Date | Match Up | Rating | Score | Result | Profit | Lead Time | Analysis |
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01-06-20 | Nets +5.5 v. Magic | Top | 89-101 | Loss | -106 | 21 h 40 m | Show |
This is a 10* on BROOKLYN Brooklyn got Caris LeVert back in the lineup Saturday, but that failed to turn the tide as for a fifth consecutive game they came out on the losing end. This time it was at home to Toronto, who is a good team but also came in short-handed. The Nets got spanked 121-102 in a very disappointing result for them as they were actually favored. But with LeVert back, this is going to be a better team and we see this line for Monday's game at Orlando getting a bit out of hand. These teams seem pretty even and the case could be made Brooklyn is better. Orlando lost its last game, at home, by 13. The Magic don't score enough (103.3 points/game) to give us any confidence in them laying points here. They've lost 9 of 14 themselves. Should be a close game where taking points is a must. Play on BROOKLYN AAA |
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01-05-20 | Pistons +15 v. Lakers | Top | 99-106 | Win | 100 | 14 h 31 m | Show |
This is a 10* on DETROIT The Lakers have a bad habit of letting their opponents sneak through the back door in the 4th quarter. So as long as they're laying these high numbers, we're likely to be considering the other side. On New Year's Day, LA ended up not covering against Phoenix despite taking an early 30+ point lead. They led by 20+ going into the fourth quarter of Friday's game vs. New Orleans and didn't cover there either. It's just a 2-8 ATS record the last 10 games for the Purple & Gold and they are laying a big number here against Detroit as the Pistons played last night at Golden State. Even thought its back to back, we look for the Pistons to cover. They did win last night, 111-104, and while it's big jump in class going from facing the Warriors to the Lakers, it's a lot of points too. Detroit has had its share of ATS woes, covering just 2 of its last 10 games. But they are the ones getting double digits tonight, which makes it easier even though they are probably going to be without Blake Griffin. The Pistons are only being outscored by 2.8 points/game this year. Play on DETROIT AAA |
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01-05-20 | Seahawks v. Eagles +2.5 | Top | 17-9 | Loss | -105 | 102 h 41 m | Show |
This is a 10* on PHILADELPHIA Due to injuries and an inferior record, the Eagles seem to be getting written off here. That's a mistake. They still have the home field advantage and that's big. Seattle did well for itself on the road this year, but has not done well in the playoffs when having to leave the Pacific Northwest. Eight of the franchise's last 10 playoff road games have ended in defeat and one of those wins was the infamous game in Minnesota where Vikings kicker Blair Walsh missed a chip shot field goal. Home underdogs are pretty rare in the NFL Playoffs and we haven't seen one in the Wild Card Round since 2015. But the Eagles are 5-0 STRAIGHT UP all-time in the postseason as a home dog and four of those wins have been by at least 13 points. Under Doug Pederson, they are 8-4 ATS getting points (regular season or playoffs) including 5-0 in the playoffs where they've won four of the five on the field. Since 1990, there have been eight instances of a team with a 9-7 or worse record hosting a team with at least 11 wins. The home team has gone 6-2 SU and 6-1-1 against the spread in those games. Play on PHILADELPHIA AAA |
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01-05-20 | Davidson +3.5 v. Duquesne | Top | 64-71 | Loss | -109 | 6 h 2 m | Show |
This is a 10* on DAVIDSON Duquesne started the season 10-0, which was definitely a surprise. But the key is they really haven't played anybody. After suffering two straight defeats, the Dukes won their conference opener by beating a poor St. Louis team 73-59. They hope that stems the tide, but we don't see them beating Davidson, who will be playing its first A-10 game on Sunday. The Wildcats had won three in a row by virtue of some solid defense, but then ran into Vanderbilt right before the New Year and lost 76-71 in Nashville as a 1-point underdog. That leaves them at 6-6 SU overall with all but three of the games played away from home. While the overall record isn't as good as they'd hoped for, Davidson is definitely battle-tested going into conference play. They've gone 7-0 SU vs. Duquesne and 6-1 ATS, the lone non-cover coming last year. But a big key coming into today is that Davidson has been the dog in only one of those prior seven meetings. We believe the better team is getting points Sunday. The Wildcats have gone 31-10 SU and 26-15 ATS vs. the rest of the Atlantic 10 the past two seasons. Play on DAVIDSON AAA |
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01-04-20 | Titans v. Patriots -4.5 | Top | 20-13 | Loss | -110 | 81 h 26 m | Show |
This is a 10* on NEW ENGLAND New England comes into these playoffs with the longest Super Bowl odds (20/1) that they've ever had during the Belichick/Brady regime. While it's true that the offense has not flashed the form we're accustomed to seeing, it's hard to pass up the opportunity to lay such a small number with the Patriots in Foxboro against Ryan Tannehill. The Pats still have the best defense in football even after laying an egg against Miami in Week 17. They gave up only 14.1 points/game and 275.7 yards/game. Both were league bests. They are also "money" as a home favorite of this season. The last three seasons have seen NE go 10-1 SU and 7-3-1 ATS when laying anywhere from -3.5 to -7 in Foxboro. If you go all the way back to 2001, Brady's first year as a starting QB, the team is 72-17 straight up and 61-24-4 ATS (71.8%!) laying seven points or less at home. We know Ryan Tannehill had a career year and made the Titans offense better. But he's still Ryan Tannehill and we're not about to bet that he can beat Tom Brady in the playoffs. Lay it! Play on NEW ENGLAND AAA |
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01-04-20 | Texas +9 v. Baylor | Top | 44-59 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 4 m | Show |
This is a 10* on TEXAS Baylor is a Top 10 team in the country right now (#6) with a 10-1 straight up record. This is the Big 10 opener as they face Texas, who is a solid 10-2 SU, but unranked. This is actually the best start to a season that the Longhorns have had under Shaka Smart. They are coming off their most dominant performance yet, registering season-highs in points, field goals made, field goal percentage, blocked shots and margin of victory in a 89-58 demolition of High Point. It's no debate that tonight's game is going to be much tougher as Baylor has won nine in a row, including three wins over ranked teams. The Bears last game was pretty similar to Texas' as they won 83-57 against Jackson State. But they're 1-5 ATS this season after allowing 60 points or less the previous game. Texas is 12-4 ATS in the month of January the last two years. The last four head to head meetings have seen the 'Horns either win or lose by single digits. Two of the losses were by just one point. Texas allows a pretty similar number of points per game compared to Baylor. Take the points. Play on TEXAS AAA |
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01-04-20 | Bills v. Texans -2.5 | Top | 19-22 | Win | 100 | 78 h 36 m | Show |
This is an 8* on HOUSTON This was probably the best possible Wild Card matchup for the Texans. They are facing an inexperienced QB and an offense that averaged just 19.6 points/game in the regular season. While Houston's defense nosedived in the second half of the season, that was directly tied to the loss of superstar JJ Watt. Watt is now back on the active roster and will play Saturday. So will QB DeShaun Watson after he sat out a meaningless final regular season game. Houston is simply more talented than Buffalo and is laying a short number at home. The Bills defensive numbers may look great, but realize they beat only one playoff team and that with the Titans before they made the QB switch from Marcus Mariota to Ryan Tannehill. That was also Week 5! The Bills offense has not scored more than 17 points in any of its last four games. They were held under 20 points in more than half their games. That simply won't get it done this time of year. Five starts against playoff teams this year yielded only a 51.6% completion percentage and 5.5 yards per attempt for Buffalo QB Josh Allen. The Bills averaged just 14 points in those games. Play on HOUSTON AAA |
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01-04-20 | Tulane v. Southern Miss +7.5 | Top | 30-13 | Loss | -114 | 13 h 4 m | Show |
This is an 8* on SOUTHERN MISS Southern Miss is an underdog here against Tulane, but given the way the Green Wave played down the stretch, this sure looks like too many points for them to lay here. Losers of five of the past six games, including the last three, Tulane didn’t beat many good teams. Their one victory over a bowl team was the season opener vs. FIU. Since then, they’ve gone 0-6 and covered the spread just twice. Obviously both covers came as underdogs. Southern Miss saw its regular season end with two straight losses. They turned the ball over eight times in those two losses, which cost them a chance to win the Conference USA West Division. We expect the Golden Eagles to be slightly more motivated as they were not picked for a bowl last season despite winning six games. They easily could win here, so why not take the points? These schools used to be regular rivals, but have met only twice since 2006. Southern Miss not only won both of those, they’ve beaten Tulane six times in a row. Play on SOUTHERN MISS AAA |
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01-02-20 | California +11 v. Stanford | Top | 52-68 | Loss | -109 | 13 h 49 m | Show |
This is an 8* on CAL A little over a month ago, California's football team snapped its 10-year losing streak to rival Stanford, winning "The Big Game" 24-20. Now let's see what Bears basketball can do. They're going to Palo Alto in the midst of a severe ATS drought. They've covered only once in the last 10 games. But they've faced a number of good teams during that stretch. Stanford is 11-2 and probably feeling pretty good about itself, but that makes them ripe for the picking in our eyes. Their last game, played Sunday, was a home loss to Kansas. No shame there, but losing by 16 was a real "downer" and could effect them moving forward. We think that the Cardinal pretty clearly overachieved in its non-conference portion of the schedule. They were picked to finish 10th in the Pac 12 this year. It's not often they have to lay double digits. Cal has actually won its last two games here at Maples Pavilion. Play on CALIFORNIA AAA |
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01-02-20 | Tennessee v. Indiana +3 | Top | 23-22 | Win | 100 | 10 h 38 m | Show |
This is a 10* on INDIANA Indiana is looking for its first bowl win since 1991. That's easily the longest drought among Power 5 teams. We had to look it up, but the Hoosiers are the ONLY P5 team not to have won a bowl this century. Only two other P5 teams have failed to win a bowl going back to 2008 (Kansas, Colorado). So if you don't think this game means a lot to IU, then you're kidding yourself. It's just the fifth bowl appearance since that last win in 1991. Tennessee is back in a bowl after a two year hiatus. Prior to the hiatus, they'd won three straight bowl games. Neither team had many good wins during the regular season. Generally speaking, they'd win the games they were "supposed to" and lost when they were an underdog. For us, it boils down to Indiana's high level of motivation and the fact they are now an underdog after opening as the favorite. The Hoosiers can score more than the Volunteers (32.6 vs. 24.3 points/game). Tennessee has failed to cover 10 of the last 13 times it has been a favorite. Play on INDIANA AAA |
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01-02-20 | Boston College +8 v. Cincinnati | Top | 6-38 | Loss | -110 | 6 h 54 m | Show |
This is an 8* on BOSTON COLLEGE Throughout this bowl season, we've seen bettors make the mistake of overreacting to players sitting out. Look at what happened last night with Georgia. Boston College is the next team dealing with a key absence as their star running back A.J. Dillon is getting ready for the NFL Draft. The Eagles also fired their coach at the end of the regular season and will play for an interim today. But don't be surprised when they show up ready to play in Birmingham. By upsetting Pittsburgh in the final game of the regular season, the BC players showed that playing in a bowl is important to them. We had the Eagles in that spot. We'll take the points with them again here as Cincinnati could very well be disinterested in this game after losing its Conference Championship, which cost them the chance to play in the Cotton Bowl. While they had a good season (10 wins), there have been only two times in the last six games where the Bearcats won by more than a touchdown. A dangerous number to lay with a potentially disinterested team and Boston College has covered nine in a row when getting between 3.5 and 10 points (5-0 ATS this year). Play on BOSTON COLLEGE AAA |
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01-01-20 | New Mexico v. San Jose State +10.5 | Top | 85-88 | Win | 100 | 26 h 39 m | Show |
This is an 8* on San Jose State San Jose State upset New Mexico last year here at home, winning 89-82 as a 10.5-point underdog. Seeing as New Mexico just got hit with a couple suspensions, we think the Spartans are capable of pulling another upset this year. Both suspended Lobos were starters - forward Carlton Bragg and point guard JJ Caldwell. Obviously, those are big losses for a team that is 12-2 and undefeated at home. Bragg was a team captain and Caldwell was leading the Mountain West Conference in assists. The Lobos have played two games without the pair and are 0-2 ATS. Defensively, they struggled against Houston Baptist and then it was just a five-point win over UC Davis. This is the first road game since the suspensions were handed down. Two of three road games New Mexico has played this year were decided by a combined four points. SJSU had lost eight in a row before playing Pepperdine on Saturday, but won that game outright as a 10-point home underdog, 83-68. Play on SAN JOSE STATE AAA |
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01-01-20 | Blazers -3.5 v. Knicks | Top | 93-117 | Loss | -109 | 23 h 15 m | Show |
This is a 10* on PORTLAND After making it all the way to the Western Conference Finals last season, Portland has greatly underachieved so far in the 2019-20 season. They are currently in ninth place and six games below .500 after ending 2019 on a four-game losing streak. They haven't covered the spread in any of the four games either. The most recent loss was at home to Phoenix, 122-116 as a four-point favorite. That game saw the Blazers blow a 19-point lead. So you know they're looking to come out and start the New Year strong. It's an ideal opponent to get on track as they face the Knicks. While NY has played better since the coaching change, winning its last two games and five of its last nine, they still are just 9-24 SU. The only team that scores less points per game is Orlando. The Knicks don't play much defense either as they are 27th in efficiency. One Blazer that will be very motivated to play well this evening is Carmelo Anthony, making his return to MSG. Play on PORTLAND AAA |
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01-01-20 | Michigan v. Alabama -7 | Top | 16-35 | Win | 100 | 17 h 24 m | Show |
This is an 8* on ALABAMA The fact that Alabama is laying only a touchdown here kinda "stinks" but we feel they shouldn't have much trouble with Michigan. This is a spot the Wolverines consistently come up short in every time. Under Jim Harbaugh, they have been terrible as underdogs going 0-6 the last three years while covering just twice. Three of those losses came this year including losses by 21 to Wisconsin and 29 to Ohio State. The Wolverines prospects look even bleaker when you consider that the Big 10 is just 3-9 SU and 2-10 ATS vs. the SEC in bowls since 2015. Even with backup QB Mac Jones starting in place of the injured Tua, Bama will move the ball and score plenty in the Citrus Bowl. Against Auburn, Jones threw for 335 yards and four touchdowns by completing 26 of his 39 pass attempts. The Tide's offensive line should push around an undersized Michigan defensive front. Both teams have to get over the disappointment of not being in the Playoff, but Michigan has never shown that it can beat a team of Alabama's caliber. It could get ugly in a hurry in Orlando. Play ALABAMA AAA |
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12-31-19 | Rider v. Wisconsin -13 | Top | 37-65 | Win | 100 | 8 h 25 m | Show |
This is a 10* on WISCONSIN Maybe it's risky to be betting on the Badgers on New Year's Eve after they pulled a big upset at Tennessee over the weekend. They didn't just upset the Vols either. It was a total blowout with the Badgers winning 68-48 as four-point pups. Congrats to them. They've got a big game upcoming against Ohio State (Friday) as well. But on New Year's Eve, they'll host Rider in the final non-conference game of the season. The Broncs had a five-game win streak snapped at Temple 10 days ago and haven't played since. But they've overmatched here, no matter which way you look at it. Their last three road games have all ended up as double digit losses. That's what we're expecting here. The Badgers haven't lost in Madison and are scoring 80 points/game at the Kohl Center. Play on WISCONSIN AAA |
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12-31-19 | 76ers v. Pacers +2 | Top | 97-115 | Win | 100 | 5 h 53 m | Show |
This is a 10* on INDIANA Two of the top six teams in the Eastern Conference meet in Indiana to close out 2019. The Pacers host the Sixers in a battle of teams looking to rebound from back to back losses. Philadelphia's two losses both came on the road and were both one-point decisions. They lost 98-97 to Orlando and 117-116 to Miami. That drops their road record to 7-10 SU, a far cry from a 16-2 SU record in home games. Both Indiana losses were also on the road. They also lost by one down in Miami (113-112) but then got humiliated by New Orleans, 120-98, on Saturday. Good for the Pacers that they're at home tonight. If there's one commonality among these top Eastern Conference teams, it's that they're all really good at home, but so-so on the road. They're a collective 87-15 SU in home games with five of the losses belonging to Toronto. Indiana's record at home is 14-3 SU. We view these teams as being pretty even. Therefore, the Pacers are a great value getting points at home. Play on INDIANA AAA |
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12-31-19 | Florida State +4.5 v. Arizona State | Top | 14-20 | Loss | -115 | 14 h 44 m | Show |
This is an 8* on FLORIDA STATE Herm Edwards has proven to be a good hire for Arizona State. But his teams have tended to perform better when in the underdog role. The Sun Devils are 0-6 ATS as favorites this year and lost half of those games straight up. Its five wins over Power 5 opponents have been by an average of just 5.4 points/game. So we clearly don't like them in this spot as they're laying points to what should be a motivated Florida State team in the Sun Bowl. The Seminoles can only hope Mike Norvell, who moves over from Memphis, can be the kind of coach Edwards has been for ASU. But for this game they'll be playing for an interim, Odell Haggins, who at least gets to stay on Norvell's staff. Both teams are going to be without their starting running backs here as Cam Akers and Eno Benjamin have elected to get ready for the NFL Draft instead of play this game and risk injury. There are going to be other key absences for the Sun Devils. WR/KR Brandon Aiyuk is also going pro. Their defensive coordinator also left to be the head coach at New Mexico. Grab the points in this one. Play on FLORIDA STATE AAA |
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12-31-19 | Kentucky +3 v. Virginia Tech | Top | 37-30 | Win | 100 | 12 h 34 m | Show |
This is a 10* on KENTUCKY Unless folks are feeling extra sentimental over the swan song of long time Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster, we don't understand this line move at all. Obviously, Foster's defense is going to want to send him out a winner. But you can look for the Hokies to struggle to contain UK quarterback Lynn Bowden, whose college career is also coming to an end in this game (going pro). Since Bowden became the starter, this Wildcats offense has been much better. They've averaged an amazing 352 rush yards/game. While the vast majority of the talk about defense will center around Va Tech and Foster leaving, the irony is that Kentucky has the better stop unit. They allow 18.4 points/game (Virginia Tech allowing 23.7), which is 12th best in the country. SEC team averaged only 330 yards/game vs. Kentucky. The Wildcats were something of a pointspread juggernaut this year going 9-3 against the spread. Virginia Tech is 1-6 straight up and against the spread its last seven games with a spread of three points or less. Play on KENTUCKY AAA |
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12-30-19 | Pistons +10 v. Jazz | Top | 81-104 | Loss | -107 | 13 h 35 m | Show |
This is a 10* on DETROIT Without question, the last couple weeks have gone very differently for these two. Detroit is 1-6 SU and ATS its last seven games, the only win coming against a bad Washington team. Two nights ago in San Antonio they suffered another embarrassing setback, falling by 27 (136-109). Utah has won seven of eight (4-2-2 ATS) and is off an impressive win over the Clippers where they held Kawhi Leonard and Paul George to a combined 12 of 44 shooting. But coming off a win where they were seven-point underdogs, we don't like the idea of the Jazz laying this big number even if they are facing a struggling opponent. They're 0-5 ATS this year after a double digit win. (Final score vs. Clippers was 120-107). They've not been especially great as a large favorite either. They're just 2-6 ATS when laying eight points or more. Detroit has only been outscored by 2.1 points/game this year. They should be motivated here. Play on DETROIT AAA |
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12-30-19 | Tulane v. Memphis -15 | Top | 73-84 | Loss | -112 | 12 h 51 m | Show |
This is an 8* on MEMPHIS Despite getting only three games from James Wiseman, Memphis has looked great this year in rising to #9 in the polls. The Tigers have won nine in a row since their only loss (Oregon) and are coming off two straight blowouts of overmatched teams. Saturday saw them win 97-55 against New Orleans despite committing 27 turnovers. Defense though bailed them out. Tigers opponents are making just 38.8% of two-point attempts, which is the second lowest percentage in the country. From three, opponents are making just 26.5%, which is inside the top 10. Memphis does a great job at turning opponents over as well while playing at a fast tempo. Here they take on a Tulane team that is coming off two straight losses that were by a combined five points. Those losses occurred in D.C. as part of a Holiday Tournament. Not even an eight-day break will be enough to save the Green Wave though. We think this should be an easy 20+ point win for Memphis, who has covered six of the last seven times as a home favorite of at least 12.5 points. Play on MEMPHIS AAA |
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12-30-19 | Green Bay v. Northern Kentucky -5.5 | Top | 73-59 | Loss | -109 | 10 h 7 m | Show |
This is a 10* on NORTHERN KENTUCKY The Horizon League has fallen substantially since the days when Butler proudly carried its banner. As conference play begins, you should consider Wright State and Northern Kentucky to be the two favorites. We like one of those two night as Northern Kentucky hosts Green Bay. The Norse are 9-4 and coming off a 10-pt win over Milwaukee in the conference opener. That was Saturday at home. Holding their opponents to 2 of 17 shooting from three-point range was big as was the 31 points from Tyler Sharpe. With the exception of its loss at UNC Greensboro (a good team) right before Christmas, the Northern Kentucky offense has been very consistent. Look for a big offensive night this evening as Green Bay is giving up over 86 points/game on the road. This will be the third straight roadie for the Phoenix, who have lost five of seven overall. After the New Year, they'll be happy to play five straight games at home. But for now, this is the end of a very brutal stretch that saw them open on the road against the HL's two best teams (lost by 6 at Wright St Saturday) and out of nine total games played in the last month, this will be the 7th away from home. Play on NORTHERN KENTUCKY AAA |
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12-30-19 | Illinois +6.5 v. California | Top | 20-35 | Loss | -103 | 18 h 7 m | Show |
This is a 10* on Illinois Illinois is in a bowl for the first time under Lovie Smith, snapping what was a five-year drought. They last won a bowl game back in 2011. So what this team may lack in talent, it makes up for in motivation. During the regular season, the Illini went 6-1 ATS when they were underdogs and they won three of those games outright, all at +9.5 or higher. On the other side, there were only three times in the regular season where California was listed higher than -2 when facing a FBS team. They went 0-3 ATS in them and lost outright twice. So we're not sure why the Bears are laying so many here. Injuries were a big story for both teams this year and continue to be heading into the bowl game. Cal will be without three starters, the most important being safety Ashtyn Davis, who also doubled as a kick returned. For Illinois, both WR Josh Imatorbhebhe and LB Jake Hansen are gametime decisions. However, the Illini got great news with QB Peters being cleared to play. Disregard the way each team's regular season ended. This is a far more even matchup than the oddsmakers are letting on. Play on ILLINOIS AAA |
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12-29-19 | 49ers -3 v. Seahawks | Top | 26-21 | Win | 100 | 31 h 29 m | Show |
This is a 10* on SAN FRANCISCO The final Sunday night game of the NFL's regular season will decide who wins the NFC West and who will have home field advantage for the playoffs on the NFC side. If you ask us, San Francisco deserves both accolades. They have not only a much better point differential than Seattle; they have been the best team in the NFC all year. The 12-3 49ers have outscored opponents by 164 points. The 11-4 Seahawks have outscored their opponent by only 12 points. The key to Seattle's season has been a 10-1 record in games decided by eight points or fewer. The most critical of those wins came Week 10 in San Francisco, 27-24 in overtime. That has them in position to win the division because of head to head tiebreaker. But they have to win this game. We don't see that happening. The Seahawks have lost two of their last three games. Both losses were bad and against NFC West teams. They lost by two touchdowns last week to Arizona at home. Injuries have hit both of these teams hard late in the season, but Seattle's RB group is so decimated that they were forced to sign Marshawn Lynch! Niners TE George Kittle did not play the first time these teams met. Seattle's defense actually gives up 29.0 points/game at home. Play on SAN FRANCISCO AAA |
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12-28-19 | Northern Arizona +7.5 v. Montana | Top | 72-79 | Win | 100 | 11 h 18 m | Show |
This is a 10* on NORTHERN ARIZONA Northern Arizona has been a bit of a hidden gem this College Basketball season. The Lumberjacks are 4-0 ATS their last four games, winning three of them outright and only losing by two in the other. They were underdogs in all four games, just as they are tonight for the Big Sky Conference opener against Montana. NAU has actually been favored in only one game all season and ironically they lost it, 85-66 to UC Davis. The last loss was to Pepperdine, but that was by just two points. The only other loss was to Arizona in the very first game of the season. This will be NAU's fourth straight time playing on the road, but having had a week in between games, that's not a huge deal. Montana isn't exactly in peak form right now as they've lost two straight and three of four. All losses were on the road, but we still don't think the Grizzlies should be laying so many points against a dangerous dog in the first conference game. Northern Arizona has covered its last two trips to Missoula. Play on NORTHERN ARIZONA AAA |
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12-28-19 | Grizzlies +9 v. Nuggets | Top | 110-119 | Push | 0 | 8 h 46 m | Show |
This is a 10* on MEMPHIS We played against Christmas night and they lost outright to what most feel is a pretty bad New Orleans team. That was at home and they lost by 12 as a nine-point favorite. It's a pretty similar matchup for the Nuggets today vs. Memphis and we don't like them to cover this one either. The Grizzlies come in having just upset Oklahoma City. That was the day after Christmas and they won 110-97 as a six-point underdog. While Denver had won seven straight before losing to the Pelicans, that win streak required some come from behind efforts against less than stellar teams. Five of those wins came by a margin less less than this pointspread here. Despite being 13-4 SU at home, the Nuggets are just 6-9-2 ATS. Memphis actually doesn't have much dropoff on the road compared to their numbers at home. They've won six of the last 10 games overall straight up. Other than a dismal showing at home vs. San Antonio last week, they've been in every one of those games. Play on MEMPHIS AAA |
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12-28-19 | Oklahoma +14 v. LSU | Top | 28-63 | Loss | -110 | 23 h 21 m | Show |
This is a 10* on OKLAHOMA We've watched as this line has gone up ... and up. After thinking some, it's just too high. Oklahoma isn't a team you'll find too often in the underdog role, let alone getting this many points. Ironically, it has happened each of the last two years in the Playoff. Last year they lost to Alabama 45-33 but covered a spread that was pretty similar to this one. The year before they did not cover but were a small underdog to Georgia and that game went to double overtime. The Sooners only loss this year was by seven points (at Kansas State). QB Jalen Hurts has previous Playoff experience with Alabama. LSU's Heisman winner Joe Burrow is making his first Playoff appearance. Not going to sit here and tell you that LSU has any glaring weaknesses (because they don't). But this is too many points to lay to an Oklahoma team that averages 43.2 points/game, a comparable number to LSU's more ballyhooed offense. Look for this game to be decided by single digits. An injury at RB definitely won't help the favored Tigers. Oklahoma's defense is much improved from a season ago. Play on OKLAHOMA AAA |
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12-28-19 | Louisville v. Kentucky -1.5 | Top | 70-78 | Win | 100 | 7 h 46 m | Show |
This is an 8* on KENTUCKY Kentucky comes in having lost its last two games. Those losses were to Utah and Ohio State, both out in Las Vegas. Both were also decided by six points or less. Before that, UK had lost only once all year. It was here at Rupp Arena (to Evansville!), but again it was a close game. So we're dealing with a team whose three losses have been by a total of 12 points. Now they return home to face rival Louisville. This will be the first true road game for the Cardinals, whose only loss was to Texas Tech, 70-57 at Madison Square Garden. So UK's three losses have come by a smaller margin than Louisville's one. While Louisville did beat Michigan, their list of opponents has not been as strong as Kentucky's. UK beat Michigan State in the season opener. This rivalry has belonged to the boys in blue over the last decade as the Wildcats are 9-1 ATS the last 10 meetings. They won by 13 last year and by 29 here in Lexington the year before that. Home court matters for a desperate Coach John Calipari. Play on KENTUCKY AAA |
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12-27-19 | Oklahoma State v. Texas A&M -5.5 | Top | 21-24 | Loss | -120 | 30 h 6 m | Show |
This is a 10* on TEXAS A&M A lot of bettors might feel that a spread approaching a touchdown seems like a lot for what looks a matchup of two "evenly matched teams" in the Texas Bowl. But all five of Texas A&M's losses this year were to Top 10 teams (LSU, Georgia, Clemson, Alabama & Auburn) and three of the five teams were ranked #1 at the time the Aggies played them! Safe to say, you won't find a team that took on a more challenging schedule. Some of those lsses were "stinkers," the LSU game especially, but Oklahoma State is not in the same class as those aforementioned opponents. The Cowboys faced only four ranked foes this year and lost to three of them. Much is made that they have the nation's leading rusher in Chuba Hubbard (1936 yards), but Texas A&M's Isaiah Spiller softens the blow of teammate Cordarrian Richardson missing this game. Speaking of absences, OK State won't have leading receiver Tylan Wallace. QB Spencer Sanders will play, but he missed the last two regular season games after undergoing thumb surgery. Mike Gundy has been excellent in bowl games, winning seven of the last nine and three in a row. But so has Jimbo Fisher, who is 6-2 SU with a 52-13 win last year. Play on TEXAS A&M. AAA |
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12-26-19 | Pittsburgh v. Eastern Michigan +13 | Top | 34-30 | Win | 100 | 12 h 57 m | Show |
This is an 8* on EASTERN MICHIGAN It seems as if the narrative surrounding this bowl game is that it's "Pitt's to lose." They are obviously the more talented team and are led by a defense that has 49 sacks and 98 tackles for loss. But will the Panthers be motivated? They did not have a good finish to the regular season, losing to Virginia Tech and Boston College by a combined score of 54-19 in the final two games. That dropped them down the ACC pecking order and gave them this less than desirable bowl locale. But Eastern Michigan isn't complaining as Detroit is just 36 miles from their campus in Ypsilanti. So it's a home game of sorts for them. It's also another chance to notch their first bowl win since 1987 (California Raisin). That's the program's one and only bowl win. They've had two chances in the last three years, but came up just short both times. They lost last year's Camellia Bowl by two points to Georgia Southern and 2016's Bahamas Bowl by four points to Old Dominion. But they did cover both of those games. This is the just fourth bowl ever for the Eagles and the first time they've ever been bowling in consecutive years. So motivation will not be an issue for them. We're not even sure Pitt has an offense capable of covering a double digit spread. They only average 20.1 points/game. The Eastern Michigan offense is led by QB Mike Glass, who completed over 67% of his pass attempts and seven different receivers had more than 20 catches. Play on EASTERN MICHIGAN AAA |
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12-25-19 | Pelicans +9.5 v. Nuggets | Top | 112-100 | Win | 100 | 15 h 1 m | Show |
This is an 8* on NEW ORLEANS It's been a pretty ugly first two months of the season for New Orleans. Top draft choice Zion Williamson hasn't played a game and his teammates have managed to win only eight of 31 games. But there's been a glimmer of hope recently in that the Pelicans have won two of their last three games and the only loss was by four points. They've suffered just two double digit losses in the last seven games and one was to Milwaukee. So even though they are a decided underdog tonight in Denver, don't be scared to take the points. The Pelicans beat the Nuggets in the first game of the season, 122-107 as a four-point home dog. While Denver storms into Christmas on a seven-game win streak, they are just 3-3-1 ATS in those games and none of the spreads that they covered were as large as this one. When off three or more straight wins, the Nuggets are just 3-7 ATS this season. Play on NEW ORLEANS AAA |
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12-25-19 | Celtics v. Raptors +3.5 | Top | 118-102 | Loss | -105 | 16 h 55 m | Show |
This is a 10* on TORONTO Boston and Toronto come into Christmas vying for that #2 spot in the Eastern Conference pecking order (behind Milwaukee of course). Right now, it belongs to Boston, who has won three in a row and seven of nine this month. Most of these wins have come at home, however. Toronto has been a difficult place to play for the Celtics as they are 0-4 SU and ATS here the last two seasons. Overall, it's been eight straight defeats in Canada. The Raptors are without Pascal Siakam right now, but they've been playing undermanned and thus undervalued much of the year. This is a team that's gone 13-3 at home. They haven't lost a game in regulation in two weeks, so we can't pass up the opportunity to take points with them. Play on TORONTO AAA |
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12-24-19 | BYU -1.5 v. Hawaii | Top | 34-38 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 33 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on BYU Obviously, this is a home game for Hawaii. But that doesn't necessarily guarantee victory on its own. The Warriors last four bowl appearances have all come in the Hawaii Bowl and three of them have resulted in losses. The most recent was last year to Louisiana Tech, 31-14. We think BYU is disciplined enough to avoid the distractions of going out to Honolulu for Christmas Ever and come away with a victory here. The Cougars are 7-5 with wins over Tennessee, USC and Boise State. Hawaii has the edge on offense with QB McDonald, but BYU is better defensively by a wider margin. In the last three games, BYU allowed just 277 yards/game. They have not allowed more than 24 points in any game since October. The Hawaii defense gives up 6.9 yards per play. While BYU scored only three points against San Diego State in the regular season finale, that was against one of the top defenses in the country and they actually rolled up over 400 yards (couldn't finish drives). One final thing to consider is that Hawaii turned the ball over 30 times in 14 games. Their turnover margin for the year was worse than all but three teams in the entire FBS. Play on BYU AAA |
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12-23-19 | Packers v. Vikings -4.5 | Top | 23-10 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 58 m | Show |
This is a 10* on MINNESOTA Barring the Packers losing both this week and next week, the Vikings are going to be a Wild Card team in the NFC. Seeing as Green Bay plays at Detroit next week (Lions have lost eight in a row), it's highly unlikely that they lose out. But Minnesota can accomplish half the task at hand simply by winning tonight as they host the Packers. Green Bay hasn't won in this stadium since it opened and despite their 11-3 record this season, there's a lot of reason to be suspicious of this team. Only four of their 11 wins have been by more than one score. Statistically, they rank in the bottom half of the league in rushing offense, passing offense, rushing defense and passing defense. The Vikings are 6-0 at home, winning those games by an average of nearly two touchdowns per game. It's not just Minnesota where GB has struggled either. They are 0-5 SU and ATS their last five dome games. The Vikings offense is averaging 29.4 points its last 10 games despite receiver Adam Thielen missing much of that time. So don't expect them to skip a beat with RB Cook sitting this week. The Vikings did lose at Lambeau Field back in Week 2, 21-16, but actually dominated that game statistically. This is their chance at revenge. Play on MINNESOTA AAA |
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12-23-19 | Wizards v. Knicks -3 | Top | 121-115 | Loss | -110 | 11 h 36 m | Show |
This is a 10* on NEW YORK The Knicks being favored AND getting a ringing endorsement like this from us is a pretty rare occurrence. But the Wizards are in pretty rough shape here as they have numerous players injured and have lost 12 of their last 15 games. Defensively, Washington is as bad as they come. They've allowed 122.8 points/game those last 15 games as opponents are shooting better than 50% overall and 38% from three-point range. Yes, the Knicks have been blown out two straight games, but those were against Miami and Milwaukee. The Wizards are a team they should beat at home. NY has won its last three games vs. teams that are below .500 including a 143-120 triumph over Atlanta here at Madison Square Garden last week. They'd actually covered four straight games before running into the Heat and Bucks. The Wizards are 4-13 on the road. Play on NEW YORK AAA |
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12-22-19 | Hornets v. Celtics -13 | Top | 93-119 | Win | 100 | 17 h 29 m | Show |
This is a 10* on BOSTON Often you'll find that in the NBA, oddsmakers fail to properly account for the massive discrepancy between the league's best and worst teams. Such is the case in this one. You may be hesitant to call Charlotte one of the league's worst, but the Hornets certainly have "the point differential to prove it" as they're getting outscored by an even six points per contest. That's sixth worst in the entire NBA. The Hornets lost by seven last night at home to Utah. Being in a back to back isn't ideal when traveling to Boston to face the Celtics, who are near the top of the league in point differential. The Celtics are 11-1 at home and did cover the only other time they were asked to lay this many points. That was against Cleveland two weeks ago. It was yet another blowout win at home Friday when the Celtics beat the Pistons 114-93 as a nine-point favorite. That was despite Kemba Walker scoring only two points on 0 of 6 shooting. Expect Walker to shoot a lot better against his former team on Sunday and this should be a blowout for one of the deepest teams in the NBA. Play on BOSTON AAA |
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12-22-19 | Lions +7 v. Broncos | Top | 17-27 | Loss | -109 | 88 h 17 m | Show |
This is an 8* on DETROIT Detroit has definitely fallen on hard times. Seven straight losses (NFL's longest losing streak) amidst a myriad of injuries is tough. The team has actually lost 10 of its last 11 games since a 2-0-1 start. While we would be slightly surprised if the Lions were to win this week, we're also not about to lay a touchdown with a Denver team starting a rookie QB that is 5-9 and just lost 23-3. While the Broncos did win Drew Lock's first two starts, they did not look good last week. Yes, that was against the Chiefs. But here's the issue. This team is not accustomed to laying points. They've been an underdog eight straight weeks. They've been favored in only three games all year. Two of those three times resulted in losses. Not just ATS losses, but SU losses. Half of the Broncos games this year have been decided by seven points or fewer. Five of the seven that weren't were losses. So that's just two wins by more than a touchdown all year. We realize Detroit is struggling. But they can stay close here as they're facing a team that doesn't often blow teams out. The Broncos are 5-13 ATS the last 18 times they've been favored. Play on DETROIT AAA |
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12-22-19 | Davidson +3 v. Loyola-Chicago | Top | 59-56 | Win | 102 | 14 h 24 m | Show |
This is a 10* on DAVIDSON Most are quite familiar with these two mid-major programs. Davidson's most famous alum is former NBA MVP Steph Curry, who led the school on a magical run to the Elite Eight his senior year here. Loyola Chicago, backed by #1 fan Sister Jean, made it one step further - all the way to the Final Four - a few years ago. This year's editions aren't as good as those past teams, but they meet Sunday in Chicago. We feel Davidson is the better team. Yes, the Wildcats have lost five times, but most of those came to really good opponents. Loyola has won five in a row, but their "best" win was either Old Dominion or Ball State. Also, Davidson has been off for exams since December 10th, so they'll come in well rested. Loyola has played twice in the last week, including a neutral site win over Vanderbilt. This is the Ramblers longest win streak since the Final Four team. Davidson won 88-52 in its last game, so they can score. Play on DAVIDSON AAA |
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12-22-19 | Ravens v. Browns +11.5 | Top | 31-15 | Loss | -135 | 85 h 12 m | Show |
This is a 10* on CLEVELAND Even for Baltimore, this is too many points to lay to a Cleveland team that has been favored each of its last seven games. Now the Browns haven't done all that well as chalk - at least when they were the road team. Last week they lost at Arizona, their fifth straight road loss. But they've won four straight games here at home. They've also already beaten Baltimore this year - on the road. That was the Ravens last loss - it was all the way back in Week 4 - and probably the Browns best played game of the year. It was 40-25 game where the Browns were a seven-point road dogs. Now they are 10-point home dogs. Not saying there shouldn't be some shifting by the oddsmakers for this rematch. After all, the Ravens are playing for homefield advantage in the playoffs while the Browns postseason hopes are on life support. But unless Cleveland is prepared to quit on coach Freddie Kitchens - and we don't think that's the case - this is too many points for the Browns to be getting at home. Play on CLEVELAND AAA |
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12-21-19 | Rams +7 v. 49ers | Top | 31-34 | Win | 100 | 68 h 27 m | Show |
This is a 10* on LA RAMS You have to feel a bit for the Rams. They've got the same exact point differential as Seattle (+26) yet are three games back in the NFC West, even though they split two games with the Seahawks. Things appeared to be trending up in LA after they beat Seattle 28-12 two weeks ago, on a Sunday night. But then came last week's result. In what was our 10* NFL Game of the Year, Dallas destroyed the Rams 44-21, all but ending the Rams hopes of making the playoffs. In taking the Cowboys, even we did not think it would be that easy as it would end up being. Two of the Rams touchdowns came in the final three minutes when the game was out of reach. But San Francisco lost last week too and that was far more surprising. The 49ers were at home and double digit favorites against a bad Atlanta team. This was the Niners third loss in the last six weeks after an 8-0 start. Seven starters missed last week's game due to injuries. CB's Sherman and Williams are both set to return this week, but we don't like the Niners laying this many points to a desperate Rams team. This is the first time since Week 4 of the 2017 season that a Rams team not resting starters has gotten at least six points. They won that last time outright. Play on LA RAMS AAA |
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12-21-19 | Washington -3.5 v. Boise State | Top | 38-7 | Win | 100 | 93 h 28 m | Show |
This is an 8* on WASHINGTON The only Saturday bowl game with any sort of "national appeal" goes down in Las Vegas with Washington taking on #19 Boise State. There is a tremendous storyline for this game as Chris Petersen, who built the Boise State program to national prominance, will be coaching his final game at Washington. While Boise is the ranked team, we agree with the oddsmakers that Washington is better. Yes, it was a disappointing 7-5 season for Petersen in Seattle. But four of those five losses came by six points or less and two of them were blown leads against Oregon and Utah. As a favorite, the Huskies are 7-3 straight up and against the spread. Boise State has the better record (12-1) but that was against a much weaker schedule than what Washington faced. The Mountain West was pretty down this year. The Broncos may be a little disappointed from getting left out of a "New Year's Six" bowl. We also question how much they'll want to beat their former coach in his final game! Washington has lost its last three bowls, so their motivation will be through the roof in Petersen's final game. The defensive numbers of these two teams are pretty similar, but remember Washington faced a much tougher slate of offenses. Play on WASHINGTON AAA |
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12-21-19 | Northern Kentucky v. NC-Greensboro -7 | Top | 50-67 | Win | 100 | 7 h 18 m | Show |
This is a 10* on UNC Greensboro As a five-point underdog, UNC Greensboro just recorded a nice 55-54 win up in Vermont. As you can tell from that score, the Spartans did an excellent job defensively, holding the Catamounts to 21.4% from three-point land. It wasn't exactly a banner shooting night for UNC Greensboro themselves, but they'll take the quality road win. Tonight the return home to face a Northern Kentucky team that comes in on a bit of a roll. The Norse have won three in a row and covered four straight. They have some road wins to their credit, but they haven't scored much in those games and the defensive effort we saw from UNC Greensboro against Vermont was definitely not a "one-time thing." They are allowing just 56.8 points per game for the season. That's top 10 in the country. The Spartans have also won 37 of their last 42 home games. Play on UNC Greensboro AAA |
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12-21-19 | Liberty +5 v. Georgia Southern | Top | 23-16 | Win | 100 | 88 h 29 m | Show |
This is a 10* on LIBERTY The Cure Bowl in Orlando pits 7-5 Liberty against 7-5 Georgia Southern. Liberty is an independent (no conference affiliation) and it's pretty impressive they got to a bowl in just their second season at the FBS level. The Flames don't exactly have the most impressive resume as they were just 1-4 against bowl teams, but we like Hugh Freeze's team getting points here. Georgia Southern also got here by mostly beating up the weaklings on their schedule. They were 5-3 in the Sun Belt. Without question, their most impressive win came on a Thursday night at Appalachian State. The Eagles were the only team to beat the Mountaineers in the regular season. Outside of that signature win though, there doesn't seem to be much difference between GSU and Liberty. The Eagles do have the nation's eighth ranked rushing offense and are 2-0 all-time in bowls. But they are averaging only 23.3 points/game on the road, making them a shaky favorite. Look for Liberty to stay inside the number. Play on LIBERTY AAA |
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12-20-19 | James Madison v. Fordham -3 | Top | 75-69 | Loss | -109 | 11 h 37 m | Show |
This is a 10* on FORDHAM Fordham is currently on a streak the likes of which you rarely see. The Rams have lost their last three games, all at home and all as favorites. Those losses were to Manhattan, Bryant and Tennessee State. The good news, if there is one, is that every game was close. All three losses were by eight points or less and by a total of 14 points. One was an overtime game. Two saw them blow halftime leads. So it's not as if the Rams are being blown out. Tonight they try again as home favorites, this time against James Madison. The Dukes won big on Monday, beating Charleston Southern by 21. But that was at home. Three of their four road games have resulted in double digit losses while the one win (over Old Dominion) was by two points as an 11-point underdog. Can't see Fordham losing a fourth straight game as a home favorite and with the number being so small, we'll lay it. Play on Fordham AAA |
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12-20-19 | Buffalo -6.5 v. Charlotte | Top | 31-9 | Win | 100 | 67 h 25 m | Show |
This is a 10* on BUFFALO Two schools that have never even won a bowl game kick off the 2019-20 bowl season as Buffalo takes on Charlotte in the Bahamas Bowl. This is Charlotte's first ever bowl game. The 49ers have only been playing football since 2013 and got to the FBS level in 2015. This, their fifth season in Conference USA, proved to be their first winning campaign as they finished a surprising 7-5 overall and 5-3 in conference play. They are one of seven Conference USA teams in a bowl. Buffalo also brings a 7-5 record to the Bahamas. They were 5-3 in the MAC and one of seven teams from that conference to get into a bowl game. The Bulls are 0-3 SU all-time in bowls, the most recent loss coming last year in the Dollar General Bowl, 42-32, as a one-point favorite to Troy. We'll lean on UB's previous bowl experience as a motivating factor plus they have the better defense. The Bulls allow less than 300 yds/game and set a school record with 38 sacks. Charlotte's defense allows significantly more points and yards and is going to have to figure out a way to stop a Buffalo offense that reached 40 points in each of its last four wins. Play on BUFFALO AAA |
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12-19-19 | Nets +3 v. Spurs | Top | 105-118 | Loss | -115 | 22 h 43 m | Show |
This is a 10* on BROOKLYN Brooklyn somehow escaped New Orleans with a win on Tuesday. By their own admission, they were "pretty bad offensively" against the Pelicans, but a strong defensive effort led them to a 108-101 win in overtime. Now beating a team that hadn't won a game in almost a month is no cause for celebration. But remember the Nets are shorthanded. Kyrie Irving and Caris LeVert remain out with injuries and Kevin Durant is unlikely to play this year. Thankfully Spencer Dinwiddie has stepped up, averaging 24.3 points/game in Irving's absence. The Nets are 11-5 SU so far without Kyrie and are a solid seventh in the Eastern Conference. They are also playing great defense, holding the last five opponents to an 103-point average on 39% shooting. Despite the injuries, we still see them as the better team compared to San Antonio, who has been a disaster at the betting window all season with a league-worst 6-18 ATS record. After playing a league-record four consecutive overtime games, the Spurs blew a 25-point lead on Tuesday and lost in Houston. This is a team running on fumes and we'll take the points here. Play on BROOKLYN AAA |
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12-19-19 | UTEP v. Houston -10 | Top | 57-77 | Win | 100 | 21 h 8 m | Show |
This is an 8* on HOUSTON Houston comes into this all-Texas matchup way undervalued as we had the spread several points higher. Some have already caught onto this as the Cougars have been bet up a bit this morning. But it's still not enough for UTEP to finish in the money Thursday. UTEP may be 8-1 straight up, but they haven't really played anybody (that's good) and they've left El Paso just one time. That one time just so happened to result in the Miners only defeat, which came at the hands of New Mexico State. It's a big step up in class tonight facing Houston, who is in an angry mood after losing to Oklahoma State on Sunday. The Cougars were seven-point favorites, but they went down 61-55 on a poor shooting night (31.1 FG%). Prior to that, their only two losses were to Oregon (top 10 team) and by 1 to BYU. We view this team as being a bit of a "sleeping giant" right now and UTEP is coming to town at the wrong time. At home, Houston is holding opponents to a 35.0 field goal percentage. Play on HOUSTON AAA |
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12-18-19 | Heat +7.5 v. 76ers | Top | 108-104 | Win | 100 | 10 h 17 m | Show |
This is a 10* on MIAMI Philadelphia is getting a lot of respect here because they are undefeated at home. Their perfect 14-0 record at the Wells Fargo Center certainly should carry some weight as no other team in the NBA can claim to still be perfect at home. But Miami is a worth adversary and certainly capable of winning this game. It just so happens the 76ers are off their worst loss of the year. A severely depleted Brooklyn team beat them by 20 on Sunday. Now the Sixers didn't have Embiid, who should be returning tonight. But the Heat are a lot tougher than the Nets, even though they (Miami) just lost at Memphis two nights ago. Prior to that, the Heat hadn't lost to a team with a losing record all year. So they're in bounce back mode just like Philly is and taking the points seems to be the best option in this battle of top five Eastern Conference teams. The Heat are 3-1 ATS this year after giving up 115+ points in their last game. The Sixers didn't do well the only other time they were off a double digit loss, losing to Oklahoma City the next time out. Play on MIAMI AAA |
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12-18-19 | Illinois-Chicago v. Illinois State -5.5 | Top | 66-67 | Loss | -105 | 10 h 14 m | Show |
This is a 10* on ILLINOIS STATE Each team is coming off a double-digit loss. UIC got beat by 21 at DePaul, snapping what had been a three-game ATS win streak. The Flames are now 4-7 and find themselves playing back to back true road games for the first time. It's not a long trip to face Illinois State, who is 4-6 after taking a 15-point loss down at Northern Kentucky on Sunday. What we are leaning on for this one is the home team's defense. The Redbirds give up only 63.2 points/game at home. UIC is giving up 79.4 points/game on the road. With this game taking place in Normal, we don't think Illinois State is favored by nearly enough. Certainly, they remember getting blown out by UIC 94-75 last season. Before that, it had been Illinois State winning the last seven matchups. This spread just seems too low for a game the home team should win pretty comfortably. Play on ILLINOIS STATE AAA |
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12-18-19 | East Tennessee State +10.5 v. LSU | Top | 74-63 | Win | 100 | 9 h 18 m | Show |
This is an 8* on EAST TENNESSEE STATE East Tennessee State has lost just two times this year. One was to Kansas where they stayed inside 15-point spread. The other was an upset loss at North Dakota State 11 days ago. Having already successfully bounced back from that second defeat (easily beat Milligan College 97-41), the Buccaneers now set their sights on LSU, their first Power 5 opponent since the Kansas game. LSU has also lost just twice and both were by just two points. The Tigers have been rolling of late, winning and covering four straight. During that win streak, they've shot the ball ridiculously well as in over 54%! Don't look for that percentage to hold up tonight against the toughest team they've faced in awhile. East Tennessee State is a legit team and getting points for only the second time all year. They are 19-8 ATS in non-conference games while LSU is 10-25 ATS the last 35 times it has been a home favorite of 9.5 to 12 points. Play on EAST TENNESSEE STATE AAA |
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12-17-19 | Miami-FL v. Temple -1.5 | Top | 78-77 | Loss | -109 | 12 h 50 m | Show |
This is an 8* on TEMPLE This game is part of the Hall of Fame Invitational at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Miami enters on a two-game win streak, but there are some real underlying defensive issues with this Hurricanes team as it has given up an average of 76.2 points in last five games with the last four opponents combining to shoot better than 52% overall. That's bad news when getting set to face a Temple team that just hung 108 points on St. Joe's a week ago. The Owls are well rested as that St. Joe's game took place seven days ago. Miami played Saturday. While it was only a home game vs. Alabama A&M, they still gave up 74 points on 51.7% shooting. The Canes last two neutral site games both resulted in blowout losses, by a combined 45 points, to Florida and UConn. Temple's two losses this year were each a result of poor shooting nights, but that's not going to be the case here. They shot 62.7% against St. Joe's. Miami is 3-11 ATS its last 14 neutral site games. Play on TEMPLE AAA |
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12-17-19 | Kings v. Hornets +4.5 | Top | 102-110 | Win | 100 | 10 h 16 m | Show |
This is a 10* on CHARLOTTE Sacramento rolled to a 100-79 victory over Golden State in its last game. Because it was such an easy win (we had the Under), the Kings now find themselves favored by more than they should be tonight in Charlotte. While its true the Kings have now won four of five, three of those wins were by a total of six points. This is actually their fourth straight game being favored, but before blowing out the Warriors, they'd failed the previous two times and were 0-3 ATS L3 as chalk. The Kings were seven-point favorites over the Hornets at home back on October 30th and lost that game straight up, 118-111. Surprisingly, the Kings are 3-0 ATS as road favorites this year, but this should be closer to a pick 'em as we're getting value on Charlotte due them suffering a blowout loss at Indiana on Sunday. Play on CHARLOTTE AAA |
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12-16-19 | Loyola Marymount v. UC-Davis | Top | 65-67 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 10 m | Show |
This is an 8* on LOYOLA MARYMOUNT Loyola Marymount is looking to win for a third straight time tonight. To do so, they'll have to make the short trip over to UC Davis. The home team has covered five in a row, but all of those ATS wins came as underdogs of at least 3.5 points. They were getting at least six points in four of the games. Tonight the oddsmakers generosity isn't there for the Aggies, who did not fare well against Loyola Marymount last season when they lost to them by 18 on the road. They were eight-point underdogs for that matchup. Loyola Marymount has lost both of its road games so far, but this is a weaker opponent than either Nevada or Colorado. In home games where the spread is three points or less, UC Davis is 1-6 straight up and against the spread. LMU is shooting the basketball very well (51.5 FG%), which is more than we can say for UC Davis, who is at just 45.2%. Lions roar in this one. Play on LOYOLA MARYMOUNT AAA |
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12-16-19 | Spurs v. Rockets -10 | Top | 107-109 | Loss | -109 | 11 h 60 m | Show |
This is a 10* on HOUSTON This is a very bad spot for San Antonio, who has played a NBA record four straight overtime games. Three of those have resulted in wins. One, a double OT affair, saw them beat tonight's opponent. But it was not without controversy. That was the game where referees mistakenly disallowed a James Harden dunk, leading to a wild sequence of events where the Spurs ended up erasing a 22-point deficit. While the Rockets protest of that game was not upheld, they'll get their revenge tonight. Adding fuel to the fire is that they are off an upset loss the other night to Detroit. They shot just 40% in the loss and scored the fewest number of points in a game (107) in nearly a month. The Spurs are a league-worst 5-18 against the spread this year and that includes 0-8 if they scored 115 or more points in their last game. They are coming off a 121-119 win over Phoenix, which was played in Mexico City. That detour "south of the border" is another disadvantage the Spurs are facing and it's really difficult to see them playing well tonight. Play on HOUSTON AAA |
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12-15-19 | Samford v. Hawaii -6 | Top | 73-94 | Win | 100 | 13 h 48 m | Show |
This is a 10* on HAWAII Samford makes the long trip out to Honolulu Sunday night. The Bulldogs just won on the road, 112-90 at Houston Baptist last Saturday. But prior to that, they'd been 0-5 in road games with a couple of losses by more than 20 points. Samford can score, but not surprisingly they don't shoot nearly as well when they're the road team. That's a problem when you're giving up 83.3 points/game (on the road). Hawaii figures to be in a foul mood this evening as it is coming off a 25-point loss at Oregon. That was just the third loss overall for the Warriors, two of them on the road to P5 teams. They are 6-1 at home. This result likely boils down to who's senior guard performs better tonight - Josh Sharkey for Samford or Eddie Stansberry for Hawaii. In the end, we like how Hawaii has been shooting the three-ball recently (averaging 9.3 makes L3 games). For the year, they are second among Big West teams in three-pointers made. Play on HAWAII AAA |
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12-15-19 | Rams v. Cowboys +1.5 | Top | 21-44 | Win | 100 | 90 h 52 m | Show |
This is a 10* on DALLAS The Cowboys have nosedived, losing three in a row for the second time this season. If they were in any other division, their playoff chances might be toast. But the NFC East is a different story. Dallas is still tied with Philadelphia atop the division despite both teams being just 6-7. Next week's game in Philly is likely to determine who makes the playoffs. But more pressing for the 'Boys is this week's home game vs. the Rams. Unlike their opponents, LA comes in with plenty of confidence. They just thwarted the Seahawks 28-12 on Sunday Night Football. But we're still willing to back the Cowboys in this one. The lookahead line had them laying four points. As a result of not only their loss last Thursday (to the Bears), but what the Rams did to Seattle, the line has moved considerably. A couple weeks ago, Dallas not being favored here would have been considered crazy. This is a team that's been an underdog just one time all season and that was at New England where they covered the spread. Remember it was only a few weeks ago when the Rams looked to have more questions than answers as they'd been held to just 35 points over a three-game stretch, which included a humiliating 45-6 home loss at the hands of Baltimore. The Cowboys probably played their worst game of the season last week in Chicago. They've had extra time to prepare here and were 2-0 ATS as a home dog last year, winning both games outright. They are healthy and lead the league in total offense. This is a classic "buy low" situation. Play on DALLAS AAA |
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12-15-19 | Texans v. Titans -3 | Top | 24-21 | Loss | -110 | 50 h 40 m | Show |
This is a 10* on TENNESSEE Tennessee and Houston will play twice over the next three weeks and those two games figure to decide who wins the AFC South. The Titans have come back from the dead, led by Ryan Tannehill, to win six of their last seven games. Both teams are 8-5 on the year. Houston is off a very ugly loss to Denver last week, leaving real questions about where it stands right now. Though we're talking same records, the Titans have a much better point differential. They are +63 while the Texans are only +8. Which do you think is more indicative of a division winner? This first meeting is in Tennessee where the Titans have won four in a row. In Tannehill's seven starts, the Titans offense ranks #2 in the league in scoring. They have scored 31 or more points four straight games. Houston hasn't scored more than 31 points in its last seven games. The Titans have the better defense as well, which is even more true now that J.J. Watt is out for the Texans. Houston has failed to cover eight of the last nine times it has faced a team with a winning record in the second half of the season. Play on TENNESSEE AAA |
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12-14-19 | Northern Arizona +7.5 v. Utah Valley | Top | 79-73 | Win | 100 | 12 h 33 m | Show |
This is a 10* on NORTHERN ARIZONA Northern Arizona has played what we'd call a "light schedule" so far. The Lumberjacks have taken the floor only six times, which is tied for the second fewest in the whole country. Only Iona (5) has played fewer games. Yet NAU still has the same number of wins (4) as their opponent for Saturday (Utah Valley St). The difference is UVSU has lost seven times, more than the total number of games played for NAU! We've got the teams rated pretty evenly, so the chance to grab this many points looks to be a steal. Utah Valley State has lost four in a row and six of seven. The only win came when they were an underdog. So laying points isn't a great option for the Wolverines. Wouldn't you know they are not only 0-4 ATS as favorites this year, every one of those games have resulted in a straight up defeat. Gotta take the points here. Play on NORTHERN ARIZONA AAA |
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12-14-19 | Nets v. Raptors -7.5 | Top | 102-110 | Win | 100 | 12 h 10 m | Show |
This is a 10* on TORONTO Toronto is in its worst stretch of the season, having lost four of five games. They've gone 0-5 ATS and now face division foe Brooklyn, who is 8-2 ATS as an underdog. But with Kyrie Irving set to miss a 14th straight game, I don't see the Nets competing tonight. They just lost to Charlotte, as a 9.5-point favorite, Wednesday. That game saw them blow a 20-point lead. Caris LeVert has missed 15 straight games. Toronto is fully healthy, so the stretch of losing seems oddly timed. But also look at who they've lost to - Houston, Miami, Philadelphia and the Clippers. All of those are top teams. Brooklyn is below average and has lost eight straight times here in Toronto. After shooting poorly the last five games (below 40%), look for the Raptors to get it going offensively tonight. They average 116 points/game at home. Play on TORONTO AAA |
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12-14-19 | Middle Tennessee +17 v. Ole Miss | Top | 64-82 | Loss | -108 | 5 h 3 m | Show |
This is an 8* on MIDDLE TENNESSEE Middle Tennessee probably isn't going to be able to get a win here, but they'll take a cover as they come into this game at 0-6 ATS. The Blue Raiders have played 10 games mind you, but four were not lined. As you might expect, those have been the Blue Raiders best performances. They haven't won any of the six lined contests, but tonight marks just the second time they'll be catching double digits. The first was against Villanova, who is a heck of a lot better than Ole Miss. Prior to last Saturday's 83-67 win over Cal State Bakersfield, the Rebels had looked downright dreadful in a pair of losses to Butler and Oklahoma State. They scored just 37 points vs. OSU and I don't see this being a game where the favorite is going to give a solid 40 minutes. Too many points for a team not rated in the Top 50 to be laying here. Play on MIDDLE TENNESSEE AAA |
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12-13-19 | Colorado -5 v. Colorado State | Top | 56-48 | Win | 100 | 12 h 41 m | Show |
This is a 10* on COLORADO Colorado State losing by 22 at home to San Diego State last week sets the precedent for them not doing well tonight. The Rams looked badly outclassed in that game. That shouldn't have been too surprising considering SDSU is one of the five teams in the country still without a loss. That tidbit is relevant today because it wasn't all that long ago that Colorado was still undefeated. As in this time last week. We called for them to suffer their first defeat of the season last Saturday at Kansas, which they did, and just as we predicted they did not cover the spread either (lost 72-58). The Buffaloes then lost again Tuesday, to a good Northern Iowa team (10-1), a game which they were 9.5-point favorites. After failing to cover in six straight, this is where Colorado gets its mojo back. This is still a ranked team (#24). They were a 13.5-point favorite in this game last year when it was played in Boulder. They might be a better team in 2019. They've already won at Arizona State, so I'm not concerned with Colorado winning on the road. Play COLORADO AAA |
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12-12-19 | Jets v. Ravens -15.5 | Top | 21-42 | Win | 100 | 21 h 22 m | Show |
This is an 10* on BALTIMORE After a couple of close calls with San Francisco and Buffalo, the Ravens should have little difficulty blowing past the Jets Thursday night. We say that knowing full well that QB Lamar Jackson has been bothered by a hamstring injury this week. But the MVP candidate still has more than enough support to get him through this game, against one of the league's worst teams. The Jets could barely get by the Dolphins last week. That's a team Baltimore defeated in Week 1 by a score of 59-10. It's been nine straight wins for the Ravens, five of those coming by 14 points or more. New York simply does not have the capability to hang with the league's highest scoring team. Yes, the Jets have had some big offensive games this year, but those were all against bad teams. This is a team that lost by 16 points to a winless Cincinnati team the last time it was on the road. They are 0-7 straight up and 2-5 against the spread as an underdog of 10 or more points. The Ravens are 1st in scoring and 2nd in total offense. The Jets are 29th and 31st. Total mismatch. Play on BALTIMORE AAA |
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12-12-19 | Austin Peay v. West Virginia -16 | Top | 53-84 | Win | 100 | 10 h 44 m | Show |
This is a 10* on WEST VIRGINIA Look for West Virginia to bounce back from its first loss of the season. They are facing an overmatched Austin Peay team tonight in Morgantown. Saturday they went to St. John’s and lost 70-68 as a four-point favorite. They did the job defensively, holding the Red Storm to 32.7 percent shooting, including 2 of 17 from three-point range. But that effort was undermined by too many turnovers and getting outshot at the free throw line (were -15 in attempts). In a two-point game, that’ll cost you. Austin Peay is 0-4 on the road, losing by an average of 13.8 points per game. The teams the Governors have beaten this year are not anywhere near the same class as WVU. Even in a win over North Florida on Saturday, they struggled defensively by giving up 83 points. Look for the Mountaineers to be more careful with the basketball tonight and they’ll have the free throw edge at home. Play on WEST VIRGINIA AAA |
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12-11-19 | Celtics v. Pacers +1 | Top | 117-122 | Win | 100 | 10 h 4 m | Show |
This is a 10* on INDIANA Winners of four straight, Boston has a 17-5 record. They've also covered the spread the last four games. But here's where we start adding caveats. The Celtics are 10-0 at home. That's where they've played the last three games. The road finds them at a less impressive 7-5. Tonight they're in Indiana to a face a Pacers team that's not to be taken lightly. Coming off a five-game road trip where every game was close (finished 3-2 SU/ATS), the Pacers returned home Monday to face the Clippers. They lost 110-99 as it was a poor shooting night. But the Pacers haven't lost two straight at home all year. They are 9-3 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Boston is a shocking 11-0 ATS vs. teams with winning records this season. But a good number of those games were at home where they are undefeated. Before they won New York on December 1st, the Celtics had failed to cover three straight times as road favorites with two outright losses. Indiana will be taking this game quite seriously. Not that Boston won't. But the Pacers have a score to settle in the sense that they have lost seven in a row to the Celtics, including a four-game sweep in last year's playoffs. Time for some revenge! Play on INDIANA AAA |
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12-11-19 | Yale v. Massachusetts +4.5 | Top | 83-80 | Win | 100 | 9 h 18 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on UMass Massachusetts season started well enough. The Minutemen were a perfect 5-0 going into the Hall of Fame Classic in Connecticut. They lost both games that weekend and haven't recovered since. It's now a five-game losing streak after getting blown out by Harvard this past weekend. They haven't covered in four games. But just one of those five losses was at home and that was by just four points to South Carolina. Poor shooting has doomed the Minutemen during this five-game losing streak and at the same time they've given up at least 80 points in three straight. Yale, who has won five in a row straight up and covered its last eight, comes to Amherst tonight. While this looks like two ships sailing in opposite directions, we're not about to discount the benefits of home court advantage. Yale is playing its third straight road game. This is the most points UMass has gotten for any home game yet. Take the points. Play on UMass AAA |
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12-10-19 | Wisc-Milwaukee v. Kansas -26 | Top | 68-95 | Win | 100 | 11 h 22 m | Show |
This is an 8* on KANSAS Kansas' season started with a 68-66 loss to Duke. Since then, the Jayhawks have looked as good as any team in the country. They've won seven in a row, six of those wins coming by at least 12 points. We used them as our Game of the Week on Saturday as they ended Colorado's unbeaten run with a resounding 72-58 victory. Tonight promises to be among the Jayhawks easiest games to date as they'll be hosting Wisconsin-Milwaukee. While all four of their losses have been by six points or less, the Panthers haven't played anybody close to the caliber of Kansas. Their most recent game was a 56-53 loss at Drake, which took place exactly one week ago. Despite having a week off, the spot is still not great for the underdog here. Before Drake, which was their first real road game, they'd played three games in three days in the Bahamas. The offensive numbers in those last four games aren't very good, which is a concern facing a Kansas team that has held its opponents to 37.7% shooting. The Jayhawks are already winning by an average of 17.7 points/game and this should be their easiest game since facing Chaminade. Play on KANSAS AAA |
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12-09-19 | Thunder +8 v. Jazz | Top | 104-90 | Win | 100 | 11 h 21 m | Show |
This is a 10* on OKC Oklahoma City is in a back to back but this is too many points for Utah to be laying. They lost two All-Stars in the offseason, but the Thunder are hanging tough and a pretty average team. That may not sound like any kind of ringing endorsement, but most were thinking this team was going to finish well below .500. Truthfully, Utah hasn't been a whole lot better than OKC this season. They have. Both teams have outscored the opposition by < than 1 pt per game. The Thunder have won 4 of 5 did go into Portland last night and come away with a 108-96 win as 3.5-point dogs. The Jazz beat Memphis Saturday night, but have lost five of seven overall and both wins were against Memphis. It's been awhile since Utah beat a decent team. Just because the Thunder played last night doesn't mean they should be the big of an underdog. Play on OKLAHOMA CITY AAA |
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12-08-19 | Kings v. Mavs -7.5 | Top | 110-106 | Loss | -110 | 11 h 2 m | Show |
This is a 10* on DALLAS The oddmakers have essentially been "asleep at the wheel" when it comes to the Mavericks team, which just surpassed the Lakers for the best point differential in the Western Conference. Following Saturday's 130-84 beatdown of New Orleans, the Mavs are outscoring teams by 10.3 points per game this season. Thus the oddsmakers probably couldn't make this number high enough for a home date with Sacramento. Dallas is 10-1 straight up and against the spread its last 11 games. Three wins, including yesterday's, have come by more than 40 points! Barring some kind of mental letdown, they should win tonight's home game with ease. The Kings have lost three games in a row, all of them to teams with losing records. This will be a third straight road game for them as well. They are just 3-9 on the road so far. Sacramento actually has the same ATS record as Dallas for the season. Both are 13-8. But the difference is that the Mavericks have seven more straight up wins. The Kings actually swept last year's season series, winning all three matchups. This is a different year. The Kings may be without both De'Aron Fox and Marvin Bagley III. They are in trouble here. Play on DALLAS. AAA |
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12-08-19 | Steelers -1 v. Cardinals | Top | 23-17 | Win | 100 | 51 h 52 m | Show |
This is an 8* on PITTSBURGH Because they are down to their third string quarterback, who is a rookie that came from a FCS school, the Steelers are not being taken all that seriously as playoff contenders. But compared to most teams, they are better suited to still make a run. They shouldn't have much trouble beating the 3-8-1 Cardinals this week. Pittsburgh's success starts with a defense that is allowing just 18.8 points/game. Only five teams allow fewer. Only four allow fewer than the 317.2 yards/game allowed. Now compare that to Arizona, who is last in the league at 426.3 yards/game allowed. Miami is the only team that has allowed more points. Devlin "Duck" Hodges won the Walter Payton Award last year at Samford. That award is given out annually to the top offensive player in the FCS. Moving forward, Hodges is a better option than Mason Rudolph for Mike Tomlin. The Cardinals have just three wins and they are by a combined 10 points. The last one came on October 20th. They aren't going to beat the Steelers. Play on PITTSBURGH AAA |
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12-08-19 | Titans -2.5 v. Raiders | Top | 42-21 | Win | 100 | 51 h 51 m | Show |
analysis soon |
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12-08-19 | 49ers +2.5 v. Saints | Top | 48-46 | Win | 100 | 47 h 27 m | Show |
This is a 10* on SAN FRANCISCO It doesn't happen often, but both teams are 10-2. This is only the fifth such matchup in the last 35 seasons and the first since 2005. San Francisco lost a tough one last week to Baltimore to drop to 10-2. New Orleans won on Thanksgiving, though they didn't make it easy on themselves when they allowed Atlanta to recover two onside kicks. While the records may be the same, other numbers say the 49ers have been the more dominant team. Their point differential is +166, best in the NFC. The Saints point differential is only +50. The Niners outgained the Ravens 6.4 to 4.6 yards per play, which is substantial. The Saints were outgained by the Falcons, had half as many first downs, but managed to force four turnovers. The 49ers defense, which is #1 against the pass, does far better when not facing a mobile QB like Kyler Murray, Russell Wilson or Lamar Jackson. Against all other offenses, they have allowed 221.1 yards (total) and 10.6 points/game. Look for them to have success pressuring Drew Brees, who is not mobile. The better team is getting points and that's a combination we like. After falling from the #1 seed in the NFC because of last week's loss, a win here would put San Francisco right back in the driver's seat. Play on SAN FRANCISCO AAA |
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12-07-19 | Colorado v. Kansas -9.5 | Top | 58-72 | Win | 100 | 10 h 42 m | Show |
This is a 10* on KANSAS We're down to 16 teams that have yet to taste defeat this College Basketball season. One of them is involved here and surprisingly it is not Kansas. Colorado has begun 7-0, but of the 10 unbeatens in action today they are one of just two getting points (Arizona @ Baylor is the other). Certainly, it would appear as if this is the time for the Buffaloes to lose for the first time. The only question is: can Kansas cover the spread? We think so. The Jayhawks have been off since the night before Thanksgiving when they rallied to defeat Dayton in overtime to win the Maui Invitational. Returning to Lawrence - where they have not played since November 19th - should be a big boon. Colorado is just 7-19 SU, 7-18-1 ATS its last 26 road games and this figures to be among the most challenging of all of them. This is their first road game this year. The Buffaloes needed a late 15-1 run to beat back Loyola Marymount Wednesday. They seem ripe for the picking here. Play on KANSAS AAA |
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12-07-19 | Miami-OH +7 v. Central Michigan | Top | 26-21 | Win | 100 | 62 h 19 m | Show |
This is a 10* on MIAMI Central Michigan's only win of 2018 was against Maine, an FCS team. But the Chippewas have gone from 1-11 to 8-4 and MAC Championship Game favorite in just a year's time. Collectively, the MAC was pretty weak this year. So the idea any team would be favored by a touchdown in a Championship Game scenario just doesn't seem right. This line surprised us. Miami finished 7-5 overall and won the MAC East with a 6-2 conference record. Because they wrapped the division up three weeks ago, it meant they had nothing to play for the last two games. They only beat Akron by three and then lost by 14 last week at Ball State. We played against them both times and won! There is no shame in the RedHawks three non-conference losses as they were to Iowa, Cincinnati and Ohio State. The RedHawks are 24-8 straight up their last 34 conference games. Last week saw them rest starters in the second half, which is how a 27-14 halftime lead turned into a 41-27 loss. QB Gabbert got hurt in the 1st half, but is ready to go this week. Both teams were much better at home than on the road in the regular season. But Central Michigan had some bad losses (Buffalo, Western Michigan) and was lucky to beat Ball State after a big comeback. Expect a close game here. Rumors of Central Michigan coach Jim McElwain going to Missouri may be a distraction. Play on MIAMI OHIO AAA |
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12-06-19 | Clippers v. Bucks -3.5 | Top | 91-119 | Win | 100 | 12 h 52 m | Show |
This is a 10* on MILWAUKEE No idea why this early season showdown isn't on ESPN. But we'll be watching as the Bucks bring a 13-game win streak into Friday. They lost just one time in November and that was in the second night of a back to back, by three points, at Utah. Ironically, that last defeat came one night after the Bucks beat the Clippers. It was 129-124 in LA as the Bucks were actually six-point road favorites. Paul George did not play in that game and neither did Kawhi Leonard. The presence of the two LA superstars is not something we feel is enough to stem the tide here in Milwaukee. The Clippers have been a dominant home team so far, going 13-1 straight up at Staples Center. But they are only 3-5 on the road (2-6 ATS). This will be among the toughest road games of the year, if not THE toughest. The Bucks are 9-1 at home. But they're not just winning, they are consistently blowing teams out. Their average margin of victory here in Milwaukee is 15.1 points/game! Look for them to sweep this season series. Play on MILWAUKEE AAA |
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12-06-19 | Magic -3.5 v. Cavs | Top | 93-87 | Win | 100 | 10 h 22 m | Show |
This is an 8* on ORLANDO Cleveland has been the gift that keeps on giving for Orlando. The Magic are already 2-0 against the Cavs this season with those wins have come by 9 and 12 points. For this third meeting, the Magic come in on a three-game win streak. This is the second time Orlando has been on a three-game win streak. The first ended with a 113-97 loss to Toronto. But there's a big difference in facing the NBA Champs and the pitiful Cavs. Cleveland has lost 10 of 11 and was just beaten by 27 here at home Tuesday night. That 27-point loss was to a Pistons team that had not won consecutive games all season. The Cavs were never really in the game and trailed by as many as 35 points. While still under .500 for the year, the Magic have always done one thing well. That's play defense. The number of points they allow - 103.4 per game - is tops in the conference. More encouraging is the way they've increased their own scoring recently. The last two games have seen them post season-highs with 127 and 128 points. Orlando may not have a good road record, but neither does Detroit and they just blew out the Cavs. Look for the Magic to win a season-best fourth straight game. Play on ORLANDO AAA |
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12-05-19 | Cowboys v. Bears +3 | Top | 24-31 | Win | 100 | 23 h 40 m | Show |
This is a 10* on CHICAGO The Bears, like the Cowboys, are 6-6. But they won on Thanksgiving. It was against a 3rd string QB mind you and by only four points, but a win is a win in this league. Dallas lost to Buffalo 26-15, which was their third setback in the last four games. They've lost six of the last nine games. We just aren't of the mindset to be laying points with this Dallas team on the road right now. Just to illustrate how overvalued this team has been, they've been favored in all but one game this year. They have six losses. This is the third straight week that the Cowboys are facing a top five scoring defense. Against New England and Buffalo, they managed just 9 and 15 points. The Bears have not allowed more than 22 points in any of their last six games. Chicago has only covered one of its last eight games, but what you may be surprised to learn is that this is only the third time they will be an underdog. Like Dallas, they've been an overvalued team much of the year. Not anymore. Trubisky has actually played better of late. He's thrown for 979 yards the last four games including a season-high 338 on Thanksgiving. Play on CHICAGO AAA |
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12-05-19 | Rockets v. Raptors -2 | Top | 119-109 | Loss | -109 | 10 h 12 m | Show |
This is a 10* on TORONTO Toronto is a team that continues to be underrated by the oddsmakers. Only the Bucks and Lakers have a better point differential on a per possession basis. Because they lost Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, it was thought the NBA Champs would take a step back this year. That hasn't been the case at all. The Raptors just suffered their first loss at home. It saw them go to overtime with Miami on Tuesday. Given the game went to OT, the fact they lost by 11 points is misleading. They went 0 for 9 from the field in OT, eight of those misses coming from three-point land. Toronto is healthier than its been in awhile with both Serge Ibaka and Kyle Lowry back. Lowry actually returned for the Heat game. In his absence, the team played remarkably well. They'd won seven in a row prior to Tuesday. Houston is also coming off an overtime loss here. Theirs was a 2OT affair. They blew a 22-point lead, which makes things even more painful. There was a controversial call where a James Harden dunk was disallowed and obviously that was the difference in a 135-133 final. The Rockets had their own long win streak last month (eight in a row), but have actually lost four of six since. They are 5-5 on the road. Toronto deserves more respect at home. Play on TORONTO AAA |
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12-04-19 | Ohio State v. North Carolina -4 | Top | 74-49 | Loss | -108 | 13 h 46 m | Show |
This is an 8* on UNC Don't look now but Ohio State is #6 in the country ... in basketball! But the unbeaten Buckeyes will face by far their toughest test of the season tonight when they visit #7 North Carolina. This is Ohio State's first road game. North Carolina finished third in the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament. Friday's 78-74 win over Oregon (a Top 25 team) ended what was an 0-5 ATS streak. The Tar Heels only loss this year was to Michigan in that same Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament. There's no shame in that. Ohio State has covered five in a row. But they are 0-5 ATS all-time vs. UNC. Needless to say, we're going to learn just how good this team is tonight. Our view is that the Buckeyes could be at their "peak" right now and it's a good time to sell on them. This will be their biggest test defensively and while UNC has underperformed offensively (by its standard), they've still scored 75 points in every game besides the loss to Michigan. We can't see OSU going to Chapel Hill and winning. Play on NORTH CAROLINA AAA |
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12-04-19 | Pacers v. Thunder | Top | 107-100 | Win | 100 | 11 h 22 m | Show |
This is a 10* on INDIANA The Pacers deserve to be favorites here and we anticipate they will be by tipoff. They've won six of their last seven games and shot at least 50% from the field in their last five victories. Oklahoma City has actually performed a whole lot better than we thought they would. There was a mass talent exodus in the offseason with Paul George leaving for LA and Russell Westbrook going to Houston. Yet the Thunder are a somewhat respectable 8-11 SU on the year. But they just swept a home and home from New Orleans, meaning they were 6-11. Both wins over the Pelicans were close as it was a five-point win in OKC and a three-point win in NO. Since starting 0-3, Indiana has gone 13-4 with two of the four losses coming by three points or less. The other two were to Houston and Milwaukee, two of the league's better teams. The big key here is that OKC is just 1-7 SU vs. teams that have winning records. Play on INDIANA AAA |
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12-03-19 | UTEP v. New Mexico State -4.5 | Top | 56-59 | Loss | -109 | 13 h 40 m | Show |
This is a 10* on NEW MEXICO STATE This is actually an early season rematch. UTEP won the first game, 65-50 as 2.5-point underdogs. But that was in El Paso. Tonight's visit to Las Cruces marks the first time the Miners have to hit the road this season. UTEP is undefeated (5-0), but has hardly faced the stiffest competition. Three of their wins have come against non-board teams. They beat New Mexico by three. The win over NMSU, which was the second game of the season, was the most impressive so far. But it speaks volumes that they are still underdogs to a 4-4 team they've already beaten. New Mexico State should be plenty motivated tonight. Not just because they are taking the court with revenge, but also because they were upset by George Mason in their last game. As a 5.5-point favorite, they lost 68-64. That game took place out on the Cayman Islands and saw NMSU blow a 12-point halftime advantage. There are several reasons the Aggies lost that first game vs. UTEP. One was they missed 9 of 11 free throw attempts. It was an all-around bad shooting night at 36.8% from the floor. That shouldn't be the case tonight at home. This Aggies team could easily be 6-2 right now and should get its revenge. Play on NEW MEXICO STATE AAA |
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12-01-19 | Celtics -8 v. Knicks | Top | 113-104 | Win | 100 | 7 h 42 m | Show |
This is a 10* on BOSTON Boston took a loss in Brooklyn Friday afternoon, a game in which they didn't even face former teammate Kyrie Irving. Maybe it was the early start, but the Celtics didn't come out sharp and fell behind by 14 points in the first quarter. They never really recovered. It should be a much easier time against New York's other team, the Knicks, who have lost five straight to fall to 4-15. In those five straight losses, NY has scored no more than 104 points. They couldn't even hold a 16-point lead against Philadelphia Friday, losing here at home 101-95. The Celtics remain one of the league's premier defensive teams as they are holding opponents to a 43.2 FG%. They have lost two games in a row just one time this season and those were road games vs. the Nuggets and Clippers. The only previous time they lost a game where they were favored to win, they came back and won the next one by 14 points. This is the third meeting already this season. The Knicks played the Celtics tough in Boston, losing by just two, but also lost at home to them by 23. This is a bottom five team with nothing going for it. Play accordingly. Play on BOSTON AAA |
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12-01-19 | Redskins +11 v. Panthers | Top | 29-21 | Win | 100 | 15 h 34 m | Show |
This is an 8* on WASHINGTON We just don't see Carolina winning this game by double digits. Not after last week's tough 34-31 loss to New Orleans, their fourth loss in the past five weeks. Washington actually won last week, so there's at least some positivity for a 2-win team. The Panthers haven't been a double digit favorite in over three years. Believe it or not, they've been asked to lay this many only six previous times in franchise history! The only two times they were favored by more than a field goal this year came in home games against Atlanta and Tampa Bay. They lost both. There are two key injuries Carolina will have to deal with, both of them season enders. The bigger of the two is to DT Dontari Poe, who had been quite the disruptive presence. The other is along the offensive line with Greg Van Roten. The Redskins defense has actually done a somewhat admirable job recently. They've held four of their last six opponents below 20 points and only one scored more than 24. If they can do that again, then this should be an easy cover. Play on WASHINGTON AAA |
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12-01-19 | Jets v. Bengals +3.5 | Top | 6-22 | Win | 100 | 15 h 34 m | Show |
This is a 10* on CINCINNATI The Bengals are 0-11 (have lost 13 in a row going back to last year), are turning back to Andy Dalton (seems desperate) and are 0-4 ATS this year when getting less than six points. But we're still going to go with them. That may sound suicidal. But consider what we're fading here. The Jets are road favorites just three weeks removed from a 1-7 start. They have won three in a row, scoring 34 in every game. But they are 0-2 ATS as a favorite this season and lost outright both times. Going back more, they are 1-5 SU and ATS their last six times as a favorite. Cincy hasn't won this year, but they've been close numerous times. Over half their defeats have seen them come within one score. In terms of trying to get a win, Dalton is probably better than the ineffective Ryan Finley. The coaching staff was right to see what they had in Finley, but it turns out it wasn't much. Remember that the Jets lost in Miami. Before that, it had been two years since they'd been a road favorite. They lost that time too, 23-0. They have not closed higher than -3 on the road since 2011. Play on CINCINNATI AAA |
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12-01-19 | Army +3 v. Hawaii | Top | 31-52 | Loss | -115 | 26 h 16 m | Show |
This is a 10* on ARMY Army is 5-6 and needs a win to go bowling for a third consecutive season. Hawaii is 8-3 and has the Mountain West Championship Game (vs. Boise State) on deck. This seems like an excellent opportunity to take Army plus the points. Army is also coming off a bye as well as two easy opponents before that. Hawaii just won a hard fought game last week against San Diego State that came down to a missed field goal. The Warriors won 14-11 to clinch their division and thus move onto the Mt West's Championship Game next week. For the record, we were on Hawaii last week. They were our 10* Game of the Week, in fact! When getting set to face Army, an extra week of preparation is beneficial because of the triple option. Well, not only does Hawaii not have the extra week to prepare, they've got to be thinking about next week's game vs. Boise State. That one is more important to these players and coaching staff. As for Army, winning here is all that matters so that they can get to six wins. When coming off a bye, they've gone 6-1 SU/5-2 ATS. They've also covered 9 of 13 as underdogs with five outright wins. Hawaii is 3-6 SU, 2-6-1 ATS coming off back to back wins. Play on ARMY AAA |
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11-30-19 | Youngstown State v. Central Michigan -6.5 | Top | 72-88 | Win | 100 | 7 h 15 m | Show |
This is a 10* on CENTRAL MICHIGAN As a double digit dog, Central Michigan was up 50-32 at halftime on undefeated DePaul Tuesday. Not only did the Chippewas end up not winning, they also failed to cover! A disastrous second half yielded a final score of 88-75. They were getting 11 from the oddsmakers. CMU will need to "dust itself off" as they are back home Saturday to take on Youngstown State. This is a team they defeated last year, on the road, 100-94. They were 8-point favorites, meaning that they didn't cover there either. But it also means we're getting some good value. Here, the Chippewas are favored by less at home than they were last year on the road. Unless there's been some substantial improvement with YSU that we're unaware of, then this line makes no sense. The Penguins have played only one team of any real note, that being Louisville. They lost by 33 points. They've also lost by 22 to Akron and 12 to Louisiana. Both of those were road games. Central Michigan's schedule hasn't been all that impressive either, but they are among the highest scoring teams in the country at 96.1 points/game. Coming off the disappointing loss, we're looking for them to win in blowout fashion here. Play on CENTRAL MICHIGAN AAA |
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11-30-19 | Boston College +9.5 v. Pittsburgh | Top | 26-19 | Win | 100 | 17 h 17 m | Show |
This is a 10* on BOSTON COLLEGE Boston College has won exactly 7 games in five of Steve Adazzio's six seasons here in Chesnut Hill. The outlier season was 2015 when the Golden Eagles went 3-9. To get to 7 wins again this year, they are going to have to first win this week and then a bowl game. There won't be a bowl for B.C. if they lose this week at Pittsburgh. They enter in at 5-6 after losing 40-7 last week at Notre Dame. This will now be the third try for six wins. They also lost at home to Florida State three weeks ago. Fortunately for BC, Pitt doesn't have much to play for here. The Panthers have 7 wins, so they'll be in a bowl. But they were shutout last week, 28-0, by Virginia Tech. We question whether this Panthers team can even score enough to cover a spread this big. They only average 20.2 points/game. None of Pitt's seven wins have been by more than 10 points. With only one meeting as ACC rivals, there's some unfamiliarity here. Pitt has been outscored despite a 7-4 record - by 1.3 points/game. B.C. has a virtually identical scoring differential. So this is a line that should be closer to a field goal. Some real value on a underdog that will be more motivated than the favorite. Play on BOSTON COLLEGE AAA |
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11-29-19 | Bucks -10 v. Cavs | Top | 119-110 | Loss | -115 | 18 h 17 m | Show |
This is a 10* on MILWAUKEE The Cavs aren't a good team. They've lost eight of nine and just got beat here at home by Orlando by 12 points. That doesn't bode well as Milwaukee comes to town Friday night. The Bucks are 15-3 and have won nine in a row. They look every bit as strong as they did last year when they won 60 games. Not only have the Cavs lost eight of nine games, they've also gone 2-7 against the spread. They rank near the bottom of the league both offensively and defensively. Milwaukee beat Cleveland by 17 earlier in the year with seven players scoring in double figures. This is an elite team (maybe the best in the league?) matched up against one of the five worst. Should be easy pickings. Play on MILWAUKEE AAA |
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11-29-19 | Arkansas State v. South Alabama +11 | Top | 30-34 | Win | 100 | 33 h 41 m | Show |
This is an 8* on SOUTH ALABAMA South Alabama is finishing up a terrible season here (Jaguars come in at 1-10 SU), but we're banking on Arkansas State being a disinterested favorite Friday afternoon. Despite having very different records, these Sun Belt opponents may not be as far apart as you think. Arkansas State is 7-4. All they can do with a win here is improve their bowl position. The Red Wolves have won four in a row, but the last three have all been decided by seven points or less. Compare that to poor South Alabama who has generally been competitive, but can't quite get over the hump. Having a freshman QB hasn't helped the Jaguars cause, but at least there have been signs of improvement from Desmond Trotter. Key here is that Arkansas State has a terrible defense. The Red Wolves have allowed the second most yards in the Sun Belt. They allow 34.9 points/game overall and 41.6 points/game on the road. Despite a winning record, they have given up more points than they've scored this year. They've been outgained the last two weeks. South Alabama hasn't beaten a FBS opponent this year. Their only win came against Jacksonville State. But they are playing the final game at home, which should mean some motivation. The last three years have seen the Jaguars go 3-0 in SBC home finales. Arkansas State isn't likely to take this game too seriously. They'll be happy with just winning, but don't look for a blowout. Play on SOUTH ALABAMA AAA |
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11-29-19 | West Virginia v. TCU -13.5 | Top | 20-17 | Loss | -109 | 19 h 51 m | Show |
This is an 8* on TCU TCU has to pick itself up here after a close loss to Oklahoma last Saturday night. Lucky for them is that they have the motivation of needing to win here to get to a bowl game. West Virginia should be happy to oblige. This has been a bad season in Morgantown. The Mountaineers have lost six out of their last seven games. Their hopes of going to a bowl ended last week when they lost at home to Oklahoma State by a score of 20-13. TCU has had its share of close defeats as well. Five of the six times they've lost this year, the final margin has been within a touchdown. But they were in this exact situation last year, needing to win the final regular season game. They did just that, beating Oklahoma State by a touchdown. It's a weaker opponent this time around, one that has nothing left to play for. The Horned Frogs also have some revenge on their minds after losing 47-10 last season in Morgantown. To us, it's not a question of whether or not TCU wins. They will. It's a question of "by how much?" With WVU having gone 5-10-2 its last 17 tries as an underdog, it doesn't look good for them Friday afternoon in Ft. Worth. The home team has won four straight in this rivalry. Play on TCU AAA |
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11-29-19 | DePaul v. Minnesota -3 | Top | 73-68 | Loss | -113 | 14 h 42 m | Show |
This is a 10* on MINNESOTA DePaul pulled off a miracle on Tuesday. Trailing 50-32 at halftime vs. Central Michigan, they rallied not just to win, but to cover as 12-point favorites. The final score was 88-75. The Blue Demons are now 7-0, but are underdogs Friday to a 3-3 Minnesota team. For good reason. Not just is the game on the road, but one of their top rotation players (Devin Gage) is nursing an ankle injury. Only six players saw the floor for more than 10 minutes against Central Michigan. DePaul's defense was also very bad in the 1st half of that last game. They were slow to rotate, constantly falling for pump-fakes and had allowed 50 points by halftime. It was a complete turnaround in the 2nd half, but that's a game they were lucky to win, let alone cover. They were basically down for the first 30 minutes of the game. Minnesota has three losses, but two were on the road and the other to a pretty good Oklahoma team. The Golden Gophers beat Central Michigan in much more convincing fashion last week, winning by 25. All three times Minnesota has been favored, they have covered the spread. Play on MINNESOTA AAA |
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11-29-19 | Miami-OH v. Ball State -3 | Top | 27-41 | Win | 100 | 28 h 42 m | Show |
This is a 10* on BALL STATE The first thing that caught our eye here was that a 4-7 team was favored over a 7-4 opponent. Our raw numbers are in agreement that Ball State is in fact the better team, so we'll be laying the points in this "unique situation." There have been four instances of a 4-7 team (or worse) being favored over a 7-4 team (or better). Sadly for our case, the chalk has never covered. But there are two factors that differentiate this game from all previous incarnations. One is that this is a conference game. Two is that the underdog has a more important game on deck. Miami is playing for the MAC Championship next week, which will be its first appearance in that game since 2007. They do not yet know their opponent. It'll be Central Michigan if the Chippewas beat Toledo, a game that takes place at the same time as this one. The MAC Championship is what is on the players and coaches minds. For Ball State, this is basically their "bowl game" as they've got nothing else to play for. The Cardinals deserve a better fate than staying home for the postseason. They've lost four in a row with three of those losses coming by a total of eight points. There's some revenge in the air in Muncie with Ball State having lost to Miami three years in a row. Note BSU is averaging 41.0 points/game at home. Miami averages just 15.8 points/game on the road. Play on BALL STATE AAA |
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11-28-19 | Saints v. Falcons +7 | Top | 26-18 | Loss | -115 | 95 h 31 m | Show |
This is a 10* on ATLANTA Everyone will be expecting the Saints to exact revenge for their shocking loss to the Falcons three weeks ago. That game saw New Orleans come in as a 14-point favorite and lose 26-9. The 31-point difference between the spread and the final outcome was one of the largest we’ve seen this NFL season. Winning is one thing, but covering the spread is a different outcome. For the Saints, beating anyone by more than a touchdown has been a problem despite their 9-2 record. A 34-31 escape against Carolina last week was the Saints sixth win this year by seven points or fewer. Atlanta had a great follow up to the win over New Orleans. They beat Carolina 29-3. But then last week, they looked more like the team that started the season 1-7. They lost at home to Tampa 35-22. They still haven’t won a home game since Week 2! Getting back to New Orleans lack of domination, they have a point differential of only +42. That might sound alright, but nine teams are better and not all of them have as many wins. Last week easily could have been a loss, but Carolina missed a chip shot field goal. This spread is just too high. The Falcons had been playing so much better before running into a Bucs team that caught fire for one game. Eventually, a home game will be won. Their pass rush swallowed up Drew Brees in the first game and the Saints offensive line is now weaker due to injuries. Atlanta is capable of beating New Orleans twice. PLAY ON ATLANTA AAA |
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11-28-19 | Ole Miss v. Mississippi State -2.5 | Top | 20-21 | Loss | -109 | 53 h 39 m | Show |
This is a 10* on MISS ST This line seems awfully strange given that Mississippi State needs the game to get bowl eligible. Rival Ole Miss is 4-7 SU, so you won't be seeing them in any bowl. Obviously, the Rebels will still come out motivated given who the opponent is. But it's not as if MSU won't feel the same way, if not more so, based on what a loss would mean to them. While its easy to say Miss State has regressed under Joe Moorhead, a lot of talent was lost from last year's team which had the #2 defense in all of the FBS. Especially along the defensive line. The Bulldogs have given up over 2x as many points this year compared to last. But looking at MSU's season, it's easy to see what the problem is. They just didn't fare well against good teams. As underdogs, their record is 0-4 straight up and against the spread. They lost those four games by an average of 26.5 points/game. But the Bulldogs are slight favorites here, as they should be, for a game they have to win. They'll be looking to reverse a trend that has seen the visitor win the last four Egg Bowls. Ole Miss has just two wins since Oct 5th. It was against New Mexico State. Their two SEC wins were against Arkansas and Vanderbilt, each of whom occupy last place in the respective divisions. The only other Rebels win was against a FCS school. As an underdog, they are 0 for 6 (SU) this year. Miss State is the better team and we will play accordingly. Play on MISSISSIPPI STATE AAA |
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11-27-19 | Charlotte v. Georgia State -6 | Top | 78-81 | Loss | -105 | 15 h 42 m | Show |
This is an 8* on GEORGIA STATE Unlike many of the games on the Wednesday slate, this is not a Holiday Tournament. Georgia State welcomes Charlotte to Atlanta with both teams looking to get over .500 for the year. Georgia State is 3-3 while Charlotte is 2-2. Georgia State is a perfect 5-0 ATS, including a cover against Duke. The Panthers will be happy to be back home where they've only gotten to play once so far. That one time was the first game of the season where they blew out Brewton-Parker 104-35. Charlotte lost its last game, 64-55 to Appalachian State. That game took place last Thursday. The 49ers were coming off two straight upsets, one over Davidson and the other over Wake Forest. Both were at home. The last game was a reality check for Charlotte as they were held to 55 points on 36.7% shooting. Can't see them pulling off a third upset in four games here. Georgia State, who has scored 80 points in four of its six games, is going to be extra motivated upon this return home. Charlotte is 0-2 on the road. An afternoon start time is an advantage for the home side. Play on GEORGIA STATE AAA |
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11-26-19 | Wizards +9.5 v. Nuggets | Top | 104-117 | Loss | -102 | 12 h 54 m | Show |
This is a 10* on WASHINGTON Denver is 12-3. They've won five games in a row and nine of their last 10. They were a double digit favorite in their last game and covered the spread (barely), beating a rising Suns team 116-104. Washington is a young team with a 5-9 record. But the Wizards can score. They are averaging 119.1 points/game. Only Milwaukee scores more than that. The Wizards aren't great defensively and they did just drop a home game to Sacramento on Sunday. But they were favorites in that loss and got held to 106 points. Hitting their scoring average here would likely mean a very easy ATS win, given how many points they are getting. Before they lost to the Kings, Washington had covered five straight times. They won three of the five games, including two as underdogs. Denver's defense definitely presents a challenge. But the Wizards are 8-1 ATS as underdogs so far and 6-1 ATS on the road. Because the Nuggets play at the second slowest pace in the league, they aren't likely to break away in this one. Play on WASHINGTON AAA |
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11-26-19 | Mercer v. St Bonaventure -6 | Top | 51-56 | Loss | -110 | 9 h 47 m | Show |
This is an 8* on ST. BONAVENTURE What makes this an interesting matchup is that the underdog is off an upset win while the favorite lost in that same role its last game. We'll use this backdrop and take what the undervalued side on Tuesday, which is the chalk. St. Bonaventure is only 1-4 after losing at Canisius on Saturday. The Bonnies were five-point favorites there and lost 61-57. It was not a good shooting night nor did they do an effective job at rebounding. But before losing to Canisius, the Bonnies did win as underdogs over Rutgers at a neutral site. The problem for this team so far is that they have lost straight all three times they've been favored! The third time may not have been the charm agains Canisius, but we believe the fourth will tonight vs. Mercer. The underdog Bears had not covered the first two times they were underdogs this season, but then sprung a surprise on IL-Chicago Saturday, winning that game 72-68 as 4.5-point dogs. Mercer gives up a lot of points. An average of 80.2 per game to be exact. St. Bonaventure is allowing just 67.8. The favorite is hungry for a win at home where they are 0-2. Bonnies get the win and cover. Play on ST. BONAVENTURE AAA |
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11-25-19 | Tennessee State +19.5 v. San Diego State | Top | 49-62 | Win | 100 | 12 h 43 m | Show |
This is an 8* on TN STATE San Diego State is 4-0 against the spread in addition to being undefeated, so it's no wonder that they are such large favorites Monday night. But the Tennessee State team that are hosting just hung tough with #12 Texas Tech and won't be intimidated in the least. That game at Texas Tech saw Tennessee State lost by only 15 as a 24.5 point underdog. With that cover, the Tigers move to 20-6 ATS the last 26 times they have been a road underdog of 18.5 to 24.5 points. San Diego State's last game against Long Island was not lined. But the Aztecs won by 17. The only game that's been closer for them was the 76-71 upset at BYU where they were a 4-point underdog. Yet consistently winning by double digits is hard in this sport. Tennessee State's only loss besides the one to Texas Tech was by 2 points at UT-Chattanooga. They trailed Texas Tech by only five at halftime. Look for the underdog to stay within the number here. Play on TENNESSEE STATE AAA |
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11-25-19 | Ravens v. Rams +3.5 | Top | 45-6 | Loss | -105 | 23 h 8 m | Show |
This is a 10* on LOS ANGELES Baltimore is really rolling. A six-game win streak has included victories over Seattle, New England and Houston. Granted, they’ve also inflated their point differential at the expense of some bad teams. But there is no denying the Ravens are the hottest team in the NFL right now. But that distinction can often come with a price. That price is catching attention from the betting public. The public has driven this number up as the Ravens are laying a field goal to the Rams in LA. The Rams haven’t been home dogs in quite awhile. The only time it’s happened under Sean McVay was a meaningless Week 17 game back in 2017. The Rams are 3-0 ATS in primetime this year. They beat Cleveland on the road, covered at Seattle and then last week beat Chicago. West Coast teams, because of the body clock issue, have the edge over Eastern counterparts in night games. Over the last four games, the Rams defense has allowed just 44 points. That’s the fewest points allowed by any team the last four weeks. The run by the defense has coincided with the Jalen Ramsey trade. On offense, they’ll be getting WR Cooks back from injury tonight. Baltimore is due for an off game. Our raw number suggest this line should be a pick ‘em. Play on LOS ANGELES AAA |
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11-25-19 | Grizzlies v. Pacers -9.5 | Top | 114-126 | Win | 100 | 9 h 48 m | Show |
This is an 8* on INDIANA Memphis deserves some credit for keeping it close against the Lakers Saturday as they lost by only 1 points. But it was still a third straight loss at home. Playing at Indiana Monday looks to be a mismatch for a team with the third worst scoring differential in the league. Indiana has won two straight and six of eight. The only losses were to Houston and Milwaukee, who are two of the league's better teams. The Pacers seem to have settled in nicely as one of the top six teams in the Eastern Conference, a place where we expected them to be coming into the season. Injuries haven't even really slowed the Pacers down. Victor Oladipo hasn't played at all this year. Malcolm Brogden is expected to return to the lineup tonight. Six Pacers were in double figures in the last game, a 111-106 win over Orlando. Memphis is giving up 117.8 points per game, which is a lot. Only three teams allow more. Indiana is allowing only 98.0 points over its last five games. Play on INDIANA AAA |
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11-24-19 | Pelicans v. Clippers -12 | Top | 109-134 | Win | 100 | 11 h 18 m | Show |
This is a 10* on the CLIPPERS This is a terrible spot for New Orleans. They lost in Utah last night and gave up 128 points despite the Jazz not having Rudy Gobert. Defensive woes are nothing new for the Pelicans. They’ve allowed an average of 119.6 points in all games this season. That’s the second most in the league. Tonight they are up against the Clippers, who have been a dominant home team thus far. LA is 10-1 at Staples Center after beating Houston here on Friday. The Clippers were upset out in New Orleans 10 days ago and so they’ll be looking to exact some revenge tonight. They have gone 6-3-1 ATS their last 10 revenge games. A big spread does not scare us as the Clippers are already winning by more than 10 points/game at home. An opponent that one of the worst defensive teams and played last night should make for easy prey. The Pelicans have been playing short-handed and the Clippers have the highest scoring bench in the entire NBA. New Orleans was down by as much as 20 last night. Play on LA CLIPPERS AAA |
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11-24-19 | Jaguars v. Titans -3.5 | Top | 20-42 | Win | 100 | 44 h 56 m | Show |
This is a 10* on TENNESSEE This is a revenge game for Tennessee. They lost to Jacksonville in Week 3, on a Thursday night, 20-7. They were actually a small road favorite there as the Jags were 0-2 at the time. Jacksonville has not swept the season series since 2005. The Titans have won the last four home meetings and the home team is on a 12-5 ATS run in this rivalry. We’re not convinced about the long-term viability of Ryan Tannehill as the Titans quarterback, but he is 3-1 as the starter. Jacksonville has now dropped both games Nick Foles has started. They didn’t look good last week in a 33-13 loss to the Colts. Foles is 4-10 ATS as a starter in his career in games not with the Eagles. Jacksonville’s defense ranks 29th vs. the run. Titans running back Henry should have a big game. Play on TENNESSEE AAA |