The set-up: The 17-9 Colorado State Rams will travel to Arena-Auditorium in Laramie on Thursday to take on the 16-10 Wyoming Cowboys. The Rams are 9-4 in MWC play, just a half-game back of first-place Boise State, while the Cowboys check in at just 6-7 in league action.

Colorado: The Rams come in on a roll, having won six of their last seven, losing only a three-point decision at home to Boise St. in that stretch. Guards Clavell (18.6 & 6.4), Nixon (12.2) and Paige (9.3) provide an excellent perimeter trio, while the 6-8 Omogbo (14.1 & 10.6) takes care of the frontcourt.

Wyoming: The Cowboys come in 2-3 in their last five games, falling to Boise State, San Diego State and Utah State while beating Air Force and Fresno State in that span. Guard James (14.8 & 4.7) leads in scoring but gets contributions from three other perimeter players, McManamen (12.0), Gorski (8.7) and Adams (7.0). The 6-8 Dalton (12.7 & 8.8) is the team's second-leading scorer and best rebounder but comes off the bench. The starters up front are the 6-9 Herndon (10.7 & 6.1) and the 6-10 Naughton (5.2 & 3.4).

The pick: The Rams have had the better season (surely in MWC play) but I'm not convinced they are the better team. My 8* play is on Wyoming.

The set-up: The 32-23 Toronto Raptors head to Chicago having lost 10 of their last 14 games. Meanwhile, the Bulls return home off a 2-4 road trip in which they lost the final three games by an average of 25.7 PPG. The final loss of that trip, 117-89 at Minnesota on Sunday, leaves them at 26-29 and with the East No. 7 seed. However, the Bulls are just 1 1/2 games inside the playoff 'cut line!'

Toronto: The Raptors were last in action on Sunday and hadn't played since the previous Wednesday, the team's first three-day break of the season. Toronto seemingly had its game with the Pistons in hand but somehow let a 16-point fourth-quarter lead disappear in a 102-101 loss. It wasn't all that long ago that Toronto was putting pressure on the Cleveland Cavaliers atop the East but the team's recent slump has seen them fall four games behind the Celtics in the Atlantic Division and currently, the Raptors hold the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference. "We can (get back to our previous form) but it has to be quick," All-Star shooting guard DeMar DeRozan told reporters. "Like I said, 27 more games and that's going to fly by. We haven't got much time. When it comes to practice time, we have to be able to take things on the go and run with it." DeRozan is averaging 27.9 PPG on the season and 29.0 PPG in three games since returning from an ankle injury but missed the potential game-winning jumper in the final seconds on Sunday. His backcourt partner Lowry (22.8-4.7-7.0), is in another one of his shooting slumps, connecting of just 35.5% from the floor the past five games.

Chicago: When the Bulls lost Sunday at Minnesota, they played without Jimmy Butler, Dwyane Wade, Paul Zipser and Nikola Mirotic. Wade (wrist) and Zipser (ankle) are questionable to return for Tuesday's game, Butler (heel and head contusion) will be evaluated after Tuesday morning's team shootaround and Mirotic continues to deal with back spasms. Jimmy Butler (24.5-6.4-4.9) has sat out four of the last five games coach Fred Hoiberg told reporters after Sunday's loss that he isn't certain if shutting Butler down for games this week against the Raptors and Boston Celtics is the solution.Future Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade (19.1 & 4.5) missed two of the last three and role players Nikola Mirotic (9.0 & 5.1) and Paul Zipser (4.1 & 2.3) are day-to-day as well.

The pick: Chicago looks like a M*A*S*H unit but here's the rub. The Raptors seem to have lost all confidence and here, as a fairly sizeable road favorite, will be looking to snap a 10-game losing streak to the Bulls. Maybe they will break that streak but I'll make the home dog an 8* play.

The set-up: The 20-5 (8-4 in Big 12) West Virginia Mountaineers will venture into Lawrence, Kansas Monday night and waiting for them will be the 3rd-ranked Jayhawks (23-3 / 10-2 Big 12), who will well-remember the 85-69 whopping that West Virginia handed them back on Jan. 24th in Morgantown.

West Virginia: The Mountaineers are ranked 13th and have bounced back nicely from an 82-75 home loss to Oklahoma State on Feb. 4th, winning 61-50 at Oklahoma and 85-66 at home against Kansas State. West Va. can score (86.0 PPG ranks 10th) and stop opponents from scoring, allowing 65.8 PPG (47th). Five players are bunched in scoring from 11.8-to-9.3 PPG. PG Carter (11.8-4.4-4.3), leads the way, followed by the 6-8 Ahmad (11.6 & 4.1) and the 6-9 Adrian (10.8 & 6.1) plus guards Miles (9.5) and Philips (9.3). Miles is the only non-starter, as the 6-9 Macon (4.8 & 3.0) typically opens each game.

Kansas: The Jayhawks survived a trip to Lubbock on Saturday, escaping with an 80-79 win. Frank Mason III (20.1-4.3-4.9) played through an illness but made just 4 of 13 shots, while scoring only 12 points, He logged a season-low 26 minutes before fouling out with 3:05 remaining but the fact that Kansas survived in "crunch time" without him, can only be good news for the Jayhawks down the road. Mason is a national player-of-the-year candidate but 6-8 freshman Josh Jackson (16.6 & 7.0) is rapidly becoming a star. He scored a career-high 31 points on Saturday, including the game-winning free throw! Kansas averages 83.5 PPG (18th), with increased production at home, where the Jayhawks average 88.2 PPG.

The pick: The NCAA Championship Selection Committee gave the Jayhawks a No. 1 seed – No. 2 overall seed – in the first ever preliminary release of the March Madness bracket on Saturday morning. Maybe of even more importance to the Jayhawks is the fact that Kansas has won 12 consecutive Big 12 titles and with a visit to Baylor on tap for Saturday (and just a one-game lead heading into Monday), this is no time to lose at home. By the way, Kans did lose its last home game, ending a 51-game home winning steak at Allen Fieldhouse. Kansas has not lost at home to West Virginia since the Mountaineers joined the conference in 2012-13 and why start now? Kansas is an 8* play.

The pick: The 76ers roll into Charlotte off back-to-back wins but without their best player and with trade rumors swirling. As for the Hornets, despite the team's poor play in 2017, a playoff spot is still there for the taking. The 76ers won 102-93 over the Hornets back on Jan. 13 in Philly but that victory snapped a six-game losing streak for t Shes in this series. Hornets repay the favor here at home. Charlotte is a 10* play.

The pick: Baylor's 70-52 win over visiting TCU on Saturday keeps them just one game back of Kansas in the Big 12 and near the end of that game, the student section was chanting "We want KU. We want KU." The Bears will host the Jayhawks on Saturday in a potential first place showdown but first must take care of business at Texas Tech. The Red Raiders showed they certainly won't be a pushover, taking Kansas to the wire on Saturday, before losing 80-79. Recent history reveals that over the last three seasons here in Lubbock, Texas Tech defeated Baylor in 2014, before the Bears have won one-possession games the last two seasons. Upset alert! Make Texas Tech a 10* play.

The set-up: The 25-29 Detroit Pistons are in Canada tonight to take on the 32-22 Toronto Raptors. The Pistons are off a 103-92 Friday home loss to the Spurs, after having started to trend in the right direction with four wins in the team's previous five games. In contrast, not much has gone right for the Raptors, who enter this contest off a 112-109 Wednesday loss at Minnesota, the team's ninth in its last 13 games.

Detroit: Despite the loss to the Spurs, the Pistons are back to playing well at home with seven wins in their last nine contests at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Center Andre Drummond (14.7 & 13.8) posted his 35th double-double of season in Friday's loss and is surrounded up front by the trio of Harris (16.4 & 5.1), Morris (14.2 & 4.5) and Leuer (11.1& 5.6). Harris is the team's leading scorer but recently, Van Gundy has been starting Leuer. The starting backcourt is PG Jackson (15.5 & 5.6 APG) and SG Caldwell-Pope (14.1), with Ish Smith (8.4 & 4.9 APG) coming off the bench. Despite some recent problems, the Pistons still rank 5th in points allowed (101.5 per) but note that Detroit ranks 20th in opponents' FG percentage (45.9%)

Toronto: The Raptors made it to the Eastern Conference Finals last season and were tied at 2-all with the Cavs but then got blown out in Games 5 & 6. They opened this season 22-8 (thru Dec. 26) but have since been a sub-.500 team, falling behind both Boston and Washington into the 4th-seed in the East. The backcourt of DeRozan (27.9 & 5.3) and Lowry (23.0-4.7-7.0) can be deadly but DeRozan has had nagging injuries and Lowry is capable of going into prolonged shooting slumps. Other than center Valanciunas (12.3 & 9.9), steady contributions by the remaining roster have been few and far between.

The pick: The Pistons' starters were outscored 82-54 and outrebounded 39-27 by Spurs' and you know that's bad news with Detroit's lack of depth. Yes, Detroit has six double digit scorers plus Smith just misses, but the Pistons rank only 24th in points scored (101.5 PPG) and that's not good enough against the Raptors, who rank 5th at 109.2 PPG. Toronto averages 112.7 PPG at home, while the Pistons are just 9-18 SU and 10-17 ATS on the road this season. A key component to this YUGE play on the Raptors is that Toronto has been off since Wednesday, the team's first three-day break of the season. 10* on Toronto.

The pick: Memphis has 18 overall wins (and a few quality ones) but most still have them on the outside looking in on the NCAA at-large 'map.' A win won't help but a loss would certainly hurt. Memphis should well-remember losing 77-66 at Temple back on Jan 25th but the problem is that despite a 13-2 SU home record, Memphis is just 4-6 ATS in lined home games. Memphis comes in just 1-5 ATS its last six when favored and despite Temple covering at home against Memphis back on Jan 25th, the road team has covered in seven of the last 10 meetings between these two schools. Temple is a 10* play.

The pick: The Heat just keep winning but as noted above, they also are dealing with a number of key injuries. The 76ers were off last night while the Heat travel from Brooklyn, setting up a very live home dog. Make Philly a 10* play.

The set-up: The 21-4 Florida State Seminoles are ranked 14th in the latest AP poll, while the 18-7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish just fell out of the top-25 (had been No. 20). The schools meet for the second time this season Saturday at South Bend, with FSU winning the first time around 83-80 in Tallahassee.

Florida State: The Seminoles have typically been known for their defense under Leonard Hamilton. However, this year's team allows 70.6 PPG (ranks 135th), much higher than normal. Then again, at the other end of the court, FSU is averaging 84.8 PPG on 49.0 percent shooting, ranking 14th in the nation in both categories! A trio of guards in Bacon (17.6), PG Rathan-Mayes (10.2 & 4.7 APG) and Mann (8.8) are complemented by an outstanding freshman, the 6-10 Isaac (13.1 & 7.8), up front. The team also features some excellent depth, as Isaac gets help up front from the 7-1 Ojo (5.3 & 3.6).

Notre Dame: Mike Brey's team won 24 games last season and surprised almost all by reaching the Elite 8. The Fighting Irish then opened this season 16-2, including 5-0 in ACC play. However, that 83-80 loss at FSU on Jan. 18th began a 2-5 slide by the Irish, all in league games. SF Colson (16.1 & 10.8) leads in scoring and rebounding plus three others score 14-plus PPG. That group includes the 6-8 Beachem (15.2 PPG but a poor rebounder), PG Farrell (14.1 & 5.4 APG) and SG Vasturia (14.0). However, no other player scores more than 5.3 PPG.

The pick: Here's the bottom line. Notre Dames is just 1-6 this season against ranked opponents, while FSU is 6-1 Enough said. Make FSU a 10* play.

The set-up: The 15-10 Ohio State Buckeyes visit College Park on Saturday to face the 20-4 Maryland Terrapins. The Buckeyes are only 5-7 in Big Ten play so far, while Maryland is 8-3, although the Terps have lost back-to-back league games!

Ohio State: Thad Matta has has some career since taking over at Ohio State in 2004-05. The team was on probation that first year but it's been nine NCAA berths (two Final 4s) and two NIT berths (won title in 2008) the 11 season since. Now, here in 2016-17, the Buckeyes are facing the prospect of a losing Big Ten season, something Matta has never experienced. The Buckeyes are coming off a 70-64 win on Wednesday against Rutgers at home. Kam Williams had 23 points to lead Ohio State. However, C.J. Jackson started at PG for the second game in a row with JaQuan Lyle dealing with an ankle injury. Marc Loving, a senior forward, missed part of the first half after he suffered a cut above his left eye. "We need to get as close to 100 percent as we possibly can, but it's sort of that time of the year," Ohio State coach Thad Matta said. "I think even the managers had ice on them after the game, but to look ahead or look behind with this group is not good." Ohio State is led in scoring by junior SF Jae'Sean Tate (14.1 & 6.1), followed by the 6-8 Loving (11.7 & 5.0), PG Lyle (11.4-5.0 APG), 6-10 center Trevor Thompson (10.8 & 9.4) and redshirt junior guard Williams (10.6).

Maryland: The Terps were hanging right with Wisconsin at the top of the Big Ten before losing 73-72 at home to Purdue and then 70-64 at Penn State. The loss to unranked Penn State hurts and the Terrapins have lost back-to-back games for the first time in 2016-17. Guard Melo Trimble reached 1,500 points for his career in the loss to Penn State but overall, while he's had a good season (16.9 PPG), it hasn't been the outstanding one everyone anticipated. Freshman Justin Jackson flirted with a double-double with 14 points and nine rebounds against the Nittany Lions and the 6-7 freshman averages 11.4 & 6.3 on the season, joining Trimble and guard Cowan (10.2 & 4.) as Maryland's only three double digit scorers.

The pick: Maryland may be 21-3 at home in conference play since 2014-15 but the Terps have lost two of their last four home contests. Maryland has won the last three meetings with Ohio State (by an average margin of 15 points) and Ohio State hasn't beaten a ranked team since knocking off then No. 4 Kentucky back on Dec. 19, 2015. However, if Ohio State is to keep its its slim NCAA Tournament hopes alive, I win here may be a must. However, we don't need a SU win to cover. Take the points and make Ohio State a 10* play.

The set-up: The 15-9 Marquette Golden Eagles will be in Washington D.C. for a 12 noon ET tip to play the 13-12 Georgetown Hoyas on Saturday. Marquette comes in 6-6 in Big Est play while Georgetown checks in at just 4-9.

Marquette: The Golden Eagles' leading scorer is guard Howard, who checks in at a modest 12.3 PPG but Marquette is an outstanding offensive team. It averages 82.9 PPG to rank 18th nationally and as a team shoots 48.8% from the floor (19th), including 42.2% on threes (3rd). In all, seven players average between 8.8 and 12.2 PPG, with six averaging in double figures. 6-11 center Luke Fischer (12.1 & 6.1) is the lone big man in that group, surrounded by six guards. Fisher began his career at Indiana but this is his third year with Marquette. He's currently just nine points and two rebounds shy of becoming the 20th player in school history with 1,000 career points and 500 career rebounds. Steve Wojciechowski has been the head coach since Fischer arrived but Marquette hasn't been an NCAA invitee in that span, although the team did win 20 games last year, after winning only 13 in Fischer's and Wojo's first season in Milwaukee.

Georgetwnn: John Thompson III continued the tradition set by his father at Georgetown, taking the Hoyas to eight NCAA berths in his first 11 years at the school. However, the Hoyas fell to 15-18 (7-11 in Big Est play) last year and are headed down that path again, this season! Guards Pryor (18.2 & 5.0) and Peak (16.4 & 4.0) are quality players but are the team's only double digit scorers. Georgetown features the 6-10 Govan (9.6 & 4.) plus the 7-0 Hayes (4.6 & 4.6) but combined, the duo hardly compares to Georgetown's long history of outstanding big men. The team scores 75.5 PPG and allows 71.6, so it's 13-12 record seems about right.

The pick:The Hoyas check in at just 8-6 SU and 3-9 ATS at home this season, continuing a trend from last season, as Georgetown is only 5-13 ATS in its last 18 home games. Inconsistency has plagued Marquette this season but the Golden Eagles are a much better team than Hoyas. Make Marquette a 10* play.

The set-up: The 20-5 Monmouth Hawks have followed last year's strong season (Hawks finished with 28 wins) with another one here in 2016-17. They lead the MAAC at 12-2 and travel to NYC Frday night to take on the 9-16 Manhattan Jaspers, who at 4-10, sit 10th in the 11-team MAAC.

Monmouth: The Hawks had a great regular season last year but after a loss in the MAAC tourney, the at-large bid the team expected to get, never came. Reigning MAAC player-of-the-year Justin Robinson again lead this year's team, as the 5-8 PG averages 19.3 PPG and adds 4.9 APG. He's joined on the perimeter by fellow gurds Seaborn (14.9) and Hornbeak (10.5) plus up front, 6-10 center Brady (9.4 & 6.8) is the team's best frontcourt player. Monmouth scores well (80.6 PPG which ranks 37th) and is easily the league's best team.

Manhattan: The Jaspers are going nowhere and feature only two double digit scorers, guard Turner (15.40 and the 6-9 Waterman (13.7 & 6.6). Manhattan has been one of the top guns in the MAAC in recent years but thaht was then and this is now. The Jaspers have lost five of seven but come off a narrow 68-67 defeat to visiting Marist in their last outing.

The pick: No way the Hawks have much motivation for this visit to the Big Apple, as the team learned all too well last year that only a MAAC tourney win will earn them a ticket to the Big Dance. Take the points with this huge home dog and make Manhattan a 10* play.

The set-up: The 40-12 San Antonio Spurs are in the midst of their annual annual "Rodeo Road Trip," which this year takes them on an eight-game trek. They lost at Memphis on Monday on the first leg of the journey, then bounced back with a 111-103 victory at Philadelphia on Wednesday. The 25-28 Detroit Pistons come in off lopsided home wins over the 76ers and the Lakers but will not be able to get away with making just 9 of 38  or 23.7% of their triples (as they did in those two wins) against the Spurs and expect to win.

San Antonio: SF Kawhi Leonard (25.5 & 5.9) sat out the Spurs' loss at Memphis due to a quadriceps injury but returned at Philadelphia to score 32 points. He has now scored in double digits in 81 consecutive games, the longest streak by a San Antonio player since Tim Duncan had a 91-game stretch over 2002-03." Leonard stands out as the team's best player these days, although PF Aldridge (17.4 & 7.9) is a solid No. 2. Then there is that San Antonio depth, with seven players chipping in between 6.5 and 11.7 PPG. It must be noted that Gasol (11.7 & 7.9) is the biggest contributor of that group and is currently sidelined after undergoing surgery to fix the fourth metacarpal in his left hand. He hasn't played since Jan. 17 (is expected to be back in late-Feb.) but the team is 8-3 in the 11 games he's missed. As expected, the 7-0 Dedmon is getting more time and in three of his last four games (averaging 25 minutes per in those contests), he's topped double digits in rebounds.

Detroit: The Pistons are back to playing well at home, with seven wins in their last eight contests at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Center Andre Drummond (14.8 & 13.8) posted his 34th double-double of season in Wednesday's win over the Lakers with 24 points, 17 rebounds, four blocked shots and three steals. Harris (16.4 & 5.1) and Morris (14.2 & 4.5) start in the frontcourt with Drummond, while PG Jackson (15.6 & 5.6 APG) and Pope (14.2) are the starting guards. The 6-10 Leuer (11.1 & 5.7( is a part-time starter and makes it six double digit scorers for Detroit, plus backup PG Ish Smith (8.2 & 5.0 APG) is a quality contributor.

The pick: Despite some recent problems, the Pistons still rank 5th in points allowed (101.9 per) but they are not quite in San Antonio's class, as the Spurs allow 98.8 PPG (2nd) on 44.2% shooting (4th). Note that Detroit ranks 20th in opponents' FG percentage. The Spurs are 21-6 SU on the road this year and have won four straight in the series, including 109-99 and 104-87 wins in their last two visits to Detroit. Make San Antonio a 10* play.

The set-up: The Akron Zips are 20-4 overall and are easily the MAC's top team, leading the East with a 10-1 record (note: no other MAC team is better than 6-5 in league play, in either the East or West divisions). The Zips travel to Ypsilanti, Mi. Friday night to face the Eastern Michigan Eagles, who check in at 13-11 overall, including 5-6 in the West.

Akron: The Zips had a 12-game winning streak snapped 85-70 at Ohio U on Saturday (Feb. 4th) and then just barely edged Ball State 65-63 at home this past Tuesday (as a nine-point choice). However, as noted above, Akron is the class of the MAC, led by a pair of 6-10 players in Johnson (16.6 & 7.4) and Cheatham (11.7 & 7.8), who are joined by a quartet of guards all averaging between 7.8 and 9.4 PPG. The Zips shoot well (47.7% which ranks 41st) but hardly dominate foes, averaging 78.6 PPG while allowing 70.5.

Eastern Michigan: The Eagles have one 6-10 player in Thompson (14.2 & 10.8) but not two, like Akron. They do however, more than match Akron on the perimeter with four guards scoring in double digits. Mangum (15.6) leads the group, followed by Lee (13.1), Toney (10.4) and Bond (10.0). EMU scores about the same as Akron at 78.5 PPG and allows a similar amount of points as well (71.6).

The pick: While the team's look similar "on paper," take a second look at their respective records. At this price, make Akron an 8* play.

The set-up: The first time this season UCLA and Oregon met was back on Dec. 28th in Eugene, the Pac 12 opener for both schools. The Bruins were 13-0 and ranked No. 2 in the AP poll and the Ducks were 11-2 and ranked 21st. Oregon won that game 89-87 and as the teams get set for the rematch at Pauley Pavilion, both are 21- 3 with Oregon ranked 5th and

UCLA 10th. However, the Ducks are 10-1 (Arizona is 11-1) while the Bruins are 8-3, a half-game back of 9-3 Cal for fourth in the league.
Oregon: The Ducks made a huge leap of eight spots in Monday's newly released AP, after beating then-No. 5 Arizona 85-58 on Saturday. The Ducks shot 65.2 percent from the floor against the Wildcats, including 16 of 25 on three-pointers, It was Oregon's largest margin of victory ever against a top-10 team. Brooks is healthy these days and leads the team with 14.4 PPG. Oregon also has four other double digit scorers in guards Dorsey (12.6) and Ennis (11.0), plus 6-9 forward Bell (10.9- & 7.6) and 6-10 center Boucher (12.4 & 6.9).

UCLA: The Bruins ranks second in the nation in scoring at 92.9 PPG and are No. 1 in FG percentage at 53.5%. They have six players scoring in double figures, led by freshman forward TJ Leaf at 17.1 PPG along with a team-high 8.9 RPG. Senior guard Bryce Alford is averaging 16.4 PPG but most feel that 6-6 freshman PG Ball (15.1-5.8-7.8) is the team's MVP. Guards Hamilton (14.7) and Holiday (13.4) plus the 7-0 Welsh (10.4 & 8.3) round out the double digit scorers.

The pick: Brooks made a three-pointer in the final seconds to win the first meeting, finishing with 23 points and a season-high nine rebounds. UCLA is playing with revenge but Oregon may be just "too good." T.J. Leaf is considered a first-round NBA draft pick but he needs to step up in situations like this. So far, that hasn't been the case as against Jordan Bell of Oregon, Lauri Markkanen of Arizona and Chimezie Metu of USC (UCLA's three losses), he's been neutralized, averaging just 11.1 PPG and a pathetic 3.3 RPG. UCLA allows 76.5 PPG, almost two 'TDs' more than Oregon, which allows 63.5. Make Oregon a 10* play.

complete analysis soon

complete analysis soon

The pick: Pitino hardly owns an edge over Iowa's Fran McCaffrey, who led Siena to three straight NCAA appearances before taking over in Iowa for the 2010-11 season. He got off to a rough start but has led the Hawkeyes to four straight 20-win seasons and into the "Big Dance" in each of the last  three seasons. Iowa is starting to 'smell' an at-large berth again this year and slumping Minnesota won't derail them down in this one. I like teh Hawkeyes SU in this one so with all therse points, make Iowa a 10* play.

The pick: The Clippers are struggling but it's hard to make the case the Knicks even care.The Clippers have won their last eight meetings with the Knicks, including four straight here in MSG. What changes tonight? Nothing. Make LA a 10* play.

The set-up: After losing three in a row, Michigan State has posted back to back wins. One of them was at Michigan's expense. The in-state rivals now have their rematch tonight in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines have dropped two in a row. Saturday saw them lose as home favorites to their other rival, Ohio State.

Michigan State: The Spartans were off this weekend, which I feel gives them a slight edge heading into this rematch. After beating Michigan two Sundays ago, Tom Izzo's troops stormed into Nebraska and won 72-61. Izzo is now 11-3 ATS his last 14 games in February.

Michigan: The Wolverines have not shot well the last two games, making only 33% and 37% of their shots against Michigan State and Ohio State, respectively. Though they sport the same 14-9 SU record as MSU, Michigan's NCAA Tournament resume is not as strong. Also not strong is the team's rebounding. They rank a woeful 346th nationally in that category.

The pick: I'm surprised Michigan State isn't getting more respect here, given they are the more rested side, not to mention were victorious in the first meeting as well. Look for Michigan's rebounding to be a big problem here and Sparty comes in and "steals" one in Ann Arbor. Make Michigan State an 8* play

The set-up: The 22-30 Portland Trail Blazers will be in Dallas tonight to take on the 20-31 Dallas Mavericks. Both teams are chasing Denver, which at 23-28, currently owns the eighth and final playoff spot in the West.

Dallas: The Mavs lost 110-87 last night in Denver but had won four straight and six of seven, prior to that. Recently, the insertion of PG Yogi Ferrell, an undrafted FA signed to a 10-day contract, into the starting lineup has sparked Dallas. Monday's game was Ferrell's fifth consecutive start (team is 4-1), as starting PG Deron Williams is out with a toe sprain. He had 15 points and five assists against the Nuggets and is averaging 17.2 PPG and 5.0 APG since joining Dallas. Ferrell had 32 points and nine three-pointers in Dallas' 108-104 victory in Portland on Friday. The owrd is that the Mavericks plan to sign him to a two-year contract.

The pick: The Mavs are playing better ball than the Blazers recently (have won nine of 13) but are playing on back-to-back nights while the Blazers are looking for a some "instant revenge" from their Friday home loss to this team. I'm taking the points and making Portland a 10* play.

Rogers' complete analysis by 12 pm et

The set-up: Maryland comes in ranked at #21/#22 (AP/USA Today) in the latest polls. They are off just their third loss of the season, which came Saturday by a single point, at home to Purdue. They'll look to bounce back tonight in Happy Valley. Penn State has dropped five of its last six and is not considered a factor in the Big 10 race.

Maryland: Those into "advanced stats" aren't big fans of the Terrapins, but this team doesn't seen too bothered by that. They'd not only won seven straight times before the loss to Purdue, they were a perfect 7-0 ATS in those games as well! Two of their three losses have come by a total of three points. The Terps are 2-0 ATS off a loss this year. Can they make it 3 for 3 here?

Penn State: The Nittany Lions are also off a close loss on Saturday, although theirs came at home to Rutgers, which is hardly an inspirational sign. It was not a good week in State College as last Wednesday saw PSU lose a triple overtime game at Indiana. While there have been signs of competitiveness, we should also probably take note of recent losses to Purdue (by 25) and Wisconsin (by 27).

The pick: Maryland has gone a perfect 6-0 ATS on the road this year and I see no reason to buck that trend against an inferior opponent. They are also 9-0-1 ATS as an underdog. While not getting points in this situation, the line is low enough where it shouldn't be a factor. Make Maryland an 8* play.

The pick: The bad news for Indiana is that the Pacers are just 3-7 in the second night of back-to-back games but the good news is that they have won their last two such games and OKC comes in 3-7 in the second half of back-to-back sets. I had taking OKC over Portland on Sunday and note that the are now 14-2 SU at home vs. Western Conference foes but they are just 11-9 in all venues against East teams so far this season. As for the Pacers, they are 19-6 SU at home and the price is right here to make Indiana a 10* play.

The pick: Bucknell is the far superior team but here's the catch. Bucknell is 1-4 ATS its last five home games and 2-6 ATS at home against a team with a losing road record. Meanwhile, Holy Cross has covered its last six Patriot League games. Make Holy Cross a 10* play.

The pick: I realize that Louisville  is just 1-4 against Virginia since joining the ACC and that the Cards have yet to break the 60-point mark in any game against the Cavaliers. However, while Virginia enters this game off a loss at the buzzer against Villanova and then blew a 12-point halftime lead in a four-point Saturday loss at Syracuse (sandwiched in between was a win over Va. Tech), Louisville has won its last three by margins of 55 (at Pittsburgh), 25 (vs. North Carolina State) and 23 (at Boston College), while averaging a whopping 93.7 PPG! Make Louisville an 8* play as the Cards 'stop the bleeding' with a win at UVA.

The set-up: Colorado (13-10 . 3-7 Pac 12) opened Pac 12 play 0-7 but has won three in a row, as it visits Berkeley on Sunday afternoon to take on the 16-6 Cal Bears (7-3 in Pac 12 play).

California: Cuonzo Martin has a talented but somewhat inconsistent team in Cal, led by the 6-11 Rabb, who averages 15.5 & 10.9. Swingman Bird has battled injuries for much of his career and before this season, has not come anywhere near reaching the potential he arrived with as a freshman. Bird (now a senior) has averaged 19.0 PPG over his last four (the last three have been Cal wins) and on the season, he's scoring at a clip of 14.8 PPG, while adding 4.7 RPG. Freshman PG Charlie Moore (14.0 & 3.6 APG)  gives the team three double digit scorers but Martin would love more regular contributions from guard Mullins (9.2) and the 7-0 Okoroh (5.6 & 6.4).

The pick: Maybe we should have seen Colorado's turnaround coming, as the Buffs lost four of their first seven Pac-12 games by just three points or fewer. Still, winning here at Cal is a tough assignment, as the Bears rank 19th in both points allowed (63.0 PPG) and opponents' FG percentage (39.5%). The Bears are 13-2 SU at home where they allowing just 59.9 PPG and a check of the Cal record book reveals that the Bears are 11-0 against the Buffaloes in Berkeley. Cal is a 10* play.

The pick: Defense has not been an OKC strength this season but they held to Grizzlies to just one basket in the final 3 1/2 minutes of Friday's game, turning a three-point deficit into a 12-point win by closing on a 15-0 run! Friday's win ended a three-game slide for OKC and the Thunder get a Portland team here playing its first road contest since Jan. 21.  Portland is just 7-15 against winning opponents and will likely want to get this game out of the way quickly, to watch the Super Bowl. Make OKC a 10* play.

The set-up: The 23-27 Charlotte Hornets wrap up a three-game road trip tonight in Salt Lake City, taking on the 31-19 Utah Jazz. The Hornets have dropped the first two games of their trip (at Portland and Golden State) and hope to snap a six-game overall slide. For the Jazz, they are looking to wrap up a four-game homestand at 3-1, after beating the Bucks 104-88 on Wednesday.

The pick: The Jazz have made a real name for themselves this season but along with that comes 'heavier' prices. The Hornets own an outstanding backcourt duo in Walker (22.9 & 5.5 APG) and Batum (14.9-7.3-6.0 plus own a host of credible role players. The Hornets are still "right in" the battle for that final playoff spot in the East. Take the points and make Charlotte a 10* play.

The pick: Montana has not only lost its last four but it's failed to cover its last five. However, Montana State is just 2-7 SU on the road and there is a reason the home-standing Grizzlies are the small favorite. Lay the points and make Montana a 10* play.

The set-up: No. 8 Kentucky heads to Gainesville 18-4, including 8-1 in SEC play to take on the the 17-5 Florida Gators (ranked 24th), who can tie the Wildcats for first-place in the SEC with a win (Gators are 7-2).

Kentucky: The Wildcats were beaten 79-73 last Saturday at home by Kansas, after having lost earlier in the week at Tennessee. Kentucky then needed OT to get past a mediocre Georgia team 90-81 on Tuesday. The victory allowed the Wildcats to avoid the first three-game losing streak of the coach John Calipari era. However, Coach Cal has to be at least a little worried about his team's recent play. Freshman point guard De'Aaron Fox (15.9-4.4-5.7) sat out the Georgia game with the flu but is expected back here. He joins fellow freshman Monk (22.4) in the backcourt and that dynamic duo is joined on the perimeter by sophomore guard Briscoe (14.4 & 5.2), who is considered a veteran in the Calipari era. The team's best frontcourt player is another freshman (surprise!), the 6-10 Adebayo (13.2 & 6.8). Kentucky averages 91.3 PPG (3rd) on 49.1% shooting (15th).

Florida: The Gators just routed Missouri 93-54 on Thursday, giving them three straight wins in which they've averaged 94.3 PPG and won by a combined 106 points! That comes after Florida had lost back-to-back games, 57-53 at South Carolina and 68-66 at home to Vandy (?). Junior guard Chris Chiozza (5.3-2.8-3.8 assists) came out of nowhere to recording the fourth triple-double in school history with 12 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in the Missouri game. On the season, it's been PG Hill (9.4 & 4.9 APG) surrounded by sophomore Allen (13.6) and senior transfer Barry (12.8) on the perimeter plus the 6-8 Robinson (11.8 & 5.7) and the 6-11 Egbunu (7.6 & 6.6) up front. Even with its recent scoring surge (see above), the Gators can't match Kentucky's firepower, as the Gators average 79.3 PPG on the season, a dozen points less than the Wildcats. However, the Gators are a very good defensive team, holding opponents to 65.6 PPG.

The pick: Here's the rub. No opponent has reached its scoring average in regulation against the Gators this season, with only Georgia doing so in Florida's 80-76 overtime victory back on Jan. 14. However, Kentucky has won the last five meetings (by an average of 13.4 points PPG) and off three so-so efforts in a row, won't miss this opportunity to open a two-game lead over teh Gatiors in the SEC race. At this price, make Kentucky a 10* play.

The set-up: The 14-7 Miami Hurricanes are on Tobacco Road this afternoon for a game in Raleigh against the 14-9 NC State Wolfpack. The 'Canes are 4-5 in ACC play and the Wolfpack a very disappointing 3-7. Miami-Fla: The Hurricanes won 27 games last year and reached the Sweet 16. However, the core of that team is gone in SG McClellan (16.3), PG Rodrigues (12.6 & 4.5 APG) and center Jekiri (7.6 & 8.6). This year's team has a so-so frontcourt but a solid trio of guards in Reed (15.3), Newton (15.3) and Brown (12.3), who is also an excellent rebounder (6.7). The 6-8 Murphy  leads the team in rebounding (8.0) but outside of the above-mentioned guards, no player averages as much as 7.0 PPG. Miami had beaten then-No. 9 North Carolina in its previous game (Saturday) but fell to No. 15 Florida State 75-57 on Wednesday. Miami prides itself on its defense but after taking a 34-31 halftime lead against the Seminoles, allowed FSU to shoot 60 percent over the final 20 minutes to pull away for the 18-point win.
NC State: Since winning 84-82 at Duke on Jan. 23, the Wolfpack got blown out 85-60 at Louisville (Sunday) and then squandered an 18-point lead in the final 8:44 against Syracuse on Wednesday, before losing 100-93 in overtime. NC State is off a 16-17 season but the Blue Ribbon Yearbook had them No. 23 in the preseason, led by incoming freshman PG Dennis Smith. Smith (18.7-4.7-6.9) has lived up to the hype (he's a likely NBA lottery pick) but the Wolfpack have been a disappointment, especially in league play at 3-7! Head coach Mark Gottfried has to be shaking his head, as Smith is surrounded by Henderson (14.3), Rowan (12.6) and Dorn (10.9 & 5.1) on the perimeter and the 6-8 Abu (12.1 & 7.3) up front.

The pick: NC State averages 81.3 PPG (31st) and hereat  PNC Arena, ups that to 86.7 PPG but the Wolfpack are a poor defensive team. Miami holds oppponents to just 63.3 PPG (22nd) on 40.2% shootig (31st) and that defense will be the key to victory here. Make Miami an 8* play.

The pick: Seton Hall comes in struggling but has most of its key players back from last year's NCAA team. The Pirates went right down to the wire in its 72-70 loss at Xavier (despite leading scorer Carrington shooting 3 of 13, including 0-8 from three) and comes in 13-6 ATS in their last 19 road games. Meanwhile, the Hoyas are just 5-12 ATS in their last 17 home games and only 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games vs. Big East opponents.Take the points and make Seton Hall an 8* play.

The pick: While LaVine has struggled lately for Minnesota, the other two members of the team's "Big 3" have have had no such problems. Center Towns (23.0 & 11.9) and SF Wiggins (22.1 & 4.2) are the envy of most teams. However, Towns has not beaten the Pistons in his short NBA career in large part because Pistons center Andre Drummond has won the matchup of the talented young big men. The Pistons have defeated Minnesota in their last three meetings with Drummond averaging 22 points and 17 rebounds, while Towns has posted averages of 18 points and 9.3 rebounds in those games. I expect that to change here and will make Minnesota an 8* play.

The pick: Prior to last season's sub-.500 year, Tommy Amaker had led the Crimson to six straight 20-win seasons, five straight straight Ivy regular season titles and four straight NCAA berths. This year's team could (should?) win the Ivy this season and will have little trouble here with underachieving Penn. Make Harvard a 10* play.

The pick: Here's the bottom line. The Clippers haven't defeated the Warriors since recording a 100-86 decision back on Christmas Day in 2014. Since then, it's been nothing but misery for them, as the Warriors own eight straight wins over the Clippers, including the past four meetings at Staples. Golden State has an average margin of victory of more than 13 points in the past eight contests against the Clippers, averaging 117.5 PPG and shooting 49.9 percent during that stretch. Golden State rolled to a 144-98 romp at Oracle Arena in the teams' most recent meeting, this past Saturday. The Warriors shot 62 percent from the floor and made 17 three-pointers, with Curry scoring 43 points (in three quarters!). It was the most points allowed by the Clippers this season. The Warriors have won 11 of their last 12 contests overall and they are 8-1 against division opponents this season. Make Golden State an 8* play.

California: Playing for the first time in eight days, Ivan Rabb overcame a slow start to finish with 25 points and 13 rebounds (his 10th double-double this season) plus the Bears received 17 points from senior wing Jabari Bird and shot 64.7 percent in the second half of last Sunday’s win over Stanford. Freshman PG Charlie Moore (14.0 & 3.4 APG) recorded a career-high eight assists for the Bears, who are 15th in the nation in scoring defense at 62.4 PPG but have battled with inconsistent play for much of the season. The 6-11 Rabb (15.6 & 10.7) and Bird (14.1 & 4.5) combined for 42 of the team’s 66 points in the win over Stanford but the Bears need more scoring from players such as guard Grant Mullins (9.2), who was held to six points in 37 minutes against the Cardinal.

The pick: Utah has won five of the last six meetings between the two schools, including an 82-78 overtime victory in last season’s Pac-12 tournament. However, the Bears are 12-2 SU at home, where opponents are averaging only 58.9 PPG. Make Cal an 8* play.

The set-up: It's CAA action Thursday night from Kaplan Arena in Williamsburg, as the William and Mary Tribe play host to the Northeastern Huskies. Both teams are 6-4 in league play, making this an important contest for each team.

The pick: Those three straight home wins makes William and Mary 10-0 SU at home this season and why go against them here? William & Mary is a 10* play.

The pick: Bottom line is, all the numbers favor Kansas, which has won 53 straight games at home, including 50 at Allen Fieldhouse, and is 14-0 all-time at home against Baylor. Meanwhile, the Bears are 0-17 all-time against teams ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in either the AP or coaches poll. As for Kansas under head coach Bill Self, the Jayhawks are 7-0 when facing an AP top-five team at home. What else? Make Kansas a 10* play.

The set-up: It's a Tuesday night MWC matchup as the13-7 Boise State Broncos take on the 14-8 Colorado State Rams in hoops. Both are 6-3 in league play, leaving them one game back of MWC-leader Nevada (7-2). Yes, it's an important game but the MWC is a weak league this year and it's likely only the MWC tourney winner will be 'dancing' come mid-March (only Nevada has slim at-large hopes).

Boise State: The Broncos are searching for some consistency after going 3-3 over their last six games. Forward Webb (15.8 & 9.1) left school early plus starting guards Drmic (13.4) and Thompson (11.9 & 3.4 APG) graduated. The 6-7 Hutchinson (17.7 & 8.6) is listed as a guard and the team's only other double digit scorer is fellow guard Austin (11.2).

The pick: The Rams are flying high off that win at SD State but Boise State is 4-1-1 ATS its last six road games. I'm Make the Broncos an 8* play.

The pick: The Spurs and Thunder will meet for the first time this season, with the last "get together" being when the teams faced off in the 2016 playoffs, where the Thunder beat the Spurs twice in San Antonio to capture that Western Conference semifinal series (of course, KD was on OKC then!). However, it's hard to ignore that after matching the league record with a 40-1 SU home mark last season,  the Spurs are "just" 16-6 SU at home this season, going 12-10 ATS. Take the points and make OKC a 10* play.

The pick: Yes, the Bobcats have won both road games since Campbell was lost for the season but I'm backing the home dog here to 'bark' loudly. Make Western Michigan a 10* play.

The set-up: The 28-21 Memphis Grizzlies will make the third stop on their current six-game road trip Monday night in Phoenix, to face the 15-32 Suns. Memphis will try to make it back-to-back triumphs in tonight's game, something it has done just once this month. the Grizzlies haven't won as many as three in a row since a six-game winning streak to open December. The Suns come the losers of three in a row, as defensed continue sto be an issue. The Suns rank 29th in points allowed (112.0 PPG) and have not held an opponent under 100 points in any of their last 10 contests.

Memphis: The Grizzlies could not stop Damian Lillard in the fourth quarter of a 112-109 loss at Portland (Friday) to begin the trip but were able to win 102-95 in Utah on Saturday, aaginst the up-and-coming Jazz. PF Zach Randolph (14.1 & 8.4) has a season-high 28 points and added nine rebounds. "He was really disappointed with the loss the night before," Grizzlies head coach David Fizdale told reporters of Randolph. "He really wanted that game in Portland. I saw it on his face after the game and the things he said after the game. He was really upset. I expected him to come out and play really well (Saturday)." Randolph, center Marc Gasol (20.8 & 6.1) and PG Mike Conley (18.7-3.8-6.2) combined to score 69 points on 28-of-46 shooting in the win at Utah. "We really did a good job of moving the basketball tonight," Conley told reporters. "Really playing off one another, especially when one guy has it going. We didn’t go away from that. (Randolph) had so many opportunities down low early and just kept trying to exploit that as long as we could, and when they took that away we went to Marc and when they took that away we went to me. We were just trying to go down the line and find different areas to try and attack them."

Phoenix: PG Bledsoe (21.4-5.0-6.3) scored a career-high 41 points on Saturday against Denver (besting his previous best of 40 set six days earlier) and is averaging 31.8 points in the last four contests. His backcourt mate, second-year Devin Booker (20.8) of Kentucky, is thriving on the offensive end as well and added points. He has now scored at least 20 points in each of his last 12 contests, averaging 26.7 PPG in that span. Let's also not forget center Tyson Chandler, who earlier this month broke the Phoenix franchise record with seven consecutive games with 15 or more rebounds. His current average (12.2) is his highest in 10 years and is well above the full-season record for a 16th-year NBA player. That mark is held by Moses Malone at 10.0 per game.

The pick: One has to love the guard combo of Bledsoe and Booker plus Chandler's numbers speak for themselves but "oh those defensive woes." Phoenix surrendered an average of 125.0 PPG in back-to-back losses to the Denver Nuggets in the team's last two games, Thursday in Denver and back at home on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies rank 3rd in the NBA in points allowed ((99.6), opponents' FG percentage (43.7) and opponents' three-point shooting (34.1). Make Memphis an 8* play.

William and Mary: In contrast to Drexel, the Tribe come in having won five of their last seven games. Guard Daniel Dixon is averaging 16.9 PPG to lead the way and is paired with PG Cohn (6.4 & 4.9 APG) in the backcourt. While Drexel owns a deeper perimeter group, William and Mary should dominate inside, with the 6-7 Prewitt (14.3 & 5.8), the 6-9 Whitman (7.4 & 3.6), the 6-6 Malinowski (7.4 & 3.6) and the 6-9 Knight (7.0 & 4.4).

The pick: Drexel hardly enters this game in good form and has allowed 80.8 PPG in lined road games. That does not bode well vs. a William and Mary team playing its best ball of the season and comes in a perfect 9-0 SU at home on the season. Make William and Mary a 10* play.

Philadelphia: The 76ers won 10 of 13 games from Dec. 30 through Jan. 25 but lost 123-118 at home to teh Rockets and Sunday lost 121-108 in Chicago, the team's 12th straight defeat against the Bulls. Joel Embiid (knee) has missed four of the last five games, including not even making the trip to Chicago. However, the 76ers hope to have their star center back in the lineup when then they host the Kings. Embiid leads the team in scoring (20.2), rebounding (7.8) and blocked shots (2.45). Sixers backup center Jahlil Okafor (11.2 & 4.8) dressed but did not play Sunday against Chicago. He has been held out of 10 of the last 14 games, most recently because of a sore right knee. However, all five starters for Philadelphia scored at least 12 points in Sunday's loss, led by Ersan Ilyasova's 31. He's averaging 15.5 & 6.1 on the season. PG McConnell (5.6 & 6.0 APG) continued his impressive play with12 assists, giving him an average of 10.8 over the past five games.

The pick: The insertion of McConnell into the starting lineup at PG back on Dec. 30 is what has sparked Philly's recent run. Yes, the 7ers have lost back-to-back games but this is the Kings' seventh game in 11 nights. Make Philly a 10* play.

The pick: Curry showed no ill effects of a quad injury by piling up 43 points in just three quarters of action in last night's rout of the Clippers.The 144-point total is the second-highest of the season for Golden State. The Warriors have won the first three meetings this season against Portland and five straight overall, by an average of 25.3 points. The Warriors were able to rest their starters down the stretch in last night's rout of Clippers, so what changes here? Nothing. The Warriors are a 10* play.

The pick: Obviously, I'd prefer the 76ers to have had Embiid for this one but Philly's playing with confidence while the Bulls are riddled with in-fighting and several players criticizing one another. Take the points with Philly and make them an 8* play.

The set-up: Indiana opened its season by upsetting Kansas in OT and after a 3-0 start, found themselves ranked No. 3 in the nation. However, the Hoosiers did stay near the top of the polls for long, as they are currently 14-7 overall and just 4-4 in Big Ten play. Meanwhile, after getting off to a 1-2 start in Big Ten play, Northwestern has reeled off five straight wins to close to within one game lead of the conference lead at 6-2. The Wildcats are 17-4 overall and the lone school from a Power-5 conference to have never made an NCAA tourney appearance, just may be 'dancing' come March of 2017!

Northwestern: The Wildcats' 73-61 win over Nebraska on Thursday gave the program five straight Big Ten victories for the first time since 1966. The Wildcats’ 6-2 conference mark is also the program’s best Big Ten start since 1943-44. Leading scorer Scottie Lindsey (15.6 points) was hampered by back spasms on Thursday and finished with only five points, his first game with single digits this season. However, center Dererk Pardon (19 points and a career-high 22 rebounds) and Law (20 points) more than picked up the slack. The 6-7 Law (14.3 & 5.7) and PG Bryant McIntosh (12.4 & 5.6 APG) also are averaging double digits on the season, while center Pardon checks in at 8.7 & 8.7. However, it’s been the Wildcats’ defensive prowess that has been more impressive as they rank second in the Big Ten in points allowed (64.1) while leading the league in field-goal percentage defense (38.6).

The pick: Northwestern will need its defense against Indiana, which averages 83.0 PPG (No. 1 in the Big Ten) and connects on 49.9 percent of its shots (9th-best in the nation). Yes, Indiana isn't fully healthy but Northwestern as around a 'TD' favorite over Indiana (in HOOPS!) just doesn't seem right. Make Indiana an 8* play

The pick: Xavier claimed a 97-82 victory when these schools met back on Jan. 7 at Cintas Center, part of a six-game winning streak. However, as noted above, Xavier has now dropped four of five. Still, Xavier is the much better team and it needs to 'stop the bleeding' That happens here at MSG. Xavier is an 8* play.

The set-up: The 27-21 Memphis Grizzlies will be in Salt Lake City to face the 30-18 Utah Jazz. The Grizzlies are 10 games out in the Southwest and the Jazz lead the Northwest by 1 1/2 games. The Jazz currently own the West's no. 5 seed and while the Grizzlies are 7th, they are well inside the playoff 'cut line,' six games clear of the 9th-place Blazers.

The pick: The Bears are 3-0 in Big 12/SEC Challenge games, having posted victories over Kentucky, Vanderbilt and Georgia. "The last three years (the Big 12 has) been the best conference, RPI-wise," Baylor coach Scott Drew said. "Right now, we're not at the top and hopefully this challenge can help with that." However, Baylor is No. 1 in the nation in RPI and is tied with Florida State for the most wins against top-50 RPI teams (nine). That said, this is a lot of poinst to lay on the road. Baylor's won four straight sine losing at West Va. but has averaged just 69.5 PPG in those wins.  Take the points and make Ole Miss a 10* play.

The set-up: Coach K has been relegated to watching Duke from afar since having back surgery early this month and can't possibly have liked what he's seen. He has reportedly has banned players from the locker room and from wearing team apparel “until they start living up to the standards of the Duke program.” No. 17 Duke (15-5, 3-4 in ACC play) will be in Winston-Salem this afternoon to take on Wake Forest, which is 12-8 overall, 3-5 in ACC play.

The pick: Wake's improving but catch Duke off that home loss to NC State and the Blue Devils will be none too happy. It hardly inspires confidence for Wake Forest that the Demon Deacons have lost nine straight home games against ranked opponents since posting an 82-72 victory over No. 5 Duke back on March 5, 2014. Make Duke a 10* play.

The set-up: The Florida State Seminoles were coming off seasons of 17 and 20 wins and were un-ranked in either preseason poll, although The Blue Ribbon Yearbook had them at No. 20. The No. 6 Seminoles have been a big surprise at 18-3 (6-2 in ACC play) but are coming off their worst performance of the season, a shocking 78-56 loss at un-ranked Georgia Tech. Speaking of things not going right, 12-9 (4-4 in ACC play) Syracuse is off to its worst start in coach Jim Boeheim's 41-year tenure!

Florida State: FSU made a HUGELY impressive run in winning FIVE of six games in a stretch in which the team faced a ranked opponent in each game. However, this past Wednesday, Georgia Tech built a 29-point lead at McCamish Pavilion and wound up blasting the visiting Seminoles by the score of 78-56! Florida State now looks to avoid its first two-game losing streak of the season. The Seminoles rolled into Atlanta having won 14 of 15 games but Georgia Tech threw a variety of zone looks at Florida State, which made only 20 of 71 shots (6 for 25 from beyond the arc) for a season-low 28.2 percent. "I think that's every coach's concern: you hope you don't have one of these days, and (you hope) you don't run into a team that's having a great day," Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton said Wednesday. "It inevitably always seems to happen to every team every year. I hope this is the only one that we're going to have."

Syracuse: The Orange may be off to the worst start to a season in Boieheim's 41-year career but one couldn't tell it by the team's play here at the Carrier Dome. Syracuse is 0-7 in games away from the Dome this season (outscored by an average of 13.3 points) but in 14 home games, the Orange are 12-2 while outscoring opponents by 18.1 PPG. The Orange improved to 4-0 at home in conference play after rallying from an eight-point deficit midway through the second half to defeat Wake Forest 81-76 on Tuesday. The 6-7 Andrew White scored a game-high 27 points against the Demon Deacons and the graduate transfer leads the team at 16.3 PPG. He's joined on the perimeter by Battle (10.2) and PG Gillon (8.3 & 4.9 APG). The 6-9 Lydon (14.2 & 7.8) is Syracuse's best frontcourt player.

The pick: FSU will arrive in Syracuse looking for its first win at the Carrier Dome since 1997 but at 84.2 PPG (17th), this is Hamilton's best offensive team. Bacon (17.1), Rathan-Mayes (10.1-4.6 APG) and Mann (8.9) are an excellent trio of guards and the 6-10 Issac (12.9 & 7.8) is joined by two 'monsters' inside, the 7-1 Ojo (5.2 & 3.8) and the 7-4 Koumadje (3.5 & 2.0), who are capable of disrupting opposing teams' play around the basket. Make FSU a 10* play.

The set-up: Friday night features a quality A-10 matchup with the 15-4 Dayton Flyers (6-1 in A-10 play) visiting the 15-5 VCU Rams (5-2 in A-10 play). Both schools are off 25-win seasons last year, as well as appearing in the Big Dance.

The pick: The Rams have built quite a program, as the school has won 24-plus games for 10 consecutive seasons, which spans three head coaches. However, this hardly looks like a vintage VCU team and the Rams have so far avoided the top-echelon of A-10 teams. That's not the case here. Make Dayton a 10* play.

The pick: Indiana is 23-22 on the season but one thing which has been fairly consistent has been the team's play here at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. While the Pacers are 7-16 SU on the road, they are 16-6 SU at home. Yes, it's a back-to-back situation for Indiana but they catch the inconsistent Kings off their Wednesday upset of the Cavs. The Pacers just won in Sacramento (106-100 on Jan 18) and this time around a win should come more easily. Make Indiana at 10* play.

The pick: It looks as if Harvard will contend for the Ivy title this year while Cornell will be an also-ran. I noted earlier that Harvard comes in having won nine of 10 but let me add that the tam is 6-0 ATS in that run. Cornell lost its lone home game in league play to Columbia and can't be expected to do any better here against a superior Harvard team. Make Harvard a 10* play.

The set-up: The 9-11 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers will host the 5-13 UTEP Miners on Thursday action. Despite UTEP's poor overall record, the Miners are 3-3 in league play, while the Hilltoppers check in at 3-4.

The pick: Yes, UTEP is 0-5 SU on the road but note that Western Ky is 0-4 ATS as a home favorite this year. UTEP's Tim Floyd is a proven coach and his Miners have won an average of 21.3 games the last three seasons. The team is starting to get its act together and against this quality of opponent, UTEP plus the points is the play (8*).

The pick: Northwestern can say all it wants that the past is in the past but I expect this team to have its problems down the stretch, at least when favored by as many points as the Wildcats are here. Remember, Nebraska won SU at Indiana as a two-TD underdog and its four-game losing streak has come by a combined 16 points. Take the points and make Nebraska a 10* play.

The pick: ASU can score (81.4 PPG) but the Sun Devils allow 83.8 PPG (342nd) on 48.7% shooting (340th). I don't think much of Romar's coaching ability (not alone in that regard) but he does own a 23-6 career record against Arizona State. Make Washington a 10* play.

The set-up: The 20-26 New York Knicks are in Dallas on Wednesday night to face the 15-29 Mavericks. The Mavericks just routed the Lakers by 49 points last Sunday, simultaneously setting a Dallas franchise record for the largest margin of victory and worst loss ever by the Lakers. The Mavs haven't played since while the Knicks come in after almost blowing another late lead Monday at Indiana. New York had lost three games by a total of six points in the previous week and squandered a 17-point lead against the Pacers, before Carmelo Anthony knocked down a go-ahead jumper and the defense held in the final seconds of a 109-103 triumph over the Pacers.

The pick: The Mavericks are just 15-29 but they are 9-9 over their last 18. split their last 18 games overall. "Right now we are in a spot where we have to dig ourselves out a hole that we dug ourselves in earlier in the season," PG Deron Williams said. "We have to be more aggressive on both sides of the floor and get some more wins." They are hoping momentum from Sunday carries over into the finale of a three-game homestand in this one and I'm 'biting.' Make Dallas a 10* play

The pick: SMU ranks third in the nation in rebounding margin (plus-11.7) but UCF is second, at plus-12.3. SMU allows 59.4 PPG but UCF tops that as well, allowing 59.2 per (plus ranks 1st in defensive FG percentage!). SMU is on quite a roll but UCF is 10-1 SU at home, where its allowing only 55.8 PPG. Make the home dog an 8* play.

The set-up: The 8-10 Utah State Aggies visit "The Pit" in Albuquerque for a game against the 12-8 New Mexico Lobos. Utah State is 2-5 in MWC (tied with two other schools for the league's worst record), while the Lobos check in at 5-3, just a half-game back of 5-2 Nevada and Boise State.

Utah State: The Aggies come into this game having lost three in a row after a 64-56 loss to visiting Colorado on Saturday, as a 3 1/2-point favorite. 6-9 Guard Jalen Moore was top scorer for the Aggies with 14 points, which is nothing new. Nor was freshman guard McEwen's 13 points. Moore (17.1 & 4.8) and McEwen (14.5 & 4.8)  are the team's lone double digit scorers. Utah State scores 72.7 PPG and allows 71.9, so its 8-10 record seems about right.

New Mexico: Craig Neal is in his fourth season as New Mexico's head coach and the Lobos have a long history of good teams. He took over when Steve Alford bolted for UCLA and won 27 games his first season, as he inherited four starters. The going has been tougherr since, winning 15 and 17 games the last two seasons. The Lobos returned their top-two players from last year and guard Brown (18.2 & 4.8) and the 6-8 Williams (18.1 & 7.2) have pretty much duplicated their numbers from last season. The Lobos have won three in a row, so maybe thet are beginning to find themselves.

The pick: New Mexico is 8-2 SU at home but just 1-6 ATS. That said, the Aggies are only 2-10 ATS in their last 12 games, overall. Make New Mexico a 10* play.

The pick: The Suns are on a 5-4 run, a big deal for a team that's 14 games under .500 but the Timberwolves beat the Suns 98-85 in Phoenix in November and repeated the result in a 115-108 victory in Minneapolis on Dec. 19th. I'm not ready to give up on Minnesota's playoff chances just yet, as the T-wolves are just 2 1/2 games back of the eighth spot with just less than a half-season remaining. For Minnesota to catch Denver (or any of the handful of teams slightly ahead of them at the moment), winning on the road against a team like the Suns is a must. Make Minnesota a 10* play.

The set-up: the 25-19 OKC Thunder find themselves trailing the Utah Jazz by 3 1/2 games in the Northwest Division and also own just the West's No. 6 seed, tied with Memphis. The Thunder have a chance to make up some ground Monday night when they travel to Salt Lake City to face the 29-16 Utah Jazz.

Oklahoma City: Russell Westbrook did not claim a starting spot in the upcoming NBA All-Star game, That, despite leading the NBA in scoring (30.6 PPG), ranking second in assists (10.4) and 11th in rebounds (10.6). He has posted 21 triple-doubles so far this season and is the first player to average a triple-double this late into a season since 1963-64. Westbrook says he won't be looking to make any special statement over being denied a starting spot. "I don't play for All-Star bids," Westbrook told reporters on Friday. "I play to win championships, and every night I compete at a high level, and it'll work out. I just continue doing what I'm doing and play the game the right way, and everything else will work out." I guess the follow up question should have been, "Just how many championships have you won?" The again, that would be journalism!

Utah: The Jazz are riding a season-best six game winning streak after beating Indiana 109-100 on Saturday. The Jazz led the Pacers wire-to-wire behind a season-high 30 points from George Hill (18.4-3.8-4.1). Meanwhile, teammates Gordon Hayward and Rudy Gobert both added more evidence to build their respective all-star cases. Hayward finished with 27 points, a career-best 16th straight game with 16 or more points. He is averaging career highs in points (22.2), rebounds (5.7) and free-throw shooting percentage (87.1). Gobert scored 19 points and had 11 rebounds for his 31st double-double of the season and his 30th consecutive game with 10 or more rebounds. He is averaging 14.1 points, 15.1 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in January and 12.9 & 12.7 on the season. Gobert leads the league in blocked shots per game (2.51), ranks second in field-goal percentage (66.9) and fifth in rebounds (12.7).

The pick: Westbrook's "I play for championships" quote was a classic and it's my belief he will be highly motivated here, as will his teammates, as the Jazz have proven to be one of this season's "breakout teams!" Oklahoma City swept all four meetings with Utah last season (of course that was with Durant) but I'm taking the points. Make OKC a 10* play.

The pick: Little Rock may be 7-3 SU at home while Troy is just 2-8 on the road but since winning 65-63 at Hawaii back on Nov. 25, Troy has covered all seven of its true road games plus won neutral-site games in Las Vegas just before Christmas. Take the points and make Troy a 10* play.

The pick: Memphis swept last season's series between the teams by a combined 38 points but that was then and this is now. Dealing with UCF's huge front line will be an issue for Memphis and trying to cover  a number at home, against a team allowing less than 60 PPG is asking a lot (too much?). UCF is a 10* play.

The set up: The 8-12 Siena Saints will travel to Draddy Gymnasium to take on the 7-13 Manhattan Jaspers this Sunday afternoon MAAC play. Siena is one of five schools with a 5-4 conference record, while the Jaspers are 2-7, last in an 11-team league.

The pick: Siena was expected to be one of the MAAC favorties coming into this season but the Saints  have underachieved. They currently rank 241st in scoring (71.1 PPG) and 214th in points allowed (73.2). That's hardly the resume for a road favorite. Take the home dog and make Manhattan a 10* play.

The pick: The Razorbacks pulled out a 62-60 road win over Texas A&M on Tuesday to improve to 4-0 this season in games decided by four points or fewer. "We were fortunate to come out with a win," Arkansas head coach Mike Anderson told reporters afterward. "We know wins on the road are few and far between." Expect more of a margin here against LSU, which limps in on a four-game slide.It's not good news for LSU that Blakeney is playing through an ankle injury in the loss to Auburn. LSU has allowed 86.5 PPG in its six SEC games and that makes the high-scoring Razorbacks a 10* play.

The pick: "We just have to find our way out of this slump," Parker said after Milwaukee's loss on Friday. "We'll find our way out of it. We need more enthusiasm. After the first quarter, we didn't have any momentum. We need to move on and win the next game." That sounds good but the Bucks are struggling. Meanwhile, Miami has shown some signs of life this week by beating the Houston Rockets 109-103 and the Dallas Mavericks 99-95 here at home. Let's also note that in two games against Miami this season, Antetokounmpo is averaging just 16.0 points. In 12 career games against Miami, his numbers are even more modest at 14.2 PPG. Miami is a 10* play.

The pick: Notre Dame lost at FSU, despite making 15 of 21 threes. According to College Basketball Reference, Notre Dame is the 19th team since 2010-11 to make 15 or more 3-pointers while shooting over 70 percent from the field — and the first to lose. The problem against FSU was turnovers, as Notre Dame committed a season-high 18! The Fighting Irish had entered the game averaging the second-fewest in the nation at 9.4 per game. Now here's the rub. Notre Dame seniors V.J. Beachem and Steve Vasturia have seen and done a lot in their collegiate careers but they've yet to beat Syracuse and are 0-3 against the Orange, who have won seven of the last eight in the series. Notre Dame is averaging 81.1 PPG but hasn't reached 80 against Syracuse since getting 87 in a seven-point loss way back in 2008. Boeheim's zone has caused nightmares for Notre Dame, as Syracuse has won the past four meetings. Upset alert? Take the points and Syracuse an 8* play.

Minnesota: As for the Timberwolves, it seems as if this year's team just isn't going to jell under Tom Thibodeau, the former Chicago head coach. The Timberwolves were expected to be one of the up-and-coming clubs this season with their array of young talent and the addition of the defensive-minded Thibodeau but instead, the team has struggled playing .333 basketball! This, despite the presence of Towns (22.0 & 12.0), Wiggins (21.6 & 4.3) and LaVine (20.1). Inconsistency has plagued them, as they are tied with the Lakers (21st) in turnovers.

LA Clippers: The Clippers lost Blake Griffin 41.2-8.8-4.7) after their Dec. 18 loss  at Washington to right knee surgery and after winning two straight, lost six in a  row. However, LA  has since won seven in a row (), averaging 109.4 PPG. However, PG Chris Paul (17.5-5.3-9.7-2.3 SPG) is expected to miss six to eight weeks after undergoing surgery on Wednesday to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb suffered while trying to defend Oklahoma City star Russell Westbrook in a 120-98 win over the Thunder on Monday. Head coach Doc Rivers, in typical coach-speak, said other players must step up. "We still have new guys -- Alan (Anderson) is new and Raymond (Felton) is new and Mo (Speights) and Brandon (Bass) -- this is a good opportunity for them to learn how to execute together," Rivers told the Los Angeles Times. "When everyone is back, when you get Chris and Blake back, if this group can execute, and then you put those two guys back on the floor, I think it makes us better in the long run. This is not the way you want to do it, but this is the way it's been presented."

The pick: It seems hard to believe that the Clippers will be able to "maintain" with both Griffin and Paul (Clippers went 2-5 without Paul during his last absence) on the sidelines but in this first game without both, I expect emotion to carry them over a Minnesota team which just can't seem to "get it right!' The T-wolves own just five road wins In 20 games), allowing 106.9 PPG and with the pointspread 'deflated,' LA is a 10* play.

The pick: Again, this is not about which team earns the win, it's about the margin of victory for BYU. The Cougars have no reason to feel threatened by the Waves and note that the underdog has covered in each of the last seven meetings in this series. Make it EIGHT in a row for the 'dog, as Pepperdine is a 10* play.

The set-up: The Miami (Fla.) Hurricanes are 12-4 (2-2 in ACC) and hope to earn a second consecutive ACC road win at Wake Forest, over the 10-7 Demon Deacons (1-4 in ACC play). The Hurricanes are coming off a dominating 72-46 triumph at Pittsburgh while the Demon Deacons lost 93-87 to No. 9 North Carolina in their most recent game but they showed some positive signs by rallying from a 19-point deficit to get within one before the Tar Heels escaped with the victory.

The pick: Miami is the better team but Jim Larranaga has yet to win at Wake Forest, since becoming Miami's head coach back at the start of the 2011-12 season (0-2). However, more importantly, Miami is only 1-8 overall in Winston-Salem since joing the ACC. The home tis aeam is an 8* play.

The set-up: The 14-3 (3-2 in Big 12) TCU Horned Frogs are looking for the school's first three-game conference winning streak in eight years when they travel to take on the 13-4 (2-3 in Big 12) Texas Tech Red Raiders in a Big 12 mathcup.

TCU: Jamie Dixon left Pittsburgh after 13 years, which included 12, 20-win seasons and 11 NCAA appearances. He returned to his alma mater and TCU has matched the best start to a season in school history. The Horned Frogs are averaging 77.5 PPG, led by 6-11 sophomore Vladimir Brodziansky (12.6 & 5.8) and PG Alex Robinson (10.8 & 5.4 APG), a Texas A&M transfer. Six others contribute between 5.9 and 9.9 PPG and TCU plays solid defense, allowing 66.0 PPG.

Texas Tech: The Red Raiders feature four double-figure scorers, paced by guard Keenan Evans' 14.0 PPG. The others are a trio of 6-8 players up front,  Smith's (12.9 & 7.8), Livingston (12.1 & 4.2 ) and Ross (11.0 & 3.1). Tech averages 78.0 PPG and allows 64.1 PPG. Like TCU, Tech has a new coach this year in Chris Beard, who last yerar led Arkansas-Little Rock to a 30-win season, including an upset of Purdue in the NCAAs.

The pick: There is not too much difference between these two teams but Tech comes in having lost three of their last five (the two wins were by one point!) and has been sloppy so far in Big 12 play, averaging almost 13 turnover per game. TCU is an 8* play.

The pick: It's hard to argue with Embiid's contributions or Philly's improvement but the fact is, the 76ers have not matched up well against Toronto's 'firepower.' Toronto ranks 3rd in scoring (111.5 PPG) on 47.2% shooting (4th), 39.0% on threes (2nd) and 81.4% from the FT line (3rd). Philly has lost and failed to cover the last six meetings between te theo teams going back to last season, including losing both games this season while allowing 122 and 123 points! Toronto's 123-114 win back on Dec. 14 was its seventh straight in Philadelphia. Make the Raptors a 10* play.

The set-up: The 15-4 Wichita State Shockers have opened 5-1 in MVC play but that loss came in the team's last game, a 76-62 defeat at Illinois State as a three point favorite on Saturday. They travel to Evansville Tuesday night to take on the Purple Aces, who are 10-9 overall but just 1-5 in league play, after they lost their fourth in a row, a 73-61 defeat at the hands of visiting Southern Illinois as a four point favorite on Saturday.

Wichita State: In what was good news for the rest of the MVC, Ron Baker and Fred Van Vleet are finally gone, after the four-year players helped lead the Shockers to 30, 35, 30 and 26 wins the past four seasons. However, Wichita State may still be the league's best team, although Illinois State has opend 14-4, including 6-0 in MVC play. The Shockers own amazing depth. They have triple digit scorers up front in the 6-8 McDuffie (12.5 & 5.1) and the 6-9 Willis (12.1 & 6.2) plus a center duo of Morris and Nurger combining for 12.3 PPG and 6.4 RPG. Shamet (10.6) is the top scorer in the backcourt but three fellow guards combine to average 18.8 PPG.

Evansville: The Purple Aces were extremely dangerous the past few years but with D.J. Baltine (20.8 PPG) and the 6-11 Mockevicius (15.7 & 13.9) having graduated, this year's team is "a few bricks shy of a load." The guard duo of Jaylon Brown (20.8) and Ryan Taylor (15.7) give the Purple Aces arguably the MVC's best backcourt but it's hard to win with a two-man offense, especially with little help up front.

The pick: The Shockers are 39-16 ATS in their last 55 road games and 44-22-1 ATS in their last 67 conference matchups. Take the road favorite, making Wichita State a 10* play.

The pick: The Spurs have only lost back-to-back contests just once this season and are 7-1 in games after a loss, winning those seven games by an average of 19.7 PPG. Yes, Minnesota is just  5-14 SU on the road this year but it is only being outscored by an average of 5.1 PPG. "We're still not there," Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters after Sunday's loss to Dallas. "We went into camp with that idea of locking into daily improvement. Studying the team closely in the off-season, I knew there were a lot of areas we were short in. ... I like the direction we're moving in." I agree and will take the big points and make Minnesota a 10* play.

The set-up: No. 2 Kansas has ripped off 16 straight wins (16-1 on the season, including 5-0 in the Big 12) and could be ranked No. 1 when the new AP poll comes out Monday afternoon, before the Jayhawks take the court against the 11-5 (3-2 in Big 12 play) Iowa State Cyclones.

The pick: Iowa State has won two straight at home in the series vs. Kansas and seven of the last 11 meetings overall. The Cyclones rarely lose at home in the Hilton Coliseum. It's an arena described as possessing  “Hilton Magic” by the Des Moines Register back in 1989. The 14,384-seat arena includes seats just a few feet from the court and players from opposing teams, and also the home team, have said that the floor has shaken because of the noisy crowd. That all sounds good but Cincinnati won here back on Dec. 1 and the Jayhawks are a far superior team to the Bearcats. Make Kansas an 8* play.

The pick: Syracuse has lost all five of its road or neutral-court games this season, including its only contest against a ranked team, a 77-60 defeat at No. 17 Wisconsin on Nov. 29. That margin seems about right in this one. Make North Carolina a 10* play.

The set-up: The 24-17 OKC Thunder will be in Sacramento tonight to take on the 16-23 Kings. Sacramento seemed to catch the Thunder off guard when they went with a small line-up back on Nov.  23., beating OKC 116-101. However, there was nothing small about DeMarcus Cousins' 36 points and 13 rebounds!

Oklahoma City: The Thunder saw their three-game winning streak end in a 96-86 loss Friday at Minnesota. OKC shot 38.8 percent as a team (including a woeful 3 of 20 on threes!) and it took most (all?) of the luster off Westbrook's 19th triple-double of the season (21-11-12). Those 19 match his total from 80 games last season. No player has surpassed that mark since the NBA absorbed four teams after the ABA collapsed in 1976. Magic had 18 in 1982-83, a record that stood for 32 seasons until Westbrook broke it last year in his 80th game. Wilt had 31 for the Philadelphia 76ers in 1967-68 before the NBA-ABA merger. Westbrook is averaging a triple-double for the season (30.8-10.7-10.5)

Sacramento: Kings had nine TOs Friday in the first quarter and 21 overall, in losing 120-108 to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Kings lost for the fifth time in their past six home games, falling to 1-4 on their current seven-game homestand and to 2-6 since a season-best four-game winning streak last month. Clearly, the Kings are not making the most of a seven-game homestand and against playoff contenders like the Clippers, Warriors and Cavs, they've lost by a combined 31 points.

The pick: The Thunder are a playoff contender (although hardly a real threat to win the NBA title with Durant in Oakland) and should take care of the Kings without too much trouble. Make OKC a 10* play.

The set-up: USC surprised all by opening 14-0 but never climbed any higher than the very bottom of the top-25. Now, after three losses in their last four games, the 15-3 Trojans (2-3 in Pac 12 play) will likely drop out of the AP's new top-25 poll come Monday, win or lose tonight at Colorado. The Buffaloes are 10-7 overall but still searching for their first conference win after getting routed on their home court by No. 4 UCLA on Thursday night. Colorado is off to its first 0-4 conference start since 2008-09, when the Buffs lost their first four Big 12 contests en route to a 1-15 finish.

USC: The Trojans are playing their second straight game at high altitude, after a 22-point loss at Utah on Thursday. They did the same thing two years ago and suffered two blowout losses in those games. "You just try to get adjusted quickly," USC coach Andy Enfield told The Los Angeles Daily News. "It's a big advantage for Utah and Colorado." The Trojans averaged 83.2 PPG in compiling a 13-0 non-conference mark but have averaged a mere 68.0 PPG in Pac-12 play. USC owns great depth on the perimeter led by McLaughlin (14.2 & 4.9 APG) and Stewart (13.1 & 5.3). Melton (10.0 & 5.3), Aaron (9.3) and Mathews (7.2) are also solid contributors. Up front, the 6-11 Metu (13.6 & 7.9) could sure use the return of the 6-10 Boatright (10.8 & 4.0 in five games), who may be back by the end of the month.

Colorado: The Buffs made the Big Dance last season, so this year's 0-4 conference start is a huge disappointment. Colorado stayed close to UCLA here in Boulder on Thursday but the fourth-ranked Bruins scored at will (shot 56.5 percent for the game) to win by 15 points. "When you score 89 points in your own building, it should be good enough, but against UCLA it's not," Buffaloes head coach Tad Boyle said after the game. "Not the way we defended UCLA." Derrick White (16.0-3.9-3.9) leads a trio of Colorado double digit scorers, joined by 6-7 swingman Johnson ( (15.1 & 5.6) and guard King (10.6 & 7.1). The 6-9 Gordon (7.8 & 7.9) is the team's best frontcourt player.

The pick: As we saw against UCLA, defense has been a major issue for the Buffaloes, who rank at or near the bottom of the conference with Pac-12 foes averaging 85 points while shooting 50 percent from the floor and 49.4 percent from the three-point line.The Trojans won only one conference road game outside of Los Angeles last season but they can (and will) win here. Make USC an 8* play.

The set-up: Baylor began the season unranked but a 15-0 start led to the school's first-ever No. 1 ranking, this past Monday. However, the Bears got to enjoy their first-ever No. 1 ranking for just ONE day, before getting hammered 89-68 Tuesday at No. 10 West Virginia. Now the Bears will try to avoid their first losing streak of the season when they visit Kansas State on Saturday afternoon and the 13-3 (2-2 in Big 12 play) Wildcats will not be in a good mood, as they lost 66-65 at Texas Tech on Tuesday, after sneaking into the top-25 last Monday (at No. 25), for the first time since the 2013-14 season.

The pick: While Baylor got thumped on Tuesday, Kansas State's loss was more heart-breaking. The Wildcats held the lead for most of the game before giving it up in the final minute. KSU had a chance to retake the lead with eight seconds remaining but Barry Brown drove to the basket and missed a layup. Niem Stevenson rebounded and was fouled. The Wildcats fell to Texas Tech 66-65. Head coach Bruce Weber noted during this week's radio show that his team is four points away from being undefeated. "There's such a thin margin of victory in this league," he said. "You've got great balance and great depth in this league." Kansas State is 9-0 SU at home this year, holding opponetst to just 58.4 PPG. Baylor loses for a second straight time. Make KSU an 8* play.

The set-up: Florida State is 16-1 (4-0 in ACC play) and will take its No. 9 ranking in the AP poll into Chapel Hill on Saturday afternoon to take on the 15-3 (3-1 in ACC Play) North Carolina Tar Heels, who are currently ranked 11th in the AP's latest poll. It seems strange, doesn't it, that FSU is the higher ranked team? More on that later.

The pick: FSU carries a school-record 12-game winning streak into this contest but the Tar Heels are 8-0 at home, outscoring lined opponents 91.9-to-61.4 PPG. This is only the 10th time in 61 all-time meetings that both teams are ranked when they meet. However, this is the first time that the Seminoles take the court as the higher ranked team in the only regular-season clash between the teams. With Roy Williams as the coach, this is the 17th time when an opponent will show up at the Smith Center with a higher ranking than the Tar Heels. However, Bradley's absence leaves a void in the lane for the No. 11 Tar Heels against FSU's size inside. Then there's FSU' depth on the perimeter. Take the points and make FSU an 8* play.

The pick: Minnesota is greatly improved from last season but I still don't much trust them on the road. I was on Michigan State Wednesday and will back Penn State in this one. The Nittany Lions are a 10* play.

The pick: I played against the Pistons last night with the Warriors and will go to the well against them tonight as well. Make Utah an 8* play.

The pick: Yale won at Washington and played Temple to within six points right here in The Palestra. The Bulldogs were 9-3-1 ATS against Ivy League foes last season (13-1 SU), have proven they can win on the road and have won the last eight matchups against Penn! Yale is a 10* play.

The pick: Detroit handed the Warriors one of their nine regular-season losses in 2015-16 and while Golden State took the first meeting this season 119-113 on Dec. 23, it was a battle. It took 32 points by Kevin Durant, 25 by Stephen Curry and a 12-assist, 10-rebound double-double by Draymond Green for Golden State to scratch out the win. However, Golden State turned the ball over a season-high 23 times in that contest. Don't expect that to happen again and with Detroit struggling offensively, let em add that teh Warriors rank 2nd in defensive FG percentag (43.3%), including 32.6% on threes, which ranks 1st! Make Golden State a 10* play.

The pick: Notre Dame comes in red-hot but Miami is 8-0 SU at home this season, allowing just 57.8 PPG in lined contests. The Hurricanes also take 21-game home winning streak into a this contest against Notre Dane, a team they beat by nine and 18 points last season. Revenge for Notre Dame.? I say no way and will make Miami a 10* play.

The pick: Boston's loss to Toronto means the Celtics still haven't beaten a team with a better record yet this season but the Wizards don't own a better record than Boston in this one. The Celtics will be playing with revenge from a loss back in Washington on Nov. 9, when the Wizards spurted to a 26-point first quarter lead and Otto Porter's career night of 34 points and 14 rebounds led the Wizards to an easy 118-93 win. However, the Celtics played without the injured Al Horford and Jae Crowder that night. Of even more relevance, bothe teams playing the second of back-to-back games and while the Celtics are 5-3, winning five of their last six back ends of back-to-backs, the Wizards are just 1-6. Make Boston a 10* play.

The pick: Neither team scores all that well and while USF is the better defensive etam (69.8 PPG), the bulls are also teh favorite and sport an 18-40-1 ATS record in their last 59 home games. Tulane is the 8* play.

Minnesota: Pitino features a four-guard rotation, with Mason (14.4-3.3-5.7) as the team's leading scorer, along with Coffey (12.8), McBrayer (12.1) and Springs (9.1). The 6-6 Murphy (10.6 & 8.5) is the team's leading rebounder joined up front by 6-10 center Lynch (8.6 & 6.0) and the 6-9 Curry (5.9 & 5.8). The 34-year-old son of Louisville coach Rick Pitino says he's more concerned about getting an NCAA Tournament bid and winning championships tahn the team's AP ranking. "Rankings are for the fans," he said. "That's not our goal." Minnesota is tied atop the Big Ten standings with the Spartans and two other teams and carries a three-game winning streak into East Lansing, which includes a 78-68 home victory over Ohio State on Sunday. Minnesota lost at home to Michigan State (75-74 in overtime at Williams Arena on Dec. 27) but then won at Purdue and Northwester, to open Big Ten play.

The pick: The Golden Gophers have won two straight conference road games for the first time since 2011-12 but winning three in a row seems like a stretch. They couldn't beat MSU at home, even when the Spartans were without Bridges. Make Michigan State an 8* play.

The pick: IUPUI is 5-0 SU at home but there is very little difference between the two teams. I'll take the points and make Omaha an 8* play.

The pick: Kansas State owns 12 double digit wins and its only two losses have come in heartbreaking fashion; the first on a go-ahead layup with less than 10 seconds remaining in a 69-68 setback against Maryland on Nov. 26 and then that controversila 90-88 loss at Kansas, on a tiebreaking layup as time expired when it appeared Kansas' Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk took as many as four steps without dribbling on the game-winner. That said, Texas Tech ranks seventh in the country in FG percentage (50.7), 10th in rebounding margin (plus-9.3), 16th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.46), 21st in scoring defense (62.7) and 24th in three-point field-goal percentage (39.8). Texas Tech is 10-0 SU at home (outscoring opponents 84.2-to-60.3 PPG in lined games) and has beaten the Wildcats at home in each of the last two years. Make Texas Tech a 10* play.

The pick: This contest comes just two days shy of the one-year anniversary of the last time a No. 1-ranked team visited Morgantown. West Virginia knocked off then top-rated Kansas, 74-63, last January and veteran  head coach Bob Huggins knows a "repeat performance like last year's Kansas upset, will be tough sledding. "You can't simulate their length," Huggins said. "When you can pretty much touch hands across the floor, you're going to cover some ground. They can make mistakes and compensate for it with their length. You don't get anything easy or unchallenged around the rim." Yes, West Va. is 9-0 SU at home this season, after going 25-5 SU at home the last two years, but giving Baylor this many points makes little sense. Make the Bears an 8* play.

The set-up: The 11-5 Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans visit the HTC Center in Conway, South Carolina to take on the 7-9 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers. Both teams have opened 2-1 in Sun Belt play.

Little Rock: The Trojans come into this game with five players averaging in double figures. The group includes guards Johnson (13.7) and Osse (10.2), as well as forwards Jackson (10.4 & 4.4), Shosi (10.3 & 7.9) and Hill (10.1 & 5.4). Both Johnson and Jackson are doing so while coming off the bench.

The pick: Josh Hagins (13.2-4.2-4.7) is missed from Little Rock's 30-win team from last year (one which upset Purdue in the NCAA's first round) but as noted, the Trojans have five double digit scorers and are simply just a better team than the Chanticleers and they are getting points. Make Little Rock a 10* play.

The pick: Is this the year the Rider Broncs break through in the MAAC? it could be but this number is pretty high and recent series history reveals that the underdog is 11-4 ATS in the last 15 meetings. Niagara is an 8* play.

The pick: This is just a bad matchup for UNI. Wichita Sttae pays excellent defense, holding opponets to 63.6 PPG (28th) on 37.5% shooting (7th) plus can also score, averaging 83.4 PPG (29th). The Shockers are 38-15 ATS in their last 53 road games and 43-20-1 ATS in their last 64 conference matchups while Northern Iowa is 0-9 ATS in their last 9 games against a team with a winning record and 1-10 ATS in their last 11 games overall. Make Wichita State a 10* play.

The pick: Sure, the Nets are a mess but Brooklyn found some positives off the bench on Friday, when guards Caris LeVert and Isaiah Whitehead combined for 29 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists. "Caris and Isaiah coming in and playing really important minutes against the world champions is really positive," Atkinson told reporters. "We don’t back down, especially at home." The 76ers are just 3-11 SU on the road this season and with this pointspread, almost have to win to cover. I won't say this very often the rest of 2017 but make the Nets an 8* play.