This game is a well research coaches system that has done very well in the NCAA Tournament especially late in the tournament. The play is on Miami, Fla.

This game is a well research coaches system that has done very well in the NCAA Tournament especially late in the tournament. The play is on Gonzaga.

This game is a well research coaches system that has done very well in the NCAA Tournament especially late in the tournament. The play is on Kansas St.

I have done extensive research on coaches age in the NCAA Tournament and have broken all my plays down according to a 10 year history of age. It is very extensive research and is the basis of my NCAA Tournament plays, and there will be a lot of them! The play in this game is on Indiana.

I have done extensive research on coaches age in the NCAA Tournament and have broken all my plays down according to a 10 year history of age. It is very extensive research and is the basis of my NCAA Tournament plays, and there will be a lot of them! The play in this game is on Kansas St.

I have done extensive research on coaches age in the NCAA Tournament and have broken all my plays down according to a 10 year history of age. It is very extensive research and is the basis of my NCAA Tournament plays, and there will be a lot of them! The play in this game is on Miami, Fla.

I have done extensive research on coaches age in the NCAA Tournament and have broken all my plays down according to a 10 year history of age. It is very extensive research and is the basis of my NCAA Tournament plays, and there will be a lot of them! The play in this game is on Gonzaga.

I have done extensive research on coaches age in the NCAA Tournament and have broken all my plays down according to a 10 year history of age. It is very extensive research and is the basis of my NCAA Tournament plays, and there will be a lot of them! The play in this game is on Kentucky.

I have done extensive research on coaches age in the NCAA Tournament and have broken all my plays down according to a 10 year history of age. It is very extensive research and is the basis of my NCAA Tournament plays, and there will be a lot of them! The play in this game is on Iona.

I have done extensive research on coaches age in the NCAA Tournament and have broken all my plays down according to a 10 year history of age. It is very extensive research and is the basis of my NCAA Tournament plays, and there will be a lot of them! The play in this game is on St. Mary's.

I have done extensive research on coaches age in the NCAA Tournament and have broken all my plays down according to a 10 year history of age. It is very extensive research and is the basis of my NCAA Tournament plays, and there will be a lot of them! The play in this game is on Xavier.

I have done extensive research on coaches age in the NCAA Tournament and have broken all my plays down according to a 10 year history of age. It is very extensive research and is the basis of my NCAA Tournament plays, and there will be a lot of them! The play in this game is on Michigan St.

I have done extensive research on coaches age in the NCAA Tournament and have broken all my plays down according to a 10 year history of age. It is very extensive research and is the basis of my NCAA Tournament plays, and there will be a lot of them! The play in this game is on UCLA.

I have done extensive research on coaches age in the NCAA Tournament and have broken all my plays down according to a 10 year history of age. It is very extensive research and is the basis of my NCAA Tournament plays, and there will be a lot of them! The play in this game is on Houston.

I have done extensive research on coaches age in the NCAA Tournament and have broken all my plays down according to a 10 year history of age. It is very extensive research and is the basis of my NCAA Tournament plays, and there will be a lot of them! The play in this game is on Boise St.

I have done extensive research on coaches age in the NCAA Tournament and have broken all my plays down according to a 10 year history of age. It is very extensive research and is the basis of my NCAA Tournament plays, and there will be a lot of them! The play in this game is onTexas.

I have done extensive research on coaches age in the NCAA Tournament and have broken all my plays down according to a 10 year history of age. It is very extensive research and is the basis of my NCAA Tournament plays, and there will be a lot of them! The play in this game is on Oral Roberts.

I have done extensive research on coaches age in the NCAA Tournament and have broken all my plays down according to a 10 year history of age. It is very extensive research and is the basis of my NCAA Tournament plays, and there will be a lot of them! The play in this game is on San Diego St.

I have done extensive research on coaches age in the NCAA Tournament and have broken all my plays down according to a 10 year history of age. It is very extensive research and is the basis of my NCAA Tournament plays, and there will be a lot of them! The play in this game is on Virginia.

I have done extensive research on coaches age in the NCAA Tournament and have broken all my plays down according to a 10 year history of age. It is very extensive research and is the basis of my NCAA Tournament plays, and there will be a lot of them! The play in this game is on West Virginia.

This game fits a situation that is 132-72 ATS and the play is on Florida A&M.

The Minnesota Gophers are a tough team to wrap around as the Gophers are just 7-18 on the season, and bring a 10 game losing streak with them to Maryland tonight. The odds makers know they will be a tough choice for bettors so the lines in their games are often padded beyond what should be reality. Minnesota for the season is 3-10-1 ATS when taking fewer than 10 points, but they are 8-3 ATS when they are taking 10 or more. They also fit into what I call an ugly duckling situation which is 105-33 ATS. Make the play on Minnesota.

There isn't a lot to say about this game. Furman is considerably better than Mercer. I'm playing this game blindly due to one of my strongest game situations I have for NCAA Basketball. The situation is 10-5-33 ATS and tonight it calls for a play on Mercer.

Both Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan have 20+ losses already this season, so aside from a miracle these teams will put the basketballs away at the end of the regular season. Eastern Michigan went through a 6 game stretch where they shot better than 50% from the field overall, but before and after that, they have been awful shooting the ball. Western Michigan went through a stretch og 8 straight losses and 8 straight ATS losses, but finally won their last game to end the bad streak. That should give them a mental boost as they head to Eastern Michigan. The Bronco's fit in a 59-33 ATS situation based in part on bad teams off a win ending a bad streak. Make the play on Western Michigan.

This game fits a situation that is 103-33 ATS and the play is on Minnesota.

This game fits a situation that is 103-33 ATS and the play is on Coppin St.

This game fits a situation that is 103-32 ATS and the play is on Cal Poly.

This game fits a huge situation that is 101-29-2 ATS. It has to do with huge dogs in certain situations. I play this blindly for obvious reasons. Make the play on Northeastern.

This game fits a unique 18-3 ATS situation and the play is on Long Island.

This game fits a situation that is 106-47-5 ATS and the play is on Wisconsin Green Bay.

This game fits a situation that is 106-47-5 ATS and the play is on Pacific.

This game fits a situation that is 106-47-5 ATS and the play is on Western Kentucky.

This game fits a unique 31-10 ATS situation and the play is on Monmouth.

This game fits a situation that is 30-9 ATS and the play is on Wisconsin, Green Bay.

This game fits a situation that is 30-9 ATS and the play is on Long Island.

This game fits a situation that is 102-46-5 ATS and the play is on Miss St.

This game fits a situation that is 102-46-5 ATS and the play is on IUPUI.

This game fits a situation that is 102-46-5 ATS and the play is on VMI.

There is no doubt that Princeton will enter the 2022-23 season as the Ivy League favorite. The Tigers are off a 23-7 season, and look to be better this season, with several key pieces back. The biggest piece is 6'8" center that is an NBA prospect. Tosan Evbuomwan is a unique player with unique skills, and while there has been great centers in the Princeton offense over the years, Tosan may be the best ever. Last year he averaged 16ppg along with 6.7 rebounds and 5.1 assists. The Tigers averaged 79.8ppg a year ago (11th in the country), while connecting on 38.9% from 3, and made 11 threes per contest. Hofstra won 21 games a year ago, but they have some weaknesses that holds this team back. They got to the line just 13 times a game, and was a poor rebounding team. The match up is difficult considering Hofstra allowed 38.3% shooting from 3 and that is a Princeton specialty. Make the play on Princeton.

I tend to like obscure games because they get little attention and often times you can find value there. Seattle is 13-4 on the season while Abilene Christian comes in at 11-6. There is an off-set here as the Wildcats schedule has been significantly more difficult. The Wildcats recent play will work to their advantage as they come in having dropped 4 straight games and have failed to cover any of them. That often leads to a team being under-valued as I see as the case here. They have run into some hot shooting teams and all 4 opponents in the 4 losses shot better than 50% against them. This after holding 5 of 7 opponents in the 30s. Seattle has won 5 straight against some very spotty competition, and has been a dog just twice 9 games and lost both by considerable margins. The Cats fit a 97-46 ATS situation based on their recent poor play and their opponents recent winning streak. Make the play on Abilene Christian.

Hampton is off to a 4-6 start to the season, and they have been slipping over their last 4 games. They are in the midst of a 6 game stretch that has them on the road for 5 of them. The biggest issue in the 4 game losing streak has been the woeful shooting. They have failed to shoot better than 36% in any of the 4 games. Radford has been even worse as they have logged a 1-7 record in their last 8 games and are also 1-6 ATs in their last 7 with the only cover coming by a single point. I think Hampton finds the hoop a lot more frequently here as Radford has allowed 4 of their last 7 opponents to shoot 51% or better. This game also fits a situation that is 82-43 ATS. Make the play on Hampton.

Boise St. got off to a disappointing 3-4 start, but the Broncos have sizzled since as they have run off 9 straight wins. The Broncos have played extremely well on the defensive end of the floor with just 1 team in the 9 game winning streak scoring more than 63 points against them. This could be an easy game to ignore as the Broncos head to Utah St. for their next game. After a stellar 7-1 start to their season the Falcons have faltered in their last 6 games at 1-5. This team loves to slow games down and in one game they took fewer than 40 shots, so chasing a huge favorite in what is likely a limited possession game, is a tough road. Air Force went to Colorado St. and played to within 8 points in a game that saw just 101 total shots taken. The Falcons also went to Utah St. as a 13 point dog and won the game outright, and once again it was a low possession game with just 102 total shots taken. The Falcons shots are close to 50% from deep, and they can get hot. They also defend the 3 very well allowing just 28% on the season. I like Air Force in this one.

Toledo is 13-4 on the season and they have won 4 straight games, covering all of them. They have also won 7 of their last 8, so they have been playing well. Historically, when a team is winning and streaking the lines tend to over-value the team. Ball St. is just 7-9, but the Cardinals are doing some good things and they have covered 5 of their last 6. The only ATS loss was by 1.5 points, so they are playing over the line and under the radar. They have been posted as a dog in 8 of their last 9 games, no line as big as this one. Tonight they find themselves in a nice 137-71 ATS situation, and I will make the play on Ball St.

Brown has surprised a lot of people as they are off to an 8-4 start on the season. Vermont is 6-4 and this has been a strong and sustainable program for years. The Brown early success is somewhat muted by a considerably weaker schedule than the Catamounts. I look at this game as being a toss-up until you dig a little deeper. Brown has a propensity to turn the ball over. Their last 5 games have seen them average 19 turnovers per game. Vermont in their 10 games thus far averages just 8.9. That is a game-changer, in this contest. That is an 11 possession advantage for Vermont, and in an apparent toss-up game that will be a lot for Brown to overcome even if the edge is just 5-6. Make the play on Vermont

Dan Hurley has been bringing the #15 ranked UConn Husky team back. His recruiting has certainly increased the level of play. They are certainly on of the best teams in the Big East. That might not be representative of tonight in West Virginia. The Huskies will go without their top two players in Martin and Sanogo, and while there is talented depth behind them, the depth is young and inexperienced. UConn showed trouble late in games to pressure and West Virginia applies full-court pressure for 40 minutes, and it is very effective at home. West Virginia is no slouch at 7-1 and they are forcing 20 turnovers a game. UConn has a glaring weakness, and it is the lack of quality ball-handlers. Make the play on West Virginia.

Coppin St. has played 10 of their 11 games on the road. This is typical of what this team does each year. The record makes them look a lot worse than they really are. They have played against 5 very good teams and got mostly blown out, and their 5 games against competition similar to Cornell they lost by 1,2,3, and 7 points and won another by 22. This team has now covered 9 straight games, and continues to be under-valued. Make the play on Coppin St.

NC Central Coach LaVelle Moton has his work cut out for him. He returns just 1 starter from a year ago. The early going has been rough with an 0-4 record vs division-1 level opponents, including a 6 point loss at Alabama St. Gardner Webb took on a tough first 3 games when they played up against the likes of UNLV, Arkansas, and Duke. After a couple of cream puff games, they went out and took down Western Carolina with an impressive 28 point home win. Gardner Webb looks to close out their 4 game homestand unbeaten tonight vs NC Central. Central is in the midst of 10 straight games away from home vs division-1 level competition, and that won't make things any easier. I like Gardner Webb in this one.

The Coppin St. Eagles have been a suffering program for over a decade. They hired former Maryland standout, Juan Dixon, to take over the program and he is starting to move the needle. He is in his 5th year. Coppin St. always plays a tough schedule in the early going and 12 of their first 13 games are on the road. While his team is just 1-7 to start the season they have played well over the line and are on a 6-0 ATS run. This team has played against a lot of strong competition and while the offense isn't there yet, they defend very well which has kept them inside of lofty numbers. Canisius is just 1-4 and has yet to beat an FBS school. These teams have one common opponent in Cleveland St. which saw Coppin St. lose by just 3, while Canisius lost to them by 10. These teams are closer than the line, and Coppin St. can defend a rather pedestrian Canisius offense to stay inside an inflated number. Make the play on Coppin St.

Former UConn and NBA standout Donyell Marshall could not get anything going at Central Connecticut St. His 5 year record here were an ugly 40-104. He has been replaced by Patrick Sellers and it is a huge rebuild as Central has won just 9 games the last 2 years, and has started 0-5 this season. Richard Barron is in the 3rd year of a rebuild at Maine, and he has started 14-49. The Black Bears are 2-2 to start the season, and the rebuild here is a bit ahead of Central. Maine won at Central 2 years ago, and are a bit ahead of the process since then. Make the play on Maine.

The Bellarmine Knights are not a household word on the NCAA Basketball stage. They are a decent small to mid-major program, with a solid future. They have taken on a tremendously difficult early season schedule, and things have not gone well. They lost by 29 to Purdue and 42 to Gonzaga. Many may feel this is a huge look ahead spot for UCLA, as their next game is against #1 Gonzaga. Those thoughts didn't work out with Gonzaga who beat Bellermine by 42 points despite having #2 UCLA on deck. Big point spreads aren't so big when a team is averaging 94.8ppg like UCLA. Bellermine has just 1 double-digit scorer on the season, so points are not going to come easy and they managed just 50 vs Gonzaga. I see a 30 point win for UCLA. Make the play on UCLA.

The Hokies are fast-tracking early against rather mediocre competition. Virginia Tech is 4-0 and has covered all 4 which include 3 with a line of -20 or more points. They have done it by shooting 50% for the season while allowing 33%. The 33% is a big deal as they face a Merrimack team that has one of the worst offenses in the country. They are averaging 55.8ppg on a woeful 36.1% shooting. Those shooting numbers drop to 31.9% on the road. Merrimack has combined to score 141 total points in their last 3 games at 47ppg against mediocre competition. Hokies are averaging just 10 turnovers a game, are knocking down 3's at 41%, and making free throws, so all the check marks are in place for a 5th straight win and cover. Make the play on Virginia Tech.

Marquette is a very inexperienced team as they returned 0 starters from a year ago. They are 3-0 and off an impressive win over Illinois. This one however is on a neutral court, and they will not have the positive support of fans. That means more for a team lacking in experience. Ole Miss has started at 2-0 and has a much more experienced team with 4 starters returning. This game is projected to be close, and that is always advantageous for the experienced team that knows how to close out a game without the comforts of home. Make the play on Ole Miss.

The Yale Bulldogs have been a top tier team in the Ivy League since Coach Jones took over the program. They have won or shared 4 of the last 6 Ivy League titles, and have a good chance to do so again this season. There is a strong cast of returning players. Yale won 2 games before getting pounded by Seton Hall, but I expect them to bounce back tonight at Siena. Since Coach Jones has taken over Yale is an impressive 55-27 ATS as a road favorite or pick. Siena has been beaten badly in their first 2 games, and don't seem to have the same level of talent on the floor as this Yale team, which has proven themselves on the road for many years. Make the play on Yale.

Monday, November 15th, 2021

NCAA BKB 10 Top Side Play · [849] UC Santa Barbara Gauchos   +7.5   -105

 Mr. East   Mon Nov 15th, 2021 11:00 pm EST   Win/Loss Undecided
Expert Preview: MREAST NCAABB MONDAY PLAY OF THE DAY
Expert Analysis: Washington St. has finished 10th and 11th in the Pac-12 Conference over the last 2 seasons. This team has been good defensively, but struggles to shoot the ball and generate consistent offense. They lost high scorer Issac Benton (17.7ppg), to graduation, and for a team that has struggled offensively to be searching for scoring, might struggle once again, particularly early vs competent competition. UC Santa Barbara under head coach Joe Pasternack has been 88-34, and finished 22-5 last year. They lost a heartbreaking 63-62 decision in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to Creighton, and have enough to win the Big West again, and punch their ticket to the Big Dance. The Gauchos are going to be led by a pair of bookend forwards in Amadou Sow and Miles Norris, and each can score inside. I certainly think this is a winnable game for Santa Barbara, and expect them to hang tough with a decent chance for the out-right win. Make the play on UC Santa Barbara.

The Chicago St. Cougars have solidified themselves as the worst team in college basketball for 6 years running. The Cougars finished 0-9 in the covid shortened season a year ago, making their last 6 season run stand at 20-146, with several of those wins vs Division-II teams or worse. They opened the season at home vs St. Thomas, Minnesota, the ultimate cupcake game, and struggled in a 77-72 win. Meanwhile SIU-Edwardsville will be vastly improved, and game Marquette all they could handle in their opener. This one should be a solid win, and perhaps a blowout. Make the play on SIU-Edwardsville.

The NCAA Basketball season gets underway tonight. Southern Illinois will open on the road at Arkansas Little Rock. Southern Illinois brings back all 5 starters and virtually all their scoring from a year ago. I'm not sure if that is enough. The Saluki's went 12-14 a year ago and the offense was not very good. Southern Illinois averaged just 65.5ppg (304th in the country), and this will be their 1st road games with fans in well over a year. They also had issues converting at the free throw line at just 65.5%. Little Rock is a good defensive team, and I think both of these teams are going to struggle to get points easily. Little Rock has the defense, and the home court to at least keep this one hanging in the balance to the final horn. Make the play on Arkansas Little Rock.

These teams have both had great seasons. The biggest question for Houston is the soft schedule and the easy path to the final 4. Houston did not play against a top 20 team all season. Texas Tech at 18-11, and a flawed offense, had no chance. The best team they faced otherwise was a more complete, but inconsistent Memphis team that didn't make the tournament. Memphis shot 48% against them over 2 games and connected on 38.5% of their 3's. Houston escaped with a 2 point win and a 3 point win, because Memphis can't make free throws. Memphis shot 25-47 or 53% over the two games. They shoot 63% or better, they win both. Baylor is light years better than Memphis, and by far the best team Houston will have seen all season. Baylor is the best 3 point shooting team in the country, and all 5 starters are above average. Houston is the first team ever to get to the final 4 by beating all 4 teams that were double-digit seeds. I'm not saying Houston isn't good, they are, but there is no proof they are good enough to take on Baylor. Baylor has faced a lot of top teams, and finished with just 2 losses. I think they march into the final 4 rather easily. Make the play on Baylor.

If you are not convinced that the Pac-12 was severely underrated this season take a look at the sweet 16. The Pac-12 owns 4 slots out of the 16 teams in the field that remain. Alabama allowed Maryland to shoot 53.3% against them and still won by 19. It is because they controlled the glaas at 21, and did the same to Iona, at 16. The Tide has held a 49 rebound combined edge on their last 4 opponents. The Bruins can hold their own on the glass. Just 3 of their last 11 opponents beat them off the glass and none that did were better than 6. Alabama shoots just 42% when they are not on their home court. UCLA shoots 46% and 37% from deep. The Bruins however are riding under the radar. They are shooting 49% over their last 11 games, and just 1 of those opponents shot better than that in the 11 games. They are also taking care of the ball, as they have averaged just 6.7 turnovers per game 3 their 3 tournament games. UCLA has lost just 1 game since their season opener by more than 9 points. I certainly believe they can win this game or at the very least be in it late. Make the play on UCLA.

The Big-10 is going to be highly scrutinized after getting 9 teams into the tournament and just 1 surviving into the sweet 16. The Conference before the tournament started saw no team beat an out of conference team that made the tournament as an 8 seed or better. Think about that. Second-leading scorer Isaiah Livers (13.1 points, six rebounds per game) missed the past three games with a stress fracture in his right foot that occurred in a Big Ten tournament quarterfinal win over Maryland on March 12.Livers is a 43.1% shooter from 3 point range and his absence is going to be felt. Florida State has held opponents to 39.3 percent field-goal shooting and 32.6% from deep and stopped a rather potent Colorado offense cold holding them to 53 points. Michigan likes to rely on 7-foot-1 freshman Hunter Dickinson (14.2 ppg)but the Noles are long inside and will present problems. Statistically these teams are even, but not with Michigan missing Livers. Florida St. is sizzling hot on both ends of the floor in the tournament and has what it takes to get to the Finals. Make the play on Florida St.

Creighton has a tall order in this game. They will attempt to become the first team this season to take down Gonzaga. Creighton often times has an advantage because they have 5 players averaging double-digits. The problem here is Gonzaga has the top 8 players in their rotation all shooting 47.2% or better. The Zags average 92ppg and the worst shooting game they have had all season has been 49.1% and still won by 16. The Zags Have beaten Kansas, W. Virginia, Oklahoma, Iowa, and Virginia by an average of 17ppg. I consider those teams on average are better than Creighton. The Gonzaga advantage here reminds me of a game a long time ago when Patrick Ewing's Georgetown team was upset by Villanova. The Wildcats shot over 70% for the game. I don't expect to see that. The Zags have scored 80+ points in all but 3 games. The games they failed to get 80 they won by an average of 18.3ppg. It still didn't matter that they scored 20 points below their season average, they can win fast or slow and win big. Gonzaga has won all but 1 game this season by 10+ points. They are the most complete team in the tournament for many years. This is Mark Few's best team, and best chance to win it all. Make the play on Gonzaga.

The Syracuse Orange arguably do not belong in this tournament. The fact is they are here, and have caught fire in their 32 games to arrive at the sweet 16 and face Houston. Syracuse has shot over 53% in the tournament thus far, and 50% from beyond the arc. Houston is the best defensive team they will have seen all season. The Cougars allow 37% shooting against them and just 28% from deep. They allow 57.9ppg. They are also the best offensive rebounding team in the nation and the Syracuse zone leaves them very vulnerable off the glass. I think Houston cruises in this one to a comfortable double-digit win. Remember, the Cuse has 5 double-digit losses on the season. When a #2 seed takes on an 11 seed in the sweet 16 they have gone 16-2 SU and 6 of the last 10 have been by 10 points or more. Make the play on Houston.

It has been a great story book season for Oral Roberts as they have made it all the way to the sweet 16. They have become just the 2nd team since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985 to do so. The first was Florida Gulf Coast and the `Dunk City` team that shocked the nation. That team saw the dream end here and I think Oral Roberts will suffer a similar fate here. Arkansas is rolling and is 24-6 on the season, and has been 13-1 over its last 14 games. While they are scoring big the defense has held 6 of its last 9 opponents to under 40% shooting. Oral Roberts has lived on the edge as they won their conference tournament final by 3, beat Ohio St. by 3, and beat Florida by 3. They have a major issue off the glass as they have not out-rebounded any of their last 12 opponents losing the battle by -10 rebounds per contest. Coach Musselman loves the up and down game and when the total is in the 150s his team is 11-2 ATS. Over the 2nd half of any season Oral Roberts is just 34-57 ATS taking on a team that shoots 45% or better. Make the play on Arkansas

The Elite 8 will have a Cinderella story this season. Oregon St. was chosen to come in last place in the Pac-12 this year by the coaches before the season began. Oregon St. started the season at 11-11 but suddenly blossomed late to finish 8-1 and steal a bid into the Big Dance. They have made the best of it taking down Tennessee, and Oklahoma St. winning by double-digits in both contests. Their last 5 opponents were all NCAA Tournament teams and they beat them all. Loyola, Chicago has been elite all season at 26-4. Coach Moser has built a strong program that still rides under the radar. He could once again have a Final Four team for the 2nd time in 4 years. The Ramblers are on an 8 game winning streak of their own. They totally dismantled an Illinois team that many projected to cut down the nets. The challenge here for Oregon St. is this. The Ramblers are the best shooting team they will have seen at 50.4% on the season. They take care of the ball, they rebound, and are very strong defensively. They are without a weakness if they play their game. Oregon St. has shot over their head down the stretch, and they will be severely challenged in this one, and I think the moment may be too big for this team, while Loyola and their coach have been on this road before. Make the play on Loyola, Chicago.

The Creighton Blue Jays have sustained excellence through decades of solid seasons. The Bobcats upset Virginia in round one but Virginia looked vulnerable all season long. Creighton broke out of a two game shooting slump to get a narrow victory vs UC Santa Barbara. Creighton has a lot more offensive answers than Virginia had and the Blue Jays have actually defended better than the vaunted Virginia defense this season. Despite the upsets we have seen this tournament this is not a good spot. The 13-16 seeds in NCAA Tournament history since 1985 when the field was expanded to 64 teams are 7-41 SU and 13-34-1 ATS. Make the play on Creighton.

Abilene Christian pulled off the biggest upset in program history with their 53-52 win over #3 seeded Texas. They did it by dominating the offensive glass where they had 18 and the result was they ended up launching 27 more shots than Texas. Despite 27 more shots, they squeaked out a 1 point win, it was the perfect storm. There was never an upset of this magnitude by any team that shot less than 30% for the game, and less than 20% from deep. That will come to a quick and decisive end against UCLA. The Bruins have gotten things together after a 4 game losing streak beating Michigan St. and BYU. Make the play on UCLA.

Gonzaga has been to at least the sweet 16 for 5 consecutive years, more than any other team. I don't see any reason they won't make it 6. The question for most is can they cover the lofty looking spread? Mark Few has built a dynasty at Gonzaga but has yet to win a national championship. I think this is by far his best team and he will get the monkey off his back this year. This is by far his best team. Just 1 team all season has stayed within double-digits of the Zags and that was all the way back to game 3. Oklahoma has lost 10 games this season, and with the Zags shooting better than any team in recent memory ar better than 55% for the season, are going to win big. Gonzaga has scored 73 points or more in every game this season, and their top 8 players all shoot 48% or better, so the offense is pretty much fool proof. Make the play on Gonzaga.

An NCAA Tournament dog off a win as a 6.5 point dog or more and are a dog of 6.5 or more again are 10-27-1 ATS the last 20 seasons. Make the play on Oklahoma St.

North Texas was part of a state of Texas sweep on Friday as the Texas team's went 5-0. The Mean Green are a #13 seed and aren't in a lucrative position here. The loss of Collin Gillespie really hurts Villanova but this is a program built on a team not a player. Villanova has been a top team for several years now, and they took care of business in the opening round. A 13 or worse seed in the second round that won their first game as a 6.5 point under dog and are again posted as a 6.5 point under dog are 7-41 SU and 13-34-1 ATS. Make the play on Villanova.

Oral Roberts has provided the biggest shocker in the tournament so far. They took down the #2 seed Ohio St. in overtime. They became just the 9th number 15 seed to win a first round game since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985. So what next? These teams always look good in their win but not their next game where they are 1-7 SU with just the Florida Gulf Coast team featured as Dunk City won, and oddly enough it was Florida that took that team down in the next round. These teams have lost the 7 games by 115 total points or 16.4ppg. When facing the #7 seed the margin in losses has been 22.5ppg. The road ends here. Make the play on Florida.

Baylor has had the best year in program history as they get ready to take on Wisconsin. The Bears however have been playing well under the line as they are just 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games. That is not good in an NCAA Tournament game as any team that is a favorite by more than 4 points that has failed to cover at least their last 3 games has gone 4-16 ATS. Make the play on Wisconsin.

This game fits an NCAA Tournament situation that is 54-23 ATS and the play is on Illinois.

MREAST NCAAB SATURDAY PLAY OF THE DAY

St. Bonaventure sure isn't a household name in NCAA Basketball but the Bonnies are certainly for real under coach Mark Schmidt. He will be taking the Bonnie's dancing for the 3rd time which is the most by any coach in the school's history. His team won 19 games a year ago, and returned all 5 starters. This will be their first time as a single digit seed. St. Bonaventure is 5th in the country in scoring defense. LSU is 3-9 ATS as a tourney favorite (1-8 ATS laying fewer than 5) and 8 seeds are 3-15 ATS the last 8 years as a favorite of fewer than 5 points in round 1. Many teams have struggled entering the tournament off a 1 point loss, as they tend to struggle in their opening round game. The Bonnies are under the radar and certainly have the experience to make it to the next round. Make the play on St. Bonaventure.

It is a really good feel at Georgetown. The passing of legendary coach John Thompson, and with his prized player Patrick Ewing now at the helm is storybook. That rings louder as Georgetown shocked the world winning the Big East Tournament to steal a bid. That feel good I am afraid is ending on Saturday. The Hoyas are looking good, but remember thet are only 3-7 SU against tourney teams. The profile gets ugly from here as 10 seeds or worse entering the tournament on at least consecutive dog wins are a woeful 2-37 SU and 12-26-1 ATS in their first tourney game. Entering as a dog of fewer than 11 points it dips to 1-14 SU and 2-12-1 ATS. Make the play on Colorado.

Oklahoma St. boasts one of the top players in the country in Cade Cunningham, and down the final stretch of the season has been shooting the ball lights out. That is hard to maintain. You have to wonder how after playing 8 straight games at a high level vs top teams impacts their approach in this one. The Cowboy`s own 7 straight up wins in their last 8 games all as an underdog. Liberty has 4 players that all shoot better than 40% from deep, and is a deep team that also has 7 of their top 10 players shooting better than 80% from the line. They are going to be a tough team to pull away from here. Liberty has beaten TCU a team that bet Oklahoma St. as well as wins vs SC by 16 and Miss St. by 11.The Atlantic Sun has caused a lot of problems in the NCAA Tournament with #15 seed Florida Gulf Coast reaching the sweet 16, #14 seed Mercer beat Duke in the first round, and in 2019 the #12 seed Liberty Flames took out Miss St. in the first round. Liberty is back with a lot of those players again. Make the play on Liberty.

The Oregon St. Beavers have been underrated all season long, and they finally got their own personal vindication by stealing an NCAA Tournament bid by winning the Pac-12 Conference Championship. This team finished just 17-12, but has improved tremendously down the stretch where they finished 7-2. The Beavers have not won an NCAA Tournament game since 1982, and are 0-6 since then, but each loss has been by single-digits. Oregon St. is 17-2 ATS in their last 19 games following 3 conference games, and 11-0 ATS this season after playing 3 straight games as an under dog. Pac-12 teams as an 11 seed or worse are 8-1 SU in their last 9 appearances in this role. The Vols opened the season at 14-4 but finished just 4-4. Oregon St. is a confident team that has played over the line all season. Make the play on Oregon St.

Loyola, Chicago was a shocking surprise making it all the way to the final four 3 years ago. This team finished the season at 24-4 and some say this year`s edition is better than the final 4 team. This is a solid basketball team that doesn`t beat itself and one that plays a methodical slow paced style that often frustrates opponents. They don`t beat themselves and going deep into the shot clock and shooting 50.5% from the field ensures they stay in every game. They allow just 55.5ppg on the season and will be a tough out. Georgia Tech finished 17-8 on the season. They really came on late concluding the season on an 8 game winning streak. They got lucky in the ACC Tournament as they advanced via forfeit due to cobvid-19 and got completely out-played by Florida St. in all aspects of the game, but won. They won because Florida St. played their worst game of the year in terms of taking care of the ball. The Seminoles had 25 turnovers. The Missouri Valley is home of some very good basketball teams every year at the top of the conference. Good enough in fact that when they are seeded #7 to #11 they have now won 9 straight games straight up. Make the play on Loyola, Chicago.

Oral Roberts finished the regular season at 13-10 and a 4th place finish in the Summit Conference standings. They caught fire in the conference tournament winning 3 straight games and played their way into the NCAA Tournament. It is likely going to be a very short stay. The Summit Conference has had some very good teams over the years, but when they send an ordinary team into the dance they get crushed. Summit Conference teams have played 11 first round games as a 15 or 16 seed only to see the average loss come by 26ppg. Ohio St. is an elite team that has played on of the toughest schedules in the country. The Buckeyes schedule includes 19 games vs teams playing in the NCAA Tournament. They played a similar team early in the season in Morehead St. and won 77-44. I expect something similar in this one. Make the play on Ohio St.

Texas Tech is riding under the radar. They have not had success vs the elite teams on their schedule and there was a lot of them. They lost 10 games on the season which makes them look vulnerable here but all 10 losses came against tams that are a #4 seed or better in the tournament. The average seed of those 10 opponents is 2.7! They ran the table against all other teams. Utah St. has almost always had a good basketball program and team. This year they fought to a 20-8 record, and made the dance, barely. The Aggies however are 1-17 SU in the tournament in their last 18. The only win required OT. Their average loss has been by 10.1ppg. Make the play on Texas Tech.

It was a difficult season for Colgate trying to get games in due to covid-19. The end result however was a 14-1 record and a Patriot Conference Championship. They will take on 22-6 Arkansas in their NCAA Tournament opener. Colgate`s only loss on the season was by 2 points. The competition has been suspect but so has all the previous Patriot League entries into the tournament. The last 3 years have seen Colgate lose to Tennessee by just 7, and Bucknell losing to West Virginia by just 6, and Michigan St. by just 4. Colgate shoots the ball very well at 50% from the field and 40% from deep. They also have defended the 3 point line as good as any team in the tournament allowing opponents just 26.1%. Arkansas has allowed 39.3% shooting away from its home court this season from 3. Arkansas returned just 1 starter from a year ago, and the youth may be tight in this game. I think this line is inflated due to the looks of the match up and I will go with Colgate.

UConn is positioned to be on the inside of the bubble heading into this game vs Georgetown, and can all but wrap up an NCAA Tournament bid with a win. The Huskies beat Georgetown 70-57 just 11 days ago. UConn has not been a Big East favorite by this many points all season, and while Georgetown is just 9-11 on the season the Hoyas are 6-3 in their last 9 games. They were beaten off the glass by 16 in their previous game vs the Huskies after out rebounding 8 other opponents in their last 9 games. The Hoyas shot a woeful 35.8% in the previous game vs UConn, their 2nd worst in the past 9 games. This team won at Creighton, and lost to Villanova by just 10 on the road. Closer than it looks. Make the play on Georgetown.

This game fits a situation that is 138-86 ATS and the play is on St. Mary's.

This game fits a situation that is 38-9 ATS and the play is on Virginia.

This game fits a situation that is 117-69 ATS and the play is on Richmond.

The MAC is led by Toledo and Akron, the two teams that seem to rule the top of the conference each year. There is a log jam between 3-8 in the conference with Kent St. at the top of that list but Bowling Green just 1.5 games back. Looking at Bowling Green and their 10-8 record doesn't say much, but they have been in free fall losing 5 straight and failing to cover any of them. Bowling Green came within 5 on the road of this Kent St. team during this losing streak, and have revenge for this one. The Falcons have won the turnover battle in 9 of its last 10 games, while Kent St. has lost that same battle in 6 of its last 7. That will be crucial to the outcome here, and the Falcons are in a very strong 83-43 ATS situation. Make the play on Bowling Green.

VCU absolutely destroyed this Dayton team just 16 days ago 66-43. The Rams have a habit of creating chaos in their games and their games typically turn into turnover fests, as over their last 9 games they average 16.4 turnovers per contest. They enter this contest at 13-4 but have played below the line at just 2-7 ATS in their last 9. Dayton had a magical year last season, and never got a chance to be in the NCAA Tournament because it was canceled. The Flyers are 6-2 SU/ATS over their last 8. They have spent a lot of time on the road, but finally will play at home over their next 3 games where they have won and covered 4 straight. Both these teams have injury issues, and Dayton has some serious revenge business along with a situation in their favor that is 83-43 ATS. Make the play on Dayton.

Georgia St. has slipped to 8-4 on the season, and lost 2 straight to Appalachian St. They have now failed to cover three straight games. The strange covid-19 season has seen South Alabama play their last 10 games against just 3 other opponents. The Jags come out of 3 straight ugly wins where neither team in any of the 3 games topped the 40% mark from the field. Georgia St. shoots better than 54% at home where they also connect on better than 41% of their 3's. This will be the first time South Alabama is going to be challenged to hit shots and they have not shown that ability this season. Georgia St fits a situation that is 128-74 ATS. Make the play on Georgia St.

Don't look now but Drake is off to a 17-0 start. This is a very difficult team to beat simply because of the depth. Drake has won 12 games by double-digits this season, they have had 8 different players lead them in scoring in any given game and shoot 52% fo the season and 39% from deep. They have had 5 different players score 20+ this season. Valparaiso is simply a good basketball school, having a horrible season. They have been blown out a lot and will be over-matched here. Make the play on Drake.

The Loyola, Chicago Ramblers were seen in the final four a few years ago, and they really have things going as they have won 8 straight games to move to 15-3 on the season and this team is also on a 10-1-1 ATS run. The defense has stopped opponents cold, as the Ramblers are allowing 50ppg over their last 8.Big mismatch here. Make the play on Loyola,Chicago.

Belmont always has a good team and this may be their best. The Bruins are off to a 19-1 start and look for win #20 against a struggling SIU-Edwardsville team that is just 7-8 on the season. The Bruins beat this team by 52 earlier in the season. The Bruins have been 6-1 ATS as a double-digit chalk since the first of the year. The Bruins have been sizzling over their last 5 games converting 166-302 shots at 55%. Edwardsville is on the reverse side of that failing to shot 40% in any of their last 3. This will be the 4th straight oad game for Belmont, and coach Alexander's team has thrived in this spot having posted a 15-1 ATS record on the road for a 4th straight game. Belmont is 44-28 ATS the last 3 seasons as a favorite as well. Make the play on Belmont.

NC State sure has some issues to deal with. The Wolfpack managed just 1 win in January, and 1 cover as well. Things went from bad to worse when at the end of the month they lost their leading scorer Devon Daniels to a torn ACL. Virginia saw their winning streak halted vs Virginia Tech after blowing a 10 point lead, so I imagine they will be in an ornery mood tonight. They were also without D.J. Funderburk because of a university policy last game, and it is unclear if he will play tonight. Virginia seldom beats themselves as they average just 8 turnovers a game over their last 8 contests. Coach Bennett's style translates very well on the road where his Cav's team is 75-45 ATS, and 52-23 ATS when he is on the road with a total below 130. Make the play on Virginia.

These teams have played to a schedule of teams that are flat even. The difference here are two things. Missouri is 11-3 and Kentucky is 5-10, and Kentucky is a blue-blood with a huge reputation, and that changes the line in a big way. Coach Cal lost everything from a year ago, returning 0 starters and a lot of promising freshman. The freshman can't shoot, and the Cats are converting just 41.5% on the season, and a woeful 29.4% from deep. The Cats also turn the ball over too much, and simply aren't close to the caliber team we have seen here for so many years. If the uniform names were reversed, as well as the stats and records, Kentucky would be a double-digit favorite. It's the uniform holding the line down here. Make the play on Missouri.

Arkansas and Mississippi St. have played almost an identical strength of schedule to this point, and Arkansas has had a lot more success. The Razorbacks have been a strong home team for decades, and coming off a road loss and playing at hoe they have gone 61-37 ATS. They have been even better at home coming off a loss of 6 or fewer points where they have rebounded to go 32-16 ATS. Coach Howland's team have fared poorly after a 20+ point blowout win where they are 8-17 ATS in their next game. Make the play on Arkansas.

Very large under dogs in conference games don't fare very well as a rule. I have a 72-34 ATS situation for this game that actually uses part of that for its application. Make the play on Kansas St.

Iowa has Luka Garza, and he has dominated for Iowa. He leads the nation in scoring pumping in 26.4ppg. Michigan St. is always good which earned them a reputation ranking early in the year as high as #5 in the country. The Spartans have never lived up to the billing. The Spartans have not won since January 5th, some due to covid-19, but have lost 3 straight. The last 2 losses by 17 and 30 points. Michigan St. has failed to cover 7 of ts last 8, and 5 of their 6 losses would not have covered this number. Izzo's teams are 1-12 ATS off a double-digit road loss. Make the play on Iowa.

This game fits a situation that is 128-81-9 ATS and the play is on UCF.

This game fits a situation that is 66-19-3 ATS and the play is on Indiana St.

This game fits a situation that is 66-19-3 ATS and the play is on Austin Peay.