Florida State has dropped consecutive games for the first time this season. Close wins against Louisville and LSU have shaded their record a tad. Although Florida State is a bit dinged up they have a knack of hanging around even with an ugly offensive display. Back the Seminoles in front of their home crowd getting a generous 4.5 points. 

Blowing a game that was in hand usually can haunt a team into their next game. Memphis had one of the worst meltdowns of the season in their last game a 33 to 32 loss to Houston. Look for East Carolina to be aggressive after scoring just nine points in last weeks loss against Tulane. At home grab the Pirates to win by a touchdown or more against the Memphis Tigers. 

Although Wisconsin’s season has not went their way theirs pales in comparison to the weekly new lows of Michigan State. The Spartans have dropped four straight and every loss in-conference has been by double figures. Take Wisconsin to build off their thirty five point victory over Northwestern, and win a second consecutive road game. 

TCU has survived a gauntlet of tough matchups and done so by covering the spread. They are one of two teams in division one football that has yet to not cover a spread. Ironically, Saturday they will face an Oklahoma State team that throttled them last season 63 to 17. The Cowboys success running the football in that contest is something they can carry over on the road Saturday. Take the Cowboys plus the points.

A potential obstacle in Coastal Carolina’s way may very well be Sun Belt newcomer in Old Dominion. Thus far this season Old Dominion has played better against higher level competition. In week one they defeated Virginia Tech 20 to 17, and also played Virginia to a close two point loss. Look for the Monarchs to be ready to test Coastal Carolina’s non competitive schedule. Grab the points with the underdog in Old Dominion. 

For three straight games SMU has vastly under produced in losses to Maryland, TCU, and Central Florida. Friday lies an opportunity for the Mustangs to utilize extra rest over Navy as SMU played last Wednesday. At home I expect the Mustangs to continue their surge of points against Navy as they scored 31 in last year’s contest and 51 two seasons ago. Grab the Mustangs to pull through on the double digit spread. 

The Chiefs will try and win consecutive prime time games after defeating the Buccaneers last Sunday. They’ll face a Vegas Raiders team that finally gained a win last week but still showed some grey areas against a struggling Broncos team. Although they are 0-2 on the road they had shown a knack for playing in close games. All three of their losses have been by six points or less. Take the full touchdown here on the Raiders. 

The 49ers once again toppled the LA Rams in front of a nationally televised prime time audience. The offense did just enough under Jimmy Garopollo but the story was how stout the defense was in preventing a Rams touchdown. Yet, Carolina is playing their third straight road game and in desperation mode. Take the points here and buy the hook to seven. 

The Chargers showcased last week against the Texans that they still lack the ability to play for four complete quarters. They let a double-digit comfortable lead quickly falter with poor defense and a special teams miscue. Yet, the Browns are a good matchup for them and I expect the Chargers to clean up the sloppiness from their second half against the Texans. Take the Chargers to win their second straight on the road.

Saturday night’s Mountain West game will feature Fresno State minus Jake Haener once again. Last week without Haener the Fresno State offense looked lost as quarterback Logan Fife struggled. He should get some help this week from his teammates that are in a more familiar environment and matchup against conference opponent Boise State. 

It’s strange to see UConn as a favorite in football in the month of October. It was not pretty but they gained a big home win last week against Fresno State as steep underdogs. Saturday, they’ll face an FIU team that’s defense surrendered 37 points to Bryant, 41 to Texas State, and 73 to Western Kentucky. Back the Huskies to get over .500 and pull off an important program building road victory.

UTEP’s Gavin Hardison has the big quarterback experience edge over Louisiana Tech’s Parker McNeil. The problem is Hardison has been turnover prone throughout his collegiate career and susceptible to taking sacks. With UTEP being on the road a second straight week there should be concern of the Miners losing the turnover battle. Grab the under performing Bulldogs to grab their first win over a division one school this season. 

TCU has soared into the top twenty five with big wins over SMU and Oklahoma that cruised past the ATS number. This week they’ll face another new rising top twenty five program in Kansas. One can’t discount the Jayhawks rise for a program that never sees this type of play in the football program. Yet, TCU has begun to click on all cylinders and look like a team that will not hold back. Take TCU as their offense is to much for the Jayhawks.  

The Houston Cougars have been a team downtrending ever since beginning the season with a triple overtime and double overtime games. They’re lucky that they are not 1-4 overall. A positive is they have a knack for playing in close games, as three of their five games have went to overtime. Friday’s marquee game against Memphis is the type of game you can expect the Cougars to be ready for. Look for Houston to challenge Memphis’s four-game win streak. Play Houston. 

The LA Chargers continue to not be able to shake the year over year label of inconsistencies. Now they’re plagued with a combination of injuries that could derail their season. In week four though this is a beneficial spot against the Texans. Houston plays a conservative style that allowed the Colts and Broncos to come back from deficits. Take the Chargers to take their frustrations out on the Texans.

There is concern for the Bills and the way that their offense looked against the Dolphins. Regrouping in another tough road spot will be an immense challenge at Baltimore. With how much weight of the offense that is on Lamar Jackson’s shoulders, there should be some opportunities for the Bills defense to boost their offense. Take Buffalo in what will still not be a Buffalo type game, but nonetheless they’ll win the 50/50 type plays. Grab Buffalo.

All season long oddsmakers have had trouble with the number with Western Kentucky. After a ridiculous 73-0 victory last week against Florida International, the eyes are now on Hilltoppers quarterback Austin Reed. Reed has had no issue transferring in from a division II school, but there are bumps in the road for every player. Look for Reed to take a step back this week against a Troy defense that was stingy against Marshall. Grab the road team plus the points.

Even in a loss last week Washington State showed they have something special to build forward on with quarterback Cameron Ward. The sophomore dazzled on the big stage against Oregon, and put himself on the map nation wide. Still look for the California Bears to be able to neutralize what the Cougars want to do on both sides of the football. They’ll control the pace of play and keep this game within reach late. Take the Bears plus the points. 

South Alabama would be undefeated if not for a last second loss against UCLA. The Jaguars have the possibility to make some noise in the Sun Belt conference but will have to avoid a let down spot. Saturday on the road against UL Lafayette should pose an interesting challenge ATS-wise. South Alabama should continue to win but the challenge of covering steep numbers will be the issue here. Take the home underdog in UL Lafayette.

Last week the Buffalo Bulls ended a seven game losing streak by handily defeating Eastern Michigan, 50-31. Now for the second consecutive week they will aim to knock off a MAC opponent that is coming off defeating a Power 5 school. Look for the Bulls to accept the challenge as their offense continues to rise in play with quarterback Cole Snyder. Take the Bulls to topple the RedHawks who are coming off defeating Northwestern. 

Jumping up from American Conference football to the Big 12 was a huge leap for quarterback Dillon Gabriel. Thus far the pace and high level athletes has not deterred Gabriel as he has 11 touchdown passes and zero interceptions. That will be needed on the road against a TCU team that led from start to finish in last week’s victory over SMU. Expect a lot of points but for the Sooners to have the answers in a hostile road environment. Take Oklahoma.

Friday nights in the Pac-12 begins with a stellar matchup of two undefeated teams. The Washington Huskies have ascended to fifteenth in the country at 4-0, and will face a dynamic Bruins team led by fifth year senior quarterback in Dorian Thompson Robinson. Under new first year Coach Kalen DeBoer the Huskies have a new level of play and confidence. Take the road team Huskies to win their first road game this season.

After two road games to begin the season the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will finally host a home game in week three. It will be against a Packers team they have had success against with a blowout regular season win and NFC championship game upset two seasons ago. Even though the Buccaneers are 2-0, they have had issues in the red zone converting touchdowns. Look for the Packers to match their level of intensity and get the road win Sunday.

A new team that surges forth to new expectations should not knock down their opponent. This is the case with Philadelphia crushing the Vikings Monday Night Football. For the Vikings they will move forward and face a divisional opponent for the second time in two weeks. I expect Minnesota to execute their game plan much more fluidly as they did against the Packers week one. Take the Vikings as Detroit sustains their first ATS loss of the season.

Two of the worst rated division one teams will square off tonight as Hawaii travels to face New Mexico State. The Aggies have been trounced in every phase and have scored just three touchdowns their first four games. Tonight that should change against Hawaii’s poor defense. With New Mexico State being an independent school they have scheduled the easier portion of their schedule where conference play normally would be. Take New Mexico State.

If there is a team and coach that has big time pressure to respond off a bad loss it is Michigan State and Coach Tucker. They showed up late but the final score of 39 to 28 was not indicative of how poor the Spartans played against Washington. Now back at home they’ll face a Minnesota team that has a ton of experience and will be hungry to showcase themselves on the road. Take Minnesota as Michigan State is the team that was ranked improperly and will continue to falter. 

TCU Horned Frogs senior quarterback Max Duggan will get his last chance at toppling SMU. In two other career starts against SMU the Horned Frogs could not pull through in close contests. This includes aU 42-34 loss last season. In that contest they did intercept SMU quarterback Tanner Mordecai three times, which is the most he has had in one game. Look for the Horned Frogs to battle the road elements and squeak out a win.

Through two weeks the Pittsburgh Steelers offense has been protected by their sound defense. In week one they forced several turnovers from Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow. In Sunday’s contest the Patriots simplicity kept the Steelers comfortable offensively. In Thursday’s game look for the Browns to heavily feature their ground game and screen offense to get an early lead. That will force the Steelers hand offensively, which in turn will lead to Steelers miscues or short fields for Cleveland. Take the home team in the Browns. 

Two teams with opposite records will clash Thursday in the Sun Belt as Coastal Carolina travels to face Georgia State. Two of Georgia State’s losses are acceptable as they faced two power five teams in North Carolina and South Carolina. The inexcusable loss was this past Saturday as the Panthers lost as twenty point favorites outright to Charlotte. Expect Shawn Elliott to have his team much more prepared against a familiar opponent in Sun Belt rival Coastal Carolina. They’ll cover as the home underdog, as they take down Grayson McCall in the Chanticleers. 

Grading a team that loses outright as a big road favorite is one of the common over reactions assessing NFL ATS. This is boosted even more after week one of the NFL season. San Francisco played in poor conditions in Chicago and are still bringing along inexperienced quarterback Trey Lance. Expect the game plan to unfold much better at home against a divisional opponent in the Seahawks.

The New York Jets stock pile of injuries on both sides of the football made them look like the same New York Jets week one. Offensively it will be a challenge to muster much through the passing game with Joe Flacco, but I think they can work on establishing the run game against the Browns. This spread is a bit too high even against the Browns stout rushing attack. Take the Jets getting the 6.5.

It does not get any easier for the Aggies after a surprising loss to Appalachian State last week. They’ll now take on the Hurricanes with even tougher opponents in SEC play ahead on their schedule. A year ago this matchup would have been too big of a moment for Hurricanes quarterback Tyler Van Dyke. Tonight look for the Hurricanes to take that program step forward, and cover a generous six points on the road. Play Miami.

The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers will have the benefit of extended rest for Saturday’s matchup against Indiana. They did not play last week and the prior week faced one of the worst teams in division one football in Hawaii. While Indiana has been a slow first half team they should have an advantage against a Hilltoppers team that has been susceptible to the pass. Take Indiana to finally play two halves of solid football. 

A pattern with teams on the obvious decline is predictable where their season will end. Often times though a team with lowered expectations such as the Pittsburgh Steelers will create a glimmer early in the season. After losing to the Bengals by double digits of fourteen and thirty-one, this is a chance for the defense to be motivated and let their offense take the safe approach. Take the points here with the Steelers. 

The Miami Dolphins reloaded in all areas on the field and on the sidelines. Meeting new expectations at home can be a hard burden to shoulder especially against a division opponent. The Patriots don’t have the top to bottom roster that exudes the standard of past teams, but they have the coaching pedigree to get the edge when it matters most. They will keep it close enough that if the spread comes into play you will be happy to have the full three and a half. Take New England.

Laying a big number on the road is always a tricky spot in the NFL especially in week one. For Baltimore game one is important because of how bad their season free failed last year. After October third they won just one road game the remaining of the season, and lost six straight to conclude the year. Even against a much improved Jets team look for the Ravens to execute in detail in all phases, and push enough past this number. Take Baltimore.

An early season non-conference yearly pattern has been the Mountain West giving the Pac-12 fits. That has started to sway as we saw in last week’s big victory for Arizona over San Diego State. Tonight, look for Oregon State to carry over the strong defensive effort we saw in last week’s victory over Boise State. In what should be a back and forth contest take the Beavers to prevail over the experience of the Bulldogs.  

Central Michigan’s third year starting quarterback in Daniel Richardson put up a marvelous effort in last week’s loss to Oklahoma State. For Saturday the Chippewas will host a South Alabama team working in new starters on both sides of the football, including at quarterback and running back. Ironically, the Jaguars new quarterback in Carter Bradley is a transfer from Toledo. He has played against Central Michigan three times including a victory as a starter in 2020. Take the Jaguars to hang within the number at plus six. 

The Big 12 finds themselves as a big favorite Saturday against SEC opponent in Missouri. The Wildcats new starting quarterback Adrian Martinez did not dazzle in his debut against South Dakota, with just fifty-three passing yards. Yet, he avoided any turnovers which was the big problem when he was at Nebraska. Expect, Kansas State to churn away with their physicality and wear down Missouri. Take Kansas State.

One of the strongest contrasts record-wise to matchup today is the Mets against the Pirates. On the road the Mets are heavy favorites against the lowly Pirates. Low run support for Mets ace Taijuan Walker has plagued him his last three starts, in which the Mets have lost. After poor consecutive losses against the Nationals look for the Mets to get back on track in a big way against the Pirates. Play the run line here. 

Over the years the Sun Belt conference has made some noise in their early season matchups against the SEC. In fact, Georgia State held their own last season against Auburn and defeated Tennessee outright in 2019. Yet, South Carolina will be a different gear of offense for Georgia State’s defense to handle. Yes, Spencer Rattler will still be turnover prone but the Gamecocks will have the defense to negate Georgia State from scoring in the high 20’s. Take South Carolina.

The Utah Utes aspirations to be a legitimate top team will be threatened right off the bat against Florida. There surely will be rust out the gate that will make the road environment in Gainesville a difficult obstacle. Yet, this Utes team is a different level with Cam Rising under center. Take Utah to survive early issues and dominate the second half. 

A change from the FCS level to division one right off the bat is sometime a difficult change. For James Madison it shouldn’t be they played well on the FCS level, and will face a Middle Tennessee team that’s struggled the past few seasons. Yet I expect this to be a competitive game wire to wire. James Madison may win but it’ll be by less than four points. Take Middle Tennessee. 

Nevada was one of the few teams that played in week zero. Although the Wolf Pack won it was a sloppy contest that showed there will be a hard transition without quarterback Carson Strong. Texas State is typically not in the role of favorite but have experience on their side. New quarterback Layne Hatcher was a three year starter at Arkansas State and should have no issues on the road against Nevada. Take Texas State.

Friday the Mariners won a thriller in extra innings over the Guardians, 3-2. A lack of run production has plagued the Guardians against the Mariners. Thus far they’ve scored just three total runs, and have scored just four runs over their past twenty-four innings. Expect the Mariners to grab their third win in a row over Cleveland, and win on the run line. Take Seattle.

Series that go seven games sometimes prolong the inevitable. The Phoenix Suns have been a disastrous road team in this series but the Mavericks have been equally as poor at Phoenix. Expect the Suns to rise to the occasion after an embarrassing showing in game six. Take Phoenix as they make this look like a regular season game and not a game seven. 

With their backs against the walls the Philadelphia 76ers must find a way to stave off elimination. In game five the 76ers had no answer from the start to the Miami Heat’s intensity. Yet, this series has shown us that the home team has a big edge. Take Philadelphia as they regroup in front of their home crowd, and setup a game seven.

The Golden State Warriors may have the big names from their past playoff runs, but on the court they have not looked the part. With the Grizzlies minus Ja Morant they still showcased a solid effort in game four’s loss. In a potential close out game look for another big effort, as the Grizzlies hang around the Warriors once again. Take Memphis.

In game four, Boston appeared to be headed to a 3-1 series deficit. Thanks to a surge of offense from Jayson Tatum and Al Horford the Celtics evened the series. We’ve seen in the past teams that escape a hole usually jump to a higher level of play going forward. Take the Celtics who should be able to ride their home crowd and destiny to get the Eastern Conference Finals. 

The Phoenix Suns should answer the bell today after disappointing performances in games three and four. I expect better perimeter defense and for the Suns to get back to establishing the paint. They’ll get a big game from DeAndre Ayton and their role players off the bench. Grab the Suns.

A regrettable ending to game three for the Boston Celtics thwarted a tremendous comeback effort. A second round playoff pattern of home teams covering should finally end tonight in game four. Expect the Celtics to heighten their level of play with their backs against the wall. They’ll take game four and get the momentum back in the series. Play the Celtics.

After an odd first round against the Pelicans, the Suns have transformed into top-tier play. Tonight is another high level test for Phoenix who lost three game three’s last post-season. Yet, this is a matchup the Suns have to many weapons for Dallas to counter. Take the Suns as they win their twelfth straight game over Dallas.

In game one the Boston Celtics were caught off guard by a Bucks team that would not back down. Expect quick adjustments to be made, as the Celtics play better half court defense. Isolation basketball by the Milwaukee Bucks should bog down their offense. Take Boston as they play to the level of expectations everyone expected in game one.

Tonight game one will take place between the Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns. It’s a matchup the Suns have dominated winning nine straight, including all three this season by seven points or more. Expect Phoenix to be prepared to limit Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson’s production, and to play like the top seed that they are. Grab Phoenix

Each team in the postseason has had their downfall of a flat outing. The Philadelphia 76ers had that in game five and had it exacerbated based on the talent on their team and Coach Doc Rivers history. As a veteran squad they will play to a higher level to avoid a more dangerous option of a game seven at home. Take Philadelphia as they find a way to finish the Raptors.  

The Atlanta Hawks had no answers in game four for the Heat’s defensive intensity. Each minor adjustment the Hawks have tried to do has been countered by the great mastermind of Coach Spoelstra. But what the NBA playoffs always teaches you is that even a clear better team is vulnerable to a let down spot. Grab the points here as Atlanta finally gives the Heat a four quarter game in an elimination spot.

It’s hard to fathom the Brooklyn Nets going from last year’s game seven heartbreak to the Bucks, to potentially being swept in round one this season. Yet, they let two golden opportunities slip away in games one and two to the Celtics. Game three the Celtics figured out not just Kevin Durant but the entire bench production of the Nets. Take Boston as the complete a clean sweep, and defeat the Nets for the seventh straight time.

The patterns of the Western Conference mid-tier teams have been glaring with Denver and Utah. The Nuggets showed strong effort in game three against the Warriors but could not finish in the fourth quarter. Close out games are typically a flat spot especially on a teams home floor. One spurt from the Warriors could spell the exits for fans. Split your action full game and in-game as the Warriors may be down early. 

The Milwaukee Bucks know they could easily be down 0-2. The Bulls flipped a gear in the postseason that the Bucks did not see in blowout regular season victories over Chicago. Look for the road element to wake up the Bucks even minus Khris Middleton. Last postseason, Coach Budenholzer showcased that he is capable of making the necessary adjustments after the first two games of a series. Play the Bucks.

With or without Luka Donkic the Dallas Mavericks showed they have the role players to step up when necessary in game two. Tonight, all the pressure is on a Utah Jazz team that has under achieved time and time again in the post-season. While Dallas may not have the same fire power offensively as in game two, look for Utah to keep them in it with poor stretches. Take Dallas.

When it comes to the Boston Celtics they head into game two knowing they nearly let a big lead slip away, and were lucky Jayson Tatum put in the game winner. Now the young Celtics will face a Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving tandem that will be fully engaged in game two. Yet, Boston at home will have the necessary spurts to quell the Nets. Take Boston to cover and take a commanding 2-0 series lead to Brooklyn.  

Pelicans +10.5

All regular season the Phoenix Suns played like a determined team to earn the Western Conference top seed.  They’re back to finish what they couldn’t do last year, when they raced through the postseason until the Bucks stormed back in the Finals. Their first round series against the Pelicans will be a test they won’t be as easy as last post season. In game one take the value here on the Pelicans. 

Playoff basketball begins for the Bulls and defending NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks. No one expects the Bulls to truly challenge the Bucks for a series victory. From an ATS stand point though Chicago should perform better than how they ended the season. This included two blowout losses by twenty plus points against the Bucks. Yet, look for a clamp down effort in the fourth quarter defensively to push the Bucks past the number.   

Star player additions at the trade deadline made immediate dividends for the New Orleans Pelicans. Immediately CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram meshed together as the Pelicans surged to gain a play-in spot. Record wise the Spurs at 34-46 don’t belong in this scenario, but have a scrappy roster from top to bottom. Led by Coach Popovich look for a solid effort from the Spurs. Take them as an underdog. 

For the second straight season the Charlotte Hornets find themselves in the play-in round. This is a chance for the Hornets to learn from last year’s epic let down when they were blown out by the Pacers. While the Hawks made it to the Eastern Conference Finals, they have had a topsy turvy year to expectations. Take the Hornets on a line that is too high based on the Hawks resume last season and their 27-14 home record.

Normally entering the playoffs one would not have a recent matchup and identical point spread to work off of. The opening line of the Nets and Cavaliers play-in game was the exact same as their matchup on April 8th. One that the Nets dominated the first and fourth quarters by outscoring the Cavaliers by 15 and 16 points. Recency bias combined with the Nets star power has pushed this spread up just a bit too much. Play the underdog here. 

Saturday in a light NBA slate look for the Warriors to deliver as road favorites. An anomaly of the Spurs streaking ATS-wise has featured an 8-1 mark. This included defeating the Warriors outright at Golden State on March 20th. Tonight they’ll be a depleted team with Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, and Jakob Poeltl out. Take the Warriors.

All signs point to Ja Morant possibly playing today against the Pelicans. Once officially determined expect a further rise in the current market price ATS. After all Memphis has delivered at home time and time again, even without Morant. Yet, this is a Pelicans team that has soared in confidence since coming back down twenty against the Lakers. Back the Pelicans who have won five of their last six games.  

Sometimes in sports an inevitable team downward spiral is never ending. That appears to be the case for the Chicago Bulls who have lost by double digits in three straight games. While those losses were against upper level Eastern Conference opponents, it does not look to be an overnight fix. Take the Hornets as the Bulls home woes continue ATS.

Assuredly, the New York Knicks season did not live up to expectations after last year’s trip to the post-season. With several key players out down the stretch, the tables have turned to put a spotlight on different Knicks players. Tonight, they’ll face a Wizards team also resting several starters. Grab the Knicks to have a fluid game offensively and cover the number.  

A big surprise in the Western Conference has been the end of season finish for the San Antonio Spurs. They are 8-2 over their last ten games, and throttled the Denver Nuggets Tuesday without Dejounte Murray. On the road once again Thursday, look for the Timberwolves to outpace the Spurs. On March 14th, the Timberwolves scored 149 points at San Antonio in a ten point victory. Play the Timberwolves.

We’ve seen a point spread line swing as the 76ers are now favored against the Toronto Raptors. This is a chance for the 76ers to reach a milestone of fifty wins and also improve their positioning from a fourth seed. Yet, Toronto has played well against the 76ers this season with a 2-1 series lead. They also limited Philadelphia to just eighty eight points in a 93-88 victory on March 20th. Play Toronto.

The Detroit Pistons may be one of the worst teams record wise in the NBA, but ATS they have been superb. Since February 16th they are 19-3 ATS, and are on a three game win streak. Evaluating that stretch they faced just three Western conference teams in Oklahoma City, the LA Clippers, and the Portland Trailblazers. Look for a higher level team in the Mavericks to end the Pistons stout stretch ATS. Play Dallas. 

Duke has grown immensely throughout the tournament, but now they’ll face a North Carolina team with top intel on the Blue Devils. UNC already defeated Duke exactly three weeks ago by a score of 94 to 81. Do not expect North Carolina to be afraid of the moment, and a deficit for Duke would spell trouble. Take the Tar Heels.

We’ve seen an overnight line move between the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls sway towards the Heat side. A big reason for that is the Heat have dominated the season series over the Bulls with a current 3-0 lead. Yet, this is the tail end of the NBA regular season and will mean more to the Bulls as they need to finally defeat the Heat. Play the home team here getting points.

A short handed Villanova Wildcats team will take on a surging Kansas Jayhawks team. The top seed maybe has had the easiest path of all the Final Four teams, which could play into the hands of Villanova. Expect, Jay Wright to devise a game plan that suits Villanova attempting to take the game in the final ten minutes of the second half. This will be a tight game and one Villanova keeps within the spread.

The Basketball Classic championship will finally take place tonight as Fresno State travels to Coastal Carolina. This is the Bulldogs longest road trip of the season, as the furthest they’ve traveled is against Mountain West opponents. Yet, expect the Bulldogs to be focused and handle a Coastal Carolina team that has shown a knack for getting behind the past two matchups. Grab Fresno State.

A team that is tumbling down the stretch of the NBA regular season has been the Cleveland Cavaliers. They’re just 1-4 over their last five games, and are coming off surrendering 120 points last night to the Dallas Mavericks. This spells trouble as they will be in a back to back situation as well as their opponent in the Atlanta Hawks tonight. Look for the Hawks to get out early, and hold off the number just enough late. Back Atlanta.

In their respective NIT semi-final matchups on Tuesday both Xavier and Texas A&M put together complete games. This will make Thursday’s championship a true must watch game. Prior to the championship all matchups in the NIT were spaced out. Expect the two day turn around to bode to the advantage of the Aggies, as they continue their strong defensive effort in the NIT. Buy the hook and purchase the Aggies -4.

Wednesday, the NBA slate features eleven games. One of the few teams playing in a back to back scenario are the Washington Wizards who will host the Orlando Magic. The month of March has not been kind to the Wizards as they are just 3-9 over their last twelve games. Still, expect the Wizards to topple a Magic team that’s just 10-29 on the road this year.

A team that has shown to be susceptible in the latter stages of the NBA season has been the Bulls. Chicago is just 4-6 over their last ten games and is coming off a road loss Monday night against the Knicks. Today, they’ll travel to face the Wizards in what will mark their eighth of nine games on the road. This should be a great in-game spot if the Bulls trail, nevertheless will take the Bulls full game to end the Wizards two-game win streak. 

The NIT semifinals will take center stage Tuesday at Madison Square Garden. The Musketeers needed all forty minutes to topple Vanderbilt in their latest NIT victory. Short handed minus Paul Scruggs, Xavier has very little room for error. Although St. Bonaventure has the experience edge, they struggle to put teams away. Grab Xavier as they give the Bonnies a hard fought game.

The Basketball Classic continues Monday evening with two matchups. One is a spotlight matchup between two Sun Belt conference teams in Coastal Carolina and South Alabama. The Jaguars got the upper hand in the lone matchup this season, thanks to a buzzer beating three point shot. Expect the Jaguars to gain the upper hand as they continue to excel at home, where they have a 15-2 record. 

Decimated by injuries the Indiana Pacers look to be turning the page for the final stretch of the season. Earlier this morning key star Myles Turner was declared out for the season. This has ballooned tonight’s spread against an Atlanta Hawks team that is typically a road fade. On the year they are just 13-23 on the road, but even this Hawks team should not slip up against Indiana. Take the Hawks on the big number. 

Surprisingly there is just one top seed left, and that is the Kansas Jayhawks. Expect Bill Self and company to remain alive as they take on a Providence team that had weak opponents to begin March Madness. The Jayhawks should be able to neutralize the excellent shooting exhibited by Providence thus far, and get past the number with their defense.

The Wizards anomaly of an elongated stretch of poor basketball hit another milestone yesterday. They had a disastrous first half before closing the gap to eight points with a few minutes left. That type of play with bad teams can sometimes help into the next game. Expect the Wizards to come out sharp against the Detroit Pistons and cash plus four.

Every March Madness there is a top team that survives a game they should not have won. It typically creates great value ATS in their next matchup. The Houston Cougars have looked every bit as strong as last year’s team, but Arizona is a different caliber. Look for Arizona to make a big statement and come out as the new favorite amongst the Elite Eight teams left. 

The Phoenix Suns have time and time again been a juggernaut all season long, and answered the bell when least expected. Today, look for their six game win streak to be tested against the Denver Nuggets. Over the years Denver has given the Suns fits, especially at home. Grab the Nuggets. 

The Wizards have been a completely different level of team minus Bradley Beal, especially on the road. Overall they’ve lost seven straight road games by an average of ten points. Yet, we are evaluating the spread here and the Bucks might be in a let down spot. After a four game road trip that featured, the Bucks faced a Bulls team at home that was in a back to back spot. Look for the Bucks to have an off quarter that impacts the spread enough for the underdog. Take Washington

Time and time again we have seen an eleven seed get hot in March. The time off between their opening round wins, actually helps the underdog believe even more. Michigan went through a roller coaster season, but has the size to give Villanova problems. Look for Michigan to have better offense when it matters most, and to cover the five. Play the Wolverines.

Standings in the NBA are tricky to evaluate from an ATS stand point. On paper the Spurs are just one game above the Portland Trailblazers. Yet, Portland is in the midst of a team overhaul as they have a majority of their roster out. The Spurs are coming off a big win over the Golden State Warriors and should carry that momentum over tonight. Grab the Spurs.

The Basketball Classic has had a bit of disarray in organizing their college basketball tournament. A team that by default has advanced to the quarterfinal has been Youngstown State. Wednesday, they’ll travel across the country to take on a Fresno State team that’s half court defense should stifle a guard oriented Youngstown State team. Look for big man Orlando Robinson to continue his excellent play.

The WCC conference truly believed that it’s level of basketball was on par with power five schools. BYU actually had an advantage when it came to non-conference play against the PAC-12. They defeated Oregon, 81-49, and also Utah 75-64. Look for their high scoring of play to affect the Washington State Cougars. Grab BYU to cash on the small favored number.

An intriguing matchup will take place this evening in The Basketball Classic, as UTEP hosts Southern Utah. The Thunderbirds used their experience to knock off whom many deemed a dangerous Kent State team in the opening round. Overall, Southern Utah has four starting seniors, along with a sixth man in Nate Fleming. They’ll give the Miners a run for their money, but look for UTEP to make the necessary halftime adjustments to take care of business. Grab UTEP.

Thus far today both CBI matchups have been terrific. That should continue all the way through the nightcap which features Ohio and Abilene Christian. Ohio was one of the better mid-major teams for the first 2.5 months of the college basketball season. A late season slide snowballed as they lost five of their last seven games. Look for Abilene Christian to be the latest to get by Ohio, with their attention to detail on the defensive end. Grab Abilene Christian.

Coastal Carolina out of the Sun Belt will host a second round matchup today against Florida Gulf Coast. Both teams won convincingly in their opening round victories in The Basketball Classic. Tonight though look for Coastal Carolina’s physicality to offset Florida Gulf Coast. Expect the Chanticleers to control the paint and have a strong rebounding edge, as they were 28th in the country with an average of forty rebounds per game. Take Coastal Carolina.

New Mexico State controlled the UConn Huskies from start to finish, in a point spread that was way off from the on court performance. Saturday, the Arkansas Razorbacks will pose a different challenge for New Mexico State. Look for Eric Musselman’s pace of play to affect the offensive production of the Aggies. Take Arkansas.

UCLA’s opening round victory over Akron showed that the Bruins may not be able to match last year’s tournament run. St. Mary’s maybe had the least of a challenging opponent in their 82 to 53 annihilation of Indiana. The Gaels are the real deal and should keep this within a one possession game. Take St. Mary’s.

In consecutive days the Atlantic 10 has a chance to knock off a Big Ten opponent in March Madness. Davidson should give the Spartans troubles with their ability to shoot the three ball. On the season they averaged over forty percent from distance. Additionally, Coach Izzo’s Spartans have had issues when not on the top seed line in March Madness. Take Davidson. 

Yale’s struggles in non-conference were a big issue in their season. At one point they were just 6-8 overall. In fact, they faced four tournament teams and lost by an average of twenty three points. Take the Boilermakers as they come out focused to avoid a lapse after going down in the opening round last year.