Date | Match Up | Rating | Score | Result | Profit | Lead Time | Analysis |
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02-23-20 | Jets -105 v. Sabres | Top | 1-2 | Loss | -105 | 6 h 13 m | Show |
Daytime Dominator - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #55 Sunday 10* Top Play Winnipeg Jets Money Line (-) @ Buffalo Sabres @ 3:05 ET - Perfect set up here. The Jets ran into a red hot Flyers team yesterday and lost 4-2 at Philly. The Sabres were also in Pennsylvania yesterday as they faced Pittsburgh. Buffalo caught the Penguins looking ahead to their big divisional match-up with the Capitals taking place today. The Sabres took full advantage and beat the Pens 5-2. Now, off an upset win and hosting an angry Winnipeg team, the Sabres are likely to get beat by the Jets. The road team should have the edge in goal. Since Buffalo used Carter Hutton yesterday and Winnipeg used Connor Hellebuyck yesterday, the likely goalie match-up here would be Jonas Johansson against Laurent Brossoit. The Sabres Johansson has very little NHL experience. The Jets Brossoit enters this start off 3 straight strong starts in which he has allowed 2 or less goals in each start. Winnipeg has the situational edge (off a loss while Buffalo off upset win) here and also has the edge between the pipes in my opinion. The Jets have gone 3-0-1 in their last 4 games against the Sabres including winning each of their last two visits to Buffalo. Look for another road team victory in this one! 10* WINNIPEG |
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02-23-20 | Penn State v. Indiana OVER 143 | Top | 60-68 | Loss | -105 | 4 h 21 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #821 Sunday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Indiana Hoosiers vs Penn State Nittany Lions @ Noon ET - The Nittany Lions had been rolling but enter Sunday off an ugly loss to Illinois. In that game Penn State scored only 56 points. This was preceded by a stretch in which PSU scored an average of 78 points per game during an 8-game winning streak. Now this total that opened up at 145 is down to a 143 and I feel we have great value with the over in this match-up. The Hoosiers have been scoring well at home but won't be able to stop an angry Nittany Lions team on the other end in this one. That means we should see plenty of points in this one. Indiana has scored an average of 76 points per game in its last 3 home games. You can see why I am expecting this game to get into the 150s given the above recent trending for these teams. Also, we're getting value here because the last meeting between these teams stayed well under the total but both teams had rare poor shooting nights from beyond the arc. With regards to the rematch, note that the Nittany Lions are hitting 36.3% of their threes in road games this season and the Hoosiers are knocking down 35.3% of their shots from long range in home games this season. Indiana has allowed an average of 80 points per game their last 3 games and this one has all the right ingredients to turn into a back and forth high-scoring affair. 10* OVER the total in Indiana |
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02-22-20 | Hurricanes v. Maple Leafs OVER 6.5 | Top | 6-3 | Win | 100 | 9 h 51 m | Show |
Total Annihilation - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #37 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Toronto Maple Leafs vs Carolina Hurricanes @ 7:05 ET - Since the Hurricanes started Petr Mrazek last night they are likely to go with James Reimer between the pipes tonight. He is a former Maple Leaf and has struggled in his meetings with the Leafs since leaving Toronto. Overall he enters this start struggling as he has a 3.55 GAA in the month of February and is coming off back to back particularly poor outings. The Hurricanes lost 5-2 last night and that was the 8th time in their last 10 games that their game has totaled 7 or more goals. Now they face one of the highest scoring teams in the league coming off an unusual shutout win. The Maple Leafs just beat Pittsburgh 4-0 and could struggle in the D-zone here after that atypical result. Toronto entered that game against the Penguins having allowed 5 goals in each of their 2 prior games. Only 8 of 23 games that have followed a win by a margin of 2 or more goals this season have stayed under the total. The over is also 8-1 the last 9 times that the Maple Leafs have allowed 1 or less goal. 10* OVER the total in Toronto |
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02-22-20 | Canadiens v. Senators +128 | Top | 3-0 | Loss | -100 | 8 h 24 m | Show |
Divisional Dominator - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #40 Saturday 10* Top Play Ottawa Senators Money Line (+) vs Montreal Canadiens @ 7:05 ET - This is simply too much line value to pass up. The Canadiens still have playoff hopes but the division rival Senators would love to play the role of spoiler. The set-up here is ideal as the Sens are off a loss but this followed a stretch in which they won 3 of 4 games. Ottawa has NOT thrown in the towel on the season as evidenced by that stretch. As for the Habs they still have plenty to play for but a recent 5-game losing streak really hurt them. All the pressure is on Montreal in this game and they are off an OT win at Washington. That big road win was preceded by the 5-game winless streak and now the Canadiens face a division rival that would love to hurt their playoff hopes. The Senators have added motivation too because they have lost each of their last two games against the Habs and each defeat came in OT. Great home dog value here and I sense an upset as the Canadiens continue to squeeze the sticks too tight and the Sens are going to respond off a 5-1 home loss that was preceded by a solid stretch of play. 10* OTTAWA |
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02-22-20 | Nets -3 v. Hornets | Top | 115-86 | Win | 100 | 12 h 0 m | Show |
Game of the Month - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #533 Saturday 10* Top Play Brooklyn Nets (-) @ Charlotte Hornets @ 7:05 ET - The Hornets have won 3 straight games but they faced 3 poor teams. Charlotte's 3-game win streak has featured wins over Detroit, Minnesota, and Chicago. Prior to this run over poor teams, the Hornets had lost 5 straight games (SU and ATS). Now Charlotte is hosting a Nets team seeking revenge for a loss in Brooklyn when these teams most recently met. Brooklyn is currently seeded 7th in the East and is hell-bent on making the playoffs this season. They are off a loss by 8 points at Philadelphia Thursday but that game actually went to OT and the Nets played very well against the 76ers. They now know Kyrie Irving is out for the season and can focus on getting the job done with the players on hand. Look for Brooklyn to resume the winning here at Charlotte. The Nets had won 6 of 8 games prior to the loss to the Sixers. Unlike the Hornets, Brooklyn's most recent wins included tougher teams like Toronto and Indiana. Grab the value here with the Nets, courtesy of being on the road, installed as a very short favorite here. 10* BROOKLYN |
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02-22-20 | Richmond -120 v. St Bonaventure | Top | 71-75 | Loss | -120 | 10 h 45 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #735 Saturday 10* Top Play Richmond Spiders (-) @ St Bonaventure Bonnies @ 6:30 ET - Great situation here for value. The Spiders are on the road so that keeps this line manageable. In fact, grabbing the money line (in the 120 range as of 9 AM ET) is a solid value here for those with access to it. Richmond has revenge on its mind here as St Bonaventure has held the upper hand in recent meetings between these teams. I like the fact the Bonnies have a respectable record but have struggled when stepping up in class in conference action and that is the case here. St Bonaventure just got hammered by Davidson and also got rolled by Dayton and Virginia Commonwealth and lost to Rhode Island this season. Dayton, Rhode Island, and Richmond are the top 3 teams in the conference standings so I am expecting the Bonnies to again struggle here. The Spiders won at Rhode Island this season and also have a recent win over VCU. Richmond enters this game on a 5-game winning streak and also has revenge on their minds here. The Spiders have lost each of their last 3 meetings with the Bonnies. One was at home, one was on the road, and one was a neutral site Atlantic Ten conference tourney loss. Payback time here. The Spiders have allowed just 52.6 points per game their last 5 games! St Bonaventure has allowed 80 points or more in 5 of their past 9 games! 10* RICHMOND |
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02-22-20 | North Carolina v. Louisville OVER 145 | Top | 55-72 | Loss | -109 | 8 h 39 m | Show |
Daytime Dominator - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #719 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Louisville Cardinals vs North Carolina Tar Heels @ 4 ET - I used the over in Louisville's first revenge match-up this week as I knew they wouldn't take their foot off the gas with a chance to blowout Syracuse. Indeed it played out that way as the Cardinals won 90-66. Now, with a chance to get payback against the Tar Heels, I look for Louisville to again pile up the points. North Carolina has been a nemesis for Louisville in recent seasons and that includes knocking them out of the ACC Tourney last March. Now the Cards get a chance at revenge while the Heels are having a down season. They won't pass up this opportunity and, just like the game against the Orange, they won't take their foot off the gas. The Cardinals are averaging 78 points per game at home. The Cards have averaged 84 points per game in their last 4 home games. The Tar Heels are not a very good team defensively this season but are capable of putting up solid point totals in the right situation and this is one of those. Louisville is going for the home rout here and will be willing to play a fast pace with plenty of running up and down the court and quick points in transition. The over is 8-3 in the Cardinals last 11 games. There have been only 4 unders in North Carolina's last 13 games. 10* OVER the total in Louisville |
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02-21-20 | Blues +131 v. Stars | Top | 5-1 | Win | 131 | 8 h 7 m | Show |
Game of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #23 Friday 10* Top Play St Louis Blues Money Line (+) @ Dallas Stars @ 8:35 ET - The Blues are in a back to back here but this is still a great value spot to grab the defending Stanley Cup champs. St Louis has revenge from a 3-2 loss in OT versus Dallas less than 2 weeks ago. Keep in mind, the Blues never trailed in that game. Also, St Louis has won 4 of its last 6 visits to Dallas including eliminating the Stars from the playoffs last year. The fact is that St Louis has had the Stars number and Dallas is expected to start Ben Bishop here. He was originally drafted by the Blues and not only got eliminated by the post-season by St Louis last season, he is also 0-2 against them this season. Overall, the Blues have gotten back on track after some recent struggles. They have won back to back games via shutout fashion and have allowed a total of only 2 goals in their last 3 games. Even though Dallas is off a win, they allowed a ton of shots on goal against Arizona. This line opened up with the Stars as low as a -125 and that was with good reason. The markets are giving Dallas far too much respect here as this line has been driven up to the 145 range. The Blues are 4-1 this season when playing on the road in the 2nd game of a back to back. Payback time for what happened two weeks ago. 10* ST LOUIS |
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02-21-20 | Suns v. Raptors OVER 228 | Top | 101-118 | Loss | -109 | 10 h 31 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #517 Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Toronto Raptors vs Phoenix Suns @ 7:35 ET - The Suns are getting healthier as a number of players expected to return tonight in the first game for Phoenix since the All Star break. The Raptors are fired up after a loss right before the All Star break ended their 15-game winning streak. In that defeat, Toronto was held to just 91 points. Keep in mind, in their prior 15 games the Raptors scored an average of 121.2 points per game. The Suns enter this game having averaged 111.2 points per game their last 10 road games. There were just 3 unders for Toronto during their 15 game winning streak. I look for the Raptors to get right on back with a win here out of the break and, as per usual throughout their recent winning streak, the game goes over the total. The Suns are rejuvenated with better health and love to run and gun. The Raptors will happily oblige a fast-paced game here as well. 10* OVER the total in Toronto |
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02-21-20 | Rangers v. Hurricanes UNDER 6.5 | Top | 5-2 | Loss | -120 | 8 h 43 m | Show |
Divisional Dominator - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #20 Friday 10* Top Play UNDER the total in Carolina Hurricanes vs New York Rangers @ 7:05 ET - The Hurricanes are expected to start Petr Mrazek here between the pipes. He has a .911 save percentage at home this season and, should James Reimer get the start he has a .914 save percentage on home ice this season. This is a key battle in divisional action as these Metropolitan foes are both battling for their playoff lives. The Canes current positioning is certainly much better than that of the Rangers but New York is playing some of their best hockey of the season. This game should play out with playoff-like intensity and the Rangers have been getting solid goaltending. The most recent meeting between these teams went over the total but that was preceded by a streak of 4 straight unders. The Rangers have allowed 3 or less goals in 8 straight games including an average of just 2 goals per game their last 6 games. Only 5 of the Rangers 16 divisional games this season have resulted in an over. Only 26 of the Hurricanes last 67 home games with a posted total of 6 or more goals have gone over the total. Look for a playoff-level defensive-minded battle in this one. 10* UNDER the total in Carolina |
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02-21-20 | Cavs +6 v. Wizards | Top | 113-108 | Win | 100 | 10 h 43 m | Show |
Game of the Week - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #513 Friday 10* Top Play Cleveland Cavaliers (+) @ Washington Wizards @ 7:05 ET - Wizards coach Scott Brooks commented on the solid guard play of the Cavaliers. Keep in mind this is a team that also has Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson in the front court plus the recently acquired Andre Drummond. Love missed the Cavs most recent game but is expected back tonight and this team is looking much better than their record. Look for the coaching change that took place during the All Star break to pay immediate dividends for Cleveland. I know Washington has been winning some games and is still alive in the playoff race but there is renewed enthusiasm with the Cavaliers. The Cavs got a dominating win over Atlanta just before the All Star break and I would not be surprised to see another big win here. That said, I am certainly happy to grab the half dozen points being offered. The Wizards have been playing a little better of late but they are still a tough team to trust as their defense often leaves a lot to be desired! The road team has won and covered both meetings between these teams this season and I look for that trend to continue here. 10* CLEVELAND |
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02-21-20 | Green Bay v. Detroit OVER 165 | Top | 84-67 | Loss | -109 | 12 h 29 m | Show |
Horizon League Total of the Year - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #853 Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Detroit Mercy Titans vs Wisconsin Green Bay Phoenix @ 7 ET - I know this is a very big total posted on this game but both these teams are poor defensively and the Phoenix love to run and gun. As for the Titans, they'll be bringing a strong effort right from the opening tip in this one as they were done in by a very poor first half in their most recent game here and then scored 39 in the 2nd half. Detroit can put up big points in the right situations and this is one of them. Green Bay is off a big win at rival Milwaukee. That game totaled 184 points as the Phoenix continue to rely on offense to win games and they continue to be weak on the defense end. They gave up 90 points to the Panthers in that win and no, there was no overtime! History in this series also suggests a wild game is on tap. There has been just 1 under in the last 8 meetings between these teams. Also, the average points scored in the last 10 meetings between these teams is 180.7 per game. UWGB is allowing opponents to hit 47% from the field in road games this season and 38% from three point land away from home. On the season the Titans are allowing 77.5 points per game and the Phoenix are scoring an average of 81.4 points per game. Given the situation here, as well as the series history and the recent trending for each of these teams, we should see an absolute shootout. Before a low-scoring OT loss in their most recent game, Detroit Mercy had scored an average of 75.4 points per game their 8 preceding games. Now take that level of scoring and match it up with the run and gun Phoenix and you have the makings of a game where each team is likely to get well into the 80s. Green Bay has scored more than 90 points in each of its last 3 victories and here they are taking on a 6-21 Titans team certainly not known as a defensive stalwart. 10* OVER the total in Detroit |
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02-20-20 | Jets v. Senators OVER 6.5 | Top | 5-1 | Loss | -100 | 8 h 48 m | Show |
Total Annihilation - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #9 Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Ottawa Senators vs Winnipeg Jets @ 7:35 ET - The Jets beat the Senators 5-2 in Winnipeg about two weeks ago. Look for another big game from the Jets here but also look for the Sens to score a little better on home ice. Winnipeg has won 6 of 9 games and the Jets have scored an average of 4.7 goals per game in those 6 victories. The Jets will take advantage of a Senators team that has allowed 3.6 goals per game its last 7 games. While Ottawa has struggled at times in their own zone and is also not the same team without goalie Anders Nilsson, the Sens do have some momentum here as they have won 3 of their last 4 games thanks in part to strong production in the offensive zone. Ottawa has scored an average of 4 goals per game its last 4 games. The over is 7-2 this season when the Senators enter a game having played each of their 3 prior games on home ice. The home cooking has, indeed, been serving the Sens well. The over is 16-9-1 in Winnipeg's non-conference games this season and they continue their offensive surge here. 10* OVER the total in Ottawa |
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02-20-20 | Penguins v. Maple Leafs -111 | Top | 0-4 | Win | 100 | 8 h 45 m | Show |
Early Dominator - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #8 Thursday 10* Top Play Toronto Maple Leafs Money Line (-) vs Pittsburgh Penguins @ 7:05 ET - The Maple Leafs are looking for immediate payback after getting thoroughly embarrassed at Pittsburgh on Tuesday. In that 5-2 loss Toronto actually was down 5-0 before making the final score slightly more respectable. The Leafs are now 0-2 against the Penguins this season but this is the first time they'll be meeting north of the border. Look for Toronto to take advantage of home ice here. The home team has won 9 of the Penguins last 13 games and Pittsburgh has only split their last 6 home games. They certainly are a different team when away from home. The Maple Leafs have won 5 of 6 games this season when they enter a game off 3 or more consecutive road games. The Penguins enter this game on a 3-game winning streak but, when entering a game on a winning streak of 3 or more games, that has been a situation that has seen them lose 5 of their last 7. The Maple Leafs are off back to back ugly 5-2 losses and they have won 5 of 6 games the last 6 times they have entered a game on a losing streak of 2 or more games. Bounce back time at a great price on home ice. 10* TORONTO |
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02-20-20 | Bucks v. Pistons OVER 223.5 | Top | 126-106 | Win | 100 | 12 h 15 m | Show |
Total of the Week - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #501 Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Detroit Pistons vs Milwaukee Bucks @ 7:05 ET - The Pistons are in a state of flux but don't expect any mercy from the Bucks in this one. Milwaukee has dominated Detroit including last season's sweep in the first round of the playoffs. The Bucks welcome back Giannis Antetokounmpo after he missed the last two games before the All Star break. Also, Milwaukee did lose their final game before the break so there will be no let up in this game no matter the score. The Bucks want to put a beating on their next opponent after a rare loss. That said, the Pistons are the victim by default. I do like the fact that Detroit scored 108 points in regulation time in their final game before the All Star break. The Pistons have also averaged 108 points per game this season. However, the Bucks are 13 point favorites here with good reason and a road rout is likely. I don't trust laying the huge points here with Milwaukee as double digit road favorites as double digit road favorites in the NBA aren't a big favorite of mine! But I do trust the Bucks not to take their foot off the gas and this could turn into a very wild high-scoring game as a result. These teams tend to get a little testy with each other and that means plenty of free throws too. The last meeting here in Detroit was quite a rough and tumble affair and that one totaled 230 points. This one should get into that range as well. Look for the over to improve to a perfect 5-0 in the last 5 meetings between these teams in the Motor City. The over is 7-3 in the Pistons last 10 home games. 10* OVER the total in Detroit |
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02-20-20 | Ohio State +3 v. Iowa | Top | 76-85 | Loss | -115 | 10 h 43 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #623 Thursday 10* Top Play Ohio State Buckeyes (+) @ Iowa Hawkeyes @ 7 ET - The Hawkeyes have been great at home and are laying a small number here. However, don't let that fool you. There is a reason this game is priced that way. Iowa is likely to again be without CJ Fredrick. The guard is one of their top players but is dealing with a bad ankle sprain. If he does play he won't be 100%. Also, the Hawkeyes are off a road win but they've haven't won back to back games since a 5-game winning streak wrapped up 3 weeks ago. The Buckeyes come into this game rolling as they have won 5 of 6 games. However, their last road game was an ugly loss at Wisconsin. Not only does Ohio State want to make up for that here, they also haven't forgotten their last visit to Iowa. In that game the Hawkeyes blasted them by double digits in a game the Buckeyes led at halftime. It is payback time here. When Iowa is off a tight win (margin of 6 or less points) they have gone 0-8 ATS. Ohio State is 6-0 SU and ATS this season when they enter a game off 2 or more consecutive home wins. The Buckeyes are also 6-0 SU and ATS this season when off a game in which they allowed 55 points or less. 10* OHIO STATE |
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02-20-20 | Connecticut v. Temple OVER 134 | Top | 89-93 | Win | 100 | 9 h 2 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #627 Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Temple Owls vs Connecticut Huskies @ 7 ET - The Owls are ready to hit the floor running tonight. They are off a home loss to Villanova Sunday in which they were really shut down in the 2nd half and managed a total of only 56 points for the game. The Huskies defense took a major blow with the loss of 6'9 shot-blocker Akok Akok in the very first minute of the game against Memphis Sunday. Connecticut managed to win without him as they defeated the Tigers but, long-term, that is going to be a major blow for the Huskies in terms of defense around the rim. Look for Temple to immediately take advantage. Also, even though the over is only 3-2 in the last 5 meetings between these teams, note that all 5 of those games totaled 138 points or more. I really like the great value here with today's posted total being held in the mid-130s. The Owls loss to the Wildcats stayed under the total but they entered that game on a 3-game over streak. The Huskies win over Memphis stayed under the total but they entered that game having gone 5-1 to the over in their 6 prior games. The Owls had averaged 79.3 points per game in regulation time of their 3 home games prior to the loss to Nova. UConn has averaged 70 points per game in its last 3 road games. 10* OVER the total in Temple |
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02-19-20 | Rangers v. Blackhawks OVER 6.5 | Top | 6-3 | Win | 100 | 12 h 14 m | Show |
Total of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #65 Wednesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Chicago Blackhawks vs New York Rangers @ 8:05 ET - This is an important game for each team as they're trying to remain relevant in the playoff races in their respective conferences. However, I still like the over in this match-up. With a total of 6.5 on this game, we just need each goalie to allow 3 goals and then we know the game has to end at 4-3 at worst. I am confident about the "3 goal factor" in this one because the Rangers Alexander Georgiev allowed just 1 goal in his most recent road start but that was against a slumping Blue Jackets club. In his 6 preceding road starts he allowed 3.3 goals per game. In terms of production in the offensive zone, the Rangers are off a tough loss against a streak Bruins club. However, prior to that, New York had won 4 straight games and averaged 3.5 goals in regulation time of those games. The Rangers should have no trouble resuming the surge on offense here against a Blackhawks club that has allowed an average of 4 goals per game in its last 5 games. As for Chicago's work in the offensive zone, they have had some ups and downs of late but that has had a lot to do with an extended stretch of schedule that has been very road-heavy. The Blackhawks now are back home and rested as they've had two days to prepare for this game. Chicago's most recent home game was a low-scoring game but that was against a stingy Bruins defense. In their 3 preceding home games the Blackhawks averaged 4 goals per game. More of the same expected here and each team gets to 3 goals in this one and that puts us in the winners circle. 10* OVER the total in Chicago |
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02-19-20 | Syracuse v. Louisville OVER 140 | Top | 66-90 | Win | 100 | 13 h 32 m | Show |
Total of the Month - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #785 Wednesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Louisville Cardinals vs Syracuse Orange @ 7 ET - This total, as of very early game day morning, has dropped quite far from its opener and I won't hesitate to step in on the added value. The Orange have had just 1 under in their past 8 games. The Cardinals have seen 7 of their past 10 games result in an over. Syracuse consistently allows 70 points per game and has allowed 82.3 points per game in its last 4 games. Louisville has revenge on their mind here as they lost last season at Syracuse by 20 points. The Cardinals had been red hot all season long but now enter this game off back to back road losses. At home, angry, playing with revenge...Louisville will NOT take their foot off the gas in this game. That said, Syracuse certainly is a vulnerable defense that is capable of giving up a ton of points. At the same time though, the Orange have also scored an average of 76 points per game their past 9 games. The Cardinals have scored 80 points or more in each of their last 3 home games. Look for this one to fly over the total because, given the situation (as noted above), there will be no let up from the Cards and they'll be running hard and scoring big all night long. 10* OVER the total in Louisville |
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02-19-20 | Butler v. Seton Hall -5 | Top | 72-74 | Loss | -105 | 13 h 30 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #782 Wednesday 10* Top Play Seton Hall Pirates (-) vs Butler Bulldogs @ 6:30 ET - We're getting some line value here because Bulldogs point guard Aaron Thompson has been upgraded to probable and that has moved the line a little toward Butler. He is not a big scorer but he leads them team in assists and, as such, is attracting some attention here. Thompson had missed the Georgetown game which was the Bulldogs 6th loss in their past 10 games. However, even though he is coming back, Thompson was on the floor when Butler lost as a host versus Seton Hall earlier this season. Additionally, the last 3 road games Thompson has played in, the Bulldogs have gone 0-3 and lost all 3 by double digits. With Seton Hall still at the top of the Big East but off back to back losses, the Pirates are hell bent on a huge game at home for this one. Seton Hall is not only off B2B losses overall but also has lost each of its past two home games after starting the season 10-1 SU at home. That is why I am backing the Pirates for a huge bounce back effort here and they should cover the short number as well. Nearly all their wins have come by a margin of at least a half dozen points this season. 10* SETON HALL |
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02-18-20 | Canadiens v. Red Wings OVER 5.5 | Top | 3-4 | Win | 107 | 10 h 14 m | Show |
Atlantic Division Total of the Year - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #55 Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Detroit Red Wings vs Montreal Canadiens @ 7:35 ET - This is a contrarian play all the way but I feel we have great line value here. Not only is this total only a 5.5 but the over is available at plus money. Yes, the Red Wings are the worst team in the NHL and they have been struggling to score goals but lets look closer at some key variables here. For one thing, if Detroit was going to have a breakout game on offense it would likely come on home ice and when facing a team that is allowing too many goals of late. You can check the box on both of those factors here. So now lets get into some numbers here. The Red Wings have lost 14 of their past 16 games and have allowed an average of 4 goals per game in those 14 losses. The Canadiens are on a 4-game losing streak that has seen them allow nearly 4 goals per game as well (including 1 OT marker). So the value in this game is that both teams should be able to take advantage of some shoddy defense and leaky goaltending and both clubs also are willing to take risks to score more goals. The Habs know they let one get away in their 4-3 OT loss versus Dallas Saturday as they should have kept their foot on the gas. Both the Canadiens and the Red Wings, when it comes to pressure in the offensive zone, will keep their foot on the gas in this one. 10* OVER the total in Detroit |
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02-18-20 | Maple Leafs +125 v. Penguins | Top | 2-5 | Loss | -100 | 9 h 5 m | Show |
PA Insider - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #53 Tuesday 10* Top Play Toronto Maple Leafs Money Line (+) @ Pittsburgh Penguins @ 7:05 ET - This is a contrarian play. Line looks funny doesn't it? Pittsburgh is 21-5-4 at home this season and the Maple Leafs have lost about half their road games and yet the Penguins are favored in the -135 range here. Don't be fooled folks. The set up here is perfect. The Pens are feeling a little too good about themselves because they are off back to back wins by a combined score of 9-2. However, they faced the slumping Canadiens and the league-worst Red Wings. Now Pittsburgh is in for a rude awakening here as the Maple Leafs come to town. Toronto is angry for multiple reasons. One is that they are off a 5-2 loss at Buffalo. Another reason is that they lost 6-1 at Pittsburgh earlier this season. Suffice to say the Leafs will be ready to go here and now Jack Campbell will be back between the pipes. He has played well as a change of scenery (recently acquired from Los Angeles) has done him well. Toronto is 3-0-1 in his 4 starts and he has allowed only 5 goals in regulation time of his last 3 starts. Look for another strong game from here and look for the high-powered Leafs to have the over-confident Penguins on their heels early and often in this game. The situational set-up here is perfect for an upset. Grab the plus money. 10* TORONTO |
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02-18-20 | Illinois v. Penn State -6 | Top | 62-56 | Loss | -110 | 11 h 9 m | Show |
Game of the Week - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #606 Tuesday 10* Top Play Penn State Nittany Lions (-) vs Illinois Illini @ 6:30 ET - Penn State has been red hot. The Nittany Lions enter this game having won 8 in a row both SU and ATS! The Illini enter this game having lost 4 in a row SU and they covered just 1 of those 4 losses. Also, Illinois has lost 6 straight games to Penn State SU and also is on an 0-7 ATS run in games against the Nittany Lions. As you can see, there are streaks galore that support a play on PSU in this one but there is also more. The leading scorer for the Illini is Ayo Dosunmu and he is listed as questionable for this game. If he plays I don't expect him to be 100% physically or mentally for that matter. He took a very nasty fall at the end of the Illinois loss to Michigan State. Though the MRI ended up showing no structural damage the fact is that it was very ugly and is not an injury you just bounce right back from. Dosunmu missed the next game, 15 point loss at Rutgers, and could miss this game as well. Again, even if he does play I do not expect him to be playing at his normal high level and he had some rough shooting performances in recent games too. Right now the Nittany Lions are roaring and I don't see them getting knocked off at home here. Penn State has Indiana on deck but that is not a big deal as they already beat them by 15 during this 8-game winning streak. In other words, there is no lookahead here, the Nittany Lions are at home, and the Illini are both slumping (0-4 SU L4) and hurting (leading scorer questionable). All signs point to a home blowout here so I have no hesitation in laying the half dozen points here. 10* PENN STATE |
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02-17-20 | North Carolina v. Notre Dame OVER 147 | Top | 76-77 | Win | 100 | 10 h 19 m | Show |
Total of the Week - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #863 Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs North Carolina Tar Heels @ 7 ET - The Tar Heels have had just 4 unders in their last 15 games. North Carolina takes to the road after an intense defensive effort Saturday went for naught when Virginia drained a 3-pointer to hand the Heels a last-second loss. That is the type of game that means the Tar Heels defense won't be traveling with them here per se. It is simply very difficult to come up with strong defensive efforts in back to back games and I look for this match-up with Notre Dame to turn into a run and gun affair. Keep in mind, North Carolina had allowed 79 points per game in their two prior games (not including OT versus Duke). As for the Irish, they have allowed 77 points per game in their last 4 home games. The over went a perfect 4-0 in those games as the Fighting Irish also scored an average of 83 points per game in those home games. Notre Dame is coming off a home game versus Duke in which they allowed 94 points. The Irish offensive production has been bottled up in recent games but that had a lot to do with whom they were facing. That all changes here against a Tar Heels team having a rough season. This game played very loose with plenty of points considering what these teams are coming off of. The first game between these teams this season continued the trend of unders in recent meetings between these foes. However, the pace was there for an over and the situation with both these teams is much different late in the season than it was early in the season. North Carolina becoming cemented in the bottom of the ACC standings and the Irish turn to their normally potent offense at home to carry them in this one. The result will be an absolute shootout. 10* OVER the total in Notre Dame |
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02-17-20 | Xavier -1.5 v. St. John's | Top | 77-74 | Win | 100 | 11 h 31 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #861 Monday 10* Top Play Xavier Musketeers (-) @ St John's Red Storm @ 6:30 ET - The Musketeers enter this game on a perfect 4-0 ATS run. Xavier is also a perfect 10-0 SU in the last 10 meetings between these teams. The Red Storm are 0-3 SU when off a win. Keep in mind St John's had lost 9 of their last 11 games before their rare win over Providence Wednesday. The Musketeers had won 3 in a row before their loss at Butler Wednesday. The Red Storm are also now without 2nd leading scorer Mustapha Heron. You can see that we have triple perfect support in terms of trending for this play. With the Musketeers off a loss and St John's off a rare win, I am looking for the streak to reach 11 in a row in this series! 10* XAVIER |
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02-17-20 | Islanders +117 v. Coyotes | Top | 1-2 | Loss | -100 | 6 h 14 m | Show |
Afternoon Annihilation - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #43 Monday 10* Top Play New York Islanders Money Line (+) @ Arizona Coyotes @ 4:05 ET - You can't get a much better set up than this one. The Islanders are off back to back shutout losses. The Coyotes are off a big home win over the Capitals (2018 Stanley Cup Winners) on Saturday. Arizona feels good about themselves after returning from a road trip back east on Friday and then beating Washington on Saturday. The Isles certainly don't feel good, they feel angry. They lost 1-0 at Vegas Saturday after a 5-0 thrashing at Nashville Thursday. This followed a stretch where New York had picked up at least a point in the standings in 7 of 8 games. I expect them to get right back on track here. Look for the acquisition of veteran defenseman Andy Greene to pay immediate dividends and give the Isles a jolt of energy here. The Coyotes have scored a total of just 3 goals in the last 3 meetings between these teams. The Islanders swept Arizona last season and can do it again this season with another win Monday completing the sweep. I look for them to do just that as the Coyotes win Saturday was just their 4th in the past 16 games. The road team comes into this one very hungry and won't be denied. 10* NEW YORK ISLANDERS |
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02-17-20 | Ducks v. Flames OVER 5.5 | Top | 4-6 | Win | 100 | 6 h 41 m | Show |
Matinee Mauling - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #45 Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Calgary Flames vs Anaheim Ducks @ 4:05 ET - The Ducks are off a 5-1 win at Vancouver yesterday and continue play better on the road than at home in recent weeks. That held true last week at Anaheim when the Flames annihilated the Ducks by a count of 6-0. That game went over the total and the last time these teams met at Calgary, it was a 6-1 Flames win that also went over the total. Speaking of high-scoring games, Calgary games have totaled 6 or more goals in 9 of their last 11 contests! The Flames have a tendency to give up a lot of goals on home ice and that continued in their 8-4 home loss to the Blackhawks Saturday. The good news for Calgary fans is that the Flames have scored an average of 5 goals per game their last 5 games. The Ducks have averaged 4 goals per game their last 3 games. We get a low total (5.5) here because of the long-term reputation of Anaheim and I am going to take advantage here. The Ducks are currently playing with a lot more confidence in the offensive zone but in the D-zone they have struggled to stop the Flames in many of their recent meeting. Also, John Gibson was between the pipes for Anaheim yesterday and that means veteran Ryan Miller is likely to get the start here. Miller had good road starts against the Kings, Hurricanes, and Sabres recently but all those teams were in scoring funks. The Flames certainly are not and in Miller's 4 other road starts since late November he has allowed 19 goals! Yes, that's an average of nearly 5 goals per road start! 10* OVER the total in Calgary |
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02-16-20 | Blues +105 v. Predators | Top | 1-2 | Loss | -100 | 8 h 48 m | Show |
NBC Sports Network Rout - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #35 Sunday 10* Top Play St Louis Blues Money Line (+) @ Nashville Predators @ 6:05 ET - Blues seek payback for a 4-3 home loss to the Predators yesterday. In fact, St Louis has now lost all 3 meetings with Nashville this season. The Blue also enter this game on an overall losing streak and they are hungry to get a win and get back on track. The goalie match-up is the key to this game. With this being a back to back situation, we know the goalies are 99% likely to be Jordan Binnington for the Blues and Pekka Rinne for the Predators. The key to the value in that regard is that St Louis hung Binnington out to dry in his most recent start as he faced 52 shots on goal in a frustrating OT loss at Vegas. The Blues will play much better in front of this one for him. Note that Binnington entered the start against the Golden Knights having allowed just 3 goals in each of his 4 prior starts. It was an aberration for sure. As for Rinne, he allowed 4 goals in only about 20 minutes in his most recent appearance. That was the 5th time in his last 10 games that he has allowed 4 or more goals. In the first month of the season, the Predators had a 4-game winning streak. However, the Preds have NEVER won 3 straight games since then. Nov, Dec, Jan, half of Feb, NEVER won 3 straight games. They enter this game on a 2-game winning streak. This is a situation that has seen Nashville go 0-7 the last 7 times. As for the Blues, they enter this game on a 4-game losing streak and have NEVER lost 5 straight games this entire season. In fact, when on a losing streak of 3 or more games, the Blues were 5-0 the last 5 times before yesterday's loss dropped them to 5-1 the last 6 times in that situation. Payback time here. 10* ST LOUIS |
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02-16-20 | San Diego State v. Boise State OVER 140 | Top | 72-55 | Loss | -115 | 7 h 59 m | Show |
Afternoon Annihilation - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #847 Sunday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Boise State Broncos vs San Diego State Aztecs @ 4 ET - The Broncos would love to knock off the 25-0 Aztecs here. We could see a bit of a letdown from San Diego State in terms of defensive intensity too. That's because they just locked up the MWC title. Yes, they have already clinched with 4 games to go in the season. As for the Broncos, they know they're unlikely to top the Aztecs in a low-scoring grinder. They need to play fast and move the ball well to create easy scoring opportunities like they did in the second half of their win over Air Force earlier this week. Boise State is averaging 83.7 points per game at home this season. San Diego State is averaging 76.5 points per game on the road this season. The over is 5-1 in the Aztecs last 6 games. The over is 5-2 in the last 7 meetings between these teams. When these teams meet at San Diego State, the Broncos have struggled to score well at time. But in their last 4 neutral site meetings or games played at Boise State, the Broncos have averaged 79.3 points per game. Of course the Aztecs are favored here for a reason (going 25-0 is no accident!) but you can see why San Diego State is projected to have to score plenty here to topple Boise State. The Broncos are a very tough home team (12-1 this season) and score very well as a host. The result is plenty of points in this one Sunday. 10* OVER the total in Boise State |
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02-16-20 | Bruins v. Rangers OVER 6 | Top | 3-1 | Loss | -105 | 6 h 51 m | Show |
Daytime Dominator - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #25 Sunday 10* Top Play OVER the total in New York Rangers vs Boston Bruins @ 3:35 ET - The Bruins are in a back to back. Since Tuukka Rask was between the pipes Saturday, it is expected that Jaroslav Halak will get the start here. The Bruins netminder has great recent numbers but he hasn't played in a week and a half as he re-aggravated an upper body injury. He may not be 100% here and certainly Halak could have some rust too. The surging Rangers will take advantage but, at the same time, I don't foresee New York shutting down the potent attack of Boston. That said, plenty of goals expected here. The Bruins have won 8 of their last 9 games. Boston has scored an average of 4 goals per game in their past 6 games. New York has won 4 straight games and averaged 3.5 goals per game in regulation time of those 4 victories. Overall, the Rangers have averaged 3.4 goals per game their last 7 games. I simply see no reason that each team won't get to at least 3 goals here based on the way these clubs have been playing. Of course a 3-3 game has to end at least 4-3. Hence, the value here and this is particularly true with the posted total at 6 goals. 10* OVER the total in New York Rangers |
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02-16-20 | Villanova -6.5 v. Temple | Top | 76-56 | Win | 100 | 5 h 1 m | Show |
PA Insider - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #821 Sunday 10* Top Play Villanova Wildcats (-) @ Temple Owls @ 1 ET - This is a big game as part of the Big 5 in Philly each year. The Wildcats usually win the Big 5 Title in Philly and they are 3-0 this season in Big 5 action while the Owls are 2-1. That means Temple can earn a share of the title with the upset win here. However, Villanova is going to prove to be too much here. Yes the Wildcats had endured a recent losing streak but they faced very stiff competition and their most recent 1-point win was a game in which Nova led by 18 points in the 2nd half. As for the Owls, they have started winning again but have faced weak competition too. They are off a win versus Tulane, the worst team in the AAC, and Temple actually was trailing by 13 points near the midway point of the 2nd half of that game. The point is that the Owls were well on their way to losing outright to a very bad team before they rallied while the Cats are off a game in which they were on their way to a blowout win over a quality opponent before barely hanging on. Those results give us line value here with a rather short number on Villanova. Temple is off back to back wins but had lost 8 of 10 prior to that. Also, 2 of their 3 most recent wins have come against East Carolina and the Green Wave. Those teams are a combined 6-18 in AAC action this season. The Wildcats have battled it out with 3 straight Top 25 teams and now are going to take advantage of a step down in level of competition here. Keep in mind that even though this game is at Temple, both these teams are Philly teams. In other words, it is not much of a "road game" at all. The Wildcats roll. 10* VILLANOVA |
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02-15-20 | Stars v. Canadiens OVER 5.5 | Top | 4-3 | Win | 100 | 10 h 20 m | Show |
Total of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #11 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Montreal Canadiens vs Dallas Stars @ 7:05 ET - We're getting line value here (total of 5.5 posted on this one) because both teams have reputations for playing lower-scoring games. However, the situation here dictates more scoring than you would typically see. First off, Montreal is in a back to back spot and that means the back-up goalie for the Canadiens unless Carey Price plays the 2nd game of a back to back. I really do not expect Price to play because he has been playing a lot already with the Habs recent schedule. However, if Price does play, note that he is winless in his 3 starts with zero rest this season and he has a 3.74 GAA in those appearances. Whether Price or a back-up (Canadiens back-ups have struggled all season) the surging Stars will take advantage. Dallas has won 3 straight games and scored 7 goals their last 2 games. The thing is, Montreal is fighting to stay alive in the playoff race as they have lost 3 straight games. So, even though the Canadiens have a goaltending situation, I still expect them to play a very inspired game in the offensive zone tonight on home ice. As a result, more goals here at both ends than many are expecting. By the way, the over is 3-1 the last 4 times the Canadiens have played the 2nd game of a back to back and those games averaged 7.5 goals. More of the same expected here. 10* OVER the total in Montreal |
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02-15-20 | Maryland v. Michigan State -6.5 | Top | 67-60 | Loss | -105 | 11 h 38 m | Show |
Game of the Month - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #730 Saturday 10* Top Play Michigan State Spartans (-) vs Maryland Terrapins @ 6 ET - The Terrapins are ranked in the top 10 in the country right now while the Spartans have fallen out of the top 25. Maryland has won 7 straight games while Michigan State had lost 3 straight games prior to notching a tight 1-point win at Illinois Tuesday. That said, why did Michigan State open up in the range of a 7-point favorite for this one? Precisely! Don't be fooled as the Spartans are set to roll to a double digit win on their home floor here. Their most recent game as a host was a rare home loss as a surging Penn State team went into East Lansing and got the upset win. Prior to that, the Spartans were 10-1 SU at home this season. Also, their point differential is 23 points at home as Michigan State's games as a host have had an average score of 83 to 60. Even though Maryland has been hot, this is still a Terrapins team that is just 3-4 SU on the road this season. The Terps have a point differential of only 2.5 points on the road this season as they have averaged 68.9 points but allowed 66.4 points in road games this season. The Spartans are known for dominating the paint in match-ups with Maryland. The Terrapins do have 6'10 Jalen Smith but are really lacking in talented big men when it comes to depth. Look for Michigan State to, as per usual, wear down the Terps as this one goes on. The Spartans have dominated home meetings with Maryland and, overall, have won the last 3 match-ups by an average margin of 16.7 points per game. That is the range I expect this one to finish in as well. The Spartans are use to being at the top of the Big Ten but right now the Terrapins occupy that spot. Undoubtedly the home team has something to say about that here. 10* MICHIGAN STATE |
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02-15-20 | Oilers +140 v. Panthers | Top | 4-1 | Win | 140 | 8 h 1 m | Show |
Daytime Dominator - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #5 Saturday 10* Top Play Edmonton Oilers Money Line (+) @ Florida Panthers @ 4:05 ET - The Panthers are slumping badly. They have lost 6 of 8 games since the All Star break and got destroyed by the Flyers Thursday. Florida then held a players only meeting and they hope to turn things around. However, here's the problem. The issue for the Panthers is not as much the skaters as it is the goalies! Sergei Bobrovsky is slumping badly and he is known for being a very streaky goalie. In other words, until he snaps out of this he must be faded. Bobrovsky is 0-4 with a horrific .839 save percentage in his last 4 starts. With goalie Chris Driedger still on the shelf, the Panthers only other option is Samuel Montembeault. He has only made 6 starts this season and, overall, has been unimpressive. While the Panthers have been struggling between the pipes, the Oilers have been getting solid work from both Mike Smith and Mikko Koskinen. Edmonton has allowed 3 or less goals in 9 of its last 10 games. Comparatively, the Panthers have allowed an average of 4.6 goals per game in their last 5 games. Florida's penalty kill is one of the worst in the league while the Oilers have the top power play in the league this season. Yes I am of course aware of Connor McDavid being out but the other Oilers will step up after they fell short at Tampa Bay Thursday. It was 2-1 before an empty netter and there is no shame in losing to the Lightning in Tampa. Now watch Edmonton respond big here. Only once since the calendar turned to 2020 have the Oilers lost back to back games. Also, the Panthers have some injury issues with Brian Boyle out and Noel Acciari questionable for Saturday's afternoon match-up. 10* EDMONTON |
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02-15-20 | Ole Miss v. Kentucky OVER 136.5 | Top | 62-67 | Loss | -109 | 8 h 17 m | Show |
SEC Total of the Year - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #645 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Kentucky Wildcats vs Ole Miss Rebels @ 2:00 ET - Ole Miss is rolling with momentum right now. The Rebels are off a third straight win as they just knocked off rival Mississippi State Tuesday. The Rebels have averaged 78.3 points per game their last 3 games. The over is 6-3 in the last 9 meetings between these teams including a perfect 3-0 L3. Many of those overs have absolutely crushed the posted totals and I feel this one will too. The average score of the last 10 meetings between these teams is Kentucky 85, Ole Miss 71. The Wildcats also enter this game on a 3-game winning streak and they have averaged 78.3 points per game in those 3 victories. On the season the Wildcats are averaging 77.4 points per game at home. I know that the Rebels have some ugly full season numbers in terms of scoring on the road but the way they have been playing of late and the fact Kentucky has a big game on deck at LSU (also 9-2 in SEC like the Cats are) has me expecting Ole Miss to score very well in this game. The problem for the Rebels will be, like it is for most teams playing Kentucky, they won't be able to slow down the Wildcats here. UK is off a win versus Vanderbilt Tuesday which totaled 142 points. That would have gone over given today's number but though it resulted in an under in that game, the over was on a 10-3 run in Wildcats games heading into that match-up with the Commodores. 10* OVER the total in Kentucky |
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02-14-20 | Devils v. Hurricanes OVER 6 | Top | 2-5 | Win | 100 | 10 h 36 m | Show |
Metropolitan Division Total of the Year - Rickenbach NHL Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Carolina Hurricanes vs New Jersey Devils @ 7:05 ET - Nice set up here. The Hurricanes are at home catching the Devils in the 2nd game of a back to back. New Jersey used their hot goalie, Mackenzie Blackwood, last night and he has been a difference maker for the Devils. When is he is not in the crease - which is likely to be the case tonight - New Jersey has been giving up plenty of goals. Plus the Devils will be facing a Hurricanes team hell-bent on getting back on track after a 4-1 loss at Dallas Wednesday. As a result, I do expect Carolina to score very well here. But the problem for the Canes is that they have been consistently allowing too many goals. The Hurricanes have allowed an average of 4.2 goals per game their last 6 games. On the other end of the ice, prior to being shutdown by the Stars, the Canes had scored an average of 3.8 goals per game in their 6 prior games. In fact the over was on a perfect 5-0 run in Carolina games prior to their loss at Dallas staying just under the total. The first meeting between these teams this season totaled 8 goals and I am expecting a similar result here. The Devils have been playing with more confidence of late as they have earned at least a point in the standings in 7 of their past 8 games. During this stretch New Jersey has scored an average of 3.6 goals per game. However, when Blackwood is not the starter, they have also been surrendering goals in bunches. The last 6 games that he did not start have seen the Devils allow an average of 4.7 goals per game! The over is 7-3 this season when New Jersey is playing the 2nd game of a back to back. 10* OVER the total in Carolina |
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02-14-20 | Canadiens v. Penguins -1.5 | Top | 1-4 | Win | 140 | 9 h 36 m | Show |
Game of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #80 Friday 10* Top Play Pittsburgh Penguins Puck Line -1.5 goals +140 vs Montreal Canadiens @ 7:05 ET - The Canadiens are off back to back losses and have lost 13 of their past 22 games. 4 of the Habs past 6 losses have come by 2 or more goals. The Penguins are angry off an OT loss at home versus the Lightning on Tuesday. The Pens have the rest edge here as this will be just their 2nd game in a span of 7 days! Pittsburgh is 8-0 the last 8 times they have entered a game off a loss. Now of course I am not laying the big money line price on the Penguins here. However, where I feel we have line value is with the +140 available on playing Pittsburgh to win this game by 2 or more goals. On deck for the Pens is a match-up with the Red Wings on Sunday. As for the Habs they have another game tomorrow in Montreal versus Dallas. Once the Canadiens get down early in this one I could see them packing it in. The Penguins will prove to be the much hungrier team after they feel they let one slip away versus Tampa Bay Tuesday - a game in which the Pens never trailed. 10* PITTSBURGH Puck Line -1.5 goals +140 |
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02-14-20 | Davidson +4 v. St Bonaventure | Top | 93-64 | Win | 100 | 10 h 16 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #865 Friday 10* Top Play Davidson Wildcats (+) @ St Bonaventure Bonnies @ 7 ET - There is a reason this line is set lower than many would expect. St Bonaventure is 17-8 this season and 9-3 in conference games. Davidson is only a game above .500 on the season overall and in conference games. Also, the Wildcats are on the road here. So the Bonnies should be favored by much more than just the typical 3 or 4 points that is considered the home court edge, right? Long-time followers know how I feel about supposed "flawed lines" or "bad numbers". The fact is the line is set this way with good reason. For one thing Davidson has been a bit of a nemesis of St Bonaventure's in recent years. The Bonnies confidence tends to be "shot" when they are facing the Wildcats. Also, a big key here as it relates to the overall records of these teams and the fact that St Bonaventure enters this game on a 5-game winning streak, the Wildcats have played a much tougher schedule this season. Also all of the Bonnies A-10 wins (except one upset win by a 3-point margin over Duquesne) have come against teams at the bottom of the standings. All those teams have a record of 4-7 or worse in A-10 action. The non-conference schedule is where Davidson has faced a much tougher schedule. Also, in A-10 action the Wildcats lost at VCU by 11 points while the Bonnies lost by 28 points. Davidson's only other two losses in the past 5 weeks each came by 6 or less points. The Wildcats are a tough team to pull away from and the Bonnies haven't even been able to beat the Cats in recent meetings let alone pull away for any kind of margin. Give me the points. 10* DAVIDSON |
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02-13-20 | Thunder +2.5 v. Pelicans | Top | 123-118 | Win | 100 | 14 h 4 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #525 Thursday 10* Top Play Oklahoma City Thunder (+) @ New Orleans Pelicans @ 8:05 ET - The Thunder are off back to back home losses. That is a situation that has seen them go 6-2 SU in recent seasons. This season Oklahoma City is 8-3 SU when off a home loss so the loss to the Spurs (after falling just a point short against the Celtics) was a rarity in and of itself. The Thunder simply had a bad night offensively (except for Chris Paul) against San Antonio. I look for Oklahoma City to respond in a huge way tonight. They are an incredible 20-5 ATS in road games this season. The Thunder are a fantastic 24-5 SU this season in games against teams with a losing record. I know that New Orleans has been playing a bit better of late but Brandon Ingram is still questionable with an ankle injury and, even if he plays, won't be 100% here. The Pelicans have survived without him recently but that will be tougher tonight if he is out or limited as Oklahoma City comes in angry off back to back losses and is already 3-0 this season against New Orleans. The Pelicans are off a high-scoring win but are 1-4 SU this season when off a game in which they scored 130 points or more. The Thunder are the better team defensively and New Orleans is 10-20 SU after a game in which they allowed 115 points or more. Also, even though they are playing with revenge, the Pelicans are 11-24 SU this season when playing with revenge. 10* OKLAHOMA CITY |
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02-13-20 | Stars v. Maple Leafs OVER 6 | Top | 3-2 | Loss | -105 | 10 h 16 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #51 Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Toronto Maple Leafs vs Dallas Stars @ 7:05 ET - The Stars seek revenge for a 5-3 home loss to the Maple Leafs two weeks ago. That was the 3rd over in the last 4 meetings between these teams. Those 3 overs have averaged 10 goals per game with 8 goals in the last meeting and 11 goals in each of those two prior overs. Dallas has trended toward the under this season but their last 5 road games have averaged 6.4 goals per game. Also, long-term there have been just 10 unders the last 28 times that the Stars have played a road game with a posted total of 6 goals. The Maple Leafs are off B2B unders but that was preceded by a 13-5 run to the over! In the past two months Toronto had never had B2B unders. I don't see the streak reaching 3 straight unders. The Stars are out for blood here but the Maple Leafs are one of the highest scoring teams in the league. That means another very entertaining, high-scoring game between these two clubs is likely here. 10* OVER the total in Toronto |
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02-13-20 | Flyers +110 v. Panthers | Top | 6-2 | Win | 110 | 10 h 52 m | Show |
NBC Sports Network Rout - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #59 Thursday 10* Top Play Philadelphia Flyers Money Line (+) @ Florida Panthers @ 7:05 ET - Ideal set up here. The Flyers are off a 5-3 road loss to the Islanders. Philadelphia is a perfect 5-0 the last 5 times they have entered a game off a loss. Philly has not had consecutive losses since an early January slump. That said, I expect them to bounce back strong here and we get underdog line value since this game is being played at Florida. The Panthers are off a win at New Jersey but the Devils did NOT start their red hot goalie, Mackenzie Blackwood in that game. That said, I still was not overly impressed with Florida and this is a team that entered that game having lost 4 straight games and 5 of their last 6. The Panthers have allowed an average of 4.3 goals per game their last 4 games. In each of their last two home games Florida has been held to scoring just 2 goals in each game. In fact, in the 5 losses comprising the rough 6-game stretch that preceded the win over the Devils, the Panthers averaged scoring just ONE goal per game. The Flyers have been peppering goalies with shots and Sergei Bobrovsky, other than a good start against his former team in Columbus, has been struggling overall since he returned from injury. Happy to grab the road dog in this one. 10* PHILADELPHIA |
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02-13-20 | Wichita State -3 v. UCF | Top | 75-58 | Win | 100 | 12 h 12 m | Show |
ESPN Smash Pass - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #623 Thursday 10* Top Play Wichita State Shockers (-) @ UCF Knights @ 7 ET - Perfect set up here. The Knights are off a win versus Tulsa. That is was an impressive victory for UCF. Keep in mind the only other 3 wins they have in AAC action came against the 3 worst teams in the conference: South Florida, East Carolina, Tulane. Also, prior to rare back to back wins for the Knights, they were barely a .500 team on the season. Now we can fade them with an angry Shockers team that, not too long ago, was 15-1 on the season! Wichita State is fired up after an extremely embarrassing 76-43 loss at Houston. Yes, the Shockers have lost 3 straight games now but they played 3 of the top teams in the conference: Tulsa, Cincinnati, Houston. Those 3 teams have a combined record of 26-8 in AAC action. Now, taking on a team which they are 4-0 against and a team that is only 4-7 in AAC action this season, Wichita State will take advantage. Perfect set up here as the Shockers are off their worst game in AAC action on the season while the Knights are off their best game in conference action on the season. The result here will be a road rout in this ideal scenario. 10* WICHITA STATE |
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02-13-20 | Memphis v. Cincinnati OVER 137 | Top | 86-92 | Win | 100 | 11 h 1 m | Show |
Total of the Week - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #625 Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Cincinnati Bearcats vs Memphis Tigers @ 7 ET - When these teams met on January 16th, the very first total that popped up on the game was a 140. The game held close to that range despite the market activity that day. The end result though was a game that totaled only 109 points. Now, 4 weeks later, nearly the identical total has been posted on this game as it opened up at a 139. So clearly the odds makers don't know what they're doing, right? Of course I am being sarcastic here but the point is there is very good reason the odds makers opened this total up in nearly the identical spot despite the fact the first meeting between these teams stayed under the total by a margin of 30+ points! For one thing, despite the last game here staying under the total, the over is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings between these teams in Cincinnati. That is some historical perspective. However, the key reason this total is where it is relates to the way these two teams have been playing recently. The Bearcats, since being held to 49 points at Memphis 4 weeks ago, have scored an average of 74.5 points per game their last 6 games and that does NOT include teh OT points in the loss at Connecticut Sunday. As for the Tigers, they have scored 70 points more in 4 of their last 5 games and have averaged 74 points per game their last 3 games. Both teams enter this match-up off back to back overs. Memphis is 3-1 to the over this season in games in which they are an underdog. Also, the Tigers are 6-1 to the over when they are off an upset loss as a favorite. The Bearcats are 6-1 to the over when off a loss in AAC action. 10* OVER the total in Cincinnati |
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02-12-20 | Blackhawks +135 v. Canucks | Top | 0-3 | Loss | -100 | 11 h 11 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #49 Wednesday 10* Top Play Chicago Blackhawks Money Line (+) @ Vancouver Canucks @ 10:35 ET - The Blackhawks had been rolling but then fell apart late in a 5-2 loss at Winnipeg Sunday and fell short at Edmonton last night. Now Chicago is in the 2nd night of a back to back but fired up off a pair of consecutive regulation losses and they will respond big here at Vancouver. They remember their last visit to BC all too well as the Hawks allowed 7 goals in a loss here last month. It is payback time and the set-up is perfect. The Blackhawks are off a 5-2 road loss to the Jets and 5-3 road loss to the Oilers while the Canucks are off a huge 6-2 home win versus Nashville on Monday. Vancouver is expected to again be without one of their best players, Brock Boeser, for this one. Yes they beat the Predators without him Monday but the Canucks are in for a real war here with Chicago tonight. The Blackhawks had earned a point in 8 of 9 games prior to these consecutive losses. That was a solid 6-1-2 stretch for Chicago and they'll have Corey Crawford back between the pipes tonight. He had given up just 7 goals in regulation time of his 4 road starts preceding the tough night at Winnipeg Sunday where the wheels came off late for the Blackhawks. The Canucks have lost 24 of their last 34 games played in the month of February. They had already been slumping earlier this month and the win over Nashville was preceded by 4 straight losses. The Blackhawks have won 9 of 11 this season when playing the 2nd game of a back to back and get the job done in that role again here. Grab the big value with the road dog. 10* CHICAGO |
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02-12-20 | Canadiens v. Bruins OVER 5.5 | Top | 1-4 | Loss | -110 | 8 h 45 m | Show |
NBC Sports Network Rout - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #45 Wednesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Boston Bruins vs Montreal Canadiens @ 7:35 ET - I know that Carey Price has been playing well for the Habs but the Bruins have been a nemesis for him in recent meetings. That said, Boston also comes into this game very angry after a 3-1 loss at league-worst Detroit on Sunday. That said, the Bruins are going to be relentless and will not be denied in this game in terms of getting pucks on net and finding openings. We get a low total here because of the long-term reputation of Montreal in terms of playing lower-scoring games. However, 2 of the 3 match-ups between these teams totaled 9 goals this season and I am expecting a high-scoring match-up in the regular season finale as well. The Bruins will respond after being held to just 1 goal in their most recent game but Montreal is certainly going to "bring it" in a huge rivalry game today. Since a road loss at Boston in early December when the Canadiens were struggling, Montreal has won 9 of its past 14 road games. The Habs have scored 3 or more goals in 11 of their past 13 road games. You can see that Boston is a 2 to 1 money line favorite here. They are expected to win this game. At the same time the Canadiens can be expected to get their 3 goals. That means this one gets 7 or more and we've got a total of only 5.5 goals posted on this game. I'll take it! 10* OVER the total in Boston |
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02-12-20 | Wizards +2.5 v. Knicks | Top | 114-96 | Win | 100 | 12 h 59 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #505 Wednesday 10* Top Play Washington Wizards (+) @ New York Knicks @ 7:35 ET - I know the Wizards are in a back to back spot but, in typical contrarian fashion, that is the team I am backing here. The fact is Washington has been building up momentum with wins in 4 of its last 6 games. They are still very much alive in the playoff race for the #8 spot in the east. Also, they are 2-0 SU the last two times they have played the 2nd night of a back to back. The Knicks are off a double OT loss Sunday so they come into this one as the more rested team. Also, New York had won 4 straight games before that loss. However, the problem with the Knicks is they are mired in turmoil right now about their head coach. That is doing nothing to help the confidence of the team or how they will play for their current coach. Additionally, an illness bug is going around the New York locker-room right now. Also, even though this is a back to back for Washington, these teams have the long All-Star break on deck after this game. In other words, the Wizards aren't going to play any less harder just because this is a back to back. Also, Washington has been using plenty of bench minutes and essentially running with a 10 man rotation. The Wizards had 10 players who all played at least 16 minutes last night. That certainly helps the fatigue factor as well as none of the starters saw truly heavy minutes. I am going to ride the hot team with the more stable coaching situation as they continue to close the gap on the #8 seed in the playoff race and I am happy to have the points here as the Knicks recent wins have all been tight. The Wizards have won 10 of their last 11 visits to New York and that strong trend continues here. 10* WASHINGTON |
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02-12-20 | Hawks v. Cavs OVER 232.5 | Top | 105-127 | Loss | -110 | 11 h 38 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #503 Wednesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Cleveland Cavaliers vs Atlanta Hawks @ 7:05 ET - The Cavaliers attempted 95 shots in Monday's home loss to the Clippers but had a horrific shooting night. Certainly the pace was there for much more than the 92 points they had to show for it on the offensive end. Look for Cleveland to bounce back strong here. as they now face the Hawks instead of the Clips. Both the Cavs and Hawks have made some personnel changes but that really won't have much of an impact on these teams and the way they play until after the All Star break. There just isn't enough time now to make big changes. That being said, I look for this game to have a very fast tempo with plenty of points. Note that the over is 11-0 with 1 push in the last 12 meetings between these teams. Also, the over is 8-0 in the last 8 meeting between these teams at Cleveland. The Hawks enter this game on a 12-3 run to the over their last 15 games. Prior to the Cavs loss to the Clippers staying under the total, the Cavaliers were on an 10-1-1 run to the over in their prior 12 home games. That over trending at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse resumes here. These are two of the worst teams in the NBA and that is particularly true on the defensive end. With the pace they have each been playing with coupled with a lack of success on the defensive end, we should see plenty of points in what is the final game before the All-Star break for these teams. They'll go all out and push the pace hard throughout. It has been the "m.o." of both these teams for a long time now. 10* OVER the total in Cleveland |
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02-12-20 | Xavier +6 v. Butler | Top | 61-66 | Win | 100 | 8 h 24 m | Show |
Game of the Week - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #781 Wednesday 10* Top Play Xavier Musketeers (+) @ Butler Bulldogs @ 6:30 ET - With each win, confidence grows. That makes for a dangerous dog here. The Musketeers have won 3 straight games and here they are catching about a half dozen points in a revenge game against a struggling Butler team. The Bulldogs have won only 3 of their past 8 games and, by the way, all 3 wins came by 5 or less points. That means if you played against Butler with +5.5 (today's dominant line) in each of their past 8 games, you have gone 8-0 ATS. Look for the Musketeers to continue that trend here as they get revenge for losing by 5 points in their most recent meeting (March) with the Bulldogs. Prior to that tight defeat, Xavier had won 4 straight meetings with Butler. Both teams have impressive defensive numbers on the season but the Bulldogs, not including OT points in the Marquette game, have allowed 73.1 points per game their past 8 games. The Musketeers have allowed an average of only 59.7 points their last 3 games and have held 5 of their last 6 opponents, not including OT points in the Marquette game, to 62 points or less! I like the value with the surging underdog looking to avenge a March loss in this one. I'll gladly grab the generous points as Butler is "pressing" a bit right now and starting to wilt under the pressure. Give me the unranked team in this one as they play well as a tenacious underdog! 10* XAVIER |
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02-12-20 | Creighton v. Seton Hall UNDER 146.5 | Top | 87-82 | Loss | -110 | 8 h 57 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #784 Wednesday 10* Top Play UNDER the total in Seton Hall Pirates vs Creighton Bluejays @ 6:30 ET - The Bluejays have remained under the total in 7 of 9 road games this season. The Pirates have remained under the total in 8 of 12 home games this season. Creighton is off a very high-scoring home win versus St John's on Saturday but the Bluejays simply shot "lights out" in that game and that is unlikely to be repeated here. Creighton has not shot the ball well on the road this season. This is normal year in and year out with the Bluejays. They light it up at home but struggle to consistently score on the road. They don't shoot the 3-ball as well on the road and note that the Pirates, 10-1 in Big East action this season, have held opponents to just 27% from beyond the arc in home games this season! Seton Hall has allowed just 62.2 points per game at home this season. In the Pirates last 4 home games they have averaged scoring just 67 points per game. In other words, they've been winning at home with defense and certainly they are not interested in getting into a fast-paced transition game with the Bluejays. Seton Hall is well aware of how Creighton successfully used their transition game at home on Saturday. The Pirates will be methodical here and rely on their strong defense to frustrate the Bluejays. The last time these teams met here in Newark the game totaled only 121 points. I am not saying this one will be quite that low but I am saying it should only reach into the 130s at most given all of the above! 10* UNDER the total in Seton Hall |
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02-11-20 | Coyotes v. Maple Leafs OVER 6 | Top | 2-3 | Loss | -115 | 8 h 34 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #23 Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Toronto Maple Leafs vs Arizona Coyotes @ 7:05 ET - The Coyotes game stayed just under the total last night despite being 2-1 after one period of action. Antti Raanta was back between the pipes and settled down after a tough beginning to the game. However, Darcy Kuemper got hurt in practice yesterday and may not be available tonight. If he does come back he would not be 100% but this also means, considering this is a back to back, Raanta is unlikely to play again especially after just coming back from injury. So we could see the #3 guy, Adin Hill, in the crease for Arizona tonight. Toronto has goaltending issues of their own as Frederik Andersen has been trying to come back from injury. If he plays tonight he is unlikely to be 100%. There is a strong chance that it will be the recently acquired Jack Campbell between the pipes and he allowed 4 goals in his first home ice appearance for the Leafs. I don't expect tonight to go any better as the Coyotes look to build off last night's dramatic 3-2 road win. The Maple Leafs are also off a low-scoring game as they lost 2-1 in overtime at Montreal. That type of game is the exception rather than the norm. Prior to that game, Toronto had seen 16 of 21 preceding games total 7 or more goals. That shows you the value we have here with this total being at just 6 goals. I know the Coyotes have a tendency to play lower scoring games but the Maple Leafs will dictate the pace of this game on home ice. Even if John Tavares (flu) does not play, the Leafs still have plenty of firepower ready to respond off a rare loss in which they managed only 1 goal. 10* OVER the total in Toronto |
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02-11-20 | Lightning v. Penguins -115 | Top | 2-1 | Loss | -115 | 7 h 5 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #28 Tuesday 10* Top Play Pittsburgh Penguins Money Line (-) vs Tampa Bay Lightning @ 7:05 ET - The Lightning are a great team and I have plenty of respect for the Bolts as well as Tampa Bay goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy. However, this is a very tough spot for them. Tampa is off a revenge win over the Blue Jackets last night. Make no mistake about it, that was not just a normal revenge game either! Columbus had swept the Lightning out of the playoffs last spring after Tampa Bay had just delivered one of the best regular season performances ever in NHL history. Suffice to say, last night's Bolts win was huge. That said, no matter how strong a team is in terms of mental strength and maintaining an even keel, the Lightning are going to struggle to match Pittsburgh's intensity here. The Penguins are hungry for revenge and looking to add to a 19-5-3 home record this season! The Pens have been off since a Saturday win at Florida while the Bolts will be playing their 3rd game since Saturday and in a different city for the 3rd time in 3 games (Saturday's game was in Tampa). Now on the road again in a back to back the Lightning also could still be without Steven Stamkos. Look for the Penguins to get their revenge in what is an ideal situation for it. The home team has won 4 straight in match-ups between these teams and the Penguins are happy to get their shot at hosting the Lightning as each of the last 3 meetings have been at Tampa Bay. The Pens are 4-0 this season when they enter a game having played each of their 3 prior games on the road. 10* PITTSBURGH |
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02-11-20 | Clippers v. 76ers +1.5 | Top | 103-110 | Win | 100 | 10 h 12 m | Show |
Game of the Week - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #580 Tuesday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (+) vs Los Angeles Clippers @ 7:05 ET - Public enemy #1 in Philly is Kawhi Leonard. He hit the unreal shot as a member of the Raptors that knocked the 76ers out of the playoffs in clutch fashion in Toronto last year. Of course the Sixers haven't forgotten this and that gives this game some extra intrigue for sure. This is a fantastic situation in which to back Philadelphia. First off, we don't have to lay any points even though the 76ers are 24-2 at home this season while the Clippers are 15-11 on the road. Also, Los Angeles is playing its 3rd road game in 4 nights plus they have a game at Boston on deck for Thursday. I know the Clippers blew out Cleveland Sunday and so they were able to rest starters but they also are still without Patrick Beverley and he has been ruled out for this game. They haven't needed him against truly bad teams the last two games but they sure would have liked to have him tonight for facing a Sixers team that is 24-2 as a host this season. For Philly, this is actually their final game until after the All Star break. The Sixers don't play again until the 20th so they definitely are going to go hard for the full 48 minutes tonight and they want their revenge against Kawhi even if that now comes with him in a different uniform this season. Payback time here. 10* PHILADELPHIA |
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02-11-20 | Bulls v. Wizards OVER 229.5 | Top | 114-126 | Win | 100 | 10 h 36 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #577 Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Washington Wizards vs Chicago Bulls @ 7:05 ET - The Wizards are coming off an embarrassing 4th quarter performance at home against the Grizzlies on Sunday. That collapse in the final stanza allowed Memphis to pull away late as it resulted in Washington only scoring 99 points in a game they should have scored 120. Look for the Wizards to make up for it here. This should be a wild high-scoring game played at a frenetic pace as Washington was on a 7-1 run to the over in their 8 games preceding the low-scoring loss to Memphis. As for Chicago, they enter this game on a perfect 7-0 run to the over their last 7 games. The Bulls have allowed 126.3 points per game their last 4 games. The Wizards are allowing 120.4 points per game on the season! 10* OVER the total in Washington |
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02-11-20 | St Bonaventure v. St. Joe's +8.5 | Top | 74-56 | Loss | -110 | 8 h 14 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #608 Tuesday 10* Top Play St Joseph's Hawks (+) vs St Bonaventure Bonnies @ 7 ET - I know the Hawks have had a tough season but this is a spot where this Philly team has a great shot at a big upset win at home. In comparison with St Bonaventure, St Joseph's has played the much tougher schedule this season. Also, the key here is the situation. The Bonnies blasted the Hawks in both games last season and that included an embarrassing home loss here in Philadelphia. St Joseph's will be ready to go here. As for St Bonaventure, they are off a tight upset win at Duquesne that ended an 0-3 ATS run in road games for the Bonnies. On deck is a home game with Davidson. That may not seem like a big deal BUT it is the Wildcats that swept St Bonaventure last season PLUS also eliminated them from the Atlantic 10 Tournament the prior season. Keep in mind that was the season the Bonnies made it to the NCAA Tournament and had a very strong team. Having now lost 3 straight games to Davidson, they can't help but be thinking a little bit about their upcoming home date with the Wildcats. For the Hawks, it is all about this game and getting some revenge and having a huge game on their home floor. I fully expect, given the situation, that we're going to see St Joseph's play one of their best games of the season tonight at home. If the Hawks do fall short on the scoreboard here, look for the defeat to come by a margin of just a bucket or two in a fierce end-game battle. This line has moved from as low as a 6 to as high as an 8.5 and I am grabbing the big dog value here. 10* ST JOSEPH'S |
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02-11-20 | Penn State v. Purdue OVER 135 | Top | 88-76 | Win | 100 | 8 h 29 m | Show |
Total Annihilation - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #601 Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Purdue Boilermakers vs Penn State Nittany Lions @ 6:30 ET - The Nittany Lions are red hot and have won 6 straight games SU and ATS. The Boilermakers also are heating up again with 3 straight wins including a win at rival Indiana on Saturday. Purdue has been on fire from beyond the arc as they have hit 27 of 54 three pointers in their past two games and averaged scoring 89 points per game in the process. I don't foresee them slowing down at home either. Of course that is why the Boilers are a 5 point home favorite over a red hot Penn State team that has climbed all the way to #13 in the rankings. The Nittany Lions are in for a barrage of 3 pointers here and remember they allowed 55 points in the 2nd half of what ended up being a nail-biter win over Minnesota Saturday. That said, I expect Purdue to score plenty here but Penn State to battle back as they could also get a boost with the return of Myreon Jones for this one. Either way, the high-scoring trending in this series continues. Their last 4 meetings all have gone over the total and the one before that 4-0 run to the over totaled 144 points and so of course that would make it 5 straight overs if had a total like Tuesday's (135) game does. The over is 5-1 in the Boilermakers last 6 home games and I look for that trending to continue here as both teams stay hot with their shooting and will battle for the full 40 minutes in this one. A game likely to end up being a back and forth affair trading big buckets down the stretch. 10* OVER the total in Purdue |
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02-10-20 | Kings v. Bucks OVER 227 | Top | 111-123 | Win | 100 | 13 h 54 m | Show |
Total of the Week - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #567 Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Milwaukee Bucks vs Sacramento Kings @ 8:05 ET - Non-conference match-ups tend to lack defensive intensity and this particular one has an incredible run of overs as a result. Keep in mind, non-conference foes meet only twice a year so it is tough to build up a lot of animosity toward one another. Games can tend to be a little more free-flowing with plenty of offense. This one has been nothing short of amazing in that regard as the over is a perfect 14-0 in the last 14 meetings between these teams. Considering that factor as well as the fact that the Kings are 4-0 to the over the last 4 times they have been a dog of 6 or more points, you can see why I like the over here. Overall Sacramento has shown sharp trending to the over the past 5 weeks. The Bucks are 3-0 to the over their last 3 home games against Western Conference opponents. Milwaukee averages 121.5 points per game at home this season. Sacramento has averaged 115.7 points per game their past 7 games. Look for this to fly over the total and it supported by combined trending of 21-0 to the over as noted above. 10* OVER the total in Milwaukee |
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02-10-20 | Lightning -132 v. Blue Jackets | Top | 2-1 | Win | 100 | 10 h 24 m | Show |
NBC Sports Network Rout - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #17 Monday 10* Top Play Tampa Bay Lightning Money Line (-) @ Columbus Blue Jackets @ 7:35 ET - The Blue Jackets Elvis Merzlikins has been red hot between the pipes. However, the Bolts Andrei Vasilevkiy also has been dominating and this match-up is about much more than just the goaltenders. Last season the Lightning finished the regular season as the #1 team in the league by a huge margin. They then proceeded to get swept out of the first round by the Blue Jackets. Tampa Bay, of course, has had this match-up circled in red (BLOOD red) ever since the schedule came out. If you want to see a full 60 minutes of intense hockey from a club, watch the Lightning tonight as there will be no let up in this game. While I certainly respect what Merzlikins has been doing in the crease for Columbus he is going to face a barrage of shots tonight and Tampa has been one of the hottest teams in the league. This one is all Lightning in a road rout. In regulation time of their last 3 games, the Blue Jackets have scored a total of only 3 goals. The Bolts, on the other hand, have scored at least 3 goals in EACH of their past 6 games and all were victories. Tonight the Lightning make it 7 in a row. 10* TAMPA BAY |
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02-10-20 | Panthers v. Flyers OVER 6.5 | Top | 1-4 | Loss | -105 | 9 h 25 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #13 Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Philadelphia Flyers vs Florida Panthers @ 7:05 ET - The set-up here is perfect. The Panthers are a very potent team in terms of offensive production but yet coming off a low-scoring stretch. Now Florida catches a Flyers team that is off a huge 7-2 win at Washington and could be in for a flat performance in their D-zone as a result Monday. Philadelphia has allowed 8 goals in its past two home games. The Flyers have scored an average of 3.7 goals per game in their past 7 games and that is even including a home shutout to the Devils. Philly peppered New Jersey with shots in that game but couldn't get any to find the back of the net. That won't be a problem against Sergei Bobrovsky and the Panthers. Bobrovsky has had one good start recently (against his former team) in Columbus. In each of his other 6 starts since January 20th he has allowed at least 3 goals and, in fact, has allowed an average of 4 goals per start during this stretch. The Panthers, prior to a shutout OT loss to the Blue Jackets in their most recent road game, had averaged scoring 3.8 goals per game in their 8 prior games. This one turns into a real barn-burner in Philly Monday. 10* OVER the total in Philadelphia |
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02-10-20 | Nets +7 v. Pacers | Top | 106-105 | Win | 100 | 13 h 35 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #559 Monday 10* Top Play Brooklyn Nets (+) @ Indiana Pacers @ 7:05 ET - The Nets play this game with double revenge as they lost each of the first two meetings this season even though those were in Brooklyn. Actually that continues a strong road team trend in this series as the traveler is now 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings between these teams. The Nets lost the most recent meeting by 29 points and will be seeking payback here. They are catching the Pacers at the right time for an upset. Indiana has lost 5 straight games. Brooklyn is off a hard-fought 1-point loss at Toronto and will again show no quit here. That means the Nets should be in this one all the way. Brooklyn had gone 4-1 SU in their 5 games preceding the 1-point loss to the Raptors. Also, the cover in that game brings the Nets to 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games. Look for them to improve on that mark here as Indiana's struggles continue. 10* BROOKLYN |
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02-10-20 | Florida State v. Duke UNDER 148.5 | Top | 65-70 | Win | 100 | 11 h 18 m | Show |
ESPN Smash Pass - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #866 Monday 10* Top Play UNDER the total in Duke Blue Devils vs Florida State Seminoles @ 7 ET - I used this same angle (short rest) to successfully cash with the Noles UNDER last Monday and I expect it to be successful again here. Both Duke and FSU are off high-scoring wins on Saturday and now playing on short rest. The Blue Devils situation is made even tougher as their victory came in dramatic fashion and included overtime. Florida State wants to utilize their defense to try and stay close to Duke throughout this game and then swoop in late for the upset win on the road. Keep in mind the Seminoles allowed only 59 points to North Carolina last Monday. In fact that was the 3rd straight game in which the Noles allowed 63 points or less. As for Duke, they had allowed 67 points or less in 3 of 4 games prior to the wild win over the rival Tar Heels. With both teams on short rest I expect to see a bit more of a half-court battle in this one and the result should be this one falling well short of the big total posted on this match-up. We're getting line value after the wild wins these teams just had on Saturday plus because these teams have been trending to the over for many weeks. This one is all about the situation and, specifically, the situational value that has been created. 10* UNDER the total in Duke |
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02-09-20 | Blackhawks v. Jets -110 | Top | 2-5 | Win | 100 | 9 h 5 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #8 Sunday 10* Winnipeg Jets Money Line (-) vs Chicago Blackhawks @ 7:05 ET - I know this is a back to back spot for the Jets but they saved their #1 goalie for this game and are off an easy 5-2 win versus Ottawa early yesterday. Winnipeg will have red hot Connor Hellebuyck between the pipes for this game. He and the Jets are hell bent on getting revenge here as they have lost the last two meetings against the Blackhawks by a combined score of 9-3. Keep in mind, Winnipeg comes into this game having won 3 of 4 games including twice knocking off the Stanley Cup Champion Blues. As for Chicago, they have lost 3 of 4 games as they have cooled off. Also, they expect to have Corey Crawford between the pipes for this one. I know he has produced some strong starts lately but he has struggled in divisional games this season. Crawford is 1-6 and has allowed 24 goals in 8 games (7 starts) in divisional action. By the way, that doesn't even include facing the Jets this season. He hasn't faced them since last season and all the recent results are ugly. Crawford has allowed 14 goals in his last 3 starts against Winnipeg and that includes allowing 4 or more goal in EACH of the 3 starts. The Blackhawks do have the rest edge here but I feel we're getting a tremendous bargain here with the Jets on home ice and holding the goalie edge in this match-up in my opinion. This is a key battle in the playoff race and Winnipeg is ready to avenge those two losses. Double revenge spot for the Jets and they get the job done in a key divisional match-up here. 10* WINNIPEG |
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02-09-20 | Jazz v. Rockets OVER 232 | Top | 114-113 | Loss | -105 | 12 h 20 m | Show |
NBA TV Annihilation - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #553 Sunday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Houston Rockets vs Utah Jazz @ 7:05 ET - Off an ugly loss at Phoenix by a count of 127-91, the Rockets will respond here at home. Look for the over to improve to 8-4 the last dozen times that Houston was off a loss by a margin of 15 or more points in a game in which they were a favorite. Indeed that was embarrassing and the Rockets will explode with plenty of offense here at home. Yes, Utah has revenge against Houston from last year's playoff exit as well as this year's home loss to the Rockets. However, the fact is that the Jazz struggle to slow down the Rockets. Not only that, Utah has been getting involved in higher-scoring games now for many weeks. This is not the old plodding, defensive-minded Jazz we were use to seeing. Utah is off a high-scoring win over Portland. That went over the total at home. How about recent road games? The over is 7-1 in the last 8 road games involving the Jazz. Given the situation, look for that trend to continue here! 10* OVER the total in Houston |
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02-09-20 | Grizzlies v. Wizards +2 | Top | 106-99 | Loss | -105 | 11 h 45 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #552 Sunday 10* Top Play Washington Wizards (+) vs Memphis Grizzlies @ 6:05 ET - This is a contrarian play as many are looking to play Memphis off their loss at Philly and fade Washington off their last second win over the Mavericks. However, the Wizards have now won 7 of their last 9 home games, are getting stronger bench play, and with wins in 3 of their last 4 games overall they are truly starting to believe. The Grizzlies are a talented but very young team and they struggle to win on the road. In fact Memphis does have a losing record on the road this season. The Grizzlies are 2-5 ATS this season when they enter a game having covered 6 or 7 of their past 8 games. In other words, Memphis has been hot at the betting window but has cooled down when in this situation this season. As for the Wizards, I am looking for them to win for the 8th time in their past 10 home games as they continue to get strong shooting off the bench and Bradley Beal continues his torrid stretch. The bottom of the Eastern Conference playoff race is still very much alive for the Wizards and they have proven over the past week that they aren't done battling! 10* WASHINGTON |
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02-09-20 | Ducks v. Sabres OVER 5.5 | Top | 3-2 | Loss | -100 | 6 h 36 m | Show |
Total of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #3 Sunday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Buffalo Sabres vs Anaheim Ducks @ 3:05 ET - John Gibson is expected to get the start between the pipes for the Ducks this afternoon. I know the Sabres have not been scoring a lot of goals but they are off a 3-2 win over the Rangers and that was preceded by a game in which they rallied for 3 goals in the 3rd period. In other words, Buffalo has scored 6 goals in their last 4 periods of hockey and I expect them to take advantage of a netminder whom has struggled on the road this season. Gibson has won just 6 of his 22 road starts this season as he has compiled a 3.27 GAA away from Anaheim. The Ducks netminder has allowed 4 or more goals in 6 of his last 9 road starts. As for Buffalo, they remain without their #1 goalie as Linus Ullmark is currently out with an injury. I know Carter Hutton performed well in the win over the Rangers but he is facing a scrappy Ducks team this afternoon. Anaheim has been on a surge on this road trip and even getting strong contributions all the way down to its fourth line. The Ducks have scored an average of 3 goals per game in regulation time of their past 6 games. Anaheim has earned at least a point in all 4 games so far on this 5-game road trip. With this total at only 5.5 goals and the over available at even money, this is a great value spot. Hutton allowed 5 goals in his most recent home start and has allowed 4 or more goals in 8 of his last 12 starts. 10* OVER the total in Buffalo |
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02-09-20 | Ohio State +1.5 v. Wisconsin | Top | 57-70 | Loss | -105 | 5 h 13 m | Show |
Daytime Dominator - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #839 Sunday 10* Top Play Ohio State Buckeyes (+) @ Wisconsin Badgers @ 1 ET - This is a double revenge game for the Buckeyes. Not only did the Badgers beat them at Columbus earlier this season, they also beat them there last season too! Ohio State is hell bent on revenge here and the situation is perfect for them to do just that. Wisconsin, after Kobe King left the program, has been going through some significant internal struggles. They managed to rally the troops during this tough time over the past week and a half and that led to an upset win over Michigan State. However, there is only so far that emotion can take you and that was evident when the Badgers then got blasted by 18 points at Minnesota this week. This is a Wisconsin team that has lost 3 of its past 4 games SU and also has covered just 1 of its past 7 games at the betting window. As for the Buckeyes, they have righted the ship with 3 straight wins (and covers) and now catch the Badgers at the perfect time to exact revenge. Look for the road team to stay hot here and get a convincing win as the current situation here is a case of two teams heading in opposite directions. 10* OHIO STATE |
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02-09-20 | Cincinnati v. Connecticut OVER 133.5 | Top | 71-72 | Win | 100 | 3 h 30 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #831 Sunday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Connecticut Huskies vs Cincinnati Bearcats @ Noon ET - The first time these teams met Cincinnati won 67-51 despite making just 13 of 24 free throws. The teams combined to hit just 6 of 28 three pointers and, Connecticut shot a horrific 32% from the field overall. None of these stats are likely to be repeated in this one and I am expecting this game to get into the 140s. UConn tends to score much better at home and the Bearcats also have shown that, many times, they tend to leave their high intensity defense at home when they are traveling. Cincinnati, not including OT points of course, has allowed 74.4 points per game in its last 7 games away from home. The Bearcats have scored an average of 70.4 points per game in those 7 contests played away from home. Cincy has averaged 84.5 points per game in its last two road games. The Huskies, again not including any OT points of course, have scored an average of 72 points per game in their last 6 home games. This will be a fierce battle in this game but look for more scoring than many are expecting as the first match-up this season had a total impacted by unusually low shooting percentages. 10* OVER the total in Connecticut |
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02-08-20 | Nets v. Raptors OVER 222.5 | Top | 118-119 | Win | 100 | 15 h 49 m | Show |
Divisional Blowout - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #535 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Toronto Raptors vs Brooklyn Nets @ 7:35 ET - The Raptors are red hot. With their win at Indiana last night, Toronto has won 13 straight games. This is a tough spot for them however as they are now in a back to back and Brooklyn comes into this game with plenty of confidence as they have won 4 of 5 games. When teams are confident they tend to shoot the ball well and, of course, the Nets also like to run and gun. The Nets will look to take advantage of the Raptors in a back to back spot as Brooklyn has had two days of rest heading into this game. That means we should see a good pace to this game and I feel the total is too low when you consider how hot each of these teams are. The Raptors have scored an average of 120.2 points per game during their 13-game winning streak. The Nets have scored an average of 122.6 points per game in their last 5 games. None of these games for either team were OT games either. In other words, just great pace and solid shooting and I look for more of the same here on Saturday. 10* OVER the total in Toronto |
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02-08-20 | Penguins v. Panthers OVER 6.5 | Top | 3-2 | Loss | -113 | 10 h 36 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #75 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Florida Panthers vs Pittsburgh Penguins @ 7:05 ET - The Panthers off an embarrassing 7-2 loss to the Golden Knights. The Penguins off a tough 4-2 loss to the Lightning. The set up here is perfect for a very aggressive and determined effort from each team in terms of finding the back of the net. These are two of the most potent and dangerous hockey clubs in the league when it comes to potting goals. Both Florida and Pittsburgh are in full-on bounce-back mode here after they were each held to just 2 goals in their most recent game. With this total posted at 6.5 goals we just need to get each team to 3 goals and then we're a guaranteed effort. That said, I like my chances given the high-scoring ways of both these clubs. Also, in terms of the goalie match-up the Penguins are likely going with Tristan Jarry here and he has allowed 3 goals in 7 of his last 8 starts! As for the Panthers, they are likely to go with Sergei Bobrovsky. He has allowed at least 3 goals in 5 of his last 6 starts. Also, the Florida front lines are expected to get a boost with Aleksander Barkov expected to return to the ice tonight. The over is 9-2 this season when Florida is off a loss by a margin of 2 or more goals in their prior game. Also, the Panthers are 16-5 to the over this season in home games with a posted total of 6 or more goals. The Penguins game at Tampa Bay stayed just under the total Thursday but Pittsburgh entered that game on a 7-3 run to the over. The high-scoring trending resumes here. 10* OVER the total in Florida |
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02-08-20 | Bucks v. Magic +9.5 | Top | 112-95 | Loss | -105 | 13 h 46 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #528 Saturday 10* Top Play Orlando Magic (+) vs Milwaukee Bucks @ 5:05 ET - The Bucks are 1-6 ATS this season when they enter a game on an ATS run of 3 or more consecutive wins. Milwaukee is 2-6 ATS this season when they enter a game off 3 straight SU wins by a double digit margin. In other words "the buck" stops here! The Magic have been struggling lately but they view this 4-game homestand as a chance to get back on track. Orlando is coming off a 3-game road trip that was punctuated by a 2-point loss to the Knicks and that has the Magic fired up to get back on track here. When on an ATS losing streak of 2 or more games Orlando is 8-4 ATS this season. Also, the Magic are 5-2 SU and ATS this season when off 2 or more consecutive road losses. Motivation matters in a game like this and Orlando may not win this game outright but they'll battle all the way through and keep it within single digits. The big win the Bucks just had over the 76ers was a revenge win from a Christmas Day loss at Philadelphia. This game is a true flat spot for Milwaukee. 10* ORLANDO |
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02-08-20 | St. Joe's v. La Salle OVER 147.5 | Top | 66-83 | Win | 100 | 9 h 53 m | Show |
TV Total Smash - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #707 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in La Salle Explorers vs St Joseph's Hawks @ 5 ET - A battle in Philly and this rivalry will bring plenty of showmanship from the players. Both teams are enduring rough seasons but facing each other as part of the Big 5 in Philadelphia is going to turn this into a run and gun wide-open affair. The Hawks can't stop anyone. They are allowing 84 points per game on the road this season and this game is at La Salle. The Explorers have allowed 72.4 points per game in regulation time during their current 7-game losing streak. One could easily expect a game (based on the 8 point line) ranging anywhere from 81-73 to 84-76 given the above numbers. The fact is that neither team is very polished or disciplined at all when it comes to defense but each team has a combination of guys that can drive the paint or knock down open jumpers. The most recent match-up between these teams resulted in an under but the 3 prior meetings all went over the total and averaged 153 points per game. The over is 7-2 in La Salle's last 9 games and 3-0 in St Joseph's last 3 games. This total opened up at 151.5 points and has already dropped 4 points from there. The Explorers won't take their foot off the gas after losing to the Hawks in March in their most recent meetings. They want to take advantage of St Joseph's in a down season as they've won just 4 games. That means plenty of points here as the Hawks defense continues to be non-existent. 10* OVER the total in La Salle |
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02-08-20 | Purdue +3 v. Indiana | Top | 74-62 | Win | 100 | 7 h 37 m | Show |
Daytime Dominator - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #641 Saturday 10* Top Play Purdue Boilermakers (+) @ Indiana Hoosiers @ 2 ET - We saw this last year with Indiana and it seems like deja vu. Last season, after getting off to a strong start the first couple months, the Hoosiers had losing streaks of 7 games and 5 games after the new year. Their current losing streak entering this game is "only" 3 games but, once again, Indiana's mental toughness is being questioned. Exasperating the situation here for the Hoosiers is the fact that they are facing a bitter rival that continues to have their number. The Boilermakers have won each of the last 5 meetings between these teams. Also, Purdue enters this game rolling with confidence while Indiana is again having those same feelings of self-doubt which inflicted them during last season's swoon. While the Hoosiers are on a 3-game losing streak and have lost 6 of 10, the Boilers have won 3 of 4. Yes the road win came against conference-worst Northwestern but notching a road win was a key for Purdue. As for their two home wins during this 4-game stretch, those came by a combined margin of 55 points against the Badgers and the ranked Hawkeyes. While the Boilermakers have scored an average of 74.5 points their last 4 games, Indiana has been held to an average of 54 points in its last two games. Granted those two games were on the road but also note that their most recent home win saw Joey Brunk lead the team in scoring and rebounds. He is questionable for this game and dealing with an illness. In a rivalry game I am happy to grab the points with the team that has dominated this series, is well-coached, and has the confidence level to get the job done against a team whose confidence is waning with each successive loss. 10* PURDUE |
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02-07-20 | Wild v. Stars -1.5 | Top | 3-2 | Loss | -100 | 12 h 4 m | Show |
TV Game of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #62 Friday 10* Top Play Dallas Stars Puck Line -1.5 goals (+145) vs Minnesota Wild @ 8:35 ET - The Stars lost to the Wild 7-0 in the final game before the All Star break. That is the kind of beatdown a hockey club does not forget - it was recent and it was ugly. Yes, I know the Stars have a game at St Louis tomorrow night but there is no way they're overlooking this game. Also, Dallas has a scheduling edge considering they have been off each of the last two days while Minnesota was hosting Vancouver last night. Alex Stalock was between the pipes yesterday which means Devan Dubnyk is likely to get the start here. Dubnyk is off a game in which he allowed 6 goals to the Bruins. Also, in his most recent road start he allowed 7 goals to the Penguins. Dubnyk is going to face a barrage of shots from an angry revenge-minded Stars team in this one. The fact Dallas also lost the final game of their road trip Tuesday on Long Island also has the Stars fired up for this game. Of course all of the above is a key reason as to why Dallas is a big money line favorite in this game. As long-time followers know, I don't lay big prices and that is why I am betting the puck line in this one. By laying the 1.5 goals we get about a +145 return on the Stars. Note that 5 of the last 6 meetings between these teams (including 4 Dallas wins) have all come by a margin of 2 or more goals. Also, 6 of Minnesota's last 9 losses overall have come by 2+ goals. Look for another one here as the Stars get their revenge in a big way. 10* DALLAS Puck Line -1.5 goals |
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02-07-20 | Pistons v. Thunder OVER 216 | Top | 101-108 | Loss | -105 | 10 h 43 m | Show |
Total Annihilation - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #517 Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Oklahoma City Thunder vs Detroit Pistons @ 8:05 ET - This total dropped big this morning when it was announced that the Pistons would be without a few players. News flash folks...none of the guys on the injury report played in Detroit's game versus Phoenix on Wednesday and the Pistons scored 116 points in that win. Certainly Detroit is a bad team and they have issues but they can score some points and, at the same time, their defense so often leaves a lot to be desired! That said, Oklahoma City is a huge double digit favorite here with good reason and the Thunder should pile up the points but don't be surprised when Pistons players like Drumond, Jackson, Wood, and Galloway have big scoring games again tonight just like they did against the Suns. The Thunder enter this game red hot as they have won 8 of their last 9 games. Oklahoma City has averaged 118 points per game in those 8 victories. I am looking for a 120-105 type game here and that crushes this total by nearly a double digit margin. Grab the value. The over is 14-5 in Detroit's last 19 games. Before their non-covering win versus Cleveland Wednesday stayed under the total, the Thunder had seen the over go 5-1 in their last 6 games versus Eastern Conference opponents. That over trending resumes here. 10* OVER the total in Oklahoma City |
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02-07-20 | Grizzlies v. 76ers -5.5 | Top | 107-119 | Win | 100 | 10 h 31 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #514 Friday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (-) vs Memphis Grizzlies @ 7:05 ET - Since the Grizzlies have been playing well that is keeping this line lower than it should be. Yes, the 76ers are on a 4-game losing streak but all 4 losses came on the road. This is still a Philly team that is 22-2 SU at home this season. They have had a wake up call with the recent results on the road and will be ready to respond huge at home. Having made some trade moves here within the past 24 hours it is also a wake up call for the entire team. They will not stand pat. It is time to get the wheels in motion and play hungry and focused and for the full 48. The fresh blood in house will help insure that happens starting tonight whether the new guys are on the floor or not. Heads are rolling in Philly and now they play like a team possessed tonight. They are at home and off 4 straight road losses and laying less than a half dozen points. This is the perfect spot to back a hungry and angry team as they take on a Grizzlies team off an outright upset win at Dallas in their most recent game. 10* PHILADELPHIA |
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02-07-20 | Sabres v. Rangers OVER 6.5 | Top | 3-2 | Loss | -100 | 10 h 2 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter Total - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #57 Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in New York Rangers vs Buffalo Sabres @ 7:05 ET - The Sabres used rookie goalie Jonas Johansson last night because Linus Ullmark is still out with an injury. That means Carter Hutton is likely to get the start tonight and he has been horrible on the road this season. Just 2 wins in 9 road decisions for Hutton this season. He has a 3.91 GAA in road starts. The Sabres should rally with a little momentum after scoring 3 third period goals to earn a point in last night's home ice shootout loss versus the Red Wings. However, Buffalo's struggles between the pipes continue and that means plenty of goals in this one. The Sabres will get theirs but they won't be able to stop the Rangers. New York has been on a run as they have won 7 of 11 games thanks in part to improved play in the offensive zone. Going further back, 14 of the Rangers last 22 games have totaled 7 or more goals. They tend to get involved in some wild, high-scoring games. In fact, in 13 of their last 20 games either the Rangers or their opponent have had 5 goals. That is why I love the over here at 6.5 goals and with no juice on the over. It is a solid value considering how wild Rangers games have been and how determined the Sabres will be in the offensive zone here battling for their playoff lives. The issue, again, for Buffalo is between the pipes and the Rangers will certainly show no mercy in the offensive zone either. The last two meetings between these teams have each totaled 8 goals and I expect this one will too! 10* OVER the total in New York Rangers |
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02-07-20 | Kent State v. Northern Illinois OVER 132 | Top | 54-57 | Loss | -109 | 11 h 12 m | Show |
Early TV Total - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #875 Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Northern Illinois Huskies vs Kent State Golden Flashes @ 7 ET - The Golden Flashes jumped out to a 17-5 lead versus Ball State Tuesday. They then proceeded to have their worst shooting stretch of the season and ended up with only 54 points on their home floor in an embarrassing loss. You can bet (literally) that Kent State will respond here. The Golden Flashes have revenge from a 76-69 home loss to the Huskies a few weeks ago. Also, Kent State has a bye week on deck as, after this game, they won't play again until the 15th. In other words, there is every reason to expect the Golden Flashes to go all out for the full 40 minutes. They want to do a better job in the rebounding department (Northern Illinois dominated in first meeting) and use those boards to break out quickly in transition for easier scoring options. It is all conducive to an over because the Huskies aren't going to be push-overs at home either. Northern Illinois enters this game having won 5 straight games. The Huskies are averaging 69.4 points per game at home this season. The Golden Flashes are averaging 72.5 points per game on the road this season. I know the Huskies have had some strong defensive performances of late but their not stopping the Golden Flashes in this situation and Kent State isn't going to shoot 1 of 20 from three point land again like they did against the Cardinals Tuesday. Take advantage of the low total here as these teams should again get into the mid-140s in this one. 10* OVER the total in Northern Illinois |
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02-07-20 | Harvard v. Yale -5 | Top | 78-77 | Loss | -103 | 10 h 50 m | Show |
Early Dominator - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #852 Friday 10* Top Play Yale Bulldogs (-) vs Harvard Crimson @ 5 ET - We are getting line value here because of the revenge angle here. The revenge is actually with Harvard in this game. They finished tied with Yale for the regular season Ivy League title but then the Crimson lost to the Bulldogs in the conference tournament. So we should play Harvard to get revenge here, right? Not so fast my friends. The Crimson lost Seth Towns before the season even got going and they are currently still without their biggest star Bryce Aiken. Harvard enters this game off B2B SU losses and on an 0-5 ATS run. I know they do have two Ivy League wins but those each came by 5 or less points and that was against a bad Dartmouth team. Conversely, Yale has not just been winning, the Bulldogs have been crushing teams. Yale enters this game on a 6-game winning streak and all 6 victories came by more than 10 points. The Bulldogs have shot 43% three pointers at home and 51% from the field overall at home. Yale is allowing opponents to hit only 35% from the field when they are the host and that includes the Bulldogs defending the arc very well as they have held the opposition to 29% from 3-point land. Yes there is revenge here but the home team is currently the better team and the healthier team and the short number on this game is absolutely a bargain. 10* YALE |
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02-06-20 | Canucks +114 v. Wild | Top | 2-4 | Loss | -100 | 9 h 21 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #45 Thursday 10* Top Play Vancouver Canucks Money Line (+) @ Minnesota Wild @ 8:05 ET - The Canucks are 14-4-1 their last 19 games but are off a disappointing road loss at Boston. Vancouver lost to the Bruins 4-0 on Tuesday. Note that the Canucks are a perfect 3-0 this season when they are coming off a shutout loss. They catch the Wild off a key divisional win, 3-2, in overtime over the Blackhawks on Tuesday. That really helps the set up here as, keep in in mind, Minnesota had lost 8 of 12 games prior to that OT win versus Chicago. This is a classic case of two teams that are off disparate results and had been trending in opposite directions. It is the perfect spot for the Canucks to bounce back off a loss. The Wild have are in a divisional sandwich as they have another big game, at Dallas, on deck. Yes Minnesota has revenge here but they Wild are 5-10 this season when playing with home loss revenge! Also, when off a divisional game Minnesota is 4-10 this season! Canucks are 8-4 this season when off a game in which they were held to 1 goal or less and I expect them to add another W to their perfect season record in games that follow a shutout loss! 10* VANCOUVER |
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02-06-20 | 76ers +9 v. Bucks | Top | 101-112 | Loss | -105 | 13 h 55 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #505 Thursday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (+) @ Milwaukee Bucks @ 8:05 ET - The Bucks do have revenge here from a loss on Christmas Day at Philadelphia. However, the 76ers come into this game fired up as they are off 3 straight losses on this 4-game road trip. The ugliest loss just happened on Monday when they allowed 137 points at Miami. That is the kind of defeat that grabs a teams attention and the Sixers will be fighting mad by the time they take the court for this one. I know Milwaukee is a great team and wants revenge here but they are over-priced in this spot and I am going to challenge the Bucks to win this game by double digits. Philly has won 2 of the 3 last meetings and that includes winning at Milwaukee too and the lone loss in that 3 game stretch for the 76ers came by just 6 points. The Bucks are off back to back wins and covers (including one at home) but prior to that had been on a 2-5 ATS run in home games. The Sixers are 5-1 SU and ATS when they enter a game on an ATS losing streak of 4 or more games. The Bucks are 1-3 ATS this season when revenging a loss by a double-digit margin. 10* PHILADELPHIA |
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02-06-20 | Avalanche v. Senators OVER 6.5 | Top | 4-1 | Loss | -120 | 9 h 18 m | Show |
Top Shelf - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #43 Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Ottawa Senators vs Colorado Avalanche @ 7:35 ET - The Avalanche are off a 6-1 win at Buffalo Tuesday. It was the 12th time in 16 contests that their game has totaled at least 7 goals. Colorado has been red hot since mid-January as they have scored an average of 4.8 goals per game during a stretch that has seen them win 4 of 5 games. The Senators, unlike the Avs, certainly aren't known for being high-scoring but they have been stronger on home ice of late. Ottawa has scored an average of 3.3 goals per game in their last 4 games on home ice and have earned at least 1 point in 3 of those 4 games. Look for the Sens to hang tough with the Avalanche in this one but, to do so, they'll have to score a few goals. The result should be a typical, high-scoring non-conference battle. There tends to be less defensive intensity in games like this match-up and I'll take advantage as I fully expect 7 or more goals in this one and we've got a total of 6.5 posted here. 10* OVER the total in Ottawa |
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02-06-20 | Cincinnati v. Wichita State UNDER 134 | Top | 80-79 | Loss | -105 | 11 h 51 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #628 Thursday 10* Top Play UNDER the total in Wichita State Shockers vs Cincinnati Bearcats @ 7 ET - This one should be an ugly low-scoring grinder and yet the total has made an upward move in early market activity. That is adding to the value here with this one. The Bearcats are off a big home win over the Cougars. For the 6th time in 7 games Cincinnati held an opponent to 62 points or less. In those 6 games the Bearcats have allowed an average of only 53.3 points per game. The Shockers are off a loss at Tulsa but they were very solid defensively. It was the 4th time in 5 games Wichita State held an opponent to 65 points or less. In those 4 games the Shockers allowed only 56.8 points per game. Each of the last 4 meetings between these teams have totaled 134 points or less. The average points scored in these 4 match-ups is 126.8 and yet this total is in the mid-130s. I like the value with the under here as the Shockers are hell-bent on revenge after losing each of their last 4 meetings with the Bearcats. At home and playing with a ton of emotion, Wichita State will bring a very intense effort on defense. Of course Cincinnati is known for their solid play on defense as well and that should turn this key AAC meeting with the Shockers into a low-scoring grinder. 10* UNDER the total in Wichita State |
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02-06-20 | James Madison v. Drexel -6 | Top | 67-78 | Win | 100 | 10 h 13 m | Show |
Dominator Game of the Week - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #624 Thursday 10* Top Play Drexel Dragons (-) vs James Madison Dukes @ 7 ET - Great set up here. The Dragons are off a disappointing stretch of 3 straight losses on the road. Now Drexel is back home in Philadelphia where they are a fantastic 9-2 this season. The Dukes are off a rare win. James Madison is now 2-9 in conference games this season after beating UNC-Wilmington again. That's right, the only two wins that James Madison has this season in Colonial action have come against the Seahawks and that's not saying much since UNC-Wilmington is the worst team in the conference this season. Prior to the Dukes win over the Seahawks, James Madison had lost 7 straight games and 9 of its last 10. The Dukes last 4 road losses all have come by 8 or more points. We only have to lay a half dozen points here with Drexel. Note that the Dragons last two home wins each game by more than a 20 point margin. At home off 3 straight road losses, Drexel won't take their foot off the gas in this one against James Madison. The Dukes, off a rare win, are ripe for the picking here too in terms of a being in a flat spot and being on the road where they have struggled. James Madison is 8-22 ATS (including 1-7 ATS this season) when off a win. Also, when off a game in which they scored 80 or more points, the Dukes are 4-14 ATS. The Dragons are 4-1 ATS when they are on an ATS losing streak of 3 or more games plus they are 5-1 ATS this season when off a game in which they allowed 80 or more points. 10* DREXEL |
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02-05-20 | Bruins v. Blackhawks OVER 6 | Top | 2-1 | Loss | -106 | 8 h 20 m | Show |
NBC Sports Network Rout - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #29 Wednesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Chicago Blackhawks vs Boston Bruins @ 8:05 ET - The Bruins are off a big 4-0 shutout win last night while the Blackhawks fell short 3-2 in overtime at Minnesota. Back to back situations have a tendency to stress the goalie position and I expect that to work in our favor for a nice over in this match-up. Chicago is likely going to turn to Robin Lehner tonight. Though the netminder had been playing well, he is very likely to be rusty here as he has not been in between the pipes since prior to the All Star break two weeks ago! For Boston, since Tuukka Rask was in goal last night, the Bruins are expected to turn to Jaroslav Halak here. The back-up netminder was strong in his most recent road start. However, that was preceded by a trio of road starts in which he allowed an average of 4 goals per game! Halak is likely to see the road struggles resume here as the Blackhawks had been very hot prior to last night's road loss. Chicago had won 6 of 7 games prior to the loss to the Wild. Also, the Blackhawks averaged 4 goals per game during this 7-game stretch. Speaking of hot scoring, the Bruins have averaged 3.7 goals per game in their past 6 games and have scored 10 goals in their past two games. They have had a fire lit under them since returning from the All Star break and they also have revenge against the Blackhawks here from a home loss earlier this season. 4 of the last 5 meetings between these teams have totaled at least 6 goals. The average total in those 4 games was 8.3 goals and I am expecting at least 7 in this one given the situation. 10* OVER the total in Chicago |
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02-05-20 | Hawks v. Wolves OVER 236.5 | Top | 127-120 | Win | 100 | 12 h 11 m | Show |
Ugly Beauty - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #579 Wednesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Minnesota Timberwolves vs Atlanta Hawks @ 8:05 ET - Sometimes the ugliest games produce the prettiest results when it comes to sports wagering. That is what I expect here with an easy over. The Timberwolves are favored by a half dozen points in this game despite having lost a dozen straight games. How can that be? Well is the road-adverse Hawks that are in town and I expect Minnesota to put the hammer down early in this one against Atlanta. However, the Hawks (especially with Trae Young in the mix - probable here) can score plenty of points! The Wolves will be happy to run and gun and look to run Atlanta right out of the arena. Both teams are woeful defensively and we should see an absolute track meet here in Minneapolis tonight. The over is a perfect 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between these teams. The Hawks are 9-2 to the over in their past 11 games. The Wolves have allowed 126 points per game in their past 3 home games. Atlanta has allowed 131 points per game in its last 3 road games! This game should get well into the 240s and might even hit the 250s as it is simply the style these two teams play. The Timberwolves are desperate for a win and will push the tempo all night long in this one to impose their will at home. 10* OVER the total in Minnesota |
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02-05-20 | Maple Leafs v. Rangers +121 | Top | 3-5 | Win | 121 | 8 h 12 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #28 Wednesday 10* Top Play New York Rangers Money Line (+) vs Toronto Maple Leafs @ 7:35 ET - Both teams are off 5-3 losses Monday but the current goalie situation is much better for the Rangers than it is for the Leafs in my opinion. New York, prior to struggles Monday, had been getting great goaltending work from all 3 of their netminders. Now on Wednesday they go back to red hot rookie Igor Shesterkin. He is 3-1 with a 2.51 GAA and a .927 save percentage in his 4 appearances. Shesterkin has allowed only 2 goals in each of his last two starts. For the Leafs, they lost Frederik Andersen to injury in Monday's defeat. That means Michael Hutchinson gets the start here and he allowed 3 goals on just 13 shots in relief of Andersen Monday. Also, Hutchinson has been a complete disaster in road games this season. He is 1-6 with a 4.73 GAA in 7 games (6 starts) away from home this season. More of the same expected here and I am happy to grab the home dog in this one. Keep in mind, the Rangers had won 6 of 8 home games before the loss to Dallas Monday. The Maple Leafs have lost 6 of their past 10 games and are still licking their wounds from a key divisional loss to Florida on Monday. 10* NEW YORK RANGERS |
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02-05-20 | Pacers +6.5 v. Raptors | Top | 118-119 | Win | 100 | 12 h 17 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #575 Wednesday 10* Top Play Indiana Pacers (+) @ Toronto Raptors @ 7:35 ET - The Raptors have won 11 straight games so they are the popular choice here. In typical contrarian fashion, I am grabbing the Pacers plus the points. Indiana is off back to back losses and that is a situation that has seen them go 4-1 SU and ATS this season. Also, the Pacers most recent loss was an outright upset as a home favorite. That is a situation that has seen Indiana go 12-6 SU (13-5 ATS). Also, this is a real rarity as the Pacers are off back to back home losses. That is a situation that has seen Indiana go a perfect 3-0 SU and ATS. The Raptors have been red hot and enter this game off B2B wins by double digit margins. However, they are 0-3 ATS this season when off consecutive victories by 10 or more points. Also, Toronto is 3-6 ATS when they are a home favorite of 6 or less points this season. Look for this one to go down to the wire and I look for the fired up Pacers to get the outright upset but will gladly grab the points as added insurance. 10* INDIANA |
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02-05-20 | Pittsburgh v. Notre Dame OVER 138.5 | Top | 72-80 | Win | 100 | 8 h 27 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #785 Wednesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs Pittsburgh Panthers @ 6:30 ET - The Fighting Irish are going to dictate the tempo of this game on their home floor and that means plenty of points. The over is 5-0 in Notre Dame's last 5 games. The Irish have scored 78 points or more in each of their last 5 games. Also, Notre Dame has allowed 72 points or more in 6 of their past 7 games. In other words, the Panthers will "get theirs" in this game too. Pittsburgh is off a tight low-scoring win at home against Miami. However, prior to that game the Panthers had allowed 73.3 points per game their 3 prior games. The over is 5-1 this season when Pittsburgh is off a game in which they allowed 25 or less points in the first half. Watch what Notre Dame does to them in the first half of this game after that very unusual performance versus Miami for the Panthers. The over is 6-3 this season in Fighting Irish games with a posted total in the 130s. 10* OVER the total in Notre Dame |
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02-05-20 | Loyola-Chicago -120 v. Indiana State | Top | 39-68 | Loss | -120 | 7 h 20 m | Show |
MVC Game of the Year - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #781 Wednesday 10* Top Play Loyola-Chicago Ramblers (-) @ Indiana State Sycamores @ 6 ET - The Ramblers opened up as the favorite even though Indiana State is 9-0 at home this season. What does that tell you? Exactly! Don't be fooled here! Indeed, the road team is the play here. Loyola-Chicago is the better team. I know they lost their last two road games but that was against the two teams (Southern Illinois and Northern Iowa) that are the other two top teams (along with the Ramblers) in the conference. In Missouri Valley action, Loyola-Chicago has a history of performing well against the Sycamores (4 straight wins) and that includes winning each of their last two trips to Terre Haute as they continue to shoot well at the Hulman Center. I look for that to continue here. The Ramblers has won the last 3 games between these teams by an average margin of 21 points per game. Indiana State certainly wants to get off the schneid against Loyola-Chicago but the fact is the Ramblers are the better team and play with a ton of confidence in this venue. Also, they are anxious to get another road win after losing their past two road games against the other top tier teams in the MVC. Indiana State is a respectable team but they are not Northern Iowa and the Ramblers last two road losses came by just 5 points each. Tonight, against the Sycamores, they get over the hump and get a key MVC road win. The Ramblers, looking at FG %, have been better on both ends of the floor in comparison with the Sycamores this season and they are known for shooting well in match-ups at Indiana State. 10* LOYOLA-CHICAGO |
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02-04-20 | Blackhawks v. Wild OVER 6 | Top | 2-3 | Loss | -118 | 9 h 38 m | Show |
Total Annihilation - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #21 Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Minnesota Wild vs Chicago Blackhawks @ 8:05 ET - The Blackhawks are rolling as they have won 6 of their last 7 games. They are off a rare low-scoring win but that had a lot to do with playing at Arizona. The Coyotes are known for lower scoring games. Look for normalcy to return with a bit of a "wild" one here against the Wild on Tuesday. Chicago, prior to the SO win at Arizona, had scored an average of 4 goals per game in their 6 prior games. The posted total on this game is only 6 goals and I am certainly looking for Minnesota to bounce back after getting blasted by the Bruins 6-1 in their most recent game. The Wild are in limbo in terms of playoff aspirations so they must respond here on home ice and I expect them to do just that. 4 of the last 5 meetings between these teams have totaled 7 or more goals and I look for that trend to continue here. Minnesota, prior to scoring just 1 goal against Boston, had scored 3 or more goals in 5 straight games. I see every reason to believe each team gets to at least 3 goals in this one and that would, of course, guarantee us of at least a 4-3 game at the very least. Look for 7 or more goals in total here as the Wild have seen their last 6 games average 7.33 goals per game. Only 1 of the 6 games finished with less than 6 goals. In divisional games this season for the Wild only 4 of 14 have stayed under the total. That trend continues here. Minny responds off a home loss and scores well here but the Blackhawks match them goal for goal in a barn burner! 10* OVER the total in Minnesota |
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02-04-20 | Bucks v. Pelicans +7 | Top | 120-108 | Loss | -115 | 11 h 25 m | Show |
Game of the Week - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #564 Tuesday 10* Top Play New Orleans Pelicans (+) vs Milwaukee Bucks @ 7:35 ET - The Bucks are the best team in the NBA but there is a time and place for upsets of the top teams and this is one of those spots. Milwaukee has a revenge game against the 76ers on deck. The Bucks lost at Philadelphia on Christmas Day by a dozen points and it is a home date for Milwaukee hosting the Sixers that is up next on the docket. That said, traveling to New Orleans for a non-conference match-up that is a single road game in the midst of a home-heavy portion of the schedule is not a good situation for bringing out the best in the Bucks. Look for the Pelicans to take advantage. Keep in mind, the Bucks most recent game away from home was against a Hornets team that has now lost 17 of 20 games and yet Charlotte actually led Milwaukee much of the first 3 quarters of that game. The Bucks pulled away in the 4th but there will be no pulling away in this one at New Orleans. The Pelicans are coming off a tough loss at Houston but had won 14 of 21 games heading into that match-up with the Rockets. Also, New Orleans enters this game having gone 6-4 in their last 10 home games with the 4 losses coming by an average margin of 4 points per game. The biggest margin of defeat was 7 points and 3 of the 4 defeats came by 4 or less points. If the Pelicans do fall short of the outright upset here, look for this to be another tight loss by 4 or less points. In other words, great value with the home dog in this one. 10* NEW ORLEANS |
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02-04-20 | Stars v. Islanders -121 | Top | 3-4 | Win | 100 | 8 h 17 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #6 Tuesday 10* Top Play New York Islanders Money Line (-) vs Dallas Stars @ 7:05 ET - The situation here sets up perfectly for the Islanders. They have had two days off since a home loss to Vancouver on Saturday. Yes, New York lost that game but it was their first game back after the All Star break. The Islanders worked the rust off and lost in overtime despite a 37-24 edge in shots on goal for the game. While the Isles are rested, they catch the Stars in a tough back to back spot. Dallas is playing their 3rd game in 4 nights. Yes, they defeated the Rangers last night but that was the Stars first win in regulation in nearly 4 weeks! Also, the Islanders have revenge on their minds here. They lost 3 to 1 at Dallas in the first meeting between these teams this season. Also, the most recent time they hosted the Stars they were embarrassed 6 to 2. It is payback time here and the timing/situation is ideal. On deck for the Islanders is another non-conference game against the worst team in the Western Conference, the Kings. The Isles will certainly be fully focused here. As for the Stars, they have a home game against a divisional foe, Minnesota, on deck and the Wild beat them 7-0 just a couple weeks ago. Definitely a possible lookahead for Dallas in this one. 10* NEW YORK ISLANDERS |
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02-04-20 | Ball State v. Kent State OVER 134.5 | Top | 62-54 | Loss | -109 | 9 h 27 m | Show |
Total of the Week - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #605 Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Kent State Golden Flashes vs Ball State Cardinals @ 7 ET - The Golden Flashes are off a hard-fought emotional 1-point win over the biggest rivals, Akron, in their most recent game. Don't be surprised if Kent State is lacking in defensive intensity after a win like that over the rival Zips. That said, I expect Ball State to score better than the normally would in this game. We've seen this total be on a bit of an uptick early this morning. That is despite the fact that Cardinals games are on an under streak of 6 straight games. Rest assured, when a team is trending under but their total is then moving toward the over, it is usually with good reason! That said, I do like the over here given this situation as I am sure the Golden Flashes are going to "get theirs" at home but I look for the Cardinals to take advantage of some lax Kent State defense and this one should turn into a bit of a run and gun track meet. The Golden Flashes were on an 8-4 run to the over prior to their game against the Zips staying under the total. Look for the trending toward the over to quickly resume in this one given the situation. The over is a perfect 6-0 in the last 6 meetings between these teams! 10* OVER the total in Kent State |
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02-04-20 | Ohio State +2.5 v. Michigan | Top | 61-58 | Win | 100 | 9 h 55 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #623 Tuesday 10* Top Play Ohio State Buckeyes (+) @ Michigan Wolverines @ 7 ET - Finally on March 1st Ohio State will host Michigan but, as for this match-up, it is the 3rd straight time these teams are meeting in Ann Arbor. The last two have not gone well at all for the Buckeyes as they have been blasted by a double digit margin in each meeting. That said, I am looking for big-time payback for Ohio State in this one. Both teams are off back to back wins but the Wolverines have their biggest rival, Michigan State, on deck. Michigan got blasted by 18 points by the Spartans in their first meeting so they're already looking forward to the rematch. As for the Buckeyes, they are off back to back wins and both were key. They finally got back on track with a road win (at Northwestern) and then beat a respectable Big Ten foe, Indiana, in their most recent game. Look for Ohio State to bring momentum from those games right into this game and deliver the road upset. The Buckeyes are the better team defensively and also shoot the 3-ball better than Michigan. Look for some solid D to lead the way to a road win here. It is payback time. 10* OHIO STATE |
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02-03-20 | 76ers +3.5 v. Heat | Top | 106-137 | Loss | -115 | 12 h 53 m | Show |
NBA TV Dominator - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #553 Monday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (+) @ Miami Heat @ 7:35 ET - The 76ers enter this game off back to back losses. Philly is also playing this game with double revenge. Philadelphia lost at home to the Heat by 4 points in mid-December and then the Sixers lost by a single point at Miami in late December. While the 76ers are fired up to get back in the win column and avenge those losses, note that the Heat are only 4-3 SU in their last 7 games and the wins came against teams with a losing record. Every time Miami has faced a tougher opponent of late they have lost. The 76ers are off a loss at Boston to begin February but they do have recent wins (January) over the Celtics as well as Oklahoma City and the Lakers. They will again step up here to get revenge and to get back to their winning ways as they are healthy again now. Other than the continued absence of Josh Richardson, it is again "all hands on deck" for the Sixers. 10* PHILADELPHIA |
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02-03-20 | Panthers v. Maple Leafs OVER 6.5 | Top | 5-3 | Win | 100 | 9 h 47 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #69 Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Toronto Maple Leafs vs Florida Panthers @ 7:05 ET - Yes I know this total may look a little pricey in a divisional game with a total at 6.5 with many spots charging extra juice on the over. However, in typical contrarian fashion I am against the public perception here. The over is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings between these division rivals. The last two meetings EACH totaled a DOZEN goals! I love the set up here too as Florida is off a shutout loss in their first game back after the All Star break. The Panthers have worked off the rust and will be ready to go here. However, goalie Sergei Bobrovsky is likely to struggle again as he an .877 save percentage on the road this season. He'll be opposed by Maple Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen whom allowed 3 goals in his most recent start. Also, in 3 of his 4 appearances leading into the All Star break, Anderson allowed 4 or more goals! That included an ugly effort against the Panthers. The fact is that Anderson has allowed at least 4 goals 3 of the last 4 times he has faced Florida. Both these teams are loaded with firepower up front and both have shaky goaltending in my opinion. I am aware of the injury to Aleksander Barkov for the Panthers but, even if he does not play, they bounce back off the shutout loss here. The over is 8-2-1 this season when Florida is off a game in which they lost by a margin of 2 or more goals. The Maple Leafs are playing with revenge from the ugly loss at Florida earlier this season and they are 17-7-1 to the over this season when playing with revenge. 10* OVER the total in Toronto |
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02-03-20 | Stars v. Rangers +124 | Top | 5-3 | Loss | -100 | 8 h 16 m | Show |
Blowout Rout - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #68 Monday 10* Top Play New York Rangers Money Line (+) vs Dallas Stars @ 7:05 ET - This one is all about the line value as the Stars road record is no better than the Rangers home record and yet overall market perception has Dallas price in the -140 range on this one. This is offering great home dog value to New York in this one. Keep in mind the Stars are on a 7-game streak in which they have NOT won a single game in regulation. The fact is that Dallas has won just 3 of its past 7 games and all 3 of those wins came AFTER regulation time. They have been far from dominant to say the least. Now the Stars are taking on a surging Rangers team whose confidence is building with each win. New York has won 6 of its past 9 games and their 6 wins have come by an average margin of 2.2 goals per game. None of those 6 Rangers wins have come in the overtime or shootout. In other words, unlike Dallas, New York has been taking care of business in regulation time of their games. Also, the Rangers are getting solid goalie play from 3 different netminders. All the different competition seems to be bringing out the best in all 3 goalies. Lundqvist, Georgiev, and Shesterkin have all been getting the job done between the pipes. Look for that to continue here and I'll go with the home dog in this one as they continue their push to get into the playoff race. The Rangers have won 6 of their past 8 home games and have scored an average of 5.2 goals per game in those 6 victories as a host! Dallas is 0 for 14 on the power play in their last 5 games. 10* NEW YORK RANGERS |
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02-03-20 | Warriors v. Wizards OVER 235 | Top | 125-117 | Win | 100 | 11 h 46 m | Show |
Total of the Week - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #545 Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Washington Wizards vs Golden State Warriors @ 7:05 ET - The Wizards are off a rare low-scoring win. The over was on a 5-0 run in Washington's games prior to the tight win over Brooklyn. Now the Wizards host a Warriors team that also is off a win and which also has been getting involved in plenty of high-scoring games of late. Golden State games are on a 5-1 run to the over and the Warriors have averaged 116 points per game in their past 4 road games. Golden State has allowed an average of 122.2 points per game in their past 6 games. The Wizards have allowed 124.5 points per game in their past 10 games. That is why, despite the big total posted on this game, it will prove to not be big enough. A match-up of two bad teams, but both off wins, means a drop-off in defensive intensity here. The over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings between these teams and that trend continues here. 10* OVER the total in Washington |
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02-03-20 | Lafayette +1 v. Bucknell | Top | 65-62 | Win | 100 | 10 h 9 m | Show |
Patriot League Game of the Year - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #501 Monday 10* Top Play Lafayette Leopards (+) @ Bucknell Bison @ 7 ET - Revenge game for the Leopards. They blew a big half-time lead and lost by double digits to the Bison in Easton last month. Since that defeat, Lafayette has responded very well. As for Bucknell, it has been a downhill slide since then. The Bison have gone 3-5 SU since then and the only 3 victories were against the 3 worst teams in the Patriot League. Bucknell beat Holy Cross, Loyola (MD), and Lehigh. Those teams are each just 2-8 in conference games this season! Now the Bison host a revenge-minded Leopards team that is 14-7 on the season and has won 6 of 8 games since losing to Bucknell. Note that Lafayette is off a win over an American team that was 6-3 in conference action and, prior to that game, the Leopards knocked off the top team in the Patriot for a season sweep. Yes, Lafayette won at Colgate and that completed a 2-0 season series sweep over a Raiders team that is 8-0 against the rest of the Patriot League this season. The Leopards have been a pleasant surprise this season and red-hot Justin Jaworski and company get revenge here on the road in Lewisburg Monday. 10* LAFAYETTE |
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02-03-20 | North Carolina v. Florida State UNDER 143.5 | Top | 59-65 | Win | 100 | 9 h 20 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #862 Monday 10* Top Play UNDER the total in Florida State Seminoles vs North Carolina Tar Heels @ 7 ET - The Tar Heels last 6 games featured an OT game and a double-OT game. That has skewed the perception of their totals higher than it should be. Note that UNC has allowed 73 points or less in regulation time of 7 straight games. The average points allowed by North Carolina in this 7-game stretch was 68 points. The Seminoles are favored by about 10 points here. No matter how you look at it...if the Heels allow their average of 68 or their 7-game regulation high of 73...if the odds makers are right about the spread here you're looking at a game ranging from 68-58 (126 points) to 73-63 (136 points) and we've got a total in the mid-140s here! I'll gladly take the under here because Florida State has a history of struggles against the Tar Heels and will most definitely take advantage of facing them in a down year. The Noles can turn up the heat on defense. FSU has allowed just 62 points per game in their past two games. Also, in 2 of their last 3 home games Florida State has allowed 58 points or less. Look for a lower-scoring game than many are expecting as, even though the Heels welcomed back Cole Anthony recently they now have senior Brandon Robinson dealing with an ankle injury. The season of frustration continues for North Carolina as the Seminoles turn up the heat on defense in this one. 10* UNDER the total in Florida State |
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02-02-20 | 49ers +1.5 v. Chiefs | Top | 20-31 | Loss | -110 | 177 h 27 m | Show |
Super Bowl Slaughter - Rickenbach NFL Rotation #101 San Francisco 49ers (-) vs Kansas City Chiefs @ 6:30 ET Sunday - The Chiefs have won and covered 8 games in a row. However, Kansas City has allowed an average of 25.3 points their last 3 games. The 49ers, conversely, have allowed an average of just 17 points their last 3 games. KC can be run on and San Francisco can and will emphasize the ground game here. That will help limit QB Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs scoring opportunities in this game as the Niners can use their ground game to control the tempo a bit in this game. The 49ers outrushed KC by over 100 yards in their meeting last season. San Francisco allowed 125 rushing yards in a recent game versus Seattle. However, in their other 4 recent games they have allowed an average of 61 rushing yards per game. Conversely the Chiefs have allowed 97 rushing yards per game their last 4 games. The Niners this season are 5-0 SU and ATS in their 5 games this season with lines ranging from -3 to +3. Can the Chiefs stay hot after scoring so many points in consecutive game? History says no. Kansas City is 4-9 ATS when they enter a game having scored 30 or more points in 3 straight games. The Niners have averaged running for 200 yards per game their past 3 games. San Francisco has scored an average of 32 points per game their last 6 games. The better defense and better ground game has me siding with the 49ers here. 10* SAN FRANCISCO |