The Mavericks are only 2-11 straight up on the road. When you couple this with the notion that Los Angeles has overall been in good form in the Staples Center at 9-4 SU this season, the Mavs aren’t that appealing. However this Mavs team is not the same team that was on the road last month. Can the Mavs keep it within 3? Franks has your NBA pick.
The X-factor here is N.C. State’s preparation. How ready are the Wolfpack for this game after playing one of the weakest schedules in the nation? State coach Kevin Keatts has brought his team along slowly in his second season, knowing that the Pack still aren’t ready to challenge the best in the ACC and outside the conference until they’ve played together for at least a few weeks. Sportsbooks have this game as a pick’em and DJ has your hoops pick.
Duke’s freshman trio continues to destroy opponents, and the Blue Devils haven’t really experienced resistance since their loss to Gonzaga, winning each game by at least 20 points. However, it’s hard to gauge how rusty Duke will be for this game, given that the Blue Devils haven’t played anyone since beating Yale on Dec. 8. What is pretty certain is that Duke’s offense will continue to run through freshmen R.J. Barrett and Zion Williamson, who each average over 20 points per game and have proven to be unstoppable. Bovada lists Duke at -31. Can bettors find value in this pick?
This is the time of year when Michigan State starts to get dangerous. Tom Izzo always puts his team through a gauntlet in November and December to toughen it up for Big Ten play, and if the Spartans come through it relatively unscathed, they become a load to bring down for the rest of the year. Escaping with only losses to Kansas and Louisville qualifies as relatively unscathed, and Michigan State looks like it’s going to be dueling with Michigan for Big Ten supremacy all season long. That means demolishing teams like Green Bay but is there betting value at -26.5? DJ has a pick and analysis.
Gonzaga has a few unknowns. Mainly, there’s the question of just how mentally prepared Gonzaga is to play this game. Mark Few has challenged his team with a tough slate of games, and the past two contests have suggested that the challenge is taking its toll on the Bulldogs. Gonzaga barely survived Washington and got picked off by Tennessee in a tight contest. What will they bring into North Carolina as the underdog tonight? DJ has your college basketball prediction!
On paper, Creighton should be a solid bet to comfortably win this game. The Bluejays’ three losses have come to two Power 6 foes and Gonzaga, which might be the most complete team in the nation. But first lets look at Green Bay for a couple reasons.
Savannah State’s identity is wrapped up in one thing: pushing the tempo. The Tigers average 84 possessions per game, which leads the nation. They also average 42 rebounds and eight steals per game, which means that every game they play is a scoring contest that’s played at a breakneck pace. The problem is that the Tigers don’t exactly do a great job with their large number of possessions. Savannah State shoots a mere 36.3 percent from the floor, which has led to quite a few blowouts this season because the Tigers cannot stop anyone. Can they stay within 36 to help backers beat the bookie?
How good is LSU, really? The Tigers might have a 7-2 record, but LSU hasn’t exactly tested itself against quality competition this season. The only two games the Tigers have played against solid opponents resulted in losses, and otherwise, LSU has mostly contented itself with beating up on low-major opponents. What the Tigers do well is spread out their scoring, with four players averaging in double figures. But Houston is a program on the rise. Can the Tigers cover against the -5.5 spread? DJ gives his basketball pick.
Pennsylvania can win against the spread if the Quakers can play at Villanova’s pace and find the holes in the Wildcats’ defense. Villanova isn’t the typical Power 6 team that likes to run it from the word “go” and overwhelm its opponents from smaller conferences. The Wildcats make their opponents work for their shots, and work isn’t something that a lot of teams enjoy doing on the court. Pennsylvania has to resist the temptation to force things too early and instead take what the Wildcats are willing to give them. Does Penn have the discipline to grind it out for 40 minutes? DJ has your basketball prediction.
Just weeks ago, Texas seemed to be on track for a breakout season in Shaka Smart’s fourth year in Austin. Now the Longhorns have dropped three in a row after falling to Michigan State, Radford and VCU, which has even Smart questioning his squad. Is this a sign that the team is the the brink of collapse? Sportsbooks have Texas as a 1.5 point favorite.