Western Kentucky is back home after two straight on the road. The Hilltoppers are experiencing some changes on the roster with DeSean Murray not playing because he wants to go pro but Lamonte Bearden coming back after serving his suspension. WKU has gone over in five of their nine games and it's because of an offense that has scored 75 or more in three straight and five contests overall. They have also had their problems on the defensive end allowing 70 or more in all but two contests. They have three double digit scorers along with Bearden who has been good for them in the past. Troy has gone over in five of their seven lined games. They've got the same thing as their opponent in that their defense has been shoddy at times but the offense spectacular. Jordon Varnado leads four double digit scorers for the Trojans. Both teams average about 68 positions a game according to kenpom so this may struggle to get to the over, but if you look at the stats, both teams have leaky defenses. I think this over is worth a look. 

I don't really like taking unders in the NFL, but this seems like a prime spot for one. The Cowboys have held opponents to just 86.8 rushing yards per game while the Colts are putting up some underrated defensive numbers. Dallas probably should have scored a little more against Philadelphia last week and the Eagles' banged-up defense, but Dak and the offense had three turnovers. The Cowboys could get some pressure on Andrew Luck and since the Colts don’t run it too well T.Y. Hilton and Eric Ebron will be key. I think this game will depend on field position. Indianapolis has gone under in four straight while Dallas has gone under in five of six road games this year and 16 of its last 22 overall away from Jerry World. 

Last week I tried the Bills and it didn't work out, but that's not stopping me. For the second straight game, Buffalo's offense had three turnovers and that's why this team has lost close games to the Dolphins and Jets. I still like Josh Allen and the mobility that he brings at the quarterback position. The Bills' defense continues to be awesome as it has not allowed more than 200 passing yards in five straight games. I can't imagine Detroit will be thrilled to play outdoors in the cold after beating the Cardinals in Arizona last week. In that game, Matthew Stafford had just 96 passing yards. The Detroit offense has scored 22 points or less in seven straight. I'm not a huge believer in the Lions' defense either. Quite frankly, I think the Bills can win an ugly home game in this matchup. 

I've tried to fade the Bears several times this season and have had mixed results. They are 9-4 against the spread, but their offense doesn't scare me a ton. Mitchell Trubisky is a very hot and cold quarterback and doesn't have a ton of weapons around him at the skill positions. Tarik Cohen and Jordan Howard form a nice duo in the backfield and Allen Robinson and Taylor Gabriel are just okay as wide receivers. It's Chicago's defense that continues to carry the team thanks to a ton of turnovers and the ability to put pressure on the quarterback. Green Bay is coming off a 34-20 win over the Falcons and the defense has perked up a bit as of late. The Packers have given up 20 points each of the last two games. Aaron Rodgers is a guy I want to back in underdog situations whenever I can. The first meeting went to the Packers way back in Week 1 although the Bears dominated the game. I still think the road team is worth a look here.

Last week's loss by the Broncos scared me big time. Their offense isn't good enough to struggle even against a bad defense. They looked pedestrian in San Francisco last week and it showed in the statistics. Cleveland has won three of its last four and the defense is getting a little bit better. Baker Mayfield is capable of lighting Denver's defense up if given the time as it looked bad against Nick Mullens without top cornerback Chris Harris Jr. Bradley Roby is having a tough year sO Jarvis Landry and/or Antonio Callaway could have a big game. Cleveland is 8-5 against the spread this season. Right now the Browns may actually be the better team than the Broncos.

Kansas State returns home after losing at Marquette and Tulsa in two different type games. The Wildcats lost 47-46 at Tulsa and 83-71 at Marquette. Ideally KSU wants to play a lower scoring game as their offense can be shaky. They are a veteran team who had won their first six contests this season. They didn't cover early on with big numbers at home against Denver and Kennesaw State. Georgia State has already played four true road games winning at Alabama and Tulane. GSU is led by D'Marcus Simonds and his 22 points per game. They've got some other solid scorers and won't be intimidated by playing in Manhattan. KSU is just 12-15 at home against the spread the last three seasons. I think the road team is a live dog.

It's a big time rivalry as UAB hosts Auburn. The Blazers have taken a few steps back in terms of talent and it shows on the court. Their two biggest tests were losses 94-76 at Memphis and 81-63 on a neutral court to Florida State. The Blazers offense started out hot at home, but has cooled off a bit although they did score over 70 in their last two contests. UAB has a little bit of balanced scoring with six players scoring 7 points per contest or more. Auburn has six guys who score 8 points per game or more and they'll be adding Danjel Purifoy to the mix as well. The Tigers are a scoring machine putting up 80 or more six times this season. They have not played a true road game yet this year so maybe that helps out a little bit. To me, this total seems a little bit low. I'll take the over.

Tech faces their third power five school on Saturday in Atlantic City. The Hokies offense has been steaming hot with three straight efforts of 80 or more. They've done that six times this season including an 89-83 win over Purdue. I really like Justin Robinson and think that he'll be busy against the 2-3 zone along with NAW and Ahmed Hill. They've got the long range shooters and the experience from facing Syracuse to help them in this one. Washington has already faced two top 15 teams losing 88-66 to Auburn and 81-79 at Gonzaga. Washington has plenty of scorers and a lot more size then Tech does. I think this one will be played with some pace and it will go over the total.

The Rockets have won seven straight entering this one against Middle Tennessee. At home, Toledo has wins of 44, 13, 21 and 41 already this season. They've had just three single digit wins all season long so that means that they are rocking bad squads. Toledo has shot 50% or better six times already and has five double digit scorers. On the opposite side you have Middle Tennessee who is led by Antonio Green with his 18.5 points per game. The next highest scorer is at 8.9. During this current losing streak, MTSU has lost by 22, 28, 10, 13, 31 and 22. They've scored less then 60 points in five of their last six as the offense has dried up. To me, this seems like another chance for the Rockets to blast off to an easy win.

Davidson has gone over in four straight and five of their nine games. They've got a very potent offense that has scored 70 or more in five straight and seven of nine overall. Jon Axel Gudmundsson and Kellan Grady are fantastic as well as Luke Brajkovic. Their problem is that they aren't that deep of a team and defense is optional sometimes. Temple's defense has come and gone from time to time. They held Villanova to 69 and UMass to 63 the last two games. St. Joe's Missouri and Georgia all have had success. Temple's also going to go how Rose and Alston go. They've gone over three times this season, but a lot of that is because of higher totals. This one is within range. I think this game is close and it's played above the total.

Louisville has won four of their last five and are approaching the big one against Kentucky coming up. The Cardinals are coming off a 72-68 win over Lipscomb. They've been a little inconsistent on offense as of late scoring 72 points or less in three of their last four. The defense has also been up and down during this period as well. Kent State has three true road wins already with one of those coming at Vanderbilt as an 11 point underdog. Their only loss came at home just about a month ago at home against Liberty 77-70. Jaylin Walker is a gamechanger scorer and he's got three others who average at least 10 per ballgame. Kent State has covered 24 of their last 45 against teams with a winning record. I think they can keep things close.

I love betting on the overs in Detroit games because they've shown a true lack of interest in defense. On consecutive nights (yes back-to-back) they allowed 101 to Toledo and 98 to Dayton on the road. This is a team that has shown some offensive punch in their three home games against Kent State, Bowling Green and Loyola Maryland. Still, outside of Antoine Davis, they lack a ton of talent and that's why they struggle to stop opponents. Ohio is another team that wants to get up and down. They've scored over 80 points five times already this season including 101 at home vs. Marshall. This is just their second true road game having already lost at Xavier 82-61. The Bobcats are led by Jason Carter and Teyvion Kirk who put up 35 points per contest combined. This one should see a boatload of points.

It's a Final Four rematch in Kansas as the Jayhawks host the Wildcats. Villanova's team is different then the squad who won the title last year. They are coming off a 78-75 loss at Penn snapping a six game win streak. The Cats want to grind it out a bit and beat you in an ugly contest. They are led by Phil Booth, Eric Paschall and Collin Gillespie who are the three double digit scorers. Some of the teams to crack the 70 point mark on them include Morgan State, Furman and Michigan which gives me hope that Kansas can do so as well. The Jayhawks are without their big man Azubuike once again for this one. They've had some high scoring games with five of their first six going over the total. Kansas can beat you in a multitude of ways with Dedric Lawson leading the way. They've got a ton of talent and don't mind getting into a quicker paced game. They are also going to be looking for revenge after getting steamrolled in the tournament. Kansas has gone over in 21 of their last 33 at home including three of four this season. Fire up the over in this one. 

It's one of four games at Atlantic City as Princeton takes on Iona. The Tigers are coming off two straight losses to St. John's and St. Joe's but this is a step down in competition. They unveiled Jaelin Llewellyn last game and he had 17 points and four assists in the loss. He'll pair up nicely with Devin Cannady and Myles Stephens. This team should be able to do whatever they want as the Gaels are allowing opponents to shoot 46% or more from the field. Iona has not covered a single game this season and is coming off a loss to Columbia. EJ Crawford and Rickey McGill are two of their bigger threats. I think Princeton is the better team so give me them in this one.

Arkansas State is playing just their third home game of the season so far. The Red Wolves have an 89-54 win over Missouri Baptist and 87-77 victory over Evansville there. This team's main problem has come on the defensive side of the ball where they've allowed 70 or more in all but two games with one of those being against the lower level team. This squad goes as Ty Cockfield goes as he's averaging 21.3 points per game and the next highest is Marquis Eaton at 9.3 ppg. The Owls are quite the opposite with four double digit scorers although Xavian Stapleton is questionable for the game. FAU has played just two true road games losing at Bethune Cookman by 2 and winning at UCF by one. Their offense has been very impressive as a whole and both of these teams play with some modest pace so scoring shouldn't be an issue. This one should be an over with a real chance the road team could win. 

This is Georgia State's third home game of the season after a crazy stretch of contests. The Panthers have played the likes of Alabama, Georgia and Creighton away from home and have wins over two of them. Their problem has been defense allowing 70 or more in three straight and four of their last five. D'Marcus Simonds is averaging nearly 22 points per game with three others also scoring 10 points per game or more. The over has hit in four of their last five. Chattanooga has won three straight after a four game losing streak. They've allowed 83 at Michigan, 73 at South Alabama and 69 at Charlotte. Kevin Easley leads the team and is a solid scorer with four others putting up eight points per game or more. To me, this one seems like a good chance for the Panthers to score a lot and for this one to be an over.

Temple is back on the court a week after losing 69-59 at Villanova. They wrapped up a three game road trip with two wins over St. Joe's and Missouri. The Owls go as Shizz Alston and Quinton Rose go it seems although several other scorers have stepped up from time to time. My issue is with consistency and who else can be that option. This team played four home games to start out the year and went 0-3-1 against the spread. They don't have much of a homecourt advantage. UMass is a hard team to figure out. They are coming off a one point win at Providence last time out. They've lost to Holy Cross, Nevada, Howard and Harvard this season, but also have a potent offense. Luwane Pipkins is one of the best scorers in the A-10 and he's got help in Curtis Cobb, Jonathan Laurent and Carl Pierre as well as Rashaan Holloway who is a load inside. UMass has covered 32 of their last 44 as a road underdog of 6.5 to 9 points. Temple is 11-17-3 ATS in their last 31 at home. I think this one is closer then the experts think. 

Fullerton has lost five of their last seven as they enter this one against St. Mary's. Fullerton has allowed 80 in Hofstra, 87 in Sacramento State and 102 in Arizona State. Their offense has laid a few eggs, but Khalil Ahmad and Kyle Allman Jr are a really solid duo on offense. Traditionally St. Mary's has been good defensively, but not so much this year. They've allowed 70 or more four times, but their offense has been spectacular. The last three wins have seen them score 85, 93 and 84. This Gaels squad has a balanced unit offensively. They've gone over in all of their home games and I think that trend continues on Monday. 

The Lions have lost two straight and five of their last six as they play out the string of another season without the playoffs most likely. Detroit's offense has sputtered a bit down the stretch with turnover problems and a lack of balance. They hope to get Kerryon Johnson back, but Marvin Jones' absence has put a lot on Kenny Golladay and he's struggled with the spotlight. He'll get a lot of Patrick Peterson in this one so he could be a non-factor. Arizona has held each of their last seven opponents to less then 250 yards passing. The Cardinals have to be feeling good after winning in Green Bay. David Johnson and Chase Edmonds were able to get a lot done on the ground which took pressure off Josh Rosen. I think Arizona is worth a look in this one.

Oregon State is 6-1 on the season and making their second road trip of the season to St. Louis on Sunday. The Beavers beat Long Beach State at their place by 3 in the other trip. This team has a gaudy record, but has pretty much won the games they were supposed to. Tres Tinkle and Stephen Thompson Jr are a potent duo averaging nearly 38 points per game combined. St. Louis does it a lot more with balance with six guys averaging six points per game or more. A lot was expected from the Billikens who are 6-2 themselves with the losses coming to SIU and Pittsburgh. St. Louis has been very tough at home this season already knocking off Butler there. I'm going to keep riding St. Louis who has covered 27 of their last 41 games when the total is in the 130s. That means low scoring and ugly and this team doesn't mind that. Gimme the home team. 

Wofford has gone over in 17 of their last 27 as a favorite and 17 of their last 26 at home. The Terriers have a potent trio in Fletcher Magee, Cameron Jackson and Nathan Hoover. Wofford is putting up 91.3 points per game at home where they shoot over 50% from the field. Coastal is 2-4 on the road, but they are averaging over 80 points per game over their last five contests. Coastal goes as Zac Cuthbertson goes as he's the team's leading scorer by far. They do have five other guys who average between 7 and 10 points per game. The last two meetings between these two have gone 87-81 and 75-74. I think this one is an over as well. 

Princeton travels to New York to play St. John's. The Tigers are 4-3 on the season with wins over GW, Maine, Monmouth and DeSales. They lost by 10 to St. Joe, by 11 to Fairleigh Dickinson and by 15 to Lehigh. Princeton is a pretty veteran bunch led by Devin Cannady and Myles Stephens. The team is their usual efficient selves on offense, but they've had problems on defense from time to time. St. John's is 8-0, but has covered just one game this year. Their best wins were against Georgia Tech and Rutgers whom they were around three point favorites against. This team has issues on defense and I think the Tigers can exploit that if they stay out of foul trouble. St. John's has covered just 12 of their last 34 games as a favorite. I think the underdog is worth a look. 

The Ravens are going to be pretty sneaky when it comes to the AFC playoffs if they make it. The team has won three straight and has seen their offense come alive with Lamar Jackson under center. They have scored 24 or more in all three of his starts although two of those came at home against the Bengals and Raiders. The defense is also one of the best in football. They held the Falcons to just 97 yards passing in Atlanta last time out. This squad also kept the Titans to just 106 yards and zero points. Kansas City is coming off a 40-33 win at Oakland which gives me pause as to how good their defense will be against the better teams in the league. You can't allow the Raiders to rack up over 400 yards of offense and expect me to take you seriously. The team has struggled as of late to cover games going just 1-3-1 in their last five against the spread. There's also a situational angle here with a home game against the Chargers coming up next. KC has to keep winning to hold off the Patriots, but maybe there's a small eye on Thursday night's affair. I think this one is a bit tighter then you'd think.

Things are going horrendously for the Panthers who have lost four straight with three of those coming on the road. They are finishing up a tough stretch of four away from home over a five week span. Cam Newton is a turnover machine and he threw a bunch more interceptions last week in a 24-17 loss at Tampa Bay. The defense is getting gashed right now too as the secondary just isn't good enough. They go to Cleveland to face a Browns team that came back to earth a bit last week in Houston. They scored just 13 points and managed 31 yards on the ground in the loss. Cleveland's offense is capable of so much more and I think Baker Mayfield bounces back nicely. The Panthers are 1-5 against the spread this season on the road while Cleveland is 4-2 ATS at home. I think the Browns add to the misery of the Panthers.

I have used this article to talk about how the Dolphins have been criminally underrated by Vegas. I'm now going to do the same with the Bills who have been very profitable for me. Buffalo has won two of their last three games and came away with a close 21-17 loss at Miami last time out. Josh Allen is putting up some very good numbers both through the air and on the ground. He should see more opportunities against a Jets team that they beat 41-10 in New York around a month ago. The Bills defense is also a really good unit that has held the last three opponents to 21 points or less. The Jets have lost six straight games with four of those contests being by double digits. It looks like Sam Darnold will be back, but how much will it help. They don't run it well and don't have a ton of weapons. I think the Bills can win this one rather easily as well.

Chattanooga has won two straight after a four game losing streak. They've scored 71, 95, 92 and 78 at home already this season. The Mocs have had some issues with defense at times giving up 83, 74, 73 and 81 already this season. They play at a moderate pace and are led by Kevin Easley, Jerry Johnson Jr and Donovann Toatley. VMI has lost three straight entering this one and you can point to their defense as an issue allowing 80 or more four times already this season with almost all of those coming on the road. Bubba Parham is the conference's leading scorer and this is a team that can get really hot from long range. This series hasn't produced a lot of overs, but I think that trend could change on Sunday. 

Auburn has the offense to compete with almost anyone in the country. They host Dayton on Saturday. This Tigers squad has seven players who average seven points per game or more. They've scored less then 70 just once and that was last time against UNC Asheville. At home, they've put up over 100 twice and 99 the other time. The defense has been very good so that's a bit of a concern in this one. Dayton also plays good defense, but this is their first true road game. The most potent teams on their schedule Fort Wayne (80 points) and Virginia (66 points) were able to move it on their defense. Once again, we're seeing some movement to the under. I think it's almost moved too much. Auburn has gone over in 18 of their last 30 at home. Give me the over.

Ole Miss comes to Illinois State on Saturday. ISU has hosted BYU and San Diego State the past few weeks and was able to beat the Cougars. I really like the Redbirds with Milik Yarbrough, Phil Fayne and Josh Jefferson leading the way. Keyshawn Evans is only averaging seven points per game but I think he's capable of so much more. Ole Miss has a potent trio of their own and is 5-2 on the season. My problem is that outside of a win over Baylor, they really haven't beaten anyone of substance. The losses came to Butler and Cincinnati with them beating the other teams they were supposed to. ISU got the win on the road in this series last year. I think they can keep things interesting here too.

Plain and simple, I'll fade Leonard Hamilton whenever I can and I think I can here. UConn is 7-2 and with Dan Hurley they have the coaching advantage. The Huskies are a lot tougher deep and have some solid pieces to throw at the deeper Seminoles. Jalen Adams and Christian Vital are the two leading scorers. They are also playing some solid defense as well holding teams to less then 30% shooting from long range. Florida State is 7-1 but 3-5 against the spread. There's no doubt they are the more talented team in this one and Phil Cofer is returning as well. Still, this team has had problems against better teams covering the spread. They've done so against UAB, Canisius and Florida. It's a neutral court game so that gives me another edge as it won't be filled with Florida State fans. Give me the underdog in this one.

Eugene German and NIU head to Butler to take on the Bulldogs. German is averaging nearly 22 points per contest. The Huskies have scored 71 or more in every game this season so offense hasn't been the issue. Their problem is on the defensive end where they allow 71.4 points per contest. Green Bay was able to put up 85 at home on NIU while Oakland scored 72. Butler's offense has had an up and down season. They've scored 70 or less in three straight and four of their last five. They are capable of so much more and Kamar Baldwin has struggled mightily. They have been fantastic on defense and that's a concern for my over. Next up is a game vs. Indiana so one eye could be on their next game. Butler has gone over in 21 of their last 34 at home. The Huskies have gone over in five of their six lined games. This one should do that as well.

Northeastern is playing just their third true home game of the season. They've got a 77-74 loss to Boston back on Opening Night and a 81-67 win over EMU at Matthews Arena. This team has scored 70 or more in four contests this season. Their bigger issue is on defense where three opponents have shot 50% or better with seven opponents scoring 70 points or more. Oakland will make you pay on offense and is coming off an 87-86 win at Fairfield in which they shot nearly 60% from the field. They have scored 70 or more in every game except for two while allowing that much in all but three contests. This team allowed NIU to shoot 66% from the field. Northeastern has gone over in all three games as a favorite this season. I think these two should find some offensive success. 

The Bonnies are a big underdog as Buffalo comes to town. St. Bonaventure has looked like a completely different team with Courtney Stockard healthy. They'll be uber talented once LaDarien Griffin returns as well. Even without Griffin, they've got some balance with four other double digit scorers. The Reilly Center is a very tough place to play and the game will be a sellout so you know it'll be a hostile atmosphere. Buffalo is 8-0 and is steamrolling opponents. They have road wins at West Virginia and Southern Illinois already this season. With CJ Massinburg and Nick Perkins on the court, they've got some potent scorers to go with Jeremy Harris and Jayvon Graves. Buffalo has struggled a little bit in this series and lost last year 73-62 as a one point favorite. Two years ago they fell in Olean 90-84 so you know they'll be focused here. Still, I like the Bonnies to keep it close and potentially get the upset.

Wright State is 4-5 on the year having lost four of their last five. They have struggled to score as of late and are not getting the stops when it matters. This is a team that has played two true road games losing at Indiana State 69-63 and Murray State 73-54. They want to play a slower game despite having some very solid talent. Kent State is quite the opposite as they've scored 70 or more in every game this season. Jaylin Walker has been an impact player as expected averaging almost 25 points per game over his first three. Now they have four double digit scorers. I think this is a very good team who already has a win at Vanderbilt. The money in this one is on the under and I think we're getting a good value on the over now. Wright State has gone over in 10 of their last 14 games when the total is in the low 140s on the road. KSU will play with their pace and this one goes over.

The Jaguars have lost four of their last six, but they are home where they are 4-1 on the season. I think this Jaguars team is sneaky good with the duo of Rodrick Sikes and Josh Ajayi leading the way. I'd love this play a little more if transfer Kory Holden was available. He's averaged 20 points per game in his two contests, but he was out last game due to injury. Tulane is playing their first true road game of the season and their wins were against Tennessee-Martin, South Dakota State and Coastal Carolina. They lost to SE Louisiana at home as a 10.5 point favorite. Tulane has covered just seven of their last 25 as a road underdog of three points or less. They have won just five road games outright so pardon me if I don't believe in them in this one. The Jaguars are 25-12 in their last 37 home games. I like them in this situation.

It's a state rivalry as George Mason hosts JMU. These two have played a lot of overs in their history including six of their last seven in Fairfax. Last year Mason won 76-72 in Harrisonburg and beat the Dukes 80-77 at home two years ago. James Madison has gone over in eight of their 10 games as they play with a moderate pace and struggle on defense. They've scored 70 or more seven times and have allowed at least that much six times. Stuckey Mosley leads a trio of scorers who put up 10 points per game or more. George Mason is 4-6 and has been a massive disappointment on the year. They have the scorers and the talent to make a run in the conference, but they've got to play more defense. The Pats have scored 80 or more three times and have allowed 70 or more in five straight and eight of 10 overall. It would really help if Jaire Grayer was going to play. No word yet on his availability. I think though this one will be close and higher scoring. 

Elon has won just three games this season with wins over Manhattan, Milligan and Central Penn College. They've struggled with defense especially against the better teams on their slate. Furman just put up 98 on them and UNC scored 116. The Phoenix have a decent offense although they've only topped 70 points three times. Steve Santa Ana and Tyler Seibring put up over 14 per game. Greensboro is one of my favorite mid-majors. The Spartans have Francis Alonso and Isaiah Miller. They've cracked 80 points or more six times this season and have shot 50% or better in all but two contests. Their defense could be better although they've done well against their lesser opponents. I think this one is a higher scoring game. 

Wake Forest has been largely unimpressive so far this season. They are 4-3 with the losses coming to Richmond, Houston Baptist and St. Joseph's. Their wins were by seven over Western Carolina and Fullerton, by six over Valpo and by 12 over North Carolina A&T. This team has uber amounts of talent, but they are really young and don't play a ton of defense either. Charlotte does play defense and is learning the pack line under new coach Ron Sanchez. The 49ers have played just two road games with one being a 20 point loss to Davidson and an eight point one at Charleston. Charlotte's not going to be confused for an offensive juggernaut, but the defense has kept them in ballgames. Jon Davis is averaging over 20 points per game to go along with Malik Martin. I think they can frustrate the Deacons and hang around in this one. Give me the underdog. 

Ball State has been an over machine this season and in the past. They've hit in four straight and six of their seven lined games. The Cardinals have a potent offense scoring 80 or more in four straight and five of their eight games this season. The defense has been a little bit of an issue too giving up 75 to IUPUI at their place last time out. I really like the trio of Tayler Persons, KJ Walton and Tahjai Teague. There's some interior work along with some solid guard play there. The Ramblers are a little more methodical, but they've still been able to score some buckets when they need to. The team has scored 70 or more five times this season. They've also struggled with their defense with a period where three straight opponents shot 50% or better from the field. I like the over and think Ball State could get an upset in this one. 

South Carolina hits the road for the first time this season for a true road game at Wyoming?! Yes the Gamecocks are playing the Cowboys because of Allen Edwards and Frank Martin's relationship. USC has alternated wins and losses and has covered just one game this season against the awful George Washington. South Carolina has bigger games against Michigan, Virginia and Clemson coming up so pardon me if they struggle for focus in one of the toughest places to play. This doesn't happen often for Wyoming who has just two wins on the season. They've lost four of their games by 10 points or less so they are close to putting it together. Justin James is a near double double machine averaging 24.9 ppg and 9.8 rpg. He's got some support in Hunter Maldonado and Jake Hendricks. Their defense isn't the greatest so that's a concern. Still, this is a really random road trip and I think the home team can take advantage. 

Brown has won six of their last seven as they embark to Butler. The Bears have dried up a bit offensively on the road, but they had a stretch of six of their first seven where they scored 80 or more. This team has had a little bit of an issue at times with defense giving up 71 to Rhode Island on the road and 83 at Long Island. Desmond Cambridge, Brandon Anderson and Tamenang Choh are the team's three best scorers. Butler is coming off a rough loss at St. Louis 64-52. They've played just three home games with the Bulldogs scoring 83, 84 and 90 as they've got a really good offense. Butler has gone over in 21 of their last 33 home games. I think this one goes over too. 

The Keydets have been a hot and cold team this season on the road. We tried to fade them at Kentucky and VMI shot 50% from long range in a 92-82 loss to the Wildcats. They won at Stetson 87-79 and have also put up over 90 points against two other lower level opponents. The team has struggled big time on defense allowing 94 at Pittsburgh to go along with the other two scores. Virginia Tech has been fantastic at home scoring 94, 75 and 87 against lesser teams, playing good defense in the process. The Hokies don't really have any reason to lookahead, but this one could get really ugly. Back in November of 2016, this was an 88-72 game. I don't expect as much, but we should see the over hit. 

It's been a horrific year so far for Monmouth who has scored over 70 points just once and that came in a 13 point loss at Colgate. The Hawks have lost by 22, 46, 15, 13, 24, 11 and 18 in games outside of their own gym. They've struggled to score all year and have just two guys who average eight points per game or more. Hofstra is led by the potent duo of Justin Wright-Foreman and Eli Pemberton who account for 44 points per game. The Pride has a 26 point win over Kennesaw State on their resume with two other blowout wins at home over North Carolina A&T and Mount St. Mary's. They've covered in all but one contest as well and have no lookahead factor here. Expect another blowout. 

Northeastern is 4-4 on the season and travels to Syracuse to face an inconsistent Orange team. The Huskies have road wins at Bucknell and Harvard and a nine point loss at Davidson on their resume. This is a team without Shawn Occeus, Maxime Boursiquot and Vasa Pusica but still have a lot. Jordan Roland, Donnell Gresham Jr and Tomas Murphy are three other scorers with Bolden Brace being a decent option from long range. Syracuse beat Ohio State by 10 at their place and laid an egg afterwards in a 63-55 win at home against Cornell as 21.5 point favorites. Tyus Battle and Oshae Brissett are the leaders with Frank Howard running point. This team's offense has been pretty tough to watch for the most part. There's also the small caveat that Georgetown is the next game so focus could be a little bit of an issue. I think this one is closer then the spread says.

Little Rock hosts Bradley on Tuesday night. UALR has won their three home contests beating Sam Houston State, Howard and SE Oklahoma State. The squad's fourth win came over Tennessee State. They've had some issues on defense this season which is something you can't say for Bradley. Still, the Trojans are led by Rayjon Tucker who has been fantastic all-around. They really need Markquis Nowell and Deondre Burns who have been out the past few games. Bradley has lost two straight and has fallen in their two true road games at IUPUI and Illinois-Chicago. They've got more talent on their roster right now, but the defense has been very leaky as of late. Bradley has covered just eight of their last 27 road games. UALR was embarrassed at Bradley last year. Payback could be had. 

Detroit has covered seven straight since their opener. The Titans have struggled on the defensive end allowing 70 points in three straight and six of their eight contests overall. Antoine Davis is a very impressive player on this bad squad as he's been able to score with not a lot of help around him. The team has put up 70 or more in four of their last five and five contests overall. Dayton's offense has been atrocious as of late scoring less then 60 in their last three games against solid opponents. We had the over in Dayton's game against Fort Wayne and it went over easily. This team is capable of a lot more. They did hit the gates fast with easy blowouts over North Florida and Coppin State. Detroit has gone over in 42 of their last 66 games when the total is in the 140s. Dayton has gone over in 11 of their last 16 games against teams with a losing record. I think this one is an over. 

Troy has lost four of their last six games. They've got a lot of talent for a Sun Belt team and an offense that has scored 75 or more four times this season. Jordon Varnado is one of four double digit scorers along with Alex Hicks and Javan Johnson. Florida State is 6-1 and has their typically deep team. Terence Mann and Mfiondu Kabengele are the two double digit scorers, but four others average seven per game or more. The Seminoles have a nice little sandwich with a trip to UConn next and a nice win over Purdue last time out. Florida State has faced LSU, Villanova and Purdue all in a row so pardon them if they aren't the most focused for this game. FSU has gone over in 20 of their last 32 home games. I think this one is an over. 

This is an important game for seeding in the AFC. Both of these teams have solid offenses with very good defenses. Vegas is telling you that this will be a shootout and I don't necessarily agree. Pittsburgh has scored just 37 points their last two games, but they've held six of their last seven opponents to 21 points or less. I don't think the Steelers D gets enough credit for what they've done this season after a rough start to the year. The Chargers offense broke a four game streak of 20-25 points last week when they put up 45 on Arizona. That probably won't happen here with Melvin Gordon on the shelf. That puts a little bit more on Philip Rivers and Austin Ekeler who will try to pick up the slack. Five of the Chargers last seven have gone under the total. Unders in this league are tough to get, but I'll take a shot here.

SMU's offense is hot right now with three straight performances shooting 50% from the field or better. They have scored 70 or more in five of their last six contests. Jahmal McMurray, Ethan Chargois and Jimmy Whitt Jr are the team's pick three with several other guys contributing. It does concern me that they are one of the slowest teams in the country, but Oral Roberts shouldn't put up much resistance defensively. The Golden Eagles have allowed less then 70 points just twice all season. In true road games they've played games of 87-76, 85-65, 79-62 and 84-50 which were all losses. There's some decent talent here, but this one seems to be an over as I think SMU has a chance to hit 90. 

The Dolphins have been a very profitable team for me and in a way, I think they will continue that trend. Miami has lost four of their last five with the win being at home against the Jets in a 13-6 game way back almost a month ago. This team is rather underwhelming on offense with Kenyan Drake not at 100%. I do like Ryan Tannehill, but he's about to face a really good defense and face them twice in the same month. The Bills have won two straight and are really glad to have Josh Allen back under center. He instantly made a difference last week against the Jaguars and will also do so here. Buffalo's defense travels and I think they do so once again here too. The Bills won in Miami last year and I think there's a good chance they do so again this year.

This is one of those situational plays that I'm always talking about. Houston has won eight straight since an 0-3 start and they have a short week to prepare for a suddenly hot Cleveland Browns team. Much like my Dolphins selection last week, the Browns are the cozy little team in the middle of a divisional game sandwich for Houston as they host the Colts next week in a bigger contest. There's a lot to like about this home team, but I think they aren't as focused for this one as they have been. Cleveland has won two straight beating the Falcons and Bengals. Their offense is smoking hot and Baker Mayfield is playing really well. The defense scares me a bit, but they've stepped up during this little win streak. Pretty much every trend you could think of backs the home team so I'm going the other way with Cleveland.

The Broncos are playing some good football now and have an outside shot at the playoffs with the remaining schedule that they have left. Next up is the Bengals who couldn't be any lower then they've been as of late. Andy Dalton is out and now Jeff Driskel is in and I actually like that. Driskel may not be as good, but maybe things won't be as stale on offense. It looks like AJ Green may be back and that'll help things out as well. Denver is not the same team on the road as they are at home. Cincy's defense has been horrendous lately, but Denver's offense is really inconsistent with Case Keenum under center. This is a little bit of a feel play that will feel awful when the Bengals lay another egg.

Old Dominion is a rather large favorite in this one despite being only 4-3 and averaging just 62.7 points per game. The Monarchs are feeling good after a huge comeback win over VCU, but the problems on the offensive end were still there for the first half. ODU's wins have come over the Rams, Navy, Kennesaw State and Northern Iowa. James Madison has been impressive this season especially on the offensive side. They already have wins at Charlotte and East Carolina to go with an eight point loss at Oakland. The Monarchs embarrassed them at their place last year so you know they'll be thinking about that. JMU is led by Stuckey Mosley, Darius Banks and Matt Lewis with several others chipping in on this somewhat deep team. ODU is only 3-3 against the spread the last three years as a home favorite of 9.5 to 12 points. I think this is just a bit too many points

Drake is 4-1 right now and they are in really good form entering this contest against North Dakota State in Minnesota's football stadium. The Bulldogs are coming off an 83-74 win over Boise State. The Bulldogs have great balance with six players averaging eight points per game or more. North Dakota State is 2-5 on the year with the wins coming over UCSB and Towson this season. When they lose though, they get crushed with four of the five losses being by double digits. The Bison don't really have one player they rely on, but are led by Tyson Ward. I like the balance of the MVC team to come out on top. 

This series has seen plenty of points the last two years with Temple winning 81-78 in 2017 and 78-72 in 2016. Temple's defense concerns me a little bit considering they allowed 77 at Missouri against a Tigers team that is woeful offensively. They also gave up 77 to Georgia, 67 to Detroit and Loyola Maryland. The offense could struggle a little bit with Rose and Alston having to carry the load. St. Joe's have a ton of offense scoring 78 or more in every game other then the UCF contest in which they scored 57. The Hawks don't play any defense either allowing 70 or more in their last four contests. I think the Hawks have some matchup issues for the road team in this one and are the way to go here. 

The Billikens are 5-1 to start the season as they host Butler on Saturday. St. Louis' best win is probably over Seton Hall. They are pretty strong on the defensive end and are led by Javon Bess, Tramaine Isabell and Jordan Goodwin. The team actually has some solid depth behind those guys as well. This will be Butler's first true road game of the season. They are 5-1 and have the potent duo of Kamar Baldwin and Paul Jorgensen. The team has wins over Ole Miss, Florida and Middle Tennessee already this season, but lost to Dayton. Butler has covered just eight of their last 21 road games. I think St. Louis is a very live dog at home. 

Tulsa has lost two of their last three entering this one against Utah on the road. The Golden Hurricane really have no wins over anyone of substance with them being double digit favorites in the majority of their contests. The two losses came to Nevada and Southern Illinois who were their two toughest opponents. The Golden Hurricane have some decent players, but I really don't think this is that good of a team overall. Utah is 3-3 on the season with their wins coming over Maine, Mississippi Valley State and Grand Canyon. We're getting the Utes at a lower price but their losses were to Minnesota, Hawaii and Northwestern. Sedrick Barefield and Donnie Tillman are the team's two best scorers, but they've also got six other guys who average between seven and nine points per game. Utah has been a good cover at home while Tulsa has struggled on the road. Give me the home team in this one.

Texas State is 6-1 with wins over Air Force, Cal Poly and Portland. The Bobcats are one of the slower teams in the country, but they've struggled to set that pace away from home in two of their three road games. They played a 54-42 game against Cal Poly who is also methodical. The team lost 75-69 at Drake, but won 91-68 at Portland. The Bobcats are led by Nijal Pearson and Tre'Larenz Nottingham. UTSA has won two straight and is starting to play better with Jhivvan Jackson in the lineup. He makes a difference with Keaton Wallace and Nick Allen. The Roadrunners play with some pace as a team scoring 75 or more in three straight. The problem is on the defensive end where they've allowed 80 or more four times. Last year, this was a 79-78 game when the total was 129 in Texas State. I think this one goes over the lower total as Texas State won't be able to play as slow away from home.

It's been quite the season so far for Furman as they have wins over Villanova and Loyola Chicago. The Paladins are beating up on the bad teams at home with wins by 52, 40 and 17 already against lower level competition. Their big three is Jordan Lyons, Matt Rafferty and Clay Mounce. The Catamounts are not a good team with losses by 23 at Wright State, 33 at SMU and by 31 at Jacksonville State. The wins have come at home over Hiwassee and Jacksonville. Furman has won the last three meetings by 24, 23 and 34. I think this one is a blowout too.

Colorado is smoking hot right now offensively scoring 93 in their last two victories over Air Force and Portland. The Buffaloes put up 100 in their victory over Drake. McKinley Wright IV, Lucas Siewert and Namon Wright are the team's top three scorers and each of them are shooting 50% or better from the field. Colorado State has lost three of their last four games because of a porous defense. They allowed 91 points to Lafayette, 82 to Southern Illinois and 78 to South Dakota State. The Rams have six players who score 10 points per game or more and aren't as deep as they'd like. CSU has gone over in 24 of their last 37 as an underdog. I think this rivalry game goes over too.

La Salle is a bad basketball team....like a really bad one. Outside of Powell and Deas, there isn't a ton of talent here and their standing in the stats shows it. They are towards the bottom in shooting stats and defensive ones as well. The Explorers have lost four games by double digits including three straight against Miami, Northwestern and Grand Canyon. Villanova has won three straight with four of their wins this season being by double digits. This is a team still figuring things out a bit as they have lost a lot from last year's title bunch. This game will be played at the Palestra so it's not at Villanova. That is a little bit of a concern, but I think they will pour it on in a rather easy win.

Virginia Tech needs this game to get into a bowl game to extend their streak. The Hokies poured a lot of emotion into last week against their rival Virginia and picked up an overtime win. Now they have to get ready for a Marshall team that has basically been told that they are sacrificial lambs for Virginia Tech. This is a Thundering Herd team with a good defense and a competent enough offense to make things interesting. The Hokies problems weren't masked last week, it's just UVA messed up. I think the Herd can win this game outright so I will take the points. 

The Musketeers are getting better with six guys who score eight points per game or more. They've won two straight since losing three in a row. This team has scored 70 or more in every game except for one against Wisconsin. Xavier has had some defensive problems at times giving up 85 to Evansville, 77 to the Badgers, 88 to Auburn and 79 to San Diego State. Oakland is 4-4 on the year and they've got an offense that has scored 80 or more four times. Their problem comes on the defensive end where they've allowed 80 or more three times. Xavier Hill-Mais and Jaevin Cumberland combine for over 40 points per game. I think this one goes over the total.

TCU continues it's home games as they host Central Michigan on Friday. The Horned Frogs have road games against SMU and USC coming up so this is their last tune up. So far TCU has two home wins by single digits and one outright loss to the likes of Bakersfield, Fresno State and Lipscomb. Kouat Noi leads four double digit scorers for this team. The Chippewas are 6-1 on the season and have road wins at San Jose State and Sam Houston State to go along with a home win over Bakersfield. This team won't be intimidated by playing in Fort Worth at all. Larry Austin Jr is a really solid scorer alongside Kevin McKay. This is a veteran squad that has some depth as well. They've covered 29 of their last 36 lined non-conference games. I think this number is way too big. 

NAU is 2-2 on the season and is playing their fourth straight game away from home. The Lumberjacks have a ton of balance with five guys who average nine points per game or better. Their wins are against Jacksonville and Nebraska-Omaha with the losses coming at South Dakota and Hawaii. UC Davis is 1-6 with their win coming by three points over Texas A&M Corpus Christi. They have struggled mightily to score all season long and I don't know why that will change here. They've lost their home games by 34, 19 and three points. The Aggies may be the better team, but this is asking a lot from them to cover this big number. Give me the road team. 

New Orleans is absolutely steamrolling opponents lately and it's hard to get in front of that train, but I am going to on Thursday. The Saints have had a very tough stretch of teams with the Vikings, Rams and Eagles among their opponents since the end of October. Now they are beginning the first of three away from home with the Cowboys. I know the Saints have to keep winning with the other teams closing in on them atop the NFC. Dallas has won three straight and I've tried to fade them the last two weeks to no success so now I'm going to back them. New Orleans has a very good run defense, but I argue they haven't faced too many teams committed to it as much as Dallas is. Dak Prescott is playing a little better now that he has Amari Cooper out wide. The defense has also been an underrated part of this recent resurrection. The corners are pretty solid and Leighton Vander Esch is a star in the making. To me, this is a little bit too big for a game that could be played once again in the playoffs. Dallas is 4-1 at home against the spread and haven't been a home underdog of this much in quite awhile.

The Big Green are 3-3 on the season and are led by a group of five guys who put up nine points per game or more. They want to get up the court and play a faster game then their opponents would like. Dartmouth also has four of those guys shooting 50% or better from the court. They have wins over Newbury, Loyola Maryland and Elms College with a close loss at Davidson as well. Marist is the slower of the two teams with just a six point win over Columbia on their resume. Their defense has been pretty porous allowing all but Stephen F Austin to pour in 70 points or more. This game is being played in Belfast so there won't be any sort of home-court advantage or atmosphere. I think a team like Dartmouth will not have as much of an issue generating offense so they'll win. 

The Anteaters have a 6-1 record and road wins at Santa Clara and Texas A&M already under their belts. Irvine has been shooting the ball poorly which is a concern, but their defense has been fantastic with just two teams shooting better then 40% from the field this season. Irvine doesn't beat you with one scorer, but they have five guys who put up between nine and 10 points per game. This is a team that is very deep and doesn't play anyone that long so no one gets tired. The Gaels have lost three straight including last time out when they failed to cover as nine point favorites at home against Harvard. This team's defense has actually been bad for them as of late. Jordan Ford and Malik Fitts are the two scorers to watch out for but the secondary pieces are not doing their part. The last three years St. Mary's has covered just 13 of their last 33 at home. With a better team last year, they won this game by 7 at home. 

I really like Fresno State and so far they've been 3-2 with three overs in four lined games. They have a ton of talent led by Braxton Huggins and Deshon Taylor. The Bulldogs have scored 75 or more in four of the five contests. Pacific is 5-3 on the year and has mixed some overs with some unders. The team has played four road games with two of those going over the total. They allowed 96 to UNLV and 83 to Nevada in looser games. The Tigers have four double digit scorers and have also struggled on the defensive end against teams with talent. I think this one is another over. 

DePaul is back home after a 95-70 loss to Notre Dame on the road. The Blue Demons had won their first three against Penn State, Morgan State and Bethune Cookman. In those games they scored 72, 91 and 80 with some good defensive numbers mixed in as well. The problem with those numbers are they are a bit hollow considering the competition. Cleveland State has a modest offense and a true lack of want to play defense. They've allowed 80 or more four times with two of those being on the road at Ohio State and Davidson. The Vikings are led by Tyree Appleby and Stefan Kenic along with four others who average 7 ppg or more. DePaul is 10-6-2 to the over in their last 18 as a favorite. I think this one is played with some pace and there's some scoring. 

I've been very impressed with VCU this season who is off to a 5-1 start. They have wins over Hofstra and Temple as well as a one point loss to St. John's which could have been a win with proper officiating. The team is clamping down defensively and is overwhelming teams with turnovers at times. Marcus Evans is a difference maker. Issac Vann is playing well and they've got size to throw at the Monarchs. ODU's offense doesn't scare me. They've scored more then 70 just once and just don't have a ton of depth. Ahmad Caver is a solid player, but how much do they have behind him. VCU has won a few straight in this series and should be able to take advantage in this one. Also, I think the Rams fans travel and the homecourt advantage won't be as strong.

Wyoming is 2-4 on the season and hasn't really been that impressive. The Cowboys wins are by two over Richmond on a neutral court and by eight at home over Grambling. The team has been somewhat uncompetitive in a few others losing by 10 at home to UCSB, 19 at Oregon State, 12 to Boston College and five at home vs. Niagara. We'll see if Hunter Thompson can continue to be a solid complementary scorer to Justin James who desperately needs help. Hunter Maldonado and Jake Hendricks aren't bad pieces. Evansville is 2-0 at home with wins over Texas Southern and Kentucky Wesleyan with competitive road losses at Xavier and Ball State. The Purple Aces have five double digit scorers and haven't had much of an issue scoring the basketball. I think they play well at home in what will be a long trip for the Cowboys. Home team worth a look here. 

Southern Illinois has won three of their last four and they continue their road trip at Colorado State as part of the MWC/MVC challenge. The Salukis play good defense and want to play a slower game although that's harder to do on the road. They played two overs in their three games outside of Carbondale. The Salukis have six scorers of eight points per game or more. They have a very efficient offense and will be challenged by CSU on defense. The Rams have seven players who score double digits per game or more making them absolutely deadly. Colorado State has scored 100, 92 and 81 in their three home games. Their defense leaves a little bit to be desired as well. I think this one goes over the total. 

This is the MVC/Mountain West Challenge and it's a good opportunity for Drake to get a solid opponent at home. Boise State is a hard team to figure out because they have a ton of talent but have started 2-3. Justinian Jessup, Zach Haney, RJ Williams, Cam Christon and Alex Hobbs are all banged up to some extend although the team's leading scorer will play in this one. Drake is 3-1 and has seven players who score eight points per game or more. They are led by Nick Norton and Nick McGlynn. Boise State was in the Cayman Islands and is now dealing with this adversity of injury as well. Drake has gone over in 17 of their last 24 at home and 20 of their last 31 when the total is in the 140s. Give me the over. 

This is the MVC/Mountain West Challenge and it's a good opportunity for Drake to get a solid opponent at home. Boise State is a hard team to figure out because they have a ton of talent but have started 2-3. Justinian Jessup, Zach Haney, RJ Williams, Cam Christon and Alex Hobbs are all banged up to some extend although the team's leading scorer will play in this one. Drake is 3-1 and has seven players who score eight points per game or more. They are led by Nick Norton and Nick McGlynn. Boise State was in the Cayman Islands and is now dealing with this adversity of injury as well. I think this one is played a little looser and the Over is worth a look besides the underdog. 

California hosts Santa Clara on Monday night in a game that won't put any ripples in the college basketball world. The Golden Bears beat Hampton 80-66 in their only win of the season. In their losses, they've struggled to score and have had defensive issues. This team has actually lost 76-59 twice already. Paris Austin, Justice Sueing, Darius McNeill and Andre Kelly are the team's double digit scorers. Santa Clara is coming off a 71-63 win at San Jose State. They've had defensive issues against several teams this season giving up 80 or more to Minnesota, Washington and Prairie View. They've been on the road for the past 11 days so maybe there is some road weariness. This is a really low total and I just think that both of these teams could play a little bit of a looser game. Give me the over. 

Iowa State is 5-1 and playing without four of their players right now. They are coming off a tournament appearance where they beat San Diego State and Illinois while losing to Arizona. ISU has scored 80 or more in three of their last four and that's because of the likes of Marial Shayok, Michael Jacobson and Talen Horton-Tucker. The Mavericks are 3-3, but have won two straight beating Montana State and Bethune Cookman. This team has had some issues on defense against the better opponents allowing 79 at Colorado and 104 at Minnesota. Zach Jackson and JT Gibson are averaging 35 points per game combined and there's five other guys who average at least 7 ppg. A lot of the trends say this one is an under, but I think we'll see plenty of points on both sides in this one. 

South Carolina is 3-2 on the season with wins over GW, Norfolk State and USC Upstate. The Gamecocks were large favorites in all three of those games. They've only covered just once this season and have lost to Providence and Stony Brook. AJ Lawson and Chris Silva are the top two scorers for the home team. Wofford is 4-2 and has already played at Oklahoma and hosted North Carolina. The Terriers wins have come over Mars Hill, Coppin State, Carver Bible and High Point. They go as Fletcher Magee and Cameron Jackson go as they are the team's two biggest threats. Wofford has covered 17 of their last 28 road games. South Carolina has covered 13 of their last 31 at home. I think this one is a tighter game. 

The Colts have won four straight entering this one against the Dolphins. Their offense has been clicking with Andrew Luck firing away at will. I don't trust their defense, but they've been doing enough to get the wins as of late. Indy did allow 28 points at Oakland just a few weeks ago so they can be beaten. In comes the Dolphins who have lost three of their last four, but are coming off the bye week. With that time off, they've been able to get Ryan Tannehill healthy which should help them on offense. Frank Gore is going up against his former team and the defense will present a challenge. Miami has held five of their last six opponents to less then 250 yards passing and that included the likes of the Packers and Texans on the road. This is a divisional game sandwich for the home team who hosted the Jaguars and Titans and will be playing at Jacksonville and Houston coming up. I think focus could be a little bit of an issue.

You can read the full preview I wrote for this game when it gets published, but I really think this one will be a lower scoring battles. Pittsburgh's defense has held six straight opponents to 21 points or less. Their offense has had their issues a little bit on the road scoring just 20 at Jacksonville and 23 at Baltimore the last two times away from home. Denver has scored 23 points or less in six of their last seven games. Case Keenum could be on the run often. I think Denver's D does it's job and keeps this within one score late.

Oakland has very interest in playing defense and they've shown it this season. They've actually been getting good offensive production too. The team has scored 70 or more in all but one contest and that was at UNLV which was their only road game. Xavier Hill-Mais is averaging 25 points per game with Jaevin Cumberland adding 15. NIU is also an over team scoring over 70 in every contest. This total is curiously low for two teams who struggle at times on defense and can light it up. Give me the trap then and let me have the over. 

The Bills had a nice bye week to rest up for the stretch run and the time off means Josh Allen will be back under center. The last we saw this team, they won 41-10 at the Jets two weeks ago. This defense is absolutely fierce against the run and the pass. They are also as healthy as you can get for the most part. Last year, these two played in the playoffs with the Jags winning 10-3 at home in a game that saw Jacksonville rack up just 230 yards of offense. The Jags have lost six in a row and put a lot into their loss against the Steelers last week. The team stifled Pittsburgh for three quarters, but had no faith in their quarterback and the defense struggled to get stops. I think they come out flat as can be in this one. Buffalo will be jacked for this one and may even win outright.

Oral Roberts has been terrible on defense giving up 87 points in both games so far in this tournament. James Madison has been really good offensively and should be able to do what they want on ORU. This one should be played in the 70s. I think it's an up and down affair at noon. 

I think we are getting a good price with the home team as BYU hosts Houston. The Cougars are led by Yoeli Childs, TJ Haws and Jahshire Hardnett with a couple of others chipping in. I'd really like to see BYU shoot better from long range, but that could happen in this one. They are holding their opponents to just 37% shooting on the season. Houston is only 3-0 with three blowout wins at home against lesser opponents. The road Cougars have a real good trio of Armoni Brooks, Corey Davis Jr and Galen Robinson Jr but their inside game isn't as strong. I'm going to take a shot with the home team in this one. 

This is a really big number for Dartmouth to cover considering they've already won at Loyola Maryland and nearly knocked off Davidson. Yes, they got blown out by Buffalo, but that's a tough place to play and they played no defense whatsoever in that one. The Big Green have four guys shooting 50% or better from the field and six players who score eight points per game or more. San Francisco is undefeated this season, but they've also beaten no one and not left home either. They have a really good group of scorers as well. Their best aspect is the defense which has clamped down on all five opponents. The problem is that all five opponents have not presented the challenge that Dartmouth will. I think this one is higher scoring and the underdog has a shot to cover.

William and Mary has gone over in 19 of their last 21 home games and 24 of their last 39 against teams with a winning record. The Tribe has allowed three of their last four opponents to shoot 50% or better from the field. They've given up 80 or more in each of those contests and could do it once again against a St. Joe's team that has the ability to score a ton with the likes of Funk, Brown and Kimble. The Hawks have had no problems putting up points on everyone outside of UCF. They've also struggled at times to stop their opponents with their last two opponents shooting it really well. I used to make a lot of money on Tribe overs so we'll try it again here too. 

Evansville is feeling good on a two game win streak having beaten Texas Southern and Kentucky Wesleyan. The Purple Aces have scored 60, 85, 92 and 85 this season. They have been rather porous on the road allowing 99 to Illinois and 91 to Xavier. Evansville has five double digit scorers and a little bit of depth behind that. Ball State's offense is very good with a 94 point output against App State and 75 against Purdue. They also scored 86 vs. Indiana State in the opener. The over has hit in four of their five contests overall. The Cardinals are led by Tayler Persons and KJ Walton who average nearly 33 points per game combined. Ball State has gone over in 24 of their last 35 as favorites and 17 of their last 22 lined non-conference games. 

Two like minded offenses that want to run means both teams will be somewhat familiar with each other. Long drives means less possessions too. I think this one is an under. 

These two teams just met earlier this week with the Panthers taking the game 54-53 in the Paradise Jam. It's been an odd week for the Monarchs who were stuck in the airport for awhile as they tried to get home from the tourney. They are 2-3 on the year, but are shooting just 37.3% from the field. The defense is there and that will always keep them in ballgames. Problem is that their opponent UNI is also good on defense. The Panthers also have a few more solid offensive weapons. The Monarchs have covered just 13 of their last 27 at home. Seven points is a lot in a game that should be tight throughout. 

James Madison had their four game win streak snapped last time out in an 91-82 home loss to the Citadel. This team has a very good offense scoring 70 or more in all but one contest. Darius Banks leads four double digit scorers with several others chipping in as well. Oakland's lost a ton of talent, but is still managing to score with some pace. They've put up over 85 points three times this season. Xavier Hill-Mais is their number one weapon by far and he's shooting almost 70% from the field. This one has over written all over it. 

It's a win and your in scenario for Buffalo who travels to Bowling Green on Friday. The Bulls were embarrassed in Ohio last time out and lost 52-17 to the Bobcats. Now they take on a Bowling Green team whose defense is absolutely horrific against anyone with a pulse. The Falcons did do well against Central Michigan and Akron the last two weeks but before that allowed 35 to Kent State, 49 to Ohio, 42 to Western Michigan and 52 to Toledo. The Bulls had scored 120 points over a three week span before that loss to Ohio. Their defense has been up and down themselves too. I could see Bowling Green putting up some points too. This was a 38-28 game last year. I think Buffalo puts up more then that and we go over the total. 

The Broncos have won three of their five games with losses to Cincinnati and Ole Miss. Western Michigan has a 47 point win over Aquinas, an 8 point win over Oakland and a 13 point win over Detroit. They rely heavily on Seth Dugan, Josh Davis and Michael Flowers who put up over 40 points per game. Southern is 0-4 this season with a 20 point loss at Alabama, a 27 point loss at Baylor, a 50 point loss at Louisville and a 4 point loss at George Mason. They don't score it very well and don't defend very well. Give me the team out of the MAC in an easy win.

This is a huge opportunity for Grand Canyon who is looking for their first ever win against a power five school. They've got a decent shot against a Seton Hall team that is 1-2 on the season with a 40 point win over Wagner and losses to St. Louis and Nebraska. The Pirates problem is that they rely heavily on Myles Powell who averages over 20 points per game and everyone else is a mixed bag. They've got four others who score six points per game or more. A lot was expected from Taurean Thompson and he's only scoring 3 ppg in 10 mins. The Antelopes have the better offense and have covered three of their four games. They have wins Arkansas State, Jacksonville and Delaware State to go with a close loss to South Dakota State. They've got more balance with five guys who average nine points per game or more. This team should have more fans at this neutral site. I'll take the points with the better team potentially. 

It'll be Colt McCoy under center for the Redskins as they take on rival Dallas. These two teams played a month ago in DC with the Redskins winning 20-17. In that one the Redskins had more rushing yards and the Cowboys missed a late field goal to lose. My concern with the Skins is that they've suddenly gone from a team great against the run to a team that has struggled mightily to stop it. I tried to fade Dallas last week and it didn't work out. Even with the two game win streak, I'm still not all of a sudden buying them as a viable contender in the NFC. I think this is a lower scoring game with Washington's offense maybe looking a little smoother with McCoy who has been there for years.

Miami's offense is a lot better then La Salle's and so is their defense. Chris Lykes is having a fantastic season and he's getting help from Dejan Vasiljevic and Anthony Lawrence II. The Canes have scored 78, 96 and 83 so far this season while allowing 70, 58 and 62. It was against weak competition so maybe those numbers get adjusted a little bit. La Salle's defense has been terrible allowing 75, 77, 82 and 89 with that last number coming against Drexel at home. The Dragons offense isn't that good. La Salle is led by Pookie Powell and Isiah Deas who average double digits. The two of them are going to have their hands full with the Canes. The Explorers have gone over in 20 of their last 30 when the total is in the 140s. Miami trends to the under, but I think this one goes over the total. 

The Bears defense has been absolutely incredible this season especially with Khalil Mack roaming around. They are holding teams to under 80 yards rushing per game, but that doesn't matter for the Lions. These two teams played in Chicago just 11 days ago with the Bears winning 34-22. I took the under in that one and unfortunately it didn't hit. Mitchell Trubisky had a good game, but it looks like Chase Daniel is under center for the road team. I don't think the Bears skill position guys are good enough to overcome a backup quarterback. Detroit is coming off a 20-19 win over the Panthers. The defense clamped down on the run. On offense, Marvin Jones and Kerryon Johnson look to be out so Kenny Golladay and Theo Riddick will have to step up. I think the Lions can win this one outright. They are used to the Thanksgiving quick turnaround.

Loyola Chicago is coming off an efficient 82-66 win over Richmond down in Fort Myers Florida. The Ramblers are relying on their big three to carry them the year after a final four appearance. They've shot 50% or better in four of their five games this season scoring 75 points or more in each of the contests. BC's win in this tournament was 88-76 over Wyoming. The Eagles have struggled at times losing 76-59 at home to IUPUI two contests ago. Ky Bowman will be the best player on the court, but not having Nik Popovic will be tough. I think this one will be tight with some free throws late to push this thing over. BC has gone over in eight of their last 10 games when the total is in the 130s. 

Dartmouth takes a step up in competition as they play at Buffalo. The Big Green have wins over Newbury, Loyola Maryland and Elms College scoring 100 or more in two of those games. The team did lose 79-76 at Davidson earlier in a game that saw them nearly outshoot the Wildcats. The team has six guys who score nine points per game or more and have several long range threats which will make things difficult. Buffalo already has wins over West Virginia, Southern Illinois and St. Francis of PA. The Bulls have played some solid defense although in game one they allowed SFA to shoot 50% from long range. You can't let that happen against Dartmouth. CJ Massinburg has been fantastic so far this season. He's averaging nearly a double-double with 20.3 ppg and 9.3 rpg. Buffalo has gone over in 26 of their last 44 games against teams with a winning record. I think this one sees a ton of points. 

This is a bit of a curious line and I'll bite on it. Washington has been really solid this season with a 14 point win over Santa Clara, a 3 point win over San Diego and an 18 point win over Western Kentucky. I really like what I've seen from Jaylen Nowell and Noah Dickerson so far this season. They aren't the deepest team, but offense seems to come easier for these guys. The Aggies have some talent, but man there are times when it's like pulling teeth to see them score. They have lost to Minnesota, Gonzaga and UC Irvine already and have a win over Savannah State who plays no defense. I think the Aggies will struggle with Washington's athleticism. I'll take the team out of the PAC 12.

There's a lot to like about this Raiders team that is shooting the ball well and rebounding it well. They've got really good balance with Billy Wampler, Loudon Love, Cole Gentry and Skyelar Potter. They've got wins over North Florida, Toledo and Western Carolina with a 19 point loss at Murray State. Penn State is going to have the best player on the court with Lamar Stevens. They lost to DePaul last time out 72-70 to go along with wins over Jacksonville State and North Florida. Wright State has covered 20 of their last 27 games against good offensive teams. I think they have a chance to steal this one outright.