01/31 11:00 AM  CB   (571) WISC GREEN BAY VS (572) CLEVELAND STATE edit

Take: (572) CLEVELAND STATE 

Reason: Play Cleveland State plus 2 The records may fool some bettors in this game as Green Bay has a wide margin of difference from Cleveland State. On court though this is going to be a tight game. Green Bay has a much more free flowing offense that tends to boost their lackluster defensive effort. Cleveland State on the other hand is aggressive defensively and makes timely buckets on the offensive end. I expect Cleveland State to play their A game Saturday at home against the class of the horizon. Grab Cleveland State Saturday.

01/30 07:00 PM  CB   (841) KENT STATE VS (842) BUFFALO edit

Take: (842) BUFFALO 

Reason: Play Buffalo -6 Even though Buffalo has more MAC losses and overall losses than Kent State, Buffalo should be right in contention for the automatic tournament seeding for March Madness for the MAC. This is a big game for them at home after two road losses and a come from behind win in their latest outing. They need to show balance out the gate on the defensive end to match their offense. They should get it done. Grab Buffalo minus the points.

01/30 04:00 PM  CB   (833) QUINNIPIAC VS (834) CANISIUS edit

Take: (834) CANISIUS 

Reason: Play Canisius -4 Canisius has not fully recovered from losing graduating senior Billy Baron from last year's team, but are making gradual strides with increased production from several players. Quinnipiac is not a team that is going to win against a quality opponent by matching a team bucket for bucket. They are unlike most MAAC teams because they try to excel on defense. This is a good spot for a Canisius team that faced a stronger defense in their last opponent in Rider, to show that they learned from that poor outing and answer strong at home

01/29 04:00 PM  CB   (511) MARYLAND VS (512) OHIO STATE edit

Take: (511) MARYLAND 

Reason: Maryland plus 8 Ohio State is on a roll offensively. They've piled up points against Indiana recently and are averaging 16th in the country with 80 points per game. I don't believe Maryland will let Ohio State play to that style. The Terrapins lost in a game with such pace against Indiana recently. A solid B effort defensively from Maryland will keep this within range of the 8. Expect the ranked Maryland team that has swept Michigan State, beat Oklahoma State on the road, and has had other solid wins.

01/29 04:00 PM  CB   (523) YOUNGSTOWN STATE VS (524) DETROIT edit

Take: (523) YOUNGSTOWN STATE 

Reason: Play Youngstown State plus 9.5 This is the classic case where bettors will be trying to pounce against Youngstown State after they grabbed their first Horizon league win against UIC. Detroit has found a bit of offense lately but I'm not sure they have the perimeter defenders to lock down Youngstown State's 3 point shooting. Youngstown State is averaging six three's a game. If they get to that number or higher they should grab this cover with ease.

01/28 04:00 PM  CB   (727) DUQUESNE VS (728) RICHMOND edit

Take: (727) DUQUESNE 

Reason: Play Duquense plus 12.5 This line has dropped a full point for good reason. The last game by Duquesne had more to do with not having recovered from an overtime loss to St. Bonaventure. A game they held a big lead and let get away. They played against George Washington less than 48 hours later and were not recovered as a team. Still they fought hard in a lopsided game against George Washington to nearly get the spread cover. Richmond is a great home team but does not have the consistent offense for this large of a spread. Look for Duquesne to keep this under ten.

01/27 04:00 PM  CB   (525) OHIO VS (526) EASTERN MICHIGAN edit

Take: (526) EASTERN MICHIGAN 

Reason: Eastern Michigan -5, Eastern Michigan has vastly underperformed in MAC play. They are coming off two road losses against quality opponents in Central Michigan and Bowling Green. Two teams playing solid basketball right now. Before their two game road stretch they lost several close games in conference. Look for Eastern Michigan to finally balance their defense with some offensive output and get a spread cover and win at home against Ohio.

01/25 11:00 AM  CB   (831) DUKE VS (832) ST. JOHNS edit

Take: (832) ST. JOHNS 

Reason: Play St. Johns plus 6.5 Coach K looks to reach the 1,000 win mark at MSG Sunday against St. Johns. This should be a fantastic game. In past matchups against St. Johns, Duke has struggled. The Johnnies have the lineup to be a top 15-20 team in the country but have struggled with consistency with a veteran team. The matchup itself plus increased focus to prevent Coach K's 1000th win should be enough to drive this team for forty minutes. Chris Obekpa inside should be the first big man that can give Okafor a solid matchup. Obekpa is one of the top shot blockers in the country and will make things difficult for Okafor around the paint. Duke is also going to have a tough time containing St. John's Rysheed Jordan, Harrison, and Pointer. Even though all three are defensive liabilities at times they can also dig deep and come together as a group. Grab the Johnnies plus 6.5.

01/24 09:00 PM  CB   (663) CAL IRVINE VS (664) HAWAII edit

Take: (663) CAL IRVINE 

Reason: Play Cal Irvine plus 1.5 It took some time for Cal Irvine to regain their look of a season ago. Without N'Diaye on the floor the first time around, Irvine struggled to fill his role. Now that he is out a second time around Irvine seems to be responding better as a team. They played a great game on both ends of the floor against Cal State Northridge, a team that just won two games as steep underdogs. I expect Irvine to continue to ride their win streak and push it to four against a Hawaii team that is susceptible for stretches of games. That's a good recipe to go against with the way Irvine is ascending as a team.

01/24 01:00 PM  CB   (645) NEW MEXICO VS (646) WYOMING edit

Take: (645) NEW MEXICO 

Reason: Play New Mexico plus 6 This may not be New Mexico's best team over the last four to five years but they have a team that has no "me" players. The coaching staff does a great job with substitutions and that is a huge key in an environment like Wyoming. Against UNLV, New Mexico had 9 players play over 13 minutes. Wyoming is an athletic team but the size of New Mexico should prevent continuous easy layups/dunks. Coaching should be enough to cover the six point number in this one

01/22 08:00 PM  CB   (583) ARIZONA STATE VS (584) CALIFORNIA edit

Take: (584) CALIFORNIA 

Reason: Play Cal -2 Both ASU and California's seasons have not went as well as they were going outside of conference play. They're both playing hard on both ends of the floor and staying in games but can't hang on when it matters down the stretch. In the end ASU's inexperience on the court should play into the hands of a veteran California team. Grab Cal as the slight favorites at home tonight

01/22 07:00 PM  CB   (573) CS FULLERTON VS (574) CAL POLY SLO edit

Take: (573) CS FULLERTON 

Reason: Play CS Fullerton plus 7.5 Cal Poly is the type of team that wants to be in the game with a chance to win in the final five minutes. They don't care about scoring the basketball quickly and rely on sound defense. Teams in their conference have figured out their style and used it against them. They've lost three games in a row and failed to score above 50 points in each game. They may not be turning the basketball over but they are not shooting the ball at a high percentage either. This is allowing teams to attack in transition for high percentage shots and score at the free throw line. CS Fullerton has some capable scorers and I expect them to keep this game within a high number of 7.5-8.

01/22 05:00 PM  CB   (545) NORTH CAROLINA STATE VS (546) MIAMI FLORIDA edit

Take: (545) NORTH CAROLINA STATE 

Reason: Play NC State plus 5.5 Miami's stomping win over Duke is still in bettors minds but they still have five overall losses in their last ten games. They're a young group with a couple of transfers that have not been able to withstand cold shooting and defensive lulls. The ACC is a conference from top to near bottom where separation is very thin. NC State is the type of team that can lock down defensively as a unit with length and athleticism, and also run efficient offensive sets. Look for NC State to hang in this game on the road in Miami.

01/21 04:00 PM  CB   (725) MASSACHUSETTS VS (726) ST. JOSEPHS edit

Take: (726) ST. JOSEPHS 

Reason: Play St. Josephs Both of these programs have taken a step back from where they were a season ago. St. Josephs has been a team that plays hard from start to finish no matter what the score is. Five of their nine losses were by four points or less. That's the sign of a young team not finishing off a game. But what I like even more is the heart they've shown in games they were down by 20-30 points against George Washington and VCU. They shaved both of those leads late and covered ATS. Look for St. Josephs to finally get a close game finish on their side and beat a UMASS team that plays a bit weaker on the road on defense and offense.

01/21 04:00 PM  CB   (727) NORTH CAROLINA VS (728) WAKE FOREST edit

Take: (728) WAKE FOREST 

Reason: Play Wake Forest plus 8 Danny Manning has his young Wake Forest team playing hard each and every game. They've been in close matchups against Louisville, Syracuse, and Duke and seem to be growing as a team as the season stretches on. Last year the Demon Deacons upset North Carolina at home. They'll need to figure out a way to corral rebounds against a taller North Carolina team but I believe the hunger they've displayed lately will lead them to a closer game than an 8 point line.

01/21 04:00 PM  CB   (745) BUFFALO VS (746) CENTRAL MICHIGAN edit

Take: (746) CENTRAL MICHIGAN 

Reason: Play Central Michigan -2  This should be one of the best games off the radar in college hoops today. Central Michigan has curiously dropped two of their last three MAC games after starting the season with just one loss. Sometimes it takes a rude awakening in conference play for a team to regroup. Buffalo has talent as well but not enough on the defensive side to get this win on the road against a team in need of a win in Central Michigan.

Play Villanova -4

Villanova has shown that it can play down to the level of their competition as they have done against NJIT and Penn. They also have shown that when they want to they can hit another gear, which they did so in both of those games in the last ten minutes and have done so against Illinois, Michigan,Xavier, St. Johns, and VCU--covering all five contests. Georgetown is one of those fringe teams that could be a top 25 team if they had one more key piece. On the inside Josh Smith's effectiveness in non-conference play has been cut short dramatically in-conference. To be blunt he is not in Big East shape. In the backcourt Smith-Rivera is going to have an extremely tough challenge facing the press defense of Villanova and the Hoyas do not have a main second option to alleviate the pressure off of him. Nova has too much fire power and should be able to control all phases of this game in a tough environment in Washington DC.

Play Green Bay +7.5

For an NFC Title game you would think the Packers were a 6th seed that made it this far with the point spread. Seattle has been a money backer as of late and seem to be getting a bit too much value in this one. Green Bay's balanced offensive attack is going to be extremely tough for Seattle to shut down. Defensively Green Bay can do just enough to keep the Seahawks out of the end zone and keep this close. In the end 7.5 is too many points. Grab the Packers.

01/18 11:30 AM  CB   (813) ST. JOHNS VS (814) DEPAUL edit

Take: (814) DEPAUL 

Reason: Play DePaul plus 6 St Johns played in arguably their best game of the season on the road at Providence in a win in their last outing after three straight defeats. That game did not feature much different from the Johnnies usual recipe. They still took rushed shots and were able to hold off a cold-shooting Providence team. DePaul has been a team that is playing 2-3 notches better as a team at home than on the road. Their doing so with proper balance offensively and great shooting. Their latest loss to Georgetown was lost because the Hoyas had a 2 to 1 differential at the free throw line in makes. Look for DePaul to hang in this one at home plus six.

01/18 11:00 AM  CB   (829) RIDER VS (830) MANHATTAN edit

Take: (830) MANHATTAN 

Reason: Play Manhattan -3 Both of these teams know they likely meet three times, twice in conference play and in the MAAC conference tournament. Rider has had two transfers fill in nicely including big man Lopez who just recently was declared eligible. Yet there starting to show signs of hitting a wall on the offensive end. Manhattan should be able to build some sizeable leads at home and take advantage of the Broncs

01/17 04:00 PM  CB   (707) WESTERN CAROLINA VS (708) WOFFORD edit

Take: (707) WESTERN CAROLINA 

Reason: Play Western Carolina plus 8 Wofford is 13-5 and on paper seems like the head and shoulders better team than Western Carolina. They could be but I think we're getting a solid extra 3-4 ATS points in this game. Wofford's style of play bodes to shut down limited offenses and scoring in effective half court sets with Carl Kockhran leading the way. Western Carolina is not your average mid-tier school from an offensive standpoint. They have a solid 3-4 guys that can score the basketball. That should give Wofford trouble as they have limitations on the offensive end and are not typically going to score more than 65-68 points. Play Western Carolina plus 8.

01/17 01:00 PM  CB   (579) GEORGIA TECH VS (580) PITTSBURGH edit

Take: (580) PITTSBURGH 

Reason: Play Pittsburgh -5 This line may move down a half point based on the totality of these two teams this season. But I still like Pittsburgh to get the cash in this one. Sometimes when you have a heavy transfer team like Georgia Tech you're going to hit a major wall in conference play. I believe Tech's downfall is here as they lost another tough game to Notre Dame after leading the majority of it. Pittsburgh has a great group of defensive talent at all five spots and I think they'll be able to finally get some transition baskets off a rusty Georgia Tech team. Even though Pittsburgh is having a down season, playing at the Zoo is still one of the top 10-15 venues for any team to play at. Grab Pittsburgh -5.

01/17 01:00 PM  CB   (581) SYRACUSE VS (582) CLEMSON edit

Take: (581) SYRACUSE 

Reason: Play Syracuse -1 Syracuse quietly is flying under the radar of college basketball. They're 13-4 and made their turn around during an OT loss to Villanova---a game they had in hand from the start. They're not going to get ranked this season but have a chance to still make the NCAA tournament. With Chris McCullough out for the season with a torn ACL many don't believe Syracuse has the depth to last through ACC play. But I beg to differ. Tyler Roberson has filled in well with his size to play alongside Rakeem Christmas on the backside of the zone. Christmas has played as well as any big man in the country and has received upgraded play from Trevor Cooney and Michael Gbinije. Clemson struggled a year ago against the zone and as a team are only shooting 29% from the three point range. This is a zone defense dream for Coach Boeheim as he can compact the zone and force Clemson to take three point shots that they are ineffective at. Syracuse will have offensive lulls of their own but in the end they should get enough from the rising play of Cooney, Gbinije, Christmas, and their zone to pull this out at Clemson.

01/17 12:30 PM  CB   (577) GEORGIA STATE VS (578) APPALACHIAN STATE edit

Take: (578) APPALACHIAN STATE 

Reason: Play Appalachian State plus 10.5 Appalachian State may be a 4-10 team but they've had displays of solid basketball against Georgia Tech and Charlotte. They also beat Virginia Tech and lost to Alabama by one point. Georgia State is one of those small school teams that attracts bettors money because of potential NBA prospect RJ Hunter, Louisville transfer Kevin Ware, and Kentucky transfer Ryan Harrow. They can be explosive on occasion, but poor shot selection from Hunter and bad decisions by Harrow are tough to take on for a favorite of 10.5 on the road. They're also a subpar defensive team. Take App State plus 10.5.

01/17 08:00 AM  CB   (517) TULSA VS (518) SOUTH FLORIDA edit

Take: (518) SOUTH FLORIDA 

Reason: Play South Florida plus 6.5 Tulsa is off to a great start in conference play by defeating Houston, Central Florida, UConn, and Temple. In three of the four games they have done so with sound defense, timely baskets, and horrendous offense from opposing teams. South Florida at home in an early start should bold well for the home team. 6.5-7 points is a steep number for a team that is struggling like Tulsa is on the offensive end. South Florida gets 1-3 advantage games over the last ten years even with mediocre talent. Traveling to Tampa, Florida is one of the hardest travel cities for the American and former Big East conference. Grab the Bulls plus the points.

01/16 07:35 PM  NBA   (825) CLEVELAND CAVALIERS VS (826) LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS edit

Take: (825) CLEVELAND CAVALIERS 

Reason: Play Cleveland plus 8 Cleveland is in a bit of limbo with LeBron back and all the latest trades/offseason acquisitions trying to perform together. It'll take some time but one thing LeBron has always been able to do on teams is decide when to turn the on-button on. Trades happened while he was hurt for key above average talent. I'm sure the goal was to go on a mini-spurt before the All-Star break and continue to grow as a team from there. The Cavs are coming off a game last night and their performance in general has this line a bit inflated. The Clippers struggle for stretches especially at home. With national tv eyes just on this Cavs team days ago against Phoenix (in which they were down 18) I think there is value on the dog here. Take Cleveland.

01/15 07:00 PM  CB   (547) CS NORTHRIDGE VS (548) CAL SANTA BARBARA edit

Take: (547) CS NORTHRIDGE 

Reason: Play CS Northridge plus 13 Cal State Northridge has had their issues off the court with several players being suspended. The bulk of the team have been starters for 3 seasons. Their on-court play has not resembled a team that improved a season ago but the talent is still there. I do not expect CS Barbara to cover a steep line of 13 points.

01/15 04:00 PM  CB   (517) WISC GREEN BAY VS (518) OAKLAND edit

Take: (518) OAKLAND 

Reason: Oakland plus 7 Wisconsin Green-Bay has surged as of late and are looking like the clear run away team in the Horizon league. Oakland has played solid basketball in spurts but if they put it together for 40 minutes they have a chance to win this game outright. I expect Oakland to rise to the occasion in a matchup against their top rival in-conference.

01/12 04:35 PM  NBA   (701) HOUSTON ROCKETS VS (702) BROOKLYN NETS edit

Take: (702) BROOKLYN NETS 

Reason: Play Brooklyn plus 6.5 The Rockets are playing sound basketball which featured five solid games besides a fourth quarter collapse against the Bulls. Brooklyn may be on a losing streak of five games but they've been competitive in all. There should be an added edge of points for the home dog Nets. Look for them to cover the six at home

01/11 01:40 PM  NFL   (119) INDIANAPOLIS COLTS VS (120) DENVER BRONCOS edit

Take: (120) DENVER BRONCOS 

Reason: Denver -7 Andrew Luck has done a great job with this Colts team but the fact of the matter is the talent around him is just not viable to beat this Broncos team. Earlier in the season the Broncos let a large lead slip on Sunday night football versus this Colts team to lose the cover by a half point. The defense and offense both let their foots off the gas. They have Super Bowl on their mind and I expect them to play a strong game from start to finish.

01/11 10:05 AM  NFL   (117) DALLAS COWBOYS VS (118) GREEN BAY PACKERS edit

Take: (117) DALLAS COWBOYS 

Reason: Dallas plus 6 This line has went down from an original line that was off a bit. This is where the line should be and I expect Dallas to play with much better energy than they did a week ago. This should be the best game of the weekend and I expect it to come down to the wire. Grab the points with Dallas

01/10 04:00 PM  CB   (633) SAINT LOUIS VS (634) DAVIDSON edit

Take: (634) DAVIDSON 

Reason: Play Davidson -13.5 For as solid as Saint Louis was in their last game against George Washington, they still allowed two big offensive runs by a team that is not an offensive team. Davidson's scoring ability is right up there with one of the best running offense's in the country. It'll be very difficult for Saint Louis to match this Davidson team on the road. This should be an A10 statement game for Davidson---the newcomer from the Southern Conference.

01/10 04:00 PM  CB   (635) NC CHARLOTTE VS (636) MARSHALL edit

Take: (635) NC CHARLOTTE 

Reason: Play NC Charlotte -6 NC Charlotte has driven their fans and bettors crazy with their underachieving play to start the season. The talent is there but for some reason the play has not been. Their head coach Alan Major took an indefinite leave of absence before their last game against Western Kentucky. They fought hard in that game but came up short in the final five minutes to cost bettors yet again. I think the green light is finally upon us for this NC Charlotte team. Without their inconsistent play this line would easily be 8.5-9.5 points. This is great value and Charlotte should finally put up a quality game against an overwhelmed Marshall team.

01/10 03:00 PM  CB   (621) PEPPERDINE VS (622) SAN DIEGO edit

Take: (622) SAN DIEGO 

Reason: Play San Diego -5 This is one of the golden opportunities in a college season where you can capitalize off a late game scenario less than 48 hours ago. Pepperdine is coming off a thrilling win over BYU in which they were 15 point underdogs---they led the entire game. That game was a late night fare on Thursday which means the team traveled back to campus at Pepperdine for sleep and walk throughs Friday. They probably bused to San Diego midday. These are college kids. The emotional high from that win is probably still pumping through their veins. San Diego isn't a blow you out of the gym team, but they play sound basketball. Expect Pepperdine to come out sluggish or to fall apart in the final ten minutes. Play SD.

01/10 02:30 PM  CB   (609) OLD DOMINION VS (610) WESTERN KENTUCKY edit

Take: (609) OLD DOMINION 

Reason: Play Old Dominion -1.5 This Old Dominion team is not a one week enter and exit top 25 ranked mid-major school that we are use to seeing. This team has balance and it shows on both ends of the floor. Western Kentucky surely will come out with strong intensity to try and knock off the only team ranked in Conference USA, but in the end ODU will come out victorious and keep their ranking.

01/10 01:00 PM  CB   (683) THE CITADEL VS (684) MERCER edit

Take: (683) THE CITADEL 

Reason: Play Citadel plus 11 Mercer's play as of late has vastly improved but not to the extent to be favored by double digits against an opponent. Citadel has shown to be a much improved veteran team with the same core of players from last year's bunch that struggled mightily. While Mercer's rotation has been much more set and solid I do not see them covering a double digit spread against Citadel.

01/10 01:00 PM  CB   (583) DEPAUL VS (584) VILLANOVA edit

Take: (584) VILLANOVA 

Reason: Play Villanova -21 Money is going to likely come in on DePaul after three outright wins as underdogs to Marquette, Xavier, and Creighton. Villanova is a different beast though and I expect Jay Wright's team to keep the momentum going that they've displayed both offensively and defensively. This is an overmatch play where the line may bait people to take the underdog. Lay the points with Nova.

01/10 12:00 PM  CB   (569) LOUISIANA TECH VS (570) TEXAS SAN ANTONIO edit

Take: (570) TEXAS SAN ANTONIO 

Reason: Play UT San Antonio plus 10.5 Were seeing some extra points being given to UT San Antonio because of the beat down LTech put on UTEP the other night. Former Orlando Magic guard Brooks Thompson has done a sound job with this UT San Antonio team and I expect them to be prepared defensively to limit Tech's two standout players in Kyser and Hamilton. 10.5 is a good number for the dog in this spot.

01/10 08:00 AM  CB   (519) CINCINNATI VS (520) CONNECTICUT edit

Take: (519) CINCINNATI 

Reason: Cincinnati plus 4.5 For as sound as UConn's defense has been lately, Cincinnati has the type of style that can impose itself on defense as well. The Bearcats have an edge in the interior with size and strength over Brimah and Daniel Hamilton of UConn. Look for Cincinnati to keep UConn's backcourt limited and to cover the 4.5 here.

01/08 05:30 PM  CB   (599) EASTERN KENTUCKY VS (600) TENNESSEE MARTIN edit

Take: (600) TENNESSEE MARTIN 

Reason: Play Tenn Martin plus 3 This should be an under rated game on the card Thursday. Tennessee Martin has some solid talent including UNLV transfer Deville Smith. Tennessee Martin's athletes are going to give Eastern Kentucky some problems. Look for Tennessee Martin to get out to an early lead and do enough in the second half to grab this cover at home. This should be a game that comes down to the last bucket.

01/08 04:00 PM  CB   (587) MERCER VS (588) EAST TENN STATE edit

Take: (587) MERCER 

Reason: Play Mercer plus 4 Two weeks ago this line would have been 5.5 to 6 points. Mercer lost poorly at home to Dartmouth but has since rebounded nicely as a team. They fought a solid Georgia team in overtime and have had some nice wins over the stretch. East Tennessee State style of play bodes well for this Mercer team. Play the plus 4.

01/07 09:00 PM  CB   (793) CAL POLY SLO VS (794) HAWAII edit

Take: (793) CAL POLY SLO 

Reason: Play Cal Poly plus 4 This is a line bait game on Hawaii. They get to face a Cal Poly team that just traveled to Indiana and defeated IPFW. While Hawaii has the sports bettors attraction with wins over Colorado, Nebraska, and an overtime loss to Wichita State recently. You can't be fooled by tournament games around Christmas. That three game stretch by Hawaii was on the 23rd, 24th, and 25th. There was little defense played and the upper hand was in Hawaii's favor for a tournament on their home floor. Obviously scouting reports are limited in those type of tournaments. Cal Poly has a deep veteran team that will be prepared for this Big West matchup. Also Hawaii starts three sophomores and has nine players playing 15 or more minutes. The bench rotation needs to be shortened for Hawaii to allow for more consistent play on the floor and in-conference. Grab Cal Poly in a favorable spread of plus 4.

01/06 06:00 PM  CB   (531) OHIO STATE VS (532) MINNESOTA edit

Take: (532) MINNESOTA 

Reason: Play Minnesota -2 Ohio State has upper classmen that are talented but personnel that will not make it into the NBA. They'll have their fair share of struggles in the Big Ten and likely end up as a 6th-7th seed in the NCAA tournament. Minnesota has solid efficiency on offense that will challenge Ohio State's team to match the same effort. Look for Minnesota to win this game by a much larger number than the spread.

01/06 04:00 PM  CB   (525) SAINT LOUIS VS (526) GEORGE WASHINGTON edit

Take: (525) SAINT LOUIS 

Reason: Play Saint Louis 17.5 George Washington is a solid team that is a borderline top 25 squad as of now. Saint Louis has worked through some issues on the defensive end of the floor that should give George Washington a tough challenge in half court sets. 17.5 is too high of a number in my estimation for an A-10 battle. This is a number that may teeter a few times but I do not see George Washington sustaining the near 18 point cover.

01/06 04:00 PM  CB   (509) CENTRAL FLORIDA VS (510) HOUSTON edit

Take: (509) CENTRAL FLORIDA 

Reason: Play Central Florida plus 7 Central Florida is the type of team that can score points with no problem on the offensive end of the floor. Houston as a team I do not believe has the talent to take advantage of Central Florida's defensive weaknesses enough to cover seven points. Collectively Houston is taking bad shots and does not have the chemistry on offense for this high of a line. Grab Central Florida plus 7.

01/05 07:05 PM  NBA   (717) LOS ANGELES LAKERS VS (718) PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS edit

Take: (717) LOS ANGELES LAKERS 

Reason: Play Lakers plus 12.5 This is a bit of an inflated line as the Trailblazers are coming off a home loss to the Atlanta Hawks. Talent wise the Trailblazers are obviously the better team, but the style of play of these two teams is awfully similar. Look for the Lakers to cash on this high number and play a sound game in Portland.

01/05 04:35 PM  NBA   (703) DALLAS MAVERICKS VS (704) BROOKLYN NETS edit

Take: (703) DALLAS MAVERICKS 

Reason: Play Dallas -6 Both of these teams played Sunday with Dallas playing in Cleveland and the Nets in Miami. Dallas had full control of their game against Cleveland and seemed to do so with flawless effort. I like the synergy this team has on the court right now and think they'll be able to carry it over in a matchup against the Nets. Take the Mavericks Monday -6

01/05 04:00 PM  CB   (731) NOTRE DAME VS (732) NORTH CAROLINA edit

Take: (731) NOTRE DAME 

Reason: Play Notre Dame plus 8 This game is going to be a much tougher test for North Carolina than the line indicates. They've been great at cashing ATS lately with a resounding road cover against Clemson, against Ohio State, and a few small school opponents. But Notre Dame is a team that plays team basketball on offense and matches physically on the defensive end with North Carolina. In North Carolina's resounding wins they've been able to beat opponent's that have clear weaknesses against them. That's not the case tonight against Notre Dame. I expect Notre Dame to play like the higher ranked team that they are tonight and get the ATS cover.

01/04 05:00 PM  CB   (853) LOUISVILLE VS (854) WAKE FOREST edit

Take: (853) LOUISVILLE 

Reason: Play Louisville -12.5 Strange occurrences happened in Louisville's last matchup vs LBState in which Rick Pitino moved two starters to the bench to make a point. That message was heard loud and clear as the Cardinal won a sloppy game against LBState by 15 points. It's hard to win a game sloppy but they were sluggish in all phases. Wake Forest is a team that plays with heart on the offense end but is turnover prone. That doesn't bode well against Louisville's pressure and the fact that Wake Forest plays below average defense. Look for the Cardinal to grab the cover in easy fashion Sunday against Wake Forest.

01/04 04:35 PM  NBA   (807) MILWAUKEE BUCKS VS (808) NEW YORK KNICKS edit

Take: (807) MILWAUKEE BUCKS 

Reason: Play Milwaukee -6 Milwaukee has already made a turn around with a young up and coming bunch paired with Jason Kidd. Jason Kidd doesn't accept let downs and I don't expect that to happen at MSG today. It's no secret that in the front office with Phil Jackson, coaching with Derek Fisher, and on-court personnel just aren't working out over the first few months of this NBA season. Expect Jason Kidd to get his Bucks to a solid win at 

01/03 12:00 PM  NFL   (101) DETROIT LIONS VS (102) DALLAS COWBOYS edit

Take: (101) DETROIT LIONS 

Reason: Play Detroit plus 7.5 Dallas has been a juggernaut all season and it's tough to have faith in this Lions team. But this is a solid matchup for the Lions as opposed to the rest of the field in the NFC (besides Az). Detroit played Dallas a year ago and had the best success witnessed from a wide receiver in a decade with Calvin Johnson. He recorded 330 yards receiving on 14 catches with a td. Things can change quickly in the course of a year but I like the points in this situation. A non-playoff game three to four weeks ago and this game would be a 3.5-4.5 point spread.

01/04 10:00 AM  CB   (829) WISC MILWAUKEE VS (830) DETROIT edit

Take: (830) DETROIT 

Reason: Play Detroit -8 Detroit had money fall on them in their last game against Wright State that proved to be wrong. Today the cash should come as they get to face a demoralized Milwaukee team. Milwaukee played about as good of a game as they could against Cleveland State and led for 28-29 minutes of the game. But the final ten minutes were a team crusher. Milwaukee gave up 57 second half points. Detroit is in search of a solid win and should come out with high energy. After less than 48 hours since their loss to Cleveland State on the road I expect a rusty lethargic Milwaukee team

01/03 08:00 PM  CB   (627) BYU VS (628) SAN FRANCISCO edit

Take: (628) SAN FRANCISCO 

Reason: Play San Francisco plus 5 I fully expect this line to come down before game time. San Francisco has been one of those teams that has played beneath their capability to start the season. Teams in that mold tend to get awoken once conference play begins. In the WCC BYU is the team that gets everyones attention. Expect the Dons to be ready in this one and to keep this within the number.

01/03 05:15 PM  NFL   (103) BALTIMORE RAVENS VS (104) PITTSBURGH STEELERS edit

Take: (104) PITTSBURGH STEELERS 

Reason: Play Pittsburgh -3 The talk is Le'Veon Bell is out. But the pedigree of this Steelers team is built on preparation. A divisional matchup in the playoffs is as tough as it gets. But I like the edge of this Steelers team and the confidence they've gained over the last five to six weeks. Baltimore has really only played one solid game over the last month and that was of two quarters against the Dolphins. Big Ben has to protect the football here but expect the Steelers to prevail here at home.

01/03 04:30 PM  CB   (519) PENN STATE VS (520) RUTGERS edit

Take: (520) RUTGERS 

Reason: Play Rutgers plus 2 Rutgers enters Big Ten Play in basketball with a home game against Penn State. Penn State is a solid team but one of those teams that either A. Doesn't pull away from a team, or B. Plays to the level of their competition. Rutgers has had better play from their forwards and center in Junior Etou. At home I think they have the upper hand on the defensive side of the court and should be able to pull off the win at home.

01/03 02:30 PM  CB   (599) VIRGINIA VS (600) MIAMI FLORIDA edit

Take: (599) VIRGINIA 

Reason: Play Virginia -7.5 Miami is coming off a lopsided win over College of Charleston but it's hard not to ignore their losses before that game. At home they lost to Eastern Kentucky, Green Bay, and in New York to Providence. I do not like the guard position matchups for Miami in this game. Transfers Sheldon McClellon and Angel Rodriguez both continue to get starting minutes but I wouldn't be surprised as the season goes on to see Davon Reed earn his job back. There just is a bit of stagnant basketball with this Miami team as they try to figure out their rotation. Virginia is one of those teams that may get down for 50-70% of the game but when they turn it on defensively it's lights out for the other team. The uncertainty of Miami's core lineup does not bode well against a veteran Virginia team that's set on getting a number one seed in March.

01/03 12:00 PM  CB   (561) RHODE ISLAND VS (562) SAINT LOUIS edit

Take: (561) RHODE ISLAND 

Reason: Play Rhode Island -7.5 One of the more under the radar teams in the country is Rhode Island. They took their licks last year but even then they looked like a team with solid makeup. Saint Louis is in a complete rebuilding year after losing several seniors from last year's team. They're starting two freshman and a transfer from Villanova. It's going to be a tough season for them in a strong A-10 conference. Look for Rhode Island to put a little payback to Saint Louis for losses in prior years. Play Rhode Island.

01/03 11:00 AM  CB   (541) CONNECTICUT VS (542) FLORIDA edit

Take: (541) CONNECTICUT 

Reason: Play UConn plus 10 This is an over reaction line from UConn's home loss to Temple. Ryan Boatright is listed as questionable and without him will be a key detriment for UConn. But 10 points is still too many. UConn had a sluggish game against Temple but has the talent to fill the void with Boatright out. Offensively the team needs to shift the offense from guard Rodney Purvis and rely more on Hamilton/Kenton Facey/and Terrence Samuel. Samuel matches up nicely against this Florida team. These two played twice last year---once in December and then in the final four. UConn won both times. Revenge will be on sports bettors minds but look for the Huskies to keep this within the spread.

Play Monmouth Plus 5

This is a late afternoon add on Monmouth. Monmouth has free falled as a team but are better than their below .500 record. In MAAC conference play they should have enough familiarity with a Canisius team that lost their star player in Billy Baron to graduation. There is still talent on the floor for Canisius but this is an almost must-win game for Monmouth. Look for them to come out with forty minutes of focus.

Play Wisconsin Milwaukee plus 10

Cleveland State wants to run against Milwaukee and win with their better offense. Milwaukee has struggled all season to score and will look to shorten this game and try to win with hustle points. Look for Milwaukee to be able to hang in this game. We are getting a non-conference point spread in this one, where I think it should be closer to 7.5-8

01/02 09:00 AM  CF   (265) PITTSBURGH VS (266) HOUSTON edit

Take: (265) PITTSBURGH 

Reason: Play Pittsburgh -3 Out of all the bowl game starting quarterbacks, I'd rank Greg Ward Jr near the bottom of the pack. At just 5'11 and 180 pounds he is more of a running option quarterback than a threat in the pocket. Houston's defense had the ability to stand up against average or below average offenses throughout the season. But facing a team with a tailback such as James Connor is going to prove to be a bit too much for the Cougars. Once again this is a bowl game MVP prospect that should carry his team to a win on his performance alone. I just don't trust Ward Jr. to play a flawless game for four quarters after nearly four weeks off.

01/01 05:30 PM  CF   (263) OHIO STATE VS (264) ALABAMA edit

Take: (263) OHIO STATE 

Reason: Play Ohio State plus 10 Is Alabama of 2014 truly worth ten points or is the step to win a national championship the ruler here? Alabama is the clear favorite to win the national title but lets not forget this new system. SEC country is practically already handing Alabama the National title. Ohio State of years past would not be prepared for this type of game. But Urban Meyer has changed over the key skills that were missing from Buckeye teams that got stormed over in big bowl games. They have the speed and one on one matchup talent to stay in this game with Alabama. Don't fall victim to the Alabama inflation in this one.

01/01 02:00 PM  CF   (261) FLORIDA STATE VS (262) OREGON edit

Take: (261) FLORIDA STATE 

Reason: Play Florida State plus 8.5 I personally think this game may be the best possible matchup of all the possible final four matchups between Florida St, Oregon, Alabama, and Ohio State. 8.5-10 was a steep number and based on people's thoughts on the weak ACC and Florida State's flares for the dramatics. They had few wins of championship style compared to a season ago. To steal a phrase from the old head coach Rudy Tomjanovich, "never underestimate the heart of a repeat champion". I see the same qualities from this Florida State team and that Rockets team that repeated. The team that repeated was not as good as the year before. They fought back from an improbable series deficit against the Suns but at the end of it all they held up the trophy. I'm not saying Florida State will do the same but they are not going to go out in a lopsided loss to Oregon. Oregon has a rhythm offense and defense. Any disruption to it and both sides fall apart for stretches. We've seen the offense crumble for stretches against Washington State and the defense against Cal. Play the big number on Florida State here.

01/01 10:00 AM  CF   (259) MINNESOTA VS (260) MISSOURI edit

Take: (259) MINNESOTA 

Reason: Play Minnesota plus 4.5 This is a classic case where the SEC gets pro-points in a bowl game. This will be a contrast of styles as Missouri is a finesse quick strike team versus Minnesota which preaches ball control and lives play to play. I like Minnesota's balance on both sides of the football just a bit more. Running back David Cobb is a bowl game MVP difference maker. Play the plus 4.5 here.

01/01 09:30 AM  CF   (257) MICHIGAN STATE VS (258) BAYLOR edit

Take: (258) BAYLOR 

Reason: Play Baylor -2.5 Everyone knows the story of Baylor and TCU being left out of the big final four. In my eyes this Baylor team had the best offensive arsenal from the beginning of the season to season's end. Oregon had their moments but had a stretch where injuries hindered their performance. Michigan State showcased throughout Big 10 play that their typical strong defense is a step or two behind teams in the past. I also downgrade their schedule to one of the weakest out of the power bowl teams playing on New Year's day and beyond. Grab Baylor -2.5.

12/31 06:00 PM  CB   (767) BOISE STATE VS (768) COLORADO STATE edit

Take: (767) BOISE STATE 

Reason: Play Boise State plus 8 The loss of Drmic for the season is huge for Boise State but this team will push forward with a solid head coach and core group of players. Conference play begins and Colorado State is one of those undefeated teams that has tinkered with a loss a handful of times. They will be targeted highly right out the gate by the Mountain West to go down. Oddsmakers inflate any undefeated team just a tad and I think we are getting a solid full two points here. Grab Boise plus 8.

12/31 02:00 PM  CB   (753) MARQUETTE VS (754) DEPAUL edit

Take: (753) MARQUETTE 

Reason: Play Marquette -5 Something has gone awry with this DePaul team. After an impressive win over Stanford and a blowout win over Milwaukee they have fallen flat in a major way. Energy is missing and if there is one team that doesn't lack energy it's Marquette. DePaul has lost six straight games and all three in the Hawaii Airlines Classic. I don't see the team snapping back in the first Big East matchup against an ever-improving Marquette team.

12/31 11:30 AM  CB   (733) BUTLER VS (734) VILLANOVA edit

Take: (733) BUTLER 

Reason: Play Butler plus 11 Villanova has been great ATS but is doing so with great endings in the last 8-10 minutes. I have been a bit disappointed with the guard play over the last 5-6 games as well as Villanova's continued offense in the post with Daniel Ochefu. Butler is an intense physical team that should give Villanova a good matchup from start to finish.

12/31 10:00 AM  CB   (727) TEMPLE VS (728) CONNECTICUT edit

Take: (728) CONNECTICUT 

Reason: Play UConn -7 buy the half point My first reaction was to play Temple plus the points here. But you have to look beyond what Temple has done in just a few games with newly inserted starter Jesse Morgan. Yes he has brought a new dimension to the team but Kansas and Delaware State were not the best of defensive challenges. Temple lacks an interior presence and this is where a team with strong guard defense as UConn can thrive. Expect UConn to win this with solid half court defense that frustrates the perimeter heavy Temple Owls offense. Grab UConn in this spot.

12/31 10:00 AM  CB   (773) EAST TENN STATE VS (774) TENNESSEE edit

Take: (773) EAST TENN STATE 

Reason: Play East Tenn State plus 10.5 Over the last year watching these two teams I have noticed a big area of opportunity for both. Tennessee plays down to their competition while East Tenn State may struggle at times against weaker opponents they play up to better competition. It's common to see this across the collegiate landscape. In this matchup we will take the 10.5 points with East Tenn State having a a talented trio of upperclassmen against a newly formed Tennessee Volunteers lineup.

12/30 01:00 PM  CB   (547) LONG BEACH STATE VS (548) LOUISVILLE edit

Take: (548) LOUISVILLE 

Reason: Play Louisville -18 This is a high number but one that should be able to cash. First off, Rick Pitino gets his players to feed off his energy. After losing yet again in the state of Kentucky--this time at home--to Coach Cal you can bet Louisville will come out ready to pounce on the next opponent. LB State is that next opponent and I would not be surprised to see Louisville get out in front on this spread in the first half. Second LB State is on one of the more painful road stretches I have ever seen a college basketball team participate in. They've played on the road since Dec 5th and actually gave solid efforts against SD State and Texas. But in their latest matchup against Syracuse they played a B game and were blown out by 18. Expect Rick Pitino to have an extensive scouting report from his old buddy Jim Boeheim and the Cardinal to roll.

12/30 03:00 PM  CB   (533) DAVIDSON VS (534) VIRGINIA edit

Take: (533) DAVIDSON 

Reason: Play Davidson plus 16.5 This Virginia team has been a covering machine this season. The one game they did struggle was against George Washington. In that matchup George Washington ran their offensive sets and played great defense, before they were overran in the final 12 minutes. I'm still not sold on Virginia's offense when it comes to March Madness. Teams that do not rely on 1-2 scorers can hang with Virginia. Coastal Carolina showcased this as a 16th seed against #1 Virginia last year. Davidson is as offensive balanced as a team as there is in the country. Expect ten days off for this team to be able to execute well and for the rest for Virginia to prove rusty for an already below average offensive team.

12/30 02:00 PM  CB   (531) MARYLAND VS (532) MICHIGAN STATE edit

Take: (531) MARYLAND 

Reason: Maryland plus 6.5 Oddsmakers have not caught up to this Maryland Terrapins team. After losing three players as transfers they were expected to self destruct. That has not been the case as the players that have stayed along with key freshman have lifted this team tremendously. They are as confident as any team in the country and you can see it by their style of play. Michigan State on the other hand is the exact opposite. This team reminds me of the North Carolina team a few years ago. Oddsmakers keep giving point spread love that may last a full month before they finally adjust. The fact of the matter is that Michigan State does not have the supreme talent to be a formidable team this year. If they had an above average backcourt it would create more shots for their average forwards and power forwards. But Travis Trice continues to make poor decisions and reminds me of Greg Paulus from Duke years back. He probably shouldn't be getting starters minutes but Tom Izzo has no choice. 6.5-7 points in this spot is a gift.

12/30 01:00 PM  CB   (529) CINCINNATI VS (530) NORTH CAROLINA STATE edit

Take: (529) CINCINNATI 

Reason: Play Cincinnati plus 4 In my estimation this is a poor matchup for NC State. NC State lacks the skill set on offense for a go-to-guy to create their own shot or off the dribble move. There aren't many teams that play true tenacious defense in college basketball but Cincinnati is one of them. As bad as their half court offense is there is a defense to offense part of Cincinnati basketball that can't be ignored. Expect the Bearcats to be able to get 20-25 points off of bad offense from NC State.

12/29 06:00 PM  CF   (241) TEXAS VS (242) ARKANSAS edit

Take: (241) TEXAS 

Reason: Play Texas plus 6 There are a handful of bowl games where you have to rank a defensive team a few notches higher than normal. Texas is still in a big transitional period with new head coach Charlie Strong. But one area Strong has excelled in during the regular season and bowl season is defense. There will not be a team more prepared for a bowl game defensively than Texas. Texas should be able to keep this game within striking distance from the start. I wouldn't be surprised to see them have the lead at halftime and hang on to win or cover in the fourth quarter.

12/28 01:25 PM  NFL   (301) DETROIT LIONS VS (302) GREEN BAY PACKERS edit

Take: (302) GREEN BAY PACKERS 

Reason: Green Bay -7 This is a line that seems higher than it should for two teams contending for the division title. But I like Green Bay in this spot. Their game earlier in the season was ages ago. Detroit's defense as a whole has had the fortune of facing bottom tiered quarterbacks for more than half of their schedule. Expect Green Bay to rise to the occasion and get a big win at home for momentum into the playoffs.

12/28 01:25 PM  NFL   (315) CAROLINA PANTHERS VS (316) ATLANTA FALCONS edit

Take: (315) CAROLINA PANTHERS 

Reason: Play Carolina plus 3 This line has went down from when I liked it at 4 earlier in the week. The line was at 4 because of the believed edge that Atlanta has held at home over the years. This is basically an early playoff game for both. I expect Carolina to rise to the occasion here and continue the momentum we have seen from them over the last three weeks. Grab Carolina plus the points and put 15-20% of your wager on the moneyline.

12/28 12:00 PM  CB   (837) RUTGERS VS (838) MONMOUTH edit

Take: (838) MONMOUTH 

Reason: Play Monmouth -2.5 People may assume that this is an eye-popper to see a Monmouth team below .500 still as a favorite against Rutgers which is a 7-5 team. Rutgers is just not a balanced team on either end of the court with guards Myles Mack and Kadeem Jack leading the way. Monmouth on the other hand matches up well against this Rutgers team. Even though they are coming off a big loss to St. Francis they have risen to the occasion in matchups against Iona, Maryland and for stretches against SMU. This is also a big battle in the state of New Jersey as a team of Monmouth's caliber is not supposed to trump Rutgers. Grab Monmouth as they should pull out a close win over Rutgers.

12/27 02:00 PM  CB   (533) OAKLAND VS (534) MARYLAND edit

Take: (533) OAKLAND 

Reason: Play Oakland plus 17.5 One of the trademarks of Oakland is to schedule an extremely tough non-conference schedule. Maryland has been an offensive juggernaut this season and returns another weapon with Dez Wells Saturday. Sometimes a key returning player can cause a bit of rust from the chemistry that was added when a player was out. New roles have to be redefined. Maryland can fill up the basket but does not have the strong defense in place to cover a full 17.5 points.

12/27 01:30 PM  CF   (233) PENN STATE VS (234) BOSTON COLLEGE edit

Take: (234) BOSTON COLLEGE 

Reason: Play Boston College -2.5 This is a tricky line that is more misleading than the season's records indicate. Penn State just has not looked like a true formidable team. While Boston College has shown the ability to rise to the occasion on defense and with quarterback Tyler Murphy. Coaching edge also goes to BC with Steve Addazio. BC is a 7-5 team that lost three games by four points or less to Colorado State, Florida State, and Clemson. Play Boston College

12/27 11:00 AM  CF   (229) DUKE VS (230) ARIZONA STATE edit

Take: (230) ARIZONA STATE 

Reason: Play Arizona State -7 buy the hook All indicators here would be not to trust Todd Graham and Mike Norvell in a bowl game situation. But talent wise, ASU is in a bowl game that under represents the talent they have on the field. After ASU was embarassed last bowl season as 14 point favorites, I expect this team to come out with a strong mindset to blow out Duke. Class speed, physicality, and talent are clearly one-sided in this matchup. The only thing that stops this from being a double digit ASU win is coaching.

12/27 10:00 AM  CB   (525) GEORGIA STATE VS (526) WISC GREEN BAY edit

Take: (525) GEORGIA STATE 

Reason: Play Georgia State plus 5 Something has been a little bit off with this Wisconsin Green Bay team since they lost in their conference tournament to Milwaukee a season ago. They have the talent to be a top 30-35 team in the country but continue to under perform. Georgia State has the offensive fire power to keep up with Green Bay on the road and has already defeated Green Bay in lopsided fashion earlier this season. I expect Green Bay's woes to pop up at one point or another in this game and allow Georgia State to grab a lead late. This line should be closer to 3. Lets take the extra points with Georgia State

12/25 06:00 PM  CB   (517) GEORGE WASHINGTON VS (518) WICHITA STATE edit

Take: (518) WICHITA STATE 

Reason: Play Wichita State -7.5 Advantages in this game are clear. George Washington has a bit of inside advantage with Kevin Larsen but there is a big gap when it comes to guard play. Wichita State's athletic and high percentage shooters are a contrast to George Washington. George Washington has two big guards in Patrico Garino and Kethan Savage. Neither are capable of keeping up defensively with Wichita State's triple threat. Wichita State has had it's troubles over the last week and a half against Utah, Detroit, and Hawaii but this should be a Christmas day matchup that they turn the corner a bit. George Washington also is not a deep enough team to keep pace with a potent Wichita State team. Note the George Washington losses this season (Penn State, Seton Hall, and Virginia all came with clear advantages at the guard position).

12/23 05:00 PM  CB   (739) GEORGIA TECH VS (740) DAYTON edit

Take: (740) DAYTON 

Reason: Play Dayton -5.5 Sometimes negative attention can sway bettors minds. Dayton may have dismissed a couple of players but they still have a solid group to represent on the court. Teams with size may cause them problems but there aren't too many teams in the A-10 that have that, and Georgia Tech of the ACC doesn't as well. Georgia Tech has a freshman point guard starting and South Florida sophomore transfer Jordan Heath as backup point guard. Dayton's on-ball defense will cause problems for both. Also big guard Marques Georges-Hunt will have a tough time carving room against this Dayton team. Dayton just needs to focus on making their free throws which has been a team problem. Overall though I think they win this game by double digits thanks to their half court defense.

12/23 12:00 PM  CB   (725) DETROIT VS (726) ARIZONA STATE edit

Take: (726) ARIZONA STATE 

Reason: Play Arizona State -8.5 Detroit has been free-falling a bit and it's because they have not developed a second scorer behind Juwon Howard Jr. Paris Bass and Anton Wilson have been inconsistent contributors. Arizona State's a prolific scoring team that should get back in a big way a win after losing to Lehigh in three overtime. I also like the individual matchup of Shaq McKissic guarding Howard Jr. It'll likely be the toughest defender Howard Jr. has had to face offensively this season.

12/22 04:30 PM  CB   (591) WOFFORD VS (592) WEST VIRGINIA edit

Take: (592) WEST VIRGINIA 

Reason: Play West Virginia -9 This line may have been around 12.5 to 13 if West Virginia had not faltered and came close to losing to Marshall, while Wofford pulled off an impressive road win against NC State. Wofford's record is solid at 9-2 and they may even get a chance to represent their conference in the tournament now that Davidson is in the Atlantic 10. But they're an extremely vulnerable team against potent fast break and quick trigger teams from behind the arc. Wofford likes to play in the half court defensively and that's a wide contrast to the Mountaineers. The Terriers just are not the type of team that plays well against teams that score in the 70 point range consistently. This is one of the better line value plays for Tuesday.

12/21 10:00 AM  NFL   (117) KANSAS CITY CHIEFS VS (118) PITTSBURGH STEELERS edit

Take: (118) PITTSBURGH STEELERS 

Reason: Play Pittsburgh -3 This is a pivotal game for both teams in regards to a possible wild card berth. Both of these teams have been hard to pinpoint for much of 2014. But as the season has stretched Kansas City has shown their true colors more so than Pittsbugh. PIttsburgh has an offensive identity that few teams can match with, while Kansas City's defense has broken down along with their offense struggling. I see Pittsburgh in the playoffs and expect them to get the W at home to inch closer to that accomplishment.

12/21 09:00 AM  CB   (719) HARVARD VS (720) VIRGINIA edit

Take: (719) HARVARD 

Reason: Play Harvard plus 10 Virginia has been a dominating team this season from a defensive standpoint. Offensively though they have struggled. Creation of their points comes from their defense. A great coach like Tommy Amaker should be able to suit a game plan to attack Virginia's offensive weaknesses. This is tough to do but this Harvard team has a veteran group that has challenged some top rated teams before. Ten points is a lot here. Take the points as Harvard should battle Virginia much closer than the spread indicates.

12/20 04:00 PM  CB   (563) RICHMOND VS (564) PEPPERDINE edit

Take: (563) RICHMOND 

Reason: Play Richmond -3.5 Points This game will be played in New York as part of the Gotham Classic. This is the type of game where conference play should trump. Richmond is 5-4 but has depth at the 1-5 position and has played stiffer competition to start the season. Pepperdine has the best player on the floor in Stacy Davis but lacks the team defense or guard play to cover this number. Grab Richmond

12/20 02:00 PM  CB   (555) WAKE FOREST VS (556) FLORIDA edit

Take: (555) WAKE FOREST 

Reason: Play Wake Forest plus 12.5 This is not the Florida of the past five to eight years. Much like Syracuse they are in a rebuilding year, that will look like a blip on the basketball program come 2015-2016. Wake Forest is in their first year of transition but still has a lot of talent on the floor;especially offensively. This team is going to give a few hard fought battles in the right spots and I think they've got a solid matchup here against Florida. Take the points.

12/20 02:00 PM  CB   (553) NORTHEASTERN VS (554) SANTA CLARA edit

Take: (553) NORTHEASTERN 

Reason: Play Northeastern -1 If Northeastern had played better and beat Cal-Poly the other night this line would be 3-3.5. The loss has oddsmakers undervaluing the line a bit against Santa Clara. This Northeastern team has a core group of players that don't wow you but have a style suited to match up well against Santa Clara. Santa Clara is a typical California division one school (Pepperdine, Long Beach St, Cal State North, San Fran). They have little balance offensively from the 1-5 positions. Jared Brownridge may be an electric scorer for Santa Clara but to me he hurts the team more than he aids with poor shots. Grab Northeastern in this one.

12/20 01:00 PM  CB   (551) DAVIDSON VS (552) COLL OF CHARLESTON edit

Take: (551) DAVIDSON 

Reason: Play Davidson -4 There may not be a team in college basketball with more offensive synergy than Davidson. They spread the floor and seem to have constant fluidity with passing, shooting, and creating for one another. They will be a tournament team and would not surprise me to see them make the sweet 16. Charleston on the other hand is not running smooth offense or defense. They had a seven minute stretch against Charlotte with two made baskets, two five-minute stretches against Citadel with only a couple of free throws, and other poor patterns of the inability to score. Davidson's just too much of an offensive juggernaut for Charleston to keep up.

12/20 12:00 PM  CB   (575) EASTERN MICHIGAN VS (576) MISSOURI STATE edit

Take: (576) MISSOURI STATE 

Reason: Play Missouri State -2 Eastern Michigan has one of those early season records that jump-out at you at 8-2. Then midway through conference play you take another look and they're barely above .500. They're extremely limited offensively. To win games they have to play sharp defense for 40 minutes and win the turnover and free throw battle. Eastern Michigan's key players have been struggling mightily. Karrington Ward has shot a combined 12 of 48 from the field over his last four games. Raven Lee is 13 of 40 the last three games. It comes to the point where a team's intense defense crumbles along with their poor shooting. Look for Missouri State to get out early in this one and maybe run away with it.

12/20 10:00 AM  CB   (523) SYRACUSE VS (524) VILLANOVA edit

Take: (524) VILLANOVA 

Reason: Play Villanova -11 I can't remember the last time I saw Syracuse as a double digit underdog. That should tell you something right there. Villanova may have played all their yearly matchups against the Big 5 schools in Philadelphia, but there is not a matchup in college basketball over the last ten years that compares to Syracuse and Villanova. These two teams play hard and despise each other. From the blowout win of Syracuse's in 2010 over Nova to claim the #1 ranking in the country, to tight matchups and finishes over the last four seasons. Last year Villanova got off to a 25-7 lead at the Carrier Dome only to see the lead evaporate before halftime. Syracuse's zone last year and year's prior was formidable and a grade of 8.5/9 out of 10. Now it's vastly below average with offensive liabilities in the starting five. Knowing how intense this matchup has been I expect Nova to take this game to heart and show the country how good they are/and how much rebuilding Syracuse is doing this season.

12/20 10:00 AM  CB   (601) THE CITADEL VS (602) VIRGINIA TECH edit

Take: (601) THE CITADEL 

Reason: Play Citadel plus 14 Citadel is going to be a double digit underdog throughout this season. They went 7-26 a year ago. But a high quality with this Citadel team is they have the same nucleus of players from a year ago. This team fights hard each and every night on the court. Virginia Tech has pieces to the puzzle with new head coach Buzz Williams but is still a vast work in progress. Williams has always been one to stretch the minutes of his players to eight/nine players and is still settling in his lineup for the Hokies. Take the points as Citadel's fight should keep this game close to within the number and pull off a 3-4 point cover for us.

12/20 09:00 AM  CB   (517) VA COMMONWEALTH VS (518) CINCINNATI edit

Take: (517) VA COMMONWEALTH 

Reason: Play VCU plus 2 This is the speed bump test game Shaka Smart has been waiting for. His team has had a tough schedule to start the season and should be prepared to play/defeat a Cincinnati team with no offensive identity. VCU is the deeper team and should be able to offset the Bearcats physical style of play with quick buckets and turnovers. The game plan should be simple from Shaka Smart. Keep the Bearcats from shooting free throws early by not letting them get in the bonus, and execute in half court offense to keep the Bearcats from getting easy transition layups. If those two keys are executed I like VCU to win this game by double digits. If one falters this will be a tighter game but I still like the Rams to cover.

12/20 09:00 AM  CB   (515) NC CHARLOTTE VS (516) GEORGETOWN edit

Take: (515) NC CHARLOTTE 

Reason: Play Charlotte plus 13.5 Charlotte's head coach, Alan Major, has to be wondering when his team will play a full 40 minutes of basketball. They've been the worst team in college basketball at doing so. Their last two games they had to claw back from double digit deficits against Appalachian State and College of Charleston. Oddly in both they showed the ability to close games and come close to covering the high spreads. Overall they've played three overtime games which is another indicator of a team playing hard the last ten minutes of the second half instead of out the gate. A veteran team like Charlotte has to wake up sooner or later and I think this spot against Georgetown should be the awakener they need. Josh Smith should struggle inside as Charlotte has two bruisers inside in Mike Thorne Jr and Willie Clayton that will give Smith problems. This line is vastly inflated and should show throughout that this game will not reach a high margin on Georgetown's side. Expect this game to stay in the single digit range for 85% of it.

12/20 08:00 AM  CF   (201) NEVADA VS (202) UL - LAFAYETTE edit

Take: (202) UL - LAFAYETTE 

Reason: Play UL Lafayette plus 1.5 UL Lafayette is one of the more exciting bowl game teams to watch. They run an explosive offense but also make timely key defensive plays. Nevada is one of those early entry bowl game participants that 15 years ago would not have made a bowl on a smaller scale of games. Lafayette is a growing program and should get the job done with a big offensive display against the Wolf Pack.

12/18 04:00 PM  CB   (533) WRIGHT STATE VS (534) WESTERN CAROLINA edit

Take: (533) WRIGHT STATE 

Reason: Play Wright State -2, buy the hook from 2.5 Wright State isn't going to wow anyone with athleticism, but they play sound basketball. Defensively and offensively your going to see consistent play from Wright State. The same can't be said for Western Carolina. They've lost five of their last six games. In the last three alone they have averaged giving up 91 points a game. Look for Wright State to capitalize off of a Western Carolina team that may be the worst in the country defensively. Play Wright State at 2

12/17 06:00 PM  CB   (739) EASTERN MICHIGAN VS (740) MICHIGAN STATE edit

Take: (740) MICHIGAN STATE 

Reason: Play Michigan State -14 Eastern Michigan has held tough against Dayton and won outright against Michigan. They're doing so thanks to poor offense from the opposing teams, as they've struggled themselves. Coach Rob Murphy has an entire nucleus of new players besides guards Raven Lee, Karrinton Ward, and bench reserve Mike Talley. Michigan State's not going to struggle offensively like other teams have against Eastern Michigan, and that should expose Eastern Michigan's deficiencies offensively. Take MIchigan State -14