Charlie sports
NBA. 7:00 PM EST. New York Knicks at Miami Heat Under 192'-Points. (500*).
NBA. 7:35 PM EST. Toronto Raptors at Brooklyn Nets over 195-Points. (500*)
NBA. 10:05 PM EST. Portland Trailblazers+4. (500*).
NBA. Boston-3. (30*)
NCAA. Tennessee+4. (20*)
NBA. Washington+7. (10*) Bonus Play.
NBA. 7:00 PM EST. New York Knicks at Miami Heat Under 192'-Points. (500*).
NBA. 7:35 PM EST. Toronto Raptors at Brooklyn Nets over 195-Points. (500*)
NBA. 10:05 PM EST. Portland Trailblazers+4. (500*).
NBA. Boston-3. (30*)
NCAA. Tennessee+4. (20*)
NBA. Washington+7. (10*) Bonus Play.
JOE GAVAZZI
Georgia Tech at Pitt (-9) 7:00 ET
Among yesterday’s selections was one of our fully qualified SUPER Ds, Kansas St., who came in under the number as commanded in their game vs. Texas. Today, we switch gears to a favorite selection (SUPER D favorites were 153-84 ATS (65%) beginning the week) with an ACC contest.
This Wednesday, January 6th, GA Tech travels to Pittsburgh for Game 2 of their respective ACC slates. Last year, Pitt was 19-15 SU for the season, including a win by 70-65 as (-6) vs. a GA Tech team, who was 12-19 SU last season. Each of these teams is vastly improved with GA Tech entering tonight’s contest at 10-4 SU, while Pitt is 12-1 SU.
A measure of the GA Tech improvement came in their league opener, where they lost to powerful N. Carolina only (86-78) in Chapel Hill as a 13 point road dog. But in the top-heavy ACC, GA Tech, who was just 3-15 SU in the league last year, is again ticketed for a lower echelon finish. Last year’s struggles for the Yellow Jackets came when they only shot 41% from the field and 27% from the arc. That has improved significantly to 46/37 this year. But, much of that has come against lower-rung competition. The Yellow Jackets have cruised to high-scoring wins at home against many lesser lights. But in their 2 toughest non-conference, step-up games, they lost by 17 to Villanova and 14 at Georgia. Going to Pitt presents another challenge.
Under 13th year HC Dixon, the Panthers have long been known as a great defensive team. That is true again this season, as the Panthers qualify on our list of SUPER Ds. They allow just 63 PPG, 38% from the field, 29% from the arc. Pitt also has a dominant +12.1 rebound margin and +8.9 assist/TO ratio. That latter number points out the improved offensive efficiency of a Panther team that is now averaging 85/50/36, while knocking down 79% from the stripe (a key factor in extending late game leads). As expected, Pitt is led by experienced triplets, PG Robinson, along with Jamel Artis and Michael Young. But, there is extraordinary depth on this Pitt team, which is a further reason why we will find them excelling in this role. After standing 17-40 ATS as home chalk entering the season, Pitt will extend to 5-3 ATS as home chalk after their dominant double digit victory tonight!
LaSalle at Fordham (-9) 7:00 ET
Among yesterday’s selections was one of our fully qualified SUPER Ds, Kansas St., who came in under the number as commanded in their game vs. Texas. Today, we switch gears to a favorite selection (SUPER D favorites were 153-84 ATS (65%) beginning the week) with an A10 contest.
Today’s game finds the LaSalle Explorers travelling to the Bronx, where they will face the Fordham Rams in venerable Rose Hill Gym. The recent history of Fordham has been a long way from that of the glory years some 50 seasons ago, when teams considered it to be a double victory, if they not only won the game against the Rams, but escaped the Bronx with their lives! The recent downturn in Fordham fortunes has begun to reverse itself this season. At the same time as that is taking place, an equally glorified LaSalle program is finding themselves in a down season for HC Giannini. As a measure of how quickly things can change on the college basketball landscape, consider that when Fordham beat LaSalle on this floor (63-48) last season, they were a +5 home dog. That is a 16 point line swing in less than 1 season. Yet, that vast swing in the line is still not enough to compensate for the difference in these teams.
I spent 2 agonizing hours Sunday afternoon watching my Top Rated PICK on UMass outlast these downtrodden LaSalle Explorers! It was the worst LaSalle team I have witnessed in many seasons. It was just 3 years ago that Giannini had consecutive 20-win seasons. But, the Explorers won only a combined 32 games in the previous 2 years and show just 4 victories for this season. Tonight, they enter on a 0-6 SU, 0-6 ATS slide and appear to be less competitive as the season wears on. Their once proud record on the road under Giannini, which was 55-34 ATS at one time has now slipped to 9-17 ATS of late. This is a clear PLAY AGAINST team.
In the Bronx, the fortunes have clearly swung the opposite way. Under 1st year HC Neubauer (a Beilein disciple), who toiled his previous 10 years in anonymity at E. Kentucky (70 wins the last 3 seasons), many questioned why Neubauer would take the job in the Bronx to rebuild a Fordham program that won just 44 combined games in the last 5 seasons. Neubauer clearly knew what he was doing, as Fordham with a 9-4 SU record has become a Hidden Gem in college hoops. Using a 10-man rotation and led by frosh PG Chartouny, the Rams have turned the corner with the mantra that has proven successful for all programs. They play defense, rebound and take care of the basketball. As a result, Fordham has made our list of SUPER Ds by allowing just 62 PPG, 27% triples with a +5.8 rebound margin, a +3.2 assist/TO margin and by forcing a whopping 19 TOs per game. In what is a shocking line to some, I still believe there is value at this price with the Rams tonight.
George Washington (-9-) at St. Louis 7:00 ET
St. Louis is pure PLAY AGAINST material on a 0-8 ATS slide. Recent 3 losses have been by 28 to Rhode Island, 28 to Kansas St. and 13 on this court to S. Illinois. Fourth year HC Crews has now exhausted the goodwill, and players, of the Rick Majerus Golden Era. Enter George Washington, a Defensive Dandy of a team, allowing just 67/41/31 with a positive rebound margin and assist/TO ratio. They will easily shut down an impotent St. Louis offense that is averaging just 64/43/30. Addition of Wake Forest transfer, Cavanaugh (16 PPG) to the strong returning trio of interior force Larsen, “do-everything” Garino and PG McDonald makes this team a valid contender for A10 superiority.
Ohio (-2) at N. Illinois 8:00 ET
Bobcats are improving smartly under 2nd year HC Phillips (remember him from his Bizon days at N. Dakota St.?). After just 10 wins in his maiden voyage, Phillips is now 9-3 SU, 7-1 ATS. But, he has lost every step-up game, including Tulsa, Florida St. and his lone road outing at St. Bonnie (81-68). Don’t think N. Illinois is in that class? Check the SUPER D list, who finds that 5th year HC Mark Montgomery (a Tom Izzo disciple) has his Huskies qualifying on the SUPER D list with allowance of only 62/37, an 8.4 rebound margin and +4.3 assist/TO margin. All while forcing over 16 TOs per game. Take this Hidden Gem to the bank at a value price.
St. Bonaventure (-3) at George Mason 8:00 ET
Early season returns indicated great improvement by George Mason in their 1st season under HC Paulsen (the highly respected former HC at Bucknell). There were wins vs. Ole Miss, Oklahoma St. and a cover vs. Virginia. But, things have rapidly gone downhill since with losses to the likes of Manhattan, Towson, James Madison and a 24 point, season-opening A10 loss at VCU. Granted, all those games were on the road. But, the margins were so significant that it sets up a red flag for this A10 home opener against a St. Bonnie team, whose HC Schmidt is a veteran in this conference. Great guard play is essential to road victories and that is exactly what is at Schmidt’s disposal tonight with his combo guards, Adams and Posley, combining for 35 PPG.
Texas Tech at Iowa St. (-11) 9:00 ET
There were will be a lot of public knee-jerking to the Texas Tech side here, once they find out that the Red Raiders enter tonight on runs of 10-0 SU, 7-0 ATS with an opening game conference victory against Texas (82-74). BUT, THIS IS THE FIRST ROAD GAME FOR TUBBY’S TROOPS. IT COMES AT THE WRONG TIME AND THE WRONG PLACE. No Naz Long? No matter for Iowa St. who, under 1st year HC Prohm, has played 2 of their best games in his absence with a road win at Cinci and a cover at Oklahoma, Saturday night, where they let the game slip away from them in the late going in an 87-83 loss to the nation’s No. 2 team. That will bring plenty of hunger, as well as respect. But, this game is played on the magical floor of Hilton Coliseum, where the Cyclones are 52-3 SU 4+Y with 20 point home wins quickly becoming a habit for high-scoring, up-tempo ISU, who is averaging 86/51/36 with a 17.6/11.0 assist/TO ratio. Red Raiders are not equipped to play at that pace. Though the fact that they are a qualified SUPER D prevents us from taking off the rubber band!
California at Oregon (-3-) 9:00 ET
Cal enters tonight with a full-head of steam on a 4-0 SU ATS run (all at home) after winning their first PAC 10 weekend with double digit victories over Colorado and Utah. That leaves a very talented, but very young, Cal Bear team ripe for the letdown, when they travel to face an angry Oregon team at McArthur Court. For, it is there, under 6th year Oregon HC Altman, that the Ducks have built a fortress going 58-7 SU L3+Y at home. Off a PAC 10 opening loss at Oregon St. by a non-competitive score of (70-57), look for the bounce back by the Ducks on their strong home court against a young Cal team who will be unprepared for this road outing.
San Jose St. at San Diego St. (-20) 10:00 ET
Aztecs are ill-equipped on the offensive end with an attack unit that averages just 65/41/31 to author this 20+ point blowout. San Jose, at 5-9 SU, has already authored 3 more wins than last year’s 2-28 SU campaign. That has shown in the ATS column with a 4-1 ATS mark as +10+ this season with the lone loss by 18 as +17 at Marquette. In fact, no Spartan loss this year has been by more than 20 points. Only one way to look!
Cal Poly Slo at Hawaii (-10-) Midnight ET
The Cal Poly Slo Mustangs travel to Hawaii to face the Rainbow Warriors in the Big West opener for each team. Last year when these teams met, they split a pair of narrow 3 and 4 point decisions.
While you were sleeping (Hawaii has played 12 of their first 13 games at home) and maybe while you are sleeping again tonight, the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors at 11-2 SU have quietly emerged as one of the under the radar teams in college hoops. Their only defeats have come in their lone mainland trip to Texas Tech (by 8) and against No. 2 Oklahoma BY ONLY 3 POINTS! That came in their 3-game holiday tournament, when they also defeated highly respected N. Iowa (68-52) and SEC member, Auburn (79-67). The architect of the turnaround is 1st year HC Ganot, a former St. Mary’s Asst. (but that St. Mary’s story we will save for another day). One look at their statistics confirms the excellence. The Rainbow Warriors average 81 PPG on 49% shooting, while knocking down an average of 7 triples. With a +7.3 rebound margin, an offense that dishes out nearly 18 assists per game, and a defense that forces 16 TOs, they are the real deal.
That will prove to be death for Cal Poly Slo, who under 7th year HC Callero have changed their M.O. In former years, the Mustangs were a tempo conscious, grab and hold defense that looked to slow down games and pull out victories in the closing minutes. But that had resulted in an average of only 16 wins per year the previous 5 seasons. With the change of rules, Callero decided to go more up-tempo. That was evident out of the gate when his Mustangs hung tough in their first 2 road games with covers at rebuilding UNLV and UCLA. Since that time, however, they have played 3 quality teams on the road or neutral venues, losing by 30 at St. Mary’s, 19 to USC and 19 at Texas A&M. Today marks their 6th consecutive game away from Mott Gym, where they have not suited up since their December 5th victory against Fresno. Now, Hawaii may not be of the same ilk of those aforementioned, up-tempo powers, who wiped out the Mustangs. Or are they? Just ask Oklahoma!
Georgia Tech at Pitt (-9) 7:00 ET
Among yesterday’s selections was one of our fully qualified SUPER Ds, Kansas St., who came in under the number as commanded in their game vs. Texas. Today, we switch gears to a favorite selection (SUPER D favorites were 153-84 ATS (65%) beginning the week) with an ACC contest.
This Wednesday, January 6th, GA Tech travels to Pittsburgh for Game 2 of their respective ACC slates. Last year, Pitt was 19-15 SU for the season, including a win by 70-65 as (-6) vs. a GA Tech team, who was 12-19 SU last season. Each of these teams is vastly improved with GA Tech entering tonight’s contest at 10-4 SU, while Pitt is 12-1 SU.
A measure of the GA Tech improvement came in their league opener, where they lost to powerful N. Carolina only (86-78) in Chapel Hill as a 13 point road dog. But in the top-heavy ACC, GA Tech, who was just 3-15 SU in the league last year, is again ticketed for a lower echelon finish. Last year’s struggles for the Yellow Jackets came when they only shot 41% from the field and 27% from the arc. That has improved significantly to 46/37 this year. But, much of that has come against lower-rung competition. The Yellow Jackets have cruised to high-scoring wins at home against many lesser lights. But in their 2 toughest non-conference, step-up games, they lost by 17 to Villanova and 14 at Georgia. Going to Pitt presents another challenge.
Under 13th year HC Dixon, the Panthers have long been known as a great defensive team. That is true again this season, as the Panthers qualify on our list of SUPER Ds. They allow just 63 PPG, 38% from the field, 29% from the arc. Pitt also has a dominant +12.1 rebound margin and +8.9 assist/TO ratio. That latter number points out the improved offensive efficiency of a Panther team that is now averaging 85/50/36, while knocking down 79% from the stripe (a key factor in extending late game leads). As expected, Pitt is led by experienced triplets, PG Robinson, along with Jamel Artis and Michael Young. But, there is extraordinary depth on this Pitt team, which is a further reason why we will find them excelling in this role. After standing 17-40 ATS as home chalk entering the season, Pitt will extend to 5-3 ATS as home chalk after their dominant double digit victory tonight!
LaSalle at Fordham (-9) 7:00 ET
Among yesterday’s selections was one of our fully qualified SUPER Ds, Kansas St., who came in under the number as commanded in their game vs. Texas. Today, we switch gears to a favorite selection (SUPER D favorites were 153-84 ATS (65%) beginning the week) with an A10 contest.
Today’s game finds the LaSalle Explorers travelling to the Bronx, where they will face the Fordham Rams in venerable Rose Hill Gym. The recent history of Fordham has been a long way from that of the glory years some 50 seasons ago, when teams considered it to be a double victory, if they not only won the game against the Rams, but escaped the Bronx with their lives! The recent downturn in Fordham fortunes has begun to reverse itself this season. At the same time as that is taking place, an equally glorified LaSalle program is finding themselves in a down season for HC Giannini. As a measure of how quickly things can change on the college basketball landscape, consider that when Fordham beat LaSalle on this floor (63-48) last season, they were a +5 home dog. That is a 16 point line swing in less than 1 season. Yet, that vast swing in the line is still not enough to compensate for the difference in these teams.
I spent 2 agonizing hours Sunday afternoon watching my Top Rated PICK on UMass outlast these downtrodden LaSalle Explorers! It was the worst LaSalle team I have witnessed in many seasons. It was just 3 years ago that Giannini had consecutive 20-win seasons. But, the Explorers won only a combined 32 games in the previous 2 years and show just 4 victories for this season. Tonight, they enter on a 0-6 SU, 0-6 ATS slide and appear to be less competitive as the season wears on. Their once proud record on the road under Giannini, which was 55-34 ATS at one time has now slipped to 9-17 ATS of late. This is a clear PLAY AGAINST team.
In the Bronx, the fortunes have clearly swung the opposite way. Under 1st year HC Neubauer (a Beilein disciple), who toiled his previous 10 years in anonymity at E. Kentucky (70 wins the last 3 seasons), many questioned why Neubauer would take the job in the Bronx to rebuild a Fordham program that won just 44 combined games in the last 5 seasons. Neubauer clearly knew what he was doing, as Fordham with a 9-4 SU record has become a Hidden Gem in college hoops. Using a 10-man rotation and led by frosh PG Chartouny, the Rams have turned the corner with the mantra that has proven successful for all programs. They play defense, rebound and take care of the basketball. As a result, Fordham has made our list of SUPER Ds by allowing just 62 PPG, 27% triples with a +5.8 rebound margin, a +3.2 assist/TO margin and by forcing a whopping 19 TOs per game. In what is a shocking line to some, I still believe there is value at this price with the Rams tonight.
George Washington (-9-) at St. Louis 7:00 ET
St. Louis is pure PLAY AGAINST material on a 0-8 ATS slide. Recent 3 losses have been by 28 to Rhode Island, 28 to Kansas St. and 13 on this court to S. Illinois. Fourth year HC Crews has now exhausted the goodwill, and players, of the Rick Majerus Golden Era. Enter George Washington, a Defensive Dandy of a team, allowing just 67/41/31 with a positive rebound margin and assist/TO ratio. They will easily shut down an impotent St. Louis offense that is averaging just 64/43/30. Addition of Wake Forest transfer, Cavanaugh (16 PPG) to the strong returning trio of interior force Larsen, “do-everything” Garino and PG McDonald makes this team a valid contender for A10 superiority.
Ohio (-2) at N. Illinois 8:00 ET
Bobcats are improving smartly under 2nd year HC Phillips (remember him from his Bizon days at N. Dakota St.?). After just 10 wins in his maiden voyage, Phillips is now 9-3 SU, 7-1 ATS. But, he has lost every step-up game, including Tulsa, Florida St. and his lone road outing at St. Bonnie (81-68). Don’t think N. Illinois is in that class? Check the SUPER D list, who finds that 5th year HC Mark Montgomery (a Tom Izzo disciple) has his Huskies qualifying on the SUPER D list with allowance of only 62/37, an 8.4 rebound margin and +4.3 assist/TO margin. All while forcing over 16 TOs per game. Take this Hidden Gem to the bank at a value price.
St. Bonaventure (-3) at George Mason 8:00 ET
Early season returns indicated great improvement by George Mason in their 1st season under HC Paulsen (the highly respected former HC at Bucknell). There were wins vs. Ole Miss, Oklahoma St. and a cover vs. Virginia. But, things have rapidly gone downhill since with losses to the likes of Manhattan, Towson, James Madison and a 24 point, season-opening A10 loss at VCU. Granted, all those games were on the road. But, the margins were so significant that it sets up a red flag for this A10 home opener against a St. Bonnie team, whose HC Schmidt is a veteran in this conference. Great guard play is essential to road victories and that is exactly what is at Schmidt’s disposal tonight with his combo guards, Adams and Posley, combining for 35 PPG.
Texas Tech at Iowa St. (-11) 9:00 ET
There were will be a lot of public knee-jerking to the Texas Tech side here, once they find out that the Red Raiders enter tonight on runs of 10-0 SU, 7-0 ATS with an opening game conference victory against Texas (82-74). BUT, THIS IS THE FIRST ROAD GAME FOR TUBBY’S TROOPS. IT COMES AT THE WRONG TIME AND THE WRONG PLACE. No Naz Long? No matter for Iowa St. who, under 1st year HC Prohm, has played 2 of their best games in his absence with a road win at Cinci and a cover at Oklahoma, Saturday night, where they let the game slip away from them in the late going in an 87-83 loss to the nation’s No. 2 team. That will bring plenty of hunger, as well as respect. But, this game is played on the magical floor of Hilton Coliseum, where the Cyclones are 52-3 SU 4+Y with 20 point home wins quickly becoming a habit for high-scoring, up-tempo ISU, who is averaging 86/51/36 with a 17.6/11.0 assist/TO ratio. Red Raiders are not equipped to play at that pace. Though the fact that they are a qualified SUPER D prevents us from taking off the rubber band!
California at Oregon (-3-) 9:00 ET
Cal enters tonight with a full-head of steam on a 4-0 SU ATS run (all at home) after winning their first PAC 10 weekend with double digit victories over Colorado and Utah. That leaves a very talented, but very young, Cal Bear team ripe for the letdown, when they travel to face an angry Oregon team at McArthur Court. For, it is there, under 6th year Oregon HC Altman, that the Ducks have built a fortress going 58-7 SU L3+Y at home. Off a PAC 10 opening loss at Oregon St. by a non-competitive score of (70-57), look for the bounce back by the Ducks on their strong home court against a young Cal team who will be unprepared for this road outing.
San Jose St. at San Diego St. (-20) 10:00 ET
Aztecs are ill-equipped on the offensive end with an attack unit that averages just 65/41/31 to author this 20+ point blowout. San Jose, at 5-9 SU, has already authored 3 more wins than last year’s 2-28 SU campaign. That has shown in the ATS column with a 4-1 ATS mark as +10+ this season with the lone loss by 18 as +17 at Marquette. In fact, no Spartan loss this year has been by more than 20 points. Only one way to look!
Cal Poly Slo at Hawaii (-10-) Midnight ET
The Cal Poly Slo Mustangs travel to Hawaii to face the Rainbow Warriors in the Big West opener for each team. Last year when these teams met, they split a pair of narrow 3 and 4 point decisions.
While you were sleeping (Hawaii has played 12 of their first 13 games at home) and maybe while you are sleeping again tonight, the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors at 11-2 SU have quietly emerged as one of the under the radar teams in college hoops. Their only defeats have come in their lone mainland trip to Texas Tech (by 8) and against No. 2 Oklahoma BY ONLY 3 POINTS! That came in their 3-game holiday tournament, when they also defeated highly respected N. Iowa (68-52) and SEC member, Auburn (79-67). The architect of the turnaround is 1st year HC Ganot, a former St. Mary’s Asst. (but that St. Mary’s story we will save for another day). One look at their statistics confirms the excellence. The Rainbow Warriors average 81 PPG on 49% shooting, while knocking down an average of 7 triples. With a +7.3 rebound margin, an offense that dishes out nearly 18 assists per game, and a defense that forces 16 TOs, they are the real deal.
That will prove to be death for Cal Poly Slo, who under 7th year HC Callero have changed their M.O. In former years, the Mustangs were a tempo conscious, grab and hold defense that looked to slow down games and pull out victories in the closing minutes. But that had resulted in an average of only 16 wins per year the previous 5 seasons. With the change of rules, Callero decided to go more up-tempo. That was evident out of the gate when his Mustangs hung tough in their first 2 road games with covers at rebuilding UNLV and UCLA. Since that time, however, they have played 3 quality teams on the road or neutral venues, losing by 30 at St. Mary’s, 19 to USC and 19 at Texas A&M. Today marks their 6th consecutive game away from Mott Gym, where they have not suited up since their December 5th victory against Fresno. Now, Hawaii may not be of the same ilk of those aforementioned, up-tempo powers, who wiped out the Mustangs. Or are they? Just ask Oklahoma!
