Sports Handicapper Matt Fargo's Picks & Predictions

This is a play on the VANCOUVER CANUCKS as part of our NHL Thursday Hat Trick. The Canucks are coming off a 4-0 loss at Winnipeg despite putting 41 shots on net. That snapped a two-game winning streak as the Canucks ended their five-game roadtrip with a 2-3 record. Vancouver heads home where it is 14-5-3 including wins in six straight games. The Canucks are coming off their third shutout of the season and they followed up the first two with bounce back victories next time out. The Canucks are 21-10 in their last 31 home games following a road trip of seven or more days. Arizona is coming off a win over lowly San Jose which snapped a three-game losing streak. The Coyotes hit the road where they have been shutout in their last two games and they are 1-4 in their last five games as a road underdog. Here, we play on teams against the money line averaging 3.0 or more gpg in the second half of the season, after getting shutout in their previous game. This situation is 55-28 (66.3 percent) over the last five seasons. 9* (52) Vancouver Canucks

This is a play on the MINNESOTA WILD as part of our NHL Thursday Hat Trick. Tampa Bay comes in red hot and the price is showing that. Two days after its 10-game winning streak ended with a 3-1 loss at New Jersey, Tampa Bay rallied from an early two-goal deficit to beat the Kings 4-3 in a shootout on Tuesday at home. The Lightning are 13-7-2 on the road and going back, they are 2-9 in their last 11 games against the Central Division. Minnesota is just 6-9-2 in its last 17 games and currently mired in a 0-3-1 slide that includes three consecutive regulation defeats. The Wild were down 4-0 early in the second period on Tuesday during a 7-3 loss at Pittsburgh and head home where they are 11-5-4. Minnesota is 38-19 against the money line in its last 57 games after allowing three goals or more in two straight games. Here, we play on teams against the money line averaging 3.0 or more gpg in the second half of the season, after two straight losses by three goals or more. This situation is 32-12 (72.7 percent) over the last five seasons. 9* (46) Minnesota Wild

This is a play on the BOSTON BRUINS as part of our NHL Thursday Hat Trick. We lost with Boston on Tuesday as a bad break took place early in the game. Goalie Tuukka Rask exited the 3-0 loss to the Blue Jackets just 1:12 into the game with a concussion and while he will be out tonight, backup goalie Jaroslav Halak at least knows he is making the start as opposed to being thrust into the game not prepared. The Bruins have lost two straight games but both of those were on the road and they head home where they are 15-2-9 on the season. Pittsburgh has won four straight games including a 7-3 win over Minnesota at home on Tuesday. The Penguins are 12-7-2 on the road and they are 2-6 in their last eight games after scoring five goals or more in their previous game. Here, we play against underdogs against the money line off a home win scoring four or more goals going up against an opponent off two or more consecutive road losses. This situation is 46-14 (76.7 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (32) Boston Bruins

This is a play on the NEW ORLEANS PELICANS for our NBA Thursday Enforcer. The Jazz are riding an NBA best 10-game winning streak but only one of those has come against a team in a current playoff position. While New Orleans is not a playoff team, it has been playing much better of late. Utah has won 15 of its past 16 games after a 118-107 victory at Brooklyn on Tuesday night. The Jazz are 2-0 against New Orleans, the latest victory coming during the recent hot streak and that game was in New Orleans and it resulted in just a two-point win. The Pelicans have won three of the four games they have played since the latest loss to the Jazz. They have won nine of 13 and just concluded a 2-1 road trip with a 117-110 overtime win at Detroit on Monday. Here, we play against teams with a winning percentage between .600 and .750 after two consecutive covers as a favorite, playing a team with a winning percentage between .250 and .400. This situation is 47-17 ATS (73.4 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (526) New Orleans Pelicans

North Texas has rushed off to a 3-1 start in the conference following a pair of home wins over Florida Atlantic and Florida International. Overall, the Mean Green are just 9-8 and while they have gone 9-1 ATS over their last 10 games, only three of those covers have come on the road and they were underdogs in all of those games. North Texas is 2-4 on the highway. Southern Mississippi has not been as fortunate as it is 0-4 to start conference action but the last three losses have come on the road with the other coming at home against Louisiana Tech, one of the top teams in the conference. The Golden Eagles are 0-8 away from home but are a much more respectable 4-3 at home with two of those losses coming by five points or less. Play (640) Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles

Matt is on an ABSOLUTE ROLL in College Hoops as he is on a SPECTACULAR 26-13 Run and he keeps the Rampage going! Going back, he is on a SENSATIONAL 67-37-1 Run and Thursday is going to be LARGE! He has FIVE Winners overall and after a MONSTER Run, he is looking for the PERFECT 5-0 Thursday SWEEP!

This is a play on the WASHINGTON HUSKIES for our CBB Thursday Late Night Winner. Washington is off to a disappointing 1-3 start in the Pac 12 following a pair of close road losses at California and Stanford. The other defeat was a narrow home loss against UCLA by two points. The Huskies are 8-1 in their other nine home games with the one defeat coming against No. 1 Gonzaga by a respectable seven points. This team is loaded on offense and after two games scoring under 60 points, they will be ready to unleash at home where they are averaging 75.3 ppg. Oregon St. is off to a 2-2 start in the conference following a big upset win at home against Arizona on Sunday. The Beavers are 4-2 on the road but two of those wins came against Wyoming and San Jose St., the two worst teams in the Mountain West Conference. 9* (698) Washington Huskies

This is a play on the GREEN BAY PHOENIX as part of our CBB Thursday Enforcer. Oakland is in the midst of a four-game roadtrip, having won the last one against Cleveland St., arguably the worst team in the Horizon League. The Golden Grizzlies moved to just 2-6 on the road and four of those loss have been by double-digits. The offense has struggles, averaging just 60.3 ppg. Green Bay will look to get back into the win column having dropped its last two at home to IUPUI and Milwaukee. In games the Phoenix have won this season, they are averaging 95.3 ppg and shooting just over 53 percent from the floor. They are first in scoring offense, first in shooting offense and first in assist/turnover ratio within the conference. Green Bay is 4-3 at home which is nothing special but clearly the line is playing into that. 9* (644) Green Bay Phoenix

This is a play on the DELAWARE BLUE HENS as part of our CBB Thursday Enforcer. William & Mary is off to a 5-0 start in the CAA which is an early season surprise as the Tribe were picked to finish ninth in the 10-team league. Three of those wins did come on the road and they have covered four straight games which is affecting this number and giving us value. Two of those wins were by a combined three points. Delaware is expected to contend in the conference but it is off to a 2-3 start. One loss came against Charleston which is the best team in the CAA and the two others came on the road where the Blue Hens are 3-5. Delaware won 10 games before the end of December for the first time in program history. After three straight road games, they head home where they are 7-1 on the season while outscoring opponents by 14.5 ppg. 9* (626) Delaware Blue Hens

This is a play on the FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL GOLDEN PANTHERS as part of our CBB Thursday Enforcer. Florida International has lost two straight games to fall to 2-2 in C-USA but both of those losses came on the road where it is 3-5 on the season. The Golden Panthers are 7-0 at home where they are outscoring opponents by 15.5 ppg. They have won 12-straight at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center dating back to last season. Florida International is first in the country in blocks, third in blocks per game (6.8) and fifth in steals (172) and steals per game (10.1). UAB meanwhile has won two straight games as it took out Western Kentucky and Marshall at home. The Blazers are just 1-4 on the road with the lone win coming against Alabama St. As a team, UAB is averaging 64.1 ppg but that drops to 59.7 ppg on the highway. 9* (610) Florida International Golden Panthers

This is a play on the MARSHALL THUNDERING HERD for our CBB Thursday Enforcer. Charlotte is off to a 3-0 start in the conference while winning six of its last seven games. Five of those wins came at home however with the lone road victory coming against UNC-Wilmington which is 5-14 on the season. The 49ers are 1-4 on the road and while they have been competitive, losses are losses and they are now facing a team desperately in need of a win. Marshall is coming off a loss against UAB to fall to 2-2 on the season while dropping to 2-5 on the road. The Thundering Herd may just be 6-4 at home but the four losses came against teams that are expected to contend for conference championships. The offense is the trademark of this team as they are averaging 77.9 ppg at home and coming off a 50-point effort on the road. 10* (612) Marshall Thundering Herd