Karl Garrett
40 DIMER - PURDUE BOILERMAKERS
10 DIMER - NOTRE DAME
10 DIMER - VIRGINIA
Tony Taylor
3* Minnesota Gophers
3* Denver Nuggets
The Millionaires Club Guaranteed Selections
MILLION DOLLAR COLLEGE HOOPS DIAMOND CLUB WINNER
San Diego St +2.5
KBHOOPS
5* Duquesne -4.5 **POD**
4* Gonzaga -21
4* Purdue -12
3* Michigan State +1.5
3* Iowa State +11
4* Indiana Pacers -2.5
Don Wallace Sports
Miami -7
Oklahoma City +7.5
Houston -5.5
Golden St. +9.5
Sportsbetsnow
1 Unit Wright St. -2.5
Nick "BookieKiller" Parsons
Minnesota -1.5
For a number of different reasons I believe the value in this game is on the Golden Gophers:
Tom Izzo and the sixth-ranked Spartans visit Minnesota on today, looking to match the best conference start in school history and hand the Gophers their first loss at Williams Arena.
Off to a great start in league play, but off a lack-luster performance their last time out, they play six of their next eight on the road, including a visit to Michigan on Tuesday after this matchup in Minneapolis.
And that's not good news for Spartans backers today as it's true that Michigan State is 4-2 ATS its last six overall, but the achilles heel of this team is its play on the road; 2-5 ATS its last seven away from friendly confines.
No Big Ten team has fewer than two conference losses other than the Spartans, who beat Iowa 70-63 on Wednesday for their seventh straight win overall. However, they led by 19 midway through the second half before letting the Hawkeyes close within three points with 2:05 remaining.
Remember also; in a 60-53 win over Minnesota on Jan. 13, the Spartans led by 11 before the Gophers cut it to three with under three minutes remaining.
On the other side of the court: The Gophers followed the Michigan State loss with an 81-78 overtime defeat at Indiana on Sunday.
Minnesota trailed throughout regulation before Devoe Joseph tied the game with 9.6 seconds remaining. Joseph finished with a season-high 19 points.
But it certainly won't be easy for the Spartans today as the Gophers are 10-0 at home this season, holding opponents to 57.8 points and 36.2 % shooting.
Not only is Minnesota 8-3 SU its last 11, its also an awesome 6-1 ATS its last seven at Williams Arena.
Bottom line: The Gophers’ last three losses have all been on the road. Leading scorer Lawrence Westbrook, held to seven points at Indiana, is averaging 16.4 points at home.
The Spartans have shot 41.8 % over their last three games, including 10 of 42 from 3-point range. They are averaging 14.7 turnovers this season - second-most in the Big Ten.
The Golden Gophers are hungry for a big win after a couple of losses, and playing with the "revenge" factor as well; the Spartans have been starting to show "chinks in their armor" and are primed for a "letdown"; look for MINNESOTA to improve to 10-5 ATS when playing the roll of favorite and for Michigan State to fall to 0-3 ATS when playing the roll of underdog!
10* MINNESOTA
SEABASS
200* Ohio St
200* Alabama
100* Minn gophers
100* UNLV
100* Clemson
50* Marquette
500* Tennessee Not sure if 50 or 500 ?
Steam UCONN
Wizard of Odds Guaranteed Selections
COLLEGE HOOPS LATE STEAM HIGH NOON WINNER
Minnesota -1.5
Wunderdog
Game: Hofstra at Drexel
Pick: 4 units Hofstra +6.5
Game: Hofstra at Drexel
Pick: 2 units Hofstra +240
Game: Villanova at St. John's
Pick: 4 units Villanova -6
Game: East Carolina at Southern Mississippi
Pick: 3 units East Carolina +11.5
Game: Nebraska at Missouri
Pick: 3 units Missouri -13
Game: North Carolina State at Maryland
Pick: 3 units UNDER 146.5
Game: Tennessee Martin at Eastern Illinois
Pick: 3 units Eastern Illinois -11.5
Game: Cornell at Columbia
Pick: 3 units Cornell -12.5
DAVID MALINSKY
4* OHIO STATE over WEST VIRGINIA
Many times when we focus on a team as being a “tough out” it is a case of finding those subtle factors that can make them competitive as an underdog in a hostile environment. That is not the case for Ohio State in this one. There is no need for subtleties; the Buckeyes are an excellent team without a weakness, featuring arguably the nation’s best player in Evan Turner (18.6 ppg, 9.7 rpg and 72 assists), and excellent floor balance (four other State players are scoring at least 13.0 per game). They play defense, they hit the boards, they take excellent care of the basketball (+56 in assist to TO ratio), and that means that they are not going to be out of the hunt against anyone – hence the 4-1 SU record with Turner on the court against teams that were ranked in the Top 25.
But there is also something extra today – they bring a major chip on their shoulders. The darkest moment of their last two seasons was a shocking 76-48 drubbing suffered in Columbus vs. West Virginia LY, and we believe that brings a supreme level of intensity for this payback setting. Against a vulnerable Mountaineer team it opens the door for the outright upset.
West Virginia is not equal to the sum of the parts, another classic example of what chemistry means on the basketball court. Bob Huggins has a roster that is loaded with talented forwards, and it will be no surprise to see Devin Ebanks and Da’Sean Butler playing in the NBA. But the pieces do not fit well, and as such they have been an awkward under-achiever. Yes, they can blow out weak teams because of the overall talent, but they are 0-5 ATS this season when the line has not been at least -9 (we count that O.T. win at Seton Hall as a pointspread loss in regulation because they were -4), a sign of the difficulties executing against good teams. They do not have a post threat on offense, and there is not a true point guard to run the show, which makes it difficult for Ebanks, Butler, Wellington Smith and Kevin Jones to find operating room – all four could basically play the same position. After toying with a lineup in which all starters were at least 6-6, Huggins has made the commitment to start Darryl Bryant at the point, but he is not a natural for the position, shooting only 40.0, and with a 1.4 assist to turnover ratio that leaves much to be desired.
This is anybody’s game to win outright, with Ohio State having the big time players to relish a hostile environment, and that makes the points being offered an excellent cushion.
SEABASS
500* Tennessee Not sure if 50 or 500 ?
50* Tennessee
Teddy Covers
Heat
Thunder
20* Big Ticket UNLV
Ohio St
Buffalo
Detroit
Northwestern
Cal Sports
4* Mass +17
Marty Otto
20* Big O: Oklahoma State +9.5
UAB +4.5
Marquette +8.5
Detroit +1.5