Tom Stryker
WISCONSIN (-) over Illinois
Michigan State's recent losses have sent the race for the Big 10 crown into a frenzy. The Spartans lead Wisconsin, Illinois and Ohio State by just one game and Purdue is a game-and-a-half back. The Badgers know that a conference championship is a possibility now and they won't take their foot off the gas matched up against an Illini bunch that just upset MSU at home on Saturday.
Technically speaking this is an awesome spot for Wisky. In this series, the Badgers are an outstanding 15-4 ATS provided the Illini check in with momentum off a SU and ATS win. At home inside the comforts of the Kohl Center, the Badgers are a phenomenal 63-37 ATS provided their opponent arrives off back-to-back straight up victories. Finally, in Madison coming off back-to-back blowouts of 15 points or more, Wisconsin is a powerful 21-0 SU and 14-2 ATS including a perfect 8-0 SU and ATS in this role entering off a pair of pointspread victories as well.
Illinois is a solid defensive team that leads the conference in field goal percentage (39.0 percent). That fact is noted. However, the Illini's youth could easily be a problem. Head coach Bruce Weber's squad has three freshman that see plenty of action and those "diaper dandies" might find their first visit to the Kohl Center overwhelming. it is also important to note that the Illini have been at their worst as a Big 10 road dog posting a soft 7-35 SU and 16-25-1 ATS record provided they check in off a straight up win.
With the Big 10 title still up for grabs, the Badgers understand the importance of this conference battle. The home versus road dichotomy will be too much for the Illini in the end. Take Wisconsin.
King Creole
Illinois +9.5 vs Wisconsin
A Conference Underdog playing with SUPREME confidence. That's our play on the FIGHTING ILLINI of ILLINOIS on Tuesday night. They'll be active in a System which has been VERY profitable for us over the last few weeks.
27-10 ATS this season: All CONFERENCE underdogs playing off BB SU and ATS wins... with the last win as an Underdog (ILLINOIS). These teams have gone 13-1 ATS in the last 10 days when priced at +2 or more points. And in the last 4 weeks, these teams have gone an amazing 16-2 ATS when priced at +6 or more points (ILLINOIS).
Lenny Del Genio
George Mason +3 vs Va. Commonwealth
The Rams have consistently been one of our favorite 'play on' teams not only this season, but going back several years now. We decided to lay the points with them over the weekend, hosting Old Dominion and rewarded our followers with a 70-58 win and cover as our 20* Colonial Athletic Association Game of the Month. VCU was also our January CAA GOM when they wiped out what, at the time, was a red-hot William & Mary team, 81-59 as 8.5-point chalk. In between those two winning efforts, we cashed them in our biggest blowout win of the season to date, 112-53 over lousy Towson. Tonight, they should face a much stiffer test when they visit Fairfax to play George Mason, who is currently in second place in the CAA and one game ahead of the Rams. The Patriots are on a 37-2 SU run on their home floor, including a perfect 7-0 ATS when coming off a SU loss. Earlier this year, they covered against Creighton in this spot. For what it's worth, GMU is also 6 for their last 6 at the betting window on Tuesday nights. Take George Mason.
Scott Delaney
Colorado State at Air Force
Headed into the Mountain West Conference for this one, and I like the road team to nab the win.
Colorado State has won three of its past four and beat Air Force by 22 points Jan. 9.
I don't think there is much the Falcons can do, even if this one is in Colorado Springs. Especially since several players reportedly have the flu, including freshman starter Michael Lyons, who was on bed rest and did not attend class Monday.
Colorado State is big and strong, specifically inside and will simply push this weaker team around tonight.
Take the low road chalk.
1♦ COLORADO STATE
Tony Weston
Strong winner last night as Villanova gets the outright win against West Virginia and makes it look easy.
I’m handing you another winner tonight as I’m taking the Atlanta Hawks on the road at the Memphis Grizzlies.
Coming into this game the Grizzlies have failed to cover in three straight games and have covered in just 1 of their last 6 games overall.
Now Memphis has to battle a Hawks team that’s absolutely owned this series.
Atlanta has covered in 6 of the last 7 meetings between these two and 8 of the last 10.
Also, the favorite is on a 5-0 ATS run, which bodes well for the Hawks, who will cash in once again tonight.
3♦ HAWKS
Bobby Maxwell
Sacramento at NEW YORK -5
Delivered another FREE winner on Monday as the Hornets got inside the number in Orlando, improving my comp record to 47-16-1 with my last 64 free selections. Tonight I'll do it again as I lay the chalk with the Knicks as they host the Kings.
Neither one of these teams has played very good lately and neither one plays much defense. The final score of this one is going to be up there, but I’m going to lay the chalk with the Knicks as I think they can score with more consistency than Sacramento.
The Kings have dropped six straight and they’ve given up 111.8 points a game over their last five games, allowing the opposition to shoot 50.2 percent from the floor. The Knicks score 102.9 points a game at home and I’m expecting big things from David Lee, Nate Robinson and Jared Jeffries.
New York is on ATS runs of 20-8 on Tuesdays and 5-0 as a home favorite of 5 to 10 ½-points. On the other side, Sacramento is on a plethora of ATS slides, including 4-13-1 overall, 3-7 on the road, 4-11 as an underdog, 15-36 against the Eastern Conference, 3-12 against Atlantic Division teams and 3-12-1 after a straight-up loss.
New York 2-2 in its last four home games, scoring 132 points to beat the T-Wolves back on Jan. 26 and beating the Wizards 107-85 on Wednesday as a six-point favorite. Look for the Knicks to light up the scoreboard at Madison Square Garden tonight.
Lay the chalk and play New York.
4♦ NEW YORK
Michael Cannon
Purdue at MICHIGAN STATE -2'
I am 75-63-3 with my last 141 free plays.
Take Michigan State as the small home chalk over Purdue.
This is where the Spartans end their two-game slide.
Michigan State is coming off consecutive road losses to Wisconsin and Illinois. They are still on top of the Big Ten with a 9-2 record however, and a team that won its first nine conference games for the first time in school history has to be considered a bargain at this price.
Purdue has won five in a row, but they have hardly been dominant in that span, winning four of those games by six points or less.
The Spartans have beaten the Boilermakers nine straight times in East Lansing and have won 10 in a row in conference action at home.
The host has won six straight in this rivalry, going 4-2 ATS. The favorite has cashed in three straight meetings and six of the last eight.
Purdue is 2-6 ATS in its last eight overall and 2-6 ATS in its last eight versus the Big Ten.
Guard Kalin Lucas is listed as probable for tonight, so the Spartans will be at full strength.
Take Michigan State minus the small number as they grab the home win and cover.
3♦ MICHIGAN STATE
Dominic Fazzini
Texas Tech at OKLAHOMA -5
I had a rare setback Monday with my complimentary play as West Virginia was thumped at home by Villanova. However, I'm still on a 70-47-4 run, and I'm definitely bouncing back with a big winner today!
Oklahoma looked damn good Saturday in its 80-71 home victory over Texas, and it has been perfect in Norman going 11-0.
The Sooners got starring efforts from Cade Davis and Ryan Wright, two players who average less than 10 ppg, against the Longhorns. And though leading scorer Willie Warren (16.1 ppg) has been bothered by an ankle injury, playing just 16 minutes against Texas and missing two games at the end of January, he is expected to contribute tonight against Texas Tech.
The Red Raiders won the first meeting between the teams this season 75-65, but that was one of the games Warren missed, and Oklahoma will get its revenge tonight.
The Sooners are 4-0 ATS at home against Big 12 opponents this season, and Texas Tech is on ATS slides of 1-4 on the road, 2-5 as an underdog and 1-4 as a road 'dog. And the favorite is 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings between the teams. Take Oklahoma to roll to an easy victory tonight.
4♦ OKLAHOMA
Chris Jordan
Akron -3 at CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Taking the Zips on the road in this Mid-American Conference clash tonight.
Central Michigan is 1-4 against Akron under Ernie Zeigler, including a pair of losses in the MAC Tournament. Prior to that, the Zips had won seven straight.
The domination in the series continues tonight, as turnovers will play a big role in this one.
Akron ranks second in the league in turnover margin in MAC play (+1.7) while CMU is seventh in the league (0.6). We'll also look for Akron to take advantage of second-chance opportunities, as the Zips come into this contest ranked second in offensive rebounds (12.3).
Remember, were picked as the preseason favorites in the MAC after winning the postseason tournament last year. The Chippewas, who are in first place in the MAC West, are coming off a home loss to Kent State 68-63 last Saturday.
The Zips know they'll need their A-Game, so I'm looking for a road win and cover.
1♦ AKRON
Karl Garrett
VCU at GEORGE MASON +2
Syracuse on Sunday, Kansas on Monday.
G-Man going for comp play winner # 3 in a row tonight.
I like George Mason as the small home dog as they look to stop a 2-game losing streak.
The Patriots have been on the road for their last pair of games - both losses - but back at home they are a solid 10-1 straight up, and they are in a payback spot against a VCU team that knocked them out of the Colonial Tournament last March.
Mason in fact has now lost the last pair, and 5 of the last 6 series meetings against the 17-5 Rams who have won their last 4, and 8 of their last 9 overall coming into this conference showdown.
The situation looks right for the Patriots to knock off the front-running Rams this evening at home.
4♦ GEORGE MASON
Drew Gordon
Illinois at WISCONSIN -9
54-37-3 roll L/94 Free Plays! For today's complimentary play, we're looking at the Illini/Badgers match up.
May seem like a steep price to pay, but Wisconsin is rolling right now, and well worth the pricetag. Since their loss at Purdue, the Badgers roughed up
the Spartans by 18 points, and then routed the Wolverines by the same 18- point margin in Ann Arbor! They're doing it playing "Badgers basketball," which puts a heavy emphasis on defense, and that's bad news for this Illinois team.
Problem for the Illini in this match up starts with their defense, which has been their achilles heel all season, allowing 68 ppg on the highway. Yes, they won at Iowa and Penn State over their current run, but they're about to take a major step up in defensive intensity tonight. Illinois has been tested against better defensive teams on the road - at Northwestern and at Michigan State - and lost both those games SU (1-1 ATS).
Wisconsin meanwhile remains incredibly tough to beat at the Kohl Center, where they're 13-0 SU and 8-3 ATS this season! Anyone who follows this Badgers team, knows how much better they play at home, and that holds true in this series, winning the last two meetings there by double-digits! Illinois has shown tremendous vulnerability on the road, and their 4-7 record ATS away is proof of that!
Finally, let's be honest, the line on this contest is fishy. For a team like Illinois to come into this game winners of 4 in a row, and then getting a huge cushion from the guys in Vegas... I know it seems like too many points to lay in a Big Ten match up between two rivals, but the way Wisky is playing right now, its the right move. With almost 70% of bettors loving the supposed "bargain" their getting with the road dog, I'm reminding my clients: Vegas isn't in the business of bargains, so lay the points.
Take Wisconsin over Illinois in this college hoops match up.
3♦ WISCONSIN
Stephen Nover
Illinois at WISCONSIN -9'
Wisconsin is playing its best ball despite the loss of 6-foot-10 forward Jon Leuer, its best big man. The Badgers are off a 67-49 home win against Michigan State and a 62-44 road win at Michigan.
The Badgers are getting outstanding play from guards Jason Bohannon, Trevon Hughes and Jordan Taylor, while playing outstanding team defense. The Badgers have held 10 foes under 50 points. They lead the Big Ten in scoring defense holding foes to 56.2 points per game.
Illinois has been streaky this season. The Illini is hot, too, winning its last four games. These wins, though, have come against the Big Ten's three worst teams plus a nice victory against Michigan State, who were playing without star point guard Kalin Lucas.
I don't see Illinois being strong enough to hang with Wisconsin in Madison, especially off its emotional victory against Michigan State. The Badgers haven't lost at home all season. In fact, the Badgers have dropped just five Big Ten games in nine years under Bo Ryan.
Wisconsin has won its last 18 home contests.
Illinois last won at the Kohl Center in 2006. The Badgers have defeated Illinois in six of their last seven meetings. Wisconsin rolled past Illinois, 63-50, last year in Madison holding the Illini to 32.8 percent shooting from the floor.
1♦ WISCONSIN
Brett Atkins
Tonight free play comes on the college hardwood as I go ahead and lay the chalk with Georgetown as the Hoyas visit Providence in a Big East matchup.
Plain and simple, Georgetown is a much better team than Providence and the Hoyas have shown they can get the job done on either end of the court. Georgetown destroyed Villanova 103-90 on Saturday as a two-point home favorite.
The Hoyas have shot 56.3 percent from the floor over the last five games and they've beaten Providence three straight and six of eight. Providence is just 2-9 ATS at home and 8-25 ATS at home against teams with a winning road record.
Look for the Hoyas to go to Providence and crush the Friars. Play Georgetown.
3♦ GEORGETOWN
Jay McNeil
I improved to 10-2 with my free plays over the last 12 days as Kansas took care of business at Texas. And I've got another college hoops winner for you today!
Georgetown is a strong defensive team, while Providence is probably the worst defensive team in the Big East.
The Friars are giving up 79 ppg and allowing opponents to shoot 45.3 percent, with both numbers ranking last in the conference.
The Hoyas, meanwhile, allow just 64.4 ppg and have solid scorers on the perimeter and in the paint. They hammered Villanova 103-90 on Saturday after slipping against South Florida in a 72-64 loss Wednesday. With that defeat so fresh in the players' minds, Georgetown is not going to have any letdown tonight.
The road team is 4-0 ATS in the teams' last four meetings, and Providence is on ATS slides of 2-9 at home and 8-22 as a home underdog. Take the Hoyas to take control of this game by early in the second half and cover the points.
4♦ GEORGETOWN
Charley Sutton
Even without Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum the Lakers still cruise to an easy victory over the Spurs. What does that say about the Spurs? It says that I took advantage and delivered with another Comp Play winner.
I’m handing you another tonight as I’m taking Kentucky at home against visiting Alabama in some SEC action.
The Crimson Tide come into this game having lost three consecutive games SU and having failed to cover in each of those contests. In fact, over the team’s last 8 games it has covered just twice.
Now Alabama has to deal with a Kentucky team that’s beating teams by nearly 20 points per game at home this season (85.9-66.7).
Consider, too, in this series the favorite is on a 5-0 run ATS and over their last 9 meetings the Wildcats have gone 7-2 ATS, including covers and SU wins in three straight meetings.
Tonight, Kentucky will cash in once again.
3 ♦ KENTUCKY