At 10:35 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Clippers (560) minus the points versus the Memphis Grizzlies (559). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (46-31) has won seven of their last eight games after their 132-108 win over Cleveland last night. Memphis (31-45) has won two of their last three games with their 120-115 win in Phoenix last night as a 2.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CLIPPERS MINUS THE POINTS: The Grizzlies are a M*A*S*H unit right now as they deal with a host of injuries. C.J. Miles and Avery Bradley are out indefinitely with injuries as they join opening day starters Dillon Brooks and Kyle Anderson along with their first-round pick Jaren Jackson on the shelf with the latter three out the season with injuries. Furthermore, Mike Conley, Chandler Parsons, and Joakim Noah are all listed as questionable with nagging injuries. Frankly, it will be a challenge for head coach J.B. Bickerstaff to field a team tonight — and the fact that travel to Los Angeles to play without a day of rest only compounds the trial they face. As it is, the Grizzlies have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games when playing without a day of rest. Furthermore, Memphis’ five starters last night combined to log in over 180 minutes of play — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games when playing without rest after a game where their five starters played at least 160 combined minutes. The Grizzlies have also failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 14 road games after playing a game on the road. The attrition this team has endured is negatively impacting them on both ends of the court. Memphis is making only 43.5% of their shots over their last five games while allowing their opponents to shoot 48.2% from the field. The Grizzlies have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games on the road against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. Memphis has also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games on the road with the Total set in the 220s. Los Angeles should build off the momentum of their victory last night as they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a win by at least 20 points — and they are 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 games after a point spread victory. This is a group that is consistent from game-to-game. With expectations so low for this team, they remain motivated to fight for playoff positioning after clinching their spot earlier this week. The quality of their bench usually ensures that they have a number of players performing well — and the effort of this team is usually very high for their head coach Doc Rivers. Since being left for dead after trading Tobias Harris to Philadelphia at the trade deadline, the Clippers have won fifteen of their last twenty games. Over their last five games, Los Angeles is scoring 121.2 PPG while making 51.4% of their shots from the field — so they have a good chance to overwhelm a tired Grizzlies team. They have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 25 games when favored in the 3.5 to 9.5 point range. While they are playing without rest as well, getting to stay at home after an easy victory last night certainly helps — as does the luxury of their deep bench. The Clippers have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games on their home court — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road. Furthermore, LA has covered the point spread in 11 of their last 15 home games with the Total set in the 220s. And in their last 7 games against fellow Western Conference opponents, the Clippers have covered the point spread in 6 of these contests.

FINAL TAKE: Memphis is just 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games against the Clippers. With the Grizzlies in the NBA lottery coming up in June, they may mail-in this performance. 25* NBA Game of the Month with the Los Angeles Clippers (560) minus the points versus the Memphis Grizzlies (559). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 5:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Michigan State Spartans (691) plus the points versus the Duke Blue Devils (692). THE SITUATION: Michigan State (31-6) has won eight straight games after their 80-63 win over LSU on Friday as a 6-point favorite. Duke (32-5) reached the Elite Eight on Friday with their 75-73 win over Virginia Tech as a 7-point favorite. This East regional game takes place in Washington D.C.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SPARTANS PLUS THE POINTS: The Blue Devils may not be at full strength in this game with both Cam Reddish and Jack White listed as questionable with injuries. Duke’s rotation is already thin so not having the services of either player — especially Reddish — would really hurt this team’s chances this afternoon. One could say that the Blue Devils are a team of destiny after surviving two missed layups to advance in each of their last two games. I think these scares are indicative of a very young team who have sky-expectations on them. This Duke team only makes 32.9% of their shots from behind the arc (329th in the nation) so they are often at a disadvantage trading 2 points for 3. The Blue Devils have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 11 games after a straight-up victory. Duke did shoot 55.4% from the field on Friday which was the best shooting effort in their last eight games. But the Blue Devils have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games after making at least 55% of their shots in their last game. Duke has also failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 19 road games after winning at least fifteen of their last twenty games. Additionally, the Blue Devils are just 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games played on a neutral court. Furthermore, Duke has failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games in the NCAA Tournament. Michigan State has covered the point spread in 22 of their last 29 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games after a point spread victory. Additionally, the Spartans have covered the point spread in 18 of their last 23 games after a double-digit victory. I suspect the difference in this game will be the leadership of Cassius Winston. While he will be checked by a fabulous defensive player in freshman Tre Jones, Winston elevated his game this year to dominate an even better defensive player in Michigan’s Xavier Simpson three times this season. Michigan State has covered the point spread in 22 of their last 28 games against teams with a winning record — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games against teams outside the Big Ten. The Wolverines have also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games played with the Total set in the 150s — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games played on a neutral court.

FINAL TAKE: Duke has struggled this season when defending ball screens — and the Spartans thrive in this department with Winston running the point. Look for Michigan State to pull the upset — but take the points for some insurance (because winning the bet is more important than a small bump in a money-line payout). 25* CBB Elite Eight Game of the Year with the Michigan State Spartans (691) plus the points versus the Duke Blue Devils (692). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:08 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Stars (21) and the Vancouver Canucks (22). THE SITUATION: Dallas (41-31-5) has won three straight games with their 3-2 win over Edmonton on Tuesday. Vancouver (33-35-2) snapped a three-game losing streak on Thursday with their 3-2 win over Los Angeles in a shootout.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Under is a decisive 23-3-4 in the Stars’ last 30 games after a victory — and the Under is also 20-4-5 in their last 29 games after not allowing more than two goals in their last game. Dallas is allowing only 2.2 Goals-Per-Game over their last five contests. They will turn to Anton Khudobin in between the pipes tonight with Ben Bishop nursing a lower-body injury. Khudobin has a strong .923 save percentage on the road this season — and he enjoys a 2.14 Goals-Against-Average with a .937 save percentage in five starts (seven games) this month. He will need to be good tonight since the Stars score only 2.3 Goals-Per-Game when playing on the road. The Under is 19-6-5 in Dallas’ last 30 games on the road — and they have played 20 of their last 22 games Under the Total on the road with the Total set at 5.5. Furthermore, the Under is 7-1-2 in the Stars’ last 10 road games as a favorite priced in the -110 to -150 price range. The Under is also 18-6-3 in Dallas’ last 27 games against fellow Western Conference foes. Vancouver has played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a victory. The Canucks have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after allowing no more than two goals in their last game. Jacob Markstrom will be in goal tonight — he has a solid 2.68 GAA along with a .918 save percentage since the All-Star Break. Vancouver stays at home where they have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total. The Canucks have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total at home as an underdog. Additionally, Vancouver has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against fellow Western Conference foes.

FINAL TAKE: Expect a lower scoring game between these two teams. 25* NHL Bailout Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Stars (21) and the Vancouver Canucks (22). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:49 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Virginia Cavaliers (682) minus the points versus the Purdue Boilermakers (681). THE SITUATION: Virginia (32-3) reached the Elite Eight with their 53-49 win over Oregon on Thursday as an 8.5-point favorite. Purdue (26-9) joined them in the Elite Eight with their 99-94 win in overtime over Tennessee as a 1.5-point underdog. This South regional contest take place in Louisville.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CAVALIERS MINUS THE POINTS: Purdue is a team that lives-by-the-3 and dies-by-the-3. The Boilermakers take 45.2% of their shots from behind the arc (36th in the nation) with made 3-pointers representing 39.2% of their points production (21st in the nation). Their alpha-male on the offensive end of the court is Carsen Edwards who has been inconsistent this season: he entered the Big Dance by shooting just 34% from the field in the Big Ten while making only 30% of his 3-pointers against Big Ten foes. After shooting only 37.7% from the field and scoring at just a 0.94 Points-Per-Possession pace in their opening round win over Old Dominion, the Boilermakers have exploded on offense with a 53.7% field goal percentage in their win over Villanova before making 54% of their shots which was the best shooting effort in their last six games in their victory over the Volunteers. Purdue has made 31 of their 61 shots from behind the arc over their last two games — and, needless to say, if they continue to shoot 50.8% from 3-point land, they will win this game too. But now the Boilermakers are facing the nation’s second most difficult team to convert 3s against as Virginia’s opponents are making only 28.2% of their shots from behind the arc. Purdue would be more likely to continue their shooting spree if they were playing at home where they convert 39.3% of their 3-pointers. But on the road, the Boilermakers make only a pedestrian 35.8% of their 3-pointers which ranks 74th in the country. Purdue experiences the 344th biggest drop in overall efficiency on both ends of the court when playing on the road in hostile environments or neutral courts. They have failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 28 games played on a  neutral court with the Total set in the 120s. Defense is also an issue for the Boilermakers who rank 28th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. While that is a solid ranking, it begins to stand out when we are down to the final eight teams in the tournament. Purdue’s effectiveness on defense owes much to their ability to force turnovers in 18.9% of their opponent’s possessions. However, they face a Virginia team now that ranks 13th in the nation by turning the ball over in 14.9% of their opponent’s possessions. What is worrisome for the Boilermakers in this matchup is that they have an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 49.0% which is 97th in the nation — and they rank 169th in the nation by allowing their opponents to hit 34.3% of their 3-point attempts. Purdue has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after a game where they allowed at least 90 points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after a game where at least a combined 175 points were scored. Virginia has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a victory by 6 points or less. They survived their game with Oregon despite making only 35.7% from the field which was the worst shooting effort in their last twenty-six contests. This Cavaliers’ team is the best offensive unit in the Tony Bennett era at Virginia. They rank 3rd in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency while also ranking 7th in the nation by making 39.6% of their 3-pointers. This team looks due for an offensive explosion — and it will likely be led by Kyle Guy who has missed 23 of his 26 shots from behind the arc in this tournament despite his 42.7% shooting clip from 3-point land this season. Even if the Cavaliers do not get their offensive clicking tonight, their defense should lead them to a point spread cover. Virginia also ranks 3rd in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they have held their last five opponents to just 56.2 PPG. Gardner Webb’s 56 points in the opening game of the NCAA Tournament is the most points that the Cavs have allowed in their last three games — and they have then covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after not allowing at least 60 points in three straight games. Virginia has only covered the point spread twice in their last six games — but they have then covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after failing to cover the point spread in four or five of their last six contests. The Cavaliers have also covered the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games on the road against teams outside the ACC.

FINAL TAKE: The way to defeat Virginia’s Pack-Line defense is to shoot over it — but that is much easier said than done. Purdue runs a very efficient offense due to the outstanding schemes drawn up by their head coach Matt Painter. But the Boilermakers lack the players who can create scoring opportunities in isolation. Texas Tech demonstrated how a Pack-Line defense can overwhelm opponents whose offense relies on strong tactics when they suffocated the Michigan offense orchestrated by John Beilein. 25* CBB TBS-TV Game of the Year with the Virginia Cavaliers (682) minus the points versus the Purdue Boilermakers (681). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Orlando Magic (537) and the Indiana Pacers (538). THE SITUATION: Orlando (37-39) saw their six-game winning streak snapped on Thursday with their 115-98 loss in Detroit as a 3.5-point underdog. Indiana (45-31) has lost two straight games as well as six of their last seven contests with their 114-112 loss in Boston last night as a 7.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Pacers allowed the Celtics to make 51.2% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last sixteen games. Indiana has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a loss by 6 points or less — and they have played a decisive 39 of their last 56 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. Indiana has also played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after losing three of their last four games. Now this team returns home where they play outstanding defense — their visitors are scoring only 99.9 PPG on low 42.8% shooting from the field. The Pacers have covered the point spread in 35 of their last 51 games Under the Total on their home court — and they have played 22 of their last 30 home games when favored. Furthermore, Indiana has played 6 of their last 8 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road. Additionally, the Pacers have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against Eastern Conference opponents. The Magic average 106.2 PPG — and Indiana has played 21 of their last 32 games Under the Total against teams that score at least 106.0 PPG. Orlando should also play harder on the defensive end of the court after they allowed the Pistons to make 53.5% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last twelve games. The Magic have played 37 of their last 53 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 41 of their last 58 games Under the Total after a point spread setback. Additionally, Orlando has played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss on the road. The Magic stay on the road where they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 7 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. And while the Pacers shoot 47.4% from the field, Orlando has played 23 of their last 31 games Under the Total against teams who are making at least 46% of their shots.

FINAL TAKE: Indiana will be looking to avenge a 117-112 loss at home to the Magic back on March 2nd. The Pacers will be looking to bear down on defense after allowing Orlando to make 50.5% of their shots in that game. Indiana has played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total when avenging a loss where they allowed at least 100 points. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Orlando Magic (537) and the Indiana Pacers (538). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:09 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders (683) and the Gonzaga Bulldogs (684). THE SITUATION: Texas Tech (29-6) reached the Elite Eight on Thursday with their 63-44 upset win over Michigan as a 2-point underdog. Gonzaga (33-3) joined them in the Elite Eight with their 72-58 win over Florida State on Thursday as a 7.5-point favorite. This West regional contest takes place in Anaheim.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Red Raiders absolutely stifled the Wolverines offense in that game as they held them to just a 32.3% shooting percentage while watching them miss 18 of their 19 shot from behind the arc. Texas Tech not only has the top Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in the nation but they rank as the second-best all-time defense according to metrics guru Ken Pomeroy since he started measuring those numbers in 2002. The Red Raiders have held their last five opponents to just 38.0% shooting from the field which has translated into only 62.2 PPG. Texas Tech has then played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 50 points in their last game. The Pack-Line defense that head coach Chris Beard deploys is very difficult to prepare for — and they have played 31 of their last 45 games Under the Total when playing with one day or less of rest. The Under is also a decisive 46-21-1 in this team’s last 68 games against teams outside the Big 12 that are less familiar with their defensive schemes. But the concern for this Red Raiders team is their ability to score baskets themselves. Texas Tech scored only 24 points in the first half against a tough Wolverines defense — and they have played 23 of their last 32 games Under the Total after failing to score more than 25 points in the first half of their last game. They will be facing another outstanding defensive team in the Bulldogs who hold their opponents to just 38.7% shooting from the field. The Red Raiders have played 9 of their last 10 games away from home Under the Total against teams with an opponent’s field goal percentage of 39% or less. Texas Tech has played 13 of their last 19 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 130s — and they have played 19 of their last 26 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court. Additionally, the Red Raiders have played 4 straight games Under the Total in the NCAA Tournament. Gonzaga has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total in the Big Dance — and they have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court as a pick ‘em or a favorite of no more than 6 points. The Bulldogs have then top Adjusted Offensive Efficiency numbers in the nation — but they will be challenged by this elite Red Raiders’ defense. Gonzaga’s offense slows down if point guard Josh Perkins has to overcome pesky defensive ball hawks — and Texas Tech has that type of player in Matt Mooney. With their offensive prowess gets most of the attention, the Bulldogs defense is under appreciated as they rank 12th in the nation in Adjusted Efficiency. With Killian Tillie back in the mix after being out with an injury, a strength of this group is that they have athletic players that can effectively play off switches. The Red Raiders make 47.2% of their shots — but Gonzaga has played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total against teams that shoot at least 45% from the field. The Bulldogs have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total against non-conference opponents.

FINAL TAKE: Gonzaga will want to push the pace to generate scoring opportunities in transition as they play the 7th fastest tempo in the nation. This is why the Total is set in the 130s. The Bulldogs will struggle to score in their half-court sets — but the Red Raiders will also struggle as well. 25* CBB Elite Eight Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders (683) and the Gonzaga Bulldogs (684). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:39 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Virginia Tech Hokies (669) plus the points versus the Duke Blue Devils (670). THE SITUATION: Virginia Tech (26-8) has won four of their last five games with their 67-58 win over Liberty last Sunday as a 9.5-point favorite. Duke (31-5) survived a big scare last Sunday to advance to the Sweet Sixteen with their 77-76 win over Central Florida as a 13-point favorite. This East regional matchup takes place in Washington D.C.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HOKIES PLUS THE POINTS: Duke has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after a straight-up win. And while the Blue Devils have only covered the point spread once in their last seven games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after failing to cover the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. Duke is uber-talented but their formula for success is antithetical to modern basketball that maximizes 3-point shooting. The Blue Devils only make 30.7% of their 3-pointers which ranks 329th in the nation — and they do not have a player in their regular rotation that makes more than 33% of their shots from behind the arc. One of the things that the Knights did well is to pack the paint and dare Duke to shoot from outside. They had their big man, Tacko Fall, barely shadow freshman Tre Jones while begging him to shoot from outside — and missed eight of his nine shots from behind the arc. Expect Virginia Tech to replicate this strategy as Jones is shooting only 23.2% from the field. The Blue Devils are just 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 games against teams with a winning record — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games in the NCAA Tournament, Furthermore, Duke is just 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games played on a neutral court. Virginia Tech is 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 games after a point spread win. Justin Robinson seems to be in fine shape after he returned for the NCAA Tournament after being out with an injury — he scored 13 points on Sunday. This is the type of team that can make trouble for the Dukies because they rank 9th in the nation by making 39.5% of their shots from behind the arc — and they are making 42% of their 3-pointers so far in the NCAA Tournament. Head coach Buzz Williams will be thrilled to trade 3-pointers with Zion Williamson scoring buckets in the paint. He has a diverse lineup with Robinson back in the mix with four players that score at least 13 PPG. The Hokies rank 12th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — but they are also outstanding on the other end of the court as they rank 19th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Virginia Tech allows only 61.7 PPG which is ninth best in the nation. They have allowed only 52 and 58 points in the first two games of the Big Dance — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after not allowing more than 65 points in their last two games. The Hokies have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games played on a neutral court. And while they make 47.2% of their shots from the field, the Blue Devils have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games after fifteen games into the season against teams who shoot at least 45% of their shots.

FINAL TAKE: Virginia Tech will not lack for confidence in this game as they defeated Duke back on February 26th by a 77-72 score as a 3-point underdog. The Blue Devils did not have an injured Williamson in that game but the Hokies were also without Robinson. With four freshman playing key roles, this Duke team is very young while Virginia has three seniors and a junior in the core of their rotation — and this experience edge should help them keep this game very close (especially because 3-pointers count for one more point that 2-pointers). 25* CBB Sweet Sixteen Underdog of the Year with the Virginia Tech Hokies (669) plus the points versus the Duke Blue Devils (670). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:29 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Auburn Tigers (673) and the North Carolina Tar Heels (674). THE SITUATION: Auburn (28-9) reached the Sweet Sixteen last Saturday with their 89-75 win over Kansas as a 2.5-point favorite. North Carolina (29-6) joined them on Sunday in the Sweet Sixteen with their 81-59 victory over Washington as an 11.5-point favorite. These two teams meet in Kansas City for this Midwest region showdown.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Auburn shot 52.5% from the field against the Jayhawks in what was the best shooting effort in their last eighteen games. The Tigers have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a double-digit victory. Auburn has also played 7 of their 11 games Under the Total when playing with five or six days of rest. With both these teams loving to play at a fast pace while scoring many of their baskets in transition, it is tempting to think the final score will finish well above the Total. The Tigers get over 20% of their points from transition which places them seventh in the nation in that metric. But head coach Bruce Pearl may decide it is a losing battle to getting into a drag race with the Tar Heels who thrive in transition and are one of the six teams in the country that generate more points than Auburn that way. Duke also scores more points in transition than the Tigers — and Pearl had his team slow things down when they played earlier this season. That contest saw a moderate 71 possessions in that game with the result being a 78-72 win over the Blue Devils. Expect Pearl to slow the pace of this game down as well with the hopes that his team’s 3-point shooting and ability to force turnovers will make the winning difference. North Carolina averages 67 shots per game which translates into 86.0 PPG. Auburn has played 5 straight games Under the Total against teams that score at least 84 PPG — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams who average at least 62 shots per game. Furthermore, the Tigers have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total on the road against teams who are winning at least 80% of their games. And in their last 19 games with the Total set in the 160s, Auburn has played 14 of these games Under the Total. North Carolina has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 160 to 169.5 point range. The Tar Heels have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. Additionally, North Carolina has played 19 of their last 28 games Under the Total after a win by at least 20 points. While the Tar Heels are a high-scoring team, their good play on the defensive end of the court is under-appreciated. North Carolina is 11th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they have held their last five opponents to just a 40.1% field goal percentage. But the Tar Heels are only making 44.6% of their shots over their last five contests which is a few notches below their 46.5% mark for the season. Moving forward, North Carolina has played 13 of their last 18 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have played 5 straight games Under the Total against teams outside the ACC. Additionally, the Tar Heels have played 5 straight games Under the Total in the NCAA Tournament — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court.

FINAL TAKE: With the Total set in the mid-160s for this game, expect Auburn to try to slow things down to keep the Tar Heels offense in check. 25* CBB TBS-TV Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Auburn Tigers (673) and the North Carolina Tar Heels (674). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:59 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Virginia Cavaliers (654) minus the points versus the Oregon Ducks (653). THE SITUATION: Virginia (31-3) has won eleven of their last twelve games after their 63-51 win over Oklahoma on Sunday as a 10.5-point favorite. Oregon (25-12) has won ten straight games with their 73-54 win over UC-Irvine on Sunday as a 4.5-point favorite. This South regional game will be played at the Yum-Yum Center in Louisville.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CAVALIERS MINUS THE POINTS: We have been this Oregon team for a handful of nice wins during the Pac-12 season when it became evident to me that head coach Dana Altman had made some effective changes with this team after dealing with some injuries earlier in the season. But the lone double-seeded team in the Sweet Sixteen is due for a rude awakening now. Give the Ducks credit for their continued improvement — but winning eight straight games in a subpar Pac-12 before defeating a regressing Wisconsin team before another double-digit seed in UC-Irvine is not the most challenging schedule. Virginia will be, by far, the best team that this Oregon squad has faced all season. First and foremost, the Ducks are going to struggle to score points against this outstanding Cavaliers’ Pack-Line defense. Oregon is just 72nd in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and they ranked 8th in the Pac-12 in that metric. This is not a good shooting team as they rank 109th in the nation with a 52.1% effective field goal percentage with that mark dropping to a 51.0% mark in Pac-12 play. The Ducks only make 35.1% of their 3-pointers which ranks 133rd in the nation — and that mark dropped to a 33.9% mark in Pac-12 action. They only pull down 29.8% of their missed shots which is 115th in the nation — and that mark, too, fell in conference play to a 28.9% mark. While Oregon’s offensive efficiency has been better during their ten-game winning streak, their lack of a go-to scorer remains an issue. And Oregon ranks 272nd in the nation in free throw rate. Virginia’s Pack-Line defense has stymied far more explosive offenses. What is the Ducks’ Plan B if their shots are not falling? It will now be difficult to force turnovers to get extra possessions against Virginia who ranked 14th in the nation by turning the ball over in just 14.9% of their possessions. The Cavaliers also ranked 3rd in the ACC in limiting their opponents to pulling down only 26.0% of their missed shots. Virginia out-rebounded their opponents by +5.2 Rebounds-Per-Game — and Oregon has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games after out-rebounding their opponents by at least +4.0 RPG. Clearly, the formula for success for Altman tonight will be by frustrating the Cavs with his matchup zone defense. The Ducks have held their last seven opponents to shooting no better than 40% from the field — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after not allowing at least their last four opponents to shoot at least 40% from the field. Virginia head coach Tony Bennett is well-versed in combatting zone defenses from the rigors of ACC play over the years — particularly with the Syracuse 2-3 zone, the matchup zones that Rick Pitino would deploy when he was the steward at Louisville, and with Duke using zone defenses over the last few seasons against them. The Cavaliers usually thrive against fellow elite defensive teams. Oregon holds their opponents to just 62.5 PPG along having an opponents’ field goal percentage of 39.9%. Virginia has covered the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games against teams with an opponents’ field goal percentage no higher than 42% — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after fifteen games into the season against teams who do not allow more than 64 PPG. The Ducks have held their last six opponents to just a 23% shooting percentage from behind the arc — but Virginia is 6th in the nation by making 40.1% of their 3-pointers with four different players each nailing at least 40% of these shots. I suspect that the Cavaliers may be due for an offensive explosion tonight. In their scare against Gardner-Webb last Friday, Virginia committed 15 turnovers, shot just 30% from behind the arc, and made only 62% of their free throws — yet they still scored at a 1.13 Points-Per-Possession rate. Then against a Top-25 Sooners’ defense on Sunday, the Cavs scored at a 1.12 PPP rate despite their top scorer, Kyle Guy, missing all ten of his 3-pointers. Virginia still won both those games by double-digits — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games after winning their last two games by at least 10 points. The Cavaliers have also covered the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams outside the ACC. The low Total may entice some bettors to take the 8-9 points with Oregon — but that logic is typically Fool’s Gold when fading Virginia. The Cavaliers have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 23 games with the Total set at no higher than 129.5 — and they have also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games on the road after a victory where no more than 115 combined points were score. Virginia ranks second in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency and third in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and these efficiency numbers are what point to their point spread victories even in slower tempo contests.

FINAL TAKE: Oregon’s offense is dictated by senior guard Peyton Pritchard — but he will have his hands full with the Cavs’ pesky 5’9 defender in Kihei Clark. Virginia’s NCAA Tournament struggles have often been mental — but I think the new challenge of the Ducks’ matchup zone will help them focus on executing their tasks at hand rather than worry about not fulfilling their vast potential. 25* CBB Sweet Sixteen Game of the Year with the Virginia Cavaliers (654) minus the points versus the Oregon Ducks (653). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:09 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Florida State Seminoles (655) and the Gonzaga Bulldogs (656). THE SITUATION: Florida State (29-7) reached the Sweet Sixteen with their 90-62 blowout win over Murray State as a 4-point favorite on Saturday. Gonzaga (32-3) joined them in the Sweet Sixteen with an 83-71 win over Baylor as a 14-point favorite on Saturday. This West regional game is being played in Anaheim.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Seminoles shots 50.7% from the field against the Racers on the strength of nailing 11 of their 27 shots (40.7%) of their shots from behind the arc. They are unlikely to replicate that effort tonight against this Bulldogs team that ranks 16th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Gonzaga is even better in defending the half-court as they rank 7th in the nation with an opponent’s field goal percentage of 44.0% — and they also rank 21st in the nation by limiting their opponents to just a 30.5% shooting mark from behind the arc. Despite torching the nets against Murray State, Florida State is making only 42.8% of their shots over their last five games — and they rank just 210th in the nation by making only 33.7% of their 3-pointers. The Seminoles raced out to a 50-34 halftime lead on Saturday in that game — but they have then played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after enjoying at least a 15 point lead at halftime of their last game. That result finished well above the 146.5 point total — but Florida State has then played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total on the road after a game that finished Over the Total. And while the Bulldogs have an opponents’ field goal percentage of 38.7%, the Seminoles have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after fifteen games into the season against teams that do not allow their opponents to make more than 38% of their shots. Additionally, Florida State has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court as a pick ‘em or underdog — and they have played 10 of their last 15 games Under the Total in the NCAA Tournament. Gonzaga has played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total in the Big Dance. The Bulldogs have given up only 23 and 17 points in the first half of their first two games in the NCAA Tournament — and they have then played 19 of their last 26 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 30 points in the first half of their last two games. However, it is Gonzaga’s 60-47 loss to Saint Mary’s in the West Coast Conference championship game which may have borne the fruit for how Florida State head coach Leonard Hamilton will have his team play. Admittedly, Hamilton will have his team play at a much faster pace than the crawl that the Gaels usually engage. But Saint Mary’s found success in dropping their guards off ball screens who allowed them to contest 2-point shots that frustrated the Bulldogs. Gonzaga point guard Josh Perkins also was bothered by the Gaels’ pressure they applied against him — and Perkins is susceptible to having very bad games. When that happens, the Zags’ offense can stall. Hamilton has five tall guards with length who can throw at Perkins with pressure to veer the Bulldogs offensive flow off balance. Florida State has the tenth best Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in the nation with their outstanding athleticism and length — and Hamilton can play position-less basketball with his one through five players all being able to switch off ball screens. Furthermore, the Seminoles out-rebound their opponents by +4.9 Rebounds-Per-Game — and Gonzaga has played 14 of their last 19 games Under the Total after fifteen games into the season against teams that out-rebound their opponents by at least +4.0 RPG. Additionally, the Bulldogs have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total against teams outside the West Coast Conference.

FINAL TAKE: The Total for this game is set in the high-140s because both teams like to play at a quick tempo. But both defenses should have the upper hand in this contest — so expect a lower-scoring game. 25* CBB Sweet Sixteen Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Florida State Seminoles (655) and the Gonzaga Bulldogs (656). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Lipscomb Bisons (625) and the North Carolina State Wolfpack (626). Lipscomb (27-7) advanced to the Quarterfinals of the NIT on Saturday with their 88-69 upset win at UNC-Greensboro as a 2-point underdog. NC State (24-11) joined them in the Quarterfinals with their 78-77 victory over Harvard on Sunday as a 9.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Lipscomb has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after an upset win on the road. The Bison has also played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total on the road after a victory on the road. This team stays on the road where they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total. Lipscomb has also played 6 of their last 8 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on their home court. The Bison led the Ohio Valley Conference in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They limit their home hosts this season to just 40% shooting from the field. This team will be challenged by the Wolfpack who led the ACC by pulling down 34.9% of their missed shots — but Lipscomb is very good at defending their defensive glass. The Bison are 14th in the nation by limiting their opponents to rebounding only 22.4% of their missed shots. Furthermore, the Bison have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 160s. NC State has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when the Total was set in the 160 to 169.5 point range. And while the Wolfpack have not covered the point spread in their last three games, they have then played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread for three straight contests. NC State shot only 40% from the field in their win over Harvard. Over their last five games, the Wolfpack are making only 40.9% of their shots. They survived the Crimson Tide despite allowing them to make 52.7% of their shots. Yet NC State has played better defense as of late as they have held their last five opponents to just a 41.0% shooting clip which is a bit better this than their 43.9% opponents’ field goal percentage for the season. Now the Wolfpack return home where they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total — and they have also played 8 of their last 9 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. And in their last 10 home games as a pick ‘em or favorite laying no more than 6 points, NC State has played 9 of these games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: The Total is set in the 160s since both these teams play at a fast pace. Despite that up-tempo play in this game, expect a lower scoring game. 25* CBB NIT Quarterfinals Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Lipscomb Bisons (625) and the North Carolina State Wolfpack (626). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Indiana Pacers (575) and the Oklahoma City Thunder (576). THE SITUATION: Indiana (45-29) snapped their four-game losing streak last night with their 124-88 upset win over Denver as a 1.5-point underdog on Sunday. Oklahoma City (43-31) has lost five of their last six games after their 115-103 upset loss at Memphis on Monday as a 7.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Pacers have played 22 of their last 30 games Under the Total after an upset loss — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a double-digit victory. Additionally, Indiana has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played a decisive 38 of their last 55 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. And in their last 15 games after losing three of their last four games, they have then played 12 of their last 15 games Under the Total. The Pacers made 56.1% of their shots on Sunday which was the best shooting effort in their last fourteen contests. Now this team goes back on the road where they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total — and the Under is 23-7-1 in their last 31 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. The struggling Thunder returns home where they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 6 home games Under the Total against teams with a losing record on the road. Oklahoma City’s struggles as of late can be attributed to a steep decline on offense: they are last in the NBA in Offensive Efficiency since the All-Star Break. Over their last five games, the Thunder are shooting just 40.4% from the field which has translated into 105.6 PPG with both those numbers far below their 114.3 PPG scoring average for the season on 45.3% shooting from the field. And while their defensive play has also declined since the break, they still are a respectable 9th in the NBA in Defensive Efficiency over their last fifteen games. Moving forward, the Under is 36-16-1 in the Thunder’s last 53 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 4 straight meetings Under the Total. With Oklahoma City struggling with their baskets, expect a lower-scoring game against this Pacers’ team that plays hard for their head coach Nate McMillan. 25* NBA Wednesday ESPN Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Indiana Pacers (575) and the Oklahoma City Thunder (576). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Indiana Hoosiers (618) minus the points versus the Wichita State Shockers (617). Indiana (19-15) advanced to the Quarterfinals of the NIT on Saturday with their 63-60 victory at home over Arkansas as a 5.5-point favorite. Wichita State (21-14) joined them in the Quarterfinals on Sunday when they upset Clemson on the road by a 63-55 score as a 7-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HOOSIERS MINUS THE POINTS: Indiana should build off the momentum of their narrow victory over the Razorbacks over the weekend as they have covered the point spread in 5 straight home games after a win by 3 points or less. The Hoosiers have also covered the point spread in 7 straight home games after not allowing more than 60 points in their last game. Indiana defeated Arkansas despite making only 41.2% of their shots which was the worst shooting effort in their last five games. Yet the Hoosiers are still making 49.3% of their shots over their last five games. They have the advantage of staying at home for the third straight game in this tournament where they will be favored for the third straight time — and they have covered the point spread in 26 of their last 39 home games after playing their last two games at home where they were laying the points. Indiana is 15-5 on their home court this season — and they are outscoring their opponents by +10.5 PPG. The Hoosiers make 48.1% of their shots at home — but they also play very good defense in Bloomington as they are holding their visitors to just 62.9 PPG on 39.9% shooting from the field. This team ranks 29th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Indiana has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games on their home court. The Hoosiers have covered the point spread in seven of their last nine games — and they have then covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 home games after covering the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. Additionally, Indiana has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning record — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams outside the Big Ten. Their star freshman, Romeo Langford, remains questionable for this game with his back injury — but they have played their previous two games in the NIT without him already. Wichita State has pulled off two straight upsets in this tournament as their win at Clemson was preceded by an upset win at Furman. But the Shockers have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after playing their last two games as an underdog. Playing their third straight game on the road on short rest will likely catch up with this team. Wichita State has failed to cover the point spread in 9 straight games on the road after a game where no more than 125 combined points were scored — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight road games after a game where they did not allow more than 55 points in their last contest. And in their last 8 games when playing just their second game in three days on the road, the Shockers have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of these contests. Head coach Gregg Marshall has done a great job in getting improvement out of his young team after seeing all five of his starters graduate last season. But this team struggles to score baskets — they make only 39.4% of their shots when away from home. Wichita State went to the free throw line 21 times less than the Tigers did not Sunday which may be a bad sign for them moving forward as they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games after a game where they attempted at least 20 fewer free throws than their opponent. The Hoosiers were fourth in the Big Ten in free throw rate — so they should have a big advantage in the free throw department tonight.

FINAL TAKE: While I am impressed with the continued improvement of Wichita State this season, this is a difficult challenge for them to play on the road for a third straight game in this tournament as an underdog. With the opportunity to play in Madison Square Garden in the Semifinals of the NIT, this should be a motivated Indiana team — and their second-year head coach, Archie Miller, needs his team to get more postseason experience. 25* CBB NIT Quarterfinals Game of the Year with the Indiana Hoosiers (618) minus the points versus the Wichita State Shockers (617). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Colorado Buffaloes (602) minus the points versus the Norfolk State Spartans (601). Colorado (22-12) has won six of their last seven games with their 78-73 win over Dayton as a 4.5-point favorite last Tuesday in the opening round of the NIT. Norfolk State (22-13) upset an Alabama team by an 80-79 score in overtime as a 16-point underdog in their gym last Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BUFFALOES MINUS THE POINTS: Norfolk State shocked a Crimson Tide team that was one of the four number one seeds in this tournament. It is not uncommon for teams that failed to get off the bubble and into the NCAA Tournament then show little interest in exerting much effort in the NIT — especially on those opening Tuesday games just 48 hours after the deflating news that they were not selected for the Big Dance. Alabama then fired their head coach, Avery Johnson, later in the week. But the Spartans will be facing an engaged opponent in this game. Norfolk State’s twenty-two wins came from the 5th easiest schedule in college basketball according to metrics guru Ken Pomeroy. Even with that soft schedule, the Spartans rank 282nd in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency and rank 199nd in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Norfolk State has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 boarded games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. The Spartans have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight road boarded games after winning three of their last four games — and they are just 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 boarded games after a point spread win. Colorado has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a straight-up win. They get to host this second-round game given the Crimson Tide being upset as the top seed in their bracket. The Buffaloes have a strong home-court advantage — they are 14-3 at home this season with an average winning margin of +11.7 PPG. They score 80.2 PPG on their home court while making 48.8% of their shots. Colorado has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games on their home court — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 12 home games with the Total set in the 145 to 149.5 point range. The Buffaloes should control the boards in this contest as they pull down 31.4% of their missed shots — and Norfolk State ranks 220th in the nation by allowing their opponents to rebound 29.0% of their missed shots. The Spartans also commit tons of fouls — they rank 338th in the nation with an opponent’s Free Throw Attempt-to-Field Goal Attempt ratio of 42.7%. Colorado makes 75.1% of their free throws which is 38th in the nation. The Buffaloes made 16 of their 18 free throws (89%) against the Flyers last week — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after making at least 88% of their free throws in their last game. Norfolk State will struggle to score points against this Colorado team that ranks 40th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. And while the Spartans make 37.4% of their 3-pointers, the Buffaloes also ranks 39th in the nation with their opponents making only 31.6% of their 3-pointers. Colorado has also held their last five opponents to shooting just 40.8% from the field. Norfolk State is shooting just 40.6% from the field over their last five games. The Buffaloes are laying around 14 points in this game — but they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games as a double-digit favorite.

FINAL TAKE: It is also a challenge for east coast teams to adjust to playing in the high altitude in Boulder. Head coach Tad Boyle missed the postseason for the first time in eight seasons at Colorado last season — and with his top seven rotation players all coming back next year, this tournament is an opportunity for this team to take the next step to prepare for a possible NCAA Tournament bid next year. 25* CBB NIT Round Two Game of the Year with the Colorado Buffaloes (602) minus the points versus the Norfolk State Spartans (601). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:40 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the UC-Irvine Anteaters (873) plus the points versus the Oregon Ducks (874). THE SITUATION: UC-Irvine (31-5) has won seventeen straight games after the upset Kansas State on Friday by a 70-64 score as a 4-point underdog. Oregon (24-12) has won nine straight games after they upset Wisconsin on Friday by a 72-54 score as a 2-point underdog. This South regional game is being played in San Jose.

REASONS TO TAKE THE ANTEATERS PLUS THE POINTS: UC-Irvine will enter this game with tons of confidence that they can advance to the Sweet Sixteen. They are 12-3-1 ATS in their last 16 games after a straight-up win — and they are 7-1-1 ATS in their last 9 games after a point spread victory. This team thrives with their play on defense. They lead the nation by holding their opponents to just a 40.7% shooting percentage inside the arc as they are buoyed by three giant rim protectors 6’9 or taller led by the 6’10 Jonathan Galloway. They held Kansas State on Friday to just a 43.7% shooting clip inside the arc. Head coach Russell Turner ensures that at least one of these three players is on the court at all times. The Anteaters also defend the perimeter as they hold their opponents to just a 33.2% shooting percentage inside the arc. UC-Irvine is also a quality offensive team that does plenty of things well on that side of the court. With their size, the Anteaters are 32nd in the nation by pulling down 33.5% of their missed shots. UC-Irvine led the Big West Conference by making 52.4% of their shots inside the arc — and they make a healthy 36.1% of their 3-pointers. The Anteaters play at the 275th slowest pace in the nation — yet they still manage to score 72.8 PPG. Over their last six games, UC-Irvine has raised their scoring average to 82.6 PPG. This balance on offense and defense has helped them cover the point spread in 4 straight games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. The Anteaters have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games played on a neutral court as an underdog or pick ‘em. And in their last 11 games with the Total set at 129.5 or lower, UC-Irvine has covered the point spread 10 times. Dana Altman has done a great job with his Oregon team. His decision at the beginning of the Pac-12 season to have his team press more was an effective way to create more scoring opportunities for his challenged shooting team. The Ducks’ defense also improved when Altman inserted the 6’9 freshman Francis Okoro into the starting lineup. But winning eight games in a row against suspect Pac-12 competition needs to be taken with a grain of salt. And while I strongly endorsed Wisconsin to cover the point spread on Friday, I was anxious to bet against them in this round given the deterioration of Ethan Happ’s game for the Badgers (his shooting woes had become a negative). I think the Oregon bubble gets burst against this outstanding Anteaters defense. The Ducks made 54.9% of their shots against Wisconsin which was the best shooting effort for them in their last thirteen games. Oregon ranks 99th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and that number drops to 129th in the nation when they playing away from Eugene. This Ducks team just does not do many things well on that side of the court. They ranked 9th in the Pac-12 with an effective field goal percentage of 51.0 while ranking 7th in that mediocre conference in offensive rebounding rate and 11th in getting to the free throw line. They also made only 66.7% of their free throws in conference play. Oregon has made 9 of 11 and 20 of 22 shots at the charity stripe in each of their last two games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after making at least 78% of their free throws in two straight games. The Ducks have only scored 25 and 28 points in the first half of their last two games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after failing to score at least 30 points in the first half of their last two games. Oregon was 2nd in the Pac-12 by forcing turnovers in 21.9% of their opponent’s possessions — but UC-Irvine turned the ball in just 16.0% of their possessions in conference play. The Anteaters allow only 63.3 PPG — and the Ducks have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games against teams who do not allow more than 64 PPG. And in their last 13 games played on a neutral court as a favorite laying 3.5 to 6 points, Oregon has failed to cover the point spread 8 times.

FINAL TAKE: Oregon plays at the 318th slowest pace in the nation — so this shapes up to be a slog between two strong defensive teams. The Ducks are overrated by those observers who failed to appreciate the moves Altman made to make his team better during conference play. This should be a coin flip game that the Anteaters can pull out — making their 4-5 points as the underdog very valuable. 25* CBB Bailout Game of the Year with the UC-Irvine Anteaters (873) plus the points versus the Oregon Ducks (874). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 2:40 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Washington Huskies (867) and the North Carolina Tar Heels (868). THE SITUATION: Washington (27-8) has won three of their last four games with their 78-61 upset victory over Utah State on Friday as a 3.5-point underdog. North Carolina (28-6) has won nine of their last ten games with their 88-73 victory over Iona on Friday as a 24.5-point favorite. This Midwest regional game is being played in Columbus, Ohio.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Huskies made 49% of their shots against the Aggies which was the best shooting mark in the last five games. That was an outlier effort for this challenged team on offense — Washington ranks 109th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency while also ranking 102nd in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 52.3%. Overall, the Huskies score 70.1 PPG on 45% shooting from the field — but those numbers drop to just 63.4 PPG along with a 41.0% shooting mark when playing away from home. Washington has played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. And while that game finished Over the 136 point total, the Huskies have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a game that finished Over the Total. What this Washington team thrives at is playing defense as they rank 18th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Senior guard Matisse Thybulle may be the best defensive player in college basketball. Head coach Mike Hopkins was a long time assistant of Jim Boeheim at Syracuse so this team deploys a similar 2-3 matchup-zone which can be very difficult to prepare for in tournament action on the weekend with the short turn-around time. The Huskies have played 19 of their last 27 games Under the Total on a neutral court with the Total set in the 140s. Furthermore, Washington has played a decisive 37 of their last 55 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams outside the Pac-12. North Carolina made 46.7% of their shots over the Gaels on Friday which was the best shooting mark in their last eight games. The Tar Heels are only making 43% of their shots over their last five games. North Carolina has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. They also have played 13 of their last 18 games Under the Total after a victory by at least 15 points. The Tar Heels did control the glass against Iona as they pulled down 52 rebounds. The vulnerability of the 2-3 zone is that it leaves open space in front of the basket for offensive rebounds. Even if North Carolina gets plenty of second-chance opportunities, it helps the Under since it extends possession length. The Tar Heels have played 13 of the last 17 games Under the Total after rebounding at least 52 boards in their last contest. They have also played 15 of their last 21 games Under the Total when playing their second game in three days. What is underappreciated about this North Carolina team this season is just how good they are playing on defense. Roy Williams’ team ranks 11th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they have held their last five opponents to just a 39.2% field goal percentage. This strong defensive play has helped the Tar Heels plate 12 of their last 17 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total against teams outside the ACC. Furthermore, North Carolina has played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total on a neutral court — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total in the NCAA Tournament.

FINAL TAKE: Washington will try to slow this game down to limit possessions. With the Total creeping into the 150s, expect a lower scoring game. 25* CBB NCAA Tournament Round of 32 Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Washington Huskies (867) and the North Carolina Tar Heels (868). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:10 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Murray State Racers (839) and the Florida State Seminoles (840). THE SITUATION: Murray State (28-4) pulled the upset in the Round of 64 with their 83-64 win over Marquette as a 3-point underdog on Thursday. Florida State (28-7) has won seven of their last eight games with their 76-69 victory over Vermont as an 8.5-point favorite on Thursday. This West regional game takes place in Hartford.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Racers shocked a strong scoring team in the Golden Eagles by holding them to just 32.4% shooting from the field. While Ja Morant gets all the headlines for this team as he pushes up his NBA draft stock, what is underappreciated about this upstart mid-major is their strong half-court defense. Head coach Matt McMahon’s team ranks 18th in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 46.1% — and they are also 3rd in the nation with their opponents making just 28.4% of their 3-pointers. When playing away on the road or neutral courts, the Racers’ opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 45% is 6th best in the country. The Seminoles can struggle with their shooting as their effective field goal percentage of 50.5% ranks 180th in the nation — and they make only 33.4% of their 3-pointers which is 223rd in the nation. Murray State has played 17 of their last 22 games on the road Under the Total after an upset victory. The Racers have also played 5 straight games Under the Total on a neutral court as a pick ‘em or underdog of no more than 6 points. Additionally, Murray State has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after 15 games into the season against teams with a winning percentage of 80% or higher. And while the Racers made 9 of their 18 shots from behind the arc against Marquette, they have then played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after making at least 50% of their 3-pointers. Murray State does not rely on the 3 — they are making just 34.8% of their 3-pointers which is 149th in the nation. Led by Morant’s ability to create his own shot or dish to an open teammate, the Racers rank 5th in the nation by making 57.2% of their shots inside the arc. But Morant and this team may face their most difficult test of the season against the deep Seminoles team loaded with long and athletic defenders. Florida State is 10th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. The Seminoles’ defense is outstanding inside the arc as they hold their opponents to just a 46.0% field goal percentage with their 2-pointers which is 27th best in the country — and that mark lowered to a measly 41.9% clip in ACC play. Florida State has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up win. And while their game with Vermont finished Over the 133 point total, they have then played 7 straight games Under the Total on the road after a game that finished Over the Total. Furthermore, the Seminoles have played 4 of their last 5 games in the NCAA Tournament Under the Total — and they have played 17 of their last 26 games Under the Total played on a neutral court with the number set in the 140s. And while Murray State outscores their opponents by +15.6 PPG, they have then played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total against teams that outscore their opponents by at least +12.0 PPG.

FINAL TAKE: Morant is a star in the making — but he will be harassed by a horde of tough defenders from Florida State who will try to coax him to rely on his teammates. The Seminoles will also struggle to score in their half court offense. 25* CBB TNT Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Murray State Racers (839) and the Florida State Seminoles (840). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Wisconsin Badgers (826) minus the points versus the Oregon Ducks (825). Wisconsin (23-10) saw their four-game winning streak snapped last Saturday in a 67-55 loss in the Semifinals of the Big Ten tournament to Michigan State as a 5.5-point underdog. Oregon (23-12) has won eight straight games after their 68-48 victory over Washington last Saturday as a 2-point favorite to win the Pac-12 tournament. This South regional game is being played in San Jose.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BADGERS MINUS THE POINTS: The Ducks are a very trendy pick in this game with many bettors discovering the continued improvement of Dana Altman’s team this season. Careful observers should have realized that this Oregon team changed their identity entering the Pac-12 season (after enduring some tough injuries especially to Bol Bol who suffered a season-ending foot injury) as Altman had his team deploy more full-court presses to create more offensive opportunities. The Ducks forced turnovers in 20.9% of their opponent’s possessions (50th in the nation) — and that number rose to a 21.9% mark in Pac-12 play. But this is a terrible draw for this strategy this afternoon as this Badgers’ team is very stingy with the basketball as they turn the ball over unjust 14.4% of their possessions which is 8th best in the country. Oregon enters this tournament as one of the hottest teams in college basketball — but let's remember that their wins were against suspect Pac-12 competition. I expect a big emotional letdown for this team now. They made 52.5% of their shots in their victory over Washington which was the best shooting mark in their last 12 games. The six-day break will likely cool off this team as they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when playing with a five or six-day break between games. And while the Ducks made 20 of their 22 free throws (91%) against the Huskies, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after making at least 88% of their free throws in their last game. This team will not get to the line 22 times today as the Badgers do not foul — they rank 20th in the nation with an opponent’s Free Throw Attempt to Field Goal Attempt ratio of 25.9%. This is a subpar scoring group that Altman has this season as they rank 108th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and just 8th in the Pac-12 in Adjusted Efficiency despite it being a down year for the conference. The Ducks usually do not get to the free throw line either as they ranked 11th in the Pac-12 in FTA: FGA ratio. Their 51.7% effective field goal percentage ranked 126th in the nation — and their offensive rebounding was just 7th in the Pac-12. Most of the Pac-12 teams are playing some version of a zone defense — so the tight man-to-man defense that the Badgers deploy will be a challenging look for them. Wisconsin plays outstanding defense — they rank 3rd in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency while also ranking 9th in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 44%. The Badgers hold their opponents to only 61.4 PPG along with a 39.3% field goal percentage. Altman’s teams tend to struggle against elite defensive opponents. Oregon has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games against teams who do not allow more than 64 PPG. The Ducks have held their last five opponents to no better than a 40% field goal percentage — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after not allowing at least their last four opponents to a 40% or less field goal percentage. Wisconsin makes 45.8% of their shots on offense — and Oregon has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after 15 games into the season against balanced teams who make at least 45% of their shots while holding their opponents to no better than 42% shooting from the field. The Badgers played one of their worst games of the season against the Spartans last Saturday (our Big Ten Tourney Game of the Year on Michigan State) as they shot just 35.3% while allowing Sparty to make 43.4% of their shots. That was Wisconsin’s worst shooting effort in ten games — and while that was not a bad defensive effort, per se, it was the highest field goal percentage they had allowed an opponent to make in their last eight contests. The Badgers made only 2 of their 19 (11%) of their shots from behind the arc in that game — and they have then covered the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after not making more than 20% of their 3-pointers. Wisconsin has not covered the point spread in four of their last six games — but they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after failing to cover the point spread in four or five of their last six contests. And in their last 8 games played on a neutral court as a pick ‘em or favorite of no more than 6 points, the Badgers have covered the point spread 5 times.

FINAL TAKE: Wisconsin usually imposes their slow grinding pace on to their opponents. They are the more battle-tested team having played Virginia and Oklahoma in their non-conference schedule before battling Big Ten opponents in a 20-game schedule. The Badgers have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after 15 games into the season against teams with a winning percentage in the 60-80% range. And this Wisconsin team’s style frustrated the Ducks in the Round of 32 in both the 2014 and 2015 NCAA Tournaments. 25* CBB NCAA Tourney Round of 64 Game of the Year with the Wisconsin Badgers (826) minus the points versus the Oregon Ducks (825). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:15 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Minnesota Golden Gophers (773) and the Louisville Cardinals (774). THE SITUATION: Minnesota (21-13) enters the NCAA Tournament looking to bounce-back from a 76-49 loss to Michigan in the Semifinals of the Big Ten tournament last Saturday as a 9-point underdog. Louisville (20-13) has lost two of their last three games with their 83-70 loss to North Carolina last Thursday as a 7-point underdog. This East regional game is being played in Des Moines, Iowa.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Head coach Rick Pitino should have his team play tough defense after they allowed the Wolverines to make 51.6% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last ten games. The Golden Gophers have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Additionally, Minnesota has played 5 straight games Under the Total after a loss by at least 20 points. And while that game with Michigan finished below the 131 point total, the Golden Gophers have played 15 of their last 21 games Under the Total on the road after a game that finished Under the Total. Pitino has this team playing better defense to close out the regular season (despite getting stung by Michigan). They have held their last five opponents to just a 42.9% field goal percentage — and those last five opponents made just 32.8% of their shots from behind the arc. Overall, Minnesota has the 40th best Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in the nation. But this team can struggle to score points especially on the road where they make only 40.7% of their shots which translates into just 63.6 PPG which is over 7 PPG below their season average. The Golden Gophers have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage below 60% — and they have played 13 of their last 19 games Under the Total as an underdog. Louisville has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a loss to a conference rival — and they have played 5 straight games Under the Total after a point spread loss. First-year head coach Chris Miller has this team playing a tough pack-line defense that has the Cardinals ranked 16th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Louisville will be protecting the rim in this game and daring this Gophers team that makes just 32.1% of their 3-pointers (285th in the nation) to shooting from the outside. The Cardinals have held their last five opponents to just a 37.5% shooting percentage. But Louisville is only making 40.3% of their shots over that span. This team can struggle versus zone defenses that Pitino may have his team deploy at times. The Cardinals rely heavily on 3-point shooting as 43.7% of their shots from the field come from downtown (55th in the nation). But Minnesota defense the perimeter well as they ranked 27th in the nation by limiting their opponents to taking just 33.7% of their shots from behind the arc (27th in the nation) — and only 29.1% of their opponent's points come from 3s. Furthermore, Louisville has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams outside the ACC.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams play a little slower than the national average of 17.5 seconds per possession. Look for Minnesota to play very physical against this Louisville team that is small and can be a bit soft. This should be a grinding low-scoring game to open the Round of 64. 25* CBB NCAA Tournament Round of 64 Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Minnesota Golden Gophers (773) and the Louisville Cardinals (774). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the St. John’s Red Storm (714) plus the points versus the Arizona State Sun Devils (713). THE SITUATION: St. John’s (21-12) limps into the NCAA Tournament having lost four of their last five games after their 86-54 loss to Marquette in the Big East tournament last Thursday as a 4-point underdog. Arizona State (22-10) saw their three-game winning streak snapped on Friday with their 79-75 loss in overtime to Oregon as a 3-point favorite in the Pac-12 tournament. This First Four game is being played on a neutral court in Dayton, Ohio.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RED STORM PLUS THE POINTS: St. John’s was the last team to make the NCAA Tournament — and considering that they have lost twelve of their last twenty-one games, it is easy to understand why bettors are scared-off this team. But the blank slate of the NCAA Tournament can often serve as a great elixir to break out of a losing streak — and rid the stench from a bad loss. The Red Storm has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after a point spread setback. Additionally, St. John’s has covered the point spread in 33 of their last 45 games when playing on the road after a loss by at least 25 points — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after a loss by at least 30 points. Furthermore, head coach Chris Mullin’s team has covered the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games after losing five or six of their last seven contests. They shot just 32.8% from the field against the Golden Eagles which was the worst shooting effort for them all season. The Red Storm made the Big Dance because they have accrued impressive wins against other NCAA Tournament teams in Villanova, Seton Hall, VCU, and Marquette twice. This team will have the best player on the court in Shamorie Ponds who is averaging 19.5 PPG along with 5.2 Assists-Per-Game — and he makes 81% of his free throws. Ponds has a very favorable defensive matchup tonight as he will likely be guarded by sophomore Remy Martin. I think the charity stripe plays a big role in tonight’s contest. The Sun Devils foul in bunches — they ranked 301st in the nation with an opponent’s Free Throw Attempt to Field Goal Attempt ratio of 38.6% with that mark rising to a 39.6% clip in Pac-12 play. When playing away from home, this Arizona State foul rate rises even more to a 41.2% mark. St. John’s made 74.0% of their free throws in Big East play so they have a great potential to generate plenty of points from the line. The Red Storm should also create additional scoring opportunities by forcing turnovers as they were second in the conference by forcing turnovers in 19.2% of their opponent’s possessions — and the Sun Devils turn the ball over in 19.1% of their conference possessions which ranked 8th. Additionally, St. John’s has struggled against bigger teams this season which makes sense since the tallest player in their rotation is 6’7. But while head coach Bobby Hurley like to play two bigs in his lineup, Arizona State does not have a player taller than 6’8 in their regular rotation. Mullin usually has his team roll out four guards to spread the court to give space for Ponds to create his own shot — and I suspect this scheme will dictate how the Sun Devils then play. Arizona State has won six of their last eight games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after winning six or seven of their last eight contests. This is the second year in a row that this team is playing in Dayton in the First Four but this group for Hurley has four new starters from last year’s group. Yet the Sun Devils have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 21 games in first round of a tournament. This Arizona State team has been wildly inconsistent with bad losses to Vanderbilt, Princeton, and Washington State. They tend to struggle when forced into their half-court offense as their top two scorers, Martin and freshman Luguentz Dort, both shot under 41% from the field and just 33% from behind the arc. Much of the team’s offense comes in transition as they forced turnovers in 19.3% of their Pac-12 opponent’s possessions. But with their four guards, this Red Storm is very protective of the basketball as they are 6th in the nation by turning the ball over in just 14.1% of their possessions. The Sun Devils’ effective field goal rate of 50.8% ranks just 168th in the nation. Arizona State is going to get to the free throw line tonight — but they only make 67.1% of their shots from the charity stripe which ranks 310th in the nation. This team also allowed their Pac-12 opponents to make 48% of their shots from the field.

FINAL TAKE: Arizona State comes out of a weak Pac-12 this season — and they are just 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games against teams outside the Pac-12. St. John’s opportunity to redeem themselves from a disappointing beginning to March while also having the best player on the court in Ponds should make the difference. 25* CBB NCAA Tourney First Four Game of the Year with the St. John’s Red Storm (714) plus the points versus the Arizona State Sun Devils (713). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 11:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Colorado Buffaloes (692) minus the points versus the Dayton Flyers (691). THE SITUATION: Colorado (21-12) saw their five-game winning streak snapped on Friday with their 66-61 loss to Washington as a 2.5-point underdog in the Pac-12 tournament. Dayton (21-11) lost last Friday in the Atlantic 10 tournament to St. Louis by a 64-55 score despite being a 4-point favorite. Colorado hosts this first round game as the higher four seed.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BUFFALOES MINUS THE POINTS: This Colorado was a young team this season with a core of sophomores who were starters last year in McKinley Wright IV, Tyler Bey, and Dallas Walton. This team played its basketball in the last month of the season for head coach Tad Boyle as they have won ten of their last thirteen contests. They return home to host this game where they are 13-3 with an average winning margin of +12.2 PPG. The Buffaloes score 80.4 PPG on their home court while making 49.1% of their shots from the field. They also hold their visitors to just 42.9% shooting from the field. Colorado usually retains a significant home-court edge against teams from the midwest and east since they are not familiar with playing in the higher altitude. The Buffaloes have covered the point spread in 21 of their last 31 games on the road home court — and this includes them covering the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games at home. They have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road. This team continues to improve on the defensive end of the court as they have held their last five opponents to just a 37.0% shooting percentage. Colorado has held their last three opponents to a 39.6%., 34.0%, and 34.0% shooting percentages — and they have then covered the point spread in 7 straight home games after not allowing their last three opponents to make more than 40% of their shots from the field. The Buffaloes should thrive on the boards in this game against this Flyers dream that ranked 12th in the Atlantic 10 conference by allowing their opponents to pull down 29.1% of their missed shots. Colorado was 4th in the Pac-12 by rebounding 30.2% of their missed shots. The Buffaloes have also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Dayton has overachieved late in the season by covering the point spread in five of their last seven games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 28 of their last 41 games after covering the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. Furthermore, the Flyers have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games against non-conference opponents. Dayton thrives by making shots inside the arc where they rank 6th in the nation with 57.6% of their points coming from 2-pointers. But the Flyers struggle against good shooting opponents. The Buffaloes make 45.6% of their shots overall — and Dayton has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after 15 games into the season against teams who make at least 45% of their shots.

FINAL TAKE: The Flyers are a physical team — but I don’t like how that will translate in the thin air against this Buffaloes team that steadily improved this season. Look for Colorado to pull away in this game. 25* CBB NIT First Round Game of the Year with the Colorado Buffaloes (692) minus the points versus the Dayton Flyers (691). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:10 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Belmont Bruins (671) and the Temple Owls (672). THE SITUATION: Belmont (26-5) was upset in the Finals of the Ohio Valley Conference tournament back on March 9th by a 77-65 score as a 2-point favorite. Temple (23-9) saw their three-game winning streak snapped on Friday with their 80-74 upset loss to Wichita State as a 1.5-point favorite. The First Four games take place on a neutral court in Dayton, Ohio.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Bruins shot only 39.1% from the field which was the worst field goal percentage for them in their last 15 games — their second-lowest shooting mark over that span was much higher at 47.3%). This uber-efficient Belmont team is 3rd in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 57.8%. They execute Houston Rockets offensive basketball by shunning midrange jump shots for 3-pointers or shots at the rim: they are 2nd in the nation with a 59.5% shooting percentage inside the arc while also averaging 10.5 made 3-pointers per game. They also play at a fast pace as their 15.9 seconds per possession average is the 29th fastest in the nation — and that tempo increased in conference play where they averaged 15.2 seconds per possession. This up-tempo attack generated 64 shot attempts per game — and the Owls have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total against teams that average at least 62 shots per game. The Bruins have played 9 of their last 12 games Over the Total after a double-digit loss — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total after an upset loss by at least 10 points. And while Belmont has still covered the point spread in five of their last seven games, they have then played 19 of their last 27 games Over the Total after covering five or six of their last seven games. The Bruins should find plenty of success attacking the thin Temple frontline that is allowing their opponents to make 52.2% of their shots inside the arc which was second-to-last in the American Athletic Conference. Belmont averages a robust 87.4 PPG this season — and they have played 33 of their last 52 games Over the Total when favored. And while they have played three straight Unders, the Bruins have then played 12 of their last 18 games Over the Total after playing at least two straight Unders. Belmont has also played 5 of their last 8 games Over the Total when playing on a neutral court as a pick ‘em or favorite laying no more than 6 points — and they have played their last three games Over the Total when favored by 3.5 to 6 points on a neutral court. Temple made only 39.1% of their shots in their loss to the Shockers on Friday which was the worst shooting effort in their last four games. The Owls has the third best Adjusted Offensive Efficiency in the AAC while averaging 74.8 PPG for the year. Their trio of starting guards, Shizz Alston, Jr., Quinton Rose, and Nate Pierre-Louis combined to average 49.5 PPG together. Temple has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. And while this is just their second game since March 9th, the Owls have played 13 of their last 18 games Over the Total when playing no more than their second game in seven days. Furthermore, while Temple has won six of their last eight games, they have then played 11 of their last 15 games Over the Total after winning six or seven of their last eight games. The Owls finished 3rd in the conference by making 35.3% of their 3-point shots — and this Bruins team allowed their OVC opponents to make 36.4% of their shots from behind the arc which was 9th in the conference. Belmont is an elite passing team that is 7th in the nation by assisting on 61.9% of their made field goals — and they average a 20 Assists-Per-Game. Temple has played 31 of their last 47 games Over the Total after 15 games into the season against teams that average at least 16 Assists-Per-Game. The Owls have also played 8 of their last 11 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Additionally, the Over is 16-4-1 in their last 21 games played on a neutral court — and they have played four of their last five games Over the Total when playing as an underdog or pick ‘em on a neutral court.

FINAL TAKE: These are two mediocre defensive teams. While Belmont had the 3rd best Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in the Ohio Valley Conference, they were just 127th in that metric for the entire season. Temple ranked 7th in the American Athletic Conference in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency while ranking 90th overall for the entire season. The Owls also played at the third fastest pace in a conference that has many teams play at a crawl. Expect a higher-scoring game. 25* CBB NCAA Tournament First Four Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Belmont Bruins (671) and the Temple Owls (672). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the San Antonio Spurs (544) plus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (543). THE SITUATION: San Antonio (41-29) is the hottest team in basketball right now as they have rattled off eight straight wins after their 108-103 victory over Portland on Saturday as a 2.5-point favorite. Golden State (47-21) has won two straight games after their 110-88 win in Oklahoma City on Saturday as a 2-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SPURS PLUS THE POINTS: At first glance, it looks like San Antonio has been one of the most inconsistent teams in the league. The Spurs started the season just 11-14. They then went on a 14 of 19 winning streak where they scored 116 points per 100 possessions while holding their opponents to just 103.6 points per 100 possessions with this marks ranking first and sixth in the NBA over that span. But then came the annual road trip for San Antonio where they embark on a long stretch away from home to accommodate their arena being used for the rodeo. The Spurs lost seven of those eight games while clearly looking gassed and demoralized from the experience. But their eight-game winning streak started immediately after they returned home again. Over those eight games, San Antonio ranks 7th in Offensive Rating while also ranking 3rd in Defensive Rating. Gregg Popovich’s team plays much better when things are going well. They have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread victory. And while they have covered the point spread in seven of their last eight games, they have then covered the point spread in 10 of their last 11 games after covering the point spread in six or seven of their last eight contests. This is also a team that plays much better at home where they are 28-7 with an average winning margin of +7.6 PPG — and they have won ten straight games on their home court. The Spurs have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight home games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road. This team has also covered the point spread in 19 of their last 27 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range — and this includes them covering the point spread in 12 of their last 15 home games in expected close games in that point spread range. And in their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%, San Antonio has covered the point spread in 4 of these games. Golden State held the Thunder to just a 32.3% field goal percentage on Saturday which was the lowest opponent’s field goal percentage for the Warriors all season. As I indicated in the Report for that big Under win for us, I commented that this Golden State team is playing better defense this month which they have tended to do during their recent championship runs. But over their last eight games, they still only rank 10th in the NBA in Defensive Rating. This remains a team that is fighting their own disinterest during the dog days of the regular season. Getting up to face their rivals in Oklahoma City is one thing, then traveling to face the boring Spurs led by nondescript stars like DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge is quite another. The Warriors have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a double-digit victory. And while Golden State has won four of their last six games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 32 games after winning four or five of their last six games. This team stays on the road for the third straight game. They are struggling to score baskets as of late. During their last eight games (to compare versus the Spurs’ winning streak), the Warriors have an Offensive Rating ranked 21st in the league — and they are making just 46.8% of their shots over their last five games as compared to their 48.7% field goal percentage for the year. They will likely see Kevin Durant take the court again tonight after he did not play on Saturday because of a knee injury but DeMarcus Cousins is listed as doubtful with an ankle injury. Golden State is just 11-23-1 ATS in their last 35 games against Western Conference opponents.

FINAL TAKE: The Spurs will also be looking to avenge an embarrassing 141-102 loss at Golden State on February 6th during their rodeo road trip. This rematch offers Popovich a nice coaching opportunity to demand a better effort and execution of the team’s game plans. San Antonio has covered the point spread in an incredible 18 of their last 19 games when avenging a double-digit loss to their opponent. 25* NBA Monday ESPN Game of the Year with the San Antonio Spurs (544) plus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (543). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Houston Rockets (530) minus the points versus the Minnesota Timberwolves (529). THE SITUATION: Houston (43-26) has won ten of their last eleven games after their 108-102 win over Phoenix on Friday as a 12-point favorite. Minnesota (32-37) has lost their last two games after their 120-100 loss in Utah on Thursday as an 8.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE ROCKETS MINUS THE POINTS: Houston is 6-2-1 ATS in their last 9 games after a point spread win. The Rockets are playing as good basketball as they have all season. Chris Paul appears to be at full strength again and has taken over running the offense. And this team has significantly stepped up their game on the defensive end of the court. Over their last five games, Houston has held these opponents to just 99.6 PPG on 42.5% shooting from the field — and those numbers are far below the 110.0 PPG they are allowing this season along with an opponent’s field goal percentage of 47.2%. The Rockets have played two straight Unders along with six of their last seven Under the Total. Houston has then covered the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games after playing a game that finished Under the Total — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games at home after playing at least two straight Unders. James Harden is listed as questionable for this game with a neck injury — but his absence will allow his teammates to step up as they need to define their roles to find success in the playoffs. Remember that the Rockets defeated the Warriors in Golden State back on February 23rd by a 118-112 score despite Harden missing that game with an injury. Minnesota had failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after a loss on the road by at least 20 points. The Timberwolves have also failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 24 games after allowing at least 115 points in their last game. This team has fallen out of the Western Conference playoff race by going just 5-7 since the All-Star break. They are struggling on defense as they have allowed their last five opponents to make 50.8% of their shots. They were also out-rebounded by a 61-45 margin against the Jazz on Thursday — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after being out-rebounded by at least 15 boards. This team stays on the road for the third straight time where they are just 9-27 this season. They are being outscored by -6.3 PPG while allowing their home hosts to score 117.4 PPG on 48.1% shooting from the field. The Timberwolves have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games on the road — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 26 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. This Minnesota team is also a M*A*S*H unit right now with Jeff Teague joining Robert Covington as being out for this game while Derrick Rose is questionable with an elbow injury.

FINAL TAKE: Houston has lost both meetings with the T-Wolves this season with the last encounter ending in a 121-111 loss at Minnesota back on February 13th. The Rockets have covered the point spread in 23 of their last 32 games when playing with double-revenge — and this includes them covering the point spread in their last six opportunities to end a two-game (or more) losing streak to their opponent. The Timberwolves were the underdog in both games as well this season — and Houston has covered the point spread in 3 straight opportunities to avenge two straight upset losses. 25* NBA Sunday Night ESPN Game of the Year with the Houston Rockets (530) minus the points versus the Minnesota Timberwolves (529). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:35 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (507) and the Oklahoma City Thunder (508). THE SITUATION: Golden State (46-21) has won two of their last three games with their upset 106-104 win in Houston on Wednesday as a 4-point underdog. Oklahoma City (42-27) saw their two-game winning streak snapped on Thursday with their 108-106 upset loss in Indiana as a 1-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Warriors have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a narrow win by 3 points or less. This team travels to Oklahoma City likely without the benefit of Kevin Durant who has been downgraded to doubtful for tonight’s game with an ankle injury — and that takes away a big piece of the Golden State offensive attack. As it is, the Warriors have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 34 of their last 51 games Under the Total on the road with the Total set at 230 or higher. Furthermore, Golden State has played 14 of their last 17 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have also played 4 straight games Under the Total in their last four contests against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Additionally, the Warriors have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total as an underdog. And in their last 19 games in the month of March where this team starts to get in playoff mode on the defensive end of the court, Golden State has played 15 of these games Under the Total. Oklahoma City has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point spread setback. This team is playing lower scoring games on both ends of the court as of late. Over their last five games, they are averaging 110.2 PPG on 41.5% shooting from the field while allowing 106.4 PPG on 41.5% shooting — those numbers are all lower than their 114.9 PPG with a 45.7% shooting mark on offense and their 110.9 PPG and 45.8% opponent’s field goal mark on defense for the season. The Thunder return home where they have played 4 straight games Under the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 6 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road. And in their last 18 games in expected close games when listed in the +/- 3-point range, OKC has played 15 of these games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: Golden State is looking to avenge an embarrassing 123-95 loss at home to Oklahoma City back on November 21st — and they have played 19 of their last 27 games Under the Total when looking to avenge a loss at home. These two teams have played 17 of their last 22 meetings Under the Total which includes 5 of 6 Unders when playing in Oklahoma City. 25* NBA Saturday Prime-Time ABC-TV Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (507) and the Oklahoma City Thunder (508). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the San Diego State Aztecs (627) and the Utah State Aggies (628). THE SITUATION: San Diego State (21-12) reached the Finals of the Mountain West Conference tournament with their 65-56 upset win over Nevada yesterday as a 9-point underdog yesterday. Utah State (27-6) joined them with their 85-60 blowout win over Fresno State as a 4-point favorite yesterday. The MWC tournament takes place in the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas so this is a neutral court for both teams.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Aztecs have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a win over a conference rival. San Diego State has also played a decisive 15 of their last 17 games Under the Total after a point spread win. The Aztecs made only 42.6% of their shots last night in their victory — yet that was the best shooting effort for them in their last four contests. San Diego State had made only 34.6% and 29.8% of their shots in their previous two contests — and they are shooting just 39.6% from the field over their last five games. This team is very susceptible to experience long scoring droughts. They rank 8th in the MWC in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency as they struggle to shoot the basketball: they also rank 8th in the conference with an effective field goal percentage of 49.9%. Much of the Aztecs’ offense comes from second-chance opportunities as they rank 4th in the conference by pulling down 28.4% of their missed shots. But good luck with that against this Aggies team that leads the MWC by limiting their opponents to rebounding just 22.8% of their missed shots. San Diego State does play strong defense as they rank 2nd in the conference in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they have limited their last five opponents to just a 39.2% field goal percentage. Furthermore, the Aztecs have played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total as an underdog. Utah State has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a win by at least 20 points. The Aggies have the best Adjusted Offensive Efficiency in the MWC. They have made at least 48.5% of their shots in three straight games while scoring at least 81 points in four straight games. But Utah State has then played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total after making at least 47% of their shots in three straight games — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after scoring at least 80 points in three straight games. And while the Aggies have played four straight Overs, they have then played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after playing at least two straight Unders. Furthermore, Utah State has played 5 straight games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 10 of their last 15 games Under the Total with the number set in the 130s.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams split their two regular season games this season with the Aggies winning the last meeting by a 70-54 score on their home court back on February 26th. San Diego State has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total when avenging a double-digit loss on the road. 25* CBB Mountain West Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the San Diego State Aztecs (627) and the Utah State Aggies (628). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Kentucky Wildcats (612) minus the points versus the Tennessee Volunteers (611). THE SITUATION: Kentucky (27-5) advanced to the Semifinals of the SEC tournament yesterday with their 73-55 win over Alabama as a 12.5-point favorite yesterday. Tennessee (28-4) joined them in the Semifinals with their 83-76 victory over Mississippi State as a 5-point favorite yesterday. The SEC tournament is being played in Nashville so this is a true neutral court for both teams.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WILDCATS MINUS THE POINTS: Kentucky should build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a point spread victory. The Wildcats have also covered the point spread in 14 of their last 19 games after not allowing more than 60 points in their last game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after not allowing more than 55 points in their last contest. Kentucky also held the Crimson Tide to just a 30.4% field goal percentage — and they have then covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after not allowing their last opponent to make more than 33% of their shots. Head coach John Calipari has his young team once again playing elite level defense — this group ranks 8th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They also got a boost yesterday with the return of their senior guard Reid Travis who played 23 minutes and scored 8 points in the blowout win. Kentucky matches up well against this Volunteers’ team because they are prepared to exploit a few of the weaknesses of head coach Rick Barnes’ team. The Wildcats pull down 36.6% of their missed shots which is 10th best in the nation — and Tennessee allows their opponents to rebound 30.1% of their missed shots which is 259th in the country. Kentucky also gets to the free throw line as they rank 8th in the nation with a free throw attempt to field goal attempt ratio of 42.8% — and the Vols rank 233rd in the nation with an opponent’s FTA: FGA ratio of 34.5%. These characteristics have helped Calipari’s teams at Kentucky to go 32-15-4 ATS in their last 51 games played on a neutral court — and they have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games played on a neutral court as a pick ‘em or favorite of no more than 6 points. The Wildcats have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games when playing their second game in three days. Tennessee has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games when playing their second game in three days. The Volunteers have also failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after a game where at least 155 combined points were scored. And in their last 7 games after winning at least four of their last five contests, Tennessee has failed to cover the point spread 5 times. The Vols made 51.5% of their shots against the Bulldogs yesterday which was the best shooting effort in their last four games. And while Tennessee has played two straight games Over the Total, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after playing at least two straight Overs. This Volunteers team is very tough to defeat at home in Knoxville where they are undefeated. But while their efficiency offensive performances remain consistent when playing on the road, their defensive efforts decline significantly. Tennessee ranks just 107th in defense when playing away from home — and since February 1st, while they rank 3rd in the nation in defense when playing at home, that number drops to 139th in defense when playing on the road. The Vols allow 77.9 PPG on the road with their opponents making 43.9% of their shots which are both well above the 67.9 PPG and 39.5% opponents field goal percent overall this season. And while Tennessee is uber-efficient on offense, their lack of a scorer who can create his own shot nor a pure outside shooter likely spells trouble against elite opponents. Only 31.7% of their points come from 3-pointers which is the 329th in the nation. Not surprisingly then, the Volunteers have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after 15 games into the season against teams with a winning percentage of 80% or higher. Kentucky has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against teams with a winning percentage over 80%.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams split their two regular season games with Tennessee winning the most recent showdown by a 71-52 score in Knoxville as a 3-point favorite on March 2nd. The Wildcats were without an injured Travis in that game — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games when playing with revenge. 25* CBB SEC Tournament Game of the Year with the Kentucky Wildcats (612) minus the points versus the Tennessee Volunteers (611). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Michigan State Wolverines (606) minus the points versus the Wisconsin Badgers (605).  THE SITUATION: Michigan State (25-6) has won three straight games after they defeated Ohio State on Friday by a 77-70 score as a 10.5-point favorite. Wisconsin (22-9) joins them in the Semifinals of the Big Ten tournament with their 66-62 win over Nebraska on Friday as an 8-point favorite. The Big Ten tournament is taking place in the United Center in Chicago — so this is a neutral site for both teams.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SPARTANS MINUS THE POINTS: The Badgers are just 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games. While defeating the upstart Cornhuskers was a positive result, there are storm clouds surrounding the victory. Supposed Player of the Year candidate Ethan Happ only scored 4 points in this game while committing a whopping 7 turnovers in just 20 minutes of work. Happ has been the team’s leading scorer this season with his leadership for the team garnering national Player of the Year attention, his inability to shoot away from the rim has become a significant liability. Happ has only attempted five shots from behind the arc this year (missing all five). Even worse, Happ is making a woeful 46.8% of his free throws this season which has often compelled head coach Greg Gard to take him off the court in crucial situations. Wisconsin ranks only 9th in the Big Ten in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency with this team often finding it difficult to score. Most of their offense comes from shooting 3s — they make 37.4% of their 3-pointers although that mark dropped to a 35.9% mark in Big Ten play. The Spartans defend the perimeter quite well — they ranked 3rd in the Big Ten by holding their opponents to just a 30.5% field goal percentage behind the arc. Michigan State has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games against teams who make at least 37% of their 3-point shots. The problems get even worse for the Badgers when getting closer to the basket. They rank 7th in the Big Ten by making 478% of their 2-point shots — and the Spartans interior defense is the second-best in the nation as they limit their opponents to just a 41.0% shooting percentage inside the arc. Overall, Michigan State has an opponent’s field goal percentage of 37.6% — and the Badgers have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams who do not allow their opponents to make more than 39% of their shots. Wisconsin does not do other things to generate scoring opportunities if their shots are not falling. They only pull down 22.4% of their missed shots which is second-to-last in the Big Ten. They also do not get to the free throw line as their free throw attempt to field goal attempt ratio of 27.4% is 12th in the conference. The matchup concerns for this team extend to other areas. This is one of head coach Tom Izzo’s best 3-point shooting teams in his tenure in East Lansing. Michigan State makes 38.2% of their shots from behind the arc while averaging 8-made 3-pointers per game — and the Badgers have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games against teams who average at least 8-made 3-pointers per contest. This Spartans team is also a typical Izzo team that hits the glass hard — they out-rebound their opponents by +9.1 Rebounds-Per-Game. Yet Wisconsin has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams who out-rebound their opponents by at least +7.0 RPG. Michigan State got a boost on Friday with the return of forward Nick Ward into their rotation after he missed a handful of games with an injury. Ward played well as he scored 8 points in 14 minutes of action. The Spartans have covered the point spread in 18 of their last 24 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a point spread victory. And while Michigan State has covered the point spread in six of their last eight games, they have then covered the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games after covering the point spread in five or six of their last seven contests. This is a very balanced team that ranks 4th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency and 11th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They have a superstar leader at point guard in Cassius Winston. They also rank 22nd in the nation by pulling down 34.5% of their missed shots — and that number rose to a 35.1% mark in Big Ten play. A vulnerability this team has is that they turned the ball over in 18.8% of their possessions in the conference which was the eighth highest mark — but the Badgers are unlikely to exploit this weakness as they rank just 8th in the conference by forcing turnovers in just 16.8% of their opponent's possessions. Michigan State is 16-5-1 ATS in their last 22 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have covered the point spread in 21 of their last 28 games as the favorite.

FINAL TAKE: Michigan State won the first meeting between these two teams in Madison by a 67-59 score. Wisconsin has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 encounters with the Spartans. With the Badgers’ best player in Happ now in a funk as they face a team that does not match up well with, expect Michigan State to be too much for this Wisconsin team. 25* CBB Big Ten Tournament Game of the Year with the Michigan State Wolverines (606) minus the points versus the Wisconsin Badgers (605). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 11:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Fresno State Bulldogs (853) plus the points versus Utah State Aggies (854). THE SITUATION: Fresno State (23-8) has won four straight games with their 74-50 win over Air Force yesterday as a 10-point favorite yesterday. Utah State (26-6) has won eight straight games after their 91-83 win over New Mexico yesterday as a 13-point favorite yesterday. The Mountain West Conference tournament takes place at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas so this is a neutral court for both teams.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BULLDOGS PLUS THE POINTS: Fresno State has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a win by at least 20 points. Furthermore, the Bulldogs have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 11 road games after a win on the road by at least 10 points — and they have covered the point spread in 7 straight road games after a win on the road by at least 15 points. This is a dangerous team led by two productive scoring guards in Braxton Huggins and Deshon Taylor who score 19.3 PPG and 18.4 PPG respectively. Fresno State leads the Mountain West Conference by making 39.1% of their shots from bind the arc. They nailed 16 of their 38 (41.2%) shots from 3-point land against the Falcons yesterday — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight games after making at least 10 shots from downtown in their last game. The Bulldogs also led the MWC by holding their opponents to just a 30.8% shooting mark from behind the arc. Fresno State has covered the point spread in three straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 22 of their last 31 games after covering the point spread in two straight games. The Bulldogs have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Additionally, Fresno State has covered the point spread in 4 straight games played on a neutral court — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games on the road against a conference opponent. And the Bulldogs have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games as an underdog. Utah State has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games when playing with no more than one day of rest between games. The Aggies have also failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after winning at least three straight games. And this team has failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after a victory against a Mountain West Conference opponent where they scored at least 80 points. Utah State has made at least 47.1% of their shots in three straight games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight road games after making at least 47% of their shots in three games in a row. The Aggies have the top offense in the Mountain West Conference — but they are second-to-last in the conference by allowing their opponents to make 38.8% of their 3-point shots. And while Utah State is second in the MWC by pulling down 30.8% of their missed shots — but the Bulldogs do a pretty good job of protecting their defensive glass by rebounding 72.6% of their opponent’s missed shots. Furthermore, the Aggies have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games played on a neutral court.

FINAL TAKE: Fresno State will be motivated to avenge a narrow 82-81 loss at home to Utah State back on February 5th — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when playing with revenge from a loss by 3 points or less. These two teams split their two games in the regular season — but the Aggies may be feeling the pressure as a loss in this semifinals contest may push them off the NCAA Tournament bubble. 25* CBB Mountain West Conference Game of the Year with the Fresno State Bulldogs (853) plus the points versus Utah State Aggies (854). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Georgia Southern Eagles (830) minus the points versus the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks (829). Georgia Southern (20-11) enters the Sun Belt Conference tournament looking to bounce-back from a 90-85 upset loss at home to Georgia State as a 5.5-point favorite. UL-Monroe (18-14) has won three straight games after their 80-50 thrashing of Coastal Carolina yesterday as a 2.5-point favorite. The Sun Belt conference tournament takes place in New Orleans so this is a neutral court for both teams.

REASONS TO TAKE THE EAGLES MINUS THE POINTS: Georgia Southern should respond to their loss last Saturday with a strong effort. They have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a loss at home to a conference rival. Furthermore, the Eagles have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 18 games on the road after a game where at least 175 combined points were scored. And while Georgia Southern has not covered the point spread in their last two games, they have then covered the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games after failing to cover the point spread in their last two games. This team has a nice balance — they rank 2nd in the Sun Belt in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency while also ranking 3rd in the conference in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They have made 52% of their shots over their last five games while also holding their last five opponents to just 43.6% shooting. The Eagles should be able to generate offense tonight as they rank 2nd in the Sun Belt by making 56.1% of their shots inside the arc — and this Warhawks team ranks last in the conference by allowing their opponents to make 54.9% of their 2-point shots. Georgia Southern has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games played on a neutral court. UL-Monroe is likely due for a letdown after their big win yesterday — they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a win by at least 20 points. The Warhawks held Coastal Carolina to just a 29.5% field goal percentage in what was their best defensive effort of the season. But UL-Monroe has failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 22 games after not allowing their last opponent to make more than 33% of their shots — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after not allowing more than 50 points in their last contest. This defensive effort may have said more about the Coastal Carolina offense as the Warhawks rank last in the Sun Belt in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and their conference opponents shot 47.6% from the field against them. UL-Monroe thrives by making 3-pointers — they rank 2nd in the Sun Belt by making 38.1% of their shots from behind the arc. But Georgia Southern defends the perimeter well as they rank 2nd in the conference by holding their opponents to just 31.5% shooting from the 3-point land. The Warhawks have the top Adjusted Offensive Efficiency in the Sun Belt — and they make 45.4% of their shots from the field. But the Eagles have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after 15 games into the season against teams that make at least 45% of their shots.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams split their two regular season games but Georgia Southern will have revenge on their minds after an 88-79 loss to UL-Monroe back on February 8th. The Eagles have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games when avenging a loss where they allowed at least 75 points. 25* CBB Sun Belt Conference Tournament Game of the Year with the Georgia Southern Eagles (830) minus the points versus the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks (829). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Florida State Seminoles (839) plus the points versus the Virginia Cavaliers (840). THE SITUATION: Florida State (26-6) has won five straight games with their 65-63 upset win in overtime versus Virginia Tech yesterday as a 1-point underdog. Virginia (29-2) has won nine straight games after their 76-56 win over North Carolina State yesterday as an 11.5-point favorite. With the ACC tournament being played in Charlotte, this is a true neutral court for both teams.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SEMINOLES PLUS THE POINTS: Florida State is one of the most underrated teams in the nation. Head coach Leonard Hamilton returned basically the same team that made a run to the Elite Eight last season. The team struggled early while dealing with some injuries — but they have rattled off thirteen wins in their last fourteen contests as they have only lost once since January 20th. This team is very athletic with tons of length which wreaks havoc with opposing shooters. The Seminoles rank 10th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they have held their last five opponents to just a 38.2% shooting percentage. Florida State proved their mental resolve in making two big shots at the end of regulation and in overtime to survive a very good Virginia Tech team. They should build off that momentum as they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after an upset victory. They have held their last three opponents to no more than 64 points (despite two of those games needing overtime to resolve) — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after not allowing more than 65 points in at least two straight games. Furthermore, the Seminoles have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Florida State has also covered the point spread in 13 of their last 21 games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 26 of their last 42 games played on a neutral court as a pick ‘em or an underdog. This team can do things to create more scoring opportunities if their shots are not falling. The Seminoles rank 42nd in the nation by pulling down 33.1% of their missed shots. They also rank 61st in the nation by forcing turnovers in 20.5% of their opponent’s possessions. They present a very challenging matchup for the composition of this Virginia team. The Cavaliers’ pack-line defense suffocates opposing shooters — they lead the nation by holding their opponents to just a 26.5% shooting mark from behind the arc. But Florida State gets only 29.9% of their points from 3-point shooting. Instead, Hamilton loves getting his team racing up-and-down the court in transition — and Virginia ranks 335th in the nation in Points-Per-Possession allowed in transition. In the Cavaliers’ two losses to Duke, they surrendered 32 points generated from fast breaks. The slow pace the Cavaliers’ deploy will make it more difficult for them to cover this point spread in the 8 to 9 point range. Additionally, Virginia has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games when playing their second game in three days. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games in a tournament semifinal. And while the Cavs have played three straight Overs, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 21 games after playing at least three straight Overs. Florida State’s athleticism typically fares well against teams like Virginia. The Cavaliers hold their opponents to just 54.6 PPG — but the Seminoles have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after 15 games into the season against teams who do not allow more than 64 PPG. And while Virginia shoots 48% from the field, Florida State has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after 15 games into the season against teams with a field goal percentage of at least 48%.

FINAL TAKE: The Seminoles will be looking to avenge a 65-52 loss at Virginia back on January 5th. That game took place before this Florida State team started playing their best basketball back at full strength. The Seminoles have also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 14 opportunities to avenge a loss. 25* CBB ACC Game of the Year with the Florida State Seminoles (839) plus the points versus the Virginia Cavaliers (840). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 5:30 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Cal-Davis Aggies (763) and the Cal-State Fullerton Titans (764). THE SITUATION: Cal-Davis (11-19) has lost two straight games as well as five of their last six contests with their 71-70 upset loss at home to UC-Riverside last Saturday as a 9-point favorite. CS-Fullerton (14-16) has lost three of their last four games with their 71-59 upset loss at home to Hawai’i as a 3.5-point favorite last Saturday. The Big West tournament is played on a neutral court at the Honda Center in Anaheim.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Aggies have played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after an upset loss — and they have played 33 of their last 50 games Under the Total after a loss on their home court. Furthermore, the Under is a decisive 38-16-1 in Cal-Davis’ last 55 games after a straight-up loss — and the Under is 42-15-1 in their last 58 games after a point spread loss. The Aggies got upset in that game despite them making 52.7% of their shots which was the best shooting effort in their last ten games. Cal-Davis ranks only 8th in the Big West in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. They also score only 63.7 PPG when playing away from home while making just 41.9% of their shots. But the Aggies should play better on the defensive end of the court after allowing UC-Riverside to nail 52.9% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort for them in their last six games. Cal-Davis ranks 3rd in the conference in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They have played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total on a neutral court — and they have also played 6 of their last 8 games played on a neutral court with the Total set in the 130s. Additionally, the Aggies have played 4 straight games Under the Total against teams with a losing record. CS-Fullerton has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss. The Titans have also played 14 of their last 18 games Under the Total after a loss to a conference rival — and this includes them playing five of their last six games Under the Total when that loss to a conference rival took place on their home court. Furthermore, Fullerton has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total on the road after losing three of their last four games. The Titans play very good defense as they rank 2nd in the Big West in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they have held their opponents to just a 42.6% field goal percentage when playing on the road. But Fullerton only ranks 7th in the conference in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and they are making just 42.8% of their shots over their last five games. The Titans have played 7 straight games Under the Total against teams with a losing record — and they have also played 17 of their last 22 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court.

FINAL TAKE: CS-Fullerton will be looking to avenge a 66-59 loss to Cal-Davis back on March 2nd. The Titans have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total when playing with same-season revenge — and they have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when avenging a loss where they failed to score at least 60 points. 25* CBB Big West Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Cal-Davis Aggies (763) and the Cal-State Fullerton Titans (764).  Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 2:30 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Creighton Bluejays (683) and the Xavier Musketeers (684). THE SITUATION: Creighton (18-13) has won five straight games after their 91-78 win over DePaul as a 7.5-point favorite last Saturday. Xavier (17-14) has won six of their last seven games with their 81-68 victory over St. John’s as a 2-point favorite. These two teams meet in the Quarterfinals of the Big East taking place at Madison Square Garden which makes this a neutral court for both teams.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Musketeers winning streak over the last month or so has been due to significantly improved play on the defensive end of the court. Xavier has held their last five opponents to just a 42% field goal percentage. The Musketeers have played 7 of the last 9 games Under the Total after a double-digit victory. Xavier has also played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after scoring at least 80 points in their last game. The Musketeers made 51.9% of their shots against the Red Storm which was the best shooting mark in their last five games. But Xavier makes only 44.9% of their shots away from home. The Bluejays allow their opponents to make 45.8% of their shots — but the Musketeers have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total against teams with an opponent’s field goal percentage of 45% or higher. Xavier has also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after fifteen games into the season against teams with a winning percentage in the 51-60% range. Additionally, the Musketeers have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court with the Total set in the 140s. Creighton has played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a win at home — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a double-digit victory on their home court. And while the Bluejays have covered the point spread in five straight games with the last two contests being in games where they were favored, Creighton has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after covering their last two games as a favorite. Furthermore, the Bluejays have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. Creighton is very dependent on making 3-point shots — they are 2nd in the Big East with 48.7% of their field goal attempts being from behind the arc. But while the Bluejays are making 39.6% of their 3-point shots, that clip drops to a 35.8% mark when playing away from home. Creighton has played 21 of their last 31 games on the road Under the Total against conference opponents. The Bluejays have also played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total on a neutral court as a pick ‘em or favorite of no more than 3 points.

FINAL TAKE: Creighton will also have revenge on their minds after seeing Xavier split their two regular-season games with a 64-61 upset win as a 1-point underdog back on February 13th. The Bluejays have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when playing with revenge from a same-season loss — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games when avenging a loss by no more than 3 points. 25* CBB Big East Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Creighton Bluejays (683) and the Xavier Musketeers (684). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Florida Atlantic Owls (659) and the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (660). THE SITUATION: FAU (17-14) has lost their last two games with their 76-61 loss at Marshall as a 6.5-point underdog last Saturday. Louisiana Tech (19-12) snapped their two-game losing streak last Wednesday with their 72-69 upset win at Florida Atlantic as a 2-point favorite. The Conference USA tournament takes place in Frisco, Texas which makes this a true neutral home court for both teams.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Owls have played 6 straight games Under the Total after a loss on the road — and they have also played 4 straight games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Furthermore, FAU experienced a massive scoring drought in the final ten minutes in the first half of their game with the Thunder Herd as they managed only 4 points — and they went into halftime with just 28 points scored overall to neutralize their fast start. The Owls have then played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total on the road after failing to score more than 30 points in the first half of their last game. Scoring is a problem for this team as they rank 11th in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency in Conference USA — and they are making only 40.4% of their shots over their last five games. This team only makes 40.5% of their shots when playing away from home. FAU is playing very good defense as of late as they have held their last five opponents to just a 37.6% shooting. The Owls rank 2nd in the conference in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. FAU has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and the Under is 11-3-1 in their last 15 games when playing on a neutral court. Louisiana Tech has played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 12 of their last 15 games Under the Total after a win on the road. Furthermore, the Bulldogs have played 10 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. Louisiana Tech made 47.9% of their shots against the stout Owls’ defense which was the best shooting effort in their last five games. But this Bulldogs team is just 9th in Conference USA in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and they are making only 41.9% of their shots on the road. But this Louisiana Tech team also plays strong defense as they rank 3rd in the conference in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they are holding their conference foes to a 41.7% field goal percentage. Moving forward, the Bulldogs have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when favored by 3.5 to 6 points.

FINAL TAKE: FAU won the first meeting between these two teams by a 69-61 score back on January 31st — and the Owls have played 10 of the last 16 games Under the Total when avenging a close by 3 points or less. 25* CBB Conference USA Tournament Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Florida Atlantic Owls (659) and the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (660). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 11:30 AM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Sacramento State Hornets (671) and the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks (672). Sacramento State (14-15) enters the Big Sky Tournament coming off an 86-68 loss at home to Montana last Saturday as a 4.5-point underdog. Northern Arizona (10-20) snapped their three-game losing streak on Saturday with their 89-78 upset win at Northern Colorado as a 13-point underdog. The Big Sky tournament is played in Century Link Arena in Boise, Idaho which makes it a true neutral court for both these teams.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Head coach Brian Katz will want his team to improve their efforts on defense after allowing the Grizzlies to make 59.6% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort of the season. The Hornets play pretty good defense away from home as they hold those opponents to just a 44.9% field goal percentage. Sacramento State has played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. And while that game with Montana finished above the 137 point Total, they have then played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Over the Total. The bigger challenge for this team will be scoring baskets as they rank ninth in the Big Sky in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. They are making only 41.3% of their shots over their last five games — and they average just 65.3 PPG along with a 41.4% field goal percentage when playing away from home. Furthermore, the Hornets have played 6 straight games Under the Total against teams with a losing record. Northern Arizona made only 43.7% of their shots on Saturday and still pulled off the upset victory as a double-digit underdog — and yet that was still the best shooting effort for this team in their last three games. The Lumberjacks are making only 41.8% of their shots from the field in their last five games. But this team is playing solid on the defensive end of the court as they have held their last five opponents to only a 43.5% field goal percentage. Northern Arizona has played 17 of their last 23 games on the road Under the Total after a game where at least 165 combined points were scored. Now this team stays away from home for the fourth straight game where they are making just 43.7% of their shots. The Lumberjacks are just seventh in the Big Sky conference in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. Furthermore, Northern Arizona has played 23 of their last 30 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court — and they have also played 12 of their last 14 games Under the Total when playing a neutral court with the Total set in the 140s. The Lumberjacks have also played 5 straight games Under the Total against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: Sacramento State will be motivated by revenge from a 78-66 upset loss to Northern Arizona as a 7-point home favorite back on February 16th — and they have played 6 straight games Under the Total when looking to avenge an upset loss to their opponent as a home favorite in their last encounter. These two teams have played their 6 straight meetings Under the Total. Lastly, the cherry on top for this situation is that it will be played at 9:30 AM local time. While these early tip-off situations should never be automatic plays since the tendency for teams to be a bit groggy at the unconventional early hour, this still represents only another piece of evidence. In these circumstances, it certainly helps in making a strong Under play even better. 25* CBB Big Sky Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Sacramento State Hornets (671) and the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks (672). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Saint Mary’s Gaels (615) and the Gonzaga Bulldogs (616). THE SITUATION: Saint Mary’s (21-11) has won six of their last seven games to reach the West Coast Conference tournament championship game with their 69-62 loss to San Diego last night as a 4.5-point favorite. Gonzaga (30-2) comes off a 100-74 win win over Pepperdine last night as a 24-point favorite. This tournament is being played at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas which makes it a true neutral court for both teams.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bulldogs made 59.7% of their shots last night which was the sixth straight games where they made at least 52.8% of their shots. Gonzaga had 26 team assists against the Wave last night as they assisted on a whopping 70.3% of their made field goals — but they have then played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total after a game where they had at least 24 team assists. The Bulldogs have also played 27 of their last 40 games Under the Total after playing at least four straight games where they made at least 50% of their shots. Gonzaga enjoyed a 47-26 halftime lead last night — and they have played 24 of their last 34 games Under the Total after leading by at least 15 points at halftime of their last game. The Bulldogs have also played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a straight-up win by at least 20 points — and they have also played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. Additionally, Gonzaga has played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after scoring at least 90 points in their last game. This Bulldogs team has the top Adjusted Offensive Efficiency in the nation — but they are also an underrated defensive team. They were lax at times in the first two months of the season in their effort — and they were exposed in back-to-back losses to Tennessee and North Carolina. In West Coast Conference play, the Zags limited their opponents to score at just a 0.863 Points-Per-Possession clip. Gonzaga also ranks 7th run the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of just of 44.1% — and that is particularly important when facing this Gaels’ team that relies on their shooting. The Bulldogs have played 20 of their last 26 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and this includes them played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total again teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Head coach Mark Few should have his team focused on playing better on the defensive end of the court after they allowed Pepperdine to make 44.6% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage they have allowed in their last nine games. Saint Mary’s made 53.1% of their shots last night in their victory over the Toreros which was the highest shooting mark they have enjoyed in their last nine contests. The Under is then 35-14-2 in the Gaels’ last 51 games after a straight-up win — and the Under is also 54-24-1 in their last 79 games after a point spread victory. Additionally, Saint Mary’s has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total when playing with one day or less of rest. This Gaels’ team has the second best Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in the West Coast Conference. Moving forward, Saint Mary’s has played 20 of their last 26 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total as a double-digit underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Gonzaga swept the first two meetings between these two teams in the regular season with Saint Mary’s scoring at just a 0.67 PPP and 0.87 PPP rate. The Gaels’ defense improved in the second game after allowing the Zags to torch them for a 1.45 PPP scoring rate. Saint Mary’s improved to see the Bulldogs score at a 1.10 PPP mark which, while still efficient, was below their season average. The Gaels have played 7 straight games Under the Total when playing with at least double revenge. Lastly, these two teams have played 20 of their last 26 meetings Under the Total. 25* CBB West Coast Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Saint Mary’s Gaels (615) and the Gonzaga Bulldogs (616). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Hofstra Pride (612) plus the points versus the Northeastern Huskies (611). Hofstra (27-6) has won their last four games after reaching the Finals of the Colonial Athletic Association tournament with their 78-74 win over Delaware as an 11-point favorite. Northeastern (22-10) has won six straight games as well as eleven of their last twelve with their 70-67 win over the College of Charleston yesterday as a 3-point favorite. With this event taking place in Charleston, this is a true neutral court for both teams.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PRIDE MINUS THE POINTS: Hofstra survived the upstart Blue Hens yesterday despite shooting just 44.6% from the field which was the worst shooting effort for them in their last five games. Led by their superstar guard, Justin Wright-Foreman, the Pride are one of the best offensive teams in the nation. They rank 17th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. They also are the second-best free throw shooting team in the country as they make 80.1% of their free throw attempts. Wright-Foreman will be the best player on the court tonight — he is averaging 27.0 PPG this season while making 43.7% of his 3-point shots. Despite their disappointing shooting effort yesterday, Hofstra is still shooting 51.4% over their last five games. The Pride also allowed Delaware to make 49.1% of their shots which was the worst defensive in their last four contests. Hofstra should respond with a strong effort tonight as they have covered the point spread in 24 of their last 34 road games after failing to cover the point spread in their last game. Additionally, while the Pride have not covered the point spread in six of their last seven games including their last two contests, they have then covered the point spread in 43 of their last 61 games on the road after failing to cover the point spread in two straight games. Furthermore, Hofstra has covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games after failing to cover the point spread in six or seven of their last eight contests. The Pride are 8-0-1 ATS in their last 9 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Northeastern may be due for a letdown playing their third game in three days as they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight road games when playing at least their third straight game in a seven-day period. And while this team has won fifteen of their last seventeen games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 21 games after winning at least fifteen of their last twenty games. The Huskies have also played their last two games Under the Total — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after playing their last two games Under the Total. Additionally, while Northeastern has not allowed their last six opponents to pull down more than 31 rebounds overall, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after not allowing more than 31 rebounds by their opponents in at least four straight games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in these last four situations where their last five opponents have not rebounded more than 31 boards.

FINAL TAKE: Northeastern won the last meeting between these two teams to split the regular season record them back on February 2nd by a 75-61 score. I don’t like this situation for the Huskies after finally catching their proverbial white whale in the College of Charleston who defeated them three times last year including in the Finals of this tournament after a 14-4 record during the regular season. This team will feel tons of pressure to not blow this opportunity while also being susceptible to a letdown after defeating the Cougars. And it will be the Pride who will have the best player on the court — with a good mix of complementary players. 25* CBB Colonial Athletic Association Tournament Game of the Year with the Hofstra Pride (612) plus the points versus the Northeastern Huskies (611). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 11:30 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the San Diego Toreros (887) plus the points versus the Saint Mary’s Gaels (888). San Diego (21-13) reached the Semifinals of the West Coast Conference tournament on Saturday with their 80-57 drubbing of BYU as a 3.5-point underdog. Saint Mary’s (20-11) takes the court again after their 69-55 loss at home to Gonzaga as a 9.5-point underdog back on March 2nd. This tournament is taking place down the street at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TOREROS PLUS THE POINTS: Frankly, San Diego’s victory over the Cougars was even more dominant than the 23-point margin suggests. BYU went on a 21-5 run over the last 6:42 of that game with their backups taking out a significant chunk of what was a 38-point lead. This Toreros team is much better than their record suggests. San Diego returned four starters from last year’s team that won 20 games. With high ambitions entering the season, the Toreros embraced a challenging non-conference schedule that included competitive losses at Washington and OIe Miss along with a win over Colorado. But this team was then hit by the injury bug with starting center Yauhen Massalski missing three games in December before starting point guard Isaiah Wright missed four games in January and then starting shooting guard Olin Carter III missed five straight games spanning into February. It was until February 7th that this team was completely healthy again for the first time since November. Yet it took some time for this group to rekindle their chemistry and gel. They closed out the regular season with a bad 87-73 loss at BYU. Head coach Sam Scholl used that loss to re-focus his team by establishing their identity on the defensive end of the court. In their three games in the WCC tournament, San Diego has allowed 47, 45, and 57 points for a stingy 49.7 PPG average. BYU entered that rematch on Saturday as the second-highest scoring team in the conference by averaging 79.7 PPG. They have held each of their three tournament opponents to no better than 33.3% shooting. The Toreros should build off their momentum tonight as they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a victory by at least 20 points. And while San Diego has played three straight Unders, they have then covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after playing at least three straight Unders. Furthermore, the Toreros have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when playing on a neutral court. Saint Mary’s (20-11) had failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a game where no more than 125 combined points were scored. This is a very well-coached team by Randy Bennett — but talent is an issue for this year’s team after losing three starters and five of their last top seven scorers from last season. Much of the Gaels success has been on their home court where they continue to shoot lights out in those familiar surroundings. But Saint Mary’s makes only 32.7% of their 3-pointers when playing away from home which is a far cry from their 37.9% shooting mark behind the arc overall. This team has also gotten away from sharing the basketball to find better shots. Just two years ago, the Gaels’ ranked 8th in the nation by assisting on 63.1% of their made field goals. However, this year Saint Mary’s are assisting on just 39.2 % of their field goals which is the second-lowest number in the nation. The Gaels have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning record. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games played on a neutral court.

FINAL TAKE: San Diego has lost eleven straight meetings with Saint Mary’s after losing at home to them on February 23rd by a 66-46 score. The Toreros have covered the point spread in 31 of their last 41 games when avenging a double-digit loss at home — and they have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games when avenging a loss by at least 20 points on their home court. Lastly, San Diego has also covered the point spread in 17 of their last 26 games when playing with double-revenge. 25* CBB West Coast Conference Game of the Year with the San Diego Toreros (887) plus the points versus the Saint Mary’s Gaels (888). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Monmouth Hawks (895) plus the points versus the Iona Gaels (896). Monmouth (14-20) has won four straight games to reach the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament championship game after their 73-59 win over Canisius as a 1-point favorite yesterday. Iona (16-15) joined them in the finals of this event with their 73-57 win against Siena as a 2-point favorite. This is a true neutral court for both teams with this tournament hosted by Siena in Albany.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HAWKS PLUS THE POINTS: Head coach King Rice has had some good teams during his tenure with Monmouth but he has yet to lead his team to the NCAA Tournament. It would be a great accomplishment for this team predicted to finish in the middle of the pack to achieve what those more heralded teams in the past could not accomplish. This team succeeds because they play very good defense — they rank second in the conference in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They also lead the MAAC by limiting their opponents to just a 45.8% shooting percentage inside the arc. The Hawks have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a point spread win. Monmouth has also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after a win over a conference rival — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after winning at least two straight games against MAAC rivals. Additionally, the Hawks have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a point spread victory. Rice’s team also does things to create extra possessions in case their shots are not falling. Monmouth forces turnovers in 21.3% of their opponent’s possessions which is 39th best in the country — and that number rose to 22.2% in conference play. The Hawks also crash the offensive glass as they pull down 29.6% of their missed shots which is third best in the conference. Monmouth has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against teams with a winning record. The Hawks have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games played on a neutral court with the total set in the 135 to 139.5 point range. Iona shot 49.1% from the field yesterday against the Saints which was the best shooting mark in their last three games — and they also held Siena to just 37.3% shooting from the field which was the best defensive effort in their last four games. The Saints may be due for a letdown after covering the point spread in two of their last three games — they have then failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 27 games after covering the point spread in two of their last three contests. Siena has also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after winning at least eight of their last ten games. Iona will be looking to win their fourth straight MAAC tournament championship. However, as usual for head coach Tim Cluess’ teams at Iona, this team is vulnerable on the defensive end of the court where they ranked 7th in the conference in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency this season. The Gaels have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 road games against teams with a losing record. Iona has also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games when playing on a neutral court.

FINAL TAKE: Iona will be looking to avenge an 83-81 upset loss at Monmouth back on January 20th — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 21 of their last 30 games when avenging an upset loss as a road favorite with this including them failing to cover the point spread in five of these last seven situations. Monmouth has little pressure on them in this championship game as they get to revel in the role as the spoiler. Their strong defensive play should keep this game close. 25* CBB Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Game of the Year with the Monmouth Hawks (895) plus the points versus the Iona Gaels (896). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:30 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Purdue-Fort Wayne Mastodons (868) plus the point(s) versus the South Dakota Coyotes (867). Purdue-Fort Wayne (17-14) limps into the Summit League tournament having lost four in a row after their 69-66 upset loss to North Dakota State last Saturday as a 4-point favorite. South Dakota (13-16) has won four of their last five games after their 78-63 win over North Dakota last Saturday as a 6-point favorite. These two teams meeting in the final Quarterfinals contest in the Summit League tournament.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MASTODONS PLUS THE POINT(S): Purdue-Fort Wayne made only 40.3% of their shots in their loss to the Fighting Hawks which was the worst shooting effort in their last ten games. Despite the losing streak, the Mastodons remain one of the best teams in the conference — and they were one of just two teams to defeat the regular season champions in South Dakota State (who were upset in the Quarterfinals yesterday). Purdue-Fort Wayne finished third in the regular season in the conference in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency while also finishing fourth in the Summit in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. The team is led by jack-of-all-trades 6’5 senior John Konchar who is scoring 19.7 PPG while pulling down 8.5 RPG and dishing out 5.3 Assists-Per-Game. The Mastodons launch tons of 3s — their 305 made 3-pointers is the second most in the nation. After suffering two straight upset losses to end the regular season, this team should play very well with the opportunity to clear the slate in this tournament. Purdue-Fort Wayne has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after losing three straight games in conference play. The Mastodons have also covered the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after a loss by 3 points or less against a conference rival. Furthermore, Purdue-Fort Wayne has allowed 42 and 44 points in the first half of their last two games — but they ave then covered the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games after allowing at least 40 points in the first half in two straight games. South Dakota may have trouble regaining the momentum they enjoyed to close out the regular season. They have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games when playing their first game in over a week. The Coyotes are a good defensive team that ranks third in the Summit League in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. But South Dakota ranks only sixth in the conference in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency as they struggled to replace the productivity of Chris Mooney who was their Mr. Everything for the basketball program for years. The Coyotes have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games against teams with a winning record. And in their last 7 games played on a neutral court as a favorite of no more than 3 points.

FINAL TAKE: South Dakota is the host team for this tournament but this is not a true home game for them. The tournament is being played in the Sanford Premier Center rather than their campus home court at the Coyote Sports Center. The Coyotes do have the geographical advantage — and they have played one game this season already in the Premier Center — but that is not enough for me to assign a significant home advantage for this team. South Dakota will be looking to avenge a 102-71 loss to Purdue-Fort Wayne back on January 30th — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games when playing with revenge from a loss where they allowed at least 75 points. 25* CBB Summit League Game of the Year with the Purdue-Fort Wayne Mastodons (868) plus the point(s) versus the South Dakota Coyotes (867). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Oregon Ducks (713) and the Washington Cougars (714). THE SITUATION: Oregon (18-12) has won three straight games with their 72-61 win at Washington State last Wednesday as a 6.5-point favorite. Washington (24-6) has won their last two games after they defeated Oregon State on Wednesday as a 6.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Ducks have played 5 straight games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a point spread victory. Additionally, Oregon has played 11 of their last 14 road games Under the Total after winning their last two games. Now this team stays on the road where they are scoring only 64.0 PPG on low 40.9% shooting. But the Ducks hold their home hosts to just a 42.9% shooting mark from the field. Head coach Dana Altman’s team has the second best Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in the Pac-12 — and they have held their last vet opponents to just 41.6% shooting. They have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on the road — and they have also played 11 of their last 15 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. Furthermore, Oregon has played 6 straight games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Washington has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 26 of their last 35 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. Additionally, the Huskies have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after scoring at least 80 points in their last game. They shot 54% from the field against the Beavers which was the best shooting margin in their last ten games. Washington is only making 44.9% of their shots over their last five games despite that strong shooting effort on Wednesday. The Huskies stay at home where hold their guests to just 59.7 PPG on low 38.8% shooting from the field. Washington has played 5 of their last 6 home games Under the Total — and they have also played 4 straight home games Under the Total against teams with a losing record on the road. The Huskies have the best Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in the Pac-12.

FINAL TAKE: Washington won the first meeting between these two teams back on January 24th when they pulled off a 61-56 upset win in Eugene as a 2.5-point underdog. That game finished below the 132 point Total which made it 6 straight Unders between these two teams. Expect another low-scoring game between these two teams. 25* CBB Pac-12 Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Oregon Ducks (713) and the Washington Cougars (714). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Michigan Wolverines (649) plus the points versus the Michigan State Spartans (650). THE SITUATION: Michigan (26-4) has won their last two games after losing at home to the Spartans by a 77-70 score back on February 24th despite being a 4.5-point favorite in that game. The Wolverines come off an impressive 69-62 win at Maryland as a 1-point underdog last Sunday. Michigan State (24-6) has won six of their last seven games after their 91-76 win over Nebraska as a 13.5-point favorite on Tuesday. The winner of this game clinches at least a share of the Big Ten regular-season title.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WOLVERINES PLUS THE POINTS: The loss at home to the Spartans was a good wake-up call for this Michigan team that has not played as well on the offensive end of the court as they were earlier in the season when they defeated Villanova and North Carolina. Too often, the Wolverines have been comfortable resorting to playing “hero ball on offense” rather than execute head coach John Beilein’s outstanding schemes. In this regard, the injury to Charles Matthews may have been a small blessing in disguise as it helped coax the group that lost in the NCAA Championship Game last season to get back to ball movement to find open shooters. Admittedly, Michigan is much better with a healthy Matthews on the court — but inserting Isaiah Livers into the starting lineup again has helped to stabilize this team because he is a secondary scorer who is content to be doing the little extra things to help the team. Livers was a consistent starter last year. At times this season, the Wolverines have been indecisive regarding who should take the initiative on offense since they have a handful of solid but unspectacular creators. This team is much better when faithfully executing Beilein’s offensive game plan. Additionally, the Spartans changed their ball-screen strategy in the first meeting between these two teams which effectively stymied the Michigan routine — yet Beilein has had almost a full week to practice the adjustments he wants his team to make in this rematch. The other problem the Wolverines had in the first meeting between these two teams was that Michigan State was on-fire with their shooting. They were shooting at a torrid pace for the first ten minutes of this game and the 50% shooting clip that they ended the game with was the second highest shooting percentage a team has enjoyed against the Wolverines all season. Assistant head coach (and “defensive coordinator) Luke Yaklich should have a few important adjustments up his sleeve for this rematch. Michigan has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after a win on the road. The Wolverines stay on the road where their defensive play which ranks second best in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency keeps their games close. Michigan has covered the point spread in 19 of their last 26 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. The Wolverines have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 road games with the Total set in the 130s. Furthermore, Michigan has covered the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games after fifteen games into the season against teams with a winning percentage over 80%. Michigan State has been riddled with injuries this season. They are already down to original starters with Nick Ward and Joshua Langford on the shelf. Now their floor general, Cassius Winston, has reports of tendinitis in his knee and current starter Kyle Ahrens is dealing with a back injury. While both players will take the court tonight, they are not at 100%. As it is, Michigan State has failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 24 games after winning at least 15 of their last 20 games. Additionally, the Spartans have not met point spread expectations once the month of March hits as they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games in March. And while Michigan is outscoring their opponents by +12.4 PPG, Michigan State has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after fifteen games into the season against teams that are outscoring their opponents by at least +12.0 PPG. Furthermore, while the Wolverines average only 16 free throw attempts per game, the Spartans have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after fifteen games into the season against opponents who do not attempt more than 18 free throws per game.

FINAL TAKE: Xavier Simpson owned Winston in the last two meetings between these two teams last season — with their last encounter being in the Big Ten tournament. Winston was particularly motivated to avenge those losses in the first meeting between these two teams. Now it is Simpson who has something to prove — and he leads a Wolverines team that has covered the point spread in 9 straight games when avenging a same-season loss. Lastly, Michigan has covered 4 of their last 5 trips to East Lansing to face the Spartans. 25* CBB Big Ten Game of the Year with the Michigan Wolverines (649) plus the points versus the Michigan State Spartans (650). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:35 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Bradley Braves (717) plus the points versus the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers (718). THE SITUATION: Bradley (18-14) reached the Semifinals of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament yesterday with their 61-58 upset win over Missouri State yesterday getting 2.5-points. Loyola-Chicago (20-12) defeated Valparaiso by a 67-54 score yesterday as a 7.5-point favorite. “Arch Madness” takes place on a neutral court in St. Louis.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BRAVES PLUS THE POINTS: Bradley started MVC play losing five straight games before rallying to win 10 of their last thirteen contests. Their victory yesterday was impressive because that Tigers team had swept their two games against Loyola-Chicago in the regular season. The Braves have covered the point spread in 28 of their last 41 games after a win by 3 points or less. Bradley held Missouri State to just 5 offensive rebounds yesterday — and they have also covered the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games after not allowing more than 5 offensive rebounds in their last game. The Braves are the second-best 3-point shooting team in the MVC as they are making 39.1% of their shots from behind the arc. This is a major area of weakness for the Ramblers as they are last in the conference by allowing their opponents to nail 40.3% of their 3-point shots. Their 3-point shooting should keep this upstart Bradley team competitive in this game — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning record. The Braves have also covered the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games played on a neutral court. And in their last 25 games with the Total set no higher than 125, Bradley has covered the point spread in 16 of these contests. Loyola-Chicago has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after winning at least four of their last five games. The Ramblers returned three starters from last year’s Final Four team. But this group is not nearly as good on the defensive end of the court as they rank a lowly 8th in the MVC in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. This team is very reliant on making 3s as they lead the conference by making 39.6% of their shots from downtown — but this Braves team defends the perimeter quite well as their opponents only make 31.0% of their 3-point shots which is the best mark in the Missouri Valley. Loyola-Chicago is the familiar name to the betting public that has pushed this line up a bit higher than what the computer generations predict the score to be (for what that is worth …). The Ramblers have been favored in each of their last three games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 19 games after being favored in at least their last two games. These last two games have finished Over the Total as well — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after playing at least two straight Overs. This Total is set in the 119.5 range today — and Loyola-Chicago has failed to cover the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games with the Total set no higher than 119.5. And the Ramblers have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games played on a neutral court when favored in the 3.5 to 6 point range.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams played just last Saturday where Loyola-Chicago won by an 81-68 score on their home court. But Bradley won the first meeting between these two teams so they will be confident they can pull the upset. This is a feisty Braves team that should keep this game very close. 25* CBB Missouri Valley Conference Underdog of the Year with the Bradley Braves (717) plus the points versus the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers (718). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:35 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (565) and the Golden State Warriors (566). THE SITUATION: Denver (43-21) snapped their three-game losing streak on Wednesday with their 115-99 win in Los Angeles over the Lakers as a 5-point favorite. Golden State (44-20) looks to bounce-back from their 128-95 loss to Boston on Tuesday as a 6.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Nuggets made 45.9% of their shots against the Lakers which was the best shooting mark in their last four games. Denver has played 4 straight games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Additionally, the Nuggets have played 12 of their last 15 games Under the Total after losing three of their last four games. Denver stays on the road where they have played 4 straight games Under the Total — and they have played 5 straight road games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. The Nuggets have launched at least 92 shots in four straight games — but they have then played 15 of their last 18 games Under the Total after attempting at least 90 shots in two straight games. Moving forward, Denver has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points. The Nuggets have also played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 230s. Golden State saw the Celtics make 51% of their shots (along with 41.2% of their 3-pointers) which was the worst opponent’s field goal percentage in their last 29 games. The Warriors should use that disappointing effort to make some adjustments on the defensive end of the court including choosing a better way for DeMarcus Cousins to position himself against opponent’s 3-point shooting. Golden State has played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after allowing at least 125 points in their last game. This is the time of the season where the Warriors start getting more serious about their defense as they have played 25 of their last 31 games Under the Total in the month of March. Additionally, Golden State has seen the Under go 19-7-1 in their last 27 games after a straight-up loss — and they have played 5 straight games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Furthermore, the Warriors have failed to cover the point spread in four straight games — and they have played 17 of their last 23 games Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread in four straight games. And while Golden State shoots 48.8% from the field, Denver has played 19 of their last 29 games Under the Total against teams that are making at least 46% of their shots.

FINAL TAKE: The Nuggets should be focused on playing better defense against the Warriors after surrendering a whopping 142 points in their 31-point loss to them at home in the Pepsi Center back on January 15th. With this game playing a big role in which of these two teams will finish as the top seed in the Western Conference — and with the home court advantage in the playoffs that this position earns — expect this to be a hard fought game on the defensive end of the court. 25* NBA Friday ESPN Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (565) and the Golden State Warriors (566). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Yale Bulldogs (873) plus (or minus) the points versus the Pennsylvania Quakers (874). Yale (19-6) has lost two of their last three games after their 83-75 upset loss to Columbia last Saturday as a 12.5-point favorite. Penn (17-11) has won two of their last three games with their 65-51 win at Dartmouth as a 2-point favorite last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BULLDOGS PLUS (OR MINUS) THE POINTS: Yale made only 37.9% of their shots against Columbia which was the worst shooting mark in their last nine games. The Bulldogs are still making 52.0% of their shots in their last five games — and they are one of the best shooting teams in the nation as they rank 14th in the country in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. Yale has scored at least 75 points in five straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight games after scoring at least 75 points in five straight contests. The Bulldogs have also covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread loss — and they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 28 games when playing just their second game in seven days. Now after playing their last four games at home, Yale goes back on the road where they are 9-4 this season while making 48% of their shots and holding their opponents to just a 41.3% field goal percentage. The Bulldogs have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. Furthermore, Yale has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range — and this includes them covering the point spread in six of their last eight games on the road when listed from +3 points to -3 points. Penn has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread victory. And while the Quakers have played three straight games Under the Total, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after playing at least three straight Unders. Now Penn returns home where they are 8-4 this season — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games on their home court. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 home games again teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road. This team returned four starters from last year’s group that made the NCAA Tournament. Head coach Steve Donahue loves for his team to launch 3s: they lead the Ivy League by attempting 44.7% of their shots from downtown. But this year’s team is making only 32.7% of their 3-point shots which is 7th in the conference — and this Yale team does a great job of defending the perimeter as their opponents are making only 31.8% of their shots from behind the arc. The Quakers are making only 41.9% of their shots over their last five games — they must shoot better than that to keep up with this great shooting Bulldogs team.

FINAL TAKE: Penn will be looking to avenge a 78-65 loss at Yale back on February 9th — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 18 opportunities to avenge a loss on the road to their opponent. 25* CBB Ivy League Game of the Year with the Yale Bulldogs (873) plus (or minus) the points versus the Pennsylvania Quakers (874). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:35 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the money-line on the Dallas Stars (60) versus the Colorado Avalanche (59). THE SITUATION: Dallas (34-27-5) has won three straight games after their 1-0 win over New York Rangers on Tuesday. Colorado (29-26-11) snapped a two-game losing streak with their 4-3 win in overtime over Detroit.

REASONS TO TAKE THE STARS WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Dallas has won 6 of their last 8 games after not allowing more than two goals in their last game. This team has surrendered only 2.2 Goals-Per-Game over their last five contests. Getting goalie Ben Bishop healthy and back on the ice has been a jolt of adrenaline for this team that would make the Western Conference playoffs if they started today. Bishop has a red hot 1.43 Goals-Against-Average in his seven starts since the All-Star Break with a .956 save percentage. Bishop has been outstanding when playing at home all season where he enjoys a 2.06 GAA with a .933 save percentage in 22 starts. The Stars stay at home where they are 20-10-2 this season while scoring 2.9 Goals-Per-Game while allowing only 2.4 Goals-Per-Game. Dallas has won 6 of their last 8 games at home — and they have also won 9 of their last 12 home games against teams with a losing record. Colorado finds themselves on the outside-looking-in the Western Conference playoffs as they are 2 points behind Minnesota for the eighth and final slot. But the Avalanche have lost 11 of their last 14 games after a win — and they have lost 9 of their last 13 games after a victory at home. Furthermore, Colorado has lost 18 of their last 27 games after scoring at least four goals in their last game — and they have lost 7 of their last 9 games after scoring at least four goals on home ice. Now they go back on the road where they are 15-14-5 this season. But they have lost 46 of their last 68 road games as an underdog priced in the +110 to +150 price range. Most recently, the Avalanche have lost 19 of their last 26 games as an underdog priced in the +110 to +150 price range. Goalie Sergei Varlamov struggles on the road where he has a 2.99 GAA with a .909 save percentage in 22 starts. Colorado has also lost 12 of their last 17 games against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: Dallas has lost the first two meetings between these teams this season with the last meeting being back on December 15th in Colorado where the Avalanche won by a 6-4 score. The Stars have won 13 of their last 19 games when playing with revenge — and they have also won 5 of their last 6 opportunities to host Colorado on home ice. I am surprised this situation is priced below -150 — so, let’s attack. 25* NHL Central Division Game of the Year with the money-line on the Dallas Stars (60) versus the Colorado Avalanche (59). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Lipscomb Bisons (307140) minus the points versus the New Jersey Institute of Technology Highlanders (307139). THE SITUATION: Lipscomb (24-6) reached the Semifinals of the Atlantic Sun tournament on Monday with their 86-71 win at home over Kennesaw State as a 26.5-point favorite. NJIT (21-11) pulled the upset in the Quarterfinals of the Atlantic Sun tournament on Monday when they defeated the Florida Gulf Coast on the road by an 83-78 score as a 3.5-point underdog. Higher seeds (determined by NET rankings) earn hosting rights in this event so this game will be played on Lipscomb’s home court in Nashville.

REASONS TO TAKE LIPSCOMB MINUS THE POINTS: I expect a big letdown for the Highlanders in this showdown with the best team in the conference. NJIT nailed 10 of their 17 shots (53.6%) of their shots from behind the arc to shock the Gulf Coast on Monday — but they are not likely to replicate those results tonight. The Highlanders are making only 34.0% of their 3-pointers in conference play this season which is only 6th best. And they are facing a stingy Bison perimeter defense that leads the Atlantic Sun by limiting their opponents to just a 30.7% shooting mark from behind the arc. NJIT will want to slow down the pace in this game and hope they make enough 3s to make Lipscomb start feeling nervous that their NCAA Tournament bubble will burst. But that leaves little margin for error for a team being asked to go on the road to pull a second straight upset. The Highlanders only rank 6th in the Atlantic Sun in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. They are last in the conference in offensive rebounding rates as they sacrifice second-chance opportunities to get back on defense where they play solid but spectacular half-court defense. They rank 6th in the conference with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 48.3%. They do commit to protecting their defensive glass as their conference opponents are only pulling down 24.0% of their missed shots which is second best in the conference — but this comes at the expense of transition scoring opportunities. NJIT’s best win on the road was at Duquesne that metrics guru Ken Pomeroy ranks as the 165th best team in the nation. For comparison's sake, Pomeroy ranks this Lipscomb team as the 50th best team in the country. The Highlanders lost twice to the Bison this season — but perhaps their best effort away from home all season was their 81-77 loss at Lipscomb back on February 25th. Lipscomb returns their top six players from last year’s team that won the Atlantic Sun tournament to then play North Carolina in the Big Dance. This year’s Bison are tops in the Atlantic Sun in both Adjusted Offensive and Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They are 13-2 on their home court — and they do a number of things that should help them cover a double-digit point spread. They lead the Atlantic Sun by hitting 40.7% of their 3-point shots which helps to boost their league-leading 55.7% effective field goal percentage which is helped by Rob Marberry who is making 61.2% of his shots inside the arc. But the Bison also do many things to create additional scoring chances if their shots are not falling. They are third in the conference by rebounding 28.9% of their missed shots. They are second in the Atlantic Sun by forcing turnovers in 20.1% of their possessions — and they are facing a Highlanders team that turns it over 18.2% of their conference possessions. And Lipscomb places at a blistering pace that is 13th fastest in the nation. Finally, the intangible for this third encounter is the points that will likely be generated at the free throw line. The Bison lead the conference with a 38.4% Free Throw Attempt to Field Goal Attempt ratio — and the Highlanders are 8th in the league with an opponent’s FTA: FGA ratio of 31.6%. Yet, somehow, NJIT’s opponents have been hexed as they have made only 67.0% of their free throw attempts against them this season (32nd lowest in the nation) — and the New Jersey voodoo has been even better in conference play with Atlantic Sun opponents making only 63.8% of their free throw attempts! Lipscomb made only 11 of their 17 (64.7%) of their free throws against them in their last meeting which is far below their 75.2% mark for the season at the charity stripe which is the 32nd best mark in the nation. Remarkably, the Bison’s opponents make the most of their free throw opportunities as they are making 75.3% of their free throws which is the ninth highest mark in the nation. These are underlying numbers that are screaming for regression — and even if it accounts for only 3 or 4 points, that could make the difference to cover this double-digit number. Then again, those points may very well be gravy when considering that NJIT needed to nail 7 of their 17 (41.2%) 3-pointers while converting 16 of 20 free throw attempts on the road against Lipscomb (a +5 point advantage) to still lose by 4 points.

FINAL TAKE: The close game two weeks ago at home against the Highlanders should ensure that Lipscomb is very focused for this game. While I worry that the Bison will be facing the pressure of being on the NCAA bubble if they do not earn the automatic bid by winning this tournament, I think that plays a larger role in a potential championship game on Sunday against Liberty. Lipscomb does enough things to generate momentum and scoring opportunities to eventually blowout this overachieving NJIT team. 25* CBB Atlantic Sun Conference Game of the Year with the Lipscomb Bisons (307140) minus the points versus the New Jersey Institute of Technology Highlanders (307139). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the St. Louis Blues (45) and the Anaheim Ducks (46). THE SITUATION: St. Louis (34-25-5) has lost four of their last six games with their 4-1 loss to Dallas on Saturday. Anaheim (26-32-7) has won their last two games after they upset Arizona on the road by a 3-1 score last night.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Blues have played 6 straight games Under the Total after a loss by at least three goals — and they have played 6 straight games Under the Total on the road after losing two straight games. Furthermore, the Under is 7-3-3 in St. Louis’ last 13 games when playing with at least three days of rest. And the Under is 36-17-2 in their last 55 games after a game where they did not score more than two goals. The Blues’ offense has slumped without Brayden Schenn in the lineup as they have only scored nine goals over their last six games while netting only three goals in their last two contests. This team does hope to get Schenn back onto the ice tonight — but thus remains a team that has seen the Under go 18-8-2 in their last 28 games on the road. St. Louis has also played 8 of their last 10 road games Under the Total when favored in the -151 to -200 price range. It remains unclear which goaltender interim head coach Craig Berube will choose between the Jordan Pennington and Jake Allen. After allowing nine goals in their last two games, the Blues’ blue-line needs to play better. Either goalie should play well tonight. Pennington has a 1.68 Goals-Against-Average with a .933 save percentage in 21 games (19 starts) in his red-hot rookie season while the veteran Allen enjoys a 2.37 GAA with a .921 save percentage when playing on the road. St. Louis has played 21 of their last 30 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage in the 25% to 40% range. The Under is 47-16-2 in Anaheim’s last 65 games after a win — and this includes them playing thirteen of their last fifteen home games Under the Total after a win on the road by at least two goals. The Under is also 40-18-1 in the Ducks’ last 59 games after not allowing more than two goals in their last game. This has been a nightmare season for this Anaheim team — but don’t blame goalie John Gibson who has a 2.72 GAA at home with a .914 save percentage despite disappointing play from their blue line. In his two stars so far this month, the star goalie has a 1.53 GAA with a .949 save percentage. Gibson will be between the pipes tonight after getting last night off — and the Under is 18-6-2 in the Ducks’ last 26 games when playing without a day of rest. They are still only scoring 1.5 Goals-Per-Game over their last five games — and their 144 combined goals this season is the lowest number in the NHL. They return home where they have played 11 of their last 14 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road — and they have played 15 of the last 21 games Under the Total as a home underdog. Furthermore, Anaheim has played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total against fellow Western Conference opponents.

FINAL TAKE: The Ducks will be looking to avenge a 5-1 loss at home to the Blues back on January 23rd — and they have played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total when looking to avenge a loss at home to their opponents. 25* NHL Western Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the St. Louis Blues (45) and the Anaheim Ducks (46). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (833) and the Florida Atlantic Owls (834). THE SITUATION: Louisiana Tech (18-12) has lost two straight upset losses in a row after their 83-76 loss at Florida International as a 1-point favorite on Sunday. Florida Atlantic (17-12) has won three of their last four games after their 60-54 upset win at North Texas as a 7.5-point underdog last Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Under is 21-10-2 in the Bulldogs’ last 33 games after a straight-up loss — and they have also played 14 of their last 18 games Under the Total off a road loss to a conference rival. Louisiana Tech has the third-best defense in terms of Adjusted Efficiency in Conference USA — but they also have just the 9th best offense in terms of that metric. They have held their last five opponents to just a 42.6% shooting percentage. Now they go on the road where they are scoring only 69.0 PPG while making just 41.6% of their shots from the field. The Under is a decisive 20-5-1 in their last 26 games on the road — and they have also played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total on the road as an underdog or pick ‘em. Additionally, the Bulldogs have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total with the number in the 130s. Florida Atlantic has seen the Under go 21-9-1 in their last 31 games after a straight-up win — and they have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. Furthermore, the Owls have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after an upset victory. This will be FAU’s second game in their last eight days — and they have then played 9 straight games Under the Total when playing just for the second time in eight days. The Owls sport the top Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in Conference USA. They have held their last five opponents to just a 36.6% shooting percentage. But FAU struggles to score baskets as they rank 12th in the conference in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and they are making only 40.1% of their shots over their last five games. The Owls return home where they hold their opponents to only 63.7 PPG on low 40.4% shooting. Yet FAU only makes 42.3% of their shots at home. They have played 5 of their last 7 home games Under the Total — and the Under is also 16-5-1 in their last 22 home games against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road. The Owls have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total with the number in the 130s.

FINAL TAKE: Louisiana Tech is looking to avenge a 69-61 loss hosting FAU back on January 31st when they were 4.5-point home favorites in that game. The Bulldogs have played 20 of their last 26 games Under the Total when playing with revenge — and this includes them playing nine of these last eleven situations Under the Total. 25* CBB Conference USA Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (833) and the Florida Atlantic Owls (834). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Youngstown State Penguins (843) plus the points versus the Oakland Grizzlies (844). Youngstown State (12-19) has lost three straight games after their 89-80 loss in overtime at home to Cleveland State last Saturday as a 5.5-point favorite. Oakland (16-16) has won four straight games after their 74-63 win over IUPUI on Saturday as a 3-point favorite. The Grizzlies are the third seed in the Horizon League tournament with the higher seed earning the right to host the Quarterfinal contests in this event — so this game is being played on the Oakland campus (where this handicapper happened to have been born).

REASONS TO TAKE THE PENGUINS PLUS THE POINTS: Youngstown State had won six straight games to put themselves in position to qualify as one of the top eight teams to make the conference tournament. They then lost on the road to the top two teams in the Horizon League at Northern Kentucky and Wright State before returning home to lose that game in overtime to the Vikings. Look for second-year head coach Jarrod Calhoun to have his team ready to be very competitive in this tournament game. The Penguins have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a point spread loss — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after allowing at least 80 points in a loss to a conference opponent. Calhoun was a longtime assistant to Bob Huggins who has deployed a similar style with this program. While the full-court press was generating its share of turnovers, it was leaving the Penguins very vulnerable in their half-court defense. Calhoun eventually scrapped the reliance on the press to help his half-court defense which helped trigger their winning streak. He has also overseen the continued development of his young team dominated by sophomores and a rising freshman star in Darius Quisenberry who is the team’s leading scorer. Like Huggins’ teams at West Virginia, this team still does many of things that the Mountaineers deploy which makes them dangerous in tournament situations. First, Youngstown State crashes the glass: they rank 30th in the nation by pulling down 34.0% of their missed shots — and this is a vulnerability for the Grizzlies who rank 336th in the nation by allowing their opponent to pull down 33.6% of their missed shots. The Penguins also launch tons of 3s as they rank 50th in the nation with 43.9% of their shots from the field being from behind the arc. Oakland can be burned by outside shooting as they allowed their opponents to make 35.2% of their 3-pointers which is 219th in the nation. Maximizing second-chance opportunities, as well as the extra point from 3-point attempts, has helped the Penguins be overachievers on the road. Youngstown State has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games on the road — and they have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games against teams with a winning record at home. The Penguins usually match-up well against high-scoring teams. The Grizzlies average 77.6 PPG on 47.1% shooting from the field. Youngstown State has covered the point spread in 12 of their last 14 games against teams who make at least 45% of their shots — and they have covered the point spread in 7 straight games after fifteen games into the season against teams that score at 77 PPG. Head coach Greg Kampe has also done a nice job of coaching this Grizzlies team that lost 90% of their scoring from a very talented team that was upset in the Semifinals of the Horizon League tournament by a 44-43 score to Cleveland State. Frankly, Kampe’s offensive schemes too often devolve into 1-on-1 hero ball which can become a dangerous proposition during the pressure of tournament basketball. As it is, Oakland has failed to cover the point spread in 16  of their last 23 games against teams with a winning percentage no better than 40%. The Grizzlies have also failed to cover the point spread in 21 of their last 29 home games against teams with a losing record on the road — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 14 home games after fifteen games into the season against teams with a losing record. Youngstown State does allow their opponents to make 46.4% of their shots — but Oakland has failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games after fifteen games into the season against teams with an opponent’s field goal percentage of at least 45%. The Penguins average 64 shot attempts per game helped by all those second-chance opportunities — and the Grizzlies have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 12 games against teams who average at least 62 shots per game.

FINAL TAKE: Oakland is an unreliable favorite as they have failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 25 home games when favored by 6.5 to 9 points. Youngstown State lost at home by just 2 points in the first meeting between these two teams in late December before pulling the upset on Oakland’s home court on January 31st by a 75-74 score. With Oakland facing the pressure to keep up their winning streak against what will be a confidence Penguins team that can stay competitive in this game even if they are not red-hot from the field, expect a third close game between these two teams. 25* CBB Horizon League Tournament Underdog of the Year with the Youngstown State Penguins (843) plus the points versus the Oakland Grizzlies (844). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Kentucky Wildcats (639) and the Mississippi Rebels (640). THE SITUATION: Kentucky (24-5) had their four-game winning streak snapped on Saturday with a 71-52 loss at Tennessee as a 3-point underdog. Mississippi (19-10) has lost their last two games after their 74-73 loss at Arkansas as a 2-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Kentucky has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread loss — and they have played 9 of their last 11 road games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Furthermore, the Wildcats have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after winning at least fifteen of their last twenty games. Kentucky is without their floor general in senior Reid Travis who is dealing with a knee injury. The Wildcats made only 31.8% of their shots against the Volunteers without Travis running the offense. Head coach John Calipari will want his team to play better on defense tonight. While the 43.8% field goal percentage that the Volunteers achieved was not a bad effort, it was still the worst defensive performance for the Wildcats in their last twelve contests. Kentucky has held their last five opponents to just a 38.5% field goal percentage. The Wildcats stay on the road where they have played 4 straight games Under the Total — and they have also played 4 straight road games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. Additionally, Kentucky has played 6 of their last 7 road games Under the Total as the favorite — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Ole Miss has played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. The Rebels made 53.7% of their shots in that narrow loss to the Razorbacks which was the best shooting mark for them in their last nineteen games. Ole Miss is only making 43.9% of their shots over their last five contests. They have also played four straight games Under the Total — and they have played 14 of their last 18 games Under the Total after playing at least two straight games Under the Total. They return home where they have played 20 of their last 28 games Under the Total — and they have played 8 straight games Under the Total at home against teams with a winning record on the road. Furthermore, the Rebels have played 8 of their last home games Under the Total as a pick ‘em or underdog of no more than 6 points.

FINAL TAKE: With Kentucky without Travis, expect this to be a lower-scoring contest. 25* CBB Super Tuesday ESPN Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Kentucky Wildcats (639) and the Mississippi Rebels (640). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Pittsburgh Panthers (627) and the Miami (FL) Hurricanes (628). THE SITUATION: Pittsburgh (12-17) has lost twelve games in a row with their 73-49 loss at Virginia on Saturday as an 18-point underdog. Miami (FL) (12-16) has lost their last two games after their 87-57 loss at Duke as a 15-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Panthers have played 36 of their last 51 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a loss by at least 20 points. Pittsburgh has also played 13 of the last 17 games Under the Total after failing to score at least 55 points in their last game — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after failing to reach at least 50 points in their last contest. The Panthers are making only 34.2% of their shots over their last five games — and they are 13th in the ACC in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. More importantly, when playing on the road, head coach Jeff Capel needs to his team to play better on the defensive end of the court after allowing the Cavaliers to make 58.5% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort of the season. Pitt has played 6 straight games Under the Total after allowing their last opponent to make at least 55% of their shots. The Panthers score only 65.5 PPG away from home while making only 38.9% of their shots. Furthermore, the Panthers have played a decisive 38 of their last 55 games on the road Under the Total — and they have played 30 of their last 42 games Under the Total as an underdog. Miami has played 14 of their last 20 games Under the Total after a straight up loss — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss on the road. Furthermore, the Hurricanes have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread loss — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after suffering at least two straight losses to conference opponents. Miami also comes off a disappointing defensive effort as they allowed the Blue Devils to make 57.1% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last eight contests. The Hurricanes have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after allowing their last opponent to make at least 55% of their shots. This has been a disappointing season for head coach Jim Larranaga with injuries and the declaration of their best player, Dewan Hernandez, being declared ineligible after accepting payments from an agent. Hernandez never took the court this season and has already declared that he will make himself eligible for the NBA draft in June. Without him anchoring the offense, this team cannot score. Miami is 10th in the ACC in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and they are making only 38.0% of their shots over their last five games. The Hurricanes return home where they have played 14 of their last 20 games Under the Total — and they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total when favored by 3.5 to 6 points.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 4 straight encounters Under the Total. With both these programs struggling to score baskets this season while coming off disappointing efforts on defense, expect another lower-scoring game. 25* CBB ACC Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Pittsburgh Panthers (627) and the Miami (FL) Hurricanes (628). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Weber State Wildcats (873) minus the points versus the Idaho State Bengals (874). THE SITUATION: Weber State (16-12) has lost their last two games after their 85-61 loss at Northern Colorado last Thursday as a 4.5-point underdog. Idaho State (9-17) has lost five straight games with their 71-62 loss at Northern Colorado as a 13-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WILDCATS MINUS THE POINTS: Weber State should respond with a strong effort tonight as they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a loss by at least 20 points — and they are 14-3-1 ATS in their last 18 games after a point spread loss. Furthermore, the Wildcats have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games after allowing at least 80 points in their last game. And while this will be Weber State’s third straight game on the road, Weber State has covered the point spread in 11 of their last 13 road games after losing their last two games on the road. The Wildcats are a team that returned four starters from last year’s team that finished 13-5 in conference play. This year’s team is a disappointing 10-7 in conference play this year — but three of those losses were by 3 points or less with a fourth loss being in overtime. Weber State is shooting 49.7% from the field in Big Sky play while holding their opponents to just a 42.9% shooting mark in conference play. The Wildcats have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games against teams with a losing record on their home court. Idaho State is 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 games after a straight-up loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after a point spread victory. The Bengals struggle on the defensive end of the court. Idaho State is last in the Big Sky by allowing their opponents to make 38.9% of their shots from behind the arc. The Bengals’ last five opponents have made 48.7% of their shots. Idaho State returns home where they are just 4-6 this season. The Bengals are just 0-5-1 ATS in their last 6 games on their home court — and they are 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. Additionally, Idaho State has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 10 home games as an underdog getting no more than 6 points.

FINAL TAKE: The Bengals rank 350th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. While it has been a disappointing regular season for the Wildcats, this Weber State team remains a veteran group that will be looking to make a run in the Big Sky conference tournament next week. 25* CBB Big Sky Conference Game of the Year with the Weber State Wildcats (873) minus the points versus the Idaho State Bengals (874). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves (585) and the Washington Wizards (586). THE SITUATION: Minnesota (29-33) has lost two straight games with their 122-115 loss at Indiana as a 3.5-point underdog on Thursday. Washington (25-37) has lost five of their last six games with their 107-96 loss at Boston as a 9.5-point underdog on Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Timberwolves have played 14 of their last 17 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 4 straight games Over the Total after a straight-up loss. Minnesota is shooting 47.2% from the field over their last five games which has translated into 118.6 PPG — but they are also allowing 120.4 PPG over these last five games as well. The T-Wolves have played a decisive 33 of their last 49 games Over the Total with the Total set at least at 220. Now Minnesota goes back on the road where they have played of their last 7 games Over the Total — and they have played 10 of their last 12 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning record at home. They are 9-23 overall on the road where they are allowing 115.1 PPG — but they are scoring 111.1 PPG away from home. Defending the arc has been a problem for the T-Wolves when playing on the road as their home hosts are shooting 38.9% from behind the arc. Furthermore, Minnesota has played 22 of their last 30 games Over the Total against Eastern Conference opponents. Washington has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total against teams from the Western Conference. The Over is a decisive 43-21-1 in their last 65 games after a straight-up loss — and they have played 5 straight games Over the Total after a double-digit loss. The Over is also 45-20-1 in the Wizards’ last 66 games after a point spread loss. Washington is playing at a blistering pace as of late — they are averaging 105.0 possessions per 48 minutes over their last ten games which is the third fastest pace in the league. Over their last five games, the Wizards are allowing their opponents to make 48.8% of their shots which has resulted in 118.8 PPG allowed. Washington returns home where they are 16-12 while making 48.5% of their shots this season which has resulted in 117.6 PPG. But the Wizards are also allowing their visitors to 114.5 PPG. Washington has played 4 straight games Over the Total at home — and they have played 7 of their last 8 home games Over the Total as an underdog. Furthermore, the Wizards have played 16 of their last 21 home games Over the Total with the number set at least at 220.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 4 straight games Over the Total when playing with Washington. While the Over/Under is set in the high-230s to low-240s, expect this game to topple that number between two teams that play at a fast pace while privileging offense over defense. 25* NBA Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves (585) and the Washington Wizards (586). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Stars (79) and the St. Louis Blues (80). THE SITUATION: Dallas (32-27-5) has won two of their last three games after their 4-3 win in Los Angeles against the Kings on Thursday. St. Louis (34-24-5) has lost two of their last three games with their 5-2 loss at Carolina yesterday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Under is 17-6-4 in the Stars’ last 27 games after a victory. Dallas has also played 15 of their last 19 games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Over the Total. Despite their four goals against the hapless Kings, the Stars are scoring just 2.1 Goals-Per-Game over their last seven contests. They stay on the road where the Under us 21-7-5 in their last 33 games — and the Under is 8-1-3 in their last 12 road games against teams with a winning record on their home ice. Furthermore, Dallas played 17 of their last 18 road games Under the Total with the number set at 5.5. The Under is also 13-4-4 in the Stars’ last 21 road games as an underdog — and the Under is 6-0-1 in their last 7 games when priced in the +110 to +150 price range. Ben Bishop should be between the pipes tonight. He has been outstanding since returning from an injury as he owns a 1.81 Goals-Against-Average with a .947 save percentage in his five starts since the All-Star Break. St. Louis has played 5 straight games Under the Total after a loss by at least three goals — and they have played 5 straight games Under the Total after allowing at least five goals in their last game. The Under is also 35-17-2 in the Blues’ last 54 games after failing to score more than two goals in their last game. Furthermore, St. Louis has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when playing without a day of rest. The Blues are scoring only 1.8 Goals-Per-Game over their last five contests. But they return home where they have won seven straight contests while giving up just 11 goals in those games. St. Louis will turn to their rookie phenom, Jordan Binnington, in goal tonight. Binnington is 15-2 this season with a 1.61 GAA along with a .936 save percentage in 19 games which includes 17 starts. Additionally, the Under is 12-4-1 in the Blues’ last 17 home games as a favorite priced in the -151 to -200 range.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 4 of their last 5 meetings Under the Total. Expect another lower scoring game between these two teams. 25* NHL Central Division Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Stars (79) and the St. Louis Blues (80). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers (614) minus the points versus the Bradley Braves (613). THE SITUATION: Loyola-Chicago (18-12) has won two of their last three games with their 56-55 win at Northern Iowa on Wednesday as a 1.5-point favorite. Bradley (17-13) has won two straight games as well as six of their last seven contests with their 67-42 blowout win over Valparaiso on Wednesday as a 5.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RAMBLERS MINUS THE POINTS: Loyola-Chicago has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after a win by 6 points or less. The Ramblers have also covered the point spread in 14 of their last 19 games after not allowing more than 55 points in their last game. Furthermore, Loyola-Chicago has covered the point spread in 27 of their last 38 games after winning two of their last three games. And while the Ramblers have not covered the point spread in their last two games, they have then covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after failing to cover the point spread in their last two games. Now this team returns home where they are 12-4 this season with an average winning margin of +13.0 PPG. Loyola-Chicago makes 52.9% of their shots when playing at home — and they limit their visitors to just 58.7 PPG on low 42.3% shooting from the field. The Ramblers have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 home games with the Total set in the 120 to 129.5 point range. Loyola-Chicago has also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 15 home games when favored in the 6.5 to 9 point range. Bradley held Valparaiso to just a 26.8% shooting percentage in their win on Wednesday — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after playing a game with an opponent’s field goal percentage no higher than 28%. The Braves have held their last four opponents to 38.6% or less shooting from the field — yet they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after not allowing their last four opponents to shoot better than 40% from the field. Bradley is also just 3-7-1 ATS in their last 11 games after not allowing more than 50 points in their last game. The Braves will be challenged by this Ramblers team that leads the Missouri Valley Conference in both Adjusted Offensive Efficiency and effective field goal percentage. Bradley goes back on the road where they are 7-7 this season while being outscored by their home hosts. They make only 43% of their shots away from home. They have failed to cover the point spread in 44 of their last 65 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 road games as an underdog getting 6.5 to 9 points.

FINAL TAKE: Loyola-Chicago will be motivated to avenge a 61-54 upset loss at Bradley as a 3-point favorite back on February 13th — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games when playing with revenge from a loss where they failed to score 60 points. 25* CBB Missouri Valley Conference Game of the Year with the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers (614) minus the points versus the Bradley Braves (613). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Siena Saints (863) and the Canisius Golden Griffins (864). Siena (15-14) has won two straight games with their 67-55 win over Marist last Sunday as a 4-point favorite. Canisius (13-16) has lost two straight contests after their 86-84 loss to Niagara as a 5.5-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Saints have seen the Under go 19-6-2 in their last 27 games after a straight-up win — and they have played 9 straight games Under the Total after a win over a Metro Athletic Association team. Siena has also played 13 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Furthermore, the Saints has played 12 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a game where no more than 125 combined points were scored. Additionally, while Siena has covered the point spread in their last two games, they have then played 11 of their last 12 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in their previous two contests. Now after playing their last four games at home, the Saints goes back on the road for the first time since February 10th. The Under is 5-1-1 in Siena’s last 7 road games after playing at least their last three games at home. They are making just 42.7% of their shots when playing away from home — and they have played 5 straight games Under the Total on the road. The Saints have also played 4 straight games against teams with a losing record on their home court — and the Under is 12-3-1 in their last 16 games against teams with a losing record. Siena has the top Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in the MAAC — and they have held their last five opponents to just a 42.6% field goal percentage. The Saints have played 16 of their last 22 games Under the Total with the number set in the 130s. Canisius has played 8 of their last 12 home games Under the Total with the Total set in the 130 to 134.5 point range. The Golden Griffins have seen the Under go 15-7-1 in their last 23 games after a straight-up win — and the Under is 17-8-2 in their last 27 games after a point spread loss. Additionally, Canisius has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after scoring at least 80 points in their last game. Now after losing three of their last four games, the Golden Griffins have played 12 of their last 14 games Under the Total after losing three of their last four games. Canisius made 52.5% of their shots against the Purple Eagles on Wednesday after making 51.7% of their shots at Iona in their previous game after shooting a miserable 29.8% from the field three games ago at Monmouth. The Golden Griffins have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after shooting at least 50% from the field in two straight games.

FINAL TAKE: Siena is looking to avenge a 70-66 loss to Canisius back on January 5th — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total when playing with revenge. 25* CBB Friday ESPNU Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Siena Saints (863) and the Canisius Golden Griffins (864). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 11:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Oregon Ducks (660) minus the points versus the Arizona State Sun Devils (659). THE SITUATION: Oregon (15-12) has lost three straight games with their 90-83 loss at UCLA as a 1.5-point underdog last Saturday. Arizona State (19-8) has won three straight contests with their 69-59 win over California last Sunday as a 17-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE DUCKS MINUS THE POINTS: Oregon raced out to a 44-28 halftime lead before letting the Bruins rally to seize the win in the second-half. The Ducks have covered the point spread in a decisive 55 of their last 85 games after enjoying a lead of at least 15 points in their last game. Oregon has been hit hard by injuries this season with the biggest being the loss of big man and likely NBA first-round pick this summer in Bol Bol whose foot injury kept him out of conference play. The Ducks have only covered the point spread once in their last six games after failing to cover the point spread in their last three games. But they have then covered the point spread in 14 of their last 18 games after failing to cover the point spread in two straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after failing to cover the point spread in four or five of their last six games. Oregon needs to play better on the defensive end of the court after seeing UCLA make 50.9% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last seven games. USC also made 50% of their shots in their previous game — and the Ducks have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after allowing their last two opponents to make at least 50% of their shots. Now after playing their last three games on the road, returning home to Eugene will be a big help where they are 11-4 this season with an average winning margin of +12.1 PPG. Oregon has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 home games after playing their last three games at home. They also have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games with the Total set in the 135 to 139.5 point range. They should play better defense tonight as they hold their visitors to just 63.3 PPG on low 40.8% shooting from the field. The Ducks also make a strong 48.1% of their shots on their home court. Oregon has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 home games after failing to cover the point spread in their last two games. And despite it being a down year for head coach Dana Altman, the Ducks have still covered the point spread in 12 of their last 15 home games after fifteen games into the season against teams with a winning record. With the injuries his team has endured, Altman has had his team pressure the basketball to create more scoring opportunities — they are second in the Pac-12 by forcing turnovers in 21.6% of their opponent’s possessions. This is an area of weakness for the Sun Devils as they turn the ball over in 19.3% of their conference possessions which ranks seventh in the Pac-12. Arizona State is a young team that has been wildly inconsistent this season. They have nice wins against Kansas, Mississippi State, and Washington — but they also have ugly losses to Utah, Washington State, and Princeton. That Cal team they played on Sunday may be the worst team playing in a major conference — yet they trailed by 6 points at halftime. The Sun Devils have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 25 games after a victory over a conference rival. And while Arizona State has won five of their last seven games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after winning five or six of their last seven games. Now after playing their last two games at home — as well as five of their last seven — they go back on the road where they are just 6-5 this season. This team can struggle to score baskets as they are making only 42.2% of their shots on the road. They are 5-12-2 ATS in their last 19 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. The Sun Devils have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games on the road when listed in the +/-  3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: Oregon will be motivated to avenge a 78-64 loss to Arizona State back on January 19th — and they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games when playing with revenge from a double-digit loss. The Sun Devils have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of the last 7 meetings between these two teams. 25* College Basketball Game of the Month with the Oregon Ducks (660) minus the points versus the Arizona State Sun Devils (659). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Boston Celtics (512) minus the points versus the Portland Trail Blazers (511). THE SITUATION: Boston (37-24) has lost three straight games after their 118-95 loss at Toronto last night as a 3.5-point underdog. Portland (37-23) has won four straight games with their 123-110 win at Cleveland as an 8.5-point favorite on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CELTICS MINUS THE POINTS: After ending the first quarter last night with a 32-30 lead, the Raptors exploded with a 36-13 second quarter to seize a commanding lead which put this Boston team into the tank to conserve their energies for tonight. There is no question that there are chemistry issues with the Celtics group who are blessed with more talent than there are spaces on the basketball court for them all. But it would be a mistake to overreact to short-term slumps in the dog days of February. Now after losing three straight with that embarrassment last night, this team should rally together now back at home. Boston has bounced-back to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games after a double-digit loss — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after a loss on the road to an Atlantic Division rival. Furthermore, while the Celtics have lost five of their last seven games, they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 23 games after losing four or five of their last six games — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after losing five or six of their last seven contests. Now this team returns home after playing their last three games on the road where they have covered the point spread in 35 of their last 51 games — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. Additionally, Boston has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have covered the point spread in 23 of their last 34 games against teams with a +3.0 or better net point differential. Portland is outscoring their opponents by +3.5 PPG — but when they go on the road, they are just 13-15 on the road where they are being outscored by -2.3 PPG. The Trail Blazers have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 21 road games as an underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 14 road games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. This is Portland’s fourth straight road game since last Thursday — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games when playing their fourth (or more) games over the last seven days. The Trail Blazers made 56.4% of their shots in their win against the Cavaliers which was the best shooting effort in their last sixteen games — but now they face a Celtics’ team that holds their visitors to just a 43.6% field goal percentage. Portland tends to feast (at home) against the lesser teams in the league — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games in the second half of the season against teams with a winning percentage in the 60% to 70% range. Furthermore, while the Blazers have covered the point spread in their last four games, that places them into a nasty empirical “play-against” angle that has been 70% effective since 1996. Teams listed in the +/- 3-point range who have covered the point spread in four straight games but who have not played more than five games over the last fourteen days (as is the case here given the All-Star Break) have then failed to cover the point spread in 47 of their last 67 situations where these conditions applied.

FINAL TAKE: Boston will be additionally motivated to avenge a 100-94 loss to Portland back on November 11th last fall. Not only have the Celtics covered the point spread in 7 of their last 11 opportunities to avenge a same-season loss but they have also covered the point spread in 53 of their last 82 games when avenging a loss where they allowed at least 100 points. 25* NBA Game of the Month with the Boston Celtics (512) minus the points versus the Portland Trail Blazers (511). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the match between West Ham United (2000157) and Manchester City (2000158). THE SITUATION: West Ham (10-6-11) enters this English Premier League match coming off a 3-1 win over Fulham last Friday. Manchester City (21-2-4) returns to EPL action after they blasted Chelsea by a 6-0 score back on February 10th.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Man City is playing with plenty of momentum right now as they nip at the heels of Liverpool at the top of the EPL table. The Citizens have scored 17 goals over their last five EPL matches — and they have scored nine goals in their last two matches which were against two Power-Six clubs in Chelsea and Arsenal. Man City has scored at least three goals in four of their last five games as well as five of their last seven matches. Furthermore, they have seen at least four combined goals scored in nine of their last ten matches when playing at home. They lead in the EPL in goals scored and goals scored at home in Etihad Stadium. The Citizens also lead the league in average shots on goal with 17.1 per games — and they also lead the EPL with 20.4 shots per game when playing at home. With Gabriel Jesus dealing with an injury, it looks to be a certainty that manager Pep Guardiola will be playing his best attacker, Sergio Aguero, who will be looking to secure his third straight hat trick when playing on his home pitch. It should be another big scoring day for Man City who is averaging 3.5 Goals-Per-Game in their home ten home matches against non-Power Six sides this season. West Ham does surrender plenty of shot attempts: they allow 13.3 shots per game which is the seventh most in the league — and that number rises to 16.2 shots allowed per game which is sixth worst in the EPL. The Hammers have played only two matches on the road against Power-Six sides where they allowed seven combined goals. The deeper metrics suggest that West Ham has been fairly fortunate in the goals they have allowed. The Hammers have surrendered 40 goals this season but the Expected Goals allowed metric raises that number to 43.05. Furthermore, West Ham has allowed 20 goals this season when playing on the road — but the Expected Goals allowed when playing on the road rises to 23.50. This will be manager Manuel Pellegrini’s first trip back to the Etihad after he was sacked as the Man City manager in 2016. Pellegrini embraces an aggressive style — he wants his team to attack rather than park the bus in the back. Once Man City takes the lead, the goals should keep coming with the Hammers having a decent chance of securing one of the goals to reach our target of four combined goals.

FINAL TAKE: Man City is clicking on all cylinders right now. If they do not score the four goals themselves in this contest, there is a good chance that West Ham will add goal themselves to the total. 25* EPL Total of the Month with Over the Total in the match between West Ham United (2000157) and Manchester City (2000158). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:35 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Oklahoma City Thunder (505) plus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (506). THE SITUATION: Oklahoma City (38-21) has lost two of their last three games with their 119-116 loss to Sacramento on Saturday. Denver (41-18) has won their last four games with their 123-96 win over the Los Angeles Clippers as a 9.5-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE THUNDER PLUS THE POINTS: Oklahoma City should rebound with a strong effort tonight as they have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 49 of their last 79 situations after a narrow loss by 3 points or less. The Thunder continued to play at a fast pace that resulted in at least 105 shot attempts for the third straight game — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after launching at least 100 shots in their last contest. Oklahoma City made only 38.1% of their shots against the Kings which was their second worst shooting effort since the second game of the season. They should benefit from the three days off since that contest — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games when playing with the benefit of two days of rest between games. The Thunder go back on the road where they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games away from home. Additionally, OKC has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games as an underdog. Denver held the Clippers to just a 34.5% field goal percentage in their win on Sunday which was their best defensive effort of the season — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 25 of their last 36 games after holding their last opponent to no better than 35% shooting from the field. They also made 51.8% of their shots on the offensive end of the court which was the best shooting performance for them in their last eight contests — so this team is likely due for a bit of a letdown after playing one of their best overall games of the season. The Nuggets have also failed to cover the point spread in 25 of their last 36 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last contest. And while Denver has scored at least 114 points in three straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games after scoring at least 110 points in three straight games. Furthermore, the Nuggets have out-rebounded their last three opponents by at least 10 boards — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after out-rebounding their last three opponents by at least +10.0 RPG. And while Denver has covered the point spread in three of their last four games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after covering the point spread in three of their last four games.

FINAL TAKE: Oklahoma City will be looking to avenge a 109-98 upset loss at Denver as a 2-point favorite in the last meeting between these two teams back on December 14th. The Thunder have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games when avenging a loss to their opponent on the road — and they have covered the point spread in seven of those last nine situations when that was an upset loss to their opponent. 25* NBA Tuesday TNT Game of the Year with the Oklahoma City Thunder (505) plus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (506). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the money-line on the St. Louis Blues (16) versus the Nashville Predators (15). THE SITUATION: St. Louis (33-23-5) has lost two of their last three games after their 2-1 loss at Minnesota on Sunday. Nashville (37-23-4) has won three of their last four contests with their 3-2 win in overtime over Edmonton yesterday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BLUES WITH THE MONEY-LINE: The Predators look due for a letdown tonight as they travel to St. Louis to play this game. They have lost 5 of their last 6 games after winning a game in overtime in their last game. Nashville has also lost 4 of their last 5 games after allowing no more than two goals in their last game. Furthermore, the Predators have lost 5 of their last 7 games when playing without a day of rest — and they have also lost 8 of their last 10 games when playing their third game in four days. With Pekka Rinne playing last night, it will likely be backup Juuse Saros between the pipes tonight. Saros has struggled this month with a 3.24 Goals-Against-Average in four starts with a .904 save percentage. He has also allowed five goals in his last two starts against the Blues. Nashville did make two nice trades yesterday as they acquired Wayne Simmonds and Mikael Granlund at the trade deadline — but only Simmonds look like he will take the ice tonight. The Preds remain a team that is last in the NHL with a Power Play that is converting only 12.3% of the time. And in their last 15 road games with the Total set at 5.5, Nashville has lost 10 of these games. St. Louis has completely turned their season around — and they have still won 11 of their last 13 games in the month of February despite their recent woes. The Blues have won 8 of their last 11 games after failing to score more than two goals in their last game — and they have won 8 of their last 10 games after allowing no more than two goals in their last contest. They return home where they have won 6 straight games as the favorite — they have also won 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. St. Louis has also won 4 of their last 5 games when priced as the favorite in the -110 to -150 price range. They will likely turn to their rookie goaltender Jordan Binnington who has been spectacular with a 14-2 record along with a 1.70 GAA and a .934 save percentage. Binnington is 9-1 this month with a 1.58 GAA and a .941 save percentage. The Blues have won 6 straight games against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: The Predators have struggled against this St. Louis team as they are just 0-2-1 in their last three meetings against them this season after a 5-4 loss at home to them on February 10th. The Blues have won 8 of their last 11 games against fellow Central Division rivals. 25* NHL Central Division Game of the Month with the money-line on the St. Louis Blues (16) versus the Nashville Predators (15). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Kent State Golden Flashes (622) minus the points versus the Ohio Bobcats (621). THE SITUATION: Kent State (19-8) has lost two straight games after their 80-57 loss at Buffalo on Friday as a 15-point underdog. Ohio (12-14) saw their six-game losing streak snapped on Friday with their 92-87 upset win over Bowling Green where they were 4.5-point underdogs.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GOLDEN FLASHES MINUS THE POINTS: Kent State should respond with a strong effort as they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a loss to a conference rival. The Golden Flashes have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a loss where they allowed at least 80 points. And while Kent State has failed to cover the point spread in two straight games, they have then covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after failing to cover the point spread in two of their last three contests. This is a team that endured a disappointing 17-17 season last year but returned a star player in senior Jaylin Walker who leads a talented backcourt. Their 8-6 record in conference play leaves a little to be desired — but after playing their last two games on the road, they return home where they are 12-3 with an average winning margin of +8.0 PPG. The Golden Flashes need to share the ball more. After generating 16 team assists in their 71-58 win at home over Eastern Michigan, they have produced only 8 and 7 assists respectively in their last two games. But Kent State has then covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after generating no more than 9 assists in their last game — and they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 25 games after failing to top 9 assists in two straight games. They should be able to generate extra scoring chances against this Bobcats team. The Golden Flashes pull down 32.1% of their missed shots (3rd in the MAC) — and Ohio ranks 8th in the conference by allowing their opponents to rebound 29.5% of their shots. Kent State also ranks 3rd in the Mid-American Conference by forcing turnovers in 20.1% of their possessions — and the Bobcats rank 8th in the conference by turning the ball over in 19.0% of their possessions. Ohio is moving in the wrong direction under fifth-year head coach, Saul Phillips, who fell to a 14-17 record last year after two straight 20-win seasons. This team is just 4-10 in conference play this season. They are last in the MAC in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency while ranking second-to-last in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They are not likely to sustain their momentum from Friday as they have failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 26 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread victory. Additionally, while the Bobcats had failed to cover the point spread in their previous six games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after only covering the point spread once in their last five games. Ohio has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Now this team goes back on the road where they are just 2-10 with an average losing margin of -16.0 PPG. They are scoring only 62.0 PPG on the road with just a 39.6% feel goal percentage — and they are allowing their home hosts to make 47.6% of their shots. The Bobcats have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 22 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. And with the Total set in the mid-140s for this game, Ohio has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 road games with the Total in the 140s.

FINAL TAKE: Ohio will be looking to avenge a 65-52 upset loss as a 4-point favorite at home to the Golden Flashes back on January 15th, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 22 games when looking to avenge a double-digit loss at home. 25* CBB Mid-American Conference Game of the Year with the Kent State Golden Flashes (622) minus the points versus the Ohio Bobcats (621). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 2:45 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Leicester City (200034) minus the goal-line versus Brighton and Hove Albion (200033). THE SITUATION: Leicester City (9-5-13) hit rock bottom on Saturday with their 4-1 loss to Crystal Palace on Saturday. Brighton and Hove Albion (7-6-13) had Week 27 in the English Premier League off given their FA Cup commitments after losing 3-1 to Burnley back on February 9th in their last EPL match.

REASONS TO TAKE LEICESTER CITY MINUS THE GOAL-LINE: The loss to Crystal Palace was the final straw for Leicester City ownership as they then fired manager Claude Puel after the match. Mike Stowell and Adam Sadler will serve as joint interim caretakers before the franchise hires their next manager. I expect a spirited effort from this group who did not look to be on the same page with Puel throughout the year. Jamie Vardy was in Puel’s doghouse after recently being benched in their previous match against Tottenham — he was one of the last remaining holdouts from their championship team from 2015-16. The Foxes have responded very well after seeing their manager sacked since that magical run three seasons ago. When their skipper from that season, Claudio Ranier, was fired on February 23rd in 2017, Leicester City responded by winning their next five matches. When Craig Shakespeare was then sacked on October 17th of the following season, the Foxes then rattled off two straight wins. This remains a talented roster that should be fighting for Top-Eight glory. The deeper metrics for Leicester City screams that this team was underachieving all season. While they have 32 points for the year, their Expected Goals metrics predict that they should be looking at over 38 points for the season. The Foxes have surrendered 38 goals — but the Expected Goals allowed drops to only 33 goals. Expect this team to play more aggressively as they did in their championship year — one of the constant complaints of Puel not only at Leicester City but also in his previous run at Southampton is that his teams do not attack enough while embracing tactics that are too often too passive. The recent schedule did this team no favors either as they played at Tottenham, at home to a red hot Manchester United side (liberated after their manager change) and at Liverpool (where they earned an impressive draw) before collapsing against an underrated Crystal Palace side. Brighton and Hove Albion have lost four of their last five matches in English Premier League action while generating only 2 points since the start of the new year. Furthermore, the Seagulls have only produced 6 points in their last 33 EPL contests. The rap on this team has usually been that they play much better at home where they are 5-4-4 this season when playing at Amex Stadium. But they have lost four of their last five matches on the road in EPL action where they are not just 2-2-9 while being outscored by a 12 to 24 goal margin. Against non-Power Six sides on the road, the Seagulls are just 2-2-6 but they still have an ugly 11 to 19 goal differential.

FINAL TAKE: Brighton is just 1-2-3 in their last six trips to King Power Stadium to face the Foxes. Expect a spirited effort from Leicester City who have been underachieving all season relative to their talent. 25* EPL Midweek Match of the Month with the Leicester City (200034) minus the goal-line versus Brighton and Hove Albion (200033). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Milwaukee Bucks (571) minus the points versus the Chicago Bulls (572). Milwaukee (45-14) has won four straight games as well as ten of their last eleven contests with their 140-128 win over Minnesota as a 13-point favorite on Saturday. Chicago (16-44) has won three straight contests with their 126-116 win over Boston as a 10-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BUCKS MINUS THE POINTS: Milwaukee will be without their superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo who is listed as doubtful with a knee injury — but please keep in mind that the Bulls are dealing with injuries of their own that I will detail below. This Bucks team has nice depth — and the Greek Freak’s absence tonight should allow more playing time for the recently acquired Nikola Mirotic who developed into a star player in New Orleans before they decided to be seller’s at the trade deadline given the Anthony Davis situation. As it is, the Bucks have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 22 games after a point spread — and they are 12-3-1 ATS in their last 16 games after a win by at least 10 points. Milwaukee has also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last contest. The Bucks allowed the Timberwolves to shoot 49.0% from the field which was the worst defensive effort in their last six games. Expect head coach Mike Budenholzer to demand a better game on the defensive end of the court tonight. Milwaukee has covered the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games after allowing at least 115 points in their last contest. The Bucks go back on the road where they are 20-9 with an average winning margin of +6.5 PPG. They are 13-3-2 ATS in their last 18 games on the road — and they are 16-5-1 ATS in their last 22 road games against teams with a losing record at home. Furthermore, Milwaukee has covered the point spread in 23 of their last 35 games on the road as the favorite including covering the point spread in six of their last seven road games when laying 6.5 to 12 points. Additionally, the Bucks are 5-0-1 ATS in their last 6 games against Central Division opponents. Chicago has pulled off two straight upset victories as they shocked Orlando on the road as an 8-point underdog before they upset the Celtics on Saturday. The Bulls are getting good play from the recently acquitted Otto Porter who is averaging 17.8 PPG in his six games with Chicago while shooting 54.5% from the field and a remarkable 51.9% from behind the arc. But Porter is doubtful to play tonight with a leg injury and fellow starter Kris Dunn is also listed as doubtful as he dealing with migraine headaches. While the Bulls still have starters Zach LaVine, Robin Lopez, and Lauri Markkanen, there is then a big drop off in talent on the rest of this roster for this team that is firmly in the middle of the Tryin’ for Zion tanking mix. Chicago has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 20 games after an upset victory as a double-digit underdog. The Bulls stay at home where they are 7-23 this season with an average losing margin of -8.8 PPG. They are allowing their opponents to score 112.6 PPG with an opponent’s field goal percentage of 48.1%. The Bucks play at a fast pace which will help them cover the bigger point spread for this game. They average 90 shot attempts per game — and Chicago has failed to cover the point spread in 26 of their last 28 home games against teams that average at least 88 shots per game. The Bulls have also failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 home games with the Total set in the 220 to 229.5 point range.

FINAL TAKE: Milwaukee has covered the point spread in 5 straight trips to Chicago to play the Bulls. Even without Antetokounmpo, look for the Bucks to overwhelm this severely undermanned Bulls team tonight. 25* NBA Central Division Game of the Year with the Milwaukee Bucks (571) minus the points versus the Chicago Bulls (572). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:45 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Michigan State Spartans (833) and the Michigan Wolverines (834). THE SITUATION: Michigan State (22-5) has won four straight games with their 71-60 win over Rutgers on Wednesday as a 15.5-point favorite. Michigan (24-3) has won four of their last five games with their 69-60 win at Minnesota on Thursday as a 5.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Spartans have seen the Under go 22-6-1 in their last 29 games after a straight-up win — and they have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a double-digit win on their home court. Furthermore, Michigan State has played 9 straight games Under the Total after winning two straight games against fellow Big Ten opponents. This is a team hit hard by two big injuries. Joshua Langford is out the season with an ankle injury while Nick Ward is out indefinitely with a hand injury. That leaves much of the offensive burden on guard Cassius Winston — and he was absolutely owned last year by the Wolverines’ elite defender Xavier Simpson. In their two upset losses to Michigan last season, Winston made only 6 of his 17 shots from the floor while going 1 for 6 from behind the arc while averaging just 11.0 PPG with 3.5 assists. Scoring is going to be hard to come by for Sparty in this game as they are making only 44.8% of their shots over their last five games dealing with these injuries — they will have to rely on their strong defensive play to stay competitive in this game. Michigan State goes on the road where they do hold their home hosts to just a 38.8% field goal percentage. The Spartans have played 5 of their last 6 road games Under the Total — and they have played 5 straight road games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. The Under is also 13-3-1 in Michigan State’s last 17 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. The Under is also 18-7-1 in Michigan’s last 26 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. The Wolverines have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. This is Michigan’s just second game since last Saturday — and they have played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total when playing just their second game in eight days. The Wolverines return home where they are 16-0 this season while holding their visitors to just a 39.7% field goal percentage. Michigan has played 4 straight games Under the Total on their home court — and they have played 4 straight home games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road. This Wolverines team can suffer through cold stretches on offense. While Simpson is one of the best defensive players in the nation, he is not a threat from his outside shooting which allows opposing defenses to play off him and help on other players. John Beilein offenses emphasize 3-point shooting but they are making only 33.2% of their 3-pointers in Big Ten play (7th in the conference).

FINAL TAKE: Both of these teams play outstanding defense: the Spartans rank 8th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency while the Wolverines rank 2nd in the nation in that metric. These teams do not like each other — and this is a very heated rivalry after Michigan upset them twice last season. This will slow and physical with the first team to reach 60 points the likely winner. 25* CBB Sunday CBS-TV Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Michigan State Spartans (833) and the Michigan Wolverines (834). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:35 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Orlando Magic (555) plus the points versus the Toronto Raptors (556). THE SITUATION: Orlando (27-33) saw their five-game winning streak snapped on Friday with their 110-109 upset loss at home to Chicago despite being an 8-point favorite. Toronto (44-16) has won seven straight games with their 120-117 win over San Antonio as an 8-point favorite on Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MAGIC PLUS THE POINTS: Orlando was rusty coming off an eight-day break given the All-Star Game festivities — they committed 12 turnovers in the first-half against the Bulls. They should settle down in this contest as they are 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 games after a point spread loss. The Magic have been a surprise under first-year head coach Steve Clifford who has installed a system that has seen big man Nikola Vucevic develop into an All-Star. With the lack of other star players outside the emerging Aaron Gordon, Clifford has his team playing unselfish basketball that emphasizing sharing to find the open shooter. Orlando is 8th in the NBA by assisting on 62.6% of their field goals. This team is also playing much better on the defensive end of the court as they actually lead the NBA in Defensive Rating this month. They have covered the point spread in seven of their last nine contests — and they have then covered the point spread in 10 of their last 11 road games after covering the point spread in six or seven of their last eight games. The Magic are certainly dangerous underdogs as they are 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 games against teams with a winning record. But they also have legitimate playoff aspirations as they are just 1 1/2 games behind Charlotte for first place in the Southeast Division — and this is perhaps why they resisted the temptation to trade Vucevic for assets since he is an impending free agent. Now Orlando goes back on the road where they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games — and they have also covered the point spread 4 of their last 5 road games against teams with a winning record at home. Additionally, the Magic have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 road games with the Total set in the 210 to 219.5 point range. Toronto has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread loss. Furthermore, they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games after a game where at least 235 combined goals were scored. After a dominant 20-4 start, the Raptors have come back to Earth a bit in their play — and that is created point spread value when going against them. Toronto has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of the last 16 games against teams with a losing record. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 home games against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road. Perhaps most telling, the Raptors have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 25 games when favored in the 3.5 to 9.5 point range. This team also missed their backup point guard Fred VanVleet who quarterbacks their outstanding second unit which has been vital for this team. Their winning streak also sets them up for a letdown. They have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 15 games after winning at least four straight games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after winning at least five straight contests. And in their last 36 games after winning at least six straight games, they have failed to cover the point spread in 26 of these contests — and this includes them failing to cover the point spread in these last six situations.

FINAL TAKE: Orlando is 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 meetings with the Raptors with the last meeting on December 28th resulting in a 116-87 upset victory as a 4.5-point home underdog for the Magic. Toronto has failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 17 home games when avenging a double-digit loss to their opponent — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games when playing with revenge from a loss by at least 20 points. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Underdog of the Year with the Orlando Magic (555) plus the points versus the Toronto Raptors (556). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Manchester United (200030) with the Goal-Line versus Liverpool (200029). THE SITUATION: Manchester United (15-6-5) enters this showdown coming off a 3-0 win over Fulham back on February 9th in their last English Premier League match. Liverpool (20-5-1) comes off a 3-0 win over Bournemouth in their last EPL match back on February 9th.

REASONS TO TAKE MANCHESTER UNITED WITH THE GOAL-LINE: This has been a different Red Devils team since Jose Mourinho was sacked after a 3-1 loss at Liverpool back on December 16th. Interim caretaker Gunnar Solskjaer took over by liberating the players from Mourinho’s conservative principles — and the players have responded with outstanding play. Manchester United has since won eleven of their last thirteen matches in all competitions with their one loss being to Paris Saint-German by a 2-0 score. In EPL play, the Red Devils are 8-1-0 under Solskjaer with 23 goals scored and just 6 goals conceded. Solskjaer’s biggest adjustment was to give his star players the freedom to be creative and take chances on the pitch. This has meant everything for superstars like Paul Pogba who just last summer was leading France to a World Cup championship. Solskjaer also gave forward Marcus Rashford the starting forward job and he has responded by establishing a nice bond with the midfielder Pogba. Solskjaer is now hoping to be named the permanent manager for Old Trafford — and a win today could do the trick. His biggest coaching challenge was making the adjustments after that tough loss to PSG — and his team responded with a dominant 2-0 win over Chelsea in FA Cup action. This is a huge match for the Red Devils who are loaded with talent. They did suffer a blow this morning with the news that their star defensive midfielder, Nemanja Matic, is not fit to play in this match. But this remains a proud club that has won seven of their last nine opportunities to host Liverpool. After a fast start that put them in charge at top of the EPL table, the Reds have been quite nervy as of late with the pressure of winning a championship becoming a real possibility. Liverpool comes off a 0-0 draw with Bayern Munich in Champions League play on Tuesday in a match where they blew a ton of scoring chances. They are just 3-2-1 in their last six matches in EPL action and now find themselves tied with Manchester City at the top of the table — but with this game in hand. Yet a loss in this contest makes things dead even at the top with the reigning champions — so anxiety may be very high. Liverpool is only 3-3-1 in their seven matches in EPL action this season against the Power-Six teams. On the road, the Reds have only won once in their four matches against Power Six teams. They have a 1-2-1 record on the road against these Power Six teams while scoring five goals and conceding five goals.

FINAL TAKE: Liverpool has now defeated a top-four team in the English Premier League standings on their home field in their last seven matches — their last win against a team in the top four was at Chelsea back in September of 2016 (the Obama Administration). The Reds are now playing nervous soccer — and Manchester United is brimming with confidence. The Red Devils should relish the opportunity to play the role of spoiler. An outright upset is very possible with Man United at home. 25* EPL Sunday NBC Sports Network Match of the Month with Manchester United (200030) with the Goal-Line versus Liverpool (200029). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Brooklyn Nets (537) and the Charlotte Hornets (538). THE SITUATION: Brooklyn (30-30) has lost three of their last four games with their 113-99 loss to Portland on Thursday as a 3-point underdog. Charlotte (28-30) returned from the All-Star break last night with a 123-110 win over Washington as a 5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Nets have played 4 straight games Over the Total after a double-digit loss at home. That game also finished far below the 231.5 point total — and Brooklyn has then played 19 of their last 27 games Over the Total after a game that finished Under the Total. The Nets made only 39.1% of their shots which was the worst shooting effort in their last five games. Brooklyn should see an uptick in their offensive productivity with Caris LeVert back in the mix — this will be his fifth game since returning to the court after suffering that gruesome leg injury. The Trail Blazers were also dealing with rust in their shooting as they shot just 43.8% from the field which was the lowest opponent’s field goal percentage in the Nets’ last five contests. Brooklyn has still allowed their last five opponents to shoot 49.1% from the field. The Nets now go on the road where they have played 9 of their last 12 games Over the Total — and they have also played 22 of their last 29 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning record at home. And while the Hornets allow 111.3 PPG, Brooklyn has played 10 of their last 15 games Over the Total in the second half of the season against teams that allow at least 106 PPG. Charlotte’s five starters logged in 166:56 combined minutes last night — and they have then played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total after playing the previous day where their five starters combined to play at least 160 minutes. Head coach James Borrego made an intriguing change in the lineup last night by moving Jeremy Lamb to the second unit to make room for their first-round draft pick Miles Bridges at forward with Nicolas Batum shifting to the shooting guard spot. The early results were very encouraging with Batum scoring 20 points and Bridges adding another 14 points. Lamb will be asked for instant offense leading the second unit alongside their veteran point guard Tony Parker — Lamb pitched in another 16 points last night off the bench. Overall, they shot a solid 47.9% from the field as a team while holding a cold shooting Wizards team to just a 43.3% field goal percentage which was the best defensive effort in their last four games and far below their opponent’s field goal percentage of 47.9% for the season. The Hornets stay at home where they have played 18 of their last 23 home games Over the Total when playing just their second game in eight days. Additionally, Charlotte has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total against fellow Eastern Conference opponents. The Hornets have also played 17 of their last 24 games Over the Total with the number set in the 220s. This team plays at a blistering pace which has helped them launch at least 90 shots in three straight games with them attempting 94 and 96 shots in their last two contests. Charlotte has played 12 of their last 19 games Over the Total after attempting at least 90 shots in two straight games. The Nets play at a fast pace as well which translates into 90 shot attempts per game — and the Hornets have played 13 of their last 19 games Over the Total in the second half of the season against opponents that laugh at least 88 shots per game. Brooklyn allows their opponents to score 112.7 PPG — and Charlotte has played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total in the second half of the season against opponents who allow at least 110 PPG.

FINAL TAKE: Brooklyn has averaged 104.8 possessions per 48 minutes over their last ten games which leads the NBA over that span. With the Hornets happy to engage in that up-tempo style, expect a high scoring game between these two teams that tend to struggle on the defensive end of the court. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Brooklyn Nets (537) and the Charlotte Hornets (538). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 5:05 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Carolina Hurricanes (39) and the Dallas Stars (40). THE SITUATION: Carolina (32-23-4) has won four of their last five games with their 4-3 win at Florida on Thursday. Dallas (30-25-5) snapped their three-game losing streak on Thursday with their 5-2 win over St. Louis.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Hurricanes have played 5 straight games Under the Total after a victory. They have also played 16 of their last 22 games on the road where both teams scored at least three goals. Now they stay on the road where they have played 7 of their last 8 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home ice. Carolina is playing outstanding defense as of late for first-year head coach Rod Brind’Amour as they are allowing only 1.4 Goals-Per-Game over their last five contests. Brind’Amour will likely tap Curtis McElhinney to be between the pipes tonight after Petr Mrazek played on Thursday. McElhinney has been outstanding since the All-Star Game as he owns a 1.80 Goals-Against-Average over his last five starts with a .942 save percentage in those contests. The Hurricanes opened as small money-line underdog but now have bet down to a mutual -110 money-line favorite with the Stars — and they have played 13 of their last 18 games Under the Total when favored in the -110 to 1-50 price range. Dallas has seen the Under go 13-3-3 in their last 19 games after a victory — and the Under is 15-5-1 in their last 21 games after scoring at least five goals in their last contest. Additionally, the Stars have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a game where at least seven combined goals were scored. That offensive came out of nowhere as they have scored only ten combined goals in their previous six contests. Dallas is averaging only 2.2 Goals-Per-Game over their last five contests. They stay at home where they at home where they have played 10 of their last 11 home games Under the Total when favored in the -110 to -150 price range — and the Under is 5-2-1 in their last 8  home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Ben Bishop returns to action tonight after he missed a couple weeks with an injury. He had been playing great as he owned a 1.67 GAA along with a .947 save percentage in his previous three starts since the All-Star break. Bishop also enjoys a 2.17 GAA in his twenty starts at home this year with a strong .929 save percentage in those contests.

FINAL TAKE: Look for this to be a lower-scoring contest. 25* NHL Non-Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Carolina Hurricanes (39) and the Dallas Stars (40). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the UL-Monroe Warhawks (659) and the UT-Arlington Mavericks (660). THE SITUATION: UL-Monroe (14-11) has won three of their last four games with their 63-60 win at Texas State on Thursday as a 5-point favorite. UT-Arlington (12-15) has lost three straight games after suffering their second straight upset loss on Thursday when they lost at home to UL-Lafayette by a 76-64 score as a 3-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: We had the Mavericks on Thursday in a situation I really liked — so that result was a big disappointment. But in researching that game, it afforded me the opportunity to dig deep into what Chris Ogden is doing with this UT-Arlington program in his first year as their head coach. Ogden inherited only 15% of the minutes from UT-Arlington’s senior-laden team the year before. After working as an assistant for Chris Beard at Texas Tech and Rick Barnes both at Texas and Tennessee, it is clear that Ogden knows how to teach defense. The Mavericks lead the Sun Belt Conference in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency and in opponent’s effective field goal percentage. After allowing Arkansas State to shoot 51.9% from the field, I expected a much better defensive effort — and I was correct on that front as UT-Arlington held the Ragin’ Cajuns to just a 40.6% field goal percentage. The problem was that the Mavericks made only 42.9% of their shots against a Red Wolves team that does not play good defense. Unfortunately for Ogden, that field goal percentage was still their best shooting mark in their last three contests. This is simply not a good shooting team — they are last in the Sun Belt in both effective field goal percentage and Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. What UT-Arlington does best on offense is crash the boards as they rank 3rd in the conference by pulling down 32.1% of their missed shots. I thought this is where they would dominate Louisiana (and they did pull down 10 offensive boards representing a 30.3% rate). But getting second-chance scoring opportunities will be much harder this afternoon against this War Hawks team that leads the Sun Belt by holding their opponents to just a 25.0% offensive rebound rate. The Mavericks will have to lean on their defense — they have held their last five opponents to just a 39.2% shooting mark. UT-Arlington has played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Furthermore, the Mavericks have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a loss at home — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after suffering two straight point spread losses. Additionally, UT-Arlington has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after winning three of their last four games. And while their loss to the Ragin’ Cajuns finished below the 150.5 point total, the Mavericks have then played 13 of their last 18 games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Under the Total. UT-Arlington stays at home where they are 7-5 this season but where they are making only 40.7% of their shots. The Mavericks have played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total at home — and they have played 9 of their last 10 home games Under the Total against teams with a losing record on the road. UL-Monroe has played 13 of their last 21 games Under the Total after a narrow win by 3 points or less against conference rivals. The Warhawks have also played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 60 points in their last game — and they have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a game where no more than 125 combined points were scored. UL-Monroe made 49.1% of their shots in that game — and they have made at least 47.5% of their shots in three straight games. But the Warhawks have then played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after shooting at least 47.5% of their shots in three straight contests. Head coach Keith Richard emphasizes 3-point shooting — his team is second in the Sun Belt by collecting 37.9% of their points from 3-pointers. But Ogden has been very good teaching his team to defend the arc and force opposing shooters to take low percentage jump shots inside the arc. Only 30.9% of their opponent’s points are coming from made 3-pointers which is the third-best mark in the conference — and UT-Arlington then leads the conference by holding their opponents to just a 46.2% field goal percentage inside the arc. UL-Monroe stays on the road where they are 3-10 while making only 42.7% of their shots. The Warhawks have played 39 of their last 55 road games Under the Total — and they have played 24 of their last 35 road games Under the Total as an underdog or pick ‘em. Furthermore, UL-Monroe has played 13 of their last 17 road games Under the Total in Sun Belt play. And in their last 38 road games with the Total set in the 130 to 139.5 point range, the game finished Under the Total 28 times — and this includes ten Unders in these last thirteen situations.

FINAL TAKE: Expect this to be a defensive battle between two teams that struggle to make shots. 25* CBB Sun Belt Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the UL-Monroe Warhawks (659) and the UT-Arlington Mavericks (660). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between Crystal Palace (200021) and Leicester City (200022). THE SITUATION: Crystal Palace (7-6-13) returns to the pitch after a 1-1 draw with West Ham in their last English Premier League match back on February 9th. Leicester City (9-5-12) looks to bounce-back from a 3-1 loss at Tottenham back on February 10th.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Crystal Palace is unbeaten in their last five matches in all competitions — and they are getting it done with strong defensive play. The Eagles have scored only four goals in their last three EPL contests — but they have surrendered just two goals in those contests. Crystal Palace goes on the road where they are 4-2-7 this season while scoring 18 goals and surrendering 22 goals. But the deeper metrics indicate they should be playing lower scoring games when playing in hostile territory. Their Expected Goals scored number drops significantly to just 13.72 goals in those thirteen contests — and their Expected Goals allowed also drops to 18.66. Looking closer, a disproportionate number of the goals being scored when the Eagles are on the road are in matches versus the Power Six clubs. In their nine matches on the road against non-Power Six sides, Crystal Palace has scored 11 goals while allowing only 13 goals which is right on track for an Under in this contest. Leicester City is winless in their last five EPL matches. They are struggling to find the back of the net as they have scored only two goals over their last three matches. Manager Claude Puel chose not to start his best attacker, Jamie Vardy, in that last match against the Spurs. Vardy did come on as a substitute and scored the Foxes loan goal — but it is not clear if he is in the doghouse or if Puel is simply dissatisfied with his effort. Leicester City returns home where they are 4-2-6 this season. They have only scored 13 goals in their last twelve home matches which the fourth lowest in the EPL. But the Foxes have allowed only 13 goals at home as well so they are used to playing tight, low-scoring matches on their pitch. In their last three home contests, Leicester City has scored only one goal while surrendering four. Puel has his team playing a defensive-oriented strategy. In their seventeen matches against non-Power Six sides, the Foxes have allowed only 19 goals. Goals are even harder to come by when Leicester City is hosting a non-Power Six team. In those fourteen matches, the Foxes have scored 13 goals and allowed 13 goals to produce an average that is below 2.0 combined goals per game. Furthermore, in their last five home matches against non-Power Six sides, Leicester City has scored 5 times while allowing only 4 goals.

FINAL TAKE: Both of these teams do a good job of limiting their opponents shot opportunities. Crystal Palace is 7th in the EPL by allowing 12.5 shots per game. Leicester City is 5th in the league by allowing only 11.6 shots per game — and that number drops to just 10 shots per game when they are playing at home at King Power Stadium which is the 4th best mark in the English Premier League. 25* EPL Saturday NBC-TV O/U Special Feature with Under the Total in the game between Crystal Palace (200021) and Leicester City (200022). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:35 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Oklahoma City Thunder (530) minus the points versus the Utah Jazz (529). Oklahoma City (37-20) saw their four-game winning streak snapped last Thursday in their 131-122 upset loss at New Orleans as a 4.5-point favorite. Utah (32-25) returns from the All-Star Break after a 115-108 loss at Golden State as a 9-point underdog back on February 12th.

REASONS TO TAKE THE THUNDER MINUS THE POINTS: Oklahoma City has rebounded to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss. The Thunder have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when playing with at least three days of rest. The OKC like to push the pace to take advantage of the athleticism of Paul George and Russell Westbrook. They have seen at least 229 combined points scored in each of their last three games — and they have then covered the point spread in 11 of their last 13 home games after playing three straight games where at least 215 combined points were scored. The Thunder return home where they are 20-7 this season with an average winning margin of +7.5 PPG. Oklahoma City has covered the point spread in 4 straight games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. Look for head coach Billy Donovan to emphasize better play on the defensive end of the court after they allowed the Pelicans to make 54.3% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last five games. The Thunder have still covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against teams with a winning record. OKC has also covered the point spread in 18 of their last 27 games when favored in the 3.5 to 9.5 point range. Utah went into the All-Star Break with three straight point spread covers. But the Jazz have then failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after covering the point spread in two straight games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after covering the point spread in three of their last four contests. Furthermore, Utah has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. And in their last 13 games against fellow Northwest Division opponents, the Jazz have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of these games. Utah stays on the road where they are just 14-15 this season.

FINAL TAKE: OKC should be close to full strength tonight. Dennis Schroder and Jerami Grant missed their last two games but Schroder will be back on the court after the birth of his new baby and reports are encouraging that Grant’s ankle has healed. The Thunder also may debut Markieff Morris who they picked up from Washington — he has been out since December with a neck injury but has been cleared to play for two weeks. The Jazz do not match up well with OKC — they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight meetings with them while also covering the point spread in 4 of their last 5 trips to Oklahoma City. 25* NBA Friday ESPN Game of the Year with the Oklahoma City Thunder (530) minus the points versus the Utah Jazz (529). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Illinois-Chicago Flames (862) minus the points versus the Wisconsin-Green Bay Phoenix (861). THE SITUATION: Illinois-Chicago (14-13) saw their four-game winning streak snapped last Saturday with their 81-73 upset loss at Youngstown State as a 1-point favorite. Wisconsin-Green Bay (14-13) has won two straight games as well as four of their last five contests with their 82-73 win over Detroit as a 5.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE FLAMES MINUS THE POINTS: Illinois-Chicago has covered the point spread in 15 of their last 24 games after a loss to a Horizon League rival — and this includes them covering the point spread in four of their last six games after an upset loss to a conference rival. The Flames have also covered the point spread in 13 of their last 15 games when playing with five or six days of rest. Now after playing their last three games on the road, Illinois-Chicago returns home for the first time since February 3rd. The Flames are 11-3 on their home court with an average winning margin of +7.7 PPG — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games after playing their last three games on the road. They make a healthy 47.2% of their shots at home while holding their opponents to just a 40.9% field goal percentage. Illinois-Chicago has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road. Furthermore, the Flames have covered the point spread in 28 of their last 41 home games when favored in the 3.5 to 6 point range. Steve McClain is an underrated head coach who has assembled a nice trio of scorers on the perimeter with Marcus Ottey, Tarkus Ferguson, and Godwin Boahen. McClain has his team defend the 3-point line well to force opponents to take lower percentage jumpers inside the arc. Illinois-Chicago has the second best Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in the Horizon League while leading the conference in opponent’s effective field goal percentage due to their opponent’s 42.7% shooting percentage inside the arc which is also best in the league. Green Bay makes only 32.8% of their shots from 3-point land — so they are reliant on shooting inside the arc. The Flames lead the Horizon League in taking shots from behind the 3-point line — and they are making 36.6% of their 3-pointers led by their trio of good guards. The Phoenix has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread victory. Green Bay has also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after winning two straight games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after winning their last two games at home. And while the Phoenix have covered the point spread in their last two games as the favorite, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after covering two straight games as the fave. Now this team goes back on the road where they are just 4-11 with an average losing margin of -8.9 PPG. Green Bay makes only 43.2% of their shots on the road — and their up-tempo pace results in home teams scoring 86.6 PPG on 47.7% shooting against them. The Phoenix have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 road games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court.

FINAL TAKE: Illinois-Chicago will be looking to avenge a 90-85 loss to Green Bay back on January 9th. The Phoenix have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 trips to Chicago to play the Flames. 25* CBB Friday ESPNU Game of the Year with the Illinois-Chicago Flames (862) minus the points versus the Wisconsin-Green Bay Phoenix (861). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:35 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Lakers (510) plus the point(s) versus the Houston Rockets (509). Los Angeles (28-29) limped into the All-Star Break having lost two straight games as well as four of their last five contests after their 117-113 upset loss in Atlanta back on February 12th as a 6-point favorite. Houston (33-24) lost two of their last three games entering the break after they lost at Minnesota as a 4-point favorite back on February 13th.

REASONS TO TAKE THE LAKERS MINUS THE POINTS: LA finds themselves in a hole as they are trailing by three games from the final Western Conference playoff spot with 25 games to go. And there seems to be internal discord from the younger members of this team after they were all dangled in potential trade offers to acquire in Anthony Davis. LeBron James is getting older — and that groin injury that caused him to miss 18 games is an issue. But I am simply not going to get too worked up over how he much he played in the dog days of January and February. I liked the supposed “misfit toys” that Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka acquired in the last offseason (with James’ endorsement). Rajon Rondo is one of the most intelligent players in the league — something James’ covets after playing with J.R. Smith in Cleveland — and he was sensational in the playoffs for New Orleans last year. JaVale McGee and Lance Stephenson added mental and physical toughness as well as defensive skill. Don’t underestimate how good this team was playing on defense before James’ injury. With Kentavious Caldwell-Pope at shooting guard and then the midseason acquisitions of big men Tyson Chandler and Mike Muscala along with guard Reggie Bullock, this team goes eight deep with wily veterans who both know their roles and collectively compare favorably to James’ past Cavaliers teams. And you may have noticed I have not even mentioned the younger players with potential in Kyle Kuzma, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and the currently injured Lonzo Ball. When the Lakers upset the Celtics in Boston two weeks ago, it was James playing with the veterans in the key moments down the stretch. That is LeBron’s core — and you will see more of them playing together with it now being the time to step up for a playoff run. What this team gets from their younger players is gravy — and that has certainly been the message communicated to any of the bruised egos. In practice, I suspect that all four of the younger players will compete hard with the opportunity to step up to be the second or third reliable scorer with this group. And when it comes to James, I am far from a LeBron stan — but that dude has not slowed down yet when he wants to turn on the jets. I am just not going to overreact to regular season results. Now this team needs to step up after the All-Star Break and take advantage of their winnable games — especially on their home court. The Lakers have failed to cover the point spread in their last two losses after that impressive win over the Celtics — but they have then covered the point spread in 19 of their last 27 games after losing two straight games on the road. They also have covered the point spread in 23 of their last 32 games after failing to cover the point spread in their last two games. Now after playing their last six games on the road, Los Angeles returns home to the Staples Center where the younger players tend to shoot better — the team is making 47.5% of their shots at home. And a rested James is a dangerous player who can still take over games — the Lakers have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games when they have not played more than five games in the last fourteen days. The time off will not likely help the Rockets who rely on the precision of launching so many 3-pointers. Houston has failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games when playing with at least three days of rest. The Rockets have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a double-digit loss on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games after allowing at least 115 points in their game. After a terrible start to the season, Houston came on to win twenty-one of their last thirty-one contests — but that required James Harden playing hero-ball as he averaged over 38 PPG over his last 25 games. Chris Paul has missed 18 games this season while Clint Capela has missed another 15 games. Paul has been back for the last eight games — with the Rockets going only 4-4 in those contests — and Capela is likely to return to the court tonight from his thumb injury. Harden intimated a number of times over the break that he knows his Herculean efforts are both not sustainable and not a reliable formula for playoff basketball. This time now needs to be spent seeing what they can get from Paul whose skills seemed to have declined while also attempting to solve the problems that plagued this team to begin the season. This team still misses Trevor Ariza and Luc Mbah a Moute who fit this team nicely as 3-point shooters and great defenders against opposing wings. P.J. Tucker has played the most minutes for this team this season but scored only 6.4 PPG over his last fifteen games. And Harden’s hero ball was most effective at home where his teammates offered at least some help. The Rockets have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 road games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. And while the Lakers score 112.2 PPG, Houston has failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 18 road games against teams who score at least 110 PPG. Finally, the Rockets have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games against teams with a losing record — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games with the Total set at 220 or higher.

FINAL TAKE: I found Houston to be more reliable when Harden felt forced to carry the burden which will not be the case for the next few weeks. Expect the Lakers to have regrouped after the break and to play like the team that upset the Celtics in Boston just two short weeks ago. 25* NBA Thursday TNT Game of the Year with the Los Angeles Lakers (510) plus the point(s) versus the Houston Rockets (509). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the UT-Arlington Mavericks (624) minus the points versus the UL-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns (623). THE SITUATION: UT-Arlington (12-14) has lost two straight games after their 83-79 loss at Arkansas State last Saturday as a 1.5-point favorite. UL-Lafayette (14-10) has won their last two games with their 83-76 win over UL-Monroe as a pick ‘em on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MAVERICKS MINUS THE POINTS: Expect UT-Arlington to play a good game tonight as they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 25 games after a loss by 6 points or less — and they have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 28 games after a point spread loss. Furthermore, the Mavericks have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 12 games after a game on the road where both teams scored at least 75 points. This was supposed to be a rebuilding year in Arlington after this team returned only 15% of the minutes from a senior-laden team last year. Expectations are sky-high internally with this program which is why head coach Scott Cross was dismissed after last season’s 21-13 campaign that ended in disappointment by losing to Georgia State in the conference tournament. The school hired Chris Ogden who has an outstanding pedigree as a longtime assistant to Rick Barnes at Texas and Tennessee before working with Chris Beard the last two seasons at Texas Tech. This team entered the year a big mystery with most of the roster consisting of junior college transfers and freshmen. As usual, the team endured a brutal non-conference schedule with games against Gonzaga, Texas, Indiana, Arkansas, and Missouri. But Ogden was able to use that experience to mold his team as they won eight of nine games in Sun Belt play before losing third last two games on the road. Now they return home where they have won 8 of their last 9 games after losing two of their last three games. This team is playing outstanding defense — they lead the Sun Belt in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency while holding their last five opponents to just a 38.9% field goal percentage. Ogden should have had an attentive group in practice this week after they allowed the Red Wolves to make 51.9% of their shots which was their third worst defensive effort of the season and their worst over their last fifteen games. UT-Arlington is 15-5-1 ATS in their last 21 games on their home court — and they are 20-6-1 ATS in their last 27 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. The Mavericks have also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 home games as a favorite of no more than 6 points. UT-Arlington is not a good shooting team — but they make up for that by crashing the glass. They are second in the conference by pulling down 32.2% of their missed shots — and this is a vulnerability of the Ragin’ Cajuns who are 10th in the Sun Belt by allowing their opponents to rebound 29.7% of their missed shots. UL-Lafayette is also the worst defensive team in the conference in terms of Adjusted Efficiency — and they have allowed their last five opponents to make 51.8% of their missed shots so this is a good matchup of the Mavericks. In their win over the Warhawks, they allowed them to make 47.5% of their shots which actually represented the BEST DEFENSIVE PERFORMANCE IN THEIR LAST EIGHT GAMES! The Ragin’ Cajuns are 4-16-1 ATS in their last 21 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a point spread victory. Furthermore, UL-Lafayette has also failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after winning two of their last three games. Now after playing their last three games at home, the Ragin’ Cajuns go back on the road where they are 6-7 win the average losing margin of -5.0 PPG. They allow their home hosts to score 82.5 PPG while making 47.2% of their shots. But what I realized when we successfully backed this team a couple Fridays ago against Georgia State, they struggle on offense in the half court. This is an athletic team with three senior starters back from last year’s NIT team, but they are making only 41.8% of their shots on the road. In fact, the 50% shooting clip they produced last Saturday was the best offensive effort in their last fifteen games. UL-Lafayette has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 road games against teams with a winning record at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games with the Total set in the 150 to 159.5 point range.

FINAL TAKE: UT-Arlington’s strong defensive play and offensive rebounding should stymie the Ragin’ Cajuns who struggle on defense and in their half-court offense. UL-Lafayette has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. 25* CBB Sun Belt Conference Game of the Year is with the UT-Arlington Mavericks (624) minus the points versus the UL-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns (623). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the North Carolina Tar Heels (819) and the Duke Blue Devils (820). THE SITUATION: North Carolina (20-5) has won eight of their last nine games after their 95-57 win at Wake Forest as a 17-point favorite on Saturday. Duke (23-2) has won nine games in a row with their 94-78 win over North Carolina State as a 17-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: It is certainly tempting to expect a high-scoring game between these two offensive juggernauts that play at the 3rd and 11th fastest paces in the nation. However, the Over tends to be overvalued in situations like this by the betting public. While my handicapping is very much informed by empirical situational angles, I rarely include them in my (already too long) Reports. I will share two historical angles that speak loudly to tonight’s situation with the Total set in the mid-160s. North Carolina and Duke are two elite teams that are outscoring their opponents by +12.2 PPG and +20.3 PPG — yet when teams that are outscoring their opponents by at least +8.0 PPG in the second half of the season with the Total set in the 160s, the game has then finished Under the Total in 72 of the last 106 (68%) situations where these conditions applied. This simple angle exposes two truths: (1) elite teams also tend to play very good defense and (2) the pressure inherent in heavyweight matchups tends to negatively impact shooting. Furthermore, great teams tend to rebound the ball well which leads to extending offensive possessions (with a new shot clock) and short-circuited the opponent’s offensive possessions (who often rely on second-chance points for their effectiveness). The Tar Heels and the Blue Devils out-rebound their opponents by +9.4 RPG and +7.2 RPG — and after 15 games into the season in contests between two teams that out-rebound their opponents by at least +6.0 RPG with the Total set in the 160s, the game finished Under the Total in 26 of these last 34 (77%) situations. Both these teams play outstanding defense: North Carolina is 20th in the nation Adjusted Defensive Efficiency while Duke ranks 5th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. The Tar Heels have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. The Blue Devils have played 5 of their last 6 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. Both these teams have significant flaws on offense that their opponent will attempt to expose tonight. Bettors may still remember Duke’s torrid 3-point shooting in their high-profile showdown with Virginia two Saturdays ago where they nailed 13 of 21 (62%) of their shots from behind the arc. But the Regression Gods have since visited the Blue Devils as they have since made only 10 of their 44 (22.7%) of their 3-point attempts in their next two games. Duke is 305th in the nation with a 31.3% mark from behind the arc — and that number drops even further to a 30.5% clip in ACC play. My concerns for North Carolina on offense are qualitative when facing outstanding opponents. Roy Williams wants to play two traditional big men still — yet his best five on the court probably requires him to use a smaller (and more explosive) lineup with Luke Maye playing at the 5. I also don’t like the matchup Coby White faces tonight against the Blue Devils’ Tre Jones who is an absolute menace on defense. White has tended to disappear this season with games — and that stalls the Tar Heels offense: White scored 12 points in a loss to Michigan where his team put up 67 points; he scored 4 points in a loss to Louisville where UNC scored 62 points; he scored 8 points in a loss to Kentucky where UNC scored 72 points. The Tar Heels usually score 87.5 PPG but those three results represent three of their four lowest point outputs this season (with their most recent loss to Virginia who plays at a crawl being the fourth sample). Additionally, North Carolina may be due for a visit from the Regression Gods after they shot a season-high 62.3% in their win over the Demon Deacons. They made 16 of 25 (64%) of their 3-pointers in that win — but they have then played 6 straight Unders after making at least 50% of their 3-pointers in their last game. The Tar Heels 3-point shooting by a Duke team that is 14th in the nation with an opponent’s 3-point shooting percentage of 29.7% that lowers to a 27.3% mark when at home. Speaking of regression, the Blue Devils have played 13 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a win by at least 15 points — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after scoring at least 90 points in their last game. Finally, North Carolina has played 17 of their last 23 games Under the Total with the number set in the 160s while Duke has played 7 of their last 8 home games Under the Total with the number in the 160 to 169.5 point range.

FINAL TAKE: Team trends can be very helpful in identifying how teams typically respond to situations like this — and this particularly true in college basketball when dealing with established coaches like Williams and Mike Krzyzewski who deploy consistent styles of play from year-to-year. The Under is 5-2-1 in the last 8 meetings between these two teams with the Under also 3-0-1 in the last 4 encounters at Cameron Indoor. 25* CBB Wednesday ESPN Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the North Carolina Tar Heels (819) and the Duke Blue Devils (820). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the LSU Tigers (788) minus the points versus the Florida Gators (787). THE SITUATION: LSU (21-4) has won four straight games with their 83-79 win at Georgia on Saturday as a 7.5-point favorite. Florida (14-11) has won two straight games after their 71-53 upset win at Alabama as a 3.5-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TIGERS MINUS THE POINTS: The Gators probably played their most complete game of the season against the Crimson Tide — but I do not see them sustaining that effort tonight. Florida has failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after a point spread loss. The Gators have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after not allowing more than 55 points in their last game. Injuries to Keith Stone and Chase Johnson have robbed this team of the depth that head coach Mike White was hoping for this season. This is a gritty team that has solid computer rankings in the various models due to a number of close losses: five of their losses this season were by 5 points or less with four of those coming against teams that metrics guru Ken Pomeroy ranks in his top-43 teams in the nation. But this Florida team is also just 2-9 against Quadrant I teams according to the NET rankings. The Gators crumble against elite competition as they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against teams with a winning percentage over 80%. This proclivity to play close games against close games might make them intriguing to some bettors - but the data reveals that they have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games in the underdog role. Their lack of size makes them vulnerable to bigger teams. They also struggle to score points while too often living or dying behind the 3-point line. Florida is 48th in the nation taking 44.8% of their shots from behind the arc with that number rising to a 45.2% mark in SEC play. But this team is making only 40.1% of their shots over their last five games. Now after playing their last two games at home, they go back on the road where they are 5-7 this season while scoring only 61.9 PPG and shooting just 39.4% from the field. Despite shooting a high volume of their shots from downtown, they are doing this more out of necessity rather than skill because they are making just 32.9% of these shots in conference play (ranking 9th in the SEC). LSU does a fine job defending the arc as their opponents are making only 33.1% of their 3-pointers (4th in the SEC) — and only 28.8% of their opponent’s points are from these shots. Florida averages 9 made 3-pointers per game — but the Tigers have covered the point spread in 6 straight home games after 15 games into the season against visitors who average at least 8 made 3-pointers per contest. The Gators have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games with the Total set in the 130s — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 trips to Baton Rouge to face the Tigers. LSU has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after a point spread victory. The Tigers return home for a big three-game stretch where they are 12-1 with an average winning margin of +14.6 PPG. LSU is loaded with young talent led by sophomore Tremont Waters who made the All-SEC Freshman team last year along with two five-star recruits in freshmen Naz Reid and Emmit Williams. Reid at 6’10 leads a dominant frontline that is tops in the SEC by pulling down 38.4% of their missed shots which should feast on this small Florida team that ranks 11th in the conference by allowing their opponents to rebound 33.9% of their misses. The Tigers live inside the arc where they are second in the SEC by making 52.0% of their shots — and the Gators allow their opponents to make 52.0% of their 2-pointers which is 11th in the conference. At home, LSU makes 48.6% of their shots overall which translates into a healthy 85.8 PPG. The Tigers have won four games in a row — but all have been close results with the widest margin being by just 5 points. But keep in mind this team played three of those last four games on the road — and they have still covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games overall against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: That Florida has played some close losses while LSU has some recent narrow wins may make some bettors prefer to take the dog. That is Fool’s Gold logic. Styles make fights — and the Tigers match-up very well with this visiting Gators team. 25* CBB Wednesday ESPN2 Game of the Year with the LSU Tigers (788) minus the points versus the Florida Gators (787). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Clemson Tigers (630) minus the points versus the Florida State Seminoles (629). THE SITUATION: Clemson (15-10) has lost two straight games after their 56-55 loss at Louisville on Saturday as a 4.5-point underdog. Florida State (20-5) has won seven straight games after they easily dispatched of Georgia Tech on the road on Saturday by a 69-47 margin as a 7-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TIGERS MINUS THE POINTS: Clemson has suffered two straight brutal losses on the road. The Tigers lost a heartbreaking 65-64 loss at Miami (FL) on a haphazard buzzer-beating step back jumper that rattled off the glass before circling the rim before deciding to drop into the cylinder to cost them that game. Head coach Brad Brownell’s team picked themselves off the mat on Saturday at Louisville before then losing that game via a last-second game-winning shot. I do expect the Tigers to maintain their resiliency — and they are absolutely desperate to earn a Quadrant I victory to improve their NCAA Tournament resume. As it is, Clemson has covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a narrow loss by 3 points or less on the road. The Tigers have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss. Clemson made only 38.6% of their shots against the Cardinals which was the worst shooting effort in their last nine games. But now they return home where they make a healthy 47.4% of their shots which includes 35.3% of their shots from behind the arc. Scoring is the biggest weakness for this team — but they do shoot the ball better on their home court where they are 11-2 this season with an average winning margin of +11.5 PPG. The Tigers have covered the point spread in 4 straight games on their home court — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. This Clemson team plays elite level defense — they rank 13th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They have held their last five opponents to just a 31.2% field goal percentage. They hold their visitors to just 60.2 PPG on low 39.0% shooting from the field. This outstanding play on defense has helped them cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Florida State held the Yellow Jackets to just 27.1% shooting from the field which was the lowest opponent’s field goal percentage for them all season. That game finished well below the 130.5 point total — but the Seminoles have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after a game that finished Under the Total. And while Florida State has covered the point spread in four straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after covering the point spread in four of their last five games. The Seminoles are loaded with talent and athleticism that head coach Leonard Hamilton deploys by having his team play at a fast pace. They thrive when crashing the offensive glass as they are 28th in the nation by pulling down 34.5% of their missed shots after out-rebounding their last two opponents by +12 and +16 boards. But Florida State has failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 25 games after out-rebounding their last two opponents by at least +10 rebounds. But Clemson will be a tough opponent as they rank 15th in the nation by limiting their opponents to rebounding only 23.8% of their missed shots. Florida State does struggle to score baskets if they cannot take advantage of second-chance opportunities. The Tigers tend to struggle against teams that can make their 3s — but this is not the Seminoles as they rank 212th in the nation with a 33.7% shooting percentage from behind the arc. Florida State foes back on the road where they are 7-4 this season — but they are making only 43.8% of their shots away from home. The Seminoles have failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 26 road games after playing their last two games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight road games against teams with a winning percentage in the 51-60% range.

FINAL TAKE: This is a rematch of Florida State’s 77-68 win at home over the Tigers back on January 22nd as a 6-point favorite. Clemson has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 opportunities to avenge a loss. Despite that earlier result, the Tigers match up well to the Seminoles. Look for them to earn their first signature win of the season back on their home court tonight. 25* CBB Tuesday ESPNU Game of the Year with the Clemson Tigers (630) minus the points versus the Florida State Seminoles (629). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Oklahoma City Thunder (527) minus the points versus the New Orleans Pelicans (528). Oklahoma City (37-19) has won four straight games as well as eleven of their last twelve contests with their 120-111 win over Portland on Monday as a 4.5-point favorite. New Orleans (25-33) has lost two straight games after their 118-88 upset loss at home to Orlando on Tuesday as a 5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE THUNDER MINUS THE POINTS: The Pelicans have quickly become a nightmare with Anthony Davis having zero interest in continuing to play for the team — and his teammates have lost all sense of camaraderie in playing hard with him on the court. To recap how they rock bottom: Davis communicated with the team that he did not intend to sign a contract extension with the team after next season and request a trade; New Orleans failed to trade Davis before last Thursday’s deadline; the league applied pressure to the Pelicans’ franchise that it would not be acceptable for them to simply sit Davis the rest of the season since it would appear too much like tanking. Yet this Pelicans’ team would be better served to move on rather than dealing with the distractions and the malcontent. Davis’ body language was awful on Tuesday after scoring a mere 3 points 24 minutes of action. Davis scored 32 points in his first game back from injury after the trade deadline but has since scored only 17 points in the two subsequent games spanning 57 minutes. So, where does this leave us? I suspect that the Pelicans will be in the tank again on Thursday — especially on national television — to make a statement to the league offices that is an absurd situation. To compound matters, with this being their final game before the All-Star break with minds on vacations and escaping this debacle for a week, the likelihood that this Pelicans’ team going nowhere this year will throw in the towel. If so, the Thunder will cover with ease. I simply don’t expect Davis to step up his game or for this team to rally around each other — if they still had that in them, then they would have played better on Tuesday after being upset on the road at Memphis. But, even if the Pelicans — with or without Davis — decide to “play one for the Gipper”, I still think they eventually get overrun by this red hot OKC team. New Orleans has failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their 17 games after losing their last two games. Furthermore, the Pelicans have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after failing to score at least 90 points in their last game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 27 games after a loss by at least 15 points. And while New Orleans has only covered the point spread once in their last four games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after failing to cover the point spread in three of their last four games. The Pelicans like to push the pace as they average 91 shots per game — but this is not a good matchup for them against a Thunder team quite happy to play at a blistering tempo. Oklahoma City averages 93 shots per game — and New Orleans has failed to cover the points spread in 8 of their last 11 games in the second half of the season against teams that average at least 88 shots per game. The Thunder may be the hottest team in the NBA led by the play of Paul George that is making a case that he is the MVP of the league. Over his last 20 games, George is scoring 32.6 PPG while adding another 7.7 RPG and 4.1 Assists-Per-Game. He is also making 45.4% of his shots from behind the arc over this span. Frankly, even if the Pelicans decide to redeem themselves from their embarrassing effort on Tuesday, I simply do not see them being able to stay close to this OKC team led by George who is playing at an extraordinary level right now. As it is, the Thunder have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread victory. OKC has also covered the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games after scoring at least 120 points in their last contest. The Thunder have met point spread expectations in four straight games as well as seven of their last eight contests — and that is usually a good sign for them as they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games after covering the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. Now this team goes on the road where they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games. Oklahoma City has covered the point spread in 4 straight games against teams with a losing record — and they have covered the point spread in 18 of their last 26 games when favored in the 3.5 to 9.5 point range. The Thunder’s fast pace tends to overwhelm teams that do not play great defense. The Pelicans allow 114.7 PPG — and the Thunder have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games in the second-half of the season against teams that allow at least 106 PPG. OKC has also covered the point spread in 11 of their last 16 trips to the Big Easy to face New Orleans.

FINAL TAKE: The Pelicans upset the Rockets in Houston on the last Tuesday in January on TNT where they played inspired ball without Davis on the court — but I just don’t think they can sustain an effort like that tonight (if they chose to exert that much energy). The team has since released Markieff Morris and guard Elfrid Payton is listed as questionable with an ankle injury. Even if this group defies my expectations and plays for pride tonight, I think the Thunder pull away with the point spread victory eventually. 25* NBA Pre-All Star Break Thursday TNT Game of the Year with the Oklahoma City Thunder (527) minus the points versus the New Orleans Pelicans (528). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles (667) and the North Dakota State Bison (667). THE SITUATION: Oral Roberts (10-17) has won two straight games with their 86-72 upset win at South Dakota as a 7-point underdog on Sunday. North Dakota State (13-12) has won four straight games with their 81-71 win over Denver on Saturday as an 8.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Golden Eagles have played 38 of their last 53 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played a decisive 22 of their last 27 games Over the Total after a point spread victory. Furthermore, Oral Roberts has played 13 of their last 17 games Over the Total after a win by double-digits — and they have played 10 of their last 13 games Over the Total after winning two of their last three games. Additionally, the Golden Eagles have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total after an upset victory — and they have played 31 of their last 40 games Over the Total after scoring at least 85 points in their last game which includes thirteen of those last fifteen situations going Over the Total. This Oral Roberts team may have found their shooting stroke as they made 56.1% of their shots against South Dakota after making 51.1% of their shots against Denver in their previous game. The Golden Eagles have also 14 of 15 and 17 of 20 from the free throw line in their last two contests — and they have played 6 straight games Over the Total after shooting at least 78% from the charity stripe in at least two straight games. Now Oral Roberts stay on the road where they have played 9 of their last 12 games Over the Total — and they have played 7 of their last 8 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. The Golden Eagles have also played 16 of their last 22 road games Over the Total as an underdog getting 6.5 to 9 points. North Dakota State has played 24 of their last 32 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 straight games Over the Total after a double-digit victory. Furthermore, the Bison has played 37 of their last 54 games Over the Total after a point spread win — and this includes them playing eight of these last nine situations going Over the Total. And while North Dakota State has covered the point spread in three straight games, they have then played 12 of their last 14 games Over the Total after covering the point spread in three straight contests. The Bison stay at home where they are scoring 79.6 PPG while making 49.3% of their shots. North Dakota State has played 22 of their last 29 games Over the Total on their home court — and they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road. Additionally, the Bison have played 14 of their last 16 home games Over the Total with the Total set in the 140 to 149.5 point range.

FINAL TAKE: Oral Roberts is looking to avenge a 67-57 loss to North Dakota State loss to the Bison back on January 26th — and they have played 25 of their last 38 games when playing with revenge. In the last 7 meetings between these two teams in Fargo, the game finished Over the Total 5 times. 25* CBB Summit League Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles (667) and the North Dakota State Bison (667). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:35 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Portland Trail Blazers (520) plus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (519). THE SITUATION: Golden State (41-15) has won five games in a row with their 115-108 win over Utah last night as a 9-point favorite. Portland (33-23) has lost two straight games as well as three of their last four contests after their 120-111 loss at Oklahoma City on Monday as a 4.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TRAIL BLAZERS PLUS THE POINTS: We had the Warriors last night — and they blew a 25-14 lead after the first quarter before going on a late 20-4 run which saw them covering the point spread late before the Jazz scratched out a very disappointing point spread cover. I was licking my chops at the opportunity to fade reigning NBA champions tonight on the road in Portland playing without rest — and I am not going to forego this opportunity just because they failed to cover the point spread by a basket. As it is, Golden State has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a straight-up win at home where they failed to cover the point spread. Furthermore, the Warriors are just 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 games when playing without rest. This team is very susceptible to thinking ahead to their All-Star weekend plans whether they will be in Charlotte for those festivities or a tropical beach somewhere else. This is a team that tends to suffer letdowns after some success on their home court as they have failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 26 games after winning at least two games in a row at home. Golden State is overvalued in the betting market right now (despite my thinking they had a blowout in them last night) — they have failed to cover the point spread in three straight games as well as five of their last six contests. Given the personality of this team, they are likely to continue to fail to meet point spread expectations. The Warriors have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games after failing to cover the point spread in four or five of their last six games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after failing to cover the point spread in four of their last five games. Golden State has also failed to cover the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games after winning three straight games as a favorite where they failed to cover the point spread in all three contests. Portland should be motivated to make a statement against the reigning champions. They have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after a point spread setback. Now after playing their last two games on the road where they are now a dismal 10-15 this season, the Blazers return home to Rip City where they are 23-8 this year with an average winning margin of +8.3 PPG. This team can really score in the familiar environments at home where they are averaging 116.3 PPG on 47.8% shooting from the field — and they are making a healthy 48.5% of their shots over their last five games. Portland has covered the point spread in a decisive 37 of their last 53 games on their home court — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 home games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road. The Trail Blazers have also covered the point spread in 11 of their last 17 home games with the Total set at 220 or higher. Furthermore, Portland has covered the point spread in 13 of their last 21 home games as the underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 home games when listed in the +/- 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: Portland will not only want to close out the first-half of the season on a high note to erase the bad taste of their recent slump but they would also like to avenge a 115-105 loss to Golden State back on December 29th. The Trail Blazers have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 18 games when playing with revenge from a double-digit loss. 25* NBA Pre-All Star Break Underdog of the Year with the Portland Trail Blazers (520) plus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (519). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Minnesota Golden Gophers (829) and the Nebraska Cornhuskers (830). THE SITUATION: Minnesota (16-8) has lost three straight games with their 79-55 loss at Michigan State last Saturday as a 13.5-point underdog. Nebraska (13-11) has lost seven in a row with their 81-62 loss at Purdue as a 13-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Golden Gophers should play better on defense after allowing the Spartans to make 51.7% of their shots from the field. That was the second-worst opponent’s field goal percentage that they have allowed in their last seven games. Minnesota has been consistently inconsistent this season — so a good effort looks likely for this veteran team that plays tough and physical when at their best. The Golden Gophers have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a point spread loss — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a loss by at least 20 points. And while Minnesota has failed to cover the point spread in their last two games, they have then played 9 of their last 10 games on the road Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread in two of their last three games. The Golden Gophers stay on the road where they are 4-6 this season. They struggle to score points when away from home as they average just 63.4 PPG on the road while making just 38.9% of their shots. The Under is 9-1-1 in Minnesota’s last 11 games on the road — and the Under is 8-0-1 in their last 9 road games against teams with a winning record at home. Nebraska has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread setback. Furthermore, the Cornhuskers have played 33 of their last 51 games Under the Total after allowing at least 80 points in their last game. Nebraska should play much better on defense tonight after allowing the Boilermakers to make 50.9% of their shots. That was the worst defensive effort in their last 15 games. Tim Miles’ team usually plays strong on defense as they rank 35th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency while also ranking 14th in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 45.3%. Miles will want his team to work harder on the boards after being out-rebounded by a 39 to 24 margin. The Cornhuskers have played 7 straight home games Under the Total after being out-rebounded by at least 15 boards. The problem for this team during their losing streak has been their inability to hit a side of a barn on offense. They are making just 32% of their shots over their last five games which translated into just 56.4 PPG. While the Regression Gods may decide to let all their bank shots from behind the arc rattle into the basket — I do not think that happens tonight with Isaac Copeland, Jr. out with a knee injury. The forward is the team’s second-leading scorer with a 14.0 PPG average. Nebraska returns home where they are 9-4 this season but making only 42.7% of their shots. The Cornhuskers' recipe for success at home is on defense where they hold their opponents to only 56.8 PPG while holding their opponents to just a 35.7% field goal percentage. Nebraska has played 4 straight games Under the Total on their home court — and they have played 6 of their last 8 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road. Additionally, the Cornhuskers have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60%.

FINAL TAKE: This will be a rematch of the meeting between these two teams back on December 5th where the Golden Gophers won in Minnesota by an 85-78 score. Nebraska has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when avenging a loss where they allowed at least 85 points. 25* CBB Big Ten Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Minnesota Golden Gophers (829) and the Nebraska Cornhuskers (830). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the South Florida Bulls (793) plus the points versus the Central Florida Knights (794). South Florida (17-6) has won five straight games after their 72-68 win over East Carolina as a 12.5-point favorite on Sunday as a 12.5-point favorite. Central Florida (17-5) has won two of their last three games after their 71-65 upset win at SMU as a 2.5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BULLS PLUS THE POINTS: South Florida is clicking on all cylinders right now — and they should continue to build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after winning five or six of their last seven games. The Bulls have also covered the point spread in 19 of their last 26 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight home games after a win over a conference rival. And while USF did not cover the point spread against the Pirates, they have then covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a point spread loss. This team is 4-4 on the road — but they are outscoring these eight opponents to +5.1 PPG where their 45.0% field goal percentage is higher than their overall 43.8% field goal mark. The Bulls have two characteristics that travel well. First, they pound the offensive glass as they rank 3rd in the American Athletic Conference by pulling down 35.5% of their missed shots — and the Knights are 8th in the conference by allowing their opponents to rebound 31.5% of their missed shots. Second, USF forces turnovers — they are tops in the AAC by forcing turnovers in 22.9% of their opponent’s possessions and they are facing a UCF team that is 7th in the conference by turning the ball over in 18.2% of their possessions. South Florida has covered the point spread in 11 of their last 12 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 12 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. The Bulls allowed East Carolina to make 45.5% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last seven games. USF is second in the AAC in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and this tough defense has helped them covered the spin spread in 14 of their last 16 games against teams with a winning record. Central Florida has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up win — and they are 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a point spread win. The Knights played one of their best games of the season in their upset win against the Mustangs. They made 52% of their shots from the field which was the best shooting effort in their last eight games — and they held SMU to a 39.7% which was the best defensive effort in their last four games. UCF also made 12 of their 13 (92.3%) free throw attempts which was a spectacular accomplishment for a team that ranks 336th in the nation by making only 63.2% of their shots from the charity stripe. But the Knights have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after making at least 78% of their free throws in their last game. UCF returns home where they are 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with a losing record on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Central Florida’s best win is against an Alabama team that metrics guru Ken Pomeroy ranks just at 48th in the nation. They are 0-2 against Quadrant 1 teams for the NCAA’s NET rankings — and they are just 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Expect a close game from an underrated Bulls team that does a lot of things to keep them competitive in games. 25* CBB Wednesday ESPN2 Game of the Year with the South Florida Bulls (793) plus the points versus the Central Florida Knights (794). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:35 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Golden State Warriors (578) minus the points versus the Utah Jazz (577). Golden State (40-15) has won four straight games as well as fifteen of their last sixteen contests after their 120-118 win over Miami Sunday night as a 13.5-point favorite. Utah (32-24) has won two straight games as well as six of their last eight contests with their 125-105 win over San Antonio on Saturday as an 8-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WARRIORS MINUS THE POINTS: Golden State played with fire again as they fell behind to the Heat by 19 points before rallying to take the victory. This comeback in came on the heels of falling behind by 17 points in their previous game against the Suns on Friday. Frankly, the Warriors are not always a reliable home favorite since they are asked to cover high point spreads that they are not as interested in overcoming. But there a few reasons to expect the reigning champions to bring their “A-Game” early on tonight. For starters, falling behind by double-digits once again will be a bit embarrassing with this being a nationally televised game on TNT. Golden State should work harder tonight from the jump after they were out-rebounded by Miami by a 61 to 46 margin. The Warriors have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after being out-rebounded by at least 15 boards in their last game. Furthermore, Golden State does tend to raise their level of play against the better teams in the league as they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against teams with a winning record. And this is a team that has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after winning their previous four contests. The Warriors are 21-7 on their home court with an average winning margin of +7.1 PPG. They are shooting the ball well as of late given their 51.1% field goal percentage over their last five games — and they have held these last five opponents to just a 43.5% field goal percentage. Utah may be due for a letdown as they are just 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games after a double-digit victory — and they are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games after a point spread victory. Furthermore, the Jazz have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games after winning three of their last four games. Utah has covered the point spread in their last two games as well in four of their last six contests. Yet the Jazz have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after covering the point spread in two straight games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after covering the point spread in four or five of their last six contests. Additionally, while Utah shot 52.2% from the field in their victory over the Spurs after making 50% of their shots in their previous game against the Suns, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 18 games after making at least 50% of their shots in two straight games. Now after playing their last four games at home, the Jazz go back on the road where they are just 14-14 this season while allowing their home hosts to make 46.6% of their shots. Utah is a team that tends to feast on the lesser teams in the league while struggling against the elite competitors. The Jazz have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. And while the Warriors are outscoring their opponents by +7.4 PPG, Utah has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against teams who are outscoring their opponents by at least +6.0 PPG. The Jazz have also failed to cover the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points.

FINAL TAKE: Golden State will also be motivated to avenge a 108-103 upset loss in Salt Lake City against the Jazz back on December 19th. If motivation is the most significant opponent of this Warriors team, there are a number of reasons why the Warriors should be very focused for this contest against this Utah team. 25* NBA Pre-All Star Break Western Conference Game of the Year with the Golden State Warriors (578) minus the points versus the Utah Jazz (577). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the St. John’s Red Storm (628) minus the points versus the Butler Bulldogs (627). THE SITUATION: St. John’s (17-7) has lost two of their last three games with their 70-56 upset loss to Providence on Saturday as a 5-point favorite. Butler (14-10) has won their last two games with their 73-69 win at Georgetown as a 2-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RED STORM MINUS THE POINTS: St. John’s should respond with a strong effort tonight as they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after an upset loss as a home favorite — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a double-digit loss at home. Additionally, the Red Storm have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread loss. St. John’s got killed on the boards in their loss to the Friars on Saturday as they were out-rebounded by a 43 to 23 margin. The Red Storm play small-ball and do not privilege rebounding — they are last in the Big East in both offensive and defensive rebounding percentage but that is, in large measure, a reflection of head coach Chris Mullin wanting his team to get back on defense to stop transition baskets while getting out in transition when their opponents miss their shots. But getting out-rebounded by 20 boards was a reflection of a lack of effort as it was the worst divide this team has seen all season. St. John’s has bounced-back to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after being out-rebounded by at least 20 boards. The Red Storm have also covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games after a loss at home. They stay at home as they attempt to redeem themselves from that loss where they are 10-3 with an average winning margin of +11.4 net PPG. Led by Shamorie Ponds, this St. John’s team is one of the most talented groups in the Big East. They score 81.3 PPG while making 48.1% of their shots on their home court so they should fare much better than they did on Saturday where they made only two shots from behind the arc while shooting just 37% from the field. The Red Storm have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 16 home games after playing their previous game at home. Butler has failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 27 games on the road after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread victory. The Bulldogs win over the Hoyas came off a narrow 2-point win over Seton Hall — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after winning at least two straight games. Butler is nailing their 3-pointers as they have made 10 and 12 shots from behind the arc in each of their last two games. But the Bulldogs have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after making at least 10 shots from the 3-point line in two straight games. These Butler teams under head coach LaVell Jordan do not crash the offensive glass as they have in the past — they have managed only 7 and 4 offensive rebounds in their last two games. The Bulldogs have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after failing to rebound at least 9 boards in two straight games. Now this team goes back on the road where they are just 4-7 this season. Butler shoots only 42.3% from the field on the road while making only 33.8% of their 3-point shots. The Bulldogs are making only 42.6% of their shots over their last five games — and they are also allowing their last five opponents to make 48% of their shots. Defense is an issue for this team as they are last in the Big East by allowing their conference opponents to make 53.5% of their shots inside the arc.

FINAL TAKE: St. John’s will have the extra motivation of avenging an 80-71 loss at Butler earlier this season back on January 19th. The Red Storm have covered the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games when playing with revenge. 25* CBB Tuesday CBS Sports Network Game of the Year with the St. John’s Red Storm (628) minus the points versus the Butler Bulldogs (627). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Portland Trail Blazers (559) plus the points versus the Oklahoma City Thunder (560). THE SITUATION: Portland (33-22) has lost two of their last three games with their 102-101 upset loss at Dallas yesterday as a 3-point favorite. Oklahoma City (36-19) has won three straight games as well as ten of their last eleven contests after their 117-112 upset win at Houston as a 2.5-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TRAIL BLAZERS PLUS THE POINTS: Portland should respond with a strong effort tonight as they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after an upset loss as a road favorite. Portland has also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 7 straight games after a point spread setback. The Blazers are shooting the ball well right now as they have made 50.2% of their shots over their last five games. Portland has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Oklahoma City has covered the point spread in three straight games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after covering the point spread in at least three straight games. But despite their recent success, the Thunder have taken a step back on the defensive end of the court. OKC has allowed their last five opponents to make 47.7% of their shots which is a bit above their 45.8% opponent’s field goal percentage for the season. The Thunder return home tonight where they have failed to cover the point spread in 20 of their last 29 home games when laying 6.5 to 12 points. Furthermore, Oklahoma City has failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 31 games against fellow Northwest Division opponents.

FINAL TAKE: Portland has lost both their games with the Thunder this season with the last loss being back on January 22nd by a 123-115 score in their gym. The Trail Blazers have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 23 games when looking to avenge a loss — and they have also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games when playing with double-revenge. Portland has also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 meetings with the Thunder. 25* NBA Pre-All Star Break Northwest Division Game of the Year with the Portland Trail Blazers (559) plus the points versus the Oklahoma City Thunder (560). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Sacramento Kings (546) minus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (545). THE SITUATION: Sacramento (29-26) has won four of their last five games with their 102-96 win over Miami on Friday as a 3.5-point favorite. Phoenix (11-46) has lost thirteen straight games after they loss at home to Golden State by a 117-107 score as a 17-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE KINGS MINUS THE POINTS: Sacramento defeated the Heat despite making only 41.1% of their shots which was the worst shooting effort in their last five games. The Kings feel the time is now for them to make the playoffs — and they are playing good basketball as of late. Over their last five games, Sacramento is making 48.1% of their shots while holding their opponents to just a 43.9% field goal percentage. The Kings stay at home where they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games — and they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 14 home games against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road. Furthermore, Sacramento has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games against teams with a winning percentage below 40% overall — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games when favored in the 3.5 to 9.5 point range. Additionally, the Kings have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 26 games with the Total set in the 220 to 229.5 point range. Phoenix has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a double-digit loss at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after a point spread victory. The Suns are firmly committed to the Tryin’ for Zion plan of tanking to improve their odds of getting the first pick in the NBA draft. Playing hard against the defending champs carried little risk of actually adding another win in the victory column — but I expect them to lay an egg tonight. Phoenix has failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 16 games after a point spread cover where they lost the game straight-up as an underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after a loss to a Pacific Division rival. The Suns are not working very hard on defense — they have allowed five of their last seven opponents to make at least 50% of their shots. Phoenix is only 4-24 on the road this season where they are being outscored by -12.6 PPG. The Suns are allowing their home hosts to make 48.8% of their shots. Phoenix has also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 trips to Sacramento to face the Kings.

FINAL TAKE: Sacramento will be looking to avenge a 115-111 upset loss to the Suns back on January 8th — and they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games when playing with revenge from an upset loss. 25* NBA Pre-All Star Break Pacific Division Game of the Year with the Sacramento Kings (546) minus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (545). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the USC Trojans (768) minus the points versus the Colorado Buffaloes (767). THE SITUATION: USC (13-10) has lost two of their last three games with their 77-70 loss to Utah as a 6-point favorite on Wednesday. Colorado (13-9) pulled off their second straight upset victory when they shocked UCLA at Pauley Pavilion on Wednesday as a 6-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TROJANS MINUS THE POINTS: Look for the Buffaloes to suffer an emotional letdown tonight after making 53.8% of their shots in the best shooting effort in their last seven games. Colorado also made 13 of their 24 (54.2%) from behind the arc — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after making at least thirteen 3-pointers. The Buffaloes have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up win — and they are just 7-18-1 ATS in their last 26 games after a point spread victory. Furthermore, Colorado has failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 20 road games after a win on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 21 of their last 26 games after winning at least two games in a row. Their win over the Bruins was preceded by a 73-51 upset win at home over Oregon as a 1-point underdog. The Buffaloes have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 13 road games after covering the point spread in two of their last three games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight games after winning their last two contests by double-digits. Despite their recent success, this Colorado team lacks consistent shooters. They stay on the road where they are 5-6 while making only 43% of their shots and a mere 33.3% of their shots from behind the arc. The Buffaloes have been a notorious underachiever away from the high altitude in Boulder that gives them an advantage over their visitors: they are a decisive 18-45-1 ATS in their last 64 road games against teams with a winning record at home. Furthermore, Colorado has failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 16 road games with the Total set in the 140 to 149.5 point range. The Buffaloes have also failed to cover the point spread in 25 of their last 34 road game as an underdog getting 3.5 to 6 points — and this includes them failing to cover the point spread in six of these last seven situations. USC has covered the points spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss — and they have covered the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games after an upset loss to a Pac-12 rival. The Trojans made just 38% of their shots on Wednesday which was the worst shooting effort for them in their last thirteen games. USC has a likely one-and-doner in freshman Kevin Porter, Jr. who has returned to action after serving a suspension for some off-the-court issues for much of the season. This team can still make a push to qualify for postseason tournaments — and, given the quality of competition in the Pac-12, head coach Andy Enfield has to feel that winning the Pac-12 Tournament remains a possibility for his team. The Trojans have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after losing two of their last three games. They stay at home where they are 11-3 this season with an average winning margin of +12.7 PPG. USC makes 47.6% of their shots on their home court — but they thrive with their defensive efforts on their home court where they limit their opponents to just a 38% field goal percentage. Over their last five games, USC has held its opponents to just a 37.7% field goal percentage. Overall, the Trojans have an opponents’ field goal percentage of 41.7% — and these are the type of teams that give the Buffaloes trouble. Colorado has failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 33 games against teams that do not allow their opponents to make more than 42.0% of their shots. USC has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. And in their last 13 home games as a favorite or pick ‘em, the Trojans have covered the point spread in 9 of these games.

FINAL TAKE: Porter has only played in 12 games this season but has played in the last five games for Enfield. Not only does he have the highest upside when it comes to putting the ball in the net for this team, but his presence helps deal with the depth issues the Trojans have encountered this season given the unholy trinity of injuries, suspensions, and transfers. Look for USC to soundly defeat a Colorado team due for a big letdown on the road. 25* CBB Saturday ESPN2 Game of the Year with the USC Trojans (768) minus the points versus the Colorado Buffaloes (767). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:35 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Houston Rockets (532) minus the points versus the Oklahoma City Thunder (531). THE SITUATION: Houston (32-22) has won three straight games with their 127-101 win at Sacramento on Wednesday as a 3.5-point favorite. Oklahoma City (35-19) has won nine of their last ten games with their 117-95 win over Memphis as a 14-point favorite on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE ROCKETS MINUS THE POINTS: Houston is getting into a rhythm now with Chris Paul healthy again and getting back into game shape. Paul’s presence on the court helps the Rockets in two significant ways. First, he is a great ball handler who takes much of the onus off James Harden to take care of these duties. Houston has won the turnover battle in their last three games by +11, +5, +16 margins — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after generating at least a +4 net turnover in at least three straight games. Second, Paul remains an outstanding defensive player. Houston held the Kings to just a 42.9% shooting mark on Wednesday with the at game finishing well the 236 point total. The Rockets have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 22 games after a game that finished Under the Total — and they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 15 games on their home court after a game that finished Under the Total. Houston also gets a boost on defense with the acquisition of Iman Shumpert from the Kings — and he will be available to make his debut with the team tonight. Now after playing their last four games on the road, the Rockets return home where they are 19-8 this season — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Houston is very tough at home in expected close games because Harden’s ability to take over contests typically leads to his team covering point spread expectations. The Rockets have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 11 home games when favored by no more than 6 points — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Furthermore, Houston has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they are 12-5-1 ATS in their last 18 games against fellow Western Conference opponents. Oklahoma City has covered the point spread in five of their last six games — but they may be due for a big letdown now. The Thunder have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games on the road after winning four of their last five games. Oklahoma City has also failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 21 road games after covering the point spread in five or six of their last seven contests. The Thunder are second in the NBA in pace as they average 104 possessions per 48 minutes which is only less than the number of possessions Atlanta sees per game. Over their eight games, OKC has increased their tempo by averaging 105.5 possessions per game. But this does seem to have come at the cost of giving their opponents easier looks as they have seen their last five opponents make 47.6% of their shots. However, pushing the pace plays right into the Rockets hands given their desire to launch tons of 3s — the Thunder have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games against Houston. OKC has played their last two games at home — but now they go back on the road where they are just 16-12 this season.

FINAL TAKE: The Thunder will be looking to avenge a 113-109 upset loss to the Rockets in Houston back on Christmas Day — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 26 of their last 39 opportunities to avenge a same-season loss. 25* NBA Pre-All Star Break Saturday ABC-TV Game of the Year with the Houston Rockets (532) minus the points versus the Oklahoma City Thunder (531). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 2:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Ohio Bobcats (631) and the Miami (OH) Redhawks (632). THE SITUATION: Ohio (11-10) has lost two straight games after their 65-53 loss to Akron last Saturday as a 2-point favorite. Miami (OH) (12-11) has lost two of their last three games with their 70-67 loss at Kent State as a 4-point underdog on Tuesday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bobcats have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a loss by at least 10 points. And while Ohio has only covered the point spread twice in their last twelve games, they have then played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread in six or seven of their last eight games. This team is last in the Mid-American Conference in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and now they go on the road where they are scoring only 59.8 PPG with a low 38.4% field goal percentage. The Bobcats have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total on the road against teams with a winning record at home. Furthermore, Ohio has played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total against fellow MAC opponents. Miami (OH) has seen the Under go 28-11-1 in their last 40 games against conference opponents. The Redhawks have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and the Under is 21-8-1 in their last 30 games after a point spread victory. Additionally, Miami has played 7 straight games at home Under the Total after a loss. This is a team that sacrifices offensive rebounding to get back on defense — they are last in the MAC by pulling down only 24.6% of their missed shots. Over their last five games, the Redhawks are allowing only 60.4 PPG while holding their opponents to just a  39.6% field goal percentage. But during that span, Miami is scoring only 65.4 PPG themselves on 41.5% shooting (and few second-chance opportunities). Now after playing their last two games on the road, the Redhawks return home where they hold their opponents to just 63.8 PPG on 41.3% shooting from the field. Miami has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total on their home court — and they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have seen the Under go 4-0-1 in their last 5 meetings at Miami. Expect another lower scoring game between these two teams. 25* CBB Mid-American Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Ohio Bobcats (631) and the Miami (OH) Redhawks (632). Best of luck for us — Frank.

Our 25* EPL NBC-TV Total of the Month is with Over the Total in the match between Burnley (200065) and Brighton and Hove Albion (200066). Burnley (6-6-13) enters this match coming off a 1-1 draw to Southampton last Saturday. Brighton and Hove Albion (7-6-12) comes off a 0-0 draw at home to Watford last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Burnley is playing better soccer right now as they are unbeaten in their last eight matches in all competitions. The Clarets find themselves 2 points above the relegation zone — so scrapping out at least a point this afternoon would be huge for them. Burnley’s success as of late has come from better goal production — they have found the back of the net 10 times in their last six matches. Stopping the opposition has been the biggest problem for this team as they have surrendered 46 goals in English Premier League play which is the second most of all twenty teams. The Clarets allow their opponents to attempt 18 shots per game — and that number rises to 20.2 shots allowed per game when playing on the road. Both those numbers are the worst in the EPL. Burnley has scored 11 times on the road while conceding 24 goals — and the analytics indicate that these should be higher scoring games with their Expected Goals scored on the road being at 12.14 and the Expected Goals they should have allowed being at 26.17. Don’t be surprised if Chris Wood scores a goal in this match as he registered a goal five times in his last eight matches with Brighton. The Seagulls have lost three of their last five matches in EPL play but they do enter this match with confidence after they defeated West Brom on Wednesday in FA Cup action by a 3-1 score. Manager Chris Hughton rested most of his usual starters in that match so his group should be rested and ready for this showdown. Brighton has only conceded 12 goals when playing at home this season — but the metrics suggest that has been a rather fortunate occurrence since their Expected Goals allowed rests over 25% higher at 16.23. The Seagulls allow 15.4 shots per game which is the second most in the EPL. Brighton is a tough team to beat when playing at home against one of the non-Power Six teams in the league. The Seagulls are 4-3-0 in those seven matches while scoring 9 times for a 2.25 Goals-Per-Game average.

FINAL TAKE: These are the bottom two teams in the league in shots attempted by their opponents. With this being a winnable match for both teams, I expect both sides to be very aggressive in their search for 3 points with a victory. I think both teams score in this contest — with the issue being whether we can see a third goal to secure our winning ticket (versus a push at 2.0). 25* EPL NBC-TV Total of the Month with Over the Total in the match between Burnley (200065) and Brighton and Hove Albion (200066). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Sacramento Kings (516) minus the points versus the Miami Heat (515). THE SITUATION: Sacramento (28-26) saw their three-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday with their 127-101 loss at home to Houston as a 3.5-point underdog. Miami (25-27) snapped their three-game losing streak on Tuesday with their 118-108 upset win at Portland as a 7.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE KINGS MINUS THE POINTS: Sacramento played one of their worst games in weeks on Wednesday. They shot only 42.9% from the field which was the worst field goal percentage for them in four games — and they allowed the Rockets to make 45% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last four contests. The Kings should play much better tonight as they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a double-digit loss. Furthermore, Sacramento has covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games after allowing at least 125 points in their last game. The Kings stay at home where they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games — and they have also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 home games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Additionally, Sacramento has covered the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games against teams with a losing record — and they have covered the point spread in 26 of their last 35 games against Eastern Conference opponents. The Kings will be undermanned tonight as they wait for Harrison Barnes and Alec Burks to join the team after acquiring them both in trades (I am assuming they will not be used tonight). Sacramento dealt Iman Shumpert, Zach Randolph, and Justin Jackson to obtain those two players with the loss of Shumpert being the most significant for tonight since he was a regular starter. The Kings will likely start Bogdan Bogdanovic in Shumpert’s absence while having some solid bench pieces who can take up the slack tonight. Miami is likely more impacted by the moves they made at the trade deadline as they deal both a starting guard in Tyler Johnson along with Wayne Ellington for forward Ryan Anderson from Phoenix who will also not likely suit up tonight. The team also remains without their best go-to scorer in Goran Dragic who is on the shelf with a knee injury. The Heat made 54.2% of their shots in their upset win over the Trail Blazers which was the best offensive effort in their last eight games. But Miami has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after allowing at least 100 points in their last game. The Heat have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning percentage in the 51-60% range. And while the Kings made 46.7% of their shots on the season, Miami has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games in the second half of the season against teams who shoot at least 46% from the field.

FINAL TAKE: The Heat are looking to avenge a 123-113 upset loss at home to the Kings back on October 29th where they were 9-point favorites. But Miami has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games when attempting to avenge an upset loss to their opponent — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games when playing with revenge from a same-season loss. 25* NBA Pre-All Star Break Game of the Year with the Sacramento Kings (516) minus the points versus the Miami Heat (515). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns (864) plus the point(s) versus the Georgia State Panthers (863). Louisiana-Lafayette (12-10) has lost three straight games after their 103-86 loss to Georgia Southern on Wednesday as a 1.5-point underdog. Georgia State (16-7) saw their two-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday with their 82-76 loss at UL-Monroe as a 2.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RAGIN’ CAJUNS PLUS THE POINT(S): Louisiana should respond with a strong effort tonight as they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games at home after a loss to a fellow Sun Belt Conference rival. Additionally, the Ragin’ Cajuns have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after a loss by at least 10 points — and they have covered the point spread in 7 straight home games after a double-digit loss. This Louisiana team was 16-2 last season in conference play before losing in the first round of the Sun Belt Conference opponents. The team has three seniors back from that group in JaKeenan Gant, Malik Marquette and Marcus Stroman that lead the way this season. They have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games on their home court with the Total set in the 160 to 169.5 point range. Georgia State has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after a loss to a Sun Belt rival — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a loss on the road to a conference opponent. Furthermore, the Panthers have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread setback. This team returns four starters from the group that made the NCAA Tournament last season. But this team lacks size — they rank last in the Sun Belt by allowing their opponents to pull down 33.4% of their missed shots. Now Georgia State stays on the road where they have lost six of their seven games this season while having a negative point differential in those contests. The Panthers have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games against teams with a winning record on their home court. Georgia State makes only 44.9% of their shots when playing on the road which is a few notches below their 46.8% season average. The Panthers have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games against Sun Belt Conference rivals.

FINAL TAKE: Louisiana will be playing with revenge on their mind from an 89-76 loss to Georgia State back on January 10th — and the Ragin’ Cajuns have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games when playing with revenge from a double-digit loss. 25* CBB Friday ESPN2 Game of the Year with the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns (864) plus the point(s) versus the Georgia State Panthers (863). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:35 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the San Antonio Spurs (583) and the Portland Trail Blazers (584). THE SITUATION: San Antonio (32-24) saw their five-game winning streak snapped last night with their ugly 141-102 loss at Golden State as a 15.5-point underdog. Portland (32-21) had their three-game winning streak end on Tuesday with their 118-108 upset loss to Miami as a 7.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Spurs rested LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan in that game which contributed to them making only 43.2% of their shots against the Warriors. Both players will be back on the court tonight in this more winnable game than against the defending NBA champions. San Antonio has played 13 of their last 16 games Over the Total when playing without rest. The Spurs have also seen the Over go 11-4-1 in their last 16 games after a straight-up loss — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Toal after a double-digit setback. Furthermore, the Over is 10-0-1 in San Antonio’s last 11 games after allowing at least 125 points in their last contest. The Spurs will likely be without starting point guard Derrick White who is dealing with a right foot injury. San Antonio will miss his versatile play on defense. The Spurs have allowed three of their last five opponents to make at least 55.6% of their shots after the Warriors nailed 57.9% of their field goal attempts. Overall, San Antonio has allowed their last five opponents to make 52.9% of their shots from the field. The Spurs stay on the road where they are scoring 110.9 PPG but surrendering 115.1 PPG. Home hosts are making 48.3% of their shots against San Antonio. The Over is 24-9-2 in their last 35 road games — and the Spurs have seen the Over go 21-5-1 in their 27 road games against teams with a winning record at home. Portland has played 21 of their last 29 games over the Total after a double-digit loss at home. The Trail Blazers made only 45.2% of their shots against the Heat which was the worst shooting effort in their last eight games. Portland stays at home where they are making 47.6% of their shots which translates into 115.9 PPG. Over tier last five games, the Blazers are still making 48% of their shots — but they are also allowing these opponents to shoot 47.1% from the field which is a bit worse than their 45.7% opponent’s field goal percentage for the year. The Over is 6-0-1 in Portland’s last 7 games on their home court — and the Over is also 4-0-1 in their last 5 home games against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road. Additionally, while the Blazers have scored at least 105 points in nineteen straight games, they have then played 21 of their last 29 games Over the Total after scoring at least 105 points in at least five straight games.

FINAL TAKE: Portland will be playing with revenge on their minds after suffering a 131-118 loss to the Spurs back on December 2nd where they made 52.3% of their shots while allowing San Antonio to shoot 60.2% from the field. These two teams have played 22 of their last 30 meetings Over the Total — and this includes them playing twelve of their last sixteen games Over the Total when playing in Portland. 25* NBA Pre-All Star Break Thursday TNT Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the San Antonio Spurs (583) and the Portland Trail Blazers (584). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Delaware Blue Hens (604) plus the points versus the College of Charleston Cougars (603). THE SITUATION: Delaware (14-10) has lost two straight games as well as three of their last four contests after their 84-63 loss at William & Mary on Saturday as a 5.5-point underdog. College of Charleston (18-6) has won four straight contests after their 54-53 win over Towson on Saturday as a 11.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BLUE HENS PLUS THE POINTS: Delaware played one of their worst games of the season on Saturday. They made only 33.9% of their shots which was the worst offensive effort in their last ten games — and they allowed the Pride to make 50.9% of their shots which as the worst defensive performance in their last five games. The Blue Hens should respond with a strong effort tonight as they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 home games after a loss by at least 15 points — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a loss by at least 20 points. Delaware is also a decisive 39-19-3 ATS in their last 61 games after a point spread loss. The Blue Hens have failed to cover the point spread in four straight contests — but they have then covered the point spread in 26 of their last 36 games after failing to cover the point spread in three straight games while also covering the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after failing to cover the point spread in four straight contests. Now after playing their last two games on the road, they return home where they are 8-4 this season where they are making 49.1% of their shots while holding their visitors to just a 42.6% field goal percentage. Delaware has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 home games after losing their last two games against Colonial Athletic Association rivals — and they have also covered the point spread in 16 of their last 22 home games after allowing at least 80 points in their last game. Furthermore, the Blue Hens have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 home games against teams with a winning record on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 20 home games as an underdog or pick ‘em. Charleston has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a game where both teams failed to score more than 65 points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after failing to reach at least the 60 point threshold in their last game. The Cougars have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after winning at least three straight games. Now after playing four straight games at home where they were favored in each game, Charleston goes back on the road where they are just 7-5 this season. The Cougars have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after playing at least two straight games as a home favorite. Charleston’s worse loss of the season was at a James Madison team that metrics guru Ken Pomeroy ranks as just the 279th best team in the nation. The Cougars have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight road games against teams with a winning record at home. Charleston had covered the point spread in three straight games before their narrow win over Towson on Saturday — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after failing to cover the point spread just once in their last four games. And while the Cougars have not allowed more than 59 points in four straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after not allowing more than 60 points in four straight contests.

FINAL TAKE: Delaware will also have revenge on their mind after their 71-58 loss at Charleston back on January 12th. The Blue Hens have covered the point spread in 10 of the last 16 opportunities to avenge a same-season loss. 25* CBB Colonial Athletic Association Underdog of the Year with the Delaware Blue Hens (604) plus the points versus the College of Charleston Cougars (603). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:30 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the California Golden Bears (831) and the Oregon Ducks (832). THE SITUATION: California (5-16) has lost ten straight games after their 84-81 loss at home to Stanford last Sunday as a 4-point underdog. Oregon (13-9) saw their two-game winning streak snapped last Saturday with their 73-51 upset loss at Colorado as a 1-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Golden Bears have played 10 of their last 11 road games Under the Total after a loss to a fellow Pac-12 rival. Cal has also played 10 straight road games Under the Total after losing at least two games in a row. Cal lost seven contributors from last year’s 8-24 team — and they have continued to struggle this season as they are last in the Pac-12 in both Adjusted Offensive Efficiency and with their effective field goal percentage of 45.5%. They have allowed their last three opponents to shoot at least 50% from the field — but they have then played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after allowing their last three opponents to make at least 47% of their shots. Now after playing their last three games at home, the Golden Bears go back on the road where they are 0-9 this season while making just 42.9% of their shots which is resulting in only 67.6 PPG. Cal has played 12 of their last 16 road games Under the Total — and they have played 13 of their last 16 road games Under the Total after playing at least three straight games at home. Furthermore, the Golden Bears have played 12 of their last 15 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court — and they have played 7 of their last 8 road games Under the Total as an underdog getting 12.5 to 18 points. Oregon has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point spread setback. The Ducks have also played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a loss on the road. Now after playing their last two games on the road, Oregon returns home where they are 9-4 this season while holding their opponents to just 64.8 PPG on a low 42.0% field goal percentage. The Ducks have played 7 straight home games Under the Total after playing their last two games on the road. Oregon has also played 24 of their last 33 home games Under the Total after a loss on the road to a Pac-12 rival. The Ducks have been hit hard with injuries this season with the biggest being to Bol Bol who is out the year with a left foot injury. While Dana Altman’s team is back to full strength — save for Bol — the offensive chemistry of this team has been disrupted. Oregon ranks 10th in the Pac-12 in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. But the Ducks have been solid on defense as they rank 5th in the conference in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They have played 8 of their last 10 home games Under the Total as the favorite laying 12.5 to 18 points.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams play at the two slowest paces in the Pac-12 — Cal’s 18.2 seconds per possession in conference action is only quicker than Oregon’s 19.0 seconds per possession. The Ducks do force pressure to create scoring opportunities — they are second in the Pac-12 by forcing turnovers in 24.4% of their conference opponents possessions. But protecting the basketball may be what this Bears team does best as they are second in the conference by only turning the ball over in 15.9% of their possessions in conference play. Expect a slog. 25* CBB Wednesday FS1 Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the California Golden Bears (831) and the Oregon Ducks (832). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:35 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Charlotte Hornets (565) and the Dallas Mavericks (566). THE SITUATION: Charlotte (26-26) has won three of their last four games with their 125-118 win over Chicago on Saturday as a 6.5-point favorite. Dallas (24-28) has won four of their last six games with their 111-98 upset win at Cleveland as a 5.5-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Mavericks have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a double-digit victory — and they have played 6 straight games Under the Total after a point spread win. This team is playing very good defense right now as they have held their last five opponents to just a 41% field goal percentage which has resulted in only 101.1 PPG which is more than 7 points below their 108.7 PPG defensive scoring average. Dallas made a blockbuster trade this week by trading Dennis Smith, Jr. along with Wesley Matthews and DeAndre Jordan to the Knicks for Kristaps Porzingis along with Tim Hardaway and Trey Burke. Losing Jordan along with Matthews will impact the Mavericks’ defensive presence — but integrating Hardaway and Burke into their offensive rotation will take some time. Of course, it has been announced that Porzingis will not take the court this season as he looks to fully recover from his ACL injury from last year. Dallas returns home where they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 6 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road. Furthermore, the Mavericks have played 16 of their last 21 games Under the Total against teams from the Eastern Conference — and they have played 36 of their last 59 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 210 to 219.5 point range. Charlotte has seen the Under go 4-1-1 in their last 6 games after a straight-up loss — and the Under is also 6-2-1 in their last 9 games after allowing at least 100 points in their last game. The Hornets made 52.4% of their shots in their win over the Bulls on Saturday which was the best offensive effort in their last five games. But this remains a team that is scoring 107.0 PPG over their last five games which is more than 4 points below their 111.6 PPG season average. Charlotte is also making only 43.8% of their shots when playing on the road. The Under is 4-1-1 in the Hornets’ last 6 road games against teams with a winning record at home.

FINAL TAKE: Charlotte will be looking to avenge an embarrassing 122-84 loss at home to Dallas back on January 2nd — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total when playing with revenge from a loss at home to their opponent. While the Mavericks are probably not as strong as a defensive team after their trade with the Knicks, I do expect them to struggle on offense as they incorporate Hardaway and Burke into the mix. 25* NBA Pre-All Star Break Non-Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Charlotte Hornets (565) and the Dallas Mavericks (566). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Philadelphia 76ers (554) minus the points versus the Toronto Raptors (553). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (34-19) saw their two-game winning streak snapped on Saturday with their 115-108 upset loss at Sacramento as a 3-point favorite. Toronto (38-16) looks to build off their 121-103 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday as a 9-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE 76ERS MINUS THE POINTS: Philadelphia should bounce-back with a strong effort tonight as they have covered the point spread in 23 of their last 34 games after a loss on the road — and this includes them covering the point spread in ten of these last thirteen situations. The Sixers have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after a point spread setback. Now after playing their last four games on the road, Philadelphia returns home where they are 21-5 this season with an average winning margin of +10.1 PPG. The 76ers have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games after playing at least four straight games on the road. Philly has also covered the point spread in 25 of their last 36 home games against teams with a winning record on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 11 home games in the month of February after last year’s red hot month. The 76ers are very good on offense when playing at home where they are making 48.5% of their shots which translates into 119.1 PPG. Wilson Chandler remains out for two to three weeks with a quad injury but both J.J. Redick and Amir Johnson should be back on the court tonight after both were dealing with nagging injuries. Toronto may be due for a letdown tonight as they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a double-digit victory — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of the last 13 games after a point spread win. Additionally, the Raptors have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 21 games after scoring at least 120 points in their last game. They held the Clippers to just a 42.7% field goal shooting mark which was the best defensive effort in their last six games. Now Toronto goes back on the road where they are just 16-11 this season. The Raptors have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. This team is not at full strength right now with Kyle Lowry doubtful to play tonight as he deals with a sore back. Center Jonas Valunciuanas remains doubtful to play as well as he recovers from his thumb injury. Toronto is making only 43.9% of their shots over their last five contests.

FINAL TAKE: The Raptors will be looking to avenge a 126-101 loss in Philadelphia in the last meeting between these two teams back on December 22nd — but they have not been very reliable when playing with revenge. Toronto has failed to cover the point spread in 27 of their last 41 games when avenging a loss where they allowed at least 110 points — and this includes them failing to cover the point spread in six of these last eight situations. The Raptors have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games when attempting to avenge a loss of at least 20 points. 25* NBA Pre-All Star Break Tuesday ESPN Game of the Year with the Philadelphia 76ers (554) minus the points versus the Toronto Raptors (553). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Drake Bulldogs (615) and the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers (616). THE SITUATION: Drake (17-6) has won five of their last six games with their 68-62 upset victory at Indiana State on Saturday as a 1-point underdog. Loyola-Chicago (14-9) saw their two-game winning streak snapped on Saturday with their 65-57 loss to Illinois State as a 1-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Drake has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. The Bulldogs stay on the road where they are holding their hosts to just a 41.7% field goal percentage. Drake has the best Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in the Missouri Valley Conference — and they have played 6 of their last 7 conference games Under the Total. But the Bulldogs make only 44.7% of their shots away from home as compared to their 47.5% field goal mark for the season. Drake has played 4 straight games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 6 of their last 7 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on their home court. This team has seen their scoring output derailed with the season-ending ACL injury to Nick Norton. The senior guard was the second-leading scorer on the team with a 14.0 PPG scoring average — and by taking 22.2% of the team’s shots for the season, he was taking the second most percentage of shots on the team. Moving forward, the Bulldogs have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Loyola-Chicago has played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games after a point spread setback. The Ramblers have played two straight games where neither team scored more than 65 points. Not only has Loyola-Chicago played 12 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a game where both teams did not score more than 65 points but they have also played 6 straight games Under the Total after playing two straight games where neither team scored at least 65 points. The Ramblers return home where they are 10-3 this season while holding their visitors to just 57.9 PPG on low 40.7% shooting from the field. Loyola-Chicago has played 9 of their last 13 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. Furthermore, the Ramblers have played 12 of their last 17 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60%.

FINAL TAKE: Drake will be looking to avenge an 85-74 loss to Loyola-Chicago back on January 5th. The Bulldogs have played 22 of their last 32 games Under the Total when on the road playing with revenge from a same-season loss. The Under is also 3-1-1 in the last 5 meetings between these two teams on the Ramblers’ home court. 25* CBB Tuesday CBS Sports Network Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Drake Bulldogs (615) and the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers (616). Best of luck for us — Frank.