Carlo Campanella
Arizona Cardinals vs. New Orleans Saints Total
Play Under 57½
We easily cashed with our FREE pick on last weekend's Green Bay at Arizona "Over" as those teams combined for 96 points, with Arizona winning, 51-45. This Saturday Arizona plays on the road at New Orleans, and they've struggled away from home this season, going "Under" in 5 of their 8 road trips. The combination of the Saints high scoring offense combined with Arizona's explosive effort last Saturday, the Vegas Oddsmakers have opened this Playoff Total at an inflated 57 points. Arizona is averaging 25.1 points per game, and following Saturday's season high output of 51 points, expecting the Cardinals to experience an offensive letdown as we find them at 1-6 (Over/Under) after scoring 28 points or more in their previous game! We'll play the "Under" as New Orleans offense cooled down at the end of the regular season while being held to 17 points or less in each of their final 3 games- accounting for their 3 lowest scoring games of year!
Scott Delaney
Texas Tech at Kansas
The Red Raiders have lost two straight to open conference play and now must face their toughest test to date in visiting Allen Fieldhouse for a Big 12 clash with No. 3 Kansas, which just happens to own the nation’s longest home-court winning streak at 51.
Watching how Texas Tech was destroyed in its Big 12 opener a week ago, losing 81-52 at Oklahoma State as a seven-point underdog, is enough for me to side with the Jayhawks.
But even more so, I don't know how much emotion this team will come in with after it suffered a heartbreaking 94-89 overtime loss to Missouri as a four-point ome underdog.
This is a great spot for the Jayhawks to pounce, lay the chalk.
3♦ KANSAS
Karl Garrett
Arizona at NEW ORLEANS -7
As Tiny Elvis might say, "might big total, that's all I'm sayin', might big total!'
Indeed, this Cardinals-Saints game features a total more like you would see in a college bowl game, but can you blame the linesmakers after Arizona combined with Green Bay last week for almost 100 total points!??!!?
I can't, and I can't say that I am going UNDER either, as both teams feature plenty of offense, plenty of big play defense, and indoors with the "track" conditions absolutely perfect, I expect plenty of scoring once again this weekend.
It should be noted that ALL 4 playoff games last week slipped OVER the posted total, and this one will as well.
Arizona is on a 5-1 OVER run their last 6 playoff games, while New Orleans is on a 3-0-1 OVER run their last 4 postseason contests.
If you think this is going be be a smash-mouth 10-7 battle, you have the wrong game in mind.
Take the OVER.
4♦ OVER
Chris Jordan
Baltimore at INDIANAPOLIS -6'
The first game totaled all of 32 points.
The Colts haven't been on the field in about 17 days, and it's not going to be easy for them to just jump back into the fray against that defense. Not a stop unit that was about as disciplined and sound a defense I had seen against the Colts the entire season.
Baltimore is so smart mentally, and mark my words, that team WILL NOT blitz Peyton Manning that often, because it will allow the Ravens to blanket the secondary effectively and shut things down. It was proven in the first meeting. And game film will show you the Ravens can slow the passing game by laying off Manning and forcing him to beat you by making decisions on the scramble.
That being said, I'm not ready to go against the best quarterback in football.
I'd rather play the Under, since I expect the Colts' defense to do its own damage against the run-happy Ravens. You know darned well who the ball is going to today - Ray Rice - so the ball control, time-managed offense will be eating up clock as it is.
And when Joe Flacco has the ball, he'll be under a lot of pressure, as he most certainly doesn't have the weapons Manning does. And the sacks could get to him, and keep him scrambling when the heat is intense.
Forty-four points is a lot to ask for. Play this one low.
3♦ COLTS/RAVENS UNDER
Chris Jordan
Mississippi at TENNESSEE -7'
I'm going to side with the Volunteers today, as they roll in on a five-game winning streak, including a win over top-ranked and unbeaten Kansas last Sunday.
Bruce Pearl has his troops looking Final Four-esque right now, and I won't deny him the chance to beat up on another Top 25 foe.
Mississippi has won two of three true road games this season, but is 1-2 against the number in those games - and this will be the toughest of them all.
The Rebels are 0-2 SU and ATS against ranked opponents already, losing to No. 5 Villanova 79-67 as a three-point neutral-site pup and sixth-ranked West Virginia 76-66, cashing as an 11-1/2-point road underdog.
The Vols' streak has been paced by a whopping scoring average of 82 points per game while allowing just 66.2 ppg. They’re 9-0 on the hardwood and 4-2 versus the number at Thompson-Boling Arena.
In this rivalry, the home team has won six straight (4-2 ATS) and is 10-1 SU in the last 11 clashes (8-3 ATS).
Take the Volunteers today.
4♦ TENNESSEE
Karl Garrett
Texas Tech at KANSAS
I have a feeling the Jayhawks saw this season's schedule, and they circled 1/16/10 in BOLD RED, as Kansas was thumped by Texas Tech, 84-65 last March in Lubbock.
Texas Tech comes to Lawrence a little wounded, as they have dropped their last pair, and 3 of their last 5 while going 1-3 against the spread in those games.
Kansas rebounded from their first loss of the season with a 12 point road win at Nebraska in a push against the spread, but the Jayhawks are still 17-5-2 against the spread their last 24 in Big 12 plays, and KU is 34-15-2 their last 51 lined games at the Allen Fieldhouse.
Kansas has absolutely laid wasted the Red Raiders the last 4 times they have come calling, winning last year's meeting in Lawrence by 58 points.
No mercy here, as Kansas blows out Texas Tech.
2♦ KANSAS
Stephen Nover
Georgia Tech at NORTH CAROLINA -7'
Look for North Carolina to be extra motivated for this key ACC matchup after being embarrassed by Clemson on the road, 83-64.
That was the most lopsided loss the Tar Heels have suffered in conference since 2003.
North Carolina committed a ghastly 26 turnovers, the most they've had in a game during Roy Williams' seven seasons.
Georgia Tech doesn't have the great guard play to take advantage of North Carolina's backcourt. You know Williams will be all over his guards. Expect a much better result this time.
The Tar Heels are unbeaten in Chapel Hill this season going 11-0. They have won their last 19 home contests.
Georgia Tech has already lost road games to Virginia and Georgia by seven points each in its previous ACC away matchups. Going back to last season, the Yellow Jackets are 0-9 during their past nine ACC road games.
North Carolina has won its last five home games by an average of 22.2 points. The Tar Heels have the talent and motivation to cover this number at home.
4♦ NORTH CAROLINA
Bobby Maxwell
Penn State -3 at IOWA
FREE winner on Friday with the Bobcats improved my run to 50-21 with freebies, including 27-7 over the last 34 days. Today I've got a college hoops winner for you as I play Penn State on the road in Iowa in a Big Ten contest.
While neither team has been good lately, at least the Nittany Lions have been going out there and being competitive. Iowa has gone out there and laid down on numerous occasions.
Penn State went to Illinois and lost by a point on Tuesday, cashing as an 8 ½-point underdog. They have lost four straight (2-2 ATS) but also had a tough road loss at Minnesota thrown in there, and they fell at Temple 45-42 in early December.
Meanwhile, Iowa has just been brutal. They narrowly beat Tennessee State at home on Tuesday, 67-62, coming well short as 12-point favorites. Then there are the blowout losses to each of their four previous opponents, coming nowhere near close, losing by at least 11 in those games.
The Hawkeyes are just 2-7 ATS in their last nine contests, and on further ATS slides of 3-14 overall, 2-10 as underdogs, 1-9 at home, 1-4 at their home and 1-4 in Big Ten action. Penn State is on ATS runs of 4-0-1 on the road and 3-1-1 as a road favorite.
Iowa is having its worst season in years and you can expect them to fold in this one like they’ve done all season. Go ahead and lay the chalk on the road with Penn State.
4♦ PENN STATE
USC (pk) at UCLA
Red-hot with my FREE plays, going 27-7 over the last 34 days. I've got a college hoops winner for you right here as I'm going with USC at crosstown rival UCLA in this Pac-10 matchup.
It doesn’t matter if these two teams are fighting for the Pac-10 title or struggling mightily like they are this season, this rivalry game is going to be tight. But today, USC brings so much more competitiveness to the court, the Trojans are going to find this is a surprisingly easy win and cover. Play the road team Trojans in this one.
USC had two tough losses in Northern California last weekend, falling by a point at Stanford and by eight points at Cal. But even with the losses, USC is on a 5-1 ATS run in its last six overall and had an impressive eight-game winning streak (4-3-1 ATS) that got snapped with the loss at Stanford.
Some impressive wins during that streak included a blowout of Tennessee and easy wins over St. Mary’s and UNLV.
In this rivalry, USC eliminated the Bruins from the postseason Pac-10 tourney last year 65-55 as a 6 ½-point underdog. Some great games have happened lately with the underdog on a 12-5 ATS run and USC 4-1 ATS in the last five games at UCLA as the road team has cashed in six of the last seven.
The Trojans are playing pretty well lately and I expect them to be very motivated to march into their opponents house and be reckless. Play USC in this one.
5♦ USC
Brett Atkins
I'm 5-2 over the last 7 days with my free selections and toinght I'm delivering a winner on the college hardwood with USC as the Trojans take on crosstown rival UCLA in a Pac-10 showdown.
It doesn’t matter if these two teams are fighting for the Pac-10 title or struggling mightily like they are this season, this rivalry game is going to be tight. But today, USC brings so much more competitiveness to the court, the Trojans are going to find this is a surprisingly easy win and cover. Play the road team Trojans in this one.
USC had two tough losses in Northern California last weekend, falling by a point at Stanford and by eight points at Cal. But even with the losses, USC is on a 5-1 ATS run in its last six overall and had an impressive eight-game winning streak (4-3-1 ATS) that got snapped with the loss at Stanford.
Some impressive wins during that streak included a blowout of Tennessee and easy wins over St. Mary’s and UNLV.
In this rivalry, USC eliminated the Bruins from the postseason Pac-10 tourney last year 65-55 as a 6 ½-point underdog. Some great games have happened lately in with the underdog on a 12-5 ATS run and USC 4-1 ATS in the last five games at UCLA as the road team has cashed in six of the last seven.
The Trojans are playing pretty well lately and I expect them to be very motivated to march into their opponents house and be reckless. Play USC in this one.
3♦ USC
Jay McNeil
I was flat-out wrong with my free play Friday as the Spurs got hammered on the road by Charlotte, dropping my record to 14-10 over the past 24 days. But I've got a college basketball play today that is going to turn things around quickly!
Purdue has received a serious wake-up call with two consecutive losses, and Northwestern is going to suffer the consequences today.
The Boilermakers haven't dropped three straight games since losing five straight in 2006, and they're far too talented to go down again today.
Robbie Hummel scored a career-high 35 points Tuesday in Purdue's 70-66 home loss to Ohio State, but the Boilermakers were outscored 41-25 in the second half as they shot 34.5 percent after the break while the Buckeyes made 54.2 percent of their shots.
Purdue should get back to its play from 14-0 start to the season, when it held opponents to an average of 59.8 ppg and allowed just one team to score more than 65.
The Wildcats are 0-2 at home against Big Ten opponents so far, and shooting just 37.9 percent in conference play.
The favorite is 7-2 ATS in the teams' last nine meetings, and Northwestern is 3-11 ATS in its last 14 games as a home underdog. Take Purdue to bounce back and cover the points today.
3♦ PURDUE
Joel Tyson
For Saturday in college baskets, going to grab the points with the reeling Cardinals as they invade the Steel City for a date with the surging Panthers of Pittsburgh.
Louisville was last on court blowing a 17-point lead at home versus Villanova, while Pittsburgh looked very strong in dispatching Connecticut on their home floor on Wednesday night for their 7th win in a row, and their 3rd cover in a row!
That gives us solid line value with the wounded visitor, and it should be noted the Cardinals have won 3 of the last 5 series meetings outright, and the Cards have been a money-maker on the road with a 27-9-1 spread mark their last 37 highway affairs.
The Cards are also 10-2 against the spread their last 12 regular season games when catching points.
Louisville plus the points the play.
3♦ LOUISVILLE
Pete Angelo
Wisconsin (+5) at Ohio State
Wisconsin will bring the Buckeyes down to earth today, as the 13th-ranked Badgers continue to impress me with that stingy defense that has held seven of its last eight opponents to 58 points or less.
These two have already met once this season, and the Badgers were dominating in limiting Ohio State to a modest 14 field goals (in 43 attempts) on New Year’s Eve, rolling 65-43.
Nothing has changed in a couple weeks, except the Badgers, who have won three of the last four meetings, keep getting better and better.
Wisconsin's run against Ohio State includes a 58-53 victory as a 1-1/2-point road pup in their most recent battle in Columbus.
The road team has cashed in four of the last five clashes while the underdog has covered five of the last seven meetings.
3♦ WISCONSIN
Chuck O'Brien
Take Kansas and lay the big price against Texas Tech in Big 12 hoops action on Saturday.
The Jayhawks are coming off three straight lackluster performances against Cornell (5-point home win, and I cashed a 25 Dime winner in that one), Tennessee on Sunday (5-point road loss) and Nebraska on Wednesday (12-point road win after trailing by two at halftime. Because of that, I expect a big return to form by what I believe is still the best team in the country (certainly the most talented). If nothing else, the Jayhawks have THE perfect opponent against whom they can take out their frustrations.
A week ago today, Texas Tech went on the road to Oklahoma State and got annihilated 81-52 as a seven-point ‘dog (then followed that with Wednesday’s 94-89 overtime loss at home to Missouri). The Red Raiders have lost three straight road games to Oklahoma State, New Mexico (by 15 points) and Wichita State. But it’s Allen Fieldhouse in Kansas that has been Tech’s house of horrors. In their last four trips there going back to 2002, the Red Raiders have lost by 27, 19, 34 and – in their last visit in 2008 – 58 points! The Jayhawks’ point totals in their last five wins against Texas Tech (including a Big 12 tournament game in 2002): 108, 90, 96, 86 and 109.
Well, considering Texas Tech has given up 85, 87, 90, 75, 78, 81 and 94 points in its last seven games (the last two in conference), I can’t imagine the Red Raiders slowing down a Kansas offense that’s averaging more than 90 ppg at home and shooting 52 percent from the field. The home team has won and covered the last six meetings between these teams and is 9-1 ATS in the last 10. In fact, Tech shocked Kansas 84-65 as a 10-point home ‘dog last year – meaning on top of everything else, revenge is in play here. The Jayhawks, who have won 51 in a row at home (34-16-1 ATS), roll big time.
4♦ KANSAS JAYHAWKS
BIG AL
Grizzlies v Spurs
Pick: Spurs
The Grizzlies are playing good basketball they're 18-10 since waiving Allen Iverson on November 17 but have not had much success of late vs. the Spurs, who are 14-2 over the last 16 meetings, including a four-game sweep of the season series last year. I expect Gregg Popovich's crew to be in an ornery mood following a dismal 2nd half last night vs. the Bobcats, who stifled San Antonio en route to a 92-76 Charlotte win. But going into that game, the Spurs were the NBA's hottest team, and had won 15 of their previous 19 games dating back to December 9. San Antonio was averaging over 102 ppg, but Charlotte (like the Spurs) generally plays strong defense, so it was not much of a surprise that the Spurs were held to their season-low offensive output. Memphis, on the other hand, doesn't play great defense (it gives up over 104 ppg), and has lost five straight games to the Spurs (four by double-digits). Take San Antone.
Jimmy Thompson
Louisville vs. Pitt
Pick: Pitt -3
The Panthers are surprising some people in Big East country right now having gone 4-0 in the Big East with wins over Syracuse, Cincinnati and UConn already on the road. Louisville is also a surprise having lost 5 games already this season and this will be number 6. The Panthers get their first huge Big East home game and they'll be ready for it. The Panthers have the best defense in the Big East and they'll use that to shut down the Louisville offense for a 68-57 win!