Matt Fargo

This is a play on the ILLINOIS-CHICAGO FLAMES for our Wednesday Free Play. We have seen this from Northern Iowa before as it opened last season 3-7 before going on a run, finishing 16-7 and finished in a tie for fourth place in the MVC. The Panthers are 3-4 and opening conference play early again, they were 2-4 last season before opening 0-2 in the conference, as they hit the road for just the second time having lost at Wichita St. by six points in their first road game. They are expected to contend in the conference again so this is a big opener but this is not the spot to get it going the right way. Illinois-Chicago finished second to last in the conference last season at 4-16 and went 12-21 overall, the second straight season the Flames have won just 12 games. Bring in new head coach Rob Ehsan who has implemented a new system to play faster and more efficient and the results are evident as they are No. 66 in Tempo and have gone from No. 271 in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency to No. 151 while shooting 50.7 percent, No. 16 in the country, and averaging 87.0 ppg, No. 17 in the nation. Balance has been the key with seven players averaging between 8.9 and 12.9 ppg. Here, we play on home teams as an underdog or pickem shooting 48 percent or better on the season and outrebounding opponents by seven or more ppg. This situation is 34-8 ATS (81 percent) since 2020. Play (706) Illinois-Chicago Flames

6-3 Hoops Tuesday. CBB goes 4-2 with FIVE CBB Winners Wednesday highlighted by another Conference Game of the Month Winner. The NBA went 2-1 last night and one play tonight with Fargo's NBA Eastern Conference Game of the Month (45-29-1 GOM Run). NFL 43-33-3 Run. Over the last 2+ NFL Regular Seasons, Fargo is 168-134-4 (+$24,240). CFB Game of the Year!

This is a play on the ORLANDO MAGIC for our Eastern Conference Game of the Month. Orlando had its six-game winning streak snapped with a 15-point loss to the Knicks and returns Wednesday now in the role of the favorite where it is 13-2 straight up and 12-3 against the number. The Magic remain in first place in the Southeast Division by 3.5 games over Atlanta while staying in third place in the Eastern Conference, one game up on New York. They have dominated losing teams, going 11-1 straight up and 10-2 against the number and have not missed a beat since Paolo Banchero went down as after losing their first four games, they have gone 12-2. The Sixers have won consecutive games for the first time this season following a six-point win over Charlotte last night. Surprisingly, this is only their second back-to-back of the season which resulted in losses in both games and while Joel Embiid did not play last night, head coach Nick Nurse said he does not expect him to play against tonight with the possibility of Paul George sitting as well. It has been a disaster of a season obviously and they come into tonight having failed to cover all four games as home underdogs of six points or less, losing those games by an average of 14.5 ppg. Here, we play on road favorites off a road loss by 10 points or more going up against an opponent off an road win scoring 110 or more points. This situation is 46-16 ATS (74.2 percent) since 1997 with a scoring differential of +8.0 ppg. 10* (523) Orlando Magic

This is a play on the USC TROJANS for our CBB Wednesday Conference Game of the Month. Oregon and USC are back at it in conference action after the Ducks swept the season series last year but only now it is the Big 10 Conference opener for both teams which is anticlimactic, similar to UCLA and Washington tipping off Tuesday. The Ducks are off to an 8-0 start but they are another team that is overvalued based on the AP Poll and their No. 12 ranking. Oregon did win the Players Era Festival with underdog wins over Texas A&M and Alabama and this will now be their fifth straight game away from home, starting with their first true road game which was just a three-point win at Oregon St. USC was picked to finish No. 8 in the Big 10 Conference by Blue Ribbon, one spot behind Oregon but the non-conference season has been up and down. The Trojans are coming off a pair of losses at the Acrisure Classic in Palm Desert against St. Mary's and New Mexico and have had the luxury of playing either at home or just two hours away with their first road game not until this Saturday at Washington. What we really like is the USC covered their first game against Chattanooga and have gone 0-7 ATS in their last seven. 10* (748) USC Trojans

This is a play on the DUKE BLUE DEVILS for our CBB Wednesday SEC/ACC Challenge Top Tip. Auburn can certainly make an argument for not being the No. 1 team in the country as it has some big quality wins over Houston, North Carolina, Iowa St. and Memphis, all on a neutral floor while their three home wins have been by 51, 23 and 33 points. The Tigers definitely can point to the KenPom rankings where they are No. 1 with the top ranked offense against an impressive schedule but now they face yet another top ten opponent and this one on a true road floor. They passed the test against Houston in their only other game as underdogs but Cameron Indoor is a totally different atmosphere. Duke has a pair of close losses against Kentucky and Kansas on a neutral floor but those can be somewhat negated with a 14-point win at Arizona. This is a young team that that has come together quickly by playing team basketball with their 60.7 percent Assist Rate and over come in No. 4 in the Kenpom Rankings. They have dominated at home with four home bye wins so this is by far the biggest test here this season and possession the No. 1 ranking in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency only adds to the team aspect making this venue even tougher. 10* (742) Duke Blue Devils

This is a play on the VIRGINIA TECH HOKIES for our CBB Wednesday Ultimate Underdog. We will be going against another road favorite playing their first road game of the season and we cannot justify this one either. Vanderbilt is off to a 7-1 start having played the No. 320 ranked schedule as it opened the season 4-0 with four blowout home wins before heading to Charleston for the Charleston Classic, winning the first two games before losing to Drake in the championship game. The Commodores rebounded with another home blowout win over Tennessee Tech and now enter the SEC/ACC Challenge with a difficult trip and overvalued based on their start aided by that favorable schedule. Part of the reason for the number is the fact that Virginia Tech is not cashing tickets. The Hokies opened the season with a win and cover against Delaware St. but they have gone 2-4 since then including four straight losses. Three of those were on a neutral floor against Penn St., Michigan and South Carolina and while the lone home loss against Jacksonville was inexcusable, that was their last home game and will be out to make up for that embarrassment in front of their home fans. Virginia Tech is 0-6 ATS in its last six games which is an automatic take and this situation makes it better. 10* (738) Virginia Tech Hokies

This is a play on the MONTANA GRIZZLIES for our CBB Wednesday Supreme Annihilator. Montana opened the season 2-3 with both wins against non-Division I teams but the three losses were against Oregon, Utah St. and Tennessee, all contenders in their respective tough conferences. We can basically wipe out those first five games and since then, they have won three straight games and while they failed to cover two of those, they were double-digit favorites in both and now they are catching points at home. They are picked to win the Big Sky Conference and Montana is the most experienced team in the conference with five fifth year seniors, a mix of returnees and transfers and getting tested early only helped. South Dakota St. is getting a lot of love here with its 7-2 record while covering its last four lined games. The Jackrabbits are expected to be a player in the Summit League after winning the regular season title and the conference tournament last season but all five regular starters are gone and the roster consists of 10 freshmen and sophomores so this is a very young team. Two of their wins have been over non-Division I teams, two others on their home floor and three on a neutral floor so this marks their first true road game of the season. 10* (730) Montana Grizzlies

This is a play on the CREIGHTON BLUEJAYS for our CBB Wednesday Star Attraction. Kansas remains the No. 1 team in the country as it has been since day one following a pair of wins last week to move to 7-0. The Jayhawks have three solid wins over Duke, Michigan St. and North Carolina but we all know the AP Poll means nothing as Kansas is just No. 6 at KenPom and now they hit the highway for their first true road game of the season and while it is not a far trip, it will not be a layup. In fact, this is the first of two consecutive road games, the next at rival Missouri and this is only the third time in 22 years Kansas has played consecutive non-conference road games. Creighton opened the season 4-0 in basically what were four bye wins then came a three-game losing streak, losing to rival Nebraska and then San Diego St. and Texas A&M at the Players Era Festival before winning the third game against Notre Dame without big man Ryan Kalkbrenner who was out with a lower-body injury. The Bluejays are just 1-6-1 against the number and that is a streak we go the other way based on value and there will not be many thinking there is value based on the short price, just the way we like it. 10* (720) Creighton Bluejays