The pick: I played against the Pistons last night with the Warriors and will go to the well against them tonight as well. Make Utah an 8* play.

The pick: Yale won at Washington and played Temple to within six points right here in The Palestra. The Bulldogs were 9-3-1 ATS against Ivy League foes last season (13-1 SU), have proven they can win on the road and have won the last eight matchups against Penn! Yale is a 10* play.

The pick: Detroit handed the Warriors one of their nine regular-season losses in 2015-16 and while Golden State took the first meeting this season 119-113 on Dec. 23, it was a battle. It took 32 points by Kevin Durant, 25 by Stephen Curry and a 12-assist, 10-rebound double-double by Draymond Green for Golden State to scratch out the win. However, Golden State turned the ball over a season-high 23 times in that contest. Don't expect that to happen again and with Detroit struggling offensively, let em add that teh Warriors rank 2nd in defensive FG percentag (43.3%), including 32.6% on threes, which ranks 1st! Make Golden State a 10* play.

The pick: Notre Dame comes in red-hot but Miami is 8-0 SU at home this season, allowing just 57.8 PPG in lined contests. The Hurricanes also take 21-game home winning streak into a this contest against Notre Dane, a team they beat by nine and 18 points last season. Revenge for Notre Dame.? I say no way and will make Miami a 10* play.

The pick: Boston's loss to Toronto means the Celtics still haven't beaten a team with a better record yet this season but the Wizards don't own a better record than Boston in this one. The Celtics will be playing with revenge from a loss back in Washington on Nov. 9, when the Wizards spurted to a 26-point first quarter lead and Otto Porter's career night of 34 points and 14 rebounds led the Wizards to an easy 118-93 win. However, the Celtics played without the injured Al Horford and Jae Crowder that night. Of even more relevance, bothe teams playing the second of back-to-back games and while the Celtics are 5-3, winning five of their last six back ends of back-to-backs, the Wizards are just 1-6. Make Boston a 10* play.

The pick: Neither team scores all that well and while USF is the better defensive etam (69.8 PPG), the bulls are also teh favorite and sport an 18-40-1 ATS record in their last 59 home games. Tulane is the 8* play.

Minnesota: Pitino features a four-guard rotation, with Mason (14.4-3.3-5.7) as the team's leading scorer, along with Coffey (12.8), McBrayer (12.1) and Springs (9.1). The 6-6 Murphy (10.6 & 8.5) is the team's leading rebounder joined up front by 6-10 center Lynch (8.6 & 6.0) and the 6-9 Curry (5.9 & 5.8). The 34-year-old son of Louisville coach Rick Pitino says he's more concerned about getting an NCAA Tournament bid and winning championships tahn the team's AP ranking. "Rankings are for the fans," he said. "That's not our goal." Minnesota is tied atop the Big Ten standings with the Spartans and two other teams and carries a three-game winning streak into East Lansing, which includes a 78-68 home victory over Ohio State on Sunday. Minnesota lost at home to Michigan State (75-74 in overtime at Williams Arena on Dec. 27) but then won at Purdue and Northwester, to open Big Ten play.

The pick: The Golden Gophers have won two straight conference road games for the first time since 2011-12 but winning three in a row seems like a stretch. They couldn't beat MSU at home, even when the Spartans were without Bridges. Make Michigan State an 8* play.

The pick: IUPUI is 5-0 SU at home but there is very little difference between the two teams. I'll take the points and make Omaha an 8* play.

The pick: Kansas State owns 12 double digit wins and its only two losses have come in heartbreaking fashion; the first on a go-ahead layup with less than 10 seconds remaining in a 69-68 setback against Maryland on Nov. 26 and then that controversila 90-88 loss at Kansas, on a tiebreaking layup as time expired when it appeared Kansas' Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk took as many as four steps without dribbling on the game-winner. That said, Texas Tech ranks seventh in the country in FG percentage (50.7), 10th in rebounding margin (plus-9.3), 16th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.46), 21st in scoring defense (62.7) and 24th in three-point field-goal percentage (39.8). Texas Tech is 10-0 SU at home (outscoring opponents 84.2-to-60.3 PPG in lined games) and has beaten the Wildcats at home in each of the last two years. Make Texas Tech a 10* play.

The pick: This contest comes just two days shy of the one-year anniversary of the last time a No. 1-ranked team visited Morgantown. West Virginia knocked off then top-rated Kansas, 74-63, last January and veteran  head coach Bob Huggins knows a "repeat performance like last year's Kansas upset, will be tough sledding. "You can't simulate their length," Huggins said. "When you can pretty much touch hands across the floor, you're going to cover some ground. They can make mistakes and compensate for it with their length. You don't get anything easy or unchallenged around the rim." Yes, West Va. is 9-0 SU at home this season, after going 25-5 SU at home the last two years, but giving Baylor this many points makes little sense. Make the Bears an 8* play.

The set-up: The 11-5 Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans visit the HTC Center in Conway, South Carolina to take on the 7-9 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers. Both teams have opened 2-1 in Sun Belt play.

Little Rock: The Trojans come into this game with five players averaging in double figures. The group includes guards Johnson (13.7) and Osse (10.2), as well as forwards Jackson (10.4 & 4.4), Shosi (10.3 & 7.9) and Hill (10.1 & 5.4). Both Johnson and Jackson are doing so while coming off the bench.

The pick: Josh Hagins (13.2-4.2-4.7) is missed from Little Rock's 30-win team from last year (one which upset Purdue in the NCAA's first round) but as noted, the Trojans have five double digit scorers and are simply just a better team than the Chanticleers and they are getting points. Make Little Rock a 10* play.

The pick: Is this the year the Rider Broncs break through in the MAAC? it could be but this number is pretty high and recent series history reveals that the underdog is 11-4 ATS in the last 15 meetings. Niagara is an 8* play.

The pick: This is just a bad matchup for UNI. Wichita Sttae pays excellent defense, holding opponets to 63.6 PPG (28th) on 37.5% shooting (7th) plus can also score, averaging 83.4 PPG (29th). The Shockers are 38-15 ATS in their last 53 road games and 43-20-1 ATS in their last 64 conference matchups while Northern Iowa is 0-9 ATS in their last 9 games against a team with a winning record and 1-10 ATS in their last 11 games overall. Make Wichita State a 10* play.

The pick: Sure, the Nets are a mess but Brooklyn found some positives off the bench on Friday, when guards Caris LeVert and Isaiah Whitehead combined for 29 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists. "Caris and Isaiah coming in and playing really important minutes against the world champions is really positive," Atkinson told reporters. "We don’t back down, especially at home." The 76ers are just 3-11 SU on the road this season and with this pointspread, almost have to win to cover. I won't say this very often the rest of 2017 but make the Nets an 8* play.

Florida: Sophomore guard KeVaughn Allen leads Florida's balanced attack by averaging 14.1PPG. He is one of three Gators averaging in double figures, along with 6-6 junior forward Devin Robinson is averaging (12.6 & 5.5) and senior guard Canyon Berry (11.6), a graduate transfer from Charleston. Barry is coming off his best performance of the season, scoring 20 points in Florida's 70-63 win over Ole Miss. Florida didn't play a complete game against the Rebels, as they let a  20-point lead midway through the second half slip away and were forced to hold on down the stretch.

The pick: However, the Gators should be primed for this one, as Florida's blowout loss at the hands of Tennessee last year was one of the low points of Gators coach Mike White's first season. After the Gators lost last season's meeting by 14, coach Mike White told reporters, "Tennessee, wow. They just whipped us. They destroyed us. They were better in every facet of the game." The Gators will wear all black uniforms for the first time in nearly seven years, as Florida prepares for the first "O'Dome blackout" in the newly renovated O'Connell Center. That all sounds good but I believe the Gators are overrated and that this is way too many points. Make Tennessee a 10* play.

The set-up: The 10-4 Charleston Cougars will visit Delaware to take on the 7-7 Blue Hens in CAA play on Monday, The Cougars have opened 1-0 in CAA play while Delaware is 0-1.

NOTE: THIS PLAY IS ON NORTHERN IOWA!

The set-up: Northern Iowa is just 5-7 overall (0-1 in MVC play with a 68-64 home loss to Missouri St.) as it opens 2017 with a road game in league play at 9-5 Evansville, which also began its conference play with a loss, 62-50 at Illinois State Northern Iowa: The Panthers are off 31- and 23-win seasons, last year upsetting Texas in a first round NCAA game. However, three key players are gone from that squad, a perimeter trio consisting of Washpun (14.2-4.1-5.3), Bohannon (11.5 & 4.1) and Jesperson (10.8 & 4.0).  So far this season, senior guard Morgan (17.6 & 7.3) has carried the load, with four players averaging between 7.0 and 9.5 PPG. The Panthers just haven't scored much, averaging 64.1 PPG (336th) on 40.1 percent shooting (321st). Evansville: Purple Aces won 25 games last season but gone are D.J. Balintine (20.5 PPG) and tyhe 6-10 Mockevicius (15.7 & 14.0), both who may just be MVC hall-of-famers. However, Evansville has looked strong in the early going with a solid 9-5 record, although a 62-50 loss at Illinois State in their conference opener snapped a seven game winning streak. Guards Brown (21.2 & 4.4) and Taylor (15.6) lead the way but the team could really use the 6-7 Wiley (8.7 & 4.6), who is sidelined now with a groin injury. Evansville, despite a much better record, doesn't much better than Northern Iowa, at 69.7 PPG. The pick: Evansville is 8-0 SU at home but I tend to always be a believer in the Northern Iowa Panthers and despite the slow start, I'll stick with them here. Northern Iowa is 10-4 ATS in its last 14 road games and I'll make Northern Iowa a 10* play on Jan. 1.

The pick: The Dons have played much better so far but under new head coach Herb Sendek (of NC State & Arizona St. fame), the Broncos may just be the better team.  Santa Clara is an 8* play.

The pick: Cal beat Arizona 74-73 in Berkeley last season when the Wildcats were ranked No. 12 and as head coach Cuonzo Martin says, "Anytime you play at home, it gives you a level of confidence. But Arizona, they've been in hostile atmospheres and tough environments. I don't think they'll be fazed by the stage." However, as noted, this will be only Arizona's second true road game this season, while Cal is 8-1 at home, outscoring opponents 73.9-to-58.2 PPG. Make Cal a 10* play.

Denver: A return to full health and a lineup change has been two keys to Denver's recent turnaround. Guard Gary Harris missed 16 games with a foot injury but his insertion into the starting lineup is making a difference (he's scored in double digits in six of Denver's last seven games) and so has the 6-10 Nikola Jokic. In fact, Jokic may be the biggest reason for Denver resurgence, as he's shooting 67 percent since returning from a left wrist sprain Dec. 7 and he has been the Nuggets' do-everything player. Denver is averaging 113.9 points over its last seven games and boasts six players averaging double figures in scoring, including power forward Nikola Jokic (12.0), who owns six double-doubles in his past 11 contests. SFs Gallinari (16.9) and  Chandler (16.4 & 7.0) are the team's best scorers, with guard Barton (14.2) close behind.

The pick: The Nuggets seem to be jelling but this is a pretty 'hefty' pointspread. The 76ers don't often win on te hed (or anywhere for that matter) but in their last visit to Denver (March 23rd of last season), they led the Nuggets by two before Emmanuel Mudiay hit an improbable shot near half-court at the buzzer, as the Nuggets walked off the floor with a 104-103 victory. I'm taking the big points and making Philly a 10* play.

The set-up: The 3-10 Norfolk State Spartans and the 5-7 Bowling Green Falcons meet Friday afternoon in a non-conference matchup at the Stroh Center. Both schools will begin league play after the 1st of the new year.

Norfolk State: The Spartans likely can't wait to begin MEAC play, after going 12-4 last season. The team has won 73 percent of its league games in head coach Robert Jones' first three seasons, continuing the team's winning tradition. The Spartans have gone .500 or better for 18 consecutive seasons in MEAC action (8th-longest streak in the nation) and last year's team played in a postseason tourney for the fifth straight time. However, Norfolk has had to replace a trio of guards who all scored in double digits and accounted for 54 percent of the team's points, while making 170 of the team's 242 three-pointers. Wade is pretty much a "one-man show" this year, averaging 19.5 PPG and 5.8 RPG., although four others score between 7.0 and 9.9 PPG. Putting points on the board has been a chore in non-conference play, as the Spartans average just 65.3 PPG (322nd) on 40.5 percent shooting (317th).

Bowling Green: Louis Orr's seven-year run at the school ended in 2014-15 season and then Chris Jans' tenure ended abruptly (after a 21-win season) due to some off-court misbehavior. The Falcons were 16-18 in Michael Huger's first season and he believes this year's team will compete much better. The Falcons did lose their top player from last year in Parker (14.0 & 5.1) plus PG Joseph but returned a trio of senior guards in Alcegaire (13.1), Denny (12.4 & 5.7) and Ali (6.4 & 5.6 APG). BG will also own the best big man in today's game, the 6-10 Wiggins (8.9 & 7.2).

The pick: Bowling Green plays its best ball at home and has played decent defense at home so far, allowing just 40.1 percent shooting on its home court. The should match up well against the Spartans, who just can't seem to get anything going offensively this season. Norfolk St. is 0-7 in true road games so far and will enter this contest on a 10-game road losing streak. Make it 11 in a row and lay the points with the Falcons, as Bowling Green is an 8* play.

The set-up: Long Beach State is back out on the road and will visit 7-5 Eastern Michigan in a Thursday afternoon contest. As per usual, Don Monson had his 49ers play one of the nation's toughest non-conference slates and Long Beach is 5-10, as it plays its final non-conference game, here.

Long Beach State: The 49ers were 20-15 last year (12-4 in Big West play) and returned a  solid group of veterans, although the team's best player, the 6-6 Faust (17.4 & 6.1), is gone. Guard Payne is the team's top scorer at 14.5 PPG and 5-7 PG Bibbins (10.5-3.8-4.1) still runs the offense. The 6-7 Levin (12.1 & 6.3) is the team's top frontcourt player and after a tough non-conference slate, the 49ers should be anxious for Big West play to begin.

Eastern Michigan: won 19 games last year and four of five starters are back. It's a perimeter-based team, led by Mangum (17.4) and Lee (16.7) but the Eagles also easily own the best big man in this game, the 6-10 Thompson (14.5 & 11.5). The 6-7 Bond (9.9 & 3.3 APG) is a big guard and fellow Toney (9.8) round out the major perimeter contributors.

The pick: EMU is 5-0 SU at home and long Beach State 0-9 on the road. However, the 49ers have played at (among others) Wichita St, North Carolina, Louisville, UCLA, Washington, Kansas and Texas (are you kidding?). I'm not convinced that EMU is the better team and in its toughest road test (at Syracuse), the Eagles lost 105-57! Long Beach State's Bibbins is being bohered by an ankle issue but Blackwell (5.5) and freshman Jackson (5.1) could get more minutes if needed. For Eastern Michigan, the 6-10 Thompson is questionable for undisclosed reasons and would be a bigger loss. Either way, Long Beach State is a 8* play.

The pick: The Gophers lost by eight points on this floor in last season’s Big Ten opener, when Michigan State was ranked No. 1 and Minnesota was on its way to losing its first 13 Big Ten games. The shoe seems to be on the other foot now, with Minnesota 12-1 and MSU unranked at just 8-5 plus without its best player. However, Izzo continues to tinker with his team's lineup and he may continue to do so until Bridges returns and beyond. Izzo has used 10 different players in his starting lineup in the first 13 games as he continues to try to find the right combination to get the Spartans playing their best. Based on "past history," he seems to find a way. Izzo plus points against "little Ricky?" Make Michigan State a 10* play.

The pick: The Pacers are just 4-11 SU & ATS on the road but this Chicago team is in a funk, going 1-7 its last eight ATS. No reason to lay any amount of points with the Bulls these days. Indiana is an 8* play.

incorrectly entered pick

The pick: Thibodeau is a proven and has that wonderful young trio but something just isn't right. Lay the points and make OKC a 10* play.

The pick: Neither team played well in the first meeting but Tulsa was able to earn the comeback win despite Wheeler shooting 3 of 9 and Birt, 1 of 10. In the rematch, expect Tulsa to win much more easily plus we're getting points! Tulsa is a 10* play.

The pick: The Knicks will be primed to win here and they are 11-4 SU & ATS at home this year. However, Celtics are a money-making 12-5-1 ATS on the road and have matched up well in this series lately, have won seven of the last eight meetings and three of the past four in Madison Square Garden. Make Boston an 8* play.

NOT A PLAY....ENTERED ACCIDENTALLY!

The set-up: the Diamond Head Classic from Honolulu, Hawaii opens Thursday with four first round games. The first of the four will be the 4-5 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks taking on the 5-4 Tulsa Golden Hurricane. Stephen F. Austin: The Lumberjacks have won the last three Southland Conference titles, advancing to the Big Dance each year under head coach Brad Underwood. Twice, the Lumberjacks won their first-round game in the NCAAs, including last year’s upset of third-seeded West Va. Underwood was an amazing 89-14 these last three seasons and used that resume to get the job at Oklahoma State, which fired Travis Ford. Taking over is Kyle Keller, who has just wrapped up his fifth season as an assistant coach on head coach Billy Kennedy’s staff at Texas A&M, bringing his grand total of coaching experience to an even 25 years at locations also including Kansas, Oklahoma State, Louisiana Tech and Texas-San Antonio. It’s been tough going so far this season (4-5 start), as all three double digit scorers from last year’s team are gone, led by Walkup, who averaged 18.1 PPG and 6.9 RPG. Five players are averaging between 9.2 and 13.8 PPG this season, led by guard Canete (13.8) plus forwards Holyfield (12.6 & 7.7) and Gilmore (10.8 & 6.6). Tulsa: The Golden Hurricane won 20 games last year and lost in the NCAA’s First Four. However, four of five starters are gone, including the team's two best players, starting guards Woodard (15.4 & 5.3) and Harrison (15.1-5.5-4.1). Guard Birt is the lone returning starter but after averaging 12.0 PPG last season, he’s scoring a more modest 8.7 PPG to open this season. Guard Wheeler is a JUCO transfer and leads the team with 13.4 PPG and another newcomer, Etou (a 6-7 Rutgers transfer), is averaging 11.3 & 7.0. The pick: Both of these schools made the Big dance last season and in the early going, each is trying to find their identity. No reason not to take the points in this one, as Stephen F. Austin has the more balanced lineup and one gets the feeling that Tulsa is lacking overall direction early on. Stephen F. Austin is an 8* play.

analysis posted shortly

full analysis by 12 pm et Tuesday

The set-up: The 12-8 Boston Celtics are in Houston tonight up against the 13-7 Rockets. Both teams come in playing well, as Boston has won six of eight and are two games into a stretch of eight of 10 on the road. Speaking of the road, Houston has played a league-high 14 road games thus far, after completing its second five-game road trip of the season with a sparkling 4-1 record. Boston: The Celtics barely squeaked past the Philadelphia 76ers 107-106 to begin their road trip Saturday night behind another stellar performance from PG Isaiah Thomas, whose 37-point effort marked his fifth 30-point game this season. Thomas is averaging 26.3 PPG and 6.3 APG. Avery Bradley (17.7) supported Thomas' effort with 20 points of his own and he hauled in nine rebounds for the second straight game to bump his season average to 7.9, five more than his career mark. Free-agent center Al Horford (14.9-6.5-4.6) is back on the court and has now played in 10 games (Celtics are 7-3). He has averaged 16.7 points in seven wins and 10.7 in three losses. Houston: The Rockets capped their five-game road trip with an impressive 132-127 (2-OT) win at Golden St. on Thursday, followed by a 128-110 win at Denver the very next night. Seven players scored in double figures and Houston was 17-of-37 from three-point range at Denver, hitting their league-leading average in long-range attempts and bumping their percentage to 37.8, good for fifth in the NBA through Saturday. Houston ranks second with 114.4 PPG on 46.6% shooting (3rd). Harden (28.3-7.6-11.8) leads the way but four others are contributing between 12.1 and 16.4 PPG. Also, the return of Patrick Beverley (7.0-4.4-3.9), the team's best defensive player on the perimeter, has been huge. Houston is 7-2 in the games he’s started. The pick: The Celtics have beaten Western Conference foes the likes of the Mavs (4-15) and T-wolves (6-14) but are 0-5 SU & ATS against the other five Western Conference opponents they’ve faced. Boston is stepping way up in class here and Houston is a 10* play.

The set-up: UConn is off to a disappointing 3-4 start, considering the Huskies were ranked 18th in the AP’s preseason poll. Syracuse was ranked 19th in the preseason and currently sits 22nd at 5-2 but that will change before tip-off with a new poll being released Monday afternoon. The Orange fell way short in Madison mid-week against the Badgers, as Wisconsin won 77-60. As members of the Big East Conference, the Syracuse Orange and Connecticut Huskies played some of the most memorable games in college basketball history at Madison Square Garden. However, as they return to the Garden tonight, the two schools will be more concerned with finding their respective identities. UConn: The Huskies are down to eight scholarship players because of season-ending injuries to freshman PG Alterique Gilbert (shoulder), freshman forward Mamadou Diarra (knee) and sophomore swingman Terry Larrier (knee). Larrier was averaging 13.5 PPG and Gilbert 10.3 PPG. Sophomore guard Adams (18.0-5.0-5.4) has made big strides from last year (7.3 PPG) and Rodney Short (11.3 & 4.1) has proven to be a reliable double digit score, now in his third season after transferring from NC State. UConn keeps hoping 7-0 center Amida Brimah will have a breakout season but it’s his senior year and his current 7.0 & 5.1 numbers say, it’s just more of the same. Syracuse: The Orange led by as many as 24 in the second half against North Florida before the Ospreys got within five in an eventual 77-71 decision. Fifth-year transfer Andrew White III scored a season-high 26 points to raise his average to a team-best 17.0 PPG. However, that win did little to erase the bad taste left in Syracuse’s mouth by its 77-60 loss at Madison. Wisconsin broke open a close game at the half to by outscoring Syracuse 34-21 after intermission. White shot just 5 of 15 and Syracuse really doesn’t have another “go-to” scorer, as only the 6-9 Lydon (10.3 & 7.1) joins him in double digits. The pick: The Orange and Huskies produced some Madison Square Garden classics such as Syracuse's 127-117 victory in six overtimes in 2009 or UConn's 76-71 overtime win in 2010 when Kemba Walker had 33 points and 12 rebounds. That was then and this is now but it's still Connecticut-Syracuse at the Garden! Taking the points is the bet. Make UConn an 8* play.

The set up: Both teams are off wins here as the Pistons beat the Hawks 121-85 and the Magic beat the Sixers 105-88. While it was only the second win in the past seven games for Orlando, Detroit has won three in a row and five of its last six. The Pistons took the season's first meeting 108-82, here in Detroit, but were scant four-point favorites in that one.

Orlando: The Magic are 8-12 on the season, 7-12 against the spread. This despite them averaging only 93.0 points per game, which is the second fewest in the entire NBA, ahead of only Dallas. While it was "only" Philadelphia, Friday marked perhaps one of the finer efforts of the season from this team as six players scored in double figures, led by Aaron Gordon's 20 points. They made 13 of 23 three-pointers for the game.

Detroit: The Pistons are averaging 118 points per game in this three-game win streak of theirs and just beat the Hawks by 36 points. This team managed to sneak into the playoffs as an eight-seed last year and expectations are higher for Stan Van Gundy now. Playing without point guard Reggie Jackson, it was a bit of a slow start. But all Pistons now seem to be firing, so to speak, at least offensively. Jackson could play for the first time tonight.

The pick: As hot as Detroit has been, I can't possibly envision them playing as well as they did against Atlanta. Nor do I see this hot shooting continuing. Orlando might not be much offensively, but defensively they "come to play" more often than not. Just one time in the last 10 games have they allowed 100 points. That makes taking the points attractive in this situation. Orlando is a 10* play

The set-up: Akron will take its 6-1 record to Creighton for a meeting with the 10th-ranked Blue Jays, who check in at 7-0. Akron comes in with six consecutive victories since losing its season opener Nov. 12 to Youngstown State. Greg McDermott has averaged 23.5 wins per season in his six prior years at Creighton and this year’s team looks like it’s back to NCAA tourney status, after a two-year drought. Akron: Isaiah Johnson, a 6-10 senior center, leads the Zips in scoring (17.3 points), rebounding (6.5), assists (3.0) and steals (1.0). He was named the Savannah Invitational MVP. Johnson is joined up front by the 6-10 Cheatham (8.3 & 6.3) plus the Zips own a deep perimeter group. Jackson (10.4) and Robotham (10.1) are just barely in double digits plus three other backcourt player average just aboy 22 PPG. Akron averages 80.1 PPG and allows 62.7 but will be severely tested here by the Blue Jays. Creighton: The Bluejays average 92.0 PPG (6th) on 54.0 percent shooting (2nd), which includes 46.5% on threes, tops in the nation! Creighton has a 7-0 redshirt freshman center in Justin Patton (13.0 & 6.4) and just how will he fare against Akron senior Isaiah Johnson? The Bluejays have excellent depth on the perimeter, led by Foster (18.3), Thomas (14.4) and PG Watson (11.7 & 8.4 APG). Foster has been a YUGE plus for the Bluejays offense after sitting out last season as a transfer from Kansas State. Justin Patton is tied for the Division I lead in field-goal percentage at 80 percent and three regular contributors, Khyri Thomas, Maurice Watson Jr. and Isaiah Zierden (4.4 PPG) all shoot at least 50 percent beyond the arc. The pick: Akron is a quality team but winning here at CenturyLink Center is a little too much to ask. So is covering the number. Lay the points and make Creighton a 10* play. 

The set-up: The 5-13 Brooklyn Nets and 9-8 Milwaukee Bucks meet at the Bradley Center Saturday afternoon, less than 48 hours after the Bucks won 111-93 over the Nets at Barclays Center. As the two teams meet to play the back end of a home-and-home series Saturday afternoon, Milwaukee has won 13 of the last 17 meetings (dating back to Jan. 9, 2013), including the first two meetings of this season's series. Brooklyn: The Nets committed 17 turnovers in Thursday’s loss to Milwaukee, continuing a season-long problem for Kenny Atkinson’s team, the Nets first-year head coach The Nets are third in the league in turnovers this season, averaging 16.5 per game. The Nets had just suffered a big letdown after a double-overtime triumph over the Los Angeles Clippers in the previous game and Atkinson bemoaned Brooklyn's inability to put points on the board. "We couldn't pierce their defense," Atkinson told reporters. "They kept us in front and they would switch and keep you on the perimeter. ... They were tough to score against (Thursday)." The Nets are averaging 105.4 PPG which ranks 10th but it comes with some p[oor shooting. Brooklyn ranks 24th if FG percentage (43.5%), including 25th on threes (33.0%). The defense is a ‘nightmare,’ ranking last in points allowed (114.3 per) and second-to-last in opponents FG percentage (47.1%). Milwaukee: The Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo had 23 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, four steals and two blocks in 30 minutes on Thursday, before taking a seat for the fourth quarter. The small forward is having a superb season, averaging 22.8-8.5-6.1 but only Jabari Parker (18.8 & 5.8) also scores in double digits for Milwaukee. However, Milwaukee does have a deep bench and against teams like this, it makes a difference. The pick: The problem here for Milwaukee is the big pointspread ,as the Bucks are only outscoring teams at home by about five points per game. In this quick turnaround, I’m “all over” the Nets to bounce back with a strong effort. Upset alert? Take the points and make the Nets an 8* play.

The set-up: The Northern Iowa Panthers have been one of the country's top mid-major programs annually and enter this game just 3-3 but two of those losses have come at the hands of 7th-ranked Xavier, which is 7-0. Wyoming has a new head coach in Allen Edwards, who took over after Larry Shyatt resigned last season. The Cowboys have opened 4-2, including 3-0 SU (2-0 ATS) at home. Northern Iowa:  The Panthers are off a 23-win season, which ended with a second round loss in the NCAAs. The team’s best player, guard Washpun (14.2-4.1-5.3) has moved on, as did guard Bohanon (11.5 & 4.1) and the 6-6 Jesperson (11.3 & 5.3). However, veteran guard Morgan (14.7 & 7.5) returns, along with the 6-7 Carlson (11.2) and the 6-9 Koch (9.8). Guard Jordan Ashton (7.5) has made an immediate contribution, after transferring from Iowa State, plus guard Halderman adds 8.5 PPG. UNI doesn’t score much (63.3 PPG) but it also doesn’t allow much, either (58.7 PPG ranks 11th). Wyoming: The Cowboys only lost one starter from last year’s team but it was a big loss, as Josh Adams averaged 24.3 PPG (3rd-best in the nation) as was voted MWC player-of-the-year. Justin James, a 6-7 guard, leads in scoring (17.7 PPG) and is joined on the perimeter by McManamen (14.5) and Aka-Gorski (8.2). Wyoming owns three frontcourt players of note in the 6-9 Herndon (10.2 & 6.5), the 6-8 Dalton (8.2 & 6.8) an the 6-10 Naughton (6.3 & 4.5). The pick: Wyoming may be 3-0 at home to open the young season but Northern Iowa is a road-tested team which plays excellent defense and the MVC is a much better (and deeper) league than the MWC. Northern Iowa is a 10* play.

The set-up: Chris Mullins’ first season at his alma mater was one to forget, as St John’s went 8-24 (1-17 in Big East play), ending the season by losing 22 of its final 23 games. The Red Storm opened 2-0 this season but enter this game on a five-game slide, after losing 79-72 to lowly Delaware State at home last Tuesday. St John’s will look to end their skid tonight when they visit 1-6 Tulane. Tulane is coached by another former NBA guard-turned coach in Mike Dunleavy, who is also trying to resurrect a program that finished last in its conference last season, going 3-15 in the AAC, as well as 12-22 overall. St John’s: Freshmen guards Marcus LoVett (18.9-4.4-3.3) and Shamorie Ponds (15.3 & 6.1) lead the Red Storm in scoring but the talented backcourt duo haven’t yet learned the phrase, “play well with others.” St John’s enters this game tied for 246th in the nation in assists at 12.7 per game through Wednesday's games. Tulane: The Green Wave have only played one home game so far in their 1-6 start and did dominate Southeastern Louisiana, 93-76. Guard Kain Harris (12.7) had a career-high 19 points in that Nov. 14 win and is joined in double figures on the season by  6-7 slasher Cameron Reynolds (16.4 & 6.3) and senior guard Malik Morgan (10.4 & 5.6). HoweverTulane ranks 309th in allowing 80.4 PPG and winning too often should not be expected for Mike Dunleavy’s team this season. The pick: Tulane did win its lone home game but with all of St John’s woes, the Red Strom are leaps and bounds better than Southeastern Louisiana. In fact, St. John's opened the season with blowout wins over Bethune-Cookman and Binghamton plus showed plenty of promise in six-point losses against Minnesota and VCU. This is one St John’s can win and I’ll make them an 8* play.

The set-up: The 7-12 Orlando Magic lost 95-94 at Memphis last night, the team's fifth defeat in its last six games. They will look to break out of their slump tonight at Philadelphia. The 76ers are just 4-14 overall (4-8 at home) but come in well-rested, having not played since a 122-95 loss in Toronto this past Monday night. Orlando: The Magic were outscored 24-10 down the stretch by the Grizzlies, who erased an 84-71 deficit. "Everything about this loss is disappointing," head coach Frank Vogel told the Orlando Sentinel. The Magic had now lost  four straight, three of those at home to sub-.500 teams, before winning Tuesday night in San Antonio. However, any momentum thy had from beating the Spurs is gone, after their collapse against Memphis. "It hurts, man," Magic guard/forward Evan Fournier told the Sentinel. "Hurts bad. They just played more aggressive than us the last five minutes. That's how they got back into the game." Fournier (17.9 PPG) has scored at least 25 points in three of the last five games. Center Nikola Vucevic (12.4 & 11.6) is beginning to get his game together after a slow start, averaging 17 points and 13.4 rebounds over the last five games while posting seven double-doubles in the past eight contests. PG Elfrid Payton (10.5-5.3 APG) had strung three solid games together, making 17-of-30 from the floor before scoring three on 1-of-8 shooting Thursday. Ibaka (14.4 & 6.8) makes it four Orlando players averaging in double digits. Philadelphia: The 76ers saw Wednesday's scheduled home game against Sacramento postponed because of moisture on the Wells Fargo Center floor. However, the team got some good news, as it was announced that rookie center Joel Embiid's minutes restriction was being increased from 24 to 28 per game. Embiid, the third overall pick in the 2014 draft, missed two seasons while recovering from a pair of foot surgeries.  He leads the Sixers (and all NBA rookies) in scoring (18.2), rebounding (7.8), blocked shots (2.4) and three-point percentage (.500). Nerlens Noel, who has yet to play this season following minor knee surgery in October, practiced on Wednesday with the Delaware 87ers, Philadelphia's NBA Development League team, then went through drills with the Sixers on Thursday. Philly needs more help, as veteran forward Ersan Ilyasova (13.0) is the only other player scoring more than 11 per game. The pick: It’s not a good sign to blow a lead like the Magic did last night but at this points, Orlando is the better team than Philadelphia and at this price, a win by Orlando ensures a cover. Orlando is a 10* play.

The set-up: Two Pittsburgh-area schools hook up tonight at PPG Paints Arena in The City Game, as 3-5 Duquesne will take on 6-1 Pittsburgh. The Panthers have lost just once (76-67 to SMU at MSG) and are coming off their biggest win of the season, 73-59 at Maryland on Tuesday in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. Meanwhile, the Duquesne Dukes are coming off an 81-72 home loss to UMBC on Wednesday and have set a school record with eight games in November, Duquesne: The Dukes were 17-17 last season and lost their 1-2 backcourt duo of Mason (18.4-3.1-4.5) and Colter (17.9-3.6-4.6). Four of the Dukes' top-five scorers tis year are first-year players, led by 6-2 sophomore Tarin Smith, a Nebraska transfer who averages 11.0-3.1-3.6. Guard Emile Blackman (10.1 PPG) is a graduate transfer from Niagara, while 6-8 Isiaha Mike (9.6 & 5.0) and fellow freshman Mike Lewis II (9.6), a 6-1 guard, are next. Pittsburgh: Jamie Dixon led the Panthers to a 328-123 (.727) record in 13 seasons which included 11 NCAA bids, a CBI championship in 2012 and two, 31-wins season but he’s now at TCU (his alma mater). Longtime Vandy head coach, Kevin Stallings (332-220 record in 17 seasons, including seven NCAA berths), has taken over at Pitt. 6-9 senior Michael Young (23.6 & 8.3) became the first player since Vonteego Cummings (1997-98) to score at least 20 points in five straight games, scoring 25 in the win vs. Maryland. He is joined up front by the 6-7 Artis (19.7-5.4-3.7) and the 6-8 Jeter (5.9 & 7.4). All three are seniors, as is guard Jones (6.6-3.3-3.1), t while 6-8 sophomore Johnson (11.1 & 3.7) joins Young and Artis in double digits. The pick: This series dates back to 1932, with Pittsburgh leading 53-31, which includes 15 straight wins by Pitt over city-rival Duquesne. However, the Dukes do catch Pittsburgh off its huge win over Maryland, which had hopes of starting 8-0 for the first time since 2006-07. the Panthers shot 67 percent while building a 21-point halftime lea, en route to a 73-59 victory, Maryland’s worst loss since 2011. Can you say “let down?” Duquesne is an 8* play. 

The set-up: The 11-7 Houston Rockets visit Oracle Arena in an attempt to snap the 16-2 Golden State Warriors’ 12-game winning streak. The Rockets and Warriors could be shooting for a record of most three-pointers made in a game. The Rockets enter this contest having made at least 10 three-pointers in 17 straight games. lifting them into a tie with Cleveland for the team lead at 13.8 made three-pointers per game. The Warriors owned the NBA perimeter last year and along the way, combined with Mavericks to set an NBA record for most three-pointers made in a game (39) back on March 25, 2016 (GSt. had 21 & Dal. 18). Could that record be in jeopardy in this one? Houston: The Rockets have increased their three-point attempts from 30.9 per game to 36.6 and their percentage of success from 34.7 to 37.8, under first-year head coach Mike D’Antoni. The team has embraced D'Antoni,’s up-tempo style, with James Harden (55), Eric Gordon (55) and Trevor Ariza (52) all ranking among the top-10 this season in three-pointers made, while Ryan Anderson (45) isn't far outside the group. Gordon, who is shooting more often from downtown (7.9 attempts per game, up from 6.5), Ariza, who has connected on a career-best 39.7 percent so far this season and Anderson is a 42.2 percent career three-point shooter who was signed to a four-year, $80 million deal in July. Of course there is Harden, who checks in with a line of 28.7-7.2-11.9. Golden State: The Warriors have opened the season a bit cold from beyond the arc, at least for them.They have attempted the same number as last season (31.6 per game) but their percentage of success has fallen from a league-best 41.6 percent to 38.4. Klay Thompson is a career 41.7-percent shooter on threes but has made only 36.5 percent this season. However, he began the season 11-for-53 (20.8 percent) through seven games but has since made 39 of 84 (46.4 percent) in his last 11 outings (all Golden St. wins). Durant (27.1-8.4-4.7) and Curry (26.6-4.1-5.9) are the highest scoring pair of teammates in the league, Thompson has his average up to 20.7 PPG and in Green (10.1-7.0-8.1), the Warriors own one of the NBA’s most complete and efficient players. The pick: Golden State took all three regular-season meetings in 2015-16 by an average of 12.3 PPG and the teams meet here for the first time since the Warriors beat the Rockets in five games in the opening round of last year’s playoffs. The Rockets come to Oakland from Salt Lake City, where on Tuesday night they allowed the Jazz, a team averaging 98.7 PPG on the season (to rank 25th), to score 120 points on 55.4 percent shooting. It’s scary to think how many points the well-rested Warriors (last played Monday) will score, as they check in as the NBA’s highest scoring team (117.6 PPG) and its best shooting team (50.2 percent). Golden State is a 10* play.