SPORTS ADVISORS
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
(11) Georgetown (18-7, 11-10 ATS) at Louisville (18-9, 8-14 ATS)
Louisville looks to boost its NCAA Tournament resume when it welcomes the 11th-ranked Hoyas to Freedom Hall for a Big East battle.
Georgetown fell behind No. 5 Syracuse by 23 points in the second half on Thursday and made a valiant comeback, only to fall short 75-71 as a two-point home favorite. The Hoyas have dropped four of their last seven games both SU and ATS, though two of the victories were double-digit wins over No. 8 Duke and No. 2 Villanova. They now sit in a tie for sixth place in the Big East standings, one game behind Louisville. The SU winner has cashed in each of Georgetown’s last 11 contests.
The Cardinals have won three in a row and five of their last six, but they continue to struggle to cover pointspreads, going 1-4 ATS in their last five and 3-9 ATS in their last 12 (all Big East games). On Saturday, Louisville went to DePaul and prevailed 68-59, falling just short as an 11½-point road chalk. The Cardinals have won four straight road games (all in conference), going just 1-3 ATS, and they’re 6-1 SU and 2-5 ATS when hosting conference foes.
Louisville pummeled the Hoyas in last year’s lone meeting, rolling 76-58 as a one-point road chalk. The Cardinals, who had gone 2-4 SU in the previous six against Georgetown, have covered in each of the last three clashes. These teams have squared off six times in since 2000, and the favorite, road team and SU winner are all 4-1-1 ATS.
Georgetown is 7-4 on the highway this year (6-4 ATS in lined games), while Louisville is 14-3 at home (4-8 ATS).
The Hoyas have failed to cover in 23 of their last 32 conference games and seven of 10 as an underdog of less than seven points, but they’re 5-2 ATS in their last seven when coming off a defeat and 4-1 ATS in their last five following a non-cover. Louisville is 45-21-2 ATS in their last 68 Big East contests, but other than that, the Cardinals are in pointspread freefalls of 3-9 overall, 1-5 at home, 3-7 against winning teams, 2-6 on Tuesday, 0-4 as a favorite and 0-4 after a SU victory.
Georgetown has topped the total in seven straight games after a SU victory, six straight after a non-cover and eight of 11 as an underdog, while the over has cashed in eight of Louisville’s last 11 home games (all as a favorite). Conversely, the under is on runs of 6-2 for the Hoyas on the highway, 7-2 for the Hoyas on Tuesday, 4-1 for the Cardinals overall (all in conference) and 5-1 for the Cardinals after an ATS setback. Finally, four of the six meetings between these teams – including two of three at Freedom Hall – during the past decade stayed below the posted price.
ATS ADVANTAGE: LOUISVILLE and UNDER
(6) Kansas State (22-4, 14-6-1 ATS) at Texas Tech (16-10, 12-8 ATS)
The Wildcats take a five-game winning streak into United Spirit Arena in Lubbock, Texas, for a Big 12 contest against Texas Tech, which has dropped three in a row.
Kansas State took a two-point halftime lead at Oklahoma on Saturday, then rolled from there, winning 83-68 and easily cashing as a 5½-point road chalk. Although the Wildcats are just 3-2 ATS during their winning streak, they have cashed in five of their last seven overall. Also, they’ve won five straight road games, all in the Big 12 (3-1-1 ATS). During the current five-game overall winning streak, Kansas State is averaging 79.4 ppg (47.6 percent shooting) and yielding 67.6 ppg (41.9 percent).
The Red Raiders gave Texas a good fight Saturday, but came up on the short end of a 71-67 decision, though it did cash as a 6½-point home underdog. The Red Raiders won 13 of their first 14 home games, but they’ve since lost their last two by a total of six points. Throw in a 94-89 overtime loss to Missouri, and Texas Tech’s three home defeats (all in conference) were by a total of 11 points.
Kansas State won last year’s only meeting with Texas Tech 85-73, barely covering as an 11½-point home favorite. Prior to that, the Red Raiders had gone 6-1 SU and ATS in this rivalry, and they’ve covered in five straight meetings in Lubbock. The home team is 8-2 SU and ATS in the last 10 regular-season tussles, and the SU winner has cashed in each of the last 13 clashes.
The Wildcats are on a slew of positive ATS runs, including 13-4-1 overall, 6-2-1 on the road, 5-2 in Big 12 games, 10-3-1 as a favorite, 4-1-1 as a road favorite, 6-1-1 when laying less than seven points, 5-0 on Tuesday, 11-4-1 versus winning teams and 9-4-1 after both a SU or ATS victory. Meanwhile, Texas Tech has now cashed in eight of its last 10 at home and six of seven as a ‘dog of less than seven points, but it is 5-15 ATS in its last 20 on Tuesday.
K-State has stayed under the total in five of its last seven Tuesday games, and the under is 4-1 in Tech’s last five at home. From there, though, the “over” is on runs of 7-2-1 for the Wildcats on the road, 17-5-1 for the Wildcats as a road favorite, 6-2 for the Wildcats after an ATS win, 37-17-2 for the Red Raiders overall, 26-11-2 for the Red Raiders as an underdog, 13-3-2 for the Red Raiders as a pup of less than seven points, 20-9-2 for the Red Raiders after a loss and 15-7-1 for the Red Raiders after a spread-cover. Also, the last two matchups in this rivalry have topped the posted total.
ATS ADVANTAGE: OVER
(19) Tennessee (20-6, 10-12-1 ATS) at Florida (19-8, 12-10 ATS)
The Gators hope to end a six-game series losing streak to Tennessee while at the same time enhancing their NCAA Tournament chances when they welcome the 19th-ranked Volunteers to the O’Connell Center for an SEC showdown.
Tennessee had little trouble with South Carolina on Saturday, rolling to a 63-55 victory and cashing as a 1½-point road favorite following a 2-7 ATS slump. The Vols have won two in a row and five of their last seven, splitting four road games during this stretch. Bruce Pearl’s squad is 3-3 SU in conference roadies, but has failed to cover in four of the last five on the highway.
Florida went to Ole Miss on Saturday and scored a key 64-61 victory as a five-point road underdog, halting a three-game ATS slide. Since dropping their first two SEC games, the Gators have won eight of their last 11 overall, going 8-2 in SEC contests during this stretch (7-3 ATS). That includes five straight conference home wins (3-2 ATS). For the season, Billy Donovan’s team has won 12 of 15 home games, averaging 73.1 ppg (43.8 percent shooting) while holding visitors to 60.7 ppg (40 percent).
Tennessee survived a thriller against the Gators in Knoxville on Jan. 31, winning 61-60 for its sixth straight victory in this rivalry. However, the Vols came up way short as an 8½-point home favorite, ending a 5-0 ATS streak against Florida. Still, Tennessee is 10-2 in the last 12 meetings (9-3 ATS), and it has cashed in 13 of the last 17 clashes overall, going 4-1 ATS in its last five trips to Gainesville.
Aside from their pointspread success against Florida, the Vols are in ATS ruts of 2-7 overall (all in SEC play), 1-4 on the road and 6-13 following a spread-cover. However, they’re 20-7-1 ATS in their last 28 as an underdog of less than seven points. Florida’s 5-2 ATS run in the SEC is offset by negative pointspread streaks of 3-7 at home, 4-9 as a home chalk of less than seven points and 1-4 on Tuesday.
These teams have gone over the total in five of the last seven meetings in Florida. Other than that, though, Tennessee is on “under” runs of 23-8 overall, 24-9 on the road, 19-7 in conference, 20-8 as an underdog, 10-2 as a ‘dog of less than seven points, 6-2 on Tuesday, 19-7 after a SU victory and 11-4 after a spread-cover, while the Gators carry “under” trends of 17-7 overall, 12-4 at home, 14-3 as a favorite, 12-2 as a home chalk, 7-0 when favored by less than seven points, 27-10-1 following a win and 9-3 after a spread-cover. Also, last month’s meeting in Tennessee stayed way under the posted total.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER
NBA
New Orleans (30-26, 28-28 ATS) at Cleveland (43-14, 28-28-1 ATS)
The suddenly slumping Cavaliers return to Quicken Loans Arena looking to get back on track with a victory over the Hornets.
New Orleans, which continues to play without All-Star point guard Chris Paul (knee surgery), is coming off back-to-back home wins over Indiana (107-101 as a 4½-point favorite on Friday) and Houston (102-94 as a two-point home chalk on Sunday). The Hornets concluded their four-game homestand at 3-1 SU and ATS, and they’re now 4-2 SU and 5-1 ATS in their last six games. Additionally, they’ve won nine of their last 13 on the highway, going 10-3 ATS (6-0 ATS last six).
Cleveland has followed up a 13-game winning streak with three consecutive SU and ATS losses, falling to Denver at home on Thursday (118-116 in overtime) then suffering road losses at Charlotte on Friday (110-93) and Orlando on Sunday (101-95). The Cavaliers have also followed up a six-game spread-covering win streak (4-0 ATS at home) by going 1-5 ATS in their last six (1-3 ATS at home). For the season, LeBron James and his crew have won 24 of 28 at Quicken Loans Arena, but they’re only 12-16 ATS.
The home team has won two in a row and five of the last six in this rivalry, all SU and ATS. In last year’s clash in Cleveland, the Cavs rolled 92-78 as a 2½-point chalk, ending an 0-3 SU and ATS slide against New Orleans. The Hornets are just 2-6 ATS in their last eight visits to Quicken Loans Arena, and the SU winner has cashed in each of the last eight series meetings.
In addition to covering the spread in five of their last six games overall and six straight on the highway, the Hornets are on ATS runs of 4-0 against the Eastern Conference, 4-0 when playing after one day off and 8-0 on the road against opponents with a winning home record. Cleveland is 1-5 ATS in its last six overall and 2-5 ATS in its last seven on Tuesday, but from there the Cavs are on pointspread surges of 11-4 against the Southwest Division, 27-11 after a SU defeat and 7-2 when going after one day of rest.
New Orleans carries “over” trends of 10-4 overall, 6-0 on the road, 5-1 against the Eastern Conference, 6-1-1 against winning teams, 18-5 after one day of rest and 6-2 on Tuesday. Likewise, Cleveland is riding “over” streaks of 5-1-1 overall, 4-0-1 at home, 4-1 after a SU loss and 4-1 versus Western Conference foes. Finally, the over is 7-2-1 in the last 10 Cavs-Hornets meetings overall and 5-1-1 in the last seven battles in Cleveland.
ATS ADVANTAGE: NEW ORLEANS and OVER
Phoenix (34-23, 31-26 ATS) at Oklahoma City (33-21 SU and ATS)
The red-hot Thunder put their nine-game winning streak on the line when they welcome the Suns to the Ford Center.
Phoenix hits the road following a pair of easy home victories over the Hawks on Friday (88-80 as a four-point favorite) and Kings on Sunday (104-88 as a 9½-point chalk). The Suns have won eight of their last 10 overall SU and ATS, and they’ve followed up a five-game road losing skid (1-4 ATS) by winning five of their last six on the highway (SU and ATS). Also, the winner has covered the pointspread in 16 of Phoenix’s last 17 games, including the last 12 in a row.
Oklahoma City is coming off a pair of narrow road wins, edging the Knicks in overtime on Saturday 121-118 and the Timberwolves on Sunday 109-107. The Thunder failed to cover as a five-point favorite in both games – ending a 5-0 ATS run – but they’ve still won nine in a row overall, going 4-0 at home (3-1 ATS) during this stretch. Going back to Dec. 23, Oklahoma City has won 20 of 27 games, and it is 18-10 ATS in its last 18.
Forward Kevin Durant continues to play remarkable basketball, as he’s scored at least 25 points in 28 consecutive games, and he’s averaging 29.8 ppg on the season. That includes a 38-point effort at Phoenix on Dec. 23, when Oklahoma City pulled out a 117-113 upset victory over the Suns as an 8½-point road underdog, ending a nine-game losing streak in this rivalry.
The Thunder are 6-2-1 ATS in the last nine meetings with Phoenix (all as an underdog) and 9-3-1 ATS in the last 13 clashes. The Suns have not covered the spread in six straight visits to Oklahoma City (0-5-1 ATS).
Phoenix has failed to cover in four of its last five against teams from the Northwest Division, but other than that, it is on positive pointspread surges of 8-2 overall, 5-1 on the road, 4-1 on Tuesday, 7-2 against the Western Conference, 6-2 versus winning teams and 5-0 when playing on one day of rest.
Oklahoma City is on ATS upticks of 5-2 overall, 4-1 against the Western Conference, 4-1 versus Pacific Division opponents, 35-15-1 on Tuesday, 35-16-1 after a non-cover and 10-1 against winning teams.
The high-scoring Suns have stayed under the total in eight straight games overall, five straight on the road, seven straight against Western Conference foes, four straight when playing on one day of rest and six of eight on Tuesday. The under is also 19-7 in Oklahoma City’s last 26 games against winning teams, 10-3 in the last 13 meetings between these squads and 5-1 in the last six series battles at the Ford Center.
ATS ADVANTAGE: OKLAHOMA CITY and UNDER
DUNKEL INDEX
Detroit at Sacramento
The Kings look to take advantage of a Detroit team that is 6-18 ATS in its last 24 games as a road underdog between 1 and 4 1/2 points. Sacramento is the pick (-2 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Kings favored by 6. Dunkel Pick: Sacramento (-2 1/2)
Game 501-502: New Orleans at Cleveland
Dunkel Ratings: New Orleans 117.047; Cleveland 129.657
Dunkel Line & Total: Cleveland by 12 1/2; 205
Vegas Line & Total: Cleveland by 11 1/2; 199
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (-11 1/2); Over
Game 503-504: Minnesota at Miami
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota 114.114 Miami 126.575
Dunkel Line & Total: Miami by 12 1/2; 193
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A
Game 505-506: New York at Boston
Dunkel Ratings: New York 109.552; Boston 125.497
Dunkel Line & Total: Boston by 16; 195
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A
Game 507-508: Portland at New Jersey
Dunkel Ratings: Portland 119.195; New Jersey 109.686
Dunkel Line & Total: Portland by 9 1/2; 179
Vegas Line & Total: Portland by 8; 185
Dunkel Pick: Portland (-8); Under
Game 509-510: LA Lakers at Memphis
Dunkel Ratings: LA Lakers 125.882; Memphis 117.169
Dunkel Line & Total: LA Lakers by 8 1/2; 192
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A
Game 511-512: Phoenix at Oklahoma City
Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 121.019; Oklahoma City 124.921
Dunkel Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 4; 200
Vegas Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 6 1/2; 202
Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (+6 1/2); Under
Game 513-514: Detroit at Sacramento
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit 111.484; Sacramento 117.264
Dunkel Line & Total: Sacramento by 6; 192
Vegas Line & Total: Sacramento by 2 1/2; 194 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Sacramento (-2 1/2); Under
Game 515-516: Philadelphia at Golden State
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia 120.254; Golden State 117.859
Dunkel Line & Total: Philadelphia by 2 1/2; 218
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A
NCAAB
Georgetown at Louisville
The Hoyas look to take advantage of a Louisville team that is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games as a home favorite. Georgetown is the pick (+3 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Hoyas favored by 3. Dunkel Pick: Georgetown (+3 1/2)
Game 517-518: Virginia at Miami (FL)
Dunkel Ratings: Virginia 62.353; Miami (FL) 67.800
Dunkel Line: Miami (FL) by 5 1/2
Vegas Line: Miami (FL) by 6
Dunkel Pick: Virginia (+6)
Game 519-520: Georgetown at Louisville
Dunkel Ratings: Georgetown 72.810; Louisville 69.698
Dunkel Line: Georgetown by 3
Vegas Line: Louisville by 3 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Georgetown (+3 1/2)
Game 521-522: Syracuse at Providence
Dunkel Ratings: Syracuse 75.093; Providence 65.927
Dunkel Line: Syracuse by 9
Vegas Line: Syracuse by 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Syracuse (-8 1/2)
Game 523-524: Rutgers at Seton Hall
Dunkel Ratings: Rutgers 56.208; Seton Hall 68.421
Dunkel Line: Seton Hall by 12
Vegas Line: Seton Hall by 11 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Seton Hall (-11 1/2)
Game 525-526: Illinois at Michigan
Dunkel Ratings: Illinois 69.888; Michigan 67.725
Dunkel Line: Illinois by 2
Vegas Line: Michigan by 3
Dunkel Pick: Illinois (+3)
Game 527-528: Old Dominion at Georgia State
Dunkel Ratings: Old Dominion 63.192; Georgia State 56.673
Dunkel Line: Old Dominion by 6 1/2
Vegas Line: Old Dominion by 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Georgia State (+9 1/2)
Game 529-530: Creighton at Southern Illinois
Dunkel Ratings: Creighton 57.941; Southern Illinois 61.323
Dunkel Line: Southern Illinois by 3 1/2
Vegas Line: Southern Illinois by 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Creighton (+5 1/2)
Game 531-532: Northern Iowa at Evansville
Dunkel Ratings: Northern Iowa 65.556; Evansville 52.686
Dunkel Line: Northern Iowa by 13
Vegas Line: Northern Iowa by 10
Dunkel Pick: Northern Iowa (-10)
Game 533-534: Kansas State at Texas Tech
Dunkel Ratings: Kansas State 73.217; Texas Tech 67.048
Dunkel Line: Kansas State by 6
Vegas Line: Kansas State by 5
Dunkel Pick: Kansas State (-5)
Game 535-536: Tennessee at Florida
Dunkel Ratings: Tennessee 66.690; Florida 68.028
Dunkel Line: Florida by 1 1/2
Vegas Line: Florida by 3
Dunkel Pick: Tennessee (+3)
Game 537-538: Hofstra at Northeastern
Dunkel Ratings: Hofstra 56.195; Northeastern 69.444
Dunkel Line: Northeastern by 13
Vegas Line: Northeastern by 11
Dunkel Pick: Northeastern (-11)
Game 539-540: New Mexico at Colorado State
Dunkel Ratings: New Mexico 69.439; Colorado State 58.899
Dunkel Line: New Mexico by 10 1/2
Vegas Line: New Mexico by 8
Dunkel Pick: New Mexico (-8)
Marc Lawrence
New Orleans Hornets at Cleveland Cavaliers
Prediction: Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavs return home on a three-game losing streak to host the Hornets as they look to regain their winning ways since the acquisition of Antawn Jamison. After a horrific debut in which he was 0-for-12 from the floor, Jamison bounced back in strong fashion for the Cavs, albeit in a losing effort. the key to tonight's contest is the fact that Cleveland is 25-6 SU and 18-22-1 ATS in games against opponents off a win this season, including 15-2 SU and 14-2-1 ATS when the foe owns a win percentage of .535 or more. That being the case, look for Lebron James and the Cavs to make a major statement here tonight.
Terron Chapman
Tennessee vs. Florida
Play: Tennessee +3
The Tennessee Volunteers (20-6) rebounded from tough losses at Vanderbilt and Kentucky to win over Georgia, and then at South Carolina, 63-55 on Saturday. The Volunteers will look to continue their success in Gainesville Tuesday when they visit the Gators (19-8) in a rematch of a 61-60 Vols win in Knoxville last month.
Tennessee has won 11 out of the last 14 in the series and currently holds a six game win streak. They’ve won four out of the last five in Gainesville, so they’ll have plenty of confidence heading into this one at the O‘ Dome. The Gators are tied with Tennessee in the SEC after a 64-61 win at Ole Miss on Saturday. Three of their final four come against the very best the SEC has to offer, including the season finale in Lexington. The Gators would love nothing more than to avenge that 1-point loss last month Tuesday night, but it won’t be easy against a confident and focused Vols squad.
These two match-up quite well with each other, hence the close meeting the first go around. Neither shoots it well from behind the arc, so points in the paint will be key. The Vols should have an advantage in that area with a surging Wayne Chism. Turnovers will be key as these two combined to force 30 in the first meeting.
The Gators find themselves listed as a 3-point favorite as of this writing and rightfully so given the revenge angle and them playing at home. However, the Vols know what’s at stake and Bruce Pearl should have his team ready and focused on the task at hand. This one could very well come down to the last possession like we saw in the last meeting, so taking the points seems like the way to go. Play On the Tennessee Volunteers for 1 unit.
Sam Martin
New Orleans Hornets at Cleveland Cavaliers
Prediction: New Orleans Hornets
Ever since the trade to get Antawn Jamison, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been in a tailspin, losing three straight. That came on the heels of their season-long 13-game winning streak, and while we fully expect Cleveland to notch a win here tonight at home against New Orleans, covering this double-digit number is too much to ask. The Cavs haven?t yet figured out a rotation to fit Jamison in, bringing him off the bench in the first half against Orlando and then starting him in the second half, and now Leon Powe is set to make his season debut for the Cavs, meaning more rotation shuffling is required. We look for Cleveland to commit a ton of turnovers as they figure out their new lineups, and for the Hornets to capitalize on those mistakes, making this a closer game than the linesmaker predicts! 5* Play on New Orleans.
DAVID CHAN
Switzerland @ Belarus
PICK: Switzerland
Switzerland has looked much better than Belarus when the teams have played quality opposition. Switzerland fell 3-1 to the USA, and 3-2 to Canada in a shootout. Belarus was beaten down 5-1 by Finland and 4-2 by Sweden. In the Sweden game, Belarus was behind 3-0 halfway through and the Swedes took their feet off the pedals.
Belarus defeated Germany 5-3, but was outshot 40-17 in the process. It’s too much for Belarus to ask for lightning to strike twice.
Switzerland has the better goaltender and more players with NHL experience. Switzerland had a little trouble with Norway because the Swiss paraded to the penalty box at inopportune moments. If the Swiss can show just a smidgen of discipline here, they’ll win easily.
As always, make sure you know what you've got. This number -210 I've suggested includes any OT or shootout. If it's based on regulation time only you should be laying a touch more. (Overtime/SO makes it a bit more random.) If you need Switzerland to win in regulation, you should be getting -125 or -130.
LEE KOSTROSKI
Illinois @ Michigan
PICK: Illinois +3
After winning five straight, the Illini have dropped two in a row against Ohio State and @Purdue. They have a few quality wins under their belt but are sitting at 17-10 and can ill afford a loss to struggling Michigan here. Illinois needs this game a lot more than the Wolverines and we expect a much bigger effort from the Illini.
Illinois has played well on the road as of late and is 6-3 ATS in their 9 true road games this season. They had a road win @Clemson early in the season and ended Wisconsin’s 18-game home winning streak on Feb. 9th. In their latest game @Purdue, they had a halftime lead and were within one point with under 5:00 minutes to play. But Purdue closed the game on a 14-5 run to sweep the season series. The Boilermakers also outscored the Fighting Illini, 24-3, from the free-throw line.
Entering the season with high expectations, the Wolverines haven’t lived up to any of them. Michigan is just 6-8 in Big Ten play this season and just .500 overall. They have no chance of making the Big Dance at the end of the season (besides an outside shot of winning the Big Ten tournament) and you get the feeling that many of the Michigan players have already cashed in for the season. “We just continue to work at it and know that it’s just great fertilizer for the future,” Beilein said. “It teaches our guys, it teaches me, it teaches everybody how to be a better team.”
After shooting a combined 47 percent from the field and 51 percent from 3-point land in two promising road wins (@Minnesota, @Iowa), Michigan returned to its old ways in their most recent game against Penn State, shooting 35 percent from the field and 21 percent from beyond the arc. The Nittany Lions, also the Big Ten’s worst team, outrebounded the Wolverines by 14 and achieved their first Big Ten win.
Illinois has won four of the last six meetings between these two by an average margin of 13.8 PPG (won by double digits in each game). Illinois is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 road games and 4-1 ATS in their last 5 vs. Big Ten. The Wolverines are just 1-4 ATS in their last 5 vs. Big Ten. Go with Illinois plus the points.
JIM FEIST
LOS ANGELES LAKERS / MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES
TAKE: OVER
A pair of uptempo teams meet in Memphis. LA has been an under team of late, but they can still run the court with all their depth and athleticism is they are challenged. Memphis is young and loves to run, scoring over 102 ppg, but the allow 103.3 ppg -- 23rd in the NBA. And if you think that defense is bad, they allow .479% shooting by opponents, third worst in the league. You have to allow a lot of lay-ups for a mark like that. They just allowed 94 points to New Jersey, the worst offensive team in the league, and prior to that the Grizzlies had allowed 7 straight opponents to top 100 points. This one has run-and-gun written all over it, play the Lakers/Grizzlies over the total.
EZWINNERS
Oklahoma City Thunder -6.5
Oklahoma City is red hot right now. The Thunder have won nine games in a row and they are 6-3 against the spread in those games. Oklahoma City already owns a road win over Phoenix this season and I expect them to take care of the Suns in this game. Nobody in the league is playing better than the Thunder's Kevin Durant who has elevated his game to another level. With a 32 point performance in the Thunder's 109-107 victory at Minnesota on Sunday night, Durant extended his streak of games with at least 25 points to 28 games. Durant's current streak is the longest since Michael Jordan had 40 straight games of 25 or more points in the 1986-87 season. The Suns will be without their spark plug, point guard Steve Nash who is attempting to heal from the lower abdominal and back pain that has bothered him for nearly four weeks. The Suns are also 0-5-1 against the spread in the last six trips to Oklahoma City. Lay the points.
Brad Diamond Sports
Evansville over Northern Iowa
The Panthers have won 10 straight in the series, 6 straight ATS. However, this is the final home game for Evansville, who despite a recent 82-80 loss to Illinois Chicago is in good spirits for this encounter. In addition, NIU 7’0” center Jordan Eglseder is still under suspension. That gives the Aces another break within this battle. Northern Iowa closes with a 1-6 ATS record against teams with under a .400 winning percentage, an indication that the Panthers could be real flat on Tuesday night out in the Valley.
James Patrick Sports
Illinois vs. Michigan
The Wolverines are (12-1-1) ATS against the Illini in Cristler Arena in this series and Michigan is (20-0) ATS when they win straight-up at home when playing with revenge. James Patrick Sports Fan Appreciation Day selection in Big Ten Conference action is Michigan Wolverines.
GoodFella
PHO +7 vs OKL
First off, it should be noted, that Suns PG Steve Nash DID NOT make the trip to Ok City for tonights game--he is resting a sore back & will not play tonight--This is the 2nd meeting between these two clubs this season--as Ok City won AT Phoenix (117-113) as 8.56 pt dogs back on Dec 23rd--so Phoenix has a little same season revenge going--and a HOME loss revenge game at that--BOTH teams come in RED HOT--as the THUNDER are (9-0 SU & 6-3 ATS L/9) games coming into tonight--but the THUNDER have failed to cover in their L/2 games--a OT WIN AT NY--and a 2 pt win AT Minny their last game on Sunday--Tonights game will be just the 2nd HOME game for the THUNDER in 3 weeks tonight &--and they go back on the road to play AT the SPURS tomorrow night--The SUNS are (8-2 SU & ATS L/10) games coming into tonight--& they are coming off a (104-88) blowout HOME win over the Kings on Sunday--and this SUNS team is (5-1 SU & ATS L/6) ROAD games coming into tonights game. SUNS backup PG Dragic is a VERY capable backup and due to NASH being OUT--we have gained a couple more pts on this line--and I expect Dragic to step and take advantage of his chance to start tonight & play very well. OK City is (0-5 ATS L/5) games as a favorite of -5 to -10.5 & th Suns are (4-1 ATS L/5) ROAD games vs a team with a home win% of .600 or higher.--I expect a tight game tonight--and I really think getting the +7 here with the SUNS is rock solid value--as I wouldn't be all that surprised with an outright win over the Thunder tonight--even without Steve Nash--grab the points with the SUNS in this spot guys.
Great Lakes Sports
Kansas State at Texas Tech
Play: Kansas State
The Kansas State Wildcats have a very respectable 15-6 ATS record this year, and the Kansas State Wildcats are a perfect 4-0 ATS in the role of an road favorite of 3.5 to 6 points this year. The Kansas State Wildcats is also 6-2 ATS when playing on the road this year, and they are a perfect 5-0 ATS when playing on Tuesday's this year. We look for the Kansas State Wildcats to grab the road ATS Win&Cover tonight.
Matt Fargo
3* Evansville Purple Aces
This is a game where Northern Iowa is clearly the superior team but the situational advantages go the other way. The Panthers have already clinched the outright regular season MVC Championship so there is not a whole lot of motivation going into this game. The goal for Northern Iowa, which is the final goal of the regular season, is to win at home on Saturday which would ensure an undefeated season at home. That is big for the players and certainly for the seniors that will be playing in their final home game. The win on Saturday at home over Old Dominion set the school record for most regular season wins at 24 and that makes this game even less of a motivator. This will be the third and final game that 7’0” center Jordan Eglseder will miss due to a suspension for driving under the influence. That is a big break for Evansville. It has been a very disappointing season for the Purple Aces although not a whole lot was expected this year. It was definitely a rebuilding season for Evansville who lost a lot from last season and who do not have a scholarship senior on the entire roster. While Northern Iowa is looking forward to its final home game on Saturday, this is in fact the final home game of the season for the Purple Aces. They are 6-9 at home which is not very good at all but being competitive has been the key. They are only 1-7 in home games within the conference but of those seven losses, four were close throughout while the two non-conference home losses were by only two and four points and the latter came against nationally ranked Butler. The one MVC home win came against Wichita St. which is no slouch as the Shockers are in second place in the conference at 11-5. Possibly even more impressive is the fact that Evansville went to Wichita in its last conference game and took the Shockers, who are undefeated at home, to overtime before losing by six points. It’s obvious that the Purple Aces could have tossed in the towel long ago but that has not been the case as they are still playing hard in every game and that will be no different tonight. As a double-digit underdog, Evansville is 7-3 ATS on the season and it is 5-0 ATS in its last five home games as an underdog between 7.0 and 12.5 points. Northern Iowa meanwhile is just 1-6 ATS in its last seven games against teams with a winning percentage below .400. Evansville also falls into a solid situation based on the last game results. Play on underdogs of 10 to 19.5 points that are coming off a loss as a favorite going up against an opponent that is coming off a home win. This situation is 98-53 ATS (64.9 percent) over the last five seasons. 3* Evansville Purple Aces
Tom Freese
New Mexico at Colorado St
Colorado St is 15-11 overall and they are 6-6 in Conference Play. Guard Dorian Green scores 12.9 point a game. Forward Andy Ogide scores 11.4 points a game. Forward Travis Franklin scores 10.7 points a game. No other player scores more than 8 points a game. The Rams score just 66 points a game. Colorado St is 0-7 ATS their last 7 games vs. a team with a win percentage of over 60% and they are 22-46 ATS off an ATS loss. New Mexico is 25-3 overall and 11-2 in Conference Play. Darington Hobson scores 15.5 points a game while shooting 38% from behind the arc. He also grabs 8.8 rebounds a game. Forward Roman Martinez scores 13.8 points and 6.1 rebounds a game. Guard Dairese Gary scores 11.5 points a game. The Lobos shoot 38% from behind the arc and they score 77 points a game. New Mexico is 6-2-1 ATS their last 9 games and they are 4-1 ATS their last 5 trips to Fort Collins. PLAY ON NEW MEXICO -