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Date | Match Up | Rating | Score | Result | Profit | Lead Time | Analysis |
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02-03-17 | Pacers -7 v. Nets | Top | 106-97 | Win | 100 | 9 h 0 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Rickenbach NBA Game #855 Friday 10* Top Play Indiana Pacers (-) @ Brooklyn Nets @ 7:35 ET - This is a classic case of two teams heading in opposite directions so the only concern in laying the points would have to be motivation. But you can also "check the box" on that factor as well - for multiple reasons - and that is why I am laying the points with the Pacers in this one. Even though Indiana has a home game with Detroit on deck there is no way they'll look past the Nets here. That's because the Pacers have lost their last two visits to Brooklyn including their lone match-up there this season. That was Indiana's road opener and started a stretch of 5 straight road losses to begin the season. The other key factor is that the Pacers have been getting tremendous production of late from Paul George but he was held to a season-low 8 points at Orlando Wednesday and Indiana still won the game by double digits. That tells us two things as it relates to tonight's game: the Pacers supporting cast is fully capable of stepping up on an off night for George AND look for one of the NBA's best players to absolutely "go off" tonight with a huge game against one of the worst teams in the league. The Nets come into this game having gone 1-18 SU in their last 19 games. Brooklyn is also 4-14 ATS in their last 18 games. This is in stark contrast to a Pacers club that has won 11 of its last 15 games SU and has gone 4-0 ATS in its last 4 games. When Indiana enters a game on a winning streak of 3 games or more they've gone 3-1 ATS this season. When Brooklyn enters a game on a losing streak of 3 games or more, they've gone 6-16 ATS this season. The Pacers have beaten the Nets by a combined 33 points in their last two home meetings but they've lost their last two road meetings by a combined 19 points and it is time for some road revenge here. 10* INDIANA PACERS minus the points |
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02-03-17 | Western Michigan +3.5 v. Central Michigan | 82-86 | Loss | -110 | 10 h 29 m | Show | |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach CBB Game #883 Friday 8* Western Michigan Broncos (+) @ Central Michigan Chippewas @ 6:30 ET - As long-time followers know, I love to be a contrarian and this is one of those spots that is just daring bettors to invest in Western Michigan which is precisely why I am grabbing the Broncos in this spot. Note that Western Michigan is 0-12 away from home this season and Central Michigan is 9-1 at home. Overall on the season the Chippewas are 14-8 so far and the Broncos are 7-14. When you consider these factors and the fact that the Chips are at home for this game then you wonder how in the world can the Chippewas only have opened as a 4 point favorite here. Of course, as the saying goes, "the devil is in the details" and that is the key here. The Broncos have played a much tougher schedule than have the Chips this season. Also, Western Michigan is the better shooting team and Central Michigan has been held to 40.5% or less from the field in 3 of its last 5 games. The Chippewas also have a negative rebound differential while the Broncos have a positive edge in caroms off the glass on the season. Western Michigan is off of a win but gave up big points and they are 13-7 ATS when off of a game where they allowed 80 points or more. The Broncos are also 5-1 ATS in Friday games, 9-3 ATS in games against teams with a winning record, and 8-1 ATS this season in their games against teams averaging 77 points or more. Western Michigan needs a W here to draw even with the Chippewas in the MAC West so there is no shortage of motivation here. Also, the Broncos are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 against the Chips and also have 3 straight SU wins over Central Michigan. The Chippewas are 4-7 ATS this season when they are off of a game where they allowed 80 points or more and they are a long-term 6-14 ATS in Friday games. 8* WESTERN MICHIGAN BRONCOS plus the points |
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02-02-17 | Lakers +11 v. Wizards | Top | 108-116 | Win | 100 | 12 h 11 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #701 Thursday 10* Top Play Los Angeles Lakers (+) @ Washington Wizards @ 7:05 ET - The Wizards have won 15 straight home games which is the longest current home winning streak in the NBA. The Lakers have won only 5 road games this season which is fewer than any other team in the Western Conference. The combination of these two factors is likely going to have many jumping all over Washington in this one but this situation favors Los Angeles and I'll gladly grab the big points here. While the Lakers will be playing just their 2nd game in the past 7 days, the Wizards will be playing their 4th game in 7 days. Also it is easy for Washington to overlook a 17-34 team like the Lakers. I wouldn't be surprised to see a slow start for the Wizards in this one and though they should pull out the win in the end it is likely going to be by single digits as the Lakers are going to given them a tough game. Los Angeles welcomed back D'Angelo Russell in their most recent game and got the win over Denver Tuesday. Also, the Lakers could have Julius Randle back tonight. Whether Randle is back or not, I like the fact that LA has some momentum coming in off of their win over the Nuggets and I also like the fact that 4 of the Lakers last 5 defeats have come by 8 points or less. The Lakers last road trip started horribly with a bad loss at Dallas but that is the only game in their last 7 games that has resulted in a loss by more than 8 points. Lakers are playing better and are fully focused as they want to get this 5-game road trip started on the right foot. The fresher legs will prove to help as well as they had 4 days off before that victory over Denver. It is going to be difficult for a superior Eastern Conference foe to maintain their intensity against a Pacific Division opponent. In fact, the Lakers have gone 5-2 ATS this season (and 17-9 ATS the past 3 seasons) in games against Southeast Division foes. They "sneak up" on the Wizards here and end their 10-0 ATS run! 10* LOS ANGELES LAKERS |
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02-02-17 | Michigan State v. Nebraska OVER 135 | Top | 72-61 | Loss | -110 | 11 h 57 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #723 Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Nebraska Cornhuskers vs Michigan State Spartans @ 7 ET - The Spartans are off of a big rivalry win versus Michigan and that game stayed under the total. However, that was due to a solid effort on defense from Michigan State and that has been the exception rather than the norm of late. The Spartans had allowed 79.3 points per game in their three prior games and opponents shot better than 46% in all three of those games. Each of those three went over the total as Michigan State has been hot on offense as well. In their last 4 games the Spartans have averaged 71 points per game and they've shot better than 44% from three point land in all four games! Overall from the field this season Michigan State has knocked down 47.5% of their shots including 38% from beyond the arc. Nebraska allows opponents to hit 39.4% of three pointers this season and that bodes well for a big game from the Spartans here. The Huskers have allowed 78 points per game in their last 4 homes games and 3 of the 4 went over the total. Nebraska isn't known for being a powerhouse offensively but I look for the Spartans to have a slip up in defensive intensity here after their big rivalry win over the Wolverines. Before knocking off Michigan, Sparty hadn't been overly impressive on the defensive end as noted above. The over is a perfect 4-0 in Spartans road games this season. Also, when Michigan State's line in a road game is between pick'em and +3 the over has gone a perfect 6-0 the last 3 seasons. Overall, in games where the Spartans are an underdog the over is 15-4 the last 3 seasons combined. The first numbers that came up on this total yesterday were 138.5 but the O/U quickly got pushed down to 135. I'll gladly take advantage of the extra line value here as the Cornhuskers are averaging 73 points per game at home this season and they are hosting a hot-shooting Michigan State team Thursday. 10* OVER the total in Nebraska |
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02-01-17 | Pacers -2.5 v. Magic | Top | 98-88 | Win | 100 | 11 h 19 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #503 Wednesday 10* Top Play Indiana Pacers (-) @ Orlando Magic @ 7:05 ET - The Pacers are a much better home team than road team. There is no doubt about that. However, Indiana has won 10 of its last 14 games overall, including 3 in a row, and Paul George has been red hot and certainly seems to be rounding into top form again. The Pacers have won 3 of their last 5 road games and Orlando is only 8-15 at home this season. Even though the Magic just recently got Evan Fournier back, he'll take some time to round back into top form and the backcourt depth has been hurt with the absence of CJ Wilcox and Jodie Meeks. Indiana is 8-1 (SU and ATS!) in its last 9 meetings with the Magic and this is an Orlando team that enters this game having lost 13 of its last 17 games. All 13 losses for the Magic during this rough stretch have come by at least 6 points so the small point spread here certainly should not prove to be an obstacle. The Magic are 7-15-1 ATS in home games this season and have field to cover 2 of 7 as a home dog of 3 points or less. The Pacers are on a 4-1 ATS run when off of a game where they allowed 104 points or less. Orlando has been held to 98 points or less in regulation in 10 of its last 14 games. This is in stark contrast to a high-powered Indiana offense that has scored at least 100 points in 17 of its last 20 games. Lay the small number with the small road fave in this one. 10* INDIANA PACERS |
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02-01-17 | Penn State v. Indiana -6 | Top | 102-110 | Win | 100 | 10 h 59 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #526 Wednesday 10* Top Play Indiana Hoosiers (-) vs Penn State Nittany Lions @ 6:30 ET - The Hoosiers are without James Blackmon Jr. and he is their leading scorer. However, after back to back road losses (including one without Blackmon at Northwestern Saturday), Indiana will respond at home. Certainly it helps the Hoosiers that they are back home but what also helps is that they played a game without him at Northwestern Saturday. Indiana played respectable defense in that game but they shot very poorly. The Hoosiers will get back on track at home as they still have a number of solid players that can "fill it up" as guys like Robert Johnson, Thomas Bryant, Josh Newkirk, and Juwan Morgan are all capable of getting double digits in points. Also, freshman Devonte Green is likely to shoot much better at home after the guard had a tough road game against the Wildcats in his first game with extended minutes due to the Blackmon injury. Penn State is off of a home win versus Illinois but they lost their past two road games by a combined 52 points! Before a rare strong shooting night versus the Illini, the Nittany Lions had been held under 38.9% in four straight games! Look for the Lions shooting struggles to resume on the road tonight. The Hoosiers, off of back to back losses, will bring the intensity on defense for this one and this is an Indiana team that has averaged 87.3 points per game at home this season. Even without Blackmon, the Hoosiers will be able to score plenty and knock off a Penn State team that does not travel well. Even though the Nittany Lions are playing this game with home loss revenge from a month ago, PSU is an ugly 2-11 SU and 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games played with home loss revenge! That includes 0-2 SU and ATS so far this season. Indiana is on a 44-6 SU run in home games and they've gone 8-4 ATS in home games this season. Of course we're getting supreme line value here on the Hoosiers because of the Blackmon injury. A line that first opened up at 9 is all the way down to a 6 and I'll gladly fade the move and grab the great line value with the home fave that is ready to step up tonight. Lay it! 10* INDIANA HOOSIERS |
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01-31-17 | Pelicans +8 v. Raptors | 106-108 | Win | 100 | 9 h 55 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #703 Tuesday 8* New Orleans Pelicans (+) @ Toronto Raptors @ 7:05 ET - Toronto may be a popular choice here since they are off of a loss but I'll explain why, from a situational standpoint, the Raptors are actually in quite a tough spot here. First off though I just want to say that the Pelicans are the type of scrappy underdog I like to have a in a spot like this. New Orleans is coming off of a bad home loss to Washington but the Pelicans were off of a big win versus the Spurs in their prior game so losing to the Wizards was not a big surprise. Prior to knocking off San Antonio, the Pelicans lost to Oklahoma City by single digits and that game followed a New Orleans upset of Cleveland so they truly have been a tough "out" of late and they catch the Raptors at a good time to spring the upset. Toronto has a game on deck at Boston tomorrow night. Of course the Raptors are currently neck and neck with the Celtics at the top of the Atlantic Division so it's hard for Toronto to not get caught looking ahead here. That said, the Raptors weren't necessarily a lock to win this game even if they didn't have a lookahead. Toronto has lost 6 of its last 7 games and they now host a New Orleans team off of a loss and looking for revenge after getting swept by the Raptors last season - lost each game by at least 19 points! The Pelicans had shot 46% or better from the field in 6 of their last 10 games before the loss to the Wizards. By comparison, the struggling Raptors haven't shot better than 45.6% in ANY of their last SEVEN games! The revenge seeking dog, off of a loss, facing a struggling home fave in a lookhead spot, is absolutely the play here. 8* NEW ORLEANS |
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01-31-17 | Miami (OH) v. Bowling Green -5 | Top | 72-83 | Win | 100 | 11 h 34 m | Show |
Early Blowout - Rickenbach CBB Game #726 Tuesday 10* Top Play Bowling Green Falcons (-) vs Miami-Ohio Redhawks @ 7 ET - Ugly records here overall for both teams but that doesn't diminish the importance of this game to either school as this is a big rivalry match-up. From a situational perspective, this one sets up perfectly for the Falcons. Bowling Green is off of an embarrassing home loss but the key was that 4 players were suspended before that game. Two were starters including the Falcons leading scorer. How diminished was the BG roster? They actually suited up two football players just so that they could have 9 players available and one of those was a walk-on. The point is that the 96-72 home loss was not a surprise given the circumstances but the key is how that impacts this game. It probably kept this line a little lower than it should be and I expect Bowling Green to come out with a ton of fire and emotion after what happened Saturday. The Falcons are hosting a Redhawks team that is 0-8 on the road this season. Also, Miami-Ohio comes into this game having lost 6 of its last 7 overall. 6 of their 8 road losses this season have come by 7 points or more! The Falcons have won 7 of their last 10 home games and 5 of the last 6 home wins have come by double digit margins and none of the 6 victories came by less than 5 points. Look for the Redhawks to drop to 7-12 ATS when they are off of a game where they were held to 60 points or less while the Falcons improve to 4-0 ATS when this season when they are off of a game where they allowed 83 points or more. 10* BOWLING GREEN |
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01-31-17 | Ohio v. Western Michigan OVER 150.5 | 85-90 | Win | 100 | 10 h 29 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #713 Tuesday 8* OVER the total in Western Michigan Broncos vs Ohio University Bobcats @ 6 ET - The big news out of Ohio U recently was the loss of one of the MAC's best players as forward Antonio Campbell was lost for the season with a broken foot. Definitely a tough break for the Bobcats but this team continues to put up big points and shoot lights out even without Campbell. This issue for Ohio heading into this one is the fact that they have a huge game versus Akron on deck for Saturday. Couple that with the fact that the Bobcats held the Broncos to just 58 points when these teams met four weeks ago and you have a situation where Ohio's defensive intensity is unlikely to be very high for this game. That will prove to be a mistake because Western Michigan has been putting up big points of late and definitely has been scoring big at home all season long. On the season the Broncos are averaging 85 points per game at home! The problem for Western Michigan has been their defense and, in particular their perimeter defense. The Broncos are very weak against the 3-pointer (allowing 39% this season) and the Bobcats strength on offense is that they are knocking down 39% of their threes season. That said, this looks like an absolute shootout set up here as the Broncos continue to score huge at home but the hot-shooting Bobcats score big right along with them. The over is 4-0 in Ohio's last 4 games and 5-0 in Western Michigan's home games this season. This is nothing new as the over is 21-5 in Broncos home games the last three seasons combined. Also, long-term, the Broncos are 54-28 to the over when playing with road loss revenge. The Bobcats are 52-30 to the over long-term when they are off of a game where they scored 80 points or more. With the Broncos having scored 78 points or more in 5 of their last 6 games and Ohio U having averaged 83 points per game in their last 3 games, both teams are definitely "feeling it" right now and come into this game with tremendous confidence on the offensive end. 8* OVER the total in Western Michigan |
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01-30-17 | Nets v. Heat OVER 217.5 | Top | 96-104 | Loss | -105 | 11 h 57 m | Show |
Total Annihilation - Rickenbach NBA Game #501 Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Miami Heat vs Brooklyn Nets @ 7:35 ET - The Heat are 7-0 SU and ATS in their last 7 games. They're now hosting a Brooklyn team they just beat again last week. Miami is now 8-1 SU and ATS in their last 9 games against the Nets. That said, I don't expect a lot of defensive intensity from the Heat in this one. Miami knows "they got this" and they'll simply "run and gun" and that should be more than to enough for the Heat to keep enjoying their winning ways. After all, the Nets are the worst team defensively in the entire league. Brooklyn has been particularly bad on that end of the floor of late as they have allowed an average of 121 points per game in their last 9 games. Miami, thanks to winning, has lost a little bit of its intensity on the defensive end and, surprisingly, the Heat have allowed 102 points or more in 6 of their last 9 games. Miami's defense certainly could be stretched a bit by a Brooklyn offense that has averaged 111 points per game in their last 9 games. As bad as the Nets defense is, they have definitely proven capable of putting up some big points. The over is 5-1 in Brooklyn's last 6 road games. The over is 4-0 in Miami's last 4 home games against Eastern Conference foes. Though this total may seem high, note that Brooklyn is 15-7 to the over in their road games with a posted total of 210 or more this season. Also, when the Nets enter a game on a losing streak of 3 games or more, the over has gone 14-6 this season. 10* OVER the total in Miami |
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01-30-17 | Duke +1 v. Notre Dame | 84-74 | Win | 100 | 8 h 22 m | Show | |
ESPN Early Blowout - Rickenbach CBB Game #511 Monday 8* Duke Blue Devils (+) @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ 7 ET - You would have to look long and hard to find many recent situations where Duke is playing with triple revenge but that is the case here. The Fighting Irish have knocked the Blue Devils out of the ACC Tourney each of the past two seasons and, in their only regular season match-up in between Notre Dame also won and that game was at Duke! That said, the Blue Devils would love nothing more than to return the favor by knocking off the Irish on their home floor tonight. There is certainly no shortage of motivation as, in addition to the triple revenge factor, the Blue Devils are currently looking up at Notre Dame in the ACC standings! Indeed it has been some trying times for Duke with Coach K missing time, etc. However, this is still - of course! - a high quality team that is loaded with talent and they're getting about as healthy as they have been all season long. Though they are off of a non-covering win, the victory at Wake Forest Saturday was still a big one for Duke as they'll now be seeking their 3rd win in 4 games tonight and it is important for the confidence of the young Blue Devils that they showed a lot of grit and determination in rising up to knock off the Demon Deacons on the road in a close game. The Fighting Irish had been rolling in close games but Notre Dame has now lost three of its last four games including 2 by 3 points or less. They're starting to question themselves internally and that makes this a bad time to be hosting one of the most talented teams in the country that also is motivated by being in the underdog role and playing with revenge. Duke is knocking down 48% of their shots in conference action while Notre Dame has been held to 44.6% in ACC action and has particularly struggled (under 42%) in each of their last two games. The Blue Devils are 8-2 SU this season when they are off of a game where they scored 80 points or more. The Fighting Irish are 0-3 ATS this season when they are off of a game where they scored 66 points or less. Also, Notre Dame is 6-13 ATS long-term in home games with a posted total in a range of 150 to 154.5 points. A lot of points expected here and the Blue Devils are the hotter shooting team while the Irish are slumping. 8* DUKE |
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01-30-17 | Kings v. 76ers +1 | 119-122 | Win | 100 | 8 h 3 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #546 Monday 8* Philadelphia 76'ers (+) vs Sacramento Kings @ 7:35 ET - Many are fading the Sixers because this is a back to back spot and Joel Embiid, even though he didn't play yesterday, is listed as questionable for tonight due to knee soreness. However, the 76'ers have been playing well, even when Embiid has missed, and although this is a back to back spot for Philly the Kings scheduling situation is arguably worse. This game was rescheduled from November 30th when the court was unplayable due to too much moisture. The result is that this game is now near the tail-end of a lengthy Sacramento road trip. The Kings have a game at Houston tomorrow night that wraps up a stretch of 8 games in 12 days and all have been on the road! As for the Sixers, even though they are playing their 7th game in 11 days at least they are at home and they don't have a game tomorrow. Look for Philly to go "all out" in this game tonight. Yesterday the Sixers were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time as the Bulls were desperate for a win and had been "called out" by their coach, it was their first game that followed starters not starting, etc. Now the Sixers catch a road-weary Kings team that is off of a win and Philadelphia has revenge on its mind after falling just short against the Kings in Sacramento 5 weeks ago. Philly, even with yesterday's non-cover, is still a red-hot 12-3 ATS in its last 15 games. The Kings are a short road favorite here and let's not forget they were 4-11 SU in their last 15 games before eking out a win at Charlotte Saturday. The resurgent Sixers have been particularly tough at home where they have covered 7 in a row. Look for that 7-0 ATS run to add another W Monday. 8* PHILADELPHIA |
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01-29-17 | 76ers v. Bulls OVER 205 | Top | 108-121 | Win | 100 | 11 h 5 m | Show |
Total Annihilation - Rickenbach NBA Game #843 Sunday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Chicago Bulls vs Philadelphia 76'ers @ 7:05 ET - The Sixers, even though off of a loss, continue to be a "story" in the NBA as they are playing their best basketball of the season. Each of the 76'ers last 4 games have gone over the total and they've shot 50% or better in each of their last 3 games. The fact that Joel Embiid is going to sit for this game doesn't necessarily hurt our play on the over because that is a significant defensive presence that now won't be out there to disrupt shots or clear the defensive glass. I expect the Sixers to continue their hot shooting but their defense will struggle to stop a determined Bulls team. Chicago is coming off of an ugly home loss to Miami and that was a game in which Wade and Butler did not start. There was/is a lot of in-fighting going on among Bulls players right now but now that a "statement" was sent in their last game, and Chicago was held to 88 points, look for the Bulls to get back on track here. They have a history of success putting up big numbers against the Sixers and that has played a key role in 7 straight overs before November's Bulls win (Chicago totaled 105 points) stayed under the total. I'll gladly test the 7-1 over streak with this match-up as I expect Wade and Butler to come out with fire in this one. Overall, the over is 29-12 in Bulls games against the Atlantic Division and the over is a perfect 3-0 in Chicago's Sunday games this season. The over is 4-1 this season in Sixers road games with a posted total between 205 and 209.5 points. The way Philadelphia has been moving the ball on offense and getting open looks, I look for another strong effort here. The 76'ers averaged 117.7 points in their last 3 games while the Bulls averaged 105.3 points per game in their 3 games before the debacle against the Heat. Look for a great pace to this game to help our cause as the Bulls come out fired up to attack on offense. 10* OVER the total in Chicago |
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01-29-17 | South Florida +24.5 v. Cincinnati | Top | 53-94 | Loss | -105 | 6 h 25 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach CBB Game #869 Sunday 10* Top Play South Florida Bulls (+) @ Cincinnati Bearcats @ 4 ET - The Bulls definitely fit the bill as an "ugly dog" as they are still winless in conference action while Cincinnati is undefeated in American Athletic Conference action. However, the set-up here is perfect for a South Florida team (playing a little better since coach change) to keep this one well within the inflated spread range. For the Bulls, this is an opportunity to go hard against a ranked conference foe. For the Bearcats, they just want to win and move on. The Cats are off of a huge win over Xavier in their city rivalry game that just took place Thursday. Not only was that a big win for the Bearcats, Cincinnati has a road game up next with Tulsa. The Golden Hurricane only have 2 losses in conference action and will present a formidable challenge for the Cats. With that said, this is a true "sandwich spot" as Cincy is off of a tight, emotional win over a city rival and has a big road conference game on deck. Even if the Bearcats do get up big in this game there is simply no reason to "pour it on" and I see this game being decided by no more than 18 points. Cincy blew out the Bulls in their most recent match-up but the two prior games were Bearcats wins by an average margin of just 4 points a game. South Florida is on a 12-4 ATS run as a road dog of 12.5 points or more. The Bulls have shot the ball a little better and averaged 63 points per game in their last 6 games and if they hit that average the Bearcats would have to get to nearly 90 points to cover in this one. That has only happened once in Cincinnati's last 8 games. Grab the big points in this one. 10* SOUTH FLORIDA BULLS |
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01-29-17 | Virginia v. Villanova -5 | Top | 59-61 | Loss | -110 | 4 h 3 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #850 Sunday 10* Top Play Villanova Wildcats (-) vs Virginia Cavaliers @ 1 ET - The Cavaliers are known for their defense but they've actually allowed opponents to connect in the mid-forties from the field over their last 8 games - basically since conference action got underway. The Wildcats aren't quite as heralded for their defense but yet, prior to the upset loss at Marquette, they had allowed only about 40% from the field over their last 10 games. Villanova is fired up to respond after a very rare poor shooting night resulted in a loss to the Golden Eagles. The Wildcats shot a ridiculous 17.6% from three point land. The Cavaliers, again even though known for defending well, had struggled against the three ball in their last 6 games prior to a dominating win at Notre Dame. With the Cavs off of that big win and the Cats off of an upset loss, this one sets up nice. We get some extra line value as a result of those most recent games and, keep in mind, the Wildcats are at home and are seeking revenge for a loss at Virginia last season. The Cats show the ball very well in five straight games before the loss in Milwaukee and they'll get right back on track here. Nova is 6-0 SU (and 5-1 ATS) when off of a loss to a conference foe. Also, the Cavs are 10-30 SU (and 15-25 ATS) as a road dog of 3.5 to 6 points. The Cavaliers are also on a long-term 7-17 ATS run against Big East opponents. Payback is on order here and I look for the Wildcats to get it as this team is strong off of a loss! 10* VILLANOVAÂ |
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01-28-17 | Celtics +1.5 v. Bucks | Top | 112-108 | Win | 100 | 8 h 27 m | Show |
THE Game of the Month - Rickenbach NBA Game #505 Saturday 10* Top Play Boston Celtics (+) @ Milwaukee Bucks @ 8:05 ET - Both teams are in a back to back. The Celtics won in a blowout and the Bucks lost in a blowout. That will likely have many backing Milwaukee since they are at home for this one. However, neither team had to go extended minutes on any of their players last night and the Celtics are the better team and playing the much better basketball. More on that shortly. First off, lets also note the following stats in the 2nd day of back to backs: The Bucks are 2-7 ATS this season and 17-33 SU the past 3 seasons combined! The Celtics are a phenomenal 7-3 SU this season and 31-15 ATS the past 3 seasons combined! You can see that back to back spots have clearly favored Boston over Milwaukee. Also, the Bucks come into this game slumping and their defense has been atrocious of late. This has played a large role in Milwaukee going 1-7 (both SU and ATS) in their last 8 games. As for the Celtics, they are expected to have Al Horford back for this game and certainly they've adjusted well since Avery Bradley got hurt. Long-term the Celtics are on a 15-6 SU run and, on the road, Boston has gone 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games. This line has been flip-flopping this morning but, no matter what, it is still noteworthy that in road games where the Celtics line is between a pick'em and -3 Boston has gone 7-0 SU and ATS this season! The Bucks are a horrible 1-9 ATS against Atlantic Division opponents this season. The Celtics have averaged just 12.7 turnovers per game in their last 7 games. The Bucks have turned the ball over 19 times in each of their last 3 games. Boston has held 10 of its last 12 opponents to 47.1% or less from the field. Milwaukee has allowed 3 of its last 4 foes to knock down better than 50.5% of their shots from the field. This one has the makings of a road rout. 10* BOSTON |
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01-28-17 | Pistons v. Heat OVER 203 | Top | 103-116 | Win | 100 | 9 h 49 m | Show |
Total Annihilation - Rickenbach NBA Game #503 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Miami Heat vs Detroit Pistons @ 7:35 ET - Both teams are playing very well on the offensive end right now. The Pistons have won 3 of their last 4 games and have averaged 109 points per game during this 4-game stretch. The Heat have won 6 straight games and have shot the ball very well over their last 7 games while averaging 105.6 points per game in these 7 games. Surprisingly, though they've been hot on offense, big posted totals have led to the under actually going a perfect 3-0 in Miami's last 3 games. This only the 5th time that has happened this season. The first four times it happened the Heat have gone a perfect 4-0 to the over in their next game! Also, the over is 5-3 in the 2nd game of back to backs for Miami and the Heat are 5-1 to the over in Saturday games this season. The Pistons come into this game with fresh legs as they have been off since Monday. Detroit has gone over the total in 3 straight games and 10 of its last 13 games! The over is 15-8 when the Pistons enter a game having played each of their 3 prior games at home. Also, the over is 9-3 in Detroit's last 12 games against Southeast Division opponents. Both teams have been winning plus shooting the ball very well. That leads to defensive lapses and I expect plenty of offense in this one especially with Hassan Whiteside of the Heat still dealing with an ankle injury and that limits the Heat defensively and on the defensive glass. 10* OVER the total in Miami |
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01-28-17 | Kansas +7 v. Kentucky | Top | 79-73 | Win | 100 | 9 h 42 m | Show |
THE GAME KU/UK - Rickenbach CBB Game #703 Saturday 10* Top Play Play Kansas Jayhawks (+) @ Kentucky Wildcats @ 6:15 ET - With all the distractions going on the best possible thing for the Jayhawks is to simply "play basketball" and that is why I love Kansas in this spot. With the suspension of Carlton Bragg and then the investigation into a dorm incident (unrelated to the Bragg suspension) there has been a lot of "noise" around the KU basketball program right now. Of course coach Bill Self just wants to get his team back on the floor and "see how they respond" Saturday but I have very little doubt about how they'll respond. The Jayhawks are off of an embarrassing loss by a double digit margin at West Virginia Tuesday and they're fired up and ready to go for this opportunity to atone for that loss on the biggest possible stage. This shot at the Wildcats truly could not have come at a better time for a Jayhawk program that needs to make some positive headlines after all that has transpired just recently. Keep in mind Kansas had won 18 in a row before the loss to the Mountaineers and the Jayhawks have knocked down 40% or better from beyond the arc in 6 of their last 7 games. The Wildcats have been held to 26.3% or worse from 3-point land in three of their last six games. Kentucky's defense, including perimeter D, has truly struggled over these 6 games as well. The Jayhawks have played a slightly tougher schedule this season and I like the fact that KU is undervalued by the betting markets right now because of what just happened at Huntington and the fact that Kansas is only 6-12 ATS on the season. The Jayhawks are 9-0 SU when off of a loss to a conference rival and also 9-0 SU (and 7-2 ATS) when they are off of a game where they allowed 80 points or more. Kentucky may eke out a win here but, this one should go to the wire and be decided only by a possession (or two at the most) and that means value with the big points. Look for the Wildcats to drop to 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games as their slump continues. 10* KANSAS JAYHAWKS |
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01-28-17 | St. Louis v. George Washington OVER 128 | Top | 55-63 | Loss | -110 | 7 h 2 m | Show |
Total of the Month - Rickenbach CBB Game #571 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in George Washington Colonials vs St Louis Billikens @ 4 ET - This game is a little "off of the beaten path" but oftentimes that is where the best value is found, especially for a total play. In this particular match-up we have a situation where both teams are coming off of wins where they each put up a bunch of points. That helps because it not only boosts the confidence of the offense but it can also lead, sometimes unconsciously, to more relaxed defense. The key to play here is, of course, line value. The Colonials are favored by 14 points here and the Billikens have scored 65 points in each of their last two meetings with George Washington. I see no reason why St Louis shouldn't again get to that number today and that means if the odds makers are right (as they so often are) we should see a 79-65 type game here. Of course that totals 144 points which is well above the 128 total that has been placed on this game. The reason for the low posted total here is the fact that the Billikens recently lost their top scorer and, overall, haven't scored well on the season. But what I like about St Louis here is the fact they are off of a game where they just made a ton of trips to the free throw line plus knocked down threes at a respectable rate (7 of 20). St Louis has hit at least 35% from three point land in 9 of its last 11 games. The Billikens will take advantage of a George Washington team not known for its perimeter defense as GW has allowed 37.5% threes on the season. The Colonials offense has been hot from long range as they've knocked down at least 40% from three point land in 8 of their last 11 games! George Washington has only seen 2 of their 20 games this season finish with a total of less than 128 points this season. I know the posted total is low here because of St Louis but it is simply too low in my opinion. The Billikens have allowed an average of nearly 73 points per game in their last 8 games and their D has not impressed during this run. The over is 5-2 in George Washington home games with a posted total in the 120s. Also, the over is 10-5 when GW is off of a game where they scored 80 points or more. When facing a team that averages less than 64 points per game, the Colonials have gone 5-1 to the over. More of the same here. 10* OVER the total in George Washington |
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01-28-17 | Maryland +4.5 v. Minnesota | 85-78 | Win | 100 | 6 h 10 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #537 Saturday 8* Maryland Terrapins (+) @ Minnesota Golden Gophers @ 2 ET - The line makes sense here, from the standpoint that the Golden Gophers are at home and getting the "shading" of home court edge plus have played a slightly tougher schedule than the Terrapins have this season. However, I am not convinced about where Minnesota is at "mentally" for this game as they have now lost 4 straight games. Granted the last 3 defeats have all been close but now the Gophers are laying a couple buckets against a Terps team that is playing well and comes into this game seeking revenge for a loss here as a double digit favorite last season. Maryland has won and covered 5 straight games entering this match-up. The Terrapins are also 7-0 ATS (and SU!) as an underdog this season. Simply put, they have thrived in the underdog role this season and they'll use that as extra motivation here - not that they needed it considering they lost here last year. Minnesota's loss at Penn State two weeks ago said a lot about this Golden Gophers team. They had no business losing that game as they were off of a loss to Michigan State and catching the Nittany Lions off of a huge emotional win over those same Spartans in a "special game" played in Philly. When Minny blew that game you knew troubles were coming and their losing streak has now reached 4 straight games as they have since allowed 50% shooting in back to back games. In comparing these two teams the Terrapins have been playing the much better defense of late and, in fact, on the season the Terps have only allowed better than 46.3% one single time! 8* MARYLAND |
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01-27-17 | Nets +15 v. Cavs | Top | 116-124 | Win | 100 | 12 h 44 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Game #857 Friday 10* Top Play Brooklyn Nets (+) @ Cleveland Cavaliers @ 7:35 ET - The Cavaliers are struggling and, as a result, many will likely be looking to back them here after a home loss. However, there are a number of issues with that. Historically, playing teams off of an overtime loss is often a dicey play as OT losses are toughest on a team's psyche and, the fact is the Cavs were already fragile before losing at home to the Kings on Wednesday. Another factor going against Cleveland here is simply the large spread. The Cavaliers are not only trying to get back on track here but they're being asked to cover a 15 point spread. This seems to be far too much considering Brooklyn has been playing a little bit better. The Nets actually led the Heat by 18 points in what was an eventual 3 point loss at Miami Wednesday. That means that 3 of Brooklyn's last 4 losses were decided by an average of 6.7 points per game. By the way, the one win in their there was a Nets "explosion" on offense as they erupted for 143 points at New Orleans last Friday. Certainly the Brooklyn D is not a strength but their offense has averaged 110.6 points per game in their last 7 games and it is that type of offensive production that makes a team dangerous in terms of a backdoor cover as well. The point is that even if the Cavs are fortunate enough to get up by 20 points in this game, when they start emptying the bench and looking ahead to a weekend showdown with OKC, the Nets can very easily get this one back to a 10 or 12 point game. The fact is I feel this one will be decided by single digits as the Cavs are just looking to get back into the win column after losing 3 straight and 6 of their last 8. Cleveland's ATS numbers are even worse as they've covered only 3 times in their last 15 games - a 20% ATS clip! Other than a blowout loss versus San Antonio (one of the hottest teams in the league) the Nets have looked much better over the past week and a half and everyone gets up for facing the Cavs. In other words, look for another strong effort from the hungry road dog in this one as Cleveland's issues continue. The Cavaliers are an ugly 6-14 ATS in their games against teams with a losing record this season. The Nets are 8-4 ATS when playing with home loss revenge and they lost to the Cavs by 8 points in Brooklyn three weeks ago. I wouldn't be surprised to see another 8 point loss for the Nets here and that means plenty of line value with the big points here. 10* BROOKLYN NETS |
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01-27-17 | Dartmouth v. Columbia -7.5 | Top | 54-66 | Win | 100 | 12 h 44 m | Show |
Earliest Cash Top Play - Rickenbach CBB Game #874 Friday 10* Top Play Columbia Lions (-) vs Dartmouth Big Green @ 7 ET - Columbia entered Saturday's match-up versus the Big Red having won 3 straight games and covered 3 straight games. This included Friday's outright upset win at Cornell. After three straight victories, the Lions did not get the job done on their home floor Saturday and that sets this one up perfectly. Columbia is at home, off of a home loss, they are well rested, and they are facing a bad Dartmouth team. Coming into the season the Big Green knew that their biggest need was a playmaking guard. That hasn't materialized for coach David McLaughlin as his team has 15 turnovers compared to just 11 assists per game and their leading assist man is only averaged 2 assists per game. Columbia, though they lost a lot of talent from last season's team, are in a much better spot for success this season. Their new coach, Jim Engles, was an assistant with the Lions from 2003 to 2008 and then went on to have a successful run as a head coach at NJIT. He's now back with Columbia but, thanks to his familiarity with the program, there wasn't much of a transition period. As a result, the Lions may surprise some teams in conference action this season and certainly they should have no trouble with a Big Green team they annihilated by an average of 18 points per game in last season's two meetings. In lined games this season, Dartmouth is 0-7 SU (and only 1-6 ATS). As a road dog of 6.5 to 9 points in recent seasons, the Big Green have gone 0-5 SU (and 1-4 ATS). The Lions have a long-term mark of 23-6 SU (and 18-11 ATS) in games where they are a home favorite in a range of 6.5 to 9 points. Columbia is at home and the Lions defend better, shoot better, have more playmaking ability, take better care of the basketball, and are motivated off of a loss that snapped a 3-game winning streak. Look for a blowout home win here. 10* COLUMBIA LIONS |
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01-26-17 | Pacers v. Wolves -3 | 109-103 | Loss | -110 | 13 h 53 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #702 Thursday 8* Minnesota Timberwolves (-) vs Indiana Pacers @ 8:05 ET - The Timberwolves have won 3 straight games and 6 of their last 8. As a young team, momentum and confidence are very important and Minnesota certainly has all that on their side after Wiggins nailed a jumper at the buzzer for a win at Phoenix Tuesday. Indeed the Wolves come rolling into this game with confidence and are happy to be back home where they have won 4 straight and 7 of their last 10. Minnesota is seeking revenge in this one as the Pacers got the win in both match-ups last season. Indiana comes into this game heading the opposite direction with 3 straight losses and would love to get back on track but the road has not been kind to them. The Pacers are 6-15 (both SU and ATS) in road games this season and they also are 7-17 ATS in all games with a posted total of 210 or more this season. The Timberwolves are 6-2 ATS in home games with a posted total of 210 or more and they are playing their best basketball of the season right now. Look for them to stay red hot here as Indiana's lineup change (CJ Miles starting instead of Glenn Robinson) certainly did not go well as he made only 4 of 14 in Monday's home loss to New York. Simpy put, the Pacers are trying to "find it" right now while the Timberwolves have already "found it" in terms of team chemistry and player rotations. 8* MINNESOTA |
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01-26-17 | Xavier v. Cincinnati -5 | 78-86 | Win | 100 | 11 h 58 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #710 Thursday 8* Cincinnati Bearcats (-) vs Xavier Musketeers @ 7 ET - The Bearcats are fired up even more than usual for this year's Crosstown Shootout as the big battle for bragging rights in Cincy takes place Thursday. Xavier has won three straight meetings and Cincinnati's senior class certainly doesn't want to go down in history as the first Bearcats class ever to not defeat the Musketeers in their 4-year careers! This is a quality Cats team this season with a 17-2 record (including 11-0 at home) and, even though Xavier has held the upper hand in this series in recent years, this is Cincy coach Mick Cronin's best team in his 11 years here. The Musketeers are off of a win but had previously lost three straight and that included a home loss to Creighton in the game where the Bluejays lost their star guard in the first half. We are now seeing just how bad Creighton has been without Maurice Watson and that makes that Xavier home loss even more "inexcusable". The fact is the Musketeers just aren't as strong this season as they've been in prior years and, as their schedule has toughened up, the losses have mounted. I expect another on here. Xavier is an ugly 1-4 (both SU and ATS) in road games this season. The Musketeers also 0-3 SU and ATS as an underdog this season. Statistically, Cincinnati is allowing a field goal percentage of only 36.8% while the Musketeers allow 43.6%. Also, the Bearcats are shooting a solid 48% from the field compared to 45% for Xavier. Indeed Cincy has "shooters" this season and they've also gotten bigger inside. They're going to be tough in a setting where it is a home game they view as a "must win". 8* CINCINNATI |
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01-26-17 | Texas-San Antonio v. Marshall -14 | Top | 71-92 | Win | 100 | 9 h 57 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach CBB Game #724 Thursday - 10* Top Play Marshall Thundering Herd (-) vs UTSA Roadrunners @ 7 ET - The Thundering Herd have been getting off to slow starts in their games and so they aim to come out strong from the opening tip in the middle game of a 3-game homestand. Marshall also has revenge against UTSA as the Roadrunners handed the Thundering Herd a loss in Huntington in their only trip here. I see this spot as a great spot for Marshall to not only get revenge but to get it in blowout fashion. They are motivated to start out strong, as noted above, and their #1 C-USA ranked offense is simply going to be too much for the Runners to keep up with. Marshall is averaging 92 points per home game while UTSA is averaging only 61 points per road game this season. As you can see that is a 31-point differential but, what is keeping this line in check is the fact that the Roadrunners have some solid defensive numbers on the season. However, that has been helped by facing a weak schedule thus far (including the C-USA opponents that UTSA has faced). In other words, the Runners defense, although improved, is simply over-rated right now and their offense is too anemic to keep up with the high-powered Herd in this one. The Roadrunners are 2-10 SU (and 2-7 ATS) when off of a game where they allowed 60 points or less. Also, the Runners are 2-8 SU (and 2-5 ATS) in their games against teams averaging 77 points or more per game. The Thundering Herd are on a long-term 24-9 ATS run as a favorite and Marshall is on a long-term 26-12 ATS run when they are off of a game where they scored 80 points or more. Look for the Thundering Herd to stay hot and add to their fantastic mark of 10-0 SU (and 7-0 ATS) in home games this season! 10* MARSHALL |
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01-25-17 | 76ers +11 v. Bucks | Top | 114-109 | Win | 100 | 10 h 11 m | Show |
Contrarian Game of the Month - Rickenbach NBA Game #507 Wednesday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76'ers (+) @ Milwaukee Bucks @ 8:05 ET - The Bucks will be a popular play here since they are at home, seeking revenge, and catching the Sixers in a back to back. However, the 76'ers are on the top of roll right now that, no matter the situation, they are going to be a tough out for anyone. Philadelphia has now won 9 of its last 12 games and they've gone 10-2 ATS during this stretch. Also, Philly has covered 3 of its last 4 match-ups with the Bucks including winning in Milwaukee earlier this month. Though Joel Embiid is expected to miss again tonight, the Sixers got huge frontcourt production from Noel and Holmes last night and Okafor may be available tonight. Even though this a back to back spot for the Sixers they did have have a pair of off days prior to this and they have a non-conference game on deck. Even though the Sixers are off of a big upset win last night (over the Clippers) they have gone 9-5 ATS this season when off of an upset win as an underdog. Also, the 76'ers are 12-6 ATS this season when playing against teams with a losing record. Philadelphia is 6-1 ATS against Central Division opponents this season and Milwaukee is 1-7 ATS against Atlantic Division opponents this season. The Bucks also are a long-term 19-37 ATS as a home favorite of 9.5 to 12 points. Milwaukee is only 8-15 ATS this season against teams with a losing record and, off of a big win over Houston and with a tough match-up at Toronto on deck, the Bucks may struggle to fully focus on the Sixers in this one. Milwaukee was 2-8 ATS before their win and cover over the Rockets and this pointspread tonight is heavily inflated considering the way the 76'ers are playing right now. Also, only one player logged more than 29 minutes for Philly in last night's win over the Clippers. 10* PHILADELPHIA |
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01-25-17 | Kings +11.5 v. Cavs | 116-112 | Win | 100 | 9 h 22 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #501 Wednesday 8* Sacramento Kings (+) @ Cleveland Cavaliers @ 7:05 ET - Everyone will be lining up on Cleveland here but, as is typical for my contrarian style, I like to be on the other side of what looks like a "must play" on the Cavaliers. The fact is that the Cavaliers are having struggles, as many teams do, when they are off of a championship season. It's just had to find that motivation or extra added edginess when you've already reached the top of the mountain. That said, I don't expect the Cavaliers to be too excited about facing a non-conference team with a 17-30 record that they already beat earlier this season and whom they swept last season. The Cavs are on a 2-9 ATS run and I expect them to get the win here but look for the margin to be single digits. The Kings are off of a road win, will be motivated by revenge here, have won 4 of their last 7 road games and gone 5-2 ATS in the process. The Cavs are 6-13 ATS against teams with a losing record this season. Cleveland is also 4-12 ATS when they are off of a non-conference game. It's just difficult for a team like the Cavs to "get up" for a game unless they are facing a team like the Warriors or Spurs or a top tier Eastern Conference foe. The Kings are 4-1 ATS in road games with a posted total of 210 points or more this season. 8* SACRAMENTO |
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01-25-17 | Creighton -130 v. Georgetown | Top | 51-71 | Loss | -130 | 10 h 48 m | Show |
Big East Game of the Year - Rickenbach CBB Game #539 Wednesday - 10* Top Play Creighton Bluejays (-) @ Georgetown Hoyas @ 7 ET - Georgetown is currently among the cellar dwellers of the Big East as their 1-6 conference record ranks them at the bottom with DePaul and the Hoyas are just behind St John's - the only other team in Big East that doesn't have an overall winning record this season. The significance in this is an amazing factoid relating to this game. On January 26th of last year, the Hoyas beat Creighton 74-73 right here in Georgetown. Since that game, the Hoyas have lost 16 straight Big East games against teams not named DePaul or St John's. In other words, the Hoyas have proven unable to get the job done against the better teams in the Big East and I look for that record to fall to 0-17 for Georgetown in a game where the spread on Creighton has dropped so low (from opener of -4 down to a -1.5) that it is offering the opportunity to simply play the Bluejays on the money line in this one. Of course I am aware of the career ending injury for Maurice Watson but Creighton was not winning games because of one player and one player only. The Bluejays have plenty of talent and they'll be ready to go after a tight loss to Marquette in a game where the Golden Eagles simply shot phenomenally well. That loss also looks a lot better now too after the Eagles also knocked off the #1 team in the nation with their upset win over Villanova last night. The point is that Creighton is still a very good team, even without Watson, and I am going to challenge the Hoyas to try and keep up in this game. Keep in mind, the Bluejays scored 94 points Saturday and that was without Watson. Also, they held on to win at Xavier in their prior game and that was the game in which they lost Watson to injury in the first half. That is also the same Musketeers team that just beat the Hoyas by double digits even though Georgetown shot 54% from the field in the game and that says a lot that they shot so well and still lost. The Hoyas have problems throughout their game right now and I look for Creighton to get revenge for the loss here last year plus the fact they were knocked out of the Big East tourney by Georgetown two years ago. That will take the aforementioned "play against" angle involving the Hoyas to 17-0 as they continue to struggle against all Big East foes other than the cellar dwellers. The Bluejays are 5-0 SU and ATS on the road this season so we are testing angles that are a combined 21-0 with this top play selection. 10* CREIGHTON |
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01-25-17 | Memphis v. Temple -1 | 66-77 | Win | 100 | 10 h 3 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #522 Wednesday 8* Temple Owls (-) vs Memphis Tigers @ 6 ET - Temple has had a full week off after losing at #20 Cincinnati (a game which the Owls led at halftime). A week off can be problematic but not only did Temple need it (due to their tough start in conference action), they also have thrived in recent seasons when playing with extra rest. When the Owls enter a game with 5 or 6 days of rest between games they have gone 6-1 ATS. The 6 days off since playing last Wednesday allowed Temple to focus on its most glaring weakness, defense, and they'll be ready to put forth a strong defensive effort here. The key guys in the Owls rotation include two guys who are at least 6'10 and three guys who are at least 6'7 and this size and length on defense will slow down a Memphis team that has been playing well. The problem for the Tigers is a match-up issue and Temple has covered 4 straight in this series. The Owls are fired up after letting the game against the Bearcats slip away and Temple is 5-1 ATS when they are off of a game where they allowed 80 points or more. Also, the Owls have a long-term mark of 17-5 (both SU and ATS!) when they are at home with a line ranging from pick'em to a -3. That said, the line on today's game is certainly in their sweet spot. Memphis is 8-21 SU (and 10-19 ATS) when they are an underdog and, as usual, the odds makers don't give away free money. Many will look at this game with the Tigers hot and the Owls not and they'll jump all over the road team. I look for the rejuvenated, refreshed, and refocused Owls to get the job done on their home floor. 8* TEMPLE |
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01-24-17 | Villanova v. Marquette OVER 152.5 | Top | 72-74 | Loss | -105 | 12 h 41 m | Show |
TV Top Game - Rickenbach CBB Game #737 Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Marquette Golden Eagles vs Villanova Wildcats @ 8 ET - The Golden Eagles defense and rebounding are both glaring concerns. Marquette is not going to stop Villanova from scoring a ton of points in this one. However, the Wildcats defense may not be at it's sharpest here. Keep in mind, Nova already obliterated the Golden Eagles 93-81 two and a half weeks ago in Philly. Note the Wildcats led that game by as much as 30 points and the final score is not fully indicative of just how much of a blowout win it was for Villanova. As a result, it is going to be difficult for the Wildcats to have the mindset of a team that is going to come in to Milwaukee and play with a lot of defensive intensity tonight. Complicating the situation for Villanova is that they have a date with a ranked Virginia team on deck. That game is being played at Villanova on Sunday and may very well end up being the highest ranked team that the Wildcats face on their home floor this entire season. As a result, that game is of the utmost importance to Villanova and I would not be surprised to see the Wildcats not fully focused on the Golden Eagles here as they start peeking ahead to the big match-up with the Cavaliers. Though the Wildcats are a strong team all the way around (including defense) they did allow Marquette to hit 45% of their threes in the match-up earlier this month. A repeat performance would not surprise because now the Golden Eagles are at home and they have been nailing threes like crazy this season. It's now 13 straight games that Marquette has shot at least 37.5% from three point land! In 10 of those 13 games the Golden Eagles shot at least 42.9% from beyond the arc! Marquette does tend to put up a lot of points but they have allowed 80 points or more in 4 of their last 5 games. One of those games did go to OT but they allowed 77 points in regulation of that game. Look for a high-scoring shootout here as the Golden Eagles will be amped up for hosting the #1 team in the nation but their only hope here is to have a huge game offensively because their porous defense won't be able to stop the Wildcats. The over is 15-7 in Wildcats games where they are a road fave of 3.5 to 6 points. The over is 17-10 in Villanova's road games the past 3 seasons. The over is 5-1 this season in games where Marquette is an underdog. The over is 14-7 the past 3 seasons when the Golden Eagles are off of a game where they allowed 80 points or more. 10* OVER the total in Marquette |
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01-24-17 | Bulls -135 v. Magic | 100-92 | Win | 100 | 11 h 23 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #703 Tuesday - 8* Chicago Bulls (-) @ Orlando Magic @ 7:05 ET - As of early Tuesday morning this line is a -2.5 but the money line is available as low as -135 and that makes that option certainly worth a look as well. The fact is that the backcourt situation for the Magic is a real problem right now. Starters and depth have both been impacted as each of the following four players (all guards) are dealing with injury issues: Evan Fournier, Jodie Meeks, CJ Wilcox, and DJ Augustin. Look for the Bulls to take advantage. Even though Orlando has revenge from a blowout loss at Chicago earlier this season, the Bulls haven't forgotten what happened to them the last time they visited Orlando. That was an ugly loss by 22 points for Chicago and they'll look at make amends for that road loss by getting the W over the short-handed Magic in this one. Orlando has lost 10 of its last 13 games. The Magic have also failed to cover 4 of their last 5 home games. Chicago lost its most recent road game and also failed to cover in the defeat but, previously, the Bulls had covered 3 of their last 4 road games. The Bulls are 4-2 SU and ATS this season when playing with 2 days of rest between games. Also, Chicago is 21-13 ATS (and 24-10 SU!) the past three seasons combined when they enter a game off of two days of rest. The Magic are on a 14-27 ATS run (and 7-34 SU) in January games! Also, Orlando has lost 33 of their last 45 games against teams from the Central Division. Grab the rested road team in this one as the struggles for the Magic continue. 8* CHICAGO |
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01-24-17 | Auburn +9.5 v. South Carolina | 69-98 | Loss | -108 | 10 h 43 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #713 Tuesday 8* Auburn Tigers (+) @ South Carolina Gamecocks @ 6:30 ET - Auburn is making great strides in their 3rd year under head coach Bruce Pearl. Often it is the 3rd season where things start to click under a new coach and the veteran Pearl has this team playing quite well even though they rely heavily on freshmen. One of those is Danjel Purifoy who should be even stronger in his 2nd game back after returning from an ankle injury. Speaking of injuries, even though I do expect South Carolina's PJ Dozier to return for this one, he is unlikely to be 100% as he is recovering from back spasms that have hindered him. That means the Gamecocks will rely too heavily on Sindarius Thornwell. Even though he is off of a huge 34 point performance against Kentucky, South Carolina still lost by 16 points. The Gamecocks beat the Tigers by a dozen points at Auburn last season so this is a revenge game. The Tigers certainly have a good recent history here as Auburn has won 8 of the last 9 meetings (both SU and ATS) in South Carolina! Auburn is 3-2 SU (and 4-1 ATS) on the road this season. Also, the Tigers are 5-2 ATS as an underdog and 5-2 ATS after scoring 80 points or more this season. Off of back to back home wins (and having won 3 of their last 4 games overall), Auburn is a young team is quickly growing with confidence and is well-coach. Add those factors together and you have a revenge-seeking Tigers team that is going to give the Gamecocks all they can handle in this one. Grab the big points. 8* AUBURN |
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01-23-17 | Spurs v. Nets +12.5 | Top | 112-86 | Loss | -115 | 11 h 41 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #506 Monday 10* Top Play Brooklyn Nets (+) vs San Antonio Spurs @ 7:35 ET - The Nets are hell-bent on turning things around and I like what I have been seeing from them. Brooklyn is coming off of a pair of road games where they won big at New Orleans (143-114) and then showed a lot of heart in their next game even though it was a back to back situation. After the big win over the Pelicans, the Nets visited Charlotte the next night and they got down huge early (not surprising given the rare road win the night before) but they battled all the way back to eventually take a lead in the 4th quarter. Granted the lead was brief but the resilience and mettle that Brooklyn showed in that game was something to take note of. I expect another huge effort from the Nets here and they are a big home dog to the Spurs so it is a perfect spot to take Brooklyn. While the Nets will be fully focused on this "opportunity" against one of the best teams in the NBA, it is a tough situational spot for the Spurs. They are off of their big OT win at Cleveland Saturday night and Kawhi Leonard logged a career-high 46 minutes in that game. In terms of team depth San Antonio is still without Pau Gasol and Tony Parker. The poor scheduling spot for the Spurs is because, not only did they beat the Cavs in OT Saturday, they have a trip to Toronto on deck to face the Raptors tomorrow. These are the types of games where coach Gregg Popovich will alter his playing rotations and minutes to make sure the Spurs have a lot left in the tank for the tough match-up with Toronto that is immediately on deck. San Antonio is likely to win this but only by single digits. 10* BROOKLYN |
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01-23-17 | NC State v. Duke OVER 160.5 | Top | 84-82 | Win | 100 | 11 h 13 m | Show |
ESPN Smash Pass - Rickenbach CBB Game #519 Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Duke Blue Devils vs NC State Wolfpack @ 7 ET - The Wolfpack seek revenge for being knocked out of the ACC Tourney by Duke last spring. While I do expect NC State to certainly put up a valiant effort tonight, they don't have the defensive mindset necessary to slow down the Blue Devils. Couple that with the fact that this total opened up at 163.5 and has since dropped down to the 160 range and we have some nice value here in a game that is likely to be played at a frenetic pace. NC State has averaged 81.6 points per game on the season while the Blue Devils are averaging 82.9 points per game this season. The reason the Wolfpack are 2-5 in ACC action is they allow 84.7 points per game. Duke is averaging 91 points per game in their 3 home games in ACC action and, though they are off of an under versus Miami Saturday, the Blue Devils entered that game on a 5-0 run to the over. The Wolfpack are off of a home loss to Wake Forest and NC State is 17-9 to the over when off of a loss in ACC action the past 3 seasons combined. Overall, the over is 11-6 in Wolfpack games this season. Duke is on a long-term run of 21-13 to the over when they are a home favorite in a range of 15.5 to 18 points. Look for the Blue Devils totals record to go to 6-1 to the over in ACC action with an extremely high-scoring game Monday against a revenge-minded Wolfpack team that will score well but has "earned" their ranking as the worst defense in the ACC so far this season with allowing 77.2 points per game on the season thus far. 10* OVER the total in Duke |
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01-22-17 | Arizona State +8.5 v. USC | Top | 79-82 | Win | 100 | 13 h 31 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach CBB Game #865 Sunday 10* Top Play Arizona State Sun Devils (+) @ USC Trojans @ 8:30 ET - While this looks like a bounce back spot for Southern Cal, keep in mind two key factors. One is that USC has now lost 4 of 6 games after starting the season 14-0. In other words, reality is setting in that the Trojans were a little over-hyped. The second factor is that Southern Cal has a huge game on deck as they are hosting UCLA on Wednesday. That makes this spot a lookahead spot for USC. Though the Trojans played very well in non-conference action, the concern from them in Pac-12 action is they've been held under 42.2% in 6 of their 7 games. In 5 of those 6 the percentage was under 39.5%. Their home loss to Arizona Thursday was the 4th time in their last 7 games that they've been held under 37.4% from the field. USC is known for their defense but, in Pac-12 action, looking at their last 6 games they've allowed 45.5% or better in 4 of the 6 games. The Sun Devils have a dangerous offense that, prior to their Thursday loss at UCLA, had shot at least 45.7% from the field in 6 of their last 7 games. Arizona State is going to challenge USC here because this is a classic case of two teams heading in opposite directions when it comes to scoring capabilities. The Sun Devils are averaging 80 points per game in conference games while the Trojans are averaging 68 points per game in Pac-12 action. Again, USC does have the better defense but the ASU offense is going to test them early and often and the Trojans will be in a dogfight just to try to win this game let alone cover the big spread. The Sun Devils are a long-term 26-13 ATS as a road dog of 6.5 to 9 points. The Trojans are on an overall 2-9 ATS run their last 11 games. 10* ARIZONA STATE |
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01-22-17 | Suns +11.5 v. Raptors | Top | 115-103 | Win | 100 | 9 h 54 m | Show |
Shotgun Shellacking - Rickenbach NBA Sunday 10* Top Play Phoenix Suns (+) @ Toronto Raptors @ 6:05 ET - Many are likely to back the Raptors here as they look for the bounce back from Toronto after back to back ugly losses at Philly and Charlotte. However, the Raptors actually don't have a good history in spots like this. In fact, when off of a game where they scored 85 points or less, Toronto has gone 1-9 ATS the past 3 seasons. Also, the Raptors are hosting a Suns team that has been tough on them in recent meetings. Phoenix has won 3 of the last 5 meetings and they have gone a perfect 5-0 ATS in those games. The last 3 games have all been decided by 8 points or less. That said, there is significant line value with the large spread posted on this game. The Suns will be fired up for this game as they enter off of a double digit loss at Cleveland. Prior to that loss to the Cavs, Phoenix was on a 7-2 ATS run and had been playing some of their best basketball of the season with a 3-3 SU run where all 3 losses came by 5 points or less. The point is that the Suns have been playing ultra-competitive basketball and I don't foresee them getting blown out here. Phoenix is actually a solid 10-4 ATS in non-conference games this season. The Raptors are only 6-8 ATS in their last 14 games and only had 2 SU wins by more than 10 points during this stretch. In other words, laying points in the price range they are in today would have had Toronto on a 2-12 ATS run. Look for this game to be much closer than most are expecting. 10* PHOENIX |
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01-22-17 | Lakers v. Mavs -5.5 | 73-122 | Win | 100 | 7 h 39 m | Show | |
Daytime Dominator - Rickenbach NBA Sunday 8* Dallas Mavericks (-) vs Los Angeles Lakers @ 3:35 ET - Dallas has a long winning streak going against the Lakers and that includes a perfect 2-0 already this season with both wins coming by a dozen points. Those games were both in LA and now the Mavericks will get the last two match-ups of the regular season series in Dallas. The set up here is perfect as the Lakers are off of an upset win versus Indiana while the Mavs are off of back to back losses. The Lakers have not won consecutive games in over 2 months so another win here is unlikely, especially given the Mavericks domination in this series. Also, Dallas will have extra hunger off of back to back losses as they had started to turn the corner with three straight victories. The Mavericks had been getting a little healthier and the loss of back-up point guard Jose Barea won't be nearly as impacting to the Mavs as what the Lakers are dealing with right now. They just lost starting point guard D'Angelo Russell to injury and they are 3-10 this season in games that he misses. He did not travel with the team for this game. The Mavericks are 5-0 ATS (and 20-10 ATS long-term) in Sunday games while the Lakers are 13-35 SU (and 19-29 ATS) long-term in Sunday games. Grab the hungry home team in this one as LA drops to 1-4 ATS this season as a road dog of 3.5 to 6 points. 8* DALLAS |
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01-22-17 | St. John's v. Seton Hall -8.5 | 73-86 | Win | 100 | 5 h 40 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #840 Sunday 8* Seton Hall Pirates (-) vs St John's Red Storm @ Noon ET - Nice set-up here as St John's is off of a rare win (followed 4 straight losses) and Seton Hall is off of 3 straight road losses (all against quality competition) and happy to be back home where they are a perfect 7-0 this season. Both teams are well rested as they haven't played since Monday and the Pirates are 7-1 ATS the past three seasons when they enter a game off of 5 or 6 days of rest between games. Seton Hall is also 3-0 ATS the past three seasons when they are a home favorite of 6.5 to 9 points. The Red Storm are just 1-3 ATS so far this month and are now 6-13 ATS in January games the past three seasons combined. The Pirates are outscoring teams by 18 points per game at home this season and playing well on both ends of the floor - knocking down 51.4% of their shots and holding opponents to 39.1%. In a spot where Seton Hall is desperate for a complete game with strong play on both ends of the floor, the Pirates should take this one by double digits. 8* SETON HALL |
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01-21-17 | Spurs v. Cavs -2 | Top | 118-115 | Loss | -110 | 9 h 7 m | Show |
National TV Blowout - Rickenbach NBA 10* Top Play Cleveland Cavaliers (-) vs San Antonio Spurs @ 8:35 ET Saturday - The Cavaliers have won 2 of their last 3 games but those wins came against weak competition - the Suns and the Kings. The only game that really mattered to Cleveland was their game at Golden State and they got blown out in that game. The Cavaliers shot just 35% in that game while the Warriors knocked down 50.5% of their shots. On deck after this game for the Cavs is trio of three straight weak foes. The point is that Cleveland is absolutely going to go "all out" in this game against the Spurs after getting thoroughly embarrassed by Golden State earlier this week. The Cavs need an opponent against whom they can get a "statement win" and into Cleveland comes the 33-9 Spurs. The Cavaliers covered both meetings with San Antonio last season and the Spurs are without big man Pau Gasol (hand injury). Tony Parker is also dealing with an ankle injury. This game means A LOT to Cleveland given the recent circumstances and they were able to "rest up" in their blowout win over the Suns Thursday. The Cavs have gone 9-4 ATS when off of a win by a double digit margin. The Spurs are off of a "miracle cover" against the short-handed Nuggets Thursday as the way the last few minutes played out was rather "miraculous" for Spurs backers. Now they face a tough test on the road and San Antonio had failed to cover 3 of their last 4 before sneaking out a cover versus Denver. This game means more to the Cavs who are out to redeem themselves against a Western Conference power after the embarrassment at Golden State. 10* CLEVELAND |
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01-21-17 | Wyoming +8 v. New Mexico | Top | 71-78 | Win | 100 | 10 h 16 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach CBB Game #659 Saturday - 10* Top Play Wyoming Cowboys (+) @ New Mexico Lobos @ 8 ET - The road team has gotten the cash in 6 of the Lobos last 7 games so certainly home court has meant very little. New Mexico is off of back to back road wins but they shot the ball extremely well in those games (including from three point land) and they can't maintain that type of clip long-term. The Lobos now face a team that plays much better defense than they do. The Cowboys are allowing just 39.5% from the field and 29.8% from beyond the arc while New Mexico is allowing 43.5% and 38.2%, respectively. Wyoming also heads into this game with confidence off of a big road win and their match-ups with the Lobos have been tight as the Cowboys are known for giving them tough games. Overall, the last 3 match-ups between these teams have been decided by a TOTAL of only 6 points so that's an average of just 2 points per game and yet this line currently sits at an 8. Also, New Mexico is only 1-5 ATS at home this season and also only 1-5 ATS in games with a posted total in the 150s. Conversely, the Cowboys have thrived in games projected to be high-scoring as they are 6-3 ATS this season in games where the posted total is in the 150s. Wyoming is also 6-3 ATS in their games against teams with a winning record this season. The Cowboys have been better on the boards this season than the Lobos with a 39-34 edge in rebounding. Look for another close game between these rivals and that means excellent line value with the big points. 10* WYOMING plus the big points Saturday evening |
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01-21-17 | Nets v. Hornets OVER 218.5 | 105-112 | Loss | -110 | 8 h 6 m | Show | |
Total Annihilation - Rickenbach NBA 8* OVER the total in Charlotte Hornets vs Brooklyn Nets @ 7:05 ET Saturday - After back to back surprisingly strong efforts for the Hornets defense, I don't expect a repeat in this back-to-back spot. Charlotte is not only playing on back to back nights, it is also their 3rd game in 4 days and it is hard to get excited about facing the 9-33 Nets after having knocked off the Raptors last night. Brooklyn put up a ridiculous 143 points in their game last night. The over is 14-6 in their road games this season and the Nets are 4-2 to the over in the 2nd game of a back to back as well. The Hornets are 12-6 to the over in their games against teams with a losing record this season. Also, the over is 7-3 in Charlotte's games with a posted total of 210 points or higher. The over is 4-0 in Brooklyn's last 4 games and also 4-0 in their Saturday games this season. I look for both streaks to reach 5-0 in this spot as very little defense is likely here after both teams rolled to easy victories last night. 8* OVER the total in Charlotte |
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01-21-17 | Marquette v. Creighton -5 | 102-94 | Loss | -115 | 4 h 3 m | Show | |
Afternoon Annihilation - Rickenbach CBB Game #572 Saturday 8* Creighton Bluejays (-) vs Marquette Golden Eagles @ 2:30 ET - The big news for Creighton was, of course, the tragic loss of star guard Maurice Watson to a season-ending injury in their win over Xavier earlier this week. However, I fully expect the Bluejays to respond in a big way today just like they did in the 2nd half of the game against Musketeers knowing that Watson was not available. So often, in the first game after a team loses a star player, that team becomes a "play on" team. That's because everyone else "ups their game" to try and make up for the absence and I expect that to be the case again here with Creighton and the Watson situation. The Bluejays really showed a lot in the way they "hung tough" against Xavier after Watson got hurt. Keep in mind that game was on the road too. Now Creighton is at home and their hosting a Golden Eagles team that is only 2-5 away from home this season. The Bluejays are still an 18-1 team and I feel this is a very reasonable number to lay with Creighton on their home floor. Marquette has allowed teams to hit 51% against them in road games this season and, keep in mind, the Bluejays are shooting 53% in home games this season! The Creighton defense is also much better at defending the 3-ball than the Golden Eagles are and this one could get ugly in a hurry. The Bluejays, when knocking down shots at home, really get a huge crowd edge going and teams just collapse against a Creighton team just lighting up the scoreboard. That is the type of game I expect here as the Bluejays rally after the Watson injury. Marquette is 3-7 ATS against teams with a winning record this season and the Golden Eagles are 6-14 ATS the past 3 seasons combined when they are off of a game where they allowed 80 points or more. The Bluejays are 11-3 ATS this season in their games against teams with a winning record and they owe the Eagles some payback after a home loss to Marquette last season. 8* CREIGHTON minus the points Saturday afternoon |
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01-21-17 | Georgia +4.5 v. Texas A&M | 62-63 | Win | 100 | 3 h 33 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #533 Saturday - 8* Georgia Bulldogs (+) @ Texas A & M Aggies @ Noon ET - This line has gone from an opener as low as -1.5 on the Aggies to now having Texas A & M favored by 4.5 points as of 9:30 AM ET. I'll take the value! A & M has gone 1-5 SU and ATS in conference action. Also, the Aggies are 3-8 SU (and 2-8 ATS) in their games against teams with a winning record this season. The Bulldogs are on a 6-2 ATS run as a road dog of 3.5 to 6 points and also are 36-20 ATS against teams with a winning record. Georgia will be looking to avenge an ugly home loss last season (lost by 34 to the Aggies) and I expect them to come out fired up and ready to demoralize an Aggies team that has scored 68 points or less in 5 of its last 6 games. This A & M team is fragile right now while the Bulldogs have covered 3 straight games and have scored 69 points or more in 6 of their last 7 games. 8* GEORGIA plus the points early Saturday |
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01-20-17 | Raptors v. Hornets OVER 214.5 | 78-113 | Loss | -110 | 11 h 27 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA 8* OVER the total in Charlotte Hornets vs Toronto Raptors @ 7:05 ET Friday - This total opened up as high as 216.5 and has already dropped by a bucket, down to 214.5, as of very early gameday morning. I'll gladly grab the extra value here as this one has the makings of an absolute shootout. Charlotte is off of a rare, strong defensive performance as they held Portland to 85 points in their most recent game. The Hornets have a long-term mark of 60-36 to the over when they are off of a game where they allowed 85 points or less. Also, Charlotte is 7-2 to the over this season in games with a posted total of 210 points or more. On the season, when the Hornets are at home and their line ranges anywhere from +3 to -3, the over has gone 7-2 and we are in that "sweet spot" here with this line. The Raptors come into this game off of a rare, ugly, low-scoring game and I expect them to respond appropriately after their 94-89 loss at Philly. Toronto had gone 5-1 to the over in their 6 games prior to the ugly loss to the Sixers. The over is 5-1 this season (and 25-14 the last 3 seasons) when the Raptors are off of an upset loss as a favorite. When off of a divisional game, Toronto is 7-2 to the over this season. In games with a posted total of 210 or greater, the over is 14-8 in Raptors games this season. As you can see from all of the above trends (including the 210 and over trends), the big total posted on this game is absolutely justified. Toronto had averaged 120 points per game in their 6 games prior to the loss to the 76'ers. The Hornets had allowed an average of 112.4 points per game before their strong defensive effort against a stumbling Trail Blazers team. Their offense has averaged 108 points per game in their last 6 home games. 8* OVER the total in Charlotte early Friday evening |
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01-20-17 | Eastern Michigan +5.5 v. Akron | Top | 63-70 | Loss | -103 | 10 h 6 m | Show |
CBS Sports Network Smash - Rickenbach CBB Game #885 Friday 10* Eastern Michigan Eagles (+) @ Akron Zips @ 6:30 ET - Akron has a long home winning streak going with 26 straight wins at Rhodes Arena. Not surprisingly, after opening up at a -5, this line has jumped up to a -6 on the Zips and certainly could move higher. This is offering tremendous line value to a revenge-seeking Eastern Michigan team. The Eagles were knocked out of the MAC Tourney by Akron last spring and the perfect revenge would be to put an end to the Zips 26-game home winning streak. This is a veteran Eastern Michigan team that also has a solid backcourt. With strong guard play and, the fact that the Eagles play better defense than the Zips, an upset here would certainly not be a complete surprise. Eastern Michigan is holding opponents to 40.9% from the field and 32.8% from three point land. Akron has allowed 44.0% and 35.6%, respectively, in those same categories. The Eagles are averaging 82 points per game compared to 79 points per game for the Zips. Talk around Akron is already about where the Zips would fit into the Big Dance seedings, etc. I am not saying it is too early for that but I am saying that Eastern Michigan is likely to prove to be the hungrier team here after being knocked out of the conference tourney in March by these Zips. Also, Akron comes into this one a little over-confident because of their lengthy home winning streak. Note that the Zips are an ugly 2-6 ATS this season when off of a game where they scored 80 points or more. Eastern Michigan is on a solid 5-2 ATS run when off of a game where they scored 80 points or more. Also, the Eagles are a perfect 4-0 (SU and ATS) in their games against teams averaging 77 points or more per game this season. I am looking for an upset but certainly grabbing all the points I can get here. 10* Top Play EASTERN MICHIGAN plus the points very early Friday evening |
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01-19-17 | Nuggets +12.5 v. Spurs | Top | 104-118 | Loss | -104 | 12 h 54 m | Show |
Western Conference Game of the Month - Rickenbach NBA 10* Top Play Denver Nuggets (+) @ San Antonio Spurs @ 8:35 ET Thursday - Good spot for an upset here and the fact is that if the Nuggets do fall short of the big upset win, they should keep this one to single digits. Denver is seeking revenge for one of their most embarrassing home losses of the season as they got drilled 127-99 in Colorado exactly two weeks ago. In that game, San Antonio had their best shooting night of the season with 56.7% from the field including 50% (12 of 24) from three point land. The Spurs are just 2-2 in their last 4 games and their most recent win came by just 8 points as they were definitely challenged by Minnesota Tuesday. San Antonio has now failed to cover 3 of its last 4 games and they have a huge game on deck as Saturday they are in Cleveland for their first shot of the season at the World Champion Cavaliers. It will be hard for the Spurs, as disciplined as they are, to be able to avoid at least peeking ahead to the Cavs. The Nuggets will be the hungrier and more focused team tonight and Denver didn't have power forward Kenneth Faried in the meeting two weeks ago. He's scored 15 points or more in 3 straight games and the Nuggets have won and covered all 3 games. Denver is full of confidence coming into this game having knocked down 57% of their shots in their last 3 games. The Nuggets also have dominated the glass over their last four games. Denver is 8-4 ATS as a road dog of 12.5 or more points. The Nuggets are also 8-4 ATS when they enter a game on a winning streak of 3 games or more. Ride the revenging dog in this one as they will surprise the Spurs with how far they've come in the 2 weeks since these teams last met. 10* DENVER plus the big points Thursday |
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01-19-17 | Maryland +2.5 v. Iowa | Top | 84-76 | Win | 100 | 9 h 42 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #715 Thursday - 10* Top Play Maryland Terrapins (+) @ Iowa Hawkeyes @ 7 ET - The very first lines to come out on this game had the Terps as a 1.5 point favorite. From that point forward the line has now moved a full 4 points as the Terrapins are now a 2.5 point underdog in this match-up. I love to fade moves like this where the game swings strongly and I see great line value here with a solid 16-2 Maryland team. The only two losses the Terps have this season came against Pittsburgh and a 2-point defeat versus Nebraska. The point is that at +2.5 in all game this season the Terrapins would have a 16-1 ATS record. Couple that with the fact that the Hawkeyes are being a bit over-rated here, and you have fantastic line value. Iowa has managed to 'rise up' on a couple of occasions and get big home wins over Iowa State and Purdue. However, this Hawkeyes team is, overall, certainly not at the level of prior Iowa teams. The Hawkeyes are coming off of an 89-54 demolishing defeat at Northwestern. Though many will look for the bounce back here, the fact is that it was the 5th time in the last 6 games that Iowa has allowed 78 points or more! This is in stark contrast with a Maryland team that has only allowed more than 75 points a single time in 18 games this season! The Terrapins are allowing just 65 points per game this season while the Hawkeyes are giving up 78 points per game this season. Maryland is a perfect 6-0 away from home this season. The Terrapins are also a perfect 6-0 SU and ATS in their games as an underdog this season. The Hawkeyes are 3-9 ATS when off of a game where they allowed 80 points or more and Iowa is also an ugly 1-5 ATS when off of a game where they scored 60 points or less. I'll gladly challenge this over-rated team to try and bounce back here because they've proven unable to do just that time and time again in recent seasons as you can see from those ATS numbers. 10* MARYLAND plus the points Thursday |
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01-18-17 | Loyola-Chicago v. Northern Iowa OVER 136 | Top | 69-72 | Win | 100 | 12 h 51 m | Show |
MVC Total of the Month - Rickenbach CBB Game #543 Wednesday - 10* Top Play OVER the total in Northern Iowa Panthers vs Loyola-Chicago Ramblers @ 8 ET - The Ramblers have gone over the total in 10 straight games and are 12-1 to the over in their last 13 games that had an O/U line. Loyola-Chicago has been shooting the ball extremely well including from three point land. The Ramblers are averaging 77.4 points per game on the season. I don't foresee Northern Iowa as being able to slow them down. The Panthers allowed 77 points to Loyola in the first match-up this season. Northern Iowa didn't shoot very well in that game (though it still went over the total) but I look for the Panthers to shoot the ball much better at home. The Panthers overall numbers on offense this season do not impress but they are a "different team" when they are at home. On the season, Northern Iowa's home games have seen the Panthers average 71 points per game while knocking down 46% of their shots from the field including 37% of their shots from beyond the arc. The over is 3-0 this season when the Panthers are off of a game where they allowed 60 points or less. Also, the over is 4-2 in Northern Iowa's home games and all 5 of their conference games had gone over the total prior to their under versus Drake Sunday. The Ramblers are 6-0 to the over in road games this season and 6-0 to the over in their conference games and 5-1 to the over in their games against teams with a losing record. They are shooting so well that they are full of confidence and will score well even though they are on the road while I look for the Panthers to also play very well on the offensive end as they continue to enjoy success on their home floor. Look for the over to go to 11-0 in Loyola-Chicago's last 11 games with another high-scoring shootout here. 10* OVER the total in Northern Iowa |
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01-18-17 | TCU v. Texas Tech -4.5 | 69-75 | Win | 100 | 12 h 52 m | Show | |
Texas Insider - Rickenbach CBB Game #540 Wednesday 8* Texas Tech Red Raiders (-) vs TCU Horned Frogs @ 7:30 ET - It is very hard to beat a team 3 times in one season and the Red Raiders found that out the hard way last season and now it's time for some payback. Texas Tech won both regular season meetings with Texas Christian University last season but then got knocked out of the Big 12 conference tourney in March when the Horned Frogs prevailed in their 3rd (and, of course, most important) meeting of the season. The Red Raiders had 63 shots from the field compared to just 47 for the Horned Frogs but TCU hit a ridiculous 10 of 21 from three point land and that was the difference in the victory which came by a margin of only 5 points. A repeat here is unlikely as TCU has not shot the ball particularly well from beyond the arc in its last 4 games. What strengthens this situation though is the fact that the Horned Frogs are off of back to back wins but one was at home and one was at downtrodden Texas. The Red Raiders will prove to be the hungrier team here as they are off of a loss (albeit on the road) and they haven't forgotten what happened in their meeting with TCU last March. Before the Red Raiders loss at Oklahoma Saturday, Texas Tech had won 13 of 16 games this season. The Red Raiders are 38-9 at home the past three seasons including a perfect 11-0 this season. The Horned Frogs are only 2-2 on the road this season and have lost 20 of 25 road games the past three seasons combined. As a road dog of 3.5 to 6 points, TCU has gone 1-3 ATS while, as a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points, Texas Tech has gone 5-1 ATS. The Red Raiders are averaging 82.5 points per game at home this season while the Horned Frogs are averaging only 69.8 points per game on the road so far this season. Home court makes a big difference in this particular match-up and, from a situational perspective, it doesn't get much better than this! 8* TEXAS TECH |
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01-18-17 | Grizzlies +3.5 v. Wizards | Top | 101-104 | Win | 100 | 12 h 1 m | Show |
Earliest Cash Top Play - Rickenbach NBA 10* Top Play Memphis Grizzlies (+) @ Washington Wizards @ 7:05 ET Wednesday - The Wizards have won 12 straight home games and yet they're only laying 3 points in this one in Washington. It is "interesting" to say the least and I am calling for the upset here. The Wizards were simply on fire with their shooting from the opening tip in their big MLK day victory over Portland. Washington knocked down a ridiculous 9 of 13 three pointers to begin the game. The Wizards have been hot from three point land but they now face a Memphis team that is known for its defense and is coming off of a loss. The Grizzlies will be hungry here after catching an earful from their head coach due to poor defense both in the 2nd and 4th quarters of their most recent game - a home loss to Chicago. Prior to that defeat, Memphis had won 3 of their last 4 games and that included road wins at Houston and Golden State! If the Grizzlies can get road wins against the Rockets and Warriors, they certainly can knock off the Wizards. In fact, Washington is 1-5 ATS (and 0-6 SU!) in their games against Southwest Division opponents this season. Memphis is allowing only 99 points per game this season while the Wizards are allowing 106 points per game. The Grizzlies are holding opponents to 43.5% from the field while Washington is allowing 46.5% from the field. The Grizz have gone 39-25 (SU and ATS) when off of a game where they allowed 105 points or more. 10* MEMPHIS |
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01-17-17 | Raptors -11 v. Nets | Top | 119-109 | Loss | -115 | 12 h 42 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA 10* Top Play Toronto Raptors (-) @ Brooklyn Nets @ 7:35 Tuesday - Normally the only concern in a game like this is that Toronto would not be motivated and may overlook Brooklyn. However, that is unlikely to happen for two reasons. For one thing, tomorrow's Raptors opponent is the 76'ers so certainly there is no concern about Toronto looking ahead to a match-up with another team near the bottom of their division. Secondly, the Raptors lost their most recent road game and, in fact, have lost 4 of their last 5 road games. This ensures the proper focus from Toronto here and this is a Raptors team that is a perfect 8-0 in divisional games this season and has produced a 7-1 ATS mark in those games. Toronto is an overall 19-7 in their last 26 games and their average margin of victory in those 19 wins is 16 points! The Raptors are well known for their blowout wins and I just don't see the Nets being able to hang around in this one. Recently Brooklyn has had some winnable home games against teams like the Sixers and Pelicans and yet they've still ended up getting crushed in those games. They are struggling from three point land, their defense has been pathetic, and they have also been losing the battle of the boards. This will continue to be an issue tonight as they are clearly out-classed in this match-up and the Raptors have added focus on the road due to recent losses away from home. Toronto is 11-3 ATS when off of a win by a double digit margin. The Raptors also are 4-2 ATS when on the road and favored in a range of 9.5 to 12 points. The Nets are 0-7 in divisional games this season and have covered only 2 of those games. After being obliterated by Houston in their most recent game, note that Brooklyn is 3-11 ATS when off of a non-conference game. 10* TORONTO |
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01-17-17 | Arkansas +4.5 v. Texas A&M | 62-60 | Win | 100 | 9 h 31 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #729 Tuesday - 8* Arkansas Razorbacks (+) @ Texas A & M Aggies @ 7 ET - The Aggies most recent home game was a ridiculous result. They blew out LSU by 30 points as everything they threw up seemed to go in while the Tigers couldn't seem to hit the broad side of a barn in that game. That did bring Texas A & M to 7-2 at home this season. However, if you look closely at the Aggies, they have lost almost every single game where more of a challenge is presented and tonight they are hosting a 13-4 Arkansas team. Note that A & M's wins this season have, all but one, come when they were a big favorite or facing an opponent that was so overmatched it wasn't even a lined game. The Aggies have 9 wins this season. 4 of them were non-lined games, 4 were when they were favored by 12 points or more. Only "impressive" win was a 3-point win over Virginia Tech as a 2 point favorite. With the Hokies game included that makes the Aggies 1-7 straight-up in games where they are either a dog or a favorite of less than 12 points! Now you can see why I like the Razorbacks here. Every time but one this season, when the Aggies take a step up in level of competition, they lose. They are off of a loss at Mississippi State Saturday and now host an Arkansas team that is off of a big win over Missouri Saturday and that has gone 3-1 SU and ATS in their last 4 games where the line was single digits. The Aggies simply lost too much from last season's team but with this line already moving up from a -3 on A & M to now a -4.5 as of gameday morning, it is evident that the betting markets still like this Texas A & M team. I don't and I look for them to drop to 2-8 ATS this season against teams with a winning record. 8* ARKANSAS |
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01-17-17 | Bowling Green v. Toledo -8.5 | Top | 73-85 | Win | 100 | 8 h 37 m | Show |
Early ATS Blowout - Rickenbach CBB Game #726 Tuesday 10* Top Play Toledo Rockets (-) vs Bowling Green Falcons @ 7 ET - Oftentimes in rivalry games I like to side with the dogs but this one sets up much differently than most and, as a result, I expect the favorite to win this one in an absolute blowout. The I-75 rivalry in Northeast Ohio between Toledo and Bowling Green resumes tonight and both the Rockets and Falcons are off of back to back losses. However, that is where the similarities between these teams end! The Falcons were at home for both of their games and yet they got completely obliterated by a combined 45 points in those games. The Bowling Green coach is trying to blame it on poor defense because they emphasized offense too much but the fact is their offense only averaged 52.5 points per game so I think he's a little out of touch with his own team here. The problem for BG is they are 1-6 on the road this season and now take on a Toledo team that is 7-1 at home on the season and whose back to back losses entering this match-up both came on the road. Unlike the Falcons, the Rockets did score well in their two defeats (81 points per game!) but they were done in by some hot shooting from their opponents. Look for Toledo (averaging 82.6 points per game on the season) to bounce back in a big way here at home. It is much easier to play at home coming off B2B road losses than to be on the road after B2B home losses. The place will be rocking in Toledo tonight and the Rockets haven't lost here against Bowling Green in 5 years! The Falcons are 9-19 ATS the past 3 seasons combined when, past the midway point of the season, they are facing a team with a winning record. The Rockets are 21-5 SU and 12-9 ATS against teams with a losing record the past 3 seasons combined and everyone is talking about how important this home game is in this rivalry series. 10* Top Play TOLEDO |
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01-16-17 | Providence +6.5 v. Georgetown | Top | 74-56 | Win | 100 | 10 h 22 m | Show |
Primetime TV Top Game - Rickenbach CBB Game #543 Monday - 10* Top Play Providence Friars (+) @ Georgetown Hoyas @ 9 ET - Georgetown has won two straight games but it certainly is nothing to be too excited about as Hoyas fans know all too well. These two wins came against St John's (one of the worst teams in their conference) and then against UConn (a non-conference win). Georgetown was not impressive in their win by a slim margin over the Huskies and now they certainly face a much tougher challenge today and yet many have backed the Hoyas here. The line jumped from an opener of -5 up to a -6.5 and I'll gladly grab the added value here on the underdog in a game where I don't even expect I'll need the points. Keep in mind, Georgetown is only 1-4 in Big East action this season and Providence has won 5 straight games in this series. The Friars recorded the 2-0 sweep each of the past two seasons over the Hoyas and then already beat them in Providence early this month to get this year's season series started off on the right foot. The Friars are 8-4 ATS against teams with a winning record this season while Georgetown is the polar opposite at 4-8 ATS this season against teams with a winning record. The Hoyas are 0-3 ATS in games with a posted total in the 130s this season and also are 0-4 ATS when playing with road loss revenge. With their poor performance at the betting window against winning teams, I don't see any reason for things to change here as the Friars come into this one fired up about losing their last road game by a single point. That hunger will show on the floor here as they seek  back to back wins in Big East action which they know is critical to moving back up the standings. 10* PROVIDENCE |
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01-16-17 | Cavs v. Warriors -7.5 | Top | 91-126 | Win | 100 | 11 h 31 m | Show |
TNT Top Game - Rickenbach NBA 10* Top Play Golden State Warriors (-) vs Cleveland Cavaliers @ 8:05 ET Monday - Revenge spots don't get much better than this. Not only did the Cavs when 3 straight to rally back from a 3-1 series deficit and take the NBA Championship from the Warriors last June, they then snuck out a 1-point win on Christmas Day about 3 weeks ago in Cleveland. Now the Cavaliers are in Golden State to face a fired up Warriors team that his its sight set on big-time revenge on their home court. Even though the Cavs are off of a win at Sacramento, they came into that game having lost 3 of their last 5 games. The only two wins for Cleveland in that stretch came against Brooklyn (worst team in NBA) and Phoenix (least wins in the Western Conference). That said, the Cavaliers aren't exactly playing impressive ball of late and, in fact, enter tonight's game on a 2-8 ATS run. Off of that win over the Kings, note that Cleveland is an ugly 3-9 ATS this season when off of a non-conference game. The Warriors are 34-6 on the season and 11 of their last 12 wins have come by 8 points or more. Golden State is also 32-17 ATS their last 49 games when playing with revenge. The Warriors also are a stellar 16-7 ATS in home games where they are favored in a range of 6.5 to 9 points. Indeed, the "price is right" here with the home fave and I'll gladly lay the points Monday evening. 10* GOLDEN STATE |
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01-16-17 | Blazers +4.5 v. Wizards | 101-120 | Loss | -115 | 5 h 40 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA 8* Portland Trail Blazers (+) @ Washington Wizards @ 2:05 ET Monday - The Wizards are off of an easy win over Philly where they caught the Sixers in a tough scheduling spot and Philly's best player, Joel Embiid sat out because it was a back to back spot. Prior to this win Washington had failed to cover 4 of its last 6 games. They now host a rested Trail Blazers team that has been off since Friday. The Blazers failed to cover in a tight home loss against Orlando and they've had this 4-game road trip (begins today) circled as an opportunity to get back on track and build a winning streak. Prior to the loss to the Magic, the Trail Blazers had been playing better and were on a 7-2 ATS run. Coming off of a loss, Portland will prove to be the hungrier team here. The Wizards are only 5-7 ATS in non-conference games this season and also 1-3 ATS when off of a win by a double digit margin. The Blazers have a long-term mark of 183-111 SU when off of a SU loss as a favorite and they'll be in bounce back mode here plus catching a handful of points. Also, the Trail Blazers are 21-14 SU and ATS the past 3 seasons when they enter a game with two days of rest between games. The Blazers are also 3-1 SU and ATS in their last 4 games against the Wizards. More of the same early Monday afternoon. 8* PORTLAND |
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01-16-17 | Creighton +4 v. Xavier | 72-67 | Win | 100 | 3 h 30 m | Show | |
Daytime Dominator FS-1 - Rickenbach CBB Game #521 Monday - 8* Creighton Bluejays (+) @ Xavier Musketeers @ 2 ET - The Bluejays are 17-1 this season. Â Xavier is now 13-4 this season and off of back to back losses. Those two defeats came as they had to "step up" in terms of level of competition and, on Monday afternoon they are certainly doing that again as the Musketeers take on a "stacked" Creighton team with revenge on its mind. Even though the Bluejays have covered 4 straight meetings with the Musketeers, they have suffered a straight-up loss in 2 of their last 3 meetings. Xavier's Edmond Sumner is expected to play here but his shoulder is not 100% and that could be a factor here. The Musketeers are hosting a Bluejays team that is hitting a ridiculous 53.5% of their shots this season including 41% from three point land. A ton of points expected in this one (as you can tell from the big total posted on this game) and Creighton is 7-2 ATS this season (and 20-7 ATS the past 3 seasons combined) in games with a posted total in the 150s! Xavier's defense has not been impressive of late as they've allowed their last 4 opponents to average about 50% from the field and the Musketeers are off of a 2nd straight loss (83-78 at Butler). Xaviers is 5-11 ATS when off of a game where they allowed 80 points or more. Everyone is lining up on the home team here and I'll gladly take the contrarian side with this 17-1 team Monday afternoon. 8* CREIGHTON |
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01-15-17 | Wolves v. Mavs OVER 195.5 | Top | 87-98 | Loss | -110 | 4 h 60 m | Show |
Earliest Cash Top Total - Rickenbach NBA 10* Top Play OVER the total in Dallas Mavericks vs Minnesota Timberwolves @ 2:05 ET Sunday - The Mavericks finally were getting healthy and now Andrew Bogut is out. The way that hurts the Mavs is on the defensive end. He's their leader in rebounding (including defensive caroms) and is also their top shot blocker. He doesn't score much at all so the impact of this injury is clearly that it weakens the interior defense of Dallas. Without his presence in the paint, opponents are likely to get more opportunities for scoring close to the bucket as well as second chance scoring opportunities off of offensive rebounds. The Timberwolves are red hot right now with 3 straight wins (and they are on a 4-0 ATS run) so I look for them to come in ready to take advantage of a softening Dallas defense that has allowed an average of 105 points per game in their last 9 games. The Mavericks offensive production has started to pick up as they have shot better than 45.5% from the field in 4 of their last 5 games. Also, they've hit at least 39.5% of their three pointers in 6 of their last 9 games. The Timberwolves offense is also hot as they have knocked down 52% of their shots from the field in their last 3 games and they'll stay hot here as they face a Dallas lineup that is likely to be willing to "run and gun" at home off of a big win over Phoenix that totaled 221 points. The over is 30-13 in T-wolves games against teams from the Southwest Division the past 3 seasons combined and Minnesota is a perfect 3-0 to the over when they enter a game on a winning streak of 3 games or more. 10* OVER the total in Dallas very early Sunday |
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01-15-17 | Rutgers v. Indiana OVER 143 | Top | 57-76 | Loss | -103 | 3 h 16 m | Show |
Earliest Cash Best Bet - Rickenbach CBB Game #877 Sunday - 10* Top Play OVER the total in Indiana Hoosiers vs Rutgers Scarlet Knights @ Noon ET - The oddsmakers are good at what they as we all know. That said, when they set a spread it is usually very accurate and that's why the numbers are so tough to beat. The reason I mention that here is because I think they "missed" on this total and let me explain why. They set this line at 16 and the total at 143. That means that if they truly "nailed it" Indiana wins this game 80-64 or 79-63 because those are the two final scores that gets us closest to the total they set. However, what is noteworthy about that is that the Hoosiers are averaging 85 points per game this season and they're now at home, off of a loss, and facing a Rutgers team that has lost 6 straight games and is winless in Big Ten action. On the season the Scarlet Knights are averaging 65 points per game and, even in Big Ten action they have scored at least 60 points in 3 straight games. I look for Indiana to impose their will in this game but I don't like laying big points and I would not be surprise to see the Hoosiers "sag off" on defense once this "game is in hand" which could be the case by early in the 2nd half. As a result, this one should fly over the total easily. The over is 13-3 the last 3 seasons in Rutgers games the past 3 seasons when they are a road dog of 12.5 points or more. The over is 8-2 in Indiana's home games with a posted total in a range of 140 to 144.5 the past 3 seasons. The Hoosiers are averaging 89 points per game at home this season. Indiana is shooting 54% from the field (including 42% from three point land) in home games this season. The Hoosiers offense will prove unstoppable against a Scarlet Knights defense that is allowing an average of 78 points per game on the Big Ten road and now faces the Big Ten's most potent offense. 10* Top Play OVER the total in Indiana very early Sunday |
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01-14-17 | Pelicans v. Bulls UNDER 206 | Top | 99-107 | Push | 0 | 6 h 55 m | Show |
Total Annihilation - Rickenbach NBA 10* Top Play UNDER the total in Chicago Bulls vs New Orleans Pelicans @ 5:05 ET - The Bulls have issues with the flu bug and that has impacted their star Jimmy Butler as well. However, the bigger issue for Chicago has been that, no matter who has been on the floor, they haven't been shooting the ball well for many weeks. Amazingly, the Bulls have been held under 41.8% from the field in 10 of their last 13 games. Not surprisingly, the under is on a 14-6, 70% run in their last 20 games as the shooting woes have been an issue. The Pelicans are expected to have leading scorer Anthony Davis back on the floor for this one but the over is 11-4 in the last 15 games for New Orleans. The Pelicans have been much better on the defensive end of late as they have held 7 straight teams to 43% or less from the floor. The under is 12-4 (75%) in non-conference games for New Orleans this season. The Bulls enter this game on a 3-game losing streak and the under is 13-3, 81% the past three seasons (including a perfect 4-0 this season) when Chicago enters a game on a losing streak of 3 games or more. With this total spiking up even though Davis still has a sore hip and the Bulls still are fighting off the effects of the flu, I'll gladly grab the value on the other side. 10* UNDER the total in Chicago |
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01-14-17 | Baylor +2.5 v. Kansas State | Top | 77-68 | Win | 100 | 7 h 8 m | Show |
#1 Top Play - Rickenbach CBB Game #607 Saturday 10* Top Play Baylor Bears (+) @ Kansas State Wildcats @ 4:30 ET - The Bears got thoroughly embarrassed in their ugly loss at West Virginia Tuesday. After allowing 63 points or less in 14 of their 15 games on the way to a 15-0 start this season, the Bears allowed 89 to the Mountaineers. We don't have to tell you that Baylor may be in "response mode" here as the ATS stats back that fact up. The past two seasons the Bears have gone 7-0 SU and 6-0 ATS when they are off of a game where they allowed 80 points or more! Baylor has won three straight games against the Wildcats and their last loss came by just 2 points at Kansas State. That said, with the line move here to a +2.5, we are getting even more line value with the Bears in this one. Baylor has played a tougher schedule than the Wildcats so far this season and, when Kansas State has stepped up (in terms of level of competition) they have failed this season. All the Cats straight-up wins have come in either non-lined games or games where their line was at least -6. The Wildcats have been a dog OR fave of 3 points or less 3 times and they went 0-3 SU in those games. Here Kansas State is catching Baylor at quite possibly the worst time as you know the Bears are going to bring their "A game" after what just happened in Morgantown earlier this week. The past two seasons Kansas State went 3-8 ATS when facing a team with a winning record in a game that was past the midway point (15 game mark) of the season. The Cats get exposed again here. 10* BAYLOR |
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01-14-17 | Notre Dame +3 v. Virginia Tech | 76-71 | Win | 100 | 5 h 22 m | Show | |
Afternoon Blowout - Rickenbach CBB Game #559 Saturday 8* Notre Dame Fighting Irish (+) @ Virginia Tech Hokies @ 2 ET - The Fighting Irish are rolling and one of the most amazing aspects of their streak has been their play in the clutch. This Notre Dame team, no matter the score, never seems out of game. Of course being able to win games like this is huge and it is particularly important in conference play where so many games tend to be close. ND is a fantastic 15-2 on the season and their only two losses were to solid Purdue and Villanova teams. They catch Virginia Tech at the right time as the Hokies are off of a big double digit win over Syracuse but had lost each of their two prior games. In those previous games Virginia Tech allowed 98.5 points per game as teams shot about 57% against them from the field. Notre Dame is the much better team on the defensive end of the floor and we are getting line value because of the Hokies 10-0 record at home so far this season. Grab the line value with the road dog here as the Fighting Irish are 4-0 ATS in road games with a posted total between 155 and 159.5 points and Virginia Tech is 0-3 ATS in home games with that same range of points as the posted total. As you can see, a lot of points expect here and in a shootout I'll take the team that is more likely to raise there level of play on the defensive end in crunch time. The Irish are allowing just 39.6% from the field while the Hokies are allowing 42.8% from the field this season. 8* NOTRE DAME |
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01-14-17 | Minnesota +1.5 v. Penn State | 50-52 | Loss | -110 | 4 h 46 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB #525 Saturday 8* Minnesota Golden Gophers (+) @ Penn State Nittany Lions @ Noon ET - Flat spot for the Nittany Lions. They have been sitting around for a week waiting to play again and this is after a huge victory at a "neutral site" game played in Philly versus Michigan State last Saturday. That was a massive win for Penn State in a historic venue in Philadelphia and the Nittany Lions are likely to get caught feeling a little too good about themselves as they head into this match-up with the Golden Gophers. Minnesota drew the misfortune of facing an angry Spartans team Wednesday and Sparty took out their frustrations from the PSU loss on the unsuspecting Gophers. Prior to that ugly loss to Michigan State, Minny had won 15 of their first 17 games this season and they'll be ready to respond in a big way here early on Saturday. Minnesota has lost three straight to Penn State so a little payback is on order here as well. The Golden Gophers are 3-1 ATS on the road this season and the Nittany Lions are 2-5 SU (and 2-4 ATS) when playing with 5 or 6 days of rest between games. Penn State will be rusty here after the layoff. 8* MINNESOTA |
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01-13-17 | Hornets v. 76ers +5.5 | Top | 93-102 | Win | 100 | 11 h 28 m | Show |
Eastern Conference Game of the Month - Rickenbach NBA 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76'ers (+) vs Charlotte Hornets @ 7:05 ET Friday - The Sixers are "feeling it" right now with wins in 4 of their last 5 games and, on Friday, they are hosting a Hornets team that has lost 5 of its last 6 games! The 76'ers enter this game on an overall 5-0 ATS run and Charlotte is just 1-7 ATS against Atlantic Division opponents this season. In a road game where the posted total is in a range of 205 to 209.5 points, the Hornets have gone 6-14 SU and 6-13-1 ATS the past 3 seasons combined. Even though Philadelphia is off of an outright win as a dog (beat Knicks and New York was the small fave), don't look for Philly to fall flat here. In fact, the 76'ers are 6-3 ATS when coming off of an upset win as an underdog this season. The Sixers, off of many consecutive rough seasons, still "have a ways to go" of course but, with each win, their confidence is growing. Also, Philly is playing this game with revenge on their minds as they lost at Charlotte earlier this season and the 76'ers are hungry to get some payback as the Hornets have won 7 of the last 8 meetings between these teams. At home and playing loose and confident, the Sixers are going to be tough for the slumping Hornets to get past. 10* Top Play PHILADELPHIA plus the points early Friday evening |
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01-13-17 | Detroit v. Oakland OVER 150.5 | Top | 93-88 | Win | 100 | 10 h 50 m | Show |
TV Total of the Week - Rickenbach CBB 10* Top Play OVER the total in Oakland Golden Grizzlies vs Detroit Titans @ 7 ET - The Golden Grizzlies have been an "under team" this season but Oakland is averaging 79 points per game on the season and they're set for an offensive explosion here. The Grizzlies are off of an ugly 57-56 win at Illinois-Chicago Sunday. Oakland is 10-4 to the over as a home favorite of 12.5 or more points and the Titans defense is porous. Detroit is allowing 84.5 points per game this season and teams are hitting a ridiculous 51.2% from the field against them including 39% from three point land. The key to the over here is the fact that, as bad as the Titans defense is, they do score well. Detroit has scored 70 points or more in 5 of their last 6 games and are averaging 74 points per game this season. The over is 21-12 in Titans road games the past 3 seasons combined. Also, the over is 14-7 in Detroit games the past 3 seasons when they are off of a loss against a conference rival. The average score of the last 3 meetings between these teams is Oakland 91, Detroit 86. That's 177 points and none of those 3 games went to OT either. Look for this one to easily fly over the total as the Golden Grizzlies will be happy to run and gun at home after the ugly, low-scoring win at Illinois-Chicago. As for the Titans, free-flowing games with very little defense is truly the only way they know how to play. More of the same here. 10* Top Play OVER the total in Oakland early Friday evening |
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01-12-17 | SMU +6 v. Cincinnati | Top | 64-66 | Win | 100 | 13 h 45 m | Show |
Rickenbach CBB Game #553 Thursday 10* Top Play SMU Mustangs (+) @ Cincinnati Bearcats @ 9 ET - Great line value here with the underdog. The Mustangs have revenge from losing to the Bearcats when these teams last met in March. Both teams have been strong early this season but SMU is 6-2 ATS in their games against teams with a winning record while Cincinnati has gone only 3-4 ATS in their games against teams with a winning record. Also, as a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points, the Bearcats have an ugly long-term mark of 10-22 ATS! The last 4 games between these teams have been decided by an average of 5.8 points per game. This game is projected to be a hard-fought low-scoring battle and Cincy is an ugly 18-29 ATS in home games with a posted total in the 120s. The Mustangs are a solid 30-18 ATS in road games with a posted total in the 120s. Overall, in all games with a total posted between 120 and 129.5 points the last 3 seasons, SMU has gone an incredible 19-1 SU and 14-6 ATS! The Bearcats are ranked and they are at home so they are they popular choice here but the Mustangs have a great shot at the upset here and I'll gladly grab the generous points being offered. SMU has won 10 straight games and allowed only 54.8 points per game in those 10 games. 10* SMU |
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01-12-17 | Florida Atlantic v. Texas-San Antonio -2.5 | 63-68 | Win | 100 | 12 h 0 m | Show | |
Rickenbach CBB Game #544 Thursday 8* UTSA Roadrunners (-) vs Florida Atlantic Owls @ 8 ET - Triple revenge spot for UTSA and the Roadrunners are surging with confidence right now. Not only are they off of a much-needed road win at Louisiana Tech - as a double digit dog no less - UTSA is a perfect 6-0 in home games this season. That said, I'll gladly lay the small number here with the Runners on their home floor as they also seek revenge for losing all 3 match-ups with the Owls last season. Florida Atlantic took both regular season meetings with the Roadrunners and then also knocked them out of the Conference USA tournament on March 8th by an ugly 82-58 final. UTSA shot horribly in that game so, despite 61 field goal attempts (compared to just 53 for FAU), the Roadrunners lost by two dozen points. That ended a tough season for UTSA and was also the final game for coach Brooks Thompson who was fired two days later. Tragically, he passed away only three months later at the age of only 45. The team hasn't forgotten Thompson nor the way their season ended against this same Owls team in what ended up being Thompson's last game. They will play extremely hard tonight there is no doubt and I look for them to improve to 7-0 at home this season. Florida Atlantic is 2-6 ATS when off of a win in conference action and also 7-14 ATS in their games against teams with a losing record. The Roadrunners have won just as many games in the past 5 weeks as they won all of last season and they are playing like a new team under coach Steven Henson. The markets just haven't caught up to them yet and that means line value here against a 5-9 Owls team. 8* UTSAÂ |
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01-12-17 | Pelicans v. Nets +5 | Top | 104-95 | Loss | -107 | 9 h 40 m | Show |
Rickenbach NBA 10* Top Play Brooklyn Nets (+) vs New Orleans Pelicans @ 7:35 ET Thursday - Pelicans star center Anthony Davis hurt his hip late in the win at New York Monday. Even if he plays tonight (didn't do much at all in practice yesterday), Davis is not likely to be as effective as he has been. Also, his history against the Nets is not that impressive anyway with only 18 points per game in his 6 games. While New Orleans has a definite health concern here, Brooklyn is expected to get healthier as Trevor Booker (the Nets leading rebounder) is expected back tonight. The Nets have been a disappointment this season but this is a good spot for them to get back on track with the Pelicans off of a big road win and with Davis now hurting. The Pelicans had lost 3 straight prior to that win and that was just their 5th win in 18 road games this season! Even though New Orleans comes into this game off of two days rest, they are only 2-6 SU in that situation this season. The Nets had won 3 of 4 home games (with the lone loss to Golden State) in a stretch from December 7th to the 26th. Since then they have lost 4 straight at home but the losses included defeats against Utah, Atlanta, and Cleveland. Here they are facing a much less formidable foe and they were 7-8 at home this season before losing 4 straight. With road wins few and far between for the Pelicans and with the Nets ultra hungry to get back into the win column, this is the perfect spot to back the home dog getting generous points. 10* BROOKLYN |
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01-12-17 | Notre Dame +4 v. Miami (Fla) | 67-62 | Win | 100 | 12 h 38 m | Show | |
Rickenbach CBB Game #517 Thursday 8* Notre Dame Fighting Irish (+) @ Miami Hurricanes @ 7 ET - This line opened up at a -2 on Miami and is now up to a -4 as of very early gameday morning. I am grabbing the value on the other side of the move. Many are likely backing the Hurricanes expecting them to bounce back at home after their ugly 70-55 road loss at Syracuse. However, Miami is actually a very ugly 2-10 ATS the past 3 seasons combined when they are off of a game where they were held to 60 points or less. Also, Notre Dame is playing this game with double revenge as they lost both games versus the Canes last season. Miami is just 2-5 ATS at home this season and the Fighting Irish have gone 13-7 SU in their last 20 road games and I'll back the revenging road dog getting the extra line value here. 8* NOTRE DAME |
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01-11-17 | LSU +10.5 v. Texas A&M | Top | 62-92 | Loss | -110 | 11 h 0 m | Show |
SEC Game of the Month - Rickenbach CBB Game #751 Wednesday - 10* Top Play LSU Tigers (+) @ Texas A & M Aggies @ 8:30 PM ET - Not only is this a revenge game for LSU, it certainly is anything but "normal" revenge. The Tigers lost to Texas A & M in the SEC Tourney by a final score of 71 to 38 last spring. The Aggies, in that game, held LSU to a season-low in points and also  a season-low in field goals made (13). Not only that but it also marked the fewest points scored by a team in any major conference for the entire season. You can bet that LSU got caught looking ahead to this revenge game in their poor effort at home against Mississippi State Saturday. The Tigers are only 9-5 this season but they will bring a much stronger effort on defense here after what happened against the Bulldogs Saturday and also after the way they played against the Aggies in the SEC Tourney. Keep in mind that the Tigers did beat A & M when they faced them at LSU last season and now it's time for a little "road payback". Of course a big key here is that the Aggies certainly aren't the level of team they were last season. Texas A & M is winless so far in the SEC and all 3 losses have come by double digits. Now they're being asked to win by double digits against a hungry, revenge-minded underdog and I just don't see that happening here. The Aggies are only 2-6 SU (and 1-6 ATS) in their games against teams with a winning record this season. Also, the Tigers are 12-4 SU (and 10-5 ATS) the past 3 seasons combined when they are off of a loss in SEC action. LSU is also 4-1 SU and ATS this season when they are off of a game where they allowed 80 points or more. Look for the Tigers to get back on track in a big way here and, if they do fall short, it will be single digits. They are highly motivated for this one. 10* Top Play LSU |
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01-11-17 | Knicks v. 76ers OVER 209.5 | Top | 97-98 | Loss | -110 | 21 h 41 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA 10* Top Play OVER the total in Philadelphia 76'ers vs New York Knicks @ 7:05 ET Wednesday - New York and Philadelphia rank near the top of Eastern Conference for pace. Of course that's why this total is up "rather high" as you would expect when teams like this match-up. The key to the over is the fact that their defense also leaves a lot to be desired as the Knicks are one of the worst teams in the league for defensive efficiency while the Sixers also rank in the lower half of the league. New York will be happy to push the pace in this one as they are fired up after being held to just 96 points in their most recent game. The Knicks had averaged 110.8 points per game in their 5 prior games. New York has allowed an average of 115.5 points per game in their last 6 games. As for Philly, they have allowed 107.4 points per game in their last 11 games. The last 3 meetings between these teams have all resulted in an over. The Sixers are off of a double digit win at Brooklyn. The over is now 4-2 in 76'ers divisional games this season. Also, the over is 8-5 the L13 times the Sixers were off of a game they won by 10 points or more. Look for New York to respond off of their poor effort against the Hornets as they are 11-5 to the over when they are off of a non-conference game. Also, both Derrick Rose and Carmelo Anthony are listed as probable for this game (at least as of Tuesday night) and it's "go time" for me as this total is likely to move upward on gameday. 10* OVER the total in Philadelphia |
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01-11-17 | Minnesota +4.5 v. Michigan State | 47-65 | Loss | -105 | 10 h 57 m | Show | |
Big Ten Network Smash - Rickenbach CBB Game #727 Wednesday 8* Minnesota Golden Gophers (+) @ Michigan State Spartans @ 7 ET - This line opened up at -2.5 on Sparty and quickly jumped up to -4.5 and I am not surprised since they have the home court edge here. However, what this has done has set up some nice line value on the other side as Minnesota, in comparison with Michigan State, has been playing the better basketball this season. The Golden Gophers one exception to being superior to the Spartans is that they suffered a tough, 1 point home loss to Michigan State in overtime two weeks ago. The only other loss that Minnesota has this season came at Florida State. Minny is holding opponents to just 28.6% from three point land. The Spartans are allowing 34.2% from beyond the arc. The Golden Gophers are 3-0 ATS on the road this season and 3-0 ATS as an underdog. Minnesota was up 39-26 at halftime in their home loss to Michigan State earlier this season and they have now lost back to back games to the Spartans but they did win in their last visit to East Lansing and I expect another "upset" in this one as well. Grab the generous points here. 8* MINNESOTA |
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01-10-17 | Hawks v. Nets +7.5 | Top | 117-97 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 51 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NBA 10* Top Play Brooklyn Nets (+) vs Atlanta Hawks @ 7:35 ET Tuesday - With the Hawks having won six straight and the Nets having lost six straight, this is definitely a contrarian choice. Of course we are already getting extra line value here as a result. Atlanta was a low as a 6-point favorite and the line is already up to a 7.5 as of early Tuesday morning. The Nets are coached by Kenny Atkinson and he was an assistant with the Hawks for 4 seasons before coming to Brooklyn this season. As a result, he certainly knows a thing or two about the Xs and Os that Atlanta will employ in this match-up. This game means a lot more to the Nets than the Hawks. It is difficult for Atlanta not to look past the 8-28 Nets as they have a much bigger game (home versus Boston) on deck. That said, the Nets are likely to step up and surprise some people in this one! Brooklyn has been playing better on the defensive end as they have held their opponents to 41.5% field goal shooting in their last 3 home games. Opponents did include Utah and Cleveland! Even though Atlanta has won 6 straight, 4 of the 6 wins have come by 7 points or less. The Hawks have stayed under the total in 3 straight games and, when that has been the case this season, they have gone 2-5 ATS (and 1-6 SU) in their next game! In other words don't be surprised if the Nets gets the upset. However, I am certainly grabbing the points. The Nets are 3-1 ATS this season as a home dog of 6.5 to 9 points. 10* Top Play BROOKLYN |
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01-10-17 | Kentucky v. Vanderbilt OVER 158 | Top | 87-81 | Win | 100 | 11 h 36 m | Show |
Earliest Cash ESPN - Rickenbach CBB Game #537 Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Vanderbilt Commodores vs Kentucky Wildcats @ 7 ET - This total opened up at a 160 and has already been pushed down a little to 158 at the time of this write-up. We get some value here because Vandy is off of an ugly game at Alabama. That was a hard-fought loss that the Crimson Tide won 59 to 56. That is helping to impact the markets here when, the fact is, we should see this game top out in the 175 range! The Commodores have averaged 79.4 points per game this season (and shot 47.6%) in their home games. The Wildcats come in with the most dangerous offense in the nation. UK has averaged 94.2 points per game this season and they are hitting 49% from the field. They can beat you anywhere on the floor and the over is 7-3 in their games against teams with a winning record this season. For Vanderbilt, when they are passed the midway point of the season and facing a team with a winning record, the over has gone 16-10 the past two seasons. The Commodores, other than the Crimson Tide game of course, have had good ball movement on offense and they've shot well from three point land - 40.3% this season! The Wildcats have scored 96 points or more in 5 of their last 6 games. The over is 14-9 in Kentucky's road games the past three seasons. UK has revenge for a loss at Vanderbilt last season. That said, I don't expect the Cats to let up at all at any point in this game. However, the Commodores also have a 7-footer inside who has been scoring well of late to complement their hot shooting from beyond the arc and I expect Vandy to hang around in this one. They lose by double digits but they score enough to send this one flying over the total because I expect Kentucky to "put on a clinic" on offense. 10* OVER the total in Vanderbilt |
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01-09-17 | Thunder v. Bulls OVER 207.5 | Top | 109-94 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 48 m | Show |
Total Annihilation - Rickenbach NBA 10* Top Play OVER the total in Chicago Bulls vs Oklahoma City Thunder @ 8:05 ET Monday - Even though the Bulls game Saturday went into overtime and that contributed to the big final score, the fact is the game was well over the total by the end of regulation. Chicago games have now gone over the total in 4 of their last 5. The Bulls have allowed 48% from the field in their last 5 games and that trend is unlikely to stop here. The Thunder come into town having averaged 115.7 points per game in their last 3 games and both Russell Westbrook of OKC and Jimmy Butler of the Bulls are looking to stay red hot and will be eager to put on another "show" in this one. Both guys have been two of the hottest scorers in the league recently. Oklahoma City has allowed 49% from the field in their last 4 road games and the over is 3-0 in the last 3 games for the Thunder. Both these teams are very confident right now with the way they have been clicking in the offensive end and, with both teams off of wins (including 3 straight for the Bulls), defense could be an "afterthought" tonight. Oklahoma City likes to play at a fast pace (their pace factor of 100.2 is higher than any other Eastern Conference team other than Brooklyn) so look for the Eastern Conference Bulls to be pushed into playing this one at a little higher pace than they usually do. That will only help our cause here of course and the Bulls will be happy to run and gun a bit since they've been putting up huge points in their win streak! 10* OVER the total in Chicago Monday |
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01-09-17 | St. John's v. Georgetown UNDER 154.5 | Top | 55-83 | Win | 100 | 9 h 58 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB 10* Top Play UNDER the total in Georgetown Hoyas vs St John's Red Storm @ 6:30 ET Monday - The Hoyas are very hungry for a win so I expect them to really have the defensive intensity turned up for this game. This is even more likely because they have a non-conference game on deck so Georgetown knows that it's now (or having to wait another week) if they want to notch a W in Big East action. The Johnnies also are going to turn up the heat defensively. Their coach ripped them about defense after they allowed 97 to Xavier on Saturday. Look for the Red Storm to bring a better effort here and they had been a little better on that end of the floor early this season. They just didn't "bring it" on Saturday. The Hoyas are allowing only 41.3% from the field this season. St John's has allowed 43.4% from the field and I expect a big performance from the defense here after back to back poor efforts versus Creighton and Xavier. The under is 4-1 when the Red Storm are a road dog in a range of 6.5 to 9 points. The under is 11-4 when St John's is off of a game where they scored 80 points or more. Georgetown is 5-1 to the under this season in games with a posted total in the 150s. Also, the under is 9-3 in Hoyas games against teams with a losing record. That means we have a combined 29-9 mark in favor of the under in this one and I look what both coaches are saying heading into this match-up. It should be a game with plenty of defensive intensity. 10* UNDER the total in Georgetown early Monday evening |
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01-08-17 | 76ers +2.5 v. Nets | 105-95 | Win | 100 | 4 h 27 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA 8* Philadelphia 76'ers (+) @ Brooklyn Nets @ 12:05 ET Sunday - Scheduling situation favors the Sixers in a big way. This is one of only 2 games the 76'ers have scheduled in a span of 7 days. That means full availability of all their players and Philadelphia's big men are going to give the Nets trouble. Embiid, Noel, and Okafor are all expected to be available here. The Sixers have won 3 of the last 4 meetings between these teams and have been playing well since TJ McConnell took over at the point after Sergio Rodriguez hurt his ankle. Philly has covered 3 straight and 4 of their last 5 games. The Nets have the league's worst scoring defense. Also, Brooklyn is still without Jeremy Lin. Brooklyn has won just 1 game in their last 11 and that victory came by just 2 points. That means that at the -2.5 that this game opened up at for the Nets, had they laid that number in their last 11 games they'd be 0-11 ATS. Look for the Sixers to win this one outright but I'll gladly grab the small number being offered here as Philly has been playing the better basketball of these two clubs and, also, this is the 3rd game in 4 days for the Nets. 8* PHILADELPHIA very early Sunday |
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01-08-17 | Richmond +4.5 v. George Washington | 77-70 | Win | 100 | 4 h 55 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #517 Sunday 8* Richmond Spiders (+) @ George Washington Colonials @ Noon ET - The Colonials lost a ton of talent from last year's team that won the NIT Championship and certainly it has shown. George Washington is only 6-6 in their last 12 games and 4 of the 6 wins have come by 4 points or less. That makes the points very attractive here as does the fact that the road team has covered 3 of the last 4 meetings between these teams. The Spiders did win in overtime here last season but they also enter this game with revenge because the Colonials returned the favor at Richmond in their final match-up of the season. The Spiders and George Washington are both allowing just 42.2% from the field this season but the Colonials are allowing 37% from three point land. Also, on the season, George Washington is only shooting 40.6% from the field while Richmond is shooting 45.7% from the field. The Colonials are only 15-27 ATS in conference games the past 3 seasons and have gone just 1-6 ATS as a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points. This season, in games with a posted total in the 140s, George Washington is 1-4 ATS. The Spiders are a long-term 9-5 ATS in road games with a posted total between 140 and 144.5 points. The Colonials are off of a win versus Davidson where, seemingly, everything was falling. After hitting 61% from three point land (uncharacteristic!) and still only winning the game by 4 points, look for things to return to normal for George Washington here. The Spiders could pull the upset but certainly I'll grab the points here. 8* RICHMOND very early Sunday |
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01-07-17 | Hawks v. Mavs OVER 197 | Top | 97-82 | Loss | -110 | 13 h 5 m | Show |
Total Annihilation - Rickenbach NBA 10* Top Play OVER the total in Dallas Mavericks vs Atlanta Hawks @ 8:35 ET Saturday - The first total seen on this game was a 201 but it got knocked down quickly. The markets were trying to say that the odds makers were making a mistake and I am here to say that they weren't! This game should easily get well over 200. The long-standing reputation of Dallas this season has been as an "under team" because they were involved in so many ugly, low-scoring games in the first couple months of the season. However, the Mavericks have averaged 103 points per game in their last 6 games and they've allowed an average of 106 points per game in their last 6 games. As for Atlanta, the over is 6-3 in their last 9 road games after an "under driven" trend on the road earlier this season. The Hawks are averaging 104 points per game in their last 7 games and they've allowed an average of 106 points per game in their last 13 games. There is just no reason not to expect this game to get over the total the way these two teams have been trending of late. Yes, they've each had some unders of late but look at the actual numbers and you'll see that this total has been pushed to low by the marketplace. The over is 6-3 in the Mavericks last 9 home games and also 3-1 this season in the Mavs games against teams from the Southeast division. 10* Top Play OVER the total in Dallas Saturday |
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01-07-17 | St. John's +14 v. Xavier | Top | 82-97 | Loss | -110 | 5 h 47 m | Show |
Big East Game of the Month - Rickenbach CBB Game #763 Saturday 10* Top Play St John's Red Storm (+) @ Xavier Musketeers @ 2:30 ET - The Red Storm are coming off of an awful season and, as a result, we're still getting line value with them early this season. They've added some size and length inside which certainly has improved the interior defense. In fact, on the season, the Johnnies are allowing the same field goal percentage (42%) as the Musketeers so this shows how far they've come. Xavier lost some of their "length" from last year's team and this has impacted their defense. Don't get me wrong, the Musketeers are certainly still the superior team in comparison with St John's but, what we're seeing here is that the gap between these teams has truly narrowed. That said, the Red Storm also have toughened up thanks to some tough early season road games and tournament battles with teams like Michigan State and Virginia Commonwealth. The Red Storm already have an impressive win over Syracuse and upset win over Butler on their resume this season. The fact that St John's just lost their most recent game (hosting Creighton) by 13 points is helping lead to additional line value here. Even as bad as the Johnnies were last year they lost their two games with Xavier by 8 points or less. The prior year St John's actually won both games with the Musketeers. They are undervalued here and Xavier is on a 1-5 ATS run as a home fave in a range of 12.5 to 15 points. The Red Storm have gone 4-0 ATS on the road this season and are a long term 16-6 ATS in road games where the total is between 145 and 149.5 points. More of the same Saturday. 10* ST JOHN'S plus the big points |
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01-07-17 | DePaul +14 v. Seton Hall | 56-87 | Loss | -110 | 3 h 57 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash Saturday - Rickenbach CBB Game #723 Saturday 8* DePaul Blue Demons (+) @ Seton Hall Pirates @ Noon ET - Too many points here. Sure, the Pirates are 11-3 on the season and the Blue Demons are 7-8 on the season thus far. However, DePaul has only lost 1 game (out of 15 games this season) by more than 14 points. Also, 5 of the Blue Demons 8 losses have come by a single digit margin. DePaul also has revenge on their minds here as they lost by 14 at home versus the Pirates last season. The Blue Demons only lost by 4 points in the game at Seton Hall last season and, the prior year, DePaul actually won both games with Seton Hall to earn the 2-0 season sweep. Certainly the Pirates are the better team this season but this line is inflated and, as most of the Big East coaches have been openly discussing, it's going to be a "black and blue" season where no wins are coming easy. The talent level is that closely matched across all programs. That is why right now, in the Big East standings - even though so few games have been played - there is only one undefeated team and only two winless teams out of all 10 teams. It's going to be a "dogfight" season in the Big East and thanks to the scoring punch of Eli Cain, Billy Garrett, and TreDarius McCallum the Blue Demons can hang tough in this one all the way. Look at Seton Hall's last 12 games, they only have 1 win by more than a 13 points margin. The Pirates are 2-6 ATS as a favorite this season. The Blue Demons are 6-2 ATS the past 3 seasons combined when they are a road dog of 12.5 points or more. 8* DE PAUL plus the big points very early Saturday |
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01-06-17 | Wolves v. Wizards OVER 211.5 | Top | 105-112 | Win | 100 | 22 h 41 m | Show |
Total Annihilation - Rickenbach NBA 10* Top Play OVER the total in Washington Wizards vs Minnesota Timberwolves @ 7:05 ET Friday - Both teams come into this game with fresh legs as each team is off of back to back off-days. The Wizards are an incredible 24-8 to the over the past 3 seasons combined when they enter a game off of two days off. The Timberwolves come into this one ready to get back on track after a rare occurrence in that they have been held to 91 points or less in back to back games. Of course the T-wolves lost both games and I look for them to ready to get back on track tonight in a big way but they'll be in for a shootout with a Wizards teams that loves to "run and gun" in spots like this as evidenced by their past history. Minnesota is 15-8 to the over the past 3 seasons when they are off of an upset loss as a favorite. The Timberwolves are 4-1 to the over on Friday nights this season. The Wizards have scored 105 points or more in 14 of their last 18 games! The over is 13-5 in those 18 games and I look for another Washington game to end up soaring over the total by the time this one is in the books Friday night. This season, when off of a game where they allowed 105 points or more, the Wizards have gone 14-8 to the over. Fresh legs, non-conference game, each team has a conference foe on deck in their next game...all these factors should equate to plenty of scoring in tonight's match-up. 10* OVER the total in Washington Friday |
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01-06-17 | Western Michigan v. Akron OVER 151 | 59-66 | Loss | -110 | 20 h 30 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #531 Friday - Rickenbach 8* OVER the total in Akron Zips vs Western Michigan Broncos @ 6:30 ET - The total may look a little "big" here but it is absolutely justified and I expect this game to get up into the 160s. Both these teams are on an 11-6 run to the over in January games. Western Michigan is off of an abysmal performance on offense in their most recent game but they are 5-2 to the over when they are off of a game where they were held to 60 points or less. The Broncos defense, as usual, was absent in their most recent game and they are 3-1 to the over this season when off of a game where they allowed 80 points or more. Western Michigan has allowed 50% or higher field goal percentages in 9 of their last 11 games. Amazingly, the only 2 games the Broncos did not get 'lit up' were two non-lined games (against Central Arkansas and Alabama A & M). The point is that Western Michigan's defense has functioned like a sieve this season and Akron is a strong team that is making nearly 50% of their shots from the field this season and nearly 40% of their three pointers on the season. The Zips have averaged 88 points per game in their last 4 games but they have allowed 47% or better from the field in 3 of those 4 games. Western Michigan, before getting obliterated in their most recent game, had averaged 77 points per game in their 4 prior games. The spread here is the Zips by about a dozen and, as you can see from the above, an 89-77 game would not be a surprise. That said, look for this one to fly over the total. 8* OVER the total in Akron early Friday evening |
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01-05-17 | Texas-San Antonio -2 v. Southern Miss | Top | 59-77 | Loss | -110 | 13 h 42 m | Show |
CUSA Game of the Month - Rickenbach CBB Game #741 Thursday - 10* Top Play UTSA Roadrunners (-) @ Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles @ 8 ET - Most will look at this game and just say it's plain ugly and want to stay away. However, I see great opportunity here with a low number on an improving team that is building up in confidence under a new coach with a new system. Steven Henson, a Lon Kruger protege, has done a great job already with the Roadrunners and his team is now going to be playing their 15th game of the season and they are at the point where they have bought into his systems and defense has improved as a result. UTSA has won 3 straight games and 4 of its last 5. Winning, especially notching victory in their conference opener against UTEP, has done wonders for the confidence of this Roadrunners team and they are ready to go and get an elusive road win. I am well aware of the fact that UTSA hasn't won on the road yet this season but they are facing a Southern Mississippi program that is still trying to find its footing after the scandal that has left them on probation until 2020. This team has only won 3 games this season and those were all non-lined games (which shows you how weak the opposition was). The Golden Eagles are 0-9 SU in lined games this season and here we have a very small line on this game so the SU winner is likely to get the cash and I look for UTSA to get the big road win they are so hungry for. Coach Henson has won this team over and they head to Hattiesburg, Miss. with plenty of confidence in tow. The Runners have held their last 3 opponents to 38.4% from the field and just 63.3 points per game. The Golden Eagles have averaged just 56.6 points per game in their last 12 games and they come into this game having lost 9 straight. UTSA's Gino Littles has combined with Giovanni De Nicolao to give the Roadrunners a solid 1-2 punch at point guard because both players have proved very capable of running the offense with precision. I am well aware of the fact that the Runners 2nd leading scorer, Nick Billingsley, did not make this road trip (academics) but senior guard JR Harris is about to return from a leg injury. Harris could be back as soon as tonight and just the fact that UTSA's leading returning scorer from last year is almost back and the team has won three straight has got the Roadrunners believing they can go and take down this road win. The Golden Eagles were projected by most to finish dead last in CUSA this season and Southern Miss is certainly the perfect spot for the Runners to notch that highly sought-after road win. Look for the Eagles to drop to 0-4 SU and ATS in home lined games this season. 10* UTSA Roadrunners Thursday |
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01-05-17 | Jazz v. Raptors -5.5 | Top | 93-101 | Win | 100 | 26 h 27 m | Show |
Non-Conf Game of the Month - Rickenbach NBA 10* Top Play Toronto Raptors (-) vs Utah Jazz @ 7:35 ET Thursday - With both teams off of losses, this may not seem like such a strong situation (on the surface!) for Toronto. However, when you dig a little deeper there is plenty of reason to be very "bullish" on the Raptors for Thursday night! Utah is off of a loss where they allowed 55.4% shooting from the field and 115 points. This season, when the Jazz are off of a loss where they allowed 111 points or more, they've actually gone 0-3 ATS in their next game. When Utah has allowed an opponent to shoot over 51.1% from the field, the Jazz have also gone 0-3 ATS in their next game. Also, Utah is 2-8 ATS as an underdog this season and that includes 0-3 ATS this season as a road dog of 3.5 to 6 points. The Raptors are fully focused on this home game after struggling on their recent road trip. Toronto has another road game coming up before finally settling in for a 4-game homestand so they want to make the most of this game versus the Jazz. The Raptors are 5-1 ATS this season when they are off of a game where they allowed their opponent to connect at a rate of 51.1% or better from the field. After getting thoroughly embarrassed by the hot shooting of the Spurs in San Antonio Tuesday, the Raptors are going to "bring it" on Thursday night. The Raptors are still 8-4 ATS this season against teams with a winning record while the Jazz are only 6-9 ATS this season. Toronto has won 7 of its last 9 home games. The Jazz had a 4-game losing streak before losing at Boston Tuesday but note that the wins came against Brookyn, Phoenix, Philadelphia, and the Lakers. Those are 4 of the worst teams in the league. Even if George Hill is back for the Jazz tonight, they are running into an angry Raptors team here that will take advantage of their home court edge to get back on track. 10* TORONTO Thursday evening |
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01-04-17 | Virginia -6 v. Pittsburgh | 76-88 | Loss | -110 | 24 h 4 m | Show | |
Wednesday Winner - Rickenbach CBB Game #563 - 8* Virginia Cavaliers (-) @ Pittsburgh Panthers @ 9 ET - Both teams are off of losses so each team is looking to bounce back. Look for the Cavaliers stellar defense to be the difference in this one. Virginia is allowing an average of only 48.6 points per game this season while holding opponents to 35.2% from the field. Contrast this with the Panthers who allow 75.8 points per game! Pittsburgh gets a lot of hype for their home court but the result of the "too much hype" has been a 14-25 ATS mark the past three seasons. The Panthers have a solid frontcourt but are not that strong defensively or at the point. That's why their top leaders in assists are actually their top tandem of forwards - Michael Young and Jamel Artis. The Panthers will be looking to respond off of their loss but are only 9-12 ATS when off of a loss in conference action. Conversely, the Cavaliers are a rock solid 8-1 SU (and 6-3 ATS) when off of a loss in ACC action. Also, the Panthers are just 1-6 ATS as a home dog in a range of 3.5 to 6 points. Versus strong defensive teams (allowing 64 points or less per game), Pittsburgh is on a 3-17 ATS run. The Panthers have lost 4 straight games to the Cavs and each of the last two defeats have come by at least a dozen points. Combining the top trends above (6-3 on Cavs, 6-1 against Pitt and 17-3 against Pitt) this is a 29-7 (81%) spot favoring the Cavaliers. The Cavs have are a perfect 6-0 the last 6 times they have lost a game and most of the victories have been blowouts and only one win came by less than 7 points. Look for another road rout here! 8* VIRGINIA Wednesday |
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01-04-17 | Hawks v. Magic UNDER 205.5 | 111-92 | Win | 100 | 24 h 36 m | Show | |
Total Annihilation - Rickenbach NBA 8* UNDER the total in Orlando Magic vs Atlanta Hawks @ 7:05 ET Wednesday - The Hawks are off of an upset win over the Spurs. That came in OT. Also, 2 games back, Atlanta beat New York in OT. Looking at the points scored in regulation only, the Hawks have allowed only 94 points per game in their last 6 games. Also, Atlanta is playing with triple revenge here. They have lost to Orlando three straight times and that includes two in a row at home. That said, the Hawks would love nothing more than to upset the Magic in Orlando. However, the way I see this one playing out is simply a low-scoring hard-fought battle that would not surprise me if Atlanta wins by a margin very close to the point spread. The value here is with the under as the Hawks will force the Magic offense to slow down as their recent strong defensive play continues. Atlanta is only shooting about 42% from the field in their last 6 games but this total is being pushed up high because of their recent OT games. Note that the under is 17-8 the past three seasons in Hawks games when they are off of an upset win as an underdog. In their games as a favorite this season, Atlanta is 14-8 to the under. 5 of their last 7 games have stayed under the total. 8 of Orlando's 13 games against teams with a winning record this season have stayed under the total. Though the Magic have been scoring well of late they are likely to still be without Evan Fournier and the buckets won't come so easy against a revenge-minded divisional team that is playing with extra intensity on that end of the floor. Look for Atlanta's shooting struggles to continue as this one stay under the total. 8* UNDER the total in Orlando Wednesday |
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01-03-17 | Wolves v. 76ers OVER 203.5 | Top | 91-93 | Loss | -110 | 21 h 41 m | Show |
Total Annihilation - Rickenbach NBA 10* Top Play OVER the total in Philadelphia 76'ers vs Minnesota Timberwolves @ 7:05 ET Tuesday - This one sets up well for a shootout. The Timberwolves opened up as a 4-point choice here and the over is 6-0 the past 3 seasons combined in games where Minnesota is a road favorite in a range of 3.5 to 6 points. The 76'ers are 14-6 to the over in games where they are a home underdog in a range of 3.5 to 6 points. The Timberwolves are fired up and should come up with a big performance on offense here as they lost (and scored just 89 points) as a home favorite versus Portland Sunday. Minnesota has gone 15-7 to the the past three seasons combined when they are off of an upset loss as a favorite. Also, the over is 16-6 in Timberwolves games the past three seasons combined when they are on the road and the total is between 200 and 204.5 points. The 76'ers are 9-5 to the over the past 3 seasons in home games where the posted total is in that same range. Minny is averaging 104 points per game this season but both the T-wolves and Sixers allow about 105 points per game. The 76'ers are averaging 103.4 points per game in their last 8 games and this game should be very free-flowing as neither team excels on defense. Philly has allowed 110.6 points per game in their last 8 games. Minnesota has allowed 5 of their last 6 opponents to shoot at least 49% from the field. Look for more of the same tonight. 10* OVER the total in Philadelphia Tuesday |
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01-03-17 | Arkansas v. Tennessee -1.5 | Top | 82-78 | Loss | -110 | 19 h 0 m | Show |
SEC Rivalry Rout - Rickenbach CBB Game #720 Tuesday - 10* Top Play Tennessee Volunteers (-) vs Arkansas Razorbacks @ 6:30 ET - As I wrote in my write-up last Thursday when I rode the Vols to victory over the Aggies, head coach Rick Barnes is in his 2nd season at Tennessee but, though the Volunteers are certainly still rebuilding, they did notch a few victories over SEC rivals like Florida, Kentucky, and Vanderbilt last season. Though not a traditional SEC rival like those, Arkansas has been in the SEC long enough to get under the skin of Tennessee fans and this is especially true considering that the Razorbacks have won 4 straight meetings with the Volunteers. Those wins included knocking the Vols out of the SEC Tourney 2 years ago. As for coach Barnes experience against the Hogs, he is certainly not happy about dropping both match-ups with them last season. That said, the Razorbacks absolutely have the full attention of coach Barnes. Keep in mind, this is their SEC home opener and after an embarrassing loss to open up the season (against Chattanooga), coach Barnes has the Vols settled in. They have gone 8-4 since then and the only 4 losses were to teams ranked in the top 20 in the nation. While the Vols have been battle-tested this season, Arkansas only has one win against a major conference foe and most of their early season wins have come against weak competition. In their first SEC game of the season Arkansas already found out just how tough it's going to be as they step up in competition and Florida handled them rather easily and Arky was home for that game! Now they're on the road and facing a hungry team that is looking for revenge and that has been playing well. The "cherry on top" here is that Arkansas has a game at highly ranked Kentucky on deck and just lost to a ranked Florida team that also knocked the Razorbacks out of the SEC Tourney last spring. That said, this could easily be an emotional letdown game for Arky and the Vols will gladly take advantage. The Volunteers are 5-1 ATS this season in their games against teams with a winning record. The Razorbacks are 1-4 ATS this season in games with a posted total in the 150s. Look for plenty of points here as the Vols pull away and win this in a blowout. 10* TENNESSEE |
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01-02-17 | UL-Lafayette -1.5 v. Arkansas-Little Rock | Top | 69-52 | Win | 100 | 22 h 0 m | Show |
Sun Belt Conf Game of the Month - Rickenbach CBB Game #533 Monday - 10* Top Play UL-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns (-) @ Arkansas Little Rock Trojans @ 9 ET Monday - The set-up here is fantastic. The Ragin Cajuns are highly motivated as they have revenge from the Trojans knocking them out of Sun Belt Conference tourney spring. Also, UL-Lafayette comes into this game off of a tight 3-point loss at Arkansas State but previously had won 10 of their last 11 games. They now visit Little Rock looking for revenge and they catch the Trojans off of an OT win @ UL-Monroe. That was the same Warhawks team that Arkansas-Little Rock had beaten last spring in the SBC tourney to make it to the Big Dance. Make no mistake that was an intense hard-fought win for the Trojans Saturday and now they won't be able to match the intensity of the hungry, revenge-minded Ragin Cajuns Monday night. Louisiana is 3-0 ATS as a favorite this season while the Trojans are a long-term 1-7 ATS in home games with a posted total between 145 and 149.5 points. Both teams lost some key personnel from last year's squads but the Ragin' Cajuns are a pleasant surprise so far this season and they are fired up for this revenge game. The set up is perfect. I'll take it! 10* UL-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns |
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01-02-17 | Jazz v. Nets UNDER 203.5 | Top | 101-89 | Win | 100 | 19 h 15 m | Show |
Total Annihilation Top - Rickenbach 10* Top Play UNDER the total in Brooklyn Nets vs Utah Jazz @ 7:35 ET Monday - Look for this to be a hard-fought, ugly, low-scoring game. Utah has revenge from a home loss to Brooklyn last spring in the most recent meeting between these teams. The Jazz also are expected to be without point guard George Hill for this game and their depth at point guard was already being tested with Dante Exum still out. Recent Utah games have been very methodical and played at a very slow pace. The under is 9-2 in the last 11 Jazz games and they've averaged a ridiculously low 73 field goal attempts per game in their last 10 games. Of course they're taking on a Nets team that gives up a ton of points and is one of the worst defenses in the league so they should be fine, right? Not in this case. Brooklyn held a players only meeting after their embarrassing road loss at Washington and I look for a much stronger effort on the defensive end as a result tonight. Also impacting the total in this game is the fact that Jeremy Lin is still out and the Nets scored 120 with him in the lineup when they beat Charlotte but they've since lost back to back games without him and have averaged just 97 points per game without him. Utah is unlikely to allow the Nets to get that many here. The Jazz have held have of their last 12 opponents to 94 points or less and are holding teams to just 42.9% from the field this season. The under is 13-5 in Jazz games when Utah enters on a winning streak of 3 games or more. 3 of the last 4 meetings between these teams have stayed under the total. The under is 6-1 in the Nets last 7 games. 10* UNDER the total in Brooklyn |
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01-01-17 | Raptors v. Lakers OVER 217.5 | 123-114 | Win | 100 | 27 h 49 m | Show | |
Total Annihilation - Rickenbach NBA 8* OVER the total in Los Angeles Lakers vs Toronto Raptors @ 9:35 ET Sunday - The Lakers are out for revenge here after being held to 80 points (despite 93 field goal attempts) when these teams met in Toronto in early December. Look for Los Angeles to be focused on running and gunning here because revenge is certainly not the only motivation. The Lakers last played on Thursday and they suffered an embarrassing home loss to Dallas where they scored only 89 points! Speaking of embarrassing, the Raptors also played Thursday night and they were a large road favorite at Phoenix but managed only 91 points and lost outright. As you can see, both teams are hungry to "fill it up" tonight and we should see plenty of buckets. The over is 7-1 this season when Toronto enters a game off of 2 days of rest. The over is also 23-14 (including 3-1 this season) when the Raptors are off of an upset loss as a favorite. Overall, in all games this season, Toronto has gone 21-11 to the over! The over is 13-8 this season when the Lakers are playing with revenge and, overall, in all home games LA has gone 10-6 to the over this season. The opening number on this total is a big one but it is absolutely justified in this case as both teams are going to be relentless about pushing the pace throughout this game. The over is 3-0 this season when the Raptors are off of a game where they were held to 95 points or less. 8* OVER the total in Los Angeles Lakers Sunday Night |
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01-01-17 | Ohio State v. Illinois -1 | 70-75 | Win | 100 | 23 h 42 m | Show | |
Big Ten Network Smash - Rickenbach CBB Game #714 Sunday - 8* Illinois Illini (-) vs Ohio State Buckeyes @ 7 ET - This situation favors the Illini in many ways. Illinois is coming off of an embarrassing loss on Tuesday that saw them score only 59 points at Maryland. Of course that means extra motivation for the Illini here, not that they needed it. These teams have met 3 times in the past 2 seasons (once at OSU and once in Illinois) and the Buckeyes have taken all 3 meetings. This is the ideal spot for the Illini to put an end to that streak as, not only do they have home court, not only are they off of an embarrassing loss, Illinois is catching Ohio State after a 9-day break! The Buckeyes have a lot of rust to work off and, additionally, they have a huge game on deck with the Boilermakers. Ohio State lost at Purdue last season so they're looking for revenge in that game and, of course, the Boilermakers have the attention of all of the Big Ten right now as they are highly ranked. Even though OSU won both games with Illinois last season won came by just 2 points and the other one came in overtime. Those tight losses certainly show just how "close" the Illini were and this is the perfect spot for them to get over the hump. Illinois has a SU record of 29-12 in home games the past three seasons (including 7-1 this season) while Ohio State is only 8-13-1 ATS (9=13 SU) in road games the past three seasons. All the extra rest heading into this game is not something the Buckeyes are use to and they lost and failed to cover the only such game like this the past two seasons. This season they are 0-3 ATS in games with a posted total in the 130s. The Illini are on a 3-year run of 35-6 SU (and 25-14 ATS) in games in which they are a favorite. Look for the hungry revenging home team to get the job done here. 8* ILLINOIS Sunday |
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12-31-16 | Bucks v. Bulls -2.5 | Top | 116-96 | Loss | -110 | 10 h 19 m | Show |
Divisional Dominator Top - Rickenbach NBA 10* Chicago Bulls (-) vs Milwaukee Bucks @ 7:05 ET - Both teams were in action yesterday but this back to back spot is offering multiple edges for the Bulls. For one thing, Chicago's game started 4 hours earlier than the Bucks game yesterday. Also, the Bulls are now back home where they've won 10 of 16 games this season while Milwaukee is still on the road where they've lost 9 of 14 this season. The Bulls also have revenge on their minds here and it is "significant" revenge. What I mean by that is that Chicago was thoroughly embarrassed by the Bucks in a home and home set two weeks ago. Not only did the Bulls lose by double digits at Milwaukee but they then lost the rematch in Chicago by an embarrassing score of 95-69. The Bulls attempted 10 more shots from the field than did the Bucks in that game but Chicago "couldn't hit the broad side of a barn" in that game as they shot a ridiculous 30.4% from the field. You can bet (literally!) that the Bulls will respond in a big way Saturday. Chicago is 3-0 ATS this season (and 12-5 ATS the past 3 seasons) when they are a home favorite of 3 points or less! The Bucks are 1-5 (SU and ATS) when playing the 2nd game of a back to back this season. Also, the past three seasons combined, Milwaukee is just 16-31 SU when playing the 2nd game of a back to back. That said, laying the small number with the revenge-minded Bulls is absolutely the way to go here. 10* CHICAGO |
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12-31-16 | Temple +1 v. UCF | Top | 53-77 | Loss | -115 | 6 h 39 m | Show |
Philly's Finest Top - Rickenbach CBB Game #575 Saturday - 10* Top Play Temple Owls (+) @ Central Florida Knights @ 4 ET - Central Florida is currently playing with only six scholarship players because they have a number of transfers having to sit out and then they're also dealing with a couple of key injuries. The Knights are currently without Chance McSpadden and leading scorer BJ Taylor. While UCF is off of a win in their AAC opener, they had the benefit of facing a Tulane team that is now 3-10 on the season and easily the worst team in the conference. Temple is 0-1 in conference action after their loss to open up the AAC schedule so they'll be fired up to get back on track here. They shot horribly in that game but, keep in mind, they played Cincinnati and the Bearcats are one of the top teams in the conference. Overall, the Knights have the better record so far this season but the Owls have played the tougher schedule. Also, Temple has gone 4-0 the last 2 seasons against Central Florida. When off of a game where they scored 60 points or less, the Owls have gone 14-5 SU the past three seasons. This line is right around a pick'em so that trend certainly fits here and Temple is fired up after the ugly loss at Cincinnati. This game is expected to be a grind it out, low-scoring affair and UCF is only 2-5 SU in games with a posted total in the 120s while Temple has gone 18-8 SU the past three seasons in such games. Also, in home games with a total in the 120s, Central Florida is 0-3 ATS the past 3 seasons. More of the same here and the hungry Owls get the W over the short-handed Knights. 10* TEMPLE |
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12-31-16 | Hofstra v. Delaware +6.5 | 58-56 | Win | 100 | 4 h 4 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #552 Saturday - 8* Delaware Blue Hens (+) vs Hofstra Pride @ 2 ET Saturday - This line opened up with Hofstra -3 but is now all the way up to a -6 in some spots this morning. I completely understand the move as Delaware is coming off of a 7-23 season and Hofstra has been hammering the Blue Hens in recent meetings. However, the Pride could be a little "rusty" here as they haven't played since the 22nd. Conversely, Delaware got back in action, after the Christmas break, by crushing Iona on Wednesday. The Blue Hens were a double digit dog in that game and won the game outright...very nearly by double digits as it ended up a 19 points cover for Delaware. Certainly the Blue Hens have a ways to go but they are still under-valued at this point so far this season. Keep in mind they are 7-6 on the  year so they've already equaled last season's win total. A big key has been a couple of key contributors that were not expected to be as "ready" as they have been. Freshman guard Ryan Daly is their leading scorer and Chivarsky Corbett has returned from an ACL injury and been a solid contributor as well. These players have joined returning starters Cazmon Hayes and Anthony Mosley and George Washington transfer Darian Bryant to give Delaware a strong core group of 5 players all capable of scoring double digits in each game. Corbett did miss Wednesday's game but is probable for this afternoon's game. The Blue Hens are 5-0 SU at home this season and also 3-0 ATS in games against teams with a winning record. The Pride are on a 7-14 ATS run in games with posted total in the 140s. Also, Hofstra is 1-4 SU their last 5 when playing with 7 or more days of rest between games. 8* DELAWARE |
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12-30-16 | Nets +8.5 v. Wizards | Top | 95-118 | Loss | -110 | 10 h 36 m | Show |
The Game of the Month - Rickenbach 10* Top Play Brooklyn Nets (+) @ Washington Wizards @ 7:05 ET Friday - The Wizards Bradley Beal injured his ankle in Washington's most recent game and he's listed as doubtful for tonight's game. The Wizards also are in a "flat spot" here as they are off of a back to back wins and have a tough team (Houston) on deck and could easily overlook the Nets here. That is particularly true because Washington has won each of the past 4 meetings between these teams. A flat Wizards team could be upset here as Brooklyn very nearly upset Chicago in their most recent game and the Nets did upset Charlotte in their prior game. Since Christmas, Brooklyn has come out with extra energy and motivation and they're surely going to again be highly motivated here after they "let one slip away" in their two point loss to the Bulls Wednesday plus the Nets have the revenge angle in their favor here. That is significant here because Brooklyn is 7-2 ATS this season when playing with home loss revenge. The Wizards, as a home fave of 6.5 to 9 points, are on a 7-11 ATS run. 10* BROOKLYN |
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12-30-16 | La Salle v. Dayton OVER 151 | Top | 55-66 | Loss | -105 | 6 h 21 m | Show |
CBS Sports Network Top - Rickenbach CBB Game #729 Friday - 10* Top Play OVER the total in Dayton Flyers vs La Salle Explorers @ 6 ET - Each of the last 4 meetings between these teams has stayed under the total and not a single game totaled more than 118 points. That said, the odds makers opened up this total at 154.5 and, as you would expect, the markets have reacted and the total has dropped down to a 151. In typical contrarian fashion, I'll gladly fade the move here. La Salle is averaging 84.2 points per game this season but also allowing 83.2 points per game! While the Explorers certainly have their fair share of scoring threats and guys who can "create" on offense, they are sorely lacking in terms of strong defenders on the other end of the floor. Dayton is the superior team here by far so the Flyers won't be "scared" to run and gun with the Explorers here. Dayton knows they can outpace the Explorers in this one and both these teams are hitting at least 37.5% from three point. What is simply incredible is the fact that La Salle is allowing opponents to hit 43.1% from beyond the arc. The over is 5-1 in Explorers games this season and they're facing a Dayton team that is averaging 77.4 points per game this season. The past 3 seasons combined La Salle has gone 9-5 to the over in games against teams who average 77 points or more per game. The Flyers are a perfect 3-0 to the over this season in games where they are favored by 9 points or more. I expect these trends to continue tonight and will take advantage of the increased line value here. 10* OVER the total in Dayton Friday |
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12-30-16 | Bulls v. Pacers -4 | 101-111 | Win | 100 | 7 h 49 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA 8* Indiana Pacers (-) vs Chicago Bulls @ 4:05 ET Friday - Revenge game for the Pacers as they lost at Chicago on Monday. Indiana has been mired in a losing slump but if you look closely at their recent schedule, most of their games have been on the road. The Pacers are a different team when they are at home and they've gone 11-5 on their home floor this season while the Bulls have only gone 6-10 on the road. Of course we need Indiana to not only win this game but also cover the point spread here. The odds are in our favor in that regard as the Bulls are only 1-4 ATS this season (and 8-18 ATS the past three seasons) as a road dog of 3.5 to 6 points. The Pacers are 24-13 ATS the past 3 seasons in divisional games and they get the job done in this revenge spot Friday afternoon. 8* INDIANA |
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12-30-16 | West Virginia +1 v. Oklahoma State | 92-75 | Win | 100 | 5 h 28 m | Show | |
ESPN2 Daytime Dominator - Rickenbach CBB Game #723 Friday 8* West Virginia Mountaineers @ Oklahoma State Cowboys @ 4 ET - This is a significant revenge game for coach Bob Huggins and the Mountaineers. They were knocked out of the Big Dance by 14th seeded Stephen F Austin last spring. Why does that matter here? Because Oklahoma State is now coached by the former Lumberjacks coach, Brad Underwood. Certainly West Virginia (nor coach Huggins) have forgotten about the 70-56 dismantling they suffered at the hands of coach Underwood's team in March. It is time for a little payback here and the line (right around a pick'em) is certainly "ripe for the picking" in this one! Even though both teams are off to great starts this season (and I must say it is impressive what coach Underwood has done with a Cowboys team in rebuild mode) it gets "real" now as Big 12 conference play gets underway and this ranked Mountaineers team wants to make a statement and they have the depth and talent to do just that! The biggest difference between these teams is that West Virginia is allowing only 58.2 points per game while Oklahoma State is allowing 77.4 points per game! The Mountaineers have a long-term SU record of 19-2 in their games against teams allowing 77 points or more per game. West Virginia's offense has been strong this season and they are averaging 91.8 points per game. That is significant here because, even though the Cowboys offensive production has also been big early this season, OSU is 3-13 SU the past three seasons when facing teams averaging 77 points or more per game. So we have combined angles of 32-5 working in our favor but, truly with the revenge angle (coaches) and the more veteran and deeper team, we have all the key edges in this one. 8* WEST VIRGINIA |
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