12-11-21 |
Mississippi State v. Colorado State |
Top |
63-66 |
Loss |
-116 |
0 h 19 m |
Show
|
At 2:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Mississippi State Bulldogs (625) minus (or plus) the point(s) versus the Colorado State Rams (626). THE SITUATION: Mississippi State (6-2) had their two-game winning streak end in an 81-76 upset loss to Minnesota as an 11.5-point favorite on Sunday. Colorado State (9-0) remained undefeated this season after their 74-58 win against Saint Mary’s as a 4.5-point favorite last Saturday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.
REASONS TO TAKE THE BULLDOGS MINUS (OR PLUS) THE POINT(S): Mississippi State probably played their worst game of the season against the Golden Gophers. Their 43.7% shooting percentage was the second-lowest of the year — and the 49.2% shooting mark by Minnesota was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage this season. Head coach Ben Howland should have his team prepared for this contest. The Bulldogs have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after an upset loss — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a loss by six points or less. Mississippi State has also covered the point spread in 20 of their last 26 games after a straight-up loss. The Bulldogs have not covered the point spread in two straight games — but they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a point spread loss and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after not covering the point spread in two straight games. This team should play well on a neutral court — they pull down 37.6% of their missed shots, ranking 12th best in the nation. Colorado State comes off their biggest win of the season in what was their second straight victory by double-digits. The Rams have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after winning two straight games by double-digits. And while Colorado State has covered the points spread in two straight games, they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after covering the point spread in two straight games. The Rams lead the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 61.3% fueled by them nailing 44.0% of their shots from behind the arc, the best 3-point shooting percentage in the country. But seven of Colorado State’s nine games have been at home. Now after playing their last three games at home, the Rams go back on the road for just the third time this season. Colorado State has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after winning their three previous games at home. The Rams have seen their 3-point shooting drop to 40.3% away from home — and now they face this Bulldogs team that holds their opponents to just 31.9% shooting from 3-point range.
FINAL TAKE: Colorado State is vulnerable on defense as they rank 104th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. The Rams have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games as an underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games on a neutral court as an underdog. And in their last 8 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher, Colorado State is 2-5-1 ATS. 25* CBB ESPNU Game of the Month with the Mississippi State Bulldogs (625) minus (or plus) the point(s) versus the Colorado State Rams (626). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
12-08-21 |
Marquette +2 v. Kansas State |
Top |
64-63 |
Win
|
100 |
3 h 21 m |
Show
|
At 9:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Marquette Golden Eagles (711) plus the point(s) versus the Kansas State (712). Marquette (7-2) looks to rebound from an 89-76 loss at Wisconsin as a 6.5-point underdog on Saturday. Kansas State (5-2) comes off a 65-59 upset win at Wichita State as a 5.5-point underdog on Sunday.
REASONS TO TAKE THE GOLDEN EAGLES PLUS THE POINT(S): Marquette allowed the Badgers to make 50.8% of their shots on Saturday in what was their worst defensive performance of the season. The Golden Eagles have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a double-digit loss on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 25 road games after a double-digit loss on the road. Marquette has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 road games after a game where both teams scored at least 75 points. The Golden Eagles have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread loss. First-year head coach Shaka Smart has this team playing like his “Havoc” teams at Virginia Commonwealth at a rapid pace and with a full-court 1-2-2 pressing zone. The Eagles lead the nation by averaging only 14.8 seconds per possession. Smart did not inherit a returning starter from last season — under 20% of the production from last year returned. But he did bring in Darryl Morsell from Maryland after he won the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Award last season. Smart’s Havoc tactics help to compensate for the lack of experience. Marquette has already pulled off upset victories against Illinois, West Virginia, and Mississippi. The Golden Eagles have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games on the road as an underdog. Smart’s teams are 41-23-1 ATS in his last 65 road games as an underdog — and his teams have covered the point spread in eight of their last eleven games on the road as an underdog going back to last season with Texas. Kansas State appears to be without their leading scorer Nigel Pack who is in the concussion protocol. He is scoring 15.8 Points-Per-Game while nailing 49.6% of their shots from 3-point range. Pack did not play in their upset win against the Shockers - but they only made 33.9% of their shots in the win. The Wildcats hosts this game at Bramage Coliseum — but the home fans are not quite as rowdy in non-conference games in December as they will be once the Big 12 schedule begins. As it is, Kansas State is just 7-15-1 ATS in their last 23 games at home. Furthermore, the Wildcats are 6-14-1 ATS in their last 21 home games as a favorite — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games when laying up to six points. Kansas State has also failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range.
FINAL TAKE: Marquette should have an edge at the charity stripe tonight. The Golden Eagles rank 15th in the nation in free throw rate — and Kansas State is 227th in defensive free throw rate in putting their opponent on the line. 25* CBB Wednesday ESPN2 Game of the Month with the Marquette Golden Eagles (711) plus the point(s) versus the Kansas State (712). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
11-26-21 |
San Francisco v. UAB UNDER 141.5 |
Top |
63-61 |
Win
|
100 |
3 h 52 m |
Show
|
At 11:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the San Francisco Dons (883) and the UAB Blazers (884) in the Finals of the Las Vegas Invitational. THE SITUATION: San Francisco (7-0) won their opening round game in this holiday tournament with a 71-61 victory as a 13-point favorite last night. UAB (5-1) comes off an 86-73 victory against New Mexico as an 11-point favorite last night in this event. This tournament is being played on a neutral court at the Orleans Arena.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Dons have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. San Francisco has also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after winning at least two in a row. San Francisco is tough on the defensive glass — they rank 11th in the nation by limiting their opponents to pulling down only 20% of their missed shots. Head coach Bob McKillop has his team play tough defense as they have held their last five opponents to just 40.2% shooting which is resulting in only 62.6 Points-Per-Game. The Dons have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total against teams winning at least 60% of their games. UAB has played 20 of their last 27 games Under the Total after a straight-up win. After losing at South Carolina, the Blazers have won and covered the point spread in two straight games. UAB has played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total after winning two games in a row — and they have played 10 straight Unders after covering the point spread in their last two games. And while the Blazers have scored 86 points in each of their last two games after being held to 63 points in their loss to the Gamecocks, they have then played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after scoring at least 75 points in two straight games. They are averaging 86.7 PPG on 48.7% shooting this season — but in their two games away from home, that productivity drops to 74.5 PPG on 42.1% shooting. UAB has held their last five opponents to 62.4 PPG on 41.1% shooting. They are 31st in the nation by holding their opponents to just 42.3% shooting inside the arc — and the Dons have been living inside with a 61.8% shooting mark for their 2-point shots which is fourth-best in the nation.
FINAL TAKE: The Under is 6-1-1 in the Blazers’ last 8 games as an underdog — and they have played 12 of their last 17 games Under the Total on a neutral court as a dog getting up to three points. San Francisco is scoring 79.9 PPG — but this is just their second game away from home after scoring 71 points last night in Vegas. They have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when favored — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total on a neutral court when favored or a pick ‘em. 25* CBB Las Vegas Invitational Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the San Francisco Dons (883) and the UAB Blazers (884). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
11-23-21 |
Gonzaga v. UCLA +7 |
Top |
83-63 |
Loss |
-110 |
3 h 3 m |
Show
|
At 10:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the UCLA Bruins (618) plus the points versus the Gonzaga Bulldogs (617) in the Finals of the Empire Classic tournament. THE SITUATION: UCLA (5-0) has opened the season with five straight victories after their 75-62 victory against Bellarmine last night in their opening game in this two-day tournament. Gonzaga (5-0) has won five games in a row to open the season with their 107-54 win against Central Michigan as a 34-point favorite last night in their first game in this event. The Empire Classic takes place on a neutral court at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
REASONS TO TAKE THE BRUINS PLUS THE POINTS: UCLA continues to be undervalued by the market after their improbable run to the Final Four last season. The Bruins were the beneficiaries of some shooting luck in the NCAA Tournament — but shooting luck did not account for them going blow-for-blow with that loaded Gonzaga team in the National Semifinals. UCLA improved as the season went on under second-year head coach Mick Cronin teaching his defensive principles in a season marred by COVID. The Bruins return three players that are on the preseason Wooden Award watch list in Johnny Juzang (who single-handedly beat Michigan in the Elite Eight), Tyger Campbell (started every game at point guard for Cronin at UCLA), and Jamie Jaquez, Jr. (last year’s second-leading scorer). Cronin won’t have big man Cody Riley tonight as he recovers from an MCL injury — but he brought in Myles Johnson as a transfer from Rutgers with his seven-foot-seven wingspan. He was 19th in the nation last year in block rate. Peyton Watson is a top-ten recruit who also gets added into the mix of a group that has 91% of the returning minutes back from the Final Four team. This is a loaded group that continues to improve under Cronin. They have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a straight-up win. UCLA only made 45.2% of their shots last night which was the worst shooting effort for them so far this season — and the 45.1% shooting they allowed last night was the second-highest of the year. The Bruins have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread loss after failing to cover the 22.5-point spread last night. They have also covered the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games when playing with one day or less of rest. Gonzaga held the Chippewas to just 30.4% shooting last night which was the best defensive effort of the season. After a 12-point win against Texas in their second game of the year, the Bulldogs have won their next three games by at least 27 points — but that was against a Bellarmine team ranked 188th in the nation in KenPom’s rankings. Gonzaga has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games after winning three in a row by at least 15 points. They have covered the point spread in three of their last four games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games after only failing to cover the point spread once in their last four games. And while they have scored at least 84 points in each of their games this season, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 21 games after scoring at least 80 points in five straight games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 27 games on the road after scoring at least 80 points in five straight games. Gonzaga’s stiffest competition was against a Texas team under new coach Chris Beard coaching a group of high-profile transfers. That Longhorns team is a few months away from successfully executing Beard’s no-middle defense that attempts to trap the ball to one side of the court. Gambling on that guess was pure guesswork early in the season (which is why I tend to embrace caution in the November CBB games — especially with the transfer market now even busier in the offseason). What was telling in that game, for me, was that the Zag’s 7’0 freshman phenom Chet Holmgren made just one of three shots for 2 points. I think it remains to be seen if he is a good fit when playing on the floor with the 6’10 Drew Timme. The twin towers look is not as successful for modern basketball — and Holmgren’s ability to defend the perimeter is an issue (and it is not a strength for Timme). Gonzaga should be great once again this year — but this group is a work in progress for head coach Mark Few after losing a top-five pick in Jalen Suggs along with two other starters in outside shooter Corey Krispert and a glue guy in Joel Ayayi.
FINAL TAKE: UCLA’s victory over Villanova this season is more impressive than Gonzaga’s win over the Longhorns. Cronin will have his team very motivated to avenge their 93-90 loss to the Bulldogs in the Final Four last year — and he has had all the off-season to scheme a defensive play against Timme. The Bruins are 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight games as an underdog. UCLA has also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games played on a neutral court. 25* CBB Tuesday ESPN Game of the Month with the UCLA Bruins (618) plus the points versus the Gonzaga Bulldogs (617). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
04-05-21 |
Baylor +5 v. Gonzaga |
Top |
86-70 |
Win
|
100 |
13 h 0 m |
Show
|
At 9:20 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Baylor Bears (811) plus the points versus the Gonzaga Bulldogs (812). THE SITUATION: Baylor (27-2) has won five straight games as well as nine of their last ten contests after their 78-59 win against Houston as a 5-point favorite on Saturday. Gonzaga (31-0) survived overtime in a 93-90 buzzer-beating win against UCLA as a 14-point favorite on Saturday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Lucas Oil Stadium.
REASONS TO TAKE THE BEARS PLUS THE POINTS: In assessing this potential National Championship matchup for the last few months, I presumed I would take Baylor plus the points in a matchup between two teams that I considered roughly even. The events from Saturday make the Bears’ play a bit better. Gonzaga having to expend more physical and emotional energy by playing an extra five minutes against the Bruins. This game with UCLA also continued to expose some flaws with this, albeit, great Bulldogs’ team. Their half-court defense is not elite. They allowed the Bruins to make 57.6% of their shots — and the Zags have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after allowing their last opponent to make at least 55% of their shots. Gonzaga ranks only 55th in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 47.5%. The Bulldogs were also a bit loose at times with the basketball — taking ill-advised chances — which might be the result of a team that has become overconfident from winning all their games. There is a reason that the last team to finish a season undefeated was during the Jimmy Carter Administration (granted, his last year in office). And the flip-side of this coin is that overconfidence can suddenly become insecurity when threatened. The pressure of making history make become a factor for Gonzaga. It is one thing for Jalen Suggs to make an improbable from 35-feet when the game is tied— it is another to make winning shots when missing the shot risks infamy for the shooter. As it is, the Bulldogs have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after scoring at least 90 points in their last game. And while the Zags had covered the point spread in their previous four games before not coming close to covering the point spread against UCLA, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after covering the point spread in four or five of their last six games. Baylor should build off their momentum from their easy victory against a good Houston team. They have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games after a win by at least 10 points. They have also covered the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games on the road when playing their second game in three days. What I like about this Bears team is that they have multiple ways to create more scoring opportunities if their shots are not falling. They are sixth in the nation by pulling down 36.9% of their missed shots. They are also third in the nation by forcing turnovers in 24.6% of their opponent’s possessions. But as they demonstrated against the stout Cougars defense that went into the Final Four with the nation’s top statistical defense in terms of effective field goal percentage, Baylor makes their shots more often than not. The Bears shot 52.7% from the field against Houston — including making 11 of 24 (45.8%) from behind the arc. Baylor leads the nation by making 41.2% of their 3-pointers. Leading the nation in 3s, while ranking top-six in offensive rebounding and forcing turnovers is a great formula for winning a National Championship. The Bears are 34-16-2 ATS in their last 52 games against teams winning at least 60% of their games under head coach Mark Few.
FINAL TAKE: I think the laptops may actually be undervaluing this Baylor team -- their three-week COVID pause took them a few weeks to recover and get back to playing in their earlier form. This Bears team is playing much better in April than they were in February. And this group will likely have a chip on their shoulder installed as an underdog for the first time all season. Baylor has covered the point spread in 16 of their last 22 games as an underdog under Drew. 25* CBB Game of the Year on the Baylor Bears (811) plus the points versus the Gonzaga Bulldogs (812). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
04-03-21 |
UCLA v. Gonzaga -13.5 |
Top |
90-93 |
Loss |
-104 |
9 h 25 m |
Show
|
At 8:34 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Gonzaga Bulldogs (804) minus the points versus the UCLA Bruins (803). THE SITUATION: Gonzaga (30-0) reached the Final Four on Tuesday with their 85-66 win against USC as a 12-point favorite. UCLA (22-9) won their fifth straight game in this Big Dance with their 51-49 upset win against Michigan as a 6.5-point underdog on Tuesday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Lucas Oil Stadium.
REASONS TO TAKE THE BULLDOGS MINUS THE POINTS: Gonzaga has won all four of their NCAA Tournament games by at least 16 points — and they should continue to roll against the Bruins. The Bulldogs have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread victory. Gonzaga has covered the point spread in all four of their games in the Big Dance — and they have covered the point spread in 30 of their last 46 games after covering the point spread in four straight games. The Bulldogs made 50% of their shots against USC after they made 59.6% of their shots against Creighton — and they have covered the point spread in 34 of their last 51 games after making at least 50% of their shots in two straight games. UCLA may be due for a letdown after pulling off their second straight upset victory. They have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after winning five games in a row. The Bruins have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after a game where both teams did not score more than 65 points. UCLA only had 12 team assists against the Wolverines after generating only 12 team assists against Alabama in their previous game. They have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after not generating more than 12 team assists in two straight games. The Bruins too often have resorted to Johnny Juzang playing “hero ball” to bail them out. The lack of ball movement will get them burned against Gonzaga. Frankly, UCLA has been pretty fortunate to make it this far in this Big Dance. They survived overtime against Michigan State and Alabama. Michigan had many opportunities to score a final basket to either force overtime or win the game in regulation. The Wolverines made only 6 of their 11 free throws. The Crimson Tide made just 11 of their 25 free throws. In their Round of 64 game against BYU, the Cougars made only 9 of 16 free throws. None of their five opponents have shot better than 33% from 3-point land — Michigan was 3 of 11 (27.2%), Alabama was 7 of 28 (25%), Abilene Christian was 4 of 19 (21.0%), BYU was 3 of 19 (15.8%), Michigan State was 6 of 18 (33%). Now UCLA faces a confident Gonzaga team that makes 37.1% of their 3-pointers.
FINAL TAKE: The Bulldogs have covered the point spread in all 4 games in this NCAA Tournament. UCLA is due for a letdown and have been fortunate to survive — while the Zags are a machine. 25* CBB Final Four Game of the Year with the Gonzaga Bulldogs (804) minus the points versus the UCLA Bruins (803). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
04-03-21 |
Houston v. Baylor UNDER 136 |
Top |
59-78 |
Loss |
-113 |
9 h 60 m |
Show
|
At 5:14 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Houston Cougars (801) and the Baylor Bears (802). THE SITUATION: Houston (28-3) won their 11th straight game on Monday with their 67-61 win against Oregon State as an 8-point favorite. Baylor (26-2) won their fourth straight game with their 81-72 victory against Arkansas as a 7.5-point favorite on Monday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Lucas Oil Stadium.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Cougars allowed the Beavers to make 46.8% of their shots on Monday which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last five games. Houston has still held their last five opponents — all teams either in or made the NCAA Tournament — to just 36.3% shooting which has translated into 55.4 PPG. The Cougars 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up win where they did not cover the point spread — and they have played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Houston has not allowed more than 61 points in five straight games — and they have played 36 of their last 57 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 65 points in at least two straight games. Head coach Kelvin Sampson will have his team play outstanding half-court defense. They lead the nation in opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 43.3%. The Cougars hold their opponents to just 29.2% shooting from behind the arc and 42.9% inside the arc — those marks rank 11th and fifth in the nation. But shooting could be an issue for Sampson. They only made 32.3% of their shots against Oregon State — and they have played 20 of their last 27 games Under the Total after not shooting better than 33% from the field. While Houston enjoyed a 17-point lead early in the second half, they only made 29% of their shots. Now the Cougars will be playing the best defense they have encountered all season. The best team Houston has played all season is Texas Tech — and they only rank 20th nationally by metrics guru Ken Pomeroy. The Cougars have played 19 of their last 26 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better. Baylor made 48.4% of their shots against the Razorbacks which was the best shooting effort in their last five games. They raced out to a 46-28 lead in the first half on Tuesday — but they have then played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after scoring at least 45 points in the first half of their last game. The Bears did allow Arkansas to make 48.1% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last seven contests. Scott Drew’s team had struggled with their defense after a three-week hiatus due to a COVID outbreak — but they have been in top form again in the Big Dance. Baylor held their three previous NCAA Tournament teams to just 41.3% shooting and 56.3 PPG.
FINAL TAKE: Sampson will likely play this game at a very slow pace — as it is, Houston averages 19.3 seconds-per-possession which is the 331st slowest pace in the nation. Baylor was lulled into a low-scoring game with Villanova — in their 62-51 win over the Wildcats in the Sweet 16, there were only 57 possessions in that game. The Under is 13-6-1 in the Cougars’ last 20 games on a neutral court — and they have played 4 straight Unders when an underdog on a neutral court. 25* CBB Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Houston Cougars (801) and the Baylor Bears (802). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
03-30-21 |
UCLA v. Michigan -6.5 |
Top |
51-49 |
Loss |
-110 |
13 h 30 m |
Show
|
At 9:57 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Michigan Wolverines (660) minus the points versus the UCLA Bruins (659). THE SITUATION: Michigan (23-4) has won four of their last five games after their 76-58 win against Florida State as a 1.5-point favorite on Sunday. UCLA (21-9) won their fourth game in this Big Dance with their 88-78 win in overtime against Alabama as a 5.5-point favorite on Sunday. This game is being played on a neutral court at Lucas Oil Stadium.
REASONS TO TAKE THE WOLVERINES MINUS THE POINTS: Michigan held the Seminoles to just 40% shooting — and that was the highest opponent field goal percentage against them so far in this Big Dance. The Wolverines are an outstanding defensive team that ranks eighth in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They held Florida State to under 60 points for the first time all season. Michigan also had their offense clicking by making 49.2% of their shots against a tough Seminoles’ defense whose length was supposed to overwhelm the Wolverines. Juwan Howard has this team operating an NBA-style offense with pick-and-rolls designed to create mismatches and open players. Everyone in the rotation is a competent scorer. Michigan should build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games after a straight-up win. The Wolverines are averaging 81.7 PPG in this tournament with the 76 points against Florida State being their lowest scoring output. They have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after scoring at least 75 points in two straight games. The loss of Isaiah Livers has been absorbed by several players on this team. Brandon Johns took his spot in the starting lineup — he scored 14 points with six rebounds on Sunday. Johns gives the team more of a post-up presence alongside freshman phenom Hunter Dickinson as opposed to Livers who thrived on the perimeter as a slasher and 3-point shooter. He is averaging 10.7 PPG in this tournament. Wake Forest transfer Chaundee Brown is getting more playing time with Livers on the shelf — and he has scored 33 points in the last two games. Michigan has covered the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games against teams with a winning record — and they have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 24 games when favored. UCLA scored 23 points in the overtime session to smother the Crimson Tide in overtime on Sunday — but that additional energy may come back to haunt them on short rest for this game. Head coach Mick Cronin has survived this season despite losing his best player, Chris Smith, to a season-ending injury in late December. And forward Jalen Hill did not make the trip to the bubble with this team which further depleted the depth of this team. The Bruins have played one extra game in this tournament with their play-in game First Four victory against Michigan State in another overtime game. But the Bruins have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after winning at least four games in a row. And while UCLA has allowed only 29 and 21 points in the first half of their last two games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games after not allowing more than 30 points in the first half in two straight games. The Bruins are playing better on defense after a bad first half against the Spartans — but this is still an area of weakness. While UCLA ranks 54 in the Adjusted Defensive Efficiency at home, they fall to 92nd in that metric when playing on the road. They allow their opponents to make 49.1% of their shots inside the arc away from Pauley Pavilion, ranking 155th in the nation. Overall, the Bruins rank 13th in Adjusted Net Efficiency at home, they fall to 31st in that metric on the road.
FINAL TAKE: Michigan is one of three teams — joining Gonzaga and Baylor — who rank in the top ten in both Adjusted Offensive and Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. UCLA is outside the top ten in both categories. The Bruins have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 18 games played on a neutral court as an underdog in the 6.5 to 12 point range. Michigan has covered the point spread in 35-14-2 ATS in their last 51 games on a neutral court — and they are 13-4-2 ATS in their last 19 games in the NCAA Tournament as a favorite. 25* CBB TBS-TV Game of the Year with the Michigan Wolverines (660) minus the points versus the UCLA Bruins (659). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
03-29-21 |
Arkansas v. Baylor -7 |
Top |
72-81 |
Win
|
100 |
13 h 38 m |
Show
|
At 9:57 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Baylor Bears (654) minus the points versus the Arkansas Razorbacks (653). THE SITUATION: Baylor (25-2) has won seven of their last eight games with their 62-51 win against Villanova as a 7.5-point favorite on Saturday. Arkansas (25-6) has won three in a row with their 72-70 victory against Oral Roberts as an 11.5-point favorite on Saturday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Lucas Oil Stadium.
REASONS TO TAKE THE BEARS MINUS THE POINTS: Baylor endured an outlier performance with their 3-point shooting on Saturday. Despite being (now) second in the nation with a 40.8% shooting percentage from the 3-point range this season, the Bears only made 3 of 19 (15.8%) shots from behind the arc against the Wildcats. Davion Mitchell missed all three of his shots from 3-point range despite entering the game as a 46% shooter from 3-point land. Jared Butler missed eight of his nine shots from behind the arc despite being a 39.9% shooter from distance. Don’t be surprised if Baylor ignites from behind the arc tonight. What is so impressive about this team is that they pulled away to win (and cover the point spread) anyways. Scott Drew had his team bypass 3-point shooting for scoring in the paint in the second half against the Villanova zone defenses — and they shot 53% in the final 20 minutes of the game. Even if the Bears’ 3s are not falling, they thrive in getting second-chance opportunities — they rank sixth in the nation by pulling down 36.8% of their missed shots. They also generate more scoring chances by forcing turnovers — they rank third in the nation in forcing turnovers in 24.8% of their opponent’s possessions. And Baylor plays stifling half-court defense that was on full display against the Wildcats as they held them to just 37.5% shooting in the second half with them missing all nine of their 3-point attempts. Throw away any remaining concerns about the Bears’ defense that struggled after a three-week COVID pause in February: Baylor has held their three opponents in this tournament to just 56.3 PPG on 41.3% shooting. This is a great sign for this team as they have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 23 games after not allowing more than 55 points in their last game. The Bears have not allowed more than 63 points in this Big Dance — and they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games after not allowing more than 65 points in three straight games. Baylor has won all three of their NCAA Tournament games by double-digits — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after winning at least three in a row by 10 or more points. And in their last 6 games when playing their second game in three days, the Bears have covered the point spread in 5 of these games. Arkansas once again skirted danger by falling behind by double-digits against the Golden Eagles before rallying for the win. The Razorbacks cannot afford to do that for the fourth straight time against this Baylor team — the Bears will start hitting more 3s and the lead will be 20. Arkansas was able to pull away from Colgate, but they survived two-point victories against Texas Tech and then Oral Roberts on Saturday. But the Razorbacks have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games after a win by six points or less — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after winning two in a row by three points or less. And in their last 10 games after winning three in a row, Arkansas has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of these games. The Razorbacks rank 18th in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency when playing at home, but they fall to 39th nationally in Adjusted Net Efficiency when on the road. Let’s put a microscope on that. Arkansas has the eighth-best Adjusted Defensive Efficiency at home, but they fall to 43rd in that metric on the road. Looking even closer, while the Razorbacks held their opponents to just 27.9% shooting from behind the arc at home, ranking 31st in the nation, their opponents make 39.1% of their 3-pointers on the road, ranking 317th nationally. Baylor is the wrong opponent for them playing outside Fayetteville. And while Arkansas wants to force turnovers with their full-court press, the Bears’ four-guard lineup only turns the ball over in 16.2% of their possessions away from Waco, ranking 42nd nationally. The Razorbacks only make 32.6% of their 3-pointers away from home, ranking 187th in the nation.
FINAL TAKE: Arkansas has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games on a neutral court as an underdog. Baylor has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games on a neutral court — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games in the NCAA Tournament. The Bears have also covered the point spread in 21 of their last 31 games against teams winning at least 60% of their games. 25* CBB Elite 8 Game of the Year with the Baylor Bears (654) minus the points versus the Arkansas Razorbacks (653). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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03-29-21 |
Oregon State v. Houston -7.5 |
Top |
61-67 |
Loss |
-109 |
9 h 58 m |
Show
|
At 7:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Houston Cougars (656) minus the points versus the Oregon State Beavers (655). THE SITUATION: Houston (27-3) won their tenth straight game with their 62-46 victory against Syracuse as a 6.5-point favorite on Saturday. Oregon State (20-12) has won nine of their last ten games after their 65-58 upset win against Loyola-Chicago as a 7-point underdog on Saturday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Lucas Oil Stadium.
REASONS TO TAKE THE COUGARS MINUS THE POINTS: Houston easily defeated the Orange despite making only 38.3% of their shots from the field and just 7 of their 26 shots from behind the arc.
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03-28-21 |
Oregon v. USC -1.5 |
Top |
68-82 |
Win
|
100 |
6 h 54 m |
Show
|
At 9:45 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the USC Trojans (644) minus the point(s) versus the Oregon Ducks (643). THE SITUATION: USC (24-7) has won five of their last six games after their 85-51 win against Kansas as a 1-point favorite last Monday night. Oregon (21-6) has won seven of their last eight games after their 95-80 upset win against Iowa as a 5-point underdog on Monday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
REASONS TO TAKE THE TROJANS MINUS THE POINTS: The laptops love this USC team — metrics guru Ken Pomeroy ranks them 6th in the nation. It starts on defense where the Trojans lead the nation by holding their opponents to just 41.4% shooting inside the arc. Head coach Andy Enfield has length that makes it difficult on opposing shooters. Evan Mobley is a rising star — the 7’0 freshman center patrols the paint and helps USC block 13.6% of their opponent’s shots, 18th best in the nation. The Trojans should build off the momentum of their 34-point win against the Jayhawks as they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 15 games on the road after a double-digit win. USC made 57.1% of their shots against what had been an improving Kansas defense. That was the third straight game that the Trojans made at least 50% of their shots — and it was the fourth time over a six-game stretch where they shot at least 50% from the field while never shooting less than 47.2% during that span. The personality of this team suggests they will continue to build off this success. USC has covered the point spread in 18 of their last 26 games after shooting at least 47% from the field in four straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after making at least 47% of their shots in five straight games. And while the Trojans nailed 11 of their 18 shots from 3-point land against the Jayhawks, they have then covered the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after shooting at least 50% from 3-point range in their last game. Oregon probably pulled off the best win of their season by upsetting the Hawkeyes last week. We had the Ducks in that game after benefitting from getting a bye from not playing a VCU team that has to cancel because of COVID protocols. Those turn of events not only kept the Oregon players rested but it allowed for the coaching staff to get a jump on preparing for Iowa rather than decompressing from a Saturday night game. Oregon versus VCU was my favorite situation from the Round of 64 — so I feel robbed that we didn’t get the chance to profit from it. And that sentiment should demonstrate that I like this Ducks team — just not in this spot. Oregon has won twelve of their last fourteen games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after winning at least twelve of their last fifteen games. The Ducks have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after scoring at least 90 points in their last game. Oregon is not a great defensive team. They rank 60th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing at home — and they plummet to 103rd nationally in defense when playing on the road. Head coach Dana Altman deploys several zone defenses that can be tricky to adjust to for those opponents unfamiliar with them — but that will not be the case against this USC team. Half-court defense is a particulate concern — they have an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 53.1% which is 238th in the nation. Oregon is also reliant on 3-point shooting — they are 14th in the nation by converting 38.2% of their 3-pointers. The Ducks may become reliant on their 3s against the stout Trojans’ interior defense. But while Oregon averages 22 shots from distance per game, USC has covered the point spread in 12 of their last 15 games against teams who average at least 21 shots from 3-point range per game. The Ducks outscore their opponents by +7.3 PPG as well — but the Trojans have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games after 15 games into the season against teams who outscore their opponents by at least +4.0 PPG.
FINAL TAKE: USC has covered the point spread in 18 of their last 26 games on a neutral court — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games when favored on a neutral court. The Trojans have also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games when favored — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight games in the NCAA Tournament. 25* CBB Pac-12 Game of the Year with the USC Trojans (644) minus the point(s) versus the Oregon Ducks (643). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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03-28-21 |
Florida State v. Michigan -2 |
Top |
58-76 |
Win
|
100 |
5 h 51 m |
Show
|
At 5:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Michigan Wolverines (628) minus the points versus the Florida State Seminoles (627). THE SITUATION: Michigan (22-4) advanced to the Sweet 16 with their gritty 86-78 victory against LSU as a 5-point favorite last Monday. Florida State (18-6) has won three of their last four games after their 71-53 upset win against Colorado as a 2.5-point underdog on Monday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
REASONS TO TAKE THE WOLVERINES MINUS THE POINTS: Michigan was resilient to take the Tigers’ best punch but still rally from a 9-point deficit to defeat an LSU team that is loaded with talent and playing at a high level. Juwan Howard displayed his coaching acumen making many in-game adjustments that changed the momentum. And the Wolverines had several role players step up to make big shots. The loss of Isaiah Livers has been absorbed by several players. Eli Brooks led the team with 21 points with the senior making several clutch baskets. Transfer Chaundee Brown is getting more playing time with Livers on the shelf — he responded with 21 points himself. Michigan has played worse this season in the times when Brooks has been hurt rather than Livers — his role on the team is more vital this season given the emergence of freshman phenom Hunter Dickinson at center. Brandon Johns took Livers' spot in the starting lineup — he had a solid 7 points with 5 rebounds in 27 minutes. Johns is a former five-star recruit under John Beilein who can create his own shot as more of a post-up player than Livers. Michigan should build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games after a straight-up win. The offense was clicking even without Livers with the Wolverines making 53.8% of their shots — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after scoring at least 80 points in their last game. The Wolverines scored 82 points in their opening-round game against Texas Southern — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after scoring at least 80 points in two straight games. Only Gonzaga, Baylor, and Michigan rank inside the top-ten in Adjusted Efficiency in both offense and defense. They have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 19 games against teams with a winning record — and they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 23 games when favored. I take a backseat to no one in my respect for Florida State head coach Leonard Hamilton. We had them in their upset in against Colorado — but that was likely an outlier performance. The Seminoles made 52.2% of their shots which was the best shooting effort in their last three games. But Michigan may be catching Florida State at the right time. This is the best 3-point shooting team in Hamilton’s tenure at Florida State — but they have hit only 6 of their 26 shots (23.0%) 3-pointers in the Big Dance which may be a harbinger of things to come under tournament pressure facing elite defenses. As it is, the Seminoles are 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games after a point spread win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when playing with five or six days of rest. Florida State has flexed their muscles on defense by holding their first two opponents to 53.5 PPG in the Big Dance. But the Seminoles have failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 27 games after not allowing their last two opponents to score more than 55 points. Florida State has balanced scoring and a deep bench — but I am not sure they have a reliable go-to scorer in the half-court when they need a basket. The Seminoles rank 5th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency at home — but they fall to 31st in that metric when playing on the road. And while their length on defense will disrupt Michigan, they lack a post-defender who can handle Dickinson down low. The 7-footer will likely be a difference-maker in this game — especially on the boards. The Seminoles allow their opponents to pull down 31.6% of their missed shots, ranking 296th nationally. Florida State is just 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better.
FINAL TAKE: Michigan is 35-15-2 ATS in their last 52 games played on a neutral court — and they are 12-4-2 ATS in their last 18 games in the NCAA Tournament as a favorite. Florida State is 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games on a neutral court — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games on a neutral court with the Total set in the 140 to 144.5 point range. 25* CBB Sweet 16 Game of the Year with the Michigan Wolverines (628) minus the points versus the Florida State Seminoles (627). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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03-28-21 |
Louisiana Tech v. Colorado State UNDER 144.5 |
Top |
76-74 |
Loss |
-110 |
2 h 43 m |
Show
|
At 3:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (649) and the Colorado State Rams (650). THE SITUATION: Louisiana Tech (23-8) lost in the Semifinals of the National Invitational Tournament in an 84-62 upset loss to Mississippi State as a 1.5-point favorite yesterday. Colorado State (20-7) lost to Memphis yesterday by a 90-67 score as a 4.5-point underdog. This third-place consolation game is being played on a neutral court at Comerica Park in Frisco, Texas.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bulldogs allowed the Mississippi State Bulldogs to make 55.8% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last 26 games. That mark was far above their opponent’s field goal percentage of 40.2% for the season. Louisiana Tech has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. While Louisiana Tech ranks 77th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing at home, they improve to ranking 30th nationally in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when on the road. However, the Bulldogs rank just 219th nationally in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency on the road as compared to their 96th rank in that metric when at home. The Under is 8-1-2 in Louisiana Tech’s last 11 games against teams who are winning at least 60% of their games. Colorado State allowed Memphis to make 55.7% of their shots yesterday which was the worst defensive performance in their last 19 games. They caught a red-hot Memphis team who could not miss in the second half yesterday (one of the reasons I passed on the Tigers today). The Rams have played 6 straight games Under the Total after a loss by at least 20 points. Additionally, Colorado State has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. While the Rams rank 67th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency at home, they fall to 112th in offense when playing on the road. Colorado State has played 40 of their last 59 games Under the Total against teams who are winning at least 60% of their games. The Rams have also played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total as a favorite.
FINAL TAKE: Colorado State has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total when favored on a neutral court. Louisiana Tech has played 6 of their last 8 games on a neutral court Under the Total when an underdog. 25* CBB NIT Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (649) and the Colorado State Rams (650). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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03-27-21 |
Villanova v. Baylor OVER 140 |
Top |
51-62 |
Loss |
-113 |
9 h 59 m |
Show
|
At 5:15 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Villanova Wildcats (621) and the Baylor Bears (622). THE SITUATION: Villanova (18-6) advanced to the Sweet 16 with their 84-61 win against North Texas as a 4.5-point favorite last Sunday. Baylor (24-2) has won six of their last seven games with their 76-63 victory against Wisconsin as a 3.5-point favorite on Sunday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Wildcats were hot from behind the arc against the Mean Green — they nailed 15 of their 30 shots from 3-point land. We had Villanova in both their NCAA Tournament games last week with the belief that Jay Wright would push the right buttons to keep his offense clicking even after the season-ending injury to senior point guard Collin Gillespie. Wright has responded by running the offense through 6’9 forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl who has averaged 20.0 PPG with 8.5 Rebounds-Per-Game in this tournament. The Wildcats have played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total after a point spread win. Additionally, Villanova has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a win by at least 20 points. The Wildcats are going to launch 3s as they play the role of spoiler — a rare role for this program under Wright. Villanova is 27th in the nation by attempting 45.1% of their shots from behind the arc. Wright will likely think his formula for success is to out-shoot the Bears since his team ranks 221st nationally with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 51.2%. Villanova allows their opponents to make 34.9% of their 3-pointers, ranking 238th in the nation — and that is an ominous number when facing this Baylor team that leads the nation by converting 41.2% of their 3-pointers. The Wildcats’ defense worsens when playing on the road — while they rank 65th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency at home, they plummet to 122nd in that metric on the road. Baylor has played 11 of their last 12 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have 6 straight games Over the Total after a point spread win. But the play of Scott Drew’s defense remains a concern. The three-week COVID pause in February stunted the development of his team’s play on that end of the court. Since February 1st, the Bears rank 111th in Adjusted Net Defense which is a big drop-off from their 41st ranking overall this season in that metric. After not allowing more than 69 points in all eight of their Big 12 games before February 2nd, Baylor has surrendered at least 70 points in their next five conference games (and six of seven heading into the NCAA Tournament). The numbers have been better against Hartford and Wisconsin in the Big Dance, but that might speak more about those teams than the quality of the Bears’ defensive play. But Baylor will keep scoring — while five of their last ten opponents have shot at least 47.5% from the field, they have made at least 50.8% of their shots in five of those ten games. The Bears average 84.2 PPG behind an offense that ranks third nationally in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. Baylor has played 12 of the last 14 games Over the Total as a favorite — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against teams winning at least 60% of their games.
FINAL TAKE: The Bears have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total in Big Dance — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total in the NCAA Tournament as a favorite. Villanova has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total on a neutral court. 25* CBB Sweet 16 Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Villanova Wildcats (621) and the Baylor Bears (622). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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03-27-21 |
Memphis -3.5 v. Colorado State |
Top |
90-67 |
Win
|
100 |
3 h 10 m |
Show
|
At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Memphis Tigers (629) minus the points versus the Colorado State Rams (630). THE SITUATION: Memphis (18-8) has won three of their last four games after defeating Boise State by a 59-56 score as a 4-point favorite in the NIT Quarterfinals on Thursday. Colorado State (20-6) has also won three of their last four games after their 65-61 upset win against North Carolina State as a 1.5-point underdog on Thursday in their NIT Quarterfinals contest. This game will be played on a neutral court at Comerica Park in Frisco, Texas.
REASONS TO TAKE THE TIGERS MINUS THE POINTS: Memphis advanced despite making only 42.9% of their shots which was the lowest field goal percentage in their last three games. Penny Hardaway’s team should build off their momentum — they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up win. The Tigers have also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games after a win by 6 points or less. And while Memphis had covered the point spread in seven straight games before not covering against the Broncos, they have covered the point spread in 8 straight games after covering the point spread in four or five of their last six games. Furthermore, the Tigers have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after winning at least two in a row. Hardaway has been criticized for his coaching — but the former NBA star has overseen the development of his team rising to be number one in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in the nation. Memphis has played two straight Unders — and they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games after playing their last two games Under the Total. The Tigers have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after a game where no more than 125 combined points were scored. And in their last 6 games when playing their second game in three days, Memphis has covered the point spread in 5 of these contests. Hardaway’s team has played better away from home — while they rank 50th nationally in Adjusted Net Efficiency, they improve to 31st in Adjusted Net Efficiency on the road. They have also covered the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games in games with the total set in the 130s. Colorado State may be due for a letdown after rallying in the second half to defeat the Wolfpack on Thursday. The Rams have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after an upset win. Despite the win, they are scoring only 68.8 PPG over their last five games with a 40.6% field goal percentage over that span which is a dropoff of -5.5 PPG from their season average where they are making 46.9% of their shots. Colorado State has been more effective at home at Fort Collins where they rank 63rd in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency. When away from home, the Rams fall to 87th in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency. The biggest problem is with the play of their offense — consistent with the decline in their recent five games. While Colorado State ranks 65th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency at home, they fall to 134th in that metric on the road. Protecting the basketball has been an issue — they turn the ball over in 19.6% of their possessions, ranking 205th nationally. Memphis forces turnovers in 22.3% of their opponent’s possessions, ranking 28th nationally.
FINAL TAKE: Colorado State is just 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games against teams who are winning at least 60% of their games. They have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games on a neutral court as an underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 17 games on a neutral court as a dog getting 3.5 to 6 points. Memphis has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games when favored — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games against teams who are winning at least 60% of their games. 25* CBB NIT Semifinals Game of the Year with the Memphis Tigers (629) minus the points versus the Colorado State Rams (630). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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03-25-21 |
Louisiana Tech v. Western Kentucky UNDER 137 |
Top |
72-65 |
Push |
0 |
4 h 4 m |
Show
|
At 10:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (617) and the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (618). THE SITUATION: Louisiana Tech (22-7) has won seven of their last eight games after their 70-61 upset victory against Mississippi as a 3-point underdog last Friday. Western Kentucky (21-7) has won four of their last five games after their 69-67 upset victory against Saint Mary’s as a 2-point underdog last Wednesday. This NIT Quarterfinals game will be played on a neutral court at Comerica Park in Frisco, Texas.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bulldogs reached the Quarterfinals with their win against Ole Miss despite allowing them to make 40.7% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last six games. Louisiana Tech has held their last five opponents to just 38.4% shooting along with 61.6 PPG which is -2.9 PPG below their season average. They have allowed 61 and 54 points in the last two games — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 65 points in two straight games. The Under is 5-2-1 in the Bulldogs’ last 8 games after a straight-up win — and the Under is 4-1-1 in their last 6 games after a point spread victory. And while that game finished above the 129.5 point total, Louisiana Tech has played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Over the Total. The home/road splits are striking for this team. While they rank 93rd in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency when playing at home, they plummet to 236th nationally in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency when playing on the road. And while they rank 77th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency at home, they skyrocket to ninth-best in defense when playing on the road. The Bulldogs have played 12 of their last 17 games Under the Total against Conference USA opponents — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total as an underdog. The Under is also 5-0-1 in their last 6 games against teams who are winning at least 60% of their games. Western Kentucky outlasted the Gaels despite allowing them to make 48% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last 17 games. The Hilltoppers have still held their last five opponents to 40.5% shooting which has resulted in just 62.4 PPG in their last five games which are -5.5 PPG below their season average. They are scoring only 66.0 PPG in these previous five games which are -7.0 PPG below their season average — a 41.4% shooting mark explains the decline. Western Kentucky have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss. The Hilltoppers have also palled 16 of their last 23 road games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 23 of their last 32 road games Under the Total after a narrow win by three points or less. Additionally, Western Kentucky has played 21 of their last 29 road games Under the Total against conference foes — and they have 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total on a neutral court. The Hilltoppers have also played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total against teams who are winning at least 60% of their games.
FINAL TAKE: Western Kentucky is looking to avenge a 63-58 loss at home to the Bulldogs on January 9th — and they have played 6 straight games Under the Total when playing with revenge. 25* CBB NIT Quarterfinals Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (617) and the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (618). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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03-25-21 |
NC State +1 v. Colorado State |
Top |
61-65 |
Loss |
-112 |
19 h 19 m |
Show
|
At 7:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the North Carolina State Wolfpack (613) minus (or plus) the point(s) versus Colorado State (614). THE SITUATION: NC State (14-10) has won six of their last seven games with their 75-61 win against Davidson as a 2.5-point favorite last Thursday. Colorado State (19-6) has won two of their last three games with their 75-73 win against Buffalo as a 2-point favorite last Friday. This quarterfinals match in the National Invitational Tournament is being played on a neutral court at Comerica Park in Frisco, Texas.
REASONS TO TAKE THE WOLFPACK PLUS THE POINTS: NC State nailed 58.8% of their shots against the Wildcats which was the best shooting effort of the season. That typically is a red flag for me as an outlier effort that is due for regression. But that was the fifth time in their last seven games that NC State has made at least 50% of their shots. This is a team peaking in March — despite losing their top-scorer, Devon Daniels, to a season-ending ACL tear at the end o January. Kevin Keatts kept coaching — and he has redesigned the offense to rely more on his frontcourt. Junior forward Jericole Hellems has averaged 13.8 PPG in his last 13 games. 6’10 senior D.J. Funderburk led the team with 21 points against Davidson. Four of the Wolfpack’s best graded net efficiency performances have taken place since February 6th. The team trends suggest the strong effort last week is a sign of good things to come for this team — they have covered the point spread in 7 straight games after making at least 55% of their shots in their last game. And while the Wolfpack’s with the Wildcats finished Under the Total, they have then covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after playing an Under. NC State also tends to play better on the road. While they rank 93rd nationally in Adjusted Net Efficiency at home, they rise to 27th nationally in Adjusted Net Efficiency on the road fueled by a ranking 13th nationally in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. Another metrics projection system I consider ranks the Wolfpack as the 11th best team in the nation on the road. Colorado State has played their basketball at home in Fort Collins where they have an edge given their familiarity with the higher altitude. The Rams rank 64th nationally in Adjusted Net Efficiency at home — but they fall to 90th nationally in that metric on the road. The biggest dropoff away from home is the performance of their offense. While Colorado State is 68th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency at home, they plummet to 124th nationally in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency on the road. This is not a great matchup for the Rams either given their propensity to commit turnovers. Colorado State turns the ball over in 19.8% of their possessions, the 222nd worst mark in the nation. They were even worse in the Mountain West Conference with a turnover rate of 21.9%, ninth-worst. The Wolfpack forced turnovers in 21.9% of their opponent’s possessions, ranking 40th nationally. Colorado State has not committed more than 11 turnovers in four straight games — but not only have the Rams failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 18 games after not committing more than 11 turnovers in two straight games, they have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after not committing more than 11 turnovers in three straight games. Despite protecting the basketball better as of late (albeit against opponents not as adept at forcing turnovers as NC State), the top-five performances this season for Colorado State, in terms of efficiency, all took place before February.
FINAL TAKE: The Rams have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games on a neutral court as an underdog or pick ‘em — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games on a neutral court with the total set in the 145 to 149.5 point range. NC State has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games on a neutral court as a favorite or picks ‘em — and they have covered the point spread 9 of their last 14 games on a neutral court with the number set in the 145 to 149.5 point range. 25* CBB NIT Game of the Year with the North Carolina State Wolfpack (613) minus (or plus) the point(s) versus Colorado State (614). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
03-24-21 |
Coastal Carolina v. Pepperdine -4 |
Top |
61-84 |
Win
|
100 |
6 h 35 m |
Show
|
At 8:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Pepperdine Wave (610) minus the points versus the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (609). THE SITUATION: Pepperdine (14-12) advanced to the Championship Game of the College Basketball Invitational with their 82-71 win against Bellarmine as a 4.5-point favorite on Tuesday. Coastal Carolina (18-7) won their semifinals game against Stetson with a 77-72 win in overtime as a 7.5-point favorite. The CBI is being played at a neutral court at Oceans Center in Dayton Beach.
REASONS TO TAKE THE WAVE MINUS THE POINTS: Pepperdine had high expectations to begin the season with four starters back from the group that finished 16-16. Lorenzo Romar has talent on his team — led by senior Colbey Ross who is averaging 17.6 PPG and junior Kessler Edwards who added 17.5 PPG. The Wave suffered close losses to good teams last season — including 2-point losses to Gonzaga and Arizona. It was more of the same for Romar’s team this season with an early triple-overtime loss to UCLA (when the Bruins still had a healthy Chris Smith) and a 5-point loss to San Diego State. The Wave then endured a front-loaded schedule in the West Coast Conference given COVID cancellations — they still played Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s twice and BYU three times (including the conference tournament) but did not benefit from getting to load up on the bottom half of the conference. Pepperdine did defeat Saint Mary’s and BYU in the regular season — but they lost an overtime heartbreaker to the Cougars in the West Coast Conference tournament, despite a spectacular effort from Ross. The Wave should build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread win. Pepperdine has also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games when playing with one day or less of rest. The Wave are playing their best basketball of the season now in March with four wins in their last five games. They have scored at least 77 points in each of their last five games while averaging 81.4 PPG with a 48.5% shooting clip over that span. Pepperdine has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after scoring at least 75 points in two straight games. The Wave have also been more effective on the road. While Pepperdine ranks 141st in Adjusted Net Efficiency at home, they improve to 66th nationally in Adjusted Net Efficiency on the road. They have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games on a neutral court with the Total set in the 150. Pepperdine is also 38-14-2 ATS in their last 54 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning record. Coastal Carolina has the burden of playing without rest after a game that required overtime — and, as it is, they have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games after a straight-up win. And while the Chanticleers have played two straight games Over the Total, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games after playing two straight Overs. This is a big step-up in competition for this team whose best opponent this season was a Wofford team that metrics guru Ken Pomeroy ranks at 126th in the nation — and they lost by 11 points. Pomeroy ranks Pepperdine as the 105th team nationally. Twenty-two of the 25 teams Coastal Carolina played this season are ranked 211th or lower by Pomeroy.
FINAL TAKE: Coastal Carolina has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games played on a neutral court as an underdog or pick ‘em — and the Wave have covered the point spread in 7 straight games played on a neutral court as a favorite. 25* CBB CBI Game of the Year with the Pepperdine Wave (610) minus the points versus the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (609). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
03-22-21 |
Maryland v. Alabama UNDER 139.5 |
Top |
77-96 |
Loss |
-111 |
7 h 0 m |
Show
|
At 8:45 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Maryland Terrapins (831) and the Alabama Crimson Tide (832). THE SITUATION: Maryland (17-13) has won two of their last three games after their 63-54 win against UConn as a 3.5-point underdog on Saturday. Alabama (25-6) has won seven in a row with their 68-55 victory against Iona as a 17-point favorite on Saturday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Bankers Fieldhouse.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Maryland Unders have been very for us over the last few weeks when the Terrapins have away from College Park. They offer the valuable combination of being undervalued on defense when playing on the road while being overvalued on offense. While Maryland ranked just 94th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing at home, they jump to eighth-best in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing on the road. They have held their last five opponents to just 63.2 PPG on 39.1% shooting even after Michigan torched them at a 51.7% clip in the Big Ten tournament. They rank 10th best in the nation in their last ten games in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency overall which is an improvement over their 23rd ranking in that metric for the season. But head coach Mark Turgeon sees a decline in the offensive effectiveness of his team when playing on the road. At home, the Terrapins are 20th nationally in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — but they fall to 83rd in the nation in that metric on the road. They score 62.2 PPG on the road on 42.7% shooting which is -6.4 PPG below their season average. This foundation does not make us zombies to Maryland Unders moving forward — the circumstances warrant the play. The Terrapins continued to play tough defense by holding the Huskies on Saturday to just 32.3% shooting — that was the eleventh time this season they held an opponent under 60 points. But Maryland overachieved on offense by nailing 51.2% of their shots which was the best shooting effort in their last nine games. They are due for some regression on that front. The Terrapins have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total when playing their second game in eight days. Alabama made 47.2% of their shots in their win against the Gaels which was the best shooting effort in their last three games. The Crimson Tide have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Even better, Nate Oats’ team shares the same identity as Maryland in that they play better defense but sees their offensive efficiency decline when playing on the road. Alabama is 15th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing at home — but they are third in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency on the road. But while the Tide are 32nd nationally in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency at home, they fall to 60th nationally in that metric on the road where they make only 41.8% of their shots. The Crimson Tide’s defense is trending in the right direction after holding Iona to just 39.0 shooting. Alabama’s last five opponents are averaging 65.8 PPG on 39.4% shooting from the field.
FINAL TAKE: Maryland has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams who are winning at least 60% of their games — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total on a neutral court as an underdog. The Terrapins have also played 5 of their last 6 games in the NCAA Tournament Under the Total. Alabama has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when favored — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on a neutral court. The Tide have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total in the Big Dance. 25* CBB TNT Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Maryland Terrapins (831) and the Alabama Crimson Tide (832). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
03-22-21 |
Colorado v. Florida State -1.5 |
Top |
53-71 |
Win
|
100 |
4 h 1 m |
Show
|
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.
|
03-22-21 |
Oregon +5.5 v. Iowa |
Top |
95-80 |
Win
|
100 |
1 h 3 m |
Show
|
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.
|
03-21-21 |
North Texas v. Villanova -5.5 |
Top |
61-84 |
Win
|
100 |
2 h 52 m |
Show
|
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.
|
03-20-21 |
Maryland v. Connecticut UNDER 130 |
Top |
63-54 |
Win
|
100 |
6 h 13 m |
Show
|
At 7:10 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Maryland Terrapins (791) and the Connecticut Huskies (792). THE SITUATION: Maryland (16-13) has lost three of their last four games after their 79-66 win against Michigan as a 5.5-point underdog last Friday. UConn (15-7) had their five-game winning streak snapped on Friday in a 59-56 upset loss to Creighton as a 2.5-point favorite last Friday. This game is being played on a neutral court at Mackay Arena in West Lafayette.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Maryland allowed the Wolverines to make 51.7 % of their shots in what was the worst defensive effort in their last 14 games. The Terrapins were second in the Big Ten by allowing only 65.0 PPG on 40.9% shooting — so they should play better on that end of the court tonight. Maryland has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 25 of their last 36 games Under the Total on the road after a double-digit loss to a Big Ten opponent. The Terrapins have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a point spread loss. While Maryland ranked just 95th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing at home, they jump to ninth-best in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing on the road. They have held their last five opponents to just 63.4 PPG on 39.5% shooting even after what Michigan did to them. They rank 14th best in the nation in their last ten games in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency overall which is an improvement over their 25th ranking in that metric for the season. But head coach Mark Turgeon sees a decline in the offensive effectiveness of his team when playing on the road. At home, the Terrapins are 20th nationally in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — but they fall to 96th in the nation in that metric on the road. They score 62.1 PPG on the road on 42.1% shooting which is -6.7 PPG below their season average. Maryland has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. UConn had played 18 of their last 26 games Under the Total after a loss — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a loss by three points or less. And while the Huskies had covered five games in a row before their upset loss to the Bluejays, they have played 18 of their last 25 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. UConn led the Big East by allowing only 64.6 PPG — and they held ten opponents to under 60 points. They have held their last five opponents to 39.9% shooting. And while they ranked 90th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing at home, they improve to 5th best in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing on the road. But UConn only makes 40% of their shots on the road which results in 67.7 PPG which is -4.8 PPG below their season average.
FINAL TAKE: Maryland has played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total on a neutral court as an underdog — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total in the NCAA Tournament. UConn has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on a neutral court — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games in the Big Dance Under the Total. 25* CBB NCAA Tournament First Round Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Maryland Terrapins (791) and the Connecticut Huskies (792). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
03-18-21 |
UCLA v. Michigan State UNDER 135.5 |
Top |
86-80 |
Loss |
-115 |
3 h 34 m |
Show
|
At 9:57 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the UCLA Bruins (717) and 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 UNDER THE TOTAL: I expect this game to be a slog between two head coaches who prefer slow, grinding games at the core of their coaching DNA. The Bruins held the Beavers to 42.9% shooting in their overtime loss last week. They have played 5 of their last 8 games Under the Total after an upset loss. They have also played 12 of their last 15 games Under the Total when playing with five or six days of rest. And while the Total was at 133 in their loss to Oregon State, UCLA has played 18 of their last 27 games Under the Total after playing an Over in their last game. Head coach Mick Cronin lost a piece on offense with Jalen Hill not playing in this tournament for personal reasons. He only scores 6.1 PPG but he crashes the offensive glass for the Bruins. Their leading scorer, Johnny Juzang, has not been at 100% after missing the USC game and playing only 24 minutes against the Beavers. UCLA has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total as an underdog. Michigan State (15-12) has played 7 straight games Under the Total after playing a game that did not see more than 125 combined points scored. The Spartans have also played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. And while Michigan State has played six straight Unders under head coach Tom Izzo, they have then played 22 of their last 32 games Under the Total after playing at least two straight Unders. The Spartans really miss 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. Izzo eventually moved Rocket Watts away from point guard responsibilities — but he only made 29.9% of this 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 is scoring only 59.8 PPG with a 38.6% shooting percentage in their last five games. But the Spartans did see their scoring defense improve by more than 4 PPG in these last five games as they have held those opponents to 66.4 PPG. The Spartans do have the length with their guards to present problems for Bruins’ point guard Tyger Campbell. Michigan State has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total against teams who are winning at least 60% of their games. The Spartans have also played 15 of their last 20 games Over the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. And the Over is 12-3-1 in their last 16 games played on a neutral court.
FINAL TAKE: Michigan State has played 4 straight NCAA Tournament games Under the Total in the Izzo era. UCLA has played 4 of their last 5 games in the Big Dance Under the Total. 25* CBB NCAA Tournament First Four Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the UCLA Bruins (717) and the Michigan State Spartans (718). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
03-18-21 |
Norfolk State +3.5 v. Appalachian State |
Top |
54-53 |
Win
|
100 |
6 h 32 m |
Show
|
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.
|
03-17-21 |
Western Kentucky +2 v. St. Mary's |
Top |
69-67 |
Win
|
100 |
4 h 54 m |
Show
|
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.
|
03-14-21 |
Ohio State +6 v. Illinois |
Top |
88-91 |
Win
|
100 |
1 h 12 m |
Show
|
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.
|
03-13-21 |
Cal-Irvine v. UC-Santa Barbara -2.5 |
Top |
63-79 |
Win
|
100 |
3 h 56 m |
Show
|
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.
|
03-13-21 |
New Mexico State v. Grand Canyon UNDER 126.5 |
Top |
56-74 |
Loss |
-117 |
0 h 16 m |
Show
|
At 10:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New Mexico State Aggies (629) and the Grand Canyon Antelopes (630) in the championship game in the Western Athletic Conference. THE SITUATION: New Mexico State (12-7) has won seven of their last eight games after their 78-62 win against Utah Valley State as a 6-point favorite last night. Grand Canyon (16-6) has won three of their last four games with their 81-47 win against Seattle as a 6.5-point favorite last night. The WAC tournament is being played at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: New Mexico State has played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. And while the Aggies have covered the point spread in their last two games as a favorite, they have then played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after covering the point spread when laying the points in two straight games. New Mexico State is improving on defense last in the season after holding the Wolverines to just 29.8% shooting last night. They have held their last five opponents to just 37.7% shooting which is limiting these foes to only 59.2 PPG. The Aggies have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total with the number set no higher than 129.5. They have also played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total when favored — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Grand Canyon made 50% of their shots last night which was tied for the best shooting effort in their last six games. The Antelopes have played 7 straight games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 straight games Under the Total after a point spread victory. Grand Canyon is also playing their best defense of the season in March after holding Seattle to just 28.3% shooting. They have held their last five opponents to just 37.8% shooting which has produced only 60.8 PPG. The Antelopes have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total when playing just their second game in seven days. Grand Canyon has also played 4 straight games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total as an underdog. And in their last 5 games played on a neutral court, the Antelopes have played 4 of these games Under the Total.
FINAL TAKE: Grand Canyon swept the two games in the regular season — and New Mexico State has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing with revenge. 25* CBB Western Athletic Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the New Mexico State Aggies (629) and the Grand Canyon Antelopes (630). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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03-13-21 |
Iona -8 v. Fairfield |
Top |
60-51 |
Win
|
100 |
1 h 40 m |
Show
|
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.
|
03-12-21 |
New Mexico State v. Utah Valley +6.5 |
Top |
78-62 |
Loss |
-103 |
1 h 59 m |
Show
|
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.
|
03-12-21 |
North Carolina v. Florida State -2 |
Top |
66-69 |
Win
|
100 |
4 h 29 m |
Show
|
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.
|
03-12-21 |
North Texas v. Louisiana Tech UNDER 127.5 |
Top |
54-48 |
Win
|
100 |
0 h 10 m |
Show
|
At 3:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the North Texas Mean Green (837) and the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (838) in the Semifinals of the Conference USA tournament. THE SITUATION: North Texas (15-9) won their second game in a row along with their sixth in their last nine contests with their 61-55 win against Old Dominion as a 4-point favorite last night. Louisiana Tech (21-6) has won six in a row with their 75-69 win against FAU as a 7-point favorite yesterday. The Conference USA tournament is being played at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: We had the Mean Green Under last night with one of the reasons being how much better they play defense on the road. While North Texas ranks 76th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing at home, they improve to 58th nationally in that metric when playing on the road. The Mean Green allowed the Monarchs to make 44.2% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last three games. North Texas are sharpshooters — at least when playing at home. They rank 12th nationally with an effective field goal percentage of 59.1% when playing at home. But UNT plummets to 79th nationally when playing away from home with an effective field goal percentage of 51.6%. They only made 38.2% of their shots last night. In their last five games, they are averring only 64.2 PPG while making 43.8% of their shots — a drop off of more than six PPG from their season average where they are making 48.2% of their shots. The Mean Green have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread win. Additionally, North Texas has played 33 of their last 47 games Under the Total after a win on the road by six points or less. And in their last 12 road games after not allowing more than 60 points in their last game, the Mean Green have played 9 of these games Under the Total. North Texas has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. Louisiana Tech has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. And while last night’s game finished Over the 138 point total, they have then played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Over the Total. The Bulldogs have also played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing their second game in three days. Louisiana Tech ranks 37th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — but they improve to 24th nationally in that metric on the road. But while they rank 91st nationally in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency at home, that mark plummets to 240th when on the road. The Bulldogs have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record.
FINAL TAKE: Louisiana Tech will be looking to avenge a 57-55 loss to the Mean Green in Denton on February 6th. The Bulldogs have played 5 straight Unders when playing with revenge — and they have played 16 of their last 23 games Under the Total when avenging a loss on the road. 25* CBB CBS Sports Network Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the North Texas Mean Green (837) and the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (838). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
03-11-21 |
North Texas v. Old Dominion UNDER 128 |
Top |
61-55 |
Win
|
100 |
1 h 22 m |
Show
|
At 10:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the North Texas Mean Green (759) and the Old Dominion Monarchs (760) in the Quarterfinals of the Conference USA tournament. THE SITUATION: North Texas (14-9) defeated Middle Tennessee last night, 76-56, as a 15.5-point favorite in their opening game of this tournament. Old Dominion (15-7) had their four-game winning streak snapped last Saturday in a 60-57 loss at Western Kentucky as a 7-point underdog. The Conference USA tournament is being played at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: We had the Mean Green last night with one of the reasons being how much better they play defense on the road. While North Texas ranks 76th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing at home, they improve to 57th nationally in that metric when playing on the road. The Mean Green held the Blue Raiders to just a 34.0% field goal percentage last night. North Texas has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games on the road Under the Total after a win by at least 15 points. And in their last 11 games on the road after not allowing more than 60 points, the Mean Green have played 9 of these games Under the Total. North Texas plays excellent half-court defense. They rank 27th in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 46.4% — and by holding their opponents to just 44.9% shooting inside the arc, they rank 21st in the nation. The Mean Green are also sharpshooters — at least when playing at home. They rank 12th nationally with an effective field goal percentage of 59.1% when playing at home. But UNT plummets to 71st nationally when playing away from home with an effective field goal percentage of 52.0%. They made 54.5% of their shots last night which is the best shooting mark in their last four games — yet it is due for regression tonight. North Texas has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better. Old Dominion has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss. The Monarchs only made 38.9% of their shots but that continued a disturbing trend for them when playing away from home. Old Dominion ranks 138th in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency at home — but they drop to 236th in that metric on the road. But simultaneously, their defense improves when playing away from home where they rank 121st in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency as compared to their 164th ranking when playing at home. And in their last five games, the Monarchs have held their opponents to just 61.6 PPG on 37.8% shooting.
FINAL TAKE: Old Dominion has played 40 of their last 52 games on a neutral court Under the Total — including 10 of their last 11 games in tournament action. They have also played 19 of their last 26 games Under the Total on a neutral court as an underdog. North Texas has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total when favored — and the Under is 3-1-1 in their last 5 games on a neutral court when favored. 25* CBB Conference USA Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the North Texas Mean Green (759) and the Old Dominion Monarchs (760). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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03-11-21 |
Niagara v. Marist UNDER 124.5 |
Top |
67-62 |
Loss |
-110 |
1 h 50 m |
Show
|
At 7:30 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Niagara Purple Eagles (751) and the Marist Foxes (752) in the Quarterfinals of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament. THE SITUATION: Niagara (80-10) takes the court again for the first time since February 21st when they had their two-game winning streak snapped at home to Siena by a 66-61 score as a 5-point underdog. Marist (12-8) won their third in a row on March 1st in a 65-52 win against Quinnipiac as a 2-point favorite. The Metro Atlantic tournament is being played at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Look for the Purple Eagles to be rusty in facing live competition for the first time in almost three weeks. As it is, they have played 13 of their last 19 games Under the Total when playing with at least seven days of rest between games. They allowed Siena to make 50% of their shots the last time out so tightening up on defense will be a priority. Niagara has played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a loss at home — and they have played 16 of their last 19 games Under the Total after a loss to a conference rival including six of those eight situations this season. The Purple Eagles struggle to shoot the basketball away from home. While they rank third in the conference and 166th nationally in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency, they fall to sixth in the conference and 280th nationally in that metric when playing on the road. They have an effective field goal percentage of 42.9%, ranking 335th in the nation, when playing in true road games or on neutral courts. And they choose to get back on defense rather than crash the glass — they are 287th in the nation by rebounding only 22.7% of their missed shots on the road. They average only 59.7 PPG away from home with a 37.5% field goal percentage. They do hold teams to just a 42.4% shooting percentage on the road. While ranking 285th nationally in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency, that mark does improve to 235th in the nation when playing on the road. Niagara has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court as a pick ‘em or favorite of up to three points. They have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total with the Total set at 129.5 or lower. And in their last 5 games against tams with a winning record, the Under is 3-1-1. Marist has played 4 of their last 5 games under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. The Foxes can play some defense — they are 18th in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 45.8%, ranking 18th in the nation. They allow 64.4 PPG when playing away from home on 39.7% shooting. Marist has played 4 straight Unders when playing on a neutral court — and they have played 13 of their last 19 games Under the Total on a neutral court as an underdog. But while the Foxes rank sixth in their conference and 276th nationally in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency, they fall to 321st in the nation and tenth in the MAAC in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing on the road. Over their last five games, they are scoring only 59.2 PPG on 39.7% shooting — but they are allowing just 58.2 PPG on 34.6% shooting from the field. Marist has played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total with the Total set at 129.5 or lower. They have also played 4 straight games Under the Total as an underdog.
FINAL TAKE: Niagara won the last meeting between these two teams on January 2nd by an 86-76 score — and Marist has played 13 of their last 19 games Under the Total when playing with same-season revenge including three of their four opportunities this season. 25* CBB Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Niagara Purple Eagles (751) and the Marist Foxes (752). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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03-10-21 |
Arkansas-Pine Bluff v. Jackson State UNDER 126.5 |
Top |
62-74 |
Loss |
-110 |
1 h 40 m |
Show
|
At 3:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions (307101) and the Jackson State Tigers (307102) in the Quarterfinals of the Southwest Athletic Conference tournament. THE SITUATION: Arkansas-Pine Bluff (4-20) snapped a twelve-game losing streak last Friday in an 82-59 win at Mississippi Valley State as a 10.5-point favorite. Jackson State (11-5) has won eleven in a row with their 79-54 win against Alabama State as a 13.5-point favorite on Saturday. The SWAC tournament is being played at Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Golden Lions nailed 53.3% of their shots last Friday in what was the best shooting effort in their last 13 games. Yet Arkansas-Pine Bluff is just 333rd in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. They rank 345th nationally by making just 41.9% of the shots inside the arc. The Golden Lions have played 9 of their last 11 road games Under the Total after losing three of their last four games. And while their victory on Friday finished Over the 138 point total, they have then played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total after playing an Over. Arkansas-Pine Bluff has the top Adjusted Offensive Efficiency in the SWAC while ranking 258th nationally in that metric. But when playing away from home, they plummet to eighth in the SWAC and 331st nationally in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. They make only 39.6% of their shots inside the road away from home, ranking 345th while averaging just 58.9 PPG on 37.0% shooting. But, their defensive performances have been better on the road where they rank 8th in the SWAC and 333th nationally in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — not great numbers but better than their 10th ranking in the conference and 343rd mark nationally when at home. The Golden Lions have played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court with the total set at 129.5 or lower. They have also played 5 straight games Under the Total against teams winning at least 60% of their games. Jackson State made 54.5% of their shots last Saturday in what was their best shooting performance of the season. The Tigers have played 39 of their last 56 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 21 of their last 28 games Under the Total after a victory against a conference rival. Jackson State has also played 23 of their last 31 games Under the Total after a point spread win — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a win by at least 20 points. I was pleasantly surprised to discover upon my deep dive that the Tigers have the second-lowest effective field goal percentage of 43.3% in the nation. They also limit their opponents to just 42.4% shooting inside the arc, ranking fourth in the nation, so it is going to be very difficult for the Golden Lions to score easy baskets. Jackson State has held their last five opponents to just 52.0 PPG on 38.2% shooting — and they have not allowed even 60 points in six straight games. The Golden Lions have played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 60 points in two straight games. But scoring is the problem for this team as they rank 342nd in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. They score only 60.1 PPG on the road on 38.5% shooting. They have played 24 of their last 31 games Under the Total as a favorite — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record. Jackson State has also played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total on a neutral court.
FINAL TAKE: Jackson State swept the two regular-season games this season — defeating Arkansas-Pine Bluff by a 64-58 score on March 1st after beating them 63-55 on February 1st. The Golden Lions have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total when playing with double-revenge. 25* CBB SWAC Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions (307101) and the Jackson State Tigers (307102). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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03-09-21 |
Mt. St. Mary's v. Bryant UNDER 133.5 |
Top |
73-68 |
Loss |
-110 |
3 h 33 m |
Show
|
At 7:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers (1017) and the Bryant Bulldogs (1018). THE SITUATION: Mount St. Mary’s (11-10) advanced to the finals of the Northeast Conference Tournament Championship Game with their 66-60 upset win at Wagner as a 4.5-point underdog on Saturday. Bryant (15-5) reached the championship game with an 85-55 win against Sacred Heart as a 6.5-point favorite on Saturday.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Mountaineers made 47.8% of their shots on Saturday — but they have just a 42.7% shooting percentage on the road which generates 63.0 PPG. Mount St. Mary’s is much better on the offensive end of the court when playing at home where they rank 237th in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency and fifth in conference action. When playing away from home in true road games (not including neutral courts), their adjusted offensive efficiency plummets to 305th nationally and ninth in Northeast Conference play. Yet the Mountaineers tighten up on defense when playing on an opponent’s home court — they rank 127th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency on the road which is a bit better than their 133rd ranking in that metric when playing at home. The team trends validate this observation. Mount St. Mary’s has played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 8 of their last 11 road games Under the Total as an underdog getting 6.5 to 12 points. The Mountaineers have also played 19 of their last 25 road games Under the Total in the 130s. Mount St. Mary’s has also played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. They have covered the point spread in their last three games while not allowing more than 65 points in those contests. The Mountaineers have then played 12 of their last 16 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in at least two straight games — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 65 points in three straight games. They hold their conference opponents to 60.9 PPG on 39.3% shooting. Bryant made a season-high 63.6% of their shots on Saturday in the win — but not only have they played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total after scoring at least 80 points in their last game but they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after scoring at least 85 points in their last game. The Bulldogs also played their best defensive game of the season in terms of the opponent’s field goal percentage but that is an effort that is more likely to carry over tonight. Bryant has held their last five opponents to just 37.9% shooting which is resulting in just 62.6 PPG — as compared to their 74.9 PPG and 41.0% opponent’s marks for the season. The Bulldogs’ defense has improved but we are still getting value with the number. Bryant has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a win by at least 20 points. The Bulldogs have also played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a home win against conference rival — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. They host this game where they rank 124 nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency as compared to playing on the road where their adjusted defensive efficiency drops to 196th in the nation. But get this: Bryant’s adjusted offensive efficiency is 159th at home but improves to 99th nationally on the road. This is a team that plays better defense but worse offense on their home court. The team trends bear this out as well. They have played 25 of their last 33 games Under the Total including six of their eight home games this season. They have also played 20 of their last 26 home games Under the Total as a favorite.
FINAL TAKE: I am extra cautious before investing in games from lower-tier conferences — but we have good sample sizes in March (even with COVID cancellations) and the evidence far exceeds my minimum expectations for this situation (after doing the deep dive work as this Report hopefully demonstrates). A final touch: Bryant has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total with the number in the 130s while Mount St. Mary’s has played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total with the over/under in the 130 to 139.5 point range. 25* CBB Northeast Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers (1017) and the Bryant Bulldogs (1018). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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03-08-21 |
Oral Roberts v. South Dakota State OVER 161.5 |
Top |
90-88 |
Win
|
100 |
1 h 33 m |
Show
|
At 6:45 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles (645) and the South Dakota State Jackrabbits (646). THE SITUATION: Oral Roberts (14-10) has won three in a row after their 76-65 win against North Dakota as a 7.5-point favorite yesterday. South Dakota State (16-6) has also won three in a row with their 84-71 victory against Nebraska-Omaha. This game is being played at Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls in a semi-home game for the Jackrabbits given the proximity to their campus.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Golden Eagles made only 44.8% of their shots yesterday which was tied for the lowest field goal percentage in their last four games. Oral Roberts has played 40 of their last 51 games Over the Total after a point spread win. And while that game finished below the 154 point total, they have then played 17 of their last 23 games Over the Total after playing an Under. This is the Golden Eagles’ second game since last Sunday — and they have played 9 of their last 10 games Over the Total when playing their second game in a week. They are scoring 84.0 PPG in their last five games — and their combined scores in their last five games are +4.1 points above their season average. Additionally, Oral Roberts has played 35 of their last 51 games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record. They also have played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total as an underdog — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total when playing on a neutral court as a dog. South Dakota State made 53.4% of their shots on Saturday which was the lowest field goal percentage in their last four games. They have played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total after a straight-up win. This is the Jackrabbits’ second game since last Saturday — not only have they played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total when playing their second game in three days but they have played 7 straight games Over the Total when playing their second game in three days. They are making 57.1% of their shots over their last five games — but they are allowing their last five opponents to make 47.1% of their shots which is a few notches above their 43.1% defensive field goal percentage. They have scored at least 84 points in their last two games — and they have then played 26 of their last 39 games on the road after scoring at least 80 points in two straight games. They have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record. The Jackrabbits have also played 16 of their last 21 games Over the Total when favored — and they have played 5 of their 7 games Over the Total when favored on a neutral court.
FINAL TAKE: Oral Roberts will be looking to avenge a 95-80 loss to South Dakota State on February 14th — and they have played 13 of their last 21 games Over the Total when playing with revenge from a double-digit loss. 25* CBB Summit League Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles (645) and the South Dakota State Jackrabbits (646). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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03-07-21 |
Drexel -4.5 v. College of Charleston |
Top |
80-75 |
Win
|
100 |
5 h 11 m |
Show
|
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.
|
03-06-21 |
Old Dominion v. Western Kentucky -7 |
Top |
57-60 |
Loss |
-110 |
1 h 4 m |
Show
|
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.
|
03-06-21 |
Indiana State v. Loyola-Chicago UNDER 122 |
Top |
49-65 |
Win
|
100 |
2 h 35 m |
Show
|
At 1:05 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Indiana State Sycamores (689) and the Loyola-Illinois Ramblers (690) in the Semifinals of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. THE SITUATION: Indiana State (15-9) advanced to the Semifinals of the MVC tournament yesterday with their 53-43 win against Evansville as a 6.5-point favorite. Loyola-Illinois (22-4) won their fourth in a row yesterday with a 73-49 win against Southern Illinois as a 17-point favorite.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Ramblers scored more than 65 points for the first time since February 13th yesterday — it had been five straight games since they had topped that threshold. They made 47.4% of their shots which was the best shooting effort in their last five games. But Loyola-Illinois is still making only 41.1% of their shots over their last five games which is generating just 60.4 PPG over that span. They have played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread win. Additionally, the Ramblers have played 5 straight games Under the Total after a win by at least 20 points — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after not allowing more than 50 points in their last game. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when playing their second game in three days on the road. Loyola is an elite defensive team that has the best Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing away from home in true road games or on neutral courts — they are allowing 57.3 PPG on 40.1% shooting in those 13 games. They have not allowed more than 58 points in 16 straight games — and they have then played 16 of their last 22 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 65 points in three straight games. The Ramblers have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams winning at least 60% of their games — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total as a favorite. Indiana State made 40.4% of their shots yesterday which was the best shooting mark in their last three games. The Sycamores have played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 16 of their last 21 games Under the Total after a point spread win. Additionally, Indiana State has played 7 straight games Under the Total after not allowing more than 60 points — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total when playing with no more than one day between games. They have held their last five opponents to 59.8 PPG. The Sycamores are 71st in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they improve to 63rd when playing away from home. But while they rank 187th in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency, they fall to 217th in their true road games or games played on a neutral court. Indiana State has played 14 of their last 16 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total as an underdog.
FINAL TAKE: Both these teams play at a slow pace — the Sycamores average 68.1 possessions-per-game away from home while the Ramblers average 65.8 possessions (319th nationally) away from home. The local Noon PM ET tip won’t help the shooting. And while Indiana State will be looking to avenge a 58-48 loss at home to Loyola on January 11th, they have then played 7 straight games Under the Total when playing with revenge from a same-season loss. 25* CBB Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Indiana State Sycamores (689) and the Loyola-Illinois Ramblers (690). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
03-05-21 |
Ball State v. Toledo -9 |
Top |
70-89 |
Win
|
100 |
1 h 18 m |
Show
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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.
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03-04-21 |
Texas v. Oklahoma -2 |
Top |
69-65 |
Loss |
-110 |
2 h 56 m |
Show
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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.
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03-03-21 |
Maryland v. Northwestern UNDER 131.5 |
Top |
55-60 |
Win
|
100 |
3 h 59 m |
Show
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At 9:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Maryland Terrapins (691) and the Northwestern Wildcats (692). THE SITUATION: Maryland (15-10) has won five games in a row with their 73-55 win against Michigan State as a 2.5-point favorite on Sunday. Northwestern (7-14) snapped a 13-game losing streak last Thursday with a 67-59 upset win at Minnesota as a 5-point underdog.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Terrapins made 48.8% of their shots against Sparty which was the best shooting effort in their last four games. Maryland has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a win against a Big Ten foe. The final score finished below the 134 total — and the Terrapins have played 29 of their last 43 games Under the Total after playing their last game Under the Total. This is Maryland’s second game since February 21st — and they have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total when playing their second game in eight or more days. Head coach Mark Turgeon has his team sacrifice offense rebounds of getting back on defense — they rank 323rd in the nation by pulling down only 21.5% of their missed shots. The Terrapins have rebounded only three and six boards in each of their last two games — and they have then played 10 of their last 15 games Under the Total after not rebounding more than nine offensive rebounds in two straight games. Maryland now goes back on the road where they have striking home/road splits. When playing at home, the Terrapins rank 15th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency and 95th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. But when playing on the road, Maryland sees their Adjusted Offensive Efficiency plumes to 104th in the nation — but their Adjusted Defensive Efficiency skyrockets to 15th best nationally. The Terrapins have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total on the road. Turgeon has his team playing great defense — they have the sixth-best Adjusted Defensive Efficiency over their last ten games. In their last five games, Maryland has held these opponents to 58.8 PPG on 35.9% shooting. The Terrapins have played 15 of their last 21 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 40% or less — and they have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total with the number in the 130s. Northwestern has played 17 of their last 24 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 22 of their last 29 games Under the Total after an upset win as a road underdog. The Wildcats have also played 31 of their last 44 games Under the Total after a win on the road. Furthermore, Northwestern has played 26 of their last 35 games Under the Total after a win on the road against a conference rival — and they have played 27 of their last 39 home games Under the Total after beating a Big Ten foe. They return home where they hold their opponents to just 40.6% shooting. But while the Wildcats rank 88th nationally in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency, they drop to 157th nationally when playing at home. The Under is 15-5-1 in Northwestern’s last 21 home games against teams with a winning percentage of 40% or less on the road — and they have played 6 of their last 8 home games Under the Total as an underdog getting 3.5 to 6 points. The Wildcats only made 42.2% of their shots in their upset win over the Gophers — but that was the best shooting effort in their last four games. Northwestern is scoring only 62.0 PPG in their last five games on 40.1% shooting which is far below their 71.5 PPG and 43.7% marks for the season. The Wildcats have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage in the 60-80% range.
FINAL TAKE: Northwestern has played 4 straight Unders as an underdog — and Maryland has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when favored. 25* CBB Big Ten Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Maryland Terrapins (691) and the Northwestern Wildcats (692). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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03-02-21 |
Wisc-Milwaukee v. Wright State OVER 151 |
Top |
94-92 |
Win
|
100 |
2 h 38 m |
Show
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At 7:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Wisconsin-Milwaukee Phoenix (653) and the Wright State Raiders (654) in the Quarterfinals of the Horizon League tournament. THE SITUATION: Wisconsin-Milwaukee (9-11) snapped a five-game losing streak last Thursday in the opening round of the Horizon League tournament with their 84-72 win against IUPUI as a 4-point favorite. Wright State (18-5) plays for the first time since February 20th when they won at Northern Kentucky, 77-71, as a 9-point favorite. The Raiders host this tournament game.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Phoenix have played eight straight Overs after their win in the Horizon League tournament last week — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after playing at least two straight Overs. Wisconsin-Milwaukee has also played 4 straight games Over the Total after a point spread victory. They have also played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after scoring at least 80 points in their last game. The Phoenix are playing definitively better on offense. While they rank 200th in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency this season, they climb to 144th nationally when assessing their performance in their last ten games. They are scoring 83.4 PPG over their last five contests which is +8.3 PPG above their season average. But they are also allowing 85.6 PPG in these last five games which are +9.9 PPG above their season defensive average. They go on the road where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total — and they have played 8 of their last 10 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. Wisconsin-Milwaukee has also played 7 of their last 10 road games Over the Total as a double-digit underdog. Wright State has played 26 of their last 42 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 20 of their last 30 games Over the Total after winning four of their last five games. And while they have not covered the point spread in their last four games, they have then played 10 of their last 14 games Over the Total after not covering the point spread in at least two straight. I did have initial concerns about the Raiders’ long layoff — but they probably will not shoot worse than the 43.5% clip they managed against the Norse in their last game which was the lowest field goal percentage in their last ten games. Wright State may be cold in the first half — but don’t give up on the Over until this one is over! The Raiders will get plenty of second-chance scoring opportunities tonight as they pull down 34.3% of their missed shots which is the 25th best mark in the nation. This is a great shooting team — they make 37.2% of their 3-pointers, 35th nationally, and 53.8% of their shots inside the arc, 45th nationally — and playing on their familiar home court without a full house should help them get back into rhythm. I am playing more Overs this season without fans in the stands — and they are playing a Phoenix team that ranks 321st in the nation by allowing their opponents to make 37.8% of their 3-pointers. Let’s trust the Horizon League’s second-most efficient offense to figure it out — and they will have fresh legs. Wright State has played 5 of their last 7 home games Over the Total with the number in the 150s — and they have played 5 of their last 7 home games Over the Total as a double-digit favorite. Defense has been a concern as of late — they are allowing 74.4 PPG on 45.0% shooting in their last five games which is well above the 66.3 PPG and 40.0% they allow for the season.
FINAL TAKE: Wisconsin-Milwaukee will be looking to avenge a 92-82 loss at Wright State on February 13th — and they have played 6 straight games Over the Total when playing with same-season revenge. The Phoenix has also played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total when playing with revenge from a loss where they allowed at least 80 points. 25* CBB Horizon League Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Wisconsin-Milwaukee Phoenix (653) and the Wright State Raiders (654). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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03-01-21 |
Oklahoma +1 v. Oklahoma State |
Top |
75-79 |
Loss |
-113 |
7 h 6 m |
Show
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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.
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02-28-21 |
Lafayette -3 v. Lehigh |
Top |
71-70 |
Loss |
-110 |
1 h 45 m |
Show
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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.
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02-28-21 |
North Dakota State v. South Dakota OVER 136.5 |
Top |
89-77 |
Win
|
100 |
0 h 6 m |
Show
|
At 4:30 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the North Dakota State Bison (811) and the South Dakota Coyotes (812). THE SITUATION: North Dakota State (12-11) has lost three of their last four games after their 80-71 loss at South Dakota yesterday. South Dakota (13-9) has now won two games in a row.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Bison only made 40.9% of their shots yesterday in what was the worst shooting effort in their last four games. They did nail 10 shots from behind the arc after making 11 shots from 3-point range in their previous game against South Dakota State — and they have played 16 of their last 22 games Over the Total after making at least 10 shots from 3-point range in two straight contests. They should shoot better this afternoon playing in the same gym for the second-straight day. As it is, they have played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total when playing with one day of rest. They have also played 4 straight games Over the Total on the road against teams with a winning record at home. Furthermore, North Dakota State has played 4 of their last 5 road games Over the Total as a favorite of up to 3 points — and they have played 10 of their last 11 road games Over the Total when priced in the +/- 3-point range. The Bison have also played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record. South Dakota has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and the Over is 3-1-1 in their last 5 games after a point spread victory. The Coyotes’ 47.2% shooting percentage was their lowest in three games — so they should shoot as well or better. But holding the Bison to 40.9% shooting was the best defensive effort in their last five contests. South Dakota has now played 4 straight games Over the Total on their home court — and they have played 5 of their last 6 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage at 40% or less on the road. The Coyotes average 83.0 PPG on their home court on 52.0% shooting. But their defense is faltering as they have allowed their last five opponents to make 46.3% of their shots which is generating 82.8 PPG. South Dakota has played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total as an underdog.
FINAL TAKE: North Dakota State has played 8 of their last 12 games Over the Total when avenging a loss on the road. 25* CBB Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the North Dakota State Bison (811) and the South Dakota Coyotes (812). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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02-27-21 |
CS-Northridge +10 v. CS Bakersfield |
Top |
90-87 |
Win
|
100 |
1 h 55 m |
Show
|
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.
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02-27-21 |
Portland State +2 v. Northern Colorado |
Top |
73-65 |
Win
|
100 |
2 h 17 m |
Show
|
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.
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02-26-21 |
Coastal Carolina v. Troy State UNDER 139.5 |
Top |
75-59 |
Win
|
100 |
1 h 1 m |
Show
|
At 7:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (847) and the Troy Trojans (848). THE SITUATION: Coastal Carolina (13-6) snapped a three-game losing streak on Sunday in a 65-55 win against Georgia Southern as a 6-point favorite. Troy (10-14) has lost five in a row after their 65-53 loss at Georgia State as a 10-point underdog on Saturday.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Chanticleers have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a straight-up win. Coastal Carolina has played six straight Unders — and not only have they played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after playing an Under in their last game but they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after playing at least two straight Unders in a row. The Chanticleers have the second-best defense in the Sun Belt in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They have held their last five opponents to just 63.8 PPG on 37.1% shooting from the field — as compared to their 67.0 PPG and 39.2% opponent’s offensive marks for the season. They go back on the road where they are making only 40.8% of their shots. Coastal Carolina has played 5 straight games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 4 straight road games Under the Total when favored. Additionally, the Chanticleers have played 5 straight Unders when favored — and the Under is 5-1-1 in their last 7 games when playing a team with a losing record. Troy has played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. And while the Trojans have not covered the point spread in two straight games, they have then played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total after not covering the point spread in their last two games. Troy has also played 18 of their last 27 games Under the Total when playing their second game in seven days. They return home where they have the second-best Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in Sun Belt play. They hold their guests to 36.7% on their home court which is resulting in only 59.7 PPG. The Trojans only hit 41.6% of their shots at home. Troy has played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. The Trojans can struggle to score — they are averaging only 60.8 PPG on 39.7% shooting in their last five games. Troy has played 14 of their last 20 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total against teams who are winning at least 60% of their games.
FINAL TAKE: Troy will be playing with revenge from a 70-65 loss at Coastal Carolina on January 23rd as a 10-point underdog. The Trojans have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when avenging a same-season loss. Troy also lost the January 22nd meeting between these two teams — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total when motivated by double-revenge. 25* CBB Sun Belt Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (847) and the Troy Trojans (848). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
02-25-21 |
Western Kentucky v. Houston UNDER 137.5 |
Top |
57-81 |
Loss |
-110 |
2 h 48 m |
Show
|
At 7:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (749) and the Houston Cougars (750). THE SITUATION: Western Kentucky (15-4) has won six games in a row after their 89-66 win against Rice as a 9.5-point favorite back on February 13th. Houston (18-3) has won three of their last four games with their 90-52 victory against Cincinnati as a 12.5-point favorite on Sunday.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Hilltoppers made 56.5% of their shots against the Owls after shooting 50.9% from the field in their previous game at home against Rice. Western Kentucky has played 5 of their last 8 games Under the Total after making at least 50% of their shots in two straight games — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after scoring at least 80 points in their last game. Additionally, the Hilltoppers have played 11 of their last 17 games Under the Total after a win at home — and they have played 6 straight Unders after winning two in a row on their home court. Western Kentucky has also played 10 of their last 12 games on the road Under the Total after two wins in a row against conference opponents — and they have played 17 of their last 24 games on the road Under the Total after playing a game that finished Over the Total (146.5 versus Rice 2/13). The Hilltoppers may be rusty on offense with the almost-two-week layoff. As it is, they have only scored 64.6 PPG on 38.4% shooting in their last five games which is almost 5.0 PPG below their season average. And while they rank 103rd nationally in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency at home, they fall to 149th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency when playing on the road. But their defense travels — Western Kentucky ranks 57th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency compared to their 132nd ranking when playing at home. They hold their home hosts to 41.8% shooting. The Hilltoppers have played 22 of their last 33 games Under the Total on the road — including seven of their last nine games. They also have played 5 straight road games Under the Total as an underdog. Houston has played 11 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a win at home by at least 20 points — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after scoring at least 80 points in their last game. The Cougars also held the Bearcats to just 30.0% shooting. Head coach Kelvin Sampson has one of the best defensive teams in the nation. Houston ranks 4th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency while leading the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 42.2%. The Cougars have the second-best Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in the nation when playing at home where they limit their opponents to just 34.1% shooting and 54.2 PPG. Houston has played 14 of their last 20 home games Under the Total — and the Under is 38-14-1 in the last 52 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. The Under is also 16-5-1 in the Cougars’ last 22 home games against teams who are winning at least 60% of their games on the road.
FINAL TAKE: Houston has played 19 of their last 26 games Under the Total against teams who are winning at least 60% of their games — and Western Kentucky has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. 25* CBB Thursday ESPN2 Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (749) and the Houston Cougars (750). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
02-22-21 |
Syracuse v. Duke OVER 148 |
Top |
71-85 |
Win
|
100 |
5 h 23 m |
Show
|
At 7:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Syracuse Orange (857) and the Duke Blue Devils (858). THE SITUATION: Syracuse (13-6) has won three in a row with their 75-67 win against Notre Dame as a 1.5-point favorite on Saturday. Duke (10-8) has won three in a row as well with their 66-65 upset win against Virginia as a 3-point underdog on Saturday.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Orange only made 43.5% of their shots against the Fighting Irish but still rallied from a 20-point deficit to win that game. Syracuse has then played 9 of their last 11 road games Over the Total after a win. They also have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total when playing with one day of rest. Head coach Jim Boeheim’s team does not fit his typical profile — they are much better on offense than they are on defense. The Orange ranks 38th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and they rank 29th nationally in this metric when playing on the road. Yet Syracuse is only 84th nationally in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they plummet to 186th in the nation in this metric when playing away from home. Boeheim’s 2-3 zone is not working this season — and it remains as vulnerable as ever to offensive rebounding with the open space around the rim it leaves vulnerable. Not only do the Orange allow their opponents to pull down 31.1% of their missed shots, 279th nationally, but home teams are getting second-chance scoring opportunities in a whopping 37.5% of their missed shots which is 340th in the nation. Syracuse has played 15 of their last 18 games Over the Total on the road — and they have played 6 straight road games Over the Total as an underdog of up to six points. They are allowing 78.0 PPG when playing on the road. And while the Orange have played three straight Unders, the Orange have played 6 straight games Over the Total after playing at least two straight Unders. Additionally, Syracuse has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 14 of their last 18 games Over the Total as an underdog. Duke has played 10 of their last 13 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 12 straight home games Over the Total after a win against an ACC rival. They have also played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a point spread win. The Blue Devils shot 51.0% from the field against the Cavaliers’ pack-line defense which was actually the worst shooting effort in their last five games. Duke is averaging 79.0 PPG over their last five games on 52.5% shooting over that span — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after making at least 50% of their shots in three straight games. While the Blue Devils have been pilloried for being one of the blue blood programs suffering a down season, they have under the radar regarding how good they are on offense. They rank 14th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and they have improved to 10th in the nation in that metric over their last ten games to demonstrate they do not miss freshman Jalen Johnson who left the team. But Duke struggles on the end of the court as they rank just 135th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing at home. The Over is 19-6-1 in the Blue Devils’ last 26 home games including eight of their last ten home games finishing Over the Total. Duke has also played 7 straight games Over the Total at home against teams who are not winning at least 40% of their games on the road. The Blue Devils pound the offensive glass as well to take advantage of their missed shots against the Boeheim 2-3 zone — they rebound 33.6% of their missed shots at home, 67th nationally. Duke has played 18 of their last 26 games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better — and they have played 31 of their last 43 games Over the Total as a favorite.
FINAL TAKE: The Blue Devils have played 13 of their last 19 home games Over the Total with the number in the 140s — and the Orange has played 10 of their last 13 road games Over the Total with the number in the 140 to 149.5 point range. 25* CBB Big Monday ESPN Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Syracuse Orange (857) and the Duke Blue Devils (858). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
02-20-21 |
West Virginia v. Texas OVER 145.5 |
Top |
84-82 |
Win
|
100 |
0 h 30 m |
Show
|
At 3:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the West Virginia Mountaineers (653) and the Texas Longhorns (654). THE SITUATION: West Virginia (14-6) had their three-game winning streak snapped last Saturday in their 91-90 upset loss in double-overtime against Oklahoma as a 4-point favorite. Texas (13-5) has won two games in a row after their 70-55 win against TCU as an 11.5-point favorite on Saturday.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Mountaineers made only 42.4% of their shots on Saturday which was the lowest shooting mark in their last four games. West Virginia has played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total after a game at home where both teams scored at least 85 points. The Mountaineers have played six straight Overs while scoring at least 82 points in three straight games. They have then played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after scoring at least 75 points in three straight games — and they have played 8 of their last 12 games Over the Total after playing at least three straight Overs. West Virginia has also played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total when playing their second game in the last eight days. The Mountaineers tend to play higher-scoring games because they generate additional scoring opportunities. They are 10th in the nation by rebounding 36.2% of their missed shots. They are also 30th nationally by forcing turnovers in 21.9% of their opponent’s possessions when playing on the road. West Virginia has played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total on the road — and they have played 6 straight road games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. In their last five games, the Mountaineers are scoring 83.8 PPG. But they have also allowed their last five opponents to make 45.4% of their shots which is generating 79.6 PPG. West Virginia ranks 9th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency which would make them one of head coach Bob Huggins’ best offensive teams in his career. But he has had many better teams on the defensive end of the court — this group ranks only 64th nationally in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. The Mountaineers have played 5 straight games Over the Total as an underdog — and the Over is 15-5-1 in their last 21 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. They have also played 11 of their last 14 games Over the Total with the number in the 140s. Texas has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a win by at least 15 points — and they have played 11 of their last 15 games Over the Total after not allowing more than 55 points in their last contest. The Longhorns are an excellent defensive team who ranks 26th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. But COVID pauses and now ice storms and power outages may be taking their toll on Shaka Smart’s team. While they hold their opponents to 67.6 PPG on 40.5% shooting, their last five opponents have made 44.6% of their shots which is generating 74.0 PPG. Texas has played 6 of their last 7 home games Over the Total — and they have played 11 of their last 16 home games Over the Total when favored by up to 6 points. The Longhorns have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total when favored — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60%.
FINAL TAKE: Texas won the first meeting between these two teams on January 9th when they upset West Virginia in Morgantown by a 1.5-point underdog. The Mountaineers have played 6 straight games Over the Total when avenging an upset loss as a home favorite. 25* CBB ABC-TV Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the West Virginia Mountaineers (653) and the Texas Longhorns (654). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
02-18-21 |
Vermont v. Maryland-Baltimore County UNDER 135 |
Top |
80-71 |
Loss |
-105 |
1 h 43 m |
Show
|
At 7:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Vermont Catamounts (307059) and the Maryland-Baltimore County Retrievers (307060). THE SITUATION: Vermont (9-3) has won seven straight games after their 61-57 win against Stony Brook on Sunday. UMBC (13-4) has won three in a row with their 60-48 win at Stony Brook back on February 8th as a 3-point favorite.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Vermont held Stony Brook to just 32% shooting — and they have then played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after holding their last opponent to 33% or less shooting in their last game. The Catamounts are 15th in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 45.1%. Vermont has also played 18 of their last 26 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Catamounts have still covered the point spread in four of their last six games — and they have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total on the road after covering the point spread in four or five of their last six games. Vermont goes back on the road where they have played 5 straight games Under the Total with the number set in the 135.5 to 139.5 point range. The Catamounts have also played 6 of their last 7 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better at home. Furthermore, Vermont has played 13 of their last 18 road games Under the Total as a favorite — and they have played 4 straight road games Under the Total when favored in the 3.5 to 6 point range. The Catamounts should see their stout defense of late travel — they have held their last five opponents to just 53.8 PPG on 31.8% shooting from the field. UMBC held Stony Brook to 32.0% shooting in their last game — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after not allowing their last opponent to shoot better than 33%. Additionally, the Retrievers have played 5 straight Unders after not allowing more than 50 points in their last contest. UMBC is also playing outstanding defense right now — they have held their last five opponents to just 60.4 PPG on 37.5% shooting. The Retrievers rank 17th in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 45.1%. But will UMBC be rusty with their shooting playing their first game in ten days? They are only making 42.1% of their shots in their last five games which is resulting in only 65.6 PPG. The Retrievers have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. They have also played 12 of their last 16 games Under the Total after winning three of their last four games. They return home where they have played 5 of their last 6 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. UMBC has also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total as an underdog.
FINAL TAKE: The Retrievers have played 14 of their last 19 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 4 straight Unders against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Vermont has played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. 25* CBB America East Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Vermont Catamounts (307059) and the Maryland-Baltimore County Retrievers (307060). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
02-17-21 |
Marquette v. Butler -2 |
Top |
73-57 |
Loss |
-108 |
7 h 16 m |
Show
|
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.
|
02-14-21 |
Fairfield v. St. Peter's -10 |
Top |
49-66 |
Win
|
100 |
2 h 24 m |
Show
|
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.
|
02-13-21 |
Samford v. VMI -5 |
Top |
56-85 |
Win
|
100 |
4 h 49 m |
Show
|
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.
|
02-12-21 |
UAB v. Louisiana Tech UNDER 135 |
Top |
58-70 |
Win
|
100 |
1 h 52 m |
Show
|
At 7:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the UAB Blazers (869) and the Louisiana Tech (870). THE SITUATION: UAB (16-2) has won six straight games with their 75-60 win against UTEP as an 8.5-point favorite last Saturday. Louisiana Tech (15-6) saw their four-game winning streak snapped last Saturday in their 57-55 loss at North Texas as a 4-point underdog.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Blazers made 53.8% of their shots last Saturday in what was the best shooting effort in their last 13 games. UAB has played 14 of their last 17 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. Additionally, while the Blazers have covered the point spread in their last two games as a favorite, they have then played 7 straight games Under the Total after covering the point spread in their last two games as a favorite. They are likely going to not shoot as well tonight as they did against the Miners — their 45.2% effective field goal percentage when playing on the road, 287th in the nation. They make only 41.5% of their shots on the road which translates into just 62.7 PPG. But UAB holds their home hosts to only 56.7 PPG on 41.4% shooting. The Blazers rank 25th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they improve to 23rd in the nation in true road games in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. UAB has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 5 straight road games Under the Total as an underdog. Furthermore, the Blazers have played 21 of their last 30 games Under the Total with the number set in the 130s — including playing Unders in six of these last seven games. Louisiana Tech has played a decisive 51 of their last 82 games Under the Total after a loss on the road to a conference rival. The Bulldogs have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread win. And while Louisiana Tech has covered the point spread in their last two games, they have then played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in two of their last three games. This is the Bulldogs’ second game since last Friday — and they have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total when playing just their second game in the last seven days. Louisiana Tech has not allowed more than 63 points in five straight games — and they have then played 4 straight games Under the Total after not allowing more than 65 points in at least three straight games. They have held their last five opponents to just 60.0 PPG on 39.9% shooting from the field. But they are scoring only 67.4 PPG in these previous five games. They return home where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total — and they have played 19 of their last 27 home games Under the Total as a favorite of 3 points or less.
FINAL TAKE: Louisiana Tech has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher — and the Under is 7-2-1 in UAB’s last 10 games against teams with a winning percentage of at least 60%. 25* CBB Conference USA Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the UAB Blazers (869) and the Louisiana Tech (870). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
02-11-21 |
Colorado v. Stanford +1 |
Top |
69-51 |
Loss |
-110 |
2 h 30 m |
Show
|
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.
|
02-10-21 |
Virginia v. Georgia Tech +4.5 |
Top |
57-49 |
Loss |
-110 |
2 h 46 m |
Show
|
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.
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02-09-21 |
West Virginia v. Texas Tech OVER 140.5 |
Top |
82-71 |
Win
|
100 |
4 h 30 m |
Show
|
At 9:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the West Virginia Mountaineers (625) and the Texas Tech Red Raiders (626). THE SITUATION: West Virginia (13-5) has won four of their last five games after their 91-79 win against Kansas on Saturday as a 2.5-point favorite. Texas Tech (14-5) has won three in a row with their 73-62 victory at Kansas State as a 15.5-point favorite on Saturday.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Mountaineers have played 6 straight games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 straight Overs after a point spread victory. Additionally, West Virginia has played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total after playing a game at home where both teams scored at least 75 points. The Mountaineers shot 50% from the field on Saturday which initially gave me pause that it was an outlier performance. But this is one of Bob Huggins’ best shooting teams in his career — they are second in the Big 12 by making 42.9% of their 3-pointers. They are making 46.7% of their shots over their last five games which is resulting in an 80.8 PPG scoring average. Huggins also deploys a style of play that generates more scoring opportunities even if their shots are not falling. West Virginia pulls down 36.1% of their missed shots, 10th in the nation. They also force turnovers in 20.4% of their opponent’s possessions. The Mountaineers have played 9 of their last 12 games Over the Total with the Total set in the 140s — and they have played 4 straight games on the road with the number in the 140 to 149.5 range. Furthermore, West Virginia has played 7 of their last 8 road games Over the Total — and they have played 5 straight road games Over the Total. Texas Tech has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a point spread victory. The Red Raiders have also played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a victory where they did not cover the point spread as a favorite. Texas Tech made 47.1% of their shots on Saturday — the best shooting effort in their last six games. Again, that gave me an initial pause. Yet the Red Raiders only scored 30 points in the first half in that game after scoring a mere 25 points in their previous game against Oklahoma. Texas Tech has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after failing to score more than 30 points in the first half in two straight games. And the Red Raiders’ defensive play has not been quite as stingy as of late — they have allowed their last five opponents to make 44.1% of their shots resulting in 68.2 PPG which is a sharp uptick from the 61.7 PPG they allow on 40.5% shooting for the season. Texas Tech has allowed their last two opponents to score just 52 and 62 points — but they have then played 33 of their last 49 home games Over the Total after not allowing more than 65 points in two straight games. The Red Raiders also create a bench of additional scoring opportunities if their shots are not falling. They are 24th in the nation by pulling down 34.7% of their missed shots. They are seventh in the nation by forcing turnovers in 24.9% of their opponent’s possessions. And head coach Chris Beard’s team is 14th in the nation in getting to the free-throw line. Texas Tech has played 6 of their last 8 games Over Total when favored — and 3 of their 4 games this season against teams winning 60 to 80% of their games finished Over the Total.
FINAL TAKE: The Red Raiders will be looking to avenge an 88-87 loss to the Mountaineers in Morgantown on January 25th. Texas Tech has played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total when attempting to avenge a same-season loss. 25* CBB Tuesday ESPN Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the West Virginia Mountaineers (625) and the Texas Tech Red Raiders (626). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
02-08-21 |
Oklahoma State v. Kansas -4.5 |
Top |
66-78 |
Win
|
100 |
8 h 55 m |
Show
|
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.
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02-06-21 |
Mississippi State +3 v. South Carolina |
Top |
75-59 |
Win
|
100 |
7 h 34 m |
Show
|
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.
|
02-06-21 |
NC State v. Boston College OVER 146 |
Top |
81-65 |
Push |
0 |
4 h 42 m |
Show
|
At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the North Carolina State Wolfpack (605) and the Boston College Eagles (606). THE SITUATION: NC State (7-7) has lost two straight games as well as five of their last seven contests with their 65-57 loss at home to Virginia on Wednesday as a 7-point underdog. Boston College (3-10) has lost five of their last six games with their 80-70 loss at Notre Dame as a 4.5-point underdog back on January 16th.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: NC State made only 43.4% of their shots against the tough Cavaliers’ defense on Wednesday — that was the worst offensive effort in their last five games. They did get 23 points from Jericole Hellems. The junior has averaged 23.5 PPG in his last two games taking over the role as the team’s go-to scorer after the season-ending ACL injury to Devon Daniels on January 28th in the game against Wake Forest. Daniels was averaging 16.5 PPG. D.J. Funderburk also scored 9 points in 17 minutes of play after not playing in the previous game at Syracuse for an undisclosed university issue. Head coach Kevin Keatts’ team should still generate plenty of offense even without Daniels. They rank 53rd in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. They generate offense from their defense — they are 15th in the nation by forcing turnovers in 23.3% of their opponent’s possessions. This is an area of weakness for the Eagles who are 188th in the country with a 19.5% turnover rate. NC State has played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total after losing two in a row against conference opponents — and they have played 6 straight games on the road after losing at least three of their last four games. But defense is also an issue for Keatts’ team as they rank 14th in the ACC in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. The Wolfpack go back on the road where they are allowing their opponents to make 50.7% of their shots which is translating into 80.0 PPG. They have played 7 straight road games Over the Total — and they have played 11 of their last 14 road games Over the Total with the number set in the 140s. NC State has also allowed their last five opponents to shoot 52.5% from the field and 79.6 PPG. Boston College has not played in about three weeks — they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total when playing with at least seven days of rest. The Eagles may be rusty with their shooting — but they are going to play at a fast pace with fresh legs. Boston College is second in the ACC in tempo — and the defensive pressure from the Wolfpack will contribute to a frenetic pace. NC State allows their opponents to make 46.8% of their shots for the season — and the Eagles have played 28 of their last 39 games Over the Total against teams with a defensive field goal percentage of 45% or higher. Boston College has played 4 straight games Over the Total after a double-digit loss — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after allowing at least 80 points in their last game. Defense is an issue for Jim Christian’s team as well as they rank 315th in the nation in opponent’s effective field goal percentage while allowing their opponents to make 54.3% of their shots inside the arc, 313th in the nation. The Eagles return home where their defense does not improve much as they allow their guests to generate an effective field goal percentage of 53.7%, 301st in the country, by allowing these visitors to make 52.7% of their 2-pointers and 36.9% of their 3-pointers. Boston College has played 5 of their last 7 home games Over the Total — and they have played 28 of their last 40 home games Over the Total with the number set at 145 to 149.5.
FINAL TAKE: NC State has played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage in the 20 to 40% range. It may be sloppy — but expect a fast pace between these two teams with suspect defenses. 25* CBB ACC Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the North Carolina State Wolfpack (605) and the Boston College Eagles (606). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
02-04-21 |
Washington v. Oregon State OVER 141.5 |
Top |
71-91 |
Win
|
100 |
3 h 47 m |
Show
|
At 9:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Washington Huskies (745) and the Oregon State Beavers (746). THE SITUATION: Washington (3-12) had their two-game winning streak snapped on Sunday with their 77-62 upset loss at home to Washington State as a 1.5-point favorite. Oregon State (8-7) has lost their last two games with their 57-52 loss at UCLA as an 11.5-point underdog on Saturday.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Huskies made only 38.2% of their shots against the Cougars which was the worst shooting effort in their last four games. Washington has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a double-digit loss at home. They also have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after an upset loss to a conference rival. Additionally, the Huskies have played 5 straight games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 4 straight games Over the Total after a point spread loss. The defense for head coach Mike Hopkins’ team has been the bigger issue this season — the 77 points they allowed against Washington State was actually the fewest in their last nine games. The Cougars have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after allowing at least 75 points in two straight games. Over their last five games, Washington is scoring 74.6 PPG — but they are allowing 82.4 PPG with those five opponents making 46.9% of their shots. Now this team goes back on the road where they are 0-8 this season. They allow their home hosts to make 47.1% of their shots which translates into 82.7 PPG. Hopkins is a Jim Boeheim disciple with his using the 2-3 zone defense that he has made a staple at Syracuse. Defensive rebounding is a weakness with that scheme — and the Huskies are allowing their opponents to rebound 39.1% of their missed shots which is 304th worst in the nation. But the 2-3 zone is intended to force ill-advised outside shots — yet Washington is seeing their home hosts nail 39.7% of their 3-pointers which is 343rd in the nation. The Huskies have played 7 straight games Over the Total on the road — and they have played 7 straight road games Over the Total as an underdog. Oregon State should take advantage of both these vulnerabilities. The Beavers pull down a healthy 29.0% of their shots on the offensive glass — and they make 35.4% of their 3-pointers at home. Oregon State has also played 15 of their last 23 games Over the Total after a loss to a conference rival. Furthermore, the Beavers have played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total after failing to score at least 60 points in their last game — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after scoring no more than 55 points in their last contest. Oregon State did hold the Bruins to just 32.7% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last thirteen games. The Beavers return home where they are 7-4 while scoring 75.5 PPG. Oregon State has played 4 of their last 5 home games Over the Total — and they have played 8 of their last 12 home games Over the Total with the number set in the 140 to 144.5 point range. The Beavers have also played 9 of their last 13 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road. Furthermore, Oregon State has played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total against teams not winning more than 40% of their games. And in their last 18 games with the Total set in the 140s, the Beavers have played 13 of these games Over the Total.
FINAL TAKE: Washington has played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total against Pac-12 opponents. The Huskies allow 77.3 PPG — and Oregon State has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total against teams who allow at least 77 PPG. 25* CBB Pac-12 Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Washington Huskies (745) and the Oregon State Beavers (746). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
02-03-21 |
East Tennessee State +2.5 v. Mercer |
Top |
70-64 |
Win
|
100 |
0 h 20 m |
Show
|
At 7:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the East Tennessee State Buccaneers (677) plus the points versus the Mercer Bears (678). THE SITUATION: East Tennessee State (9-6) had their four-game winning streak snapped on Monday with their 67-62 loss at Wofford as a 2-point underdog. Mercer (10-6) has lost their last two games after their 72-69 loss at Wofford on Saturday as a 4-point underdog.
REASONS TO TAKE THE BUCCANEERS PLUS THE POINTS: East Tennessee State should bounce-back with a strong effort. The Buccaneers have covered the point spread in 8 straight games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after a point spread loss. East Tennessee State has also covered the point spread in 24 of their last 33 games on the road after a loss to a conference rival. They allowed Wofford to make 51% of their shots which was their worst defensive effort of the season. Yet the Buccaneers allowed The Citadel to shoot 53.8% from the field in their previous game which was their worst defensive effort — but they have then covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after allowing their last two opponents to make at least 50% of their shots. East Tennessee State has covered the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games after winning at least three of their last four games. The stay on the road where they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 16 road games with the Total set in the 140s. They also have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 road games against teams who are winning at least 60% of their home games. Mercer has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after a point spread cover where they lost the game as an underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 15 home games after a straight-up loss. The Bears return home where they are 6-1 this season — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games on their home court. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games at home against teams not winning more than 40% of their games on the road.
FINAL TAKE: Mercer has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams who are winning at least 60% of their games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games when favored. East Tennessee State has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. 25* CBB Southern Conference Underdog of the Year with the East Tennessee State Buccaneers (677) plus the points versus the Mercer Bears (678). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
02-01-21 |
Valparaiso v. Evansville UNDER 127 |
Top |
51-58 |
Win
|
100 |
4 h 52 m |
Show
|
At 7:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Valparaiso Crusaders (863) and the Evansville Purple Aces (864). THE SITUATION: Valparaiso (6-10) saw their three-game winning streak snapped yesterday with their 70-52 loss at Evansville as a 1-point underdog. Evansville (7-8) ended a three-game losing streak with the victory.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Crusaders allowed the Purple Aces to nail 60.4% of their shots from the field which was their worst defensive effort of the season. Valparaiso holds their home hosts to just 42.6% shooting — so they should play better on the defensive end of the court. The Crusaders have played 12 of their last 14 games Under the Total after allowing their last opponent to make at least 55% of their shots. Valparaiso also made 47.5% of their shots in that game which was their best field goal percentage in their last nine contests. The Crusaders are 10th in the Missouri Valley Conference in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. While they score 67.9 PPG on the season with a 41.2% field goal percentage, they have averaged just 64.2 PPG along with a 38.9% field goal percentage in their last five games. Valparaiso's scoring average drops to 63.0 PPG along with a 40.8% shooting percentage in their nine road games. They have played 5 straight road games Under the Total — and they have played 6 straight road games Under the Total with a winning record at home. They also have played 6 straight road games Under the Total as an underdog. Additionally, the Crusaders have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a loss — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a loss by at least 15 points. They also have played 28 of their last 37 games Under the Total after a loss on the road where they did not score at least 60 points. Evansville enjoyed their best shooting effort of the season yesterday — and it was only the second time all season where they shot better than 48.9% of their shots. The Purple Aces make only 42.0% of their shots. Evansville has also allowed their last four opponents to make at least 47.5% of their shots — and they have played 10 of their last 15 games Under the Total after allowing their last three opponents to make at last 47% of their shots. The Purple Aces have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up win. And while this is their second game since January 17th, they have played 4 straight Unders when playing their second game in eight days. They stay at home where they hold their opponents to 62.2 PPG which is -6.1 PPG below their season average. Evansville has played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total at home — and they have played 10 of their last 12 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage at 40% or less on the road. The Purple Aces have also played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total as a favorite.
FINAL TAKE: Despite both these teams overachieving with their shooting yesterday, that result still finished below the 126.5 Total. There were only 59 possessions for both teams in that game. If the tempo is similar to that again tonight, this game should finish well below the number. Valparaiso has played 20 of their last 28 games Under the Total after when listed in the +/- 3-point range. 25* CBB Missouri Valley Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Valparaiso Crusaders (863) and the Evansville Purple Aces (864). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
01-30-21 |
California v. Arizona OVER 137.5 |
Top |
50-71 |
Loss |
-115 |
2 h 55 m |
Show
|
At 5:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the California Golden Bears (687) and the Arizona Wildcats (688). THE SITUATION: California (7-11) has lost three straight games with their 72-68 loss at Arizona State as a 9.5-point underdog on Thursday. Arizona (12-4) saw their three-game winning streak end on Thursday in a 73-64 loss to Stanford as a 9-point favorite.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Golden Bears made only 39.3% of their shots which was their worst shooting effort in their last six games. Cal did get their leading scorer back in that game against the Sun Devils with Matt Bradley scoring 26 points with 10 rebounds. The Golden Bears have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total after a point spread victory. And while that game finished Over the 135 point total, Cal has then played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total after playing an Over. The Bears stay on the road where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total. Cal scores a healthy 73.4 PPG on 47.6% shooting on the road. But their defense has been a mess playing away from home — they have an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 56.4% with their opponents making 42.6% of their 3-pointers when they are playing on the road, ranking 298th and 333rd in the nation. The Golden Bears have played 4 straight road games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. Cal has also played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total with the number set in the 130s. Arizona has played 5 straight games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. The Wildcats have also played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total after an upset loss at home against a Pac-12 foe. Arizona made only 41.5% of their shots which was their lowest field goal percentage in their last five games. The Wildcats rank 16th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — so they should shoot better this afternoon. But this is a tired basketball team playing their second game in three days and fourth in the last nine days. Injuries are not helping matters — they lost a rotation player with Jemarl Baker’s season-ending injury and Bennedict Mathurin played 25 minutes off the bench while scoring 10 points after suffering a right ankle sprain on Monday. Fatigue will impact the Wildcats’ effort on defense and likely lead to them fouling more. Arizona allowed the Cardinal to shoot 49.1% from the field in what was their worst defensive effort in five games. The Wildcats have played 4 straight Overs when playing their second game in three days. They stay at home where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total as a favorite — and they have played 8 of their last 9 home games with the Total set in the 130s. They score 76.8 PPG at home — and in their last five games, Arizona is scoring 80.4 PPG on 48.4% shooting.
FINAL TAKE: The Wildcats have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total as a favorite. California has played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total as an underdog — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. 25* CBB Pac-12 Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the California Golden Bears (687) and the Arizona Wildcats (688). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
01-29-21 |
Manhattan v. St. Peter's -8 |
Top |
55-59 |
Loss |
-110 |
3 h 52 m |
Show
|
At 8:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Saint Peter’s Peacocks (870) minus the points versus the Manhattan Jaspers (869). THE SITUATION: Saint Peter’s (7-6) has lost three of their last four games after their 47-40 loss at Siena on Saturday as a 4-point underdog. Manhattan (5-4) has won three straight games in a row — all upset victories — after their 58-55 win against Niagara as a 1.5-point underdog back on January 16th.
REASONS TO TAKE THE PEACOCKS MINUS THE POINTS: Saint Peter’s made only 26.8% of their shots which was the lowest field goal percentage for them all season. They only scored 18 points in the first half as well — but they have then covered the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games after not scoring more than 25 points in the first half of their last game. The Peacocks have also covered the point spread in 26 of their last 43 games after not making more than 33% of their shots in their last game. They also made only 4 of their 8 free throws in that game — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after not making more than 53% of their free throws in their last game. Shooting the basketball is not the strength of head coach Shaheen Holloway’s team. But he has his group ferocious defense — Saint Peter’s ranks fifth in the nation by holding their opponents to just 41.2% shooting inside the arc. The Peacocks’ also force turnovers in 22.1% of their opponent’s possessions which is 40th in the country. The Jaspers are loose with the basketball — they turn the ball over in 22.0% of their possessions, 304th in the nation. Saint Peter’s should get plenty of easy scoring chances tonight. They should play better as they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games after losing three of their last four games. Now after playing their last seven games on the road, they return home for just the fourth time all season. The Peacocks are 3-0 on their home court while holding their guests to just 36.9% shooting and only 57.0 PPG. Saint Peter’s has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games on their home court — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games at home when favored. Manhattan will likely be rusty having not played in two weeks — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 21 of their last 28 games after not playing for at least seven days. The Jaspers made 41.7% of their shots in that game which was the shooting effort in their last seven contests. Manhattan has won four of their last five games with two straight upset wins against Niagara precedent by an upset victory against Quinnipiac — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after winning four or five of their last six games. They have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 18 games after playing their last two at home as an underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games after pulling off upsets in two straight games as a home dog. Now they go back on the road for just the fourth time this season. In their three road games, they have made only 32.8% of their shots. The Jaspers rank just 347th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. Manhattan has 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 6 of their last 7 road games as an underdog.
FINAL TAKE: The Jaspers have not played much of a schedule yet this season — Niagara was the best team they have played so far this season with them ranking 237th in the nation according to the metrics by Ken Pomeroy. Manhattan has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games against teams with a winning record. Saint Peter’s ranks 164th by Pomeroy. Holloway deploys a deep bench that has ten players who average more than 10 minutes-per-game. The Peacocks have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games against teams with a losing record. 25* CBB Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Game of the Month with the Saint Peter’s Peacocks (870) minus the points versus the Manhattan Jaspers (869). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
01-28-21 |
Weber State v. Idaho OVER 145 |
Top |
81-56 |
Loss |
-115 |
2 h 13 m |
Show
|
At 9:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Weber State Wildcats (755) and the Idaho Vandals (756). THE SITUATION: Weber State (7-4) had their four-game winning streak snapped on Saturday in their 77-72 loss at Southern Utah in a pick ‘em contest. Idaho (0-11) remained winless back on January 16th in their last game which ended in a 75-61 loss to Northern Colorado as an 8.5-point underdog.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Wildcats made only 39.4% of their shots which was their lowest field goal percentage in their last eight games. Weber State can shoot the basketball (per usual) — this year, they rank 40th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 54.2%. They have played 14 of their last 19 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a point spread setback. Additionally, the Wildcats have played 6 straight Overs after a loss by six points or less. Over their last five games, Weber State is scoring 90.2 PPG while nailing 53.3% of their shots. They stay on the road where they are allowing their home hosts to score 74.8 PPG. The Wildcats have 7 of their last 9 road games Over the Total against teams who are not winning more than 40% of their games at home. Weber State has also played a decisive 41 of their last 60 road games Over the Total when favored. Idaho has played 22 of their last 32 home games Over the Total after playing their last game at home as an underdog. The Vandals had made at least 50.9% of their shots in three straight games before running into Northern Colorado who held them to 54 points on 39.6% shooting in their first meeting on January 14th before making only 42% of their shots two days later the last time they were on the court. Idaho has played 14 of their last 19 games Over the Total after not scoring more than 65 points in two straight games. Head coach Zac Claus will likely want his team passing more after they dished out just 10 and 6 assists respectively in those last two games. The Vandals have played 11 of their last 17 games Over the Total after not assisting on more than 12 baskets in two straight games. Those two games finished Under the Total — but Idaho has played 8 of their last 13 games Over the Total after playing at least two straight Unders. Defense is an issue for this team — they have the nation’s 333rd worst Adjusted Defensive Efficiency number which worsens to a 334th mark in the nation when they are playing at home. Their visitors nail 44.2% of their shots from 3-point land when playing at home.
FINAL TAKE: Idaho has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record. Weber State has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against teams with a losing record — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total as a double-digit favorite. 25* CBB Big Sky Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Weber State Wildcats (755) and the Idaho Vandals (756). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
01-27-21 |
Creighton v. Seton Hall +2 |
Top |
85-81 |
Loss |
-110 |
1 h 54 m |
Show
|
At 7:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Seton Hall Pirates (670) plus the points versus the Creighton Bluejays (669). THE SITUATION: Seton Hall (9-6) has lost two of their last three games with their 76074 loss at Villanova as a 9-point underdog last Tuesday. Creighton (11-4) snapped a two-game losing streak on Saturday in their 74-66 win against UConn as a 7.5-point favorite.
REASONS TO TAKE THE PIRATES PLUS THE POINTS: The Pirates have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a point spread win. And while their game with the Wildcats flew Over the 140 point total, they have then covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after playing a game that finished Over the Total. Seton Hall returns home where they are 5-1 with an average winning margin of +13.3 PPG. They are scoring 77.3 PPG at home while making 47.6% of their shots. They are also holding their opponents to just 39.9% shooting on their home court. The Pirates have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games on their home court — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 home games with the Total set at 145 to 149.5. Additionally, Seton Hall has covered the point spread in 23 of their last 33 games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 home games when getting the points. The Pirates have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Creighton has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games are a win against a conference rival. And with their contest against the Huskies going Over the 135.5 point total, the Bluejays have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after playing a game that finished Over the Total. Now Creighton goes back on the road where they are 3-2 this season. They have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games on the road when favored — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight road games when favored by up to 4 points. The Bluejays have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning record.
FINAL TAKE: Seton Hall is looking to avenge an 89-53 loss to Creighton on January 6th. The Bluejays nailed 59.6% of their shots in that game including making 13 of their 24 shots from downtown. But Creighton played at home in that game where they make 37.1% of their 3-pointers while ranking 7th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. Yet the Bluejays make only 34.9% of their 3-pointers away from home, 109th in the nation, while dropping to 55th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. The Pirates have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when playing with revenge from a double-digit loss. 25* CBB Wednesday FS1-TV Game of the Month with the Seton Hall Pirates (670) plus the points versus the Creighton Bluejays (669). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
01-26-21 |
Butler v. Connecticut -5 |
Top |
51-63 |
Win
|
100 |
3 h 48 m |
Show
|
At 8:30 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Connecticut Huskies (634) minus the points versus the Butler Bulldogs (633). THE SITUATION: UConn (7-3) has lost two games in a row with their 74-66 loss at Creighton on Saturday as a 7.5-point underdog. Butler (5-7) has won two straight games after they upset DePaul on the road last Tuesday as a 2-point underdog by a 67-53 score.
REASONS TO TAKE THE HUSKIES MINUS THE POINTS: UConn lost their previous game to St. John’s on January 18th before the loss to the Bluejays — and they have rebounded to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after losing two in a two to Big East opponents. The Huskies have also covered the point spread in 23 of their last 35 games when playing just their second game in eight days. Head coach Dan Hurley’s team may have played their worst game of the season Saturday. They made only 36.5% of their shots which was their lowest shooting percentage in their last six games. They also allowed Creighton to make 51.1% of their shots which was their worst defensive effort in the last nine games. UConn has not covered the point spread in two straight games — but they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after not covering the point spread in their previous two games. They return home where they are scoring 79.4 PPG — and they are limiting their guests to just 41.9% shooting from the field. The Huskies have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games at home. Additionally, they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games when favored — and they are 12-4-1 ATS in their last 17 games against teams with a losing record. Butler did play their best game of the season against the Blue Demons — their 50.0% field goal percentage was a season-high and their 33.3% opponent’s field goal percentage was a season-best as well. The Bulldogs have covered the point spread in their last two games after they upset Creighton by a 70-66 score as a 7-point underdog in their previous game — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after covering the point spread in their last two games. They stay on the road where they are 1-5 with an average losing margin of -8.2 PPG. They allow their home hosts to make 47.1% of their shots. Butler has failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games on the road after playing a game on the road. They also have 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 5 of their last 7 road games as an underdog in the 3.5 to 6 point range. Additionally, the Bulldogs are just 5-12-1 ATS in their last 18 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%.
FINAL TAKE: Butler will be looking to avenge a 72-60 loss at home to UConn on January 9th as a 1.5-point underdog. The Bulldogs have failed to cover the point spread in 33 of their last 51 when attempting to avenge a loss at home — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games when playing with revenge from a double-digit loss. 25* CBB Tuesday FS1-TV Game of the Month with the Connecticut Huskies (634) minus the points versus the Butler Bulldogs (633). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
01-23-21 |
UC-Santa Barbara v. CS-Northridge +12 |
Top |
80-66 |
Loss |
-109 |
1 h 59 m |
Show
|
At 7:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the CS-Northridge Matadors (756) plus the points versus the UC-Santa Barbara Gauchos (755). THE SITUATION: CS-Northridge (5-5) looks to bounce-back from an embarrassing 105-58 loss home to the Gauchos yesterday as a 9.5-point underdog. UC-Santa Barbara (8-3) has won five games in a row.
REASONS TO TAKE THE MATADORS PLUS THE POINTS: I almost pulled the trigger on CS-Northridge yesterday but could not get confirmation on the status of their leading scorer, T.J. Starks, who is listed as questionable after not playing in their previous game at CS-Fullerton which ended in a 85-77 loss last Sunday. Thankfully, we avoided that train wreck as the Matadors (not Mustangs, Frank) allowed UC-Santa Barbara to make 60.9% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort of the season. CS-Northridge also only made 36.7% of their shots which was the worst shooting effort in their last three games. But the silver lining is that Starks returned to action and scored 29 points. The Texas A&M transfer just needs help tonight — and look for head coach Mike Gottfried to coax a much better effort from his team. The Matadors have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after a point spread loss. Additionally, CS-Northridge has covered the point spread in 6 straight games after a home loss to a Big West opponent — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a loss by at least 20 points. The Matadors have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games on their home court — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games as an underdog. CS-Northridge has also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. UC-Santa Barbara enjoyed their best shooting night of the season with that 60.9% clip. And by holding the Matadors to 36.7% shooting, that was the Gauchos’ second-best defensive effort in their last nine games. But UC-Santa Barbara has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after a win on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after a double-digit win on the road. The Gauchos have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after scoring at least 95 points in their last game. UC-Santa Barbara has still failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games on the road (with last night being the exception) — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 road games when laying 9.5 to 12 points.
FINAL TAKE: CS-Northridge has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 11 home games when avenging a loss by at least 20 points — and they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 20 games when avenging a loss where they allowed at least 75 points. 25* CBB Big West Underdog of the Month with the CS-Northridge Matadors (756) plus the points versus the UC-Santa Barbara Gauchos (755). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
01-23-21 |
Eastern Washington -4 v. Northern Colorado |
Top |
82-76 |
Win
|
100 |
2 h 6 m |
Show
|
At 2:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Eastern Washington Eagles (633) minus the points versus Northern Colorado Bears (634). THE SITUATION: Eastern Washington (3-6) has lost two games in a row after their 78-76 upset loss at Northern Colorado on Thursday as a 2.5-point favorite. Northern Colorado (8-6) has won three games in a row after that victory.
REASONS TO TAKE THE EAGLES MINUS THE POINTS: Eastern Washington should avenge that upset loss this afternoon. The Eagles are 12-5-1 ATS in their last 18 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread loss. Eastern Washington has also covered the point spread in 15 of their last 23 games when playing with one day of rest — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games on the road playing their second game in three days. This will be an ornery group after suffering two straight upset losses after getting upset against Southern Utah last Saturday by a 99-94 score as a 5-point favorite. The Eagles are the reigning Big Sky champions who have two of the best players in the conference in Kim Aiken and preseason conference MVP Jacob Davison. This team embraced a very challenging non-conference schedule to begin the season with 3-point losses to Arizona and Washington State along with a 5-point loss to Saint Mary’s. But this team needs a conference win now. They allowed the Bears to make 46% of their shots which was the second-worst defensive effort of the season — after allowing Southern Utah to make 56.1% of their shots last Saturday — so a better defensive effort is likely. The Eagles have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after losing two games in a row to Big Sky rivals. Eastern Washington has also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. The Eagles have also covered the point spread in 20 of their last 28 games against teams with a winning record. Northern Colorado has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after upsetting a conference rival — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 after an upset win at home. And while the Bears have covered the point spread in three straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after covering the point spread in three straight games. They host this game again but they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games at home. Northern Colorado has also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with a losing record on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 home games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 6 points.
FINAL TAKE: Eastern Washington has covered the point spread in 37 of their last 57 games when avenging an upset loss — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games when motivated by same-season revenge. 25* CBB Big Sky Conference Game of the Month with the Eastern Washington Eagles (633) minus the points versus Northern Colorado Bears (634). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
01-22-21 |
Troy State v. Coastal Carolina UNDER 138.5 |
Top |
81-90 |
Loss |
-108 |
2 h 1 m |
Show
|
At 6:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Troy Trojans (837) and the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (838). THE SITUATION: Troy (6-7) has lost three games in a row with their 63-56 loss at Georgia Southern as a 6-point underdog on Saturday. Coastal Carolina (9-3) saw their two-game winning streak snapped on Saturday in their 71-68 loss a Georgia State as a 7-point underdog.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Trojans made 48.9% of their shots against the Eagles which was much higher than the 37.7% shooting percentage they are saddled with in their ten road games. They are scoring only 56.8 PPG on the road. Troy has played 6 straight games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 7 straight games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Their game with Georgia Southern still finished Under the 128.5 point total — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after playing their last game Under the Total. The Trojans are playing better on defense as of late as they have held their last five opponents to just 40.3% shooting which is resulting in just 62.2 PPG. They stay on the road where they have played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total — and they have played 35 of their last 52 road games Under the Total as an underdog. Troy has also played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total as an underdog overall. Coastal Carolina has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a loss where they covered the point spread as an underdog. The Chanticleers have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread win. And while they have still won five of their last seven games, Coastal Carolina has then played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after winning five or six of their last seven games. This is a team that was playing at a faster pace in their soft non-conference schedule — six of their first eight games saw at least 75 possessions for both teams. The Chanticleers have not seen more than 72 possessions for both teams in their last four games. They started Sun Belt Conference play in their last five games — they are scoring 74.4 PPG with a 41.8% shooting percentage which is a big dropoff from their 87.1 PPG scoring average along with a 49.2% shooting percentage overall which includes those seven non-conference games. Additionally, Coastal Carolina has played 8 of their last 11 home games Under the Total with the number set in the 135 to 139.5 point range.
FINAL TAKE: The Under is 4-0-1 in the Chanticleers’ last 5 games against teams with a losing record. Troy has played 6 straight games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. 25* CBB Sun Belt Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Troy Trojans (837) and the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (838). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
01-21-21 |
UCLA v. California OVER 132.5 |
Top |
61-57 |
Loss |
-100 |
2 h 16 m |
Show
|
At 9:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the UCLA Bruins (763) and the California Golden Bears (764). THE SITUATION: UCLA (11-2) has won six games in a row with their 81-76 win against Washington on Saturday as a 14.5-point favorite. California (7-8) has won two of their last three games with their 72-63 win at Utah as a 12-point underdog on Saturday.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Bruins made only 41.4% of their shots against the Huskies in what was the worst shooting effort in their last six games. Mick Cronin has adapted his talent at UCLA to construct this team to be quite different than the grinding-defensive units he had at Cincinnati. This Bruins’ team ranks 10th in the nation adjusted offensive efficiency. They crash the offensive glass still by pulling down 33.3% of their missed shots (46th in the nation). They are also making 38.6% of their 3-pointers which is 29th in the country — and that mark has improved to a 44.6% clip in conference play. The Golden Bears struggle to defend the perimeter — they are allowing their opponents to make 40.4% of their 3-pointers, 334th in the nation. Yet Cronin’s team ranks 119th in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency after allowing Washington to make 51.7% of their shots. UCLA has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a win at home — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a win against a Pac-12 rival. Cronin lost one of his best players in Chris Smith to a season-ending injury — but he still has five other players averaging double-digits per game. The Bruins are scoring 79.8 PPG in their last five games on 47.1% shooting from the field. Now they go back on the road where they are scoring 79.4 PPG — but they are allowing 79.8 PPG. UCLA has played 4 straight road games Over the Total — and they have played 4 of their last 5 road games Over the Total against teams winning at least 60% of their games at home. The Bruins have also played 4 of their last 5 road games Over the Total when favored. California has played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total after a win against a conference opponent — and they have played 7 straight games Over the Total after an upset victory against a Pac-12 foe. The Golden Bears are playing with Matt Bradley — but head coach Mark Fox’s team has found an offensive rhythm without him. Not only have they won two of their last three games after he suffered his ankle injury but they scored 50 points in the second half in their upset victory against the Utes. Cal also held Utah to just 41.2% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last seven games. Yet the Golden Bears have allowed their last five opponents to make 47.6% of their shots for a 74.8 PPG scoring mark — and their Pac-12 opponents are making 48.6% of their shots against them. Cal ranks 10th in the conference in adjusted defensive efficiency. They return home where the Over is 18-7-1 in their last 26 games — and they have played 5 of their last 6 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. The Golden Bears have also played 6 straight games Over the Total as an underdog — and they have played 5 straight games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60%.
FINAL TAKE: These two teams played on December 6th with the Bruins winning at home by a 76-56 score as a 9-point favorite. California has played 16 of their last 22 games Over the Total when avenging a double-digit loss. 25* CBB Thursday ESPNU Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the UCLA Bruins (763) and the California Golden Bears (764). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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01-19-21 |
Ball State v. Miami-OH +3.5 |
Top |
71-81 |
Win
|
100 |
1 h 40 m |
Show
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At 7:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Miami (OH) RedHawks (610) plus the points versus the Ball State Cardinals (609). THE SITUATION: Miami (OH) (4-4) looks to rebound from their 78-61 loss at Ohio last Tuesday as a 9-point underdog. Ball State (6-5) has won their last two games after their 78-58 win against Northern Illinois on Saturday as a 10.5-point favorite.
REASONS TO TAKE THE REDHAWKS PLUS THE POINTS: Miami allowed the Bobcats to make 57.4% of their shots last week which was their worst defensive mark of the season. The RedHawks made only 40.4% of their shots as well which was their lowest shooting percentage in their last three contests. Now having lost three of their last four games, this is a crucial game for head coach Jack Owens who is running out of time in his fourth year coaching the program. He has seen his team cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after a double-digit loss to a Mid-American Conference rival. And while Miami has played their last two games Under the Total, they have then covered the point spread in 16 of their last 25 games after playing at least two straight Unders. Returning home will help where the RedHawks are 4-1 this season. Miami has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 home games with the Total set in the 130s. They are also 11-4-1 ATS in their last 16 home games as an underdog. This team leads the MAC in protecting their defensive glass as opponents only rebound 25.0% of their missed shots. The Redhawks also force turnovers in 21.1% of their conference opponent’s possessions which is also best in the MAC. The Cardinals can struggle in this area as they are turning the ball over in 18.6% of their possessions, 6th conference play. Ball State held the Huskies to just a 34.9% shooting mark on Saturday which was their best defensive performance of the season. But the Cardinals have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games on the road after winning two games in a row — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after winning two in a row against conference opponents. And while Ball State has covered the point spread in their last two games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games after covering the point spread in their last two games. Now this goes back on the road where they are just 3-4 this season. They have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 14 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. The Cardinals have also failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 24 road games when favored by 3.5 to 6 points.
FINAL TAKE: Miami (OH) has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning record. Look for this to be a close game with the RedHawks in a position to win. 25* CBB Mid-American Conference Underdog of the Month with the Miami (OH) RedHawks (610) plus the points versus the Ball State Cardinals (609). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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01-16-21 |
Michigan v. Minnesota +6 |
Top |
57-75 |
Win
|
100 |
4 h 3 m |
Show
|
At 2:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Minnesota Golden Gophers (645) plus the points versus the Michigan Wolverines (646). THE SITUATION: Minnesota (10-4) has lost two straight games as well as three of their last four after their 86-71 loss at Iowa as an 11.5-point underdog back last Sunday. Michigan (11-0) remained undefeated on Tuesday with their 77-54 thrashing of Wisconsin at home in Ann Arbor as a 3-point favorite.
REASONS TO TAKE THE GOLDEN GOPHERS PLUS THE POINTS: We had the Badgers on Tuesday but the Wolverines were on fire with a 51.6% field goal percentage in that game. Michigan also held Wisconsin to just a 30.8% field goal percentage which was their best defensive effort of the season. I thought the Wolverines were underrated to begin the season — and I continue to think that second-year head coach Juwan Howard is underappreciated. The Michigan alum is getting every ounce of talent out of his roster — just wait for when the five-star recruits start coming to Ann Arbor next fall. But this is not the most talented group of players in the Big Ten (or the State of Michigan). They have benefited from a soft early schedule where their 82-57 victory against these Golden Gophers at Crisler Arena on January 6th was their highest-profile victory before their win against the Badgers. The Wolverines have covered the point spread in five straight games as well as eight of their last nine contests — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 19 games after covering the point spread in five straight games. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after covering the point spread in six or seven of their last eight games. Now Michigan goes on the road for just the third time this season — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 13 road games with the Total set in the 140 to 149.5 point range. The Wolverines went to the free-throw line only four times on Tuesday — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after not attempting more than seven free throws in their last game. Minnesota is 30th in the nation with a free throw attempt-to-field goal attempt ratio of 41.5%. They average 26 free throw attempts per game — and Michigan has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games against teams who average at least 25 free throws per game. The Golden Gophers should respond with a big effort as they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 22 games after a loss on the road. Additionally, Minnesota has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 home games after a point spread loss. The Golden Gophers have also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games after a double-digit loss. Minnesota returns home where they are 10-0 with an average winning margin of +14.8 PPG. Not only do the Gophers score 85.5 PPG on their home court but they hold their guests to just a 37.8% field goal percentage — so expect the Wolverines to struggle to make baskets with the unique sightlines at Williams Arena. Minnesota has covered the point spread in 5 straight games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games at home with the Total set in the 145.5 to 149.5 point range. The Gophers have also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 home games getting the points — and they are 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 home games as the underdog.
FINAL TAKE: Michigan is outscoring their opponents by +16.2 PPG — but Minnesota has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 home games against teams who are outscoring their opponents by at least +8 PPG. The Golden Gophers have also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games when avenging a loss where they gave up at least 75 points. 25* CBB Big Ten Game of the Month with the Minnesota Golden Gophers (645) plus the points versus the Michigan Wolverines (646). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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01-15-21 |
UAB v. Charlotte UNDER 129.5 |
Top |
61-37 |
Win
|
100 |
1 h 47 m |
Show
|
At 5:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the UAB Blazers (839) and the Charlotte 49ers (840). THE SITUATION: UAB (9-1) has won two games in a row with their 62-58 win against Southern Mississippi as a 13-point favorite on Saturday. Charlotte (5-5) has lost two of their last three games after their 75-72 loss to Belmont Abbey in a non-boarded game on Saturday.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Blazers have played 10 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 straight games Under the Total after a win at home. Additionally, UAB has played 16 of their last 22 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 60 points in their last game — and they have played 6 straight games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Under the Total with that game skimming Under 131 total. The Blazers are limiting their opponents to just a 41.1% effective field goal percentage which is third-best in the nation. They are holding their opponents to just 57.0 PPG this season on 36.7% shooting from the field. Now UAB goes on the road for just the second time this season. They made only 39.3% of their shots against Southern Miss. The Blazers have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total on the road — and they have also played 37 of their last 56 road games Under the Total as a favorite of 6 points or less — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total as a favorite overall. Charlotte has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a loss at home. The 49ers stay at home where they are scoring 67.9 PPG on just 44.4% shooting. Charlotte has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total at home — and they have played 5 of their last 7 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. The 49ers have also played 7 of their last 8 home games Under the Total as an underdog. Additionally, Charlotte has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher.
FINAL TAKE: The 49ers have played 8 straight games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Expect a lower-scoring game. 25* CBB Friday ESPNU Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the UAB Blazers (839) and the Charlotte 49ers (840). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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01-14-21 |
NC-Greensboro v. Samford OVER 150.5 |
Top |
87-63 |
Loss |
-113 |
1 h 7 m |
Show
|
At 7:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the UNC-Greensboro Spartans (769) and the Samford Bulldogs (770). THE SITUATION: UNC-Greensboro (6-5) has lost two of their last three games after their 48-45 upset loss to Wofford last Saturday as a 4.5-point favorite. Samford (5-5) has lost two games in a row after their 73-68 loss at UT-Chattanooga as a 4.5-point underdog back on January 6th.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Bulldogs love to push the pace — they rank 9th in the nation with an adjusted tempo rate that produces 74.1 average possessions per game. The 71 possessions in their last game against the Moccasins are the lowest for them in any game all season. Four of their ten games have seen at least 80 possessions for both teams. Samford has played 21 of their last 27 games Over the Total after a loss to a Southern Conference rival — and they have played 18 of their last 21 games Over the Total after losing two of their last three games . They are scoring 84.9 PPG while making 48.1% of their shots — and they are allowing their opponents to score 77.7 PPG. They return home where they are making 51.8% of their shots en route to scoring 97.5 PPG. They are allowing their guests to score 76.5 PPG. The Bulldogs have played 7 of their last 8 home games Over the Total again teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road. They also have played 26 of their last 35 home games Over the Total as an underdog — and they have played 10 of their last 11 home games Over the Total as an underdog getting 6.5 to 9 points. UNC-Greensboro has played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total after a loss to a Southern Conference rival. They made only 34.5% of their shots which was the second-lowest field goal percentage in their last nine games. They also held Wofford to just a 29.6% field goal percentage which was by far their lowest opponent’s field goal percentage of the season. Not only has the Spartans played 14 of their last 17 games Over the Total after failing to score at least 60 points in their last game but they have played 11 of their last 14 games Over the Total after not scoring at least 50 points in their last game. They go back on the road where they are scoring 79.1 PPG while allowing their opponents to score 71.8 PPG. UNC-Greensboro is middle of the pack in averaging 71 possessions per game — but they are willing to engage with teams that like to play faster. The Spartans have played 8 straight games on the road Over the Total — and they have played 5 straight games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. UNC-Greensboro has also played 6 straight road games Over the Total when favored — and they have played 6 of their last 9 road games Over the Total when laying 6.5 to 9 points.
FINAL TAKE: Samford has played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 10 of their last 12 games Over the Total with the number set in the 150s. 25* CBB Southern Conference Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the UNC-Greensboro Spartans (769) and the Samford Bulldogs (770). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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01-13-21 |
Boise State v. Wyoming OVER 148.5 |
Top |
90-70 |
Win
|
100 |
4 h 43 m |
Show
|
At 9:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Boise State Broncos (689) and the Wyoming Cowboys (690). THE SITUATION: Boise State (10-1) has won ten games in a row with their 83-60 win at Wyoming on Monday as a 7-point favorite. Wyoming (7-3) has lost two games in a row.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Broncos’ held the Cowboys to just a 38.9% field goal percentage which was the best defensive effort in their last four games. Boise State has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after not allowing more than 60 points in their last game. The Broncos have also played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a point spread win. Furthermore, Boise State has played 4 straight games Over the Total after a win by at least 20 points — and they have played 6 straight games Over the Total when playing their second game in three days. The Broncos lead the Mountain West Conference by scoring 81.2 PPG. They have scored at least 80 points in their last two games — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after scoring at least 80 points in two straight games. In their last three games, Boise State is scoring 86.8 PPG while making 48.4% of their shots. They are also scoring 82.3 PPG in their six games away from home. Wyoming has played 16 of their last 21 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 14 of their last 17 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. The Cowboys have also played 4 straight games Over the Total after a double-digit loss at home. Their 38.9% shooting percentage was their second-lowest mark all season. Wyoming has allowed their last five opponents to make 49.8% of their shots which has translated into 80.8 PPG. They stay at home for this rematch where they are making 46.1% of their shots to average 81.7 PPG. The Over is 5-2-1 in the Cowboys’ last 8 home games — and they have played 12 of their last 16 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road.
FINAL TAKE: Wyoming has played 20 of their last 28 games Over the Total as an underdog — and Boise State has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total as a favorite. 25* CBB Wednesday CBS Sports Network Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Boise State Broncos (689) and the Wyoming Cowboys (690). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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01-13-21 |
Auburn v. Georgia +2 |
Top |
95-77 |
Loss |
-109 |
2 h 26 m |
Show
|
At 7:00 PM ET Wednesday, we will be playing the Georgia Bulldogs (682) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the Auburn Tigers (681). THE SITUATION: Georgia (7-3) has their last three games after falling to Arkansas on Saturday by a 99-69 score as a 5.5-point underdog. Auburn (6-6) has lost four games in a row with their 94-90 loss against Alabama on Saturday.
REASONS TO TAKE THE CRIMSON TIDE PLUS (OR MINUS) THE POINT(S): The Bulldogs allowed the Razorbacks to make 52.2% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last nine games. Head coach Mike Crean was not happy with the effort of his team in that 30-point loss — so expect a more spirited effort with his team looking to win their first SEC game of the season. Georgia has covered the point spread in 23 of their last 30 games after a loss by at least 20 points. The Bulldogs have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread loss — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games after allowing at least 90 points in their last game. Georgia returns home where they have covered the point spread in 28 of their last 42 games after losing at least three games in a row. They are 7-1 in Athens this season with an average winning margin of +13.1 net PPG. Crean’s team should play much better on defense as they limit their guests to just 40.7% shooting and 67.0 PPG. The Bulldogs have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 22 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. Georgia should score plenty of easy baskets inside against the Tigers — they are 61st in the nation with a 53.9% shooting percentage inside the arc. Auburn allows their opponents to make 52.3% of their 2-pointers which is 242nd in the country. The Bulldogs also pull down 35.6% of their missed shots which is 20th in the nation. The Tigers have been bet into a small favorite as I write this — the likely logic is that their getting freshman Sharife Cooper eligible is a game-changer for this team. The 6’1 guard scored 26 points while adding 9 assists against the Crimson Tide. Yet the laptops still project the Bulldogs to win this game even with Cooper back in the mix. The Tigers have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after a straight-up loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a point spread loss. They also have failed to cover the point spewed in 6 straight games after allowing at least 85 points. Auburn goes back on the road where they are 2-4 while making only 39.8% of their shots. The Tigers have failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 23 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 straight games away from home with the Total set in the 155 to 159.5 point range. Auburn has also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court.
FINAL TAKE: Georgia has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games as an underdog including 6 of their last 8 games at home as a dog. The Tigers are 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. 25* CBB SEC Underdog of the Month with the Georgia Bulldogs (682) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the Auburn Tigers (681). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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01-08-21 |
Arkansas-Little Rock v. UL - Lafayette +3 |
Top |
64-66 |
Win
|
100 |
6 h 47 m |
Show
|
At 7:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns (848) plus the point(s) versus the Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans (847). THE SITUATION: UL-Louisiana (7-2) saw their seven-game winning streak snapped on Saturday with their 71-59 upset loss at home to Texas State as a 2.5-point favorite. Little Rock (6-3) has won two straight games as well as four of their last five contests with their 75-62 win against UT-Arlington on Saturday.
REASONS TO TAKE THE RAGIN’ CAJUNS PLUS THE POINT(S): Lafayette might have played their worst game of the season last Saturday. They made only 34.6% of their shots which was the second-lowest mark all season. They also allowed the Bobcats to hit 60% of their baskets which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage they have given up this year. The Ragin’ Cajuns have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games after allowing their last opponent to shoot at least 60% from the field. Lafayette has also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after a game where they did not shoot better than 38% while allowing their opponent to nail at least 60% of their shots. The Ragin’ Cajuns have also bounced-back to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after a double-digit loss. Lafayette has also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a loss at home to a conference rival — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games after getting upset by double-digits as a home favorite. They stay at home where they are 6-1 with an average winning margin of +6.4 PPG. They hold their opponents to just 40.8% shooting which is resulting in 68.6 PPG. The Ragin’ Cajuns have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 11 home games at home with the Total set in the 150s. Lafayette does a good job of forcing turnovers — their opponents are coughing it up in 20.6% of their possessions which is 81st in the nation. This is a significant area of concern for the Trojans — they are 325th in the nation by turning the ball over in 24.7% of their possessions. Little Rock exposed a vulnerable Mavericks’ defense in their two-game swing last week. They made a whopping 70% of their shots against UT-Arlington in the opener before making 56.1% of their shots on Saturday in what was their best two shooting efforts of the season. And by holding the Mavericks to just 31.8% shooting, the Trojans played their best defensive game of the season. But the Trojans 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 6 of their last 8 games after winning at least two straight games in a row at home. And while Little Rock has covered the point spread in their last two games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games on the road after covering their last two games. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when playing with five or six days of rest. They go back on the road where they are just 1-3 this season while allowing their opponents to make 46.1% of their shots which is resulting in 77.0 PPG. The Trojans are 19th in the nation by making 39.4% of their 3-pointers — but that mark plummets to a 32.1% clip when playing away from their home court this season. Little Rock has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games against teams with a winning record at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games on the road with the total in the 150-154.5 point range. To compound matters, the Trojans may be without their best player in Markquis Nowell who is listed as doubtful with an undisclosed issue. He leads the team with a 17.0 PPG average while adding 8.9 Assists-Per-Game and 4.7 Rebounds-Per-Game.
FINAL TAKE: Little Rock is just 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 games against teams with a winning record — and the Ragin’ Cajuns have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better. 25* CBB Sun Belt Conference Underdog of the Month with the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns (848) plus the point(s) versus the Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans (847). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
01-07-21 |
Washington State v. California OVER 127.5 |
Top |
71-60 |
Win
|
100 |
4 h 25 m |
Show
|
At 10:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Washington State Cougars (761) and the California Golden Bears (762). THE SITUATION: Washington State (8-1) lost their first game of the season on Saturday in their 86-82 loss at home to Arizona as an 8-point underdog. California (5-6) has lost their last two games with their 73-64 loss at Oregon State on Saturday.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: There are two unusual circumstances to this situation that make a mathematical projection for the total in question. First, the Golden Bears will be without their top two scorers in Matt Bradley and Grant Anticevich. Bradley played only 13 minutes on Saturday before injuring his ankle that will keep him out tonight. Anticevich is still recovering from an appendectomy from last month. Their absences remove 28.1 PPG combined from their lineup. And they will be playing a Cougars team that is allowing only 60.8 PPG on 34.2% shooting from the field. But Washington State has played a very soft strength of schedule that is largely responsible for those gaudy defensive numbers. Ken Pomeroy’s metrics calculate that the Cougars’ strength of schedule has been the 309th easiest in the nation. The number is in the high-120s — and dropping. I think it is too low for this Pac-12 clash. California has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a loss — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. Additionally, the Bears have played 16 of their last 22 home games Over the Total when playing their second game in seven days. Losing Bradley and Anticevich is a two-sided coin because Cal also loses their defensive contributions. As it is, the Golden Bears are allowing their Pac-12 opponents to score 74.4 PPG while making 48.7% of their shots in five games. If Washington State approaches those numbers, this game flies Over. They return home where the players asked to make up for the baskets Bradley and Anticevich would be making will feel more comfortable. This team did make 51.2% of the shots against the Beavers. California has played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total at home — and they have played 6 straight home games Over the Total as an underdog getting up to 6 points. Washington State has played 12 of their last 14 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss. They have also played 10 of their last 11 games Over the Total after winning four or five of their last six-game. Now they go on the road for the first time all season — and I suspect this will impact their defensive numbers. The Cougars have played 6 of their last 8 road games Over the Total after playing at least three straight games at home. Additionally, Washington State has played 4 straight games Over the Total on the road — and they have played 4 straight road games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage of over 60% at home (Cal is 4-1 at home).
FINAL TAKE: I value team trends for two reasons: (1) they can identify a personality of a team regarding how they respond to certain situations and (2) they can expose biases in how the market perceives certain teams. The latter is particularly in play here. The market tends to overestimate the value of the Washington State defense. That means a soft number for us — which is what I think were are experiencing tonight. Cal has played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. I think they find enough scoring from their remaining roster to push this game into the 130s. 25* CBB Pac-12 Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Washington State Cougars (761) and the California Golden Bears (762). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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01-06-21 |
Wichita State v. Houston UNDER 135.5 |
Top |
63-70 |
Win
|
100 |
4 h 2 m |
Show
|
At 8:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Wichita State Shockers (685) and the Houston Cougars (686). THE SITUATION: Wichita State (6-2) has won five games in a row after their 83-79 upset win at Ole Miss on Saturday as an 8-point underdog. Houston (8-1) rebounded from their first loss of the season at Tulsa by defeating SMU on the road on Sunday by a 74-60 score as a 2-point favorite.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Shockers made 9 of their 20 shots from the behind the arc on Saturday against the Rebels despite going into that game with a 33% shooting percentage from downtown. Expect the Regression Gods to make an appearance tonight — especially against this Cougars team that is 13th in the nation by holding their opponents to just 24.5% shooting from 3-point land. Wichita State made 52% of their shots in that game in what was their best offensive performance of the season. But Wichita State has then played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total after an upset victory. The Shockers have also played 6 straight games Under the Total after a win on the road. And while Wichita State has scored at least 81 points in three straight games, they have then played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after scoring at least 75 points in their last two games. The Shockers allowed Mississippi to make 41.5% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage they allowed in their last four games. Wichita State holds their opponents to 38.9% shooting — and their last five opponents are shooting just 36.0%. Now they go back on the road where they have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total — and they have played 7 of their last 9 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. The Shockers have also played 9 of their last 10 road games Under the Total with the number set in the 135 to 139.5 range. Houston has played 13 of their last 18 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have also played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a double-digit win on the road. The Cougars made 39.1% of their shots which was actually their best shooting mark in their last three games. Houston has only had preseason American Athletic Conference Player of the Year for four games this season — and now Caleb Mills has decided to transfer. Head coach Kelvin Sampson’s team is now, more than ever, defined by their play on defense. They are seventh in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they rank seventh in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 42.0%. They hold their opponents to only 55.0 PPG on their home court on 36.2% shooting. The Under is 21-5-1 in their last 27 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Houston has also played 7 of their last 9 home games Under the Total as a favorite.
FINAL TAKE: The Cougars have played 12 of their last 13 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. 25* CBB American Athletic Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Wichita State Shockers (685) and the Houston Cougars (686). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
01-06-21 |
St. John's v. Xavier -6.5 |
Top |
61-69 |
Win
|
100 |
2 h 47 m |
Show
|
At 8:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Xavier (688) minus the points versus the St. John’s (687). THE SITUATION: Xavier (8-2) has lost their last two games after their 85-68 upset loss as a 3-point favorite last Wednesday. St. John’s (6-4) snapped a three-game losing streak back on December 20th with their 94-83 win against Georgetown as a 4-point favorite.
REASONS TO TAKE THE MUSKETEERS MINUS THE POINTS: Xavier made only 43.1% of their shots which was tied for the third-worst shooting effort this season. The Musketeers had covered the point spread in five straight games before that loss to the Pirates. Xavier has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after covering the point spread in at least four of their last five games. The Musketeers have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games when playing with five or six days of rest. Xavier now returns home where they are 7-1 this season with an average winning margin of +12.3 PPG. The Musketeers are making 50.2% of their shots at home which is generating 83.0 PPG. They are also holding their opponents to just 39.7% of their shots when playing on their home court. Xavier matches up quite well against the Red Storm who deploy head coach Mike Anderson’s “40 minutes of hell” full-court press. St. John’s is 29th in the nation by forcing turnovers in 23.5% of their possessions. But the Musketeers get good guard play from seniors Paul Scruggs and Nate Johnson. Xavier only turns the ball over in 16.0% of their possessions which is 37th best in the nation. They have not turned the ball over more than 11 times in four straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after not turning the ball over more than 11 times in their last four. If and when the Musketeers break the Red Storm press, they should torch their defense. St. John’s has an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 56.7% which is 325th in the nation — and they are allowing their opponents to make 39.6% of their 3-pointers. Xavier has an eFG of 55.9% which is 25th in the country — and they are making 37.2% of their 3-pointers which is 51st in the nation. St. John’s has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after a win over a conference rival — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after a double-digit victory against a Big East foe. The Red Storm shot 47.6% of their shots which was the best shooting effort in their last five games while making 13 of their 29 shots from behind the arc. But St. John’s has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after making at least 13 shots from 3-point land in their last game. The Red Storm also held the Hoyas to just 43.5% shooting which was their second-best scoring effort in their last eight games. Anderson’s team may be rusty in this game having not played in 17 days. They go back on the road where they have lost three of their four games while allowing their home hosts to make 50% of their shots. St. John’s have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games on the road as an underdog.
FINAL TAKE: The Red Storm have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and Xavier has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning record. 25* CBB Wednesday CBS Sports Network Game of the Month with the Xavier (688) minus the points versus the St. John’s (687). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
01-05-21 |
Kansas -5.5 v. TCU |
Top |
93-64 |
Win
|
100 |
7 h 28 m |
Show
|
At 10:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Kansas Jayhawks (639) minus the points versus the TCU Horned Frogs (640). THE SITUATION: Kansas (8-2) had won eight games in a row before losing at home to Texas on Saturday by an 84-59 score as a 4.5-point favorite. TCU (9-2) has won five straight contests after their 67-60 win at Kansas State on Saturday as a 3.5-point favorite.
REASONS TO TAKE THE JAYHAWKS MINUS THE POINTS: Kansas played their worst game of the season on Saturday. They made only 30.8% of their shots from the field including missing 20 of their 23 shots from behind the arc. That 30.8% field goal percentage was their lowest mark of the season. They also allowed the Longhorns to make 49.2% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last nine games. Kansas has an opponent’s field goal percentage of 40.5% so they should play better tonight. Head coach Bill Self has been remarkably reliable in getting his team to respond with good efforts after bad losses. The Jayhawks have covered the point spread in 9 straight games after a loss by at least 20 points — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a loss by 10 points against a conference rival. Additionally, Kansas is a dominant 43-19-3 ATS in their last 65 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after a point spread setback. They have also covered the point spread in 6 straight games after failing to score at least 60 points in their last game. Perhaps the Jayhawks were primed for a letdown after defeating two ranked teams in Texas Tech and West Virginia in their previous two games. Now they go back on the road where they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 road games with the Total set in the 130s. Kansas has also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 11 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. TCU is 4-2 at home this season — but with just a +4.8 net points-per-game differential. They have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games when playing at home. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games at home with the Total set in the 135.5 to 139.5 point range. Additionally, the Horned Frogs have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after a win over a Big 12 opponent — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games after a point spread victory. TCU has also failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games at home after winning at least two games in a row. The Horned Frogs’ best win this season was against Oklahoma State — their losses were against Providence and Oklahoma. Head coach Jamie Dixon’s team is perhaps best at defending the arc — they are holding opponents to just a 28.2% shooting percentage from 3-point land which is 41st in the nation. But Self’s team is not reliant on 3-pointers — they only take 36.2% of their shots from behind the arc which is the 206th most reliant on 3s in the nation. Kansas should dominate the interior in this game with their size — the Horned Frogs allow their opponents to make 49.6% of their shots inside the arc which is 160th. The Jayhawks should also get plenty of second-chance opportunities. Kansas pulls down 35.1% of their missed shots which is 31st in the nation — and TCU ranks 150th by allowing their opponents to pull down 27.1% of their misses.
FINAL TAKE: Marcus Garrett is questionable for Kansas after suffering a head injury against Texas -- Self said he seemed good yesterday (but would be a game-time decision). The point guard is solid but his potential absence is not devastating for this balanced Jayhawks team. TCU is not in Kansas’ league — they rank 76th and 60th in the nation in adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency while the Jayhawks rank 36th and 19th in those metrics. Kansas has also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. The Horned Frogs would be more dangerous as a home dog in this spot if they were playing in front of a packed gym full of fans. Alas … 25* CBB Tuesday ESPN Game of the Month with the Kansas Jayhawks (639) minus the points versus the TCU Horned Frogs (640). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
12-29-20 |
Northwestern v. Iowa -10.5 |
Top |
72-87 |
Win
|
100 |
4 h 6 m |
Show
|
At 9:07 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Iowa Hawkeyes (628) minus the points versus the Northwestern Wildcats (627). THE SITUATION: Iowa (7-2) comes off a 102-95 upset loss at Minnesota on Friday as a 6-point favorite. Northwestern (6-1) pulled off their third-straight upset victory on Saturday when they stunned Ohio State as a 2.5-point home underdog.
REASONS TO TAKE THE HAWKEYES MINUS THE POINTS: Iowa has been remarkably reliable when coming off a straight-up loss under head coach Fran McCaffrey. The Hawkeyes have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 13 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after a loss on the road. Iowa has also covered the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games after a point spread loss. Additionally, the Hawkeyes have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after allowing at least 90 points in their last game — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after a game where both teams scored at least 80 points. Iowa made only 37.2% of their shots which was their worst shooting effort of the season. Now the Hawkeyes return home where they are 7-0 with an average winning margin of +29.5 net PPG. Iowa is making 49.9% of their shots at home which is generating a staggering 96.1 PPG. And while the conventional wisdom on Iowa is that they are not a great defensive team, they hold their guests to 39.9% shooting which is resulting in only 66.6 PPG. The Hawkeyes are 20-4-2 ATS in their last 26 gams at home. They also have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Northwestern has pulled upsets against Michigan State and Indiana before their win over the Buckeyes. The Wildcats have then failed to cover the point spread in 23 of their last 32 games after an upset win at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 26 games after an upset win at home against a Big Ten rival. Additionally, the Wildcats have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a win at home in the Big Ten — and they are 8-21-1 ATS in their last 30 games after a point spread win. Even in the win, Northwestern demonstrated some vulnerabilities in the paint against the Buckeyes — and that is an ominous sign when now facing Luka Garza who is a scoring machine with his 28.8 PPG scoring average on 62.7% shooting and a beast on the boards with a 10.0 RPG average. The Wildcats are an improved team under head coach Chris Collins — but it has not been a complete roster overhaul of bluechip five stars from the team that finished 3-17 in Big Ten play last season. Collins has his team playing at a quicker pace — but that will be a big mistake if they try that against Iowa. Northwestern has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games with the Total set in the 150s.
FINAL TAKE: It may look easy to take this upstart Wildcats team as a double-digit dog to at least keep things close given their recent success — but that is kinda the point. Iowa has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 11 home games when laying double-digits. Trust the oddsmakers on this one — the Hawkeyes’ offensive prowess can produce another blowout at Carver-Hawkeyes Arena. 25* CBB Big Ten Game of the Month with the Iowa Hawkeyes (628) minus the points versus the Northwestern Wildcats (627). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
12-25-20 |
Wisconsin v. Michigan State +1.5 |
Top |
85-76 |
Loss |
-110 |
18 h 8 m |
Show
|
At 12:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Michigan State Spartans (752) minus the points versus the Wisconsin Badgers (751). THE SITUATION: Michigan State (6-1) looks to rebound from their first loss of the season on Sunday with their 79-65 upset loss in Evanston against Northwestern as an 8.5-point favorite. Wisconsin (7-1) has won four games in a row with their 67-53 victory over Nebraska on Tuesday as a 13.5-point favorite.
REASONS TO TAKE THE SPARTANS PLUS THE POINT(S): Michigan State probably played their worst game of the season on Sunday. They made only 38.8% of their shots which was the worst shooting marker them this season. They also allowed the Wildcats to make 52.9% of their shots which was their worst defensive performance of the year. Head coach Tom Izzo certainly made defense a priority in practice this week after they allowed Oakland to make 50% of their shots in their previous game. The Spartans have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after allowing their last to opponents to shoot at least 50% from the field. Michigan State has also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after an upset loss as a road favorite. Perhaps the biggest challenge for Izzo with his team this season is replacing the leadership of the departed Cassius Winston. While sophomore Rocket Watts has assumed the starting point guard duties, this group is doing a great job of sharing the basketball. The Spartans are second in the nation by assisting on 73.7% of their field goals. They have generated at least 19 assists in three straight games — and Izzo’s teams have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after playing two straight games with at least 19 teams assists. Michigan State returns home where they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. And while it is not often that Sparty plays at home as an underdog, they have then covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 home games when getting the points. Additionally, Michigan State has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Wisconsin has covered the point spread as a favorite for three straight games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 34 games after covering the point spread as a favorite for at least three straight contests. The Badgers have held their last three opponents to no better than 38.9% shooting from the field — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after not allowing their last three opponents to shoot better than 40% from the field. Furthermore, Wisconsin has failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 19 games after winning at least six or seven of their last eight games. The Badgers are 9th in the nation by making 41.9% of their shots from behind the arc — but they may be too reliant on these shots with them making up 39.0% of their shots from the floor. In their lone loss this season against Marquette, they made only 7 of their 24 shots (29.1%) from 3-point land. Perhaps not coincidentally, that game on December 4th was their only game so far this season played away from their home court at the Kohl Center. The Badgers have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last five games on the road after playing their previous three games at home.
FINAL TAKE: The home team has covered the point spread in 8 of the last 11 meetings between these two teams. Look for Michigan State to play one of their best defensive games of the season after their loss to what now looks like a pretty good Northwestern team who followed up their upset win against Sparty with a road win at Indiana. 25* CBB Fox-TV Game of the Month with the Michigan State Spartans (752) minus the points versus the Wisconsin Badgers (751). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
12-21-20 |
Murray State v. Austin Peay +3 |
Top |
70-74 |
Win
|
100 |
3 h 53 m |
Show
|
At 9:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Austin Peay Governors (786) plus the points versus the Murray State Racers (785). THE SITUATION: Austin Peay (4-3) has lost two of their last three games after their 76-70 upset loss to Florida A&M as a 13-point favorite last Tuesday. Murray State (4-2) has won three of their last four games after their 90-49 win against Transylvania last Tuesday.
REASONS TO TAKE THE GOVERNORS PLUS THE POINTS: Austin Peay should respond with a strong effort as they are 11-5-2 ATS in their last 18 games after a straight-up loss. That game with Florida A&M might have been their worst effort of the season. They only made 39.7% of their shots which was the second-lowest mark all season. They also allowed Florida A&M to make 55.6% of their shots which was the second-highest opponent’s field goal percentage they have surrendered all season. The Governors have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after allowing their last opponent to make at least 55% of their shots. This is a good team under head coach Matt Figger in his fourth year in the program. He had two players declare early for the NBA draft in the spring — but Terry Taylor and Jordyn Adams decided to return for their senior and sophomore seasons. Austin Peay was 21-12 with a 14-4 record in the Ohio Valley before the stoppage of play. They are 19-6-1 ATS in their last 26 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. Murray State may be due for a letdown as they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after a win by at least 20 points. The Racers have also failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games on the road after a double-digit win at home. Murray State has played only twice on the road where they have suffered both of their losses. The Racers returned three starters from the team that finished 15-3 in the Ohio Valley and 23-9 overall — but there is only one senior in their rotation. Murray State has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games on the road as a favorite.
FINAL TAKE: These two teams already played once on December 8th when the Racers embarrassed the Governors on their home court by an 87-57 score. Austin Peay gets to avenge that loss on their home court tonight — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when playing with revenge from a loss by at least 20 points. 25* CBB Monday ESPNU Game of the Month with the Austin Peay Governors (786) plus the points versus the Murray State Racers (785). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
12-16-20 |
Duke -2.5 v. Notre Dame |
Top |
75-65 |
Win
|
100 |
3 h 15 m |
Show
|
At 9:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Duke Blue Devils (693) minus the points versus the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (694). THE SITUATION: Duke (2-2) has lost two of their last three games after their 83-68 upset loss to Illinois back on December 8th as a 3-point favorite. Notre Dame (2-2) has won two of their last three games after their 64-63 upset victory in Rupp Arena against Kentucky on Saturday as a 7.5-point underdog.
REASONS TO TAKE THE BLUE DEVILS MINUS THE POINTS: The college basketball observers who pontificate about point spreads think that the oddsmakers have installed Duke as a favorite only because of the reputation of head coach Mike Krzyzewski. Well, he has managed to lead his team to cover point spread expectations in 19 of their last 24 games after an upset loss by double-digits — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after an upset loss by at least 15 points. Additionally, his Blue Devils are 13-6-1 ATS in their last 20 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 25 of their last 37 games after a loss by at least 10 points. Now of the reasons why Krzyzewski's teams are so reliable after setbacks is the disappointment usually ensures a captive audience from the uber-talented roster he consistently assembles. Duke will be without their most naturally-talented player in Jalen Johnson after the freshman suffered a foot injury. And while this Duke team may lack the elite talent of some of his recent teams, there are still plenty of five-star players at his disposal — and this is one of his deepest teams over the last few seasons. The eight days off between games will help Coach K continue to work with his team in practice. He will fine-tune some issues on defense after the Illini shot 58.6% from the field which was the worst defensive performance of their season. This is the Blue Devils from game away from Cameron Indoor — but Duke has covered the point spread in 5 straight road games after playing at three straight games at home. The Blue Devils have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 road games with the Total set in the 140s. Notre Dame is riding high after their upset victory over another blue blood in Kentucky — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after an upset win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a win on the road. The Fighting Irish raced out to a 31-9 lead in the first ten minutes of the game before going into halftime with a 22-point lead. But Notre Dame was outscored by a deceive 54-33 margin in the final 30 minutes. And head coach Mike Brey’s teams at South Bend have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after leading by at least 15 points at halftime of their last game. The Irish return home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games after not forcing more than 14 turnovers in at least four straight games. Notre Dame has not forced more than 12 turnovers in any of their four games — and they rank 315th in the nation by only turning the ball over in 13.6% of their opponent’s possessions. Furthermore, the Fighting Irish have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 home games as an underdog or pick ‘em.
FINAL TAKE: This Duke team — despite losses to Michigan State and Illinois — ranks 17th in the nation in both Adjusted Offensive Efficiency and Adjusted Defensive Efficiency according to Ken Pomeroy’s metrics. So take all the negative talk about how down this the Blue Devils team is with a grain or two of salt. Let’s trust KenPom and the oddsmakers’ judgment (and Coach K!). 25* CBB Wednesday ESPN Game of the Month with Duke Blue Devils (693) minus the points versus the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (694). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
12-15-20 |
Minnesota v. Illinois -7.5 |
Top |
65-92 |
Win
|
100 |
1 h 41 m |
Show
|
At 7:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Illinois Fighting Illini (616) minus the points versus the Minnesota Golden Gophers (615). THE SITUATION: Illinois (4-2) has lost two of their last three games with their 81-78 upset loss at Missouri on Saturday as a 3.5-point favorite. Minnesota (6-0) remained unbeaten to start the season with their 90-61 win over UMKC last Thursday as a 17-point favorite.
REASONS TO TAKE THE ILLINI MINUS THE POINTS: Illinois 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 an upset loss. Illinois has also covered the point spread in 14 of their last 19 games after a game on the road where both teams scored at least 75 points. This is a battle-tested team whose other loss is to the second-ranked team in the nation in Baylor — and all they did between their losses was crush Duke at Cameron Indoor Arena by an 83-68 score. The Illini have one of the best starting-fives in the nation led by a dynamic inside-out duo of Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn. Dosunmu was a preseason All-American who is scoring 24.8 PPG while adding 7.7 Rebounds-Per-game and 5.2 Assists-Per-Game. The 7’0 Cockburn is also an NBA talent who scored 13.3 PPG last season while pulling down 8.8 Assists-Per-Game. They return home to Champagne for only their fourth game on their home court this season — and they have covered the point spread in 30 of their last 42 home games when favored by 6.5 to 9 points. Minnesota is just 2-6-3 ATS in their last 12 games after a straight-up win — and they are 1-4-2 ATS in their last 7 games after a point spread loss. Now the Golden Gophers go on the road for the first time all season — and they gave failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games after playing their last three games at home. Minnesota has not been a great team on the road under head coach Richard Pitino. They have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 road games against teams with a winning record at home. The Golden Gophers have also failed to cover the point spread in 34 of their last 47 road games as an underdog in the 6.5 to 9 point range. This team was better than their 15-16 record last year. They certainly got a shot in the arm when Marcus Carr bypassed the NBA to return for his junior season. And Minnesota added two nice transfer players in center Liam Robbins from Drake and guard Both Gach from Utah. Yet this is an untested group whose overtime win last week at home against Boston College was their only game against a power-five conference opponent before tonight.
FINAL TAKE: This will be an angry Illini team after losing to Mizzou — and the Golden Gophers are 1-6-2 ATS in their last 9 games against teams who are winning at least 60% of their games. 25* CBB Tuesday ESPN2 Game of the Month with the Illinois Fighting Illini (616) minus the points versus the Minnesota Golden Gophers (615). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
12-02-20 |
Texas v. North Carolina +1 |
Top |
69-67 |
Loss |
-107 |
2 h 40 m |
Show
|
At 4:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the North Carolina Tar Heels (716) plus (or minus) the points versus Texas (715) in the finals of the Maui Invitational in Asheville, North Carolina. THE SITUATION: North Carolina (3-0) reached the finals of the Maui Invitational yesterday with their 67-63 win over Stanford as a 4-point favorite. Texas (3-0) joined them in the finals with their 66-44 upset victory over Indiana as a +2.5-point underdog. This game is being played on a neutral court in Asheville.
REASONS TO TAKE THE TAR HEELS PLUS (OR MINUS) THE POINTS: Look for a big emotional letdown from the Longhorns after their easy win over the Hoosiers. Texas has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a win by at least 20 points. Shaka Smart’s team deserves some credit for their defensive effort as they held Indiana to just 23.9% shooting. But Indiana could not hit the side of the barn yesterday — and they deserve blame for their inability to make shots. The Longhorns limited the Hoosiers to only 6 offensive rebounds after holding Davidson to just 3 offensive rebounds in their last game. But Texas has then failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after not allowing more than 9 offensive rebounds in two straight games. Now here comes the size of another Roy Williams team at North Carolina that is 7th in the nation by pulling down 44.5% of their missed shots. This is a young team for Williams this season — but this tournament is providing him an opportunity to teach in a concentrated setting. His teams have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games when playing with one day or less of rest. Additionally, North Carolina is 9-4-1 ATS in their last 14 games against teams with a winning record.
FINAL TAKE: The Tar Heels are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games when playing on a neutral court. While the Longhorns are talented, so is this North Carolina team — and their style of play of crashing the glass for second-chance scoring opportunities is a consistent formula to get baskets when playing in tournaments like this. 25* CBB Maui Invitational Game of the Year with the North Carolina Tar Heels (716) plus (or minus) the points versus Texas (715). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
12-01-20 |
Kentucky +4.5 v. Kansas |
Top |
62-65 |
Win
|
100 |
2 h 38 m |
Show
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At 9:30 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Kentucky Wildcats (627) plus the points versus the Kansas Jayhawks (628). THE SITUATION: Kentucky (1-1) looks to bounce back from a 76-64 loss at home to Richmond as a 6.5-point favorite on Sunday. Kansas (1-1) rebounded from their loss to Gonzaga to open the season with a 94-72 thrashing of Saint Joseph’s last Friday as a 20.5-point favorite.
REASONS TO TAKE THE WILDCATS PLUS THE POINTS: Kentucky opened as a small favorite in this game because of their net edge in raw talent — but the market has been all over Kansas of this one. This sets up a nice strong contrarian play with the opportunity to take the better talent as a dog getting four or so points. The Wildcats certainly looked vulnerable against a veteran and savvy Spiders team — but that offered head coach John Calipari some outstanding teaching moments for his young team. I expect a much better effort from this Kentucky team that has four freshmen in their starting lineup. In Calipari I will trust — his teams have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a straight-up loss and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a loss at home. The Wildcats have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread setback. Kentucky managed only five assists on Sunday which is certainly an issue that Calipari will address in sharing the basketball better. The Wildcats have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after not registering at least nine assists in their last game. Kentucky did lose their top six scorers from last season — and Keion Brooks is injured for this game after being the team’s only regular returning player from last season. But Calipari also brought in a couple of veteran transfers in seven-footer Olivier Sarr who was a third-team All-ACC player for Wake Forest last season along with Davion Mintz who scored 9.7 PPG for Creighton two years ago. Kansas will be at a size disadvantage in this game as they were against Gonzaga who shot 64.5% against them while retaining a +9 rebound edge against the Jayhawks. Kansas may be due for a letdown as they have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 19 games after a win by at least 15 points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a win by at least 20 points. This Kansas team was poised to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament last year — but they lost their top two players from that team in Devon Dotson and Udoka Azubuike who accounted for 31.8 PPG. This Jayhawks team lacks a go-to scorer. And while this remains a very good team, the elite talent that Bill Self has been able to attract in the past is starting to thin out given the toll of years of NCAA investigations. Gonzaga simply outclassed them — so much so, that some experts are describing that Bulldogs team as one of the best collegiate teams in the last ten years. Maybe … but they have played two games together, so let’s not overreact.
FINAL TAKE: Kansas may win this game — but Calipari will have his team ready to play their best game of the season. The Wildcats have covered the point spread in 37 of their last 56 games on a neutral court with the Total set in the 140s — and the Jayhawks have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 23 games with the over/under in the 140 to 149.5 point range. 25* CBB Champions Classic Game of the Year with the Kentucky Wildcats (627) plus the points versus the Kansas Jayhawks (628). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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11-30-20 |
Texas State v. Mississippi State -6.5 |
Top |
51-68 |
Win
|
100 |
4 h 36 m |
Show
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At 8:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Mississippi State Bulldogs (872) minus the points versus the Texas State Bobcats (871). THE SITUATION: Mississippi State (0-2) remained winless this season after losing to Liberty on a neutral court in Melbourne, Florida last Thursday as a 4.5-point favorite. Texas State (2-0) remained unbeaten after their 75-63 win over Texas A&M Corpus Christi yesterday.
REASONS TO TAKE THE BULLDOGS MINUS THE POINTS: Mississippi State needs a win after losing both their games in Florida last week — they also lost to a solid Clemson team. The Bulldogs have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after a straight-up loss. They have also covered the point spread in 17 of their 22 games after a double-digit loss under head coach Ben Howland. And while they did not cover the point spread in either of those games, they have then covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after not covering the point spread in two straight games. Rowland led a team that won their third-straight 20-win season last year but the decision of sophomore Robert Woodard to go pro left this team in rebuilding mode. This is a sophomore-laden group with talent that should continue to improve. Tolu Smith, a 6’10 sophomore transfer from Western Kentucky, has averaged 16.0 PPG while adding 9.5 Rebounds-Per-Game. Sophomore guard D.J. Stewart has added 16.0 PPG along with 3.0 Assists-Per-Game. This young team should benefit from the weekend of practice under Howland after their initial two games in Florida. Mississippi State has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games when favored by 6.5 to 9 points. Additionally, the Bulldogs have covered the point spread in 40 of their last 61 home games with the Total listed in the 135 to 139.5 point range. Mississippi State has also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Texas State faces a challenging travel day playing without rest — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games when playing their second game in three days. Additionally, the Bobcats have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after a win on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games after a point spread win. This will be this team’s toughest test of the season after opening their season with a win against the private schoool University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. Texas State has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games on the road.
FINAL TAKE: In addition to the situational edge the Bulldogs have for this game having been at home all weekend before hosting this game, they also have a big edge in coaching. Terrence Johnson is the Bobcats’ interim head coach after Danny Kaspar was let go in September after the revelation of several racially-charged comments to his team over the years. No offense to Johnson, but Howland has a significant experience edge who has had extra preparation time for this game — and he needs the win. 25* College Basketball Game of the Month with the Mississippi State Bulldogs (872) minus the points versus the Texas State Bobcats (871). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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11-25-20 |
UCLA v. San Diego State UNDER 133 |
Top |
58-73 |
Win
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100 |
4 h 30 m |
Show
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At 10:30 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the UCLA Bruins (385) and the San Diego State Aztecs (386). THE SITUATION: UCLA (0-0) returns all five starters that were 19-12 before play was stopped in March due to COVID. San Diego State (30-2) lost three starters including All-American point guard Malachi Flynn who was drafted in the first round by Toronto from the group that was 30-2 before the stoppage.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: I am cautious in these early college basketball games — especially on the opening day during a pandemic. But with the Bruins returning five starters from last year’s team, I am more comfortable relying on the statistics from last year. UCLA was more-and-more beginning to look like Mick Cronin’s teams at Cincinnati who played hard-nosed defense while crashing the glass on offense at a moderate (at best) pace. While the Bruins ranked 100th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency, Cronin had his team playing as the 43rd best defensive team in adjusted efficiency in their final ten games. UCLA was not a great offensive team last season either — they ranked 206th in the nation with their 69.3 PPG scoring average while ranking 230th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 48.4%. They only made 32.2% of their 3-pointers as well which was 226th in the country. The Bruins were pulling down 34.5% of their missed shots which was 21st in the nation — but the Aztecs usually do a good job of protecting their defensive rim which is a foundation of the program that head coach Brian Dutcher has continued from being the long-time assistant here to Steve Fisher. San Diego State held their opponents to rebounding only 25.4% of their missed shot last year. UCLA has played 34 of their last 45 road games Under the Total with the number set in the 130-139.5 point range — and those numbers tightened to them playing 18 of their last 24 road games Under the Total with the number in the 130-134.5 point range. San Diego State has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total at home. Additionally, the Aztecs have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played a decisive 21 of their last 26 home games Under the Total as an underdog at home. Dutcher gets back his 6’10 sophomore rim protector Nathan Mensah this season after he only played 13 games last year before going on the shelf with a blood clot issue. San Diego State held their opponents to just 56.3 PPG when Mensah was healthy — and that number rose to 61.3 PPG after his injury.
FINAL TAKE: The California programs had the least amount of time to practice given state COVID restrictions. I think this dynamic will exacerbate the weaknesses for these California teams early in the season — and that means that the UCLA and San Diego State offensive attacks are likely to be a step or two behind. 25* CBB CBS Sports Network Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the UCLA Bruins (385) and the San Diego State Aztecs (386). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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03-11-20 |
Georgia Southern v. Georgia State -4.5 |
Top |
81-62 |
Loss |
-110 |
2 h 44 m |
Show
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At 7:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Georgia State Panthers (668) minus the points versus the Georgia Southern Eagles (667) in the Quarterfinals of the Sun Belt Conference tournament. THE SITUATION: Georgia State (19-12) snapped their three-game losing streak back on March 3rd with their 89-70 win over Arkansas-Little Rock as a 3.5-point favorite. Georgia Southern (19-13) advanced to the Quarterfinals of this tournament with their 82-81 win over UL-Lafayette on Monday where they were 8.5-point favorites. Georgia State is the host school for the Sun Belt tournament with the games being played in the GSU Sports Center.
REASONS TO TAKE THE PANTHERS MINUS THE POINTS: The Eagles shot 53.3% from the field on Monday in that win which was the best shooting effort in their last seven games. But they also made only 10 of their 20 free throws — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after failing to make more than 53% of their free throws in their last contest. Missing freebies has been an Achilles’ heel for this team as they were last in the Sun Belt by making just 67% of their free throws — and they ranked 277th in the nation overall by hitting just 67.7% of their free throws the season. Georgia Southern may be due for a letdown as they have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of the rest 19 games after a win by 6 points or less — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after a narrow win by 3 points or less. Now this team goes back on the road after playing their last two games at home where they make only 43.0% of their field goal attempts — so missing free throws could hurt this team. The Eagles have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 19 road games as an underdog getting 6 points or less. Furthermore, Georgia Southern has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against teams with a winning record — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games in March. Additionally, the Eagles have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games when playing their second game in three days. Georgia State should have a big advantage when it comes to energy with their eight days off — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games when playing with at last a week off between games. The Panthers’ style under first-year head coach Rob Lanier emphasizes launching plenty of 3s with their four-out attack while crashing the offensive glass and using pressure to force turnovers. Georgia State is 2nd in the Sun Belt by pulling down 35.8% of their missed shots — and they are also 2nd in the conference by forcing turnovers in 20.8% of their conference opponents. The Panthers took 41.2% of their shots from behind the arc in conference play — and they rank 13th in the nation by nailing 40.3% of their 3-pointers when playing at home. Georgia State is 12-2 at home with an average winning margin of +15.2 PPG — and they were led by a stingy defense that limited their guests to just 38.8% shooting which resulted in only 68.4 PPG. The Panthers are 14-5-1 ATS in their last 20 home games — and they are 10-4-1 ATS in their last 15 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. Georgia State should build off the momentum of their victory over the Trojans as they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games after a win by at least 15 points — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games after scoring at least 80 points in their last game. Furthermore, the Panthers have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games in expected higher scoring games with the Total set in the 150s.
FINAL TAKE: Georgia State will be looking to avenge a 79-70 upset loss at home to Georgia Southern back on February 28th where they were 5-point favorites. The Panthers have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games when avenging a same-season loss — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games when playing with revenge from a same-season loss. 25* CBB Sun Belt Conference Tournament Game of the Year with the Georgia State Panthers (668) minus the points versus the Georgia Southern Eagles (667). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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03-11-20 |
Florida Atlantic v. Old Dominion UNDER 132.5 |
Top |
66-56 |
Win
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100 |
1 h 38 m |
Show
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At 7:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the opening round of the Conference USA tournament between the Florida Atlantic Owls (675) and the Old Dominion Monarchs (676). THE SITUATION: FAU (16-15) has lost two straight games as well as six of their last seven contests with their 94-82 loss at Marshall as a 5.5-point favorite last Wednesday. Old Dominion (13-18) has lost three of their last five games with their 72-63 loss at UAB as a 2-point favorite on last Saturday. The Conference USA tournament is being played on a neutral court at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Owls allowed the Thundering Herd to nail 53.4% of their shots which was the second-worst defensive effort of their season (and worst over their last fourteen games). FAU has then played 19 of their last 26 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Additionally, the Owls have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss against a conference rival. Now FAU stays on the road where they are making just 40.1% of their shots which is resulting in only 65.6 PPG. The Under is 12-3-1 in their last 16 games played on a neutral court — and they have played 9 of their last 11 games on a neutral court as an underdog. The Owls have also played 15 of their last 20 games Under the Total when playing their second game in eight days. And in their last 10 games when listed in the +/- 3 point range, FAU has played 8 of these games Under the Total. Old Dominion allowed the Blazers to make 51.1% of their shots which was the highest field goal percentage in their last four games. The Monarchs did hold UAB to just four offensive rebounds in that contest — and they have then played 10 of their last 12 games on the road Under the Total after not allowing more than 5 offensive rebounds in their last game. Old Dominion is 7th in the nation by limiting its opponents to rebounding just 21.7% of their missed shots. The Monarchs stay on the road where they are making only 39.6% of their shots which results in just 60.2 PPG. Old Dominion is 339th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 43.1% when playing away from home. The Monarchs have played 39 of their last 51 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court — and they have also played 21 of their last 26 games when playing on a neutral court as the favorite. Old Dominion has also played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total in tournament action.
FINAL TAKE: The Monarchs are a strong defensive team that ranked 3rd in Conference USA in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they rank 57th in the nation Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing away from home. FAU has an effective field goal percentage of 46% when playing away from home which is just 279th in the country. 25* CBB Conference USA Total of the Year with Under the Total in the opening round of the Conference USA tournament between the Florida Atlantic Owls (675) and the Old Dominion Monarchs (676). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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03-10-20 |
Illinois-Chicago v. Northern Kentucky -4 |
Top |
62-71 |
Win
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100 |
4 h 40 m |
Show
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At 7:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Northern Kentucky Norse (616) minus the points versus the Illinois-Chicago Flames (615) in the Finals of the Horizon League conference tournament. THE SITUATION: Northern Kentucky (22-9) has won three of their last four games after their 80-69 win over Wisconsin-Green Bay last night as a 5.5-point favorite. Illinois-Chicago (18-16) has won three straight games as well as six of their last seven contests after their 73-56 upset win over Wright State yesterday as a 6-point underdog. This game will be played on a neutral court at Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis.
REASONS TO TAKE THE NORSE MINUS THE POINTS: Northern Kentucky should continue to build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games on the road after winning a least two of their last three games. The Norse have also covered the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games when playing their second game in three days. Northern Kentucky won the Horizon League tournament last season under head coach John Brannen who then took the vacated job at Cincinnati in the offseason. The Norse also lost their best player in Drew McDonald. But the program landed a veteran head coach in Darrin Horn who has a decade of head coaching experience at Western Kentucky and South Carolina along with long tenures as an assistant at Marquette and Texas. Horn could have waited for a more high profile job in his return to head coaching but he liked the opportunity at Northern Kentucky. The cupboard was not empty when it comes to talent with guards Jalen Tate and Tyler Sharpe along with forward Dantez Walton back from last season. Injuries have kept this big three from playing together often this season with Tate and Walton missing ten games and eleven games respectively this season. When Tate went down early this season, Walton raised his level of play to lead this team with talk of him perhaps being the Horizon League’s best player before he went down with an injury. But this core is healthy again and have played together for the last seven games. Northern Kentucky 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 5 of their last 7 games played on a neutral court as a favorite. Illinois-Chicago held the Raiders to just 28.3% of their shots which was the best defensive effort in their last six games. But the Flames have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 14 after not allowing their last opponent to shoot better than 33% from the field. Illinois-Chicago has also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a double-digit victory. The Flames are one of the hottest teams in basketball — and they have covered the point spread in four of their last five games (and five of their last seven). But Illinois-Chicago has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after covering the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 road games after winning four or five of their last six contests. The Flames’ biggest weakness is being too loose with the basketball as they turn the ball over in 21.2% of their possessions when playing away from home which ranks 287th in the nation. The Norse have forced turnovers in 20.1% of their opponent’s possessions in their last ten games which is 81st best in the country over that span.
FINAL TAKE: Northern Kentucky will have the additional motivation tonight to avenge a 73-43 loss at home to Illinois-Chicago back on February 16th despite being a 10-point favorite in that game. 25* CBB Horizon League Conference Game of the Year with the Northern Kentucky Norse (616) minus the points versus the Illinois-Chicago Flames (615). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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