Michigan needs to really defend  Villanova's Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges - they are a couple of very skilled players who in a breath

and a half can rip the nets for a big game. One weakness for Villanova is that they rely too much on outside shots.  They only took 7 FT's in Saturdays game.  Michigan likes to penetrate and get foul shots.

No way Villanova starts off hitting 12 of their first 18 three-pt shots.

Michigan is well coached and will play good defense and slow the pace here on Monday night.

All of the talk is how well Villanova has played, but Michigan has won 14 consecutive games and have covered 11 of those and one push. On average, the Wolverines cover their games by 7.9 points more than the spread so they are on top of their game too. 

Look for a low scoring game here and I am taking the pts with the Underdog Michigan Wolverines.

5*

The tendency for Nova's team to just light it up in bunches so well is almost unfair - and they have really having been shooting as well as they have during the season.

 Villanova is very comfortable with shooting in transition and off cuts to the paint that everything is constant motion - they are then able to play even faster, and become more dangerous. Villanova's guys are smart and very quick - the quickness that cannot be overstated.

I haven't seen the power from Kansas. They struggled with defending the shot vs a Duke team, and Villanova is going to be even tougher on them. 

 Villanova has better scorers and better rim attackers, which is more than what Kansas brings to the game.

The Jayhawks big man-7 footer Udoka Azibuke is the  most important player for Kansas but he has been on foul trouble in every game of the tournament.

IF Azibuke get two quick fouls they don't have a solid backup. Villanova has 8 straight double-digit wins and I like Villanova to roll here in this one on Saturday night and advance to the National Championship on Monday!

10*

The SF Dons made 12 of 18 3-point attempts in the first half as they built an 18-point lead but struggled to make anything in the second, shooting 29 percent from the field and missing their first seven free-throw attempts. I expect N Texas to come out of the gates strong on Wednesday night, hitting shots and getting to the FT line. I think they'll play much better at home and even up this best of 3-series at one a piece. I'm on the N TEXAS squad here with a big win and cover.

10* 

Don't be fooled by the seeds. THere is a reason why the #1 seed with Kansas is the underdog in this game.

 Duke is the much stronger team in this matchup.

 The Blue Devils' freshmen bigs Wendell Carter Jr. and Marvin Bagley III will dominate the paint and set the tone early on against the undersized Jayhawks. THat will get open looks for Grayson Allen.

This game is going to be won or lost by the glass, and quite simply, Duke has the far better players for the job, with their awesome size of their frontcourt, they have shown they get boards and clean the glass, on both ends of the court. Duke struggled with the length and size of Syracuse, but that wont be the case here.

Duke is built for big time games like this. Marvin Bagley has been getting the Devils 22 points per game.

Kansas is going to likely fall behind early, as Duke starts off strong - which will keep the 7-0 Udoka Azubuike from getting involved in the game as much as he should be. He will not be getting his best opportunities - which will then bring frustration from their biggest player - which will seriously take the momentum out of defending the lane and clogging up the paint, if he gets run down.

 Kansas will be outcoached and outplayed. Duke will cruise to the Final Four.

5*

 Florida State has slowed things down a bit in the NCAA tournament and their defense has started to become a difference maker giving up well below their season averages in opponents’ scoring. 

I expect this game is going to be a physical game. There is some wear and tear on the Michigan team and FSU is a live dog.

Against Texas A&M - Michigan shot lights out hitting 14 three-pt shots, shot 62% for the game and forced 15 turnovers. I don't see that happening again and that is why I like the balanced FSU team on Saturday night.

Given their offensive advantages we like FSU to keep things competitive as the Noles go on to cover the spread.

5*

Marvin Bagley works really well with Grayson Allen and they are set to get even better throughout the tourney. They are tough with their scoring and playmaking abilities that seems to always push their offensive excellence + their combination looks almost unstoppable at times. Duke has been putting up 83 points/game over the last 4 games  even the smothering D of Syracuse will not be able to contain that kind of scoring finesse.

UNC was the last team who was able to win vs Syracuse big time offense with 78 back at the beginning of March. Here's the story, Syracuse doesn't have enough scoring punch here vs Duke. The Orange can play defense but they struggle to score and Duke has the inside-outside attack to beat them.

 Duke has the weapons to score on the SYR defense. Sparty may have been too young to take advantage of Syracuse and they shot poorly. The Blue Devils won't make that mistake and I like them in a big blowout on Friday night. 

10* College Tournament Game of the Year

 Michigan guard Poole woke up the Wolverines with that buzzer beater in their opening tournament game.

They will come out hot and Texas A&M will struggle to keep up and Michigan will be hitting shots from the perimeter.

The #7 seed Aggies will fall back down to earth after playing a great game against the NC Tar Heels. These two grinding clubs both prefer a deliberate half-court offense which I think Michigan is better coached and runs their offense better.  They will not get jumped early like NC did.

Look for Michigan to win by 7-16 pts on Thursday night.

10*

Utah's last win could not have been more impressive on Monday night. The Utes piled up a season-high 95 points against SEC team LSU, with five players scoring at least 12 points. 

Lets back Utah one more time here as an underdog. Look for Utah to slow the pace and keep this one close throughout.

We had them on Monday and I like them again tonight.

I like UTAH U with a better-than-average side from a power conference here tonight.

5*

OKL State is not a good team at home.  They are led by their guards Carroll and Smith who combine to average 30 ppg but Western Kentucky has quick guards who will be able to guard and matchup against them.  

In their win over Stanford we saw OKL ST force 19 turnovers. They wont be able to do that tonight verses this Western Kentucky team who has the bigs to dominate in the paint.

The W Kentucky Hilltoppers have shot well in the NIT hitting 55.4% in the win vs the Eagles and 53.6% from three point range. They have 5 players averaging 11 points or more and have a balanced attack.

Western Kentucky over their past five games is in better shooting form by hitting on 48.4% from the field while the Cowboys are connecting on 39.9%. Oklahoma St failed to cover in their home win to Stanford and has dropped a lot of games on their home court this season. Hilltoppers are an efficient offensive team as they connect on 55% from two point distance which is 28th in the nation. On defense the team defends the three-pt shot well. Oklahoma St struggles with their three point defense and rebounding on the defensive boards. Western Kentucky already beat Purdue, SMU, USC and BC this year out of conference and I like them to steal a win on the road tonight.

Play Western Kentucky plus the points on Wednesday night! 

This Marquette squad is very good especially at home which will be the difference maker tonight. They are the #17 scoring team in the country at 84 PPG. The Big 10 has two teams that rank in the Top-6 in three-point percentage this season, Purdue and Michigan State. PSU went 0-3 versus those two league foes this season allowing 50 percent from beyond the arc in those trio of losses. I believe the Marq guards will light it up from the perimeter tonight. Marquette is at home, playing for a trip to MSG against a Penn State squad that doesn't have the bench to keep pace in the second half tonight.

5* 

LSU a poor road team that went 4-10 SU and 4-8 ATS with their last win away from home coming Jan 10th! The Tigers defense is allowing 48.5% away from home and will be dealing with the high altitude for the first time this season. Utah went 14-3 SU and 9-5 ATS at home shooting 46.9% while allowing only 38.8%. Both teams were home in the first round with LSU having to fend off a pesky in-state ‘little brother’ ULL.

I think LSU will run out of gas in the 2nd half and I like UTAH to pull away and win by double digits on Monday night!

5*

The Hall most defintly has the talent, expieience and front court muscle to give Kansas a hard time and perhaps win the game. They will be loose and ready to go after getting their first win under their belt. In their Thursday game the Pirates did a tremendous job handling the basketball in such a fast-paced game committing just seven turnovers. Carrington had 26 points and Desi Rodriguez added 20 on 8 of 14 shooting. Seton Hall also got 28 rebounds combined from Angel Delgado, Myles Powell, and Ismael Sanogo. We've mentioned how much we like good guards and upperclassmen in the tourney and Seton Hall owns plenty of experience and won't be intimidated at all by the situation. Seton Hall enters on a 6-0 spread run and they've covered five in a row against teams playing better than .600 basketball. I'm backing the underdog here on Saturday evening.

10* GAME OF THE WEEK 

NOTRE DAME is now coming at their opposition at full strength after not playing with their best player Bonzie Colson for a good portion of the regular season. 

The Irish have a great home court advantage and Notre Dame brings the effort on both sides of the ball ranking 134th in the nation in scoring and 77th in total defense. One would figure the early start time in the NIT would favor the home team and that’s going to be the top seeded Irish in this instance. 

ND's point guard Matt Farrell is coming off a supbar game so I expect a big performance from him this afternoon.  Notre Dame coach Mike Brey is a celebrated motivator, and he'll have his team ready to excel in this game and get a double digit win.

5*

New Mexico State comes into this game winners of 6 in a row and they are a very good team. This AGGIES team and their players are very talented and well coached. They already beat Miami-FL and Davidson this year so they proved they can play with the big boys. I expect 40 MINUTES OF INTENSE BASKETBALL from this tough team. Once they get the lead I expect them to keep it and I like them as underdogs here on Friday night.

5*

Syracuse comes into this game playing some of their best ball of the season right now. Jamie Dixon might know the 2-3 matchup zone, but TCU players haven't played against a zone all season. Syracuse is slowing down high scoring teams and they have quick guards who can score along with big-men who are long defenders and can rebound. Arizona State had the best game of their season and couldn't even score 60 points. Syracuse has a great chance of winning this game. The quick matchup zone will make them struggle even more here on Friday night. Take the Orange plus the points.

10* 

Houston comes in red hot, winning 12 of its last 14 (11-3 ATS), which includes Sunday's 56-55 loss, but cover, to Cincinnati in the conference final. Now the Cougars are facing an even hotter team that's been unleashed with a true rating that hasn't caught up yet. The difference maker this season has been senior guard Trey Kell. Since he missed three games in early February, the Aztecs have won nine straight games (8-1 ATS) with Kell, concluding with an 87-75 win in Saturday's MWC Final where he scored 28 points on 10-of-16 shooting. SD St is very physical and I give them the defensive and rebounding edges. San Diego State is the play here as a small underdog.

5* 

South Dakota State dominated action in the Summit League this season, but the Jackrabbits also proved their worth outside of conference play getting wins against teams like Iowa, Buffalo, and Ole Miss. SD State doesn’t have to travel far and this has potential 12 seed upset written all over it. 

The Jackrabbits are an offensive force ranking 6th in the nation in scoring behind veteran forward Mike Daum who’s averaging nearly 24 points per game. The team is averaging 85 ppg. I LOVE their ability to knock down the long ball as this will be the game-changer in this game Thursday afternoon. The Jackrabbits have shot 41.5% as a team from beyond the arc this season on the road, and the Buckeyes have struggled against the perimeter shot this season with opponents shooting 47% from beyond the arc against them on the road. 

One concern we have about the Buckeyes is Ohio State didn’t pick up much of anything in the way of resume building wins outside of conference action.

With this game being played in Boise, Idaho, South Dakota State should have a strong fan support in the stands. In a game we feel SD State has a decent shot at winning, we’ll take the Jackrabbits getting the 8 points as a strong value oddsmaker mistake play.

10*

The Blue Devils are coming full speed ahead and their new matchup zone defense has looked tough as well. On Thursday they will be playing against statistically the worst defensive team in the tournament. The Gaels rank 311th in the nation in defensive field goals made. If you are wondering, there are only 351 NCAA D1 schools. What makes it even more salivating for Duke backers is after a loss; they are 86%ATS this season. I think it will be a high scoring game and it wouldn't surprise me if Duke wins by 30 or more.

5*

All I hear is how OKL should not have made the tournament and everyone is disrespecting them.

 We know that we're going to get the Sooners' best effort and they played a tough schedule this year. But let's not just count on effort; let's count on talent because that is what it's going to take. Oklahoma has wins versus eight top-50 teams and three versus top-20 teams. Trae Young is not just the best freshman in college basketball, he has to be in the conversation of having the best season of any player, period. The R.I. Rams will definitely compete but Oklahoma's experience against a more difficult schedule. Look for OKL to pressure RI and pull away in the 2nd half for the win.

5*

The public is all over Arizona State, which opened as a 1.5-point underdog but now the 1.5 favorite. Guard-oriented teams have cherished in the NCAA Tournament, and the Sun Devils fit the bill. However, Syracuse holds a significant edge in tourney openers because its trademark zone-matchup defense varies little from game to game. The Orange need minimal time to prepare. They have won 7 consecutive opening games in the tourney by an average of 22 points. Syracuse is the better team with the shorter trip here and I like them to win here on Wednesday night!

5* 

Marquette did make the NCAA tournament last year in Steve Wojciechowski 3rd year but this will be the 3rd time in four years they have not. I expect them to be motivated and come out strong. My feeling is they would love to get to the 20-win mark as they are a very tough team especially at home. Harvard may be playing without the Ivy League POY Seth Towns (knee). Towns is a do it all type player. Marquette is one of the top three point shooting teams in the country and that is how you beat this Harvard team. Marquette is a talented team has a major edge at home and I like them to win this one handily.

10* 

While I usually fade a team that got screwed out a March Madness bid the dynamics are different with a non-power conference team. Middle Tenn St has 24 wins against the #97 schedule while Vermont had 27 wins against the #249 schedule. The Blue Raiders best players and best the best player in CUSA are seniors and they now return home off a home loss and a first round upset in the conference tournament. In fact, they had to stay in Frisco, TX an extra day because they only booked a flight home after the final but the day after getting knocked out they found a gym I Frisco and practiced. Look for Middle Tenn St to get a double digit win here on Tuesday night.

10* Home Cooking Blowout! 

Though neither team hails from a major conference, Radford and LIU-Brooklyn are on different levels. The Highlands toughened up with impressive pre-league losses by 10 to Ohio State and 12 to Vanderbilt. (There were blowout defeats to Virginia Tech and Nevada, both NCAA Tournament participants). The biggest-name foe for the Blackbirds was Tulane in their opener, and their strength of schedule is 335th, 16 spots from the bottom. The line has escalated from four, which mean it is headed in the proper direction and I expect Radford to get a big here.

5* 

Liberty is playing at home in this CIT game on Monday night. This team is very solid as they beat Wake Forest earlier in the year if you remember and won 79-66. This is a squad that only lost to Houston by 2 points. This is a team that is as good as it comes when it comes to defensive pressure and intensity. THey are excited to still be playing and the coach will use this as a building block for next season. I love them to get a huge win here at home on Monday night in a blowout fashion.

5* 

The Houston Cougars might not get as many headlines as Wichita State and Cincinnati in the AAC, but the Cougars have been right there with both squads this year standing 26-6 overall and 14-4 in conference. Both of these teams know they’re going to the NCAA tournament, but Houston would probably feel a lot better wrapping things up with a win today. 

 Cincinnati hasn’t been quite as strong as Houston this year on the offensive end, and we feel like Houston is probably going to have more motivation to get the automatic bid so I'll grab the points with Houston on Sunday afternoon.

5*

After a scorching 15-1 start in conference play, Rhode Island hasn't been as sharp down the stretch. 

Davidson has a lot more on the line in today’s matchup given the Wildcats know they won’t be going to the NCAA tournament if they don’t get the automatic bid. This was the case with Davidson yesterday against the Bonnies, and Davidson came through in the end beating Saint Bonaventure by a final of 82-70. Davidson has quietly been one of the more well balanced teams in the A-10 this season ranking a solid 85th in the nation in scoring and 58th in total defense.

Back Davidson to win for the eighth time in its last nine games and take the Atlantic 10 title on Sunday

5*

Marshall has been red hot in the tournament and playing some of their best ball of the season. They are hot and playing with double revenge vs. Western Kentucky. Marshall has had a manageable path to the conference tournament title game getting past the likes of UTSA and Southern Miss. Now Marshall will have to earn their way into the Big Dance taking on arguably the most dangerous team in CUSA. Marshall can be a bit one dimensional, but that dimension can be deadly, as the Thundering Herd rank 9th in the nation in scoring. I like the motivated underdog here with Marshall on Saturday night!

5* 

The forwards of Kentucky  are going to make a huge impact for the Wildcats - they will hammer the Crimson Tide frontcourt.

Kentucky has been getting explosive offense in 4 of the last 5 games and this young team is peaking right now. Kentucky  will wear the Crimson Tide down with excellent ball movement and aggressiveness. The Wildcats also come into this game allowing teams to only hit 29% of the shots from behind the arc 

 I’m all-in with Kentucky and their improved defense that was held 5 of their last 6 opponents 40 40.5% or less. Bama is banged up and lost another big man in yesterdays game and playing their third game coming off upsets against A&M and Auburn thanks to shooting 47.5% and 50% but they won’t shoot that well versus Kentucky this afternoon.

10*

Cornell didn’t have a whole lot of consistent success this season, but the Big Red were able to do just enough to get into the Ivy League tournament. Cornell stands just 12-15 overall and 6-8 in conference ranking 91st in the nation in scoring compared to 332nd in total defense. This Harvard team is very young and while the Inexperience was showing early, the Crimson have rounded into really good form. Harvard won eight of its last nine with only a very close road loss at Penn as a blemish. Lastly I like that Harvard played this team last Friday at home and needed double OT so there is no looking past them. Also favor that Harvard went 8-1 down the stretch and the loss was just 14 days ago at this same venue while Cornell last played here on Jan 12th. Take HARVARD!

5* 

Playing at a neutral zone, SD ST beat Fresno State by double digits, SDSU can win this game, if Nevada lose, they are in, they need to save the energy to win a couple games in the NCAA tournament. Look for Pope, Watson, Mitchell, and Kell play solid offense and step up along with McDaniels.

The only way San Diego State makes the NCAAs is by winning this game tonight and then winning in Saturday's MWC Final as the favorite. Nevada knows they get an invite whether winning this Tourney or not. The Aztecs have won seven straight (6-1 ATS), including a 79-74 home win against Nevada on Saturday. I like the Aztecs current form and desperation here and took the points.

5*

Kentucky is playing their best ball of the year right now.

Georgia liked to play at a very slow pace (#328) and they could do so against Vandy and Missouri. Now they face the Wildcats on a double bye. Kentucky has shown great improvement down the stretch, with the exception of the reg season loss at Florida, but that should help them here.

5*

Tulsa  finished the season 9-1 with the only loss at Cincinnati. The players bought into an adjusted defensive scheme and allowed only 41% in those wins. Memphis lost Jerimiah Martin on Feb 24th. Martin averaged 35 MPG (#2 avg’d 29 & #3 avg 24) and led in PPG with 18.9 (#2 13.3 & #3 was 8.9) as well as assists, steals and #2 in rebounds. Memphis is 3-1 since but the fist win at UConn was the the injury system (team can recover one game from best player out), and they beat the worst AAC team twice (USF) and the second worst once (EC). Now the short-handed Tigers play a second straight day against a rested foe.

5*

Alabama had a rough patch to close out the regular season losing 5 straight including a 19 point loss on the road against this Auburn squad. Alabama wasn’t overly impressive yesterday against Texas A&M, but the Tide were able to find a way to grab the win on a buzzer beater, taking down the Aggies by a final of 71-70. Alabama has some momentum and I expect emotions to carry over here tonight. The Crimson Tide still have a lot to play for, since they're not lock for the tournament. Auburn's a shorthanded team, Collin Sexton is not all Alabama has. The Tide will prove that on Friday. I'm on the small underdog here Friday afternoon.

5* 

San Diego State has clearly been heading in the right direction over the past few weeks of action winning their last 6 games in a row to improve to 19-10 overall and 11-7 in the MWC. SDSU’s increase in production has been evident. San Diego St went up-tempo in Brian Dutcher’s first year replacing Steve Fisher and while the Defense struggled early they are now playing the defense the Aztecs are known for with a very much improved offense and I expect them to make a nice run here with a win on Thursday evening.

5* 

Providence had 4 guys averaging 9 or more points and I like them this afternoon on a neutral court. Both of these teams are more than likely going to the NCAA tournament, but Providence probably could use this win a little more. Look for the Fryers to get the cash as a small 4 pt underdog.

5* 

BC is not a good road team and we'll back NC State here on Wednesday afternoon.

Boston College played a physical game against a Georgia Tech (still w/out their PG) and they were pressed often and turned the ball over 11 times in the 2H. Now they face a rested NCSt squad that doesn’t always press but you can expect it today. The Wolfpack have the far better conference offense and defense and when they went played at BC on Jan 11th they were a 5.5 pt AF and now laying a basket less at a neutral site.  

10*

Line looks right for a 8-9 seed game but not the way the teams are in current form.  Coastal finished the Sun Belt season going 7-4 with all 4 losses to teams that were #6 seeds or better. Texas St ended the year losing their last 9 games.  The Chanticleers has only the #9 offense in Sun Belt action but they were #2 in defense while the Bobcats were #11 and #8.

Coastal Carolina is the better team here!

5*

These two teams had very similar results this season in terms of their conference records and overall statistics, but Northeastern went 0-2 against Charleston, losing on the road by 16 points and at home by 5 points to the Cougars. 

Charleston came into the year with high expectations and the Cougars have been living up to their billing standing atop the league with a record of 25-7 overall and 14-4 in conference. Charleston tied Northeastern in terms of their conference record, but the Cougars win the tiebreaker with their 2 head to head wins over the Huskies. Charleston came through for us yesterday taking down William & Mary by a final of 82-73. On the year Charleston ranks 153rd in the nation in scoring and 82nd in total defense. I like Charleston to get the win here on Tuesday night!

5*

WF has the inside big guys and rebounding edge here.

They split the season games but as long as Wake doesn't turn the ball over then they should win this game outright and eliminate SYR from going to the Big Dance next week.

5*

#2 seed vs #6 seed. Wright St was 14-4 in Horizon League action and went 0-2 against Milwaukee losing as a 7 pt HF, 74-73, on Feb 10th and as a pick’em at Milwaukee, 66-61, Jan 20th. 

This tourney set-up is unique as the #1 & #2 seed games played Saturday against a foe playing their play-in foes while the 4-5 & 3-6 played yesterday. If a team is better on offense they might want to play B2B days but when you have the conference’s best defense, I’ll take them with a day off who Is prepared and ready. We have the better team with double revenge too. 

5*

Now CIncy plays is an unfamiliar arena and it will be a ZOO! The Bearcats will be looking for revenge from their home loss on Feb 18th but they won’t get it. Cincinnati is over-rated to me as they as they’ve beaten ONE top 60 team this season and that was Houston at home. They are 0-4 against the other top 6- teams and have only been tested as a dog once a loss at Xavier.

Wichita St has a seven game win streak, and I like them at home here on Sunday.

5*

The North Texas Mean Green are playing hard for first year HC Grant McCasland and have made great strides from LY’s program (8-22). In their last 6 home games they are 4-2 with the losses to to a tough WKU in OT and to Marshall by 2. The Mean Green are also 15-15 and it is a massive difference to finish with a .500 record (if they lose first conf tourney game) than a losing record. UTEP meanwhile is off a pair of wins before they lost at Rice Thursday but they both game at home and prior to those they failed to cover 6 straight games plus versus the Owls. The Miners are 1-11 SU on the road and I don't see UTEP showing up here. Play N Texas by double digits.

5* 

While Rutgers has to play a third straight day they are also playing with losing to lose and pretty much a home game at MSG.

 Purdue comes into this game 2-8 ATS their last 10 with one cover as a dog in a game they lost outright and in their last game at home against a depleted Minnesota squad. 

These two played on Feb 3rd at Rutgers and it was a 78-76 final. Crowd will decidedly be for the local Rutgers squad that has held Indiana and Illinois to 35.8% and 34.6% shooting. Since 2005, dogs of 15 points or more in all conference tournaments are hitting roughly 60%.  We'll take the points with Rutgers here on Friday night.

5*

Rice is a young team with two freshman and one sophomore starter and while they are only 6-23 they are still playing hard for their first year HC going 7-2 ATS with the two losses coming against a pair of 20-win teams (WKU & Marshall). UTEP meanwhile is off a pair of wins but they were both at home and prior to those they failed to cover 6 straight games. The Miners are 1-10 SU on the road and we'll grab RICE on Thursday night in a pickem or small dog spot.

5*

Nevada has the #1 seed in the conference wrapped up but they have revenge against this instate rival as they are 19-1 their last 20 home games with the defeat coming back on Feb 7th. That happens to be the only game that the MW’s best player, Caleb Martin, missed. Rebels have allowed last 3 opponents to shoot 50%, 48.2% and 50.7% and now face the conference’s best offense. I like NEVADA to get a big win here.

5*

This is a much bigger game for Clemson than Florida State. Clemson leads Florida State in the standings by two games and the Tigers are only laying 3 at home tonight? Home court in all sports varies, but when the home team is the better team, you can give them the full edge. Back Clemson here at home tonight!

5* 

Kentucky at 20-9 is clearly down  after posting  38, 27 and 32 wins the last 3 years and from February 3rd thru Feb 14th they lost 4 straight games. Since that time the Wildcats have won and covered 3 straight. 

 All the years they were ranked in the top 5 ended with early exits from the big dance. Don't sleep on them now, they are ranked #25 and looking to move up in the show.

Wednesday night we get a Wildcats team that is starting to play solid defense (allowing 40/8% at home) only laying 11 points In Mississippi’s last 10 games they shot over 40% only once and that was the upset at Missouri while shooting 33.8% in their last game and 37.1%, 35% and 39.1% in the other 3 road games.

Kentucky is the play here and I expect a BLOWOUT WIN!

10*

Patriot League tourney game with Lafayette at home as the 7 seed. Yes, we are laying points with a Leopards team that went 9-20 this season as they were 7-11 in conference action with the #4 offense and #7 defense compared to American which went 3-15 with the #10 offense and #6 defense. Lafayette will have good crowd tonight and they are 10-0 SU all-time at home in post-season play. American is 2-15 SU on the road and away from home they allow an eye-opening 51.6% shooting. Teams played ten day ago with Lafayette only winning by 5 at home which insures they do not look past them and American was 50% from 3pt (11-22) which they will not do again.

5*

Buffalo went through a funk going 5-3 SU and 0-7-1 ATS laying an inflated number as the MAC’s best team after they started 8-0 in conference play. After getting their 20th win they had their expected letdown losing at Miami Tue, Feb 20th. Buffalo bounced back beating Ohio by 26 points on Saturday and are now playing their final home game. Akron is 3-7 ATS on the road and this past Saturday they lost at home to Miami in OT with their top 3 players all playing over 40 minutes.  Akron HC’s made comments about easing players minutes as the priority now is the MAC tourney. Look for a big blowout here tonight!

5*

Texas Tech star Keenan Evans is hampered by a foot injury that limited him to six points on 1-of-6 shooting in Saturday's 74-72 loss to Kansas. The loss wrapped up the Big 12 regular-season title for the Jayhawks. The Red Raiders have a fast turnaround Monday to face a West Virginia team looking to avenge a loss in their first meeting.

 I don't think they are going to be in this game mentally and W Virg is going to come out pressing and causing havoc.

 West Virginia had a tough stretch to close January, but have won five of their last seven.  The Mountaineers are in revenge mood for a one-point loss to Tech in Lubbock, a night when they were outscored by 10 at the FT line, easily the difference in the game's outcome.  West Virginia has a strong homecourt and I like them to take care of business here on Big Monday!

10*

Four/five seed (both teams 7-7 in conf action) with game at NJIT but line is too high. North Florida made the post-season in ’15 & ’16 and this year played a brutal non-conference schedule (#7 overall) and had 13 wins against the #167 schedule overall. North Florida played the #318 schedule and went 14-15. In the first matchup the Highlanders couldn’t miss and routed the Ospreys 91-59 but in the rematch in Jacksonville which was just last Saturday the 17th UNF won 86-75.

5* 

The Big Ten has four teams in the tournament and two on the bubble. Those bubble squads, Penn State and Nebraska, face off in Lincoln on Sunday. Penn State is coming off a couple of tough games with losses to Michigan and Purdue who are both top teams. I like the Penn St guard-play and the way they shoot and get to the FT line. Look for Penn St to get a big win on the road Sunday evening.

5* 

ARZ is 19-3 their last 22 games and playing their best ball of the season right now.  I know Sean Miller the ARZ HC is being investigated but nothing has been proved yet.  I'm taking the better team as an underdog here on Saturday night!

4*

Gonzaga can clinch the WCC with a win while BYU is looking to gain some confidence for the conference tournament next week in Las Vegas where they'll have to win it all to get an NCAA invite. BYU lost only one home game in WCC play, a 74-64 loss to the other WCC-bully Saint Mary's (-2).

The Zags have the traditional metrics we've been accustomed to, shooting 50 percent from the field and holding opponents to 40 percent, and they've won 17 of their last 18. I like Gonzaga in this one on Saturday night!

5*

Pepperdine announced they would not be bringing back Marty Wilson to coach next year and the team has responded. While the Waves have gone 0-3 since it’s because they just played BYU, Gonzaga and St Mary’s and the only game at home was BYU which they too to OT. Pepperdine is only 4-25 but all 4 wins came at home with this being their final game in Malibu. Portland only 3-11 SU on the road.

I like the home squad in this one tonight with PEPPERDINE!

We have a home team that is has played better on the season (10-16 vs 6-22 / #145-#112 schedules) and in conference action (4-11 vs 3-12) playing at home for a second straight game versus B2B road games on Thursday /Saturday. This Sacramento St team is 1-16 SU In games away from home while also going 1-6 ATS their last 7 games. Final home game for the Southern Utah Thunderbirds who are 8-5 SU at home this year and 5-1 ATS against teams with losing records.

I'm backing the home squad here on Saturday afternoon.

5*

Baylor fits one of the revenge angles I like that just keeps producing year after year. The Bears are looking to avenge an OT home loss to TCU and in that game they outrebounded TCU by 15. I believe they are the better team here and getting 5 pts.

The Bears are off the loss to West Virginia where they had turnover issues and trouble with the pressure, but had won five in a row prior, including a pair of conference road wins. This shapes up as a tight battle between two quality teams. Road dogs that lost the first meeting by 1-2 points or in overtime are clicking once again at a 65% rate, and BAYLOR falls into that category here in early action on Saturday.

10* Game of the Month

In their first meeting Ohio St won by 15 at home and shot very well at 56%. This is a very tough place to play and Indiana always gets up for these primetime games at home. If Indiana wins they keep their tourney hopes alive. Lose & they're done. This is their biggest game of the year and I expect them to get the upset win here at home. Play INDIANA who has quietly won 4 of their last 5 games.

5* 

Rider has a slim half-game lead in the MAAC with two games left and comes in on a 10-game win streak. Monmouth comes off a road win at Siena (+4) and has nothing to play for other than being a spoiler.  Best of all for supporting Rider here is that the Broncos remain one of the best road cover teams at 11-3-1 ATS. Rider has the better overall and balanced team and should get the win and cover here tonight.

5*

It is Senior Night for Missouri St and they are off a home loss on Sunday where they were tied late and but lost thanks in part to players leaving the bench and getting ejected. Bradley is just 1-6 SU on the conference road and 2-9 ATS away from home this season. The Bears also looking for payback and revenge from a 20 points loss earlier this season when they shot a season worse 31.6% and their star player Alize Johnson only played 15 minutes and scored 7 points with foul trouble. This is a very solid 5* tonight in College Hoops!

5* 

NC State has won 5 of their last 7 and playing some good ball right now. Their last 2 losses were at VT and vs #20 ranked NC. NC St is the better team playing at home and Boston College really struggles away from home. We also have the Eagles who are off a pair of road wins and while they are 13-3 SU at home they lost their last home game against rival NC. BC is 2-7 SU on the road and while they won their last road game it was against the conferences worst team in Pittsburgh. Look for NC State to come out strong here at home on Tuesday night where they average over 81 points per game.

10* 

The Sooners' attraction still lies with dynamic point guard Trae Young. One of Young’s key games came in a home win over the Jayhawks. Despite the big FT different in the Kansas/W Virgina game on Saturday night (35 for Kansas, just 2 for W Virg) Kansas has the lowest FT attempts in the Big 12. I like OKL to get into the paint and keep this one close on Big Monday behind their star.

5*

Loyola playing with revenge but that was one of the game in which the conference’s best player, Clayton Custer missed.  He is back for this one and Loyola should handle Evansville with ease.

The Ramblers have won 11 of 12 since that time and gave covered 10 if 12. Loyola has shot 53.6%, 53.3%, 50% and 60.9% their last 4 games while Evansville is shooting 41% their last 5 games. Aces also without starting guard Dru Smith and everything points to LOYOLA in this one on Sunday evening.

5*

Michigan's stock is up right now after winning four of its past five games, while Ohio State took a hit thanks to its 23-point loss to Penn State. The home team is 5-1 against the spread in the last six meetings between the Buckeyes and Wolverines. 

Ohio St has not passed my eye test as a top 20 team. We saw the Buckeyes get exposed on the road at Penn St while Michigan is 14-1 SU at home. Wolverines played their last game on Wednesday at home and won easily while Ohio St played on the road Thursday. Final home game for MIchigan and expect them to shoot well here on Sunday.

10*

Villanova comes in having lost two of its last three as a large favorite, with the lone win against Butler in a revenge spot last week. The Wildcats roughed up Xavier at home, 89-65, on Jan. 10, which was the last the Musketeers lost. Now with 9 consecutive wins since and seven ATS covers. When Xavier has been an underdog or favorite up to five points, it's 9-0 straight-up and against the spread. At home in a revenge spot against a Villanova squad that recently lost at home to St. John's. I like Xavier and here on Saturday they get the win.

5* 

Tough spot for Northwestern - even at home - as the Wildcats only average 69.3 points per game, and today they may be without as 12-points per game scorer in Bryant McIntosh who injured his shoulder in the Wildcats last game on Tuesday night in a road loss at Rutgers.

Now, the Wildcats must try and slow a Michigan State team that posts over 83 points per contest this season! Michigan State is up to # 2 in the land, and they have won 9 straight.

Butler has lost 3 straight games but two of those losses were against TOP 5 opponents. The shooting of Butler is quietly one of the better in the NCAA - with Kelan Martin and Kamar Baldwin in particular. Their guys are good without the ball, and very smooth to pull the trigger. The backcourt of Providence will struggle to get through Butler - and their attempt to get to the paint will slow down, as they wont be able to drive to the rack all day long. The Friars have potential - but allowing teams to score inside, the way they do, isn't showing that off. Providence has some pretty high caliber players at the most important positions with Alpha Diallo and Rodney Bullock. But will Providence be able to show them off here? No. Butler gets a big win at home here on Saturday afternoon.

10* 

Despite their record I think Dartmouth is the better team.  Yes, they have lost 11 of their last 12 games but a closer look shows me that their last 6 games they've lost by an average of 2 points.  That's right, just 2 points.

They are a balanced offensive team with 5 players averaging between 10-12 points and a solid rebounding team and I like the fact that they are well rest and playing at home again.

Play DARTMOUTH here on Friday night!

5* BEST BET PLAY OF THE DAY!

Hofstra is coming off a terrible game where they lost by 20 and got outrebounded by 15 in that game. William is Mary is not a good team on the road and they don't like defense. Their defense is 333rd ranked and not good enough to get consistent stops. I like Hofstra here at home on Thursday night minus the small number.

5* 

Its been a down year for Seton Hall as they been falling back in the Big East standings over the past couple weeks of action losing their last 3 games in a row to stand 17-8 overall and 6-6 in conference. 

They are also NOT a good road team.

Seton Hall is coming off back to back close losses at home against Marquette and on the road against Georgetown, and things get even tougher for the veteran Pirates today going against the second best team in the Big East. On the year Seton Hall ranks 66th in the nation in scoring and 169th in total defense.

Xavier has been able to leap over Villanova for the time being in the Big East with an impressive mark of 23-3 overall and 11-2 in conference. Xavier has been on fire winning their last 8 games in a row including some tremendous wins this past week on the road against Butler and Creighton. Xavier has shown they love to play with tempo, but they can also adapt how they do things, which will help this 14th ranked offensive unit come postseason play.

Xavier has already picked up a road win against Seton Hall earlier in conference play by a final of 73-64 and we’d be somewhat surprised if the Musketeers weren’t able to grab a similar margin of victory in today’s rematch, especially when looking at how these teams have been playing more recently. Look for XAVIER to pull away in the 2nd half.

5*

Auburn is TOP 5 in every offensive category and a very good team with a solid bench. Bruce Pearl has this team playing great ball and looks to push the tempo. Kentucky has good athletes but they are a poor shooting team. Auburn gets to make a point to Kentucky that there is a changing of the guard here and they will want to take this opportunity, on national television to make a very clear statement today. Auburn is ranked 11th in the nation for a reason, Kentucky is 0-4 ATS of late in the SEC and Auburn is 6-1 ATS against the SEC and 5-1 ATS at home as well and with Kentucky struggling to hold on the ball as they are outside the top 200 in turnover margin, this should end up being a blowout in a big way tonight! 

10* GAME OF THE MONTH

You have a LSU team that is around top 60 in most power rankings and some projections have them in and several have them out. They need a big quality win and why not against Alabama. Will Wade has done wonders to this team and for a team that won 10 games last year has already won 14 games this year. Note, this team is a top 35 offensive team which always keeps them in and as Alabama comes off a historic win over Tennessee where they held their rival to just 50 points and winning by 28 points against a top 15 caliber team is pretty incredible, and a tough game to get motivated against a LSU team who they have already beaten. LSU has revenge and this is a letdown spot for Bama. LSU needs this win and this is a team that does have road wins against Texas A&M and Arkansas to their credit. Will Wade is great at making adjustments as well and this team lost by 8 to Bama last time and look for them to play with exceeding effort today.

5* 

I have Nebraska favored by 5, here before I saw the odds. They are a very good team at home. Maryland has gone 1-7 on the road. Nebraska has gone 13-1 (10-2 ATS) at home and the Cornhuskers have been a great story in the Big Ten, covering 12 of their last 13 conference games. They've been underrated all season and they still are here. Nebraska is the play.

10* Game of the Week 

Several things I like here. The most obvious is the scheduling. The Irish played just two games this past week, and both were cakewalks against BC and Florida State. North Carolina is off two grueling games in the last four days against rivals Duke and NC State. It's also a revenge for the Irish, as they were on the short end of a one-point loss to UNC earlier. ND will be playing with confidence so let's roll with the points.

5* 

Look for the Blue Devils bouncing back big-time after their loss to NC on Thursday. Yellow Jackets have lost six of their last seven straight-up -- four of them by double digits and have a lot of distractions. In the head-to-head series, the favorite is 22-8 against the spread. Duke should have no trouble stretching out that mark and winning this one in a big way.

5*

Idaho State had a big lead vs Northern Colorado on Thursday and blew it. I think this might be the spot where Idaho State can grab a lead and make it hold up. North Dakota is off a very hard fought little series of games. They pilled out a one point win over Montana State, threw a huge scare into Big Sky frontrunner Montana and fought hard Thursday at Weber State. Idaho State is the choice to get the win here.

5* 

Jim Les is a terrific Big West coach, and he's going to have his team ready for this game this time. Its the second meeting between the Titans and Aggies, and true revenge here. Fullerton was a comfortable winner in the first game, but it was the end of the game that caught my attention. The two teams did not enjoy any cordial handshakes after the game and it looked for a moment that Les and Titans coach Dedrique Taylor might square off. 

I expect the Aggies to be back to being fully focused here, and I think you can make a good case this will be looked at as their biggest game of the season. Respect Fullerton, a pretty good program that's rising under Taylor, but I want the hosts here with UC-Davis minus the 3.5 points.

5*

Kansas has played great on the road with the only loss at Oklahoma while posting a 5-2 ATS record. Baylor which has been a zone team for years started to man-to-man this season and it caught Kansas by surprise in their first meeting as the Jayhawks survived at home 70-67. It’s no surprise that the Bears are 3-6 SU their last 9 games with the B12’s second weakest offense as 2 wins came against Oklahoma St one versus and Iowa St as these two teams are last in the conference in defense. Kansas is by far the better team and should win big on the road this afternoon. Kansas has looked about as good on the road as they have at home in the Big 12 and we see that trend continuing today as the Jayhawks go on to cover this small spread.

5*

Princeton has had some tough results this past week losing back to back games at home against Brown and Penn with their last defeat against the Quakers coming by 17 points. Princeton hasn’t lived up to their billing up to this point in the Ivy standing 11-10 overall and 3-3 in conference. Princeton will bring in the offensive edge into this matchup, This team is well coached with HC Mitch Henderson. Harvard is a very young team and I like Princeton to get back on track tonight. This team is a top 100 offense, top 30 in effective field goal percentage, top 30 in 3 point field goals and top 100 in turnover margin. I am backing the overall better team with their experience, better shooting and coaching edges today.

10* BLOWOUT! 

We have a Houston team that lost both times to SMU last year and is tired of playing little brorther or bullied in this conference. They have senior leadership this year, they are better, they are more experienced which is why they have won 17 games already. They have been looking forrward to this game as a benchmark if you will not to mention they are a perfect 11-0 at home with a great 11 game home winning streak to boot. SMU has really struggled as the away team this year with the very notable exception of Wichita State. And now they are playing their second straight game without Shake Milton (+ already lost Jarrey Foster). SMU is very short-handed and not much off the bench. Houston U is a well coached team as you're going to find and they are going to be ready in a big way tonight.

5* 

Duke is looking to rebound from one of its worst losses in recent memory, as it fell on the road to a St. John's team that was winless in Big East play. Maybe St Johns is starting to put it together after they also upset Villanova last night. The Blue Devils already would be motivated for this rivalry game against North Carolina, but the loss will add some fuel. Coach K was very upset and ripped his team after the Saturday loss. North Carolina is down from a talent standpoint and also has shown an alarming lack of poise in close games. The Tar Heels have the home-court advantage Thursday, but look for the much more talented and inspired Blue Devils to get the win here tonight. 

5*

The Bulldogs might have the better record here, but Vandy is playing the better ball. Vandy returns home after 2 tough road games vs Kentucky and Auburn. Georgia HC Mark Fox has been in Georgia for a long time now and he has not really turned this program around when he came over from Nevada. Other schools have turned it around much faster including Tennessee, Auburn, Missouri, Alabama, LSU and Mississippi State and Georgia is still struggling to find quality success given the vast resources they have. We like Vanderbilt here with Bryce Drew doing a great coaching job. Vandy is a top 50 offense and a defense that is decent at home including big wins over TCU, LSU and Alabama at home. With Georgia struggling and having Auburn on deck and outside the top 270 in offensive efficiency, they simply might not be able to keep up with the scoring with Vandy on their home floor.

5* 

The Virginia Cavaliers will run into one of their tougher tests thus far in the ACC as they head out on the road to take on Florida State. This is a great chance for Florida State to pick up another elite resume building win coming off their great win the other day on the road against Louisville. Florida State has shown a high ceiling at times this year, but they’ve been a little less consistent than the Cavaliers, standing 17-6 overall and 6-5 in conference. Florida State plays a different brand of basketball than Virginia as the Seminoles rank 16th in the nation in scoring. This is an interesting contrast in styles and both teams bring confidence and momentum into today’s contest. We like Florida State to build off of their Louisville win as they come through behind their home court edge covering this spread.

10* 

NorthWestern returns home after 3 straight road games including an 11 pt loss at Michigan. In that game they only shot 38% and had 16 turnovers. They are 8-2 their last 10 at home and I like the Wildcats tonight in this spot. Dererk Pardon went a perfect 8-of-8 from the floor en route to 17 points to go along with three blocked shots in the win over Wisconsin. Scottie Lindsey added 14 points and Bryant McIntosh scored 10 points and dished out a game-high four assists to move past Dee Brown for seventh place on the Big Ten's all-time list with 676 assists. Vic Law contributed nine points and a team-high eight rebounds as the Wildcats held the Badgers to 32.8 percent shooting from the floor to secure back-to-back victories in Madison for the first time since 1969-70. Northwestern is tough at home and I like them in this spot tonight to get the win.

10* 

This Butler team is very tough. They really know how to show up for big games, as shown when they knocked off No. 1 Villanova earlier in the year. Look for Butler to come out focused and hungry on their home court. This will be a back-and-forth game, but I think the home team pulls away and wins in the 2nd half in Hinkle Fieldhouse. 

5*

Rutgers sits at the bottom of the Big Ten standings and has lost five in a row.  The Scarlet Knights can't score, and they are coming off a tough game with Purdue and will still be hungover from that game.

 It's hard to nearly beat a team like Purdue and then get up for a hungry Indiana team. Indiana is a team that is on the hot seat with their first year coach and it's no big deal because Miller is in his first year, but this team has lost 4 in a row now. And, they have simply been the victim of a brutal schedule where they lost to Illinois on the road, looking ahead to Purdue, then lost to a resurgent Ohio State team and then had to face an angry Michigan State at home. Indiana is the better team, a top 110 offense, a top 100 defense, a top turnover percentage and top 70 offensive rebounding and Rutgers is likely still hungover from that loss.  I'm backing INDIANA U tonight!

5*

Iowa really struggles on the road going 1-6 their last 7 most in blowout losses. PennState(15-9) need to take care of homecourt if they want any shot at the big dance and some recognition. They are off an emotional loss to Michigan State on the road in which they were winning at the half and the Penn St team has a very good home court dominance.

5* 

Look for Stanford to use their size and inside presence to get a win here on Saturday evening. The Cardinal play much better at home and the Ducks lost a bunch of talent from their Final Four team a season ago and rely and struggle too much from the perimeter. Stanford is 8-1 ATS in their last 9 games overall. The home team is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings.

5* 

This is an Oakland team that already beat Illinois-Chicago earlier this year if you remember by a score of 78-68 on the road so it's not inconceivable they beat them by the same margin or more at home. This is an Oakland team that comes off a terrible game where they only scored 51 points.

 This team had scored 83, 92, 78, 81 and 95 points in 5 straight wins prior to that. So, talk about frustrating for a top 80 offense to be held to just 51 points. One way they can take out some frustration is against a team like Illinois-Chicago who is on the rise, who is 7-3 in conference play and who has an offense outside the top 280. Look for Oakland to bounce-back here on Friday Night behind a solid home crowd and get a big win. 

5*

Columbia is better than their overall record might suggest and they have been tough at home winning 3 in a row. They are much more competitive now and rebounding well. WE'll back them tonight here at home.

4* 

Wisky has dropped 3 straight games and they weren't even close.

 This Northwestern team is different, they have revenge, they come off a game where they scored just 47 points at Michigan a good defensive team (top 25 defensive and offensive team). Wisconsin is 3-7 in conference play and outside the top 90 in defense which should allow Northwestern to see some more open looks and play better today. Northwestern went on the road to beat Minnesota earlier this year 77-69, nearly beat Ohio State by losing by 6 points who is an elite team and features 2 seniors who lead the way for this team. Let's roll with Northwestern as a small dog as they are the better balanced team here.

5*

Wichita State has been putting together another strong regular season standing 17-4 overall and 7-2 in the AAC. With going through a tougher conference slate in the AAC it’ll be interesting to see what kind of affect this has on the Shockers once postseason play comes around. Wichita State dominated action this past week at home blowing past UCF and Tulsa. The Shockers have strengths on both sides of the ball ranking 23rd in the nation in scoring and 100th in total defense. 

Temple is coming off their big Sunday night win over UConn but overall I don't think they are as good as Wichita St.

The oddsmakers adjusted on the Shockers because of their recent struggles, but they should be in good shape against a Temple club that is limited offensively at 66 points per game. The Owls are no longer the lethal threat they once posed as home underdog, and they are just 1-5 this season coming off an ATS win.

The Shockers have a major offensive edge in this matchup we like the Shockers to cover the manageable spread.

10*

We’ll play against Miss St again on the road as they are now 0-5 SU/ATS. The Bulldogs are also playing their 3rd road game in the last 4. In South Carolina we have a team that lost their last two home games, to Tennessee and Texas Tech, and I can’t see them losing a third straight at home.

We’ve been getting a little better play out of the Gamecocks in the SEC in comparison to MSU and behind their home court advantage we like South Carolina to come through and cover the spread.

 The Gamecocks are mediocre offensive team (#143) and they are now matched vs a team that has a worse offense than them (#179) and road weary.

5*

Loyola comes in at 18-4 with 7 straight wins and we’ll use them again after their win against N Iowa on Sunday. One loss is easy to explain as it was at Boise which is a tough place and long road ride. The other 3 losses came against inferior opponents between Dec 16th and Jan 3rd and that was the period of time when they were without PG Clayton Cluster who missed 5 games. In conference play the Ramblers have the best offensive and defensive efficiency and a dangerous team as they are healthy.

5*

Virginia has covered the spread in 13 of the last 16 games when playing as a favorite and they have covered the spread in 17 of the last 25 games when playing their 2nd game in a week. Tony Bennett's team is very good and now at home should be able to take care of Louisville here. This team is legit and will be a #1 seed come Selection Sunday.

5*

Xavier does not play well in NY at St Johns.

St John's is coming off their worst game of the year dropping their 10th straight game on Saturday.  They only shot 29% in that game and just got out-hustled.

These two teams just met 2 weeks ago and it was a 6-pt win for Xavier.

I expect St John's to come out strong here on Tuesday night and keep things competitive today like they did in their road loss against Xavier a couple weeks back.

I'm backing the home UNDERDOG with St Johns plus the pts.

5*

Kansas St only lost by one point when they visited Kansas on Jan 13th but to me that just insured that Kansas stay focused. Kansas actually plays with more focus on the road as they’ve only lost two true road games the last two seasons, at WV last year and at Oklahoma in their past road games.  

Kansas has generally shown a great knack for coming through in close games and we like for the Jayhawks to come through in crunch time today as they go on to cover this manageable spread on Big Monday!

5*

This is a big game for Temple at home. They need to come out strong on Sunday night. UConn is coming off probably their best game of the year holding SMU to just 28% shooting. On the flipside, Temple is coming off their worst game of the season shooting just 28%, 3-23 shooting from 3-pt land, 20 turnovers and losing to Cincy by 33. It was a total beatdown they took. Now they return home and after a few tough practices, I expect them to bounce back in a big way vs UConn.

5* 

Maryland is 12-1 outright at home this season, falling only to Purdue by five points. 

The first sellout crowd of the season is expected here at the XFinity Center.

The Maryland Terps have been very competitive as of late coming up just short in recent losses at Michigan and Indiana.

This game means a lot more to Maryland than Michigan State and this will be a revenge game for the Terps after falling in East Lansing earlier in conference play by 30. Behind their home court advantage we like the Terps to stay competitive enough to get the cover. The Spartans could suffer from odd scheduling, which forced them to play Friday night at home. Then there is the potential media distraction from fallout over the USA Gymnastics DR from Mich St.

 Maryland has 5 days off before this game so they’ll be prepared and have a plan for attacking and defending Michigan State. 

 Maryland has a guard in Cowan who has played very well the past few games. And Kevin Huerter is arguably the best 3 point shooter in the Big Ten. 

Lastly, Maryland is desperate for a resume building win. And at 15-7, a win in this game might put them in the field of 68.

 Look for Maryland to close this one close and possibly pull the upset.

10*