Stephen Nover

Saddled with a five-game losing streak and last in the league defensively, Vancouver is getting no respect. This is a huge game, though, for the Canucks and they are back home after six consecutive road games. They’ve been idle since Monday.

Calgary is slightly below average both offensively and defensively. The Flames have a losing record in their last nine games. They also are 2-4 on the road, while the Canucks are 4-2 at home. Vancouver has double-revenge having lost in mid-January to the Flames, 3-0 and 5-2. Both of those games were in Calgary. The Canucks have firepower. The key for them is defensive improvement. I believe that will happen here. During their current losing streak the Canucks played the Jets, Canadiens and Maple Leafs. Winnipeg ranks ninth in scoring, Montreal is the highest scoring team in the NHL and Toronto has scored the fourth-most goals. Now the Canucks are dropping down in class. The season has gone on long enough where the Canucks’ many new faces are more acclimated. This is their spot.

This is only the second time all season Long Island is an underdog. The Shark beat Wagner, 77-66, as 1-point road ‘dogs on Jan. 14. I don’t think they should be an underdog in this game to Mount St. Mary’s.

Mount St. Mary’s is 5-5 in its last 10 games, losing two of its last three games while favored against Sacred Heart and Central Connecticut State.

There’s a huge class difference here that’s not fully incorporated into the line.

Winthrop had opened with 16 consecutive victories until losing, 57-55, as 12 1/2-point home favorites against UNC-Asheville in its last game. That was two weeks ago. The Eagles haven’t played since. So they are more than ready to put that disturbing upset loss behind them. The Eagles are the class of the Big South Conference. Radford is a surprising 13-7, in second-place behind Winthrop in the league standings despite losing all of its top scorers from last season. None of Radford’s players average double figures in scoring. Winthrop ranks 22nd in the nation in scoring at 81.3 points and has the conference’s likely MVP in Chandler Vaudrin. Winthrop has proven itself in this type of situation going 13-4 ATS versus above .500 opponents and covering 17 of its past 24 road contests.

Oddsmakers just give a quick glance to small conference matchups like this one before quickly throwing out a total based on season numbers.

But on closer inspection – considering current form – this Over/Under has been set too low. Fairleigh Dickinson averages 75 points on the season. That number goes up to 82.1 points in regulation if you look at the Knights’ last six games. Wagner ranks 263rd in the nation defensively yielding nearly 74 points a game. Wagner has scored at least 74 points in six of its last seven games. Fairleigh Dickinson has one of the worst defenses in the country ranking 326th allowing 78.9 points.

Montana is 7-5 in its last 12 games. But the Grizzlies’ record is deceiving. They have lost a number of close games, including a six-point road loss to Arizona. The Grizzlies have a strong defense ranking 38th in the nation giving up 63.6 points per game. They also rate 25th in 3-point defense. That’s a huge factor because Weber State is a strong perimeter shooting team. The Wildcats surrender six more points per game than Montana. This is not a good matchup for Weber State.

I’m perplexed how short this line is because I rate Eastern Washington much higher than Montana State.

The Eagles are on a five-game win streak and have covered 11 of their last 15 away games. Montana State is off a pair of road losses to Weber State in games that weren’t close. The Bobcats are 1-5 ATS the past six times when going against an above .500 opponent.

Texas-Arlington opened a slight underdog. The ‘dog has covered each of the last seven times in this series. But Arlington shouldn’t be a home ‘dog. The Mavericks would be riding a five-game win streak if not for an overtime loss to Arkansas State.

The Mavericks average eight more points per game than Texas State and give up fewer than 70 points per game. The Bobcats average only 66.8 points on the season. They have averaged just 63 points in regulation during their last four games.

Returning to Detroit after going 0-4 on their West Coast trip, the Pistons upset the Nets, 122-111, at home this past Tuesday. The Pistons are capable of pulling off a surprise like this. Just ask the Lakers. But by no means are the Pistons a good team. They have yet to win consecutive games this season. I don’t see it happening today against the Pacers either. Indiana is at low ebb. The Pacers have dropped a season-high four games in a row. They have been held to their lowest scoring performances in each of their last two games. Brooklyn just defeated Indiana, 104-94, at home Wednesday night. Let’s look, though, at who the Pacers have lost to during their skid. They were beaten by the Bucks, the Pelicans – who were playing their basketball of the season with four victories in a row until losing to the Bulls on Wednesday – the Jazz, who are the hottest team in the NBA, and the Nets of James Harden and Kyrie Irving. Now the Pacers are dropping way down in class meeting the Pistons. Indiana is playing without rest. However, the Pacers were idle this past Monday and Tuesday before losing to the Nets last night. So there isn’t a fatigue factor. Indiana also is 4-1 ATS the last five times on the second of back-to-back games. The Pacers have excelled in this spot going 11-3-1 ATS the past 15 times as a road favorite.