For any resources you could need like sports handicapping odds, handicapping stats, schedules, or handicappers free picks and tips please click on any of the links on the right hand side of this page.
CLICK A CAPPERS NAME TO SEE THEIR PREMIUM DAILY EXPERT PLAYS + PREDICTIONS!
Schedule: NFL |Â CFB |Â MLB |Â NBA |Â CBB |Â NHL
WANT FREE SPORTS PICKS to your inbox? | Newsletter Sign-UP!
Date | Match Up | Rating | Score | Result | Profit | Lead Time | Analysis |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
03-03-17 | Clippers v. Bucks OVER 211.5 | Top | 101-112 | Win | 100 | 10 h 36 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Game #829 Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Milwaukee Bucks vs Los Angeles Clippers @ 8:05 ET - This total was as high as a 216 yesterday so it has come down nearly 5 points now and I'll gladly grab the over here with the "no defense" Bucks. Milwaukee has allowed 50% from the field in their last 5 games and that includes allowing at least 48% from the field in all 5 games. The Bucks have allowed an average of 108 points per game in these 5 games and now host a Clippers team that has allowed an average of 118 points per game in their 4 games since the All Star break. One of those games did go to OT but even taking the OT out of the equation it's been 116 points per game allowed by the Clips. Look for the Bucks to push the pace at home and this one to turn into a wild, high-scoring shootout. The over is 20-11 in Clippers road games this season and the over is 12-3 this season when the Bucks are off of a loss by margin of 10 points or more. Also, the Bucks are 21-10 to the over in home games this season. In non-conference action, Milwaukee has gone 13-7 to the over this season. As is typically the case, the defense played in non-conference match-ups tends to be a little less intense. In my mind, and apparently the odds makers mind as well, based on the trends noted above, we should expect a ton of points in this match-up tonight and I'll gladly fade what is a "wrong way line move" in my opinion. 10* OVER the total in Milwaukee |
|||||||
03-03-17 | Cavs v. Hawks +3.5 | 135-130 | Loss | -115 | 9 h 39 m | Show | |
ESPN ATS Blowout - Rickenbach NBA Game #828 Friday 8* Atlanta Hawks (+) vs Cleveland Cavaliers @ 7:05 ET - Guys will be looking at Cleveland here since they're off of a loss and also lost at home to Atlanta earlier this season. However, the Hawks plus the points should prove to be the play. The Cavs are without Kevin Love of course and new acquisition Andrew Bogut is not yet available. Also, even though Cleveland does have the aforementioned home revenge angle in effect here, the Cavaliers have gone 12-20 ATS when playing with home loss revenge the past 3 seasons. In other words, the markets tend to over-adjust in a spot like this and I feel that is the case here. This is especially true because Atlanta has their own home loss revenge in mind here. The last time the Hawks hosted the Cavs was certainly a big game. It was on May 8th and Atlanta lost by a single point in a game that ended up completing a 4-game sweep for the Cavaliers and knocking the Hawks out of the playoffs. In other words, expect Atlanta to be rocking tonight and expect the Hawks to be flying all over the floor in this opportunity to take down LeBron James and company. Hosting the defending world champs is always a big deal and the Hawks are 9-2 ATS against Central Division opponents this season and and they catch the Cavs stumbling a bit on a 3-game ATS losing streak. Overall the Hawks are 11-6 ATS season and 10 of the 11 wins have been outright upsets. They relish this role and I expect another upset tonight but will certainly grab all the points I can get. 8* ATLANTA HAWKS |
|||||||
03-03-17 | Iowa State v. West Virginia -7 | Top | 76-87 | Win | 100 | 12 h 37 m | Show |
Big 12 Game of the Month - Rickenbach CBB Game #762 Friday 10* Top Play West Virginia Mountaineers (-) vs Iowa State Cyclones @ 7 ET - Many will look to back Iowa State in this spot since the Cyclones have won 6 straight games and are seeking revenge here. However, West Virginia should prove to be the play here. The Mountaineers are off of a loss at Baylor and they shot poorly in both games of that 2-game road swing as they didn't shoot well against the Bears and they weren't much better against the Horned Frogs at TCU. The key here is that West Virginia certainly doesn't want to head into tourney time on a losing streak and they've shown the ability to bounce back all season long. When at home and off of a loss, the Mountaineers have gone 4-0 and won those games by an average margin of 18.5 points per victory. Included in those 4 wins was a 16-point win over Kansas so the teams that West Virginia faced in these situations certainly weren't all cupcakes. Even though Iowa State has been winning, the Cyclones aren't known for their defense and they've allowed 47% from the field in Big 12 action this season. The Mountaineers have held opponents to just 42.6% in home games this season. Also, Iowa State has allowed 45.5% or more from the field in 4 of its last 5 games. West Virginia, before the loss to Baylor, had held 6 of its last 8 opponents to 44.9% or less from the field and 4 of those 6 were held under 39.8% from the field. The Mountaineers are 15-2 SU at home this season. Also, in all games with posted totals in the 150s the Mountaineers are a long-term 28-12 (70%) ATS. Iowa State is only 1-3 ATS and SU the past 3 seasons when playing with home loss revenge and their long-term SU mark in that role is 15-49. Cylones are set up to get rolled in this one as the Mountaineers show why they've earned their nickname of "Press Virginia" with a big win tonight. 10* WEST VIRGINIAÂ |
|||||||
03-03-17 | Loyola-Chicago v. Southern Illinois +3.5 | 50-55 | Win | 100 | 8 h 55 m | Show | |
March Madness Day Game - Rickenbach CBB Game #866 Friday 8* Southern Illinois Salukis (+) vs Loyola-Chicago Ramblers @ 3:30 ET - With the Salukis winning both games against the Ramblers in February, many will likely be looking to back Loyola-Chicago here. However, the Ramblers have lost 6 of their last 8 games even though 4 of those were at home. In terms of games away from home, Loyola-Chicago really doesn't have any significant wins to point to. The Ramblers defensive play away from home has been particularly poor. Now they take on a Salukis team that did win at places like Missouri State and Evansville in addition to winning at Loyola. Missouri State, Evansville, and the Ramblers are a combined 37-13 at home this season. Salukis won at all 3 locations while Loyola's biggest road win in MVC action was at Bradley and the Braves only finished 8-7 at home this season. With this game being at a neutral site and with the Salukis having proven more capable of stepping up their game when away from home, I like the value being offered here to underdog Southern Illinois. The Salukis are 3-0 ATS in the MVC Tourney the past 2 seasons. The Ramblers are 5-15 SU when playing with road loss revenge the past 3 seasons combined so the "revenge factor" here cerrtainly doesn't hold a lot of value with this team. 8* SOUTHERN ILLINOIS |
|||||||
03-02-17 | Warriors v. Bulls +7.5 | Top | 87-94 | Win | 100 | 14 h 59 m | Show |
TNT ATS Blowout - Rickenbach NBA Game #702 Thursday 10* Top Play Chicago Bulls (+) vs Golden State Warriors @ 8 ET - Yesterday afternoon when lines first popped up on this game the Warriors were available as low as a -5. Now, as of very early gameday morning, lines as high as a -7.5 are now posted on Golden State. I completely understand the affection the markets have for the top team in the league, especially when considering that the Warriors are off of a loss. However, this is going to prove to be a tough spot for Golden State and I'll gladly grab the value being offered with the big home dog. The Warriors just lost Kevin Durant to a knee injury and will be playing their 3rd game in 4 nights. As for the Bulls, they will be playing for just the 2nd time in 5 nights and they'll certainly be motivated for this game. Teams almost always get "up" for facing the top teams in the league and Chicago also has the added revenge factor here. The Bulls got annihilated by 31 points last month at Golden State and they also got ripped by 31 points the last time they hosted the Warriors which was last January. Before Chicago's home loss to Denver Tuesday (Nuggets shot "lights out" in that one), the Bulls had won and covered 4 straight games. They've been playing very well and can resume the hot streak here. The Warriors, conversely, are on an 0-4 ATS run and they'll have their hands full as, without Durant, they take on a hungry Chicago team in this one. The Bulls are 15-9 ATS this season in their games against teams with a winning record. Golden State is allowing 116.5 points per game in their last 4 road games. 10* Top Play CHICAGO BULLS plus the big points |
|||||||
03-02-17 | Indiana State v. Evansville +1 | 72-83 | Win | 100 | 12 h 13 m | Show | |
March Madness - Rickenbach CBB Game #750 Thursday 8* Evansville Purple Aces (-) vs Indiana State Sycamores @ 7 ET - The popular choice here will likely be Indiana State as the Sycamores seek revenge for a 68-42 thrashing that the Purple Aces handed them last March in this tourney. However, in typical contrarian fashion, I am grabbing Evansville in this one but not without plenty of support. First off, these teams just met last week and the Purple Aces got the win despite shooting just 58% from the line. Note that Evansville is hitting 72% from the free throw line on the season so that result was highly unexpected and it was why the Purple Aces ended up with a non-covering win. The fact is that Evansville is a better rebounding team and they've won the battle of the boards in each of their last three meetings with they Sycamores. The Aces are also the better shooting team as Indiana State is knocking down just 42% of their shots this season while Evansville has hit 45.5% from the field on the season and is also hitting 37% of their threes. The Purple Aces allow only 33.7% threes while the Sycamores give up 37.3% threes. Evansville does a good job of getting to the free throw line while not relying very much on the three ball while Indiana State tosses up a lot of threes. That is significant here because the Sycamores are an ugly 12 of 61 (19.7%) from three point land the last 3 times they've faced the Aces away from home. Indiana State is 4-8 ATS when off of a loss to a conference rival while Evansville was on a 5-0 ATS run before failing to cover their final 3 games of the regular season. That is significant here as the Purple Aces are 6-0 SU (and 4-1 ATS) when on an ATS losing streak of 3 games or more. The Aces finished the regular season shooting the ball very well and come into this match-up with plenty of confidence based on recent success against the rival Sycamores. Look for that to translate to another victory Thursday in Missouri Valley Conference tourney action. 8* EVANSVILLE |
|||||||
03-02-17 | Houston +8.5 v. Cincinnati | Top | 47-65 | Loss | -105 | 11 h 23 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #711 Thursday 10* Top Play Houston Cougars (+) @ Cincinnati Bearcats @ 7 ET - With Cincinnati having such a long home winning streak they are getting plenty of respect from the oddsmakers as well as the betting markets. The Bearcats strong SU record at home is overshadowing the fact that Cincy is currently on a 1-5 ATS run and that Houston is playing their best basketball of the season. The Cougars have won 7 of their last 8 games and their defense has been fantastic of late. That is going to make i tough for Cincinnati to get any sizable margin in this game. The Cougars struggled some on the defensive end in a 1 point win at Memphis Sunday but, prior to that, Houston held 6 of their last 7 opponents under 42% from the field. The Bearcats have been held to 60 points or less in 4 of their last 8 games. Now I fully realize this is a big home game and senior night for Cincy and that after this game the arena will be shut down for a year for remodeling. However, the Bearcats will have their hands full with a Houston team seeking revenge for a 9 point home loss in January where Cincy shot well from three point land and the Cougars uncharacteristically struggled to knock down 3 points. Houston is 4-0 SU this season when playing with home loss revenge. Also, the past 3 seasons combined, the Cougars are 9-3 ATS when they are seeking to avenge a home loss. The Bearcats are 8-2 ATS against teams that don't have a winning record this season but now face a 21-8 Houston team and Cincinnati is 4-11 ATS against teams with a winning record this season including failing to cover 7 of its last 8! Big dog value as Cincy is putting extra pressure on themselves about winning this game since the arena will be shutdown for a year after this for renovations. 10* HOUSTON COUGARS plus the big points early Thursday evening |
|||||||
03-01-17 | Marquette v. Xavier OVER 153 | Top | 95-84 | Win | 100 | 11 h 14 m | Show |
Big East Game of the Month - Rickenbach CBB Game #551 Wednesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Xavier Musketeers vs Marquette Golden Eagles @ 9 ET - The Golden Eagles are one of the top three point shooting teams in the nation. The Musketeers have been going through a tough losing stretch where porous defense has had a lot to do with it. Speaking of porous defense, Marquette is allowing 81 points per game and 50% free throw shooting on the road in Big East games this season. The Golden Eagles won't be able to slow down a revenge-minded Xavier team tonight in what his their home finale but I also expect Marquette to put up a ton of points on the Musketeers. The Golden Eagles have averaged 79 points per game in the last 3 meetings between the teams but Xavier has scored 90 points in each of the last two meetings not played in Milwaukee. The edges here toward the over are large, including Marquette going 3-1 to the over this season (and 10-5 to the over long-term) in road games with a posted total between 150 and 154.5 points. Also, the Musketeers are 4-2 to the over in a home game with a posted total in that same range. Additionally, when playing with road loss revenge, Xavier is on a 10-6 run to the over. The Musketeers are averaging 78 points per game at home this season and the Golden Eagles are averaging 79 points per game on the road this season. Given the situation and the fact Marquette is off of an under despite shooting very high percentages for a 2nd straight game, look for a wild one here to easily get in the 160s as we grab the value on a total that has been driven down some early today. 10* OVER the total in Xavier Wednesday night |
|||||||
03-01-17 | Pacers +10 v. Spurs | Top | 99-100 | Win | 100 | 12 h 22 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Game #515 Wednesday - 10* Top Play Indiana Pacers (+) @ San Antonio Spurs @ 8:35 ET - This is simply too many points for the Spurs to be giving up to a quality Pacers team. Once again, San Antonio played very well on their annual "Rodeo Road Trip" where they're forced out of their venue for a period of a few weeks due to the rodeo taking over their venue. However, the first game back home (especially with the trip wrapping up on the West Coast) is often a tough one after all the travel. I expect the Spurs will find a way to get the win here but look for the game to be decided by single digits. The Pacers are off of a confidence-boosting win at Houston Monday where Indiana rallied from a deficit and knocked off another quality Western Conference team. After tonight's game, the Pacers don't play again until Sunday at Atlanta so, with 3 days off coming up, Indiana is going to go hard in this one. Also, the Pacers are seeking revenge for a tight home loss to the Spurs two weeks ago. Indiana has been shooting quite well and they got their offense flowing against the Rockets Monday. When the Pacers are off of a game where they scored 115 points or more, they've gone 8-5 ATS this season and 16-9 SU the past 3 seasons combined. Look for the Spurs to drop to 3-7 ATS on the season when they are playing a game with 2 days of rest between games. 10* Top Play INDIANA plus the big points Wednesday night |
|||||||
03-01-17 | Tennessee State v. SE Missouri State +5 | 75-78 | Win | 100 | 11 h 42 m | Show | |
March Madness - Rickenbach CBB Game #574 Wednesday 8* Southeast Missouri State Redhawks (+) vs Tennessee State Tigers @ 7:30 ET - This is a tourney game in the Ohio Valley Conference as March Madness has officially arrived. Great line value being offered here to the underdog Redhawks. Southeast Missouri State, prior to the loss in the regular season finale, had won 7 of their last 10 games. The Redhawks had been shooting the ball very well (including red hot from three point land) and they're not being given the respect they deserve here. Prior to the loss to Austin Peay, Southeast Missouri State was on a 9-6 ATS run in their last 15 and they only lost to the Tigers by 3 points earlier this season and that game was at Tennessee State. Now this OVC Tourney match-up is on a neutral floor and the Tigers have last 7 of their last 12 games. Of the 5 wins, 4 victories came against teams with a record that is subpar to the Redhawks. The point is that Tennessee State has not been playing well for quite some time and I see Southeast Missouri State having a great shot at the upset here on a neutral floor. Also note that 2 of the Tigers last 4 wins have come by a margin of 4 points or less. Tennessee State is 4-8 ATS this season against teams with a losing record while the Redhawks are 7-4 ATS in their games against teams with a winning record this season. Also, the Tigers are 2-4 ATS when off of a loss against a conference rival while Southeast Missouri State is 6-3 SU (and the Redhawks are 4-2 ATS) when off of a game where they allowed 80 points or more. 8* SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE plus the points Wednesday |
|||||||
03-01-17 | Knicks v. Magic OVER 214 | 101-90 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 30 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #501 Wednesday 8* OVER the total in Orlando Magic vs New York Knicks @ 7:05 ET - The Magic are off of an unusually strong game on defense. They held the Hawks to 86 points in a big win on Saturday. Prior to that victory, Orlando had lost 6 of its last 7 games and allowed 113 points per game. The Knicks are also off of a rare, solid performance on defense although it wasn't quite enough in a 92-91 loss to the Raptors Monday. Prior to that, New York had allowed 109 points or more in 7 of their last 8 games. Based on the numbers above you're looking at a game tonight that should total 222 points and yet this total opened up at 215 and has dropped to 214 as of early gameday morning. The over is 10-3 this season in Knicks games against Southeast Division opponents. Also, New York suffered a home loss (which did go over by the way) in early January and the Knicks are 11-6 to the over this season when playing with home loss revenge. The Magic come into this game having stayed under the total in 3 straight games but that is a situation that has seen the over go 6-2 this season. That said, for both of these teams, I look for a return to "normal" results tonight and that means a fast-paced high-scoring game erupts down in Florida tonight. 8* OVER the total in Orlando |
|||||||
03-01-17 | Auburn v. Georgia -5 | 78-79 | Loss | -110 | 9 h 20 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #524 Wednesday 8* Georgia Bulldogs (-) vs Auburn Tigers @ 6:30 ET - The Bulldogs are off of a tight, non-covering win versus LSU on Saturday. It wasn't a complete shock that Georgia was unable to get the blowout win there because the Bulldogs were off of a key revenging win at Alabama two days prior. That was a game the Dawgs had wanted badly and they got it so then they didn't have a lot left in the tank for the Tigers of LSU. However, they'll have plenty left in the tank for the Tigers of Auburn tonight! Georgia is well rested and this is "Senior Night" and the Bulldogs also know they need to stay hot to have any hopes of getting to the Big Dance. Georgia has won 4 of its last 5 and they're playing with a lot of confidence right now. Auburn has lost 4 of its last 5 with its only win over a dismal LSU team. Even though the Tigers have home loss revenge for this game, Auburn is 0-6 ATS this season when playing with home loss revenge. Also, even though the Tigers average plenty of points they also have been very poor on defense. That is significant here because Georgia is on a long-term 27-5 SU run against teams that allow an average of 77 points or more per game. The Bulldogs are on a 13-6 ATS run this season (and 42-23 ATS the L3 seasons combined) when they are facing a team with a winning record. They'll get the job done again tonight as this is a classic case of "hot versus not" and I'll grab the line value here with a move down to -5 on a line that was a high as a -7 yesterday. 8* GEORGIA BULLDOGS minus the points Wednesday |
|||||||
02-28-17 | Jazz v. Thunder | Top | 106-109 | Win | 100 | 13 h 24 m | Show |
Divisional Dominator - Rickenbach NBA Game #710 Tuesday 10* Top Play Oklahoma City Thunder (-) vs Utah Jazz @ 8:05 ET - The Jazz dominated the glass against the Wizards Sunday and that helped them overcome a turnover-filled game (24 turnovers for Utah) as they got the road win at Washington. They won't be able to use rebounding to overcome another sloppy game here because the Thunder are one of the top rebounding teams in the league. Couple that with the fact that Oklahoma City is chasing the Jazz for the top spot in the division, this one is set up nicely for home dominance. The Thunder are 22-8 SU (and 20-9-1 ATS) in home games this season. OKC is also 6-3 ATS in divisional games this season whereas Utah has only covered 4 of 10 in divisional action this season. Oklahoma City has won 5 of its last 6 meetings with Utah including each of the last 4 times they've hosted the Jazz. The Thunder have been shooting the ball very well and are one of the highest scoring teams in the league. At home, Oklahoma City is averaging 110 points per game this season. The Jazz are known for struggling to keep up with fast-paced opposition as they are now 15-31 SU the L3 seasons combined in games against teams averaging 106 points or more per game. That includes covering just 9 of 24 games this season that fit those parameters. The Thunder will either pull to within 2 games of Utah in the division or they'll fall to 4 games back depending on tonight's result. As you can see, it's a huge game for OKC and I expect their home floor, rebounding edge, Utah's turnover struggles, and the extra motivation for the Thunder to all be difference makers in this one. 10* OKLAHOMA CITY for a top play selection Tuesday night |
|||||||
02-28-17 | Warriors v. Wizards +7 | 108-112 | Win | 100 | 12 h 28 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #702 Tuesday 8* Washington Wizards (+) vs Golden State Warriors @ 7:05 ET - The Wizards are off of a home loss to Utah Sunday despite forcing 24 turnovers in that game. Washington hasn't lost 3 straight games since mid-November and the Wizards are fired up about taking on the team with the NBA's best record. In other words, it's the perfect time for Washington (24-8 at home this season) to respond in a big way. The Wizards are 13-5 ATS this season when off of a non-conference game. After losing to the Jazz Sunday, they'll make the most of this opportunity against the league-best Warriors who are in a tough back to back spot. Golden State was at Philadelphia last night and they got the win but their key players did play significant minutes and the Warriors will face an even tougher challenge tonight. The Warriors are only 4-7 ATS in the 2nd game of back to backs this season. Overall, with last night's non-covering win over the Sixers, Golden State is just 7-12 ATS in their last 19 road games. The Wizards, before Sunday's home loss, were 16-4 ATS in their last 20 home games. Grab the big home dog value in this one! 8* WASHINGTON plus the points early Tuesday evening. |
|||||||
02-28-17 | St Bonaventure +3.5 v. Davidson | Top | 63-68 | Loss | -110 | 11 h 37 m | Show |
Early ATS Blowout - Rickenbach CBB Game #723 Tuesday 10* Top Play St Bonaventure Bonnies (+) @ Davidson Wildcats @ 7 ET - St Bonaventure is having another strong season in the Atlantic 10 as they gear up for the conference tournament. Speaking of the A-10 Tourney, that was the last time the Bonnies met up with Davidson and it was a tough loss for St Bonaventure in the A-10 quarterfinals as they got into foul trouble and that was a catalyst for blowing a sizable lead in the eventual 4 point loss. Needless to say, this game has been circled on the Bonnies calendars ever since the schedule was released and St Bonaventure wants to build some momentum for the upcoming A-10 Tourney plus they want revenge for what happened in last year's conference tourney. In other words, this is a best of both worlds opportunity for St Bonaventure and they enter this game with confidence off of back to back wins. If you look at the Bonnies results in A-10 action this season they've taken care of business against the teams they're supposed to. The losses that St Bonaventure has in A-10 action came against top tier teams like Dayton, VCU, Richmond, and Rhode Island. Not a single A-10 defeat came against a team that currently has a winning record in conference action. That said, note that Davidson is only 7-9 in Atlantic 10 action and the Wildcats only have 1 win against an A-10 team that currently has a winning record in conference action. That said, should Davidson (only 7-5 at home this season) really be favored here? I don't think so and I feel we're getting exceptional line value given the revenge angle as well. The Bonnies are 4-1 (SU and ATS) as a road dog of 3 points or less and the Wildcats are 2-6 SU and ATS in their last 8 games against teams with a winning record. More struggles for the Cats here against a solid foe. 10* ST BONAVENTURE plus the points early Tuesday evening |
|||||||
02-28-17 | Buffalo +5 v. Ohio | 83-79 | Win | 100 | 10 h 55 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #735 Tuesday 8* Buffalo Bulls (+) @ Ohio University Bobcats @ 6 ET - The Bulls control their own destiny as they hold tie-breaking edges over the other MAC teams that are at 9-7 in conference action. That is significant because teams that finish in the top 4 in the conference get a bye to start the MAC Tourney. Certainly that is the goal of Buffalo and I like the Bulls motivational edges in this match-up as they also have revenge against Ohio University. The Bobcats defeated them on a late bucket in Buffalo last month. Ohio U had their leading scorer, star forward Antonio Campbell, in that game but he is now out for the season. Also, the Bulls are off of back to back losses but they faced Kent and Akron. The Zips beat the Bulls 89-83 and Buffalo has gone a PERFECT 7-0 ATS this season when off of a game where they allowed 80 points or more. Also, the Bulls are 7-2 ATS this season when off of a game where Buffalo managed to score 80 points or more. When playing with home loss revenge, the Bulls are a combined 7-3 ATS the past 3 seasons. As for the Bobcats, they are off of a loss to Kent State as they continue to struggle against teams with strong offensive production. Buffalo is averaging 78 points per game this season and Ohio U is 6-14 SU the last 3 seasons combined when they are facing a team that averages 77 points or more per game on the season. Look for the revenge-minded Bulls to get the upset but, should they fall short, the points being offered here should be enough for the cover. Highly motivated Bulls are off of back to back losses and only once this entire season have they lost 3 straight. 8* BUFFALO plus the points early Tuesday evening |
|||||||
02-27-17 | Heat -115 v. Mavs | Top | 89-96 | Loss | -115 | 9 h 48 m | Show |
Insiders Edge - Rickenbach NBA Game #511 Monday 10* Top Play Miami Heat (Pick'em) @ Dallas Mavericks @ 8:35 ET - The Mavericks are off of a win against New Orleans but the Pelicans have now lost 3 straight games by an average margin of 17 points per game so I am certainly not sold yet on Nerlens Noel being a huge pick-up for the Mavs. Give credit to Dallas for making some moves to try and improve their opportunity for getting to the #8 seed in the West but the Heat are in a similar position. Miami is going for the #8 seed in the East and, not only that, they are playing the better basketball in comparison with Dallas. Many were starting to question Miami's run after back to back losses two weeks ago. However, the Heat have answered critics by reeling off 3 straight wins and they've now won 16 of 18 wins (both SU and ATS). Miami is still playing with a ton of confidence and this is a team that is 9-2 ATS when off of a win by a double digit margin this season. The Mavericks are 5-9 SU this season (and 16-23 ATS the L3 seasons combined) when they are off of an upset win as an underdog. Also, the Mavs have lost each of their last 3 meetings with the Heat. Dallas had lost 5 of 7 before upsetting New Orleans as a small home dog Saturday and we're getting line value here with a red hot Heat team being priced even better than where the New Orleans line closed at (-2) on Saturday. I'll grab the value as Noel is already talking about taking down the Heat here when he really didn't do that great at stopping the Pelicans bigs on Saturday. New Orleans lost that game for other reasons and Hassan Whiteside and the Heat are going to "take it" to the Mavs here. 10* MIAMI |
|||||||
02-27-17 | Raptors v. Knicks OVER 211 | 92-91 | Loss | -115 | 8 h 39 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #501 Monday 8* OVER the total in New York Knicks vs Toronto Raptors @ 7:05 ET - Kyle Lowry is going to miss today's game just like yesterdays but DeMar DeRozan is averaging 37.3 points per game when Lowry misses. Sunday's 112-106 Raptors win went the over total and Toronto, in the 2nd game of a back to back situation, has gone 30-18 to the over the past 3 seasons combined. The Knicks are off of back to back games that stayed under the total but those just two games just barely fell short and the only reason was because the totals were so big. Prior to that, New York had gone over the total in 8 of its previous 10 games. The over is 20-10 in Knicks games against teams with a winning record this season as their porous defense struggles to stop good teams. However, New York is averaging 107 points per game in home contests on the season and that is why this game has the makings of a shootout. The Raptors enter this game having won 3 straight and the over is 8-4 this season when Toronto is on a winning streak of 3 games or more. Look for Toronto to stay red hot, even without Lowry, but the Knicks should continue their pattern of putting up big points at home. New York has averaged 110.5 points per game in their last 8 home games not played against the defensive-minded Spurs. The Knicks lone slip-up in their last 9 home affairs came versus San Antonio but other than that, they've scored very well and I see no reason for that not to continue here and that will help send this one soaring over the over-adjusted number due to Lowry being out for Toronto and Kristaps Porzingis being out for New York. Keep in mind, the Knicks forward did not play in the win over Philly Saturday and he shot a combined 12 for 33 in his 3 prior game so it's not like he's a big loss with the way he's been shooting of late. 8* OVER the total in New York |
|||||||
02-27-17 | North Carolina v. Virginia +3 | 43-53 | Win | 100 | 11 h 1 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #516 Monday 8* Virginia Cavaliers (+) vs North Carolina Tar Heels @ 7 ET - The Cavaliers have been knocked out of the ACC Tourney by the Tar Heels each of the past two seasons and there was more fuel added to the fire when UNC destroyed the Cavs at North Carolina a little over a week ago by a 65-41 final. Virginia did defeat the Heels the last time they hosted them (exactly a year ago to the day) and I expect them to get another home win here. The fact the line has moved strongly toward the Tar Heels adds to the line value available here as of early Monday morning. Note that Virginia finally got their offense back on track with knocking down 69% of their threes at NC State Saturday! However, what was arguably most impressive about that game for the Cavs was the fact that they held down a quality Wolfpack offense (averaging nearly 80 points per game this season) to just 55 points and the game was at NC State. Look for the Cavs D to be the difference maker here today as well as I know that UNC has been playing better on defense but the revenge-minded Cavaliers still have the top defense. The Cavaliers are an incredible 17-6 (SU and ATS!) in home games with a posted total in the 130 to 134.5 range. Also, the Cavs are 40-5 SU in home games the past 3 seasons combined. The Tar Heels have won and covered their past two road games but, prior to that, North Carolina was 2-7 ATS in road games on the season. That said, I'll gladly grab the big value being offered here with the hungry home dog Cavs in this one. 8* VIRGINIA |
|||||||
02-27-17 | West Virginia v. Baylor +1 | Top | 62-71 | Win | 102 | 10 h 19 m | Show |
ESPN Smash Pass - Rickenbach CBB Game #518 Monday 10* Top Play Baylor Bears (+) vs West Virginia Mountaineers @ 7 ET - Big revenge spot for Baylor and a tough scheduling spot for West Virginia. The Mountaineers are off of a hard fought victory by a single point at TCU. That marked the 3rd straight road game in which West Virginia struggled with their shooting. Over their last 3 road games combined, the Mountaineers have only connected on 39% of their shots from the field. The only other time that West Virginia had a scheduling situation comparable to this one this season was when they had back to back road games at Oklahoma State and Texas Tech right around the New Year. However, they had more time off in between those games and Baylor is much stronger than the Red Raiders. That said, with only one day off between games, the fact that the Mountaineers did lose that game in Lubbock, and the fact that Bears fans will be going crazy for revenge in Waco tonight, this is going to be a tough atmosphere for the Mountaineers to get a win. Yes, I am aware of the ankle injury involving Baylor's point guard, but I am also aware that the Mountaineers destroyed the Bears in Huntington earlier this season when Baylor was undefeated and that burst the Bears bubble and knocked them off their #1 perch. Rest assured, they haven't forgotten this! Baylor has lost 3 straight games against WV since they knocked them out of the Big 12 tourney 2 years ago. However, 2 of those 3 defeats came at West Virginia. The Bears are 8-0 SU in home games with a posted total in the 135 to 139.5 range the past 3 seasons. The Mountaineers are 2-4 SU and ATS in road games with a total in that same range. Overall, West Virginia is only 4-6 ATS when off of a win against a conference rival and the Bears are 15-3 SU at home this season. 10* BAYLOR |
|||||||
02-26-17 | Jazz v. Wizards -2 | 102-92 | Loss | -105 | 10 h 26 m | Show | |
Situational Slaughter - Rickenbach NBA Game #806 Sunday 8* Washington Wizards (-) vs Utah Jazz @ 5:05 ET - The Jazz are off of a big win at Milwaukee but they have a huge gave with the division rival Thunder on deck for Tuesday in Oklahoma City. That sets this one up well as the Wizards are at home laying a small number and are fully focused. Washington lost at Philadelphia on Friday as their defense decided to take off the 2nd and 3rd quarters. That proved to be the difference in the game and they know they screwed up by underestimating the Sixers. Needless to say, they won't underestimate the solid Jazz team that is paying them a visit Sunday. Washington is 24-7 SU (and 20-11 ATS) in home games this season. The Wizards are also 5-1 SU (and 4-2 ATS) this season when off of an upset loss as a favorite. After allowing 115 points or more in a game, Washington has responded by going 4-1 (SU and ATS) this season. The Wizards will take advantage of a Jazz team in a clear lookahead spot here. Also, Utah is an ugly 2-12 SU (and 3-11 ATS) as an underdog this season. The Jazz also are an unimpressive 9-15 (SU and ATS) when playing against teams with a winning record this season. 8* WASHINGTON |
|||||||
02-26-17 | Wisconsin -2 v. Michigan State | 74-84 | Loss | -110 | 8 h 1 m | Show | |
CBS Smash Pass - Rickenbach CBB Game #859 Sunday 8* Wisconsin Badgers (-) @ Michigan State Spartans @ 4 ET - The Badgers are off of a loss at Ohio State on Thursday where their defense really let them down as they allowed the hot-shooting Buckeyes to score 83 points. That sets this one up well as a bounce back spot for Wisconsin and they have plenty of motivation considering they lost their most recent game in Lansing last February. Look for the veteran leadership of the Badgers to play a key role in making sure Wiscy brings an intense effort for this game. As for the Spartans, they have played without upperclassmen Ben Carter and Gavin Schilling all season but the recent loss of senior guard Eron Harris will prove to be too much. Yes, everyone stepped up their game for Michigan State in their first game without Harris and the Spartans knocked off Nebraska. However, Wisconsin (especially angry off of a loss) is going to prove to be a much tougher test than the Cornhuskers were. The Badgers are a long-term 15-5 SU when off of a game where they allowed 80 points or more. Also, the past 3 seasons combined, Wiscy is 8-1 SU in road games where the posted total is in the 130 to 134.5 range. The Spartans are just 2-8 SU (and 3-7 ATS) as an underdog this season. Michigan State had lost 6 of its last 11 before the win over the Huskers and the Badgers, when off of a loss by a double digit margin this season, have won their very next game by an average margin of 28.7 points per game! They're fired up and they get the big road win here. 8* WISCONSIN |
|||||||
02-26-17 | Suns +7 v. Bucks | 96-100 | Win | 100 | 10 h 45 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #803 Sunday 8* Phoenix Suns (+) @ Milwaukee Bucks @ 3:35 ET - Three weeks ago in Phoenix, the Bucks completely embarrassed the Suns in a 137-112 victory. Milwaukee simply couldn't miss that night as they knocked down a ridiculous 63.4% of their shots! Even though Phoenix is certainly going nowhere this season (18-40 record) professional pride still exists and the Suns will be looking for payback here. Meanwhile Milwaukee will be looking at something else here...a big game at Cleveland on deck for Monday. The Bucks are known for overlooking weaker foes. Yes, Milwaukee won big at Phoenix at 3 weeks ago but the Bucks are 10-20 ATS on the season in their games against teams with a losing record. Also, Milwaukee is 1-4 ATS in Sunday games this season. The Suns, despite that big loss to the Bucks in Phoenix 3 weeks ago, are 13-6 ATS in non-conference games this season. Look for the Suns to again get the cover against an Eastern Conference foe that simply finds it too easy to overlook them. 8* PHOENIX |
|||||||
02-26-17 | La Salle v. Massachusetts OVER 153 | 71-84 | Win | 100 | 5 h 24 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #817 Sunday 8* OVER the total in Massachusetts Minutemen vs LaSalle Explorers @ 1 ET - The Explorers are off of an awful shooting effort in a 67-56 loss vs Rhode Island. LaSalle shot only 35.8% from the field in that game. That is only the 5th time this season that the Explorers have been held to 40% or less from the field. The first 4 times it happened, LaSalle followed it up by averaging 80 points per game in their very next game. One of those game was an 88-76 win versus the Minutemen earlier this season. With that game totaling 164 points and with Massachusetts also in a bounce back spot in terms of production on offense, I see a lot of value with the over here. First numbers on this total were released yesterday at 155.5 and the total has already dropped to a 153 as of early Sunday morning. UMass games have gone over the total in 8 of their last 9 games as the Minutemen aren't known for playing defense. That said, after shooting just 40.3% from the field in their loss at George Washington, Massachusetts will be ready to bounce back here at home in a game that should be played without much defensive intensity given these teams current positioning in the Atlantic 10 standings. The over is 11-4 in Minutemen conference games this season. As for the Explorers, the over is 14-8 in all their games this season including 5-2 in those against teams with a losing record. LaSalle shoots over 37% from three point land but they're allowing over 39% from beyond the arc. Look for a shootout in this one. 8* OVER the total in Massachusetts |
|||||||
02-25-17 | UCLA v. Arizona -1 | Top | 77-72 | Loss | -115 | 13 h 54 m | Show |
Bulldog's Best - Rickenbach CBB Game #670 Saturday 10* Top Play Arizona Wildcats (-) vs UCLA Bruins @ 8:15 ET - Many will be looking at UCLA here because this is a revenge game. However, this is under-estimating the value of the home floor for Arizona. The Wildcats have won 70 of their last 71 home games and there is another big edge here in terms of key personnel. When these teams met earlier this season, it was Allonzo Trier's first action of the season for the Wildcats after sitting out the first two months of the season. He'll be even stronger in this game as he has knocked down 8 of 11 threes in his last two games and averaged 23 points per game in those two games. This is in stark contrast to the UCLA situation. I know that Lonzo Ball was only wearing a walking boot for protective measures after the win at Arizona State. However, Ball definitely tweaked his ankle and is not 100% for this game. Against the Sun Devils he scored just 4 points in 33 minutes of action. That is very concerning for UCLA here as Ball had scored 24 points on 10 of 15 shooting in the first match-up with Arizona a month ago and yet the Bruins still lost the game by double digits! You can see where I am going with this! If Trier is likely to play better and Ball could struggle and plus now this match-up is on the Wildcats home floor, how can the Cats not win again by at least the same margin as they did in the first game? Exactly! My money is on the home team that was as high as a 3 point favorite yesterday and now has come down to a -1. Excellent line value with the small home fave. Even though UCLA is playing this game with home loss revenge, that is a situation that has seen the Bruins go just 1-5 ATS the last 3 seasons combined. Also, in road games with a posted total in the 160s, UCLA is also 1-5 ATS. Look for the Wildcats home dominance to continue in a key game Saturday night. 10* ARIZONA |
|||||||
02-25-17 | Hornets v. Kings +3 | Top | 99-85 | Loss | -110 | 9 h 43 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #502 Saturday 10* Top Play Sacramento Kings (+) vs Charlotte Hornets @ 5:05 ET - The Hornets are in a horrible slump and have lost 12 of their last 13 games. The Kings are rejuvenated after the DeMarcus Cousins trade (won by double digits in first game after the All Star Break) and also have won and covered 4 straight home games. Sacramento should hold a big edge on the boards in this game as they have outrebounded 3 of their last 4 opponents by a solid margin while Charlotte has been outrebounded by a ridiculous 15 boards a game in their last 4 games. The Hornets are 0-4 ATS against Pacific Division foes this season and also 0-7 ATS in their last 7 games against teams with a losing record! In other words, Charlotte doesn't take care of business when they should and that is also why they are an ugly 8-17 ATS when playing with revenge this season. The Kings are 15-10 SU and ATS this season when playing against teams with a losing record so they have proven they do take care of business when they should. With that said, there is tremendous line value here with the home dog. 10* SACRAMENTO |
|||||||
02-25-17 | Marquette v. Providence OVER 146.5 | Top | 69-73 | Loss | -110 | 9 h 21 m | Show |
Total of the Month - Rickenbach CBB Game #595 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Providence Friars vs Marquette Golden Eagles @ 4 ET - Providence is off of a big upset win at Creighton as they knocked off the Bluejays as a 7 point underdog! That could leave the Friars a little flat-footed here defensively and Marquette is certainly fully capable of lighting up sagging defenses. In fact, the Golden Eagles are averaging 82.5 points per game game to rank #1 in the Big East. The problem for Marquette is their defense is a major weakness. That is a big part of the reason they lost at home 79-78 when they hosted Providence in late January. The Friars are likely to have another strong shooting performance Saturday as this time they get the Golden Eagles at home. Providence is 9-1 to the over in their last 10 as a favorite! Also, 4 of the last 5 meetings between these teams have gone over the total. Looking even further back, 5 of the last 7 meetings between these teams in Providence have gone over the total. The Friars are shooting 47.2% at home this season including 38.5% from three point land. However, Marquette is shooting 48.5% from the field on the season and, even on the road they are knocking down a fantastic rate of 41% from beyond the arc. The hot shooting Golden Eagles are 4-2 to the over this season (and 20-10 to the over the last 3 seasons) in games where their posted total is in the 140s. Marquette is full of confidence after back to back wins where they averaged 88 points per game and the hot-shooting Golden Eagles will turn this one into a shootout with a Friars team off of a huge upset win that leaves them a little flat on the defensive end after their great effort at Creighton. 10* OVER the total in Providence |
|||||||
02-25-17 | West Virginia v. TCU +5 | 61-60 | Win | 100 | 8 h 3 m | Show | |
ESPN Smash Pass - Rickenbach CBB Game #522 Saturday 8* TCU Horned Frogs (+) vs West Virginia Mountaineers @ 2 ET - The Mountaineers have had the Horned Frogs number as evidenced by a 10-0 SU mark! Included in those 10 wins was West Virginia knocking TCU out of the Big 12 tourney last March and then also beating them again in Huntington last month. Needless to say, the Horned Frogs have plenty of motivation here and they could be catching the Mountaineers at the right time and in the right place to spring the upset. West Virginia is off of a big win versus Texas (the same game where coach Bob Huggins fell to his knees with some heart trouble) and they have a big game on deck at Baylor. The Mountaineers haven't been overly impressive on the road this season with a 3-3 mark in their last 6 Big 12 road games and one of those road wins came by just a single bucket. With TCU having gone 13-4 at home, including losing to Kansas by just 6 and Oklahoma State by only 3, don't be surprised if the Horned Frogs are in this one all the way and they just might spring the outright upset. Certainly there is value in grabbing the points here. West Virginia is a long-term 7-14 ATS as a road favorite in a range of 3.5 to 6 points. Also, the Mountaineers are only 2-7 ATS in Saturday games this season. The Horned Frogs are 5-2 (SU and ATS) when playing with road loss revenge this season. 8* TCU |
|||||||
02-25-17 | Virginia v. NC State OVER 131.5 | 70-55 | Loss | -105 | 7 h 39 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #631 Saturday 8* OVER the total in NC State Wolfpack vs Virginia Cavaliers @ Noon ET - This is NC State's home finale and they will be up for this game as they get a shot at Virginia. Even though the Cavaliers are struggling it would still be a big upset win for the Wolfpack if they can pull it off. However, the issue for NC State is they play atrocious defense. With the Cavs coming into this game off 4 straight losses (and having scored an average of just 48 points per game in their last 3), Virginia is primed for a breakout game against the worst defense in the ACC. The Wolfpack are allowing 86 points per game (and 49% shooting) in ACC action this season. Look for the Cavaliers to have a breakout game on offense but don't be surprised if the Cavs defense not at its sharpest here. Not only are the Cavaliers reeling from 4 straight losses, Virginia also has a huge match-up with North Carolina on deck. The focus here for the Cavs will be on getting a win and getting their offensive execution back on track. That said, look for this one to fly over the total as NC State has scored at least 71 points in 10 of its last 12 games. The over is 10-3 this season in Wolfpack home games! Look for another one here as the over improves to 89-51 long-term in NC State Saturday games. 8* OVER the total in NC State |
|||||||
02-24-17 | Mavs +3 v. Wolves | Top | 84-97 | Loss | -105 | 9 h 27 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Game #855 Friday 10* Top Play Dallas Mavericks (+) @ Minnesota Timberwolves @ 8:05 ET - You have to be careful looking at full season numbers with teams. Dallas was garbage for much of this season but they were ravaged by injuries. They were playing better ball leading into the All Star break. As for Minnesota, they won 8 of their last 11 games in January but February turned into a disaster when they lost Zach LaVine early in the month to a season-ending injury. Losing your starting point guard is always tough and the Timberwolves were 2-6 in February before winning their final game before the All Star break, at Denver. The T-wolves defense has been struggling badly. They've allowed 49.4% from the field in their last 6 games. By comparison, the Mavericks (who won 11 of 16 before dropping their last 2 games before the break) have held 7 of their last 13 opponents to 45.9% or less from the field. With the #8 seed well within reach for both of these teams don't be surprised if there is great intensity for tonight's game and I like the Mavericks (healthier and playing the better overall basketball) to get the W tonight on the road. Dallas has won 8 of its last 9 meetings with Minnesota. Also, the Mavs come into this game on a 6-2 ATS run in their last 8 games against teams with a losing record this season. The Timberwolves are 9-18 ATS as a favorite this season and on an 11-28 ATS run when off of a divisional game. Also, when Minny is off of a win by 10 points or more (beat Denver by 13) they have gone 2-9 ATS this season and an ugly 5-18 ATS (2-21 SU!) the past 3 seasons combined. Road rout looks probable here. 10* DALLAS MAVERICKS |
|||||||
02-24-17 | Wizards -7.5 v. 76ers | 112-120 | Loss | -107 | 8 h 29 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #843 Friday 8* Washington Wizards (-) @ Philadelphia 76'ers @ 7:05 ET - The 76'ers now are likely to go into "tank mode" on the season and the Wizards do have motivation here. Washington lost at Philadelphia in November and, though they got some measure of revenge by then beating the Sixers in DC last month, the Wizards still want to "return the favor" on Philly's home floor. That said, the 76'ers are in trouble here as Washington has won 18 of their last 21 games. Philadelphia has lost 8 of their last 12. The Sixers last 10 losses have come by an average margin of 14.1 points per defeat. Each of the 76'ers last 7 losses have come by at least 8 points. The Wizards are 9-4 SU and ATS when playing with 3 or more days of rest while the Sixers have gone 3-8 ATS and an awful 1-10 SU when playing with 3 or more days of rest and the big issue here is Philly's playing rotation has been effected by some recent moves. They'll be a little "off" in terms of their execution and the added time off because of the All Star break just compounds the issue for the 76'ers. The Wizards are 8-0 SU and 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games against teams who are allowing an average of 106 points or more per game on the season. I spoke earlier about the tanking and the numbers support that with Philly as, in the 2nd half of a season, the Sixers are now 3-39 SU when facing a team with a winning record. Another ugly loss beckons here and we get line value since the Wizards are on the road. 8* WASHINGTON |
|||||||
02-24-17 | Pennsylvania -5 v. Cornell | Top | 69-66 | Loss | -105 | 10 h 2 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach CBB Game #867 Friday 10* Top Play Pennsylvania Quakers (-) @ Cornell Big Red @ 7 ET - Quakers guard Ryan Betley just earned co-Big Five player of the week and co-Ivy League rookie of the week after he poured in a season-high 28 points in a win over Brown last week and also had a solid 12 point performance with three assists in the victory over Yale. The reason I mention him here is because he led Penn with 22 points in their win over Cornell earlier this season. Considering that Betley is only a freshman, he is improving dramatically as he gets more experience. The point is that he will be even tougher for the Big Red to stop the 2nd time around and should help lead the red-hot Quakers to another win. Penn comes into this game having won and covered 4 straight games while Cornell has been at the other end of the spectrum as they have lost 5 of their last 6. The only win the Big Red got during this stretch came against a bad Dartmouth team and the 5 Cornell losses came by an average margin of 11.6 points per defeat. Every single Big Red loss came by at least 7 points and that's why I have no qualms about laying this shorter number with Penn on the road in this one. Pennsylvania is hot and they've also gone 8-4 ATS the past 3 seasons when they are off of a game where they allowed 60 points or less. They're both shooting well and defending well and the same can certainly not be said for the Big Red. Also, Cornell is 4-11 ATS the past 3 seasons when playing with road loss revenge and they are also 0-4 SU this season when seeking revenge from a road defeat. This is simply not a very good Big Red team this season and I look for the Quakers to continue their dominance in this series. 10* PENNSYLVANIA |
|||||||
02-24-17 | Central Michigan v. Toledo -7.5 | 66-87 | Win | 100 | 10 h 60 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #890 Friday 8* Toledo Rockets (-) vs Central Michigan Chippewas @ 6 ET - Toledo is off of a home loss in OT versus Western Michigan Tuesday. Prior to that defeat the Rockets had won 3 of their last 4 games including posting a 2-0 mark at home with the victories coming by an average margin of 18 points per win. This is an important game in the MAC West standings and I expect Toledo to finally get revenge on Central Michigan. The Chippewas beat the Rockets on January 13th for their 6th straight win in the series. Included in this stretch was a win two years ago in March whereby Central Michigan knocked Toledo out of the conference tourney. The Rockets certainly have "had enough" to say the least! They want this game badly and the set-up is perfect as they are catching the Chips at the right time to exact revenge. Central Michigan comes into this game having lost 4 straight (both SU and ATS). The Chippewas have not been shooting the ball well nor have they defended well and making the situation even more concerning for the Chips is that each of their last 3 games were at home. Now they're on the road and that is unlikely to cure their shooting woes and that is very likely to lead to a blowout loss for Central Michigan here. The Chippewas are 6-11 ATS this season when off of a game where they allowed 80 points or more. Toledo is 11-6 ATS this season in their games against teams with a winning record. Also, the Rockets are 5-2 ATS this season when off of a loss in conference action. Lay the points in this one Thursday! 8* TOLEDO |
|||||||
02-23-17 | Rockets v. Pelicans +3.5 | Top | 129-99 | Loss | -105 | 13 h 36 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Game #506 Thursday 10* Top Play New Orleans Pelicans (+) vs Houston Rockets @ 8:05 ET - Houston is 40-18 on the season and New Orleans is 23-34 on the season. Something looked "funny" with the opening number on this game, didn't it? Of course now, as expected, the markets have already done some early "pounding" on the Rockets side and have driven this line up. In typical contrarian fashion (hence the title - Contrarian Crusher) I am stepping in on the other side of this one. Of course the big story in New Orleans is the DeMarcus Cousins acquisition. But there is much more than "just that" to like about the Pelicans in this match-up. They went 3-1 on their 4-game road trip right before the All Star break and this is one of just 3 home games they have scheduled in the entire month of February! That said, they certainly want to make it "count" and they did lose their most recent home game. Another key here is that the Pelicans have not lost back to back home games since prior to the mid-way point of December! New Orleans had gone 9-5 in their 14 home games since December 15th but then lost to Utah two weeks ago. That adds "fuel to the fire" for the Pelicans tonight and the Rockets are only 2-5 ATS in their last 7 road games. Also, New Orleans is seeking revenge for a 22-point beating at Houston when these teams met in December. Prior to that, the last 4 games between these teams had been decided by a total of just 15 points. With Cousins now in the mix, the Pelicans are going to be tough for the Rockets to put away in this one. Look for the outright upset and if New Orleans does fall short it certainly should be by just a single possession. The Pelicans are 27-16 ATS the past 3 seasons against teams that average 106 points or more per game. Everyone will be lining up for the Rockets in this one and, from experience, I know what that usually results in...an upset! 10* NEW ORLEANS |
|||||||
02-23-17 | South Florida v. Tulsa OVER 137 | Top | 68-82 | Win | 100 | 10 h 30 m | Show |
Total Dominator - Rickenbach CBB Game #537 Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Tulsa Golden Hurricane vs South Florida Bulls @ 8 ET - The first total to come out on this game was a 140 yesterday afternoon. The total has since dropped down to a 137 and its offering up fantastic line value on the over in this match-up. The over is a perfect 4-0 all-time in this series. Also, the Golden Hurricane are 8-2 to the over as a favorite this season. This is a late season match-up involving two teams with a losing record and that tends to be a good 'recipe' for an over as defense tends to lag in games like this. Following true to that theory, Tulsa is 3-0 to the over this season (and 11-3 to the over the past 3 seasons combined) when facing a team with a losing record in a game that is past the mid-way point of the season. As for South Florida, they are 12-5 to the over the last 3 seasons combined in their games against teams with a winning record. The Bulls are also 5-1 to the over this season as a road dog of 12.5 points or more. When playing with home loss revenge, South Florida has gone 5-1 to the over this season. The over is also 10-3 this season when the Bulls are off of a loss in conference action. South Florida has allowed opponents to knock down a ridiculous 55% of their shots from the field in the Bulls last 4 road games combined. As for the Golden Hurricane, 4 of their last 5 opponents have knocked down at least 49% of their shots from the field. Look for more of the same Thursday. 10* OVER the total in Tulsa |
|||||||
02-23-17 | Blazers v. Magic OVER 212.5 | 112-103 | Win | 100 | 12 h 44 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #501 Thursday 8* OVER the total in Orlando Magic vs Portland Trail Blazers @ 7:05 ET - Portland scored just 88 points in their final game before the All Star break. The Trail Blazers had averaged 110.2 points per game in their 10 prior games so a bounce back is fully expected here. Also, the Blazers are 5-2 to the over this season after a divisional game and Portland is also 9-5 to the over this season in games who are allowing an average of 106 points or more per game on the season. Not only do the Magic "fit the bill" in that regard, Orlando went into the All Star break allowing an average of 113 points per game their last 6 games. The Magic had an ugly effort on offense right before the break with just 79 points against San Antonio so they're fired up about bouncing back at home tonight. Orlando is 16-8 to the over the last 3 seasons combined when they are off of a game where they were held to 85 points or less. The Magic are also 7-1 to the over against Northwest Division opponents and, considering they defeated the Blazers in Portland last month, this game is going to have plenty of "energy" tonight and I look for it to fly over the total as both teams will be happy to push the pace considering the situation. 8* OVER the total in Orlando |
|||||||
02-23-17 | Georgia +4.5 v. Alabama | 60-55 | Win | 100 | 10 h 31 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #519 Thursday 8* Georgia Bulldogs (+) @ Alabama Crimson Tide @ 7 ET - Mark Fox is a great coach and this is not to take anything away from Avery Johnson, Alabama's coach, but Fox and the Bulldogs come into this one with a big chip on their shoulders about this match-up. Georgia lost by 20 points AT HOME versus the Crimson Tide last month. That game was a 4 point game late in the 1st half when coach Fox was issued a double technical and ejected from the game. The tide was turned and literally it was "roll tide roll" from that point on. The Bulldogs and coach Fox haven't forgotten that game (not in the least) and they'll get some revenge here. We get extra line value here because Georgia must avenge that defeat on the road and Alabama (as a rather short home fave) is getting plenty of love from the markets here as you would expect. This is giving us even better line value and yes I am well aware of the Yante Maten injury for the Bulldogs but so too are the odds makers. That said, let's also not forget that Maten was lost ultra early in the game against Kentucky Saturday and yet the Bulldogs still only lost that game by 5 points and that was against the mighty Wildcats. Georgia is 9-2 ATS as an underdog this season and 8-2 ATS as a road dog of 3.5 to 6 points the past 3 seasons combined. Overall, the Bulldogs are 8-2 ATS on the road this season. Georgia is also 3-0 ATS when playing with home loss revenge this season. The Crimson Tide are 3-9 ATS in home games with a posted total between 130 and 134.5 points the past 3 seasons combined. Also, Alabama is an ugly 2-6 ATS this season and 8-17 ATS the past 3 seasons when they are off of a win against a conference rival. The Crimson Tide have gone 4-10 ATS when off of a game where they scored 80 points or more. Look for Fox and the Bulldogs to get payback here as the set-up is perfect. 8* GEORGIA BULLDOGS |
|||||||
02-22-17 | Minnesota v. Maryland -3.5 | Top | 89-75 | Loss | -110 | 14 h 50 m | Show |
Big Ten Game of the Year - Rickenbach CBB Game #732 Wednesday 10* Top Play Maryland Terrapins (-) vs Minnesota Golden Gophers @ 8:30 ET - Even though this is a revenge game for Minnesota, the Golden Gophers have gone 7-21 ATS in road games the past 3 seasons combined. Also, Minny is off of a fortunate OT win over Michigan Sunday. That victory was at home and even though the Gophers have a pair of road wins during their current 5-game winning streak, those victories came at Illinois and Rutgers! Prior to those two road wins, the Golden Gophers had lost 3 straight games away from home and had suffered 5 straight defeats overall. Now Minnesota has to face an angry Maryland team that will be fired up from the opening tip in this one. The Terrapins actually led the Badgers by 6 in Madison on Sunday but then allowed Wisconsin to go on a huge 2nd half run. This ended up leading to, not only a SU loss, an ATS loss for the Terps. Maryland is 12-3 at home this season and their only two Big Ten home losses came by a total of just 3 points. Maryland and Minnesota both play solid defense but the Terrapins are the better shooting team and the Terps have played a slightly tougher schedule thusfar. Also, Maryland is 10-3 ATS in Big Ten action this season and had covered 9 STRAIGHT games against teams with a winning record before Sunday's shocking loss. As a road dog of 3.5 to 6 points, the Golden Gophers are 1-5 SU and ATS! Minny is shooting just 40% in road games this season while Maryland has knocked down 44% of it shots at home on the season. Look for the Terrapins, who have lost back to back games only once this entire season, to get right back into the win column here. 10* MARYLAND |
|||||||
02-22-17 | UCF v. Temple -2 | 71-69 | Loss | -110 | 13 h 44 m | Show | |
ESPN Smash Pass - Rickenbach CBB Game #726 Wednesday 8* Temple Owls (-) vs UCF Golden Knights @ 7 ET - The Owls final two games of the regular season are against Tulane and South Florida. Those two teams are a combined 12-40 on the season. That said, the Owls are certainly fully focused on Central Florida here. This is the last "big game" of the regular season for Temple and they are fired up for this game for more reasons than one. Not only the Owls off of a disappointing "end game performance" where they let one get away versus Connecticut Sunday, Temple also hasn't forgotten what happened down in Central Florida early in conference action. Back on December 31st the Golden Knights held the Owls to 11 points in the 1st half! It was simply an abysmal performance that a team does not forget. Look for Temple to make the most of this revenge opportunity Wednesday. The Owls are catching UCF at a good time as the Golden Knights are off of a rare road win in conference action. Central Florida got a non-covering win at East Carolina Saturday. Prior to this victory, UCF had lost 5 straight road games in AAC action with their lone win away from home coming back before that home win over Temple. Way back on December 28th, the Golden Knights won at Tulane (the worst team in the conference). As you can see from their track record this season (as well as the situational factors here), back to back road wins for UCF is highly unlikely. The Owls are a long-term 18-6 SU and ATS as a home favorite of 3 points or less. The past 3 seasons combined, the Golden Knights are 0-5 SU (and 1-4 ATS) as a road dog of 3 points or less. Lay the short number in this one! 8* TEMPLE |
|||||||
02-22-17 | Vanderbilt +4 v. Tennessee | 67-56 | Win | 100 | 13 h 9 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #703 Wednesday 8* Vanderbilt Commodores (+) @ Tennessee Volunteers @ 6:30 ET - Big time revenge spot for Vandy. Not only did the Commodores suffer a home loss to the Vols last month, Vanderbilt has been knocked out of the SEC Tourney by Tennessee each of the past two seasons! In terms of regular season action, before the loss last month, the Commodores had actually won 3 straight meetings against the Volunteers. Vandy has won each of its last two visits to Tennessee and this is a nice set up here. The Vols are off of a big home win versus a bad Missouri team but previously had lost 3 of their last 4. The Commodores come into this game having won back to back games and 6 of their last 9. However, Vanderbilt did lose its most recent road game - after having won 3 straight away from home - so they're fired up about bouncing back from a horrible shooting performance in their most recent road game. Coincidentally, that game was at Missouri - the same team that the Volunteers just trounced in Tennessee. The Vols are only 12-28 ATS as a favorite the past 3 seasons combined and also just 5-16 ATS when off of a win against a conference foe. Vandy is 9-5 ATS as an underdog this season and also 3-1 ATS when playing with home loss revenge! Look for the avenging Commodores to get the upset win Wednesday but I'll gladly grab the points in this one. 8* VANDERBILT |
|||||||
02-21-17 | Clemson +3 v. Virginia Tech | Top | 70-71 | Win | 100 | 12 h 43 m | Show |
ESPN Smash Pass - Rickenbach CBB Game #507 Tuesday 10* Top Play Clemson Tigers (+) @ Virginia Tech Hokies @ 7 ET - I am calling this one an ESPN Smash Pass since it is on ESPNU Tuesday but it just as easily could have been called a Contrarian Crusher because I certainly am "going against the grain" here. When one looks at this game one can help but notice that Virginia Tech is 18-8 on the season and a respectable 7-7 in ACC action while Clemson is only 4-10 in conference action. Not only that, the Hokies are a fantastic 13-1 in home games and the Tigers are an ugly 3-6 in true road games this season. That said, how in the world did Virginia Tech open up as only a 2 point favorite here? Precisely! Give me Clemson! I love to fade the masses in games like this and I fully expect many will load up on the Hokies given the parameters I just outlined above. Why are the Tigers the play? For one thing Virginia Tech is off of a grueling 94-90 loss at Louisville Saturday where they lost despite shooting 59% from the field and 65% from three point land. To shoot that well and still lose says a lot about the Hokies! Another factor is the absence of Chris Clarke who recently was lost for the season. He led the team in rebounding and steals and was also one of the top players for assists and scoring! Among the starters, Clarke also led the team in FG %. His absence is a big one and Clemson could easily be coming into this game on a 7-1 run. In fact the Tigers are only 3-5 their last 8 games but 3 losses came by just 1 or 2 points and even the loss at Miami Saturday (by 6 points) was not decided until the final minute. Clemson is flying a bit "under the radar" right now as a result and I see them getting revenge for a 1 point home loss to Virginia Tech a month ago. In comparing these two teams the Tigers have played the tougher schedule this season. Additionally, the Hokies are 1-4 ATS this season when they are off of a game where they allowed 79 points or more. Virginia Tech is also an ugly 1-3 ATS when they are off of a game where they scored 89 or more points this season. The Hokies just won't have enough left in the tank after that loss to the Cardinals and the avenging Tigers are the play here. 10* CLEMSON |
|||||||
02-21-17 | Rhode Island -3 v. La Salle | 67-56 | Win | 100 | 11 h 48 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #501 Tuesday 8* Rhode Island Rams (-) @ LaSalle Explorers @ 6 ET - Perfect set-up here. The Rams didn't just lose to LaSalle in Rhode Island last month, they got thoroughly embarrassed. Rhode Island was a 12 point favorite that lost the game by a dozen and was down 21 points at halftime! In a very unusual discrepancy, the road team Explorers had 41 free throw attempts in that game compared to just 19 for the Rams. Now Rhode Island catches LaSalle off of a huge win as the Explorers just knocked off Philadelphia Big Five rival St Joseph's Saturday. Prior to that win LaSalle was only 2-6 in their last 8 games and all 3 wins in their last 9 games have come against teams that are currently below .500 on the season. Now the Explorers host a revenge-seeking 17-9 Rhode Island team. The Rams are off of a win at George Mason Saturday and have won all 3 of their road games the past 4 weeks. Overall it has been a 7-3 run for Rhode Island since that ugly home loss to LaSalle and the stronger team catches a weaker foe off a huge win. That sets this one up beautifully for a road rout. The Rams are 6-3 ATS the past 3 seasons combined when they enter a game on an ATS losing streak of 3 games or more. Rhode Island is also 4-1 SU and ATS this season in Tuesday games. The Explorers are 4-10 ATS the past 3 seasons combined when they are off of a game where they scored 80 points or more. Also, LaSalle is 1-6 SU (and 2-5 ATS) as an underdog this season. That lone SU win came against the Rams as noted above. Payback time! 8* RHODE ISLAND |
|||||||
02-20-17 | Texas +15.5 v. West Virginia | 62-77 | Win | 100 | 11 h 29 m | Show | |
ESPN Smash Pass - Rickenbach CBB Game #713 Monday 8* Texas Longhorns (+) @ West Virginia Mountaineers @ 9 ET - Even though the Longhorns have gone winless away from home this season, they are actually 6-3 ATS in true road games and they are undervalued here. West Virginia is off of a 9 point win versus Texas Tech but that final score is deceiving as it was a multiple overtime game. The fact is that the Mountaineers are only 9-5 in their last 14 games with just 2 wins by more than 16 points. That said, there is a lot of line value here being offered to a UT team that has only one loss by more than 15 points this season and that was back in November in their first loss of the season. Texas has been shooting the ball well in recent games and is 21-9 ATS on the road the past 3 seasons combined. Also, over the past three seasons the Horns are 4-1 SU and ATS when they enter a game on a 3-game ATS losing streak. As a road dog of 12.5 points or more, the Longhorns are 3-0 ATS the past 3 seasons. West Virginia is an ugly 2-7 ATS this season in games with a posted total in the 140s. Each of the last 4 meetings between these teams have been decided by 7 points or less and the Mountaineers (after the multiple OT game) will have trouble getting a huge margin in this game. It will be a home win but I expect it to come by single digits. 8* TEXAS plus the big points |
|||||||
02-20-17 | Iowa State v. Texas Tech OVER 144.5 | Top | 82-80 | Win | 100 | 11 h 21 m | Show |
Total Annihilation - Rickenbach CBB Game #715 Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Texas Tech Red Raiders vs Iowa State Cyclones @ 9 ET - The Red Raiders are off of a multiple OT loss at West Virginia Saturday. Being back home where they have won 3 of their last 4 and averaged 79 points per game should help them to get back on track. However, Iowa State is likely to match Texas Tech bucket for bucket in this one. The Cyclones have won 4 of their last 5 games and they have scored at least 80 points in regulation time of all 4 of those victories. Overall, Iowa State has been shooting the ball very well (including from three point land) but the Cyclones have allowed 76 points per game (in regulation time) over their last 7 games. Both teams should get into the upper 70s in this game and yet we're dealing with a total that has made a bit of a downward move this morning. This is giving us plenty of line value in a game that matches up a pair of teams both hitting 38% from three point land on the season. 5 of the Cyclones last 7 games against teams with a winning record have gone over the total. Also, the over is 5-1 in Iowa State's last 6 games where they are a road dog of 3 points or less. The over is also 5-1 this season in Texas Tech games where they are playing with road loss revenge. Both teams shot very poorly in that first match-up at Iowa State this season and that is helping to keep this total lower than it should be. The over is 5-2 in Texas Tech games where they are playing with 1 day of rest or less between games and, also, the over has gone 7-3 this season in Red Raiders games with a posted total in the 140s. 10* OVER the total in Texas Tech |
|||||||
02-20-17 | Boston College v. Florida State OVER 156 | 72-104 | Win | 100 | 11 h 5 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #701 Monday 8* OVER the total in Florida State Seminoles vs Boston College Eagles @ 7 ET - The Seminoles had gone over the total in 3 straight games before their offense fell apart in the 2nd half at Pittsburgh Saturday. The Noles are 5-1 to the over in their last 6 home games in conference action. Monday Florida State is hosting a Boston College team that has been scoring well but simply can't stop anybody and this has led to 10 straight losses for the Eagles. The over is 7-1 in B.C.'s last 8 games and they now face an angry FSU team that is averaging 83.6 points per game. The Noles will push the pace here as they are home off of a road loss where their offensive production let them down. The Seminoles are 3-0 to the over this season when they are off of a game where they scored 71 points or more. The Eagles are 5-1 to the over this season when they are off of a game where they allowed 84 points or more. Though this total may seem "high" Boston College is actually 6-2 to the over in their games with a posted total in the 150s this season. The Seminoles are 6-1 to the over as a home favorite of 12.5 points or more. The Noles scored 88 points the last time the faced the Eagles and, given the situation, I would not be surprised to see FSU actually get to triple digits in this game which should result in an easy win for this play. 8* OVER the total in Florida State |
|||||||
02-19-17 | Michigan +1.5 v. Minnesota | Top | 78-83 | Loss | -110 | 11 h 59 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach CBB Game #861 Sunday 10* Top Play Michigan Wolverines (+) @ Minnesota Golden Gophers @ 7 ET - Michigan is 3-6 on the road this season while Minnesota is 14-3 at home this season which explains why this is another contrarian play for me. As long-time followers know, I like to go "against the grain" more often than not and this is another one of those ideal situations to do it. Even though Minnesota has won 4 in a row, the wins came against teams that are a combined 18-39 in Big Ten action this season! Prior to that the Golden Gophers had lost 5 straight games. Minny has proven time and time again that they struggle to close out games against quality competition. The Golden Gophers comes into this game as one of the worst shooting teams in the Big Ten while the Wolverines are one of the top shooting teams in the conference. Michigan is off of a big win versus Wisconsin Thursday but I certainly don't expect a letdown here. Keep in mind the Wolverines recently got a win over in-state rival Michigan State and then there was no letdown as they won on the road at Indiana. Also, on deck for Michigan is a road game at Big Ten worst Rutgers so there is certainly no lookahead either. The Wolverines are shooting 48% from the field in Big Ten action and, on the season, Michigan has knocked down 38.4% of their three pointers. Defense has been the weakness of the Wolverines but, in this late season push, they've made a conscious effort to improve on that end of the floor and they've held 2 of their last 4 opponents under 40.5% from the field. Also, they've held 3 of their last 4 opponents to 21.1% or less from the field. Michigan is on a 6-2 ATS run and they've held the upper hand in recent meetings with the Golden Gophers. The Wolverines are 4-2 ATS this season when off of a Big 10 win. Minnesota is still just 16-36 SU in conference games the past 3 seasons combined. Look for their struggles in crunch time to continue again today as they do battle with a team they are knotted up with in the standings. The Golden Gophers have not handled pressure situations well this season. 10* MICHIGAN |
|||||||
02-19-17 | Maryland +7 v. Wisconsin | 60-71 | Loss | -110 | 5 h 3 m | Show | |
CBS Smash Pass - Rickenbach CBB Game #843 Sunday 8* Maryland Terrapins (+) @ Wisconsin Badgers @ 1 ET - The Terrapins are an insane 10-1 SU and 10-0 ATS as an underdog this season. Even if the Terps don't get the outright upset win here I do expect them to get the cash. Maryland is catching the Badgers at the right time as Wisconsin has been held under 40.8% from the field in 6 straight games! Not surprisingly, given those numbers, the Badgers are on a 1-5 ATS run their last 6 games. Also, Wiscy's most important player (Bronson Koenig) missed the game at Michigan Thursday with a calf injury. Koenig may return for this game Sunday but I don't expect him to be 100% effective. This further limits a Badgers offense that was already struggling. As for Maryland, they have been an ATS covering machine and are coming off of back to back games versus Ohio State and at Northwestern where they shot the ball very well both from inside the arc and from three point land. The Terrapins also have revenge from a 13 point home loss to the Badgers last February and the Terps did win in their most recent visit to Madison. Maryland has shown time and time again that they can "rise to the occasion" and they have been relishing the underdog role all season long. The Badgers are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games against teams with a winning record. Look for Wisconsin to struggle just to win this game let alone cover it! 8* MARYLAND |
|||||||
02-19-17 | George Washington v. Duquesne OVER 145 | 77-70 | Win | 100 | 5 h 37 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #845 Sunday 8* OVER the total in Duquesne Dukes vs George Washington Colonials @ Noon ET - Duquesne snapped a long losing streak with a big 96-66 win versus Massachusetts Wednesday. That was their 2nd straight hot shooting game as they had put up 81 points at St Louis in their prior game. Look for the Dukes offense to stay hot at home as they are 11-4 to the over the past 3 seasons when off of a win in conference action and also 11-6 to the over when off of a game where they scored 80 points or more. Also, when playing a game with road loss revenge (lost at George Washington last month, they have gone 16-8 to the over the past three seasons. In February games the past 3 seasons combined, the over is 15-3 in Duquesne's games. With a defense that allows 75 points per game and an offense that is red hot, the Dukes and Colonials are likely to get into a shootout in this one. George Washington is off of a loss at Davidson that stayed under the total but, prior to that, the Colonials had averaged 75 points per game in their 4 previous road games and all 4 went over the total. George Washington has allowed opponents to shoot 48% against them from the field in road games. More of the same on Sunday. 8* OVER the total in Duquesne |
|||||||
02-18-17 | Wyoming +8.5 v. Boise State | Top | 87-91 | Win | 100 | 11 h 42 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach CBB Game #601 Saturday 10* Top Play Wyoming Cowboys (+) @ Boise State Broncos @ 6 ET - This line has already moved from a +7.5 to a +8.5 and I understand the move as Boise State is off of a loss so many are expecting a bounce back here. However, the Broncos are now taking on a team they already beat this season and that was their 3rd straight victory over Wyoming. Coming off of a disappointing loss to a New Mexico team that is very close to them in the standings AND with a big game on deck at Nevada (another team close to Broncos in standings), Boise State is in a "sandwich spot" here. Off of a big game and with another big game on deck, the Broncos are likely to struggle to put away the Cowboys here. Boise State has been held under 42% from the field in 6 of its last 9 games. Their D has allowed 48% or more in each of their past two games. As for Wyoming, they've held 6 of their last 7 opponents under 42.5% from the field. Also, even on the road, the Cowboys have shot the ball well of late and have averaged 74.4 points per game in MWC road games! Wyoming simply doesn't give up and they'll battle hard here in hopes of getting revenge for a home loss to the Broncos last month. The Cowboys are 3-1 ATS as a road dog of 6.5 to 9 points. Wyoming is also 9-5 ATS against teams with a winning record this season. The Broncos are 0-3 ATS as a home fave of 6.5 to 9 points this season. Also, Boise State is 0-3 ATS this month and 0-5 ATS the L3 seasons combined when they are at home with a game total posted in a range of 150 o 154.5 points. That's a combined 0-11 ATS mark which I'll gladly test here as the Cowboys will prove to be the hungrier, more focused team in this match-up and they're catching a lot of points here. Only 3 times this entire season have the Cowboys lost a game by more than 10 points. They'll battle hard again here and I expect this one to be decided by only a single possession or two when the final horn has sounded. 10* WYOMING COWBOYS |
|||||||
02-18-17 | Florida State v. Pittsburgh OVER 153.5 | Top | 66-80 | Loss | -110 | 9 h 60 m | Show |
ACC Total of the Year - Rickenbach CBB Game #579 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Pittsburgh Panthers vs Florida State Seminoles @ 4 ET - Both of these teams come into this one shooting the ball very well and another shootout can be expected here as a result. The over is 3-0 in Florida State's last 3 games and the Seminoles are on an 8-3 run to the over in their last 11 games. The Noles are averaging 84.3 points per game on the season and have shot 47% or better from the field in 4 straight games. The Panthers did struggle some offensively against Virginia Tech in a tight loss Tuesday but Pittsburgh had shot 48% or better in each of their 4 prior games. Also, the Panthers have been hot from three point land in 4 of their last 5 games. Pittsburgh scored 78 points or more in 3 of its 4 prior games before losing to the Hokies. As for Florida State, they have won 3 straight games before their loss to Notre Dame and averaged 93 points per game in the 3 wins. In their last 5 games overall, the Seminoles have averaged 81 points per game. The over is 7-3 in the Noles last 10 games against teams with a winning record. The over is a perfect 4-0 when Pittsburgh is a home dog in a range of 3.5 to 6 points. Also, the over is a perfect 3-0 the last 3 times the Panthers have hosted Florida State. Look for more of the same on Saturday afternoon. 10* OVER the total in Pittsburgh |
|||||||
02-18-17 | Florida v. Mississippi State +10.5 | 57-52 | Win | 100 | 8 h 59 m | Show | |
ESPN Smash Pass - Rickenbach CBB Game #540 Saturday 8* Mississippi State Bulldogs (+) vs Florida Gators @ 2 ET - The Gators just lost 6'11 center John Egbunu to a season-ending knee injury. He was their leading rebounder, a top shot blocker, and their 5th leading scorer. Though the Gators are off of a blowout win at Auburn, they shot 56% from the field including a ridiculous 58% from three point land. Both those numbers are highly unlikely to be repeated here and I see great line value with the big home dog Bulldogs in this one. Keep in mind, Florida is in a lookahead spot here as they have South Carolina and Kentucky as their next two games on deck. It's simply impossible for the Gators to not get caught looking ahead to those match-ups. The Gamecocks present a revenge opportunity for Florida and, of course, a trip to Kentucky is always big. That makes Mississippi State a very dangerous big dog in this spot and the Bulldogs have gone a perfect 3-0 ATS as a home dog in a range of 9.5 to 12 points. Also, MSU is on a 7-2 ATS run (and 17-7 ATS long-term) in home games with a posted total in a range of 145 to 149.5 points. Mississippi State is off of a loss and the Bulldogs have gone 5-2 ATS this season (and 20-9 ATS the last 3 seasons combined) when off of a loss in conference action. Florida had not shot the ball well in their two games prior to scoring a ridiculous 114 points at Auburn. Look for the Gators to struggle to put away the Bulldogs here in this definite lookahead spot for Florida. 8* MISSISSIPPI STATE |
|||||||
02-18-17 | Clemson +4 v. Miami (Fla) | 65-71 | Loss | -110 | 6 h 19 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #503 Saturday 8* Clemson Tigers (+) @ Miami Hurricanes @ Noon ET - Miami has allowed 4 of its last 5 opponents to hit 48% or better from the field and 39% ore better from three point land. Clemson comes into this game having shot the three ball very well in recent games as the Tigers have knocked down 38% or better from beyond the arc in 4 of their last 6 games. Clemson will take advantage of the Hurricanes being without Ja'Quan Newton who is in the middle of a 3-game suspension. He leads the team in assists and is their 2nd leading scorer. The Canes were already thin in terms of backcourt depth so this is definitely a tough blow for Miami that the Tigers should be able to exploit here. The Hurricanes did get a win (but non-cover) versus Georgia Tech Wednesday in their first game without Newton but they shot a ridiculous 55% in that game. Not only is that unlikely to be repeated but a lot of times other players step up in the first game without a key player. The 2nd game is often when the absence becomes much more of a detriment to the team. Look for Miami to drop to 4-15 ATS as a favorite this season! 8* CLEMSON |
|||||||
02-17-17 | Kent State v. Akron OVER 146.5 | 70-67 | Loss | -110 | 13 h 39 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #875 Friday 8* OVER the total in Akron Zips vs Kent State Golden Flashes @ 7 ET - The Zips are 13-0 in home games this season thanks to an offense that is averaging 81 points per game and shooting 50% from the floor in game played in Akron. Kent State has not shot the ball that well away from home in recent games but the Golden Flashes, prior to a poor effort in their most recent road game, had averaged 74 points per game in their prior 4 games away from home. Kent State's defense away from home has been and issue this season as they've allowed opponents to connect on over 46% of their shots from the field and teams are knocking down 37.5% of their three pointers when hosting the Golden Flashes. Akron comes into this game off of an under but they have not recorded back to back unders since early December! Kent State is off of a win and they've had just 1 under in 5 games when they are off of a win against a conference foe this season. Also, the over is 7-3 in Golden Flashes games with a posted total in the 140s this season. The over is also 6-3 this season win Zips games with a posted total in the 140s. The over is 7-4 this season (and 23-15 the L3 seasons) when Akron is off of a win versus a conference foe in their prior game. With both teams off of wins we could see a let-up in defensive intensity here and, keep in mind, Akron is hitting 38.3% of their threes this season but also allowing 37.3% from three point land. I am looking for a shootout in this one as the Zips games against MAC East opponents this season continue to fly over the total - they are 4-1 to the over so far. 8* OVER the total in Akron |
|||||||
02-16-17 | Texas-San Antonio v. Rice -12.5 | Top | 68-80 | Loss | -110 | 11 h 21 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach CBB Game #730 Thursday 10* Top Play Rice Owls (-) vs UTSA Roadrunners @ 8 ET - This line has been dropping early this morning and it has opened up additional line value on Rice. The reason for the move is because the big points certainly caught the attention of the marketplace considering that UTSA has won 2 of their last 3 games and is on a 3-0-1 ATS run. However, the markets often have a short-term memory and UTSA was on a 4-game homestand that led to that run. This Roadrunners team is still 1-12 SU away from home this season and their 4 CUSA road losses have come by an average margin of 18.5 points per game. Every single CUSA road defeat for UTSA came by at least 15 points and the line on Rice has dropped from up near 15 down to near a 12 and this is simply great line value considering the fact that the Owls are rolling right now! Rice has won and covered 4 straight games and the last 3 have all been on the road! The Owls have held 5 of their last 6 opponents to 40% or less from the field and UTSA is not known for shooting the ball well. In fact, the Roadrunners have been held under 40% from the field in 7 of their last 8 games. UTSA has averaged just 59 points per game in those 7 games and they now face an Owls team that has averaged 84 points per game (that does factor in removing OT from the equation) during their 4 game winning streak. The Owls are happy to be back home for a 4-game homestand that follows their perfect 3-game road trip and they only have UTEP on deck. That said, UTSA has their full attention and the Roadrunners just don't have the offensive skills to keep up with an Owls team that is averaging 82 points per game on the season. UTSA is 2-6 ATS their last 8 games against teams averaging 77 points or more per game. Also, this season, the Roadrunners are 3-7 ATS on the road. The Owls are 3-0 SU and ATS when they enter a game having played each of their three prior games on the road. Rice also has taken care of business against lesser foes this season as the Owls are 11-0 SU and 5-1 ATS against teams with a losing record! 10* RICE OWLS |
|||||||
02-16-17 | Wizards v. Pacers +2.5 | Top | 111-98 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 35 m | Show |
Eastern Conference Game of the Month - Rickenbach NBA Game #702 Thursday 10* Top Play Indiana Pacers (+) vs Washington Wizards @ 7:05 ET - Most likely, no one will want Indiana here. The Pacers are in a back to back while the Wizards have had two days off heading into this one. Indiana is on a 5-game losing streak while Washington has been one of the hottest teams in the league for many weeks now. Of course you know what usually happens when everyone is going one way...it usually doesn't pan out too well. In typical contrarian fashion I am going with the Pacers here. However, it is certainly not without reason. For one thing, the Pacers got very bad shooting nights from George and Teague last night at Cleveland. Even with that, Indiana was in that game for 3 quarters before having a horrible 4th quarter. Also, the hunger of the Pacers is a key here as the last thing they want to do is go into the All Star break having lost 6 straight! Conversely, though they would say otherwise, the Wizards can't help but already be looking ahead to the break. They are very comfortable with where they're at now and likely are already "halfway in" to All Star break mode coming into this one because this will be just the 2nd game for Washington in 6 days. In fact it was last Friday that the Wizards knocked off the Pacers in Washington. Look for some revenge to be served in Indiana tonight. The Pacers will prove to be the hungrier team tonight and, keep in mind, they are 20-9 at home this season while the Wizards are 9-14 on the road this season. 10* INDIANA PACERS |
|||||||
02-16-17 | UAB +3.5 v. Marshall | 59-74 | Loss | -110 | 10 h 24 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #715 Thursday 8* UAB Blazers (+) @ Marshall Thundering Herd @ 7 ET - UAB has knocked off the Thundering Herd in 8 straight meetings overall and the Blazers haven't lost at Marshall since 2008 - a streak of 7 straight victories at Huntington. I like the set-up here for UAB to keep that run going. The Blazers are off of a home loss to Old Dominion where they allowed the Monarchs to hit an unheard of 66% from the field. UAB will respond after that horrific effort on the defensive end. In fact, the Blazers are a powerful 9-1 (90%) SU this season when they are off of a loss. Simply put, this UAB team has been able to avoid losing streaks. They face a Thundering Herd team that is off of a big road win at Western Kentucky. Not only is Marshall off of a big win, they also have a huge game on deck as they'll be hosting the top team in the conference, Middle Tennessee State, Saturday. The Thundering Herd had lost 5 of their 7 prior games before knocking off the Hilltoppers last Saturday. Marshall is one of the worst teams in the country defensively and are allowing an average of 84.7 points per game. The Blazers are certainly not defensive stalwarts but they are superior to the Thundering Herd and UAB had been playing quite well on the defensive end in recent weeks before the loss versus Old Dominion. The Blazers are 5-0 ATS this season after allowing 80 points or more and also 5-0 ATS the last 3 seasons combined when they are a road dog of 3 points or less. 8* UAB BLAZERS |
|||||||
02-15-17 | St. John's +10.5 v. Butler | Top | 86-110 | Loss | -110 | 10 h 52 m | Show |
TV Game of the Week - Rickenbach CBB Game #563 Wednesday 10* Top Play St John's Red Storm (+) @ Butler Bulldogs @ 8:30 ET - This is a big revenge game for Butler but not only have they lost 3 of their last 4 (both SU and ATS), the Bulldogs simply are not a powerhouse. Yes, I am well aware of the fact that this was a team that was 18-3 on the season before this tough stretch creeped up on them, but just look at their point differentials. Butler's last 7 wins have come by an average margin of just 5.9 points per game. Only 3 of the Bulldogs 15 wins (dates all the way back to Thanksgiving) have come by a margin of more than 10 points. That said, the Red Storm are a formidable opponent that is continuing to get stronger as this season has gone on as they do rely on some key freshmen scoring power. LoVett and Ponds are both freshman and are the leading scorers for St John's and combine to average 35 points per game! As you would expect, these young stars have grown their game as the season has gone on and this makes the Red Storm and even more "upset ready" team than they were earlier in the season. St John's comes into this game having covered 5 straight games. They have 4 SU wins in their last 7 games and this is even though tonight's game will mark their 7th straight game as a dog. With each win, the confidence of this young team is growing and head coach Chris Mullins has this team buying into playing better team defense. Their last 3 games have included a pair where the Red Storm allowed 40% or less from the field even though those match-ups were against the solid offenses of Seton Hall and Marquette. Butler has been held to 41.1% or less from the field in 4 of their last 6 games and that included a home game versus Creighton and the Bluejays are not nearly the same without their star point guard. That said, the Bulldogs will be battling hard just to win this game let alone cover the inflated spread. Butler is 0-3 ATS against teams with a losing record this season while the Red Storm are a solid 11-5 ATS against teams with a winning record this season. 10* ST JOHN'S RED STORM |
|||||||
02-15-17 | Bucks v. Nets +5.5 | Top | 129-125 | Win | 100 | 12 h 37 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Game #508 Wednesday 10* Top Play Brooklyn Nets (+) vs Milwaukee Bucks @ 7:35 ET - Classic case of an ugly dog here. Yes, the Nets have a long losing streak going, both overall and at home, but Brooklyn should take care of business here. 11 of the 13 losses in their current losing streak have come by single digits. The Nets have been on the cusp of getting over the hump and, going "all out" in their final game before the All Star break is a given here. Brooklyn wants to put an end to the "nonsense" and they are catching the right team at the right time to do it! The Bucks come into this game off of a divisional win over Detroit. Surprisingly, Milwaukee held the Pistons to only 89 points but that was the first time since January 2nd that the Bucks have held a team under 100 points. Also, you have to go all the way back to December 16th to find a game where Milwaukee gave up less than 94 points. As you can see, Monday's win over Detroit was a rare gem for the Bucks and this is a team that is 1-10 ATS against Atlantic Division opponents this season. Also, Milwaukee is an ugly 4-8 SU (and 3-9 ATS!) in road games where the posted total is 210 points or more. The Nets are undoubtedly one of the worst teams in the NBA and I won't try to convince you otherwise. But the fact remains that Brooklyn has been going very hard for weeks now and just hasn't been able to get into the win column. After so many close calls, they catch a Bucks team that is overconfident off of back to back divisional wins (big win at Indiana before knocking off Detroit) and that sets this up as a "dangerous game" for Milwaukee. The Bucks had lost 7 straight road games before notching wins at Phoenix and Indiana. Look for the upset here with a gritty, determined effort from the home dog here but grab the available points. 10* BROOKLYN NETS |
|||||||
02-15-17 | Pacers +6 v. Cavs | 104-113 | Loss | -105 | 11 h 13 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #501 Wednesday 8* Indiana Pacers (+) @ Cleveland Cavaliers @ 7:05 ET - I successfully used the Cavaliers last night but the Cavs did struggle to put the Timberwolves away in Minnesota. Cleveland had to give their key guys more minutes than they would have liked to in last night's game and now they'll have their hands full in a tough back to back. In fact, this one does has the makings of an upset as Cleveland is only 3-7 SU (and 2-8 ATS) in the 2nd game of a back to back on the season. While the Cavaliers were battling with the T-wolves last night at Minny, the Pacers were off and were able to fully prepare physically and mentally for this divisional battle. Even though Indiana has lost four straight games, this was preceded by a 7 game winning streak. Also, 2 of the 4 defeats have come by 5 points or less and the Pacers have faced some tough competition during this streak. In fact the 4-game losing streak started with an ugly home loss to the Cavs 132-117 last Wednesday. The Pacers will be seeking payback tonight and Indiana has gone 27-15 ATS versus divisional opponents the past 3 seasons. Also, Indiana is 3-1 ATS this season when they enter a game on a losing streak of 3 games or more. The Cavaliers are an ugly 18-33 ATS versus divisional opponents the past 3 seasons. Even though the Pacers are still without Thaddeus Young, the Cavs are missing Kevin Love and the big man is particularly missed in a back to back situation like this where a divisional road dog is coming in very hungry and plus has the rest edge. 8* INDIANA PACERS |
|||||||
02-15-17 | Xavier v. Providence -3 | 63-75 | Win | 100 | 7 h 1 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #530 Wednesday 8* Providence Friars (-) vs Xavier Musketeers @ 6:30 ET - The Musketeers absolutely crushed the Friars at Xavier in late December. That said, surely it may seem a surprise to see Providence now laying points in the rematch. However, the situation here is absolutely ideal for the Friars to get their revenge. Xavier's leading scorer in the 82-56 win in late December was Trevon Bluiett and he's dealing with an ankle sprain that absolutely could keep him out of tonight's game or, at the very least, severely impact his effectiveness. The Musketeers second leading scorer that night was Edmond Sumner and he was lost for the season with a knee injury in January. That said, Xavier only has 3 guys that average more than 7.7 points per game this season and two of them are Sumner and Bluiett! This is a tough part of the schedule for the Musketeers as they have road games at Marquette and Seton Hall on deck plus a home date with 19-6 Butler after that. With that said, look for Xavier to be very careful with Bluiett in this one. The Musketeers are only 2-6 ATS on the road this season while the Friars are a fantastic 5-1 ATS this season (and 14-2 ATS the last 3 seasons combined) when playing with road loss revenge! Providence comes into this game having covered 7 of its last 8 games against teams with a winning record and I look for the Friars to definitely "step up" again here as they don't play again for a week after this game. Off the win over Butler, look for the avenging home team to stay hot here and make it 8 out of 9 covers! 8* PROVIDENCE FRIARS |
|||||||
02-14-17 | Cavs -4 v. Wolves | 116-108 | Win | 100 | 13 h 16 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #703 Tuesday 8* Cleveland Cavaliers (-) @ Minnesota Timberwolves @ 8:05 ET - The Cavs come into this game with 2 days of rest as they last played on Saturday when they knocked off the Nuggets at home. Even though this is the 1st game of a back to back (Cavaliers host Indiana tomorrow), there is no doubt the Cavs will go all out here. That's because the All Star break looms and Cleveland knows they'll have plenty of time to rest up then. Certainly Minnesota will be up for this game as they host the world champs but the Timberwolves have been swept by the Cavaliers each of the prior two seasons and the T-wolves already lost at Cleveland earlier this month. The Cavs, just as they are tonight, played without Kevin Love but they still won by 28. Cleveland may again be catching the Timberwolves at the right time for another big win as Minnesota is off of a blowout win over Chicago Sunday. Minny beat the Bulls 117-89 but the Timberwolves are 2-8 ATS this season (and 5-17 ATS the last 3 seasons combined) when they are off of a win by a double digit margin! Even though Minnesota has now won 2 of its last 3, the three games were against a struggling Toronto team, the 21-34 Pelicans, and an injury-depleted Bulls team. That is significant here because, prior to winning 2 of 3, the Timberwolves had lost 4 straight games SU and were on a 1-8 ATS run. In other words, don't be surprised if the T-wolves get drilled again as they take a big step up in level of opponent for this one. Cleveland has won 7 of its last 9 SU and is also on a 6-2 ATS run its last 8. The Cavaliers are 10-2 SU (and 8-4 ATS) when playing with 2 days of rest this season and, with rested legs, the Cavs roll in this one as the absence of point guard Zach LaVine (out for season now with torn ACL) is significant in a match-up like this. 8* CLEVELAND CAVALIERS |
|||||||
02-14-17 | Tennessee +14 v. Kentucky | Top | 58-83 | Loss | -104 | 11 h 35 m | Show |
ESPN Smash Pass - Rickenbach CBB Game #729 Tuesday 10* Top Play Tennessee Volunteers (+) @ Kentucky Wildcats @ 7 ET - This is a big revenge game for the Wildcats but they are over-priced here. This is especially true when you consider how Kentucky has been playing and the fact that Tennessee has won 2 of the last 3 meetings and none of the 3 games were decided by more than 10 points. Kentucky is only 3-3 in their last 6 games and none of the 3 Wildcat wins were by more than 9 points. Kentucky has had trouble with holding big leads and, that said, even if the Cats are fortunate enough to get up big in this game they are unlikely to be able to maintain the lead. The Volunteers have also had trouble with holding big leads in recent games but of course they are a double digit dog here so that is less of a concern as is simply being competitive. That said, after Tennessee blew a big lead and lost to Georgia by a single point Saturday, there is no doubt about the hunger they will bring to this game. A key for the Vols in terms of the big points here is the fact that they have not lost a game by more than 13 points this entire season! Head coach Rick Barnes is really getting the best out of his players and this is not a team that is going to lay down for anyone. In other words, look for the Vols to be fighting hard throughout this game no matter what the score is. That certainly makes for a dangerous double digit dog. The Volunteers had covered 5 of their last 6 before the loss to the Bulldogs. The Wildcats, even with a rare cover in their win at Alabama Saturday, are on an ugly 2-8 ATS run. Even though Kentucky is playing this game with road loss revenge for the loss at Tennessee last month, the fact is that the Wildcats are 0-4 ATS this season when looking to avenge a road defeat. The Vols are a solid 8-3 ATS as an underdog this season and I look for another solid cover here. 10* Top Play TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS |
|||||||
02-14-17 | St. Joe's v. VCU -16 | 81-91 | Loss | -105 | 10 h 40 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #708 Tuesday 8* Virginia Commonwealth Rams (-) vs St Josephs Hawks @ 6 ET - Long-time followers know I don't often play big favorites but this is one of those unusual cases where an extreme slaughter should take place. St Josephs has had the misfortune of losing both of their point guards for the season as Shavar Newkirk and Lamarr Kimble are now both on the shelf. This is horrible news for the Hawks in and of itself but, in terms of this particular match-up, it should lead to an absolute rout. One of the last place a team ever wants to travel to without a point guard (let alone TWO!) is Virginia Commonwealth. The Rams are known for creating turnovers and putting a lot of pressure on opponents backcourts. St Joe's is extremely limited now in their backcourt. Not only were Newkirk and Kimble playmakers, they were their top two scorers. This severely limits a St Josephs team that was already struggling badly. It's been a disappointing season for the Hawks and now has gotten even worse. St Joe's has lost 4 straight and 8 of its last 10. Now, the final (and perhaps) most important key when laying big points (at least in my opinion) is motivation. That said, VCU is NOT going to take their foot off the gas in this game. That's because last spring the Rams were bounced from the Atlantic Ten tourney by these Hawks. Virginia Commonwealth lost by double digits even though they were a 4-point fave. This is their first meeting since that game and it will be payback. VCU has won 6 straight games and is 20-5 on the season. The Rams are 6-0 at home in A-10 action and the average margin of victory has been 18.5 points per game. Keep in mind this included wins over quality opponents like Dayton and Richmond too. That said, the Hawks really don't stand a chance here. 8* VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH |
|||||||
02-13-17 | West Virginia +5 v. Kansas | Top | 80-84 | Win | 100 | 12 h 52 m | Show |
ESPN Smash Pass - Rickenbach CBB Game #539 Monday 10* Top Play West Virginia Mountaineers (+) @ Kansas Jayhawks @ 9 ET - First lines that came out on this game yesterday had it at a -2.5 and sure enough the markets got "baited" and jumped all over the revenge-seeking Jayhawks at home and drove the line all the way up to a -5. I'll gladly take advantage of the value on the other side. Even though Kansas is at home and playing with revenge they certainly have some "issues" right now. First off the Jayhawks just aren't playing all that well as, even though they are 4-2 in their last 6 games, the 4 wins have come by an average margin of only 3.75 points while the losses included a 16-point blowout defeat at West Virginia. Perhaps the even bigger issue for Kansas here is the fact that, even though each team is in the same scheduling situation (one day of rest) the short amount of time off is likely to be more impacting to the Jayhawks. Their star player, Frank Mason is dealing with an illness and that was evident on Saturday as he struggled in the game and eventually fouled out. Against the relentless pressure defense of the Mountaineers, Kansas will find knocking off West Virginia much tougher than the Red Raiders. The Jayhawks only beat Texas Tech by a single point and have now failed to cover 12 of their last 17. Kansas has a great SU record at home but note that they are just 2-8 ATS at home this season! The Mountaineers only have 5 losses on the season and 4 of the 5 came by 4 points or less. This is likely to be war because even though the Jayhawks have revenge, the Mountaineers also are sick of looking up in the standings at Kansas and West Virginia also was knocked out of the Big 12 conference tourney by the Jayhawks last spring. Look for the Mountaineers pressure defense and the fact that Mason is not 100% to be the two key factors for a potential upset here. If West Virginia does fall short of the upset, I expect it to only be by a single bucket. A lot of points expected here and the Mountaineers are an incredible 27-12 ATS long-term in games with a posted total in the 150s. 10* Top Play WEST VIRGINIA |
|||||||
02-13-17 | Pistons +3 v. Bucks | Top | 89-102 | Loss | -105 | 9 h 51 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Rickenbach NBA Game #511 Monday 10* Top Play Detroit Pistons (+) @ Milwaukee Bucks @ 8:05 ET - Many will likely be looking to Milwaukee today after the Pistons rallied late and got the upset win at Toronto yesterday. However, this is not a "normal" in-season situation here. The All Star break begins later this week and so players aren't "holding anything back" and, right now, Detroit has been playing much better ball than Milwaukee. Not only that, the Pistons suffered one of their worst home defeats of the season in late December when the Bucks defeated them by 25 points. The Pistons haven't forgotten that game as, of course, Milwaukee is a division rival. Now Detroit gets their shot at revenge and, even though it is a back to back, only one guy played more than 32 minutes for the Pistons yesterday. Also, Milwaukee is off of a big upset win too as they won at Indiana on Saturday. One of the key differences though is the Bucks recent wins have been "fortunate" ones where they simply shot the ball extremely well. Milwaukee's win over the Pacers saw them knock down 54.8% of their three pointers and that was just the 3rd win for the Bucks in their last 15 games. Conversely, Detroit was held to 43% from the field and 26% from three point land and yet still won at Toronto yesterday. The Pistons are winning the "hustle points" and are playing much better team basketball than the Bucks right now. Detroit is on a 6-2 ATS run and are 5-2 SU and ATS in their last 7 games against teams with a losing record. Conversely, Milwaukee is an ugly 1-5 ATS and SU in their last 6 games against teams with a losing record. This is a classic case of "hot versus not" and "hungry versus complacent" and, even though it is a back to back for Detroit, they did play early yesterday and each of these teams are playing their 3rd game in 4 days. Advantage to the road dog Pistons and I expect them to get their revenge here against the struggling Bucks. Talking about the "stronger level of play" angle above. The Bucks have been outshot by 40 shots over their last 8 games. The Pistons have outshot their opponents by 44 shots in their last 4 games. The road team is clearly getting more scoring opportunities while also allowing less. More of the same here. 10* DETROIT PISTONS |
|||||||
02-13-17 | Spurs v. Pacers OVER 206.5 | 110-106 | Win | 100 | 8 h 24 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #509 Monday 8* OVER the total in Indiana Pacers vs San Antonio Spurs @ 7:05 ET - The Spurs are off of an extremely ugly effort on the offensive end (36.3% from the field) at New York yesterday. That is noteworthy here because, since Christmas, San Antonio has been held under 42.7% just three times and their next game went over the total every single time! A big key here is the fact that the Pacers Thaddeus Young is doubtful for tonight's game and he is a defensive-minded starter who is responsible for guarding opponents power forward scoring threats. The fact is that his absence (due to wrist injury) is starting to impact the Pacers as they've allowed an average of 120 points per game in their last 3 games. As you would expect, all 3 games went over the total and I would not be surprised to see LaMarcus Aldridge of the Spurs break out of his recent slump and have a huge game on the offensive end. Kawhi Leonard is off of a huge game for San Antonio and should have another one here as well. The Spurs will have a little extra focus on the offensive end in this one after the poor effort at New York and the Pacers, at home, are certainly likely to stay hot. They have shot 48% or better from the field in each of their last 3 games and Indiana has averaged 108 points per game during this stretch. Overall, on the season, the Pacers are averaging 107 points per game at home while shooting 47% from the field. The Spurs are averaging 106 points per game on the road and shooting 47.3% from the field away from home. The over had been 4-1 this season when San Antonio entered a game having played each of their three prior games on the road so, after the poor effort at MSG yesterday, look for normalcy (high-scoring game) to resume Monday given the situation. As for Indiana, the over is 7-3 this season when off of a divisional game. Their sub-par effort on defense against Milwaukee Saturday is part of a 3-game stretch where Pacers opponents are hitting 50% from the field. More of the same here. 8* OVER the total in Indiana |
|||||||
02-13-17 | Baylor v. Texas Tech OVER 127.5 | 78-84 | Win | 100 | 10 h 51 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #525 Monday 8* OVER the total in Texas Tech Red Raiders vs Baylor Bears @ 7 ET - I completely understand the low total posted here because, when you look at the defensive efficiency of these two teams on the season you can see where the number posted for the O/U on this game is coming from. However, I feel strongly that not enough credit is being given to the capabilities of these offenses and this is particularly true with this game being played at Texas Tech. In Lubbock, the Red Raiders have averaged 80 points per game on the season. Also, in Big 12 action, Texas Tech is allowing 72 points per game on the season. These teams have been involved in some ugly games in the past and the first game between these two totaled only 126 points and stayed under the total. However, the Red Raiders come into this game having scored at least 75 points in 5 of their 7 home games in Big 12 action. Also, all 7 of those conference home games have totaled at least 131 points. Baylor comes into this game off of a strong defensive effort but the Bears did allow 40.4% or better from the field in 8 of their 9 prior games! 5 of their last 6 road games in Big 12 action have totaled at least 141 points. The over is 4-1 this season when Texas Tech is playing with road loss revenge. Also, the Red Raiders are a long-term 17-6 to the over in games where they are a home dog of 3 points or less. 8* OVER the total in Texas Tech |
|||||||
02-12-17 | Pelicans v. Kings -3 | Top | 99-105 | Win | 100 | 13 h 41 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Rickenbach NBA Game #838 Sunday 10* Top Play Sacramento Kings (-) vs New Orleans Pelicans @ 9:05 ET - The Pelicans have the full attention of the Kings because New Orleans has given them trouble in recent meetings. Sacramento finally ended a Pelicans "run" in this series with a home win over New Orleans in their most recent meeting in November. The Kings won that game by 8 and, with this being Sacramento's last home game until after the All Star break, I fully expect huge effort from them here. Though both teams have played rather well their last couple games, I like the fact that the Kings have averaged 10 more field goal attempts per game than their opponent in their last 2 games. The Pelicans have been at the other end of the spectrum on that stat as they have given up an average of 9 more field goal attempts per game than what they've taken. Of course limiting the number of opportunities for your opponent while also maximizing your own is a key to success and the Kings come in strong and have won 3 of their last 4 games. Not only does Sacramento have the back to back wins, they also have had a win over Golden State in this four game stretch. The Pelicans, prior to their road win at Minnesota, had lost 5 straight road games. Overall, New Orleans had failed to cover 4 straight games before the win over the Timberwolves. Sacramento is 20-8 ATS long-term in their home games against New Orleans and the Kings have shot at least 47.5% from the field in 7 of their last 9 games. The Pelicans, before erupting at Minnesota, had been held under 46% from the field in 5 of their last 6 games. 10* Top Play SACRAMENTO KINGS minus the short number Sunday night |
|||||||
02-12-17 | Northwestern v. Wisconsin -10 | Top | 66-59 | Loss | -105 | 11 h 17 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach CBB Game #856 Sunday 10* Top Play Wisconsin Badgers (-) vs Northwestern Wildcats @ 6:30 ET - At first glance this line may appear a little high considering the fact that the Badgers have not been shooting well recently, the Wildcats are 18-6 on the season, and Wisconsin is laying double digits here. However, there are some key factors that are pointing to an absolute rout here. First off, Northwestern's leading scorer Scottie Lindsey is out for this game (mononucleosis) and this will be the 3rd straight game he's missed. Not only did the Wildcats lose their first two games without him, the results weren't even closed. They lost by 21 at Purdue as a 9.5 point dog and they lost to Illinois by 7 as a 6 point favorite. More struggles for the Cats can be expected today as the Badgers are happy to finally be back home. This is just their 2nd home game since January 24th so, over a span of 3 weeks Wisconsin has been away from home for nearly every game. They'll be fired up to make the most of this game at home and, keep in mind, much of their recent shooting woes can be attributed to being away from Madison. At home this season the Badgers are averaging 79 points per game this season and shooting 48% from the field including 38% from beyond the arc! Â Northwestern has struggled on both ends of the floor in these last two games without Lindsey and a trip to Madison isn't going to help matters for the Wildcats. The Badgers are 7-3 ATS at home this season and the Wildcats run at the betting windows is likely over. They were on a 15-3 ATS run before Lindsey went down. Look for them to now drop to 0-3 ATS without him. 10* WISCONSIN BADGERS minus the points Sunday evening |
|||||||
02-12-17 | Temple +6.5 v. Memphis | 74-62 | Win | 100 | 7 h 58 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #843 Sunday 8* Temple Owls (+) @ Memphis Tigers @ 2 ET - The Owls are known for giving the Tigers a lot of match-up problems. Temple has gone 5-0 ATS (and 4-1 SU) in the last 5 meetings between the teams but this line has already climbed from 5.5 to 6.5 on this game. Of course with Memphis having revenge on their minds (lost at Temple in January) and now on their home floor, it makes sense that they are a popular choice here due to the smallish number posted on this game. Don't be fooled by the line though. The reason it is smaller than many would expect is because the Owls go into Memphis with plenty of confidence as they have enjoyed success here and the most recent loss here came by only two points. The Tigers are off of a home win and cover versus Tulsa but previously had covered just once in their 8 games prior to knocking off the Golden Hurricane. The Owls are off of a rare ugly performance as they were simply awful versus SMU Thursday and will be hungry to bounce back here. When Temple enters a game having failed to cover the spread in 3 or more consecutive games, they've gone 7-1 SU! The Tigers are 9-17 ATS when off of a win against a conference rival. The set up here is perfect for the Owls to be in this one all the way! 8* TEMPLE OWLS plus the points early Sunday afternoon |
|||||||
02-11-17 | Bucks +7 v. Pacers | Top | 116-100 | Win | 100 | 11 h 5 m | Show |
Contrarian Game of the Month - Rickenbach NBA Game #503 Saturday 10* Top Play Milwaukee Bucks (+) @ Indiana Pacers @ 7:05 ET - This is a contrarian pick all the way. The fact is that the Bucks have been struggling badly and Jabari Parker was just lost for the season and, even though Khris Middleton finally played in last night's game, he did not travel with the team to Indiana. All that said, this line opened up at "only" a 6 and that is a strange line considering the Pacers have the much better record and also are at home. Considering the home/road dichotomy of the way these two teams play home versus away you can see why the betting markets already pushed this to the 7 in early action. Nothing is ever as "easy" as it seems and my expectation is that this game tonight is absolutely going to turn into a divisional dogfight. Milwaukee simply got done in last night by the Lakers hitting a ridiculous 15 of 30 three pointers. The Bucks got down early and then rallied late but they'll be ready to bounce back after being outscored by 21 points from three point land (Lakers hit 7 more threes than Milwaukee) last night. Even though this is a back to back for the Bucks, it is also a back to back for the Pacers and they are the ones laying 7 points here even though they are 3-7 SU (and 2-8 ATS) this season in the 2nd game of a back to back! Even though this is part of 3 games in 4 days for the Bucks they previously had 3 full off days. As for the Pacers, they are playing their 6th game in 9 nights. Look for the Pacers to be a little weary in this one and they're missing Thaddeus Young (wrist) and have been playing a little soft in the middle. The Bucks are 6-3 SU and ATS in divisional games this season and they'll push Indiana to the limit in this one. The Pacers are only 2-2 in the last 4 meetings between these clubs and the two Indiana victories each came by only 5 points. 10* Top Play MILWAUKEE BUCKS plus the points Saturday evening |
|||||||
02-11-17 | Green Bay v. Wright State -3 | Top | 79-88 | Win | 100 | 13 h 46 m | Show |
No Doubt Blowout Rout - Rickenbach CBB Game #634 Saturday 10* Top Play Wright State Raiders (-) vs Wisconsin-Green Bay Phoenix @ 7 ET - Wright State is at home where they are 10-3 on the season and they are hosting a Wisconsin-Green Bay team that is only 6-8 away from home this season. The Raiders come into this game off having shot the ball very well in 6 of their last 7 games. Wright State averaged 84.5 points per game in those 6 games and they now face a Phoenix team that rallied for a road cover at Northern Kentucky Thursday. The fact that UWGB got in the backdoor for the cover there is helping to keep this line lower than it should be. Don't be surprised if 3 point shooting plays a role in this one. UWGB has only made 30% of their threes on the road this season while Wright State shoots a hot 40% at home from beyond the arc. The biggest key of all to this play is the revenge factor. Not only did the Raiders lose at Green Bay in January, they also were knocked out of the Horizon League tourney by the Phoenix last March. UWGB shot surprisingly well from three point land in their home win over the Raiders in January and in the Horizon League tourney last March. However, in their last two visits to Wright State UWGB has been held to 25% or less from three point land in each game. Green Bay lost their most recent visit to Wright State and the Raiders have payback on their minds in a big way here. The Raiders are 7-3 SU and ATS in games with a posted total in the 150s this season. They are also 2-0 SU this season when playing with road loss revenge. UWGB has suffered the SU loss in 21 of their last 32 games as an underdog. That said, and with this spread only around a 3, I like the odds of the Raiders getting a solid, revenging home cover in this one. 10* Top Play WRIGHT STATE minus the short number Saturday evening |
|||||||
02-11-17 | Clippers +2.5 v. Hornets | 107-102 | Win | 100 | 9 h 19 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #501 Saturday 8* Los Angeles Clippers (+) @ Charlotte Hornets @ 5:05 ET - The Clippers are a small road dog here. Of course the only reason they're a dog is that Chris Paul is injured. These are the types of situations that lead to phenomenal line value as the Hornets are struggling badly but they are laying points against a solid Clippers team that, even though without Paul, has seen Blake Griffin really step up his game of late. Though LA still has only 2 wins in its last 5 games the 3 losses did come against solid playoff-level foes. When the Clippers have faced weaker foes (like Phoenix and New York), they have taken care of business. Just like the dysfunctional Knicks that they defeated Wednesday, this Charlotte team is having all sorts of issues. Kemba Walker is struggling badly with his shot and he had 6 of the Hornets 22 turnovers in the loss to the Rockets Thursday. The Hornets have only 1 win in their last 9 games and they've been held to 44.4% or less from the field in 8 of those 9 games. Conversely, the Clippers have shot 46.5% or better in 7 of their 10 games since Chris Paul got hurt! With the Hornets slumping and the Clippers looking poised to take advantage of another "lesser" opponent, this game is offering solid line value. Charlotte is 5-13 SU (and 3-14-1 ATS) in games with posted total of 210 points or more this season. You can see, with the big total posted on this game, that plenty of points are expected here and you can also see (from the info I noted above) that it is the Clips who have had the better offensive execution (even without Paul) and that has me backing the road dog in a big way here. The Clips are 5-1 SU this season (and 20-6 SU the L3 seasons!) in their games against Southeast Division opponents. 8* LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS plus the points in Saturday's earliest game in NBA action. |
|||||||
02-11-17 | Louisiana Tech -7.5 v. Texas-San Antonio | Top | 72-66 | Loss | -110 | 17 h 9 m | Show |
CUSA Game of the Year - Rickenbach CBB Game #585 Saturday 10* Top Play Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (-) @ UTSA Roadrunners @ 4 ET - This one is set up perfectly. This is a huge revenge game for the Bulldogs as they suffered a rare home loss to UTSA last month. In that game they blew a huge lead. Louisiana Tech also comes into this one off of a game where they blew a big lead in a tight one-point win at UTEP Thursday. The Roadrunners are at the other end of the spectrum as they rallied from a 2nd half deficit to get a 6-point win versus Southern Mississippi Thursday. The Golden Eagles are one of the worst teams in CUSA but, the point is, even they "had them on the ropes" before ultimately falling short on Thursday. The other point is that there is some extra line value here as a result of those recent games. The fact is that, even on the road, the Bulldogs could have easily been installed as a double digit favorite and yet the line opened up at 8.5 and then dropped to 7.5 which is something I'll gladly take advantage of here. Louisiana Tech is fired up and they are hungry for revenge and the Bulldogs defense will bring it's "A game" for this one. That's bad news for a Roadrunners team that generally does not execute well on offense and that was evident again Thursday in UTSA's ugly tight win over Southern Miss. Louisiana Tech is 11-1 SU (and 4-2 ATS) in their games against teams with a losing record and each of their 4 prior wins over UTSA had come by a double digit margin. The Bulldogs are knocking down 46.7% of their field goal attempts this season. UTSA is shooting only 38.2% and averaging just 63 points per game in conference action. The Roadrunners have been held to 39.3% or less from the field in 6 of their last 7 games. Though they got a tight, low-scoring win Thursday, they are 2-11 SU and 2-8 ATS when off of a game where they allowed 60 points or less. That includes 0-4 ATS this season and this one turns into a road rout for the revenge-minded Bulldogs. 10* Top Play LOUISIANA TECH minus the points Saturday afternoon |
|||||||
02-11-17 | Clemson +12 v. Duke | 62-64 | Win | 100 | 15 h 25 m | Show | |
Daytime Dominator - Rickenbach CBB Game #539 Saturday 8* Clemson Tigers (+) @ Duke Blue Devils @ 1 ET Saturday - The Tigers are catching the Blue Devils at the perfect time to keep this game much closer than many are expecting. Duke is off of their huge win over rival North Carolina and that game was just played on Thursday. Not only that but the Blue Devils have a tough match-up with Virginia on deck. That said, it is hard for Duke's full attention to be on the Tigers here and I feel this line is definitely inflated. Looking at the Blue Devils last 9 games, they do not have a single win that came by a margin great than a dozen points. In fact, since mid-December, Duke has played 13 games and only 1 resulted in a victory by more than 12 points. As for Clemson, they started their season 9-2 with both the losses by just a half-dozen points. Since then there has been quite a bit of losing for the Tigers but note that 7 of their 10 losses on the season have come by a margin of 6 points or less. Clemson is also the more rested team for this match-up as they have been off since Tuesday. That was a tight 82-81 loss for Clemson but the Tigers are 9-3 SU and 6-4 ATS when off of a game where they scored 80 points or more. Duke is only 7-12 ATS in their games against teams with a winning record this season but the Blue Devils continue to be over-rated by the marketplace. That means more line value for us! 8* CLEMSON TIGERS plus the big points early Saturday |
|||||||
02-11-17 | Kansas State v. West Virginia OVER 144.5 | 66-85 | Win | 100 | 14 h 27 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #525 Saturday 8* OVER the total in West Virginia Mountaineers vs Kansas State Wildcats @ Noon ET - The Mountaineers certainly would like to play better defense than they did in the first match-up with the Wildcats this season. That was a Cats win at Kansas State and it went over the total. 3 of the last 4 meetings between these teams have resulted in overs and I expect this trend to continue. The issue with the West Virginia defense is that Kansas State presents some match-up problems for them. That said, the Wildcats are again going to score well but the Mountaineers are a big favorite here with good reason. West Virginia is averaging 91.4 points per game at home this season. The over is 7-0 this season in Mountaineers games with a posted total in the 140s. Also, the over is 5-1 this season when West Virginia is off of a win over a conference foe. The over is a long-term 17-6 in Kansas State games when they are road dog in a range of 9.5 to 12 points. Coming off of a tight loss to rival Kansas, the Wildcats may have not as much defensive intensity left for this match-up. It should be a high-scoring game played at a fast pace and the Mountaineers last 7 home games have all totaled over 150 points. This one should too! 8* OVER the total in West Virginia early Saturday. |
|||||||
02-10-17 | Nuggets +2.5 v. Knicks | Top | 131-123 | Win | 100 | 9 h 12 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #855 Friday 10* Top Play Denver Nuggets (+) @ New York Knicks @ 7:35 ET - Denver is 9-17 SU on the road this season and yet the Knicks are a very small home favorite here. Looks easy to play New York, right? Exactly! That is why I am on the Nuggets here in typical contrarian fashion. The key here is that the Knicks are just a huge mess right now. The Charles Oakley situation (in the stands) just adds even more fuel to the fire and the fact is that the Knicks truly would be better off on the road right now than playing again at home where turmoil has gripped this team. New York comes into this one having lost 3 straight games and they are now 6-19 dating back to Christmas Day! Even though the Nuggets are off of a loss they had previously won 9 of their last 14 games and gone 10-4 ATS at the betting window during this solid stretch. Though their road record looks poor they have been playing quite well on the road. The trouble has been that recent games have included a pair of trips to San Antonio and a trip to Atlanta. Only 3-5 SU in their last 8 games played away from Denver but note that the 3 of the 5 losses came by 6 points or less and the Nuggets will take advantage of facing a struggling Knicks team in this one. Denver has won each of its last 3 meetings with the Knicks and that includes their last visit to New York. Also, the Nuggets are 7-3 SU and ATS (including 3-1 SU and ATS this season) when they are a road dog of 3 points or less. The Knicks are 3-0 to the over in their L3 games because their defense has given up 117 points per game! We're not playing the over here as you can but the significance in that is that New York is 5-12 SU and ATS the L3 seasons when they enter a game on an "over streak" of 3 games or more. The lackluster play on that end of the floor will again cause the demise of the Knicks tonight and I expect the road dog to get the upset win. 10* DENVER NUGGETS plus the points Friday |
|||||||
02-10-17 | Dayton v. Rhode Island UNDER 141 | Top | 75-74 | Loss | -108 | 9 h 60 m | Show |
ESPN2 Smash Pass - Rickenbach CBB Game #870 Friday 10* Top Play UNDER the total in Rhode Island Rams vs Dayton Flyers @ 7 ET - This total went from a 138 to 141 and this is offering us even more line value on the under in what should be a game played with plenty of defensive intensity. Both of these teams are up near the top of the Atlantic Ten standings and both teams are very strong defensively. Even though the over is 3-2 in the last 5 meetings between these teams note that not a single one of those games totaled more than 141 points and 4 of the 5 totaled 134 points or less. That said, there would have not been a single over in any of the 5 prior meetings at this high number posted on today's total. Of course the reason this total is higher is each team has some solid offensive stats this season but not enough credit is being given to the defenses here in a game where defensive intensity will be at max level. The Rams are allowing just 66 points per game this season and the Flyers are allowing only 64 points per game this season. Rhode Island shot surprisingly well from three point land in the prior meeting this season in Dayton and yet the game stayed under the total. That says a lot right there and certainly a 47.6% performance from beyond the arc is unlikely from either team today. The Flyers are allowing only 31% from three point land on the season and the Rams are allowing only 30.4% from downtown! Rhode Island has really turned up the defensive intensity in recent weeks and they've held 3 of their last 4 opponents under 36% from the field and 4 of their last 6 have been held under 39.8% from the field. The under is 4-1 in the Rams last 5 games. Also, as home fave of 3 points or less, the under is on a 3-1 run in Rhode Island games. The Flyers bring their "A game" in terms of defensive intensity when they are up against quality competition. So far this season, the under is 10-5 in Dayton's games against teams with a winning record. More of the same expected here. 10* UNDER the total in Rhode Island Friday |
|||||||
02-09-17 | Wisconsin v. Nebraska +8.5 | Top | 70-69 | Win | 100 | 10 h 24 m | Show |
Big Ten Network Smash - Rickenbach CBB Game #746 Thursday 10* Top Play Nebraska Cornhuskers (+) vs Wisconsin Badgers @ 9 ET - Looking at the rest of their regular season schedule, this is clearly the Cornhuskers "game of the year" and they've been known to rise up against quality competition. With this line moving all the way up to an 8.5 as of mid-morning on gameday we are capturing excellent line value here with a dangerous home dog. Nebraska is 6-1 ATS the last 7 times they have been a dog of 7 points or more. The last 5 times they were a dog of 7 points or more they have recorded the outright win 3 times! The Cornhuskers remaining home games don't include a single Big Ten team that currently has a wining record in conference action. In other words, this is indeed "the game" for Nebraska and they could be catching Wisconsin at the ideal time for an upset. The Badgers are off of a big home win versus Indiana and they have a tough home game with Northwestern on deck. This one game road "trip" is truly a dangerous spot in their schedule and the Badgers last 3 games featured two teams (Indiana and Illinois) certainly not known for their defense and another team (Rutgers) that is just a bad basketball team. With that said, the fact that Wiscy was held under 40.8% from the field in all 3 games and also shot horribly from three point land during this three-game stretch is a legitimate cause for concern. The way I see it, Wiscy is going to have to scratch and claw for a hard-fought victory here and they may not even escape with that. In a situation that has "upset" written all over it (keep in mind Huskers already upset Purdue, Maryland, and upset Hoosiers at Indiana) there is tremendous line value with the big points here. Look for the Cornhuskers to improve to 7-1 ATS the last 8 times they've been a dog of 7 points or more. 10* NEBRASKA plus the points Thursday night |
|||||||
02-09-17 | Jazz v. Mavs +3.5 | Top | 105-112 | Win | 100 | 12 h 24 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Game #708 Thursday 10* Top Play Dallas Mavericks (+) vs Utah Jazz @ 8:35 ET - The Jazz are off of a huge win last night at New Orleans. That makes this a tough back to back spot for Utah and the Jazz are on a 1-6 ATS run in the 2nd night of back to backs. They face a Dallas team that has been playing much better of late and was off last night. The scheduling and situational edge is big here for the Mavericks who are on an 11-3 ATS run. The Mavs are playing this game with home loss revenge and Dallas has gone a fantastic 8-2 ATS when playing with home loss revenge this season. Look for the Mavericks to tighten things up defensively after allowing 114 to the Trail Blazers in a one point loss Tuesday. The Mavs are 12-6 ATS this season when off of a game where they allowed 105 points or more. After this game against a Western Conference foe, the Mavericks won't face another team from their conference for two weeks. Couple that with the home loss revenge factor as well as the back to back spot for Utah and you have the perfect situational advantages that dictate playing on the Mavericks in this one. They are off of back to back losses and haven't lost three straight since early January. Look for the Mavs to get back on track with a W here. 10* DALLAS MAVERICKS plus the points Thursday night |
|||||||
02-09-17 | Southern Miss +6 v. Texas-San Antonio | 51-57 | Push | 0 | 9 h 30 m | Show | |
Hidden Gem - Rickenbach CBB Game #739 Thursday 8* Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (+) @ UTSA Roadrunners @ 8 ET - Make no mistake about it the Golden Eagles are not a very good basketball team. However, UTSA truly isn't much better and, from a situational standpoint, the Roadrunners are due for a major letdown here. The Runners just played one of their best games of the season in a home win over UAB on Saturday. It was an aberration. UTSA shot lights out after having been held to an average of about 35% from the field in their five prior games. This team just doesn't have much offense and, after a fluke game, look for them to quickly come back down to earth. In fact, the Roadrunners straight-up record is 1-14 the past three seasons when they are off of a game where they scored 80 points or more. Prior to the win over the Blazers the Runners last 6 wins had featured 5 victories by 6 points or less. In other words, the fact that UTSA is laying about a half dozen points here is certainly not insignificant. The Golden Eagles already crushed the Roadrunners at Southern Miss in early January by 18 points. UTSA is 3-8 ATS as a favorite the past 3 seasons. The Golden Eagles certainly have some ugly SU records in recent seasons but they are 20-11 ATS when off of a loss in CUSA action. That said, I love grabbing the big points here with the Eagles off of a home loss and the Roadrunners off of a big upset win. 8* SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI GOLDEN EAGLES plus the points Thursday evening |
|||||||
02-08-17 | Iowa v. Minnesota -6.5 | Top | 89-101 | Win | 100 | 10 h 37 m | Show |
Big Ten Network Smash - Rickenbach CBB Game #562 Wednesday 10* Top Play Minnesota Golden Gophers (-) vs Iowa Hawkeyes @ 9 ET - Good spot for Minnesota here. The Golden Gophers have gone through a tough stretch but 4 of their 6 games were on the road. They did get back on track with a solid road win at Illinois Saturday and that was a big confidence booster for Minnesota. They had suffered a number of tight recent losses with their last 4 defeats coming by an average of 4 points per game. Now they are off of a win, back at home, and hosting an Iowa team that just isn't what it use to be and yet the Golden Gophers are currently looking up in the standings at the Hawkeyes. Minnesota's defense got back on track against the Illini and they'll be fired up about turning up the pressure on their home court to make up for a tight loss to Maryland in their most recent home game. Keep in mind the Golden Gophers two most recent home games were against a ranked Terrapins team and a ranked Wisconsin team. Prior to losing those 2 home games Minnesota was 12-1 at home with their only loss coming in overtime versus Michigan State. The Gophers will now take advantage of facing a lesser foe (in comparison with Badgers and Terps) and I look for them to get a big home win here. Iowa is off of a home win against Nebraska but the Hawkeyes are 2-7 away from home this season. Though they did win their most recent road game that was against a bad Rutgers team. The Hawkeyes lost each of their four prior road games in Big Ten action and the defeats came by an average margin of 18 points per loss! Before the win over a bad Scarlet Knights team, Iowa was winless both SU and ATS in true road games this season! The Golden Gophers last 8 wins have featured 7 victories by 7 points or more and this one is well within being a manageable number to lay with the hungry home team seeking revenge for a tight road loss at Iowa last season. 10* MINNESOTA |
|||||||
02-08-17 | Jazz -4 v. Pelicans | 127-94 | Win | 100 | 12 h 9 m | Show | |
Conference Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Game #515 Wednesday 8* Utah Jazz (-) @ New Orleans Pelicans @ 8:05 ET - Utah has won 10 of its last 13 games including 3 straight. Most impressive about the current 3-game run is the fact that the Jazz have won the games by an average margin of 16 points per game. Utah is one of the top defensive teams in the league and they'll now take advantage of facing a team that has definitely been heading the wrong direction when it comes to level of play on the defensive end. The Pelicans have allowed an average of 114 points per game in their last 9 games. New Orleans is hosting a Jazz team that is allowing only 95.4 points per game on the season! Utah also has a great rest edge here as they are playing only their 4th game in the last 11 days! Conversely, the Pelicans are playing their 6th game in the past 11 days. New Orleans is 2-5 SU and ATS against Northwest Division foes this season. The Jazz are 24-5 SU against teams with a losing record this season. That said, with this line only a couple buckets, I'll gladly take the "risk" of laying the short number here because the Jazz are also 10-1 SU (and 7-4 ATS) as a road favorite of 3.5 to 6 points the past 3 seasons combined. 8* UTAH JAZZ |
|||||||
02-08-17 | Raptors v. Wolves +3.5 | Top | 109-112 | Win | 100 | 12 h 4 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Game #518 Wednesday 10* Top Play Minnesota Timberwolves (+) vs Toronto Raptors @ 8:05 ET - This is the classic case of the ugly home dog. Few will want Minnesota here as they recently lost PG Zach LaVine to season-ending injury and the Timberwolves come into this game having lost 4 straight. However, Minny is fired up for responding here after their defense let them down in their most recent game, a tight home loss to a red hot Miami team. The T-wolves caught an earful from their head coach about playing well on BOTH ends of the floor just one and Minnesota will be ready to go here. Keep in mind, the Timberwolves had held 3 of their 4 prior opponents under 45% from the field. Even though Toronto enters this game off of back to back wins, they faced a Clippers team struggling without Chris Paul and they faced the Nets (one of the worst teams in the league). Prior to those wins the Raptors had lost 8 of its last 10 and they're still trying to "work out the kinks" as they welcome back players who had missed some time due to injury. The home team has won each of the last 3 meetings between these teams and Toronto is playing their 3rd game in 4 nights and each game has been in a different city. Against teams with a losing record the Raptors have failed to cover 4 of its last 6. The Timberwolves, seeking revenge for a loss at Toronto in December, are 7-4 SU and ATS in home games with a posted total of 210 or more. Also, when Minny enters a game off of 3 or more consecutive losses, they are 7-2 ATS this season. Being a contrarian generally pays off well and I love fading the line move in this particular situation that favors the home dog! 10* MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES |
|||||||
02-08-17 | Ole Miss v. Tennessee -5 | 66-75 | Win | 100 | 7 h 33 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #528 Wednesday 8* Tennessee Volunteers (-) vs Ole Miss Rebels @ 6:30 ET - This line has gone from a -7 to a -5 and is offering exceptional line value on Tennessee at home. The Volunteers are off of a road loss at Mississippi State but they had previously won and covered 4 straight games. Even in the loss to the Bulldogs the Vols played great defense and they have held 4 straight opponents to 41.7% or less from the field. The set up is nice as the Volunteers are catching the Rebels off of a road win at Vanderbilt. Though that makes it back to back wins for Ole Miss, lets not forget that they have not managed to win three straight games since prior to Christmas. It is unlikely that the Rebels change that here as they'll face a fired up Tennessee team off of a loss and Ole Miss had lost 6 of 9 before winning their past two games. The fact that one of those 3 Rebels wins came over the Vols just adds to the revenge factor here for Tennessee as the Volunteers also suffered an embarrassing home loss to Ole Miss last season. That doesn't happen often and that 23 point home loss in early March last season is the type of defeat any team would be hungry to avenge. The Vols, with the way they had been playing prior to the loss at Mississippi State Saturday, are in the perfect spot for a big bounce back here. I am looking for the Volunteers to improve to 5-0 ATS the last 5 times they are off of a game where they scored 69 points or less. They've covered 4 straight in that situation dating back to the latter half of November. At the same time, look for Ole Miss to drop to 0-4 SU and ATS this season in Wednesday games. 8* TENNESSEE |
|||||||
02-07-17 | Blazers -110 v. Mavs | Top | 114-113 | Win | 100 | 13 h 40 m | Show |
Game of the Month - Rickenbach NBA Game #705 Tuesday 10* Top Play Portland Trail Blazers (+) @ Dallas Mavericks @ 8:35 ET - Big revenge spot for Portland and Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard as he had one of his worst games of the season versus Dallas Friday night. In that very same game, Yogi Ferrell (on a 10 day contract!) had a ridiculously big game and scored 32 points including hitting a ridiculous 9 of 11 from three point land. No disrespect to Ferrell as he appears to be on his way to earning a 2-year deal with the Mavericks but this guy was in the D-league this season prior to coming to Dallas due to their injury situation. The fact is that this game is about much more than Lillard vs Ferrell but look for the entire Trail Blazers team to be focused on home loss revenge here and get the big win at Dallas. This is a tough back to back spot for the Mavericks as they were in Denver last night and got throttled 110-87. After playing in the thin air of Denver, the Mavs are likely to struggle in this back to back spot even though they are back home. Although the Nuggets won the 2nd game of their most recent back to back, that certainly has been the exception rather than the norm this season. In fact, Dallas was 0-9 in the 2nd game of back to backs this season before that win over the Cavaliers last week. The Mavericks recent numbers on defense (45.5% or more FG % in 6 straight games) also is a concern for the Mavs here as the Blazers have been better on that end of the floor. The Trail Blazers have held 4 of their last 8 opponents under 40.9% from the field. Look for the Mavericks to drop to 1-10 SU on the season when in the 2nd game of a back to back. 10* PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS Tuesday |
|||||||
02-07-17 | Western Michigan -2 v. Miami (OH) | Top | 72-55 | Win | 100 | 8 h 50 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach CBB Game #725 Tuesday 10* Top Play Western Michigan Broncos (-) @ Miami-Ohio Redhawks @ 7 ET - I lost with the Broncos on Friday and had my eyes on this match-up as the perfect spot to get some payback with Western Michigan. Keep in mind the Broncos played very well at Central Michigan Friday but then gave up a huge game-ending run to the Chippewas and lost the game by 4 as a 3.5 point dog. This was certainly a tough beat for the Broncos (and for me) but they've now had 3 full days since then to get fired up for a shot at redemption. Keep in mind this is a Western Michigan team that is still winless (0-9 SU) on the road this season! That said, one need not be concerned that there is anything wrong with this line. The Broncos are favored for a number of reasons. They are fired up after the way they lost at Central Michigan. They are ready to exact revenge against a Miami-Ohio team that beat them last year at Western Michigan in an ugly 45-44 game. The Broncos did defeat the Redhawks by a double digit margin in their most recent visit here. Miami-Ohio has faced a weaker schedule in comparison with the Broncos and yet the Redhawks are on an ugly 1-8 SU run. In home games the Redhawks have been held under 38% in each of their past two games and they averaged just 59.5 points in those two games and these were at home! The Broncos come in having shot 50% or better in 3 of their last 4 road games. Western Michigan's last two road games this season are at Toledo and Northern Illinois and, though they certainly are not looking ahead you can bet they are fully aware that this game at Miami-Ohio represents their best shot at notching a road victory. No team wants to go 0-fer on the road for an entire season and the Broncos last 5 road losses have seen 4 come by a margin of 7 points or less. As they proved at Central Michigan, Western Michigan is on the cusp of getting that elusive road win and this is the perfect spot to do just that. I'll gladly lay the small number with a hungry road team that is ready to blast a struggling opponent. 10* WESTERN MICHIGAN minus the short number early Tuesday evening |
|||||||
02-07-17 | Ball State v. Akron OVER 155.5 | 63-65 | Loss | -100 | 7 h 22 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #723 Tuesday 8* OVER the total in Akron Zips vs Ball State Cardinals @ 6 ET - The very first numbers that came out on this game yesterday had the total at 160 and it has since dropped to as low as a 155.5 as of this morning. That is offering exceptional line value on the over because both teams love to play at a fast pace and both are capable of putting up big points on going on quick back-and-forth scoring runs. The Zips are off of a loss that snapped their long overall winning streak but they still have an incredible 28-game home winning streak intact. They are happy to be back home after the road loss at Ohio University and I expect Akron to again be firing on all cylinders here. The Zips had multiple problems in the loss to the Bobcats as they had a key player dealing with food poisoning and then foul trouble led to guys having to sit on the bench. This forced the Zips to play "small ball" and they were able to hang around for awhile in the game but eventually ran out of healthy bodies as guys fouled out, struggled with illness, etc. The key to liking the over here is the fact that Akron may be a little more tentative on defense here. They Zips know they can score like crazy (especially at home) and the last thing they want to do is to get into foul trouble again and not have key players available. That said, they will concede a little more on the defensive end and that will help turn this one into a back and forth shootout. The over is an amazing 17-2 in Ball State's game this season! The over is 7-3 in the Zips conference games this season. Both teams shoot the ball very well, including from three point land, and neither teams defends the 3-ball very well either. Add it all up and you have a game where it wouldn't surprise me to see each team score at least 80 points. In fact both teams average nearly 80 points per game this season and the situational value here dictating a rather lax effort on the defensive end should help fuel a highly entertaining game in this one. 8* OVER the total in Akron very early Tuesday evening |
|||||||
02-06-17 | Kansas -3 v. Kansas State | 74-71 | Push | 0 | 11 h 16 m | Show | |
ESPN Smash Pass - Rickenbach CBB Game #533 Monday 8* Kansas Jayhawks (-) @ Kansas State Wildcats @ 9 ET - Off of a home loss in OT versus Iowa State, look for Kansas to respond in a huge way. Home losses are particularly rare for the Jayhawks under head coach Bill Self and Kansas has a history of responding when they are off of a game where they allowed 80 points or more. In fact, the past three seasons combined the Jayhawks have gone 10-0 SU (and 8-2 ATS) when off of a game where they gave up 80 points or more. Long-term Kansas is 71-13 SU (and 52-25 ATS) after allowing 80+ points. The Jayhawks are also 7-0 SU this season in games with a posted total in the 140s and, with this line all the way down to a -3, any SU win for Kansas is quite likely to be an ATS win as well. I love the line value here backing a 20-3 Jayhawks team off of a rare loss. Yes, this is a rivalry game and Kansas State is likely to bring a strong effort tonight but the Wildcats are 4-15 SU (and 5-14 ATS) in their last 19 home games with Kansas! They just have proven to be no match for their rivals even when they have the home court edge. Also, in this season's match-up it has to be concern for Kansas State that they have been held to 68 points or less in 7 of their last 12 games. The Wildcats have gone 5-6 ATS during this stretch and they just don't have the firepower on offense to keep up with a Jayhawks team that is averaging 84 points per game on the season. By the way, Kansas State is off of an upset win at Baylor and the Wildcats have gone 7-11 ATS (and 5-13 SU) when off of a win over a conference foe. 8* KANSAS JAYHAWKS minus the short number Monday night |
|||||||
02-06-17 | Heat +100 v. Wolves | 115-113 | Win | 100 | 8 h 4 m | Show | |
No Doubt Blowout Rout - Rickenbach NBA Game #513 Monday 8* Miami Heat (+) @ Minnesota Timberwolves @ 8:05 ET - The Heat have won and covered 10 straight games and there is on reason for the streak to end here. Miami is well-rested as they are playing for just the 3rd time in 7 days and there is no lookahead either as the remainder of this road trip features Milwaukee, Brooklyn, and Philadelphia. Those teams have a combined record of 49-102 so, in other words, the Heat remain focused on a Minnesota team that beat them in Miami in the most recent meeting between these teams last season. It is time for a little payback here and the Heat are catching the Timbewolves at a good time to exact revenge. Minnesota has lost 3 straight games and has also failed to cover in 7 of its last 8 games. Minny has been held under 43.7% from the field in 3 of its last 4 games and they are facing a red hot and confident Heat team that is hitting 49.8% of their shots over their last 8 games! The Timberwolves are allowing 111.3 points per game in their last 10 games. The Heat are allowing just 98.5 points per game during their 10 game winning streak. Miami is 14-6 ATS in their games against teams with a losing record this season while the Timberwolves are 7-13 ATS this season (and 33-56 ATS the last 3 seasons) when they face a team with a losing record. We are getting line value here with one of the hottest teams in the league because they are on the road. Keep in mind, the T-wolves are only 1-4 ATS in their last 5 home games. 8* MIAMI HEAT Monday night |
|||||||
02-06-17 | Thunder +4.5 v. Pacers | 90-93 | Win | 100 | 8 h 36 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #505 Monday 8* Oklahoma City Thunder (+) @ Indiana Pacers @ 7:05 ET - Even though Oklahoma City burned me yesterday with their tight win over Portland I am actually playing on the Thunder in this spot. While it may seem like a good spot to fade OKC off of a win and now traveling for a back to back, there is plenty of good reason as to why this line is on a downward move from as high as 5 down to as low as 3.5 at some books. Even though this is a back to back spot for the Thunder, they will be playing their 3rd game in 4 nights just like the Pacers are. Even though Indiana was off yesterday they had played games back to back the 2 prior days and a big key here is they are in a lookahead spot. This is a non-conference match-up for the the Pacers and they are much more concerned with their big game Wednesday (hosting the division rival and defending champ Cavaliers) than they are with this game. As for OKC, this is their only road game in the 1st 12 days of this month so this one has their full focus and attention. Also, the road team has taken each of the last 3 meetings between these clubs and that includes the Pacers winning at Oklahoma City earlier this season. The Thunder have payback on their minds here and they have absolutely been dominating the boards in recent games. Conversely, Indiana has been out-rebounded in 3 of its last 5 games. The Thunder are 4-1 ATS this season when playing with home loss revenge, 3-0 ATS when a road dog in a range of 3.5 to 6 points, and 7-1 ATS when off of a divisional game! The Pacers are 11-17 ATS in games with a posted total of 210 points or more. 8* OKLAHOMA CITY plus the points early Monday evening. |
|||||||
02-06-17 | Louisville +5.5 v. Virginia | 55-71 | Loss | -110 | 9 h 15 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #525 Monday 8* Louisville Cardinals (+) vs Virginia Cavaliers @ 7 ET - The Cavaliers were as a low as a 3 point favorite when lines first came out yesterday on this game. Of course that doesn't make sense when you consider that Virginia is at home for this game, off of a loss, Louisville is down two guards, and the Cavaliers have dominated this series. The line has now jumped to as high as a 6 and, in typical contrarian fashion, I am going against the move. Even though a number of the Cards recent opponents have been of the "lesser" variety, winning breeds confidence and Louisville has now averaged 93.7 points per game in going a perfect 3-0 in their last 3 games. The Cardinals are knocking down shots and coach Rick Pitino will make adjustments after Louisville made some critical "scheme errors" in the home loss to the Cavaliers earlier this season. Make no mistake about it, Virginia is a quality team that plays fantastic defense but I expect the Cardinals to get their revenge here. The Cavs loss at Syracuse drops them to just 6-4 in their 10 games since winning at Louisville earlier this season. Both teams are on short rest here but the Cavs are 5-10 ATS when playing on short rest. Also, with a low total posted on this game don't be surprised when Virginia finds it tough to create any type of separation in this game. In home games with a posted total in the 120s the Cavaliers are on a 4-8 ATS run. The Louisville offense is hot and they won't shoot 14% from three point land like they did in the first match-up. In fact, the Cardinals are 7-1 (SU and ATS!) this season when they are off of a game where they scored 80 points or more. 8* LOUISVILLE CARDINALS plus the points early Monday evening |
|||||||
02-05-17 | Colorado +6.5 v. California | Top | 66-77 | Loss | -110 | 7 h 7 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach CBB Game #865 Sunday 10* Top Play Colorado Buffaloes (+) @ California Golden Bears @ 4:30 ET - There is a lot of value with the points here. Colorado is off of 3 straight wins. After a 10-3 start to the season the Buffaloes then lost 7 straight but they've responded by rattling off 3 wins. It was evident the Buffs might be about to turn the corner as 4 of their past 6 defeats had come by 3 points or less. Of course what that means is that the Buffaloes, if priced at the point spread range they are in today, would be 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games. Ultra competitive Colorado has indeed turned the corner and they now take on a Cal team that, although winning, continues to be gauged incorrectly by the markets. California has won 6 of its last 7 games but they enter this Sunday match-up on a 1-5 ATS run. The Golden Bears were held to 40.3% in their tight non-covering win over Utah on Thursday. That marked the 7th time in their last 11 games that Cal was held under 40.4% from the field. Not surprisingly they've gone 4-7 ATS during this stretch and they now take on a Colorado team that is averaging 78 points per game (and shooting 45.8% in conference action). Compare this to California who is averaging just 69 points (and shooting 42.5% in PAC-12 action). The Golden Bears are just 5-12 ATS as a favorite this season. Also, over the past 3 seasons combined, Cal is 15-24 ATS in games with a posted total in the 130s. The Bears will struggle to create much separation on the scoreboard in this one as Colorado is a dangerous dog. The Buffaloes have a 25-11 SU record the past 3 seasons combined when they are off of a game where they scored 80 points or more. The Buffs roll into Cal with plenty of confidence and this one should go down to the wire with an outright win for the underdog (surging with confidence) certainly not out of the question. 10* Top Play COLORADO BUFFALOES plus the points Sunday afternoon |
|||||||
02-05-17 | Blazers +4.5 v. Thunder | Top | 99-105 | Loss | -110 | 7 h 23 m | Show |
Game of the Week - Rickenbach NBA Game #855 Sunday 10* Top Play Portland Trail Blazers (+) @ Oklahoma City Thunder @ 3:05 ET - This series has been dominated by the home team in recent match-ups but there are number of indicators pointing to an upset in this one. Portland comes into this one having gone 4-2 SU and ATS in their last 6 games. One key for the Trail Blazers, in comparison with the Thunder, has been turnovers. In their last 5 games, the Blazers have turned the ball over only 9.6 times per game. Conversely, Oklahoma City has turned the ball over an average of 16.2 times per game in their last 6 games. Â In 2 of their last 3 games the Thunder have turned it over 20 times. OKC enters this game having gone 1-3 SU and ATS in their last 4 games. The Thunder have been held to 38% or less from the field in 3 of their last 4 games. The Trail Blazers have been consistently at the other end of the spectrum of late. Portland is averaging 47% from the field over their last 6 games and has not been held below 45% in any of those games. This is also a tough scheduling spot for the Thunder as it's the 4th game of a stretch of 5 games in 7 days which is never easy on a team. As for the Blazers, this is one of only two games they have in the first 6 days of this month. Oklahoma City was a small home dog versus Memphis and the Thunder are an ugly 7-11 ATS when off of an upset win as an underdog. The Trail Blazers have excelled in divisional games with a 27-11 SU mark the past 3 seasons combined and they are 4-2 ATS in divisional games this season. 10* PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS plus the points Sunday |
|||||||
02-05-17 | Nebraska +5 v. Iowa | 70-81 | Loss | -102 | 5 h 8 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #863 Sunday 8* Nebraska Cornhuskers (+) @ Iowa Hawkeyes @ 2 ET - Peter Jok, Iowa's leading scorer, is likely to return for today's game and that is actually even more reason to back Nebraska here! Why? No disrespect intended to Jok as the 6'6 senior is a great player overall but, the fact remains, he has been struggling and I don't expect him to return from these back issues and immediately be shooting "lights out". In fact, he could actually hurt his team if he's still playing the way he was before missing the last two games. Jok's final three games (all losses) saw him make just 9 of 30 shots and average only 9.3 points per game! The Hawkeyes have now won their past two games without him but now he returns and Iowa goes from facing a bad Rutgers team to facing a respectable Cornhuskers team. Although Nebraska is off of a loss and has been on the wrong end of some tight games lately, note that the Huskers are 5-6 in their last 11 games with 4 of the 6 losses by single digits including two of them by just a single point. Teams have been knocking down a lot of threes on Nebraska but Iowa had been held to 31% or less from beyond the arc in 5 of their last 6 games before they finally game up big in these last two games and, again, Jok missed both of those games. In conference games, Nebraska has the better numbers on defense in comparison with Iowa. Also, the Cornhuskers are 5-2 ATS on the road this season. The Hawkeyes are 0-4 ATS in the short-term and 11-20 ATS in the long-term when they are a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points. The Cornhuskers have played a slightly tougher strength of schedule this season too and, even though this is a revenge spot for the Hawkeyes, I look for it to be another very close game like the first one was and there is great value with the points here as the Huskers could very well get the upset here. 8* NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS plus the points early Sunday |
|||||||
02-04-17 | St. John's +18 v. Villanova | Top | 79-92 | Win | 100 | 9 h 19 m | Show |
Game of the Week - Rickenbach CBB Game #675 Saturday - 10* Top Play St John's Red Storm (+) @ Villanova @ 8 ET - The Red Storm are much improved this season and yet they are still flying under the radar which is why we're able to get exceptional line value in a spot like this. Villanova has failed to cover 4 straight games and has appeared shaky of late with an upset loss at Marquette, a fortunate win versus Virginia, and then having to rally to hold off Providence. The Wildcats just aren't "in the zone" like the way earlier this season in terms of playing their best basketball. With that said, this is a tough spot for the Cats to be expected to cover a large spread because St John's is playing their best basketball of the season and the confidence is enough to make them a legitimate threat to hang around in this game. While the Red Storm have been much better offensively than in year's past the key indicator that makes St John's dangerous here is a "buy in" into playing better on defense. After a win at Providence that was a shootout and then a tight home loss to Xavier, the Red Storm finally realized they must play better defense if they want to win the big games and they looked sharp in their win over Marquette as they held the dangerous shooting of the Golden Eagles to just 37.1% from the field. The Red Storm have now covered three straight games and with St John's on ATS winning streak and the Wildcats slumping at the betting window, this is the perfect spot to grab the value with the big dog before the betting markets catch up. Keep in mind, Villanova is 1-4 ATS in recent seasons (and 20-40 ATS long-term) when they enter a game on an ATS losing streak of 3 games or more. The point is that the Wildcats are well-known for being a streaky team and they just are not playing "crisp" basketball right now like they were at times earlier in the season. As for the Red Storm, they are 9-5 ATS against teams with a winning record and they are 3-1 ATS (and SU!) when playing with home loss revenge this season. Now I certainly don't foresee them getting the outright upset here but I do expect the surging Red Storm to keep this game much closer than many are expecting. 10* Top Play ST JOHN'S plus the big points Saturday evening. |
|||||||
02-04-17 | 76ers v. Heat OVER 208.5 | Top | 102-125 | Win | 100 | 7 h 31 m | Show |
PA Insider - Rickenbach NBA Game #507 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Miami Heat vs Philadelphia 76'ers @ 7:35 ET - The 76'ers had gone over the total in 7 straight games and then had an ugly game at San Antonio Thursday where they fell apart after a strong 1st half. Look for the over streak to resume here after that ugly 102-86 loss to the Spurs. The Sixers have gone over the total EACH of the last 6 times they were off of a game where they were held to 93 points or less. Overall, that system has a 12-3 mark on the season as Philadelphia has gone over the total in 12 of 15 games this season when they enter off of a game where they scored 93 points or less. The Sixers come into this game having allowed 113.4 points per game in their last 8 games and the Heat offense is literally at full HEAT! Miami has won and covered 9 straight games and they've averaged 107.5 points per game in their last 10 games. The Heat have been shooting the ball very well and I doubt the Sixers will be able to put up much resistance. As well as Philly had been playing it truly has been big offense rather than solid defense that led the way and I look for a very free-flowing high-scoring game here as Miami is off of a divisional game where they certainly brought the defensive intensity. They'll let up against the Sixers. The over is 6-1 in 76'ers road games with a posted total between 205 and 209.5 points this season. The over is 4-1 in Miami's home games with a posted total between 205 and 209.5 points this season. Look for more of the same here. 10* Top Play OVER the total in Miami Saturday evening |
|||||||
02-04-17 | Pelicans +7.5 v. Wizards | Top | 91-105 | Loss | -108 | 6 h 14 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #505 Saturday 10* Top Play New Orleans Pelicans (+) @ Washington Wizards @ 7:05 ET - This is one of my typical contrarian plays as certainly the line had to look a little "funny" to most when the hot Wizards opened up as only an 8 point choice even though they are at home against a slumping Pelicans team. Of course, whenever line look a little "off" it merits additional investigation and, in this case, I certainly like what I found. The Wizards are off of their non-covering win over the Lakers and have a huge game on deck with the Cavaliers. This is clearly a tough scheduling spot for Washington. Look for the Wizards to look right past a 19-31 New Orleans team that they've dominated in recent meetings. That makes the Pelicans a very dangerous dog in this spot. New Orleans is off of an ugly effort at Detroit and that was their 3rd straight SU loss. However, the Pelicans had gone 11-6 ATS prior to that non-cover against the Pistons and, after losing by 20, I look for N.O. to come out with plenty of fire in this one. New Orleans is 15-9 ATS in non-conference games this season and has played a tougher overall schedule than Washington this season. Look for the old West vs East disparity to play a factor in this one as well as, generally, the Western Conference teams face tougher competition than the East. The Wizards get caught looking ahead to the Cavs. 10* NEW ORLEANS plus the big points Saturday evening |
|||||||
02-04-17 | Connecticut v. Cincinnati -12.5 | 68-82 | Win | 100 | 6 h 24 m | Show | |
Afternoon Annihilation - Rickenbach CBB Game #682 Saturday 8* Cincinnati Bearcats (-) vs Connecticut Huskies @ 4 ET - Even though the points look big here, it is absolutely a justified line. The Huskies are in a "down season". Yes, UConn has rattled off 3 straight wins but those came against the 3 worst teams in the AAC - East Carolina, South Florida, and Tulane. Now the Huskies have to deal with a Cincinnati team that has revenge on its mind in this one. Connecticut is known for giving the Bearcats trouble and Cincy was clearly looking ahead to this game when they barely got by Tulsa earlier this week. The Cats have been knocked out of tourney action in March by the Huskies each of the past two years and last season's was a crazy multiple-overtime marathon finish. Cincy will simply not allow the Huskies to hang around in this game Saturday and, because of the revenge angle, the Bearcats also won't take their foot off of the gas once they are up big. In other words, though we're laying around a dozen points in this one, I don't expect that to be an issue at all. The Bearcats have tremendous depth this season while the thin Huskies are dealing with a number of injury issues. UConn has already lost to SMU and Houston by an average of 18 points per game and a road trip to Cincy where the Cats have won 21 straight games, will prove to be just as tough as those games if not tougher! Connecticut is 1-4 ATS in games against teams averaging 77 points or more this season and simply won't be able to keep up here. The Bearcats are on a 22-3 SU run (and 14-8 ATS) when off of a game where they were held to 60 points or less. After barely getting by Tulsa in an ugly game Wednesday, Cincy comes out firing on all cylinders on both ends of the floor for this one. 8* CINCINNATI |
|||||||
02-04-17 | Seton Hall +2.5 v. Georgetown | 68-66 | Win | 100 | 3 h 53 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #521 Saturday 8* Seton Hall Pirates (+) @ Georgetown Hoyas @ Noon ET - This is a must win for the Pirates as they are coming off of back to back losses and have simply lost too many close games in Big East action so far this season. The two defeats came at the hands of two quality teams - Butler and Xavier - and Seton Hall now takes a step down in terms of level of opposition to battle Georgetown. Although the Hoyas are off of three straight wins, the victories came against a Creighton team without their star point guard and then a tight win at Butler and a win over Big East cellar dweller DePaul. Georgtown had lost 6 of 8 before this 3-game winning streak and the Hoyas defense has allowed 73 points or more in 4 of last 5 games. The Pirates recent tough schedule caught up with them but they've still allowed just 69.4 points per game in their last 5 games and that included a battle with Villanova when they were still the #1 team in the country. Seton Hall can leapfrog the Hoyas in the standings with a victory today and, off of back to back losses, the Pirates are going to bring their "A game" for this one. They won both games against Georgetown last season and are on a 17-7 SU (and 17-6 ATS) run in Saturday games. The Hoyas are on an 8-16 ATS run when off of a win in conference action. 8* SETON HALL |
- Early Lines
- High Limits
- NEW VIP Rewards
- VIP Program
- Mobile Betting
- Crypto
- VIP Program
- Crypto
- Live & Mobile Betting!
- Crypto
- Live & Mobile Betting
- 48 Hour Payouts
- 35% Crypto Bonus
- Live Betting
- Mobile Friendly
Guaranteed Winners or your money back and Free Picks in the NFL football, NBA basketball, MLB baseball, NCAA college football and basketball, Nascar Racing, Arena Football nhl hockey leagues and more.
We are part of the internets Premier Sports Handicappers League with full documentation of all members on this sports betting news and info portal. Free Membership, Join Today and start Winning!
For any resources you could need like sports handicapping odds, handicapping stats, schedules, or handicappers free picks and tips please click on any of the links on the right hand side of this page.