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Liberty has one of the best win streaks in college basketball at nine games. They are clearly a step above the competition in Conference USA but have had several close wins that sets up a tricky road spot today against Western Kentucky. The Hilltoppers are desperate for a win 4-3 in conference, and this marks their third straight home game. Grab Western Kentucky as the home underdog.

A point spread that is on the move over the last hour lies in the Patriot League with American against Colgate. American won the conference last season, and their last two games showed their ATS strength. They handled Navy as a home underdog and covered as a sizable road favorite against Army. Tonight though, they take on a Colgate team that defeated them by two points just two weeks ago. Expect another close game with Colgate ending the new found momentum of the Eagles.

When it comes to mid-major schools and the worst week rankings, Southeast Missouri State would be in the top five. They have lost three straight games, including a no contest blowout home loss to Lindenwood in a nationally televised spot as 7.5 point favorites. As poor as they have performed tonight is an opportunity to get one game above .500 as they host the top team in the Ohio Valley in UT Martin. Take the Redhawks on the money line to avoid the short number.

Clemson’s had another fantastic start to their season, and even in two of their three non-conference losses they covered as underdogs against Alabama and BYU. It’s not a surprise that they are 6-0 in ACC play, but today is a tough opponent in NC State that has won both of their ACC conference games on the road. This is played within the small number here. Take the points with the Wolf Pack.

In the month of December the Brooklyn Nets showed promise with a 7-4 overall record. January has not been kind, close competitive losses turned into a blowout loss yesterday against the Chicago Bulls. This Nets team has not shown to be trustworthy in back to back spots. On the year they have losses by 13, 16, 17, and 28 points. Lay the number with the Suns.

UT Rio Valley Grande is coming off their biggest win of the season. On Saturday, they took down McNeese as a double digit home underdog. That type of win usually is a catalyst for a let down spot, and this is a quick turn around forty eight hours later. Southeast Louisiana has been in games even though their record does not indicate that as they are 1-7 over their last eight games. Grab the Lions plus the points.

The Green Bay Phoenix have truly been one of the best not talked about turn arounds in college basketball. They are 6-2 in league play, and have won seven out of their last eight games. Even with their impressive play oddsmakers continue to make them home underdogs, and this is the spot I believe they have it right. Oakland after a 1-5 start is now above .500 and has a chance to move into second place in the Horizon standings with a win today. Tail Oakland.

Milwaukee began Horizon League play with a 2-0 record, but dropped their final non-conference matchup against Wisconsin by twenty points. That loss carried over to league play where they are 1-4 since. Look for the Panthers to find confidence today against a Purdue Fort Wayne team they had their best conference win against defeating them by twenty two points. Grab the underdog here.

Florida A&M is a team that is winless on the road this season with an 0-8 record. Today is an opportune spot to end that streak as they are coming off a solid home win on Monday over Grambling . Arkansas Pine Bluff also just had their season high five game winning streak snapped against Prairie View. Grab the key number here of three points on the underdog.

We see teams sparked all the time by a key trade. That appears to be the case for the Atlanta Hawks, who endured a 2-9 stretch recently. Once Trae Young was officially traded the team came to life and has won three out of their last four games. Tonight is a chance to finish off their West Coast road trip on a positive note, against a Portland team that will be without Deni Avdija. Lay the number with the Hawks.

Northern Colorado is coming off a tough loss they let get away late against Weber State. Their slide to begin Big Sky play has them with a 1-3 record overall. That makes tonight’s matchup extremely important to get back in the Big Sky race against a Portland State team that is 3-0 on the year. Grab the points here with Northern Colorado.

Lafayette travels for their second straight road game in-conference. It’s the first time this season that has occurred, with the Leopards coming off a twenty six point loss to Navy. Look for a bit of line value here on the underdog off that loss, and the fact that Bucknell has won two straight games at home. Take the underdog here in Lafayette.

The Syracuse Orange have rose their ATS value thanks to winning five out of their last six games. They will take on a Florida State team that is 0-3 in conference play and two games below .500. They are coming off giving up 113 points against NC State. Buy the dip here as the Seminoles show better urgency on the defensive end of the floor.

Normally, a team that has won consecutive games against ranked opponents you would circle for a flat spot. Florida is different as they know what it takes being the defending champion, and understanding the rigors of SEC play. After losing four games in non-conference play by a combined fifteen points, this Gators team has figured it out. Tail the Gators on the road against the Sooners.

Southeast Louisiana’s only win out of their last seven games, came in tonight’s scenario. It was last Monday against Lamar with an eight point victory. For New Orleans extra motivation I expect to be a detriment tonight as former Southeast Louisiana player Jakevion Buckley takes the floor for the Privateers. Grab Southeast Louisiana.

Rutgers put on a clinic from an offensive stand point in an overtime win against Oregon earlier in the week. That effort caused a ripple effect as they were blown out by twenty six points in their latest matchup against Illinois. Getting that first conference win is more than feasible today for Northwestern after an 0-4 start. Grab the Wildcats here as the road favorite.

Covering in consecutive games as a home underdog can be a lure to gravitate towards as a road underdog. North Texas won outright over Tulsa last Sunday, and fought back to lose but cover in their mid week matchup against South Florida. Today though look for Wichita State to be to much for North Texas defensively. Grab the Shockers here.

The Charlotte 49ers continue their road trip in Texas as they take on Rice today. Expect their to be issues early on as Charlotte has difficulty adjusting to Rice, versus the easy opportunities they had against UTSA. Rice, is also coming off a hard fought win against Wichita State which ended a three game losing streak. They carry that confidence over into today.

Presbyterian has lost eight straight games on the road this season. This includes Wednesday’s nineteen point loss against Radford. Another road loss could occur today against Longwood, but I expect this to be played within the number. Longwood is a team that thrives on getting to the free throw line, but does not shoot the ball well including ninth worst in the country from three point range at 28 percent. Tail Presbyterian.

The Milwaukee Panthers finally host a home game tonight after a three game road trip where they lost each game. That puts them below .500 as a team with a 7-9 record. Yet, they showed fight in their last outing against Green Bay where they erased a twenty point deficit to take the lead in the second half. They have also won the last four matchups over Northern Kentucky, including both last season by double digits. Lay the short number here or even tail on the money line.

Tarleton State is coming off playing two tough games against Utah Valley and California Baptist. The game against the Lancers was back and forth, in what ended up being a five point overtime win for Tarleton State. Expect Abiline Christian to use that to their advantage to build an early first half lead, and hold on within the number in the second. Take the points here.

The Saint Louis Billikens come into tonight’s matchup with just one loss on the season. In fact, they have scored over 100 points in three out of their last four games. This should be an issue for a VCU team that comes in on a five game winning streak, but is a very poor defensive team. The Billikens get the one big run to spark a cover.

The Sacramento Kings only win over their last seven games was against tonight’s opponent in the Dallas Mavericks. Dallas had issues handling Maxime Raynaud who scored nineteen points, and also handling the Kings bench play. Expect a different outcome tonight as Anthony Davis did not play in that matchup, and Sacramento has shown zero signs of life with five straight losses by double digits.

The Denver Nuggets have shown as they have all season, the next man up mentality when an injury occurs. Without Nikola Jokic they defeated the Toronto Raptors, and lost by just five points against the Cleveland Cavaliers. In today’s spot though look for the early start time, and the continuation of their road trip to have an impact. Back the Nets here as the home underdog.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers with their playoff lives on the line could not get a win. They have lost three straight games by a field goal or less. Even with today’s game against the Panthers out of their hands, I believe they will step up after losing seven out of eight. Carolina’s Bryce Young is coming off just a 54 yards passing against Seattle, and on the road has led the offense to an average of just 16 points. Take Tampa Bay.

A team that’s ATS value has plummeted from the oddsmakers are the LA Lakers. Despite a strong record, there is a dysfunction that has arose since Lebron James returned to the lineup. Memphis has always been a team that has had solid battles against the Lakers with Ja Morant in the lineup. Take the Grizzlies here.

The first conference road trip that features consecutive games can always be tough. For the MAAC that is devalued a bit as all the schools are in close proximity. Marist is coming of a Monday loss against Quinnipiac, but I expect a regroup spot today against St. Peter’s. Both games last season were played to the exact same score of 57-52. Take Marist to end St. Peter’s 3-0 conference start.

Out in Conference USA a fair sized spread lies with Liberty. The Flames have recovered from a losing three out of four games in late November/early December, and did play this past Sunday against Florida International. The overtime win I believe gives them a sense of urgency early on against a Kennesaw State team that has not played since December 21st against Alabama. Lay the number here.

The Dallas Mavericks return from a three game road trip where they went 0 and 3. At home they have fared much better recently where they have won five games in a row. That includes big wins over the Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, and Houston Rockets. Without Anthony Davis though we are seeing the Mavericks team struggle. Take the value on the 76ers coming off a thrilling overtime win over Memphis.

Abilene Christian had two proper tune up games before WAC conference play against Arizona, and actually held in the first half against BYU when they were only down seven points at half. Tonight they will face a Utah Tech team they beat by fourteen and eight points last season. Since they joined the WAC in 2021 they are 7-0 against Utah Tech. That has the line slightly to high here, back the underdog in Utah Tech.

Bottom level teams in the NBA usually have a couple of mini streaks on the season. For the Washington Wizards they are .500 over their last eight games, and have actually won two out of their last three. Expect the downturn tonight as they travel on the road and face a Bucks team that is 2-0 with Giannis back in the lineup. Lay the number with Milwaukee.

UTEP did not have the typical pre-holiday basketball schedule. They actually hosted their own tournament in which they split going 1-1. They ended a five game losing streak, by outscoring North Dakota State by fourteen points in the second half. The win was their first on the season against a division one school. Look for newfound confidence today facing a Louisiana Tech team that the market is devaluing despite a 7-0 home record.

Sunday night should give us a quality game, as San Francisco looks to continue their win streak as they are 5 and 0 since Brock Purdy returned. Chicago may be dealing with an illness hitting the team, but they are 8-2 ATS over their last ten games. They also have a two day rest advantage from playing last Saturday versus the 49ers playing on Monday. Look for the Bears magical regular season to continue with a cover Sunday night.

The LA Clippers are coming off consecutive wins over the LA Lakers and Houston Rockets in dominating fashion. Even with just eight wins on the season they find themselves as road favorites tonight over the Portland Trailblazers. Portland is starting to look like the young team of last season, and trailed virtually the entire game their last time out against Orlando. Lay the points here with the Clippers.

One of the more controversial games and endings on the NBA season came between the LA Lakers and Phoenix Suns on December 14th. A game the Lakers ended up winning by two points. Look for the Suns to be motivated off that loss, and also the fact they will enjoy the full holiday at home. The Lakers on the other hand will be playing on Christmas Day, and have two key players ruled out in anticipation for that game in Luka Doncic and Rui Hachimura. Tail the Suns.

There are some young teams in the NBA that have endured losing early in the NBA season, but are showing signs of promise. The Pelicans are one of those teams as they were once 3-22 and now have won four straight games. Having Zion Williamson back in the fold just makes the development of the young players more noticeable. Tail the Pelicans to grab their fifth straight win. 

The Cavaliers are no where near preseason expectations just one game below .500. They have lost three straight games including losing to tonight’s opponent in the Charlotte Hornets. It was Donovan Mitchell’s worst shooting performance of the season in which he shot 6 of 24. Great bounce back spot for the Cavaliers here.

The New Orleans Saints have suddenly become one of the more appealing teams ATS this week. They have covered in four out of their last five games, and won consecutive games for the first time this season. Shifting from an underdog to a favorite is certainly worthy against a Jets team that has lost four of five games by double digits.  Yet, this number has jumped to much from the original market number. Take the Jets.

Typically when a team has their star player ruled out, and are in a back to back spot we see a wild line move. That is not the case with the Celtics who will be without Jaylen Brown tonight. Just thirteen days ago they went into Toronto and won by thirteen. After winning eight straight games at home, the Raptors have now lost four straight games at home. Take the Celtics here

A team that has been inconsistent is James Madison. Their struggles have been compounded on the road where they are 1-5 overall. Yet, before a big game you can get a team to focus on what lies ahead. After today’s matchup against Georgia Southern they will have a nine day layoff before facing Arkansas. Take the Dukes to cover and threaten Georgia Southern’s six game winning streak.

Trae Young returned for the Atlanta Hawks yesterday, and the team got off to a flat start defensively against the Charlotte Hornets. They did get back in the game but still lost by seven points. With Young resting, I believe that gives value for the Hawks against a Spurs team they had a smaller spread for in San Antonio. As we saw with the Knicks yesterday, this could be a flat spot for San Antonio off the NBA Cup in Las Vegas. Take Atlanta here plus the points.

The HBCU Classic continues Friday with a pair of matchups. The second game will feature two teams that have just one win each against division one opponents in Norfolk State and Jackson State. The Tigers had great individual play from Daeshun Ruffin in yesterday’s loss to Hampton with 36 points. Expect a down shooting night for Ruffin in consecutive games, and for Norfolk State to get their second win over a division one school. Lay the number.

One of the yearly small school matchups I tend to gravitate towards is Tennessee Martin against Tennessee State. The Tigers won both matchups last season, including a one point win in overtime. Remarkably tonight will mark their first home game against a division one opponent all season. Look for UT Martin to get off to the faster start, and seek revenge for last year’s sweep.

If there is any team that needed the mini layoff from the NBA Cup championship it was the Miami Heat. They have lost five straight games, and scored a season low 96 points in Monday’s loss to the Raptors. Even without Tyler Herro, look for the Heat to overwhelm a Nets team that is playing over their capabilities with wins in four out of their last six games. Lay the number with Miami.

One of the strangest matchups today is a Big West versus Horizon League clash. Cal Santa Barbara off a bad double digit loss against Utah Valley, will travel to face the Green Bay Phoenix. The Phoenix are playing their best basketball of the season with a 4-2 record over their last six games, and should be 5-1 but squandered a big lead against Robert Morris. Still, Santa Barbara is a couple notches better overall. After a competitive first ten to fifteen minutes, look for the Gauchos to have a pre-half flurry that they carry into the second half.

One of the toughest things to do is play early conference games in December, and then have a layoff. That is a factor tonight for Cal Poly that played two Big West conference games, and go into tonight on a ten day layoff. Montana State has just two wins against division one schools, and just played three days ago against Oregon State. Despite a poor road record of 1-6, look for their road heavy schedule to pay dividends tonight. Lay the small number or moneyline Montana State.

If it was the NBA Cup championship or just a standard regular season game, to me tonight is the perfect time to fade the Spurs. They blew out a Lakers team as a seven point underdog, and ended the Thunder’s sixteen game win streak. Postgame after defeating the Magic, we heard Karl Anthony Towns talk about the Knicks having had their best practices of the season. It’s carried over onto the court where the Knicks have won eight out of their last nine games. The East wins the NBA cup for a second straight season.

UT Rio Valley Grande is a team that lost the majority of their starting five from last season. It shows on the floor as they are one of the lowest scoring teams in division one, ranking 296th. They scored just fifty points in their last game against UT Arlington, and have lost four out of their last five games. Expect a close game as Lamar’s only Southland conference game they scored forty nine points against Texas A&M Corpus Christi. Take the points here with UT Rio.

The Denver Broncos have a ten game winning streak, and even better a twelve game home winning streak dating back to last season. Still, weekly it appears they are surviving to get victories and will face a Packers team that’s offense is starting to hit its stride. Under Matt LaFleur since 2019, the Packers are 21-4 in the month of December. Take the Packers.

Kansas City certainly is not a playoff worthy team with their performance this season. With their playoff hopes pretty much dashed, I think we see a pride element on Sunday against a divisional opponent in the LA Chargers. LA is coming off an overtime win against Philadelphia, and the offense is hindered with Justin Herbert playing hurt. Take the Chiefs here.

The NBA Cup semi-finals are here in Las Vegas. Both games have big favorites for a neutral site NBA game. New York has won eight out of their last nine games, with one of those a six point win over the Orlando Magic. In their latest win Jalen Brunson corrected his issues beyond the three point line by going six of nine against the Raptors. Lay the number here with the Knicks.

Being undefeated at this stage of the season in college basketball, and barely slipping into the top twenty five is a red flag in my opinion. That is the case for the Nebraska Cornhuskers who have a 9 and 0 record, and are coming off a blowout win over Creighton. Conference play can open the door on team issues. We saw this a year ago when Nebraska started 6-1, and were blown out by the Spartans in their first Big Ten game. The Badgers also limited them to 55 points in last year’s matchup. Grab the points with Wisconsin.

There was not a team that least impressed me last week then watching San Diego get absolutely torched in the first half against San Jose State. Yet, Steve Lavin did not stop coaching and his Torreros fought back to make a game of it in the second half. Look for that energy as San Diego gets an opportunity in a rare nationally televised spot, against a USC team that lost it’s last time out against Washington. 

Monday is a very light slate in college hoops, where I’ll venture into the Southland conference for a small play on New Orleans. The Privateers were embroiled in a gambling scandal last season, and come into tonight with six straight losses. They’ll face an Incarnate Word team that is playing 48 hours later after losing to winless Nicholls. Also, their winning record is masked by three wins against non division one schools. Take the home team plus the points with New Orleans.

Earlier in the week I gave the Atlanta Falcons an outside chance to pull off an upset Sunday if Drake London was available. With him out I have opposite views. Yes, Sam Darnold has had issues protecting the football in two out of his last three games. But Atlanta is coming off a bad stinging loss to the New York Jets. It’s the type of loss that takes away the fight on a losing season. Although each of their last four losses have been by six points or less, take Seattle to deliver in a big way.

The Miami Dolphins have won three straight games and one can’t argue their ATS success in the division this season. They covered in both matchups against Buffalo, including an outright win. They got their first win of the season against the Jets on Monday Night Football, and had a break away De’Vone Achane touchdown against the Patriots brought back with a foot out of bounds. Even with that, the Jets have been a bit under valued at home recently. They’ve won each of their last two home games, and the prior two home games their opponent scored just thirteen points. Grab the points here with the Jets.

Ohio State’s dominance this year is in question due to their Big Ten schedule overall. We saw the defense have their issues early on last week against Michigan, where the Wolverines red zone non execution resulted in two field goals. Indiana has been waiting for this moment and I expect a tight finish, where the victory is decided by three points or less. Grab Indiana.

A spread that is devalued lies in the Big Sky and Summit Challenge later today. Nebraska Omaha is winless on the road this season, leaving margin for error open in the final ten minutes. Additionally, Portland State has just one win one win this season against a division one opponent by double digits. Take the Vikings whose guard play shines enough to topple this spread.

The most common take is how hard it is to beat a team twice. Alabama will try and do so tonight against a Georgia team they defeated by three points in late September. It was a game the defense did bend but did not fold to get the close victory. Long term Alabama’s success over Georgia I believe comes into play as well, even with this not a typical neutral site title game. Take the small underdog here with Alabama.

The Orlando Magic received big news today with the return of their star player Paulo Bachelor. They will face a Miami Heat they defeated by four points to begin the season. It was a matchup the Magic erased an eight point deficit in the fourth quarter to come back in win. Look for the Magic to take advantage tonight against a Heat team traveling in from Dallas, and are below .500 on the season on the road.

The Orlando Magic received big news today with the return of their star player Paulo Bachelor. They will face a Miami Heat they defeated by four points to begin the season. It was a matchup the Magic erased an eight point deficit in the fourth quarter to come back in win. Look for the Magic to take advantage tonight against a Heat team traveling in from Dallas, and are below .500 on the season on the road.

The Detroit Pistons will face the Milwaukee Bucks twice the rest of this week, beginning with a road game tonight. Recently, the Pistons have been involved in closer games. A couple of losses, and three wins by five points or less. Expect that to change against a Bucks team that has dropped eight out of their last nine. This includes a thirteen point loss to Detroit. Lay the number here.

Northern Arizona has held up to begin the season better than anticipated. They have won three straight games, and have not left the state of Arizona over their last five games.  Yet, this NAU team is bound for their first home let down of the year. They lost several key graduates and double double threat Carson Towt to Notre Dame. Take South Dakota State to snap their two game losing streak, and winless road record.

When it comes to Florida Gulf Coast, expect close games. Each of their last two games has went into overtime. Their opponent tonight in Florida International was a one point game last season, 60-59. Look for the Panthers to be motivated as they try and end losing the last three meetings against Florida Gulf Coast. Back the home team here on the moneyline.

There are certain teams that are on the way up, but too young at the moment. Washington State showed they have the skill players to be competitive if they can retain them when the season’s over. Yet, going on the road is where relying on young players can get tricky. Traveling to face Bradley in a true road game I believe ends up leading to a flat spot for the Cougars. Lay the seven.

Jackson State after beginning the year 0-6, got their first win of the season against UL Lafayette. Road travel has been the norm for Coach Mo Williams and his Tigers team, as tonight will mark their seventh road game overall. That’s factored into the number against a Kennesaw State team that comes in on six days rest. Look for a ten to twelve point win, but for Jackson State to cover the line.

The LA Clippers continue to be the struggling team that the market values off of prior seasons. That can be tough to find a spot to back, as they are just 2-8 on the road and have dropped seven out of their last eight games. Still, tonight will mark Kawhi Leonard’s fifth game back in the lineup. He has scored 30 or more in consecutive games, and the first matchup against Miami was just a one point loss on November 3rd. Back the Clippers.

There is not a more rock bottom moment in the NFL season than the Las Vegas Raiders. Losing in the fashion that they have all season long, but the last two weeks have been brutal. A prime time blowout home loss to the Dallas Cowboys, and then as a favorite blown out by the Browns who were starting Sheduer Sanders for the first time on the season. After the firing of Chip Kelly look for enough wrinkles from the offense to stay in the game against a Chargers team that did not show much before their bye week against the Jaguars. Grab the points with the Raiders.

Two teams that are playing beneath their capabilities will meet as Pittsburgh hosts Buffalo. The Bills have had issues on both sides of the football, which culminated in an embarrassing loss on Thursday Night Football against the Texans. Look for the Bills and Josh Allen to do a better job getting rid of the football early, and also utilize the short passing game that is giving the Steelers defense problems. Lay the short number with Buffalo. 

A team that can be tough for oddsmakers to assess are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Each of Baker Mayfield’s first two seasons they have hit a wall where they have lost five out of of six games. This year they are falling down that path with three straight losses but the draw for oddsmakers is tough this week. Arizona has had their own injury problems, but they have enough offensively to keep a reeling Buccaneers defense down. Grab the points here with Arizona.

The Milwaukee Bucks have lost six games in a row and now will head to Madison Square Garden to face the Knicks. New York at home this season is 8 and 1 overall. Yet, we just saw the Bucks undermanned face a Heat team that is 9 and 1 at home and not give up despite being down double digits late. There is also a chance that Giannis suits up, which would drop this spread 1.5-2 points. Grab the number now.

Two teams that are fairly even will meet today in Destin, Florida. For the Blue Demons they have responded nicely since losing consecutive games against Northwestern and Buffalo. Where their offense has picked up with back to back games of 93 points or more. That has caused the line to shift on Tech’s side to DePaul. Georgia Tech has had weak competition but is also the less traveled team. DePaul has the early offensive success, and the Yellow Jackets make the adjustments to overtake the game. 

Early season conference tournaments you have to evaluate how teams respond off a loss. San Diego State lost at home to Troy, and were blown out Monday by Michigan by forty points. They bounced back yesterday to defeat Oregon by 17 points, and now have the depth advantage over a Baylor team that plays just seven guys. For a tournament game that is their third in three nights take the Aztec. 

The New Orleans Pelicans are coming off just their third victory of the season over the Chicago Bulls. Their opponent in Memphis already has a victory over the Pelicans this year, and have started to get more comfortable minus Ja Morant. In the victory over the Pelicans seven players from Memphis scored in double figures. They also attempted 43 free throws, with Kentavious Caldwell Pope leading the way at 9 for 9. Take Memphis.

Early in the season there are certain coaches that are adjusting to a bevy of portal transfers. That is the case with Bryce Drew, as Tyon Grant Foster is flourishing at Gonzaga and Duke Brennan is leading the country in rebounding at Villanova. A handful of games in expect the Lopes to show growth tonight against Utah. The Utes are coming off a poor loss to Cal Poly, and will have consecutive losses for the first time this season.

The Houston Rockets will be without Kevin Durant tonight, but will face a Phoenix Suns team in a back to back spot. Houston on the season has not lost consecutive games since their first two games to begin the season. Look for the team to be fired up as it’s the first matchup seeing Dillon Brooks since being traded in the off-season. Lay the high number with the Rockets.

Two teams that are searching for stability early in the season will meet in James Madison and Florida International. James Madison is 0-3 on the season in road games, losing by nine points or more in all, including a bad loss to Long Island. The Panthers have had a subpar schedule where two of their four opponents were non division one schools. Take James Madison who has the x-factor in long range shooting. 

The Atlanta Falcons once were 3-2, have now dropped five straight games. Each of their last three were extremely close calls losing to the Patriots by a point, and consecutive overtime losses. For Kirk Cousins the mentality changes, from a backup spot start to knowing he is going to finish out the season for the Falcons. Both matchups last season against the Saints were decided by a field goal or less. One of Cousins last 300 yard games was at New Orleans last November. Take Atlanta in what should come down to the final drive.

Teams that continue to win the way the Chicago Bears have lose traction by oddsmakers, and make them a trendy play to fade. I’ve been in that boat, but now see things differently. The Bears under Ben Johnson have a formula to stay in games, and now a knack of closing. Pittsburgh is unsettled at the quarterback position with Aaron Rodgers injury, and have run very mediocre offense as of late that is centered around tight end Darnell Washington. Take the Bears to continue to thrive at least for another week. 

The San Antonio Spurs got away with one in their last matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies, in which they ended the game on an 11 to 0 run. Tonight, they will face an Atlanta Hawks team that has been far superior on the road then at home. On the road they have a 7-2 record, and are just coming off sweeping a four game west coast road trip. Take the Hawks here.

Small schools that make noise early in the season ones that I’ll look to find fade worthy spots against. Tarleton State has done that with their a former big time recruit in Dior Johnson shining off the bench. He has had a couple of outbursts including scoring over thirty points against Baylor. Rice may only have one win against a division one school, but they have faced Oregon and just on Monday Tennessee. Look for a sound game from the Owls and a cover against Tarleton State.

Pittsburgh will travel for a neutral site game against Central Florida, in  Daytona Beach, Florida. The Knights had an impressive win over Texas A&M where they won outright as 10.5 point underdogs. Still, they are very thin off the bench, and I expect Pittsburgh’s defense and deeper roster to wear them down. Take Pittsburgh.

SC Upstate was impressive on their West Coast road trip to start the season. They showed athleticism against California Baptist, and knocked off Fresno State as near double digit underdogs. Today, can be a slip up spot as it is their first true home game against a division one opponent in Tennessee Tech. Expect Tennessee Tech to come out with a sense of urgency early on after losing a close game against West Georgia. They’ll do enough in the second half to hold off a rally from SC Upstate.

The Memphis Grizzlies have dropped four straight games, and eight out of their last nine. As bleak as their season looks they got worse news as Ja Morant will be out a minimum two weeks with a calf strain. A team that also has issues are the Spurs who are down both Wemby and Dylan Harper. They’ve also had issues with defensive lapses in three out of their last four games. Take the value on the Grizzlies.

Just a slight value play on Southern Illinois as they head on the road for North Dakota State. North Dakota State has just one win over a division one school and that was against a Cal State Northridge team that had no legs playing two games in three nights in North Dakota. A game they actually trailed at halftime by three points. Expect SIU to hand North Dakota State their first home loss of the season.

Winning without key players you typically don’t have a common opponent example of. For the Knicks we do as they defeated Miami by eight points on Friday, without Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby who left early in the game. They scored a season high 140 points, and it was the fourth time in five games scoring more then 133 points overall. Take the Knicks to get their second win over the Heat in the last four days.

The LA Clippers are just 1-7 over their last eight games. They’ve been without Kawhi Leonard, lost Bradley Beal for the season, and suffered another key injury in yesterday’s defeat with Derrick Jones Jr going down. Yet, the team fought back from a twenty four point third quarter deficit to lose by just three points to Boston. The effort is there, and I expect that to overtake a Philadelphia team that tends to lose its focus for four quarters. Grab the points with the Clippers. 

LeMoyne like most programs that enter division one has struggled. This is just their third season overall, and they are just 6 and 26 against division one schools over the last two seasons. So seeing them a favorite is a value spot for me, especially facing a Niagara team that blew them out a season ago 88-69. Take LeMoyne on the moneyline.

The Philadelphia Eagles we’ve seen the extreme red flags with the offense before just two seasons ago. Last week’s defensive win does not mask the ten points the offense put up, which is the fewest under Jalen Hurts in a game he started and finished. Now we are seeing the lowest home spread offering for the Eagles over the last couple of seasons. Take Detroit as the offense continues to find rhythm with Dan Campbell as play caller.

The Chicago Bears have won six out of their last seven games, but needed miraculous come backs the last two weeks to get the job done. Examining their schedule the weak link has been in the division where they are 0-2 on the year. Stretching it back to last season Caleb Williams is 1 and 7 against NFC North opponents. The one win was with the Packers backups in week eighteen. Even though JJ McCarthy is unpolished take the Vikings on the small number.

A light NBA Saturday, but the final game should be a solid one between Denver and Minnesota. Denver has won six straight games and eight of nine, and does have the rest advantage over Minnesota. The Timberwolves played yesterday and had to work to get the victory over Sacramento. Expect a cleaner game tonight and for the Timberwolves to get revenge for losing by thirteen points to Denver on October 27th.

On the season Georgia Southern has been excellent at home, where they are 3-1 overall. The one loss was against Southern Miss that is 5-0 in conference, and that was by just three points. Still, I don’t believe the market has caught up on a Coastal Carolina team that has ascended with fourth string quarterback Semari Collier as starter. They are 4-0 ATS and SU in his starts. A loss may happen but they hold within the spread.

Two of the toughest teams to watch in the NBA right now are the Dallas Mavericks and LA Clippers. The Clippers are winless on the road this season and have lost six straight games. Even with that their dysfunction does not compare to the Dallas Mavericks. Dallas has had a home friendly schedule going into their 9th of 13 games at home, and still that has not mattered. Look for the Clippers bench development without Kawhi Leonard and Bradley Beal to show tonight. Take the Clippers.

Early in the season in college basketball oddsmakers will bait teams aiming for their first win at home. That’s the case I believe with Brown as they face Hampton tonight. Brown is 0-3 on the year, and will face a Hampton team that is going into their third road game of the season. They also had the big challenge in their last game facing a power four school in Virginia. Take the short underdog here with Hampton.

The Clemson Tigers are trying to salvage a poor season by at least becoming bowl eligible. They are just 3-4 in ACC play, but are coming off allowing just ten points to Florida State. Still, I believe this spread is discrediting the Louisville Cardinal, who are coming off an overtime loss against California. That may lead to a sluggish start early on, but look for Louisville to override those issues. They have been excellent in Friday football where they are 6-1 SU since 2021, including defeating Miami this season.

It’s not often a team that won just twelve games a season ago is a sizable favorite with a 1-2 record. Fairfield’s only win on the season was against a non division one school, but they did test Penn State in an eight point loss. After an off night shooting Monday against Seton Hall, look for the Stags to get back in their range of scoring in the mid 70’s. That will be enough to get the cover against Stonehill.

All teams early in the season have issues playing in the altitude. That is expected to heighten for the Atlanta Hawks who are in a back to back spot tonight after defeating the Sacramento Kings. Utah is also undefeated at home with a 5-0 ATS mark. Yet, look for the Hawks depth to be on showcase and Nickeil Alexander Walker’s experience in the Western Conference to pay off. Take Atlanta as the slim favorite.

The Phoenix Suns have been one of the bigger surprises to start the NBA season. Even with key injuries to Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks for a stretch they have played team basketball. Devin Booker is taking over but also involving his teammates which was not a possibility with Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant. A day after Nico Harrison was fired expect the lowly Mavericks to falter as the organization continues it’s rough start to the season.

There are games early in the season you expect to be a true hard fought matchup. I expect that tonight between Santa Clara and Xavier. For Xavier they are learning on the fly under new Coach Richard Pitino and several transfers. While Santa Clara has maintained a program identity under Herb Sendek since 2016. That is the difference even with the long travel to Xavier as Santa Clara covers as road underdogs.

Both the Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs began the season undefeated with 5-0 records. Each has now sustained losses, but the Spurs now have their missing piece in their lineup with De’Aaron Fox. The Bulls on the other hand have had severe scoring lapses in each of their last four games. Take the Spurs to cover and end the Bulls 5-0 home start.