Cincinnati at Baylor 8:00 ET

Bearcats (+) over Bears- I guess if you are a Bearcat that is a step above being just a Bear. Cincinnati burst onto the Big-12 scene with a win over BYU (really they are Big-12) and blew a late lead by missing free throws in a home loss to Texas. Baylor enters this f ray on a four-game win streak after a come-from-behind victory over BYU last Saturday (defeating our Power Play) outscoring the Cougars by 15 points in the second half. Bearcats out to prove they belong and give the No. 14 Bears all that they can handle. Take CINCINNATI!

Houston at Boston 7:00 ET

Celtics (-) over Rockets- Boston went to Milwaukee Thursday and in the middle of the first half they decided to take to rest of the night off...and that is exactly what they did. Getting annihilated by the Bucks as they scored 25 straight points the Celtics sat anybody that has had any kind playing time down for the rest of the game. They will be ready to play tonight after their worst showing in ages. The Celtics are 18-0 at home and Houston who is greatly improved is just 4-14 on the the road. Take BOSTON!

St. Mary’s at Santa Clara 6:00 ET

Gaels (-) over Broncos- Okay these two clubs may have the same records but they are eons apart as far as a basketball program and overall talent. Santa Clara is coming off an upset win over No. 23 Gonzaga a team that they haven’t defeated since 2011 losing 25 straight to the Zags. The Broncos hangover will spurn on the Gaels who have won he last three meetings and 7-of-10. Take ST. MARY’S!

Kansas State at Texas Tech 4:00 ET

Red Raiders (-) over Wildcats- Coaching match-up today features a pair of former assistant coaches that worked on the same staff at Baylor . They will face off in Lubbock where Kansas State coach Jerome Tang and Red Raiders coach Grant McCasland won’t be able to pull any tricks on each other and know what to expect. The Wildcats may be 2-0 on the road but the Red Raiders home court advantage is Gaels something to acknowledge as they are 9-0 and on a current eight game win streak as they have a high assist rate and low on turnovers. Take TEXAS TECH!

Oklahoma at Kansas 2:00 ET

Sooners (+) over Jayhawks- After winning or sharing part of the Big-12 regular season title Kansas coach Bill Self believes he is a must win game after suffering his first conference loss (1-1) at Central Florida (Megabucks winner). Oklahoma (1-1) also suffered their first Big-12 defeat at TCU last time out. The Jayhawks have defeated the Sooners five straight times although Oklahoma is 3-1 ATS in the last four meetings. But, I must tell you the Sooners haven’t won in Lawrence since  1993 losing 22 consecutive games. OK moving on to the SEC next season want to claim a win at Allen Fieldhouse before they defect. Take OKLAHOMA!

Kentucky at Texas A&M 2:00 ET

Aggies over Wildcats- What we have here is a failure...nah, so No. 6 Kentucky has opened and underdog at Texas A&M and the last time I checked the Aggies have yet to be ranked. The Wildcats opened 2-0 in SEC play while A&M (0-2) is still looking for their first conference victory. It seems a bit ‘strange’ that having reeled off six straight wins and covers (6-0 ATS) with four of their six wins by double-digits. Although Kentucky has won 8-of-10 meetings but the odds makers say not today...take TEXAS A&M!  

Toronto at Utah 9:30 ET

Raptors (+) over Jazz- A team that was considered an also-ran at the start of the season and lost 16 of their first 23 games Utah has now won 9-of-11 and have won their last three defeating Philadelphia, Denver and Milwaukee defeating three of the NBA’s strongest contenders. The Jazz have had their way against Toronto of late winning the last three meetings and six of seven. Although the Raptors are just 6-14 SU on the road they are 11-9 ATS and 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games overall. Utah not used to the favorites role fall short. Take TORONTO!

Indiana at Atlanta 7:30 ET

Hawks (-) over Pacers- Points should not be a problem here as the No. 1 and No. 3 scoring team face off for the third time this season. Indiana leads the NBA in scoring averaging 126.5 PPG and the Hawks are third averaging 122.7 PPG. They have met twice with the Pacers scoring 157 and 150 points winning both contests and have scored over 130 points 15 ties this season. But, they will be without their leading scorer and All-star Tyrese Haliburton who will be out two weeks with a hamstring pull. Hawks starting to get it together after a horrid ATS start at home going 3-12 ATS. Take ATLANTA!

Minnesota at Indiana 6:30 ET

Golden Gophers (+) over Hoosiers- The biggest turn around in college basketball has already taken place with Minnesota who already has 12 wins this season after posting only nine victories last season. The Golden Gophers are off to their best Big Ten start seven years and coach Ben Johnson says that he team now expects to win every time out. Indiana who under Mike Woodson have lost two of three including a road loss at Rutgers on Tuesday when they shot just 26.7% from the free throw line. Making only 4-of-15 free throws shows just what a poor shooting team will exhibit especially in pressure situations. the Gophers are an amazing 14-1 ATS this season. Take MINNESOTA!

Stanford at Oregon State 11:00 ET

Cardinal (-) over Beavers-  Maybe there is something going on that I am not aware of but make me understand how a 7-7 team who is 1-2 on the road can be the favorite that they are at a 9-6 team that is 9-1 SU at home. Stanford is off a loss at USC while Oregon State is off a pair of losses to the two Washington schools. The Cardinal have won the past three meetings and have gotten the money four straight. Despite the defeats I like to believe that although Stanford is just  at 500 a win over Arizona has shown that they are better than that. Take STANFORD!

Michigan State at Illinois 7:00 ET

Spartans (+) over Illini- Michigan State was the No. 4 ranked squad during the preseason and are not even close to the Top-25 after having lost six of their first nine games including 1-3 in the Big Ten. Tom Izzo MSU coach said his team needs to play with more heart and passion as their play faltered. No.10 Illinois has continued on despite have their All-American forward Terrance Shannon Jr. suspended as rape chargers in Kansas are on going. Missing 22.7 PPG has got to hurt. Take MICHIGAN STATE!

Boston at Milwaukee 7:30 ET

Bucks (-) over Celtics- Boston is off a tough overtime win over Minnesota where the trailed by nine points late in the fourth before tying and winning with an OT cover. Milwaukee has hit a lull losing four-of-five (All-star break will give them rest) but for now they return home after a loss to Utah. These two met in Boston in November by three points after building a 21-point lead. Damian Lillard has been out but returns tonight to aid in the Bucks victory. Take MILWAUKEE!

Michigan at Maryland 7:00 ET

Wolverines (+) over Terrapins- Both of these clubs have had difficulty holding leads and turnovers have been the major problem. Michigan has now lost four in-a-row and had a 14-point half time lead against Penn State before a second half meltdown and getting outscored by 20 points. Maryland has had the same issue committing 15 turnover in the first half alone against Minnesota blowing a 7-point half time lead. Although the Terps are 8-1 SU at home they are just 3-6 ATS as hosts and 3-7 ATS overall in their last 10 games. Maryland won the last meeting but the Wolverines had won eight of the previous nine. Take MICHIGAN!

Oklahoma at Texas Christian 9:00 ET

Sooners (+) over Horned Frogs- How much do issues between teams carry over from one season to the next in college sports and I expect with the transfer portal being as active as it is those things probably don’t mean as much any more. What the hell is he taking about? It is about TCU beating Oklahoma twice last year and the way the best them including a 79-52 beat down at TCU. Now, a loss like that used to be bulletin board material but now...who knows. What I do know is that the Sooners are an improved team from the 2022-23 version and will crash the board the one Achilles Heel of the Horned Frogs. Take OKLAHOMA!

Boston College at Syracuse 9:00 ET

Eagles over Orange- Something has got to give here and a pair of opposing trends will clash. Syracuse is a perfect 7-0 SU at home and Boston College is a perfect 3-0 on the road. The Orange five-game winning streak came to an end as they got a dose of reality as Duke laid them out 86-66. The Eagles posted their first conference win at Georgia Tech and have won five of their last six games. These two former Big East combatants have a rich history with the Orange getting the best of it winning the  past 10 meetings going 9-1 ATS. The Eagles faced similar numbers against them before going to Georgia Tech and came out as a Money Game winner. Take BOSTON COLLEGE!

Connecticut at Xavier 8:30 ET

Musketeers (+) over Huskies- Yes, the defending champion Connecticut have won three straight and are looking to defeat the Musketeers after dropping both meetings last year. Xavier is just 7-7 but have had a week to prepare for the Huskies who are playing just their fourth road game and so far they are just 1-2 in true road games while the Musketeers are 6-3 SU at home. This one plays close. Take XAVIER!

Hawks over 76ers- The 76ers are just not the same without MVP Joel Embiid as they continue to struggle when he is not in the lineup. Philadelphia has lost three of four and actually have five guys that are hurting enough to be out of the lineup one day or another. Atlanta has been the worst point spread team that I can ever remember as they have lost six of eight SU and have won just five home games all season and are just 2-12 ATS as hosts and have covered just eight of 35 games played this season. These ATS numbers are disgraceful and the Hawks with fly tonight against a weakened foe. Take ATLANTA!

Tennessee at Mississippi State 7:00 ET

Bulldogs (+) over Volunteers- Some have questioned why a team with three losses already this season would be ranked No. 5 with so many other clubs have better records. It is easy to see why when you see who the Volunteers have lost to as their defeats came at the hand of Purdue and Kansas in Maui and North Carolina when returning to the mainland. Saturday, as a (Power Play winner) a double-digit favorite they crushed Mississippi. Tonight, they get ambushed by the Bulldogs who will take advantage of the boards as they are one of the leading rebounding team in the nation. Take MISSISSIPPI STATE

Kansas at Central Florida 7:00 ET

Knights (+) over Jayhawks- Talk about expectations, Kansas has won nine straight games and managed to fall a spot in the national rankings this week. The Jayhawks who defeated TCU 83-81 Saturday were dropped to No. 3 while No. 2 Houston was beaten by Megabucks winner Iowa State last night. UFC was routed in their first Big-12 encounter by Kansas State who also routed West Virginia last night so maybe they are not so bad. The Knights had their worst shooting night of the season and will be more comfortable a home where they are 7-2 SU. Take CENTRAL FLORIDA!

Toronto at LA Lakers 10:30 ET
Lakers (-) over Raptors- It takes a meeting against their inner city rival the LA Clippers to get the Lakers going as they ended a four-game losing streak with a win on Sunday. Although the Lakers are 3-10 SU since winning the NBA’s in-season tournament and they are 13-6 SU at home while Toronto is just 6-12 SU on the road. The Raptors picked up RJ Barrett from the Knicks and he responded with a career high 37 points against the Warriors Sunday, but he will return to form as an consistent offensive shooter. Take LA LAKERS!

Brigham Young at Baylor 9:00 ET

Cougars (+) over Bears- The odds-makers are giving BYU plenty of respect posting them as such a small underdog at No. 14 Baylor who is 12-2 and 1-0 in Big-12 action. Now, I’m not saying the the Cougars aren’t capable as they are ranked No. 18 and are also 12-2 but are 0-1 in Big-12 play falling at home to Cincinnati 71-60 as a 10-point favorite. The Bears have won and covered three straight including Saturday’s 75-70 home win over Oklahoma State. Take BYU

Kansas State at West Virginia 7:00 ET

Mountaineers (+) over Wildcats- My goodness, I understand that the home court advantage in college basketball can vary and be on the high side. But, there has got to be more accounting done because Kansas State (11-3) coming of a 25-point 77-52 win over UCF is as meager favorite as you can be against a 5-9 West Virginia team that lost by 44-points Saturday to Houston 89-55. So, with a point differential of 69 points the Wildcats face the only Big-12 school with a losing record. If K. State doesn’t win by 20 points the Mountaineers might steal it by one or two points. Take WEST VIRGINIA!

Houston at Iowa State 7:00 ET

Cyclones (+) over Cougars- The Cougars are ranked No. 2 in the nation and many have said that with nine of their 14 wins are by 30 or more points that they could easily be Number One over Purdue. For starters Houston entered the Big-12 Saturday with an 89-55 home win over West Virginia. The Cougars will be playing their 2nd conference game but it will be their first one on the road and jst their second of the season. Iowa is off a disappoint performance at Oklahoma where hey struggle from behind for 35 minutes, take the lead and then falter losing 71-63. But, it seems like every year I see T.J. Otzelberger coaching the Cyclones and I am reminded how fundamentally sound his coached teams are and they are in good hands. Take IOWA STATE!

Houston at Miami 7:30 ET

Rockets (+) over Heat- It was been two weeks since the Heat played at home on Christmas Day when they downed the Embiid-less 76ers. Winning at home is a must in the NBA as getting road wins are so difficult as the Heat and Houston can attest. Miami has a winning home record of 9-6 but are not so hot as home favorites going 5-10 ATS something the Rockets can make note of as they are  1-10 SU but a 7-6 ATS on the road. Once again the crew from South Beach has a number of key personnel sidelined because of nagging injuries including Jimmy Butler. The Rockets are off their Megabucks win Saturday night 122-118 over Milwaukee and this is the first of a six-game road trip. The young club from our space center are eager to prove they can win on the road. Take HOUSTON!

Michigan State at Northwestern 7:30 ET

Wildcats (+) over Spartans- Feel good here having used MSU as a Power Play winner over Penn State on Thursday while the Wildcats were getting pounded by No. 9 Illinois. Northwestern coach Chris Collins attested that his cats were so bad that there is too many issues to address and we should just flush it (the NY version is ‘fagetboutit), put it behind you. His club is looking for their third straight win over the Spartans something NW hasn’t done since 1962 (the NY Mets inaugural season). PS they lost 120 games, but the Wildcats used up one of their nine lives Thursday and tonight the visitor pays (no matter who it is) Take NORTHWESTERN!  

Atlanta at Orlando 3:30 ET

Hawks (-) over Magic-This without a doubt in my mind the ‘Don’t make Sense’ game of the day. So much so that I was forced to check a number of different outlets to be sure the line on this contest was not an error. Orlando who has improved to the point where they have to be considered a playoff threat. The Magic are an amazing 12-4 SU and ATS at home and they have been established as an underdog to Atlanta who in six game under .500 and a horrid 8-26 ATS on the year including 6-13 ATS on the road. I need not go any further with this. This game is either in the tank or not...I believe it is...it is he only way and it’s a winner. Take ATLANTA!

Milwaukee at Houston 8:00 ET

Rockets (+) over Bucks- Despite having won 25 of 35 games a 71% winning pace many say Milwaukee has been inconsistent. Tonight they will play their third game in four nights and it is most likely that their 15-19-1 ATS is why people think that they are underachievers. Houston whose 17-16 record has people speaking their praises because of the difference in expectations between the two clubs as the Rockets are 14-6 (70%) SU and ATS at home. There are just two NBA that keep opponents scoring under 110 PPG and Houston is one of them while the Bucks allow 119.4 PPG ranking No. 24 in the league. This will be the Rockets seventh straight home game and they are off a 27-point home loss to Minnesota. Look for them to atone for their paltry effort last time out. Take HOUSTON!

Utah at Arizona 8:00 ET

Utes (+) over Wildcats- Whoa Nellie...Thursday, I let it be know that Utah had a terrible record in Arizona and that the Sun Devils had beaten the Utes the last four games in Tempe (ASU Megabucks winner) and it gets even worse in Tucson where they have lost 11 straight times not winning there since 1986 when the New York Mets were World Series champions. Arizona destroyed Colorado Thursday night leading by 50 points at one time and finishing 97-50 dominating all phases of the game. Utah may have struggled in the desert but they are well coached and fundamentally sound. I expect a fierce competitive battle with the decision going down to the final buzzer. Take UTAH!   

Mississippi at Tennessee 6:00 ET

Volunteers (-) over Volunteers- Now, let us take a step back and take a close look at these two SEC rivals. No. 9 Tennessee is 10-3 after a 4-3 start and have won six straight while Mississippi is not ranked and have won all 13 of their games. Yes, the Rebels are just one of three NCAA school that are still undefeated. But, I do believe that if the odds makers put a 13-0 team as an 11-point underdog they will fall from the ranked of the undefeated. What makes this price even more outrageous is that this is a Southeast conference game and for the most part they play closer than non-conference game results. The Volunteers are 7-0 SU at home tho just 3-3-1 ATS and have won 8-of-9 SU against Ole Miss. What has my attention is Mississippi first year coach who has plenty of winning experience at Texas and Texas Tech. But, tougher game experience should prevail (at east the odds makers believe so) with the Vols having played Michigan State, North Carolina, Purdue, Illinois and Kansas.  Take TENNESSEE!

Iowa State at Oklahoma 6:00 ET

Cyclones (+) over Sooners- Once again we have a ranked team in No. 11 Oklahoma who is hosting a non-ranked team with a similar record and comparable stats. Iowa State may not be ranked in the Top-25 but their numbers say that they should be. The Cyclones (11-2) have won six straight after dropping back-to-back games in late November. This will the conference opener for both schools who split the series the past two seasons. Cyclones have an edge on offense scoring 87 PPG (13th) and they play better defense ranking No. 3 allowing 59.1 PPG. Take IOWA STATE!

Boston College at Georgia Tech 4:00 ET

Eagles (+) over Yellow Jackets- The first thing that caught my attention when looking at this match-up is that Georgia Tech has not play a home game in 28 days. They , played only five games only on neutral sites on their trips to Madison Square Garden in New York and on the island of Hawaii. Boston College is 2-0 on the rad having won at Citadel and Vanderbilt and they didn’t do well in any early season tournaments at neutral sites like Kansas City and Brooklyn. The Eagles are 0-2 in conference having lost to NC State and last time out to Wake Forest by identical 84-78 scores. The Engineers have won and covered the last five meetings and BC have won once in the last 11 season in Atlanta and that was by 2-points. With all this at hand the line should be much steeper. Take BOSTON COLLEGE!

TCU at Kansas 2:00 ET

Horned Frogs (+) over Jayhawks- It was about a year ago when Texas Christian made a statement and came into Lawrence and trounced No. 2 Kansas 83-20 and it was he worse loss in coach Bill Self’s 20-year career. That Megabucks winner ended a 16-game home winning streak and put doubt into the Jayhawks minds until the Big-12 championship which they have owned or shared the regular season title 21 straight years (really). Kansas may have championship form already defeating No. 6 Kentucky, No. 5 Tennessee and No. 4 Connecticut. Cyclones looking to prove they belong and get the money. Take TEXAS CHRISTIAN!   

Kentucky at Florida 12:30 ET

Gators (-) over Wildcats- This match-up has me dizzy and well not so much the match-up but the line, the line has the non-ranked Gators favored over No. 6 Kentucky who have one less loss but equal 10 wins with Florida. I understand that Florida is 6-0 at home and this is just the Wildcats second road game. What sticks with me is that over the years since their Championship years with Joakim Noah when Billy Donovan was coaching they have been one of the biggest money burners especially when favored at home. It has been seven years since Florida has won seven straight and a win here puts them in that class. Todd Golden (?) is at the helm and believe his team is ready to tame the Wildcats who have won 9-of-10 meetings going 8-2 ATS. Man-oh-man you see what I mean. Take FLORIDA!

Orlando at Denver 9:00 ET

Nuggets (-) over Magic- Denver is coming off a come-back win over Golden State last night as they rallied from 18 points down with 6:51 left to play to a non-cover  (-4) win 130-127. Orlando has made great strides this season and had a nine game winning streak before their most recent slide as they have dropped 10 of their last 15 games overall. Although Denver is 14-3 SU at home they have a target on their backs as defending NBA champs and are just 16-20 ATS on the year. Two-time MVP  Nikola Jokic has gone an unbelievable 39-for-44 from the field in the last four games and Jamal Murray has returned to the line-up full time. Take DENVER!

Oklahoma City at Brooklyn 7:30 ET

Nets (+) over Thunder- After defeating the Celtics to extend their winning streak to five games Oklahoma City was beaten by Atlanta the following night. The Thunder have lost two games in-a-row only twice this season and are 12-4 since their last two-game losing streak. Brooklyn have dropped their last five games the last four of which were on the road the second time that they have lost five-straight this season. After getting find $100,00 by the league for violating the NBA’s Player Participation Policy the Nets will be playing at full strength. Take BROOKLYN!

Atlanta at Indiana 7:00 ET

Hawks (+) over Pacers- The high flying Hawks have started to put it together winning their last two contests scoring 130 and 141 against Washington and Oklahoma City. Indiana has won five straight since Christmas without a loss including the last two victories over Milwaukee a club that had defeated only once in 15 meetings prior to the seasons start. The Pacers who lead the NBA in scoring are led by Tyrese Haliburton who had a triple-double last time out without a turnover. Indiana leads the NBA in scoring but Atlanta is a close third and are playing their best basketball of the season right now. The Hawks were 6-25 ATS overall before their last two wins. Take ATLANTA!

Connecticut at Butler 6:30 ET

Bulldogs (+) over Huskies- No. 4 Connecticut routed undermanned DePaul 85-56 in their Big East opener while the Bulldogs have lost their last two falling at St. John’s 86-70 on Tuesday. Butler coach Thad Matta the former Xavier and Ohio State coach read the riot act to his team after getting ejected late in the game against the Red Storm and the will be ready for the Huskies. It will be a tough assignment as UConn is 7-0 lifetime against the Bulldogs and no win was by less than 12 points. So what, Bulldogs meet the challenge. Take BUTLER!

Utah at Arizona State 9:30 ET

Sun Devils (+) over Utes- There must be something in the water or the ‘dry heat’ (they playing in doors and the heat is dry in Utah to) no it can’t be that. Maybe it is their proximity to Roswell NM, but Utah has lost their last three games in Tempe to the Sun Devils and it gets even worse in Tucson where they have lost 11 straight times not winning there since 1986 when the New York Mets were World Series champions. Utah has won seven straight and this is just their second true road game and they won their first at St. Mary’s. This is the Pac-12...take ARIZONA STATE!

Denver at Golden State 10:00 ET

Warriors (+) over Nuggets- It sorta like the sophomore jinx in baseball which basically says for first time winners (a rookie in baseball) the second time around is a bit more difficult. Denver won their first NBA championship last yer and are feeling the affects of their champagne hangover. Golden State is nothing close to what they were in recent championship years but, hey still have the greatest shooter in NBA history in Stephen Curry as well a possible runner-up in Klay Thompson (must admit he has not returned to form since his major injury). The point is the Nuggets are just 10-8 SU on the road and 7-11 ATS. Take GOLDEN STATE!

North Texas at Wichita State 9:00 ET

Mean Green (+) over Shockers- A couple many a few more years back Wichita State made a great run entering the post-season undefeated. As a matter of fact it was 2014 and the Shockers finished the season 34-0 with the Missouri Valley Championship and lost to Kentucky 78-76 in the third round ending 35-1. That started a four year conference championship run and they have been nothing special ever since even going 17-18 last season. Paul Mills is in his first season as head coach with the Shockers and he and his squad will get a lesson in ugly basketball and tough tenacious defense tonight by the current NIT champions. I saw them defeat UAB in the NIT finals at the Orleans in Las Vegas and it is unbelievable they way they can take a team out of their game out of their comfort zone. I really like this side tonight after all Wichita State is 7-0 at home and the odds makers give the visitor and even money shot to win outright. Take NORTH TEXAS STATE!

Penn State at Michigan State 7:30 ET

Spartans (-) over Nittany Lions- Michigan State was ranked No. 4 during preseason and like most Tm Izzo teams they started slowly losing three of their first six losing to Arizona, Wisconsin and Nebraska. At 3-3 they faced No. 6 Baylor in Detroit and routed the Bears 88-64 and they haven’t lost since. Penn State is off back-to-back wins over Le Moyne (I honestly have never heard of them) and Rider and playing teams of that low caliber does you no good. The real competition starts for Penn State tonight in their Big Ten opener. This is a great spot for Sparty who are already 0-2 in conference play. MSU has dominated the Lions over the years besting them 43 of 53 meetings overall and 25-2 over them in East Lansing. Take MICHIGAN STATE!  

Orlando at Sacramento 10:30 ET

Magic (+) over Kings- Gotta love the match-up of a pair of NBA teams that have emerged as a threat to win a playoff series against any possible opponent. Orlando is a stellar 22-11 ATS this season including 10-7 ATS on the road a place few prevail. Sacramento has improved in each of the past three season’s and have swept (2-0) the series the last two seasons. But, Orlando, has grown quickly since the arrival of Paolo Branchero who has pushed the Magic into a contender. Take ORLANDO!

NC State at Notre Dame 8:00 ET

Fighting Irish (+) over Wolfpack- These two met during the football season and I posted on of my early season Megabucks defeats (currently on an EIGHT game win streak in football) as I took the basketball school (NCS) against a football school (ND) and paid the price of such foolishness. This time around it is basketball meetings and I against will take the home team in what is not considered their best sport. Why would you do that one might ask...because the Fighting Irish lost to Citadel and after winning only three conference games last year they are looking for their second consecutive ACC victory. ND’s pace of play should frustrate the running Tigers and the home crowd will not help. Take NOTRE DAME!

Stanford at UCLA 9:00 ET

Cardinals (+) over Bruins- Stanford who is 6-6 have shown the capability of playing with anyone at any level as evidenced by their 100-82 rout of No. 4 Arizona. The Cardinal are trying to win their first road game of the season be it at a neutral site or a true road game as they are 0-4 SU and 0-1 in true road games. UCLA has won the last four meetings but Stanford got the money last time the clashed in February. The Bruins do not put the ball in the basket as much as the Cardinal but do the tougher defense. But, not good enough tonight. Take STANFORD!

Clemson at Miami-FL 8:00 ET

Tigers over Hurricanes- This one is a tough call for me but one that I had to make. Miami the city and University is one of my favorites places to be for sporting events and everything else that it has to offer. What is offered here is a well coach basketball team headed by Jim Larrannaga who is in his 14th season guiding the Hurricanes. The Miami is 8-0 SU at home and opened a small underdog to No. 16 Clemson (11-1, 1-0) in this one. The Canes have won three straight and are off a 95-55 rout of North Florida and coming off such an easy romp like that does nothing to help against a ranked club like Clemson. Just as long as the Tigers stay focused here and not have thoughts wondering to Saturday’s hosting of North Carolina they should prevail. Take CLEMSON!

Oklahoma City at Atlanta 7:30 ET

Hawks (+) over Thunder- We missed out on the Celtics and Thunder winner last night as Oklahoma City won their fifth straight game 127-123 over Boston the team with the best record in the NBA. But, I shall atone for it today with the winner here. Atlanta broke a streak of their own of four losses in-a-row Sunday by defeating lowly Washington 130-126. These two met in early November with the Thunder (+1.5) prevailing 126-117 (it was no surprise then as we did post the winner in that meeting) and this is the final meeting of the season. Last year they split the series and I see the same thing happening here. The Hawks have been putrid both SU and ATS especially at home where they are 1-12 ATS. But, they will play 13 of the next 18 at home and are looking to make up ground starting tonight. Thunder are playing back-to-back and the Hawks are flying high with confidence off the Sunday victory. The line seems a bit short and OKC looks like an easy play. Therefore...take ATLANTA!

Milwaukee at Indiana 7:10 ET

Pacers (+) over Bucks- When push comes to shove Milwaukee very well may have the biggest upside of all NBA contenders. Their firepower has them scoring 124.6 PPG second in the ‘Association.’ The number 1 scoring team happens to be hosting tonight match-up as the Pacers drop on 126.4 PPG. There will be no shortage of star power as the Bucks tout Antetokounmpo and Indiana sends out the fastest rising start in the NBA Tyrese Haliburton who is a triple-double machine. Look for a high scoring game with the home Pacers with the final edge. Take INDIANA!

Brooklyn at New Orleans 8:00 ET

Nets (+) over Pelicans- There two things that should happen at games end tonight is that Brooklyn will end a season long three game losing streak and the Pelicans will have their two-game win streak end. No question New Orleans has a big 3 in their line up with Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum who can carry a team as they have the past two games each scoring at least 20 points in wins over the Lakers and Jazz. The Nets who are 1-9 ATS in their last 10 games are 8-1 SU and ATS in the last nine meetings and rebound here. Take BROOKLYN!

Dallas at Utah 9:00 ET

Jazz (+) over Mavericks- The last time these two cagers met the Mavericks handed Utah a 50-point loss (147-97) the second worse loss in Jazz history and goes back to when they played in New Orleans where it made more sense to called them the Jazz. In the last meeting Utah was shorthanded and Luca Doncic dropped in 40 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in just three quarters but since that defeat they have won seven of 10 and are healthy. Healthy or not Dallas most likely be without the services of Kyrie (Flat world) Irving who is resting and a regular basis. Take UTAH!

Orlando at Phoenix 8:00 ET

Magic (+) over Suns- Phoenix who procured Kevin Durant before the close of the 2023-23 season and then proceeded to acquire Bradley Beal to go along with Devin Booker, Eric Gordon and Grayson Allen have only had three games with the Big-3 in the line-up. Friday the Suns won for the first time with their trio of super starts in the lineup defeating lowly Charlotte 133-119 as 15.5 point favorites. We always hear stories of how teams with new players especially high profile stars take time to mesh and learn each other idiosyncrasies. So, now after one game together and have a good shooting night against a very weak club I am to believe that the Suns rises in the west...not so fast my friend. Phoenix had lost nine of 12 before their consecutive wins and they are .5-12 ATS at home. I really don’t have much to say about the Magic other than they are much better than most people realize as their No. 1 draft pick from a year ago Paolo Branchero all-around play is infectious. Take ORLANDO!

Brooklyn at Oklahoma City 7:05 ET

Nets (+) over Thunder- The Thunder continue to win and are on a three game streak right now and have won six-of-seven which brings them to a 70% winning percentage at 21-9 SU. OKC showed improvement he latter half of last season and the addition of 2nd year rookie (may not make sense but it is true) Chet Holmgren has make major contribution that Wembanyama can not match. Brooklyn reminds me of what the Thunder were last season they are young and hungry and give a full 48 minute effort. OKC is third in scoring while the Nets are strong off the boards ranking third. This one stays close. Take BROOKLYN!

Miami at Utah 5:00 ET

Jazz (+) over Heat- This looks to me like a mirror image of the Thursday’s game with the Heat being a small underdog to the Warriors and now it has folded over with them as a small favorite at Utah. The Jazz just finished a five-game road trip and won the middle three games before falling at New Orleans Thursday night. The Jazz should be a full strength health wise for the first time this season while Miami continues to play hurt and continues to win. Utah has been under-maned most of the season and yet have managed to post a winning record at home going 8-5 SU and more importantly 9-3 ATS. The Heat have won the last five meetings, but the Jazz got the money the last meeting and will get it done here. Take UTAH!

Creighton vs Marquette 2:00 ET

Golden Eagles (-) over Bluejays- One of these two top Big East squads will have two losses to start conference play after this contest is over. Marquette dropped their conference opener at Providence but responded with a win over Georgetown 81-51. I saw Marquette falling to Villanova who won’t be contending for the title. The Bluejays had way too many turnovers and I have my doubts as to how good they really are but they can handle this spot. Take CREIGHTON!

Oklahoma City at Denver 9:00 ET

Thunder (+) over Nuggets- My goodness this is a short price to lay with the defending NBA Champions at home. Denver has not been all that bad at home going 13-2 SU although just 8-7 ATS with one of their two outright losses coming at the hands of the Thunder. Oklahoma City has the youngest team in the league and don’t know that they are supposed to be intimated by the defending champs...they are not! The Thunder have won their last two and seven of their last nine and will get it done again tonight. Take OKLAHOMA CITY!

San Diego State at Gonzaga 9:00 ET

Aztecs (+) over Bulldogs- Each of these two programs have represented the west in the NCAA Final Four over the past three years with San Diego State falling this past April and Gonzaga in 2021 and 2017. These two programs have split four previous meetings and the Aztecs have won their last three with their two losses coming against BYU and Grand Canyon (much better than people realize). Gonzaga is the big name team coming from the west but San Diego State has won 20 games or more in 17 of 18 seasons and will keep this one close with their stellar defense. Take SAN DIEGO STATE!

Philadelphia at Houston 8:00 ET

Rockets (+) over 76ers- Philadelphia is just not anything close to the same team when playing without the NBA’s MVP Joel Embiid who is the league leading scorer. The 76ers were 0-4 SU without their big man until a 20-point win at Orlando and winning on the road which has been a weak spot for them in recent seasons. Houston is one of the youngest teams (and developing fast) in the NBA and excel at home where they are 12-4 SU and 11-4-1 ATS. Embiid is still out. Take HOUSTON!

Sacramento at Atlanta 7:30 ET

Hawks (+)over Kings- Atlanta may be the biggest underachiever in the NBA this season as they ave one of the worst home records in the league. The Hawks are a meager 4-8 SU at home but are an horrid 1-11 ATS as hosts despite having one of the top guards Trae young who averages 28.1 points and 11.3 assists. Sacramento can match the Hawk front court play as De’ Aaron Fox averages 30.2 and 6,1 assists. The Kings have won six of 10 while the black birds have lost three straight and won just three of their last 12 games. They are ranked No 3 on offense with 122.3 PPG while the Kings are NO. 22 on defense allowing 118 PPG. Take ATLANTA!

Miami at Golden State 10:00 ET

Heat (+) over Warriors- Even through their slow start had Miami had struggling but they have managed to win nine of 15 road games. Only three other teams in the NBA have won more on the road while Golden State who also is off to a weak start to the season has reeled off eight straight home wins. The Warriors may have won at home but they are a disappointing 6-9 ATS as hosts. The Heat still doesn’t know if Jimmy Butler will be able to play as he has missed the last three games and yet the line on this match-up is very low. It leads me to believe the Warriors will struggle again. Take MIAMI!

New York at Oklahoma City 8:00 ET

Knicks (+) over Thunder- OKC has three of the NBA’s youngest stars as their wait to next year mantra has turned into winning now. At 19-9 the Thunder have to be taken seriously being led by All-star Gilgeous Alexander, second year rookie Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams. New York is led by Jalen Brunson and although they have lost their center Mitchell and still are second in the NBA in rebounding while Oklahoma City is second to last. Knicks over win over Milwaukee adding the confidence needed to beat the league’s elite. Take NEW YORK!

Milwaukee at Brooklyn 7:30 ET

Nets (+) over Bucks- When reviewing the Bucks play to date my thoughts run to this club scoring points and not playing the tough defense needed to win during the playoffs. Milwaukee is second in the NBA in points scored with 124.5 per game but allow 119.1 and have surrendered 120 points or more 15 times this season as their interior presence has been soft allowing 53 points per game in the paint. They have gone ‘over’ the total in 20 of their 30 games. Brooklyn who is 11-4-1 ATS at home have dropped nine of 11 SU against the Bucks but have gone 3-1 ATS in the last four meetings and 5-of-6 have gone under. The Nets had dropped five straight until their two wins against Detroit and are 1-6 ATS in their last seven. They are a young club that will surprise the league in their play before the season’s end and they are eager to measure up against the Bucks. Take BROOKLYN!

Memphis at New Orleans 8:10 ET

Pelicans (+) over Grizzlies- Ja is back! Ja Morant who was suspended the first 25 games of the regular season has return with a splash as Memphis who was 6-19 in his absence have now won three straight upon his return. (After three games he might have already established he is the league’s MVP) The Grizzlies started their win streak at New Orleans a week ago when the Pelicans blew a 24-point lead having a fourth quarter collapse. The Crescent City will host this meeting once again with the line dropping from a minus-8.5 and now have a price of minus-4.5 a number they will cover handing the Grizzlies their first loss since Morant’s return. Take NEW ORLEANS!

Indiana at Houston 8:00 ET

Pacers (+) over Rockets- Indiana was the NBA’s highest scoring team as of two weeks ago but have hit a snag losing their last two and six of seven as they meet Houston for the first time this season. The Pacers made a run during the NBA in-season tournament and are seeking to regain their intensity after a disappoint loss to the Lakers in the final. The Rockets are an outstanding 12-2 SU and 11-2-1 ATS at home but have lost seven straight to the Pacers going 2-7 ATS. They have rebounded nicely with a pair of wins after having dropped three straight but just seem to struggle against this Hoosier state club. Take INDIANA!

Atlanta at Chicago 8:00 ET

Hawks (+) over Bulls- Atlanta’s Trae Young is on a record setting streak scoring 30 points or more with at least 10 assists in seven straight games although the Hawks were only 3-4 losing their last two. Chicago is 2-1 on their current five game home stand and this without All-star Zach Levine who remains sidelined with a foot injury. The high flying Hawks average 122.7 PPG which is No. 2 in NBA scoring while the Bulls offense struggles at 110 PPG ranking 27th. Take ATLANTA!

Philadelphia at Miami 8:00 ET

Heat (-) over 76ers- Something might be going on here as Miami comes up the favorite against the 76ers. It just does not make sense Philadelphia has been one of the most dominate teams in the NBA this season and are 20-8 SU and 8-4 SU and ATS on the road. What is going on is that Joel Embiid the reigning MVP who averages a league high 35 points,11.7 rebounds six assists and 2 blocked shots.The Heat just haven’t been able to put it together yet and are just 4-10 ATS at home. But, without their stud they are not the same. Take MIAMI!

Boston at LA Lakers 5:00 ET

Lakers (+) over Celtics- The Celtics are shooting the lights out of the ball scoring 144 and 145 points in their past two games making 47 three-point shots. Yep, 47 long range bombs defeating the Kings and Clippers and that was the first time since 1966 that the Celtics scored over 140 points in consecutive games. The Lakers with Anthony Davis and LeBron can dominate play at times but the rest of the squad has to pick up the slack. LA won the in season tourney and have dropped five of six since. On Christmas and with a national audience King James will do enough to get the money here. Take the LA LAKERS

Milwaukee at New York 12:00 ET

Knicks (+) over Bucks- This is the second of back-to-back contests and Milwaukee already routed the Knicks 130-111 winning their ninth straight in the series bring their ATS record to 7-0-2. New York has shown improvement in each of the past three seasons under Tom Tribodeau but have had their problems with the Bucks. The media in NY has been riding the Knicks pretty hard saying that they can’t win against the NBA elite and site the Bucks as a perfect example. But, they are capable and are 7-4 SU at home while Milwaukee is 6-5 ATS on the road but just 13-16 ATS on the season. Take NEW YORK!

St. John’s at Connecticut 8:00 ET

Huskies (+) over Red Storm- Both of these clubs had their Big East openers this week and with unexpected results. The defending national champs suffered their worse loss in almost four years as Seton Hall trounced Connecticut 75-60. Seton Hall under Rick Pitino opened conference play with a 75-60 win over Xavier. The Red Storm only returned two players from last season’s and had trouble early meshing together. The Huskies were off to an impressive start with double digit wins over North Carolina, Texas and Gonzaga but fell at Kansas. Look for the champs to rebound (literally) and handle the storm easily. Take CONNECTICUT!

Orlando at Indiana

Magic (+) over Pacers- Considering that Orlando has lost four straight this line looks awful shallow to me but, then again the Pacers have dropped five of their last six. Indiana leads the NBA is scoring and that attracts a lot of attention but, there is always a but, they also allow the most points pr game. The Magic have already posted a 128-116 win over Indiana in November and now the Pacers Jalen Smith is out. Take ORLANDO!

Phoenix at Sacramento 10:00 ET

Suns (+) over Kings- How about those Phoenix Suns...with a line up that includes Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Eric Gordon and Frank Vogel as coach (for how long) and are 3-7 in their last 10 and amazing 1-9 ATS with their only win and cover against Golden State. Sacramento has won the last three meetings and three of their last four games after getting blown out by the Celtics 144-119 at home Wednesday night. Kings might get caught peeking to Saturday night when they host Minnesota who has the NBA’s best record. Take PHOENIX!

Dallas at Houston 8:00 ET

Rockets (-) over Mavericks- Now, hold on a sec...I had to do a double check upon seeing the opening line on this encounter as it just ‘don’t make sense.’ Dallas is 16-11 SU including a stellar 9-5 both SU and ATS on the road and are such a heavy underdog to upstart Houston who is 13-12 SU on the year. Now, if my memory is correct the Mavericks have Luca Doncic and Kyrie Irving a pair of superstars but getting them on the court at the same time can be difficult. The have lost their last two and 3-of-4 while Irving has been on sabbatical the past six games and other injuries have depleted the Mavericks quality playing time. Take HOUSTON!

Atlanta at Miami 7:30 ET

Hawks (+) over Heat- Once again I am either being sucked into a play or I am on another winner and I think that it is the later of the two. Here is Miami four-games over .500 and Atlanta three games under .500 with the Heat at home a virtual pick’em. Injuries are playing  a huge part of this match-up as Atlanta returns Bogdan Bogdanovic to the line up while the Heat have numerous players on and off the work management goof and Jimmy Butler is often court side in street clothes. Take ATLANTA!

San Antonio at Chicago 7:00 ET

Spurs (+) over Bulls- When even thinking of playing San Antonio you have to pick your spots and although the Spurs have won just four of 26 games and are 2-10 SU on the road and are 5-7 ATS. I have stayed away from this bottom rung club posting them only twice and winning both times and this is a spot to play them. San Antonio has won just one of their last 20 games while Chicago has won two straight against the Sixers and Lakers. Victor Wembanyama rested Tuesday and should be ready tonight. Take SAN ANTONIO!

Alabama vs Arizona

Crimson Tide over Wildcats- Both clubs off losses with Alabama having dropped their last two to No. 1 Purdue and No. 8 Creighton and this will be their third consecutive Top-10 opponent. Arizona reached the top spot and as No. 1 at Purdue last Saturday they tasted defeat for the first time and fell, after a two week stint at No. 1. This game is a supposed to be played at a neutral site , but in Phoenix their will be little fan support for the Crimson Tide.  But the Tide ebbs and flows and they are ready to flow with their it’s ‘Us against the world’ attitude. Take ALABAMA!

North Carolina vs Oklahoma 9:00 ET

Sooners over Tar Heels- Man there are some bogus numbers surrounding these two squads that make this contest a ‘no mas’ for one side. North Carolina has n edge over the Sooners in offensive scoring averaging just a half more 84.9-to-84.4 but on the other end of the floor it is a totally different story. But, the only offensive stat which the Tar Heels are ranked within the Top-100 is that they make 21.2 free throws a game ranking #2 whole Oklahoma is within the Top-50 with four categories and two of which are Top-15.  Take OKLAHOMA

Atlanta at Houston 8:00 ET

Hawks (+) over Rockets- It wasn’t long ago Houston was one of the dregs of the NBA and although they have only two wins on the road they have currently won 11 straight home games. They have accomplished this by playing tough defense where they are ranked at the third best defense in the league. Atlanta is still trying to regain the form that had them advancing in the NBA playoffs as they are below .500 and just 6-20 ATS on the year. Trae Young has started to warm-up. hawks flying high tying to win their second consecutive game for just the second time since week two of the season. Take ATLANTA!

Denver at Toronto 8:00 ET

Raptors (+) over Nuggets- The price (line) on this game is a bit short when you have a sub .500 club up against the reigning NBA Champions. Denver having won the bet last season seems to be on cruise control so far and injuries and stars missing games have had its impact as well. The Nuggets are just 7-8 SU on the road and although struggling with their record Toronto has is starting to mesh together having five straight games with 30 assists. Take TORONTO!

Minnesota at Philadelphia 7:00 ET

76ers over Timberwolves- Ya know, after Joel Embiid won the MVP last season (his numbers were good enough I expected a bit even ever so slight of a drop off in his level of play. I couldn’t have more off base as his numbers are better this season and he is even more deserving up to this point. Currently he has 11 straight games with30 points and 11 rebounds. So, kudos to Joel! But, it is Minnesota with the best record in basketball (20-5 ) after a come from behind win at Miami (A-play loser) so I’m a a little leery have to play on or against the T’wolves. But, I will. Take MINNESOTA!

Baylor vs Duke 7:00 ET

Bears (+) over Blue Devils- The old gray mare just ain’t what she used to be...and neither are the Blue Devils. Duke has won their last two games against Charlotte and Hofstra (not exactly powerhouses) and are now 7-3 on the year. Now, a Duke team that already had three losses and were 5-3 before playing a pair of powder puffs. Baylor after winning their first nine contests is off a loss at another supposed neutral site in Detroit falling to Michigan State (Megabucks winner). Ranked No 10 the Bears come up a small dog at Madison Square a place the Blue devils love to play and their history is to put on a show. The defenses of these two are very comparable but the Bears get the edge on offense and are ranked #2 in shooting 42.1% from 3-point range as well as being #3 with defensive rebounds. Take BAYLOR!

Boston at Golden State 10:00 ET

Warriors (+) over Celtics- Boston who has played more home games than any other NBA team is off five straight wins at home and embarking on their first west coast trip facing the Warriors, Sacramento, the Lakers and Clippers. Golden State doesn’t look anything like the clubs that defeated the Celtics four-games to two in the 2022 NBA Finals. They started to look better last time out as Klay Thompson who had been slumping came to life along with Andrew Wiggins and of course Curry is still Curry. Curry’s streak of consecutive games with a 3-pointer ended at 286 games (five years) and will be starting a new streak tonight. Take GOLDEN STATE!

Marquette at Providence 8:30 ET

Friars (+) over Golden Eagles- Both of the clubs come in with glittering 9-2 records with only Marquette being ranked and at No. 6 at that. The Golden Eagles (They were the Warriors when Al McGuire led them to their National Championship) have made their brand most prominent in today’s game and they will be favored on the road against a team that is 8-0 at home. Friars losses to Kansas State and Oklahoma while beating up on weaklings at home but also defeated Wisconsin and Georgia. This one com down to the final buzzer...take PROVIDENCE!

Virginia at Memphis 7:00 ET

Tigers over Cavaliers- Both of these squads will be a part of the first 64 in the Big Dance come March and both survived with narrow wins on Saturday. Memphis -3.5 defeated Clemson 79-77 for the non-cover victory while the Cavaliers downed Northeastern 56-54 a game that wasn’t even n the board. The Tigers win over the ACC Tigers is a much more impressive getting the best of NE and by just two-point. Virginia will try and slow down the pace which they do very well, but the Tigers dealt with the same style deliberate play against Clemson and prevailed. Last time out I used Clemson as my Highest-Rated megabucks release and I said it was a game where usually when a non-ranked team is favored over a ranked team they are a play.Well, we busted that theory and played against it, tonight we are going back to it! The non-ranked Tigers are favored over the 22nd ranked Cavaliers...Take MEMPHIS!

Florida at Michigan 7:00 ET

Wolverines (+) over Gators- Every year I can count on one thing, and that is that the Florida Gators will be over-rated in basketball. The impostors are a shinny 7-3 SU but once again are a deal breaker when it come to turning a profit as thy are just 2-7-1 ATS. Michigan has had a rough road playing and losing to the likes of Memphis, Texas Tech, Oregon and Indiana while the Gators fell to Virginia and Baylor. Both clubs average 82.4 PPG with Florida holding a defensive edge, But, this is where improvement form scheduling help along with paying at home where the Wolves defense will stiffen. Take MICHIGAN!

Minnesota at Miami 7:30 ET

Heat over Timberwolves- Minnesota is finally playing the way may have expected for a number of season and have been one of the most impressive NBA teams this year. The Timberwolves have won 8-of-9 and 18 of their last 21 and have not lost consecutive games this season. Miami is off a tough 118-116 victory over Chicago with Jimmy Butler hitting the winning shot. The Heat are still difficult to beat and although they are just 3-9 ATS at home now they are playing in the underdog roll. Add that Kevin Love is healthy and has eased the pressure on Butler. Take MIAMI!

Seton Hall vs Missouri 5:00 ET

Pirates (+) over Tigers- I know how bad Seton Hall can actually be and when I saw Missouri come up such a short favorite my thoughts were that the tigers are probably over-rated by the public. It just looks so easy I have seen the Pirates up close and personal and maybe I am expecting too much early in he season but I was not impressed. With this game in Kansas city I expected Mizzu to be at least a 5.5-6-point favorites but the bookmaker thinks otherwise and I truly believe he knows more today than I do. The injury to Tigers guard Caleb Grill must be having a huge impact. Take SETON HALL!

Brooklyn at Golden State 8:30 ET

Nets (+) over Warriors- Conflict here because I beginning to think that it is time to fade Golden State and it is not just the Draymond Green thing...they just don;t seem to have what it takes this season with Klay Thompson having another disappointing start. If Curry is the only one that is the same, hey they will win their portion of games but my conflict comes from the Warriors starting the season 1-7 SU at home but have won five of their last six. But, overall Golden State has been a nightmare for their backers going 2-9 ATS at home. The Nets have been on the opposite side of the ledger and are 17-6-1 ATS on the season and 7-4 ATS on the road. Without a superstar the Nets don’t let their egos affect their performance. Take BROOKLYN!

Clemson at Memphis 3:00 ET

Tigers (+) over Tigers- Ha! Okay, so that their no confusion right off and that is Clemson is  he side for me. Some have questioned me because well, for the most part the rule to me is that when a non-ranked team is favored over a ranked team fade then ranked and that would Clemson. But, I am beginning to believe that after what I saw last season that maybe they have gone too far with unranked teams being favored over undefeated teams again Clemson. The difference should come down to the ACC defense because Memphis doesn’t play it as well. Take CLEMSON!!

Texas A&M at Houston 2:30 ET

Aggies (+) over Cougars- The No. 4 team in the nation will do battle with an instate rival as they host Texas A&M at a neutral site in Houston. The Cougars are though off as an offensive unit but it is their defense which is No. 1 in the nation allowing just 49.7 PPG while posting 10 straight wins against many inferior opponents. Texas A&M is off a gritty loss to Memphis snapping a 14-game home winning streak but will have to shoot better (39% last time out) to reach their season average of 76.6. With Houston undefeated on a Saturday afternoon a pair of state rivals clash and it has all the earmarks of a buzzer beater although Cougars hold a 53-32 series advantage. Still...Take TEXAS A&M!

Baylor at Michigan State 2:00 ET

Spartans (+) over Bears- I really like this Baylor club they are ranked No. 6 and are undefeated at 9-0 opening the year with a win over Auburn and currently they are 6-1-1 ATS overall. I can’t say too much that I like what I have seen from Michigan State (4-5) as ‘we’ have faded them three times Nebraska, Wisconsin and Arizona and won them all. But, MSU coach Tom Izzo is a great motivator and always gets the most out of his players even when their talent level is a step below their opponents. The Spartans have dropped from a preseason No. 4ranking to out of the Top-25...but, they must have something that we haven’t seen yet. Take MICHIGAN STATE!

Connecticut vs Gonzaga 10:00 ET

Huskies over Bulldogs- With this line (Connecticut favored) and these two clubs meeting in Seattle in the virtual home game for the Bulldogs and  it appears the Huskies are by far the superior team with this price. Gonzaga has been recognized with national prominence in recent seasons and UConn is the defending national champions but still, this price I would have thought if the Zags had a legitimate chance to win this line would be closer to pick-em. Bookmakers re .making it easy to take Bulldogs at home in their backyard. Huskies prevail. Take CONNECTICUT!

Orlando at Boston 7:30 ET

Magic (+) over Celtics- I always get a lump in my throat when playing against Boston as they may be the best balanced club in the NBA. The Celtics just swept Cleveland I their two-games back-to-back played over three days and they are now 12-0 SU at home. Although a game under .500 ARS on the season Boston still takes advantage of their home floor going 8-4 ATS at home and all as favorites. Tonight’s opposition is the up and coming Orlando Magic who are 17-6 ATS on the year to date and 6-4 ATS on the road and have won 11-of their last 13 games. Take ORLANDO!

Golden State at LA Clippers 10:30 ET

Warriors (+) over Clippers- I believe that these two clubs have exchanged places in the NBA pecking order of late. LA is on a five game winning streak and have won 10 of 13 and tonight the are hosting a reeling Warriors who have lost three of four. Golden State although 10-13 is 8-4 ATS on the road while the Clippers are 9-3 ATS at home. These two have alternated wins and losses the last eight meetings and tonight it’s the Warriors turn. Take GOLDEN STATE!

Minnesota at Dallas 7:30 E

Timberwolves (+) over Mavericks- This year these two clubs both Minnesota and Dallas who have been floating in middle of the pack for the past few seasons but are having on a playoff track right now. The Mavericks are playing together this season after a year of turmoil that started after Kyrie Irving came over from the Nets. They and have won their last four and Irving has missed the past two games with a sore right heel. Minnesota had won seven in-a-row and 8-of-9 prior to their loss at New Orleans on Monday. Wolves on a mission this season and are 12-3 against Western foes. Take MINNESOTA!

Golden State at Phoenix 10:00 ET

Warriors (+) over Suns- Golden State has had a run behind the shooting of Stephen Curry and have had their way against most teams in the NBA in the past. But, last year they were just 11-30 on the road and their traveling woes have continued into this season where they have now lost five in-a-row. Phoenix who has loaded their roster with superstars will have Bradly Beal, Devin Booker and Kevin Durant on the floor together for the first time this season. The Suns haven’t played well of late losing five of six defeating lowly Memphis for their lone victory. Suns are 2-0 versus the Warriors this season and tonight their dreams of getting the Hat-trick will fall short. Take GOLDEN STATE!

Michigan State at Nebraska 6:30 ET

Cornhuskers (+) over Spartans- Both of these clubs are off losses and have yet to win a Big Ten contest. Nebraska has had their best start at 7-2 in 30 seasons while Michigan State hasn’t started 0-2 in conference action in three years while the Cornhuskers are trying to avoid their four straight 0-2 start to Big Ten play. Spartans struggling off the boards and have been out-rebounded this season while the ‘Huskers playing tough defense as this one comes down to the fianls buzzer. Take NEBRASKA!

Indiana vs LA Lakers 8:30 ET

Lakers (-) over Pacers- Although the NBA’s In-Season Tournament Finals are supposed to be played at a neutral site in Las Vegas, it is more like a Lakers home game with a strongly bias crowd in attendance. To travel to Las Vegas for these games if you are in New Orleans is a hardship to attend when these games were not even scheduled and the same goes for the fans in Indiana whereas for Lakers fans it is a whole different story from Los Angeles is not uncommon for LA people to drive here. Also, Vegas virtually adopts the LA teams and it’s a short hop or drive to Las Vegas.  LeBron James showcased his all around game in the Lakers rout of New Orleans playing just 23 minutes with 30 as he ran the show with eight rebounds and nine assists and tonight it will be ‘Show Time.” Pacers are good and I really like them but...Take LA LAKERS!

BYU at Utah 7:00 ET

Utes (+) over Cougars- This battle in the Beehive State has an undefeated BYU club that is bouncing back from a mediocre season last year. They have gotten off to an 8-0 start and lead the nation in scoring margin (32.9), 3-pointers per game (12.9) and bench points (40.8). Utah is always a tough foe for anyone and is 6-2 and have won three straight games. The Utes have the pleasure of hosting the Cougars first real road game of the year and and against this rival makes it more intense than they otherwise might expect. Take UTAH!

Arkansas vs Oklahoma 4:00 ET

Razorbacks (+) over Sooners- The Oklahoma (8-0) numbers are off the charts as they have dominated their opposition winning by an average margin of 23.5 ppg while scoring 85.5 and allowing 62.0 ppg. But, you have to figure that the Sooners have yet to play a road game although they do have a pair of neutral site wins, Arkansas are aggressive and go hard to the hoop averaging 10 more free throws a game than does Oklahoma. Razorbacks hold a 17-13 series lead and will give the Sooners all that they can handle. Take ARKANSAS!

Alabama at Purdue 1:30 ET

Crimson Tide (+) over Boilermakers- Last year’s National Player of the Year Zach Edey returns to his hometown of Toronto as Purdue and Alabama will go at it in the Hall of Fame Series as he was a member of Canada’s World Cup team. It looks like he might repeat the NCAA’s individual award as he is averaging 23.7 points on 63.6% shooting with 11.2 rebounds and 26 blocked shots. Both schools were No. 1 seeds last in the Final-4 last year and although the Crimson Tide have some work to do to reach that level of play but they can still hang with the big boys as evidenced  by their four wins by over 22 points. Take ALABAMA!  

Sacramento at Phoenix 9:00 ET

Kings over Suns- So, what I see here is a team with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal as an underdog at home against a foe that is on their same level. Seeing Phoenix as an underdog raises questions and I think they are telling us the Kings have the answer. Take SACRAMENTO!

Golden State at Oklahoma City 8:00 ET

Warriors (+) over Thunder- Golden State has had a season’s worth of drama already this season. Starting with Dramond Green’s five-game suspension, Klay’s Thompson’s shooting woes and Stephen Curry’s health have them at 10-10. OKC is an upstart that will cause plenty of teams headaches and they have gotten the bookmakers respect when you see what the line is here. Thunder a false favorite against this veteran club that will respond here. Take GOLDEN STATE!