both Utah and Arizona. Of course those are elite teams but the fact is that the lack of competitiveness in those defeats continued to highlight the Buffs road struggles. They are now 1-6 in road games this season. Conversely, the Sun Devils were 8-1 at home this season before their embarrassing home loss to Utah earlier this week. Arizona State will atone for that loss Saturday afternoon. The Sun Devils are 40-7 straight-up in all home games the last 3 seasons combined and I'll gladly lay the small number here. The Buffaloes have a long-term 8-17 ATS mark as a road dog of 3.5 to 6 points. Play Arizona State minus the points as an *8* selection.

Rickenbach NCAA-B Game #579 - *8* Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (+) @ Pittsburgh @ 4 ET - The Panthers were long known for their brawn inside and their ability to defeat teams with physicality. Pittsburgh lost some key big men though heading into this season and they now face a Georgia Tech team that is very impressive with it's brawn around the basket. That's a key for how well the Yellow Jackets match up with the Panthers and Georgia Tech has outrebounded the opposition by a significant margin this season. The Yellow Jackets come into this one looking for revenge after suffering a home loss to the Panthers last year. Though Pittsburgh has a great, long-term record straight-up in home games, they are an ugly 10-24 ATS in home games the last 3 seasons combined. As for the Jackets, they are a solid 5-1 ATS the last three seasons when they are a road dog of 3.5 to 6 points. Overall, Georgia Tech has gone 5-2 ATS as a dog this season and they are 6-2 ATS against teams allowing 64 points or less per game. The Yellow Jackets match up well with physical, defensive teams and they are fully capable of the road upset here. That said, grabbing the points is a great value as Pittsburgh is 0-5 ATS this season when facing teams allowing 64 points or less per game. Play Georgia Tech plus the points as an *8* selection. 

Rickenbach NCAA-B Game #542 - *8* Florida State Seminoles (+) vs NC State @ 1:30 ET - NC State's overall 12-6 record may catch some attention but the Wolfpack are still winless on the road this season. That spells trouble as they now visit a Seminoles team that is a solid 8-2 in home games this season. Florida State will have plenty of motivation here as they were favored on the road at NC State last season but suffered a tight loss. Adding fuel to the fire, the Noles have lost 3 of their last 4 games heading into this Saturday afternoon affair. The key is that the 3 losses came on the road, the win came at home where Florida State has won five straight games and averaged 81 points per game! NC State is off of huge games against Duke and North Carolina and they have Miami on deck. That said, this is a "sandwich spot" in the schedule for the Wolfpack and the highly motivated Seminoles will take advantage in front of their home crowd. The Noles are 14-8 straight-up the last 3 years when they are off of a conference loss. After coming up short at Pittsburgh Wednesday, and after last season's loss at NC State, this game is circled for the Seminoles. Play Florida State as an *8* selection.

Rickenbach NCAA-B Game #518 - *8* South Florida Bulls (+) vs Tulsa @ 11 AM ET - Great spot for an upset. The Bulls catch Tulsa off of back to back big wins over storied basketball programs Temple and Connecticut. The Golden Hurricanes won't come into this game with huge motivation after two big victories over the Owls and Huskies. That said, the Bulls can surprise at home. South Florida is a respectable 6-4 on their home floor this season while Tulsa is just 4-3 on the road. Grabbing sizable points here with a hungry home dog is the way to go. South Florida has covered two of their last three games and has held two of those three opponents to 35% or less from the field. This game starts at 10 AM on the body clocks of the Tulsa players and the Golden Hurricanes are 1-3 ATS on the road this season. An unmotivated Tulsa team will struggle just to win this game...let alone cover a sizable spread on the road. Play South Florida plus the points as an *8* selection.

Rickenbach NBA *6* Oklahoma City Thunder (+) vs Golden State @ 8:05 ET - The Thunder embarrassed themselves (and me) with their performance at Houston last night. After a horrible first quarter (perhaps flat instead of refreshed off of the long layoff), Oklahoma City did respond and cut the big lead down playing much better the rest of the way. However, the fact is that the hole they dug was too deep and the Thunder will look to come out of the starting blocks firing on all cylinders tonight. They are hosting a Warriors team that has had a fantastic season thusfar but do note that Golden State had lost each of their four previous trips to Oklahoma City prior to winning here in November. The Thunder have not forgotten that home court defeat which occurred back when they were short-handed. Now that Oklahoma City is healthy, and fired up off of last night's poor effort, it's payback time tonight. The Thunder are a small dog tonight at home and this is a team that is 23-5 straight-up in home games the last 3 seasons with a posted total of 210 or greater. Overall the Thunder are 88-28 straight-up in home games the last 3 seasons combined and they host a Warriors team tonight that is playing their 3rd game in 4 nights and note that Golden State is just 7-10 straight-up in road games the last 3 seasons with a posted total of 210 or greater. Thunder get back on track tonight after having their mettle tested in Houston last night. Play Oklahoma City as a *6* selection.

Rickenbach NCAA-B #546 - *8* Arizona State Sun Devils (+) vs Utah @ 10 ET - Arizona State has been a much different team at home this season compared to the road. Couple that with a huge situation disadvantage for the Utes here and you have the makings of a potential upset. Even if the Sun Devils don't get the outright win though, they should certainly stay within the generous number here as a lively home dog. Note that Arizona State is an ugly 0-7 on the road this season but they are a stellar 8-1 on their home court. Additionally, they catch the Utes looking ahead to a much bigger game for Utah - at Arizona - on Saturday. That will be a match-up of a pair of the top teams in the country and that means the Sun Devils are absolutely "sneaking up" on the Utes in this one. Note that Arizona State has won each of their last 4 home meetings against Utah. Additionally, the Sun Devils are 40-6 straight-up in all home games the last 3 seasons. Arizona State has flexed their muscle on defense in allowing under 60 points in 4 of their last 5 games. Note that the Sun Devils are 17-9 ATS the last 3 seasons when they are off of a game in which they allowed 60 points or less. As for the Utes, they are being asked to cover a sizable spread here away from home and they are just 5-20 straight-up in home games the last 3 seasons combined. Play Arizona State plus the points as an *8* selection.

Rickenbach NCAA-B #543 - *8* Nebraska Cornhuskers (+) @ Wisconsin @ 9 ET - There is no denying that Wisconsin is a solid team but this is simply too many points. Nebraska has been ultra-competitive all season long. The Cornhuskers are 10-6 on the season and the average margin of those 6 losses is just 6.5 points. Nebraska has not lost a game by more than 11 points all season long. They also play this game looking to atone for an ugly defeat in their last trip to Madison. Last season, the Huskers beat the Badgers in Lincoln. But in the prior season these teams met in Wisconsin and the Cornhuskers lost by 31 points. Rest assured, Nebraska has been reminded of that beating they took here and they will atone for it tonight. Wisconsin started off the season with an impressive run against the spread but they are now in the midst of a 1-4 ATS skid. Additionally, the Badgers have a game against Iowa on deck and they could get caught looking ahead here. The Huskers are 28-14 ATS in conference action the last 3 seasons combined. As for Wisconsin, they are 6-13 ATS in January games the last 3 years. This is the "lull" time of year in college basketball before things pick up in February and teams start getting excited about closing the season strong and looking ahead to March Madness. The Badgers will struggle to cover this big number. They aren't motivated for a blowout here and the Cornhuskers have the defensive strength to keep this one close. Play Nebraska as an *8* selection.

Rickenbach *10* Oklahoma City Thunder (+) @ Houston @ 8:05 ET - Tough spot for the Rockets as they are in a back to back situation here having lost at Orlando last night. Now Houston must play their 3rd game in 4 nights and they arrived late last night in Texas after their defeat at the hands of the Magic in Florida yesterday evening. The Rockets must contend with the fresh legs of the Thunder who have been off since Friday! Oklahoma City will have revenge on their minds too as they lost at home to the Rockets in their prior meeting this season and the Thunder were held to just 65 points in that game. Oklahoma City is a much healthier team compared to the one Houston faced two months ago in Oklahoma. The Thunder come into this game having gone 15-7 in their last 22 games. Also, Oklahoma City is 20-6 straight-up when playing with home loss revenge and so we'll gladly play the Thunder in a game that is basically a pick'em line - Thunder are currently 1.5 point dogs as of early Thursday morning. The Rockets are just 5-9 ATS against the Thunder the last 3 seasons. Play Oklahoma City as a *10* Top Play.

Rickenbach NCAA-B #519 - *8* Cincinnati Bearcats @ Memphis @ 7 ET - Cincinnati has won 10 of their last 15 match-ups against Memphis. That includes a perfect 2-0 for the Bearcats against the Tigers last season. Note that Cincinnati is fired up after being held to 56 points in their loss to Connecticut on Saturday. The Bearcats are 7-0 straight-up this season when they are off of a game where they were held to 60 points or less. Unlike the Bearcats, the Tigers are off of a win and they held their opponent to just 44 points. But note that Memphis is an ugly 1-3 ATS this season when they are off of a game where they held their opponent to 60 points or less. Against solid defensive teams (allowing an average of 64 points or less per game) the Tigers are 1-4 ATS this season. Look for the fired up Bearcats to frustrate Memphis in this one as Cincinnati improves to 8-0 this season when they are off of a poor effort on the offensive end in their prior game. Play Cincinnati as an *8* selection.

Rickenbach NCAA-B *10* Game #793 - Florida State Seminoles (+) @ Pittsburgh @ 9 ET - Pittsburgh is still trying to adjust to life in the ACC and so far it has not been kind to them. The Panthers were long known for the domination on their home court. However, even though they are 25-9 straight up at home in lined games the last three seasons, they have covered the spread in just 9 of those 34 games - an ugly 9-24-1 ATS mark. Tonight the Panthers are being asked to not only defeat a tough ACC opponent, but also to cover a handful of points. At the time of this write-up Florida State is a solid +5 across the board and Pittsburgh will have to battle hard just to win this game, let alone to get any kind of margin. Florida State is the better shooting team, has the better defense, and is also stronger in the paint. Certainly it has hurt the Seminoles that they lost Aaron Thomas for the season (eligibility issue) but this is still a talented Noles team that is getting some great line value against a Panthers team that is 3-10 ATS on the season! The Panthers are 0-3 ATS against ACC competition this season and 2-7 ATS against teams with a winning record. The Seminoles are fired up after being held to just 57 points against the Orange on Sunday. Note that Florida State's three most recent losses also saw them held to 65 points or less. Each time, after a defeat and being held under 66 points of offense, the Noles have responded with a win by a double digit margin! Florida State has scored an average of 92 points per game in those 3 victories. The Noles will again be fired up off of a low-scoring loss. Play Florida State plus the points as a *10* Top Play.

Rickenbach NCAA-B #519 - *10* Butler Bulldogs (+) @ Seton Hall @ 7 ET - This is a revenge spot for Butler. With their new head coach in his first season with the Bulldogs last year they handled the Pirates in both meetings in the regular season. But in conference tournament action, Seton Hall hung on for a one point win over Butler. The Bulldogs (and their coach now in his second season) certainly haven't forgotten that result and this is their first shot at revenge since that loss last March. Butler saw their season end against Seton Hall last year and now it's payback time. Note that the Bulldogs are 5-1, 83% ATS the L3 seasons when they are a road dog of 3 points or less. Butler is 9-4 straight-up against teams with a winning record this season so the points are certainly an added bonus here. Yes, Seton Hall is having a stellar season so far but their ridiculous ATS mark on the season will start coming back down to earth. Teams don't cover at the rate the Pirates have this season. That said, do note that Seton Hall enters this game off of a win against a conference foe and they are just 5-9 ATS the L3 seasons when they enter a game off of a conference win. Coming off of the upset win at Creighton don't be surprised if the Pirates struggle to match the intensity of the revenge-minded Bulldogs in this one. Note that Butler is coming off of a win over Xavier where the Bulldogs shot better than 48% from the floor for the 7th time in their last 11 games. They stay hot from the field in this one and get their revenge. Play Butler plus the points as a *10* Top Play selection Tuesday.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAB Sunday 10* (Top Play) on Florida State at Syracuse @ 8:00 p.m. ET
The Syracuse Orange host the Florida State Seminoles Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Florida State with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. Syracuse has failed to cover in three straight games, with close wins over Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech in ACC play and a flat effort versus Cornell. The market overvalues SU, especially when playing at home in the Carrier Dome, which has led to a 4-9 ATS mark in the Orange’s last 11 home stands. 2. Syracuse has been mired in an offensive skid, averaging only 58 points in their last three games including a 46-point effort versus the Yellow Jackets. The Orange are shooting just 40.5 percent in that span, and haven’t been able to break games open due to poor perimeter shooting. On the year, SU is hitting just 29.5 percent of its 3-point attempts. 3. Florida State is not an offensive power house but does have an efficient offensive pace. The Noles are shooting 47.8 percent from the field – 25th in the country – and are coming off a win over Virginia Tech in which they buried eight of their 16 shots from distance. Florida State can knock down shots against the SU zone and make this Syracuse squad play from behind – something it just doesn’t have the firepower to do, especially with a spread this wide.
Play on Florida State as a 10* Top Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Sunday 8* (Regular Play) on Indianapolis at Denver @ 4:40 p.m. ET
The Denver Broncos host the Indianapolis Colts Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Indianapolis with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Colts defense has stepped up down the stretch and showed its stinginess in a 26-10 win over Cincinnati. Indianapolis has held three of its last four opponents to 10 points per game and limited the Bengals to just 155 yards through the air and 110 rushing yards in the Wild Card Round. 2. The Indianapolis offense could have blown this score wide open but instead settled for four field goals in the win over the Bengals. The Colts can match the Broncos firepower, ranked third in yards per game at 406.6 and ranked tops in the passing attack, with Andrew Luck tossing for an average of 305.9 yards through the air. Luck hit nine different receivers in the Wild Card Round, amassing 376 yards and one touchdown. 3. Indianapolis got a valiant effort from its running backs against the Bengals, with RBs Dan Heron and Zurlon Tipton helping the Colts rush for 114 yards on 25 carries – an average of 4.56 yards per run. Indianapolis hasn’t been great at running the ball this season but if they can generate yards like they did against Cincinnati, it will be enough to keep the Broncos defense honest and give Luck more time to pass the ball. The Colts have covered in seven straight meetings with Denver, including a 31-24 loss in Sports Authority Field as 8-point underdogs way back in Week 1.
Play on Indianapolis as an 8* Regular Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Sunday 10* (Top Play) on Green Bay vs. Dallas @ 1:05 p.m. ET
The Green Bay Packers host the Dallas Cowboys Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Green Bay with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. Dallas is ripe for a letdown spot after grabbing the franchise’s first playoff win since 2009. The Cowboys battled back from 10 points down in the second half and caught some lucky breaks from the officials at home, as well as some careless turnovers from the Lions. I’m expecting a fat and cocky Dallas team to come out flat in the divisional round with a false sense of accomplishment. 2. The Packers won’t miss out on the opportunities the Lions did in the Wild Card round. Green Bay has a much more powerful offense and won’t let Dallas hang around like Detroit did. The Cheeseheads know how to put teams away, especially at home where they average 39.8 points per game, compared to just 21 points on the road. 3. Green Bay running back Eddie Lacy is rolling into the postseason with a ton of momentum. He’s rushed for 592 yards in his last six games, finding the end zone four times in that span. Dallas will have a tough time throwing extra linebackers at Aaron Rodgers if Lacy is picking up gains on the ground, giving the Green Bay offense a terrific balance.
Play on Green Bay as a 10* Top Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Saturday 8* (Regular Play) on Seattle vs. Carolina @ 8:15 p.m. ET
The Seattle Seahawks host the Carolina Panthers Saturday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Seattle with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Seahawks defense has owned Cam Newton in past meetings. Seattle’s aggressive pass rush and tackling speed has limited the Panthers’ dual-threat QB to an average of just 145.7 passing yards and only one touchdown in three meetings. In fact, Carolina has only scored one touchdown in the 28 drives in those three games versus Seattle. The Seahawks locked down Newton for 171 yards on 12-of-22 passing and an interception in their 13-9 victory at Bank of America Stadium in October. On the ground, Newton scrambled for only 24 yards on 12 carries and was sacked three times. 2. Carolina has been careless with the football and it nearly cost them against Arizona last week. The Panthers coughed the ball up three times, two fumbles and an interception, but was able to limit the damage from those giveaways. Seattle won’t be so kind. The Seahawks have a ball-hawking defense that thrives off takeaways. They forced three fumbles against the Panthers in the regular season, coming away with two of those loose balls. 3. This is CenturyLink Field in the playoffs, where Seattle owns a 9-2 all-time record in the postseason. The Seahawks will have the ultimate home-field advantage, with the crowd cancelling out Carolina’s play calls and the cold, damp Seattle weather making life tough on the Panthers. The Seahawks have covered in 35 of their last 52 games in front of the 12th Man – a 69 percent winning ATS clip.
Play on Seattle as an 8* Regular Selection Saturday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAB Saturday 10* (Top Play) on Iowa State at West Virginia @ 8:00 p.m. ET
The West Virginia Mountaineers host the Iowa State Cyclones Saturday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Iowa State with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Cyclones run an overwhelming pace, putting up 80.9 points per game. Iowa State ranks among the most efficient offenses in the country and shoots 48.9 percent from the field. 2. West Virginia relies on crashing the boards and turning misses into second-chance buckets. However, Iowa State does a good job cleaning the glass – averaging a total of 36.5 rebounds a game – and has only allowed 7.2 offensive rebounds an outing. The Mountaineers are not a good shooting team, averaging just 43.2 percent from the field. So, not having those extra looks with sink the WVU offense. 3. This is a big revenge spot for ISU, which took a 102-77 loss in Morgantown last season. The Cyclones are extra motivated to face WVU after some physical altercations and run-ins with the Mountaineers faithful last year. On top of that, WVU has a big home game with Oklahoma next and could get looking ahead to that matchup just three days later.
Play on Iowa State as a 10* Top Selection Saturday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAB Saturday 8* (Regular Play) on Kansas State at Oklahoma @ 7:00 p.m. ET
The Oklahoma Sooners host the Kansas State Wildcats Saturday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Kansas State with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. Oklahoma is bound for a letdown with this home stand sandwiched between two tough road tests. The Sooners are coming off a big road win at rival Texas this week and head to West Virginia following the game against KSU. This is a big spread to cover with OU stuck in this nasty situational spot. 2. Kansas State snapped a three-game slide with a win over TCU last time out, covering as 4.5-point favorites. The Wildcats finally got the game they’ve been waiting for from star Marcus Foster, who scored 23 points in 29 minutes off the bench. Foster had been demoted from the starting five and sat most of KSU’s loss to Oklahoma State. Head coach Bruce Weber has found a way to wake him from his early-season slump and Foster should be a huge factor against the Sooners Saturday. 3. This is a huge spread to hand a Kansas State team that has handled Oklahoma in the past. While this year’s version of the Wildcats are taking some time to round into form, they still own a 13-5 ATS record versus the Sooner over their last 18 encounters.
Play on Kansas State as an 8* Regular Selection Saturday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAB Friday 10* (Top Play) on Akron at Toledo @ 7:00 p.m. ET
The Toledo Rockets host the Akron Zips Friday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Akron with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Zips bring a ton of momentum into this game, having won four straight games going back to Dec. 20, including their most recent win over reigning MAC champ Western Michigan. Akron has dominated opponents defensively, limiting those four foes to 57.5 points per game in that span. 2. The Zips are a very physical team with some big bodies under the basket. Akron out-rebounded Western Michigan 32-23, including 10 offensive boards, and hauls down an average of 36.2 rebounds a game – 9.8 of those on the offensive end. 3. Akron has a deep bench and got 36 points from the reserves in the win over WMU. The Zips have eight players averaging five points per game and four of those are scoring nine or more points on average. This is a tough team to key on with so many capable scorers.
Play on Akron as a 10* Top Selection Friday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAB Thursday 8* (Regular Play) on Drexel at Towson @ 7:00 p.m. ET
The Towson Tigers host the Drexel Dragons Thursday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Drexel with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. At first glance, Drexel doesn’t seem like much more beyond it 2-11 SU record. However, the Dragons took on a challenging non-conference schedule featuring programs like Colorado, St. Joseph’s, Miami, USC, Cornell, La Salle, and Penn State. This team has faced some tall challenges and is much better than its win/loss tally would indicate. 2. Towson has taken four straight wins over Drexel but the Dragons have played hard against its CAA rival, covering in two of those games. In fact, the underdog in this matchups has covered in each of the past five clashes between the Dragons and Tigers. 3. The Tigers are dealing with turnover issues in recent games. In the win over Elon University, Towson coughed the ball up 13 times and average 17.7 turnovers over their last three games. The Tigers have been especially sloppy at home, giving the ball away 17.8 times per home game this season. Those mistakes will equate to easy buckets for the Dragons Thursday night.
Play on Drexel as an 8* Regular Selection Thursday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAB Wednesday 10* (Top Play) on Syracuse at Georgia Tech @ 7:00 p.m. ET
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets host the Syracuse Orange Wednesday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Syracuse with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. Georgia Tech is ripe for a letdown spot after playing Notre Dame tough but losing in overtime last weekend. The Yellow Jackets also have a big target on their backs in this one after stunning the Orange in the Carrier Dome last season. Syracuse seeks revenge in McCamish Pavilion Wednesday. 2. Georgia Tech isn’t the most offensively gifted team and runs into a Syracuse zone defense that is limiting opponents to 58.4 points on 37.3 percent shooting from the field. 3. Not only does the zone limit open looks but it also makes it difficult to rebound against. The Jackets have relied on their solid work on the boards this season, averaging 13 offensive rebounds a game – 10th in the country. Those loose balls won’t be there and Georgia Tech will struggle on offense not getting those second-chance buckets.
Play on Syracuse as a 10* Top Selection Wednesday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Tuesday 10* (Top Play) on Phoenix at Milwaukee @ 8:05 p.m. ET
The Milwaukee Bucks host the Phoenix Suns Tuesday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Phoenix with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Suns are out for revenge against the Bucks, who upended Phoenix 96-94 at home back on Dec. 15. The Suns look to return the favor when they visit the Bradley Center, where they have covered in five of their last seven games against Milwaukee. 2. Phoenix is rising heading into this matchup, coming off a big win over the Toronto Raptors the game before. The Suns have found another gear on offense, averaging almost 127 points per game in their last three outings and shooting 51.7 percent from the field in that span. 3. Milwaukee has played well against some struggling teams recently but just doesn’t have the fire power to keep up with Phoenix. The Bucks are already down rookie Jabari Parker and center Larry Sanders just up and quit the team. Sixth man OJ Mayo is dealing with an illness Tuesday, as is backup Jared Dudley. Milwaukee relies on its bench a lot – ranked No. 1 in the NBA in points from reserves – and won’t have a much to pull from Tuesday.
Play on Phoenix as a 10* Top Selection Tuesday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAB Tuesday 8* (Regular Play) on Mississippi at Kentucky @ 7:00 p.m. ET
The Kentucky Wildcats host the Mississippi Rebels Tuesday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Mississippi with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The market is inflating the Wildcats’ nighty odds and giving terrific line value to an Ole Miss team stacked with upperclassmen and experience. There is great value with the Rebels in this SEC showdown. 2. Ole Miss has the firepower to keep up with Kentucky, averaging 73.5 points per game this season. The Rebels have had the hot hand in recent games, knocking down 48.9 percent of their looks from the field in the last three games. 3. While this is the SEC opener, Kentucky is ripe for a letdown after playing three straight big-name rivals in UCLA, North Carolina and Louisville. Games like these are a chance for head coach John Calipari to tinker with his rotation, especially with forward Alex Poythress out for the year. Those experiments should offer Ole Miss opportunities to take advantage of UK and keep this closer than oddsmakers expect.
Play on Mississippi as an 8* Regular Selection Tuesday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAB Monday 10* (Top Play) on North Carolina vs. Notre Dame @ 7:00 p.m. ET
The North Carolina Tar Heels host the Notre Dame Fighting Irish Monday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on North Carolina with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. North Carolina crashed the offensive glass hard, taking advantage of a weak Notre Dame team on the boards. The Irish allowed 18 offensive rebounds in the win over Georgia Tech and face a UNC team that ranks eigth in the country in offensive rebounds – pulling down 13.6 per game and creating numerous second-chance buckets. 2. Notre Dame’s frontcourt leans on 6-foot-10 forward Zach Auguste to plug up the paint. However, Auguste can often find himself limited due to foul trouble. He had four fouls versus the Yellow Jackets and has his hands full with bigger, stronger and more versatile forwards with North Carolina. 3. This year’s Tar Heels team is just as potent on defense as it is with the basketball. North Carolina ranks sixth in the country in defensive field goal percentage, limiting opponents to just 34.8 percent shooting from the field. Notre Dame is playing in its first true road game of the season and won’t find Chapel Hill a friendly place for its offense, which score just 59 points in regulation against Georgia Tech Saturday.
Play on North Carolina as a 10* Top Selection Monday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAB Sunday 10* (Top Play) on Wisconsin at Northwestern @ 8:30 p.m. ET
The Northwestern Wildcats host the Wisconsin Badgers Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Wisconsin with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Badgers have tested themselves on the road this season, with trips – and victories – at Cal, Marquette, and mid-major rival Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Wisconsin upped its defensive intensity in those games, as well as its neutral site matchups, allowing on 52 points on 38 percent shooting in those games away from Madison. 2. The Badgers talented frontcourt will go after Northwestern 7-footer Alex Olah Sunday, trying to get the Wildcats big man in the middle in foul trouble. Wisconsin has a bevvy of options around the basket and putting Olah in foul trouble will dramatically shift Northwestern’s game plan. Olah has four personal fouls in his last matchup with the Badgers last season, scoring just seven points in limited time after pouring in 23 points in the prior game against Wisconsin. 3. Wisconsin has covered the spread in five of its last six matchups with Northwestern, and have won ATS in four straight trips to Evanston.
Play on Wisconsin as a 10* Top Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Sunday 10* (Top Play) on Detroit at Dallas @ 4:40 p.m. ET
The Dallas Cowboys host the Detroit Lions Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Detroit with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Lions defense is No. 1 against the run, giving up only 69.3 yards on the ground per game. Detroit will stuff Dallas RB DeMarco Murray and put the game on Tony Romo’s shoulders. The Lions defensive line is able to get pressure by itself, allowing the linebackers to drop into coverage and plug up the passing lanes. 2. Detroit’s offense has underperformed all season but on paper, the Lions have some of the best weapons in the game. Dallas’ defense has gotten away with a lot this year, thanks in part to the offense limiting the amount of exposure they have on the field. Detroit should exploit that soft stop unit and find its potent pass game once again. 3. AT&T Stadium is hardly home-field advantage for the Cowboys. Dallas was perfect on the road but went only 4-4 SU and 3-5 ATS as hosts this season. Opponents get up to play in the league’s premier stadium and visiting fans will make the trip to cheer on their team when you have a destination like “Jerry’s World”. The indoor track in Arlington appeals to the Lions up-tempo pace, with players like Calvin Johnson, Golden State and Reggie Bush enjoying the fast surface in Dallas.
Play on Detroit as a 10* Top Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Saturday 10* (Top Play) on Baltimore at Pittsburgh @ 8:15 p.m. ET
The Pittsburgh Steelers host the Baltimore Ravens Saturday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Baltimore with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Steelers are holding their breath when it comes to the status of dynamic running back Le'Veon Bell, who has been the engine of one of the most powerful offenses in the NFL. Bell is nursing a knee injury and even if he can go, he won’t be 100 percent. Bell’s ability to run the ball and catch the short pass and pick up gains has kept defenses honest. If he’s unable to do that Saturday, Pittsburgh’s offense is very one dimensional. 2. With Bell dinged up, the Ravens will unleash their vaunted pass rush on Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger. Baltimore has 49 sacks on the season – third most in the NFL – and can take advantage of a Pittsburgh offensive line that has struggled with protection on the past. 3. The Steelers live and die by the deep play, relying on big strikes downfield to keep the offense afloat. However, Pittsburgh has also been exposed by the big play on defense, allowing 30 passes of 25 yards or more and 56 runs of 25 yards or more this season. Baltimore has dangerous deep targets in Steve Smith and Torrey Smith, and RB Justin Forsett has erupted for massive gains in the second half of the season, averaging almost 94 yards rushing a game in he final seven contests.
Play on Baltimore as a 10* Top Selection Saturday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAB Saturday 8* (Regular Play) on New Mexico vs. Colorado State @ 8:00 p.m. ET
The New Mexico Lobos host the Colorado State Rams Saturday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on New Mexico with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. New Mexico has dominated the Rams in recent home stands, winning 44 or their previous 49 meetings in The Pit Arena. The Lobos have covered in five of their last seven meetings overall and owns a 10-4 ATS record in their last 14 home dates with CSU. 2. Colorado State brings an unblemished record into Saturday’s MWC showdown. However, the Rams resume is paper thin without any notable victories to brag about. Colorado State’s dismal 3-8-1 ATS record tells a lot about this team. 3. New Mexico coach Craig Neal has high praise for his team after they knocked off Fresno State 76-64 on New Year’s Eve. The Lobos hit 59 percent from the field, including going 8 for 10 from 3-point range, for one of their best offensive showings of the season. However, this team is anchored in defense and hasn’t allowed an opponent to score more than 70 points this season. It’s that defense that’s allowed New Mexico to go 40-14-1 ATS in its last 55 conference games – covering at a 74 percent clip.
Play on New Mexico as an 8* Regular Selection Saturday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Saturday 8* (Regular Play) on Arizona at Carolina @ 4:35 p.m. ET
The Carolina Panthers host the Arizona Cardinals Saturday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Arizona with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. Arizona could be the most well-coached team in the NFL with Bruce Arians continuing to get the best out of his players. This Cardinals team has been decimated by injuries all year but continues to compete each and every Sunday. 2. The Cardinals have a speedy defense that can keeps them in any game. Arizona’s blitz-happy attack forces opponents into mistakes, which the Cardinals capitalize on. They grabbed 18 interceptions on the year and will try to contain Cam Newton and make him beat them with his arm. Newton had at least one interception in all but five games this season. 3. How good is Carolina really? The team picked up steam toward the end of the year and it was enough to win the NFL’s booby prize – AKA the NFC South title. The Panthers’ four-game winning streak featured three division opponents and the floundering Browns. Arizona has faced stiff competition week in and week out in the NFC West.
Play on Arizona as an 8* Regular Selection Saturday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAF Friday 8* (Regular Play) on Kansas State vs. UCLA @ 6:45 p.m. ET
The UCLA Bruins face the Kansas State Wildcats in the Alamo Bowl Friday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Kansas State with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Wildcats look to take advantage of a weaker UCLA stop unit that allowed 27.5 points per game this season. The Bruins especially had a tough time containing opposing passers, who threw for an average of 243.3 yards per game and completed 61.4 percent of their attempts. 2. The Wildcats finished 20th in the country, averaging 283.2 yards through the air per game. Kansas State features standout WR Tyler Lockett, who reeled in 1,351 yards and nine TD catches. 3. Kansas State won’t give UCLA any extra looks at the football. This team has turned the ball over just 11 times – second fewest in the country. Wildcats QB Jake Waters has only six interceptions on the year against 20 touchdown passes.
Play on Kansas State as an 8* Regular Selection Friday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAF Thursday 10* (Regular Play) on Alabama vs. Ohio State @ 8:30 p.m. ET
The Alabama Crimson Tide face the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Sugar Bowl Thursday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Alabama with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. Ohio State snuck into the Final Four of the College Football Playoff with a stunning win over Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game. The Buckeyes caught the Badgers on a bad day and are way in over their heads in this matchup with the No. 1 Crimson Tide. Ohio State comes back to reality on New Year’s Day. 2. The Buckeyes are leaning on third-string QB Cardale Jones to carry the offense after a shocking performance in the Big Ten title game. Wisconsin was caught off guard but Alabama has had almost a month to study the game film and will be well prepared for the Buckeyes fill-in QB and the OSU offense. 3. Anything the Buckeyes can do, the Crimson Tide can do better. Alabama’s ground game has fresh legs on every down, with RBs T.J. Yeldon and Derrick Henry pacing an offense that put up 488.4 yards an outing. On defense, the Tide don’t budge against the run with the top-ranked run stop in the country, allowing only 88.4 yards on the ground per game. Shutting down OSU’s rushing attack will force Ohio State to put the offense on the shoulders of their untested quarterback.
Play on Alabama as a 10* Top Selection Thursday.
Good luck, Scott.

*10* Top Play Pepperdine Waves (+) vs St Mary's @ 8 ET - Big revenge game for Pepperdine as the Gaels knocked them out of the conference tournament last March. St Mary's has won all 5 meetings between these teams the last two seasons and that has the Waves fired up for a huge effort  on their home floor tonight. Note that Pepperdine is a stellar 8-2 ATS on the season already and the Waves are coming off a strong effort where they defeated Loyola Marymount 69 to 56 on Monday. That is significant because Pepperdine is 10-3 ATS the last three seasons combined when they are off of a game where they held their opponent to 60 points or less. St Mary's is also off a strong defensive effort as they just beat San Francisco by that exact same score. However, the Gaels have a history of letting strong defensive efforts get into their heads too much. Unlike Pepperdine's success off a strong defensive effort, note that the Gaels are an ugly 7-15 ATS when off of a game where they held their opponent to 60 points or less. Couple that with the fact that St Mary's has won five straight over the Waves and you have the makings of an overconfident Gaels team likely to suffer an upset loss in this one. We'll certainly grab the handful of points here but we expect the outright win for Pepperdine. Look for the Waves to improve to 27-13 ATS in their last 40 games as an underdog!

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAF Thursday 8* (Regular Play) on Michigan State vs. Baylor @ 12:30 p.m. ET
The Baylor Bears face the Michigan State Spartans in the Cotton Bowl Thursday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Michigan State with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Spartans have one of the most balanced teams in college football, boasting an explosive offense – averaging 43.1 points per game – and a dominating defense – giving up only 293.5 yards a contest. Baylor relies heavily on its offense to put away teams and if they can’t score against MSU, the defense certainly won’t be able to shoulder the burden. 2. Michigan State has a ball-hawking secondary that has helped record 147 interceptions – second most in the Big Ten. The Spartans also have 37 sacks on the year – again second in the conference – and that pass pressure will force BU quarterback Bryce Petty into some bad decisions. 3. Should MSU decide to slow the tempo and ground and pound the Bears, they have the horses to do so. The Spartans ranked 24th in the country is rushing with 234.9 yards per game. Running back Jeremy Langford was fifth in the Big Ten is rushing yards and found paydirt 19 times. He helped MSU top the nation in time of possession – at 35:14.42 per game – which can ice the BU offense on the sidelines.
Play on Michigan State as an 8* Regular Selection Thursday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAB Wednesday 10* (Top Play) on Georgetown at Xavier @ 10:00 p.m. ET
The Xavier Musketeers host the Georgetown Hoyas Wednesday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Georgetown with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Hoyas methodical Princeton offense will slow this game to a standstill, not allowing the Musketeers to get out an run like they would like to. Xavier won’t be able to generate offense through its fastbreak and will get sucked into a halfcourt battle with a bigger Georgetown team. 2. Georgetown has yet to play a true road game yet, coming off a neutral-site overtime win against Indiana in New York last weekend. The Hoyas struggled away from home last season and know how important winning on the road is. Setting the tone in the Big East opener is vital to Georgetown’s success. 3. The Hoyas have played a tough non-conference slate to prepare for the rigors of the Big East schedule. Georgetown has gone toe-to-toe with contenders in Kansas, Indiana, Butler, Wisconsin and Florida. Those opponents have helped mature the Hoyas youngsters quicker and have them ready to contribute now that the real season is tipping off.
Play on Georgetown as a 10* Top Selection Wednesday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAF Wednesday 10* (Top Play) on Mississippi State vs. Georgia Tech @ 8:00 p.m. ET
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets face the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the Orange Bowl Wednesday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Mississippi State with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. Mississippi State has plenty of offensive wallop, averaging 37.2 points per game. The Bulldogs were ninth in the country with 506.2 yards an outing, and that ability to move the chains at will could be an issues for the Yellow Jackets, who posted unimpressive defensive numbers in a lackluster ACC. 2. The Yellow Jackets depended heavily on the run – a dangerous game plan against an offense as efficient as MSU. If the Bulldogs get up on the scoreboard early, GT may be forced to abandon that spread-option attack a play outside their comfort zone, having to pass the football in order to catch up. 3. Miss State has the horses on defense to slow up the Jackets’ powerful run game. The Bulldogs limited opponents to 126.5 rushing yards an outing and just 3.7 yards per carry. Mississippi State has had plenty of time to study game film of the Jackets option attack and will be ready on New Year’s Day.
Play on Mississippi State as a 10* Top Selection Wednesday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAF Wednesday 8* (Regular Play) on Mississippi vs. TCU @ 12:30 p.m. ET
The TCU Horned Frogs face the Mississippi Rebels in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl Wednesday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Mississippi with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. Texas Christian comes into the Peach Bowl with its head held low, after getting snubbed for the spot in the College Football Playoff. The Horned Frogs not only didn’t make the Final Four but didn’t even get a Jan. 1 bowl game after having such high expectations all year. 2. Ole Miss stumbled toward the end of the season but capped the year with a huge win over rival Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl, which lined up this notable bowl matchup. The Rebels showed their defensive dominance in that game, limiting MSU to only 17 points. Ole Miss gives up less than two touchdowns per game on the year. 3. Texas Christian was able to average 46.8 points per game against a soft non-conference slate and a defensively-challenged Big 12 this season. The Horned Frogs get their first true challenge on that side of the ball in Ole Miss. The Rebels defensive coordinator Dave Wommack told the media TCU is the most like SEC-rival Texas A&M, with their spread formations, big receivers and the way they spread the field with an empty backfield. Ole Miss trumped the Aggies 35-20 back in Week 7.
Play on Mississippi as an 8* Regular Selection Wednesday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAF Tuesday 8* (Regular Play) on Louisville vs. Georgia @ 6:30 p.m. ET
The Georgia Bulldogs face the Louisville Cardinals in the Belk Bowl Tuesday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Louisville with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. Louisville rolled into bowl season with three straight wins, including two big road victories in Boston College and Notre Dame. The Cardinals were a solid 5-1 ATS away from home and have also covered in four of their last five bowl appearances. 2. Georgia had hopes of a New Year’s Day bowl this season but instead settles for a trip to North Carolina. The Bulldogs blew their chances at a large bowl bid with a loss to Georgia Tech in the final and could come out flat in this game after a disappointing season by their standards. 3. The Cardinals have the inside scoop on the Bulldogs defense and tendencies, with defensive coordinator Todd Grantham serving under Mark Richt at UGA from 2010-13. Louisville brings a dominating defense of its own into the postseason, giving up just 294.1 yards per game – sixth best nationally. The Cardinals grabbed the second most interceptions in the country, with 25 total.
Play on Louisville as an 8* Regular Selection Tuesday.
Good luck, Scott.