Rob Vinciletti
St. Louis vs. Loyola Marymount
Play: St. Louis -8½
St. Louis has been super solid this season and has not lost. Even better is the teams they have beaten. Oklahoma, Villanova, Boston College,and S. Illinois. Loyola has played one god team in Harvard and lost by double digits. St. Louis will right there all season in the A-10 Conference and has won and covered both times as road favorite in this range. Loyola has lost 12 of 14 times as a home dog in this range and lost both straight up and ats the last 2 times. They are straight up and ats at home when the total is 120 to 130 and have failed 70% of the time vs good defensive teams that allow 64 or less points per game. Look for St. Louis to win and cover here.
Dave Price
1 Unit Miami Hurricanes +9
The Hurricanes are an impressive 31-10-1 ATS in their last 42 non-conference games. In addition, they are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games following a loss and 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games as a road underdog of 7.0-12.5 points. The Boilermakers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games following a win and 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games as a favorite of 7.0-12.5 points. Take Miami.
Jimmy Boyd
1 Unit Arkansas State -4
Motivated by back-to-back defeats and having had a week to prepare, expect Arkansas State to get back in the win column against a school it has dominated recently. Arkansas State has won each of the last four meetings with SE Missouri State by 12, 19, 24 and 6 points and has gone 3-0-1 ATS in those games. The Redhawks played the Red Wolves to a 6-point game at home last season to earn a push, but keeping this year's meeting close on the road will be no easy task. The Redhawks are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games as an underdog of 6.5 points or less and 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 vs. the Sun Belt. The Red Wolves are 6-0-1 ATS in their last 7 vs. the Ohio Valley, 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games as a home favorite and 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games following a SU loss of more than 20 points. After getting brutally embarrassed by Louisville last game, expect Arkansas State to bounce back strong tonight. Lay the points.
Rocketman
Phoenix @ Chicago
Play: Chicago -137
Chicago is 72-44 last 3 years when playing against a team with a winning record. Coyotes are 7-15 in their last 22 games as an underdog. Coyotes are 2-5 in their last 7 after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game. Coyotes are 1-5 in their last 6 games following a win. Coyotes are 1-6 in their last 7 vs. Central. Blackhawks are 5-1 in their last 6 vs. Pacific. Blackhawks are 5-1 in their last 6 games playing on 2 days rest. Blackhawks are 4-1 in their last 5 games following a win. Blackhawks are 22-8-1 in their last 31 home games following a road trip of 7 or more days. Blackhawks are 37-15 in their last 52 home games vs. a team with a winning road record. Blackhawks are 7-3 in their last 10 games as a favorite. Blackhawks are 9-4 in their last 13 after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game. Blackhawks are 81-39 in their last 120 games as a home favorite. Blackhawks are 82-40 in their last 122 home games. Favorite is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings. Coyotes are 2-6 in the last 8 meetings in Chicago. We'll recommend a small play on Chicago tonight!
SPORTS WAGERS
LOYOLA MARYMOUNT +9 over St. Louis
The Billikens find themselves in the top-25 for the first time since 1994 after winning the 76 Classic Championship. They beat some pretty stiff competition to in Boston College, Villanova, and Oklahoma to get there and now they’re in a huge letdown spot. The Billikens are for real and their 6-0 record to open the season is no fluke. However, with that tournament win, along with its #23 ranking comes a price to pay and if you wager on St. Louis here, you’ll be paying that premium. LMU is 3-2 and they have a nice win over UCLA along with a “good loss” on the road at Harvard. The Lions are coming off back-to-back wins over Idaho State and Northern Arizona and they have some momentum coming into this one. The Billikens are in an vulnerable spot after not one, but three big-time wins and an upset here is not out of the question. Play: #566 Loyola Marymount +9 (Risking 2.1 units to win 2).
We’re also playing the following games:
Maryland +158 (Risking 2 units).
LSU +106 (Risking 2 units).
UTEP +16 (Risking 2.04 units to win 2).
Ohio St –7½ (Risking 2.1 units to win 2).
Bryan Power
Columbus Blue Jackets @ Vancouver Canucks
PICK: Vancouver Canucks
Laying more juice than is ideal here, but I just don't see anyway the Canucks lose this game to the lowly Blue Jackets. Vancouver returns home on a four-game win streak, including two shutouts, and is 8-1 SU last nine vs. Columbus. G Schneider is playing very well right now w/ a 0.74 GAA during the win streak and stopped a season high 43 shots Saturday against San Jose. Columbus is off a 2-1 loss to St. Louis, has a league low 15 pts and are 0-8 SU off a 1 goal division loss.
Jeff Scott Sports
5 UNIT PLAY
Illinois -4 over MARYLAND: Really should have played this last night when the spread was -3, but I still really like this play. The Illini are a very young team, but they are still 6-0 on the year and they have proven they have depth as 11 different players are averaging 10 minutes or more per game, plus in their last 2 games they have had at least 4 players score in double figures. The Illini should have a big edge on the inside with 7 foot Center Myers Leonard (3 straight games in double figures), as Maryland starts just one player over 6 foot 5. On defense this Illini play a pressure style and the last time Maryland saw this style (Iona) their inexperience back court committed 26 turnovers. Ouch. The Terps have struggled on offense, putting up just 65 ppg on 34% shooting, plus they are a pitiful 59.3% from the FT line. Another Ouch! Now they get to face one of the better defensive teams in the country as Illinois has allowed just 53.7 ppg (10th) on 34.6 shooting (11th). On offense Illinois has put up a solid 72.5 ppg (114th) on 47.1% shooting (72nd) and they should have an easy time tonight vs a Maryland team that allows 70.2 ppg (243rd) on 45.9% shooting (283rd). I expect the Illinois pressure defense to cause plenty of chaos with this young Maryland backcourt, while they use their size advantage to get many easy baskets on the inside. From offense to defense to FT's to the bench, Illinois has all the edges and they should take this one by DD.
4 UNIT PLAY
Clemson -1 over IOWA: Ok I know that Clemson had a couple of tremors vs some lower mid-major teams in losing at home by 1 point to Coastal Carolina and 3 points to NC Charlotte, but Iowa had a full blown earthquake in losing by 16 at home to Campbell. Now not only did they get blown out home by a team named the Fighting Camels, but they only shot 36.4% from the field and 27.3% from long range, while allowing the Camels to hit 62.2% of their shots and 50% from downtown. Not good on both ends for this team and that game came on the heels of Iowa losing by 23 at Creighton and then they played IUPU- Ft Wayne and allowed over 50% shooting in that one. This is a team that is not playing great defense right now. The Hawkeyes have been able to score this year (80.2 ppg), but they will be playing that does play great defense. The Tigers come in 17th in the nation in points allowed (55 ppg) and they are 113th in defensive FG% (40.3%), plus they have out rebounded their foes by 8 rpg, while Iowa has been out rebounded by 7.7 per game in their last 3 games. Iowa is an experienced team, but with little talent and depth and Clemson has HUGE defensive and rebounding edges, plus the better bench and they should take this one rather easily.
3 UNIT PLAYS
Northwestern, Georgia Tech Over 133: The Cats are solid team this year and have a chance at making their first ever NCAA Tournament. The offense of Shurma (21.2 ppg & 37% from beyond the arc) and Crawford (19 ppg, 51% shooting overall and 46.4% from long range) have helped this team to a solid 72 ppg so far. Georgia Tech has played great defense this year (56.7 ppg and 35.3% shooting), but i expect this experienced Wildcat team to find a way to get their points. They will likely look to get out an run a bit, to keep away from the defensive pressure the Jackets can put on you. N.Western has done a good job on the defensive end as well, holding teams to just 61.9 ppg on 44.5% shooting, but Tech can score some at 68.3 ppg (78 ppg at home) and they shoot very well at 47.5 % (52.1% at home). Both of these teams like the 3 and both are good from the FT line and that is important as I expect this one to be close throughout and that will lead to a lot of late FT's. I see this one above 140 easily.
Arkansas State/ SEMO Under 123: As Pool stated in his thread SEMO is making more of an effort to run this year, but in their 4 games vs Division 1 teams they have averaged just 64.5 ppg and haven't hit 70 points yet. Tonight they face an Arkansas State team that has played pretty good defense, allowing just 62 ppg on 39.1% shooting. On offense the Red Wolves have been pathetic, putting up just 50.4 ppg on 36.2% shooting, plus they are miserable from the FT line 53.9%. This team just doesn't have many shooters on it and it a good portion of why this team runs a slow down offense (48.6 spg) and they will do it here. Even though SEMO is not a very good defensive squad, they will not run as that is just not their game. I see this one struggling to hit 115.
2 UNIT PLAY
VIRGINIA -3.5 over Michigan: I keep looking at 1 number in this one and that's 42.7. In 3 home games this year the Cavs have allowed teams just 42.7 ppg on a mere 31.5% shooting. Overall this Cavs team is 2nd in points allowed 45.3 ppg and 7th in defensive Fg% (33.5). They do have a tough test today as the Wolverines do hit 51% from the field, but they haven't seen this kind of pressure yet. Virginia is at home with a big defensive edge and they have a good sized edge on the FT line, while Michigan has a slight offensive edge overall. Look for Virginia to pull away late.
1 UNIT PLAY
Clemson/ Iowa Under 132.5: The Tigers play excellent defense as you can see in the game above. Their defense will not let this Iowa team get out and run, while Clemson's slower pace will not let them post a ton of points in this one. Tigers will win and they will do most of the scoring in this one. 65-54.