Chip Chirimbes
Rhode Island vs. Davidson
Play: Rhode Island +3½
Davidson of course is basketball famous because of Stephen Curry and once coach Lefty Driesell. Thw Wildcats are an impressive 13-1 at home while averaging 83.6 points and allowing opponents to score 75.8 points. Rhode Island is a paltry 2-7 on the road and are looking to avenge a 60-59 loss at home to the Wildcats last season. This 'number' seems a bit short to me.
Power Sports
Michigan St vs. Ohio St.
Pick: Ohio St.
Teams ranked at the top of the polls have fared extremely poorly at the betting window when visiting unranked foes this season. Therefore taking the points here with Ohio State, in Columbus, seems wise as Michigan State has been pretty hot and is probably due to drop a game ATS. The Buckeyes just pulled an upset Saturday.
Michigan State has covered its last seven games, winning six of them straight up. The one loss came by one point at Purdue. The last three years have seen Sparty go 22-7 ATS on the road. But this is the second biggest number they'll have had to lay on the road in Big 10 play. The most was against a poor Penn State team. This win streak of theirs has clearly inflated this line. After shooting 57.6% vs. Indiana and holding Wisconsin to 33.9% (both home games), they likely won't be as fortunate here.
Believe it or not, of these two, the Buckeyes have the better Big 10 record. On Saturday, they just won on the road (as 2-pt underdogs), 65-62 at Nebraska. That was their fourth straight win overall. The key for them here will be defending the three-point line. Michigan State is making an Izzo-era high 8.8 three-pointers per game, but OSU opponents are shooting just 32.6 percent from behind the arc in conference play, 27.4 percent the last four games. Overall, they have held the last four opponents to 35.5 percent shooting these L4 games. This will be a close game.
Jimmy Boyd
Clemson +2½
The Tigers come into this game off a heartbreaking 74-77 loss at NC State last time out, while the Yellow Jackets enter off a thrilling 63-62 last second win at home against Notre Dame as a 3-point dog, which came on the heels of a 86-80 win at Florida State as a 7-point dog. I look for Georgia Tech to have a difficult time matching the intensity of Clemson in this one.
The Tigers are not only going to be extremely motivated off that loss to the Wolfpack, but this is a game the desperately need if they want to make the NCAA Tournament. The Yellow Jackets on the other hand are just 5-9 in conference play and are just playing out the regular season, which puts them in a prime letdown spot off that big win over the Irish.
Keep in mind that Clemson won by 14-points at home (66-52) against Georgia Tech recently on 2/13 and did so shooting just 40% from the field and 15.4% from long distance. Tigers are 8-2 ATS on the season against strong rebounding teams with a 4+ advantage/game, 7-1 ATS after 15+ games this season against teams who commit 12 or fewer turnovers and a perfect 6-0 ATS in their last 6 after playing their previous game as a road underdog. We'll take the points!
Otto Sports
Virginia Tech at Boston College
Play: Over 133.5
Boston College has topped 60 points only six times in ACC play this season. It's almost impossible to do but the Eagles are averaging 0.82 points per possession. Last time out, they at one point trailed woeful Wake Forest 37-4 before losing 74-48. It was a low-point in a disaster of a season and back at home against a mediocre opponent, I look for a much better effort on the offensive end. And as bad as Boston College has been, its home games have typically featured a fair amount of points. At home in ACC play, BC home games have hit 145, 137, 120, 134, 133, and 136. Tonight presents another opportunity to top 130 points with Virginia Tech coming to town. The Hokies rank 11th in the ACC in defensive efficiency and outside of games against slow paced defensive-minded Virginia, Syracuse, Clemson and Miami, they've routinely scored 70+. Pace-wise, Boston College is so bad that the opposition almost always dictates the pace. Virginia Tech's tempo has slowed of late but it has more to do with the opposition. Games against Virginia, Miami, Clemson, and Syracuse were all in the low 60's. But prior to that swatch of games, the Hokies were one of the fastest teams in the league. Not much meaning to this one and with a small uptick in offensive production from the home side, we should see enough points to get this one up and over the total.
Wunderdog
Orlando @ Philadelphia
Pick: Orlando -5.5
Philadelphia had one of its few wins this season at Orlando 96-87 on Jan. 20 as the Magic shot 39.3 percent overall and made just four of 17 three-point attempts. The Magic has won three of its last five games, but is coming off a 105-102 loss against Indiana on Sunday when Even Fournier scored 23 points and Nikola Vucevic added 19 points but it couldn't finish it off down the stretch. The 76ers have lost four in a row, including 129-103 at Dallas on Sunday as Jahlil Okafor scored 31 points but the weak Philly defense allowed the Mavericks a .482 field goal percentage. Orlando has had success on this court with a 25-9 ATS record in Philadelphia and the Magic is on a current 4-1 ATS run overall and 4-1 ATS after a loss. The road team is 4-0 ATS the last four meetings and Orlando looks to avenge its earlier loss to the hapless Sixers. Lay the points on the Magic.
Rocketman
Brooklyn @ Portland
Play: Under 210.5
The Brooklyn Nets travel to Portland to take on the Blazers on Tuesday night. Brooklyn is 15-41 SU overall this year while Portland is 29-27 SU overall on the season. The UNDER is 8-2 this year after Brooklyn plays 3 consecutive home games. The UNDER is 6-2 last 8 games when Brooklyn plays on the road. The UNDER is 5-1 last 6 games when Portland plays the Eastern Conference. The UNDER is 27-10-1 last 38 games when Portland plays at home against a team with a road winning percentage of less than .400. The UNDER is 5-1 last 6 meetings in Portland.
Ian Cameron
Calgary at Los Angeles
Play: Over 5.5
My clients and I have cashed a multitude of over-the-total winners involving the Calgary Flames since the All-Star break and that is a trend worth riding tonight as they head west to face the Los Angeles Kings. Calgary is struggling defensively and goalie Jonas Hiller has not been able to hold up since taking over the starting role for injured Karri Ramo. Hiller has allowed 22 goals over his last five starts in net. Flames defenseman Kris Russell is not a household name but he might be one of the more unsung injuries in the league. Russell is a plus defensive player in his own zone, a shot blocking machine, and also a very strong penalty killer. Calgary has allowed 18 goals to Anaheim (twice), Minnesota and Vancouver in its last four games without Russell on the ice as the penalty kill was ripped apart. He is likely to once again be out of the lineup for tonight's game. The Flames also have the suspension to Dennis Wideman in effect and they've lost another blue liner as Ladislav Smid went down with an injury in the loss to Minnesota and he has been placed on IR. That is bad news for an already struggling defensive unit which now has to rely on Deryk Engelland and a lot of youth and inexperience to eat up more minutes and responsibility. Los Angeles isn’t an offensive machine nor does it push the pace but even the Kings are capable of denting this very shaky Calgary defense and goaltending right now. On the flip side, Los Angeles returns home from a 7-game road trip and I could see the Kings maybe being a bit lackadaisical on the defensive end of the ice after playing a very tough slate of opponents on their recent road trip. LA did start playing a bit looser defensively on home ice prior to their road trip and enter this contest on a 4-2 run to the over in their last six home games. Over 5.5 at a solid plus price is worthy of a wager.
Bruce Marshall
Vanderbilt at Florida
Play: Vanderbilt +4
This, in effect, is an SEC "bubble elimination" game at Gainesville. Don't be misled by the scoreline of Vandy's Jan. 26 win at its quirky Memorial Gym, as Florida was far behind in the final minutes before closing the gap in the final seconds with a flurry of late triples, including a meaningless connection at the buzzer that reduced the final margin to 60-59. However, hitting from long range has been uncharacteristic of this Gator edition, which continues to connect on only 31% beyond the arc. And finding room to shoot on the perimeter is still the best course of action in halfcourt sets vs. a Commodore defense featuring 7-footers Damian Jones and Luke Kornet as blockades in the paint.
Andy Iskoe
Boise St. -8
This is a good spot for Boise State to get healthy on several accounts. First there is the revenge angle for a January 27 87-77 loss at UNLV that followed a 6-2 start in Mountain West conference play. That loss was the start of a current 2-5 slide with the most recent game their 80-70 loss at New Mexico last Wednesday. Noteworthy about that loss is that Boise had a seemingly comfortable 76-61 lead with 6 minutes remaining in the contest. The Broncos have had nearly a full week to stew about blowing that big lead which has them tied for fourth in the conference but just a game out of second. They catch UNLV off of a draining overtime revenge win over arch rival Nevada Reno. The Rebels remain very shorthanded due to injuries and transfers and have barely enough scholarship athletes to field a starting lineup. With their next game on Saturday at tough San Diego State this becomes a vitally important game for Boise to win and considering how they lost to New Mexico I expect the Broncos to apply the pressure early and not ease up while also catching UNLV fatiguing in the second half.
GoodFella
Boise St. -4 1st Half
I like the Broncos to come out fired up in this spot this evening. They gagged away their last game and they will be looking to atone for that meltdown here IMO. The Rebels are not a good ROAD club at all & they are facing off vs a very motivated Broncos club here. I look for a very strong 1st half out of the Broncos this evening behind their HOME crowd and I am backing them laying just 4 points for the 1st half here.
Brad Wilton
Tuesday night comp play is underdog Alabama at Kentucky.
The Wildcats won and covered the first meeting back in early January, and they are likely to win again tonight at home, but the cover is another matter altogether, as the Tide has really been playing competitive basketball heading down to the final days of the regular season.
True, they did just lose in a head-scratcher at home to Miss State over the weekend, but Avery Johnson's team remains solid at 6-2 straight up their last 8 games, and 5-3 against the spread in that span.
Kentucky lost a tough one at Texas A&M over the weekend, and are just 3-7 against the spread the last 10 series meetings versus the Crimson Tide.
The 'Cats are also just 3-4 against the spread their last 7 games overall.
Look for 'Bama to be there plus the points.
2* ALABAMA
Jeff Benton
Your Tuesday freebie is the Kansas Jayhawks to knock Baylor down a peg after the Bears sprung the upset win in Austin against Texas over the weekend.
That win by Baylor followed their home win over a tough Iowa State team in OT, so the Bears do have some confidence flowing this Tuesday night. The problem is, Kansas absolutely hammered Baylor earlier this season, 102-74 at the Allen Field House, as KU has now won 6 straight in this series, and they have covered in each of the past 5 wins, with a 5-0-1 overall spread mark during their 6 game series roll.
The Jayhawks are on a 7 game win and cover streak this year, and they have also cashed in 7 of their past 10 away from Lawrence.
Throw in the fact the road team in the series is 15-6-1 against the spread the past 22 meetings, and you can see why I am liking Rock Chalk to move that series winning streak to 7 straight.
Back the Jayhawks.
5* KANSAS
Chris Jordan
My free play is on the Utah Jazz tonight, laying the points to the Houston Rockets.
Both teams are looking to treat the rest of the season a resurgence, especially the Rockets. But for me, I'd rather side with the team that was surging prior to the All-Star break. The visiting Rockets, who have failed to cover seven of nine against Northwest foes, are looking for a fourth straight win over the Jazz, but something tells me this is a great spot for Utah, which is looking to get off that playoff bubble and begin playing for a Western Conference spot.
Utah won seven of eight heding into the break, and leapfrogged the Rockets for the West's No. 8 spot. Unfortunately for the Jazz, the order reversed last week, when Houston opened the second half of the campaign with a 116-100 win at Phoenix on Friday. Meanwhile, the Jazz opened the second half with losses in two of three games.
Time to right the ship.
I like Utah's acquisition at the deadline, Shelvin Mack, who made an immediate impact with his new team, finishing with season highs of 16 points and six assists after arriving from Atlanta last week for a second-round pick. The Jazz lost that game, 115-111 at Portland on Sunday, for their third loss in four games, but this home game is just what they need.
Utah, which has won its last six home games to improve to 18-10 at Vivint Smart Home Arena, has also covered nine of 13 in Salt Lake City.
5* UTAH
ASA
Ohio vs. Bowling Green
Play: Ohio -2
BG shocked Ohio on the Bobcats home court back in mid January. The Bobcats blew a halftime lead and played possibly their worst half of the season in the 2nd half. At one point in the 2nd half, Bowling Green cashed in on a 10 point (yes, 10 point) possession as Ohio was hit with 3 technical fouls after a bench scrum. These two teams have gone in opposite directions since that game. Ohio has now won 7 of their last 8 games with their only loss during that stretch coming to the MAC’s highest rated team Akron. They are still alive for the conference title and head coach Saul Phillips has stressed that point to his team. “As long as we win the next game on the schedule, we still have a chance to win a championship,” Phillips told his team. “You’re trying to win a championship and we still have that opportunity.” Bowling Green has gone just 2-9 since beating Ohio and they are in the midst of a 7 game losing streak. Their home court advantage is literally non-existent as the Eagles are just 1-6 at home in MAC play. This is one of the worst offensive teams in the conference that has topped 68 points only once in their last 7 games. Ohio is one of the best offensive teams in the league (#1 in 3-point percentage) and the Bobcats have scored less than 72 points only once in their last eight games. Ohio is also back to full strength as they played their last 2 games without forward Kenny Kaminski (12 PPG) and he returns tonight.
DAVE PRICE
Texas Tech -11.5
The Texas Tech Red Raiders have played themselves into the NCAA Tournament by winning four straight, including three against ranked opponents in Iowa State, Baylor and Oklahoma. They even beat Baylor by 18 on the road and Oklahoma State by 10 away from home. Now they get to face the worst team in the Big 12 in TCU, and I expect them to make easy work of the Horned Frogs and to avoid a letdown because they have come too far to look back now. TCU has lost 10 of its last 12 with 6 of its last 7 losses coming by 13 points or more. The Red Raiders are 9-0 ATS off two or more consecutive wins this season.