Matt's Picks (4 Live)
The Hornets are playing much better of late but this still seems a bit generous by a good 25 cents or so. The Charlotte players have been in LA since Sunday -- losing at the Clippers on Monday -- and needless to say there can be distractions there. The Lakers won by 10 in Charlotte on Nov. 10 before LeBron James made his season debut. The Lakers rank second in the NBA in net rating in the clutch this season at +26.2 net rating, holding a 13-1 record in the clutch. Hopefully we don't have to worry and this is a rout. The Bugs have a couple of injury questions.
I think this is maybe 30 cents light. KenPom ranks UC Davis at No. 161 and Cal State Fullerton at 194 entering this Big Sky matchup. The Aggies are 6–0 when scoring 80+ points -- Fullerton allows 85.6. UC Davis is 8-1 when shooting a higher FG percentage than the opponent. It leads the Big West in steals at 8.1 per game and is Top 50 nationally in turnovers forced per game. Fullerton head coach Dedrique Taylor served as an assistant coach at UC Davis (2000-01) and played for the Aggies (1995-97).
Second of a B2B for the Flyers, and we cashed fading them on Wednesday in Buffalo (well, down 4-1 as I type this). That should mean No. 2 Samuel Ersson in net for this one, and he has a single win in his past seven with 27 goals allowed. And his road splits are worse.
We have made absolute bank fading the Canucks of late as they are on an eight-game skid and this is a terrible spot anyways at the end of a long road trip with a long homestand up next. Columbus has won two straight and looks for payback for a 4-3 loss in Vancouver on Nov. 8. The Canucks were actually decent back then.
Wow, I should have just traveled to Greenland or something on Wednesday as it was a college hoops disaster. Not sure I've ever had such an unlucky day: Two teams absolutely should have won, blew a last-second lead and lost in OT. And then Cal failed to cover by a dang half-point. Might not be my year in this sport. But we trudge on for now. KenPom ranks Albany 52 spots higher for this America East matchup. The Great Danes aren't very good but Binghamton might be one of the worst programs in the country. Sorry, Tony Kornheiser. Albany won two of three meetings last season.
Como might have the best stadium location on the planet and is averaging 2.11 points per home game. I Lariani are on a nine-game unbeaten run at home. Cesc Fabregas' side is unbeaten in the last four overall. AC Milan has looked rather average in 2026 thus far with a win and two draws, not scoring more than one goal in any. Top Milan defender Strahinja Pavlovic is out. Niclas Füllkrug is in question with a fractured toe.
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.