It was a gutsy performance by Embiid and the 76ers to get back in the series with a big win last game. Doing it again will be much harder. Embiid still is far from healthy. The Knicks are 10-6 versus the spread after a loss of 10 points or more, 12 of those were outright victories.

On the season, the Knicks were 22-10 straight up and 21-11 versus the spread, when off a loss. This NY team rarely plays consecutive bad games. You saw what happened in the 2nd game at MSG. It was a wild final 30 seconds of a game decided on the final play. This 2nd game at Philadelphia may also be decided at the buzzer. Grab the points!

The Timberwolves are up 2-0 and that doesn't surprise me. They had a great season and are better than a lot of people still realize. Winning on the road against a desperate and loaded Phoenix team is going to be a lot harder! Minnesota isn't as good defensively on the road. Winning at Phoenix is never easy for them.

The Suns are 6-0 both straight up and versus the spread the past 6 meetings here. All 6 of those victories came by 7 or more points. The Suns are also 5-2 straight up and versus the spread after scoring 100 or fewer points. They will not be held back again. Suns win big!

In game 1, I mentioned that the Celtics played well with 3 or more days rest. Both teams are equal in the rest department for Game 2 though. Miami has thrived when playing with 2 days rest in between games. The Heat outscore teams 114.4-107.8 when playing with 2 days off, winning 9 of 12 games outright.

The Heat are now 7-4 versus the spread their last 11 first round playoff games. They are 3-1 ATS when trailing in a playoff series. The Celtics are 7-9-2 ATS after allowing 100 points or less and 5-8 ATS after playing 3 consecutive home games. Grab the big points with the visitors!

Home teams were 4-0 both straight up and versus the spread yesterday. All 4 wins were by double-figures and this will be another blowout win for the home team. This isn't a fair fight. The Heat are a well-coached, playoff-tested team. The problem is that they're missing their heart and soul in Jimmy Butler (and others) and they're up against a superior opponent.

The Celtics outscore teams by more than 15 points per game here. They are 7-3 ATS and 8-2 straight up their last 10 tries in the first round of the playoffs. They are also 10-6-1 ATS their last 17 tries, when playing with 3 or more days rest. They won the regular season meeting by 18 here and this will be another blowout. Lay the points!

The Suns soundly beat the Timberwolves to close out the regular season. When it really matters, on April 20th, we will see a much different result. The Suns are 9-17 versus the spread after a win by 10 points or more.

The Timberwolves are a perfect 10-0 their last 10 tries, both straight up and against the spread, when playing with revenge from a home loss. Minnesota is also 9-4 ATS And 11-3 SU after an upset loss. Minnesota allows the fewest points in the entire NBA. The Wolves were 30-11 at home and only allowed 103.7 points a game here. Lay the small number!

They may have ended the year on a down note but the Hawks have a very dangerous team. They're still not completely healthy but they've got Trae Young back. The Bulls are only 9-14 versus the spread as home favorites. They lost 12 of those 23 games outright. One of those 12 outright losses came against Atlanta on the first day of this month.

I feel a lot better," Young said. "I'm just trying to make sure I can play at least close to my minutes that I played in the regular season in the play-in game." With Young complemented by players like Murray and Bogdanovic, the Hawks have the weapons. The Bulls are missing a number of players themselves. They will struggle against an Atlanta team with more recent postseason experience.

The Kings have long been in the shadow of the Warriors but they will have a great chance to step out from them on Tuesday night. Golden State knocked them out of the playoffs last season, Curry getting 50 in Game 7. Now it's Sacramento's turn.

The Kings aren't the same team that lost to the Warriors last year. They are older and wiser and they have had a taste of the playoffs. Last year, was their first time there in 16 years. They are also better defensively than last year's team.

Kings guard Davion Mitchell said: "It’s exciting. We get to get a little payback for last year ... We’re playing a home game and it’s going to be loud. It’s going to be physical, but I think we’re ready for it. I think the whole year, we’ve prepared ourselves for it, playing physical on both ends of the floor, and I think we’ll be ready." Last 3 meetings were all decided by 1. Kings will win outright. Grab the points.

This is the biggest game of the season for Orlando. The Magic have their sights set on a top 6 position which would mean avoiding the play-in round. A win over the Bucks gets them there.

"We control our destiny in this situation," said Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley, "so the way in which we have to play, the focus we have to have, and the attention to detail in how we start games and how we finish games is going to be very important."

"We just need one win and we're good," Magic forward Franz Wagner said. "One more game and we have to focus on that one and get a win."

The Bucks are still without Giannis Antetokounmpo and have lost 7 of their last 10 games. A win gets them the #2 seed but they don't seem overly concerned about it.

"You're going to play somebody good in the playoffs no matter what. There is no easy path. We learned that in the past before -- winning it and also losing it.

The Magic are 25-11 versus the spread, when favored. They've had a great season and they will finish it strong. Lay the points!

This is a lot of points to be giving a desperate home underdog. The Kings are playing with 0 days rest but the last time that they did that, they lost by only 1 point at Boston. This is a Sacramento team which badly needs to get on track before its too late. They will fight with everything they've got. The Suns are 8-9 in division games, the Kings are 10-6.

The Kings are 9-4 versus the spread after allowing 130 points or more. The Suns are 9-16-1 versus the spread off a win by 10 points or more. The Suns are also 8-20 ATS versus good offensive teams - scoring 116+ points/game. The Kings are 17-10 ATS as underdogs. Grab the points! **Pacific Div. GOM**

The Houston Rockets can't afford any losses. The Rockets are four games behind the Warriors with only five remaining in the regular season. That obviously doesn't give them much of a chance. They have fought all year though and they are going to continue to battle until the bitter end.

Rockets coach Ime Udoka: "Just finishing on the right step, on the right foot and playing the right way."

Dallas isn't entirely healthy and wants to make sure it it for the playoffs. Doncic missed the Mavericks last game and is questionable. So is Kleber. Those guys would play if this was a playoff game but they may not for this one. Rookie sensation Lively is out. Green remains out.

The Rockets are 7-3 versus the spread after 3 or more consecutive losses. Grab the points! **Southwest GOY**

The 76ers were minus their big guns last month at Memphis. Embiid was out but Maxey was also absent. The Grizzlies might argue that they have been dealing with missing players all season. They've done well, all things considered. But they do remain extremely short-handed and now the 76ers are healthier. Memphis will have no answer for a Philly team hell-bent on revenge and now being led by their stars.

The 76ers are 56-40-1 versus the spread their last 97 tries in the revenge role. They are 28-19 ATS when laying points this season. The Grizzlies are only 4-8 versus the spread when playing 2 games in 2 days. Their tired legs won't be ready for what the 76ers will throw at them. Lay the points!

The Rockets have many factors in their favor tonight. They are playing with Double-Revenge with the Warriors having won both of this season's previous meetings. Golden State has been strong on the road this season but the Rockets are even better at home. The Warriors need wins but the Rockets need them even more!

The Warriors play at Dallas tomorrow night. Its a really big game and a rematch from Tuesday. If there is a game to look ahead to, its a game against Luca Doncic and the Mavericks! The Rockets have been underestimated all year. They are 13-7 versus the spread as home underdogs and they won 11 of those game outright. They are 12-3 ATS against Pacific Division teams and they will have their revenge on Thursday night!

Indiana State has a far superior record and is the better team here. Inside or outside their conference, the Sycamores have handled their business. The Sycamores were 19-4 against Missouri Valley Conference opponents and 12-2 in non-conference play. Utah was only 10-12 within its conference. The Pac-12 has some good teams but so does the Missouri Valley. The level of competition doesn't account for such a large discrepancy in records!

The Utes are 0-3 versus the spread their last 3 tries as a neutral court underdog of 3 points or less or pick. They were only 4-7 ATS as underdogs this season. They won only 5 of their 12 road games. The Sycamores are 20-11 ATS as favorites. They are 30-14 ATS their last 44 tries after scoring 80 or more. Lay the small number!

In case you haven't been paying attention, the Trail Blazers are terrible right now. They have lost 9 straight. The last loss came by 60 points! The Trail Blazers are 1-6 versus the spread against Southeast division opponents.

The Magic thrive as favorites. They are 24-7 versus the spread in the role of the favorite. As a home favorite of more than 12 points, they are 2-0 ATS. This Magic team makes short work of weaklings. They are 24-5-2 ATS against losing teams, 14-3 ATS their last 17. That level consistency comes from quality coaching. They don't let down. They beat Memphis by 30 last game and this will be another cakewalk!

Zach Edey is a different kind of player. He changes the game. You have to worry about him when you're on both offense and on defense. Worry too much about him on offense and he'll mess up your shot, if he hasn't blocked it. Worry too much about him on defense and he'll kick it out to Purdue's capable 3-point shooters. So far, that formula has worked for the Boilermakers. That was before they had to contend with the Tennessee Volunteers! Purdue hasn't faced a defense like this one in this tournament. Tennessee allowed 49 and 58 points its first 2 games!

Excellent on both sides of the ball, the Volunteers are peaking at exactly the right time. They got a taste of Purdue in the Maui Invitational. The Boilermakers pulled away late for a 4-point win. The experience of having faced Edey once will help Tennessee in Sunday's rematch. The Volunteers know what he's all about. They know they could have won that game. They know that they've improved since then. The Boilermakers average more than 80 points a game but the Volunteers are 7-1 their last 8 tries versus the spread against teams which average 77 or more per game. Grab the points!

Who needs Trae Young? The Atlanta Hawks are playing their best basketball of the season. They have won 4 in a row and 2 of those wins came against Boston! The Hawks are 20-17 at home and the Bucks are 17-20 on the road. The Bucks are off a loss and they are missing Lillard. And we still get points with Atlanta!

The Hawks are 10-5 versus the spread their last tries against a team with a winning record. The Bucks are 8-19 ATS when playing against a team with a losing record. The Bucks scored only 100 last game and Atlanta has scored 120 or more in 4 straight. The Bucks are 2-4 versus the spread after scoring 100 or less. Grab the points!

The Huskies have been impressive but this is the game they finally get tested and this is way too many points. The Illini have also impressed. The stats aren't that far enough. Not far enough to warrant such a big number. The Huskies did win a few more games and they do allow fewer points. The Illini played in a tougher conference though and they also score more points.

Its important to recognize that NONE of Illinois' 8 losses has been by more than 9 points. The Illini do not get blown out. They're 7-0 their last 7 games, 10-1 their last 11. The only loss was by 6 against Purdue. With a 6-1 ATS record, as an underdog, grab the points with Illinois!

Houston versus Duke. In the past, you'd expect the Blue Devils to be favored over the Cougars. Those days are over. The Cougars are the better team, as they were last year. Duke still carries the name and the tradition though and that has helped in preventing this line from being even higher. The Cougars are 12-7-1 against the spread in 20 tries with 3 or more days rest. The Cougars only allow 57.7 points a game. Their defense is for real.

The Cougars are 10-2 versus the spread their last 12 tries, a perfect 12-0 straight up, in a neutral court game where the total is 130 to 134.5. The Blue Devils are only 2-5 versus the spread their last 7 tries as an underdog. They found themselves in that role twice this season and went 0-2 ATS with losses against Wake Forest and UNC. This is the end of the road for the Blue Devils!

It's important to put the schedule to work for you. This is the 4th and final game of a 4-game homestand for the Heat. They play their next game at Washington and then they have 2 more difficult games at home, followed by 3 on the road. They are already 1-2 in the first 3 games. They are also 6-1-1 versus the spread in 8 tries, after playing their previous 3 games at home. If you add it all up, the Heat absolutely need to take advantage of this easier opponent. Its the largest pointspread which they've been asked to cover all season and there is a good reason for that.

The Trail Blazers, 1-5 versus the spread against Southeast Division teams, are really bad. They are 19-54 on the season. The Heat have had 2 days off and the Washington game isn't until Sunday. They won by 10 at Portland and this will be an even bigger "cakewalk!"

So, we've got 2 teams with essentially equal records (Norfolk State is 23-11 and IPFW is 23-12) and one of them is playing at home. But the other is favored. Hmmm. What's the deal? The biggest reason for this is that the Horizon League is considered to be (and is) stronger. That doesn't make the Mastodons better on the road than the Spartans are at home. Ipfw is a solid 12-7 on the road but Norfolk State is a perfect 14-0 at home!

If we go back to the beginning of the season, Norfolk State was projected to be near the top of the MEAC. IPFW was expected to be near the bottom of the Horizon. The Mastodons didn't return a single starter from last season. They should be commended for having the season which they've accomplished but it will end with a loss. The Spartans outscore teams by a 84.5 to 62.6 point margin at home. That cannot be ignored. Make it 15-0 after tonight!

If you pay attention to how teams fare in certain situations, you'll understand why this the case of the wrong team being favored. Both teams are off a victory last night. That works in favor of Dallas. The Mavericks are 8-3 versus the spread their last 11 tries, when playing with 0 days rest. The Kings are only 4-8 ATS when doing so.

The Kings played great defense last night. The problem is that they are only 2-9 ATS their last 11 tries, after allowing 105 points or less. The Mavericks are 29-18-1 ATS (30-18 straight up) when revenging a home loss, 12-5 ATS their last 17. The Kings won twice at Dallas but the Mavericks get them back tonight!

Seattle was 9-3 versus the spread in non-conference action. Having beaten Grand Canyon during the season, the Redbirds know that they can beat this Fairfield team. The Stags are 1-5 versus the spread their last 6 tournament games and the Redbirds are 5-1 versus the spread.

The Redbirds are the stronger team but they also have a scheduling advantage. They play 2 games in 2 days but the Stags are playing 3 games in 3 days. That extra Sunday game played by Fairfield, as opposed to Seattle playing on Saturday, will be a factor. Lay the points with the Redbirds!

This is as essentially as big a mismatch as it gets in the NBA. The Denver Nuggets are the defending champions. They need to keep winning and they dominate teams at home. The Memphis Grizzlies are playing for nothing. This is a team which is beleaguered by injuries.

The last time that these teams faced each other, the Nuggets won by 37 points. The Nuggets have won 41 of 50 meetings here and many of them have been blowouts. The last 5 Denver home wins over Memphis have all been by at least 13 points. With the Grizzlies only 4-7 versus the spread their last 11 tries with 2 days rest, this one will see the Nuggets win by at least 20! **WESTERN CONF GOM**

My CakeWalk selections are usually reserved for favorites which I expect to win with ease. They don't have to be though. When I am getting points with an underdog which I expect to win outright, as I am here, I can occasionally use that title. Here, we've got a Montana team which won 24 games. Arkansas State won 19. Both teams score roughly the same number of points but Montana allows a lot less.

Though the points aren't likely to come into play, both teams did see their last game decided by 2 or less. Montana won by 1 and Arkansas State won by 2. If this turns out to be another game decided on the final possession, I'd rather be getting points than laying in them. The Grizzlies are 10-3 straight up (9-4 versus the spread) their last 13 tries when playing with 1 days rest or less. They are 25-11 SU their last 36 tries. Let's go Grizzlies!

The San Diego State Aztecs are an experienced team which made a deep run in this tournament. They have the type of team suited to winning at this time of the year. The Yale Bulldogs were fortunate to win the Ivy League Finals. Then, they pulled off a first round upset over Auburn. That was a big win but they won't duplicate it tonight.

The Aztecs will dial up the defensive intensity and low-scoring games don't really suit Colorado. The Buffaloes are just 1-3 versus the spread their past 4 when the total was 120 to 129.5. San Diego State is a perfect 5-0 ATS its past five tries, as a neutral court favorite of 3.5 to 6 points. The Aztecs caught a break by getting Yale and they will take advantage of it!

The top teams in the Big East are right there among the best and it starts with UConn. The defending champions are taking no prisoners this year. They have scored over 90 points in 2 of their past 3 games. Northwestern won't be able to keep up!

Playing on a neutral court must feel like playing at home for the Huskies. They are 7-1 versus the spread (8-0 SU) their past 8 games on a neutral court. They are 20-6 ATS their last 26. They are now 7-1 ATS their last 8 NCAA Tournament games. Some team will test them but Northwestern won't be the one to do it. Lay the points!

In case you've haven't noticed, the Big 3 in the Big East are all special teams. The Huskies are the defending champs and didn't miss a beat this year. Arizona can compete with the top 3 in the Big East but the other Pac-12 teams cannot. We saw Creighton dismantle Pac-12 Tournament Champion Oregon last night.

Marquette is another special Big East team which has the potential to go a long way. The Buffaloes are 2-4 versus the spread as an underdog. The Golden Eagles are 17-9 versus the spread as a favorite. Lay the points!

A small line is offering excellent value with the Big 12 team. The Mountain West is a solid conference but the Big 12 is stacked. The Horned Frogs have wins over teams like Houston, Texas Tech, Baylor, K-State Cincinnati and Oklahoma. They were within a bucket of beating Kansas, and Iowa State. In fact, there were numerous very close losses. This team is better than its record!

The Horned Frogs are 21-9 versus the spread their last 30 tries, off a loss against a conference rival. The only time that they played with 7 or more days rest in between games resulted in an easy cover, a 77-42 blowout. The Frogs were 14-10 versus the spread as favorites, 3-1 ATS as road favorites. TCU is 7-1 straight up its last 8 against Mountain West teams. The Aggies are 1-5 ATS as underdogs and 0-3 ATS versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game after 15+ games. Lay the small number!

Too many points between two equal teams in a game which will be close. The Wildcats are 4-0 versus the spread their last 4 NCAA tournament games. The Owls are 3-7 versus the spread their last 10 tries as a neutral court favorite of 3.5 to 6 points.

The Wildcats are also 6-2 versus the spread their last 8 tries, off a loss against a conference rival. Northwestern has 8 losses since getting blown out on January 2nd. All 8 losses came by single digits. During that time they have beaten teams like Illinois and Michigan State. They know that they can beat this Florida Atlantic team. Grab the points.

Oakland will be outclassed. Kentucky has disappointed in recent tournaments and will be ready to run up the score. It doesn't matter that the coaches are friends. The Wildcats were 8-5 versus the spread against non-conference opponents and they outscored them by an average of 16 points a game.

The Wildcats are 12-2 versus the spread their last 14 tries as a neutral court favorite of 12.5 to 15 points. Oakland was great with no rest but not so good with lots of it. The Golden Grizzlies are 0-3 versus the spread the last 3 times that they played with 7 or more days rest and 2-6 ATS their last 8 tries in that situation. Lay the points!

We get a good one right out of the gate: SEC taking on the Big Ten. 8 versus 9. Tom Izzo is a legend but Chris Jans is also a winner. I give the edge to the Bulldogs on the floor.

Playing the game at Spectrum Center in Charlotte shouldn't bother the Bulldogs. Did you know that Mississippi State is 9-0 when playing on a neutral court? The only loss came versus Auburn and the Bulldogs were playing their 3rd game in 3 days. The Bulldogs did beat Auburn earlier. They also beat Tennessee twice this year. When facing a Big Ten opponent, they thumped Northwestern. The Spartans split with NW but were outscored by 10 points in the two games combined. Let's go Bulldogs!

Getting to play this game in Jadwin Gymnasium is a big advantage for Princeton. The Tigers were undefeated on their home floor this season. In going 12-0, they outscored visiting teams by an average of 16.8 points. UNLV had some big wins but came up short when it mattered. The Rebels are a long way from home and aren't going to be as motivated as the Tigers.

The Tigers score more points and they allow less. That's not all from the Ivy League schedule either. The Rebels are only 2-5 versus the spread in 7 tries in a road game where the total is 135 to 139.5. The Tigers are 6-3 ATS in nine tries, off a loss against a conference rival. Lay the small number!

Give me the points with Timberwolves! The situation is that the Nuggets are off a buzzer beater loss on Sunday and the Timberwolves are off a comeback win last night. Because of the lack of rest, the Nuggets are laying a hefty number as a road favorite. Too hefty!

If we look at Minnesota's 10 games with 0 days rest we find a 7-3 straight up record. Closer examination reveals that all 3 losses came on the road, the last 2 both by single-digits. The Timberwolves are 4-0 straight up when playing a home game after playing the previous day. Twice they've played a home game after playing an away game and they won those games by an average of 118-107. On the season, the Timberwolves have a better home record than Denver does a road record. Give the me points! *Northwest GOW

Not much separates these teams and I'm happy to grab the points being offered. Wagner was 9-7 versus the spread as an underdog. Howard was just 7-11 versus the spread as a favorite. The Seahawks don't score many points but they don't allow many either. Those type of teams give the Bison trouble.

Howard is 1-4 ATS their last 5 tries versus poor offensive teams - scoring

I wasn't surprised that the Hawks showed up for last night's game. I don't believe that they'll be able to do it two nights in row though. Atlanta is 4-7 versus the spread when playing with 0 days rest. When playing the 2nd of back-to-back road games, the Hawks are 0-2 both straight up and against the spread. They lost those 2 games by an average score of 120-111.

Overall, the Hawks are only 12-19 ATS as underdogs. They are really bad when they are off an upset victory. In that situation, they've gone 10-27 ATS their last 37 tries, 3-7 ATS this season. The Lakers lost at Atlanta in January but they smashed the Hawks by 16 the last meeting here. Another big win coming up tonight!

Despite being the better team, LAC isn't at full strength right now. Russell Westbrook is out and James Harden is questionable for this game. Having said that, this line is too big. In their last four meetings with each other, the Hawks have either won, or kept it within single digits.

Although Atlanta is on a losing streak, the Clippers have also been struggling lately. Also, Atlanta's losses have been close. They're still 3-3 their last 6 games and the Hawks last 2 losses were by only 6 combined points. This is a big game for the Hawks as they don't want to slip any further as the final play-in tournament team right now. The Hawks upset LA here last year. This line is considerably too high and don't be shocked if the Hawks win this one outright.

The Bulldogs have gotten their act together just in time. They dominated Cornell yesterday and they will have their way with Brown this afternoon. This is the best team in the Ivy League and that will be on full display this afternoon.

Brown beat them at home less than a week ago but Yale is 4-1 versus the spread, 5-0 straight up the past 5 tries, when avenging a home loss. The Bulldogs are also 5-1 ATS (6-0 SU) their past 6 tries, as a neutral court favorite of 6.5 to 9 points. Yale is still 9-1 the past 10 meetings, even after last week's loss. The Bears' run comes to an end today. Yale by double-digits!

UC Davis might own the better record here. But, we all know that it’s March. The Beach are fighting to get revenge after losing to the Aggies just a week ago today. These two teams split the season series and that doesn’t surprise me. Long Beach State was able to knock off the top team during the regular season in UC Irvine in their last game and are now getting the respect that they deserve.

Long Beach State is 5-1 versus the spread in its last 6 conference tournament games. Cal Davis is 3-8-1 ATS its last 12 as a neutral court favorite of 3 or less. Marcus Tsohonis is someone to keep an eye on. The pace of LBSU should be enough to cause problems for UC Davis and let the 49ers into the big dance for the first time since 2012.

Nice win for the Wolfpack yesterday. Any time you knock out Duke, its a good day! They are only 5-9 versus the spread their last 14 tries off an ATS victory though and now they will face a dominant defensive team. They are 1-4 straight up the past 5 times versus good defensive teams - allowing

Its never wise to underestimate a Tom Izzo coached team. Sometimes, great coaching isn't enough. The Spartans simply have no answer for Zach Edey. He's dominated them and there's little reason to expect anything different on Friday morning. Edey scored 32 points, while adding 11 rebounds in the game a couple of weeks ago. Last season, Edey averaged 35 points against the Spartans.

If Izzo's Spartans go all out to contain Edey, it'll leave them vulnerable to Purdue's outsider shooters. This will be the first time that the Spartans have played 2 games in 2 days all season. The Boilermakers are 11-7-1 versus the spread with 3 or more day's rest and they are 5-0 straight up and ATS (or 4-0-1) when on a neutral court with wins over Gonzaga, Tennessee, Marquette, Alabama and Arizona. The line is low. Lay the points with Edey and the Boilermakers.

Georgia got a fortunate first round matchup against Missouri. The Tigers hadn't won a game in months. This is a big step up in class though and the Bulldogs will be exposed by a stronger Florida team tonight. The Gators won both regular season meetings.

Prior to yesterday, the Bulldogs were 0-3 straight up and versus the spread in neutral site games. Some teams are used to doing so but this will be the first time this season that they played with 0 days rest. When off a loss, as the Gators are, they outscored teams by an average score of 83.8 to 73.4. They'll beat the Bulldogs by at least that many tonight!

Who in their right mind would back Villanova after the Wildcats only beat Depaul by 1 point? Call me crazy and count me in. Yesterday's result was great. It's keeping people off the Wildcats today and that is leading to extra points on the line. With Marquette's best player Tyler Kolek out, and with Nova needing the win more than the Golden Eagles, this is a lot of points. They could come in handy, as Villanova has had some close ones. Yesterday's 1-point game was preceded by a 2-point loss versus Creighton, a game Villanova was down big and showed heart in rallying. Remember the 1-point game versus UConn?

A win today and the Cats could start feeling a lot better about their NCAA Tournament hopes. Marquette already knows it'll be there. The Golden Eagles are 1-2 versus the spread on a neutral floor. The Wildcats have thrived in their neutral court games including victories over UNC, Texas Tech and Memphis. They are 2-0 both straight up and versus the spread when playing with 0 days rest. Give me the points!

These teams are closer in talent than the point spread is telling us. They were the two best in the conference last season. The Golden Flashes were favored for the game at Kent State and the Rockets are laying nearly as many today as they were for the game at Toledo. The Flashes are 10-4 versus the spread their last 14 tries on a neutral court.

Toledo won the regular season title last year but Kent State won the MAC Conference Tournament to advance to the NCAA Tournament. The Flashes are 5-1 straight up and versus the spread their last 6 games in this tournament. They are coming in confident. The Rockets are only 6-10 versus the spread their last 16 tournament games. Give me the points!

The Gauchos weren't that good against the spread this season. They were good to me when I supported them though. I won my Big West Game Of The Year on them way back in the middle of January. I was high on them then and I still them. I also won with the Gauchos last March 11th, my Big West Tourney Game Of the Year from last year. They were laying a similar number that day that they are today and they won by 10.

The Gauchos have been excellent as short neutral court favorites the past couple of years. In all neutral site games they were 6-3 versus the spread. The Matadors have won just 1 of their last 10 first round tournament games, going 3-7 versus the spread. The Gauchos went to the NCAA Tournament last year. They won't be stopped tonight.

Arkansas' disappointing regular season has provided us with great value in the opening round. Vastly superior to Vanderbilt talent-wise, at least in my opinion, the Razorbacks somehow got upset by the Commodores at home, in late February. They were favored by double-digits! That was a low point and now is a chance to start making things right.

The Razorbacks are 5-1-1 versus the spread their last 7 tries, when revenging a home loss. They are a respectable 8-6 ATS their last 14 tries against losing teams but 13-1 SU in those games. The loss was the Vanderbilt game. The majority of those spreads were a lot higher than this one. Looking for its revenge, Arkansas will move to 14-1 its last 15 tries against losing teams and will cover the small number for us in the process!

If this was truly a neutral site game, the Eagles might be able to keep it close. Coppin State can't be very happy to have to play the Spartans at Norfolk Scope Arena though. The Eagles were 0-17 on the road this season and they were outscored 75.5 to 55.1 in those games.

The Spartans were 13-0 at home and they outscored teams by an average of 84.8 to 62.3. The Spartans played a number of tough non-conference road games (like Tennessee) to get them ready for the postseason. They won at places like Illinois State and VCU and will have no trouble with over-matched Coppin State.

The Jackrabbits get a dream matchup and will punch their ticket to the Big Dance tonight. They beat an arguably better team by 10 last night and should win by even more than that tonight. After all, they're off 5 straight wins by 10 or more.

When they met earlier in the season, the Jackrabbits had yet to really hit their stride but when these teams met 3 weeks ago, the Jackrabbits won by 27 points. They've owned the Pioneers for years, the January loss at Denver was an anolmy. Remember that Denver was the #7 seed and had more losses than wins in regular season. South Dakota State will win this one in a "Cake-Walk!"

The River Hawks lost to Vermont in the America East Championship game last year. They want another crack at the Catamounts this year. A win here should earn them that opportunity as Vermont is a 13 point home favorite versus New Hampshire.

Playing this game on their home floor is a major advantage for U Mass Lowell. The Bulldogs are strong at home but below .500 on the road. The River Hawks are 4-0 both straight up and versus the spread in four meetings since last season. They beat them by 22 here a few weeks ago after winning by 9 at Bryant the previous week. Bring on Vermont!

The Fighting Irish aren't a great team but its my belief that they're currently better than Georgia Tech. Both regular season meetings were close but the Irish found a way to win each of them. That will give them confidence for this afternoon's big game.

Notre Dame lost a lot from last season and that meant going through some early growing pains. The talent is there though and they got better. The Irish are 5-3 their past 8 games and all 3 losses were at tough road venues. They've been their best within the conference, going 13-7 versus the spread. Losing senior Lance Terry early on the season didn't help the Yellow Jackets. Their season ends today.

The Wildcats may have a better record and a higher seed but they shouldn't be laying points against anyone right now. Since these teams last met, Davidson has lost 5 straight games. The Rams are also off 3 straight losses but the last 2 have been competitive, including a 2-point road loss at 20-win UMass.

Before that, the Rams had beaten George Mason and blew out Duquesne. Davidson's last 2 losses came by 18 and 10 points. It could be close so I will happily take points but I feel that the Rams are playing better basketball right now and I expect them to come through with the outright victory!

I won with Weber State as my 2023 Big Sky Conference Tourney GOY. The Wildcats led from wire-to-wire in their quarterfinal victory over Sacramento State. The Wildcats brought back a ton of experience and depth from that team, including unanimous First Team All-Conference performer Dillon Jones. Jones had 18 points (plus 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals) in last year's GOY win.

Jones is even more dominant this season. He averages more than 20 points and more than 10 rebounds. He's scored more than 20 points in 3 straight games and at least 17 points in each of his past 12. Heavily favored to win this conference before the season started, Jones and the Wildcats know that their time is now. They lost to the Bobcats to close out the regular season but will avenge that loss with a big win "when it counts" on Monday.

James Madison is in a class of its own in the Sun Belt and will prove it again this evening. The Dukes are 28-3 and they haven't lost since January. They beat Texas State by 17 in the lone regular season meeting. A dominant team, the Dukes also have the schedule in their favor.

Both teams played yesterday. Its not surprising that JMU had an easier time with Marshall than Texas State had with Troy. Not only did the Bobcats have to battle harder yesterday but they also will already be playing their 4th game in this tournament, the first of which went to Overtime. It will catch up them against a superior opponent which had a double-bye and will be playing just its second game of the tourney. Lay the points!

The Wizards are going to be outmatched at Miami today. Miami is 28-22-1 versus the spread its last 51 against division opponents. Off a cover at OKC, the Heat are 11-4-1 versus the spread, their last 16. The Wizards are 3-6 ATS their last 9. The Wizards, who have nothing to play for, are just 6-27 on the road!

The Heat fought hard against the Thunder, despite playing their second game in 2 days, and a similar effort will pay dividends today. Coach Spoelstra commented: "We'll get better from this. There were a lot of good things to take away. None of us want to talk about (the positives) right now because we're competitors." The Wizards won last game but are only 1-8 (SU) after a win. Lay the points and expect Miami to win in a "Cakewalk!"

I always enjoy getting points with a team which I expect to win outright! Though its unlikely that such a small point spread will come into play, when considering how close the regular season meetings were, its far from impossible. Those scores were 72-71 and 64-62, in Overtime. The Terriers won both games!

You'll hear people say that its hard to beat a team 3 times. Guess what? It happens! I like to counter with the argument that its hard to beat a team which has already beaten you twice. Not only has Boston beaten Lehigh twice but the Terriers get to play this game at Case Gym, their very own home floor. They are 9-6 at home, Lehigh is 7-10 on the road. Boston is 6-1 the last 7 meetings and gets it done again this afternoon!

It didn't look good for the Bulldogs for a time yesterday. They showed resiliency, grit and heart though and got the game to OT. Once there, they dominated. They won the extra session by a 12-1 margin. They'll bring that positive momentum into this afternoon's game. Longwood also went to OT yesterday. So, as far as minutes played, the teams are equal in that regard.

Give the Lancers credit for taking down High Point, the tournament hosts. This will be an even tougher matchup for them though. The Bulldogs were the preseason favorites in the Big South. The Lancers were picked 5th. The Bulldogs have won 3 of the last 4 meetings. This afternoon, they will prove the preseason pundits right!

The Kangaroos enter the tournament on a hot streak. The opposite is true of the Pioneers. The tournament is a chance to wipe the slate clean though and those recent results have provided additional line value with the underdog. In the regular season,  UMKC was only favored by 2 points at home against the Pioneers. (The Pioneers were favored by 4.5 at Denver.) Tonight, the Roos are laying more than that for a neutral site game. Value!

This is unfamiliar territory for the Roos. They aren't used to being favored in tournament games. They are 15-44 SU their last 69 tournament games, 5-21 in conference tourney games. Over the last 2 seasons, they are 2-8 (3-7 ATS) in tournament play, 0-2 SU/ATS in the Summit Tourney. The Pioneers are 6-3 ATS their last 9 tries, when playing with 5 or 6 days rest. Denver is also 6-2 ATS its last 8 tries as a neutral court underdog of 3.5 to 6 points. Grab the points!

This is another case of too many points in a game which should come down to the wire. The Blue Devils did win both regular season meetings. Those wins each game by a single point though. That's 3 straight meetings which were decided by exactly one point. Scores of 73-72, 69-68 and 58-57. The previous two before that were both double-digit Wagner wins.

One of the reasons Wagner gives the Blue Devils trouble is its defense. The Seahawks allow just 62.8 points per game. Central Connecticut is just 4-8 versus the spread its last 12 tries versus good defensive teams - those allowing

Alabama is a great team but given Alabama's recent struggles and the recent history between the teams here, this is a case of too many points. The Crimson Tide are off consecutive losses and have dropped 3 of their past 4. Their last two wins both were by 15 or less. Arkansas is off a big win and had won 3 of its past 5. The Razorbacks' last 3 losses all came by single-digits. Khalif Battle has scored 141 points over his past four games. That's the most in a four-game SEC span in 20 years!

The last 2 meetings at Alabama were both decided by 3 points or less. Last year's game here had a score of 86-63 and the year before the score was 68-67. This one will also be closer than expected. Grab the points!

Give me all those points with Tennessee Martin! The Eagles are a really good team but they're running into a really hot opponent. The Skyhawks are a perfect 7-0 both straight up and versus the spread their last 7 games. They won 21 games this season and they are 9-1 ATS their last 10. One of those wins came versus Morehead State.

The Eagles easily won yesterday but still didn't cover. They are playing 2 games in 2 days for the first time this season. Even with 1 day's rest, they are 3-6 versus the spread. Grab the points with the rested, higher-seed! **OVC Tourney GOY**

The Trail Blazers upset the Rockets at Houston in this season's first meeting. The Rockets were 10 point favorites for that game and they've been waiting to get their revenge ever since. Though they lost that 1/24 game against Portland, the Rockets are 12-6 versus the spread as favorites. They are also 15-10 versus the spread when playing against a team with a losing record.

Home has not been kind to Portland. The Trail Blazers are 9-21 here. The Trail Blazers may have a better chance of beating Toronto tomorrow but tonight the Rockets will be too much for them to handle. Lay the points.

The Aztecs are no longer in the running for the regular season title. They have bigger fish to fry though. They want to win the Conference Tournament in order to get as high a seed as possible for the NCAA Tournament, which is where the ultimate goal lies. They don't want to expend too much energy in winning the Conf. Tournament though. That means that they absolutely do not want to have to play 4 games in 4 days to win it. If they lose tonight, they'd be in danger of dropping all the way down to the 6 seed. That would mean no bye and it would mean they would need to win 4 games in 4 days, which would leave them weary for the Big Dance. This game is important.

The Aztecs are undefeated at home this season. A victory here gives them their first undefeated home record in school history. They are 4-1 ATS their last 5 tries when revenging a road loss vs opponent. They are also 4-1 ATS their last 5 tries off a MWC loss. Better still, they are 4-0 versus the spread as home favorites of 6.5 to 9 points. They will still be perfect in that role after tonight. Lay the points!

Yesterday was a favorable matchup for Belmont as the Bruins got to beat up on a bad Valparaiso team. That was expected but today's opponent represents a night-and-day difference. The Panthers were one of the preseason favorites to win this conference and they've been showing that type of form. They closed the season off 3 consecutive double-digit wins.

The last meeting saw UNI win by 11 at Belmont. The Bruins are 6-11 versus the spread, when playing against a team with a winning record. The Panthers are 8-3-1 versus the spread their last 12 on a neutral court. They are hot and rested and they will secure a small upset by knocking off Belmont this afternoon. **MVC Tourney GOY**

This is a big rivalry in the Bay area. The Golden Bears won at Cal but the Cardinal will win here at Stanford. The Cardinal are 3-0 straight up and versus the spread their last 3 tries in a home game where the total is 155 to 159.5. The Cardinal are also 13-8 ATS their last 21 tries in the road revenge role.

The Bears are playing their 3rd straight road game. They lost the first game by 10 and then got annihilated by 39 last game. The Bears beat up Stanford at Cal last season but the game at Stanford was an entirely different story. The Cardinal crushed Cal by 29. Lay the points!

After they got destroyed by the Pacers in their last game, we're going to get a big effort out of the Dallas Mavericks tonight. The Mavericks are 10-6 versus the spread after getting defeated by 10 or more points. They are also 10-3 ATS their last 13 tries, after losing three straight games. Not only that, the Mavericks are 9-2 ATS when off an upset loss.

The Heat haven't been very good as underdogs. They're 11-13 ATS when getting points. They're 0-2 ATS their last 2 games overall and they continue to play without Hero, Love and Richardson. Last season, both home teams won. The Mavericks won the game in Dallas by 25. Lay the points!

The class difference between these teams will be on full display this afternoon. Belmont (19-12) is hot. The Bruins are 3-0 (straight up and versus the spread their last 3 games and 7-1 their last 8. The Bruins are also 5-1 their last 6 tries against losing teams.

Valparaiso, 6-17 versus the spread its last 23 first round conf. tournament games, is 1-5 ATS (0-6 SU) its last 6 tries, when the total was in the 150 to 159.5 range. The Bruins dominated both regular season meetings including an 18 point win at Valparaiso in the most recent. No reason to expect anything different this afternoon. Lay the points.

Off three straight road games, Portland returns to the Pacific Northwest. Playing at home is not an advantage for the Trail Blazers. They are 10-18-1 versus the spread here. The Trail Blazers are also 16-31-1 versus the spread, after playing 3 consecutive road games.

The Thunder average 120.9 points per game. The Trail Blazers average only 107.6. When matched up against low-scoring teams like Portand, the Thunder tend to dominate. They are 31-9-1 versus the spread their last 41 versus poor offensive teams - those. scoring

The SEC is very strong this season. South Carolina has defied the odds and thrived. The Gamecocks' most surprising victory came on January 30th when they went to Tennessee and upset the Volunteers. If that was the highlight of the Gamecocks' season so far, it was also the low point of the Volunteers season. It marked their only home loss, as they are 14-1 at home. They haven't forgotten and they will be ready to make things right.

South Carolina averages 72 points a game. Tennessee averages more than 80. The Volunteers more than doubled the Gamecocks here last season, as they won 85-42. South Carolina will score more than 42 tonight but wont be able to keep up. Vols in a blowout!

The Royals pulled off a minor upset at Florida Gulf Coast last night. Playing 2 road games in 2 days won't be easy for them though. They only played with 0 days rest once during the season and that resulted in a 10 point loss. The Royals are also 2-15 SU and 6-10-1 versus the spread when playing on the road.

One of the Royals' road wins came here at Stetson. It won't happen again! The Hatters, 11-2 at home, are 9-4-1 versus the spread their last 14 tries when playing with home revenge, 24-10 ATS (in lined games) in thats situation over the long-term. The Royals are 2-8 versus the spread as a road underdog of 3.5 to 6 points. Lay the small number!

Here's a case of 2 teams heading in opposite directions. Memphis stayed competitive for some time this season but things have fallen apart. Massive injuries have finally caught up to the Grizzlies. Including last week's 25-point loss to the Nets, at Memphis, they have dropped 5 straight games. Off consecutive 10+ point wins, the Nets have won 2 in a row and 3 of 4. This should be another big Brooklyn win.

Some teams are good at snapping losing streaks but when the Grizzlies start losing, they continue to lose. They are 6-13 versus the spread (5-14 SU) the past 19 times that they were off three or more consecutive losses. The Nets, 9-7 versus the spread after allowing 105 or fewer points, are 4-1 ATS their last 5 versus poor offensive teams - those which score

I've got the Howard Bison winning big in this one. The records may be similar but the Bison have some matchup advantages. They already beat the Hornets at Delaware State and they beat them by 20 when the teams played here last season. This is Senior Day and that the Bison are going to want to close out their final home game of regular season with a big statement win.

If the Hornets can't beat teams at home, they're rarely able to do on the road. They're 1-5 versus the spread their last 6 tries when playing with home revenge. Delaware State gets outscored by 8.8 points per road game. Howard outscores teams by 6.5 points per home game. The Bison are 4-1 versus the spread their last 5 tries as a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points. Lay the points! **Mid Eastern Athletic GOM**

Memphis had its rough patch and are starting to play well again as we enter the month of March. UAB's road record is good, but Memphis' home record is better. The Blazers looked bad in their last game against Wichita State. The Tigers crushed East Carolina. UAB may have won the first meeting. Memphis seeks revenge as they now play this matchup at home. The Tigers are 75-44 ATS long-term when playing with road revenge, 9-5 ATS their past 14.

March has been "Tiger Time." The Tigers are 9-4 straight up as well as against the spread, their last 13 in March. Going back and they're 92-60 ATS (107-49 SU) in March. Even while winning this year's first encounter, the Blazers are 2-18 straight up in their last 20 games against Memphis (0-16 L16 on the road.) This game is important and not just because of it being Senior Day. (The Tigers will honor 5 seniors.) The Tigers are trying to imporve their postseason position. If it can keep winning, Memphis still has a path to a top-four seed and a double-bye in the AAC Championship. Memphis comes away victorious, both SU and ATS!

Who's ready for a blowout on Sunday afternoon? The Warriors have been hot but their winning streak will come to an end in Boston this afternoon. Golden State is 4-6 versus the spread its last 10, after winning its previous 3 games. If the Warriors were playing somewhere else, the streak might continue. Not here. Not with the Celtics ready to avenge a December loss in the Bay area.

Over the past few years, he Celtics are a dominating 50-29-3 versus the spread (63-19 SU) in the 2nd half of the season. They didn't lose a single game in all of February and rolled right into March by destroying Dallas. They are healthier and they will deliver another blowout on ABC TV this afternoon.

Big revenge game for the Canisius Golden Griffins here. The Broncs are 5-11 on the road. The Golden Griffins are 8-3 at home. Time for Canisius to get some payback after they lost that overtime game against them in January. This is a good role for the Griffins as they are 3-0 straight-up and versus the spread the past 3 times that they were home underdogs of 3 or less.

Even on their current 5-game winning streak, the Broncs still have a losing record this season. The Golden Griffins are 5-1 versus the spread in their last six games played in the month of March. Canisius has also been on a winning streak having won three in a row. With home-court advantage and the Golden Griffins honoring their seniors for Senior Day, Canisius is your winner.

The Seahawks upset them at Fairleigh Dickinson. This afternoon, the Knights will do the same at Wagner. The Knights are 5-1 versus the spread their last 6 tries, as a road underdog of 3 points or less or pick. All five ATS victories were also of the straight up variety. Wagner is the opposite. The Seahawks are 1-3 their past 4 tries as home favorites of 3 or less. All the ATS losses came outright. Last year as 2 point road underdogs, the Knights beat the Seahawks by 18 here! That was after Wagner has won at FDU. Sound familiar?

The Knights love March basketball. They're 20-4 versus the spread their last 24 lined games in the month of March, 5-1 ATS the past 2 years. They are also 9-5 ATS their last 14 tries, after scoring 60 points or less and 5-2 ATS their last 7 tries versus good defensive teams - those allowing

Getting points with the Florida Gators is a bonus, considering that I've got them winning this game outright. The Gators are already 4-2 versus the spread, as an underdog. They're 2-1 the past 3 seasons as road underdogs of 3 or less. Both the wins were both straight up and versus the spread. South Carolina coach Lamont Paris knows that the Gators, 9-2 their last 11, are going to be difficult: We've got a team that's been playing extremely well coming into our place."

This game is going to impact the seeding for the upcoming SEC Tournament. Remember that in the SEC that the top four teams in the final regular-season standings earn byes to the conference tournament quarterfinals. The Gators beat the Gamecocks by 21 last season and they've won 15 of their last 22 visits to South Carolina. They're still the better team and they'll prove it this afternoon!

The UL Monroe Warhawks are 12th in the Sun Belt. The South Alabama Jaguars are 7th. The Warhawks are 3-11 on the road. The Jaguars are 10-6 at home. The Warhawks won a January meeting at UL Monroe. The Jaguars will avenge that loss by blowing them out tonight!

These clubs last played here last February. Favored by 11 points, the Jagurs won by 36! With that victory, they are 36-15 straight up and 23-15 versus the spread at home the past 3 seasons.

The Warhawks are off an 18-point loss versus Texas State. They are 3-7 ATS when off a conference loss. The Jaguars win this game by more than 10 points.

These teams played a month ago, at Campbell. The Cougars won by 23. Playing at home, this will be another one-sided contest. The Cougars have won 7 straight games. Their last 2 wins came by 16 and 19 points. The Fighting Camels are only 3-10 on the road. The Fighting Camels average 64 points per game on the road. The Cougars average 81.7 points per game at home.

Charleston has allowed 57 or fewer points in 2 of 3 games and an average of 65 over its past 5 games. The class of the Coastal Athletic Association, the Cougars are 3-0 SU/ATS after allowing 60 or fewer points. The Fighting Camels are allowing 83.6 points their last 5. Better on both offense and defense, the Cougars will dominate from start to finish.

After consecutive losses, the Gamecocks won at Ole Miss last game. They will now be playing their second straight road game and they will do so against a desperate Texas A&M. Though the Aggies have lost 4 in a row, 3 of those losses were on the road. They are still 9-4 at home. They will be happy to face a South Carolina team which they beat by 41 points the last meeting.

The total for this game is in the mid 130s. The Aggies are 5-1 versus the spread their last 6 tries when the total is 130 to 139.5. Over the last 3 seasons, Texas A&M is 31-16-1 ATS when the total is 130 to 139.5. They are also 6-2 ATS (8-0 straight up) as a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points. Lay the points with the Aggies!

On Sunday, we won with Sacramento over the LA Clippers. Off that upset road win, we played against those same Kings on Monday, backing Miami over Sacramento. Off that upset road win, we will now play against the Heat. Miami is only 3-4-1 versus the spread with 0 days rest. The Heat get outscored by 6 points per game in that situation.

Off last night's win over the Kings, the Trail Blazers will be easy for the Heat to look past. Understand that Miami has the Denver Nuggets, the NBA champions on deck. Missing some players, they won't be at their best tonight. This is the end of a long stretch of home games for the Trail Blazers and they are going to really want to close it out with a victory. Grab the points!

Penn State won at home on the weekend but the road has not been kind to the Nittany Lions. They are only 3-10 away from home and they allow more than 78 points per road game.

The Hawkeyes lost at Penn State earlier this month and they lost at Illinois last game. Winning on the road has been difficult for them as well. They are 3-8 away from home. They are 11-3 in 14 home games though and they outscore visiting teams by more than 12 points a game here.

The total for this game is currently 161.5 or 162. A high-scoring game will favor the Hawkeyes. They are 15-2 SU and 11-5-1 versus the spread their past 17 tries when playing a home game with a total of 160 to 164.5. They average 90 points a game here and they will blow out Penn State tonight!

I had the Kings last night. Great game by them. They went to LA and hammered the Clippers, a hated division rival. That puts them in a difficult position tonight. They are 3-5 versus the spread when playing with 0 days rest. They are also 3-5 versus the spread when off an upset win as an underdog.

The Heat are playing their best basketball and they come in fresh and well-rested. They are 8-1 versus the spread since end of January, 7 of those wins coming outright. That streak began with a 9 point win over Sacramento. Last season's games were both close, decided by 4 and 6 points. With the schedule in their favor, grab the points with the red hot Miami Heat.

Not many will want to back the Hurricanes in this spot. Miami has lost 6 straight games, one of them to North Carolina. The Hurricanes are 1-5 versus the spread in those games, 0-4 the past 4. That's going to keep people off them. The oddsmakers are forced to post a very large point-spread. That's giving us exceptional value on the road underdog.

The Hurricanes have been playing some close games. Miami is off a 4-point loss and that the game against North Carolina was decided by only 3 points. The Tar Heels have also been playing some close ones. They are 5-3 their last 8 games and only one of the games was a win by more than 10 points. That was a 15-point win over Virginia Tech, a team which Miami is 2-0 against.

The Hurricanes are on a long-term 43-24 ATS run, after failing to cover the spread in 3 or more consecutive games. They are also 8-2 versus the spread (7-3 straight up) their last 10 tries, revenging a home loss vs opponent and 7-2 ATS their last 9 road games where the total was 150 to 154.5. The Hurricanes won outright here last February. Give me the points!

Give me the points with Sacramento in this important Pacific Division battle. The Clippers won both this season's meetings but both of those were in 2023. The Kings have been playing well on the road since losing here earlier and they are 44-25-1 versus the spread their last 70 tries in a road game where the total is greater than or equal to 230.

The Clippers are 1-5 versus the spread their last 6 games. Their last 4 wins have all been by 6 or less. The Kings are off consecutive wins and their alst loss was by only 5. This game is also likely going to be decided late. Grab the points. **PACIFIC DIV GOM**

Minnesota has been printing money for its backers this season. The Gophers have been excellent versus the point-spread all season and they beat Nebraska by 11 back in December. Their ATS success comes to a screeching halt this evening though. Nebraska has been strong at home this season and the Gophers lost by 11 here on this exact day last year.

The Cornhuskers are a perfect 6-0 versus the spread their past 6 tries when revenging a road loss vs opponent. They are 17-8 ATS their last 25 tries. With a 5-1 ATS record this month, 3-0 ATS the last 3, Nebraska is playing better than it was for the earlier meeting. The Gophers are 20-41-1 ATS their last 62 a road underdog of 6.5 to 9 points. Lay the points with Nebraska this evening.

A trip to Hawaii isn't easy on students. Coaches can help them avoid distractions but there's the physical toll of the trip itself. There's also a tough defensive team waiting for them upon arrival. The Warriors are 10-6 here. They make scoring difficult. Visiting schools score 67.7 points per game here. Long Beach State allows more than 77 points per game on the road.

The Warriors are 5-3 versus the spread their last 8 tries as a home favorite of 3 points or less or pick. They lost last month at Long Beach State but they beat the Beach by 9 here last season. They're undefeated at home this month including a revenge win. They will help close out our Saturday with another win and cover.

Small line but this should be a big win in this Big South Conference "Battle of the Bulldogs" this afternoon. The Gardner Webb Bulldogs won at Gardner Webb but they only have 5 wins in 16 road games. The UNC Asheville Bulldogs are 12-1 at home. They outscore teams by an average of 18.9 points here!

UNC Asheville is 5-0 versus the spread its last 5 home games where the total is 150 to 154.5. Gardner Webb is 1-6 versus the spread (0-7 straight up) its last 7 tries, in a road game where the total is 150 to 154.5. UNC Asheville has thrived in the revenge role and is 9-4 versus the spread its last 13 tries, when off a conference loss. UNC Asheville beat GW by 12 here last season. Lay the points.

The Nittany Lions upset the Hoosiers at Indiana. Now the Hoosiers will do the same right back to them. The Hoosiers have won 12 of their last 20 games here. Off 3 straight losses, they really need this game.

The Hoosiers are 5-3 versus the spread when off a loss against a conference rival, 17-12 ATS the last 3 years. The Nittany Lions are 4-7 versus the spread after scoring 80 points or more. Penn State is also 3-6-1 ATS its last 10 as a favorite. Give me the points with Indiana.

The Charlotte Hornets upset the Jazz last night and have actually won a few in a row. Reality will set in tonight. The Golden State Warriors blew out the Lakers 128-110 last night and are 8-2 straight up and versus the spread their last 10 games. They had to travel last night. The Warriors did not.

The Warriors are 3-0 their last 3 games against teams from the East. They beat Indiana, Philadelphia and Brooklyn by 56 combined points, an average of nearly 19 per game. The Hornets are 9-17 versus the spread on the road and this will be another beating.

Home-court means a great deal to each of these clubs. The Ospreys are 10-4 at home but 5-9 on the road. The home/road differences are even greater for Jacksonville. The Dolphins are 2-13 away but 10-1 at home. The Ospreys won at North Florida. Now the Dolphins will win at Jacksonville.

The Dolphins allow only 59.5 points per game at home. The Ospreys allow 81.4 points per game on the road. The Dolphins are 7-1 straight up and versus the spread their last 8 tries in a home game where the total is 135 to 139.5.

It was on this day (2/23) 2 years ago that Jacksonville beat North Florida 71-39. The Dolphins will repeat history and will improve to 4-1 versus the spread in five tries when playing with road revenge.

The Pistons still find themselves on the road, even after the break. They are 0-2 versus the spread after 3 or more days rest and 0-5 ATS after playing 3 consecutive road games. They are 4-23 on the road, getting blown out in many of those.

The Pacers beat the Pistons by 8 at Detroit but the game at Indiana wasn't even close. The Pacers won 136-113. Detroit hung with the Pacers for a half but didn't have the firepower to keep it up for the whole game. With the Pistons averaging 113.9 points on the road and the Pacers averaging more than 126 at home, that's likely to happen again. The Pacers are 9-2, both straight up and versus the spread, against division foes. They will pull away and crush this team.

Too many points. Samford can really score but so can the Paladins. Furman won this season's first meeting by 10 points. The Paladins have won 4 straight in the series and 9 of the last 10. Four of the last 5 meetings have been decided by 10 or fewer points, one of those going to Overtime.

Samford is off a 4-point loss. Furman has won 3 straight games, the margin of victory growing with each one. The Paladins are 5-1 versus the spread their last 6 tries when listed as a road underdog of 6.5 to 9 points. The Paladins are also 11-1 ATS versus good offensive teams after at least 15 games have been played, good being defined as teams which score 77+ points/game after 15+ games. Grab the points.

They beat them at Iowa State but the Cyclones aren't built to go on road and to contend with a team like these Houston Cougars. They feed off the energy at home but all 5 of their losses have come on the road or at a neutral site. They are 5-8 versus the spread their 13 versus good defensive teams - allowing

The Spartans lost in the MEAC Championship game last season. They are determined to get back there and to win it this year. They are gearing up to do so and that means beating teams like NC Central when they come for a visit.

The Eagles are off back to back losses. The Spartans are off a victory. The Eagles won this season's first meeting. They aren't as good on the road though and the Spartans are undefeated at home. In 10 games here, they outscore teams by a 87.6 to 62.8 average score. The Spartans are also 6-1-1 versus the spread their last 8 tries when playing with road revenge. They are 5-0 ATS their last 5 tries as a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points and they will get us a win and cover tonight.

The Tigers may be wounded but they are still very dangerous. Prior to losing their last game to North Texas, they had won 3 straight. They have also defeated SMU 4 straight times. The Tigers are especially deadly as underdogs. Over the last 3 years, they are 14-5 versus the spread, when getting points. This season, they are 4-2 in the underdog role with 4 outright victories.

The Mustangs lost a close 3-point game at Memphis in January. Revenge isn't much of a motivator for them though as they are only 5-9 versus the spread their last 14 tries in the road revenge role. The Mustangs are 12-18 ATS their last 30 tries when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games and they are 4-8 ATS their last 12 tries versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game after 15+ games. Give me the points!

The Ramblers are strong at home but beatable on the road. They are 11-16 versus the spread the L3 years when off a conference victory. During that time, they ware 1-2 ATS as a road favorite of 3.5 to 6 points.

Though they are off consecutive ATS victories on the road, the first a big SU win and the second a close 2-point loss, the Rams have also been much stronger at home. They are 9-4 here, averaging 88 points. They've won 4 of their last 6 games here. Three of those were decided by 4 points or less. Give me the points with Rhode Island!

The Wildcats have a score to settle. The Sun Devils beat them by a point here last season. Arizona did go on to lay a beating on its instate rivals in the Pac-12 Tournament. Yet, the Wildcats are going to be determined to make this one hurt.

Arizona is 12-4 versus the spread when playing against a team with a winning record. The Wildcats average 93.4 points per home game.

Arizona State is 0-3 versus the spread when the total is 150 to 159.5. The Sun Devils are 1-6 ATS their last 7 tries with a total in that range. They average only 67 points per road game. This will be a "cake-walk."

Short line for Duquesne at home. The Dukes are 8-4 at home. The Hawks are 3-6 on the road. The Hawks narrowly won the first meeting, at St. Josephs. Duquesne won the last game here by 14 points.

The Hawks are 1-3 versus the spread as a road underdog of 3 points or less or pick. They have won just 8 of their last 39 road games which had a total of 145 to 149.5.

Off a bad loss to Dayton, Duquesne will respond. The Dukes are 2-0 versus the spread, after scoring 60 points or less In that situation, they beat Fordham by 9 and they went on the road and beat St. Bonaventure by 6. Dukes do it again!

This is a case of too many points. Cornell was favored by 5.5 points over Harvard here last season, also a mid-February game. The Crimson won outright by 17 points! Having lost this season's first meeting, the Crimson are coming in with another upset on their minds.

Harvard dominated Dartmouth last game. Cornell is off a tough 2-point loss to Yale. Though the Big Red covered the spread in that game, they are only 5-11 against the number of their last 16 games played in February.

Cornell can really score but Harvard is 19-7-1 its last 27 against the spread versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game after 15+ games. Harvard is also 3-0 against the spread its last 3 games as a road underdog of 6.5 to 9 points. Grab the points.

The Wolverines took the first meeting by a score of 65-58. That was at home and they are 2-11 on the road. The Lancers are 10-4 at home. They limit visiting teams to less than 64 points per game.

The point spread is low partly because Cal Baptist has lost 3 straight games versus the number. The Lancers are 5-2 against the spread their last 7 lined games, after 3 straight non-covers. The Lancers have to win this one as they face the best team in the conference next, the first of 3 straight road games. Lay the small number!

The Grizzlies fought tooth and nail to beat the Rockets last night. They will feel the effects of that victory tonight. They are 3-6 against the spread this season, when playing with 0 day's rest in between games, 0-3 ATS when playing a home game after playing a home game the previous day. They were outscored 114 to 102 in those 3 home games and none game against a team as strong as this one.

The Bucks are 30-19-1 ATS their last 50 tried, when off an upset loss as a favorite. They lost by 41 points here last season and will return the favor with a big blowout win of their own tonight.