Vegas Play of Day: Columbia at Yale

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Friday, Feb. 5, 2016 | 10:41 a.m.

We've reset the Play of the Day with fresh bankrolls and turned it into a yearly competition. Our three sports writers have re-started with $10,000 bankrolls to continue using on odds from the South Point.

Columbia plus-7 at Yale, $440 to win $400: Columbia enters on a six-game winning streak, including winning at Ivy League power Harvard last week. Both Columbia and Yale enter with 4-0 records in the league, meaning the game should be closely contested. But by no means should Yale be a seven-point favorite.

Half of the battle in handicapping basketball is trying to determine the effort level of both teams. That’s not part of the equation tonight because the Ivy is a one-bid league for the NCAA Tournament, and this game will help determine which team advances.

Yale is also playing its best basketball of the season and enters on an eight-game winning streak. But I don’t think Yale has answers defensively for Columbia’s Alex Rosenberg, who is averaging 14 points per game in his senior season. Rosenberg was injured last year, but has been one of the best players in the Ivy since his return. And in the Ivy, one good player is all you need, especially when receiving seven points at the sports book.

Current Standings (as of July 1): Brewer (33-30, $9,720), Bern (24-30, $7,455), Keefer (28-41-2, $4,802)

Lifetime standings: 2014-15 Champion Bern (104-103-1), Keefer (112-123-4), Brewer (102-117-2)

Ray Brewer can be reached at 702-990-2662 or [email protected]. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21