Miami +4.5

         Villanova got out the round of 32 with terrific offense against an overwhelmed Iowa team. Today that should be different against a Miami Hurricanes team that matches Villanova's guard strength. Miami has four guards that defend the three-point line well and will make things difficult for a Villanova team use to thriving at the position. Grab the Hurricanes to continue to be March Madness odd success story.

Play Dallas +6.5

            Dallas defeated the Trailblazers in overtime on their home floor a few nights ago and tonight they're catching 6.5. That's a head scratcher to me as the Mavericks have faced possibly the toughest schedule of any team over the last two weeks. Games against the Cavs, Warriors, OKC, etc. I think their veteran team is blossoming at the right time and will give the Blazers another good game in Portland.

Play Lakers +5.5

            The Lakers grabbed us an ATS win last night and we'll look for them to repeat against the Suns. Phoenix has grabbed some ATS value after impressive performances as steep underdogs over the last three weeks. The return of Brandon Knight and boosted play of guard Devin Booker has helped. Yet it doesn't take away the fact that the Suns have a poor front line and are prone to poor defense. The Lakers aren't much better but this is a rare spot where I'll back a team playing on consecutive nights. I like the offensive fire power the Lakers have showcased and believe they can build a sustainable early lead against the Suns.

Play Bulls -8.5

            Chicago's Fred Hoiberg has tweaked the starting lineup numerous times due to Bulls injuries. Depth has grown for the Bulls bench as a result of the plethora of injuries on the season. Confidence with young players such as Bobby Portis, McDermott, and others is there with consistency to spell the veteran Bulls. Tonight they should pile on a Knicks team that lacks depth and is changing over for next year.

Play George Washington -1.5

            George Washington is a team that surprisingly did not make March Madness. They have balance at all five positions and adequate support with two players off the bench. You're typically going to get yourselves in trouble in the NIT snaring a power conference lackluster school such as Florida versus a smaller school veteran team. Grab George Washington to advance past the NIT quarterfinals.

Lakers +3

            Today we'll grab the Lakers as slight home underdogs against the Grizzlies. The Lakers took a beating against the Grizzlies a few weeks back on the road and at home. Yet, I believe today they'll respond with better offense against a Grizzlies team with a completely different nucleus of players. Grab the Lakers at home tonight

BYU -4

            Creighton has showcased a stout defense in the NIT but will go up against a quartet of scorers in BYU. Look for the Cougars prolific offense to get the BlueJays on their heels tonight. Grab the Cougars to defend their home floor

Houston +10

            Earlier in the season we had a heart breaking push on the Rockets against the Thunder in the +8 range. Tonight they're getting an extra two points on the road as the Thunder are in the midst of one of their better stretches of the season. Yet I can't pass up the value here on the Rockets who are in need of a competitive game. Grab Houston.

Miami -9

            Tonight the Heat are steep favorites against the Pelicans. New Orleans have done a great job without Anthony Davis and are coming off solid outings against the Kings and Clippers. Yet tonight will be a challenge against the Heat. Miami's been winning ugly before sparking in a key blowout win over the Cavaliers. I like the momentum they are showcasing which should carry over against an over valued Pelicans team.

Charlotte -6

            Charlotte won in comeback fashion last night over the Spurs from a steep deficit. In the game the starters struggled on the offensive end. Luckily Jeremy Lin picked up the slack for the Bobcats. Tonight we should see the starters back in gear against a Nets team that has lost the ebb and flow once showcased three weeks ago.

Northern Iowa +7.5

         Two veteran teams go against each other in Northern Iowa and Texas A&M. One of the problems at the tail end of January and early February for the Aggies was playing to the level of competition. Setting the tone with pace they want to play is difficult. It actually occurred in the last game against Green Bay as the Phoenix led 24-16 midway through the first half. A depth advantage wore down the Phoenix. Here that's not the case and I look for the Panthers to dictate tempo for forty minutes. Grab Northern Iowa.

Maryland -7 (Buy the Hook)

         All season long onlookers were wondering what's wrong with Maryland. Now we're beginning to see one of the main reasons. The Big 10 style of play just did not bode well for the Terrapins, as teams slowed the ball down. Now we're seeing the majority of those teams knocked out of the tournament besides Indiana who pushes the ball. Remaining teams left fit the style that Maryland can flourish against. Don't fall for the trap of Hawaii as Maryland should cruise in a stylistic offensive performance.

Syracuse -6

         Not enough credit goes to assistants and strength and conditioning coaches. When I watch Syracuse I see a team that looks as the best physically conditioned team in the country outside of Kansas. An old adage in sports is what you saw last is not what you see tomorrow. Middle Tennessee scored at will against Michigan State and led the entire game. Syracuse is a different beast with a zone defense and an offense that goes beyond one or two scorers as in years past. Boeheim has five guys that can score in double figures on any given night including two freshman peaking in Malachi Richardson and Tyler Lydon. Balance defensively and offensively will be too much for fifteenth seed Middle Tennessee.

Oklahoma -6

         VCU's turn around to their season is something their veteran players in MO Alie Cox and JeQuan Lewis can hang their hats on. Will Wade's decision to move Lewis to shooting guard a dozen games ago was truly a brilliant move. It freed up better opportunities offensively for the Rams. Yet, Oklahoma is a poor matchup for them. The Sooners are too potent of a team at all five positions which is troublesome for a gritty Rams team. Hield who has been quiet for the last couple of weeks should have a noteworthy 'March Madness signature' performance today. Grab the Sooners

Providence +11

         Tonight we'll grab the Friars as Saturday's lone ATS play. Through the aftermath of all the chaos of upsets the top seeds were unscathed. All covered ATS in Kansas, Oregon, and Virginia. The lone team not to cover was North Carolina against FGCU. The veteran Tar Heels just are in a tough region. The 16th seed FGCU was not a true sixteen seed and the Friars are not a true 9 seed. Providence at one time was ranked in the top ten and feature two NBA players in Ben Bentil and Kris Dunn. Perhaps no other team featured extended role players in the second round the fed off of NBA caliber talent as strong as the Friars did against USC. I believe that continues Saturday night as the Friars have been a team that has exhibited effort for forty minutes all season long. Grab the Friars.

Cincinnati -3

            I liked this point spread at 1.5 and have it as the biggest misread line of the second round. I envisioned this game more in the 5.5 range on Cincinnati's side. Yet when a team wins a conference tournament with senior talent as St. Joseph's has you're going to see value drop. But the Bearcats defense is that St. Joseph's is not accustomed to in the Atlantic 10. I may have passed on this game if the Bearcats offense was of form of year's past, but I think Cronin has recruited better on that end of the floor. Grab the Bearcats.

Dallas +9.5

            No one knows what to make of the Mavericks veteran team. A lot likely will change with the team this offseason but they're still showcasing heart on any given night. I like the fact that they did not let up on the road down 18 multiple times to the Cavs.  Many people would see that as an extreme disadvantage against the hot shooting Warriors but I see it as an opportunity back on their home floor. Grab the value here with the Mavericks.

Detroit -7

            Detroit's rusty play lately presents value on their home floor against a team performing as poorly as anyone in the Sacramento Kings. Detroit's faced some tough defensive teams as of late which has attributed too poorer defense on their part. Tonight they'll get easy shots and poor shot attempts/turnovers from the Kings. Grab Detroit.

Texas A&M -13

            There is not a conference that featured more of a style of an NBA summer league format than the Horizon. Up tempo run and gun teams with little defense. Green Bay rode their offense to a Horizon league conference tournament title but today will face a veteran defensive minded team in A&M. Though Green Bay can score I'm not keen on their defensive abilities for forty minutes. Grab A&M to pull away in this one late.

Stephen F Austin +7.5

            The Big 12 was a superb conference but West Virginia may have been the most over rated of the bunch. Stephen F Austin is the consistent yearly tournament small school that gets over looked to the Wichita State's, Davidson's, and Northern Iowa's of the world. They'll be prepared and played very well against the VCU press two years ago. Grab the value on Stephen F Austin.

USC +2

            Tonight we'll grab USC of the Pac-12 against Providence. The Friars are a team that has caught bettors eyes the entire season. They soared to the top top in non-conference with a win over Arizona and a 14-1 record. After a decline in conference play they caught eyes again with a road win as 14 point underdogs to Villanova. Yet, the Friars struggle to score consistently and perhaps got away with that in a Big East conference that has several teams in that same boat. One team that did not was Xavier who cruised in two wins against the Friars. USC has a similar scoring balance as the Musketeers and boast six athletes that average double figures. Look for the Trojans offense to be too much as the Friars attempt to play catch up. Grab USC.

Utah -9

            The Pac-12 representative Utah Utes have shown great strides as of late. They did lose in the Pac-12 championship in a blowout fashion to Oregon, but overall I like the track they've shown. Fresno State is not a juggernaut shooting team and relies heavily on seniors Marvelle Harris and Guerrero. While a terrific tandem that will attract ATS money, I like the camaraderie of the Utes to prevail ATS. They'll be able to win the interior/perimeter scoring battle along with trips to the free throw line.

Atlanta -7.5

            We'll grab the Hawks today against a Denver team that has had a few days off since losing to Miami. They did perform well in that game but played against a lackluster Heat team as Joe Johnson has hurt their defense and it was D Wade's returning game.

Sacramento -4

            The Kings have had a down period but today we'll grab them against the Pelicans at home. Expect little defense and lots of scoring as neither team is a defensive juggernaut. Yet, I expect the Kings to regain some of the form we saw from them before the All-Star break. Rudy Gay is bound to get back on track tonight.

03/16 04:05 PM  NBA   (603) DALLAS MAVERICKS VS (604) CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (03/16 11:47 AM) edit

Take: (604) CLEVELAND CAVALIERS 

Reason: Cleveland -9.5 Dallas did play the Cavs fairly well a month and a half ago but I don't anticipate them duplicating such efforts tonight. Cleveland has elevated their play since that game and should be able to catch the veteran Mavericks off guard early and often. Grab the Cavs to cruise tonight at home.

Detroit Pistons +1.5

            Detroit's one of those teams that when you want to discount they're going to show up in a big way. I believe they'll do that today after laying a dud a couple of times in the past week. Stanley Johnson is back and I like the backcourt advantage the Pistons have with Jackson/Pope over a tiresome Wizards John Wall led team. Grab Detroit

Miami Heat -6.5

            The Heat been an up and down team but still are playing well even in losses. They return home today against a Denver team that has reshuffled pieces since the All-Star break. Young players such as Gary Harris and rookie Mudiay should struggle against the hustle extended depth of the Heat. Grab Miami

Atlanta -4

         In the last matchup of the Hawks and Pacers we grabbed a slight backdoor cover on the Hawks in thrilling fashion. The Pacers controlled the game the majority of the way before slipping in the last three minutes. Even though the Pacers are playing better than what we saw originally post All-Star break I'm still leery of backing them here. Both teams are coming off games yesterday and I believe the Hawks are worthy backing on their home floor again. Grab the Hawks.

UConn -5.5

         The Huskies are doing what they typically do in March and that is improve by the game. They've covered in three consecutive games against Central Florida, Cincy, and Temple. Sunday, they get the matchup they want again against a Memphis team they've defeated twice on the season. With the Huskies improved offense look for Kevin Ollie's pressure defense to take its toll on the Tigers. Grab UConn

Purdue +5

         Will there be a surprise upset in the Big Ten championship? Lets face it the Spartans are involved in the last game Sunday hours before Selection Sunday. While I doubt they'll be less motivated the superior challenge is there against a Purdue team that rattled the Spartans a few weeks ago. This should be a back and forth contest in which I'll take the Boilermakers extra motivation to get a higher tournament.

Akron -4.5

            In the MAC Championship I'll grab the value on Akron against surging Buffalo. Buffalo defeated Ohio last night and has confidence from being in the Big Dance a season ago. Conference regular season champion Akron has struggled in the conference tournament down 12 to Eastern Michigan with under ten minutes to go, and yesterday surviving against 12th seeded Bowling Green. Yet, today I believe their team balance will be a problem for Buffalo. Grab Akron to win the MAC.

Toronto -5.5

            Toronto looks to creep closer to the Cavaliers as the top seed in the East with today's game against the Heat. I believe they will get closer as they've been a juggernaut offensively on their home floor. Don't forget Miami added Joe Johnson to the starting lineup recently, which has benefitted the Heat. Yet, there comes a time where the offense bogs down with new personnel and I believe we'll see that happen today. Toronto is a dangerous spurt team similar to Golden State. Look for two to three surges to be too much for the Heat.

Texas State +9

         Texas State quietly had one of the best come from behind wins last night over Georgia State. UT-Arlington is a team that has the eyes of bettors with headlining wins in-conference and in non-conference over Memphis and Ohio State. Yet, value lies with Texas State who has the skill position players to take on Arlington. Grab Texas State.

Charlotte -4

         The Hornets continue to be over looked but I'll jump in on them tonight against the Pistons. Detroit has been a bit back and forth since the All-Star break as they try to identify as a team. Charlotte's depth and home court edge should be enough to get us this posting victory ATS.

Cincinnati -2

         The Bearcats are one of the teams that has a team way of handling opponents. Their style has consistently caused problems for the Huskies and I see that happening again Friday. Grab Cincinnati to force UConn's guards into shots that they are uncomfortable with and for the Bearcats to win the battle in transition offensive points.

Georgia Tech +10

         The rally from Georgia Tech last night over Clemson was not a normal rally. You could see the veteran Yellow Jackets awaken a bit as they've been a team on the verge for quite some time. They match up well against the Cavaliers and should be able to ride last night's momentum into a solid performance tonight. Grab the Yellow Jackets.

East Carolina -3

         In today's first game of the American Conference tournament we'll grab East Carolina as slight favorites. Though South Florida has performed better I'm leery of the overall team defense and offensive abilities they have. I'll back the better back court of the Pirates and look for them to get their second victory over South Florida.

Kansas State +12.5

         Folks that have finally been waiting to grab value against Kansas have it here today. Kansas State played Kansas very tough a few weeks back on their home floor as 4.5 point underdogs. Now they're catching a full eight points more. Take the value here.

03/09 06:30 PM  CB   (563) ST. JOHNS VS (564) MARQUETTE (03/09 09:05 AM) edit

Take: (563) ST. JOHNS 

Reason: St John's +6.5 Today's lone play comes with St. Johns against Marquette. The quick rationale here is that Marquette should build upon two close regular season wins over St. John's to showcase their growth. But I believe St. John's is just a poor matchup for Marquette. The Johnnies fight hard and will give the Golden Eagles another battle. Grab the Johnnies plus 6.5.

Furman- +1.5

         After being way off on point spreads yesterday in the Southern Conference, oddsmakers are set to recoup Sunday. After opening as a pick the line has quickly shifted in East Tenn State's favor. Yet, I see Furman landing the victory here. Furman has solid team defense which has shown to cause trouble for East Tenn State's guard reliant lineup. Look for East Tennessee's offensive dry spells to give Furman the advantage here. Defense wins and we'll grab Furman.

Western Carolina +7

         Mid-season I tabbed Western Carolina as the best long shot conference tourney team in the country. They have veteran experience with all five starters being seniors, including the team that pushed Wofford in the Southern Final two years ago. Chattanooga has the flash mold that ex-Southern conference member Davidson exhibited. They have the record that makes you blink twice to see them as just a seven point favorite today. Yet, oddsmakers have this right. Grab Western Carolina +7 and also find a value play at near +600 to win the Soco tournament. Great hedge opportunity for tomorrow.

Memphis -10.5

         In the NBA we'll grab Memphis who takes on Phoenix as an eleven point favorite. Memphis is one of the few teams in the NBA that has shown consistency to bring an A effort against the bottom feeders of the NBA. They've dismantled teams such as Philadelphia and the Lakers. Their offense is growing which should allow them to grab an early lead and run away with Sunday's matchup.

East Carolina +5.5

         Memphis has been a fun team to watch but once again their record and results are not what you'd expect from Josh Pastner and company. There are a handful of teams you can anticipate being flat to conclude the season and I see that being the case with Memphis. Grab East Carolina to cover as a home dog Sunday.

Central Florida +17

         Earlier in the season UConn throttled Central Florida as 8.5 point favorites at Central Florida. I'm leery of seeing such a performance again as UConn has unraveled as the season has neared ending. Central Florida is by no means a balanced team but I expect them to be much more focused than what was exhibited a few weeks back. We'll take the points on a near double point spread from prior.

Dayton -2

            The Flyers have had their issues down the stretch but today I believe we're seeing value on the Flyers against a VCU team that has dominated the Atlantic 10. Over the years Coach Miller has had a knack for knowing how to play against VCU and I believe that'll carry over once again on their home floor. Grab the Flyers as slight home favorites.

Knicks +5.5

            The Knicks showed some heart for the first time in quite a bit last night in a close loss to the Celtics. At home today against a much improved Pistons team you'd figure a let down would be in-store. Instead I'll grab the Knicks as the Pistons are still in a transitional phase with newcomer Tobias Harris and the losses of veterans Ilyasova/Jennings and Stanley Johnson's injury. Play the Knicks plus five.

Duke +2.5

            The Blue Devils have lost games in fashion that we haven't seen in awhile. Last Sunday's loss to Pittsburgh assuredly shook the Blue Devils players and coaching staff. Yet, UNC does not have the physical defense and rebounding skills to put a blowout win on Duke. Duke showed earlier this season they can beat UNC and I think they do it again. Grab Duke.

East Tennessee State -3.5 buy the hook

            East Tennessee State has won both prior matchups against Mercer in improbable fashion. Both games Mercer dominated until the final waning moments. Yet I still see value on ETSU as they know how to win games and Mercer just has not shown the ability to play a full forty minutes of basketball. They were lucky to survive Citadel in the opening round which is troublesome. Do not be surprised to see ETSU jump out early this time around and stun ATS backers of Mercer expecting a game similar to the first two.

Virginia Tech +6

            This is a game I expect to be played at Miami's pace but I don't believe Miami will have the offensive success they've shown recently. Virginia Tech is a confident group that has won in comeback fashion over Florida State, beat Wake Forest on the road, and handled Pittsburgh. They'll look to go into the ACC tournament on a roll. Look for the Hokies to play a much tighter game than the fifteen point loss suffered earlier this season.

Play SMU -4.5

SMU looks to bust the bubble of UConn today and I believe they will. Earlier in conference play UConn defeated SMU on their home floor with a concerted defensive effort. That's tough to match on the road at the height of level they did at home. I'm also leery of the Huskies scoring. Sterling Gibbs and Rodney Purvis are not hitting shots on a consistent enough basis while freshman guard Adams has been erratic. SMU is devalued here as a team that will not be in the post season due to a ban. Yet their offense is too dynamic against a Huskies team that will without a doubt have their lulls. Grab SMU.

Providence -3

         Today we'll grab the Providence Friars as slight home favorites. Going 3-6 over their last nine games has caused the Friars to lose tremendous value ATS. Creighton is a tough team and won that has an early season two-point loss to the Friars on their mind. Yet, I believe at home the Friars will showcase enough offense for an ATS payoff tonight. Grab the Friars.

UCLA +3

         The Ducks look to continue their rise in the top ten as they travel to LA to take on the Bruins. This seems to be a good matchup for UCLA as the Ducks have only played nine road games all season in which they are 3-6 overall. Oregon recent rise may have them a bit over ranked. I'll grab the value on the home Bruins to take care of business.

03/01 06:00 PM  CB   (553) GEORGETOWN VS (554) MARQUETTE edit

Take: (554) MARQUETTE 

Reason: Marquette -3 At this juncture of the season we have two programs heading in the opposite direction. Marquette is building forward with a promising team for next year while Georgetown seems to be a program on the decline. While this matchup has delivered close finishes for the last five years I believe Marquette will distinguish their separation from the Hoyas tonight. Grab Marquette -3

Wake Forest -3.5

            Wake Forest and Virginia Tech are two teams that will drive you crazy watching the runs they go on and give up over the course of a game. Yet here I think Wake Forest on their home floor should prevail. In this angle I'll use the end of season theory for the Demon Deacons. The Hokies are coming off a tremendous come from behind win over Florida State and may come out flat against a team of the same caliber as them in Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons have rose their level of play as of late and should prevail past this number today.

Toronto -1.5

            Detroit was sharp last night for us but today I see the value shifted against them in favor of Toronto. Toronto is playing as fluid of basketball as any team in the NBA with Kyle Lowry and Demar Derozan at the top of their game. Detroit's flaws have been stopping guard penetration and scoring. Toronto has had great success against Detroit over recent years and I see that continuing today. Grab the Raptors

Saint Mary's -8

            Out in the West Coast Conference we'll grab Saint Mary's against San Francisco. San Francisco has difficulty scoring and relies too much on half court defense to keep them in games. I expect Saint Mary's to build a sustainable lead early that wears on the Dons defense. Grab Saint Mary's.

Detroit +1

            Milwaukee has been a juggernaut ATS and has the mold of one of the best young teams in the NBA. Yet Detroit's addition of Tobias Harris just is a different animal to contain as the Pistons look like a team on the cusp. The Bucks are a team reliant on attacking the basket for points and I believe the Pistons can contain half court settings and get some easy transition baskets. Grab Detroit.

Chicago +5

            Portland has caught the attention of the betting world with some eye catching blowout wins over Cleveland and Golden State and other head scratchers like a loss to the Rockets the other night. Chicago is a team that played Portland against their strengths a few months back in a win at Portland. Though Chicago has injuries they're more than capable of winning this game with offense and doing enough defensively. I'll take the five here with the Bulls.

Virginia -3.5

            Virginia is quietly starting to look like a flip-flop team. There's typically 1-2 teams that start off the season with a non-contention caliber look and are able to flip that to a caliber team by season's end. Virginia's defensive capabilities should be a problem against UNC. Though UNC's defense has improved I anticipate the Cavaliers scoring a bit more than typical. Grab the Cavaliers.

Florida State +2

            Notre Dame has had the look of a tired team as they extend their road trip. They lost to Georgia Tech by a point and survived a Wake Forest team without their senior in Devin Thomas. Florida State's youth and size should pose problems for the Irish. We'll grab the Seminoles to finally represent their home court in a big game.

Maryland +4.5

            The Terrapins slide may be a bit exaggerated, as the Big Ten is a difficult Power conference. They did pull away from Michigan last Sunday and I expect the Terrapins to showcase a Top ten performance today against a Purdue team that's shaky at best against strong guard lineups such as Maryland. 

Boston Celtics -5.5

            The Celtics face a Miami Heat team that's been a force post All-Star break. Yet all the Heat games were at home. On the road today against Boston I think we'll see a Celtics team showcase their upper echelon capabilities. Depth is a huge question mark for the Heat which leads me to believe a poor second half stretch should do the job for the Celtics.

DePaul -4.5

            DePaul's declining season presents value today against a St. John's team that was impossible to imagine getting a number less than five months ago. Yet they've showed toughness to battle in games including a near win against Seton Hall this past weekend. Yet, I'll grab DePaul here as they have enough with their starting lineup to take care of the Johnnies.

Play Arizona State +12.5

In the Pac-12 today we'll grab Arizona State plus 12.5. Arizona State is coming off blowout losses at the hands of Arizona/UCLA which has created some ATS value here. The Devils also are just 4-10 in conference play but are not your typical cellar basement team. They've battled in half of those losses and Utah is not an efficient team offensively. We'll grab the points here tonight.

Golden State -8.5

            We'll grab the Warriors as they continue on their east coast trip. They've had some close calls against the Heat and Hawks but tonight I believe they'll open things up early against the Magic. Orlando's added some new pieces and does have size but there still one of the more poorer teams defensively. A couple surges by the Warriors should be enough to get this cover.

Play Lakers +8

            The lone play in both college or NBA Wednesday will be the Lakers plus eight. While the Lakers play and record has been pathetic this season, they've quietly been an under the radar team ATS as of late. They're come from behind ATS cover the other night may leave bettors in position to pounce against them today against Memphis. Yet, I like the way their youth is playing and don't believe the veteran Grizzlies are worthy of such points at this juncture. Grab the Lakers plus eight.

Cleveland State +12.5

            In Horizon action we'll jump in on Cleveland State getting a whopping 12.5 points against Green Bay. Cleveland State did lose by 20 points earlier on their home floor to GB but had a lead in the mid 20's before the unraveling occurred. After a blowout loss to Milwaukee it would seem that Cleveland State doesn't have the fire power to matchup tonight. But I think they'll have better offensive success for a full forty minutes than last time around. Grab Cleveland State as a value play.

Indiana +2

            Indiana and Miami have been the best series to watch this season from an ATS and overall fan of the game. Each time it seems the other team is able to stage a comeback from a deficit. In the last game Miami erased an 18 point late third quarter deficit to force overtime and win. Tonight though I see a game that may actually play to the onset of first quarter action. Miami likely will be without D Wade for a third straight game and that's too much to overcome against a tall defensive Pacers team. Miami can get away with playing great defense in certain instances but Indiana has too much familiarity with their lineup. Grab Indiana.

Siena -1

            We'll grab a rare MAAC action play as Siena hosts Iona today. Siena is the MAAC team that draws the least fanfare. Iona has the minds from past years as an NIT and March Madness team for the past four seasons. Monmouth has the eyes of this year with their sideline theatrics, while Siena has been over looked. They're the better ball club and on their home floor I'm willing to ride the success they used to stage a 30-15 run to defeat Iona nine days ago. Grab Siena.

Wake Forest -8

            Even though Boston College has shown the ability to cover games there is no doubting how poor of a club they are. Their recent near win over North Carolina may cause an adverse reaction here in seeing value on them. Instead I'll side with Wake Forest who is a team that had the talent but underachieved as the mix of upperclassmen and youth did not blend together. Against Boston College I would not be surprised for us to see an out of nowhere exhibit from the Demon Deacons. We'll grab Wake Forest as they should cruise at home.

Boston Celtics -2

            About a month ago we had the Celtics at home against the Nuggets in what was a poor back door loss. Boston blew a 20 point fourth quarter lead to allow two chippies in the final minute for an eight point win on a 9.5 point spread. We'll go with them here on the road as I believe we'll see a better defensive effort than what we saw from the Celtics in that home game. Too much value here against a Denver club that overachieved leading up to the All Star break.

Play Central Florida +9

            Central Florida has been an agonizing team for myself and others to watch but there comes a point and time where a team has to buckle down. Central Florida displayed better defense against Memphis on the road but did not have the offense to match. On their home floor we have a prime opportunity on a continual number to get an ATS cover today against a Tulsa team that is prone to offensive droughts. Grab the plus nine here.

Utah State +4.5

            Out in the Mountain West we'll look for value on the Utah State Aggies on the road against Fresno State. Utah State has miffed oddsmakers with recent strong home wins out of nowhere against New Mexico 8 and Colorado State by 13. Instead of seeing a letdown on the road against Fresno State, I see this as an opportunity to continue to pounce on a Utah State team that has recreated ATS value towards the end of conference play. Grab the Aggies.

Kansas -4.5

            I have Kansas as my pre-season odds on favorite to win the title at 16-1 dating back to last May. Things have not changed in late February. While the Big 12 has been a strong conference I'm a firm believer in grabbing future value on teams late in the season in tough spots. This Kansas team has to show they can play in a March Madness type of environment on the road against their in-state rival K State. Assuredly they may face a deficit but I expect a comeback similar to their win against Kentucky and enough to get the cover.

East Tennessee State +3.5

            In the earlier meeting between East Tenn State and Mercer, East Tennessee State had a tremendous late rally to defeat Mercer. It was a true sloppy performance from East Tennessee State that is sure to draw attention on value for Mercer today. But I believe the tail end offense East Tenn State found with dribble penetration will carry over to today's game. Mercer is not the same juggernaut as last year and East Tenn State is a poised group of veterans. Grab East Tenn State as small dogs.

Richmond +9

            The Spiders are in a dire need to duplicate last year's six-game win streak to conclude the regular season. To do so they'll need to defeat the hottest team in the Atlantic 10 in the VCU Rams who are 11-2 in conference. Yet, these two teams have played close games with two of four matchups in the last two years going to overtime. I like the Spiders to play a solid game tonight on the road against the Rams. Grab the Spiders

Play Central Florida +12

            Wednesday, we'll head to the American conference were lowly Central Florida is catching a near nine-point swing spread advantage since they were 3.5 point dogs at home against Memphis a few weeks back. Surely, Central Florida has been one of the toughest teams to ever consider backing but I believe this is a spot suited for such cause. Memphis is not a defensive juggernaut team and were as proficient offensively as they've been all season in their rout win over Central Florida a few weeks back. Grab Central Florida as Wednesday's value play.

02/15 04:00 PM  CB   (717) WESTERN CAROLINA VS (718) EAST TENN STATE (02/15 02:19 AM) edit

Take: (717) WESTERN CAROLINA 

Reason: Play Western Carolina +7.5 We'll grab the Catamounts Monday as the lone ATS play. Earlier in January the Buccaneers wiped the Catamounts out early and held a 31-13 lead right off the bat. That's a steep deficit to come back from as the game never got closer than 55-45. Yet, as conference play has extended teams are starting to figure out the Buccaneers lineup led by Cincinnati transfer Ge'Lawn Guyn, Missouri transfer Deuce Bello, and guard TJ Cromer. I expect the Catamounts to play much better this time around as they're on a three game winning streak and have four seniors anxious to have a shot to position themselves for a Southern Conference tourney run. Grab the Catamounts

USC +9

            Both the Trojans and Wildcats play their second game in 48 hours after playing Friday night. The Trojans will look to avenge a poor loss in Tempe to Arizona State while the Wildcats rallied back in nice fashion against the Bruins. USC's prolific offense should do similar damage that they did in scoring 103 points against the Wildcats in January. In the end this is too many points against a Trojan team that deserves to remain ranked in the top 25.

Florida St +1

            This is the point of the season where you can find value on teams with maturing freshman. Malik Beasley and Dwayne Bacon of Florida State are both averaging over 16 points a game for the Seminoles. After losing in double digit fashion to the Hurricanes in January I believe the Seminoles can split the series on their home floor. Miami offensively has been playing a bit over their heads. Look for a down to Earth game from the Hurricanes.

North Carolina -10

            The Tar Heels look to respond at home after a dreadful three game road trip. North Carolina lost consecutive games on the trip and nearly a third against Boston College. This is an opportunity for the Tar Heels to reclassify themselves as a legit final four contender. I think they get it done against a Pittsburgh team that has lost the defensive touch of prior Jamie Dixon Big East teams. UNC's fire power will be too overwhelming for the Panthers.

Duke -2

            Saturday's board features optimal point spreads from morning, afternoon, and evening games. For all of Duke's losses this season should they be discounted this heavily on their home floor against Virginia? Sure, Virginia's made some strides but their offense is pedestrian at stretches in games. Duke's ability to score in multiple ways will offset the rebounding edge Virginia will get. Grab Duke on their home floor Saturday.

Play Syracuse -2.5

            Since Syracuse joined the ACC there has been one team in particular that their zone defense has thrived against---Florida State.  Florida State recruits the same mold of athletic smaller guards and physical big men. That's troublesome against an active zone. Perimeter guards around 6'1-6'3 struggle to find lanes and areas to shoot over the top of the zone. Inside Florida State's big men have been prone to turnovers on set zone traps. Syracuse is good for 5-7 wins a year on their zone defense alone and this is a good spot for it. Grab the Cuse.

Play Oakland -5.5

            Out in the Horizon conference we'll look to grab Oakland as they take on Milwaukee. I see this is as a value spot as Milwaukee suffered a loss Saturday at the hands of Northern Kentucky. While Milwaukee's offense has been proficient their defense is a bit behind to take on the task of handling a strong Oakland team. In what should be a good game we'll grab the value on Oakland here.

Rockets- +5.5

            You'd expect the Rockets to have the tired legs after playing last night against Golden State but I expect it to be the Trailblazers. Portland played a long overtime grind out affair against the Grizzlies. Both Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum shot below 50% and attempted over 20 shots. Their shots were crafty off the dribble and dribble drive attempts. Unlike the Rockets who shot in an open court contest all night long against the Warriors. Also the Rockets laid a dud just a few nights before against this Trailblazers team. We'll grab the value here in the Rockets.

Utah -9.5

            Wednesday we'll look for Utah to get back in the win column in a big way against the youth of the Washington Huskies. Utah defeated Washington on the road earlier this season in overtime. While many may see value here I think Utah is primed for a big win. They've suffered back to back defeats to the hands of Oregon State and Oregon. Yet they're back home here and have the upper edge in senior leadership to pick a part the Huskies a second time around. Grab the Utes.

Clippers- Pick

            Boston's coming off a loss last night against the Milwaukee Bucks in which they erased an 18 point fourth quarter deficit to tie the game at 109. Two sequences of highs and lows then occurred. A lay in by Greg Monroe with one second left made it 111-109 before Boston tied it again with two free throws. Then a mental error by Marcus Smart drew two free throws to give the Bucks the victory. That's as mentally taxing of a loss a team can sustain and this is coming before an elongated All Star break. The Clippers on the other hand got away with a win against the hapless 76ers. But in watching that game it was not the effort. Shots just were not falling as customarily for the Clippers. They have their legs back underneath them and I expect the Clippers to come out strong and hold on for a road win against the Celtics.

Pacers -3.5

            Though I was very impressed with the Bobcats performance against the Bulls, the Bulls were without their main players and the bench of Hinrich/Brooks/McDermott isn't as stellar as in years past. I do believe eventually the Bobcats will see some rust from Kidd-Gilchrist and tonight could be that night against the physical size/strength of the Pacers. George Hill and Paul George are matchup nightmares for the undersized Bobcats. Grab the Pacers at home to show their home court connection tonight.

Villanova -13.5

            We'll grab the Wildcats on the road Tuesday. Villanova's new ranking as a number one team is sure to turn heads. Have they looked and played like a number one team, no? But by being in the Big East they're able to avoid the torture of other power conferences. DePaul is who they are and are a weak defensive and struggling offensive team. Sure they had their moments in a win over George Washington and Providence but overall have regressed from last season. Look for the Wildcats to capitalize tonight.

Bucks +4.5

            The Bucks did come up short on their west coast trip but showed some grit in close games against the Kings, Jazz, and other opponents. This is a great opportunity for them to capitalize at home before the break against an over achieving Boston Celtics team. Boston's offense has been proficient but their defense as a whole has faltered as of late. At home with young talent we'll grab the Bucks Tuesday.

Bulls +6--Analysis to Follow

We're grabbing the Bulls at +6 Monday as the lone ATS play of the day. I see high value on a team that's lost three of their last four games, has two players out (Butler, Mirotic), and is wrapping up the last game of a seven game road trip. This is the fourth matchup between the two teams and although the Hornets are the healthier team---both know each others offensive/defensive sets well. In the other three matchups the Bulls were favored in all by 3.5, 5.5, and 6.5 points. We'll grab the line reversal here on the Bulls.

Play Clippers -9

            The notion here would be to grab the 76ers with rationale that the Clippers are due for a let down on their current road trip. Instead, I see this is as one of the best bargains of value ATS this NBA season. The 76ers have lured bettors with covers and close calls recently including a come from behind finish against the Warriors. Yet, the Clippers depth is perfect for this road spot. Jamal Crawford is excelling at the moment along with JJ Redick, CP3, and DeAndre Jordan. The bench is also contributing high value with Paul Pierce, Lance Stephenson, and Wesley Johnson. Grab the Clippers who will remain focused with eyes on rest during All Star break.

OKC +8

            When the Warriors and Thunder meet in the western conference finals/quarterfinals you will not catch an eight point spread in the playoffs. Yet, it's here in the regular season and we'll jump all over it. Yes, Golden State has been dominant but the Thunder can obviously do the same amount of scoring when they want. Defensively, the Thunder play under their capabilities on a nightly basis but in this level of a game I expect to see a better effort. Grab the Thunder.

North Carolina -2.5

            This is a trap ridden game based on the spread and recent result of the Tar Heels. Notre Dame has showcased this season in big matchups that they just aren't ready with the junior filled team they have. Maybe next year will be their time to shine. UNC has a senior based team and a  poor taste in their mouth from blowing a large lead in the ACC tournament last year. While the Tar Heels may have lost to the Cardinal, I was impressed with the increase on the defensive end of the floor from them.

Northern Kentucky +5.5

            Out in Horizon conference play we'll grab value on Northern Kentucky against Milwaukee. Northern Kentucky we won against Milwaukee and they also did not cover at home against Oakland. The third time will be the charm against a Milwaukee team losing its luster a bit. Grab Northern Kentucky.

Auburn +10

            Now is finally a time that the Tigers have ATS value. After being slaughtered throughout conference play, the Tigers get an opponent in the Bulldogs who have been up and down. Look for the Tigers upper classmen in Bowers, Harris, etc to keep them in this one.

Arizona -4

            Arizona survived a scare against Washington State and now get to finish the Washington road trip against the Huskies. I see growth occurring for the Wildcats and while they may not be their typical juggernaut they'll be ready in March. Grab the Wildcats to show tenacity tonight against the Huskies.

BYU -17

            We were on this game earlier this season with Pacific +9.5-10 at home. In a game that was tight throughout ballooned in quick fashion midway through the second half. Instead of seeing value on a 7 point adjustment from the first outing, I see value on the Cougars who can score and run at will against Pacific. Grab the Cougars.

Eastern Michigan +6.5

            Buffalo has showed some of the holdover talent from Bobby Hurley has paid dividends, yet they've under achieved when they face solid defenses. Eastern Michigan has that and should be able to score enough in transition to stay within this spread.

Georgia State -1

            Down in the Sun Belt conference the game of the day belongs to Georgia State versus UT Arlington. Of course UT Arlington has caught the flare of sports bettors with early season wins over Ohio State and company. Yet, Georgia State has the lulling defense/offense that I like in a home court setting in a smaller conference. Grab the Panthers as slight favorites.