A Big East Battle between two ranked teams here today as No 17 Providence takes on No 15 Xavier. Providence and Xavier are in a three way tie at the top of the Big East with 9-2 record. Both also have 17-5 overall records. The Providence Friars have been a good spread team this year, with a 14-8 ATS record overall. The Friars have won three straight games and covered all three, including last game over Villanova, 70-65, as a pick'em on the road. The Friars are 5-3 S/U and 6-2 ATS on the road and outscoring their hosts, 72.4 to 68.5 ppg. Providence is 12-2 ATS their last 14 games and 6-1 ATS their last seven on the road. The Xavier Musketeers are coming off a loss at Creighton, 67-84, as a 6-point dog. That makes them 2-2 S/U and 1-3 ATS in their last four games. The dog has covered eight of the last 11 in this series. That's who I am on today, take Providence.

The Portland Trailblazers are just under the playoff line right now as we get closer to the half way point of the season. The Blazers are 24-26 in the tough Western Conference, but are a couple games back of New Orleans right now for that last playoff spot. Portland is coming off a home win over Atlanta, 129-125, as a 2.5-point favorite. Despite the win, they are just 3-4 S/U and ATS their last seven games. They are also 4-10 ATS their last 14 overall games and 0-8 ATS their last eight road games. Meanwhile, Memphis sitting 2nd in the Western Conference with a 32-18 record, 2.5-games back of Denver. The Grizzlies have been great at home, going 21-3 S/U and 16-8 ATS. They also outscore their visitors by a 119.7 to 108.5 ppg average. Moreover, they are 36-14-1 ATS in their last 51 home games. I'll take the Grizzlies here tonight and lay the points.

ACC Clash here on Wednesday has 15-7 Pitt taking on 15-8 North Carolina. Pittsburgh is third in the ACC with a 8-3 record and UNC is 4th with a 7-3 record. Pitt has won two straight games, including last game vs Miami, 71-68, as a pick'em. That makes the Panthers 4-1 S/U and 3-2 ATS in their last five games. Pitt is 5-2 S/U on the road and a perfect 7-0 vs the spread. They have also outscored their hosts by a 75.4 to 66.6 ppg average. Pitt has been great to bettors with a 14-3 ATS mark their last 17 overall games. NCU might have 15 wins, but unlike Pitt they have not been good to bettors. The Tar Heels are just 7-13-1 ATS overall and 5-5 ATS at home. The Heels have won four straight and six of their last seven. However, they are just 1-5 ATS in their last six games vs a team with a winning record above 60 percent. I'll take the points with a very good covering team here tonight. Play Pittsburgh.

Top ranked Purdue will host Penn State this afternoon in a Big 10 clash. The Boilermakers are 10-1 in the Big 10 and 21-1 overall. Purdue's only loss this season came in their opening Big 10 game to Rutgers, 64-65, as a 8.5-point favorite. Since then they have won eight straight and gone 5-2-1 ATS. Purdue hasn't done so well at home, going 2-6-1 ATS in their last nine home games. They are also 3-10-2 ATS in their last 15 home games vs a team with a losing road record. Penn State is 5-5 in conference and 14-7 overall. Penn State is coming off a win over Michigan, 83-61, as a 3.5-point favorite. They are 3-4 S/U and 4-3 ATS in their last seven games. This will be the second meeting between these teams with Purdue winning back on Jan 8th at Penn State, 63-76, as a 5-point favorite. Penn State does well on the road, going 8-3 ATS their last 11 away games. They are also 34-16-1 ATS in their last 51 games vs a team with a winning record. The dog has gone 7-3-1 ATS the last 11 meetings in this series and the road team is 7-2-1 ATS the last 10 meetings. I'll take Penn State tonight.