Scott Rickenbach
Iowa vs. Wisconsin
Play: Under 146
The Badgers need to get back to playing solid defense. Wisconsin has lost 4 of its last 5 games and shoddy D has had a lot to do with it. The Badgers have allowed 3 of their last 4 opponents to shoot at least 46% from the field. Also, in terms of defending the three, Wiscy has allowed 39% or more from three point land in 6 straight games. Look for home court to do some good for the Badgers as they return to Madison where they have allowed just 56 points per game and 38% from the field on the season! They take on a Hawkeyes team that they held to just 59 points last season and that game was at Iowa. The under is 4-2 in Iowa's last six games. Also, the Hawkeyes are 10-5 to the under this season when they are off of a game where they scored 80 points or more. The Badgers are on a long-term run of 11-4 to the under when they are off of a game where they allowed 80 points or more. The Hawkeyes are averaging 80.6 points per game this season but Wiscy is 3-0 to the under this season when facing a team that averages 77 points or more per game. That said, Iowa does have the Badgers full attention here and they are in need of a strong defensive-minded game here and that is what I fully expect to see. This line opened up at 143.5 yesterday and is now 146 as of early this morning. That offers even more value for us here.
John Martin
Charlotte Hornets -4
The Charlotte Hornets are on a mission to make a run after the All-Star Break to get back in playoff contention. They have gone 2-2 since the break, but the two losses they easily could have won. They lost to Detroit in OT on the road after blowing a 15-point lead in the 4th quarter, and they also lost in OT on the road to the Los Angeles Clippers. Those are two good teams, and they beat the two worst teams they faced in Sacramento by 14 on the road and the LA Lakers by 5 on the road. Now they get to face another one of the worst teams in the NBA in the Phoenix Suns and should make easy work of them. The Suns are just 3-13 in their last 16 games overall and have lost all three games since the break.
Brandon Lee
Iowa vs. Wisconsin
Play: Iowa +12½
I'll take my chances with the Hawkeyes as a huge road dog against the Badgers. Wisconsin is getting treated like an elite team with this line, but they haven't been playing like one of late. The Badgers are just 1-4 in their last 5 games. I know 3 of those losses came on the road and they are a much better team at home, but this is a big number to be laying against a fast improving Iowa team. The Hawkeyes come in off a 83-69 win at Maryland and have played better than most expected given they got 6 freshmen in the rotation. It's been a wise move to stay with Iowa off a big road win. Under McCaffery the Hawkeyes are 11-2 ATS in their last 13 off an upset win by 10 or more as a road underdog.
Alex Smart
High Point vs. Gardner-Webb
Play: Gardner-Webb -3
High Point enters this post season quarter final game having staggered across the proverbial regular season finishing line , losing 4 of their L/5 including a 88-86 loss to today's opponent, Gardner Webb. Meanwhile, Gardner Webb has won 4 straight and 7 of their L/9 in are performing at a top level at the moment. Now on a neutral floor I very much like Garner Webbs ability to advance and cover in the Big South Conference Tournament.
Ray Monohan
Charlotte Hornets -4
The Hornets invade Phoenix and here the value lies with the visitors laying the points.
Charlotte got Cody Zeller back last time out and just his presence alone on the defensive end has been huge.
Zeller has made a huge impact on this team's record, as the Hornets have gone 23-17 with him and 3-17 without him.
Look for him to make a huge impact here against the Suns, as the Hornets should be able to control the inside game.
Some trends to note. Hornets are 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game and are 4-1-2 ATS in their last 7 road games. Suns are 0-7 ATS in their last 7 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
The Hornets have value at this small of a number., They have plenty more playmakers and the Suns are all sorts of a mess right now.
Brad Diamond
California +2
Interesting game with both units a little sloppy of late, as Utah is 3-2 SU L5 versus California's 2-3 SU record. They last met on February 2nd when California won 77-75 in OT. Back-to-back games have been OT sessions in the series. The Utes show 5-2 ATS when facing the Golden Bears. We note that frosh guard Devon Daniels (10.4) of Cal will not make this trip because of personal issues. But I still like the Golden Bears to steal one tonight backing their 5-1 mark in the Pac-12.
Dave Price
Thunder vs. Blazers
Play: Blazers +1
The Oklahoma City Thunder are just 12-17 on the road this season and should not be favored at Portland, which is one of the tougher venues to play in the NBA. The Blazers are just 1-2 since the break but easily could have won all 3 games. They won at Orlando, only lost by 6 at Toronto and lost in overtime at Detroit. The home team has dominated this series, going a perfect 8-0 SU in the last 8 meetings. The home team is 6-1 ATS in the last 7 meetings as well.
Jimmy Boyd
Thunder vs. Blazers
Play: Blazers +1
I'm jumping on the Blazers at home against the Thunder. Portland has gone just 1-2 since returning from the All-Star break, but all 3 of those games came on the road, where they struggle. OKC on the other hand is 3-0 since the break, but have played all 3 at home, where they excel. I like the value here with the Blazers as a home dog. Keep in mind they recently went to OKC and played the Thunder tough in a 99-105 loss back on 2/5. It's also worth noting that Portland is a perfect 5-0 SU over the last 3 seasons when hosting the Thunder, included a 114-95 win earlier this season.
Oklahoma City is just 5-16 ATS in their last 21 road games when they come in having won 4 of their last 5 games and just 4-14 ATS over the last 2 seasons in road games against teams that average 106 or more points/game.
Teddy Davis
California vs. Utah
Play: Utah-2
I don't think odds makers have adjust near high enough here because Utah a couple games back lost to a pathetic Oregon St team. They bounced back from that with a nice road win @ Colorado and now look for revenge against Cal who they only lost by 2 @ Cal earlier this season. Cal is a team that has benefited a lot from a great schedule. While this team does have talent it's not one I'm buying tonight nor come tournament time. Utah only shot 26% from 3 in the first meeting which was a killer for them. With Utah firmly on the bubble you can expect a large effort here tonight to keep their hopes alive.
Chase Diamond
Texas-Arlington vs. Louisiana-Monroe
Play: Louisiana-Monroe +8½
This game has the 23-6 Texas Arlington at the 8-21 UL-Monroe. UL-Monroe is the worst team in the sun belt and this is basically their Super Bowl getting a shot to knock off the #1 team in their conference who has already locked up their conference. Not much motivation on Texas Arlington's part. UL-Monroe will look for a little payback from the 71-55 beat down they got at Texas. This is a game you might miss if you don't look close but with 80% on the road team it makes me like UL Monroe even more
Jack Jones
Indiana State vs. Evansville
Play: Indiana State +1½
This will be a rematch from the regular season finale in which Evansville squeaked out a 65-63 home victory over Indiana State on February 25th. I like the Sycamores' chances of getting revenge on a neutral court in the MVC Tournament Thursday.
Evansville was a great home team all season, going 13-4 with one of the more underrated home-court advantages in the country. But the Purple Aces did not fare well in foreign venues, going 2-12 in all road games this year.
Indiana State is 17-6 ATS in its last 23 games as a neutral court dog of 6 points or less. The Sycamores are 8-1 ATS in their last nine Thursday games. The Purple Aces are 4-11 ATS in their last 15 games vs. a team with a losing straight up record. Evansville is 1-5 ATS in its last six games as a favorite.
Will Rogers
Toronto vs. Los Angeles
Pick: Los Angeles
The set-up: The 28-21-3 Toronto Maple Leafs have lost three straight games and now cling to just a one point edge for the final wild-card spot in the East. The 30-26-6 LA Kings have dropped two straight and reside one point behind St. Louis for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference, as they get set to host Toronto on Thursday.
Toronto: The Maple Leafs began a three-game swing through California with a 3-1 loss at San Jose on Tuesday, giving the team only four goals in its current skid. Goalie Frederik Andersen has dropped three straight decisions, despite turning aside 96 of 102 shots. The Maple Leafs made a trade with Tampa Bay on Monday, acquiring forward Brian Boyle in exchange for forward Byron Froese and a conditional 2017 second-round draft pick.
LA Kings: Speaking of trades, Ben Bishop started his first game in goal for the Kings on Tuesday at the Calgary Flames. The former Tampa Bay Lightning goalie stopped 30 shots before Calgary scored the game-winner in the 2-1 overtime victory. However, Jonathan Quick (the 2012 Conn Smythe winner) figures to start against the Maple Leafs, just his third since missing 60 games with a groin injury. The Kings acquired 39-year-old forward Jarome Iginla from the Colorado Avalanche, Head coach Darryl Sutter is banking that a familiar face has more in reserve in a bid to help ignite his sputtering team's offense. Iginla played under Sutter during Calgary's run to the Stanley Cup final in 2004
The pick: Toronto's Frederik Andersen owns a 5-1-1 career mark against the Kings but received the early hook in a 7-0 rout by Los Angeles back on Nov. 8th. Take the home team in this one.
David Banks
Thunder @ Blazers
Pick: Thunder +1
The Thunder may have put the pieces together to ensure they make the 2016-17 postseason. MVP candidate Russell Westbrook and newly acquired Taj Gibson and Doug McDermott just might have what it takes to help the Thunder make a playoff run. OKC will play at Portland on Thursday night and the Thunder will have the opportunity to win their fourth straight game.
Westbrook has now played the 58 games needed to make his statistics official. If he sat out the Thunder’s remaining 24 games, his current triple-double – 30.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, 10.2 assists – would stand. Sitting out is not an option though for the Thunder star.
The two teams have split a pair of games. On Dec. 13 in Portland, Westbrook managed just 20 points in a 114-95 loss to the Trail Blazers. In the second meeting on Feb. 5, Westbrook lit up Portland scoring 42 in a 105-99 Thunder victory. Slowing down Westbrook will be a key for Portland’s backcourt duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum. The pair is one of the highest scoring backcourts in the league. Lillard averages 25.8 per game while McCollum scores 23.4.
Portland has struggled recently and fell out of the top eight in the Western Conference. The Trail Blazers have won just twice in their past seven games and the wins weren’t that impressive. Portland beat Dallas (23-35) and Minnesota (23-36).
Scott Spreitzer
Golden State vs Chicago
Play: Golden State -7.5
We know Golden State is at their best when they have something to focus their attention on. In this case, the Warriors have a couple. First of all, they need to learn to play without Kevin Durant, who may miss the rest of the regular season. Secondly, they're off a SU loss last time out and have won 21 of their last 23 in this spot. GSW won't take long to shake the loss of Durant and one of the reasons is Klay Thompson, who'll get more looks with KD sidelined. Another reason is that GSW has averaged 119 ppg following their previous nine losses this season. This is just the third time they have been installed as a favorite of less than 10 points off a loss, winning & covering each of the first two by scores of 121-111 & 113-103. GSW whipped the Bulls in early February and we expect another win & cover tonight in a focused effort.
Dave Cokin
Florida Atlantic vs, UAB
Play:Florida Atlantic +9
Florida Atlantic has actually shown a little life down the stretch. The Owls are 5-4 in their last nine. That's not earthshaking news, but it does represent a level of improvement. I like this spot as UAB has topped six of its last seven and the visitors have revenge from a two-point home loss to the Blazers earlier this season. The close home loss now road dog revenge angle is now a very nice 28-16 for this season, so no prob at all taking FAU and a good sized spread here.