ANTONY DINERO
UCLA at USC
Pick: UCLA +7.5
UCLA has the athletes to execute against SC and make this game interesting, and ultimately, the Bruins should push this game to a faster pace and challenge the Trojans to make plays on the offensive end in order to win. So long as the Bruins can get some outside shots to fall, they will show much better than the 67-46 rout they took in Pauley. Back UCLA +7.5 and the over, 116.5.
Teddy Covers
Northwestern
Loyal Maryland
Marc Lawrence
UCLA +7
Much like North Carolina this season, UCLA is getting a real education in what happens when you lose a ton of talent from a veteran squad. Coming off four consecutive years of only single-digit losses, the humbled Bruins have already tasted defeat a dozen times this campaign. And we can only hope that the great John Wooden wasn’t watching when these two teams last met at Pauley Pavilion on January 16, a 21-point Trojan pillaging where the hosts were held to an embarrassing season-low 46 points. The Bruins have had a week off to stew over yet another home humiliation, 72-58 at the hands of Cal, so you know they’ll be hell-bent on payback against USC here. The ‘R’ word comes into play everywhere in this matchup. UCLA is 5-1 ATS away with revenge in this series and the Bruins have built a solid 7-1 ATS record as road dogs with same-season home loss revenge when playing with three or more days of rest. On the Southern Cal side, the hosts own a miserable 4-13-1 ATS log versus foes with same-season double-digit loss revenge – plus they’re coming off same-season revenge victories over Cal and Stanford. If that’s not enough, UCLA is a superb 15-4-1 ATS taking points on the Pac-10 road, including 8-0-1 ATS off a loss. Grab the points in this payback with this embarrassed Bruin. We recommend a 3-unit play on UCLA.
BEN BURNS
Conference Game OF The Month
Bowling Green
Al DeMarco
10 Dime - Syracuse
Syracuse has dropped four in a row in the series, including both meetings last season, losing 67-57 at home, and again at Madison Square Garden in the Big East Championship game, 76-66. The latter allowed the Cardinals to earn a No. 1 seed in the Big Dance.
If ever there was a spot for No. 2 Syracuse to get payback, this is it, especially since a victory would move them 1/2-game ahead of No. 4 Villanova in the Big East standings.
The Orangemen nearly got caught looking ahead to this game, blowing most of a 16-point, second-half lead against Connecticut in their last outing before securing a 72-67 win. They shot miserably in that contest, hitting just 42.6% from the field, well below their season average of 52.7. And they committed 20 turnovers. Their saving grace: a strong defensive effort that held the Huskies, who were pounded at home by Cincinnati yesterday, to 38.8% shooting.
Of course Syracuse's struggle with U.Conn pales in comparison to the egg layed by Louisville in Thursday's 74-55 loss at St. John's, the conference's 14th-place team. It was the Cardinals' lowest-scoring game of the season and marked their fourth straight conference road loss overall.
Can Rick Pitino's squad rally and rebound on a short turnaround off such a devastating loss? I don't think so, and when you read the comments made by Louisville forward Samardo Samuels, I believe you'll agree. The Cardinals' leading scorer said, "it's tough losing real big like that then going to Syracuse,” adding "our guys have to stop hanging our heads and be ready.” Not exactly words of inspiration, right?
Syracuse has won by an average of 17 points a game this season. Their only loss came against Pittsburgh in early January. The Panthers beat them by hitting 10-of-24 three-pointers and using their size and strength to reach the free throw line 36 times, where they converted on 26 tries. Problem is, Louisville is an average three-point shooting team. And they're not very big down low so don't expect them to get the calls in the paint, especially on the road.
Ah, the road, Pitino's squad is 1-4 on the Big East highway so far, allowing 76.6 points a game. And the ATS trends are all negative as they're 2-5 ATS on the highway, 2-6 ATS in their last eight versus winning teams, 1-5 ATS in the game following their last six pointspread losses, and 0-4 ATS in their last four Sunday outings.
As for the Orange, who are seeking straight-up win No. 12 in a row (8-3 ATS), they've covered 24 of their last 32 games overall, 15 of their last 20 in conference play, 20 of 27 versus teams with winning records, and four in a row on Sundays.
Syracuse wins by 12.
Must Win Sports
5 DIME SYRACUSE
Teddy June
10* Illinois
Underdog
Louisville
The Duke's Sports
UCLA (+7) for 2.5 Units
The Bruins are looking to redeem themselves from the January 16th debacle when they got trounced on their home floor 67-46. Tonight, we'll look for a more determined Bruins squad, especially coming off a loss to California last Saturday. UCLA is 5-1 ATS off a double digit loss at home under Howland. And keep in mind that the road team in this series is 7-1 ATS. USC is coming off two solid PAC 10 wins, but they're 0-8 ATS on Sundays and a mere 0-5 ATS as a home favorite in this spread range. There is no clearly defined class of the PAC 10 this season and don't believe that USC is much better than UCLA. We'll roll with UCLA, which sports a 9-1 ATS mark as a road dog in this spread range
Seabass
300 Rutgers
300 Illinois
100 Wichita St
100 Louisville
50 Mia Ohio
30 West
50 Wild
California Sports
4* Florida St
3* Akron
Wunderdog
Game: Nashville at Pittsburgh
Pick: 3 units Nashville +160
Game: Nashville at Pittsburgh
Pick: 4 units Nashville +1.5 -190
Game: Anaheim at Edmonton
Pick: 3 units Edmonton +120
Game: Anaheim at Edmonton
Pick: 5 units Edmonton +1.5 -230
FERRINGO
We don't post Doc's guys anymore Ice, but thanks for helping out. 😉
King Maker
10* Northwestern/Minnesota Over 135
ROOT
6* Billionaire - Syracuse -7.5
7* No Limit - Rutgers +11