Golden State at Sacramento 10:00 ET

Warriors (-) over Kings- The winner of the game between the No. 10 seed Warriors (46-36) and No. 9 Kings (46-36) will advance to play either the No. 8 Los Angeles Lakers or No. 7 New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night. The winner on Friday advances to play the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the playoffs the loser-goes-home Western Conference in this play-in contest. The history of losing to the Warriors made last season's postseason ouster feel even harsher for Sacramento. They floundered down the stretch with five setbacks in six games prior to hammering the visiting Portland Trail Blazers 121-82 in Sunday's regular-season finale.The Warriors had a hot finish with 10 wins in 12 games, including Sunday's 123-116 home win over the Utah Jazz. The teams split four regular-season meetings this season, going 1-1 in both Sacramento and San Francisco. The Kings have been favored in the past six home game against the Warriors and yet the 10-seed is favored on the road over the 7-seed. Smells...take GOLDEN STATE!

Houston at L.A. Clippers 8:00 ET

Rockets over Clippers- Okay, this is easy to explain...I think. Houston is 40-41 looking to keep from finishing under .500 for the regular season and currently out of the playoff picture.   The Clippers are 51-30 (21 games better than the Rockets) and are 25-15 SU at home. The visitor despite winning only 17 of 41 road games are favored against a team that they have lost to nine straight times. If this doesn’t qualify as the ‘Don’t Make Sense’ Game ...what does! Take HOUSTON!

Dallas at Miami 7:30 ET

Heat over Mavericks- Dallas (49-30) is in fifth place in the Western Conference. The Mavericks appear likely to avoid the play-in round, which is for teams in spots seven through 10 in the standings. Miami (44-35) is eighth in the Eastern Conference, and it looks like the Heat again are destined to compete in the play-in round. The Mavericks, who have won 15 of their past 17 games, started this week with a thrilling 147-136 overtime win at home versus the Houston Rockets on Sunday. Heat guard Tyler Herro, playing just his third game since returning from injury, scored 33 points on Tuesday. He made 13 of 25 shots from the floor. Herro is the difference. Take MIAMI!

Boston at Milwaukee 7:30 ET

Bucks (+) over Celtics- The Bucks (47-31) have lost six of their past seven, and the four straight losses represent their longest skid of the season. Milwaukee is trying to hold off the Orlando Magic and New York Knicks for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. Milwaukee Bucks will attempt to end a four-game losing streak when they host the Boston Celtics. The Celtics have been on cruise control since they secured the NBA's best record and home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. Boston coach Joe Mazzulla has been resting his top players in the fourth quarter recently, but it hasn't prevented the team from winning. The Celtics will enter on a five-game winning streak. Boston has won two of the three meetings with Milwaukee this season. Both victories came in Boston. The Bucks prevailed 135-102 when the teams played in Milwaukee on Jan. 11. Take MILWAUKEE!

Purdue vs Connecticut 9:30 ET

Huskies (-) over Boilermakers- Like I said last time out, ‘until someone beats this team there is no reason to play against the Huskies.’ Yes, of course, unless you are up against Zack Edey the Two-time NCAA Payer of the Year! Both of these clubs are championship worthy and I was surprised the opening number was as high as it was at -6.5. Most of my west coast Vegas friends like I believe the price would be Connecticut around -3...but of course my east coast people showed their bias and said it could have been higher. Now, my thoughts are who’s instincts are better. Las Vegas is very sharp and I respect their opinion as I do New York but in actuality as to who would have more influence over the outcome?...Straight-up, if this game was played without referees (I was one of them) I see Connecticut getting the best of a very good team The key of course is Zack Edey and I wonder after what I saw if he has been up against a player with the size and the talent of  UConn’s  7’2’ 285 Lbs center Donovan Clingan who had four blocks against Alabama and controlled the boards. Take CONNECTICUT!

Miami at Indiana 5:00 ET

Heat (+) over Heat- The Heat, who are set to visit the Indiana Pacers on Sunday in Indianapolis, are 43-34 good enough for seventh place in the Eastern Conference. Indiana (44-34) is in sixth place, just a half-game ahead of Miami. Tyler Herro is finally back, and that could make the Miami Heat extra dangerous. Herro ranks second on the Heat in scoring (20.7), trailing only Jimmy Butler (21.0). Aside from the playoff implications, Sunday's contest will be interesting because the Heat have been better on the road (23-16) than at home (20-18). In fact, only the Boston Celtics have more road wins than Miami among Eastern Conference teams. Indiana, meanwhile, has been just about as good at home (24-15) as Miami on the road. Take MIAMI!

NC State vs Purdue 6:05 ET

Boilermakers (-) over Wolfpack- Purdue has won 21 consecutive non-conference, regular season or postseason games against power conference or nationally ranked teams. That equals the second longest such streak in NCAA history. Purdue is looking for its first national championship. The Boilermakers have played for the title just once, losing to John Wooden's UCLA team 92-72 in 1969. Their last trip to the Final Four came in 1980, when they lost again to UCLA. On the line for Zack Edey and Purdue (33-4) and DJ Burns Jr. and the Wolfpack (26-14) is a trip to Monday's championship game against the winner of the semifinal between UConn and Alabama. Edey will take center stage Saturday in the first national semifinal when the Boilermakers, the No. 1 seed in the East Region, meet tournament Cinderella North Carolina State, who advanced despite being the No. 11 seed in the South Region. The Wolfpack were never ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 all season. The big man too tough for State...take PURDUE!

Oklahoma City at Indiana 7:00 ET

Pacers (-) over Thunder- Oklahoma City (52-24) has dropped back-to-back games, including Wednesday's 135-100 loss at Boston. The Thunder come into Friday's game in third place in the Western Conference, just behind Minnesota and Denver. But as the Thunder try to make their push for one of the top spots in the Western Conference, they're also working to navigate life without their top two scorers. There's a good chance both will sit out Friday when Oklahoma takes on the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis. The Pacers (43-34) are coming off a 115-111 loss in Brooklyn on Wednesday. With five games remaining, Indiana is trying to climb out of play-in position and into the playoff field. The Pacers were mere percentage points behind Miami for sixth place in the Eastern Conference before the Heat played Thursday night. Take INDIANA!

Sacramento at New York 7:30 ET

Kings (+) over Knicks- Sacramento (44-31) is jockeying with the Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors in the race for seeding in the play-in round. The Kings also are trying to catch the New Orleans Pelicans and Dallas Mavericks to avoid being in the play-in. The Knicks (44-31) were in the midst of a 7-1 run when Jalen Brunson scored 42 in their 98-91 win at Sacramento on March 16. They were third in the East after a 145-101 win over the Toronto Raptors last week and are trying to avoid their second four-game losing streak of the season. The Knicks, who have been clear of the play-in round, are two games in front of the seventh-place Heat and trying to fend off the sixth-place Indiana Pacers. Exact records have these two in the playoff mixed in opposite conferences. Take...KINGS

Indiana State vs Seton Hall 9:00 ET

Pirates (+) over Sycamores- Indiana State (32-6) and Seton Hall (24-12) are both No. 1 seeds and certainly have looked the part over the last four games. The Sycamores have been impressive offensively, averaging 90.5 points in wins over SMU, Minnesota, Cincinnati and Utah. The Sycamores took advantage of a partisan crowd in the win over Utah, as the Final Four is being played fewer than 100 miles from the Indiana State campus in Terre Haute. Hinkle Fieldhouse will likely be loaded with Indiana State fans again on Thursday, but not much has rattled Seton Hall in this tournament. The Pirates slipped past Saint Joseph's in overtime in their NIT opener before posting double-digit wins over North Texas, UNLV and Georgia. Take SETON HALL!

Indiana at Brooklyn 7:30 ET

Nets (+) over Pacers- Brooklyn (29-47) will host the visiting Pacers in the regular-season series finale. Indiana (43-33) won two earlier meetings over the Nets at home by a combined margin of 43 points. After the one-sided result in Indianapolis on Monday, the Indiana Pacers and Brooklyn Nets will quickly put that game behind them and prepare for a rematch on Wednesday night in New York. The Nets are hoping to avoid the season series sweep. The Nets enter with back-to-back losses against the Los Angeles Lakers and Indiana. In both games, they quickly fell into double-digit deficits after slow starts. This time around they just out quick. Take BROOKLYN!

New York at Miami 7:00 ET

Knicks (+) over Heat- Miami (41-33) is in seventh place in the Eastern Conference and in possession of a spot in the play-in tournament with an eye on the sixth-place Indiana Pacers just ahead. The top six in each conference are guaranteed a spot in the first round. Miami will open a challenging four-game stretch against teams with winning records to open the month of April. Miami is 17-24 this season against teams entering with records at or above .500. The Knicks aim to rebound from back-to-back losses at San Antonio and home against Oklahoma City on Sunday. New York lost the games by a total of five points. The Knicks (44-30) got the best of the Heat in a pair of home games this season, 100-98 on Nov. 24 and 125-109 on Jan. 27 in the rematch. They rebound here. Take NEW YORK!

Utah vs Indiana State 7:00 ET

Utes (+) over Sycamores- Utah (22-14) closed its regular season with eight losses in its final 12 games, followed by a defeat to Colorado in the Pac-12 tournament quarterfinals. Still, the Utes earned an NIT bid as a No. 2 seed and they've certainly made the most of their opportunity. Utah's bumpy finish to the postseason feels like a distant memory at this point. The resurgent Utes find themselves in the NIT Final Four in Indianapolis, where they will battle Indiana State (and likely a large contingent of Sycamore fans) in Tuesday's first semifinal. The top-seeded Sycamores (31-6), who gave up 92 points to SMU in their NIT opener and Indiana State yielded 81 points in a four-point win over Cincinnati in the quarterfinals. Great season for State but the difference in the level of competition played with be on display tonight. Take UTAH!

Cleveland at Denver 3:30 ET

Cavaliers (+) over Nuggets- Denver (51-23) has lost two straight, including a pivotal game to Minnesota on Friday night, to fall into third in the West with eight games remaining. The Nuggets also are concerned with the health of center Nikola Jokic, who is dealing with a sore right wrist. Jokic had his right arm wrapped when he was on the bench during the 111-98 loss to the Timberwolves. The Cavaliers (45-29) are third in the Eastern Conference, just a half-game ahead of New York and 1 1/2 games behind Milwaukee for second. Cleveland climbed the standings with a 17-2 stretch to start the calendar year but followed that up by going 10-13. Cleveland lost four of the six games while Donovan Mitchell was out with a broken nose and starts a difficult six-game road trip. Mitchell's return to the Cleveland lineup after a six-game absence led to a win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night. The Cavaliers won the first meeting between the teams, 121-109 in Cleveland on Nov. 19 when Mitchell and Murray missed for separate injuries. This one will be in Denver where the Nuggets were dominant until the past two games. They are 29-8 at home while the Cavaliers have struggled on the road of late. Cleveland has lost four of its past five away from home but still has a winning road record (21-15). Mitchell’s return is the difference. Take CLEVELAND!

Tennessee vs Purdue 2:20 ET

Volunteers (+) over Boilermakers- Top-seeded Purdue faces No. 2 seed Tennessee in an Elite Eight, Midwest Region matchup attempting to reach the Final Four for the first time since 1980. The Boilermakers (32-4) have won their first three tournament games by double digits, including an 80-68 win Friday over No. 5 Gonzaga. Purdue’s Zach Edey, the potential National Player of the Year for the second straight season has 27 points and 14 rebounds in Purdue’s win over the Bulldogs. Purdue faces the Volunteers (27-8) for the second time this season, having defeated Tennessee 71-67 in the Maui Invitational in November. But unlike the rematch against the Zags the Boilermakers may have a bit more struggles against the Volunteers defense. Take TENNESSEE!

Clemson vs Alabama 8:50 ET

Tigers (+) over Crimson Tide- Saturday's NCAA Tournament West Regional final matchup pitting No. 4 seed Alabama against No. 6 seed Clemson comes with a guarantee to be a landmark moment for either program, as each is vying for its first Final Four spot in school history. The two have faced off in the national title game three times since the inauguration of the College Football Playoff in 2014 which is one time more than either basketball program has appeared in the NCAA Tournament's Elite Eight, including Saturday's contest. Alabama (24-11) beat top-seeded North Carolina 89-87 on Thursday to reach its first Elite Eight since 2004 and it will be difficult for them to maintain that level of play. Defeating Carolina was a huge accomplishment and they are riding high right now. Clemson (24-11) is playing its first Elite Eight game since 1980 after beating No. 2 seed Arizona 77-72 on Thursday. The regional-final round might be unfamiliar territory for the Crimson Tide and Tigers, but the teams know each other. Clemson knocked off Alabama in Tuscaloosa, 85-77 on Nov. 28 and they are ready to do it again. Take CLEMSON!

Chicago at Brooklyn 7:00 ET

Nets (+) over Bulls- The Bulls (35-38) head into their second visit to Brooklyn four games behind the eighth-place Philadelphia Sixers and 4 1/2 behind the seventh-place Miami Heat. The Bulls avoided a four-game slide with a 125-99 rout of the Indiana Pacers (Megabucks winner) on Wednesday. The Nets (28-45) earned a pair of wins over Chicago as part of their 13-10 start and hit 25 3s in their 118-109 home win on Nov. 26. Since then they are 15-35, including 7-12 under interim coach Kevin Ollie. The Nets stopped a six-game skid with Monday's 96-88 win over the Toronto Raptors and followed it up by hanging on for a 122-119 overtime win against the Wizards on Wednesday. Take BROOKLYN!

Alabama vs North Carolina 9:40 ET

Crimson Tide (+) over Tar Heels- North Carolina (29-7) has won 10 of its last 11 games after its 85-69 defeat of Michigan State on Sunday in the second round. the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament's West Region finds itself two wins shy of the Final Four when it faces No. 4 Alabama in the Sweet 16 on Thursday. The Tar Heels come to Los Angeles aiming for their second Final Four under Hubert Davis and fourth since 2016. The Tar Heels will try to keep the high going against an Alabama team that reached the Sweet 16 for the third time in four seasons but is looking to secure its first Elite Eight appearance since 2004. The Crimson Tide (23-11) limped into the NCAA Tournament having gone 2-4 over their last six games before facing No. 13 seed Charleston last Friday. While Alabama's offense features four scorers averaging at least 11 points per game. Take ALABAMA!

Milwaukee at New Orleans 8:00 ET

Pelicans (+) over Bucks- The Pelicans and Bucks will both look to bounce back on Thursday night when they meet in New Orleans. Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado called the loss "a great learning experience," and Giannis Antetokounmpo had a similar description of the Bucks' loss to the Lakers. In a scheduling quirk, this is the second time this season that the Pelicans have played the Bucks in between games against the Thunder and the Celtics. The first trio of games didn't go well. New Orleans lost at home to Oklahoma City, 107-83, on Jan. 26, was routed 141-117 by host Milwaukee the next night and lost at Boston, 118-112, two nights after that. The Bucks led New Orleans by as many as 34 points in their final game under interim coach Joe Prunty before Doc Rivers became the full-time replacement for the fired Adrian Griffin. This time the trends reverses. Take NEW ORLEANS!

Indiana at Chicago 8:00 ET

Bulls (+) over Pacers- Indiana (41-32) stood in sixth place in the East entering Tuesday. The Nos. 7-10 seeds compete in the play-in tournament. The Bulls (34-38) are ninth in the conference, 1 1/2 games clear of the Atlanta Hawks in the No. 10 spot. Both the Bulls and Pacers know they'll need to be aggressive down the stretch to maintain their respective positions in the postseason race. The teams split the first two meetings before the Bulls earned a 132-129 overtime road victory against the Pacers on March 13 behind 46 points from DeMar DeRozan. The fourth quarter featured 12 lead changes. The victory capped a run of four wins in six games for the Bulls, who since have lost four of six. They get back on track here. Take CHICAGO!

UNLV at Seton Hall 7:30 ET

Runnin’ Rebels (+) over Pirates- Seton Hall, an NCAA snub and a No. 1 seed in the NIT, will host UNLV in the quarterfinals on Wednesday in South Orange, N.J. The winner heads to Indianapolis next week for the tournament's semifinals and championship game. The Big East Conference got a mere three teams into the NCAA Tournament (and all three advanced to the Sweet 16), the conference's fourth-best squad has started 2-0 in the NIT. While the MWC who was 3-32 in NCAA Tournament games had six teams selected and UNLV was not one of them. UNLV (21-12) knocked off No. 2 seed Princeton and Boston College in its first two rounds. The Rebels are much better than they they are rated. Take UNLV!

LA Lakers at Milwaukee 7:30 ET

Lakers (+) over Bucks- The Bucks (46-25) have won five of their past seven games, including a 118-93 victory at home over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday. That visit to Los Angeles is also one of just four losses in the past 15 games for Milwaukee. Home is where the victories are for the Milwaukee Bucks, who will take a six-game winning streak inside their own building into a matchup Tuesday with the visiting Los Angeles Lakers. Los Angeles closed out a four-game homestand with a three-game winning streak after scoring a season-high 150 points in a victory Sunday over the Indiana Pacers. The Lakers (39-32) will be trying to match a season-best four-game winning streak, accomplished in early December. Los Angeles is in ninth place in the Western Conference and currently eligible for a spot in the play-in tournament, while sitting three games out of sixth place and an automatic playoff spot. Take the LAKERS!

Oklahoma City at Milwaukee 7:00 ET

Thunder(+) over Bucks- Milwaukee has owned this series winning the past five meetings and 7-of-8 and just rebounded with a win over Brooklyn after losing at Boston. Brooklyn trailed by as many as 20 late in the first half before cutting the deficit to 81-69 at the end of the third quarter. The Nets opened the fourth quarter on a 21-6 run to move ahead 90-87 with 6:41 remaining in the contest. OKC has won four straight and 7 of 8 as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 23 points in his homecoming and the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder overcame a slow start to defeat the short-handed Toronto Raptors 123-103 on Friday. Take OKLAHOMA CITY!

James Madison vs Duke 5:15 ET

Blue Devils (-) over Dukes- James Madison (32-3), which extended the nation's longest active winning streak to 14 games, will play Duke in a second-round game Sunday. The fourth-seeded Blue Devils beat No. 13 Vermont 64-47 earlier Friday. The Dukes were a Megabucks winner over Wisconsin and this time it will be the ‘Dukies’ who with eight losses is not considered one of the Blue Devils. With James Madison's victory, a 12 seed has won at least one game against a five seed in 33 of the 39 NCAA Tournaments since it expanded to 64 teams in 1985. Take DUKE!

Texas vs Tennessee 8:00 ET

Longhorns (+) over Volunteers- Second-seeded Tennessee (25-8) will meet seventh-seeded Texas (21-12) with the right to advance to the Sweet 16. For Tennessee coach Rick Barnes this is a homecoming of sorts. Texas coach Rodney Terry was an assistant coach under Barnes from 2002-11 at Texas, so he should be familiar with Barnes’ tactics. And there is more as Texas assistant coach Frank Haith was on Barnes' staff before becoming a head coach at Miami, Missouri and Tulsa and then rejoining the Longhorns. The Volunteers had some late-season slippage that probably cost them a No. 1 regional seed. Tennessee depends on toughness, and getting after it defensively is a big part of Barnes' formula for success. Texas scored a season-low point total in Thursday night's 56-44 dismissal of 10th-seeded Colorado State. The Longhorns know they probably need to ramp up production. Texas will join the SEC next season and gets a jump of the conference here. Take TEXAS!  

Michigan State vs North Carolina 5:30 ET

Spartans (+) over Tar Heels- Top-seeded North Carolina (28-7) will play about a 2 1/2-hour drive away from its campus in Chapel Hill. Ninth-seeded Michigan State (20-14) has taken a winding road this season. North Carolina recorded a 90-62 win over No. 16 seed Wagner on Thursday while Michigan State turned out in nice numbers for the first-round game against No. 8 seed Mississippi State. The Tar Heels are 35-2 in NCAA Tournament games in the state of North Carolina. That mark is 13-1 in Charlotte but MSU coach Tom Izzo holds an NCAA Tournament-record 17 victories in games as a lower seed, including in Thursday's victory. North Carolina began the 2022-23 season with the No. 1 national ranking was were improperly seeded No. 1 and will fall to a club with big game experience. Take MICHIGAN STATE!     

James Madison vs Wisconsin 9:40 ET

Dukes (+) over Badgers- Fifth-seeded Wisconsin and 12th-seeded James Madison will begin NCAA Tournament play when they close out a quadruple-header at Barclays Center in a South Region first-round game. Wisconsin (22-13) received an at-large bid after losing to Illinois, 93-87, in the Big Ten championship game Sunday afternoon. James Madison (31-3) earned the Sun Belt Conference's automatic bid by cruising past Arkansas State, 91-71, in the conference championship game on March 11. Wisconsin, which missed the NCAA Tournament last season for just the second time since 1998, allowed fewer than 70 points in regulation in each of its first three Big Ten tourney games after allowing at least 70 points in nine of the last 11 regular season games. Few teams in the field enter the tournament playing better than James Madison, whose 31 wins are matched only by No. 1 UConn and whose 13-game winning streak is the longest in the nation. The trip to the NCAA Tournament is the sixth for James Madison and its first since 2013, when the Dukes were a 16th seed after earning the then-Colonial Athletic Association's automatic bid.

Take JAMES MADISON!  

Colorado State vs Texas 6:50 ET

Rams (+) over Longhorns- Seventh-seeded Texas (20-12) is in the NCAA Tournament for the 22nd time in the last 25 editions of the event. No. 10 seed Colorado State (25-10) is in the field for the second time in three years and has already padded its March credentials. The Rams throttled Virginia 67-42 in Tuesday night's First Four game in Dayton, Ohio. But that was just the fifth all-time NCAA Tournament victory for Colorado State and its first in 11 years.Texas, which is aiming for a first-round victory for the third season in a row after reaching the Elite Eight last season, lost two of its last three games coming in. The Longhorns haven't played since a March 13 setback to Kansas State in the Big 12 tournament's second round.The Rams want to build on the momentum from Tuesday night when they overwhelmed their opponent from the Atlantic Coast Conference. Now, they face a team in its final year in the Big 12. Since losing their last three games in February, the Rams have gone 5-1. Take COLORADO STATE!

Colorado vs Boise State 9:10 ET

Broncos (+) over Buffaloes- Boise State is making a third consecutive appearance in the field and were shaken when their stock dropped and shock set-in that they were being sent to the play-in portion of the NCAA Tournament. The Broncos (22-10) meet Colorado (24-10) in the final game of the eight-team, pre-tournament on Wednesday night. Boise State had seven wins against NCAA Tournament teams and expected to be a part of the core group. The Broncos finished No. 26 in the NET rankings, which projected as the equivalent of a No. 7 seed. They were second in the Mountain West standings with a 13-5 record and the conference has six teams in the Field of 68. Boise State has four players averaging double-figures in scoring but still they are 0-9 all-time in the NCAA Tournament. That streak ends here. Take BOISE STATE!

Miami at Cleveland 7:00 ET

Heat (+) over Cavaliers- Miami comes into Cleveland for the first of two matchups between the teams this week, they play again Sunday in Miami sitting eighth in the East. Back-to-back wins over Detroit last Friday and Sunday snapped a four-game losing streak for the Heat, but they dropped a 98-91 decision Monday in Philadelphia. Despite their recent struggles, the Heat trail Philadelphia by only one game for sixth in the East, a coveted spot to avoid the play-in. Miami is a half-game behind Indiana. Cleveland trailed Milwaukee by a game entering Tuesday, with New York and Orlando looming two and three games back, respectively, of the Cavaliers. Take MIAMI!

North Texas at LSU 7:00 ET

Mean Green (+) over Tigers- LSU is returning to postseason play.

It's not the NCAA Tournament, but the No. 4 seed Tigers' game against unseeded North Texas in the first round of the NIT on Tuesday night in Baton Rouge, La., is a notable step in the rebuilding of the program. LSU (17-15) went 9-9 in the Southeastern Conference after winning just two league games in 2022-23 in coach Matt McMahon's first season after he was hired to guide the program in the wake of NCAA sanctions. The Tigers, who defeated the Mean Green 66-62 on Nov. 17 in the Shriners Children's Charleston (S.C.) Classic, won three of their last four regular-season games to earn a first-round bye in the SEC tournament. They lost to Mississippi State 70-60 in their conference tournament opener. North Texas (18-14) is very familiar with the NIT. The Mean Green are in the tournament for the third consecutive season and they won it last season, defeating UAB in the final. North Texas won three of its last four regular-season games, then defeated Tulane 81-71 in the first round of the American Athletic Conference tournament before losing to Florida Atlantic 77-71. Take NORTH TEXAS!

Denver at Dallas 3:30 ET

Mavericks (+) over Nuggets- Denver (47-20) has won five straight heading into a road matchup against the Dallas Mavericks (38-29) on Sunday. The Nuggets are 11-1 since the All-Star break and hold the top seed in the Western Conference with 15 games to play. Dallas saw its four-game win streak come to an end with Thursday's 126-119 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Mavericks are in eighth place in the West and hoping to climb out of the play-in tournament bracket. Dallas has dropped its last three meetings against Denver, including a 130-104 road loss on Dec. 18. The Mavs Luka Doncic (sore left hamstring) and Josh Green (right ankle sprain) missed Thursday's game against Oklahoma City, but an MRI came back clean and he could return. The Mavericks are 3-6 in games this season without Doncic. The line tells me he will be ready. Take DALLAS!

Florida vs Auburn 1:00 ET

Tigers (-) over Gators- The Gators are 8-2 ATS in the past 10 meetings with Auburn including an 81-65 February win in Gainesville. Florida is off of a huge come-from behind and and ‘cover’ over the nagging Texas A&M Aggies while the Tigers enter with five straight wins and off of a non-cover victory over Mississippi State. Better coaching and better overall talent as cream rises...take AUBURN!

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Cleveland at Houston 5:00 ET

Rockets (+) over Cavaliers- Cleveland welcomed five-time All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell back to its lineup on Wednesday in New Orleans (Megabucks winner). For the Cavaliers (42-24) in their 116-95 victory over the Pelicans was yet another stifling defensive performance, one that came with Cleveland still playing without starters Evan Mobley (ankle) and Max Strus (knee), and reserve Dean Wade (personal). The Cavaliers entered Friday third in the NBA with a 110.8 defensive rating. The Rockets (31-35) won for the sixth time in seven games on Thursday for their fourth consecutive victory. Take HOUSTON!

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Texas A&M vs Florida 3:30 ET

Aggies (+) over Gators- The Aggies have won five in a row and might be on the right side of the bubble even if they don't beat Florida in the second semifinal of the Southeastern Conference tournament on Saturday afternoon in Nashville, Tenn. While Texas A&M could use one more win to bolster its chances of an at-large NCAA bid, the sixth-seeded Gators (23-10) are considered a near lock. Their 102-88 win over No. 19-ranked and third-seeded Alabama late Friday night figures to enhance their seeding. Florida owns a top-10 scoring offense at 85.4 points per game, thanks to Clayton (17.3 ppg), Pullin (15.6 ppg, 5.0 assists) and Samuel (14 ppg). The Gators also lead Division I in rebounding at 43.1 per game. Their ability on the boards will be tested by the Aggies, who rank third in the nation at 42.7 rebounds per game. The Aggies eked out a 67-66 win over Florida on Feb. 3 in College Station, Texas, in the teams' only meeting this season behind a game-high 26 points from Radford. They di it again. Take FLORIDA!

Baylor vs Iowa State 9:30 ET

Bears (+) over Cyclones- The Baylor Bears and Iowa State Cyclones will battle for the second and final spot in the Big 12 Tournament bracket final when they clash Friday night at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.  Ranked sixth nationally, the contender Cyclones are just slight 1.5-point favorites against the Bears in the conference tournament odds. Iowa State’s marquee defense  second only to Houston in defensive efficiency helped force 20 Wildcats turnovers, converting them to 23 points. put away Kansas State, winning 76-57 and advancing to the semis. Baylor is the second highest-scoring team in the Big 12, but after an uneven offensive effort against Cincinnati. Take BAYLOR

LA Clippers at New Orleans 7:30 ET

Pelicans (-) over Clippers- The Los Angeles Clippers and the New Orleans Pelicans are both trying to avoid the play-in tournament. The Clippers (42-23) are in fourth place in the tightly bunched Western Conference, three games ahead of the fifth-place Pelicans (39-26) as the two prepare to meet Friday night in New Orleans. The Pelicans can move closer to the Clippers and win the season series with a victory Friday. New Orleans holds a 2-1 lead after the road team won each of the previous meetings. Both teams will have 16 games remaining after Friday night. The Pelicans saw their four-game winning streak end in a 116-95 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night. Each remaining game figures to have a sense of urgency for both New Orleans and Los Angeles as they jockey for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Take NEW ORLEANS!

Phoenix at Boston 7:30 ET

Suns (+) over Celtics- The Boston Celtics earned a 117-107 road victory against the Phoenix Suns last Saturday, but the Suns will have a much different look for the rematch Thursday in Boston. Guard Devin Booker didn't play in the loss to Boston because of an ankle injury. Boston has been dealing with injury issues as well. Jaylen Brown (sacroiliac strain), Al Horford (toe sprain) and Kristaps Porzingis (hamstring strain) all sat out Tuesday's 123-107 win at Utah. Porzingis has missed the last three games. Boston, an NBA-best 29-3 at home this season, will look to extend its winning streak to four after a 3-2 road trip. The Suns are 17-13 on the road while the Celtics are 18-14 ATS at home. Take PHOENIX!

Mississippi vs Texas A&M 7:00 ET

Rebels (+) over Aggies- The teams met last Saturday in Oxford, Miss., with the Rebels suffering a stinging 86-60 trouncing by the Aggies on Senior Day. Desperate for a couple of wins, the teams meet and both need a deep run in the Southeastern Conference tournament if they hold any March Madness aspirations. Winners of three straight games, the Aggies have done it before. In the first meeting at College Station, Texas, on Jan. 27, the Rebels won 71-68, a victory that moved them to 17-3 (Started 13-0). They have won just three times since 86-82 at home against rival Mississippi State after beating Texas A&M, then Missouri which went 0-18 in the conference twice by single digits. The teams met last Saturday in Oxford, Miss., with the Rebels suffering a stinging 86-60 trouncing by the Aggies on Senior Day. The Rebels respond. Take MISSISSIPPI!

Denver at Miami 7:00 ET

Heat (+) over Nuggets- It will be a rematch of last year's NBA Finals on Wednesday. The reigning-champion Denver Nuggets, led by two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, are set to visit the Miami Heat. Denver has won three straight games and nine of 10. Miami is going in the opposite direction with three straight losses, including an embarrassing 110-108 home defeat to the lowly Washington Wizards on Sunday. Miami will lean on leading scorer Jimmy Butler (21.7 points) and top rebounder Bam Adebayo (19.9 points, 10.4 boards). Butler missed practice Tuesday with an illness but is expected to play Wednesday. The Heat have already played the Nuggets once this season, losing in Denver 103-97 on Feb. 29. Michael Porter Jr. led Denver with 30 points in that game. They even the series here. Take MIAMI!

Kansas State at Texas 7:00 ET

Wildcats (+) over Longhorns- Kansas State (18-13) comes into the tournament as the 10th seed, with the memory of a much-needed victory over then-No. 6 Iowa State in its last game. The Wildcats play seventh-seeded Texas (20-11), which is comfortably in the NCAA Tournament after defeating archrival Oklahoma in its last game. The Wildcats may need to win the conference tournament to feel secure on Selection Sunday, but avenging a 62-56 loss to Texas in Austin in February would be a good place to start. While the Longhorns look like a lock to get into the NCAA Tournament either way, they're focused on eliminating all doubt. They've won two of the past three Big 12 tournament titles but that ends here. Take KANSAS STATE!

Gonzaga vs. St. Mary’s 9:00 ET

Gaels (_) over Bulldogs- St. Mary’s entered their regular season final on a 16-game winning streak and had a chance to go undefeated in WCC play. They were 17-0 in conference play but the perennial WCC champion Gonzaga pulled off a 70-57 upset to tarnish the Gaels final regular conference record. These two clubs are the only clubs worthy of an invite to the Big Dance and both will get seeded in the upper half of brackets formed. Take ST. MARY’S!

Dallas at Chicago 8:00 ET

Bulls (+) over Mavericks- Dallas has won consecutive games for the first time since rattling off seven straight victories from Feb. 5-22. Four teammates followed Doncic in double figures, led by Kyrie Irving with 21 points. The Mavericks remain in firm position in the Western Conference playoff picture, moving within one game of the sixth seed and the opportunity to remain out of the conference play-in tournament. Doncic makes that statement even after setting an NBA record with his sixth consecutive 30-point triple-double. His 39-point, 10-rebound, 10-assist effort to key a 142-124 victory at Detroit on Saturday also was the league-best fifth straight time Doncic scored at least 35 points to spark a triple-double. Chicago has won six of the past eight meetings with Dallas overall. When a team has your number they have your number. Take CHICAGO!

Illinois at Iowa 7:00 ET

Hawkeyes (+) over Fighting Illini- Iowa has won four of their last five games entering this weekend at No. 48 in the Ken Pom rankings and No. 57 in the NET which are two key metrics monitored by the NCAA Tournament committee. For No. 12 Illinois, there's little at stake in the regular-season finale at Iowa on Sunday afternoon. The Big Ten title is out of reach, the No. 2 seed in next week's Big Ten tournament is clinched, and a No. 4 or 5 NCAA Tournament seed seems virtually assured. But for Iowa, there's so much more than Senior Night on the agenda. When the teams met in Champaign two weekends ago, Iowa built a seven-point second-half lead only for its offense to go quiet late in a 95-85 Illinois victory. This time they close the deal. Take IOWA!  

Indiana at Orlando 5:00 ET

Magic over Pacers- Two teams battling for Eastern Conference playoff position meet when the Orlando Magic face the visiting Indiana Pacers on Sunday. Orlando was held to the lowest points total in the NBA this season in the loss to the Knicks, who limited the Magic to 34.2 percent shooting from the field and 23.1 percent from 3-point range. Both teams are looking to bounce back from disappointing losses. Orlando had its five-game winning streak snapped in a 98-74 road defeat to the New York Knicks on Friday, while Indiana fell 113-111 at home Thursday to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Orlando has won its two previous meetings against Indiana this season, including a 117-110 victory in Indianapolis on Dec. 23. Pacers get back... Take INDIANA!

Boston at Phoenix 6:30 ET

Suns (+) over Celtics- Boston's 11-game winning streak came to an end when the Celtics squandered a 22-point fourth-quarter lead in a 105-104 loss at Cleveland on Tuesday. After that, the Celtics suffered a 115-109 loss at Denver on Thursday. The Phoenix Suns will attempt to hand the visiting Boston Celtics their third consecutive loss when the teams meet Saturday night. The Suns are hoping to have guard Devin Booker in the lineup Saturday. Booker has missed three games since he sprained his right ankle during a 118-109 loss to Houston on March 2 but was listed as questionable on Friday's injury report. Saturday's contest will be the first of two meetings between Boston and Phoenix during the regular season. The teams will also play Thursday in Boston. This one goes to the home team. Take PHOENIX!

Iowa State at Kansas State 2:00 ET

Wildcats (+) over Cyclones- Iowa State (26-6, 13-4) is locked into the second spot in the Big-12 trailing Houston who took the conference title from Kansas the first time they have displaced in 15 years. After a great start in conference play and defeating Kansas and other ranked teams Kansas State has played themselves onto the NCAA Big Dance bubble. The Wildcats dropped a 78-67 decision after one of their upset wins. This time they are in need and the Cyclones know win or lose remain the same entering the Big-12 Tourney. Take KANSAS STATE!    

Milwaukee at LA Lakers 10:00 ET

Lakers (+) over Bucks- The Milwaukee Bucks saw their six-game win streak come crashing down Wednesday in a 125-90 setback to the Golden State Warriors. Playing with a renewed energy undr Doc Rivers of late on the defensive end, the Bucks did not allow an opponent to score more than 107 points in their winning run and held four foes below 100. The Lakers also were thumped Wednesday, taking a 19-point lead in the first quarter against the Sacramento Kings before giving all of it back before halftime and losing 130-120 after trailing by as many as 22. Team defense was off kilter with Anthony Davis in foul trouble. Los Angeles is still much improved with a 10-5 record since the start of February but have lost two of their past three. The victory was over one of the top teams in the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder, on Monday. They rise to meet the Bucks tonight. Take LAKERS!

Colorado at Oregon 9:00 ET

Buffaloes (+) over Ducks- The Colorado-Oregon men's basketball game on Thursday in Eugene, Ore., has important implications for both teams. The Buffaloes (20-9, 11-7 Pac-12) can clinch third place in the conference regular-season standings and the No. 3 seed in the Pac-12 tournament next week. The Ducks need at least a win Thursday to take the No. 3 seed. Oregon (19-10, 11-7) hosts Utah on Saturday, and it lost to both the Buffaloes and Utes on the road earlier this season. One more win for either team will guarantee a first-round bye in the conference tournament. Colorado comes in hot, having won four straight overall. However, the Buffs are 2-6 on the road in conference play. Oregon has been up and down since a 5-0 start to conference play. Along the way, health problems have contributed to the Ducks' inconsistency, with three players out due to season-ending injuries and another with an undisclosed illness. Take COLORADO!

Milwaukee at Golden State 10:00 ET

Bucks (+) over Warriors- Milwaukee has gone 3-1 against Pacific competition so far, including a 129-118 home win over the Warriors in January. Stephen Curry and Draymond Green did not play in that game. While the Warriors have won 11 of their past 14 games, the Bucks have been the hotter of the two teams as of late. They'll take a six-game winning streak onto the Golden State court. The Bucks were without Giannis Antetokounmpo on Monday, as he has been bothered by left Achilles soreness in recent weeks. He was declared out after experiencing some pain during warmups. He will play tonight. Take MILWAUKEE!

Mississippi State at Texas A&M 9:00 ET

Bulldogs (+) over Aggies- Mississippi State (19-10, 8-8 SEC) is coming off Saturday's 78-63 loss at then No. 11 Auburn in which it trailed for all but 21 seconds before cobbling together a response. Mississippi State looks like a safe bet for an NCAA Tournament at-large bid. But two losses last week to ranked opponents mean the Bulldogs could use one more win to stop any thoughts of sliding back on the bubble. The Aggies (16-13, 7-9) snapped a five-game losing streak on Saturday night with a 70-56 SEC win at Georgia. But Texas A&M appears to have played itself off the NCAA Tournament bubble with its recent skid. It may have to win the SEC tournament next week in Nashville to earn a bid, a disappointment for a team expected to contend for a league title. Take MISSISSIPPI STATE!

Atlanta at New York 8:00 ET

Hawks (+) over Knicks- New York Knicks All-Star guard Jalen Brunson has ravaged the Atlanta Hawks on two occasions this season. The undermanned Knicks, however, may be without their floor general on Tuesday when they bid for a season sweep of the Hawks in New York. Brunson is listed as questionable with a left knee contusion. He has served as the Knicks' all-everything this season. He entered Sunday's game averaging career highs in points (27.2) and assists (6.6) while shooting a robust 47.7 percent from the floor and 40.7 percent from 3-point range. The Knicks are playing without OG Anunoby (right elbow surgery), Julius Randle (right shoulder) and Mitchell Robinson (ankle surgery), all of whom are out indefinitely. The Hawks are in the midst of playing without Trae Young for at least four weeks after the star guard underwent surgery to repair a pinkie injury. The Hawks fell to 2-2 without Young after dropping consecutive contests to the Brooklyn Nets to begin their three-game road trip. They win this one...take ATLANTA!

Alabama at Florida 9:00 ET

Crimson Tide (+) over Gators- The Crimson Tide (20-9, 12-4) are looking to bounce back from an 81-74 loss at home against No. 4 Tennessee on Saturday. They now sit one game behind the Volunteers in the SEC standings with two games to play. No. 16 Alabama will go for a regular-season sweep against Florida when the teams tip off Tuesday evening in a Southeastern Conference contest in Gainesville, Fla. Florida (20-9, 10-6) hopes to rebound from an 82-76 loss on the road against then-No. 18 South Carolina on Saturday. The Gators sit in sixth place in the SEC, but only one game separates them from No. 11 Auburn and No. 16 Kentucky. Alabama held on for a 98-93 overtime win against Florida in the teams' first matchup of the season Feb. 21 in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Take ALABAMA!  

Duke at NC State 7:00 ET

Wolfpack (+) over Blue Devils- NC State (17-12, 9-9) has lost three of its past four games. The Wolfpack were unable to protect a 10-point lead early in the second half in Saturday's 79-70 loss at No. 9 North Carolina. NC State was outscored 42-25 in the half. The Wolfpack are 0-3 against ranked teams this season. Duke (23-6, 14-4 ACC) convincingly won two home games in the past week as they were able to rest many of its starters for stretches in the second half. The Wolfpack are 0-3 against ranked teams this season but, they had a big upset victory last season at home against the Blue Devils, winning 84-60. Duke could get caught in a look-ahead situation as they host North Carolina in their ACC regular season final game on Saturday. Take NC STATE!

Denver at LA Lakers 8:30 ET

Lakers (+) over Nuggets- Denver Nuggets will put a five-game winning streak on the line when they visit the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday. Lakers star LeBron James and his pursuit of 40,000 career points. He is nine away in a game that game is a rematch of the 2023 NBA Western Finals that Denver won in five games. The Nuggets have won both games against the Lakers this season and have taken three consecutive going back to last campaign. James now will get his shot at what has previously been an unreachable milestone, and the opportunity will come in a nationally televised game. Take LA LAKERS!

Tennessee at Alabama 8:00 ET

Volunteers (+) over Crimson Tide- Oh these one should be better than the last...a Tennessee blow-out win where is was never close and the Vols held a 27-point lead at one point in the second half. So, won’t Alabama be looking to even the score and they are capable as the Nation’s highest scoring team averaging 91.5 PPG. The Tide have scored triple-digits nine times this season but, defense travels well and Rock Barnes club’s can slow the tempo down enough to frustrate the ebbing tide. Take TENNESSEE!  

Dayton at Loyola-Chicago 9:00 ET

Ramblers (+) over Flyers- Loyola's season-best, seven-game winning streak ended with Tuesday's 79-64 loss at St. Bonaventure. The loss at St. Bonaventure put the Ramblers behind league-leading Richmond while Dayton (22-5, 12-3) had six scorers in double figures during Tuesday's 80-66 home victory against Davidson. The Flyers moved into a second-place tie with the Ramblers (20-8, 12-3) in the conference standings. Take LOYOLA-CHICAGO!

Golden State at Toronto 7:30 ET

Raptors (+) over Warriors- Toronto who has been playing their best basketball of the season of late and are coming off a 136-125 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday in the opener of a four-game homestand. The defeat ended Toronto's first three-game winning streak of the season. The rebuilding Raptors have been coming together recently but could not cope with Dallas. Toronto won the first meeting of the season between the teams, 133-118 on Jan. 7 in San Francisco behind 37 points from RJ Barrett. Golden State has also picked up the pace with the return of Traymond Green to action but the Warriors off a win in New York last night should be a half-step slower tonight. Take TORONTO!

Gonzaga at San Francisco 11:00 ET

Don’s (+) over Bulldogs- Gonzaga is back in the Top-25 but they are a shade off teams in most recent past. The Bulldogs who have already defeated San Francisco 77-72 as host but are just 4-4 on the road. The Dons are 14-1 SU at home and are 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings. SF is well balanced with five players averaging double figures and pull off the surprise tonight. Take SAN FRANCISCO!

Golden State at New York 7:30 ET

Knicks (+) over Warriors- New York appeared to be a legitimate contender after the moves they had made at the trade deadline but injuries have decimated their lineup

and their play has suffered. The Knicks are 4-7 since their line-up was depleted after going 14-2 straight-up in January. Golden State who is in the opposite position has had players return from injury and their play of late reflects their positive additions as they were 5-7 in January and are 10-3 in February. Knicks are 20-10 SU at home and the points tonight are a bonus. Take NEW YORK!

Alabama at Mississippi 9:00 ET

Rebels (+) over Crimson Tide- Sometimes the ranking of NCAA schools seems to be more political then based on performances or results. Here are two schools playing in the same conference the SEC with the same overall record of 19-8 and yet the visitor (Alabama) is a strong favorite. The difference is the Crimson Tide is tied for the conference lead (11-3) and the Rebels have struggled of late losing five of six including last time out a 72-59 loss to South Carolina. The Tide ebb here...take MISSISSIPPI!

Virginia Tech at Syracuse 7:00 ET

Hokies (+) over Orange- Yeah, now that the Orange are thinking NCAA Big Dance after a pair of wins over Notre Dame and NC State we should expect good things But, I don’t think the book-maker things so...I mean they are less than a field goal favorite at home where they are 13-2. Their opponent Virginia Teach has lost five of their last seven games and are just 1-8 both SU and ATS on the road. Syracuse has a better record by 2-games over the Hokies and it ain’t enough. Take VIRGINIA TECH!

Baylor at TCU 9:00 ET

Horned Frogs (-) over Bears- Baylor is off an overtime home loss against conference leader Houston who led by 17 at the half before the Bears huge second half surge forced he game into the OT. TCU meanwhile was winning their contest over Cincinnati making it 3-of-4 inBig-12 action. Defense is the key for the Frogs as they forced 17 turnovers and held the Bearcats to 41.1% shooting from the field. Bears have lost their last two and fall for the Hat-trick tonight. Take TCU!

Milwaukee at Philadelphia 1:10 ET

76ers (+) over Bucks- There is no question that Philadelphia is a totally different team without MVP Joel Embiid in the line-up. The 76ers even without their superstar who was leading the league in scoring when he went down will be ready to greet their former mentor and last season’s coach Doc Rivers return to the ‘City of Brotherly Love.’ I do not believe he will be welcomed back and he should hear it from the Philly faithful who are known to extremely rude. Milwaukee is 4-7 since Doc took the reins.Te PHILADELPHIA!

Creighton at St. John’s 12:00 ET

Red Storm (+) over Blue Jays- Don’t let the Red and Blue lead you astray this is not a political battle. It is a meeting between a streaking Blue Jay squad that has won four in-a-row including a rout of No. 1 Connecticut securing their ninth straight season with 20 wins or more. St. John’s is falling short of expectations and have lost eight of 11 after starting 4-1 in Big East play, St. John’s coach Rick Pitino was so critical of his cue that he apologized to each player individually. The Jays have won seven straight including a 66-65 win when the crew from Queens blew a nine-point second half lead. Not this time...take ST. JOHN’S!

North Carolina at Virginia 4:00 ET

Cavaliers (+) over Tar Heels- Oh Lordy! I can’t truly explain the sensation that went through my body when I first gazed upon this match-up. No. 10 North Carolina is off their longest break in action (six days) in two months and enter Charlottesville looking for their first win there in 12 years Virginia is off their worst loss of the season falling at Virginia Tech 75-41 (that is not a typo). With only one player scoring double figures the Cavaliers shot 33% and were outscored 62-29 from mid-first half and were already thinking of the Tar Heels. Founder Thomas Jefferson would be proud of his ‘Public Ivy’ who had won 8-of-9 before their debacle. Huge bounce back...take VIRGINIA!   

Phoenix at Houston 8:00 ET

Rockets (+) over Suns- The Rockets who surprised the league with the quality of their plat early on in the season have hit a patch where they have dropped six of their past seven games including a 127-105 blowout loss against New Orleans. Phoenix has had to deal with injuries but have managed to win five of six but will be without Bradley Beal. The Suns dropped to 14-12 while playing Beal-less nd are 12-14-1 ATS on the road whereas Houston is 19-9 SU at home and have won two-of-the-last three meetings. Take HOUSTON!

Yale at Cornell 7:00 ET

Bulldogs (+) over Big Red- The Ivy’s best go at it in Ithaca, New York as Cornell who has won nine-of-10 host Yale who are off a loss at Princeton to end a 10-game winning streak. In the Bulldogs 73-62 loss 7’0” center Danny Wolf who scored 84 points in the previous four games went scoreless missing all 10 of his shots taken. The Yalie’s have won the past three meetings including an 80-78 victory two weeks ago and are 8-2 straight-up in the last 10 meetings. Take YALE

Boston at Chicago 8:00 ET

Bulls (+) over Celtics- Boston has won three of the last four meetings including a 124-97 blowout in Boston in late November, but they are 5-5 straight up in the last 10 with Chicago going 8-2 ATS. The Celtics by far have the best record in the NBA and I expect the rest of the pack will close that gap a bit and they could wane their way back to the pack. Take CHICAGO!

Ohio State at Minnesota 8:00 ET

Buckeyes (+) over Golden Gophers- It is a rare college basketball experience for a coach to be fired in mid-season but Ohio State made the move that had to be done. The Buckeyes were repeating a scenario that played out last season where they failed to win on the road and this year they are 0-7 SU in Big Ten action this year are that led to Chris Holtmann’s departure. Under interim coach Jake Diebler Ohio State posted a 73-69 win over No. 2 Purdue on Sunday and will keep the momentum here. Take OHIO STATE!

Dayton at George Mason 7:00 ET

Patriots (+) over Flyers- The line tells the tale on this one as the 6th ranked Dayton Flyers come to Washington as small favorites against a Patriot club that is capable of surprising a mid-ranked team at home. George Mason is 12-2 SU at home and are off a 90-57 rout of George Washington and are look for their third straight in over the Flyers. These two clubs usually meet just once a season and this is the first meeting and only meeting barring a play off match-up. Take GEORGE MASON!

Utah at UCLA 7:00 ET

Utes (+) over Bruins- The last time these two met (Megabucks winner) Utah crushed the Bruins 90-44 the worst loss in UCLA Big-12 history. That lost was the eighth in nine games but since then the Bruins turned things around having won 8-of-9 and are looking to avenge the embarrassing defeat. The Utes have dropped three straight and 6-of-9, are off a loss at Southern Cal and are 0-6 on the Pac-12 road. UCLA is tough defensively but challenged offensively averaging just 66.1 while allowing 63.9 ranking eighteenth nationally. Utes scoring 78.5 and surrendering 72.2. This should come down the the final buzzer. Take UTAH!  

Marquette at Connecticut 4:00 ET

Golden Eagles (+) over Huskies- The nation’s top team Connecticut has not backed down like most of the other after being named No. 1 and have won 13 games in-a-row. The Huskies warmed up for this battle with the last Big East champion before UConn by crushing DePaul 101-65 who is 0-13 in conference play. It believe that it does not aid a team to pay a weak-sister before an important match-up as it leads to a false confidence. The Big East Conference Player of the Year Tyler Kolek has led the Golden Eagles to eight straight wins and the confidence need to overcome the Huskies. Take MARQUETTE!

Florida at Georgia 1:00 ET

Bulldogs (+) over Gators- The impostor Gators have won six of seven including our Highest-Rated Megabucks over Auburn last Saturday 81-65. Florida has defeated the Bulldogs nine straight times winning the first meeting this year 1-0-2-98 in OT as an 8-point favorite. Georgia is on a five game losing streak which started with their loss to the Gators and will end with their loss at Arkansas last Saturday. The Bulldogs have had a full week to put their heads together and will be ready for this huge rivalry encounter. Take GEORGIA!   

Golden State at Utah 9:00 ET

Jazz over Warriors- Golden State has to have an eerie feeling coming to Utah to make up a contest that was canceled because of the untimely death of coach Dejan Milojevic. Utah has turned their season around after starting 4-11 as they have won 12 of 14 and are now 22-20 on the year. Draynond Green has return to the lineup for Golden State after his second suspension of the season and the Warriors are virtually a different team when he is on the floor. The Jazz have dropped three straight including a 129-107 home loss to the Warriors three days ago but are 18-8 ATS at home. Take UTAH!

Sacramento at Denver 9:00 ET

Kings (+) over Nuggets- The defending NBA Champions have dropped two straight for the first time since December losing by 17 to Milwaukee Monday and on Friday lost at Sacramento by 29 points. Usually I would be jumping on Denver in a situation like this where a team returns home and plays a club that crushed them on the road a few days earlier. But, the Nuggets are hurting and most likely will be without their starting back court including Jamal Murray. The Kings have lost their last two but have defeated Denver in the past two meetings and 3-of-4. Take SACRAMENTO!

Xavier at Seton Hall 7:00 ET

Musketeers (+) over Pirates- This is the second meeting of the year between these two with Xavier winning at home 74-54 over the Pirates the game after they had upset Connecticut in their Big East opener. Seton Hall responded with five straight wins after that defeat and have now lost four of six and is coming off their worst game of the season losing 80-54 against Villanova after wins over lowly Georgetown and DePaul. Xavier has wins in 3-of-4 and have won the past four meetings. The beat goes on...take XAVIER!

St. John’s at Providence 7:00 ET

Red Storm over Friars- When Rick Pitino took over St. John’s coaching job expectations soared as visions a revitalization of New York basketball was on tap. Well, the Red Storm have dropped six of eight including a loss Saturday to Marquette 86-75 after blowing a 15-point lead. Currently at 14-10 the Johnnies will need a late season surge to qualify for the Big Dance. Providence has lost three of their last four and were defeated by the Red Storm 75-73 four weeks ago getting the cover. This time it will be a storm that gets the money. Take ST. JOHN’S!

Golden State at Utah 9:00 ET

Jazz (+) over Warriors- Both of these two clubs are off games against a common opponent with different results. Golden State used a last second 3-point shot by Stephen Curry to defeated Phoenix 113-112 whereas Utah who last played at Phoenix on Thursday fell 129-115 to the Suns. The Jazz are 18-6 ATS at home and get the cash tonight. Take UTAH!

Kansas at Texas Tech 9:00 ET

Red Raiders over Jayhawks- Kansas rebounded from their loss at Kansas State (Megabucks winner) last Monday with at win over Baylor despite having only seven scholarship player available. Texas Tech had been playing short-handed for two weeks and lost three straight before defeating Central Florida 58-57. Kansas is an underdog here although they have won four straight and 8-of-9 in the series a role that they have not been in against Tech in five years. The Red Raiders are a stellar 12-1 SU at home while the Jayhawks are just 2-4 in true road games. Take TEXAS TECH!

North Texas at SMU 2:00 ET

Mean Green (+) over Mustangs- The defending NIT champions North Texas has already corralled the Mustangs two weeks ago 68-66 as a 1-point underdog at home. They promptly lost their next three games before getting back on the winning side against Tulsa. After that loss and another at Wichita State before reeling off three straight win including a 26-point win over in-state rival Rice  scoring 95 points. The Mean Green will beat you will a defense that frustrates their opponents allowing just 59.7 PPG ranking No. 4 in the nation. SMU will find points more difficult this time out as Mean Green pester you to death. Take NORTH TEXAS!  

Auburn at Florida 3:30 ET

Gators over Tigers- Auburn posted a convincing home win over arch rival No. 16 Alabama on Wednesday while Florida fell 67-66 at Texas A&M Saturday. The Gators failed to score in the final 3:04 ending a four-game win streak and have had a full week to stew over a game that they should have won. Florida has won 14 of the last 18 games between the two and are 5-1 ATS the past six meetings and 8-2 ATS last 10. Take FLORIDA!

Minnesota at Milwaukee 8:00 ET

Timberwolves over Bucks- If it ain’t broke don’t fix it...it seems that I have heard that time and again and it needs to be said time and again. Okay here is Milwaukee (two weeks ago) 34-12 and leading their division and feel the need to remove the newly hired first year coach who replaced a NBA champion coach in Milwaukee and since the hire of Dic Rivers they are 1-4. Not to say that it is Rivers influence but  a move like that shakes a team up and they really didn’t need it. Timberwolves have lost 2-of-3 and 3-of-6 as they blew another huge half-time lead, this time 22 points against Chicago. Rudy Gobert has stated the need to stay focused for the full game. Take MINNESOTA!

Wisconsin at Michigan 7:00 ET

Wolverines (+) over Badgers- The is the worst Michigan (7-15) basketball team in 16 seasons when they were 10-22 in 2007-08. The Wolverines after winning and covering their first three games of the season have gone a miserable 3-16 ATS in their last 22 games overall. Wisconsin has dropped out of the Top-10 (formerly No. 6) falling to No. 11 by losing their past two games including a 75-69 home loss to No. 2 Purdue on Sunday. But, if one thing that can be said about the Wolves is that they have had double-digit leads in seven of their losses and just need to finish games. Take MICHIGAN!

B.Y.U. at Oklahoma 8:00 ET

Cougars (+) over Sooners- The Cougars have been impressive to date in their inaugural Big12 season leading the nation in 3-point field goals made per game with 12.1. BYU has made at least seven 3-points in every game. Oklahoma has fallen out of favor with the pollsters and have lost three of their last four including being a beaten favorite at Central Florida (Power Play winner) on Saturday. The Cougars center Fousseyni Traore has return to action after missing seven games and in his first start back against Texas he poured in 24 points with nine rebounds. Take BYU!

Kansas at Kansas State 9:00 ET

Wildcats (+) over Wildcats- These two rivals had different starts to their season and are currently trending in another direction. Kansas State has lost four in-a-row and are 0-5 ATS in their last five games overall while the Jayhawks are off a huge win over No 2 Houston on Saturday in a game that they took command early and were never headed. his is the first meeting this season and the pair split two games last yer but Kansas had won the previous seven meetings. Hawks are just 2-3 SU on the road while Wildcats are 12-2 SU at home. Take KANSAS STATE!

LA Clippers at Atlanta 7:30 ET

Hawks (+) over Clippers- It’s called ‘mojo’ and Atlanta has found it for the first time this season and have won a season high four straight wins. The Hawks who have had the NBA’s worst ATS record this entire season especially at home where they were 3-18 ATS prior to their currently home stand are averaging 133.5 points during their win streak. Los Angeles has won eight of their last nine and and are 5-1 on their current road trip which ends here. After spending two weeks on the road the Clippers are longing to return home and stop living out of a suitcase. The Hawks are still flying high and their momentum will help carry them tonight. Take ATLANTA!

Milwaukee at Utah 8:00 ET

Jazz over Bucks- Well, Doc Rivers has broken his cherry as Milwaukee posted their first win for their ‘new’ coach last time out defeating Dallas (Megabucks loss) 129-117 after trailing by 25 points in the third quarter. That lone win propelled Rivers into coaching in the All-star game as both the No. 1 (Boston) and No. 2 seeds (Bucks) coaches are ineligible. Utah collapsed late falling to Philadelphia on Thursday and vowed to stay focused for all four quarters. Take UTAH!

Purdue at Wisconsin 1:00 ET

Badgers (+) over Boilersmakers- If things go to Hoyle the Badgers should win here. No. 2 Purdue I understand but when I saw Wisconsin ranked at No. 6 my thoughts were that it wouldn’t last long and the next time out in classic fashion they blow a 16-point lead at Nebraska and lost in overtime. Purdue got their revenge for one of their two losses and quelled Northwestern as Zach Edey had 30 points and 15 rebounds. The Boilermakers won last year’s match-up 63-61 in Madison and with the line being what it is you should just have the winner. It should be...WISCONSIN!

Milwaukee at Dallas 8:30 ET

Mavericks (+) over Bucks- If it ain't broke don’t fix it! I know that is simple to say after two straight losses by Milwaukee. You see they were cruising along at 32-14 with one of the best records in the NBA and it wasn’t good enough to retain rookie coach Adrian Griffin. This is a team that management expected to go undefeated after trading for Damian Lillard after all they fired Bud Budenholzer before the season, a man who led them to an NBA championship and was Coach of the Year in 2021 and was a Gregg Popovich disciple. No one can be absolutely sure what is going on with the Bucks, but we have seen just as much nonsense coming out of Dallas in recent seasons dealing with their personnel egos. But, all the Mavericks really need is just for Luca Doncic to be himself and Kyrie Irving come to play. Take DALLAS!

Brooklyn at Philadelphia 6:00 ET

Nets (+) over 76ers- Ben Simmons returns...does he only the ‘Shadows Knows’ (sorry about that Lamont Cranston fans, the rest google it). Anyway, in this meeting the story line is of who is going to and not going to play. MVP Joel Embiid is out for Philadelphia but that only means Tyrese Maxey has more ball time to display his wears and boy has he taken advantage. Maxey, a first-time All-star poured in 51 points in the 76ers 127-124 win over Utah Thursday ending a 4-game losing streak. Aside from Embiid the Sixers have five other roster players hobbled one way or another. As far as Brooklyn is concerned they were short-handed in heir loss against the Suns with Ben Simmons resting after playing one game after returning from a three-year rest. In his debut he had 10 points, 11 assists, 2 steals, a blocked shot while going 5-5 from the field in just 18 minutes. Simmons plays the Nets win. Take BROOKLYN!

Houston at Kansas 4:00 ET

Cougars (-) over Jayhawks- Houston is making quite an impression in their inaugural Big-12 season and have won five straight entering Lawrence to battle Kansas. The Jayhawks on their way to 20 wins or more for the 35th consecutive seasons are just 4-3 in their last seven games. The Cougars are off an overtime (Money Game winner) 76-72 win at Texas while the Jayhawks bounced back from a pair of losses to pound cellar dweller Oklahoma State. There is a new kid on the block and they are challenging the conference bully and they smack the Jayhawks.  Take HOUSTON!

Oregon at USC 10:30 ET

Trojans (+) over Ducks- The Pac-12 has switched roles between their conference football and basketball whereas their once proud Pac-12 basketball level of play is not of previous standards. USC enters this contest against the conference leader Oregon having lost five straight while the Ducks limp into LA losing three of their last four. This is the second meeting of the season with Oregon winning at home 82-74 but this time they are burdened with numerous injuries and the Trojans take advantage. Take SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA!

Indiana at New York 7:30 ET

Pacers (+) over Knicks- New York has won eight straight games and winning 14 games in January was their most wins in a month since 1994. But, as of yesterday two of the Knicks main cogs will be sidelined as both Julius Randle and OG Anunoby are nursing injuries. Indiana is one of the highest scoring teams in the league and have shown that they can play with the best of the NBA having defeated Milwaukee in back-to-back games. Pacers Tyrese Haliburton is back after missing 10 games and with New York pair of starters out take advantage. Take INDIANA!

Dallas at Minnesota 8:00 ET

Timberwolves (-) over Mavericks- Surprisingly enough Minnesota has the best record in the West keeping a narrow lead over Oklahoma City and Denver with a victory Monday night over the Thunder. It was just one short year ago when these two clubs met in Minnesota the Mavericks were small favorites on the road with Dallas winning and covering. Well, look at the line today! T’wolves are huge double-digit favorites and there has got to be for the book-makers to put a line out like that. Take MINNESOTA!

Baylor at Central Florida 7:00 ET

Knights (+) over Bears- No. 18 Baylor has dropped three straight conference games by a total of nine points and have played three overtime games already so close games are the norm. Eight of the Big-12 schools are ranked and although Central Florida is not one of them they have posted wins over ranked teams No. 3 Kansas and Texas. The Knights are off a loss at Cincinnati and will be playing their fifth Top-25 ranked opponent. Take CENTRAL FLORIDA!

Mississippi State at Mississippi 8:00 ET

Bulldogs (+) over Rebels- At the onset of the college basketball season I was slightly taken back at the respect that was given to this Mississippi team which at 17-3 was worthy of the odds-makers regard. But, I am now taken back because they are not ranked in the Top-25. Although undefeated at home 12-0 they aren’t even favored by a bucket against rival Mississippi State who hasn’t won a road game this season going 0-4 SU and 0-4 ATS. The Bulldogs have respect because they have defeated a pair of ranked teams Tennessee and last time out Auburn both at home. State’s defense the key here ranking 45th while the Rebels limp in at 135th but No. 223 in rebounding and 350th in offensive rebounding among 354 teams, Take MISSISSIPPI STATE!  

LA Clippers at Cleveland 7:00 ET

Cavaliers (+) over Clippers- The hottest teams in the NBA clash today where the Cavaliers will hosts the LA Clippers who have won five in-a-row and 13 of their last 15 games. Cleveland who just defeated Milwaukee has won and of its past 10 games while the Clippers just handed Boston their worse loss of the season. LA has their big man Ivica Zubac out and may rest Paul George as well. The Cavaliers are 15-8 at home and 8-2 ATS in their last 10 outings. Take CLEVELAND!

Detroit at San Francisco 6:30 ET

49ers (-) over Lions- The party’s over...turn out the lights sweet darling. It was a nice run and a good season for Detroit but there will be no Androcles around to remove the thorns that the Niners will inflict on their person. Although Jared Goff has been to this game before and even to the Super Bowl it will not be enough. For the rest of their crew playing in the championship game is fresh and new and when they realize where they are things play out differently. I’ve heard a lot of how the Lions are weak on the rod, well I don’t see it as they were 6-3 SU and 7-2 ATS not too shabby. But, the Lions to a man went over the top with their celebration after defeating Tampa Bay who was pretty much accepted as the worst team to make the playoffs even less regarded than Green Bay the final seed. San Francisco is making their third straight championship game appearance while the Lions their first since 1957. Niners averaged 140 YPG rushing five more yards than Detroit and they held opponents to 89.7 YPG rushing and Shanahan is 2-0 lifetime against the Lions. Brock Purdy struggled in the rain last week but will return to form here. Take SAN FRANCISCO!

Phoenix at Orlando 6:00 ET

Magic (+) over Suns- I think there is something going on with the Suns as they are hotter Pete Davidson’s girl friends (nothing is hotter than those that have chased him).

Phoenix lost 133-131 at Indiana on Friday ending their seven game win streak. These two met on New Year’s Eve with the Suns  (-6) winning 112-107. Orlando is in a swoon having lost their last two and seven of nine. The Magic may be without Jalen Suggs who was Banged up in their lost to Memphis on Friday. Tricksters are 14-7 SU ar home. Take ORLANDO!