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Play Orlando Magic +8

Play Timberwolves +3.5

Play Atlanta Hawks -6.5

To open up the NBA season we'll be grabbing the Atlanta Hawks at home. Detroit did finish last season on a better note but the Hawks are a focused underrated team. They lack a true go-to star with Jeff Teague being the main catalyst. But they play as a group from all five positions that extends to their bench. Grab the Hawks to use their team style and home court edge to get the cover opening night.

07/17 01:30 PM  NBA   (553) MIAMI HEAT VS (554) SACRAMENTO KINGS edit

Take: (554) SACRAMENTO KINGS 

Reason: Play Kings Miami has lost a couple of games now. To Boston and the other night. They've been down right away in these games as they've been slow out of the gate. The Kings will look to do the same. Early leads are hard to erase and even though the Heat may come back in the later quarters, I'll still grab the 3.5 and buy to 4 here.

07/17 01:00 PM  NBA   (551) HOUSTON ROCKETS VS (552) PHILADELPHIA 76ERS edit

Take: (552) PHILADELPHIA 76ERS 

Reason: Play Philadelphia We'll play on some summer league action Friday. Philadelphia has carried the underdog role just like they do in the regular season. Here I love the points as Philadelphia showed some grit the other night coming back from a 15 point half time deficit. They'll fight hard today. Grab the value with four points.

05/15 04:00 PM  NBA   (745) ATLANTA HAWKS VS (746) WASHINGTON WIZARDS edit

Take: (745) ATLANTA HAWKS 

Reason: Play Atlanta plus 3 The Hawks have a chance to wrap up their series tonight on the road against Washington. Last night we saw the Clippers lose to head to game seven and the Cavaliers finished off the Bulls. Atlanta has not played well it seems like the entire playoffs, but their last two games they've started to resemble more of what we saw in the regular season. Their spacing the floor better and defending the basketball better. Washington's offense seems to be bogging down a bit. Paul Pierce has been expected to take more shots than what he signed up for and inside you never know what type of game you're going to get from Nene or Gortat. Grab the Hawks tonight as they find a way to close this out or keep things close enough for the cover

05/10 12:30 PM  NBA   (725) CLEVELAND CAVALIERS VS (726) CHICAGO BULLS edit

Take: (726) CHICAGO BULLS 

Reason: Play Bulls plus 2 Buy the half point in this situation. The Lebron factor has carried bettors for half a decade through his last year in Cleveland and four years in Miami. Warning signs have been there all season at this being an adjustment year for the Cavaliers. That was with full health. Kevin Love is obviously out and Kyrie Irving is dinged up. This was the position of the Bulls a month ago with Rose, Gibson, and Butler hurt. They're at full strength and I believe this team will pull off yet another stunner on Sunday. Paul Gasol is day to day but this team has depth in the interior and should get better defense from his substitute if needed. Game three was a sloppy win for the Bulls, but don't be shocked to see this game shape out the way game one did.

05/09 05:00 PM  NBA   (723) GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS VS (724) MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES edit

Take: (723) GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS 

Reason: Play Warriors -4 Game two was confusing to see the Warriors offense befuddled as much as it was. They seemed to be a bit shocked by the play of Mike Conley. He was expected to play but no one anticipated him being able to have the impact he did. Maybe the Steph Curry MVP ceremony also was an emotional high for the Warriors. This is playoff basketball though and I believe the Warriors will have the answers offensively to separate in game three from the home squad of the Grizzlies. Grab the Warriors.

05/09 02:05 PM  NBA   (721) ATLANTA HAWKS VS (722) WASHINGTON WIZARDS edit

Take: (722) WASHINGTON WIZARDS 

Reason: Play Wizards plus 4.5 Money moved significantly in game two and barely caught bettors the line shift from 6 to 9. Today it's also moving slightly on the Hawks side with the impact injury to John Wall. His status and value on the court is the big unknown. What's not is the fact the Hawks just have not played as a number one seed throughout the playoffs. Washington has the size inside and may have to shift their offensive focus for the remainder of this series. Getting Nene and Gortat more involved needs to be a focal point for success. Attacking inside is how the Nets made a series of the first round against the Hawks. Grab the value today on the Wizards

05/08 05:05 PM  NBA   (717) CLEVELAND CAVALIERS VS (718) CHICAGO BULLS edit

Take: (718) CHICAGO BULLS 

Reason: Play Bulls -2 The Bulls did their job in Cleveland and won one game. Now they'll have to respond to the much more aggressive LeBron James. No team is prepared to see such a drastic shift in a superstar's aggressiveness, and the Bulls just were caught off guard in the first quarter of game two. That coupled with the Cavs red-hot three point shooting may have been a bit of an aberration. I still expect this series to go seven games and I expect the Bulls to make necessary changes in game three. To get that done they'll need to close the gaps of penetration by LeBron James. Poor shots on the offensive end led to missed shots and quick run outs from the Cavs. A team can get back on defense but without guarding the runners on the perimeter it led to wide open three point shots. Better offensive execution has to take place for the Bulls in game three. Grab the Bulls to respond at home as a veteran team that has the roster to shake itself from game two's miscues.

05/04 04:05 PM  NBA   (703) CHICAGO BULLS VS (704) CLEVELAND CAVALIERS edit

Take: (703) CHICAGO BULLS 

Reason: Play Bulls plus 5 If this series is as expected, it'd should start off with a fantastic game one. Lebron has had a history with this Bulls squad from his days back with Cleveland the first go around. This Bulls veteran squad has the young pieces to give the Cavs a run for their money. This is the series where LeBron may have a tug of war battle with his young point guard Kyrie Irving and added traded pieces. Grab the Bulls plus five to start the series.

04/26 03:35 PM  NBA   (505) TORONTO RAPTORS VS (506) WASHINGTON WIZARDS edit

Take: (505) TORONTO RAPTORS 

Reason: Play Toronto plus 6 You don't see to many series that go the course of the underdog such as this one. Toronto just has not been able to contain the Wizards spurts. Each of the first three games has featured a crucial run that sways the game to the Wizards. But for the most part each game has been a back and forth battle. It's tough to measure a teams heart but I'll side with the Raptors plus 6 from what I've seen thus far in the series

04/25 05:05 PM  NBA   (749) GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS VS (750) NEW ORLEANS PELICANS edit

Take: (749) GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS 

Reason: Play Golden State -7 A steep number for a playoff matchup that has featured a series that does not resemble a 1 vs 8 matchup. That it doesn't, but I expect this game four to be the key game we finally see from the Warriors. There are a lot of headlines to draw from game three but the one I latch onto, is how much is left in the tank from Anthony Davis? All that effort that has resulted in him slowing down in fourth quarters. Plus they've had above expected results from their guards in Gordon/Evans/Cole. Look for the Warriors to finish this series and beat the number.

04/24 06:35 PM  NBA   (743) LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS VS (744) SAN ANTONIO SPURS edit

Take: (743) LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS 

Reason: Play Clippers plus 4 Is there really a 2.5-3 point differential on the side of the Spurs home advantage versus the Clippers home advantage? I do not believe so. The Spurs played about as good as they could in game two, and exerted a lot of effort to sneak away with the win. If the Clippers weren't a veteran ball club I would have stayed away from this number and watched to see how they responded. But with the Spurs nicked up and the value here, I'll grab the Clippers to keep this game close.

04/23 04:05 PM  NBA   (733) CLEVELAND CAVALIERS VS (734) BOSTON CELTICS edit

Take: (733) CLEVELAND CAVALIERS 

Reason: Play Cleveland -4 The first two contests of this series went to the wire of the point spread. This one should be different. Boston has had offensive success in spurts with guard Isiah Thomas and others. Defensively though they've struggled in all phases. It's almost as-if LeBron has waited for moments to seize control and carry his team. On the road I do not expect LeBron to take any chances. I expect an all out effort and for the Cavs to play their best game thus far of the post season.

04/22 07:35 PM  NBA   (731) SAN ANTONIO SPURS VS (732) LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS edit

Take: (732) LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS 

Reason: Play Clippers I truly believe this is going to be an advantage series for the home teams. With that being said the Clippers own the home court advantage. If they come ready to play with the same game one intensity we should see the same results. The Clippers are no longer a young team. Blake Griffin, Chris Paul, etc have been around the league for quite awhile. This is just as much an opportunity with the door closing as it is for the Spurs. Grab the Clippers -1 tonight.

04/20 07:35 PM  NBA   (719) NEW ORLEANS PELICANS VS (720) GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS edit

Take: (720) GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS 

Reason: Play Golden State -11 Game one's are usually a bit unpredictable from a point spread stand point. Seeds play a large role and the line was -12 in game one as a result. Golden State controlled the game and had a comfortable spread win dwindled to a loss in the fourth quarter. The fact of the matter was that Golden State played game one like a regular season game. They drew a large lead and got comfortable; while the Pelicans played a full game intensity wise at a playoff level. I expect Steve Kerr to have his team ready for a full entire game and to grab this ATS cover for bettors Monday. Grab the Warriors -11.

04/19 07:35 PM  NBA   (715) SAN ANTONIO SPURS VS (716) LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS edit

Take: (716) LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS 

Reason: Play LA Clippers -1.5 Many believe just because the Spurs are in the playoffs they will trudge along with ease. Not even last year's championship team did so. This is an aged Spurs team that will be tested by a group of young Clippers that senses the door closing. This should be a patented long series and I expect the Clippers to grab game one.

04/18 06:35 PM  NBA   (707) DALLAS MAVERICKS VS (708) HOUSTON ROCKETS edit

Take: (707) DALLAS MAVERICKS 

Reason: Play Dallas plus 5 I'm not going to dive head-first into the NBA playoffs. There will be plenty of action for bigger cards from now through June. One play I do like involves Dallas plus 5. Houston has the mold of a young Mavericks team years back. Run and gun and they try to defeat you by outscoring opponents. They're going to have a hard time relying on a secondary and third scorer behind Harden in this series. Dallas is filled with veteran players that will step their defensive intensity up in the playoffs. Expect a long series and I'll take the Mavericks plus the points in this spot

04/15 05:05 PM  NBA   (511) SAN ANTONIO SPURS VS (512) NEW ORLEANS PELICANS edit

Take: (512) NEW ORLEANS PELICANS 

Reason: Play Pelicans plus 5.5 Playoffs are on the line for the Pelicans. Unfortunately they have to face the red-hot veteran Spurs. The Pelicans control their own destiny to get in the playoffs with a win. I won't suggest money-line here but I do anticipate them hanging in this game and covering the 5.5.

04/15 05:05 PM  NBA   (515) ORLANDO MAGIC VS (516) BROOKLYN NETS edit

Take: (516) BROOKLYN NETS 

Reason: Play Brooklyn -8 Orlando has fought well down the stretch and been competitive against Toronto, Chicago, and others. This matchup I'll side with the Nets. They have an advantage in the back court and should play much stronger than they did against the Bulls a few nights ago. Grab the Nets to end the regular season.

04/14 07:35 PM  NBA   (705) LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS VS (706) PHOENIX SUNS edit

Take: (705) LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS 

Reason: Play Clippers -10 Tonight grab the Clippers -10 against a Suns team that has very little to play for. They seemed to play with effort against San Antonio a few nights ago but still lost by mid-teens. I expect less effort tonight and for the Clippers to play a more potent offensive game than the Spurs showcased.

04/12 12:35 PM  NBA   (705) CHARLOTTE HORNETS VS (706) DETROIT PISTONS edit

Take: (705) CHARLOTTE HORNETS 

Reason: Play Charlotte plus 8 The Bobcats have had two poor performances against the Raptors and Hawks. Two potent offensive teams that torched the unbalanced Bobcats. Detroit is not the caliber of either the Raptors or Hawks. To see the line movement jump from 6 to 8 would have to do with the poor performances of the Bobcats. This is where I'll back the underdog Bobcats against a young Detroit team that Stan Van Gundy is still trying to mold.

04/10 04:05 PM  NBA   (701) TORONTO RAPTORS VS (702) ORLANDO MAGIC edit

Take: (702) ORLANDO MAGIC 

Reason: Play Orlando Magic plus 6 In theory the Magic should not be playing for much and the Raptors have all to gain as they look to play in top form before the playoffs. That's not the way I'm going to handicap this play. The Raptors defeated a Bobcats team in blowout fashion the other day and the Magic came from behind against a Bulls team that scored against them with no problem. The Magic are getting solid play from their young players and I expect them to hang in this game at home. Grab the six points.

04/08 05:35 PM  NBA   (717) HOUSTON ROCKETS VS (718) SAN ANTONIO SPURS edit

Take: (718) SAN ANTONIO SPURS 

Reason: Play San Antonio -6 The Spurs are starting to look like the "Best in the West" at an opportune time yet again. With the playoffs lurking they're playing their best basketball. Houston is also playing well. This seems to be a high spread considering how offensively balanced the Rockets are. I expect the Spurs momentum to carry-over to tonight and would not be surprised to see a double digit win here.

04/08 05:05 PM  NBA   (715) NEW ORLEANS PELICANS VS (716) MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES edit

Take: (715) NEW ORLEANS PELICANS 

Reason: Play New Orleans plus 5 The Pelicans showed they're not going away, with a great effort and win last night against the Warriors. Memphis is always a tough place to play but I like the young leadership Anthony Davis is showing right now. Each time these teams play scoring has been a premium. With scoring low--I'll take the points even in a back to back game situation for the Pelicans.

04/08 05:05 PM  NBA   (713) CLEVELAND CAVALIERS VS (714) MILWAUKEE BUCKS edit

Take: (714) MILWAUKEE BUCKS 

Reason: Play Milwaukee Plus 8 LeBron and the Cavs are getting towards that **asterisk** playoff mode. This team has had two waves this season. Before LeBron sat out at the end of December no one knew the direction of this team. After his return they've played fantastic with new additions. At this point their second seed is all but locked and I expect this game to be a bit of a challenge. Jason Kidd's Bucks play with toughness each time on the court, and I look for them to cover the large number of eight.

04/04 03:05 PM  CB   (823) MICHIGAN STATE VS (824) DUKE edit

Take: (824) DUKE 

Reason: Play Duke -5 A Final Four is a great achievement and a major advancement for Michigan State. Two months ago they were not even on the bubble. They've done just enough seemingly every game to squeeze out wins. Duke has been a different team defensively and offensively since their back to back losses early in conference play to NC State and Miami. Michigan State does not have the personnel to contend with this Duke team. There is always fight from a Tom Izzo team but I expect the second half to belong to Duke in strong fashion. Grab Duke -5, and hats off to Michigan State for a superb run.

03/31 04:00 PM  CB   (769) MIAMI FLORIDA VS (770) TEMPLE edit

Take: (769) MIAMI FLORIDA 

Reason: Play Miami +1.5 Miami has had a season of ups and downs. Their high point came when they defeated Duke on their home floor to end their high streak of home wins. But low points have been plentiful with the juggernaut conference of the ACC. They likely should have exited the NIT against Richmond but found a way to fight back from a double digit deficit. I like Miami's three guard lineup to give Temple troubles. Manu Lecomte, Sheldon McClennan, and Davon Reed seem to have all been playing better with Angel Rodriguez out. While Temple has the defense to hang in this game I do not believe they have the offense. Grab Miami plus the point and a half.

03/28 05:45 PM  CB   (511) NOTRE DAME VS (512) KENTUCKY edit

Take: (511) NOTRE DAME 

Reason: Play Notre Dame plus 11 Kentucky just came off a clear outmatched game against West Virginia. 1. The Mountaineers could not make a shot 2. Their press was incapable of disrupting Kentucky, and 3. They fouled too much. Notre Dame does not have size on the interior but has four quality guards with size/shooting. Notre Dame likely will have to make at least 8-10 three pointers to stay in this game competitively, and catch Kentucky on a night where they shoot in the 40% range. Grab the points in the Elite 8 of plus 11.

03/26 07:15 PM  CB   (807) XAVIER VS (808) ARIZONA edit

Take: (808) ARIZONA 

Reason: Play Arizona -10.5 In the tournament picking which teams to back when laying double digits can be awfully tough. Xavier is left in the field because of favorable second and third round games. They faced an Ole Miss team that could not match the up tempo style of Xavier. It was an uphill battle for Ole Miss combined with poor defense throughout the game. Georgia State actually played a competitive game in terms of landing a spread cover. Free throw disparity and off the charts shooting from Xavier led to the slight cover for Xavier. Xavier versus Arizona is a clear over-match on paper. I expect Arizona to halt Xavier's strength of half court offense. Defensively Xavier would be one of the bottom ranked teams left in the tournament. This should be one of the highest spread covers from closing line to actual result in the tournament.

03/26 06:45 PM  CB   (803) WEST VIRGINIA VS (804) KENTUCKY edit

Take: (803) WEST VIRGINIA 

Reason: Play West Virginia plus 13.5 Kentucky has not covered in the tournament and I don't think they will here either. West Virginia plays a similar style to Cincinnati but adds better offense to the table. Bob Huggins has been in this position before when they defeated a John Wall led Kentucky team in the tournament. This game will likely not feature an upset but I see it falling in similar fashion to games that Kentucky has been challenged in the SEC. A hard fought game that Kentucky pulls away from down the stretch. That will grab the Wildcats a victory but won't be enough to cover a high number of 13.5.

03/26 04:45 PM  CB   (809) NORTH CAROLINA VS (810) WISCONSIN edit

Take: (809) NORTH CAROLINA 

Reason: Play North Carolina plus 6.5 North Carolina could have been a top ten team all season` if they had grasped the ability to play 48 minutes and prevent ill-advised turnovers. Every year in the field there are teams that finally grow in March. Kentucky was a young team that grew a season ago and I believe this North Carolina team fits that label this season. Wisconsin is a veteran team that has reached its ceiling. They very well still could be a final four team but their true value has been seen over the last two seasons. Of the eight sweet sixteen games, this would be the only money-line value play I'd risk. I fully expect North Carolina to have a lead early in this game and likely into the second-half. They've been in this position before and have let leads whittle away. We'll see the true growth of this team Thursday. Grab the points and put 20 percent of your wager on the money line.

03/26 04:15 PM  CB   (805) WICHITA STATE VS (806) NOTRE DAME edit

Take: (805) WICHITA STATE 

Reason: Play Wichita State -2 It was a surprise to initially see Wichita State favored in this matchup. Notre Dame has had impressive wins to close out the regular season and defeated North Carolina, Louisville, and Duke soundly down the stretch. Expect plenty of lead changes in this game. In the end though I like Wichita State's ability to score in bunches over Notre Dame. Notre Dame plays a lot of close games and in tournament play that comes to haunt you eventually. Grab Wichita State to advance.

03/22 06:40 PM  CB   (735) NORTHERN IOWA VS (736) LOUISVILLE edit

Take: (736) LOUISVILLE 

Reason: Play Louisville plus 2.5 Sometimes an ugly win in the tournament can cause an over reaction from sports-bettors. Louisville has the look of a team that should not make it the sweet 16. They have a limited bench and lost a key starter in Chris Jones after he was dismissed from the program. But they still have one of the best coaches in college hoops in Rick Pitino. Northern Iowa is a sound basketball team but if there is a flaw, it is that pesky guards give them problems. They lost to Evansville, VCU, and Wichita State this season. They're not a team that is going to shoot the lights out and score a lot of points--which bodes well for Louisville. But the key factor will be with Terry Rozier and Snider who has started to emerge. The opening line was a pick and jumped to 2.5 on N Iowa's side. It's the wrong line movement. Play Louisville.

03/22 04:10 PM  CB   (737) IOWA VS (738) GONZAGA edit

Take: (737) IOWA 

Reason: Play Iowa plus 6.5 The line has moved on this game mainly because of the location of this game in Seattle. In the tournament I think that's a bit inflated sometimes. The Hawkeyes are a confident group that matchup well with Gonzaga. This game should feature multiple runs but remain a close game throughout. The Zags are setup similar to Villanova. They come from a conference in the WCC that isn't a true measure to a major conference. Iowa will put the scare in the Zags, play the 6.5.

03/21 06:40 PM  CB   (515) BUTLER VS (516) NOTRE DAME edit

Take: (515) BUTLER 

Reason: Butler plus 5 This game should likely be closer to a 1.5 to 2 point spread, but based on Notre Dame's seeding and five losses is a bit higher. Butler is one of those rare tournament teams that just matches up well for the big dance. They've made two runs over the years and I believe they'll be set up for another appearance to the Sweet 16. Notre Dame has not faced a caliber defense of Butler's in the ACC besides Virginia's. This is a market value play on a game with too many points.

03/20 03:50 PM  CB   (847) OKLAHOMA STATE VS (848) OREGON edit

Take: (847) OKLAHOMA STATE 

Reason: Play Oklahoma State plus 2 I've liked this matchup all week and will not change it with the results of yesterday's Big 12 disappointments. Sometimes the drawing just shapes up for a failure in the tournament and that's what happened with Baylor/Iowa State. Here I like Oklahoma State to have a game plan ready to halt Oregon's motion offense. Oregon had one of the better runs in college hoops to finish the last three weeks but before were a vulnerable team. Look for Oklahoma State to attack weaknesses and finally represent the Big 12.

03/19 06:55 PM  CB   (735) EASTERN WASHINGTON VS (736) GEORGETOWN edit

Take: (735) EASTERN WASHINGTON 

Reason: Play Eastern Washington plus 8 Eastern Washington has the look and feel of a team that will give Georgetown nightmares Thursday night. Georgetown has faded down the stretch, in what has become a pattern for the Hoyas program. Some of the young players that emerged early in conference play have faltered, along with Josh Smith who may be reeling from his first full season in quite some time. They're over-seeded and you just can't ignore how they've finished the season. Grab Eastern Washington plus the points.

3/19 06:50 PM  CB   (709) WOFFORD VS (710) ARKANSAS edit

Take: (709) WOFFORD 

Reason: Play Wofford plus 7.5 Twelve seeds always seem to be the spotlight special for upsets each and every year. This game may be one but I'm more intrigued with the points. Wofford is a team to me that has grown as the season has stretched onward, and quite possibly could be a team under-seeded in this tournament. And that's why a 12th seed can be so dangerous coming from a smaller conference. Wofford has a deep roster that has added the dimension of offense that was missing from last year's team that lost to Michigan in the tournament. That combined with their solid defense is going to make this game against Arkansas interesting. Grab the points as another 12 seed should give us a true great game in the tournament.

03/19 06:20 PM  CB   (723) LSU VS (724) NORTH CAROLINA STATE edit

Take: (724) NORTH CAROLINA STATE 

Reason: NC State -2 Four days ago this matchup was a pass in my estimation. But upon further review I believe NC State holds an edge in this game. LSU is the type of free flowing team that thrives against teams that do not provide resistance defensively. When challenged though they're athletic team tends to falter a few notches on the offensive end. The Wolf Pack have a better group of player's from last year's limited roster and I expect them to grab a win over LSU.

03/19 09:15 AM  CB   (717) NORTHEASTERN VS (718) NOTRE DAME edit

Take: (717) NORTHEASTERN 

Reason: Play Northeastern plus 11.5 Notre Dame has the flare to catch people's eyes after defeating both Duke and North Carolina in the ACC tournament. They played great in those games but the Irish are a team that can be beat on any given night. Northeastern will be a solid matchup for the Irish as they have senior leadership and a similar style of play to match. 11.5 is too many points and I'll gladly take Northeastern.

Play Atlanta plus 6.5

03/13 06:30 PM  CB   (849) SOUTH CAROLINA VS (850) GEORGIA edit

Take: (849) SOUTH CAROLINA 

Reason: Play South Carolina plus 3 The SEC will not have many representatives in the big dance but believe there are still important factors on the line right now for a lot of these teams. Coaches are planning key decisions with their rosters whether that be adding an extra JUCO player or whatever that may be. I like the way South Carolina is playing and the extra edge from an ATS perspective with Frank Martin. It's rare that teams get a 3 game sweep but I believe South Carolina gets it done

03/13 06:10 PM  CB   (875) UCLA VS (876) ARIZONA edit

Take: (876) ARIZONA 

Reason: Play Arizona -11 Just a few weeks ago when Arizona struggled to fend defeat UCLA, it jumped out at you because they still won by ten points, 57-47. It's the way Arizona wins. They may not look like they're going to run away with a game but with one stout stretch offensively/defensively they seem to get it done ATS. On the road against Utah they won by six after being down in the final five minutes, yesterday against California after a tight first half they won and covered by a wide margin. UCLA has shown vast improvements down the stretch but their run and gun system doesn't bode well against Arizona. Arizona should be able to clamp down defensively and improve upon a woeful performance offensively last time out against UCLA.

03/13 04:00 PM  CB   (839) HOUSTON VS (840) TULSA edit

Take: (840) TULSA 

Reason: Play Tulsa -9 Tulsa are one of those tournament teams that likely has to win multiple games to get a bid into the big dance. Some teams of that caliber fold right off the bat in the first game. I do not expect Tulsa to do so against Houston. Houston is riding wins over Tulane and South Florida and playing better as of late. Still, in both matchups Tulsa has shown the ability to limit Houston for durations of five plus minutes. Expect Tulsa to have an even higher elevated play of defense and to get a double digit win and cover.

03/13 04:00 PM  CB   (859) NORTH CAROLINA VS (860) VIRGINIA edit

Take: (859) NORTH CAROLINA 

Reason: Play North Carolina plus 4.5 This is one of those line movements you typically see on NFL Sundays. A line jumps two to three points and ends up being the wrong line movement. You can say it was a low opening line for a team with minimal losses and ranked #2 in the country. But there just is something not right with this Virginia team. I'm anticipating their second loss in as many games against a North Carolina team that plays up to the level of their competition. They have similar athletes as Virginia and the typical droughts Virginia has showcased over the last three weeks are not going to beat a North Carolina caliber of a team.

03/12 06:10 PM  CB   (571) COLORADO VS (572) OREGON edit

Take: (572) OREGON 

Reason: Play Oregon -3 Sometimes in handicapping one can get caught in what they've seen last. For Colorado they've finally strung together some solid on-court play that have resulted in some cash wins. But unfortunately it doesn't mask the entire season. Oregon on the other hand has risen as the season has gone on and looks like a strong team to make some noise next season in the Pac-12. Colorado is a veteran team and they won't go away easily but Oregon should get the 50/50 extra points off of turnovers, free throws, and a couple of extra made three pointers. Grab Oregon

03/12 06:00 PM  CB   (579) UNLV VS (580) SAN DIEGO STATE edit

Take: (579) UNLV 

Reason: Play UNLV plus 6 San Diego State by name alone is getting the gratification of a six point spread here. Just a week and a half ago UNLV lost by a bucket to this same team. It was a game that neither team brought their A game, but from a basketball standpoint the ceiling for improvement is actually higher from UNLV's standpoint. San Diego State is not an offensive minded team and just is not the same caliber of SD State squads were use to seeing. UNLV may have the best talent in the Mountain West but under performed to everyone's expectations. This is the time of year where young teams grow and start to mature. Six points is a bargain here. Grab the Rebels and put a little on the money line.

03/12 04:00 PM  CB   (523) NORTH CAROLINA STATE VS (524) DUKE edit

Take: (523) NORTH CAROLINA STATE 

Reason: Play NC State plus 8.5 NC State is just a matchup that gives Duke problems. They're one of the few teams in the ACC that have length inside combined with stingy defensive minded guards that can shoot. In the first meeting in which NC State upset Duke they did so with better shooting than Duke. This time around I expect NC State to dig deeper defensively. They need another resume win to get in the tournament and I wouldn't be shocked to see them get it.

03/12 04:00 PM  CB   (555) TENNESSEE VS (556) VANDERBILT edit

Take: (555) TENNESSEE 

Reason: Play Tennessee plus 3.5 Vanderbilt has had one of the highest reversals from subpar starts at the beginning of conference play to strong finishes in conference play. They've done it in all types of ways but mainly with outstanding floor balance and scoring. It hasn't been one key scorer carrying them. A matchup against Tennessee should be a tougher challenge. The Volunteers play tougher defense and have length to disrupt a couple of scorers for forty minutes. Grab the Volunteers

03/12 04:00 PM  CB   (531) CREIGHTON VS (532) GEORGETOWN edit

Take: (531) CREIGHTON 

Reason: Play Creighton plus 7 Georgetown has had the tendency to wear down as season's go on, and that's what is happening now. Creighton was a woeful team in December but slowly coaching has rounded this team into a formidable nightly opponent. This is a scary spot for the Hoyas with the confidence and balanced offense that the Blue Jays have. Grab the 7.

03/11 06:00 PM  CB   (759) AKRON VS (760) WESTERN MICHIGAN edit

Take: (760) WESTERN MICHIGAN 

Reason: Play Western Michigan plus 1.5 These two teams split the regular season series matchup and this game should be another close affair. Western Michigan has the better group of starters and that's what I look for in a tournament game. They've played close games all season and this is where that experience should pay dividends. Grab Western Michigan.

03/11 02:30 PM  CB   (743) USC VS (744) ARIZONA STATE edit

Take: (743) USC 

Reason: Play USC plus 7 This is a six point line drop from just a few weeks ago when both of these teams played. USC nearly pulled off the upset at ASU and played neck and neck with the Devils until the last five minutes. ASU just is not the same team on the road as they are at home, and have not displayed the same fire power that they had during mid-conference play. USC should play another close game against the Sun Devils. Back the Trojans plus 7.

03/09 06:00 PM  CB   (885) MANHATTAN VS (886) IONA edit

Take: (885) MANHATTAN 

Reason: Play Manhattan plus 3.5 Iona has the lure of great fire power and the two marked wins over Manhattan this season. Manhattan has more losses but several were by close margins. Besides Iona's flurry yesterday against Monmouth they've struggled a bit down the stretch. Manhattan's playing better basketball and I'd expect either another close loss or for them to finally overcome the Gaels.

03/08 01:00 PM  CB   (821) EAST CAROLINA VS (822) HOUSTON edit

Take: (821) EAST CAROLINA 

Reason: Play East Carolina plus 4 Houston is coming off an overtime win against Tulane but is clearly with South Florida as the bottom teams of the American conference. East Carolina has the shooting and solid enough defense to attack a Houston team that lacks focus for 40 minutes on the defensive and offensive end of the floor.

03/08 11:30 AM  CB   (851) USC-UPSTATE VS (852) NORTH FLORIDA edit

Take: (851) USC-UPSTATE 

Reason: Play USC Upstate plus 5 This likely will be one of the best games on Sunday. In the smaller conferences already we are seeing some fantastic finishes. North Florida has the better resume in conference play but USC Upstate is one of those teams that just battles. They swept the season series over North Florida and even though it's hard to do it three times, I'll side with Upstate here. They've had a tournament look all season and I believe they'll continue the trend of the Atlantic Sun having success in March; Gulf Coast/Mercer.

03/07 06:00 PM  CB   (637) VANDERBILT VS (638) MISSISSIPPI edit

Take: (637) VANDERBILT 

Reason: Play Vanderbilt plus 5 This young Commodores team has obviously shown the signs of a team maturing down the stretch. Ole Miss has been as sporadic as a team can be with the quality of talent of their players. In this spot I'll ride the value of a team with confidence even on the road, versus a team that has shown to be untrustworthy and vulnerable ATS. Grab the Commodores plus five.

03/07 01:30 PM  CB   (583) UTAH VS (584) WASHINGTON edit

Take: (583) UTAH 

Reason: Play Utah -13 There may not be a team amongst the power conferences that looks and is playing as worn down as the Washington Huskies are. They're coming off a night game less than 48 hours ago in which they struggled to score 50 points against Colorado. Virtually all of their offense is coming from the guard play of Andrew Andrews or Nigel Williams-Goss. That's a recipe for disaster against a Utah team that has played a top ten caliber of defense all season long. Grab the Utes.

03/07 01:00 PM  CB   (571) TULANE VS (572) SOUTH FLORIDA edit

Take: (572) SOUTH FLORIDA 

Reason: Play South Florida -1 South Florida has had a rough go of it all season long. They lost Chris Perry to injury and just recently lost Corey Allen Jr via suspension. Sometimes losing a few key players boosts the overall team play. Against Central Florida that was the case as the offense ran fluid. Defense has not necessarily been the problem for South Florida, it's been the offense. Tulane is the type of team that struggles against physicality and hard-nosed man to man defense. Expect South Florida to carry over the momentum of a blowout win against Central Florida, and finish their regular season with another win.

03/07 11:00 AM  CB   (543) ST. JOHNS VS (544) VILLANOVA edit

Take: (543) ST. JOHNS 

Reason: Play St. Johns plus 12 This may be the highest level of play you're going to find in college basketball based on the play of seniors. Both Villanova and St. John's boast senior talent. Villanova is coming off a choppier game than many expected with a close win over Creighton. Challenges have been very few in the Big East conference. St. John's has been a team that has had their moments this season but faded out of the top 25 quickly with a poor stretch. Lately though they've got back into focus with quality wins over Xavier, Georgetown, Seton Hall, and Marquette. They may not get the win in this win against Nova but laying 12 is a high price. Duke was just a 6.5-7.5 point favorite and Gonzaga 6.5 as comparable top ten teams. Yes those games were at the Garden but a five to six point rise is a bit much.

03/07 09:00 AM  CB   (529) BUTLER VS (530) PROVIDENCE edit

Take: (530) PROVIDENCE 

Reason: Play Providence -2.5 These two teams are mirror images of each other as far as the style that they play with. On the court though Providence has the edge based on sheer talent. Earlier this season Providence grabbed the win at Butler and I believe they'll do it again as slight home favorites. On both the offensive and defensive end Butler lacks the ability to attack or defend Kris Dunn or LaDontae Henton. Friars get another win at home and get more momentum heading into the Big East tournament.

03/05 06:00 PM  CB   (537) MEMPHIS VS (538) CONNECTICUT edit

Take: (538) CONNECTICUT 

Reason: Play UConn -7 buy the hook UConn's done this same tune before. Kevin Ollie has his team playing with confidence with two solid wins over East Carolina and over SMU. More importantly both games they covered. Memphis defeated UConn at home earlier in conference play but have had a tough time in the final five minutes of the first and second half lately. UConn is also getting more scoring from freshman Daniel Hamilton, sophomore Rodney Purvis, and sophomore Amidah Brimah. This newfound offense from UConn could help them propel for a solid run in the AAC tournament. At home I expect UConn to continue their momentum against a Memphis team that is faltering down the stretch.

03/05 04:00 PM  CB   (581) USC-UPSTATE VS (582) FLORIDA GULF COAST edit

Take: (581) USC-UPSTATE 

Reason: Play USC-Upstate Florida Gulf Coast has the name recognition and two wins over USC-Upstate this season. One game was competitive and the other a solid win for Gulf Coast. This time around I expect USC-Upstate to rise to the occasion for this semi-final round of the Atlantic-Sun. They're an efficient basketball team and I see them as the better long-term Atlantic Sun team to represent the conference for March Madness over Gulf-Coast. Grab the points and put a little on the ML.

03/03 05:00 PM  CB   (535) WESTERN MICHIGAN VS (536) NORTHERN ILLINOIS edit

Take: (535) WESTERN MICHIGAN 

Reason: Play Western Michigan plus 2 In the prior matchup Western Michigan lost the cover at home against Northern Illinois due in large part to missed free throws. They went 21 of 32 from the free throw line. At the time they were also a non-confident team losing five of six. The Northern Illinois win has sparked a run of four of five wins for Western Michigan. I like the momentum that Western Michigan is starting to build. Getting them as a slight underdog bodes well as I believe they sweep the series vs Northern Illinois.

03/03 04:00 PM  CB   (515) NORTH CAROLINA VS (516) GEORGIA TECH edit

Take: (516) GEORGIA TECH 

Reason: Play Georgia Tech plus 5.5 It wasn't too long ago that UNC thumped Georgia Tech on their home floor on a early afternoon Saturday. Georgia Tech played their worst game of the season in that one. Tonight at home I expect them to come out with a higher intensity and to stay competitive throughout. UNC has had issues of late. Making them a high favorite on the road after winning one against Miami is not the way to go. Take Gtech

03/03 04:00 PM  CB   (551) YOUNGSTOWN STATE VS (552) DETROIT edit

Take: (551) YOUNGSTOWN STATE 

Reason: Play Youngstown State plus 9 Detroit has swept the season series against Youngstown State. They won the first matchup in overtime by six points and the recent game at Youngstown State by thirteen points. In that game they shot the lights out at near 70% for the game. Youngstown State has been a scrappy team all season long even though they've been losing. They'll put up another good effort against a poor perimeter defensive team in Detroit. Grab the points of plus 9.

03/01 05:30 PM  CB   (833) ARIZONA STATE VS (834) COLORADO edit

Take: (833) ARIZONA STATE 

Reason: Play Arizona State plus 2 This game likely would be a pick if ASU had not been blown out as poorly as they were against Utah the other night. The game before that they struggled to defeat USC. The Sun Devils are a young team that overachieved a bit in the early portion of February. But playing down to the level of Colorado should be an advantage for the Devils. Colorado continues to lack the discipline of a power conference team in college basketball. Shooting has been sporadic and defense blatantly non-existent. The team basketball of ASU should bode to an ATS cover and advantage for Devils backers Sunday.

03/01 11:00 AM  CB   (817) SMU VS (818) CONNECTICUT edit

Take: (818) CONNECTICUT 

Reason: Play UConn Pick Just a few weeks ago UConn was ran out the gym by SMU on their home floor. A ten point lead vanished within a few minutes and the game pretty much got out of hand from that point on. It was one of the few games this season where UConn's defense more than their offense caused them to lose . Nic Moore had his way and UConn could not get any type of transition offense going because SMU's offense was running so fluid.  I expect the defensive intensity to be at an appropriate Kevin Ollie level and for the Huskies to get an avenging home win over the Mustangs.

02/28 05:00 PM  CB   (659) TULSA VS (660) MEMPHIS edit

Take: (660) MEMPHIS 

Reason: Play Memphis -2.5 buy the hook to -2 These two teams faced each other in the early portion of conference play, which was a rout by Tulsa. Tulsa enjoyed a nice run in the AAC but have stumbled down the stretch. Their defense to offensive success has stumbled as their new conference opponents have been able to have more film and have seen the Golden Hurricane. Memphis has been competitive lately even though they have zero chance to enter the tournament this season. They narrowly defeated UConn and stayed right in their last game with SMU. Many people would expect a let down here after their loss just a few days ago to SMU. But the way they were blown out by Tulsa earlier this season should be more than enough motivation at home to grab the W.

02/28 04:00 PM  CB   (631) TEXAS SAN ANTONIO VS (632) LOUISIANA TECH edit

Take: (631) TEXAS SAN ANTONIO 

Reason: Play Texas San Antonio plus 13 You have to wonder how focused Louisiana Tech will be for this game out the gate. They just destroyed UTEP and their next game is against lowly Southern Miss. Their focus may be looking ahead to the conference tournament. Plus earlier in conference play Texas San Antonio led at halftime against Louisiana Tech by a small margin before losing by twelve in the second half. The number is a bit higher this time around and I can see a similar scenario happening with a halftime lead for UTSA. Look for UTSA to learn a bit from the last outing and hold Tech under the number of 13.

02/28 11:00 AM  CB   (547) NORTHERN IOWA VS (548) WICHITA STATE edit

Take: (548) WICHITA STATE 

Reason: Play Wichita State Both of these teams should represent the Missouri Valley well in the NCAA tournament here in a few weeks. Northern Iowa has just entered the top ten and has done so with great defense. Lately their offense has not been as fluid as it has been the majority of the season. The early wave that the Shockers typically get at home may be too much for Northern Iowa to overcome. I do not think they have the offense to dig themselves out of an early hole. Grab Wichita State and get ready for a third exciting match in the Missouri Valley tournament.

02/25 06:00 PM  CB   (783) FLORIDA STATE VS (784) MIAMI FLORIDA edit

Take: (783) FLORIDA STATE 

Reason: Play Florida State plus 7.5 As great as Miami looked in the first half against Florida State a month ago, they blew the lead and lost by a point. That's how they've played all season, with inconsistencies for forty minutes. Florida State has started to get more balance on the offensive end of the floor and should give Miami another good game. Getting 7.5 is a value spot here with Florida State.

02/25 04:00 PM  CB   (731) CONNECTICUT VS (732) EAST CAROLINA edit

Take: (731) CONNECTICUT 

Reason: Play UConn -4.5 The Huskies have been a disastrous team ATS this season. Oddsmakers have inflated their lines due to last year's championship win and the unexpected play of their AAC counterparts. East Carolina has played fairly well over the second half of AAC play but I do not believe they can contend with a strong defensive team like UConn. UConn is getting better play inside from Brimah and has the defensive play from all guard positions to win this with defense alone. Look for the Huskies to win this ATS spot and limit East Carolina's offense

02/25 04:00 PM  CB   (747) VA COMMONWEALTH VS (748) RICHMOND edit

Take: (747) VA COMMONWEALTH 

Reason: Play VCU -1 VCU has had two waves of challenging issues in conference play. The first portion they struggled from self-issues. The havoc defense was being beat because the A-10 is a much stronger conference than in years past. Then came a few injuries including losing Briante Weber for the season. The third wave of the conference season has seen VCU start to blossom. Their younger players are starting to look more comfortable and offense isn't a major issue as it was four weeks ago. That was the main reason they lost at home to Richmond as they just could not put the basketball in the hoop. Richmond has a bit inflated ATS value currently. They've had some strong wins but could easily be an under .500 team right now, as they've won several games by short margins. VCU gets the revenge in this one and wins by double figures.

02/22 05:30 PM  CB   (851) USC VS (852) ARIZONA STATE edit

Take: (851) USC 

Reason: Play USC plus 11.5 I've stated many times this season that ASU head coach Herb Sendek is having an under the radar noteworthy coaching season. Their body of work recently has shot this point spread up exponentially from where it would have been ten to fourteen days ago. USC has not won many Pac-12 games but have represented themselves well in contests. The efficiency of ASU's offense as of late would exceed any coaches wildest dreams while their defense has still been subpar. Grab the points as this should be tighter than anticipated.

02/22 02:15 PM  CB   (819) INDIANA VS (820) RUTGERS edit

Take: (820) RUTGERS 

Reason: Play Rutgers plus 7 The Big Ten has some of the best draws Sunday in college hoops. Two of the four games currently have a one point spread and the other always draws attention no matter what sport in Ohio State and Michigan. From a handicapper perspective I see the best value in this matchup between Indiana and Rutgers. Rutgers has been a money burner for backers all Big Ten season as they adjust to their new conference. They did pull off an upset of Wisconsin which is likely far far back in bettors minds. In this matchup against Indiana I like Rutgers inside/outside guard and forward play to matchup well against Indiana. Indiana is also coming off a loss to Purdue. As a young team on the bubble there is going to be individual and team pressure put on the Hoosiers for a win here. A loss to Rutgers would all but end their tournament chances barring a Big Ten title run. This is a value play on Rutgers performing better than they have all of February and Indiana feeling the pressure of this game on the road. Grab the points

02/22 11:00 AM  CB   (825) MEMPHIS VS (826) CENTRAL FLORIDA edit

Take: (825) MEMPHIS 

Reason: Play Memphis -7 The American conference may be the one of the best stable conferences to handicap. The top/middle/bottom tier have all stayed pretty consistent all season. Central Florida is likely a season away from rising from the tier in between bottom and mid. They're on a three game win streak but won against South Florida, Houston, and Tulane---none to write home about. They lack the defense to go up against Memphis in half court sets and will cause transition issues defensively with the amount of three pointers they take. Memphis scored a season-high 99 points in their first meeting and should get a solid ATS cover again against Central Florida.

02/21 06:30 PM  CB   (651) CINCINNATI VS (652) HOUSTON edit

Take: (651) CINCINNATI 

Reason: Play Cincinnati -7 This is a matchup where Houston's inefficiency on the offensive end will aid the Bearcats immensely. Houston lacks an inside presence and therefore forces a lot of poor shots from the perimeter. After 8-12 minutes of the first half I'd expect the Bearcats to clamp down defensively and take a lead going into halftime. Houston does not have the proper personnel to make necessary adjustments at halftime to get back into the game. Expect Cincinnati to carry a slight halftime lead into a sizeable margin in the second half.

02/21 04:30 PM  CB   (623) TENNESSEE VS (624) MISSISSIPPI edit

Take: (623) TENNESSEE 

Reason: Play Tennessee plus 8.5 There are different angles to gain added ATS edges at this point of the season. One I'll look at here is the Volunteers veteran leadership. Last year they went on a big run and snuck into the NCAA tournament and did well advancing to play against Michigan. That's not possible this season but just because the NCAA tournament is a lost cause does not mean players want their season to end in the regular season. The NIT is a goal and led by Josh Richardson I think they'll get it done. This is a steep line against an up and down Ole Miss team. Tennessee did a solid job against Kentucky but was wore down by their sheer size advantage. Look for the Vols to cover this steep number on the road.

02/21 03:00 PM  CB   (595) UNLV VS (596) NEW MEXICO edit

Take: (595) UNLV 

Reason: Play UNLV plus 3.5 I don't think there is a team in the country spiraling downward worse than New Mexico. New Mexico did win a close tight game throughout against UNLV 71-69 earlier in conference play. They did so with better than expected interior defense and extended use of their bench. Currently the Lobos depth has become there issue. No one is responding and playing well. This is a spot where bettors may blindly bet for the "this-is it" game for New Mexico. The eye test says that will not be the case. Look for UNLV to attack the paint aggressively with Christian Wood and Goodluck Okonoboh that missed the prior meeting against New Mexico.

02/21 01:00 PM  CB   (579) GEORGE WASHINGTON VS (580) RICHMOND edit

Take: (579) GEORGE WASHINGTON 

Reason: Play George Washington plus 5.5 It's not often you will see a twelve loss team as this size of a favorite against a team with a better record than them. But the reason for this line disparity has more to do with recent flaws from George Washington. They've looked a bit sluggish on both ends of the floor. I'm not going to overreact to that as I believe the A-10 is an underrated conference from top to bottom compared to even some of the elite power conferences. In their first matchup George Washington controlled the game for the most part against Richmond but a second half run by Richmond ended up making it an overtime affair. It was one of the poorer performances by George Washington this season in my estimation. I expect them to play like a veteran team and cover the number Saturday against Richmond

02/21 01:00 PM  CB   (565) SAN FRANCISCO VS (566) PEPPERDINE edit

Take: (566) PEPPERDINE 

Reason: Play Pepperdine -3 Here are two teams that oddsmakers have been unable to gauge their last five to six games. Pepperdine finally ended a poor ATS streak with a cover against Santa Clara. The line in that game opened at 9 and shot down to 6.5. San Francisco on the other hand has played better as of late but the resume of Pepperdine is clearly better. They defeated BYU twice and St Mary's on the road. They also had a horrid stretch in conference play having to go on the road six of eight games. Grab the value on Pepperdine as they look to maintain the fourth seed in the WCC with just two regular season games left.

02/21 10:00 AM  CB   (533) FLORIDA VS (534) LSU edit

Take: (533) FLORIDA 

Reason: Play Florida plus 4 Even though Florida is without a couple of key players, I still like the value on this game. We're talking about a 14.5 point swing from the prior matchup earlier this season, in which Florida was favored by 10.5 points at home. LSU won that going away but sometimes you have to take a specific game into context. Florida played there worst defense of the season in that game while LSU shot and ran their offense the best it has this season. I like the play Florida has been receiving as of late from their younger players. Grab Florida plus the points

02/21 09:00 AM  CB   (515) PITTSBURGH VS (516) SYRACUSE edit

Take: (516) SYRACUSE 

Reason: Syracuse -4.5 The thoughts of bettors when Syracuse gave themselves a self-imposed ban was that they would not be motivated for the rest of the season. The eye-test is that the team has responded better. With a young group of players that will only lose departing senior Rakeem Christmas, suddenly Syracuse is growing as a team. Without the worry of being on the bubble Syracuse is playing much looser. As a result the young players are playing Jim Boeheim's patented zone defense better. Offensively the inside/outside combination of Michael Gbinje and Christmas may be the hottest in college basketball right now. Isolation post plays from Christmas are not being stopped, and Gbinje is getting to the rim or making open three pointers. On top of that Syracuse is getting more contributions from Kaleb Joseph and Tyler Roberson. Pittsburgh has had a nice stretch in the ACC but with the way Syracuse is growing right now I think the Orange get it done in the Carrier Dome.

02/18 04:00 PM  CB   (737) BUFFALO VS (738) EASTERN MICHIGAN edit

Take: (738) EASTERN MICHIGAN 

Reason: Play Eastern Michigan plus 1 The line opened in this one with Eastern Michigan as two point favorites but has swayed to Buffalo being the road favorite by a point. This is a case where bettors are eyeing the glitz of Bobby Hurley's style. His team looks solid when out on the floor with a couple of key talented players. But where they have lacked all season is strong defense. Eastern MIchigan is one of the few teams in the MAC that relies on strong defense to carry their success. At home against a vulnerable Buffalo defensive team I think they should be able to win the battle and keep this game in the 60-68 point range that they want.

02/16 04:00 PM  CB   (701) SETON HALL VS (702) VILLANOVA edit

Take: (701) SETON HALL 

Reason: Play Seton Hall plus 16 There are many variables in this game that have Villanova a whopping 16 point favorite against Seton Hall. One they've been a cash cow against the books in both non-conference and conference play. They've had five to six games alone where they've beat the book by a point or two. Secondly, Seton Hall has had Villanova's number as of late. Winning against them in the Big East tournament last season and in this season's first matchup. Last, Seton Hall is without guard Sina who decided he was leaving the team. Every type of sports handicapper jargon angle is in play here. Revenge, key player left the team, etc, etc. But on the floor Seton Hall still has a talented young team. One much improved from the team a year ago that defeated Villanova. Villanova is a sound balanced team but has been prone to let large leads evaporate quickly. Jay Wright will not leave his star players in the game with a large lead. Instead he'll put in his second unit which is not as sound defensively as the first. In the end this number is too steep and deserves attention on the Pirates side of things.

02/16 04:00 PM  CB   (705) CLEMSON VS (706) GEORGIA TECH edit

Take: (706) GEORGIA TECH 

Reason: Georgia Tech -2, buy the hook Here are two teams that backers just can't get a hold of. Both have been hot potatoes and is the reason why they both have mediocre records. Georgia Tech is on a woeful slide in conference play but have been in the majority of their games. Similar to Northwestern's plight in the Big Ten, the reversal is bound to turn in Georgia Tech's favor. This should be a good spot for Tech as they face a Clemson team extremely limited offensively. Games they've had success offensively they've largely done so due to a size advantage inside. That's not the case against Georgia Tech. Look for the Yellow Jackets to finally snap out of their ACC skid and put a "W" in the ATS column.

02/15 11:00 AM  CB   (891) RIDER VS (892) NIAGARA edit

Take: (892) NIAGARA 

Reason: Play Niagara plus 6 These two teams play again in just six days in the MAAC. Rider was the clear MAAC favorite a few weeks ago but recently have looked vulnerable because of poor shooting and half-court offense. Niagara is a young group after losing the majority of their core team from prior seasons including Antone Mason of Auburn. Yet they're showing the type of signs young teams transitioning do towards the end of the season. Expect them to play this game as a forward-thinking game for growth into next season. Grab the plus 6 with Niagara.

02/14 01:30 PM  CB   (507) NORTHERN ILLINOIS VS (508) WESTERN MICHIGAN edit

Take: (508) WESTERN MICHIGAN 

Reason: Play Western Michigan -6 buy the hook Last week we caught a nice win against Western Michigan with Bowling Green. That was the last time Western Michigan has taken the court. They're a team that likely has had one of the toughest weeks of practice in the country. They've dug themselves their own hole by losing five of their last six games; four by less than six points. That portion of their schedule was the class of the MAC. Now Western Michigan gets to finish the season with the easier portion. I expect them to respond strong at home and get a nice ATS cover for us Saturday.

02/14 01:00 PM  CB   (563) NORTH CAROLINA STATE VS (564) LOUISVILLE edit

Take: (564) LOUISVILLE 

Reason: Play Louisville -11 A couple of games ago I stated now is the time to get on the Pitino and Louisville ATS bandwagon. We will stay on them until the lines adjust appropriately. Louisville is just a poor matchup for the NC State. NC State has shot the ball poorly most of conference play and will face an aggressive defensive team--especially at the guard positions. Aggressive defenses have given NC State trouble. They lost to Clemson by 11, Virginia twice, Wofford as a ten point favorite, and Cincinnati by 16 points. Their latest cover against Virginia looks great for backers seeing this steep line but had more to do with Virginia trying to find their offense without Justin Anderson than NC State. Louisville can score without issues and I expect the signs we have seen of Louisville turning the corner to continue to blossom Saturday.

02/14 11:30 AM  CB   (541) WAKE FOREST VS (542) VIRGINIA edit

Take: (542) VIRGINIA 

Reason: Play Virginia -17.5 Danny Manning has done a superb job with Wake Forest this season but one thing they do lack is toughness on the defensive end. Their tallest player is forward Devin Thomas at 6'9. Virginia's weakness has been on the interior and has been where ACC teams lately have been attacking them. Wake Forest does not have that advantage and I expect their man to man defense to flourish against an undersized Wake Forest team. These two teams meet again in 11 days in a matchup that might be better the second time around

02/14 11:00 AM  CB   (525) CENTRAL MICHIGAN VS (526) BUFFALO edit

Take: (525) CENTRAL MICHIGAN 

Reason: Play Central Michigan plus 6.5 In the earlier matchup between these two Buffalo stormed out to a commanding double digit lead in the first half and into the second half. Central Michigan went on one quick spurt and did not look back and won 84-73. This looks like a revenge spot as the line has jumped from 5 to 6.5. Buffalo's defense just is not sound enough for me to back them against a great offensive team like Central Michigan. Central Michigan spreads the floor well and is the ranks in the top ten in points and top thirty for field goal percentage in the country. Grab Central Michigan.

02/12 04:00 PM  CB   (511) TULSA VS (512) CONNECTICUT edit

Take: (511) TULSA 

Reason: Play Tulsa plus 3.5 Tulsa enters this game against UConn off their first loss in the American conference. SMU came into that game with an edge after losing to Cincinnati for the second time. UConn just is not the juggernaut they were a season ago. It has a lot to do with the non-development of the entire team offensively. They rely solely on Ryan Boatright and have had nothing but inconsistent play from the rest of the team. Grab Tulsa as they have had a strong defensive showing all season long. They should cover the 3.5

02/12 04:00 PM  CB   (571) WESTERN CAROLINA VS (572) MERCER edit

Take: (572) MERCER 

Reason: Play Mercer -8 People that have followed me this season now that I've grown to like Mercer in the Southern conference. While Western Carolina may have the more experienced players they've struggled all season to pick up where they left off last year. They lost too many key seniors and the upper classmen left just are not capable. Mercer on the other hand continues to show growth on both ends of the floor and may even make a conference tournament run against Wofford. Grab Mercer as they grab yet another cover ATS against Western Carolina.

02/11 05:00 PM  CB   (769) PITTSBURGH VS (770) LOUISVILLE edit

Take: (770) LOUISVILLE 

Reason: Play Louisville -11 Louisville has already won in this matchup against Pittsburgh just a couple of weeks ago. Over Louisville's last few games we're starting to see this team blossom like a true Coach Pitino team. He has cut the rotation down and Louisville is starting to play much better defense as well. Offense has still been an issue but Pittsburgh is the type of team that struggles with consistency offensively. This is the type of game where Louisville should be able to convert turnovers into points and get enough points with their transition offense to roll over Pittsburgh. Expect an ACC rout tonight in Louisville.

02/10 04:00 PM  CB   (523) WESTERN MICHIGAN VS (524) BOWLING GREEN edit

Take: (524) BOWLING GREEN 

Reason: Bowling Green -5 As much of a must-win game this is for Western Michigan, they just are not playing efficient basketball for me to back them on the road against Bowling Green. Western Michigan has lost four of five games. All they could have won but just can't find a way to pull off the close games. Bowling Green is the class of the MAC currently in a tight race amongst four to five quality teams. I think they handle a shaken Western Michigan team reeling and defeat Western Michigan at home and grab the cover.

02/10 04:00 PM  CB   (531) NOTRE DAME VS (532) CLEMSON edit

Take: (532) CLEMSON 

Reason: Play Clemson plus 3 Many will expect Notre Dame to bust through after their lopsided loss to Duke on Saturday and defeat Clemson handily. The spread opened at 2 and is now up to 3. But if you look at Notre Dame's schedule this season it has not been one filled with challenges. They had a very soft non-conference schedule. They beat Michigan State in overtime by a point and lost to Providence by a point. In conference play they defeated a North Carolina team that was woefully cold in that game and narrowly defeated Georgia Tech twice. Clemson will be a challenge for Notre Dame as a team to score effectively. At home Clemson is a totally different ball club offensively. Look for Clemson to keep this game tight until the end and get the slight cover on 3 points or win outright.

02/08 04:05 PM  NBA   (813) SAN ANTONIO SPURS VS (814) TORONTO RAPTORS edit

Take: (813) SAN ANTONIO SPURS 

Reason: Play San Antonio -1.5 San Antonio is starting to make their move up the standings by design from Coach Poppovich. Toronto has been great at home but also has some head scratching losses this season. With the way the Spurs are playing currently this is a good spot to grab them in basically a win the game and cover spot. Buy the hook if necessary.

02/08 12:15 PM  CB   (825) MARYLAND VS (826) IOWA edit

Take: (825) MARYLAND 

Reason: Play Maryland plus 6 Maryland hit a bit of a wall in the teeth of the Big Ten. Teams defended them tighter and better than they were use to in the ACC a year ago and non-conference this season. But Iowa is a Big Ten team that lacks focus on defense. Maryland should finally be able to get open looks with Dez Wells and Melo Trimble and also cause problems for Iowa's big men as Evan Smotrycz and Jake Layman can both cause havoc on the perimeter. Grab the points with Maryland.