Two of the flagship programs of the A-10 play as Dayton hosts Rhode Island. The Flyers shoot 50.5% at home where they are scoring nearly 78 points per game. Dayton has gone over in six of their 10 home games this season. They have had their defensive problems a well giving up 81, 79 and 81 in their last three games. That is an issue against Rhode Island who has so many weapons and one of the most veteran teams in the country. URI plays very good defense and that's traveled for the most part. Still, I think this is a close game as UD Arena is a tough place to play. With late fouling, I think this one goes over the total. This series has seen 13 overs in their last 20 meetings including three of their last four. 

It's a rematch of a contest just 11 days ago as Georgetown hosts St. John's. The Hoyas won in Madison Square Garden 69-66 as a 6.5 point underdog. Since then both teams have lost both contests with the Hoyas going down to Seton Hall and Villanova. Jesse Govan and Marcus Derrickson are the leading scorers with four others who put up 7 points per game or more. St. John's has some better scorers but continues to be without Marcus LoVett. The Red Storm lost to Villanova and Xavier in their last two contests. They do not have a true road victory yet this season. Govan had 18 points and 13 rebounds in the first meeting. This line stinks to the heavens almost as much as both these squads. I lean to the home team in this one. 

The Mavericks are getting healthier and hope a homestand can help them right the ship. The team split two games last week winning at WIU 87-66 in a game we had and then they lost 82-78 at Fort Wayne. In both games the defense got better and so did Renard Suggs and KJ Robinson. The pair are healthy now and make a huge difference with Zach Jackson and Daniel Norl. This team has some potential to win some games especially over Denver that has just one win on the road. Daniel Amigo will be a problem on the inside, but can he get enough help in this one. The Pioneers lost both matchups in this series last year. I think they struggle in this one as the home team picks up the easy win. 

It's hard not to take the overs in William and Mary games especially at home. The Tribe are 7-1 at home where they are winning games by an average score of 94.6 to 81. They are shooting 53.7% from the field there and are a difficult team to guard. On the road, Northeastern has allowed 77 at UNC Wilmington, 82 at Charleston, 70 at JMU and 84 at St. Bonaventure. They don't want to run and gun with a normal pace to their offense, but outside Boston they can be sucked into a quicker game. Northeastern's offense relies on Vasa Pusica and Shawn Occeus who put up over 26 points per game combined. William and Mary's defense at home has been mighty shaky especially last time out when they allowed Towson to shoot 64.4% from the field on their way to a 99-73 road win. This team allowed 82 at home to JMU, 87 to Hofstra and 104 to Marshall. For the most part, Vegas can't put a number high enough for William and Mary games at home. 

YSU is home after a rough three game road trip. The Penguins lost at Wright State, Detroit and Oakland in games that saw their offense flourish and the defense struggle. Remember, this team started conference play 3-0 with two of those coming at home against the Wisconsin schools. YSU isn't a great team, but they do defend homecourt well. Braun Hartfield and Cameron Morse are the team's leading scorers putting up nearly 30 points per contest. UIC has won three of their last four, but also just finished up a three game homestand. On the road, they only have a win over IUPUI. The Flames have a bunch of losses on the road. Last year these two played some close high scoring games. I don't think UIC is that much better then the Penguins and think the home team getting points is a good choice. 

James Madison is still winless in CAA play as they host Elon on Thursday night. The Dukes have been close with four single digit losses in conference. Their offense is a mixed bag alternating 60 something and 80 something point efforts over their last four. The consistent thing is their lack of defense as they've allowed 80 or more 10 times this season. They rely heavily on Stuckey Mosley and Matt Lewis with Joey McLean on the sidelines. He's questionable for this one. The Phoenix have five double digit scorers led by Tyler Seibring's 14.1 points per contest. Elon is towards the bottom in terms of tempo but on the road they've played some higher scoring games against Hofstra, Indiana State and Boston University. They've gone over in four of their last seven contests as the defense has had a little bit of an issue at times. Elon has gone over in five of their six games as a favorite. JMU has gone over in nine of their 12 contests as an underdog. I think this one can go over the lower total.

Utah State is licking their wounds a bit after a 83-57 loss at Nevada. The Aggies have lost two straight after a streak of five wins over six contests. This is a team that has played five overs in their last seven games. It's been a mix of horrible defense (allowed 70 or more in seven straight) and a hot offense that scored 80 or more five times. Boise has gone over in seven of their last eight and it's mostly because of an electric offense that has scored 70 or more in six straight and 11 of their last 12. The team is up and down defensively, but there could be some lag after an emotional win over rival San Diego State. They've also got a road contest at Nevada next so I think the letdown happens on defense and this one goes over easily. 

UMass enters Wednesday's game having won three straight contests. The Minutemen are scoring the ball well right now and that's without Rashaan Holloway, their big center patrolling the middle. They beat St. Joe and La Salle at home and Dayton on the road. It's hard to figure this team because before this win streak they lost at home to George Mason as an eight point favorite and we're blitzed out of Olean 98-78. They play at a mediocre pace, but can be pushed a bit which is what the Rams want to do. Rhody is in a small sandwich situation after a big win over St. Bonaventure and a game next at Dayton which is always tough. The Rams have gone over three straight and five of their last seven as the offense continues to roll. They've scored 80 points or more nine times already this season. EC Matthews has a lot of weapons around him. The defense has been pretty good, but there could be a small lack of focus after the headlining game over the weekend. I think this one gets over the total.

Bradley's struggled terribly on the road this season especially in conference play where they've lost by 16 at Loyola-Chicago and by 24 at Evansville. The team's only wins away from home were at SEMO and Chicago State in true road games. This is a team that's had some offensive issues at times scoring 44 at Evansville, 59 at Ole Miss and 52 at San Diego State. ISU has lost three of their last four after four wins at home. The Redbirds have a great trio in Milik Yarbrough, Phil Fayne and Keyshawn Evans who all put up just under 17 points per contest. Bradley has lost by 13, 15 and 14 their last three games in normal. They have not won in that building since 2007 with all but one of those by double digits. I don't see that part of the streak continuing but with the students back, the atmosphere will be rocking and the home team gets the win.

St. Joe is at home as they host the suddenly hot Dayton. The Hawks have split their last four games and has won three straight at home. They have a great pair in Shavar Newkirk and James Demery who get help from freshman Taylor Funk who is shooting 43% from long range. Depth is a bit of a factor, but it's not like Dayton is that deep either. We're getting value here because the Flyers have shot 60% or better in their last two games, wins over VCU and Richmond. On the road though, this team has lost to Duquesne, St. Mary's and Mississippi State. Their offense is due for some regression and their defense is due to struggle. Six opponents have shot 48% or better.

Clemson tries to snap a long losing streak in Chapel Hill on Tuesday night. The Tigers want to play a slower paced game, but they've had troubles establishing that on the road. The team has played three overs in their three true road games losing 78-77 at NC State while beating BC 74-70 and Ohio State 79-65. The squad has gone over in four straight after a stretch of five unders. Marcquise Reed leads five double digit scorers which makes this team very difficult to guard. UNC has won four of their last six games and the offense continues to be fantastic. At home they've played contests in the 140s in every game. The Heels defense has cracked down as of late, but I don't know if that will continue. Those games were against an injury weakened Notre Dame, Boston College and UVA. UNC doesn't often see totals in the 140s. I'll take the over in this one.

Central Michigan is trying to snap a three game losing streak at Ball State on Tuesday night. The Chips have been pretty bad on defense  as they've allowed 70 points or more in three straight and six of their last eight contests. The Chips are led by Cecil Williams and Shawn Roundtree who approach 30 points per game combined. CMU has gone over in three straight lined road games. Ball State's offense has been a bit "broken" as of late with two sub 70 point efforts against Western Michigan and Buffalo. They need a break out effort to get back to the offensive juggernauts we know they are. The Cardinals can be deadly from the field with three players who shoot 50% or better from the field in Tayler Persons, Tahjai Teague and Trey Moses. This squad has six players who average 7.5 points per game or better. These two had some wild high scoring affairs last year. I think Ball State gets back to their offensive ways and we see an over here.

Northern Kentucky should be quite angry tonight after their home loss to Wright State last time out. NKU's offense has been spectacular especially in conference play for the most part. They've scored 80 points or more seven times already this season at home. The defense has been a bit leaky as of late allowing over 80 points to WSU and Oakland. Cleveland State doesn't figure to get there because their offense isn't that good. This will be their third straight road game with their second straight against a quality opponent. This team's defense on the road is horrific allowing 81, 85, 111, 81, 79, 78, 72, 72, 70 and 67. The over has hit in five of their last eight contests. The Norse should be able to name their score in this one and go over the total.

St. Joe's is playing some good basketball as they hit the road at UMass. The Hawks are led by Shavar Newkirk and James Demery along with freshman Taylor Funk who average a combined 47 points per game or more. The team isn't as deep as they'd like to be, but they have a potent offense. This squad has gone over in six straight and eight of their last nine. On the road they've played games with scores of 81-79, 81-78, 86-82 and 98-87. The Minutemen are feeling good right now with wins in two straight and six of their last nine. They've scored 70 or more in six of their last eight as well going over in four of their last five. These two teams should have some fun on a Sunday afternoon. 

This is  huge matchup in the Mountain West as Boise hosts San Diego State. The Aztecs have won four of five and six of their last eight. They've done so because their offense is clicking and the defense is doing just enough to win ballgames. Devin Watson leads four double digit scorers with two others averaging around eight points per contest. Boise gets their work done from their own foursome of double digit scorers. The Broncos have gone over in six of their last seven as much like San Diego State they have a potent offense and just enough defense. Last year these two teams had two overs in their two matchups. This one should be too.

Utah State has won five of their last seven games although they haven't exactly been that tested. They have played five overs in their last six as the defense has struggled and the awesome backcourt has gotten on track. Sam Merrill, Koby McEwen, DeAngelo Isby and Dwayne Brown Jr are the biggest threats. Nevada's offense has been elite all year. They've gone over in seven of their last 10 and are doing incredible work especially at home. The Wolf Pack lost Darien Williams from the roster, but they have plenty of other options with the Martin brothers. Nevada has gone over in five of their seven lined home games. I think these two light up the scoreboard.

Western Kentucky's roster is whole right now as the NCAA finally approved their last two Top 100 recruits. The team has shot 50% or better from the field in three straight and four of their last five as they continue to round into form. Josh Anderson is averaging eight points per game and is the team's sixth leading scorer. Moustapha Diagne did not score and had four rebounds in his debut earlier this week. Charlotte is coming off a 91-83 loss at home to Marshall. They've been horrendous on defense allowing 91, 80, 85, 67, 74, 81 and 76 at home this season. Their offense isn't the best, but I think they still find some success against a leaky WKU group. The 49ers have one of the fastest paces in the league. Last year these two played games of 83-77 and 82-80 so I think this one goes over as well.

Southern Miss has lost five of their last seven and has been blown out in conference play on the road losing at UAB by 11, at Western Kentucky by 16 and by 19 at Marshall. This team also hs a road loss of 53 at Florida State. Dominic Magee is the team's third leading scorer and missed last game for undisclosed reasons. Cortez Edwards and Tyree Griffin are the other two threats if he should miss the game. Middle Tennessee is playing just their sixth true home game this season. They have a 15 point win over Louisiana Tech last time out to go with a 19 point win over Ole Miss and a 13 point win over FGCU. Nick King, Giddy Potts and Brandon Walters are the Blue Raiders double digit scorers. Last year they won at home 72-56 in this game. They've covered in 20 of their last 34 Saturday games. I think this is a blowout winner.

Louisiana Tech has been horrible as of late losing four of their last five. The team has been bad since leading scorer Jalen Harris left the team. Now DaQuan Bracey has to do more of the lifting and he's been dealing with a back injury. Jacobi Boykins and Derric Jean have to take over as well. On the road La Tech has lost by 15 at MTSU, 13 at Marshall, 1 at Western Kentucky, 15 at Texas and 3 at Alabama. UAB has reeled off three straight and six of their last seven. The Blazers have defended homecourt pretty well this season with just one game there being decided by single digits. Chris Cokley, Zack Bryant and Nate Darling are doing well with William Lee and Nick Norton adding some depth. Everything is clicking on both sides of the ball with them. UAB won at home in this series last year 79-70. I think we could see something similar in 2018. 

Texas picked up a highly emotional win at home over TCU just three days ago. They found out that Andrew Jones would miss the season due to Leukemia and the team took it real hard. In some situations like this, the next game after all that emotion was expelled, the team comes out flat. They've lost already at Baylor this season and have struggled at times to get their offensive going without Jones and Kerwin Roach. Oklahoma State has lost three of their last four but that was at Kansas State and Oklahoma as well as a home contest against West Virginia. Jeffrey Carroll, Tavarius Shine and Kendall Smith are the Cowboys big three offensively. I think they get a weaker Texas effort and pick up a home victory.

Kentucky has gone over in eight of their last 11 entering this matchup at Vanderbilt on Saturday. Coach Calipari has no real update on Quade Green and Tai Wynyard and they beat Texas A&M last time out at home 74-73 without them. This team is shooting pretty well right now, but the defense has struggled at times. They've played just two true road games losing at Tennessee 76-65 and winning at LSU 74-71. Vandy has lost three of their last four and is struggling terribly this season. They are coming off a tough loss to Tennessee at home in which they shot almost 52% from the field in an 92-84 loss. They have put up 70 or more in five of their last six. The problem has been on the defensive end where they aren't stopping the better opponents on the slate. Last year in Vandy, the Commodores lost 87-81 to the Wildcats. Two years ago they picked up a 12 point win over the Cats. I think this one goes over the total as both teams find some offense.

This is a huge mismatch and this season I've faded the Keydets on the road as much as possible. They've been outscored by an average of 79.6 - 62.4 away from Lexington this season. They lost by 39 at Wofford, 10 at VCU, 23 at Davidson, 16 at Duquesne and 35 at NC State. Scoring is an issue and slow is slowing down their opponent. ETSU has won seven straight and 11 of their last 12. They have six straight double digit wins and 11 of them overall. This team plays stifling defense and has a potent offense as well. Last year the Bucs won this one 102-75 at home and 88-51 two years ago. I think this one is a huge mismatch. 

Virginia Tech is shooting 52% from the field, but they are going to struggle to do so in Louisville. The Cardinals have a huge size advantage and have held their last few opponents at home to 51, 56, 68, 59 and 62. They have won eight of their last 10 and have some balance offensively led by Deng Adel, Quentin Snider and Ray Spalding. The Hokies have had their issues against the better defensive teams on their schedule. They lost 78-52 to UVA at home after falling 68-56 at Syracuse. The team is going to struggle to get in the lane and really only have Kerry Blackshear as the team's size. Last year, Louisville won at home 94-90 after beating the Hokies 91-83 in Blacksburg in 2016. I think the home team gets the win in this one. 

Towson has gone over in five straight and six of their last seven games. They've lost five of their last seven as the defense has gotten suddenly very leaky. It's not good that they allowed Hofstra to shoot 50% from long range last time out with William and Mary next on the schedule. The Tigers do have the edge on the inside and can outphysical the Tribe who may be a bit spent after the furious comeback to beat James Madison. William and Mary is one of the best FT and 3pt shooting teams in the country and are on a five game streak of 84 points or more. They've been sizzling hot at home and have gone over in four of their last five. Last year WM won this game at home 83-79 in a game with a 155 total. These two have gone over in each of their last four matchups. I think this one is an over as well.

The Bulldogs return home where they are 8-0 this season as South Carolina comes to town. They are led by Yante Maten and William Jackson II who are putting up nearly 30 points per contest. The team has plenty of depth with Derek Ogbeide manning the middle and Juwan Parker in the backcourt. South Carolina has struggled as of late losing four of their last six as the offense continues to be an issue especially on the road. The Gamecocks have won just two true road games at FIU and Wofford with the losses coming by 14 at Alabama, by 5 at Ole Miss and by 16 at Clemson. They have a decent array of scorers led by Chris Silva and Frank Booker, but consistency from game to game has been a struggle. Georgia has covered four of their five home lined games and seven of their 10 contests against teams with winning records. They need to get some revenge after losing both matchups to them last year. I think UGA gets the win.

It's the rivalry game as Michigan State hosts Michigan. Sparty enters this one averaging almost 86 points per game while shooting 51.9% from the field. Their trademark defense has struggled a bit as of late allowing 72 to Rutgers and 80 to Ohio State the last two contests. Still, this is a really potent offense that had a stretch of seven straight contests with 80 points or more scored. Michigan doesn't want to get into a track meet with their opponents but they've gone over in three of their last five contests. Their offense has scored 69 or more in six straight and seven of their last eight. The defense has struggled a bit at times against their better opponents. They allowed 71 at Ohio State and 86 at North Carolina. Michigan has gone over in 19 of their last 26 road games. Sparty has gone over in seven of their 11 lined home games with two pushes. Last year, MSU won at home 70-62 and lost at Michigan 86-57. I think this one is a bit tight and goes over the total.

Cornell had their three game losing streak snapped last time out as they beat a non-division one opponent. The Big Red has struggled on the road giving up 98 at Auburn, 97 at Delaware, 84 at Northeastern and 98 at UMass-Lowell. Matt Morgan is a very good scorer putting up 24.9 points per contest. Cornell wants to get up and down the court especially since their offense isn't great in the halfcourt. Penn's offense has been fantastic scoring 70 or more in six straight and seven of their last eight. This season they've gone under the total just once in a lined game. There could be an unfocused effort from the Quakers this weekend and I think that would show up on the defensive end. 

Fullerton has won three of their last four and eight of their last 10 entering this matchup with UC Irvine. They are a high scoring team with four of their last five lined games going over the total. This is a highly efficient team with seven performances of 50% shooting from the field or better. Their defense could be a little bit better as they've allowed 80 or more in five of their last six. Irvine has never been known as the quickest team, but they are coming off an 86-73 win over Long Beach State at home. They've got some offensive issues, but they've also played just five true home games this season. I think things get a bit loosened up here and we see this one played in the 70s. The Anteaters have gone over in four of their five games when the total is in the 140s.

College of Charleston looks to snap a two game losing streak at home as they host Northeastern. The Cougars are led by Joe Chealey, Jarrell Brantley and Grant Riller who average around 50 points per game. They had won four straight before losing two contests on the road. This is a team that has not lost at home yet this season. Northeastern has been an up-and-down team all season long. They are playing some good basketball right now, but they also have had a nice stretch of home games with seven of their last 10 there. On the road, this team has lost at St. Bonaventure, Ohio State and Stanford. Their defense is not as good as the home team's and it will have to be in order to win this one. I think Charleston bounces back nicely.

Two of the better teams in the Horizon League play as NKU hosts Wright State. The Raiders have road wins at Oakland, Detroit, Georgia Tech and Toledo already this season. They have won five straight and eight of their last nine games. Grant Benzinger leads seven players who average seven points per game or more. Loudon Love is getting better as a big guy in the middle while the recent addition of Cole Gentry has stabilized the backcourt. NKU has won four straight after a two game losing streak. The Norse have been fantastic themselves and are blowing teams out at home. Last year NKU won all three matchups, but they all were close and Wright State is arguably better this season. I think they can hang around in this one. They've covered five of their eight road matchups overall. 

William and Mary is one of the best shooting teams in the country and JMU plays no defense so this one should see a ton of points. The Tribe are shooting 52.1% from the field and 46.2% from long range. They've got a balanced lineup with good shooters and Nathan Knight inside. Just nine days ago, WM won 84-76 in Harrisonburg in a game that saw them shoot over 50% from the field. These two have gone over in 16 of their last 30 lined matchups. At home, they've actually shot 60% or better a couple of times as well. JMU has lost five straight and have allowed 80 points or more in their last four overall. The Dukes offense will most likely be without Joey McLean which won't help the offense. JMU has gone over in 11 of their 15 games including eight of their 11 as an underdog. The Tribe went over in 17 of their last 23 home contests including all three lined ones this season. This one should see a ton of points.

South Dakota's three game win streak was snapped last time out at home against North Dakota State. The Coyotes offense is pretty potent with 13 efforts of 80 points or more. They are very efficient and have several options to go to. Their defense has struggled at times on the road allowing 85 at UCLA, 77 at NAU, 96 at Duke and 79 at Bowling Green. The Dons are home where they've scored 92, 99, 88, 86, 99, 91, 85 and 114 points. They are led by Jon Konchar and Bryson Scott who are one of the better duos in the country. The problem has been defense as they have allowed several teams to shoot 50% or better from the field. Last year these two teams played a 93-82 game in Fort Wayne and have played high scoring contests quite a bit in this series. I think this one goes over the total as well. 

UNLV has gone over in five straight and 10 of their last 11 contests as they travel to Air Force. The Rebels are getting back to their running ways and have put up 90 points or more eight times already this season. Brandon McCoy and Shakur Juiston both average double doubles and Jovan Mooring as well as Jordan Johnson are double digit scorers as well. In a somewhat similar situation UNLV won 82-76 at San Jose State as a 14 point favorite with a similar total. They also won 81-76 at Pacific earlier in December as a 7.5 point favorite. The Air Force has lost three straight and six of their last seven as they are underwhelming athletically and offensively. The Falcons lost their last home game 86-75 to Nevada. Their motion offense can give some teams fits especially at home. The problem has been their defense has been awful. They lost at home to Pacific 83-71. These two played an 81-58 game last year in Colorado and a 79-74 one two years ago. This one should get ugly with UNLV picking up the easy win.

Utah State has won five of their last six as they enter this matchup with Colorado State. USU's offense put up 80 or more in those victories and is rolling with Sam Merrill, Koby McEwen and DeAngelo Isby leading the way. It looks like Alex Dargenton is returning as well after he missed a couple of games. This is a bit of a sandwich game as they have a road trip to Nevada up next so we may get an unfocused effort which would come on the defensive end. Colorado State has lost three of their last four after a three game win streak. Their defense has been pretty bad especially on the road where they've allowed over 90 three times. The team isn't as deep, but they do have some scorers in Prentiss Nixon and Jeremiah Paige who put up nearly 28 per game combined. CSU has gone over in seven of their eight games as an underdog and four of their five on the road. USU has gone over in 19 of their last 31 at home including four of six this season. I think this one continues all those trends. 

Notre Dame will be without Bonzie Colson and Matt Farrell once again and Georgia Tech will take advantage of it. The Yellow Jackets have won two straight and three of their last four including a home victory over Miami. This team is being underrated because of a very slow start to the season. They are healthier with Josh Okogie, Tadric Jackson, Jose Alvarado and Ben Lammers representing a large part of the offense. The Fighting Irish won in Syracuse without their two best players because of a huge rebounding edge. Their offense was pretty awful as it was and I don't think that success will continue against the Jackets who will defend inside better and make the Irish work. I think the home team wins in this one.

Poor Rutgers has to face Sparty after they lost at Ohio State 80-64. Michigan State's defense was horrible and the offense shot below 40% for the second time this season. Earlier this year, they won at Rutgers 62-52 in a slower game. Things are a lot different in East Lansing though where MSU has gone over in six of their last nine lined games there. The team had a stretch of five straight games where they scored 90 points or more at home. Rutgers' defense doesn't travel very well as they've allowed 82 at Purdue and 89 at Minnesota. Those are the only two true road games that the Scarlet Knights have played. Before the matchup earlier, Michigan State had put up 93, 97 and 96 in their last three meetings with Rutgers. I think this one sails over the lower total as they score around 80 or 90 and do most of the heavy lifting.

The Minutemen are a hard team to figure out this season. They have home wins ove Georgia and Providence, but have also lost at home to George Mason and Georgia State. They are led by Luwane Pipkins and Carl Pierre who average nearly 29 points per game. The home team will be without Rashaan Holloway once again but C.J. Anderson returns after serving his suspension. La Salle has lost three of their last four and have fallen in three of their four true road games at Rhode Island, Bucknell and Villanova. This squad also lost to Towson, Drexel and Northwestern. BJ Johnson, the team's leading scorer returned last time out against VCU, but he's still not 100% and is day-to-day for this one. He shot 5-of-16 in the loss and just didn't seem like himself. Last year, the home teams held serve in their two matchups and the Minutemen have won their last two at home by double digits. Obviously I'd like this play more if Johnson wasn't playing, but I think we're getting some good value with the home team. 

Fresno State has gone over in nine of their 13 lined games so far this season and eight of their 11 as a favorite. The Bulldogs are averaging nearly 80 points per contest. They've gone over in two straight and have scored 70 points or more in all but two games this season. FSU has five double digit scorers and are led by Deshon Taylor and Bryson Williams among others. Boise State has gone over in six straight and seven of their last 11 contests. Their defense has been mighty leaky, but the offense has been spectacular. Chandler Hutchison is averaging over 18 points per contest and is fantastic inside. These two have gone over in two of their last three meetings. I think this one sails over the total too.

Syracuse's offense is one of the worst in college basketball. They've shot 40% or worse in three of their last five games and are coming off a 49 point effort at home against Notre Dame. They aren't deep and they don't have a ton of weapons when it comes to the offensive side of the ball. UVA has had problems with bigs who can shoot from the outside and the Orange don't have that. The Hoos defense has held five straight opponents to less then 60 points and are picking up easy wins at home for the most part. This series has seen some weird scores with the Orange winning the last two meetings despite being underdogs. The last game in JPJ between these two was a 73-65 UVA win back in January of 2016. If Syracuse gets to 45 points, i'll be stunned. This one should be another easy win for the Hoos.

Eastern Michigan has lost four of their last five as they host rival Central Michigan. The Eagles offense has been extremely hot and cold this season. They had a stretch of five straight games where they scored 80 or more points in early December, but have had some problems against the better opponents as of late. The Eagles are led by Elijah Minnie, Paul Jackson, James Thompson IV and Tim Bond. Central Michigan has gone over in two of their last three true road games. They allowed 85 at Kent State, 86 at UMKC, 86 at Southern Utah and 72 at Michigan. This team has scored 70 or less three times this season with one of those being 69 points. The Chippewas are led by Cecil Williams, David DiLeo and Shawn Roundtree. They have gone over in 18 of their last 28 as an underdog. These two played a pair of high scoring games last year 109-81 and 85-63. I think this one is going to go over as well.

The Spiders lost two straight tough games on the road, but they return home to host Richmond on Tuesday night. Richmond's defense is getting a bit better although offensive consistency has been hard to find. This team is teetering a bit in terms of confidence. They are saying all the right things, but they blew a 10 point 2nd half lead at a mediocre St. Louis team. Dayton has alternated losses and wins for a large stretch of the season. They've lost at Duquesne, St. Mary's and Mississippi State already. The team's offense is very inconsistent and they don't have a ton of size to exploit Richmond's weakness. Darrell Davis and Josh Cunningham are a tough combination, but I think Richmond has some better scorers and more options as well. I think the home team is worth a look as they've played better at home.

The Hoyas and St. John's are both looking for a victory as they try and turn their seasons around. Georgetown has lost three of their last four, but do have a conference win at DePaul. The offense has been hot and cold, but the problem is on the defensive end. They've allowed 86, 91, 74, 81 and 90 to the better teams on their schedule. The Red Storm have lost their last four and it's their defense that has disappeared. They've lost at home to DePaul and Providence at home and at Creighton and Seton Hall during this streak. Marcus LoVett will not play and I don't know if they have the inside help for Jesse Govan of Georgetown. St. John's has failed to cover in 29 of their last 56 games against teams with a winning record. I think the road team is a live dog in this one.

Temple comes to UCF in desperate need of a victory after losing their last four. The Owls are coming off a low scoring loss at home to Cincinnati and are now 7-7 on the season. They have the talent to beat anyone when they are on, but the team isn't deep and their coach isn't bright. UCF is 11-4 and has won seven of their last eight games. The four losses were by 5 at SMU, by 3 vs. Missouri, by 3 against St. John's and they were blown out by West Virginia. This team plays some incredible defense with just two of their opponents getting over 70 points. Their last five opponents scored 56, 39, 56, 64 and 55. Last year UCF won this game at home 77-53 in a contest where they held the Owls to 11 points at halftime. They also picked up a two point road victory after Temple blew a 9 point halftime lead. UCF has covered 20 of their last 28 as a favorite including four of five this season. I think they win this one rather easily. 

Oral Roberts has won two straight and four of their last six as they start to click on the defensive end. They are coming off a 76-60 home win over Fort Wayne who is one of the more potent offenses in the country. The Golden Eagles are led by Emmanuel Nzekwesi and Albert Owens. They play some exotic defenses that teams find hard to prepare for. They've also covered in eight of their last 10 games. Western Illinois lost at South Dakota 62-50. The team may have a winning record but a lot of hollow victories over the likes of St. Mary's Minnesota, Calvary, Lincoln Christian, American and IUPUI. On the road they've put up 50 points or less three times already this season. ORU has covered all four of their lined home games. I think they win this one rather easily. 

The Terriers are coming off a blasting of VMI 92-53. In that game they shot 59% from the field and have now won six of their last seven. Wofford has wins at home of 39, 59, 3, 3, 31 and 37. They are led by Fletcher Magee and Cameron Jackson who are scoring 36.6 points per game combined and are shooting over 55% from the field combined. The Citadel runs a "loot and shoot" type offense which wants a lot of possessions and very little defense. They are coming off a 107-67 loss at Furman as a 19 point underdog. Already this season the Bulldogs have lost by 40, 29, 10, 35, 19 and 39 on the road. They just don't score enough and their defense is horrible. Wofford has covered 16 of their last 22 at home. They should pick up an easy victory in this one at home. 

Old Dominion is a fascinating study as they still are one of the slower playing teams according to Ken Pomeroy's numbers, but they've played seven overs in their last eight games. The Monarchs have left their defense at home on the road giving up 75 at Rice, 77 at Fairfield, 82 at VCU and 79 at William and Mary. They've been able to score though with an offense that is led by BJ Stith, Ahmad Caver and Trey Porter. With better health this season, they've been able to withstand the nights that the defense isn't there. North Texas is also one of the slower paced teams, but they've got a pretty solid offense. The Mean Green are led by Roosevelt Smart and Ryan Woolridge who join Shane Temara and A.J. Lawson as players who average double digits. ODU has gone over in 20 of their last 30 road games and five of their last six games when the total is in the 130s. Last year this was a 73-67 win by the Monarchs in Denton Texas. Two years ago they won 76-70 so I think that trend continues.

Fresno State has been on my card a lot with either their spread or the over as this team's offense can do some good things. They've cracked the 80 point mark seven times already this season as they have several weapons. The problem for the Bulldogs has been their defense which has let them down in their last two losses to Utah State and Nevada. FSU has gone over in all four of their true road games this season. Colorado State lost a lot from last season, but still have some options themselves. They've gone over in four of their last seven and it's because they've had their problems on defense too. Both teams are moderately paced so there should be plenty of possessions. Prentiss Nixon will have his hands full with the Bulldogs who can put five double digit scorers out there. CSU has gone over in six of their seven games as an underdog. I think this one goes over the total.

Georgia Southern is finally glad to be home after a recent stretch of six straight on the road. They got healthy vs. Arkansas State just two days ago beating them 80-49. At home, GSU has wins of 31, 11, 36, 68 and 24. The Eagles have five scorers who average nine points per game or more and are led by Tookie Brown and Ike Smith. Little Rock has just four wins on the season and all were at home against the Ozarks, Louisiana Monroe, Central Arkansas and Norfolk State. On the road, this team has five double digit losses. Their problem is that they don't score enough and their defense is too leaky. Andre Jones is the team's only double digit scorer at 10.9 points per game. The Eagles should win this one rather easily on Saturday. 

Wazzu looks for their third straight win in the Apple Cup on Saturday as they host Washington. The Huskies are playing their third straight road game as they look to bounce back after a 74-53 loss at UCLA. This is a team that is capable of scoring with seven performances of 80 points or more this season. They've struggled at times with the zone and could do so against a Cougars team that wants to bomb away from long range. Carter Skaggs shoots 52.1% from 3 while Robert Franks and Viont'e Daniels also can light it up too. Wazzu has lost six of their last eight because either their defense was too leaky (89 allowed to USC and 96 to UCLA) or their offense just wasn't up to snuff. This series saw a pair of games played in the 70's last year and in the 90's in 2016. I think this one is a tight high scoring game that the home team could win. 

Ohio has gone over in all but one game so far this season. They've scored 84, 89, 80, 88 and 96 in five of their seven home contests with two clunkers thrown in as well. Mike Laster, Teyvion Kirk, Jordan Dartis and Kevin Mickle average nearly 60 points per game combined for the Bobcats who want to get up and down the court. Their defense has been an issue at times hence the overs. NIU has played four true road games this season with scores of 98-75, 79-70, 94-80 and 95-77. The team has several options on the offensive end and have had their own problems on defense. NIU is 16-4 to the over the last three seasons on Saturday. These two have gone over in five of their last six lined meetings in Ohio. I think the trend continues. 

It's been a down year for the Rams in terms of record as they enter this one against La Salle. VCU is coming off an overtime loss at St. Joseph's and is playing just their third true road game of the season. Justin Tillman is a huge piece in the middle and will be tough for the Explorers to handle. The question is who else will step up and help him. Isaac Vann's return has been nice although his shooting percentage is just not there. There are several other guys who have scored double digits at one point this season, but the consistency isn't there. La Salle has lost four of their last six and may be without B.J. Johnson once again who is questionable with a knee injury. If Johnson doesn't suit up then this one should be in favor of the Rams. Pookie Powell is very good, but needs help offensively. La Salle's gym should be relatively empty and lacking a true atmosphere. The Explorers have covered just 16 of their last 49 games against teams with a winning record. They've gotten punked by the Rams the last two seasons and I think VCU is capable of getting the outright win on Saturday even if Johnson plays.

A pair of teams who don't mind playing with pace play as Ball State hosts Buffalo. The Bulls first conference game was a 104-94 victory at home against Toledo. On the road UB has struggled with defense allowing 89, 81, 72 and 87. They've played three straight overs and six of their last eight have gone over as well. The addition of Wes Clark to the lineup has helped stabilize things and gives the team another shooter on the court. Ball State has scored 70 or more in every game except for one when they put up 69 at Oklahoma. The Cardinals defense has gotten better so that's a worry, but I think they'll struggle with Buffalo. The Cards have gone over in 26 of their last 40 games against teams with a winning record. Last year the road team won each game in this series with Ball State winning 92-77 while Buffalo took the later meeting 96-69. I think this one is close and sees a ton of points.

There are so many similarities in this game as both teams want to run it but can pass it as well. The Dukes won this matchup last year on the road so you know the Bison will want revenge as JMU snapped their championship run. One of the advantages that the team from the CAA has is that ND State has injury issues in their secondary and will be without one of their starting corners. His replacement is making his first start and you know Bryan Schor will pick on that. I think this one will be close and even if JMU doesn't win, then this will be a FG contest. I'd also consider the under. 

James Madison's defense has been pretty awful this season. They've allowed 70 points or more in all but four games with one of those coming against a non division one opponent. They don't man to man well or zone and that's a problem against the potent Hofstra offense. The Dukes do have some scorers and have shown some offensive explosion themselves. They have scored 70 or more in seven of their last eight. Hofstra has allowed 80 or more seven times this season. They've played six overs in their last eight lined games. These two have gone over in six of their last 10 lined meetings in New York. I think this one is high scoring. 

Elon is on the road at Northeastern on Friday night in a game that won't feature too many fans if it's played at all considering the snow that the area is getting. Elon has won three straight and four of their last five. The Phoenix have road wins at Indiana State and Boston U with a close loss at Wisconsin Milwaukee. The team needs to tighten up the defense, but has five double digit scorers leading the way. Northeastern has lost two of their last three and is coming off a one point home loss to Hofstra. The Huskies have pretty much won the games they were favored in and struggled against the better teams. The Phoenix won in Boston the last two years 51-49 in 2016 and 71-67 in 2016. Northeastern is 5-22 against the spread in their last 28 games as a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points. I think they struggle in this one. 

Cal Poly had their five game losing streak snapped last time out as they enter Big West play against my favorite team UCSB. Cal Poly has played five overs in their last six lined games as they've struggled horribly on defense against teams that are potent. The Gauchos are awesome offensively led by Max Heidegger and Leland King II. They've got three other scorers who average 7 points per game or more. They've gone over in eight of their 11 lined games. On the road the defense has struggled to slow teams down. They allowed 72 points at Sacramento State and 69 at mediocre Montana State. I think this one sees a lot of points and maybe an outright UCSB win.

Charlotte is 1-5 on the road and is being outscored almost 76-66 in those contests. In their first conference game they lost 89-58 in a game that showed how far away they were from their competition. This is their fifth straight road contest so weariness could occur. They are one of the quicker teams in the country in terms of pace. North Texas has won five of their last six and are playing their first home game in almost a month. At home they've been scoring well although against lesser competition. The slate in Denton has featured McNeese State, Indiana State, Grambling, Rogers State and UTRGV. They've got a lot more balance when it comes to scoring. The Mean Green has gone over in 18 of their last home games. These two played some high scoring games last year with scores of 82-81 and 101-76. I think we could see something similar potentially in this one. 

Fort Wayne has won five of their last six and it's because of an incredibly potent offense led by Bryson Scott and Jon Konchar. The Dons have gone over 90 points six times this season and the defense has struggled to be consistent as well. They've allowed over 80 nine times as well. They've played seven true road games with five of them going over the total. Oral Roberts has won three of their last five games. Their offense has been very good at home this season. They are coming off a 93-74 win at home against Omaha in a game that saw the two teams going back and forth. The team's defense is pretty bad too. Fort Wayne has gone over in 44 of their last 67 games overall including 24 of their last 35 in conference play. Last year this game was 87-83 on the road. I think the Dons win and this goes over. 

Fort Wayne has won five of their last six and it's because of an incredibly potent offense led by Bryson Scott and Jon Konchar. The Dons have gone over 90 points six times this season and the defense has struggled to be consistent as well. They've allowed over 80 nine times as well. They've played seven true road games with five of them going over the total. Oral Roberts has won three of their last five games. Their offense has been very good at home this season. They are coming off a 93-74 win at home against Omaha in a game that saw the two teams going back and forth. The team's defense is pretty bad too. Fort Wayne has gone over in 44 of their last 67 games overall including 24 of their last 35 in conference play. Last year this game was 87-83 on the road. I think the Dons win and this goes over. 

Louisiana Tech has not been the same since they lost Jalen Harris who is transferring. They've lost four of their last six and have already fallen twice at home this season to ULL and Stephen F Austin. The team's turnover issues have been killing them and are part of the reason they started out C-USA play at 0-2. The Roadrunners have won three of their last five and have played some close road games. They lost by 10 at Nebraska, by 12 at Oklahoma, by 8 at Utah Valley State and by four at Tulsa. Jhivvan Jackson and Keaton Wallace are their two leading scorers with five other players putting up seven points per game or more. The road team won both games in this series last year with UTSA covering in three of their last four in Ruston. I think they are a live dog in this one.

It's a mismatch in this one as VMI could be one of the worst teams in the country. The Keydets five wins have come over Southern Wesleyan, Longwood, Charleston Southern, Ohio Valley and Presbyterian with one of those being on the road. They've lost by 10 at VCU, 23 at Davidson, 5 at American, 16 at Duquesne and 35 at NC State. The team is coming off a 30 point home loss to Furman in which the offense struggled to shoot. Five times this season they've shot 40% or less and that's an issue when your defense is that bad. Wofford has won five of their last six and is one of the better mid-major teams. They have a four point win over UNC already under their belts. They haven't played a true home game in almost a month. At home, they have lost just once and that was to South Carolina on opening night. VMI has failed to cover in 20 of their last 30 road games. Last year they lost by 18 at Wofford and by 32 two years ago. I think this one could be a blowout as well.

Things are not going well for Nevada right now who is dealing with a lot of players who are sick. Three quarters of the starting lineup as well as Hallice Cooke and Josh Hall are all sick and have struggled at times to get through practice without being winded too quickly. They struggled to close out New Mexico at home last time out and Coach Musselman is already talking about using his timeouts and subbing guys in and out quicker. Wyoming has a veteran bunch led by Hayden Dalton. The Cowboys have a road win at Oregon State to go with losses at South Carolina and Denver. Wyoming has won four of their last five games. They have covered 20 of their last 33 games as an underdog. The road team has had some success in this series. I don't think they win outright, but I think they could keep it close.

Fresno State is putting up nearly 80 points per game while shooting just over 50% from the field. They've gone over seven times already this season. The Bulldogs have played just three true road games beating Cal Poly 83-63, Long Beach State 106-70 and losing at Arkansas 83-75. They have an impressive group of scorers with five guys putting up double digits. The defense has been a problem at times especially away from home. Utah State has won three of their last four and have gone over in two straight home contests. They are scoring better right now and have played teams tough at home. Sam Merrill, Koby McEwen and DeAngelo Isby are their double digit scorers. Utah State has gone over in 18 of their last 30 home games including three of five this season. I think this one is an over.

The Broncos have taken care of business at home this season and in comes New Mexico. Boise has a 22 point home win over CSU, 23 point victories over Sacramento State and Portland as well. They've covered five of their seven lined home games because of an awesome offense that is very hard to slow down. The team just needs to get better on defense because they've allowed 70 or more in four straight. New Mexico has just six wins over Air Force, Prairie View, Rice, Evansville, Nebraska Omaha and North New Mexico. They have struggled in road games with three double digit losses. The Lobos don't have a ton of options other then Sam Logwood and Chris McNeal. 

Valpo has lost three straight and six of their last seven. The Crusaders offense has struggled as they've failed to crack the 65 point mark in five of their last seven. The loss of Joe Burton has been bad for this team as he's the point guard and the guy who made things go. Tevonn Walker and Bakari Evelyn are the team's two biggest scorers, but there's not much help other then that. The Crusaders have been a team that has relied heavily on their defense in the past and for the most part they've been able to accomplish that. Bradey crushes it on the defensive end especially at home where they've allowed 53, 46, 56, 57, 47, 53 and 53. They don't mind a slower paced game and will grind possessions out if they have to. Their offense has been hit or miss this season, but at home it's been pretty good. This team has only gone over the total twice this season with one being at home and one on the road. To me, this one has a lower score coming.

BC has been a huge surprise so far this ACC season with a win over Duke at home and then last weekend they lost by one at UVA. This is a team that has won every true home game this season and has scored 75 or more in all but one of those contests. Jerome Robinson, Ky Bowman and Jordan Chatman are as good a trio of scorers as you can find. Clemson's got five double digit scorers led by Marcquise Reed and Donte Grantham. This is Clemson's second true road game after winning 79-65 at Ohio State. The Tigers have cracked the 70 point mark in all but two games this season so scoring isn't an issue for them. Both of these teams play good defense, but I think they'll both light up the scoreboard. BC has gone over in 16 of their last 28 home lined games. I think this one's an over.

Colorado State has won four of their last five entering this one and return home where they've been very good as an offense. The Rams have been awful defensively with six of their opponents shooting 50% from the field or better. Prentiss Nixon and Deion James are the team's best two scorers and they aren't deep as a team. The Aztecs are quite the opposite with four double digit scorers and a couple of other contributors. They are playing with a faster pace nowadays and are trying to beat teams with that. San Diego State has not played as well on the road where they have lost at Wyoming and at Arizona State. The defense has proven at times to be leaky and CSU is a bad place for that to happen. You can't look at too many historical trends considering how slow the Aztecs played under Coach Fisher. This time though I think they speed their way to a win potentially on the road.

Neither of these two teams are very good but the Phoenix are at least on a win streak. IUPUI's three victories are over Anderson (IN), Morehead State and Indiana-Kokomo. On the road they've lost by eight at Wright State and by 18 at Northern Kentucky in conference. They've played seven other road contests with only one being a single digit loss. The Phoenix have won four of their last six games including home victories over Detroit and Oakland in conference. They beat the Grizzlies last time out as 10 point underdogs. Sandy Cohen has been fantastic in his four games with the team. He's pairing off nicely with Khalil Small and Kameron Hankerson as offensive threats. I think I like the home team with the thin number.

Eastern Michigan continues a stretch of road games at Ball State on Tuesday. The Eagles have played some high scoring road contests at Oakland, Long Beach State, North Florida and Indiana. EMU is led by the potent trio of Elijah Minnie, James Thompson IV and Paul Jackson who each average around 16 points per contest. After starting the year 1-4, Ball State has won eight straight games. In each of those victories they've scored 70 points or more and have done so in every game except one against Oklahoma in which they put up 69. The Cardinals are shooting it well, and have to considering their struggles on defense. The team has allowed 80 or more eight times this season. They have a lot more balance with six players who average 7.5 points per game or more. These two have played three overs in their last four meetings. It was a 79-72 contest at Ball State last year which was 2.5 points less then the given total. Ball State has gone over in 41 of their last 65 lined games including 17 of their last 29 home contests. This one should be close and a high scoring game.

Hofstra has played well on the road this season and traditionally in the past. The Pride has already won at Stony Brook, Rider and Monmouth and is coming off a tight loss at William and Mary. They are led by Justin Wright-Foreman and Eli Pemberton who put up nearly 40 points per game with Rokas Gustys and Joel Angus III representing two guys shooting over 50% from the field. Northeastern has won six of their last seven after a four game losing streak. The Huskies go as Vasa Pusica goes. He's the only double digit scorer on the team with four others averaging seven points per contest. Hofstra has won in Boston each of the last two years and has won four straight in the series. They have covered 18 of their last 29 on the road while Northeastern is 5-21 ATS in their last 27 games at home as a favorite of 3.5 to 6 points. I think the road team is a live dog in this one too.

William and Mary has won 29 of their last 48 in this series and these two have split their last 20 in Harrisonburg. The Tribe has an incredible potent offense and has shot 50% or better from long range six times already this season. They played well at TCU in an 11 point loss and have road wins at George Mason and Savannah State. Nathan Knight is a very good inside guy with four others who also average double digits. JMU has lost six of their last eight games and have already fallen at home to Northeastern, George Mason and ODU. Their defense has been pretty bad allowing 80 points or more six times this season. William and Mary has covered in six of their seven lined games. JMU has covered 13 of their last 33 home contests. I think the road team is worth a look.

It's been a terrible season for the Seahawks so far as they only have three wins this season. They have beaten UNC Wesleyan, Campbell and Greensboro College with only one of those being division one. They do have a little bit of defensive momentum though allowing 58 to Delaware in a loss and 60 to that Greensboro opponent. Devontae Cacok is very tough in the middle with Jordon Talley, Ty Taylor II and Jaylen Fornes other threats. The Dragons have lost four of their last five and are a hard team to figure out. Drexel has wins over La Salle and Houston, but have also lost to NJIT, Robert Morris and Loyola of Maryland. The team's offense has scored 65 points or less in three of their last five games. UNC Wilmington has won nine of their last 13 at home in this series. I think they win again on Tuesday.

This is a bad matchup for Syracuse as their offense continues to scuffle and Virginia Tech bombs away from long range. The Hokies are shooting 43.7% from long range this season and are putting up 91 points per game. They won't get to that number because the Orange play very good defense but it will be interesting to see how the zone adjusts to such a good shooting team. VT doesn't have the size to bother Syracuse so they should be able to win the battle of the boards. Last year, the Hokies won 83-73 at home in a game that saw them go 8-for-20 from long range. Virginia Tech has covered 28 of their last 40 ACC games and 27 of their last 41 as an underdog. The Orange's offense is like pulling teeth right now. I can't back them as a favorite and will almost certainly fade them in these situations. 

Memphis is playing just their second true road game of the season. They lost their first one 71-56 at UAB. Against the better teams on the schedule, the Tigers have had problems allowing 71 to LSU, 81 to Louisville and 82 to Alabama. The offense isn't great, but with such a low total, I don't need as much help from them. Jeremiah Martin, Kyvon Davenport and Jimario Rivers are the leading scorers. Cincinnati's going to win this game. They've scored 81, 77, 77 their last three games and have averaged 87.4 points per game at home this season. The defense has been fantastic so I worry about how much Memphis scores. The Bearcats have gone over in 19 of their last 32 at home while the Tigers have gone over in 14 of their last 22 road contests. I think this one can sneak over the total with an 80 something to 50 something type score. 

South Alabama is coming off a great effort at home over Georgia State in which it won 86-64 as a seven point underdog. This is a team whose offense is very hit-or-miss. They've scored 73 points or more in three of their last four contests and have gone over in four of their last five lined games. Rodrick Sikes, Josh Ajayi and Jordan Andrews are the biggest threats for the Jaguars. Georgia Southern is playing their sixth straight road game and is coming off an 86-80 win at Troy. GSU's offense has scored 70 or more 10 times this season. The Eagles are a veteran group with four double digit scorers led by Tookie Brown. South Alabama has gone over in 25 of their last 42 Sun Belt games. Georgia Southern has gone over in 19 of their last 33 road contests. Both teams play with a modest pace so I think this one should go over the total. 

Utah State has won four of their last five contests entering this one against the revamped Aztecs. The Aggies want to run and have put up some good offensive numbers against lesser opponents as of late. On the road, they have played at Utah, Valpo, Portland State and Gonzaga already. One common thread is a struggle on defense in those games. San Diego State wants to play faster under their new head coach. They have certainly done so with eight efforts of 70 points or better this season. They are using their talent and getting it into space. The defense has been pretty good for the most part although they did just allow 82 points at Wyoming. This team has gone over in six of their 10 lined contests. I think this one goes over too. 

These two teams play next to no defense so there should be plenty of points put up. The Mavericks have allowed 90 points or more five times already this season away from home with a few others being 86, 87 and 89. This roster was ravaged in the offseason and is now led by Zach Jackson and Daniel Norl. They have some offensive weapons so points on their end won't be an issue. Albert Owens gets some help with the Golden Eagles from Emmanuel Nzekwesi and Javan White. ORU has gone over in six of their last seven lined games and it's mostly because of a lack of defense. They have some interesting road wins but have struggled to defend homecourt. Last year, the home matchup between these two was a 103-86 affair. These two have gone over in four of their last six meetings. I think this one sees a ton of points.

NKU has been fantastic against the spread so far covering eight of their 10 lined contests. They've covered all four home games and are blowing teams out this season. The Norse are led by Drew McDonald, Carson Williams and Lavone Holland II who combine for around 45 points per game. They have home wins by 18, 28, 37 and 18 over division one teams. The Flames have lost three of their last four and have road losses of 24, 21 and 28 that came last month. They've played better as of late, but are also playing their toughest opponent in awhile. Last year NKU won this game by eight at home and 17 on the road. This is a better team and I think they win easily on Saturday.

The Florida schools play on Saturday as FIU hosts FAU. The Golden Panthers have lost three of their last four after a three game win streak. They are coming off a headscratching 79-72 home loss to Hartford in which they allowed them to shoot 62% from the field. This is a team that has a pretty good offense led by Trejon Jacob, Eric Lockett and Brian Beard Jr who put up nearly 47 points per game. They want the game to go faster and have gone over in four of their six lined games with many others probably going over if there were lines. FAU has lost three straight falling at Minnesota, Texas Tech and Arkansas State. Their defense is pretty bad allowing 80 points or more in three of their last five contests. The offense probably needs work, but they did have a stretch starting at the end of November scoring 91, 93, 92 and 108. FIU has gone over in 15 of their last 24 home games. Three of the last four meetings between these two have gone over the total.

One of the most potent teams in the country is Marshall and they host Louisiana Tech who is trying to figure things out without their leading scorer. The Thundering Herd are led by Jon Elmore, CJ Burks and Ajdin Penava who might be one of the most underrated post players in the country. Burks missed last game with an illness but returned to practice on Friday so they hope he'll be ready. The addition of Rondale Watson has been good on the offensive end. Louisiana Tech is without Jalen Harris once again meaning more work for DaQuan Bracey, Jacobi Boykins and Derric Jean. The Bulldogs have lost three of their last five games as they struggle at times. Marshall has covered in 20 of their last 32 home games. With such a short spread, i'll take the home team. 

The Bulldogs are hurting a bit after losing at home 80-65 to Nevada in an early big game in the conference. The team has lost two of their last three but should be able to flex their offensive muscle against Air Force. FSU has some huge wins at home by 26 over Ark Pine Bluff, 15 vs Bakersfield, 12 over Weber State and by 13 over Montana State. Fresno has five double digit scorers and Terrell Carter II who puts up 7.2 points per contest. The Falcons have lost four of their last five and have not been competitive in a lot of those contests. They are coming off a 29 point loss at New Mexico and have also recently lost to Army by 25 and to UC Riverside by 19 as a 3.5 point favorite. They don't have a great scorer and will struggle to get much going in this one. Fresno has covered in 41 of their last 68 contests including 17 of their last 29 at home. I think this one is a blowout.

The Spiders once again completed a horrendous non-conference slate going 2-10 against a mediocre slate. They don't play much defense allowing opponents to shoot 50.9% from the field. Richmond swept Davidson last year 84-76 and 82-80 in two games. They ironically played the Wildcats at their place on December 31st last year as their first conference game and won that game by after another horrendous start to the year. This is such a mediocre Davidson team outside of Peyton Aldridge. Their wins are over Akron, VMI, Charlotte, UNC-Wilmington and Charleston Southern. Davidson's defense might be worse then the Spiders in some ways as they've allowed 70 or more eight times. Richmond has shown flashes the last two games with their performances in spurts against BC and Bucknell. The problem is that they've coughed up leads in both games. De'Monte Buckingham and Nick Sherod need to shoot better from the field. I think the home team is worth a look in this one.

Northeastern has won five of their last six after a four game losing streak. The Huskies have lost at St. Bonaventure, Ohio State and Stanford this season with road wins at Kent State and Boston University. Offensively, this team is a mixed bag with some really good efforts at home, but they've also scored 65 points or less four times this season. JMU's record is ugly, but they are really close. The Dukes are coming off a really good effort at Florida where they lost by 9 points. The last five games they've beaten Charlotte and FIU while losing by two at The Citadel and by three at Richmond. They've got a win over App State at home last month. I like Stuckey Mosley and Joey McLean who are the team's two leading scorers. I think the break is a good thing to help this team continue their upward trajectory. JMU has covered 22 of their last 39 in conference games. JMU won this game at home last year as a four point favorite and lost at home by 1 two years ago. I think the Dukes can win this one outright.

The Billikens have won two of their last three entering Saturday's game against La Salle. This will be their second true road game with the other being a 30 point loss at Butler. The Explorers are nowhere near as good as the Bulldogs and the losses SLU has had were for the most part against better teams. Javon Bess, Jordan Goodwin and Davell Roby are all double digit scorer with two others averaging at least eight. It looks like the home team will be without their leading scorer in BJ Johnson which means that Pookie Powell has to take over. There is not enough depth here as the team already lost to Bucknell. The Explorers have lost three of their last four with one of those being a headscratching loss to Drexel as a 12 point favorite. La Salle has covered just 17 of their last 39 A-10 games. These two split their home games last year. I think SLU can make it close on Saturday.

We've seen a lot of blowouts by Big 10 teams in their last non-conference weekend and I think Ohio State joins the party. They've crushed the bad teams at home with wins by 29, 35, 25, 18 and 31 over lesser teams including the Citadel, William and Mary and Robert Morris. They are coming off a 14 point loss over North Carolina so there's a need for a really good effort here. The Redhawks are good enough to score some points and allow a ton more. They lost 83-66 at DePaul, 80-59 at Tulane and 70-51 at Missouri. This is a team that can score some points and play at a decent pace which will probably have to be quicker when they get down big. Miami-Ohio has gone over in 19 of their last 34 road games. I think this one goes over the total and maybe we see the Buckeyes join the 100 point Big 10 club. 

A pair of the mediocre PAC-12 schools play as Oregon State hosts Colorado. Oregon State has won six of their last seven games after a slow start to the season. The Beavers have four double digit scorers and little else as injuries and other things have reduced the roster. They've scored 70 points or more in five of their last six games. The Buffs have lost four of their last six after an undefeated start to their season. The team has played just two true road games losing 96-69 at Xavier and 72-63 at Colorado State. The Buffs are similar in that they play at a similar pace and have a good offense that has problems on defense sometimes. Colorado has gone over in six of their seven games against teams with a winning record and all three games as an underdog

In another non-conference Big 10 game, Iowa hosts Northern Illinois. The Huskies have had some tastes of real opponents this season losing at Marquette 79-70 and at Iowa State 94-80. They are a high scoring team who also struggles on defense at times. NIU is a smallish team with good athletes and one decent guy in the post. Iowa has won four in a row after losing four in a row. They've done so against weaker opponents for the most part, but they've scored 80 or more in all of those contests. This is a team that is a mixed bag in terms of offense and defense with each struggling at some point this season. Any offense they've played with a pulse has been able to score on them. NIU has gone over in 19 of their last 30 games as an underdog. Iowa has gone over in 23 of their last 42 as a favorite. I think this one sees plenty of points. 

This is going to be a massive blowout as Sparty is crushing teams and shooting 51.2% from the field. They are rolling right now with a 42 point win over Long Beach State (102-60), a 45 point win over Houston Baptist (107-62) and a 13 point win over Oakland (86-73). Michigan State beats up on the bad teams at home and scores a ton of points in the process. The worry here is Cleveland State's offense isn't very good. The Vikings lost at Cincinnati 81-62 which was hard to believe considering the Bearcats defense is pretty good. They also lost 78-67 at Western Michigan and 72-69 at East Carolina. The crowd won't be great for this one so maybe we don't get as motivated an effort. Still, I think the over is worth a look here. 

Penn has won four straight and six of their last seven as they host Toledo on Friday afternoon. The Quakers are coming off a 105-52 win over Delaware State last time out. Their offense is very good with four straight efforts of 70 points or more. They've also put up 90 or more three times in November. Toledo has a potent offense and has had their problems on defense too. They've gone over in three of their last four lined games. On the road, the Rockets have allowed 86 to Detroit, 96 to Kansas, 80 to Cornell and 72 to Syracuse. Penn has gone over in seven of their eight lined games. Toledo plays with a decent pace. In an afternoon game, I think we get a light atmosphere and plenty of points. 

North Texas is 7-6 on the season and they've got four scorers who average 10 points per game or more. The Mean Green have already played at Georgetown, UT-Arlington, Oklahoma, Georgia Tech and Nebraska this season. Defense has been an issue in those contests for the most part, but their offense can get clicking too. In their 86-83 win at San Diego they shot almost 50% as a 10 point underdog. UTEP is expected to get Devin Wade back to a team that has won four of their last five. The Miners offense isn't great, but they've scored 70 points or more three times during this seven game homestand. The defense has been good, but the opponents have been. North Texas has gone over in 29 of their last 46 games as an underdog. These two played a 77-71 game last year. I don't know if that will happen again but I do think it's an over. 

Betting overs in Bradley games has been a losing proposition for the most part this season as the under has hit in 10 of 11 lined contests. Traditionally though on the road, their fantastic defense has been a little lax as evidenced by the 17 overs in their last 29 contests. A quick look at some of the road unders this season shows that they were 1 basket short of a push at Ole Miss, 1 three pointer away from an over at SEMO and 5 points away from an over at San Diego State. The Braves offense has been fantastic this season scoring 75 or more in three of their last four already. They've got some balance and can come at you in many ways. Drake has gone over in five of their last six and seven of their 10 lined games this season. They are shooting it a lot better and are scoring at home with relative ease. The Bulldogs have put up 81, 93, 79 and 101 in their four true home games. Defense has been an issue at times as well which is another reason that the over has hit. Six opponents have shot 50% or better this season. Last year, these two played a 82-74 contest at Drake and a 79-72 game at Bradley. I think the over is worth the look.

Illinois Chicago begins conference play after a rough non-conference slate. They have wins over Trinity Christian, Dartmouth, Wisconsin Parkside, Delaware State and NC Central this season. The Flames also have losses on the road by 6, 1, 24, 21 and 34. There is some talent there in Dikembe Dixson, Marcus Ottey and Dominique Matthews who average double figures. Wright State has won four of their last five and will be glad to be home where they've lost just once this season. The Raiders are coming off a win at Georgia Tech 85-81 and have victories over Toledo and Fairfield as well. Grant Benzinger and Justin Mitchell are a solid duo and the addition of Cole Gentry has worked out as well. Balanced scoring and defense are what this team does. At home the past couple of years, Wright State has won this game by 38, 31 and 14 shooting over 50% in two of those contests. UIC is 2-7 against the spread this season and 1-5 as an underdog. I think Wright State wins easily.

I'm probably falling into Vegas' trap with this one, but the Hokies offense won't be scaring anyone. When Cam Phillips announced that he was not playing, Virginia Tech's O took a huge hit. The rest of the receiver group is pretty mediocre and the running backs are just alright even after Travon McMillan's departure. The Hokies defense has struggled with the athletic opponents that they've faced. OSU's offense is one of the best in the country with Mason Rudolph and James Washington as a potent duo. The problem with them has been their defense and questionable motivation here. The Cowboys were expecting big things so who knows if they'll be happy playing in Orlando a couple of days before New Years. I think that's the only reason there hasn't been more of a line move. I'll take the bait though and the better team. 

I think this is a good spot for Virginia who is in their first bowl game in awhile. The Cavaliers have experience against the triple option having already beaten Georgia Tech. In that game they did struggle a bit against it, but the Yellow Jackets defense had their issues with the Hoos. Any time you have extra time to prep for the option is great. Navy is coming off a tough loss to Army and has limped down the stretch. Who knows what they are thinking entering this one. UVA's defense isn't bad and their offense is inconsistent at best. It is a Navy home game, but there will be plenty of Cavalier fans there. I think they win outright and will gladly take the points. 

Boise State had their six game win streak snapped last time out before the holidays in an 86-63 road loss at SMU. The Broncos are 10-2 and are led by Chandler Hutchison and Justinian Jessup who average just over 15 points per game each. At home, they've scored 85, 77, 77, 87, 68, 90 and 104. The team is a mixed bag defensively with some good and bad efforts sprinkled in. Colorado State lost a lot of talent from last year, but has won three straight entering this one. Their defense is pretty bad on the road allowing 95, 92, 77 and 89 away from Fort Collins. Prentiss Nixon is their biggest threat with three others scoring 10 points per game or more. The Rams have gone over in 21 of their last 34 games as an underdog including four of five this season. This series has seen five straight overs in Taco Bell Arena. I think this one is an over as well. 

Hawaii and Princeton try to pick up their second win in the tournament on Christmas. The host school beat Davidson 79-71 after losing 75-57 to Miami. Hawaii is a decently paced offense that has around 70 possessions per game. They've scored 70 or more eight times this season. Sheriff Drammeh leads six scorers who average seven points per game or more. Princeton is one of the slowest teams in the country and is coming off a 64-62 win over Akron. They also lost 69-67 against Middle Tennessee in this tournament. This is a Tigers team that is playing their fifth game on the road with two of those going over the total. They've struggled defensively sometimes away from home giving up 71 at St. Joe, 76 at Fairleigh Dickinson and 71 at GW. Devin Cannday, Myles Stephens and Amir Bell are a solid trio. Hawaii has gone over in 15 of their last 24 games when the total is in the 130s. 

Quite simply, this is a playoff elimination game and these two teams couldn't be going in more different directions. The Seahawks have lost two straight and are coming off an undressing at the hands of the Rams 42-7. Russell Wilson had his worst game of the season and the once vaunted defense was sniping at each other through the media afterwards. Dallas, meanwhile, has won three straight and is getting a highly motivated Ezekiel Elliott back in the backfield. The defense has improved with the health of Sean Lee improving. The Seahawks are 10-14 ATS the last three seasons on the road. I think the Cowboys roll in this one.

This is arguably one of the most intriguing games of the weekend. The 49ers are smoking hot having won three straight and four of their last five. San Francisco is getting solid play from Jimmy Garoppolo who has infused some excitement into this offense. The defense has also held four straight teams to under 100 yards rushing and under 250 yards passing. The Jaguars have a big game next week at Tennessee and are coming off three straight home wins. Blake Bortles is in a good spot too right now with three straight solid efforts. The Jags have gone under in four of their six road games. San Fran has gone under in eight of their last 13 games as an underdog.

I guess I shouldn't still be questioning the Rams, but I think the Titans are worth a look here. Tennessee's defense is holding opponents to 87.2 yards per contest on the ground so it might be tough sledding for Todd Gurley. Jared Goff has thrown for less then 250 yards in three straight and four of his last five games. This is a team also playing their third road game over their last four weeks and is coming off an emotional 42-7 win over the Seahawks in Seattle. Tennessee is at a low point with two straight losses to Arizona and San Francisco in which they didn't show much of a pulse. That's why I think we're getting some value here considering the Titans are in the playoff mix and have the talent to keep this game close. This could be a flat spot for the Rams.