Houston is 14-0 at home this season...

I think BYU could be in trouble on Wednesday. Arizona is coming off two losses and the Cougars are now without Richie Saunders for the rest of the season. Saunders averages 18 points and 5.8 rebounds, so he will be missed, especially considering the Cougars aren't very deep. BYU ranks 309th in bench minutes on KenPom. Arizona gave up a big lead in the first meeting but led 44-31 at halftime. I expect the Wildcats to jump out fast again at home. I'll lay 6.5 with Arizona in the first half to avoid a late backdoor cover. Bet up to 7.5.

This line opened at 6.5 but I'll take a shot on Virginia Tech now that it moved to 8.5. The Hokies are coming off a blowout loss to Florida State in a game they led at halftime. Va Tech couldn't make a basket in the second half and the Noles shot 78% from the field. FSU used a 21-2 run to outscore the Hokies 53-27. That crazy half is creating some value in a tough spot for Miami. The Canes won a court storming game at home over UNC then got by NC State in the final seconds Saturday. Miami tends to play up and down to its competition, while Virginia Tech is 7-0 ATS on the road. Take the Hokies at +7.5 or better.

Villanova is one of the most undervalued teams in CBB, so this is the first time I have bet against the Wildcats this season. However, I think the opening number of 6.5 is a little high here. Xavier has covered five straight at home, going 4-1 straight up over that span. The only loss was 88-83 to St. John's. I like this Villanova squad but see the game going down to the wire and if that's the case, the Wildcats shooting under 70% from the free throw line could be a factor. I took 6.5 at DK. Bet down to +5.5, no lower.

I like this spot for Marist. The Red Foxes return home after two straight road losses to Fairfield and Merrimack. Marist is 10-2 on its home court this season and has the top defense in the MAAC. Siena beat the Red Foxes earlier in the season but Marist had won the previous five matchups and I think their defense gets it done here. I'll be at this game, so hopefully that will bring us some luck. Bet the Marist ML or up to -2 on the spread.

This feels like a smash spot for Tennessee. One thing I look for in the final months are teams likely to make a coaching change. Matt McMahon is probably out at LSU and I have to wonder if the players are focused on the rest of the season or the transfer portal. The Tigers are just 2-9 in SEC play and coming off back-to-back home losses to Georgia and Arkansas by a combined 41 points. LSU could also be without leading scorer Dedan Thomas for the fourth straight game. I wish the Vols shot free throws a little better but dominating the offensive glass and getting easy baskets off turnovers should be enough to cover 11.5. Bet up to 13.5.

This feels like a good time to buy low on Texas A&M. The Aggies fought to the wire against Alabama but that 100-97 loss appeared to take a lot out of them. A&M had no juice in the first half versus Florida, scoring just 19 points. They did wake up and score 48 in the second half but it was too little, too late. This is a bad matchup for a Missouri team that struggles with turnovers and guarding the three-point line. I think Texas A&M rebounds from two straight losses with a big win at home here. There are still a couple of 6.5's out there. Bet up to 7.5. No higher.

I'm taking the low-hanging fruit here. It's not just that Duke is coming off a loss to UNC, it's how they lost. The Blue Devils controlled most of that game before going ice cold in the final seven minutes. Duke gets the perfect opponent to take out its frustrations. Pitt is coming off losses of 20 (Virginia) and 19 (SMU). This is also a bad matchup for the Panthers. Duke should score at will near the basket versus a Pitt defense that ranks last in the ACC in two-point percentage and create a lot of turnovers that lead to easy buckets. I never lay this many points on the road in conference play but this feels like a Duke blowout win. Play up to -16.5.

I think 8.5 is too many points here given how well Saint Joseph's is playing right now. The Hawks are 7-1 in their last eight games with the lone defeat a respectable seven-point loss at VCU. I like this George Mason team overall, although the Patriots are just 3-2 in their last five games with the wins coming by five, eight and four points. Saint Joseph's also matches up well with George Mason. The Hawks defend the paint well and foul at the lowest rate in the Atlantic 10. These two teams are even on paper and separated by one game in the A-10 standings. This feels like a game that goes down to the wire. Bet down to +7.5.

Alabama just got blown out at Florida, but I think it’s a good time to buy low on the Crimson Tide. Alabama struggles against Florida and Tennessee because those two teams kill them on the boards. The Tide are 0-10 in their last 10 games against those two teams. That won’t be a problem on Wednesday because Texas A&M lacks size and is one of the worst rebounding teams in the SEC. The Aggies can’t exploit Alabama’s biggest weakness. The Tide have also played a much harder SEC schedule up to this point. Texas A&M’s toughest stretch is coming up with games against Alabama, Florida, Vanderbilt and Arkansas in February. I'll back Bama in a bounce back spot at home. Bet up to -6.5.

This opening line at DK seems off to me. SFA and McNeese are the two top teams in the Southland Conference and extremely close on paper. That showed in the first meeting when McNeese won by two at home, 66-64. I expect another tight game here that comes down to the wire. I make this line a pick and think it moves towards SFA. Try to get +3 or better.

This line feels high, especially with Braden Huff out and Graham Ike not 100%. Gonzaga dismantles most opponents in the WCC but Saint Mary’s is a different story. The Gaels are 4-2 in their last six games against Gonzaga and have covered this number five times over that span. Sometimes past results don’t matter but I look at trends more when the coaches don’t change. Randy Bennett and Mark Few know each other well, so recent results hold more weight. Saint. Mary’s is the top free throw shooting team in the WCC at 81.4 percent, while Gonzaga ranks last at 64.6 percent. That big edge for the Gaels could come into play if the game is competitive late. I'd bet Saint Mary's down to 8.5.

I'm going to jump on this one early because DK is posting 1.5, while other books are at 3.5. I think 3.5 is the right number. This is one of the few times I'm betting on "gut." Having watched UCLA recently, I feel like they are starting to turn the corner. They are 5-1 in their last six games and while home court doesn't always matter in the Big Ten, the Bruins are a perfect 12-0 at Pauley Pavilion. This is also a great spot for UCLA with Indiana traveling after the huge win at home over Purdue. I typically play the ML instead of 1.5 but DK isn't offering it and I think the line goes up. Bet up to 2.5.

I like to back Houston after a rare poor defensive performance. The Cougars allowed Texas Tech to put up 90 points and shoot 41 percent from three-point range. Kelvin Sampson prides himself on having strong defensive teams, so you can bet practices weren’t fun for the Houston players the last few days. Texas Tech actually matches up well with the Cougars. TCU does not. Houston should eat the Horned Frogs alive on the offensive glass, while its ball pressure defense causes havoc against a TCU squad that can be sloppy with the basketball. The Cougars are 6-2 away from home this season and I expect them to bounce back with an emphatic win on Tuesday. I took -5.5 (DK). Bet up to 7.5.

Alabama and Missouri are the two teams I have bet the most the past couple of seasons, so I feel obligated to make a pick on the game. The Tide will be pretty healthy on Tuesday with the expected return of guard Aden Holloway. Holloway wasn't listed on the injury report and is averaging 17.7 points per game. Center Charles Bediako will also be eligible for at least one more game, giving Nate Oats close to a complete roster for one of the few times this season. The other reason I like Alabama is Missouri struggles to guard the three-point line, which is a bad omen when facing the Tide. I bet Alabama -10.5. Play up to 11.5.