4.4* NBA POD

Magic -120 (4* NBA POD);

4.4* NBA POD

4.4* POD

4.4* POD

4.4* POD

4.4* pod

4.4* NBA POD

4.4* NBA pod

4.4* NBA POD

Bulls/Pacers U188 *4.4 NBA POD The Bulls are one of the better defensive teams in the league and they are 23-8 on the under when on revenge and that's exactly what they will be on here tonight as the Pacers won the last match up on their home court. This will be a different animal for the Pacers on the road in Chicago vs. the Bulls who are #22 in Pace and not to mention these two teams no each other very well. Also know that when the Pacers want to play defense they can as they were #7 in efficiency field goal defense while the Bulls were #1 in overall FG defense.

5** NBA POD

Cavs +10 -120 (4.4* NBA POD) Bulls come off a huge emotional victory last night over the Celtics that they had to have moving to the playoffs. Now they face the lowly Cavs and while I expect the Bulls to likely win one has to feel the Cavs can put up a fight for a team looking ahead to the playoffs.

4.4* POD

Butler +3.5 5.5* pod
For uconn to win and cover the spread will be a challenge both these teams play excellent defense and have limited scorin threats. Which means low scoring and a tight
Game and I believe it will be another
Game decided in the final minutes. Uconn really doesn't gave an offensive game inside an butler is one of the better teams defending the perimeter and dribble penetration. Butler will have an advantage on the boards like they have all tournament this is the key to the game butler will get second chance opportunities if they can take advantage they will win. Key player is butlers guard Shawn vanzant we
Know all about Mack and Howard if vanzant can knock down some threes I give butler an excellent shot at winning.

Butler -2.5 (5.5* NCAAB POD)
Well I hated to see the match up of two teams I backed multiple times and cashed with during this tournament, but I like Butler. Experience is not everything but it will be what gives Butler the edge in this game. Butler also beat Colonial conference foe of VCU Old Dominion who beat VCU 2 of 3 times and 2 in a row to close the season. If you can believe it VCU is 298th in rebound margin this year and 238th in FG defense. Somehow they are here because they shot 44% from three this tournament and their defense has forced turnovers. With the exception of the Purdue game where they shot out of their minds they have relied on turnovers and their 3 point game. Forcing 14, 16, 17, and 15 along the way, just 7 against Purdue, but again they put up 96 points because they shot nearly 60% that just won't happen against Butler one of the more diciplined teams in the nation. They also are not going to force Butler into 10+ turnovers. With Shelvin Mack handling the ball and an experienced back court and experience in this game I expect Butler to take care of business. Butler is also holding opponents under 29% from three this post season and are known for their defense. They are 40-16-2 ATS in their last 58 non conference games and 17-5 ats in their last 22 tournament games. Joey Rodriguez and the rest of the perimeter shooters are nice but eventually they will cool off and I'm guessing this will be the game. Butler will play their slower half court game and take advantage. It will be a close game in the 2nd half but I'm confident the experience will give Butler the edge down the stretch.

3.3* play

Wichita State -1.5 (5.5* NCAAB POD) Don't know much about Wichita State well I'll give them some credibility right off the bat if their blow out of Washington State in the semifinal was not enough. They have 5 seniors and 7 players that can score. They lost to Uconn early in the season by just 4 points a team in the final four. They also lost to VCU by just 1 point and won at Alabama's rival LSU. Wichita is 4-2 on neutral court and 14-4 on neutral/away while Alabama always seems to struggle in these type of games where they are not enjoying their home court. They are 6-11 on the year in these games and 4-11 before this tournament started. I think the #4 seed being the favorite has a lot to say. Look for Wichita St to get Green in foul problems much like Colorado did and win this game.

3.3*

4.4* play

6** POD

Oregon +4.5 (4.4* NCAAB POD) Its a unique tournament in that the finals are a best of 3 and Creighton will host Oregon in game #1. I think both teams match up well and are even. The edge comes on the side of Oregon and their head coach Dana Altman who spent 16 years as the Creighton coach before he left in April. Altman was Creighton basketball and ironically he sees them in an all familiar place Monday night. He has connection to all of these players and I believe he will use it to his advantage.

5* pod

Kentucky -1 (5.5** NCAAB POD) Well we came up with another dagger with our big play on Saturday with Butler getting us our last two 5.5* winners. Today it is the Wildcats. After fading them the other night I"m now a believer and their 9-1 record on neutral court tells me they can win in these tournament style games. Also this is a huge revenge game after a two point loss at UNC earlier this season. What happened in that game? Tyler Zeller had 27 points and was the main reason why UNC had 16 more free throw attempts. Well there is NO WAY Zeller will have that kind of game again. The silent MVP of Kentucky played just 21 minutes in that game and has really come onto the scene this post season and that's #55 Josh Harrelson. He's been a beast and he led the ACC in offensive rebounds. I believe he will have a big impact on this game just as he has had in previous games. Also Kentucky shot just 38.7% from the field and had a -8 rebound margin also both correctable. Both teams have improved since that time but I believe Kentucky to be the better team of the two and the team that improved the most. UNC is 4-11 ATS in their last 15 as an under dog .5-6.5.

Butler +4.5 BODOG (5.5* POD) It is hard not to go with a team that is 36-14-1 ATS in their last 51 as an under dog 22-6 ATS in their last 28 on neutral court as an under dog and 20-4-2 last 26 vs. a team with a win% above .600. This team gets it done in an ugly way, but they get it done. In the end trends are made to balance out, but I"m not betting they will with this team. Much has been said that this team is not as good as last years team. Why? Gordon Hayword left. Okay, but they still have Shelvin Mack and Matt Howard who were more of the heart of last years team than Hayward was. Now the big key they didn't have a year ago as a key part is Andrew Smith. The center allowed Matt Howard to move back to forward and gives Butler a better defensive game plan. Brad Stevens will have his team ready to go they already knocked out two big headed monsters in Wisconsin out of the Big 10, Pittsburgh out of the Big East now it's time for Florida out of the SEC a league I still don't have respect for despite what Kentucky did last night. Kentucky beat this Florida team two times this year and this is a team that lost games at Central Florida and Jaxonville two in state games that they took lightly and lost. I'm not saying they will take Butler lightly, but again they will match up and think to themselves how can we lose to this team that is not as athletic or big as us and in the end I think Butler will be in the game. Even when they lost 4 games in a 5 game stretch in late January into early Febraury the games were all close and on the road including two games in OT. This team is experienced and their defense will get it done against a Florida team that really has had an easy trip getting here after nearly escaping vs. BYU team that to me is another over rated team. Fredette only shot 11 of 29 and they still forced OT. Look for Butler once again to be in this late in the game with a chance to win it.

Ohio State -6 (4.4* POD)
Ohio State has too much inside out presence for this young Kentucky team. I really thought Kentucky should have lost last week against West Virginia, but I believe they fall to the team that has dominated their opponents winning by an average of 30pts this post season.

Butler +5 (5.5* play); Butler +175 (1.5* bonus) This team just won't go away and I don't expect them to on Thursday. They get a good match up they are capable of winning. They already knocked off Pitt and now they play a very disciplined Wisconsin team that nearly lost to over rated Kansas State. There is a lot more experience on the side Butler that took them to the National Title game a year ago against Duke and I like Howard's size down low. Butler is your typical under dog and I will back them catching points they always seem to give you a close game and this will be nothing different.

5* pod

St. Clara +2.5 (4.4* play) Love St. Clara here today it's so hard to beat the same team three times in a season and I think Clara will be ready to beat San Fran when it counts. They got better in their second match up with them as they played better defense and did not shoot as many threes where in the first game they shot 37 of them. I look for Clara to play well but the negative turnover margin that they had in both games against ST. Clara will hurt them this time.

4.4* POD

Wisconsin -3 -120 (5.5*pod) I really like Wisconsin's ability to play defense. We already have seen the Big Tens dominance early with Illinois, Purdue, Ohio St and Michigan dominating their opponents with just Michigan St losing in the first round. Big 12 is not as good and although we profited on Kansas St a lot this year and int he first round now it's time to cut ties. This team is just too inconsistent and the stat that sticks out like a sore thumb is this. Kansas St 14.5 to's a game, while they force a lot of turnovers they give them up a lot too. Wisconsin gives up just a 7.3 per game this year. They are going to have a +turnover margin meaning extra shots and possessions and that's huge in a game of this magnitude especially when Wisconsin gave up the 3rd least amount of points this season. 2nd stat is the FT% Kansas State is under 65% while Wisconsin is over 82%. Wisconsin was a team that could find them selves not being consistent too but right now they seem to be dialed in after beating a good Belmont team and I think they'll move on here in easy fashion. .

5.5* play

Nova -1 (5.5* POD) Nova ended the season horribly and it has led to the #9 seed and a match up with George Mason. They are still small favorites in this game at a point and it's hard believe this team started the year 16-1. This team is very motivated for this tournament and they have the players to go a long way and pull some major upsets. The good thing is they will be an under dog the entire way so I think that will really push this team. After all they are a Sr. led team by Corey Strokes and Corey Fisher. The overall athleticism is going to give George Mason troubles.

3.3* play

Cinci 5* play

4.4 * play

Wichita -5 4.4* pod

5.5* play

4.4* play

San Diego St -2 (5.5 Dime POD)
SDS got beat twice to BYU yet they are favored? I think SDS has a lot to prove in this game and I look for them to shut down Jimmer Fredette who will likely not be able to repeat his performance from last night. Look for San Diego State to regain the hype they were getting before they lost to BYU.

5.5* play

Syracuse -140 5.5 Dime Play

Warriors -1.5 (4.4 Dime POD) They have dominated the NBA Atlantic. Nets are not the same without a point guard. Williams will miss next two games there is no Devon Haris behind him. Warriors should get this game they are 23-9 ATS in their last 32 games vs. teams below .400 win % and the Nets are 19-40-1 ATS in their last 60 vs. teams with a losing straight up record. Take Golden State here tonight.

UCF -4 (10**POD)
UCF lost to East Carolina twice in the regular season and East Carolina beat both Memphis and Utep down the stretch yet they are 4 point dogs to East Carolina? This makes no sense, but I'll jump on Central Florida to redeem themselves here today. East Carolina played over their head all season long. This was their first winning season since 1997 and they are 18-39-1 ATS in their last 58 as dogs .5-6.5. The tourney is at Utep and if you remember UCF won at UTEP by 6 points as +8 under dogs in the last month of the season so they should have confidence and redemption on their side today.

5** play

4.4** play

4.4* play

4.4* play

5* play

Mich St pk (5.5 Dimes);
Mich St is on a major revenge spot here against Michigan who earlier in the year beat Michigan St in their own arena. I think Mich St is a team that can run the table and get into the tournament but it has to start here against a Michigan team that can light it up from outside. Michigan also doesn't play defense and are not a good rebounding team. IN conference play they are -5.1 rebounds and 47.4% defense. Mich St can rebound at +4.2 in conference play and that will be the difference in a close rivalry game.

Bradley -1 5.5* ma play

3.5* play

Iowa St -120 (4.5 Dime POD); Clemson +13 (2.5 Dime play)
Iowa St played terribly vs. Colorado on the road earlier this year, but they are now favored by 1.5 points. Colorado is a bad road team just 3-8 on the road and I think Iowa St will be pumped up for their last game. they have been playing much better of late including a close win over Nebraska and loses to Missouri and Kansas St by a combined 7 points. Look for them to take this from the Buffaloes.

4.4** pod

5.5* pod

Iowa +11.5 (4.4 Dime POD); Arizona St +11 (3.3 Dime Bonus)
Iowa is getting better with each game. They have lost 3 of their last 4 by 3pts each and have started to show some progress. The first meeting with Illinois it was an ugly defensive performance in an 87-77 loss at home. This time I believe they come with revenge with Illinois off two emotional losses looking ahead to their Tuesday game at Purdue. I see Iowa with an opportunity to sneak into this game and Illinois is 3-10 ATS in their last 13 home games vs. a team with a losing road record meaning they don't take these teams seriously. Iowa can play they did beat Michigan St by 20 just a few weeks ago.

Iona 5.5* play

4.4 ** POD

Marquette +5.5 4.4 ** pod

4.4** play

4.4 * top play

ST BON +9.5 4.4* PLAY

Valpo -1 (5.5 Dime POD)
Valpo has been great at home 10-2 and holding opponents under 40% shooting they will host another solid team from another conference in Missouri State making this game important as VAlpo has been a top the Horizon league standings. I think Valpo continues their great shooting that has them in the top 20 in the nation in fg% at 47.7% they are also 22-5-1 ATS in their last 28 following a loss so expect them to win this game at home where they have played well all year. This is a team oriented team that works together collectively so that is the type of team I like backing after a loss. Missouri ST is just 6-14 ATS in their last 20 as a road dog.