A featured top twenty-five matchup exists Thursday between Texas and Oklahoma. The Longhorns are playing in their third straight road game, but matchup well against the Sooners. Expect their offense to pick up where it left off against Iowa State, as the Longhorns make a late season push up the polls. Grab Texas. 

Conference struggles are not customary for Murray State. This year they were .500 in the Ohio Valley at 10-10, including two losses against Jacksonville State. Yet the pressure is now on the Gamecocks for a third win. Grab Murray State to get the win that matters most and advance in the Ohio Valley Conference tournament.

Thursday, the New York Knicks should be able to replicate Sunday’s 109-90 blowout win at Detroit. In the contest the Pistons shot just 39 percent from the field and received just forty-seven points from their starting lineup. A victory also would put the Knicks over .500 heading into the All-Star break. Grab the Knicks who should be motivated from start to finish. 

The Minnesota Timberwolves head into Wednesday on an eight game losing streak. One of their closest losses occurred against the Charlotte Hornets, 120-114. With the Hornets on a current six game road trip this may seem like a fade worthy spot. Instead look for the Hornets to add to the Timberwolves woes. Grab Charlotte.

Amidst several postponements, Wichita State has endured for a five game winning streak. In their last outing they upset the Houston Cougars, and the win removed the interim label for Coach Isaac Brown. Look for a bit of rust today as Tulane looks to spoil the Shockers tournament aspirations. Play Tulane.

Stakes are high today in the ACC between Duke and Georgia Tech. Both teams are on the back end of potential March Madness aspirations. On January 26th, during a 2-6 stretch of Duke’s season they mustered a 75-68 victory over Georgia Tech. Grab Duke to bounce back and continue their late tournament surge. 

The Atlanta Hawks will now have Nate McMillan as their new interim coach. They’ll face a Miami Heat team Tuesday that may be without Jimmy Butler, but look for the Heat to continue to build off the success they had last outing against the Hawks. Their retooled lineup and boosted bench play will be the difference. 

The Buffalo Bulls are playing their best basketball of the season. They’ve won three consecutive games by double-digits. Expect their momentum to continue against an Akron Zips team that’s lost consecutively by double digits. Take the Bulls in an early MAC Tuesday game.

A program that has stepped backwards this season has been East Tennessee State. Their matchup today against UNC Greensboro was one of the former top matchups of the Southern Conference. Yet, East Tennessee State is in the midst of losing four of their past five. A positive is their games have remained competitive. Look for East Tennessee State to play tough as they close out the regular season strong. 

Tonight the Charlotte Hornets will continue their west coast road trip as they take on the Golden State Warriors. On Wednesday, they toppled the Phoenix Suns 124-121. Contributions were made up and down the roster as seven players scored in double-figures, led by 29 points off the bench by Malik Monk. Take the Hornets to cover for the second time in a week against the Warriors.

Friday, out in the Sun Belt Arkansas-Little Rock will aim to end a six-game losing streak. They’ll face a UL Lafayette team that is streaky offensively led by guard Cedric Russell. Yet, their bench has taken a hit as Devin Butts has seen his minutes reduced since returning from suspension. Grab UALR to gain the season-series edge 2-1 over Lafayette.

Bowling Green continues to show signs of the team preseason prognosticators predicted would finish near the top of the MAC. They’ve won three consecutive games and are coming off a big comeback win over Eastern Michigan. With confidence on their side look for the Falcons to sidestep their fourth straight road game, and gain another cover against Akron.

The Northwestern Wildcats have one of the longest in-conference losing streaks at thirteen games. Thursday, they’ll face a Minnesota Gophers team that has free failed from the top twenty-five to the bottom of the standings in the Big Ten. This is an opportunity for the Wildcats effort to outdual an unmotivated Gophers. Grab Northwestern. 

Pre All Star break high caliber teams tend to lose their motivation. On the road tonight look for the Clippers to falter slightly against the Memphis Grizzlies. A poor stretch from the starters or second unit will spark a run from the Grizzlies to cover a large spread. Take Memphis. 

On Tuesday the Sacramento Kings lost their eighth straight contest as they fell to the Brooklyn Nets. Yet, they hung around the spread for the majority of the game until the waning minutes. Another positive was Harrison Barnes return as he scored eighteen points. Take the Kings in a buy low spot on a small number against the Knicks.

On January 10th, Xavier defeated Providence thanks to a last second three point shot, 74-73. The loss for the Friars spoiled a career-high seven made three pointers by guard David Duke. Xavier’s record may be 12-4 overall, but they are just 5-4 in the Big East. Take the Friars to avenge January’s loss.  

One of the best under the radar matchups today lies with Sam Houston State and Abilene Christian. As home underdogs back on January 20th, the Bearkats defeated the Wildcats, 64-57. It was a sloppy outing from Abilene Christian who shot below forty percent from the field, and fifty-eight percent from the free throw line. Expect a higher degree of efficiency from both ends of the floor as Abilene Christian regains the top spot in the Southland conference. 

The Butler Bulldogs appear to be a team worn down by Big East conference play as the season winds down. They’ve lost six of eight and have dropped their scoring output in each of their past four losses. Look for the Pirates to sweep the season series and topple the spread late at the free throw line. Play Seton Hall. 

Bowling Green has bounced back with consecutive wins after losing the prior six. Tuesday, they’ll face an Eastern Michigan team that’s just 1-8 overall in-conference. Expect Bowling Green to continue their upward momentum and cash ATS in their third straight road game. 

The Richmond Spiders will host UMass in an Atlantic 10 Tuesday matchup. The Minutemen have not played in seventeen days due to Covid-19, while Richmond just played three days ago. Expect UMass to tire out late as Richmond does enough to push past the number in the final minutes.

Out in the Northeast conference Bryant will meet Merrimack for a second consecutive day. Saturday, the Bulldogs outlasted Merrimack for a close two point victory. The win came after a long stretch off that is a value indicator to go against Sunday. Grab Merrimack to make slight adjustments and get the win against Bryant. 

Typically one does not see a team that has lost five straight home games a favorite on the road. Yet that’s the case with the Sacramento Kings as they travel to face the Chicago Bulls. In their prior matchup the Kings had seven players score in double-figures. Expect their offense to overwhelm the Bulls as the Kings finally get back in the win column. 

Eastern Kentucky is in the middle of a jam packed road stretch. Saturday will mark their sixth straight road game as they take on Southeast Missouri State. The Colonels have not skipped a beat on the road trip with octane offense that averages 83 points per game. Grab the Colonels to overwhelm Southeast Missouri State.

Ball State has shown the ability to play to the level of other MAC opponents, it just hasn’t translated to wins. They’ve went just 1-5 over their last six games. Yet, the one win was over conference leader Toledo. Friday’s opponent in Akron routed Ball State by thirty-two points, and also limited the Cardinal to forty-two points. It won’t be as easy this time but grab the Zips.

A team that has had an extended layoff in the Sun Belt has been Appalachian State. They have not been on the floor in twenty days. That’ll make it tough tonight as they host conference leader South Alabama. The Jaguars have won six straight games but five straight have been decided by seven or less. Take Appalachian State as they thrive on slower pace close games. 

In their last matchup against Michigan, the Badgers surrendered a double-digit lead. They’ll aim to regroup Thursday against Iowa who has won consecutive games by double-digit points, including a thirty point win over Michigan State. Yet, look for the Badgers to continue their pattern of a loss followed by a win. Take the Badgers.

A repeat matchup exists Thursday in the Big South conference between USC Upstate and Presbyterian. On Monday, Presbyterian broke a 50-50 tie with a 10-2 run. With three days off in between the contest look for USC Upstate to have better offensive execution, and cut down nineteen turnovers from Monday’s contest. Take USC Upstate.

Tuesday, the Boston Celtics handily defeated the Denver Nuggets. In a back to back scenario Wednesday they’ll face the Atlanta Hawks. Yet, the Celtics will be without Kemba Walker thinning their rotation even further. Expect Brad Stevens to elevate Payton Pritchard’s usage, and for the Celtics to finally end an elongated stretch without consecutive wins. Take the value here on the Celtics. 

A team that has trended upward in the Southern Conference have been the Mercer Bears. Six of their eight losses have been by single digits, including a six point loss against today’s opponent in East Tennessee State. The Buccaneers second half defense resulted in a fourteen point swing. Tonight, look for East Tennessee State to complete the season sweep and gain the cover. 

Wednesday, in the Northeast Conference, St. Francis (NY) will meet Fairleigh Dickinson for the second consecutive day. Tuesday, St. Francis won the first matchup 83-75. The loss was the third straight for the Knights who have spiraled defensively. Expect a sharper performance tonight as the Terriers have not won consecutive games since January 8th. 

The UConn Huskies will aim to avenge an eleven point loss to the Providence Friars last Wednesday. On Saturday, they ended a losing skid that featured four of five losses with an eight point win over Xavier. Bench production of forty-one points was the main catalyst. They may also have James Bouknight back in the lineup tonight. Take the Huskies.

Monday, the Miami Heat will continue their road trip as they take on the LA Clippers. With the Clippers in a back to back scenario look for the Heat to take advantage. They’ve won four of their last five, and are beginning to show the life of being the defending Eastern Conference champion. Grab the Heat.

Monday, the Chattanooga Mocs will aim for a season-sweep over East Tennessee State. The two teams previously met on February 6th, as the Mocs won 67-65. A win today for the Mocs would be five straight and their best in-conference stretch since 2016-2017. Take the Mocs. The win is part of a current four-game win streak for Chattanooga. 

UC San Diego’s debut to division one basketball has not been fluid. Two stretches of postponements have disrupted the team’s ability. Yet, Friday they played an inspiring second half of basketball against today’s opponent in Cal State Bakersfield. They erased a fourteen point half-time deficit by scoring forty-six points in the second half. Expect a carry over effort from the Tritons. Take the points. 

Out in the Sun Belt, UL-Monroe will finish off a home and away series against UL Lafayette. On Thursday, the Warhawks won in upset fashion with a 72-66 victory. It ended a ten game losing streak and also exceeded their best offensive output in seven games. Take UL Monroe to continue their success against UL Lafayette.

University of Texas San Antonio has finally started to look like the team many anticipated in pre-season. They’ve won six of seven games to get back over .500 at 11-9. Saturday, they’ll face Florida Atlantic for a second consecutive day. Grab the Owls to keep the game close as they did Friday in a four point contest. Play Florida Atlantic.

Nebraska’s return from a near-month layoff has resulted in three double-digit losses. Cold shooting has shown they are not in rhythm and ready for game action. Attempting to play their fourth game in less than a week is a value angle against Illinois. Take the value on the Cornhuskers having their legs under them offensively, and competing Friday night. 

The young Chicago Bulls have had ups and downs but have been one of the best ATS-wise. They’re coming off a surprising blowout win as home underdogs against the Pelicans. In the victory Zach Lavine scored 46 points. Yet, the Clippers are a different caliber and should excel against a Bulls team prone to lapses. Take the Clippers.

The Washington Wizards have been one of the Best Buy against teams each and every night in the NBA. Now for Friday they’ll be minus Bradley Beal. With the Knicks being a defensive minded team this sets up for another bad outing for the Wizards. Yet look for the Wizards to finally rally for a solid home game. Grab Washington. 

Friday, Miami-Ohio will aim to secure their first victory against the upper tier of the MAC. On the season they are 0-4 against opponents that’s conference record is above .500. Yet they have the skillset to compete with Akron’s guards for forty minutes. Take the value here on the Redhawks.

Thursday, the Boston Celtics return home after a five-game west coast road trip. Unable to gain traction the Celtics have went 2-5 over their last seven games. In fact, both wins were by four points against the Clippers and Warriors. That’s created ATS value tonight on the Celtics who should respond in a good way at home. Take Boston.

UT-Arlington has turned around their season thanks to going 7-3 over their last ten games. The increase in play has featured a strong reliance on the Mavericks defense, as they’ve held oppositions to an average of sixty five points or less in three straight games. Yet, Texas State is responding well to a difficult recent schedule. Expect their intensity to continue to increase as they gain another win.  

The Charlotte Hornets have been sparked by the insertion of Lamelo Ball into the starting lineup. They’re also getting upgraded play from forward Gordon Hayward. With the Grizzlies desperate for a win, look for a close competitive game. One that will likely be decided by the final possession, and keep the Hornets within the number. 

Western Carolina’s struggles in the Southern Conference have featured a 1-9 record. Today, they’ll aim for revenge against the team that defeated them by the biggest margin, an 87-61 victory for VMI. The Kadets will once again aim to go up and down the floor and take advantage of Western Carolina’s weaknesses defensively. Take the Keydets. 

Out in the WCC Pepperdine will face a San Francisco team that’s had over two weeks off. That may be an advantage for the Dons who have a solid defensive team that has had strong victories this year, including defeating Virginia. Yet, look for familiarity and the strength of Colby Ross to keep Pepperdine within the number. 

In a back to back scenario grab the value on the Spurs over the Warriors. This is the third matchup between both teams, with the Warriors controlling seven of the eight quarters. The Spurs strong fourth quarter Monday night, should carry over against a Warriors team that is now in last place in the Pacific division. Take the Spurs.

Tuesday, Bowling Green will host a Kent State team they lost 96-91 on January 27th. The loss is apart of a current five-game losing streak for the Falcons. Yet, Kent State is showing signs of wearing down. In their last matchup they had a halftime deficit of twenty points against Akron, and in their prior game they allowed a 17-0 run by Miami-Ohio. Take the value here on Bowling Green ending their losing streak. 

The Elon Phoenix have been woeful this season as they are just 3-6 overall. In-conference they are actually 0-5, and today will face a James Madison team that destroyed them in their last matchup. Yet, both teams have had consecutive games postponed. Look for a boost in play from the Phoenix as they cover the five.

Sunday’s lone night cap features California and Stanford. These two teams met three days ago as Stanford won 70 to 55. The conundrum here ATS-wise is Stanford does not typically score over 75 points. That means they’ll need to rely on solid defense to cover this double-digit spread. Look for proper execution as California continues to fade. Play Stanford. 

Once 2-4, Cal Irvine has used the Big West conference to roll off eight of nine victories. In fact, their only loss during that stretch came by one point in overtime against Hawaii. After Friday night’s seventeen point victory over Cal State Bakersfield, this is a perfect sell high spot on the Anteaters. Play Cal State Bakersfield to play a closer game. 

Playing in a back to back scenario is always tough in the NBA. For the Toronto Raptors it may be a good thing with how fluid they are suddenly playing. They’ve won three straight and are coming off a torrid shooting performance against the Nets Friday. Play the Raptors to extend the Hawks home losing streak to five games.

One of the more predictable home and away conference series has been Arizona and Colorado. Since the 2015 season each series matchup has been won by the host team. Earlier this year Colorado suffered their worst loss of the season against Arizona in an 88-74 contest. Look for the series trend to continue and Colorado to amp up their level of play to avenge December 28th’s loss. Play Colorado.

Texas State has had one of the more redundant schedules in college basketball. They’ve played conference opponent UL Lafayette four times, and today will mark their fourth matchup against Arkansas Little Rock. All three prior matchups were won by Texas State by an average margin of eight points, including yesterday’s 57-47 matchup. Look for a closer matchup today as both team’s are very familiar with each other. Take Arkansas Little Rock. 

The Auburn Tigers youth has had it’s ups and downs this season. They’re coming off consecutive losses for the first time since early January. Yet, the value stands on Ole Miss to stick to the game plan from January 9th’s 72-61 victory over Auburn. Furthermore, their road record of 1-5 over their last six is another value angle. Take the points here.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have had a true up and down week. Monday, they lost to the Houston Rockets 136-106, only to bounce back and end the Rockets winning streak Wednesday 104-87. Yet, the Thunder are too unpredictable and vulnerable defensively. That plays into the hands of the Timberwolves who have lost by three points or less in consecutive game. Grab Minnesota. 

Florida Gulf Coast finds themselves in second to last in the Atlantic Sun Conference standings. It’s unfamiliar territory in a conference that is much improved top to bottom. Friday, they’ll take on a North Alabama team that had their six-game winning streak snapped last Saturday against North Florida. Grab the value on Florida Gulf Coast to take game one tonight ahead of tomorrow’s rematch. 

Friday, the Akron Zips will look to complete a season sweep over Kent State. Back on New Year’s Day the Zips toppled the Golden Flashes by erasing a nine point halftime deficit. Kent State’s lone home loss came against conference leader Toledo 84-82. Hence, the two point spread here. Detract and grab the value on Akron completing the season-sweep.  

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights defense has led them to three much needed Big 10 victories. One would expect their defense to remain sharp against a Minnesota team that’s fallen apart with losses in four of five games. A former top twenty five team the Gophers should be in desperation mode to get back into contention. Take the underdog Thursday.

The Belmont Bruins are one of the few teams in college basketball undefeated in-conference. They boast a 12-0 mark, and on Thursday will face Eastern Illinois, whom they defeated 79-66 on January 21st. In the contest the Panthers kept it close for the first thirty minutes at a six point deficit. At home, look for the Panthers to sustain a competitive effort for the entire game and close within the spread. 

Monday, one of the best endings on the NBA slate was the Chicago Bulls and Knicks. In the final minute, the Bulls used an 8-2 run to get the victory and ATS cover. The result was not indicative of a game that was tight for the majority of the game. With the Knicks not in a back to back scenario look for a cleaner performance. Grab the Knicks.

Wednesday, UNC Greensboro will aim to extend a six-game winning streak. The winning streak have all been covers against the number, with five of the six double digit victories. Value lies against Greensboro’s ATS streak, and also may be a tad bit high based on Citadel playing Monday night. Grab the Bulldogs.

Talent from Wofford’s 2019 NCAA tournament run, has helped spur a Southern Conference best 8-2 record. Their closest conference victory came against Wednesday’s opponent in VMI, which was an 80-78 win. In the contest, VMI senior Greg Parham scored a season-high twenty-nine points. Look for another solid effort from the Keydets Wednesday evening. Play VMI 

Tuesday, the Boston Celtics travel to face the Golden State Warriors. They’ll aim to turn around a stretch that has featured four of six losses. Down another key player in Marcus Smart, look for the Celtics to rally around their main scorers in Jayson Tatum, Kemba Walker, and Jaylen Brown. Grab Boston.

Eastern Kentucky of the Ohio Valley will put their 13-2 record on the line against Jacksonville State. The Colonels have a balanced team that features six players averaging double figures scoring. Yet, their weak link is perimeter shooting where they shoot just thirty-three percent as a team. Look for Jacksonville State to play solid interior defense and avenge a 69-66 overtime loss to the Colonels on January 6th. Play the Gamecocks. 

An intriguing matchup lies today in the MAC with Miami-Ohio and Kent State. The Golden Flashes potent scoring ability is an advantage tonight on a high spread. They score in bunches led by do it all senior Danny Pippen who averages 21 points per game. Look for the Golden Flashes to break their four-game stretch of contests being decided by seven points or less. Grab Kent State.

After a five-game skid the Rutger Scarlet Knights have bounced back with consecutive wins. In fact, they trounced Michigan State 67-37.  Their Sunday opponent in Northwestern has lost seven straight, but five of those were on the road. With the Scarlet Knights an average Big 10 team this season, this is a vulnerable spot. Grab the Wildcats to benefit from returning home and an eight day layoff. Play Northwestern.

The Washington Wizards return from a covid layoff has been advantageous to fade ATS-wise. They’ve lost four games all by double-digits as they struggle to develop a new-look roster. Yet, in their last game several additional players returned. Expect the next step forward to take place today against a Nets team that continues to have players out on a consistent basis. Take the Wizards. 

Solid performances in non-conference play for the Bradley Braves featured two one-point losses against Xavier and Missouri. Expected competitive play for the Braves in-conference has not carried over, as they are in the bottom four in the Missouri Valley. Yet, today is an advantageous spot for the Braves as they face an Indiana State team that has peaked winning five of six. Take Bradley. 

The Memphis Grizzlies will attempt to return from a twelve day layoff due to covid. They’ll take on a hot San Antonio Spurs team that has won three consecutive games and. Atop the southwest division the Spurs may show effects of playing in a back to back scenario. Back the shorthanded Memphis Grizzlies.

Saturday, out in the Sun Belt a fourth matchup will take place between UL Lafayette and Texas State. Friday, UL Lafayette outlasted Texas State 62-60 in a style of play that suited the Bobcats. Today, expect the Ragin’ Cajuns to try and increase the pace of play and get out in front early. Play UL Lafayette. 

Friday, Florida International had one of the more difficult losses in college basketball, losing 63-55 in overtime against Charlotte. The loss was their sixth in a row which also coincides ATS. Yet, the Panthers showed they can matchup well against the 49ers. Look for FIU to finally resemble the team that began the year 8-3. Take Florida International. 

The Sacramento Kings will aim to avenge allowing a season high 144 points to the Toronto Raptors on January 8th. They’re coming off their best win in terms of point-margin in a 121-107 victory over the Magic. Currently on a two-game winning streak they’ll have a chance to win three games in a row for the first time this season. Back the Kings as the Raptors slide continues. 

In the night cap we’ll examine the Mountain West matchup of Air Force and San Jose State. Both teams have struggled to win as Air Force has dropped six of their last seven games. In fact, all of their losses during that stretch have been by wide margins of double digits. Yet this is a nice spot against the struggling Spartans. Look for the Falcons to show up ahead of their second matchup on Saturday. Take the Falcons.

Unlike years past this season’s Murray State Racers are not strong contenders in the Ohio Valley Conference. At 6-7 they have struggled in-conference with a 3-5 mark. Yet they are starting to show some positive signs having won two of their last three. Look for the Racers to get off to a big start and run away from a 3-10 Tennessee State team. Grab Murray State.

The LA Clippers continue to be without three main players in Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, and Patrick Beverly. A few nights ago their winning streak ended without their leaders with a nine point loss to the Hawks. It’ll be a tough feat against a Heat team aiming for a win, but look for the Clippers to play a competitive effort. Grab the points here. 

The Southland conference has eight teams with subpar records. Wednesday, 3-11 Central Arkansas will travel to take on 4-11 Southeast Louisiana. The Bears are coming off a 93-58 road loss against Abilene Christian. A positive is the lone two opponents in-conference with subpar records the Bears have defeated. Expect Southeast Louisiana’s turnover issues to lead to a victory for the Bears. Grab Central Arkansas.

Wednesday, the Atlanta Hawks will face the Brooklyn Nets in a back to back scenario. Tuesday they defeated the Clippers 108 to 99. The outing was the latest in a surge of hot shooting performances from guard Trae Young, as he scored 38 points. Expect Young to continue his hot shooting against the Nets, whom the Hawks have covered against in both matchups this season. Play Atlanta.

For the past several seasons a marquee matchup in the Eastern Conference has been the Milwaukee Bucks versus the Toronto Raptors. Thus far on a young season both teams have performed below expectations. The gap in performance is quite different on the Raptors side. In an unprecedented point spread between the Bucks and Raptors grab the Bucks to offset their road woes. Play Milwaukee.

Returning from a lengthy covid layoff has been beneficial ATS-wise for the majority of teams. One that did not have success was East Carolina, as they lost by thirty-seven points to Memphis on Saturday. Expect a better performance today against a Central Florida team still attracting ATS value based on their non-conference wins over Auburn, Florida State, and Cincinnati. Take East Carolina. 

One of the best under the radar games today is Mercer versus UNC Greensboro. After a 6-5 start the Spartans have won and covered four straight. An offensive surge with better execution has been the root of Greensboro’s success. Facing a Mercer team that lacks strong defense should continue the Spartans ATS run. Grab UNC Greensboro. 

One of the few teams to not have any non-conference games because of Covid-19 were the Fordham Rams. They jumped right into Atlantic 10 conference play and the result has been a 1-7 record. Of their seven losses only one was by single digits. The occurrence came against today’s opponent Duquensne, in a 48-45 loss. An added bonus ATS-wise is their Coach in Jeff Neubauer just stepped down yesterday. With an interim in place look for the Rams to be motivated. Grab Fordham.

The Washington Wizards as expected were rusty in their first game back against the Spurs. Yet they played a competitive first half trailing by just two points. Although they’ll remain short handed tonight against the Houston Rockets, they have motivation on their side. Take the Wizards as Westbrook plays well against his old team, and Bradley Beal against his ex-teammate John Wall. 

Toledo heads into Tuesday’s matchup having won ten of their last eleven. They’ll face a Miami-Ohio team that’s on a three-game double digit win streak. Look for the Rockets to neutralize Miami-Ohio with their guard play, and begin their road trip with an ATS cover. Grab Toledo.

Tuesday, one of the marquee matchup’s in college basketball is Oklahoma against Texas. The Longhorns will be without their Coach in Shaka Smart due to Covid-19. That should benefit the Sooners who are coming off a momentum building 75-68 victory over the Jayhawks. Furthermore, the spread is a tad higher based on the Sooners 1-3 road record. Grab the Sooners.

Saturday, Oral Roberts had their hands full against UMKC, winning just 60-58. The win marked their sixth of their last seven. Yet their output of sixty points Saturday was their fewest all season. Expect the pesky UMKC to build off of Saturday’s near victory, and gain another cover Sunday.

Sunday, two teams looking to reverse recent poor stretches will meet as Charlotte visits the Orlando Magic. The Hornets come in having lost four straight while the Magic have dropped seven of eight. Look for the Magic’s recent road trip of five games to affect their return home. Grab Charlotte to end their losing streak.

For the second consecutive weekend Illinois State will aim to avoid being swept on their home floor. To do so they’ll need to avenge a 69-60 loss yesterday to Valparaiso. The victory for the Crusaders was their first in the Missouri Valley conference this season. It also marked just their second division one win this season. Take the value on the Crusaders replicating Saturday’s performance.

Saturday, both the Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks meet after playing games Friday night. The now healthy Dallas Mavericks have won and covered consecutive games. Although the Rockets shot below forty percent Friday night, the win should boost the team’s confidence against a Mavericks team that is susceptible defensively. Play Houston.

Out in the Southland Conference an under the radar matchup exists between Northwestern State and SE Louisiana. Improved play from the Lions has resulted in wins in two of their last three matchups. Boosted play has come from several players, including junior guard Gus Okafor. Okafor is coming off a career-high twenty-six points. Grab the value on the Lions who aim to win consecutive games for the first time this season.

Saturday, Louisiana Monroe and Texas State will meet for the second consecutive day. On Friday, the Bobcats outlasted Louisiana Monroe for a 57-47 victory. Now the Bobcats must avoid road fatigue as today marks their sixth straight road game. In a game that will be tighter grab the Bobcats to outlast Louisiana Monroe.

Sometimes a team can get a big win over a power five school in non-conference play, and not catapult forward. This appears to be the case for UTEP, who won outright at ASU earlier this year. Louisiana Tech has bolstered their record to 11-4 and has to dynamic of a team for the Miners. Take Louisiana Tech.

Thursday, Zack offers a lone play in hoops which comes in the NBA. The Golden State Warriors find themselves in a back to back scenario, after partaking in the late game Wednesday. Expect their hot shooting to continue against a Knicks team thats depth may give them problems, but on a small number take the Warriors. Grab Golden State.

One of the biggest blowout games this season in the NBA was the Clippers defeating the Sacramento Kings, 138-100. In the embarrassing loss Kings role player Glenn Robinson III called out the team’s performance, as they rank last in the NBA in allowing 124 points a game. Lacking defense look for the Kings to play a spirited effort and match the Clippers offensively. Grab the high line which will likely move to ten by game time. 

At the top of the Southland Conference stands Sam Houston State. The Bearkats have rolled off an impressive eight straight wins and stand at 5-0 in-conference. Yet today’s opponent is a different caliber in Abilene Christian. The Wildcats lone two losses were against power five schools Texas Tech and Arkansas. Grab Abilene Christian to end Sam Houston State’s win streak. 

Wednesday, Arkansas and Auburn will meet for the second time this season. In the first matchup Arkansas withstood runs from the Tigers to hold off for a twelve point victory. They did so by forcing 19 turnovers, twelve of which came from the Tigers back-court. Grab the Razorbacks to regroup from a stretch of four of five losses. Take Arkansas. 

Depleted NBA rosters have become the norm this season. For the Miami Heat their limited roster has shown on the court as they’ve lost three of four. Contrary to the Heat the Raptors are healthy and on a three-game win-streak. Still look for the Heat to benefit from a small road trip and play a competitive game. Take the points on Miami.

An under the radar matchup exists in the Southland Conference between SE Louisiana and the McNeese Cowboys. Southeast Louisiana has struggled at scoring, including scoring a season-low forty-two points in their last game. Yet, McNeese does not have a victory over a division one opponent and is a poor defensive team. Take the small dog in SE Louisiana. 

Tuesday, the Jazz and Pelicans meet for the first of consecutive games. Over their last three matchups, two have been decided by two points and another went to overtime. Expect another close matchup as the Pelicans build off ending their five-game losing streak. Take the Pelicans.

In-state conference games are always heightened. Today in the SEC, Mississippi State will host Ole Miss. Close contests have become the norm for the Bulldogs, as four of their last five games have been decided by five points or less. In what may be another tight result look for the Bulldogs to finish off the Rebels at the free throw line.  

The Missouri Tigers return home after a three-game road trip. They’ll face a South Carolina team that has only played six games due to covid issues. In the month of December the Gamecocks cancelled five games, and in their last game Frank Martin and assistant coach Chuck Martin were out because of Covid. The coaching staff returns tonight and should give the Gamecocks a much needed boost against number nineteen Missouri. Take South Carolina.