Matt's Picks (4 Live)
It really aggravates me when teams don't foul in the final seconds up 3. Not doing so just hosed us on Boston U at end of regulation. That is coaching malpractice, and I coached basketball. Granted, 8-10-year-olds but still. Never too soon to teach the right things to do at the end of games. That was decidedly not right. Obviously Duke should win easily here but a tricky spot across country and other than at Army(?) Duke has not covered this number or really close to doing so away. Cal owns a home win over UCLA but also lost by 20 to Louisville. Home game of the year for the Bears.
Seems like a bit of a punt game for Denver in the second of a back-to-back and with half the roster either out or questionable. I'm tired of this nonsense but may as well try and profit off it.
Buffalo did lose last time out but still has only two defeats in the past 15. Expected starter Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is 7-1-0 with a .924 save percentage and 2.11 goals-against average on home ice this season. The Flyers enter on a three-game skid. Buffalo has beaten Philly three straight times on home ice.
This number seems off to me, so I hope all the main Charleston Southern guys are playing -- they did last time out. KenPom ranks the Buccaneers 73 spots higher for this OVC-Big South matchup. They are 7-1 at home. Charleston Southern is among the national leaders in 3-point defense at 29.2% and is outrebounding foes by 9.1 per game, while USC Upstate is being outrebounded slightly.
Toronto is severely short-handed with the likes of RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, Jakob Poeltl (all starters) and others sitting. Indiana has won three in a row and cashed for us the other night vs. Boston.
Always nice when you can stop at the first game of the night because you decently like it. KenPom has Boston U ranked 49 spots higher for this Patriot League matchup. The Terriers have reached triple-digit points multiple times in one season for the first time since the 1979-80 campaign. They swept this series last season. Lehigh is 2-8 away. It was picked eighth in the Patriot League and BU second. Junior Michael McNair totaled 57 points last week in wins for Boston U and earned PL Player of the Week honors.
Inter Milan may top this itself like Bayern Munich did the other day, but Lecce has scored the fewest goals in Serie A with 13 and Inter has allowed among the fewest with 17. 3-0 works. Lecce hasn't had a match with more than four total goals scored since Oct. 25. Available on Paramount+.
This is the current number with now Luka Doncic set to play (Hawks were around -3) -- and LeBron will play, too. I don't love backing the Lakers in the second of a B2B but they looked so bad Sunday at the Kings that I think we get a good effort. And Atlanta is rather short-handed in the frontcourt due to injury led by the Unicorn being out.
Alabama has lost two straight and is down to eight scholarship players tonight with Latrell Wrightsell, Taylor Bol Bowen and Keitenn Bristow all out. The Tide are 2-5 ATS in their past seven. MSU is fully healthy. The best player on the floor should be MSU's Josh Hubbard, who ranks among the SEC's top 15 in four categories: points per game (22.81– 1st), three-point field goals made (2.94 – 5th), three-point field goal percentage (34.6 – 9th) and assists per game (3.81 – tied for 11th).
I am fully prepared for Giannis to now sit out Tuesday as I've said I won't play NBA games too early. But this seems like a really fair price considering Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert are both sitting for the Wolves to start a trip. Edwards for rest and RG due to suspension. Also a third game in four nights for Minnesota. The Bucks are among NBA leaders in 3-point shooting at 39.5%, which would be a franchise record.
Dayton is without two forwards in Amaël L'Etang (12.8 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 1.2 BPG) and Malcolm Thomas (5.0 PPG) as well as guard Jordan Derkack (8.1 PPG, 4.3 RPG, team-best 3.1 APG). Duquesne welcomes back star John Hughley IV (15.4 PPG, 5.6 RPG) for the first time since Dec. 10 due to injury.