Sacramento at New Orleans 9:30 ET

Pelicans (+) over Kings- I couldn’t have asked for a better set-up (in my mind anyway) as the Kings fly into New Orleans after eliminating their perennial nemesis. It was more than a just setting the Warriors aside it was the manner in which they dismantled Golden State and were in complete command. New Orleans of course with be without Zion Williamson which is not so unusual but it did come when he appeared to be reaching his potential. The Pelicans were 8-4 ATS without Williamson this season  and there is more. The line jumped from the home team Pelicans at -2 to the visiting Kings to -1.5 and I expect it to go higher from their. But, here is the dirty little secret that the bookies are aware of and now you will be aware of it. New Orleans actually has played and is rated a half-point better in the 12 game played without Williamson. I love that the expectations have shifted but no the players will. Take NEW ORLEANS!

Miami at Philadelphia 7:30 ET

76ers (-) over Heat- The Philadelphia 76ers are a much better team with Joel Embiid in the lineup and he is the Most Valuable Player in the NBA if you count wins and losses. There is a noticeable difference in the way the 76ers play when the reigning NBA MVP is on the floor. Jimmy Butler who was traded from the 76ers to the Heat in the summer of 2019, has guided Miami to two NBA Finals appearances in the last four seasons. The loser of Wednesday's contest will play an elimination game on Friday against either the Chicago Bulls or Atlanta Hawks for the eighth seed -- and the right to play the top-seeded Boston Celtics. Take MIAMI!

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!

!

Chicago at New York 1:00 ET

Knicks (-) over Bulls- The Knicks realize that they have a legitimate shot at moving into the No. 2 spot in the east as Milwaukee will be at Orlando and a loss with a NY win give them the seed. this is the third meeting in the past two weeks between theses two and the line was NYK -5 and -1.5. I believe it is a tell...take NEW YORK!

Milwaukee at Orlando 1:00 ET

Magic (-) over Bucks- I’ve been watching and what I have gathered is that the Bucks are just waltzing through the final stages and will have a different attitude in a week. Milwaukee lead by Doc Rivers were all smiles after their recent blowout loss at OKC and they are not all that concerned with seeding. Orlando is off a 4-game win-less road trip and will be ready to clinch the No. 5 seed with a victory. Magic have lost 9-of-10 to the Buck but that doe’t seem to bother the odds-makers...take ORLANDO!

New Orleans at Golden State 10;00 ET

Pelicans (+) over Warriors- The Pelicans (48-32) have a one-game lead over the Phoenix Suns (47-33) in their tussle for the sixth and final guaranteed playoff position in the Western Conference. The Suns hold the tiebreaker over New Orleans, meaning the Pelicans must retain their advantage in the standings over the final two games of the regular season in order to secure the No. 6 playoff spot. The Warriors (45-35) can't catch the Pelicans in the standings and thus cannot avoid a spot in the play-in tournament. Golden State, which has won three straight games and nine of its past 10. The line is too short. Take NEW ORLEANS!

!

Milwaukee at Oklahoma City 8:00 ET

Thunder (-) over Bucks- After Milwaukee posted a dominating win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 24. In their next seven games they went 1-6 and put themselves in danger of dropping out of the No. 2 spot in the Eastern Conference. The Bucks (49-31) need one win in their last two or losses by the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers to secure the position. The Thunder own the tiebreaker over the Nuggets but would likely lose out on a tiebreaker with the Timberwolves thanks to conference records. The Bucks won that first meeting of the season, 118-93, in Milwaukee. Antetokounmpo won't be playing Friday after suffering a strained left calf in Tuesday's win over Boston. Take OKLAHOMA CITY!

New Orleans at Sacramento 10:00 ET

Pelicans (+) over Kings- The Pelicans (47-32), winners of two in a row, have moved into sixth place in the West. But each remaining opponent has a chance to catch New Orleans by the end of play Sunday. The Kings' chances of winning the final game of the season series against the Pelicans and then potentially passing them in the standings involve more than just Ingram's status. Sacramento has injury issues. The Kings squandered a chance to stay within one game of the Pelicans in the loss column when they blew a 20-point lead in a 112-105 loss at Oklahoma City. Take NEW ORLEANS!

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!

New York at Chicago 8:00 ET

Bulls (+) over Knicks- The Knicks (46-32) enter Tuesday's visit to the Chicago Bulls in fourth place in the East but still can finish as high as No. 2 in the conference with four regular-season games remaining. Fighting with the Atlanta Hawks for home-court advantage in the East play-in tournament game between the Nos. 9-10 seeds, the Bulls topped the Knicks 108-100 on Friday. Chicago (37-41) was unable to sustain the momentum at Orlando on Sunday, losing 113-98. The Bulls maintained a one-game edge on Atlanta for ninth place and also hold the tiebreaker. The Bulls have won two of the past three meetings against the Knicks, who will host Chicago in the regular-season finale. Take CHICAGO!

Sacramento at Oklahoma City 8:00 ET

Kings (-) over Thunder- the Kings (45-33) and Thunder (53-25) need to win but also get help to move up the Western Conference standings over the final six days of the regular season. Currently in play-in position as the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference, Sacramento will take the court Tuesday one game behind the Phoenix Suns and New Orleans Pelicans, who are tied for sixth. The Suns host the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday, while the Pelicans visit the Portland Trail Blazers. The home team has won all three Kings-Thunder meetings this season, with Sacramento prevailing 105-98 and 128-123 at home during the 2023 portion of the schedule, before Oklahoma City ran off with a 127-113 victory in February. Take SACRAMENTO!

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!

Cleveland at LA Clippers 3:30 ET

Cavaliers +) over Clippers- The Los Angeles Clippers (49-28) will aim for a complete effort when they face the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers (46-32) on Sunday. The Clippers have won five of its past six games and holds the fourth spot in the Western Conference standings. Cleveland is in third place in the East and will look to avoid its third straight loss after falling 116-97 to the host Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday. Los Angeles is looking to avenge a 118-108 road loss to the Cavaliers on Jan. 29, when Cleveland star Donovan Mitchell finished with 28 points and 12 assists. The Cavaliers, who are concluding a five-game trip. They will end the season with three home games. Take CLEVELAND!

Alabama vs Connecticut 8:50 ET

Huskies (-) over Crimson Tide- UConn is two games away from back-to-back NCAA men's basketball championships, and the Huskies have history on their side as they prepare to face Alabama in the second national semifinal Saturday night. UConn (35-3), the top-ranked team in the nation, is 10-1 in Final Four and championship games all-time. No program has a better mark. The Huskies own a 69-32 record in the NCAA Tournament, and they won both their meetings with the Crimson Tide. While all five of UConn's starters average in double figures and the Huskies can be just as dangerous on defense. The Huskies haven't allowed more than 58 points to an opponent since March 15. Alabama (25-11) is in its first Final Four, and the Crimson Tide have also played strong defense to get to within two wins of a national championship. Alabama leads all NCAA Tournament teams in blocked shots per game with six. Until proven otherwise...take CONNECTICUT!

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!

Cleveland at L.A. Lakers 3:30 ET

Lakers (-) over Cavaliers- Los Angeles (44-33) entered Friday holding on to a spot in the play-in tournament, sitting ninth after a successful 5-1 road trip that ended with Wednesday. Securing a guaranteed playoff spot isn't out of the question, though, as the Lakers are just 1 1/2 games behind the Phoenix Suns, the first team above the play-in line. Cleveland (46-31) finds itself in a much more favorable position at third in the Eastern Conference, it still has to watch its back. The Cavaliers were just a half-game ahead of both the Orlando Magic and New York Knicks but Inconsistency has started to plague Cleveland, which has alternated wins and losses over its past seven games getting blow out in their last four losses. Opponents have scored an average of 111.8 points while shooting 50.4 percent from the field and 38.6 percent from deep over Cleveland's past five games. Take CLEVELAND!

Minnesota at Phoenix 9:00 ET

Suns (-) over Timberwolves- Phoenix has won 10 of its past 15 games and a lot is at stake as it enters its final six games of the regular season. Just one game separates the Nos. 5 through 8 spots in the West entering Thursday, with the ninth-place Los Angeles Lakers just one game further back. The Suns are a half-game behind the fifth-place Dallas Mavericks. Phoenix has the same record as the Pelicans but owns the tiebreaker while the Sacramento Kings are a half-game back in eighth place. Minnesota (53-23) is in its own battle at the top of the West. The Timberwolves are streaking, winning nine of their past 11 games. They are fresh off a 133-85 rout of the visiting Toronto Raptors on Wednesday. Phoenix has won eight of the past nine meetings, including a 133-115 home victory on Nov. 15. Take MINNESOTA!

Sacramento at Boston 7:30 ET

Kings (+) over Celtics- In their first game since clinching the NBA's best record, the Boston Celtics continue a three-game homestand against Western Conference foes when the Sacramento Kings pay a visit on Friday night. The Celtics (60-16) have responded to their second pair of back-to-back losses since October with a three-game win streak. Boston has not entered the postseason as the No. 1 team in the NBA since 2007-08. Its 13-game lead over the second-place Milwaukee Bucks would be the largest season-ending lead in the NBA since 1980. Sacramento remains just one game behind sixth place in the Western Conference, the last spot that avoids the play-in round, after missing a chance to tie New Orleans and Phoenix with a win at New York. Take SACRAMENTO!

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!

Denver at L.A. Clippers 10:30 ET

Clippers (+) over Nuggets-  The Clippers is they will play six of their last seven regular-season games at home. The Clippers (47-28) went 3-1 on a just-concluded four-game road trip that crisscrossed the country. The Nuggets (53-23) arrive in Los Angeles after a 110-105 victory at home over the San Antonio Spurs, Denver's sixth win in eight games. The Nuggets play four of their final six regular-season games on the road as they try to lock down the top playoff seed in the West. They are tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves and have a one-game lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder but do not have the tiebreaker versus either team. Take...CLIPPERS

Golden State at Houston 8:00 ET

Rockets (+) over Warriors- Houston is three games back of the final play-in spot in the Western Conference. It looked like the Rockets (38-37) were destined for the postseason when they rattled off 11 straight wins from March 8-29 to pull within one game of Golden State for the final play-in spot. But Houston has since slipped, dropping back-to-back to fall further out of the playoff picture. Golden State is riding a five-game winning streak, most recently edging the Mavericks 104-100 on Tuesday. Thursday marks the finale of the three-game season series between the teams. Golden State won at Houston 106-95 on Oct. 29 before prevailing in San Francisco 121-116 on Nov. 20. This time...ROCKETS

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!

Georgia vs Seton Hall 9:30 ET

Bulldogs (+) over Pirates- A spot in the NIT championship awaits as the top-seeded Pirates (23-12) battle the fourth-seeded Bulldogs (20-16) in a semifinal on Tuesday in Indianapolis. The winner will remain in town to face either Utah or Indiana State in the final on Thursday. Seton Hall was among a handful of schools that received an NIT invitation after just missing out on the premier tournament while Georgia has used its fortunate NIT invitation to orchestrate its own tournament success. Georgia's NIT bid was originally reserved for Ole Miss before the Rebels opted out of the postseason. The Bulldogs have proven they belong in the NIT, rattling off three straight wins to move within one victory of the program's first-ever NIT championship game berth. Take GEORGIA!

Houston at Minnesota 8:00 ET

Timberwolves (-) over Rockets- Minnesota (51-23) is coming off a 109-101 loss at home against the Chicago Bulls on Sunday night. The defeat dropped the Timberwolves to third place in the Western Conference entering Monday, but they still have time to chase the top spot with eight games to play. Houston (38-36) is in a bit more trouble as it competes for a play-in spot in the Western Conference. The Rockets are two games behind the Golden State Warriors for the final spot in the play-in tournament with eight games remaining. In their most recent game, the Rockets lost 125-107 at home against the Dallas Mavericks. The defeat snapped an 11-game winning streak for Houston. Minnesota won the first game 122-95 on Jan. 5 in Houston. The Timberwolves followed up with a 111-90 win on their home court Feb. 4 and win again here. Take MINNESOTA!

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!

Atlanta at Chicago 8:00 ET

Bulls (-) over Hawks- The Bulls sit in ninth place and the Hawks are 10th in the Eastern Conference. Chicago (36-39) leads Atlanta (34-40) by 1.5 games after its 109-101 win against Minnesota on Sunday. It was only the Bulls' second win in their last six games. Chicago has won both games against Atlanta this season. The Hawks have won four of their last five despite playing with a depleted roster. This will be the second game in two nights for the Bulls. Chicago is 6-6 in the second game of a back-to-back set. Take ATLANTA!

N.C.  State vs Duke 5:20 ET

Blue Devils (-) over Wolfpack- Atlantic Coast Conference foes Duke and North Carolina State will play Sunday for the third time this month, and the plight of one of the squads is entirely different from just four weeks ago. No. 11 seed NC State is looking for its ninth consecutive victory after reaching the Elite Eight for the first time since 1986. The once underachieving Wolfpack (25-14) are now a team on a mission as they enter the showdown with the fourth-seeded Blue Devils (27-8) in Dallas, with the winner of the South Region title contest earning a spot in the Final Four. These two met twice 10 days apart in March on the 4th and 14th with each winning on the others floor, the last of which was a Wolfpack win in Durham. This time around...take DUKE!

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!

Illinois vs Connecticut 6:05 ET

Fighting Illini (+) over Huskies- Top-seeded UConn has put together a dominant NCAA Tournament run as the Huskies (34-3) have won their first three games of the tourney by an average of 28.7 points. The Fighting Illini may have the best player in the tourney in Terrence Shannon Jr., who poured in a game-high 29 points on 10-of-19 shooting in the 72-69 victory over Iowa State. Shannon has now scored at least 25 points in seven straight games dating back to the regular-season finale. Shannon leads the Fighting Illini at 23.5 points per game. Domask is second at 15.8 and Hawkins rounds out the top three at 12.3. The Huskies have been a bit more balanced, with five players averaging at least 10.9 points. UConn is looking to reach its seventh Final Four in program history as it continues its title defense. Illinois will attempt to wrap up the East Region to punch its sixth ticket to the Final Four, and the Fighting Illini's first since 2005. The Illini have enough talent to give the Huskies their first real test...take ILLINOIS!

Boston at New Orleans 5:00 ET

Pelicans (+) over Celtics- The Boston Celtics have lost consecutive games for just the third time all season. The Celtics (57-16) still have the NBA's best record and had won nine games in a row before losing twice in three nights to the Hawks in Atlanta. They lost a 30-point lead in a 120-118 loss Monday and dropped a 123-122 decision Thursday when Dejounte Murray made a basket in the final second of overtime. Boston already has clinched the top seed in the Eastern Conference so the rest of the regular season is essentially preparation for the playoffs. New Orleans (45-28) is 1-1 to start a six-game homestand that began with a 119-112 loss to Oklahoma City. The Celtics won the first meeting with the Pelicans, 118-112, on Jan. 29 in Boston. The Pelicans even the series here. Take NEW ORLEANS!

Creighton vs Tennessee  10:10 ET

Blue Jays (+) over Volunteers- Neither Tennessee or Creighton who have a combined 51 NCAA Tournament appearances have yet to make their first trip to the Final Four and a pair of victories would end that drought. Tennessee (26-8), the No. 2 seed, has one Elite Eight appearance in 2010. The Volunteers reached the Sweet 16 last season, then got upset by Florida Atlantic 62-55. No. 3 seed Creighton (25-9) had a tough time getting to Detroit after a 77-60 win over No. 14 seed Akron in the first round. The Bluejays were taken to double overtime by No. 11 seed Oregon before pulling out an 86-73 win. The Bluejays came agonizingly close to reaching the Final Four last spring, falling in the Elite Eight to San Diego State, 57-56. Creighton's three top scorers Baylor Scheierman, Alexander and Ryan Kalkbrenner also were their top three offensive threats last season. They'll take one more crack at ending the school's Final Four drought. They do it here...take CREIGHTON!

Duke and Houston 9:40 ET

Blue Devils (+) over Cougars- Houston boasts the nation's top defensive unit and the fourth-seeded Blue Devils (26-8) face top-seeded Houston (32-4) in the Sweet 16 on Friday night in the South Region in Dallas. Houston has reached the Sweet 16 for the fifth straight NCAA Tournament but the Cougars were dispatched 89-75 by Miami in last year's Sweet 16. Houston almost was ousted Sunday before surviving 100-95 in overtime against ninth-seeded Texas A&M. The Cougars, who lead the nation in scoring defense (57.7 points per game) and field-goal- percentage defense (37.8). Houston is tied for 14th in 3-point-shooting defense at 30 percent. But, the Blue devils are patient and discipline enough to match the Cougars. Take DUKE

Phoenix at Oklahoma City 8:00 ET

Suns (-) over Thunder- The Suns (43-30) enter Friday's action a half-game behind Dallas for the No. 6 spot in the Western Conference. Phoenix, which ranks fourth in the league shooting 49.6 percent from the floor, has won four of its past five, including a 104-97 victory at Denver on Wednesday. Kevin Durant had 30 points and 13 rebounds in the win. Over his past three games, Durant is shooting 67.9 percent from the floor. The Thunder (50-22), who are second in the league in field-goal percentage (49.9), might be missing one of their key players versus the Suns. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missed just his second game of the season in Wednesday's overtime loss to the Rockets. Oklahoma City is tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves for second in the West, a half-game behind the Denver Nuggets for the top spot. They fall short here. Take PHOENIX!

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!

Gonzaga vs Purdue 7:40 ET

Boilermakers (-) over Bulldogs- The Boilermakers and Bulldogs have faced each other during the regular season for two consecutive seasons. The stakes will be much higher in the Midwest Region semifinals. The top-seeded Boilermakers (31-4) have cruised through the first two rounds of the tournament, thrashing No. 16 seed Grambling 78-50 and No. 8 seed Utah State 106-67 in Indianapolis.In their first meeting this season, Purdue prevailed 73-63 in the quarterfinals of the Maui Invitational quarterfinals in November.  Gonzaga (27-7) entered the tournament with less fanfare than usual as a No. 5 seed. The Bulldogs surprisingly had little trouble reaching the Sweet 16 after disposing of No. 12 McNeese 86-65 and No. 4 Kansas 89-68 during their first two games at Salt Lake City. the Bulldogs will have to deal with the nation's most dominant big man and his improved supporting cast. Take PURDUE!

LA Lakers at Indiana 7:10 ET

Pacers (+) over Lakers- The Lakers (41-32) earned a 150-145 victory over the visiting Pacers on Sunday behind 36 points and 16 rebounds from Anthony Davis. Four Lakers starters scored at least 25 points, with LeBron James contributing 26 points and 10 assists. The Pacers (41-33) had eight players score in double figures, led by Pascal Siakam, who had 36 points with 12 rebounds. The Lakers enter Friday's game on a season-best five-game winning streak, following up the victory over the Pacers with wins at Milwaukee and Memphis to open a six-game road trip. The Pacers are in sixth place in the Eastern Conference and in possession of the last automatic playoff berth, with the seventh-place Miami Heat one game back. Indiana is coming off a 125-99 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday and bounce back here. Take INDIANA!

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!

LA Lakers at Memphis 8:00 ET

Grizzlies (+) over Lakers- Los Angeles was able to win as a Megabucks release Tuesday without LeBron James and tonight they face one of the NBA dregs at Memphis. Coming off the overtime victory at Milwaukee the Lakers are looking to avenge their early January home loss to the Grizzlies. The Griz return home after a 1-3 road trip while LA has won four in-a-row. But, the Lakers are still riding high off of their win over the Bucks last night and they fall short here. Take MEMPHIS!  

Houston at Oklahoma City 8:00 ET

Thunder (-) over Rockets- Houston (36-35) comes into the game on a nine-game winning streak, its longest since a nine-game run from Feb. 23, 2019 to March 13, 2019. The Rockets haven't had a longer streak since winning 11 consecutive games late in the 2017-18 season and yet they are heavy underdogs. The Oklahoma City Thunder are headed for the playoffs, and they are fighting for one of the top spots in the Western Conference. Oklahoma City (50-21) has won 15 of its past 19 games. The Thunder enter Wednesday's action a half-game behind the Denver Nuggets (51-21) for the top spot in the Western Conference. This is the last of four meetings between the teams this season. The Thunder won the past two after the Rockets won the first matchup. Take OKLAHOMA CITY!

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!

Dallas at Utah 9:00 ET

Jazz (+) over Mavericks- The records of these two clubs is a virtual mirror as Utah has 29 wins and that is the same number losses posted by Dallas. The Mavericks have won seven of the past nine meetings while going 5-4 ATS including a 113-97  victory four days ago as a 14-point favorite. In that game the Mavericks has 18 dunks which was an NBA high for the season. The Jazz won the last meeting at home on New Year’s Day and look to play better defense as hosts. Take UTAH!

Yale vs San Diego State 9:40 ET

Bulldogs (+) over Aztecs- The Yale Bulldogs can thank the officials for their upset of Auburn in Friday night's March Madness odds. By calling so many fouls, they set up Yale for success. Yale head coach James Jones recognizes his team is facing a talent gap in the NCAA Tournament, and he has repeatedly dragged out the games in order to lessen its impact. The Aztecs boast a Top 10 unit in the country, one built on forcing a lot of 3-pointers but contesting every look. Opponents took threes with 40.4% of their shots against the Aztecs this season, making just 30.6% of them. The Aztecs have boasted the 14th-best defense in the nation, per barttorvik.com. Yale has been a multi-score underdog only three times this season — and an underdog just seven out of 28 times. In those three games, the Bulldogs have gone 2-1 against the spread, including Friday’s outright win. Take YALE!

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!

Clemson vs Baylor 6:10 ET

Tigers (+) over Bears- *Sixth-seeded Clemson got a game-high 21 points from Chase Hunter on Friday and led by as many as 23 points in the second half of a 77-56 rout of the 11th-seeded Lobos. First-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference pick PJ Hall scored 12 of his 14 points in the first half as the Tigers (22-11) advanced to a second-round matchup Sunday against third-seeded Baylor, which brushed off No. 14 Colgate 92-67. Despite battling foul trouble, Hall displayed the inside-outside game that made him one of the toughest covers in the ACC. He has it again. Take CLEMSON!

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!

Oregon vs Creighton 9:30 ET

Blue Jays (-) over Ducks- Oregon coach Dana Altman hails from Nebraska and spent 16 seasons leading Creighton, racking up a 327-176 record with seven NCAA Tournament appearances. He did not want the NCAA Tournament selection committee to pair Oregon and Creighton in the bracket, but that's exactly what happened and one reason is that he is aware of how tough the Bluejays can be. After the 11th-seeded Ducks (24-11) took down South Carolina 87-73 in the first round and they will face the third-seeded Bluejays (24-9) in Midwest Region. Coach Greg McDermott has taken the Bluejays to new heights and when they defeated Akron 77-60 on Thursday, it was McDermott's 10th NCAA Tournament win. There will be a  showdown between 6-foot-11 Oregon center N'Faly Dante and 7-foot-1 Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner. Bluejays are mean and nasty and will ground the Ducks. Take CREIGHTON!   

Phoenix at San Antonio 8:00 ET

Suns (-) over Spurs- Prior to this season Phoenix had defeated the Spurs eight straight times and then Victor Wembanbanya made the scene and San Antonio defeated the Suns twice in back-to-back meetings in the season’s early October games. I believe although the ‘Big Fella’ has improved on a great season year scoring 18 in the first 115-114 win and the he scored 38 points two days later in a 132-121 blocking out the Suns. The Spurs went on to lose the next 17 games and 23 of their next 24 after their dual wins over the Phoenix. Once again the Suns get  scorched! Take SAN ANTONIO

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!  

Virginia Tech at Ohio State 7:00 ET

Holies (+) over Buckeyes- When No. 3 seed Virginia Tech plays at No. 2 Ohio State in the second round of the NIT on Saturday, each team feels its ability to overcome adversity has helped reach this point. Virginia Tech coach Mike Young noted the 74-58 first-round win over Richmond got off to a rocky start when the Hokies (19-14) made one of their first 16 shots and trailed 11-2 before settling down. The Buckeyes (21-13) had a similar experience in Tuesday's 88-83 win over Cornell in the first round. Ohio State trailed 19-9 against the upset-minded Big Red and did not put the game away until the final minute. OSU coach Chris Holtmann lost his job Feb. 14 and the Buckeyes are 7-2 under Jake Diebler since the firing. Ohio State removed the interim tag and named Diebler head coach last Sunday and it is time they fell short. Take VIRGINIA TECH!   

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!     

Gonzaga vs Kansas 3:15 ET

Jayhawks (+) over Bulldogs- Gonzaga (26-7) is attempting to reach its ninth consecutive Sweet 16. The Mark Few-coached Bulldogs have won 10 of their past 11 games after routing McNeese 86-65 in Thursday's first-round game. Gonzaga (26-7) is attempting to reach its ninth consecutive Sweet 16. The Mark Few-coached Bulldogs have won 10 of their past 11 games after routing McNeese 86-65 in Thursday's first-round game. Kansas (23-10) has been eliminated in the second round in two of the past three years and won the NCAA title (2022) in the other. The Jayhawks struggled down the stretch of the season and lost four of five games prior to the start of March Madness. The Jayhawks lost their All-American forward Kevin McCullar Jr. but will rally here. Take KANSAS!   

Grand Canyon vs St. Mary’s 10:00T

Antelopes (+) over Gaels- Grand Canyon the 12th-seed (29-4) seek their first NCAA Tournament victory on Friday night when they face fifth-seeded Saint Mary's (26-7) in a West Region first-round game at Spokane, Wash. Saint Mary's has won 23 of its past 25 games and ranks second nationally in scoring defense at an average of 58.7 points per game. Veteran coach Randy Bennett is an expert at milking possessions and getting the slower pace he prefers for his team. The Gaels are in the NCAA Tournament for a third straight season for the first time in school history Saint Mary's lost in the second round both times, to UCLA in 2022 and to eventual national champion UConn last season. Grand Canyon lost NCAA Tournament games to Iowa in 2021 and Gonzaga last season. Not this time. Take GRAND CANYON!

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!  

New Orleans at Miami 7:30 ET

Pelicans (+) over Heat-  With seven wins in its last eight, New Orleans is in hot pursuit of the Los Angeles Clippers for the 4-spot in the West and home court in the Round 1 but was crushed 121-106 by the Magic on Thursday night. The Heat have won three of four and are just a half-game back of the Indiana Pacers for the sixth spot in the East, which carries a guaranteed playoff berth. Miami is a 3-point favorite over the visiting Pels in the NBA odds. Miami has injury woes with four key rotation players hurting. Tyler Herro (foot), Duncan Robinson (back), and Kevin Love (heel) have all been ruled out today while Bam Adebayo (back) is listed as questionable. This is the second and final meeting between these teams this year, with Miami taking the first 106-95 in February. That’s seven straight wins with six covers for Miami in this head-to-head. It turns here. Take NEW ORLEANS!

Chip’s FREE NCAA Best Bet Winner

Texas A&M vs Nebraska 6:50 ET

Cornhuskers over Aggies- Texas A&M on Sunday celebrated like a mid-major when they found out they earned the No. 9 seed in the South Region opposite No. 8 Nebraska for a Friday first-round game in Memphis. They were ranked 15th when the season started, reached No. 12 just before Thanksgiving and then fell out of the polls for the rest of the campaign after a Dec. 10 home loss to Memphis. The Aggies (20-14) are playing with their best player playing at the top of his game. Guard Wade Taylor IV is coming off consecutive 30-point efforts that included six. The Cornhuskers (23-10) are making their first NCAA appearance in 10 years and are chasing history. They have never won an NCAA tourney game (0-7). Still, it is NEBRASKA!  

New Mexico vs Clemson 3:10 ET

Lobos (+) over Tigers- When 11th-seeded New Mexico challenges sixth-seeded Clemson in a first round West Region contest, it will put one of the nation's fastest-playing teams against one of its slower-paced ones. Clemson (21-11) built its NCAA resume off a 9-0 start that included five wins over tournament teams, including the likes of Alabama, South Carolina and TCU. The Tigers also bagged a rare win at North Carolina but only went 11-9 in a relatively mediocre Atlantic Coast Conference and were routed in the first round of the ACC tourney by Boston College. New Mexico (26-9), it more than earned its NCAA bid by winning four games in four days to capture the Mountain West tournament. That included a 68-61 win in the championship game over San Diego State on Saturday. Lobos coach Richard Pitino was less concerned about that and more frazzled about the fact that his dad, Rick Pitino, and his St. John's team landed on the wrong side of the bubble in a decision that surprised many experts. He will have his squad ready. Take NEW MEXICO!

New York at Denver 9:00 ET

Nuggets (-) over Knicks- The Knicks will aim to complete a perfect four-game western road trip when they visit the Nuggets on Thursday in a meeting of surging contenders. The last time the New York Knicks played a full game with something resembling their optimal rotation, they handed the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets a 38-point loss. The Knicks have been off since Monday, when they extended their winning streak to four games with a 119-112 victory over the Golden State Warriors. The winning streak has been especially timely for the Knicks (41-27), who are a half-game ahead of the Orlando Magic (41-28) in the race for fourth place in the Eastern Conference. The Nuggets (48-21), with their win on Tuesday, improved to 12-2 in their last 14 games while breaking a tie for second place in the Western Conference with the Timberwolves (47-22). Take DENVER!

McNeese State vs Gonzaga 7:25 ET

Cowboys (+) over Bulldogs- McNeese State (30-3) is the 12th seed in the Midwest Region in their first appearance in 22 years as they prepare to face the fifth-seeded Bulldogss (25-7), who are making their 25th consecutive appearance, in the opening round Thursday in Salt Lake City. Gonzaga's appearance streak, which is third-longest in the country, appeared in jeopardy earlier in the season after the Zags fell out of the AP Top 25 for the first time in eight years. The Zags earned this bid by winning 15 of 16 games heading into the West Coast Conference tournament, where they defeated San Francisco before losing to top-seeded Saint Mary's. The Cowboys aren't used to the NCAA Tournament by any means, but first-year head coach Will Wade is. He took VCU to the NCAA Tournament in both of his seasons there and guided LSU to three NCAA Tournaments in his five seasons. The Southland Conference regular-season and tournament champions have won 11 games in a row and lead the country in scoring margin (18.9). Take MCNEESE STATE

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!

Morehead State vs Illinois

Eagles (+) over Fighting Illini- Illinois' inability to advance past the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament in its past three appearances isn't lost on players as they pivot their focus away from the regular season and a vaunted conference tourney. Morehead State enters on a six-game winning streak after losing three straight in mid-February. The Eagles have been on a continued run of success. Illinois cruised in the only previous meeting between the schools, earning a 110-75 home victory against Morehead State on Dec. 10, 1993. Look for over-rated and conference winning Illini to enter too cocky to cover, Take MOREHEAD 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!

Sacramento at Toronto 7:30 ET

Kings (-) over Raptors- I had to do a double take and then had to research the lines between these two in previous meetings. I saw the Kings open minus-9 1/2 for this one and the last five times these two met in Toronto the Raptors were anywhere from a minus 4.5 to -6.5 in the last three and were eight and nine point favorites. The Kings wee -4.5 at home on Jan. 5, the books see a blowout. Take SACRAMENTO!

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!

Denver at Minnesota 9:00 ET

Nuggets (-) over Timberwolves- The Nuggets are off of buzzer beating a loss at Dallas as Kyrie Irving once again amazes on lookers with a left-handed runner. Minnesota posted a win and cover at Utah coming back from an early 16-point deficit and of course this was done with out Karl-Anthony Townes. Anthony Edwards picked up the slack scoring 32 points with eight assists despite making just 2-of-8 from downtown. This is just the second meeting of the season between these two and Minnesota took the first encounter 111-89 as a 2-point dog back on November.1. The Wolves have covered the last three meetings and their past three games as well but the Nuggets had won five of the previous six meetings. This time around the NBA Champions are a strong road favorite and even the series. Take DENVER!

South Florida at Central Florida 9:00 ET

Panthers (-) over Bulls- The Bulls (24-7) will travel to play their biggest rival, fourth-seeded UCF (17-15), in a first-round NIT game on Tuesday night in Orlando, Fla. South Florida, coming off the first regular-season conference title in the program's 53-year history, is ready for its next challenge. The Bulls won the College Basketball Invitational in 2019, but this is their first time making the NCAA Tournament or NIT since 2012. The Bulls have never won an NIT game away from home, going 4-8 overall. UCF is in the NIT for the second straight year. While the Knights have won seven fewer games than the Bulls. UCF, in its first season in the Big 12 Conference, defeated three teams that were in the Top 25 at the time: No. 3 Kansas, No. 23 Oklahoma and No. 23 Texas Tech. UCF made it to the second round of last season's NIT, beating Florida and losing to Oregon. UCF coach Johnny Dawkins has won the NIT twice. The Bulls beat the Knights twice in 2022-23 but this time the cream rises. Take CENTRAL FLORIDA!.

Kansas State vs Iowa 9:00 ET

Hawkeyes (-) over Wildcats- With thoughts of making the NCAA Tournament gone, Kansas State and Iowa return to the hard court Tuesday night for a first-round game in the NIT in Iowa City, Iowa. The Hawkeyes (18-14) had a chance to make the big dance. They played six games against teams that ended up with top-3 seeds in the NCAA Tournament: Creighton, Purdue (twice), Iowa State and Illinois (twice). Iowa went a combined 0-6 in those games. Iowa is 10-8 all-time in the NIT, including finishing as the runner-up in 2013 while the Wildcats, who are 6-8 in the NIT. With the Wildcats winning against ranked competition and the Hawkeyes going 0-6 one would think Kansas State should be the favorite but, the odds makers thinks differently and and I believe them. Take IOWA!

Dallas at San Antonio 8:00 ET

Spurs (+) over Mavericks- If everything goes according to ‘Hoyle’ the Mavericks should stumble here after their trilling buzzer beating win over Denver. This is the final of four meetings this season between the Lone Star State rivals, with the Mavericks having won the first three by an average of 18.3 points per game. Dallas (39-29) is in a virtual tie with Sacramento and Phoenix for the sixth spot in the Western Conference. The San Antonio Spurs (15-53) are the worst team in the West and clashes with the Mavericks after beating Brooklyn 122-115 on Sunday in overtime in Austin, Texas. Victor Wembanyama was again the catalyst for San Antonio, racking up 33 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists and seven blocked shots. The No. 1 overall pick is maturing day-by-day and the 7’4” 20 year-old is averaging 20.8 points, 10.4 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game in just 30 minutes. The improving Spurs have gone 9-4 ATS i their last 13 games overall and would like to give their cocky intrastate rivals a run for their money. Take SAN ANTONIO!

New Orleans at Brooklyn 7:30 ET

Pelicans (-) over Net- After winning just 15 of their 41 games away from home last season, the Pelicans open a four-game trip with a 21-13 road record. Of the top six teams in the West, only Minnesota's 23-13 mark is better. Since dropping three straight Jan. 26-29, New Orleans is 15-5 in its past 20 contests, with nine of those wins on the road. Zion Williamson, who has shed 20 pounds since December, added 26 and 10 rebounds and has scored at least 20 in five consecutive games and in 10 of his past 13. The Pelicans are starting to click and cruised to a 112-85 win in the first meeting on Jan. 2, holding the Nets to 34 points in the first half. The Nets (26-42) return home after a 1-5 trip that saw them fall 4 1/2 games behind the 10th-place Atlanta Hawks for the East's final play-in spot. Take BROOKLYN!

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!

Cleveland at Indiana 700 ET

Cavaliers (+) over Pacers- Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell is expected to sit out when the visiting Cavaliers (42-25) face the Indiana Pacers (38-30) on Monday. His knee bruise was clearly an issue on Saturday as his playing time was limited. Mitchell's knee bruise was clearly an issue on Saturday. The Cavs are 20-12 SU on the road a better record than the Pacers have at home. Tale CLEVELAND!

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!

Wisconsin vs Illinois 3:30 ET

Badgers (+) over Fighting Illini- One thing I can say about the Badgers is that they are a difficult club when playing a true road game where they are 3-9 SU and a game at a neutral site as they are now 4-0 on the year. Illinois has won seven straight in the series and has covered the number in the last eight meetings including a 91-83 win in Madison two weeks ago. Both clubs on three game win streaks with the Badgers on a five-game AST streak. Take WISCONSIN!

Miami at Detroit 3:00 ET

Pistons (+) over Heat- The Miami Heat used their defensive Friday in a much needed win and will seek back-to-back road wins over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday afternoon. The Heat used a 15-0 run in the third quarter to take control of Friday's matchup and snapped a four-game losing streak. The Pistons committed 18 turnovers, which the Heat turned into 33 points. That's the second-most points the Heat have scored off turnovers in a game this season. Pistons winner of two in-a-row knew the giveaways were too much to overcome. Motor Boys will clean -up thier act and get the money. Take DETROIT! 

Phoenix at Milwaukee 1:00 ET

Suns (+) over Bucks- Milwaukee, which is 2-3 since March 6, seeks consecutive wins for the first time since it won its sixth straight game on March 4. Forward Khris Middleton is set to return from a left ankle sprain as the Bucks try to get back on track. Milwaukee heads into Sunday's matinee and rematch of the 2021 NBA Finals ranked in the lower-third for scoring defense at 117.1 points allowed per game. Phoenix (39-28) comes in scoring 116.8 points per game while the Suns' defense allows 114.2 points. Phoenix heads into Milwaukee seventh in the Western Conference and looking to move up one spot to avoid the play-in round for the postseason. Bradley Beal did not downplay the significance that a win over the East's second-place Bucks would carry. Take PHOENIX!

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!

Duquesne vs VCU 1:00 ET

Dukes (+) over Rams- It’s been a long time since Willie Summerset burned the twines for the Dukes but busting out with 23 wins brings back days of Duquesne glory. Sunday, the upstart Dukes are up against one of the conference bullies in VCU. The Dukes man-up against the Rams and have won the last three meetings and have covered the number in the last four meetings. On a current seven game win streak Dukes not to he butted by Rams. Take DUQUESNE!

 Minnesota at Utah 9:30 ET

Jazz (+) over Timberwolves- Utah has had a surprisingly better season than more expected as they were hit hard with off season defections. They are 20-13 straight up at home and an even better 22-11 ATS as hosts. Minnesota has won the last three meetings SU with the Jazz getting a half-point cover as a 10.5 under dog in Minny last November. This is fifth straight away contest for the road weary wolves. Take UTAH!

Golden State at LA Lakers 8:30 ET

Warriors (+) over Lakers- The Warriors (34-31) have dropped three of their last four games while sitting in 10th place and holding the conference's final play-in tournament spot. The Lakers have split their last four games and sit one spot and one full game ahead of the Warriors in the conference standings. Golden State enters the game after Stephen Curry missed his third consecutive game with a right ankle sprain. Draymond Green also was out with back soreness. Golden State has won just once in six games without Curry on the court this season, with that victory taking place Monday on the road against the San Antonio Spurs. The Lakers (36-31) enter off a 120-107 loss on the road to the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday. Though the Lakers went 0-4 against the Kings this season, they are 1-1 against the Warriors. Curry’s back...Take GOLDEN STATE!

Iowa State vs Houston 6:00 ET

Cyclones (+) over Cougars- Top-ranked Houston and seventh-ranked Iowa State, the two best defensive teams in the Big 12 Conference and two of the top five in Division I, will meet Saturday evening in the conference's tournament final. Houston, which has won 11 straight games while Iowa State is the only school to have played in the tournament title game and never lost. The Cyclones are 5-0 all-time in that situation. They do it again. Take IOWA STATE!

 .

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!

.

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!

Wisconsin vs Purdue 1:00 ET

Badgers (+) over Boilermakers- Purdue (29-3) has won 30 games just once previously, hitting the mark with a 30-7 campaign in the 2017-18 season. That version of Boilermakers had their season end in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. No. 3 Purdue is one victory away from matching the school's single-season record of 30. Purdue had a chance to reach 30 last season, but that bid ended when it became the second No. 1 seed to lose to a No. 16 seed as Fairleigh Dickinson produced a 63-58 upset. The Badgers lost 78-70 at Purdue on Sunday when Edey had 25 points and 14 rebounds for the Boilermakers. Wisconsin fell 75-69 at home on Feb. 4 in the first matchup. The Badgers get the money again. Take WISCONSIN!

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!

Texas A&M vs Kentucky 7:00 ET

Aggies (+) over Wildcats- These teams faced off against each other once this season with the Texas A&M Aggies winning 97-92 in College Station. They totaled a whopping 178 points in regulation in that contest which is wild when you consider that neither shot the ball well. The Aggies prefer a methodical pace but aren't able to slow down opponents which has resulted in some high-possession games in the run-and-gun SEC. The Aggies aren't bad on defense but while they clog up the paint, they allow a ton of shots from deep, sitting 352nd in the country in opponent 3-point rate (44.8%). With their blistering tempo and sizzling shooting, the Wildcats can hang points on any team in the country. The Aggies don't shoot particularly well but take care of the ball (28th in turnover rate) and lead the country in offensive rebounding rate (41.7%). Take TEXAS A&M!  

Texas Tech vs Houston 7:00 ET

Red Raiders (+) over Cougars- No. 1 Houston, which remains the odds on favorite to win overall, opened at -8.5 against fourth seeded Texas Tech. Houston finished the Big 12 regular season with both the best conference record and overall record. All three of their losses came on the road to Kansas, TCU, and Iowa State. The No. 1 seed Cougars entered the tourney as the odds-on favorites, following a 15-3 conference record in their inaugural Big 12 season and they are big favorites tonight. A little too big in a game this size. Take TEXAS TECH!  

New Mexico vs Boise State 11:30 ET

Lobos (+) over Broncos- Boise State has dominated this series winning nine of the past 10 while going 8-1-1 ATS including an 89-79 win at home two weeks ago. Max Price the coach’s son scored a career high 35 points an increase of his previous high of 30 also against the Lobos. New Mexico who won their first 11 home games and are a much improved club and will make the proper adjustments here. The line is very shallow and says the Lobos can play ride the Broncos tonight. Take NEW MEXICO!

New York at Portland 10:00 ET

Trailblazers (+ )over Knicks- The Knicks are doing a great of hanging on with the guts of the team sidelined and their best player hobbled but still preforming at a high level. Jaylon Brunson is the difference maker as New York now is starting three player that were not with the club at season’s tip-off Tibbs has done a fabulous job as they take pride in their defense. But, defense wanes on the road and the Blazers are off an outright win over Atlanta. Take PORTLAND!

Philadelphia at Milwaukee 8:00 ET

Bucks (-) over 76ers- The Bucks just finished a 1-3 west coast road trip and could wait to depart Northern California after their 129-94 beating by Sacramento. The Bucks head was never in the game as coach Rivers mentioned that the players we're talking about what time their plane leaves to return home. Tonight against a depleted 76ers squad that just can not compete without Embiid. Beware of Greeks...take MILWAUKEE!