The NIT semifinals will take center stage Tuesday at Madison Square Garden. The Musketeers needed all forty minutes to topple Vanderbilt in their latest NIT victory. Short handed minus Paul Scruggs, Xavier has very little room for error. Although St. Bonaventure has the experience edge, they struggle to put teams away. Grab Xavier as they give the Bonnies a hard fought game.

The Basketball Classic continues Monday evening with two matchups. One is a spotlight matchup between two Sun Belt conference teams in Coastal Carolina and South Alabama. The Jaguars got the upper hand in the lone matchup this season, thanks to a buzzer beating three point shot. Expect the Jaguars to gain the upper hand as they continue to excel at home, where they have a 15-2 record. 

Surprisingly there is just one top seed left, and that is the Kansas Jayhawks. Expect Bill Self and company to remain alive as they take on a Providence team that had weak opponents to begin March Madness. The Jayhawks should be able to neutralize the excellent shooting exhibited by Providence thus far, and get past the number with their defense.

Every March Madness there is a top team that survives a game they should not have won. It typically creates great value ATS in their next matchup. The Houston Cougars have looked every bit as strong as last year’s team, but Arizona is a different caliber. Look for Arizona to make a big statement and come out as the new favorite amongst the Elite Eight teams left. 

Time and time again we have seen an eleven seed get hot in March. The time off between their opening round wins, actually helps the underdog believe even more. Michigan went through a roller coaster season, but has the size to give Villanova problems. Look for Michigan to have better offense when it matters most, and to cover the five. Play the Wolverines.

The Basketball Classic has had a bit of disarray in organizing their college basketball tournament. A team that by default has advanced to the quarterfinal has been Youngstown State. Wednesday, they’ll travel across the country to take on a Fresno State team that’s half court defense should stifle a guard oriented Youngstown State team. Look for big man Orlando Robinson to continue his excellent play.

The WCC conference truly believed that it’s level of basketball was on par with power five schools. BYU actually had an advantage when it came to non-conference play against the PAC-12. They defeated Oregon, 81-49, and also Utah 75-64. Look for their high scoring of play to affect the Washington State Cougars. Grab BYU to cash on the small favored number.

An intriguing matchup will take place this evening in The Basketball Classic, as UTEP hosts Southern Utah. The Thunderbirds used their experience to knock off whom many deemed a dangerous Kent State team in the opening round. Overall, Southern Utah has four starting seniors, along with a sixth man in Nate Fleming. They’ll give the Miners a run for their money, but look for UTEP to make the necessary halftime adjustments to take care of business. Grab UTEP.

Thus far today both CBI matchups have been terrific. That should continue all the way through the nightcap which features Ohio and Abilene Christian. Ohio was one of the better mid-major teams for the first 2.5 months of the college basketball season. A late season slide snowballed as they lost five of their last seven games. Look for Abilene Christian to be the latest to get by Ohio, with their attention to detail on the defensive end. Grab Abilene Christian.

Coastal Carolina out of the Sun Belt will host a second round matchup today against Florida Gulf Coast. Both teams won convincingly in their opening round victories in The Basketball Classic. Tonight though look for Coastal Carolina’s physicality to offset Florida Gulf Coast. Expect the Chanticleers to control the paint and have a strong rebounding edge, as they were 28th in the country with an average of forty rebounds per game. Take Coastal Carolina.

New Mexico State controlled the UConn Huskies from start to finish, in a point spread that was way off from the on court performance. Saturday, the Arkansas Razorbacks will pose a different challenge for New Mexico State. Look for Eric Musselman’s pace of play to affect the offensive production of the Aggies. Take Arkansas.

UCLA’s opening round victory over Akron showed that the Bruins may not be able to match last year’s tournament run. St. Mary’s maybe had the least of a challenging opponent in their 82 to 53 annihilation of Indiana. The Gaels are the real deal and should keep this within a one possession game. Take St. Mary’s.

In consecutive days the Atlantic 10 has a chance to knock off a Big Ten opponent in March Madness. Davidson should give the Spartans troubles with their ability to shoot the three ball. On the season they averaged over forty percent from distance. Additionally, Coach Izzo’s Spartans have had issues when not on the top seed line in March Madness. Take Davidson. 

Yale’s struggles in non-conference were a big issue in their season. At one point they were just 6-8 overall. In fact, they faced four tournament teams and lost by an average of twenty three points. Take the Boilermakers as they come out focused to avoid a lapse after going down in the opening round last year. 

One of the trickiest games to breakdown is San Francisco and Murray State. The Dons lone weakness during the season was Gonzaga, while Murray State did not face a daunting schedule in a poor Ohio Valley conference. Still look for Murray State to have the edge with better offensive sets. San Francisco relies to heavily on their perimeter players, and the offense bogs down at times. Expect 6’10 forward KJ Williams to give the Dons big problems, and for the Racers to get the win.

Several newcomers to the WAC conference did not deter New Mexico State, as they took home yet another conference title, and conference tournament championship. The Aggies do have former Mountaineer and Cornhusker in Teddy Allen, as well as Johnny McCants who helped nearly knock off Auburn in 2018’s tournament. Yet, UConn has the weapons defensively to hinder the offense of the Aggies. Take UConn to play two complete halves as the Big East impresses opening weekend.

There may have not been a team that disappointed in the final month and a half of college basketball more than Xavier. Since January 23rd, they have gone 4-10. There’s no denying the wheels fell off for the Musketeers, but maybe it was for the better. Clearly Xavier overachieved early in the season, and an NIT tournament is better suited for them. Expect a showcase performance as Xavier went 11-1 in non-conference play, with a lone loss to Iowa State. Take Xavier over Cleveland State on the big number. 

The level of focus for teams entering the NIT is difficult to gauge. A week ago VCU looked like a team that could get an at large bid with an Atlantic 10 title. They had won eight straight conference games, but lost a close game to Saint Louis to end the regular season. This was followed by a quick exit in the A-10 tournament. While VCU was stout in-conference with a 14-4 record, they were just 7-5 in non-conference play. Take Princeton plus the points.

Texas Southern had their ups and downs throughout conference play, but had one of the more difficult non-conference schedules of a non power five team. One key win was over Florida. The Tigers also have the experience from last year’s play-in game, in which they defeated Mount St. Mary’s. Buy the half point here as Texas Southern survives a close battle with Texas A&M CC. 

Abilene Christian will attempt to win their fourth game in four days as they take on New Mexico State. The Aggies are well rested thanks to just one tournament game, and handily defeated Abilene Christian earlier this season. Yet, Abilene Christian has stepped up when needed and will keep this close. Grab Abilene Christian on the big point spread jump.

Thursday in the MAAC semi-finals surprising Rider will face Monmouth. Rider knocked off the top team in Iona Wednesday, and already defeated Monmouth towards the end of the regular season. Their confidence will be high against a Monmouth team that squeaked by Niagara on Thursday. Buy the half point here as Monmouth may win another close game, but Rider gets the cover.

Byes in tournaments especially in the lower level conferences are a moot point. Cal State Fullerton will face a UC Davis team that already had the opportunity to test out the brand new Dollar Loan Center in Henderson, Nevada. It’s also extremely difficult to defeat a team in the final game of the regular season, and face them in a tournament format as is the case for Cal State Fullerton. Play the points here with UC Davis.

What happens in February is often times not what you can base a March betting view point on. With Wyoming that’s not the case. Throughout most of the regular season they got by with an uncanny ability to close games. As the season waned down the Mountain West caught up to them. They went 3-4 down the stretch, with one of those losses against UNLV. Expect the Rebels to get the win in a hard fought game.

The turmoil surrounding Louisville’s season is remarkable. Off the court issues and the departure of former coach Chris Mack led to a complete downward conference spiral. Tonight, the Cardinal face a Virginia team that’s already defeated them twice on the season. For Virginia their last action was actually against Louisville. That can be an issue as rust and complacency sets in to start the game. Take Louisville to hold on within the number.

One of the more inconsistent underperforming teams in mid-major college basketball this season was Charlotte. The 49ers come into the Conference USA tournament having won four of their past five games. This included a big win over Middle Tennessee. Yet, this is a case where experience can be a downfall. Expect the 49ers to play down to the level of Rice, who lost to Charlotte by just three points earlier this season. Take Rice. 

Despite dropping ten of their last thirteen games, Nevada finds themselves as sizable favorites against New Mexico. Their team is finally back to full strength after missing key players for lengthy portions of conference play. The Lobos have two explosive players in Jamal Washburn Jr. and Jaelen House but it’s not the style of play that fits tournament basketball. Grab the Wolf Pack.

Will add a late play with Southern Miss in the Conference USA against Texas San Antonio. In the earlier regular season matchup the game went into overtime with Texas San Antonio prevailing by a wide margin. In fact, the difference was 22 to 3 in overtime, maybe the largest margin I’ve seen in the past twenty years. Yet, I think Southern Miss digs in and plays Texas San Antonio tight for the third time.

UNC Wilmington survived a controversial ending Monday, to advance to the finals against Delaware. For the second straight night UNC Wilmington finds themselves as an underdog even though they were the better regular season team. As often is the case in tournament action you have to ride the hot team. Delaware which ended the season on a three game losing streak, is playing maybe their best basketball of the season. Look for Delaware’s depth advantage to play a key role tonight, as UNC Wilmington’s tremendous season comes to an end. 

A point spread that should sway before game time is Wright State against Cleveland State. The Vikings are the past representative of the Horizon League in last year’s big dance. While the talent is there to get back, they’ve faltered in the month of February with four losses. Expect Wright State to capitalize and avenge the two in-season losses to Cleveland State. Play Wright State. 

Over the years the Sun Belt conference has been one that bettors can ride the hot team in tournament action. Georgia State has vaulted themselves with an incredible nine game win streak. To put into context when the Panthers defeated UL Lafayette on January 22nd, their record was 6-9. In what will be a tight matchup until the end, take the Panthers to defeat the Ragin Cajuns for the third time.

Another March Madness automatic bid is on the line tonight in the Southern Conference Championship. Furman which has the name recognition to bettors will take on Chattanooga. The Mocs won the regular season title, and swept the Paladins in both matchups. Each matchup though was close, with a two point victory at home and a six point victory at Furman. Take the Mocs to accomplish the difficult task of a season series sweep on a neutral court. 

Sunday, the Patriot League semi finals are underway with a key matchup between Navy and Boston University. Navy will attempt to defeat Boston three times in one season, one of the more difficult tasks in any sport. Yet, the Patriot League tournament has had three days off since Thursday’s quarterfinal action. Take Navy as they complete the tri-fecta over Boston. 

Gaining a season sweep in any conference is difficult. McNeese on the road today will be attempting to do so against Houston Baptist in the Southland Conference. Although McNeese has dropped four straight they should be able to lean on their 78-75 victory over Houston Baptist on January 15th. Play the value here on the Cowboys who have not beat an opponent aside from Northwestern State since January 22nd. 

Two games remain today in quarterfinal action, with the most pressure on Furman. The Paladins have the most experience and already annihilated Mercer, 80-50 on January 29th. They also defeated them 81 to 66 on January 8th. Still, look for the pressure to win and a full week off to hurt Furman. Take Mercer to get their first cover this season against the Paladins.

Big South conference tournament action has been extremely tight. Thus far four games have went into overtime. For the Panthers it is clear they have made a shift offensively minus Tubby Smith. They’ve increased their pace as they have averaged eighty-three points per game over their last three. This is something the conference has not seen, and could catch Winthrop off guard. Take High Point as they already defeated Winthrop 65 to 56 on January 24th.

Portland State has been one of the best under .500 cover teams in all of college basketball in the month of February. They’ve actually gone 7-2 straight up since January 29th, and are now .500 in-conference at 9-9. Tonight’s opponent in the Vandals has the small ball lineup to give Portland State a good match. In fact, they defeated Portland State outright 84 to 79 on January 24th. Take Idaho plus the points as they’ve won their last three home games. 

Marist has managed to win six straight games. A big reason for that has been due to the play of freshman guard Jai Ituka. Ituka is a playmaker and has the green light to carry the Red Foxes. Yet, today they’ll face a Canisius Golden Griffins whom gave them their toughest battle during their win streak. The Red Foxes won by just a point, 71-70, in a game that was tight from start to finish. Look for the Golden Griffins guards to have an advantage over Marist. Play Canisius.

Due to the ACC’s down year the top teams have been looked down upon. This includes Notre Dame whose conference body of work features a 14-4 record. Yet, they are not getting the spreads of a dominant conference team. Look for Florida State’s length advantage to be troublesome for the Irish, as the team is taking a step forward as of late led by freshman Matthew Cleveland.

One of the biggest rising spreads today has been Mount St. Mary’s. A spread that opened at 4.5 has sharply risen. This is peculiar because St. Francis Brooklyn actually split the regular season series. A factor that comes to play is Mount St. Mary’s hosting this NEC quarterfinal matchup. The Mountaineers were the representative last year for the Northeast Conference, and should be sparked to attempt a repeat. Play the Mountaineers. 

A pattern this season at home for UMass Lowell is playing to the level of their competition. Today, they’ll face a 9-8 conference opponent in New Hampshire. The Wildcats already have a victory over UMass Lowell on January 22nd. Take the Wildcats to spoil the senior day of River Hawks key player Allin Blunt. Take New Hampshire.

Monday, for the first time this season Morgan State has a great opportunity for their first three game win streak of the season. They have won three of their last four games, and the one loss was a close 68-66 contest against formidable Howard. Take the Bears to avenge a 79-72 loss against Maryland-Eastern Shore on January 31st.

A surprising ATS home win streak in the month of February lies with Fordham. The Rams are 4-0 ATS on their home floor, with victories over LaSalle, George Mason, and Rhode Island. They also covered as underdogs in a six point loss to VCU. Expect the Rams to continue their success Monday against UMass which ranks 333rd in the country in scoring defense. Play Fordham.

Several smaller conferences will be concluding their regular season today, including the WCC. It’s the final chance for Loyola Marymount to finish the season with a win, as they’ve lost ten straight. A game they let slip away during that stretch was against today’s opponent in Pacific. The Lions let a three point lead slip away in the final minute, as they lost 69-68. Take Loyola as they get revenge from February 19th’s loss. 

Saturday, two teams in the Big South Conference with contrasting play will meet as North Carolina A&T hosts Radford. The Aggies rank 293rd in the country for points per game with an average of sixty-eight. Defense is where they can win today against the turnover prone Highlanders. Take North Carolina A&T.

A revenge spot exists today in the America East conference as Albany travels to Maine. On February 9th, Maine upset Albany as eleven point underdogs. Look for a better outing tonight from Albany, against a Maine team that is being led by an interim coach in Jai Steadman. Take Albany as they match a season-best three game win streak. 

Longwood has ran away with the Big South North title with a 13-1 record. They’ve done so by managing to win close games. In fact, their last three victories have been decided by seven points or less. Look for Radford who has always giving Longwood problems to give Longwood another competitive game. Take the Highlanders plus the points.

Quietly the Buffalo Bulls have surged winning their past six games. They are now in fourth place in the MAC, but will have to avoid a Tuesday let down spot. Miami-Ohio has won three of their last four but ranks 263rd in the country in rebounding. Look for the Bulls to get extra second and third opportunities on the offensive boards. That will be the difference as the Bulls cover and get their seventh straight win.

The Richmond Spiders are a team that regardless of their record could win out the A-10 conference tournament. They have the veteran talent and experience to pull through when it matters most. Today is an opportunity to make a statement against a George Washington team that’s played above their capabilities. Take Richmond to end George Washington’s two-game win streak.

A revenge spot lies in the Colonial conference as Northeastern hosts Charleston. Earlier in conference play Charleston handed the Huskies an 81 to 63 loss. At 7-19 the season is all but over for Northeastern, but there is an opportunity to close the season out positively. Their final three games including tonight are at home. Take Northeastern to cash as they get their second conference win. 

A young team that has taken off deep into conference play has been Citadel. They’ve won seven of their last eight games, which has caused a big adjustment from oddsmakers. Their lone loss during that stretch occurred against today’s opponent in Citadel. The Bulldogs lighting quick pace and tempo caused Samford immense problems, as they surrendered a season-high 107 points. Take Citadel as the underdog. 

BYU’s up and down season had a few eye opening moments. One of those occurred on January 8th as they throttled St. Mary’s 52 to 43. It was the worst offensive performance for St. Mary’s this season. Yet, that matchup to now is not the same caliber BYU team that was 14-3 at the time. Grab St. Mary’s to get revenge over the Cougars. 

Saturday, Campbell will be aiming to avoid their first losing streak since early January. They are coming off a meltdown loss against Radford where they surrendered a lead in the final minutes. It was the end of a road stretch that featured four of six in the month of February. Additionally, North Carolina A&T played Campbell tight in a 73-72 contest on January 22nd. Take the Aggies plus the points to bounce back from an embarrassing road loss to Hampton.

An inexplicable four-game losing streak has occurred for Texas A&M Corpus Christi. Today the proper matchup to end that losing streak is available against Southeast Louisiana. Exactly, three weeks ago on January 27th, the Islanders destroyed Southeast Louisiana 86 to 71 on the road. It’s not going to be a easy with their current slide, but take the Islanders to regain their form and get their first win in February. 

This past week two of the most lopsided victories in college basketball belonged to South Alabama. They won two games by nineteen points or more, and Thursday will face Coastal Carolina. A big problem for the Jaguars has been their recent road woes. They’ve lost their last three and will face a Coastal Carolina team in the middle of a four-game home stand. Take the Chanticleers. 

George Mason has had one of the harder months of an Atlantic 10 team. They had a double-overtime loss to Saint Louis, and two tight games against Richmond. Saturday that clashed as they had one of their worst outings of the season in a fifteen point loss against VCU. Expect lingering effects today on the road against St. Joseph’s. Take the points here with the home underdog.

DePaul minus two starters in Javon Johnson and Javon Liberty-Freeman somehow managed to win two of their last three games. The loss was to 21-2 Providence in a game that went into overtime. The good news for DePaul is they may have their leading scorer in Javon Liberty-Freeman back tonight. Even if he is not cleared, take DePaul as Butler has lost five straight road games.

One of the toughest stretches yearly for Memphis is facing Houston and Cincinnati. The Tigers past the first test by knocking of Houston 69 to 59 on Saturday. Today, they’ll travel for the second game on their road trip against Cincinnati. At one point in-conference Memphis was untrustworthy on the road as they failed to cover against Tulsa, and lost three straight road games in mid to late January. Tonight is a barometer test on how much Penny Hardaway has coached up his team and fought through the stifling media adversity. Take the Tigers to break through another barrier threshold. 

After defeating Fairleigh Dickson on December 15th, the Fairfield Stags were 8-3. They have since tumbled to losses in ten of their last thirteen games. In fact, Saturday’s victory over Niagara marked their first home win since December 8th. That’s a confidence booster for the Stags who defeated Canisius December 3rd, 74-68. Take Fairfield who will hand Canisius their fourteenth straight road loss this season. 

Out in WCC action value lies with the San Diego Toreros against Pacific. The matchup will be Pacific’s fifth road game out of six games. Although all matchups were in the state of California expect the wear and tear of two tough games against USC and Gonzaga to show. Grab San Diego as they end a three-game losing streak and cash as home favorites.

A patented yearly pattern for college basketball teams is a conference slide with upperclassmen teams. Campbell has managed to avoid losing consecutive games their last nine outings. Yet, their offensive efficiency is declining. They’ve lost two of three games, while scoring a season-low of forty-five in Wednesday’s loss to Gardner-Webb. Grab High Point to avenge their loss in late January to Campbell. 

Radford’s decline this season took almost three full months for oddsmakers to adjust to. Their lapses defensively and offensively are the main reason they have just one road win on the year. Saturday, they’ll face Hampton, which bodes to their advantage Saturday. In their prior matchup the final score of 54-51 is not indicative of the control Radford had over Hampton. On a steep drop in the point spread take the value here on Radford.

The wear and tear of road play eventually is a dagger to a teams momentum. Thanks to an opening season schedule that featured nine straight road games, the Detroit Mercy are the epitome of a road warrior team. They’ve corrected defensive issues that plagued them earlier this season and should end the five game winning streak of Youngstown State. Take Detroit Mercy.

Out in the Big Sky, Idaho State will attempt to complete a season series sweep over Idaho. At 4-17, the main issue for the Bengals has been their road woes. Thus far they are 0-11 on the road, but have won eight of the past nine meetings over the Vandals. The lone loss was by four points. Buy the hook here to four. 

It’s not typical for a conference to ban a team from post-season play in the middle of a season. The American East Conference did so to Stony Brook last week, because of their immediate departure to the Colonial next season. Since their postseason ban announcement Stony Brook has lost three straight close games. Take the River Hawks to be the latest to capitalize against Stony Brook. 

Atop the Mountain West we’ve seen Wyoming have the best week in the conference. They knocked off both Boise State and Colorado State. Yet in both those matchups Wyoming had to dig themselves out of holes in the second half. Without their home crowd look for their second half deficit pattern to bode to the advantage of Fresno State. Play Fresno. 

Certain teams have the makeup not to letup as their confidence gains. Toledo has been outstanding with a 10-1 MAC conference record. They are not just a one man show as they have four legitimate scorers. Even more impressive is with a small ball lineup they have five players that average five or more rebounds per game. Look for their sharp shooting to continue as Toledo convincingly sweeps Ball State.

Young teams can have that singular conference game that marks a bump in team growth. For the Creighton Bluejays they are coming off a Tuesday road win over 17th ranked UConn. Normally a quick turn around for another road game is a strong no-no to back a team for bettors. But the Seton Hall Pirates have had issues after a road win this season. In three instances of a road win they’ve followed with two losses and a narrow three-point victory. Take the Bluejays.

Tuesday evening, Miami-Ohio looked like a team that had given up. They found themselves down against Kent State 50-24 at halftime on their home floor. It’s been a peculiar season for a Miami-Ohio team that has talent. That was a rock bottom moment for the Redhawks. Take advantage of a few extra points as the Redhawks come in on three days rest versus seven for Akron. Play Miami Ohio. 

Out in MAC conference play Western Michigan will be attempting to end an 0-10 start. They’ll face a Central Michigan team that has played just six conference games, and has won consecutive games. Cramming in games that have been rescheduled sooner or later catches up to a team. Look for Western Michigan to capitalize and threaten for their first win in-conference. 

A conference that has been extremely competitive has been the Mountain West. Tuesday, the top in-state rivalry in the conference will take place between Nevada and UNLV. The Rebels are coming off a huge road upset over Colorado State, but have had a problem building off wins. In fact, they have not won consecutive games since conference play began. Take Nevada to bounce back from a poor loss to Utah State.

Davidson has been one of the best ATS darlings on the season. On the road they’ve won six consecutive games. Tuesday, the signs are evident for a potential let down against St. Bonaventure. In both matchups last season Davidson struggled to run their offense. In fact, the Wildcats scored below sixty points just three times over the last two seasons. Two of those instances were losses against St. Bonaventure last February. Back the home team here.

Portland State without a doubt is one of the best five win teams in college basketball. They’ve fought hard over their last several games which featured three close losses. Their close losses finally broke through as they defeated NAU 97-76 Saturday. Monday night though they’ll face a Northern Colorado team that’s won three straight Big Sky road games. Take the Bears.

In sports betting I love to fade trends especially when it feels to good to be true. Colorado State fits that philosophy today. They have gone a remarkable sixty-two games since they last lost consecutive games, which was December 4th and 7th of 2019. I’m expecting that streak to end tonight, as Wyoming is motivated from losing both matchups on their home floor to the Rams last season. Take Wyoming.

One of the biggest surprises in college basketball has been UNC Wilmington’s 8-0 conference start. Their knack for winning close games has propelled them to a 14-5 record. In fact, during their seven game win streak the Seahawks have won all matchups by eight points or less. Today’s matchup should be where their streak ends, as Drexel poses problems on both ends of the floor. Take the Dragons who opened as the favorite.

Several teams in the WAC have had their issues with new conference teams that joined from the Southland Conference. In their latest loss California Baptist trailed the entire second half against Sam Houston State, and could never break through on a slim deficit. Look for the Lancers to be much more aggressive tonight against Stephen F Austin. Take California Baptist to improve to 3-5 in the WAC.

Anticipating a team off a poor loss responding at home is a tricky scenario for bettors. Loyola Marymount is coming off not one but two disastrous losses against St. Mary’s and Gonzaga. Furthermore, San Diego has already defeated Loyola Marymount on January 15th, 70-65. Grab the Toreros as they fight through playing their fourth game in seven days.

Out in the SWAC Prairie View A&M will look to build on their three-game win streak. Difficulty lies with Texas Southern who should be poised to correct their road woes. Look for a big game from unheralded guard Bryson Etienne, who has played above his six points per game average when facing Prairie View. Take Texas Southern

Throughout the season the Furman Paladins have been one of the best teams at closing in the final five minutes. This has gained them several nail biting ATS finishes, which includes their last matchup against VMI. Tied with five minutes left, the Paladins closed on a 18-3 run to cover the 8.5-9 points. Ride the Paladins specialty of finishing games against a young Mercer squad.

The Mountain West has done a fantastic job on controlling Friday night’s last profiled matchup. It’s put a spotlight on a conference that has a solid four to five reputable teams. Team growth in-conference does not happen by coincidence. Boise State has managed to win their last few games with off nights from their main players in Marcus Shaver Jr. and Emmanuel Akot. That rise in team basketball will give the Broncos a leg up on the road against Fresno State. Take the Broncos. 

The Norse have won three straight games and four of their last five. Yet, Purdue Fort Wayne is sizzling from the field, and specifically three point range. Over their last three games they have shot 42-90, 47 percent from long distance. Take the Mastodons who have already defeated the Norse on December 4th, 71-57.  

Friday, the MAC features two conference matchups that feature stout teams. The team that has the worst record of the four are the Buffalo Bulls. Yet, their record is not indicative of their talent. They’ve dealt with players in and out of the lineup, and are now back at full strength. Additionally, Buffalo played Ohio very well last season with one blowout win and the other a one point loss. Take Buffalo to knock off the Bobcats. 

Tonight the Pac-12 will have a featured game between Colorado and the Washington Huskies. For the Huskies they have the advantage as they have been off for four days versus the Buffaloes two days rest. There’s also recency bias tied into the fact that Washington was blown out by twenty-eight points to Oregon, while Colorado upset the Ducks. Take Washington as they continue to surprise bettors with a solid Pac-12 season. 

Thus far this week line movement in the MAC conference has been spot on. This was the case in all of Tuesday’s six MAC conference matchups. Typically the conference would be off on Thursday, but a makeup game is scheduled between Ball State and Northern Illinois. Take the value here on the road team as Ball State wins consecutive games for the first time since late November.

A much improved conference has been the Colonial. The conference made headlines this week as it will be adding three teams next season, one of which includes Monmouth. Today, look for Drexel to be the latest team to challenge a James Madison team that’s been targeted in-conference because of their upset over Virginia. Take Drexel on the small road underdog number.

Utah State has stumbled so poorly in Mountain West conference that they are only ahead of winless San Jose State and New Mexico. All four losses in their current four-game losing streak have been by seven points or less. Yet, look for Utah State to capitalize against a San Diego State team that will be playing their first road game since New Year’s Day. Take Utah State. 

Wednesday, out in Southern Conference action Samford will host Mercer. Mercer comes in having won four of five games, and did defeat Samford 83-80 on January 5th. In that loss, Samford had key contributions with 23 points from sophomore Ques Glover, and a season-high 20 points from junior Logan Dye. Grab Samford to have the offense to match Mercer as they end a four-game losing streak.

For years East Tennessee State and UNC Greensboro were automatics to be atop the Southern Conference standings. This season has not went the way either team would like, and today is a crucial matchup to gain momentum. Offensive woes for UNC Greensboro have plagued a team that has been stout defensively. Grab East Tennessee State as they seize the opportunity with an upcoming easy portion of conference play. Take East Tennessee State. 

Tuesday, there are six key matchups in the MAC conference. One of the matchups is Miami Ohio at Ball State, as both teams are searching for direction in-conference. On paper Miami-Ohio has the overall better talent. The problem with the Redhawks is their talent advantage has not correlated on the court. Take Ball State as the home underdog, as Miami-Ohio continues to play beneath their talent level.

One typically will not see a team that just scored thirty-seven points be a double digit favorite. Yet, San Diego State has reigned in the Mountain West and is capable of side stepping a poor performance. They are also getting their team chemistry back after missing a portion due to Covid-19. I fully expect the Aztecs to bounce back in a big way on their home floor, and sweep UNLV.

Several teams in college basketball have crammed in makeup games this week. This includes SIU Edwardsville, who is playing their fourth game in seven days tonight against UT Martin. Last season they swept UT Martin, and have won the past three matchups. Although this is the Cougars third straight road game, take SIU Edwardsville.  

A team that has been stout at home ATS has been George Mason. Overall they are 6-1 ATS at home, and are coming off a big win against Dayton. Monday, look for George Mason’s big win forty-eight hours ago to cause them to be lackluster for stretches. Take St. Joseph’s to have one key second half run as the underdog cashes.  

There are a handful of prime instances where a bettor can fade a team on a road trip. Today that exists in the CAA, as Northeastern is ready to get their first win since December 7th. They’ll take on a UNC Wilmington team that may be undefeated in-conference, but is playing their fourth road game in seven days. Back the Huskies to be the better team in the final ten minutes. 

Seattle University has been a big surprise out of the WAC conference. They are 14-4 overall, and 5-0 in conference play. The Tarleton Texans have the appealing non-conference close losses to Gonzaga and Michigan. The problem is they are back pedaling and have lost three straight in-conference. Take Seattle to sidestep their third straight road game since Monday and grab another win.

Out in the Southwest Conference point spreads are difficult for oddsmakers. That’s because an arduous non-conference schedule has eleven of the twelve teams well below .500. An outlier has emerged as Prairie View who began the year 0-11, has won two of three. Take the Panthers to continue their newfound winning ways.

The Samford Bulldogs have struggled immensely with a new starting five lineup. Thus far the Southern Conference has picked them apart as they are 1-5, and are coming off a nineteen point loss to VMI. Their struggles should subside today against a UNC Greensboro team that lacks a bonafide consistent scorer. Take Samford to cover within the six points.

Small number market swings have correlated successfully in the Mountain West. After being the small underdog overnight the market has swung in Nevada’s favor over Fresno State. At 8-7, Nevada is at their do or die moment of the season. Expect an all on the line type of performance from Nevada. Take the Wolf Pack.

On the season Robert Morris is a lowly 3-14. From a gambling perspective the Colonials record is a moot point because they have had a knack for playing in close games. In fact, their last four losses have been by six points or fewer. Take the Colonials as they continue to fight hard for forty minutes.  

Out in the MAAC conference there are several teams squeezing in make up games that were postponed. That’s created a bit of market value with teams on shorter rest versus ones that have been off longer. That exists today as Siena has had a full week off versus Manhattan that competed Tuesday. Take Manhattan as they build upon a December 3rd road overtime victory over Siena.

The Montana State Bobcats have consistently covered as a favorite. Overall, they have covered eight of their last eleven games. Their turn around can be traced to upperclassmen, but a pattern exists for the Bobcats against NAU. Over their last four matchups they have never scored more than 63 points. Take the home underdog here. 

Out in Horizon action Northern Kentucky is off to a peculiar start at just 6-9. They are amidst a tough stretch of four straight road games in nine days, and will face an Illinois-Chicago team that has won three straight. Look for the Norse veterans led by Trevon Faulkner to dig in and play competitively in this spot. Back Northern Kentucky.