Warning: Use of undefined constant PAGE_HEADER - assumed 'PAGE_HEADER' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/profe126/jesseschule.com/respsportscapping.php on line 15
PAGE_HEADER

Wednesday, out in Southern Conference action Samford will host Mercer. Mercer comes in having won four of five games, and did defeat Samford 83-80 on January 5th. In that loss, Samford had key contributions with 23 points from sophomore Ques Glover, and a season-high 20 points from junior Logan Dye. Grab Samford to have the offense to match Mercer as they end a four-game losing streak.

For years East Tennessee State and UNC Greensboro were automatics to be atop the Southern Conference standings. This season has not went the way either team would like, and today is a crucial matchup to gain momentum. Offensive woes for UNC Greensboro have plagued a team that has been stout defensively. Grab East Tennessee State as they seize the opportunity with an upcoming easy portion of conference play. Take East Tennessee State. 

Tuesday, there are six key matchups in the MAC conference. One of the matchups is Miami Ohio at Ball State, as both teams are searching for direction in-conference. On paper Miami-Ohio has the overall better talent. The problem with the Redhawks is their talent advantage has not correlated on the court. Take Ball State as the home underdog, as Miami-Ohio continues to play beneath their talent level.

One typically will not see a team that just scored thirty-seven points be a double digit favorite. Yet, San Diego State has reigned in the Mountain West and is capable of side stepping a poor performance. They are also getting their team chemistry back after missing a portion due to Covid-19. I fully expect the Aztecs to bounce back in a big way on their home floor, and sweep UNLV.

Several teams in college basketball have crammed in makeup games this week. This includes SIU Edwardsville, who is playing their fourth game in seven days tonight against UT Martin. Last season they swept UT Martin, and have won the past three matchups. Although this is the Cougars third straight road game, take SIU Edwardsville.  

A team that has been stout at home ATS has been George Mason. Overall they are 6-1 ATS at home, and are coming off a big win against Dayton. Monday, look for George Mason’s big win forty-eight hours ago to cause them to be lackluster for stretches. Take St. Joseph’s to have one key second half run as the underdog cashes.  

There are a handful of prime instances where a bettor can fade a team on a road trip. Today that exists in the CAA, as Northeastern is ready to get their first win since December 7th. They’ll take on a UNC Wilmington team that may be undefeated in-conference, but is playing their fourth road game in seven days. Back the Huskies to be the better team in the final ten minutes. 

Seattle University has been a big surprise out of the WAC conference. They are 14-4 overall, and 5-0 in conference play. The Tarleton Texans have the appealing non-conference close losses to Gonzaga and Michigan. The problem is they are back pedaling and have lost three straight in-conference. Take Seattle to sidestep their third straight road game since Monday and grab another win.

Out in the Southwest Conference point spreads are difficult for oddsmakers. That’s because an arduous non-conference schedule has eleven of the twelve teams well below .500. An outlier has emerged as Prairie View who began the year 0-11, has won two of three. Take the Panthers to continue their newfound winning ways.

The Samford Bulldogs have struggled immensely with a new starting five lineup. Thus far the Southern Conference has picked them apart as they are 1-5, and are coming off a nineteen point loss to VMI. Their struggles should subside today against a UNC Greensboro team that lacks a bonafide consistent scorer. Take Samford to cover within the six points.

Small number market swings have correlated successfully in the Mountain West. After being the small underdog overnight the market has swung in Nevada’s favor over Fresno State. At 8-7, Nevada is at their do or die moment of the season. Expect an all on the line type of performance from Nevada. Take the Wolf Pack.

On the season Robert Morris is a lowly 3-14. From a gambling perspective the Colonials record is a moot point because they have had a knack for playing in close games. In fact, their last four losses have been by six points or fewer. Take the Colonials as they continue to fight hard for forty minutes.  

Out in the MAAC conference there are several teams squeezing in make up games that were postponed. That’s created a bit of market value with teams on shorter rest versus ones that have been off longer. That exists today as Siena has had a full week off versus Manhattan that competed Tuesday. Take Manhattan as they build upon a December 3rd road overtime victory over Siena.

The Montana State Bobcats have consistently covered as a favorite. Overall, they have covered eight of their last eleven games. Their turn around can be traced to upperclassmen, but a pattern exists for the Bobcats against NAU. Over their last four matchups they have never scored more than 63 points. Take the home underdog here. 

Out in Horizon action Northern Kentucky is off to a peculiar start at just 6-9. They are amidst a tough stretch of four straight road games in nine days, and will face an Illinois-Chicago team that has won three straight. Look for the Norse veterans led by Trevon Faulkner to dig in and play competitively in this spot. Back Northern Kentucky.

Two teams that are winless in Conference USA are Marshall and Florida International. Bettors have been lured in with Marshall’s current seven game losing streak. This included their last game where the market rose heavily 2.5-3 points against Rice. Yet, this is the spot the betting market should pounce on. Last season Marshall had their way with Florida International winning by 13 and 17 points. Take the Thundering Herd as their shots finally fall. 

Tony Bennett is one of the best college basketball coaches in regards to preparation. His Virginia Cavaliers certainly are not the same caliber as past elite teams. At 10-7, they have to find different ways to win each game. Tonight look for their experience against Pittsburgh in December 3rd’s tight 57-56 victory to give them the X’s and O’s advantage. Take Virginia.

Creighton has taken a step back in Big East play with consecutive poor losses. As a result their point spread today against St. John’s has come down a point and a half overnight. Although the Red Storm have a veteran team they have been poor on the road with three consecutive losses. Take Creighton as their growing pains subside tonight.

Wednesday, out in the Big South Radford will host Hampton. The in-state matchup should provide extra motivation for the home team in Radford. In a down season the Highlanders are still capable of having potent scoring streaks. Grab Radford as they snap a stretch of going 1-7 over their last eight gam

Southern Utah’s days in the Big Sky will be coming to a close as they move to the WAC conference next season. Tonight they play a makeup game against Portland State, and it will be their first action since New Year’s Day. Look for the sixteen days off to affect Southern Utah just enough for Portland State to keep within the number. Take Portland State. 

Out in the SWAC a small number exists between Bethune-Cookman and Arkansas Pine-Bluff. Neither team has won more than four games, and Bethune Cookman has not had a winning streak all season. Trust here lies with that fact and Bethune Cookman’s second road game in forty eight hours. Capture the value here as Bethune Cookman gains their first two game winning streak.

A team that has dipped well below .500 has been Northeastern out of the CAA. As we’ve stated before with Covid pauses causes uncharacteristic patterns for teams. Prior to two covid pause breaks the Huskies were right above .500. No wins since December 7th has placed spread option value on the Huskies. Take Northeastern as they snap out of their prolonged funk.

Monday features heavy holiday college basketball action. Even the Ivy League has a three game slate including Harvard at Dartmouth. The Crimson are coming off a road win Saturday against Columbia. They are clearly the better team from a record stand point, but look for Dartmouth to take advantage of Harvard’s second road game in 48 hours. Play Dartmouth.

In the West Coast Conference bettors can typically catch value on teams coming off bad losses to the top-tier teams. Loyola Marymount is coming off a 97-73 crushing loss to 15-2 San Francisco. That’s created road favored value today against San Diego who have outperformed their capabilities recently. Take Loyola Marymount.

In mid January it’s typical to see quality teams go on conference slides. Currently Alabama is reeling from consecutive losses by six points or less. They battled hard in their latest loss against Auburn, but could not close in the final minute. Look for trouble on the horizon today against the Bulldogs, as Mississippi State has the ability to get out on teams early. Take Mississippi State.

The Sun Belt conference will have a solid matchup today between UL Lafayette and Texas State. Familiarity will be key here as last season there were four matchups between both teams. Two of the matchups were decided by less than two points, and another went to overtime. While the Ragin Cajuns have two impact transfers from St. John’s and Arizona, it’s Texas State that has the more balanced scoring team. Take Texas State. 

Friday, the Mountain West has the late night game between Fresno State and UNLV. Their last four matchups since 2019 have all been decided by three points or less. With UNLV coming off a blowout 85-56 victory over the Lobos, one may lean UNLV. Yet, look for Fresno State’s defense to be a strong catalyst. Over their last six games they have allowed just fifty five points per game. Take Fresno State.

A conference that has stayed the course through Covid-19 has been the MAC. With two to three games a week there are vulnerable spots to catch quality teams for an off night. Kent State may be 7-8, but three of their last four losses have been by three points or less. Take the Golden Flashes tonight as they finally break through in a close game.

Today an unusual sighting from a point spread perspective exists in the MAAC conference. The Siena Saints who are on a three game win-streak find themselves underdogs to Marist. This is peculiar because Siena has went 29-10 in-conference since 2019. Don’t fall for fool’s gold of the past as this Siena team is susceptible and will not be a conference leader. Take Marist.

One of the more expansive conference realignments this season is in the WAC. Four former Southland conference teams joined this season with one of them being Abilene Christian. The Wildcats may have looked ahead to tonight’s matchup against Grand Canyon, as they lost consecutive home games against familiar rivals in Sam Houston State and Stephen F. Austin. Expect a bounce back spot tonight against a Grand Canyon team that’s 12-2 record does not correlate with their actual play. Take Abilene Christian.

High motivation lies in the Sun Belt conference today as Coastal Carolina travels to face Appalachian State. A year ago these two met in the Sun Belt conference tournament semi-final. In overtime Appalachian State edged Coastal Carolina, 64-61. Expect the Chanticleers to be motivated for revenge and cover against an Appalachian State team that may have peaked during their tournament run. 

Wednesday, Boise State returns after fifteen days since their last game on December 28th. They’ll face a Nevada Wolfpack team that has won six of their last seven. Last season they also defeated Boise State three times. Yet, look for Boise State’s top tier scoring defense to be a catalyst tonight. They rank 11th in the country allowing just 58.2 points per game. Take Boise State.

Smaller conference teams inflation sometimes can be higher than a power five school. A team that has seen their value sky rocket has been Gardner Webb. They’ve won four straight games, which included a seventeen point road victory over SEC Georgia. Yet on the season the Runnin’ Bulldogs have had both of their win streaks halted at four. Take the value here on Presbyterian.

Out in the Big South the Longwood Lancers find themselves as road favorites against the Radford Highlanders. This is despite having just four of their eight wins over division one opponents. A likely reason for this is Longwood will be a highly motivated team against a below average 5-8 Radford squad. Since 2016, Radford has won ten straight games over Longwood, including a 67-66 loss last year that Longwood let slip away. Take Longwood.

Last season Eastern Kentucky was one of the more exciting teams in the Atlantic Sun Conference, boasting a 15-5 record. They lost several key players including guard Wendell Green Jr. who transferred to Auburn. As expected they’ve had a dip in overall play and are 0-2 to begin conference play. Look for North Alabama to be the latest to have their way offensively against the Colonels. Back North Alabama on a steep three point spread rise.

Dayton and the Atlantic 10 have become synonymous with high expectations. The Flyers are typically one of the top four teams in the conference. A win this season over Kansas has helped mask a team that lacks the balance of past Flyer teams. In fact, don’t be surprised to see the Flyers be home underdogs at some point in-conference. Take the Billikens plus the points.

Monday, in Summit Conference play Kansas City will host Nebraska Omaha. The Mavericks began the season at 1-11, but have performed better in conference with a 2-3 record. It is expected for Kansas City to showcase rust as they have not played since December 22nd. Yet, expect UMKC to expose Nebraska Omaha with a big second half run. Take Kansas City on the two point spread drop.

Monday, a contrarian angle exists in the MEAC as Morgan State travels to play South Carolina State. It will mark Morgan State’s first game against a division one school since December 18th. The contrarian spread angle lies with the fact that the Bears are 0-6 on the road this year. Expect that to change in-conference as last year the Bears began MEAC road play with a 4-1 record. Take Morgan State

Marquee star player returns off long layoffs are always special. The NBA gets one of it’s key players back in Klay Thompson, as the Warriors look to continue their special season. Yet, the hype typically is bad from an ATS stand point. Look for the Cavaliers to match the Warriors energy and cover a sizable number. Take Cleveland.

The highs and lows of power five conference play are patterned in early January. For Wisconsin tonight’s spot is a predictable let down spot. They’re coming off an upset win over Purdue on Monday, and a solid stout nine point victory over Iowa on Thursday. Yet, look for the Maryland Terrapins to play inspired basketball and end their 0-3 Big Ten start. Play Maryland. 

Out in the Big Sky a key Sunday evening matchup lies between Montana and Montana State. For several years Montana has been one of the main consistent top teams in the Big Sky conference. They’re off to another solid start at 4-1, but will face a much improved Montana State team. Furthermore, both matchups were cancelled last season due to Covid-19 issues. Take the Bobcats as they finally have a team that can knock off Montana.

Saturday, in the Missouri Valley Conference Southern Illinois and Valparaiso figure to be in for a tight battle. In two matchups last season both games were decided by three points or less. In a game that should be the low sixties, look for the Salukis to have enough runs to threaten Valparaiso’s solid home record. Grab Southern Illinois.

Each year there are a couple of teams that surpass expectations in non-conference play. This season Iowa State fits that billing as they have defeated Memphis, Xavier, Iowa, Creighton, and are coming off a win over Texas Tech. Yet, look for the rigors of Big 12 play to set them back. Unlike the 5.5-6.5 point underdog spots against Xavier, Iowa, and Creighton look for the Cyclones to stumble. Take Oklahoma. 

Southland conference play begins tonight for Texas A&M Corpus Christi and Nicholls Colonels. Value here exists against Texas A&M’s stout record of 12-3. All three of their losses have been against Power Five schools in Texas A&M, Minnesota, and Notre Dame. Grab the Colonels who lost to Wisconsin by just three points and played hard against Purdue.

In smaller conference play impact scorers elevate their teams play. IPFW’s Jared Godfrey is averaging 17 points per game, and shot 52 percent in two games last year against Youngstown State. Additionally, there is value on IPFW based on their limited experience in the Horizon league. Take IPFW to challenge for an outright win, but take the points. 

Line moves in college basketball can be tricky during today’s elements. One that has rose two full points has been Southern Miss at UT San Antonio. The Golden Eagles have been out of action since December 21st. Additionally, they had lost their last six games to drop to 4-8. While UT San Antonio may have more game experience, their roster is struggling to adjust from last year’s departures. Take the Golden Eagles plus the points.

The Boston Celtics have one thing going for them now, and that is health. For the first time this year they seem to be at full strength with the return of Jaylen Brown. It takes time to get back into the fold and is why the Celtics have lost five straight road games. With the Knicks lacking key veterans look for the Celtics to finally end their road woes. Take Boston. 

Thursday, in the Ohio Valley Conference UT Martin will visit Tennessee State. Both teams have been heavily impacted with canceled games over the past month. In fact, Tennessee State’s last game against a division one opponent was December 18th. Yet, the Tigers are better than their sub .500 record suggests. They won four of their last five games and should continue that trend in their firs conference game. Take Tennessee State.

Out in the SWAC Alabama State finds themselves as road favorites against Arkansas Pine-Bluff. Both teams have eleven losses, but the Hornets did play Iowa State and Western Kentucky close. Furthermore, the Golden Lions do not have a win over a division one school. Take Alabama State

Wednesday in MAC action the Buffalo Bulls will host Bowling Green. The Bulls have uncharacteristically dropped three straight games. In fact, their last win over a division one school was December 8th. Issues with Covid and three postponed games disrupted their on court chemistry. Look for the Bulls to get it together tonight against a Bowling Green team that’s had a soft schedule. Play the Bulls.

Returning from a cross country road trip is one of the toughest spots for a team in the NBA. As depleted as the LA Clippers are one would expect a big challenge tonight against the Timberwolves. Yet, look for the Clippers veteran bench to continue to uplift them with the likes of Justice Winslow and James Ennis II. Take the Clippers to cover against the Timberwolves.

The Denver Nuggets have rolled into 2022 on a three-game win streak. All three of their wins have been on the road against the LA Clippers, Golden State Warriors, and Houston Rockets. A key to the Nuggets success is they have got into a rhythm with both their first and second unit amidst a bevy of personnel out. Grab the Nuggets to stay hot on the road against the Mavericks.

A team that became a popular non-conference betting action team was UT Rio Grande Valley. The Vaqueros peak was a neck and neck game against ranked Illinois, that saw them lose 94-85. Monday, they’ll play a WAC conference game against Sam Houston State. Look for the Bearkats to utilize their upper hand with elevated guard play from DeMarkus Lampley and Texas A&M transfer Savion Flagg. Grab Sam Houston State.

Two teams with a gamut of issues have been the Lakers and Trailblazers. Portland is just 2-12 on the road this year and have a long list of players out due to injury or covid-19. Yet, the Lakers have dropped ten of their last twelve games. Even with Frank Vogel back don’t expect an easy win. Grab the points with Portland. 

The San Antonio Spurs were dealt a big blow today as Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon accepted the Las Vegas Aces job. To make matters worse the Spurs will embark on a seven-game road trip. Expect the Memphis Grizzlies to take full advantage as they are excelling with Ja Morant back in the lineup. Grab the Grizzlies. 

There’s always a bit of value finding a team that is turning the corner towards the end of non-conference play. Tarleton State began the season just 1-7, losing to teams such as Gonzaga, Stanford, Kansas, Wichita State, and Michigan. Their difficult schedule helped them as they’ve won four of their last five games. Look for the Texans to continue their turn around and get a road win over WAC opponent Dixie State.

The Miami Hurricanes utilized a veteran roster that features multiple starters over the age of 22 to race out to a 9-3 record. This includes 24 year old Kameron McGusty whom has had a breakout campaign thus far averaging 18 points per game. As they begin ACC conference play, look for prior scouting advantages to thwart the Hurricanes. Take NC State as the Hurricanes falter at home.

Arkansas was one of the teams that faltered towards the end of non-conference play. An undefeated start at 9-0 was stymied against better competition as the Razorbacks lost in consecutive games to Oklahoma and Hofstra. That was the wake up call needed before SEC play begins. Take Arkansas to cover in their SEC opener against Mississippi State.

The Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors remain neck and neck for the overall best records in the NBA. Thus far on the season both teams have split this year’s matchups. Keep in mind though Phoenix was without Devin Booker for the Warriors win, and survived the second half of their win over Golden State as Booker was hurt. With Booker and Ayton back excelling, look for the Suns to take care of business in front of their home fans. Grab Phoenix. 

The past couple of NBA seasons perhaps no team has had to utilize their bench depth more than the Denver Nuggets. That’s been because of main injuries to key starters along with Covid-19 protocols. Look for the experience their depth has been receiving to pay off tonight as they end the Thunder’s two game win streak. Play Denver

A team that has the look of a potential March Madness first round spoiler is Monmouth. The Hawks have been fantastic to begin the year at 10-2, and have showcased a great balance on both ends of the floor. Their opponent today in Hofsta is coming off an upset win over formerly ranked Arkansas. They also have two close losses against Houston and Maryland. Yet, look for the Hawks to remain focused and avoid the upset. Take Monmouth. 

After beginning the season 1-2, Florida Gulf Coast has now won nine of their last ten games. Wednesday, they will travel on the road to face a Canisius team that is coming off an upset over Buffalo. Prior to that win the Golden Griffins had lost five straight games by six points or more. Take Florida Gulf Coast to avoid a pre-holiday let down.

Tonight, an in-state small school matchup will take place between Santa Clara and San Jose State. Santa Clara has defeated the Spartans in the prior two matchups with current seniors Keshawn Justice and Josip Vrankic. Expect Santa Clara to successfully end their winless record on the road, and end San Jose State’s undefeated home record of 5-0. Play the Broncos. 

A night cash opportunity lies tonight in a true under the radar matchup. Portland State of the Big Sky will travel to take on Cal State Northridge. The Vikings have just one win this season over a division one school. Yet they’ll face a Cal State Northridge team that has lost three straight games. Play the Vikings as they get their first win since December 2nd. 

The Cleveland Cavaliers head into Saturday on a five game winning streak as they face the Milwaukee Bucks. Milwaukee’s without several key players including star Giannis Antetokounmpo. Expect Cleveland to take full advantage as their spread valuations continue to be to low. Play Cleveland

Oregon State’s woeful start to the season has their record at 1-9. Today, they have a situational spot against Texas A&M. The Aggies had their last game cancelled against Tulane, and may be vulnerable in a pre-holiday road spot. Take Oregon State who will cash as a small home underdog.

The Brooklyn Nets were dealt yet another blow as Kevin Durant is now out due to Covid safety protocols. Durant was able to pick up the Nets in their past two wins with a mix of young talent. Today, against the Magic look for the rest of the Nets to continue to build off their solid play, which includes rookies Cam Thomas and Kessler Edwards. Play Brooklyn as they topple a poor Magic team

Saturday, the Utah Utes will play just their second true road game of the season. They’ll face a Missouri team that has had immense ups and downs on the young season. At just 5-5, they are coming off a thirty-seven point loss to Kansas. Take Utah to handle the Tigers early home crowd, and get their eighth win on the season.

Portland continues to struggle as they’ve lost seven straight games, and are winless in the month of December. Their last three losses have been with guard Damian Lillard back, but his shot has been off as he is just 32 percent from the floor. Look for the Trailblazers other key players to pick them up against a Hornets team enduring their third straight road game. Play Portland.

Led by sixth year senior Tommy Kuhse, St. Mary’s has one of the more veteran teams in college basketball. Tonight they’ll partake in a neutral site game in Phoenix against San Diego State. This is yet again a case where the spread is smaller based on nine days rest for the Aztecs. Take St. Mary’s to outlast the Aztecs in what should be a gritty game. 

Over the years Furman has become one of college basketball’s darlings on pushing power five teams in non-conference. They’re coming off a thirteen point loss to North Carolina, but it was a game that was tied at halftime. There is concern for the Paladins against a Bulldogs team that is 6-1 at home, and how they’ll respond facing consecutive power five teams. Still, look for the Paladins offense to be strong enough for both halves.  Take Furman. 

Throughout the NBA several teams are short handed adhering to Covid protocols. Thursday, amidst a plethora of key players out the Brooklyn Nets will aim to win short handed again. They’ll face a 76ers team that struggled defensively in yesterday’s loss to Miami, allowing six players to score nine points or more. Take Brooklyn to outlast Philadelphia.

Thursday, UNC Greensboro will play their second game in just three days. It will also mark their third straight road games since Saturday. It’s the main reason they find themselves as underdogs today against a UMBC team that is 3-0 at home this year. Yet, look for the Spartans to be aggressive offensively against a Retrievers team that has surrendered 89 and 100 points in their past two games. Play UNC Greensboro. 

Tuesday, the Portland Trailblazers will aim to end a five game losing streak. A positive for Portland is they do have Damian Lillard back. They’ll face a Phoenix Suns team that have finally showed a bit of weakness. They’ve lost two of their last four games and are in a back to back scenario. Look for Portland to take advantage as Damian Lillard bounces back from Sunday’s poor shooting performance. Play Portland. 

Tuesday, Clemson will face a Miami-Ohio team that has had extended rest since December 4th. The Redhawks are a talented team but are coming into tonight on a three-game losing streak. Clemson should have the depth advantage here and ride their home crowd. Take the Tigers as they improve to 5-0 at home. 

Tonight a situational advantage spot lies with Seattle University against UC San Diego. Seattle has had back to back losses, including their worst of the season in a twenty point defeat against UNLV. Yet, they are 7-1 at home this year and are facing a UC San Diego team that should be rusty after a ten day layoff. Grab Seattle to continue their strong home effort.

On Friday, Rick Pitino caused a bit of a stir on twitter declaring that his whole team is sick with the flu. Today, they’ll face Yale in a neutral site game in New York City. Irregardless of the team being ill, look for the mastery of Coach Pitino’s in-game adjustments to override. Grab Iona on a line move that is proper.

The Denver Nuggets have dipped below .500 after losing Thursday to the San Antonio Spurs. Saturday, they’ll face the Spurs once again trying to end a stretch in which they have lost nine of twelve games. Tonight ride the current better team which is the Spurs who have won five of their last seven. Take San Antonio to complete the tough task of consecutive victories over the same opponent.

The Sacramento Kings have made strides and it’s showed against the spread. They’ve covered their last four games, including a close 124-123 loss against the Charlotte Hornets last night. Yet, tonight they’re facing an undaunted young and energetic Cleveland Cavaliers team. Look for the Kings lackluster defensive effort and extended road travel to hurt them in the second half. Take the Cavaliers.

At 3-6, Arizona State’s expectations are long gone on a salvageable season. Thursday, they’ll face a motivated Grand Canyon team that has two Arizona State transfers in Taeshon Cherry and Holland Woods. Look for ASU’s strength of schedule to pay dividends tonight. They’ve faced heavyweight matchups in tournaments and have already played two Pac-12 games. Take ASU on the small line.

The Denver Nuggets managed an overtime victory on Wednesday over the Pelicans, 120-114. They’ll now head into a back to back scenario against the San Antonio Spurs. The matchup marks the sixth straight road game for Denver. As depleted as they are look for the Nuggets to battle through. Grab Denver in the first of consecutive games against the Spurs, who meet again Saturday.

St. John’s will be in for a test today against Monmouth. The Hawks are 7-1 overall and only loss was by two points against Charlotte. Furthermore, they start five seniors including former Big East Seton Hall guard Shavar Reynolds. Yet, St. John’s has a knack of speeding up teams. That does not bode well for Monmouth. Take the Johnnies 

Wednesday, BYU continues their matchups against in-state opponents as they face a well rested Utah State team. The Aggies have not played since last Thursday when they lost 60-58 to St. Mary’s. Although BYU played on Saturday, expect the Cougars to be the more efficient team and hand Utah State their first losing streak of the season.

In the latter stage of non-conference play is when one can fade home winning streaks. The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers are 5-0 at home but all wins were against lower level opponents. Go against the line movement here as the Buffalo Bulls experienced team ends the Hilltoppers unblemished home record.

The Chicago Bulls have managed to tie the Brooklyn Nets for the most wins in the Eastern Conference. This has been done with several players out with injury and Covid-19. Wednesday, expect those issues to finally catch up to the Bulls. Grab the Cavaliers on a small number as they will be motivated to end a two-game losing streak. 

The Pepperdine Waves have had a rough start to their season at 2-8. This was due to losing both high level players in Brooklyn Nets forward Kessler Edwards and Colbey Ross. Tonight, they’ll finally get a matchup that can build their confidence against San Jose State. Take Pepperdine to pull away convincingly and cover the favored number.

Monday is a light schedule in college hoops but there will be a fantastic Big Ten matchup between Iowa and Illinois. Illinois came into the season with high expectations rising to tenth in the polls. They’ve won four straight after enduring two losses, and will be ranked once again in a matter of hours. Expect value on Iowa’s side with or without prolific scorer Keegan Murray. The Hawkeyes rank third in the country scoring 91 PPG, and turn the ball over just 7.25 times per game. Take Iowa. 

Cal State Fullerton has been a team that has been a line watcher game to game. Each of their line moves from the market has proved to be incorrect. Tonight against Pacific the line move has went in their favor from two to 3.5. This of course comes after Pacific lost to a UC Davis team that had been beaten by a non-division one art school. Take the points with Pacific. 

Stan Heath’s first season as new coach for Eastern Michigan has begun with just a 2-4 record. This includes an 0-4 road record with their last loss by thirty-eight points to DePaul. Further travel tonight to San Diego compounds their road issues. Yet, San Diego has seen a steep decline in offensive scoring output over their last several games. Take the points here with Eastern Michigan.

The Oklahoma City Thunder head into Thursday’s matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies having lost seven straight games. Yet, they’ll see a new opponent for the first time in six days, as they faced Houston both Monday and Wednesday. That should spark the Thunder’s play against an inconsistent Memphis team that is just 11-10 on the year. Take the points with the Thunder. 

A trademark for Jamie Dixon led teams is an easy non-conference schedule. To begin the season they are 5-1, but their lone decent opponent was a nineteen point loss to Santa Clara. Tonight look for the Horned Frogs to continue their undefeated start at home, as Oral Roberts is not the same caliber of last year’s NCAA tournament team. Play TCU. 

Thus far the Big Ten has dominated in the first two days of the ACC-Big Ten Challenge. Overall the Big Ten has won six games to the ACC’s one. Expect Miami to contend with Penn State, as the Nittany Lions have three guards with high minutes that are shooting below thirty five percent. Take the Hurricanes with the points.

Wednesday, the Oklahoma City Thunder will host the Houston Rockets after losing at Houston on Monday. Houston has now won three straight games and are now 4-15. On the season though they are still winless on the road at 0-11. Back the small number here on the favored Thunder. 

The Wofford Terriers are coming off an outright win over an SEC school in the Georgia Bulldogs. Wednesday, they’ll host a Richmond Spiders team that has been wildly inconsistent at 3-4. Expect the Spiders to bounce back from a couple of tough losses in the Bahamas, as their offense outpaces Wofford. Grab Richmond to hand Wofford their first home loss of the season. 

A huge matchup is on the night cap in the NBA as the Phoenix Suns host the Golden State Warriors. Phoenix enters with an NBA best sixteen game win streak, while the Warriors have the NBA’s best record at 18-2. Expect the Warriors front loaded home schedule that has featured twelve games to finally hurt them. Phoenix keeps their win streak going to seventeen and gets the cover.

For the second time this season Tennessee Tech and Chattanooga will meet. Their first matchup was on November 16th, as the Golden Eagles covered a thirteen point spread losing by seven. Look for another close game as the Mocs are coming off their first loss of the season. Take the underdog with Tennessee Tech.

The Chicago Bulls are coming off a solid bounce back win Friday against the Orlando Magic. They now travel back home to host a Miami Heat team that has not played since Wednesday. Look for the Bulls recent experience of losing in a back to back scenario to the Pacers on Monday, 109-77, to motivate them to a hot start tonight. Take the Bulls to hold off the Heat. 

A team that has quietly surged forward have been the Charlotte Hornets. They have won eight of their last nine games, including a 133-115 win last night against Minnesota. The output of points was their season high, and now tonight they’ll face the worst team in the NBA in the Houston Rockets. Back the Hornets to continue their winning ways.

The San Francisco Dons have used their WCC experience in Las Vegas’s Orleans Arena to continue their hot start. At 7-0, they have a chance to enter the top twenty-five with a win tonight against UAB. Yet, UAB is a deep experienced team that would be undefeated as well if not for a poor half against South Carolina. Take the UAB Blazers to end the Dons undefeated start.

The Golden State Warriors are off to an impeccable start at 16-2. This has been sparked by a favorable home schedule that has featured a 10-1 record. Off the Thanksgiving holiday look for the Warriors to be vulnerable against a Portland Trailblazers team that is much better than their 1-8 road record showcases. Take Portland to challenge the Warriors streak and cover the spread.