Ferringo for Wednesday. Went 3-2 yesterday, and is 6-3 for the week.
4-Unit Play. Take #555 Wake Forest (-2.5) over Miami (8:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 4)
Note: This is our Game of the Week.
The Hurricanes just aren’t playing very good and they just do not have enough scoring options from guys not named “McClinton”. Miami just doesn’t know where their No. 2 scoring option is going to come from on any given night. Mix in the fact that they still don’t have a point guard – and are getting terrible guard play other than McClinton in general – and Miami really just isn’t a very good team. The Canes have lost three straight games straight up and four of five. They haven’t covered in their last four games and they are just 2-6 ATS in their last eight. But even beyond that, they have not played well against top competition all year. They are just 3-7 SU against teams ranked in the Top 90. They got rocked by 13 by Connecticut, by 19 AT HOME by Clemson, and by 17 at North Carolina. They turn the ball over way too much and they aren’t able to force turnovers because their guards are so weak.
Wake Forest is coming off a bad loss at Georgia Tech. But that game was a total fluke. Wake had gotten so high for their home upset over No. 1 Duke that they were due for a letdown. On top of that, Tech was desperate for its first league win. It was a noon game on Saturday and the stars aligned against them. But Wake is still elite. Wake is 8-1 against teams in the Top 90 and they have road wins at Clemson (by 10), at Boston College (by 20), at BYU (by 7) and over Baylor (by 13) on a neutral court. The Deacons are a better team and have proven it against better competition. Miami had a nice year last year. But they are not the same team and they are falling apart. Wake gets this one by double-digits.
2-Unit Play. Take #537 Southern Miss (-2.5) over East Carolina (8 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 4)
This group of Eagles have dominated ECU over the last several years. Since March of 2006 they have won five straight and covered five straight against ECU. Their wins have been by 10, 23, 38, 11, and 18. Sothern Miss has dumped four straight ATS as they larn to play without Saiquon Stone. But looking they don’t have what are, in my mind, any bad losses. They are still 9-3 in their last 12 games with tight losses to top teams in CUSA. They should get this one.
2-Unit Play. Take #553 LSU (-6) over Georgia (7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 4)
2-Unit Play. Take #534 Syracuse (-2) over West Virginia (7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 4)
1.5-Unit Play. Take #539 Boston College (-1.5) over Virginia (8 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 4)
1.5-Unit Play. Take #551 Utah (-3.5) over TCU (7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 4)
1.5-Unit Play. Take Houston (+3.5) over Central Florida (7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 4)
UCF is just 2-4 against Top 100 teams this year. They are playing great and winning games, but they have been beating the absolute worst teams in the league. Houston has played a brutal stretch. Their last three games have been against Arizona in a crazy overtime game, at home against UTEP in a rivalry game, and then on the road at Memphis. Including those games, seven of their last nine games have been against teams in the Top 100 and five of them were on the road. That’s rough. They have four DD scorers and more experience. They win this one outright and it’s time to start fading UCF. I’m watching the same thing happen to TCU in the Mountain West.
1.5-Unit Play. Take #525 Richmond (+5) over Massachusetts (7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 4)
The Minutemen only come to play on certain days each month. Today isn’t one of those days. They beat Dayton, beat Temple, and lost to Xavier by 2. This could be the letdown from the Xavier game. They have lost their last two games as a favorite and they lost awful games at Charlotte and at St. Louis. They lost by 30 to Vandy and by 26 at Houston, have lost three straight, have lost six of eight, and are facing the best 11-10 team in the country. The Spiders have just played two of the top four teams in the conference and lost. But they win today. Richmond is 3-1 ATS in their last four in this series despite UMass sweeping them last year. But Richmond swept the three games the year prior. In this series the road team is 4-1 ATS, the underdog is 5-1 ATS, the Spiders are 16-7-1 ATS, the Spiders are 24-8-1 ATS as a dog, and they are 17-4-1 ATS after a loss. The Minutemen are just too inconsistent to be laying points to anyone.
1.5-Unit Play. Take #546 LaSalle (Pk) over Dayton (7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 4)
Dayton is 20-2. They have won six straight and 12 of 13. But they are just 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games and they are underdogs on the road to the No. 7 team in the conference. They are coming off a big home win over St. Joe’s and could be in a letdown spot. LaSalle’s only home losses were against Villanova and Temple, two teams better than Dayton, and they have played the best teams in the conference to this point. LaSalle has won two of three in this series and the home team has won five of six. The Explorers have better guards and this is really a big home game for them. They get the win and we collect.
1.5-Unit Play. Take #581 Duke (-4) over Clemson (9 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 4)
I like Duke to win this one. They are just a cut above. They have won 22 of 23 in this series and Clemson hasn’t played well against the top teams. Duke has beaten several teams that are better than Clemson and they are the better team in this one as well. Duke's guards are just too tough of a matchup for the Tigers. Duke won't be rattled by the Clemson press and the Tigers just don't get it done against the best teams in the country.
1.5-Unit Play. TEASER: Take #573 Duquesne (+6.5) over St. Louis (8 p.m.) AND Take #559 James Madison (+6) over Georgia State (7 p.m.)
St. Louis is awful and its best win since Thanksgiving is over No. 129 UMass. Duquesne is much, much better and have shown a lot of balance and athleticism. Their losses have come against Duke, Pitt, WVU and the No. 2 and No. 3 teams in the A-10. Not bad. Dukes have actually won four of five road games. St. Louis does have Kevin Lisch back and they are playing better. But I don't believe that they can score enough to hang a 9- or 11-point win over a versatile Dukes squad.
James Madison is simply a better team and I like the cushion we've created in this matchup. Georgia State wants to score in the 50's. And while they are a tricky team at home they just haven't played up to expectations this year and they are getting a lot of respect for a team that is just 4-14 SU in its last 18 games. Besides getting blown out at George Mason, JMU has lost its last three games by a total of eight points. Georgia State has only beaten some of the worst teams in the country and haven't proven themselves as a threat.
<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->
4-Unit Play. Take #555 Wake Forest (-2.5) over Miami (8:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 4)
Note: This is our Game of the Week.
The Hurricanes just aren’t playing very good and they just do not have enough scoring options from guys not named “McClinton”. Miami just doesn’t know where their No. 2 scoring option is going to come from on any given night. Mix in the fact that they still don’t have a point guard – and are getting terrible guard play other than McClinton in general – and Miami really just isn’t a very good team. The Canes have lost three straight games straight up and four of five. They haven’t covered in their last four games and they are just 2-6 ATS in their last eight. But even beyond that, they have not played well against top competition all year. They are just 3-7 SU against teams ranked in the Top 90. They got rocked by 13 by Connecticut, by 19 AT HOME by Clemson, and by 17 at North Carolina. They turn the ball over way too much and they aren’t able to force turnovers because their guards are so weak.
Wake Forest is coming off a bad loss at Georgia Tech. But that game was a total fluke. Wake had gotten so high for their home upset over No. 1 Duke that they were due for a letdown. On top of that, Tech was desperate for its first league win. It was a noon game on Saturday and the stars aligned against them. But Wake is still elite. Wake is 8-1 against teams in the Top 90 and they have road wins at Clemson (by 10), at Boston College (by 20), at BYU (by 7) and over Baylor (by 13) on a neutral court. The Deacons are a better team and have proven it against better competition. Miami had a nice year last year. But they are not the same team and they are falling apart. Wake gets this one by double-digits.
2-Unit Play. Take #537 Southern Miss (-2.5) over East Carolina (8 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 4)
This group of Eagles have dominated ECU over the last several years. Since March of 2006 they have won five straight and covered five straight against ECU. Their wins have been by 10, 23, 38, 11, and 18. Sothern Miss has dumped four straight ATS as they larn to play without Saiquon Stone. But looking they don’t have what are, in my mind, any bad losses. They are still 9-3 in their last 12 games with tight losses to top teams in CUSA. They should get this one.
2-Unit Play. Take #553 LSU (-6) over Georgia (7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 4)
2-Unit Play. Take #534 Syracuse (-2) over West Virginia (7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 4)
1.5-Unit Play. Take #539 Boston College (-1.5) over Virginia (8 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 4)
1.5-Unit Play. Take #551 Utah (-3.5) over TCU (7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 4)
1.5-Unit Play. Take Houston (+3.5) over Central Florida (7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 4)
UCF is just 2-4 against Top 100 teams this year. They are playing great and winning games, but they have been beating the absolute worst teams in the league. Houston has played a brutal stretch. Their last three games have been against Arizona in a crazy overtime game, at home against UTEP in a rivalry game, and then on the road at Memphis. Including those games, seven of their last nine games have been against teams in the Top 100 and five of them were on the road. That’s rough. They have four DD scorers and more experience. They win this one outright and it’s time to start fading UCF. I’m watching the same thing happen to TCU in the Mountain West.
1.5-Unit Play. Take #525 Richmond (+5) over Massachusetts (7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 4)
The Minutemen only come to play on certain days each month. Today isn’t one of those days. They beat Dayton, beat Temple, and lost to Xavier by 2. This could be the letdown from the Xavier game. They have lost their last two games as a favorite and they lost awful games at Charlotte and at St. Louis. They lost by 30 to Vandy and by 26 at Houston, have lost three straight, have lost six of eight, and are facing the best 11-10 team in the country. The Spiders have just played two of the top four teams in the conference and lost. But they win today. Richmond is 3-1 ATS in their last four in this series despite UMass sweeping them last year. But Richmond swept the three games the year prior. In this series the road team is 4-1 ATS, the underdog is 5-1 ATS, the Spiders are 16-7-1 ATS, the Spiders are 24-8-1 ATS as a dog, and they are 17-4-1 ATS after a loss. The Minutemen are just too inconsistent to be laying points to anyone.
1.5-Unit Play. Take #546 LaSalle (Pk) over Dayton (7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 4)
Dayton is 20-2. They have won six straight and 12 of 13. But they are just 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games and they are underdogs on the road to the No. 7 team in the conference. They are coming off a big home win over St. Joe’s and could be in a letdown spot. LaSalle’s only home losses were against Villanova and Temple, two teams better than Dayton, and they have played the best teams in the conference to this point. LaSalle has won two of three in this series and the home team has won five of six. The Explorers have better guards and this is really a big home game for them. They get the win and we collect.
1.5-Unit Play. Take #581 Duke (-4) over Clemson (9 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 4)
I like Duke to win this one. They are just a cut above. They have won 22 of 23 in this series and Clemson hasn’t played well against the top teams. Duke has beaten several teams that are better than Clemson and they are the better team in this one as well. Duke's guards are just too tough of a matchup for the Tigers. Duke won't be rattled by the Clemson press and the Tigers just don't get it done against the best teams in the country.
1.5-Unit Play. TEASER: Take #573 Duquesne (+6.5) over St. Louis (8 p.m.) AND Take #559 James Madison (+6) over Georgia State (7 p.m.)
St. Louis is awful and its best win since Thanksgiving is over No. 129 UMass. Duquesne is much, much better and have shown a lot of balance and athleticism. Their losses have come against Duke, Pitt, WVU and the No. 2 and No. 3 teams in the A-10. Not bad. Dukes have actually won four of five road games. St. Louis does have Kevin Lisch back and they are playing better. But I don't believe that they can score enough to hang a 9- or 11-point win over a versatile Dukes squad.
James Madison is simply a better team and I like the cushion we've created in this matchup. Georgia State wants to score in the 50's. And while they are a tricky team at home they just haven't played up to expectations this year and they are getting a lot of respect for a team that is just 4-14 SU in its last 18 games. Besides getting blown out at George Mason, JMU has lost its last three games by a total of eight points. Georgia State has only beaten some of the worst teams in the country and haven't proven themselves as a threat.
<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->
indian cowboy
4 Unit Play. #516. Take Minnesota Timberwolves -2.5 over Atlanta Hawks (Wednesday @ 8:05pm est). Let's go for 3-0 this week in the NBA en route to our 7th straight winning NBA Week. These two teams have not met this year, but certainly, Minnesota is playing well right now coming off a nice outright win over Indiana at home bouncing back from their loss to the Lakers at home. Atlanta beat this team by 1 point last year at home despite being a 9 point chalk at Phillips. Atlanta comes off a loss at Milwaukee, but this team is no stranger to losing back to back game as they did to the Heat on the road and then went up to NY in MSG to lose there as well. Minnesota is 7-3 ATS over their last 10 and note that Joe Johnson will be out because of a virus so there is no reason why the Twolves can't cover this spread here given that they have played so well at home recently and the Hawks are a bit banged up. The Hawks are a sound team with or without Joe Johnson but with their key go to player out, this team will not be as potent. Now, I have seen the Hawks play countless times and am aware that they can certainly play well at home despite being injured, but the highway is a different story. Minnesota is the same team that beat New Orleans at home by 8, this is the same team that beat Phoenix on the road outright, defeated the Bulls on the road Outright and then beat the Bulls at home - despite the fact they had revenge and were back in full strength in that game. Minnesota is a great place to play as per a home crowd and behind Jefferson, Telfair, Foye, Gomes and Smith, this team should be just fine. The Hawks are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games as historically over the era of Mike Woodson this team has been a terrible road team, the Twolves are 5-0 ATS when playing on 0 days rest and 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games as a home favorite. The Twolves get it done tonight.
4 Unit Play. #524. Take Indiana +3.5 over Iowa (Wednesday @ 6:30pm est). Let's start off the week 3-0 in college hoops and hopefully 3-0 in the NBA as well for a 6-0 start to the week. The Hoosiers are prime for a conference win and this is where I believe they will get it. Sure, yes, the public to a tune of about 64% will take Iowa here and let them. The public wanted to take UNLV yesterday and we certainly allowed them to do that and we came out just fine as the Aztecs won Outright on the road. Indiana has been playing better basketball as Coach C has them working hard despite the fact that many were at one time non-scholarship players. Look, when these two teams hooked up back on January 3rd, Indiana fell just short and lost 60-65 and they went into that game as 13 point dogs. Following that game Indiana came back home to nearly beat Michigan losing Outright in overtime. Keep in mind that there were points in that game where Indiana was leading by double-digits. Indiana is the same team that came back home after a series of tough road losses to lose by 4 points to Minnesota allowing 70% of the public to take a hit on the chin as well. Heck, this team even went up to Northwestern - the same team that beat Michigan State on the road and lost by just a bucket. This team was leading Ohio State at home at one point in the second half and eventually lost the spread but was competitive in Bloomington without a doubt. In short, Indiana is a different team at Bloomington and a more competitive team. They played Iowa a while back prior to the Minnesota, Michigan and Northwestern team and this team is now even more seasoned to play Iowa at home for an outright win. Hawkeyes are just 1-5 ATS as a road favorite of 0-5 points roughly while Indiana is 6-2 ATS in their last 8 as a home underdog. Look for Indiana to win Outright for us as San Diego State did yesterday on the road at UNLV.
4 Unit Play. #516. Take Minnesota Timberwolves -2.5 over Atlanta Hawks (Wednesday @ 8:05pm est). Let's go for 3-0 this week in the NBA en route to our 7th straight winning NBA Week. These two teams have not met this year, but certainly, Minnesota is playing well right now coming off a nice outright win over Indiana at home bouncing back from their loss to the Lakers at home. Atlanta beat this team by 1 point last year at home despite being a 9 point chalk at Phillips. Atlanta comes off a loss at Milwaukee, but this team is no stranger to losing back to back game as they did to the Heat on the road and then went up to NY in MSG to lose there as well. Minnesota is 7-3 ATS over their last 10 and note that Joe Johnson will be out because of a virus so there is no reason why the Twolves can't cover this spread here given that they have played so well at home recently and the Hawks are a bit banged up. The Hawks are a sound team with or without Joe Johnson but with their key go to player out, this team will not be as potent. Now, I have seen the Hawks play countless times and am aware that they can certainly play well at home despite being injured, but the highway is a different story. Minnesota is the same team that beat New Orleans at home by 8, this is the same team that beat Phoenix on the road outright, defeated the Bulls on the road Outright and then beat the Bulls at home - despite the fact they had revenge and were back in full strength in that game. Minnesota is a great place to play as per a home crowd and behind Jefferson, Telfair, Foye, Gomes and Smith, this team should be just fine. The Hawks are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games as historically over the era of Mike Woodson this team has been a terrible road team, the Twolves are 5-0 ATS when playing on 0 days rest and 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games as a home favorite. The Twolves get it done tonight.
4 Unit Play. #524. Take Indiana +3.5 over Iowa (Wednesday @ 6:30pm est). Let's start off the week 3-0 in college hoops and hopefully 3-0 in the NBA as well for a 6-0 start to the week. The Hoosiers are prime for a conference win and this is where I believe they will get it. Sure, yes, the public to a tune of about 64% will take Iowa here and let them. The public wanted to take UNLV yesterday and we certainly allowed them to do that and we came out just fine as the Aztecs won Outright on the road. Indiana has been playing better basketball as Coach C has them working hard despite the fact that many were at one time non-scholarship players. Look, when these two teams hooked up back on January 3rd, Indiana fell just short and lost 60-65 and they went into that game as 13 point dogs. Following that game Indiana came back home to nearly beat Michigan losing Outright in overtime. Keep in mind that there were points in that game where Indiana was leading by double-digits. Indiana is the same team that came back home after a series of tough road losses to lose by 4 points to Minnesota allowing 70% of the public to take a hit on the chin as well. Heck, this team even went up to Northwestern - the same team that beat Michigan State on the road and lost by just a bucket. This team was leading Ohio State at home at one point in the second half and eventually lost the spread but was competitive in Bloomington without a doubt. In short, Indiana is a different team at Bloomington and a more competitive team. They played Iowa a while back prior to the Minnesota, Michigan and Northwestern team and this team is now even more seasoned to play Iowa at home for an outright win. Hawkeyes are just 1-5 ATS as a road favorite of 0-5 points roughly while Indiana is 6-2 ATS in their last 8 as a home underdog. Look for Indiana to win Outright for us as San Diego State did yesterday on the road at UNLV.
