At 9:40 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Kansas Jayhawks (822) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the USC Trojans (821). THE SITUATION: Kansas (21-8) has won four straight games after their 93-84 win against Eastern Washington as a 10.5-point favorite on Saturday. USC (23-7) has won four of their last five games after their 72-56 victory against Drake as an 8.5-point favorite on Saturday. This game will be played on a neutral court at the Hinkle Fieldhouse.

REASONS TO TAKE THE JAYHAWKS PLUS (OR MINUS) THE POINT(S): Kansas is getting back to complete health after their COVID shutdown during the Big 12 tournament. Their freshman, Jalen Wilson, a rising star, was cleared to leave quarantine after missing Saturday’s game — he will be available for this game. Center David McCormack seemed in fine form after the long pause as he scored 20 of his 22 points in the second half. McCormack will have the responsibility of slowing down the Trojans’ Evan Mobley. The Jayhawks may have been a step slow on defense after their return from quarantine as they allowed Eastern Washington to make 50% of their shots which was tied for the highest opponent field goal percentage in their last ten games. Kansas has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after allowing at least 80 points in their last game — including all four of those circumstances this season. The Jayhawks trailed the Eagles by a 46-38 score at halftime — and they have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 22 games after allowing at least 45 points in the first half of their last game. Kansas has won nine of their last ten games — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games on the road after winning four or five of their last six games. They have also covered the point spread in 12 of their last 16 road games after winning their last ten. Furthermore, the Jayhawks have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games when playing their second game in three days. And in their last 30 games with the Total set in the 130s, Kansas has covered the point spread in 20 of those games. USC was outstanding against Drake — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after a straight-up win. And while the Trojans had not covered the point spread in three straight games before covering against the Bulldogs, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after covering the point spread only once in their last three games. USC nailed 8 of their 15 shots from behind the arc to help their 50% field goal percentage for the game. The Trojans have made at least 48.3% of their shots in three straight games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after making at least 48% of their shots in three straight games. USC is 13th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency when playing at home — but they drop to 49th nationally in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency when on the road. They held Drake to just 29.4% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last four games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after holding their last opponent to no better than 33% shooting.

FINAL TAKE: In Bill Self, I Trust — at least in this virtual pick ‘em. He is the best in the business in drawing up plays — and he is elite in making second-half adjustments. USC only makes 65.4% of their free throws, ranking 328th in the nation — and I hate that part of their game in a contest expected to be so close. Kansas has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games on a neutral court as an underdog or pick ‘em. 10* CBB Monday Late Show Bailout with Kansas Jayhawks (822) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the USC Trojans (821). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:45 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Florida State Seminoles (828) minus the points versus the Colorado Buffaloes (827). THE SITUATION: Florida State (17-6) has won two of their last three games after their 64-54 win against UNC-Greensboro as a 10.5-point favorite on Saturday. Colorado (23-8) has won seven of their last eight games after their 96-73 win against Georgetown as a 5.5-point favorite on Saturday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Indiana Farmers Coliseum.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SEMINOLES MINUS THE POINT(S): Fascinating situation here with metrics guru Ken Pomeroy projecting Colorado as a 2-point winner with another analytics guru I peruse projecting the Bufaloes as a 4-point winner. Yet the numbers I lean most heavily on — that values home/road splits the most — has Florida State a 1-point favorite which correlates with what the oddsmakers are thinking. I am with the oddsmakers in this one. While Colorado is 5th in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency, ranking 7th in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency and 23rd in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency, they drop to 15th nationally in Adjusted Net Efficiency while ranking 21st on offense and 38th on defense. And the Buffaloes come off a wild outlier performance on Saturday where they torched the nets against a helpless Hoyas team by nailing 11 of their 17 shots from behind the arc. Colorado made a season-high 60.7% of their shots in that game — but I fully expect that the Regression Gods will be making an appearance tonight. The Seminoles are 26th in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 46.1%. Their ability to use all five players on the court to switch off makes it very difficult on opponents. They are the tallest team in the nation according to Pomeroy’s numbers. Colorado is led by star guard McKinley Wright — but he’s just 6’0 who will likely struggle against the length that Florida State deploys. The Buffaloes have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when playing their second game on the road in three days. And while they have covered the point spread in five of their last seven games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after covering the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. Then there is head coach Tad Boyle. Colorado has failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 22 postseason games under Boyle including four of their last five games in the Big Dance. Florida State did not make a 3-pointer on Saturday against the Spartans — so the Regression Gods can kill two birds with one stone when they make their appearance tonight. The Seminoles are sixth in the nation by making 39.0% of their 3-pointers, so they will start falling. Florida State only pulled down five offensive rebounds in that game as well — no wonder I passed on that situation. The Seminoles are 16th in the nation by rebounding 35.1% of their missed shots — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after not rebounding more than five offensive boards in their last game. Florida State has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after a game where both teams scored at least 65 points. And in their last 6 games where it was just their second game in eight days, the Seminoles have covered the point spread in 5 of these games.

FINAL TAKE: I think Leonard Hamilton is the most underrated head coach in any sport in the country. His teams tend to be overvalued as big favorites — but they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 18 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Colorado has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games as an underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 20 games on a neutral court as a pick ‘em or dog up to three points. 25* CBB NCAA Tournament Second Round Game of the Year with the Florida State Seminoles (828) minus the points versus the Colorado Buffaloes (827). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Michigan Wolverines (826) minus the points versus the LSU Tigers (825). THE SITUATION: Michigan (21-4) has won two of their last three games after their 82-66 win against Texas Southern on Saturday as a 28.5-point favorite. LSU (19-9) has won five of their last six games with their 76-61 victory against St. Bonaventure as a 1.5-point favorite on Saturday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Lucas Oil Stadium.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WOLVERINES MINUS THE POINTS: Michigan will miss the senior leadership of Isaiah Livers who is likely not available for the NCAA tournament with the stress fracture in his foot — but his loss is being overstated by the pundits and betting public with the Wolverines falling to just a 4-point favorite in many spots. The Wolverines were significantly worse last year when they had to play without Livers — but there is a substantial difference between that team and the one that will take the court tonight. This group is more mature and more seasoned with another year under Juwan Howard’s guidance. Howard is a fantastic coach. And this Michigan team has freshman phenom, Hunter Dickinson. It will be junior Brandon Johns who will take Livers spot in the starting lineup — and the junior has improved significantly since last season. Johns is a former five-star recruit, so it’s not like he is a scrub. The loss of Livers’ shooting means players like Mike Smith need to step up. Smith was a prolific scorer in the Ivy League before transferring to Ann Arbor where he embraced the role of distributor. He did lead the team in scoring with 18 points on Saturday. Michigan has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after scoring at least 80 points in their last game. They have also covered the point spread in 13 of their last 19 games after a straight-up win — and they are 19-6-1 ATS in their last 26 games after a point spread loss. LSU seems to be peaking in their support by the betting public right now with five wins in their last six games. They held the Bonnies to just a 33.3% shooting percentage which was the lowest opponent field goal percentage in their last 26 games. While I appreciate that this is a talented roster, I am not convinced they figured things out to finally discover consistency. The Tigers have failed to cover the point spread in 60 of their last 99 games on the road after a double-digit win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a win by at least 15 points. They are thin inside as they allow their opponents to make 50.9% of their shots inside the arc — and they allow their opponents to pull down 32.4% of their missed shots, 320th in the nation. Dickinson is going to have a field day in the middle — and, frankly, so is Johns, who is more of a post player than Livers. And there is a big discrepancy between Howard and Will Wade who does not coach defense. LSU ranks 191st in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing on the road.

FINAL TAKE: LSU is just 5-12-2 ATS in their last 19 games on a neutral court as an underdog. Michigan is 33-15-3 ATS in their last 51 games on a neutral court as a favorite — and they are 11-4-2 ATS in the Big Dance as a favorite. 10* CBB Monday Daily Discounted Deal with the Michigan Wolverines (826) minus the points versus the LSU Tigers (825). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:10 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Oregon Ducks (823) plus the points versus the Iowa Hawkeyes (824). THE SITUATION: Oregon (20-6) advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday after VCU pulled out of the tournament after a positive COVID case. The Ducks saw their six-game winning streak snapped in the semifinals of the Pac-12 tournament in a 75-64 upset loss to Oregon State as an 8-point favorite. Iowa (22-8) defeated Grand Canyon by an 86-74 score as a 17.5-point favorite on Friday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Bankers Fieldhouse.

REASONS TO TAKE THE DUCKS PLUS THE POINTS: I am not worried about how the cancellation of Friday’s game impacted the Ducks — I see it as just another day of rest that should help with their legs in the second half. Oregon only made 41.7% of their shots against the Beavers in the Pac-12 Championship Game — far below their 47.2% shooting percentage for the season. The Ducks have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after an upset loss by double-digits in a game where they were laying at least 7 points. Oregon was hit pretty hard by COVID which interrupted their season twice. And those circumstances were in addition to them dealing with some injuries with Eric Williams banged up for much of the season and Will Richardson out until early February with a thumb injury. The Ducks have won eleven of their last thirteen games since February 6th while exceeding point spread expectations in five straight games before getting upset in the Pac-12 tournament. Oregon has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after covering the point spread in four or five of their last six games. The Ducks tend to play better on the road this season. While they rank 56th in Adjusted Net Efficiency in Eugene, they improve to 40th nationally in Adjusted Net Efficiency when on the road. They have a dynamic set of players that ranked 16th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency when playing on the road. Oregon has covered the point spread in 27 of their last 38 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. They also have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games played on a neutral court. Iowa made 53.7% of their shots on Friday which was the best scoring effort in their last 16 games. But the Hawkeyes are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games after a straight-up win — and they are 2-6-1 ATS in their last 9 games after a point spread victory. Iowa is one of the best scoring teams in the nation — but they are held back on defense given the limitations of Luke Garza in the interior. The Hawkeyes ranked 60th in the nation and seventh in the Big Ten in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. This suspect play on defense explains why they are just 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better. Furthermore, Iowa is 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games when favored — and they are 0-3-2 ATS in their last 5 games on a neutral court.

FINAL TAKE: While I don’t put too much stock into conference performance after three days in the Big Dance, I certainly have observed how well the Pac-12 is doing — and how disappointing the Big Ten has been. Oregon has the better head coach this afternoon — and not only are the Ducks 5-0-1 ATS in their last 6 NCAA Tournament games, but they have covered 6 straight games in the Big Dance under Dana Altman as the underdog. Iowa has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 NCAA Tournament games when favored under Fran McCaffrey. 25* CBB NCAA Tournament Second Round Underdog of the Year with the Oregon Ducks (823) plus the points versus the Iowa Hawkeyes (824). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:40 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Oklahoma State Cowboys (812) minus the points versus the Oregon State Beavers (811). THE SITUATION: Oklahoma State (21-8) has won four of their last five games after their 69-60 win against Liberty as a 7-point favorite on Friday. Oregon State (18-12) has won seven of their last eight games after their 70-56 upset win against Tennessee as a 9-point underdog on Friday. This game is being played on a neutral court at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

REASONS TO TAKE THE COWBOYS MINUS THE POINTS: Oklahoma State should build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after a straight-up win — and they have coved the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after a point spread victory. And while the Cowboys have covered the point spread in nine of their last ten games, that bodes well for them moving forward as they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after covering the point spread in at least six of their last seven games. And they defeated the Flames despite only making 40.4% of their shots which was the lowest shooting effort in their last 11 games. Liberty made only 37.5% of their shots in that game — and Oklahoma State has covered the point spread in 4 straight games after not allowing more than 60 points in their last game. Oregon State has pulled off four straight upsets with their 70-56 win against Tennessee as a 9-point underdog. The Beavers held the Volunteers — missing their best post player in John Fulkerson who did not play because of his concussion from the SEC tournament — to just 33.3% of their shots which was the best defensive effort in their last 15 games. Trying to defend Cade Cunningham will be a stiffer test than the Volunteers who too often disappeared on offense. Oregon State upset Colorado to win the Pac-12 tournament — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 19 games after pulling off two straight upset wins. The Beavers have also failed to cover the point spread in 21 of their last 29 games after winning at least four games in a row. Oregon State’s zone defense under head coach Wayne Tinkle holds opponents to just 30.9% shooting from behind the arc — but the Cowboys are not reliant on shooting 3s. Only 31.7% of their field goal attempts are from behind the arc which is the 299th lowest mark in the nation — and just 24.5% of their points come from made 3-pointers, the 315th lowest mark in the nation. But Oregon State is vulnerable in the interior with opponents making 52.1% of their shots inside the arc, ranking 263rd in the nation. Oklahoma State was second in the Big 12 by making 52.6% of their 2-point shots. They should get to the line tonight — they ranked 2nd in the Big 12 in free throw rate, and the Mean Green ranked 298th in the nation in defensive free throw rate. North Texas also allows their opponents to pull down 29.4% of their missed shots, 235th in the nation — and the Cowboys pull down 31.8% of their missed shots. Head coach Mike Boynton has many ways for his team to score points against the Beavers’ zone defense.

FINAL TAKE: Oklahoma State has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games against teams with a winning record — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when favored. 10* CBB Sunday Late Show Bailout with the Oklahoma State Cowboys (812) minus the points versus the Oregon State Beavers (811). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:45 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Villanova Wildcats (804) minus the points versus the North Texas Mean Green (803). THE SITUATION: Villanova (17-6) snapped a two-game losing streak with a 73-63 win against Winthrop as a 6-point favorite on Friday. North Texas (18-9) has won five games in a row with their 78-69 upset win in overtime against Purdue on Friday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Bankers Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WILDCATS MINUS THE POINTS: North Texas has now pulled off two straight upsets that needed overtime as they pulled off the same to defeat Western Kentucky to win the Conference USA tournament. I suspect the bubble bursts for the Mean Green tonight. Before their victory against the young Boilermakers on Friday, the best team that North Texas had beat was probably Louisiana Tech that metrics guru Ken Pomeroy ranks as the 74th best team in the nation. They lost by double-digits against Arkansas and West Virginia earlier in the season — and they lost to 8 points to North Texas. Grant McCasland is a great coach, and it is a nice story for this team. But they turn the ball over in 19.9% of their possessions — and that number rises to 20.6% of their possessions on the road, ranking 238th in the nation. They also do not get many freebies as they rank 283rd in free throw rate. Turnovers and lack of free throws are giving too many scoring opportunities to a Wildcats team that ranks eighth in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. North Texas did hold the Boilermaker stock 36.2% shooting which was the highest opponent field goal percentage in their last three games. But not only have they then failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after not allowing their last two opponents to make better than 37% of their shots but they have covered the point spread in 3 straight games after not allowing their last three opponents to shoot better than 37%. As expected, Jay Wright made adjustments to his schemes with the eight days he had since losing in the Big East quarterfinals to Georgetown. With point guard Collin Gillespie out the rest of the season, Wright had the offense structured around senior Jeremiah Robinson-Earl who is having an All-American worthy season. He scored 22 points on Friday. Sophomore Justin Moore is a rising star who can handle the point guard duties. This is Jay Wright. This is still Villanova. The program is loaded with talent. There is a reason this team has covered the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games in the Big Dance — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games when favored in the NCAA Tournament. They are also 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better. In their two previous upset losses before the tournament, the one against Providence was after Moore suffered an injury that kept him out of the second half. Their upset loss to Georgetown then was by one point against a Hoyas team that looks much better ten days later. Don’t overreact to one close loss.

FINAL TAKE: Villanova is 22-10-1 ATS in their last 33 games when playing on a neutral court — and North Texas has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games on a neutral court as an underdog getting 3.5 to 6 points. 25* CBB TNT Game of the Year with the Villanova Wildcats (804) minus the points versus the North Texas Mean Green (803). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:45 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Florida Gators (808) minus the points versus the Oral Roberts Golden Griffins (807). THE SITUATION: Florida (15-9) has won two of their last three games with their 75-70 upset win against Virginia Tech as a 1.5-point underdog on Friday. Oral Roberts (17-10) pulled off the upset of the tournament with their 75-72 triumph against Ohio State as a 15-point underdog on Friday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Indiana Farmers Coliseum.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GATORS MINUS THE POINTS: After pulling off the upset win against the Buckeyes, I suspect it is time for the bubble to burst for the Golden Griffins. Oral Roberts upset won the Summit League title game by a 75-72 score against North Dakota State in another nail-biter — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after winning their last two games by 6 points or less. And while they have covered the point spread in five straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after covering the point spread in five straight games. Before beating Ohio State, the Golden Eagles’ best win was against a South Dakota State team that metrics guru ranks at 114th in the country. They have suffered double-digit losses to Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Mississippi. They have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams from the SEC. Florida should be ready to roll as they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games when playing with one day of rest. And while the Gators’ upset win against the Hokies was their first point spread cover in their last five games, they have then covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after failing to cover the point spread in four of their last five games. They should have plenty of success hitting 3s against this Oral Roberts team that allows their opponents to make 34.9% of their shots from downtown, 237th in the nation. Florida hits 35.8% of their shots from behind the arc. Led by a rising superstar in Tre Mann, the Gators should overwhelm these upstarts.

FINAL TAKE: Oral Roberts has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games in the postseason — including three of their last four appearances in the NCAA Tournament. Florida is 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games in the Big Dance. 10* CBB Oral Roberts-Florida truTV Special with the Florida Gators (808) minus the points versus the Oral Roberts Golden Griffins (807). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 2:40 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Wisconsin Badgers (801) plus the points versus the Baylor Bears (802). THE SITUATION: Wisconsin (18-12) has won two of their last three games after their 85-62 upset win against North Carolina as a 2-point underdog on Friday. Baylor (23-2) has won five of their last six games after their 79-55 win against Hartford as a 25.5-point favorite on Friday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BADGERS PLUS THE POINTS: Wisconsin played one of their best games of the season in their upset win against the Tar Heels. They made 13 of their 27 shots from behind the arc. Regulars know that I typically want to fade teams coming off outlier performances. While it is one of the factors I look at, it is not a controlling variable. I do not expect the Badgers to replicate that effort. However, I do take heart that Wisconsin has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after a win by at least 20 points. Greg Gard’s team has a psyche that feeds off positive or negative vibes — this is why I value team trends. Frankly, I thought this Wisconsin team was overvalued in December — but I find them undervalued now after bettors shied away from them after they lost six of eight games heading into the Big Dance. I still think it is somewhere in the middle. The Badgers have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after losing four or five of their last six games — and they have covered the point spread in 24 of their last 32 games on the road after losing four of five of their last six games. The laptops love this Wisconsin team — they rank 12th by Ken Pomeroy, and they rank 11th nationally in Adjusted Net Efficiency when playing on the road. Gard’s system attempts to control the tempo with a slow-pace — they rank 319th in pace this season. This helps them keep games close — they are 10-4-3 ATS in their last 17 games on a neutral court as an underdog. Baylor held Hartford to just 35.2% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last 10 games. The Bears have struggled on the defensive end o the court — they entered the Big Dance just 180th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in the last three weeks of the season. The COVID pauses they have endured have taken away important practice time where Scott Drew can address footwork issues. I think Baylor should play better defense in their tournament run — but this is not likely to be peak-Drew defensive intensity. The Bears have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up win. Baylor has also failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight road games after winning five or six of their last seven games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after winning at least twelve of their last fifteen games. But the Bears have not covered the point spread in three straight games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after not covering the point spread in three of their last four games. These team trends tell me that Baylor is primed to experience some nervy moments this afternoon. They have generated at least 16 more shots than their last two opponents — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 15 games after attempting at least 10 more shots than their opponents in two straight games.

FINAL TAKE: Wisconsin has five battle-tested seniors with tons of chemistry, cohesion, and experience. I think they will be a tough-out — and have thought so for months if they were in a situation like this in the tournament. Baylor is great — but these favorites with National Championship aspirations can succumb to the pressure in situations like this (see Illinois). What do the team trends say? The Bears have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when favored — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games in the NCAA Tournament as a favorite. Wisconsin is 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games under Gard in the Big Dance — and they are 15-5-2 ATS in their last 22 games in the NCAA Tournament as an underdog. 10* CBB Wisconsin-Baylor CBS-TV Special with the Wisconsin Badgers (801) plus the points versus the Baylor Bears (802). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:10 PM ET On Sunday, we will be playing the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers (809) plus the points versus the Illinois Fighting Illini (810). THE SITUATION: Loyola-Chicago (25-4) won their seventh game in a row with their 71-60 win against Georgia Tech as a 5.5-point favorite on Friday. Illinois (24-6) has won eight straight games with their 78-49 win against Drexel as a 19.5-point favorite on Friday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Bankers Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RAMBLERS PLUS THE POINTS: Loyola outlasted the ACC Tournament champions in their opening-round game despite shooting 47.2% from the field which is pretty good but still their lowest field goal percentage in their last four games. The Ramblers are an outstanding shooting team that ranks 9th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 56.4%. Loyola should build off the momentum from that win as they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a win — and they are 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 games after a point spread win. The Ramblers are ranked 10th in the nation by metrics guru Ken Pomeroy — and they perform similarly by other analytics projections. I am trusting the laptops a bit on this one. Loyola has the pedigree of a team that should be very competitive against an, albeit, outstanding Illini team. They rank third in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They are second in the country in limiting their opponents to rebounding just 20.7% of their missed shots. They have the fifth-lowest opponent free-throw rate. They nail a healthy 35.9% of their 3-pointers. They play at the 305th slowest pace in the nation — fewer possessions lulls the opponent into their style which can be very dangerous for favorites with national championship aspirations. The Ramblers also play better on the road where they have the sixth-best Adjusted Net Efficiency — and they lead the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing on the road. Illinois was nearly flawless against the Dragons on Friday — it will be tough for them to maintain that high, high level of play. They held Drexel to 30.6% shooting which was their lowest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last 23 games. The Fighting Illini have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after not allowing more than 50 points in their last game. Their 57.1% shooting percentage was their best mark in their last 25 games. The Illini have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after making at least 55% of their shots in their last game. They only committed five turnovers on Friday — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 15 games after not committing more than five turnovers in their last game. And while the Illini raced out to a 39-21 lead at halftime, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after owning a halftime lead of at least 15 points in their last game. Additionally, Illinois has failed to cover the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games when playing their second game in three days. The only negative thing I can say about this Illini team is that they are not great at the free-throw line — and that might help down the stretch for the Ramblers to keep things close. Illinois makes 68.6% of their shots at the charity stripe, ranking 244th in the nation.

FINAL TAKE: Loyola is a live dog who would love to upset their in-state rival who will not put them on their non-conference schedule. The Ramblers have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games in the NCAA Tournament including a Final Four run in 2018 under head coach Porter Moser. They will be confident — and they are 8-1-1 ATS in their last 10 games against teams with a winning record. 10* CBB Sunday Afternoon Tip-Off with the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers (809) plus the points versus the Illinois Fighting Illini (810). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:40 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the BYU Cougars (788) minus the points versus the UCLA Bruins (787). THE SITUATION: BYU (20-6) saw their five-game winning streak snapped in the semifinals of the West Coast Conference in an 88-78 loss to Gonzaga as a 14-point underdog on March 9th. UCLA (18-9) snapped a four-game losing streak with their 86-80 win in overtime as a 2.5-point underdog against Michigan State in the play-in game on Thursday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

REASONS TO TAKE THE COUGARS MINUS THE POINTS: BYU had a second half lead late in the game before the undefeated Bulldogs pulled away — but they have probably played the number one team nation closer than any of their other opponents which includes Iowa, West Virginia, and Virginia. They should respond with a confident and resilient effort. The Cougars have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 7 straight games after a loss by at least 20 points. BYU has also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after a game where at least 165 combined points were scored. The Cougars are a balanced team who have been more effective away from Salt Lake City. While they rank 51st in the nation i Adjusted Net Efficiency at home, they improve to 15th nationally in Adjusted Net Efficiency on the road. They are 26th in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency and 25th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing on the road. They have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 11 games with the total set in the 130s. UCLA may be due for a letdown after rallying from a 14-point deficit to eke out the win against the Spartans in overtime. The Bruins have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread victory. And while UCLA has scored at least 79 points in their last two games, they  have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 11 road games after scoring at least 75 points in two straight games. Their star player, Johnny Juzang, twisted his ankle late in the game on Thursday — he is questionable for this one. His loss would be tough to overcome — this group already lost Chris Smith in late December two a season-ending injury, who bypassed the NBA draft last spring. The Bruins played their best basketball at home where they ranked 28th in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency. They fall to 60th nationally in Adjusted Net Efficiency on the road with a big decline in their effectiveness on defense. UCLA ranks 149th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency on the road as compared to their rank of 60th when at home. Furthermore, the Bruins have failed to cover the point spread in 21 of their last 30 games played on a neutral court as an underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games in the NCAA tournament as a dog.

FINAL TAKE: UCLA has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games against teams with a winning record. BYU is 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. 20* CBB Saturday Late Show Bailout with the BYU Cougars (788) minus the points versus the UCLA Bruins (787). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Memphis Grizzlies (506) minus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (505). THE SITUATION: Memphis (18-20) lost their fourth game in five contests last night in a 116-103 upset loss at home to the Warriors as a 7-point favorite. Golden State (22-20) has won two in a row.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GRIZZLIES MINUS THE POINTS: The Warriors were without Stephen Curry last night who was not able to play because of a bone bruise he suffered near the end of their game Wednesday with Houston. Jordan Poole and Damian Lee stepped up to combine to nail 7 of their 14 shots from behind the arc to score 46 points to fill the void left by Curry. A letdown is likely tonight as Golden State is just 11-23-1 ATS in their last 35 games after a win by at least 10 points. The Warriors have also failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after winning two games in a row. And while they have covered the point spread in two straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 25 of their last 36 games after covering the point spread in two straight games. Additionally, Golden State is just 6-19-1 ATS in their last 26 games played without rest. They have also 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 games as an underdog. Memphis has bounced-back to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a double-digit loss. The Grizzlies have still covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games as a favorite.

FINAL TAKE: While Memphis is still without Jaren Jackson who has not played this season, they are otherwise healthy. Curry is out again for the Warriors. While the NCAA Tournament grabs most of our attention, we don’t want to let this rock-solid situation pass us by. 20* NBA Saturday Night Discounted Deal with the Memphis Grizzlies (506) minus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (505). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:45 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the St. Bonaventure Bonnies (781) plus the points versus the LSU Tigers (782). THE SITUATION: St. Bonaventure (16-4) has won three in a row as well as six of their last seven games after winning the Atlantic 10 tournament with a 74-65 win against VCU as a 3-point favorite last Sunday. LSU (18-9) lost in the finals of the SEC tournament in an 80-79 loss to Alabama as a 6-point favorite last Sunday. This game is being played on a neutral court at Assembly Hall in Bloomington.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BONNIES PLUS THE POINTS: With five-straight point spread covers, many basketball observers think this LSU team has “found another gear”. Maybe. Will Wade’s team has the talent to hang with any team in the nation. The problem has been their discipline and focus — and I am very worried about them entering the NCAA Tournament feeling themselves after a good week in the SEC tournament. LSU played their best basketball at home where they were 11-2 while ranking 23rd in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency. But the Tigers were just 7-7 on the road with a +0.6 net points-per-game differential — and they fall to 44th in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency away from home. The biggest area of concern is the decline in their play on defense away from Baton Rouge. While LSU ranks a mediocre 84th nationally in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency at home, they plummet to 218th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing on the road. Defensive rebounding is the main source of these troubles. The Tigers rank 325th in the nation by allowing their opponents to pull down 32.8% of their missed shots. They have allowed their last four opponents to get at least 15 second-chance scoring opportunities — and Arkansas and Alabama pulled down a whopping 40% of their missed shots. LSU has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after allowing at least 15 offensive rebounds in two straight games. This is a program that has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games in the Big Dance — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games in the NCAA Tournament when favored. Enter St. Bonaventure who ranks 30th in the nation by pulling down 33.6% of their missed shots. This is a young-but-talented team that returned all five starters (albeit one transferred after losing his starting gig) from last year’s group that finished 19-12 last year. Head coach Mark Schmidt has overseen at least 18 wins in seven straight seasons — but this is just his team’s second appearance in the Big Dance during that span. After winning the Atlantic 10 regular season and conference titles, the Bonnies will be confident and anxious to prove themselves on this stage. St. Bonaventure has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 23 games after a win against a conference opponent. They also have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread win — and they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 19 games after winning three of their last four games. The Bonnies are an outstanding defensive team that has not allowed more than 65 points in seven straight games. St. Bonaventure has covered the point spread in 14 of their last 18 games after not allowing more than 65 points in two straight games. They are fourth in the nation by holding their opponents to 60.1 PPG. A slow tempo helps — they operate at the 319th slowest-rate in the nation. I expect this plodding pace to frustrate LSU who wants to run — and tempo showdowns tend to favor the slower team. But it not just fewer scoring opportunities as to why the Bonnies are outstanding on defense. St. Bonaventure ranks 19th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and their opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 45.5% is the 14th best in the nation. Furthermore, while the Bonnies rank 45th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency at home, they rise to 17th best in the nation in that metric when on the road. St. Bonaventure has covered the point spread in 5 straight games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%.

FINAL TAKE: Defense travels — St. Bonaventure has covered the point spread in 8 straight games played on a neutral court. LSU has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games on a neutral court as a favorite. 10* CBB Saturday Afternoon Tip-Off with the St. Bonaventure Bonnies (781) plus the points versus the LSU Tigers (782). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:57 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Villanova Wildcats (730) minus the points versus the Winthrop Eagles (729). THE SITUATION: Villanova (16-6) has lost three of their last four games with their 72-71 upset loss to Georgetown as a 6-point favorite in the Big East tournament last Thursday. Winthrop (23-1) has won seven straight games after their 80-53 win against Campbell to win the Big South conference tournament on March 7th.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WILDCATS MINUS THE POINTS: Winthrop is a trendy upset pick tonight by the same folks who wanted to build a shrine to Jay Wright after he won his last NCAA Tournament a couple of years ago. The Wildcats suffered a big blow with the season-ending injury to their senior point guard leader, Colin Gillespie. But the cupboard ain’t bare in Philadelphia — and Wright has had over a week to fine-tune how he will live life without Gillespie. Point guard duties go to sophomore Justin Moore who is a rising star. Villanova has been upset twice in a row — they were stunned by Providence, 54-52, in their final regular-season game before the Big East tournament. Moore was injured in that game and did not play in the second half. He is healthy again — but it contextualizes that loss. The Wildcats have a star player in Jeremiah Robinson-Earl as well. Villanova is 36-16-2 ATS in their last 54 games after a point spread loss. They are also 7-3-1 ATS in their last 11 games against teams with a winning record. Does Winthrop feel the pressure of expectations with this golden opportunity to topple a nouveau-blue blood without their floor general? They have covered the point spread in their last three games with victories by at least 21 points in all three games. Yet the Eagles have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after covering the point spread in three straight games. Winthrop has failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 15 games after winning three in a row all by double-digits including failing to cover the point spread in all three of those situates this season. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after winning at least seven in a row. This team plays at the 11th fastest tempo in the nation — that is a good way to blowout lesser teams, but it goes against the Giant Killer principles since more possessions allow for more opportunities for the Regression Gods to correct outlier performances (or, in the other words, more possessions helps favorites and teams with more talent). Winthrop’s strength of schedule is simply not impressive: their best win is against a Furman team that Ken Pomeroy ranks as the 92nd team in the nation. Only three of the Eagles’ opponents (representing four games) rank in Pomeroy’s top 207 teams! Winthrop has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games on a neutral court as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Winthrop has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight NCAA Tournament games. Villanova has covered the point spread in 7 straight NCAA Tournament games when favored. Trust Jay Wright. 20* CBB Friday Late Show Bailout with the Villanova Wildcats (730) minus the points versus the Winthrop Eagles (729). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:40 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the San Diego State Aztecs (750) minus the points versus the Syracuse Orange (749). THE SITUATION: San Diego State (23-4) won the Mountain West Conference tournament with their 68-57 win against Utah State as a 2-point favorite last Saturday. Syracuse (16-9) had their three-game winning streak snapped with a 72-69 loss to Virginia as a 5.5-point underdog last Thursday. This game is being played on a neutral court at the Hinkle Field House in Indianapolis.

REASONS TO TAKE THE AZTECS MINUS THE POINTS: Syracuse has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a narrow loss by 3 points or less against a conference rival. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 22 games after winning two of their last three games. The Orange were 13-1 on the home court this season — but they were just 3-9 away from the Carrier Dome where they were outscored by -2.9 PPG. The deeper metrics are pretty ugly. Syracuse ranked 38th nationally in Adjusted Net Efficiency when at home but they drop to 58th in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency when on the road. The vaunted Jim Boeheim 2-3 zone is supposed to take over to perplex teams in March. But while the Orange ranked 41st in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency at home, they plummet to 206th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency wen away from the troubling sightlines at the Carrier Dome. Their opponents made 35.6% of their 3-pointers away from the Carrier Dome, ranking 227th nationally. Perhaps it just took some time during a pandemic for Boeheim to teach his complicated principles this season? In their last ten games, Syracuse’s opponents made 35.2% of their 3-pointers, ranking 214th nationally. San Diego State makes 37.5% of their 3-pointers, ranking 27th best in the nation. They also pull down a healthy 29.9% of their missed shots, 109th nationally, so they should be able to exploit the open space in the key which is the vulnerability of the 2-3 zone. The Aztecs have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 24 games after a win on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games on the road after a double-digit win. And while San Diego State has only covered the point spread once in their last five games, they have then covered the point spread in 29 of their last 43 games after failing to cover the point spread in four of their last five games. The Aztecs played better on the road this season. While they ranked 19th in Adjusted Net Efficiency at home (not bad!), they rise to 10th in the nation with that metric on the road. Defense travels — they are 10th nationally in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They hold their opponents to just 60.6 PPG on 38.8% shooting, ranking 8th, and 7th respectively. San Diego State has covered the point spread in 6 straight games on the road against non-conference opponents.

FINAL TAKE: The Aztecs have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games on a neutral court when favored by 6 points or less. Syracuse has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games as an underdog. 10* CBB Blowout Bookie Buster with the San Diego State Aztecs (750) minus the points versus the Syracuse Orange (749). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Wisconsin Badgers (727) plus the point(s) versus the North Carolina Tar Heels (728). THE SITUATION: Wisconsin (17-12) has lost four of their last five games after losing to Iowa by a 62-57 score as a 5-point underdog last Friday in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament. North Carolina (17-12) had their three-game winning streak snapped in a 69-66 loss to Florida State as a 3-point underdog in the semifinals of the ACC tournament last Friday. This game is being played on a neutral court at Mackay Arena in West Lafayette.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BADGERS PLUS THE POINTS: Wisconsin only made 38.6% of their shots against the Hawkeyes which was the worst effort in their last four games. The Badgers are 12-4-2 ATS in their last 18 games after a loss. Wisconsin has also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after losing four or five of their last six games — and they have covered the point spread in 23 of their last 31 road games after losing four or five of their last six contests. The pundits were too high on this team early in the season enamored with the Badgers returning five seniors that all scored at least 8.7 PPG from a group that shared the Big Ten title. The Wisconsin starting five is older than the Chicago Bulls’ starting five. But the problem with having so many seniors is that none of them were talented enough to leave early for the NBA. There is a talent issue with the Badgers which explains why they lost nine games against teams ranked ahead of them in the AP poll. Now, these same pundits feel burned by their early love for Wisconsin and jumped off the bandwagon. But this remains a scrappy, veteran team that is battle-tested and remained loved by the laptops. Metrics guru Ken Pomeroy ranks the Badgers’ 12th best in the nation while ranking 13th nationally in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Wisconsin is 9-4-3 ATS in their last 16 games on a neutral court as an underdog. North Carolina tends to underachieve when playing after an extended break. The Tar Heels have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games when playing with five or six days of rest — and they have failed to cover the point spread when playing their second game in eight days. And while North Carolina has pulled down at least 42 rebounds in their last three games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after rebounding at least 41 boards in three straight games. The Tar Heels live off the glass — they lead the nation by pulling down 41.3% of their missed shots. The problem is that they miss too many shots. They rank 248th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 48.5% — and they make only 31.7% of their 3-pointers, ranking 270th, with Roy Williams still playing 1980s-style basketball. North Carolina averages only 5.6 made 3-pointers per game, which was 13th in the ACC. They also turn the ball over in 20.5% of their possessions, 256th nationally, which mitigates their offensive rebounding. It is telling that this is Williams’ third-worst offensive unit in his 18-year tenure with the program. While the Tar Heels rank 60th in the nation and second in the ACC in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency when playing at home, they fall to 82nd nationally while crashing to 12th in the ACC in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency when playing on the road.

FINAL TAKE: This North Carolina team is very young — they rank 330th in team experience while starting two freshmen guards. The experience of this Ohio State team — who remains very good and consistently competed against teams better than the Tar Heels every week in the Big Ten — should make a big difference. North Carolina has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games in the NCAA Tournament. Wisconsin is 7-1-2 ATS in their last 10 games in the NCAA Tournament. 10* CBB Wisconsin-North Carolina CBS-TV Special with the Wisconsin Badgers (727) plus the point(s) versus the North Carolina Tar Heels (728). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:25 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Oklahoma State Cowboys (748) minus the points versus the Liberty Flames (747). THE SITUATION: Oklahoma State (20-8) had their three-game winning streak snapped in the Big 12 Championship Game in a 91-86 loss to Texas as a 3-point underdog last Saturday. Liberty (23-5) won the Big South tournament by defeating Northern Alabama by a 79-75 score as a 13-point favorite on March 7th. This game is being played on a neutral court at Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis.

REASONS TO TAKE THE COWBOYS MINUS THE POINTS: Liberty is a trendy underdog pick in this game because they are outstanding at shooting the basketball. They are 10th in the nation by making 38.8% of their shots. However, most of this good work was done at home with the friendly rims bought by Jerry Falwell, Sr. The Flames nail 44.5% of their 3-pointers at home which is the third-best mark in the nation. But they only make 35.4% of their 3-pointers on the road, ranking just 81st nationally. Liberty plays at a slow pace which is good for Giant Killers as it can trap big favorites into some anxiety-ridden moments. The problem for the Flames is they have no Plan B if their 3-pointers are not falling (expect “shoot more 3s” — they are 15th in the nation in 3-point attempt ratio). Liberty is 298th nationally by pulling down 23.2% of their missed shots, and they are 261st in forcing turnovers in just 173.% of their opponent’s possessions. This team had a chance to shoot their way into upset wins against Purdue and Missouri this season but lost by 13 and 9 points respectively. Liberty ranks 22nd in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — but they fall to 79th in that metric away from campus. They do play a “pack-line” defense — but too often basketball pundits assume the warrant is in the claim when making that assertion. Not all “pack-lines” are built the same, or everyone would be copying the Virginia defense (and Liberty is not Virginia). The Flames have covered the potion spread in 6 of their last 8 games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after covering the point spread in six or seven of their last eight games. Oklahoma State has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 11 games after a straight-up loss — and they are 10-2-1 ATS in their last 13 games after a point spread loss. The Cowboys allowed the Longhorns to make 49.1% of their shots last Saturday which was the worst shooting effort in their last four games. Oklahoma State has covered the point spread in 5 straight games after allowing at least 90 points in their last game. Furthermore, while the Cowboys rank 35th nationally in Adjusted Net Efficiency, they improve to 29th nationally when playing on the road. The Liberty backline plays a little farther out to ward off 3s — but that is not Oklahoma State’s primary focus on offense. Cade Cunningham can create his shot that drives this offense — he is the straw that stirs the drink. What Liberty player is defending the number one pick in the NBA draft? Ultimately, the Cowboys have fared well against opponents that profile like the Flames. Liberty averages 10 made 3s on 26 attempts per game. Oklahoma State has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after 15 games into the season against teams who launch at least 21 shots from distance per game, and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games who average at least 8 made 3s per contest. And while the Liberty packline holds their opponents to just 41.0% shooting, the Cowboys have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games against teams with an opponent’s field goal percentage of 42% or lower.

FINAL TAKE: Maybe Liberty makes close to 40% of their 3s to keep this game close — or pull the upset. Oklahoma State is ranked 23rd in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency while holding their opponents to making only 31.7% of their 3s. They have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better. A good way to beat a Giant Killer is to counter them with NBA talent. 10* CBB Friday Daily Discounted Deal with the Oklahoma State Cowboys (748) minus the points versus the Liberty Flames (747). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:15 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Florida Gators (738) minus (or plus) the point(s) versus Virginia Tech (737). THE SITUATION: Florida (14-9) enters the NCAA Tournament having lost three of their last four games after their 78-66 loss to Tennessee as a 6.5-point underdog in the semifinals of the SEC tournament last Friday. Virginia Tech (15-6) has lost two of their last three games after their 83-71 loss to North Carolina as a 0.5-point underdog in the quarterfinals of the ACC tournament last Thursday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GATORS MINUS (OR PLUS) THE POINT(S):  Florida played one of their worst games of the season against the Volunteers — they allowed Tennessee to make 46.7% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last 11 games. Even worse, they made just 34.5% of their shots which was a season-low. The Gators have not covered the point spread in their last four games — but they have then covered the point spread in 39 of their last 62 games after failing to cover the point spread in three straight games. This is a team that has handled adversity all season — including overcoming the loss of their best player, Keyonte Johnson, when he had that scary collapse on the court early in the year. Sophomore point guard Tre Mann developed into perhaps the Most Valuable Player in the SEC this season. This team plays great defense for head coach Mike White — they rank 36th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency fueled by them blocking 14.4% of their opponent's shots, 12th best in the nation. The ceiling is pretty high for this team — they have defeated Tennessee, West Virginia, and LSU this season. I like this spot for them to erase the bad memories of their recent slide with a victory this afternoon. This team ranks 32nd in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency at both home and on the road — so this is not a team like Michigan State who played significantly better on their familiar home court. The Gators improve to 29th nationally in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency when playing on the road as compared to their 64th ranking in that metric when playing at home. Florida has covered the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games played on a neutral court as an underdog or pick ‘em — and they have covered the point spread in 21 of their last 32 games on a neutral court as a favorite of three points or less to a pick ‘em (in case they move to a favorite before tip-off). I hate this situation for Virginia Tech — they have played only one game since February 27th and have just three games under their belts in the last six weeks! A two-week COVID pause before the ACC tournament is the reason that this team has been so inactive. The Hokies have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after allowing at least 80 points in their last game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after losing two of their last three games. Virginia Tech has only covered the point spread once in their last five games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after not covering the point spread in three of their last four games. The Hokies were tops in ACC play in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — but while they ranked 54th nationally and led the ACC in that metric when playing at home, they dropped to 77th nationally and sixth in ACC play in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing on the road. Virginia Tech has failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 19 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better. The Hokies have also failed to cover the point spread in 21 of their last 32 games with the Total set in the 130s.

FINAL TAKE: Virginia Tech has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games in the NCAA Tournament. Florida has covered the point spread in 11 of their last 17 first-round games in the NCAA Tournament. 10* CBB Friday Afternoon Tip-Off with the Florida Gators (738) minus (or plus) the point(s) versus Virginia Tech (737). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:57 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the UCLA Bruins (717) plus the points versus the Michigan State Spartans (718). THE SITUATION: UCLA (17-9) has lost four games in a row after their 83-79 loss in overtime to Oregon State as a 5-point favorite in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 tournament on March 11th. Michigan State (15-12) has lost two of their last three games after their 68-57 loss to Maryland as a 2-point underdog in the second round of the Big Ten tournament on March 11th. This play-in game for the 11-seed in the west region. This game is being played on a neutral court at Mackay Arena in West Lafayette, Indiana.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BRUINS PLUS THE POINTS: UCLA did not have their best player, Johnny Juzang, in the regular-season finale against USC, and he was only able to play 24 minutes against the Beavers in that overtime loss in the Pac-12 tournament. With an additional seven days off since that game, Juzang should be in better condition this game. The Bruins are on a four-game losing streak, but all four of their losses were to NCAA Tournament teams with the Trojans winning on a last-second shot (even without Juzang) and Oregon State forced overtime with a buzzer-beater in regulation. The loss to the Beavers does not look as bad now that they won the Pac-12 tournament either. UCLA has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after losing at least three games in a row. They have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a game where at least 155 combined points were scored. The Bruins only made 42.9% of their shots against Oregon State which was the worst shooting effort in their last nine games. Despite that effort and not having Juzang in the USC loss, UCLA is still making 50% of their shots in their last five games. Michigan State really missed Cassius Winston from last year. They lack a quality point guard this season — and they do not have a player that can create his own shot. Head coach Tom Izzo eventually moved Rocket Watts away from point guard responsibilities — but he only made 29.9% of his shots in Big Ten play with a 23.1% clip from behind the arc so the problems with this team were deeper than Watts playing out of position. UCLA forces their opponents to play at the 318th longest mark per possession which is not a good sign for Sparty that struggles to create shots. Michigan State has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after a point spread win. The Spartans pulled off their upset wins against Michigan, Illinois, and Ohio State on their home court. Michigan State ranked 35th in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency at home at the Breslin Center where they were 12-3. But the Spartans are 3-9 on the road where they are outscored by -10.8 PPG. They plummet to ranking 117th in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency on the road — and they were 13th in the Big Ten in that metric away from home. Sparty also ranked 13th in both Adjusted Offensive Efficiency and Adjusted Defensive Efficiency on the road in Big Ten play. They rank 71st in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency at home but just 151st in that metric on the road. They rank 27th in the Adjusted Defensive Efficiency at home but fall to 99th on the road. This is not a good team away from home which is a testament to the inexperience Izzo brought back this season. That is not a good sign for Izzo when considering his teams have not covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 NCAA Tournament games. Michigan State has also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games played on a neutral court.

FINAL TAKE: The Spartans have also failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games when favored. UCLA has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games as an underdog. 10* CBB Thursday Late Show Bailout with the UCLA Bruins (717) plus the points versus the Michigan State Spartans (718). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:40 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Norfolk State Spartans (711) plus the points versus the Appalachian State Mountaineers (712). THE SITUATION: Norfolk State (16-7) has won six straight games after winning the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament with their 71-63 victory against Morgan State as a 2.5-point favorite on March 13th. Appalachian State (17-11) has won four in a row after taking the Sun Belt conference tournament title with their 80-73 victory against Georgia State as a 7-point underdog on March 8th. This play-in game in the First Four earns the 16th seed in the west region. This game is being played on a neutral court at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana.

REASONS TO TAKE NORFOLK STATE PLUS THE POINTS: Appalachian State found lightning in a bottle in the Sun Belt tournament with three straight upset victories against Texas State, Coastal Carolina, and then the Panthers to claim the title. They limped into the conference tournament with six losses in their previous seven games. I expect an emotional letdown for the Mountaineers now. They have failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 32 games on the road after an upset victory against a conference rival. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games when playing with at least seven days between games. Appalachian ranks 217th in the nation in the advanced metrics I rely on — yet in their most recent ten games, they fall to 236th during that span. They only made 43.6% of their shots against Georgia State but that was still tied for the best shooting effort in their last six contests. The Mountaineers struggle to score baskets. They are making just 37.8% of their shots in their last five games. They rank 227th nationally with a 3-point shooting percentage of 32.6% while ranking 283rd in the nation by making just 46.7% of their shots inside the arc. Their shooting struggles intensify when playing away from home where they make just 39.3% of their shots. And while they rank 192nd in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing at home, they fall to 241st in the nation in that metric when playing on the road. Appalachian State played better at home this season where they ranked 193rd in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency — but they fall to 239th in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency when playing on the road. Norfolk State ranks 208th in Adjusted Net Efficiency — and while they rank 252nd when playing at home, they improve to 182nd nationally when playing on the road. They only made 42.4% of their shots in winning the MEAC Championship Game which was the worst shooting effort in their last six games. But they should build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in 4 straight 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. The Spartans are still making 46.6% of their shots in their last five games. This is a good shooting team that ranks 32nd in the nation by making 37.4% of their 3-pointers. This is also a team this improving on the other end of the court. They have held their last five opponents to 37.6% shooting which resulted in only 58.4 PPG — and none of those opponents scored more than 65 points. Norfolk State has then covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after not allowing more than 65 points in three straight games. They are led by a do-it-all senior point guard in Devante Carter who scores 15.5 PPG while adding 5.3 RPG and 4.0 APG. The Spartans have balanced scoring with six players scoring at least 7.6 PPG. Overall, this team has a nice pedigree to advance (and earn the right to lose to Gonzaga on Saturday).

FINAL TAKE: Norfolk State has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 11 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better — and they are 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 games on a neutral court. Appalachian State has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games as a favorite. 25* CBB NCAA Tournament First Four Game of the Year with the Norfolk State Spartans (711) plus the points versus the Appalachian State Mountaineers (712). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 5:10 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Texas Southern Tigers (716) plus the point(s) versus Mount St. Mary’s (715). THE SITUATION: Texas Southern (16-8) won the Southwest Athletic Conference tournament with their 80-61 upset win against Prairie View A&M as a 1.5-point underdog on March 13th. Mount St. Mary’s (12-10) has won four in a row after winning the Northeast Conference tournament with their 73-68 upset win at Bryant on March 9th. This play-in game for a 16th seed is being played on a neutral court at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TIGERS PLUS THE POINTS: I leaned to Texas Southern — but with the steam all on Mount St. Mary’s which was pushed the oddsmakers to install them as a small favorite this afternoon, the value is now on the Tigers. The conventional wisdom is that in this battle of styles, the Mountaineers will coax Texas Southern into a slower-pace. Maybe … but I still expect the Tigers to outscore Mount St. Mary’s even in a lower-scoring game. Texas Southern is long and fast — and their athleticism could simply overwhelm the Mountaineers. They will have the best player on the court in Michael Weathers. The former Oklahoma State transfer is averaging 16.5 PPG with 5.2 RPG, 3.5 APG, and 2.2 steals-per-game. The Tigers are battle-tested from a non-conference schedule that included Oklahoma State, St. Mary’s, Auburn, and BYU. They have won nine straight games as well as 14 of their last 15. Texas Southern is 10-4-1 ATS in their last 15 games against teams with a winning record — and they have covered the point spread in 8 straight games after 15 games into the season against teams with a winning record. They have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a straight-up win. They have scored at least 80 points in two straight games and in four of their last five games — and they have then covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after scoring at least 80 points in two straight games. Texas Southern ranks 227th nationally in Adjusted Net Efficiency — but they rise to 175th in that metric when playing on the road. Mount St. Mary’s ranks 212th in Adjusted Net Efficiency — but they fall to 281st when on the road. The Mountaineers play elite defense with a frontline that boasts three players at 6’9. They rank 15th nationally with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 45.5%. Duly noted. But while they have an overall opponent’s field goal percentage of 40.5%, the Tigers have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 23 games against opponents who do not allow their opponents to shoot better than 42% from the field. Mount St. Mary's struggles to score baskets. While they are 239th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency at home, they plummet to 281st nationally when playing on the road. Even if this is a low-scoring game, the Mountaineers will need to score. Texas Southern uses their athleticism to help them make 45% of their shots — and Mount St. Mary’s has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after 15 games into the season against teams who make at least 45% of their shots.

FINAL TAKE: A weakness of Texas Southern is that they can be sloppy with the basketball — they turn the ball over in 21.5% of their possessions, ranking 295th nationally. Yet Mount St. Mary’s does not try to force turnovers as they rank 308th in the nation with a defensive turnover rate of 16.4%. The Mountaineers only forced 8 turnovers against Bryant — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after not forcing more than 8 turnovers in their last game. Texas Southern is 7-1-1 ATS in their last 9 games on a neutral court. 10* CBB Thursday Daily Discounted Deal with the Texas Southern Tigers (716) plus the point(s) versus the Mount St. Mary’s (715). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:35 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Dallas Mavericks (550) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Clippers (549). THE SITUATION: Dallas (20-18) has lost two of their last three games after their 109-99 loss against the Clippers as a 1-point underdog on Monday. Los Angeles (26-15) has won two of their last three games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MAVERICKS PLUS THE POINTS: We had the Clippers on Monday — and this is a good opportunity to zig-zag with the Mavs. Dallas was held scoreless in the last 3:15 minutes of that game while missing all five of their shots. They only took five free throws all game. Luka Doncic had an off-game for him by making only 9 of 23 shots from the field including just 4 of 11 from 3-point range. The Mavericks allowed the Clippers to make 50% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last ten games. While under-the-radar, Dallas has played much better on defense as of late under head coach Rick Carlisle. Over their last ten games, the Mavericks rank seventh in the NBA in Defensive Rating. Finally getting healthy has helped after this team has dealt with a host of injuries and their share of COVID issues. When Carlisle can start Doncic with a healthy Josh Richardson, Dorian Finney-Smith, Kristaps Porzingis, and Maxi Kleiber, they have won nine of those thirteen games. In their last 15 games, Dallas is 11-4 while ranking sixth in the league with their Net Efficiency Rating. They should bounce-back as they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after a point spread loss. They host the Clippers again where they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games. Los Angeles’ enjoyed the best shooting effort in their last five games by making 50% of their shots. But the Clippers have been consistently inconsistent — they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after a straight-up loss. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after a point spread loss. They stay on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 road games against teams with a winning record at home. They are not at full strength with Patrick Beverley out with a knee injury and Serge Ibaka questionable with a back issue.

FINAL TAKE: Dallas has covered the point spread in 28 of their last 47 games when avenging a loss at home to their opponents. 25* NBA Wednesday ESPN Game of the Month with the Dallas Mavericks (550) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Clippers (549). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:08 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Memphis Grizzlies (546) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the Miami Heat (545). THE SITUATION: Memphis (17-19) has lost three in a row after their 122-99 loss at Phoenix as a 7.5-point underdog on Monday. Miami (22-18) has five in a row as well as eleven of their last twelve after their 113-98 victory against Cleveland as an 11.5-point favorite last night.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GRIZZLIES PLUS THE POINTS: The Heat have found their form again after getting back to near full health. But their 49.4% shooting percentage last night was the best shooting effort in their last seven games. Miami has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a win by at least 10 points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games after a win by at least 15 points. Additionally, the Heat have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 19 games after a point spread win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread cover as a favorite. They go back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 14 road games against teams with a losing record at home. Miami is dealing with some injuries again. Avery Bradley is out with a calf injury. Andre Iguodala is dealing with a hip. Maurice Harkless is ill. Memphis only made 43.7% of their shots against the Suns which was the lowest field goal percentage in their last four games. The Grizzlies have covered the point spread in five of their last seven games after a point spread loss. And while Memphis has lost four of their last five games, they have then covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after losing four or five of their last six games. The Grizzlies return home where they are just 8-12 — but they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games on their home court. Memphis has also covered the point spread in 21 of their last 35 home games as an underdog getting up to 6 points. The Grizzlies have faltered on defense by allowing their last two opponents to make 56.6% and 57.5% of their shots — but they still rank 9th in the NBA in Adjusted Efficiency. The Grizzlies are second in the NBA by forcing turnovers in 16.4% of their opponent’s possessions — and the Heat are tied for second-to-last in the league turning the ball over in 15.5% of their possessions.

FINAL TAKE: Memphis should have Justise Winslow for this game — he is listed as probable with his hip. The Grizzlies have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. 10* NBA Wednesday Daily Discounted Deal with the Memphis Grizzlies (546) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the Miami Heat (545). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (707) plus the points versus the Saint Mary’s Gaels (708) in the first round of the National Invitational Tournament. THE SITUATION: Western Kentucky (20-7) had their three-game winning streak snapped in the Conference USA Championship Game in a 61-57 upset loss to North Texas as a 2.5-point favorite on Saturday. Saint Mary’s (14-9) last played on March 8th when they lost to Gonzaga by a 78-55 score as an 18.5-point underdog in the West Coast Conference tournament semifinals. This game is being played on a neutral court at the Comerica Center in Frisco, Texas.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HILLTOPPERS PLUS THE POINTS: Western Kentucky took the Mean Green to overtime despite making only 34.0% of their shots in what was a season-low. And while they held North Texas to just 39.3% shooting, that was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last four games. Head coach Rick Stansbury’s team should respond with a strong effort as they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after a loss to a conference rival — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after an upset loss to a Conference USA rival. They have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after not scoring more than 60 points in their last game. The Hilltoppers are led by an NBA prospect in junior Charles Bassey who scores 17.7 PPG and pulls down 11.5 RPG. They will be without senior Carson Williams who is out for this game due to personal reasons — but the senior was only scoring 7.5 PPG, and Stansbury’s team is blessed with depth. Western Kentucky beat Alabama earlier in the season so the potential is high for this team. They have covered the point spread in 25 of their last 34 games as an underdog. Saint Mary’s may have more trouble getting up for this game as they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a loss by at least 20 points. The Gaels made only 36.1% of their shots against the Bulldogs -- but they have not shot better than 39.5% of their shots in five straight games. Saint Mary’s replaced their top three scorers from last season — and they simply were not a good shooting team this year. After ranking 4th in the nation by nailing 38.7% of their shots from behind the arc last year, the Gaels plummeted to 328th nationally by making only 29.3% of their 3-pointers. The problem for Randy Bennett is that the Hilltoppers interior play is the strength of their defense with Bassey patrolling the paint. Western Kentucky limited their opponents to just 45.8% shooting inside the arc, 38th best nationally. As it is, Saint Mary’s has failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 25 games after not shooting better than 40% in three straight games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 15 games after not shooting better than 40% in four straight contests. To compound matters, the Gaels played their best when at home where they were 9-3 and ranked 40th in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency. Saint Mary’s had a losing 5-6 record away from home while dropping to ranking 115th nationally in Adjusted Net Efficiency. Their offensive numbers tell the story: while ranking 128th in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency at home, they are 269th nationally in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency when playing on the road. The Gaels lack quality wins — their highest-profile win was against Colorado State who is in the NIT. They had troubling losses to Pepperdine and Santa Clara. The oddsmakers are relying on statistical projection models that are vulnerable because of the lack of a large sample size of non-conference play that can help accurately gauge relative conference strengths. I suspect Saint Mary’s gets exposed in this game as being just not very good. They have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better.

FINAL TAKE: Saint Mary’s has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games played on a neutral court — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 23 games played in the postseason. Western Kentucky has covered the point spread in 17 of their last 25 games as an underdog playing on a neutral court. 25* CBB NIT First Round Game of the Year with the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (707) plus the points versus the Saint Mary’s Gaels (708). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Philadelphia 76ers (532) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (531). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (28-12) won their sixth straight game with a 99-96 win against New York as a 7-point favorite last night. Milwaukee (25-14) has won four in a row as well as nine of their last ten with their 133-122 victory at Washington as an 8.5-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE 76ERS PLUS THE POINTS: Philly is without Joel Embiid for a few weeks as he deals with his knee injury — but this remains a talented team even without his MVP-level contributions this season. Tobias Harris scored 30 points in the win on Monday — and Ben Simmons takes on a more of a central role when Embiid is off the court. Head coach Doc Rivers has done a great job with this team that general manager Daryl Morey has assembled. The Sixers beat the Knicks despite making only 41.1% of their shots which was the lowest shooting percentage in their last nine games. Philadelphia has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 28 home games after a point spread loss. They stay at home where they are 18-3 this season — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games on their home court. Additionally, the 76ers have covered the point spread in 18 of their last 22 home games with the total at 220 or higher — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 home games as an underdog. Milwaukee has failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after scoring at least 130 points in their last contest. The Bucks have also failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 12 games after winning five or six of their last seven games. And while this is Milwaukee’s third game on the road since Saturday, they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games when playing their third game in five days on the road. The Bucks are just 10-9 on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games when favored. Furthermore, Milwaukee has failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points.

FINAL TAKE: Milwaukee has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better. Philadelphia has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams winning at least 60% of their games. 10* NBA Milwaukee-Philadelphia ESPN Special with the Philadelphia 76ers (532) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (531). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:15 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Portland Trail Blazers (528) minus the point(s) versus the New Orleans Pelicans (527). THE SITUATION: Portland (22-16) has lost two of their last three games with their 114-112 upset loss at Minnesota on Sunday as a 5-point favorite. New Orleans (17-22) comes off a 135-115 upset victory against the Los Angeles Clippers as a 6-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TRAIL BLAZERS MINUS THE POINT(S): The Pelicans made a whopping 65.4% of their shots against the Clippers which was a season-best for them. I expect the Regression Gods to make an appearance tonight. New Orleans has failed to cover the point spread in 10 straight games on the road after pulling off an upset victory by double-digits as an underdog of at least 6 points. The Pelicans have also failed to cover the point spread in 26 of their last 38 games after a win by at least 15 points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 19 games after pulling off an upset win as a home underdog by at least 15 points. New Orleans has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread win — so maintaining a basic level of consistency has been a problem for first-year head coach Stan Van Gundy. Additionally, the Pelicans do not fare well with a likely scoring-fest on the horizon. New Orleans has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after a game where at least 245 combined points were scored. With this game featuring two of the bottom three teams in the NBA in Defensive Rating and the total opening at 240(!), this does not bode well for the Pelicans. This team struggles on defense despite having the coaching wizardry of Van Gundy who coached a pretty good Orlando team in the 1990s. New Orleans is third-to-last in the league by allowing their opponents to make 39.1% of their 3-pointers. Here comes the Blazers who are second in the NBA with a 46.5% mark from behind the arc and by generating 42.2% of their points from 3-point shots. The Pelicans go on the road where they are just 5-12 this season while allowing their home hosts to make 48.4% of their shots which results in 116.5 PPG. New Orleans has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games on the road — and they are 3-10-2 ATS in their last 15 road games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better at home. The Pelicans have also failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 road games as an underdog. Portland only made 43.8% of their shots in their embarrassing upset to a Timberwolves team that has a strong claim in being the worst in the league. That was the worst shooting effort in their last four games. The Trail Blazers have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 4 of their 6 games this season after an upset loss — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their 8 games this season after a loss on the road. Furthermore, they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games when playing their third game in four days. And while Portland has allowed at least 106 points in six straight games, they have covered the point spread in 28 of their last 40 games after allowing at least 105 points in three straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games after allowing at least 105 points in four straight games. They do get a shot in the arm with the expected return of C.J. McCollum who has been out for the last 25 games with a foot injury. In his 13 games this season, the star guard averaged 26.7 Points-Per-Game while contributing 5 Assists-Per-Game. Injuries have hit this team hard with Zach Collins and Jusef Nurkic still out and Harry Giles III upgraded to questionable tonight. Yet after a slow 10-9 start to the season, the Blazers have still won twelve of their last nineteen with Damian Lillard leading the way while getting nice help from Gary Trent and Carmelo Anthony. Portland returns home where they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 home games against teams with a losing record on the road.

FINAL TAKE: New Orleans will be without J.J. Reddick who is dealing with a neck injury — losing his 3-point shooting will not help Zion Williamson’s attempt to have his 2-pointers count more than the 3-pointers from Lillard and McCollum. The Pelicans were upset by the Blazers on February 17th by a 126-124 as a 4.5-point home favorite — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 opportunities to avenge an upset loss. 25* NBA TNT Tuesday Game of the Month with the Portland Trail Blazers (528) minus the point(s) versus the New Orleans Pelicans (527). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Clippers (511) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (512). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (25-15) has lost four of their last five games after their 135-116 upset loss at New Orleans as a 6-point favorite last night. Dallas (20-17) has won five of their last six games after their 116-113 upset victory at Denver as a 1-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CLIPPERS MINUS THE POINTS: Los Angeles played their worst defensive game of the season yesterday by allowing the Pelicans to nail 65.4% of their shots. They made only 45.4% of their shots which was the worst shooting effort in their last four games. The Clippers should play much better tonight as they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after not allowing more than 125 points in their last contest. Additionally, Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 21 of their last 31 games after an upset loss — and they have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 22 games after a loss by at least 20 points. Additionally, the Clippers have coved the point spread in 42 of their last 60 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 29 of their last 41 games after a loss at home. Playing without rest should not be a problem for this team as they have covered the point spread in 6 straight games when playing the second game in back-to-back days. The Clippers need to reverse their recent slide — but they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after losing five or six of their last seven games. LA has not covered the point spread in four of their last five games — but they have then covered the point spread in 8 straight games after only covering the point spread once or twice in their last six games. They stay on the road where they are now 12-9 but with an average winning margin of +4.4 PPG. Dallas has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after an upset win by double-digits as a road dog. The Mavericks have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a point spread win. Dallas is playing much better basketball now that they are healthy again after dealing with a handful of players in quarantine — but they remain not very good on the defensive end of the court. They rank 24th in the NBA in Defensive Rating — and they tend to not do well when getting dragged into high-scoring games. The Mavericks have seen at least 219 combined points scored in three straight games. Dallas has failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games after playing two straight games when at least 215 combined points were scored — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 22 games after playing three straight games where at least 215 combined points were scored. The Mavericks return home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games against teams with a winning record on the road. Furthermore, Dallas has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games as an underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games with the Total in the 220s.

FINAL TAKE: The Clippers will remember suffering their worst loss in franchise history on December 27th in a 124-73 loss at home as a 3-point favorite. LA was without Kawhi Leonard and Patrick Beverley in that game — and Serge Ibaka played only eight minutes. The Clippers have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when playing with revenge. They have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 trips to Dallas — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games against the Mavericks. 25* NBA Road Warrior of the Month on the Los Angeles Clippers (511) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (512). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:30 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Ohio State Buckeyes (657) plus the points versus the Illinois Fighting Illini (658) in the championship game in the Big Ten tournament. THE SITUATION: Ohio State (21-8) reached the finals of this tournament with their 68-67 upset win against Michigan as a 5-point underdog yesterday. Illinois (22-6) has won five in a row with their 82-71 win against Iowa as a 3-point favorite yesterday. The Big Ten tournament is being played on a neutral court at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BUCKEYES PLUS THE POINTS: Ohio State won yesterday despite making only 35.1% of their shots which was the lowest mark in their last three games and their second-lowest field goal percentage in their last 14 games. The Buckeyes are making 46.2% of their shots away from home — and they rank second in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency when playing on the road. Chris Holtmann’s team can score. Ohio State has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread victory. The Buckeyes have also covered the pints spread in 8 of their last 10 games when playing their third game in five days. This is a veteran, battle-tested team — they have won 30 of their last 41 games with 32 of those games in the rugged Big Ten over the last two seasons. They have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games as an underdog. Additionally, Ohio State has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games played on a neutral court — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games on a neutral court when getting up to 6 points. Illinois has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after scoring at least 80 points in a victory against a Big Ten opponent in their last game. And while the Illini raced out to a 45-37 halftime lead yesterday, they have failed to cover the point spread in 30 of their last 43 games on the road after scoring at least 45 points in the first half of their last game. Illinois has covered the point spread in six straight games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 24 games after covering the point spread in four straight games. Furthermore, the Illini has failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games played on a neutral court with the number in the 145 to 149.5 point range. And in their last 25 games played on a neutral court as a favorite laying 3.5 to 6 points, Illinois has failed to cover the point spread in 16 of these games. The Illini ranks 10th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency when playing at home — but they fall to 26th nationally in that metric when playing on the road. This team also makes only 68.8% of their free throws, ranking 247th nationally. If Illinois is leading in this game, the Buckeyes may still be able to scratch out a point spread cover by playing the fouling game. The Illini have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 tournament championship games.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams split their two regular-season showdowns with Ohio State winning in Champagne by an 87-81 score on January 16th before getting upset in Columbus on March 6th by a 73-68 score as a 2.5-point favorite. The Buckeyes have covered the point spread in 38 of their last 61 games when playing with revenge from an upset loss. 25* CBB Big Ten Game of the Year with the Ohio State Buckeyes (657) plus the points versus the Illinois Fighting Illini (658). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 11:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the UC-Santa Barbara Gauchos (634) minus the points versus the UC-Irvine Anteaters (633) in the championship game of the Big West tournament. THE SITUATION: UC-Santa Barbara (20-4) has won four games in a row with their 71-55 win against Cal-Davis as a 10.5-point favorite yesterday. UC-Irvine (17-8) has won six in a row after their 78-61 win against UC-Riverside as a 1.5-point favorite last night. The Big West tournament is being played in the Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GAUCHOS MINUS THE POINTS: UC-Santa Barbara won last night despite making only 42.6% of their shots which was tied for their lowest mark in their last four games. The Gauchos are still making 47.3% of their shots on the road which is generating 75.1 PPG — and they are outscoring their opponents away from home by +6.9 PPG. UC-Santa Barbara’s offense has executed much better when playing away from home. While the Gauchos rank 136th in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency at home, they improve to 67th in offensive efficiency when playing on the road. UC-Santa Barbara is 37th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 53.4% — and they are also 14th nationally in free throw rate. The Gauchos should feed off their momentum tonight as they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread cover as a double-digit favorite. Furthermore, UC-Santa Barbara has covered the point spread in 18 of their last 27 games after winning at least two in a row — and they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games on the road after winning at least three in a row. And in their last 11 games after winning at least four in a row, head coach Joe Pasternack’s teams have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games. The Gauchos did not commit one turnover last night either — and they have covered the point spread in 10 straight games after not turning the ball over in their previous game. Additionally, UC-Santa Barbara has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games against teams with a winning record. UC-Irvine has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a double-digit win against a conference opponent. The Anteaters are also 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games after a point spread win. UC-Irvine has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after winning two in a row against conference opponents. And while the Anteaters have covered the point spread in twice of their last three games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight road games after covering two of their last three games. UC-Irvine made 46% of their shots last night in what was the best shooting effort in their last four games. But this team makes only 41.1% of their shots on the road which generates only 66.5 PPG. While the Anteaters rank 110th nationally in Adjusted Net Efficiency, they plummet to a 144th ranking in Adjusted Net Efficiency when playing on the road. They have an Adjusted Offensive Efficiency of 119th nationally when playing at home — they are 272nd in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency on the road. Overall, UC-Irvine ranks 284th nationally with an effective field goal percentage of 47.3%. The Anteaters’ strength is their defense — they have held their last four opponents to no better than 37.4% shooting. But UC-Irvine has failed to cover the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games after not allowing their last four opponents to shoot better than 40% from the field.

FINAL TAKE: UC-Irvine swept the two regular-season meetings between these two teams — but both of those games were played on their home court in December. UC-Santa Barbara has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games when avenging a loss on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games when playing with double-revenge. 25* CBB Big West Game of the Year with the UC-Santa Barbara Gauchos (634) minus the points versus the UC-Irvine Anteaters (633). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Iona Gaels (613) minus the points versus the Fairfield Stags (614) in the championship game of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament. THE SITUATION: Iona (11-5) won their fifth game in a row with their 70-64 win against Niagara as a 6-point favorite yesterday. Fairfield (10-16) pulled off their fourth straight upset yesterday in a 52-47 upset victory against St. Peter’s as a 6-point favorite. The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament is being played at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.

REASONS TO TAKE  THE GAELS MINUS THE POINTS: Fairfield upset Manhattan twice in a row before dispatching Monmouth before the St. Peter’s yesterday. Not exactly a Murderer’s Row — St. Peter’s is ranked 220 by metrics guru Ken Pomeroy while he has Monmouth 228 and Manhattan at 316. Iona is a significant step up in competition — Pomeroy ranks them 185th with some of the other power rankings I use placing them in the 140s. Look for the Stags’ bubble to burst. They are just 9-21-1 ATS in their last 32 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games after a point spread win. Additionally, Fairfield has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 12 games after not allowing more than 55 points in their last game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after not allowing more than 50 points. The Peacocks are a great defensive team — but these Gaels are in another class when it comes to the offense so this will be a much harder test on the Stags’ defensive play this afternoon. As it is, Fairfield ranks 273rd nationally in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency which is worse than their 258th ranking in that metric when playing at home. The Stags are going to struggle to keep up as they only make 39.8% of their shots on the road which is generating just 60.5 PPG. Fairfield has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after not scoring more than 55 points. And in their last 5 games when playing their third game in five days, they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of these contests. Iona leads the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and they are averaging 75.2 PPG in their last five games. They are 3-0-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after winning three in a row after conference rivals. The Gaels have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games when playing their second game in three days. Iona has been more effective away from home. While they rank 175th in Adjusted Net Efficiency at home, they rise to 122nd nationally in that metric on the road. They rank 41st nationally and tops in the conference in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing on the road. They have held their last five opponents to just 36.3% shooting which is resulting in only 63.0 PPG. While they are outscoring their opponents by +6.1 PPG this season, they have outscored their last five opponents by +12.2 PPG during their winning streak. Iona is 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 games against teams with a losing record — and they are 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 games as a favorite. They are also 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 games played on a neutral court.

FINAL TAKE: Iona will also have a chip on their shoulder to avenge a 67-52 upset loss at home to Fairfield on December 12th as a 7.5-point underdog. The Gaels ahem covered the point spread in 18 of their last 25 games when avenging an upset loss as a favorite of at least 7 points. 25* CBB Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Game of the Year with the Iona Gaels (613) minus the points versus the Fairfield Stags (614). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Iowa Hawkeyes (603) plus the points versus the Illinois Fighting Illini (604) in the semifinals of the Big Ten tournament. THE SITUATION: Iowa (21-7) has won four straight games as well as eight of their last nine with their 62-57 win against Wisconsin as a 5-point favorite yesterday. Illinois (21-6) has won four in a row as well with their 90-68 victory against Rutgers as an 8.5-point underdog yesterday. The Big Ten tournament is being played at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HAWKEYES PLUS THE POINTS: Illinois had a laugher yesterday in their 22-point win against the Scarlet Knights. They made 52.5% of their shots which was the best shooting effort in their last six games. But the Illini have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a win by at least 20 points. And while they raced out to a 47-28 halftime lead, Illinois has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after scoring at least 45 points in the first half of their last game. The Fighting Illini have covered the point spread in five straight games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 42 of their last 67 games after covering the point spread in three straight games. Illinois has also failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 23 games after covering the point spread in four straight games. Furthermore, the Illini have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 25 games played on a neutral court as a favorite laying 3.5 to 6 points. Iowa survived the Badgers yesterday despite making only 40.6% of their shots which was the worst shooting effort in their last four games. They made only 2 of their 20 shots from behind the arc yesterday — but they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after not shooting better than 20% from 3-point range. Iowa ranks 65th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — but they rank eighth nationally in that metric over their last ten games in demonstrating a dramatic improvement in play on that end of the court. Iowa is 13-3-2 ATS in their last 18 games played on a neutral court.

FINAL TAKE: The Hawkeyes will be looking to avenge an 80-75 loss to Illinois on January 29th. Expect a close game with Iowa in a position to pull the upset. 10* CBB Iowa-Illinois CBS-TV Special with the Iowa Hawkeyes (603) plus the points versus the Illinois Fighting Illini (604). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 11:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Utah Valley State Wolverines (866) plus the points versus the New Mexico State Aggies (865) in the Semifinals of the Western Athletic Conference tournament. THE SITUATION: Utah Valley State (10-10) had their three-game winning streak snapped last Saturday in a 74-64 loss at Grand Canyon as a 7-point underdog. New Mexico State (11-7) won their fourth straight game as well as their sixth of their last seven in a 77-61 victory against Utah Rio Grande Valley last night as a 12-point favorite. The WAC tournament is being played on a neutral court at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WOLVERINES PLUS THE POINTS: Utah Valley State is rested and motivated by revenge tonight. In their last loss to Grand Canyon last week, they allowed the Antelopes to make 50% of their shots in the worst defensive effort in their last six games. Utah Valley State has bounced-back to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after a loss — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight games after a point spread loss. The Wolverines have also covered the points spread in 6 of their last 7 games when playing with five or six days of rest. Utah Valley State tends to play better on the road where they rank 169th in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency as opposed to their 198th ranking when playing at home. The Wolverines are just 271st in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing at home — but they climb to 110th nationally in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when on the road. It is as if head coach Mark Madsen has constructed his team to be the slayers of this New Mexico State team that has been the perennial powerhouse in the WAC. The Aggies are typically one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the nation — this season, they rank 11th in the nation by rebounding 36.0% of their missed shots. But the Wolverines limit their opponents to rebounding only 23.9% of their missed shots, 33rd in the nation. Utah Valley also draws tons of fouls — they are third nationally in free throw rate. New Mexico State is 202nd in the nation in defensive free throw rate. The Wolverines have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. And while they make a healthy 47.5% of their shots, the Aggies have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games against teams who make at least 45% of their shots. New Mexico State made 52% of their shots last night which was the highest field goal percentage in their last five games. But the Aggies are still only making 40.7% of their shots on the road — so the Regression Gods may be making an appearance tonight. New Mexico State has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread victory. The Aggies have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a win against a WAC foe by double-digits — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 24 games after a win by at least 15 points. New Mexico State has won their last four games by double-digits — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games after winning four in a row by 10 or more points. The Aggies have also failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games with the Total set in the 130s.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams split their two regular-season games with the Wolverines winning the first game on February 19th by a 69-66 score as a 9-point underdog before losing to the New Mexico State, 67-60, on February 20th. Look for this third and final meeting to be a close game where having the points will be very valuable. 25* CBB WAC Game of the Year is on the Utah Valley State Wolverines (866) plus the points versus the New Mexico State Aggies (865). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Florida State Seminoles (854) minus the points versus the North Carolina Tar Heels (853) in the Semifinals of the ACC Tournament. THE SITUATION: Florida State (15-5) advanced in their quarterfinals matchup with Duke when the Blue Devils pulled out of the tournament after a positive COVID test yesterday. North Carolina (18-9) has won three in a row after their 81-73 win against Virginia Tech as a -0.5-point favorite yesterday. The ACC tournament is being played at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SEMINOLES MINUS THE POINTS: Florida State not only dodged Duke yesterday but they gained a situational edge with an extra day of rest against a Tar Heels’ team playing their third game in three days. Leonard Hamilton may very well be the most underrated head coach in the country (all sports) -- and his teams play with energy and a fast pace. Look for the Seminoles to pull away late in this game — they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games when playing just their second game in eight days. Florida State will be anxious to get the back taste out of their mouth when they last played on Saturday when they were upset at Notre Dame by an 83-73 score as a 5.5-point favorite in a result that cost them the top seed in this tournament. The Seminoles allowed the Irish to make 42.6% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last five games. Florida State has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after an upset loss — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after a point spread loss. The Seminoles have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 27 games against teams winning 60-80% of their games under Hamilton. North Carolina may be due for a letdown after their nice recent run. The Tar Heels have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games after winning two in a row — and they have covered the point spread in 7 straight games after winning three in a row. And while North Carolina has covered the point spread in four of their last five games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after covering four of their last five. Roy Williams’ team leads the nation in offensive rebounding — and they are at their best when controlling the glass. They have outrebounded their two opponents in the ACC Tournament by 11 and 23 boards. But the Tar Heels have failed to cover the point spread in 8 straight games after outrebounding their last two opponents by at least rebounds. Florida State pounds the offensive glass as well — they rank 16th in the nation in offensive rebounding rate. North Carolina ranks third in the ACC and 60th nationally in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — but they drop to 12th in the ACC and 76th nationally when playing on the road. This is not a good shooting team — they only make 31.6% of their shots from behind the arc which is 273rd in the nation. They rely on shots inside the arc where they make 49.5% of their 2-point attempts — but that is only 101st in the nation. The Seminoles play tough interior defense — they rank 11th in the nation by limiting their opponents to just 44.2% shooting inside the arc. North Carolina has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games on a neutral court as an underdog getting up to 3 points. And while Florida State averages 79.6 PPG, the Tar Heels have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams who score at least 77 PPG.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams split their two regular-season encounters — but North Carolina won the last battle in a 78-70 upset win in Chapel Hill as a 2-point dog on February 27th. Florida State has covered the point spread in 14 of their last 22 games when avenging an upset loss as a road favorite. 25* CBB ACC Game of the Year with the Florida State Seminoles (854) minus the points versus the North Carolina Tar Heels (853). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 11:30 AM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Maryland Terrapins (811) plus the points versus the Michigan Wolverines (812) in the Quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament. THE SITUATION: Maryland (16-12) looks to build off their 68-57 win against Michigan State yesterday as a 2-point favorite. Michigan (19-3) hopes to bounce-back from a 70-64 loss at Michigan State as a 7.5-point favorite on Sunday. The Big Ten tournament is being played on a neutral court at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TERRAPINS PLUS THE POINTS: Michigan will likely be without senior guard Eli Brooks for at least this game after be sprained his ankle on Sunday. Losing Brooks is devastating for this team. Not only is one of the top-two defenders on this team, but he is glue for the offense with his steady hand on the floor. Two of the Wolverines’ three losses (Michigan State and Minnesota) occurred with Brooks on the sidelines for most or all of the game — and that is not a coincidence. Without Brooks, head coach Juwan Howard has to use Zeb Jackson for up to 10 minutes — and the freshman is simply not ready for prime-time action. Jackson is a huge drop-off on defense and he is not as comfortable executing the complex offense with NBA principles that Howard has brought to his alma mater. Howard is a fantastic coach — but Jackson puts a limit on what he can do. Maryland defeated Sparty yesterday despite making only 38.2% of their shots which was the lowest mark in their last nine games. The Spartans made 41.5% of their shots which was actually the Terrapins’ worst defensive effort in their last five games. I discussed yesterday about how good Maryland plays defense on the road. The Terrapins have been on my radar ever since I realized how good of defense they are playing away from home (for our Big Ten Total of the Year last Wednesday). While they rank 22nd in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency after yesterday, they rise to 5th nationally in that metric when playing on the road. Wow — even better than yesterday! Maryland has covered the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games when playing their second game in three days. They have covered the point spread in 4 straight games against teams with a winning record — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games on a neutral court as an underdog. And while the Wolverines make 38.6% of their 3-pointers, the Terrapins have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games against teams making at least 37% of their 3-point attempts.

FINAL TAKE: Michigan swept the two meetings between these teams in the regular season after crushing Maryland on January 19th by an 87-63 score as a 13.5-point favorite. The Terrapins have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 18 games on the road when avenging a loss of 20 or more points. Without Brooks, this shapes up to be a nervy opening game for Michigan who could feel the pressure of losing their expected number one seed in the Big Dance next week. 10* CBB Friday Morning Tip-Off with the Maryland Terrapins (811) plus the points versus the Michigan Wolverines (812). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 2:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Ohio State Buckeyes (674) minus the points versus the Minnesota Golden Gophers (673) in the second round of the Big Ten tournament. THE SITUATION: Ohio State (18-8) has lost four games in a row after their 73-68 upset loss to Illinois as a 2.5-point favorite last Saturday. Minnesota (14-14) snapped a seven-game losing streak yesterday in a 51-46 upset win against Northwestern as a 1-point underdog. The Big Ten tournament is being played at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BUCKEYES MINUS THE POINTS: Minnesota played one of their best games of the season yesterday. They held the Wildcats to just 31.0% shooting which was the lowest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last 18 games. And while they made only 36.7% of their shots, that was the best shooting effort in their last four games. But the Golden Gophers have 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 9 of their last 11 games after not allowing more than 60 points in their last game. And while that game flew Under the 139 point total, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight games on the road after a game that finished Under the Total. Minnesota is much better when playing at home where they rank 37th nationally in Adjusted Net Efficiency. They plummet to 110th nationally in that metric when playing on the road. The Golden Gophers have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 11 road games against Big Ten opponents — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games played on a neutral court as an underdog. Minnesota has also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning record — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games as a dog. Ohio State should bounce-back as they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a straight-up loss. The Buckeyes only made 40% of their shots which was the lowest field goal percentage in their last 11 games — and the 51.9% shooting they surrendered to the Illini was the worst defensive effort in their last three contests. Ohio State has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games on a neutral court — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games on a neutral court as a favorite.

FINAL TAKE: The Buckeyes will be looking to avenge a 77-60 loss at Minnesota on January 3rd — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games when avenging a double-digit loss on the road. 20* CBB Blowout Bookie Buster with the Ohio State Buckeyes (674) minus the points versus the Minnesota Golden Gophers (673). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Mississippi State Bulldogs (701) plus the points versus the Kentucky Wildcats (702) in the second round of the SEC tournament. THE SITUATION: Mississippi State (14-13) has lost two of their last three games with their 78-71 loss at Auburn as a 5.5-point underdog on Saturday. Kentucky (9-15) has won four of their last six games with their 92-64 blowout win against South Carolina as an 11.5-point favorite on Saturday. The SEC tournament is being played at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BULLDOGS PLUS THE POINTS: Bettors are on Kentucky this morning with the expectation that John Calipari’s team will make a Hail Mary run in this tournament since that is their only chance to make the Big Dance next week. They made 49.3% of their shots on Saturday in what was the best shooting effort in their last 14 games. They also held the Gamecocks to 38.2% shooting in what was the best defensive effort in their last three games. But the personality of this team has been consistent inconsistency — they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight games after a point spread win. They are also just 2-6-1 ATS in their last 9 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a win by 20 or more points. Kentucky has also failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after scoring at least 90 points in their last game. This Wildcats team has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games against teams with a winning record — and they are 3-9-1 ATS in their last 13 games as a favorite. Mississippi State has bounced-back to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss — and they are 42-20-1 ATS in their last 63 games after a straight-up loss. The Bulldogs are outstanding on the offensive glass — they rank 12th in the nation by pulling down 35.7% of their missed shots. This ability should keep them in this game as Kentucky allows their opponents to pull down 30.2% of their missed shots, ranking 261st in the nation. Rebounding travels — and so does defense. Mississippi State is 26th nationally in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. These attributes explain why the Bulldogs play so well away from home. While the Bulldogs rank 73rd in Adjusted Net Efficiency when playing at home, they rise to 55th in the nation in that metric when playing on the road. They have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Kentucky won the first meeting between these two teams by a 78-73 score on January 2nd — but Mississippi State has covered the point spread in 49 of the last 79 games when avenging a same-season loss. 10* CBB Thursday Afternoon Discounted Deal with the Mississippi State Bulldogs (701) plus the points versus the Kentucky Wildcats (702). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 11:30 AM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Maryland Terrapins (672) minus (or plus) the point(s) versus the Michigan State Spartans (671) in the Big Ten tournament. THE SITUATION: Maryland (15-12) looks to bounce-back from a 66-61 upset loss at home to Penn State as a 6-point favorite on Monday. Michigan State (15-11) has won five of their last seven games after their 70-64 upset victory against Michigan as a 7.5-point underdog on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TERRAPINS MINUS (OR PLUS) THE POINT(S): Maryland had been riding a five-game winning streak before getting upset against Northwestern and then the Nittany Lions. The Terrapins have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after suffering two straight upset losses — and they have covered the point spread in 44 of their last 71 games on the road after failing to cover the point spread in two straight games, Maryland has also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after losing two in a row — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after losing two in a row in the Big Ten. Michigan State made 44.4% of their shots against the Wolverines which is both not great but yet their best shooting effort in their last four games. But the Spartans have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread win. Additionally, Michigan State has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after an upset win. Furthermore, the Spartans have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a win at home against a conference rival — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after a win by 6 points or less. 

FINAL TAKE: Maryland has been on my radar ever since I realized how good of defense they are playing away from home (for our Big Ten Total of the Year last Wednesday). While they rank 31st in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency, they rise to 10th nationally in that metric when playing on the road. Michigan State has failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 23 games on the road games against teams with a winning record. Sparty thinks they are in the Big Dance — but a loss in this one may burst their bubble and they will be feeling that pressure. 20* CBB Thursday Morning Tip Off with the Maryland Terrapins (672) minus (or plus) the point(s) versus the Michigan State Spartans (671). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the North Texas Mean Green (648) minus the points versus the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (647) in the second round of the Conference USA tournament. THE SITUATION: North Texas (13-9) enters the Conference USA Tournament on a three-game losing streak after getting upset at home against UAB as a 4.5-point favorite on Saturday. Middle Tennessee (5-17) has lost six games in a row after their 63-54 loss at FAU as a 10-point underdog on March 5th. This game is being played on a neutral court at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.

REASONS TO TAKE NORTH TEXAS MINUS THE POINTS: North Texas was upset twice at home over the weekend against the Blazers last weekend. They should play better tonight to take advantage of the opportunity to get the bad taste of their mouths from last week. They have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread loss. They also have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a game where both teams did not score more than 65 points. The Mean Green rank 82nd in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency — but while they are only 89th in that metric when playing at home, they improve to 77th nationally when playing away from home. North Texas is 15-5-1 ATS in their last 21 games against teams with a losing record. They have also covered the point spread in 14 of their last 18 games with the Total set in the 120s. Middle Tennessee shot only 29.3% from the field last Friday — but that is not likely an outlier since that is exactly what they shot in their previous game. The Blue Raiders did hold the Owls to 45.3% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last six contests. This is Middle Tennessee’s third game since last Thursday — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games when playing their third game in a week. The Blue Raiders rank 277th in the Adjusted Net Efficiency — but while they improve to 230th when playing at home, they fall to 323rd in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency when play on the road. They have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 16 games when playing on a neutral court. This is a team going nowhere who also lost their leading scorer, Dontrell Shuler, who left the program last month.

FINAL TAKE: I tend to shy away from double-digit point spread since the end game that is detached from the actual winner and loser can wreak havoc with the point spread. But I take solace in the fact for this situation that the Blue Raiders have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 24 games as a double-digit underdog — and the Mean Green have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games as a double-digit favorite including all four games this season. 10* CBB Wednesday Late Show Bailout with the North Texas Mean Green (648) minus the points versus the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (647). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:35 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the San Antonio Spurs (503) plus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (504). THE SITUATION: San Antonio (18-14) lost two of their last three games going into the All-Star break after a 107-102 upset loss at home to Oklahoma City as a 7-point favorite on March 4th last Thursday. Dallas (18-16) went into the break having won three straight and five of their last six with an 87-78 victory against the Thunder last Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SPURS PLUS THE POINTS: San Antonio should respond with a strong effort tonight as they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread loss. The Spurs have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after losing two of their last three games. And head coach Greg Popovich is very tough when his team has at least three days to rest and prepare as San Antonio has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games when playing with at least three days of rest. The extended break allowed for Derrick White, LaMarcus Aldridge and Rudy Gay to all clear their COVID quarantine protocols. This is the first time all season (I believe) that the Spurs are at full health and strength. They are 9-4 on the road with an average winning margin of +3.9 PPG. San Antonio has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games against teams with a winning record at home. The Spurs have also covered the point spread in 20 of their last 28 road games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in six of these last seven situations. San Antonio has also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games as a dog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points. Dallas played their best defensive game of the season last week by holding the Thunder to just 33.3% shooting. But the Mavericks have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after allowing no more than 85 points in their last game. Dallas has played better over the last few weeks as they got healthier — but consistency has been a problem. The Mavericks have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a straight-up win. They also 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 20 of their last 29 games at home after a point spread victory in their last game. They have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games at home as a favorite -- 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.

FINAL TAKE: San Antonio will be looking to avenge a 122-117 loss at home to the Mavericks on January 22nd. The Spurs have covered the point spread in 42 of their last 59 opportunities to avenge a loss where they allowed at least 110 points under Popovich. 25* NBA Southwest Division Game of the Month with the San Antonio Spurs (503) plus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (504). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Manhattan Jaspers (815) minus the points versus the Fairfield Stags (816) in the opening round of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament. THE SITUATION: Manhattan (7-12) enters the conference tournament having lost three of four after their 85-74 upset loss at home to these Stags as a 4-point favorite on Friday. Fairfield (7-16) has won two of their last three games. The MAAC tournament is being played at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.

REASONS TO TAKE THE JASPERS MINUS THE POINTS: Manhattan allowed the Stags to make 49.1% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last three games. Manhattan is 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 21 games after an upset loss. The Jaspers rank 287th in Adjusted Net Efficiency overall this season — but they fall to 308th in that metric when playing on their home court. Manhattan fares better on the road where they rise to a 259th ranking in Adjusted Net Efficiency. They have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games when playing on a neutral court — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games on a neutral court when favored. They have also covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 opening games in a tournament. Fairfield enjoyed the best shooting effort in their last six games with that effort on Friday. But the Stags make only 39.5% of their shots away from home which generates only 59.7 PPG. They have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after a double-digit victory. Fairfield has also failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 15 games including five of their seven games after an upset win this season. The Stags are also just 6-21-1 ATS in their last 28 games after a win while failing to cover the point spread in five of their last six games after a victory this season. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games after a point spread win. Furthermore, Fairfield has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against teams with a winning percentage no better than 40%.

FINAL TAKE: Manhattan has covered the point spread in 3 of their 4 opportunities to avenge a loss at home this season. 10* CBB Tuesday Daily Discounted Deal with the Manhattan Jaspers (815) minus the points versus the Fairfield Stags (816). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:30 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Drexel Dragons (757) minus the points versus the College of Charleston Cougars (758) in the Quarterfinals of the Colonial Athletic Association tournament. THE SITUATION: Drexel (9-7) looks to build off the momentum of their 84-78 upset win at James Madison as a 1.5-point underdog back on February 26th. Charleston (9-9) takes to the court again for the first time since February 20th when they defeated Columbus State in a non-boarded game, 86-83. This game is being played at the Atlantic Union Bank Center in Harrisburg, Virginia.

REASONS TO TAKE THE DUKES MINUS THE POINTS: Drexel should be comfortable playing on this court with it being the home of James Madison who they just defeated in this building. While the Dragons made 49.1% of their shots in that game, that was the worst shooting effort in their last three games. Drexel has the top Adjusted Offensive Efficiency in the CAA — and they rank 28th in the nation by making 54.6% of their shots inside the arc. Defense travels — but so does making shots closer to the basket. The Dragons are a more effective team when playing on the road. While they rank 141st in Adjusted Net Efficiency, they fall to 192nd nationally when playing on their home court. But when Drexel is playing on neutral courts or the opposing team’s court, they rise to 123rd nationally in Adjusted Net Efficiency. The Dragons have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games played on a neutral court. They also have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 28 games when favored. Drexel also allowed the Dukes to make 50.9% of their shots in their last game which was the worst defensive effort in their last seven contests — so they should play better on that end of the court. Charleston has won four of their last five games — but they are likely to be rusty having not played in more than two weeks. As it is, they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when playing with more than seven days between games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a win at home where they scored at least 85 points, so any potential momentum is likely a moot point. COVID has it the Colonial Athletic Association hard would plenty of games canceled — that is why the team added their glorified scrimmage with Columbus State. The most recent Division One opponent they have faced was Elon back on February 14th — and they were upset by 11 points as an 8-point favorite. Incredibly, this is just their third game away from home in conference action this season. The Cougars rank 215th nationally in Adjusted Net Efficiency but fall to 231st in that metric when playing away from home. They are just 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games played on a neutral court — and they are 5-13-1 ATS in their last 19 games on a neutral court as an underdog. Expectations were pretty high for this season entering the season — but they lost their best player, Brevin Galloway, to a season-ending leg injury in December. Charleston has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games against teams with a winning record — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: The cherry on top for this situation is that Drexel will be motivated by double-revenge. They lost twice on the road to the Cougars this season in early-January by a combined six points with the last meeting being on January 10th in a 73-68 upset loss as a 2-point favorite. The Dragons have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when playing with revenge — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when avenging a loss on the road. 25* CBB Colonial Athletic Association Game of the Year with the Drexel Dragons (757) minus the points versus the College of Charleston Cougars (758). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Team LeBron (582) minus the points versus Team Durant (581). THE SITUATION: LeBron James and Kevin Durant drafted their respective teams for this year’s All-Star Game. The game is being played at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta.

REASONS TO TAKE TEAM LEBRON: I was considering taking Team LeBron for some action as a 10* play even before the news that Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons may have been exposed to a barber that tested positive for COVID. Both players will not play tonight — and that is a net loss for Team Durant that was counting on Embiid to anchor the middle tonight and play All-Star Game starter’s minutes. Simmons is on Team LeBron — and while he is having a great season, his skills make a bigger difference in non-exhibition contests where tighter defense and more precise plays on offense are called. Team Durant already started behind the eight-ball with Kevin Durant not playing as he nurses his leg injury. Durant then felt obligated to pick his Nets’ teammate, Kyrie Irving, with his first pick. Irving is great — but he was not the best player available at the time. Team Durant also has the injured Anthony Davis which just further degrades the relative quality of the players available. Team LeBron is loaded with offensive talent: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Stephen Curry (and his 3-point shooting), Luka Doncic (the best young player in the game), Nikola Jokic (MVP season?), Damian Lillard (still underrated, and can nail 3s), Chris Paul (a nice glue piece who will help a roster win an exhibition) along with James (MVP and glue, if necessary). Losing Simmons at point guard is not a big deal with CP3, Lillard, LeBron, Doncic, and Curry all more than ready, willing, and able to run the point. The Team Durant starting five likely becomes Irving joined by Kawhi Leonard, Bradley Beal, Jayson Tatum, and Julius Randle? Team Durant is down to Randle and Nikola Vucevic for big men with EmBiid now out. Leonard and Tatum are their next biggest guys.

FINAL TAKE: Is it Fool’s Gold to lay points in an NBA All-Star Game? Five of the last seven All-Star Game winners won by at least five points. It is safe. 10* NBA Sunday Night Discounted Deal with Team LeBron (582) minus the points versus Team Durant (581). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 5:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Creighton Bluejays (644) minus the points versus the Butler Bulldogs (643). THE SITUATION: Creighton (17-7) lost their second-straight game on Wednesday in a 72-60 loss at Villanova. Butler (9-13) won their second-straight game with their 73-61 upset victory against Villanova last Sunday as a 12.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BLUEJAYS: Creighton made only 38.7% of their shots against the Wildcats in what was the worst shooting effort in their last 15 games. Their loss to Villanova came after an upset loss at Xavier last Saturday. The Bluejays have covered the point spread in 44 of their last 70 games after losing two in a row. The program is also dealing with the Greg McDermott controversy regarding his comments after the loss against the Musketeers — he has been suspended by the team and will not be on the sidelines. Creighton is a better team when playing at home. While they rank 21st in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency, they improve to 15th nationally when measuring play on home courts. They are outscoring their guests by +14.5 PPG — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 home games when laying 6.5 to 12 points. The Bluejays have also covered the point spread in 23 of their last 33 games against teams with a losing record. Butler made 50% of their shots against the Wildcats in the best shooting effort in their last ten games. They also held Villanova to just 36.9% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last ten games. Yet the Bulldogs have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after winning two in a row against conference opponents. Butler is a much better team when playing at home. They rank 108th in Adjusted Net Efficiency overall with 107th mark in that metric when playing at home. But Butler falls to 132nd nationally in Adjusted Net Efficiency when playing on the road. The Bulldogs have failed to cover the point spread 7 of their last 10 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 road games against teams with a winning record at home.

FINAL TAKE: Creighton will want to avenge a 70-66 upset loss at Butler on January 16th — and they have covered the point spread in 30 of their last 43 games when playing with revenge from an upset loss as a home favorite. 10* CBB Butler-Creighton Fox-TV Special with the Creighton Bluejays (644) minus the points versus the Butler Bulldogs (643). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 5:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (650) minus the points versus the Old Dominion Monarchs (649). THE SITUATION: Western Kentucky (17-6) had their two-game winning streak snapped last night in a 71-69 upset loss to the Monarchs as a 7-point favorite. Old Dominion (15-6) has won four games in a row.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HILLTOPPERS MINUS THE POINTS: Western Kentucky made only 39.6% of their shots last night in what was the worst shooting effort in their last ten games. But they have rebounded to cover the point spread in 26 of their last 38 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games after a loss to a conference rival. Additionally, Western Kentucky has covered the point spread in 12 of their last 18 games after a narrow loss by 6 points or less — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after an upset loss as a home favorite. They should play better in this one — they are still averaging a 48.3% field goal percentage along with an opponent’s field goal mark of 40.9% in their last five games even after last night. They dropped to 10-2 at home but they are outscoring their visitors by +10.7 PPG. The Hilltoppers have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. They also have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games as a favorite. Old Dominion has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 road games after an upset win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after an upset win against a Conference USA foe where they were an underdog getting at least 6 points. Despite pulling the upset on the road last night, the Monarchs are not as good on the road as they are at home. Old Dominion ranks 156th in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency — and they improve to 139th when playing on their home court. But the Monarchs fall to 189th in the nation when playing on the road. They have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 road games as an underdog — and they are just 2-6-1 ATS in their last 9 road games against teams who are winning at least 60% of their games at home. Furthermore, Old Dominion is 4-10-1 ATS in their last 15 games against teams with a winning record — and they are 3-8-1 ATS in their last 12 games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Western Kentucky has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when avenging a same-season loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when playing with revenge from a narrow loss by three points or less. 25* CBB Conference USA Game of the Year with the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (650) minus the points versus the Old Dominion Monarchs (649). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Ohio State Buckeyes (636) minus the points versus the Illinois Fighting Illini (635). THE SITUATION: Ohio State (18-7) has lost three straight games after their 73-57 loss at home to Iowa on February 28th as a 2-point favorite. Illinois (19-6) has won three in a row with their 76-53 upset victory against Michigan on Tuesday as an 8.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BUCKEYES MINUS THE POINTS: Ohio State should bounce-back — they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a straight-up loss. They have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after a double-digit loss a home — and they are 8-3-1 ATS in their last 12 games after a point spread loss. The Buckeyes may have lost at home to the Hawkeyes but they have still covered the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games on their home court — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road. Illinois experienced their best win of the season on Tuesday — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a win by at least 20 points. And while they have covered the point spread in four of their last five games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last six games after covering the point spread in four or five of their last six contests. They are still without their best player and senior point guard leader in Ayo Dosunmu — they will miss his 21.0 PPG along with his 6.3 Rebounds-Per-Game and 5.3 Assists-Per-Game in this one. The Illini have failed to cover the point spread in 28 of their last 42 road games as an underdog of up to three points.

FINAL TAKE: Illinois will be motivated to avenge an 87-81 upset loss to the Buckeyes on January 16th — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games on the road when playing with revenge from a loss where they allowed at least 85 points. 10* CBB Illinois-Ohio State ESPN Special with the Ohio State Buckeyes (636) minus the points versus the Illinois Fighting Illini (635). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 2:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Georgia Bulldogs (628) plus the points versus the Alabama Crimson Tide (627). THE SITUATION: Georgia (14-10) has lost two of their last three games after their 91-70 upset loss at home to South Carolina as a 5-point favorite last Saturday. Alabama (20-6) has won three straight and six of their last seven with their 70-58 win against Auburn as a 10.5-point favorite on Tuesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BULLDOGS PLUS THE POINTS: Georgia should respond with a big effort after their embarrassing 21-point loss to the Gamecocks. The Bulldogs made only 36.7% of their shots which was the lowest field goal percentage in their last nine games — and they allowed South Carolina to hit 53.6% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last four games. Georgia has covered the point spread in 21 of their last 27 games after a loss by at least 20 points. The Bulldogs have also covered the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games after allowing at least 90 points in their last game. They stay at home where they are 12-4 this season — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games as an underdog. Additionally, Georgia has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning record. Alabama held the Tigers to just 39.6% shooting in what was the best defensive effort in their last seven games. And while they only made 39.7% of their shots, that was the best shooting mark in their last three contests. The Tide have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after a win at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread win. Alabama has also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after not allowing more than 60 points in their last game. They go back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight road games when favored. Additionally, the Crimson Tide have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: Georgia will be looking to avenge a 115-82 loss in Tuscaloosa on February 13th as an 11.5-point underdog. The Bulldogs have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 15 opportunities to avenge a same-season loss — and they have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 26 games when playing with revenge from a double-digit loss. 10* CBB Alabama-Georgia CBS-TV Special with the Georgia Bulldogs (628) plus the points versus the Alabama Crimson Tide (627). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Nevada Wolf Pack (858) minus the point spread versus the Colorado State Rams (857). THE SITUATION: Nevada (14-9) has lost two straight games after their 87-66 loss at Utah State as a 9.5-point favorite on Sunday. Colorado State (17-4) has won five straight games after their 87-73 win against New Mexico as a 19-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WOLF PACK MINUS THE POINTS: Nevada should respond with a strong effort tonight as they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a double-digit loss. The Wolf Pack have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after losing two in a row. Nevada gave up 75 and 87 points in their two losses at Utah State last week. The Wolf Pack have covered the point spread in 6 straight games after allowing at least 75 points in two straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games after losing two of their last three games. They return home where they are 8-2 this season with an average winning margin of +8.4 PPG. Nevada has covered the point spread in 6 straight games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 home games against a team with a winning percentage of 60% or better on the road. They have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 home games when favored by up to 6 points. Colorado State has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after winning at least four in a row — and they have failed to cover the potion spread in 19 of their last 27 games on the road after winning at least five games in a row. They go back on the road where they are not as good as they are at home. The Rams rank 76th in Adjusted Net Efficiency — and they improve to 62nd when playing at home. But Colorado State falls to 113th nationally in Adjusted Net Efficiency when playing on the road. They have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 road games with the Total set in the 140 to 144.5 point range. This is the Rams’ first road game since February 6th after playing their last three games at home — and they are just 7-20-3 ATS in the last 30 road games after playing at least three straight games at home.

FINAL TAKE: Colorado State can not afford to lose this game with them on the NCAA Tournament bubble — and that pressure may not help them tonight. Nevada has covered the point spread in 18 of their last 26 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better. The Wolf Pack have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games when favored. 10* CBB Friday Late Show Bailout with the Nevada Wolf Pack (858) minus the point spread versus the Colorado State Rams (857). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Toledo Rockets (828) minus the points versus the Ball State Cardinals (827). THE SITUATION: Toledo (19-7) looks to bounce back from an 81-79 upset loss at Central Michigan as a 17-point favorite on Tuesday. Ball State (10-11) won their third straight game on Tuesday with their 100-65 blowout win against Eastern Michigan as an 8-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE ROCKETS MINUS THE POINTS: Toledo made only 43.9% of their shots against the Chippewas which was the lowest field goal percentage in their last four games. They also allowed Central Michigan to make 47.9% of their shots which was the highest opponent field goal percentage in their last four contests. The Rockets have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss. They return home where they are 11-1 with an average winning margin of +15.7 PPG. They make 48.0% of their shots at home which is generating 82.4 PPG. They also hold their guests to just 40.4% shooting. Toledo has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight home games against teams with a winning percentage of 40% or less on the road. The Rockets are 16th in the nation by making 38.4% of their 3-pointers. The Cardinals are one of the best teams defending the perimeter as they rank 29th nationally by holding their opponents to just 30.3% shooting from behind the arc. But they are vulnerable against teams that attack the glass — they allow their opponents to pull down 33.2% of their missed shots, 305th nationally. Toledo is third in the MAC by rebounding 31.5% of their misses when playing at home. The Rockets have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a losing record — and they have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 24 games when favored. Ball State held the Eagles to just 36.7% shooting on Tuesday in what was the best defensive effort in their last five games. But the Cardinals have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after a double-digit win against a conference rival — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a win by at least 30 points against a conference foe. Ball State has 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. The Cardinals have also failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight games on the road after winning at least two in a row. Now they go back on the road for the first time since January 30th (not a typo) — they have played seven straight games at home. Ball State has failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 19 road games after playing at least three straight games at home. They are just 3-7 on the road while making only 42.9% of their shots for 69.7 PPG — those numbers are a far cry from the 52.1% shooting they enjoyed on Tuesday on their home court. The Cardinals play their best basketball at home. They rank 141st in Adjusted Net Efficiency — they climb to 125th when playing at home. But Ball State falls to 194th in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency when playing on the road. They have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 road games as an underdog. The Cardinals have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. Ball State has failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 24 games against a team with  a winning percentage over 60% — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games with the Total set in the 150s.

FINAL TAKE: Ball State upset Toledo in their previous meeting on February 6th in an 81-67 victory as a 9-point underdog. The Rockets made only 7 of 32 shots from behind the arc — but they make 38.7% of their 3-pointers at home. 25* CBB Mid-American Conference Game of the Year with the Toledo Rockets (828) minus the points versus the Ball State Cardinals (827). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Oklahoma Sooners (750) minus the points versus the Texas Longhorns (749). THE SITUATION: Oklahoma (14-8) has lost three in a row after their 79-75 upset loss at Oklahoma State as a 2.5-point favorite on Monday. Texas (15-7) has won four of their last six games after their 81-67 win at Iowa State as a 12.5-point favorite on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SOONERS MINUS THE POINTS: Oklahoma lost their third straight close game on Monday — their three losses were by a combined 13 points. The Regression Gods should be making a visit to Norman soon. They allowed the Cowboys to make 52.9% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last 19 games. The Sooners have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after an upset loss. Oklahoma has also covered the point spread in 29 of their last 42 home games after losing two in a row against Big 12 foes. And while this is the Sooners’ third game since Saturday, they have covered the point spread in 29 of their last 44 home games when playing their third game in seven or fewer days. Oklahoma does return home where they are 10-2 with an average winning margin of +15.1 PPG scoring average. The Sooners hold their visitors to 39.2% shooting — and they are scoring a healthy 80.2 PPG at home. While they rank 28th in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency, they improve to 16th in that metric when evaluating how teams play on their home court. Oklahoma has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 home games with the Total set in the 140s. Furthermore, the Sooners have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 home games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. And in their last 9 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher, Oklahoma has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games. Texas made 51% of their shots on Tuesday against the Cyclones which was the best shooting effort in their last three games. Yet the Longhorns have 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 5 straight games after a point spread victory. Additionally, Texas has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a double-digit victory — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a win by 10 or more points on the road. Furthermore, the Longhorns have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after winning two of their last three games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 18 games after winning four or five of their last six games after winning four or five of their last six. Texas has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games with the Total set in the 140s. And in their last 8 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%, the Longhorns are just 1-6-1 ATS.

FINAL TAKE: Oklahoma won the first meeting between these two teams on January 26th by an 80-70score with the Longhorns undermanned given COVID issues at the time. But Texas has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when attempting to avenge a same-season loss. 25* CBB Thursday ESPN Game of the Year with the Oklahoma Sooners (750) minus the points versus the Texas Longhorns (749). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the New York Knicks (564) minus the points versus the Detroit Pistons (563). THE SITUATION: New York (18-18) saw their three-game winning streak end on Tuesday in their 119-93 upset loss at San Antonio as a 1.5-point favorite. Detroit (10-25) snapped a three-game losing streak last night with their 129-105 upset victory at Toronto as a 7.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE KNICKS MINUS THE POINTS: Don’t read too much into the Pistons victory against the Raptors last night — Toronto could barely field a roster given their recent COVID outbreak. The Raptors were missing Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, and O.G. Agunoby amongst five players along with head coach Nick Nurse. A Detroit team consisting of reserves made 52.7% of their shots in what was the second-best shooting effort in their last seven games. Head coach Dwane Casey deserves credit for getting every ounce of effort and energy out of the roster he has been left with. But a letdown is likely after last night — especially with the team in New York (even in a pandemic) on the final night before the All-Star Game weekend break. As it is, Detroit is just 2-5-1 ATS in their last 8 games after a straight-up win — and they are 1-6-1 ATS in the last 8 games after a double-digit victory. The Pistons have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game. Detroit entered the year with one of the worst starting fives in the NBA — and most of those guys are not available tonight. Jerami Grant has been their best player and leads the team with a 23.4 PPG average — but he is questionable with a quad (and why play him before the break). Derrick Rose was the team’s second-leading scorer — but he was traded to these Knicks. Josh Jackson is the third-leading scorer with a 13.5 PPG clip — and he is out with an illness that kept him out of last night’s game. The fourth-leading scorer, Blake Griffin, is not playing as he awaits being traded to another team that will become disappointed with his effort. Deion Wright, the team’s fifth-leading scorer with a 10.7 PPG mark, is out with a groin. Killian Hayes and Jahlil Okafor are both out with injuries. The Pistons lineup tonight will feature Wayne Ellington, Mason Plumlee, and Dennis Smith. As it is, this is a team that is 4-15 on the road while allowing their home hosts to score 114.6 PPG on 49.0% shooting. The Pistons have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games as an underdog. New York only made 40.7% of their shots on Tuesday in what was the worst shooting effort in their last four games. But the Knicks have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a loss on the road. New York has also covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread loss. Julius Randle only scored 14 points on 6 of 16 shooting which was his lowest scoring output since February 9th. Randle is scoring 23.1 PPG and pulling down 10.9 Rebounds-Per-Game in his breakout season. This team is playing surprisingly well for first-year head coach Tom Thibodeau. It all starts on defense for Thibs with the Knicks leading the league by allowing only 104.4 PPG — and their play on that end of the court is legit as they rank second in the NBA in Defensive Rating. Overall, New York is a respectable 14th in the league in Net Rating. They have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 23 games after winning two of their last three games. Now after playing their last two games on the road, they return home for their only home game before March 18th again. They have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games at home in Madison Square Garden — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after playing their last two on the road. New York has also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 home games against teams with a winning percentage of 40% or less on the road. The Knicks have some missing players with Elfrid Payton and Taj Gibson out — but they should get Derrick Rose back after he was held out of Tuesday’s game because of an inconclusive COVID test. Rose has injected some needed-offense into the team — he has averaged 16.3 PPG in his three previous games on 52.8% shooting and a 62.3% mark from behind the arc. Over their last five games, the Knicks are scoring 111.7 PPG on 47.7% shooting. They have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games with the Total set in the 200 to 209.5 range. New York has also covered the point spread in 4 straight games against teams with a losing record — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when favored.

FINAL TAKE: Motivation is also a concern on the last night before the All-Star Game break. The Knicks should be motivated to redeem themselves (especially Randle) from their loss on Tuesday — and a win tonight ensures a record above .500 going into the break. Detroit may want to avenge their 109-90 loss at home to New York on February 28th — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 39 of their last 63 games when playing with revenge from a loss earlier in the season. 25* NBA Pre-All Star Break Game of the Year with the New York Knicks (564) minus the points versus the Detroit Pistons (563). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Golden State Warriors (545) minus the points versus the Portland Trail Blazers (546). THE SITUATION: Golden State (19-16) looks to bounce back from a 117-91 loss at Los Angeles against the Lakers as a 2.5-point underdog on Sunday. Portland (19-14) snapped a four-game losing streak on Monday with a 123-111 win at home against Charlotte as an 8.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WARRIORS MINUS THE POINTS: Golden State played one of their worst games of the season Sunday night in the 25-point loss. They made only 40.7% of their shots which was the lowest field goal percentage in their last 11 contests. They also allowed the Lakers to make 47.1% of their shots in the worst defensive effort in their last four games. Draymond Green left the game before halftime with an ankle injury — but he is expected to play tonight. The Warriors should respond with a much better effort tonight. Golden State has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a point spread loss. The Warriors have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a double-digit victory. Golden State remains a bit underrated this season. They lost their first two games with Green injured — but they are more-than-solid 19-14 since that slow start. Green is still playing at a high-level next to the still-sensational Stephen Curry. And the Warriors are now getting the expected contributions from Kelly Oubre who has overcome a bad start to the season. Oubre made only 35.1% of his shots and 26.2% of his 3-pointers in his first 16 games. In his last 19 contests, Oubre is shooting 49.6% from the field while nailing 41.7% of his 3-pointers. Golden State has won seven of their last eleven games. Portland made 53.5% of their shots on Monday in what was the best shooting effort in their last 25 contests — so a visit from the Regression Gods is likely. The Blazers are ravaged with injuries with C.J. McCollum, Harry Giles, Jusuf Nurkic, and Zach Collins all on the shelf. Portland stays at home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 13 home games with the Total set at 220 or higher — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: The Trail Blazers have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range — and Golden State has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games when favored. 10* NBA Wednesday Late Show Bailout with the Golden State Warriors (545) minus the points versus the Portland Trail Blazers (546). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Chicago Bulls (537) plus the points versus the New Orleans Pelicans (538). THE SITUATION: Chicago (15-18) has lost two in a row after their 118-112 loss to Denver as a 4.5-point underdog on Monday. New Orleans (15-19) has won three of their last five games with their 129-124 upset victory at home against Utah on Monday as a 6.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BULLS PLUS THE POINTS: Chicago played the Nuggets as they rallied from being down 15 points to take a six-point lead with eight minutes but let the game slip away. The Bulls did not play particularly well — they only made 44.7% of their shots which was the lowest field goal percentage in their last five games. They also allowed Denver to nail 52.9% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal mark in their last eight contests. This team continues to improve under first-year head coach Billy Donovan while Zach Lavigne continues to grow into being a legitimate star in this league. Chicago is still making 53.3% of their shots over their last five games — and their opponent’s field goal percentage of 46.0% during that span is improved over their 47.5% mark for the season. They should bounce-back to play well tonight — they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up loss while also covering the point spread in 18 of their last 23 games after a narrow loss by six points or less. The Bulls have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss. And while they have allowed their last two opponents to make at least 50% of their shots, they have then covered the point spread in 4 straight games after allowing two straight opponents to make 50% or more of their shots. This is Chicago’s sixth straight games against a Western Conference opponent — but not only have they covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games on the road after playing a Western Conference foe in their previous game but they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 12 road games after playing at least two straight non-conference games. They have been capable road warriors this season with an 8-7 mark away from home with an averaging winning margin of +3.0 PPG while shooting 49.0% of their shots. The Bulls have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 15 road games with the total set at 220 or higher. Furthermore, Chicago has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 road games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games against teams with a losing record. New Orleans is a prime candidate for an emotional letdown after upsetting the hottest team in the league in the Jazz. They made 56.5% of their shots on Monday which was the best shooting effort in their last seven games — and they played their best defensive game in their last eleven by holding Utah to 45.5% shooting. As it is, the Pelicans have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after an upset win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a win by six points or less. New Orleans has also failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread win. Not only are the Pelicans consistently inconsistent (good for us) but they tend to not do well when they get comfortable in playing high-scoring games. They have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games after scoring at least 115 points in their last game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game. Additionally, New Orleans has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games after a game where at least 235 combined points were scored — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after a game where at least 245 combined points were scored. They stay at home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games when favored — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 home games when favored by six points or less. The Pelicans have also failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Defense remains a problem of head coach Stan Van Gundy’s team as they have allowed their last five opponents to score 120.6 PPG on 47.9% shooting. New Orleans has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games when favored — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: Chicago nailed a franchise-record 25 shots from behind the arc in a 129-116 win at home against New Orleans on February 10th. The Pelicans will want revenge — but the Bulls have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games played in the Big Easy. 25* NBA Pre-All Star Break Underdog of the Year with the Chicago Bulls (537) plus the points versus the New Orleans Pelicans (538). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Phoenix Suns (527) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Lakers (528). THE SITUATION: Phoenix (22-11) has won two straight games as well as five of their last six contests after their 118-99 win at Minnesota on Sunday as a 10-point favorite. Los Angeles (24-11) won their second-straight game on Sunday with their 117-91 win against Golden State as a 2.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SUNS PLUS THE POINTS: Phoenix cruised against the Timberwolves despite shooting 49.4% from the field which sounds good — but it was actually the lowest field goal percentage in their last seven games (maybe costing us the Over that night!). The Suns are averaging a 50.8% shooting percentage in their last five games which is generating 121.0 PPG. They should build off their momentum tonight with the opportunity to knock off the reigning NBA champions. Phoenix has covered the point spread in 12 of their last 14 games after a double-digit win — and they have covered the point spread in 11 straight games on the road after a win by 10 or more points. The Suns have scored at least 106 points in 11 straight games — and they have then covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games after scoring at least 105 points in at least five straight games. They also have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 18 games after scoring at least 115 points in their last contest. Furthermore, they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 14 games after winning two of their last three — and they have covered the point spread in 22 of their last 32 games on the road after covering the point spread in their last two games. And while this is their third game on the road since Thursday, they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games when playing their third game in five days on the road. Phoenix has an 11-5 record on the road (versus their 11-6 record at home) — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight road games as an underdog. Los Angeles hit rock bottom last week when they were crushed on the road in Utah in a fourth straight loss. The champs picked themselves off the mat with two straight wins. Getting Dennis Schroder back from quarantine has helped. Yet consistency and focus remain an issue for this team even when they have had Anthony Davis healthy. The Lakers have 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 4 of their last 5 games after a win at home. Los Angeles raced out to a 73-44 halftime lead against the Warriors on Sunday but they have failed to cover the point spread in 28 of their last 40 games at home after owning a halftime lead of at least 20 points in their last game. The Lakers have also failed to cover the point spread in 12 of the last 15 home games after a win by at least 10 points at home in their last game. Additionally, LA has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after covering the point spread in two straight games. The Lakers have not played great at home in the Staples Center without fans as they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their 18 home games this season.

FINAL TAKE: Los Angeles has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games against a team winning at least 60% of their games — and Phoenix has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 11 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better. 25* NBA Pre-All Star Break Pacific Division Game of the Year with the Phoenix Suns (527) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Lakers (528). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Clippers (521) minus the points versus the Boston Celtics (522). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (24-12) has lost two of their last three games with their 105-100 loss in Milwaukee on Sunday as a 2-point underdog. Boston (17-17) has won two games in a with their 111-110 win against Washington as a 6.5-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CLIPPERS MINUS THE POINTS: We had Los Angeles on Sunday — and felt pretty good late in that game when they were up 100-96 with four minutes to go. But the Clippers did score the rest of the way while letting the Bucks scored the final nine points in that game. Blank slate from that loss — Los Angeles should bounce-back with a strong effort as they have covered the point spread in 41 of their last 57 games after a straight-up loss. The Clippers have also covered the point spread in 35 of their last 52 games after a point spread loss. They stay on the road where they are outscoring their home hosts by +6.6 PPG this season. Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 22 of their last 32 road games — and they have covered the point spread in 33 of their last 50 road games when favored. Boston has failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight games after a win. The Celtics have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after winning two of their last three games. And while Boston has scored at least 111 points in three straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after scoring at least 110 points in three straight games. The Celtics will be undermanned tonight. Jaylen Brown was a late scratch on Sunday with a knee — he is questionable to play and it does not look like he is taking the court. Boston has been without Marcus Smart for the last 17 games as well as he deals with a calf — and the Celtics have lost ten of those games. Brad Stevens’ misses his defense. Boston has failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 19 games with the Total set at 220 or higher. The Celtics have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%.

FINAL TAKE: The Clippers will be looking to avenge a 119-115 upset loss at home against Boston on February 5th — and they have covered the point spread in 33 of their last 52 opportunities to avenge a same-season loss. 10* NBA LA Clippers-Boston TNT Special with the Los Angeles Clippers (521) minus the points versus the Boston Celtics (522). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Oklahoma Sooners (845) minus the point(s) versus the Oklahoma State Cowboys (846). THE SITUATION: Oklahoma (14-7) lost their second-straight game on Saturday in a 94-90 loss in overtime at home to the Cowboys. Oklahoma State (16-6) has won four games in a row.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SOONERS MINUS THE POINT(S): Oklahoma should bounce-back with a strong effort as they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after an upset loss. Additionally, the Sooners have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after losing two in a row. Oklahoma travels to Stillwater for this rematch — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. The Sooners are a defense-first team that ranks 39th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency and 19th in opponent’s field goal percentage inside the arc. They are led by senior point guard Austin Reaves who leads the team in scoring, rebounds, and assists. Oklahoma has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. They also have covered the point spread in 21 of their last 31 games with the total set in the 140s. And in their last 20 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range, the Sooners have covered the point spread in 14 of these contests. Oklahoma State may be due for a letdown as they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after an upset win — and they have failed to cover the point spread 13 of their last 20 games after an upset victory against a Big 12 rival as an underdog getting at least 6 points. Additionally, the Cowboys have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after scoring at least 90 points in their last game. Furthermore, Oklahoma State has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 10 home games after winning at least two in a row — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight home games after winning at least three in a row. The quick turnaround will not help either as the Cowboys have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games when playing with one day or less of rest. Oklahoma State is overvalued when playing at home. They rank 32nd in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency — but while they are 34th nationally on the road, they plummet to 51st nationally when playing at home in Stillwater. The Cowboys 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 they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 home games as an underdog getting up to 3 points.

FINAL TAKE: Oklahoma has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when playing with revenge — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when avenging an upset loss as a home favorite. 25* CBB Big Monday ESPN Game of the Month with the Oklahoma Sooners (845) minus (or plus) the point(s) versus the Oklahoma State Cowboys (846). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Syracuse Orange (840) plus the point(s) versus the North Carolina Tar Heels (839). THE SITUATION: Syracuse (13-8) has lost two in a row after their 84-77 loss at Georgia Tech on Saturday as a 4.5-point underdog. North Carolina (15-8) has won three of their last four games with their 78-70 upset win against Florida State as a 2-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE ORANGE PLUS THE POINT(S): Syracuse allowed the Yellow Jackets to make 50% of their shots on the heels of allowing Duke to shoot over 53% against them last Monday in an 85-71 loss. The Orange have covered the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games after allowing at least 80 points in their last game — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after allowing their last two opponents to make at least 50% of their shots. Now after playing their last two games on the road, Syracuse returns home where they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 home games as an underdog. The Orange are better at home according to the laptops. While Syracuse ranks 68th in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency, they climb to 47th nationally when playing at home. The Orange have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. North Carolina may be due for a letdown after their big win against the Seminoles. The Tar Heels are 9-19-1 ATS in their last 29 games after a straight-up win — and they are 2-5-1 ATS in their last 8 games after a point spread victory. North Carolina hits the road again for the first time since February 13th after playing their last four games at home. The Tar Heels rank 27th nationally in Adjusted Net Efficiency — but they fall to 64th in that metric when evaluating how teams play on the road. North Carolina has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 road games against teams with a winning record at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 road games when favored by up to 6 points. The Tar Heels are also just 2-6-1 ATS in their last 9 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher.

FINAL TAKE: Syracuse will be looking to avenge an 81-75 loss at North Carolina as a 4-point underdog on January 12th. The Orange have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when avenging a loss. 10* CBB Monday Daily Discounted Deal with the Syracuse Orange (840) plus the point(s) versus the North Carolina Tar Heels (839). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Memphis Grizzlies (573) minus the points versus the Houston Rockets (574). THE SITUATION: Memphis (14-15) has lost three of their last four games with their 119-99 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday as a 7.5-point underdog. Houston (11-20) has lost ten in a row after their 122-111 loss at Toronto as a 6-point underdog on Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GRIZZLIES MINUS THE POINTS: We had the Clippers on Friday after they laid an egg against Memphis in their previous game — but I acknowledged that the Grizzlies were a much better team now that they were getting healthier again. Brandon Clarke, Grayson Allen, and Justise Winslow are back in the mix after missing a ton of games this season (although Allen is out tonight given the concussion protocol). Memphis should play better tonight — they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up loss. They also have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss. They should take care of business in this game as they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games on the road as a favorite. They also have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games overall when laying the points — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games against teams with a winning percentage of 40% or less. Houston is a hot mess — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 25 of their last 33 games after a straight-up loss. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games after a double-digit loss — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after a point spread loss. They return home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games. The Rockets will be without Victor Oladipo for this game who is getting the night off for load management — and they are already without Chris Wood whose ankle injury occurred at their beginning of this ten-game losing streak. Houston has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Memphis should give the Rockets their full attention after getting upset at home to them on February 4th as a 4-point underdog by a 115-103 score. The Grizzlies have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 22 games when playing with revenge from an upset loss. 10* NBA Sunday Night Discounted Deal with the Memphis Grizzlies (573) minus the points versus the Houston Rockets (574). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Lafayette Leopards (1511) minus the points versus the Lehigh Mountain Hawks (1512). THE SITUATION: Lafayette (8-5) has won three of their last four games with their 75-69 win at home against the Mountain Hawks yesterday. Lehigh (4-9) has now lost four of their last five games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE LEOPARDS MINUS THE POINTS: Lafayette should build off their momentum from yesterday as they are 22-10-1 ATS in their last 33 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 24 games after a win against a Patriot League foe. The Leopards have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games when playing with one day or less of rest. They now go on the road where the metrics say they play better. Lafayette ranks 234rd nationally in Adjusted Net Efficiency — but while they are 236th when at home, they climb to 217th when on the road. The Leopards are 20-8-1 ATS in their last 29 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 22 road games with the number in the 140s. Additionally, Lafayette has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 road games against teams with a losing record at home — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 road games as a favorite. The Leopards have the second-best Adjusted Offensive Efficiency numbers in the Patriot League — and they lead the conference by nailing 37.5% of their 3-pointers on the road. Lehigh has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a straight-up loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a loss on the road to a conference rival. The Mountain Lions have also failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 26 games when playing day or less of rest. Lehigh is 1-4 at home where they are getting outscored by -13.0 PPG — and they have retained more value as a road underdog yesterday. The Mountains Lions are 306th in Adjusted Net Efficiency — but they are even worse at home with a 337th ranking as compared to their 268th rating when playing on the road. Lehigh has failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight home games — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight home games as an underdog. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 home games with the Total set in the 145 to 149.5 point range. This is not a good basketball team — they rank 10th in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency and 8th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in the Patriot League. They have allowed their last five opponents to make 48.4% of their shots while making only 37.3% of their shots over that span. The Mountain Lions have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Lehigh has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 opportunities to avenge a loss. The Mountain Lions beat the Leopards on January 2nd but have since lost the next two meetings this season — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games when motivated by double-revenge. 25* CBB Patriot League Game of the Month with the Lafayette Leopards (1511) minus the points versus the Lehigh Mountain Hawks (1512). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Pittsburgh Panthers (807) plus the points versus the North Carolina State (808). THE SITUATION: Pittsburgh (9-9) has lost four in a row after their 79-72 loss to Florida State as a 7-point underdog back on February 20th. NC State (11-9) has won three in a row with their 68-61 upset win at Virginia as an 11.5-point underdog on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PANTHERS PLUS THE POINTS: This is a good spot to fade the Wolfpack after they played their best defensive game of the season by holding the Cavaliers to just 37.0% shooting. NC State is still allowing their ACC opponents to make 47.1% of their shots which is generating 73.0 PPG. The Wolfpack have failed to cover the spread in 14 of their last 19 games at home after a point spread win. Now after playing their last three games on the road, they return home for the first time since February 13th. But NC State does not retain a big home-court advantage. Let’s get out one of my secret weapons: net efficiency rating home/road splits. The metrics I lean on rate the Wolfpack as the 62nd team in the nation Adjusted Net Efficiency. But while NC State is 36th nationally on the road in Adjusted Net Efficiency, they plummet to just 97th nationally in Adjusted Net Efficiency when playing at home. That helps to explain why the Wolfpack are 0-5-1 ATS in their last 6 games at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight home games when favored. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 13 home games when favored by 6.5 to 12 points. Pittsburgh has not played in eight days — and they have since lost Xavier Johnson and Au’Diese Toney who decided to transfer from the program. Those two players account for 28.6 PPG — and that is why we are getting a few more points in this game than what the laptops are projecting. These kinds of absences tend to get overrated by the betting public. Head coach Jeff Capel still has his leading scorer in Justin Champagne who is scoring 18.8 PPG — and this is an opportunity for other players to step up. Often disgruntled players leaving a program is addition by subtraction (ask Duke). Even with Johnson and Toney, the Panthers shot only 38.2% from the field which was the worst shooting effort in their last five games. Pitt has covered the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games after losing two in a row at home. Now after playing their last two games at home, they go back on the road where they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games after playing their last two at home. The Panthers rank 83rd in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — but while they drop to 109th at home, they rise to 68th when playing on the road. They have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Pitt is 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 games against teams with a winning record — and they are 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 games as an underdog. NC State has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games as a favorite — and they are 2-8-2 ATS in their last 12 games against teams with a winning record. 10* CBB Sunday Afternoon Discounted Deal with the Pittsburgh Panthers (807) plus the points versus the North Carolina State (808). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:35 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Clippers (563) minus (or plus) the point(s) versus the Milwaukee Bucks (564). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (24-11) has won two of their last three games after their 119-99 win at Memphis as a 7.5-point favorite on Friday. Milwaukee (20-13) has won four in a row with their 129-125 win against New Orleans as an 8-point favorite on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CLIPPERS MINUS (OR PLUS) THE POINT(S): Los Angeles should build off their momentum playing back at almost full strength — only Patrick Patterson is out for this team right now. The Clippers have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after a win by at least 15 points — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after a win on the road by at least 20 points. LA has seen 218 combined points scored in two straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 22 of their last 31 games on the road after playing two straight games where at least 215 combined points were scored. The Clippers are reliable road warriors who have covered the point spread in 22 of their last 31 road games — and they have covered the point spread in eleven of their seventeen road games this season. Los Angeles has also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. Milwaukee has won four in a row with their 129-125 win against New Orleans as an 8-point favorite. The Bucks made 54.2% of their shots on Thursday in what was the best shooting effort in their last 13 games. But Milwaukee has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game. The Bucks have also covered the point spread in 12 of their last 18 games after a narrow win by 6 points or less — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 26 of their last 34 gams after winning at least three in a row at home.

FINAL TAKE: The line has jumped back and forth in this game with Milwaukee opening as a small favorite before the Clippers were bet to a small favorite and now the Bucks are laying a point or two with the news that they expect Jrue Holiday to take the court again. Whatevs. Milwaukee has failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better. 10* NBA LA Clippers-Milwaukee ABC-TV Special with the Los Angeles Clippers (563) minus (or plus) the point(s) versus the Milwaukee Bucks (564). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the CS-Northridge Matadors (771) plus the points versus the CS-Bakersfield Roadrunners (772). THE SITUATION: CS-Northridge (8-10) has lost three of their last four games after their 84-58 loss at CS-Bakersfield last night as an 8-point underdog. CS-Bakersfield (15-9) snapped a two-game losing streak with the victory.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MATADORS PLUS THE POINTS: Just a bad night for CS-Northridge as they made only 39.0% of their shots — and they allowed the Roadrunners to shoot 54.1% from the field in what was the worst defensive effort in their last eight games. But head coach Mike Gottfried’s team has rebounded to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a loss by at least 20 points. The Matadors usually are competitive against good teams as they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. CS-Northridge is also 19-7-1 ATS in their last 27 road games against teams who win at least 60% of their games at home. Additionally, the Matadors have covered the point spread 12 of their last 17 road games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 road games as a dog getting 6.5 to 12 points. CS-Bakersfield had their best shooting effort in ten games with their 54.5% clip last night. They also enjoyed the best defensive effort in their last ten games by holding the Matadors to 39.0% shooting. They raced out to a 47-22 halftime lead — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after holding a halftime lead of at least 20 points. Additionally, the Roadrunners have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a win by at least 20 points. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 home games after not allowing more than 60 points in their last game. CS-Bakersfield remains just 8-18-1 ATS in their last 27 games at home — and they are only 7-15-1 ATS in their last 23 home games when favored. The Roadrunners are just 4-12-1 ATS in their last 17 games against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: CS-Northridge has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 road games when avenging a loss by at least 20 points. Last night was an outlier — the Matadors will play better and we are getting two more points of value from last night’s point spread. 25* CBB Big West Underdog of the Year with the CS-Northridge Matadors (771) plus the points versus the CS-Bakersfield Roadrunners (772). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the San Antonio Spurs (552) plus the points versus the New Orleans Pelicans (551). THE SITUATION: San Antonio (16-12) saw their two-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday in a 102-99 upset loss at home against Oklahoma State as a 1-point favorite. New Orleans (14-18) had their two-game winning streak end on Thursday in a 129-125 loss at Milwaukee as an 8-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SPURS PLUS THE POINTS: San Antonio had not played February 14th when they took the court on Wednesday — and they had a handful of players still out due to COVID quarantine protocols including DeMar DeRozan. The Spurs still have Dejounte Murray, Patty Mills, Lonnie Walker IV leading the way — and no one gets more out of every player on the roster than head coach Gregg Popovich. When I received the news that DeRozan was upgraded to probable for tonight’s game, I signed off. DeRozan is having an incredible season, albeit under the radar. He is scoring 19.8 PPG while adding 5.0 Rebounds-Per-Game and 6.9 Assists-Per-Game. He is also playing every position but center while being able to guard effectively at all four positions. His flexibility allows the Spurs to play several different lineups to maximize match-up edges. This is a solid basketball team that plays hard every night — and they remain as well-coached from night-to-night as any team in the league. Against Stan Van Gundy? Mismatch (what does someone have to do to stop getting NBA head coaching jobs? Mark Jackson knows the answer to that). San Antonio will play well tonight as they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after a point spread loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games when playing with two days of rest. They return home to the AT&T Center for the first time since February 9th after their regular February exodus due to the San Antonio rodeo (PPD this year). The Spurs have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 23 home games as an underdog. Additionally, San Antonio has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points. New Orleans has failed to cover the point spread in 35 of their last 53 games after a loss on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a loss by 6 points or less. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after allowing at least 125 points in their last game. The Pelicans remain a disaster on defense under the guidance of defensive wizardry of Van Gundy and his 1996 principles being deployed in his first season in the Big Easy. New Orleans is second-to-last in the league in their Defensive Rating. And while it may be tempting to give Van Gundy a pass given the lack of a typical preseason, the Pelicans have allowed their last five opponents to make 51.0% of their shots for 124.0 PPG. The Pelicans have now played ten straight Overs — but this style of play is not helping this team. Not only has New Orleans failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 22 games after playing a game that finished Over the Total but they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 18 games after playing at least two straight Overs. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 25 games when playing with one day of rest. They stay on the road where they are 5-11 — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 4 road games against teams with a losing record at home. They also allow their home hosts to make 48.5% of their shots which is generating 116.5 PPG for the home teams. Furthermore, the Pelicans have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when favored. J.J. Redick is doubtful tonight with a hamstring.

FINAL TAKE: New Orleans has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against the Spurs. The lone exception during that stretch was a 98-95 win at home against San Antonio as a 4.5-point favorite on December 27th. The Spurs have covered the point spread in 44 of their last 59 games when avenging a loss on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games when playing with revenge from a loss by three points or less. 25* NBA Pre-All Star Break Southwest Division Underdog of the Year with the San Antonio Spurs (552) plus the points versus the New Orleans Pelicans (551). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 2:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Portland State Pilots (643) plus the points versus the Northern Colorado Bears (644). THE SITUATION: Portland State (8-10) had their four-game winning streak snapped on Thursday in a 66-64 loss at Northern Colorado in a pick ‘em matchup. Northern Colorado (10-8) has won two in a row.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PILOTS PLUS THE POINTS: Portland State made only 32.8% of their shots on Thursday in the worst shooting effort in their last 14 games. They should shoot better this afternoon being more familiar with the gym. As it is, the Pilots have covered the point spread 8 of their last 11 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after a straight-up loss on the road to a conference foe. They have also covered the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games after a point spread loss. Additionally, head coach Barret Peery’s team has been very good playing on short rest. They have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 24 games when playing with one day or less of rest including six straight games under those circumstances. Portland State has also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games when playing their second game on the road in three days. Peery has his team do the little things to create more scoring opportunities — so they should be in good shape in this rematch if they can approach making 40% of their shots. The Pilots lead the Big Sky by pulling down 32.5% of their missed shots. They also lead the conference in forcing turnovers in 25.7% of their opponent’s possessions — and the Bears are 8th in the Big Sky by turning the ball over in 19.1% of their possessions. Portland State may be just 1-6 on the road but they are losing these games by an average of -1.5 PPG. They hold their home hosts to just 42.8% shooting. The Pilots are 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 road games — and they are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 road games as an underdog. Northern Colorado played their best defensive game of the season by holding the Pilots to 32.8% shooting. This is the Bears’ third game since Monday — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 20 home games when playing their third home game in seven days. They rank 237th in Adjusted Net Efficiency by the deeper metrics — but they fall to 255th in the Adjusted Net Efficiency when playing at home. Northern Colorado has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games with the Total in the 130s. The Bears 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 they have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight home games when favored. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when favored overall.

FINAL TAKE: Portland State has covered the point spread in 21 of their last 26 games when playing with revenge including five of these last seven situations. They also have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 18 games when avenging a loss on the road. 25* CBB Big Sky Underdog of the Year with the Portland State Pilots (643) plus the points versus the Northern Colorado Bears (644). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Phoenix Suns (537) minus the points versus the Chicago Bulls (538). THE SITUATION: Phoenix (20-11) had their three-game losing streak snapped last night in a 124-121 upset loss to Charlotte as a 9-point favorite. Chicago (15-16) has won three straight games as well as five of their last six contests after their 133-126 win against Minnesota on Wednesday as an 8-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SUNS MINUS THE POINTS: Phoenix should bounce-back tonight as they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after a point spread loss. Phoenix has also covered the point spread in 14 of their last 17 games after allowing at least 115 points in their last game. And in their last 30 games after winning three of their last four games, the Suns have covered the point spread in 21 of these contests. Phoenix made 50.6% of their shots last night which was their lowest shooting effort in their last five games — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after making at least 50% of their shots in two straight games. They go back on the road where they have covered the points spread in 5 of their last 6 games. Chicago failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 14 home games after a win at home. The Bulls have also failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after scoring at least 130 points in their last game. Chicago has been feasting on weaker competition with their five recent victories against Houston, Sacramento, Detroit, Indiana, and the Timberwolves. They lone winning team they have played in their last six contests was against Philadelphia — and they lost to them by 7 points. The Bulls have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 home games against teams who are winning at least 60% of their games on the road. They have also failed to cover the point spread in their 3 home games this season as an underdog getting 6.5 to 12 points.

FINAL TAKE: Chicago has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Phoenix has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a losing record — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games when favored. 20* NBA Friday Daily Discounted Deal with the Phoenix Suns (537) minus the points versus the Chicago Bulls (538). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Clippers (539) minus the points versus the Memphis Grizzlies (540). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (23-11) has lost two of three after their 122-94 upset loss at Memphis as an 8-point favorite last night. Memphis (14-14) snapped a two-game losing streak with the win.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CLIPPERS MINUS THE POINTS: The Grizzlies are getting healthy again with Brandon Clarke, Grayson Allen, and Justise Winslow back on the court and in the regular rotation. Ja Morant has missed eight games this season as well with an ankle injury. The team displayed their potential last night in a game where they were winning by 30 points at one point. Yet this effort was an outlier. The Grizzlies held the Clippers to 40.5% shooting in what was the best defensive performance of their season. They also made 54.3% of their shots which was the best shooting effort in their last 13 games. But Memphis has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up win. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a double-digit victory. The Grizzlies host this rematch where they have still failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games as a home underdog. Killian Tillie is listed as questionable tonight with a foot injury. And in Memphis’ last 8 games as an underdog, the Grizzlies have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of these games. Los Angeles should play better on defense tonight after Memphis had the best field goal percentage in them in 12 games. The Clippers also had the worst shooting percentage on offense in their last 16 games. Yet LA is still ranked third in the NBA in Offensive Efficiency under first-year head coach Tyron Lue. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George combined to make only two of their nine shots from 3-point land. Leonard has been his typical excellent self this season — but it is George who has stepped up his game amidst off-season criticism to score 24.8 PPG while nailing 48.1% of his 3-pointers so far this year. The Clippers should step up with a strong effort tonight. They have covered the point spread in 40 of their last 56 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 25 of their last 35 games after a point spread loss. Los Angeles has also covered the points spread in 19 of their last 28 games after an upset loss — and they have covered the point spread in 27 of their last 37 games after a loss on the road. Additionally, the Clippers have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games after a loss by at least 10 points. LA has been very good on the road with an 11-5 record and an average winning margin of +6.6 PPG. They are making 48.4% of their shots away from home which is generating 114.5 PPG. The Clippers have covered the point spread in 21 of their last 30 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 44 of their last 65 road games when favored.

FINAL TAKE: Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 19 of their last 27 games on the road when avenging a same-season loss. 25* NBA Game of the Month with the Los Angeles Clippers (539) minus the points versus the Memphis Grizzlies (540). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Philadelphia 76ers (520) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (519). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (21-11) has won three of their last four games with their 109-102 win at Toronto as a 2.5-point favorite on Tuesday. Dallas (15-15) has won six of their last seven games after their 110-107 upset win against Boston as a 2.5-point underdog on Tuesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE 76ERS MINUS THE POINTS: Philadelphia should build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in 18 of their last 29 games after a win against an Atlantic Division rival. They have also covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games after winning three of their last four games. And while they have not covered the point spread in five of their last seven games, they have then covered the point spread in 19 of their last 26 games after failing to cover the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. The Sixers return where they are very tough to bear with a 13-2 record while scoring 117.9 PPG on 49.4% shooting from the field. They have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 15 home games with the total in the 220s. Head coach Doc Rivers expects Seth Curry to play tonight with him being upgraded to probable with his nagging ankle. Dallas has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after an upset win. They also have 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 4 of their last 5 games after a win by six points or less. Furthermore, the Mavericks have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games when playing with one day of rest. They go back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their alt 8 road games as an underdog of 6 points or less. They may be without Kristaps Porzingis who is listed as questionable with a back injury.

FINAL TAKE: Dallas has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning record — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games as an underdog. Philly has covered the point spread in 8 straight home games when favored by up to 6 points. 10* NBA Dallas-Philadelphia TNT Special with the Philadelphia 76ers (520) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (519). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Morehead State Eagles (742) minus the points versus the Tennessee State Tigers (741). THE SITUATION: Morehead State (18-7) has won two in a row with their 56-48 win at SIU-Edwardsville on Monday as a 13-point favorite. Tennessee State (4-17) has lost seven of their last eight games with their 77-76 loss to Jacksonville State as a 7-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE EAGLES MINUS THE POINTS: Morehead State should build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after a straight-up win. They also have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a point spread loss. They return home for the first time since February 6th where they are 10-1 this season with an average winning margin of +11.2 PPG. The Eagles hold their guests to just 59.1 PPG on 38.4% shooting from the field. Morehead State has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games at home — and they have coved the point spread in 4 straight games at home against a team with a losing record on the road. Tennessee State allowed Jacksonville State to make 52.8% of their shots — they were the fourth opponent in their last five games who shot at least 50% from the field against them. The Tigers have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a loss. They go back on the road for the first time since February 6th after playing their last four games at home. Tennessee State has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight road games after playing their last three games at home. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 22 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 11 road games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: The Tigers have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning record — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games as an underdog. The Eagles have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games when favored — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against a team with a losing record. 10* CBB Blowout Bookie Buster with the Morehead State Eagles (742) minus the points versus the Tennessee State Tigers (741). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Lakers (517) plus the points versus the Utah Jazz (518). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (22-10) suffered their third-straight upset loss on Monday with their 127-124 loss to Washington as a 6.5-point favorite. Utah (25-6) has won ten of their last eleven games with their 132-110 win against Charlotte as a 12.5-point favorite on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE LAKERS PLUS THE POINTS: Los Angeles allowed the Wizards to make 49.0% of their shots which was the second-highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last 16 games. The Lakers blew a 17-point second-half lead against Washington. These are the dog days of February in the middle of a pandemic for the reigning NBA champions who are without both Anthony Davis and Dennis Schroeder — but “champions pride” should kick-in tonight after getting upset by Brooklyn and then Miami playing with revenge from the NBA Finals before taking their foot off the proverbial gas pedal against the Wizards. Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after a game where at least 225 combined points were scored. The Lakers have only covered the point spread twice in their last nine games — but they have then covered the point spread in 4 straight games after not covering the point spread in four or five of their last six games. Los Angeles goes on the road where they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 road games as an underdog. The Lakers are not underdogs often these days — but they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games when getting the points. Utah is the hottest team in the NBA — and they made 52.9% of their shots on Monday in what was the best shooting effort in the last eight games. The Jazz have been mostly feasting on the bottom half of the league. They are just 3-12-1 ATS in their last 16 home games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road. Utah is also only 4-10-1 ATS in their last 15 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better.

FINAL TAKE: The Lakers have covered the point spread in their last 5 meetings with the Jazz — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games in Utah against Quin Snyder’s team. 10* NBA Wednesday Late Show Bailout with the Los Angeles Lakers (517) plus the points versus the Utah Jazz (518). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the South Carolina Gamecocks (681) plus the points versus the Mississippi State Bulldogs (682). THE SITUATION: South Carolina (5-11) has lost five straight games with their 93-78 loss at home to Missouri as a 4-point underdog on Saturday. Mississippi State (12-11) snapped a two-game losing streak on Saturday with their 66-56 win at Ole Miss as a 5.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GAMECOCKS PLUS THE POINTS: South Carolina allowed the Tigers to make 57.6% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last nine games. The Gamecocks have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games after a double-digit loss to a conference opponent — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a loss by 10 for more points at home. South Carolina has also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after allowing at least 90 points in their last game. They stay go back on the road where they are ranked 80th in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency — as compared to their ranking at home of just 129th in Adjusted Net Efficiency. The Gamecocks have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 16 road games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 7 straight games on the road as a dog getting 3.5 to 6 points. Mississippi State has failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread win. The Bulldogs have also failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after a win on the road. They return home where they are just 8-5 and likely overvalued. The analytics rank Mississippi State as 80th in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency when playing at home as compared to their ranking of 16th in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency when they are playing on the road. The Bulldogs have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 home games against teams with a winning percentage of 40% or less on the road. Furthermore, Mississippi State has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning percentage of 40% or less — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games as a favorite.

FINAL TAKE: South Carolina is avenging a 75-59 upset loss at home to Mississippi State as a 3-point favorite on February 6th — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games when playing with revenge from a loss at home. 20* CBB Wednesday Daily Discounted Deal with the South Carolina Gamecocks (681) plus the points versus the Mississippi State Bulldogs (682). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Boston Celtics (571) minus (or plus) the Dallas Mavericks (572). THE SITUATION: Boston (15-15) looks to rebound from a 120-115 upset loss in overtime at New Orleans as a 2-point favorite on Sunday. Dallas (14-15) won their fifth game in their last six last night with their 102-92 win against Memphis as a 4.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CELTICS MINUS (OR PLUS) THE POINTS: Boston blew a 24-point lead on Sunday against the Pelicans. The Celtics made only 39.8% of their shots in what was the lowest shooting effort in their last four games. Boston should pick themselves up off the mat after that embarrassing result on national television. The Celtics have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a point spread loss. Boston has also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after an upset loss on the road as a favorite. Head coach Brad Stevens’ team is struggling — but this group has been rarely been at full strength due to injuries. Marcus Smart is out with a calf injury but the group’s Big Three of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kemba Walker will be on the court together for this game which has not been the case for many of their games this season. Consistency has been a problem — and the Celtics need help on their frontline. But Tatum and Brown are rising superstars in this league who are only 22 and 24-years old — the vision for general manager Danny Ainge is that this team will be elite for years with two of the top-ten players in the game over the next several years. Boston has bounced-back to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 17 road games after a narrow loss by 6 points or less. And in their last 5 games with the Total set at 235 or higher, they have covered the point spread in 4 of these contests. Dallas held the Grizzlies to just 39.4% shooting last night which was the best defensive effort in their last 19 games. The Mavericks are struggling at that end of the court — they rank 24th in Defensive Rating this season. They had not played since Valentine’s Day before last night — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games when playing without rest. Dallas has also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 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. Additionally, the Mavericks have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a double-digit win over a Southwest Division rival. They stay at home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 21 of their last 30 home games after a win. Dallas has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games on their home court — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. The Mavs have also failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 13 home games with the Total set at 220 or higher.

FINAL TAKE: Dallas was an overnight favorite but moved to the underdog with the news that Kristaps Porzingis is questionable with his knee. Even if Porzingis plays tonight, I like the Celtics — but his absence certainly helps. Boston has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 meetings with the Mavericks — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 15 trips to Dallas to face them. 25* NBA Pre-All Star Break Tuesday TNT Game of the Year with the Boston Celtics (571) minus (or plus) the Dallas Mavericks (572). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Detroit Pistons (539)  plus the points versus the Orlando Magic (540). THE SITUATION: Detroit (8-21) has lost two in a row with their 109-95 loss at Memphis on Friday. Orlando (12-18) pulled off their second-straight upset victory on Friday with their 124-120 upset win against Golden State as a 5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PISTONS MINUS THE POINTS: Detroit only made 41.9% of their shots against the Grizzlies in what was the lowest field goal percentage in their last seven games. The Pistons should play better tonight. They have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after a double-digit loss — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a straight-up loss. Detroit has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread loss. And in their last 12 games after losing two in a row, the Pistons have covered the point spread 8 of these games. This team plays hard for head coach Dwane Casey every night who is doing a great job getting the most out of his talent. Blake Griffin will no play as he is being held out until he is traded — but big deal, the veteran has offered little to this team since being traded from the Clippers a couple of years ago. Detroit has covered the point spread in 4 of their 6 games on the road with the Total set in the 220s. Orlando had lost thirteen of sixteen games before upsetting the Kings and Knicks before pulling that trick off again against the Warriors on Friday. But the Magic have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a point spread win. Orlando has also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after scoring at least 115 points in their last game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games after allowing at least 115 points in their last game. The Magic have also failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games when playing with one day of rest. They stay at home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight home games against teams with a winning percentage of 40% or less on the road. They are getting outscored at home by -4.5 PPG. Orlando is also undermanned for this game with both forward Aaron Gordon and point guard Cole Anthony out indefinitely. Gordon may be the team’s best player and there is a big drop off at point guard to backup Michael Carter-Williams. The Magic have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games against teams winning 25-40% of their games.

FINAL TAKE: The Pistons have covered the point spread in 4 straight games against Orlando. 10* NBA Sunday Night Discounted Deal with the Detroit Pistons (539)  plus the points versus the Orlando Magic (540). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 2:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (636) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the North Carolina State Wolfpack (635). THE SITUATION: Wake Forest (6-10) has lost two games in a row with their 84-60 loss to Duke on Wednesday as a 6-point underdog. NC State (9-9) snapped a two-game losing streak with a 74-73 upset win at Pittsburgh on Wednesday as a 4.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE DEMON DEACONS PLUS (OR MINUS) THE POINTS: Wake Forest allowed a Blue Devils team (seemingly liberated from freshman Jalen Johnson after he opted-out for the rest of the season) to make 54.1% of their shots from the field in what was the worst defensive effort this season. The Demon Deacons have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a loss to a conference rival. Wake Forest has also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a double-digit loss at home — and they have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 18 home games after a loss by at least 20 points. The Demon Deacons have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after losing two in a row to ACC opponents. Wake Forest stays at home where they are 5-3 with an average winning margin of +6.5 PPG. The Demon Deacons have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games on their home court — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. Wake Forest has also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 home games when priced in the +/- 3-point range. NC State nailed 56.9% of their shots on Wednesday which was the best shooting effort for them this season. But the Wolfpack have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after an upset win — and they are 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games after a point spread loss. NC State stays on the road where they are just 3-5 this season. They are just 2-6-1 ATS in their last 9 games on the road — and they are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. The Wolfpack are far from 100% for this game. They have already lost their leading scorer, Devon Daniels, to a season-ending knee injury last month. Thomas Allen did not play against the Panthers — he has led the team in scoring in three of his last nine starts. Braxton Beverly is dealing with back and hip issues — while he scored 12 points on Wednesday, he is questionable for this game. NC State has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: The Wolfpack won the previous meeting between these two teams on January 27th in a 72-67 win as a 7.5-point favorite. The Demon Deacons have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 opportunities to avenge a loss. 10* CBB Saturday Afternoon Discounted Deal with the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (636) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the North Carolina State Wolfpack (635). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Miami (FL) Hurricanes (606) plus the points versus the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (605). THE SITUATION: Miami (7-12) has lost two straight games as well as six of their last seven contests after their 71-61 loss at Notre Dame last Sunday as a 7-point underdog. Georgia Tech (10-8) snapped a two-game losing streak on Sunday with their 71-65 victory against Pittsburgh as a 5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HURRICANES PLUS THE POINTS: Miami shot just 32.4% from the field on Sunday against the Irish in what was the worst shooting effort of the season. They should shoot better this afternoon. The Hurricanes have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 home games after a loss on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 16 home games after a loss on the road against a conference rival. Additionally, Miami has covered the point spread in 7 straight games at home after two straight losses to ACC foes — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9  home games after losing three of their last four games. Head coach Jim Larranaga’s team has been riddled with injuries this season — at one point, they were down to just six scholarship players. These absences have opened space for rising sophomores, Isaiah Wong and Harlond Beverly, to step into scoring and leadership roles. They return home were they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games while holding their guests to just 41.9% shooting. The Hurricanes are better on their home court where they rank 116th in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency as compared to their 186nd ranking in Adjusted Net Efficiency on the road. They have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 home games as an underdog of up to 6 points. One thing this Miami team will not do is put the Yellow Jackets on the line — they are second best in the nation in free throw rate. Georgia Tech has failed to cover the point spread in 23 of their last 33 road games when playing with five or six days off since their last game. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games with the Total set in the 130s. They are just 2-5 on the road while only making 44.3% of their shots. The Yellow Jackets allow their home hosts to make 40.5% of their 3-pointers, 316th in the nation, and these home teams are pulling down 33.5% of their missed shots, 307th nationally. Georgia Tech has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 road games when favored by 3.5 to 6 points. Head coach Josh Pastner’s team has faltered on defense as well as of late — their last five opponents have made 48.2% of their baskets.

FINAL TAKE: The Yellow Jackets have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a losing record. The Hurricanes have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games against teams with a winning record. 10* CBB Saturday Afternoon Tipoff with the Miami (FL) Hurricanes (606) plus the points versus the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (605). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Stetson Hatters (307094) minus the points versus the Jacksonville Dolphins (307093). THE SITUATION: Stetson (8-11) has lost two of their last three games after their 83-75 upset loss at Kennesaw State as a 6.5-point favorite on Saturday. Jacksonville (10-12) has lost eight of their last nine games with their 71-69 loss to Lipscomb as a 7-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HATTERS MINUS THE POINTS: Stetson allowed Kennesaw State to make 49.0% of their shots in what was the worst defensive effort in their last seven games. The Hatters have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a straight-up win — and they have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a loss on the road. Stetson has also covered the points spread in 4 of their last 5 games when playing with five or six days of rest. Now after playing their last two games, the Hatters return home where they are 5-3 with an average winning wagon of +12.1 PPG. Stetson has covered the point spread in 6 straight games after playing their last two games on the road. They also have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 home games with the Total set in the 130 to 134.5 point range — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 home games against teams with a winning percentage of 40% or less on the road. The Hatter hold their visitors to just 42.6% shooting which translates into just 63.0 PPG on their home court. Stetson is much better at home — they rank 198th in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency at home as opposed to their 257th mark on the road. They are also averaging 47.2% shooting and 78.6 PPG over their last five games which are both improvements over their 70.1 PPGand 41.9% shooting averages for the season.

At 7:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Wisconsin Badgers (740) minus the points versus the Iowa Hawkeyes (739). THE SITUATION: Wisconsin (15-7) has lost two of their last three games after their 67-59 loss at home to Michigan on Sunday as a +0.5-point underdog. Iowa (15-6) has won two in a row after their 88-58 blowout win at home against Iowa as a 6.5-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BADGERS MINUS (OR PLUS) THE POINT(S): The Hawkeyes played one of their best games of the season on Saturday. They held the Spartans to just 35.5% shooting in what was the best defensive effort in their last eight games — and their 49.2% field goal percentage was the best shooting mark in their last four games. But Iowa is just 5-11-1 ATS in their last 17 games after a win by at least 20 points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a win by at least 30 points. The Hawkeyes have nailed 13 and 11 shots from behind the arc in their last two games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 18 games on the road after converting at least 10 shots from 3-point land in two straight games. They go back on the road where they are just 4-4 — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games away from home. Iowa is also a rough 19-40-2 ATS in their last 61 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. The Hawkeyes have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 road games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Wisconsin should respond with a strong effort tonight — they are 10-1-2 ATS in their last 13 games after a straight-up loss. The Badgers have also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after a loss to a Big Ten rival — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread loss. They stay at home where they remain ranked 5th in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency. Wisconsin is 10-3 at home with an average winning margin of +13.2 PPG — they hold their opponents to 39.1% shooting and only 60.3 PPG. And while Iowa scores 87.4 PPG, the Badgers have covered the point spread in 51 of their last 84 home games against teams who average at least 77 PPG.

FINAL TAKE: Wisconsin has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games with the Total set in the 140s. Iowa has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning record. They might be undermanned for this game with CJ Fredricks questionable with a leg injury. 10* CBB Thursday Daily Discounted Deal with the Wisconsin Badgers (740) minus the points versus the Iowa Hawkeyes (739). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Philadelphia 76ers (556) minus the points versus the Houston Rockets (555). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (18-10) looks to end a three-game losing streak after their 134-123 loss at Utah on Monday as an 8.5-point underdog. Houston (11-16) has lost six in a row after their 131-119 loss at Washington as a 1.5-point underdog on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE 76ERS MINUS THE POINTS: Philadelphia did not Embiid take on the hottest team in the league in the Jazz as he was a late scratch with his back — he should play tonight as he has been upgraded to probable. The Sixers have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after a double-digit loss. Returning home should help as Philadelphia has covered the point spread in 25 of their last 36 games at home after a loss — and they have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 22 home games after a double-digit loss. The 76ers are 11-2 at home where they are outscoring their opponents by +6.1 PPG. They make 49.6% of their shots at home which is resulting in 118.4 PPG. Philadelphia has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 home games against teams with a winning percentage no better than 40% on the road. Additionally, the Sixers have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 13 home games with the Total set in the 220s. Houston lost to the Wizards despite making 47.3% of their shots which was the best shooting effort in their last eight games. Head coach Stephen Silas has done a nice job with this team — but they simply lack talent with all the injuries they are dealing with right now which leaves them with John Wall and a bunch of replaceable. Christian Wood was very underrated in Detroit and was thriving with the Rockets this season but is now out indefinitely with an ankle injury. Victor Oladipo and Eric Gordon have been downgraded to doubtful with a foot and groin injury respectively. As it is, the Rockets have failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 29 games after a straight-up loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after a point spread loss. Houston has also failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 17 games after a double-digit loss. The Rockets have also failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 26 games after allowing at least 120 points in their last game. With all their missing players, Houston is allowing their last five opponents to make 49.7% of their shots which is resulting in 120.4 PPG. They stay on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 11 road games against teams with a winning record at home. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 road games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher at home. Additionally, the Rockets have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Houston has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 trips to Philadelphia to play the 76ers. 10* NBA Houston-Philadelphia ESPN Special with the Philadelphia 76ers (556) minus the points versus the Houston Rockets (555). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Wofford Terriers (690) minus the points versus the Citadel Bulldogs (689). THE SITUATION: Wofford (12-8) has lost two in a row after their 71-49 loss at East Tennessee State on Saturday as a 2-point underdog. The Citadel (11-8) saw their two-game winning streak end on Saturday in a 70-66 loss at UT-Chattanooga as a 10-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TERRIERS MINUS THE POINTS: Wofford made only 34.0% of their shots on Saturday in what was the worst shooting effort in their last ten games. They also allowed the Buccaneers to shoot 49.0% from the field in what was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last three games. The Terriers should play better as they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after not scoring more than 50 points in their last game. And while they only managed 21 points in the first half against East Tennessee State, they have then covered the point spread in 27 of their last 40 games when playing at home after not scoring more than 25 points in the first half of their last game. Wofford has only covered the point spread twice in their last seven games — but they have then covered the point spread in 35 of their last 54 games after failing to cover the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. The Terriers return home where they torch the nets at a 52.5% clip which generates 83.2 PPG. Wofford is 7-3 on their home court while outscoring their opponents by +13.1 PPG. The Citadel allows their home hosts to shoot 50.4% from the field which is producing 90.7 PPG. The Bulldogs are 1-5 on the road with an average losing margin of -8.7 PPG. The Citadel is just 5-15-1 ATS in their last 21 games after a straight-up loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 25 of their last 36 games against a Southern Conference opponent. The Bulldogs have also failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 22 games after a loss on the road. They have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 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 of 60% or higher at home.

FINAL TAKE: Wofford will be looking to avenge a 77-69 upset loss at the Citadel as an 8.5-point favorite on January 7th. The Terriers have covered the point spread in 35 of their last 55 games when avenging an upset loss — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games when playing with revenge from an upset loss where they were laying at least 7 points. 10* CBB Wednesday Daily Discounted Deal with the Wofford Terriers (690) minus the points versus the Citadel Bulldogs (689). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:30 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Butler Bulldogs (672) minus the points versus the Marquette Golden Eagles (671). THE SITUATION: Butler (7-11) saw their two-game winning streak snapped on Saturday in a 78-63 loss at Georgetown as a 1.5-point underdog. Marquette (9-12) has lost three in a row after their 57-51 loss at Seton Hall as a 6.5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BULLDOGS MINUS THE POINTS: Butler made only 39.0% of their shots on Saturday in what was the worst shooting effort in their last four games. The Bulldogs have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a straight-up loss. And while Butler has lost four of their last six games, they have then covered the point spread in 14 of their last 22 games after losing four or five of their last six contests. They return home where they are 6-3 this season — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games on their home court. The Bulldogs have also covered the point spread in 4 straight home games against teams with a winning percentage of 40% or less on the road. Butler has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against teams with a losing record — and they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games in expected close contests when they are listed in the +/- 3-point range. Head coach LeVall Jordan’s team ranks 27th in the nation by holding their opponents to rebounding only 23.3% of their missed shots. This skill will come in handy against this Golden Eagles team that rebounds 30.4% of their misses shots, ranking 97th nationally. Marquette lost to the Pirates on Sunday despite holding them to just 37.0% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last five games. The Golden Eagles have still allowed their last five opponents to make 46.6% of their shots. Marquette has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after a point spread loss. Furthermore, the Golden Eagles have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after a loss by 6 points or less. Marquette is slumping with six losses in their last seven games while only covering the point spread twice in their last eight games. That is not a good sign for them tonight. They have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after losing at least four or five of their last six games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games after failing to cover the point spread in four or five of their last six contests. They stay on the road for the third game of a rough five-game road trip. They have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games away from home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games against teams who are winning at least 60% of their home games. The Golden Eagles are just 3-5 on the road — and they allow their home hosts to make 38.1% of their 3-pointers, 282nd in the nation. Marquette has not covered the point spread in 4 straight games against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: The Golden Eagles miss freshman Justin Lewis who has missed the last two games doe to a leg injury that leaves him questionable tonight. While he is is scoring only 8.1 PPG, he is one of their best defenders. Butler will be motivated to avenge a 70-67 loss at Marquette on February 2nd as a 4.5-point underdog. The Bulldogs have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games at home when playing with revenge. 25* CBB Wednesday FS1-TV Game of the Year with the Butler Bulldogs (672) minus the points versus the Marquette Golden Eagles (671). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Boston Celtics (536) minus the point(s) versus the Denver Nuggets (535). THE SITUATION: Boston (13-13) has lost two straight games after their 104-91 upset loss at Washington as a 7-point underdog on Sunday. Denver (15-11) has won three in a row with their 122-105 upset win against the Los Angeles Lakers Sunday night as a 3-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CELTICS MINUS THE POINT(S): Boston shot only 35.6% of their shots on Sunday in what was the worst shooting effort in their last four games. That was the Celtics’ second-straight upset loss after getting stung by Detroit on Friday in a 108-102 loss as a 7-point underdog. The consensus from the players is that they simply need to work harder. Boston has lost ten of their last fifteen games — but injuries have played a role. Marcus Smart is still out with his calf injury after missing the last couple of weeks. But Kemba Walker and Jaylen Brown are back on the court after missing time to join Jayson Tatum to form their big three. Brown and Tatum are emerging into superstars in this league. The Celtics have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a straight-up loss. Boston has also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up loss — and they are 15-7-1 ATS in their last 23 games after a point spread loss. Boston has played two straight Unders — but they have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 29 games after playing two straight Unders. And while the Celtics have only covered the point spread once in their last five games, they have then covered the point spread in 12 of their last 15 games after not covering the point spread in three of their last four games. They return home where they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight home games when favored by up to 6 points. Denver may be due for a letdown after upset the defending NBA champions — they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after a double-digit win and they have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 18 games after a win by at least 15 points. The Nuggets have also failed to cover the point spread in 23 of their last 31 road games after a double-digit win. Additionally, Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 24 of their last 36 games after winning at least two in a row. And they have failed to cover the point spread in 31 of their last 47 games after scoring at least 120 points in their last game including six of these eight occasions this season. The Nuggets are ravaged with injuries: Will Barton, Paul Millsap, Gary Harris, and PJ Dozier are all out with Monte Morris questionable with a shoulder. Those players are two starters and another three important rotation players. Denver goes back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: The Nuggets are just 3-7-1 ATS in their last 11 games as an underdog. Boston has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning record. 25* NBA Pre-All Star Break Non-Conference Game of the Year with the Boston Celtics (536) minus the point(s) versus the Denver Nuggets (535). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Chicago Bulls (519) plus the points versus the Indiana Pacers (520). THE SITUATION: Chicago (10-15) looks to bounce back from their 125-106 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday as a 7-point underdog. Indiana (14-13) has won two games in a row with their 125-113 win at Atlanta on Saturday as a 1.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BULLS PLUS THE POINTS: The Pacers played their best 12 minutes of the season in the fourth quarter against the Hawks. They rallied from a 9-point deficit with a 27-7 run to pull away to win that game after netting 41 points in the final quarter. Indiana may suffer a letdown — they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after winning two games in a row. This team ranks 11th with their Offensive Efficiency Rating — but they are just 16th in the NBA in Offensive Efficiency since trading Victor Oladipo to Houston. The Pacers’ triumph against Atlanta was preceded by a 111-96 win at Detroit — but Indiana has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after winning their last two games by double-digits. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after winning their last two games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after covering the point spread in their last two games. They return home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games as a favorite. Chicago allowed the Clippers to make 58.1% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort for them this season. The Bulls have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after allowing their last opponent to make at least 55% of their shots. Chicago has also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after a straight-up loss. And while the Bulls have allowed at least 105 points in three straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after allowing at least 105 points in three straight games. They go back on the road where they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 road games with the Total set at 220 or higher. Chicago has also covered the point spread in 6 straight road games as an underdog. Furthermore, the Bulls have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games as a dog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points.

FINAL TAKE: Chicago is undermanned with Lauri Markkanen and Otto Porter out with injuries — but Wendall Carter has been upgraded to questionable as he deals with a quad injury. And they still have Zack LaVine who is their best player and top scorer. Indiana may not have Doug McDermott is questionable with a knee — and they are still without T.J. Warren and Caris LeVert who are dealing with long-running injures. The Bulls will be motivated to avenge a 125-106 loss at home to the Pacers on December 26th — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games when playing with revenge from a loss at home. 20* NBA Monday Daily Discounted Deal with the Chicago Bulls (519) plus the points versus the Indiana Pacers (520). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 5:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Saint Peter’s Peacocks (820) minus the points versus the Fairfield Stags (819). THE SITUATION: Saint Peter’s (9-7) had won three of their last four games before getting upset at home yesterday to the Stags, 55-50, despite being an 11-point favorite. Fairfield (5-13) has pulled off two straight upset victories.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PEACOCKS MINUS THE POINTS: When Saint Peter’s struggles, it is because they can’t make baskets. The Peacocks made only 32.7% of their shots yesterday which was the third-lowest shooting mark for them all season and their worst shooting effort when playing at home. Leading scorer KC Ndefo was in foul trouble all game and played only 22 minutes — so the reset today will help. These two teams went into halftime yesterday with the score tied, 17-17. Saint Peter’s has covered the point spread in 16 of their last 22 games after not scoring more than 25 points in the first half of their last game. Saint Peter’s has also covered the point spread in 3 of their last 4 home games after playing at home where they did not score more than 60 points. Head coach Shaheen Holloway’s group does play ferocious defense — Saint Peter’s ranks second in the nation by holding their opponents to just 41.2% shooting inside the arc. They held Fairfield to 37.3% shooting which was actually the highest opponent field goal percentage they allowed in their last six games. The Peacocks’ also force turnovers in 22.0% of their opponent’s possessions which is 42nd in the country. The Stags are loose with the basketball — they turn the ball over in 21.2% of their possessions away from, 245th in the nation. They turned the ball over 17 times yesterday accounting for 27.7% of their possessions. Saint Peter’s should get plenty of easy scoring chances tonight — they just need to make more than just 2 of 17 shots from behind the arc as they did yesterday. The Peacocks have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games on their home court — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. They suffered their first loss at home in six games yesterday — but they are still outscoring their visitors by +7.9 PPG due to their defense that holds their opponents to 55.8 PPG on 35.4% shooting. Saint Peter’s has also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games when favored by 9.5 to 12 points. Fairfield is 6-19-1 ATS in their last 26 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 17 games after a point spread loss. The Stags have also failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games after an upset win as a road underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after an upset win against a conference opponent. Fairfield’s defensive effort was out of the ordinary — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after holding their previous opponent to 33% of less shooting. The Stags have also failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after not allowing more than 55 points in their last game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 32 games after not allowing more than 50 points. They allow their home hosts to made 45.3% of their shots which results in 70.0 PPG — and they allow conference foes to shoot 46.5%. Fairfield may not crack 50 points in this rematch either as they score only 58.0 PPG on the road on 38.4% shooting. The Stags have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 road games against teams who are winning at least 60% of their shots at home. Fairfield has also failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 road games with the Total under 130.

FINAL TAKE: Four of Saint Peter’s nine wins have been by double-digits — so they have been able to generate enough offense to cover 10 or so points. The Peacocks have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 19 games when playing with same-season revenge — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games when avenging an upset loss as a home favorite laying 7 or more points. Saint Peter’s has also covered the point spread in 6 straight home games when playing with revenge from a loss where they did not score more than 60 points. 25* CBB Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Game of the Year with the Saint Peter’s Peacocks (820) minus the points versus the Fairfield Stags (819). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Stanford Cardinal (774) minus the points versus the Utah Utes (773). THE SITUATION: Stanford (12-8) looks to bounce-back from their 69-51 loss at home to Colorado on Thursday as a 1-point underdog. Utah (9-7) has won their last three games after their 76-75 win at California as a 4-point favorite on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CARDINAL MINUS THE POINTS: We had Stanford on Thursday against the Buffaloes — and they were a big disappointment after making only 39.6% of their shots in what was the worst shooting effort in their last seven games. We don’t want to chase our losers — but we also do not want to forego good investment opportunities simply because we were burned in the past. Examining the team trends regarding the personality of a team is helpful to avoid these pitfalls. The Cardinal has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after not scoring more than 60 points in their last game. Stanford has also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after a loss at home. The Cardinal has not covered the point spread in two straight games as well as four of their last five contests — but they have then covered the point spread in 4 straight games after not covering the point spread in their last two games and they have covered the point spread in 22 of their last 31 home games after only covering the point spread once in their last five games. Stanford stays at home where they are 5-2 this season while making 49.9% of their shots — so they should shoot better tonight. The Cardinal has covered the point spread in 14 of their last 19 home games after playing their last game at home in Palo Alto — and they have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 19 home games when favored or listed as a pick ‘em. Utah made 51.1% of their shots on Thursday in the best shooting effort in their last four games. The Utes have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a win against a Pac-12 opponent. The Utes have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up win where they failed to cover the point spread as the favorite. Utah stays on the road where they are just 3-4 — and they allow their home hosts to make 48.7% of their shots so I am reasonably confident that the Cardinal shoots better tonight. The Utes have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 road games with the Total set in the 130s.

FINAL TAKE: Utah has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 road games as an underdog. 10* CBB Saturday Late Show Bailout with the Stanford Cardinal (774) minus the points versus the Utah Utes (773). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:35 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Golden State Warriors (570) plus the points versus the Brooklyn Nets (569). THE SITUATION: Golden State (14-12) has won their last two games after their 111-105 win against Orlando as a 9-point favorite on Thursday. Brooklyn (15-12) snapped a three-game losing streak on Wednesday with a 104-94 upset win against Indiana as a 1.5-point underdog against Indiana.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WARRIORS PLUS THE POINTS: The Nets decided to play defense on Wednesday as they held the Pacers to just 39.1% shooting from the field which was the best defensive effort in their last eight games. The final score with Indiana flew miles below the 235.5 point total for that game — but Brooklyn has then failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after playing an Under in their last game. The Nets have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after a point spread victory. They stay on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games. Brooklyn has also failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 road games as a favorite. The Nets will be undermanned for this game with Jordan Claxton in COVID quarantine and Iman Shumpert dealing with a hamstring injury. DeAndre Jordan is not playing tonight as well for undisclosed personal reasons. Brooklyn still has the Big Three of Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games when favored. The Nets have also failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points. Golden State did not cover the point spread against the Magic — but they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread loss. The Warriors have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when playing with one day of rest. Size is an issue for this team with no player taller than 6’7 given the injuries to Kevin Looney and James Wiseman — but head coach Steve Kerr’s response has been simply to embrace small-ball and play at a fast tempo. This Brooklyn team will likely embrace this approach and being willing to play “first team to score 150 points wins!” That is not a good strategy against Stephen Curry when he is playing at home. The Nets are just 4-7 on the road — and Golden State has covered the point spread 6 of their last 7 home games against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams already played once this season on December 22nd when Durant got his revenge against his former team by a 125-99 score at the Barclays Center. The Warriors have covered the point spread in 3 of their 4 opportunities this season to exact same-season revenge. 10* NBA Brooklyn-Golden State ABC-TV Special with the Golden State Warriors (570) plus the points versus the Brooklyn Nets (569). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Weber State Wildcats (687) minus the point(s) versus the Montana Grizzlies (688). THE SITUATION: Weber State (11-5) had their four-game winning streak snapped on Thursday in their 80-67 upset loss at Montana as a 2-point favorite. Montana (8-9) has won two of their last three games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WILDCATS MINUS THE POINT(S): Weber State allowed the Grizzlies to shoot 52.6% from the field in what was the worst defensive effort of their season. The Wildcats have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games after allowing at least 80 points in their last game. Weber State did themselves no favors on the other end of the court either as they made only 44% of their shots in the worst shooting effort in their last five games. The Wildcats have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after an upset loss to a conference opponent. They also have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a straight-up loss — and they are 26-9-2 ATS in their last 37 games after a point spread loss. They have still covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games as a favorite. Montana enjoyed the best shooting day in their last seven contests with that 52.6% clip. But they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after a point spread win. And in their last 12 games at home after a win on their home court, the Grizzlies have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of those contests. They are 5-2 on their home court this season — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 home games. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: Weber State has covered the point spread in 40 of their last 63 games when avenging a loss on the road by at least 10 points — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games when playing with revenge from an upset loss. 10* CBB Blowout Bookie Buster with the Weber State Wildcats (687) minus the point(s) versus the Montana Grizzlies (688). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Charlotte 49ers (673) plus the points versus the Old Dominion Monarchs (674). THE SITUATION: Charlotte (9-10) suffered their third-straight upset loss on Wednesday in their 78-76 loss in overtime at home to the Monarchs. Old Dominion (10-5) has won three of their last four games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE 49ERS PLUS THE POINTS: Charlotte also lost to Middle Tennessee on the road by a basket over this recent stretch of tough luck. But they need to tighten things up on defense after allowing Old Dominion to make 61.7% of their shots in the worst defensive effort of their season. The 49ers have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after allowing their last opponent to make at least 60% of their shots. Charlotte has been resilient — they are 15-7-1 ATS in their last 23 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a loss at home against a conference rival. They are also 22-8-2 ATS in the last 32 games after a point spread loss. And in their last 6 opportunities to redeem themselves from an upset loss at home, the 49ers have covered the point spread in all 6 occasions. The 49ers have not covered the point spread in four straight games — but they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after only covering the point spread once in their last five games. Charlotte has also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games as an underdog. Old Dominion has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games are a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after a point spread victory. The Monarch’s 61.7% shooting clip on Wednesday was the best shooting effort of their season. But they have failed to cover the point spread in 28 of their last 42 games after a close win by 3 points or less — and this includes them failing to cover the point spread in seven of these last ten situations. They host this rematch where they are 6-1 — but they only have net winning margin of +3.7 PPG in these seven games. Old Dominion has 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 as the favorite.

FINAL TAKE: Old Dominion has covered the point spread in all 3 of their opportunities to avenge a loss at home this season — and they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 24 games when playing with revenge from a loss where they allowed at least 75 points. Don’t be surprised if the 49ers finally win a close game again (five games have finished in overtime for them this season) — but take the points for the insurance. 20* CBB Don’t Need the Points (but take the points) Underdog Special with the Charlotte 49ers (673) plus the points versus the Old Dominion Monarchs (674). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the VMI Keydets (616) minus the points versus the Samford Bears (615). VMI (10-10) has lost two of their last three games after their 74-72 loss at Western Carolina on Wednesday as a 1.5-point underdog. Samford (6-10) has lost three straight games as well as seven of their last eight with their 77-70 loss to Mercer as a 4.5-point underdog on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE KEYDETS MINUS THE POINTS: VMI allowed the Catamounts to make 45.2% of their shots in what was the worst defensive effort in their last four games. They should play better this afternoon since they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games after a straight-up loss — including covering the point spread in seven of these last eight situations. The Keydets have also covered the point spread in 5 straight games after a loss to a Southern Conference rival — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a loss on the road. This is VMI’s just second game since February 3rd — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games if they are not playing more than their second game in the last week. They return home where they are 9-1 this season with an average winning margin of +16.1 PPG. They make 50.6% of their shots at home which is generating 89.2 PPG — and they hold their guests to just 40.8% shooting from the field. The Keydets have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 11 home games including their last seven games. They also have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 17 home games against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road. This is VMI’s first home game in their last four games after playing their last three contests on the road. Their last home game was on January 27th — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 home games after playing at least their last three games on the road. The Keydets are one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the nation as they are 24th nationally with a 38.2% shooting mark from behind the arc — and they improve to a 43.6% shooting percentage from downtown when playing in their own gym, 10th best in the nation. Defending the perimeter is an area of weakness for the Bulldogs as they rank 332nd nationally by allowing their opponents to nail 47.7% of their 3-pointers when they are playing on the road. Samford is also 323rd in the nation with an opponent's free throw attempt-to-field goal attempt ratio of 41.0% — and VMI makes 78.7% of their free throws at home, ranking 23rd nationally. The Bulldogs make 47.3% of their shots on Wednesday in a losing effort which was the best shooting effort in their last seven games. But Samford has failed to cover the point spread in 20 of their last 26 games after a straight-up loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 19 games after losing two in a row. The Bulldogs have surrendered at least 77 points in their last two games — and they have then failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games after allowing at least 75 points in two straight contests. They go back on the road where they are just 2-5 this season — and they are 7-18-1 ATS in their last 26 road games. Additionally, Samford has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games on the road with the total set in the 150s — and they are 4-16-1 ATS in their last 21 road games against teams with a winning record at home. The Bulldogs make only 29.4% of their 3-pointers, 313th nationally, so it may be difficult for them to stay competitive in this one. VMI averages 11 made 3-pointers per game — and Samford has failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 28 games after 15 games into the season against teams who average at least 8 made 3s per contest. The Bulldogs have also failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games with the Total in the 150s — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 30 games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: VMI will be motivated to avenge an 84-71 loss at Samford as a 2.5-point underdog on December 30th — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games when playing with revenge. 25* CBB Southern Conference Game of the Year with the VMI Keydets (616) minus the points versus the Samford Bears (615). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Clippers (551) minus the points versus the Chicago Bulls (552). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (18-8) snapped a two-game losing streak on Wednesday with their 119-112 viceroy at Minnesota as an 8.5-point favorite. Chicago (10-14) has won two of their last three games with their 129-116 upset win against New Orleans as a 2.5-point underdog on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CLIPPERS MINUS THE POINTS: The Bulls made a franchise-record 25 shots from 3-point land in their 25 of 47 (53.2%) clip against a tired Pelicans team playing the second game in back-to-back days. Chicago made 59.3% of their shots which was the highest field goal percentage in their last 13 games. But the Bulls have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game. Chicago has also failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 25 games after a win at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after a double-digit victory. The Bulls have also failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after an upset loss by at least 10 points. They stay at home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Chicago has also failed to cover the point spread in 32 of their last 47 home games as an underdog. First-year head coach Billy Donovan’s team is still undermanned with Lauri Markkanen, Otto Porter, and Wendall Carter all out with injuries. These absences will hurt this group that has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 22 of their last 32 games after a point spread win. They stay on the road where they have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 28 games including nine of their fourteen road games this season. The Clippers have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 road games against teams with a winning record at home. Furthermore, Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 31 of their last 47 road games when favored — and they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 19 road games when laying 6.5 to 12 points as a favorite. The Clippers have also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games when laying 3.5 to 9.5 points.

FINAL TAKE: Los Angeles will be without Paul George tonight with a toe but everyone else including Kawhi Leonard will be available. They have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games in Chicago against the Bulls. The Bulls will be looking to avenge a 130-127 loss to the Clippers on January 10th — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games when avenging a narrow loss by 3points or less. 10* NBA Friday Daily Discounted Deal with the Los Angeles Clippers (551) minus the points versus the Chicago Bulls (552). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the New Orleans Pelicans (549) plus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (550). THE SITUATION: New Orleans (11-13) saw their four-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday with their 129-116 upset loss in Chicago as a 2.5-point favorite. Dallas (12-14) has won three straight as well as four of their last five contests with their 118-117 win against Atlanta as a 3.5-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PELICANS PLUS THE POINTS: New Orleans got caught a bit flat-footed and slow on Wednesday playing the second game in back-to-back days against a feisty Bulls’ team playing fast and red-hot from behind the arc. Chicago nailed a franchise-record 25 shots from 3-point land — 25 of 47 (53.2%) — en route to the win. The Pelicans allowed the Bulls to make 59.3% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort of their season. New Orleans has covered the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games after allowing their last opponent to make at least 55% of their shots — and they have also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after allowing at least 125 points in their last game. While the Pelicans shot 50.6% from the field, that was actually the lowest shooting effort in their last five games. New Orleans is making 51.6% of their shots over their last five games which are generating 120.2 PPG — and they have outscored their last five opponents by +9.6 PPG. The Pelicans have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after making at least 50% of their shots in two straight games. They have also covered the point spread in 14 of their last 18 games on the road after suffering an upset loss. This team is playing their best basketball of the season. Why? First-year head coach Stan Van Gundy did not have the benefit of a training camp — so some early growing pains were likely. Van Gundy is beginning to rely more on Joe Hart in crucial moments as well — the former Villanova star is a jack-of-all-trades player who excels on defense which is what this team needs. Finally, Lonzo Ball has found his stroke from 3-point land. In his last nine games, Ball has made 33 of his 69 shots from downtown (47.8%) — and he is shooting 51.2% from behind the arc in his six games this month. New Orleans stays on the road where they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games against teams with a losing record at home. Dallas held the Hawks to just 45.5% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last seven games. Atlanta “only” scored 27 points in the final 12 minutes on Wednesday which was the first time in seven games where they did not allow at least 30 points in the fourth quarter. This team needed to improve on defense this season — but they have allowed their last five opponents to score 126.8 PPG while making 50.5% of their shots. And regression was inevitable from their historic efficiency numbers on offense last season. The Mavericks have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a straight-up win. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after a point spread loss. Dallas is not meeting expectations in the betting market as they have failed to cover the point spread in four straight games. But the Mavericks have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after failing to cover the point spread in three straight games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after failing to cover the point spread in four or five of their last six games. They return home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games including ten of their twelve home games this season. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 21 of their last 29 home games when favored including nine of their ten home games this year when laying the points. Dallas is playing in high-scoring games with at least 216 combined points scored in their last 13 contests — yet they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 12 games after seeing at least 215 combined points scored in at least two straight. This is the Mavs’ eighth game in 14 days as well — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games when playing their eight or more game over a 14-day stretch.

FINAL TAKE: Dallas has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games as a favorite — and New Orleans has covered the point spread in 4 straight games as an underdog. 25* NBA Pre-All Star Break Friday ESPN Game of the Year with the New Orleans Pelicans (549) plus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (550). Best of luck for us — Frank.     

At 8:05 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Indiana Pacers (533) minus points versus the Detroit Pistons (534). THE SITUATION: Indiana (12-13) has lost four games in a row after their 104-94 upset loss at Brooklyn last night as a 1.5-point favorite. Detroit (6-18) snapped a four-game losing streak on Tuesday with their 122-111 upset win against the Nets as a 5.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PACERS MINUS THE POINTS: Indiana made only 39.1% of their shots last night in what was the worst offensive effort of their season. The Pacers’ starting five scored only 51 points in that game. Indiana should play much better tonight. They have covered the point spread in 5 of their 8 games this season after an upset loss — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a double-digit upset loss. Indiana has not covered the point spread in four straight games as well as six of their last seven — but they have then covered the point spread in 7 straight games after failing to cover the point spread in six or seven of their last eight games. And the Pacers have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when playing without a day of rest. Indiana stays on the road where they are 10-3-1 ATS in their last 14 road games against teams with a losing record on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 road games as a favorite. The Pacers are without T.J. Warren and Caris LeVert who they acquired in the Victor Oladipo trade — but they have still taken care of business with a 6-2-1 ATS in their last 9 games against teams with a winning percentage no better than 40%. The Pistons play at a fast tempo who averages 89 shot attempts-per-game — but Indiana has covered the point spread in 21 of their last 30 road games against teams who average at least 88 shots-per-game. Detroit made 56% of their shots on Tuesday which was the best shooting effort of their season in what was just the third time all season that they made at least 50% of their shots — but they are just 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games after a straight-up win. They are also 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a win by at least 10 points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games after an upset win by at least 10 points. The Pistons have also failed to cover the point spread in 25 of their last 38 games after a point spread win. They did allow the Nets to make 50% of their shots on the heels of allowing the Laker to make 56.0% of their shots in their previous game. Detroit has failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 19 games after allowing their last two opponents to make at least 50% of their shots. The Pistons are also 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 games when playing with one day of rest. Head coach Duane Casey is doing a fine job with one of the worst rosters in the league. Detroit is usually competitive — but they lost one of their best players over the weekend when they shipped Derrick Rose to New York for the underachieving Dennis Smith who was one of the worst players in the NBA last season before getting relegated to the end of the bench for the Knicks (!) this year. Maybe Smith can be salvaged but that will be a long-term project. Detroit shoots only 42.7% when playing at home so their shooting should come back to earth when now playing a team that attempts to play defense (versus the Kyrie Irving/James Harden Nets’ last night). The Pistons have scored 251 points in their last two games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after scoring at least 110 points in two straight games. Detroit is also 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 games against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: The Pistons have failed to cover the point spread in 26 of their last 38 games against Central Division foes. And while this is a team that plays hard most nights, they have failed to cover the point spread in all 3 of their expected close games this season. Look for Indiana to take care of this business in this winnable game. 25* NBA Pre-All Star Break Central Division Game of the Year with the Indiana Pacers (533) minus points versus the Detroit Pistons (534). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Stanford Cardinal (718) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus Colorado Buffaloes (717). THE SITUATION: Stanford (12-7) has won two games in a row after their 76-70 win against California as a 10.5-point favorite on Sunday. Colorado (15-5) has won two straight games as well as four of their last five contests with their 78-49 win against Oregon State as a 13-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CARDINAL PLUS THE POINT(S): The Buffaloes made 55.8% of their shots for the second-straight game to defeat the Beavers. But Colorado has failed to cover the point spread in 21 of their last 30 games after making at least 50% of their shots in two straight games. They also held Oregon State to just 32.7% shooting in what was the best defensive effort in their last 15 games. But the Buffaloes have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after allowing no more than 50 points in their last game. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a double-digit win against a Pac-12 foe — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after winning at least 15 of their last 20 games. Now after getting rich at home in the high-altitude of Boulder where they are 8-1 this season after a four-game homestand, they go back on the road for the first time since January 23rd. Colorado has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games after winning their previous two games at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 11 games on the road after winning their last two games at home. Furthermore, the Buffaloes have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 18 road games after playing at least three straight games at home. Colorado ranks 7th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency when playing at home fueled by them nailing 44.0% of their 3-pointers in Boulder, 8th best in the nation. But in their eight true road games on their opponent’s home court, the Buffaloes make only 29.7% of their 3-pointers, 269th in the nation, while falling to 68th nationally in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency in true road games. Colorado has failed to cover the point spread in 42 of their last 56 road games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 35 of their last 47 road games against teams with a winning record at home. Stanford has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 home games after a win at home — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight home games after a win at home against a Pac-12 foe. They have also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 home games after winning at least two in a row. The Cardinal made 58.3% of their shots against the Golden Bears — but that was the third straight game when they shot at least 51.9% from the field — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after shooting at least 55% in their last contest. This is a very tough team to beat if they are making their shots as they rank 18th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They are also 9th in the nation in getting to the free-throw line. They are 5-1 at home where they are making 51.4% of their shots while holding their guests to 41.1% shooting. Stanford is 35-17-1 ATS in their last 53 games at home — and they are 20-8-1 ATS in their last 29 home games against teams with a winning record on the road.

FINAL TAKE: The Cardinal will be looking to avenge a 77-64 loss at Colorado on January 16th — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games when playing with same-season revenge. Stanford has also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 home games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. 25* CBB Thursday ESPNU Game of the Year with the Stanford Cardinal (718) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus Colorado Buffaloes (717). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (670) plus the points versus the Virginia Cavaliers (669). THE SITUATION: Georgia Tech (9-6) has won two of their last three games with their 82-80 win against Notre Dame as a 3.5-point favorite on Saturday. Virginia (13-3) has won nine of their last ten with their 73-66 victory against Pittsburgh as an 11-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE YELLOW JACKETS PLUS THE POINTS: Georgia Tech should build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 25 games after a straight-up win at home — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games after a home win against an ACC rival. They also have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after a win by 6 points or less. Additionally, the Yellow Jackets have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games after not covering the point spread — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a win at home as a favorite where they did not cover the point spread. Georgia Tech shot a season-high 58.3% from the field on Saturday which would usually give me pause — but that was the fifth time in their last nine games where they shot at least 50% from the field. Furthermore, good offensive efforts are usually a good sign for this team as they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after shooting at least 55% from the field — including both times this season. They stay at home on North Avenue in Atlanta where they rank 22nd in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency. The Yellow Jackets are 7-2 at home with an average winning margin of +8.6 net PPG. Georgia Tech scores 83.0 PPG at home where they make 48.7% of their shots. The Yellow Jackets have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games — and they have covered the point spread in 5 straight home games as an underdog. They did allow the Fighting Irish to make 59.3% of their shots on Saturday which was the worst defensive effort of their season — but they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after allowing at least 80 points in their last game. And while Georgia Tech has not covered the point spread in two straight games, they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after not covering the point spread in two straight contests. This is a program that has covered the point spread in 50 of their last 74 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against teams with a winning record. Virginia made 53.2% of their shots on Saturday against Pitt which was the best shooting effort in their last five games. The Cavaliers have allowed only 27 and 24 points in the first half in two straight games — and they have then failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 23 games after not allowing more than 30 points in the first half in two straight games. Virginia has been favored in ten straight games since their showdown with Gonzaga — but not only have they failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games after being favored in at least four straight games, they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after being favored in at least five straight games. They go back on the road where they are just 4-3 this season — and they are 3-8-2 ATS in their last 13 games against teams with a winning record at home. The Cavaliers are just 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games when favored — and they are 2-6-1 ATS in their last 9 games against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: Georgia Tech will be looking to avenge a narrow 64-62 loss to the Cavaliers in Charlottesville on January 23rd as an 8.5-point favorite — and they have covered the point spread in 33 of their last 53 games when playing with revenge from a loss by 3 points or less. 25* CBB ACC Underdog of the Year with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (670) plus the points versus the Virginia Cavaliers (669). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 5:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the UNC-Greensboro Spartans (646) minus the point(s) versus the Furman Paladins (645). THE SITUATION: UNC-Greensboro (13-6) saw their two-game winning streak snapped on Monday in their 68-49 loss at Furman as a 4-point underdog. Furman (12-6) has won two of their last three games.

REASONS TO TAKE UNC-GREENSBORO MINUS POINT(S): The Spartans only made 29% of their shots on Monday in what was the worst shooting effort of the season. UNC-Greensboro should respond with a better effort today — they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after not scoring more than 50 points in their last game. Sparty missed 16 of their 18 shots from behind the arc in that game — but they have then covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after not making more than 30% of their 3-point shots in their last game. UNC-Greensboro has also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss. The Spartans should get back to business in this one as they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after winning five or six of their last seven games. And while this is UNC-Greensboro’s second game since last Wednesday, they have then covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games when playing just their second game in seven days. They return home for this rematch where they hold their opponents to just 40% shooting — and they rank 21st in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency when playing on their home court. Furman has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after a point spread victory. And while the Paladins’ last two opponents have only committed 12 and 7 personal fouls in two straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after playing two straight games where their opponent did not commit more than 15 personal fouls. Holding UNC-Greensboro to just 29.0% shooting was the best defensive effort of the season. They return home where they are just 4-5. Furman has an effective field goal percentage of 62.3% when playing at home which is third-best in the nation — but their eFG drops to 53.3% when playing away from home which is the 42nd best mark (still good, but not uber-elite) in road games on their opponent’s home court. The Paladins have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home.

FINAL TAKE: Furman has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against teams with a winning record. UNC-Greensboro has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning record — and they have covered the point spread in 7 straight games when favored. 10* CBB Furman-UNC-Greensboro EPNU Special with the UNC-Greensboro Spartans (646) minus the point(s) versus the Furman Paladins (645). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Houston Rockets (505) plus the points versus the New Orleans Pelicans (506). THE SITUATION: Houston (11-12) has suffered two-straight upset losses after their 119-94 setback at Charlotte last night as a 1.5-point favorite. New Orleans (10-12) has won three in a row with their 118-109 upset victory against Memphis on Saturday as a 1-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE ROCKETS PLUS THE POINTS: Houston lost to San Antonio as a 1-point favorite on Saturday, 119-94 — but they have then covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after suffering two straight upset losses. The Rockets have also covered the point spread in 23 of their last 32 games on the road after an upset loss by at least 15 points. They allowed the Hornets to make 48.9% of their shots which was the worst defensive mark in their last fourteen games. Houston has played well since the James Harden trade — they have won nine of their fourteen games since sending away their disgruntled star. Getting back John Wall has helped. The Rockets stay on the road where they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight road games as an underdog. New Orleans has pulled off three straight upset wins with triumphs against Phoenix and Indiana before their win against the Grizzlies. But the Pelicans have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after pulling off an upset win as a home underdog. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after a win against a Southeast Division rival — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after scoring at least 115 points in their last game. New Orleans is playing their best basketball of the season — but they are also seeing Lonzo Ball shoot 55.6% from 3-point land over his last four games which is not sustainable. They return home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games as a home favorite laying up to 6 points.

FINAL TAKE: New Orleans will be looking to avenge a 126-113 upset loss at home to the Rockets on January 30th as a 2-point favorite — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 21 games when playing with revenge from an upset loss. Houston will be resting Victor Oladipo tonight — and the underrated Christian Wood is out a few weeks with an ankle injury — but they still have Wall and DeMarcus Cousins amongst a hard-working group of players who have covered the point spread in 4 straight games as an underdog. 10* NBA Tuesday Daily Discounted Deal with Houston Rockets (505) plus the points versus the New Orleans Pelicans (506). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Kansas Jayhawks (864) minus the points versus the Oklahoma State Cowboys (863). THE SITUATION: Kansas (12-7) has lost five of their last seven games after their 91-79 loss at West Virginia on Saturday as a 2.5-point underdog. Oklahoma State (12-5) has won three of their last four games after their 75-67 win in double-overtime against Texas on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE JAYHAWKS MINUS THE POINTS: Kansas allowed the Mountaineers to make 50% of their shots — that was just the fourth time all season that they have allowed an opponent to shoot 50% or better from the field. The Jayhawks are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games after allowing their last opponent to score at least 90 points in their last game. The five losses for head coach Bill Self’s team were all on the road during this recent tough stretch of games — and the two wins were their only two games at home at Allen Fieldhouse. This is just their third game at home since January 9th. Playing at home will help — Kansas is 8-1 on their home court this season while outscoring their opponents by +12.1 PPG. The Jayhawks should play much better on the defensive end of the court as they hold their guests to just 38.5% shooting which is resulting in just 60.8 PPG. This team has been very reliable under Self when bouncing-back from losses. Kansas is 46-21-3 ATS in their last 70 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after a loss to a Big 12 rival. The Jayhawks have also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after a double-digit loss — and they have covered the point spread in 22 of their last 31 games after a loss on the road by 10 or more points. Kansas has only covered the point spread twice in their last eight games — but they have covered the point spread in 31 of their last 47 games after failing to cover the point spread in six or seven of their last eight games including covering the point spread in four of these last five situations. Playing at home should help the Jayhawks get a few more whistles (even without fans) as their opponents have only been called for 12 and 13 personal fouls in their last two games. Kansas has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after playing two straight games where their opponents did not get call for more than 15 personal fouls in their last game. Oklahoma State held the Longhorns to just 25.3% shooting which was the best defensive effort of their season. But the Cowboys have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after holding their previous opponent to no better than 33% shooting. Additionally, Oklahoma State has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after an upset victory — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games after an upset win as a home dog. Furthermore, the Cowboys are just 2-6-1 ATS in their last 9 games after a straight-win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after winning three of their last four games. Now Oklahoma State goes back on the road for just the third time since January 9th. The Cowboys have failed to cover the point spread in 50 of their last 77 road games as an underdog of 6 points or less — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games as an underdog in the 3.5 to 6 point range. Oklahoma State has been living on the edge as they have allowed their last two opponents to attempt 11 and 12 more shots from the field. The Cowboys have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after taking at least 10 fewer shots than their opponent in two straight contests.

FINAL TAKE: Kansas will be motivated to avenge a 75-70 upset loss at Oklahoma State as a 3.5-point underdog on January 12th — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when avenging an upset loss. 25* CBB Big Monday ESPN Game of the Year with the Kansas Jayhawks (864) minus the points versus the Oklahoma State Cowboys (863). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Memphis Grizzlies (553) plus the point(s) versus the New Orleans Pelicans (534). Memphis (9-8) has lost two in a row after their 115-103 upset loss at home to Houston on Thursday as a 4-point favorite. New Orleans (9-12) has won two in a row with their 114-113 upset win at Indiana last night as a 1.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GRIZZLIES PLUS THE POINTS: Memphis had been on a seven-game winning streak where they held allowed only 104.3 PPG before losing their last two games against the Rockets and Indiana by double-digits. The Grizzlies made only 42.5% of their shots which was the worst offensive effort in their last ten games. This group had been doing better in provide offensive support for their superstar, Ja Morant. Memphis has still made 49.9% of their shots in their last five games while averaging 117.8 PPG over that span. The Grizzlies’ starters combined to make only 34.6% of their shots with Morant only 6 of 15 for 15 points. Memphis should respond with a better effort tonight. They have covered the point spread in 4 of the last 5 games after a point spread loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a double-digit loss at home. The Grizzlies have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after losing two in a row by 10 or more points. Taylor Jenkins is one of the most underrated coaches in the NBA. Even with this team playing without two of their top three players, Jaren Jackson, Jr. and Justise Winslow, while being hit pretty hard by COVID quarantining protocols, Memphis remains seventh in the NBA in Defensive Efficiency. Defense travels — and the Grizzlies are 6-2 on the road with an average winning margin of +8.5 PPG while making 48.5% of their shots. Memphis has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games as an underdog. Killian Tillie has been downgraded to out with a foot issue and Brandon Clarke is questionable with a calf — but reinforcements are returning for Jenkins with Jonas Valanciunas and Grayson Allen upgraded to probable after being in quarantine. New Orleans has pulled off two straight upset victories against Phoenix and the Pacers last night — and they have won four of their last six games. The Pelicans made 53.9% of their shots last night in what was the best shooting effort of the season. They also held Indiana to 44.1% shooting in what was the best defensive performance in their last five games — although the Pacers did make 20 of their 42 shots from downtown. New Orleans has still allowed their last five opponents to make 47.5% of their shots which has resulted in 116.8 PPG. The Pelicans are 25th in the NBA in Defensive Efficiency under the first-year of head coach Stan Van Gundy. New Orleans’ starting five logged-in 162:01 combined minutes last night — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games when their starting five combined to play at least 160 minutes the previous day. The Pelicans have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a narrow win by 3 points or less — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after winning two of their last three games. They stay at home where they have failed to cover the points spread in 7 of their last 8 home games against teams with a winning record on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 home games when favored.

FINAL TAKE: Memphis has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games as an underdog. New Orleans has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of the last 5 games against teams with a winning record — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games when laying the points. 25* NBA Pre-All Star Break Southwest Division Game of the Year with the Memphis Grizzlies (553) plus the point(s) versus the New Orleans Pelicans (534). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:35 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Dallas Mavericks (548) minus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (547). THE SITUATION: Dallas (9-14) has lost seven of their last eight games with their 147-116 upset loss to the Warriors on Thursday. Golden State (12-10) has won four of their last six games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MAVERICKS MINUS THE POINTS: The Warriors were without all three of their centers on Thursday with Kevin Looney and James Wiseman hampered by injury and Marquese Chriss out the year with a fibula. Head coach Steve Kerr’s solution to having no one taller than 6’6 to guard Kristaps Porzingis was the ole’ “three points count more than two” as Golden State nailed 22 of their 43 (51%) 3-point attempts en route to shooting 57.3% from the field in the best offensive performance of their season. It will be difficult for this plan to once again work tonight. As it is, the Warriors have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after an upset win by double-digits as a road underdog. Golden State is also 25-51-3 ATS in their last 79 games under Kerr after a double-digit victory. Furthermore, the Warriors have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a win on the road by at least 20 points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a win by at least 30 points in their last game. Golden State stays on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games — and they have failed to cover the point spread 5 of their last 7 games on the road as an underdog. Dallas has covered the point spread in a decisive 77 of their last 121 games after a loss of 20 or more points. They only made 41.3% of their shoots which was the worst shooting effort in their last ten games. The Mavericks got lulled into trying to trade baskets with the Warriors playing at a fast pace. Dallas was also outworked as they got outrebounded by a 45-42 margin despite their significant edge in size. Head coach Rick Carlisle should have his team’s full attention tonight in the rematch — expect the Mavericks to take better advantage of their length especially with the 7’3 Porzingis down low. Dallas needs to play better on the defensive end o the court as well after allowing their last two opponents to make as least 50% from the field. The Mavericks have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after allowing their last two opponents to make at least 50% of their shots. Like our Miami play last night, Dallas is finally getting healthy again after playing weeks at less than full strength given COVID quarantining. Carlisle has his complete roster tonight — and he needs his team to get back to winning.

FINAL TAKE: The Mavericks have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games this season when motivated to avenge a loss at home earlier in the year. 10* NBA Saturday Night Discounted Deal with the Dallas Mavericks (548) minus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (547). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Mississippi State Bulldogs (671) plus the points versus the South Carolina Gamecocks (672). THE SITUATION: Mississippi State (10-9) has lost four of their last five games after their 61-45 loss at Arkansas on Tuesday as a 7.5-point underdog. South Carolina (5-6) has won two of their last three games with their 72-66 upset win at Florida as an 8.5-point underdog on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BULLDOGS PLUS THE POINTS: Mississippi State made only 30.6% of their shots on Tuesday which was the worst shooting effort in their last 18 games going back to their opening game of the season on November 25th. Head coach Ben Howland’s team should respond with a strong effort this afternoon — they are 39-19-1 ATS in their last 59 games after a straight-up loss including covering the point spread in 15 of their last 19 games after a loss. The Bulldogs have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a double-digit loss to a conference rival — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a loss by at least 15 points. Additionally, Mississippi State has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after a loss on the road. And in their last 12 games after a loss to an SEC opponent, the Bulldogs have responded to cover the point spread 10 times. Howland’s team plays consistently well on the defensive end of the court — they have held their last three opponents to just 37.0% or worse shooting. They have held their last five opponents to just 39.9% shooting which has resulted in only 63.6 PPG. This strong defense travels — Mississippi State has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games on the road and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 road games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Their game with the Razorbacks finished well below the 144 point total — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after playing a game that finished Under the Total. Furthermore, the Bulldogs have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after not scoring more than 60 points — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after not scoring more than 55 points. Mississippi State should get plenty of second-chance scoring opportunities — they rank 6th in the nation by pulling down 36.8% of their missed shots. The Gamecocks are vulnerable in this area as they rank 11th in the SEC with a 33.2% defensive rebounding rate — and they allow their opponents to pull down 30.7% of their misses overall which is 264th in the nation. South Carolina may be due for a letdown as they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss. They return home where they have played only four times this season — and they make only 42.2% of their shots at home. The Gamecocks have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 30 of their last 48 home games with the Total set in the 140 to 144.5 point range — including four of these last six situations. And in their last 47 home games when favored by 3 points or less, South Carolina has failed to cover the point spread 31 times.

FINAL TAKE: Head coach Frank Martin’s team also likes to crash the glass — they are 11th in the nation in offensive rebounding rate. But the Bulldogs are a better defensive rebounding team that limits their opponents to just 26.2% second-chance opportunities. Mississippi State out-rebounds their opponents by +7.7 RPG — and South Carolina has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games against opponents with a +7.0 or better RPG clip. 25* CBB SEC Underdog of the Year with the Mississippi State Bulldogs (671) plus the points versus the South Carolina Gamecocks (672). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Miami Heat (524) minus the points versus the Washington Wizards (523). THE SITUATION: Miami (7-14) has lost two straight games as well as seven of their last eight with their 103-100 upset loss at home to Washington on Wednesday as a 9-point favorite. Washington (5-13) has won two of their last three games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HEAT MINUS THE POINTS: It has been a disastrous start to the season for the Heat who have been hit as hard as any team in the league by injuries and COVID quarantined absences. Yet head coach Erik Spoelstra’s team is slowly getting close to 100% again. Tyler Herro played his first game since returning from quarantine on Wednesday. Jimmy Butler played his third game that night after missing ten games from quarantine. Herro scored 20 points with Butler adding 19 points — so they are getting back to playing-shape again. Miami will be without Avery Bradley and Maurice Harkless still who are still injured. Bam Adebayo has been the lone bright spot for this team this season as he continued to develop his game into becoming one of the best big men in the NBA. Perhaps the Heat were due to take a step back after their surprising run to the NBA Finals in the bubble last fall. But they are a much better team than this — and it is time for this club to get back to their winning ways as they make a run to make the playoffs now that they are getting their players back. This is Miami’s final game in a six-game homestand so getting a victory tonight will be important for morale moving forward. The Heat made only 43.4% of their shots on Wednesday which was the worst shooting effort in their last four games. But this remains a team that has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after an upset loss to an NBA Southeast Division rival. That loss to the Wizards came on the heels of them getting upset on Monday at home to Charlotte — but Miami has also covered the point spread in 6 straight games after suffering two straight upset losses. Additionally, the Heat have covered the pint spread in 10 of their last 14 games after a loss to a divisional rival. And they have not only covered the point spread in 29 of their last 45 games after a straight-up loss but they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a narrow loss by 3 points or less. Washington may be due for a letdown as they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games after an upset win as a road underdog. The Wizards have also failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 19 games after a win on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after a victory against a Southeast Division opponent. Washington is also just 3-7-1 ATS in their last 11 games after a point spread victory. The Wizards get Russell Westbrook back tonight after he was rested on Wednesday — but they are not likely to replicate the 40.5% shooting effort from 3-point land again tonight even with Westbrook back. Washington simply does not have a good supporting cast for Westbrook and Bradley Beal especially after Thomas Bryant suffered a season-ending ACL injury. Raul Neto has been downgraded to out tonight with a groin. The Wizards are second-to-last in Defensive Efficiency. They have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games on the road — and they are just 17-37-1 ATS in their last 55 road games against teams with a losing record at home.

FINAL TAKE: Washington has only won two of their seven games since their two-week hiatus because of their COVID outbreak. They have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a losing record. Look for Miami to rebound with a strong effort. 25* NBA Pre-All Star Break Southeast Division Game of the Year with the Miami Heat (524) minus the points versus the Washington Wizards (523). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Cleveland Cavaliers (518) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (517). THE SITUATION: Cleveland (10-12) has lost three of their last four games with their 121-99 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday as a 9-point underdog. Milwaukee (13-8) has won two straight as well as four of their last six with their 130-110 victory against Indiana as a 9-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CAVALIERS PLUS THE POINTS: Collin Sexton was listed as questionable with a neck issue which kept me off this game — but it was confirmed at 6:50 PM ET that he has been medically cleared to play tonight. Getting Sexton on the court with Darius Garland — “SexLand” — should keep them competitive tonight. Sexton has scored 23.6 PPG in his last nine games. They should bounce-back from that disappointing effort against the Clippers as they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a double-digit loss. And while they have not covered the point spread in four straight games, they have then covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after not covering the point spread in four straight games. Cleveland allowed LA to make 55.7% of their shots on Wednesday in what was the worst shooting effort in their last six games. This is an underrated team that is 8th in the NBA in Defensive Efficiency. They should play better on the defensive end of the court tonight — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight games after allowing at least 115 points in their last game. They stay at home where they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games as an underdog. Milwaukee has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a win by at least 15 points. The Bucks are also just 6-16-1 ATS in their last 23 games after a straight-up win — and they are 5-12-1 ATS in their last 18 games after a point spread win. And in their last 12 games after scoring at least 125 points, Milwaukee has failed to cover the point spread 10 times. The Bucks go back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when favored — they also have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 road games with the Total set at 220 or higher.

FINAL TAKE: Milwaukee is just 2-6-1 ATS in their last 9 games against teams with a losing record — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 road games when favored by 6.5 to 12 points. The Bucks are also just 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games in Cleveland. 10* NBA Big Dog Surprise with the Cleveland Cavaliers (518) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (517). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the UAB Blazers (876) minus the points versus the UTEP Miners (875). THE SITUATION: UAB (14-2) has won four in a row after their 63-52 win against Middle Tennessee as a 15-point favorite on Sunday. UTEP (8-8) snapped a two-game losing streak with a 69-51 win against UTSA as a 4-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UAB MINUS THE POINTS: The Blazers made only 38.5% of their shots against the Blue Raiders which was the worst shooting effort in their last ten games. UAB has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a point spread loss. The Blazers have also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 home games after a win against a conference rival. The Blazers are rolling with all four of their wins on their current streak being by double-digits — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after winning at least two in a row by double-digits. They return home where they shoot better — they make 47.1% of their shots which generated 78.1 PPG. UAB is 11-1 at home with an average winning margin of +19.5 PPG. They hold their opponents to just 38.1% shooting and only 58.6 PPG. The Blazers have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 home games when favored — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 home games against teams who are not winning more than 40% on the road. UAB has also covered the point spread in 37 of their last 54 home games when laying 6.5 to 9.5 points. UTEP held the Roadrunners to just 29.5% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last ten games. But the Miners have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a win against a Conference USA rival. UTEP goes back on the road where they are just 2-6 while making only 39.2% of their shots which is resulting in them scoring 64.7 PPG. The Miners also allow their home hosts to make 47.6% of their shots which is why this one may be a blowout. UTEP has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games on the road with the total set in the 130 to 134.5 point range.

FINAL TAKE: UTEP has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games as an underdog — and UAB is 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 games against teams with a losing record. 10* CBB Blowout Bookie Buster with the UAB Blazers (876) minus the points versus the UTEP Miners (875). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Indiana Pacers (616) minus the points versus the New Orleans Pelicans (615). THE SITUATION: Indiana (12-10) has lost three of their last four games after their 130-110 loss at Milwaukee as a 9-point underdog Wednesday. New Orleans (8-12) pulled off a 123-101 upset win at home against Pheonix on Wednesday as a 2-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PACERS MINUS THE POINT(S): Indiana played one of their worst games of the season against the Bucks as they were trailing by 40 points at one point in that game. They made only 45.3% of their shots which was the lowest field goal percentage in their last six games. The Pacers have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a double-digit loss. They also have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 25 games after allowing at least 125 points in their last contest. And while Indiana has allowed at least 106 points in ten straight games, they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 26 games after allowing at least 105 points in five straight games. This team has been remarkably good in the first season under rookie head coach Nate Bjorkgren despite trading Victor Oladipo and being without T.J. Warren and Caris LeVert who are both dealing with injuries. Domantas Sabonis has taken his game to another level this season — he had 32 points with 12 rebounds and six assists in a losing effort on Wednesday. The Pacers return home where they are making 48.3% of their shots en route to a 115.3 points-per-game scoring average. They are 21-10-1 ATS in their last thirty-two home games against teams with a winning percentage no better than 40% on the road. New Orleans made 51.1% of their shots on Wednesday which was the best shooting mark in their last four games and second-best in their last eight contests. The Pelicans also held the Pelicans to 46.3% shooting in what was the best defensive performance in their last four contests. First-year head coach Stan Van Gundy was brought in to improve the defense of this group yet they rank just 24 in the league in Defensive Efficiency. A letdown is likely. New Orleans has failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 14 games after a win by at least 20 points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 straight games after an upset win by at least 20 point as a home underdog. They have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after an upset win as a home underdog. Additionally, the Pelicans have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 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. Furthermore, New Orleans has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after scoring at least 115 points in their last game. The Pelicans go back on the road where they are just 3-7 — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games away from home. New Orleans has also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games on the road as an underdog. The Pelicans have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: New Orleans will be looking to avenge a 118-116 upset loss at home to the Pacers on January 4th — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 20 games when avenging an upset loss as a home favorite. The Pelicans have also failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games when playing with revenge from a loss by 3 points or less. 10* NBA Friday Daily Discounted Deal with the Indiana Pacers (616) minus the points versus the New Orleans Pelicans (615). Best of luck for us — Frank.