Bill Biles
Chattanooga vs. Indiana
Play: Indiana -12
The Hoosiers are one of the best shooting teams in the country. They ranked 11th in the country in PPG and will be able to score at will in this one. Look for Indiana to get some major momentum into the next round with a big blowout in this one.
Steve Williams
Blazers vs. Spurs
Play: Spurs -11½
Quietly the Spurs are on a 70 win pace. While everyone is watching the Warriors trek to a 73 win season Spurs are almost as dominant overall. No doubt tho, Spurs dominate at home. Last game Spurs smashed the Clippers with a 39 point 4th quarter. Spurs are 33-0 SU and 21-12 ATS. Blazers are 1-6 ATS at San Antonio. We like the Spurs to roll to another home win and cover tonight. Lay the points. Leonard and Adridge lead the way!
Ari Atari
Minnesota -150
Minnesota wins this as they pursue Colorado for the final playoff spot in the West. New Jersey has gone 1-5 in their last six games at home and are suffering offensively, being outscored 13-2 in their last three home games. The Wild aren't exactly setting the league on fire but goalie Devan Dubnyk has been playing well enough that he should be able to stop the slow, counter attacking nature of New Jersey. If Minnesota can get a couple goals early it'll force New Jersey to play outside of their comfort zone for the remainder of the game. I think Minnesota's depth will really shine in this one and lead them to the win and two very important points to keep their hope alive for the playoffs.
Robert Ferringo
Kentucky (-13.5) over Stony Brook
As for this game, sorry, Stony Brook, but it isn't going to happen for you here. The Seawolves have exactly one player taller than 6-7: and that would be 6-8 leading-scorer Jameel Warney. Warney is an outstanding player. But there's absolutely no way he will be able to hold back Kentucky's massive front line - with five guys 6-8 or taller, all All-Americans - all by himself. If Warney gets in foul trouble it will get ugly. That's exactly what happened when Stony Brook played Notre Dame earlier this year. The Irish aren't as big as Kentucky, but Warney couldn't stop Zach August and also struggled from the field (7-for-17) in a 26-point loss. Once Kentucky shuts down Stony Brook's top player the rest of the team will crumble and the Wildcats will run away with this one. Kentucky is a solid 17-8 ATS in their last 25 neutral-site games, and I think they just have too much for the Seawolves here.
Robert Ferringo
Kentucky (-13.5) over Stony Brook
As for this game, sorry, Stony Brook, but it isn't going to happen for you here. The Seawolves have exactly one player taller than 6-7: and that would be 6-8 leading-scorer Jameel Warney. Warney is an outstanding player. But there's absolutely no way he will be able to hold back Kentucky's massive front line - with five guys 6-8 or taller, all All-Americans - all by himself. If Warney gets in foul trouble it will get ugly. That's exactly what happened when Stony Brook played Notre Dame earlier this year. The Irish aren't as big as Kentucky, but Warney couldn't stop Zach August and also struggled from the field (7-for-17) in a 26-point loss. Once Kentucky shuts down Stony Brook's top player the rest of the team will crumble and the Wildcats will run away with this one. Kentucky is a solid 17-8 ATS in their last 25 neutral-site games, and I think they just have too much for the Seawolves here.
OC Dooley
Indiana -10.5
Earlier today in both tilt broadcast on network television (CBS) the “underdog” covered the spread both times including Yale’s outright upset which arguably makes this particular game a law of averages special. The NCAA tournament committee did not give Indiana any favors as despite their regular season prominence in a difficult power-conference they have been given a low seeding (#5) which means the Hoosiers have the likes of Kentucky and North Carolina standing in their way. Since they are facing Tennessee-Chattanooga who has racked up 29 victories (second most of any school in this year’s Big Dance) the price tag of this tilt has been kept in check and has actually dropped slightly from the opening offshore figure of “eleven” points. The problem with the Mocs is that they have gone 6 consecutive games WITHOUT covering the spread and I feel they simply are in the wrong spot at the wrong time. Indiana’s only game in the just completed Big 10 postseasomn tournament was against a desperate opponent (Michigan) who absolutely had to record an outright upset to have any shot at being an at-large entrant. In the past two years when shaking off a prior “spot” loss Indiana has gone an excellent 21-10 ATS which is a reflection of Tom Crean’s excellent coaching