SPORTS WAGERS
USC –1 over Arizona
The Wildcats are ranked #10 in the country and they’re 7-2 on the road so it’s not like they’re a struggling road team. They’re also first in the Pac-10 with a 12-2 record and an overall record of 23-4. Arizona has also won eight in a row and on a night in which a ton of the mid-majors and weaker conferences are playing, this one is sure to attract a lot of attention, especially late when the early games are finished. Why then is Arizona the dog? We see ranked teams being a three, four or five-point favorite all the time on the road against unranked an inferior opponents, yet the books are offering up the Wildcats straight up. The Trojans are 7-7 in the conference and just 15-13 overall. Not exactly a ringing endorsement for beating the 10th ranked team in the land. Before you pull the trigger on the guest, ask yourself why they’re receiving anything. It’s tempting to wager on Arizona when you don’t have to spot anything. We’re urging you to be careful, as this line was designed to attract money on the wrong side. That wrong side here is the Wildcats. The line says so. By game time, don’t be surprised to see the Cats favored so wait until much later if you’re on board. Play: #550 USC –1 +101 (Risking 2 units).
Frank Jordan
Arizona vs. USC
Play: Arizona +1.5
Arizona is in the top 10 in the country at number 10 and is 12-2 in the Pac-10. Arizona has just four losses in 27 games this season and is 7-2 on the road. USC is 15-12 overall and in Pac-10 play just average at 7-7, but at home they are playing well with a 10-4 record. Back in late January these two teams played in Arizona with the Wildcats winning 82-73, look for more of the same as Arizona is simply on too hot of a roll to lose at USC. Play Arizona
Wunderdog
Arizona vs. USC
Play: Arizona +1.5
Arizona has established that they are the best team in the PAC-10, suffering just four losses on the season. Two of those occurred vs. top rated teams in BYU and Kansas, and a third to a very good Washington team. The Trojans come in at 15-12 should not be the favorite in this one. They have already lost PAC-10 home games to Oregon, California and Washington, and Arizona is a cut above all of those. The Wildcats are 6-1-1 ATS in their last eight league games, while the Trojans are just 5-11-1 ATS at home vs. a team with a winning record in their last 17. The Wildcats have had no problems playing here and have come away with a 7-3 ATS mark the last 10 played here. Play on Arizona in this one.
Tom Freese
Miami Heat vs. Chicago Bulls
Play: Chicago Bulls +3
Miami is 42-15 straight up this year. The Heat are 4-10-2 ATS their last 16 games vs. Chicago. The Heat are 43-63 ATS vs. teams who shoot 36% from behind the arc. Miami 16-29 ATS when they allow less than 100 points in their last game. Chicago is 38-17 straight up this year. The Bulls are 19-6-2 ATS their last 27 games vs. a team with a winning record. Chicago is 20-7-1 ATS their last 28 games off an ATS loss. The Bulls are 6-0-1 ATS their last 7 games vs. a team with a win percentage over 60%!
Jimmy Boyd
1 Unit on Oregon Ducks -4
Oregon is playing well, having won 6 of its last 8, and it will be out for some serious revenge when it steps on its home floor tonight. The Ducks will be lacking no motivation this evening as they look to snap a 6-game losing streak to Cal. While Cal has had Oregon's number the last few seasons, there is good reason to believe its run over the Ducks has come to an end. The Bears limp into this contest having lost 4 of their last 5. Plus, they have really struggled away from home, losing 5 of their last 7 on the road in Pac-10 play. The Ducks are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games overall. In addition, the favorite is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings. We'll lay the points with Oregon in this motivated spot.
Rob Vinciletti
Loyola-Chicago vs. Valparaiso
Play: Valparaiso -9
Valpo has won and covered all 4 times off a loss and 10 of 14 times after allowing 80 or more points. They have won and covered 4 of the last 5 in the series and take on a Loyola Chicago team that is an awful 7-31 straight up and 11-26 ats vs winning teams. This year has been a real struggle vs these good teams as Loyola is 0-6 straight up and ats vs these winners. They are also cashing just 25% of the time with home loss revenge. Look for Valpo to get the cash.
Jeff Alexander
1 Unit on Northwestern Wildcats -4.5
The Wildcats will have no problem getting up for this one as they look to snap a 5-game losing streak in the series. Home court has been very good to Northwestern this season. The Wildcats are 11-3 in their own gym, where they are defeating their opponents by 10.8 points. Penn State, meanwhile, is just 1-8 when playing away from home, losing these contests by an average of 7.8 points. The Nittany Lions are 3-13 ATS in their last 16 games as a road underdog of 6.5 points or less while the Wildcats are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games as a home favorite of 6.5 or fewer points. Lay the points with Northwestern this evening.
Lenny Del Genio
Arizona at USC
Play: Arizona
Is this the sucker bet of the year in the Pac 10, or what? We'll take the bait. Arizona is about as hot as any team in the country right now with eight straight wins, including three straight on the road, and a win over USC 82-73 in Tucson. The Trojans do boast the best defense in the league, but the Wildcats come in averaging over 78 PPG and are 8-2 ATS this season after scoring more than 80 points in their last game. Saturday, Arizona picked up a big 87-86 win over Washington that put them in the drivers seat in the conference. USC has not won three consecutive games this season and is a money burning 3-17 ATS coming off a SU dog win where they won by 10 or more points. That includes an 0-8 ATS mark if the win came on the road. Southern Cal is off a 69-53 win at Stanford last Saturday as two-point dogs. Take Arizona.
EZWINNERS
Pittsburgh Panthers -7.5
Pittsburgh won in Morgantown in the first meeting between these two teams without leading scorer Aaron Gibbs by dominating the Mountaineer on the boards. I look for a repeat performance of that effort in this game tonight. Pittsburgh is a very physical and aggressive defensive team and they will simply outman West Virginia. I don't expect the Mountaineers to shoot well from the outside against the Pittsburgh defense and that will allow the Panther to pack it in and control the paint once again. Leading scorer Aaron Gibbs in back for Pitt to give them the outside shooting to go along with their strong inside presence. West Virginia is only 3-7 against the spread in their last ten road games and I expect their struggles away from home to continue. Lay the points.
Telly
We hit 2 of 3 last night and just missed TxTech. Here's one of my two free plays today.
Old Dominion -2.5
Ray Monohan
Buffalo vs. Kent State
Play Kent State -2½
I successfully played on Kent St. last week when nobody believed they'd win because of playing on tired legs in all those road games and staying in hotels for 10 days and etc etc. Face it folks Kent State is a good team and they have good talent. Something that does help at this time of year. They also know how to win. An 18-9 record is nothing to laugh at. They get Buffalo tonight (5-6 on the road) and 16-9 overall. A decent team but not up to the caliber of Kent St, who are 12-1 at home this season, 9-3 against conference opponents, and 9-6 against non-conference opponents. At home the Golden Flashes are averaging 70.2PPG scoring, and holding teams to 60.7PPG on defense. This will be the difference tonight. Some trends I like for this one include, Buffalo are 3-9 ATS in their last 12 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600. Kent St. are 20-8 ATS in their last 28 Thursday games and are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
Black Widow
1* on Marquette +5
The Marquette Golden Eagles are fighting for their NCAA Tournament lives. At 16-11, this team really need a win tonight in Connecticut so they certainly won't be short on motivation. It's been a tumultuous week for Jim Calhoun and Connecticut. They are facing NCAA sanctions following an investigation of the program since a report by Yahoo! Sports in March 2009 that former team manager Josh Nochimson helped guide recruit Nate Miles to the school, giving him lodging, transportation, meals and representation. Calhoun will be suspended for three games next season, but the coach wasn't with his team Wednesday at practice and will miss Thursday against Marquette as he attends a memorial service in Nashua, N.H., for his sister-in-law, Eileen McDevitt Fucile, who died Monday. The Golden Eagles need to improve on their 2-9 mark against AP Top 25 teams to gain an NCAA tournament berth. Six of those losses have been by five or fewer points, so they have proven they can play with the best. Marquette is 26-13 ATS (+11.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons. The Eagles are 14-4 ATS (+9.6 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons. Take Marquette and the points.
Dave Price
1 Unit on Pittsburgh -7.5
After enduring just its 3rd loss of the season Saturday, Pittsburgh will be out for blood when it steps back on its home floor tonight. Pitt enjoys one of the best home court advantages in the country, which is something West Virginia knows all too well. The Mountaineers have only managed 1 win at Pitt in their last 10 tries, falling in these contests by an average score of 73-62. The fact that Pitt fell by just 1 point Saturday is also important, considering the Panthers are a perfect 7-0 ATS in their last 7 games off a close road loss by 3 points or less. They are bouncing back to win by an average score of 72.3 to 59.5 in these games. Lay the points.