College Basketball Top 25 Saturday Betting Cheat Sheet
Selection Sunday is quickly closing in and teams will need to make an impression in the last week of the regular season if they want to hear their name called on that hallowed day. We break down games with the top teams in the nation and which bubble teams could be looking for a marquee win in our cheat sheet.
(21) Butler Bulldogs at (23) Providence Friars
*Butler standout Andrew Chrabascz will be making his second start since returning from a hand injury. In his first game back he scored just eight points, while Providence held him to a season-low two points in the teams first meeting.
*The Friars have posted a 106-241 (.305) mark all-time versus top-25 teams, including a 1-3 SU and ATS record this season.
LSU Tigers at (18) Arkansas Razorbacks
*With LSU firmly on the bubble, a marquee win visiting a top-25 opponent may very well book their ticket to March Madness.
*Bobby Portis has recorded 20 or more points 11 times this season, and grabbed eight or more rebounds 14 times in his past 16 contests.
Oklahoma State Cowboys at (20) West Virginia Mountaineers
*A win would mark the Cowboys’ third straight road win over a ranked opponent (Texas in Austin, 16 Baylor in Waco). For perspective on that, only once in OSU history have the Cowboys won three consecutive road games over ranked opponents in one season (50-51).
*Both Juwan Staten and Gary Browne are listed as questionable for the Mountaineers Saturday. The two combined for 40 points and 65 minutes of court time in WVU’s first game against the Cowboys this season.
St. John’s Red Storm at (4) Villanova Wildcats
*While D’Angelo Harrison is one of the front-runners for Big East Player of the Year honors, Sir’Dominic Pointer is also on fire following his career high 24-point performance against Georgetown with a double-double against Marquette.
*In an undeafeted month of February (8-0) the Wildcats were 91-of-198 (.460) from beyond the 3-point arc.
Florida Gators at (1) Kentucky Wildcats
*Florida has scored 70 or more seven times this season in a game, with only four of those instances coming in SEC play; and just once in the last 14 games.
*Kentucky continues to face adversity, most recently from Georgia. “It definitely builds confidence to know that we can win a close game because we have guys that have been through this,” Aaron Harrison told reporters “and even our younger guys are mentally tough and ready for it.”
Clemson Tigers at (11) Notre Dame Fighting Irish
*“We almost played like we had a piano on our back a little bit instead of confidently making plays,” Tigers coach Brad Brownell told reporters of the team’s offensive struggles. “That is a little disappointing.”
*The 11th-ranked Fighting Irish will look for their fifth win in six games when they host Clemson in the regular-season finale on Saturday.
Stanford Cardinal at (6) Arizona Wildcats
*Freshman forward Michael Humphrey sprained his left ankle during the loss to Arizona State and is not expected to be available against Arizona. “We’ve grown accustomed to him impacting the game on both ends of the court for us with his shot blocking, as well as his ability to score,” Cardinal coach Johnny Dawkins told reporters.
*Both Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Elliot Pitts are expected to go for the Wildcats. Hillis-Jefferson injured his shoulder in ‘Zona’s last game and Pitts was suffering from an illness.
(10) Kansas Jayhawks at (15) Oklahoma Sooners
*Kansas will be without leading scorer Perry Ellis who sprained his right knee against WVU this week. “He’s responding well to treatment, but he’s definitely not going to play (at Oklahoma),” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “Hopefully by next Tuesday or so we’ll have a better feel on what his status will be for the Big 12 Tournament.”
*OU has flourished at home, posting a +18.4 average scoring margin in its 14 games at Lloyd Noble Center and outshooting its opponents .483 to .366 from the field and .406 to .292 from 3-point range.
(13) Utah Utes at Washington Huskies
*The Utes are one of two teams in the nation that haven’t allowed an opponent to score more than 72 points this season.
*The Utes are 16-1 on their home floor this season but 6-5 on the road.
(2) Virginia Cavaliers at (14) Louisville Cardinals
*The Cavs will be without Justin Anderson again Saturday. The junior was reportedly going to see court time against Louisville just four weeks after a fractured finger, but had an appendectomy this week. Anderson’s status for the ACC tournament in unknown.
*Louisville has won 12 of its last 13 Senior Day games, including last year’s 81-48 victory over eventual national champion and No. 19 ranked Connecticut.
(17) Iowa State Cyclones at TCU Horned Frogs
*The Cyclones can claim second place in the Big 12 a number of ways, with the simplest coming via a win over TCU and a Kansas win over Oklahoma. If the Cyclones stumble, however, a loss could drop them as low as fourth in the standings, setting them up for an early game in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 tournament slated for March 12.
*The Frogs rank in the top-30 in the NCAA in blocks per game (No. 17), field goal percentage defense (No. 27) and total blocks (No. 16).
(3) Duke Blue Devils at (19) UNC Tar Heels
*Duke’s starting backcourt of Tyus Jones and Quinn Cook combined for 44 points in last month’s victory while North Carolina guards Marcus Paige and Justin Jackson were held to a total of seven points.
*Brice Johnson posted his eighth double-double of the season and his seventh against an ACC opponent when he had game highs with 22 points and 11 rebounds at Miami last Saturday.
POINTWISE
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
KEY RELEASES
BOISE STATE over Fresno State (Sat) RATING: 1
RICHMOND over Saint Louis (Sat) RATING: 1
DAVIDSON over Duquesne (Sat) RATING: 2
NORTH CAROLINA over Duke (Sat) RATING: 2
CLEMSON over Notre Dame (Sat) RATING: 3
UTAH STATE over Colorado State (Sat) RATING: 3
NEVADA over San Diego State (Sat) RATING: 4
VIRGINIA TECH over Miami-Fla (Sat) RATING: 4
SATURDAY, MARCH 7 SCORE
(12:00) Michigan State 67 – INDIANA 55 (ESPN) _____ _____
(12:00) TEMPLE 71 – Connecticut 61 (ESPN2) _____ _____
(12:00) VIRGINIA TECH 69 – Miami-Florida 66 _____ _____
(12:00) NORTH CAROLINA STATE 78 – Syracuse 74 (CBS) _____ _____
(12:00) GEORGETOWN 76 – Seton Hall 61 (FOX 1) _____ _____
(12:00) FLORIDA STATE 72 – Pittsburgh 63 _____ _____
(12:00) PROVIDENCE 65 – Butler 59 _____ _____
(1:00) ARKANSAS 80 – Lsu 79 (ESPN) _____ _____
(2:00) TEXAS A&M 67 – Alabama 57 (FSN) _____ _____
(2:00) KENTUCKY 89 – Florida 66 (CBS) _____ _____
(2:00) RHODE ISLAND 74 – St Josephs 62 _____ _____
(2:00) GEORGIA STATE 68 – Georgia Southern 56 _____ _____
(2:00) DePaul 63 – MARQUETTE 59 _____ _____
(2:00) VILLANOVA 91 – St Johns 68 (FOX 1) _____ _____
(2:00) OKLAHOMA 84 – Kansas 77 (ESPN2) _____ _____
(2:00) TEXAS 70 – Kansas State 66 _____ _____
(2:00) Xavier 79 – CREIGHTON 71 (FOX 2) _____ _____
(2:00) WEST VIRGINIA 72- Oklahoma State 57 _____ _____
(2:00) BOSTON COLLEGE 75 – Wake Forest 70 _____ _____
(2:15) MICHIGAN 77 – Rutgers 54 (BIG10) _____ _____
(2:30) ARIZONA STATE 78 – California 64 (PAC12) _____ _____
(3:00) North Texas 70 – TEXAS-SAN ANTONIO 66 _____ _____
(3:30) Massachusetts 61 – GEO WASHINGTON 58 (NBCS) _____ _____
(3:30) Texas-Arlington 76 – APPALACHIAN STATE 75 _____ _____
(4:00) UTEP 64 – Rice 61 _____ _____
(4:00) Georgia 77 – AUBURN 66 (SEC) _____ _____
(4:00) South Carolina 69 – TENNESSEE 65 (FSN) _____ _____
(4:00) Tulane 56 – SOUTH FLORIDA 53 (ESPNN) _____ _____
(4:00) NOTRE DAME 72 – Clemson 66 _____ _____
(4:00) ST BONAVENTURE 76 – Fordham 75 _____ _____
(4:00) ARIZONA 88 – Stanford 67 (CBS) _____ _____
(4:00) Dayton 62 – LA SALLE 61 (CBSC) _____ _____
(4:30) PURDUE 79 – Illinois 64 (BIG10) _____ _____
(4:30) Utah 85 – WASHINGTON 58 (PAC12) _____ _____
(5:00) LA-MONROE 57 – Texas State 51 _____ _____
(5:00) SOUTH ALABAMA 76 – Troy 74 _____ _____
(5:30) OLD DOMINION 69 – Western Kentucky 68 _____ _____
(5:30) VA COMMONWEALTH 70 – George Mason 61 _____ _____
(6:00) Cal-Poly Slo 58 – CAL SANTA BARBARA 57 _____ _____
(6:00) PRINCETON 71 – Columbia 66 _____ _____
(6:00) HARVARD 69 – Brown 63 _____ _____
(6:30) MISSISSIPPI STATE 72 – Missouri 65 (SEC) _____ _____
(6:30) WASHINGTON STATE 68 – Colorado 66 (PAC12) _____ _____
(7:00) LOUISVILLE 54 – Virginia 53 (ESPN) _____ _____
(7:00) Cornell 70 – PENNSYLVANIA 64 _____ _____
(7:00) CHARLOTTE 76 – Marshall 71 _____ _____
(7:00) FLORIDA ATLANTIC 72 – Middle Tennessee State 68 _____ _____
(7:00) Yale 79 – DARTMOUTH 70 _____ _____
(7:00) Davidson 85 – DUQUESNE 69 _____ _____
(8:00) Hawaii 71 – CAL-FULLERTON 61 _____ _____
(8:00) ARKANSAS STATE 77 – La-Lafayette 76 _____ _____
(8:00) CAL-RIVERSIDE 74 – Long Beach State 63 _____ _____
(8:00) BOISE STATE 82 – Fresno State 57 _____ _____
(8:00) Uab 73 – FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL 64 _____ _____
(8:00) RICHMOND 88 – Saint Louis 60 _____ _____
(8:00) NEW MEXICO 67 – Wyoming 61 (CBSC) _____ _____
(8:30) TCU 76 – Iowa State 73 (ESPNN) _____ _____
(9:00) NORTH CAROLINA 81 – Duke 75 (ESPN) _____ _____
(9:00) IOWA 79 – Northwestern 62 (BIG10) _____ _____
(9:00) UTAH STATE 69 – Colorado State 63 _____ _____
(9:00) MISSISSIPPI 68 – Vanderbilt 64 (SEC) _____ _____
(10:00) Unlv 73 – SAN JOSE STATE 53 _____ _____
(10:00) CAL-DAVIS 70 – Cal-Irvine 60 _____ _____
(10:00) SAN DIEGO STATE 74 – Nevada 62 (CBSC) _____ _____
BEST BETS
BOISE STATE(1), RICHMOND(1)
DAVIDSON(2), NORTH CAROLINA(2)
CLEMSON(3), UTAH STATE(3),
VIRGINIA TECH(4), NEVADA(4)
VILLANOVA, KANSAS STATE, PURDUE.
NCAA Basketball Betting 3-Point Play: Three Interesting Opening Lines Saturday
by Alan Matthews
It’s the final Saturday of the regular season and, as usual, all eyes in the college basketball world will be on Kentucky. The Cats nearly saw their unbeaten dreams end on Tuesday but were able to escape in Athens. On the updated Sportsbook undefeated odds through the Big Dance, UK is now +130 to do so and -165 not to. I’m not a Kentucky fan at all, but the NCAA Tournament will be vastly more interesting if it is unbeaten entering that. The Cats host Florida on Saturday, a team that won in Lexington last season. Here’s a look at that game and two others that caught my eye.
Michigan State at Indiana (TBA)
This Big Ten matchup is at noon on ESPN. Could Hoosiers coach Tom Crean be fired if Indiana loses this game? It would be devastating as IU is currently listed on ESPN Bracketology among the “Last Four In” and a No. 12 seed in a play-in game. At one point, Indiana was 15-4 and ranked in the Top 25.
If you believe Indiana AD Fred Glass, Crean’s job is safe. Glass said he had to respond after a 77-63 home loss to Iowa on Tuesday that dropped IU to 19-11 overall and 9-8 in the conference. Glass said he met with Crean on Wednesday and reassured him about his job security. Glass says Crean’s buyout doesn’t matter, but that’s hogwash. According to ESPN, the Hoosiers could buy out the deal for $12 million until July 1 and then $7.5 million after. It drops drop to $4 million in July 2016 and then to $1 million for 2017-20. I’ve heard rumors of the Celtics’ Brad Stevens potentially returning to college and taking over the IU job if it came open. Michigan State (20-10, 11-6) would have been in some bubble danger had it lost at home to Purdue on Wednesday, but Sparty won 72-66 to end a two-game losing streak. Travis Trice tied his career high with 27 points in his final home game. Fellow senior Branden Dawson played only nine minutes after taking a shot to his head. He’s questionable. Dawson averages 11.6 points and 9.3 rebounds.
This is the first meeting of the season between the Spartans and Hoosiers. MSU was 2-0 against IU a season ago, winning by 17 in Bloomington.
Key trends: The Spartans are 5-0 ATS in their past five road games. They are 1-4 ATS in their past five Saturday games. Indiana is 8-3 ATS in its past 11 following an ATS loss. It is 1-4 ATS in its past five at home. The road team is 4-1 ATS in the past five meetings.
Why the TBA: Because of Dawson. IU will be a solid favorite, but I think the Hoosiers win in a blowout, Dawson or not.
Florida at No. 1 Kentucky (-15)
This SEC matchup is a 2 p.m. on CBS. Of course UK is going to be the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament no matter what happens here or in the SEC Tournament. The Cats look to run the table in the regular season against a Florida team that was unbeaten in SEC play last season but now is playing for maybe an NIT berth.
When I previewed Tuesday’s Kentucky game at Georgia, I thought the Bulldogs might win. And I was feeling good about that when they were up nine points in the second half — UK’s biggest second-half deficit all season. However, then the Wildcats went on a 14-0 run and won 72-64 (didn’t cover) to improve to 30-0 overall and 17-0 in the SEC. They are the fourth SEC team ever to win 30 straight games; Florida also did last year. UK is the 13th team in Division I history to start 30-0. The last three to do so didn’t win it all. The last that did was the unbeaten Indiana team in 1975-76. Florida (15-15, 8-9) hurt Texas A&M’s at-large bid chances with a 66-62 win in Gainesville on Tuesday. UF played its seventh consecutive game without leading scorer Michael Frazier II, who has a badly sprained ankle. There’s just about no way he plays here or probably in the SEC Tournament.
Florida has never beaten the nation’s No. 1 team in the regular season. The Gators did give Kentucky a good game on Feb. 7 in Gainesville, but the Wildcats won 68-61. Florida was up 44-42 midway through the second half before a thunderous Willie Cauley-Stein dunk tied the game and totally changed momentum.
Key trends: Florida is 4-9 ATS in its past 13 against teams with a winning record. The Gators are 2-5 ATS in their past seven on the road. Kentucky is 7-2 ATS in its past nine at home against teams with a losing road record. UK is 1-4 ATS in its past five following an ATS loss. UF is 5-2 in the past seven meetings.
Why take the favorite: Home finale, most likely, for at least a few of those young UK guys (Karl-Anthony Towns for sure). The focus will be there.
No. 9 Kansas at No. 15 Oklahoma (-3)
The Big 12 showdown is at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN, and it seems totally stacked against Kansas, which currently is projected as a No. 2 seed in the East. Oklahoma is a No. 4 in the South.
So here’s why I love OU here. First off, Kansas (24-6, 13-4) has squat to play for. The Jayhawks staged an amazing rally to beat West Virginia 76-69 in overtime on Tuesday to win the Big 12 regular-season title for the 11th straight year and earn the top seed in the conference tournament. The Jayhawks completed a 16-0 home season. In addition, Kansas junior forward Perry Ellis is not expected to play Saturday, but Coach Bill Self expects him back for the Big 12 Tournament. Ellis played 17 minutes against West Virginia before suffering a knee injury late in the first half when teammate Landen Lucas fell on his leg. Ellis underwent an MRI, which showed that he suffered a sprain. He is averaging 14.2 points and 7.0 rebounds. Plus highly-touted freshman Cliff Alexander has missed the past two games as the NCAA investigates an eligibility issue and surely won’t play Saturday. The NCAA doesn’t exactly work at warp speed in these matters. Oklahoma (20-9, 11-6) is aiming for the No. 2 seed in the Big 12 Tournament as OU is currently tied for second with Iowa State. The Sooners lost at ISU 77-70 on Monday. Oklahoma had a 19-point halftime lead, but Iowa State scored 22 straight points in just over five minutes early in the second half.
Oklahoma lost at Kansas 85-78 on Jan. 19. KU was up 20 but the Sooners got it close with a 21-3 run out of halftime. Ellis had 16 points and Alexander 13 and 13 rebounds. Buddy Hield led OU with 26 points.
Key trends: Kansas is 1-4 ATS in its past five on the road. It is 0-5 ATS in its past five overall. Oklahoma is 0-5 ATS in its past five. KU is 5-2 ATS in the past seven meetings.
Why take the favorite: Pretty sure you know my reasons. I don’t think it’s close.
NCAAB Saturday’s Early Tips
By David Schwab
A trio of Wildcats that have high expectations of making a very deep run in this season’s NCAA Tournament will try and give the home-town crowd one last thrill when they close-out the regular season this Saturday afternoon. In the first of two 2 p.m. (ET) tips, No. 1 Kentucky will try and put the finishing touches on a perfect run through this season against Florida in this SEC clash. No. 4 Villanova will look to stay on a roll in the Big East in the other 2 p.m. start when it plays host to St. John’s. At 4 p.m., No. 5 Arizona will wrap things up in the Pac-12 against Stanford.
Florida Gators at No. 1 Kentucky Wildcats (CBS, 2:00 p.m. ET)
Opening Odds: Kentucky -15 ½
The Gators have just three straight-up victories in their last nine games, but they are coming off back-to-back wins against Tennessee and Texas A&M. They have failed to cover in four of their last five outings with the total going OVER in three of those games. Florida is averaging 64.4 points per game while shooting 43.6 percent from the field. Junior guard Michael Frazier II is the team’s leading scorer with 13.2 PPG, but he remains questionable for Saturday with a bad ankle. Defensively, Florida is allowing an average of 59.7 PPG.
Kentucky continues to win with authority with a profitable 5-1 record ATS in its last six games, but they failed to cover in Tuesday’s 72-64 victory against Georgia as a 9.5-point favorite on the road. The total has now gone OVER in the Wildcats’ last four games. In their strive for perfection at 30-0 SU (16-13-1 ATS), they are averaging 74.9 PPG while shooting 46.8 percent from the field. Kentucky has shown some excellent balance all season long with seven different players averaging at least seven points a game, but defense remains the team’s primary strength by holding opponents to just 53.5 PPG.
Betting Trends
— The Gators are 2-5 ATS in their last seven road games and they are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games against a team with a SU winning record. The total has gone OVER in seven of their last eight games following a SU win.
— The Wildcats are 4-1-1 ATS in their last six games following a SU win and they have gone 9-3-1 ATS in their last 13 games played on Saturday. The total has gone OVER in four of their last five home games.
— The underdog in this series has covered in four of the last five meetings and the total has stayed UNDER in seven of the last 10 games. Kentucky grinded-out a 68-61 win in the first meeting this season as an eight-point road favorite to snap a three-game SU losing streak to the Gators.
St. John’s Red Storm at No. 4 Villanova Wildcats (FOX, 2:00 p.m. ET)
Opening Odds: Villanova -12
St. John’s has salvaged a dismal start in the Big East with a SU 7-1 record in its last eight games while going 5-2-1 ATS. This past Wednesday, the Red Storm knocked-off Marquette 67-51 as two-point road favorites. The total has now stayed UNDER in four of their last six outings. They are averaging 71.8 PPG on the year, but this number has climbed to 77 points in their last seven wins. Sophomore guard Rysheed Jordan led all scorers in Wednesday’s win with 23 points, while senior guard D’Angelo Harrison was a close second with 21 points while going 4-for-8 from three-point range.
Villanova brings a SU 11-game winning streak into its Big East finale, but this could be the most important game it plays this season in a quest for a No. 1 seed in this year’s NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats’ 10-game winning streak ATS came to an end in Tuesday’s 76-72 victory against Creighton as 9.5-point road favorites. The total has gone OVER in their last four games. Junior guard Ryan Arcidiacono came up big in the win over the Bluejays with a game-high 23 points and Villanova has now exceeded its season scoring average of 75.7 points in its last five games.
Betting Trends
— The Red Storm are 3-1-1 ATS in their last five games following a SU win and they are 20-8 ATS in their last 28 Saturday games. The total has gone OVER in six of their last eight games against a team with a SU winning record.
— The Wildcats are 4-1 ATS in their last five games following an ATS loss and they are 21-8 ATS in their last 29 games played on Saturday. The total has stayed UNDER in four of their last five home games.
— The favorite in this matchup is 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings and the total has gone OVER in seven of the last nine games. Villanova has won the six meetings SU including a 90-72 victory on Jan. 6 as a 4.5-point road favorite.
Stanford Cardinal at No. 5 Arizona Wildcats (CBS, 4:00 p.m. ET)
Opening Odds: Arizona -14 ½
Stanford is just 3-6 SU in its last nine games with a costly 2-7 record ATS. It is coming off back-to-back losses (SU and ATS) to Oregon and Arizona State and the total has now stayed UNDER in seven of its last eight games. The Cardinal are still one of the better scoring teams in the nation with 73 PPG, but they are shooting just 43.7 percent from the field. Senior guard Chasson Randle has led the way with 19.2 PPG. The main problem for Stanford has been a defense that is allowing an average of 66.3 points to its opponents.
The Wildcats officially clinched the outright Pac-12 regular season title in impressive fashion this past Thursday with a 99-60 rout of California as heavy 19-point home favorites. They are now 15-2 SU in conference play and they have covered in 11 of their last 13 outings. The total has gone OVER in three of their last five games. Junior forward Brandon Ashley posted a game-high 21 points in Thursday’s win and Arizona had six different players score in double figures on the night. Freshman forward Stanley Johnson leads the team on the year with 14.1 PPG.
Betting Trends
— The Cardinal are 1-4 ATS in their last five games following a SU loss and they have failed to cover in their last four road games. The total has gone OVER in seven of their last 11 games on the road.
— The Wildcats have covered in four of their last five home games and they are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games following a SU win. The total has stayed UNDER in six of their last eight games played at home.
— Head-to-head in this series, the road team has covered ATS in six of the last eight meetings and the total has gone OVER in eight of the last 10 games played at Arizona. The Wildcats won the first meeting this season 89-82 as 3.5-point road favorites.
NCAAB Saturday’s Late Tips
By Brian Edwards
**Virginia at Louisville**
— The Westgate SuperBook opened Virginia (28-1 straight up, 16-11 against the spread) as a three-point favorite.
— Virginia has already wrapped up the ACC regular-season title and the No. 1 seed at next week’s ACC Tournament. Nevertheless, Tony Bennett’s squad has plenty of motivation going into the KFC Yum! Center for Saturday’s showdown at Louisville. The Cavaliers might still get a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament even if they lost to the Cardinals and in their first ACC Tourney game, but a win at U of L will make it a given that they’ll be the East Region’s top seed.
— Virginia has been sensational on the road, going unbeaten in 11 games with a 9-2 spread record.
— UVA was hoping to get star guard Justin Anderson back for this game, but he had to undergo an appendectomy earlier this week. Anderson, who hasn’t played since breaking his finger on Feb. 7, averages 13.4 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. His status for the ACC Tournament is now very much in question.
— After scoring only two points in the first 14 minutes of the game, Virginia rallied past Syracuse and collected a 59-47 win Monday at the Carrier Dome. The Cavs cashed tickets as 5.5-point road ‘chalk,’ while the 106 combined points dipped ‘under’ the 113-point tally. Anthony Gill led the way for the winners by scoring 17 points and pulling down nine rebounds. London Perrantes added 10 points, five boards, three steals and 10 assists compared to just one turnover. Mike Tobey finished with 10 points and eight rebounds.
— Malcolm Brogdon is UVA’s leading scorer, averaging 13.6 points per game for the club’s balanced offensive attack. Gill averages 11.7 PPG and paces the Cavs in rebounding (6.8 RPG) and field-goal percentage (58.8%).
— Louisville (23-7 SU, 10-17-2 ATS) could bolster its NCAA Tournament seed with a win over the once-beaten Cavs. Rick Pitino’s team is 14-4 SU at home but has limped to a miserable 3-12-2 spread record.
— U of L has won two of its three games since starting senior point guard Chris Jones was dismissed from the program. The Cards won back-to-back road games at Ga. Tech (52-51) and at FSU (81-59), but they got thumped 71-59 in Wednesday’s home game vs. Notre Dame. The Irish won outright as a 3.5-point road underdog. In the losing effort, Montrezl Harrell had 23 points and 12 rebounds while playing all 40 minutes. Terry Rozier finished with 11 points, five assists, four boards and a pair of steals, but he made just 4-of-15 shots from the field and couldn’t connect on all four of his 3-point attempts.
— Rozier is averaging team-bests in scoring (17.2 PPG), assists (2.8 APG) and steals (2.0 SPG). Harrell, one of the nation’s premier post players, is averaging 15.6 points and 9.3 rebounds per contest.
— The ‘under’ is 14-9-1 overall for UVA, 5-3-1 in its nine road assignments that had a total. The ‘under’ has cashed at a 6-2 clip in the Cavs’ last eight games.
— The ‘under’ is 15-11-2 overall for U of L, 11-3 in its home games. The ‘under’ is on an 8-2 roll in the Cards’ last 10 outings.
– Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.
**Duke at North Carolina**
— The Westgate SuperBook opened North Carolina (21-9 SU, 16-13-1 ATS) as a one-point favorite late Friday afternoon.
— Roy Williams’s squad has won 10 of its 14 home games while struggling to a 5-8-1 spread record.
— North Carolina played one of its best games of the season at Duke a few weeks ago, yet still went down 92-90 in overtime. Marcus Paige had a decent chance at a putback attempt to force double overtime just before the final horn, but no whistle was blown even though Paige was hammered and instantly went crashing to the floor. Paige struggled mightily against the Blue Devils, scoring only five points on 2-of-11 shooting from the field. Kennedy Meeks and Brice Johnson scored 18 points apiece, combining to make 15-of-20 shot attempts. Johnson had a team-high 12 rebounds. J.P. Tokoto was terrific all night, finishing with 15 poinuts, eight rebounds, three steals, two blocked shots and seven assists without committing a turnover. Tyus Jones led the winners with 22 points, eight assists and seven boards. Quinn Cook also scored 22 points thanks to 6-of-9 shooting from long distance. Jahlil Okafor had 12 points and 13 boards. UNC took the cash as an 8.5-point underdog.
— Paige paces UNC in scoring (13.2 PPG), assists (4.4 APG) and steals (1.5 SPG). Johnson averages 12.5 points and 8.0 rebounds per game, while Meeks is producing 12.4 points and 7.6 rebounds per contest. Meeks has a team-high 41 blocked shots.
— Duke (27-3 SU, 16-13-1 ATS) absolutely destroyed Wake Forest on Monday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium, cruising to a 94-51 victory as a 17.5-point home ‘chalk.’ Grayson Allen scored a career-high 27 points thanks to 9-of-11 shooting from the field and 4-of-5 accuracy from downtown. Matt Jones added 17 points, while Justise Winslow had 13 points, seven assists, six rebounds and six steals.
— Duke is led by freshman center Jahlil Okafor, who has played limited minutes since spraining his ankle in the win over UNC. Okafor averages team-highs in scoring (17.8 PPG), rebounding (9.4 RPG), field-goal percentage (66.5%) and blocked shots (1.4 BPG). Tyus Jones, another freshman is scoring at a 11.4 PPG clip while averaging team-bests in assists (5.7 APG) and steals (1.5 SPG). Quinn Cook is averaging 15.8 PPG and has an 86/41 assists-to-turnovers ratio. Cook is shooting at a 40.6 percent clip from beyond the arc.
— Duke has won eight of its 10 road games while going 5-5 versus the number.
— Duke’s Amile Jefferson was listed as ‘questionable’ (ankle) on Friday. Jefferson averages 7.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.
— The ‘over’ is 17-11 overall for Duke, 6-4 in its road games.
— The ‘over’ is 16-11-1 overall for UNC, 7-5-1 in its home outings. However, the ‘under’ has cashed in three consecutive games for the Tar Heels.
— ESPN will have the broadcast at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.
**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**
— With a hat tip to Mark Story of the Lexington Herald-Leader, Billy Donovan owns a 17-27 record against Kentucky. With one more win over the Wildcats, Donovan will join Dale Brown (18-33) in a tie for the most career wins over UK.
— UK will try to complete a perfect regular season with a 31-0 record if it can beat Florida at 2:00 p.m. Eastern on Saturday at Rupp Arena. The Westgate opened the ‘Cats as 16-point favorites. UF’s leading scorer Michael Frazier II is set to return after missing seven straight games with a high-ankle sprain.
— Michigan St.’s Branden Dawson is ‘questionable’ Saturday at Indiana due to a head injury. Dawons had 14 points and 13 boards in a win over the Hoosiers earlier this season.
— Michigan point guard Derrick Walton is ‘out’ Saturday against Rutgers and “is not likely” to play in the Big Ten Tournament, according to head coach John Beilein. The Wolverines have lost seven of nine game since Walton injured his foot on Jan. 24. Walton was averaging 10.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game.
— Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim was handed a nine-game suspension (for the first nine ACC games next year) by the NCAA Friday for various violations. The Orange will be on probation for five years and were given scholarship reductions. The self-imposed ban from this year’s ACC and NCAA Tournaments will be the only punishment in terms of postseason participation.
– Coach of the Year Candidates:
1. Bob McKillop (Davidson)
2. John Calipari (Kentucky)
3. Bo Ryan (Wisconsin)
4.Tony Bennett (Virginia)
5. Leon Rice (Boise St.)
6. Larry Krystkowiak (Utah)
7. Sean Miller (Arizona)
8. Mike Brey (Notre Dame)
9. Chris Holtmann (Butler)
10. Jay Wright (Villanova)
Game of the Day: Duke at UNC
Duke Blue Devils at North Carolina Tar Heels (+1.5)
Less than three weeks after North Carolina and Duke combined for one of the best games of the season, the teams continue their rivalry Saturday in Chapel Hill in the regular-season finale for both squads. Duke has won 10 straight and secured the No. 2 seed in next week’s Atlantic Coast Conference tournament, while North Carolina has moved into a fourth-place tie with Louisville. The Blue Devils have won six of the last eight meetings, including a thrilling 92-90 overtime victory on Feb. 14.
Duke’s starting backcourt of Tyus Jones and Quinn Cook combined for 44 points in last month’s victory while North Carolina guards Marcus Paige and Justin Jackson were held to a total of seven points. Paige averages a team-high 13.2 points, but the first-team preseason All-American has scored in single digits in four of his past six games and will need to be more assertive in Saturday’s rematch. Duke freshman center Jahlil Okafor should be well-rested after playing just 19 minutes in Wednesday’s 94-51 rout of Wake Forest.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN
WHAT BOOKS SAY: “I’ve said this for the first matchup and I’ll say it again: this is a rivalry where you can throw everything out the window. Both teams will be highly motivated, and we know that the Tar Heels were seething after the way they melted down in the first meeting so they will be seeking some redemption. You could say it’s a more important game for them for many reasons, and they should be confident. Duke is hot but I expect most of our UNC action will come from sharp players.” John Lester, senior lines manager for Bookmaker.
WHAT CAPPERS SAY: “North Carolina gave Duke all they could handle before the Blue Devils escaped with a 92-90 win in overtime in the first meeting. Duke was extremely fortunate to win that game as they trailed by 10 points late in the second half. That result bodes well for the Tar Heels in the rematch, especially since they are playing their last home game of the season. North Carolina also lost their previous home game, so they have a lot of motivation going into this game. Duke has been shaky on the road, winning in overtime at Virginia Tech and only beating Florida State by 3 points. This should be another classic battle between two storied rivals.” Steve Merril
LINE HISTORY: Most books opened the Tar Heels as 1.5-point home faves, which is where it currently sits.
INJURY REPORT: No injuries to report.
ABOUT DUKE (27-3 SU, 16-13-1 ATS, 17-11 O/U): The story of Wednesday’s win over the Demon Deacons was the play of freshman guard Grayson Allen, who came off the bench to score a season-high 27 points on 9-of-11 shooting – including four 3-pointers. “Coach has been giving me opportunities, and I was able to capitalize,” Allen told reporters. “This is the type of game to get my confidence going.” The Blue Devils have also received a spark from freshman forward Justise Winslow, who has scored in double figures in 11 straight games and recorded 13 points, seven rebounds, six assists and six steals against Wake Forest.
ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA (21-9 SU, 16-13-1 ATS, 16-11-1 O/U): Freshman wing Theo Pinson, who missed 10 straight games with a broken bone in his left foot, returned for Tuesday’s 81-49 win over Georgia Tech and could play a major role in the postseason. Freshman guard Joel Berry scored a career-high 15 points in the victory and helped the Tar Heels overcome a poor shooting night by forward Brice Johnson, who was held to two points on 1-of-9 shooting. Johnson, who had 18 points and 12 rebounds against the Blue Devils last month, averages 12.5 points on 56.6 percent shooting along with a team-high 7.9 boards.
TRENDS:
*Tar Heels are 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 home games.
*Road team is 12-4 ATS in the last 16 meetings.
*Over is 11-4 in Blue Devils last 15 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
*Under is 9-4 in the last 13 meetings.
NBA Odds and Predictions: Saturday, March 7 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews
I thoroughly enjoy watching the Portland Trail Blazers play basketball because it’s usually an exciting, up-tempo game. Of course, their stars are LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard. I thought the team had a legitimate shot to win the West after acquiring Arron Afflalo at the trade deadline from Denver. I don’t think that any longer because the Blazers lost very underrated guard Wesley Matthews for the season to a torn Achilles’ tendon on Thursday. He had started every game this season and averaged 15.9 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists while ranking fourth in the NBA in 3-pointers made. It may have been Matthews’ final game in a Blazers uniform as he’s a free agent after the season. Tough loss. Portland is +1500 to win the West at Sportsbook. The Blazers are back in action Saturday and here’s a look at every game.
Grizzlies at Pelicans (pick’em, 191)
Both played Friday, with Memphis hosting the Lakers and Pelicans home to Boston. So that New Orleans didn’t have to travel is a nice advantage. The Grizzlies and Pelicans have split two meetings. Memphis won by 12 at home very early in the season. On Jan. 9 in New Orleans, the Pelicans won 106-95 behind 21 points and 10 rebounds from Tyreke Evans. Anthony Davis had 20 points and nine boards. Mike Conley and Marc Gasol led Memphis with 19 points each.
Key trends: Memphis is 0-6 against the spread in its past six trips to New Orleans. The “over/under” has gone over in seven of the past nine meetings overall.
Early lean: Pelicans and over.
Suns at Cavaliers (-10, 213)
Phoenix was in Brooklyn on Friday and Cleveland in Atlanta. The Suns beat the visiting Cavaliers 107-100 on Jan. 13 behind 35 points from Markieff Morris. Phoenix outscored Cleveland 11-3 over the last 3:31. LeBron James had 33 points in what was the Cavs’ sixth straight loss at the time. They did rally from a 19-point, third-quarter deficit to go ahead in the fourth. Cavs fans may remember that game as well for Kevin Love not playing a minute in the fourth quarter as Coach David Blatt appeared to be making a statement.
Key trends: Phoenix is 5-2 ATS in its past seven in the second of a back-to-back. Cleveland is 11-1 ATS in its past 12 at home. The under is 7-2 in the Cavs’ past nine at home.
Early lean: Cavaliers and over.
Kings at Heat (-4.5, 205)
Sacramento visited Orlando on Friday and Miami was in Washington. The Heat won at the Kings 95-83 on Jan. 16. Chris Bosh had 30 points and Luol Deng 25 for Miami, which was without Dwyane Wade. DeMarcus Cousins was only 4-for-12 for 17 points with eight turnovers for Sacramento. Rudy Gay missed it for the Kings as did top reserve Carl Landry. Of course, the Heat don’t have Bosh these days but do have Goran Dragic. The Kings were team hoping to trade for him as well.
Key trends: The Heat are 1-4 ATS in their past five vs. the West. The over is 6-1 in Miami’s past seven against teams with a losing record. The Kings are just 2-10 ATS in their past 12 in Miami.
Early lean: Heat and under.
Pacers at Knicks (+10, 189.5)
Indiana hosted Chicago on Friday. New York followed its worst loss of the season, 124-86 at home to Sacramento, with another abomination on Wednesday at these Pacers: a 105-82 defeat. Interesting that Indiana had a game in between but it’s a home-and-home for the Knicks. Indiana forced 19 Knicks turnovers and turned them into 23 points. Andrea Bargnani led New York by matching his season-best with 25 points. Tim Hardaway Jr. had 13 as the Knicks lost for the 10th time in 12 games.
Key trends: The Pacers are 5-1 ATS in the past six meetings. The under is 4-0 in New York’s past four against teams with a losing record.
Early lean: Knicks (can’t play this badly three straight right?) and under.
Hawks at 76ers (+11.5, 192.5)
Seems like a huge potential letdown game for Atlanta as it hosted Cleveland on Friday in a potential Eastern Conference Finals preview. Philly was home to Utah on Friday. The Hawks go for the four-game season sweep here. They blew out Philadelphia in the first two meetings but won by just six at home on Jan. 31. The Hawks are averaging 97.0 points on 44.5 percent shooting while Sixers are averaging 83.7 ppg on 40.2 percent from the field. That most recent win over Philly was Atlanta’s 19th straight win but the Hawks lost the next game. They have won seven straight in this series overall.
Key trends: Atlanta is 5-2 ATS in the past seven meetings. The under is 4-0 in the past four.
Early lean: Sixers and under.
Trail Blazers at Timberwolves (+6, 202)
I won’t bury the lead here: I fully expect the Blazers to come out a bit flat after that crushing injury to Matthews. As Aldridge said of Matthews: He’s the heart and soul of this team.” Matthews is nicknamed “Iron Man” for his toughness. I would imagine Afflalo starts unless Terry Stotts likes him with the second unit. Portland’s win over Denver was the Blazers’ fifth straight. The Wolves lost their fourth straight on Wednesday, 100-85 at home to Denver. Minnesota shot just 39 percent overall and 3-for18 on 3-pointers. Kevin Martin and Nikola Pekovic both returned after missing a game with an illness but both struggled. The Blazers and Wolves have split two meetings, each winning at home.
Key trends: The home team has covered five of the past seven meetings. The over is 5-1 in the past six in Minnesota.
Early lean: Wolves and over.
Wizards at Bucks (-3, 189)
Washington was home to Miami on Friday. Milwaukee played horribly on a four-game West Coast trip, losing all of them by at least seven points and not topping 95 in any of them. Guard O.J. Mayo sat out for the fourth time in five games Wednesday at Golden State because of a sore right hamstring. The Wizards are 2-0 vs. the Bucks this season, winning each by 11 points. This is the final meeting of the regular season. Washington has won four straight in the series overall.
Key trends: Washington is 4-1 ATS in its past five in Milwaukee. The over is 6-1 in the past seven meetings.
Early lean: Wizards and over.
Rockets at Nuggets (TBA)
Houston was home to Detroit on Friday, while Denver was in San Antonio. The Rockets and Nuggets played back-to-back games in December. The Rockets’ Beverley and Terrence Jones were questionable against the Pistons. Denver center Jusuf Nurkic remains out. The Nuggets entered Friday 2-0 under interim coach Melvin Hunt and are playing with a totally different mindset. Houston leads the season series 2-0, winning at home 108-96 and in Denver, 115-111 in overtime. NBA scoring leader James Harden is averaging 32.5 points in the two.
Key trends: Houston is 1-4 ATS in its past five in Denver. The over is 6-1 in the past seven meetings.
Early lean: I like Denver to win outright, and the Nugs certainly will be dogs when the line posts.
POINTWISE
NBA BASKETBALL
SATURDAY, MARCH 7 SCORE
(7:05) Memphis Grizzlies 106 – NEW ORLEANS 98 _____ _____
(7:35) Sacramento Kings 89 – MIAMI HEAT 86 _____ _____
(7:35) Atlanta Hawks 110 – PHILADELPHIA 76ERS 92 _____ _____
(7:35) Indiana Pacers 111 – NEW YORK KNICKS 94 _____ _____
(7:35) CLEVELAND CAVS 113 – Phoenix Suns 98 (NBA) _____ _____
(8:05) Portland Trailblazers 109 – MINNESOTA 92 _____ _____
(8:35) MILWAUKEE BUCKS 109 – Washington 108 _____ _____
(9:05) DENVER NUGGETS 103 – Houston Rockets 97 _____ _____
BEST BETS: INDIANA, CLEVELAND (1), DENVER
March will be mad for bettors of these six NBA teams
By Jason Logan
March is known best for the “Madness” in the college basketball ranks. But in the pros, March is often the month that makes or breaks an NBA team’s season. With the playoffs starting in mid-April, some clubs use March as a spring board to a deep postseason run while others have their playoff hopes snuffed out before the month even ends.
We look at three of the toughest March schedules in the Eastern and Western Conference, and how bettors can cash in on these teams this month:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
New York Knicks (12-48 SU, 23-35-2 ATS)
Nothing like the NBA schedule makers kicking a team when they’re down. And you don’t get any lower than the Knicks at this point in the year. New York can’t be blamed for tanking in March with eight road games on the docket (just 4-26 SU/13-15-2 ATS away from home) as well as nine of its 14 remaining games coming against Western Conference opponents (4-17 SU vs. non-conference) this month. Bettors will undoubtedly see some big spreads being handed to the Knicks but this team hasn’t shown that they can cover even the biggest piles of points.
Atlanta Hawks (48-12 SU, 39-20-1 ATS)
Those who still doubt whether Atlanta is for real or not will likely get their answer in March. The Hawks started the month off right, taking down Houston to extend a five-game winning streak and continues a nasty stretch of contests hosting Cleveland Friday. The Hawks have some challenging home stands in March, featuring Houston, Cleveland, San Antonio, Miami, and Milwaukee, then hit the road for 10 of their remaining 15 contests. Atlanta faces a slew of three-in-four night matchups that will either enforce their championship pedigree or pull the curtain back on a pretender.
Detroit Pistons (23-37 SU, 29-31 ATS)
The Pistons have become so bad, they’re good – a good bet at least. Detroit has covered in six of its last 10 games, including an 88-85 loss at New Orleans as a 5-point underdog Wednesday. That was one of 10 road games the Pistons have on the March calendar, taking them to Houston, Los Angeles, Golden State, Portland and Utah before the middle of the month. At home (just 12-20 SU), things aren’t much easier. Detroit welcomes teams like Charlotte, Memphis, Chicago, Toronto, and Atlanta – all of which currently hold a postseason spot.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Dallas Mavericks (40-23 SU, 30-31-2 ATS)
The Mavericks split their first two games of the month, beating New Orleans and falling at Portland. Dallas has a litmus test of its place in the Western Conference with a road trip to the Bay Area to play the Warriors Friday – one of five road games remaining in March. Dallas, which has been a poor bet at home (13-16-2 ATS), has a slew of tough opponents coming to American Airlines Center. Cleveland, L.A. Clippers, Oklahoma City, Memphis, and San Antonio find their names on the marquee in Big D this March.
Sacramento Kings (21-38 SU, 24-33-2 ATS)
Things haven’t exactly turned around for the Kings since bringing in George Karl. The offense hasn’t gotten that injection of scoring many projected and Sacramento isn’t getting any help adjusting in the midst of an eight-game road trip. The Kings opened with a victory at New York, then fell at San Antonio. They have winnable games against weaker Eastern foes like Orlando and Philadelphia but also take on playoff-bound non-conference foes Miami, Atlanta, Charlotte and Washington. Once back home, Sacramento takes its turn hosting those many of those East teams then closes the month with three more road games, at Phoenix, New Orleans, and Memphis. Altogether, that’s 11 road games in March for Sacto.
Memphis Grizzlies (43-17 SU, 29-29-2 ATS)
Are the Grizzlies just setting themselves up for another playoff letdown? Memphis tops the ultra-competitive Southwest Division and will get a true test of its mettle in March, with nine road games to spots such as New Orleans, Chicago, Washington, Dallas and San Antonio. At home, the Grizzlies don’t get much time to relax with Milwaukee, Portland, Cleveland and Golden State coming to town. March is packed with three-in-four situations and Memphis’ recent 1-4 ATS slide could be an indication that the wheels are wobbling once again for the Grizz.
SIMON CERBONE (Soccer)
GERMANY – BUNDESLIGA- (OVER 3 -120) FC BAYERN MÜNCHEN @ HANNOVER 96 (930AM)
HOLLAND – EREDIVISIE- (OVER 3 -115) VITESSE ARNHEM @ HERACLES ALMELO (145PM)
HOLLAND – EREDIVISIE- (UNDER 2.5 +100) CAMBUUR LEEUWARDEN @ PEC ZWOLLE (245PM)
ENGLAND – CHAMPIONSHIP- (UNDER 2.5 -133) NORWICH CITY @ MILLWALL FC (10AM)
NEWSLETTER College Basketball Prediction From Strike Point Sports
Take Arizona over Stanford (4 p.m., Saturday, March 7)
The Wildcats as they wrap up the regular season at home. U of A got over a huge hurdle defeating Utah in Salt Lake City this past weekend, and they’ll want to continue their momentum before the Pac 12 Conference Tournament begins next week. Arizona has been one of the nation’s strongest teams since the season began in November. The ‘Cats are going to want to keep momentum from last week’s victory over the Utes as they prep for a March Madness run as one of the four No. 1 seeds in the Big Dance. They’ll be motivated here on Senior Night. Play the home team in Tucson.
NEWSLETTER College Basketball Prediction From Doc’s Sports
Take #579 Dayton over LaSalle (4 p.m., Saturday, March 7)
The Flyers need to keep winning games to shore up a bid into the NCAA Tournament, and we expect them to take down the Explores in Philadelphia on Saturday afternoon. The Flyers already beat La Salle once this season by double digits, and you can expect more of the same on Saturday. La Salle has been on a losing streak of late, and they appear to have thrown in the towel and are ready for the season to end. Lay the points with the better team on Saturday.
NEWSLETTER College Basketball Prediction From Robert Ferringo
Take Northeastern (-6) over Delaware (8:30 p.m., Saturday, March 7)
Last week’s free play was domination as BYU beat Gonzaga outright as I predicted the exact spread and the winning result. Let’s see if we can make it four straight free-play winners. This game is from the CAA Tournament and it’s do-or-die. Delaware won this tournament last year in thrilling fashion, but I think their stay will be much shorter this time around. I’ve been waiting for Northeastern to put it all together all season long, and I still think they have the best all-around team in the league. They finished in a logjam with four teams tied for first place to end the season. Delaware was No. 7 and lost at home to Northeastern by 19 points in the first meeting. The Blue Hens have one of the youngest teams in the country, and this is their first go-round in tournament play. I don’t think they will be ready for this atmosphere. Northeastern, on the other hand, has a bit of revenge after getting knocked out by UD in last year’s semifinals. Senior Scott Eatherton is one of the best players in the league, and he is not going to let his career end prematurely. The Huskies are very good from the free throw line, and that is critical this time of the year. Delaware’s defense wanes from time to time, and I think that Northeastern is going to put this one away by double-digits.
NEWSLETTER College Basketball Prediction From Allen Eastman
Take Utah State (-1.5) over Colorado State (9 p.m., Saturday, March 7)
I am ready for a big March Madness run! I have over 30 years of experience of making money in March. I know all the tricks of the trade, and I am looking forward to the big end of the season, starting with a 6-Unit College Play on Thursday. This Saturday free pick winner is a sentimental pick. This is Stew Morrill’s final home game at Utah State. Morrill has been coaching at Utah State since 1998 and has led this program to unprecedented success. This is their final home game of the year, and there will be a lot of emotion in this one. Colorado State will already be focused on the Mountain West Tournament. They know they need a strong showing there and probably need to win that to make the NCAA Tournament. Utah State has won six straight games going into Wednesday’s action. They are playing their best basketball of the season. They already beat Wyoming at home and nearly knocked off Boise State there as well. Colorado State is just 1-3 in its last four road games. I am going to go with the hot team and the team with something to play for. Utah State will send Stew out a winner in the regular season.
DAVE SCANDALIATO
3* NEW ORLEANS PELICANS +1 versus the memphis grizzlies.