Scott Spreitzer
Charlotte Bobcats at Minnesota Timberwolves
I'm laying the points with the Timberwoles on Tuesday night. Charlotte has been a horrible dog this season, cashing just 13 of 38 tickets. And, they do not like playing at the pace they're likely to see tonight. The Bobcats are 0-6 ATS against teams that allow 99 points or more, which means they need the game to be played at a slower tempo than they are likely to see against Minnesota.
Vegas Experts
UNLV Running Rebels at New Mexico Lobos
The underdog is 5-3 ATS in this series. UNLV is 2-1 ATS its last three in the Pit. It has won the last four in the series though New Mexico has covered four of the last five. Even so, Rebels beat the Lobos by 19 in Vegas and are 15-9-1 ATS and 4-3 S/U on the conference road. New Mexico is 15-2 S/U at home but both home losses came in Conference play. There was an early 72-67 loss to SDSU and last Tuesday's 70-69 OT loss to BYU in another must win spot so it's not like the Lobos have been invincible on their home floor. Rebels have some players and a coach that have been around the block a few times.
Play on: UNLV
Nelly
Portland + over Phoenix
There is big trouble in Phoenix as the Suns have been knocked around since making the big Shaquille O'Neal trade. The Suns have lost four of the last six games and Phoenix has allowed over 113 points in each of the last four contests. The value going against Phoenix is slipping a bit but the Suns are still a very popular team and the lines can't be adjusted far enough to account for the disastrous results. Portland showed some wear through a tough section of the schedule but the Blazers are back on track with four consecutive ATS wins. Portland is 22-8 at home this season and the Blazers have been very tough against the Western Conference with a 14-8 ATS record. Phoenix may get things turned around but the way things are going right now the Suns must remain a go-against team.
James Patrick Sports
Supersonics vs. Pistons
The Pistons return to the Palace to take on the Sonics off an extended West Coast trip and our complimentary selection in Tuesday NBA action is on #505 Seattle Supersonics plus the generous number.
Marc Lawrence
Play On: Kent State
Note: Flashes return to the Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center to host Miami in the final home game of the season. According to our database, Kent is 16-4 ATS in this series whenever the Redhawks are off a win, including at home. In addition, the Flashes have been golden here this season, going 15-0. They've also been strong in Last Home Games as evidenced by their 12-5 SU and ATS mark on Senior Night. Limping home off a 24-point loss, look for Kent State to come up big here tonight.
Great Lakes
Detroit U. at Wright State 7:00PM EST
Play on: Wright State
Wright State is heating up going 3-0 ATS their last three games, and 4-2 ATS vs Detroit U. the last three years. Wright State is also 14-3 ATS off a loss vs a conference rival the last three years, and 3-1 ATS when playing in March the last three years. We look for Wright State to roll over Detroit U. for the home ATS Win & cover in tonight's opening round of the Horizon League tournament.
Jimmy The Moose
Game: Los Angeles Kings at St. Louis Blues
Prediction: St. Louis Blues
Reason: Both team's really struggling right now and the playoffs will have to wait until next season, at least they hope. The Kings are 16-36 in their last 52 games vs. a team with a losing record. In their last 91 road games they are 26-65. St. Louis was off to a good start but that has quickly faded. The Kings are 2-8 in their last 10 trips to St. Louis. The Blues are 27-11-5 in the last 43 meetings with the Kings. Play on the Blues -.
Vegas Sports Pics
Purdue Boilermakers + 1.5 over (at) Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State (17-12, 8-8) is 1-8 vs. ranked opponents this season. No.15 Purdue (23-6, 14-2) is 13-1 last 14 games including a 72-67 win at No.10 Wisconsin. The Boilermakers by winning their final two regular season games would claim top seed in the Big Ten tournament.
Northwestern Wildcats (pk) over Iowa Hawkeyes
Iowa (12-18, 5-12) is 2-10 away from home. Northwestern (8-19, 1-15) showed improvement in its last home game albeit in defeat losing to (now 13-3 Big Ten) Indiana 85-82 on 02/23. Teams met on 02/19, Northwestern squandered a 14 point second half lead losing at Iowa 53-51.
Big Al McMordie
New Jersey Nets vs. San Antonio Spurs
Play: San Antonio Spurs
These two teams met on Sunday evening at the Izod Center, and Tony Parker scored 25 points and led the Spurs to a double-digit win. That's important, as it indicates the San Antonio point guard has recovered from his bone spurs which sidelined him for three weeks. The Spurs have won nine straight regular season meetings vs. New Jersey, and have also won nine straight games since losing at Boston last month. They're also an impressive 28-9 when Parker, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili are all in the line-up (compared to 13-8 when at least one is injured). Look for Bruce Bowen to contain Vince Carter, and for San Antone to coast to an easy home win. Lay the points.
JEFFERSONSPORTS 3-0 last night
SAMFORD UNDER 128
Conference tourney time. We know two things. Tenn-martin has owned samford this year. The only way Samford can hang in this game is to slow the tempo waaaaay down. Also, tenn-martin will pick up the D with this being a tourney game. This will be slow paced and I look for it to easily stay under the 128. Their other two matchups didnt challenge this total and this one shouldnt either.
Arthur Ralph
Super Pick: Virginia TECH
900 Daily Play BEST BET: Phoenix Suns
Matt Fargo
Miami Ohio vs. Kent State
Play: Miami Ohio
Everyone is already handing Kent St. this game before it is even played. The squares are all over the Golden Flashes here and why not. They are undefeated at home, they are coming off a road loss in their first game as a ranked team, a win here assures them of at least a tie for the MAC East Division and it is on national television. All of that calls for a Kent St. victory so Miami might as well not even show up and save itself the time and embarrassment. Don’t tell that to the RedHawks however.
Miami is 8-6 in the MAC and has no chance at first place but securing the 4th seed is the ultimate goal right now. A loss here as well as one on Sunday against Bowling Green means the RedHawks fall to 6th in the conference and then must play in the first round of the MAC Tournament as opposed to receiving a bye. Even a win on Sunday assures nothing if it loses tonight since both Eastern Michigan and Central Michigan are pushing for that 4th seed as well.
The RedHawks are being counted out here but one only needs to look at their recent resume. Since January 20th, Miami is 8-4 which can be considered average but a few more breaks its way and that record could be a lot better. Two of those losses came in overtime while the other two came by three and four points. To put the last 12 games into perspective, the eight wins were by an average of 14.1 ppg while the four losses were by an average of 3.8 ppg.
What has also been lost in the Miami season was the non-conference schedule. The RedHawks defeated Xavier, South Alabama and Mississippi St., all leaders of their respective conferences and/or divisions and losses against USC and Louisville were by a combined seven points. Kent St. may have the better overall record but it has defeated only one solid team, St. Mary’s and other than that, there are no quality wins on the slate. Miami is just 10 spots lower in the current power rankings.
Miami has held ten of its last eleven MAC opponents to 64 or fewer points, and excluding its double overtime loss to Western Michigan, it has held opponents to 38.8 percent shooting from the floor. Take away both overtime games and the RedHawks have allowed fewer than 60 points in nine of the other 10 games including just 49 points on 24.6 percent shooting for Ohio in the last game, by far a season low for the Bobcats. Miami is 6-10 away from home this year so winning here is not out of the question. Play Miami RedHawks 1 Unit
Mighty Quinn
Ohio State -1.5
RedZone Sports
Ill-Chi/Youngstown St. over the total.
POINTWISE
KANSAS STATE RATING: 1
TOLEDO RATING: 2
NEW MEXICO RATING: 4
Jim Feist
Nets-Spurs Under
ARTHUR RALPH
Golden State Over
Cappers Access
Texas
Arkansas
Northwestern
Scott Spreitzer
Wake Forest
Joe Wiz
Loyola Chicago
Glen Mcgrew
Southern Miss
LT'S LOCK
Arkansas +2
CAPPERS ACCESS
Texas
Arkansas
Northwestern
Tom Stryker
UNLV vs. New Mexico
Play: New Mexico
New Mexico head Coach Steve Alford will make sure his Lobos take care of business in this Senior Night setting at The Pit. Alford, a disciple of legendary skipper Bob Knight, hasn't forgotten what happened in the first meeting against UNLV. The Runnin' Rebels handed UNM its worst loss of the season - a 79-60 drubbing that was much worse than the final score indicates. The Lobos were sloppy with the basketball (16 turnovers) and trailed by as many as 30 points after intermission. To say that New Mexico wants revenge would be an understatement.
The fact that this MWC contest is being played at The Pit is huge for the Lobos. Except for losses to San Diego State and BYU, UNM carries a sparkling 15-2 SU record on its homecourt and those 15 victories have come by an average of 20.6 points per game! Overall, New Mexico leads the Mountain West in scoring offense (74.8 ppg) and scoring margin (+12.0).
Technically speaking, the Lobos have been solid at The Pit running with a revenge margin of 10 points or more posting a strong 18-6 SU and 17-7 ATS record. In addition, at home matched up against a foe that arrives off back-to-back SU and ATS wins, UNM has played extremely well posting a superb 22-6 SU and 18-10 ATS record.
The Rebels have won four straight in this series and 12 of the past 15 meetings. In this last home game setting and off a rare home loss in their last contest to BYU, Alford and his kids will be prepared to end this streak of UNLV dominance. Take New Mexico.
Tony George
Nebraska vs. Texas
Play: Nebraska +13.5
The Huskers are sneaky good at times. Texas let their guard down as I lost my Big 12 GOY with them over the weekend against Texas Tech who got destroyed last night at Kansas by 50+ points, proving they are a pretender and Texas simply did not show up. Texas may have lost the Big 12 regular season crown because of that loss proving once again, this time of year nothing comes easy. The Huskers have pulled off some impressive covers and wins, and beating Texas AM on the road a fews ago tells you not to take the Huskers lightly. Texas escaped Lincoln back in January with a 1 point win, and look for NU to keep this closer that the 14 points and make a cover. The noose is tight at the top in the Big 12, and NU will make this a game and they play very good defense on the perimeter.
Play Nebraska.
Peter Loshak
Defense has never been the Suns' forte, and totals have gone over five of their last six contests. Play it Over tonight when the Portland Trail Blazers host Nash, Shaq and Phoenix.
As usual, the Suns have been one of the highest-scoring teams in the NBA, but their totals lines still have not been high enough and they currently sport a 34-25 O/U record on the year. This tendency, however, is more pronounced at home, where they are 19-11 O/U as opposed to a more modest 15-14 on the road. Of course, most of those games were from the pre-Shaq era, which clouds the matter further still for this game.
But while some were anticipating a slowdown in the Suns’ style of play with O'Neal supposedly providing a defensive presence inside and a half-court post-up option on offense, such a slowdown hasn’t happened at all. In fact, since Shaq joined the Phoenix rotation, they have gone over the total five out of six games. This may become a second half trend, as Phoenix has actually gone over the total now in 10 out of their last 12 games, dating back to before the All-Star break.
It’s not entirely clear why this is happening, although it is clear that defense is lagging on the Suns as a team. Steve Nash is not doing a whole lot of defending, and Shaq may not be capable of doing a lot of serious tough defense either. So the Suns, sensing this, are probably leaning back on their strength – pushing the pace – to make up for it. This would explain their over trending, and their losing ways of late as well.
As far as Portland is concerned, it is true that they have, over the span of the season, trended under. The Blazers are a solid 25-35 O/U overall, and 12-18 O/U at home. But a quick glance at their recent games tells a starkly different story.
Portland has mutated a bit from the staunchly moderate scoring team they were for most of the year. They went to 230 at home against the Lakers, and even went to 214 against Boston, a team that doesn’t tend towards high-scoring games by nature. It is clear that when confronted with the fast-paced teams of the league, the Blazers are agreeable to that style of play, and can wind up with high final scores in those situations. Portland has in fact gone over the total in five out of their last six home games, and if Phoenix decides to shift into high gear, Portland may well try to beat them at their own game.
In general, the totals of both of these teams are quite erratic. Phoenix, in the midst of their stratospheric game totals, did throw one with Boston into the mix that only went to 162, going under the total by an astounding 54 points. And with the Blazers of course, any game that stays in the 80s and 90s for both teams is par for the course. And furthermore, Phoenix is well aware of their lapsing defense, and may come into this game with a whole different game plan.
But adding it all up, I think a shot with the Over may be worthwhile. Portland is shooting pretty well, and at some point in this game, once things get rolling, I think it will be hard for Phoenix not to revert back to their most familiar style of play, whether it is giving them the lead or not. I’ll take a shot with the Over on this relatively low total for a Suns game of 209.
ARMVIN SPORTS
CBB
OHIO -3.5
KANSAS STATE -16.5
NHL
TAMPA BAY 105
LOS ANGELES at ST LOUIS Over 5.5