VMI is one of the worst teams in the country and has been regularly blown out by the better squads in the conference. The Paladins won 87-57 in Lexington back on December 30th in a game that saw them shoot over 50% from the field and from long range. This team has wins of 19, 24, 34, 11 and 40 at home already this season in conference play. Devin Sibley leads four double digit scorers with two other guys putting up eight points per contest. VMI lost by 24 at Mercer, 22 at UNC Greensbro, 14 at Samford, 41 at ETSU and 39 at Wofford. They don't score and they don't play defense. This one should be an easy win for the home team.

Rhode Island is looking to bounce back as they travel to Philly to play La Salle. The Rams have gone over in eight of their last 12 games as their offense keeps humming. They've put up 80 or more 13 times this season. The team has incredible balance and can beat you in a couple of different ways. Their defense hasn't been as good on the road where they allowed 77 at St. Bonaventure, 68 at VCU, 83 at UMass and 74 at Dayton. The Explorers saw their losing skid end last time out as they beat George Mason 69-62. They have gone over in nine of their last 12 as the defense has been horrific. They've allowed 70 or more in 10 of their last 12 contests. BJ Johnson and Pookie Powell are a solid duo in terms of this conference. These two played earlier in January and Rhody won 74-62 where they could control the pace and play better defense. This one seems to be an over.

Western Michigan hosts Central Michigan on Tuesday night. The Broncos are averaging 78.2 points per game at home. They have scored 70 or more in eight of their last 11 contests. Thomas Wilder and Josh Davis average nearly 30 points per game with three others putting up over nine points per contest. Central Michigan has five players that score nine points per contest or more which makes the Chips tough to stop. They've gone over in 10 of their last 13 and it's a combination of a solid offense and some pretty bad defense. CMU has allowed 72 at NIU, 98 at Ohio, 75 at Bowling Green and 82 at Ball State. The last four meetings between these teams have seen scores of 88-80, 86-82, 91-82 and 92-85. I think we could see something similar. 

It's a very important game for Temple who hosts Houston. The Cougars held off the Owls at their place 76-73 back on December 30th. In that game both teams shot well but Houston crushed Temple on the boards making Breon Brady a household name for one night. Temple has gone over in five of their last six and it's because of an offense that's scored 86, 73, 90, 83, 81 and 85 in their last six games. They've got a balanced attack and play better at home. Houston is coming off an emotional win over Cincinnati last time out. Their offense has been pretty good and so has their defense. It's not as strong on the road where they allowed 80 at Cincinnati and 81 at Tulane and Wichita State. To me, this one seems to be an over with the chance that the Owls win at home. 

The Huskers struggled to knock off Illinois in their first meeting and now the scene shifts to the Illini's building. Meeting one saw Nebraska win 64-63 in a game that saw the Illini crush them on the boards, but it wasn't enough. Since that tilt, Illinois is 2-6 with the wins coming at home over Rutgers and Indiana. They've lost two straight games by double digit and the offense seems to be in a terrible rut. They can't stop anyone defensively and Michael Finke is questionable with a concussion. Nebraska has gone 7-1 since then with a five point loss at Ohio State being the only loss. They have wins at Minnesota, Wisconsin, Rutgers and Northwestern in conference this season. They do it with great defense and just enough offense. James Palmer Jr, Isaac Copeland and Glynn Watson Jr are their biggest threats. I like the balance and think they win this one on the road. 

Michigan is looking for revenge after blowing a double digit halftime lead to Ohio State in Columbus back on December 4th. The Buckeyes won that one 71-62 after being down 43-30 at half. Michigan struggled from long range and shot 15 less FTs then their opponent. The Wolverines are one of the slower paced teams in the country, but they shoot 47.2% from the field and average 74 points per contest. Their defense is pretty good too although they allow teams to shoot nearly 44%. Ohio State has similar numbers although they shoot better from the field and play slightly better FG defense. Both teams trend heavily to the under this season, yet they have had performances that make you think both have good offenses. OSU was embarrassed last time out at Penn State so you know they will play better and Crisler Arena will be rockin. I think this one goes over the total.

UCLA has won five of six as they enter this one against Oregon. They lost to the Ducks at their place 94-91 on January 20th. The Bruins shot almost 52% from the field in that one, but were unable to get the stops they needed to win. This team has scored 70 or more in seven straight and still has had it's issues on the defensive end as well. It's their last home game of the season as well. Oregon has won five of their last seven, but they've struggled with defense on the road. The Ducks allowed 96 at Stanford, 90 at Arizona and 76 at Oregon State. Oregon can come at you in many ways and can score a lot. I think this one is going to see a lot of points.

St. Louis has had a rough season and it's gotten worse with the loss of Jordan Goodwin to a suspension. Goodwin is 2nd in points, 1st in rebounds per game and the team's leading assist man. Now he only played six minutes against the Spiders in the team's first matchup earlier this year. The win was so good for the Billikens that Coach Ford was emotional after the game on TV. Grant Golden had a good game in their first meeting, but Nick Sherod only scored three points. Richmond has had some time off since their loss at Rhode Island. This is a team that things figured out before losing three of four. The schedule got a lot tougher, but now it's easier starting with this one. They've taken care of business in conference for the most part at home. I just think the Spiders are the better team and should win this one rather easily. They will have to compete hard on the boards with Javon Bess and Hasahn French patrolling the middle. I like the home team.

BC has gone over in seven of their last 10 games entering this one against Notre Dame. The Eagles lost 96-85 in South Bend with both teams shooting at or over 50% from the field. Ky Bowman and Jerome Robinson are having great seasons and Boston College is scoring 80 points or more in four of five and six of their last nine. Their defense isn't so hot and the reason why their record isn't better. Notre Dame is expected to get DJ Harvey back putting them close to full strength. They've had some rest time with the last game coming on Monday in North Carolina. The Fighting Irish offense needs more from Matt Farrell who came up small on Chapel Hill. They've gone over in four of their last six. I think these two should light up the scoreboard on Saturday.

South Dakota State has won five straight with a good chance to extend it to six as they host Western Illinois. SD State beat them at their place 98-70 and did so with relative ease. The Jackrabbits have won home games by 19, 20 and 22 during conference play. They play good enough defense but they also feature the Dauminator. Mike Daum is averaging 23.3 points per contest and 10 rebounds. He's got a couple of other weapons as well. Western Illinois is pretty bad. They've lost six of their last seven and have road defeats by 16, 21, 12, 15 and 12. This is a team that doesn't play a ton of defense and doesn't have a very good offense. I think this one is a complete mismatch in favor of the home team. 

The Rockets have lost just two games in 2018 and one of those came at home to Ball State back on January 30th. In that one both teams shot worse then 40% and the Cardinals were awful from the FT line. Toledo's got a great offense that has cracked the 80 point mark eight times this calendar year. Tre'Shaun Fletcher and Jaelan Sanford put up over 35 points per game with two others also putting up double digits. Ball State's offense is hot right now scoring 90 and 87 after two horrific games. They've had some high scoring contests at home where they've gone over in three of their last four. Tayler Persons leads four double digit scorers for the Cardinals who also have had their poor moments on defense. To me, this is a close game with good pace and plenty of points.

The Air Force has won two of their last three and has gone over in seven of their last 12 contests overall. The offense has seen an uptick over their last three games scoring 73, 100 and 78. This is reminiscent of the stretch in early January where they put up 75, 76, 78 and 76. The Falcons problem has been on defense. They've given up 70 points or more in every MWC game this season. Boise State has lost two straight and needs to get some frustrations out on someone. They lost by five to Nevada at home and by six at Utah State. The offense is fantastic and should be ready to do a lot of the heavy lifting. Boise put up 93 on UNLV, 94 on San Jose State and 90 on New Mexico with all of those games at home. I think this one is an over with the Broncos getting in the 90s once again potentially.

George Mason has won three of their last four entering this one. The Patriots are playing good basketball led by their big four of Otis Livingston, Jaire Grayer, Justin Kier and Goanar Mar. This team has single digit road losses at Fordham and Duquesne. La Salle has lost three straight and nine of their last 12. They were blasted by St. Bonaventure last time out and have lost at home to VCU and Drexel this season. They've actually covered just one game in 2018. BJ Johnson and Pookie Powell need more help if this team hopes to accomplish anything. I think the road team is worth a look since they are playing well.

Syracuse is running out of players due to injury entering this one against Miami. The team plays seven as it is and Paschal Chukwu, Matthew Moyer and Bourama Sidibe are all dealing with various ailments which keep them from being 100%. Tyus Battle, Frank Howard and Oshae Brissett represent the bulk of the scoring for this squad, but they don't get any help from others. Miami isn't great, but they have shooters in Anthony Lawrence, Dejan Vasiljevic and Sam Waardenburg to go with Dewan Huell and Chris Lykes the speedy point guard. Miami has lost two in a row, but they've defended home court well for the most part. The Orange could be fade material for the rest of the season especially in a low scoring type spread like this.

I'm getting a really good home team that is 13-0 on the season in an essentially pick'em situation with Boise State. The Broncos are shooting 51% at home and are putting up over 85 points per contest there. This is a very good defensive team that has clamped down on a lot of teams this season. They lost by six points at Nevada back on January 20th in a game that saw a lot of the same statistics outside of the Wolf Pack making six more three's and six more FT's. That probably won't happen on the road where the Broncs shoot better. Nevada has to feel good after an 83-58 win over San Diego State last time out. Caleb Martin came back from his foot injury, but he's not 100% and probably won't be the rest of the season. I think the home team is worth a look in this one. 

 DePaul handed St. John's an odd 91-74 loss back on January 6th in New York. They were 7.5 point underdogs in that one as the Blue Demons shot nearly 50% from the field. Since then they've won just two games at Georgetown and at Providence. DePaul's offense has shown flashes at times, but their lack of defense has been pretty consistent. Over the length of conference play, they've held one team to less then 70 points and that was last time out at Providence. The Red Storm have won three straight and it's because of a smoking hot offense that has put up 81, 79 and 86. Their defense has also been pretty leaky during that span. Five straight opponents have scored 70 points or more. I think this one is played over the lower total and we get a game played in the 70s. 

Bradley is trying to end a three game losing streak as they take on Illinois State. The Braves had won four straight before that and were looking very good. The defense has been terrible and not what we are used to from them right now. Offensively I like their balance with Darrell Brown and Donte Thomas being the biggest threats. At home, they have three home double digit victories. They also have revenge from a loss to ISU Red at their place 70-57 back on January 17th. Illinois State is going to be without Taylor Bruninga, Keyshawn Evans and Phil Fayne besides three other players who were gone in December. This means that Milik Yarbrough will be without his other two double digit scorers. Madison Williams is next up at 6.1 points per contest. The Redbirds said that Bradley was one of the more physical teams they've faced this season and now they are doing so with less bodies. The team lost 74-58 at Valpo last time out as 5.5 point underdogs. They've been pretty bad on the road losing by 11, 30, 4 and 25 in conference besides the loss to the Crusaders. I think Bradley gets an easy win in this one.

George Mason has won two of their last three entering Wednesday's matchup with the Flyers. The Patriots have gone over in nine of their last 12 games as the offense has provided some of the spark as well as a tremendous lack of defense. Mason allowed 85 to St. Bonaventure at home, 84 to VCU, 81 to St. Louis and 86 to Davidson. I really like Otis Livingston, Jaire Grayer and Justin Kier who join Goanar Mar as the team's toughest scorers. Dayton has lost five of their last seven and their defense has let them down too at times. Since allowing 81 at Richmond, they've given up 70 or more in all but one contest. Josh Cunningham and Darrell Davis are tough to slow down along with Trey Landers and Jalen Crutcher who are improving as scorers. Mason has gone over in 36 of their last 51 A-10 games. Last year the lone meeting went to Dayton 83-70 in Ohio. We could see a similar score. 

Central Michigan has lost eight of their last 11 as they travel to Northern Illinois. The Chips have gone over in eight of their last 11 as the defense continues to be an issue. The opponent has scored 80 points or more eight times with all but two of those coming on the road. They certainly have a potent offense as evidenced by the scoring stretch of 80 or more in three of their last four. NIU has lost four of five and six of their last eight games. They have also gone over in seven of their last eight as they have no interest in defense. The Huskies have allowed 80 or more in four straight and nine times overall. They've played some of their better games at home beating Buffalo 90-88 last time out. They also have a 93-62 win over Bowling Green there as well. CMU has gone over in 22 of their last 32 games as an underdog. I think this one is an over. 

A really potent offense takes on a really leaky defense in this one. St. Bonaventure has gone over in three of four and nine of their last 12 as the team continues to pour on the points. They've scored 70 or more in 12 straight games with Adams, Mobley and Stockard representing the team's biggest threats. They will have the Guard advantage over La Salle in this one. St. Bonaventure is struggling with defense allowing 88 to Richmond, 81 to Duquesne, 83 to Davidson and 87 to Rhode Island whom they get in Olean New York next this weekend. La Salle has lost eight of their last 11, but have gone over in nine of those contests. Most of those overs were because of a lack of defense that has killed them. Pookie Powell and BJ Johnson are a solid duo, but they need help. To me, this one screams shootout as the Bonnies could be unfocused and La Salle just plain stinks. 

North Carolina is playing their third game since Thursday and in comes Notre Dame. The Heels played really well in wins over NC State and Duke and have to be a little emotionally drained entering this one. They scored 96 on the Wolfpack and 82 on the Blue Devils but also were a bit leaky on defense. This is a team that has shot 50% or better in three of their last five home games and have gone over in six of their last eight overall. Notre Dame has been playing better after a seven game losing streak. They put up 96 on Boston College and 84 on Florida State the last two contests. Matt Farrell is back which makes them more dangerous. Defense has been an issue though allowing 75 or more in four of five and five of their last seven. These two played a 69-68 game back on January 13th. I think we see a looser contest on the road in this one. 

The Tigers have lost four of their last five entering this one. Outside of a bad loss to East Carolina on the road, they've fallen to some of the better teams in the AAC. At home in conference they have wins over UConn, Tulane and Tulsa this season. Jeremiah Martin and Kyvon Davenport are the leading scorers with several other options playing well this season. UCF has played poorly without Tacko Fall this season. They also may not have B.J. Taylor who rolled his ankle in his last game. That would put more pressure on AJ Davis, Ceasar DeJesus and Dayon Griffin. On the road, we've seen them score 40 at Cincinnati, 53 at UConn and 62 at Wichita State. Heck, even when they were healthy, they put up only 59 at ECU and 51 at SMU. UCF has lost five of their last seven games and just don't inspire much confidence. The wins were against a bad UConn team at home and by two at a horrible USF squad. I'll take my chances with the home team in this one. 

The Demon Deacons go for the season sweep of the Orange on Sunday afternoon. Wake Forest beat Syracuse at home 73-67 back on January 3rd in a game that saw them out-rebound the opponent and hit two more threes. The Deacs have a pretty ugly record, but they've got talent with Bryant Crawford outside and Doral Moore inside. Mitchell Wilbekin isn't 100%, but he's expected to give the team a few minutes which will probably help. Syracuse is coming off a huge win at Louisville and has had plenty of time to rest with their roster down to 6 or 7 healthy bodies. At home, they've lost twice already with a couple of decent wins as well. The team has shot 40% or worse six times already this season. Overall this season, the Orange have covered just five of their 13 lined games at home. I think this is a bit of a big number and will fade Syracuse until they figure things out consistently.

Rice is heading into a bee hive on Saturday as they travel to play UAB. The Blazers have lost five of their last seven and are coming off a home loss to North Texas 67-60. Chris Cokley and Zack Bryant are the team's leading scorers with five others scoring between seven and 10 points per contest. When they are rolling, they have five double digit victories in conference. Rice has just five victories this season over FIU, Charlotte, St. Edwards, St. Thomas and Northwestern State. On the road they have losses by 19 at MTSU, 15 at La Tech, 11 at Southern Miss, 18 at UTEP and 13 at UTSA. I think the Blazers get rid of some frustrations and win easily.

I think we are getting a good price on the Wolf Pack who are hosting San Diego State. Nevada looked bad against UNLV without Caleb Martin as they allowed the opponent to shoot 50.8% from the field. They still have a lot of weapons in Jordan Caroline, Cody Martin and Kendall Stephens. I think we saw a team that struggled without their star but can bounce back in game two without him. San Diego State is without Trey Kell and has lost at Fresno State, UNLV, New Mexico, Boise State and Wyoming. Their defense has been embarrassing considering how great it was in the past. They've been a different team outside of San Diego. I think Nevada bounces back for the win.

UNLV has been a hard team to figure out especially since they are coming off an eight point road win at Nevada. The offense is clicking right now shooting 50% or better in four straight contests. This team also went through a stretch of 10 straight games without a cover which included home losses to New Mexico, Utah State and Boise State as favorites. Wyoming has won five of their last six including road victories at Colorado State, San Jose State and Utah State. The Cowboys are tough when Justin James, Hayden Dalton and Alan Herndon get going. These two have played a lot of close games in their series. I think we could get an unfocused Rebels team so the road squad is worth a look.

There's a lot at stake for the Cavaliers who are hosting Virginia Tech with ESPN College Gameday in town. A win for the Hoos means they could be #1 in the polls on Monday. They smoked the Hokies at their place back on January 3rd 78-52 in a game that saw Virginia Tech make just two threes and turn the ball over 16 times. UVA has covered nine of their last 15 at home in this series and beat their rival 71-48 in Charlottesville last season. The Cavaliers home wins have been by 10, 25, 17, 7, 12 and 1 in conference. They've been fantastic on defense and have so many weapons on offense. Virginia Tech's offense is great, but they have struggled horribly on defense. This is a team that has several road wins in conference, but none over anyone that good. UVA is 16-5 against the spread overall and has covered in 15 of their 19 contests as a favorite. I think this one is a blowout. 

UConn has lost five of their last seven entering this matchup at Wichita State. It's a down year for the Huskies who have road losses of 28 at Temple, 24 at Memphis, 25 at Auburn and 15 at Arizona. They lost to Wichita State at home 72-62 back on December 30th. The Shockers destroy teams at home for the most part. They beat Tulsa and UCF by 19 and have wins by 38 over USF and 18 over Houston at home. Wichita's depth is incredible and they are crushing teams on the boards. UConn is not very strong mentally and if this thing gets ugly early, I think it'll end ugly. Plain and simple, this one will be a blowout.

Western Carolina has won three straight games, but they are going to be outclassed in this one. They lost at home to Greensboro back on January 13th 66-55 in a game that saw them get held to 39.5% shooting from the field. The Catamounts lost by 9 at Wofford, by 34 at Furman, 16 at East Tennessee State and by 14 at Samford. The Spartans go as Francis Alonso and Marvin Smith go. They've won seven of their last eight games and have 10 double digit home wins this season. There is a small concern that they look ahead to a huge home game Monday against East Tennessee State, but I think they take care of business in this one.

Drexel has won four of their last five and already has a victory over Charleston this season. The Dragons beat them 87-82 on January 5th and are finally the healthy team we figured they would be. Tramaine Isabell has been great averaging 20 points per contest. Kurk Lee, Alihan Demir, Sammy Mojica and Troy Harper all also put up at least 10 points per game. Charleston goes as their big three of Joe Chealey, Grant Riller and Jarrell Brantley go. The Cougars have won seven straight and it's because of an offense that has been hot and a solid defense. Still, they've gone over in five of their seven home conference contests. There might be a little bit of a letdown after the big win over William and Mary last time out. I think this one goes over the total. 

It's almost an automatic pick for me to take the over in William and Mary home games. They've done so in all eight lined home games and 10 of their 13 CAA contests. The Tribe are averaging 91.4 points per game at home shooting 52.6% from the field. They've also allowed 83.7 points in those contests so defense has been a bit of an issue in these track meets. The two teams met back on January 5th with William and Mary winning 90-65 on the road as a two point underdog. Last year they put up 82 and 85 in those contests against the Blue Hens. Delaware has allowed 89, 76 and 90 in their last three road games. Their offense has struggled without Ryan Daly, but I think they can do their part in this over. Until I see something different, I will take the over in William and Mary home games. 

BC has gone over in four straight and seven of their last eight with the eighth game being a push. They have scored 80 points or more in three straight and five of their last seven as Jerome Robinson and Ky Bowman continue to roll. Their problem has been on defense allowing 70 points or more in 10 straight. Miami has gone over in eight of their last nine as the offense continues to perform without Bruce Brown. They have had some defensive issues themselves allowing 75 at Virginia Tech and 103 at Florida State. Up next is a huge home game with Virginia who figures to be number one so focus could be an issue. I'll bet it's on the defensive side and we get a solid over. 

Akron is not in a good place right now entering their game against Central Michigan. The Zips have lost four straight and eight of their last 11 games. They have lost their last three contests by 15 points or more and there is talk of the team giving up on the season. Their coach has hinted at roster changes next year and he's calling his team soft already. Central Michigan has won two of their last three and has road wins at Ohio and Bowling Green during conference play. The Chippewas have five players who score nine points per game or more so they have a ton of threats. Akron has covered just three of their 11 games against teams with a winning record. I think the road team can get the win in this one.

USC is on the road at Arizona State on Thursday night. The Trojans had their six game win streak snapped at UCLA last time out 82-79. On the road this season, they have wins at Oregon State, Oregon and Cal as well as a close loss at Stanford. This is a veteran bunch that has a ton of scoring with five guys averaging nine points per game or more. Chimezie Metu should have his way inside as ASU doesn't have anyone to compete with him. ASU has split their last 10 games with home losses to Utah and Oregon. The shine has come off this team as their road struggles have hurt them as well as their defense. The Sun Devils have covered in just two of their 11 PAC-12 games. I think USC may be the better team in this one so I'm glad to get the points.

Nebraska Omaha is almost full as a roster and they've had 9 days off giving them a chance to get some good rest and good practice in. They beat WIU at their place back on January 11th 87-66 and the Mavericks have won three straight games in this series, all by double digits. With Mitchell Hahn back, this offense is a lot better. They now have a lot of weapons to throw at their opponents. Lamar Wofford-Humphrey being out hurts, but Matt Pile hasn't played too badly in his stead. WIU has lost four of their last five and has four double digit road losses in conference. Their defense has been horrible away from home and I just don't think they can keep up with the Mavericks who will be rested and ready. I'm taking the home team to get the easy win.

Wright State hosts Wisconsin Green Bay on Thursday night. The Raiders have won three of four and are absolutely rolling even with Justin Mitchell leaving the team. They have seven double digit victories at home this season and so many weapons to throw at their opponents. Even without Mitchell, the team still has six guys who average eight points per game or more. Grant Benzinger and Loudon Love are a tough duo to handle. Wisconsin Green Bay has lost by 18 at Milwaukee, 11 at UIC, 11 at Youngstown State and by 21 at a mediocre Wisconsin this season. Khalil Small and Sandy Cohen represent their biggest threats, but there's not much other then that. The Raiders beat Green Bay at their place by 13 on January 18th in a contest that saw them shoot 50% from the field and 52.4% from long range. WSU has covered in seven of their 12 conference games. I think this one is a blowout.

The Tigers hit the road for their third straight as they play Drexel. Towson has gone over in four straight and 11 of their last 12 contests as they've developed a pretty potent offense. They've put up 90 or more three times in conference with one of those coming against these Dragons at home back on January 18th, 90-68. Zane Martin and Mike Morsell are a potent duo averaging over 32 points per game. The Dragons have won four straight and coincidentally it occurred with the team playing a lot of home games. Not only that, they are their healthiest that they've been with lots of help for Tramaine Isabell. Kurk Lee, Sammy Mojica, Alihan Demir and Troy Harper are all healthy right now as well. Drexel scored 91 at William and Mary as well as 76, 68 and 83 during this current streak. They've gone over in five of their last seven contests and have struggled times with defense. This one should go over the total.

The Spiders can go for the season sweep of the rival Rams on Wednesday night. They went into the Siegel Center back on January 17th and beat them 67-52 in a game that saw them hold the Rams to 34.4% shooting from the field and they actually out-rebounded them too. Richmond went on a five game win streak that ended last time out against George Mason. They played without De'Monte Buckingham in that one, but also were coming off a week off. This team has been very efficient offensively as of late with four double digit scorers. Can't say the same for VCU who has had their ups and downs offensively as depth leads to question marks. Outside of Justin Tillman, the team is trying to find second and third scorers on a nightly basis. I think Richmond got a wake up call in their last loss and it refocused them for this contest. I'll take the home team in the rivalry game.

Wyoming has gone over in eight of their 10 lined home games as they get set to host Utah State. The Cowboys beat the Aggies 85-77 on the road just a couple of weeks ago. Both teams put up relatively similar numbers in that one. The two teams have gone over in nine of their last 12 games in this series. The Cowboys have three matchup problems in Justin James, Hayden Dalton and Alan Herndon. They like pushing the pace especially at home with the elevation issues. This team has scored 62, 104, 73, 79, 82 and 84 in their last six home contests. Utah State has won three straight and has road wins at Fresno State and UNLV. They've had issues on defense at times this season and could struggle with the pace. I think this one can go over the total. 

The Bonnies begin a stretch of four of five at home as they host St. Louis Wednesday night. St. Bonaventure has won four straight after losing four of five during a tough road skid. At home, they are absolute beasts with an 18 point win over GW, 16 point win over Fordham, 20 point win over UMass and 19 point win over Northeastern. Jaylen Adams and Matt Mobley are a great backcourt and better then anything the Billikens can put out there. St. Louis has won three straight and five of their last six. This squad has wins over Fordham, St. Joe, Dayton, UMass and Duquesne who are not even close to the Bonnies level. They lost by seven to Rhode Island at home already this season. I just don't think they can keep up in this one. 

East Carolina has lost six of their last eight and it's a combination of bad offense and bad defense. The Pirates have allowed 86 in each of their last two road games and have given up 79 at Tulsa and 70 at UConn which is a lot for them. ECU has gone over in four of five and seven of their last nine. Temple's offense has been clicking with three straight 80 point efforts as they finally have become the team they were early in the season after wins over Auburn and Clemson as well as South Carolina. The defense has been a bit leaky with three 70 point games for their opponents. I think this one is played a bit loose and both teams contribute as it goes over the total.

A pair of scuffling A-10 teams play as Dayton hosts Duquesne. The Dukes held serve at home back on December 30th beating the Flyers 70-62 in a game where they held the Flyers to just 38.1% shooting. Dayton has lost four of five including a home loss to Rhode Island. UD has very good guards, but a young team that doesn't play much defense. UD Arena is a tough place to play yet they also lost to UMass and Penn there as well. Duquesne has lost three of four, but also has road wins at GW and Fordham this season. Their offense is hot with two straight 50% or better efforts against St. Bonaventure and GW. They've covered four of five and five of their last seven. This is a big number and Duquesne's offense scares me in this situation. Still, Dayton's so flaky that I'll take a chance. 

The Aztecs have lost four of their last six and one of those came at home against Fresno State 77-73 in a game that saw both teams shoot well. San Diego State had five double digit scorers although one of those was Trey Kell who won't be playing in this one. Fresno's got great balance with the Taylors and Jaron Hopkins. The Bulldogs offense is inconsistent and at times they don't mind lower scoring games especially at home. The thing is that the Aztecs defense is so leaky, that I don't know if they will mind going back and forth a bit. San Diego State has allowed 88 at UNLV, 79 at New Mexico, 83 at Boise State and 82 at Wyoming. New Mexico managed to get into a track meet with Fresno and lost 89-80. I think this one is tight and close and higher scoring. 

Air Force has tumbled a bit since a brief hot stretch where they won at Colorado State and San Jose State. Since then they've lost at San Diego State and Utah State. Their coach says that he wants to keep going with the high tempo because it benefits them. They played five of their last nine over the total. In matchup one against Colorado State they managed to win 76-71 in a game that saw both teams shoot pretty poorly. CSU got Prentiss Nixon back, but they've lost six straight games. The reason is their horrific defense where they've allowed 70 points or more in 10 straight games. These two have gone over in seven of their last 11 meetings at the Air Force. That trend continues on Tuesday.

The Hawks are playing their fourth road game over their last four and have lost four straight contests overall. St. Joe's defense has been pretty awful this season especially away from home where they've allowed 81 at La Salle, 72 at UMass, 81 at George Mason and 81 at Toledo. They've got some solid scorers in James Demery and Shavar Newkirk who are a tough duo. Davidson's offense is hot with two straight efforts over 80 points. They've been playing better defense, but I'm not a believer that it's real. They've played three overs in their last five games. Peyton Aldridge and Kellan Grady are a good duo themselves. Two years ago these two played a 99-93 game. I think we don't get that high, but these two offenses could get over the total. 

The Falcons have gone over in five of their last seven games and a lot of that is because of a porous defense. BG has allowed 101 at Toledo, 93 at Northern Illinois, 80 at Akron and 71 at EMU. Justin Turner is one of four double digit scorers for this team. Ball State is coming off a horrendous performance at EMU that saw them lose 58-41. The team's defense has improved and they'll be happy to be home after six road games over eight contests. Last time there they won 111-106 over Akron in a multiple overtime game. This is one of the most potent offenses in the MAC so I think we could see them crack the 80 point mark once again. They've gone over in 19 of their last 33 home games. I think this one's an over as well. 

I'm not quite sure why the Cardinals aren't a bigger favorite in this one. They've beaten the Orange by 20 and 14 in their last two home games in this series and that's when Syracuse was better. They are playing just six players with four of them shooting the ball and only like 3 of them being any sort of threat. The amount of minutes they all played Saturday has to carry over 48 hours later to a tough environment. Louisville is deeper and has more offensive weapons. They've covered eight of their 10 ACC games this season. It's been an underwhelming Cardinals team this season, but man how is Syracuse going to score. They are 2-4 on the road and their offense is so bad that the coach isn't even running plays for them. I just don't see how this isn't a blowout win for the home team. 

The Huskies look to cap off a thrilling week as Arizona comes to town. Washington's got four really good scorers and Dominic Green who shoots well off the bench. The key will be Sam Timmins who will have to contend with DeAndre Ayton and the size of Arizona. Arizona has won seven straight and has not lost since falling by 3 at Colorado. They've failed to cover in six of their last eight as they continue to play bad games due to poor defense. The Huskies have won three straight and five of their last seven. Their offense is capable of being smoking hot especially at home. I think they pull out another win potentially in this one.

UAB has righted the ship a bit after beating Charlotte 76-64 on the road. The Blazers had lost three of four, but they had also gone through the rough road weekend of Marshall and Western Kentucky. This is a balanced veteran team with seven players who average seven points per game or more. They also have to remember getting embarrassed at home at the hands of the Monarchs last year. ODU traditionally has not been a good bet at home covering just 14 of their last 33 at home. They are coming off an emotional home loss to Middle Tennessee in which they failed to beat the Blue Raiders once again. ODU has failed to cover in three straight at home in conference and in a close low scoring affair, I think the road team is worth a look with more scoring options.

The Terriers have lost two of their last three after winning seven in a row. They got Cameron Jackson back as he came off the bench in their two point loss at The Citadel. This team has road wins at VMI, Samford, UNC and Coastal Carolina. They are led by Fletcher Magee, Trevor Stumpe and Jackson as well as Nathan Hoover. Mercer has lost four straight and continues to play without Ria'n Holland. The Bears defense has gone bye bye during this losing streak with two of those contests coming at home. This team just doesn't have enough right now without Holland who would take over when needed. Mercer has covered just one conference game this season out of ten and four of their 18 contests overall. Wofford has won three straight on the road in this series and I think they can do so again in this one.

George Mason has gone over in six straight and eight of their last nine. The reason for it is the Patriots have no interest in playing defense with five straight opponents putting up 80 or more. Their offense isn't too bad, but the depth just isn't there. They play with some pace even though it may not be beneficial to them. Richmond has had plenty of time to prep for this one with almost a week off. They've gone over in six of their last eight games as the offense is blistering the nets. They have four double digit starters and a fifth putting up around nine points per contest. These two have gone over in seven of their last eight meetings. Mason has been a thorn in the Spiders side because of their size and rebounding ability, but I don't see that being an issue in this one. Richmond wins in an over.

Until they give me a reason not to, I'm going to take the over in William and Mary home games. The Tribe are averaging 92.6 points per game in Williamsburg shooting a blistering 53.4% from the field. The problem for them is on the defensive side where they are allowing just over 86 points per contest in their last five. These two met in Philly back on January 7th with WM winning 85-63, but that's before Drexel got healthy. The Dragons have some confidence after winning three straight home games. They put up 76, 68 and 83 in those contests with two of those going over the total. This team's defense has not been good on the road allowing 107 at UNC Wilmington and 90 at Elon and Towson. As I said above, I will continue to take overs in William and Mary home games.

Ohio is down to seven scholarship players as Mike Laster, Jordan Dartis, Kevin Mickle and Zach Butler all did not practice on Thursday. None of them have been ruled out, but if they do play, I don't think they'll be 100%. Since Christmas they have averaged just 63.6 points per game which is almost 20 points less then what they averaged before the holiday. The Chippewas have split their last four games and have road wins at Bowling Green and UMKC as well as a seven point loss at Michigan. The Chips are balanced with five scorers of nine points per contest or more. Ohio has covered just three of their six home games. They lost by 25 at Central Michigan back on January 2nd. I don't see that happening, but I think CMU gets the road win. 

Clemson has won two straight and four of their last six entering this one against Wake Forest. The Tigers are flying high after knocking off the Tar Heels at home 82-78. Clemson has managed to find it's footing after a rough beginning without Donte Grantham. Marcquise Reed leads one of four double digit scorers that make it tough to slow down the Tigers. They've gone over in seven of their last nine. Wake Forest had their seven game win streak snapped last time out at home against Florida State 76-72. Wake's been terrible on defense allowing 70 or more in three straight and seven of their last eight. Bryant Crawford leads a diverse attack for the home team. Last year, these two teams played a 95-83 game in Clemson. We could see something close here.

Fresno State has gone over in all seven of their road games and 10 of their 13 when the total is in the 140s. The Bulldogs are averaging 81.1 points per game away from home and are shooting 50% in those games. The problem has been on the defensive end where they are allowing nearly 77 points per contest in their last five. Wyoming is 9-2 at home where they score 84.2 points per game. The Cowboys have some matchup issues, but they also can't stop anyone allowing nearly 80 points per contest as well. Wyoming has gone over in eight of their nine lined home games. They've also gone over in 31 of 47 conference games. Last year these two teams played a 102-100 contest in Wyoming. They've gone over in seven of their last eight lined meetings including four straight in Wyoming. This one has over written all over it.

It's a huge game for Washington tonight as they host Arizona State. The Huskies have shot 50% or better eight times this season and have a lot of weapons led by Jaylen Nowell and Noah Dickerson. David Crisp and Matisse Thybulle are the other two double digit scorers with Dominic Green being the sharpshooter off the bench. ASU has alternated wins and losses for almost a month now as they've struggled with consistency. The team has road wins at Cal and Utah but lost at Stanford, Colorado and Arizona. The problems have been their defense and their inconsistencies shooting the ball. ASU has covered just one conference game this season. Washington has won 14 of their last 19 at home in this series. I think they can do so again on Thursday.

William and Mary is back home where they are averaging almost 92 points per game and are shooting 53% from the field and 48.2% from long range. The Tribe's defense doesn't get any better there either allowing 82 points. They have gone over in all six of their home lined games and 20 of their last 26 there. WM won at Elon about two weeks ago 80-73 in a game that saw them make 16-of-31 three's and shoot almost 52% from the field. In Williamsburg last year, they won 88-85 over Elon. The Phoenix have gone over in three of their last four games as the defense has turned to crap. They allowed 76 at Towson, 83 at Drexel and 85 at James Madison. The team has some offensive firepower so I think this is another shootout in Virginia. 

Drexel plays their final game of a three game homestand as James Madison comes to town. The Dragons have gone over in six of their last 10 contests as they have suddenly found some offense. The roster is healthy and players are getting some rest. They've put up 68, 83, 73, 68 and 86 in their last five games. The team lost 75-73 at Harrisonburg back on January 20th. Tramaine Isabell leads five double digit scorers who provide balance. JMU has two wins on the season and has been really close in a bunch of other games with six single digit conference losses. Their defense has been an issue for a lot of the season as they just don't play man or zone very well. They've allowed 70 or more in nine of their last 11 games. This one seems like a close played over on Thursday.

We're going to get a focused Greensboro after an inexplicable loss at Chattanooga as a seven point favorite. This is a team that pounds bad teams for the most part with a 16 point win at Samford and a 14 point win vs. the Citadel. The two squads played a 63-61 game in Lexington back in early January, but that happened in between bigger games against Wofford and ETSU. There is no lookahead factor here. VMI has their third straight road game and their offense is pretty horrific. They've been held to 60 points or less six times already in conference and have road losses of 14, 41 and 39 already this season. To me, this one should be a relatively easy Spartans win.

UNLV has gone over in 16 of their 21 lined games including 14 of 17 as a favorite. They've gone over in 12 of their 13 home contests with the 13th being a push. In comes San Jose State whom the Rebels struggled to beat their place earlier this month 82-76. UNLV wants to run and gun and they've had a lot of success doing so this season. They've put up 88, 81, 78, 74, 94 and 95 in their last six games at home. In games that they've been huge favorites, they've done more then their fair share of scoring. San Jose State has lost nine in a row. On the road, they've allowed 94 at Boise State, 85 at San Diego State, 80 at New Mexico, 86 at Utah State and 85 at Bowling Green. There's not a lot of redeeming qualities with the Spartans. They have one good scorer and are trying to rebuild. I think we could see the home team hit 100 in this one. UNLV also has a road game at Boise next week so there might be some unfocused play in this one. 

Im not quite sure why Syracuse is favored over anyone other then Pittsburgh on the road. The Orange are essentially down to 6 players after Howard Washington got hurt in practice. Last year they lost down in Atlanta 71-65 to the Yellow Jackets in a game that saw the Orange outrebound the Jackets, but lose in the most important categories. Georgia Tech is healthy right now and has been really tough at home in conference. They've also covered 26 of their last 43 home contests. Syracuse is 9-17 against the spread in their last 26 road games. Vegas has a lot more respect for this team then I do especially since they are so offensively challenged. I wouldn't be surprised if Tech is favored at tip off.

Providence has covered eight of their last 13 at Seton Hall in this series including last year when they nearly picked up the win 72-70 in New Jersey. The Friars are finally healthy and that means that Alpha Diallo and Kyron Cartwright can take on their roles along side Rodney Bullock and Jalen Lindsey. This team had a lot of expectations for the season, but it's hard when they had so many injuries. It's giving us the value in this game though. Seton Hall goes as Desi Rodriguez and Delgado on the inside go. The Pirates have lost three of their last five with the wins being over lowly DePaul and Georgetown. This team also has a trip to Villanova next so maybe there's a small chance they are overlooking this one. The road team could win this one outright. 

The Hawks are 7-1 at home where they are beating people by an average around 7-8 points per game. They are scoring 75 points per contest and feel a whole lot better about themselves. The Hawks have lost four of their last six but the wins were by 22 over Fordham at home and by 16 over Dayton at home. They've also knocked off VCU and St. Bonaventure there so we know what they are capable of. Shavar Newkirk and James Demery are a fantastic duo along with the freshman Taylor Funk. The Billikens have won three of their last four, but the majority of those came at home. They do own a win at UMass, but have also lost at George Mason, Davidson and La Salle. This is not a deep team and they don't really have too many dominant scorers. Jordan Goodwin is a very good player, but their defense needs improvement. SJU is 5-1 against the spread at home while SLU is 2-3 against the spread on the road. I think the home team is a very good bet in this one. 

St. Bonaventure hits the road for the first time since a particularly rough stretch of four losses over a five game span away from home. The Bonnies have an extremely consistent offense scoring 70 or more in all but two games so far this season. Adams and Mobley along with Stockard are a fantastic trio that a lot of teams can't match. Defensively this team allowed 83 at Davidson, 87 at Rhode Island, 85 at St. Joe's and 82 at Dayton in conference. George Mason has gone over in five straight and seven of their last eight. They play next to no defense allowing 84 to VCU, 81 to St. Louis, 79 to St. Joe and 86 to Davidson all at home. Their offense isn't that bad especially if Otis Livingston is on point. This one should see plenty of points on both sides. 

Michigan State hosts Penn State on Wednesday night. The Spartans are averaging 84.4 points per contest and are shooting 51.7% from the field. They've gone over in eight of their lined home games and have put up 80 or more there 11 times this season. They've got a ton of balance and plenty of scorers. The Nittany Lions have gone over in six of their last eight contests and have played pretty much everyone close in conference play. They won at Ohio State 82-79 already. PSU has allowed 70 at Northwestern, 74 at Indiana, 73 at Iowa and 75 at Maryland. This is not a deep team, but the players that are in the rotation are very impactful. Fouling may play a part in the end, but even if it doesn't, it's because this is a bit of a blowout. 

Minnesota has lost six of their last seven, but that came after a five game win streak that started in December. One night it's the offense that's the issue and the other nights it's the defense. The Golden Gophers have plenty of talent led by Jordan Murphy who averages a double-double. Nate Mason, Amir Coffey and Dupree McBrayer are also double digit scorers and solid options. Iowa has lost six of their last eight as their defense has gotten quite porous. They have allowed 80 points or more in six of their last seven games and even with the offense getting better, it can't keep up. They've lost to Purdue, Ohio State and Michigan at home this season. I think the Golden Gophers are worth a look.

Central Michigan has lost two straight and six of their last seven as they host Northern Illinois. The Chippewas defense has been terrible allowing 70 points or more in each of those games during this current streak with six contests going over the total. Offense isn't the problem with these guys considering they've scored under 70 just four times this season. They've got five guys who score nine points per game or more per contest. NIU has lost all but one road game and it's because of a really leaky defense that has allowed 79, 82, 95, 66, 78 and 98 in their last six contests away from home. They've gone over in four straight games because their offense hasn't been that bad. I think these two should light up the scoreboard on Tuesday night. 

UConn has won three straight in this series including a one point victory in Philadelphia 64-63 last year. The Huskies are feeling good after beating SMU at home last time out. They did that without Terry Larrier and showed some good team chemistry which they havent had a ton of. The team has a road win at Tulane and some close games elsewhere as well. Jaylen Adams is tough to slow down. Temple has lost seven of their last ten despite a good start to the season. They have home losses to Memphis, Cincinnati, Tulane and Villanova already this season. Temple is extremely talented but poorly coached with players that have regressed as the season has gone along. The Owls are just 2-6 against the spread at home and have covered just 14 of their last 34 at home. I don't think they should be laying this many points to anyone as they are more then capable of losing to anyone. 

The Spiders have won four straight and already own a victory over Davidson this season. Way back on December 30th, Richmond held serve at home over the Wildcats 69-58 in a game that saw them hold their opponent to just 36% shooting and 29% from long range. The Spiders have picked up road wins at Duquesne and VCU as of late and were close in losses at St. Louis and Fordham. They are getting balanced scoring from a unit the shooting the ball really well right now. The defense has also improved from a really rough start to the season. Since losing to the Spiders, Davidson has ripped off five wins and one loss. They have feasted on some bad opponents outside of the Bonnies whom they beat by 10 back on the 19th. Richmond has won three straight in this series including a road victory back in December of 2016 when they knocked off the Wildcats 82-80 as 11 point underdogs. This is a very poor matchup for Davidson especially when Richmond's defense is on. They have clamped down on everyone around Peyton Aldridge and I think this one will be close as well. 

The Cardinal continue their California swing with UCLA tonight. They have lost two straight after a five game win streak. Still, they've covered seven straight and are playing better basketball now that their roster is still complete. Dorian Pickens has played in 11 games and is averaging 13.2 points per game. They are deeper now and have six players who average seven points per game. UCLA has lost three of their last four and looked very poor at times against a California team without their leading scorer. The defense showed up for the first time in awhile. Thomas Welsh is questionable but he did come back last game after getting hurt. I'm just not that impressed with the Bruins. UCLA has covered just 18 of their last 48 conference games. I think this one is going to be close despite Stanford's struggles in Westwood. 

CSU has gone over in six of seven and seven of their last nine. They are continuing to put up good numbers offensively despite not having Prentiss Nixon who has been out with an ankle injury. The Rams have scored 70 points or more in six straight games. We've seen more balanced scoring from this team despite the lack of depth. The problems also come on the defensive side. New Mexico has played well despite the loss of their leading scorer Sam Logwood. The Lobos have gone over in three straight and seven of their last 10. They've scored 70 or more in the majority of their games so far their season. These two teams are mirror images of each other in that their defense is leaky, but the offense can score. I think this one is an over. 

This is a bit of a headscratching line so I'll bite on it. Notre Dame is a very tough place to play, but this offense has been downright abysmal without DJ Harvey, Matt Farrell and Bonzie Colson. That's two of their top leading scorers and a youngster who has been doing good things in Harvey. This puts a lot more pressure on guys to make baskets and it's just not happening. The one place they have the advantage is on the boards, but Virginia Tech is coming off outrebounding North Carolina at home. The Hokies offense is extremely potent and features a bunch of shooters that could make life miserable for ND. They are playing with confidence right now and I just don't know if I can say the same for the home team. This line keeps going up and originally I liked the under, but now I'm on the underdog. Way too many points for what could be a close Notre Dame win or an outright upset. 

Marshall is going to be foaming at the mouth to play Western Kentucky after the Hilltoppers beat them 112-87 at home in a game that saw WKU shoot 62.5% from the field. In that one they were without Ajdin Penava for the most part and Darius George as well. Since then, the team has gone 3-1 with wins over UAB, Middle Tennessee and Charlotte. They can score with almost anyone and have road wins at Charlotte and Toledo with close losses at Xavier and Old Dominion. Western Kentucky is coming off a four point home loss to Middle Tennessee. They've got their whole roster intact although Lamonte Bearden is questionable with strep throat. Marshall has covered six of their seven conference games. I think they keep this one close. 

Home Arkansas is 10-1 this season putting up 88.7 points per game while shooting 51.5% from the field. The Razorbacks have had some problems defensively giving up nearly 80 points per game in their last five contests. They've gone over in eight of their 11 home tilts as they use their pace and press to their advantage. They will also be motivated after losing 99-71 in Stillwater last season. Oklahoma State has gone over in five of their last eight and it's because of a mighty leaky defense that has allowed 80 or more in six of their last nine. The Cowboys offense is no slouch with six guys who score seven points per game or more. It's hard not to play the over in Arkansas this season. 

Syracuse has been a road favorite of 9.5 to 12 points just 13 times since 1997 and has covered five of those games. They are 9-16 against the spread on the road over their last 25. These two teams played just 11 days ago and it was a one possession game with 10 minutes left to go. The Orange failed to cover as 18 point home favorites winning by just 14 59-45. In a game that doesn't figure to see a ton of points, you have to like the massive home underdog. Syracuse could be without Matthew Moyer for this one shortening their bench even more. The Panthers lost by four at home to NC State last time out and has covered three straight. They don't score a lot and their defense isn't very good. Problem is that I don't think Syracuse can take advantage of that. Sure, they shot well at home vs. BC, but on the road they've shot 38.8%, 38,3%, 42% and 40.6%. I think this one's close and there's probably a small chance the Panthers win. 

UVA and Duke are two of the best teams in the country, but they do it in different ways. The Cavaliers hold their opponents to just 51.6 points per game and 36.4% shooting from the field. Duke averages 91.7 points per contest and 51% shooting, but they've never faced a defense like the Cavs. The Hoos take away what you want to do and we'll see if the Blue Devils can shoot over it. UVA has been an underdog just 11 times the last three seasons and all 11 went under the total and four of them were outright wins. The last time these two teams played in Cameron, Duke held on for a 63-62 win. They won in Charlottesville last year with Jayson Tatum having a huge game. I think UVA's balance and depth wears down Duke who doesn't show patience and loses at home. Four points or anything above three is a gift. 

Northeastern is rolling as they've won four straight and six of their last seven. I watched them against WIlliam and Mary and was impressed by their offense and certainly by their depth as well. The team plays a ton of players and has gone over in five of six and nine of their last 12. They are coming off an 81-67 win at Hofstra last time out and has shot over 50% in four of their last six. Drexel is feeling good after an 83-79 win over Elon which snapped a five game losing streak. As I said in that writeup, we're seeing a healthy Dragons team for the most part outside of Sam Green being out. They have scored 83, 86, 63 and 87 in their last four home games. Tremaine Isbell is an underrated scorer and he should be able to get what he wants against the Wildcats. Both of these teams are allowing opponents to shoot 45% from the field or better. I think this one goes over the total. 

This one should feature a ton of points despite each offense having some issues. Since A-10 play has started George Mason has allowed 95, 80, 81, 79, 86, 72 and 83 points. VCU's offense found it's identity in St. Louis and hopefully they can carry it over to Fairfax. Justin Tillman is a double double machine with three other double digit scorers to make things difficult. George Mason's offense has put up 86, 81, 59 and 86 in their last four home games. Otis Livingston II has been a problem for VCU since he joined the Pats. George Mason has gone over in 33 of their last 46 conference games and 20 of their last 32 at home. VCU has gone over in all five of their road games because their defense can be porous too. 

Ball State has lost three of four and four of their last six entering this one against Akron. The Cardinals offense is heating up a bit though with a couple of 80 point efforts in the last week and a half. They've also laid a few clunkers, but those came on the road where they are not as strong. This is a team with a ton of weapons and one that plays with some pace. Google Akron basketball and you see an article talking about their coach saying the defense has to improve on the road if they hope to win. They will struggle in the interior with Jaden Sayles and Emmanuel Olojakpoke out for this one. They've allowed 87 at Western Michigan, 86 at Marshall and 73 at Dayton. Daniel Utomi, Malcolm Duvivier and Jimond Ivey are a potent trio to try and slow down. These two teams should be able to put up some points in this one. 

UCLA is looking to end a three game losing streak as they host California. These two teams met back on January 6th and the Bruins won 107-84 on the road. UCLA wants to run and California is more then likely to oblige them. They are led by Aaron Holiday and three other double digit scorers. At home this team has had seven efforts of 80 points or more. They've gone over in six of their last 10 and are dying with their recent struggles to get out and have an easy victory. California has lost six straight and their only conference win was at Stanford 77-74 to close out 2017. This team has allowed 80 points or more 10 times this season. The question will be how much they contribute to this total. The offense has had it's issues at times. I think this one sees a ton of points and it goes over the total.

The Mavericks hit the road tonight and it looks like Mitchell Hahn will be back after missing 16 games. Hahn is another scorer to add to the mix as he's averaged 12.2 points per contest in his little action. The team is led by Zach Jackson and Daniel Norl as well as JT Gibson who also average double digits. The team is capable of scoring on the road and has won in North Dakota State before. The Bison has lost four of their last six with three of those coming at home. Their defense has not been very good lately especially allowing 86 vs. North Dakota, 87 to South Dakota State and 92 at Fort Wayne. Omaha is finally getting healthy and I think we see how good they would have been if everyone was in the lineup.

The Drexel Dragons begin three straight at home on Thursday as they host Elon. The team is trying to snap a five game losing streak and is trying to get healthy. It's been rare this season that they've had everyone available. They have five double digit scorers, but if you notice only two of them Kurk Lee and Sammy Mojica have played all 21 games. Drexel's defense has been particularly leaky at home where they gave up 91 to Hofstra, 85 to William and Mary, 82 to Charleston and 77 to Rider. The offense has been capable at times this season as well. Elon's defense has been really leaky as of late especially giving up 80 to William and Mary and 85 to James Madison. The Phoenix go as their big five goes. They really don't have much outside of their five double digit scorers. They won 90-75 at home back on December 30th. These two have gone over in five of their last eight lined games. I think this one continues that trend. 

Georgetown looks for the season sweep of DePaul whom it beat 90-81 back on January 2nd in Chicago. Both teams shot pretty well in that one. Since then, Georgetown has gone 2-3 and is coming off a 93-89 win over St. John's. The Hoyas go as Marcus Derrickson and Jesse Govan go as they are their two top weapons. This team's defense has been pretty porous allowing 70 or more in three straight and seven of their last eight. The Blue Demons have won just once since the first meeting with GTown beating St. John's 91-74 in New York. Their defense has been just as awful especially in conference play allowing 70 points or more in each Big East game. Their offense isn't great but scorers Max Strus, Marin Maric, Tre'Darius McCallum and Eli Cain lead the way. Both teams don't mind a moderately paced game. I think this one goes over the total. 

Syracuse has had over a week off since their 59-45 win over Pittsburgh. That victory snapped a four game losing streak for the Orange which included a home loss to Notre Dame. Getting offense from this team is like pulling teeth as they've put up 60 or less four times this season. The defense has been great, but if they don't score, it doesn't matter. Syracuse has failed to cover in six of their last nine games and this number seems a little big. Boston College has won three of their last five and has one road win already and close losses at Nebraska and Virginia. The Eagles have two good shooters in Jerome Robinson and Jordan Chatman to go with penetrator Ky Bowman. Their size isn't great, but it doesn't have to be if they aren't missing. BC made 24 3's against the Orange last year and has split their last eight meetings in Syracuse. The Eagles have covered six of their seven ACC games and I think that trend continues on Wednesday. 

The Bonnies have lost four of their last five and are currently on a streak of six straight overs as they host St. Joe's on Wednesday. St. Bonaventure lost in Philly to the Hawks 85-78 in a game that saw them struggle to slow down their offense. This is a team that has scored less then 70 points just twice all season. They succeed because of Jaylen Adams and Matt Mobley in the backcourt. St. Joe's defense doesn't travel very well and they had their own stretch of six straight overs which came before this current three game stretch of unders. James Demery and Shavar Newkirk are a really potent duo themselves. SJU is allowing 74.1 points per game and has gone over in six of eight contests as an underdog. Buckle up for a ton of points in this one. 

Pardon me if I'm not a Duquesne believer as they enter this one against Richmond. Their best win is probably beating Dayton at home as a 3.5 point underdog. The Dukes are led by Mike Lewis II who is one of a couple double digit scorers. They have a decent offense scoring 95 vs. George Mason and 101 vs. La Salle in their last two home games. Richmond has won three straight and is shooting well over 50% combined. The Spiders are also playing some of their best defense of the season. Confidence is high with these guys who have five double digit scorers. Richmond has won 20 of their last 21 in this series straight up and have covered 16 of those games. I think they might be the better of the two squads and will take the points. 

Two of the better shooting teams in the country play as Dayton hosts Davidson. The Flyers are shooting 48.1% from the field while the Wildcats check in at 47.3%. Both teams have had their issues on the defensive end and UD will have problems against one of the biggest teams in the country. Dayton has gone over in four of six and eight of their last 12. They've shot 50% or better from the field in five games over that span. The Wildcats have shot 50% or better in four straight and five of their last seven games. They've played some weak competition over that span outside of the win over St. Bonaventure. To me, this is a tight game with a lot of points. I think this one goes over the total. 

Michigan State has gone over in seven of their last 10 games as they enter this matchup against Illinois. This team is a scoring machine with 13 efforts of 80 points or more. The balance has been pretty awesome and they shouldn't find too much resistance in Illinois. The question is if Michigan State's defense will travel. In three of their last four games, Sparty allowed 70 points or more. Illinois has played better at home, but has had their problems on offense. The worry is that they won't get enough points to help out, but they've allowed 104 to Iowa, 79 to Michigan, 89 to UNLV and 92 to Maryland. I think the pace is good enough to see an over in this one. 

Nevada is a very tough team at home where they are 9-0. They've outscored their opponents 85.8 - 70 there and have gone over in five contests. The Wolf Pack list Cody Martin as doubtful for this one, but there's still some thought he may suit up and a play a little bit. Even without him, Caleb Martin, Jordan Caroline and Kendall Stephens are tough to slow down. Boise State has gone over in seven of their last nine and are coming off a close win over Utah State last time out. They've got a highly efficient offense with Chandler Hutchison leading the way. He's got some help himself in Christian Sengfelder and two others who average double digits. These two have gone over in seven of their last 11 meetings in Nevada. I think this one does too. 

Oral Roberts is glad to be home after an awful trip through the Dakotas. The Golden Eagles have gone over the total in 10 of their last 13 lined games. At home the offense has been cruising especially since they've gotten so many weapons. The Golden Eagles have five double digit scorers and another one who puts up nine points per contest. Denver has lost seven of their last nine and it's because of a porous defense and some struggles on the road. They've allowed 80 points or more in four of their last five. The team does have some decent offensive players, but has struggled to get to the 70 point mark at times. Denver has gone over in 21 of their last 36 road games and 25 of their last 40 in conference. I think this one is as well. 

Duke looks for win number four in a row as they host awful Pitt. The Blue Devils are crushing teams at home that they are better then with a 64 point victory over Evansville, 57 point win over St. Francis-PA, 29 point win over Furman, 30 point wins over Utah Valley State and 29 point win over Elon. You know how talented this team is and they already have an 87-52 win at Pitt as 20 point favorites just 10 days ago. They shot 53.1% in that one and absolutely went crazy. The Panthers have been awful offensively and have struggled without Ryan Luther. The team has losses of 14 at Syracuse, 14 at Virginia Tech, 26 at Louisville and 31 on a neutral court to Penn State. Duke has been a home favorite of 12.5 points or more six times this season and has covered five times. Don't out-think yourself and take the home team. 

Bowling Green has won five of their last seven as they host Central Michigan. The Falcons have a very potent offense that has scored 70 points or more in two straight and six of their last seven games. They've put up less then 70 just twice this season with one of those being a clunker at Old Dominion. The problem for BG is that their defense has struggled with some of the better offenses in the league. The Chippewas are reeling a bit right now having lost four straight after a four game win streak. Over this span, the team has played three road games losing by six at Ball State, by five at EMU and by 16 at Kent State. The defense has disappeared which isn't good considering how good their offense is. CMU has five guys who average nine points per game and have gone over in five of their last seven. These two would have gone over a lot of totals in their only meeting last year with CMU winning 82-76. I think we'll see a ton of points in this one. 

The Spiders are flying high after two of their better efforts this season. They are coming off a 67-52 win at VCU in which they shot 53.7% from the field while holding the Rams to just 34.4%. The team's offense features five double digit scorers and is led by Grant Golden, Jacob Gilyard and Nick Sherod. They have an interesting style and have already beaten GW, Davidson and JMU at home this season. La Salle's only true road win was at Penn back in November. They have lost four of their last five and have dealt with their leading scorer BJ Johnson going in and out of the lineup. This team relies on Johnson and Pookie Powell for offense which plays into the Spiders defense that can shade on shooters. This team is also really lax on defense where they've allowed 80 or more eight times this season. I think the home team wins. 

Northwestern lost the road game in this series 78-63 just 15 days ago in a contest that saw the Nittany Lions shoot 54.5% from the field. They also had 17 more free throws and 13 more rebounds. A lot of those numbers will even out as the scene shifts to Northwestern. Things have not been good for the Wildcats lately, but they have a veteran team led by Scottie Lindsey, Bryant McIntosh and Vic Law. They are using a solid zone on defense which PSU could struggle with. Lamar Stevens and Mike Watkins are both not at 100% and the bench has been pretty awful this year. The Nittany Lions have covered just 10 of their last 27 road games winning just nine outright. I think the home team gets a win in desperation. 

Illinois State goes for the sweep of Indiana State on Saturday afternoon. The Redbirds saw their two game losing streak snapped last time out as they beat Bradley 70-57. In the first meeting between these two ISU Red won despite allowing the Sycamores to shoot 47% from the field. They also had a poor time at the free throw line and played without Keyshawn Evans who is one of their better scorers. Daouda Ndiaye is a lot healthier and is playing more. Madison Williams figures to be available for this one as well. Indiana State is a hard team to figure out. They've alternated wins and losses for almost a month now and can't seem to figure things out. At home the team has already lost to Drake, Elon and Ball State. I like ISU Red in this one and think Illinois State can win this outright. 

Non-conference play for Penn as they host Temple on Saturday. The Quakers are playing their sixth straight home game with two of those going over the total and another pushing. They've scored 70 points or more in seven of their last eight with the eighth contest seeing them score 69. Ryan Betley, AJ Brodeur and Darnell Foreman are the team's double digit scorers. Brodeur could be a lot for the Owls to handle inside. Temple has lost six of their last eight, but the wins came over SMU and Tulsa. Their offense is very inconsistent, but the more they play the freshmen, the better off they are. Quinton Rose and Obi Enechyiona are solid scorers who have to find some sort of consistency. Last year this was a 70-62 game in Temple. With the scene shifting to the Palestra, I think we see more scoring and possible a Quakers win.