Steve Merril
NCAA Basketball
(3% play) UTAH +3 (vs. UCLA) - 6:00 pm ET (time-change) #636
UCLA comes into tonight’s game with an impressive 17-1 SU record, and the Bruins certainly look like one of the most talented team in the country. However, UCLA is in a poor scheduling and situational spot for tonight’s game in Utah. The Bruins just won 104-89 at Colorado on Thursday night. Now they are on the dreaded back-to-back altitude road set, and Pac 12 teams have been awful in this situation over the years. UCLA also played one of their best offensive games of the season in Colorado while scoring 104 points on 56.5% (35-for-62) shooting from the field and 61.3% (19-for-31) shooting from three-point land. The Bruins will be hard-pressed to match that production, especially considering the poor scheduling spot they are in.
Utah is 12-4 SU on the season, including 9-1 SU on their strong home court. Their lone home loss came to Butler in an extremely slow-paced game. The Utes are playing at a much faster pace this season, so they will definitely get their preferred pace against an up-tempo UCLA team. Utah owns an incredible +17.1 point differential at home this season. The Utes are averaging 83.9 points per game on 50.3% shooting from the field at home this season. Utah’s defense is holding their opponents to just 66.8 points per game on 39.8% shooting from the field and 35.9% shooting from three-point land at home. This is Utah’s biggest game of the season to date, so we’ll back the Utes as a rare home underdog in this game on Saturday.
Play UTAH (+) as a 3% play.
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(3% play) OKLAHOMA +1 (vs. Texas Tech) - 8:30 pm ET (ESPN-U) #658
Texas Tech is having a much better season than expected under new head coach Chris Beard. The Red Raiders come into tonight’s game at Oklahoma with a 13-3 SU record. However, Texas Tech is just 1-2 SU in true road games, including 0-2 in conference road games. The Red Raiders’ wins have mostly come against inferior teams like Houston Baptist, North Texas, Eastern Kentucky, Idaho State, Incarnate Word, Nicholls State, and Longwood just to name a few. Texas Tech’s defense has given up 220 total points in their three true road games this season. Overall, the Red Raiders’ defense is allowing 73.3 points per game on 45.7% shooting from the field away from home this season.
Oklahoma is desperate for a win after losing their last seven games. The Sooners played a brutal schedule during that stretch with games against Kansas, Kansas State, Baylor, Wichita State, and Wisconsin. The Sooners were also playing short-handed as leading scorer Jordan Woodard missed most of those games with an injury. He returned for Oklahoma’s last game, and all reports indicate he’s back to full strength. Oklahoma also has Kameron McGusty back on the court fully healthy: “I'm 100 percent and have come back to my quick first step and being able to move and be active on the ball.” Oklahoma’s recent losing streak can easily be forgiven, and we expect their best game in a long while. We’ll back the Sooners in this game on Saturday night.
Play OKLAHOMA as a 3% play.
NCAA Basketball
(3% play) UTAH +3 (vs. UCLA) - 6:00 pm ET (time-change) #636
UCLA comes into tonight’s game with an impressive 17-1 SU record, and the Bruins certainly look like one of the most talented team in the country. However, UCLA is in a poor scheduling and situational spot for tonight’s game in Utah. The Bruins just won 104-89 at Colorado on Thursday night. Now they are on the dreaded back-to-back altitude road set, and Pac 12 teams have been awful in this situation over the years. UCLA also played one of their best offensive games of the season in Colorado while scoring 104 points on 56.5% (35-for-62) shooting from the field and 61.3% (19-for-31) shooting from three-point land. The Bruins will be hard-pressed to match that production, especially considering the poor scheduling spot they are in.
Utah is 12-4 SU on the season, including 9-1 SU on their strong home court. Their lone home loss came to Butler in an extremely slow-paced game. The Utes are playing at a much faster pace this season, so they will definitely get their preferred pace against an up-tempo UCLA team. Utah owns an incredible +17.1 point differential at home this season. The Utes are averaging 83.9 points per game on 50.3% shooting from the field at home this season. Utah’s defense is holding their opponents to just 66.8 points per game on 39.8% shooting from the field and 35.9% shooting from three-point land at home. This is Utah’s biggest game of the season to date, so we’ll back the Utes as a rare home underdog in this game on Saturday.
Play UTAH (+) as a 3% play.
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(3% play) OKLAHOMA +1 (vs. Texas Tech) - 8:30 pm ET (ESPN-U) #658
Texas Tech is having a much better season than expected under new head coach Chris Beard. The Red Raiders come into tonight’s game at Oklahoma with a 13-3 SU record. However, Texas Tech is just 1-2 SU in true road games, including 0-2 in conference road games. The Red Raiders’ wins have mostly come against inferior teams like Houston Baptist, North Texas, Eastern Kentucky, Idaho State, Incarnate Word, Nicholls State, and Longwood just to name a few. Texas Tech’s defense has given up 220 total points in their three true road games this season. Overall, the Red Raiders’ defense is allowing 73.3 points per game on 45.7% shooting from the field away from home this season.
Oklahoma is desperate for a win after losing their last seven games. The Sooners played a brutal schedule during that stretch with games against Kansas, Kansas State, Baylor, Wichita State, and Wisconsin. The Sooners were also playing short-handed as leading scorer Jordan Woodard missed most of those games with an injury. He returned for Oklahoma’s last game, and all reports indicate he’s back to full strength. Oklahoma also has Kameron McGusty back on the court fully healthy: “I'm 100 percent and have come back to my quick first step and being able to move and be active on the ball.” Oklahoma’s recent losing streak can easily be forgiven, and we expect their best game in a long while. We’ll back the Sooners in this game on Saturday night.
Play OKLAHOMA as a 3% play.
ASI
NHL
JEFF - January (9-6 +1.90) Season Record (36-40-9 -9.08)
Calgary Flames/Edmonton Oilers OVER 5.5 +120 (9PM)
COLLEGE HOOPS
PATRICK - January Record (12-9 +2.20 ) Season Record (47-40 +3.05)
Tennessee Chattanooga -5 Mercer (2pm)
JEFF- January Record (15-10 +4.00 ) Season Record (55-41 +9.35)
Illinois Chicago /Youngstown State over 156.5 (7pm)
NHL
JEFF - January (9-6 +1.90) Season Record (36-40-9 -9.08)
Calgary Flames/Edmonton Oilers OVER 5.5 +120 (9PM)
COLLEGE HOOPS
PATRICK - January Record (12-9 +2.20 ) Season Record (47-40 +3.05)
Tennessee Chattanooga -5 Mercer (2pm)
JEFF- January Record (15-10 +4.00 ) Season Record (55-41 +9.35)
Illinois Chicago /Youngstown State over 156.5 (7pm)
