Sports Handicapper Matt Fargo's Picks & Predictions

This is a play on the HOUSTON ROCKETS for our Western Conference Game of the Month. Houston closed with a loss against Golden St. before the break and have gone 2-9 over their last nine games so the time off came at the best time. The rockets remain home where they are 17-9 while their 14-7 record against teams ranked in the top ten is second best in the league behind Cleveland. This is a revenge spot from two weeks ago where they lost by 13 points in Minnesota and the Rockets are 11-1 in their last 12 games revenging a road loss. The Timberwolves have won four of their last six games following a home upset over Oklahoma City to end their run before the break. Despite all the time off, the injury report is still a concern with four starters coming in as questionable or out. Here, we play on favorites after having lost 5 or 6 of their last 7 games, with a winning record on the season playing another winning team. This situation is 50-20 ATS (71.4 percent) since 2021 with a scoring differential of +7.8 ppg. 10* (514) Houston Rockets

This is a play on the MIAMI OHIO REDHAWKS for our CBB Signature Enforcer. Miami Ohio is coming off a pair of road losses at Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan which snapped a five-game winning streak and dropped the RedHawks to 10-3 in the Mid-American Conference. They are back home where they are 12-1 with the only loss coming against Troy in the MAC/SBC Challenge two weeks ago and this is just the second Quad 3 home game of the season. They are still in solo second in the conference and have a favorable schedule going forward with this being the last big test and we are getting a good number in a great spot. Kent St. has won five straight games including four within the conference to get to 8-5. The Golden Flashes have won two straight on the road but against teams with No. 275 and No. 309 NET Rankings and catch Miami at the wrong time despite being a revenge game. 10* (888) Miami Ohio RedHawks

This is a play on the PURDUE FORT WAYNE MASTODONS as part of our CBB Early Triple Play. Purdue Fort Wayne is coming off a pair of road losses against Youngstown St. and Robert Morris and sits a game and a half out of first place behind Cleveland St. so with just three games left, winning the conference is likely out. Important now is moving into the top four and the Mastodons are a game out of second place while sitting in fifth place with the road issues being the problem. They are back home here they are 11-1 with the only loss coming against the Vikings and now playing with revenge from a loss at Oakland last month. The Golden Grizzlies are 9-7 in the conference following wins in their last two games but those were against IU Indianapolis and Detroit, two of the three worst teams in the conference and seven of the nine conference wins have come in Quad 4 games and this one is not in that quadrant. 10* (876) Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons

This is a play on the WRIGHT ST. RAIDERS as part of our CBB Early Triple Play. Wright St. is coming off its worst loss of the season as it fell to then 2-24 Green Bay, giving the Phoenix their first win the Horizon League. It was the second straight loss for the Raiders which lost at Milwaukee by eight points in overtime which made it a letdown spot following the defeat to the top NET Ranked team in the conference. They are back home where they are 9-3 with three losses against three of the top four teams in the conference including the top two. Wright St. is by far the best NET Ranked team in the conference with a losing record in what has been a disappointing season. Northern Kentucky is coming off a 22-point loss at Milwaukee to fall to 7-9 in the conference and 3-9 on the road, two wins against the bottom to teams in the conference, and comes in just 1-4 in Quad 3 road games. 10* (872) Wright St. Raiders

This is a play on the VILLANOVA WILDCATS as part of our CBB Early Triple Play. Villanova is on the outside looking in for the NCAA Tournament and this game goes a long way. The Wildcats are on a two-game losing streak following losses at Providence and Connecticut which came after a three-game winning streak which included a win against St. John’s, their first Quad 1 win of the season. It was their first and only Quad 1 home game so this is a chance to up the resume back home where it is 12-3, the last two losses coming by three points combined. Marquette has won two straight games which came against Seton Hall and DePaul which are a combined 4-27 in the Big East Conference and the Golden Eagles hit the road where it has lost two straight and while it won three straight road games before that, two were against those aforementioned teams, along with Butler which is the third worst at 5-10. 10* (858) Villanova Wildcats