Locks
NBA – Suns -10 @ Wolves (-110): 8 PM CT on Fox Sports North
I feel like I’m repeating myself here but the Minnesota Timberwolves are a disaster, and the Phoenix Suns are actually really good. 10 points actually isn’t that much for a Wolves team that has been getting ran out of the gym by the majority of good teams. I see this one ballooning to near twenty points by the 4th quarter, so again I’m going to fade the hometown Wolves and roll with the Suns, especially with Malik Beasley suspended.
NCAA Basketball – Michigan State +3 @ Maryland (-110): 1:00 PM CT on CBS
When I first saw this line I misread it and thought Michigan State was the -3 favorite, with my initial reaction to lay it with Sparty. I’m a big believer in what they have evolved into lately, but I’m suspicious of this Terps team.
In one of the more puzzling record quirks this season, Maryland has been something of a giant-killer away from home, with wins at Illinois, Wisconsin, Rutgers, and Minnesota. But when good teams come to visit it’s a different story, as they’ve lost at home convincingly to Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Rutgers.
With Tom Izzo finding the magic on this stretch of three wins outright as underdogs, I have to trust my gut that the Spartans will be motivated underdogs again and cover this short line if not pull another upset.
NCAA Basketball – North Dakota St./South Dakota Over 138 (-110): 3:30 PM CT on ESPN3
Another small conference doubleheader, another lazy job of lining totals. This number is literally just recycled from yesterday’s first leg that saw South Dakota win 80-71, with no adjustment for that score or the zig-zag factor impacting totals in this matchup.
North Dakota St. is known by the metrics as a slower and lower-scoring team. While that’s accurate in general it’s definitely wrong in second legs, as Bison games average 14.7 more points in those spots and are 6-1 over this total. South Dakota is not a low-scoring team, with a 14-6 over record and Stanley Umude and A.J. Plitzuweit absolutely on fire lately, but the trend also exists for the Coyotes as their second-leg games average 19 more total points.
This was going to be my favorite college bet of the day no matter what the total was posted at, so thank you Vegas for the laziness and easy money.
Degenerates
No Degenerates Today.
Tiny Nick is 176-111 ATS (+58.5 Units) on his Locks since joining Zone Coverage.
Every day he will offer his Locks and Degenerate picks. Locks are the games he’s confident in. Degenerates are entertaining but riskier picks.
