Miami-Ohio does not do well when facing a better team, going 1-7 ATS in its last eight games as an underdog. Kent State has won and covered its last four meetings with the RedHawks and covered both matchups this season by a double-digit margin. The Golden Flashes are playing like the best MAC team, winning their last 12 contests (10-2 ATS). Kent State gets the cover.

Big number but protecting myself on a parlay with Texas over TCU -- check the SportsLine parlay calculator for the price. I'm shocked this isn't over -300 as Kent State finished second in the MAC at 16-4 and Miami was 8-12 and lost the lone regular-season meeting by 13 at home. KSU has the MAC Player of the Year in Sincere Carry and Sixth Man of the Year in Malique Jacobs, who was runner-up in the Defensive Player of the Year voting. Both Carry and Jacobs Carry were named to the all-MAC Defensive Team. I don't trust spreads that much in the regular season, and I don't at all in tournaments with neutral sites, weird things happening and every game an elimination matchup.

Kent State has been on a tear, they've only failed to cover once in their last ten games leading into todays matchup against Miami of Ohio and the books have again given them a line that they have a high chance of getting past. Miami of Ohio has two wins to end the year under their belt but this is a different beast. The Red Hawks have struggled against the better teams in the conference and hold a mediocre 9-19 ATS record. While this is a neutral court, Kent is much closer to Cleveland than Oxford and there could be some support for the favorite. Lay it as the Golden Eagles should win by more than two baskets in this MAC matchup.

Kent State has won 12 in a row as it opens the MAC Tournament against seventh-seeded Miami of Ohio. The Golden Flashes feature the conference Player of the Year in Sincere Carry, not to mention the Sixth Man of the Year and the Coach of the Year. They beat the RedHawks by 13 in the only regular-season meeting, though Miami was without senior forward Dalonte Brown. Even though Brown is back and coming off a 15-point performance, I'll back Kent State to improve to 10-2-1 ATS in its last 13 games.