Bob Balfe
Bulls -5 over Sixers
South Carolina +2 over Tennessee
Marc Lawrence
South Carolina
RAS
1.5 Units Kentucky -1.5
Rest 1 Unit
Eastern Michigan +7
UC Riverside -4
New Mexico State +6
Rocketman
3* Tulane +7.5
3* Penn -3.5
3* Georgia Southern +9
Matt Fargo
10* GOY Tulsa
Scott Spreitzer
5* Nevada
Jay McNeil
50 Dime - Wake Forest
Ranked 23rd in the nation, it's almost a given the Demon Deacons are headed right back out of the Top 25 after losing 87-83 at Virginia Tech on Tuesday. Tough-luck loss, too, as the Deacons led most of the game until a late 15-4 run by Virginia Tech knotted the game.
With that loss behind them, the Deacons are going to be out to avenge the setback and they couldn't ask for a better opponent. Though Wake Forest is 5-5 on the road, 2-4 in conference play, and has lost four straight at N.C. State, this is a Wolfpack team that has lost seven straight conference games.
N.C. State doesn't produce much offensively, averaging 59.4 points behind a lethargic 35.8 shooting percentage during its losing streak in conference play.
I know the Deacons are 4-12 the last 16 meetings, but this is a low line that tells me I just need to pick the winner. And Wake Forest has won three of the last four meetings.
And if you need betting numbers to support the play, they're in my favor: Wake has covered five straight conference games while NC State is mired in a 2-9 slide versus the books at home.
This one won't be close ... Wake Forest rolls.
Red Dog Sports
Total GOY - UNC/BC Under
Matt Fargo
10* GOY Tulsa
10* Bucks -2.5
Wayne Root
Vegas Legend - Richmond
Millionaire - Vanderbilt
Billionaire - South Carolina
No Limit "Game Of The Year" - Oklahoma
Perfect Play - UNLV
BRANDON LANG
10 DIME - WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS
10 DIME - SOUTH FLORIDA BULLS
10 DIME - WAKE FOREST DEMON DEACONS
10 DIME - VANDERBILT COMMODORES
10 DIME - WESTERN CAROLINA CATAMOUNTS
FREE PICK - WRIGHT STATE RAIDER
10 DIME - WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS
This is a dangerous team folks.
They are long, fast, quick, can shoot the longball and defend.
Now they haven't been as impressive as I am sure Coach Huggins wants them right now at just 7-3 SU their last 10 and a not so great 4-6 ATS. However, in facing Seton Hall today they catch a team they can hammer.
The Mountaineers won the first meeting by 6 in OT as 4- point favorite and now the number at home is a double-digit spread.
This has 20 point win written all over it.
With Seton Hall off a great win at St.Johns 59-50 as a 1 point favorite, they roll in here winners of 6 of their last 10 SU but just 4-6 ATS.
All told, this team hasn't really made anybody any consistent money all year with as their 6-12 ATS tells you all you need to know.
With the favorite 4-1 ATS last 5 in the series, I will gladly ride the Huggie boys to an emphatic home win today.
10 DIME - SOUTH FLORIDA BULLS
This team has potential to do some damage in the Big East tourney.
In watching them beat Georgetown back on February 3rd, I was very impressed with their balance.
In fact, they are rolling strong winners of 5 of their last 7 SU and 6-1 ATS.$ And they have been a cash cow all year covering 16 of their 23 lined games with a push along the way.
Now they get a St.Johns team off a 9 point home loss to Seton Hall which drops them to 4-6 both SU and ATS last 10.
What makes this a great spot for South Florida is the Johnnies struggles on the road over their last 4 on the highway.
A 16 point loss at UConn, 12 point loss at Rutgers, 10 point loss at Pitt.
Yes, they did figure out a way to beat the Irish in South Bend but as well all know, Notre Dame plays no defense and was minus their top scorer in that contest so we will give them a pass on that one.
South Florida has got to feel 20 wins gets them in the Big Dance and at 16 wins right now, this is a must win today.
They then finish with road battles at Villanova and Depaul and home tilts with Uconn and Providence.
Realistically, 2 of those games are winnable with Providence and Depaul which leaves the battle with Uconn to end the year.
That game might decide who gets that last Big East invitation folks.
So like I said, must win for South Florida and I expect them to get it by double digits.
Oh, and the fact they are 6-0 ATS as a favorite of 6 1/2 point or less.
South Florida rolls.
10 DIME - WAKE FOREST DEMON DEACONS
Went against NC State with Maryland earlier in the week and I will do it again today.
As I pointed out then, the Wolfpack has all fallen apart since their 14-point home win over Duke as evidenced by a 1-6 run SU and ATS.
They lost to North Carolina at home by 14 and Virginia Tech by 20, not to mention road losses of 24 to the aforementioned Maryland, 12 at Virginia, 2 at Ga Tech and 13 at North Carolina.
And then the loss to Maryland just adds to their misery.
Wake Forest is red hot covering 6 in a row and 7 of their last 8 and for my dollar, this is great value with flat out the better team.
You throw in an 8-3 ATS mark on the road facing a team with a winning home record and you can see Wake is the play here.
All Demon Decons.
10 DIME - VANDERBILT COMMODORES
They will play more physical at home today.
In the first meeting at Kentucky back on January 30th, the Wildcats just played harder in a wire to wire 85-72 win.
Vandy couldn't have played worst as junior center A.J. Oglivy so eloquently put it after the game.
"I don't think we would have been so disappointed if we didn't play so poorly. Mainly we were all disappointed in our effort. We weren't strong inside. We lacked in rebounding."
At 13-0 SU at home this year in their odd gym which puts the benches under the basket, I like them in a near pick'em to go 14-0 SU.
The Wildcats were good to me in during the week with the OT win and cover at Mississippi State but I have to go against them today.
It's all about effort here and after their embarrassing one at Rupp Arena earlier this year, Vandy will give maximum effort today.
Let me also point out with Kentucky covering the first meeting laying 8 1/2, the favorite has now covered 5 in a row in the series.
Let's make it 6 in a row and lay the single point with Vandy at home.
10 DIME - WESTERN CAROLINA CATAMOUNTS
This is a live dog today.
WCU rolls into here 19-9 SU and in my opinion the one of the top 3 teams in the Southern Conference.
Is a team from the MAC really almost 10 points better than them?
I don't think so.
Now I am fully aware of the fact they are on a 4-6 SU run and an even worst 1-9 ATS, but it's not as bad as it seems. In 8 of those 10 games they have been favored by 3 points or more and the other two have been a pick. So as you can see, some nice value with WCU today.
You look at the numbers and you will see the Catamounts 4-1 ATS last 5 non conference games and 5-2 ATS last 7 as an underdog of 7 to 12 points.
With the Golden Flashes a horrific 0-8 ATS their last 8 games laying between that same number of 7 to 12 points, the dog is the play.
WCU gets the cover.
Alatex
20* W. Caro
S. Caro
OK State
Charlotte U
Oreg St under
Georgia
USC
Morehead St.
Tony Taylor
3* Mississippi -5
3* Kansas -20
Youngstown Connection
Kentucky +1
Craig Davis
40 Dime – MISSISSIPPI STATE
20 Dime – WASHINGTON STATE
MISSISSIPPI STATE --- Should the Bulldogs have some concern going to Baton Rouge playing an LSU team that hasn't won a conference game yet this year? Absolutely. I mean, they have absolutely nothing to lose, and that makes them somewhat dangerous. But on the same token, that could also be a detriment as these youngsters will likely abandon the game plan and give us a dose of "street ball". And if they do, that's going to play right into the Bulldogs hands this evening. Why? Because you are going to get tremendous defensive focus for 40 minutes today after letting a seven-point lead slip away vs. Kentucky earlier this week. HC Rick Stansbury said his squad has had some of its best practices since that loss and they realize it would be easy to have a "letdown" game after such an emotional affair vs. Kentucky.
But the NCAA Tourney committee is watching this squad closely as they are squarely on the bubble with four more conference games to go before they get to the Conference Tournament. Of those four games, only one of them should give them problems... at South Carolina. The Bulldogs absolutely have to come out of these last few games 3-1, at worst, but could really help themselves by going 4-0. It all starts today, and you're going to get one of the best efforts you've seen from this bunch in a long time because it's desperation time. A loss today and their NCAA hopes are slim-to-none. And some even better news... the Bulldogs get one of their top scorers back today in G Ravern Johnson, who was suspended for the Kentucky game for "attitude detrimental to the team". Johnson hits the long ball at a 43% clip and is the second-best long range shooter on the team. Expect Johnson come out on fire to prove to himself, his coach and his teammates that he's going to play for them instead of being selfish. Johnson scored a game-high 15 points in their last meeting with LSU and my guess is that he's out for even more this time around.
I realize Miss. State hasn't been the best road team all season, but they have covered 9 of their last 13 (with one push) on the road while the LSU Tigers' main concern is not to get blown out. Mississippi State also seems to feast on struggling teams, covering four of their last five vs. teams with a winning percentage under .400. The road team is 8-3 ATS in the last 11 meetings and the Tigers simply don't cover the number all that often... 1-8 ATS in their last nine home games and 0-8 ATS in their last eight following an ATS cover. Lovin' the 'Dogs this evening by at least 12, but don't be surprised if it's more like 15.
WASHINGTON STATE --- If we were to go strictly on trends, USC would be an easy selection even on the road. But as we all know, if you look long and hard enough, you can find trends in your favor. Like the fact the Trojans are 1-4 ATS in their last five following a SU win or the fact the Cougars are 11-1 ATS in their last 12 games following a double digit home loss. Trends mean nothing to me today... what means something to me is the fact the Cougars are playing at home, they've already beaten the Trojans once this year on the road, and they are coming in off a blowout home loss in which they were completely embarrassed. Meanwhile, USC is completely on their "high horse" after going into Washington and doing something that only one other team has done... win in Seattle. I'm telling you right now they will come into this game a little overconfident and a little flat. They won't shoot 47% like they did against the Huskies and they won't shoot 86% from the free throw line either. It just so happened the stars aligned perfectly that night and they did the unthinkable. Not tonight. The Cougars play better defense that Washington and have already proven they can beat this team. Tonight all they need to do is win this game and we get the cover. This one might be tight in the first half, but I trust the crowd to stay in it and motivate their boys to a second half domination and a SU and ATS win.