15* CBB Wednesday No-Doubt Rout on North Carolina -18

North Carolina should be a much bigger favorite against Northern Iowa in this contest in Chapel Hill.  The Tar Heels will be motivated following a tough 100-103 loss to Kentucky last time out, and I look for them to respond with a blowout home victory.

Following their only other loss of the season on the road to Indiana, UNC bounced back with a 45-point win.  And I think the Tar Heels are undervalued right now because they are 0-4 ATS in their last four games.  But they were playing without their best player in Joel Berry for most of those games, and he just returned against Kentucky.

Northern Iowa is just 2-5 SU & 1-6 ATS in its last seven games overall.  That includes a 22-point loss to Xavier and a 23-point loss to Iowa.  Those two results alone show that UNC should win by 20-plus.  The Panthers also lost at home to George Mason and on the road to Wyoming during this stretch.  Their only two wins came at home against South Dakota State and North Dakota.

UNC is an explosive offensive team that averages 89.0 points per game.  It will control the tempo playing at home and get Northern Iowa out of its comfort zone.  The Panthers like to slow it down to make up for their offensive liabilities.  They only average 66.3 points on 40.4% shooting this season, including 62.5 points and 37.9% shooting on the road.

Northern Iowa is 0-7 ATS after scoring 55 points or fewer over the past two seasons.  The Panthers are 1-8 ATS in road games versus good offensive teams who average 77 or more points per game over the past two seasons.  Northern Iowa is 0-5 ATS in its last five vs. a team with a winning record.  UNC is 11-4 ATS in its last 15 home games.  Take North Carolina Wednesday.

15* NBA Wednesday Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Detroit Pistons -6

The Detroit Pistons are highly motivated for a victory here tonight.  They have lost three straight games by double-digits coming in, which has them undervalued.  Stan Van Gundy has ripped their effort, and I expect them to respond in a big way tonight.

It helps that the Pistons face a Memphis Grizzlies team that is running on fumes right now.  Indeed, the Grizzlies will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 6th game in 9 days, which is one of the toughest situations a team can be in.

Making matters worse for the Grizzlies is that they went to overtime against Boston last night.  Ton Allen played 38 minutes, Mike Conley played 36 and Marc Gasol played 37.  I don't see Memphis having much left to give, which is a bad combination when you consider the hunger that the Pistons will be playing with.

Detroit is 13-2 ATS in home games after having lost four of its last five games over the past three seasons.  The Pistons are 26-12 ATS in their last 38 games as home favorites.  The Grizzlies are 3-9 ATS in their last 12 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.  Roll with the Pistons Wednesday.

20* NBA TOTAL OF THE MONTH on Bucks/Cavs UNDER 209

I was on the UNDER 212.5 in the Cavs/Bucks game last night and it was a very bad beat.  The game ended up tied 100-100 at the end of regulation for 200 combined points, but overtime sent it over the total.  We'll get our money back and then some by taking the UNDER 209 tonight.

I really like taking the UNDER in these second of home-and-home situations.  These teams play again tonight and are obviously very familiar with one another not only because they played last night, but also because this will be their 3rd meeting in three weeks.  Points are harder to come by when teams are familiar with each other.  Not to mention, both teams will be fatigued in this 2nd of a back-to-back, which hurts offense more than defense.

A big reason I liked the UNDER last night was because Kevin Love wasn't playing, and he's questionable to return to the floor tonight.  The Cavs really miss his offense, but they are a better defensive team without him.  And now J.R. Smith likely has a broken thumb that he suffered last night and will miss an extended period of time.  Smith helps the Cavs space the floor and his shooting will be missed, too.  Bet the UNDER in this game Wednesday.

15* Nuggets/Clippers NBA Late-Night BAILOUT on Denver +9

Most of the time I'm looking to fade teams on the 2nd of back-to-backs.  But that's not the case for certain teams like the Denver Nuggets, who have a young nucleus that isn't phased by these situations.  And the Nuggets have one of the best benches in the NBA, which makes them less vulnerable than most teams in these spots.

The Nuggets have finally gotten healthy as Gary Harris just returned to the lineup and is lighting it up.  They currently have nobody on the injury report for the first time all season, and as a result they are playing their best basketball of the season.  They are 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in their last three games overall with three straight double-digit victories over Portland (by 12), New York (by 13) and Dallas (by 10).

Another reason I'm not worried about backing the Nuggets in this 2nd of a back-to-back is because this will still only be their 4th game in 8 days.  Plus, they have two days off after this game, so they are going to put all their eggs into one basket here and give it their best effort.

I'll gladly fade the Los Angeles Clippers as 9-point favorites here.  They just suffered a big blow when Blake Griffin was injured in a 110-117 loss to Washington on Sunday.  Griffin had to have knee surgery and will miss three-to-six weeks to recover.  The Clippers have been lost without him in the past, and they will be lost without him moving forward.  There's no way they should be laying 9 points without him, especially with how well the Nuggets are playing coming in.

Denver is 30-16 ATS in its last 46 games as road underdogs.  Los Angeles is 4-14 ATS in its last 18 games off an upset loss as a favorite.  This is the Clippers' first game home from a 3-game road trip.  The last time they returned home from an extended road trip they lost to the Pacers 102-111 as 11.5-point favorites on December 4th.  Los Angeles is 1-6 ATS in its last seven home games.  The Clippers are 0-6 ATS in their last six after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.  The road team is 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings.  Roll with the Nuggets Tuesday.

15* CBB Tuesday Undervalued Underdog on Portland State +8

I really like this Portland State Pilots team.  They are off to a 5-4 start this season and have a ton of depth.  They have six players scoring at least 10.3 points per game and a 7th that averages 8.9 points.  That helped them overcome the loss of leading scorer Braxton Tucker (16.8 ppg) in their last four games.

They have gone 3-1 without Tucker with their only loss coming by a final of 79-71 at CS-Bakersfield.  They even went on the road and beat San Francisco 82-78 as 9.5-point dogs last time out.  Not to mention, they beat Pepperdine 91-85 as 11.5-point road dogs in the game Tucker was injured.  So I'm not concerned whether or not he plays in this game, though he is questionable and could return, which would only be an added bonus.

The biggest reason to back Portland State tonight is the rest advantage, and the fact that it will be hyped to play rival Portland.  The Vikings have had three days off since beating San Francisco on Friday.  Portland will be playing its 3rd game in 5 days here after beating South Dakota on Friday and Oregon State on Sunday.

The win over Oregon State has to feel good beating a Power 5 program, but the Beavers are way down this year and missing their best player.  I think the Pilots could suffer a letdown here following that win.  Plus, they were terrible in their previous two games, only beating South Dakota 85-82 and lowly UTRGV 90-89.  The Pilots should not be laying 8 points based on those results, especially playing their 3rd game in 5 days.

Portland is 12-30 ATS in its last 42 vs. teams who allow 77 or more points per game.  Portland State is 12-3 ATS in its last 15 road games after a combined score of 155 points or more in three straight games.  The Vikings are 6-2-1 ATS in their last nine road games.  The Pilots are 1-5 ATS in their last six games as a home favorite of 7.0 to 12.5 points.  Portland is 5-13-1 ATS in its last 19 games following a win.  Take Portland State Tuesday.

15* NBA Tuesday Total DOMINATOR on Cavs/Bucks UNDER 212.5

The Cleveland Cavaliers are going to want revenge from a 101-118 loss at Milwaukee on November 29th in their first meeting this season.  They were going through their worst stretch of the season during that loss, but have since won six of their last seven games coming in.

The biggest reason for their improvement has been their emphasis on defense.  They have allowed 94 or fewer points in four of their last six games coming in.  And after giving up 118 to Milwaukee in that loss, they will be motivated to shut down the Bucks in the rematch.

The Bucks have been playing stingy defense of their own, allowing just 83.0 points per game in their last two contests.  And their job just got a whole lot easier with Kevin Love now doubtful to play tonight with a knee injury.  Love really makes the Cavs' offense go, and without him they are just a shell of themselves.  But the Cavs are actually a better defensive team without Love in there as he is clearly a liability on that end.

Plays on the UNDER on home teams where the total is greater than or equal to 210 (MILWAUKEE) - after going under the total by 30 or more points total in their last three games, with a winning record on the season are 35-11 (76.1%) over the last five seasons.  Plays on the UNDER on home teams where the total is greater than or equal to 200 (MILWAUKEE) - after going under the total by 30 or more points total in their last three games, with a winning percentage of between 45-55% on the season are 40-13 (75.5%) over the past five years.  The UNDER is 35-17 in Bucks last 52 games following a straight up win.  Take the UNDER in this game Tuesday.

20* NBA GAME OF THE MONTH on New York Knicks -5.5

The New York Knicks will be highly motivated for a victory at home tonight.  They have lost three straight games to end their recent five-game road trip.  They'll be looking to get back on the winning track here.  They have been a very resilient team this year as this is the first time that they've lost more than two in a row.

And the main reason they have lost three in a row is because star PG Derrick Rose has missed the past three games due to injury.  Rose is expected to return to the lineup as he practiced on Monday and was symptom-free of his nagging back injuries.  Rose is averaging 16.4 points and 4.4 assists this season while proving to be a huge addition to this roster.

The biggest reason I like the Knicks is because they have a huge rest advantage here.  They last played on Saturday, giving them two days off in between games to get ready for the Pacers tonight.  Meanwhile, Indiana will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and its 5th game in 7 days, which is one of the toughest situations in the NBA.

Making matters worse for the Pacers is that they are short-handed right now, missing both Monte Ellis and Rodney Stuckey, who are instant offense for them.  They have had to play their weak bench bigger minutes as guys like Al Jefferson, Glenn Robinson and Aaron Brooks saw significant time last night, especially Robinson and his five points in 30 minutes.

The Knicks are 9-4 SU & 9-4 ATS at home this season, while the Pacers are 4-10 SU & 4-10 ATS on the road.  New York is 28-13 ATS in its last 41 games off two consecutive road losses by 10 points or more.  The Knicks are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games after allowing 110 points or more in their previous game.  New York is 8-1 ATS after playing two consecutive games as a dog this season. The Knicks are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 home games.  New York is 5-0 ATS in its lat five games following an ATS loss.  The Pacers are 1-5 ATS in their last six games following a win.  The home team is 16-5 ATS in the last 21 meetings.  Bet the Knicks Tuesday.

15* NBA Monday No-Doubt Rout on Indiana Pacers -6

The Washington Wizards are in a very tough spot here tonight.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 3rd game in 4 days after topping the Clippers 117-110 at home last night as 5.5-point underdogs.  After that huge win over the Clippers, it's only fitting that they would have a letdown here.

Meanwhile, the Pacers had yesterday off after a nice 105-90 road win at Detroit on Saturday.  The Pacers have been handling their business at home this season, going 10-4 SU & 8-6 ATS on their home floor.  I think they are worth the price as only 6-point favorites here.

The Washington Wizards have also been a great home team, but it has been a different story on the road.  The Wizards are just 2-8 SU & 3-7 ATS in road games this season.  The Pacers have won four of their last five meetings against the Wizards.

The Wizards are 3-10 ATS in their last 13 games playing on 0 days' rest.  The Pacers are 4-0 ATS in their last four home games.  Washington is 0-4 ATS in its last four road games vs. a team with a winning home record.  Roll with the Pacers Monday.

15* CBB Monday Undervalued Underdog on Samford +22.5

The Samford Bulldogs are a quality team capable of giving Florida State a run for its money today.  Samford is 7-3 this season, which includes a solid 4-2 record in true road games.  The Bulldogs' only two road losses this season came at New Mexico State by 10 and at Cincinnati by 15 as 19-point dogs.

Florida State comes in overvalued due to its 11-1 record this season.  The Seminoles are starting to lay the kinds of big numbers that are going to be tough for them to cover moving forward.  They just beat a bad Manhattan team by 16 as 24.5-point favorites on Saturday.

Now the Seminoles have had only one day to prepare for Samford after playing on Saturday.  The Bulldogs have had two days off in between games after a nice 82-79 win at South Alabama as 4-point dogs on Friday.  And I think the Seminoles could be looking ahead here as their next game will be their ACC opener against Wake Forest.

Samford is 10-1 ATS in road games off a non-conference game over the past two seasons.  Florida State is 15-35 ATS in its last 50 games after having won eight or more of its last 10 games.  The Bulldogs are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 road games when playing against a team with a winning record.  Samford is 6-0 ATS in its last six road games.  The Bulldogs are 20-5-1 ATS in their last 26 non-conference games.  Take Samford Monday.

15* CBB Sunday Undervalued Underdog on Northeastern +12.5

The Michigan State Spartans are in a world of hurt right now.  They are just 7-4 on the season and clearly one of the worst teams that Tom Izzo has had in a long time.  The news went from bad to worse when they lost their best player Miles Bridges (16.6 ppg, 8.8 rpg) to an ankle injury.

The Spartans have played their last three games without Bridgers, and it's been ugly.  All three games came at home against Oral Roberts (80-76) as 21.5-point favorites, Youngstown State (77-57) as 18.5-point favorites and Tennessee Tech (71-63) as 19-point favorites.

Northeastern is better than all three of those teams.  And the Huskies just have a knack for playing in close games.  In fact, all 10 of their games this season have been decided by 10 points or less, including seven by 4 points or fewer.  They showed what they were capable of by stunning UConn 64-61 as 13-point road dogs.

The Huskies are 11-4 ATS in their last 15 games as an underdog of 7.0-12.5.  Northeastern is 5-1 ATS in its last six games as an underdog.  The Huskies are 5-0-1 ATS in their last six games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  The Spartans are 1-8 ATS in their last nine home games.  This is way too big of a number for the Spartans to be laying in their current state.  Roll with Northeastern Sunday.

15* NBA Sunday PLAY OF THE DAY on Boston Celtics -4

The Boston Celtics are as healthy as they've been all season as everyone on the roster is a full go now.  They have battled injuries through the first quarter of the season, and that's why they are only 14-12.  But this is one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference when healthy, and they're going to be showing value going forward.

The Celtics also come into this game against the Miami Heat hungry for victories.  They lost three straight before a solid 96-88 home win over Charlotte as 6-point favorites on Friday.  That followed a tough 3-game skid with a 7-point loss to Toronto, a 3-point road loss at OKC and a 7-point road loss at San Antonio.  Those are three of the best teams in the NBA, and leading scorer Isaiah Thomas didn't play in any of them.  He returned against the Hornets last game and promptly scored 26 points to lead the way.

The Miami Heat have a ton of injury concerns of their own that are hampering them.  They are just 9-18 on the season, including 4-9 at home.  They remain without Dion Waiters and Chris Bosh, and both Wayne Ellington and Tyler Johnson are questionable for this game.  The Heat are getting too much respect from oddsmakers here due to their 4-0 ATS run coming in.

This has been a one-sided series to say the least.  The Celtics are 4-0 SU & 4-0 ATS in their last four meetings with the Heat since the start of last season.  They have won all four meetings by at least 8 points and by an average of 10.0 points per game.  The Heat just don't have an answer for them, especially short-handed now and against a fully healthy Boston outfit.

Boston is 14-3 ATS after having lost four or five of their last six games over the past two seasons.  The Celtics are 36-17 ATS in the last 53 meetings, including 6-1 ATS in their last seven trips to Miami.  Bet the Celtics Sunday.

15* CBB Sunday Early ANNIHILATOR on Miami Ohio +13.5

UCF is missing leading scorer and assist man B.J. Taylor (16.0 ppg, 5.0 apg) due to a thumb injury.  Taylor has missed the past three games, and the results have been terrible for the Knights without their best player.

After beating lowly MD-East Shore 76-58 in their first game without him, the Knights lost at home 49-58 to Pennsylvania as 10-point favorites.  Then they lost on the road at George Washington 59-74 on Thursday as 2-point underdogs.  Now they've had just two days to get ready for Miami Ohio.

The Miami Ohio Redhawks are nothing special at just 5-5 this season, but they are good enough to stay within 13.5 points of a UCF team missing their best player in Taylor.  And the Redhawks have had ample time to prepare for the Knights.  They haven't played since a 71-68 win over IUPUI on December 10th, getting a full seven days off to get ready for this game.

Miami Ohio is 22-8 ATS in its last 30 games as a road underdog of 12.5 to 18 points.  The Redhawks are 4-1 ATS in their last five games as an underdog of 13 or more.  The Redhawks are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games as an underdog.  Take Miami Ohio Sunday.

15* NBA Saturday PLAY OF THE DAY on Minnesota Timberwolves +3.5

The Minnesota Timberwolves have had three days off since one of their most impressive performances of the season, a 99-94 road win at Chicago as 5.5-point dogs.  They have had ample time to rest up and prepare to face the Houston Rockets, and they'll be motivated to end Houston's 9-game winning streak, while also putting an end to a 7-game skid in this series with the Rockets.

The Rockets come in overvalued due to this 9-game winning streak, and they are at a severe disadvantage in terms of rest and preparation.  The Rockets will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 6th game in 9 days, which is about as difficult a situation as you'll find in the NBA.

The Rockets just broke the NBA record by making 24 3-pointers last night against the Pelicans on a NBA-record 61 attempts.  It's only natural for them to have a letdown off that feat, and I expect their streak to come to an end tonight.

Houston is 2-11 ATS in its last 13 Saturday games.  The Rockets are 14-25 ATS as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points over the last two seasons.  The Timberwolves have covered their last two games and are going to be a great bet going forward as they continue buying in to what Tom Thibodeau is preaching after a slow start to the season.  Roll with the Timberwolves Saturday.

15* Butler/Indiana In-State Rivalry Play on Indiana -2.5

The Indiana Hoosiers should make easy work of the Butler Bulldogs in the Crossroads Classic at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis Saturday.  I like this Butler team and backed them in their most recent game, a 10-point home win over Cincinnati.  But I think it's time to fade them here as they simply do not have the talent to match Indiana.

The Hoosiers are off to an 8-1 start this season and blitzing the competition in the process, scoring 87.6 points per game and outscoring opponents by nearly 20 points per game.  They got their wake-up call in a bad loss at IUPU-Fort Wayne, but have been rolling since.  They beat North Carolina by 9 at home.  Their other four games since have resulted in wins by 23 points or more.

Plays on neutral court teams as a favorite or pick (INDIANA) - an explosive offensive team (scoring at least 76 PPG) against a good offensive team (74-76 PPG), after scoring 75 points or more two straight games are 72-27 (72.7%) ATS over the last five seasons.

The Hoosiers are 22-11 ATS when playing only their 2nd game in 8 days over the last three seasons.  Indaina is 5-1 ATS in its last six games following a win by more than 20 points.  The Hoosiers are 12-4 ATS in their last 16 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  Take Indiana Saturday.

15* Ohio State/UCLA CBS Saturday No-Brainer on UCLA -8.5

The UCLA Bruins are the best team in college basketball in my opinion.  I've backed them a handful of times with success already this season, and they continue to be undervalued by oddsmakers here as only 8.5-point favorites in this showdown with Ohio State in the CBS Sorts Classic in Las Vegas.

The Bruins are not only 11-0 straight up, but they are 9-2 ATS having covered in eight straight games coming in.  It's not like they are beating up on a soft schedule, either.  They won 97-92 as 10.5-point road dogs at Kentucky in a game that really showed they are the best team in the land.  They have also won and covered against the likes of Nebraska, Texas A&M and Michigan.  They are putting up 97.9 points per game and outscoring opponents by 23.3 points per game on the season.

The Ohio State Buckeyes are off to a nice 8-2 start, but they don't have one win of significance.  They are just 3-5 ATS on the season and have had some really concerning efforts.  They lost at home to Florida Atlantic 77-79 as 20-point favorites less than two weeks ago.  They only beat Farleigh Dickinson by 8 at home in a game that had no line as they were expected to blow them out.  They also only beat NC Central 69-63 as 24-point home favorites.  Based on those results, they aren't going to be able to stay within single-digits of a team the caliber of UCLA.

The Buckeyes are 3-15 ATS in their last 18 neutral site games.  The Bruins are 8-0 ATS in their last eight games overall.  UCLA is 7-0 ATS in its last seven games as a favorite.  The Bruins are 15-5 ATS in their last 20 games as a favorite of 7.0 to 12.5 points.  Bet UCLA Saturday.

15* NBA Friday Total DOMINATOR on Bucks/Bulls UNDER 204

This is the classic home-and-home game where the Bucks and Bulls played last night in Milwaukee, and now they're playing tonight in Chicago.  I always look to back the UNDER in these situations for a number of reasons.

First, these teams are obviously familiar with one another after just playing last night.  Points are usually harder to come back because of it.  Second, both teams are a little fatigued playing the 2nd of a back-to-back, and that usually hurts the offense more than the defense.

Milwaukee beat Chicago 108-97 last night for 205 combined points.  With this total set at 204, they basically just need one less basket to get the UNDER.  And the previous two meetings between these teams stayed UNDER this total with combined scores of 200 and 190 points in their final two meetings last season.  The UNDER is 6-2 in the last eight meetings as well.

Chicago is 29-16 UNDER revenging a loss vs. opponent over the last two seasons.  The Bulls are 12-3 UNDER after failing to cover the spread in three or more consecutive games over the last two years.  The UNDER is 23-8 in Bucks last 31 games following a win.  The UNDER is 6-1-1 in Bulls last eight games playing on 0 days' rest.  The UNDER is 7-1 in Bulls last eight games following a loss of more than 10 points.  Take the UNDER in this game Friday.

15* NBA Friday Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Miami Heat +7

The Miami Heat are about as healthy as they've been all season.  Only Chris Bosh and Dion Waiters are out, while Tyler Johnson is questionable to play tonight.  They had as many as seven guys on the injury report recently, and now they have only three.

As they've gotten healthier, the Heat has started to play up to their potential here of late.  They have won two in a row while covering the spread in three straight.  They only lost 100-105 in Chicago as 9.5-point dogs, beat Washington 112-101 as 1-point home dogs and beat Indiana 95-89 as 1-point home dogs.

The Clippers continue to be overvalued following their torrid start to the season.  They have gone just 4-10 ATS in their last 14 games overall.  They only won 113-108 in Orlando as 8.5-point favorites two nights ago, and now this price seems steep again to me as 7-point road chalk over the Heat.

Los Angeles is 2-11 ATS in its last 13 games as a road favorite of 6.5 to 12 points.  The Clippers are 0-8 ATS off three or more consecutive overs over the last two seasons.  Los Angeles is 1-7 ATS in its last eight vs. Eastern Conference foes.  Miami is 4-1 ATS in its last five games overall.  Roll with the Heat Friday.

20* NBA DOG OF THE MONTH on Washington Wizards +2

The Washington Wizards have started to show some life here recently.  John Wall called them out for their lack of effort in a home loss to the Magic.  Since then, they've won three out of four with all three victories coming at home.  I look for them to win a 4th straight home game tonight here against the Detroit Pistons.

The Wizards are now 8-6 at home this season, while the Pistons are just 6-9 SU & 6-9 ATS on the road.  This Detroit team has been dominant at home, but it has one of the worst home/away splits in the NBA.

Home-court advantage has been huge in this series between Washington and Detroit.  The home team is 6-1 straight up in the last seven meetings.  The Wizards are 4-0 in their last four home meetings with the Pistons, winning by an average of 15.8 points per game.  Bet the Wizards Friday.

15* CBB Friday PLAY OF THE DAY on Florida Atlantic +21

It's mind-boggling that Florida Atlantic is catching 21 points tonight against Miami.  This is a much-improved team from last year that returned four starters.  They have gone 3-5 against a very difficult schedule with all five losses coming by 9 points or less, including three by 4 points or fewer.

What really stood out to me was a couple of their wins.  Florida Atlantic beat South Florida 78-62 as 4.5-point home favorites.  But that wasn't their most impressive victory.  They went on the road and beat Ohio State 79-77 as 20-point dogs last time out.  Normally this would be a letdown spot, but it's not in this case because they've had 9 days off in between games after beating the Buckeyes on December 6th.

Miami is clearly down a couple notches from last year with all that it lost in the offseason.  That showed in losses to Iowa State (by 17) and Florida (by 9).  It has also shown up with their 2-5 ATS record in lined games this season.  They only beat Pennsylvania by 12 as 20-point favorites, Rutgers by 12 as 14.5-point favorites and Wofford by 17 as 19-point favorites.  I don't expect them to cover this massive number, either.

Miami is 1-9 ATS in its last 10 games off a home win by 30 points or more.  Florida Atlantic is 9-1 ATS versus good teams who outscore their opponents by 8-plus points per game over the last three years.  The Owls are 19-7 ATS in their last 26 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  Bet Florida Atlantic Friday.

15* NBA Thursday No-Doubt Rout on Denver Nuggets +1

The Denver Nuggets are primed for a big performance tonight at home.  They are as healthy as they have been all season right now as they currently have nobody on the injury report expected to miss this game.  Gary Harris is back in the lineup, and the Nuggets are going to be a good bet in the near future.

I think this is a good spot to back them because they have had two days off in between games after last playing on Monday.  They will also be motivated to avenge two close losses to Portland already this season with a 113-115 home loss on October 29th and a 105-112 road loss on November 13th.

Portland will be playing its 6th game in 9 days here, and playing in the altitude in Denver won't help matters.  The Blazers are just 5-10 on the road this season.  Portland is 3-8 ATS in its last 13 road games.  The Blazers are 8-21 ATS in their last 29 games following a win.  Roll with the Nuggets Thursday.

15* Bulls/Bucks TNT Thursday ANNIHILATOR on Milwaukee -2

The Milwaukee Bucks will be highly motivated for a victory tonight after losing three straight coming in to fall one game below .500 on the season.  Look for them to get back on track at home here, where they are 8-6 on the season.

The Bucks will be primed for a big performance because they have had two days off in between games after last playing on Monday.  The Bulls are just 6-7 in road games this year and are once again getting too much respect from oddsmakers tonight.

The home team is 9-4 ATS in the last 13 meetings in this series.  The Bulls are 1-5 ATS in their last six games overall.  Chicago is 0-4 ATS in its last four games vs. a team with a losing record.  Take the Bucks Thursday.

15* NBA Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on New Orleans Pelicans -2.5

The Indiana Pacers are in a very tough spot here.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 5th game in 7 days, which is one of the most difficult situations for any team in the NBA.

The New Orleans Pelicans had yesterday off after nearly upsetting the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday.  They only lost that game 109-113 as 11-point home underdogs.  I look for them to be a good bet going forward, especially now that they are as healthy as they have been at any point this season.

The Pacers are just 3-9 SU & 3-9 ATS on the road this season, getting outscored by 9.5 points per game and giving up a whopping 113.6 points per game away from home.  Indiana is 0-9 ATS after a game where the opponent had 65 or more rebounds over the past three seasons.  The Pacers are 1-10 ATS in their last 11 Thursday games.  Bet the Pelicans Thursday.

20* Celtics/Spurs ESPN Late-Night BAILOUT on UNDER 199

I look for a low-scoring, defensive battle tonight between the Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs on National TV.  Points will be very hard to come by in this matchup, especially with the Celtics playing without their best player in Isaiah Thomas.

Not having Thomas does a couple things for the Celtics.  While it makes them way worse off offensively, it's actually an upgrade for them defensively.  It means that Marcus Smart plays more minutes, and he may be the best defender that they have.  Not to mention Jae Crowder and Avery Bradley are already plus defenders.

The last two games without Thomas have been very low-scoring as the Celtics lost 94-101 to the Raptors for 195 combined points and they lost 96-99 to the Thunder for 195 combined points.  Both the Thunder and Raptors are elite offensive teams as well.

Boston is playing at a much slower tempo this year as it ranks 19th in pace.  San Antonio is playing at a snail's pace, ranking 27th in the NBA in pace.  But the Spurs will get after you defensively as they rank 5th in defensive efficiency.  The UNDER is 5-2 in Spurs last seven games overall.  We've seen 196 or fewer combined points in five of those contests.

Boston is 17-4 UNDER off a road loss by 6 points or less over the past three seasons.  The UNDER is 7-1 in Celtics last eight vs. Western Conference opponents.  The UNDER is 13-5 in Celtics last 18 games overall.  The UNDER is 19-6-1 in Spurs last 26 games after scoring more than 125 points in their previous game.  Bet the UNDER in this game Wednesday.

15* NBA Wednesday Total DOMINATOR on Thunder/Jazz UNDER 200

The Oklahoma City Thunder are starting to show signs of wearing down.  They only managed 99 points against Houston, 99 against Boston and then 95 against Portland last night in their last three games, respectively.  Now they will be playing their 3rd game in 4 days here, and they could be without Victor Oladipo again, who sat out last night.

Points are going to be even harder to come by tonight against a Utah team that locks you down defensively.  The Jazz rank 4th in the NBA in defensive efficiency, giving up just 101.3 points per 100 possessions.  And the Jazz prefer to play at a slow pace as they rank 29th in the NBA in pace at 93.7 possessions per game.

The Jazz will control the tempo playing at home here.  And the Jazz remain without starting point guard George Hill, who is second on the team in scoring.  Not having him has hampered their offense.  Nothing will come easy for the Jazz either as the Thunder rank 8th in the NBA in defensive efficiency.

Seven of the last eight meetings between Utah and Oklahoma City have seen 200 or fewer combined points at the end of regulation.  And all of those were with Kevin Durant playing for the Thunder.  The UNDER is 7-1 in the last eight meetings, including 4-0 in the last four meetings in Salt Lake City.

The UNDER is 5-0 in Thunder's last five games overall.  The UNDER is 12-4 in Thunder's last 16 road games.  The UNDER is 7-1 in Thunder's last eight games vs. a team with a winning record.  Oklahoma City is 9-0 to the UNDER off three straight games with 55 or more rebounds this season.  Take the UNDER in this game Wednesday.

15* CBB Wednesday No-Doubt Rout on Middle Tennessee -1.5

Middle Tennessee went 25-10 last season and shocked No. 2 Michigan State in the NCAA Tournament.  The Blue Raiders brought back three starters from that team, including their top two scorers in Giddy Potts and Reggie Upshaw.

The Blue Raiders have picked up right where they left off last year, opening 9-1 this season.  They have beaten Ole Miss 77-62 as 6-point road dogs and Vanderbilt 71-48 as 2-point home favorites.  Those two results alone show what this team is capable of.

Belmont is just 4-3 this season with its four wins coming against Western Kentucky, Lipscomb (by 2 twice) and Pepperdine.  The Bruins have a common opponent with Middle Tennessee in Vanderbilt.  Well, the Bruins lost to Vanderbilt 66-80 as 5-point dogs.  That result really shows the difference between these two teams after the Blue Raiders beat the Commodores by 23.

Middle Tennessee is 8-0 ATS after a combined score of 125 or less over the last two seasons.  The Blue Raiders are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games as a favorite of 1 to 6.5 points.  The Bruins are 7-16-1 ATS in their last 24 games as a dog of 1 to 6.5 points.  Belmont is 0-6 ATS in its last six Wednesday games.  Roll with Middle Tennessee Wednesday.

20* NBA Non-Conference GAME OF THE WEEK on Minnesota Timberwolves +7

The Minnesota Timberwolves are about as undervalued as you will find them all season right now.  That's because they are off to a 6-18 start to the season.  But this team is much better than their record as they have consistently blown leads throughout the season.

I think the Timberwolves players are really going to want to win this game for head coach Tom Thibodeau, who will be coaching against his former team in the Chicago Bulls for the first time.  Things didn't exactly end well for him in Chicago, and he wants to stick it to the Bulls tonight.

The Bulls just have a tendency of playing up and down to their competition.  They have beaten Cleveland and San Antonio recently, but they also have a home loss to the Lakers and a 25-point loss to the Mavs in recent weeks.  I don't think we will get an 'A' effort here from the Bulls, either.

The Timberwolves swept the season series with the Bulls last year, winning 112-105 as 3.5-point home favorites and 102-93 as 9.5-point road dogs.  Chicago is 16-29 ATS as a home favorite of 6.5 to 12 points over the last three seasons.  The Bulls are 12-26 ATS when playing against a team with a winning percentage between 25% and 40% over the last three years.

Plays on road underdogs (MINNESOTA) - after allowing 105 points or more three straight games against opponent after a win by 6 points or less are 27-4 (87.1%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Bet the Timberwolves Tuesday.

15* Temple/Villanova FS1 No-Brainer on Temple +16.5

Villanova is overvalued right now due to winning the national championship last season and opening this season 10-0.  The Wildcats are simply laying too many points in this rivalry game with Temple, and we'll take advantage.

I know the Wildcats have dominated this series with the Owls, going 7-1 SU & 6-2 ATS in the last eight meetings, but that has only added to the value.  This isn't the same dominant Villanova team we saw last year because they lack an inside presence and their depth isn't nearly as strong as it was a year ago.

Temple has really impressed me during its 7-3 start this season.  The three losses came by a combined 11 points, and the Owls have beaten the likes of Florida State as 10-point dogs and West Virginia as 12.5-point dogs.  Those are two of the better teams in the country, and those results show that the Owls can play with Villanova.

This is also a potential letdown spot for Villanova after beating Notre Dame 74-66 on Saturday on a neutral court.  The Wildcats erased an early double-digit deficit and actually wound up covering as 5-point favorites, which also has them overvalued here.

Temple is 13-3 ATS in its last 16 games as an underdog.  Villanova is 0-7 ATS in home games off two straight games where they made 78% of their free throws or better over the last three seasons.  The Owls are 9-1 ATS versus good offensive teams who score 77 or more points per game over the last two years.  The Owls are 7-0 ATS in their last seven road games.  The Wildcats are 0-6 ATS in their last six home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.   These last four trends combine for a 29-1 system backing the Owls.  Take Temple Tuesday.

15* NBA Monday PLAY OF THE DAY on Brooklyn Nets +14

The Houston Rockets are as overvalued as they are going to be all season right now.  That's because they have won six straight coming in while going 5-1 ATS in the process.  And they are 17-7 ATS on the season, so the betting public has made a killing off of them.

But I question how much the Rockets will actually be motivated to beat the Brooklyn Nets, let alone beat them by 15-plus points, which is what it would take to cover this number.  And the Rockets haven't shown up for the Nets in recent meetings.  Brooklyn is 3-0 ATS in the last three, winning outright 110-105 as 5-point home dogs, winning outright 106-98 as 11.5-point road dogs, and only losing 98-102 as 8-point road dogs.

Conversely, the Nets come in undervalued after losing four of their last five, including a 29-point blowout at San Antonio last time out.  But they were competitive in their previous three games, losing by just 9 and 5 points, while also beating Denver by 5 points.

And now the Nets are as healthy as they've been all season with Jeremy Lin back in the lineup.  They don't have any players expected to miss this game.  And they'll be rested and ready to go as this is just their 2nd game in 5 days, while the Rockets will be playing their 3rd game in 4 days.  Brooklyn is 4-0 ATS in its last four games following a loss.  Take the Nets Monday.

20* NBA GAME OF THE WEEK on Minnesota Timberwolves +11

The Golden State Warriors are in about as tough a spot as they've been all season tonight.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 4th road game in 5 days.  They started showing signs of wearing down last night in an 89-110 loss at Memphis as 13-point favorites, and they certainly won't be in any better shape tonight.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are about as undervalued as they're going to be all season.  That's because they have gone just 1-7 SU & 1-7 ATS in their last eight games overall.  I'm willing to overlook that because they always get up for teams like Golden State.

In fact, the Timberwolves have gone 6-1 ATS in their last seven meetings with the Warriors.  They haven't lost by more than 13 points in any of those seven meetings.  And after Ricky Rubio called out the team for their lack of effort following a bad loss to the Pistons on the 2nd of a back-to-back last time out, I expect an inspired effort from them here tonight.

Minnesota is 10-1 ATS off three straight games where it allowed a shooting percentage of 47% or more over the last two seasons.  The Warriors are 1-7 ATS in their last eight road games vs. a team with a home winning % of less than .400.  Bet the Timberwolves Sunday.

15* CBB Sunday No-Doubt Rout on Kentucky -24

I think the loss to UCLA last week was exactly what the Kentucky Wildcats needed to re-focus.  And that loss to UCLA doesn't look so bad considering the Bruins are still undefeated and just hung over 100 points on Michigan Saturday.  The Bruins may be the best team in the country.

Kentucky is right up there as a Top 5 team in the country in my opinion.  The Wildcats came back with a 24-point win over a very good Valparaiso team following that loss to UCLA.  And all eight of Kentucky's wins have come by 21 points or more this season, including  wins over Michigan State (by 21) and Arizona State (by 46).

Hofstra is a team of similar talent to a lot of these teams that Kentucky has been blowing out.  The Pride are 6-4 on the season and they haven't played anyone near the caliber of Kentucky.  They have lost to the likes of Sacred Heart, Manhattan, Vermont and Saint Bonaventure this season.

Their only wins have come against Coppin State (by 2), Bradley (by 2), South Dakota, Medaille, Columbia (by 2) and Florida Atlantic.  This is a Hofstra team that is still getting too much respect from the books after going 24-10 last year.  But they lost three starters from that team in Juan'ya Green (17.8 ppg), Ameen Tanksley (15.9 ppg) and Denton Koon (11.4 ppg) who combined to average over 45 points per game.  That's a lot of production lost.

The Pride are going to be in trouble here because they are a terrible defensive team despite playing such an easy schedule.  They are allowing 77.9 points per game, 45.8% shooting and 41.1% shooting from 3-point range against teams that only average 71 points per game, 41.7% shooting and 33.7% from 3-point range.  Kentucky will get to 100 in this game, which will be more than enough to cover this 24-point spread.

Hofstra is 0-8 ATS after scoring 75 points or more in three straight games over the last two seasons.  Kentucky is 6-1 ATS in its last seven neutral site games.  The Wildcats are 20-8 ATS in their last 28 games overall.  The Wildcats are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games as a favorite of 13.0 or greater.  Take Kentucky Sunday.

15* CBB Sunday Undervalued Underdog on Delaware +11

The Yale Bulldogs have no business laying double-digits to the Delaware Blue Hens Sunday.  I've been looking to fade these Bulldogs for a while now, and now we've finally got an opportunity to because their last four games haven't even had lines set for them.

The reason I've been looking to fade Yale is because they lost their best player in Makai Mason to a season-ending foot injury.  Maison was their only returning starter from last season.  He averaged 16.0 points last year and is the heart and soul of this team.  Without him, they aren't one of the top Ivy League teams anymore.

That has clearly shown this season as the Bulldogs are just 4-4 on the year.  They lost on the road to Virginia by 24, to Pitt by 5, to Vermont by 2 and even to Bryant by 9.  They weren't very impressive in home wins over Lehigh (by 8) and Albany (by 4), two teams that aren't as good as Delaware.  Yale is simply getting too much respect from oddsmakers after going 23-7 last year and 13-1 in the Ivy League.  But without Mason, they now have zero returning starters from that squad.

Delaware has been impressive en route to a 6-3 start this season.  The Blue Hens beat Bradley by 14 on the road as 8-point dogs and Miami Ohio by 2 on the road as 4.5-point dogs.  They also only lost by 6 at LaSalle as 15.5-point dogs.  That's the same LaSalle team that took Villanova down to the wire the other day.

Delaware also has a scheduling advantage here.  It last played on December 2nd, getting over a week to prepare for Yale.  Meanwhile, the Bulldogs last played on December 8th, getting only two days to prepare for Delaware.

Yale is 17-33 ATS in its last 50 home games following a win by 10 points or more.  Delaware is 4-0 ATS in its last four road games.  The Blue Hens are 4-0 ATS in their last four games as underdogs.  Roll with Delaware Sunday.

20* NBA Non-Conference GAME OF THE MONTH on Denver Nuggets -2.5

The Orlando Magic are running on fumes right now, and it's starting to show.  The Magic have been blown out in back-to-back games with an 87-117 home loss to Detroit and an 88-109 road loss at Charlotte last night.

It's easy to see why this team is struggling right now.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back, their 4th game in 5 days and their 7th game in 10 days tonight.  That's as tough of a schedule as you will find in the NBA.

The Denver Nuggets come in the fresher team after having yesterday off.  They also come in motivated after losing two straight and five of their last six with four of those losses coming by 8 points or less.  They are ready to get a win here tonight against the gassed Magic.

Making matters worse for the Magic is that both starting C Nikola Vucevic and backup C Bismack Biyombo were injured last night and questionable to play today.  Denver is 20-5 ATS in road games after a game where they failed to cover the spread over the last two seasons.  The Nuggets are 10-2-1 ATS in their last 13 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of less than .400.  The Magic are 0-4 ATS in their last four home games.  Denver is 5-2-1 ATS in its last eight trips to Orlando.  Bet the Nuggets Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday No-Doubt Rout on Butler -3

The Butler Bulldogs will be motivated to bounce back from their first loss of the season.  I went against them in that loss and took Indiana State +10.5.  The Bulldogs lost 71-72 after committing a foul in the closing seconds.  I took Indiana State because they are underrated, and also because I thought Butler would be looking ahead to this game against Cincinnati.

But now the Bulldogs return home where they are 5-0 on the season and outscoring opponents by 25.0 points per game.  Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indiana is one of the toughest places to play in the country, and this is a very small number for the Bulldogs to be laying in any home game.  They are undervalued because of that loss to Indiana State.

Cincinnati comes in overvalued due to its No. 22 ranking and 7-1 record on the season.  The Bearcats are also overvalued due to a recent road win over ranked Iowa State, but its clear that the Cyclones aren't all that good this season because they just lost by double-digits to a down Iowa team on Thursday.  The Bearcats are getting too much credit for that win.

Butler went on the road and beat Cincinnati 78-76 as 5.5-point dogs last year.  The Bulldogs are 6-0 ATS vs. good defensive teams who give up 64 or fewer points per game over the last two seasons.  The Bearcats are 7-19 ATS in their last 26 vs. Big East foes.  Butler is 4-0-1 ATS in its last five games following a loss.  The Bulldogs are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games as a favorite of 0.5-6.5.  The Bulldogs are 14-5-1 ATS in their last 20 games overall.  Take Butler Saturday.

15* Wisconsin/Marquette CBB Saturday No-Brainer on Marquette +4.5

The Marquette Golden Eagles are one of the most underrated teams in the country.  Head coach Steve Wojciechowski is in his third season and returned four starters from last year.  The Golden Eagles are off to a 7-2 start this season.

They are off to that start despite playing a pretty difficult schedule.  The two losses have come to Pitt and Michigan, but they have beaten both Vanderbilt (by 24) and Georgia (by 10) on the road as well.  They are clearly battle-tested right now.

Wisconsin has also played a difficult schedule.  But while the Badgers have taken care of business at home, they have not fared well on the road.  They lost their only true road game this season to Creighton (by 12) as 1.5-point favorites.  They also lost to North Carolina by 15 on a neutral court.

Marquette went into Wisconsin and won 57-55 as 7-point dogs last year.  But the Golden Eagles are vastly improved this season with all of the talent and experience they have back, and I don't think they should be underdogs at home this time around.  Marquette is 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings with Wisconsin.

Marquette is 6-0 ATS versus poor foul drawing teams who attempt 18 or fewer free throws per game over the last three seasons.  The Badgers are 1-6 ATS in their last seven games after allowing less than 50 points in their previous game.  The underdog is 14-3 ATS in the last 17 meetings.  Roll with Marquette Saturday.

20* NBA Friday No-Doubt Rout on Sacramento Kings -3.5

The New York Knicks are coming off a confidence-crushing 94-126 home loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night on ESPN.  They had won four straight prior to that game and were feeling pretty good, but it's going to be tough to recover from that loss in time to face the Sacramento Kings here two nights later.

That's especially the case considering the Knicks just beat the Kings 106-98 at home as 1.5-point favorites on Sunday.  They won't be motivated to beat the Kings again only five days later, while the Kings will be highly motivated for revenge here at home this time around.  I love this situation based on motivation.

The Kings are feeling pretty good after one of their best performances of the season in a 120-89 win at Dallas.  They went just 2-3 on their road trip, but all three losses came by 8 points or less to Washington, Boston and New York, so they were very competitive.  And the Kings still have one of the best home-court advantages in the NBA as they are consistently undervalued at home.

I know Derrick Rose is questionable to play tonight after sitting out the Cavs game with a back injury, and I still would like the Kings at -4 even if he does play.  If he doesn't play it would only be an added bonus.  The Kings have actually won four of their last five meetings with the Knicks.

The Kings are 4-1 ATS in their last five home games.  Sacramento is 5-1-1 ATS in its last seven Friday games.  The Kings are 7-2 ATS in their last nine games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.  The Kings are rested as they will be playing just their 2nd game in 5 days.  The Knicks will be playing their 5th game in 8 days.  Bet the Kings Friday.

15* Iowa State/Iowa ESPN 2 ANNIHILATOR on Iowa State -4.5

There is a huge talent gap between Iowa State and Iowa this year.  That's why I fully expect the Cyclones to win their fourth straight meeting with the Hawkeyes, which would be a record for them in this series.  There is certainly no love lost here, and they won't feel badly at all at beating up on a down Hawkeyes squad.

Here's a quote from Iowa State's senior leader Monte Morris. "We want to go in there and make a statement.  Set the tone and send a message both to Iowa and the country.  We're trying to go out there and beat them badly."

The Cyclones boast four senior starters this season.  They are off to a 6-2 start with their two losses coming to Cincinnati and Gonzaga by a combined 3 points.  I think the loss to Cincinnati a week ago really only helped this team get motivated and focused moving forward.

Following the Cincinnati loss, the Cyclones dominated Nebraska-Omaha 91-47 at home as 18.5-point favorites.  That's important because Iowa lost to Nebraska-Omaha just two nights earlier 89-98 as 11-point home favorites.  That gives these teams a common opponent.

This is a young, inexperienced Hawkeyes team that is still trying to find their way.  They are just 4-5 this season with an 8-point loss to Seton Hall, a 33-point loss to Virginia, and 8-point loss to Memphis, a 14-point loss to Notre Dame and that aforementioned 9-point loss to Nebraska-Omaha.  Their four wins have come against Kennesaw State, Savannah State, UTRGV and Stetson.

The Cyclones are 8-1 ATS in road games vs. teams who average 40 or more rebounds per game over the last three seasons.  Iowa is 0-6 ATS after having lost three of its last four games coming in over the past three years.  Iowa State is 11-3 ATS after having lost two of its last three games over the past three seasons.  The Hawkeyes are 1-10 ATS in their last 11 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  Iowa is 0-6 ATS in its last six games following a straight up win.  Take Iowa State Thursday.

15* NBA Thursday No-Doubt Rout on Washington Wizards -5.5

I think we'll see a big effort from the Washington Wizards tonight at home.  They are coming off a bad 116-124 home loss to the Orlando Magic.  I have to give them a little break because it was the 2nd of a back-to-back, but start PG John Wall, who scored 52 points in the loss, wasn't giving his teammates a break after the loss.

"Not even just defensive effort, just playing hard," Wall said. "Our job is to wake up and just play hard. Before you made it to the NBA or got a college scholarship, you played hard to get where you wanted to get to. To still be talking about playing hard. ... That's the easiest thing. Shouldn't have to do with any contracts or any money. Just come in and play basketball."

The Denver Nuggets are in a tough spot here.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 5th game in 7 days.  They nearly erased a 29-point deficit in Brooklyn last night, but lost 111-116 in the end.  They used a lot of energy to make that comeback, and I don't see them having much left in the tank here tonight.

The Nuggets are 2-5 ATS in their last seven games playing on 0 days rest.  Home-court advantage has been huge in this series as the home team is 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings.  The Nuggets are 1-4 ATS in their last five trips to Washington.  Roll with the Wizards Thursday.

15* Warriors/Clippers ESPN Late-Night BAILOUT on Los Angeles +4.5

The Los Angeles Clippers despise the Golden State Warriors.  They will be out to prove that they're contenders in the West, and they'll be more motivated for this game than any other this season.  I think this is a game that they win outright tonight, though we'll take the points for some insurance.

Adding to their motivation is the fact that they have lost six straight to the Warriors.  But five of those six losses came by 8 points or fewer, so they have been right there with a chance to win in nearly all of those games.  I think they get over the top here tonight.

I like the fact that the Clippers have had two days off coming into this game to prepare for the Warriors.  They will be well-rested and ready to go.  The Warriors come in overvalued after their 142-106 home victory over Indiana on Monday where Klay Thompson scored 60 points.  The Pacers had upset the Clippers the night before and didn't show up.

Plays on home underdogs (LA CLIPPERS) - off a upset loss as a favorite, good team, winning 60-75% or more of their games on the season are 56-22 (71.8%) ATS since 1996.  The home team is 15-7 ATS in the last 22 meetings.  Roll with the Clippers Wednesday.

15* CBB Wednesday No-Doubt Rout on Creighton -4

The Creighton Bluejays remain an undervalued commodity despite their 8-0 record this season.  This is legitimately one of the most improved teams in the country.  They have gone 5-2 ATS this season with their two non-covers coming by a combined 1.5 points.

Creighton has proved it is for real with some quality wins over some very good teams.  The Bluejays beat Wisconsin by 12 as 1.5-point dogs, Washington State by 26 as 14.5-point favorites and NC State by 18 as 5.5-point favorites.

Nebraska has lost three of its last four games coming in and doesn't boast a good win yet.  The Huskers lost to UCLA by 11, Virginia Tech by 13 and Clemson by 2 in their three toughest games thus far.  Creighton is the second-best team they will have faced behind UCLA, and they are only catching four points.

Creighton head coach Doug McDermott puts a ton of emphasis on beating their in-state rival each year.  The Bluejays are 5-0 SU & 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings with all five wins coming by double-digits.  In fact, the Blue Jays are a perfect 9-0 ATS in the last nine meetings in this series.  Take Creighton Wednesday.

15* NBA Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Milwaukee Bucks -1

The Milwaukee Bucks are one of the most underrated teams in the NBA.  They play in a small market and don't get much respect from the betting public or the books because of it.  This is a very nice value here with the Bucks as only 1-point favorites over the Blazers.

The Bucks are playing their best basketball of the season coming in.  They have gone 4-1 SU & 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall with their only loss coming by a final of 106-107 to the San Antonio Spurs as 6-point dogs.  They beat Cleveland 118-101 recently, and had narrow losses to Toronto (by 6) and Golden State (by 3) in the last few weeks, proving that they can play with anyone.

The Blazers come in overvalued off a 3-game winning streak.  They have beaten the Pacers, Heat and Bulls during this stretch, catching all of those teams in bad spots.  But the Blazers are getting outscored by 3.4 points per game on the road this season, while the Bucks are outscoring foes by 4.9 points per game at home.

Plays against road underdogs (PORTLAND) - good offensive team - scoring 99+ points/game on the season against opponent after leading their last two games by 10+ points at the half are 47-15 (75.8%) ATS over the last five seasons.  The lazers are 8-20 ATS in their last 28 games following a straight up win.  The Bucks are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games playing on 1 days rest.  Milwaukee is 8-2 ATS in the last 10 meetings, including 4-1 ATS in the last five home meetings.  Take the Bucks Wednesday.

20* NBA Eastern Conference GAME OF THE MONTH on Charlotte Hornets -5

The Detroit Pistons are in a very tough spot here.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 6th game in 9 days.  This team is running on fumes right now and won't be able to bring a very good effort tonight against the Charlotte Hornets.

Meanwhile, the Hornets will be highly motivated to avenge an 89-112 home loss to the Pistons on November 29th just over a week ago.  That was a terrible spot for the Hornets as they were playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 4th game in 5 days, so they simply didn't have anything to give.

That was a rare loss for the home team in this series because the home team is 5-1 SU & 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings.  The Hornets have won their previous three home meetings with the Pistons by 15, 20 and 22 points, or by an average of 19 points per game.  With the Pistons in the tough spot this time around, look for the Hornets to get back to blowing them out at home tonight.

Charlotte is 29-16 ATS in its last 45 games when revenging a loss of 10 points or more.  The Pistons are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 road games.  The Hornets are 5-0 ATS in their last five Wednesday games.  The favorite is 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings.  Bet the Hornets Wednesday.

15* CBB Wednesday Undervalued Underdog on Indiana State +10.5

The Indiana State Sycamores are much better than their 4-4 record would indicate.  They have been an undervalued commodity in the early going, posting a 6-1 ATS mark through their first seven games.  They aren't getting any respect from oddsmakers here, either.

The Sycamores are very close to being 8-0 despite playing a tough schedule.  Their four losses have all come by 3 points or less, including a 78-80 road loss to Northern Illinois as 6-point dogs, a 71-73 loss to ranked Iowa State as 13.5-point dogs on a neutral, and a 62-65 loss to Stanford as 6-point dogs on a neutral.

Butler comes in way overvalued due to its perfect 8-0 start to the season.  But this will be just the Bulldogs' second true road games, and it's going to be a hostile atmosphere in support of the Sycamores.  They lost by 14 as 17-point road dogs to Butler last season, and now should stay within single-digits at home this time around, possibly pulling off the upset.

The Bulldogs are 6-16-1 ATS in their last 23 games as a road favorite of 7.0-12.5.  Indiana State is 13-3-1 ATS in its last 17 non-conference games.  The Sycamores are 5-0 ATS in their last five games as an underdog.  The Sycamores are 5-0 ATS in their last five games vs. a team with a winning record.  Bet Indiana State Wednesday.

15* Florida/Duke ESPN Tuesday No-Brainer on Duke -7

This is a discount on one of the best teams in college basketball Tuesday night.  The Duke Blue Devils will rarely be this small of favorites all season, and we'll take advantage here I expect them to crush the Florida Gators at Madison Square Garden.

Luke Kennard leads the Blue Devils (8-1) with 19.4 points per game, followed by Grayson Allen (17.1), Frank Jackson (15.4) and Amile Jefferson (14.7). Jefferson is also the leading rebounder with 9.8 per game.  They are loaded everywhere, and now they're finally starting to get healthy.

Duke's two prized freshmen recruits will get their first big test tonight.  Center Marques Bolden and forward Jayson Tatum, both five-star recruits, were cleared to play Friday in the 94-55 win over Maine.  That duo missed the first eight games of the season.  Instead of a six-man rotation, the Blue Devils now have eight guys they are comfortable putting on the floor.  It will make a huge difference going forward.

Florida is 2-10 ATS in road games after allowing 60 points or fewer over the past three seasons.  Duke is 14-5 ATS vs. teams who outscore opponents by 12 or more points per game over the past three seasons.  Plays on neutral court teams as a favorite or pick (DUKE) - an explosive offensive team (at least 76 PPG) against a good offensive team (74-76 PPG), after scoring 75 points or more two straight games are 71-27 (72.4%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Roll with Duke Tuesday.

15* NBA Tuesday Undervalued Underdog on Minnesota Timberwolves +5

The San Antonio Spurs are an impressive 12-0 on the road this season.  But they are being overvalued now due to this perfect road record, and they certainly should not be laying 5 points on the road tonight against the Minnesota Timberwolves given the spot.

The Spurs should have lost last night to the Bucks on the road, but they escaped with a 97-96 win as 6-point favorites.  They are 0-4 ATS in their last four games overall.  They will now be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 7th game in 12 days.  Don't be surprised of Greg Popovich rests some of his key players here given the spot.

The Minnesota Timberwolves come in with momentum after erasing a 7-point deficit in the final minute to beat Charlotte on the road 125-120 in overtime.  Now the Timberwolves have had two days off in between games after beating the Hornets on Saturday.  This young team will be fresh and ready to go, and look for them to try to run the tired Spurs out of the gym.

"The way we're losing, not getting blown out but making mental errors late in the game, it hurt us. It hurts me, especially," Karl-Anthony Towns told the Star Tribune. "To have a win like that, I'm finally able to smile, laugh a lot more and have my spirits up."

Plays on underdogs (MINNESOTA) - after allowing 105 points or more three straight games against opponent after a win by 6 points or less are 39-13 (75%) ATS over the last five seasons.  The Spurs are 0-5 ATS in their last five games vs. a team with a winning percentage below .400.  Take the Timberwolves Tuesday.

20* NBA Tuesday No-Doubt Rout on Detroit Pistons -5.5

The Detroit Pistons have been a great bet at home this season as they are 7-3 SU & 7-3 ATS while outscoring opponents by 11.0 points per game.  They just returned one of their best players in starting PG Reggie Jackson, and he should continue to improve as the games go on.

We'll gladly fade the Chicago Bulls here in an awful spot.  The Bulls will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 4th game in 5 days.  They are coming off a 110-112 home loss to Portland last night after losing 82-107 in Dallas a couple nights before.  They are running on fumes right now and I don't expect much of an effort from them here.

The Pistons went 3-1 SU & 3-1 ATS against the Bulls last season.  They have gone 6-1 ATS in their last seven meetings with Chicago as well.  Their domination against the spread in this series should continue tonight given the awful spot here for the Bulls.

Detroit is 25-10 ATS as a home favorite over the last two seasons.  The Pistons are 14-4 ATS off an upset loss as a favorite over the last two years.  Bet the Pistons Tuesday.

15* NBA Monday Undervalued Underdog on Dallas Mavericks +4.5

The Dallas Mavericks are an undervalued team right now because of their 4-15 record on the season.  But they are starting to get healthy and playing much better basketball as a result.  They are 2-2 SU & 4-0 ATS in their last four games, which included a 107-82 beat down of the Chicago Bulls at home on Saturday.

Wesley Matthews had a season-high 26 points in the win while making seven of 11 from 3-point range, giving him 19 3s in his past four games.  Deron Williams recently returned to the lineup and is averaging 10.9 points and six assists.  Having him back has been the biggest key to their recent success.  He had a whopping 15 assists against the Bulls.

I like this spot for the Mavs because they just played the Hornets on December 1st in a 87-97 road loss.  Now they get to face them only four days later and will be out for revenge.  Look for them to get that revenge with an outright win tonight, though we'll take the 4.5 points for some added insurance.

The Hornets are 0-5 ATS in their last five games vs. a team with a losing straight up record.  The Mavericks are 6-1 ATS in their last seven Monday games.  Charlotte is 1-5 ATS in its last six games overall.  The Hornets are 1-4 ATS in the last five meetings.  Roll with the Mavericks Monday.

15* NBA Monday No-Doubt Rout on Atlanta Hawks -2

The Atlanta Hawks are highly motivated for a victory tonight.  They have lost six straight and nine of their last 10 games overall.  Eight of those 10 games were on the road, but they finally return home tonight where they are 6-3 SU & 6-3 ATS on the season.

The Oklahoma City Thunder come in overvalued after winning five straight games with Russell Westbrook recording a triple-double in all five.  They wins have come against the Nuggets, Knicks, Pistons, Wizards and Pelicans.  But now they will be playing the second of a back-to-back after beating New Orleans 101-92 at home last night.

A big reason the Hawks have been struggling is because they have been without Paul Millsap, but there is a good chance he returns tonight.  Conversely, Steven Adams was injured yesterday and is unlikely to play for the Thunder tonight.  They will miss his presence inside if he can't go.

The Thunder are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 road games.  The Hawks are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 home games.  Atlanta is 4-1 ATS in its last five games vs. a team with a winning percentage above .600.  The home team is 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings in this series.  Take the Hawks Monday.

15* CBB PLAY OF THE DAY on Bowling Green +20

This is a very bad spot for the Cincinnati Bearcats.  They are coming off a huge road win over nationally ranked Iowa State on Thursday, one of the toughest places to play in the country.  They will suffer a letdown here off that big win and won't bring the kind of effort it's going to take to cover this 20-point spread.

Not to mention, this is a sandwich game for the Bearcats as they have another huge game on deck.  They will be traveling to face another nationally ranked Butler team the next time they hit the floor.  They certainly could find themselves looking ahead to that showdown as well.

Bowling Green lost its first four games this season all by 16 points or fewer, including three by 8 points or less.  But the Falcons have responded with three straight victories, including two blowout wins by 32 and 26 points.  Now they've had four days off in between games to get ready for Cincinnati, while the Bearcats have only had two days off.

Bowling Green is 9-1 ATS after playing two consecutive home games over the last three seasons.  The Falcons are 10-1 ATS versus poor 3-point shooting teams who make 31% or fewer of their attempts over the last three seasons. The Bearcats play a slow, grind-it-out style which favors big underdogs like the Falcons because there are fewer possessions.  Take Bowling Green Sunday.

15* NBA PLAY OF THE DAY on New York Knicks -2.5

The New York Knicks continue to lack the respect they deserve from oddsmakers as just 2.5-point home favorites here Sunday against the Sacramento Kings.  The Knicks have gone 7-3 SU & 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games overall and are really starting to play well together.

It was going to take some time for all the new faces to gel in New York, but it appears that they have found their groove, especially offensively.  The Knicks have scored at least 102 points in nine consecutive games.  That has to be refreshing for Knick fans after points have been so hard to come by in previous seasons.  Jeff Hornacek is doing a tremendous job in his first season.

The Sacramento Kings are getting too much respect here.  They will be playing their 4th straight road game, and they are just 3-7 on the road this season.  The Knicks are 8-3 SU & 8-3 ATS at home this year, defending their home court very well.

Sacramento is 6-23 ATS in its last 29 road games off two straight losses by 6 points or less.  New York is 54-28 ATS in its last 82 after scoring 100 points or more in four straight games.  The Knicks are 7-1 ATS in their last eight home games.  Bet the Knicks Sunday.

15* NBA Saturday No-Doubt Rout on Portland Trail Blazers -6.5

The Portland Trail Blazers had a team meeting about their defense before their last game and will be a 'play on' team for me going forward for a few games.  They have come together and are way undervalued right now after losing six of their last nine games overall.

But the Blazers responded in a big way in their first game after addressing the issue, beating the Pacers 131-109 as 7.5-point home favorites.  Now they are hosting a worse Miami Heat team and only laying 6.5 points here tonight, clearly showing that they remain undervalued.

Miami comes in overvalued after winning back-to-back road games at Denver and Utah.  But the Nuggets are playing terrible right now and are banged-up, while the Jazz were missing three of their best players in George Hill, Rodney Hood and Derrick Favors.  The Heat's road winning streak comes to an end here in a big way, especially since they'll be without key players Justice Winslow, Dion Waiters, Josh Richardson and Luke Babbitt, and they could be without Derrick Williams as well.

The home team is 5-0 SU & 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.  The Blazers have won by 17 and 16 points in their last two home meetings with the Heat.  Miami is 13-27 ATS off a road win over the last three seasons.  Plays against any team (MIAMI) - off two or more consecutive upset wins as a road underdog, tired team - playing 6 or more games in 10 days are 28-8 (77.8%) ATS over the last five seasons.  The Blazers are 12-5 ATS in their last 17 games playing on 2 days' rest.  Take the Blazers Saturday.

15* NBA Saturday Undervalued Underdog on Brooklyn Nets +9.5

This is the classic home-and-home situation.  The Nets lost to the Bucks 93-111 at home on Thursday.  Now they're playing just two days later, and I'm almost always inclined to take the team that lost the first meeting because they're going to be the more motivated team.

I really like when the home team loses and then taking them on the road in the second meeting.  That's because we get more value, and that's the case here with the Nets catching 9.5 points.  This is a game that they could win outright as they are very familiar with the Bucks having played them twice already, and I can't see the Bucks being too motivated to beat them a 3rd time this year.

Adding to the value is the fact that Milwaukee is overvalued right now due to going 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in their last three games overall coming in.  That includes a win over the defending champion Cavaliers.  But now the Bucks have the Spurs on deck and certainly could be looking ahead to that game.

Milwaukee is 3-17 ATS in home games off two or more consecutive wins over the last three seasons.  The Bucks are 2-11 ATS off three or more consecutive wins over the last three years.  The Bucks are 4-13 ATS in their last 17 vs. Eastern Conference foes.  The road team is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.  Bet the Nets Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday Rivalry Play on Rhode Island -2.5

The Rhode Island Rams have had this game circled on their calendars all offseason.  They are legitimately the better team in this rivalry game for the first time in years, and they should win.

The Rams will be motivated to end a six-game losing streak to Providence.  The last three meetings were decided by a combined 11 points, including a 74-72 home loss last year, so they have been right there with a chance to win.  2016 is when they get over the top.

Providence is in rebuilding mode this year after losing its two best players in Kris Dunn and Ben Bentil.  Rhode Island is a legit Top 25 team this year with four starters back from last season plus the return of EC Matthews, their best player.

Providence is 12-27 ATS in its last 39 home games after allowing 25 points or fewer in the first half of its previous game.  Rhode Island's only two losses came on the road to both Duke (by 10) and Valpo (by 3).  The Rams won't be losing their third game here.  Take Rhode Island Saturday.

15* WVU/Virginia ESPNU Saturday No-Brainer on West Virginia +10

West Virginia should not be a double-digit underdog here against Virginia.  The Mountaineers have been rolling with the exception of a 4-point upset loss to Temple a few games back, and that result has them undervalued right now.

Virginia continues to be overvalued due to its 7-0 start.  It failed to cover against a down Providence team in a 63-62 win as 12-point favorites on a neutral court.  Then last time out the Cavaliers were lucky to beat Ohio State 63-61 as 12-point home favorites.

WVU has had four full days to prepare for Virginia, while the Cavaliers have only had two days to prepare for the Mountaineers after playing Ohio State on Wednesday.  That's a huge disadvantage for the Cavaliers because the Mountaineers' aggressive, pressing style is tough to prepare for.

Virginia is 5-20 ATS in its last 25 games off a home win by 3 points or less.  West Virginia is 10-2 ATS in its last 12 vs. excellent defensive teams that allow 35% shooting or less.  Bet West Virginia Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday No-Doubt Rout on Ball State -5.5

The Ball State Cardinals are going to be one of the best teams in the MAC this season.  They brought back four starters from last season and almost all of their best players.  They are 4-3 this season with their only losses coming to three good teams in Indiana State, Alabama and Valpo with two of those on the road.

IUPUI is clearly a mess this season off to a 2-5 start while going 0-5 in road games, getting outscored by 12.8 points per game away from home.  They have lost to Illinois State by 14, Eastern Kentucky by 10, Marqutte by 25 and Michigan by 12.  Perhaps their most concerning loss was a 58-61 setback at SIU-Edwardsville as 7-point favorites.

Plays on a favorite (BALL ST) - an excellent offensive team (at least 76 PPG) against a poor defensive team (74-76 PPG), after allowing 55 points or less are 35-13 (72.9%) ATS over the last five seasons.  The Jaguars are 1-6 ATS in their last seven non-conference games.  Roll with Ball State Saturday.

25* ESPN Friday Night GAME OF THE YEAR on Denver Nuggets -2.5

This is my favorite play of the young NBA season thus far.  We'll take the Denver Nuggets as slim 2.5-point home favorites over the Houston Rockets in a game that you'll get to watch on ESPN tonight.  This game has the makings of a blowout in favor of the home team for a number of reasons.

First, Houston just beat Golden State in double-OT last night 132-127.  This is a tired team right now because of it at James Harden played 46 minutes, Ryan Anderson played 45 and Trevor Ariza played 43.  They won't have anything left to give tonight against the Nuggets.

Second, this is obviously a letdown spot for the Rockets now.  They just went on the road and beat the team that everyone expects to win the NBA title this season.  They won't be able to get up for the Nuggets here, and the spot is even tougher since they will be playing in altitude in the Mile High City.

Third, the Nuggets come in pissed off after a bad home loss to the Miami Heat last time out.  They gave the game away by committing 19 turnovers after previously fixing that problem by giving it away 12 or fewer times in four of their previous five contests.

Fourth, the Nuggets are getting healthy as Will Barton and Darrell Arthur are both expected to be available tonight.  Only Gary Harris is out for certain, so they're as healthy as they've been all season.  Barton didn't play in the loss to the Heat and is a huge weapon for them offensively.

Fifth, Denver has had Houston's number recently, going 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in the last three meetings.  Houston is 5-12 ATS in the last 17 meetings overall, and 2-6 ATS in its last eight trips to Denver.  The Nuggets are 9-0 ATS after allowing 100 points or more in five straight games over the past two seasons.  The Rockets are 4-11 ATS in their last 15 games after scoring more than 125 points in their previous game.  Bet the Nuggets Friday.

15* NBA Friday Total DOMINATOR on Timberwolves/Knicks UNDER 210

This is a home-and-home situation for the Minnesota Timberwolves and New York Knicks.  New York beat Minnesota 106-104 on the road Wednesday night.  Now these teams are extremely familiar with one another, which favors the UNDER and a defensive battle as they are playing again just two nights later.

And these teams have certainly played in their share of defensive battles of late.  They haven't combined for more than 210 points in any of their last four meetings.  They have averaged 196.8 combined points at the end of regulation in their last four meetings, which is more than 13 points less than tonight's posted total of 210.

New York is 23-6 UNDER versus teams who score at least 103 points per game over the last two seasons.  The Knicks are 14-2 UNDER when the total is 210 or more over the last two seasons, including 9-1 UNDER in home games when the total is 210 or more over the last two years.  Roll with the UNDER in this game Friday.

15* NBA Friday No-Doubt Rout on Philadelphia 76ers -2

The Philadelphia 76ers have been a great beat at home this season.  They are 9-3 ATS on their home floor and should make easy work of the Orlando Magic tonight.  After all, the 76ers haven't played since Monday, so they will be ready to get back into competition tonight after having three days off in between games.

The same cannot be said for the Magic, who are in a terrible spot.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 3rd road game in 4 days.  They shocked the Spurs to open this road trip, but then lost to a short-handed Memphis team last night.  I look for this tough stretch to take its toll on the Magic here as they are out of gas and will come out flat tonight.

The Magic are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games vs. a team with a losing straight up record.  Orlando is 5-11 ATS in its last 16 road games.  The 76ers are 6-1 ATS in their last seven home games.  Philadelphia is 6-0 ATS in its last six home games vs. a team with a losing road record.  The 76ers are 20-8 ATS in their last 28 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.  Take the 76ers Friday.

15* NBA Thursday No-Doubt Rout on Utah Jazz -10

I've harped on it many times this season and I'm going to continue to do so.  The Utah Jazz are a much better team with George Hill than without him.  They are 8-3 with Hill in the lineup compared to 3-5 without him.  Hill is second on the team in scoring (20.0 ppg) and 1st in assists (4.2 apg).  He has been a real leader at the point guard position, something they've missed over the past few years.

Hill returned to the lineup four games ago, and it's no surprise that the Jazz have been playing their best basketball of the season of late.  They are 4-0 SU & 4-0 ATS in their last four games beating the Nuggets by 25 at home, The Hawks by 27 at home, the Timberwolves by 9 on the road and the Rockets by 19 at home.

Now the Jazz get to face a very tired, short-handed Miami Heat team.  The Heat will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 5th game in 7 days here.  They picked up a huge win in Denver last night, but after playing in the altitude, their bodies aren't going to recover in time to be competitive against the Jazz tonight.  Especially since they're without two key players in Dion Waiters and Justise Winslow.

Miami is 12-27 ATS off a road win over the last three seasons.   Heat are 1-6 ATS in their last seven games playing on 0 days' rest.  The Jazz are 17-4 ATS in their last 21 games vs. a team with a losing straight up record.  Utah is 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings.  Miami is 1-4 ATS in its last five trips to Utah.  Roll with the Jazz Thursday.

15* Cincinnati/Iowa State ESPN ANNIHILATOR on Iowa State -7

The Iowa State Cyclones have been very impressive in the early going and are certainly deserving of their Top 25 ranking.  The Cyclones are off to a 5-1 start this season that includes a 17-point win over Miami on a neutral court.  Their only loss came 71-73 to Gonzaga as 4.5-point dogs in a game they had a chance to win at the buzzer.

The Cincinnati Bearcats are also 5-1 this season, but they have feasted on a very easy schedule.  They played four home games against overmatched competition, and they split their two neutral court games, beating Penn State but losing to Rhode Island.  This will be their first true road game of the season.

Iowa State has one of the best home-court advantages in the country.  The Cyclones are 3-0 at home this season and winning by 42.3 points per game.  Iowa State is 7-2 ATS in its last nine games overall.  The Cyclones are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.

Iowa State is 5-1 ATS in its last six games following a straight up loss.  Cincinnati is 1-8 ATS in its last nine games following a straight up win.  The Bearcats are 1-4 ATS in their last five road games.  The Cyclones are 6-0 ATS off a close loss by 3 points or less over the past three seasons.  Bet Iowa State Thursday.

15* NBA Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Orlando Magic -1.5

The Orlando Magic are coming off a big 95-83 road win at the San Antonio Spurs as 12.5-point underdogs Tuesday night.  That put an end to a four-game losing streak in which they lost by 4, 5, 3 and 8 points.  Now they should have some confidence going into Memphis tonight.

This is an awful spot for the Grizzlies as they will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 5th game in 7 days.  They just learned that Mike Conley will be out for over a month with a back fracture, which was a huge blow to their team because he's their most important player.  They have lost by 19 to Charlotte and by 15 to Toronto in their last two games without him.

Making matters worse for the Grizzlies is that they were already short-handed even without Conley.  They are missing two other starters in Chandler Parsons and James Ennis, and they are without the best 6th man in the NBA in Zach Randolph.  Being short-handed and playing your 5th game in 7 days is not a good combination.

Plays against home underdogs (MEMPHIS) - after one or more consecutive losses, extremely tired team - playing their 5th game in 7 days are 173-112 (60.7%) ATS since 1996.  Orlando is 23-8 ATS in non-conference road games over the last three seasons.  The Grizzlies are 1-5 ATS in their last six home games.  Take the Magic Thursday.

15* CBB Wednesday Late-Night BAILOUT on UC-Riverside +24.5

I have been a big UCLA backer this season.  I backed them in all three Wooden Classic games and won all three as they beat Portland 99-77 as 15.5-point favorites, Nebraska 82-71 as 9.5-point favorites and Texas A&M 74-67 as 6-point favorites.  They were fortunate to narrowly cover those last two games.

Now it's time to fade the Bruins for a couple of reasons.  First, they are overvalued after a 4-game ATS winning streak.  Second, they are in for a letdown off their Wooden Classic Championship.  And third, they have their biggest game of the season on deck against Kentucky, so they'll be looking ahead to that game against the No. 1-ranked Wildcats.

UC-Riverside hasn't lost by more than 18 points this season.  It won its two home games by 46 and 36 points, but lost its three road games by 16 to Portland, 12 to UNLV and 18 to Utah.  That's a pretty tough road schedule and one that will have them battle-tested heading into this showdown with UCLA.

Freshman guard Dikymbe Martin has posted 41 points, 10 assists and 7 steals in his last two games.  He made his first career start against Utah and finished with 15 points, 5 assists, 4 boards and 3 steals.  He should continue to get increased minutes going forward.  Malik Thames missed the Utah game due to an illness in the family, but he's expected to return tonight.  Thames averages 12.3 points and 4.7 rebounds, while Chance Murray is averaging 12 points.  Martin leads them in scoring at 12.5 points per game.

Plays on road underdogs of 10 or more points (UC-RIVERSIDE) - an average offensive team (67-74 PPG) against a poor defensive team (74-78 PPG), after allowing 85 points or more are 34-10 (77.3%) ATS since 1997.  UCLA is 1-10 ATS versus up-tempo teams who average 62 or more shots per game over the last two seasons.  UCLA is 16-30 ATS in its last 46 following seven or more consecutive wins.  Take UC-Riverside Wednesday.

15* NBA Wednesday Undervalued Underdog on Phoenix Suns +5.5

The Atlanta Hawks are in about as tough of a spot as you will find.  They will be playing their 10th game in 16 days here.  They just played the Golden State Warriors on Monday in a narrow loss, and they will likely suffer a hangover from that defeat against the best team in the West.  They won't be up for the Suns tonight.

This tough schedule is clearly taking its toll on the Hawks as they have gone 1-6 SU & 2-5 ATS in their last seven games overall.  That includes a 10-point road loss to the Knicks, a 16-point home loss to the Pelicans, a 27-point road loss to the Jazz and a 15-point road loss to the Lakers.

The Phoenix Suns haven't been playing a whole lot better, but they are primed for a big effort here.  They have had two days off since losing to the Nuggets on Sunday.  They also have two more days off after this game.  They are putting emphasis on winning this contest.

Tyson Chandler's absence has been a big reason for the Suns' struggles.  Chandler has missed eight of the past 10 games to deal with his mother's death.  But he returned against the Nuggets last time out and finished with 10 points and 15 rebounds.  Having him will be key in this game to counter Atlanta's Dwight Howard.

Plays on underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points (PHOENIX) - explosive offensive team - scoring 103+ points/game on the season, after trailing in their previous game by 15 or more points at the half are 48-21 (69.6%) ATS since 1996.  Phoenix is 20-8 ATS in its last 28 games following an ATS loss.  The Suns are 20-6 ATS in their last 26 games following a straight up loss.  The Hawks are 5-14 ATS in their last 19 road games.  Atlanta is 0-7 ATS in its last seven games playing on one days' rest.  Phoenix is 11-4 ATS in the last 15 meetings.  Roll with the Suns Wednesday.

20* NBA Non-Conference GAME OF THE WEEK on Denver Nuggets -6

The Miami Heat are an absolute mash unit right now.  They are without Justise Winslow, Chris Bosh and Dion Waiters, and they could be without key bench player Tyler Johnson again tonight.  Not to mention. both Goran Dragic and Hassan Whiteside are nursing injuries right now that they are simply playing through.

The results have been ugly for the Heat of late as they are 1-4 SU & 1-4 ATS in their last five games overall.  That includes a 94-101 road loss at Philadelphia and an 84-107 road loss at Detroit.  They are shooting just 42.1% from the floor in their last five.  Now they must go play in the altitude in Denver, and I don't think they can keep up with the high-powered Nuggets.

Denver is one of the most improved teams in the NBA this season.  It is scoring 107.0 points per game, including 110.5 points per game at home.  To compare, Miami scores 96.1 points per game overall and 94.0 on the road.  And the Nuggets are getting healthy as Danilo Gallinari and Will Barton are expected to play.  The only player they should be missing is Gary Harris tonight, but they've been without him for the majority of the season.

The Nuggets are 4-3 SU & 5-2 ATS in their last seven games overall with two of their losses coming to Toronto and Oklahoma City by a combined five points.  They have been bitten by close losses all season, but this game shouldn't be close at all given the injuries for the Heat.

Miami is 10-22 ATS versus explosive offensive teams that score 103-plus points per game over the last two seasons. Denver is 21-8 ATS after allowing 100 points or more in four straight games over the last three seasons.  The Heat are 4-13 ATS in road games with a total set of 200 or more over the last two years.  The Nuggets are 4-1 ATS in their last five home games.  The Heat are 5-15 ATS in the last 20 meetings, including 2-8 ATS in their last 10 trips to Denver.  Bet the Nuggets Wednesday.

20* CBB Wednesday No-Doubt Rout on Indiana State -4.5

This is one of the rare times where two teams play each other twice this early in the season in non-conference action.  Northern Illinois beat Indiana State 80-78 at home in the season opener.  Now it's time for the Sycamores to get revenge at home this time around as only 4.5-point favorites.

I really like what I've seen from this Indiana State team.  It is much better than its 2-4 record as all four losses have come by 3 points or less.  That includes a 71-73 loss to Top 25 Iowa State as 13.5-point dogs and a 62-65 loss to a very good Stanford team as 6-point dogs.  Those two efforts alone show what the Sycamores are capable of moving forward.

Northern Illinois has some really bad losses during its 4-3 start and has played a much softer schedule.  The four wins have come against Indiana State, Roosevelt, Idaho and Illinois-Chicago, while the three losses have come against CS-Northridge, Cal Poly and Elon.  This will be just the Huskies second true road game this season, while it will be only the second home game for Indiana State.  The first resulted in a 41-point beat down of Missouri-St. Louis.

Indiana State is 34-14 ATS in its last 48 games as a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points.  The Huskies are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 road games.  Indiana State is 6-1 ATS in its last seven non-conference games.  The Sycamores are 7-1 ATS in their last eight home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.  Bet Indiana State Wednesday.

15* NBA Wednesday No-Doubt Rout on Toronto Raptors -12

The Memphis Grizzlies are an absolute mash unit right now.  It happened last year as injuries killed their season, and it's starting to happen again this season.  The Grizzlies were already without starters James Ennis and Chandler Parson, as well as the NBA's best sixth man in Zach Randolph.

But now they'll be without Mike Conley for at least a month due to a back fracture suffered last time out.  The Grizzlies lost that game 85-104 at home to the Hornets without all of those players.  They have to feel snake bitten right now with these injuries, and I don't expect much of an effort from them here tonight.

And now the Grizzlies must face one of the best teams in the NBA in the Toronto Raptors.  The Raptors have gone 11-6 SU & 11-5-1 ATS this season.  They continue to be an undervalued commodity and are a legitimate threat to Cleveland in the East.  And they rarely take teams lightly, as evidenced by their 122-95 throttling of the 76ers on Monday.

The Grizzlies are a tired team right now as they'll be playing their 8th game in 13 days, which just compounds the problem with the injuries.  Memphis is 68-99 ATS in its last 167 games when playing 8 or more games in 14 days.  The Grizzlies are 3-9-1 ATS in their last 13 games following a double-digit loss at home.  The Raptors are 6-0-1 ATS in their last seven games following a ATS win.  Toronto is 20-8-1 ATS in its last 29 games vs. a team with a winning percentage above 60%.  Take the Raptors Wednesday.

15* Rockets/Jazz NBA TV ANNIHILATOR on Utah +2.5

I've made this point a few times this season and I'll keep harping on it.  Utah is a much better team with George Hill in the lineup.  The Jazz are 7-3 in games with Hill, and 3-5 in games without him.  It's easy to see why as Hill leads the team in both scoring (21.2 ppg) and assists (4.2 apg).

The Jazz are starting to play up to their potential now that they are nearly full strength health-wise.  They have gone 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in their last three games overall, beating the Nuggets by 25 and Hawks by 27 at home, and then the Timberwolves by 9 on the road.

I'm not that concerned that this will be a back-to-back for the Jazz because they had two days off prior to the Timberwolves game last night.  Plus, they will be out for revenge from a 102-111 road loss at Houston just 10 days ago on November 19th.  That will give them the extra motivation they need to push through.  George Hill missed that loss to Houston, too, and he'll make all the difference in the rematch.

Houston is an overvalued commodity right now and it's time to fade them.  The Rockets have gone 7-1 ATS in their last eight games overall as the public bettors continue to pour in on them.  They are now favored on the road against what I feel is one of the best teams in the Western Conference in the Jazz.  The price is right to take the Jazz as home dogs here.

Utah is 63-34 ATS revenging a loss vs opponent over the last three seasons.  Mike D'Antoni is 22-40 ATS off two straight wins by 10 points or more in all games he has coached.  The Jazz are 19-9-1 ATS in their last 29 games playing on 0 days' rest.  The home team is 6-2 SU & 6-2 ATS in the last eight meetings.  Take the Jazz Tuesday.

20* CBB Tuesday No-Doubt Rout on Virginia Commonwealth -5

The VCU Rams are coming off a 25-11 season last year in the first season under Will Wade, showing that they don't miss Shaka Smart at all.  They went 14-4 in AAC play and lost an 81-85 nail-biter to Oklahoma with a Sweet 16 berth on the line.

The Rams returned four starters from that team, including JeQuan Lewis (11.3 ppg, 5.1 apg) and Mo Allie-Cox (10.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg).  Fellow starters Doug Brooks and Jordan Burgess returned, as did key bench player Justin Tillman (7.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg), who shot 71.7 percent over his final 21 games last year and had 21 rebounds against Dayton in the A-10 Tournament.

VCU is off to a 5-1 start this season with wins over St. John's and LSU on neutral courts.  The only loss came to Baylor 63-71, and Baylor is now currently the No. 9 ranked team in the country.  Baylor has beaten Louisville, Michigan State and Oregon already, so that's not a bad loss at all.

Princeton is off to a 2-2 start this season with its only wins coming against Lafayette and Rowan.  Princeton lost 73-82 at BYU and 67-76 at Lehigh.  This Tigers team is getting a lot of hype this season because they are expected to compete for an Ivy League title while bringing back all five starters from last year.  But this is the toughest game that they will have played yet, and they already lost to both BYU and Lehigh by 9 on the road.

The Rams are 27-11 ATS in their last 38 games overall.  VCU is 21-7 ATS in its last 28 games following a win.  The Rams are 12-2 ATS in their last 14 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.  The Tigers are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games overall.  Princeton is 0-6 ATS in its last six games following a win.  Bet VCU Tuesday.

15* CBB Monday No-Doubt Rout on Northwestern -3.5

The Northwestern Wildcats went 20-12 last season and brought back three starters from that team.  They are PG Bryant McIntosh (13.8 ppg, 6.7 apg last year), Aaron Falzon (8.4 ppg, 63 3-pointers) and Sanjay Lumpkin (3.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg).  They have the potential to make their first ever NCAA Tournament appearance this year.

The Wildcats are off to a 4-2 start against a brutal schedule.  Their two losses both came on the road at Butler (68-70) as 7.5-point dogs and against Notre Dame (66-70) as 4.5-point dogs, losing those two contests by a combined six points and proving that they can play with good teams.  They also did that in a 77-58 blowout of Texas as 3-point dogs.  Those three results right there tell you a lot about what the Wildcats are capable of.

I think Wake Forest is overvalued due to its 5-1 start.  This is a team that went 11-20 last year and lost two of its best players in Devin Thomas and Codi Miller-McIntyre.  The five wins have come against Radford, Bucknell, UTEP, College of Charleston and Coastal Carolina.  The loss was against Villanova 77-96 as 12-point dogs as they were clearly outclassed.

Wake Forest is 0-6 ATS after allowing 25 points or less in the first half of last game over the past two seasons.  Northwestern is 11-2 ATS when playing its 3rd game in a week over the last three years.  The Demon Deacons are 2-10 ATS in their last 12 games following a straight up win.  The Wildcats are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 non-conference games.  Take Northwestern Monday.

20* NBA BLOWOUT GAME OF THE WEEK on Boston Celtics -3.5

The Boston Celtics have started to play up to their potential now that they are fully healthy after playing several games without both Al Horford and Jae Crowder.  They have won three off their last four with all three wins coming on the road, and their only loss coming at home to the San Antonio Spurs, who are 10-0 on the road this season.

The same cannot be said for the Miami Heat, who have a laundry list of injuries and cannot afford to be short-handed with their lack of talent already.  The Heat are just 5-11 on the season.  They are without Justise Winslow, Chris Bosh and Wayne Ellington.  They could be without Goran Dragic and Willie Reed again tonight.  And Dion Waiters is nursing a groin injury.

The Celtics come in well-rested as they will have had two days off since the loss to the Spurs on Friday.  The Heat will be playing their 3rd game in 4 days.  The Celtics have have the Heat's number, going 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in the last three meetings with three straight wins by double-digits.

The Celtics are 35-16-1 ATS in their last 52 Monday games.  Boston is 4-0 ATS in its last four vs. Eastern Conference opponents and 4-0 ATS in its last four games vs. a team with a losing record.  The Celtics are 4-1 ATS in their last five road games.  Boston is 35-17 ATS in the last 52 meetings, including 5-1 ATS in its last six trips to Miami.  Bet the Celtics Monday.

20* CBB GAME OF THE WEEK on UCLA -3.5

The UCLA Bruins are absolutely loaded this season.  They are off to a 6-0 start while averaging 100.7 points per game and outscoring opponents by 24.0 points per game.  They brought back four starters from last season and added in two of the top freshman recruits in the country.

Freshman TJ Leaf (17.8 ppg, 8.8 rpg) is an absolute load inside.  He's a McDonald's All-American who scored 3,022 points in his prep career.  Bryce Alford (17.7 ppg) and Isaac Hamilton (16.7 ppg, 4.2 apg) are the two top players back from last year.  Freshman Lonzo Ball (16.0 ppg, 9.0 apg, 5.3 rpg) is going to be one-and-done.  Aaron Holiday (13.0 ppg, 4.2 apg) and Thomas Welsh (11.3 ppg, 9.7 rpg) are also returning starters.

While UCLA has won all six of its games by double-digits, Texas A&M has already lost at home to USC this season and was very fortunate to beat Virginia Tech 68-65 on Saturday after erasing a 17-point deficit.  The Aggies lost four starters from last year in Danuel House (15.6 ppg), Jalen Jones (15.3 ppg), Alex Caruso (8.1 ppg, 5.0 apg) and Anthony Collins.

They have some young talent as well in Tyler Davis and DJ Hogg, but they're definitely down compared to last year.  Texas A&M is 0-6-1 ATS in its last seven vs. Pac-12 opponents.  The Aggies are 1-4 ATS in their last five games following a win.  They'll be out-classed here by the loaded Bruins who are playing in their home state with tremendous fan support for this neutral site affair.  Bet UCLA Sunday.

15* NBA PLAY OF THE DAY on Philadelphia 76ers +13

The Cleveland Cavaliers are way overvalued today as 13-point road favorites over the Philadelphia 76ers.  I'll gladly take the home team and the points for a couple of different reasons.

It's worth mentioning that Lebron James and several Cleveland players attended the Michigan/Ohio State game yesterday and were down on the sidelines.  Their focus clearly isn't on beating the 76ers today in this 1:00 EST start time.

The 76ers always get up for the Cavs, while the same cannot be said for Cleveland.  In fact, the 76ers are 7-1 ATS in their last eight meetings with Cleveland.  Only once have they lost by more than 13 points during this stretch, and six of those games were decided by 10 points or less.  That includes a 101-102 Cleveland home victory in their only meeting this season as 12.5-point favorites on November 5th.

The Cavaliers are 4-13-2 ATS in their last 19 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.  The 76ers are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.  Philadelphia is 5-1 ATS in its last six home games.  The 76ers are 4-0 ATS in their last four games following a double-digit loss at home.  Take the 76ers Sunday.

15* NBA Saturday Total DOMINATOR on Knicks/Hornets UNDER 206

This is the rare home-and-home game in the NBA.  The Knicks and Hornets played an overtime thriller in New York last night.  The Knicks prevailed 113-111 in overtime.  That game saw 208 combined points at the end of regulation.

Now oddsmakers have set the total at 206 in the rematch.  I believe it's too high.  Familiarity favors defense, and points will be very hard to come by for both teams tonight.  I don't expect either team to get to the 100-point mark in this one.  They'll both be fatigued off an OT game, and that hurts teams offensively more than defensively.

These teams have combined for 208 or fewer points at the end of regulation in each of their last nine meetings.  They have averaged 191.6 combined points per game at the end of regulation in those nine meetings, which is more than 14 points less than tonight's posted total of 206.  There's clearly some value here with the UNDER.

New York is 21-5 UNDER vs. teams who score 103-plus points per game over the last two seasons.  The UNDER is 20-6 in Knicks last 26 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.  The UNDER is 36-17 in Knicks last 53 overall.  Charlotte is 89-53 to the UNDER in its last 142 after scoring 100 points or more in two straight games.  Take the UNDER in this game Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday No-Doubt Rout on Iowa Hawkeyes -3

The Iowa Hawkeyes are way undervalued right now after their 41-74 loss to Virginia yesterday.  Virginia is one of the best teams in the country and the Hawkeyes weren't ready for their pack-line defense as they shot just 31.2%.  But now they're up against a team they can handle in Memphis.

Memphis is overvalued after starting the season 4-0 with wins over UTRGV, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Savannah State and McNeese State.  But it was beaten 51-60 yesterday against a Providence team that is way down this season after losing its two best players in Kris Dunn and Ben Bentil.

And UTRGV and Savannah State are two common opponents who both Memphis and Iowa played at home.  Iowa beat Savannah State 116-84 and UTRGV 95-67, outscoring them by an average of 30 points per game.  Memphis beat UTRGV 94-75 and Savannah State 99-86, only outscoring them by 16 points per game on average.  It's clear that the Hawkeyes are the better team here.  Roll with Iowa Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday Early ANNIHILATOR on Northern Iowa +9.5

This is a rare occasion in college basketball where two teams will be playing back-to-back.  Xavier and Northern Iowa squared off just six days ago in the Tire Pros Invitational in Orlando.  The Musketeers won 67-59 after outscoring the Panthers by eight points in the second half and pulling away late.

The Musketeers were only 5.5-point favorites in that game and barely covered, and now they're 9.5-point favorites in the rematch because they are at home.  But this won't be the normal home-court advantage that Xavier usually has as kids are home for Thanksgiving Break.  Plus, I love taking the team that lost the first game in the rematch in situations like this one because they want it more.

Northern Iowa is one of the country's top mid-major programs annually and isn't used to losing.  The Panthers have a 4-2 record since the start of the 2014-15 season against Top 25 teams, and they were 3-0 last season against ranked opponents.  To get to the championship game last week, Northern Iowa throttled Arizona State 82-63 as 3.5-point dogs before upsetting Oklahoma 73-67 as 6-point dogs.

"We've been playing big schools for a long time now and we've beaten them," senior guard Jeremy Morgan told reporters this week. "It's not easy, but we know we can do it."

"It's a good opportunity for us to be able to go out and play a good team like that twice in a row just to prove we can play with anybody," UNI junior forward Klint Carlson said.

Xavier is 5-0 this season, but four of those wins came by 8 points or fewer.  It barely beat Lehigh 84-81 in its home opener, needed overtime to beat a terrible Missouri team 83-82 as 14.5-point favorites, and topped Clemson 83-77.  This team is clearly overrated right now based on those results, and they know they'll be in a dog fight today.

"I think they're going to bring their 'A' game when they come back," Trevon Bluiett said. "They've kind of got some motivation now, so, you know, I think we'll be ready for it as well. I think it'll be pretty exciting."

The Panthers are 11-1-1 ATS in their last 13 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  Northern Iowa is 10-1 ATS in its last 11 road games.  The Panthers are 37-18-4 ATS in their last 59 games overall.  They have been an undervalued commodity for three straight seasons.  Bet Northern Iowa Saturday.

15* Nebraska/UCLA ESPN 2 Late-Night BAILOUT on UCLA -9

The UCLA Bruins are absolutely loaded this season.  They are off to a 5-0 start while averaging 104.4 points per game and outscoring opponents by 26.6 points per game.  They brought back four starters from last season and added in two of the top freshman recruits in the country.

Freshman TJ Leaf (19.0 ppg, 9.8 rpg) is an absolute load inside.  He's a McDonald's All-American who scored 3,022 points in his prep career.  Bryce Alford (17.6 ppg) and Isaac Hamilton (17.0 ppg, 5.0 apg) are the two top players back from last year.  Freshman Lonzo Ball (16.6 ppg, 9.4 apg, 5.8 rpg) is going to be one-and-done.  Aaron Holiday (14.4 ppg, 3.8 apg) and Thomas Welsh (11.2 ppg, 9.4 rpg) are also returning starters.

Nebraska went 16-18 last season and lost its two best players from that squad in Shavon Shields (16.8 ppg, 5.1 rpg) and Andrew White III (16.6 ppg, 5.9 rpg).  The program suffered a major blow in the offseason when White unexpectedly left the program and transferred to Syracuse. 

UCLA beat up on Portland 99-77 last night, which allowed its starters to play fewer minutes down the stretch.  Nebraska didn't have the same luxury as it beat an undermanned Dayton team that was missing two key players 80-78.  Three players played at least 30 minutes in that contest for the Huskers.

Nebraska is 10-28 ATS in its last 38 road games after scoring 80 points or more.  The Cornhuskers are 2-6 ATS in their last eight games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  Nebraska is 16-30 ATS when playing against a team with a winning record over the last three seasons.

Plays against neutral court teams as an underdog (NEBRASKA) - after a combined score of 155 points or more against opponent after a combined score of 155 points or more three straight games are 25-7 (78.1%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Roll with UCLA Friday.

15* CBB Friday No-Doubt Rout on Weber State -3.5

Weber State is the favorite to win the Big Sky Conference this season.  Head coach Randy Rahe is 208-113 in his 10 seasons here, and just signed a new eight-year contract.  He returns four starters and a deep cast of reserves from a team that went 26-9 last season.

I think the Wildcats are being undervalued here because they are off to a 2-2 start this season, losing true road games at Pepperdine and Stanford already.  They have six players averaging at least 8.5 points per game, including Jeremy Senglin (21.5 ppg), who is likely to win Big Sky MVP this season.

Iona did go 22-11 last season and made the NCAA Tournament before losing to Iowa State.  But the Gaels lost three starters from last season, including their do-everything guard A.J. English (22.6 ppg, 5.0 rpg) and Isaiah Williams (12.8 ppg, 6.9 rpg).

I haven't been impressed with Iona at all this season.  They lost by 21 as 14.5-point dogs at Florida State, which is one of the bottom tier teams in the ACC.  And they lost by 15 at Nevada as 12.5-point dogs.  Their only win came against a terrible Drake team by a final of 64-53.  Drake went 7-24 last season and is 1-3 this season with losses to Missouri-KC and South Dakota.

Iona is 4-13 ATS as an underdog over the last three seasons.  The Gaels are 7-20 ATS in their last 27 non-conference games.  The Wildcats are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 neutral site games.  Weber State crushed Cal Davis 86-58 to deliver the goods for us last night and will have plenty left in the tank for Iona tonight.  Bet Weber State Friday.

20* NBA Non-Conference GAME OF THE MONTH on Utah Jazz -2.5

The Utah Jazz are way undervalued right now.  They are just 1-4 SU & 1-4 ATS in their last five games overall, so the price on them is cheap right now.  But a big reason for their struggles was injuries, most notably to starting point guard George Hill.

But Hill returned to the lineup last time out and the Jazz got back on track by crushing the Denver Nuggets 108-83 at home.  Hill leads the team in scoring at 20.6 points per game while shooting 55% from the field.  He has missed eight games this season already, and they are 5-3 without him compared to 3-5 without him.

This will only be the 2nd game in 5 days for the Jaz, so they'll be fresh and ready to go.  The Hawks will be playing their 7th game in 11 days and have shown signs of wearing down.  Atlanta is 1-3 SU & 1-3 ATS in its last four games overall, but it is still getting way too much respect from oddsmakers here.

Utah is 59-34 ATS in its last 93 home games after failing to cover four of its last five against the spread.  The Hawks are 4-12 ATS in their last 16 road games.  Atlanta is 0-5 ATS in its last five games when playing on one days' rest.  The Jazz are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.  Bet the Jazz Friday.

15* CBB Friday UPSET SHOCKER on SMU +1.5

The SMU Mustangs went 25-5 last season and were clearly one of the better teams in the country.  Tim Jankovich, hired four years ago as an assistant as essentially the coach-in-waiting, is more than capable of replacing Larry Brown. He won 104 games in five seasons at Illinois State before arriving at SMU, and even went 9-0 last season while Brown sat out with a suspension.

Jankovich is working with a great team this season as the Mustangs return three starters in Ben Moore (11.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg last year), Shake Milton (10.5 ppg, 2.7 apg) and Sterling Brown (10.1 ppg, 53.6% 3-pointers).  These three have helped the Mustangs out to an impressive 4-1 start this season with a 72-44 win over Gardner Webb, a 91-64 win over Eastern Michigan as 12.5-point favorites, a 76-67 win over Pitt as 5-point favorites and an 84-57 win over UC-Santa Barbara as 19-point favorites.

Milton (12.0 ppg, 4.0 apg this year), Brown (11.2 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 3.0 apg) and Moore (10.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg) have all gotten off to nice starts this season.  But it's been Semi Ojeleye (20.2 ppg, 7.8 rpg) who has stolen the show.  He's a Duke transfer who is already contributing in a big way after sitting out last season.  Jarrey Foster (10.2 ppg) has taken his game to the next level after playing a significant role off the bench last year.

I know SMU didn't fare well in a loss to Michigan, but that was a tough spot as the Wolverines run a bunch of different defenses that are tough to prepare for.  And they had no time to prepare as they were playing a second straight day after beating Pitt the night before.  I like the fact that this team is battle-tested with this tough early schedule.

USC lost its 2nd and 3rd leading scorers from last season in Nikola Jovanovic and Julian Jacobs.  The Trojans had four other players transfer.  They are counting on up to four freshmen to contribute significantly this season.  They are off to a 4-0 start this year which has them overvalued, but they have played such a soft schedule.

This will be the Trojans' toughest test of the season.  And they certainly aren't hitting on all cylinders offensively in the early going as they are shooting just 40.8% as a team overall and 30.5% from 3-point range.  SMU is shooting 47.5% as a team and 38.9% from 3-point range against a much tougher schedule.

The Mustangs are 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.  SMU is 4-1 ATS in its last five non-conference games.  USC is 1-5 ATS in its last six games following a win.  The Trojans are 4-15 ATS in their last 19 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.  Take SMU Friday.

15* UC Davis/Weber State Midnight EST BAILOUT on Weber State -4

Weber State is the favorite to win the Big Sky Conference this season.  Head coach Randy Rahe is 208-113 in his 10 seasons here, and just signed a new eight-year contract.  He returns four starters and a deep cast of reserves from a team that went 26-9 last season.

I think the Wildcats are being undervalued here because they are off to a 1-2 start this season, losing road games at Pepperdine and Stanford already.  They have four players averaging double-digits scoring, including Jeremy Senglin (22.0 ppg), who is likely to win Big Sky MVP this season.

Conversely, UC Davis is being overvalued due to its 4-1 start this season.  The one loss was a 14-point setback to Tennessee State, while the four wins have come against the likes of Santa Clara, Northern Arizona, Holy Names and Sacramento State.

UC Davis is being picked to finish in the middle of the pack in the Big West Conference.  This is a team that went just 11-19 last season and loses three key starters in Josh Fox (14.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg last year), Neal Monson (9.0 ppg, 8.5 rpg) and Brynton Lemar (10.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg).  They have their two guards back, but they are really hurting on the interior.

Weber State has had a full week to prepare for this game and get better after last playing on November 17th.  UC Davis doesn't have the same luxury having last played on November 21st.  Weber State is 19-5 ATS in its last 24 games after scoring 55 points or less.  The Wildcats are 26-6 ATS in their last 32 games following a road loss where they scored less than 60 points.  The Wildcats are 3-0-1 ATS in their last four games vs. Big West opponents, while the Aggies are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 vs. Big Sky foes.  Take Weber State Thursday.

15* CBB Thursday No-Doubt Rout on UCLA -14.5

The UCLA Bruins are absolutely loaded this season.  They are off to a 4-0 start while averaging 105.7 points per game and outscoring opponents by 27.7 points per game.  They brought back four starters from last season and added in two of the top freshman recruits in the country.

Freshman TJ Leaf (20.2 ppg, 10.0 rpg) is an absolute load inside.  He's a McDonald's All-American who scored 3,022 points in his prep career.  Bryce Alford (18.8 ppg) and Isaac Hamilton (17.2 ppg, 4.8 apg) are the two top players back from last year.  Freshman Lonzo Ball (16.2 ppg, 9.0 apg, 6.2 rpg) is going to be one-and-done.  Aaron Holiday (14.5 ppg, 4.3 apg) and Thomas Welsh (10.0 ppg, 9.2 rpg) are also returning starters.

Portland went just 12-20 last season.  First-year head coach Terry Porter has done a good job of getting the Pilots to 3-0, but the wins have come against UC Riverside, San Jose State and Lewis Clark.  This is a big step up in class for the Pilots as they will be overmatched at all positions.

Portland is 11-29 ATS in its last 40 vs. teams who give up at least 77 points per game.  Steve Alford is 13-4 ATS off three straight wins by 15 points or more in all games he has coached.  The Bruins have won all four games by at least 15 points this season, and that streak will improve to five as they get the win and cover in the opener of the Wooden Classic.  Bet UCLA Thursday.

20* Wisconsin/UNC Maui Invitational No-Brainer on North Carolina -4.5

The North Carolina Tar Heels have been the most impressive team in the country thus far.  They have gone 6-0 with all six wins coming by 15 points or more.  They are averaging nearly 97 points per contest and winning by 29.3 points per game.  Now they're another win from capturing the Maui Invitational title.

Wisconsin doesn't have the firepower to keep up.  We saw that in the Badgers' only loss this season, a 67-79 setback at Creighton despite being 1.5-point favorites.  And Creighton runs and up-tempo style similar to that of the Tar Heels, who just beat Oklahoma State 107-75 as 9-point favorites yesterday.

UNC lost to Wisconsin in the Sweet 16 in 2015 and hasn't forgotten.  "Wisconsin knocked us out two years ago, so, of course, it would be great," Justin Jackson said. "But right now we're trying to just focus on Wisconsin. We know they're a really good team, so we've got to focus on them, but obviously a title would be great."

The Badgers are 1-7 ATS in their last eight when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous games.  The Tar Heels are 12-3-1 ATS in their last 16 games overall.  North Carolina is 10-3 ATS in its last 13 vs. a team with a winning record.  Bet North Carolina Wednesday.

15* NBA Wednesday No-Doubt Rout on Utah Jazz -4.5

The Utah Jazz will be extremely motivated for a victory at home tonight.  They have gone 0-4 SU & 0-4 ATS in their last four games overall, so they are clearly undervalued right now.  And one of those losses came against the Nuggets just three days ago in Denver, so they'll want revenge as well.

The Nuggets, on the other hand, come in on a 5-0 ATS winning streak.  They are starting to get a lot of respect from the books, and it's time to fade them.  And this is a very tired team right now as the Nuggets will be playing the second of a back-to-back and their 7th game in 12 days.

Meanwhile, the Jazz come in rested as they had two days off since losing to the Nuggets on Sunday.  They're hoping to get starting point guard George Hill back from injury.  And they have certainly owned this series as they are 5-1 SU & 4-2 ATS in their last six meetings with the Nuggets.

The Jazz are 4-0 ATS in their last four games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.  The Nuggets are 3-9 ATS in the last 12 meetings, including 1-4 ATS in their last five trips to Salt Lake City.  The favorite is 7-1 ATS in the last eight meetings.  Take the Jazz Wednesday.

15* NBA Wednesday UPSET SHOCKER on Indiana Pacers +2.5

The Indiana Pacers are coming off a bad loss to the Golden State Warriors at home, which was the second of a back-to-back after beating Oklahoma City 115-111 in overtime on the road the night before.  And they were missing several key players in that contest against the Warriors.

But now the Pacers are expected to be healthier for this showdown against the Atlanta Hawks.  Jeff Teague is probable, while Paul George is on the probable side of questionable after missing the past three games.  Myles Turner is also probable.  The Pacers are 6-3 at home this season, while the Hawks are just 3-3 on the road.

The Hawks have lost three straight coming in and are clearly starting to wear down.  They even lost 94-112 at home to the Pelicans last night as 8-point favorites.  Now they'll be playing the second of a back-to-back and their 6th game in 9 days, which is about as tough as it gets in terms of rest situations in the NBA.

Home-court advantage has been huge in this series as the home team has won five straight and seven of the last eight meetings.  The home team is 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings.  The Hawks are 3-12 ATS in their last 15 road games.  Atlanta is 3-10 ATS in its last 13 games following a loss.  The Pacers are 4-0 ATS in their last four games following a double-digit loss at home.  Roll with the Pacers Wednesday.

15* NBA Tuesday No-Doubt Rout on Denver Nuggets +2.5

The Chicago Bulls are way overvalued right now due to going 5-1 SU & 6-0 ATS in their last six games overall.  They are now being asked to lay points on the road to the Denver Nuggets when they really shouldn't be favored.

The Bulls will start to wear down tonight.  They will be playing their 5th straight road games here and their 3rd game in 4 days after playing both the Clippers and Lakers in Los Angeles on back-to-back nights Saturday and Sunday.

The Denver Nuggets have been an undervalued commodity all season.  They've gone 9-4 ATS, including 4-0 ATS in their last four, yet they continue getting no respect from oddsmakers because of their 5-8 straight up record.  But they've have some real tough luck in close games this season.  They will be playing just their 4th game in 9 days here.

Chicago is 13-33 ATS off a road win over the last three seasons. The Nuggets are 36-16-1 ATS in their last 53 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points.  The home team is 12-4-1 ATS in the last 17 meetings, and the Bulls are 0-4 ATS in their last four trips to Denver.

Plays on all teams where the line is +3 to -3 (DENVER) - off a home win by 10 points or more against opponent off an upset win as a road underdog are 26-6 (81.2%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Roll with the Nuggets Tuesday.

20* CBB DOG OF THE WEEK on Auburn +6

The Auburn Tigers are one of the most improved teams in the country this season.  Bruce Pearl is in his third season and finally has his players in place, which is why this team has performed so well in the early going.

They have guard T.J. Dunans back, who averaged 11.6 points in 16 games before injuring his left knee last season.  Guard Bryce Brown set an Auburn freshman record with 78 3-pointers.  Forward Horace Spencer finished third in the SEC in blocked shots last year.  Forward Danjel Purifoy was a redshirt freshman last year who was their top recruit.  Guard Mustapha Heron is a freshman five-star signee.  Guard Ronnie Johnson was a graduate transfer who average 9.4 points at Houston last year.

Auburn is 3-0 this season and 2-0 ATS in lined games.  It beat North Florida 83-66, Georgia State 83-65 as 7.5-point favorites and Eastern Kentucky 85-64 as 15.5-point favorites.  Texas Tech is also 3-0 with wins over Houston Baptist, North Texas and Eastern Kentucky.  That gives these teams a common opponent as Tech beat Eastern Kentucky by 19, while Auburn beat them by 21.

Purifoy (16.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg) and Heron (14.7 ppg, 7.0 rpg) are clearly living up to their massive potential in the early going.  Jared Harper (11.7 ppg) and Brown (10.0 ppg) are also double-digit scorers.  Harper was rated as the No. 21 point guard nationally and the No. 6 recruit out of Georgia.  The Red Raiders are 10-25-1 ATS in their last 36 neutral site games.  Bet Auburn Tuesday.

15* Raptors/Clippers NBA Late-Night BAILOUT on UNDER 209.5

The Toronto Raptors are extremely tired right now.  They will be playing the second of a back-to-back and their 5th game in 7 days tonight.  They started showing signs of slowing down last night in a 99-102 loss at Sacramento as they shot just 40% from the floor and easily went under the 211-point total.

I think the fatigue will hurt the Raptors a lot more on offense than it will on defense tonight.  Plus, the Raptors will be up against a Clippers team that ranks 2nd in the NBA in defensive efficiency, giving up just 96.5 points per 100 possessions.  The Clippers only allow 95.4 points per game on the season, including 90.1 points per game at home.

These teams met twice last season and both games went UNDER the total.  They scored 171 combined points with a 203.5-point total in their lone meeting in Los Angeles.  Then they scored 204 combined points with a 206.5-point total in their rematch in Toronto.  The UNDER is 11-2 in the last 13 meetings in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles is 21-4 UNDER as a home favorite of 6.5 to 12 points over the last two seasons, including 15-1 UNDER as a home favorite of 6.5 to 9 points.  The Clippers are 12-1 UNDER in home games vs. good teams who outscore their opponents ty 3-plus points per game over the last two years.  Roll with the UNDER in this game Monday.

15* CBB Monday No-Doubt Rout on Creighton -9

The Creighton Bluejays returned four starters this season and added in G Marcus Foster, who sat out after transferring from Kansas State.  Foster is averaging 16.7 points and shooting 57.9% from 3-point range through thre games.  They are one of the top teams in the Big East, and that has already been proven in the early going.

The Blue Jays are 4-0 this season.  They only beat Missouri-KC 89-82, but that was a misleading final as they took the foot off the gas after leading 55-34 at half.  They came back and beat the favorite to win the Big Ten in Wisconsin 79-67 as 1.5-point dogs.  Then they beat Washington State 103-77 as 14.5-point favorites before dismantling NC State 112-94 as 5.5-point favorites last night.

Ole Miss went 20-12 last season, but it lost three starters from that team in Stefan Moody (23.6 ppg, 4.3 apg), Tomasz Gielo (9.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg) and Anthony Perez (7.0 ppg, 4.1 rpg).  The loss of Moody is huge because he was one of the very best players in the country.

Ole Miss is 4-0 this season as well, but I've been much less impressed with its results than Creighton's.  The Rebels only beat Tennessee-Martin 86-83 as 17-point home favorites and UMass 90-88 as 11-point home favorites.  Those two results were alarming, but they also only beat Oral Robers 95-88 as 8-point favorites on a neutral court.  They did cover in an 81-68 win as 2.5-point favorites of St. Joseph's, but St. Joe's is way down this season and that cover is getting them too much respect from the books today.

Since this is the second game in two days for these teams, it's important to look at how many minutes players played last night.  Well, Creighton is so deep that it didn't play anyone more than 29 minutes, and only one player played more than 26 minutes.  Meanwhile, Ole Miss played its best players big minutes.  Deandre Burnett played 36 minutes, Cullen Neal played 34 and Sebastian Saiz played 33.  So, I think this back-to-back hurts Ole Miss more because it lacked the depth of Creighton.

The Bluejays are 17-7 ATS as a favorite over the last two seasons.  Creighton is 19-6 ATS in its last 25 road games off three straight wins by 10 points or more.  The Bluejays are 5-1 ATS in their last six non-conference games.  The Rebels are 1-4 ATS in their last five games overall.  Bet Creighton Monday.

15* NBA Monday Total DOMINATOR on Rockets/Pistons OVER 205.5

This is a very low total for any game that involves the Houston Rockets.  In fact, this is the second-lowest total for a Rockets game this season.  The lowest was 200.5 last time out against the Jazz, and they easily went over that with 213 combined points.

The Rockets and their opponents have combined for at least 200 points in 12 of 13 games this season.  Houston ranks 4th in the NBA in offensive efficiency, averaging 109.2 points per 100 possessions.  It is averaging 109.1 points per game on the season and giving up 104.9.

The two meetings between the Pistons and Rockets last season were very high scoring.  They went over 198 points in a 116-105 home win for the Pistons for 221 combined points.  They also went over their 209.5-point total with ease in Houston with a 123-114 final and 237 combined points.

The OVER is 7-1 in Rockets last eight Monday games.  The OVER is 8-2 in Pistons last 10 vs. a team with a winning record.  The OVER is 5-1 in the last six meetings.  The OVER is 7-0 in the last seven meetings in Detroit.  Take the OVER in this game Monday.

20* Bulls/Lakers NBA Late-Night BAILOUT on Los Angeles +2.5

The Chicago Bulls are way overvalued right now.  They have gone 4-1 SU & 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall.  It's now time to fade them with the awful spot they are in here.

The Bulls will be playing the second of a back-to-back and their 3rd road games in 4 days.  They have to be fatigued after losing 95-102 to the Clippers last night, and I wouldn't be surprised if they were out partying last night in Los Angeles.

The Lakers have been one of the most underrated teams in the NBA this season, going 7-6 SU & 8-4 ATS. They are still getting no respect from oddsmakers here as home underdogs.  And this will be just their 2nd game in 5 days, so they will be the much fresher team.

Los Angeles is 7-2-1 ATS in its last 10 home games.  The Lakers are 4-0-1 ATS in their last five vs. Eastern Conference opponents.  Los Angeles is 5-1-1 ATS in its last six games playing on 1 days' rest.  The home team is 7-3 ATS in the last 10 meetings.  Bet the Lakers Sunday.

15* CBB Sunday No-Doubt Rout on Creighton -5.5

The Creighton Bluejays returned four starters this season and added in G Marcus Foster, who sat out after transferring from Kansas State.  Foster is averaging 16.7 points and shooting 57.9% from 3-point range through thre games.  They are one of the top teams in the Big East, and that has already been proven in the early going.

The Blue Jays are 3-0 this season.  They only beat Missouri-KC 89-82, but that was a misleading final as they took the foot off the gas after leading 55-34 at half.  They came back and beat the favorite to win the Big Ten in Wisconsin 79-67 as 1.5-point dogs.  Then they beat Washington State 103-77 yesterday as 14.5-point favorites.

NC State went 16-17 last season and lost its two best players from that team in Anthony Barger (23.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 3.5 apg) and Caleb Martin (11.5 ppg, 4.7 rpg).  The Wolfpack are off to a 3-0 start this season as well, but their wins have been much less impressive.  They only beat Georgia Southern 81-79 as 14-point home favorites, St. Francis-NY 86-61, and Montana 85-72 as 9-point favorites yesterday.

Creighton is 16-7 ATS as a favorite over the last two seasons.  The Bluejays are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 non-conference games.  Creighton is 35-16 ATS in its last 51 Sunday games.  The Wolfpack are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games following a straight up win.  Take Creighton Sunday.

15* CBB Sunday Afternoon Line Mistake on Davidson -2.5

The Davidson Wildcats returned four starters from last year's team that went 20-13 and made the NCAA Tournament.  They are led by Jack Gibbs (23.5 ppg, 5.0 apg last year) and Paton Aldridge (15.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg), two of the top players in the Atlantic 10.

Davidson crushed Missouri 70-55 as 5.5-point favorites yesterday, which is the same Missouri team that took 11th-ranked Xavier to overtime the day before.  Arizona State has not been good at all the past two days in this tournament, and that's why we'll fade the Sun Devils here.

Indeed, ASU lost to Northern Iowa 63-82 despite being a 3.5-point favorite.  It then only beat Tulane 80-71 yesterday as 10-point favorites, failing to cover the spread.  That's the same Tulane team that lost by 20 to UNC and by 19 to Oklahoma.

Davidson is 14-5 ATS when the line is +3 to -3 over the last three seasons.  The Sun Devils are 6-21 ATS in their last 27 neutral site games.  Arizona State is 1-8 ATS in its last nine Sunday games.  The Sun Devils are 8-17 ATS in their last 25 games following a straight up win.  Roll with Davidson Sunday.

15* Rhode Island/Duke CBB Early ANNIHILATOR on Rhode Island +8

The Rhode Island Rams brought back four starters this season who all averaged at least 9.8 points per game.  And they get back EC Mathews from injury.  Matthews has All-American potential and averaged 16.9 points per game in 2014-15.

The Rams got off to a blistering start this season in beating Dartmouth 84-61 as 18-point favorites and Marist 107-65 as 23-point favorites.  But then they had their worst performance of the season against rival Brown, only winning 79-72 as 24-point favorites.  I was on Brown in that game and figured it would be close because it's a rivalry.

But then I got back on Rhode Island yesterday against Cincinnati because I thought they were undervalued off the non-cover against Brown.  And the Rams delivered with a 76-71 win over Cincinnati as 2-point underdogs.  Now they are 4-0 and out to prove that they are one of the top teams in the country against Duke today.

Duke is overvalued already due to being ranked as the No. 1 team in the country.  But this team is far from full strength as they are forced to play players big minutes due to injury.  They are without star freshmen Jayson Tatum, Henry Giles and Marques Bolden already.

Then, in their 78-68 win over Penn State yesterday as 19-point favorites, both Grayson Allen and Chase Jeter suffered injuries.  Allen is expected to play through his toe injury today, but Jeter is doubtful with his ankle injury.  Only six players are averaging more than 10 minutes per game this season, and Jeter is one of them, so his loss is big.  And if Allen is hampered at all that's a huge loss because he is their best player.

The Blue Devils are 2-9 ATS in their last 11 games overall.  Duke is 1-10 ATS in its last 11 neutral site games.  Bet Rhode Island Sunday.

15* NBA Saturday No-Doubt Rout on Minnesota Timberwolves -2.5

The Memphis Grizzlies are in a very tough spot here.  They are returning for their first home games followign a four-game road trip.  And they will be playing the second of a back-to-back and their 3rd game in 4 days here.

After three straight road wins over Utah, the LA Clippers and Dallas, the Grizzlies are clearly primed for a letdown spot here.  The Timberwolves come on on a days' rest after throttling the 76ers 110-86 at home on Thursday.  This team is only going to continue to get better as the season goes on.

These teams have already played twice this season.  Minnesota blew a 20-plus point lead early in a 98-102 loss at Memphis, but bounced back with a 116-80 home win over the Grizzlies in the next meeting.  It's clear by those two results that the T'Wolves match up well with them, and this is certainly a favorable situation given the Grizzlies are running on fumes.

Plays against home underdogs (MEMPHIS) - revenging a blowout loss vs opponent of 30 points or more against opponent off an home win scoring 110 or more points are 36-13 (73.5%) ATS since 1996.  The Timberwolves are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.  The Grizzlies are 2-9 ATS in their last 11 games following a ATS win.  Take the Timberwolves Saturday.

15* Cincinnati/Rhode Island Top 25 No-Brainer on Rhode Island +2.5

The Rhode Island Rams brought back four starters this season who all averaged at least 9.8 points per game.  And they get back EC Mathews from injury.  Matthews has All-American potential and averaged 16.9 points per game in 2014-15.

The Rams got off to a blistering start this season in beating Dartmouth 84-61 as 18-point favorites and Marist 107-65 as 23-point favorites.  But then they had their worst performance of the season against rival Brown, only winning 79-72 as 24-point favorites.  I was on Brown in that game and figured it would be close because it's a rivalry, and I think that non-cover has the Rams undervalued going into this showdown with Cincinnati.

After the Brown game, coach Dan Hurley, clearly not pleased, left all of his players in the locker room instead of bringing two with him when he met the media. He called the defensive play of his guards "pathetic." "We shot damn near 60 percent from the field (57.7 percent) and we just got outhustled," said Hurley.

Cincinnati is 0-6 ATS as a neutral court favorite of 6 points or less over the last three seasons.  The Bearcats are 1-8 ATS in road games when playing only their second game in eight days over the past two seasons.  Bet Rhode Island Saturday.

15* NBA Western Conference ANNIHILATOR on Memphis Grizzlies -1.5

The Dallas Mavericks are an absolute dumpster fire right now.  They are just 2-8 on the season and have rarely been competitive.  Their roster was already below-average prior to the season, but now with all the injuries they are dealing with, it's one of the worst in the NBA.

The Mavericks are now without their offensive spark plug in J.J. Barea, who suffered a strained calf last time out.  The Mavericks are already without Dirk Nowitzki (Achilles soreness) and Devin Harris (toe), and Deron Williams (strained calf) had to leave Wednesday's game before halftime after returning from a four-game absence.  Williams is doubtful to play tonight.  Those are four key players that they just can't afford to be without.

Conversely, the Memphis Grizzlies are starting to get healthy with the return of Chandler Parsons.  And they are starting to play up to their potential as a result.  They have pulled off huge upsets in their last two games, winning 102-96 in Utah as 6-point dogs, and 111-107 on the road over the Los Angeles Clippers as 12.5-point dogs.

The Grizzlies are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 Friday games.  The Mavericks are 1-5 ATS in their last six home games.  Dallas is 0-3 SU & 0-3 ATS in its last three games, losing by an average of 14.7 points per game.  Bet the Grizzlies Friday.

15* NBA Friday No-Doubt Rout on Charlotte Hornets -2.5

The Atlanta Hawks are way overvalued right now because they have won six straight to improve to 9-2 on the season and in a first-place tie with the Cleveland Cavaliers.  However, the Hawks have benefited from a home-heavy schedule, and an easy schedule at that.

The Charlotte Hornets are 7-3 on the season yet they continue to lack the respect they deserve from oddsmakers.  They have played five games on the road and five at home.  The Hornets are outscoring opponents by 7.2 points per game at home this year.

The Hornets did lost three out of four meetings with the Hawks last season, but they lost the first two by a combined five points.  They beat the Hawks 107-84 as 3-point home dogs and lost 92-94 as 2-point home dogs in their two home meetings.

Atlanta will be playing its 3rd game in 4 days and could be without both Dwight Howard and Thobo Sefolosha.  Charlotte had two days off before this game and will be playing just its 2nd game in 5 days.  The Hawks are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.  Atlanta is 3-10 ATS in its last 13 road games overall.  The home team is 7-1-1 ATS in the last nine meetings.  Roll with the Hornets Friday.

20* Michigan/SMU ESPN 2 No-Brainer on SMU -1

The SMU Mustangs went 25-5 last season and were clearly one of the better teams in the country.  Tim Jankovich, hired four years ago as an assistant as essentially the coach-in-waiting, is more than capable of replacing Larry Brown. He won 104 games in five seasons at Illinois State before arriving at SMU, and even went 9-0 last season while Brown sat out with a suspension.

Jankovich is working with a great team this season as the Mustangs return three starters in Ben Moore (11.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg last year), Shake Milton (10.5 ppg, 2.7 apg) and Sterling Brown (10.1 ppg, 53.6% 3-pointers).  These three have helped the Mustangs out to an impressive 3-0 start this season with a 72-44 win over Gardner Webb, a 91-64 win over Eastern Michigan as 12.5-point favorites, and a 76-67 win over Pitt as 5-point favorites.

Milton (13.0 ppg, 4.3 apg), Brown (10.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 4.3 apg) and Moore (9.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg) have all gotten off to nice starts this season.  But it's been Semi Ojeleye (22.7 ppg, 9.0 rpb) who has stolen the show.  He's a Duke transfer who is already contributing in a big way after sitting out last season.  Jarrey Foster (11.7 ppg) has taken his game to the next level after playing a significant role off the bench last year.

No question Michigan's 79-61 win over Marquette yesterday was impressive.  But everything went right for the Wolverines in the first half.  They weren't impressive in their first two games, a 76-58 home win over a Howard team that Marquette beat by 32.  And they only won by 12 over IUPUI as 17.5-point favorites.  I think they'll be overmatched here.  Bet SMU Friday.

15* CBB Friday No-Doubt Rout on Marquette -1

I won with Marquette in their first two games in dominant performances.  The Golden Eagles won 95-71 as 2-point favorites over Vanderbilt on a neutral court, covering the spread by 22 points.  They also won 81-49 over Howard as 26-point favorites, covering the spread by 6 points.

That was the same Howard team that Michigan had only beaten by 18 in their season opener at home.  So the fact that Marquette lost to Michigan 79-61 last night was pretty much a complete fluke.  The Golden Eagles played terrible in the first half and trailed by 24 points.  But they cut the lead to 12 in the second half and played more up to their capability.

I look for the Golden Eagles to come out hungry tonight to make amends for that loss to Michigan.  They were maybe shell-shocked by playing in Madison Square Garden, which could have contributed to their first-half performance.  But they won't be tonight, and this is a team that won 20 games last year and is on the rise in the third season under Steve Wojciechowski.  They returned four starters this season, including three who averaged double-digits scoring last year.

I believe Pitt is going to struggle this season replacing head coach Jamie Dixon with Kevin Stallings, who consistently underachieved at Vanderbilt.  That has proven to be the case.  Pitt needed double-OT to beat Eastern Michigan 93-90 at home, which is the same EMU team that SMU beat by 27.  Pitt only beat Gardner Webb by 19 while SMU beat that same team by 28.  And then Pitt proceeded to lose to SMU 67-76 last night.

Marquette is 8-1 ATS in non-conference road games over the last three seasons.  Pitt is 19-42-1 ATS in its last 62 games overall.  The Panthers are 8-23 ATS in their last 31 non-conference games.  Pitt is 0-6 ATS in its last six games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.  Take Marquette Friday.

15* Bulls/Jazz TNT Late-Night BAILOUT on Utah -3.5

The Utah Jazz have gone 6-3 SU & 6-3 ATS in their last nine games overall.  Five of those six wins came by 11 points or more with five of them on the road.  In fact, they've played eight road games this season compared to just four at home, so their 7-5 record is impressive to this point.

I like the value we are getting with the Jazz as only 3.5-point favorites here.  The Chicago Bulls come in way overvalued due to three straight victories.  D-Wade won his return to Miami, then they beat the short-handed Wizards who were without John Wall and Bradley Beal.

The Bulls' 113-88 win at Portland on Tuesday was impressive, but it also had them overvalued here.  And the Jazz last played on Monday in a loss to the Grizzlies, so they will be motivated to bounce back, plus they've had two days to prepare for the Bulls.

The home team won both meetings between these teams last year.  The home team is 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings.  The Bulls are 1-4 ATS in the last five meetings.  The Jazz are 5-1 ATS in their last six vs. Eastern Conference opponents.  Utah is 7-2 ATS in its last nine after allowing 100 points or more in its previous game.  Take the Jazz Thursday.

20* CBB GAME OF THE WEEK on Marquette -1

The Marquette Golden Eagles figure to be one of the most improve teams in the country entering Year 3 under Steve Wojciechowski.  They nearly made the NCAA Tournament last year with a 20-13 record and improved by leaps and bounds in his second season.

Now the Golden Eagles return four starters and should be primed to make the NCAA Tournament.  Their guards are loaded with Haanif Cheatham (11.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg), Jajuan Johnson (10.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg) and Traci Carter (5.4 ppg, 4.6 apg) returning as starters.  They also bring back big man Luke Fischer (12.1 ppg, 6.2 rpg).  Three of these guys are senior starters and primed for their best seasons yet.

I've been on Marquette in each of its first two games this season, both blowout wins.  They beat Vanderbilt 95-71 on the road as 2-point favorites and Howard 81-49 at home as 26-point favorites.  That 32-point win against Howard is significant because it gives these teams a common opponent.  Michigan only beat Howard by 18 at home, and it followed that up with a lackluster 12-point win over IUPUI as 17.5-point favorites.

Marquette is 8-0 ATS in road games off a non-conference game over the last three seasons.  The Golden Eagles are 7-0 ATS in November road games over the last three years.  Marquette is 5-1 ATS in its last six vs. Big Ten opponents.  Take Marquette Thursday.