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Responding off an overtime loss can be tough in your next matchup. Ole Miss must regroup after going down Saturday in overtime against Mississippi State. Today they will face a Texas A&M Aggies team that is bolstered with the return of Wade Taylor. The Aggies also had Ole Miss’s number last season defeating them twice late in the season, and the road loss earlier in conference to the Rebels was just by three points. To much of an over adjustment on the Aggies side based on Taylor’s return and last year’s results. Tail Ole Miss.

Both the Minnesota Timberwolves and Dallas Mavericks are dealing with injuries. For the Timberwolves they have lost three out of four games as they adjust to being without Donte Divencenzo. Rookie Rob Dillingham has started to emerge off the bench averaging twelve points over his last three games. This matchup still has bad blood from the Twolves postseason loss, and we saw Minnesota get revenge on Christmas at Dallas 105-99. Take the road favored Twolves.

Despite being just 2-7 over their last nine games, Lafayette is garnering the respect of oddsmakers today against Loyola Maryland. The Leopards may be losing but they have been in a majority of their conference games outside of their latest loss to Colgate. Prior in their five conference games they won two, and the other three were decided by three points or less. Grab Lafayette plus the points.

A team that should be fired up off a bad loss is BYU. The Cougars had their opportunities as the Utes shot just 53 percent from the free throw line, but could not prevail in an overtime loss. Winless on the road this year this is an opportune spot to take out their frustrations on a Colorado team that is 0-6 in Big 12 play. Lay it with the Cougars.

UNLV has surged in Mountain West play with a 5-2 overall record, that included upsetting a top twenty five team in Utah State. They are a team that’s offense can be an issue, and makes for a tough lay as a sizable favorite. Although Wyoming has lost four of five games I believe this will be a slower pace game. Grab the Cowboys in a value spot off the Rebels conference surge.

A rare overnight release for me in the NBA, as I believe this line will only go down. The Wizards may have the fewest wins in the NBA but it’s resulted in bloated spreads. They’ve covered three of their last four, including Jordan Poole facing his old team in the Warriors. That is in play with Kyle Kuzma, and the biggest angle is Anthony Davis questionable with a calf issue. There’s a good chance he may rest against the lowly Wizards. Grab the underdog.

Out in the Missouri Valley Indiana State has been torched defensively over their last two games. They surrendered 118 points to Bradley and are coming off an 18 point loss to Drake. With losses in six of their last seven games now is the time for a value spot on the road against Illinois State. Illinois State’s last three games have been decided by six points or fewer. Grab the Sycamores on an inflated line.

Teams on losing streaks are going to give the effort. The question comes with lapses that the opponent can take advantage of. UT Rio Valley Grande is in their first year in the Southland conference, and with losses in three of four games are adjusting. Expect Incarnate Word to have difficulty against a UT Rio Valley Grande team that loves to run and plays bigger then their lineup’s size. Grab the points here with UT Rio Valley Grande. 

The Golden State Warriors are in a poor spot today even on their home floor against the Boston Celtics. The Celtics for one will be fired up after losing to the Atlanta Hawks in their last game. Expect intensity right off the bat against a Warriors team that has been playing short handed for the last several weeks. Lay it with the Celtics.

In the NBA there are not to many regular season rivalry matchup. One that is identifiable is the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks. Atlanta is coming off a big road win over the Boston Celtics, and have defeated the Knicks twice this season. With New York being banged up look for the bench play to be key. Cameron Payne is coming off an 18 point game, and Miles McBride put in 16 in the first matchup against Atlanta. Back the Knicks on their home floor.

On a very light Sunday college hoops slate the Horizon League will have an interesting battle. Cleveland State comes in on a nine game winning streak, and is atop the conference with a 7-1 record. During their win streak their closest victory was against IU Indianapolis, a six point victory. Look for the Jaguars to be motivated on their home floor to end the Vikings win streak. Grab the points here with the IU Jaguars.

Another value spot on Sunday’s slate lies in the Atlantic 10. UMass is coming off a thrilling four overtime game winning 120-118. An abnormal game like that leads to value the following with bettors attracted to the mindset a team will be tired. Yet, UMass has won two of their last three games and being on their home floor is key. Take the Minute Men to pull off another victory and cover.

The Big Sky’s conference schedule can make it difficult for road teams from Thursday to Saturday games. Portland State is in that scenario for the first time this season after losing to Northern Colorado on Thursday. That may have caused to high of a line move on NAU’s side, who is coming off a clinic performance against lowly Sacramento State. Value play here a I expect Portland State to sneak within the rising spread.

Two key pieces amongst the Minnesota Timberwolves and New York Knicks trade are in doubt tonight. Donte Divincenzo is out and Karl Anthony Towns is questionable. The Knicks may be twelve games above .500 but are just 5-5 over their last ten games. They are also coming off an overtime matchup against a 76ers team that was in a back to back spot. Grab the points as the Timberwolves seek revenge from their worst loss of the season of 26 points to the Knicks.

The Oklahoma City Thunder and Cavaliers will meet in a rematch of just eight days ago. The biggest change has been the Thunder losing big man Hartenstein, but this Thunder team has adapted without a big before. Last week’s matchup the x-factor was Cavaliers reserve Ty Jerome who put in fifteen points in twelve minutes, including a key eight points in the fourth quarter. He is questionable with an illness, but I expect the Thunder to tighten up defensively overall. Grab the home team in the Thunder

Out in the MAAC, Marist has jumped out in front of the conference with a 14-3 record. In their last matchup against Fairfield they had a rest advantage, that was not noticeable until the final five minutes when Marist pulled away. Saint Peter’s won last year’s home game over Marist by nine points, and have limited their last three opponents to an average of 59 points. Back the home team here in Saint Peter’s.

Just seven days ago Marshall defeated tonight’s opponent James Madison in a thriller with two free throws in the final second. In the win Marshall lost their leading scorer Obinna Anochili-Killen who was in a walking boot in Marshall’s last game. This has caused too aggressive of a line move. Watch out for Marshall guard Jalen Speer who went 7 for 7 from beyond the arc against James Madison, and scored 19 second half points. Grab Marshall on the over aggressive line adjustment.

The New Orleans Pelicans have now won two out of their last three games. With nine wins on the season tonight is an opportunity win their tenth game. The Dallas Mavericks are depleted as Kyrie Irving will be out, and they’ve played consecutive up and down fast pace games against Denver. Take the Pelicans at home.

Small road underdogs against a top level team can be a tricky scenario. That is the case today for Duquense who as a below .500 team are a small underdog to 13-3 George Washington. Yet, conference play creates different power ratings for teams, and Duquesne showed this last season by winning the Atlantic 10 conference tournament. As a better in-conference team grab the points as they look to improve to 3-1 in A-10 play.

Over the last several seasons Samford has been amongst the top teams in the Southern Conference. Last year they made the March Madness tournament and this season they are off to another fantastic start at 14-3. Look for Mercer to respond off of consecutive losses, including losing to a a five win Western Carolina team. Grab the points here with Mercer.

The Phoenix Suns are on the upswing having won four out of their last five games, including three straight. One of those victories was against tonight’s opponent in the Atlanta Hawks. Phoenix had one of their more fluid balanced games as four players scored over twenty points in Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Grayson Allen, and Bradley Beal. Take the Suns to cover and get their fourth straight victory.

In both college basketball plays today I’m backing teams coming off season lows in points. Valparaiso scored just forty seven points in their loss to Murray State. Yet, they’ve showed fight in-conference taking Bradley and Indiana State to overtime. Belmont has also been susceptible over their last nine games three have been losses, and six wins were all by seven points or fewer. Grab the underdog here with Valparaiso.

A season ago the Buffalo Bulls were one of the worst teams in division one with a record of 4-27. They have now lost seven straight games against division one opponents, and are coming off as season low forty nine points. This is a buy low spot as the Bulls trailed by just four points to Kent State at halftime in their last game, and will correct their offensive issues against Bowling Green. Grab the points here with Buffalo.

Loyola Maryland is a talented team that may go on a run in the Patriot conference. Currently though early in conference play they are struggling with close games. Each of their last four games has been decided by six points or less, and three decided by two points or less. Although American is winless on the road this season at 0-8, look for the number to be a factor against Loyola Maryland once again. Grab the points.

Readjusting to a key star returning to the lineup is difficult. We are seeing that with the Orlando Magic who dropped their first game with Paulo Banchero back against the Bucks. The loss is the Magic’s sixth loss in nine games. They’ve also lost five straight games at home. Take the 76ers to continue the Magic’s despair.

Wright State comes into today’s matchup against Robert Morris with momentum having won consecutive games. On the season though they have failed to win three straight games. Traveling on the road is one of the main reasons they are just 9-8 on the year, as they have lost four out of their last five road games. Grab Robert Morris who has revenge on their mind from losing to Wright State by 25 and 30 points last season.

Marist has won seven straight games and is the only MAAC team above .500 besides conference newcomer Mount St. Mary’s. That’s caused a steep rise from an ATS stand point in what is a big rest advantage spot for Marist. They’ve been off for seven days while Fairfield just played two days ago against Iona. Look for the patented big start from Marist before Fairfield chips away. Marist may have a seven game winning streak, but six of their wins have been within this spread. Grab Fairfield.

Typically there are not many spots for a low win team seeking revenge from a game they should of won. The lowly Toronto Raptors who are 1-17 on the road, are coming off a close loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. In both matchups this year against Detroit they had opportunities to win losing by four and two points. Look for the Raptors to play another hard fought game against Detroit win or lose. Grab the points.

Tonight’s game between the Mavericks and Portland has been moved up due to weather. Look for that to impact a Portland team that has been very inconsistent off a win. Dallas, has been a team with their depth that can manage key players being out. Due to a bug that hit most players, we did not see that during a five game losing streak. Take the value here on the Mavericks to win convincingly consecutive games for the first time since December 23rd.

A team that has struggled with portal transfers and overall play has been Oakland. They lost Trey Townsend to Arizona, and are just 5-11 to begin the season. One of their wins came against Wright State on December 5th. Look for the Golden Grizzlies to lean on that performance to at least keep it within the number tonight. Play Oakland.

Sometimes conference play can ignite a team that ended non-conference play poorly. American lost four straight games, but is coming off a double digit victory over Holy Cross. Look for the confidence to show on the road today against a Boston team that has performed below their capabilities. The Eagles are also looking to avenge two losses last season against Boston. Grab the points here.

Arkansas will try and avoid losing consecutive games for the first time this season. In Saturday’s loss to Tennessee they scored just 52 points, as Johnell Davis was scoreless off the bench in twenty five minutes of action. Look for Ole Miss to continue to give Arkansas problems on the defensive end of the floor, as opponents are averaging just 64 points per game. Grab the underdog here with Ole Miss. 

Over the years the Southern Conference has lost their high end coaches to power schools, as well as talent to the portal. Still, it is a balanced conference which can be tricky on small spreads. Mercer after beginning the year just 1-4 against division one schools, has won six of their last eight. Deeper into conference play look for their flaws from early in the season to be exposed against an East Tennessee State team that won both games last season. Lay the small number here.

The Minnesota Timberwolves appeared to be going the right direction after they boosted their record to 17-14. Yet they have reversed course again losing three straight games, including Saturday against a Pistons team that was in a back to back spot. The Clippers last two matchups at Minnesota have hindered the Timberwolves offensively to 93 and 88 points. Grab the Clippers as Minnesota’s struggles continue.

Under first year Coach Gerry McNamara Siena has had their moments of a program going upward. Probably the peak is now as the Saints are coming off defeating Cornell as a double digit underdog. Now they’ll face a conference opponent in Manhattan that is well rested, as they have not played since December 21st. They’ve also covered in their last three road games. Grab the points here with Manhattan.

Conference openers can be tricky spots to attack road favorites. Lipscomb despite only being 8-5 are large favorites today against Jacksonville. The Bisons have won six of their last seven games, and utilized a proper scheduling strategy. Early in non-conference play they faced the big boys in Arkansas and Kentucky. At the end they have had tune up games against non division one schools, including their last game against Asbury. Look for the Bisons to be sharp as a result against a Jacksonville team that is not as balanced offensively as a season ago.

When it comes to the Big South, Longwood has been consistently amongst the top teams in the conference. It’s led to an attraction on their numbers from the betting market. Today’s opponent in Presbyterian they have won seven of the last eight matchups. The Blue Hose have actually lost five straight games against division one opponents, and have not recorded a win since November 23rd over a division one school. Take the value here on Presbyterian to at least keep the game within the spread.

Valparaiso has been involved in some crazy games lately. In their last two games alone they played Bradley to overtime, and came from behind down twenty two points with under seven minutes left to win over Western Michigan. Expect the Beacons to use those gritty performances to play a close game against a Missouri State team they went 0-2 against last season. Grab the points with Valparaiso.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have won eleven straight games to push their overall record to 26-5. During their last six wins each team has had issues with key players out. That won’t be the case tonight against a Timberwolves team aiming to match a season high four straight wins. Improved play and Minnesota also split the series last year. Grab the points here with the underdog.

Last season North Texas had one of the biggest meltdowns against today’s opponent in UAB. Leading by 17 points in the first half, they lost their focus and ended up losing in overtime. Expect the coaches to emphasize that reminder and for the Mean Green to utilize their holiday break properly. Lay the points with North Texas

Fordham comes into their Atlantic 10 opener on a season best five game winning streak. It has been a nice recovery for the Rams who once were 3-5 overall. For St. Louis it has been the opposite they have lost four out of their last five games against division one opponents. But the opening of conference play is a chance to start fresh. Take St. Louis to get their first road win of the season.

In a college basketball season there is typically a pre holiday or in-conference wall. For UC Irvine they hit it before their holiday break, with losses against Oregon State and Duquesne. Look for the Anteaters to regroup tonight against California Baptist after a nine day layoff. Lay the small number with UC Irvine.

After a holiday layoff two games in three days can be difficult. Loyola Marymount is coming off a fifteen point road loss at San Francisco Saturday, and now will face Washington State. The Cougars will play their conference games in the WCC, and that presents a challenge to the Lions who are not familiar with playing in Pullman. Expect a slide similar to the way the Lions began the season 0-3 against division one opponents. Lay it with Washington State.

Houston enters Big 12 conference play in unchartered territory based on their prior seasons. Typically they have been a stout top five team, but this year they already have three losses. From a personnel stand point they have not been able to figure out the mix of high end defense and timely offense. Yet, in-conference I trust the Cougars to elevate their play even on the road in Stillwater. Lay the big number with Houston.

The Chicago Bulls ended a three game losing streak on Saturday by defeating the Milwaukee Bucks. Health played a big role as both Lonzo Ball and Josh Giddy came back. Giddy had a triple double, and over his last four games for the Bulls is averaging nine assists. Additionally, the Bulls limited the Hornets to a season low 95 points on December 13th. 

The Golden State Warriors after beginning the season 12-3, have spiraled to just one game above .500 at 15-14. In last night’s loss they were without both Steph Curry and Draymond Green, but had some positive take aways. The backups fought hard to nearly erase a nineteen point deficit. Look for the Warriors to grow with the recent new changes of Trayce Jackson-Davis and acquisition of Dennis Schroder having more time on the floor. Lay it with the Warriors.

Post holiday’s the first game for a team struggling presents value. Chicago has been torched their last two home games in which they lost by twenty points or more to Milwaukee and Boston. Yet, their prior three games on the road they have won outright. Expect a competitive game against an Atlanta team they have already defeated twice including a 125-113 victory on the road.

The Milwaukee Bucks managed in their last outing to gain a victory minus Giannis and Damian Lillard against the lowly Washington Wizards. With both status’s up in the air Monday night oddsmakers have given room for the normal -1.5 to plus 1.5 to 2 point swing that will likely occur if Giannis is ruled out. Take Chicago as they have split the season series this year, and the lone loss Giannis put in 41 points. 

Two teams on extreme lows will meet tonight in the NBA with the Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves. The Warriors are coming off losing by fifty one points to the Memphis Grizzlies, in a game where Steph Curry scored just two points, and Draymond Green went scoreless. Look for the Warriors to bounce back against a Timberwolves team that clearly has internal issues. Grab the points with the Warriors.

Saturday, we get another rare spot of two teams playing for the second time already on the season. Earlier this week I attacked the same victorious team with UNC Asheville over North Florida. Today, I’m going to back the team that lost in the first matchup with Fresno State. They took California Baptist to overtime in a neutral site Palm Springs game. This was after fighting a ten point halftime deficit. Take the home underdog in Fresno State to use the second half energy they had in Palm Springs, and cover at home.

Conference play continues to begin throughout college basketball. On a smaller Thursday slate the Ohio Valley takes center stage with the majority of teams in play. Tennessee Tech is desperately searching for a win as they have dropped four straight and six of their last seven. Tennessee Tech amongst their ten wins and two conference road wins last season defeated Lindenwood. Take the slight underdog here.

After a 3-0 start the Pacific Tigers are just 2-7 over their last nine games. Part of that has been due to a rigorous schedule. They dropped away games against Arkansas and Missouri, and have faltered three other road games against Colorado, Illinois State, and UNLV. Back home look for Pacific to settle in against a heavy jump shot shooting team in Portland State. Back Pacific.

A bit of an under the radar quality matchup is on the schedule tonight as San Francisco travels to take on Bradley. This is the Dons first true road game of the season and will test their 9-2 record against 8-2 Bradley. San Francisco excels in the half court game and has shot makers all over the floor, including 6’6 freshman Tyrone Riley. Riley is averaging 11 points along with 5 rebounds. Grab the Dons as they battle in their first true road game of the season.

Wagner comes into today’s matchup against Manhattan on a four game win-streak. They are also undefeated at home, but that aspect is downgraded on the short travel distance for the Jaspers. Wagner also ranks as one of the lowest scoring teams in all of college basketball, averaging just 58 points per game. This leaves little room for error over a forty minute span. Take the points with Manhattan.

UMass is supposed to be one of the stronger state colleges in the northeast region. They have disappointed with losses to Central Connecticut and UMass Lowell. Over their last ten games they have just two wins over division one schools. Today look for a get right spot as Northeastern is playing back to back road games for the first time this season. Tail the small favorites here in UMass. 

Road stretches in the month of December can be tough to evaluate, especially with the smaller schools. Tonight, Lamar will compete in their fourth straight road game and will face a Southern Miss team that is 4-0 at home. Look for the Cardinal to maybe struggle early but have adjustments to pull away from the number late. Take Lamar as they win their fifth straight game.

Towson has dropped five straight games, which culminated in a poor effort their last time out against Duquesne. They scored just 47 points and lost 65-47. The beginning of their losing streak was a tough tournament played in Canada which saw them go 0-3 against Kent State, Kennesaw State, and UC Irvine. Look for the losing streak to end against a favorable opponent in Robert Morris. Lay the short number.

North Florida is a team that will remain an attractive ATS team for the rest of the season. This has to do with their surprising early season efforts of outright wins against South Carolina and Georgia Tech. They also covered against Georgia. Yet, this is already their second time seeing UNC Asheville this season, and they lost the first matchup 89-75. Take UNC Asheville to once again handle the Ospreys at home.

A neutral site game will be held in Henderson, Nevada as Colorado State takes on VCU. VCU is a potent team but this tournament travel benefits Colorado State. They are use to coming to Las Vegas for both conference play and the Mountain West tournament. Look for two balanced halves from the Rams against VCU.

Atlanta is playing superb basketball right now where they have won seven out of their last eight games. After trailing in the first half by double digits against the Knicks, they overtook the game with a tremendous second half. This Bucks team has endured an ugly start to the season and are back in the driver’s seat of an NBA Cup semi-finals appearance. Look for the Bucks to handle this better than they did last year against Indiana. Lay it with the Bucks.

NJIT has one of the worst records on today’s big slate in college basketball at 2-10. They failed in their last matchup as a trendy underdog against Delaware State. Yet, they have been competitive even in their losses. They had a three point loss to Cleveland State, hung around Seton Hall, and did defeat Navy two games ago. Take the home underdog here in NJIT.

The Providence Friars lost all three games in a late November tournament, and are coming off losing to undefeated Rhode Island. A positive is Bryce Hopkins has contributed sixteen points in both games since his return from injury. On the road in Big East play against DePaul look for the Friars to lean on their trademark defense. After a 7-0 start to the season with an easy schedule, look for DePaul to drop consecutive games. Take Providence

As non-conference play gets closer to conclusion we will see some smaller school in-state matchups. That is on display tonight as Davidson hosts Charlotte. The Wildcats may be 4-0 at home, but have been vulnerable lately. In their last matchup Friday they were nearly upset by lowly Charleston Southern. Look for Charlotte to be the latest to attack a suspect half court defensive team in Davidson. Grab the points.

Penn State had one of the easier run away wins of the season against a ranked opponent. They blew out Purdue to cruise to a ten point victory. Now they will play their first matchup since that victory tonight on the road against a desperate Rutgers team. Rutgers has dropped three straight games, as their talented youth has been challenged. Take Rutgers to respond and end their losing streak with a Big Ten victory.

On a very light slate in college basketball and the NBA, I’ll attack one game with an underdog in Hofstra. Hofstra is a completely different team from the one that defeated Norfolk State by sixteen points last season. Yet, I expect the coaching staff to be able to implement a similar defensive plan that limited Norfolk State to just 58 points. Additionally, Norfolk State has a had a full week off after a six-game road trip. Grab the points here with Hofstra. 

Small lines that trickle up tend to be wrong more times than not. Missouri State opened around 2-2.5 point favorites and jumped to 4.5. Even with Indiana State losing so many skilled players and their ex-Coach to St. Louis there’s been a reboost charge to this team. In a conference opener value the points here with the underdog.

Expect the Lakers free fall to continue as they face a red hot Atlanta Hawks team. The Hawks have won five straight games and are doing it not just with offensive excellence. They are showing an increase in defensive ability, as we saw in their last victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. This could also end up being a refresh and reset game for the Lakers who may rest Lebron James. Lay it with the Hawks.

One of the shortest road trips of the season lies tonight with Kennesaw State making the short bus drive to Atlanta, Georgia to face Georgia State. The Owls are coming off a three-game tournament in Canada where they had a dip offensively, largely because of the opponents they faced. Look for that to change against a Georgia State team that gives up 78 points per game. In last year’s win over Georgia State, Kennesaw State scored eighty eight points in the victory. Take the slim underdog here.

Typically one does not see a smaller school that struggled lose their top two players and get better. UC Santa Barbara has quietly been an impressive team to start the season with a 6-1 record. This comes after losing Ajay Mitchell to the NBA, and Yohan Traore who transferred to SMU. Their game tonight against UC San Diego may be the most meaningful conference game on the slate to a team. The Gauchos went 0-2 to UC San Diego a season ago, and will showcase their improved play tonight. Take UC Santa Barbara.

Victor Wembanyama will not play in Thursday’s matchup against the Chicago Bulls. This has already showcased as being a big value angle before as the Spurs defeated the Thunder as ten point underdogs. This is also a reduced spread as the Bulls have played just one game since last Friday’s loss to the Boston Celtics. Take the value here on the Spurs finding that one second half run to pull away from the Bulls on the short number.

There are teams that begin their non-conference play with a deceptive record. Incarnate Word is one of those teams at 4-3, as they have several key talent from last year’s team. Last season they were actually 3-2 to begin the season, and went just 3-15 in Southland conference play. This included two blowout losses to Northwestern State of 97-71, and 81-61. Tail the underdogs here with Northwestern State.

The Denver Nuggets over their last ten games are only .500 with a 5-5 record. Yet, they picked up a come from behind win on Tuesday against the Golden State Warriors that may finally spark them. They came back from a 7 point deficit with four minutes left, and held the Warriors scoreless under the final two minutes and thirty two seconds. As impressive as the Cavaliers start has been to the season, they are just 4-3 over their last seven games. Grab the points with Denver.

The Orlando Magic continue to cash for bettors as they have won twelve of their last thirteen games. They have benefitted from a friendly schedule as they have been in New York City since last Friday’s first matchup against Brooklyn. That is a big reason why this spread has dropped two points from the opener. Yet, look for the Knicks to play with the heightened energy in an NBA Cup game as they are 3-0 in cup play. Lay it with the Knicks.

An off the radar game of value lies with a home underdog in Florida A&M. Presbyterian shot their ATS value up with by winning a tournament hosted by Stephen F Austin. Their victories also included a 25 point win over Youngstown State and a ten point win over Monmouth. Yet, tonight will mark their sixth straight road game, as they have played a home game since November 13th. Take the points here with Florida A&M.

Tuesday, the ACC and SEC challenge will begin with one-sided spreads in favor of the SEC. The reason is the ACC has been extremely poor early on in the season against major competition. Boston College may be the home team and have a better record than the Gamecocks but they lost their lone tough matchup to VCU by 25. They are also coming off a five point loss to Dartmouth. Lay it with the road favorite here in South Carolina.

A rest advantage lies tonight with the Chicago Bulls hosting the Brooklyn Nets. The Bulls last played on Friday in a competitive game against the Boston Celtics. Furthermore, an already thin Brooklyn Nets team is playing in a back to back spot after scoring just 92 points yesterday against the Magic. As thin as the Nets are, attacking the paint and shooting overall is going to much easier then what they’ve seen the last two games against the Magic. Grab the points against a soft defensive Bulls team.

On a light Monday college basketball slate, a 7-0 undefeated Rhode Island team finds themselves as slim favorites against Yale. Often times there’s a reason undefeated teams are not ranked and with Rhode Island it’s evident by their weak non-conference schedule thus far. Take Yale to threaten their undefeated start, and cover the slim number plus the points. 

The Kansas City Roos record exhibits a team that is .500 at 4-4. That is misleading as all four victories have come against non division one schools. That gives us a bit of spread value against a Southeast Missouri State team that Kansas City handed their worst defeat last season.  The lopsided result was Kansas City by thirty points in a 74-44 victory. Not a blowout here but look for the Roos to handle the close out minutes in the final seven. Take KC.

Any time a team loses a tournament game in overtime there is concern for the following tournament matchup. The Rice Owls were on the verge of playing in the Nassau Championship but faltered in overtime to Hofstra. Look for a regroup spot in an over shot spread against Arkansas State. I would not be shocked if they win outright, but grab the Owls with the points.

The Brooklyn Nets return from a West Coast raod trip on a three game winning streak. They defeated Sacramento, Golden State, and the Phoenix Suns and have won four of their last five games. Today, they will see a common opponent in the Eastern Conference that defeated them by fifteen points earlier this season. Take the Magic to end the Nets three game winning streak.

Post holiday travel is always a bit of a concern, but I expect the Ospreys to be ready today against SIU Edwardsville. After a rugged early season schedule that saw the Ospreys have had eight days off. For the Cougars their last action against a division one school they lost by twenty five points against Green Bay. Look for North Florida to get out to a hot start and hold off SIU on the road. Tail the Ospreys.

A pattern in school hosted tournaments has been small underdogs covering. Today lies another opportunity as Lafayette hosts the Lafayette Tournament against Long Island. The Sharks will be playing their third straight road game, and fifth over their last six games. Yet, Lafayette has struggled on the season with just one win over a division one school. Take the points with the road team here in Long Island.

A small scale matchup that will have high meaning for both teams will take place between George Mason and James Madison. The two Virginia campuses are separated by less then two hours, and have the same identical records at 4-3. For the Patriots their record could be 6-1, but they have struggled in close games. They lost to East Carolina in double overtime and Central Michigan by a point. Look for that issue to be easier to overcome on a short road trip against a James Madison team that can go cold offensively for stretches.

The Miami Heat are in a back to back spot tonight against the Charlotte Hornets. In yesterday’s home loss to the Milwaukee Bucks they were flat out the gate, maybe effected by the late scratch of Giannis not playing. Tonight is important for the Heat to get back to .500. Look for the Heat to lean on their prior road trip to Charlotte where they won by eight points. Lay it with the Heat.

In college basketball a team that has had a big layoff, tends to be flat right before a holiday. Western Michigan has not played in a full week since losing to South Dakota 80-76. Meanwhile, Youngstown State will be looking to recover from a poor lower level tournament showing in blowout losses against Presbyterian and Stephen F Austin. Lay it with Youngstown State who did take Syracuse to overtime earlier this season.

Sunday, the Indiana Pacers got back in the win column after losing five of their prior six games. Monday, they will be in a back to back spot and playing their third game in four nights. Do not look for that to deter a Pacers team that will be in a revenge spot after losing to the Pelicans 125-118 on November 1st. Lay it with the Pacers as the Pelicans lose their fifth straight game.

East Texas A&M may be the top small school in the country as far as their early season strength of schedule. They faced Iowa, Texas A&M, UConn, and Oklahoma. Each game they sustained a loss of twenty two points or more. Tonight, they will finally get an equal opponent in Stonehill. Look for the Lions to play above their 1-5 record, as a result of their difficult schedule. Tail the Lions.

The Memphis Grizzlies are probably a game away from getting Ja Morant back who is listed doubtful for their road matchup against the Bulls. Traveling to Chicago should bring forth a spirited effort from the entire team. In the first matchup the Grizzlies blew a seven point fourth quarter lead to lose outright. Grab the Grizzlies.

Jacksonville State through six games has not played a poor game yet. They lost a tough road spot at Air Force where the altitude got them in the second half. Yesterday, they lost by just two points to Toledo. Yet, today is a different matchup against a James Madison team that has size and matches up well with them. Lay it with James Madison.

Morgan State travels to Buffalo for their second road game in three days. That is certainly going to affect their offense early on. Yet, the Bulls are a team have underwent vast changes from being a consistent contender in the MAC conference. They are also one of the worst free throw shooting teams in the country, ranking 312th at 63 percent. That will be a factor to keep this game close. Take Morgan State plus the points.

Transition with smaller college basketball schools take a handful of games. Coastal Carolina hired Justin Gray from Western Carolina, and he brought with him Rasheed Jones and Colin Granger. Jones is averaging a team best fifteen points per game, and today is the matchup for Coastal Carolina to build forward. Grab Coastal Carolina in a buy low spot off an eighteen point loss to Jacksonville State.

An early season undefeated matchup will take place tonight between Oregon State and Oregon. Both teams have faced lower level competition to begin the season, but we can lean on the former Pac-12 matchups of recent seasons. Last year the Ducks won but by just two points over the Beavers. Additionally, Oregon State has some new talent including Nate Kingz who is shooting the three point shot at 57 percent. Tail the Beavers as the underdog.

Once again a smaller school is getting spread value on Thursday thanks to their issues on the road. Presbyterian through five games, is 0-3 on the road this season. Yet, this is the lead up to a tournament being played Friday and Saturday. Expect the coaching to be different to preserve legs and minutes for three days of tournament action. Grab the points with Presbyterian here against Stephen F. Austin. 

The same exact spread movement has occurred between the Charlotte Hornets and Detroit Pistons as their first matchup. Charlotte opened as -1.5, and flipped to the Hornets side as the favorite. Charlotte won by a point thanks to a Brandon Miller game winner. A big reason for their win was the free throw disparity. Charlotte made sixteen while the Pistons took only five. Detroit’s lack of an ability to get to the free throw line does them in again. Take Charlotte.

Early in a college basketball season there are rare instances where teams don’t travel. California Baptist will host their fifth straight home game tonight as they take on Northern Colorado. Up until the Lancers last game against Long Island, their prior three games were decided by five points or less. Take the value here on Northern Colorado in the night cap plus the five.

The Elon Phoenix have just one win on the season, and it came against a non division one school in Bluefield University. That typically is a bad sign traveling on the road this early in the season. Yet, the Phoenix challenged North Carolina to just a fourteen point loss and lost by just one point to Gardner-Webb. They have better balanced scoring then last season, including TJ and TK Simpkins both scoring in double figures. Take Elon.

SIU Edwardsville has won three straight games as they go into today’s matchup against Wisconsin Green Bay. In fact, their only two losses on the season were against Big Ten opponents in Indiana and Illinois. Tonight, though I am worried about road legs derailing their momentum. This will mark their sixth straight game on the road, including Saturday’s neutral site game against Canisius. Take Wisconsin-Green Bay to prevail on the small number. 

The Los Angeles Lakers won a high intensity game last night over the Spurs, 120-115. In a back to back spot look for the Lakers overall roster depth, and trust JJ Reddick has in an expanded rotation to pay dividends. The Pelicans just ended a six game losing streak and have not won consecutive games since their first two games. Lay it with the Lakers.

In initial opening lines the Toronto Raptors opened as slight favorites over the Detroit Pistons. Detroit has garnered the attention of bettors thanks to pushing Milwaukee to overtime, and their prior four games were all decided by two points or less. As poor as the Raptors overall record is, they have been excellent at home ATS with four straight covers. Take the Raptors returning home from a five game road trip.

The Seattle Redhawks have started the season 0-2. A slower start was expected after losing two key seniors in Cameron Tyson and Alex Schumacher. They seemed to have adapted in their second game against Liberty, up six late, but did not close the game. In a heart breaking defeat they went scoreless down the stretch in the loss. Expect the Redhawks to put forth a sharper outing and get their first win of the season against Cal Poly. Lay the points.