This is a 10* play on the Duke Blue Devils. 

For the life of me I can't figure out what Duke has done to deserve such a lack of respect here in their Sweet 16 matchup against the Utah Utes? The Blue Devils won 14 of their last 15 games of the regular season, in what might prove to be the toughest conference in the country. They were ousted in the conference tournament by the same Notre Dame team that handed them their only loss of the second half of the season. They avenged that loss in a big way though just a few weeks later, crushing the Irish by a score of 90-60. 

For most of the year they have been ranked in the Top 3, and they own the 3rd best shooting percentage in the country hitting above 50% from the field. They average over 80 points per game ranking 4th in the country in scoring. That scoring prowess was on full display in an 85-56 win over Robert Morris in the first round. They crushed San Diego State on Sunday, winning 68-49, and Jahlil Okafor scored 26 points. 

I've heard the experts on ESPN say that Utah has the players to match up against Okafor, and my first thought is .. "What the #### are they talking about". I think any suggestion of Utah matching up well with Duke is laughable, they haven't see a team like Duke all year. They only faced four ranked opponents this season, and the best of those teams was Arizona, who beat them in both games in a home series by a combined 24 points. They also lost neutral site games to Kansas, and the same San Diego State team that Duke crushed last week. 

Take DUKE. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Kentucky Wildcats. 

We saw Kentucky play a much closer game against Cincinnati than most expected, but because of that they are asked to cover a much smaller spread here against West Virginia in the Sweet 16. The Mountaineers style of pressing on defense in an attempt to force turnovers has been rather hit and miss. I think it's going to be tough to disrupt Kentucky and Aaron Harrison. 

The Big-12 is considered by many to be the toughest conference in all of college basketball, but after seeing Iowa State and Baylor knocked out by no name teams in the first round, we might have to reconsider that thought. The Mountaineers finished fourth in the Big-12, tied with Baylor at 11-7. They were swept in their season series against both Baylor and Iowa State. They came into the tournament as losers of three of their last four, with two of those losses coming against Baylor.

I've heard a lot of talk about West Virginia's ability to force turnovers on defense, but the fact is that Kentucky's defense has allowed an average of just 53.9 points per game, that's over a dozen points less than the Mountaineers are allowing on average. Winning the turnover battle isn't a given, but even so I don't think it's going to be enough to keep this game close. Kentucky is far more efficient in all aspects of the game, and I think we'll see them pile on here against an inconsistent opponent. 

Take UK. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 5* play on IND@WAS to go UNDER the total. 

The Pacers are coming off back to back high scoring games at home, losing to the Rockets and the Nets. Their last road game was a 95-92 loss to the Cavs in Cleveland, and I think we are likely to see another low scoring tilt tonight as they take on the Wizards in Washington. The Wizards were held to just 76 points in a loss at Golden State on Monday, and they'v scored an average of just 87 points while losing three straight. 

The teams have a history of playing low scoring games, but despite what we've seen in previous meetings, the number for tonight's game is five points higher than it was in any of the last 10 meetings. Six of those 10 meetings went under, and nine of those games failed to reach the number listed for tonight's contest. 

The Pacers have failed to reach the number in four straight on the road, and seven of their last 10 when playing on one day's rest. The Wizards will have to hope John Wall breaks out of a slump, he's averaging just 13 points on 31.8 percent shooting during this losing skid, and he and backcourt mate Bradley Beal combined to shoot 8-for-27 in Oakland on Monday. Breaking out of a slump against Indiana's 4th ranked defense might not be an easy task. 

Take UNDER. 

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the San Antonio Spurs. 

The defending champs have been in cruise control for most of the season, and a long list of injuries to key players has held them back. They are not at full strength, and focused on making another run in the playoffs. The Spurs come into Dallas as winners of 10 of their last 12, and those two losses came at Cleveland in overtime, and at New York in a game that they clearly overlooked the Knicks. It seems clear that Pop has the Spurs firing on all cylinders, and that's bad news for a Dallas team that is in disarray. The Mavs are coming off back to back losses to Memphis and Phoenix, and Monta Ellis was just 7-fo-
r-31 shooting in those games. Coach Carlisle expressed his displeasure about his team's lack of hustle: "This is not a Monta Ellis problem. This is a Dallas Mavericks hard-play problem. We don't play hard all the time, that's the problem." The Spurs have won four of their last five road games, and I truly believe Dallas can play as hard as they want, it's not going to be enough against a San Antonio team playing it's best basketball of the season. 

Take SA. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Northern Iowa Panthers. 

The Louisville Cardinals suspended starting guard Chris Jones at the end of February, and they haven't looked like the same team since. Without him they lost three of six before sneaking past UC-Irvine by a score of 57-55 in the first round. The Northern Iowa Panthers are coming off a 71-54 thrashing of Wyoming in their first round matchup, and there's no questioning that it's Northern Iowa that is the hotter of the two teams. They went 31-3 this season, and gave Wichita State a real run for their money in the Missouri Valley Conference. To say that Northern Iowa is the better team is a tough argument to make, but the reason I like the Panthers is mostly the timing. They are catching Louisville at a perfect time, as they have struggled even against weak opponents at the end of the season. Louisville has covered the spread just twice in it's last nine games overall, and it's 1-8-2 ATS in it's last 11 non-conference games. The Panthers have covered the spread in four of their last five versus teams outside the Missouri Valley Conference. 

Take UNI. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Maryland Terrapins. 

The Big-12 is considered by many to be the toughest conference in all of college basketball, but after seeing Iowa State and Baylor knocked out by no name teams in the first round, we might have to reconsider that thought. The Mountaineers finished fourth in the Big-12, tied with Baylor at 11-7. They were swept in their season series against both Baylor and Iowa State. They came into the tournament as losers of three of their last four, with two of those losses coming against Baylor. Their first round win over Buffalo by a score of 68-62 doesn't exactly impress much either. They face a Maryland team that finished second in a strong Big-10 field, and upset Wisconsin during the season. The Terps closed the season with eight straight wins before losing a nail-biter to Michigan State in the conference tournament, and then they opened the NCAA Tourney with a win over a decent Valparaiso team. West Virginia has failed to cover in four straight against Big-10 teams, and I think they are over-matched here against a Terps team that has an edge in shooting, free-throw shooting, perimeter shooting, as well as defense. 

Take MD. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Duke Blue Devils.

For the life of me I can't figure out what Duke has done to deserve such a lack of respect here in their second round matchup against San Diego State? The Blue Devils won 14 of their last 15 games of the regular season, in what might prove to be the toughest conference in the country. They were ousted in the conference tournament by the same Notre Dame team that handed them their only loss of the second half of the season. They avenged that loss in a big way though just a few weeks later, crushing the Irish by a score of 90-60.

For most of the year they have been ranked in the Top 3, and they own the 3rd best shooting percentage in the country hitting above 50% from the field. They average over 80 points per game ranking 4th in the country in scoring. That scoring prowess was on full display in an 85-56 win over Robert Morris in the first round. The Aztecs have been the creme of the crop in the Mountain West for quite some time, but they failed to dominate in their conference this year, with one of the nation's most futile offenses.

They rely on their defense to make up for the fact that they average just over 60 points per game, and rank 263rd overall shooting 41.9% from the field. They have yet to face the likes of Jahlil Okafor and Duke, and I think it would be a little naive to expect the Aztecs to hang with Duke today.

Take DUKE.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on BKN@IND to go UNDER the total. 

The Pacers lost to the Cavs in Cleveland last night, but they played a pretty impressive game holding the Cavs under 100 points in a 95-92 loss. They return home tonight to take on the Brooklyn Nets, and it seems likely that they will get right back into the win column. They've won seven of their last nine home games, and the bulk of those have been low scoring tilts. I bet on the under in their most recent home game, and had this to say: "The Pacers don't play a lot of high scoring games, and because of that we usually see a very low total in their games. I expect Indiana to dictate the pace, and grind out a win with their defense. They had won seven straight before losing to the Celtics on Friday, and they've held opponents to an average of just 88.3 points over their last eight home games." Not much has changed just a few days later, and when you consider that the Nets rank near the bottom of the league in scoring, tonight's total appears to be far to high. 

Take UNDER. 

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 6* play on the Xavier Musketeers. 

The Georgia State Panthers are hoping that their Cinderella Story continues through the second round of the NCAA Tournament. They shocked the Baylor Bears by hitting a very deep "prayer" of a three point shot that put them ahead by a score of 57-56 with 2.7 seconds left. The coach's son was the hero, and now "the shot" will be forever remembered in college basketball lore. If he had to try to make that shot again, he might be lucky to hit 1-of-10. The Musketeers aren't going to be taking the Panthers lightly, and I really think their time in the spotlight is going to be put to an end here on Saturday. Poor little Cinderella is going to get taken out to the woodshed, and beaten like a red-headed stepchild. Xavier simply isn't as vulnerable to an upset as Balyor was, as they are a far more fundamentally sound team. They've got a long history of success in the tournament, covering the spread in 19 of their last 25 games. Expect them to add to that total here in this one. 

Take XAV. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the UCLA Bruins.

The UAB Blazers did beat Iowa State in the first round, and nobody can take that away from them. I can't judge them based on that game alone though, and when I look at their entire body of work, the overwhelming conclusion has to be that they have no business going any further in this tournament. They finished fifth in the C-USA, that's right .. Fifth! Take a look at their non conference schedule and you will see that they were crushed by Wisconsin, Florida, Illinois State, LSU and Chattanooga. While none of those games were close, perhaps the most telling is that they lost in a neutral site game versus UCLA by a score of 88-76. That was back at the end of November, and the Bruins have seriously stepped up their game since then. The Pac-12 is often under estimated, but it's no joke. Arizona is one of the best teams in the country, and UCLA has played them neck and neck twice in recent weeks. I think the Bruins should be a double digit favorite here, and I think they should dominate this game from start to finish.

Take UCLA.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Providence Friars. 

I bet on Dayton in their win over Boise State on Wednesday, and I realize I got quite lucky with a moneyline bet in a game that saw the Flyers rally from a double digit deficit to snatch away a win in the final seconds. It's hard to be impressed with that performance, especially considering it was played on their home court. They won't be so lucky tonight, playing Providence at Columbus. Having to play their way into the tournament has left the Flyers scrambling, with no time to rest or even practice: "We've lost a lot of practice availability," coach Archie Miller said. "We've lost the ability to do that in the last 10-12 days because of all the games. It's more of a physical thing. And getting ourselves ready to go physically is the biggest thing, because mentally, we're ready to go." Providence finished fourth in the Big-East, and all three teams ahead of them are ranked in the Top 25. They've lost four of their last nine games, but all four of those came against ranked teams, two of those were against Villanova. They didn't miss by much in a 63-61 loss to the Wildcats in the Big-East tournament last Friday. Providence has covered the spread in nine straight neutral site games, while the Flyers have failed to cover in six of their last seven non conference games. 

Take PROV. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Dallas Mavericks. 

The Mavs host Memphis tonight, and these teams appear to be trending in opposite directions. Dallas has won three straight at home, defeating Orlando, Oklahoma City and the Clippers. The Grizz have really struggled on the road of late, dropping four of their last five away from Memphis. Most recently they suffered a double digit loss to the Pistons in Detroit on Tuesday. Mike Conley did not play in that game, and he's missed four straight with a knee injury. The Grizzlies PG remains questionable for tonight's game. Good news for Dallas, Dirk Nowitzki has scored 47 points over his last two games, and he's coming in hot from three-point range shooting 59.3% over his last three games. The Grizzlies have failed to cover the spread in eight of the last 11 in this series, and tonight's game looks like a particularly tough spot for the visitors. 

Take DAL. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Oregon Ducks. 

The Ducks had won 11 of 12 games prior to losing to Arizona in the Pac-12 Tournament, and during that span they upset the Utah Utes twice. Needless to say, they head into the tournament playing their best basketball. They face an Oklahoma State team that has lost six of their last seven. Four of those six losses came by double digits, and two of those came to the bottom two teams in the Big-12 (Texas Tech & TCU). They looked particularly inept in the loss to Oklahoma in the conference tourney, losing by a score of 64-49. They shot just 34.5% from the field and 14.3% from beyond the arc in that game. Not surprisingly these teams have trended in opposite directions: The Ducks are 4-1 ATS in their last five in the tournament, while the Cowboys are 3-7 ATS in their last 10, The Ducks are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 versus the Big-12, while the Cowboys are 1-4 ATS in their last five versus the Pac-12. The Ducks won by double digits when these teams met in the 2013 Tournament, and I think we can expect a similar result tonight. 

Take ORE. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 6* play on the Maryland Terrapins. 

Maryland was cruising before being upset by Michigan State in the Big-10 Tournament. They held a lead in that game until the final five minutes, and ended up losing by a score of 62-58. The Terps had won eight straight prior to that, and one of those wins was a 59-53 win over the #5 ranked Wisconsin Badgers. Their first round matchup with the Valparaiso Crusaders who finished first in the Horizon Conference. The Crusaders certainly won a lot of games, but for the most part they didn't really out-class the opposition in their league. Their non-conference schedule saw them face the SEC worst Missouri, and they lost by a score of 56-41 in that game. They also played at home against a very average New Mexico team, and they lost that game by a whopping 17 points. Valparaiso put it's program on the map with an upset win over Mississippi in the 1998 Tournament, on a buzzer beater by Bryce Drew. They haven't won a tournament game since, and Drew is now the head coach. The Terps did face one of the better teams from the Horizon Conference in December, and they crushed the Oakland Grizzlies by a score of 72-56. The Crusaders and the Grizzlies spit their season series in conference play. I don't like their chances here today, as Maryland has been a team that wins the games it's supposed to win.

Take MD. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Michigan State Spartans. 

The Spartans have looked pretty mediocre at times this year, but they appear to be peaking at the right time. They went all the way to the Final in the Big-10 Tournament, and came ever so close to upsetting Wisconsin, but eventually lost in overtime. They will play the Goergia Bulldogs in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Friday, and Georgia looks like a team that may be on the decline. The Bulldogs have also struggled against the Big-10, covering just twice in their last eight versus Big-10 teams. An injury to junior guard Kenny Gaines could prove to be costly for the Bulldogs, as Gaines is their second leading scorer and best perimeter defender. Gaines has played only 27 minutes scoring nine points over the last three games, and didn't play at all in the loss to Arkansas. His status for today's game remains in question: "If the foot feels up to it," Gaines said, "then me and the foot will be out there playing hard.". The Spartans have covered the spread in five of their last six non conference games, and they are 5-2-1 in their last eight versus the SEC. 

Take MSU. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the N.C. State Wolfpack.

The LSU Tigers were one of four teams tied with a record of 11-7 in the SEC. At times they looked like one of the best teams in their conference, but were wildly inconsistent. They lost their final home game to Tennessee, and then they were eliminated by Auburn in the first round of the conference tourney just nine days later. The Wolfpack won five of their final six games of the regular season, and after beating Pittsburgh in the first round of the AAC Tournament, they were knocked out by #2 ranked Duke. N.C. State finished sixth in the ACC with a record of 10-8, but they compiled an impressive resume of wins over ranked opponents, beating Duke, North Carolina and Louisville. They also came very close to upsetting Notre Dame and Virginia. This is a team that has been consistently competitive against the nation's best teams, and I think they are a far better team than LSU (even on a good day). The Tigers are heavily dependent on forwards Jordan Mickey and Jarell Martin, but Mickey recently missed a game due to illness, and scored just 1 point in 15 minutes in the loss to Auburn. If he's not 100% healthy (it doesn't appear that he is), then the Tigers are in trouble.

Take NCST.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Purdue Boilermakers. 

The experts appear to be in agreement that the Bearcats and the Boilermakers are teams that are almost a mirror image of one and other. The two defensive powerhouses each rank among the nation's leaders in several defensive categories. The Boilermakers though faced far tougher teams in the Big-10, while Cincinnati faces mostly below average teams in the AAC. The Bearcats were knocked out of the AAC Tournament by Connecticut, losing by a score of 57-54 last Friday. The Huskies have since been eliminated from the NIT after losing at home to Arizona State last night. Cincinnati will have to try to contain Purdue's Big Men A.J. Hammons and Isaac Haas, both towering over seven feet. Needless to say the Boilermakers are expected to own the boards in tonight's game. I just don't see this scrappy Purdue team that has covered the points in 10 of it's last 14 (vs Big-10), losing to a pretty average Cincinnati team. 

Take PUR. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on Notre Dame.

The Irish come in to the NCAA Tournament off consecutive upsets over Duke and North Carolina to claim the ACC Title. They are a double digit favorite over Northeastern, but I don't think they'll have much trouble covering the spread against an inferior opponent here. I find it hard to be impressed by the Huskies first place finish in the CAA, as there just aren't any quality opponent's in their league. Their non-conference schedule didn't include a lot of quality teams either, and they were blown out by Harvard and UMASS. The Irish rank second overall in the country shooting 51% from the field this season, and they shot 54.2% in the win over the Tar Heels Saturday. For whatever reason, Notre Dame just isn't getting the respect due to a team with a 29-5 record, and that was true when they were an underdog to the Tar Heels. I don't see Northeastern keeping up offensively, and we should see Notre Dame win by a substantial margin.

Take ND.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Dayton Flyers.

Boise State didn't impress in a loss to Wyoming on Friday, and I don't like their chances of beating the Flyers who are the first team in 28 years to play on their home court in the NCAA Tournament. Dayton was 16-0 on it's home court this season, and is 21-0 at home since midway through last season. The Flyers went all the way to the Sweet 16 last year, and that wasn't the first time they had success in the tournament. The Broncos on the other hand have appeared in the tournament six times previously, with six losses to show for it. Playing one of the top teams in the competitive A-10 Conference is likely going to prove to be a tough test for a Boise State team that doesn't see a lot of quality opponents in the Mountain West. That's especially true this year as both San Diego State and New Mexico were not as strong as they have been in the past. Dayton won it's most recent home game by double digits versus Rhode Island, and they shot 57.1% from the field in that game. If the Flyers play anywhere near as good tonight, Boise State will be in for another early exit.

Take DAY.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 5* play on the #LAC. 

The Clippers lost a close on at home to Houston on Sunday by a score of 100-98. It was Blake Griffin's first game back after he missed 15 games after having surgery on his elbow. Griffin scored 11 points with 11 rebounds and eight assists in 41 minutes. The Clips host Charlotte tonight, and the Hornets are playing on back to back nights after getting shellacked in Utah last night. It was the third time in four games that the Hornets lost by at least 10 points, and another double digit loss looks probable tonight. The Clippers have won and covered four straight home games against Charlotte dating back to 2010, and Charlotte has failed to cover in eight of the last 10 meetings overall in this series. PG Kemba Walker has yet to find his groove in three games back from injury, averaging just seven points on 22% shooting. 

Take LAC. 

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Montana Grizzlies. 

The Texas A&M Aggies were knocked out of the SEC Tournament by Auburn, losing by a score of 66-59. It was their third straight loss, after losing their final two games of the season at home to Alabama, and on the road at Florida. They come into tonight's NIT Tournament game as a big favorite versus Montana, but I don't think people are giving the Grizzlies enough credit. They've won nine of their last 11 games, and the two losses during that span came by a combined nine points. They lost in the Big Sky Conference Tournament Final by a score of 69-65 to Eastern Washington. The Grizzlies are 6-1-1 ATS in their last eight road games, and they come into this game with an edge in scoring, field goal percentage, free throw shooting as well as three point shooting. The Aggies leading scorer Danuel House has missed the last two games, and he's listed as doubtful for tonight's game. Without him, I think the Aggies could be in danger of losing this game, never mind covering a double digit spread. 

Take MONT. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on UTEP.

The Murray State Racers are getting a lot of press, as some have questioned why they were left out of the NCAA Tournament. Dick Vitale even gave a rant on national television in which he said he felt that the committee was rewarding mediocre teams that were less deserving of a spot. I am going to have to strongly disagree with Dickie "V", as a perfect 16-0 record in the Ohio Valley conference doesn't impress me at all. The fact remains that Murray State only played two teams that made the tournament, and they lost those two games by a combined 62 points. They lost 89-62 at Xavier, and were blown out by a score of 93-58 in a neutral site game against Valparaiso. Now they enter the NIT as a big favorite against a UTEP team that has faced no shortage of quality opponents in it's non-conference schedule. The Miners beat Xavier (yes the same team that crushed Murray State), and won by double digits at home to Washington State. They also played close games against Colorado State, Washington and Arizona. They lost to the #3 ranked Wildcats by just five points back in December. The Miners have lost just three of their last 13 overall, and two of those losses came by less than five points.

Take UTEP.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 5* play on TOR@IND to go UNDER the total. 

The Pacers don't play a lot of high scoring games, and because of that we usually see a very low total in their games. They host the Raptors tonight, and Toronto is a team that trends in the other direction. With this being a home game for the Pacers, and Toronto playing on back to back nights, I expect Indiana to dictate the pace, and grind out a win with their defense. They had won seven straight before losing to the Celtics on Friday, and they've held opponents to an average of just 88.3 points over their last eight home games. The Pacers have seen the total go under in eight of their last 10 overall, and tonight's number is higher than it was in any of their previous 10 versus Toronto.

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Washington Wizards. 

The Wizards seem to have gotten their swagger back, coming into tonight's game as winners of three straight and four in a row at home. They host Portland tonight, and the Blazers are on a roll as well. Portland crushed the Raptors by a score of 113-97 in Toronto last night, but I think they'll find it tough to deliver a repeat performance in the back end of a back to back here in Washington. The Wizards haven't had any trouble in recent home games versus Portland, winning six of their last seven. This is a tough spot for Portland in the middle of a five game East Coast road trip, and I expect them to suffer a bit of a let down after a big win last night. John Wall comes in averaging 22.3 points per game during the Wizards win streak, and he dropped 31 points on the Kings on Saturday. "I think it all started with me," Wall said of the slump. "I didn't have no legs or the energy after the All-Star break. And the way I play (is) the way this team goes. I'm kind of the leader of it." Look for Wall to out-duel Lillard tonight in the nation's capital. 

Take WAS. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 5* play on the LAC.

The Clippers were crushed in a 129-99 loss at Dallas on Friday, and you better believe they are burning to get back onto the court and make amends at home Sunday. They host Western Conference rivals Houston, who have lost four of six heading into this game. The big news is the return of Blake Griffin, who missed 15 games with a staph infection in his elbow. He's recovered from surgery, and Doc Rivers has announced that he will indeed play on Sunday. The Rockets have only covered the spread once in the last seven meetings in this series. James Harden comes in shooting just 10-of-32 in losses to Portland and Utah in his last two games. The Rockets have failed to cover in seven of their last 10 road games against teams with a winning record (above .600).

Take LAC.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 5* play on the SMU Mustangs. 

The Connecticut Huskies are the defending champs, but this year's squad is nowhere near it was a year ago. The Huskies finished fifth in the AAC, five games back of SMU. They split the season series with the Mustangs, with each team winning it's home game. The Mustangs though won by 18 points in Dallas, while the Huskies won a close one in Hartford (81-73). Connecticut went on to lose it's final two games of the regular season to Temple and Memphis, and they've since looked pretty average against Cincinnati and Tulsa. The Mustangs crushed Temple yesterday by a score of 69-56, and they've won eight of their last nine overall. The Mustangs have won and covered three of the last four in this series, and appear to be undervalued hear against a school with a more storied history. 

Take SMU. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Notre Dame Irish. 

The Irish will take on North Carolina in the ACC Conference Final tonight, and neither of these two teams were expected to be here. The Tar Heels upset Virginia, but realistically that shouldn't be so much of a surprise. The Cavs have struggled since losing their leading scorer Justin Anderson, and even though they won seven of eight without him, they were quite fortunate during that span to have survived several close games versus inferior opponents. Anderson returned to the lineup but failed to score a point in 24 minutes over the last two games. The Irish on the other hand had only really lost (by a big margin) once during the regular season, and that was a 90-60 defeat at Duke. They avenged that loss in a big way with a blowout win over the Blue Devils last night. These teams met at Chapel Hill earlier this season, and the Irish won that game by a score of 71-70. Notre Dame has the better record, and in my mind they are coming off a far more impressive performance. They rank second nationally shooting 50.9 percent from the field, and they hit 25-of-50 (50%) against Duke last night. The Irish are getting points? Shouldn't they be the favorite? 

Take ND. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 5* play on BOS@IND to go UNDER the total. 

The Pacers are on a roll, coming into tonight's home meeting with Boston as winners of seven straight, and nine of their last 10. Their success has come mostly due to their defensive prowess, as they've allowed an average of just 89.9 points per game during that span. They had played seven straight unders until they blew out Orlando and needed overtime to get past Milwaukee pushing the total over in their last two. We see a higher total in tonight's game though than we've seen in any of their last six. The Celtics have seen the total go over the number in just one of their last six trips to Indianapolis, and six of their last eight games when playing in a back to back situation. I see no reason to expect anything but another stifling effort from Indiana's defense, resulting in a low scoring victory for the home team. 

Take UNDER. 

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Maryland Terrapins.

Maryland finished second in the Big-10 behind Wisconsin, and they come into Saturday's semifinal game against Michigan State as winners of eight in a row. One of those wins was a 59-55 upset over Wisconsin, and the Terps also swept the season series versus Sparty. It's Michigan State though that has won a national title, a runner-up finish and been to the Final Four six times since 1999 under head coach Tom Izzo. Perhaps that is the reason why they are a favorite against a team with a better record, that has owned them this season. In my mind Maryland should be a slight favorite here, and the fact that they are getting points in a game that could well be decided in the final minute, makes this play worthy of a 10* rating. The Terps have won all three of their neutral site games this season, and they are 12-3 ATS in their last 15 games on neutral territory. Maryland's leading scorer Melo Trimble lit up the Spartans for 24 points on 8-of-16 shooting in a 75-59 home win in the most recent meeting between these two teams. Again .. who's the underdog?

Take Maryland.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the SMU Mustangs. 

The #20 ranked Mustangs will take on Temple in the AAC Tournament Semifinal on Saturday, and they are a slight favorite. SMU finished at the top of the conference standings, two game ahead of the Owls. They also swept the season series, winning both games by a combined 14 points. The Owls come in as winners of 11 of their last 13, but they suffered a huge blow when Jaylen Bond suffered a sprained ankle in the first half against Memphis. He led the AAC in rebounding during the regular season, and coach Fran Dunphy knows he will be missed: "He's obviously our best forward defender so if he doesn't play that will hurt us a little bit, but we've got to control what we can control," Dunphy said. "We have to do a good job of running offense. ... A kid like Nic Moore, he stepped up and hurt us a couple times in his last two games, but we need to play really well." The Owls have failed to cover in four of their last five neutral site games, and I expect them to come up short here again this afternoon. 

Take SMU. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Davidson Wildcats. 

These teams met just nine days ago at Davidson, and the Wildcats cruised to a decisive victory. I bet on Davidson on that day, and here is what I had to say: 

"The VCU Rams appeared to be cruising when they faced the Wildcats back in January. They were ranked #20 overall, and got off to a hot start in the A-10 Conference. They defeated the Wildcats by a score of 71-65, and won five straight after that. Things started to go sour after that though, as they have lost five of nine since. They simply haven't been the same team since losing senior guard Briante Weber to a season ending knee injury. Davidson has won seven straight, and they've knocked off some of the A-10 heavyweights during that span. The Wildcats are 13-1 at home, and the one loss was in a game decided by just a single point. Davidson ranks in the Top 10 in the nation averaging almost 80 points per game, and has covered the spread in 13 of it's last 16 home games"

Neither team looked impressive in their respective quarterfinal games yesterday, as both needed to rally late. The Wildcats though are capable of elevating their game, as evidenced by the fact that they have won 10 straight games overall. The Rams are 3-3 in their last six overall, and two of those wins came against conference bottom feeders Fordham and George Mason. 

Take DAV. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Oklahoma Sooners. 

I had the Sooners last night in their win over rivals Oklahoma State, and here is what I said prior to the game: " Oklahoma also closed the season on a red hot run, winning nine of their last 11. I actually bet against them in both of their two losses during that span, and count myself very lucky to have escaped disaster when they blew a 20+ point lead at Iowa State. The Sooners have the Big-12 player of the year, and conference scoring leader in Buddy Hield..." Tonight's game will be an opportunity for Oklahoma to avenge that terrible loss to the Cyclones, and I like their chances here in Kansas City. The Cyclones got off to a slow start in last night's game versus Texas, trailing by double-digits at the half. They rallied and ended up winning with a buzzer beater, but were fortunate to have escaped with a win. I think their luck is due to run out tonight. 

Take OKLA. 

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 5* play on the Boise State Broncos. 

The Broncos have won seven straight, and 15 of their last 16 overall. The Wyoming Cowboys sputtered at the end of regular season, losing three of their last four. The Cowboys are coming off a battle with Utah State on Thursday, winning a nail biter by a score of 67-65. They should face a much tougher test against a Broncos team that cruised past Air Force by a score of 80-68 last night. Boise State has covered the spread in 14 of it's last 16 overall, and only asked to cover a few points tonight they look like a good bet once again. The Broncos are also 4-1 in neutral site games, and they were 25-of-50 (50%) from the field against the Falcons last night. They also come in hot from beyond the arc, hitting 12-of-28 (42.9%) of their three-point shots. 

Take BSU. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Toronto Raptors. 

Toronto has lost nine of it's last 10 overall heading into tonight's home game versus Miami. If you're looking for reasons why the Raptors find themselves in such a slump, all you need to do is look at the schedule. During this recent skid, seven of those nine losses have come on the road. Many of those were against the top teams in the Western Conference, such as Houston, Dallas, Oklahoma City and San Antonio. They got off to a terrible start in their last game, trailing the Spurs by 20 points at halftime. Getting off to a better start here at home will be a priority against the Heat. Toronto has had three days off, giving them a chance to rest a regroup. The Heat have a losing record on the road, and they are just 2-7-1 ATS in their last 10 road games versus a team with a winning record. They are catching the Raptors at a bad time, and I think the home team gets back on track in a big way tonight.

Take TOR. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Maryland Terrapins. 

Maryland finished the regular season in second place behind Wisconsin, and it comes into tonight's Quarterfinal matchup with Indiana riding a seven game win streak. That run began with a 68-66 home win over the Hoosiers, who lost four of their final games of the season. Indiana was able to cruise to an easy win over Big-10 bottom feeder Northwestern on Thursday, but will certainly face a tougher challenge from a well rested Terps team just 24 hours later. They won't have the services of forward Hanner Mosquera-Perea who was injured in the win over the Wildcats. "Hanner plays a big part in this group, but whoever needs to step up, I know they will," forward Emmitt Holt said. "We're all in this together, so whatever happens happens."  The Hoosiers are 2-2 in neutral site games this season, while the Terps are 2-0 on neutral territory. Maryland is 11-3 ATS in it's last 14 games at a neutral site. 

Take MD. 

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a Free #NCAAB play on the Richmond #Spiders.

There's no doubt that Richmond and VCU are teams trending in different directions. The Spiders closed the season winning six straight, and one of those was a home win over VCU. The Rams lost both meetings versus Richmond this season, and lost three of their last four regular season games. The only game they won during that span was against one of the bottom feeders of the conference, and they began the conference tournament with an unimpressive win over Fordham by a score of 63-57.

The Rams are at a disadvantage playing a quick turnaround less than 24 hours later against a well rested Spiders team that hasn't played since crushing the Billikens by a score of 67-51 on Saturday. VCU hasn't been the same team since losing senior guard Briante Weber to a season ending knee injury. Without him they have a record of 5-5, and four of those five wins came against the bottom three teams in the A-10 conference. There's just no way they should be a favorite here.

Take RICH.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Oklahoma Sooners.

The Sooners will face Big-12 rivals Oklahoma State in the conference tournament Thursday, and despite a history of close games between these two teams, I think they are actually miles apart at the moment. The Sooners swept the season series, winning the two games by a combined 25 point margin. Oklahoma also closed the season on a red hot run, winning nine of their last 11. I actually bet against them in both of their two losses during that span, and count myself very lucky to have escaped disaster when they blew a 20+ point lead at Iowa State. The Sooners have the Big-12 player of the year, and conference scoring leader in Buddy Hield, who lit up the Cowboys for 27 points on a perfect 10-for-10 shooting in an 82-65 win in the first meeting between these teams this season. He's averaged over 21 points in his last three games, helping the Sooners defeat Kansas and TCU. The Cowboys have a lot to overcome here, with a significant disadvantage in rebounding as well as shooting. Oklahoma State has failed to cover in 10 of it's last 14 neutral site games, and it's going to take a miracle to avoid defeat against a vastly superior Sooners team tonight.

Take OKLA.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Colorado Buffaloes. 

Colorado will play Oregon State in the first round of the Pac-12 tourney Wednesday, and the Buffaloes are just a slight favorite. During the regular season, the Beavers proved that they can beat any team in the conference at home in Corvallis, but rarely could they compete on the road. Playing at a neutral site should favor Colorado, who looks to avenge a 72-58 loss at Corvallis on February 21. That was the lone win for the Beavers during a span where they lost six of their final seven games during the regular season. Oregon State averaged just 53.5 points on 37.3% away from home during the season, and it lost both it's neutral site games. Colorado closed the season winning two of it's last three games, one of those on the road at Washington. I like the Buffaloes as a slight favorite. 

Take COL. 

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Mississippi State Bulldogs. 

Only two games separated these two teams in the SEC standings, but I believe the Bulldogs are the far better team. In addition to winning two more league games than Auburn, they were competitive in losses to some of the conference powerhouse teams. Of course the Tigers lost to Mississippi State at home during the season by a score of 78-71. They haven't shown much competitive spirit lately, closing the season with six straight losses. The Bulldogs have won three of their last four versus Auburn, covering the spread in all four of those games. The Tigers have failed to cover the spread in 21 of their last 26 neutral site games, and it just looks like a bargain getting the Bulldogs as a pickem here. 

Take MISST. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Phoenix Suns. 

The Suns are still alive in the Western Conference playoff race, although trailing Oklahoma City by 2.5 games. They are at home tonight hosting the Golden State Warriors, who they have actually dominated over the years. The Warriors come in as favorites, but given that they sit in a comfortable spot at the top of the West standings, 5.5 games up on the slumping second place Grizzlies, there isn't a lot of urgency for the visitors. 

Golden State played at home last night, beating the Clippers by a score of 106-98. Playing the back end of a back to back on the road, and also a third game in four nights, looks like a potential throw away game. I can't see Kerr letting Curry and Thompson log a lot of minutes tonight. 

The Warriors haven't been a good bet at the best of times, failing to cover in eight of their last 10 away from Oakland. They've lost three straight in Phoenix, and a whopping 70 of 82 trips to the desert since 1980. 

I think the home dog should come to play tonight, and I wouldn't at all be surprised to see the outright upset win for Phoenix. 

Take PHX. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 5* play on Oral Roberts.

The Golden Eagles finished third in the Summit League, and they swept the season series versus the IUPUI Jaguars. The two teams meet in the conference tourney on Sunday, and Oral Roberts is just a small favorite. The Golden Eagles have not lost to IUPUI since 2010, winning seven straight in this series. They covered the spread in five of those seven games. The Jaguars have failed to cover in seven of their last nine overall, and almost all of their wins during conference play have come against the bottom feeders of the league. The Golden Eagles shot 54.2% from the field in the most recent meeting, handing the Jaguars a home loss by a score of 78-68. Getting the favorite at a reasonable price here appears to be a bargain.

Take ORU.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Maryland Terrapins.

Maryland looks to head into the conference tournament with a hot streak intact, as it's won six in a row. The Terps will be on the road at Nebraska tonight, and the Cornhuskers have lost seven straight. There's no doubt that the home team will be all fired up for Senior Day, but it hasn't shown any reason to expect us to believe it can compete with the #10 ranked team in the country. Nebraska's last home game was an embarrassing 74-46 defeat at the hands of Iowa. In fact all seven losses on this skid have come by double digits. Maryland has feasted on inferior opposition, going 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 games vs. a team with a losing S.U. record. The Huskers leading scorer Terran Petteway has been mired in a slump, shooting just 32.7% during Nebraska's seven game losing streak. He scored just eight points on 2-of-14 shooting in a loss to Maryland earlier this season. I just don't think Nebraska is good enough to beat an elite team, and I think they will be disappointed here on their Seniors Day.

Take MD.

GL,

Jesse Schule 

This is a 5* on the Valparaiso Crusaders.

The Crusaders closed out the regular season with a win on the road at Cleveland State, and they finished with the best record in the Horizon Conference. The Vikings got off to a good start in the tournament, defeating Detroit by a score of 70-53. Cleveland State struggled a little at the end of the season, losing three of their last five. They've lost six of their last eight versus Valparaiso, including both meetings this season. Prior to yesterday's win over Detroit, they had failed to cover in six straight neutral site games. The Crusaders have covered the spread in five of their last seven neutral site games. This looks like a very reasonable price to back the top team in the conference against an opponent playing it's second game in as many nights.

Take VAL.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 5* play on IND@NYK to go UNDER the total.

The Pacers will play their second game in as many nights in New York against the Knicks. These are two teams heading in very different directions, as Indiana looks to get back to the playoffs a year after finishing first in the Eastern Conference, while the Knicks are focused on rebuilding. This is a big game for the Pacers, who currently occupy the eighth and final playoff spot in the East, but are tied with ninth place Miami on points. 

Indiana has been on a tear lately, winning seven of it’s last eight overall. The defense has been stellar during that run, holding opponents to an average of just 89 points during that span. One of those victories came against New York, holding the Knicks to just 82 points on 39.5% shooting. New York has lost 10 of it’s last 12 overall, and hasn’t scored 100 points in any of those 10 losses. The two wins during that span both came on the road. 

Indiana has a history of stifling the Knicks, winning and covering in five of the last six head to head meetings. New York scored an average of just 89.6 points in those games. Given that this is a must win for the visitors, while the home team is just going through the motions, we should see Indiana dominated defensively.

The Pacers have played six straight unders, while the Knicks have seen the total go under in four of their last five. Recent meetings between these two teams have been low scoring, going under in three straight and seven of the last 10.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

The Missouri Tigers will wrap up the regular season on the road at Mississippi State, and even if they were to win this game, the best they could hope for is a last place tie with Auburn in the SEC standings. That doesn't provide a lot of motivation for the visitors, and they face a Bulldogs team that is all geared up to finish the season with a win on Senior Day. The Tigers have been brutal on the road, with an ATS record of 3-12-1 in their last 16 road games. Missouri's leading scorer is injured for the remainder of the season, and they certainly missed him in their last road game. They shot just 14-of-49 (28.6%) from the field in a 68-44 loss to Georgia. I expect to see them struggle here in Mississippi as well, and another double digit loss appears to be a likely result.

Take MISST.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 8* play on the Kentucky Wildcats.

Kentucky closes the regular season at home against the Florida Gators, one of a handful of teams that has given it trouble this season. The Wildcats won at Florida by a score of 68-61, but they are asked to cover quite a few points at home in the rematch. Florida has really struggled on the road all season, with a record of 2-8. The Wildcats of course are undefeated, but they've been crushing the opposition at home. Their most recent home game was an 84-67 win over Arkansas. The Razorbacks are the #2 team in the Sec, while the Gators have been one of the weaker teams in the conference this season. Florida hasn't been a good bet when facing top teams, failing to cover in seven of their last 10 versus teams with a winning record. The Wildcats have covered the spread in seven of their last nine home games versus teams with a losing record, and they aren't being asked to cover too big a number today (all things condidered).

Take UK.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 5* play on the San Francisco Dons. 

The San Francisco Dons will face Pacific in the first round of the WCC Tournament on Friday, and the Dons just beat the Tigers last week. San Francisco was 24-of-50 (48%) from the field in a 65-55 home win over Pacific last Saturday. The Dons have won four straight in this series, with all of those wins coming by five or more points. The Tigers have covered the spread in just three of their last seven overall, while the Dons have been one of the best bets in the West Coast Conference in recent seasons. San Francisco is 49-22 ATS in it's last 71 versus conference opponents. Pacific has just three wins in it's last 14 games overall, and it looks like a tough ask for it to compete with a superior opponent in this neutral site game. 

Take SF. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 5* play on the Washington Wizards. 

The demise of the Washington Wizards seemed to come out of nowhere. The Wizards looked like one of the best teams in the league through the first half of the season, but all of a sudden they've dropped 11 of 14 overall. I think it's only a matter of time before this team gets it's swagger back, and the return of Bradley Beal is certainly going to help. Beal has returned to the lineup, and tonight will be his third game back. The Heat on the other hand will not have Chris Bosh for the rest of the season, and they've listed Chalmers, Anderson and Deng all as questionable to play tonight. This appears to indicate that coach Erik Spoelstra intends to rest players tonight in the nation's capital. The Wizards are still 21-10 in Washington, and they've won three straight home meetings versus Miami. 

Take WAS. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 5* play on the Oakland Grizzlies. 

The Grizzlies finished the regular season winning 11 of their last 13 games. They faced the UIC Flames twice during that span, winning convincingly in each of those games. The Flames finished seven games back of Oakland in the Horizon Conference, and they lost 12 of 16 games in conference play. These teams are miles apart in terms of skill, and that is evidence by the fact that the Grizzlies come in shooting 48% from the field over their last five games, almost 10 percentage points better than Chicago during that span. Oakland shot out the lights in the last meeting between these two teams, hitting 15-of-28 (53.6%) from beyond the arc in an 81-56 blowout. I don't see any reason to expect this game to be close. 

Take OAK. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Davidson Wildcats. 

The VCU Rams appeared to be cruising when they faced the Wildcats back in January. They were ranked #20 overall, and got off to a hot start in the A-10 Conference. They defeated the Wildcats by a score of 71-65, and won five straight after that. Things started to go sour after that though, as they have lost five of nine since. They simply haven't been the same team since losing senior guard Briante Weber to a season ending knee injury. Davidson has won seven straight, and they've knocked off some of the A-10 heavyweights during that span. The Wildcats are 13-1 at home, and the one loss was in a game decided by just a single point. Davidson ranks in the Top 10 in the nation averaging almost 80 points per game, and has covered the spread in 13 of it's last 16 home games. 

Take DAV. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Pittsburgh Panthers. 

Pittsburgh will host the Miami Hurricanes tonight, in a battle of ACC rivals that are tied in the standings at 8-8. The Panthers have been the better team recently though, winning six of their last nine, and five straight at home. The Canes have lost three of their last four on the road, and five of their last six versus Pittsburgh. The Panthers haven't often slipped up at home, with a record of 14-2. They have home wins over the likes Notre Dame and North Carolina, and they should handle the inconsistent Canes tonight. Miami has not been a good bet of late, failing to cover in seven of their last 10.  Pittsburgh comes in shooting 48.3% over it's last five games, 5 percentage points better than Miami in that same span. 

Take PITT. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Providence Friars. 

The Seton Hall Pirates have lost six of their last seven overall, and the only win during that span came against Creighton, who are just a game up on last place Marquette. This is a young team that has struggled to compete in the Big East this year, and they host a Providence team that can still finish as high as second in the conference. The Friars are gearing up for a post season run, so it's not like the Pirates will catch them napping here. They won big in their last road game, crushing the Blue Demons by a score of 84-57. The betting public appears to be giving the Pirates too much respect here in their final home game. I'll take the Friars who have won five of the last six in this series. 

Take PROV. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Northwestern Wildcats. 

It's Seniors Day in Evanston, and the Wildcats are hosting Big-10 rivals Michigan. Over the years the Wildcats have been the whipping boys for the Wolverines, but things are different this year. Northwestern is actually favored to win this game, and for very good reason. The Wolverines have been dreadful on the road, winning just two of nine overall. Those two wins came at Rutgers and Penn State, the two teams that sit at the bottom of the conference standings. The Wildcats came up just short in a 56-54 loss at Ann Arbor in January, but Michigan has since lost leading scorer and rebounder Caris Levert for the rest of the season. With not a lot to fight for, we should expect the Wolverines to be on the wrong side of a big win for the home team tonight. 

Take NW. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Butler Bulldogs. 

The Bulldogs host Big-East rivals Georgetown tonight, and these two teams have split two previous meetings this season. The Bulldogs won the first meeting 64-58 at the Battle 4 Atlantis (neutral site), and then lost a thriller at Georgetown by a score of 61-59. Butler is the hotter of the two teams, coming off consecutive victories, and winning eight of it's last 10. Georgetown is just 4-4 over it's last eight, and was spanked at St. Johns on Saturday, losing by a score of 81-70. The Bulldogs are 13-2 at home this season, while the Hoyas are 0-4 on the road versus conference foes with a winning record. The Bulldogs are allowing opponent's to average just 60.9 points per game, the fewest of any team in the Big-East. Getting Butler as a slight favorite in this spot looks to be a bargain. 

Take BUTLER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 5* play on the Iowa State Cyclones. 

Iowa State is coming off back to back losses to K-State and Baylor. They had won 14 straight at home before falling victim to a clinical shooting display by the Bears last week. Baylor shot 14-of-26 (53.8%) from three point range in that game, and I don't think Oklahoma can pull that off here on the road tonight. The Sooners have lost three straight visits to Ames, and they are just 5-5 on the road this season. They are only averaging 68.8 points per game on the road, while the Cyclones are averaging a whopping 82.1 points per game at home. Oklahoma has failed to cover in five of it's last seven road games, and tonight's contest appears to be a tougher challenge than most of those previous seven games. 

Take ISU. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Colorado Buffaloes. 

Colorado will host the Arizona State Sun Devils in their final home game tonight, and they look to send their seniors off with a win. They will have a decent chance to do just that, as Arizona State has not played well on the road. The Sun Devils have lost six of their eight road games versus Pac-12 opponents, and their most recent loss was a particularly tough one. They lost by a score of 83-41 at Utah, only scoring nine points in the first half of that game. Aside from the added motivation of playing in front of the home crowd for the last time this season, Colorado also has a distinct advantage in rebounding as well as three point shooting. The Sun Devils shot just 18% from beyond the arc in the loss to Utah, while the Buffaloes are shooting above 40% from three point range on their home floor. 

Take COL. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Providence Friars. 

Providence is coming off a tough loss on the road to the top team in the Big East, but looks to bounce back this afternoon against the cellar dwelling Marquette Golden Eagles. This is a big game for the Friars, who need not only to win, but need to win in impressive fashion. That's not exactly a tough ask, as this Marquette team was just crushed on the road at Butler by a score of 73-52. The Eagles have just one win in eight road games, and that came at Seton Hall. The Friars have won 12 of 15 at home, and they also look to avenge a loss at Marquette earlier this season. These are two teams going in opposite directions, and there's just no reason to expect the Eagles to have much motivation here in this contest. 

Tale PROV. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the California Golden Bears. 

This isn't just another home game for Cal, this is the Golden Bears final home game. It's Seniors Day at Berkeley, and the Oregon State Beavers are in town. Cal couldn't really ask for a more suitable opponent, as it looks to send it's seniors off with one final victory. The Beavers have been terrible on the road, losing eight of 10 away from Corvallis. They were annihilated in a 75-48 loss at Stanford on Thursday, and he loss was their fifth straight on the road. One of those losses came at USC, the last place team in the Pac-12. California has won four straight overall against OSU since 2012, and four straight home meetings dating back to 2010. There is every reason to expect that trend to continue today. 

Take CAL. 

GL,

Jesse Schule.

This is a 5* play on the BYU Cougars. 

The Cougars come in hot as winners of five straight, but they are a double digit dog on the road at Gonzaga tonight. The Bulldogs have also been cruising, winning 22 in a row. They came very close to a loss just last Saturday though, needing to come back from an 11 point halftime deficit to beat the second place St. Mary's Gaels. They went on to win that game by a score of 70-60, but that score is a little deceiving, as Gonzaga scored eight unanswered points in the final 61 seconds. The Cougars lead the nation in scoring averaging 84.4 points per game, and they've covered the spread in eight of their last 11 road games. They lost their last visit to Spokane by a score of 75-64, close enough to cover the big number in tonight's game. With the visitors getting such a big cushion, I'll take the points. 

Take BYU. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 7* play on the Wichita State Shockers (1st Half). 

Wichita State was shocked by the Northern Illinois Panthers in Cedar Falls at the end of January, but the Shockers have since won seven straight. Three of those seven wins have come at home, by an average margin of 23 points. Wichita State owns a 14-0 record at home, and since 2012 the Shockers have won all three of their home games versus Northern Iowa by a double digit margin. Aside from the loss to the Panthers, Wichita State has cruised through conference play. That's not the case for Northern Iowa, who lost on the road at Evansville. This is a revenge spot for the Shockers, and I expect them to come out in the first half with a well executed game plan. The Shockers are the creme of the crop in this conference, and that's unlikely to change today. 

Take WICH. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

8*

This is an 8* play on the UCLA Bruins.

The Bruins aren't the Pac-12 powerhouse that they used to be, but they've still been very good at home this season. UCLA is 13-1 at home, and hosting the Washington Huskies tonight will give them an opportunity to add to those numbers. Washington opened the season with 11 straight wins, but have since won just four of their next 15. They upset their rivals Washington State on Saturday, but I think that sets up a let down here on the road just a few days later. Ultimately this game doesn't mean a lot to the Huskies, who could be looking ahead to their final two home games against Utah and Colorado. Washington has really missed big man Robert Upshaw, who lead the nation in blocked shots before his dismissal from the team. UCLA should win big here at home.

Take UCLA.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Iowa State Cyclones.

The Cyclones will put their perfect 14-0 home record to the test tonight, hosting the Baylor Bears. Iowa State is hot right now, coming off back to back road win over Oklahoma State and Texas. The Bears have won consecutive games against Big-12 lightweights K-State and Texas Tech, but had previously lost to Kansas and Oklahoma State by a combined 19 points. Baylor has a tough history in previous trips to Iowa, where they've never won. They've also failed to cover in nine straight road games versus the Cyclones. The Bears beat the Cyclones in Waco earlier this year, but I expect Iowa State to avenge that loss here with a double digit home win.

Take ISU.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Texas A&M Aggies.

The Aggies trail Arkansas by just one game in the SEC standings, but they are a big dog here tonight. Texas A&M has won 10 of it's last 12, and four of it's last five on the road.

The Razorbacks though are 16-1 at home. Guess how many of those wins came against SEC teams with a winning record? The answer might surprise you, as not one of their six home wins during conference play have come against teams with a winning record (withing the conference).

The Aggies are 5-2 on the road during conference play, and they should enjoy a significant advantage on the glass here tonight. The Razorbacks narrowly escaped with a 65-61 win at Mississippi State, and the Bulldogs out-rebounded them 42-31. Arkansas has been losing the battle on the boards at a rate of -6.4 in their last five. The Aggies have averaged 3.9 rebounds more than their opposition over their last 12 games.

The Aggies rank among the top teams in the conference defensively, and they should be able to keep this game close.

Take TAM.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Missouri Tigers.

Missouri has lost 13 straight since opening conference play with a win over LSU back on January 8th. They are a home dog to Florida tonight, and the Gators have lost five of their last six. The one win during that span came at home by a score of 50-47 over Vanderbilt. The Gators have just two wins in nine game games on the road, and both of those wins came by less than five points. Florida's leading scorer Michael Frazier remains sidelined with an ankle injury, and the team has struggled without him. Florida lost it's last visit to Missouri by a score of 63-60.

Take MIZZ.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the West Virginia Mountaineers.

The Longhorns are coming off back to back losses to Iowa State and Oklahoma, and their tournament hopes are fading quickly. They will be on the road at West Virginia tonight, and the Mountaineers are coming off consecutive wins over Kansas at home, and Oklahoma State on the road. West Virginia is a solid 10-3 at home, while Texas is just 4-5 on the road. After losing big at Texas earlier this season, this is a revenge spot for WVU, who has been the hotter of the two teams. The Mountaineers have covered the spread in five of their last seven home games versus teams with a winning record.

Take WVU.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the #LAC.

The Clippers have won four of five, and averaged over 115 points since losing their leading score Blake Griffin. They host the Memphis Grizzlies tonight, and with Memphis coming off a hard fought win in Portland last night, this looks like a favorable spot for the Clippers.

The Clippers have been one of the best home teams in the league, only Golden State has more home wins that L.A. in the Western Conference. The Grizzlies have caused plenty of trouble for the Clippers in recent seasons, but I like home team to exercise some of those demons tonight.

"We have one of the top five players in the league out, and the only way we play well is by moving the ball," coach Doc Rivers said.

His team has found a way to do just that, and I think the same formula will be successful again tonight.

Take LAC.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Washington State Cougars.

The Cougars will host rivals Washington at Pullman tonight, with a chance to sweep the season series. The Huskies would like to avenge a home loss to Wazzu earlier this season, but they haven't been anywhere near competitive since dismissing big man Robert Upshaw. Washington has lost seven straight, failing to cover in all by one of those games. The Cougars have won three of their six home games during conference play, and none of those were easy games. They beat the Ducks, Cardinal and Sun Devils, while losing to Arizona, Utah and Oregon State. The Cougars won at home by a score of 72-67 over the Huskies last year, and they should be able to hand their rivals an eighth consecutive defeat here tonight.

Take WSU.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Florida State Seminoles.

The Virginia Cavaliers are still the #2 ranked team in the nation, with just one loss so far this season. They've struggled though since losing leading scorer Justin Anderson. Since losing to Duke at the end of January, Virginia has won five straight, but only one of those wins came by double digits. They are asked to cover another big number at home tonight, against a Seminoles team that has won back to back road games. Florida State has won six of it's last nine overall, and the three losses during that span came by an average margin of fewer than five points. They lost by four at Chapel Hill, and gave Duke a run for it's money in a 73-70 loss at home. Virginia has won three straight versus FSU, but none of those three victories came by a margin as great as the number they are asked to cover tonight. The Seminoles are 4-0 ATS in their last four road games, and that is a trend that will likely to continue here.

Take FSU.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Oregon Ducks.

The Utah Utes have won five straight, and seven of their last eight overall. They've had a favorable schedule during that time though, and tonight's opponent has a better record than any of the teams they beat during that stretch. The Oregon Ducks have also been playing well lately, winning five of their last six. The Ducks are 16-2 at home, while the Utes are 5-3 on the the road. Utah's most recent win came at Oregon State, and that game was a lot closer than the score would indicate. The Beavers trailed by just two at halftime, but the Utes pulled away in the final minute and went on to win by 10. The Ducks have won five of the last six meetings in series outright, including a 70-68 overtime win at Utah in the most recent meeting last January. I like the Ducks getting points at home in a game that they could easily win outright.

Take ORE.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Oregon State Beavers.

The Beavers were 14-0 at home before they lost to Utah on Thursday, and they will look to bounce back with a win at home over Colorado tonight. The Buffaloes have been terrible on the road this season, with a record of 1-8, and they've covered the spread just twice in their last 10 road games.

The Beavers have already faced most of the top teams in the Pac-12, with home wins over the likes of UCLA, Arizona and Arizona State. They rank second in the conference in scoring defense allowing an average of 57.5 points per game.

Colorado shot just 35.5% from the field in a loss to Oregon on Wednesday, and the Buffaloes were just 2-of-11 from three point range in that game. They aren't likely to improve on those numbers here against one of top defensive teams in the conference.

Take ORST.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs are coming off another heartbreaking loss to rivals Ole Miss, in a game that they could have easily won. It followed the same script as the previous meeting, with the the Bulldogs opening up a big lead in the first half, only to watch the Rebels battle back in the second half. Both games went right down to the wire, but the Bulldogs failed to cover by just a half a point on Thursday.

Here is what I said prior to the game: "Wins haven't come easy for the Rebels in Starksville, losing four straight road games in this series. History tells us to expect a close game between these two SEC rivals, and the visitors could be asked to cover a few too many points.

The road team has only covered in one of the last nine meetings between these two teams, and Mississippi State is 5-1 ATS in it's last six home games versus a team with a road winning % of greater than .600."

Tonight they host Arkansas, and they are once again getting a significant cushion. The history in this series is quite similar, with the home team covering the spread in 20 of the last 28 meetings. The Bulldogs have won three of their last four home meetings with Arkansas outright, and the lone loss in that span came by just four points.

Take MISST.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Missouri Tigers.

Missouri has lost 12 straight, and it will be a double digit dog on the road at Vanderbilt Saturday. The Commodores have just three wins in their last 12 games, and they lost their last home game to Tennessee by a score of 76-73. Missouri has won three of the last four meetings in this series, and three of those games were decided by just three points. Vanderbilt is coming off a loss at Florida, and this team just doesn't inspire much confidence as a double digit home favorite.

Take MIZZ.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the LSU Tigers.

The Florida Gators have really been struggling of late, and I don't like their chances on the road at LSU. Here is what I had to say prior to their last game at home versus Vanderbilt: "I am not convinced the Gators are as good as people seem to think they are, and wouldn't be surprised to see a close game here in Gainesville. While Florida turned in a solid effort at home against Kentucky, they lost their leading scorer Michael Frazier to an ankle injury in that game. They've since lost at home to Ole Miss and on the road at Texas A&M, and I don't like their chances of covering a significant number tonight." Florida won that game by just three points, failing to cover for the seventh time in their last 10 overall. With LSU 11-3 at home, and Florida just 2-6 at home, I think the home team is grossly undervalued here today.

Take LSU.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 7* play on the Syracuse Orange.

The Orange looked impressive in a home win over Louisville on Wednesday, and they host Pittsburgh this afternoon. The Panthers have won four straight at home, but they haven't enjoyed the same success on the road, losing four straight since beating Boston College in overtime on January 6th. The Panthers might have trouble slowing down Rakeem Christmas who went off for 29 points on 9-of-10 shooting in the win over Louisville. He scored 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting in an 83-77 loss at Pittsburgh earlier this season. I like the Orange to avenge that loss here today. Pitt has covered the spread just once in it's last 12 road games.

Take SYR.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Sacramento Kings.

It's a big night for the Sacramento Kings, who will welcome George Karl as their new head coach making his debut tonight. Karl has been a proven winner throughout his career, and the Kings hope he can bring some of that magic to Sacramento.

With the Celtics in town, the Kings should have a decent chance of earning their new coach a victory in his first game behind the bench. Boston is just 8-16 on the road, and it's without leading scorer and rebounder Jared Sullinger, who is suffering from a serious foot injury.

Boston was busy at yesterday's trade deadline, picking up a handful of players including Isiah Thomas who comes over from the Suns. It's not clear if Thomas will make his debut tonight, but if he does I wouldn't expect him to log a lot of minutes. It will take time to get used to a new system.

The Kings have won three straight home meetings versus Boston, all of those in games decided by six or more points. With Boston banged up, we should expect history to repeat itself here on Friday.

Take SAC.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs will host rivals Ole Miss tonight, and they'll look to avenge a 79-73 loss at Oxford last month. They took control of that game early and went to the locker room with a four point lead at halftime. The Rebels battled back in the second half, and were fortunate to have come away with a win.

Wins haven't come easy for the Rebels in Starksville, losing four straight road games in this series. History tells us to expect a close game between these two SEC rivals, and the visitors could be asked to cover a few too many points.

The road team has only covered in one of the last nine meetings between these two teams, and Mississippi State is 5-1 ATS in it's last six home games versus a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.

The Rebels last won on the road against a beaten up Florida team without it's leading scorer, and they won that game by just one point.

Take MISST.

GL,

Jesse Schule]

This is an 8* play on the SMU Mustangs.

The Mustangs are at the top of the AAC, sitting two games ahead of Temple. The Owls are in Texas tonight, and I think they are going to be in big trouble against an SMU team that has been dominant at home.

The Mustangs are coming off a 73-55 blowout win over UCONN, and all of their home wins during conference play have come in games decided by a double digit margin.

They've been a particularly good bet at home versus teams with a winning record, covering eight of their last nine. The Mustangs already beat Temple in Philly, and the Owls have also lost to Cincinnati and Tulsa. Last season's meeting here in Texas was a laugher, with the Mustangs winning 75-52.

We should see history repeat itself here tonight.

Take SMU.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Oregon Ducks.

The Colorado Buffaloes will be in Oregon tonight, and they've won four straight against the Ducks. This year's team isn't quite as talented as it was in years past, and I think they will be in tough tonight. The Ducks are 15-2 at home, while the Buffaloes are just 1-7 on the road. Colorado has only covered the spread twice in it's last nine road games. The Ducks won their last home game by a score of 95-72 over Washington State, and I expect a similar result tonight versus Colorado.

Take ORE.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Fresno State Bulldogs.

The Colorado State Rams cruised through the first half of the season, but they've found the going a little tougher against the top teams in the conference. They've lost three straight on the road, but they are a favorite at Fresno State tonight. The Bulldogs have won three straight home games, most recently against the Boise State Broncos. The Bulldogs have failed to cover the spread just once in their last nine home games. They've won three of their last four home meetings versus the Rams, including a 75-66 win last season. Colorado State meanwhile has covered the points just three times in it's last 14 road games.

Take FRES.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Duke Blue Devils.

The Blue Devils will host ACC rivals North Carolina tonight, and Duke is a significant home favorite. The Tar Heels are coming off a double digit loss at Pitt, and I can't see any reason to expect a more favorable result here tonight. Duke is 11-1 at home so far, and it crushed the Irish by a score of 90-60 in it's most recent home game. Jahlil Okafor just gets better with every game, and he scored 23 points on 10-of-15 shooting in the win over the Orange Saturday. Duke won at home by a score of 93-81 in the most recent meeting between these two teams, and I expect a similar result tonight.

Take Duke.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Missouri Tigers.

The Tigers have lost 11 straight, and they are an enormous underdog on the road at Arkansas tonight. Their last two losses have come in close games decided by five points or less. The Razorbacks have won their last two home games by a combined 40 points, but these two teams have a history of playing close games. Arkansas escaped with a 61-60 victory at Missouri earlier this season, and five of the last six meetings have been decided by five points or less. The only exception was a 93-63 home win for the Tigers in 2013. Missouri has covered the spread in six of the last eight meetings.

Take MIZZ.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Duke Blue Devils.

The Blue Devils will host ACC rivals North Carolina tonight, and Duke is a significant home favorite. The Tar Heels are coming off a double digit loss at Pitt, and I can't see any reason to expect a more favorable result here tonight. Duke is 11-1 at home so far, and it crushed the Irish by a score of 90-60 in it's most recent home game. Jahlil Okafor just gets better with every game, and he scored 23 points on 10-of-15 shooting in the win over the Orange Saturday. Duke won at home by a score of 93-81 in the most recent meeting between these two teams, and I expect a similar result tonight.

Take Duke.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Fordham Rams.

The Rams have actually played quite well lately despite being one of the weakest teams in the A-10 conference. They are on the road at George Mason tonight, and the Patriots are favored by a handful of points. With only three wins in conference play, and two of those coming by a margin of four points or less, I think we get great value on the visitors here getting points. The Rams swept the season series last year, and I like their chances of keeping tonight's game close. The Patriots are 3-8-1 ATS in their last 12 home games vs. a team with a losing road record, yet they are still being asked to win those game by a sizable margin.

Take Fordham.

GL,

Jesse Schule 

This is a 10* play on the Vanderbilt Commodores.

The Commodores have won three of their last four overall, and that streak started with a home win over the Gators. With many expecting Florida to execute revenge at home tonight, the visitors are getting a bunch of points. I am not convinced the Gators are as good as people seem to think they are, and wouldn't be surprised to see a close game here in Gainesville. While Florida turned in a solid effort at home against Kentucky, they lost their leading scorer Michael Frazier to an ankle injury in that game. They've since lost at home to Ole Miss and on the road at Texas A&M, and I don't like their chances of covering a significant number tonight.

Take Vandy.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Syracuse Orange.

Not only did Louisville suffer an embarrassing home loss to N.C. State this weekend, they will also be without a key starter when they travel to Syracuse to take on the Orange on Wednesday. Chris Jones has been suspended indefinitely, and he's averaging 13.6 points per game, and leads the team in assists. He led all scorers with 20 points in Saturday's loss to the Wolfpack. Louisville coach Rick Pitino wasn't impressed with his team's effort in that game: "In past years when we shot poorly like this, our defense could carry us through, but it didn't tonight," Pitino said. "I think our guys are not like my other teams.

Take SYR.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Auburn Tigers.

Auburn is coming off a shocking upset of the Bulldogs in Georgia, winning by a score of 69-68. The Tigers return home to host an Alabama team that was upset at home by Vanderbilt Saturday. They lost to the Crimson Tide by a score of 57-55 at Alabama earlier this season, and they can avenge that loss tonight. History certainly favors the home team, as the hosts have won six straight in this series. Auburn has one of he best three point shooters in the nation in KT Harrell, and he scored 22 points on 7-of-14 shooting in the previous meeting. The visitors have struggled without junior guard Ricky Tarrant, who is second on the team in scoring averaging 13.1 PPG. Alabama has only covered the spread once in their last eight visits to Auburn, yet they are a road favorite tonight.

Take AUB.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Pitt Panthers.

The Virginia Cavaliers have won four straight since suffering their first loss of the season at Duke on New Years Eve. They haven't blown out anyone during that span, winning by an average margin of just five points in those games. They host a Pitt team that comes off a dominant home win over the North Carolina Tar Heels. The Panthers have won four of their last five, but they are still on the bubble trying to qualify for the tournament. The Cavs haven't been quite as solid on defense without the injured Justin Anderson, and their perimeter shooting has tailed off as well in his absence. The Cavs have shot just 16.2% from three point range over their last three games. I think the home team is asked to cover a few too many points here against a hungry opponent that has been playing well of late.

Take PITT.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Miami Hurricanes.

Miami will take on the Boston College Eagles in a Monday makeup game after Sunday's contest was postponed due to weather. The hosts have not impressed this season, with a record of 1-10 in conference play. The one win came on the road at Georgia Tech, leaving them with a home record of 0-5 versus ACC opponents. Today's game against Miami looks like a tough spot to reverse that trend, as they've lost nine straight to the Hurricanes. This year's squad is far weaker than it was in previous seasons, and Miami has proven to be a pretty good road team. The Hurricanes have already won at Duke and Syracuse, and played close games at Louisville and Notre Dame. Miami's tournament hopes are slim at best, but they are still on the bubble, and should be able to handle an inferior opponent in Boston College here.

Take MIA.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Ole Miss Rebels. 

Whether you are a professional handicapper, or an amateur sports better, you likely have a few criteria that you look for when you are deciding who to bet on. I'm not your typical handicapper, and I strongly believe that by betting based solely on systems and trends you are playing right into the hands of the bookmakers. 

One popular trend that many people put a lot of stock in, is the "revenge spot". Tonight's game between the Razorbacks and Rebels is a prime example of such a situation. The Rebels defeated the Razorbacks by a score of 96-82 at Arkansas in mid January. Ole Miss has since won six of seven. 

Arkansas hasn't played particularly well on the road, going 4-4 overall. The Rebels are hot, and have played well at home. Revenge is going to be hard to come by for the visitors. 

Take MISS. 

GL

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the K-Stare Wildcats.

Whether you are a professional handicapper, or an amateur sports better, you likely have a few criteria that you look for when you are deciding who to bet on. I'm not you typical handicapper, and I strongly believe that by betting based solely on systems and trends you are playing right into the hands of the bookmakers.

One popular trend that many people put a lot of stock in, is the "revenge spot". Tonight's game between K-State and Oklahoma is classic example of such a situation. The Wildcats upset the Sooners in Oklahoma back in January, and now they play at Manhattan tonight.

The Wildcats are slumping, coming in as losers of five straight. They haven't exactly been getting blown out though, losing their last home game by a score of 61-57 to #25 ranked Texas.

Perhaps most notable about the Wildcats recent losing streak is that their leader scorer Marcus Fosters was serving a suspension for the last three games. He returns tonight as the Wildcats look for a fourth win in their last five home meetings with Oklahoma. Oh... the only loss during that span came by a margin lower than the number in tonight's game.

The Sooners may even get their revenge, and still not cover. This line is simply way out of whack, and I'm loading up on the home dog here.

Take KSU.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Alabama Crimson Tide. 

Alabama can move to 6-6 in conference play if it can defeat Vanderbilt at home tonight. That shouldn't be too tough an ask, as the Commodores have lost all five of their road games versus SEC opponents this season. Alabama is 12-2 overall at home, and it's won the last two meetings between these two teams, in 2013 and 2014. Vandy has failed to cover in four of it's last five road games, and seven of 10 in conference play. The Commodores have been able to cover in recent visits to Alabama, but with the Tide just a small favorite here tonight, I like the home team on the moneyline.

Take BAMA. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Texas A&M Aggies. 

The Aggies sit in the top half of the SEC standings with a 7-4 record, and they are 10-2 at home overall. We see Texas A&M as just a slight favorite at home tonight against a struggling Florida Gators team that continues to be overrated. The Gators were a big favorite at home Thursday versus Ole Miss, but without their leading scorer Michael Frazier, they went on to lose outright to the Rebels. Frazier will likely be missed again tonight, and I think it's a bargain backing the home team in this spot. The Gators have failed to cover in six of their last eight, while the Aggies are 6-2 ATS in their last eight versus the SEC. 

Take TAM. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Kentucky Wildcats.

Kentucky continues to roll in it's quest to complete a perfect season, but recent victories have been a too close for comfort. Four of their last six games have been played away from home, and they failed to cover the points in the last five. Now they are back on their home court hosting one of the weakest teams in the SEC. The Gamecocks are just 3-8 versus conference opponents, and they've lost five of six on the road overall. They've lost their last two road games by a combined 35 points, and they've lost their last four trips to Kentucky by an average margin of 22.5 points. That's about the number we should have expected for tonight's game, but after opening at 19.5, the public is looking to fade the favorite that has failed to cover five in a row. This is a spot where I expect Kentucky to lay the smackdown, and win by 20+ .

Take UK.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Cleveland State Vikings.

The Vikings sit in a three way tie at the top of the Horizon Conference, and they've won six of their last seven overall. They have won two of their last three on the road, while the Titans have lost three of their last four at home. History seems to favor the Vikings, who have won four of their last five trips to Detroit. They've also covered the spread in 21 of their last 27 road games. Trey Lewis scored 30 points on 9-of-19 shooting in a home win over the Titans a few weeks ago, and Detroit will need to do a better job defending him tonight if they hope to avoid another defeat.

Take CLEV.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on CLE@CHI to go OVER the total. 

Few would have predicted that the Cavs would be sitting 12 games out of first in the Eastern Conference in mid January, but it didn't exactly surprise me. 

This is what I said before the season started: 

"Let's be realistic about LeBron's move to Cleveland. This isn't the first time we've seen a team stacked with free agent stars. The Lakers signed Karl Malone and Gary Payton to play alongside Shaq and Kobe, but a lack of chemistry resulted in a loss to the Pistons in the 2004 Final. The Heat and the Big 3 didn't win the Championship either in their first season together, and it's going to take time for things to happen in Cleveland."

A month later and Cleveland has a chance to head into the All Star break in first place in the Central Division. They trail the Bulls by just a half a game, and they visit Chicago tonight. 

Cleveland comes in as winners of 14-of-15, and they've been lighting it up on offense during that span. The Bulls will be without their leading scorer Jimmy Butler, and that leaves them with one less defender to handle LeBron. James has owned the Bulls over the years, averaging over 31 points in his last 17 visits to Chicago. 

He scored 36 in an overtime win at the United Center earlier this season. 

Take OVER. 

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on Ole Miss. 

The Gators put up a hell of a fight in their home loss to Kentucky, but eventually came up short losing 68-61. Michael Frazier scored 10 points on 3-of-4 shooting against the Wildcats, but only played 23 minutes and left early after sustaining an injury. His status is in doubt for tonight's game. According to ESPN he will not play due to a badly sprained right ankle. I think the Gators could be in trouble without their leading scorer against an Ole Miss team that has won five straight. The Rebels are 6-1-1 in their last eight road games, winning outright at Arkansas, Auburn and Missouri. These teams have seen the last three head to head meetings decided by four points or less. 

Take MISS. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the UCLA Bruins.

 UCLA has been a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde team, with an 11-1 home record, but a terrible road record. The Bruins lost at Cal by a score of 64-62 on Saturday, but the've won all four of their home games in conference play, three of those four wins coming by double digits. They host Oregon State tonight, and the Beavers have also been far better at home. Oregon State is 1-4 on the road during conference play, and all four of those losses came by at least 10 points. The Beavers have covered the spread in six straight in this series, but they were getting a double digit cushion in all three road games during that span. With UCLA a single digit favorite tonight, the value lies with a play on the Bruins at home. 

Take UCLA. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Oregon Ducks. 

The Ducks have won five of their last six, with the only loss during that span coming to #7 Arizona. They are just a small favorite on the road at USC tonight, and the Trojans haven't shown many signs that they can beat anyone in the PAC-12, not even at home. The Trojans have lost eight in row since a home win over Cal, and four of those eight losses came at home. The Ducks have won nine straight in this series, and last year's win at USC came by double digits (78-63). With an affordable price to back Oregon SU, my money is on the visitors. 

Take ORE. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Tennessee Volunteers. 

Both Tennessee and Vanderbilt have 13 wins on the season, but the Vols have a 5-5 record in conference play, sitting two games ahead of Vanderbilt in the SEC standings. Tennessee is coming off consecutive losses to Georgia and Mississippi State, but both those games were decided by fewer than five points. The Vols have taken four of the last five meetings in this series, and one of those was a 58-46 win at Vanderbilt. Tennessee has been a good bet on the road, covering the spread in each of their last five away from home. The Commodores aren't good enough to be asked to cover such a spread here tonight. 

Take TEN. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule