Rickenbach NBA *8* Denver Nuggets +6.5 vs Utah @ 5:05 ET - This is another situation where, once again, some of these teams that need to win are simply being overvalued. The Jazz are trying to close in on locking down a playoff spot but they continue to struggle. Utah has lost each of its last two games and overall, has gone only 4-4 in its last 8. The Jazz are facing a division rival who will be home for the playoffs. As a result, the Nuggets will of course want to play the role of spoiler against the Jazz. Denver is off of a win versus San Antonio and even though the Spurs sat most of their key players the Nuggets certainly can use that victory as a confidence boost heading into what is their home finale this afternoon. Denver will be able to play both "loose" and confident in this game while the Jazz will be "tight" and feeling the pressure of needing a win to boost their post-season chances. Denver will be playing their fourth straight home game and the Nuggets are 11-4 ATS this season (and 22-11 ATS the past three seasons) when they enter a game having played each of their three prior games at home. The Nuggets will be gunning for the upset here and if the Jazz are able to gut out a win here I don't expect this game to be decided by just a possession or two. In other words, excellent line value here with the big points. *8* DENVER

Rickenbach NBA *8* Washington Wizards +5 vs Charlotte @ 12:05 ET - The Hornets are fighting for playoff positioning while the Wizards are simply closing out a disappointing finish to the season. That means this one should be easy for Charlotte, right? Actually it should prove to be anything but that as Washington will put up a fight on their home floor against a hated division rival. The Wizards look to play the role of spoiler here and hurt the Hornets chances of getting a home field edge in the first round of the playoffs. Motivation is key in late season NBA match-ups and the home dog Wizards are being given a lot of value in this one as a home dog because Charlotte is the team with the need to win. The Hornets lost for most of their backers Friday as they won by 14 and were favored by 14.5 or more until just a couple hours before game time when they dropped to 14. This ATS loss drops Charlotte to 5-9 ATS in their last 14 games and the Hornets are again overvalued here. Even with John Wall injured, the Wizards are going to put up a tremendous fight at home in this one. Washington is 6-2 ATS as a home dog of 3.5 to 6 points in the last three seasons combined. The Wizards are also 21-7 ATS in April games the last three years combined. *8* WASHINGTON

Rickenbach NBA *10* Top Play Boston Celtics +5.5 @ Atlanta @ 7:35 ET - Huge game in terms of home court implications in the post-season. Sure this is a back to back spot for Boston but their win last night was well in hand entering the fourth quarter and so no one had to play excessive minutes for the Celtics. Boston is now in good shape for the 2nd game of the back to back and they are 38-17 ATS in this situation the past three seasons combined. The Celtics also are 11-4 SU and ATS against Southeast Division opponents this season. The Hawks come into this game on a 1-4 ATS run. The Celtics have won four straight games and eight of their last ten. The Hawks have been playing solid defense but the Atlanta offense could be a difference maker tonight. The Hawks have been held to 42.6% from the field in their last 7 games. The Celtics have been at the other end of the spectrum with 47.2% shooting during their current 4 game winning streak. Boston is loaded with confidence right now and the Hawks will be in a fierce battle just to win this game...let alone cover the significant points! Don't be surprised if turnovers play a key role tonight as well. The Celtics have forced 74 turnovers in their last 4 games while the Hawks have forced just 58. Also Atlanta has turned the ball over 62 times in their last 4 games while Boston has turned it over only 49 times. Celtics just might pull off the upset here but certainly they should be "in this one" all the way which means the points should prove to be more than enough here. *10* BOSTON

Rickenbach NHL *8* Ottawa Senators Puck Line +1.5 goals +153 @ Boston @ 12:35 ET - The Senators certainly aren't going to "lay down" in this one. They have a chance to play the role of spoiler and it's against a division rival. Without a doubt, the motivation is there. Adding value to this play is the over-reaction by the marketplace because of Boston being in a "must win" situation due to playoff implications for the Bruins. This resulted in a very high money line on this game which, as a result, is giving Senators backers a very reasonable price on the puck line at +1.5 goals. The juice factor is very favorable here for Ottawa. The Sens have played 6 games in the past two weeks and only one of those resulted in a loss by more than a single goal. The Bruins are off of a big win versus Detroit Thursday but that was just the 3rd win for Boston in their last 11 games! Also, in Boston's last 19 games they have 11 losses and 8 wins with half of those wins coming by just a single goal. Tremendous value with the +1.5 here as the Senators are absolutely going to give a huge effort in hopes of ruining the Bruins post-season plans. *8* OTTAWA +1.5 goals

Rickenbach NHL *8* Philadelphia Flyers -1.5 +120 vs Toronto @ 7:05 ET - Flyers are off of back to back losses for the first time in nearly two months. They are still battling to secure a playoff spot. Even though this is a back to back situation for Philly they do have an off day coming up Friday. Look for the Flyers to make the most of this golden opportunity as they face one of the worst teams in the league tonight. The Maple Leafs have been playing a bunch of young guys and building for next season. The Flyers of course have bigger plans still on tap for this season. The Maple Leafs have lost four straight games and six of their last seven. The Flyers are 8-2 this season in home games with a posted total of 5.5 goals. Philadelphia has also won 14 of 21 this season when they are off of a game where they were held to one goal or less. Of course this Flyers money line is very high for this game (as it should be) but we can get plus money by taking the puck line in this game. Yes that means the Flyers have to win the game by more than a single goal BUT with the fact that the Flyers won't stop pushing and skating hard until this one is in the books, the Flyers should absolutely knock off the over-matched Maple Leafs by a multiple goal margin. *8* Philadelphia Flyers PUCK LINE -1.5 goals

Rickenbach NBA *10* Top Play Houston Rockets -2 @ Dallas @ 9:35 ET - Big battle in the Western Conference playoff race and the Rockets are ready. Houston has had two days of rest leading into this game and they are 8-3 ATS this season (and 27-10 ATS the past 3 seasons) when they are playing with two days of rest between games. The Rockets are off of a win against the Thunder and that was the third playoff team they've defeated in their last five games. The other two wins were against Cleveland and Toronto, two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. The significance in this is that the Rockets have been able to get the job done against some top tier teams lately. For the Mavs this is has NOT been the case. Even though the Mavericks deserve some kudos for putting together a 4-game wining streak, the victories have come against three non-playoff teams and one slumping playoff team (Detroit). Prior to this 4-game run Dallas had lost 10 of their last 13 games. This included losing 7 of the 9 games against playoff-bound teams. That is precisely a key factor as to why the Rockets are favored in this match-up even though they are on the road at Dallas. The Mavs have consistently struggled in big games against playoff-level competitors. Houston has won 7 of the last 9 meetings between these clubs and that includes knocking Dallas out of the playoffs last April. Simply put, the Rockets have the Mavs number. *10* HOUSTON

Rickenbach NBA *8* Philadelphia 76'ers -2.5 vs New Orleans @ 7:05 ET - Philadelphia is favored with good reason today. How can a 9-68 team be favored over anybody you might ask...the answer is that the Pelicans are in a world of hurt right and the Sixers being a small home favorite in this spot is absolutely justified. New Orleans is basically missing nearly every key player they have and half the roster is done for the season. Tonight they visit Philly where the entire city is still abuzz with the delight of Villanova's fantastic national championship win last night. The Sixers are very hungry to get their 10th win of the season and avoid matching the dubious mark of having only 9 wins in a season set by a 76'ers team many years ago. To summarize, tonight's game features a very motivated and much healthier team hosting an unmotivated team that has also been crippled by injuries. New Orleans did just beat Brooklyn Sunday but that game featured unusual shooting percentages as the Pelicans hit 55% from the field while the Nets hit just 39%. That is a statistical anomaly that won't be repeated here. Look for New Orleans to drop to 5-13 ATS this season when they are off of an upset win as an underdog while the 76'ers improve to 21-8 ATS in non-conference games on the season. The Sixers are also 6-1 ATS the past three seasons (including 3-0 ATS this season) when they are a home favorite of 3 points or less. *8* PHILADELPHIA

Rickenbach NCAA *10* Top Play Villanova Wildcats +3 vs North Carolina @ 9:15 ET - The mighty Tar Heels will sway the masses on this one but the upstart Wildcats seem to be on a magical ride that's not going to stop. One of the biggest keys here is that this is a cavernous arena which is a different "setting" in comparison with a typical basketball arena. It certainly didn't bother the Wildcats on Saturday as they were on fire with their shooting from all over the floor including from three point land. The shooting beyond the arc here could be a key in this match-up because 3-point shooting has been a weakness for UNC this season and North Carolina did make only 23.5% of their threes in the win over Syracuse. That marked the 5th time in their last 6 games that the Tar Heels were held to 33.3% or worse from beyond the arc. On the season UNC only made 32% of their threes. Not only did Villanova better that by hitting 36% of threes on the season, the Nova shooters have been on fire for weeks now! The Cats hit 61% from three point land in the complete annihilation of the Sooners on Saturday. That marked the 8th time in their last 11 games that the Wildcats have shot at least 41% from three point land. In 6 of their last 10 games the Cats have shot at least 45% from downtown! Indeed the Wildcats are on fire and do have the look and feel of a team of destiny this season. Similar to the '85 Villanova team that surprised the nation with their run to the national title led by head coach Rollie Massimino. The play on Villanova for the title today certainly has some solid ATS angles to support it. The Wildcats the past three seasons combined are 31-12 ATS in non-conference games and 53-25 ATS in their games against teams with a winning record. Also, when off of a game where they held their opponent to 60 points or less, the Cats are 40-6 SU and 30-14 ATS. The Tar Heels are indeed facing a strong defense today as the Wildcats continue to play fantastic on that end of the floor as well. Look for North Carolina to drop to 1-5 ATS this season in their games against teams allowing 64 points or less on the season as Nova should take the Championship tonight. Grab the points "just in case" it is a Wildcats loss by a point or two. *10* VILLANOVA

Rickenbach NBA *10* Top Play Minnesota Timberwolves +3 vs Dallas @ 3:35 ET - Ever since the All Star Break the Timberwolves have managed to avoid the long losing streaks that made the first half of the season so ugly for Minnesota. Since early February, when the Wolves enter a game on a losing streak of two games, they've won the next game 3 of 4 times. Minny comes into this game off of back to back losses and I look for a big response as the T-wolves have a 3-game road trip on deck after this game. Minnesota would love to play the role of spoiler here as Dallas has had the Timberwolves number for many years and the Mavericks are now battling for their playoff lives. The T-wolves will undoubtedly "leave it all on the floor" tonight as they go for the upset win before heading west for a tough 3-game road trip. Minnesota is a young team but full of energy and will be ready to push the tempo against a Dallas team that is in a lookahead spot here as they have a huge game with Houston on deck. The Rockets are one of the teams that the Mavericks are battling with for a playoff spot so it's nearly impossible for the Mavs to avoid looking ahead to that big match-up in Big D. Dallas is off of an upset win at Detroit and the Mavericks are 5-8 ATS this season (and 13-22 ATS the last 3 seasons) when off of an upset win as an underdog. With injuries continuing to be a nagging issue for the Mavs, the healthier team here has a great shot at the upset. For the 4th time in the last 5 occurrences, the Timberwolves respond to back to back losses by notching a victory. *10* MINNESOTA

Rickenbach NBA *8* Houston Rockets +3 vs Oklahoma City @ 3:35 ET - The Thunder have won 9 of their last 10 games and, from that standpoint, this certainly is a contrarian play. However, the key here is that Oklahoma City really is now beginning to think about health and resting players prior to the post-season. They've already got themselves pretty well set in terms of playoff seeding and now it's just a matter of health and staying in a good rhythm heading into the playoffs. As for the Rockets, there certainly can be no let up here. Houston is battling for their playoff lives and needs to bounce back off of the home loss to Chicago. Prior to that defeat the Rockets had notched a big road win at Cleveland and, with this game being their only game in the first five days of April, I expect Houston to be fully focused here even though they have a date with the Mavs (key battle in playoff race) coming up on Wednesday. Houston is a fantastic 7-3 ATS this season (and 26-10 ATS the last 3 seasons) when they enter a game off of two days of rest. The Rockets are also a solid 18-11 ATS this season (and 56-31 ATS the last 3 seasons) when they are off of a non-conference race. Houston has covered 11 of their past 17 games against teams with a winning record while Oklahoma City has gone an ugly 11-22 ATS this season in games against teams with a losing record. The Thunder also are a poor 12-22 ATS in road games this season while the Rockets are a stellar 7-2 ATS (and SU!) the last 3 seasons when they are at home with a line ranging from pick'em to +3. *8* HOUSTON

Rickenbach NCAA *10* Top Play Syracuse Orange +9.5 vs North Carolina @ 8:45 ET - This game is being played in a football venue. This makes for a cavernous setting and this absolutely could work against the Tar Heels in this match-up. The Orange live and die with the success they have on defense with their 2-3 zone. The best way to beat Syracuse at the style of defense they play is with the three ball. Against the Orange, the 3-pointer (and hot outside shooting overall) is the "kryptonite" if you will. This is a double whammy for North Carolina in this match-up because, first off, UNC does NOT shoot well from three point land and, secondly, this venue is going to make it tough on teams to have success with outside shots. That means the Tar Heels are going to be forced to work inside and though that is a strength of North Carolina it is also the strength of the Syracuse defense. The Orange use their length and athleticism and positioning on defense to frustrate opponents when they try to come into the middle. I feel the venue is a big edge favoring Syracuse Saturday. The 12 NCAA Tourney games that have been played at the NRG Stadium in Houston have resulted in less than a 30% success rate from beyond the arc! The Tar Heels also were the worst three point shooting team in the ACC this season! The Orange are an incredible 10-0 ATS the past three seasons when playing with 5 or 6 days of rest between games. The Tar Heels are 9-10 ATS with those same parameters. Syracuse is 7-1 ATS in neutral court games this season. North Carolina is 4-8 ATS this season in games with a posted total in the 140 to 149.5 range this season. Look for the Orange defense to frustrate the Tar Heels offense in this one and that will make this a much closer game than what the spread is calling for. *10* SYRACUSE

Rickenbach NCAA *8* Villanova Wildcats -2 vs Oklahoma @ 6:05 ET - This game is being played in a football venue. This makes for a cavernous setting and this absolutely could work against the Sooners in this match-up. Oklahoma relies heavily on the 3 ball and the 12 NCAA Tourney games played at the NRG Stadium in Houston have resulted in less than a 30% success rate from beyond the arc. The Sooners get a high percentage of points from three pointers and they could struggle with the shooting background and unusual setting for this Final Four match-up. The Wildcats rely much less on the three pointer and also have revenge on their minds in this one. These teams met very early this season in a neutral court match-up and Villanova got embarrassed in the 23 point loss to the Sooners. That defeat was, by far, the worst loss the Wildcats have had this season. They're now playing their best basketball of the season and they catch an Oklahoma team that certainly is a stellar unit but that definitely has been a bit overvalued all season long. The Sooners are off of back to back covers but this was preceded by a 6-19 ATS run! Nova has gone 52-25 ATS the past three seasons combined in their games against teams with a winning record. Oklahoma has gone 10-18 ATS this season in their games against teams with a winning record. The Cats have the guard play necessary to do a solid job against Sooners star guard Buddy Hield and that will be the difference maker here. *8* VILLANOVA

Rickenbach College Hoops *10* Morehead State Eagles @ Nevada @ 9 ET - The Eagles rallied against the Wolf Pack Wednesday but still fell short. It was amazing they only lost by 9 points though because there was incredible statistical anomalies when you look at this game. Morehead State went 1 of 16 from three point land while Nevada went 6 of 10 from beyond the arc. Both of those stats are unusual and highly unlikely to come even close to being repeated here. Additionally, the Eagles took 69 shots from the field compared to just 44 shots from the field for the Wolf Pack. It's hard to lose a game by 9 points when you take 25 more shots than your opponent. That said, the line in this final game is right where it was in Game 2 of this series and I feel that is offering excellent line value for the underdog. The Eagles had won 11 of their last 12 games before dropping Game 2 of this series. Also, Morehead State has 18 steals so far in this series while Nevada has had just 7 steals. Despite the loss Wednesday, the Eagles are 9-3 ATS as an underdog this season. Also, as a road dog of 3.5 to 6 points, the Eagles are 6-2 ATS the past three seasons combined and 23-10 ATS long-term. Look for the Eagles to shoot much better tonight and I expect them to score the upset win but certainly will grab the generous points here. *10* MOREHEAD STATE

Rickenbach NBA *10* Top Play Brooklyn Nets +14 @ Cleveland @ 7:05 ET - Many will look to Cleveland here as they get LeBron James back after resting him against Houston and certainly the Cavaliers will be motivated after blowing a huge, late 20-point lead against the Rockets plus having lost at Brooklyn last week. However, the problems for the Cavs are many. James did have a big game against the Nets last week and yet Cleveland still lost. In other words, his return tonight may not mean all that much. Should the Cavaliers get the win tonight? Of course. But getting the cover is a whole other matter. The Cavs just aren't getting much lately out of their 2nd, 3rd, and 4th scoring options. Cleveland also hasn't responded all that well to the coaching change either. With all of that said, the Cavaliers are likely going to struggle to completely dominate a Nets team that is coming off of an ugly loss. Brooklyn had been playing very hard and had been playing ultra-competitive basketball before their embarrassing loss to the Magic Tuesday. The Nets had been on a 15-10 ATS run before back to back ATS losses to the Heat and Magic Monday and Tuesday. In the 24 games before the blowout defeat at Orlando, the Nets had lost just TWICE by more than the 14 point spread that is being offered tonight. The Nets, the loss to the Magic notwithstanding, just don't stop battling, and they should keep this game within a single digit margin as the Cavs struggles (currently a 2-7 ATS run) continue. The Cavaliers are an ugly 12-23 ATS this season in their games against teams with a losing record. Also, Cleveland is 0-5 ATS as a home favorite of 12.5 to 15 points this season! Look for the Nets to improve to 4-1 ATS this season as a road dog of 12.5 or more points. *10* BROOKLYN

Rickenbach College Hoops *10* Top Play Morehead State Eagles +4.5 @ Nevada @ 9 ET - The Eagles got the win in Game 1 of this best of 3 series but they did not get the cover. That is helping to give some nice line value here because Game 1 truly showed that Morehead State has some match-up edges they can exploit against the Wolf Pack. Tonight's game may indeed be another tight one and the value is with the generous points being offered here. Morehead State went 9-2 ATS as a dog this season. Also, the Eagles are 6-1 ATS as a road dog of 3.5 to 6 points the past three seasons. Their long-term record as a 3.5 to 6 point road dog is a fantastic 23-9 ATS. As you can see, Morehead State has a history of being undervalued and that is the case again tonight. After allowing 80 points or more in a game, the Eagles have responded by going 4-1 ATS in their next game. That is a full season record whereas the Wolf Pack have gone 2-5 ATS this season when they are off of a game where they allowed 80 points or more. Morehead State is the much better shooting team from three point land and yet they were outshot in that area in Game 1 and yet still won the game. With "normal" three point shooting tonight the Eagles can easily get the upset win on the road as they also have strong guard play that takes great care of the basketball. Nevada is just 23-40 SU in their games against teams with a winning record the past three seasons. Also, even though the Wolf Pack are playing this game with road loss revenge, they have gone 8-14 SU when avenging road losses the past three seasons combined. Nevada may sneak out the win thanks to their home floor tonight but, if they do, I look for the victory to come by just a single point and I certainly would not be surprised to see the Eagles win this one outright. *10* MOREHEAD STATE

Rickenbach NBA *8* Atlanta Hawks +2 @ Toronto @ 7:35 ET - The Raptors Kyle Lowry had his elbow drained after Toronto got drilled by Oklahoma City on Monday night. The All Star has shot just 26% from the field in his last 4 games and clearly is bothered by his elbow. Not surprisingly, the Raptors have lost 3 of these 4 games and, overall, Toronto is on a 1-4 ATS run. The Raptors will have their hands full tonight with a revenge-seeking Hawks team. Atlanta has won 14 of their last 17 games but one of those 3 defeats came here at Toronto. That means it is time for a little payback. The Hawks have been playing stellar defense throughout this 5-week run of success and I look for Atlanta to frustrate Toronto tonight. The Raptors have been held to 43.2% or less from the field in 4 of their last 5 games. Toronto's victory over the Hawks three weeks ago was the first time in the last 5 meetings that the home team had notched the victory. This series has been dominated by the road team in recent victories. The combination of the Hawks defense, the Lowry situation, and the revenge factor is why this line is so low on Toronto. Don't fall for the trap. The road team has the key edges in this spot. By the way, the Hawks are 23-15 SU and ATS this season in their games against teams with a winning record. They will bring their "A game" again Wednesday. *8* ATLANTA

Rickenbach NBA *10* Top Play Oklahoma City Thunder -2.5 @ Detroit @ 7:35 ET - While many seem to be trying to pick the spot where the Thunder winning streak comes to an end, including thinking it would be at Toronto last night, I just don't see any reason to fade a red hot Oklahoma City team right now. The Thunder have now won 8 in a row and they demolished the Raptors so handily last night that they were able to rest their key players more than usual as the game went on yesterday. That means Oklahoma City will still have plenty of energy left for this battle with the Pistons tonight and the Thunder also know that they have only one game coming up in the next four days so there is every reason to "leave it all on the floor" tonight. Even though Detroit has a respectable record this season their recent hot streak has been helped by playing a lot of weak teams. The Pistons had won five straight before getting demolished by the Hawks Saturday but the five game winning streak included four non-playoff teams. Couple that with the fact that, prior to the five game winning streak the Pistons had lost five of their eight prior games and you can see why I am absolutely willing to fade Detroit with the hottest team in the league Tuesday. Oklahoma City has won four of the last five meetings between these teams and that includes each of the last two in Detroit. The Pistons have won the money just 9 times in their last 24 games against teams that are averaging 99 points or more per game on the season. Tonight Detroit hosts the 2nd best offense in the league as only Golden State scores more than the Thunder. *10* OKLAHOMA CITY

Rickenbach College Hoops *10* Cal-Irvine Anteaters +1.5 @ Columbia @ 7 ET - Cal Irvine has gotten the job done on the road throughout the CIT Tourney. The CollegeInsider.com tournament will crown the tourney champion on Tuesday night in New York. Though the homecourt edge goes to Columbia, the Anteaters have displayed an "us against the world" mentality throughout this tournament as they've had to battle for wins on the road. I look for UC Irvine to get the job done one more time on the road tonight. The Anteaters have held their opponents under 39% from the field in 7 of their last 9 games. This stellar defense has led the way to UC Irvine notching victories in 8 of those 9 games. Columbia also has been hot with wins in 7 of their last 9 games but they have allowed their opponents to hit 50% or better from the field in 4 of those 9 games. The Anteaters have played a tougher schedule than have the Lions and yet UC Irvine, and their better defense, comes in as the dog in this match-up thanks to the location of the game. The way the Anteaters have been playing, they have been true "road warriors" so the location tonight should not be an issue. The better team wins and UC Irvine is 9-0 SU (and 7-2 ATS) when they are off of a game where they allowed 60 points or less. The Lions have a long-term mark of 9-18 ATS when they are at home with a posted line of pick'em to -3. *10* CAL-IRVINE

Rickenbach NBA *10* Top Play Brooklyn Nets +10 @ Miami @ 7:35 ET - Miami is off of a win (and they edged out the spread for the cover) in their win over Orlando Friday. However, prior to this ATS win, the Heat had failed to cover 6 of their last 9 games. Before the 11 point win over the Magic, Miami had allowed 3 of their last 5 opponents to hit 52% or better from the field. Their defense has certainly been inconsistent of late and the Nets have shot the ball quite well in many of their games over the past five weeks. This has led the way to a 10-6 ATS run and Brooklyn is a dangerous dog as they've averaged 108.6 points per game in their last 7 games. Off of back to back home wins over Cleveland and Indiana, the Nets confidence has been growing late in the season and they won't be intimidated at all about playing in Miami. In fact, in this series, the road team has won 5 of the last 7 meetings and, in the only two meetings won by the home team each game was decided by 6 points or less. The Nets will be "in this one" all the way too. Brooklyn is 8-4 this season as a road dog of 9.5 to 12 points. Against teams averaging 99 points or more per game, the Nets have covered 14 of the last 21. In games with a posted total of 210 points or more, the Heat have gone 1-3 SU and ATS this season! When off of a game where they scored 105 points or more, Miami is 27-38 ATS the last 3 seasons combined. The Heat continue their lack of focus on defense and the upstart Nets only have 3 losses by more than 10 points in their last 22 games! Look for another tight defeat here and that gets the dog the cash. *10* BROOKLYN

Rickenbach College Hoops *10* Top Play UC-Santa Barbara Gauchos -4.5 vs Northern Illinois @ 5:30 ET - John Green is going to miss this tournament but the Gauchos still have plenty of the firepower necessary to knock off the Huskies. Northern Illinois won only 3 of their 14 road games this season while UC-Santa Barbara went 12-8 on the road this season. As you can see, the team more likely to go on a tournament run away from home would be the Gauchos. UCSB went 10-3 ATS as a favorite this season and they are laying a very small number of points here. This is thanks to Green's absence which, as noted above, is not going to be a big detriment to a team that averaged 78.5 points per game in their last 6 games. UC-Santa Barbara won 9 straight games before losing to Hawaii in the Big West tourney. Even with that non-covering loss the Gauchos bring an 8-2 ATS run into the Vegas 16 Tourney. While UCSB was strongest late in the season, Northern Illinois went on a late season fade and lost 9 of their last 14 games. The Huskies haven't won a game away from DeKalb, IL since January 12th! When playing with 7 days or more of rest, Northern Illinois is 0-4 SU (and 1-3 ATS) the last three seasons. The Gauchos have a history of playing their best ball at this time of year with a 44-25 ATS long-term mark in March games! They also went 4-1 ATS this season when off of a loss versus a conference rival. The loss to Hawaii certainly disappointed the Gauchos but they can erase some of that disappointment by getting the Vegas 16 Tournament off to a good start and I expect them to do just that. *10* UC-SANTA BARBARA

Rickenbach College Hoops *8* Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles +7 vs Old Dominion @ 3 ET - Old Dominion is known for their solid defense and the ability to frustrate opponents as a result. However, having not played in over 2 weeks I don't expect the Monarchs to absolutely be at their best in terms of rotations on defense. That said, the more dangerous offense, Tennessee Tech in this case, absolutely could spring the upset in this game. Certainly if the Golden Eagles do fall short, the generous points should be enough for the cover. Tennessee Tech averaged 78.6 points per game this season. While the Las Vegas 16 (which actually ended up with 8 teams) is quite a disappointment for Old Dominion, the Golden Eagles are excited to make the most of this opportunity. The last three seasons combined, the over is 11-5 in Tennessee Tech games with a posted total in the 130s. Also, in their 4 games the last 3 seasons against teams allowing an average of 64 points per game or less, the Golden Eagles have gone a perfect 4-0 ATS. Old Dominion is an ugly 2-7 ATS this season in non-conference games. Also, the Monarchs are 0-3 ATS this season when they are off of a game where they scored 60 points or less. Old Dominion is 6-11 ATS this season in their games against teams with a winning record. Look for the Monarchs to struggle just to win this game (let alone cover it!) against a talented Golden Eagles team that gets most of it's production from seniors and juniors (in other words, an experienced group). *8* TENNESSEE TECH

Rickenbach NBA *10* Top Play Philadelphia 76'ers +20.5 @ Golden State @ 8:05 ET - You know the Warriors have had this game circled on the calendars! All kidding aside, the hapless Sixers certainly present "low priority" to a Golden State team with it's sight set on another NBA title. That said, this line is simply too high. When these teams met in Philly the Warriors only won by 3 points. In their most recent meeting prior to that Golden State only won by 5 points. Granted things certainly "could" get ugly in a meeting between the best and worst teams in the NBA but I don't foresee this getting "that" out of hand. The Sixers have been competing hard even though the losses keep piling up. Last night Philadelphia was down big to the Trail Blazers entering the fourth quarter but then closed the gap to only lose by 3 points. In fact, even though the Sixers are 1-17 in their 18 games the past 5 weeks, not a single one of those 17 losses has come by more than 20 points. The 76'ers have covered 4 of their past 6 road games. Also, the Warriors come into this game having failed to cover 3 of their past 4 games overall. Golden State has a back to back coming up starting with hosting Washington Tuesday and then visiting Utah Wednesday. That said, the Warriors certainly have no need to run up the score here and actually will be looking just to notch a "comfortable win" and then move forward. As a home favorite of 18.5 points or more the Warriors have gone just 1-4 ATS. The Sixers are 19-8 ATS this season in non-conference games and 7-2 ATS in games against Pacific Division opponents. *10* PHILADELPHIA

Rickenbach NCAA *10* Top Play Syracuse +8 vs Virginia @ 6:05 ET - You can tell by the low total posted on this game that it's expected to be a low-scoring "grind it out" type affair. This favors the big dog. If the Orange just get on a few "runs" in this game where they knock down some big threes or are able to get some quick points in transition, they absolutely have the shot at an outright upset in this game. With that said, there certainly is great line value with the big points here based on the success of the 2-3 zone defense that Syracuse employs. The Orange have certainly been. literally, "in the zone" in this tournament thusfar as they have allowed an average of just 54 points per game in the 3 games! Prior to going on a 3-0 run in the Big Dance to reach this point, the Orange did lose their final three games before this tournament. However, all 3 of those losses came by 5 points or less and that is precisely what I would expect here should Syracuse fall short in their upset bid tonight. The Orange are on a 13-5 ATS run and have certainly been a different team since Jim Boeheim returned to the bench after serving a 9-game suspension earlier in the regular season. Surprisingly, Virginia has been getting the job done with their offense in this tourney. The defense has allowed the opposition to make at least 51% of their shots in 3 of their last 5 games dating back to their final pair of ACC Tourney games. The point is that that Cavaliers haven't been at their best on the defensive end and I like grabbing the team playing the better defense plus getting the big points here! The Cavs have also allowed 39% or better from three point land in 4 of their last 6 games! When off of a game where they scored 80 points or more, Virginia has gone 1-5 ATS this season. Also, the Cavaliers are 3-6 ATS this season when playing with one day or less of rest between games. The Orange are 6-1 ATS in all neutral court games this season and are 5-1 ATS this season when playing with one day or less of rest between games. *10* SYRACUSE

Rickenbach NBA *10* Top Play Charlotte Hornets -3 @ Milwaukee @ 8:35 ET - Both of these teams are off of losses last night but there is no doubt it is the Hornets that are more likely to bounce back and get the W in this back to back situation. Charlotte has not lost back to back games since late January. Since then, the Hornets had won 19 of their last 24 games before suffering the 7 point loss at Detroit last night. Charlotte now takes on a weaker foe tonight and I look for the Hornets to get right back on track and improve on solid records against Central Division opponents. Charlotte is 11-5 ATS this season (and 33-17 ATS the L3 seasons) in their games against Central Division opponents. In road games with a posted total between 200 and 204.5 points this season, the Hornets are 8-3 ATS. The Bucks are a horrible 1-7 ATS this season in home games with a posted total between 200 and 204.5 points this season. Milwaukee's loss last night was their 4th straight defeat and 3 of the 4 losses have been by a margin of at least 9 points. In fact, going further back, the Bucks last 7 losses have only included one defeat by less than 8 points! When the Bucks lose they tend to lose big and they are hosting an angry Hornets team Saturday! Charlotte has won and covered each of the last 4 games in Milwaukee and this series has truly been dominated by the road team in recent seasons. Look for that trend, favoring the Hornets tonight, to continue here. *10* CHARLOTTE

Rickenbach NCAA *10* Top Play Villanova Wildcats +2.5 vs Kansas @ 8:45 ET - Of course there is no doubt that Kansas is a fantastic team. Certainly I am not going to try and argue against that .However, one thing i can say with the utmost certainty is that Villanova has faced the tougher match-ups so far in this tourney. That said, not only have the Wildcats won those games they've absolutely crushed the opposition. When you look at who Kansas has played, the Jayhawks got an easy first round game with Austin Peay, then took advantage of a UConn team that had "used up all their bullets" in some earlier miracle wins that also took a lot out of the Huskies, and finally Kansas faced a Maryland team that made a habit out of inconsistency and underachievement this season. The point is that these match-ups are in stark contrast to a Wildcats team that faced a tough Iowa team and then an even tougher Miami team and yet Nova dominated both match-ups. The Cats have won 8 of their last 9 games and the lone loss during this stretch came by just 2 points. The Villanova offense is on fire with hitting 57% or better from the field in all 3 tourney games. Conversely Kansas has seen their shooting percentages drop with each successive match-up in the Big Dance as the Jayhawks have gone from 56% to 49% to 47% and they now face their toughest match-up yet. Kansas has gone 16-19 ATS the last 3 seasons in their games against teams averaging 77 points or more per game. Over this same stretch the Wildcats have gone 14-8 ATS with the same parameters. One of the big difference makers coming into the tourney was expected to be 3-point shooting for each of these teams. The Jayhawks excel at it and the Wildcats do not. However, Villanova is "in the zone" to say the least as, overall, they've shot at least 41% from three point land in 7 of their last 9 games and the Wildcats have been particularly hot in the tournament. As for the Jayhawks, they've been held to 37.5% or less from three point land in 5 of their last 6 games including all 3 of their NCAA Tourney games. It appears as if nothing may slow down the Wildcats freight train right now. Their confidence with their hot shooting is simply sky high. *10* VILLANOVA

Rickenbach NCAA *8* Gonzaga Bulldogs -4 vs Syracuse @ 9:40 ET - Gonzaga is on fire and they already crushed two solid opponents in knocking off Seton Hall and Utah. Let's not forget the Pirates knocked off Villanova so Seton Hall is certainly no slouch and they were playing at their highest level of the season. The Orange got fortunate in that they faced a Middle Tennessee State team in the round of 32 that was off of a huge upset in the first round. Also, prior to Syracuse's win over Dayton in the first round,the Orange had lost 3 straight games and 5 of their last 6 games. The tough stretch earlier this season could be "written off" as coach Jim Boeheim being out for a 9 game suspension. However, the slump at the end of the season has no excuse and now that the Orange are facing one of the hottest teams going I look for Syracuse's season to come to an end. Gonzaga has won 7 straight games and they also have not lost the cash in any of those 7 games. The Bulldogs averaged 81 points per game in those 7 games and Gonzaga, unlike the Blue Raiders, have the weapons and skill sets to overcome the 2-3 zone defense of Syracuse. The Bulldogs are 5-1 ATS in tournament games this season and Gonzaga has a 21-4 SU record in all tournament action their last 25 games. The Zags have a solid defense and the hot shooting offense also certainly has what it takes to dominate a Syracuse team that had a nice run but now faces their toughest match-up. *8* GONZAGA

Rickenbach NCAA *10* Top Play Iowa State Cyclones +5 vs Virginia @ 7:10 ET - The long layoff here may not help Virginia. They are 0-6 ATS the last 3 seasons when they enter a game on 5 or 6 days of rest. Sure the Cavaliers play solid defense but they're now facing a white hot team that has been on fire with its shooting for many weeks now. The Cyclones have hit at least 50% from the field in 8 of their last 11 games. Iowa State is on a 5-1 (83%) run and they held their opponents to 61 points or less in 3 of those games. The Cavaliers have been hot as well but their biggest key to winning games is their defense and the Cavs have actually allowed 46% or more from the field in 3 of their last 4 games. Virginia can struggle at times in games projected to be higher scoring. In fact the Cavs have a long-term mark of 32-54 ATS in games with a posted total in the 140 to 149.5 range. Head coach Tony Bennett has done a great job in Virginia but this Iowa State has the right strengths on offense to give the highly regarded Cavaliers defense some headaches. The Cyclones are also a sparkling 16-4 straight-up and 14-4 ATS in all tournament games the past 3 seasons combined. When playing with 5 or 6 days of rest, unlike the Cavs, the Cyclones have excelled. They've gone 11-1 SU and 7-3 ATS the past three seasons. With all due respect to Virginia and their solid defense, the Cyclones have had extra time to prepare for this match-up and are still highly motivated by their untimely ouster at the hands of UAB in last year's dance. These Cyclones are on a mission and have a veteran group that will be able to handle all that the Cavs defense can offer and Virginia does not have the weapons to keep up on offense. *10* IOWA STATE

Rickenbach NBA *8* Minnesota Timberwolves +8 @ Washington @ 7:05 ET - With their win over the Kings on Wednesday the Timberwolves have now covered 4 straight games and 7 of their last 9. Minnesota has shot better than 50% from the field in 3 of their last 4 games and have continued to show there is no quit in this team! The Wizards are still battling hard for a postseason spot but the home loss to Atlanta was a crushing defeat for Washington. The Wizards failed to get the cash for the 7th time in their last 11 games. While many will look for a bounce back effort from Washington here, the problem is that the Wizards beat the T-wolves in Minny earlier this month. Minnesota is seeking revenge and they are 17-10 ATS this season (and a fantastic 48-26 ATS the last 3 seasons) when playing with home loss revenge! The Wizards are 7-13 straight-up this season when off of a loss by a margin of 10 points or more. A lot of points expected here and the Timberwolves are 13-7 ATS this season in games with a posted total of 210 points or more. The Wizards are 10-15 ATS this season in games with a posted total of 210 points or more. *8* MINNESOTA

Rickenbach NCAA *10* Top Play Texas A & M Aggies +3 vs Oklahoma @ 7:35 ET - I guess one could argue certainly that Oklahoma is "due" but I still don't think that justifies the line move we're seeing in this game. If the Aggies miracle win against Northern Iowa had occurred just a couple days ago I might feel differently about backing Texas A & M here. However, the fact is that since the big come from behind victory came on Sunday, the Aggies have had a full 3 days off to rest and recuperate both physically and mentally after the huge win over the Panthers. There will be no letdown here and the Aggies now have the added advantage of knowing that certainly "anything is possible" in this tourney and, indeed, they may be a team of destiny this season. The "due factor" for Oklahoma is huge but I don't buy into that theory here. The Sooners have failed to cover 7 straight games and are on a 2-11 ATS skid. They are facing an Aggies team that had covered 8 of their last 10 games prior to the non-covering win over Northern Iowa. Texas A & M has held 4 of their last 5 opponents to 39% or less from the field. The Sooners defense has actually been heading the wrong direction as they have allowed 43% o better from the field in 6 of their last 7 games. The Sooners are 1-5 ATS in NCAA Tourney games the past three seasons combined. The Aggies have a long-term mark of 9-5 ATS in NCAA Tourney games. This season Oklahoma failed to cover their only game against an SEC foe while the Aggies were a perfect 4-0 against Big 12 opponents this season! *10* TEXAS A & M

Rickenbach NCAA *8* Villanova Wildcats -4 vs Miami @ 7:10 ET - The Wildcats take a lot of threes. That said, knocking down threes with great regularity can key some dominating performances for Villanova. Right now the Cats are certainly in the zone as they've hit better than 41.1% from three point land in 6 of their past 8 games. Villanova dominated Iowa last weekend and the Wildcats did it with red hot shooting. Building on confidence as they finally shook the "second round jinx" that had plagued them, this Cats team fully believes "this is the year". Let's not forget that Nova did hold down the #1 spot in the country for a time this season. The Hurricanes have had a favorable draw in the Tourney thusfar and I believe they will get a "reality check" today. The Canes faced an overmatched MAC team (Buffalo) in the first round and yet only won the game by 7 points. The Hurricanes then faced a Wichita State team that had to be running on fumes on all the effort to win their play-in game and then their first round game. The Shockers just didn't have much left. Give the Canes credit for taking care of business but let's not forget they had failed to cover 4 straight games before getting the cash against Wichita State. Also, two of those four games were straight-up losses to Virginia and Virginia Tech. Look for another straight-up loss for Miami today and note that the Wildcats have only ONE WIN (out of 31 victories!) this ENTIRE season that came by less than FIVE points! If you like the Cats to win this game (with their solid defense and hot shooting, who wouldn't?) than certainly you like them to get the cover! *8* VILLANOVA

Rickenbach NHL *8* New Jersey Devils +1.5 -125 @ Pittsburgh @ 7:05 ET - Goalie Scott Wedgewood is likely to be in between the pipes again tonight for New Jersey. He was excellent at the AHL level this season and he's come up and already looked great in his first start. Wedgewood led the Devils to a 2-1 win versus Columbus on Sunday and has had plenty of time to prepare now for his 2nd start of the season at the NHL level as there have been 3 full off days between games. As often happens when an inexperienced goalie is between the pipes the defensemen in front of him will "step up their game" as they know they are "protecting" a younger netminder. I look for another big game from the Devils defense here and there is great line value with the +1.5 goals in my opinion. New Jersey is seeking revenge for an embarrassing 6-1 home loss earlier this month and they catch the Penguins at the right time here to possibly pull the upset. The Pens are coming off of a blowout win over the best team in the NHL, Washington, and Pittsburgh also has a big game on deck with the playoff-hopeful Red Wings. The Penguins may lose a little focus on tonight's game as a result and the Devils make for a dangerous dog as they rally around Wedgewood once again tonight while waiting for Cory Schneider to return from injury. *8* NEW JERSEY DEVILS +1.5 GOALS

Rickenbach NBA *10* Top Play Atlanta Hawks -1 @ Washington @ 7:05 ET - The Hawks get a shot at revenge here after faltering against the Wizards on Monday. Atlanta had won 10 of their last 12 games before they fell by 15 hosting Washington on Monday. The Hawks suffered a letdown on defense in the loss to the Wizards and I expect a focused effort as they regroup on that end of the floor in the rematch Wednesday. Atlanta had been winning with defense as they had held 8 of their last 12 opponents under 39.4% from the field. That is a fantastic long-term stellar run and Washington's 50.5% mark on Monday was the first time a team had shot better than 46.4% against the Hawks in over a month! You can bet that Atlanta is ready to respond in a huge way tonight in this opportunity for divisional revenge. The Wizards had covered just 3 of their 9 prior games before they got the big win over the Hawks Monday. Also, dating back to their playoff series last May, the Hawks had won four straight games over the Wizards before suffering the ugly loss Monday. Atlanta has had the Wizards number and I look for a return to that tonight. Washington is an ugly 3-9 ATS this season when they are off of an upset win as an underdog. Also, prior to beating Atlanta, the Wizards had been on a 4-8 SU (and ATS) run in their last 12 games against teams with a winning record. The Hawks are the better team, they are extremely motivated, and we get good line value because they are on the road. That raises the level of this play to top play status. *10* ATLANTA

Rickenbach NIT *10* Top Play Florida +2 @ George Washington @ 7 ET - I rode the Colonials to victory in their easy win over Monmouth on Monday. However, it is now time to fade George Washington as they take a major step up in class here. GW is now hosting a tough SEC team and the Colonials have a long-term mark of 2-7 SU and 1-8 ATS in their last 9 games against SEC opponents. Simply put, they go from facing an over-rated Monmouth team to facing an under-rated Gators team. Florida is solid and appears to be a team that is absolutely on a mission in the NIT after missing out on the Big Dance this season. The Gators have won 4 of their last 5 games straight-up and they have not lost the money in any of those 5 games ATS. Florida has been doing it with defense as they have held 3 of their last 4 opponents under 39.5% from the field! This season, the Gators are 9-5 ATS in road games and 8-4 ATS in non-conference games and 4-1-1 ATS in tournament games. The past two seasons George Washington has been a home fave of 3 points or less just twice and they lost both games straight-up. The Colonials history of struggles against SEC foes will rear it's ugly head again today. Unlike Florida, George Washington's defense has been suspect of late. Sure the Colonials shutdown an overmatched Hawks team Monday but, prior to that, GW had allowed 5 of their 6 prior opponents to shoot 49% or better from the field. One final note here, as you would expect the Gators faced a tougher schedule this season in comparison with the Colonials. *10* FLORIDA

Rickenbach NIT *10* Top Play St. Mary's Gaels +4.5 @ Valparaiso @ 7 ET - St Mary's plays in the West Coast Conference. We've all seen what fellow conference members Gonzaga (Big Dance) and Brigham Young (NIT) are doing in the post-season. The point is that the Gaels come from a conference that produced three solid teams and I believe that St Mary's is being undervalued here. Sure this is a road game for them but, in the regular season, the Gaels beat Gonzaga in both games before then losing to the Bulldogs in the West Coast Conference Tournament. St Mary's also split in their games with a tough BYU team during the regular season. This is a very strong St Mary's team that has hit 50% from the field the last 11 games while also holding 7 of those 11 opponents under 42% from the field. The Gaels are facing a Crusaders team that played in a much weaker conference, Horizon League, in my opinion. Valparaiso was challenged only by Green Bay, Milwaukee, Wright State, and Oakland in that conference. They did go 6-3 in the 9 games against those teams but 3 of those 6 wins came by 4 points or less. St Mary's is better than all of those teams. The point is that had Valpo being laying 4.5 points in all of their games against those teams they would have gone 3-6 ATS. The Crusaders now taking on a tougher opponent than all four of those and yet they are laying 4.5 points. It's too much! This game could very easily be a Gaels outright win and, if it's not, I see it being a game decided very late and likely by just one possession. That means we are getting great value here with a dangerous underdog and the Gaels are 12-1 SU this season in non-conference games. St Mary's is also 19-10 ATS in non-conference games the past three seasons combined. The Gaels are also 11-6 ATS this season in their games against teams with a winning record whereas the Crusaders are just 3-7 ATS in their last ten games against teams with a winning record. You can tell by the low total on this game that it is expected to be a dogfight and Valparaiso is an ugly 2-5 ATS the past three seasons in home games with a posted total between 130 and 134.5 points. *10* ST MARY'S  

Rickenbach NIT *10* Top Play South Carolina Gamecocks -4 vs Georgia Tech @ 9 ET - This is another one of my "contrarian" plays if you will. The Yellow Jackets, of course, are an ACC team and there is a lot of noise right now about the ACC because of their huge representation at The Big Dance with six teams in the Sweet Sixteen! That is going to have many looking at Georgia Tech plus the points in this match-up. The other thing that makes this a contrarian play on South Carolina is that the Gamecocks report is filled with suspensions. Lucky for the Gamecocks, the suspensions didn't effect them against an overmatched High Point on Tuesday but I also don't expect it to effect the here either. The missing players are back-ups and so the key group of Gamecocks is still on the floor. The biggest impact is on depth but considering that South Carolina has had five full off days in between games the lack of depth is a non-issue here. Lets not forget that the Gamecocks have a SU record of 16-2 in home games this season while the Yellow Jackets went 6-9 SU in away games. With that said, the line is short enough here that any SU win is likely to equate to an ATS win as well. Of Georgia Tech's last 13 losses only 3 came by 3 points or less. Of South Carolina's 25 wins this season only 2 came by 3 points or less! The Gamecocks are 14-0 SU in non-conference games this season and 9-1 ATS! *10* SOUTH CAROLINA

Rickenbach NBA *10* Top Play Minnesota Timberwolves +13 vs Golden State Warriors @ 8:05 ET - As expected, the whole world is lining up on the Warriors here since they are off of a loss at San Antonio on Saturday. However, note that the last two times that Golden State was off of a loss they have not covered the spread either time in the next game. One time the Warriors won by 6 points and the other time by 3 points. Both of those victories are a long way off from covering a spread of a dozen plus points here at Minnesota Monday. Another factor here is that the Warriors always have a target on their backs and you know the Timberwolves will be up in a big way for tonight's game as they look to do the unthinkable - score a monumental upset. One thing one must give the Timberwolves credit for is that they do not give up. Against the Rockets on Friday, Minnesota never stopped trying and they stayed inside the big number with late threes leading the way. That was the T-wolves  5th cover in their last 7 games. Tonight's game is Minny's first home game in nearly two weeks so there is no doubt they'll be ready to go here and they are 47-26 ATS the last 3 seasons combined when they are playing a game with home loss revenge. The Wolves lost here at home by 13 points in November and look to avenge that defeat tonight. Minnesota has covered 11 of their last 15 games against teams with a winning record. Also, the Warriors are on an ugly 3-7 ATS run away from home. Certainly Golden State should win tonight but this margin is too much on the road against a T-wolves team playing hard and knocking down threes. *10* MINNESOTA

Rickenbach NBA *8* Charlotte Hornets +6.5 vs San Antonio @ 7:05 ET - The Spurs are off of their biggest win of the season. No doubt about it. If you're not in the San Antonio area you just can't even imagine how badly the Spurs and the fans wanted that game against Golden State. Of course the Spurs are now 35-0 at home this season but they now take to the road for this match-up at Charlotte. San Antonio is 24-10 in road games this season. The Hornets are 26-11 in home games this season. Charlotte is also off of a home loss to Denver Saturday while the Spurs enjoyed their big home win over the Warriors Saturday. The point is that this game tonight favors the Hornets from a situational standpoint PLUS the Hornets are just as strong at home as the Spurs are on the road PLUS the Hornets are getting more than a half-dozen points here too! Additionally, Charlotte has not lost two in a row since late January! In other words, off of a loss the Hornets have been a great play and I look for the Hornets to get the job done again tonight. After tonight's game Charlotte embarks on a lengthy road trip with no home games remaining this month. That means the Hornets will make the most of this opportunity on their home floor tonight. Charlotte has covered 8 of their last 11 games versus teams with a winning record while the Spurs have covered just 6 of their last 13 against teams with a winning record this season. This little one game road trip is definitely a "quirk" in the schedule for San Antonio and they could get caught still relishing in their victory over the hated Warriors. That leaves the door wide open for a Hornets upset Monday and I'll definitely grab the points here. *10* CHARLOTTE

Rickenbach NIT *8* George Washington Colonials +4 @ Monmouth @ 7 ET - Monmouth is on everyone's radar right now because they were considered one of the biggest snubs of March Madness since they were relegated to the NIT instead of the Big Dance. As a result of all the attention being given the Hawks, I feel there is great value in going against Monmouth and grabbing a solid George Washington team plus a handful of points. The big noise about the Hawks was their upset wins of UCLA, USC, Georgetown, and Notre Dame. Of those teams, the only one still playing is the Fighting Irish who narrowly escaped with a one point win over Stephen F Austin yesterday in the NCAA Tourney. With all that said, the "upsets" Monmouth had in the regular season may not be so impressive after all. Additionally, George Washington has played a much tougher schedule this season than did Monmouth. Also, the Colonials were knocked out of the Atlantic 10 Tourney in a tight loss to St Joseph's. The Hawks went on to win the tourney and make it to the Big Dance where they knocked off Cincy in the first round and very nearly upset Oregon (the class of the Pac 12 - unlike UCLA and USC) in the 2nd round. The point is that George Washington can hang with the best of teams and I don't put Monmouth up in that category. I feel this Metro Atlantic team is certainly a solid basketball team but this is still the MAAC we're talking about and I think all the hype about Monmouth has caused that key factor to be a bit overlooked by the betting markets. There were 6 twenty win teams in the Atlantic 10 this season whereas Monmouth only had one true challenger in the MAAC which was Iona who knocked them out of the MAAC Tourney. Great value with the underdog against an over-hyped favorite in this one. *8* GEORGE WASHINGTON 

Rickenbach NCAA *10* Top Play Maryland Terrapins -7 vs Hawaii @ 7:10 ET - Hawaii got by Cal in the first round as the Golden Bears multiple issues (off the court) and an injury (in practice to a key player) ended up playing a larger role than expected. Unlike an "out of sorts" California team, it will be a "fired up" Maryland team taking the floor against the Rainbow Warriors in this one. The Terrapins played an excellent first half against South Dakota State on Friday but they then "let up" in the 2nd half and it nearly cost them the game and certainly cost them the cover. That simply serves to ensure the likelihood of a "full forty" effort from the Terps on Sunday. Maryland knows this is their "new lease" on life here in the Big Dance after suffering through a late season slump that cost them a chance at a Big Ten regular season title. After then getting bounced from the Big Ten Tourney, this Terrapins team wants to make a run and has their chance to make a big statement with a match-up with Kansas looming up ahead. That means this ultra-talented and yet oft-underachieving Maryland team should have their "A game" ready for Sunday. Hawaii played such a weak schedule that there is great value in fading them here as they are being given a little too much respect by the markets after knocking off a Cal team that, as noted above, proved to be disoriented in the first round. Look for the Terrapins to improve to 8-2 ATS (and 18-5 ATS long-term) in neutral floor games with a posted total in the 140 to 144.5 range. *10* MARYLAND

Rickenbach NBA *10* Top Play New Orleans Pelicans +8 vs LA Clippers @ 6:05 ET - I am well aware of the fact that the Pelicans have some "personnel issues" to say the least as they prepare for this Sunday game. However, I am also well aware that, when Anthony Davis sat out the 2nd half against Portland on Friday, the Pelicans made their big run against the Blazers and got back into the game. There are plenty of players ready to step up in today's game and they catch the Clippers in a tough back to back spot so that is another edge for New Orleans here. While the Pelicans were off yesterday the Clips were at Memphis. The Grizzlies were a short-handed team that the Clippers should have destroyed but the Clips simply continue to have issues not playing up to their potential. LA has now lost 4 of their last 6 games and the Clippers are on an ugly 1-5 ATS run during this stretch. The Pelicans are a PERFECT 7-0 ATS the last 3 seasons as a home dog of 6.5 to 9 points. New Orleans will undoubtedly be up for this "statement game" and the Clippers can't help but look past the Pelicans as the Clips have a game at mighty Golden State up next on their schedule. What is amazing about the undefeated home dog ATS mark noted above for New Orleans is the fact that they have won 5 of those 7 games straight-up! The Clippers have struggled as road faves in the 6.5 to 9 point range with a 3-11 ATS mark the past three seasons and 9-21 ATS long term. The Clips also are on an 3-6 ATS run in games against teams with a losing record as LA has a big problem with being properly focused for their games. That will prove to be their downfall once again here as the Pelicans get big games from Holiday and Anderson (each scored 30 Friday) once again on Sunday. *10* NEW ORLEANS

Rickenbach NCAA *8* Virginia Commonwealth Rams +7 vs Oklahoma @ 5:15 ET - A lot of value for the underdog Rams here. VCU is 21-9 ATS this season. Coincidentally, Virginia Commonwealth is also 21-9 ATS the past three seasons when they are in a game with a posted total in the 140s. In all tournament games this season (includes regular season tourneys), VCU is 5-1 ATS. Virginia Commonwealth also has historically been "money in the bank" in the NCAA Tourney with a long-term 14-3 ATS run going in the Big Dance. The Sooners are 1-5 ATS this season when playing with one day or less of rest. Also, Oklahoma is 1-5 ATS in all tournament games this season (includes regular season tourneys). The Sooners continue to be over-valued as they are on a 3-12 ATS run in games against teams with a winning record. The 25-10 Rams can put up big points in a hurry. VCU is averaging 77.1 points per game this season and the Sooners also are on a 2-7 ATS run in their games this season against teams averaging 77 points or more per game on the season. Oklahoma got a favorable draw in the tourney with Cal State Bakersfield in round one and yet their ATS futility continued as they failed to cover the spread for the 19th time in their last 26 lined games! OU does have great guard play as there is no denying their solid backcourt. However, VCU continues to thrive with pressure defense and is again built well with a solid backcourt of their own. The Rams had tight losses to Wisconsin, Duke, and Cincinnati this season as the average margin of defeat was just 5 points per loss. The point is that this team can (and will) play tough with anyone in the nation. *8* VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH

Rickenbach NCAA *8* Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks +1.5 vs Notre Dame @ 2:40 ET - In what looks like a "gift" from the odds makers I am sure many will be backing the Irish in a big way on Sunday. After all, it's a chance to lay a very small number with a 6th seeded Notre Dame team facing a 14th seeded Stephen F. Austin team. Looks too easy doesn't it? Exactly! Don't fall for the trap here. The Lumberjacks are a veteran-laden team and a very cohesive group. They have won 21 games in a row and share the ball very well on offense - which led to 19 assists per game during the regular season for one of the top marks in the country. One of the Lumberjacks key concerns is their size but, in that regard, the Irish are a favorable match-up for them. Also, Notre Dame is not known for playing particularly strong defense and after a rare big effort against Michigan (held them to 40% from the field) they could struggle with the precise ball movement of the SFA offense. Amazingly the Irish only beat the Wolverines by 7 points even though ND shot a fantastic 58% from the field in that game. That says a lot right there and is a concern for Notre Dame heading into this game as the Irish had been held to 36% or less from the field in 3 of their 5 prior games. ND is only 23-34 ATS as a favorite the last 3 years and certainly all the pressure is on them in this game. Conversely, the Lumberjacks come into this game loose and continuing to relish the underdog role. SFA allows just 31.9% from 3-point land while the Irish have allowed 37.5% from beyond the arc this season. Look for that to be a difference maker Sunday. *8* STEPHEN F AUSTIN

Rickenbach NCAA *8* Villanova Wildcats -6.5 vs Iowa @ 12:10 ET - Because of what has happened to the Wildcats in recent 2nd round appearances (heartbreak) there is no doubt that Villanova will be ready for this match-up with a stumbling Iowa team on Sunday. Yes I used the word "stumbling" because the Hawkeyes are fortunate they even got there. It took a late putback - in overtime no less - to get past Temple in the first round. That is the same Owls team that Nova destroyed by double digits at Temple in the regular season. Iowa's non-cover against the boys from Philly now leads to an even worse non-cover against the bigger boys from Philly. Villanova is no Temple and the Hawkeyes have failed to cover 8 of their last 9 games! The Wildcats have certainly not been a "covering machine" but they haven't been on Iowa's levels. The Cats are 7-7 ATS in their last 14 games and Villanova is on a 13-2 straight-up run. Daniel Ochefu's ankle was much better in the big win over UNC-Asheville Friday. That big win has the Wildcats now sitting at 9-4 ATS this season (and 27-12 ATS the L3 seasons) in non-conference action. The Hawkeyes are 1-5 ATS this season (and 3-14 ATS the L3 seasons) in neutral court games. Look for the Cats to finally shake the 2nd round "jinx" that has plagued them in recent trips to the Big Dance. *8* VILLANOVA

Rickenbach NCAA *10* Top Play Kansas Jayhawks -8 vs Connecticut @ 7:45 ET Saturday - Congrats to UConn on a great run. Ever since the Huskies improbable 4-OT win over Cincinnati in the AAC Tourney Connecticut certainly has had the feel of a "team of destiny" to say the least. However, a team destined for success in the AAC Tourney they may have been but the Huskies are about to get a reality check in the Big Dance on Saturday in my opinion. The only reason the Huskies are even here is because they got a favorable draw in the round of 64 by facing a Buffaloes team that had 8 losses in the Pac-12. Connecticut snuck by Colorado to get to this point but, even in their win over the Buffs, the fact that the Huskies allowed Colorado to hit 45% from the field is certainly a concern. UConn was held under 44.5% from the field for the 7th time in their past 10 games. They now face an ultra-talented and extremely potent Jayhawk offense. Kansas has made at least 50% of their shots from the field in 11 of their last 16 games! Kansas enters this game on a 15 game winning streak. The Jayhawks have averaged 80.3 points per game during this streak and are averaging 82.2 points per game on the season. Only 4 of the 15 wins came by less than 9 points. For the Huskies, as neutral court dog of 6.5 to 9 points they only got the upset twice in the last seven such games. That said, a SU loss here is likely to equate to an ATS win for the Jayhawks as they have 31 wins on the season and only 7 were non-covers. As a neutral court favorite of 6.5 to 9 points Kansas is 29-6 SU and, looking at the 29 wins their ATS mark was 20-8-1 ATS in those games! With UConn having won the whole thing in 2014 you can bet that have the full attention of the Jayhawks who are the top team in the country when they are fully focused and playing at a high level. That will be the case again Saturday and I look for this one to be an absolute no doubt blowout rout. *10* KANSAS

Rickenbach NBA *10* Top Play Houston Rockets +7 @ Atlanta @ 7:35 ET Saturday - This is a revenge game for the Rockets and the Hawks are getting too much respect here. Yes, Atlanta has certainly been hot but they've taken advantage of a favorable schedule. The Hawks now have back to back divisional games on deck with a home and home set against the Wizards on deck. Will Atlanta be fully prepared for a tough Rockets team they beat in Houston earlier this season? I doubt it. The Rockets also are getting some line value here because they should have covered last night but fell short when Minny went a ridiculous 3 for 3 on late 3-pointers. The Rockets led that game by double digits for much of the game including in the final minute. After burning their backers with an "unusual finish" last night I see Houston as a great value play tonight as a sizable dog. The Hawks defense had been leading the way for them in recent games but they have let up some in the past two games and have given up 106 points per game. That spells trouble against a Houston team that has won 5 of their past 7 games. Atlanta is 10-15 ATS in games with a posted total of 210 points or more the past three seasons combined. Included in that number is an ugly 5-8 ATS mark when those games are home games for the Hawks. The Rockets are 13-8 ATS in road games with a posted total of 210 points or more this season. Houston has covered 8 of their last 12 games against teams with a winning record. The Rockets have featured red hot shooting of late and are averaging 113.4 points per game the last 7 games. They'll give Atlanta all they can handle here. *10* HOUSTON

Rickenbach NBA *8* Denver Nuggets +9 @ Charlotte @ 6:05 ET Saturday - The Nuggets are off of a rare ugly loss at Atlanta as Denver rarely loses by a big margin. They've now failed to cover 2 straight games and the significance in that is the fact that the Nuggets had been on an 8-2 ATS run prior to these two losses at the betting window. Denver's overall straight-up record on the season may not be impressive but the point is that, when they do lose, it tends to be a tight defeat. More of the same here on Saturday. The Hornets are over-valued here as they are absolutely in a big sandwich spot. They are off of a divisional win over the Heat. It was a tight, hard-fought victory and, additionally, the Hornets have a big game on deck with the Spurs. Even though San Antonio, like Denver, is a non-conference foe that is a 'statement game' on deck that certainly has Charlotte's attention. As a home fave of 6.5 to 9 points the Hornets are 5-8 ATS the past three seasons. In games against Northwest Division opponents this season Charlotte has covered just 3 of 9 games! The Nuggets are 6-3 ATS so far this month and are 28-14 ATS in March games the past three seasons combined. Denver has covered 10 of their last 14 games against teams with a winning record and this looks like a great spot for a Nuggets upset. Certainly the points are well worth the taking. *8* DENVER

Rickenbach NCAAB *8* Indiana Hoosiers +3.5 vs Kentucky @ 5:15 ET - The Hoosiers still remember the heart-breaking 2012 loss to Kentucky and they finally get their shot at revenge on Saturday. Look for Indiana to use aggressiveness in the paint to attack one of the few weaknesses that the Wildcats have. As always, Kentucky is ultra-talented but they have been pushed around some in the paint at times and I expect Indiana to be very aggressive down low in this game. Of course the key edge for the Wildcats has been point guard Tyler Ulis but the sophomore will be matched up with Hoosiers senior star guard Yogi Ferrell. This is a key battle that Indiana has a great shot at winning which is why I see solid line value with the points in this one. A ton of points is expected in this one as you can tell by the posted total on this game. What is interesting about that is that it just might play right into the hands of the Hoosiers. Indiana is a phenomenal 14-1 straight-up this season in games played with a posted total in the 150s. The Wildcats have only gone 4-4 straight-up in games with a posted total in the 150s. In non-conference action this season Kentucky has gone just 5-9 ATS and the Hoosiers went 11-3 SU in non-conference games this season and getting a few points here. Those points are well worth the taking. *8* INDIANA

Rickenbach NCAA *8* Yale Bulldogs +6.5 vs Duke @ 2:40 ET Saturday - The almighty powerful Duke opened up at just a 6 point favorite against 12th seeded Yale. Think about that for a second...it doesn't even seem plausible, does it? The feeling here is that the low line is absolutely justified and is an open invitation for public money to flood in on the Blue Devils. That money flow has already started as the line is up to a 6.5 as of early gameday morning. I would not be surprised to see the line climb even higher but I am pulling the trigger right now. The Bulldogs lost at Duke by 19 points back in November. Note that Yale was only down by 2 points to the Blue Devils at the half in that game. Also, the Bulldogs are a perfect 7-0 ATS the last three seasons combined when they are playing with road loss revenge. Yale also is now 8-1 ATS the last three seasons combined in all tournament games after their upset of Baylor in the first round. Duke fell short of the cover against NC-Wilmington Thursday and is now on a 6 game ATS losing streak dating back to the regular season. Also, the Blue Devils are now 0-7 ATS in games played on a neutral court this season. Also, when playing with no rest or just one day of rest this season, Duke has gone 1-5 ATS. The Bulldogs have a veteran, cohesive group and this game is likely to go down to the wire which means there is superb line value with the points. *8* YALE

Rickenbach NBA *8* Portland Trail Blazers pick'em @ New Orleans @ 8:05 ET Friday - Ideal situation here. Portland is a solid team but they've played a tough schedule of late and this has caused their recent overall tough stretch. The Trail Blazers will bounce back and get back on track. They've had recent losses to teams like Golden State, Oklahoma City, and San Antonio. The Blazers faced the Spurs in Texas last night but will bounce back even though this is a back to back because Portland will take advantage of facing a lesser foe. Plus the Trail Blazers are certainly catching the Pelicans at a great time as New Orleans is off of a rare, upset win. The Pelicans had lost 8 of their last 9 before notching the victory at Sacramento to wrap up a West Coast road trip. New Orleans is an ugly 3-10 ATS this season when off of an upset win as an underdog. The Trail Blazers are 20-11 ATS (and SU) this season when facing a team with a losing record. The Blazers are also 20-11 ATS when off of a game where they allowed 105 points or more. By the way, the Pelicans 3 year mark when off of an upset win as an underdog is also ugly. It's 16-28 ATS. Last, but certainly not least, the Blazers have revenge for a 26 point loss suffered in their last trip to New Orleans which was all the way back on December 23rd. Payback time here as the Trail Blazers had won 8 of the 9 prior meetings. True series dominance. *8* PORTLAND

Rickenbach NBA *8* Houston Rockets -8 vs Minnesota @ 8:05 ET Friday - The Timberwolves are off of a rare road win (at Memphis) as they took advantage of a Grizzlies team decimated by injuries. Minnesota is still just 11-24 SU in road games this season and a loss at Houston is not only likely to occur, it's likely to be ugly! The Rockets are not happy at all about the way they played versus the Clippers Wednesday as their defense was atrocious. Prior to that ugly effort, the Rockets had held 3 of their prior 4 opponents to 41% or less from the field. Houston will bounce back large here against an overmatched T-wolves team. The Rockets had won and covered 4 of their 5 prior games and, when they come to play (as they certainly will tonight), they are tough to beat. Houston is 27-17 ATS the past three seasons when they are off of a loss by a margin of 10 points or more. They are fired up after losing to the Clips by 16 in a game that was IN HOUSTON! The Rockets average margin of victory in wins since the All Star Break is 15.4 points per triumph. Another big win tonight as we see one of the more focused efforts of the season from the Rockets. Houston has won 8 of the 9 meetings between the teams the past three seasons and the Timberwolves are 15-23 ATS this season (and 48-72 ATS the last 3 seasons) when they are off of a game where they allowed 105 points or more. T-wolves off rare win, Rockets off ugly loss. Perfect set-up! *8* HOUSTON

Rickenbach NCAA *8* Wisconsin Badgers -1 vs Pittsburgh @ 6:50 ET Friday - The Badgers hurt their backers early this season but they've certainly turned things on since Greg Gard took over. Overall, Wisconsin is on a 13-5 ATS run and that's even with failing to cover their last two games of the season as the Badgers lost their regular season finale at Purdue and then were upset in the Big Ten tourney by Nebraska. Rest assured, Wisconsin will be ready to respond and they have been playing their best basketball of the season the past two months. The Badgers methodical style will slow this game down and frustrate the Panthers. Pittsburgh comes into the Big Dance having failed to cover 4 straight games. That struggle at the betting window has Panthers backers anxious to back them in a bounce back spot. However, I wouldn't bet on it. In fact, when Pitt enters a game on an ATS losing streak of 3 games or more, the Panthers have gone 5-14 ATS the past three seasons combined! Pittsburgh is on a 11-20 ATS run in non-conference games and an 8-16 ATS run in non-conference games. The past three seasons combined, the Badgers are 20-5 SU in neutral court games. Of course with such a low line on Wiscy, any SU win is likely to equate to an ATS win as well. The Badgers still have plenty of hunger after losing to Duke in the NCAA Championship game last year. Many are counting them out this year but this team still has plenty of experienced players and Wiscy has "Big Dance experience" as well. The Panthers struggled down the stretch and the Pitt defense is simply not on par with what we've seen from past Pittsburgh teams. The Badgers will frustrate the Panthers with their style of play and remember Pitt lost by double digits to another Big Ten foe, Purdue, earlier this season. *8* WISCONSIN

Rickenbach NCAA *8* South Dakota State Jackrabbits +9.5 vs Maryland @ 4:30 ET Friday - Maryland lost 5 of their last 8 games and are over-valued here. The Terrapins are certainly talented but they have proven time and time again that they can't "put it all together" as a team. That is likely to spell trouble for the Terps as they now take on a Jackrabbits team that truly is their polar opposite. South Dakota State doesn't have the talent level of a Maryland nor the star power of a player like Melo Trimble. However, as the Terrapins struggles away from home are problematic as they travel all the way to the West Coast for this one, look for the "team concept" of South Dakota State to be the difference maker. The Jackrabbits have balanced scoring, they play with discipline, have a defense that forces opponents to make mistakes, and South Dakota State also takes good care of the basketball. The Jackrabbits went 7-3 ATS in non-conference games this season. The Terrapins went 5-6 ATS against teams outside the Big Ten. South Dakota State has been off for more than a week since they won the Summit League title but they are a solid 3-1 SU and ATS when they enter a game with a week or more of rest. The Terrapins have been off since their loss to Michigan State on the 12th and the Terps are 4-5 SU and 3-5 ATS when they enter a game with rest of 5 or 6 days prior to the game. Maryland already was having issues with not being a "cohesive unit" on the floor and so a layoff is not going to help them in a "game time" situation. The Jackrabbits are ready and make for a traditional dangerous 12/5 seeding match-up here. *8* SOUTH DAKOTA STATE

Rickenbach NCAA *8* Temple Owls +7.5 vs Iowa @ 3:10 ET Friday - The Hawkeyes are 1-4 ATS this season (and 3-13 ATS the last 3 seasons combined) in neutral court games. Iowa certainly stumbled down the stretch too. The Hawkeyes won just 2 of their last 8 games and had a 1-7 ATS mark during this ugly season-ending skid. Iowa has a veteran-laden team but no one other than Jarrod Uthoff has truly been stepping up. Hawkeyes head coach Fran McCaffery has an ugly 3-7 record in his Big Dance Tourney experience. Owls head coach Fran Dunphy also has a poor record in Big Dance action but Temple is getting 7.5 points here and that makes them a dangerous dog against an Iowa team that just hasn't been able to shake their late season swoon. The Hawkeyes had the perfect opportunity with taking on an over-matched Illinois team in the Big Ten tourney but Iowa managed to under-perform in that game as well. Temple has a great inside out game as big man Obi Enechionyia has been tough to stop inside while strong guard play from big scorer Quenton DeCosey and point guard Josh Brown gives the Owls a fantastic back-court combo. Temple lost in the AAC Tourney to red hot Connecticut but Temple hasn't lost two games in a row since before Thanskgiving! In other words, the Owls could definitely be a tough out for the Hawkeyes and, certainly, Temple is proving good value with the points being offered here. The Owls are 14-7 ATS this season in their games against teams with a winning record. Look for Iowa to drop to 4-10 ATS in games played in the month of March the last three years combined. *8* TEMPLE

Rickenbach NCAA *8* California Golden Bears -4.5 vs Hawaii @ 2:00 ET Friday - The big story for Cal coming into this match-up is that they lost starting guard Tyrone Wallace to a hand injury. That has forced a significant line drop on this game and I'll gladly step in and grab the extra value being offered. The Golden Bears have plenty of depth, including at the guard spot where they have solid talent ready to step in because of the absence of Wallace. The Bears played a much tougher schedule than did the Rainbow Warriors and this is not being properly reflected in this line. Also, this game will tip off at 11 AM Pacific as it is a very early game in Spokane, Washington. The significance of the early tip is that it will be 8 AM Hawaiian time when the game tips off! Certainly a rare, early start for the Rainbow Warriors body clocks. Hawaii has been off since knocking off Long Beach State on the 12th. When playing with 5 or 6 days of rest, the Rainbow Warriors have gone 0-3 ATS this season and are 1-7 ATS the last 3 seasons combined. Give credit to Hawaii for taking advantage of a weak Big West Conference to get here but they are taking a major step up in class now as they face Cal. The Bears are 4-0 SU (and 3-1 ATS) this season when they are playing with 5 or 6 days of rest. California lost a tight one to Utah on the 11th by an 82-78 final. The Golden Bears are 10-3 SU this season when they are off of a game where they allowed 80 points or more. With the small line here, a SU win is likely to also be an ATS win for the Bears. *8* CALIFORNIA

Rickenbach NCAA *8* Syracuse Orange +1.5 vs Dayton @ 12:15 ET Friday - The Orange lost to the Flyers by a bucket as an 8.5 point favorite two years ago in tournament action. It is time for a little payback for Syracuse in this year's tourney. The Orange wrapped up the season on a 10-5 ATS run. Although they had some tight straight-up losses to finish the season, Syracuse is battle-tested to say the least. As you would expect based on the comparison of the conferences these two teams play in, the Orange played a much tougher schedule than did Dayton. The Flyers allowed 6 of their last 10 opponents to score at least 74 points. Syracuse allowed an average of just 65 points per game during their 10-5 ATS run that they carry into this tournament. The Orange are hungrier than ever after last season's self-imposed postseason ban and the fact that head coach Jim Boeheim missed 9 games this season (punishment for the school's NCAA violations). Syracuse has been playing much better since Boeheim returned to the bench and I look for their 2-3 zone defense to frustrate the Flyers. Dayton has gone 1-4 ATS the past two seasons in neutral court games with a posted total in the 120s. The Orange have gone 8-4 SU and ATS in all neutral court games the past three seasons combined. *8* SYRACUSE

Rickenbach NCAAB *10* Top Play Arizona Wildcats -1 vs Wichita State @ 9:20 ET - Certainly Wichita State deserves credit for their huge second half against Vanderbilt Tuesday as that punched their ticket for today's showdown with Arizona. However, I still think the Shockers are getting way too much respect here. Let's not forget that Wichita State had failed to cover three straight games before their big late-game run against the Commodores. As good as the Shockers defense has been, the offense has labored with poor shooting being the culprit in 3 of their last 4 games. Taking a look at those 3 games which does include the win over Vandy, Wichita State has been held to shooting percentages from the field of 41%, 37%, and 32%. From three point land the Shockers have been held to 22% and 8% in 2 of their last 4 games. The Shockers now take on a Pac-12 team that was among the top teams in the conference for points per game on offense and points allowed on defense. The Wildcats also are a strong rebounding team and they are loaded with size and experience and are among the toughest teams in the country when focused. You can bet that coach Sean Miller (17-8 in Big Dance) will have his team ready to go here and the Wildcats made it all the way to the Elite 8 last year. Arizona is averaging 81 points per game this season but also went 7-0 straight-up in games with a posted total in the 130s. In neutral court games with a posted total in the 135 to 139.5 range the Wildcats did go 6-1 straight-up the past three seasons and this line is essentially a pick'em. The Shockers are a long-term 3-12 SU and 3-12 ATS when they are playing on a neutral court and the line is a range of pick'em to +3. Too much respect is being given to Wichita State just because they had a phenomenal late game run against Vandy. The Wilcats aren't the Commodores! *10* ARIZONA 

Rickenbach NBA *10* Top Play Denver Nuggets +8 @ Atlanta @ 8:05 ET - Atlanta is off of a tight win at Detroit last night but now plays the 2nd night of a back to back plus has a much tougher foe (Houston) on deck. That said, the Nuggets make for a dangerous dog here as Denver was off yesterday and will have the fresher legs and they have been on top of their game for many weeks now. In fact, Denver is 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games against teams with a winning record. Also, the Nuggets are very rarely blown out. Their overall season record may not be impressive but dating all the way back to late December 29th - a span of 11 weeks - Denver has lost by more than 8 points just TWICE. So in a span of 11 weeks if you could have the Nuggets +8 in every game they play you would have only lost at the betting window TWICE! That says a lot about just how competitive Denver has been and they will give a tired Hawks team all they can handle tonight. The Nuggets offense has been clicking (over 50% from field each of last 3 games) so the over has cashed 3 straight times. This season, when Denver enters a game on a streak of at least 3 consecutive overs, they have gone 11-5 ATS. The Nuggets offense stays hot, the Hawks tired legs wear down as the game goes on, and this was should be another cover for the under-rated underdog. *10* DENVER 

Rickenbach NCAAB *10* Top Play North Carolina Tar Heels -22 vs Florida Gulf Coast @ 7:20 ET - Do you remember when Florida Gulf Coast ("Dunk City") made their improbable run to the Sweet 16 three years ago? If you're a big March Madness fan that answer is likely a resounding YES! Well, the fact is that many other bettors remember that huge run for the under-rated Eagles as well. The result is that this line (for the betting markets to react properly) had to be set lower than it should be because Florida Gulf Coast was expected to attract some "big dog money" whether this line was in the low 20s or high 20s. The fact is that this line should likely be closer to 30 than 20 and I see great value with the Tar Heels here. This FGC team is simply not on par with the team of 3 years ago. Additionally, this is Eagles coach Joe Dooley making his first trip to the big dance. As for the Tar Heels Roy Williams this is his 89th! Williams has a 65-23 record here, UNC is playing the best defense they've played all season, North Carolina has emphasized not stopping until the final whistle in this tournament, the Tar Heels have great depth, and the Eagles are simply out-classed here. UNC simply won't let up in this game and it's being played in their home state and the depth the Tar Heels have means even the reserves get in on the act in making sure this is a colossal rout. Outside shooting is one weakness that North Carolina has but the Tar Heels don't need it to be able to pulverize the Eagles. The Heels will victimize FGC with transition points and fast-break opportunities. Facing a weak Fairleigh Dickinson team in the First Four only makes this insurmountable task even more daunting for a Florida Gulf Coast team that is facing a Tar Heels team that has gone 24-13 ATS long-term as a neutral court favorite of 12.5 points or more. *10* NORTH CAROLINA

Rickenbach NHL *7* Carolina Hurricanes +1.5 -160 @ Pittsburgh @ 7:05 ET - Carolina has an interesting streak going...each of their last five games has gone to overtime. Of course when a game goes to OT a team can't lose the game by more than a goal. Couple that with the fact that Pittsburgh is clinging to a playoff spot and has a huge game at Philadelphia on deck for Saturday and you can see why there is value with the Hurricanes at the +1.5 goals here. Now, certainly the juice is a factor here but that's why I have dropped my rating down to a *7* for this game. The Canes are absolutely well worth the price here. The Penguins are on a 3-game winning streak but prior to that had lost 3 of their last 5. Also, during the current winning streak 2 of the 3 victories came by just a single goal. The teams have split their last 8 meetings but only once in those 8 games did the Hurricanes lose by more than single goal. Of course the recent injury to Evgeni Malkin has hurt the Pens upfront and their goal-scoring has been inconsistent since even before he got hurt. The Hurricanes have earned at least a point in 5 straight road games and I expect that streak to reach 6 tonight. But even if the Canes do fall short of sending this game to overtime I look for them to lose by no more than a goal in regulation. The Penguins are squeezing the sticks a little tight right now as the Flyers have put the pressure on them in the playoff race. *7* CAROLINA +1.5 goals

Rickenbach NCAAB *8* Purdue Boilermakers -9 vs Arkansas-Little Rock @ 4:30 ET - Arkansas-Little Rock actually has decent size for a Sun Belt Conference team. However, the Trojans are facing a Purdue team that not only has great size but also has edges all over the floor in this one. The Sun Belt Conference is weak and UALR is taking a major step up in class to face the Boilermakers here. The Trojans lost by 12 to Texas Tech earlier this season and Purdue can certainly win this by more than a dozen. The difference in strength of schedule here is huge. The Trojans are getting some respect from the betting markets here because of their 29-4 record but they won't be able to match up that well with the Boilermakers talent level. I also like the coaching edge here with Purdue's Matt Painter coaching in his 17th Big Dance game while this will be the first ever for Arkansas-Little Rock's Chris Beard. The last time the Trojans got to the Big Dance was 2011 and they were knocked off by UNC-Asheville in a First Four match-up. They certainly face a much bigger challenge this time around, to say the least! Adding fuel to the fire here is that Purdue still remembers getting knocked out by Cincinnati in the first round last year. They'll make the most of a favorable draw in the first round of this year's tourney. Remember the Boilermakers wrapped up their season with games against teams like Wisconsin, Michigan, and Michigan State. UALR wrapped up their season going 2-3 ATS even though they faced weak Sun Belt foes. Arkansas-Little Rock has a long-term mark of 3-6 ATS in first round tournament games. The Boilermakers are 6-0 SU and 5-1 ATS long-term against teams from the Sun Belt Conference. Mismatch! *8* PURDUE

Rickenbach NCAAB *8* Yale Bulldogs +5 vs Baylor @ 2:45 ET - Baylor has a lot of weapons and certainly ranks among the top scoring teams in the tournament. However, the Bears are also known for slow starts in their games and then trying to battle back for the win. That could spell trouble here because Yale is going to be a difficult out for the Bears. The fact this game is in Providence, RI certainly favors the Bulldogs and should Baylor again have one of their slow starts the crowd is very likely to get behind Yale. Not only are dogs popular to root for but with where this game is being played the Bulldogs will be a likely choice for the fans. That will make a Baylor comeback even tougher. Remember last season the Bears were upset in the tourney (I had Georgia State plus the points) in that amazing outright win where the Panthers rallied late. This is putting additional pressure on Baylor to 'close out a game' in the Tourney this year and that pressure can lead to some poor shooting. The Bulldogs play strong defense, are loaded with veteran players, are very strong on the glass despite their "smallish" size, and have won 17 of their last 18 games entering this tournament. The Bulldogs only lost by 2 points at SMU in November and the Mustangs started the season on that incredible winning streak. That game says a lot about how Yale may stack up here as a tough dog to say the least! Baylor went 1-6 ATS in non-conference games this season and I feel they are again over-valued here. The Bulldogs are in the Big Dance for the first time in 55 years! But, in tournament games the past two seasons (in-season and post-season) the Bulldogs went 7-1 ATS and SU. This veteran team will have no problem handling a setting like this and the Bears are feeling all the pressure. The Bulldogs are simply "in the moment" and enjoying their underdog role here where they will prove to be ultra-dangerous. *8* YALE 

Rickenbach NCAAB *8* Texas Tech Red Raiders +4.5 vs Butler @ 12:40 ET - There is a certain affinity for the Bulldogs from their days as a mid-major school that still seems to persist today based on the betting markets. Butler has moved all the way from a -2.5 to a -4.5 in this match-up and it's offering some very favorable line value for the underdog Red Raiders. Texas Tech coach Tubby Smith has now taken 5 different teams to the Big Dance in his career and he has an all-time 30-16 record in his appearances. The Red Raiders are back in the Big Dance for the first time in 9 years and their balanced scoring attack creates problems for the opposition. Butler comes out of the Big East so they certainly have played a respectable schedule but Texas Tech has played one of the toughest schedules in the country. The Bulldogs defense has not been as impressive this season as it was in prior seasons. This was especially true late in the season and through the conference tourney. Butler allowed 6 of their last 8 opponents to hit at least 46.3% from the field with 5 of the 6 connecting on better than 48% from the field! By contrast, the Red Raiders held 6 of their last 8 opponents under 45% from the field and 4 of the 6 were held below 43% from the field. The Bulldogs went 1-3 ATS in tournament games season and the Red Raiders went 6-3 ATS in non-conference games this season as they continue to be under-valued. *8* TEXAS TECH

Rickenbach NBA *8* Houston Rockets -3 vs LA Clippers @ 9:35 ET - These teams don't like each other (to say the least) and the Clippers still remember blowing the 3-1 series lead to the Rockets last spring and getting ousted from the playoffs. However, LA got some measure of revenge with a win in these teams most recent meeting in Los Angeles. That means the ball is back in the Rockets court to "hold serve" and get the win at home. Houston is catching the Clippers at a good time. The Clips were in San Antonio last night and they got annihilated by the Spurs. That is not a good sing of what to expect tonight for the Clippers. LA has now failed to cover 4 straight games and the Clips are now facing a Rockets team that has covered 4 of its last 5 games. Houston also was off yesterday and has an off day on deck plus only Minnesota up next. That means full focus and attention for the Rockets as they are fully prepared to host the Clippers. The Clips have an impressive full season record but they simply are not playing well right now and couple that with the situational edge for Houston here and there is great line value with the Rockets minus the short number. The Clippers defense has struggled now n 3 of its last 4 games and the Clips also got hammered on the boards by the Spurs last night. More of the same tonight. *8* HOUSTON

Rickenbach March Madness *10* Top Play Tulsa Golden Hurricane +4.5 vs Michigan @ 9:10 ET - There was a lot of noise about the Golden Hurricane making the Big Dance and it was mostly from naysayers. Tulsa is a senior-laden team and I look for them to make the most of this opportunity. Certainly they have heard all the negative talk about their invite to the tourney and the Golden Hurricane are out to prove the doubters wrong. Michigan's big win over Indiana is what sticks in the minds of many when they think about the Wolverines but lets not forget that Big Blue then turned around and got throttled by Purdue. Michigan allowed the Boilermakers to shoot 53% from the field and the game was a blowout with the Wolverines also getting dominated on the boards. Give credit to Michigan for what they've been able to do without Caris LeVert but his absence really hurts the Wolverines in a big game like this against a team loaded with experience players. No team in the tourney has more seniors than Tulsa. The Golden Hurricane also have extra motivation here as they felt they should not have been left out of the tourney last year (and yet they were) and now they do get in but are hearing negativity about it. If any team is playing with a chip on their shoulder in these early games it certainly is Tulsa! The Golden Hurricane have a long-term 7-3 ATS mark in NCAA Tournament games and I feel they are again undervalued here. The Wolverines have failed to cover 10 of their last 16 games against teams with a winning record. *10* TULSA

Rickenbach NBA *10* Top Play Detroit Pistons -1 vs Atlanta @ 7:35 ET - After an embarrassing 43 point loss at Washington on Monday, Detroit can be expected to respond in a huge way tonight. The Pistons had won 7 of their prior 10 games before the ugly effort against the Wizards. Detroit is happy to be back home now and is beginning a long homestand. The Pistons 3 prior home games has seen them win all 3 and the average margin of victory has been 17.7 points per win. Detroit is catching Atlanta at a good time here. The Hawks are off of a huge 29 point victory over the Pacers on Sunday. With the Hawks off of a rare huge win and the Pistons off of a rare ugly loss, the situational edge is strong for Detroit. The Pistons also are seeking revenge for a loss at Atlanta in their most recent on December 23rd. This is a standalone road game for the Hawks and they have a homestand coming up starting tomorrow night. Atlanta could get caught looking ahead here and they also may feel a little too good about themselves after the blowout win over Indiana. The Hawks have only won half of their road games this season while Detroit is 19-11 in home games. Huge playoff implications for the Pistons too. They won't be denied here as the four times they have allowed 116 points or more in a game this season they have gone 4-0 SU and ATS in their next game! *10* DETROIT

Rickenbach March Madness *8* Southern Jaguars -2 vs Holy Cross @ 6:40 ET - Of course both of these teams come from weaker conferences but, similar to my play on Florida Gulf Coast over Fairleigh Dickinson yesterday, I look for the athleticism of Southern to cause problems for Holy Cross. The Crusaders just won't be able to keep up with the Jaguars in this one. Southern allowed just 53 points in the SWAC Championship game and, prior to that, the Jags had averaged 80 points per game in their 4 prior games. Yes the Southern offense was a little ugly in the championship game but I feel they will create some match-up problems for Holy Cross. The Crusaders deserve credit for fighting their way through the Patriot Conference tournament to get here but I don't expect much of a "run" from the Crusaders here as they were held to an average of 65 points per game on the season. Even in the tourney Holy Cross averaged just 67 points per game and that was even with facing 4 conference opponents whose season records combined for only a .500 mark on the season. The Crusaders not only have questionable production on offense, they are also weak in the rebounding department. Southern is on a long-term 9-1 (90%) ATS run when they are off of a game where they held their opponent to 60 points or less. Holy Cross is 13-25 straight-up in all their games against teams with a winning record the past three seasons combined. *8* SOUTHERN

Rickenbach March Madness *10* Top Play Vanderbilt Commodores +3.5 vs Wichita State @ 9:10 ET - There has been discussion that Vandy shouldn't be in this tournament. This Commodores team is better than their 19-13 record and you can bet that they are ready to prove the doubters wrong tonight. Vanderbilt had 6 losses by 5 points or less this season. As you would expect, the SEC team played a much tougher schedule than did the Shockers. Wichita State comes from the Missouri Valley Conference and certainly there a few quality teams in the MVC but there also were some exceptionally poor teams this season that helped the Shockers to pad their record. While Wichita State has some impressive numbers so too does Vanderbilt and the Commodores achieved their success (allowing 38.6% from field and 29.2% threes) against much tougher competition. Vandy is the much better shooting team as they have knocked down 46% this season (and 39% threes) while the Shockers have labored on offense at times and ended up shooting just 43% from the field and only 33% from beyond the arc. Wichita State went an ugly 1-5 ATS in neutral court games this season. Also, the Shockers were just 4-6 ATS in non-conference games while the Commodores went 7-4 ATS in non-conference action this season. Wichita State was held to 41% or less from the field in 5 of their last 6 conference games against teams with a winning record. Look for their offense to again bog down tonight and they won't be able to keep up with a Vandy team that averaged 80 points per game in their last 10 regular season games. The conference tourney loss to Tennessee happened because the Commodores overlooked the Volunteers. They won't overlook the Shockers. *10* VANDERBILT

Rickenbach NBA *10* Top Play Brooklyn Nets -7 vs Philadelphia @ 7:35 ET - The Sixers have only won 3 games against Eastern Conference foes this entire season. However, two of those victories came against the Nets. Brooklyn certainly doesn't want to be the team to have the embarrassment of losing their season series with the hapless 76'ers. That said, I look for a solid home win for the Nets just like that had back in December when they knocked off Philadelphia. Brooklyn is motivated for more reasons than one tonight. The Nets are not happy at all about the way they choked down the stretch in their home loss to Milwaukee Sunday. This will be just the 2nd home game for Brooklyn since February 21st so look for the Nets to make the most of it after letting one get away against the Bucks. Philadelphia is one of the worst teams in the league and they have lost 14 of their past 15 and also have failed to cover 9 of their last 12. The Sixers are playing with 2 days of rest here but Philly has gone 2-22 SU plus only covered 8 of its last 24 when they enter a game with two days of rest between games. The Nets are a fantastic 17-3 SU and 13-7 ATS as a home favorite of 6.5 to 9 points the past three seasons. Brooklyn is also 5-2 ATS this season and 16-8 ATS the last 3 seasons in Tuesday games. After being careless with the ball Sunday versus Milwaukee - and paying for it - the Nets play a clean and powerful game against a Sixers team further weakened by the loss of Jahlil Okafor for the season. The 76'ers have a number of other players who are banged up entering this game and might miss tonight's contest. *10* BROOKLYN

Rickenbach NBA *8* Indiana Pacers -2 vs Boston @ 7:05 ET - The Pacers are off an ugly loss as they simply couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with their shots on Sunday. That awful shooting performance led to a loss by 29 points at Atlanta. Indiana had previously won 4 of their last 5 including 3 straight and this stretch featured wins over tough Western Conference foes like San Antonio and Dallas. The Pacers will undoubtedly get right back on track here and get some revenge for a loss at Boston in January. Indiana had won the first two meetings with the Celtics earlier this season and the Pacers are catching the Celtics at the right time. The C's have lost 2 of their last 3 heading into this game. The Celtics recent winning that preceded that had a lot to do with a nice stretch of home games. On the road, Boston has actually lost 4 of its last 5 games. The Celtics have only covered 3 of their last 9 games overall. Boston has been off since Friday and the extra rest doesn't always help. In fact, the Celtics are 6-10 ATS the past three seasons combined when they enter a game off of 3 or more days of rest. The Pacers are 11-3 SU and 9-4-1 ATS the past 3 seasons combined when they are a home favorite of 3 points or less. Indiana is also 22-11 ATS this season in their games against teams with a winning record. The Pacers have taken 28 of the last 42 meetings between these teams in Indiana and the small spread on this game makes the Pacers a solid play considering the situation here. *8* INDIANA

Rickenbach March Madness *8* Florida Gulf Coast Eagles -5.5 vs Fairleigh Dickinson @ 6:40 ET - Florida Gulf Coast (FGC) has too much size inside for Fairleigh Dickinson (FD). Of course neither one of these teams plays in a powerhouse conference but the Northeast Conference (NEC) was particularly weak this season. Give credit to the Knights for getting hot at the right time but the Eagles are still the much better team defensively. That includes overall as well as defending the 3-ball. Of course neither one of these teams is involved in lined games very often but Fairleigh Dickinson has a long-term 6-8 ATS mark and ugly 9-20 SU mark in neutral court games. As for Florida Gulf Coast, the Eagles have a long-term 9-1 ATS mark in neutral court games. Also, the Eagles are, interestingly enough, on a 7-0 ATS run in Tuesday games the last 3 seasons combined. FGC is on a long-term 16-6 ATS run in games against teams with a winning record. FD is on a 9-22 run the last 3 seasons against teams with a winning record. The Eagles are likely to have a huge edge on the boards in this one as well as a big advantage on points in the paint. The smaller frontcourt of the Knights is an issue and the athleticism of the Eagles results in edges across the board for the favorite in this one. This is a very manageable line. As a result, it is well worth pulling the trigger on this one. *8* FLORIDA GULF COAST 

Rickenbach NBA *8* Oklahoma City Thunder -8 vs Portland @ 8:05 ET - The Thunder enter this game on a 2-game losing streak. That is significant because only ONCE this ENTIRE season has Oklahoma City lost three straight games and that was all the way back in early November. That said, I do expect the Thunder to get the win tonight as they play this game with revenge for a loss at Portland in January. OKC had covered each of their three prior meetings with the Trail Blazers before failing to cover that one. With the straight-up win very likely tonight at home for Oklahoma City, what about the all important cover? Good news there as the Thunder have covered the spread in EACH of their last SIX victories. A 6-0 ATS run in games where OKC has won SU. The last five times this season that the Thunder have entered a game on a two-game losing streak they have gotten the straight-up win every single time. A perfect 5-0 SU run. The last 3 such occurrences saw OKC win each game by an average of 12 points and get the cover every single time. A perfect 3-0 ATS run. Portland had lost 4 of their last 5 games before their blowout win over the Magic. With the Trail Blazers off of an easy win and the Thunder off of a loss (at San Antonio) where they know they let one get away, this set up is perfect for a big home win for revenge-minded OKC. *8* OKLAHOMA CITY

Rickenbach March Madness *8* Jackson State Tigers +6 @ Sam Houston State @ 7:30 ET - Both of these teams lost late in their final games in their conference tournaments and this prevented getting into the Big Dance for each team. While this is deeply disappointing for both the Bearkats and the Tigers, I feel strongly that Jackson State is going to be the hungrier team here and will be fully prepared in terms of bouncing back in the College Insider Tournament. The Tigers head coach is in the last year of his contract and there is uncertainty as to what will happen for him. The team played their hearts out for him in the conference tourney and, although they fell a bucket short of being in the Big Dance, they won't stop playing here. While Sam Houston State has had some post-season games the past few seasons they still had their sights set on something much bigger. For Jackson State, they certainly have had a few disappointing seasons before this season turned into a surprisingly successful run in conference regular season action and in the conference tournament. With that said, and with the College Insider tournament certainly being a new challenge for these Tigers while it is certainly not so for the Bearkats, I look for Jackson State to be the much more motivated team here. Though they are on the road here, the Tigers conference tournament just wrapped up a short distance from here in Houston and this "road trip" is certainly no big deal for Jackson State. The hungry dog will give Sam Houston State all they can handle in Huntsville and an outright upset would not surprise. The Bearkats are 2-6 ATS in games with a posted total in the 130s the past three seasons combined. Of course both of these teams are not often seen by the betting markets and Jackson State is traditionally undervalued by the markets. The Tigers are 11-4 ATS in their last 15 lined games against teams with a winning record. *8* JACKSON STATE

Rickenbach NBA *10* Top Play Brooklyn Nets +2.5 vs Milwaukee @ 8:05 ET - Nice situational edge here with Brooklyn plus the points. Milwaukee is off of back to back wins but both came at home and plus this is the second game of a back to back for the Bucks and they are now on the road. Milwaukee has lost 7 of its last 8 road games. Especially now in a back to back spot, I don't think road struggles like that merit the Bucks being favored on the road no matter who their playing. In this case, Milwaukee is at Brooklyn and, while the Nets overall record this season may not impress, the fact is that the Nets have been playing much better basketball of late. Brooklyn is fired up for this game as it their first home game in THREE WEEKS! That is a long time to be away from home and the Nets are happy to be back on their home court. Brooklyn is off of a surprising loss at Philadelphia but the Nets had covered 6 of their prior 8 games! Also, the Nets have won 3 of their last 5 home games. Against teams who are averaging 99 points or more per game on the season, the Nets are on an impressive 11-4 ATS streak. The Bucks have won just 2 of 9 games this season (and have gone 2-6-1 ATS) when they are off of a win by 10 points or more in their prior game. After winning big versus New Orleans yesterday, look for Milwaukee to fall short on the road today as their record the last 3 seasons combined is just 8-22 ATS when off of a win by 10 points or more. With this also being a back to back situation and also being a road game, I look for the Bucks are in a tough situation against the hungry Nets. *10* BROOKLYN

Rickenbach NBA *8* Indiana Pacers +4.5 @ Atlanta @ 6:05 ET - Both teams are in back to back spots as each won their game yesterday. It is certainly an edge that the Pacers game was at 1 PM ET yesterday whereas the Hawks game was at 7:35 PM ET. Of course Atlanta has the edge of not having to travel for today's game but as far as "rest time" in between games Indiana does hold the edge and this edge is even a little more magnified given the time change to daylight saving time last night as everyone lost an hour of sleep. The Hawks are 7-15 ATS in Sunday games the last 3 seasons combined. Of course the Atlanta on a Saturday night is known for its nightlife and certainly could be a factor in that. Even though the Pacers are off of an upset win as an underdog yesterday they won't have any "winner's hangover" as they are 7-1 SU and ATS this season when off of an outright victory as a dog. Indiana also has been at their best in games against teams with a winning record as they've gone 22-10 ATS this season in those games. Good line value with the points here as the Pacers have covered 5 of their last 6 games and should get the cash again even if they do fall short of the outright upset as they drop the Hawks to 0-3 ATS in their last 3 games. Indiana had won the first two meetings this season but the Pacers lost early last month at Atlanta and they are hungry to avenge that loss Sunday. *8* INDIANA

Rickenbach March Madness *10* Top Play Memphis Tigers +5 vs Connecticut @ 3:15 ET - The Huskies took advantage of an over-matched Temple team yesterday but they finally are going to see the 4-OT game of Friday plus the fact this is their 3rd game in 3 days catch up with them here. Of course the Tigers are also playing their 3rd game in 3 days but they've had a much easier draw than UConn has. Memphis faced Tulsa and then Tulane and the Tigers were able to post blowout wins in each contest. As a result, Memphis has the much fresher legs coming into this game as the Tigers have been able to rest key players, etc. Even though the Huskies certainly want this game (who wouldn't?), they have likely already sealed their bid for the Big Dance. Conversely, the Tigers know they must get this win Sunday if they are to make the Big Dance and that means a huge effort can be expected here. The fresher legs and extra motivation will go a long way in this one. Memphis also has double revenge here as they did lose both games with Connecticut in the regular season. I certainly respect what the Huskies have done to get to this point but the fact they essentially have played 2 and 1/2 games in 2 days (because of that 4-OT game) means that this 3rd game in 3 days is really going to take its toll as they day goes on. The fresher team and certainly very hungry team, gets the job done as the dog in this one. Even though Avery Woodson is likely to miss this game, the Tigers did fine without him yesterday and he also made only 4 of 11 shots in the game against Tulsa Friday. *10* MEMPHIS

Rickenbach March Madness *8* Purdue Boilermakers +4.5 @ Michigan State @ 3 ET - Many will look at the Spartans here as they play this game with revenge for a 1 point loss to the Boilermakers back on February 9th. However, Purdue held Michigan State to just 38% from the field in that game. The Boilermakers deserved to win and they now enter this game simply "clicking on all cylinders" as their offensive efficiency has been spectacular. Purdue, for the 6th straight game yesterday, made at least 51.7% of their shots from the field. The Boilermakers have averaged 82 points per game during this hot streak. Michigan State only knocked down 42% of their shots in yesterday's win over Maryland. It marked the 5th time in their last 7 games that the Spartans were held to 48.7% or less from the field. In 4 of these 7 games the Spartans were held to 81 points or less. Of course Michigan State is a fantastic team and they have been performing insanely well at the betting window prior to yesterday's non-covering win. However, the point is that no offense is as hot as Purdue's has been of late and they have the confidence to take down the highly ranked Spartans in the Big Ten Championship Game after having already beaten them in the regular season. If the Boilermakers do fall short here, the points should be enough for the cover and that is added value for the red hot dog in tihs match-up. *8* PURDUE

Rickenbach March Madness *10* Top Play Kentucky Wildcats -3.5 vs Texas A & M @ 1 ET - Huge revenge game for the Wildcats and I don't see them being denied. They never should have lost at Texas A & M on Feb 20th and they will get their payback here. Kentucky shot 50% in that game while holding the Aggies to just 39%. All but two of the Wildcats wins this season have come by a double digit margin and only one victory came by less than 6 points. With that said, great line value here as Kentucky now takes advantage of catching the Aggies on a neutral floor. The Cats are favored by nearly the same number they were when they faced Texas A & M at College Station so, with that said, there has been a little too much adjustment based on the Aggies annihilation of LSU yesterday. While that win was impressive, it was a fortunate draw for Texas A & M and they take a major step up in class in the championship game. While this is a "been there, done that" spot for a team like Kentucky, this will be the first title game for the Aggies since way back in 1994. The pressure gets to Texas A & M here and the ultra talented Wildcats flex their muscles in a big, revenging win. *10* KENTUCKY

Rickenbach NBA *10* Top Play Houston Rockets +5 @ Charlotte @ 7:05 ET - With Houston playing on the road for a second straight game and coming off of an upset win at Boston last night, the Rockets certainly will not be the popular choice here. But note that Houston has won 10 straight meetings with Charlotte. Also, although the Hornets have won 7 straight games at home, the Rockets have been streak-busters so far on this road trip. Houston ended a Raptors streak of 12 straight home wins and then ended the Celtics home winning streak at 14 games last night. The Rockets are fully capable of beating the Hornets an 11th straight time and ending Charlotte's overall 6 game winning streak and their streak of 7 straight home wins. James Harden is a beast for the Rockets and Houston now got a boost with Michael Beasley quickly getting re-acclimated to the NBA as he poured in 18 points in just 15 minutes last night. The Rockets are 13-7 ATS this season in games with a posted total of 210 points or more. Houston is also 53-28 ATS the last three seasons combined when off of a non-conference game. The Rockets are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games against teams with a winning record. As for the Hornets, when playing on back to back days, they have gone 3-7 ATS this season and 21-32 ATS the last 3 seasons combined. Also, as "hot" as Charlotte has been of late, a rather easy schedule with many games against the bottom-feeders of the NBA certainly helped the Hornets to string together some wins. Give credit to the Hornets for the win over the Pistons yesterday but the Rockets have "their number" and prove that again on Saturday. *10* HOUSTON 

Rickenbach March Madness #739 - *10* Top Play Connecticut Huskies -2 vs Temple @ 3 ET - The whole world will line up on Temple and you know what usually happens when that is the case...the books usually WIN! Everyone will be excited to play the Owls since the Huskies are off of an improbable win yesterday and had to go to 4 overtimes to get it. It was an insane win over Cincinnati and certainly left Connecticut tired and trying to come down off of an emotional high last night. In a regular season situation where a team has a game the very next day after a crazy win like the Huskies had yesterday, certainly UConn might be in a "play against" spot. But this is entirely different. This is a shot the Huskies have at getting to the AAC Tournament Championship game tomorrow. You think the odds makers didn't know what was going on when they set this line at -3.5 on UConn? Of course they knew...they already adjusted it downward from where the prior lines were in Huskies games against Temple this season and that includes even downward from a game played AT Temple last month. In this case the better team, the Huskies, has the Owls on a neutral floor at -2 after being favored by nearly a half dozen AT Temple last month and being favored by double digits in the earlier meeting this season. This is a ton of value being offered to a "never say die" Huskies team that is all the way down to a 2 point favorite as of early Saturday morning. Yesterday's battle with Cincy was similar to a battle between the Orange and the Huskies in conference tourney action 7 years ago. That one went to 6 overtimes and the Huskies lost that one but it is what Syracuse did the very next day that is applicable here. They went on to beat the Mountaineers outright as a dog of about a half dozen points. The Orange were supposed to be too tired physically as well as too emotionally spent to be able to get another W on the floor the very next day. But that's precisely what they did and that's precisely what I expect the Huskies to do here even though the majority of the betting world will be lining up heavy on the Owls. Contrarian play but these types of plays have served me well through the years. *10* CONNECTICUT 

Rickenbach March Madness #729 - *8* St Joseph's Hawks +2.5 vs Dayton @ 1:30 ET - St Joseph's saw George Washington get ridiculously hot from three point land yesterday and take a 14 point lead at the half. The Hawks then came all the way back in the 2nd half and ended up outscoring the Colonials by 20 after the break. A win like St Joe's notched yesterday is huge for confidence and this is a Hawks team that already beat Dayton last month by a 79-70 count. The Flyers took advantage of an awful shooting performance by Richmond in their blowout win over the Spiders yesterday. This is the same Dayton team however that had covered the spread just once in their prior ten games. The Flyers got a favorable draw with facing a Spiders team whose season was just as mediocre as their record would lead you to believe. Conversely, the Hawks had to do battle with a solid George Washington team that notched 23 regular season wins. The big battle yesterday does wonders for the Hawks in more ways then one and this is a St Joseph's team that has gone a phenomenal 13-3 in games played away from home. The Hawks showed their resilience yesterday and bring huge momentum into a game against a Flyers team that, prior to yesterday's win, had trouble creating separation from opponents. Dayton's last 5 wins had come by an average of 1.8 points per game. That said, even with the points only being in the 2.5 range here, the value is with those points as the Hawks are feeling the "team of destiny" feeling after the way they won yesterday's game. *8* ST JOSEPH'S

Rickenbach March Madness #726 - *8* Texas A & M Aggies -7 vs LSU @ 1 ET - The Aggies got by Florida yesterday despite a rough shooting performance. The fact that Texas A & M was still able to knock off the Gators despite the ugly shooting says quite a lot about just how strong the Aggies are this season. Now they will take advantage of an LSU team that benefited from turnovers in their upset win over Tennessee yesterday. Unlike the Volunteers, the Aggies won't be so generous with the ball in their game against the Tigers today. The Texas A & M backcourt matches up very well against LSU and the Aggies are seeking revenge for a tough loss at LSU last month. That was a tight win for the Tigers whereas Texas A & M blew out LSU by 14 in their other meeting this season (in January). The Aggies have won 7 straight games and have covered 6 of their last 7. LSU struggled down the stretch in the regular season as they went 2-4 in their last 6 games and only covered the spread in one of those games. That said, the Tigers got a favorable draw with the Vols yesterday as Tennessee was the #12 seed and playing a 3rd game in 3 days against a well-rested LSU team. There is no such edge for the Tigers today and they are facing an Aggies team whose last 11 wins (including yesterday over a tough Florida team) have come by an average margin of 12.5 points per game! The Tigers last 7 losses have come by an average margin of 12.5 points also! Look for a victory by a double digit margin for the Aggies here. *8* TEXAS A & M

Rickenbach March Madness #567 - *10* Top Play Seton Hall Pirates +5.5 vs Xavier @ 9 ET - This is like a home game for Seton Hall as their home campus is not far from here. For Xavier, Cincinnati is certainly much farther away from New York City. That said, there is even more value than usual with this one which opened up around a 3.5 and is up to a 5.5 as the morning has gone on. Seton Hall's Isaiah Whitehead is probable by the way and the reports on him are good after yesterday's fall. The Pirates are simply rolling, they are well-coached, and they essentially have the home court edge in this match-up. The Musketeers, make no mistake about it, are certainly a fantastic team and it's part of the reason I had them as my top selection yesterday. However, Xavier simply caught Marquette at a good time. The Golden Eagles were off of a big win, they didn't bring great effort against the Musketeers, and Xavier was able to roll to the win. Today's match-up with Seton Hall will play out nothing like that. The Pirates are dangerous, they have star power, they are playing with edginess and emotion all over the floor, and they are very well coached. This game is going to go down to the wire and the Pirates just might steal the outright upset which is why I feel so confident with grabbing the points being offered here. Seton Hall is 10-2 ATS as an underdog this season. The Pirates have gone 15-5 ATS against teams with a winning record this season. Xavier is playing this game with road loss revenge for the loss last month at Seton Hall. But the fact is that the Musketeers are just 2-4 ATS this season when playing with road loss revenge and the Pirates are essentially getting to host Xavier once again even though this is considered a neutral floor game. *10* SETON HALL

Rickenbach NBA *10* Top Play Houston Rockets +6 @ Boston @ 7:35 ET - With wins in 3 of their last 4 games the Rockets are getting some confidence back. When in situations like this where they are coming off of a non-conference game there is certainly no "letdown" in the next game. This is especially true after facing a team like Philadelphia. That certainly wasn't a big win...it was simply an expected win. That said, note that Houston is a fantastic 17-5 straight-up this season when coming off of a non-conference game. Also, the Rockets are a stellar 52-28 ATS the past three seasons combined when they are off of a game against an Eastern Conference foe. The Rockets are getting sizable points here and have already covered 6 of 10 this season as a road dog of 3.5 to 6 points. 5 of those 6 ATS victories were outright upsets! Houston, overall, has covered 6 of its last 8 games against teams with a winning record. As well as Boston has been playing, let's not forget this is still an East versus West match-up and the Celtics are 29-53 straight-up in games against the Western Conference the last three seasons combined. Houston is playing this game with revenge for a home loss by a 16 point margin earlier this season. That stands as one of the worst defeats the Rockets have had on their home floor this season. A little payback is on order here and the points are adding some solid value to this play. *10* HOUSTON

Rickenbach NBA *8* Detroit Pistons +4.5 @ Charlotte @ 7:05 ET - Revenge game for the Pistons. They were embarrassed here at Charlotte by 20 points back in December and now it is payback time. Even though the Hornets have won 5 straight games, 4 of those wins came against 4 of the worst teams in the league. Couple that with the fact that the 5-game winning streak was preceded by Charlotte losing 2 of 3 and you and you can see why I am not overly impressed by the Hornets current run. Charlotte now hosts a Detroit team that has won 6 of its 8 prior games and 4 of the 6 wins have come against teams with a winning record. As you can see, the Pistons hot streak is a little more impressive based on level of competition. Detroit was an underdog at Dallas Wednesday and got the outright win. The Pistons are 9-5 ATS this season when they are off of an upset win as an underdog. Charlotte is 7-16 straight-up the last three seasons combined when they enter a game having played each of their three prior games at home Complacency sets in. It will do so again here as the Hornets are feeling a little too good about themselves after beating up on weaker competition. In comes the improved (and revenge-seeking Pistons). I expect the upset but will grab the points. *8* DETROIT

Rickenbach March Madness #553 - *10* Top Play Western Kentucky Hilltoppers +4 vs Old Dominion @ 4 ET - The Hilltoppers lost a pair of tight ones to Old Dominion in their regular season match-ups and that means it's payback time here. Western Kentucky is rolling as they have won 6 of their last 7 and are also 6-0 with one push ATS in those 7 games. Their offense has been on fire in their last 6 games and that makes them a very dangerous dog here. Confidence is surging after upsetting UAB yesterday and the Hilltoppers catch Old Dominion at the right time to spring the upset. The Monarchs have been hot too but they haven't been shooting the ball nearly as well as red hot Western Kentucky has. The Hilltoppers are a perfect 5-0 ATS in conference tourney games the past three seasons combined. Old Dominion is 5-10 ATS this season in their games against teams with a winning record. Also, the Monarchs are 3-6 ATS this season when they enter a game with one day or less of rest. Old Dominion thrives on solid defense but they will be wearing down as they play a 3rd game in 3 days. This will allow the Hilltoppers to take advantage as they are completely comfortable getting out quickly in transition and knocking down shots early in their possessions. Western Kentucky has the much more prolific offense and, right now, the Hilltoppers are 'feeling it' on the offensive end. That spells upset here but I'll grab the points being offered. *10* WESTERN KENTUCKY

Rickenbach March Madness #524 - *8* Purdue Boilermakers -11 vs Illinois @ 2:30 ET - Illinois has shot three-pointers at a ridiculous clip so far in the Big Ten tourney. That helped lead the way to a massive upset of Iowa yesterday after the Illini took advantage of a short-handed Golden Gophers team the prior day. I look for the hot shooting to come to an abrupt halt today. The Boilermakers held teams to just 31.7% from three point land in the regular season. By comparison, the Illini have allowed 38.2% on three-pointers so far this season. Purdue is rested and ready here while, conversely, Illinois will be playing their third game in three days. Although the line is a significant impost here, the Boilermakers have edges all over the floor plus have revenge on their minds here as Purdue lost by 14 at Illinois in January. The Boilermakers have shot the ball extremely well in their last four games and averaged 82 points per game during this stretch. Purdue will not be denied as they seek to avenge the January loss where the situation was not nearly as favorable as it is for the Boilermakers in this rematch. On the season, the Boilermakers defense has been much better than that of the Illini. Couple this with the rest edge and the fact that the Illinois shooting must "come back down to earth" here and you have the makings of a Purdue rout. Look for the Boilermakers to improve to 5-1 ATS this season in games against teams with a losing record and to also improve to 9-4 ATS in tournament games the last three seasons combined. *8* PURDUE 

Rickenbach March Madness #529 - *8* Richmond Spiders +4.5 vs Dayton @ Noon ET - With their win over Fordham yesterday the Spiders have now shot 48% or better from the field in 7 of their last 9 games. Richmond is one of the top scoring teams in the Atlantic Ten and though they've lost each of their last 3 match-ups with Dayton, the loss this season came by just a point and the loss last season came by only 3 points. There is value with the points here as, although Dayton has a great straight-up record, the Flyers have certainly struggled to put teams away. The Flyers wrapped up the season on an 0-8 ATS run including the 1 point win over Richmond as a 1.5 point favorite on the 1st of this month. Dayton wrapped up the season going 5-3 straight-up in these games and the average margin of victory in the 5 wins was just 1.8 points with not a single victory coming by more than three points. With the Spiders coming into this game seeking revenge and playing with confidence as they continue to shoot the ball very well, there is great line value with the underdog getting the points. *8* RICHMOND

Rickenbach NBA *10* Top Play Atlanta Hawks +4 @ Toronto @ 7:35 ET - The Hawks have been playing stellar defense. Atlanta comes into this game off of a win at Utah where the Hawks held the Jazz to just 87 points. It was the 5th time in their last 6 games that Atlanta has held their opponent under 39.9% from the field. The Hawks have covered all 6 games of these games and I look for them to take their ATS win streak to 7 in a row with another win tonight. While the Raptors also come into this game off of a Tuesday win, the victory marked the 6th time in their last 7 games that Toronto had allowed 47% or better from the field. The Raptors are allowing 105.3 points per game during this 7 game stretch. The Hawks are allowing just 88.5 points per game in their 6 game ATS winning streak. This series has been dominated by the road team. Not only has the roadie won each of the last four meetings, each victory has come by a double digit margin. The Hawks are on a long-term 23-10 ATS run in games played at Toronto in this series and they also have revenge for a home loss to the Raptors in their only meeting this season. That defeat in December continued the recent road domination in the series and now the Hawks seek road revenge in Toronto. Atlanta is 24-16 ATS when playing with home loss revenge the past three seasons combined. Also, the Raptors come into this game on a 3-game ATS losing streak. Toronto is 10-17 ATS as a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points the past three seasons. The Hawks are 5-1 ATS as a road dog of 3.5 to 6 points this season. When off of a game where they allowed 85 points or less, Atlanta is 3-1 this season. The Hawks continued strong effort on defense leads the way today while the Raptors defensive struggles continues to hurt them at the betting window. *10* ATLANTA

Rickenbach March Madness #730 - *10* Top Play Xavier Musketeers -9 vs Marquette @ 7 ET - Marquette snuck by St John's last night and now have a short turnaround of less than 24 hours. That's bad news in and of itself but it is particularly bad news when you now have to face the team that is arguably the top team in the Big East conference. Xavier and Villanova are definitely the big two in this conference and the Musketeers are going to be a problematic match-up for the Golden Eagles. Marquette again looked very bad on the defensive end last night and they were fortunate to cover the early number on the game as they very nearly lost the game outright before pulling away in the final minute. The Golden Eagles have now allowed at least 52% from the field in 4 straight games. Their offense has bailed them out in wins over St John's and Georgetown but against tougher teams like Butler and Villanova, this ugly defense led to losses by a combined margin of 31 points. I look for another big loss tonight for the Golden Eagles. Marquette will struggled against an Xavier team that is quite capable defensively when focused and, now that the tourney is here, look for a very focused effort from the Musketeers in this one. Prior to a pair of subpar late-season efforts on defense to close out the regular season portion of their schedule, Xavier held their five prior opponents to 39% combined from the field. Xavier has an explosive offense that has connected on 50% or better of its shots from the field in five of its last eight games. The Musketeers are 3-0 ATS in neutral court games this season and also 15-8 ATS in games against teams with a winning record this season. Marquette is 2-6 ATS when off of a win against a conference rival this season. Also, the Golden Eagles are 8-17 ATS the past three seasons when they are off of a game where they scored 80 points or more. *10* XAVIER

Rickenbach March Madness #797 - *8* South Florida Bulls +3.5 vs East Carolina @ 3:30 ET - The line may look a little "funny" here considering that South Florida was an ugly 7-24 this season and a 12-19 East Carolina team is such a short favorite in a neutral floor game. However, there is good reason for the low number in this one. The Pirates have been impacted by illness with four players listed on the injury report including three guards. Although I do expect all will play, this is likely to impact the stamina and energy (and therefore the depth and effectiveness) of the East Carolina backcourt. This opens the door for a South Florida upset here as the Bulls already held the edge in the paint in this match-up. Now they also are likely to hold an edge in the backcourt too. These teams met a week ago and the Pirates embarrassed the Bulls on their home floor. However, the Bulls did knock off the Pirates in East Carolina by a double digit margin earlier this season as well. In their last 18 games the Pirates have won only 4 and, other than the 13 point win over the Bulls, the other 3 victories came by an average margin of just 3 points per game! The fact we are getting some points with USF here coupled with the illness issues impacting the Pirates is making for some nice line value with the underdog Bulls plus the points in a situation where they have a great shot at the outright win. The Bulls went 6-2 ATS this season when playing with home loss revenge. The Pirates went 2-6 ATS this season when off of a game where they scored 60 points or less. Also, East Carolina is on a long-term ugly run of 3-13 ATS in first round tournament games. *8* SOUTH FLORIDA

Rickenbach March Madness #712 - *8* Iowa Hawkeyes -10.5 vs Illinois @ 2:30 ET - Illinois has gotten the cash just once in their last 6 meetings with Iowa. This is a tough spot for the Illini here as it is a back to back and yesterday's win over Minnesota truly ended up being almost "too easy". Sometimes games like that are the worst thing for a team because a team is not even tested and that is what ended up happening with the Illini in their easy blowout win over the Golden Gophers yesterday. Now Illinois takes a major step up in class to face an Iowa team that has beaten them 6 straight times. This includes a 12 point victory for the Hawkeyes last month and that game was at Illinois. Iowa now gets their chance to drop a blowout win on the Illini on a neutral floor. Certainly the Hawkeyes had a rough late season patch that put a damper on their season. But Iowa closed out the regular season with a big win over a tough Michigan team and I believe these Hawkeyes will prove to be an ultra dangerous team that no one wants to have to face in this Big Ten tournament. Iowa is so potent offensively with 78.5 points per game on the season. The Hawkeyes had a number of tight losses during their rough late season stretch but when Iowa wins (as they absolutely should here) they do win big and that makes this spread quite manageable. The Hawkeyes notched 10 of their 12 Big Ten wins by double digit margins and Illinois was a paltry 5-13 in Big Ten regular season action. The lllini simply won't be able to keep up here after an uncharacteristically strong shooting performance yesterday. They dominated a short-handed Minnesota team but face a much tougher test today. Illinois is 8-19 ATS the past three seasons in games against teams averaging 77+ points per game on the season. The high-scoring Hawkeyes win this one going away. *8* IOWA

Rickenbach March Madness #749 - *8* Arkansas Razorbacks +3 vs Florida @ 1 ET - The Razorbacks lost at Florida each of the last two seasons but the Jan 2015 defeat came by just a single point and the loss last month came by just four points. Now the Razorbacks get the Gators on a neutral court and I look for Arkansas to "get over the hump" against Florida in this one. Even though they faced some of the lower tier teams to close out the season, the Razorbacks winning 4 of 5 to close out the regular season certainly breeds some confidence heading into the SEC Tourney. They are catching Florida at the right time to spring the upset as the Gators still seem down-trodden after having such a disappointing finish to what was once a very promising season. Florida was 15-7 in early February before proceeding to lose 6 of their next 8 games before finally notching a win against Missouri in their regular season finale. Of course everyone beats the Tigers and the fact that the Gators closed the season with a win while the Razorbacks closed the season with a loss - albeit against a much tougher foe in South Carolina - actually helps our cause here. Florida is 2-6 straight-up this season when they are off of a win against a conference rival. The Gators are also 6-10 ATS the past three seasons in neutral court games. The Razorbacks are 8-4 ATS as an underdog this season. Also, Arkansas is 13-7 ATS in their games against teams with a winning record this season. When playing with revenge for a road loss, the Razorbacks went 3-1 ATS this season. *8* ARKANSAS

Rickenbach March Madness #733 - *8* Richmond Spiders -5 vs Fordham @ Noon ET - Richmond has won five straight games in this series the past three seasons combined. The Spiders simply "have the Rams number" and, with that said, this line is very manageable as I look for Richmond to win this one by double digits just like their 93-82 victory at Fordham in January. This, of course, is a neutral court game and the Spiders have gone 11-4 straight-up in neutral court games where they are favored between 3.5 and 6 points. That said, 13 of Richmond's 15 wins this season came by at least 8 points. With that being the case, odds are that a Spiders SU win here (which is likely) is also likely to come by a margin that covers the small number. Fordham finished the season strong but they did allow 7 of their last 11 opponents to hit 50% or better from the field. The Spiders did hold 8 of their last 13 opponents to 45% or less from the field. Couple the defensive edge with the fact that the Spiders averaged 77.5 points per game this season while the Rams averaged 71.9 points and you have the makings of a double digit victory for the favorite in this one as their series dominance of Fordham continues. *8* RICHMOND

Rickenbach March Madness #563 - *10* St John's Red Storm +6.5 vs Marquette @ 9:30 ET - This "neutral site" game is played on the home floor of St John's so it truly is an edge for the Red Storm. Of course that is factored into the line but I still think this spread range is too high for Marquette given the situational edges. The Golden Eagles went an ugly 3-10 ATS as a favorite this season. Also, Marquette allowed 87 points or more in each of their final three games of the regular season. The last three seasons combined, the Golden Eagles are an unsightly 5-15 ATS when they are off of a game where they allowed 80 points or more. In home games with a posted total in a range of 140 to 144.5, the Red Storm have failed to cover the spread just twice in seven such games this season! In the most recent match-up between these teams, the Golden Eagles shot 52% from the field while the Red Storm shot just 35% from the field and yet St John's lost the game by only five points! That says a lot right there. In other words, with a much more equal shooting performance, an upset by the Red Storm would not be a surprise here. As it is, we are certainly getting great line value here with the sizable points being offered to St John's. The Red Storm shot at least 44% from the field in each of their last 3 home games this season and they scored at least 75 points in two of those games. Overall, the Red Storm scored at least 75 points in 3 of their last 5 games this season. Marquette's defense has been an issue this season and this has been particularly true in road games the past few weeks. This one has upset written all over it but I'll grab the sizable points. *10* ST JOHN'S

Rickenbach March Madness #553 - *8* Minnesota Golden Gophers +10 vs Illinois @ 4:30 ET - With Joey King now out with a foot injury, no one will want Minnesota here. However, the Golden Gophers forward had more fouls and turnovers combined (8) than points (6) in his final game of the season. King shot 1 of 9 in the 13 point loss to the Badgers. Had he put forth at least a half decent game the Golden Gophers likely would have covered and it would have been their 4th cover in 5 games. Even with the players suspended and with King now out, I think we are getting some insane line value here with Minnesota. The line is now up into the double digit range and a lot of that has to do with a dismal effort against Rutgers in the Golden Gophers final game of the regular season. However, even with a lot of players out, I have seen what Minnesota can do when they are "on their game" and "focused" and both of those key factors will be in play now that it's tourney time. Yes it would be a huge upset for Minny but they have no doubt they can get the job done. In the recent Illini win over the Gophers, Illinois shot a ridiculous 57% from the field. How crazy was that? Consider this...Illinois, in their final 11 games of the season, was held to 40.3% or less from the field in 8 of the other 10 games. Minnesota certainly does have some issues but now that it's tourney time, they have nothing to lose and will play a very loose game, and they face an Illinois team that won only 5 of its last 18 games...certainly the Golden Gophers fit the bill as a dangerous dog in this one! *8* MINNESOTA

Rickenbach March Madness #519 - *8* Syracuse Orange +2.5 vs Pittsburgh @ Noon ET - Talk about a payback spot. The Panthers have defeated the Orange 4 straight times. That includes a pair of defeats by double digit margins this season. However, it's very tough to defeat a solid, well-coached team like Syracuse 3 straight times in a span of about 10 weeks and that is what Pittsburgh is trying to do here. The Panthers faded at the end of the season and that is key factor with this play as Pitt lost 6 of its last 9 games and has lost some of their "mojo" to say the least. The concerning thing about that for the Panthers is that they were favored or a dog of 2 points or less in all but 2 of those 9 games. That means the other 7 were truly winnable games and yet Pittsburgh struggled mightily. The Orange also stumbled down the stretch but they faced a tougher late season schedule than did Pitt. That is why Syracuse was a dog in 3 of their last 5 games and the average line in those games was +8. What I like about the Orange is the fact that in their last 9 games where they were either favored or they were a dog of 3 points or less, Syracuse went 8-1 straight-up. The lone loss was to the Panthers. It is payback time indeed. The Orange have gone 8-3 SU in tournament games the past 3 seasons combined. Also, Syracuse is 18-9 ATS in neutral court games where their line ranges from pick'em to a +3. The Panthers are 24-38 ATS as a favorite the past 3 seasons combined. *8* SYRACUSE

Rickenbach March Madness *10* Top Play UTSA Roadrunners +3.5 vs Florida Atlantic @ 5 ET - It has been a frustrating season for UTSA but coach Brooks Thompson has been known for having the Roadrunners well prepared for Tournament games and he will have them ready here. Texas-San Antonio has a great shot at getting the upset of the Owls here in this CUSA opener and that's why I see great value with the points. Florida Atlantic is off of an ATS victory in their regular season finale and it looks good on paper but the fact is UAB cared little about that game. Prior to that cover, the Owls had failed to cover 6 of their last 7 games. Florida Atlantic was held under 36% from the field in 4 of those 6 non-covers. The Owls did beat UT-San Antonio in both match-ups this season but it is very tough to beat the same team three times in a season. Florida Atlantic had some big shooting performances in each game and that was the key difference maker. That is unlikely to be repeated here based on how poorly the Owls were shooting the ball late in the season and, in what some have rumored could be coach Thompson's last game with UTSA (should they lose), I fully expect an intense effort from the 'Runners defense in this one. Texas-San Antonio covered the spread in 3 of their last 4 games to close out the regular season and also had a respectable 5-3 ATS mark in their final 8 road games of the season. UTSA has a long-term mark of 15-9 ATS in tournament games. Florida Atlantic has gone 4-11 ATS the last 3 seasons as a favorite and, in 10 of those 11 losses they were defeated outright! The Runners have a great shot at the upset here and are fully motivated to get it. *10* UT-SAN ANTONIO

Rickenbach March Madness *8* Wake Forest Demon Deacons +5 vs NC State @ Noon ET - The Demon Deacons certainly did not have an impressive overall season but I liked what I saw from them late in the season. That said, this is the "anything can happen" tourney time and you can bet that Wake Forest will be ready to go today. The Demon Deacons know they have a great shot against the Wolfpack and I look for Wake Forest to be in this one all the way. The Demon Deacons held 4 of their last 5 opponents under 43.7% from the field. On the other end of the floor Wake Forest was also showing marked improvement as they shot 44.2% or better from the field in 9 of their last 11 games. The Demon Deacons covered 7 of their last 13 games this season while NC State enters the ACC Tournament having failed to cover 6 straight games! The Wolfpack defense has struggled consistently over their last 9 games while the offense has been held to 41.4% or less from the field in 4 of their last 6 games. NC State will be in an absolute war just to win this game...let alone cover the spread which is now all the way up to a 5 as of early gameday morning. The Wolfpack have a long-term history of 1-4 ATS as a neutral court favorite of 3.5 to 6 points. The Demon Deacons are 4-2 ATS the past three seasons when they enter a game with 5 or 6 days of rest. *8* WAKE FOREST

Rickenbach March Madness *10* Western Michigan +5.5 @ Northern Illinois @ 8 ET - The fact that Marin Maric is dealing with an ankle injury is significant. He's the leading scorer for the Huskies and even head coach Mark Montgomery was saying he was only 60% heading into this game in terms of being able to put pressure on his ankle. Another key here is that the teams split their season series which was quite heated and included numerous ejections. Western Michigan lost the most recent game and they seek revenge tonight. Even though the game is in DeKalb, IL the Broncos only lost the most recent game here by 9 points despite shooting a paltry 38% from the field while the Huskies shot 53% from the field. In other words, even with a huge off night in terms of shooting for Western Michigan they still were "right there" in the game even though the Huskies had a rare great shooting night. That says a lot about how evenly matched these teams are and with Maric now hurting, the value is clearly with the Broncos and grabbing the available points in this MAC Tourney opener. Western Michigan is 4-1 ATS this season and 13-5 ATS the past three seasons when playing with road loss revenge. Also, the emotional intensity (players ejected, etc) adds even more fuel to the Broncos fire as they seek to avenge the loss that occurred in their most recent match-up with the Huskies. Northern Illinois had a rare 20-win season but the Huskies lost 8 of their last 11 games prior to defeating Ball State in their regular season finale. A 3-8 run that stretched into early March coupled with an injury to the leading scorer makes the Huskies a "false favorite" here. Great value with the hungry underdog. *10* WESTERN MICHIGAN

Rickenbach NBA *10* Indiana Pacers +7 vs San Antonio @ 7:05 ET - There is no disputing that the Spurs are one of the top teams in the league. However, the books are starting to catch up with them and, that said, the value is now in fading the Spurs. They are on a 4-6 ATS run and are here they are being asked to cover 7 points on the road against a solid foe. I just don't see it happening. Taking a look at the Pacers last 19 games they are only 10-9. But in the 9 losses they have had only 3 defeats by more than 7 points. Indiana just does not get blown out and that is particularly true on their home floor. Even though the Pacers are off of an upset win as an underdog at Washington Saturday, Indiana is 5-1 ATS this season when off of an upset win. The Pacers also are a stellar 20-10 ATS in games against teams with a winning record this season. Over a span of two weeks from late Feb to mid March this is the only home game on the Pacers schedule. With a standalone game like this on the schedule you can bet that Indiana is going to make the most of their home floor. For the Spurs this is a tough scheduling spot as it is part of a 5 games in 7 days stretch and they have another road game at Minnesota on deck for tomorrow. The Pacers lost both meetings with the Spurs last season but each came by 6 points or less. With revenge from those tight defeats plus having lost this season's earlier meeting at San Antonio, a little payback is on order here. *10* INDIANA