All Sports Archive | |||||||
Date | Match Up | Rating | Score | Result | Profit | Lead Time | Analysis |
04-22-18 | Warriors -7 v. Spurs | Top | 90-103 | Loss | -101 | 9 h 2 m | Show |
Golden State -7 I don’t see anything left for San Antonio. They are finished for the year. They had very little entertaining this series except a little defense. The Warriors have barely been slowed by San Antonio’s defense in the series. Golden State is shooting a robust 52.7 percent from the floor and has knocked down 41.2 percent of their three point attempts so far. The Spurs have sputtered in the series as they have shot 41.3 percent from the field in the series. San Antonio is hitting a putrid 24.1 percent from beyond the arc in the series: You can’t have that kind of number against the Warriors. That isn’t going to get it done against Golden State as you need to match their long range shots. The Spurs are finished and find themselves in dire straits here. For the Spurs, there doesn’t seem to be a compelling answer that sees them getting up off the mat to make this a series. GSW with a huge win. |
|||||||
04-20-18 | Nationals v. Dodgers -131 | Top | 5-2 | Loss | -131 | 20 h 39 m | Show |
-LA Dodgers -131 The Los Angeles Dodgers really struggled out the gate, but they are starting to turn things around. You can bank it that while the Dodgers are on a four game winning streak, Kershaw will not be the player to blow win number five in a row. Clayton Kershaw has a 1.38 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP in two starts here at home this year. Against the Nationals, he has gone 11-2 with a 1.97 ERA in 15 games (14 starts). The Washington Nationals have been struggling of late, while the Dodgers have been trending the other way.
|
|||||||
04-20-18 | Raptors +2 v. Wizards | Top | 103-122 | Loss | -115 | 18 h 33 m | Show |
Toronto +2 Great teams beat mediocre teams in the first round of the playoffs. The fact they playoffs move the 0-2 Washington Wizards to play in front of their home fans is nice but changes very few things. The Raptors won game one by a 114-106 score, and they followed through with a 130-119 victory in game two. The Raptors great depth showed in each of their wins. The Raptors are dangerous offensively, scoring an average of 111.7 points, good for fourth in the NBA. Toronto is holding opponents to 103.9 points, ranking them seventh in the NBA. The Wizards have not had an answer for the Raptors offensive attack in the first two games, and they were also out-rebounded in both meetings. Washington has now dropped seven out of their last eight games overall, and they own a 23-18 mediocre home record on the season which won’t scare many. Toronto has shot 53% and 51% in their two wins, and they have drilled a combined 29 three-pointers compared to 18 three’s from the Wizards.
|
|||||||
04-15-18 | Wolves v. Rockets -11 | Top | 101-104 | Loss | -108 | 16 h 11 m | Show |
Houston-11 Minnesota might have drained themselves just to get into the playoffs. Minnesota won three straight to close the regular season, including a 112-106 overtime win at home over Denver Wednesday night in their finale. Look for Houston to get off on a fast start with a strong statement. The Rockets are above average offensively: they are 2nd in the league with 112 points per game. On the other side of the ball, the Rockets are tied for 6th in scoring defense. Houston had Minnesota’s number in the regular season, sweeping all four meetings. The Rockets are prolific from the perimeter, have a ton of depth, now throw in the experience factor along with home court and it should be the statement Game Houston is looking for in game one.
|
|||||||
04-15-18 | Giants v. Padres -114 | Top | 1-10 | Win | 100 | 11 h 20 m | Show |
San Diego -114 It’s the lack of Giants hitting vs the solid pitcher for San Diego. Joey Lucchesi (1-0, 0.00 ERA) will start Sunday. The left-hander has been outstanding in two starts this season. The 24-year-old has 16 strikeouts compared to four walks this year. The Padres have won two games in a row from San Francisco and count of their star pitcher to close this series in a very low scoring game where premier offense is required. Look for a 3-1 Padres final.
|
|||||||
04-14-18 | Heat v. 76ers -6.5 | Top | 103-130 | Win | 100 | 27 h 7 m | Show |
Philadelphia |
|||||||
04-09-18 | Blue Jays v. Orioles -113 | Top | 7-1 | Loss | -113 | 6 h 34 m | Show |
Baltimore +105 The Blue Jays will have their hands full in the form of an Orioles team that has been hot lately and will be high on confidence after taking three of four from the Yankees. Baltimore is hot and ready to show their fans they can compete. Now their star pitcher gets to the mound today and he’s been absolutely brilliant. Dylan Bundy has an ERA of 0.67 and 15 strikeouts so far in his first two starts. His 0-0 record is one of those deceiving stats that many don’t catch. Trust me he’s good. Adam Jones is hitting .267 with three home runs and seven RBI to lead the team in both categories and get Bundy some support so he can pitch deep. It looks like the Baltimore offense came alive in this series against the Yankees so he could finally have the support he needs to get a win.
|
|||||||
04-07-18 | Reds v. Pirates -126 | Top | 7-4 | Loss | -126 | 15 h 57 m | Show |
Pittsburgh-133 Pittsburgh and Cincinnati continue their series on Saturday at PNC Park. The Pirates opened up with a 5-2 victory over the Reds on the Thursday opener and then won again last night, 14-3. Look for Cincinnati to continue to struggle for some time trying to figure it out. Pittsburgh has been putting up the runs through most of the early season (six runs or more in five of their first seven games ). Chad Kuhl is one of Pittsburgh’s most reliable arms in the rotation, their hitting is awesome and the Reds have no answer.
|
|||||||
04-06-18 | A's v. Angels -131 | Top | 9-13 | Win | 100 | 9 h 53 m | Show |
LA Angels -130 Oakland is struggling to be consistent in the early going and their young pitching staff is a big part of it. Gossett scuffled in his season debut and was mediocre at best last season. The Athletics are 1-8 in Gossett’s last 9 starts vs. American League West. On the flip side, the Angels are hitting well and they are getting some quality work from their arms so far this season. Parker Bridwell gets his first chance to show that last season’s strong performance was not a fluke. The Oakland Athletics are 1-6 in Gossett’s last 7 starts vs. a team with a winning record. The teams met last weekend in Oakland to open the season with the Angels taking three of four and look for that domination to continue.
|
|||||||
04-05-18 | Diamondbacks v. Cardinals -113 | Top | 3-1 | Loss | -113 | 7 h 57 m | Show |
St Louis |
|||||||
04-03-18 | Spurs -1.5 v. Clippers | Top | 110-113 | Loss | -105 | 10 h 46 m | Show |
San Antonio San Antonio is coming off a huge Sunday win against Houston and will not negate that victory by giving it right back tonight. The Clippers have injuries at the point and it is critical. Point guards Patrick Beverley and Avery Bradley are out for the season. Another point guard in Milos Teodosic is likely done for the season with a plantar fascia tear. Backup point guard Jawun Evans is out with a sports hernia. Lou Williams cannot continue to be a one man show for Los Angeles and against a very motivated team like the Spurs, will not have enough to get a win. lol for San Antonio to continue their win streak.
|
|||||||
04-03-18 | Nationals v. Braves +118 | Top | 6-13 | Win | 118 | 7 h 44 m | Show |
Atlanta The Braves are the side to get a easy win tonight in this one. Julio Teheran was terrific against Washington last season, registering a 3.24 ERA and a 3-1 record in four starts. Furthermore, A.J. Cole has been hit really hard by Atlanta, surrendering 12 runs on 14 hits in four career innings. The Braves bats are off to a hot start, accumulating 27 runs in their first three games to go with a .325 team batting average. The Atlanta Braves are 6-2 in Teheran’s last 8 starts overall and 5-2 in their last 7 home games against a right-handed starter.
|
|||||||
03-31-18 | Kansas v. Villanova -5 | 79-95 | Win | 100 | 22 h 7 m | Show | |
Kansas |
|||||||
03-31-18 | Loyola-Chicago +5.5 v. Michigan | Top | 57-69 | Loss | -109 | 19 h 26 m | Show |
Loyola-Chicago |
|||||||
03-29-18 | Penn State -3.5 v. Utah | Top | 82-66 | Win | 100 | 6 h 55 m | Show |
Penn St Utah has been very average on offense this year as they enter this contest ranked 177th in the nation in scoring and it gets harder tonight. The defense has been the story for Penn State all year and they will give scoring challenged Utah fits. The Nittany Lions can get the job done here as they have slight edges at both ends of the court and they have already beaten Notre Dame and Marquette on the road in this tournament, plus they have a much easier time in the semis than the Utes did. Finally, playing at Madison Square Gardens for the Big 10 tournament and have a close fan base gives an advantage to Penn St. |
|||||||
03-25-18 | Duke v. Kansas +3 | Top | 81-85 | Win | 100 | 13 h 22 m | Show |
Kansas Duke might not know what defense to use having to play a Kansas team that can break a zone defense with their outside shots. Clemson found that out Friday as the Kansas Jayhawks made at least 10 shots from 3-point range for the 19th time this season. But it really get interesting with the inside presence provided by mammoth 7’ center Udoka Azubuike. This Elite 8 appearance is the third in a row for Kansas having lost both the previous two years. Kansas will certainly be a challenge for Coach K trying to figure how to stop their offense. Those adjustments will involve tracking several deadly outside shooters Kansas unleashes, while attempting to seal off Azubuike underneath at the same time. Kansas get the green light from Kansas coach Bill Self to shoot the three pointer 35 times today. At the defensive end of the court, Duke has been average this year as they enter this contest ranked 94th in the nation in points allowed. This game will show why it’s not good to be average. Kansas enters this contest ranked 29th in the nation in scoring, putting up 81 ppg, while also ranking 12th in shooting (50%) and 11th in 3-point shooting (41%). Kansas put 80 points on Clemson, the 15th ranked defense in the nation, a much superior defensive team than Duke. You’ll see today why Kansas should have been the favorite after witnessing this blowout.
|
|||||||
03-24-18 | Loyola-Chicago +1.5 v. Kansas State | Top | 78-62 | Win | 101 | 13 h 34 m | Show |
Loyola-Chicago If you took this Loyola team and put Kentucky jerseys on them, you’d automatically think they played for Kentucky. For this game, forget that you probably have never bet on them until this tournament. Talking about an “under the radar” team, they are 23-9 ATS this season. They beat Florida at Florida, they beat Tennessee, who won the SEC and they also beat Miami out of the ACC. They've met every challenge including their league play, this tournament and they're hot. Their opponent is not the glass slipper Cinderella team. And they aren’t nearly as good as Loyola. Not knocking Kansas St but they areat the wrong place at the wrong time. One of their better players is Dean Wade and he’s nowhere near 75% playing injured. The Wildcats have had to adjust and have gotten away with going to five guys 6’4” and under at times. They don’t have the shooters needed for this game and the great defense of Loyola will really handcuff them. Sometimes, a team needs the excitement of scoring. Loyola Chicago is looking better from an offensive standpoint. The Ramblers have shot 50% and 55% in their last two games respectively, and they have been efficient from beyond the arc in this tournament, plus their top three scorers all feature a three-point percentage above 39%. The opposite is true with Kansas St. The Wildcats have shot under 41% in two straight games, and basically can’t count on their leading scorer Dean Wade who will see limited action again in this one. Can you say; wrong team favored? Money Line bet.
|
|||||||
03-23-18 | West Virginia v. Villanova -4.5 | Top | 78-90 | Win | 100 | 12 h 55 m | Show |
Villanova With Villanova watching all the low seeds get busted, their shooting has remained incredible. The NCAA Tournament has so far been heavy on upsets while producing a steady diet of down-to-the-wire thrillers. Nova has avoided all that drama. The Mountaineers played well to begin their season going 15-1 and being ranked #2; behind #1 Villanova. Then conference play began and WV was not as strong as their ranking going 9-9 in conference play. West Virginia is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 against the Big East and 3-8 ATS in its last 11 following an ATS win. Nova is making 50% of their shots and is the best team in the country. They start everything off their solid rebounding and then scores on transition. That’s the reason they are so good as the average 86 ppg. On the opposite side of the equation, their defense is good enough to hold teams to 69 ppg. I guarantee that after all the upsets, Villanova will have total focus for today’s game and look for the final score to not be drama filled as they put the Mountaineers away 78-70.
|
|||||||
03-22-18 | Texas A&M +2.5 v. Michigan | Top | 72-99 | Loss | -102 | 15 h 35 m | Show |
-Texas A&M Think of Texas A&M as one of the most under-rated teams in the tournament because of their defense. The Michigan defense also brings their low scoring “D” to this game. Look for these two teams to both end the scoring in the sixties. A&M showed they could keep a team in the sixties while lighting it up from outside. Texas A&M advanced as they stunned second-seeded North Carolina 86-65 last Sunday afternoon. The Aggies are playing exceptionally well as they destroyed North Carolina in Charlotte. The Aggies shot 52 percent from the field, hit 10 of 24 three point attempts, won the rebounding battle 50-36 and had eight blocks to the Tar Heels’ zero. They allow just 69 ppg and pound the glass all throughout the season. They are the 3rd best rebounding team in the nation. That’s where this game will be won. Michigan has struggled offensively in the tournament as they put up just 61 points against Montana in the opening round and followed that up with 65 points against Houston. Offensively, that’s horrible by anybody’s standards. Here’s the bottom line. Michigan has sputtered on the offensive end and they have trouble on the glass. Those are things that Texas A&M has not had problems throughout the regular season. Scoring 86 points against Carolina should do well for their confidence. A&M has the depth that’s needed tonight and Michigan will die by the three point shot misses as the Aggies get the job done on the boards.
|
|||||||
03-18-18 | Maryland-Baltimore County v. Kansas State -10 | Top | 43-50 | Loss | -113 | 14 h 43 m | Show |
Kansas St There are always sides to a story. This game is quite the story. Just imagine how the Baltimore players must feel today knowing the entire nation will now be watching them to see how on earth they crushed the number one team in America. Millions that didn’t see the Virginia game will be tuned in to this. So who are these guys? They are: 177th in 3-point defense. 338th in free throw shooting. 168th in the nation in scoring. 176th in shooting. Keep in mind that this is playing in a conference I can’t remember the name of without looking it up. Is it their swarming defense? Doubtful.185th in defensive.177th in 3-point defense.Maybe one of the biggest flukes of all time getting that win on Friday. Kansas St is favored by 9.5 at this moment (bet it now). In similar games this year they were favored by 13,14,19,24 and 30. They never had a problem playing those games fairly close to the spread. In very similar games as today’s, (but against better teams than Baltimore), they were favored by 8 over Iowa St winning 78-66 and by 13.5 over Cal-Irvine winning 71-49. This is how I see this game being played out. Kansas St just defeated Creighton by ten; a vastly superior team than Baltimore. Kansas St gave up 67 ppg in the Big 12 so they will be able to clamp down defensively. They have the advantage of remaining very focused since they caught a lucky break not having to play Virginia today. As for Baltimore, they just pulled one of the biggest upsets in the history of the NCAA tournament and they should be flat for this game. And under the pressure of all eyes watching them.
|
|||||||
03-18-18 | Butler +3.5 v. Purdue | 73-76 | Win | 100 | 6 h 9 m | Show | |
Butler Purdue suffered a severe blow to their lineup as Issac Haas broke his elbow and is finished. Many teams rally around a starter getting injured. But those teams had been playing good basketball at that time. Haas is 7’2” and their second leading scorer and rebounder. There’s little replacement here. Purdue is 2-11-1 ATS in their last 14 games overall. The Boilermakers will need Vincent Edwards (14 ppg), and Dakota Mathias (12 ppg) to step up in his absence. Purdue shot 39% from the field in Friday’s game which will only get you wins against Cal-Fullerton. For Butler, defense did Arkansas in. The Bulldogs converted on 49% of their field goals and limited Arkansas to 35% shooting. Bingo! Butler scores an above average 80 ppg and is ranked in the Vegas top 25. Purdue played incredible ball up until conference play. Then they played poorly but did improve their last two weeks. They have been inconsistent throughout their the past eight weeks. They are 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 games against a decent team with a winning percentage above .600 and even when they win, complacency sets in as they are 1-9 ATS in their last 10 games following a straight up win. Butler has a history of shining in these March Madness games.
|
|||||||
03-17-18 | Florida +2 v. Texas Tech | 66-69 | Loss | -104 | 15 h 28 m | Show | |
Florida Florida had no troubles in a stunning 77-62 victory over the Bonnies on Thursday night. The Gators hit 41.5 percent of their shots and converted 10-of-32 3-pointers. Florida has four guards that can control this game. Egor Koulechov hit a team-high 20 points on 8-of-17 shooting Thursday. He made four of his 10 3-point attempts and also finished with six rebounds. G Chris Chiozza had a stunning ratio of 11 assists to no turnovers. Look for solid tournament play as this. As for the last games of their regular season, the Gators looked pretty good against the opposition — they took down Auburn, Alabama, and Kentucky in consecutive fashion to end the regular season. They are playing excellent basketball.
|
|||||||
03-17-18 | Loyola-Chicago +5.5 v. Tennessee | Top | 63-62 | Win | 100 | 13 h 52 m | Show |
Loyola-Chicago For Loyola, they got the first difficult game out of the way by defeating Miami. Clayton Custer led the team with 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting, 4 of those makes coming from downtown. Loyola is revered for their low scoring defensive efforts. Tennessee had no trouble with Wright St. Today is when they will see how it’s possible for a team to give up just 62 ppg for an entire year. They will show the Volunteers how defense is played. The TV viewers will learn what passing, assist and smart transition play is. Tennessee doesn’t score many points in the first place averaging just 74 ppg. Watch Loyola lower that total to the sixties where it will be extremely difficult for them to lay points and cover the posted spread. Having to win by seven points to cover a six point spread represents 10% of your points when scoring in the sixties. I look for Loyola to keep this game very close from wire to wire. Winner outright is likely; covering the point spread, most definitely.
|
|||||||
03-16-18 | Florida State -1.5 v. Missouri | Top | 67-54 | Win | 100 | 17 h 59 m | Show |
Florida St Sometimes, you need to look over the entire body of work and then pounce on a team. Florida St is not even discussed when looking at why teams are in or out or the way they’re seeded. Florida State defeated Florida on the road. Additionally, they stuck it to North Carolina and Miami (Fla.) on the road. It didn’t stop there as they also defeated Clemson and Virginia Tech on the road. They had an RPI of 50 and a strength of schedule of 42. Just because of the above, I’d lay more than 1.5 points and be psyched up. For their opponent Missouri, they have an immediate problem. Their freshman superstar got hurt in his first game after playing just two minutes. He just returned and has one game under his belt. His first since high school. Considering playing shape and playing against better talent, he may eventually become a star but it’s doubtful for this game. Let’s move from conjecture to reality. Missouri just lost forward Jordan Barnett (14.1ppg, 6.0rpg) for this opening game due to his arrest on Saturday on suspicion of DUI. He will be missed as the Tigers only average 73 ppg with his contributions. That’s a huge void. This is a deep squad for FSU that utilizes 10 players and averages 82 points per game. Guard Terance Mann leads the Seminoles with 13 points and 6 rebounds, while Phil Cofer chips in with 13 points and 5 rebounds while Braian Angola adds 13 ppg. They push the tempo, playing at the 26th-fastest in the nation.
|
|||||||
03-16-18 | Kansas State v. Creighton -1 | 69-59 | Loss | -105 | 13 h 10 m | Show | |
Creighton Kansas St is led by their defense. That may work at certain levels of conference play or if your opponent in the opening round can’t shoot but it won’t carry much weight against today’s opponent in their meeting with Creighton. That does not bode well here as the Bluejays have been a very strong offensive team this year and they shoot the ball exceptional. The Kansas St Wildcats were outscored 33-6 from long range in their last game. That’s not unusual as Kansas State has below average on offense this year and enter this contest ranked 220th in the nation in scoring, putting up 72 ppg. Creighton can score “at will” and hold them to under 70 points for this contest. K St will now be facing a high-scoring Creighton team that is 10th in the nation in scoring and has averaged 78 ppg over their last five games. Creighton is coming off a close four point loss to Providence. The bad news for Kansas St is that the Bluejays are 32-13 ATS in their last 45 games following an ATS loss. Today they are out to “seek and destroy".
|
|||||||
03-15-18 | Alabama +2 v. Virginia Tech | Top | 86-83 | Win | 100 | 52 h 42 m | Show |
-Alabama This is clearly a case of the wrong team favored. But more than getting a few points, we get our team fired up for this disrespect. The Hokies are struggling offensively, averaging only 66 points in their last five games, and they are up against a sharp Alabama defense that is limiting opponents to 41.3% shooting. This Crimson Tide can completely shut down an offense. The Virginia Tech Hokies head into the NCAA Tournament on a sour note after falling 71-65 to Notre Dame in the second round of the ACC Tournament. The Hokies shot a weak 41% against Notre Dame while Alabama owns the 23rd-ranked three-point defense, so they should be able to neutralize the Hokies’ scoring. The Hokies have lost three out of their last four games overall and relies on the three point shot. For the Tide, individually, Collin Sexton has the ability to take over a game, and he dropped 31 points in Alabama’s quarterfinal win over Auburn in the SEC Tournament. A solid go-to guy is a must in these one and done games.
|
|||||||
03-15-18 | Loyola-Chicago +2 v. Miami-FL | 64-62 | Win | 100 | 45 h 28 m | Show | |
Loyola-Chicago The Miami Hurricanes remain a non factor and have all but disappeared. The Hurricanes had a quick exit in the ACC tournament with a blowout loss to UNC and now face a very good “Under-the-radar team in Loyola-Chicago. They’ve won 10 straight games and have held four of their last five opponents to 54 points or less. Miami’s losses have been clear-cut. They’ve gone very cold against the spread and even with a four-game winning streak before the ACC tournament, they couldn’t win any of them by more than three points. Like their opponent, Loyola thrives on defense. In the MVC title game, they decimated Illinois State, 65-49. They held them to just 31.8 percent shooting and they converted only 5-of-25 3-pointers. They also didn’t let them go to the foul line — the Redbirds had just four free throw attempts. Loyola is a great upstart team going places and will be that 11 seed moving forward.
|
|||||||
03-14-18 | UL-Lafayette +3.5 v. LSU | Top | 76-84 | Loss | -107 | 7 h 22 m | Show |
UL Lafayette It’s little brother playing big brother and looking for the outright win AND respect. UL Lafayette comes in as the #6 seed, but have a legit chance to upset the LSU Tigers. The Ragin Cajuns won 27 games this year and are better than people think. They are a very high scoring team and should do some damage. Everyone likes to shot and score in these early NIT games. Their defense is also better than LSU’s. The Tigers are a very young team and will make noise in the coming years but UL will be heard tonight. They were a lock for the NCAA tournament being up in conference by four games. Then their shooting went cold in the semi’s and suffered the upset. They have too much talent to let this game get away from them. LSU went one in done in the first round of the SEC conference tournament and that showed many how they will end their season. With a loss tonight.
|
|||||||
03-13-18 | Boston College v. Western Kentucky -5 | Top | 62-79 | Win | 100 | 16 h 52 m | Show |
Western Kentucky Western Kentucky fell 67-66 to Marshall in the Conference USA tournament title game Saturday. They can now continue to add tournament experience in the NIT. For Boston College, playing on the road is not where they ever want to be. The ACC got nine teams in and they didn’t even get a sniff. Boston College won 14 of their games at home this season: as the road team, they were just 2-10. As a road team playing in Kentucky tonight, they’re a one and done team. Dropping down to play the Hilltoppers is definitely a drop down from what they a accustomed to doing. The NIT tournament is about making money and they suspect that BC fans will not travel obviously nor support a home game. The players have no incentive to play here while this is a big opportunity for W Kentucky to make an impression with a strong game tonight.
|
|||||||
03-10-18 | USC +3.5 v. Arizona | Top | 61-75 | Loss | -105 | 11 h 53 m | Show |
USC +3.5 USC is playing some of its best basketball of the season, having won six of its last seven games. They are up against Arizona. Note that in last night’s game, three Wildcats players played all 40 minutes of regulation and into the overtime. Lack of depth will hurt them as the USC Trojans are all about in your face defense. USC coach Andy Enfield told the team it is undefeated when they hold teams below 70 points. The Wildcats have struggled with their defensive intensity at times this season and their legs might not make another intense 40 minutes. Additionally, The Wildcats have turned the ball over on 18.9 percent of the offensive possessions during conference play this season. Here’s the strength of USC basketball. USC forced their opponents to turn the ball over on 21.0 percent of their offensive possessions during conference play (1st in the PAC 12), while limiting them to a free throw rate of only 27.3 percent (1st in the PAC 12). They also shot 10 for 23 from the three point arc in last night’s win.
|
|||||||
03-10-18 | Arkansas v. Tennessee -3 | Top | 66-84 | Win | 100 | 4 h 2 m | Show |
Tennessee -3 Tennessee followed up its double-bye to the quarterfinals with a victory over Mississippi State on Friday. The Razorbacks have advanced by taking out South Carolina and Florida. Bottom line is that this is Arkansas’ third game in three days. The second-seeded Volunteers have won five consecutive games and is the better team. Grant Williams is the SEC Player of the Year and should be able to dominate and be that go to guy in this game. Tennessee has exactly what championship teams possess. They have a great defense and slam the boards. Of their 50 rebounds yesterday, 22 were on the offensive end while allowing their opponent just 35% shooting. Admiral Schofield is their star inside and rebounding. Williams and Schofield combined for 28 points and 13 rebounds in the December loss to Arkansas so look for the revenge tonight.
|
|||||||
03-09-18 | San Diego State v. Nevada -3 | Top | 90-73 | Loss | -110 | 14 h 39 m | Show |
Nevada-Reno These two teams have split their games during the regular season. San Diego State took down Nevada six days ago but that came on their floor: the Wolf Pack beat the Aztecs by 25 in Reno. This one is on a neutral floor but it’s in Nevada and one that the Wolf Pack is familiar with. This is going to be a fast paced game of which the Wolf Pack is a little too tough for the Aztecs to handle. The Wolf Pack is an elite team on the offensive end of the floor as they are 18th in the nation putting up an average of 84 points per game. For pulling away at the end of the game from the foul line, Nevada has been good with their free throws, cashing in 75 percent of their chances this season. Nevada has three super players of which any one of the three can completely dominate and take over this game.
|
|||||||
03-09-18 | Georgia +5.5 v. Kentucky | 49-62 | Loss | -109 | 8 h 10 m | Show | |
Georgia Kentucky has has 10 straight up losses, 12 games that have gone under and are 14-17 ATS. Not your typical Wildcats season. The Georgia Bulldogs have already won two games in St. Louis, beating Vanderbilt and Missouri. Georgia forward Yante Maten led the conference in scoring at 19.4 points per game during the regular season and earned first-team all-SEC honors. For Kentucky, Jarred Vanderbilt, a freshman forward who is a rebounding machine for the Wildcats, is battling an ankle injury that leaves him as doubtful–at best–for Friday and most likely out. That leaves a big hole in the paint. Georgia has the better defense and taking the points in a very close matchup is the way to make money on this game.
|
|||||||
03-08-18 | Hawaii +4.5 v. Cal-Irvine | Top | 67-68 | Win | 100 | 13 h 18 m | Show |
Hawaii Cal-Irvine does not score enough points to win by five points in this game. Hawaii has won four of six to end the year and are playing better than most teams coming into the Big West tourney. These two teams played twice this year, and both of the road teams won. Gibson Johnson and Drew Buggs should be able to provide enough scoring to keep this game not only close but personally, I expect Hawaii to win this game outright.
|
|||||||
03-08-18 | UNLV v. Nevada -6 | 74-79 | Loss | -110 | 7 h 22 m | Show | |
Nevada Reno Nevada Reno is back in Vegas where they crushed UNLV. The Wolf Pack has a better perimeter attack than the Rebels do, which could be a factor in this one. For Nevada, the fact remains that you don’t win 15 conference games by accident. The Wolf Pack bombed the Rebels by 26 just over a week ago. The Wolf Pack is an elite team on the offensive end of the floor as they are 17th in the nation putting up an average of 83.5 points per game. UNLV has a lot of second half dog in them. They either give up or get worn down. Nevada-Reno gets to blow out the hometown Rebels again.
|
|||||||
03-07-18 | Ole Miss v. South Carolina -3 | Top | 84-85 | Loss | -100 | 17 h 42 m | Show |
South Carolina Not sure what is worst about Mississippi. The Ole Miss Rebels are a horrendous 1-10 in their last 11 outings as they prepare to face South Carolina and are a dismal 10-20 ATS for the season. South Carolina enters as the No. 11 seed, having won three of its last five. South Carolina is 6-0 ATS in its last six overall, 6-0 ATS in their last six against the SEC, 15-5-1 ATS in its last 21 at neutral sites, and 5-0 ATS in its last five following an ATS win. All-SEC forward Chris Silva runs the show for the Gamecocks. Hopefully, Ole Miss will have to foul during the last few minutes of the game. Silva’s 255 free-throw attempts are the fourth most in the nation, and he is 25-of-31 from the line over the past five games. He is our money for tonight. After South Carolina’s tournament run last year, the Gamecocks are an experienced crew and they know how to get the job done in postseason play. Look for an easy first game for South Carolina.
|
|||||||
03-07-18 | St. John's v. Georgetown +4.5 | 88-77 | Loss | -106 | 14 h 27 m | Show | |
Georgetown St. John’s dropped three of their final four games to end the regular season after their tough loss to Providence and now try to see if things can change against Georgetown. St John’s Shamorie Ponds, who missed his second straight game with an abdominal strain, is much needed but will not be back to full health if he does play. The Red Storm is 203rd in the nation in scoring offense with an average of 73 points per contest and won’t win without him starting. Georgetown is good on the offensive end of the ball. The Hoyas are above average on the offensive end as they come in ranked 68th in the nation with 79 points per game. Georgetown is 46th in the nation in rebounding with 38 boards a night and 11th with 18 assists per contest. Coming down the stretch is where pointspreads are won. Georgetown is excellent at the free throw line as they cash in 77.3 percent of their attempts, which is 11th best in the country. I like that the Hoyas don’t rely on one scorer or star player. They spread it around until they find the one that’s hot. |
|||||||
03-06-18 | Wake Forest +4.5 v. Syracuse | 64-73 | Loss | -105 | 15 h 33 m | Show | |
Wake Forest The ACC round one is being played in Brooklyn, NY. Wake Forest is up against the Syracuse zone defense but they have what it takes to not only break the zone but to go on to win outright. Wake Forest is 38.2 percent from beyond the arc to rank third in the ACC so they have enough zone busters to win on a neutral court. Turning to Syracuse’s offense is where their Achilles Heel hides. On the season, Syracuse averages 67 points per game (308th), on 42 percent shooting (311st) and 32 percent 3-point shooting (317th). And that includes their pre-conference patsy schedule and 50% of their games played at home. So figure that these stats are even worst than written here. Syracuse is 1-5 ATS last 6 neutral site games. Now the oddsmakers are asking them to win by five points and in a game where we don’t figure them to score 65 points tonight, that’s almost 8% of their total score. Not happening is our motto tonight. They split the regular season with Wake Forest winning at home by six and Syracuse winning by eight. Wake Forest is led by Bryant Crawford (6-3, 200), who averages 17 points, 5 assists and 2 blocks per game. Doral Moore is a 7-1 junior center who averaged a double-double in ACC action. It’s always nice to have two go-to guys on the court. Take the points.
|
|||||||
03-03-18 | Louisville v. NC State -3 | 69-76 | Win | 100 | 12 h 4 m | Show | |
NC State How devastating was that loss Louisville suffered last game. Louisville lost for the third time in four games as they fell 67-66 at home to #1 Virginia Thursday night. It was the loss of the decade. I’ve never seen such a crucial game finish out the LAST SECOND. Louisville led by six at the half and by 10 with under four and a half minutes to play: they still led by four with 0.9 seconds left before giving up a pair of free throws and then traveling on the inbounds play. Virginia banked in a three at the buzzer and the Cardinals were stunned. Five points scored in less than a second in a “must win” game. Stick a fork in Louisville for this game. They’ll have to work their magic next week in the conference tournament. No defense, no effort and still in shock today. NC State had been on a roll before losing to Georgia Tech. They’re 12-2 at home and motivated to bounce back from their road loss to the Yellow Jackets. The Wolfpack comes up with the win today. Additionally, perhaps the vacating of the 2013 NCAA title has affected the current group of Louisville ball players. Their best bet is to rekindle their season next week and look forward to the tournament.
|
|||||||
03-03-18 | TCU +6.5 v. Texas Tech | Top | 75-79 | Win | 100 | 10 h 3 m | Show |
TCU TCU owns a national 19 RPI based on their overall strength of schedule and have put together a four game winning streak. They are a great candidate to pull of the upset today. This game is really about TCU on both sides of ball. On the season, the Horned Frogs average 84 points per game on 50 percent shooting (41% on 3pt). They allow 76 points per game on 45 percent shooting (38% on 3pt shoots). With this information, Texas Tech will have to have a banner day trying to out score TCU and then score over that because they are laying points. What a task. And they are not a high scoring team. But the rule of thumb is that on the final game of the regular season, teams don’t play much defense as they save it for the conference tournament coming up next week. Look for TCU to outscore them and continue their hot play. Might put a bit on the money line at +230. The road team is 13-3 ATS the last 16 in this series.
|
|||||||
03-02-18 | Rhode Island v. Davidson -2.5 | Top | 61-63 | Loss | -104 | 13 h 32 m | Show |
Davidson Rhode Island let the air out of their sails Tuesday by getting blown out on their own court 78-48. There’s no chance of regaining any momentum after losing that chance to go undefeated at home for the first time since 1944. It was coach Hurley’s worst home loss ever in his 94 games there. On a national level, Rhode Island also suffered the second worst home loss by a ranked team against an unranked opponent in the history of the AP poll. Nothing will change in their seeding and they’ll turn their attention to next weeks conference tournament. There’s revenge for Davidson and they’re off their own Tuesday loss but did so while scoring 113 points. Look what two of Davidson’s players did. It was amazing and maybe unprecedented for a team. Junior forward Peyton Aldridge (45 points) and freshman guard Kellan Grady (39) had career-high scoring totals while combining for 84 points. This is tonight’s team with momentum as they close out the season and are at home. Rhode Island looks extremely haggard at this point and the Davidson Wildcats will steal one heading into the A-10 tournament. They are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 home games. For Rhode Island, many are shaking their head after last game. Something very bizarre happened. They shot an embarrassing 28% from the field, missed 26 of their 29 three pointers, and missed half their free throws. By far their worst shooting performance of the year and on their home court. The pressure must have been too much and their next focus is tournament time next week.
|
|||||||
03-01-18 | California +17 v. Arizona State | 53-84 | Loss | -106 | 15 h 19 m | Show | |
California The Arizona St Sun Devils are reeling, with consecutive losses at the hands of Arizona, Oregon, and Oregon State. Frustration is setting in at Arizona State, which appeared to be a lock for the NCAA Tournament throughout the first three months of the season but is now in ninth place in the Pac-12 standings. For Cal, Darius McNeill has made 60 3-pointers and is three away from setting the Cal freshman record. Justice Sueing complements him and has scored double figures in 21 games for California. The best news for tonight is that the Bears backers are getting 17 points. That would have been more than enough in last month’s pointspread cover and that was when Arizona State was actually good. Let’s throw in a third member for this game as forward Marcus Lee contributed 23 points and eight rebounds in their 81-73 loss to Arizona State on Jan. 20. Does someone need to remind you that Cal is getting 17 points in this game tonight? Well they are; that is a lot of points in any conference game this late in the season prior to the conference tournament.
|
|||||||
03-01-18 | Wichita State v. UCF +8.5 | Top | 75-71 | Win | 100 | 13 h 20 m | Show |
Central Florida Central Florida should be able to keep this game very close with revenge on their plate. Wichita State recorded an 81-62 home win against UCF in the first meeting this season. Wichita St trails first-place Cincinnati by one game with two games to go in the AAC standings and Cincinnati coming up. For our team tonight, BJ Taylor and AJ Davis are UCF’s solid one-two offensive punch. But Central Florida cashes tickets all year long with their defense as they only allow 60 ppg. It’s difficult for Wichita St to have to win by 9 points tonight when that represents 17% of what CFU allows in total points. The UCF Knights are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 home games against a team with a road winning percentage above .600 which shows the level they can play. Additionally, they are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 home games. The last five home games are even better defensively as they have only allowed 54 ppg. For the season, UCF is right in their opponents face and the opposition is only making 39% of their shots. Outright revenge might not happen but this should be as solid as a pointspread cover comes.
|
|||||||
02-28-18 | Nevada -3 v. UNLV | Top | 101-75 | Win | 100 | 18 h 55 m | Show |
Nevada-Reno Nevada-Reno gets revenge and the Governor’s Cup tonight. The Rebels are a very untrustworthy team and has a lot of quit in them. UNLV is 2-8 ATS in their last 10 home games. They will have their hands full against an extremely talented Reno squad. The Rebels are 3-12 ATS in their last 15 home games against teams with a winning road record. Few teams win consistently on the road. Consider that UNR is 10-3 as a visitor, have won five consecutive games overall and sit on top of the conference at 14-2. Watch Cody Martin run the Rebels ragged as he is one of the most talented players out west. This has revenge written into tonight’s script with a solid win for Nevada-Reno. |
|||||||
02-28-18 | Texas A&M v. Georgia -1 | 61-60 | Loss | -104 | 16 h 35 m | Show | |
Georgia Our opponent for tonight, Texas A&M, is very inconsistent, rarely strings well played games in back to back situations and loses on the road. Georgia at least can win on their home court as they show a solid 12-3 record for their fans. The Georgia Bulldogs lead the SEC and rank ninth nationally in field-goal defense, holding opponents to 39.5 percent. Defensive teams are not talked about on a national basis but they will give teams fits. For Georgia, Yante Maten is the only player who ranks in the top 10 in the SEC in scoring, rebounding, field-goal percentage, and free-throw percentage. This is the type of player needed to complement the Bulldogs defense. The Georgia Bulldogs have won three of their last four games heading into this game tonight. They are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 home games and will improve on the ATS record with a nice win tonight.
|
|||||||
02-27-18 | Tennessee v. Mississippi State -1 | Top | 76-54 | Loss | -115 | 16 h 46 m | Show |
Mississippi St Maybe the University of Tennessee shouldn’t be in the Top 20 poll. After all, they come waltzing in as an underdog to unranked Mississippi St. I think the Vegas Oddsmakers have this one absolutely correct. The superior team is the home team Bulldogs. Mississippi State will play themselves into the NCAA Tournament with a strong finish to the regular season. Tennessee has only connected on 48 percent of their two-point shots which leaves them not so good at 9th in the SEC. Tennessee is 11th in 3-Point attempts in the SEC so scoring is not overall great and relying on defense on the road usually is not a good formula. They eat up the clock and average about 70 ppg in conference play and lower away from home. Mississippi St will win outright which isn’t saying all that much. Remember, the Bulldogs are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 games overall. |
|||||||
02-25-18 | Florida State v. NC State -2.5 | Top | 72-92 | Win | 100 | 11 h 29 m | Show |
NC State NC State has three straight wins and stands 14-3 at home on the year, which works in their favor since Florida St is way below average on the road. Florida State Seminoles are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games overall. The Seminoles are just 4-5 as the visiting team this season. FSU has had a week off and that won’t bode well since they are so offensive orientated. A slow start on the road won’t play well. The Wolfpack is very good on the boards and they enter this game 39th in the nation in scoring offense with an average of 81 points per game.
|
|||||||
02-24-18 | Cal-Irvine -1.5 v. Hawaii | 66-57 | Win | 100 | 18 h 38 m | Show | |
Cal-Irvine Revenge is so sweet in college basketball. Hawaii defeated Cal Irvine in their first meeting on Feb. 15 on the road, 62-61. Now it’s payback for that anomaly contested ballgame. Hawaii has chalked up some really bad losses including: Cal Fullerton, Santa Barbara, Cal Poly, Northridge and even Cal Riverside. Cal Irvine in their last two games crushed Cal Poly by 17 and then on Thursday smashed Cal Santa Barbara by 20; two teams that Hawaii lost. The final score will be a very solid Cal Irvine 69-64 win with revenge extracted. Cal Irvine for the season is holding teams over-all shooting to Under 39%. That’s great in your face hustle to do that for the year. Teams also have tremendous difficulties from the three point shots. Defense wins these games especially when the opposition is not a scoring team.
|
|||||||
02-24-18 | Valparaiso v. Drake -5 | Top | 69-64 | Loss | -105 | 9 h 38 m | Show |
Drake To be a senior playing in Iowa on Seniors Night has to be special. This is going to be an emotional Senior Night for one of the most experienced teams in the entire country. The Drake Bulldogs are getting hot at the right time. Drake comes in having won four of their last six conference games and the team will bid farewell to one of the program’s most storied players in Reed Timmer. According to Ken Pom, Drake ranks 7th in the country in overall experience and the team has four seniors in the starting lineup. Their experience has them second in committing the fewest turnovers. Coach Niko Medved’s squad does a good job of moving the ball on offense to generate easy baskets. The Bulldogs have assisted on 59% of their total field goal attempts during conference play (1st in the MVC), while sporting an effective field goal percentage of 51% which will win many game for a team. Drake is a pointspread covering machine at 16-9 and any adjustments by the oddsmakers won’t come into play until next week’s conference tournament.
|
|||||||
02-22-18 | Arizona v. Oregon State +5.5 | Top | 75-65 | Loss | -107 | 8 h 1 m | Show |
Oregon St It’s time for some sweet home revenge. Arizona recorded a 62-53 home win against Oregon State at the start of conference play but things have turned somewhat since then. Arizona doesn’t even play a top 50 defense and on the road that is troublesome. Arizona will give up points and Oregon State features Tres Tinkle (18ppg), and Stephen Thompson Jr. (16 ppg). Oregon St is limiting opponents to 42% shooting on the season, and they were able to limit Arizona to 62 points in the first meeting. Zona has covered just once in this road venue in the last seven years. The home team is 8-2 ATS in the last 10 meetings between Arizona and Oregon State. Laying points on the road is difficult especially when your defense is 163rd overall in the nation. The Beavers know how to keep games close and stay in the game at home and play hard. Oregon State is 13-6 ATS in their last 19 games as a home underdog between 0.5 and 6.5 points. Getting six points is all we’ll need.
|
|||||||
02-22-18 | UCLA +2.5 v. Utah | 78-84 | Loss | -105 | 8 h 46 m | Show | |
UCLA Asking Utah to win by four points to cover the spread tonight is a stretch for the Utes. The Bruins are coming off an 86-78 overtime win against Oregon and UCLA cruised to an 83-64 home win in the first meeting last month. The Bruins can win this game outright. The Bruins are peaking at the right time, notching a win in six out of their last seven games to push them into second place in the Pac-12 standings. Utah is balanced; good on defense but not a great scoring team. Justin Bibbins is about it for them and that’s only for 14ppg and the second top scorer chips in 10ppg. Against a talented Bruins team, you have to have that go-to guy. Utah just doesn’t have it. The UCLA Bruins are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall and getting points here is well timed. UCLA was able to shoot 52% in their 83-64 win against Utah in the first meeting this season and don’t look for any revenge in this game tonight. Look for the outright UCLA win.
|
|||||||
02-21-18 | Clemson v. Virginia Tech -4 | Top | 58-65 | Win | 100 | 7 h 51 m | Show |
Virginia Tech Clemson had four straight ATS covers and then hit the wall in their last two games by dropping both contest outright. Virginia Tech has won six of their last eight games and continue to climb up the ACC standings. This season’s results are fairly defined as Clemson is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 road games and 1-5 ATS in their last 6 road games against teams with a winning home record. The Vegas oddsmakers have this game right. Even though the Tigers are in the top 25 polls, the Hokies are a slight favorite at home. It usually pays to respect the Vegas numbers that sometimes clash with the AP or Coaches poll. The favored Hokies are probably deserving as they’ve been very successful covering the spread everywhere as they are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games in the ACC. Look for Justin Robinson to lead Virginia Tech to their seventh win in their last nine games during this winning streak. Repeat: Vegas Oddsmakers got this one right!
|
|||||||
02-21-18 | Michigan v. Penn State -2.5 | 72-63 | Loss | -108 | 7 h 50 m | Show | |
Penn St Time for a letdown tonight for the road traveling Wolverines. Michigan tallied a solid 74-62 home win against Ohio State on Sunday afternoon and can’t count on two peak performances in back to back dates. The Wolverines have recorded three consecutive wins to rank them in fifth place in the Big 10 conference standings be playing great defense. They don’t score a lot of points and average 74 points per game, ranking them 178th overall. The Nittany Lions are looking good, winning four out of their last five games behind stifling defense, and they were very competitive in Sunday’s loss to Purdue by 3 points. They have only allowed an average of 61 points in their last three home games, and they are up against a Michigan team that is only averaging 74 points on the season. By far the biggest factor is the three point shooting. It really favors Penn St in a big way. Michigan will give up three’s as their three-point defense ranks down at 210th in the country, and Penn State now features a stellar 38% mark from three-point territory. That is why these home teams continue to win. |
|||||||
02-20-18 | Indiana +3 v. Nebraska | Top | 57-66 | Loss | -103 | 7 h 27 m | Show |
Indiana U Indiana has been playing well down the stretch as they have four straight victories to their credit Robert Johnson had 29 points to lead Indiana in the victory.after winning at Iowa Saturday. Gamblers love betting the Cornhuskers at home. The Cornhuskers are 205th in the nation in scoring offense as they put up 73.3 points per game. Nebraska is 147th in rebounding with 36 boards a night and 172nd in assists. I oddsmakers have a way of making adjustments against trends and have done so tonight. There will be very few automatic covers Betting Nebraska at home. Look for a revenge laden win, upset and cover tonight at Assembly Hall. Indiana has momentum with four straight wins: take the points and the Hoosiers as they steal one in Lincoln.
|
|||||||
02-20-18 | Creighton v. Butler -5.5 | 70-93 | Win | 100 | 6 h 36 m | Show | |
Butler It’s Creighton against Butler tonight. Look for the Butler Bulldogs to control the glass and win the turnover battle against the Creighton Bluejays, which should be enough for them to cover the spread at home in this Big East showdown. Butler is 13-5 ATS in their last 18 home games. Creighton has played at home for three straight games and may be somewhat bedazzled getting readjusted to road play. Butler does a good job of limiting second chance opportunities and making life tough on their opponents from inside the arc. Lay the points.
|
|||||||
02-17-18 | West Virginia +3.5 v. Kansas | Top | 69-77 | Loss | -105 | 11 h 46 m | Show |
West Virginia This is NOT the Kansas team of recent years. They have a good starting five but that's where it ends. And going up against a veteran coach like Bob Huggins of West Virginia will result in him having his team ready to give the Jayhawks 40 minutes of hell and running them out off their own court. The Mountaineers have been consistent playing solid basketball winning three of their last four games. The opposite is happening for Kansas as they are 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 home games and 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games overall. At the very least for the Kansas diehards of yesteryear, West Virginia has been much more successful against the spread as Kansas hasn’t landed one home cover since beating Kansas St on January 29th. The Mountaineers Teddy Allan has gotten hot at the right time of the season to compliment the starters. Their scoring is very balanced and the Mountaineers will have the Jayhawks tongues hanging out all worn down by the last eights minutes of this game. When it comes down to coaching and playing quality teams, West Virginia is 12-5-1 (71%) ATS in their last 18 games against teams winning above 60%. Coach Huggins' strategy and game plan will have his players mentally prepared for this foot race.
|
|||||||
02-17-18 | NC State v. Wake Forest -1 | 90-84 | Loss | -105 | 9 h 31 m | Show | |
Wake Forest NC State is coming off a huge win at Syracuse and now has to go on the road to play Wake Forest. NC St checks in ranked 8th in scoring in the ACC. Shots haven’t always fallen for the Wolfpack during conference play resulting in a somewhat poor resume. NC State Wolfpack are 6-18 ATS in their last 24 road games. Consistency also remains an issue. The Wolfpack are 2-10 ATS in their last 12 games following an ATS win. Wake really doesn't take many three point shots as they prefer to torch teams the old fashion method. The Demon Deacons are the number one shooting team in terms of accuracy at 40% in conference play from long distance. NC St began the week at 2-5 on the road and should come back down to earth from having most every shot score at Syracuse. For Wake Forest, Bryant Crawford and Doral Moore have turned things around of late. Currently, Wake Forest is playing some of its best basketball of the season. The Demon Deacons gave Miami and Syracuse all they could handle on the road before coming away with a victory against Georgia Tech in their last conference game. This game should see NC St reverting back to losing on the road with Wake capturing the home game win.
|
|||||||
02-15-18 | Utah v. Washington +1.5 | Top | 70-58 | Loss | -102 | 8 h 7 m | Show |
Washington Washington is consistent in that they lose on the road and are a different team at home. Utah plays in a similar fashion. The Utes are 3-6 when traveling and the Huskies are 13-4 at home. Washington lost both road games and now gets a point at home. Utah loves shooting the three but that success is marginal when playing on the road. Washington is the best at limiting opponents threes as thru 25 games they have held the opposition to just 28%. They play an outstanding zone defense and have recruited players with extremely long arms to be a menace in the faces of the other teams trying to shoot threes from beyond the arc. Washington has covered the spread four of their last five home games. Look for another cover tonight. We will see why Washington ranks among the stingiest defensive units in the conference playing Utah.
|
|||||||
02-14-18 | Nevada v. Boise State -2.5 | Top | 77-72 | Loss | -104 | 10 h 40 m | Show |
Boise When a team's best player is hurt, that spells trouble. In this case, Nevada's Caleb Martin is suffering from a sprained ankle which normally knocks players out for six weeks. He said he wants to play tonight but will certainly be hampered and predicted to be below average on the court. Boise is a very good team and has the talent to stop him under any conditions he brings so this will be a daunting task for Caleb, the co-top player in the Mountain West. Boise is 20-5 and a perfect 14-0 at home. Boise gets their revenge tonight as it is so common for top teams to split their games with the home teams getting the win. Nevada won the first meeting Jan. 20 as Caleb Martin scored 28 points in 74-68 win in Reno. With him less than 75% healthy, he may show up to start, but he will only be a shell of himself while 100% is needed. The player many pick as the MWC player of the year is on the Boise team. Chandler Hutchison (20.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.3 steals per game) is the darling of Boise, the fans and their city. He'll put on a show for sure as this game is so important because the MWC conference gets just one team invited to the dance and they must maintain and defeat Nevada tonight on their home court. Small favorite gets big win at home.
|
|||||||
02-14-18 | Clemson v. Florida State -4 | 79-81 | Loss | -110 | 6 h 40 m | Show | |
Florida St Florida St is lucky they get to regroup and play their second consecutive game at home tonight against Clemson. Last Saturday, Florida St had a double digit lead at halftime against #2 Virginia and lost by four points. That was enough of a loss to make their blood boil. Tonight, they are the Vegas Oddsmakers choice to win as they've been installed as a 4 point favorite and the public is all over the other side betting #11 Clemson. The Tigers have won four straight but come in tonight having no success against Florida St or playing in Tallahassee. Seminoles forward Mfiondu Kabengele is a huge reason Florida St has been in and out of the Top 25 this year. They know how to win, they step up their game to over-achieve to their competition. They should be able to maintain that high level of play they had last game as the NCAA committee has basically told them they need this win against a top 25 team playing at home. They will be focused to not let happen last Saturday, happen tonight. FSU will dominate the boards and is by far, the superior offensive team on the court. CJ Walker, Phil Cofer and PJ Savoy are all great starters and scores. This looks to be a solid 8-11 point win for the home team; Florida St.
|
|||||||
02-13-18 | Kansas v. Iowa State +7 | Top | 83-77 | Win | 100 | 6 h 50 m | Show |
Iowa St Iowa St is magical on their home court. The better the team, the better they play. Revenge will be extracted tonight as Kansas defeated Iowa State by 5 in a 83-78 score earlier this season. Iowa State has tallied three upset wins against ranked teams in three out of their last four home games. They defeated Texas Tech and West Virginia by double-digits, and just recorded an 88-80 win against Oklahoma. The Cyclones have scored 93 and 88 points respectively in their last two home games and against the lack of defense Kansas is playing, expect that to continue. Kansas is also only averaging 71 points in their last four road games, and they have not had success ATS against Iowa State showing a 1-5 ATS mark in their last six. The Iowa State Cyclones are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games. Equally as strong, they are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games as a home underdog. Iowa St has two great guards and it all starts with senior Donavan Jackson who also is pure at the foul line at 93%. Wait until Kansas has to foul someone and Jackson ices the game. The James H. Hilton Coliseum will be the place to be tonight in Iowa
|
|||||||
02-13-18 | Maryland v. Nebraska -1 | 66-70 | Win | 100 | 6 h 49 m | Show | |
Nebraska This is why past results matter. Maryland is 1-7 on the road. Nebraska is 13-1 at home. That's part of their history of this year. Looking for the past few game would show Maryland's struggles and Nebraska is playing well and rank 32nd in the nation in 3-point defense, which is important because the Terps like to shoot the three. Over-all, the Huskers allow 69 points per game on 41.9 percent shooting (31.6% 3pt). Palmer Jr. leads the Cornhuskers with 17.6 points per game on 45 percent shooting. Isaac Copeland adds 13 points and 6.1 rebounds per game on 48.5 percent shooting. Nebraska can simply shoot better than Maryland and the home/road dichotomy cannot be ignored. The Cornhuskers have won five straight and always play well at home. Nebraska is 12-1 ATS last 13 vs. Big Ten and 8-1 ATS their last 9 home games as stated.
|
|||||||
02-10-18 | Gonzaga v. St. Mary's -1.5 | Top | 78-65 | Loss | -106 | 12 h 52 m | Show |
St Mary's St Mary's beat Gonzaga at their place earlier this year. I do not see the Zags getting revenge here. McKeon Pavilion is one of the most difficult venues to play. Tickets are being scalped and announced as "above face value" as of today if you can find one in the 3500 seat arena. This is the first time in many years that St Mary's not only has the best big man, but their team is better. Thinking ahead and out of the box, it's 95.9% certain that these two teams will meet in a few weeks here in Vegas for the championship game. If St Mary's wins tonight, that sets up an 0-2 Gonzaga team vs a 2-0 St Mary's team. The Zags and Gaels coach are astutely aware how difficult it is to defeat the same team three times in the same season. So while nobody wants to lose a game, the real game will be in four weeks. The game tonight will be won because St Mary's is the much better team playing in a crazed arena and the fans should propel them to victory. On Thursday, the Gaels won at Loyola Marymount to pick up their 19th consecutive victory. It’s now the longest active streak in the country. That alone is something to play for and protect.
|
|||||||
02-10-18 | San Francisco v. BYU -10.5 | 73-75 | Loss | -110 | 6 h 53 m | Show | |
BYU There's nothing much to do on Saturday in Salt Lake City than going to the Marriott Center and watching their beloved BYU Cougars put on a show for the loyalist. San Francisco is on a two game win streak by defeating bottom feeders Santa Clara and Portland. The average just 68 ppg against some off the worst competition in the country. They will not be able to keep up with a superior high flying team in the altitude of Salt Lake City. For the Cougars, Yoeli Childs had his 13th double double of the season last game. Dalton Nixon is back from his foot injury and made a tremendous splash last game also. BYU Cougars is double dipping tonight as they are both 5-0 ATS in their last five home games and 5-0 ATS in their last five home games against teams with losing road records. BYU beat them by 10 points away earlier this year and covering this number, while not taking it lightly, shouldn't be a difficult task. Look for them to put them away buried and under for good in the second half.
|
|||||||
02-08-18 | Stanford +4.5 v. Utah | Top | 60-75 | Loss | -105 | 7 h 9 m | Show |
Stanford +4.5 Utah is certainly struggling. They lost two straight to drop back to under .500 at 5-6 and are sitting in a three way tie for seventh place in the conference. This game will come down to the wire. Stanford has won two straight and have risen all the way up to a tie for fourth place at 7-4 in the conference and looks good on both sides of the ball. They just defeated Oregon by 35 points in their last game by making 35 of 56 from the field and 12 of 20 from the three point line. They also made 14 of 17 from the free throw line in a fantastic all around shooting effort. I truly believe the wrong team is favored but will not complain. Utah has too many problems which they are in the middle of trying to figure out before the conference tournament begins. For instance, their top scorer did not reach double digits in scoring in their last game. When the entire team is shooting rocks and underperforming in all areas, who has the confidence and talent to step up? Maybe one or two in offense but theirs still huge problems for this team. If they squeak out a win, it will be a very crucial last shot.
|
|||||||
02-07-18 | California v. Colorado -10 | Top | 64-68 | Loss | -105 | 10 h 41 m | Show |
Colorado Cal got their win for the year last Saturday and like many horrible teams do, will prove to many that it was a fluke. They caught Oregon St on a night where the six players off the bench combined for exactly two points. Now they go to the mile high altitude of the Rockies to play Colorado. The Buffaloes are led by McKinley Wright and Lucas Siewert and as a team, can get the blowout with the three point shot. I do not see Cal keeping this close. They score moderately but quickly give up more points with horrible to no defense. The Colorado Buffaloes are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 home games and a sparkling 7-1 ATS in their last 8 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400 which Cal qualifies.
|
|||||||
02-07-18 | Kansas State +5 v. Texas | 67-64 | Win | 100 | 7 h 42 m | Show | |
Kansas St Kansas St's team is young but really fight hard for their coach, Bruce Weber. They check in at 16-7 which is great in the Big 12 conference. Kansas St has shot well during conference play, making 52 percent of their two-point attempts (2nd in the Big 12) and almost 40 percent of their three-point attempts (4th in the Big 12). That alone is a reason to like this team. But the defense is also cranking things up. Weber has the Wildcats playing hard on the defensive end of the floor too. The Wildcats have forced turnovers on 22 percent of their defensive possessions during the conference season (2nd in the Big 12), while limiting their opponents to just 34 percent from three-point range (2nd in the Big 12). Can we say "live dog" for tonight? This game will be somewhat low scoring at both teams rely on defense. Kansas St averages 74 ppg while Texas put up 72 ppg.
|
|||||||
02-06-18 | San Diego State v. Fresno State -2.5 | Top | 61-79 | Win | 100 | 10 h 37 m | Show |
Fresno St Both teams are coming off impressive wins with SD State defeating Air Force and Fresno winning at Wyoming. Now the Bulldogs host San Diego St where the Aztecs are 3-5 on the road and Fresno checks in at 11-5 at home. Fresno played great in their last game and should repeat tonight. The Bulldogs shot 54% from the field and over 41% from the three-point line, while holding the Cowboys to 35% from the field and forcing 15 turnovers. I like that that performance was on the road and now they return home. That's huge!!! San Diego State Aztecs are 5-11-2 ATS in their last 18 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600. The flip side of betting this game is Fresno State Bulldogs are 15-5 ATS in their last 20 home games vs. a team with a losing road record. Bingo!! Lay the fee points and sit back.
|
|||||||
02-06-18 | TCU +7.5 v. Kansas | 64-71 | Win | 100 | 8 h 41 m | Show | |
TCU Kansas is not the same Kansa team we're accustomed to watching in the past. The have five losses and are coming off a home drubbing from Oklahoma St. Laying points and having to win by 8 or 9 points tonight is difficult and extremely challenging. They have rebounding problems galore and is one of the reasons for three home losses. The Horned Frogs promises to be difficult to guard considering TCU average 86 points and lead the Big 12 in field-goal percentages (.504), 3-point field-goal percentage (.412) and assists (20). Kansas has struggled to convert big spreads at home this season. The only one that occurred lately was an out-of-conference foe, Texas A&M. This is a very live underdog.
|
|||||||
02-05-18 | Indiana v. Rutgers +3.5 | 65-43 | Loss | -108 | 5 h 27 m | Show | |
Rutgers Rutgers is playing some great basketball right now. The took High power Purdue to the wire Saturday. Taking on Indiana should not be that difficult tonight. The Hoosiers have their share of shooting problems especially on the road. Playing catchup needing threes will be a test away from home. That shooting number is consistent with their season-long mark with the three, which ranks 340th in the nation. Needing free throws late is also an Achilles Heel. Indiana has struggled to shoot the ball from the free throw line as a team, making only 64.9 percent of their attempts from the charity stripe which is great for the home underdog. Rutgers has enough size to give Indiana some problems inside. Archie Miller doesn’t really play anyone taller than 6-foot-7 and Rutgers will be able to throw two or three different defenders at Juwan Morgan in this game. Rutgers should be able to get the outright win on their home court with this number of positive variables siding with them.
|
|||||||
02-03-18 | Michigan State v. Indiana +9 | Top | 63-60 | Win | 100 | 12 h 43 m | Show |
Indiana The fact that Michigan St was even down by 12 points to Penn St in their last game may be showing that wearing the green Spartans colors are having an affect with their play on the road. Maybe the distractions or embarrassing nature of this weeks conviction or the allegations of the football and basketball coaches are taking it's toll. But even if there is no lingering problem, it's still difficult to cover on the road in a conference game. Additionally in their last outing, Michigan State was sloppy with the basketball, recording 15 turnovers furthering my claim that it's harder to focus on the road with the current nature of the problems and uncertainties facing MSU. Devonte Green and Juwan Morgan have enough game for Indiana to take this contest to the wire. The Hoosier's are undervalued on one hand while Coach Isso's Spartans squad is overvalued. Indiana is 6-2 ATS last 8 overall and more importantly, playing to a perfect 6-0 ATS in their last six home games. The home team is 20-8 ATS last 28 in series. Indiana covered at home against a great Purdue team and is 10-4 at home. The Spartans have been playing down to their level of their opponent on the road. Assembly Hall is not an easy place to play.
|
|||||||
02-03-18 | Oregon v. Stanford | 61-96 | Win | 100 | 11 h 57 m | Show | |
Stanford Since the line indicates a close game, the home team is looking good because Oregon isn't making free throws. It's hard to win when you can't shoot in the last few minutes when the game is being called close. Stanford forward, Reid Travis is one of the top big men in the Pac-12, averaging 19.6 points and 7.7 rebounds on 53.1 percent shooting. His counterpart is a nice compliment as Michael Humphrey adds 11.1 points and leads in rebounds with 7.9 per game. Stanford has nothing to be embarrassed at having already defeated USC and UCLA at home. Some stats will show Stanford is 5-0 ATS last 5 home games and 8-1 ATS last 9 vs. Pac-12. The home team in this series is 4-0 ATS the last four games. It's hard to trust Oregon on the road and the Cardinal has shown that they can win at home against decent teams.
|
|||||||
01-31-18 | Texas +8 v. Texas Tech | Top | 71-73 | Win | 100 | 8 h 11 m | Show |
Texas +8 Texas is playing just under the radar right now. The Longhorns have won back-to-back games against Iowa State and Ole Miss. They’ve also defeated Texas Tech in four of their last five meetings. Mohamad Bamba is the main reason. It's his play that is making the rest of his team looking good. He’s now had a double-double in four of his last five games (one point shy of being five straight) and has 49 points and 27 rebounds total in the last two. His play alone can be the author of an upset tonight. Texas is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall and will hang score to score. The oddsmakers seem to inflate the line as the public perception of Texas Tech is high being a ranked team and over-values them as evidenced by their 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games overall. Texas is a very live and ripe team looking for that big outright win.
|
|||||||
01-31-18 | Louisville +9.5 v. Virginia | 64-74 | Loss | -101 | 6 h 12 m | Show | |
-Louisville +9.5 Don't tell anybody but Louisville has quietly put together a nice running, winning five of six games and looks to be very competitive in this game tonight. They catch Virginia still celebrating their win from last Saturday by defeating Duke for the first time in 23 years. This is a great spot for Louisville. Louisville’s calling card is their full-court press under interim coach David Padgett. That alone will keep your team in the bust throughout the contest. Louisville also has seven players that routinely score double digits as their depth is a huge team asset. Louisville is 7-1 ATS last 8 vs. ACC and even more importantly, 4-0 ATS last 4 road games. Virginia is a terrific team but Louisville is no pushover. The Cards are playing good basketball and they’ve had some close calls on the road which is expected again tonight.
|
|||||||
01-30-18 | Baylor v. Oklahoma -6 | Top | 96-98 | Loss | -107 | 8 h 7 m | Show |
Oklahoma Baylor is 1-6 on the road and has lost three straight games as they head into play Oklahoma. Point guard Trae Young is the leading scorer in the nation and Baylor will try to contain him with a zone defense. Buy Young can shoot thru that or as the nations assist leader, pass the ball inside. Either way, Baylor needs to worry about how they can score having lost five of it's last five games. Baylor's forward Mark Vital is injured with a sprained ankle and could be huge if he misses or is slowed down tonight. Oklahoma doesn't win with defense but rather with offense and should have little trouble pulling away from Baylor who has trouble scoring. Oklahoma can shoot the three ball from anywhere on the court and scoring runs like that get the home crowd into the game and propels the momentum the Sooners way.
|
|||||||
01-29-18 | Kansas v. Kansas State +2 | Top | 70-56 | Loss | -110 | 9 h 34 m | Show |
Kansas St We have been awaiting this game matchup as much as Kansas St has been. It's been forever since the Wildcats have had the team to blowout cross state rival Kansas. The Jayhawks haven’t been nearly as efficient on either end of the floor as they have been in years past. Kansas St coach Bruce Weber has a very sound squad especially on offense. The Wildcats have been extremely efficient from the field on offense, sporting an effective field goal percentage of 58.4 percent against Big 12 opponents this year. They use a press to create turnovers and then get their points from Dean Wade and Cartier Diarra. They smother the oppositions three point shot and hold them to 31% shooting from the outside. But offensively is where they drain the energy from all their opponents. Kansas State is shooting 55.2 percent from inside the arc (1st in the Big 12) and 42.6 percent from three-point range (1st in the Big 12) for the season, while sporting a free throw rate that rates first in the Big 12 for teams needing to foul late in the game. This will be one rivalry game we should all be so lucky to finally get to witness. Kansas is susceptible on the offensive glass and teams are shooting 51.8 percent against the Jayhawks defense inside the arc. You won't need the points so bet this on the money line for some added value. |
|||||||
01-28-18 | Michigan State v. Maryland +6 | 74-68 | Push | 0 | 8 h 54 m | Show | |
Maryland Maryland need a signature win and a win over the Spartans could be that victory. It would seem that the distractions on Coach Izzo's team would be enough but in reality, the Terps are 13-2 at home and getting points. Michigan State is the better team, no doubt. The scrutiny of their future has to be paramount on their plate. It's hard to focus, practice and then play. They are playing just their fourth true road game of the year in what should be a very raucous crowd in College Park. More importantly, the Spartans just played on Friday, while Maryland had nearly a week off preparing solely for the game. Michigan State is 5-11 ATS last 16 road games. Countering that is that Maryland is 6-0 ATS last 6 home games and 7-3 ATS last 10 overall. The main focus is that the Terps are 13-2 at home and getting points.
|
|||||||
01-27-18 | Colorado +10.5 v. Arizona State | Top | 66-80 | Loss | -110 | 14 h 43 m | Show |
Colorado +10 Arizona St Sun Devils have cooled off in a hurry following a hot start and have alternated losses and wins dating all the way back to Jan. 4. There's nothing consistent with them other than getting worst. The arrival of Pac-12 play has delivered five losses in eight outings as the Sun Devils have allowed a conference-worst 80.1 points per outing during this stretch. It hard to cover pointspreads when your opponent can score as many points as you can. This is a revenge game of which the Sun Devils might win but should not cover. This is a good matchup for Colorado. Colorado has prevailed in six of the last 11 head-to-head meetings, including a 90-81 overtime home win on Jan. 4. The Wrights (no relation) scored 19 points apiece and George King added 18 for the Buffaloes in the contest earlier this month. Thursday , Colorado gave Arizona all they could handle including outshooting and out rebounding Arizona. But the refs gave Zona a 22 to 5 advantage at the free throw line. Watch Colorado put even more effort today to make up for that loss. Many, including us, say Bobby Hurley's ASU team is a fraud. The Vegas numbers support that claim. The Sun Devils are 0-6-2 ATS in their last eight overall, 1-4 ATS in their last five at home, 0-3-1 ATS in their last four following a loss, and 1-8-2 ATS in their last 11 against the Pac-12. The public continues to love the Sun Devils and laying double digits will cost them again.
|
|||||||
01-27-18 | Georgia v. Kansas State -7 | Top | 51-56 | Loss | -110 | 8 h 44 m | Show |
Kansas St -7 Ask yourself this. Do you know the current strength of these two teams? Consider how good the Big 12 is verses the SEC in college hoops. Then add this to the mix. Georgia Bulldogs haven’t been sharp in recent action, losing four of their last five games. It’s been a much different story for the Kansas St Wildcats, winning three straight against top-tier Big 12 competition. But few research that and grab points on Georgia without thinking. For Georgia, it's Yante Maten or they're done for the night. They lost this week to Arkansas in overtime and now they have to play a very very decent team in Kansas State. The Wildcats have been on fire lately, taking the Big 12 conference by storm in the past few weeks. It could have been five straight, but they had a narrow loss at Kansas (73-72). Since that loss, they took down Oklahoma and TCU straight up. Their last victory came at Baylor in a 90-83 decision. K St will have their hands full with Maten, but they have to deal superstars in the Big 12 every game and have succeeded. Georgia is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games overall and 3-7 ATS in their last 10 road games. Meanwhile, are you convinced that Kansas St is your most unknown and under-rated team in college basketball? We think so!! Let's keep them "under-the-radar".
|
|||||||
01-24-18 | Indiana +2.5 v. Illinois | 71-73 | Win | 100 | 8 h 43 m | Show | |
Indiana The wrong team is favored in this game and both teams are headed different directions. The Illinois Fighting Illini will be hoping to halt a six-game losing streak when they host the Indiana and the Hoosiers have won four of their last five contests following a victory over Maryland earlier this week. Illinois is looking for some offensive consistency, as it has scored over 75 points in just two conference games, but both in overtime and both games lost. Hoosiers’ freshman Justin Smith has averaged 11 points and shot a team-high 60 percent from the field in the five games he’s started since replacing De’Ron Davis in the starting lineup. That added person is like gold when needing additional depth. Indiana creates havoc with its pesky guard play. Indiana leads the Big Ten in turnover margin in conference play and has a plus-26 turnover margin in its five league victories. Young teams like Illinois struggle and get very frustrated when turning over the ball and leads to sudden scoring runs for the opposition and unfocused play for themselves. It's a good weapon for our Hoosiers team to use against an already poor team as Illinois has proven to be. Forget the overall Indiana win-loss record. Yes they lose games but as far as we care, they are 4-1 ATS in their last five overall, 4-1 ATS in their last five against the Big Ten, and 5-1 ATS in their last six against losing opponents. This is a key game tonight for Indiana and should be the favorite, even on the road. Illinois is 1-4-1 ATS in its last six overall and 1-4 ATS in its last five at home. The Hoosiers will get that hard fought calculated win by frustrating Illinois all night long.
|
|||||||
01-24-18 | Georgia Tech v. Florida State -9.5 | Top | 77-88 | Win | 100 | 6 h 54 m | Show |
Florida St Look for a major blowout tonight for home team Florida State against Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets offense has now averaged just 60 ppg over their last four games and will not get any better on the road tonight. This is a numbers game at this point when bad teams play. Georgia Tech has been very poor on offense so far all season as they enter this contest ranked 328th in the nation in scoring, putting up 65 ppg, while also ranking 244th in shooting (43.5%), 305th in 3-point shooting (32.1%) and 178th in free throw shooting (70.7%). Florida St has been led by their offense this year and they hit 53.4% of their shots from the field overall. The Seminoles have averaged 84 ppg and will freewheel it tonight as they come into this game ranked 21st in the nation in scoring. The little scoring that Georgia Tech will have will be frustrating with the Seminoles ranking 29th in defensive FG% (40.0%) and 35th in 3-point defense (31.2%). FSU knows how to bully the lower level teams as they are 20-8 ATS in their last 28 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400. Also, Florida St's 84 ppg over-all jump up as they have averaged 90 ppg at home. Let's throw this final score at 82-63 with FSU getting it done.
|
|||||||
01-23-18 | Mississippi State +7.5 v. Kentucky | 65-78 | Loss | -107 | 8 h 50 m | Show | |
Mississippi St Some teams are confident and are a good matchup to certain teams. Mississippi St is one of those when playing Kentucky. The Bulldogs are 3-0-1 ATS in their last four games against Kentucky. Small sample sizes are better as it pertains to players still on the current teams. They are not flashy but pest that never go away. They tend to take you out of your game with defense and hustle. The Bulldogs lead the SEC in fewest points allowed at 64.7 per game and were 21st nationally in field-goal percentage defense at 39.5 through Sunday’s contests. They always get added value against Kentucky and let's remember that this Wildcat team is young. Additionally, the oddsmakers make bigger line adjustments following losses to Mississippi St as seen that they are 22-7 ATS in their last 29 games following an ATS loss. They either bounce back or are pointspread adjusted back. Look for a close game.
|
|||||||
01-23-18 | Texas A&M v. LSU +2 | Top | 65-77 | Win | 100 | 8 h 49 m | Show |
LSU Texas A&M had their chance to defeat LSU earlier in the season and blew it. They are not good enough to get revenge. These teams met on Jan. 6 with LSU winning on the road, 69-68 at College Station. Their top scorer does not put fear into the opposition as he averages just 14 ppg. Stop big man Tyler Davis, and you win the game. I love LSU coming off a loss, refocusing and put in an all out effort tonight. In their last game against Vanderbilt, they allowed the Commodores to shoot 51 percent from the floor and 7-of-19 from beyond the arc. That game was lost due to effort, not talent. The Tigers can shoot the ball. On the season, they average 80 points per game on 50 percent shooting which is incredible. They have a few go to guys but are led by Duop Reath, who had 31 last game and quick guard Tremont Waters. The home team is 11-4 ATS in the last 15 in this series. Texas A&M Aggies are bad on the road at 1-3 and have loss all three SEC away games. Chalk up the win and cover to LSU.
|
|||||||
01-21-18 | Vikings -3 v. Eagles | Top | 7-38 | Loss | -100 | 23 h 58 m | Show |
Minnesota - The best thing to happen for this game is to get the Vikings on the road so the shine is not so bright in Minneapolis where the Miracle happened last week. The Minnesota Vikings registered a thrilling 29-24 home win over the Saints in their path to their first NFC Championship game since 2009 and look to win this game and return to their home field for the Super Bowl. This game may be made up of 80% defense for the game. Minnesota finished with the number one total defense in the NFL the season, holding opponents to an average of 15.8 points. Minnesota scored an average of 24 points in the regular season, placing them 10th in the NFL but they will have difficulty getting to that number but can put up enough to win 21-17 or 14-10, 17-10 or 17-13. This game will be played on either side of midfield with few chances in the red zone. Minnesota had little problem containing the Saints strong running game and that should transfer to holding LeGarrette Blount and Jay Ajayi under 85 yards in total. Defensive end Everson Griffen was tied for fourth in the league with a career-best 13 sacks this season. Philadelphia hasn't hosted an NFC Championship Game since the 2004 season and with a 14 year drought, their fan base can be absolutely brutal adding a ton of pressure to their own team. Case Keenum is a good quarterback and has all the tools to win this game by playing a smart game and putting this victory in the hands of the defense as the Purple People Eaters did years gone bye. |
|||||||
01-21-18 | Jaguars v. Patriots -7 | 20-24 | Loss | -118 | 19 h 22 m | Show | |
-New England - We know that Tom Brady cut his hand on a helmet during practice requiring 3 stitches. The cut is in the web between his thumb and index finger. He will wear two gloves on that right hand. The outer one so no one will be able to see if it starts bleeding again. Brady will do more from the shotgun than usual as the center's snap takes a toll. As for the Jags there are some reason and history on what teams can accomplish. First of all, the public has lowered the number for us giving tremendous value. Secondly, they have traveled to San Francisco, Tennessee, Pittsburgh and now to New England resulting in four games of their last five on the road with a poor performance game at home against Buffalo sandwiched in between. Third, teams that score over 40 points their previous game are 5-25 ATS the following week and they put up 45 last week. It's believed that with the disrespect that Pittsburgh showed them last week, there heart, focus and their super bowl may have all been spent winning that game and left on the gridiron. How much can one have in their tank after last week and this being a long five weeks of effort trying to prove themselves over and over is a major issue. The evidence may be in last week's passing yards allowed at 469 yards to the Steelers. The Patriots defense has allowed just 15.1 points per game since week three. Dion Lewis is up against an average rush defense as the Jags are ranked 21st. The Patriots limited Derrick Henry to an average of only 2.3 yards per carry last week and are confident they can contain Leonard Fournette leaving Blake Bortles holding the game in his hand trying to figure out what to do against what Coach Belichick has already figured out. New England averaged 28.6 points this season, good for second in the NFL and will put on a show on both sides of the ball and a major show of coaching from the sidelines and any second half adjustments needed. |
|||||||
01-20-18 | Boise State +5.5 v. Nevada | Top | 68-74 | Loss | -103 | 16 h 51 m | Show |
Boise St +6 Chandler Hutchinson is a difference maker in a huge way in this rival game. His opponent tonight, Nevada, will not face a better scorer in a Mountain West game this season than Boise State’s Hutchison. He has seven doubles-doubles, including six games of 20-plus points and 10-plus rebounds, in his last 12 outings. Hutchison has averaged 16.3 shots per game during that span, and that doesn’t include his 8.8 free throws a contest. It's even money at best that Nevada will even win this game much less cover the spread. The Boise St. Broncos have an elite defense and their offense is moving towards exceptional. And there's more! Boise State is first in the nation in defensive rebounding rate. The Broncos grab 84.1 percent of the opposition’s missed shots, yielding just 6.4 offensive rebounds a night. Over-all, Boise State is the 10th-best rebounding team in the nation in total. Throw in a Nevada player injury just for kicks. Now the big question mark entering this game is whether Nevada’s top player Cody Martin (Achilles), who is listed as very doubtful, will play. The Wolf Pack will need an unsung hero if one of the team's most valuable players is glued to the bench and that's doubtful as they haven't found one yet. I predict that Boise will cover this spread 100% of the game after the first three minutes are played. |
|||||||
01-20-18 | Tennessee v. South Carolina +3.5 | 70-63 | Loss | -109 | 12 h 1 m | Show | |
South Carolina +3.5 South Carolina closed the Kentucky game strong and in the process, upended a ranked conference foe at home earlier this week. South Carolina's bread and butter is playing at home, strong rebounding and a smothering defense. The Gamecocks are excellent defensively as they are 36th in the nation by allowing 65.3 points a night. They have two go to players in Chris Silva and Frank Booker. They are solid against ranked or team slightly better because they are so good defensively. The Gamecocks are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600 which tells a great story. Playing well goes in streaks and South Carolina is playing great basketball right now. Tennessee is off a loss at Missouri who also plays a very similar style making each bucket a major chore. Take the points and the Gamecocks as they record a second straight mild upset win. |
|||||||
01-18-18 | Loyola Marymount v. BYU -15 | 67-82 | Push | 0 | 9 h 20 m | Show | |
BYU Loyola-Marymont is not a team that can travel to BYU and NOT get blown out. They just don't play well, will have trouble with the 5000 ft altitude and are up against a good team that destroys opponents at home. The Lions are only 1-5 in conference, and just 6-11 overall and a two point win over the San Francisco Dons is all that’s preventing them from a winless conference record. The opposite is true of this home team as they need another non-contested match to score at will for their home fans. The BYU Cougars have been very good all year long and come into Thursday’s contest at 15-4 and 4-2 in the WCC. They will very much be in the running for an at large bid if they keep playing this well. The Cougars are putting up 75.6 points per game and have a suffocating defense, allowing only 65.1 points per game. But those number reflect playing against much more difficult competition. BYU did Saturday to Santa Clara what they will repeat tonight as they won that game 84-50. The biggest difference is that Santa Clara is a better team than Loyola. They led by 20 points in the first half and never looked backed. The Cougars are playing great basketball and the Lions are lucky to be in any game. They won’t be in this one as BYU will blow them out early. |
|||||||
01-18-18 | St. Mary's +8 v. Gonzaga | Top | 74-71 | Win | 100 | 7 h 20 m | Show |
St Mary's This is another game with triple revenge just like last night's Stanford game. And the Gaels of St Mary's are the perfect team to get the job done. The Gaels are one of the hottest teams in the country, posting 12 consecutive wins and most of the wins have come in blowout fashion. They get the job done from both ends of the court. Saint Mary’s is scoring an average of 81 points per game, good for 50th in the country. They are limiting the opposition to an average of 65.4 points, placing them 35th overall. This combination has them ranked by Vegas polls in the top 20 from those that understand proper rankings. St. Mary’s leads the entire country with a dazzling 52.4% field goal efficiency and are deadly from three-point territory. This might be the Achilles Heel for Gonzaga tonight. Gonzaga’s three-point defense ranks down at 269th in the nation and St Mary's will certainly take advantage of that stat. St Mary's knows how to block out on those missed shots and out rebound most every team. St Mary’s is only allowing an average of 24 rebounds per game, which is the best mark in the nation. Hint: They allow just 24 per game which is an exceptionally low amount because in many cases the Gaels shots were successfully made which is even a better stat within the stat. The Saint Mary’s Gaels are 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 games overall and 4-0 ATS in their last 4 road games. This is one of the best rivalries on the west coast. Heated, with matched point to point scoring throughout the game that will come down to the wire.
|
|||||||
01-17-18 | Arizona State v. Stanford +3.5 | 77-86 | Win | 100 | 10 h 27 m | Show | |
-Stanford +3.5 No. 16 ranked Arizona St is dropping games left and right and their next drop will be out of the top 25. Arizona State has lost three of their last five games. They did win their last game on Saturday against Oregon State at home, 77-75 but did not cover the spread as a 12-point favorite. Stanford is playing with triple revenge at home tonight from last year's three losses to ASU. And it's at the perfect time for payback. Did you know Stanford is playing great lately, adding home wins over talented teams including UCLA and USC? Stanford is led by Travis (6-8, 245), who averages 20.1 points, 7.3 rebounds and shoots 52.5 percent from the floor. Despite being ranked 16th, ASU is just 2-3 in the Pac-12, while the Cardinal are 4-1. For this moment and this game, Arizona St should not be favored by -4 points. This game is matched evenly and as Stanford just did to USC and UCLA, chalk up another win at home for the Cardinal.
|
|||||||
01-17-18 | Iowa State v. TCU -10 | Top | 73-96 | Win | 100 | 8 h 23 m | Show |
TCU -10 Bad teams don't travel well especially against top ranked teams. The Cyclones are in the midst of playing three of four games, including both this week, against teams ranked in the top-25. The problem is that they start to lose their heart as they close game lose and the overtime losses begin to work on them. Then you run into a big team that can score and those decent losses turn into blowouts on the road. As of now, the Frogs are ranked for the eighth consecutive week. While Iowa St is used to losing, TCU is used to winning. While losing teams don't have enough depth and maybe just one "go to guy", TCU has six different players that have scored at least 20 points in a game, which ties with seven other teams for the most in the country. It's difficult for teams that are outperformed at four of five positions to have any success on the road. Games like this get away from them and let the blowout begin
|
|||||||
01-16-18 | Oklahoma v. Kansas State +2.5 | 69-87 | Win | 100 | 9 h 22 m | Show | |
Kansas St +2.5 This is not your old Kansas St basketball team. This team can mix it up with anyone in the Big 12 and finds themselves at 9-3 at home. Winning and covering games as a road favorite is extremely difficult in the Big 12. Kansas St lost a 73-72 heartbreaker at then-No. 12 Kansas last Saturday showing they can have success. OU coach Lon Kruger’s old No. 12 jersey will be hanging from the rafters Tuesday night but he hasn’t enjoyed very much coaching success against his alma mater, having lost five straight at Bramlage Coliseum dating back to 2012. This is always a look ahead game for Oklahoma. The real question is what game will Oklahoma's we'll go dry on the road? The NCAA scoring leader is Trae Young. The 6’2” freshman has emerged as the leading candidate for National Player of the Year honors and has to do everything of which he's capable. OU plays instate rival Oklahoma St Saturday with Kansas to follow. Winning by 4-5 points is not easy with a bright target on you shirt and ever home team going crazy for their fans. |
|||||||
01-16-18 | Vanderbilt v. Mississippi State -4 | Top | 62-80 | Win | 100 | 7 h 22 m | Show |
-Mississippi St -4 The Bulldogs enter Tuesday’s matchup ranked among the nation’s best defensive teams. That will certainly pose problems for Vanderbilt who is coming off a disappointing home loss last Saturday. Additionally, they are not a scoring juggernaut. One may be correct to point out Mississippi St's own problems which lie from the three point arch. Mississippi State has shot a miserable 22.9 percent from three-point range since the beginning of SEC which is unsustainably bad. But, this will improve as games are played so enjoy the adjusted point spread value. Those numbers will improve against a Vanderbilt defense that ranks near the bottom of the conference. Bettors continue to back Vanderbilt piling up record losses. Vanderbilt is 1-15 ATS in their last 16 games overall. Additionally, the Commodores are 0-9 ATS in their last 9 games following a straight up loss. They rely too much on the three point shot and are rarely successful on the road.
|
|||||||
01-14-18 | Saints v. Vikings -4 | 24-29 | Win | 100 | 13 h 12 m | Show | |
-Minnesota - The most complete team in the NFL is the Minnesota Vikings. As a footnote only, Minnesota defeated the Saints by a 29-19 score in week one. The Saints defense did allow 414 total yards to Carolina last week. Between losing their final game to Tampa Bay and their game last week, traveling to play the "best team" in the NFC is a daunting task. Many people note a negative when discussing QB Case Keemun. The 29-year old QB had by far the best season of his career, notching 3547 passing yards with a 22:7 TD to INT ratio. Keenum threw 10 passing TD’s in his last six games of the season. What really should be noticed is in his last five weeks, Keenum was under total scrutiny within his own team with two quarterbacks healthy enough to start at the first sign of an underperformed game. Coach Zimmer was equally as pleased. The Vikings running game is designed to eat up the clock and to get their defense on the field. The Minnesota running game played a key role in their offensive success, finishing with the seventh-ranked running game in the NFL. Latavius Murray had a strong season, recording 842 rushing yards, while Jerick McKinnon was able to rush for 570 yards. Defense is King in the playoffs. The Vikings defense had a spectacular season as they rank near the top of the NFL in several defensive categories including the second-ranked rush and pass defense. They only allowed a combined 17 points in their final three games, and are holding opponents to an NFL-best 15 points per game. More importantly, let this sink in. The Vikings defense puts offenses in many third down situations. After 16 games, they have an incredible league best of holding opponents to just 25% on third down conversions. That's three and out 75% of the time. It's very hard to score needing a perfect extended drive of 60 and 70 yards when every third down has to be successful.
|
|||||||
01-14-18 | Jaguars +7.5 v. Steelers | Top | 45-42 | Win | 100 | 10 h 38 m | Show |
Jacksonville + Great defenses usually stay great in the playoffs. No teams defense is as fast as the Jags.Their quickness wreaks havoc in the opponents backfield. Their quickness should be noted in their earlier win in Pittsburgh. Additionally, Leonard Fournette rushed for 181 yards for Jacksonville in that game. Don't worry about the lack of scoring last week against Buffalo. Jacksonville is averaging 26.1 points per game, ranking them fifth in the NFL so they know how to get points. The question should be: what game plan for the opposition will work to get the ball into the end zone for Pittsburgh? And with a swarming pass rush forcing poor throws, another problem pops up. They have now notched 23 interceptions on the season. Their number one ranked pass defense is limiting opponents to an average of 169 passing yards per game, and they should be able to contain Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown. Jacksonville features the top-ranked running game in the NFL. Combine the common characteristics for playoff teams with a top rushing attack and the top defense, the points look like too much as the blowouts are scarce at this level of playoff games and this Jacksonville has the rush to combine defensively to win this game. |
|||||||
01-13-18 | Titans +14 v. Patriots | 14-35 | Loss | -115 | 14 h 11 m | Show | |
Tennessee + Desperation effort is hard to measure. It's often overlooked or ignored. Tennessee won their last game of the season against Jacksonville and then rallied from down 21-3 and defeated Kansas City on the road. It certainly shows heart and great fundamentals. Truth be known, those two wins were equal to two playoff wins. As far as New England is concerned, the Patriots have been dealing with controversial questions all week as the Titans just prepare. The New England defense is spending the week preparing for mobile quarterback Marcus Mariota, a third-year pro who can make things happen with his legs. Mariota is also sixth in the NFL (Brady was first) in third-down passer rating. Defense and a strong running game wins playoffs games. The Titans have both. Titans’ leading rusher Derrick Henry played a key role in the win against the Chiefs, accumulating a season-high 156 rushing yards and averaged a dazzling 6.8 yards per carry. Look for Henry to see a heavy workload again this week. Remember that we are looking for a pointspread cover and line value. Not necessarily looking for an outright win of which is possible. Brady and the Patriots are very good but not that great team from the past as injuries have had their tow and Brady is 40 years old. Delanie Walker also had a big game last week, making six catches for 74 yards. Walker will be one to watch in this one as the Patriots do have a weak pass defense. This is a large spread and confident the Titans can do enough on both sides of the ball to keep this one close. The Titans defense showed great character by shutting the Chiefs out in the second half last week. Tennessee features a stifling rush defense that is only allowing 188 rushing yards per game. After 17 games of the regular season the numbers speak loud and clear. This is a pass oriented league and the Patriots pass defense is allowing an average of 251 passing yards per game, ranking them 30th in the NFL. Bottom line is that a stout defense, a strong rush, a mobile quarterback and a porous opponents defense is the recipe for the upset. |
|||||||
01-13-18 | New Mexico v. Fresno State -8 | Top | 80-89 | Win | 100 | 13 h 57 m | Show |
Fresno - The Fresno St Bulldogs looked earlier in the season like they might be an NCAA tournament team as they won seven straight games and were crushing teams. Then the glamor wore off but now it's crush time tonight at home against New Mexico. The Bulldogs were tested in their last game in which they lost to a very good Boise team. It's their bounce back game and look for Deshon Taylor to take over this contest. The Lobos have many challenges ahead. New Mexico is 5-15-ATS in their last 21 games following an ATS win as they have difficulty playing solid in consecutive games. They aren't very good traveling either as evidenced by their 2-8 ATS in their last 10 road games. Fresno may lose to better teams but rarely do they have any trouble blowing out lesser teams at home.
|
|||||||
01-13-18 | Falcons v. Eagles +3 | Top | 10-15 | Win | 100 | 10 h 21 m | Show |
-Philadelphia + It seems that this may be an all time first finding the #6 seed is favored on the road against the top seed. Philadelphia became the first No. 1 seed to open as an underdog in the playoffs ever. Let's start at the top. Eagles coach Doug Pederson is incredible and don't discount his value on this two week layoff to implement a solid game plan. The only reason that Atlanta is favored (wrong team favored) is perception. The drop off from Carson Wentz to Nick Foles is not worth six points. Foles not only can get the ball downfield, he can do so very well. He's aggressive in his mindset and plays as such. He's looking to throw the ball down the field. Some guys are the dink-and-dunk kind of guys. That's not Nick. Nick Foles is aggressive and will not disappoint Eagle fans. The Falcons began this week with their two stars (QB Ryan and WR Jones) both missing practice. This follows a cross country trip from Los Angeles and a shorten week having to play Saturday. Ryan is 1-3 all-time against the Eagles in Philadelphia. This is the Falcons fourth trip in five weeks and a southern dome team moving north to play outdoors in the cold. Watch the Eagles go for the running game. They feature a dangerous duo of Jay Ajayi and LeGarrette Blount who combined for 1639 rushing yards. The Eagles own the number three ranked running game in the NFL. If Foles can hand the ball off, his amount of play is marginal at best. The Eagles are scoring an average of 28.6 points, good for third in the NFL. The Eagles defense had a spectacular season, and they feature the number one rush defense in the NFL. Philadelphia is allowing an average of 18 points, ranking them fourth in the NFL. |
|||||||
01-13-18 | Kentucky -3 v. Vanderbilt | 74-67 | Win | 100 | 10 h 3 m | Show | |
Kentucky- Vanderbilt is a difficult venue to play in because of the court configuration. But Vanderbilt does not have the talent to take advantage of it this year.Vanderbilt dropped their second straight with a 92-84 home loss to #24 Tennessee Tuesday night. The Kentucky Wildcats have one of the most explosive offenses in the nation. They make almost half their shots as they shoot 48.6 percent from the floor as a team on the year. They also shoot 37% from three point land. Their opponent, the Commodores, are 6-10 overall and 1-3 in the SEC coming into this contest. The Commodores are 240th in the nation in scoring offense. Vandy is 0-8 ATS in their last eight games at home. This is not their year to upset many teams, let alone Kentucky.
|
|||||||
01-11-18 | San Diego +1.5 v. Pacific | 70-74 | Loss | -105 | 8 h 29 m | Show | |
San Diego San Diego may be a west coast team that few know anything about. The are 12-4 on the year and looking to continue to dominate. You can judge many teams by their road record. Few have a winning record away from home and the Toreros check in at 5-2. The Toreros are elite so far on the defensive end, ranking 20th in scoring defense by allowing 62.9 points per game. This will give tonight opponent problems with their lack of offense and depth. Pacific has their problems on both sides of the ball. The Tigers are 227th in scoring offense as they average 72.5 points a game. Pacific comes in ranked 229th in rebounding and tied for 255th in assists. The Tigers struggle defensively as they are 265th allowing 75.9 points per night. They have been consistently bad in all areas. The Tigers don’t have a ton of scoring depth and they struggle to come up with critical buckets in crunch time. This should be a easy ho hum win and back home with another road victory.
|