15* CBB Thursday Undervalued Underdog on Long Beach State +27

I love the spot for Long Beach State tonight.  They Beach already played at UCLA once this season back on November 15th and lost 79-100 as 26-point underdogs.  Now they are 27-point dogs in the rematch.

UCLA probably thinks it can just show up and win tonight.  And there will be a rust factor for the Bruins, who have been off since December 11th so nearly a full month.  They cannot be trusted to cover this inflated 27-point spread given the spot and the fact that these teams already played once to a 21-point game.

Long Beach State knocked the dust off yesterday with a 90-64 win over Westcliff.  That came after their last game was on December 12th and it was a great showing, only losing 62-73 at USC as 24-point dogs.  That's a 12-0 USC team right now.

Long Beach State is 9-1 ATS when revenging a loss over the last two seasons, including 7-0 ATS when revenging a road loss.  The Beach are 8-1 ATS in their last nine games as road underdogs.  The Beach are 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings with four losses coming by 4, 7, 11 and 21 points.  Roll with Long Beach State Thursday.

15* CBB Wednesday UPSET SHOCKER on St. Joseph's +4.5

It's a great time to 'sell high' on the Davidson Wildcats.  They have gone 9-0 SU & 8-0 ATS in their last nine games overall.  That includes an upset win over Alabama as 9.5-point dogs on a neutral in their last lined game.  This is now a huge letdown spot for the Wildcats, and you're paying a premium to back them at this point.

St. Joseph's has quietly put together a nice run itself in going 7-1 ATS in its last eight games overall.  The Hawks have an upset win over Georgetown as well as an extremely impressive 83-56 win at Richmond as 11.5-point underdogs last time out.  They are more than capable of not only covering tonight, but upsetting Davidson.

St. Joseph's is 4-1 SU & 4-1 ATS in its last five home meetings with Davidson.  The Hawks are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games vs. excellent 3-point shooting teams that make 41% or better.  St. Joseph's is 6-0 ATS in its last six games following a game where it had two or fewer steals.  The Hawks are 5-1 ATS in their last six games as underdogs.  St. Joseph's is 4-0 ATS in its last four home games.  The underdog is 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings.  Take St. Joseph's Wednesday.

20* CBB DOG OF THE WEEK on Pittsburgh +12.5

The Pittsburgh Panthers have quietly gone 6-1 ATS in their last seven games overall.  All seven games were decided by 9 points or fewer and that includes games against quality competitive in Virginia, St. John's and Notre Dame as all three of those games were decided by 1 or 2 points.

Louisville has no business being a 12.5-point favorite over Pittsburgh tonight.  The Cardinals aren't blowing anyone out other than overmatched non-conference opponents, and even then they only beat Southern by 12 and lost outright to Furman as a 9-point favorite.  Their three ACC wins have all come by 5 points or fewer.

Pittsburgh is 8-1 ATS in its last nine road games off a home loss.  The Panthers are 7-0 ATS in their last seven games after committing eight or fewer turnovers last game.  Louisville is 0-6 ATS in its last six home games following a road win.  The Cardinals are 2-7 ATS in their last nine home games.  Bet Pittsburgh Wednesday.

15* CBB Tuesday Undervalued Underdog on Tulsa +14

Memphis is grossly overvalued this season and continues to be here as 14-point favorites over Tulsa.  The Tigers are just 7-5 SU & 5-7 ATS this season while battling COVID issues currently.  They are getting too much respect after their blowout win at Wichita State last time out.

The Tigers had gone 1-5 SU & 1-5 ATS in their previous six games.  They lost by 19 to Iowa State as an 11.5-point favorite, lost outright to Georgia as an 11.5-point favorite, lost outright to Ole Miss as a 1.5-point favorite, lost outright to Murray State as a 10-point favorite and lost outright to Tulane as a 6-point favorite.  How can this team be trusted to lay 14 points given those results?

Tulsa is 6-6 this season but all six losses came by 14 points or less, including five by 7 points or fewer.  And the Golden Hurricane simply have Memphis' number.  Tulsa is 4-1 SU & 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings winning outright as underdogs four times.  Tulsa hasn't lost any of its last eight meetings with Memphis by more than 9 points, making for an 8-0 system backing the Golden Hurricane pertaining to this 14-point spread.  Take Tulsa Tuesday.

20* ACC GAME OF THE WEEK on Georgia Tech +18.5

Georgia Tech was hampered all season by illness and injury.  But they are finally fully healthy for the first time and it's starting to show.  After beating Georgia State 72-62 as 5-point favorites on a neutral, they gave Louisville a run for its money in a 64-67 loss as 3-point dogs.

It's a great time to 'buy low' on the Yellow Jackets as they are a much better team than their 6-6 record would suggest, they just haven't been healthy.  Now they are healthy and ready to give Duke a run for its money tonight.  It's a great time to 'sell high' on the Blue Devils after going 4-0 SU & 4-0 ATS in their last four games overall against a soft schedule.

Few teams have played Duke as tough as Georgia Tech in recent seasons.  The Yellow Jackets are 3-1 ATS in their last four games against the Blue Devils.  They haven't lost any of their last five meetings with the Blue Devils by more than 13 points.  In fact, eight of the last nine meetings have been decided by 17 points or fewer.

The Yellow Jackets are 6-1 ATS in their last seven road games.  Josh Pastner is 9-2 ATS as a road underdog of 12.5 or more points as the coach of Georgia Tech.  Take Georgia Tech Tuesday.

20* Kentucky/LSU ESPN No-Brainer on LSU -2

The LSU Tigers opened 12-0 before finally suffering their first defeat on the road at Auburn in their SEC opener.  Look for them to bounce back tonight at home where they have been dominant all season.

Indeed, the Tigers are 8-0 SU & 8-0 ATS at home this season and outscoring opponents by a whopping 32.7 points per game.  They face a Kentucky team that has only played one true road game this season, losing 62-66 at Notre Dame as 4.5-point favorites.

Plays against all teams where the line is +3 to -3 (Kentucky) - after beating the spread by 30 or more points in their last five games against an opponent that went under the total by more than 6 points in three consecutive games are 24-6 (80%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Bet LSU Tuesday.

15* CBB Monday PLAY OF THE DAY on Towson -2.5

Towson is one of the most underrated teams in the country.  The Tigers have gone 9-4 SU & 11-2 ATS in their 13 games this season.  Even their four losses were impressive as they lost to Monmouth by 8, Pittsburgh by 4, San Francisco by 10 and Ohio State by 11 while covering the spread in three of those against four quality teams.

Drexel is 5-5 this season with losses to Syracuse by 15, Tulane, Jacksonville State, Princeton and Abilene Christian by 17.  The five wins all came against suspect competition in Neumann, St. Joe's, Charlotte, Farleigh Dickinson and Coppin State.  Drexel has been off since December 14th due to COVID and will be rusty playing their first game in three weeks.

Towson is +8.9 points per game based on what their opponents normally average on offense and allow on defense.  Drexel is +1.4 points per game based on the same factor, meaning Towson is 7.5 points better than Drexel on a neutral.  So we are getting the Tigers at a discount as only 2.5-point road favorites considering there won't be much of a home-court advantage for the Dragons tonight.

The Tigers are 7-0 ATS in their last seven road games.  Towson is 10-1 ATS in its last 11 games overall.  The Tigers are 8-0 ATS in their last eight games as road favorites.  Towson is 9-1 ATS in its last 10 road games after a win by 10 points or more.  Drexel is 4-13 ATS in its last 17 games vs. good defensive teams that allows 42% shooting or lower.  Roll with Towson Monday.

20* CBB Sunday No-Doubt Rout on Saint Louis -2.5

The Saint Louis Billikens are one of the best mid-majors in the country.  They are 8-4 this season with their four losses coming to Memphis, UAB, Belmont and Auburn with the latter three losses all coming by 5 points or less.  They also beat Boise State on the road and Boston College at home along with solid wins over Stephen F. Austin and Illinois State on a neutral.

Richmond is overvalued this season.  The Spiders have lost almost all of their step up games against Utah State, Drake, Maryland and Mississippi State.  Five of their last six wins have come by single-digits.  They finally ran out of luck last time out, getting blasted 56-83 as 11.5-pint home favorites against St. Joseph's, failing to cover the spread by 38.5 points.

Saint Louis is +12 points per game based off what their opponents average on offense and give up on defense, while Richmond is +9 points per game based on the same criteria.  That means Saint Louis is 3 points better on a neutral, so they aren't even factoring in the huge home-court advantage for the Billikens today.

Richmond is 0-7 ATS in its last seven games after two straight games where opponent was called for 15 or fewer fouls.  The Spiders are 1-9 ATS in their last 10 games after a game where they made 28% of their shots or worse.  The Billikens are 8-1 ATS in their last nine home games after having lost two of their last three games.  Saint Louis is 17-7-1 ATS in its last 25 home games.  Bet Saint Louis Sunday.

15* CBB Saturday UPSET SHOCKER on Toledo +2

The Toledo Rockets are probably the best team in the MAC this season.  They are 9-3 with all three losses coming on the road to quality competition in Michigan State, Richmond and Oakland.  They covered against the first two teams in their road losses.

The Rockets have pretty much been crushing everyone else.  They are +7.6 points per game based on what their opponents average on offense and give up on defense.  Kent State is only +0.5 points per game based on what their opponents average on offense and give up on defense, so the Rockets are 7 points better on a neutral by my numbers and getting 2 points here on the road.

Kent State is just 5-6 this season.  The Golden Flashes have losses to Towson State at home by 15 as 6.5-point favorites, Southern U at home as 14.5-point favorites and Central Michigan at home as 16-point favorites.  If they're losing to those three teams outright at home, they aren't beating Toledo.

The Rockets are 14-2 ATS in their last 16 games after going under the total in their previous game.  Toledo is 5-1 ATS in its last six games overall.  The Rockets are 5-1 ATS in their last six games as road underdogs.  The Golden Flashes are 1-6 ATS in their last seven games vs. a team with a winning record.  Kent State is 1-5 ATS in its last six home games.  Take Toledo Saturday.

20* Baylor/Iowa State Big 12 No-Brainer on Iowa State +8.5

The Iowa State Cyclones continue to get no respect from oddsmakers despite their 12-0 start this season.  They have upset Xavier by 12 as 9-point dogs, Memphis by 19 as 11.5-point dogs, Creighton by 6 as 5.5-point dogs, and Iowa by 20 as 5-point dogs.  They have proven themselves against quality competition.

Yet here they are catching 8.5 points at home to the Baylor Bears.  It's time to 'sell high' on Baylor, which won the national championship last year and is off to a 12-0 start of its own this year.  There won't be a better time to 'sell high' on them the rest of the season in my opinion than here in their Big 12 road opener against the Cyclones.

Baylor has only had to play one true road game this season.  That resulted in a 78-70 win at Oregon as 7.5-point favorites.  But that is a down Oregon team this season, and the Bears needed a late surge not only to cover, but to actually win the game straight up.  Iowa State is much better than Oregon this season and now catching more points than Oregon was.

Iowa State is 7-0 ATS in its last seven games vs. a team that wins more than 80% of their games on the season.  A bad Cyclones team that went 2-22 last year gave Baylor a run for its money twice, losing by 11 as 15.5-point home dogs and by 5 as 24-point road dogs.  Bet Iowa State Saturday.

15* CBB Thursday Undervalued Underdog on Denver +15

Denver is much better than its 5-10 record would indicate.  Eight of the 10 losses have come by 14 points or more.  And I fully expect them to stay within 15 points or Oral Roberts as this is a great spot to 'buy low' on the Pioneers.

Denver is only getting outscored by 3.8 points per game on the season.  The Pioneers are actually only -1.5 points per game based on what their opponents normally average and allow on offense and defense.  Compare that to Oral Roberts and we have an easy play here on Denver.

Indeed, Oral Roberts is only +3.1 points per game based on what their opponents normally average and allow on offense and defense.  So the Golden Eagles are only +4.6 points per game better than Denver on a neutral based on my numbers.  So they shouldn't be 15-point home favorites here.

The Pioneers are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games overall.  Denver is 7-2 ATS in its last 15 games as an underdog.  The Pioneers are 6-0 ATS in their last six games after two straight games where they gave up 9 or fewer offensive rebounds.  Oral Roberts is 5-16 ATS in its last 21 games as a home favorite of 10 points or more.  The Pioneers are 7-0 ATS vs. very good teams that outscore their opponents by 4-plus points per game this season.  Roll with Denver Thursday.

15* CBB Thursday No-Doubt Rout on South Alabama -2

South Alabama is one of the most underrated teams in the country.  The Jaguars are 10-3 this season and 7-2 ATS in lined games.  They are +8.3 points per game based on what their opponents normally average and allow on offense and defense.

UT-Arlington has been a huge disappointment this season at 4-7 SU & 3-6 ATS.  They are -2.9 points per game based on what their opponents normally average and allow on offense and defense.  So that means South Alabama would be 11.2 points per game better than UT-Arlington on a neutral.  

So we are getting tremendous value on the Jaguars as only 2-point road favorites here.  Kenpom has South Alabama roughly 7 points better on a neutral.  Close road losses to Alabama by 5 and Wichita State by 6 as 20.5 and 12.5-point dogs, respectively, shows what the Jaguars are capable of.  Arlington lost by 20 to Oklahoma, by 9 to Oral Roberts, by 19 to Utah State and by 28 to North Texas.

Arlington is 1-9 ATS in its last 10 vs. good teams that outscore their opponents by 4-plus points per game.  Arlington is 1-8 ATS in its last nine games following a home win.  The Jaguars are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 road games.  The Mavericks are 8-20 ATS in their last 28 games overall.  Arlington is 2-8 ATS in its last 10 games following a win.  Take South Alabama Thursday.

15* SDSU/NDSU Summit League ANNIHILATOR on South Dakota State -2

South Dakota State +8.4 points per game based on what their opponents normally average and allow on offense and defense.  North Dakota State is actually -0.6 points per game based on what their opponents normally allow on offense and defense.

That means I have South Dakota State 9 points better than North Dakota State on a neutral.  So getting them as only 2-point road favorites here against North Dakota State is a huge discount.  Kenpom also has the Jackrabbits nearly 9 points better on a neutral.

The Jackrabbits have also played the tougher schedule facing the 144th-ranked slate compared to North Dakota State and the 264th-ranked slate.  The Bison are getting too much respect for their 7-0 home record against Concordia-St. Paul, Tarleton State, Idaho, Northland, CS-Northridge, Indiana State and South Dakota.  This will be by far their stiffest home test of the season.

North Dakota State is 0-6 ATS in its last six games after scoring 85 points or more.  The Bison are 4-14 ATS in their last 18 games vs. explosive offensive teams that average 84 or more points per game.  The Jackrabbits are 34-16-1 ATS in their last 51 games following an ATS loss.  South Dakota State is 9-2-1 ATS in its last 12 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.  The Bison are 1-7-2 ATS in their last 10 home games.  Roll with South Dakota State Thursday.

20* Michigan/UCF ESPN 2 No-Brainer on Michigan -2.5

It's a good time to 'buy low' on the Michigan Wolverines after a shaky 7-4 start to the season against a brutal schedule.  They are better than they have shown thus far, and I look for them to handle their business in their final game before the new year.

UCF has struggled when stepping up in class.  They lost at home to Oklahoma and on the road to Auburn by 17.  This will be one of their toughest tests of the entire season, and it's basically in the pick 'em price range where Michigan just has to win to cover.

Michigan is 12-3 ATS in its last 15 games after scoring 80 points or more in its previous game.  UCF is 2-9 ATS in its last nine games vs. very good teams that outscore their opponents by 8-plus points per game.  The Wolverines are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games as road favorites.  The Knights are 1-5 ATS in their last six home games.  Take Michigan Thursday.

15* Tennessee/Alabama ESPN 2 ANNIHILATOR on Alabama -3

This is a great time to 'buy low' on Alabama.  They have been overconfident since a 91-82 upset win as 9.5-point underdogs to Gonzaga.  They have since gone 2-2 SU & 0-4 ATS in their last four games overall.  They are coming off an upset loss to Davidson as 9.5-point favorites that will have them pissed off and playing with a chip on their shoulder in this SEC opener against Tennessee.

The overconfident, relaxed team here is going to be Tennessee.  That is because the Volunteers are coming off a 77-73 win over Arizona to hand the Wildcats their first loss of the season.  That was a massive victory, and it was at home while this will be just the 2nd true road game for the Volunteers this season.  This is a much stiffer test playing this pissed off Alabama squad.

The Crimson Tide are 6-0 SU at home this season and have a huge home-court advantage.  The Volunteers are 5-14 ATS in their last 19 games vs. good offensive teams that score 77 or more points per game.  Alabama is 18-7 ATS in its last 25 games vs. good offensive teams that score 77 or more points per game.  Take Alabama Wednesday.

20* Big East GAME OF THE WEEK on Butler -2

The Butler Bulldogs are 7-4 this season with their four losses coming to Purdue, Houston, Michigan State and Texas A&M.  Three of those teams are three of the best teams in the country.  They also upset Oklahoma as an 11-point road underdog.

While Butler has been through the gauntlet in the non-conference that will have them prepared for the Big East schedule, DePaul is grossly overvalued due to a 9-1 SU & 8-2 ATS start against a much softer schedule.  It's time to 'sell high' on the Blue Demons in their Big East opener.

DePaul played eight straight home games to open the season against soft competition.  They played their last two on the road against more soft competition in Louisville and Illinois Chicago.  While the Louisville upset was solid, that is a down Louisville team that is nowhere near as good as they were expected to be coming into the season.  This is the toughest test of the season for the Blue Demons in my opinion.

Butler is 5-1 at home this season with its only loss coming to Michigan State.  The Bulldogs are 4-1 ATS in their last five home games vs. a team with a winning road record.  The home team is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.  The favorite is 6-2 ATS in the last eight meetings.  The Bulldogs are 14-1 SU in their last 15 meetings with DePaul with 12 wins by double-digits.  That includes 7-0 SU in their last seven home meetings.  Bet Butler Wednesday.

15* CBB Saturday PLAY OF THE DAY on Liberty +8.5

The Liberty Flames are one of the better mid major teams in the country.  They have played a brutal schedule this season and already have wins over the likes of Missouri, Northern Iowa and East Carolina.  They only lost to Stanford by 3 last round and will give BYU a run for its money in this game tonight.

BYU has not impressed me at all lately.  They were upset by Utah Valley State as 13-point favorites. Creighton as 4.5-point favorites and Vanderbilt as 5-point favorites.  They should not be 8.5-point favorites over this game Liberty team tonight.

The Flames are 14-4 ATS in their last 18 games after playing two consecutive games as an underdog.  Liberty is 12-3 ATS in its last 15 December games.  The Flams are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games vs. teams that make 8 or more 3-pointers per game.  The Cougars are 1-4 ATS in their last five games as favorites.  Roll with Liberty Saturday.

15* Murray State/Auburn SEC Network ANNIHILATOR on Murray State +12.5

Murray State is 10-1 this season and getting zero respect from oddsmakers today as 12.5-point underdogs to Auburn.  We'll take advantage and back the Racers in a game I believe they take the Tigers to the wire.

Murray State already went on the road and upset Memphis as a 10-point underdog, so they have proven they can hang with the big boys.  And I look at this as a letdown spot for the Tigers, who are coming off a 74-70 win at Saint Louis and have their SEC opener against LSU on deck.  This is a sandwich and lookahead spot for Auburn.

Matt McMahon is 9-1 ATS in road games after scoring 85 points or more in two straight games as the coach of Murray State.  Bruce Pearl is 10-19 ATS in home games vs. good offensive teams that score 77 or more points per game as the coach of Auburn.  The Tigers are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  Take Murray State Wednesday.

15* CBB Wednesday Undervalued Underdog on Southern Illinois +11

San Francisco is coming off five straight huge games against UAB, UNLV, Fresno State, Grand Canyon and Arizona State with four of them decided by 8 points or fewer.  This is an obvious letdown spot for them with Southern Illinois coming to town.  Not to mention, the Dons are tired playing their 3rd game in 5 days here.

Southern Illinois has impressed me this season with its 7-4 start with three of the four losses coming by 4 points or fewer.  The Salukis are that close to being a 10-1 team.  I love how they get after it defensively in holding opponents to 58.5 points per game and nearly 8 points per game below their season averages.

The Dons are 8-22 ATS in their last 30 games overall as they have consistently been overrated.  The Dons are 1-7 ATS in their last eight games as favorites.  San Francisco is 5-16 ATS in its last 21 games following a win.  The Salukis are 5-1 ATS in their last six games vs. a team with a winning record.  San Francisco is 1-9 ATS in its last 10 vs. good shooting teams that make at least 45% of their shots.  Take Southern Illinois Wednesday.

15* Xavier/Villanova Big East ANNIHILATOR on Xavier +6.5

Xavier continues to get no respect from oddsmakers as a 6.5-point underdog to Villanova tonight.  All the Musketeers have done is go 11-1 SU & 9-3 ATS this season with their only loss coming to a Top 10 Iowa State team.  

They have gotten healthy and with Freemantle back and are rolling right now going 7-0 SU & 6-1 ATS in their last seven games overall.  That includes wins by 9 over Marquette, by 23 over Morehead State, by 20 over Cincinnati, by 46 over Ball State, by 6 at Oklahoma State as underdogs, by 33 over Central Michigan and by 1 over Virginia Tech as underdogs in those seven games.

Villanova clearly isn't as good as they were supposed to be coming into the season, but oddsmakers keep pricing them like they are.  They have lost to all the best teams they have faced in UCLA, Purdue, Baylor and Creighton.  The last two losses were very concerning as they lost 36-57 at Baylor and 59-79 at Creighton despite being a 7-point favorite.

Xavier is 8-1 ATS in its last nine games vs. good teams outscoring their opponents by 8-plus points per game.  The Musketeers are 20-8 ATS in their last 28 games as underdogs.  Roll with Xavier Tuesday.

15* CBB BLOWOUT PLAY OF THE DAY on Toledo -3.5

The Toledo Rockets are one of the best mid-major teams in the country.  They are 7-3 this season with two of their losses coming on the road to both Michigan State and Richmond in games taht they covered the spread in competitive losses.

Toledo should handle this Marshall team that remains overrated.  The Thundering Herd are 3-4 SU & 1-5 ATS in their last six games overall.  Their three wins during this stretch came against Duquesne (by 1), Eastern Kentucky and Bluefield College.  They lost by 10 to Ohio, but 15 to Northern Iowa and also lost to another MAC team in Akron.  Toledo is better than both Ohio and Akron.

Toledo has owned Marshall in recent seasons, going 4-0 SU & 3-1 ATS in the last four meetings.  The Thundering Herd are 0-10 ATS in their last 10 games vs. good free throw shooting teams that make 72% or better.  Marshall is 0-8 ATS in its last eight games vs. teams who average 6 or fewer steals per game.  Take Toledo Tuesday.

20* CBB DOG OF THE WEEK on Elon +22

Elon has already shown they can stay within big numbers against some good teams this season.  They lost by 17 to North Carolina, by 13 to Florida, by 19 to West Virginia and by 18 to Ole Miss.  Their only really bad loss came to Duke by 31.  So as you can see, they have played one of the toughest schedules in the country.

I expect Elon to stay within 22 points of Arkansas tonight.  The Razorbacks were overvalued due to playing a home-heavy, easy schedule en route to a 9-0 start.  They finally played a true road game and lost by 22 at Oklahoma.  They followed up up with an upset loss to Hofstra as a 12.5-point favorite.  And they have no business laying 22 points to Elon tonight.

Elon is 12-3 ATS in its last 15 games after losing eight or more of its last 10 games.  The Phoenix is 6-2-1 ATS in their last seven games following a loss by more than 20 points.  The Razorbacks are 1-4 ATS in their last five home games vs. a team with a losing road record.  Bet Elon Tuesday.

15* CBB Monday PLAY OF THE DAY on St. Thomas -2.5

Nebraska-Omaha is one of the worst teams in the country.  They are 1-10 this season and losing by 18.0 points per game on average.  They haven't won a game since their 67-57 victory over Hastings College in their opener.  All 10 losses have come by 4 points or more and eight of them by double-digits.

St. Thomas has been competent this season at 4-5 and 4-2 ATS in lined games.  Four of their five losses came by 10 points or fewer.  They were competitive in losses to Drake and Montana State recently, which are two of the better mid-major programs.  They should handle Nebraska-Omaha here.

The Tommies are 6-2 ATS in their last eight games overall.  St. Thomas is 4-1 ATS in its last five road games.  The Mavericks are 2-9 ATS in their last 11 home games.  Omaha is 1-6 ATS in its last seven games as a home underdog.  Roll with St. Thomas Monday.

15* CBB Sunday PLAY OF THE DAY on Oklahoma -17.5

I expect the Oklahoma Sooners to be one of the most improved teams in the country from the beginning of the season to the end. That's because they have one of the best head coaches in the country in Porter Moser, who is in his first year at Oklahoma.

The Sooners are 8-2 SU this season with their two losses coming by a combined 7 points. They have gone 3-1 SU & 3-1 ATS in their last four games overall with impressive wins over Florida, Arkansas and UCF. They just blasted Arkansas by 22 points last time out.

Now the Sooners have had a full week to get ready for UT-Arlington having last played on December 11th. They'll be rested and ready to destroy a 3-6 Arlington team that already has blowout losses to Oklahoma State by 37, North Texas by 28 and Utah State by 19.

Arlington is 1-8 ATS in its last nine games vs. good teams that outscore their opponents by 4-plus points per game. The Mavericks are 5-13 ATS in their last 18 games overall. Arlington is 4-11 ATS in its last 15 road games. Moser is 21-9 ATS as a head coach in home games after scoring 80 points or more. Take Oklahoma Sunday.

20* Auburn/Saint Louis CBB No-Brainer on Saint Louis +5.5

The Saint Louis Billikens are one of the better mid-majors programs in the country under Travis Ford. They are 8-3 SU & 6-4 ATS this season with two of their three losses coming by 5 points or fewer.

The Billikens are battle-tested in the early going with wins over Stephen F. Austin, Boise State and Boston College as well as losses to Memphis, UAB and Belmont. They are ready to take on an Auburn team that has feasted on a weak schedule and is overrated.

It's a great time to 'sell high' on the Tigers after opening 9-1 SU & 7-3 ATS this season. This will be just their 2nd true road game of the season as they have played a home-heavy schedule. The first was a shaky 58-52 win at South Florid as 13-point favorites and that is a terrible Bulls team.

Saint Louis is 6-0 ATS in its last six home games after playing two consecutive home games. The Billikens are 16-7-1 ATS in their last 24 home games. Saint Louis is 42-20 ATS in its last 62 games as an underdog. Auburn is 2-6-1 ATS in its last nine games as a road favorite. Roll with Saint Louis Saturday.

15* CBB BLOWOUT PLAY OF THE DAY on Georgia -1.5

Georgia should be a bigger favorite at home over George Mason tonight. After a rough start to the season against a brutal schedule, the Bulldogs have turned the corner.

They had tough losses to Cincinnati, Georgia Tech, Virginia, Northwestern and Wofford in a 2-5 start. But they have since put together two straight great performances in an upset win over Memphis as 11.5-point dogs and a cover against Jacksonville as 9-point favorites.

Now the Bulldogs take on a reeling George Mason team that is just 1-5 SU & 2-4 ATS in its last six games overall. The lone win was a 71-65 home victory over Navy which is far from impressive. They also lost to Old Dominion by 10, James Madison, Washington, South Dakota State and Nevada by 19. Roll with Georgia Saturday.

15* South Carolina/Clemson CBB ANNIHILATOR on South Carolina +8.5

Frank Martin always seems to have his South Carolina Gamecocks flying under the radar. That appears to be the case again this season as the Gamecocks are off to an 8-2 SU & 5-4 ATS start this season.

Indeed, the Gamecocks have already pulled off upset wins over UAB and Florida State as well as a 13-point win over Georgetown, an 11-point win over Wofford and an 11-point win over Western Kentucky.

Clemson is 7-4 this season with losses to Rutgers, Miami, West Virginia and St. Bonaventure. The Tigers don't have many impressive wins as their seven victories have come against Miami Ohio, Drake, Charleston, Temple, Bryant, Wofford and Presbyterian. So Wofford is a common opponent and they beat them by 8 while South Carolina beat them by 11, both at home.

South Carolina is 15-5 ATS in its last 20 road games after a home win where it scored 85 points or more. The road team is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings, including a 67-54 upset win by the Gamecocks as 6-point road dogs in their last meeting. Take South Carolina Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday Undervalued Underdog on Canisus +15.5

It's a great time to 'buy low' on this 2-9 Canisius team that just doesn't get blown out. Eight of their nine losses have come by 14 points or fewer, so within this 15.5-point spread.

This is a terrible spot for Buffalo. They are coming off two straight huge road games against St. Bonaventure and Western Kentucky and won't be nearly as motivated for this game with Canisius. It's time to 'sell high' on the Bulls after opening 6-1 ATS in their lined games this season.

Canisius is 9-1 ATS in its last 10 games vs. good rebounding teams that average 4-plus boards more than their opponent per game. The Golden Griffins are 8-1 ATS in their last nine games as home underdogs. Bet Canisius Saturday.

20* CBB Wednesday Undervalued Underdog on SE Missouri State +13

SE Missouri State is simply catching too many points today.  They are 5-5 this season with only one loss by more than 13 points.  That includes their 99-94 win at Missouri State as 16-point dogs, a fellow Missouri Valley Conference team like Southern Illinois.

The Salukis haven't shown me enough to warrant being 13-point favorites in this matchup.  They are 5-4 this season with their five wins coming against Southern Miss, Alcorn State, Evansville, Austin Peay and Colorado.  They have just two wins by more than 4 points this season.

Southern Illinois is 20-35 ATS in its last 55 games as a home favorite of 12.5 or more points.  The road team is 9-3 ATS in the last 12 meetings.  Bet SE Missouri State Wednesday.

15* CBB Wednesday Night Line Mistake on Middle Tennessee +11.5

Middle Tennessee is 8-2 this season with its only losses both coming on the road to Stephen F. Austin by 13 and Murray State by 6 as double-digit underdogs in both games.  The Blue Raiders are a legit mid-major team this year and fully capable of hanging with Ole Miss tonight.

This is a 6-3 Ole Miss team with some very bad losses already.  They are coming off a 23-point loss to Western Kentucky as 5.5-point favorites.  They were also upset by Boise State by 10 and Marquette by 6.  Their only good win was a 67-63 victory over Memphis at home, but that Memphis team has clearly been overrated this season.

The Blue Raiders are 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall.  Middle Tennessee is 4-0 ATS in its last four road games.  Ole Miss is 1-4 ATS in its last five games as a home favorite.  The Rebels are 1-5 ATS in their last six games following a loss by more than 20 points.  Take Middle Tennessee Wednesday.

15* CBB Tuesday Late-Night BAILOUT on Santa Clara +8

Santa Clara is a veteran team that didn't lose a single double-digit scorer from last season.  But they have been disappointing after a 5-0 SU & 4-0-1 ATS start with upset wins over Nevada, Stanford and TCU.  They have since gone just 2-4 SU & 0-5-1 ATS in their last six games overall.

Now I think it's a great time to 'buy low' on the Broncos as they are catching 8 points against Boise State tonight.  They have only lost one time by more than 7 points all season, so this is a nice value.

And this isn't a very good Boise State (6-4) team compared to previous versions with all they lost from last season.  The Broncos already have four losses this season including upset losses to UC-Irvine and CS-Bakersfield.  Their six wins have come against Prairie View A&M, CS-Northridge, Ole Miss, Temple, Tulsa and Utah Valley State as they were favored in five of those six games.

Santa Clara is 19-7 ATS in its last 26 games following an ATS loss.  Santa Clara is 6-2 ATS in its last eight games as an underdog.  Boise State is 1-5 ATS in its last six home games vs. a team with a losing road record.  Take Santa Clara Tuesday.

15* CBB Tuesday Undervalued Underdog on Illinois-Chicago +11.5

DePaul is grossly overrated right now after opening 8-1 SU & 8-1 ATS against an extremely soft schedule with eight home games and just one road game.  That road game was impressive with an upset win at Louisville last time out, but that also makes this a letdown spot for them and a great time to 'sell high' on the Blue Demons as double-digit road favorites.

Illinois-Chicago is just 3-6 this season but most of the losses have been within this number against quality teams.  They only lost by 10 at Dayton, upset Valpo on the road, and covered as 18-point dogs at Loyola-Chicago.  Their other four losses all came by 12 points or fewer as they were dogs in three of the four and a 1-point favorite in the other.

Plays against favorites of 10 to 19.5 points (DePaul) - after covering five or six of their last seven games, a top-level team winning 80% or more of their games on the season are 154-95 (61.8%) ATS over the last five seasons.  

This is also a sandwich spot for the Blue Demons.  They are coming off the upset win at Louisville and now they have a road game at Northwestern on deck Saturday.  They won't be giving Illinois-Chicago their full attention tonight, and that's going to make it difficult to cover this 11.5-point spread.  Roll with Illinois-Chicago Tuesday.

20* CBB Non-Conference GAME OF THE WEEK on Arkansas State +24

This is the ultimate letdown spot for the Texas Tech Red Raiders.  They are coming off two straight road games against Providence and Tennessee in which they lost by 4 to the Friars before rebounding with a 5-point win over the Volunteers.  

Now the Red Raiders have an even bigger game on deck against Gonzaga on Saturday.  That makes this a sandwich spot and a huge lookahead spot to that Gonzaga game.  The Red Raiders won't be fully focused for this one, and that's going to make it very hard for them to cover this 24-point spread.

That's especially the case considering Arkansas State is a quality, veteran team that returned all five starters from last season.  The Red Wolves are off to a 7-2 start this season with their losses coming to Illinois and Morehead State.  But they have failed to cover three in a row coming in SU wins at big favorites, so it's a great time to 'buy low' on them.

Texas Tech is 0-7 ATS in its last seven home games after winning four or five of its last six games coming in.  Arkansas State is 6-0 ATS in its last six games vs. good teams that shoot 45% or better and allow 42% or less.  The Red Wolves are 13-2 ATS in their last 15 games vs. good teams that outscore their opponents by 4-plus points per game.  Arkansas State is 5-0-1 ATS in its last five games following an ATS loss.  These four trends combine for a 31-2 system backing the Red Wolves.  Bet Arkansas State Tuesday.

20* CBB DOG OF THE WEEK on Cleveland State +13

The Cleveland State Vikings returned all five starters from a team that made the NCAA Tournament last year.  After 10 and 11-point losses to two quality teams in BYU and Ohio to open the season, respectively, the Vikings have reeled off six straight victories with five by double-digits.

Now they are ready to give Oklahoma State a run for its money tonight.  The Cowboys are grossly overrated this season, and it has really shown in their last three games.  They only beat Oral Roberts by 1 as 9.5-point favorites, were upset by Wichita State by 9 as 6-point home favorites and were upset by Xavier by 6 as 3.5-point home favorites.  They were also upset by Oakland as 17-point home favorites earlier this season.

Oklahoma State is 1-10 ATS in its last 11 home games following an upset loss as a home favorite.  The Cowboys are 0-6 ATS in their last six home games vs. good defensive teams that allow 39% shooting or less.  The Vikings are 21-9-1 ATS in their last 31 games overall.  Cleveland State is 7-2 ATS in its last nine games as a road underdog.  Bet Cleveland State Monday.

15* CBB Sunday UPSET SHOCKER on Dayton +2.5

Dayton is 5-1 SU & 5-1 ATS in its last six games overall with its only loss coming on the road to SMU by a final of 69-77.  This run includes three upset wins over Miami 76-60 as 5.5-point dogs, Kansas 74-73 as 16-point dogs and Belmont 63-61 as 3.5-point dogs.  

The Flyers followed up those three upsets wins with blowout victories over Alabama State 93-54 as 19.5-point favorites and Northern Illinois 79-41 as 17.5-point favorites.  So they avoided the letdowns in those games, and that is not a bad loss at SMU.  Look for them to get back in the win column at home today against Virginia Tech.

The Hokies are 6-3 this season with their six wins all coming against cupcake opponents other than Maryland, which is way down this season.  They lost to Memphis and Xavier on neutrals and were blasted at home by Wake Forest 61-80 as 8.5-point favorites.  This will be just their 2nd true road game of the season today.

Dayton is 22-6 ATS when playing just its 2nd game in 8 days over the last three seasons.  The Flyers are 12-3 ATS in their last 15 games vs. ACC opponents.  The Hokies are 5-11 ATS in their last 16 road games.  The Flyers are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games following a loss.  Take Dayton Sunday.

15* CBB Saturday Night Line Mistake on Toledo +9.5

The Toledo Rockets are one of the best teams in the MAC this season.  They are off to a 7-2 start this season with their only losses coming on the road to Michigan State and Oakland, two very good teams.  They have handled all other comers, and they will hang with Richmond Saturday.

The Spiders are one of the most overrated teams in the country.  They are 5-4 SU this season with their five wins coming against NC Central, Georgia State, HOfstra, Wofford and Northern Iowa.  They have lost to the four best teams they have faced in Utah State, Maryland, Mississippi State and Drake.  And Toledo ranks as one of the best teams they have faced.

Richmond is 0-6 ATS in its last six games after two straight games where opponent was called for 15 or fewer fouls.  The Spiders are 5-20 ATS in their last 25 home games vs. teams who average 40 or more rebounds per game.  Take Toledo Saturday.

15* Arizona/Illinois FOX ANNIHILATOR on Illinois +1

The Illinois Fighting Illini were expected to be one of the best teams in the country this season.  But they were without their best player in Kofi Cockburn for the first three games, and it has taken time for them to form some chemistry.

Illinois opened 2-2 with upset losses to Cincinnati and Marquette.  That loss to Cincinnati was Cockburn's first game back.  They have since reeled off five straight victories over Kansas State, UTRGV, Notre Dame, Rutgers and Iowa.  The 86-51 win over Rutgers as 9-point favorites and the 87-83 upset win at Iowa showed their potential.

Now the Fighting Illini will hand Arizona their first loss of the season.  The Wildcats have been impressive in their 8-0 SU & 7-1 ATS start, but it has come against the 242nd-ranked schedule in the country.  Illinois has played the 92nd-ranked schedule.  It's time to 'sell high' on the Wildcats, who will be playing just their 2nd true road game of the season with the other being against lowly Oregon State.  This will be their toughest test of the season by far.

Illinois is 8-0 ATS in its last eight games after allowing 80 points or more last game.  The Fighting Illini are 7-0 ATS in their last seven games with a total set of 150 to 159.5.  Illinois is 6-0 ATS in its last six games with a line of +3 to -3.  The Fighting Illini are 6-0 ATS in their last six games vs. up-tempo teams that average 62 or more points per game.  These four trends combine for a perfect 27-0 system backing the Fighting Illini.  Take Illinois Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday Undervalued Underdog on Oral Roberts +9.5

Oral Roberts made a run to the Sweet 16 last year and brought back a lot of talent from that team.  Now they have played a tough early schedule that ranks 135th in the country.  They are 5-4 with three of their losses coming as big dogs to Colorado State, Oklahoma State (1-point loss) and TCU (8-point loss).

Oral Roberts has proven they can hang with teams like Oklahoma State and TCU, and now they will stay within single-digits of an even worse Missouri State team today.  The Bears are also 5-4, but it has come against the 309th-ranked schedule int he country.  They have upset losses to SE Missouri State as 16-point favorites, E. Tennessee State as 7-point favorites and Illinois State as 6.5-point favorites.  They have no business being a 9.5-point favorite against Oral Roberts today.

Plays on road underdogs or PK (Oral Roberts) - off a road win by 10 points ormore against an opponent that is off a road win by 20 points or more are 80-39 (67.2%) ATS since 1997.  

The Golden Eagles are 7-0-1 ATS in their last eight games following an ATS win.  Oral Roberts is 8-2-1 ATS in its last 11 road games.  The Golden Eagles are 20-6-2 ATS in their last 27 games vs. a team with a winning record.  The Bears are 1-4 ATS in their last five home games.  Roll with Oral Roberts Saturday.

20* CBB Saturday No-Doubt Rout on Colorado State -2

What more does Colorado State have to do to get respect from oddsmakers?  They brought back all five starters from a team that nearly made the NCAA Tournament last year.  They are well on their way to the Big Dance after a 9-0 start this season, outscoring opponents by 17.9 points per game.

The Rams have already picked up some very quality wins over Oral Roberts by 29, Bradley by 6, Creighton by 14 and St. Mary's by 16.  Now they will take down a Mississippi State team that got off to a fast start against a weak schedule, but some holes have showed up of late.

The Bulldogs are 2-2 SU & 1-3 ATS in their last four games overall.  They lost by 14 to Louisville on a neutral as a 1.5-point favorite.  They only beat Lamar by 15 as a 22.5-point home favorite.  And they were upset as 11.5-point home favorites by a bad Minnesota team.  I would argue this is their toughest test of the season to date.

The Rams are 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall.  Colorado State is 4-0 ATS in its last four games vs. a team with a winning record.  The Rams are 11-3 ATS vs. poor pressure defensive teams that force 12 or fewer turnovers per game.  Niko Medved is 27-12 ATS after allowing 60 points or less last game in all games as a head coach.  Bet Colorado State Saturday.

20* Iowa/Iowa State ESPN 2 No-Brainer on Iowa State +3.5

The Iowa State Cyclones are just getting no love from the books or bettors alike.  We'll take advantage tonight and back them as home underdogs.  TJ Otzelberger is doing one of the best coaching jobs in the country, and it's all of his recruits that are making the biggest impact for the Cyclones this season.

Iowa State is 8-0 this season with upset wins over Xavier 82-70 as 9-point underdogs on a neutral, Memphis 78-59 as 11.5-point underdogs on a neutral and Creighton 64-58 as 5.5-point road dogs.  Penn State transfer Isaiah Brockington (16.0 PPG, 7.5 RPG), Minnesota transfer Gabe Kalscheur (12.1 PPG), stud freshman PG Tyrese Hunter (11.6 PPG, 5.4 APG) and UNLV transfer Caleb Grill (7.6 PPG) are the top four scorers for the Cyclones thanks to Otzelberger's recruiting.

But the biggest difference has been Otzelberger's coaching to get this team to play defense, which is something Steve Prohm didn't do a good job of before him.  The Cyclones are holding opponents to 60.1 points per game this season, and those opponents typically average 70.1 points per game, so they are holding opponents to 10.0 points per game less than their season averages.

Iowa is overvalued after a 7-0 start against a very soft schedule.  They opened with six straight home wins as 19.5-point favorites or more before beating Virginia by 1 as 2-point road underdogs.  That's a down Virginia team.  Then they finally played some big boys in Purdue and Illinois and lost despite making some big rallies late after falling behind by double-digits to both.  Those final scores were closer than the games actually were.

The underdog is 6-1-1 ATS in the last eight meetings.  The home team is 3-1-1 ATS in the last five meetings.  The Cyclones are 5-0 ATS in their last five games vs. a team with a winning record.  Fran McCaffery is 6-15 ATS in road games after allowing 75 points or more in two straight games as the coach of Iowa.  Take Iowa State Thursday.

15* CBB Wednesday UPSET SHOCKER on Connecticut +2.5

Connecticut is one of the best teams in the country.  The Huskies are 8-1 this season with their only loss coming to Michigan State in overtime after they blew a big late lead.  They also have a win over Auburn on a neutral the day prior that went to multiple overtimes, so it explains how they ran out of gas against Michigan State.

West Virginia is 7-1 this season against a very easy schedule.  They have late bad teams like Oakland (won by 7) and Eastern Kentucky (won by 3) hang around at home.  They lost by 11 to Marquette on a neutral with their best win coming against Clemson by 7 on a neutral.  This will be their toughest test of the season for a rebuilding Mountaineers squad.

West Virginia is 1-12 ATS in its last 13 games after playing two or more consecutive home games.  The Huskies are 9-3-1 ATS in their last 13 road games.  The Mountaineers are 4-10 ATS in their last 14 home games.  Take Connecticut Wednesday.

20* CBB Wednesday No-Doubt Rout on Wisconsin -4.5

The Wisconsin Badgers are clearly one of the most underrated teams in the country.  They are off to a 7-1 start this season with their only loss coming to Providence.  They have five quality wins already over Texas A&M, Houston, St. Mary's, Georgia Tech and Marquette.  They have played the 56th-toughest schedule in the country.

Indiana is also 7-1, but it has come against the 273rd-ranked schedule in the country.  They were double-digit favorites in six of their seven wins.  In their lone road game, they lost outright to a bad Syracuse team.  And now this will be their toughest test of the season by far at Wisconsin.

Wisconsin simply owns Indiana at home, going 18-1 SU in the last 19 meetings in Madison.  Indiana is 0-6-1 ATS in its last seven road games.  The Hoosiers are 0-6 ATS in their last six games as underdogs.  The Badgers are 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall.  Bet Wisconsin Wednesday.

20* CBB DOG OF THE WEEK on North Dakota State +5.5

North Dakota State is one of the better mid-major teams in the country.  They returned all five starters this year and are off to a 5-3 start with their only losses coming on the road to UNLV (by 2), Arizona and Creighton.  They have taken care of business against everyone else.

Montana State lost to a team the caliber of North Dakota State in South Dakota State by a final of 74-91.  The Bobcats are 5-4 this season with their only wins coming against Rocky Mountain, Portland, Incarnate Word, SE Missouri State and Sacramento State with two of those wins coming by 3 points or less.

The Bobcats should not be this big of favorites against the Bison, let alone favorites at all.  It's also a tougher rest spot for the Bobcats as they will be playing their 3rd game in 6 days, while the Bison come in on four days' rest after blasting Northland 114-51 last time out on December 2nd.

North Dakota State is 10-1 ATS in its last 11 road games following an ATS loss.  Montana State is 1-8 ATS in its last nine games vs. good teams that outscore their opponents by 4-plus points per game.  The Bobcats are 1-6 ATS in their last seven home games.  Montana State is 3-12-1 ATS in its last 16 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  Take North Dakota State Tuesday.

15* CBB Tuesday No-Doubt Rout on Kansas -18.5

The Kansas Jayhawks have faced a brutal schedule thus far and are 6-1 with their only loss coming to Dayton by a single point after blowing a double-digit lead.  They beat St. John's by 20 and Michigan State by 13 with five of their seven games on a neutral thus far.  Now they are back home where they have beaten Tarleton State by 26 and Stony Brook by 29.

Kansas has played the 72nd-toughest schedule in the country.  Now they take a on a 4-3 UTEP team that has played the 192nd schedule.  Their toughest games were two losses to New Mexico State.  The their five games have come against Western New Mexico, Northern New Mexico, Pacific, UC-Riverside (lost by 12) and Florida A&M.  It's safe to say this is a massive step up in class for the Miners.

UTEP is 2-6 ATS in its last eight games vs. a team with a winning record.  The Miners are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 road games following three or more consecutive home games.  This is an elite Kansas offense averaging 85.4 points per game against teams that only allow 66 points per game, scoring nearly 20 points per game more than their opponents typically allow.  They will run it up here.  Roll with Kansas Tuesday.

20* Illinois/Iowa Big Ten No-Brainer on Illinois +4

The Illinois Fighting Illini were expected to be one of the best teams in the country this season.  But they were without their best player in Kofi Cockburn for the first three games, and it has taken time for them to form some chemistry.

Illinois opened 2-2 with upset losses to Cincinnati and Marquette.  That loss to Cincinnati was Cockburn's first game back.  They have since reeled off four straight victories over Kansas State, UTRGV, Notre Dame and Rutgers.  That 86-51 win over Rutgers as 9-point favorites showed their potential, and I think we get their 'A' game against Iowa tonight.

The Hawkeyes are overvalued after opening the season 7-1 SU & 6-2 ATS.  But their first six games were all at home against suspect competition as they were basically 20-point favorites or more in every game.  They escaped with a 75-74 win at Virginia, a team that is down this season.  And they lost by 7 at Purdue last time out, which was a respectable showing but I think has them overvalued tonight as 4-point favorites against the Fighting Illini.  

I have no doubt Illinois is the better of these two teams and it will show on the court.  The Fighting Illini are 8-0 ATS in their last eight games vs. good 3-point shooting teams that make 37% or better.  The Fighting Illini are 4-0 ATS in their last four games as road underdogs.  Roll with Illinois Monday.

20* CBB Sunday No-Doubt Rout on Northern Iowa -1.5

Northern Iowa is one of the most underrated teams in the country right now due to their 2-4 record.  They were banged up early in the season and suffered a couple upset losses.  But they have since gotten healthy and have played better.  They returned all five starters and basically everyone from last year.

They are just 2-2 since getting healthy, but close to being 4-0.  They held a 1-point lead in the final three minutes as 12.5-point dogs at Arkansas and lost.  They upset St. Bonaventure 90-80 as 10-point road dogs.  And they lost just before the buzzer to Bradley, 69-71 on the road last time out.

Now the Panthers are back home and taking on a Richmond team that is overrated.  The Spiders are just 4-4 this season.  They lost to Utah State, Drake, Maryland and Mississippi State.  Their four wins came against NC Central, Georgia State, Hofstra and Wofford with three of those wins coming at home.

Northern Iowa is 31-13 ATS in its last 44 games as a home favorite of 3 points or less.  Roll with Northern Iowa Sunday.

15* Alabama/Gonzaga ESPN 2 ANNIHILATOR on Alabama +9.5

Alabama is really getting disrespected here.  The Crimson Tide are one of the best teams in the country, and oddsmakers are asking Gonzaga to win by double-digits Saturday to beat us.  That's asking too much.

Gonzaga has shown vulnerabilities in its last two games.  They lost outright to Duke as 9-point favorites, then came back with just a 9-point win over Tarleton State as 31-point favorites.  Now they are up against an Alabama team that definitely has some of the best guards in the country that will be hard to deal with.

Alabama is 6-1 this season with a 4-point loss to Iona in upset fashion.  But the other six games have been very impressive in going 5-1 ATS in those six games.  That includes a 32-point win over Miami, a 9-point win over a good Drake team, a 16-point win over a good South Dakota State team, a 27-point win over a good Oakland team and a 29-point win over a quality Louisiana Tech team.  Those aren't big names, but they are some of the better teams in their mid-major conferences.

Alabama is 9-1 ATS in its last 10 games vs. good rebounding teams that average 40 or more boards per game.  Nate Oats is 11-2 ATS when the total is 160 or higher as the coach of Alabama.  Mark Few is 1-8 ATS after two straight games forcing 8 or fewer turnovers as the coach of Gonzaga.  Take Alabama Saturday.

20* CBB Saturday No-Doubt Rout on Saint Louis -2

Saint Louis is one of the most underrated teams in the country.  They are off to a 7-1 SU & 5-2 ATS start this season with their only loss coming on the road to Memphis.  They brought back almost everyone from last year and a ton of talent for Travis Ford.  And they have impressive road wins over Stephen F. Austin and Boise State in their last two games coming in.

UAB is getting way too much respect after opening 6-2 SU & 5-1-1 ATS against a soft schedule.  They lost to the two best teams they faced in South Carolina and San Francisco, neither of which are as good as Saint Louis.  And the six wins have come against suspect competition as they have been a double-digit favorite in all six.

Saint Louis has a huge home-court advantage and is 4-0 at home this season while winning by 41.8 points per game.  The Billikens are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 non-conference home games.  Saint Louis is 19-7-1 ATS in its last 27 home games overall.  Take Saint Louis Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday Line Mistake on Colorado State -4

Colorado State is one of the best mid-major teams in the country.  They returned all five starters this season from a team that barely missed out on the NCAA Tournament last year.  They are on a mission to get to the big dance this year, and a win over St. Mary's would go a long way.

The Rams have handled their business thus far in their 8-0 start that has seen them outscore opponents by 18.1 points per game.  They beat Creighton by 14 and Oral Roberts by 29, two NCAA Tournament teams from last year.  They are coming off a 31-point win over Arkansas-Little Rock and have had the last two days off.  

St. Mary's will be playing its 2nd road game in 3 days after a narrow win at Utah State, 60-58 on Thursday.  Playing in altitude here will be tough for the Gaels.  It will also be their 6th game in 13 days.  Bet Colorado State Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday Undervalued Underdog on SIU-Edwardsville +10

SIU-Edwardsville is just 2-5 SU this season but all five losses were decided by 13 points or less and they have faced some stiff competition.  They only lost by 11 at Marquette as 21-point dogs, upset Youngstown State on the road as 5-point dogs and only lost at Creighton by 5 as 21-point dogs.

Now SIU-Edwardsville is catching 10 points against a down Bradley team that is just 3-5 this season with two wins over Missouri S&T and Maine.  They lost by 16 to South Dakota State, by 12 to Howard as 12.5-point favorites, by 3 to Brown as 3.5-point favorites and by 8 to Duquesne as 2-point dogs.  They did pull the upset over Northern Iowa in their MVC opener last time out by 2, but that makes this a letdown spot for them today.

SIU-Edwardsville is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.  The Cougars are 4-0 ATS in their last four games as road underdogs.  The Braves are 5-15-2 ATS in their last 22 games overall.  Bradley is 2-7-1 ATS in its last 10 games as a favorite.  Roll with SIU-Edwardsville Saturday.

20* CBB Friday No-Doubt Rout on Illinois -8

The Illinois Fighting Illini were expected to be one of the best teams in the country this season.  But they were without their best player in Kofi Cockburn for the first three games, and it has taken time for them to form some chemistry.

Illinois opened 2-2 with upset losses to Cincinnati and Marquette.  That loss to Cincinnati was Cockburn's first game back.  They have since reeled off three straight victories over Kansas State, UTRGV and Notre Dame.  But at just 2-5 ATS this season, this is a good time to 'buy low' on them tonight in their Big Ten opener against Rutgers.

Rutgers is just 4-3 SU & 1-5-1 ATS this season.  It's clearly a rebuilding year for the Scarlet Knights, who lost a lot in the offseason.  They have so many concerning results.  They lost outright as favorites to DePaul (-2.5), Lafayette (-19) and UMass (-1.5).  They struggled to beat Lehigh by 3, Merrimack by 13 and New Jersey Tech by 14.  This clearly isn't a very good team, and this will be by far their toughest test of the season after playing an easy early schedule.

Illinois is 32-12 ATS in its last 44 games as a home favorite of 6.5 to 9 points.  This one has double-digit blowout written all over it folks.  Roll with Illinois Friday.

15* CBB Thursday Undervalued Underdog on Youngstown State +5.5

Wisconsin-Milwaukee has no business being a 5.5-point favorite over Youngstown State tonight, let alone a favorite at all.  The Panthers are 1-5 SU & 1-5 ATS this season despite playing a very easy schedule.

Wisconsin-Milwaukee opened with a win over North Dakota.  They have since lost five straight despite being favorite in three of them.  They lost by 6 to Eastern Kentucky as 5-point home favorites, by 36 to Florida as 16.5-point road dogs, by 14 to Bowling Green as 2.5-point neutral court favorites, by 13 to Yale as 7-point neutral court underdogs and by 4 to Alcorn State as 10-point home favorites.

Youngstown State is 2-3 SU & 2-3 ATS.  They were competitive in all three losses.  They covered in a 16-point loss at Penn State as 17-point dogs.  They only lost toby 3 to SIU-Edwardsville and by 5 to Niagara, two teams that are underrated in my book.

The Penguins are 21-7 ATS in their last 28 road games following three or more consecutive home games.  Youngstown State is 4-1 ATS in its last five road games.  Milwaukee is 8-21 ATS in its last 29 games as a favorite.  The Panthers are 18-37-1 ATS in their last 56 games as home favorites.  Milwaukee is 6-18 ATS in its last 24 home games.  The road team is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.  Roll with Youngstown State Thursday.

15* CBB Wednesday UPSET SHOCKER on Providence +3

Texas Tech is 6-0 this season and has yet to play a true road games.  The Red Raiders have played the 357th-ranked schedule in the country with their six wins coming against North Florida, Grambling, Prairie View A&M, Incarnate Word, Nebraska-Omaha and Lamar.

It's time to 'sell high' on the Red Raiders after this start against this soft schedule.  Now they will be playing their first true road games against a Providence team that is battle-tested and has gotten through the 154th-ranked schedule at 6-1.  That includes upset road wins over Wisconsin on the road and Northwestern on a neutral with their lone loss coming to Virginia on a neutral.

Texas Tech is 1-9 ATS in its last 10 games following two or more consecutive ATS wins.  The Red Raiders are 0-7 ATS in their last seven road games after allowing 60 points or less.  Texas Tech is 1-12 ATS in its last 13 vs. Big East opponents.  The Red Raiders are 0-7 ATS in their last seven road games.  Providence is 10-1 ATS in its last 11 games vs. excellent teams that shoot 45% or better and allow 42% or less.  The Friars are 8-0 ATS in their last eight home games vs. a team with a winning record.  Roll with Providence Wednesday.

15* CBB Wednesday Undervalued Underdog on Wichita State +7.5

Wichita State is 6-1 this season with its only loss to Arizona by 4 points as 9.5-point dogs.  That's a very good Arizona team.  They are battle-tested also having road wins over Missouri and UNLV.  And now they are catching too many points tonight against the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

The Cowboys are also 6-1 but getting too much respect from oddsmakers.  They have narrow wins over NC State by 6 and Oral Roberts by 1.  They also have an upset loss to Oakland as a 17-point favorite.  They have played a much softer schedule, too.  The Cowboys have no business laying this big of a number to the Shockers tonight.

Wichita State is 9-1 ATS in its last 10 games vs. a team that wins more than 80% of their games on the season.  The Shockers are 6-0 ATS in their last six games vs. good teams that outscore their opponents by 8-plus points per game.  Wichita State is 17-5-1 ATS in its last 23 games as an underdog.  The road team is 4-0-1 ATS in the last five meetings.  Take Wichita State Wednesday.

20* CBB Wednesday No-Doubt Rout on Northern Iowa -4

Northern Iowa is one of the best teams in the Missouri Valley this season.  But they had some bad losses early when they were injured.  Now they are fully healthy, and they played up to their potential when they had a 1-point lead with under three minutes left at Arkansas as 12.5-point dogs.  The Panthers went on to lose that game by 13 in one of the worst beats of the college basketball season.

But Northern Iowa played up to its potential last time out, upsetting previously unbeaten and ranked St. Bonaventure 90-80 on the road as 10-point dogs.  They will be playing just their 2nd game since November 17th tonight, so they are rested, fully healthy and ready for this Missouri Valley opener against Bradley.

The Braves are way down this season.  They are just 2-5 SU & 2-4 ATS with their two wins coming against Missouri S&T and Maine.  They have losses to Howard by 12 as 12.5-point favorites, South Dakota State by 16 as 9-point dogs, Brown by 3 as 3.5-point favorites and Duquesne by 8 as 2-point dogs.  They won't be able to hang with a team the caliber of the Panthers tonight.

Bradley is 0-11 ATS in its last 11 games after going under the total in its previous game.  The Braves are 4-15-2 ATS in their last 21 games overall.  Take Northern Iowa Wednesday.

15* CBB Tuesday Undervalued Underdog on North Dakota State +9.5

North Dakota State is one of the better mid-major teams in the country.  They returned all five starters this year and are off to a 4-2 start with their only losses coming on the road to UNLV (by 2) and Arizona.  They can hang with Creighton tonight.

This is one of the worst Creighton teams of the Greg McDermott era.  While they are 6-1 SU, they are just 2-5 ATS.  They have concerning close wins over SIU-Edwardsville by 5 as 21-point favorites, Southern Illinois by 2 as 6-point favorites, Kennesaw State by 7 as 19-point favorites and Arkansas-Pine Bluff by 13 as 34-point favorites.  North Dakota State is better than all four of those teams.

Th Bison are 10-0 ATS in their last 10 road games following an ATS loss.  North Dakota State is 10-1 ATS in its last 11 games following a win where they failed to cover the spread.  Roll with North Dakota State Tuesday.

15* Florida State/Purdue ESPN ANNIHILATOR on Florida State +11.5

You're paying a tax to back the Purdue Boilermakers right now due to their No. 2 national ranking and their 6-0 SU & 5-1 ATS record.  Now they are laying double-digits to a very good Florida State team that will give them a run for their money tonight.

Florida State is 5-1 this season with its only loss coming on the road to Florida.  That includes blowout wins over Missouri by 23 as 9.5-point favorites, Loyola-Marymount by 28 as 6.5-point favorites and Pennsylvania by 35 as 19.5-point favorites.

Purdue has four blowout wins and two close wins against the best two teams that they have faced.  They beat Villanova by 6 and North Carolina by 9, and I think the Seminoles are more than capable of keeping this a single-digit game tonight.

Purdue is 4-13 ATS in its last 17 home games after scoring 95 points or more.  Take Florida State Tuesday.

15* CBB Monday Undervalued Underdog on Tarleton State +31.5

Tarleton State has played the 2nd-toughest schedule in the entire country and has been competitive against some very good teams.  So they won't be phased by having to play Gonzaga tonight, and I look for them to stay within this massive number.

Tarleton lost by 12 at Stanford, by 26 at Kansas, by 14 at Wichita State, by 1 at North Dakota State and by 11 at Michigan.  So they haven't lost by this margin all season and have faced two of the best teams in the country in Kansas and Michigan.

This is a letdown spot for Gonzaga.  They just played UCLA and Duke in back-to-back games, and now they have another huge game on deck against Alabama.  That makes this s a sandwich spot for them.  I don't think they'll be giving Tarleton State the full attention they deserve tonight.

Gonzaga is 2-12 ATS in its last 14 games after covering four or five of their last six ATS.  The Texans are 7-1-1 ATS in their last nine games as road underdogs.  Tarleton State is 6-1-1 ATS in its last seven games overall.  The Bulldogs are 2-5 ATS in their last seven home games.  Roll with Tarleton State Monday.

15* Iowa/Virginia ESPN 2 ANNIHILATOR on Virginia -1.5

The Iowa Hawkeyes are overvalued right now after a 6-0 SU & 4-2 ATS start this season against an extremely soft schedule.  They have played the 355th-ranked schedule in the country with all six games at home.  Now they hit the road for the first time this season at Virginia and this is a massive step up in competition.

Virginia is 5-2 this season against a much tougher schedule.  Obviously the loss to Navy in the opener was a bad loss, but the other came against Houston on the road, and Houston is one of the best teams in the country.

The Cavaliers have since rebounded nicely with four straight blowout victories all by 10 points or more, including a 10-point win over Georgia and an upset win over Providence by 18.  They are the more battle-tested team and will be ready for a game against a team that caliber of Iowa.

Iowa is 1-9 ATS in its last 10 road games following four straight wins by 10 points or more.  The Hawkeyes are 0-8 ATS in their last eight road games following three or more consecutive home games.  Take Virginia Monday.

15* CBB Sunday PLAY OF THE DAY on Belmont -2.5

The Belmont Bruins return all five starters from a team that went 26-4 last year.  Not only that, but the top five scorers on the bench return as well, so this is really the most experienced team in the nation.  The top five scorers all averaged double figures last year for the Bruins, so this is a very balanced team.  They averaged 81.3 points per game, which ranked 13th nationally.

The Bruins are off to a 5-2 start this season against a brutal schedule.  The losses came to Ohio and LSU, and they have solid wins over Furman, Drake and Iona.  I think their depth will play a big factor here playing in the championship game of the ESPN Events Invitational playing their 3rd game in 4 days.

This is a terrible spot for Dayton.  They will have a letdown after their shocking 74-73 win as 16-point dogs against Kansas last round.  This is a Dayton team that was just 2-3 coming into that game with upset losses to UMass-Lowell 58-59 as 17.5-point favorites, Lipscomb 59-78 as 9-point favorites and Austin Peay 81-87 as 14-point favorites.  They aren't that good, and we are getting Belmont at a discount due to that Kansas upset.

The Bruins are 6-0 ATS in their last six games after committing eight or fewer turnovers in their previous game.  The Flyers are 2-6 ATS in their last eight games overall.  The Bruins are 4-1-1 ATS in their last five games overall.  Roll with Belmont Sunday.

20* CBB Saturday No-Doubt Rout on Santa Clara -3.5

Herb Sendek has a very good Santa Clara team this season.  The Broncos are 5-1 SU & 4-1-1 ATS this season against a brutal schedule.  They beat Stanford by 16 as 3-point dogs, Nevada by 22 as 1.5-point dogs, TCU by 19 as 3.5-point dogs and Cal Poly by 30 as 14.5-point favorites.  Their lone loss came to Fresno State last time out, and I think they are undervalued off that defeat.

UC-Irvine is a solid team at 3-1 this season.  But they lost to the best team they faced in New Mexico State by 11 as 5.5-point dogs.  It was also their only road game this season.  And I don't see them hanging with this veteran, talented Santa Clara squad on the road tonight.

Irvine is 0-6 ATS in its last six road games after a win by 10 points or more.  Irvine is 0-7 ATS in its last seven road games after covering two of its last three ATS.  The Anteaters are 1-6 ATS in their last seven games as road underdogs.  The Broncos are 21-6 ATS in their last 27 games following an ATS loss.  Roll with Santa Clara Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday Undervalued Underdog on Northern Iowa +10

Northern Iowa is one of the best teams in the Missouri Valley this season.  But they had some bad losses early when they were injured.  Now they are fully healthy, and they played up to their potential when they had a 1-point lead with under three minutes left at Arkansas last time out as 12.5-point dogs.

The Panthers went on to lose that game by 13 in one of the worst beats of the college basketball season.  But now that works in our favor here because the Panthers are catching more points than they should be against St. Bonaventure.  They have also had a ton of time to get ready for this game and get even healthier with that Arkansas contest being their last game on November 17th.

While it's a great time to 'buy low' on Northern Iowa, it's also a great time to 'sell high' on St. Bonaventure after opening 5-0 SU & 3-1-1 ATS.  The Bonnies just played a big tournament and beat Boise State (by 6), Clemson (by 3) and Marquette to win the title.  This is now a letdown spot for them as they return home to face 1-3 Northern Iowa.

The Panthers are 8-0 ATS in their last eight games vs. excellent defensive teams that allow 35% shooting or lower.  Bet Northern Iowa Saturday.

15* CBB Friday PLAY OF THE DAY on LSU -8.5

LSU looks like one of the most underrated teams in the country.  They are 5-0 SU & 5-0 ATS this season with all five wins coming by 16 points or more and by an average of 34.4 points per game.  That includes wins over solid mid-major programs in Liberty by 16 as 7.5-point favorites and Belmont by 30 as 6.5-point favorites.

Penn State is in rebuilding mode.  The Nittany Lions are 3-1 SU but 0-4 ATS this season.  They failed to cover at home against Youngstown State, Cornell and St. Francis-NY.  They also lost outright by 25 at UMass as 4-point favorites in their lone road game.  This is a huge step up in class for Penn State.

Plays on neutral court teams (LSU) - an excellent offensive team that averages at least 76 points per game against an average defensive team allowing 67-74 points per game, after two straight blowout wins by 20 points or more are 24-5 (82.8%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Bet LSU Friday.

15* CBB Thursday UPSET SHOCKER on Loyola-Chicago +3

Loyola-Chicago played the early game yesterday and got the extra time to rest and sit around and watch the Auburn/UConn game to scout both teams.  That's a huge advantage.  That rest advantage is even bigger now that Auburn and UConn went to double-overtime yesterday.

Indeed, UConn beat Auburn 115-109 in double-overtime in an absolute shootout.  Five players played at least 32 minutes for the Tigers yesterday.  They won't have much left in the tank for the Ramblers today and I'm shocked they are favored.

Auburn is 2-7 ATS in its last nine games vs. a team with a winning record.  Loyola-Chicago is 5-1-1 ATS in its last seven neutral site games.  The Tigers are 1-4 ATS in their last five neutral site games.  Take Loyola-Chicago Thursday.

15* UConn/Michigan State ESPN Early ANNIHILATOR on Michigan State +2.5

Michigan State played the early game yesterday and got the extra time to rest and sit around and watch the Auburn/UConn game to scout both teams.  That's a huge advantage.  That rest advantage is even bigger now that Auburn and UConn went to double-overtime yesterday.

Indeed, UConn beat Auburn 115-109 in double-overtime in an absolute shootout.  Five players played more than 30 minutes for the Huskies, including two more than 43 minutes.  They won't have much left in the tank for the Spartans today.

UConn is 1-6 ATS in its last seven games after scoring more than 90 points in its previous game.  Michigan State is 3-0-1 ATS in its last four games overall.  The underdog is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.  Bet Michigan State Thursday.

15* Memphis/VA Tech ESPN 2 ANNIHILATOR on Memphis -2.5

The Memphis Tigers are loaded this season and off to an impressive 4-0 start while winning by an average of 22.7 points per game.  Their 16-point home win over a very good Saint Louis team was very eye-opening.  And they followed it up with a 12-point win over a quality Western Kentucky team.  They have played the much tougher competition to this point.

Virginia Tech is overvalued after a 5-0 start against one of the easiest schedules in the country.  The Hokies have seen their five wins come again Maine, Navy, Radford, St. Francis-PA and Merrimack.  This is a huge step up in competition for them, and I expect them to fail.

The Tigers are 17-4 ATS in their last 21 games overall.  Memphis is 9-1 ATS in its last 10 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  Virginia Tech is 5-12 ATS in its last 17 games as an underdog.  Take Memphis Wednesday.

20* CBB Wednesday No-Doubt Rout on South Dakota State -4

South Dakota State is the best team in the underrated Summit League this season.  The Jackrabbits returned all five starters from a team that went 16-7 overall last year and 9-3 in Summit play.  And not just any five starters, how about five staters that all averaged in double figures last year.  They also return four bench players that played significant minutes last year, allowing the Jackrabbits to play at the break-neck pace that made them the Summit's most efficient offense last season.

They are off to a 5-2 start this season with one loss coming to Alabama on the road.  Well, Alabama is one of the best teams in the country.  They also beat Stephen F. Austin 83-71 as a 2-point favorite, Montana State 91-74 as a 10-point favorite, Bradley 81-65 as a 9-point favorite and Nevada 102-75 as 2.5-point favorites cover the spread in all four games.  

They did come up short yesterday against Washington as the Huskies couldn't miss, shooting 58.3% from the field.  But I like the Jackrabbits to bounce back today and they are built for these tournament situation playing three games in three days due to their tremendous depth.  They also play at a break-neck pace, which will really test George Mason.

George Mason has now lost three straight to James Madison, Washington and then Nevada in a 88-69 blowout yesterday.  That's the same Nevada team that South Dakota State beat by 27.  George Mason is not a deep team with six players averaging 21 minutes and the next-highest at 11 minutes.  They brought back just one starter from last year's team.

The Patriots are 14-36-1 ATS in their last 51 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  George Mason is 1-5 ATS in its last six neutral site games.  South Dakota State is 35-17-1 ATS in its last 53 games overall.  The Jackrabbits are 34-16-1 ATS in their last 51 games following an ATS loss.  South Dakota State is 10-1 ATS in its last 11 games off an upset loss by 10 points or more as a favorite.  The Jackrabbits are 6-0 ATS in their last six games following a loss.  Bet South Dakota State Wednesday.

20* CBB Tuesday No-Doubt Rout on South Dakota State -5.5

South Dakota State is the best team in the underrated Summit League this season.  The Jackrabbits returned all five starters from a team that went 16-7 overall last year and 9-3 in Summit play.  And not just any five starters, how about five staters that all averaged in double figures last year.  They also return four bench players that played significant minutes last year, allowing the Jackrabbits to play at the break-neck pace that made them the Summit's most efficient offense last season.

They are off to a 5-1 start this season with their only loss coming to Alabama on the road.  Well, Alabama is one of the best teams in the country.  They also beat Stephen F. Austin 83-71 as a 2-point favorite, Montana State 91-74 as a 10-point favorite, Bradley 81-65 as a 9-point favorite and Nevada 102-75 as 2.5-point favorites cover the spread in all four games.  They are the real deal this season.

That blowout win over Nevada yesterday means the Jackrabbits will be fresh again today.  They will be taking on a rebuilding Washington team that is 3-2 SU & 1-4 ATS this season.  Washington barely survived in a 77-74 win over George Mason yesterday and will be tired because of it.  The Huskies were also upset by both Wyoming and Northern Illinois as a 20-point home favorite earlier this season.  They barely beat Northern Arizona 73-62 and Texas Southern 72-65 as well.

This will be essentially be home game for the Jackrabbits being played in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  The Jackrabbits are 35-16-1 ATS in their last 52 games overall and have been one of the most underrated teams in the country over the past few seasons.  The Huskies are 0-5 ATS in their last five games following a win.  Washington is 9-20 ATS in its last 29 games vs. a team with a winning record.  Bet South Dakota State Tuesday.

15* CBB Tuesday Undervalued Underdog on Nebraska-Omaha +30

Texas Tech is overvalued after a 4-0 start against a weak schedule with wins over North Florida by 15, Grambling by 26, Prairie View A&M by 35 and Incarnate Word by 22.  The Red Raiders should not be laying 30 points to Nebraska-Omaha tonight.

Omaha has shown they can be competitive on the road against some quality teams.  They only lost by 4 at Ball State as 10.5-point dogs, by 15 at Kansas State as 17.5-point dogs and by 21 at Montana as 12.5-point dogs.  They will stay within 30 of the Red Raiders tonight.

Texas Tech is 0-6 ATS in its last six games following three or more consecutive wins.  The Mavericks are 5-1 ATS in their last six road games.  The Red Raiders are 9-19 ATS in their last 28 games overall.  This is a rebuilding Texas Tech team without Chris Beard, who moved on to Texas this year.  Take Nebraska-Omaha Tuesday.

15* Oregon/St. Mary's ESPN ANNIHILATOR on Oregon -1.5

This is a great time to 'buy low' on the Oregon Ducks.  They have failed to cover the spread in their last two games, including a blowout loss to BYU in which the Cougars shot lights out at 58.6% and made about every 3-pointer they looked at.  That loss came after an 86-63 blowout win over SMU, so the quality of competition has been high for the Ducks this season already.

It's also a great time to 'sell high' on Saint Mary's.  The Gaels are 5-0 against a very soft schedule of Prairie View A&M, Texas Southern, Southern Utah, Bellarmine and Notre Dame.  They only beat Notre Dame 62-59 yesterday, and Oregon blew out Chaminade 73-49.  So the Ducks will be the fresher team in this back-to-back situation.  They are the better team as well and it will show.

The Ducks are 29-14 ATS in their last 43 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  The Gaels are 11-25 ATS in their last 36 neutral site games as an underdog.  Saint Mary's is 1-5 ATS in its last six games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  The Gaels are 0-4 ATS in their last four games as underdogs.  Roll with Oregon Tuesday.

15* CBB Cancun Challenge ANNIHILATOR on Buffalo -4.5

Buffalo is picked to win the MAC and the MAC is one of the best mid-major conferences in the country, especially at the top.  Ohio upset Belmont, Akron nearly upset Ohio State losing by 1, Kent State gave Xavier a run for its money and Buffalo covered in a competitive effort against Michigan.

The Bulls returned four starters this season including three who averages at least 13 points per game in Jeenathan Williams (17.6 PPG, 6.8 RPG), Josh Mballa (15.3 PPG, 10.8 RPG) and Ronaldo Segu (13.3 PPG, 4.3 APG).  Williams is averaging 21.7 PPG and 7.0 RPG, Mballa 12.7 PPG and 8.3 RPG and Segu 13.7 PPG and 4.3 APG to this point during their 2-1 start.

This will be the first road game of the season for Stephen F. Austin.  They are clearly rebuilding this season as evidenced from their first two games, beating LSU-Alexanderia 82-73 and Mary Hardin-Baylor 76-63.  They lost 71-83 at home to South Dakota State as 2-point dogs, and needed a huge second half to beat Middle Tennessee 87-74.  Buffalo is on the same level as South Dakota State this season.

Buffalo is 10-1 ATS when playing just its 2nd game in a week over the last two seasons.  The Bulls are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 road games off a home win.  The Lumberjacks are 1-7 ATS in their last eight games following a win.  Stephen F. Austin is 0-5 ATS in its last five games following an ATS win.  Take Buffalo Tuesday.

15* CBB Monday Undervalued Underdog on Hofstra +9.5

Hofstra is one of the top teams in the Colonial Athletic Conference this season.  They returned three starters, brought in five transfers and three freshmen who will battle for playing time.  I've been impressed with how well the Pride have played in the early going against a brutal schedule.

Hofstra only lost by 8 at Houston as 18.5-point dogs, upset Duquesne by 10 as 4-point road dogs, only lost by 8 at Iona as 5.5-point dogs and lost by 2 at Maryland as 12.5-point dogs.  Taking Houston and Maryland to the wire on the road is no small feat and shows this team's potential.

Now the Pride are catching 9.5-points on the road to an overrated Richmond team.  The Spiders are just 2-2 this season with their two wins coming against NC Central by 10 as 26-point favorites and Georgia State by 16.  They lost by 11 on a neutral as 6.5-point favorites to Utah State.  They also lost on the road to Drake to sit at 2-2 this season.  Now they'll be playing their 2nd game in 3 days after having to travel back home from Des Moines, Iowa off that Drake loss.

Hofstra is 7-0 ATS in its last seven road games vs. ad defensive teams that allow 45% shooting or higher.  Richmond is 0-9 ATS in its last nine home games vs. good free throw shooting teams that make 77% or better.  The Pride are 37-17-1 ATS in their last 55 road games.  The Spiders are 1-4 ATS in their last five games as home favorites.  Roll with Hofstra Monday.

20* CBB Monday No-Doubt Rout on South Dakota State -1

South Dakota State is the best team in the underrated Summit League this season.  The Jackrabbits returned all five starters from a team that went 16-7 overall last year and 9-3 in Summit play.  And not just any five starters, how about five staters that all averaged in double figures last year.  They also return four bench players that played significant minutes last year, allowing the Jackrabbits to play at the break-neck pace that made them the Summit's most efficient offense last season.

They are off to a 4-1 start this season with their only loss coming to Alabama on the road.  Well, Alabama is one of the best teams in the country.  They also beat Stephen F. Austin 83-71 as a 2-point favorite, Montana State 91-74 as a 10-point favorite and Bradley 81-65 as a 9-point favorite to cover the spread in all three games.  They are the real deal this season.

Few teams have been more disappointing than Nevada this season.  They returned almost everyone from last year, but they are just 1-3 SU & 1-3 ATS.  They lost outright to San Diego by 7 at home as a 13.5-point favorite.  They lost by 22 at Santa Clara as a 1.5-point favorite.  Those two results alone show how broken this team is.

This will essentially be a home game for the Jackrabbits being played in Sioux Falls, South Dakota in the Crossover Classic.  The Jackrabbits are 34-16-1 ATS in their last 51 games overall and have been one of the most underrated teams in the country for a couple seasons now.  Take South Dakota State Monday.

15* CBB Sunday No-Doubt Rout on Florida State -6.5

This is a great time to 'buy low' on the Florida State Seminoles.  After crushing Pennsylvania by 35, they were upset by Florida and had a hangover from that defeat in a 5-point win over Tulane as a 16.5-point favorite.  Look for them to play up to their potential tonight and easily cover this short 6.5-point spread against Loyola-Marymount.

It's clearly Loyola-Marymount isn't as good as they were supposed to be coming into the season.  They are 2-1 against a very soft schedule with two very concerning efforts.  They lost outright to Chattanooga 64-75 as a 7point favorite and only beat Arizona Christian 74-67 in a game with no line.  They did beat Arkansas-Little Rock 82-63, and now this is a huge step up in class for them.

Plays on neutral court teams as favorites or PK (Florida State) - off a home no-cover where they won SU as a favorite, in a game involving two good teams (60% to 80%) are 65-28 (69.9%) ATS since 1997.  Roll with Florida State Sunday.

20* CBB Sunday UPSET SHOCKER on Boston College +3.5

Boston College will be out for revenge from a 49-57 road loss to Rhode Island as 4.5-point underdogs on November 17th just a few days ago.  Now the Eagles come back as 3.5-point dogs on a neutral in the Sunshine Slam played in Daytona Beach, FL.

I just expect the Eagles to be the more motivated team in the rematch, and for that to carry them to an outright victory.  Plus, Boston College isn't going to shoot 25% again like they did in that first meeting, and they still only lost by 8 with Rhode Island shooting 44.2%.  They had 42 rebounds compared to 29 for Rhode Island and should have a big edge on the glass again.  Bet Boston College Sunday.

15* CBB Sunday Early ANNIHILATOR on Ole Miss PK

The Ole Miss Rebels are 3-1 this season with their only loss coming to Marquette by 6.  And it's clear Marquette is actually pretty good with wins over Illinois and West Virginia already this season as well.  The Rebels have won their three games all by 18 points or more and will be one of the most improved teams in the country after COVID destroyed them last year.

Boise State lost a lot of talent from last year's team and is getting too much respect after having a good season.  The Broncos are 2-2 this season with their two wins coming against Utah Valley State and Temple.  They lost to UC-Irvine 50-58 as 2-point road favorites and St. Bonaventure 61.67 as 3.5-point dogs.

Ole Miss is 10-2 ATS in its last 12 games after allowing 5 or fewer offensive rebounds in its prevous game.  Take Ole Miss Sunday.

15* CBB Saturday Night Line Mistake on Nebraska-Omaha +12.5

We have an underrated Nebraska-Omaha team up against an overrated Montana team here Saturday.  Omaha should not be catching double-digits in this showdown that should come right down to the wire.

Omaha only lost by 4 at Ball State as 10.5-point dogs and by 15 at Kansas State as 17.5-point dogs in its last two games coming in.  Montana lost by 37 as 11.5-point dogs at Mississippi State and by 2 as 7-point favorites at North Dakota in its last two games.

Omaha is 13-2 ATS in its last 15 games as a road underdog of 9.5 to 12 points.  Montana is 0-11 ATS in it last 11 Saturday games.  The Mavericks are 5-0 ATS in their last five road games.  The Grizzlies are 7-20 ATS in their last 27 games overall.  Montana is 3-14 ATS in its last 17 games as a favorite.  Take Nebraska-Omaha Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday Undervalued Underdog on San Jose State +29.5

Tim Miles is a great head coach and one of the more underrated hires of the offseason.  He's already turning San Jose State into a competent program this year.  The Spartans are 1-2 SU but 3-0 ATS with three competitive games as underdogs.

After upsetting CS-Fullerton 78-76 as 5.5-point dogs, San Jose State also covered in a 14-point road loss at Stanford as 18.5-point dogs.  They then nearly upset Cal Baptist in a 1-point loss as 11-point road dogs.  And now they are catching 29.5 points against Texas, which is too much.

Texas came into the season with a ton of hype due to the hiring of Chris Beard from Texas Tech .  But the Longhorns have fallen flat, losing by 12 to Gonzaga as 7.5-point dogs and only beating Northern Colorado by 13 as 21-point favorites in their last two games coming into this one.

Texas is 1-9 ATS in its last 10 home games after a win by 10 points or more.  The Longhorns are 3-14 ATS in their last 17 home games following a win.  Texas is 0-8 ATS in its last eight home games vs. teams who attempt 21 or more 3-point shots per game.  Bet San Jose State Saturday.

15* CBB Friday No-Doubt Rout on Memphis -13.5

The Memphis Tigers are loaded this season and a legit contender.  They just beat a very good Saint Louis team handily 90-74 as 10.5-point favorites.  And now they take a big step down in competition here against Western Kentucky and should have no problem covering this 13.5-point spread at home.

Western Kentucky lost most of their studs from lsat year.  The result has been a 1-2 SU & 0-3 ATS start this season.  The Hilltoppers barely survived in a 79-74 home win over Alabama State as a 25.5-point favorite.  That Alabama State team is now 0-5.

The Hilltoppers went on to get upset 69-73 as 3-point favorites against a rebuilding Minnesota team.  Then they lost 64-75 to South Carolina as 1-point underdogs.  That's also a rebounding South Carolina team.  This is a huge step up in competition for the Hilltoppers tonight.

The Tigers are 17-4 ATS in their last 21 games overall.  Memphis is 14-3 ATS in its last 17 games as a favorite.  The Tigers are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 home games.  Take Memphis Friday.

15* CBB Friday Undervalued Underdog on Middle Tennessee +11

Middle Tennessee is off to an impressive 3-0 start this season.  The Blue Raiders crushed their first two opponents by 39 and 20 points.  Then they upset a very good Winthrop team 76-65 as 5.5-point underdogs.  Now they will hang with Stephen F. Austin tonight.

Stephen F. Austin is rebuilding this season.  They were not impressive at all in their first two games that didn't have lines.  They beat LSU-Alexandria by 9 and Mary Hardin-Baylor by 13.  Then they were crushed 71-83 as 2-point home underdogs to South Dakota State.  So that's three straight poor performances, and they have no business laying 11 points to the Blue Raiders tonight.

Plays on underdogs (Middle Tennessee) - off two consecutive home wins by 10 points or more, a team that had a losing record last season are 54-23 (70.1%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Roll with Middle Tennessee Friday.

15* CBB Thursday Undervalued Underdog on Alabama State +28

Alabama State is 0-4 SU but 4-0 ATS against some quality competition.  They lost by 5 at Western Kentucky as 25.5-point dogs, by 19 at Vanderbilt as 25.5-point dogs, but 18 at Missouri State as 23.5-point dogs and by 8 at Iowa State as 19-point dogs.

Now Alabama State is catching a whopping 28 points to Iowa, which isn't nearly as good as they were last season.  The Hawkeyes are 3-0 against some very weak competition in Longwood, Missouri-KC and NC Central.  And they only beat NC Central by 17 as 29.5-point favorites last time out.  I can't foresee them beating Alabama State by more than 28 points tonight.  Roll with Alabama State Thursday.

15* Ohio State/Xavier FS1 ANNIHILATOR on Ohio State -2

After two sub-par performances to open the season, the Ohio State Buckeyes played up to their potential in an 89-58 win as a 16-point favorite over Bowling Green last time out.  They are the better of these two teams with Xavier, and that will show tonight as they get the win and cover.

Xavier hasn't looked great itself.  The Musketeers only beat Niagara 63-60 as a 17-point favorite before topping Kent State 73-59 as an 8.5-point favorite.  But they were in a dog fight with Kent State until the final minutes.

That 3-point win over Niagara gives these teams a common opponent.  Ohio State beat Niagara by 10.  Every matchup is different, but I don't see how Xavier can be trusted to score much against Ohio State considering they shot just 39% overall and 25% from 3-point range against Niagara and Kent State.  Ohio State is shooting 49.4% overall and 36.1% from 3-point range.

The Buckeyes are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 road games.  The Musketeers are 0-5 ATS in their last five games following an ATS win.  Take Ohio State Thursday.

15* CBB Wednesday Undervalued Underdog on Northern Iowa +13

Northern Iowa was picked to finish 2nd in the strong Missouri Valley entering the season.  You can see why most liked this team as they returned everyone from last year and all five starters.  But they were without a couple starters when they were upset by Nicholls State and Vermont to open the season.

Those guys returned to help the Panthers beat Dubuque 95-58 last time out.  And now the Panthers are at full strength and a sleeper going into Arkansas looking to give the Razorbacks a run for them money.  Northern Iowa will be looking to right some wrongs in the early going with this matchup with a Top 25 opponent.

Arkansas is due for some regression this year.  The Razorbacks lost three starters and three of their top four scorers in Moses Moody (16.8 PPG), Justin Smith (13.6 PPG) and Jalen Tate (11.0 PPG) from last year's 25-7 team.  It's no wonder they failed to cover against weak competition to open the season, only beating Mercer 74-61 as a 19-point favorite and Gardner Webb 86-69 as a 19.5-point favorite.  Northern Iowa is better than both those teams and it's not close.

Plays on road underdogs of 10 to 19.5 points (Northern Iowa) - a team that had a losing record last season, with all five starters returning from last year in the first five games of the season are 80-35 (69.6%) ATS since 1997.  Take Northern Iowa Wednesday.

15* CBB Tuesday Late-Night BAILOUT on CS-Fullerton -3

CS-Fullerton will be highly motivated for a victory after two narrow road losses to Santa Clara (77-84) and San Jose State (76-78) to open the season.  Now they are home for the first time and those two losses were against two teams that I think are underrated this season.

Fullerton actually takes a step down in class here against George Washington in my opinion.  The Colonials are 1-2 this season and just lost by 20 at Cal San Diego as a 1-point favorite.  Their lone win came against St. Francis-PA 75-72 as a 7-point home favorite.  It's a rebuilding year for GW off a 5-12 season and losing three starters from last year's team, including leading scorer Jamison Battle (17.2 PPG, 5.2 RPG).

I expect CS-Fullerton to be one of the most improved teams in the country and compete for a Big West title.  They went just 5-9 in the Big West last year but had three losses by a combined seven points.  There led the conference in scoring last year and return four starters who combined for 42.8 points per game last season, plus 6th man Dante Maddox Jr. (11.9 PPG).

Dante Maddox Jr (13.0 PPG, 4.5 RPG), Tre Maddox Jr. (11.0 PPG), Vincent Lee (15.0 PPG, 6.5 RPG) and Latrell Wrightsell Jr. (9.5 PPG) are all back and off to solid starts with those being their season averages through two games.  They added in Tennessee transfer E.J. Anosike (15.0 PPG, 9.5 RPG), who has been their best player already.  And fellow newcomer Damari Milstead (10.0 PPG) is making a big impact already.

George Washington is 0-7 ATS in its last seven games off a road loss by 10 points or more.  The Colonials are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 road games.  Georgia Washington is 2-8 ATS in its last 10 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.  This is a great time to 'buy low' on the Titans while we still can.  Roll with CS-Fullerton Tuesday.

15* Saints Louis/Memphis ESPN+ ANNIHILATOR on Saint Louis +10.5

I love what Travis Ford is building at Saint Louis.  They went 14-7 and made the NIT last year despite a COVID-ravaged season and brought back three starters from that team.  They also brought in several top transfers.

The Billikens are off to a dominant 3-0 start this season, covering as a 22-point favorite in a 96-61 win over Central Arkansas, beating Harris Stowe 127-54, and throttling Eastern Illinois 86-44 as a 21-point favorite.

Gibson Jimmerson (18.7 PPG), Yuri Collins (9.7 PPG, 9.3 APG), Francis Okoro (11.0 PPG, 9.0 RPG) and Marten Linssen (11.7 PPG) are all off to strong starts this season and back from last year's team.  Memphis transfer Jordan Nesbitt (13.3 PPG, 6.7 RPG) has fit in nicely as well.

Memphis is getting a lot of hype again this season with a Top 25 ranking and plenty of big-name recruits and talent.  But Penny Hardaway has been a disappointment.  And I don't know how they can be trusted to lay double-digits here against a team the quality of Saint Louis.

Memphis is 0-7 ATS in its last seven games off two consecutive home wins by 10 points or more.  Saint Louis is 6-0 ATS in its last six games off a home win where it scored 85 points or more.  The Tigers are 1-10 ATS in their last 11 games vs. excellent shooting teams that make 52% or better.  The Billikens are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games as road underdogs.  Saint Louis is 41-19 ATS in its last 60 games as an underdog overall.  The underdog is 4-1-1 ATS in the last six meetings.  Take Saint Louis Tuesday.

20* CBB DOG OF THE WEEK on Georgia State +7.5

Georgia State is picked to win the Sun Belt this season for good reason.  They return all five starters from a team that went 16-6 last year.  And all five starters averaged at least 10.1 points per game, so they are the definition of team basketball.

The Panthers are off to a great start winning their opener 97-37 over Brewton-Parker and 83-64 over Northeastern as a 6.5-point favorite.  They have been much more impressive than Richmond, which only beat lowly NC Central 70-60 as a 26-point favorite and lost outright to Utah State 74-85 as a 6.5-point favorite.  Based off those results, there's no way Richmond should be a 7.5-point favorite in this matchup.

Richmond is 11-27 ATS in its last 38 games as a home favorite of 6.5 to 9 points.  Georgia State is 11-3 ATS in its last 14 non-conference games.  The Panthers are 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 games as underdogs.  Bet Georgia State Tuesday.

20* CBB Monday No-Doubt Rout on Buffalo -2

Buffalo is picked to win the MAC and the MAC is one of the best mid-major conferences in the country, especially at the top.  Ohio upset Belmont, Akron nearly upset Ohio State losing by 1, Kent State gave Xavier a run for its money and Buffalo covered in a competitive effort against Michigan.

The Bulls returned four starters this season including three who averages at least 13 points per game in Jeenathan Williams (17.6 PPG, 6.8 RPG), Josh Mballa (15.3 PPG, 10.8 RPG) and Ronaldo Segu (13.3 PPG, 4.3 APG).  Williams had 32 pionts, Segu 15 and Mballa 13 in their 76-88 loss at No. 6 ranked Michigan.

North Texas is getting too much respect from oddsmakers here tonight.  The Mean Green are picked to finish 5th in lowly Conference USA.  They lose three starters from last year and all three averaged in double figures scoring, so the losses are huge.  They don't return anyone that averages more than 10 points per game.

Buffalo is 25-8 ATS in its last 33 games as a road favorite of 3 points or less or PK.  The Bulls are 6-0-1 ATS in their last seven road games.  Buffalo is 5-0-1 ATS in its last six games following a loss.  Take Buffalo Monday.

15* CBB Monday Night Line Mistake on Belmont -6

The Belmont Bruins return all five starters from a team that went 26-4 last year.  Not only that, but the top five scorers on the bench return as well, so this is really the most experienced team in the nation.  I think we are getting good value on them after getting upset in their opener by a very good Ohio team from that MAC that just had a great shooting night.

The top five scorers all averaged double figures last year for the Bruins, so this is a very balanced team.  They averaged 81.3 points per game, which ranked 13th nationally.  This is a team that will be highly motivated to get back to the NCAA Tournament after not playing in it the past two seasons. 

I backed Belmont as a 14-point favorite in its 81-43 home win over Evansville bouncing back from that loss to Ohio.  And I'm on the Bruins again tonight against Furman, which is getting too much respect from oddsmakers off it 80-72 upset win at Louisville, a Louisville team that is down this year.

The Paladins lost arguably their two best players from last year's team that went 16-9.  Clay Mounce (13.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG) is gone, as is Noah Gurley (15.4 PPG, 5.8 RPG), who transferred to Alabama.  They do have three returning starters but don't return any key players on their bench.

Belmont is 9-0 ATS in its last nine home games when playing its 2nd game in 3 days.  The Bruins are 8-0 ATS in their last eight home games after two straight games with 19 or more assists.  Furman is 0-6 ATS in its last six games after a game with 5 or fewer offensive rebounds.  The Paladins are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 road games.  Furman is 0-8 ATS in its last eight games following an ATS win.  Roll with Belmont Monday.

15* CBB Sunday No-Doubt Rout on South Dakota State -2

It's a good time to 'buy low' on South Dakota State after their 88-104 loss at Alabama on Saturday.  Well, Alabama is one of the best teams in the country, so that's not a bad loss.  Look for them to dominate Stephen F. Austin like they dominated Bradley in an 81-65 win as a 9-point favorite in their opener.

South Dakota State is the best team in the underrated Summit League this season.  The Jackrabbits returned all five starters from a team that went 16-7 overall last year and 9-3 in Summit play.  And not just any five starters, how about five staters that all averaged in double figures last year.  They also return four bench players that played significant minutes last year, allowing the Jackrabbits to play at the break-neck pace that made them the Summit's most efficient offense last season.

Stephen F. Austin is tabbed 5th in the preseason WAC predictions.  While they return four starters, they do lose one of their best players in Cameron Johnson (15.3 PPG, 4.5 RPG).  And the first two games by SF Austin were ugly wins against teams they should have blown out, which is a bad sign of things to come.  They only beat LSU-Alexandria 82-73 and Mary Hardin-Baylor 76-63.  Neither of those games even had betting lines.

The Jackrabbits are 5-0 ATS in their last five games following a loss.  South Dakota State is 19-6-1 ATS in its last 26 games following an ATS loss.  The Jackrabbits are 10-4-1 ATS in their last 15 road games.  The Lumberjacks are 1-5-1 ATS in their last seven games as underdogs.  Stephen F. Austin is 1-6 ATS in its last seven games following a win.  The Lumberjacks are 0-4-1 ATS in their last five games as home underdogs.  Take South Dakota State Sunday.

20* FSU/Florida ESPN No-Brainer on Florida State -1

Leonard Hamilton is enjoying his best run in his 19 years at Florida State.  The Seminoles don't rebuild, they reload because he's a tremendous recruiter.  And he has taken advantage of the transfer portal again this season to reload.

The Seminoles are off to a great start this season with their 105-70 win over Pennsylvania as a 19.5-point favorite, covering by 15.5 points.  Florida only beat Elon 74-61 as a 19-point favorite, failing to cover by 6 points.  And the Gators lost two players to the NBA in the offseason and are coming off a disappointing 15-10 season as it is.

Florida State simply owns Florida.  The Seminoles have gone 8-0 ATS in their last eight meetings with the Gators.  They have also won seven in a row straight up in this series with the last four coming by 12, 12, 21 and 17 points.  Bet Florida State Sunday.

20* Texas/Gonzaga ESPN 2 Late-Night BAILOUT on Texas +7.5

Chris Beard was a great hire at Texas and one of my favorite head coaches in the country.  I'll gladly back Beard and the Longhorns here against overrated Gonzaga tonight.  The Longhorns were impressive in their 92-48 win over Houston Baptist in their opener, covering as 37.5-point favorites.

Texas welcomes back Andrew Jones (14.6 PPG, 4.5 RPG) and Courtney Ramsey (12.2 PPG) this year.  They brought in some unbelievable transfers.  Timmy Allen averaged 17.2 PPG at Utah last year, Marcus Carr had four 30-point games at Minnesota last year, Tre Mitchell averaged 18.8 PPG at UMass last year and Christian Bishop averaged 11.0 PPG at Creighton last year.  All six played significant roles in the opener with Ramey leading the way with 14 points, followed by Jones (11), Carr (10), Bishop (10), Mitchell (10) and Allen (8).

Gonzaga failed to cover as a 39.5-point favorite in a 34-point win over Dixie State in the opener.  With their No. 1 ranking comes expectations that are hard to live up to.  That's especially the case after losing three starters and studs from last year's team in Corey Kispert (18.6 PPG, 5.0 RPG), Jalen Suggs (14.4 PPG, 4.5 APG) and Joel Ayayi (12.0 PPG, 6.9 RPG).  Bet Texas Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday BLOWOUT on Belmont -13.5

The Belmont Bruins return all five starters from a team that went 26-4 last year.  Not only that, but the top five scorers on the bench return as well, so this is really the most experienced team in the nation.  I think we are getting good value on them after getting upset in their opener by a very good Ohio team from that MAC that just had a great shooting night.

The top five scorers all averaged double figures last year for the Bruins, so this is a very balanced team.  They averaged 81.3 points per game, which ranked 13th nationally.  This is a team that will be highly motivated to get back to the NCAA Tournament after not playing in it the past two seasons.  They'll also be extra motivated off that loss to Ohio.

Look for the Bruins to make easy work of a mediocre Evansville team that lost by 22 at Cincinnati in their opener.  Belmont is better than Cincinnati.  This is an Evansville team that went 9-16 last year.  I'm not a fan of head coach Todd Lickliter, who is now 9-29 in his two seasons at the helm of the Purple Aces.

Belmont is a perfect 8-0 ATS in its last eight home games following an ATS loss.  The Bruins are 18-7 ATS in their last 25 home games overall.  The Purple Aces are 1-7 ATS in their last eight games as underdogs.  Evansville is 0-5 ATS in its last five road games.  Take Belmont Saturday.

15* Villanova/UCLA ESPN 2 Late-Night BAILOUT on Villanova +4

It's a good time to 'sell high' on UCLA early in the season after their miraculous run to the Final Four last season.  They were lucky to even make the tournament, and needed an unlikely comeback against Michigan State in the First Four just to advantage.  They rode that momentum all the way to the Final Four.

But now the Bruins come into the season as the No. 2 ranked team in the country.  And they already covered in a 95-58 win over lowly CS-Bakersfield as a 23-point favorites.  But now they come back as 4-point favorites against Villanova despite being without one of their best post players on Cody Riley (10.0 PPG, 5.4 RPG) last year.

I think Villanova is the legitimate of the Top 5 teams here as they are ranked 4th.  The Wildcats return four starters from last season and get back Collin Gillespie (14.0 PPG, 4.6 APG) from injury.  They also bring back Justin Moore (12.9 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 3.0 APG), Caleb Daniels (9.6 PPG) and Jermaine Samuels (12.0 PPG, 6.4 RPG).

All four played big roles in their 91-51 win as a 25.5-point favorite over Mount St. Mary's in their opener.  Moore had 27 points, Samuels 17, Gillespie 13 and Daniels 6.  They also got 17 points from Brandon Slater, a key returnee off the bench who drilled five 3-pointers as the Wildcats shot 16-of-30 from beyond the arc.  They have one of the best backcourts in the country, per usual, and it will likely lead them to an outright win at UCLA tonight.  Roll with Villanova Friday.

20* CBB GAME OF THE WEEK on Kent State +10

We've already seen two MAC teams picked in the top half of the league go on the road and give two of the best Big Ten teams fits.  Akron nearly upset Ohio State and lost by 1 as 16.5-point underdogs, while Buffalo easily covered at Michigan and gave the Wolverines a run for their money.

Now it's another top half of the MAC's teams turn to go on the road and give Xavier a run for its money tonight.  I like this Kent State team that returns three starters in Tervell Beck (11.7 PPG, 4.8 RPG), Giovanni Santiago (9.1 PPG, 4.1 APG) and Justyn Hamilton (8.9 PPG, 6.8 RPG), plus a double-digit scorer off the bench in Malique Jacobs (10.0 PPG, 3.7 APG).

The positive news for the Golden Flashes doesn't stop there as they also welcome in transfers Sincere Carry (11.9 PPG, 5.4 APG) from Duquesne and Andrew Garcia (8.7 PPG) from Georgia.  Keep an eye on freshman guard Jalen Sullinger, a second-team All-Ohio selection who is the nephew of Kent State assistant Julian Sullinger and NBA first-round pick Jared Sullinger and son of former Ohio State forward J.J. Sullinger.

Xavier's 63-60 win over Niagara as a 17-point favorite in the opener is concerning and makes me believe Kent State can hang, too.  That's especially the case with the Musketeers being without their best player in Zach Freemantle (16.1 PPG, 8.9 RPG) to start the season.  They are also without Ben Stanley (6.0 PPG) and could be without Kyky Tandy (6.6 PPG).

The Musketeers are 17-37-3 ATS in their last 57 games as favorites.  The Golden Flashes are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games as road underdogs.  Take Kent State Friday.

15* CBB Thursday PLAY OF THE DAY on UC-Riverside +10

UC-Riverside will be one of the best teams in the Big West Conference this season.  They returned three starters and four key reserves from a squad that went 14-8 overall last season and 8-4 in the Big West.  All three returning starters played well in their opener against San Diego State, as did Callum McRae who sat out all last season and newcomer J.P. Moorman II.

UC-Riverside lost that opener 53-66 to San Diego State as 12.5-point road underdogs, failing to cover by 0.5 points.  Well, San Diego State is picked by most to win the Mountain West this season, so that was a very good showing.  And the Aztecs are certainly better than this Arizona State squad.

The Sun Devils lost their top three scorers from last year in Remy Martin (19.1 PPG, 3.7 APG), Josh Christopher (14.3 PPG, 4.7 RPG) and Alonzo Verge Jr. (14.0 PPG, 3.8 APG).  They bring back two starters and will lack chemistry in the early going.  That was evident when they failed to cover in a 76-60 win as a 22-point home favorite against lowly Portland in their opener.  Portland is picked to finish at or near the bottom of the WCC this season.

Arizona State has been a money burner for quite some time now and will continue to be this season.  The Sun Devils are 16-35-1 ATS in their last 52 games overall.  Arizona State is 7-22 ATS in its last 29 games as a favorite.  The Sun Devils are 0-10 ATS in their last 10 games after going UNDER the total in their previous game.  Bet UC-Riverside Thursday.

15* CBB Wednesday PLAY OF THE DAY on Youngstown State +18

Penn State is in a rebuilding year and should not be an 18-point favorite over Youngstown State tonight.  They have a first-year head coach in Micah Sshrewsberry.  They bring back just one double-digit scorer from last year's team and lose their top two scorers in Myreon Jones (15.3 PPG) and Izaiah Brockington (12.6 PPG).

Youngstown State will be going for its third straight winning season for the first time since 1985.  Jerrod Calhoun has turned this program around as he enters his 5th season here with some continuity.  The Penguins won seven of their final nine games last season and lost to Oakland in overtime in the Horizon League tournament.

The Penguins return three starters from that team in Garrett Covington (12.5 PPG< 4.6 RPG), Shemar Rathan-Mayes (10.4 PPG) and Michael Akuchie (9.9 PPG, 8.3 RPG).  They also return four key bench players and bring in Dayton transfer Dwayne Cohill and Hampton transfer Chris Shelton.

The Nittany Lions are 3-9-1 ATS in their last 13 games as favorites.  I'm expecting them to struggle out of the gate.  Roll with Youngstown State Wednesday.

20* CBB Tuesday Undervalued Underdog on Oral Roberts +12.5

Oral Roberts made the Sweet 16 last year.  They return three starters from that team, including Summit League Player of the Year Max Abmas, who led college basketball in scoring at 24.6 points per game.  They also bring back Kareem Thompson (8.7 PPG) and four other players that averaged at least 4.1 points per game. 

Colorado State is getting too much respect as a 12.5-point favorite over Oral Roberts in the opener.  The Rams nearly made the NCAA Tournament but came up just short last year.  They will be good again with five returning starters, but they should not be laying double-digits here against Abmas and company.

The Golden Eagles are 11-1 ATS in their last 12 games as road underdogs.  Oral Roberts is 7-0 ATS in its last seven games overall.  The Golden Eagles are 14-3 ATS in their last 17 non-conference games.  Bet Oral Roberts Tuesday.

15* LA Tech/Alabama SEC Network ANNIHILATOR on Alabama -11

Nate Oats is doing a tremendous job already at Alabama.  He guided the Crimson Tide to a 26-7 season including a 16-2 record in SEC play to take down the regular season title and SEC Tournament.  This team is loaded again with the best backcourt in the country.

Leading scorer Jaden Shackleford (14.0 PPG) decided to return this season.  Javon Quinerly (12.9 PPG) made 43% from 3 last season.  J.D. Davison is a five-star and one of the top recruits in the class of 2021 and will push Quinerly for playing time.  The Crimson Tide ranked 3rd in defensive efficiency last season and played at the 11th-fasted tempo in the country.

Louisiana Tech is a quality team in Conference USA year in and year out.  And while they do return three starters this season, they do lose two productive ones in Kaleb Ledoux (11.6 PPG, 4.0 RPG) and JaColby Pemberton (8.6 PPG, 5.6 RPG).  They don't have the firepower to keep up with Alabama as they prefer to play at a slow tempo and are defensive-minded.  Alabama will control the tempo playing at home.  Roll with Alabama Tuesday.

15* CBB Tuesday No-Doubt Rout on Ohio State -16.5

Ohio State is loaded this season with four returning starters from a team that went 21-10 last season and earned a No. 2 seed.  They fell victim to Oral Roberts' incredible run, but that just means they come back this season highly motivated.

The Buckeyes bring back one of the best big men in the country in E.J. Lidell (16.2 PPG, 6.7 RPG).  They also bring back three more starters including Justice Sueing (10.7 PPG, 5.5 RPG).  They add Ohio Mr. Basketball Malaki Branham as an elite freshman recruit, plus Penn State transfer Jamari Wheeler and Louisiana guard Cedric Russell to solidify their backcourt.

Akron is no more than a middle-of-the-pack team in the MAC.  The Zips bring back three decent starters but lose their best player in Loren Christian Jackson (22.3 PPG, 6.1 APG), who is irreplaceable for this team.  Jackson turned pro after rolling up 1,587 points, 381 assists and two first-team All-MAC selections in his three years here.  Take Ohio State Tuesday.