At 7:35 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Memphis Grizzlies (543) plus the points versus the Boston Celtics (544). THE SITUATION: Memphis (20-23) saw their seven-game winning streak snapped on Monday with their 126-116 upset loss at home to New Orleans as a 3-point favorite. Boston (28-14) snapped their three-game losing streak on Monday with their 139-107 upset win at home over the Los Angeles Lakers as a 2.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GRIZZLIES PLUS THE POINTS: The Celtics stepped up to play one of their best games of the season on national television on Monday. They shot 55.9% from the field which was their best shooting mark in their last twenty games. But Boston has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after making at least 55% of their shots in their last game. The Celtics also held the Lakers to just 43.8% shooting from the field which was the lowest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last five contests. But Boston has still allowed their last five opponents to shoot 49.1% overall. An emotional letdown is like for this team that has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a victory by at least 10 points. The Celtics have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread victory. Furthermore, Boston has failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 25 games after a game where at least 235 combined points were scored — and they are just 2-6-1 ATS in their last 9 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game. This is another expected higher-scoring game tonight — and the Celtics have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games with the Total set at 230 or higher. Boston stays at home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. And in their last 8 games as a favorite, the Celtics have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of these contests. Memphis allowed the Pelicans to make 47.7% of their shots on Monday which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last four contests — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after allowing at least 125 points in their last game. But the bigger aberration in that game was that the Grizzlies made only 44.7% of their shots which was their lowest shooting mark in their last fourteen games. Memphis has still shot 48.5% from the field over their last five games — and while they rank 16th in the NBA in Offensive Rating, they have raised their mark to 6th in the league over their last fifteen games. They have scored at least 110 points in fourteen straight contests — and they have then covered the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games after scoring at least 110 points in at least two straight games. Rookie Ja Morant looks to be an emerging superstar in the league for years to come — but what makes this team dangerous is the combination of him with Jalen Jackson, Jr., Dillon Brooks, and Brandon Clarke which gives this team one of the most promising core group of younger players in the NBA. Rookie head coach Taylor Jenkins has also pushed all the right buttons for this team — the Grizzlies outscored their opponents by +61 net points in the 3rd quarter during their recent seven-game winning streak. The Grizzlies have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread loss. Additionally, Memphis has covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a game where at least 230 combined points were scored — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games in expected higher scoring games with the Total set at 230 or higher. Now this team goes back on the road where they are 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home — and they are 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 road games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: The Celtics saw the return of Kemba Walker and Jaylen Brown on Monday to help jettison them to victory but Brown is questionable for this game with an ankle. The Grizzlies have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 20 trips to Boston to face the Celtics. 25* NBA Underdog of the Month with the Memphis Grizzlies (543) plus the points versus the Boston Celtics (544). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Purdue Boilermakers (606) minus the points versus the Illinois Fighting Illini (605). THE SITUATION: Purdue (10-8) has lost three of their last four games after their 57-50 loss at Maryland on Saturday as a 6.5-point underdog. Illinois (13-5) has won four games in a row with their 75-71 win over Northwestern on Saturday as a 12.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BOILERMAKERS MINUS THE POINTS: Purdue should respond with a strong effort as they are 9-1-2 ATS in their last 12 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread victory. This team has been a much different team at home than on the road this season. The Boilermakers are 8-1 at Mackey Arena this season where they are outscoring their opponents by +22.8 PPG. Purdue has won fifteen straight home games in Big Ten play — and they have outscored the five major conference opponents they have hosted this season by +24 points per 100 possessions. The Boilermakers are an outstanding defensive team — they rank 6th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They have held six of their opponents to under 50 points. Purdue has held their guests to just 36.8% shooting which has translated into only 54.6 PPG. Scoring has been the problem for this Boilermakers team when playing on the road. They made only 35.7% of their shots in their loss at Maryland on Saturday. But Purdue ranks 10th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency when playing at home — and that has helped them also post the top home-court rating in Adjusted Efficiency this season. The Boilermakers have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games on their home court — and they are 8-3-1 ATS in their last 12 home games against teams with a winning percentage of 40% or less on the road. Illinois comes off a 50% shooting mark against the Wildcats which was the best shooting mark in their last five games. But the Fighting Illini are 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 games after a straight-up win. And while the Illini have won five of their last six games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after winning five or six of their last seven contests. This Illinois team will likely struggle to score baskets tonight against this outstanding Boilermakers defense as they rank just 10th in the Big Ten in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. The Illini are 11-1 at home this season but just 2-4 away from home where they are being outscored by -6.0 PPG. Illinois makes only 40.6% of their shots on the road which translates into just 65.5 PPG. The Illini are also making only 39.5% of their shots over their last five contests. Illinois ranks 256th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 44.9% due to their low 3-point shooting percentage of 25.3% which is 331st in the nation. Nailing 3-pointers will be very tough in Mackey Arena where the Boilermakers are holding their visitors to just 26.2% shooting from behind the arc which is the 22nd lowest mark in the nation. Additionally, the Fighting Illini have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 road games against teams with a winning record at home.

FINAL TAKE: Purdue will also be looking to avenge a 63-37 loss at Illinois back on January 5th in a game where they made only 15 of their 60 shots from the field. The Boilermakers are 15-5-1 ATS in their last 21 home games as the favorite. The Illini have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games as an underdog. 25* CBB Tuesday ESPNU Game of the Month with the Purdue Boilermakers (606) minus the points versus the Illinois Fighting Illini (605). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Portland State Vikings (882) minus the points versus the Weber State Wildcats (881). THE SITUATION: Portland State (9-10) has won two of their last three games with their 82-76 win over Idaho State on Saturday as a 7.5-point favorite. Weber State (6-11) snapped their three-game losing streak on Thursday with their 76-68 victory at Idaho State as a 1-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE VIKINGS MINUS THE POINTS: Portland State is 11-5-1 ATS in their last 17 games after a straight-up win. And while the Vikings have not covered the point spread in their last two games, they have then covered the point spread in 4 straight games after not covering the point spread in two of their last three games. Portland State is led by Holland Woods who might be the best point guard in the Big Sky Conference. He leads an offense that tops the conference in Adjusted Efficiency. The Vikings also live off their offensive glass as they rank 7th in the nation by pulling down 37.1% of their missed shots. Portland State should get plenty of second-chance opportunities against this Weber State team that is 11th in the Big Sky by allowing their opponents to rebound 32.8% of their missed shots. The Vikings stay at home where they are 5-2 with an average winning margin of +12.1 PPG. Portland State has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 home games against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road. Weber State has failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after a straight-up win. The Wildcats have also failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games after a point spread victory including failing to cover the point spread in five straight after cover the spread. It has been a disappointing season for head coach Randy Rahe in the thirteenth season with the program. The Wildcats have a good backcourt consisting of Jerrick Harding and Cody John but they are not getting much help in the frontcourt. They stay on the road for a third straight game where they are just 2-8 with an average losing margin of -13.1 PPG. Weber State makes only 40.9% of their shots on the road — and they allow their home hosts to make 50.1% of their shots from the field. The Wildcats have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Weber State has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight road games as an underdog. Portland Sate has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games when favored by 3.5 to 6 points. Look for the Vikings to overwhelm this struggling Wildcats team. 25* CBB Big Sky Game of the Month with the Portland State Vikings (882) minus the points versus the Weber State Wildcats (881). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Boise State Broncos (822) minus the points versus the Utah State Aggies (821). THE SITUATION: Boise State (11-8) has lost two straight games as well as three of their last four contests with their 85-78 upset loss at Air Force on Wednesday as a 1-point favorite. Utah State (14-5) snapped a three-game losing streak last Saturday with their 80-70 win at home over Nevada as a 9.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BRONCOS PLUS THE POINTS: Boise State has bounced-back to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up loss. Head coach Leon Rice has five of his top six scorers from last season return from a group that finished a disappointing 13-20 — that was the first time in the last seven seasons that the Broncos did not register at least 20 wins. This Boise State team expects to return to the postseason. All three of their most recent losses were on the road — now they return home where they are 8-1 this season with a signature victory over BYU. The Broncos are outscoring their guests by +21.8 PPG due to a prolific offensive attack that scores 83.8 PPG with a 47.9% field goal percentage. They also hold their visitors to just 39.3% shooting from the field. Boise State has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 home games as an underdog. The Broncos do a great job of protecting their defensive glass as they rank 14th in the nation by holding their opponents to just a 22.8% offensive rebounding rate. Utah State played one of their best games of the season last Saturday to end their losing streak as they made 46.3% of their shots while holding the Wolf Pack to just 39% shooting from the field — both those marks were the best statistical performances in their last four games. But the Aggies have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up loss. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 16 road games after scoring at least 80 points in their last game. Expectations are very high for this team that returned four starters from last year’s 28-7 team that made the Big Dance after winning the Mountain West Conference tournament. But this team has struggled away from home with a 5-4 record which includes recent losses at UNLV and the Air Force. Utah State is making only 41.8% of their shots when on the road which has resulted in only 67.8 PPG. Their effective field goal percentage of 44.1% when on the road ranks a disappointing 282nd in the nation — and they are making only 26.5% of their 3-pointers on the road which is 317th in the country. The Aggies have failed to cover the point spread in 20 of their last 27 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. Utah State has also failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games as a road favorite. Their struggles on offense extend beyond shooting poorly when on the road. The Aggies are making just 39.3% of their shots in conference play — and their Adjusted Offensive Efficiency of 98.9 against MWC foes is just 9th in the conference. Furthermore, interior defense has been a concern for this group as they rank 8th in the MWC by allowing their opponents to make 50.5% of their shots inside the arc.

FINAL TAKE: This is not a good matchup for Utah State. Boise State averages 8 made 3-pointers per game — and the Aggies have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 road games against teams who make at least 8 shots from downtown per game. The Broncos have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games against teams with a winning record. 25* CBB ESPNU Game of the Year with the Boise State Broncos (822) minus the points versus the Utah State Aggies (821). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Duke Blue Devils (764) minus the points versus the Duke Blue Devils (763). THE SITUATION: Duke (15-2) looks to bounce-back from a 79-72 upset loss at Clemson as a 10.5-point favorite on Tuesday. Louisville (14-3) has won three in a row with their 73-68 win at Pittsburgh as a 6-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BLUE DEVILS MINUS THE POINTS: Duke should respond with a strong effort as they are 10-3-1 ATS in their last 14 games after a straight-up loss. The Blue Devils have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after an upset loss to an ACC rival. Duke allowed the Tigers to make 51.6% of their shots which was their worst defensive effort of the season — and just the second time an opponent shot better than 48.6% from the field against them. The Blue Devils did make 50% of their shots in the loss which was also their worst shooting effort in their last five games. Duke has nailed 53.4% of their shots over their last five games. But the Blue Devils strangely are disappointing at the free throw line as they making only 66.5% of their free throws. They missed 10 of their 20 free throws against Clemson — but they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after failing to make at least 53% of their free throws in their last game. Duke returns home where they are 9-1 with an average winning margin of +23.9 PPG. The Blue Devils make 49% of their shots at home which helps them generate 85.4 PPG — and they hold their opponents to just 40.1% shooting. Duke is 5th in the nation by pulling down 37.2% of their missed shots. They also are 2nd in the ACC by forcing turnovers in 23.0% of their opponent’s possessions — and the Cardinals are vulnerable lacking a true point guard as they turn it over in 18.1% of their conference possessions which is 8th in the ACC. Louisville is 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games after a straight-up victory where they failed to cover the point spread. The Cardinals may be fatigued in this game with this being their third straight game on the road. They make only 42.3% of their shots away from home — and they are shooting just 40.9% from the field over their last five games so they may struggle to keep up with the Blue Devils’ offense. Louisville is 2-6-1 ATS in their last 9 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. The Cardinals have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Duke ranks 4th and 5th in the nation respectively in Adjusted Offensive and Defensive Efficiency which gives them a strong case that they are the best team in the nation. They have covered the point spread in 5 straight games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Louisville ranks 22nd in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency and 16th in the country in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they are just 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. 10* CBB Louisville-Duke ESPN Special with the Duke Blue Devils (764) minus the points versus the Duke Blue Devils (763). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Villanova Wildcats (616) minus the points versus the Connecticut Huskies (615). THE SITUATION: Villanova (13-3) has won three straight games after their 79-75 win in overtime on Tuesday over DePaul as a 9.5-point favorite. UConn (10-6) has lost three of their last four games after their 89-86 loss at home to Wichita State last Sunday as a 3.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WILDCATS MINUS THE POINTS: Villanova should be emboldened with their comeback victory against the Blue Demons as they rallied from an 11-point deficit with just 2:14 left to play in that game to force overtime before pulling out the victory. The Wildcats have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games after a straight-up win where they failed to cover the point spread — and they have covered the point spread in 27 of their last 38 games after a point spread loss. They have also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after winning at least three games in a row against Big East opponents. This team is once again loaded for head coach Jay Wright: they return three starters from last year’s 26-win team that won the Big East regular-season title and has been fortified with a superb freshman class. 6’8 sophomore point-forward Saddaq Bey appears to be taking his game to another level as he has scored 51 points over his last two contests while nailing 12 of his 18 shots from behind the arc. Villanova is 8th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — they have five players who average in double-digits per game. They stay at home where they are 8-0 this season with an average winning margin of +14.2 PPG. The Wildcats have covered the point spread in 35 of their last 52 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 18 home games against teams with a losing record. UConn has failed to cover the point spread in a decisive 34 of their last 49 games after a narrow loss by 3 points or less in Big East play — and this includes them failing to cover the point spread in five of these last six situations. The Huskies return four starters from last year’s 16-17 team that finished just 6-12 in conference play — but they had a big void to fill in the loss of Jalen Adams who led the team by scoring 16.9 PPG. UConn ranks just 10th in the Big East in both Adjusted Offensive and Defensive Efficiency — and they took a big blow with the season-ending injury to starting wing Tyler Polley. Now after playing their last two games at home, UConn goes back on the road where they are 2-4 while making just 40.8% of their shots. Scoring has been the biggest problem for head coach Dan Hurley’s team — they are making just 38.7% of their shots over their last five games. In their two true road games this season, they rank 337th in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and they have an effective field goal percentage of 40.9% in those two games which is 358th in the nation. Furthermore, they have turned the ball over in 23.8% of their possessions (309th in the nation) in those two road games while fouling way too much with an opponent’s Free Throw Attempt-to-Field Goal Attempt ratio of 49.1% which is 334th in the country. Fouling the Wildcats is a death sentence as they rank 9th in the nation by making 78.1% of their free throws.

FINAL TAKE: UConn has lost both their true road games to Cincinnati and South Florida by 31 combined points — and neither team is as dangerous as this Villanova team that has registered a victory on their home court over Kansas. 10* CBB UConn-Villanova FS1-TV Special with the Villanova Wildcats (616) minus the points versus the Connecticut Huskies (615). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Iowa Hawkeyes (866) minus the points versus the Michigan Wolverines (865). THE SITUATION: Iowa (12-5) has won two straight games as well as six of their last eight contests with their 75-62 win at Northwestern on Tuesday as a 6-point favorite. Michigan (11-5) has lost two of their last three contests with their 75-67 loss at Minnesota as a 3-point underdog last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HAWKEYES MINUS THE POINTS: Iowa is 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a straight-up win — and they are 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a point spread victory. Now the Hawkeyes return home where they are 7-1 this season with an average winning margin of +18.3 PPG. Iowa scores a robust 81.5 PPG while making 46.8% of their shots on their home court. This team is 4th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. The Hawkeyes have covered the point spread in 6 straight games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games as a favorite of up to 6 points. Iowa has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games with the Total set in the 140 to 149.5 point range. The Hawkeyes are also 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Michigan misses Isaiah Livers who has been out with a groin injury. While the Wolverines miss his 13.6 PPG, they miss his presence on the other end of the court even more as his 6’7 frame offers a complement to the 7’0 Jon Teske. Rookie head coach Juwan Howard lacks the forward in Livers’ size range who has his skills on both offense and defense. Michigan was whistled for 19 personal fouls in their loss to the Golden Gophers while drawing just 7 fouls — and that resulted in them getting to the free-throw line just six times while Minnesota attempted 27 free throws. The Wolverines have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after not attempting more than 7 free throws in their last game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after committing at least 10 more personal fouls than their opponent in their last game. Michigan played their worst defensive game of the season against the Golden Gophers by allowing them to make 54.9% of their shots — and they do not have easy answers to that problem before Livers returns from injury. The Wolverines are allowing their Big Ten opponents to make 47.7% of their shots. Michigan stays on the road where they are making only 43.8% of their shots. The Wolverines have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 road games with the Total set in the 140s. Furthermore, Michigan has failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games as a road underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%.

FINAL TAKE: Iowa will be looking to avenge a 103-91 loss in Ann Arbor to the Wolverines back on December 6th. 6’11 Luka Garza scored 44 points against the Michigan defense that had Livers — and Minnesota center Daniel Oturu torched the Wolverines for 30 points last Sunday without Livers offering help to Teske. 20* CBB Friday Late Show Bailout with the Iowa Hawkeyes (866) minus the points versus the Michigan Wolverines (865). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Philadelphia 76ers (532) minus the points versus the Chicago Bulls (531). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (26-16) has won three of their last five games after their 117-106 win over Brooklyn on Wednesday as a 7-point favorite. Chicago (15-27) has won two of their last three games with their 115-106 win over Washington on Wednesday as a 3.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE 76ERS MINUS THE POINTS: The Bulls made 50.6% of their shots again the Wizards which was tied for the best shooting effort in their last eleven games. Chicago is likely due for a letdown now. As it is, they have failed to cover the point spread in 27 of their last 38 games are a straight-up win — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a victory on their home court. The Bulls have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after scoring at least 115 points in their last game. Now this team goes on the road where they are just 7-13 this season. Chicago is 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 road games — and they are 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 road games as an underdog. The Bulls have also failed to cover the point spread in 32 of their last 49 road games with the Total set in the 210 to 219.5 point range. Defense had been the calling card for this team under head coach Jim Boylen despite the players on this team appearing to not appreciate his coaching style — but they have allowed their last five opponents to make 48.9% of their shots while ranking 24th in the NBA in Defensive Rating over that span. Perhaps Boylen is having his team begin to sacrifice defense for offense at this point of the season? But while the Bulls’ Offensive Rating ranking 20th in the league over their last five games is a bump up over their 27th ranking this year, the drop in defense has been more significant considering that they rank 9th in NBA in Defensive Rating. Chicago has still lost seven of their last ten games. And they are 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 games as an underdog. Philadelphia covered the point spread in just their second game in their last seven contests on Wednesday — but they have then covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after failing to cover the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. The 76ers are very tough to beat at home where they are now 19-2 with an average winning margin of +9.8 PPG. The Sixers make 48% of their shots at home which has generated 111.9 PPG. Philadelphia has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games at home — and they are 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 home games against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road. The 76ers are still without Joel Embiid who is out with a dislocated finger but his absence opens up playing time for Al Horford who has not been a good fit for this team when sharing playing time on the court with Embiid.

FINAL TAKE: Philadelphia is 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games against teams with a losing record. Chicago is 0-5-1 ATS in their last 6 games against teams with a winning record. Look for the Sixers to pull away in this game. 25* NBA Friday ESPN Game of the Month with the Philadelphia 76ers (532) minus the points versus the Chicago Bulls (531). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks (646) plus the points versus the Texas State Bobcats (645). THE SITUATION: Louisiana-Monroe (6-10) has lost three straight games with their 84-62 loss at Georgia State as a 12.5-point underdog last Saturday. Texas State (10-8) has won two straight games as well as three of their last four contests with their 82-57 win over Appalachian State as a 7-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WARHAWKS PLUS THE POINTS: UL-Monroe allowed the Panthers to nail 57.7% of their shots which was their worst defensive effort of the season. The Warhawks should respond with a stronger effort as they are 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 games after a point spread loss — and they are 6-2-1 ATS in their last 9 games after a loss by at least 20 points. Furthermore, UL-Monroe has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after losing at least two straight games to Sun Belt Conference opponents. Now after playing their last three games on the road, the Warhawks return home where they are 6-3 this season with an average winning margin of +9.2 PPG. UL-Monroe should play better on defense as they limit their visitors to just 40% shooting this season. The Warhawks have covered the point spread in a decisive 38 of their last 60 games after allowing at least 80 points in their last game — and this includes them covering the point spread in twelve of these last seventeen situations. UL-Monroe has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games at home as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight home games as a dog getting up to 6 points. Texas State nailed 53.8% of their shots last Saturday against the Mountaineers which was their second-best shooting effort all season. The Bobcats have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a point spread victory. Now Texas State goes back on the road where they are just 2-6 with an average losing margin of -4.1 PPG. A concern for this team is finding offense after their three-year starter on the wing in Nigel Pearson. The Bobcats are making only 41.6% of their shots on the road — and they have made just 41.3% of their shots in their last five games despite their nice shooting performance on Saturday. Much of the Texas State offense comes from getting to the free-throw line — they rank 12th in the nation with a Free Throw Attempt-to-Field Goal Attempt ratio of 41.6%. Getting these calls is not as reliable when playing in hostile environments. The Bobcats have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games on the road — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games as a favorite. Additionally, Texas State has failed to cover the point spread in 8 straight games against teams with a winning percentage of 40% or less.

FINAL TAKE: The Bobcats will have success forcing turnovers as they rank 2nd in the Sun Belt by forcing turnovers in 21.9% of their opponent’s possessions — and the Warhawks are 10th in the conference by turning it over in 22.2% of their conference possessions. But UL-Monroe should be able to make this up to stay competitive with their 3-point shooting. The Warhawks are 2nd in the Sun Belt by making 39% of their shots from behind the arc — and they are 22nd in the nation by nailing 41.7% of their 3-pointers at home. Texas State is 287th in the nation by allowing their opponents to make 36.0% of their 3-point shots. 25* CBB Sun Belt Conference Underdog of the Month with the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks (646) plus the points versus the Texas State Bobcats (645). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:45 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Providence Friars (838) minus the points versus the St. John’s Red Storm (837). THE SITUATION: Providence (10-7) saw their four-game winning streak snapped last Friday with their 70-58 loss at home to Butler as a 1-point underdog. St. John’s (12-5) snapped a three-game losing streak last Saturday with their 74-67 win at home to DePaul as a 3-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE FRIARS MINUS THE POINTS: Providence made only 31.7% of their shots against the Bulldogs which was their second-worst shooting effort of the season. They also allowed Butler to make 55.6% of their shots which was the highest mark any opponent has shot against them all season. This was probably the worst overall effort for Ed Cooley’s team all season which was a disappointment because they had registered quality wins against Texas, Georgetown, DePaul, and then Marquette before the loss to the Bulldogs. This team returned all five starters from last year’s team that made the NIT. Expect a strong effort tonight as the Friars ave bounced back to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a loss at home to a conference rival — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a double-digit loss at home. This veteran group needs to get back to sharing the basketball after managing only 8 assists on Friday — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after failing to generate more than 9 assists in their last game. Providence stays at home where they are 7-2 this season with an average winning margin of +17.4 PPG. They play tough defense at home by limiting their opponents to just 39.1% shooting which translates into just 60.8 PPG. The Friars rank 17th in the nation in Net Adjusted Efficiency Margin when playing on their home court. St. John’s has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a win at home against a fellow Big East rival. The Red Storm made 40.3% of their shots which seems pretty low — but it was actually the best shooting effort in their last five games. St. John’s is one of the worst shooting teams in the nation — they rank 308th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 45.6%. They have made only 36.8% of their shots over their last five games which has contributed to them playing six straight Unders — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after playing at least three straight Unders. The Red Storm will be playing in just their third true road game tonight — they are 351st in the nation on the road with an effective field goal percentage of 37.6% while making only 17.1% of their 3-point shots on the road which is 352nd in the nation. St. John’s are 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 games on the road. This Red Storm team compensates for this poor shooting with a full-court press under first-year head coach Mike Anderson. His “forty minutes of hell” approach has led the Red Storm to 18th in the nation by forcing turnovers in 24.2% of their opponent’s possessions. The Friars are vulnerable as they turn the ball over in 19.0% of their possessions (140th in the nation) but that mark has dipped to a 17.5% mark in their four conference games. Providence does force turnovers as well at a 23.0% rate which is 36th in the nation. The Friars should seize an advantage in the possession battle on the offensive boards as they pull down 32.6% of their missed shots which is 57th in the nation — and St. John’s allows their opponents to pull down 31.2% of their missed shots which is 294th in the nation. The Red Storm have been out-rebounded by at least 7 boards in four straight games — and they have then failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games after being out-rebounded by at least six rebounds in three straight games.

FINAL TAKE: St. John is 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 road games against teams with a winning record at home. Providence has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. 25* CBB Wednesday FS1-TV Game of the Month with the Providence Friars (838) minus the points versus the St. John’s Red Storm (837). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Philadelphia 76ers (502) minus the points versus the Brooklyn Nets (501). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (25-16) has lost two straight games as well as six of their last eight contests after their 101-95 loss at Indiana on Monday as a 3.5-point underdog. Brooklyn (18-20) had won their last two games before losing last night at home to Utah by a 118-107 score as a 3.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE 76ERS MINUS THE POINTS: Philadelphia has struggled as of late as they have only covered the point spread once their last six games — but they have then covered the point spread in 24 of their last 34 games after failing to cover the point spread in four or five of their last six games. The Sixers have been without Joel Embiid who is out with a dislocated finger — but his absence gives Al Horford more of an opportunity who has not been a good fit when playing on the floor at the same time as Embiid. The stronger explanation for those six losses over their last eight games is that they all occurred on the road where Philadelphia is just 7-14 this season. Now the 76ers return home where they are a dominant 18-2 with an average winning margin of +9.7 PPG. The Sixers are scoring 111.6 PPG at home while making 47.8% of their shots from the field. They are 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 home games against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road. Philadelphia is also 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games against teams with a winning record. Brooklyn has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against teams with a winning percentage in the 60-80% range. The Nets have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a straight-up loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a point spread setback. Additionally, Brooklyn has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a double-digit loss. And in their last 19 games when playing without a day of rest, the Nets have failed to cover the point spread 13 times. This team has seen Kyrie Irving return to the court after he missed 26 games to an injury. But questions remain if Irving elevates or gets in the way of his teammates — Brooklyn was 13-13 while he was injured but just 5-7 with him healthy and in the mix. Now this team goes back on the road where they are 7-12 while making just 43.1% of their shots. The Nets have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight road games against teams with a winning record at home.

FINAL TAKE: Philadelphia is looking to avenge a 109-89 upset loss at Brooklyn back on December 15th as a 4-point underdog. The 76ers have covered the point spread in 30 of their last 46 games at home when avenging a loss. They also have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 meetings with the Nets. 25* NBA Wednesday ESPN Game of the Month with the Philadelphia 76ers (502) minus the points versus the Brooklyn Nets (501). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the West Virginia Mountaineers (636) minus the points versus the TCU Horned Frogs (635). THE SITUATION: West Virginia (13-2) has won two straight games as well as six of their last seven contests with their 66-54 win over Texas Tech on Saturday as a 4.5-point favorite. TCU (12-3) has won four straight games with their 52-40 win over Oklahoma State as a 3-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MOUNTAINEERS MINUS THE POINTS: The Horned Frogs played their best defensive game of the season against the Cowboys by limiting them to just 30.2% shooting from the field. But TCU has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread victory. Furthermore, the Horned Frogs have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after not allowing more than 50 points in their last game. Head coach Jamie Dixon has only three players back from the regular rotation from last year’s 23-14 team that reached the Semifinals of the NIT. But this team has only played three of their games away from home this season with just one of those being in a true hostile environment. Yet TCU is making just 38.1% of their shots away from home. The Horned Frogs have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. TCU relies on its 3-point shooting as they rank 30th in the nation by making 37.3% of their 3-point shots. But they will be playing a Mountaineers team that might be playing the best defense in the nation. West Virginia ranks tops in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency along with posting the lowest effective field goal percentage of 38.6%. The Mountaineers are also 2nd in the nation with an opponent’s field goal percentage of 35.1% — and they are 2nd in the nation by holding their opponents to just a 23.3% shooting mark from behind the arc. West Virginia has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread victory. The Mountaineers have not allowed more than 54 points in three straight games. They have then covered the point spread in 16 of their last 22 games after not allowing more than 55 points in two straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 20 games after not allowing more than 60 points in three straight games. West Virginia is a perfect 7-0 at home where they are outscoring their opponents by +16.7 PPG. They have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. This Mountaineers team does a number of things to help them score points. First, they are 4th in the nation by pulling down 38.4% of their missed shots. Second, they get to the free-throw line — their Free Throw Attempt-to-Field Goal Attempt ratio of 41.2% is 16th in the nation. Third, West Virginia forces turnovers in 21.5% of their opponent’s possessions — and this is an area of vulnerability for the Horned Frogs who cough the ball up in 19.6% of their possessions which is 189th in the nation.

FINAL TAKE: West Virginia has defeated Ohio State and Wichita State on a neutral court which are teams that metrics guru Ken Pomeroy ranks as the 7th and 25th best teams in the nation. TCU’s best victory is at home against an Iowa State team that KenPom ranks just at 55th in the country. Look for the Horned Frogs to get exposed in this game. 10* CBB TCU-West Virginia ESPNU Special with the West Virginia Mountaineers (636) minus the points versus the TCU Horned Frogs (635). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:35 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Dallas Mavericks (538) minus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (537). THE SITUATION: Dallas (23-15) has lost two straight games as well as five of their last seven contests after their 129-114 loss at home to the Los Angeles Lakers as a 1.5-point underdog last night. Philadelphia (25-14) has won two straight games with their 109-8 win over Boston on Thursday as a 1-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MAVERICKS MINUS THE POINTS: The 76ers played their best defensive game over their last five contests against the Celtics for TNT Thursday as they held them to just 43.2% shooting. For the seaso have won their last two games with the benefit of home court advantage. But Philadelphia has then failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games after winning their last two games at home. The 76ers are a dominant 18-2 at home this year — but they are just 7-12 on the road. The Sixers are 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 road games — and they are 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 road games against teams with a winning record at home. They allow their home hosts to make 46.8% of their shots from the field. Philly is also 2-6-1 ATS in their last 9 games against teams with a winning record. Dallas has covered the point spread in 22 of their last 30 games after a double-digit loss — and they have covered the points spread in 10 of their last 14 games after a double-digit loss on their home court. The Mavericks allowed the Lakers to make 52.8% of their shots in what was their worst defensive performance of the season. Dallas has rebounded to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 28 games after allowing at least 125 points in their last game. And in their last 24 games after a point spread loss, Dallas is 16-6-2 ATS in their last 24 games after a point spread loss. They struggled on the other end of the floor as well as they made only 40.6% of their shots which was the worst shooting effort in their last five games. The Mavs stay at home for the sixth straight game where they are just 11-10 but they are outscoring their opponents by +6.1 PPG.

FINAL TAKE: Both these teams are missing key pieces with Philly missing Joel Embiid with his finger injury while Dallas is without Kristaps Porzingis with his knee injury. For the Sixers, that is, at best, at wash. But the 76ers have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games against the Mavericks — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 trips to Dallas. Together, these team trends produce our specific 105-34-5 ATS combined angle for this situation. 10* NBA Saturday Daily Discounted Deal with the Dallas Mavericks (538) minus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (537). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Iowa Hawkeyes (838) plus the points versus the Maryland Terrapins (837). THE SITUATION: Iowa (10-5) has lost their last two games after their 76-70 upset loss at Nebraska on Tuesday as an 8-point favorite. Maryland (13-2) has won three in a row after their 67-55 win at home over Ohio State on Tuesday as a 3-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HAWKEYES PLUS THE POINTS: Iowa has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after a loss on the road. The Hawkeyes have also covered the point spread in 6 straight games after a point spread loss. Iowa played one of their worst games of the season against the Cornhuskers. They allowed Nebraska to make 49.1% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last six games. They also shot just 41.6% from the field which was the worst offensive effort in their last eight contests. The Hawkeyes made only 4 of their 33 shots (12.1%) from 3-point land — but they have then covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after failing to make at least 20% of their shots from behind the arc in their last game. Iowa made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament but suffered a tough blow last month when Jordan Bohanan decided to take a medical redshirt this season to fully recover from the hip surgery he had in the offseason. While the loss of Bohanan probably lowers the ceiling regarding the potential of the team, the Hawkeyes are likely still an NCAA Tournament team again this season given their depth along with two very good players in junior Luka Garza and sophomore Jon Weiskamp who is a likely future NBA player. Iowa has defeated Texas Tech and Cincinnati this season on neutral courts while also recording a nice win at home against Minnesota. The Hawkeyes are 6-1 at home this season where they are outscoring their opponents by +18.3 PPG due to their potent offense that scores 83.6 PPG on 48% shooting from the field. Head coach Fran McCaffrey has built an offensive juggernaut in Iowa City as this team ranks 5th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. The Hawkeyes have covered the point spread in 5 straight games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games as an underdog. They are also 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games against teams with a winning record. Maryland comes off their biggest win of the season against a Buckeyes team that was ranked number one in the nation earlier in the season. They held Ohio State to just 31.3% shooting from the field in that game in what was the best defensive effort in their last six contests. But the Terrapins have then failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 road games after a double-digit win at home. Maryland has also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after winning two games in a row against Big Ten opponents. And while they have covered the point spread in their last two games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after covering the point spread in their last two contests. The Terrapins also reached the second round of the Big Dance last season but expectations are higher for this team with all but one of their contributors from that team back this season. However, the departure of big man Bruno Fernando to the NBA has left a void with Maryland missing his 13.0 PPG, 10.6 RPG, and 2.0 APG. The lack of a consistently reliable scorer in the post has held back this team at times. They have been riddled with slow starts which have them living on the edge before senior point guard Anthony Cowan bails them out. They have been much too loose with the basketball as they are turning the ball over in 19.5% of their possessions in Big Ten play. This is also not a great shooting basketball team as they rank just 227th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 48.0% — and they are making just 38.2% of their shots on the road. Furthermore, now after playing their last three games at home in College Park, the Terrapins go on the road for just their third true road game in a hostile environment — and they have lost their first two road games at Seton Hall and Penn State. Shooting has been the biggest problem for this team in those games as they rank just 303rd in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency on the road due to their terrible 36.2% effective field goal percentage in those games which is the worst mark of all Division I teams. Maryland has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games against teams with a winning record at home. The Terrapins have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 4 road games as a favorite — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 34 road games as a favorite of 3 points or less.

FINAL TAKE: Shot volume may make the difference in this game. Maryland was outshot by the Buckeyes in their last contest by a 67 to 46 margin — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after being outshot by at least 20 in their last game. Iowa outshot Nebraska by a 77 to 53 margin in their loss on Tuesday — but they have then covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after outshooting their last opponent by at least 20. 25* CBB Friday FS1-TV Game of the Month with the Iowa Hawkeyes (838) plus the points versus the Maryland Terrapins (837). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 5:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Pennsylvania Quakers (821) minus the point(s) versus the Princeton Tigers (822). THE SITUATION: Penn (7-5) saw their two-game winning streak snapped last Saturday with their 78-64 loss at home to this Tigers team. Princeton (5-8) has now won two straight games as well as four of their last five contests.

REASONS TO TAKE THE QUAKERS MINUS THE POINT(S): Penn should bounce-back with a strong effort as they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after a point spread loss. They also have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a double-digit loss at home. The Quakers made just 36.6% of their shots in that game which was their worst shooting effort of the season. They also allowed the Tigers to make 53.7% of their shots after holding their previous two opponents to just 34.4% and 34.8% shooting. Penn should shoot better in this rematch as they rank 29th in the nation by making 54.4% of their shots inside the arc. Their 2-point shooting proficiency actually improves when playing on the road where they are making 55.1% of their shots inside the arc which is the 14th best road mark in the country. Five of the Quakers’ seven victories have been on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games on the road. Penn has quality victories against Alabama and Providence that metrics guru Ken Pomeroy ranks as the 50th and 66th best teams in the nation. The Quakers also have a 10-point loss on a neutral court to Arizona. Princeton shooting effort of 53.7% last Saturday was their second-best offensive performance of the season. But they are making only 42.9% of their shots back on their home court. The Tigers have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games at home. Defense has been the bigger issue for head coach Mitch Henderson as they rank 298th in the nation by allowing their opponents to make 53.6% of their shots inside the arc. Unfortunately for this team, their defense has been worse on their home court. Visitors are nailing 46.8% of their 3-point shots on the Princeton home court this season which is the 348th worst mark in the nation — and these guests have an effective field goal percentage of 53.4% which is 305th in the nation. The Tigers have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games against teams with a winning record — and they are just 11-26-1 ATS in their last 38 games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: The road team is now 17-7-1 ATS in the last 25 meetings between these two teams. And Penn has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games when avenging an upset loss where they were favored by at least 7 points. 10* CBB Penn-Princeton ESPNU Special with the Pennsylvania Quakers (821) minus the point(s) versus the Princeton Tigers (822). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Oregon Ducks (658) minus the points versus the Arizona Wildcats (657). THE SITUATION: Oregon (12-3) has won six of their last seven games with their 69-64 win at Utah last Saturday as a 4-point favorite. Arizona (11-3) snapped their two-game losing streak on Saturday with their 75-47 victory over Arizona State as a 10.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE DUCKS MINUS THE POINTS: Oregon should build off the momentum of their best defensive effort of the season where they held the Utes to just 35.6% shooting. The Ducks have covered the point spread in 22 of their last 27 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 26 games after a point spread victory. Now Oregon returns home where they are 8-1 with an average winning margin of +20.0 PPG. The Ducks hold their guests to just 38.2% shooting which results in only 63.6 PPG — but what they do on the other end of the court is even more impressive. Oregon makes 52.4% of their shots at home which translates into 83.6 PPG. The Ducks are 3rd in the nation by making 44.5% of their shots from behind the arc at home — and their effective field goal percentage of 63% at home is also 3rd best in the country. Oregon has covered the point spread in 25 of their last 35 games at home — and they ave covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. Arizona has failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after a straight-up win. The Wildcats will be playing just their second true road game this season after losing at Baylor earlier this season. Arizona has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 road games against teams with a winning record on their home court. Additionally, the Wildcats have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Arizona’s best win this season is against an Illinois team that metrics guru Ken Pomeroy ranks as the 29th team in the nation. The Wildcats have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. The Ducks have defeated Seton Hall (on a neutral court), at Michigan, and home against Houston who all rank higher by Pomeroy than the Fighting Illini. Oregon has covered the point spread in 19 of their last 26 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. In this battle of the best two teams in the Pac-12, look for the Ducks to pull away. 10* CBB Arizona-Oregon ESPN Special with the Oregon Ducks (658) minus the points versus the Arizona Wildcats (657). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Boston Celtics (503) plus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (504). THE SITUATION: Boston (25-10) has lost two straight games after suffering a 129-14 upset loss to San Antonio last night as a 2-point favorite. Philadelphia (24-14) snapped their four-game losing streak on Monday with their 120-113 victory at home over Oklahoma City as an 8-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CELTICS PLUS THE POINTS: Boston has now suffered two straight upset losses as they were stunned in Washington as a 9-point favorite in their previous game against the Wizards. But the Celtics have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a double-digit loss at home — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after an upset loss. The small bright shot for Boston last night was they got Kemba Walker back on the court as he played 18 minutes after missing the previous three games with flu-like symptoms. Head coach Brad Stevens’ team should play much better on defense in this game after they allowed the Spurs to make 55.2% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort of their season. Now Boston goes back on the road where they are 11-7 with an average winning margin of +5.9 PPG while holding their home hosts to just 42.6% shooting. The Celtics have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games on the road — and they are also 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 road games against teams with a winning record at home. And while Boston has only covered the point spread twice in their last seven games, they have then covered the point spread in 18 of their last 25 road games after failing to cover the point spread in four or five of their last six games. Philadelphia has failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games after a victory where they did not cover the point spread as the favorite — and they are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games after a point spread loss. The Sixers will be without Joel Embiid tonight as he recovers from a dislocated finger he suffered on Monday. Philadelphia is just 3-4 in their seven games this season that Embiid does not play. They defeated the Thunder by shooting 51.1% from the field which was the best shooting effort in their last six games. But the 76ers have also allowed their last four opponents to score at least 113 points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 23 games after allowing at least 110 points in each of their last three games. The Sixers stay at home tonight where they are just 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 home games as a favorite — and they are also 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%.

FINAL TAKE: Boston will be looking to avenge a 115-109 upset loss at home to Philadelphia as a 1-point underdog back on December 12th — and the Celtics have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games when avenging a loss where they allowed at least 110 points. Boston has covered the point spread in 11 of their last 15 meetings with the 76ers which includes them covering the point spread in five of their last seven trips to face them in Philadelphia. Together, these team trends produce our specific 104-34-5 ATS combined angle for this situation. 10* NBA Boston-Philadelphia TNT Special with Boston Celtics (503) plus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (504). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Georgia State Panthers (628) minus the points versus the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns (627). THE SITUATION: Georgia State (10-6) has lost two straight games after they suffered a 90-87 upset loss at Arkansas State on Monday as a 3.5-point favorite. UL-Lafayette (7-9) comes off an 81-73 upset win at Appalachian State as an 8-point underdog on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PANTHERS MINUS THE POINTS: Georgia State should respond with a strong effort as they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up loss. They should play better on the defensive end of the court after allowing the Red Wolves to make 48.1% of their shots in what was their fourth-worst defensive effort of the season. This is another good team for the Atlanta team that has made the NCAA Tournament in three of the last five seasons. First-year head coach Rob Lanier saw his team lose by just 11 points at Duke in November. The Panthers lead the Sun Belt Conference by forcing turnovers in 23.1% of their opponent’s possessions — and they are hosting a Ragin’ Cajuns team that is turning the ball over in 19.5% of their possessions. Georgia State is also making 37.5% of their shots from behind the arc which is 31st in the nation — and that number climbs to a 42.6% clip in their home gym which is 12th best in the country. The Panthers return home where they are a perfect 6-0 with an average winning margin of +20.5 PPG. They are holding their guests to just 37.0% shooting from the field. Georgia State is 9-2-1 ATS in their last 12 home games — and they are 7-1-1 in their last 9 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. The Panthers are also 15-5-1 ATS in their last 21 games against teams with a losing record. Louisiana is just 7-19-1 ATS in their last 27 games after a straight-up win. They stay on the road where they are 2-6 with an average losing margin of -10.2 PPG. The Ragin’ Cajuns make only 39.4% of their shots on the road — and they are allowing their home hosts to make 47.0% of their shots. Louisiana has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 road games as an underdog. The defense is a significant issue for this team as they rank 258th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. The Ragin’ Cajuns allow their opponents to shoot 55.5% inside the arc which is 328th in the country.

FINAL TAKE: Louisiana has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. 20* CBB Blowout Bookie Buster with the Georgia State Panthers (628) minus the points versus the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns (627). Best of luck for us — Frank.

Hollywood Sports’ CBB BLOWOUT BOOKIE BUSTER
Frank Sawyer

At 9:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Boise State Broncos (836) minus the points versus the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels (835). THE SITUATION: Boise State (10-6) saw their four-game winning streak snapped on Saturday with their 83-66 loss at Nevada as a 3.5-point underdog. UNLV (8-8) has won four games in a row with their 71-59 win over the Air Force on Saturday as a 6-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RUNNIN’ REBELS: That was probably the Broncos worst game of the season. They made only 5 of their 26 shots from behind the arc while shooting just 36.2% of their shots which was their second-worst offensive effort of the season. They also allowed the Wolf Pack to nail 55.9% of their shots which was their worst defensive performance of the season. They should respond with a strong effort tonight as they have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a loss. This team returned four starters and five of their top six scorers from last year’s team that finished just 13-20. Despite snapping six straight seasons of winning at least 20 games, expectations are high to make a run for the NCAA Tournament this season — and they have a nice win over a BYU team that metrics guru Ken Pomeroy ranks as the 30th best team in the nation. Boise State returns home where they are 7-1 this season with an average winning margin of +23.6 PPG. They are making 48.5% of their shots at home which has translated into 85.1 PPG while holding their visitors to only 39.% shooting. The Broncos have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games against teams with a winning percentage no better than 40% on the road. Boise State has also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 home games with the Total set in the 135 to 139.5 point range. UNLV has failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 18 games after winning five or six of their last seven games. Now after playing their last four games at home at the Thomas & Mack Center, they go back on the road for the first time since December 7th. The Runnin’ Rebels are just 1-4 on the road where they are making just 38.7% of their shots while getting outscored by -12.0 PPG. UNLV is just 15-33-5 ATS in their last 53 road games — and they are 11-24-4 ATS in their last 39 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. This team lives off the offensive glass where they are pulling down 36.5% of their missed shots — but Boise State is 13th in the nation by limiting their opponents to rebounding just 22.5% of their missed shots. The Runnin’ Rebels also turn the ball over in 22.4% of their possessions which is 312th in the nation — and the Broncos force turnovers in a healthy 19.3% of their opponent’s possessions.

FINAL TAKE: UNLV’s best win was against a Utah State team during their current winning streak that is fading fast — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games against teams with a winning record. Boise State has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games as a favorite. 20* CBB Blowout Bookie Buster with the Boise State Broncos (836) minus the points versus the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels (835). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Chicago Bulls (575) plus the points versus the New Orleans Pelicans (576). THE SITUATION: Chicago (13-24) has lost their last four games with their 118-110 loss in Dallas on Monday as a 7.5-point underdog. New Orleans (12-25) has lost two of their last three games after their 128-126 loss at home to Utah on Monday as a 4-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BULLS PLUS THE POINTS: Chicago is 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 games after a straight-up loss. Despite their recent losing streak, this young team had been playing better as of late. This is a very good defensive team that has been under the radar. Over their last fifteen games, the Bulls have the second-best Defensive Rating in the league — and they rank 7th in that metric overall this season. Defense travels — so why Chicago is just 6-11 on the road this year, they are only being outscored by -1.7 PPG in those games. The Bulls are 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 road games — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games on the road against teams with a losing record at home. New Orleans is just 3-9-1 ATS in their last 13 games after a straight-up loss. They are also 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games after allowing at least 125 points in their last game. The good news for this team is that it looks like Zion Williamson is close to making his NBA debut for the team. But the bad news at least for tonight is that Jrue Holliday is out with an elbow injury and he has been the straw that stirs the drink when they are playing well. The Pelicans are 6-12 when playing at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games at home against teams with a losing record on the road. New Orleans has also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games as a favorite — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 15 home games when laying the points.

FINAL TAKE: The Pelicans have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games against teams with a winning percentage between the 25% to 40% range. Chicago has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning percentage at 40% or less. Together, these team trends produce our specific 69-19-3 ATS combined angle for this situation. 10* NBA Don’t Need the Points (but we will take the points) Underdog Special with the Chicago Bulls (575) plus the points versus the New Orleans Pelicans (576). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Dallas Mavericks (572) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (571). THE SITUATION: Dallas (23-13) has won two of their last three games with their 118-110 win over Chicago on Monday as a 7.5-point favorite. Denver (25-11) has also won two of their last three games after their 123-115 win at Atlanta on Monday as a 7-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MAVERICKS MINUS THE POINTS: Dallas made up for the absence of Kristaps Porzingis who missed his fourth straight game with a knee injury by seeing Luka Doncic scored 38 points while adding 11 rebounds and 10 assists to lead them past the Bulls. That was Doncic’s ninth triple-double where he scored at least 30 points. The Mavericks have then covered the point spread in 15 of their last 18 games after playing a game at home. They stay in Dallas tonight where they are outscoring their guests by +7.6 PPG — and they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 17 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. The Mavericks have allowed 110 points in three straight games — but they have then covered the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games after giving up at least 110 points in three straight contests. Furthermore, Dallas has covered the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they are 11-5-1 ATS in their last 17 games as a favorite. Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a victory on the road. Additionally, the Nuggets have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 21 of their last 29 games on the road after a point spread win. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 25 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last contest. Denver has scored at least 114 points in their last three games but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 18 games after scoring at least 110 points in three straight contests. But while the Nuggets are scoring tons of points behind a rejuvenated Nikola Jokic, Denver has regressed significantly on the defensive end of the court. The Nuggets had the second-best Defensive Rating in the league about a month ago but over their last ten games, they are saddled with the lowest Defensive Rating in the NBA. Their last five opponents have made 51.9% of their shots. Denver stays on the road for their fifth straight game — they may be fatigued as they close out this road trip. The Nuggets are just 2-6-2 ATS in their last 10 road games against teams with a winning record at home.

FINAL TAKE: Porzingis will not play tonight for the fifth straight game. Denver will be without Will Barton who is out for a personal day. The Nuggets are just 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games as an underdog. Together, these team trends produce our specific 145-48-1 ATS combined angle for this situation. 10* NBA Denver-Dallas ESPN Special with the Dallas Mavericks (572) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (571). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Marquette Golden Eagles (602) minus the points versus the Providence Friars (601). THE SITUATION: Marquette (11-3) has won six of their last seven games with their 71-60 win over Villanova as a 2-point favorite on Saturday. Providence (9-6) has won three in a row as well with their 66-65 win at DePaul as a 1-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GOLDEN EAGLES MINUS THE POINTS: Marquette should continue to build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 28 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight games after a win at home over a conference rival. The Golden Eagles defeating the Wildcats despite making only 37% of their shots which was their worst shooting effort of the season. This team can overcome bad shooting performances because they get plenty of easy ones at the free-throw line — they rank 8th in the nation with a Free Throw Attempt-to-Field Goal Attempt ratio of 42.5% which is 8th best in the nation. The Friars will put them on the free-throw line tonight as they rank 231st in the nation with an opponent’s FTA/FGA ratio of 34.3%. Marquette only made 5 of their 21 shots from behind the arc for a low 23.8% shooting mark — and that is far below their 40.8% shooting percentage from 3-point land which is 3rd best in the nation led by their superstar guard Markus Howard. The Golden Eagles are a perfect 8-0 at home with an average winning margin of +20.7 PPG. They are playing much better defense under head coach Steve Wojciechowski than in past seasons — they are holding their visitors to just 34.9% shooting which has resulted in 60.0 PPG. Marquette has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 home games as a favorite. Providence has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games after a point spread victory. Expectations were high for head coach Ed Cooley’s team this season that returned all five starters from a team that missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time in six seasons. They have registered their three best wins of the season in their current winning streak with victories against Texas, Georgetown, and DePaul — but they have also endured bad losses to Long Beach State, Penn, and Charleston. The Friars have struggled on the road where they are just 2-5 while being outscored by -8.6 PPG. Providence makes only 36.4% of their shots when playing on the road. They have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. The Friars have also failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games after playing a game where they were an underdog on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Providence has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games as an underdog. Marquette has been bolstered with the strong play of Utah State transfer Kobe McEwan to complement Howard as a second scoring threat. The Golden Eagles are top-40 in both Adjusted Offensive and Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. 25* CBB Tuesday FS1-TV Game of the Month with the Marquette Golden Eagles (602) minus the points versus the Providence Friars (601). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the West Virginia Mountaineers (863) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the Oklahoma State Cowboys (864). THE SITUATION: West Virginia (11-2) saw their four-game winning streak snapped on Saturday with their 60-53 loss as a 10-point underdog at Kansas. Oklahoma State (9-4) has lost four of their last six games after their 85-50 loss at Texas Tech on Saturday as a 5.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MOUNTAINEERS PLUS (OR MINUS) THE POINT(S): West Virginia should respond with a strong effort after their loss on Saturday. They shot just 32.2% from the field against the Jayhawks’ which was the worst shooting effort of the season. They also allowed Kansas to make 40.4% of their shots which was their worst defensive performance in their last six contests. The Mountaineers have covered the point spread in 6 straight games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 23 games after a loss against a Big 12 rival. West Virginia has also covered the point spread in 6 straight games on the road after a game where neither team reached 65 points. After a disappointing 15-21 record last season, head coach Bob Huggins has a younger new-look roster this year that is finding success implementing his system. The Mountaineers are dangerous road warriors because they do many things to create additional scoring opportunities if their shots are not falling. West Virginia forces turnovers in 21.0% of their opponent’s possessions which is 99th in the nation. The Mountaineers also crash the offensive glass as they rank 6th in the nation by pulling down 39.0% of their missed shots. And this team gets to the free throw line as they are 38th in the nation with a free throw rate-to-field goal attempt ratio of 39.3%. West Virginia is 5-2 on the road with an average winning margin of +6.0 PPG. This Mountaineers team also plays outstanding defense. They rank 5th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they are holding their home hosts to just 34.4% shooting from the field which is resulting in only 60.6 PPG. Oklahoma State has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games when playing their second game in three days. The Cowboys return all five starters from last year’s 12-20 team but depth is an issue for this group. They return home where they are making only 41% of their shots this season — and they are shooting just 39.3% from the field over their last five games. In fact, while Oklahoma State is just 99th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency, that number plummets to 229th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency when playing at home. The Cowboys have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. And while this is Oklahoma State’s just second game since December 29th, they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 home games when playing only their second game in eight days.

FINAL TAKE: The Cowboys have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 home games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Together these team trends produce our specific 62-19 ATS combined angle for this situation. 10* CBB West Virginia-Oklahoma State ESPN2 Special with the West Virginia Mountaineers (863) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the Oklahoma State Cowboys (864). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Illinois Fighting Illini (846) minus the points versus the Purdue Boilermakers (845). THE SITUATION: Illinois (9-5) has lost two of their last three games after their 76-56 loss at Michigan State on Thursday as a 10-point underdog. Purdue (9-5) has won their last two games with their 83-78 win against Minnesota at home in double overtime as a 7-point favorite on January 2nd.

REASONS TO TAKE THE FIGHTING ILLINI MINUS THE POINTS: Illinois shot just 29.3% from the field against the Spartans in what was their worst shooting effort of the season. Illinois has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up loss — and they have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread loss. This team returned eight of their top nine scorers from last year’s team that had just a 12-21 record last season. But they also added a 7’0 290-lb freshman in Kofi Cockburn who has helped the team rank 3rd in the nation by pulling down 39.3% of their missed shots. The Illini return home where they are 8-1 with an average winning margin of +24.5 PPG. Illinois is making 51.6% of their shots on their home court which is generation an 86.7 PPG scoring average. They also limit their visitors to just 41.1% shooting. The Illini are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games at home — and they are also 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 home games when laying the points. Purdue has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 14 road games after a win at home against a Big Ten rival. This team lost three starters from last year’s team with the biggest hole being the graduation of Carsen Edwards that has left this team without a reliable go-to scorer. The Boilermakers go back on the road where they are just 2-4 while scoring just 60.0 PPG because they are making only 36% of their shots. Purdue really struggles to make baskets away from home — they rank 314th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of just 41.5% when playing on the road. The Boilermakers connect on only 24.7% of their 3-pointers on the road which is 325th in the nation. They are also making a mere 52.3% of their free throws in true road games which is 343rd in the nation. Purdue has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 road games against teams with a winning record. Together, these team trends produce our specific 50-14-2 ATS combined angle for this situation. 

FINAL TAKE: Purdue’s best win this season was at home against a Virginia team who does not look nearly as good as advertised when entering the season. The Boilermakers also lost on the road at Nebraska by 14 points to a Cornhuskers team that metrics guru Ken Pomeroy ranks as just the 152nd best team in the nation. Pomeroy places Illinois at 44th in the nation who has a signature win at home against Michigan. Purdue has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games as the underdog. 25* CBB Sunday FS1-TV Game of the Month with the Illinois Fighting Illini (846) minus the points versus the Purdue Boilermakers (845). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Miami Heat (526) minus the points versus the Portland Trail Blazers (525). THE SITUATION: Miami (25-10) has lost two of their last three games with their 105-85 loss at Orlando as a 1.5-point underdog on Friday. Portland (15-21) snapped their five-game losing streak on Friday with their 122-103 win at Washington as a 7.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HEAT MINUS THE POINTS: Miami shot just 37.5% from the field in that game which was their worst shooting effort of the season. The Heat have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after a double-digit loss. Miami is also 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 games after a straight-up loss — and they are 18-6-2 ATS in their last 26 games after a point spread setback. Now the Heat return home where they are 16-1 this season with an average winning margin of +11.6 PPG. Miami is making 48.5% of their shots at home which has translated into 115.7 PPG. The Heat are 13-4-1 ATS in their last 18 games at home — and they are 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 home games against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road. Portland nailed 51.1% of their shots in their win on Friday over the Wizards which was their best shooting effort in their last fourteen games. The Blazers also limited Washington to 42.2% shooting which was their best defensive performance in their last five contests. But Portland is 2-5-1 ATS in their last 8 games after a straight-up loss — and they are 2-6-2 ATS in their last 10 games after a point spread win. The Trail Blazers are also 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games after a double-digit victory. Now Portland goes back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games against teams with a winning record at home.

FINAL TAKE: The Blazers have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games as an underdog. Together, these team trends produce our specific 92-26-10 ATS combined angle for this situation. 20* NBA Blowout Bookie Buster with the Miami Heat (526) minus the points versus the Portland Trail Blazers (525). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:30 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Michigan State Spartans (810) minus the points versus the Michigan Wolverines (809). THE SITUATION: Michigan State (11-3) has won three straight games with their 76-56 win over Illinois as a 10-point favorite on Thursday. Michigan (10-3) has won two straight games after their 86-60 win over UMass-Lowell as a 23-point favorite on December 29th.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SPARTANS MINUS THE POINTS: The Wolverines will be without their best offensive player in Isaiah Livers who missed that last game and remains questionable with a groin injury. Livers is shooting 50% from 3-point range while being the closest thing to a go-to scorer for this group. Rookie head coach Juwan Howard has been impressive with instilling confidence in this team while giving his players sophisticated play sets and the green light to shoot when open. Michigan is 2nd in the nation with an effective field goal percentage go 56.9% as they are nailing 38.7% of their 3-pointers (14th in the nation) and 56.2% of their shots inside the arc (10th in the nation). But the problem for this team is that they lack a Plan B if the shots are not falling. The Wolverines do not force turnovers as they have in the last two seasons under head coach John Beilein — they rank 311th in the nation by seeing turnovers in just 16.8% of their opponent’s possessions. They do not crash the glass either as they rank 240th in the nation by pulling down just 26.1% of their missed shots. And they do not get to the free-throw line for easy ones as they rank 318th in the country with a free throw rate to field goal attempt ratio of 24.5%. This is just this team’s third true road game this season — they lost their previous two road games while ranking just 317th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency in those games. They are making a mere 16.2% of their shots from 3-point land in those two games in hostile environments — and that was with Livers. This is the Wolverines’ first road game since December 11th after playing their last three games at home. Michigan has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. The Wolverines have also failed to cover the point spread in 23 of their last 33 road games as an underdog getting 6.5 to 9 points. Michigan State has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up win. The Spartans are 6-1 at home this season where they are making 49.2% of their shots which has generated 88.3 PPG. They also play outstanding defense at home where they hold their guests to just 35% shooting from the field which is resulting in 58.2 PPG. Michigan State is 8th in the nation with an opponent’s field goal percentage of 42.3% — and they are limiting their opponents to making only 28.6% from behind the arc (29th in the nation). The Spartans have covered the point spread in 21 of their last 31 games at home. They also have covered the point spread in 23 of their last 31 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%.

FINAL TAKE: Michigan State will have the best player on the court in Cassius Winston — and they have a viable Plan B if the shots are not falling by pulling down 35.3% of their missed shots which is 26th in the nation. Michigan catapulted up the national polls by winning the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament with the benefit of being a veteran team — but the Regression Gods have been visiting them ever since with their hot shooting that week. 20* CBB Michigan-Michigan State CBS-TV Special with the Michigan State Spartans (810) minus the points versus the Michigan Wolverines (809). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Memphis Grizzlies (535) plus the points versus the Oklahoma City Thunder (536). THE SITUATION: Memphis (11-20) has lost three of their last four games with their 145-115 loss to San Antonio as a 1-point underdog on Monday. Oklahoma City (15-14) has won four straight games — as well as nine of their last twelve contests — with their 118-112 win over the Los Angeles Clippers as a 1.5-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GRIZZLIES PLUS THE POINTS: The holiday break may have come at the wrong time for this Thunder team that had been on a roll. Oklahoma City has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games when playing with at least three days of rest. While the Thunder have been surging on the offensive end of the court, they have allowed their last five opponents to make 48.3% of their shots. Oklahoma City gets Danilo Gallinari back on the court tonight after he was out with an injury but Hamidou Diallo remains out with an elbow injury. The Thunder tend to underachieve against the lesser teams in the league as they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning percentage at 40% or less. Oklahoma City has also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when laying 3.5 to 9.5 points. Memphis is a dangerous underdog behind rookie phenom Ja Morant — they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games as an underdog. Their last two victories were upset wins over Sacramento and Miami. Head coach Taylor Jenkins should have had the attention of his players this week after the Grizzlies played their worst defensive game of the season by allowing the Spurs to nail 67.4% of their shots on Monday. Memphis has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after allowing their last opponent to make at least 60% of their shots. The Grizzlies have also rebounded to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a point spread loss — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a double-digit loss. Memphis’ shooting should help them keep this game close as they are making 47.5% of their shots over their last five games.

FINAL TAKE: The Grizzlies will be looking to avenge a 126-122 loss to the Thunder back on December 18th where they blew a 24-point lead. The Thunder have been living dangerously as they rallied from a 26-point deficit to Chicago in their previous game before pulling out the win. Memphis has covered the point spread in 4 of the last 5 meetings between these two teams. Don’t be surprised if Oklahoma City is listless for much of this game since their sloppy play has not been punished as of late. 25* NBA Western Conference Underdog of the Month with the Memphis Grizzlies (535) plus the points versus the Oklahoma City Thunder (536). Best of luck for us — Frank.