THURSDAY NIGHT BIG TEN BOOKIE BREAKER *TOP PLAY*

The Northwestern Wildcats are just 4-10 SU (3-11 ATS) at home. Last time out they took an 83-57 beating by Minnesota here at Welsh-Ryan Arena and they're 3-11 ATS in their last 14 games following a double-digit loss at home. As for the Illinois Fighting Illini, they're coming off back-to-back triumphs, including a road win at Penn State. Illinois is 6-2 ATS in its last eight road games vs. a team with a losing home record and needs a win here to stay in the hunt for its first Big Ten regular-season title in 15 years. 

10* play on Illinois. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NCAAB): MIKE'S TOP RATED BIG TEN TOTAL

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights are an underdog at Penn State Nittany Lions Wednesday night, and for a good reason in my opinion. 

The Lions are third in the Big Ten despite back-to-back losses and can simply not afford to drop this one. On the season, Penn State is 12-2 (8-5-1 ATS) as a home favorite it'll be looking to avenge a double-digit loss to Rutgers on the road last month.

Penn State is holding opponents to 62.0 ppg home at Bryce Jordan Center, and while Rutgers is holding opponents to 62.2 ppg overall, note that the number jumps to 69.5 ppg allowed on the road where the team is just 1-7 SU. 

10* play on Penn State. 

OKLAHOMA STATE @ KANSAS TOTAL (9 PM ET START)

The Kansas Jayhawks are allowing just 60.7 (8th) ppg on the season and they limited Baylor to 61 points in an upset win last time out. Here they'll face an Oklahoma State team that put up just 47 points its last time out on the road and averages just 62.9 ppg away from home on the season. 

Under is 16-8 in Kansas games as a favorite this season, 9-4 when the total is 130 to 139.5 points and 16-5 when playing against a team with a winning record.

8* play on UNDER. 

TOP RATED WEST VIRGINIA @ TEXAS NCAAB PLAY OF THE DAY,

The West Virginia Mountaineers have dropped four of their last five straight up and they're 2-6 ATS in their last eight games. On the season, they're 2-4 SU and 1-5 ATS in true road games, and I think they're asked to cover way too many points against the Longhorns in Austin, Texas Monday night. 

Texas is coming off a solid 70-59 victory as a 5.5-point underdog at Kansas State to make it back-to-back wins. They've played terrific defense in recent weeks and should be to able to fend off the slumping Mountaineers.

10* play on Texas Longhorns. 

BIG EAST BOOKIE BREAKER *TOP PLAY*

The Creighton Bluejays are red hot with eight straight-up wins in their last nine games and a 7-2 ATS record. That stretch includes impressive triumph over  No. 19 Marquette, No. 13 Villanova and No. 14 Seton Hall and I think they'll win and cover the spread against Butler on Sunday. 

The Bulldogs have not been at their best lately with just two wins in their last six games (1-4-1 ATS). This game means a lot for the Bluejays who sit only one game out of first place in the Big East, and it's also a revenge game after a 14-point loss at Hinkle Fieldhouse last month. 

10* play on Creighton. 

GAME OF THE MONTH (NCAAB): MIKE'S TOP RATED SIDE FOR FEBRUARY

The Boston College Eagles have covered the spread in four of their last six overall, but they came up short in a 78-65 loss at Virginia last time out and I don't see them keeping pace with Clemson in this Saturday night matchup. 

The Tigers have averaged 83 ppg in impressive back-to-back upset wins over Pittsburgh and Louisville and they're one of the best defensive teams in the ACC while Boston College averages only 64.9 ppg on the season. 

We can also note that Clemson has had six days to prepare for this contest while Boston College last played two days ago and this will be the Eagles' third game in just seven days. Look for Clemson to run away with this game. 

10* play on Clemson Tigers. 

TGIF COLLEGE BASKETBALL BOOKIE BLASTER TOTAL

The Buffalo Bulls are 7-0 to the under in their last seven games and limited Ball State to 59 points on 36 percent shooting from the field last time out. As for Kent State, it was held to 49 points in a 21 point loss at Eastern Michigan last time out and it has scored fewer than 54 points in three of its last four games while four of its last five have stayed under the total. 

Both teams are capable of putting up plenty of points on their day, but this total looks too high considering their recent struggles.

8* play on UNDER. 

OHIO STATE @ IOWA BIG TEN TOTAL BANKROLL BUILDER

The Ohio State Buckeyes are one of the best defensive teams in the nation, but their defense will truly be put to the test here against an Iowa Hawkeyes team that averages 78.2 ppg overall and 81.8 ppg home at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. 

Last time out, Iowa State played a low-scoring affair when it won 58-55 at Minnesota, but I expect to see more fireworks in front of the home town crowd. 

8* play on OVER. 

WEDNESDAY NIGHT NCAAB BANKROLL BUILDER

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights have won two of their last three and looked sharp in a 72-57 triumph over Illinois last time out. They've been dominant at home all season long and are2-0 ATS as a home favorite of 3 points or less or pick and 6-1 ATS when the total is 130 to 139.5 points. 

Here they'll host a Michigan side that has won five of their last six games overall, but it is only 2-5 on the road on the season and note that the Wolverines are 0-2 ATS as a road underdog of 3 points or less or pick.

8* play on Rutgers. 

MIDWEEK MADNESS ACC ANNIHILATOR *TOP PLAY*

The No. 11 Louisville Cardinals are coming off back-to-back losses, first at Georgia Tech and most recently an embarrassing setback at Clemson. They had reeled off 10 straight triumphs before that and defeated Virginia 80-73 last time out home at KFC Yum! Center to improve to 6-3-1 ATS in their last 10 as a home favorite. 

The Orange have lost four of their last five and took an 80-77 loss at FSU on Saturday. They're 1-5 ATS after allowing 80 points or more and this won't be easy against a Louisville team that averages 77.2 ppg in their own building and ranks 11th in the nation for 3-point shooting home & away combined. 

The home team is 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings between these two teams and I think the cardinals will put a real beating on Syracuse Wednesday night. 

10* play on Louisville Cardinals. 

LATE NEVADA @ NEW MEXICO MONEYLINE MASSACRE $20 SPECIAL

The Nevada Wolf Pack are just 2-7 SU (4-5 ATS) away from home on the season, but they're 1-1 SU and ATS as a road favorite. I expect them to come through with a win here against a slumping New Mexico team that has dropped five of its last six games and we can note that Nevada defeated UNLV 82-89 in OT on the road last time out. 

Wolf Pack are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games overall and 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600. Lobos are 4-10 ATS in their last 14 games overall and 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games as an underdog.

8* play on Nevada. 

TOP RATED TUESDAY NIGHT NCAAB PLAY OF THE DAY

The Illinois Fighting Illini have dropped for in a row and covered the number in only one of those games. Last time out they took a 72-57 beating at Rutgers and I fully expect Penn state to rout Illinois in this one. The Nittany Lions are aiming for a ninth consecutive victory, and they've covered the spread in each of the previous eight triumphs. They're 9-4 against the number in front of the home town crowd and 5-1 ATS on Tuesday nights on the season. Additionally, we can note that Illinois' leading scorer Ayo Dosunmu missed the last game with a knee ailment and he is questionable for this contest. 

10* play on Penn State. 

MONDAY NIGHT CBB BOOKIE BREAKER TOTAL *TOP PLAY*

The Kansas Jayhawks put an 81-70 beating on Oklahoma last time out, but I predict a much lower-scoring contest when they host the Iowa State Cyclones Monday night. 

The Jayhawks have a truly elite defense that ranks eighth in the nation for points allowed, and I think they'll clamp down on the defensive end in this one after a subpar defensive outing against the Sooners. Kansas is 6-2 to the under when the total is 140 to 149.5 points this season and 16-8 to the under overall. 

The first meeting of the season back in January wasn’t pretty for Iowa State as Kansas put a 79-53 beating on the Cyclones. Iowa State is coming off an 81-52 rout of Texas, but points will be much harder to come by in this one and I expect to see the final score stay under the posted total.   

10* on UNDER. 

COLLEGE BASKETBALL BOOKIE BLA$TER

I think the total for Sunday's matchup between the Duquesne Dukes and the Fordham Rams looks a little light. 

Note that Fordham has allowed 70+ points in two of its last three games while Duquesne has put up 70+ in three straight games (80+ in the last two). 

While the Rams are a low-scoring team and were held to fewer than 50 points in a 79-49 loss at Davidson last time out, note that they're 4-1-1 to the over in their last 6 games after scoring less than 50 points in their previous game. Duquesne took an 83-80 loss to St. Bonaventure last time out and Over is 7-2-1 in the Dukes last 10 games following a straight up loss. 

8* play on OVER. 

SUPER EARLY TOP RATED CBB PLAY OF THE DAY

The No. 16 Villanova Wildcats look like a solid road favorite in this non-league contest at Temple on Sunday. Nova is 0-3-1 ATS in its last four games, but at least it snapped an 0-3 SU skid with a 72-71 win against Marquette last time out. 

Getting a break from the Big East schedule could be just what the team needs, and here it'll face an Owls side that might feel a bit too good about itself after winning three of four. I'm not convinced the Owls will be ready for what Nova will throw at them. 

The Wildcats are 3-0 SU (2-1 ATS) as road favorites on the season and the favorite is 12-2 ATS in the last 14 head-to-head meetings with Temple. 

10* play on Villanova. 

LATE NIGHT HARDWOOD HAMMER

No team in college basketball is scoring more points than Gonzaga and its 88.5 ppg, and here the Bulldogs will face a Pepperdine team that is allowing 77.4 ppg. Gonzaga put a 90-60 beating on St. Mary's as a 5-point favorite last time out and is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points and 8-2 ATS in its last 10 Saturday games. Pepperdine has covered the spread in only three of 12 home games on the season and it is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 Saturday games.

8* play on Gonzaga. 

LSU @ ALABAMA SATURDAY CBB *TOP PLAY*

The Alabama Crimson Tide have dropped four of their last five games after taking a tough overtime loss to Auburn on Wednesday. They've covered the number in only two of their last six and have had trouble stopping opponents from scoring. That does not bode well for this matchup against a dynamic LSU team that bounced back from road losses at Vanderbilt and Auburn with an 82-79 triumph over Missouri last time out. 

LSU is 3-0 ATS as a road underdog of 3 points or less or a pick'em on the season and 7-1 ATS in such spots over the last three seasons. Additionally, the Tigers put a 90-76 beating on the Tide as a 5.5-point favorite in Baton Rouge earlier this season. 

10* play on LSU Tigers. 

SUPER EARLY CBB BANKROLL BUILDER (1PM ET TIP OFF)

The Texas Tech Red Raiders have won three straight games and put an 88-42 beating on TCU last time out. I think they'll put up a decent amount of points in this one as well, while scoring could be an issue for the Oklahoma State with the team averaging only 67 ppg and TTU allowing just 62.8 ppg.

The Cowboys have lost seven of their last 10 straight up. They're 3-0 ATS at home on the season and 3-8 ATS against conference opponents.

8* play on Texas Tech. 

SUPER EARLY NCAAB TOTAL

We saw a total of just 118 points scored when these two teams clashed on Jan 14, a 66-52 Kansas win @ Oklahoma. The Jayhawks are top 10 for scoring defense in the nation and they limited West Virginia to 49 points last time out. 

Under is 9-3 in Sooners last 12 overall and 7-0 in their last 7 games as an underdog. Under is 9-2 in Jayhawks last 11 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600 and 10-3 in their last 13 games as a favorite.

8* play on Under. 

NCAAB BOOKIE BREAKER *TOP PLAY*

The Central Florida Knights are 8-4 SU at home this season but 1-4 ATS in their last five games as a home underdog. The visiting Wichita State Shockers are 3-3 SU on the road this season but 12-4-1 ATS in their last 17 road games vs. a team with a winning home record. 

The Shockers have covered the number in only one of their last eight games overall while winning only three of those eight outright, but I think they should be able to keep a limited UCF offense at bay in this one, particularly after taking an embarrassing 76-43 loss at No. 19 Houston on Sunday. Central Florida on the other hand is in a potential letdown spot following two straight wins (both as favorites).  

Wichita State won the first meeting of the season 87-79 on Jan 25 and it has won four straight head-to-head matchups with UCF. 

10* play on Wichita State Shockers. 

XAVIER @ BUTLER BIG EAST BOOKIE BREAKER

The No. 20 Butler Bulldogs are just 1-6-1 ATS in their last eight games overall, but I think they'll cover the number when hosting the Xavier Musketeers Wednesday night.

Xavier has reeled off three straight outright wins as underdogs but this will be a tough one against a well-motivated Butler team looking to bounce back from a near double-digit loss at Marquette.

The Bulldogs have an elite defense thank ranks 14th in the nation for points allowed and I don't see Xavier putting up nearly enough points to cover the spread in this one. 

8* play on Butler. 

$20 TUESDAY SPECIAL NCAAB BANKROLL BUILDER

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons have won just two of their last seven games outright, but they're 6-1 against the numbers in those games and 12-4 ATS as an underdog on the season. Here they'll face a North Carolina Tar Heels side that is just 3-13 ATS in their last 16 games as a favorite and just spent a lot of of energy in a 98-96 OT loss to No. 7 Duke on Saturday. "Duke's locker room is very happy, and our locker room is crushed." North Carolina coach Roy Williams told reporters after the defeat. 

8* play on Wake Forest. 

PENN STATE @ PURDUE TOTAL BOOKIE BREAKER *TOP PLAY*

The Purdue Boilermakers own a top 10 scoring defense in the nation and they're also one of the slowest at just 67.8 possessions per game. They've allowed 68 or fewer points in three straight games and they're allowing just 57 points per game home at Mackey Arena on the season. Five of their last six overall have gone over the total, but I think the bookmakers have overadjusted the number for this one. 

The No. 13 Penn State Nittany Lions are one of the hottest teams in the conference, but while they're capable of putting up but numbers, there's no doubt that the Lions can play D as well. Additionally, we can note that they're 4-1 to the under in their last five games. 

10* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NCAAB): MIKE'S BAYLOR @ TEXAS *TOP PLAY*

The No. 1 Baylor Bears put a 59-44 beating on the Longhorns in Waco just over a month ago, and I predict another Baylor win at Frank Erwin Center, Austin, TX Monday night. Baylor is holding opponents to 59.0 ppg on the season and Texas has struggled to score for the better part of the season, and even more so in recent games putting up just 58 and 57 points respectively in its last two contests. 

The Longhorns have dropped five of their last seven, and while Baylor hasn't been at its best in the last two games (2-0 SU, 0-2 ATS) I expect the Bears to come motivated for this one. 

Bears are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record and 9-2 ATS away from home on the season. Longhorns are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record and 3-10 ATS in their last 13 home games.

10* play on Baylor. 

OHIO STATE @ WISCONSIN BOOKIE BREAKER *TOP PLAY*

The Ohio State Buckeyes travel to Wisconsin riding a three-game winning streak. They've held opponents to 59, 59 and 58 points during that stretch and are 10-1 ATS after allowing 60 points or less on the season. 

As for the Badgers, they've dropped three of their last four after taking a 70-52 loss at Minnesota on Wednesday, They're 1-5 ATS after scoring 60 points or less this season and they've covered the spread in only one of their last seven games overall. 

The Buckeyes will be well up for this one after dropping a 61-57 decision to the Badgers in Columbus last month, and I expect them to get revenge today. 

10* play on Ohio State. 

WEST VIRGINIA @ OKLAHOMA BIG 12 BOOKIE BREAKER *TOP PLAY*

The West Virginia Mountaineers have a top-20 scoring defense in the nation and have held their last two opponents to an average of 59 points. They're 15-7 to the under on the season and 6-2 to the under in their last eight road games. 

As for the Oklahoma Sooners, they've struggled to shoot the ball lately (63.2 ppg average last five games). Eight of their last 10 overall and each of their last six games closing as an underdog have gone under the total. I think they'll struggle to get open looks against this solid West Virginia team and that we'll see the final score stay under the posted total with quite some margin. 

10* play on UNDER. 

MARYLAND @ ILLINOIS BIG TEN BOOKIE BREAKER *TOP PLAY*

There is a lot at stake in this contest as with both teams at 8-3, the winner of this one will take sole command of the Big Ten conference. 

No. 21 Illinois took a 72-65 loss against 17th-ranked Iowa on Sunday, its first setback in a month. The Fighting Illini are 4-0 ATS in their last four games following a straight up loss and I like them to bounce back here. The No. 9 Maryland Terrapins have won five straight following a 56-51 triumph over Rutgers, but it wasn't pretty and the Terps trailed by five at the half. 

The Terps won the first meeting 59-58 win Dec. 7, but they're 1-3-1 ATS in their last five road games vs. a team with a winning home record and Illinois should be able to put up an even better fight in its own building. 

10* play on Illinois. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NCAAB): TOP RATED TOTAL *MAJOR WAGER*

I expect to see a relatively low-scoring affair when the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers host the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Thursday night. 

Louisiana Tech owns a top-25 scoring defense in the nation on the season, and the total for this contest is inflated after four straight overs through a four-game winning streak. Five of its previous six had gone under though and under is 25-12-1 in the Bulldogs last 38 road games. 

As for the Hilltoppers, they've alternated over and unders through their last four games, and we can note that they're 11-4 to the under in their last 15 games as a home underdog (WK is a 1.5-point dog at the time of this pick). 

Louisiana Tech came away with a 62-50 home win against Western Kentucky in the lone meeting last season and while more points is expected for this one, I doubt it'll reach the posted total.

10* play on UNDER. 

BIG EAST BOOKIE BREAKER *TOP PLAY*

The No. 13 Seton Hall Pirates are 3-1 SU and ATS as favorites of fewer than five points this season, and I like them to win and cover at Georgetown Wednesday night. We can also note that they'll be looking to bounce back from a disappointing 74-62 home loss as an 8.5-point favorite against Xavier to close out a three-game road trip and that Seton Hall is 16-5 ATS in its last 21 road games following three or more consecutive home games and 7-0 ATS in its last seven games following a double-digit loss at home.

As for the Hoyas, they just snapped a three-game SU and ATS skid with a 73-72 upset win at St. John's which sets up a potential let down spot tonight. 

10* play on Seton Hall. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NCAAB): TOP RATED BIG TEN SIDE *WHITE HOT 11-0 RUN*

The No. 9 Maryland Terrapins have won four on the bounce and seven of their last nine games, including an impressive 82-72 victory against No. 17 Iowa on Thursday. They're 6-2-1 ATS during that nine-game stretch and I think they'll win and cover the line when hosting Rutgers in Big Ten action Tuesday night. 

The Scarlet Knights took a 69-63 loss to Michigan last time out and while their defense is one of the best in the conference, they'll find it hard to slow down a Maryland team that is humming on all cylinders and has scored 77 points or more in three straight games. 

The Terps are a perfect 5-0 ATS as a home favorite of fewer than 10 points on the season and I'm counting on them to remain perfect after this contest.

10* play on Maryland Terrapins. 

BIG TEN BOOKIE BREAKER ~ ILLINOIS @ IOWA

We have a big game in the Big Ten this Sunday as the No. 19 Illinois Fighting Illini visit the 18th-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes. 

The home team is in desperate need of a win to keep its conference title hopes alive, and I think Hawkeyes will no only win but also cover the spread in the process. They had won five straight prior to an 82-72 loss at No. 15 Maryland last time out, and while Illinois is solid on the defensive end, shutting down an elite Iowa offense won't be easy in front of a crowd that has carried its team to an 8-1-2 ATS record in its last 11 home games.

8* play on Iowa. 

GAME OF THE YEAR (NCAAB): MIKE'S REG SEASON SIDE *MAJOR WAGER*

The Illinois Fighting Illini are coming off back-to-back underdog wins on the road, and now they return home to State Farm Center where they're 11-1 SU on the season. 

They've failed to cover the spread in two straight games in their own building, but I think the Illini will get the job done here against a Minnesota team that has lost two of its last three, has failed to cover the number in both losses and averaged only 56.6 ppg through those three games. 

The Gophers are 2-6-1 ATS in their losses on the season while Illinois is 9-4-1 ATS in its victories. As I expect Illinois to win this game outright, I think it's a fair assumption that they'll cover the spread. 

10* play on Illinois. 

WEDNESDAY NIGHT NCAAB *MAJOR WAGER* TOP PLAY

The No. 23 Penn State Nittany Lions are 10-1 SU at home on the season and 11-5-1 ATS in their last 17 home games. Here they'll host an Indiana team that is 1-3 SU and ATS on the road on the season and most likely not in a good mood after taking a home loss to Maryland last time out. 

The Nittany Lions' offense ranks top 50 in the nation and they are coming off back-to-back underdog wins over Ohio State and Michigan. "I really think we’re starting to play our best basketball heading into February," Penn State coach Patrick Chambers told reporters. "We’re really starting to click and play well."

The home team is 3-1-1 ATS in the last five head-to-head meetings and Penn State will be well up for this after losing the last four matchups straight up, including a tough two-point home loss last year. 

10* play on Penn State Nittany Lions. 

GAME OF THE MONTH (NCAAB): MIKE'S TOP RATED BIG EAST BOOKIE BREAKER

The No. 17 Butler Bulldogs snapped a three-game skid with an 89-85 OT win over Marquette last time out. I think they'll make it two in a row when visiting the Georgetown Hoyas Tuesday night.

The Bulldogs are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games following a straight up win and they'll face a Hoyas side that has lost three of its last four and two on the bounce. Georgetown put up just 57 points in a nine-point loss at Xavier last time out and points won't come easy against this Butler team that has held opponents to 59.4 (8th) ppg on the season. 

Additionally, we can note that the road team is 6-1 ATS in the last 7 head-to-head meetings and that Butler has won four straight games at Georgetown. 

10* play on Butler Bulldogs. 

WISCONSIN @ IOWA BIG 10 BOOKIE BREAKER *TOP PLAY*

The No. 19 Iowa Hawkeyes are 11-1 SU at home on the season and they had covered the spread in seven straight home games prior to a push in an 85-80 win over Rutgers last time out. Here they'll host a Wisconsin team that took a 70-51 beating at Purdue Friday night and the Badgers are just 3-7 ATS in their last 10 road games. Wisconsin has a top 20 defense in the nation, but I think the team will struggle to slow down an Iowa side that averages 80.2 ppg. 

10* play on Iowa Hawkeyes. 

MARYLAND @ INDIANA NCAAB BANKROLL BUILDER

The Indiana Hoosiers are 12-1 at home on the season but I think they're in for their second loss when hosting the No. 17 Maryland Terrapins on Sunday. 

The Terps are coming off a solid 77-66 win at Northwestern to move to 4-2 SU and 4-1-1 ATS through their last six games. Indiana has won four of its last five straight-up, but this will be a tough one. Note that Maryland ranks just outside of top 20 in the nation for points allowed and it defeated the Hoosiers 75-59 at home earlier this month. 

8* play on Maryland Terrapins. 

LSU @ TEXAS BIG 12/SEC CHALLENGE

The red hot LSU Tigers have won seven in a row, and I think they look good to add to that tally when taking on Texas in the Big 12/SEC Challenge Saturday. The Longhorns are a mess with four losses in their last six games and they took a 97-59 beating at No. 15 West Virginia on Monday. Stopping LSU won't be easy with the team averaging 80.2 ppg on the season and it has scored 80+ points in three straight games. 

The Longhorns are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 home games while the Tigers are 12-5-1 ATS in their last 18 road games.

8* play on LSU Tigers. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NCAAB): MIKE'S TOP RATED TOTAL

The West Virginia Mountaineers and the Missouri Tigers are both 12-6 to the under on the season, and both teams rank in the top 30 in the nation for points allowed. Additionally, Missouri has struggled to score points through a 1-5 slide and it'll face a West Virginia side that has held four of its last five opponents to fewer than 60 points. 

Under is 6-0 in Missouri games when the total is 130 to 139.5 points and 3-0 in West Virginia's games fitting the same criteria. 

10* play on UNDER. 

WASHINGTON @ UTAH NCAAB BANKROLL BUILDER

The Utah Utes are coming off four consecutive losses, but I think they'll end the draught when hosting the Washington Huskies Thursday night. They return home from a three-game road trip and are 4-1 ATS in their last five home games following three or more consecutive road games. As for the visiting Huskies, they're 3-8 ATS in their last 11 road games and have lost their last two away from home straight up, the most recent a 61-58 setback as a 6-point favorite at California on January 11.

8* play on Utah Utes. 

$20 TUESDAY NCAAB TOTAL

The Ohio Bobcats are coming off a couple of games that stayed under the total, but I expect to see a relatively high-scoring game when they host the Toledo Rockets Tuesday night. Toledo won 99-89 at Akron last time out and they're 5-2 to the over in their last five at home. The Rockets were 15-of-26 (58%) from behind the arc against the Zips and their 3-point shooting percentage rank 26th in the nation on the season. 

8* play on OVER. 

NCAAB MLK DAY TOP PLAY - LATE START

The Baylor Bears have the sixth best scoring defense in the nation, allowing just 58.6 ppg. They're coming off a high-scoring 75-68 win at Oklahoma State but had played four straight unders prior to that. Here they'll face an Oklahoma team that also had played four straight unders prior to an 83-63 loss to TCU. Under is 7-3 in Sooners last 10 games as a road underdog and 6-1 in Bears last 7 games as a home favorite.

10* play on UNDER. 

THURSDAY NIGHT NCAAB BANKROLL BUILDER

The Cincinnati Bearcats and the Memphis Tigers played two close games last season (both Cincy triumph). I think this contest will go down to the wire as well which makes taking the points on the underdog all the more attractive. The road team is 4-0 ATS in the last four head-to-head meetings and Cincinnati defeated UCF 68-54 on the road last time out. As for Memphis, it took a 65-62 loss as a seven-point favorite over Georgia its last time out at home. 

8* play on Cincinnati Bearcats. 

WEDNESDAY NIGHT NCAAB TOTAL *TOP PLAY*

The No. 16 Wichita State's explosive offense averages 77.6 ppg on the season and the Shockers have poured in points through a nine-game winning streak. Here they'll take on a Temple side that has dropped three straight games and surrendered 70+ points in two of those contests. While Temple is a fairly low-scoring team, Wichita State has weaknesses on the defensive end that can be exploited. 

Over is 9-1 in Shockers last 10 overall. Over is 6-2 in Shockers' last 8 games as a road favorite. Over is 6-0 in Owls last 6 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.

10* play on OVER. 

DUKE @ CLEMSON NCAAB TUESDAY NIGHT $20 SPECIAL

The No. 3 Duke Blue Devils are a sizable favorite when visiting ACC rival Clemson Tigers Tuesday night. The under is 8-3-1 in Blue Devils' last 12 games as a road favorite and 15-5-2 in their last 22 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points, which they are coming off a 90-59 rout of Wake Forest. Duke has held opponents to 62.3 ppg on the season and Clemson is averaging only 68.7 ppg. The Tigers have been solid on the defensive end though, limiting opponents to 63.7 ppg. 

8* play on UNDER. 

SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

The Ball State Cardinals took a 75-60 loss at Akron last time out, but they had defeated Buffalo 88-68 their last time out prior to that contest. They're 2-0 to the over after scoring 60 points or fewer last time out this season and here they'll face an Eastern Michigan Eagles side that has surrendered 71.3 ppg through a three-game slide. Ball State is averaging a 71+ ppg on the season, and while the Eagles have struggled offensively I still think both teams will contribute enough points to push the final score over the posted total. 

8* play on OVER. 

GAME OF THE MONTH (NCAAB: MIKE'S TOP RATED TOTAL FOR JANUARY

I think we'll see a relatively low-scoring game when the Ohio State Buckeyes visit the Indiana Hoosiers in college basketball action Saturday afternoon. The Buckeyes are 4-1 to the under through their last five games and 10-5 to the under on the season. They've been held to fewer than 60 points in three straight contests and shot just 31% from the field in a 55-67 loss to Maryland on Tuesday. As for Indiana, it defeated Northwestern 66-62 last time out to make it 4-0 to the under through its last four games. 

10* play on UNDER. 

BUTLER @ PROVIDENCE BIG EAST BOOKIE BREAKER *TOP PLAY*

The Providence Friars are on fire with four straight wins and they won outright as a six-point underdog at Marquette on Tuesday. I think they have a great shot at winning this one against a Butler team that routed Creighton last time out, but that contest took place almost a week ago so the team is at risk of coming out sluggish here.

Additionally, note that the Friars won all three meetings last season and the home team is is 8-1 ATS in the last 9 meetings.

10* play on Providence Friars. 

PROVIDENCE @ MARQUETTE NCAAB BANKROLL BUILDER

The Providence Friars have opened Big East play with triumphs over Georgetown and DePaul. I think they'll give the Marquette a scare here as the Golden Eagles are in a sandwich spot, coming off a win over then-10th ranked Villanova and tougher matchups on deck, first at Seton Hall and then at home against Xavier. While Marquette has impressed home at Fiserv Forum, I think this game will be closer than the point spread would suggest. 

8* play on Providence. 

MONDAY NIGHT COLLEGE BASKETBALL BANKROLL BUILDER

The Georgia State Panthers took a 74-72 loss at Coastal Carolina as a small road favorite last time out. They're still 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 road games and I like them to cover the spread here at Arkansas St. Monday night. 

The Red Wolves are coming off back-to-back home losses. While they covered the spread (just barely) against Utah last time out, they were blown out by 21 points by Texas State prior to that. I don't see them keeping pace with a Georgia State team that averages a healthy 78.9 ppg and which 3-point shooting percentage is top 25 in the nation. 

The favorite is 6-2-1 ATS in the last 9 meetings and that's a trend likely to continue. 

8* play on Georgia State. 

SUNDAY AFTERNOON NCAAB HARDWOOD HAMMER

The St. John's Red Storm are 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall and won 70-67 as a 12-point underdog at Arizona on December 21. They gave Butler a huge scare in their Big East opener and here they'll face a Xavier team that is just 2-7 ATS through its last 9 home games. The Musketeers fell 68-62 at Villanova in their conference opener, and while I expect them to win this one outright, it won't be an easy matchup against a Storm team that has averaged a healthy 78.2 ppg. 

8* play on St. John's Red Storm. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NCAAB): MIKE'S TOP RATED AFTERNOON SIDE

I'm happy to take the points on the Virginia Tech Hokies when they visit the Virginia Cavaliers on Saturday. Virginia has the top rated defense in the nation, but scoring on VT isn't easy either with the team limiting opponents to 61.1 ppg. Virginia has been asked to cover inflated spreads all season long and is a result only 3-9 ATS with only nine covers through its last 10 games. The Hokies must be feeling pretty good about themselves and ready for a road game following four straight home wins. They're 7-1 ATS in their last 8 road games following three or more consecutive home games and I'm looking for the visitors to keep this relatively close. 

10* play on Virginia Tech. 

The Niagara Purple Eagles are just 2-9 SU on the season, but they're 1-1 at home with a win as a 9-point underdog over Colgate last time out at Gallagher Center. Tonight they'll host a Fairfield Stags side that is getting a bit too much respect by the bookmakers and the public following back-to-back wins at Oakland and Wagner. The Stags are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games as a favorite and 3-9-1 ATS in their last 13 games following a straight up win. The home team is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.

8* play on Niagara

UCLA @ WASHINGTON CBB BANKROLL BUILDER

I like the Washington Huskies to win and cover the spread here in their conference opener against visiting UCLA Bruins Thursday night. UCLA is 0-4 ATS in its last four games and has lost each of the last three straight up, the most recent as a 16-point favorite against Cal State Fullerton. The Bruins allowed their opponent to shoot 14-of-24 (58%) from 3-point range, and here they'll face a Washington team that is more than capable of lighting it up from behind the arc. 

Additionally, the Huskies had three straight SU and ATS as favorites before coming up just short in a 75-71 loss as a 2.5-point underdog to Houston last time out. Expect the home team to bounce back with an inspired performance in front of the home town crowd at Alaska Airlines Arena. 

8* play on Washington. 

NEW YEAR'S DAY COLLEGE BASKETBALL BANKROLL BUILDER

The Marquette Golden Eagles limited Central Arkansas to 54 points on 31 percent shooting last time out and they rank 18th in the nation for defensive field goal percentage on the season. As for the Creighton Bluejays, they held Midland Lutheran to 54 points last time out and they've limited three of their last four opponents to 60 points or fewer. Under is 20-8 in Bluejays last 28 overall and we saw a total of just 126 points scored in the last headto-head meeting between these two teams.

8* play on UNDER. 

NEW YEARS DAY NCAAB AFTERNOON ANNIHILATOR

The South Dakota Coyotes are coming off back-to-back 75 point performances.

Now while they lost those games, I think they'll get the job done in this one as they rank 23rd in the nation with their 48.3 percent shooting from the field and 12th with their shooting from 3-point range.

Today they'll face a Purdue Fort Wayne side that took an 89-59 beating as an 18-point dog at Iowa State last time out and a 74-65 loss as a four-point favorite at Indiana-Purdue prior to that. The offense is not clicking at the moment, and I think there's good reason to believe that the Mastodons will struggle to keep pace with the visitors. 

8* play on South Dakota. 

GAME OF THE MONTH (NCAAB): MIKE'S TOP RATED SIDE FOR DECEMBER

The Temple Owls took a tough one-point defeat to Miami-Florida on Dec 17, but they bounced back with a dominant 78-66 triumph over Rider four days later. I like them to pick up another win here against a UFC side that saw a six-game winning streak come to an end with a one-point loss of its own at Oklahoma on Dec 21. The Knights covered the spread, but this won't be an easy matchup against an Owl team that is 10th in the nation in defensive field goal percentage and 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games. 

10* play on Temple. 

MONDAY NIGHT COLLEGE BASKETBALL TOTAL

The North Florida Osprey have averaged 75.5 points through their last two games, but still dropped both. Over is 6-1 in their last seven games and here they'll visit a Dayton team that is 8-4 to the over on the season. The Flyers rank sixth in the nation for points per game and they're first in field goal percentage. Ibi Watson scored a career-high 30 points in an 81-53 rout of Grambling State on Dec. 23. 

With both teams coming off a rather long Christmas break, I think a high tempo will make up for eventual rust. 

8* play on OVER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NCAAB): MIKE'S TOP RATED TOTAL FOR DECEMBER

The Florida Gators shot just 32 percent from the field and 24 percent from 3-point range in a 65-62 setback to Utah State last time out. I expect them to have much more success here against a Long Beach State side that is allowing 78.0 ppg and gave up 79 in a loss at Seattle on Dec 23.

Over is 6-1 in Beach last 7 road games and 5-1 in Gators last 6 overall.

10* play on OVER. 

FRIDAY NIGHT CBB BOOKIE BLASTER

I like the Loyola (MD) Greyhounds to win and cover the spread when hosting the UMass Lowell River Hawks Friday night. UMass Lowell shot a season-worst 31.3 percent from the field in a 74-62 loss at home to Boston last Saturday and rusty shooting might very well be an issue in this one as well. As for Loyola, it cruised to a 72-45 victory against D-III Elizabethtown College last time out and it has averaged 84.8 ppg as a favorite. 

8* play on Loyola Maryland. 

CBB BANKROLL BUILDER

The Davidson Wildcats put an 88-52 beating on Coppin St. last time out and they're 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points. The Loyola-Chicago Ramblers are coming off five straight victories and they're 4-1 ATS during that stretch. I do however think that Davidson will match up rather well with the home team and I'm happy to take the points on the dog in what should a very close game. 

8* play on Davidson. 

SUPER LATE COLLEGE BASKETBALL ATS MIDNIGHT MASSACRE

The No. 17 Arizona Wildcats took an 84-80 loss to Gonzaga last Saturday. While they're expected to bounce back with a win here against St. John's, I think it'll be tighter than the point spread would suggest. The Red Storm are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall with a straight up win as a 4.5-point dog against West Virginia mixed in. St. John's can score with the best in the league, averaging 80.6 ppg and it has topped 80 points six times already. 

8* play on St. John's. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NCAAB): TOP RATED SIDE *MAJOR WAGER ALERT*

The LSU Tigers have scored 90+ points in three of their last four games, all wins SU and ATS. The East Tennessee St. Buccaneers on the other hand may have won four of their last five straight up, but they're just 0-4 ATS in lined games during that stretch. 

LSU has been shooting lights out home at Maravich Assembly Center all season, coming into this contest with a perfect 6-0 SU record and four straight covers ATS. ETSU took a 78-68 loss as a 3.5-point favorite at North Dakota State it's last time out on the road, and I don't see the visitors keeping pace with the home side in what will be a hostile environment. 

10* play on LSU Tigers. 

MONDAY NIGHT CBB BANKROLL BUILDER

The Kent State Golden Flashes will clash with the UC Irvine Anteaters in the Sun Bowl Invitational at Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas Monday night.

The Anteaters are (6-5), coming off a dominant 120-63 win over Pacific Union, but I would not read too much into that result and the team is still just 6-5 SU on the season.

Kent State is 8-1 SU and ranks 44th in the nation with its 79.9 ppg. It put a 92-57 beating on Detroit on Dec. 3, the same Mercy team that defeated UC Irvine by 12 points back in November and while such comparisons never tell the whole story, it's still worth noting. 

8* play on Kent State. 

DELAWARE VS. VILLANOVA BANKROLL BUILDER

The Villanova Wildcats have had a week off since defeating rival Saint Joseph's by 12 points last Saturday. I think they'll be looking to hit the ground running again here when taking on the Delaware Blue Hens in the Never Forget Tribute Classic Saturday afternoon. 

Delaware had won their first nine games before come up short in a 66-56 loss at George Washington last weekend, but this will be the first time in almost a month it'll enter a game as an underdog. The Blue Hens have played an easy schedule and might not be ready for the intensity and quality Nova will bring into this contest. 

8* play on Villanova Wildcats. 

IOWA @ IOWA STATE CBB BANKROLL BUILDER

The Iowa State Cyclones are coming off an impressive 76-66 win as a 3-point favorite against Seton Hall to improve to 5-1 ATS in their last 6 as a favorite. They get a chance to improve on those numbers here against an Iowa team that won last time out but is just 3-9 ATS in its last 12 games following a straight up win. Additionally, we can note that the Hawkeyes are just 5-17-1 ATS on the road since the start of the 2017 season and considering how well Iowa State has been shooting the ball this season (82.0 ppg, 26th), I don't see how the visitors will be able to keep this close. 

8* play on Iowa State. 

GAME OF THE MONTH (NCAAB): MIKE'S TOP RATED TOTAL FOR DECEMBER

The Missouri State Bears are coming off an 86-62 win over Mississippi Valley State and three of their last four games have gone over the total. They struggled to defend the perimeter last time out though as their opponent was allowed to go 8-of-17 (47%) from behind the arc. Here they'll face an Arkansas State side that shot 43% from deep last time out and is shooting a respectable 37.1 percent from 3-point land on the season. Additionally, the Red Wolves have scored 70+ points in five of their last seven games. 

10* play on OVER. 

JIMMY V CLASSIC NCAAB BANKROLL BUILDER

The top-ranked Louisville Cardinals are a perfect 9-0 SU on the season, but just 5-4 ATS despite winning eight of their games by double-digits. I think they're asked to cover too many points here against last year's finalist in the NCAA title game, the now unranked Texas Red Raiders.

The Red Raiders are coming into this first round of the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden on a three-game losing streak (all as favorites), but that does not seem to worry coach Chris Beard all that much. "We've been in three close one-possession games where a basket or a stop there and our record and our mood feels a lot different ... To me, you stay the course. We could be sitting here with an 8-0 record instead of three losses but we're still the same team. The idea is to get better each game and I think we are doing that."

Louisville's stifling defense has held opponents to 57.6 ppg but might find it tough to contain a Texas Tech team that has averaged 79.0 ppg. 

8* play on Texas Tech Red Raiders.

CINCINNATI @ XAVIER CBB BANKROLL BUILDER

The Cincinnati Bearcats are coming off an 82-73 win over Vermont. They had played three straight overtime games prior to that one and I expect this Crosstown Shootout rivalry game with the Xavier Musketeers to go down to the wire as well. Cincinnati played Ohio State relatively close earlier in the season and Xavier has a tendency to play down to the competition. It has failed to cover the spread in three of its last four games and it is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 home games. 

8* play on Cincinnati Bearcats. 

NOTRE DAME @ MARYLAND BANKROLL BUILDER

The Maryland Terrapins are a perfect 8-0 SU on the season after routing Marquette 84-63 in the final of the Orlando Invitational last time out.

That sets up a potential hangover spot here against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish who have won six on the bounce after opening the season with a loss at North Carolina. While the Irish came up short against the Tar Heels, they held them to 75 points and are allowing just 61.1 ppg on the season.

I think Notre Dame will come into this one well prepared as they've had plenty of time off since they last played and Maryland's motivation for this contest is questionable. 

8* play on Notre Dame. 

TOP RATED MICHIGAN @ LOUISVILLE CBB PLAY OF THE DAY

The No. 5 Michigan Wolverines and the top-ranked Louisville Cardinals will put undefeated 7-0 records on the line at KFC Yum! Center Tuesday night. The Cardinals are a home favorite, but while they're 5-0 SU at home they're just 1-4 against the spread. The Michigan Wolverines are a perfect 4-0 against the spread in their last four games with impressive underdog wins against North Carolina and Gonzaga to claim the Battle 4 Atlantis.

Louisville has been favored by double-digits in all games since opening the season as a 6.5-point fav at Miami. I'm not sure it is prepared for the fight Michigan will bring into this game. 

10* play on Michigan. 

CLEMSON @ MINNESOTA CBB BANKROLL BUILDER

The Minnesota Golden Gophers are 3-1 SU and ATS home at Williams Arena after taking a loss as a 3.5-point favorite against DePaul last time out. Here they'll host a Clemson team that will play its first true road game of the season. The Tigers have covered the spread in six straight games but might find it tough to shake off a tough 73-69 overtime loss to No. 1 Colorado on Tuesday. 

Minnesota is just 3-4 on the season, but it has played several strong teams and has come through and won most games it was supposed to win. While Clemson has better stats across the board, that is without taking the strength of schedule into account and I expect the Gophers to get it done in their own building. 

8* play on Minnesota Golden Gophers. 

IOWA VS. SAN DIEGO STATE LAS VEGAS INVITATIONAL BOOKIE BLASTER

The San Diego State Aztecs were dominant in their 83-52 semi-finals win over Creighton. They were 11-of-18 (61%) from 3-point range and won the battle of the boards 35-20. Here they'll face an Iowa team who might find it hard to recharge the batteries after an upset win over no. 12 TTU.  

I'm counting on San Diego State to claim the Las Vegas Invitational championship. 

8* play on San Diego State. 

TEMPLE VS. TEXAS A&M ORLANDO INVITATIONAL BANKROLL BUILDER

The Temple Owls were undefeated heading into Friday's matchup of the Orlando Invitational. Now they'll need to refocus in order to bounce back from a loss for the first time this season following a seven-point loss to no. 8 Maryland. 

The Owls still covered the spread for a second straight game, and here they'll face a Texas A&M team that is 0-5 ATS on the season. The Aggies are 3-2 SU, but they have a negative average point differential and have scored only 59.2 ppg. Temple is averaging a healthy 70.8 ppg and should have too much firepower for Texas A&M to keep up with. 

Additionally, Texas A&M is shorthanded so playing on back-to-back days will be particularly tough for the Aggies. 

8* play on Temple Owls. 

CBB LAS VEGAS INVITATIONAL MIDNIGHT MASSACRE

Write up posted shortly. 

8* play on San Diego State. 

NC STATE VS. MEMPHIS BARCLAYS CENTER CLASSIC BOOKIE BLASTER

Both the NC State Wolfpack and the Memphis Tigers enter this contest 5-1 SU and 3-3 ATS. I like the Wolfpack to come through with a win here in the Barclays Center Classic Thursday afternoon. 

NC State opened the season with an OT loss to Georgia Tech but is undefeated since, including a dominant 74-58 win over Little Rock last time out. It has held three straight opponents to 64 points or fewer. Memphis gave up 86 points to Ole Miss last time out and has failed to cover the spread in back-to-back games.

Additionally, the Tigers will have to do without their leading scorer and All-American candidate James Wiseman who is suspended. 

8* play on NC State. 

NORTH CAROLINA VS. ALABAMA BATTLE 4 ATLANTIS BOOKIE BREAKER

The Alabama Crimson Tide look like a solid underdog as they take on the No. 4 North Carolina Tar Heels in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament on Wednesday. 

North Carolina is a perfect 4-0 on the season, but only 1-3 ATS and it had to battle back from a first-half deficit to beat Elon last time out. 

This might very well be another game where the Tar Heels just does enough to get the W and if the Tide can only take better care of the ball than they have in their first four games they'll keep this very close. 

8* play on Alabama. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NCAAB): MIKE'S TOP RATED CANCUN CHALLENGE TOTAL

The South Carolina Gamecocks have scored 70+ points in three straight games that all went over the total. I think points will be harder to come by here in their semifinal matchups of the Cancun Challenge as they'll face a Wichita State team that has held back-to-back opponents to fewer than 60 points and has held all five opponents to fewer than 63 points this season.  

Over/under is 2-8 in South Carolina's last 10 games on a neutral court game where the total is 130 to 134.5 and all but one of the Shockers' five games this season have gone under the total. 

10* play on UNDER. 

MONDAY NIGHT CBB BANKROLL BUILDER

Both the South Carolina State Bulldogs and the Austin Peay Governors are 2-3 on the season, but they're two very different teams despite the identical record. 

Austin Peay has won big in both games as a favorite and won 81-60 as an 11.5-point favorite over Southeastern Louisiana last time out. Even in their losses the Governors have put a decent amount of points on the board and they average a healthy 73.2 ppg. South Carolina State on the other hand is averaging only 54.3 ppg with 86.3 ppg allowed. 

Last time out the Bulldogs allowed Vanderbilt to shoot 60.3% from the field in a 97-60 Commodores triumph, and I expect Austin Peay to run away with this game and win comfortably. 

8* play on Austin Peay. 

EARLY TOP-RATED CAYMAN ISLANDS CLASSIC *TOP PLAY*

The Loyola-Chicago Ramblers are coming off back-to-back wins and were 9-for-16 (56.2%) from 3-point range in an 85-62 win over Indiana-Purdue on Wednesday. They've scored 85 points in back-to-back games and I think they'll take care of business here against a South Florida team that had lost two straight including a 17-point loss as a 17-point favorite over Indiana-Purdue, prior to defeating Wofford last time out. The Bulls are averaging only 63.0 ppg and I don't see how they're going to be able to keep up with the Ramblers firepower. 

10* play on Loyola-Chicago. 

WEDNESDAY NIGHT COLLEGE BASKETBALL BANKROLL BUILDER

I like the St. John's Red Storm to bounce back from a 70-68 home loss as a favorite against Vermont. The Red Storm shot just 34.5% from the field in that contest, but here they'll face a Columbia side that shot an abysmal 28.6% in a loss to Virginia last time out. Now I'm certainly not saying that St. John's defense is anywhere near the Cavs, but it has held opponents to 38.1 FG% on the season and the team has averaged a healthy 84.5 ppg on the offensive end. I don't see Columbia being able to keep up with the home team's scoring. 

8* play on St. John's Red Storm. 

CBB 3-PACK

The UT Arlington Mavericks have their work cut out for them when they visit the No. 8 Gonzaga Bulldogs Tuesday night. Note that the Bulldogs put a 79-49 beating on Texas A&M last time out to improve to 4-0 SU on the season. They've covered the spread in three straight games, twice as favorites of 29 points or more, and they're 17-6 ATS in their last 23 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points. The Mavericks are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 non-conference games and unlikely to be able to hang with the superior Bulldogs. 

8* play on Gonzaga. 

CBB 3-PACK

The No. 7 Maryland Terrapins are a perfect 3-0 SU on the season and they've covered the spread in back-to-back-to-back games following an 80-50 rout as a 19-point favorite over Oakland. The visiting Fairfield Stags on the other hand have dropped three of their first four games on the season following a demoralizing OT loss at Loyola-Maryland last time out. They are just 6-14 ATS in their last 20 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600 and I expect Maryland to win by 30+. 

8* play on Maryland. 

CBB 3-PACK

The No. 5 Kansas Jayhawks should have no trouble to take care of business against East Tennessee St. home in Allen Fieldhouse. Note that while the visiting Buccaneers have averaged 76.5 ppg while opening the season 3-0 SU, they're just 1-2 ATS and have not played a team near the caliber of this Jayhawks side. 

Kansas put up 112 points in a rout of Monmouth-NJ last time out and are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game plus 9-3 ATS in their last 12 home games. 

8* play on Kansas. 

TOP RATED LATE NIGHT COLLEGE BASKETBALL BAILOUT

Oregon is putting its undefeated 3-0 record on the line aginast Texas-Arlington Sunday night, but I don't expect this to be much of a test for the Ducks. 

They've covered the spread in back-to-back games since coming up just short of the number in their season opener, including a solid 82-74 win over No. 15 Memphis in the Phil Knight Invitational. Here they'll face a Mavericks team that took an 80-73 loss at Nevada last time out in its first road game of the season. Nevada shot just 34.4% from the field in that contest and such shooting won't keep it close here.

The Ducks have been money for quite some time dating back to last season, going Ducks are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games overall and 11-0 ATS in their last 11 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.

10* play on Oregon Ducks. 

TOP RATED CBB PLAY OF THE DAY *SUPER EARLY*

The Columbia Lions are coming off their first win of the season, but they're not expected to stand much of a chance when visiting the undefeated defending national champions Virginia Cavaliers on Saturday. 

Virginia has played lockdown defense in its first two games of the season, holding Syracuse and James Madison to 34 points each. With Columbia relying heavy on senior guard Mike Smith (21.3 ppg, 5.3 apg) I don't think the Cavs will have any trouble to cage the Lions. 

Note that Virginia is 2-0 against the spread despite shooting just 39.3% from the field and a woeful 16% from beyond the arc. I expect them to find their range resulting in better shooting here in their second home game of the season, and the visitors should find it extremely tough to keep up in this one. 

10* play on Virginia Cavaliers. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NCAAB): MIKE'S TOP RATED SIDE

The No. 8 Gonzaga Bulldogs have opened the season with three home triumphs, winning each by 30+ points. They'll hit the road to take on the Texas A&M Aggies for their first away game of the season Friday night, and I think they'll run the home team out of the building. 

Texas A&M is a perfect 2-0 SU following victories over Louisiana Monroe and Northwestern St., but they've far from impressed and failed to cover the spread in both. Gonzaga on the other hand has covered point spreads of 29+ points in their last two games and I think the Bulldogs will look forward to facing a "tougher" opponent.

Bulldogs are 16-6 ATS in their last 22 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points. Bulldogs are 20-8-1 ATS in their last 29 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600. Aggies are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.

10* play on Gonzaga Bulldogs. 

SOUTH DAKOTA @ HAWAII MIDNIGHT MASSACRE

The Hawaii Rainbow Warriors always have strong home-court advantage on the island and they're 8-2 ATS in their last 10 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.

The South Dakota Coyotes fit that bill after opening the season with a 10-point win over Pacific on a neutral court. Hawaii dominated their season debut against Florida A&M, entering halftime with a 20-point lead and cruising through the rest of the game.

The Coyotes are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600 and I see no reason to not back the home team in this matchup. 

8* play on Hawaii. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NCAAB): MIKE'S TOP RATED SIDE 'MAJOR WAGER ALERT*

I like the Fairfield Stags to keep it close and maybe even pull off an outright upset against the Massachusetts Minutemen on Saturday. 

Fairfield is coming off three straight defeats, but they did cover the spread in a four-point loss against Bucknell last time out. They're 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games, and here they'll face a Massachusetts side that is 5-15-1 ATS in its last 21 road games vs. a team with a losing home record and 4-14 ATS in their last 18 games of a favorite of three points or more. 

Additionally, note Massachusetts' awful 47.1 shooting percentage from the charity stripe which could become a big issue at the late stages of a close game, I think we have a good case for the home team in this matchup. 

10* play on Fairfield. 

CBB 3-PACK

The No. 3 Kansas Jayhawks should be ready to go off here after dropping their season opener to Duke in the Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden. Here they'll take on a weak NC-Greensboro team home at Allen Fieldhouse, a venue where they're 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games. UNC opened the season with an 83-50 rout of crosstown rival North Carolina AT&T, but I don't see them hanging around with a Kansas team off a loss. 

8* play on Kansas Jayhawks. 

CBB 3-PACK

The No. 4 Duke Blue Devils opened the season with a win over Kansas in the Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden. Here they'll face a Colorado State team that is coming off an 11-point win over Denver, but this is obviously a huge step up in competition. Duke seems determined to not let the departures of Zion Williamson, Cam Reddish, and RJ Barrett affect the team. "Coach told us first day, 'Big brother's not here. RJ and Zion are not here. We've gotta be an old-fashioned Duke team.' … We might be ugly, but we're gonna get the W. We're going to be very, very, very aggressive," Duke freshman Cassius Stanley said after the season premiere. I expect them to show no mercy on this Rams team that is 16-39-2 ATS in its last 57 non-conference games.

8* play on Duke Blue Devils. 

CBB 3-PACK

The No. 2 Kentucky Wildcats opened the season with a 69-62 victory over No. 1 Michigan State in the Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden. They have a team packed with talent (as always) and should not slip up here against an Eastern Kentucky side that is coming off a win against Chattanooga. The Colonels are however just 3-8-2 ATS in their last 13 games following a straight up win and 1-6 ATS in their last 7 road games while the Wildcats are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 non-conference games.

8* play on Kentucky Wildcats. 

VIRGINIA @ SYRACUSE CBB BOOKIE BLASTER

The No. 11 Virginia Cavaliers are expected to take a step down in quality from the team that won the National Championship last season, but I think they're good enough to get a win and ATS cover at Syracuse Wednesday night. 

Virginia has lost key pieces like  DeAndre Hunter, Ty Jerome, and Kyle Guy who were all drafted in the last NBA Draft, but the same is also true for this Syracuse team which will need to replace four of its top six scorers. Virginia has consistently ranked top-10 in defensive rating in recent seasons, and coach Tony Bennett should have a good enough of a gameplan in mind to outlast Cuse. 

8* play on Virginia Cavaliers. 

NOTRE DAME @ NORTH CAROLINA BANKROLL BUILDER

The North Carolina Tar Heels look like a solid home favorite when they host the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Chapel Hill Wednesday night.

They enter the season ranked 11th in the nation, and that despite losing their top five scorers from last season. That says a lot of how much depth of talent this team always has, and it'll face a Notre Dame team on the decline after finishing last season with a losing record.

The home team is 6-2 ATS in the last 8 meetings and that's a trend I like to continue. 

8* play on North Carolina Tar Heels. 

KANSAS VS. DUKE CHAMPIONS CLASSIC BANKROLL BUILDER

The Kansas Jayhawks have dominated the Duke Blue Devils in recent seasons, and that's a trend I think will continue here in the opener of the 2018/2019 season.

Duke has lost key pieces like national player of the year Zion Williamson and top-three NBA draft pick R.J. Barrett from last season's roster and Tre Jones might end up being the Blue Devils only non-freshman starter on this year's team. 

Additionally, Kansas has arguably the best center in the game in Udoka Azubuike, a position where Duke is fairly weak. Azubuike played just nine games before suffering a torn ligament in his right hand last season, so he should be well up for this season. 

8* play on Kansas Jayhawks. 

TOP RATED NCAA TOURNEY CHAMPIONSHIP GAME ATS ANNIHILATOR

The Texas Tech Red Raiders' elite defense has shut down some of the most explosive offenses in the nation on their way to the NCAA Tournament Championship Game. They held Michigan State to 15-of-47 (31.9%) shooting from the field in their 61-51 triumph in the semifinals, and I like Texas Tech to come through with another upset win here in the final against Virginia. The Cavaliers have not impressed on their way to the final and needed three last-second free throws to beat Auburn 63-62 in the last round. They've covered the spread in only two of their last six games.  

10* play on Texas Tech Red Raiders. 

GAME OF THE YEAR (CBB): MIKE'S TOP RATED NCAA TOURNEY SIDE

The Texas Tech Red Raiders have defeated both Michigan and Gonzaga straight up as underdogs on their way to the Final Four in the NCAA Tournament. I think they look good to at the very least cover the spread here against the Michigan State Spartans. 

The Red Raiders own an elite defense and rarely turn over the ball which should lead to a slow game, bad news for a Spartans team that is at its best in fast-paced contests. This will be Michigan State's first time against the Red Raiders D, and I don't think they have the key to unlock it. 

Texas Tech shut down the nation’s top scoring offense (Gonzaga) in the Elite Eight round while shooting 39.1% (9-for-23) from behind the arc in its 75-69 win.

10* play on Texas Tech Red Raiders. 

TOP RATED 10* ELITE EIGHT PLAY OF THE DAY

This will no doubt be an interesting contest with the Gonzaga Bulldogs, who own the nation's No. 1 offense, taking on Texas Tech Red Raiders and their top rated defense. 

The Zags have won their two recent games by double-digits to advance to the Elite Eight. They average 88.2 points per game while shooting 52.8 percent from the field, but can also play D as shown in their 72-58 victory over Florida State in the Sweet 16. They forced 14 turnovers while holding the Seminoles to 39.3 percent shooting from the field, including 3-of-20 from 3-point range. 

The Bulldogs have already faced several tough teams like Duke, North Carolina and Tennessee in the non-conference play, which might've served as important lessons. "We saw early on, Tennessee and North Carolina were physical and athletic in both the offensive and defensive end, and I think it prepared us a lot," said guard Zach Norvell Jr. "And also us taking those losses, we understood what it took to come out with a game like that -- you want to bring the fight to them and be more physical for 40 minutes."

Texas Tech completely shut down Michigan in a 63-44 rout last time out but will find it tough to slow down Gonzaga's explosive offense.

10* play on Gonzaga Bulldogs. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (CBB): MIKE'S TOP RATED SIDE

The Virginia Tech Hokis beat the Duke Blue Devils 77-72 home in Blacksburg back in February. 

Duke freshman Zion Williamson missed that contest, but he's back here and has together with RJ Barrett combined for 99 points through the first two rounds of the Big Dance.

Now, I can see why the public like VT here as Duke has looked sluggish lately, and the line has dropped since the opener, but I don't think the undersized Hokies will have any chance of stopping a fired up and physically superior Duke team with revenge on its mind. 

10* play on Duke Blue Devils. 

TOP RATED 10* SWEET 16 BOOKIE BREAKER

The Gonzaga Bulldogs handled their first two opponents in the NCAA Tournament with ease, first brushing off Fairleigh Dickinson by almost 40 points followed by a 12-point win over Baylor. They failed to cover the spread against the Bears but are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games following a ATS loss. We can also note that Gonzaga is 20-12 ATS as a favorite this season. 

Here the Bulldogs will face a Florida State Seminoles side that also is coming off a pair of dominant displays, but this is a big step up in competition compared to beating up on Vermont and Murray State.

These teams met in the Sweet 16 a season ago, with the Seminoles besting the Bulldogs 75-60. This is payback time for the Zags as their offensive firepower will prove too much for FSU to handle. 

10* play on Gonzaga Bulldogs. 

TUESDAY NIGHT NIT NO-BRAINER

Neither the TCU Horned Frogs or the Creighton Bluejays had any problems to dismiss their first two opponents in the NIT. 

We can however note that the Horned Frogs are just 5-11 ATS in their last 16 games overall while the Bluejays are 7-1 ATS in their last eight games overall. 

It's also worth mentioning that Creighton will be playing on three days rest while TCU only has had one day off since its 88-72 rout of Nebraska on Sunday. This late in the season, only two days can make a world of difference. Look for a cresh Creighton team to cover the spread.

8* play on Creighton Bluejays.