Michigan St at Minnesota

CLICK HERE to place your College basketball bet at Bovada Sportsbook

THE STORY: After a stretch in which No. 6 Michigan State dropped three of five games to end January, it hasn’t lost since. The Spartans, who lost those three contests on the road by a combined nine points, have rolled to five straight double-digit victories in February – including three against ranked teams – by getting back to coach Tom Izzo’s usual trademarks, rebounding and defense. While Minnesota is fourth in the Big Ten in field goal percentage, the Spartans’ hard-nosed defensive approach could rattle the turnover-prone Golden Gophers, who commit a conference-worst 14.3 turnovers per game.

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network

ABOUT MICHIGAN STATE (22-5, 11-3 Big Ten): During their five-game winning streak, the Spartans are enjoying a plus-11 advantage in rebounding and are holding opponents to 34.3 percent shooting. In Sunday’s win at Purdue, Michigan State forced the Boilermakers to miss 22 of their first 23 field-goal attempts in the second half after Purdue shot 46.7 percent in the first half. Back-to-back Big Ten Player of the Week honoree Draymond Green leads the conference with 15 double-doubles and has been impressive in February, averaging 17.8 points, 11.4 rebounds and 4.6 assists – all slight increases over his totals entering the month.

ABOUT MINNESOTA (17-10, 5-9 Big Ten): Despite their three-game slide, the Gophers have been able to count on a couple of key facets all season – their ability to block shots and the 3-point shooting of Julian Welch. Minnesota has led the conference in blocks each of the past three seasons and is doing it again, averaging 5.1 this campaign. Welch is shooting a team-best 44.3 percent beyond the arc – fifth best in the Big Ten – and is coming off a season-high 21-point outing in Saturday’s setback at Northwestern.

TIP-INS: CLICK HERE for 500 Handicappers Package FOR 5$

1. Since allowing Northwestern and Illinois to shoot 50 percent from the field in consecutive losses last month, Michigan State has held eight straight opponents under 40 percent.

2. Ralph Sampson III needs 16 points to become the fifth Gopher in school history with 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 150 blocks

3. Green, who is 15 rebounds shy of becoming the fourth Spartan to hit the 1,000-rebound plateau, is also on pace to become the first player from a power-six conference since Tim Duncan in 1996-97 to average 15 points, 10 rebounds and three assists.

CLICK HERE to place your College basketball bet at Bovada Sportsbook

sports betting

Missouri Tigers @ Kansas Jayhawks – Saturday, February 25
Sports betting line: No line

20% Sports Welcome Bonus: Sign up now at Bovada and deposit for your 20% Free Bet Bonus.

Why Missouri Will Win

When you do your homework and assess your sports bet on this game, you need to be cognizant of the fact that Missouri is an extremely resilient team. Kansas outplayed Missouri for the first 38 minutes of the teams’ previous regular-season meeting on Feb. 4, taking a 71-66 lead into the final two minutes. However, the Tigers just kept coming at the Jayhawks, and their persistence was rewarded. Marcus Denmon, the playmaking guard who has been so noticeably fearless for Missouri this season, knocked down two big-time threes to give Missouri a 72-71 lead and – eventually – a 74-71 victory over Kansas. Denmon is part of a veteran core of starters that has given stability and cohesion to the Tigers this season under first-year coach Frank Haith, a frontrunner for the national coach of the year award.

Missouri embodies the kind of team that’s extremely hard to knock out. The Tigers are not a dominant team, but they stay in the ring until the very end and play with the energy needed to endure 40-minute games played at a blistering pace. The prospect of playing a road game at the intimidating Phog Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas, would disturb and unsettle many teams. It’s not likely to make Missouri flinch. This team will push Kansas to the limit, and if Denmon can stick a few more jumpers in crunch time, the Tigers will take the Big 12 title before they head off to the Southeastern Conference.

Why Kansas Will Win

The college basketball betting experts who follow Big 12 basketball know that while Missouri did win the first matchup between these teams in Columbia, Missouri, the Tigers received a definite stroke of luck with 1:43 left in that contest. Kansas forward Thomas Robinson – an NBA-ready performer who devastated Missouri in that game three weeks ago – made a spin move to the basket for a lay-up that appeared to put Kansas up by seven points, at 73-66. Instead, the far-side official called a charge when the Missouri defender clearly flopped. That one call swung momentum in the game; a proper no call would have given KU a three-possession advantage. Instead, Missouri found the gateway toward a final finishing kick and a 74-71 win.

You can bet your bottom dollar that Kansas will come out fired up in this game… not just because the Big 12 is on the line or because Missouri is a hated rival, but because the Jayhawks believe that they were wronged the last time these teams met. Kansas has every incentive to play its best game of the year. The Jayhawks won’t be mildly motivated; they’ll be supremely motivated.

Who Will Win

In Lawrence, on the Jayhawks’ home court, it’s naturally going to be tough for Missouri to win. The fact that Kansas is playing its best basketball of the season will make the task that much more difficult for the Tigers. It would be very surprising if Missouri won; pick Kansas to win the Big 12 once again.

College Basketball Betting Pick: Kansas.

20% Sports Welcome Bonus: Sign up now at Bovada and deposit for your 20% Free Bet Bonus.

sports betting

Kansas at Texas A&M

CLICK HERE to place your College basketball bet at Bovada Sportsbook

THE STORY: No. 5 Kansas must avoid looking ahead to Saturday when it travels to Texas A&M. The Jayhawks, who will play rival Missouri over the weekend with first-place in the Big 12 on the line, have won four straight since falling against the Tigers on Feb. 4. Before the conference season, this was the matchup forecast to be pivotal atop the league standings, as Kansas and Texas A&M were pegged as the co-favorites to win the Big 12. The Aggies have stumbled to a 4-10 league record, though, and won’t make an NCAA Tournament appearance without winning the conference tournament in March.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN2, ESPN3.com

ABOUT KANSAS (22-5, 12-2 Big 12): With an 83-50 blowout of Texas Tech on Saturday, the Jayhawks picked up their 1,000th conference victory, the most of any school in the country. The record speaks to the consistency established at Kansas, which has won or shared the Big 12 title in seven straight seasons under coach Bill Self. This season, the Jayhawks are finding success inside with the play of Thomas Robinson (17.7 points, 11.8 rebounds) and Jeff Withey (6.6 rebounds, 3.4 blocks). Guard Tyshawn Taylor’s 16.6 points per game complement the interior duo.

ABOUT TEXAS A&M (13-13, 4-10 Big 12): The Aggies’ only conference wins this season are against Texas Tech (twice), Oklahoma and Oklahoma State — the other three schools in the bottom of the Big 12. The problem continues to be on the offensive end, where Texas A&M has topped 70 points only twice in league play and five times all season. Junior forward Khris Middleton — a preseason All-Big 12 selection who has been riddled with injuries — is starting to show signs of picking things up, scoring a team-high 15 points in the Aggies’ loss to Missouri last weekend.

TIP-INS:  CLICK HERE for 500 Handicappers Package FOR 5$

1. Texas A&M (60.2 points) and Kansas (60.4) lead the conference in scoring defense.

2. The Jayhawks beat the Aggies 64-54 on Jan. 23 in Lawrence.

3. Withey has 20 blocked shots in the past three games.

CLICK HERE to place your College basketball bet at Bovada Sportsbook

sports betting

Boise St. at UNLV

CLICK HERE to place your College basketball bet at Bovada Sportsbook

THE STORY: Twentieth-ranked UNLV returns home after losing back-to-back road games, including Saturday’s 65-45 blowout at New Mexico. The Runnin’ Rebels scored a season-low for a half (18) and entire game in the loss, and shot a season-worst 31.1 percent. UNLV is 2-4 in Mountain West Conference road games, but is a different team at home, where the Rebels are 14-0 this season and shooting 50.7 percent from the field. Boise State is riding a three-game win streak, including a victory over TCU, which had dealt UNLV its first of the back-to-back defeats.

TV: 10 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network

ABOUT BOISE STATE (13-12, 3-7 MWC): The Broncos rallied from 12- and nine-point deficits in the first meeting before losing 77-72 in overtime Jan. 25. Boise State will need to pressure UNLV just as it did the first time, forcing 14 turnovers and grabbing 43 rebounds. The Broncos are young, with 11 underclassmen, but have matured rapidly. Freshman Anthony Drmic leads Boise State with 12.3 points and 5.3 rebounds. Derrick Marks paced Boise in the first meeting with 21 points, while Thomas Bropleh added 17 off the bench.

ABOUT UNLV (22-6, 6-4 MWC): If UNLV gets ahead of Boise State this time, don’t look for any significant rallies by the Broncos. Whatever their road hazards have been, the Runnin’ Rebels are unstoppable at home, winning by an average of 22 points. Mike Moser led UNLV in the last meeting with 18 points and a career-high 21 rebounds. Moser is seventh in Division I averaging 11 rebounds per game, and leads the team with 14.7 points. Chace Stanback (13.1 points) will be looking for improvement after being held to just four points against New Mexico. Stanback leads the MWC making 45.7 percent of 3-pointers.

TIP-INS: CLICK HERE for 500 Handicappers Package FOR 5$

1. UNLV ranks second in Division I with 18.4 assists per game, while Boise is 235th with 12.1 per game.

2. In the first meeting, UNLV went through a 6-of-26 shooting slump in the first half.

3. UNLV leads the conference in offensive rebounds with 12.3 per game; Boise State is third averaging 11.3.

CLICK HERE to place your College basketball bet at Bovada Sportsbook

sports betting

Duke Blue Devils @ Florida State Seminoles – Thursday, February 23
Sports betting line: No line

20% Sports Welcome Bonus: Sign up now at Bovada and deposit for your 20% Free Bet Bonus.

Why Duke Will Win

When you do your homework and assess your sports bet on this game, an appreciation of the odds is really the first and best place to start. Florida State snuck up on Duke in the first meeting of the season between these two teams. Nobody expected the Seminoles to go into Durham, North Carolina, and pull out a win inside Cameron Indoor Stadium, Duke’s almost impregnable home arena. Yet, that’s exactly what the Seminoles did on a Michael Snaer three-pointer at the final buzzer. Florida State is having a terrific season, but the Seminoles lost to Boston College and Clemson in Atlantic Coast Conference competition. They experience many lulls and letdowns over the course of a 30-game slate, and they lost at home to Princeton earlier this season while also losing their other marquee non-conference contests in November and December.

It’s only in January that Florida State began to play well, and the Seminoles – who are unaccustomed to playing for ACC regular-season championships – are likely to feel the pressure of this moment far more than Duke, which has been through so many high-stakes battles over the years under Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski. It would be harder to think that Florida State could sweep Duke than to think that the Blue Devils will gain a season split. Pure odds stand in favor of Duke, not against it.

Why Florida State Will Win

The college basketball betting experts who follow the Atlantic Coast Conference are plainly aware of one very simple truth: Florida State plays up to the competition when it is facing a highly-credentialed foe, and down to the competition when it is facing a lower-tier team in the ACC. Florida State’s losses this season in the ACC have come against bottom-feeders, but the Seminoles have handled the best teams, beating both North Carolina and Duke. This game is on FSU’s home floor in Tallahassee, Florida, giving coach Leonard Hamilton’s squad yet one more occasion in which to gather its emotions and play a high-energy game in front of an amped-up home crowd. Florida State is in position to play well in this game, and it is likely to throw a strong defensive effort at the Blue Devils, a team that can easily fall into bad habits at the offensive end of the floor. Duke sometimes slips into a pattern marked by a lot of deep three-pointers within a context of one-on-one play and an unwillingness to rotate the ball around the perimeter. Duke can be impatient, and if the Blue Devils exhibit that trait, Florida State not only can, but will, take advantage.

Who Will Win

The odds will likely have the final say here. Duke will likely play a more focused, determined and airtight brand of ball. Florida State will put up a good fight, but Duke should prevail and get a split of the season series.

College Basketball Betting Pick: Duke

20% Sports Welcome Bonus: Sign up now at Bovada and deposit for your 20% Free Bet Bonus.

sports betting

Wyoming at San Diego St.

CLICK HERE to place your College basketball bet at Bovada Sportsbook

THE STORY: After losing three straight games for the first time since 2008, No. 25 San Diego State is hoping to regain momentum in time for the Mountain West tournament. Thanks to a 6-1 start in conference play, the Aztecs remain tied for second with UNLV, behind first-place New Mexico. Like the Aztecs, Wyoming is looking to snap a three-game skid. The Cowboys have lost four straight to San Diego State, including a 52-42 defeat on Jan. 22. The 42 points allowed were the fewest surrendered by the Aztecs in 70 contests between the teams.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, The Mtn., Channel 4 San Diego

ABOUT WYOMING (18-8, 4-6 Mountain West): After shooting 1 of 10 against the Aztecs in January, San Diego native JayDee Luster would love to rebound with a strong showing in his hometown. The senior guard leads the Mountain West in assist-turnover ratio (2.3) and ranks sixth in assists (3.6). Guard Luke Martinez averages 12.8 points, and he scored 15 on five 3-pointers in the Cowboys’ 54-46 loss at Colorado State on Saturday. Forward Leonard Washington, who had 12 points and eight rebounds in the first matchup with San Diego State, averages 12.5 points and a team-high 6.7 boards. Wyoming is 5-7 in games decided by fewer than 10 points, and the Cowboys have led at halftime in each of their last three losses.

ABOUT SAN DIEGO STATE (20-6, 6-4 Mountain West): The Aztecs are optimistic that leading scorer and rebounder Jamaal Franklin will return after missing Saturday’s game against Air Force with a sprained ankle. Franklin had 12 points and a career-high 11 rebounds against Wyoming in January. Garrett Green started in Franklin’s place against Air Force and grabbed 10 rebounds before leaving early in the second half with an ankle injury. He’s questionable to face the Cowboys. San Diego State had only seven scholarship players available at the end of the Air Force game, and its lack of depth is a concern. The Aztecs average 70.9 points, while Wyoming allows 54.2 points to lead the conference.

TIP-INS: CLICK HERE for 500 Handicappers Package FOR 5$

1. San Diego State is 6 of 30 (20 percent) shooting from 3-point range in its last two games.

2. Wyoming leads the series 37-33, but has dropped 15 of the past 22 matchups.

3. The Aztecs held a players-only meeting after being upset at Air Force, which was 1-74 all-time against ranked opponents before beating San Diego State.

CLICK HERE to place your College basketball bet at Bovada Sportsbook

sports betting

20% Sports Welcome Bonus: Sign up now at Bovada and deposit for your 20% Free Bet Bonus.

The Sixers have managed to pay off for their supporters on the NBA odds list just once in the past three years against the Grizzlies, and that was back in a 120-101 road win as a 6.5-point underdog in April 2010.

That result has Philadelphia just 1-5 against the spread versus Memphis since the start of the 2008/09 season, even though they did win three of those six games straight up.

Tuesday night will mark the first meeting of the season between Philadelphia and Memphis; last year the Grizzlies beat the Sixers 99-94 on the road in January and 102-91 at home in February, of course covering the posted spread at the sportsbooks both times.

Totals bettors have seen the OVER/UNDER go 5-4-1 in the 10 most recent matchups between the two teams.

Philadelphia will want to put forward a better effort on Tuesday than they did in their last game on Sunday – a 92-91 road loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. That made it three consecutive losses for the Sixers, who are suddenly slumping.

Jrue Holliday led the way with 20 points for the Sixers in their losing cause on Sunday.

The Sixers won’t have center Spencer Hawes in the lineup on Tuesday night, as he’s now out indefinitely with an Achilles injury. Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph is expected to be able to return to action in early March; he’s been out since January with a knee injury.

Bet on the NBA at Bovada.

NBA Back in Business.

sports betting

Detroit at Toronto

20% Sports Welcome Bonus: Sign up now at Bovada and deposit for your 20% Free Bet Bonus.

THE STORY: The Detroit Pistons have had their share of struggles on the road. The Toronto Raptors have been almost as bad in their own building. One team will buck the trend as the teams do battle for the first time this season Wednesday night at the Air Canada Centre. The Pistons have just three victories in 16 games away from Detroit, but one of those wins – a 98-88 triumph over Boston – kickstarted a three-game winning streak that ended with a narrow loss Tuesday night in Cleveland. The Pistons will lineup against a Toronto team that sits just 4-11 in its own building so far this season.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Detroit, TSN2

ABOUT THE PISTONS (11-23): Two victories over the undermanned Celtics sandwiched around a shootout victory over the Sacramento Kings gave the Pistons some momentum, but they frittered it all away after blowing a 17-point lead to the Cavaliers. Hard work on the boards has been the club’s signature of late, with Detroit owning a plus-17 rebound differential in its past four games. Center Greg Monroe has been the catalyst for the team’s surprising 7-4 showing so far in February, averaging more than 17 points and 10 rebounds in the month.

ABOUT THE RAPTORS (9-23): Toronto wraps up a seven-game homestand Wednesday night that has provided Raptors fans with few highlights. The Raptors are just 1-5 heading into the finale, though fatigue may have played a role in the team’s recent struggles. Toronto has had four days off since its last game, the first time this season that the Raptors have had consecutive days off at any point. They’ll get five more days of rest thanks to the All-Star break, with their next game set for Tuesday in Houston.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. Detroit won three of four meetings between the clubs a season ago.

2. The Pistons will have plenty of time to heal up for a busy conclusion to the season; following Wednesday’s game, they play just four times over the next 15 days.

3. Both teams average fewer than 89 points per game, though the Pistons have been stronger of late – they’ve averaged better than 102 points during their past four outings.

PREDICTION: Pistons 94, Raptors 89. CLICK HERE for 500 Handicappers Package FOR 5$

20% Sports Welcome Bonus: Sign up now at Bovada and deposit for your 20% Free Bet Bonus.

sports betting

Boston at Oklahoma City

20% Sports Welcome Bonus: Sign up now at Bovada and deposit for your 20% Free Bet Bonus.

THE STORY: The Oklahoma City Thunder have won 10 consecutive home games and the Boston Celtics have lost six of seven games to fall below .500. Oklahoma City’s homecourt success is the franchise’s best streak since the team won 12 straight during the 1997-98 season when known as the Seattle SuperSonics. Boston scored only 73 points in Monday’s loss to Dallas. Forward Kevin Garnett is expected back after missing the past two games for personal reasons.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN, CS New England (Celtics), FS Oklahoma (Thunder)

ABOUT THE CELTICS (15-16): Boston will again be without point guard Rajon Rondo, who is serving a two-game suspension for throwing the ball at an official after being upset with a call during Sunday’s loss to the Detroit Pistons. Rondo missed the Dallas game with Avery Bradley starting and contributing 12 points and two assists. “You’re always disappointed when that happens,” coach Doc Rivers said of Rondo losing his composure. “You should never put yourself in front of the team. But the game is an emotional game.”

ABOUT THE THUNDER (25-7): Serge Ibaka has been a rejection machine this month while averaging 4.8 blocks in 12 games. He has blocked 10 or more shots three times, including a historic performance of 14 points, 15 rebounds and 11 blocks in an overtime victory over the Denver Nuggets. The triple-double involving blocks was the first in the combined history of the SuperSonics/Thunder franchise. Ibaka leads the NBA with 3.3 blocks per game and also averages 8.3 points and 7.6 rebounds.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. The Celtics have won four consecutive road games in the series, but the Thunder won in Boston 97-88 on Jan. 16 in this season’s first meeting.

2. Durant is averaging 26.8 points in eight career games against the Celtics.

3. Boston center Jermaine O’Neal (wrist) and forward Chris Wilcox (groin) were hurt during the Dallas game and are uncertain participants.

PREDICTION: Thunder 105, Celtics 87. CLICK HERE for 500 Handicappers Package FOR 5$

20% Sports Welcome Bonus: Sign up now at Bovada and deposit for your 20% Free Bet Bonus.

sports betting

Atlanta at New York Betting

20% Sports Welcome Bonus: Sign up now at Bovada and deposit for your 20% Free Bet Bonus.

THE STORY: Jeremy Lin and Carmelo Anthony finally got on the court together Monday. The results weren’t so great. The New York Knicks have some hope for the future with Lin directing the offense, but they still need some work on the defensive end. Lin was torched by Deron Williams in the loss to New Jersey on Monday. The Atlanta Hawks are having the opposite problem, with the offense consistently unable to keep pace. The stumbling Hawks have dropped seven of 10 this month while putting up 86.2 points.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, SportSouth (Hawks), MSG (Knicks)

ABOUT THE HAWKS (19-13): Atlanta could use the All-Star break to get its shooting back together. The Hawks have scored more than 90 points twice in the last 10 games and have been held to less than 80 in dropping each of the last two. Atlanta came back from a 20-point deficit in Chicago on Monday to cut the lead to five but then went the final 3:24 without a point in the 90-79 setback. Joe Johnson was injured late Monday and will miss the final two games before the break. No one on the team needs a rest more than the All-Star guard, who is shooting 17.2 percent (5 for 29) from 3-point range in the last five games.

ABOUT THE KNICKS (16-17): New York dropped below .500 again with the 100-92 loss to the Nets and have a trip to Miami looming on Thursday. The star has dimmed around “Linsanity” a bit with losses in two of the last three but the early returns with Anthony are good. The All-Star forward returned to the lineup and had no trouble deferring and distributing, finishing with six assists. The Knicks are also attempting to integrate Baron Davis and J.R. Smith into the rotation.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. The teams split four meetings last season, with New York taking the final two.

2. Knicks guard Iman Shumpert (knee) sat out Monday and is day-to-day.

3. Hawks forward Josh Smith has recorded a double-double in three straight games.

PREDICTION: Knicks 95, Hawks 88. CLICK HERE for 500 Handicappers Package FOR 5$

20% Sports Welcome Bonus: Sign up now at Bovada and deposit for your 20% Free Bet Bonus.

sports betting