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Ferringo

This is it for today. Good luck. This will also be my last LARGE weekend card, as I will be tightening up to 3-5 picks per day through the month of March. So enjoy the madness for today.

2-Unit Play. Take #716 Connecticut (-4.5) over West Virginia
West Virginia is just 1-5 SU against the RPI Top 50 and are coming off a dominating win on the road at DePaul. They’ve only played four road games in the last six weeks and they lost to the only decent clubs they played. That includes losses at Louisiville and Pitt, two teams with tough perimeter defense and a strong big man on the interior. That’s how UConn is built as well. UConn is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings and is 4-1-1 AT in their last six home games. Connecticut has been playing down to its competition but they get amped up for quality opponents. They have already had some success in Hartford this year and I think they will shoot down WVU on this "neutral" court.

3-Unit Play. Take #861 Santa Clara (-4.5) over Portland
The Broncos have gone 6-1 against teams below them in the WCC standings, with their six wins coming by an average of 16.7 points per game. They scored just a two-point win over Portland at home but that was a tough sandwich game between a double-OT loss to Gonzaga and a home tilt with St. Mary’s. I think Santa Clara will be focused in this one and will take care of business while locking up the No. 4 seed in the WCC Tournament.

3-Unit Play. Take #776 Iowa (+1) over Illinois
The home team has won five straight in this series and eight of 10. Illinois is just 1-7 in road conference games this year and Iowa has been pretty scrappy at home.

2-Unit Play. Take #721 Detroit (+17) over Butler
We have to keep fading the Bulldogs as large home favorites. Butler is 4-11-1 ATS in their L16, 2-9 ATS as a double-digit favorite, and 4-13-2 ATS in conference play. Butler just wrapped up the Horizon League title with a tough win over rival Wright State. You have to wonder a bit about their motivation, and since the Bulldogs only average 68.5 points per game I think a 20-point blowout could be a tall order.

1.5-Unit Play. Take #728 Mississippi (-6) over Alabama
Ole Miss is feeling a bit of desperation and knows that this Saturday’s game against the Tide is a huge one for them. The Rebels are 28-3 SU at the Tad Pad under Andy Kennedy and are hosting an Alabama team that is 0-5 SU on the road in SEC play. The favorite is an incredible 14-3 ATS in the last 17 meetings in this series and the home team is 13-3 ATS. Alabama always struggles in Oxford (2-5 ATS) and they have performed poorly as an underdog.

2-Unit Play. Take #744 Marquette (-4) over Georgetown
Marquette is playing fantastic right now and I expect them to keep rolling while scoring a revenge win over the Hoyas. The Eagles have covered seven of eight while the Hoyas have dumped six of eight. We’ll go with the hot team, the home crowd, and the better perimeter defense and scoring. Georgetown continues to be overrated and I expect Marquette to notch another impressive resume win.

2-Unit Play. Take #764 Southern Mississippi (+12) over Memphis
I’ve had this game circled for a while. Southern Miss isn’t very good, but they aren’t terrible either. They play tough at home (21-5-3 ATS) and have a couple athletes that could cause Memphis some trouble. The home team is 8-1-2 ATS in this series and I think this one becomes a sloppy, grinder of a game. This one should be an ugly cover, ut a cover all the same.

2-Unit Play. Take #758 Baylor (-6.5) over Missouri
Missouri has packed it in for the season. They just dumped one at Oklahoma State and were hammered 100-63 at Kansas State. The Tigers like to run and press, but that plays right into the strength of the Bears. Baylor has covered nine of 10 in this series (including seven straight) and they could lay a big number on Mizzou today. The Tigers are just 12-30-1 ATS against the Big 12 and are 8-21 ATS on the road. Baylor’s bigs play better at home and they should be able to play even with Missouri’s forwards. As long as they can do that the Baylor guards should run circles around Missouri’s backcourt. Baylor has shot nearly 50 percent from the field in two of their past three home games and I think they can stay hot tonight against a club that plays no defense on the road.

2-Unit Play. Take #769 Texas (-5) over Texas Tech
Hey, I’ll take the better team and the books can take the points. Yes, this is a rivalry game. But Texas is 14-3 ATS in the last 17 meetings and is a far superior team. They have been playing well on the road, winning their last four away games by an average of nearly eight points per. They beat Tech by 26 in the first meeting, and that back when A.J. Abrams was still shooting poorly. The Red Raiders just lost by 40 to the Aggies and I’m going out on a limb that Pat Knight may not have the bounceback ability of his father.

2-Unit Play. Take #840 Tulsa (-7.5) over Marshall
This one isn’t rocket science. Marshall stinks on the road (0-4 ATS recently with three losses coming by an average of 15 points) and Tulsa has been playing tough at home (5-0 SU with wins by an average of 20 points). The Golden Hurricane have covered five straight and lost a tough one in OT in Huntington early this year despite a +16 rebound margin and a 3-for-19 night from 3-point land. I think Tulsa throws the clamps down and wins this one by double-digits.

1.5-Unit Play. Take #788 Indiana State (-3.5) over Missouri State
Big game in the MVC. And who usually takes down the big games in the MVC? The home team. ISU is 7-1 ATS in its last eight home games and is matched up against a club that’s 3-13 ATS on the road. Missouri State is healthy, and dangerous, but I still have to fade away until they prove something. SMS has dumped its last five conference road games by an average of 14 points. They’re coming off an emotional home upset of Drake and I think they could be due for a step back after their 64-percent 3-point shooting night.

Net Prophet

Arena Football:

Georgia +5' over Dallas

NBA:

New York/Orlando OVER 208
Utah/Memphis UNDER 209'

NHL:

Tampa Bay/Carolina OVER 6 -115

CBB:

Texas A&M +2 over Oklahoma
Northeastern +3 over George Mason
Washington +4' over California

Jim Kruger

Georgia St
Oklahoma 
Gonzaga
San Jose St
Montana
Uc Davidson

Alatex

Superplay- 15* NC Wilmington

10* Mississippi - Oklahoma - Creighton - Wash St - Arkansas

Asa 10*

ILL CHICAGO

Youwinnow


Rhode Island -1 A-10 PLAY

MARQUETTE -3 (-4.5 CURRENT) BIG EAST PLAY

JIM HURLEY NEWSLETTER

2 MEMPHIS (27-1, 13-0 Conference USA) at SOUTHERN MISS (15-12, 7-6) - 4 p.m. ET

If it was up to the Memphis Tigers, then they'd like to be introduced in public as the once-and-perhaps future #1 team in the land.

No question that John Calipari's team needed some time to put between them and that painful 66-62 home loss to Tennessee last Saturday night and now slowly-but-surely this still-perfect C-USA club has plenty on the line in these final three regular-season clashes (games at SMU and then home to UAB will follow) with a Continue...

#25 SAINT MARY'S (24-4, 11-1 West Coast Conference) at #24 GONZAGA (22-6, 11-1) - 8 p.m. ET

All eyes on the WCC here in Spokane as this one figures to be a real beauty although neither should feel an NCAA Tournament berth is being threatened.

After all, Saint Mary's has been a Top 25 team for the past several weeks and Randy Bennett's gang already owns one win against the 'Zags - an 89-85 overtime triumph back on Feb. 4th when fifth-year senior guard Todd Golden drained six triples including a monstrous trifecta with 1:19 remaining in the OT session.

Revenge-minded Gonzaga charges into this tilt on a five-game winning streak - note that Mark Few's club has won four of these five by 20-or-more points - and the tandem of Jeremy Pargo (11.7 ppg) and ever-improving Matt Bouldin (a team-high 12.8 ppg) likely need to score 40-to-45 points between 'em here if the home folks are going to get their pound of flesh.

Keep in mind that Saint Mary's - starring Patrick Mills (14.3 ppg) -- could wrap up the WCC regular-season outright crown with the mild upset win here.

KANSAS STATE (18-9, 8-5 Big 12) at #6 KANSAS (25-3, 10-3) - 9 p.m. ET, ESPN

The kids at Kansas are hoping things get back to normal - that's both on and off the court.

The nationally-ranked Jayhawks had suffered back-to-back losses prior to Wednesday's 75-64 non-cover win at 13-point dog Iowa State - a game in which Darrell Arthur proved to be the stat-sheet stuffer deluxe with 18 points and 10 rebounds - but it was Read More...

#22 WASHINGTON STATE (22-6, 10-6 Pac-10) at #8 STANFORD (23-4, 12-3) - 10 p.m. ET

Now here's a real dandy from the Pac-10 where these clubs continue to crowd UCLA at the top of the standings. The fact is both "held serve" on Thursday night as Washington State whipped up on two-point home pup Cal 70-49 as Taylor Rochestie scored 18 points and fellow guard Kyle Weaver added 17 points in a real runaway win.

Meanwhile, Stanford had it a whole lot tougher in its 82-79 hang-on-for-dear-life win against 10½-point dog Washington. The Cardinal - who's now won 10 of its last 11 games - got 21 points and 7 rebs from seven-footer Brook Lopez but the Palo Alto gang better shore up its defense as the UW Huskies shot a blistering 34-of-64 from the floor (that's 53.1 percent).

If you're wondering, Stanford bested 4½-point home fav Washington State 67-65 in overtime in the first meeting back on Feb. 2nd in Pullman.

Paul Stone

Kansas -13.0

On Saturday night, the Kansas Jayhawks will be out to atone for a 84-75 loss at rival Kansas State earlier this season.

Although the number is fairly hefty at 13, I believe the Jayhawks will be emotionally charged and get the job done.

It does not hurt that Kansas is awfully strong at home and KSU _ even with true freshman phenom Michael Beasley _ has been an average team at best this season away from the "Little Apple."

Straightup, Kansas is perfect at home at 17-0, while KSU comes in with a 2-6 road record, including four straight road losses both ATS and outright against its Big XII brethren.

Kansas has covered seven of its past 10 homes games.

Alex Smart

California -4.0

The California Bears after winning 4 of 6 games, bumped into PAC 10 power house programs Washington State and Stanford , and suffered losses. With that I said, I expect the Bears to bounce back with a big time effort in their final home game of the season on senior night, and come out here with a fairly lopsided victory against a Washington Huskies program they have done well against of late in Haas Pavilion ,winning 5 of the L6 meetings. Note: Cal is shooting 77.7 percent from the free throw line this year, and fifth-best in the country. This in my opinion will be a big difference maker in this contest tonight. Final notes & Key Trends: The Golden Bears are a good bounce back team, especially off a lopsided loss (20 points or more), which happened last time out, going 6-1 ATS in their following game. Play on California

Sportsmemo

20* T Trushel......... Az St -1.5
20 * Veno................... Bay-6.5
20* Erin Rynning......... Minn -2.5
20* Covers ............... Ark -6.5