Alex Smart
SE Missouri St. +7.5
Southeast Missouri is 11-7 overall and 6-2 in the Ohio Valley Conference notching wins against Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech and Eastern Kentucky and road wins over Samford, Jacksonville State and Eastern Illinois. They beat their hosts tonight Tennessee State by a 102-95 count the last time they played earlier this season at home, and looked the superior team in that tilt, and despite of being without senior forward Brandon Foust(injury) , this deep Redhawks team, looks like solid underdogs against a inconsistent host that is just is 6-10 overall and 3-4 in the OVC. Note: Southeast is one of six teams in NCAA Division I to have 10 or more players score in double figures this season.
Play on SE Missouri State
Marc Lawrence
Marquette Warriors at Louisville Cardinals
The Warriors are true road warriors as evidenced by their 30-14-1 ATS mark as conference road dogs when facing a .680 or better opponent. They're also 4-0 ATS against foes off a SUATS win this season. Look for more of the same from Dominic James and the Warriors this evening.
Feist comp
A couple of power offensive teams meet in Denver. Utah is No. 1 in the NBA in shooting at 49% from the field. Denver is fourth in the league in points scored (106 ppg) while Utah is fifth (105 ppg). Utah doesn't play much defense on the road, allowing 105 ppg, which is why they are 12-7 over the total away from home. The last four times these teams have met the "over" is 3-1. Play the Jazz/Nuggets over the total!
Mighty Quinn
Tennessee -10.5
Joe Wiz
Vanderbilt +10.5
LT Lock
Tenn.+10'
Arthur Ralph
Super Pick
Pacific
Daily BEST BETS:
Ill-Chicago
Phoenix Suns
Gamblers Data
Cleveland/San Antonio Over 183
Burns
Div. GOM-------------Sharks
TNT GOW-------------Suns
False Fav GOM---------Minnesota
Roast------------------St. Louis
POINTWISE
TENNESSEE over Vanderbilt RATING: 2
ARIZONA over Stanford RATING: 5
Sports Gambling Hotline
Phoenix (-2') at LA LAKERS
Tonight we expect the Suns to break into the win column in the season series against the upstart Lakers. No one thought LA would be this good this year, including Kobe "Trade Me" Bryant, but the Lakers are a game ahead of the Suns in the Pacific standings, and they have won and covered both meetings with Phoenix this season after losing in the playoffs to the Suns last April.
The Lakers struggled to get by Seattle the other night in overtime, and even though that was win #7 in a row, we get the feeling the loss of Andrew Bynum is going to be felt tonight against the Suns.
Bynum went nuts in LA's Christmas Day win at home over Phoenix, scoring 28 in the 122-115 win. We just don't see where the Lakers are going to turn to replace that kind of production this evening, and beyond for that matter?
Look for Phoenix to take control of this one, and snap the Lakers winning streak at 7 straight.
Play on the Suns.
5* PHOENIX
EZ Winners
NCAA
2 STAR: (540) MINNESOTA (+1.5) over Indiana
(Risking $220 to win $200)
Indiana is off to a great start this season, but you have to love the job that Tubby Smith is doing with the Gophers. Minnesota is undefeated at home this year and the home crowd will be fired up for this one. Indiana is just 1-5 against the spread in their last five trips to Minnesota and they are only 2-10 against the spread in their last tweleve conference games. The underdog is also 7-2 against the spread in the last nine meetings. I'll take the points with the live home dog!
1 STAR: (546) DENVER (-3) over Arkansas State
(Risking $110 to win $100)
This one is pretty simple. You have a Denver team that plays well at home against an Arkansas State team that is horrible on the road. The home team has won five straight in this series and eight out of the last ten and Denver is 7-3 against the spread in the last ten meetings. I'll lay the small number here!
NBA
2 STAR: (505) PHOENIX (-2) over LA Lakers
(Risking $220 to win $200)
Okay the team with the best record in the Western Conference is a home underdog against a Phoenix team that they have already beaten twice this season? I think the public will be all over the Lakers, but I do think Phoenix is the play here. The lose of Bynum is going to hurt against the Suns. Lay the points!
COMPS
RAZOR SHARP SPTS
YOUR FREE WINNER FOR THURSDAY: WRIGHT ST +3½ over Illinois-Chicago
TV HOTLINE
CONNECTICUT -8
#1 SPTS
THURSDAY'S FREE WINNER: ARKANSAS LITTLE ROCK - 8
DARK HORSE SPTS
Free Play of the Day: NCAA - Butler -6 over Cleveland State
HUDDLE UP SPTS
Phoenix -1
TOTALS 4U
THURSDAY'S FREE WINNER: MARQUETTE GOLDEN EAGLES + 3
VEGAS STEAMLINE
Free Winner for Thursday: Take Vanderbilt +10½ over Tennessee
Jimmy The Moose COMP
Game: Edmonton Oilers at Washington Capitals
Prediction: over
Reason: The over is 7-1-1 in the Oilers last 9 road games. On the road Edmonton is allowing 3.23 GPG and tonight they face a Capitals team that averages 2.95 GPG at home. The over is 6-2-2 in Washington's last 10 home games. In their last 8 games following a win the over is 6-2. In their last 8 games overall the over is 5-2-1. In their last 10 games following 1 day rest the over is 6-2-2. Play the over tonight.
Robert Ross comp
Game: Montreal Canadiens at Atlanta Thrashers
Prediction: Montreal Canadiens
Reason: Atlanta ripe for a letdown after big win in Detroit in its last. Montreal looking to finish off a 4-game road trip on a positive note and is looking to avenge a pair of 3-2 losses to the Thrashers. Take the Habs!
Global Handicapping
Denver -3.5
BIG TIME SPORTS
MONTANA -12 OVER IDAHO STATE
Must Win Sports Picks
NHL
Detroit -1.
TRACE ADAMS
Louisville Cardinals
Joe Wiz
CBA - Vanderbilt (+10.5)
Mr. A's
Cleveland at San Antonio, 8:00 PM San Antonio Spurs -8
Phoenix at LA Lakers, 10:30 PM Los Angeles Lakers +2
Gator's NBA/CBB 70% Report
CBB
Thursday: Play On CBB teams where the line is +3 to -3 off an upset loss by 15 points or more as a favorite, a team with a winning percentage of 60% to 80% playing a team with a winning record
36-8 ATS the last 5 seasons (81.8%) PLAY: CS-Fullerton +3.5
Johnny Guild
Phoenix Suns at Los Angeles Lakers
The Suns played below par in their last game on Tuesday, a 97-90 loss to the Clippers at the Staples Center and have lost two of their last three games on the road. Los Angeles is 9-1 in their last 10 games at home and won the first two battles against the Suns this season. Take the Lakers in a high scoring clash. The Suns are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games, 2-3-1 ATS last six away from home and went 1-4 ATS in the last five contests versus the Lakers. Los Angeles has won seven straight and 11 of its last 12 games overall.
Los Angeles Lakers +2
CBB
7:00 p.m. Vanderbilt (16-1) at Tennessee (14-1) Tennessee Volunteers -10.5
7:30 p.m. Butler (16-1) at Cleveland St. (12-5) Butler Bulldogs -6
RAS
Cal State Fullerton at Pacific (-3)
Pacific is 11-5 despite having played one of the tougher non-conference schedule's in the Big West. They are 2-1 in conference play and have yet to have serve broken at home with only Big West loss coming at first place CSUN in a game they led the entire first half. The Tigers dominated Big West play for three years before a down season last year but they return all key components and are much more seasoned, healthy, and deep this year. Miami Ohio transfer Chad Troyer has added a much needed consistent scorer on the perimeter. Pacific has a balanced offense (lead Big West in FG%) and a solid defense (2nd in Big West in FG% allowed). Fullerton is overvalued here despite coming off a bad 15 point home loss to UCSB. Their conference worst defense was again exposed as the Gauchos put up 89 points. The Titans have some talented scorers but their lack of size leaves their offense unbalanced and their defense a liability. This is even more of a problem on the road. Pacific easily has the most fans and biggest home court advantage in the conference. Expect the Tigers to make a statement that they will again be a factor in the Big West with a solid win here. Give the points.
Play: Pacific -3 1 UNIT
TOM SCOTT'S FIVE STAR UPSET SPECIAL!
Indiana at MINNESOTA
Play ON: #540 MINNESOTA plus the points
The Gophers are perfect on this floor this season and are hoping to stay that way and, while they're at it, give venerated coach Tubby Smith his 400th career win. If history repeats itself like they say, Minnesota will get the job done. Indiana has won only once in its last eight trips to Minny and is a lowly 4-23 SU in its last 27 games on the conference road against .600 or better opposition. Raise the ante to .700 or better and the Hoosiers are 1-15 SU in their last 16 tries. Here's the rub: In those 16 games, Indiana was the underdog each time. We're not sure why the Hoosiers are favored here and we're going to pay to find out. Take the Gophers and the points.
PREDICTION: MINNESOTA 78 - Indiana 68
Bobby Bo
3* UC Davis +7
3* Minnesota +2
3* Seton Hall -5
1* Free Play Louisville -3
Calf Sports
4* Stanford
3* St Johns
3* Rhode Island
3* Pacific
Michael Cannon
15 Dime
ARIZONA STATE
Take the points with Arizona State tonight when they visit California.
The Sun Devils were off last weekend which means they had extra time to prepare for tonight’s meeting. Coach Herb Sendek has done a good job so far in implementing his system and Cal is going to find the going tough against Arizona State tonight.
The Sun Devils played Cal very tough last season and they’ve improved immensely since then so tonight should be another close contest.
Cal’s frontcourt is thin right now, with Theo Robertson and Omondi Amoke both out with injuries. They stopped a two-game losing streak with a 10-point win at Oregon State last Saturday, but Arizona State will provide a tougher test tonight.
The Sun Devils are on a nine-game winning streak and are 7-1-1 ATS in their last nine versus the Pac-10.
The road team is on a 13-3 ATS run in the last 16 meetings.
Take the points with Arizona State as they stay within the number on the road.
10 Dime
LOUSIVILLE
Lay the points with Louisville tonight when they host Marquette.
No question Marquette is off to a good start this year, but I trust Louisville and coach Rick Pitino at home.
The Cardinals are 3-0 SUATS in their last three.
Louisville is doing it with defense this year, as they rank in the top 20 in field-goal defense and points allowed.
The Golden Eagles are 2-7 ATS on the highway dating to last season, 2-6 ATS on the road versus teams with a winning home mark and 1-4 ATS on Thursday.
The Cardinals are on ATS runs of 6-2 on Thursday and 19-7-1 in the Big East.
Lay the small number as Louisville grabs the home win and cover.
Brandon Lang
20 Dime: Suns
5 Dime: Illinois-Chicago
5 Dime: Minnesota
5 Dime: St. Louis
Free Pick: Marquette
FAGARINO
5.5-Unit Play. Take #521 Butler (-5) over Cleveland State
Note: This is our Game of the Week. Buy the hook. If you can't buy the hook I endorse the play at -5.5. But this line is dropping, so you may be able to wait it out.
I’m not going to run through the litany of teams that Butler has beaten – but there are a lot of very good ones on that list. They aren’t going to lose to Cleveland State. If they aren’t going to lose, I think they’re going to cover. They are 6-2-1 ATS in their last nine road games and 13-5-1 ATS overall. Cleveland State is in first place in the Horizon League mainly because they have played the worst teams in the conference. They are 3-7-1 ATS against teams over .500 and they really don’t have much diversity on offense. Butler has beaten CSU by 42, 25, and 29 in the last three meetings and are 13-2 SU in their last 15 meetings. I think CSU has closed the gap significantly, but I really don’t see how this isn’t a 10-point Butler win.
2.5-Unit Play. Take #579 Tennessee-Martin (+10.5) over Austin Peay
I think this line is going to climb, so you may be able to get it at +11 if you are patient.
Tennessee-Martin can put the ball in the hole and Austin Peay’s forte has been close wins. These teams went into overtime two weeks ago and I just don’t see this much separation. Only three of the last 10 meetings have been decided by more than 10 points and I think UT-Martin can hang with a team that is 0-8-2 ATS in its last 10.
2.5-Unit Play. Take #575 SE Missouri State (+7) over Tennessee State
This is too many points to be giving the better team. Tennessee State has proven nothing in the OVC and SE Missouri State has been dominating smaller teams on the boards. I think SEMS has a strong chance to win this one outright.
2-Unit Play. Take #517 Vanderbilt (+10.5) over Tennessee
This is too many points to give up for a team that doesn’t play any defense. That has been our rationale in several plays against the Vols this year and I think we are 3-0 against them. Don't be shocked if Tennessee gets up big early and then lets Vandy back in the door in the last 10 minutes.
2-Unit Play. Take #539 Indiana (-125) over Minnesota
If Minnesota’s best win wasn’t a three-point victory over Penn State then I might be a believer. They don’t, so I’m not. IU is not nearly as good as the Hype, but they have enough scoring options to make this one a comfortable win. This line is about four points too light and we’ll back the team that’s 4-1 ATS in its last five road games.
1.5-Unit Play. Take #560 Stanford (-5) over Arizona
Arizona is a bit banged up right now – Jordan Hill has a sore ankle and is only about 85 percent, Chase Budinger has had the flu, and Bret Brielmaier is out with a shoulder injury. I don’t know if they can roll into Stanford and beat the Cardinal with everyone not at 100 percent. I just don’t think they have enough raw talent for that this year. Stanford shot 2-for-18 from 3-point land at Oregon over the weekend in a game they should have won. That screams bounceback to me as I see them knocking down somewhere closer to their 38.7-percent home clip. The Cardinal are one of the best defensive teams in the country, their top guys make their free throws, and I think they pull away late for an 8-point win.