Sunday, February 20, 2022 Temple vs. Cincinnati (NCAAB) - 2:00 PM EST Premium Pick Pick: Point Spread: 7/-110 Temple Rating: 8* Mike's CBB Sunday Sleeper Selection (WIN) When the Owls & Bearcats meet, it's usually a down-to-the-wire affair like this season's earlier meeting won by Temple 61-58 @ the Liacouras Center. In fact, the last 6 meetings were won by a total of just 20 points (last 4 by 9 points). Now, HC Aaron McKie (3rd season & coming off a disastrous 5-11 campaign) takes his cherry & white squad into Bearcat country with both 6'5" guards Jeremiah Williams & Damian Dunn on the mend. I feel the 14-9 SU team out of Philadelphia is in the more desperate mode. They come in with a respectable 4-4 SU record on the road but have dominated ATS going a visiting 8-1 when matched up against a home team with a winning percentage over .600. Temple is the more-hungry group after their exit in the 1st round of the American Athletic Conference Tournament with a 73-71 loss to the South Florida Bulls. On the flip side, HC Wes Miller (1st season after relieving former HC John Brannen after reports of intimidating players & payment of extra benefits to a team member surfaced) is still making adjustments this season after the red & black got blown out in the AAC Championship 91-54 @ the hands of the Houston Cougars. My bottom line says its hard to ignore the Bearcats' 13-39-3 record versus the number in games off a SU win. I further feel Cincy's backcourt of David DeJulius & Mika Adams-Woods is a wash against Williams & Dunn. Even though Queen City holds a few more statistical edges, Temple will control the boards & keep this one tight in the end. Remember, these 2 are almost identical in the league standings with the 5th-place Owls currently besting the 6th-place Bearcats by a 7-5 to 7-6 1/2-game margin. Let's go to the Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati to play the TEMPLE OWLS (buying to +9) as my 8* CBB Sunday Sleeper Selection! NOTES: It's been a rough going to start in CBB. Remember, this is a marathon & NOT a sprint! I started the NFL 2-3 & wound up going 32-10 in the regular season. I took a page out of my dad (Jacob Handzelek's) playbook. He told me that he & his roommate Chuck Knox (who went on to be the HC of the Los Angeles Rams, Buffalo Bills & Seattle Seahawks spanning 22 seasons) thrived on weekend roadies since small home team favorites (5 to 7 points) usually did some excessive partying & were seldom 100% physically for a Sunday afternooner. Low & behold (see Temple play above), the Owls not only covered @ +9 but won the game OUTRIGHT! We'll proceed with caution as the conference tournaments are coming soon. Check back each night for possible CBB plays (before 6:30 PM Weekdays & 11:30 AM Weekends. Mike Handzelek's 2021-22 CBB Overall Record: 2-2 for a slow start 50% Mike's L28 Plays (all sports): 24-4 for a surreal 86%