Free Picks: Service Plays for Thursday, January 12

NCAAB

Tennessee at Mississippi State
The Bulldogs look to take advantage of a Tennessee team that is 2-10 ATS in its last 12 games against teams with a winning record. Mississippi State is the pick (-7 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Bulldogs favored by 13 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Mississippi State (-7 1/2)

Game 541-542: James Madison at VCU (6:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: James Madison 48.397; VCU 67.694
Dunkel Line: VCU by 19 1/2; 140
Vegas Line: VCU by 15; 133
Dunkel Pick: VCU (-15); Over

Game 543-544: Clemson at Boston College (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Clemson 60.992; Boston College 53.852
Dunkel Line: Clemson by 7; 110
Vegas Line: Clemson by 8 1/2; 118 1/2
Dunkel Pick Boston College (+8 1/2); Under

Game 545-546: Wisconsin at Purdue (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Wisconsin 68.738; Purdue 67.271
Dunkel Line: Wisconsin by 1 1/2; 108
Vegas Line: Purdue by 2 1/2; 112 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Wisconsin (+2 1/2); Under

Game 547-548: NC-Wilmington at Georgia State (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NC-Wilmington 53.372; Georgia State 67.470
Dunkel Line: Georgia State by 14; 132
Vegas Line: Georgia State by 11 1/2; 128
Dunkel Pick: Georgia State (-11 1/2); Over

Game 549-550: Idaho at Louisiana Tech (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Idaho 55.911; Louisiana Tech 51.490
Dunkel Line: Idaho by 4 1/2; 130
Vegas Line: Idaho by 2; 134
Dunkel Pick: Idaho (-2); Under

Game 551-552: Middle Tennessee State at Florida International (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Middle Tennessee State 62.348; Florida International 55.088
Dunkel Line: Middle Tennessee State by 7 1/2; 129
Vegas Line: Middle Tennessee State by 9; 124 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Florida International (+9); Over

Game 553-554: Western Kentucky at North Texas (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Western Kentucky 46.764; North Texas 51.501
Dunkel Line: North Texas by 4 1/2; 130
Vegas Line: North Texas by 7; 133
Dunkel Pick: Western Kentucky (+7); Under

Game 555-556: South Alabama at UL-Lafayette (8:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: South Alabama 51.092; UL-Lafayette 61.088
Dunkel Line: UL-Lafayette by 10; 129
Vegas Line: UL-Lafayette by 8; 126
Dunkel Pick: UL-Lafayette (-8); Over

Game 557-558: Wright State at WI-Milwaukee (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Wright State 53.881; WI-Milwaukee 64.017
Dunkel Line: WI-Milwaukee by 10; 116
Vegas Line: WI-Milwaukee by 9; 111 1/2
Dunkel Pick: WI-Milwaukee (-9); Over

Game 559-560: Detroit at WI-Green Bay (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit 55.254; WI-Green Bay 58.716
Dunkel Line: WI-Green Bay by 3 1/2; 131
Vegas Line: Pick; 134 1/2
Dunkel Pick: WI-Green Bay; Under

Game 561-562: George Mason at Drexel (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: George Mason 61.528; Drexel 60.776
Dunkel Line: George Mason by 1; 120
Vegas Line: Drexel by 4; 118
Dunkel Pick: George Mason (+4); Over

Game 563-564: Minnesota at Indiana (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota 63.324; Indiana 76.306
Dunkel Line: Indiana by 13; 137
Vegas Line: Indiana by 11; 140
Dunkel Pick: Indiana (-11); Under

Game 565-566: Arkansas-Little Rock at UL-Monroe (8:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Arkansas-Little Rock 53.826; UL-Monroe 47.889
Dunkel Line: Arkansas-Little Rock by 6; 127
Vegas Line: Arkansas-Little Rock by 2; 120
Dunkel Pick: Arkansas-Little Rock (-2); Over

Game 567-568: Oregon State at Arizona (8:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oregon State 61.945; Arizona 66.373
Dunkel Line: Arizona by 4 1/2; 140
Vegas Line: Arizona by 5 1/2; 143 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Oregon State (+5 1/2); Under

Game 569-570: Tennessee at Mississippi State (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Tennessee 58.280; Mississippi State 71.605
Dunkel Line: Mississippi State by 13 1/2; 140
Vegas Line: Mississippi State by 7 1/2; 138 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Mississippi State (-7 1/2); Over

Game 571-572: Utah State at New Mexico State (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Utah State 61.326; New Mexico State 61.295
Dunkel Line: Even; 140
Vegas Line: New Mexico State by 4 1/2; 143 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Utah State (+4 1/2); Under

Game 573-574: Virginia at Duke (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Virginia 65.384; Duke 76.536
Dunkel Line: Duke by 11; 136
Vegas Line: Duke by 9 1/2; 129
Dunkel Pick: Duke (-9 1/2); Over

Game 575-576: Cal Poly at UC-Irvine (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cal Poly 58.533; UC-Irvine 54.314
Dunkel Line: Cal Poly by 4; 112
Vegas Line: Cal Poly by 5; 119 1/2
Dunkel Pick: UC-Irvine (+5); Under

Game 577-578: Pacific at CS-Northridge (10:005p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Pacific 44.942; CS-Northridge 47.150
Dunkel Line: CS-Northridge by 2; 140
Vegas Line: CS-Northridge by 4 1/2; 130 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Pacific (+4 1/2); Over

Game 579-580: UC-Santa Barbara at UC-Riverside (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: UC-Santa Barbara 59.527; UC-Riverside 48.215
Dunkel Line: UC-Santa Barbara by 11 1/2; 118
Vegas Line: UC-Santa Barbara by 8; 120
Dunkel Pick: UC-Santa Barbara (-8); Under

Game 581-582: Utah at Stanford (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Utah 45.640; Stanford 67.398
Dunkel Line: Stanford by 21 1/2; 125
Vegas Line: Stanford by 23; 120 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Utah (+23); Over

Game 583-584: San Diego at Santa Clara (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Diego 46.783; Santa Clara 58.036
Dunkel Line: Santa Clara by 11 1/2; 133
Vegas Line: Santa Clara by 10; 140
Dunkel Pick: Santa Clara (-10); Under

Game 585-586: Hawaii at Fresno State (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Hawaii 51.931; Fresno State 61.504
Dunkel Line: Fresno State by 9 1/2; 142
Vegas Line: Fresno State by 7; 139 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Fresno State (-7); Over

Game 587-588: San Jose State at Nevada (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Jose State 51.529; Nevada 64.631
Dunkel Line: Nevada by 13; 131
Vegas Line: Nevada by 16 1/2; 133 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Jose State (+16 1/2); Under

Game 589-590: Portland at San Francisco (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Portland 45.263; San Francisco 56.038
Dunkel Line: San Francisco by 11; 149
Vegas Line: San Francisco by 8 1/2; 147
Dunkel Pick: San Francisco (-8 1/2); Over

Game 591-592: Loyola-Marymount at Pepperdine (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Loyola-Marymount 51.939; Pepperdine 49.878
Dunkel Line: Loyola-Marymount by 2; 118
Vegas Line: Loyola-Marymount by 1; 121
Dunkel Pick: Loyola-Marymount (-1); Under

Game 593-594: UC-Davis at Long Beach State (10:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: UC-Davis 40.158; Long Beach State 64.245
Dunkel Line: Long Beach State by 24; 142
Vegas Line: Long Beach State by 25 1/2; 138
Dunkel Pick: UC-Davis (+25 1/2); Over

Game 595-596: Oregon at Arizona State (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oregon 60.865; Arizona State 61.796
Dunkel Line: Arizona State by 1; 125
Vegas Line: Pick; 131 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Arizona State; Under

Game 597-598: Gonzaga at St. Mary's (11:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Gonzaga 70.255; St. Mary's 75.115
Dunkel Line: St. Mary's by 5; 138
Vegas Line: St. Mary's by 3; 142
Dunkel Pick: St. Mary's (-3); Under

Game 599-600: Colorado at California (11:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Colorado 62.610; California 70.205
Dunkel Line: California by 7 1/2; 137
Vegas Line: California by 12 1/2; 132 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Colorado (+12 1/2); Over

Game 601-602: Elon at The Citadel (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Elon 46.779; The Citadel 42.413
Dunkel Line: Elon by 4 1/2; 134
Vegas Line: Elon by 3 1/2; 138 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Elon (-3 1/2); Under

Game 603-604: Samford at Georgia Southern (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Samford 42.633; Georgia Southern 48.512
Dunkel Line: Georgia Southern by 6; 139
Vegas Line: Georgia Southern by 8; 136 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Samford (+8); Over

Game 605-606: Furman at Appalachian State (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Furman 47.495; Appalachian State 52.218
Dunkel Line: Appalachian State by 4 1/2; 125
Vegas Line: Appalachian State by 2 1/2; 130
Dunkel Pick: Appalachian State (-2 1/2); Under

Game 607-608: Wofford at Chattanooga (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Wofford 53.651; Chattanooga 53.362
Dunkel Line: Even; 128
Vegas Line: Chatanooga by 2 1/2; 123
Dunkel Pick: Wofford (+2 1/2); Over

Game 609-610: NC-Greensboro at College of Charleston (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NC-Greensboro 44.644; College of Charleston 59.523
Dunkel Line: College of Charleston by 15; 143
Vegas Line: College of Charleston by 16 1/2; 150
Dunkel Pick: NC-Greensboro (+16 1/2); Under

Game 611-612: Western Carolina at Davidson (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Western Carolina 50.000; Davidson 65.628
Dunkel Line: Davidson by 15 1/2; 146
Vegas Line: Davidson by 14 1/2; 142 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Davidson (-14 1/2); Over

Game 613-614: Rider at Siena (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Rider 51.191; Siena 51.005
Dunkel Line: Even; 147
Vegas Line: Siena by 4 1/2; 140
Dunkel Pick: Rider (+4 1/2); Over

Game 615-616: Manhattan at Iona (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Manhattan 51.345; Iona 67.225
Dunkel Line: Iona by 16; 152
Vegas Line: Iona by 14; 155
Dunkel Pick: Iona (-14); Under

Game 617-618: Eastern Kentucky at Austin Peay (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Eastern Kentucky 50.504; Austin Peay 54.147
Dunkel Line: Austin Peay by 3 1/2; 131
Vegas Line: Austin Peay by 5 1/2; 132 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Eastern Kentucky (+5 1/2); Under

Game 619-620: Tennessee-Martin at Eastern Illinois (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Tennessee-Martin 37.028; Eastern Illinois 49.659
Dunkel Line: Eastern Illinois by 12 1/2; 137
Vegas Line: Eastern Illinois by 11; 135
Dunkel Pick: Eastern Illinois (-11); Over

Game 621-622: SIU-Edwardsville at SE Missouri State (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: SIU-Edwardsville 40.940; SE Missouri State 51.316
Dunkel Line: SE Missouri State by 10 1/2; 143
Vegas Line: SE Missouri State by 12; 138 1/2
Dunkel Pick: SIU-Edwardsville (+12); Over

Game 623-624: Jacksonville State at Murray State (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Jacksonville State 44.584; Murray State 69.623
Dunkel Line: Murray State by 25; 122
Vegas Line: Murray State by 19; 126
Dunkel Pick: Murray State (-19); Under

Game 625-626: Montana at Northern Arizona (8:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Montana 55.184; Northern Arizona 49.730
Dunkel Line: Montana by 5 1/2; 128
Vegas Line: Montana by 7 1/2; 125 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Northern Arizona (+7 1/2); Over

Game 627-628: Montana State at Weber State (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Montana State 42.181; Weber State 61.126
Dunkel Line: Weber State by 19; 150
Vegas Line: Weber State by 14; 152
Dunkel Pick: Weber State (-14); Under

Game 629-630: Portland State at Northern Colorado (9:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Portland State 46.680; Northern Colorado 51.607
Dunkel Line: Northern Colorado by 5; 153
Vegas Line: Northern Colorado by 6 1/2; 157
Dunkel Pick: Portland State (+6 1/2); Under

Game 631-632: Eastern Washington at Sacramento State (10:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Eastern Washington 51.935; Sacramento State 43.744
Dunkel Line: Eastern Washington by 8; 139
Vegas Line: Eastern Washington by 5 1/2; 133

Dunkel Pick: Eastern Washington (-5 1/2); Over
Game 641-642: Southern Utah at IUPUI (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Southern Utah 49.341; IUPUI 54.705
Dunkel Line: IUPUI by 5 1/2; 151
Vegas Line: IUPUI by 7 1/2; 147 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Southern Utah (+7 1/2); Over

Game 643-644: South Dakota at South Dakota State (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: South Dakota 43.290; South Dakota State 66.805
Dunkel Line: South Dakota State by 23; 147
Vegas Line: South Dakota State by 15 1/2; 151
Dunkel Pick: South Dakota State (-15 1/2); Under

Game 645-646: Oral Roberts at Western Illinois (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oral Roberts 62.596; Western Illinois 58.914
Dunkel Line: Oral Roberts by 3 1/2; 117
Vegas Line: Oral Roberts by 5 1/2; 120 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Western Illinois (+5 1/2); Under

Game 647-648: UMKC at North Dakota State (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: UMKC 42.333; North Dakota State 64.208
Dunkel Line: North Dakota State by 22; 141
Vegas Line: North Dakota State by 16 1/2; 139
Dunkel Pick: North Dakota State (-16 1/2); Over

Scott Spreitzer

Utah at Stanford
Play: Stanford

The damage done by former Ute coach Jim Boylen is alarming. First year coach Larry Krystowiak had to chose a rotation from 11 newcomers and so far nothing has worked. The team is going to be the Pac-12 doormat in this their first season in the conference. The Utes are 0-4 in true road action this season, losing by 40, 29, 30, and 21 points to Colorado, Weber State, Fresno State, and Boise, respectively...not exactly murderer's row. Playing at Maples should be just as ugly. Some Cardinal fans found it tough to believe that Johnny Dawkins received an extension. But he's finally got "his" players on the roster and Stanford, though not dominant against anyone of note, is playing their best basketball in a couple of seasons. The Cardinal have held 4 of their last 5 guests to 59 points or less and now face a Utah team that ranks 278th in FG percentage overall, including 336th from the arc. Utah is equally as bad on the defensive end. Stanford is on a 73-47 ATS January run and I expect another win and cover on Thursday. I'm laying the points with the Cardinal.

Hollywood Sports

Portland at San Francisco
Prediction: Over

Portland (5-11) won their second game in a row with their 53-43 win over Pepperdine -- and they have then played 4 straight games Over the Total after holding their last opponent to 50 points or less. Now the Pilots go on the road where they have seen the Over go 8-2-1 in their last 11 games away from home. Additionally, Portland has seen the Over go 5-2-1 in their last 8 games against fellow opponents from the West Coast Conference. San Francisco (10-8) has lost two games in a row -- and five out of their last six games -- after their 87-72 loss at St. Mary's on Monday as a 16.5-point favorite. The Dons have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a loss. But they did meet expectations by covering the point spread in that contest -- and San Fran has played 6 straight games Over the Total after covering the point spread. The Dons return home for this one where they have played 6 straight Overs. And San Fran has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total against fellow teams from the West Coast Conference. With such consistent and complementary trends exposing team personalities that react similarly in situations like this, take the Over in this one.

Hollywood Sports

Avalanche at Predators
Prediction: Under

Colorado (23-20-1-0) has now lost two games in a row after their 4-1 loss to this same Nashville team on Tuesday -- and they have seen the Under go 4-1-1 in their last 6 games after failing to score more than two goals in their last contest. The Avalanche have also seen the Under go 5-1-1 in their last 7 games against teams with a winning record. And in their last 4 games against fellow teams from the Western Conference, Colorado has played all 4 of these games Under the Total. Nashville (23-15-3-1) has won two games in a row after this victory over the Avalanche -- and the Under is 8-3-1 in their last 12 games after a win. The Predators have also played 4 straight games Under the Total against an opponent that scored two goals or less in their last contest. The Under is now 4-0-1 in Nashville's last 5 games against teams with a winning record. And the Under is now 4-1-1 in the Predators' last 6 games against Western Conference teams. The Total was set at 5.5 for the Tuesday meeting between these two teams. While this Total has dropped to just 5, it remains a solid proposition to take your chances with the Under and live with a push if each team scores at least two goals. Take the Under here.

Terron Chapman

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Phoenix Suns
Play: Cleveland Cavaliers +7

One of the many weaknesses of the Cleveland Cavaliers is their lack of depth on the interior. That was personified in their last outing against the Utah Jazz, a 113-105 loss in Salt Lake City on Tuesday evening. The Jazz scored 56 points in the paint and shot 59% from the field as the Cavs failed to find an answer for the 1-2 punch of Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson. It was the first time all season the Cavs lost back-to-back games. They’ll look to avoid a three-game losing streak when they visit the Phoenix Suns Thursday night at the US Airways Center.

Phoenix saw their modest two-game win streak snapped Tuesday night at Staples Center in Los Angeles with a 99-83 loss to the Lakers. Phoenix has failed to crack 100 points in all four of its road games, averaging 90.5 while shooting 42.4%, and they lost the last three. The Suns let the Lakers score 18 second-chance points on 14 offensive boards Tuesday. Phoenix has given up a league-worst average of 13.7 offensive rebounds, including 15.0 in four games over the past week. The Cavaliers have grabbed 13.0 per game in that span - among the league's best - as Anderson Varejao has reached double digits in rebounds in all four games.

This game marks the fist time that standout rookie Kyrie Irving and two-time MVP Steve Nash square off. Irving, the number 1 overall pick, has averaged 17.1 points in his last seven games. He tops all rookies in scoring (15.6 ppg) and is second in assists (5.1 per game). The Suns swept last season’s series but this Cavs team comes into this match-up much improved thanks, in large part, to the emergence of Irving and a newfound optimism. Recently, Cleveland has done a good job bouncing back under Scott, going 6-2 ATS in their last eight outings following a straight-up loss dating back to last season. We’ll look for them to do the same against an inconsistent Suns team. Take the road team at the counter. Play on the Cleveland Cavaliers (+) the points for 1 unit.

Rob Vinciletti

Wofford vs. Tennessee Chat
Play: Wofford +2.5

Wofford won both games last season by over 30 points, including a win by 39 here at UT. Chattanooga. Wofford is 14-1 vs losing teams in the 2nd half the last 3 years. In games after scoring 60 or less they have bounced back to win 6 of 7. When playing off a conference loss they are 7-1.. UT. Chatanooga has lost 9 of 12 vs teams who allow 64 or less and have lost all 3 tries this season vs winning teams. Look for a Wofford to improve to 17-4 in January games and get the win here tonight.

Jim Feist

Cleveland Cavaliers at Phoenix Suns
Play: Cleveland Cavaliers 7

Cleveland has been an afterthought since LeBron left, but this is a scrappy team in the middle of the pack in the Central division. The Cavaliers are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games vs. a team with a losing S.U. record and 4-1 ATS in their last 5 vs. the NBA Pacific. Phoenix is an average team, at best, and comes off a blowout loss to the Lakers. The Suns are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game. And the Cavaliers are 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings. Play the Cavaliers!

David Chan

Dallas Stars @ Los Angeles Kings
PICK: Los Angeles Kings

The 23-17-1 Dallas Stars storm into Los Angeles to take on the 21-15-7 Kings.

Kari Lehtonen is set to square off against Jonathan Quick between the pipes.

These two division rivals are separated by just two points; so this game actually could have some big implications further on down the road; and in that case, "home ice advantage" can't be overlooked here.

The Kings are in eighth; the Stars in ninth:

“The division is tough and the conference is tough and you go from anywhere from 11th to 12th to third in one night,” Kings coach Darryl Sutter said. “It’s about sticking with about how we play. We’re finishing off a six-game (run) at home here and we obviously want to hit the road on a good note.”

LA also plays with "revenge" here after losing 2-1 to Dallas back on December 22nd.

Since that loss though, take note that the Kings are 6-1-3 since then, and are coming off a commanding 5-2 win over Washington on Monday.

Quick has been white hot, 3-1-1 with a 0.59 GAA with two shutouts in his last five starts; he's 6-0-1 with a 1.71 GAA in his last seven vs. the Stars.

LA leads the West when down a man, killing 37 straight power-plays.

Dallas continues its inconsistency, and is coming off a 5-2 loss at Anaheim on Tuesday.

In my opinion, we're getting great line-value here; how about you?!

Stephen Nover

Detroit @ Milwaukee
PICK: Milwaukee -8

Perhaps Lawrence Franks will get things turned around in Detroit despite a late start. But right now the Pistons are worth fading until they get things together.

Judging by their current form, the Pistons are a long ways from getting straighten out.

Detroit has lost and failed to cover in its last five games. The Pistons have been outscored by an average of 20 points during this stretch. Detroit has failed to reach the 90-point mark during its last six games.

The Pistons have been particularly brutal on the road where they are 0-4 straight-up and ATS losing by an average of 17 points.

Milwaukee, on the other hand, plays its best at home. The Bucks have yet to lose in three home contests. They just defeated San Antonio, 106-103, this past Tuesday at home. The Bucks average 102 points at home, that's 20 points higher than the Pistons average on the season. Detroit is last in the league in scoring.

The Bucks are a much better team with center Andrew Bogut back in the lineup. He played against the Spurs after missing the past four games while in his native Australia tending to a personal matter.

The Bucks are getting some of their other injured players back, too, while the Pistons have been without starting point guard Rodney Stuckey for the last four games and former Buck Charlie Villanueva, a good-shooting big man.

Rookie Brandon Knight has been filling in for Stuckey and is a work in progress. Knight is likely to get schooled by Brandon Jennings. Knight is committing more than four turnovers a game since filling in for Stuckey.

On deck for Milwaukee are road games against the Mavericks and 76ers. Those are likely losses so the Bucks should be fully focused for this matchup as they try to maneuver themselves into playoff contention.

Matt Fargo

Wisconsin @ Purdue
PICK: Purdue -2.5

Wisconsin heads to West Lafayette to take on the Boilermakers in the only meeting between the two teams this season. Even though both teams are looking good for the NCAA Tournament, it has been a bit of a disappointment on both sides. Wisconsin especially is reeling right now after being ranked in the top ten at the start of December, the Badgers have lost five of their last 11 games including three straight. This is obviously a big game but the Purdue home court will prove to be too strong.

After getting blown out at Penn St. in their first conference loss of the season, the Boilermakers returned the favor at Minnesota as they won going away to regain some momentum. Purdue is 3-1 in the conference which is pretty solid considering this is only its second conference home game of the season, the first coming in a blowout of Illinois. Overall Purdue is 9-0 at home this season and enter the contest on a 26-game home winning streak that ranks as the fifth-longest in the nation.

The Boilermakers will have to contend with one of the best defenses in the country but it should not be a problem as the offense has been firing on all cylinders of late. Purdue is shooting 48.6 percent from the floor in Big Ten play, and has shot 50 percent or better in three of its four conference outings. The Boilermakers average just 9.9 turnovers per game as well. While Wisconsin brings in a strong defense, its offense has regressed as the Badgers are shooting only 39.2 percent over their last five games.

The Boilermakers have won five in a row against Wisconsin at Mackey Arena and Purdue has covered eight of the last 11 meetings overall. The Badgers are 0-7 ATS in their last seven road games coming off a road game while going 2-5 ATS in their last seven games following a loss. Purdue meanwhile is 11-1 ATS in its last 12 home games following a win and it is a perfect 7-0 ATS in its last seven home games against teams allowing 64 or fewer ppg on the season.

Sean Murphy

Manhattan @ Iona
PICK: Under 155

Only North Carolina averages more points per game than Iona, so it's no surprise that we're regularly seeing totals in the 150s and 160s in games involving the Gaels.

But let's not lose sight of the fact that this is a MAAC rivalry game, and Manhattan has proven to be a worthy foe so far this season, going 10-7 SU and 11-4 ATS in lined games.

Since getting blasted by Rider in their first game of the New Year, the Jaspers have tightened things up defensively, allowing 61 and 51 points over their last two contests. They're a quality defensive team, having given up just over 64 points per game on 39.9% shooting this season.

Obviously, Iona poses a stiff challenge, but I expect Manhattan to be more than up for this one after giving up 85 and 102 points in a pair of blowout losses against the Gaels last season.

It's worth noting that only two of Iona's five MAAC games have played 'over' tonight's posted total. Those came against Niagara and Marist, two of the conference's weakest defensive teams.

At 5-0, and knowing that Manhattan can give it a run when it brings its 'A' game, Iona is only looking for a 'W' here - style points mean nothing. We saw a similar scenario last Friday night against Niagara, as the Gaels knew the Purple Aces would be looking to avenge an earlier 98-62 loss on their home floor. Iona ended up gutting out a 73-61 victory, a game that stayed 24 points 'under' the total.

Even if Iona is able to get into the 80s in this game, which is a stretch in my opinion, there's no guarantee that Manhattan can generate enough offense to push this one 'over' the total. Note that the Gaels have held their last five opponents to 39% shooting.

Marc Lawrence

Oregon @ Arizona State
PICK: Arizona State

ASU has been a money-burner all season long, and as a result there is value aplenty in this Pac-12 matchup. To begin with, the Ducks are an unreliable 17-31-2 ATS as road chalk and 5-10 ATS after clawing with the Cal Bears – a team they have dropped seven straight meetings to. Thus, while Oregon is dealing with a little revenge of its own, look for the Sun Devils to make amends for last season’s tourney TKO to the Ducks. As it is, Herb Sendek’s squad is 10-2 ATS with revenge in this series. Needless to say, we’ll let the line determine our position. We recommend a 1-unit play on Arizona State.

David Banks

Knicks /Grizzlies Over

A nonconference NBA hardwood clash tips off TNTs Thursday night doubleheader when Amare Stoudemire and the New York Knicks collide with Rudy Gay and New York Knicks vs. Memphis Grizzlies

A nonconference NBA hardwood clash tips off TNTs Thursday night doubleheader when Amare Stoudemire and the New York Knicks collide with Rudy Gay and the Memphis Grizzlies; this one is set to begin at 8:00 ET from the FedEx Forum.

Its been a rough go for the New York Knicks who many expected would compete with the Boston Celtics for top honors within the Atlantic Division. After getting the best of the Cs in both teams season opener on Christmas Day, the Knicks went on to drop four of their next five games which included losses to the Warriors, Lakers, Raptors, and Bobcats with only a win against the woeful Kings to hang their collective hat on. However, entering Wednesday nights home clash with the division leading Philadelphia 76ers, the Knicks rattled off three straight wins over the Wizards, Pistons, and Bobcats (1-2 ATS). NY has scored an average of 96.4 points per game (#10) and has taken care of business from the charity stripe (#5 at 78.7%), but its been outrebounded by 3.4 rebounds per game and is allowing its opposition to convert 45.5 percent of their shots from the floor (#23) as well as 40.4 percent from downtown (#28). New York will be playing on no rest for the third time this season; its 1-1 SU & ATS in the previous two instances.

After shocking the top seeded San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the playoffs and then taking the Oklahoma City Thunder to seven games in the next round, the Grizzlies looked to be a surefire pick to once again make hay in the Southwest Division. Unfortunately, big man Zach Randolph was lost until late February with a slight MCL tear, and the departure of Shane Battier to Miami has really hurt the Grizz defensively. To date, Memphis is giving up an average of 95.1 PPG (#16) on just 43.4 percent shooting from the field (#12), but theyve been outboarded by nearly 2.0 RPG and have had a hard time scoring the basketball averaging just 91.0 PPG (#24) while shooting a dreadful 22.8 percent from beyond the arc (#30). Head Coach Lionel Hollins is still searching for that missing ingredient from last years solid run. They were just tripped up by OKC in the first of what is to be a four-game home stand (100-95) their last time out, as the team looks to claw back to .500.

New York swept the season series from Memphis last year pulling out a 110-108 outright win as 4.5-point underdogs in the first meeting and then followed it up with a commanding 120-99 beatdown as five-point chalk the second go round; the over cashed in both contests and has come in for total bettors in eight of these teams L/10 overall confrontations. The favorite is 3-1-1 in the L/5 meetings, but the Knicks check in 4-1-1 ATS their L/6 trips to Memphis with the closing total getting surpassed in each of those instances.

SPORTS WAGERS

Ottawa +159 over N.Y. RANGERS

The Rangers are having an outstanding year. They're first overall with 58 points and they've won five in a row and 10 of their past 11 games, including the Winter Classic. While a letdown hasn’t occurred after the featured Classic, a hiccup here would not surprise. The Rangers play Saturday in Toronto on Hockey Night in Canada's marquee game and like most, the Rangers will be amped up for that one. New York has just three losses at home this season and two of those losses were to the Maple Leafs. The Blue Shirts have not beaten Toronto this year. Even if the Rangers are sharp, the Senators have a chance because they too are hot and playing some great hockey. Ottawa has won six of past seven and sit just three points behind the Bruins for first place in the Northeast Division. No team is having more fun than the unheralded Senators. They're loose, they're talented, they're dangerous and they offer up some excellent value here in a favourable situation. Play: Ottawa +159 (Risking 2 units).

ST. LOUIS -½ +140 over Vancouver

The Canucks conclude their four games in six nights road trip here and they accomplished what they set out to do by beating the Bruins in Boston and winning twice already in the first three games. We can't stress enough how badly the Canucks wanted that win over the B's. To ask Vancouver to win in St. Louis in the final game of a trip is a tall order, especially after that win over Boston and two successive games in the relaxing atmosphere in the state of Florida. The Blues have just five losses in 22 home games. Unlike earlier in the season, when they were not scoring goals and winning games 2-1, the Blue Notes are now scoring with more frequency. Over its past four games, St. Louis has 15 goals and has lit the lamp at least four times in three of those games. They've allowed a combined 34 shots on net over their past two games. The Blue Notes are playing as well as any team right now. With Brian Elliott in net and the Blues catching the Canucks at the right time, we'll gladly take a position on them to extend their winning streak to five. Play: St. Louis -½ +140 (Risking 2 units).

LOS ANGELES -½ +111 over Dallas

Huge, huge game for the Kings, as they sit in eighth spot in the West just two points in front of Dallas and the Stars have two games in hand. The good news is that the Kings are coming off a much-needed, five-goal outburst against Washington after scoring just nine goals in their previous six games. The Kings are one of the most talented team's in the NHL but they've been the NHL's biggest underacheivers in the first half. Los Angeles could be the team to watch in the second half, as they're talented enough to go on a big run and that five-goal performance could've triggered it. L.A. has gone 13 games now without loisng two in a row and winning eight of those. The Stars lost Mike Robeiro to injury. They're coming off a 5-2 loss in Anaheim and Jere Lehtonen has not been sharp at all since returning from his injury after a month away. In an important game that could have big implications down the road, give us the superior team at home that is in better form and that's showing signs of a major run. Play: Los Angeles -½ +111 (Risking 2 units)