12-19-15 |
Oakland v. Washington -8.5 |
Top |
97-83 |
Loss |
-115 |
10 h 2 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the Washington Huskies.
The Huskies have won four straight, and they are 5-0 at home so far. Washington will host the Oakland Grizzlies on Saturday, and Oakland has been a bit of a disappointment this year. The Grizzlies are just 2-3 on the road, and they appear to be overmatched here at Washington. The Huskies are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 home games. They shot 10-of-25 from the three point line in a 92-62 win over the Montana Grizzlies in their last game. They owned the boards in that game, and with their tremendous size, they normally clean up on the glass. I like the Huskies to win by double digits here versus an inferior opponent.
Take WASH.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-19-15 |
Northwestern -170 v. DePaul |
|
78-70 |
Win
|
100 |
2 h 57 m |
Show
|
This is an 8* play on the Northwestern Wildcats.
The Wildcats are 9-1, with their only loss coming to the North Carolina Tar Heels. They are one the road Saturday at DePaul, and the Blue Demons have really struggled here in 2015. DePaul is coming off back to back double digit losses to Stanford and UALR. The Wildcats are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 vs. Big East, while the Blue Demons are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 home games. Northwestern should have a big advantage on the glass, averaging almost 35 rebounds per game. Senior center Alex Olah scored 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting in his last start, and he's likely to have a big game against an undersized DePaul team.
Take NW.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-19-15 |
North Carolina v. UCLA +7 |
Top |
89-76 |
Loss |
-110 |
7 h 33 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the UCLA Bruins. The Bruins will host the #11 ranked North Carolina Tar Heels on Saturday, looking for another big upset at home. It was just two weeks ago that UCLA beat the #1 ranked Kentucky Wildcats at home. Last weekend they upset the Gonzaga Bulldogs winning 71-66 on the road. The Tar Heels on the other hand have lost both road games so far at UNI and Texas. Making matters worse for UNC, senior forward Kennedy Meeks is out for the Tar Heels. The Bruins are starting to develop a reputation as Giant Killers, and they are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games versus teams with a winning record. Take UCLA. GL, Jesse Schule
|
12-19-15 |
Utah v. Duke -6.5 |
Top |
77-75 |
Loss |
-110 |
14 h 46 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the Duke Blue Devils.
The Utah Utes are an underdog on the road at Duke on Saturday afternoon, and this will be the first meeting since last year's tournament. The Blue Devils won that game by a score of 63-57, but that was at a neutral site. I'm expecting are more one-sided affair here at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Utes have not done well on the road, losing by 17 points at Wichita State in their most recent road game. They also lost a neutral site game by a 24 point margin versus the Miami Hurricanes. Amile Jefferson will not play for Duke, but they didn't miss him in a 99-65 win over Georgia Southern. They shot 53 percent from the field and 41.percent from beyond the arc in that game. Freshman Brandon Ingram stepped up scoring 26 points on 9-of-13 shooting. The Blue Devils have covered the spread in eight of their last 11 versus teams from the PAC-12, and seven of their last eight following a win.
Take DUKE.
GL,
Jesse Schule.
|
12-18-15 |
Grizzlies v. Mavs OVER 196.5 |
Top |
88-97 |
Loss |
-109 |
19 h 1 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on MEM@DAL to go OVER the total.
The Memphis Grizzlies will be in Dallas taking on the Mavs tonight, and I think the total for this game looks a little low. Perhaps people still think of Memphis as one of the best defensive teams in the NBA? Last year they ranked second in the league in opponent's scoring, allowing only 95.1 points per game. Things have changed since then, and they rank below average so far this year, allowing 100.9 points per contest. The Mavs were one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA last year, and have improved just slightly. The over is 8-1-1 in the last 10 meetings between the two teams, and 4-0-2 in the Grizzlies last six trips to Dallas. Tony Allen is considered by many to be the best defender in the NBA, and he hasn't played since last Friday, sitting out the last three games with a knee injury. The Mavs have gone over in six of their last seven versus teams with a winning record.
Take OVER.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-18-15 |
Knicks v. 76ers UNDER 195.5 |
Top |
107-97 |
Loss |
-105 |
18 h 41 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on NYK@PHI to go UNDER the total.
The Knicks are coming off back to back wins over Portland and Minnesota, and each of those games were high scoring. I'm expecting a slower pace here on the road at Philly, as the Sixers are ranked dead last in the NBA in scoring, and New York has been pretty good defensively. These teams certainly have a history of playing low scoring games, with five of the last six failing to reach the total, and 10 of the last 11 meetings in Philadelphia going under the number. Kristaps Porzingis had seven blocks in the win over Minnesota, and the rookie they call #PorzinGOD scored 17 points with 10 rebounds and four blocks in a 99-87 home win over Philly earlier this season. I expect tonight's game to look very much like the previous matchup at the Garden.
Take UNDER.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-16-15 |
Pelicans v. Jazz UNDER 204 |
Top |
104-94 |
Win
|
100 |
19 h 10 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on NO@UTAH to go UNDER the total.
The Jazz have lost three straight, but two of those three losses came on the road. The other was a 94-90 home loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, but they should have an excellent chance to put an end to this skid tonight. They host the New Orleans Pelicans, a team with a 1-12 road record. The Pelicans blew a 14-point lead in a 98-94 loss to the Bulls on Friday, and the under is 7-3 in Pelicans last 10 games playing on 1 days rest. The Jazz are one of the top defensive teams in the league, holding opponents to an average of 97.4 points per game. We've seen 10 of their last 14 games versus teams below .500 fail to reach the total, and I think tonight's number is way higher than it should be.
Take UNDER.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-16-15 |
New Mexico State v. New Mexico -9 |
Top |
61-79 |
Win
|
100 |
19 h 55 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the New Mexico Lobos.
The Lobos will host rivals New Mexico State tonight, and they are asked to cover a nine point spread. I like the Lobos to win this one by double digits. These teams met earlier this year, and UNM won that one by a score of 83-74. The Lobos are 5-0 at home, and their last game was an impressive 76-57 win over the Northern Illinois Panthers. While these rivals have played their fair share of close games in the past, not many of those have come at Albuquerque. The Aggies lost here last year by a score of 62-47. They are 2-5-1 ATS in the last 8 meetings in New Mexico, and 2-10-2 ATS overall in the last 14 meetings.
Take UNM. GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-16-15 |
76ers v. Hawks UNDER 199 |
Top |
106-127 |
Loss |
-110 |
18 h 10 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on PHI@ATL to go UNDER the total. The Atlanta Hawks are struggling, coming into tonight's home game against the Sixers as losers of three straight. They've been ice cold offensively during that span, averaging just 86 points in those games. The good news is that they are facing a Philly team that is 1-25 overall, and 0-15 on the road. The Sixers are averaging an NBA low 90.6 points per game, and they might struggle to reach their average here on the road tonight. The Hawks aren't bad defensively, allowing opponents to average less than 100 points per game. They've gone under in five straight versus Philly, and eight of their last nine games versus teams below .500 have failed to reach the total. The Hawks were the top three-point shooting team in the East last year, but rank 18th overall in the NBA this year.
Take UNDER.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-16-15 |
Celtics v. Pistons -127 |
Top |
116-119 |
Win
|
100 |
11 h 43 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the Detroit Pistons.
The Pistons host the Celtics tonight, and Boston is coming off an ugly home loss to Cleveland last night. They shot just 32 percent from the field, losing by a score of 89-77. They appear to be in a tough spot playing on the road on back to back nights at the Palace in Motor City. The Pistons are 9-4 at home, and they've covered the spread in five of their last seven home meetings with the Celtics. Boston has averaged just 87.5 points losing back to back games, and they might continue to struggle here against one of the NBA's best defensive teams. "For whatever reason we were in mud a little bit on offense," coach Brad Stevens said after last night's loss. Expect Detroit to own the boards here against an undersized Celtics team that ranks near the bottom of the league in rebounding.
Take DET.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-16-15 |
Northern Illinois +13 v. Ohio State |
Top |
54-67 |
Push |
0 |
8 h 20 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the Northern Illinois Huskies.
The Ohio State Buckeyes have a strong basketball tradition, and a brand that bettors are familiar with. Perhaps that's why they are a double-digit favorite tonight against the 7-1 Northern Illinois Huskies. When you look at the numbers, nothing else makes sense. The Buckeyes have a losing record, and they are coming off a 20-point loss to Connecticut. They shot just 35.7 percent in that game, and went 5-of-22 from beyond the arc. The Huskies are still flying under the radar, but they've been a great bet on the road going 6-2-1 ATS in their last 9 road games. The Huskies are coming off their first loss of the season at Missouri, but that game was close (78-71). They should be able to make this game interesting against an overrated OSU team.
Take NIU.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-16-15 |
Old Dominion v. Richmond -5 |
|
61-77 |
Win
|
100 |
17 h 54 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the Richmond Spiders.
The Spiders will be just a small favorite at home tonight against Old Dominion, and they've been pretty impressive in recent homes games. They are coming off back to back home wins over Longwood (77-59) and Northern Illinois (82-67). The Monarchs are 0-3 on the road, and they come in as losers of five of their last six. They've lost five straight visits to Richmond, failing to cover in four of those five defeats. The Monarchs are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 road games, and the Spiders are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
Take RICH.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-15-15 |
DePaul v. Stanford -7 |
Top |
60-79 |
Win
|
100 |
23 h 52 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the Stanford Cardinal.
The Cardinal will host the DePaul Blue Demons tonight, and this looks like a complete mismatch. Stanford is 4-3 overall, but their losses have come to powerhouse schools in SMU, St. Mary's and Villanova. They are coming off back to back home wins over Arkansas and Dartmouth. Friday's win over Dartmouth was a defensive clinic, holding the Big Green to 50 points in a 64-50 victory. The Blue Demons are 3-11 ATS in their last 14 non-conference games. They are coming off a 66-44 loss to UALR, and were an abysmal 1-of-9 from beyond the arc, and 9-of-16 (56.3 %) from the free throw line. DePaul has been totally out-classed when facing top tier teams, going 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games versus a team with a winning straight up record.
Take STAN.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-15-15 |
Nuggets v. Wolves OVER 204.5 |
Top |
112-100 |
Win
|
100 |
12 h 54 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on DEN@MIN to go OVER the total
The Minnesota Timberwolves will host the Denver Nuggets tonight, and Denver comes in red hot as winners of four of their last five. They beat the Rockets at home last night by a score of 114-108, and there's every reason to expect another high scoring affair in Minnesota. These are two of the worst defensive teams in the league, ranking 22nd and 24th in opponent's scoring average. The T-Pups have lost six of seven, and seven of their last eight have seen over 200 points scored. These two teams have gone over in six of the last eight meetings in Minnesota, and the Timberwolves have gone over in 10 of their last 13 versus a team with a losing record. Danilo Gallinari has been red hot, and he scored 23 points in a 111-108 win over Minnesota on Friday. We should see history repeat itself here in Minnesota tonight.
Take OVER.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-14-15 |
Wizards v. Grizzlies OVER 199.5 |
Top |
95-112 |
Win
|
100 |
10 h 18 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on WAS@MEM to go OVER the total.
The Grizzlies lost a heart-breaker in Miami last night, and now they are back home playing their second game in a back to back against Washington. The Wizards are one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA, ranking 26th in the league allowing opponents to average 105.3 points per game. They won 114-111 at Dallas on Saturday, and they've seen at least 200 points scored in each of their last seven overall. The Grizzlies were one of the stingiest teams in the league last year, but they are below average so far this season, allowing 101.2 points per game. Memphis has gone over in five of it's last seven overall, and Washington has gone over at rate of 5-2-1 in it's last eight versus Western Conference teams. This total looks a little low considering.
Take OVER.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-14-15 |
Raptors v. Pacers -193 |
|
90-106 |
Win
|
100 |
9 h 51 m |
Show
|
This is an 8* play on the Indiana Pacers.
The Raptors are coming off four straight home wins, but they play their second game of a back to back on the road at Indiana without DeMarre Carroll. The Pacers have won seven of their last eight home games, with the only loss during that span came to the 24-1 Golden State Warriors. Paul George scored 33 points on 11-of-27 shooting against the Warriors, and he's the top scorer in the Eastern Conference averaging 27 points per game. The Pacers are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 games vs. a team with a winning record, and they catch Toronto in a tough spot here tonight.
Take IND.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-13-15 |
Grizzlies v. Heat -175 |
Top |
97-100 |
Win
|
100 |
15 h 4 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the Miami Heat. The Miami Heat are coming into this game against the Memphis Grizzlies eager to end a three-game slide. They've been extremely disappointing on offense in their two most recent games, putting up just 81 and 83 points against Charlotte and Indiana respectively. They've had decent success home at American Airlines Arena though were they've won five of their last seven games and are averaging 99 points per game compared to a 95.4 mark overall. The Grizzlies have been inconsistent lately splitting their first six games of the month and they've failed to cover the spread in four of their last five. They were blown out in a 123-99 defeat against Charlotte home in Memphis Friday, and this could be another rough game as they're 2-7 ATS in their last nine games following a double-digit loss at home. Take MIA. GL, Jesse Schule
|
12-12-15 |
UCLA +8 v. Gonzaga |
Top |
71-66 |
Win
|
100 |
22 h 34 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the UCLA Bruins.
The Gonzaga Bulldogs will host UCLA on Saturday, and the Bruins have won three straight, with one of those wins coming against the #1 ranked Kentucky Wildcats. Gonzaga doesn't look like the same team after losing a pair of senior guards in Pangos and Bell. After losing at home to Arizona, they just about lost again in a 68-51 win over Montana on Tuesday. They shot just 40 percent from the field, and hit 4-of-15 from beyond the arc. "We're very lucky to get out of this with a win," coach Mark Few said after the game. Despite their struggles, they are asked to cover a big number here. The Bruins have covered the spread in four of their last five road games, while the Bulldogs are 0-3-1 ATS in their last four home games. Senior center Przemek Karnowski has missed the Bulldogs last three games with a sore back, and he isn't expected to play tonight. "He's a huge, huge part of who we are," said Few. "I think these guys are performing admirably without one of their best, most important players out there on the floor."
Take UCLA.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-12-15 |
Warriors v. Bucks +9 |
|
95-108 |
Win
|
100 |
11 h 48 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the Milwaukee Bucks. The Warriors winning streak is now at 24-0, but it nearly came to an end last night in Boston. The Celtics gave Golden State all it could handle in a 124-119 double-overtime thriller at the garden. To say that the Warriors are due for a let down here on the road in their second game of a back to back, would be understating it. They came out ice cold last night, and Steph Curry had his worst shooting performance of the season. He was 9-of-27 from the field, scoring 14 of his 38 points at the free throw line. He logged 47 minutes, while Draymond Green logged 50. Surely Golden State will look to lean on it's bench tonight, giving the starters a chance to catch their breath. The Bucks are no push overs, with a winning home record of 7-5. They've also been a good bet against the Warriors, covering the spread in six of the last eight meetings. I think this is a great spot to go against the best team in the NBA.
Take MIL.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-12-15 |
Spurs v. Hawks OVER 191 |
Top |
103-78 |
Loss |
-105 |
9 h 58 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on SAS@ATL to go OVER the total. The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Hawks 108-88 home in San Antonio on Nov.28 and I expect a similar total for the scoreline tonight. The Spurs put up impressive offensive numbers in last night's 109-87 win against the Lakers as they shot 53.7% from the field despite resting Tony Parker completely and Tim Duncan logging just 20 minutes. I think it's fair to assume that the Spurs will be lively on the ball tonight as well with a fresh Parker in the starting lineup again. Backup point guard Patty Mills scored 22 points on 9-of-11 shooting in Parker's absence last night, and that's a great testament to the depth of the offensive talent the Spurs have at their disposal. The Hawks have been inconsistent in recent weeks and allowed the Thunder to shoot 48.8% from the field and 52.9% from 3-point range in Thursday's 107-94 defeat. They're usually putting up strong offensive displays at Philips Arena though where they average 102.6 points per game this season, and that should be the case tonight as well. The over is 4-1 in the Spurs last five overall and 5-1 in their last six when visiting a team with a winning home record. Take OVER. GL, Jesse Schule
|
12-12-15 |
Celtics v. Hornets -131 |
|
98-93 |
Loss |
-131 |
9 h 18 m |
Show
|
This is an 8* play on the Charlotte Hornets. The Warriors winning streak is now at 24-0, but it nearly came to an end last night in Boston. The Celtics gave Golden State all it could handle in a 124-119 double-overtime thriller at the garden. To say that the Celtics are due for a let down here on the road in their second game of a back to back, would be understating it. The Hornets are sitting second in the Eastern Conference with a 14-8 record, and they are 10-3 at home. They come in off one of their best shooting performances of the season in a 123-99 win at Memphis last night. They were 18-of-37 from three-point range, and they hit 50 percent from the field and hit 90 percent of their free throws. Kemba Walker led all scorers with 33 points on 12-of-19 shooting. It pays to ride the Hornets while they're hot, as they've covered the spread in five of their last six coming off an ATS win.
Take CHA.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-12-15 |
Cincinnati v. Xavier -5 |
Top |
55-65 |
Win
|
100 |
17 h 44 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the Xavier Musketeers.
These are two teams that are quite familiar with one another, but in recent seasons the Musketeers have had the better of this rivalry. Last year Xavier upset the Bearcats in Cincinnati by a score of 59-57. The year before they crushed them at home by a score of 64-47. This year's Musketeers team might be the best ever, and they come into tonight's game with a 9-0 record, with signature wins over Michigan, Dayton and USC. None of those games were close, all decided by a double digit margin. They are coming off a 90-55 win over Wright State, and they were 10-of-21 from beyond the arc in the victory. The Musketeers have been a great bet at home, going 37-18 ATS in their last 55 home games.
Take XAV.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-12-15 |
St. Mary's +6 v. California |
Top |
59-63 |
Win
|
100 |
15 h 55 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the St. Mary's Gaels. The California Bears are one of the better teams in the PAC12, and they are sexy pick for bettors, who are easily impressed by the fact that they score a lot of points. Cal will face a tough test this Saturday though, hosting the undefeated Gaels. So far this season, when they've played good teams they have failed to impress. The Bears lost 72-58 to San Diego State in Las Vegas, shooting just 37.5 percent from the field in that game. They also fell 94-90 to the Richmond Spiders, blowing a late lead. The Gaels have cruised to a 6-0 record, and they have double digit wins over Stanford, U.C. Davis and UCI. While this will be their toughest test to date, history tells us that we should see a close game here. St. Mary's has won both previous meetings, and those games were each decided by single digits. The Gaels are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 road games, while Cal has failed to cover in four of it's last five home games.
Take SMC.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-12-15 |
Utah v. Wichita State -135 |
Top |
50-67 |
Win
|
100 |
7 h 10 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the Wichita State Shockers.
The Shockers have had a tough start to the season, with a record of 4-4. One of the reasons for their struggles has been injuries, and they really missed Fred Van Fleet. Their starting PG is back and healthy now though, and he scored 17 points with four rebounds and four assists in a win over UNLV on Thursday. Wichita State will host Utah on Saturday afternoon, and this is a revenge spot for the Shockers, who lost by a single point at Utah last season. The Utes are a great team at home, but they are nowhere near as good on the road. Utah is 1-4 ATS in it's last five non-conference games, and 2-5 ATS in it's last seven away from home. The Utes looked pretty sloppy in their last game, trailing IPFW by seven points in the first half, and allowing the Matadors to score 36 first half points. The Shockers are far better defensively, and they are a dominant team on their home court.
Take WICH.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-12-15 |
Tennessee v. Butler -13 |
|
86-94 |
Loss |
-106 |
3 h 38 m |
Show
|
This is an 8* play on the Butler Bulldogs. The Tennessee Volunteers are in a tough spot here on the road today playing Butler. The Vols haven't played since losing to Nebraska at the end of November, and since then they have lost starting guard Robert Hubbs III to a knee injury. He is averaging over 15 points per game, and his absence leaves a big hole for Tennessee to fill. Butler is flying high, with a 7-1 record, and scoring over 90 points per game during that span. The Bulldogs shot over 54 percent from the field and 10-of-21 from beyond the arc in a 93-66 win over VMI in their last game. The Vols are just 5-11-3 ATS in their last 19 non-conference games, while Butler has covered the spread in four it's last five versus opponents from the SEC.
Take BUTLER.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-11-15 |
Pistons v. 76ers UNDER 193 |
Top |
107-95 |
Loss |
-110 |
18 h 43 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on DET@PHI to go UNDER the total.
The Sixers rank dead last in the NBA in scoring, averaging just over 90 points per game. They scored 91 points in a loss last night to one of the worst teams in the East, and they face the Pistons in their second game of a back to back at home tonight. Detroit is coming off a brutal home loss to Memphis, as the Grizzlies won by one point on a half-court buzzer-93-92 beater by a score of 93-92. The Pistons rank 5th in the NBA allowing opponents to average just 97.6 points per game. The bad news is that they rank near the bottom in scoring, averaging roughly the same. Detroit has failed to reach the total in five of it's last six road games, while the Sixers have gone under in 11 of their last 15 home games. These teams also have a history of playing low scoring games, with 11 of the last 15 meetings in Philadelphia failing to reach the total.
Take UNDER.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-10-15 |
76ers v. Nets UNDER 196.5 |
Top |
91-100 |
Win
|
100 |
18 h 3 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on PHI@BKN to go UNDER the total.
Philly is coming off an ugly home loss to the Spurs, scoring just 68 point on 34 percent shooting. They rank dead last in the NBA in scoring, averaging just over 90 points per game. While they were completely out-classed in the loss to San Antonio, they had been very competitive in nine straight games before that. Tonight's game in Brooklyn is as good a chance as any for the Sixers to pick up a win, playing the second worst team in the Eastern Conference. These teams have a history of playing low scoring games, failing to reach the total in each of the last six head to head meetings. The Sixers have failed to reach the total in five of their last six road games, while the Nets have gone under in six straight versus teams with a losing record.
Take UNDER.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-09-15 |
Knicks v. Jazz UNDER 192 |
|
85-106 |
Win
|
100 |
10 h 53 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on NYK@UTAH to go UNDER the total.
The Utah Jazz have struggled losing three of their last four, but they have an excellent opportunity to bounce back at home tonight hosting the Knicks. New York has dropped six of it's last eight overall, and three straight on the road. The Jazz are still one of the NBA's best defensive teams, ranking 3rd in the league allowing opponents to average just 96.8 points per game. The Knicks are also among the top defensive teams, holding the opposition to just over 98 points per game. Four of the last five meetings between these teams have failed to reach the total, and four of the last five in Utah have also gone under.
Take UNDER.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-09-15 |
Dayton v. Vanderbilt -8.5 |
|
72-67 |
Loss |
-115 |
15 h 8 m |
Show
|
This is an 8* play on the Vanderbilt Commodores.
The #21 ranked Commodores will host the unranked Dayton Flyers tonight, and Vandy is a sizable favorite. The Commodores have lost two of their last three, and they are coming off a 69-67 loss at Baylor on Sunday. I like their chances of bouncing back here at home, where they have won all four of their games so far this season. They won their last home game by a whopping 50 points against the Detroit Titans. Dayton has only faced one ranked opponent this year, losing by a score of 90-61 to Xavier at a neutral site. It's going to be tough to do better than that on the road against a Vanderbilt team with superior free throw shooting, three-point shooting, defense and rebounding.
Take VANDY.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-09-15 |
Nebraska +5.5 v. Creighton |
|
67-83 |
Loss |
-110 |
14 h 7 m |
Show
|
This is an 8* play on the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
The Creighton Blue Jays will host the Nebraska Cornhuskers in Omaha tonight, and the Blue Jays are asked to cover a sizable point spread. Keep in mind that the Huskers are just stone's throw away from their home in Lincoln, and they have done well so far with a 6-3 record, losing a pair of close games at neutral sites to Miami and Cincinnati. The trends and past meetings will all favor Creighton, but this isn't the same Blue Jays team now that Dougie McBuckets has moved on to the NBA. Nebraska has the edge when it comes to free throw shooting, hitting 72.5 percent from the charity stripe. They also have and edge when it comes to defense and rebounding. Making matters worse for the Blue Jays, starting forward Cole Huff is doubtful with a shoulder injury. Huff is the team's leading scorer averaging 12.4 points per game.
Take NEB.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-09-15 |
Grizzlies v. Pistons -175 |
|
93-92 |
Loss |
-175 |
8 h 23 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the Detroit Pistons.
The Memphis Grizzlies were crushed at home last night by Oklahoma City, and they have also lost Marc Gasol to a sprained ankle. They are in a tough spot here playing on back to back nights in Detroit, against a Pistons team that has won six straight at home. The Pistons lost to the Hornets on Monday, but prior to that they swept a four game home stand that included wins over Houston and Phoenix. Andre Drummond is the league's leading rebounder (by a country mile), and he's averaging 17.3 rebounds per game at home so far. Leading scorer Reggie Jackson is also lighting up the score sheet at home, averaging 23 points on 48.5 percent shooting. The Pistons are 23-8 ATS in their last 31 home games, and 2-4 ATS in their last 16 games playing on 1 days rest.
Take DET.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-09-15 |
Spurs v. Raptors OVER 187.5 |
Top |
94-97 |
Win
|
100 |
14 h 42 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on SA@TOR to go OVER the total.
The Raptors will host the Spurs in Toronto tonight, and these are two of the NBA's top defensive teams. Both teams also do their fair share of scoring though, and I think the total here looks a little too low. Both teams could be without their best defensive players, as DeMarre Carroll will not play for the Raptors, and reigning Defensive Player of the Year Kwahi Leonard is questionable for the Spurs. The Raptors are expected to give more minutes to youngster Terrence Ross, and to say that he's not known for his defense might be understating it. The Raptors have seen the total go over in four of their last five home games, and four of their last five home meetings versus San Antonio.
Take OVER.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-08-15 |
Maryland -130 v. Connecticut |
Top |
76-66 |
Win
|
100 |
11 h 54 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the Maryland Terrapins.
The Terps stock has dropped after a loss to North Carolina at Chapel Hill, but I was actually impressed with Maryland in that game. Particularly the play of PG Melo Trimble, who scored 23 points on 7-of-10 shooting. The Tar Heels won that game by a score of 89-81, but it was actually quite close until the final minute. They face the Connecticut Huskies at Madison Square Garden tonight, and they beat Georgetown here on November 17. They Huskies didn't look good in losses to Gonzaga and Syracuse, and it won't get any easier against the #6 ranked Terrapins. Maryland has the better shooters, and they were on fire in their last game hitting better than 67 percent.
Take MD.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-08-15 |
Warriors v. Pacers +5.5 |
Top |
131-123 |
Loss |
-105 |
21 h 8 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the Indiana Pacers.
The Golden State Warriors just keep on winning, and there seems to be no end in sight. The bookmakers have noticed, and the public continues to pound the Dubs as a big favorite no matter the situation. I think they are asked to cover a few too many points here on the road at Indiana though. The Pacers have won six straight at home, and Paul George is the top scorer in the Eastern Conference. He's coming off a massive game, scoring 48 points on 15-of-27 shooting in a loss at Utah. Golden State has had a couple of close calls lately, with wins at Utah and Toronto each coming by just three points. History tells us that they could struggle here in Indianapolis, where they are 3-13 ATS in the last 16. The Pacers are well rested, having not played since Saturday, and they are an incredible 11-0 ATS in their last 11 when playing on two days rest.
Take IND.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-07-15 |
CS-Northridge v. San Francisco -6.5 |
Top |
61-65 |
Loss |
-105 |
17 h 23 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the San Francisco Dons.
The Dons came out flat for their last home game, trailing Eastern Washington by 11 at halftime. They out-scored the Eagles 48-41 in the second half, but still came up short losing 81-77. They followed that up with another ugly loss on the road to Montana, but a home game against the 2-6 CS Northridge Matadors appears to present an opportunity to get back on track. The Matadors have been blown out in back to back losses to Pepperdine and UCLA, and they turned the ball over 37 times in those two games. Bettors haven't made any money backing this team, as the Matadors are 5-20-1 ATS in their last 26 non-conference games. I expect the Dons to win this one by double digits.
Take SF.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-07-15 |
Pistons v. Hornets UNDER 195.5 |
Top |
84-104 |
Win
|
100 |
14 h 27 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on DET@CHA to go UNDER the total.
The Pistons come into Charlotte as winners of four straight, but all four of those wins came at home. Last night they beat the Lakers by a score of 111-91, but I expect them to have a tougher time on the road playing their second game in as many nights. Detroit is just 4-7 on the road this season, and they've lost their last three. They scored an average of just 86 points in those three losses.
Both these teams rank near the top of the league in opponent's scoring average, each holding the opposition to fewer than 100 points per game. Detroit has gone under in four of it's last five on the road, and four of it's last five when playing on back to back nights. The Hornets have held opponents below 100 points in four of their last five, with the only exception being a loss to the 20-0 Warriors.
Take UNDER.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-05-15 |
Northern Iowa +3.5 v. Richmond |
Top |
67-82 |
Loss |
-106 |
17 h 4 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the Northern Iowa Panthers.
The Richmond Spiders are just 4-3, and they are coming off an ugly 20-point loss at Florida. The Spiders shot just 21-of-62 (33.9%) from the field in that game. Still they come into tonight's home game asked to cover points against a Northern Iowa team that is on a five game winning streak. One of those five wins was an upset of the #1 ranked North Carolina Tar Heels. The Panthers have played the tougher schedule, yet they come in shooting the ball for a far higher percentage from the field, from beyond the arc, and almost 10 percent better at the charity stripe. They have covered the spread in 13 of their last 16 road games, and last year they won nine of their 13 road games outright, and those losses came at VCU, Wichita State and Evansville (by three points). I don't believe the Spiders have any business being asked to cover a handful of points here versus this team.
Take UNI.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-05-15 |
Warriors v. Raptors +7.5 |
Top |
112-109 |
Win
|
100 |
14 h 21 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the Toronto Raptors. The Golden State Warriors just keep on winning, and there seems to be no end in sight. The bookmakers have noticed, and the public continues to pound the Dubs as a big favorite no matter the situation. I think they are asked to cover a few too many points here on the road at Toronto though. The Raptors played them close in a 115-110 loss at Oracle Arena earlier this season, and Toronto has covered the spread in 10 of it's last 13 versus teams from the Western Conference. The Warriors will not have Harrison Barnes for this game, as he remains sidelined by an ankle injury. Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan scored 28 points a piece in the last meeting between these two teams, and they'll need to be at their best again if the Raptors are going to end the Warriors unbeaten streak. I like the Raptors to at least keep it close, as they have covered the spread in six straight home games versus an opponent with a winning record.
Take TOR.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-04-15 |
Nets v. Knicks -155 |
Top |
91-108 |
Win
|
100 |
16 h 19 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the New York Knicks. The Knickerbockers are coming off a home win over Philly, and Kristaps Porgzingis filled the stats sheet. The rookie scored 17 points with 10 rebounds and four blocks in 30 minutes. The Kicks host Brooklyn tonight, and this looks like another opportunity to pick up a home win over an inferior opponent. The Nets are coming off a pair of home wins, but they have dropped 10 of 11 on the road this season. They rank near last in the league in scoring, averaging just 95.7 points per game. The Knicks are 5-4 overall in their last nine, and a win tonight would put them back to .500 for the season. Brooklyn won all four meetings in this series last year, giving the Knicks even more reason to get up for this game.
Take NYK.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-03-15 |
Celtics v. Kings UNDER 215 |
Top |
114-97 |
Win
|
100 |
16 h 45 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on BOS@SAC to go UNDER the total.
The Celtics and the Kings are two teams not known to play particularly good defense, but I still think they will come up short of an inflated total tonight. This game will be played in Mexico City, in an arena that isn't going to be familiar to either team. Boston has actually been playing pretty well defensively of late, winning three of their last four, and holding opponents under 100 points in all three of those wins. The Kings have seen the total go under in seven straight games when playing on two days rest, and the Celtics have gone under in four in a row after two days off. The Kings have failed to reach the total in 10 of their last 13 when playing a team with a winning record.
Take UNDER.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-03-15 |
Pacers -128 v. Blazers |
Top |
111-123 |
Loss |
-128 |
15 h 51 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the Indiana Pacers.
Indiana comes into Portland tonight riding a six game winning streak, and they trail the Cavs by just a half a game in the Eastern Conference standings. Paul George is averaging over 35 points per game on better than 50 percent shooting in his last four, and he's fourth in the league in scoring averaging 27.4 points per game. Portland has really struggled without LaMarcus Aldridge and Wesley Matthews, and they have lost three of their last four, two of those at home. Damian Lillard has tried to put the team on his back, taking more shots than anyone in the league aside from James Harden. The result has been a career worst shooting percentage (41.9), and an increase in turnovers. Portland has lost 10 of their last 13 overall, and it looks like a tough ask to expect them to compete with a hot Pacers team.
Take IND.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-03-15 |
Spurs v. Grizzlies OVER 185 |
Top |
103-83 |
Win
|
100 |
15 h 27 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on SA@MEM to go OVER the total.
The Spurs come into Memphis as winners of 11 of their last 13, but they've lost two of their last three road games. They might have a tough time playing a hot Memphis team on the back end of a back to back. The Grizzlies have won four of their last five, and they've scored an average of over 103 points per game during that span. Memphis still has a reputation for being a strong defensive team, but the numbers don't support that. They rank 13th overall in the league allowing just under 100 points per game. These teams have a history of playing high scoring games, with the total going over the number in nine of the last 13 meetings. The number for tonight's game is lower than it was in any of those previous contests.
Take OVER.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-02-15 |
BYU +9 v. Utah |
Top |
75-83 |
Win
|
100 |
13 h 42 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the BYU Cougars.
The Utah Utes are 5-1, but I haven't been impressed with their body of work so far. I bet against them when they played San Diego State at home on November 16. They failed to cover, winning by just five points. That game saw several lead changes, and it could have gone either way. They have since been blown out in a neutral site game against Miami, and won a close game against Temple. BYU has won four of five, with their one loss coming by a single point on the road at Long Beach State. That loss isn't as bad as it sounds, as Long Beach State is a pretty competitive team. In fact last night they lost by just four points to the Aztecs, who were neck and neck with the Utes in that mid November game at Utah. The Utes have won two of the last three meetings between the two teams, but two of those games were close, decided by four points or fewer.
Take BYU.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-02-15 |
Florida State v. Iowa -5.5 |
Top |
75-78 |
Loss |
-106 |
20 h 45 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the Iowa Hawkeyes.
The Hawkeyes are 2-0 at home, and they are coming off a very impressive win over Wichita State. Iowa shot 53.8 percent from the field, and 8-of-18 from three point range, winning 84-61. The Seminoles are playing their first road game of the year, and they have won four of five versus unranked teams from smaller conferences. Florida State hasn't fared as well against Power 5 teams, especially the BIG10. They have failed to cover in nine of their last 10 versus BIG10 teams. Iowa holds an edge in three-point shooting as well as free throw percentage, which is even more significant considering their strength of schedule. They also have a massive size advantage, and should have little trouble dominating the boards.
Take IOWA.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-02-15 |
Wyoming v. Denver -5 |
Top |
68-52 |
Loss |
-105 |
11 h 30 m |
Show
|
This is an 8* play on the Denver Pioneers.
The Pioneers have won five straight, and all five of those wins have come by double digits. They host a 4-2 Wyoming team tonight that hasn't impressed much in the early going. The Cowboys lost their only road game this season by a 15 point margin at Indiana State, and 3-8 ATS in their last 11 road games dating back to last year. The Pioneers have won five straight home meetings versus Wyoming, going 3-1-1 ATS in those games. They are only asked to cover a handful of points in tonight's contest, and this year's Denver team might just be far better than it was in past seasons.
Take DEN.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-02-15 |
Tulsa v. Oklahoma State -155 |
Top |
66-56 |
Loss |
-155 |
11 h 37 m |
Show
|
This is an 8* play on the Oklahoma State Cowboys.
The Cowboys host the Tulsa Golden Hurricane tonight, and Tulsa is coming off back to back losses to South Carolina and Arkansas Little Rock. They were just 20-of-51 (39%) from the field in that game, and that's not likely going to be good enough here in Stillwater. Recent meetings between these teams have been close, but Oklahoma State has won four of the last five. Oklahoma State has a higher scoring average, shooting percentage, three-point shooting percentage, rebound per game average etc. The most significant stat though is that they are hitting almost 10% higher with free throws. The Golden Hurricane are 1-5 ATS in their last six versus Big 12 teams, and the Cowboys are 15-7 ATS in their last 22 home games.
Take OKST.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-02-15 |
Suns v. Pistons -175 |
|
122-127 |
Win
|
100 |
13 h 7 m |
Show
|
This is an 8* play on the Detroit Pistons.
Detroit has won back to back home games versus Houston and Miami, and they host a banged up Phoenix team playing it's second game in as many nights, coming off a loss at Brooklyn. Phoenix won't have Tyson Chandler, who is sidelined by a hamstring injury, and that could pave the way for Andre Dummond to have a big night. The Suns have failed to cover in four straight trips to the Motor City, and they are 0-7 ATS in their last seven meetings with the Pistons. Andre Drummond scored 24 points on 10-of-15 shooting in the win over Houston, and Detroit shot a season high 52.9 percent in that game. This looks like a good spot for the Pistons, who have covered in 20 of their last 28 home games.
Take DET.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-02-15 |
Wisconsin v. Syracuse -5 |
Top |
66-58 |
Loss |
-104 |
13 h 47 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the Syracuse Orange.
The Wisconsin Badgers were the runner up in last year's NCAA Tournament Final, but they have really struggled after losing Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker. They really struggled in their last game at Oklahoma, losing the Sooners by a score of 65-48. They shot an abysmal 23.5 percent from the field in that game, and hit just 7-of-33 three point shots. It doesn't get any easier tonight, playing the Syracuse Orange at the Carrier Dome. The Orange have won 63 of their last 64 non conference home games, and they have looked quite good so far, coming off consecutive wins over ranked teams. They beat the Connecticut Huskies 79-76 on Thanksgiving Day, and then defeated Texas A&M 74-67 the next day. Michael Gbinije comes into tonight's game averaging just under 20 points per game, and he's shooting better than 50 percent from beyond the arc so far this season.
Take SYR.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-02-15 |
Louisville v. Michigan State -5.5 |
Top |
67-71 |
Loss |
-110 |
10 h 58 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the Michigan State Spartans.
The #3 ranked Spartans host the 5-0 Louisville Cardinals, and I like MSU at home here. The Spartans have proved that they can play with the nation's elite teams, winning the Wooden Legacy with a 77-64 victory over Providence. They also beat Kansas by a score of 79-73 at the United Center in early November. We really haven't seen what Louisville can do, because they have yet to play a top level opponent. It was Michigan State that knocked Louisville out of last year's tournament, and since then the Cardinals have lost Montrezl Harrell, Terry Rozier and Wayne Blackshear. The Spartans come in with a significant edge in three-point percentage, as well as free throw percentage. Those numbers are even more significant when you consider that they've had the tougher schedule. The Cardinals have failed to cover in four of their last five versus teams from the BIG10, while the Spartans have covered in six of their last seven home games.
Take MSU.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-01-15 |
San Diego State -178 v. Long Beach State |
|
76-72 |
Win
|
100 |
13 h 25 m |
Show
|
This is an 8* play on the San Diego State Aztecs.
After cashing in back to back blockbuster winners on San Diego State, I decided to hold off when they played West Virginia. They would lose that game by a whopping 22 points. I like their chances of getting back on track tonight at Long Beach State. The 49ers got off to a good start, beating BYU and Seton Hall, but they've now lost three straight. They were crushed by Virginia, and lost consecutive games to Oklahoma State by an average of 5.5 points. The Aztecs are shooting the ball far better from the free-throw line, and that could make a huge difference considering how the NCAA rules are now being enforced. They should also have an edge on the boards. We know this Aztecs team can play on the road, after seeing them come close to upsetting the Utes in Utah in their only previous road game.
Take SDST.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-01-15 |
Eastern Washington v. San Francisco -5.5 |
|
81-77 |
Loss |
-105 |
13 h 6 m |
Show
|
This is an 8* play on the San Francisco Dons.
The Eastern Washington Eagles were a giant killer last year, with several upset wins over teams from bigger conferences. Their most high profile win came against the Hoosiers in Indiana, but they also beat the Dons in San Francisco. This isn't the same Eastern Washington team though, losing two of it's best players in Tyler Harvey and Drew Brandon. They've played twice on the road, losing by 18 at Mississippi State, and by eight at Seattle. The Dons appear to be an improved team, with a 4-2 record so far. One of those losses was a close game on the road at Fresno State, which is an impressive result all things considered. San Francisco should have a big edge on the boards, averaging over 10 more rebounds per game than the Eagles, and they are also holding opponents to an average of 63 points, 11 fewer than the Eagles. The Dons are 7-2 ATS in their last nine versus opponents from the Big Sky, and this looks like a short line.
Take SAN FRAN.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
12-01-15 |
Louisiana Tech +5 v. Memphis |
|
68-94 |
Loss |
-106 |
12 h 6 m |
Show
|
This is an 8* play on the LA-Tech Bulldogs.
The Memphis Tigers may have beaten the Ohio State Buckeyes in a neutral site game in Miami, but that isn't quite as impressive as the undefeated Louisiana Tech Bulldogs beating them convincingly in Columbus. While Memphis needed overtime, the Bulldogs opened up an early lead, and never let the Buckeyes come back, winning 82-74. "This is obviously a big win for us and our program," Louisiana Tech first-year coach Eric Konkol said. The Bulldogs are getting points on the road at Memphis tonight, and I haven't been as impressed by overall body of work of the Tigers. Memphis has already lost at home to the likes of the Texas Arlington Mavericks, as well as a home loss to Oklahoma. The Bulldogs have a better shooting percentage and have played stronger defense, with a similar strength of schedule. Memphis is 0-5 ATS in it's last five home games, and it looks like they shouldn't be asked to cover a bunch of points here against an undefeated opponent.
Take LA-Tech.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
11-30-15 |
Warriors v. Jazz +8.5 |
Top |
106-103 |
Win
|
100 |
19 h 41 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the Utah Jazz.
The Golden State Warriors just keep on winning, and there seems to be no end in sight. The bookmakers have noticed, and the public continues to pound the Dubs as a big favorite no matter the situation. I think they are asked to cover a few too many points here on the road at Utah though. The Jazz are the NBA's best defensive team, holding opponents to just over 93 points per game.
Utah is coming off back to back double digit wins over the Clippers and Pelicans, and they have won three of their last four at home. Golden State is playing it's first game of a grueling seven game road trip, and they will be without their third leading scorer Harrison Barnes for at least three games. Barnes injured his ankle in the win over Phoenix.
The last time the Warriors played at Utah they lost by a score of 110-100 (last January). In fact the home team is 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings between the two teams, and Utah has covered the spread in five of it's last six when playing on one day's rest.
Take UTAH.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
11-30-15 |
Spurs -155 v. Bulls |
Top |
89-92 |
Loss |
-155 |
15 h 54 m |
Show
|
This is an 8* play on the San Antonio Spurs.
The Warriors are the team that everyone is talking about, but Los Spurs have quietly won 11 of their last 12, and own the league's second best record. They are on the road at Chicago tonight, and I like the visitors as a slight favorite. The Bulls have lost two of their last three, and I haven't been impressed with Chicago so far this season.
The Spurs are playing stifling defense, limiting opponents to just 89.7 points per game. That's not good news for the Bulls, who have struggled offensively, shooting 36.7 percent from the field over their last three games. Derrick Rose has been shooting poorly all year, and was just 11-for-36 in his last two games.
"Oh, my God, I felt like I played like (crap) tonight," he said. "I don't know what the case might be. Thanksgiving, I don't know. It's a hard one losing like that in here, but the energy level, my energy, wasn't up. It is a tough game when you come back from the West Coast, but we can't use that as an excuse."
Take SA.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
11-30-15 |
Thunder -135 v. Hawks |
Top |
100-106 |
Loss |
-135 |
15 h 53 m |
Show
|
This is an 8* play on the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Atlanta Hawks and the Oklahoma City Thunder appear to be two teams heading in different directions. Since KD's return, the Thunder have won three straight, all by double digits. The Hawks on the other hand have just three wins in their last nine games, and are coming off a 108-88 loss at San Antonio. Playing another Western Conference powerhouse isn't going to be easy, even at home. The Thunder have won four of the last five meetings with the Hawks, and two of those wins came at Atlanta. Going back further reveals that the Thunder are 13-3 ATS in the last 16 meetings in Atlanta. The Hawks have failed to cover in five of their last seven games versus opponents from the Western Conference, and I don't like their chances of slowing down a hot Thunder team tonight.
Take OKC.
GL,
Jesse Schul
|
11-29-15 |
Providence +8 v. Michigan State |
|
64-77 |
Loss |
-110 |
13 h 19 m |
Show
|
This is an 8* play on the Providence Friars.
The Friars are coming off an upset win over the Arizona Wildcats, and they are getting a bunch of points tonight against Michigan State. I think Providence can hang with the Spartans here in a neutral site game in California. Both teams are undefeated, but the friars appear to be peaking at the right time. They shot 50 percent from the field in the win over Arizona, and went 5-of-15 from three-point range. Kris Dunn scored 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting, with eight assists in just 21 minutes in the win over the Wildcats. His minutes were limited after he picked up a few early fouls. The Friars are an astounding 11-1 in their last 12 neutral site games, while the Spartans have failed to cover in six straight games versus opponents from the Big East.
Take PROV.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
11-29-15 |
Dayton v. Xavier -145 |
Top |
61-90 |
Win
|
100 |
9 h 33 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the Xavier Musketeers.
Both Xavier and Dayton come into Sunday's Advocare Invitational Final unbeaten, but the Musketeers have been far more impressive. Xavier has wins over Michigan and USC, and their last five wins have all come by double digits. The Flyers have yet to face a ranked team, and their last win came in a close game, defeating Monmouth by a score of 73-70.
Dayton shot just 4-of-18 from three point range in that game, and a pedestrian 68.2 percent from the free throw line. With the NCAA putting a heavy emphasis on fouls early in the season, so many games are being decided at the free throw line. That bodes well for the Musketeers, who's 76.8 percent average this season is significantly better than Dayton's.
Xavier blew out the Trojans by a score of 54-27 in the first half of their last game, and then took the pedal off the gas in the second half of an 87-77 win. "Had our best half of the year," coach Chris Mack said. "Our guys were ready to play. We're just excited to play in the championship game."
The Musketeers have won three of their last four versus Dayton, and they appear to be the better team here this year given their more impressive overall body of work.
Take XAVIER.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
11-29-15 |
Wichita State v. Iowa -4.5 |
Top |
61-84 |
Win
|
100 |
7 h 59 m |
Show
|
This is an 8* play on the Iowa Hawkeyes. I am a big fan of the Wichita State Shockers, but they are in a tough spot here on Sunday facing the Iowa Hawkeyes in Orlando. The Shockers are missing starting guard Fred Van Fleet, as well as his backup Landry Shamet. They suffered another big loss in their last game, with starting forward Anton Grady suffering a serious spinal injury. Grady was knocked unconscious, and taken off the court on a stretcher. With a decimated lineup, the Shockers would lose by a score of 64-60 to a pretty poor Crimson Tide team.
The Hawkeyes have also lost their last two games, but those defeats came to quality opponents in Dayton and #17 ranked Notre Dame. Both of those games were close, and Iowa coach Fred McCaffery put it in perspective: "When you're really good, you're close to struggling," "When you're struggling, you're close to being really good. We played two really good teams right to the wire."
The Shockers are going to need a big game from Rob Baker if they hope to have any chance of hanging with Iowa, and Baker scored just two points and was 0-for-7 from the field the last time he played Iowa. Wichita State has failed to cover in six of it's last seven non conference games, and I don't like it's chances of overcoming injuries here on Sunday.
Take IOWA.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
11-27-15 |
Texas v. Michigan -140 |
|
72-78 |
Win
|
100 |
8 h 3 m |
Show
|
This is an 8* play on the Michigan Wolverines.
Michigan is coming off a big win over Charlotte, scoring 102 points, shooting an incredible 61.9 percent from the field. They also hit 12-of-23 from three-point range, and 85.7 percent from the charity stripe. The Wolverines will face the Texas Longhorns tonight, and Texas hasn't impressed during a 2-2 start to the season. Michigan has a huge edge at the free throw line, coming in hitting over 78 percent so far this season. Texas has shot just 37.5 percent from the field, and 65 percent from the charity stripe. The Wolverines won the last meeting between the two teams by a scored of 79-65 in the 2014 NCAA Tournament. They were 14-of-28 from beyond the arc in that game, and while the faces have changed, perimeter shooting remains a strong point for Michigan. The Wolverines have covered the spread in seven of their last eight versus teams from the BIG12, and Texas have failed to cover in six of it's last seven non-conference games.
Take MICH.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
11-27-15 |
California v. San Diego State +4 |
Top |
58-72 |
Win
|
100 |
24 h 14 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the San Diego State Aztecs.
The Aztecs will be the underdog against #14 ranked California when the two teams meet in Las Vegas tonight. Cal has cruised to four easy wins so far, but they have yet to prove themselves against quality opposition. The same can not be said for the Aztecs, who played a close game on the road at #16 ranked Utah two weeks ago. That was a game that saw several lead changes, and the Utes barely escaped with an 81-76 win. I got the win with San Diego State as the underdog in that game, and here is what I said prior to tip off:
"San Diego State won it's opener by double digits, but this early in the season it's difficult to read into results with such a small sample size. One thing that immediately stands out about this game was the play of freshman PG Jeremy Helmsley who scored 20 points in his Aztecs debut. "It's a feeling I can't really describe," said Hemsley, who's from Rancho Cucamonga. "As soon as I woke up today I knew it was going to be a good day. I'm excited for this. But at the end of the day it's just the first game. We just have to continue to do what we do." The point guard position was a weakness for San Diego State last year, and if Helmsley is as good as he's expected to be, they could be a better team this season."
Helmsley scored 16 points with six assists in 28 minutes in a 79-54 win over ECU on Monday, and that might tell us a little about how the Aztecs measure up against Cal. The Bears played the Pirates a few days earlier, and struggled in a game that was close right up until the final buzzer. "We just didn't move the ball well. We got stagnant," said Tyrone Wallace.
Wallace and the Bears are facing one of the nation's top defensive teams here tonight, and they could have a tough time. The last time these teams faced each other the Aztecs won 64-63. San Diego State has covered in 10 of it's last 14 versus opponents from the PAC12.
Take SDST.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
11-23-15 |
LSU -5 v. Marquette |
Top |
80-81 |
Loss |
-110 |
28 h 47 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the LSU Tigers. The #23 ranked Tigers are undefeated at 3-0, and they are facing a Marquette team that has lost two of three to start the season. The Tigers are just a small favorite here, and I think the bookmakers are way off. Perhaps Marquette is getting the benefit of the doubt because their name is synonymous with a with a winning program, but that was in the past, not necessarily the present. This is a school that lost 13 of it's final 16 games last year, and has already struggled at the beginning of this season. They are coming off an 89-61 loss to unranked Iowa, shooting just 38.6 percent from the field and turning the ball over 19 times in that defeat. The Tigers on the other hand shot better than 50 percent from the field in a 78-66 home win over South Alabama in their last game. LSU is 6-2-1 in it's last nine non-conference games, while the Golden Eagles have failed to cover in 14 of their last 17 overall. I expect the Tigers to win by double digits. Take LSU. GL, Jesse Schule
|
11-22-15 |
Valparaiso v. Oregon -4.5 |
Top |
67-73 |
Win
|
100 |
18 h 58 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the Oregon Ducks.
The #25 ranked Oregon Ducks are off to a good start, winning their first three games which includes a 74-67 win over #16 ranked Baylor. They host the Valparaiso Crusaders on Sunday, and the Ducks are asked to cover just a handful of points. I think Valparaiso is in way over it's head here, even though they are 5-0 to start the season. The Crusaders haven't played anybody, which is my biggest issue with this team. They play in the Horizon, and last year they racked up a ton of wins against lesser teams. In fact they only lost five games all year, but never faced a single ranked opponent until bowing out of the tournament in their first game versus Maryland. During the regular season, their non-conference schedule only saw them face two teams from any of the larger conferences, and neither of those teams were anywhere near as good as Oregon. They lost at Missouri and at home to New Mexico, and both games were blowouts decided by double digits.
Take ORE.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
11-22-15 |
Harvard v. Boston College -4 |
Top |
56-69 |
Win
|
100 |
6 h 29 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the Boston College Eagles.
The Harvard Crimson have owned the Ivy League in recent years, but their reign of dominance might be coming to an end. Harvard has lost two of it's first three games, one of those coming at home to the Massachusetts Minutemen. I bet on UMASS in that game, and here is what I said prior to tip off:
"The Harvard Crimson are coming off a 12-point loss to Providence, and they are a big favorite at home against an experienced UMASS team. I think Harvard is grossly overrated, based on past success. They lost their starting PG Siyani Chambers to a season ending knee injury before the season started, and that's a huge blow for this team. Siyani averaged 34 minutes playing the last three seasons for the Crimson. They started a pair of freshman in the back court in the loss to Providence."
The Eagles lost a lot of games last year, but they play with the big boys in the ACC. This is a whole different class that what Harvard is used to. The two teams met last season, and Boston College prevailed 64-57. The Eagles are coming off an 82-57 win over Central Connecticut, and they shot 50 percent from the field and 46 percent from three-point range in the win. There is every reason to expect Boston College to take care of business at home here.
Take BC.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
11-21-15 |
Grizzlies +7.5 v. Spurs |
Top |
82-92 |
Loss |
-105 |
21 h 42 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the Memphis Grizzlies.
It was a slow start to the season for the Grizzlies, but they've been hot lately, winning four straight heading into tonight's game in San Antonio. The Spurs are coming off a loss at New Orleans last night, and they might have lost more than just that game. LaMarcus Aldridge suffered a sprained left ankle in the loss, and his availability is in question for tonight's game. Playing on back to back night's might not be an ideal situation for an aging Spurs team that is a little banged up, and they are asked to cover a pretty sizable number here. Playing on back to back nights hasn't been a problem for the Grizz, who have covered four straight playing on no rest. Gregg Popovich didn't think much of his team's effort last night: "We were awful," Popovich said. "We didn't stay in front of people very well. If you allow that much penetration, it throws everybody off kilter when everybody is helping and guys are open for 3s." I like the Grizz to keep this one close at the very least.
Take MEM.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
11-21-15 |
Bucks v. Pacers -4.5 |
Top |
86-123 |
Win
|
100 |
12 h 16 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers have won seven of their last nine overall, and Paul George appears to be back to playing the way he did before the gruesome broken leg he suffered while playing for team USA. George has scored at least 26 points in eight straight games. Indiana is also playing fantastic defense, ranking 4th in the NBA in opponent's scoring average. The Bucks are coming off back to back losses, surrendering 115 points in both of those games. I like the Pacers to stay hot at home, and this looks like a low number given their recent play. Take IND. GL, Jesse Schule
|
11-21-15 |
DePaul v. Florida State -8.5 |
Top |
67-83 |
Win
|
100 |
7 h 30 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the Florida State Seminoles.
After losing by double digits to South Carolina last night, DePaul will play Florida State in the Virgin Islands tonight. I bet on the Gamecocks in last night's game, and here is what I had to say prior to tip off: " This DePaul team is nowhere near as competitive as it has been in past seasons, and the Blue Demons are coming off a pretty tough showing last season. They lost 11 of their final 12 games last year, and come in to this game off a loss to Penn State. They really struggled shooting in that game, hitting 37.7 percent from the field, and going just 2-for-11 from beyond the arc." DePaul wasn't any better in the loss to the Gamecocks, shooting 36.5 percent from the field, and going 3-of-14 from beyond the arc. They were also out-rebounded 44-34. There isn't a lot to like about this DePaul team, and the line looks a little low considering how well Florida State has played.
Take FSU.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
11-20-15 |
Xavier v. Michigan -5 |
Top |
86-70 |
Loss |
-106 |
9 h 21 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the Michigan Wolverines.
The Wolverines are hosting Xavier tonight, and I think they should be able to win and cover a pretty low number here. Michigan comes in feeling the hot hand, coming off some impressive performances shooting the ball. The Wolverines shot 51.7 percent from the field in their last game, beating Elon by a score of 88-68. They also went 13-of-24 from beyond the arc, and hit 13-of-15 free throws. With the increased emphasis on foul calls earlier in the season, it's more likely that games will be decided at the free throw line. I don't like the Musketeers chances of pulling off an upset in Ann Arbor against this hot shooting Wolverines team.
Take MICH.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
11-20-15 |
DePaul v. South Carolina -7 |
Top |
61-76 |
Win
|
100 |
6 h 21 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the South Carolina Gamecocks.
The DePaul Blue Demons will take on the Gamecocks in the Virgin Islands tonight, and South Carolina is a significant favorite. This DePaul team is nowhere near as competitive as it has been in past seasons, and the Blue Demons are coming off a pretty tough showing last season. They lost 11 of their final 12 games last year, and come in to this game off a loss to Penn State. They really struggled shooting in that game, hitting 37.7 percent from the field, and going just 2-for-11 from beyond the arc. The Gamecocks are a gritty team that dominates on the glass, and they handled Oral Roberts with ease, cruising to an 84-66 victory on Monday. They out-rebounded the Golden Eagles 44-28 in that game, and only committed six turnovers. The Gamecocks have covered the spread in six straight non-conference games, while the Blue Demons have only covered in one of their last eight non-conference contests. They've also failed to cover the spread in 10 of their last 11 neutral site games.
Take SOCAR.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
11-20-15 |
Mississippi State v. Texas Tech -130 |
Top |
72-74 |
Win
|
100 |
6 h 57 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the Texas Tech Red Raiders.
Both the Red Raiders and the Bulldogs are coming off losses last night, but while Texas Tech played a relatively competitive game against #13 ranked Utah, the Bulldogs were blown out by unranked Miami. I bet on the Canes in that game, and here is what I said prior to tip off: "The Mississippi State Bulldogs were one of the worst teams in the SEC last year, with an overall record of 13-19. They haven't looked much better so far this year, coming off a home loss to the Southern Jaguars. They shot just 38.3 percent from the field in that game, and turned the ball over 19 times." They were dominated on the glass in the loss to Miami, and they will likely struggled in that department against Texas Tech. The Red Raiders played pretty good defense against Utah, holding the Utes to just 38 percent shooting. They hung around in that game, trailing by just two points midway through the second half, before the Utes pulled away to win by a final score of 73-63. Texas Tech is 6-2 ATS in it's last eight versus the SEC, and I can't see them losing to the Bulldogs here tonight.
Take TTU.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
11-19-15 |
Warriors v. Clippers +6.5 |
Top |
124-117 |
Loss |
-106 |
16 h 56 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the LAC.
The Golden State Warriors just keep on winning, and they come into L.A. tonight looking to make it 13 straight wins to the start the season. They have had a few close calls recently, just barely beating the Raptors and the Nets. They beat the Clippers 112-108 at home at the beginning of the month, but they are asked to win by a margin more than double that tonight. The Clippers have won four of five at home, and even without Chris Paul they managed to beat the Pistons 101-96 on Saturday. Jamal Crawford stepped up in a big way, leading all scorers with 37 points on 12-of-27 shooting. The Clippers will be well rested, coming off a four day layoff, and they've covered the spread in five of their last six games playing on 3 or more days rest. The Clippers have covered the spread in three of the last four meetings between the two teams, and I think they are getting way too many points at home tonight.
Take LAC.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
11-19-15 |
San Francisco +8.5 v. Fresno State |
Top |
71-78 |
Win
|
100 |
21 h 20 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the San Francisco Dons.
The Dons are a big underdog on the road at Fresno State, and I think this game is destined to be close. San Francisco is 2-0, coming off a big home win over Rice. The Dons shot 50.8% from the field, and an impressive 8-of-17 from beyond the arc winning 80-54. They were quite competitive last season, playing conference rivals Gonzaga three times, and two of those games were quite close. They have a history of being a tough road team, going 42-19-1 ATS in their last 62 road games. Fresno State comes in with a record of 2-0, but they've won close games against Lamar and Pepperdine. They really shot poorly in the game against Lamar, hitting 35.7 percent from the field, and just 2-of-11 from three-point range. That's not going to cut it tonight against a much tougher San Francisco team, and I think the Bulldogs are going to have problems with this matchup.
Take SF.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
11-19-15 |
Creighton +13 v. Indiana |
Top |
65-86 |
Loss |
-106 |
18 h 18 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the Creighton Blue Jays.
The Indiana Hoosiers are coming off quite an impressive victory, but I still can't see why they should be a double digit favorite against a very good Blue Jays team. Indiana shot an absolutely inexplicable 66.7 percent from the field, and 59.3 percent from three-point range in a 102-76 win over Austin Peavy. Now does anybody expect them to repeat that performance here tonight ... I have my doubts. The Blue Jays are a big step up from an 0-2 Austin Peavy team, and even in their first season after losing Dougie McBuckets, they remained competitive in the Big East last year. Their notable games include beating #18 Oklahoma outright, losing by two points to #19 Butler, losing by four points to #4 Villanova, and coming up five points short to Georgetown in last year's tournament. They are coming in to tonight's game off an impressive win of their own, shooting 54.7 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from beyond the arc in a 103-78 win over UTSA. This Blue Jays team can really shoot, and they should be able to hang with the Hoosiers keeping within single digits.
Take CRE.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
11-19-15 |
Miami (Fla) -8.5 v. Mississippi State |
Top |
105-79 |
Win
|
100 |
16 h 9 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the Miami Hurricanes.
The Mississippi State Bulldogs were one of the worst teams in the SEC last year, with an overall record of 13-19. They haven't looked much better so far this year, coming off a home loss to the Southern Jaguars. They shot just 38.3 percent from the field in that game, and turned the ball over 19 times. They are now playing the Miami Hurricanes in Puerto Rico, and this looks like a tough matchup. The Canes finished last season strong, winning seven of their last nine, and losing to Stanford in the NIT Championship game. They are off to an impressive 2-0 start, and they looked pretty good in a win over ULL. They shot 56.4 percent from the field, and went 12-of-23 from beyond the arc winning 93-77. I expect to see a similar result here against the Bulldogs.
Take MIA.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
11-18-15 |
Bulls v. Suns -130 |
|
103-97 |
Loss |
-130 |
21 h 50 m |
Show
|
This is a Free #NBA play on the Phoenix #Suns. The Chicago Bulls are on the road in Phoenix tonight, and they are likely going to be without PG Derrick Rose. The Bulls beat the Pacers on Monday, and Rose had his best game of the season so far, scoring 23 points on 9-of-18 shooting. He left that game in the fourth quarter after spraining an ankle though, and is listed as doubtful to play tonight.
The Suns are hot, coming in as winners of three straight, and scoring an average of 114 points in those games. Through the first 10 games, they rank 3rd in the NBA in scoring averaging over 105 points per game. Brandon Knight recorded a triple-double in the win over the Lakers, and that was the first of his career. He led all scorers with 30 points on 11-of-23 shooting.
Phoenix is 5-2 at home so far, while the Bulls are just 2-2 on the road. Their two wins outside of Chicago came against Brooklyn and Philadelphia, two of the worst teams in the NBA. I don't like their chances of keeping up with one of the better teams in the Western Conference here tonight.
The Suns have covered the spread in five of their last six home games, and seven of their last nine overall. The Bulls have failed to cover in five of their last six versus a team with a winning record.
Take PHX.
GL, Jesse Schule
|
11-18-15 |
Nets v. Hornets UNDER 196.5 |
Top |
111-116 |
Loss |
-105 |
18 h 53 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on BKN@CHA to go UNDER the total.
The Charlotte Hornets host the 2-9 Nets in Charlotte tonight, and the Nets are coming off just their second win of the season. I don't like Brooklyn's chances of following up with another win here, playing on back to back nights. Charlotte is 3-1 at home so far, and three of those game failed to reach the total. The Hornets have played well defensively, allowing opponents to average just 99.5 points per game. The Nets rank 29th in the NBA averaging just 94.3 points per game, and they have trended under in six of their last seven road games. The Hornets on the other hand have trended under at a rate of 7-1 in their last eight home games. Tonight's number doesn't look right, a little too high given the trends, and the style that both these teams play.
Take UNDER.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
11-18-15 |
Richmond v. Wake Forest |
Top |
91-82 |
Loss |
-110 |
9 h 53 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.
Wake Forest will look to move to 3-0 as they host the 1-1 Richmond Spiders tonight. The Deacons are just a slight favorite, and I think the books are giving this Richmond team too much respect. The Spiders lost their opening game at home to James Madison, and they were dominated on the boards, losing the rebound battle by a margin of -17. They are likely going to struggle on the glass tonight, facing a Wake Forest team that has plenty of size, and has averaged 49 rebounds per game.
These teams played last year, and the Deacons won 65-63 at Richmond. The Deacons return four of their five starters from last year, including a pair of seniors. Devin Thomas has looked good so far, averaging 19.5 points and 14.5 rebounds through the first two games. Wake Forest has covered the spread in five straight versus opponents from the A-10 Conference, and four of their last five non-conference games. They were pretty good at home last year, with outright wins over Miami, Pitt and N.C. State, and narrow losses to Duke and Virginia. They should prove to be too much for a mediocre Richmond team.
Take WAKE.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
11-17-15 |
Duke +2.5 v. Kentucky |
Top |
63-74 |
Loss |
-110 |
16 h 23 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the Duke Blue Devils. I won 77% of my bets in last year's NCAA Tournament, and finished on a 9-0 run including a play on Duke in the Final. Most people expected to see Duke face Kentucky in the Championship Game, but Wisconsin upset the Wildcats in the Semi Final. Had it been a UK vs Duke Final, my money would have been on Duke. They were playing better basketball at the time, and I just think Coach K is a far better coach that Calipari (a very good coach in his own right).
Now this is two very different teams that will play in Chicago tonight, but I still can't figure out why Kentucky deserves to be a favorite. The Blue Devils are the defending champs, and they come in as the more experienced of the two teams. Grayson Allen played a key role in last year's championship run, and he's now a sophomore guard coming off a career high 27 point outburst in the win over Bryant. They have seniors at center (Marshall Plumlee) and forward (Emile Jefferson). Junior guard Matt Jones averaged 21 minutes last season, leaving them with four experienced starters along with talented freshman Brandon Ingram who scored 21 points in just his second game as a starter.
Kentucky's only senior is guard Tyler Ulis, who shot just 1-of-8 from the field scoring five points against NJIT. They have had to replace Karl Anthony Towns and Aaron Harrison with a couple of freshman. I think this marquee match-up comes just a little too early in the season for this young team.
Take Duke.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
11-17-15 |
Bucks v. Wizards OVER 201 |
Top |
86-115 |
Push |
0 |
17 h 14 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on MIL@WAS to go OVER the total.
The Washington Wizards will host Milwaukee tonight, and they are expected to be without Bradley Beal, who has missed the last two games. They didn't need him on Saturday when they beat the Orlando Magic 108-99. They lost their previous game by a score of 125-101 to Oklahoma City. Defense hasn't been a strong point for the Wizards this season, ranking 29th overall allowing opponents to average more than 109 points per game. The Bucks are below average defensively as well, allowing over 101 points per game so far.
This will be the second meeting between the two teams this season, and Washington won the first game by a score of 118-113 at Milwaukee. Seven of the last nine meetings between the two teams has gone over the total, and the Over is 5-1-1 in the last 7 meetings in Washington. This Wizards team has been trending over at home at a rate of 19-7-1 in their last 27 home games.
Take OVER.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
11-17-15 |
Massachusetts +6.5 v. Harvard |
Top |
69-63 |
Win
|
100 |
8 h 26 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the UMASS Minutemen.
The Harvard Crimson are coming off a 12-point loss to Providence, and they are a big favorite at home against an experienced UMASS team. I think Harvard is grossly overrated, based on past success. They lost their starting PG Siyani Chambers to a season ending knee injury before the season started, and that's a huge blow for this team. Siyani averaged 34 minutes playing the last three seasons for the Crimson. They started a pair of freshman in the back court in the loss to Providence.
The Minutemen are a far more experienced squad, with just one freshman and a pair of seniors in their starting five. Their two senior guards tallied 19 points a piece in the win over Howard in their season opener. These teams played here in Cambridge last year, and Harvard won by just two points. Crimson PG Siyani Chambers played 37 minutes and had nine assists. They might miss him here in this year's contest, and I can't see how they can be expected to cover such an inflated number. Harvard is 2-7 ATS in it's last nine home games, and 1-4 ATS in it's last five non-conference games.
Take UMASS.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
11-17-15 |
Stephen F. Austin v. Northern Iowa -135 |
Top |
60-70 |
Win
|
100 |
5 h 0 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the UNI Panthers. Both the Panthers and the Lumberjacks are coming off losses in their respective openers, but SF Austin was absolutely crushed by Baylor. Now there is no shame losing to a Top 25 team on the road, but they were totally overmatched and out-classed. They shot just 32.7 percent from the field and 21.7 percent from beyond the arc. They were also dominated on the glass by a double digit margin. The Panthers on the other hand lost in overtime to Colorado State, which was also a dissapointing result. That ended an 18-game home win streak for the Panthers, but they played well enough to lead me to believe they'll get back on track at home here against SFA. They were a little unfortunate in their opener, hitting 48.3 percent from the field, 11-of-30 from beyond the arc, and a staggering 84% from the charity stripe. If they can shoot like that here, this game won't be close. Northern Iowa is 6-0-3 against the spread in it's last against a team with a losing record, and14-5-3 against the spread in their last 22 games overall. Take UNI. GL, Jesse Schule
|
11-16-15 |
San Diego State +5.5 v. Utah |
Top |
76-81 |
Win
|
100 |
21 h 10 m |
Show
|
This is a 10* play on the San Diego State Aztecs.
The Aztecs will be a significant underdog on the road at Utah tonight, and I think they can give the #13 ranked Utes a run for their money. San Diego State won it's opener by double digits, but this early in the season it's difficult to read into results with such a small sample size. One thing that immediately stands out about this game was the play of freshman PG Jeremy Helmsley who scored 20 points in his Aztecs debut. "It's a feeling I can't really describe," said Hemsley, who's from Rancho Cucamonga. "As soon as I woke up today I knew it was going to be a good day. I'm excited for this. But at the end of the day it's just the first game. We just have to continue to do what we do." The point guard position was a weakness for San Diego State last year, and if Helmsley is as good as he's expected to be, they could be a better team this season. Utah took care of business in it's opener, but shot just 56 percent from the free throw line in an 82-71 win over Southern Utah. The Aztecs beat the Utes at home by a score of 53-49 last year, and they've won the last six meetings between the two teams. This game should be a good one, and I wouldn't be surprised if it goes right down to the wire.
Take SDSU.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
11-16-15 |
Pacers v. Bulls UNDER 197 |
|
95-96 |
Win
|
100 |
15 h 18 m |
Show
|
This is an 8* play on IND@CHI to go UNDER the total.
The Pacers will take on the Bulls at the United Center tonight, coming off three straight wins. I like what I have seen from Indiana during a three game winning streak, and I'll ride them while they are hot. The Bulls are asked to cover a handful of points at home tonight, and they've been far from impressive so far this season. Chicago is 3-2 in it's last five, but one of those wins was against the Sixers.
Derrick Rose continues to struggle, still suffering from the effects of a broken orbital bone. The injury has affected his vision:"I'm playing with both of them open now," Rose said. "But [my vision] is still blurry when I look certain ways. But that's part of [the recovery], I guess." He scored just 10 points on 4-of-14 shooting in the win over Charlotte on Friday.
The Pacers superstar forward Paul George seems to have put his injury woes behind him, averaging 30 points over his last five games. He's averaged 22.2 points in his last five visits to Chicago.
The Pacers have also impressed with their defense, ranking 5th in the NBA allowing opponents to average just over 96 points per game. These teams have a history of playing tight, low scoring games, and they have failed to reach the total in seven of the last nine meetings. Tonight's total is much higher that it was in any of those previous contests.
Take UNDER.
GL,
Jesse Schule
|
11-16-15 |
Pacers +5 v. Bulls |
|
95-96 |
Win
|
100 |
15 h 17 m |
Show
|
This is a Free #NBA play on the Indiana #Pacers. The Pacers will take on the Bulls at the United Center tonight, coming off three straight wins. I like what I have seen from Indiana during a three game winning streak, and I'll ride them while they are hot. The Bulls are asked to cover a handful of points at home tonight, and they've been far from impressive so far this season. Chicago is 3-2 in it's last five, but one of those wins was against the Sixers.
Derrick Rose continues to struggle, still suffering from the effects of a broken orbital bone. The injury has affected his vision: "I'm playing with both of them open now," Rose said. "But [my vision] is still blurry when I look certain ways. But that's part of [the recovery], I guess." He scored just 10 points on 4-of-14 shooting in the win over Charlotte on Friday.
The Pacers superstar forward Paul George seems to have put his injury woes behind him, averaging 30 points over his last five games. He's averaged 22.2 points in his last five visits to Chicago.
The Pacers have also impressed with their defense, ranking 5th in the NBA allowing opponents to average just over 96 points per game. These teams have a history of playing tight, low scoring games, and I'll take the dog getting the points.
Take IND. GL, Jesse Schule
|
11-15-15 |
Wisc-Milwaukee -145 v. Santa Clara |
Top |
71-65 |
Win
|
100 |
7 h 45 m |
Show
|
This is a 5* play on the Milwaukee Panthers. Santa Clara is off to a brutal start, dropping it's first two games on it's home floor. Last night's loss was particularly bad, scoring just 33 points in a blowout loss to the Denver Pioneers. Losing by that kind of a scoreline is embarrassing, but especially against a team like Denver. The Broncos shot just 11-of-48 from the field (22%), and 4-of-24 (17%) from beyond the arc. So after losing to Lipscomb, and getting embarrassed by Denver, they play a Milwaukee team that has handled both of those teams with relative ease. Now there are those that like to bet on a team coming off a bad game, thinking they get value on a team that is motivated to turn in a better effort. The Broncos though were so bad last night, I just can't see them shaking that off less than 24 hrs later. I'll take the Panthers as a slight fav. Take MIL. GL, Jesse Schule
|
11-14-15 |
Denver v. Santa Clara -5.5 |
Top |
55-33 |
Loss |
-110 |
12 h 9 m |
Show
|
This is a 5* play on the Santa Clara Broncos. Both the Santa Clara Broncos and the Denver Pioneers came up short in their season openers last night, but I like Santa Clara to bounce back at home against an inferior Denver team. The Pioneers finished near the bottom of the Summit Conference last year, with an overall record of 12-18. They got blown out last night in a loss to Milwaukee, despite shooting 52.4% from the field, and 7-of-17 from beyond the arc. They got killed on the glass, as Milwaukee out-rebounded them 31-19. The Broncos owned the glass in their game, pulling in 51 rebounds against Lipscomb. Denver is just 4-10 ATS in it's last 10 road games, and it has failed to cover in six of it's last eight non-conference games. The Broncos have had little trouble roughing up weaker teams, going 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games vs. a team with a losing S.U. record. Take Santa Clara. GL, Jesse Schule
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11-13-15 |
Hornets v. Bulls UNDER 199.5 |
Top |
97-102 |
Win
|
100 |
22 h 49 m |
Show
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This is an 8* play on CHA@CHI to go UNDER the total.
The Bulls were embarrassed in a 130-105 loss at Charlotte last week, and they will have a chance to execute revenge at home here tonight. Chicago followed up that loss with an impressive home win over the Thunder, before losing their next game at home to Minnesota. That was their first home loss, as they had won their previous four home games, holding each opponent under 100 points.
It would appear likely that this rematch in Chicago will be a much lower scoring games. The Hornets have failed to reach the total in nine of their last 11 road games versus a team with a winning record, and the under in 5-1 in their last six trips to the Windy City. The total for tonight's game is far higher than it was in any of those previous six games, and Chicago has gone under in each of it's last six at home.
Take UNDER.
GL,
Jesse Schule
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11-13-15 |
Cavs v. Knicks OVER 201 |
|
90-84 |
Loss |
-101 |
20 h 33 m |
Show
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This is an 8* play on CLE@NYK to go OVER the total.
The Knicks are coming off a heart-breaking loss on the road at Charlotte, as rookie Kristaps Porzingis appeared to hit a game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer. The replay showed that the shot came just a fraction of a second after time expired, and New York lost 95-93. They are back home tonight hosting Cleveland, who have won seven straight since an Opening Night loss in Chicago.
The Knicks played the Cavs hard last week in Cleveland, trailing by just a single point heading into the fourth quarter of a 96-86 loss. They are getting a bunch of points here as a home dog, and I think they'll give LeBron and the Cavs a run for their money. They've been a good bet in recent meetings, covering the spread in seven of the last 10. These teams have scored their share of points when playing at MSG, as the total has gone over in 11 of the last 15 meetings in New York
Carmelo Anthony is coming off his best game of the season, scoring 29 points on 12-of-25 shooting against the Hornets. He'll have a little more help with the addition of Arron Afflalo who made his debut against the Hornets. Afllalo scored a dozen points on 6-of-13 shooting in 28 minutes. He was the leading scorer for the Magic in his two seasons in Orlando, but has since bounced around playing for Denver and Portland the last two seasons.
The Cavs have scored 100+ points in six of their last seven, and they have surrendered 100 or more in three of their last five.
Take OVER.
GL,
Jesse Schule
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11-13-15 |
Cavs v. Knicks +6 |
|
90-84 |
Push |
0 |
9 h 4 m |
Show
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This is a Free #NBA pay on the #NYK. The Knicks are coming off a heart-breaking loss on the road at Charlotte, as rookie Kristaps Porzingis appeared to hit a game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer. The replay showed that the shot came just a fraction of a second after time expired, and New York lost 95-93. They are back home tonight hosting Cleveland, who have won seven straight since an Opening Night loss in Chicago.
The Knicks played the Cavs hard last week in Cleveland, trailing by just a single point heading into the fourth quarter of a 96-86 loss. They are getting a bunch of points here as a home dog, and I think they'll give LeBron and the Cavs a run for their money. They've been a good bet in recent meetings, covering the spread in seven of the last 10. These teams have scored their share of points when playing at MSG, as the total has gone over in 11 of the last 15 meetings in New York
Carmelo Anthony is coming off his best game of the season, scoring 29 points on 12-of-25 shooting against the Hornets. He'll have a little more help with the addition of Arron Afflalo who made his debut against the Hornets. Afllalo scored a dozen points on 6-of-13 shooting in 28 minutes. He was the leading scorer for the Magic in his two seasons in Orlando, but has since bounced around playing for Denver and Portland the last two seasons.
Take NYK.
GL,
Jesse Schule
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11-13-15 |
Wolves v. Pacers UNDER 197.5 |
|
103-107 |
Loss |
-105 |
8 h 29 m |
Show
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This is an 8* play on MIN@IND to go UNDER the total. The Indiana Pacers appear to be getting their swagger back, coming into tonight's home game against Minnesota as winners of five of their last six. They held all five opponents under 100 points in those victories, and they rank 4th in the NBA in opponent's scoring average allowing just over 95 points per game. The Wolves come in playing their second game in a back to back, and third game in four nights. They have won all four of their road games so far, but it's going to be tough to keep that streak going in Indianapolis where they have failed to cover in five of their last six. Each of the Pacers last four home games has failed to reach the total, and I think they'll stay well below an inflated number here tonight. Take UNDER. GL, Jesse Schule
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11-12-15 |
Jazz v. Heat OVER 182 |
Top |
91-92 |
Win
|
100 |
9 h 10 m |
Show
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This is a 10* play on UTAH@MIA to go OVER the total.
The Jazz got off to a good start, winning four of their first six games, and they are still 1st in the league in opponent's scoring average allowing under 90 points per game. They failed to slow down the Cavs in Cleveland on Tuesday though, losing by a score of 118-114. That came as little surprise to me, as I had said just a few days earlier: "The Utah Jazz have won two of three, and rank first overall in the NBA in opponent's scoring average allowing just 79.7 points per game so far. Before you get too excited, consider that they have played three Eastern Conference teams that all finished near the bottom of the standings a year ago."
They face another Eastern Conference team that missed the playoffs last year, but the Miami Heat are coming off back to back home wins, and they look like a contender so far this year. Chris Bosh is back and looking very healthy, he scored a season high 30 points in the win over the Lakers on Tuesday. The Jazz could be without one of their best defenders as Rudy Gobert left the last game in the fourth quarter with a sprained ankle.
As good as both these teams are defensively, they can also both score with the best of them. They each scored over 100 points in their last game, and the total has trended over at a rate of 7-2-1 in the last 10 meetings between the two teams. Tonight's total is at least five points lower than it was in any of those previous 10 meetings.
Take Over.
GL,
Jesse Schule
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11-11-15 |
Pistons v. Kings OVER 203 |
Top |
92-101 |
Loss |
-110 |
19 h 59 m |
Show
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This is an 8* play on DET@SAC to go OVER the total.
The Kings are hosting the surprising Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night, and I think the total looks a little low here. Sacramento is one of the league's highest scoring teams, averaging over 106 points per game, but the Kings rank near last in opponent's scoring average allowing a ridiculous 110.6 points per game. The Pistons prefer to play a more defensive style, but they've proved that they can score with the best oft them, averaging over 105 points per game while winning three of their four road games so far. They scored 114 points in a home win over the Kings in the last meetings between these two teams. The Kings have really struggled against quality opponents, and they've seen the total go over at a rate of 8-3-2 in their last 13 vs. a team with a winning S.U. record. They've also gone over in 11 of their last 13 versus Eastern Conference teams.
Take OVER.
GL,
Jesse Schule
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11-10-15 |
Mavs v. Pelicans -130 |
|
105-120 |
Win
|
100 |
14 h 44 m |
Show
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This is a Free #NBA play on the New Orleans #Pelicans. The Pelicans have had a few days off since losing by a score of 107-98 at Dallas on Saturday. They'll host the Mavs in the second leg of this home and home series on Tuesday night, still in search of their first win. I believe that the Pelicans are a much better team than their 0-6 record, and they should have a golden opportunity to notch their first win at home tonight.
This is a particularly tough spot for Dallas, who play at home tomorrow night against DeAndre Jordan and the Clippers. This will be the first time Jordan will travel to Dallas since backing out of his agreement to sign with the team in the off-season.
While the Pelicans are off to a terrible start, their superstar PF Anthony Davis has been really heating up. He scored 25 points on 11-of-19 shooting in the loss to Dallas, and in the previous game he went off for 43 points on 14-of-23 shooting. He's averaged 26.7 points and 12.7 boards in his last three at home against the Mavericks.
The Pelicans rank at the bottom of the NBA in opponent's scoring average, allowing over 114 points per game. That number though is skewed by the fact that two of their first six games came against the league's best teams (Golden State).
They will need to play a lot better on defense if they hope to beat the Mavericks tonight, and I am sure that's something they have worked on over the last few days. They did a good job through three quarters in Dallas on Saturday, holding the Mavs to 72 points, but were out-scored 35-28 in the final frame. I expect them to grind it out for a full 48 minutes tonight, en route to their first "W" of the season.
Take New Orleans.
GL, Jesse Schule
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11-10-15 |
Mavs v. Pelicans UNDER 211 |
Top |
105-120 |
Loss |
-100 |
24 h 1 m |
Show
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This is a 10* play on DAL@NO to go UNDER the total. The Pelicans have had a few days off since losing by a score of 107-98 at Dallas on Saturday. They'll host the Mavs in the second leg of this home and home series on Tuesday night, still in search of their first win. I believe that the Pelicans are a much better team than their 0-6 record, and they should have a golden opportunity to notch their first win at home tonight.
This is a particularly tough spot for Dallas, who play at home tomorrow night against DeAndre Jordan and the Clippers. This will be the first time Jordan will travel to Dallas since backing out of his agreement to sign with the team in the off-season.
While the Pelicans are off to a terrible start, their superstar PF Anthony Davis has been really heating up. He scored 25 points on 11-of-19 shooting in the loss to Dallas, and in the previous game he went off for 43 points on 14-of-23 shooting. He's averaged 26.7 points and 12.7 boards in his last three at home against the Mavericks.
The Pelicans rank at the bottom of the NBA in opponent's scoring average, allowing over 114 points per game. That number though is skewed by the fact that two of their first six games came against the league's best teams (Golden State). They will need to play a lot better on defense if they hope to beat the Mavericks tonight, and I am sure that's something they have worked on over the last few days. They did a good job through three quarters in Dallas on Saturday, holding the Mavs to 72 points, but were out-scored 35-28 in the final frame. I expect them to grind it out for a full 48 minutes tonight, en route to their first "W" of the season. These teams failed to reach an inflated total in the last meeting, and I expect an even lower scoring game here tonight. Take Under. GL, Jesse Schule
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11-10-15 |
Lakers v. Heat UNDER 202 |
Top |
88-101 |
Win
|
100 |
17 h 26 m |
Show
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This is an 8* play on LAL@MIA to go UNDER the total.
The Lakers won their first game of the season on the road in Brooklyn on Friday, but went on to lose 99--95 to the Knicks on Sunday. They are in Miami tonight, facing a Heat team that six straight and nine of 10 in the last 10 meetings in this series. Most of those games were quite low scoring, with eight of 10 failing to reach the total. These teams have gone under in eight of the last 11 meetings in Miami, and the Heat have gone under in each of their last six overall. Miami ranks first in the Eastern Conference in opponent's scoring average, allowing just over 90 points per game. They've held six of their seven opponents under 100 points, and have only scored 100+ twice themselves. The Lakers of course have trended in the opposite direction, scoring plenty of points and giving up even more. This is Miami, and I expect the Heat to dictate the tempo in their house.
Take UNDER.
GL,
Jesse Schule
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11-09-15 |
Blazers v. Nuggets UNDER 207.5 |
Top |
104-108 |
Loss |
-110 |
23 h 8 m |
Show
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This is a 10* pay on POR@DEN to go UNDER the total.
Portland is coming off an epic collapse at home to Detroit last night. They led 92-79 heading into the fourth quarter, but were out-scored 41-11 in the final frame, losing 120-103 to the Pistons. They might have just run out of gas, and that doesn't bode well as they pay their second game of a back to back on the road in Denver tonight. Denver has lost four of six to start the season, and they failed to reach 100 points in all but one of those losses. The Nuggets rank 24th overall in the NBA averaging just over 97 points per game, and they have failed to reach the total in four of their six games so far. The Blazers have gone over in four straight after going under in their first three games of the season. The total in tonight's game is much higher than it was in any of Portland's previous games this season. I think the total for tonight's game looks a little inflated, especially with the Blazers coming in with no rest following an tough loss.
Take UNDER.
GL,
Jesse Schule
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11-09-15 |
Magic v. Pacers -165 |
|
84-97 |
Win
|
100 |
9 h 51 m |
Show
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This is a Free #NBA play on the Indiana #Pacers. Indiana had it's three game winning streak halted in Cleveland last night, losing to the Cavs by a score of 101-97. They easily covered the +7.5 points, and I like their chances of bouncing back at home tonight against the Orlando Magic. While the Pacers are playing on back to back nights, fatigue will also be a factor for the Magic who are playing their third game in four nights. Paul George is on fire, coming off consecutive games with over 30 points. He's starting to look like the superstar he was before suffering a broken leg while playing for Team USA. George is averaging 31.3 points and shooting 50 percent in his last three games.
History certainly favors Indiana in this game, as it has won eight of it's last nine in this series. The Magic have averaged just 85.8 points on 39.8 percent shooting in those games. Orlando will likely be without starting center Nikola Vucevic, who has missed the last two games with a knee injury. This looks like a pretty small point spread all things considered, as the home team is asked to cover just a few points.
Take IND.
GL, Jesse Schule
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11-08-15 |
Raptors v. Heat OVER 190.5 |
|
76-96 |
Loss |
-108 |
15 h 9 m |
Show
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This is an 8* play on TOR@MIA to go OVER the total.
The Toronto Raptors will be eager to get back on the court after suffering their first loss of the season at home to Orlando on Friday. It was also the first time this season they've failed to score 100+ points. I like their chances of getting back on track with both of those trends on the road at Miami tonight. Toronto won two of three meetings with Miami last season, and two of those three games went over the total. Tonight's game features a much lower number than we've seen in previous meetings, and I think we'll see enough scoring to push it over. Toronto's leading scorer DeMar DeRozan has scored an average of 24 points on 51.4 percent shooting in his last four trips to Miami. Toronto may have been caught by surprise against Orlando, but the Raptors have gone over the total in six of their last 7 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Take OVER.
GL,
Jesse Schule
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11-08-15 |
Lakers v. Knicks UNDER 209.5 |
Top |
95-99 |
Win
|
100 |
13 h 39 m |
Show
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This is a 10* play on LAL@NYK to go UNDER the total.
The Knicks have lost three straight, averaging just 87 points in those games. They host the struggling Lakers tonight, and LA is coming off it's first win of the season. The Lakers defeated the Brooklyn Nets by a score of 104-98, and it was the first time this season they held an opponent under 100 points. The last time these teams met, the Knicks won in LA by a score of 101-94. The total in today's game looks way to high all things considered, and I think these two teams will struggle to score enough points to reach this inflated number. The under is 13-6 in Knicks last 19 vs. Western Conference, and the Lakers have failed to reach the total in 11 of their last 15 road games versus a team with a losing record.
Take UNDER.
GL,
Jesse Schule
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11-07-15 |
Warriors v. Kings UNDER 218.5 |
|
103-94 |
Win
|
100 |
13 h 5 m |
Show
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This is a 10* play on GS@SAC to go UNDER the total.
The Warriors are coming off another outrageous offense display last night, beating the Denver Nuggets by a score of 119-104. They led 77-44 at halftime, and were in cruise control the rest of the way. They play their second game of a back to back on the road in Sacramento tonight, and the bookmakers have listed an enormously high number for this game. History suggests that we might not see quite as much scoring tonight, as the Warriors have seen the total go under in five of their last seven trips to Sacramento. In fact seven of the last 10 meetings has gone under the total, and the number wasn't as high as it is tonight in any of those previous games.
Take UNDER.
GL,
Jesse Schule
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11-07-15 |
Grizzlies v. Jazz OVER 179.5 |
Top |
79-89 |
Loss |
-105 |
21 h 23 m |
Show
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This is a 10* play on MEM@UTAH to go OVER the total.
The Jazz are off to a great start, and they still rank 1st overall in the NBA in opponent's scoring average. I bet on the "over" in their last home game versus Portland, and one of the reasons for making that play was that I felt that Utah's defense is a little overrated due to a soft schedule. Here is what I had to say prior to tipoff: "The Utah Jazz have won two of three, and rank first overall in the NBA in opponent's scoring average allowing just 79.7 points per game so far. Before you get too excited, consider that they have played three Eastern Conference teams that all finished near the bottom of the standings a year ago." The Blazers ended up winning that game by a score of 108-92, and that has Utah trending over at a rate of 6-1 in their last seven home games, and they've gone over in six of their last seven versus the Western Conference. They played another low scoring game against Denver last night, but now they host a hungry Grizzlies team on the back end of a back to back tonight. The Grizzlies aren't looking like the defensive powerhouse they were in previous seasons, ranking 23rd in the league with an opponent's scoring average of 103.8. Tonight's number is ridiculously low, and I think the bookmakers have made a mistake here.
Take OVER.
GL,
Jesse Schule
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