At 8:35 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Toronto Raptors (703) plus the points versus the Cleveland Cavaliers (704). THE SITUATION: Cleveland (56-35) returns home after taking a 2-0 lead in this series on Thursday with their 128-110 win over the Raptors as a 7-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE TORONTO PLUS THE POINTS: Toronto (63-27) has been humiliated after losing two straight games at home despite being healthy favorites. But I think the pressure is off this team now after being completely discounted by everyone as pretenders to the Eastern Conference championship despite being the top seed after their regular season. The Raptors have now lost eight straight games to the Cavaliers in the playoffs. Yet this remains the only team in the NBA that finished the regular season in the Top Five in both Offensive and Defensive Efficiency. Toronto has bounced-back to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after being upset in two straight games as a home favorite. The Raptors have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after suffering two straight losses. And while Toronto has also lost four of their last six games, they have then covered the point spread in 13 of their last 19 games after losing four or five of their last six games. The Raptors have to limit their turnovers — they have endured a -8 net turnover margin in each of the two games in this series. Toronto has covered the point spread in 6 straight games after having a -7 or worse turnover margin in their last two games. Limiting these transition scoring opportunities will also slow down this Cavs offense that has feasted off too many easy scoring chances. Cleveland shot 59.5% from the field on Thursday which was their best offensive effort in their last 20 games — and it was the Raptors’ worst defensive performance in their last 18 contests.

CONCLUSION: Don’t be surprised if the Raptors pull the upset tonight — but take the points for the nice cushion of insurance. 25* NBA 2nd Round ABC-TV Playoff Game of the Year with the Toronto Raptors (703) plus the points versus the Cleveland Cavaliers (704). 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 Houston Rockets (515) and the Utah Jazz (516). THE SITUATION: Utah (53-37) evened this series at 1-1 with their 116-108 upset win in Houston as a 10.5-point underdog on Wednesday. The Jazz now return home to Salt Lake City to host Game Three tonight.

REASONS TO TAKE THE UNDER: Utah has played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after pulling off an upset win on the road as a double-digit underdog. The Jazz were on-fire with their shooting on Wednesday as they made 15 of their 32 (46.9%) shots from bind the arc. Their 51.8% field goal percentage in that game was their best shooting performance in their last five games. Utah returns home where they have played 13 of their last 20 home games with the Total set in the 200 to 209.5 point range. The Jazz have also played 6 of their last 9 home games as an underdog of 6 points or less. Utah has also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when playing with one day of rest. Houston (70-19) needs to tighten things up on defense after allowing this Jazz team to make at least 50% of their shots in the first two games of this series — and that came after allowing Minnesota to shoot 50.6% from the field in their close out game with the Timberwolves in their previous playoff series. Utah has played 11 of their last 17 games Under the Total after allowing their last two opponents to shoot at least 50% of their shots — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after allowing their last three opponents to shoot at least 50% from the field. Additionally, the Rockets have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 14 of their last 21 games Under the Total after an upset loss as a double-digit favorite at home. Houston goes back on the road after playing their last three games at home — and they have played 10 of their last 11 road games Under the Total after playing their last three games at home. And while the Rockets have scored at least 105 points in five straight games — and they have then played 11 of their last 14 road games Under the Total after scoring at least 105 points in three straight games. Lastly, Houston has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when avenging an upset loss as a double-digit home favorite.

CONCLUSION: Expect the third game of this series to be lowest scoring game so far between these two teams in the playoffs. 25* NBA 2nd Round ESPN Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Houston Rockets (515) and the Utah Jazz (516). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the San Jose Sharks (25) and the Vegas Golden Knights (26). THE SITUATION: San Jose (51-29-10) evened this series at two games apiece on Wednesday with their 4-0 shutout victory over the Golden Knights. This series returns to Las Vegas for this crucial fifth game.

REASONS TO TAKE THE UNDER: The Sharks have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total registering a shutout win at home. San Jose peppered the Knights’ goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury with 34 shots after putting 47 and 42 shots on him in the previous two games in this series. But San Jose has then played 10 of their last 11 games Under the Total after generating at least 33 shots on target in at least three straight games. The Sharks have won two of the last three games in this series — and they have then played 25 of their last 40 games Under the Total after winning two of their last three. Furthermore, San Jose has also played 35 of their last 54 road games Under the Total with the number set at 5.5. Vegas (57-29-7) suffered their first loss in regulation in the playoffs. They have allowed eleven goals over these last three games after winning Game Three of this series by a 4-3 score in overtime. The Golden Knights have played 13 of their last 21 games Under the Total after allowing at least three goals in two straight games — and they have played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total after allowing at least three goals in three straight games. The Under is also 7-2-1 in Vegas’ last 10 games after failing to score more than two goals in their last game. And in their last 8 opportunities to avenge a blowout loss by at least three goals, the Golden Knights have played 6 of these games Under the Total.

CONCLUSION: Expect this important fifth game in this tied series to be played very close to the vest similar to how Vegas played all their games against Los Angeles in the first-round of the playoffs. 25* NHL 2nd Round Playoff Bailout Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the San Jose Sharks (25) and the Vegas Golden Knights (26). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Manchester United (2500) minus the -0.5 Goal-Line versus Brighton and Hove Albion (2501). THE SITUATION: Manchester United (24-5-6) has won two straight matches — as well as seven of their last eight contests — after defeating Arsenal at home last Sunday by a 2-1 score. Brighton (8-13-4) comes off a 0-0 draw at Burnley last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE MAN UNITED MINUS THE GOAL-LINE: Man United still have plenty to play for in this English Premier League season — they are 5 points up on Liverpool in second place on the table with three matches to play. A win or draw combined with a Liverpool draw or loss secures this second place. The Red Devils also need just a win or draw to secure their place in next year’s Championship League. Furthermore, Man United wants to stay in form with a date upcoming at the end of the month with Chelsea to win the FA Cup as the last remaining trophy that Jose Mourinho’s side. The team will be without Romelu Lukaku who was injured in that match against Arsenal — but that ensures that their young forward Marcus Rashford will start in his absence. Frankly, Rashford is a rising star and does not represent much of a decrease in quality at all from Lukaku who does tire from the long season. While Manchester City is rightly receiving all the accolades this season having already secured the EPL Championship, the Red Devils are having a very good season while being on pace to generate enough points that have often won first place in past seasons. They are playing their best at this point with this current winning streak which includes wins over Man City, Tottenham and the Gunners last week. They also want to avoid the stigma of having lost to all three of the promoted clubs this season after already having lost to Huddersfield and Newcastle United. Brighton has played Man United tough this season with a 1-0 loss in November followed up by a 2-0 loss in March in an FA Cup match. Both of those matches were at Old Trafford and now they get to host this match. However, the Seagulls are winless in their last seven matches. Brighton has registered a win against Arsenal and a draw with the Spurs at home this season — but they probably do not have the offensive attack to keep up with the Red Devils who boast the best keeper in the EPL in David de Gea. The Seagulls have only scored 32 goals in the EPL this season which is tied for 4th fewest. They have not scored against Man United and de Gea this season — so one (and certainly two) goals from the Red Devils should secure the victory.

CONCLUSION: Man United is in their best form of the season because Mourinho’s system is really beginning to take hold at the end of his second campaign with the side. Winter transfer moves — particularly the acquisition of Alexis Sanchez — have improved the team. 25* EPL Friday NBC Sports Network Match of the Year with the Manchester United (2500) minus the -0.5 Goal-Line versus Brighton and Hove Albion (2501). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:40 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Nashville Predators (21) and the Winnipeg Jets (22). THE SITUATION: Nashville (58-21-4) scored three goals in the first period but preceded to blow that lead on Tuesday in a 7-4 loss to the Jets. The Predators find themselves down 2-1 in this series while having to play once again in Winnipeg.

REASONS TO TAKE THE UNDER: Nashville has to tighten things up regarding their discipline and play on defense after committing four penalties in the third period with three of them occurring after tying the game at 4-4. The Predators should get better play from goalie Pekka Rinne who has a 1.35 Goals-Against-Average with a .957 save percentage in the last three games in their first-round series with Colorado. The Under is 10-1-1 in Nashville’s last 12 games after allowing at least five goals in their last game. The final two goals by Winnipeg (58-22-11) in Game Three were empty netters. The Predators have also played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total on the road after a game where both teams scored at least three goals. Nashville has also played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total on the road after a loss on the road to a Central Division rival. The Jets have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a win — and they have played 20 of their last 31 games Under the Total after winning six or seven of their last eight games as they have after winning their opening round series against Minnesota in six games. Winnipeg has played 18 of their last 25 games Under the Total after a game where they scored at least six goals. They should get better play from their goaltender Connor Hellebuyck who had a 0.33 GAA along with a .991 save percentage with two shutouts in his last three games of that series with the Wild. And in their last 6 games on their home ice, the Jets have played 5 of these games Under the Total.

CONCLUSION: After high-scoring games in Games Two and Three of this series, expect this fourth game to be a low scoring affair. 25* NHL Central Division Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Nashville Predators (21) and the Winnipeg Jets (22). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:35 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Philadelphia 76ers (509) and the Boston Celtics (510). THE SITUATION: Boston (60-30) won the opening game of this series on Monday with their 117-101 upset win versus Philadelphia (56-32) as a 4.5-point favorite. The Celtics host Game Two.

REASONS TO TAKE THE OVER: Boston has played 4 straight games Over the Total after a double-digit victory. Additionally, the Celtics have played 7 straight games Over the Total after an upset win as a home underdog. Boston has also played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a win on their home court. They held the Sixers to just a 42.2% field goal percentage which was their best defensive effort in their last three games — so that is area that should see some regression. Furthermore, the Celtics have played 13 of their last 16 games Over the Total on their home court. Philadelphia (56-32) made only 5 of their last 26 (19.2%) shots from behind the arc   despite averaging 11 made shots from behind the arc with a 37.4% shooting percentage from 3-point land on the road. Yet despite that poor shooting effort, they still scored 101 points. The 76ers have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total on the road — and they have played 17 of their last 23 road games Over the Total as the favorite. Lastly, Philly has played 23 of their last 34 road games Over the Total with the number set in the 200 to 209.5 point range.

CONCLUSION: Expect another higher-scoring game between these two teams with Philly likely to play much better on offense and Boston happy to play at their pace while launching plenty of 3s. 25* NBA Atlantic Division Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Philadelphia 76ers (509) and the Boston Celtics (510). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the money-line on the San Jose Sharks (18) versus the Vegas Golden Knights (17). THE SITUATION: Vegas (57-28-7) seized a 2-1 lead in this series with their 2-1 win in overtime in the third game of this series on Monday. This series stays in San Jose (50-29-10) for tonight’s Game Four.

REASONS TO TAKE SAN JOSE WITH THE MONEY-LINE: The Sharks showed grit and resolve by rallying from a 3-1 deficit to force overtime on Monday. They could have easily won that game in overtime if not for a fantastic save by Marc-Andre Fleury who robbed Logan Couture of his roaring slap shot over the goaltender’s shoulder. Just over five minutes later, the Golden Knights’ William Karlsson scored on a spectacular slap shot of his own (that should eliminate all doubt that Vegas has superstars of their own despite being an expansion team) to win that game. But look for San Jose to rebound with a strong effort — they have won 20 of their last 29 games after allowing at least four goals in their last contest. The Sharks have also won 7 of their last 9 games after a loss to a Pacific Division rival — and they have also won 4 straight games when that loss was on their home ice. San Jose has still won 8 of their last 10 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. And while the first three games in this series have been Overs, the Sharks have won 6 of their last 8 games after playing three straight Overs. Vegas has lost 6 of their last 8 games after playing a game where both teams scored at least three goals — and they have also lost 9 of their last 14 road games after a game where both teams scored at least three goals. And in their last 6 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home ice, the Golden Knights have lost 4 of these games.

CONCLUSION: Vegas has won five of their six games in these playoffs decided by one goal — and that is a very tough trend to keep up. 25* NHL Pacific Division Game of the Year with the money-line on the San Jose Sharks (18) versus the Vegas Golden Knights (17). 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 Utah Jazz (507) and the Houston Rockets (508). THE SITUATION: Houston (70-18) won the opening game of this series on Sunday by a 110-96 score as an 11.5-point favorite. The Rockets dominated that game from the jump and held a 27-point lead at one point in the first-half while cruising to an easy victory.

REASONS TO TAKE THE UNDER: Utah (52-37) needs to play much better on the defensive end of the court while making adjustments so that Rudy Gobert is roaming the middle again to protect the rim. Gobert did not block a shot on Saturday while Houston and too many easy shot attempts inside. The Jazz have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss. They also have played 12 of their last 17 games Under the Total when playing with two days of rest. Utah did make 50% of their shots in Game One which was the best offensive effort in their last four games. Despite being without Ricky Rubio, the Jazz collected 20 team assists that resulted in 38 field goals in that game — and it is difficult seeing them performing much better on offense despite that only producing 96 points with Rubio out indefinitely with a hamstring injury. Utah has played 4 of their last 5 games on the road Under the Total — and they have played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. Houston nailed 17 of their 32 (53.1%) of their 3-pointers on Saturday so they are due for an appearance from the Regression Gods in that aspect of their hame. The Rockets have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a straight up win — and they have played 18 of their last 26 games Under the Total after a point spread win. Furthermore, Houston has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a double-digit victory. Houston has also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 200 to 209.5 point range. The Rockets have also played 18 of their last 24 home games Under the Total including six of their last seven games against teams with a losing record on the road.

CONCLUSION: The adjustments in Game Two should favor the defensive end of the court for both teams leading to a lower scoring game. 25* NBA 2nd Round Western Conference Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Utah Jazz (507) and the Houston Rockets (508). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:35 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the New Orleans Pelicans (709) plus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (710). THE SITUATION: Golden State (63-25) easily won the opening game of this series on Saturday with their 123-101 win over the Pelicans as a 7.5-point favorite. The Warriors are likely to get Stephen Curry back for Game Two tonight.

REASONS TO TAKE NEW ORLEANS PLUS THE POINTS: Golden State may be due for an emotional letdown — especially with the comfort of Curry returning to the court tonight. As it is, the Warriors have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after a double-digit victory. Golden State has also failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after a point spread victory. The Warriors benefited from getting 21 attempts from the charity stripe: they made 24 of 32 free throws while the Pelicans made 9 of the mere 11 attempts they have from the line. That advantage will not likely continue tonight — and Golden State has failed to cover the point spread in 25 of their last 33 games after a game where they enjoyed at least a 20 shot edge in free throw attempts. Look for New Orleans (52-35) to play much better tonight as they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games when playing with revenge from a loss by at least 20 points. New Orleans shot just 43.8% from the field in that game which was the worst offensive effort in their last thirteen games. This Pelicans team has been playing great basketball having won nine straight games before the loss on Saturday. New Orleans has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 19 road games with the Total set in the 220 to 229.5 point range in expected high scoring games.

CONCLUSION: With Curry back in the mix, the Warriors are laying too many points to a good Pelicans team. 25* NBA Western Conference Underdog of the Year with the New Orleans Pelicans (709) plus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (710). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:10 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the money-line on the San Jose Sharks (18) versus the Vegas Golden Knights (17). THE SITUATION: San Jose (50-28-10) evened this series at one game apiece on Saturday with their 4-3 win in double-overtime in Las Vegas. The Sharks return home with this series tied at one game apiece.

REASONS TO TAKE SAN JOSE WITH THE MONEY-LINE: The Sharks should build off the momentum of their climactic win as they have won 10 of their last 13 games off a win. They get Evander Kane back in this game after he was suspended for Game Two with an illegal cross-check to the face in Game One. Going from almost down 0-2 in this series to tied at 1-1 with Kane back on the ice. He scored three times in the first round of the playoffs after registering 14 points in seventeen games since being acquired from Buffalo at the trade deadline. The Sharks are tough at home where they have won 7 of their last 9 games along with winning 8 of their last 9 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. And while San Jose has allowed ten goals in their last two games, they have then won 10 of their last 11 home games after allowing at least three goals in two straight games. Vegas will be facing adversity for the first time perhaps all season after committing eleven penalties including two in that second overtime period to put the Sharks in a position to win that game. The Golden Knights have lost 4 of their last 5 games after a loss to a Pacific Division rival in their last game. Vegas has also lost 4 of their last 5 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home ice.

CONCLUSION: 25* NHL Western Conference Game of the Month with the money-line on the San Jose Sharks (18) versus the Vegas Golden Knights (17). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:40 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the money-line on the Arizona Diamondbacks (910) versus the Los Angeles Dodgers (909) listing both starting pitchers Zack Greinke and Ross Stripling. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (12-15) has lost five of the last six games after a 4-2 loss in San Francisco yesterday. They travel to Arizona (19-8) to face a Diamondbacks team that had won three straight before losing in Washington yesterday by a 3-1 score.

THE REASONS TO TAKE ARIZONA WITH THE MONEY-LINE: The Diamondbacks have bounced-back to win 7 straight games after a loss. Arizona returns home where they have won 7 of their last 9 games. They give the ball to Greinke who is 2-2 with a 4.80 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP in five starts this season. The right-hander has been much better at home in two starts so far this year where he has a 1.42 ERA, 0.71 WHIP and .178 opponent’s batting average as compared to his 7.27 ERA, 1.44 WHIP and .324 opponent’s batting average in three road starts. These disparate home/road splits are consistent with last year as he had a 2.87 ERA with a 0.96 WHIP and .209 opponent’s batting average at home versus a 3.65 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and .256 opponent’s batting average when on the road. The Diamondbacks have won 22 of their last 30 home games with Greinke on the mound. Los Angeles (12-15) has lost 27 of their last 40 games after a loss. They also have lost 4 of their last 5 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. They turn to Ross Stripling to make his first start of the season after pitching 14 1/3 innings out of the pen. Last year, Stripling had a 5.56 ERA with a 1.29 WHIP and .265 opponent’s batting average on the road as compared to his 2.23 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and .230 opponent’s batting average at home. The Dodgers have lost 5 of their last 7 games when Stripling is making a spot start. LA will likely turn to their bullpen early tonight — and that group has an ERA of 7.59 along with a 1.83 WHIP over the last seven days.

CONCLUSION: Greinke offers us nice value at home against a slumping Dodgers team using a pitcher more comfortable coming out of the bullpen. 25* MLB National League Game of the Month with the money-line on the Arizona Diamondbacks (910) versus the Los Angeles Dodgers (909) listing both starting pitchers Zack Greinke and Ross Stripling. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Philadelphia 76ers (555) and the Boston Celtics (556). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (56-31) gets back to the court for the first time since last Tuesday when they eliminated Miami in five games with their 104-91 victory as a 10-point favorite. Boston (59-30) has a quick turnaround after defeating Milwaukee on Saturday in Game Seven of that series by a 112-96 score as a 5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE OVER: Philadelphia (56-31) played their best defensive game in terms of opponent field goal percentage in their last game by holding the Heat to just a 38.6% shooting percentage. That defensive effort helped that game finish below the 215.5 point Total — but the 76ers have played 28 of their last 43 road games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Under the Total. Philadelphia has also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total when playing with at least three days of rest. And in their last 22 road games as the favorite, the 76ers have played 16 of these games Over the Total. Boston (59-30) should come out smoking in regards to their shooting after making 53.6% of their shots on Saturday. The Celtics have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total when playing with one day of rest — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after scoring at least 100 points in their last game. Additionally, Boston has 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total after a double-digit win at home. And in their last 8 games on their home court, the Celtics have played 7 of these games Over the Total.

CONCLUSION: While the Total for this game is dropping after initially being installed at 210, that line movement is going the wrong way. The Celtics will be without Jaylen Brown who is dealing with a hamstring injury — but it is his absence which has led to the line dropping. 25* NBA Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Philadelphia 76ers (555) and the Boston Celtics (556). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:07 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the money-line on the New York Yankees (977) versus the Los Angeles Angels (978) listing both starting pitchers C.C. Sabathia and Tyler Skaggs. THE SITUATION: New York (17-9) has won eight straight games after their 11-1 win over the Angels yesterday. Los Angeles (16-11) has now dropped three straight games.

THE REASONS TO TAKE THE YANKEES WITH THE MONEY-LINE: New York should build off their momentum as they have won 6 straight games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. The Yankees are also getting great production from their bullpen that has a 1.56 ERA over their last five games — and NY has won 36 of their last 50 games when their bullpen as an ERA of 2.00 or better in their last five games. They give the ball to Sabathia who is 1-0 with a 1.86 ERA and 0.98 WHIP in four starts this season. The left-hander makes his second start on the road where he had a 3.18 ERA last year as compared to his 4.20 ERA when at home. The Yankees have won 14 of their last 19 games with Sabathia facing a team with a winning record. Los Angeles has lost 5 of their last 6 games after allowing at least five runs in their last game. New York is 6-4 on the road — and the Angels have lost 10 of their last 11 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Skaggs has an 8.00 ERA with a 1.78 WHIP and .325 opponent’s batting average in two starts at home as compared to his outstanding 0.49 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and .179 WHIP in three starts on the road. These disparate home/road splits are consistent with last season where the left-hander had a 4.78 ERA and .282 opponent’s batting average at home versus his 4.32 ERA and .264 opponent’s batting average when on the road. LA has lost 6 of their last 8 home games with Skaggs facing a team with a winning record.

CONCLUSION: The Yankees have the momentum and the edge at starting pitcher making them a great value at this price tonight. 25* MLB Sunday Night Baseball ESPN Game of the Month with the money-line on the New York Yankees (977) versus the Los Angeles Angels (978) listing both starting pitchers C.C. Sabathia and Tyler Skaggs. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Winnipeg Jets (13) and the Nashville Predators (14). THE SITUATION: Winnipeg (57-21-11) seized home ice advantage in this series by stealing Game One of this series by a 4-1 score. Game Two will played again in Nashville.

THE REASONS TO TAKE THE OVER: Nashville (57-20-4) will be desperate to even this series at 1-1 to avoid traveling to Winnipeg trailing by two games. The Predators have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total when avenging a loss by at least three goals to their opponent. Nashville has also played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total after failing to score more than two goals in their last game. Additionally, while the Predators have played four straight games Under the Total, they have then played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total after playing at least four straight Unders. And in their last 7 games at home, Nashville has played 5 of these games Over the Total. Winnipeg (57-21-11) has played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total after a win by at least three goals over a Central Division rival — and they have played 4 of their last 6 games Over the Total when scoring at least four goals in a win over a divisional rival. The Jets have only allowed one goal in their last three games — but they have then played 24 of their last 38 games Under the Total after allowing two goals or less in three straight games while also playing 4 straight games Over the Total after not allowing more than one goal in three straight contests.

CONCLUSION: Nashville had 48 shots on net on Friday — maintaining that pressure again should ensure their share of goals. 25* NHL Central Division Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Winnipeg Jets (13) and the Nashville Predators (14). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:10 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the money-line on the Washington Capitals (12) versus the Pittsburgh Penguins (11). THE SITUATION: Pittsburgh (52-31-6) rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the 3rd period by scoring three times in a 4:49 minute span to steal Game One of this series by a 3-2 score on Thursday. The Penguins have the opportunity to return home up 2-0 in this series this afternoon. Evgeni Malkin has missed the last two games in this series and remains a game-time decision.

REASONS TO TAKE WASHINGTON WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Pittsburgh was outplayed for most of Game One as they were outshot by a 34 to 25 margin. The Penguins will be playing their third straight game on the road after they closed out their six-game series with the Flyers in Philadelphia. Pittsburgh has lost 13 of their last 17 games when playing their third straight game on the road — and they have also lost 3 straight games after winning their last two games away from home. Additionally, the Penguins have lost 5 of their last 7 games after not allowing more than two goals in their last game. And in their last 5 games when playing with two days of rest, Pittsburgh has lost 4 of these games. Washington (53-29-7) is, if anything, proving themselves resilient this postseason after losing the first two games in their previous series with Columbus at home and in overtime before winning the next four games to close out that series. The Capitals have won 10 of their last 15 games after a loss at home. Washington has also won 17 of their last 24 games when avenging a same-season loss — and they have won 11 of their last 14 games when playing with revenge from a one-goal loss. The Caps have also won 22 of their last 30 games after winning three of their last four games.

CONCLUSION: Washington has lost to the Penguins in each of the last two postseasons in two long series — and they do have a case that they might have been the second-best team in the NHL to Pittsburgh in both season. 25* NHL Metropolitan Division Game of the Month with the money-line on the Washington Capitals (12) versus the Pittsburgh Penguins (11). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Indiana Pacers (705) and the Cleveland Cavaliers (706). THE SITUATION: Indiana (51-37) forced a climactic seventh game in this series on Friday when they destroyed the Cavaliers by a 121-87 score as a 1.5-point favorite. Game Seven returns to Cleveland (53-35).

REASONS TO TAKE THE UNDER: Indiana made 15 of their 30 shots from behind the arc en route to their 56.3% field goal percentage on Friday which was the best shooting performance in their last 58 games. Expect those numbers to decline significantly when playing on the road under the pressure of a Game Seven. As it is, the Pacers shoot only 46.8% with a 36.2% mark from 3-point land when on the road. The Under is 19-6-1 in Indiana’s last 26 games on the road. Indiana has also played 12 of their last 13 games Under the Total after scoring at least 120 points in their last game. Furthermore, the Pacers have played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 16 of their last 21 games Under the Total after a point spread win. Additionally, Indiana has played 16 of their last 22 games Under the Total when playing with one day of rest. Cleveland has played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total when playing with one day of rest. Additionally, the Cavs have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after both a straight-up loss as well as a point spread loss. Cleveland should play better on defense after enduring their highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last 35 games. The Cavs have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after allowing at least 100 points in their last game. But while Cleveland shot just 41.8% from the field on Friday, that was actually a better shooting mark than their 41.3% field goal percentage at home in Game Five. The Cavaliers have played 4 straight home games Under the Total.

CONCLUSION: The Under is 7-1-1 in the last 9 games between these two teams — including going 3-0-1 in the last 4 games played in Cleveland. Expect these team trends to continue this afternoon. 25* NBA 1st Round ABC-TV Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Indiana Pacers (705) and the Cleveland Cavaliers (706). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:35 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the New Orleans Pelicans (551) and the Golden State Warriors (552). THE SITUATION: New Orleans (52-34) reached the Western Conference Semifinals by sweeping Portland in four games after their 131-123 win last Saturday. Golden State (62-25) defeated San Antonio in five games with their 99-91 win over the Spurs on Tuesday. Stephen Curry took part in practice to prepare for this game but he is officially listed as questionable.

REASONS TO TAKE THE OVER: The Pelicans were unstoppable on offense against the Trail Blazers as they made 57% of their shots in their close out game which was their third straight game where they made at least 51.2% of their shots. New Orleans has played 11 of their last 15 games Over the Total after shooting at least 50% from the field in two straight games. The Pelicans have also played 20 of their last 31 games Over the Total after allowing at least 115 points in their last game — and they have played 16 of their last 24 games Over the Total after a game where at least 235 combined points were scored. Furthermore, New Orleans has played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record. The extended break should help the Pelicans offensive flow as well — they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total when playing with at least three days of rest. Golden State (62-25) has played 12 of their last 20 games Over the Total when playing with at least three days of rest. And while the Warriors have not covered the point spread in two straight games, they have then played 16 of their last 27 games Over the Total after failing to cover the point spread in two straight games. Additionally, the Over is 4-1-1 in Golden State’s last 6 games on their home court. And in their last 7 games in the Western Conference Semifinals, they have played 5 of these games Over the Total.

CONCLUSION: Even if Curry does not play tonight, the Warriors should be quite content to engage the Pelicans in an up-tempo game in which they feel they have the advantage over every team in the league. 25* NBA Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the New Orleans Pelicans (551) and the Golden State Warriors (552). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the San Jose Sharks (89) and the Vegas Golden Knights (90). THE SITUATION: Vegas (56-27-7) blew out the Sharks in the opening game of this series by a 7-0 score on Thursday. San Jose will be without Evander Kane tonight after he was suspended for a cross-check to the face of Pierre-Edouard Bellemare.

THE REASONS TO TAKE THE UNDER: The Sharks will tighten things up on defense after their embarrassing effort on Thursday where they were caught by surprise by the speed of the Golden Knights. San Jose has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after allowing at least five goals in their last game. Goalie Martin Jones was pulled after allowing five goals on just 13 shots in that game. However, Jones had a 0.99 Goals-Against-Average along with a .966 save percentage during the regular season in games following a contest where he was pulled — so he should play very well tonight. The Sharks have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a loss by at least three goals — and they have played 8 straight games Under the Total on the road after a loss by at least two goals. They will miss Kane who registered 14 points in the 17 games he played with the team since being acquired from Buffalo — and he scored three goals with one assist in the first-round of the playoffs. San Jose has also played 14 of their last 19 road games Under the Total when playing no more than their 5th game in fourteen days. Vegas (56-27-7) might be without Bellemare tonight given that injury which will hurt their Power Play Unit. The Golden Knights have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after scoring at least five goals in their last game — and they have played 13 of their last 17 home games Under the Total after a game where at least seven combined goals were scored. Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury is playing as well as he has any time in his career with two straight shutouts. He has a .982 save percentage in the playoffs. The Under is 7-2-1 in Vegas’ last 10 games after not allowing more than two goals in their last game. The Knights have also played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total at home.

CONCLUSION: The Total has moved to 5.5 for this game after Vegas played their first five games in these playoffs with the Total just at 5. The Golden Knights scored only seven total goals in their four games against Los Angeles while surrendering only three goals. 25* NHL NBC-TV Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the San Jose Sharks (89) and the Vegas Golden Knights (90). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Boston Celtics (702) minus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (701). THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (47-41) forced a climactic seventh game in this series with their 97-86 victory over the Celtics on Thursday as a 4.5-point favorite. Game Seven returns to Boston’s TD Garden.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CELTICS MINUS THE POINTS: Milwaukee has not been consistent from game-to-game as of late as they 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 9 of their last 13 games after a point spread victory. The Bucks have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a double-digit win on their home court. And while Milwaukee has won three of their last four games in this series, they are likely due for a letdown now as they have failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 25 games after winning three of their last four contests. This Bucks team remains inconsistent on offense especially on the road where they shot just 36.8% in Game Five. Milwaukee has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games away from home. Boston (58-30) should bounce-back with a strong effort as they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered then point spread in 11 of their last 13 games after a loss on the road. They have also covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a double-digit loss. Boston has also been quite reliable when playing with revenge as they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 24 games when avenging a loss — and this includes covering the point spread in nine straight games after losing by at least 10 points to their opponent in their last game. The Celtics should shoot better at home where their younger players like Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Terry Rozier tend to play better. Boston made just 37% of their shots on Thursday which was the worst offensive effort in their last ten games. The Celtics have covered the point spread in 4 straight games at home.

CONCLUSION: Boston has two distinct advantages in this seventh game in head coach Brad Stevens and the roster with more playoff experience. When adding their home court advantage in front of what should be a raucous crowd, they should cover the point they are being asked to lay. 25* NBA 1st Round TNT Playoff Game of the Year with the Boston Celtics (702) minus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (701). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Indiana Pacers (512) minus the points versus the Cleveland Cavaliers (511). THE SITUATION: Cleveland looks to close this series out tonight after winning Game Five of this series by a 98-95 score as a 6.5-point favorite on Wednesday. The Cavaliers have won three of the last four games in this series — all by 4 points or less — after losing Game One by 18 points. But it took a botched missed goaltending by LeBron James on Victor Oladipo combined with James nailing a game-winning 3-point shot at the buzzer to escape Cleveland with the 3-2 series lead.

THE REASONS TO TAKE INDIANA MINUS THE POINTS: This Cavaliers team looks like the ones that lacked supporting talent fro James in his first run in Cleveland that compelled to bolt for Miami. This team has been inconsistent by failing to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up win. The Cavs have also struggled away from home where the supporting cast for James tends to play worse. Cleveland has failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 20 road games against teams with a winning record at home. And while the Cavaliers have six straight Unders, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 23 road games after playing at least two straight games that finished Under the Total. Indiana may have lost two straight as well as three of their last four games but all three of those losses were by 4 points or less. Nate McMillan’s team should bounce-back with a strong effort as they have covered the point spread in 7 straight games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games are losing two straight games by 6 points or less. The Pacers have also covered the point spread in 20 of their last 29 home games when playing with revenge. Additionally, Indiana has a nice home court advantage as they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games at home — and they have also covered the point spread in 13 of their last 18 home games as a favorite of no more than 6 points. The Pacers have also covered the point spread in 11 of their last 13 home games after losing three of their last four games.

CONCLUSION: Indiana entered this series confident after winning three of their four meetings with the Cavaliers in the regular season. This Pacers team feels even better about themselves now. Expect Indiana to force a decisive seventh game with James perhaps conserving energy for that climactic game back in Cleveland. 25* NBA Central Division Game of the Year with the Indiana Pacers (512) minus the points versus the Cleveland Cavaliers (511). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:10 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the San Jose Sharks (81) and the Vegas Golden Knights (82). THE SITUATION: Both these teams come off 4-0 sweeps in the first-round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. San Jose (49-27-10) swept the Ducks after closing out that series last Wednesday with their 2-1 win in Anaheim. Vegas (55-27-7) proved that their regular season was no fluke by sweeping the Kings after defeating them last Tuesday by a 1-0 score.

THE REASONS FOR TAKING THE UNDER: Both these teams may be rusty since they are playing with seven days and eight days off since their last game. The risk of rust will likely compel both teams to play cautiously in this opening game. The Sharks have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing with at least three days of rest between contests while the Golden Knights have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when playing with at least three days of rest. Both these teams have hot goalies with Marc-Andre Fleury posting a 0.65 Goals-Against-Average with a .977 save percentage in the LA series for Vegas while Martin Jones allowed only four goals in four games against the Ducks while registering a .970 save percentage for San Jose. The Under is 4-1-1 in the Sharks’ last 6 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. Vegas has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total on their home ice. The Under is also 7-1-1 in their last 9 games after failing to score more than two goals in their last game. Furthermore, the Under is 7-1-1 in the Golden Knights’ last 9 games after allowing no more than two goals in their last game — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after shutting out their opponent in their last game.

CONCLUSION: These are two teams very comfortable in playing low-scoring games. 25* NHL Bailout Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the San Jose Sharks (81) and the Vegas Golden Knights (82). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Boston Celtics (501) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (502). THE SITUATION: Boston (58-29) looks to close out this series tonight on the road in perhaps the last game ever to be played in the Bradley Center after taking a 3-2 lead in this series by a 92-87 score as a 4.5-point favorite. The Celtics got Marcus Smart back in that game and not only is one of the team’s best defensive players but he has been described as “kind of like the soul of our team” by fellow veteran Al Horford.” Milwaukee (46-41) returns home as the favorite looking to stave off elimination and force a decisive seventh game of this series.

THE REASONS TO TAKE THE CELTICS PLUS THE POINTS: Boston should build off their momentum from Tuesday night’s win as they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games after a win by 6 points or less. The insertion of Smart into the rotation is very significant as he can defend the Bucks’ Khris Middleton who has been one of Milwaukee’s two consistent offensive players in this series. The other reliable offensive player for the Bucks has been Giannis Antetokounmpo — but Brad Stevens made an interesting switch in Game Five by starting his rookie big man Semi Ojeleye to defend the Greek Freak. Ojeleye played 40 possessions on Antetokounmpo which accounted for half the game while holding him to a series-low 16 points. Ojeleye’s insertion into the lineup is a game-changer for the Celtics as it created smaller lineups with Greg Monroe pushed out the rotation while Stevens avoided playing Aron Bynes along with Al Horford at the same time. These moves gave the Celtics flexibility on defense for the first time in this series as all five players on the court could switch of screens without needing help. Stevens’ gives Boston a significant edge in tactics over Milwaukee’s interim head coach Joe Prunty who is more limited in what adjustments he can make for Game Six. Stevens helps keep his team competitive in most of Boston’s games as they have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 26 games as an underdog whole also covering the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games when getting 3.5 to 9.5 points. The Celtics have also covered the point spread in 28 of their last 42 games on the road while also covering the point spread in 8 of their 9 games in Milwaukee. This Bucks team simply is not that good — they were outscored this season by -0.3 PPG which is rare for a playoff team. It is telling that Milwaukee has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. This Bucks team has also failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 22 games off a loss on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 24 of their last 40 games when playing with same-season revenge. And home court has been an issue for this team as they are just 3-12-1 ATS in their last 16 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Milwaukee has also failed to cover the point spread in 23 of their last 33 home games as the favorite including failing to cover the point spread in fifteen of their last nineteen home games when laying 6 or less points.

CONCLUSION: The Bucks benefitted from role players stepping up in the two previous games at home in this series but the pressure of an elimination game will likely make things more difficult for inconsistent players like Jabari Parker and Thon Maker. Even with their injuries, this Celtics team has more playoff experience on their rotation which should help them give them a legitimate shot to win this game outright — making the points as the underdog a nice cushion. 20* NBA  Thursday Daily Discounted Deal with the Boston Celtics (501) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (502). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Boston Celtics (501) and the Milwaukee Bucks (502). THE SITUATION: Boston (58-29) looks to close out this series tonight on the road in perhaps the last game ever to be played in the Bradley Center after taking a 3-2 lead in this series by a 92-87 score as a 4.5-point favorite. The Celtics got Marcus Smart back in that game and not only is one of the team’s best defensive players but he has been described as “kind of like the soul of our team” by fellow veteran Al Horford.” Milwaukee (46-41) returns home as the favorite looking to stave off elimination and force a decisive seventh game of this series. The Celtics and Bucks had played five straight and eight straight Overs respectively before Game Five finished below the Total that closed in the 202.5 range.

THE REASONS TO TAKE THE UNDER: Boston has played 24 of their last 35 games Under the Total after allowing 90 points or less in their last game. The Celtics have also played 15 of their last 19 Game Sixes in the NBA Playoffs Under the Total — so their history suggests a lower scoring defensive struggle. The insertion of Smart into the rotation is very significant as he can defend the Bucks’ Khris Middleton who has been one of Milwaukee’s two consistent offensive players in this series. The other reliable offensive player for the Bucks has been Giannis Antetokounmpo — but Brad Stevens made an interesting switch in Game Five by starting his rookie big man Semi Ojeleye to defend the Greek Freak. Ojeleye played 40 possessions on Antetokounmpo which accounted for half the game while holding him to a series-low 16 points. Ojeleye’s insertion into the lineup is a game-changer for the Celtics as it created smaller lineups with Greg Monroe pushed out the rotation while Stevens avoided playing Aron Bynes along with Al Horford at the same time. These moves gave the Celtics flexibility on defense for the first time in this series as all five players on the court could switch of screens without needing help. Milwaukee had shot at least 52.1% from the field in Games Two through Four in this series but those look like outlier performances to the 109 Points Per 100 Possession scoring rate that ranked 13th in the NBA during the regular season. I expect points to be hard to come by again for this team. The Bucks have played 5 of their last 8 games Under the Total after scoring no more than 90 points in their last game — and they have played 4 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a game where no more than 185 combined points were scored. Prunty does have this team playing better defense. The Celtics shot 42% from the floor in their winning effort on Tuesday which was their highest field goal percentage in their last three games.

CONCLUSION: Expect the pressure of a elimination/close out game to negatively impact the shooting of both these teams — and with the Total still in the low 200s, the line has not adjusted to what looks to be the new reality of this series. 25* NBA 1st Round Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Boston Celtics (501) and the Milwaukee Bucks (502). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Pittsburgh Penguins (87) and the Washington Capitals (88). THE SITUATION: Pittsburgh (51-31-6) advanced to the second round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs by knocking off the Flyers in six games culminating in an 8-5 win in Philadelphia on Sunday. Washington (53-28-7) rallied from an 0-2 deficit by winning four straight games against the Blue Jackets by closing that series out in Columbus on Monday with a 6-3 win. These two teams have faced off in each of the last two postseasons with the Penguins winning both times en route to winning the Stanley Cup.

REASONS WHY TO TAKE THE UNDER: Both these veteran playoff teams tend to play cautiously in the opening games of a new playoff series. Pittsburgh has played 11 of their last 14 opening games to a new series Under the Total while Washington has played 16 of their last 23 opening games to a new series Under the Total. The Penguins look due for an Under after that high-scoring closeout game against the Flyers as the Under is 3-0-2 in their last 5 games after scoring at least five goals in their last game while the Under is also 5-1-1 in their last 7 games after allowing at least five goals in their last game. Pittsburgh will also be undermanned at the forward position with both Evgeni Malkin and Carl Hagelin out for this contest with injuries which decimates their second line. Washington has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after winning at least four in a row — and they have also played 15 of their last 23 games Under the Total after a win on the road by at least three goals. The Capitals have also played 8 of their last 10 home games Under the Total with the Total set at 6 or higher. CONCLUSION: These two teams have played 4 of their last 5 meetings Under the Total. With the Total set at 6 for this opening game, expect a lower scoring game to contrast the high scoring game both teams closed out their previous series with. 25* NHL Metropolitan Division Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Pittsburgh Penguins (87) and the Washington Capitals (88). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:35 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Minnesota Timberwolves (713) plus the points versus the Houston Rockets (714). Houston (68-18) was only leading by a 50-49 score at halftime on Monday in Game Four of this series — but they scored a historic 50 points in the 3rd quarter en route to their 119-100 win over the Timberwolves as a 6-point favorite. Most pundits declared this series over after that outburst of scoring. The Rockets nailed 9 of their 13 shots from behind the arc while making 60.9% of their shots in those decisive 12 minutes of play. But the problem for this Houston team is that they are likely to think this series is now over after that one good quarter. However, keep in mind that the Rockets made only 7 of their 30 attempts from behind the arc in those remaining three quarters for a meager 23.3% shooting clip. That is not a good sign for a team already susceptible to letdowns. Houston has failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 32 home games after a win by at least 15 points. The Rockets have also failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 22 home games after scoring at least 115 points in their last game. Furthermore, while the Houston forced 16 turnovers on Monday while committing just 6 themselves, they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after committing at least 10 fewer turnovers than their opponents in their last game.

Minnesota (48-38) may be down 3-1 in this series but they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after losing three of their last four. This team can still find confidence in their Game Three 121-106 victory over the Rockets as well of their solid first-half effort on Monday before they perhaps let up a bit in their intensity which helped Houston score that barrage of points. The Timberwolves have been playing very good on defense as they have held their last five opponents to just a 43.5% field goal percentage. Minnesota now goes back on the road where they have covered the point spread in 22 of their last 33 road games as an underdog in the 6.5 to 12 point range. And in their last 12 opportunities to avenge a loss at home, the Timberwolves have covered the point spread in 8 of these games. 25* NBA 1st Round Playoff Underdog of the Year with the Minnesota Timberwolves (713) plus the points versus the Houston Rockets (714). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Toronto Maple Leafs (25) and the Boston Bruins (26). Toronto (52-29-5) forced a decisive seventh game in this series on Monday with their 3-1 victory at home over the Bruins. Expect Mike Babcock to instruct his team to play disciplined and controlled hockey in this climactic game since surrendering a goal or two to the Bruins on their home ice could be the recipe for this game quickly spiraling out of hand. As it is, the Under is 4-0-1 in the Maple Leafs last 5 games after a victory. The Under is also 2-0-2 in Toronto’s last 4 games after allowing two goals or less in their last contest. And in their last 8 games after a win by at least two goals against an Atlantic Division rival, they have then played 5 of their last 8 games Under the Total. The Maple Leafs are getting great goaltending from their veteran Frederick Andersen who has stopped 74 of the 78 shots he has faced in the last two games of this series. But Andersen has been helped by his teammates blocking 45 shots in these last two games as they begin to appreciation the need for defense in desperation elimination game situations in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.



Boston (56-23-9) has seen the Under go 3-1-1 in their last 5 games against an opponent that allowed no more than two goals in their last game. Additionally, the Bruins have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when avenging a loss by at least two goals against their opponent. And while Boston has lost two of their last three games, they have then played 15 of their last 22 games Under the Total after losing two of their last three games. And in their last 30 games against Atlantic Division foes, the Bruins have played 20 of these games Under the Total. Their top line has been slowed down to an injury to Patrice Bergeron over these last two games yet — that top forward group of Bergeron along with Brad Marchand and David Patrnak have not registered a point in the last two games of this series. Lastly, in their last 8 Game Sevens in the NHL Playoffs, Boston has played 5 of these games Under the Total. 25* NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Game Seven O/U Special Feature with Under the Total in the game between the Toronto Maple Leafs (25) and the Boston Bruins (26). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:45 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Washington Nationals (953) and the San Francisco Giants (954) listing both starting pitchers Max Scherzer and Jeff Samardzija. Washington (10-14) has lost four straight games after their 4-3 loss in Game Two of this series against the Giants. The Nationals are swinging cold bats right now as they are scoring only 3.3 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven contests with a .211 batting average along with a .285 On-Base Percentage and a .589 OPS over that span. These cold bats have helped Washington play four straight Unders — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after playing their last two games Under the Total. The Nationals have not committed an error in the field in five straight games — and they have then played 39 of their last 63 games Under the Total after not committing an error in at least two straight games. Washington has also played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total when playing as a road favorite with double-revenge on their minds. They send out Scherzer who is 4-1 with a 1.36 ERA and a 0.76 WHIP in five starts this season. The right-hander was more effective on the road last year where he enjoyed a 1.82 ERA along with a 0.81 WHIP and .156 opponent’s batting average as compared to his 3.25 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and .200 opponent’s batting average when at home. Scherzer was also better in day games where he sported a 1.90 ERA, 0.77 WHIP and .140 opponent’s batting average as compared to his 2.72 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and .191 opponent’s batting average at night. Washington has seen the Under go a decisive 31-14-6 in their last 51 games on the road. The Nationals have also seen the Under go 5-1-1 in their last 7 games with Scherzer on the mound on the road. He should fare well against this San Fran team that has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower. The Under is also 15-5-1 in the Giants’ last 21 games against right-handed starting pitchers.

San Francisco (11-12) has won three straight games while hammering home runs in seven straight contests — but they will be facing a starting pitcher in Max Scherzer who has only allowed two homers this season. Despite this home runs, the Giants are scoring only 4.0 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games which is only a slight tick above the 3.2 Runs-Per-Game rate for the season. They are also hitting only .235 with a .292 On-Base Percentage and a .716 OPS over these last seven contests. The Under is 35-16-4 in their last 55 games after a win — and they have also played 36 of their last 54 games Under the Total after a win by just one run. San Fran has also only played 6 of their last 8 home games Under the Total against teams with a losing record. They counter with Jeff Samardzija who did not allow an earned run in 5 innings of work in his first start of the season on Friday on Los Angeles against the Angels. The right-hander started the season on the Disabled List with a pectoral injury but looked very good in that start. Last season, Samardzija was more effective at home where he owned a 3.97 ERA and .251 opponent’s batting average as compared to his 4.81 ERA and .258 opponent’s batting average when on the road. Samardzija struggled with giving up too many home runs last year — particularly in hitter’s parks like Colorado and Arizona. But he also struck out batters 24.2% of the time while only issuing walks in a career-low 3.8% of his batters faced. Those peripherals help explain why both his SIERA and xFIP project an ERA of 3.63 and 3.60 off this 2017 numbers. Samardzija was also better during day games where hewed a 1.08 WHIP and .239 opponent’s batting average as compared to his 1.17 WHIP and .269 opponent’s batting average at night. The Giants have played 17 of their last 23 games Under the Total with Samardzija pitching as an underdog. San Fran has also played 18 of their last 24 games Under the Total with Samardzija pitching with four days of rest. 25* MLB Getaway Game Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Washington Nationals (953) and the San Francisco Giants (954) listing both starting pitchers Max Scherzer and Jeff Samardzija. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Boston Celtics (702) minus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (701). Boston (57-29) has lost the last two games of this series after losing in Milwaukee on Sunday by a 104-102 score as a 6-point underdog. The Celtics have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after a loss on the road. Boston has also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games when playing with one day of rest. The Celtics need to tighten things up on defense after allowing the Bucks to make 52.1% of their shots after seeing them make 59.7% and 57% of their shots in Game Two and Three of this series. Boston has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after enduring an opponent’s field goal percentage of 47% or higher in three straight games. The Celtics have now played eight straight games that finished Over the Total. They have then covered the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games after playing at least three straight Overs — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after playing at least four straight Overs. Now Boston returns home to TD Garden where they are 29-14 this season — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games on their home court. Additionally, the Celtics have covered the point spread in 18 of their last 22 games when avenging a loss where they allowed at least 100 points in their last game. Boston has also covered the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games when avenging a loss on the road.

Milwaukee (46-40) may be due for a letdown after winning these last two games in this series. They have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 19 games after shooting at least 47% from the field for three straight games. The Bucks have also 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 8 of their last 11 games after a narrow win on their home court by 3 points or less. Furthermore, Milwaukee has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after a straight-up win where they failed to cover the point spread as the favorite. The Bucks benefitted from many of their secondary players — most notably Jabari Parker and Thon Maker — play well on their home court in the Bradley Center — to pull even in this series. But these role players will likely not play nearly as well back on the road where this team is just 19-24 this season. Milwaukee has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 road games against teams with a winning record on their home court. Despite being 2-2 in this series, the Bucks have only covered the point spread once in their last five games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 27 games after failing to cover the point spread in at least three of their last four games. Milwaukee has also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. And in expected close games where the Bucks are listed in the +/- 3-point range, they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of these games. 25* NBA 1st Round Playoff Game of the Year with the Boston Celtics (702) minus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (701). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the money-line on the Boston Bruins (17) versus the Toronto Maple Leafs (18). Boston (56-22-9) blew an opportunity to close this series out on Saturday in a 4-3 loss to the Maple Leafs on their home ice. Now the Bruins travel to Toronto with a 3-2 lead in this series with a second chance to win this series and advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Boston almost rallied to tie the game and force overtime as they were ferocious in the 3rd period by putting 20 shots on the Maple Leafs’ goalie Frederick Andersen who stopped 19 of them to preserve his team’s lead. The Bruins outshot the Maple Leafs by a 20-5 margin in that 3rd period and I look for that momentum to carry over into this game. Boston has bounced-back to win 23 of their last 33 games after a loss. They also have won 10 of their last 15 games when avenging a one goal loss on the road — and they have also won 20 of their last 26 games after a one goal loss on their home ice. Additionally, the Bruins have won 16 of their last 26 games after allowing at least four goals in their last game. And in their last 33 games played with one day of rest, Boston has won 24 of these games. Goalie Tukka Rask struggled on Saturday as he was pulled after allowing four goals on thirteen shots. But Rask is a veteran with plenty of playoff experience including winning a Stanley Cup — so I expect him to rebound with a strong effort tonight.

Toronto (51-29-5) has lost 4 straight games after a win in their last game. While they showed spirit to avoid being eliminated on the road on Saturday, this Maple Leafs team lacks the grit of more established playoff teams. Games like tonight will likely expose the need this team had to acquire another solid blue-line player at the trade deadline instead of holding pat. This team also commits too many turnovers — they were 4th in the NHL in most turnovers led by their best defenseman Jake Gardiner who had the 3rd most turnovers in the NHL. This is a bad characteristic to have in pressure situations. Auston Matthews is a great young talent but he still lacks experience in the playoffs. He is matched by the Bruins’ top line of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak with those first two players have led the Bruins to a previous Stanley Cup. That trio have combined for 23 points in this series but have not registered a point in both their losses in this series. I do not see that happening twice in a row. Those three players likely form the best forward line in hockey right now. Lastly, it is telling that the Maple Leafs have lost 42 of their last 61 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. 25* NHL 1st Round Atlantic Division Playoff Game of the Year with the money-line on the Boston Bruins (17) versus the Toronto Maple Leafs (18). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Nashville Predators (75) and the Colorado Avalanche (76). Nashville (55-20-4) scored in the third period on Friday to take a 1-0 lead over the Flyers with the opportunity to close out that series in five games — but they then allowed two goals to lose Game Five of this series by a 2-1 score. Expect another low-scoring game in Game Six. While the Predators have much more balance and depth on offense this season versus their team that reached the Stanley Cup Finals last year, this is a team that is very comfortable playing low-scoring games behind the best blue-line in the NHL along with a goaltender in Pekka Rinne who will likely win the Vezina Trophy this season. Nashville has played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a loss at home. The Predators have also played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total after a loss by just one goal — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games on the road Under the Total after a loss by just one goal to a Central Division rival. Furthermore, the Under is 8-2-1 in Nashville’s last 11 games against an opponent that did not score more than two goals in their last game.

Colorado (47-33-8) got an outstanding effort from third-string goaltender Andrew Hammond who was pressed into service with an injury to Jonathan Bernier in Game Four of this series. The Hamburglar has certainly enjoyed hot streaks in his NHL career (most notably with Ottawa a few seasons ago) so he there should be a positive carry over from his stopping 44 of the 45 shots he faced on Friday. Good goaltending is also a product of good defense — and the Avalanche will likely continue to play less aggressively than they would if their first-stringer Semyon Varlamov was between the pipes. That is a recipe for another low-scoring game. As it is, Colorado has played 8 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a win over a Central Division rival. Furthermore, the Avalanche have played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a narrow win by just one goal. Colorado has also played 15 of their last 23 games Under the Total after a win on the road by just one goal — and this includes them playing four of these last situations Under the Total. Additionally, in games with the Total set at 6 or higher, when the home team comes off a win on the road against a divisional rival, these games finished Under the Total in 209 of these last 341 situations (61%) where these conditions applied. Lastly, in games with the Total set at 6 or higher, when the road team comes off a loss against a division rival now faces a team that comes off win on the road against a division foe, these games finished Under the Total in 60 of these last 88 situations. 25* NHL NBC-Sports Network 1st Round Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Nashville Predators (75) and the Colorado Avalanche (76). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Boston Celtics (501) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (502). Boston (57-28) saw their three-game winning streak snapped on Friday with their 116-92 loss in Milwaukee. The Celtics made only 40% of their shots in that game which was their worst shooting effort in their last four contests. But their effort on defense was even worse as they allowed the Bucks to make 57% of their shots which was on the heels of Milwaukee making 59.7% of their shots in Game Two of this series. These last two games have been the worst defensive performances for this team of the entire season for Brad Stevens’ team — so expect this group to come out and play very hard on the defensive end of the court this afternoon. As it is, Boston is 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 games after a double-digit loss. Additionally, the Celtics have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 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. Boston has been a capable road warrior as they have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 28 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court — and they have covered the point spread in 28 of their last 42 road games with the Total set in the 200 to 209.5 point range. Furthermore, Boston has covered the point spread in 17 of their last 21 games when avenging a loss where their opponent scored at least 100 points. And in their last 8 opportunities to avenge a double-digit loss to their opponent, the Celtics have covered the point spread all 8 times.

Milwaukee (45-40) responded to head coach Joe Prunty’s call to get more physical on Friday — and they snapped what had been a three-game losing streak. With starting center John Henson sidelined with a  back injury, Prunty started Tyler Zeller in his place while also replacing Tony Snell with Malcolm Brogdon. Both these moves worked — and the team got a surprisingly good performance from 7’3 center Thon Maker who has been in the team’s doghouse all season due to concerns over his effort. Expect Stevens to make adjustments of his own to this lineup change with Henson still questionable for this afternoon’s contest. The Bucks have shot at least 48.2% from the field in three straight games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 28 games after making at least 47% of their shots in three straight games. Milwaukee also played their best defensive contest in their last 31 games in terms of opponent field goal percentage. The Bucks stay at home for Game Four where they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games. Milwaukee has also failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Furthermore, the Bucks have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 18 home games when favorited by no more than 6 points. And in their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60, Milwaukee has failed to cover the point spread 4 times. 25* NBA Sunday Afternoon Special Feature with the Boston Celtics (501) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (502). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Oklahoma City Thunder (723) and the Utah Jazz (724). Utah (49-35) evened this series at one game apiece with their 102-95 upset win in Portland on Wednesday as a 3.5-point underdog. The Jazz return home for this first time since April 10th after playing three straight games on the road — and they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total after being on the road for at least the last seven days. Utah has also played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total after playing their last three games on the road. The Jazz have also played 12 of the last 16 games Under the Total when playing with two days of rest — and this includes them playing eight of their last nine games Under the Total when playing on their home court with two days of rest. Additionally, Utah has played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road — and they have played 12 of their last 17 home games Under the Total with the Total set in the 200 to 209.5 point range. Furthermore, the Under is 20-8-1 in the Jazz’s last 29 games against fellow Northwest Division opponents.

Oklahoma City (49-35) played their best defensive game in their last ten games by limiting the Jazz to just a 41.7% field goal percentage — and they should continue to play well on the defensive end of the court. The Thunder have then played 16 of their last 22 games Under the Total after an upset loss as a home favorite — and this includes playing seven straight Unders off an upset loss as a home favorite to a fellow Northwest Division rival. Oklahoma City has also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a loss at home. Additionally, the Thunder have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after allowing at least 100 points in their last game. Now OKC goes on the road where they have played 5 straight games Under the Total. The Thunder have also played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total against fellow Northwest Division opponents. And as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points, Oklahoma City has played 23 of these games Under the Total. Furthermore, the Thunder have played 13 of their last 17 road games Under the Total when attempting to avenge an upset loss as a road favorite. And in the last 8 meetings between these two teams in Utah, the game finished Under the Total all 8 times. 25* NBA Northwest Division Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Oklahoma City Thunder (723) and the Utah Jazz (724). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:10 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New Jersey Devils (65) and the Tampa Bay Lightning (66). Tampa Bay (57-24-3) has the opportunity to close out this series tonight after taking a 3-1 lead in this series on Wednesday with their 3-1 victory over the Devils. The Lightning are getting great play from their goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy who has rebounded from a second-half slump to post a 2.26 Goals-Against-Average along with a .937 save percentage in this series. The Tampa Bay Power Play Kill Unit has also stepped up to negate 15 of New Jersey’s 18 Power Play chances for a 83.3% clip which is much better than their 76.1% mark during the regular season. This has become a physical series which has slowed down the torrid scoring pace that defined the earlier games in this series. The Lightning have only scored five goals over these last two games after scoring five goals in both Game One and Game Two of this series. This should be another low-scoring affair — they have played 11 of their last 16 Game Fives in a playoff series Under the Total. Tampa Bay has also played 3 of their last 4 games Under the Total when up 3-1 in a playoff series. And in their last 19 opportunities to close out a playoff series, the game finished Under the Total 12 times — and this includes them playing three of their last four games Under the Total in that situation.

New Jersey (46-32-5) has played 11 of their last 18 games Under the Total after a loss at home. The Devils have also played 6 of their last 9 games after a loss at home by two more more goals. Goalie Cory Schneider was solid in net on Wednesday even in defeat as he stopped 34 of the 36 shots he faced. In this series, Schneider has stopped 78 of the 82 shots he has encountered since taking over for Keith Kinkaid for a sizzling .951 save percentage. Moving forward, New Jersey has played 5 of their last 6 games in the fifth game of an NHL series Under the Total — and they have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total when trailing by a 3-1 mark in the NHL Playoffs. 25* NHL 1st Round Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the New Jersey Devils (65) and the Tampa Bay Lightning (66). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Cleveland Cavaliers (711) and the Indiana Pacers (712). Cleveland (51-33) raced out to a 16-1 lead in the opening minutes of Game Two of this series on Wednesday — and they held on to win that game by a 100-97 score as an 8.5-point favorite. The Cavaliers have then played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up win. Cleveland has also played 11 of their last 15 games after a win on their home court where they failed to cover the point spread as a favorite. The Cavs shot 50.7% from the field while nailing 11 of their 28 (39.3%) shots from behind the arc — yet they scored 10 points below their 110.4 PPG season scoring average. Now this team goes back on the road where they have played 5 of their last 7 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. The Over is also 4-0-1 in Cleveland’s last 5 games against teams with a winning record.

Indiana (49-35) has played 12 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 12 of their last 15 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Additionally, the Pacers have played 14 of their last 18 games Under the Total when attempting to avenge a loss on the road against their opponent. Furthermore, the Under is 24-7-1 in Indiana’s last 32 games after allowing at least 100 points in their last game. Now this team returns home where they have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total. And in their last 8 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%, the Pacers have played 7 of these games Under the Total. 25* NBA Central Division Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Cleveland Cavaliers (711) and the Indiana Pacers (712). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:35 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (527) and the San Antonio Spurs (528). Golden State (60-24) seized a 2-0 lead in this series on Monday with their 116-101 win as an 8.5-point favorite. The Warriors made 52.6% of their shots in that game after making 54.3% of their shots in Game One of this series fueled by them nailing 15 of their 31 (48.4%) of their shots from behind the arc. Golden State is likely to get a visit from the Regression Gods tonight in regards to their shooting — especially with them playing on the road where they see their 3-point shooting drop to a 37.7% clip as compared to their 39.3% 3-point shooting mark for the season. The Warriors have played 16 of their last 24 games Under the Total after playing two straight games where they made at least 50% of their shots. The Under is also 19-7-1 in Golden State’s last 27 games after allowing at least 100 points in their last game. The Warriors have also played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total when playing with two days of rest. Golden State won the opening game of this series by a 113-92 score — and they have then played 35 of their last 57 games Under the Total after winning their last two games by double-digits. Now the Warriors go back on the road where they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total — and they have also played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court.

San Antonio (47-37) has now lost three games in a row as well as five of their last seven contests. The Spurs have then played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after losing five or six of their last seven games. Game Two finished well above the 205.5 point total — and San Antonio has also played 13 of their last 18 games on their home court Under the Total after game that finished Over the Total. Additionally, the Spurs have seen the Under the Total go 12-5-1 in their last 18 games when playing with two days of rest. San Antonio has also played 4 of their last 5 games when avenging two straight double-digit losses to their opponent. Now the Spurs return home where they have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total. San Antonio has also played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. And in their last 21 home games Under the Total with the Total set in the 200 to 209.5 point range. 25* NBA 1st Round Western Conference Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (527) and the San Antonio Spurs (528). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:35 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Anaheim Ducks (63) and the San Jose Sharks (64). San Jose (48-27-10) has the opportunity to close this series out tonight after they took a commanding 3-0 lead with their 8-1 win on Monday in Game Three of this series. The Sharks have seen the Over go 12-3-2 in their last 17 games after a win. Additionally, the Over is 5-1-1 in San Jose’s last 7 games after a game where they scored at least 5 goals in their last game. The Sharks enjoyed eight Power Play opportunities in that game which was filled with Ducks’ committing penalties — and they scored on four of those Power Play chances. San Jose has then played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after getting ate last eight Power Play chances in their last game. Furthermore, the Over is 4-0-1 in the Sharks’ last 5 games after allowing no more than two goals in their last game — and the Over is also 9-1-1 in their last 11 games against an opponent that did not score more than two goals in their last contest. San Jose can close this series out at home where they have played 5 straight games Over the Total.

Anaheim (45-28-13) has only scored three goals in this series — so they will be desperate to generate more offense tonight. The Ducks need to get more bodies in front of the net to pressure the Sharks’ goaltender Martin Jones. The Over is 3-1-1 in Anaheim’s last 5 games after a loss by at least three goals. The Over is also 3-1-1 in the Ducks’ last 5 games after failing to score more than two goals in their last contest. The Over is also 3-0-1 in Anaheim’s last 4 games when playing with one day of rest. But in trying to create more offense, the Ducks’ blue-line has creeped up into San Jose’s side of the ice which has made them vulnerable to the Sharks’ speed on rushes of their own. San Jose has scored fourteen goals in this series and do not seem to be letting up. Lastly, the Sharks have played 4 straight games Over the Total after allowing at least five goals in their last game. 25* NHA 1st Round Pacific Division Playoff Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Anaheim Ducks (63) and the San Jose Sharks (64). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Utah Jazz (519) plus the points versus the Oklahoma City Thunder (520). Oklahoma City (49-34) has won four straight games with their 116-108 win over Utah as a 4.5-point favorite on Sunday. The Thunder not only shot 48.2% from the field in that contest but they also converted 14 of their 29 (48.3%) of their shots from behind the arc. That is number that is due for regression — Oklahoma City makes only 35.1% of their 3-point shots when playing on their home court. The Thunder are likely to suffer a letdown tonight as they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after a point spread win. And while Oklahoma City has scored at least 115 points in each of their last three games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after scoring at least 110 points in three straight games. The Thunder stays at home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games. Additionally, Oklahoma City has failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 23 games with the Total set in the 200 to 209.5 point range — and this includes them failing to cover the point spread in ten of these last thirteen situations when these games are played in OKC. Furthermore, the Thunder have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 18 games against fellow Northwest Division opponents.

Utah (48-35) looks to get back to their winning ways having now lost two straight games. This is the Jazz’s third straight game on the road — but they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 22 games after playing their last two games on the road. Utah has also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after losing their last two games on the road. This is the Jazz’s fourth game in the last ten days — and they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 21 road games when playing no more than their fourth game in ten days. Utah has also covered the point spread in 12 of their last 15 road games when playing a team with a winning record at home. Lastly, while the Jazz have lost their last four meetings with the Thunder, they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games when playing with the dreaded quadruple revenge. 25* NBA Northwest Division Playoff Game of the Year with the Utah Jazz (519) plus the points versus the Oklahoma City Thunder (520). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:35 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Portland Trail Blazers (710) minus the points versus the New Orleans Pelicans (709). Portland (49-34) has lost five of their last six games after losing the opening game of this series by a 97-95 score despite being a 5-point favorite. The Trail Blazers could not hit the side of a barn on Saturday as they went into halftime with just a 31.9% field goal percentage. They made only 3 of their 17 shots from behind the arc in the first half as well and entered the locker room trailing by a 45-36 score. Portland was much better in the second-half as they outscored the Pelicans by a 59-52 score but the first-half foibles were too much for them to overcome. Look to the Trail Blazers to play much better tonight as they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a point spread loss. Portland has also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games when playing with two days of rest. And while the Trail Blazers have played three straight games Under the Total, they have then covered the point spread in 13 of their last 15 home games after playing their last three games Under the Total. Portland should play much better on their home court tonight when considering that they are 19-6-5 ATS in their last 30 home games — and this includes them covering the point spread in five of their last seven home games again teams with a winning record on the road. Furthermore, the Trail Blazers have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 18 games against teams with a winning record.

New Orleans (49-34) has now won six games in a row but a letdown looks likely for this team now they have seized the home-court advantage in this series. The Pelicans have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a close win by 3 points or less. New Orleans has also failed to cover the point spread in 24 of their last 35 games after winning five or six of their last seven games — and this includes failing to cover the point spread in twelve of these last eighteen situations. And while the Pelicans have covered the point spread in all six of the games on their current winning streak, New Orleans has failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games after covering the point spread in six or seven of their last eight games. 25* NBA 1st Round Western Conference Playoffs Game of the Year with the Portland Trail Blazers (710) minus the points versus the New Orleans Pelicans (709). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Miami Heat (701) plus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (702). Miami (44-39) looks to bounce-back from their blowout 130-103 loss to Philadelphia on Saturday in the opening game of this series. The Heat were 5.5-point underdogs in that game — and they have now lost four of their last five contests. But the Heat have rebounded to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after a loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a double-digit loss. Miami has also covered the point spread in 22 of their last 29 road games after a loss by at least 20 points. Additionally, the Heat are 7-3-1 ATS in their last 11 games after allowing at least 125 points in their last contest. And while this team has failed to cover the point spread in six of their last eight games, they have covered the point spread in 6 straight games after failing to cover the point spread in six or seven of their last eight games. Expect Erik Spoelstra ready to have his team play much better tonight against a Sixers’ team that was on fire in the second-half from behind the arc. Miami is 17-6-3 ATS in their last 26 games against teams with a winning record. The Heat has been capable road warriors this season who have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 road games with the Toal set in the 210 to 219.5 point range. Miami is also 26-10-2 ATS in their last 38 road games against teams with a winning record at home. Furthermore, the Heat have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 19 road games as an underdog getting 6.5 to 12 points.

Philadelphia (53-30) has now won seventeen straight games with their win on Saturday. They shot 47.4% from the field but also made a remarkable 18 of their 28 shots from from behind the arc for a red hot 64.3% shooting mark. That will not be sustainable tonight. The 76ers did go into halftime trailing by a 60-56 score. Expect an emotional letdown from this team that still lacks significant playoff experience after years of going through the “process.” Philadelphia has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game — and they have lost 3 of their last 4 games after scoring at least 130 points in their last contest. The 76ers out-rebounded the Heat by a 60-50 margin after outrebouding their previous two opponents by 10 and 15 boards each — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after outrebounding their last three opponents by at least 10 boards. And while the Sixers have played three straight games Over the Total, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 27 games after playing at least three straight Overs. 25* NBA 1st Round Eastern Conference Playoff Underdog of the Year with the Miami Heat (701) plus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (702). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:40 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the money-line on the Los Angeles Kings (26) versus the Vegas Golden Knights (25). Los Angeles (45-31-8) finds themselves in a near must-win situation as they are down 0-2 in this series after losing a heartbreaking 2-1 game in double-overtime on Friday. Don’t blame goalie Jonathan Quick for the challenge they now face as he owns a sparking 1.17 Goals-Against-Average with a .964 save percentage so far in this series. The Kings need to get more out of their core offensive players as Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown and Drew Doughty have yet to register a point in this series. Getting Doughty back from his Game Two suspension will help immensely — and he looks to be joined by his blue-line pairing of Jake Muzzin who has missed the first two games in this series to an injury. Expect a strong effort from this veteran team tonight who have won 11 of their last 17 games when playing with revenge. The Kings have also won 10 of their last 13 games after failing to score more than two goals in their last game. Additionally, Los Angeles has won 8 of their last 11 games after a loss by just one goal. The Kings have also won a decisive 75 of their last 112 games at home after playing two straight games where no more than four combined goals were scored. Los Angeles returns home to the Staples Center where they have won 4 of their last 5 games.

Vegas (53-24-7) has to be feeling very good about themselves with this 2-0 lead in this series — but remember that they are only outscoring the Kings by 3-1 margin in just over 153 minutes of play in these first two games. A couple of bounces the other way and this expansion team could be traveling to LA down 0-2. The Golden Knights were very fortunate to face Los Angeles without Doughty due to that suspension as he remains one of the very best defensemen in the world who has led his team to two Stanley Cup Championships. Vegas faltered down the stretch when playing away from home as they lost 4 of their last 5 games away from the Las Vegas strip. This is a team that was only scoring 2.62 Goals-Per-Game since February 24th of the regular season which is more than a half goal less than their 3.26 scoring average for the season. Now this team’s lack of experience — and leadership in pressure situations like this — will begin to rear its ugly head. Outside of goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, only James Neal with Nashville played significant minutes on a playoff team on this roster. Fleury has been spectacular in this series — but he is still the same goalie who has had a save percentage below .900 in 49 of his 117 postseason playoff games. 25* NHL 1st Round Playoff Bailout Game of the Year on the money-line on the Los Angeles Kings (26) versus the Vegas Golden Knights (25). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:35 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Utah Jazz (513) plus the points versus the Oklahoma City Thunder (514). Utah (48-34) saw their six-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday with their 102-93 loss in Portland as a 2-point underdog. The Jazz allowed the Trail Blazers make 46.1% of their shots which was their worst defensive effort in their last four games. Utah has still held their last five opponents to just a 42.5% field goal percentage. The Jazz stay on the road where they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games away from home — and they have also covered the point spread in 12 of their last 14 road games against teams with a winning record at home. Additionally, Utah has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games against teams with a winning record. And in their last 8 games in the Western Conference Quarterfinals, the Jazz have covered the point spread 6 times.

Oklahoma City (48-34) has won three straight games entering the postseason after their 137-123 win over Memphis on Wednesday. The Thunder shot 55.3% from the field in that game which was their best offensive effort in their last ten games. Expect a letdown from Oklahoma City as they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up win. The Thunder have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when playing with at least three days of rest. And in their last 21 games after winning three of their last four games, Oklahoma City has failed to cover the point spread in 16 times. They seized home court advantage for this series with that win over the woeful Grizzlies — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 home games with the Total set in the 200 to 209.5 point range. Lastly, the Thunder have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 16 games against fellow Northwest Division opponents. 25* NBA Sunday Night Special Feature with the Utah Jazz (513) plus the points versus the Oklahoma City Thunder (514). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:35 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the money-line on the Anaheim Ducks (64) versus the San Jose Sharks (63). Anaheim (45-26-13) finds themselves in desperate straits after losing the first game of this best-of-seven series on Thursday with their 3-0 loss to the Sharks. Look for the defending Western Conference Champions to respond with a strong effort tonight. Not only have the Ducks responded to a loss of at least three goals by winning a decisive 36 of their next 51 games but they have also won seven of their last eight games when that loss by three or more goals was on their home ice. Anaheim has been outstanding at home in the Honda Center where they were 26-10-5 during the regular season — and they are still a superb 14-2-2 in their last 18 games at home. Expect a better offensive effort from this team tonight as they have won 4 straight games after failing two score more than two goals in their last contest. In particular, the Ducks need to get more out of their top line that is anchored by Ryan Kesler — his group produced more penalty minutes than shots on net in Game One. Anaheim has now lost their last four games at home to the Sharks — but they have earned revenge in 16 of their last 20 games when avenging a loss to their opponent by at least two goals.

San Jose (46-27-10) won the opening game of the first round of the playoffs last season against Edmonton — but they suffered a letdown by losing Game Two of that series by a 2-0 score. The Sharks are certainly vulnerable to see history repeat itself tonight as they have lost 13 of their last 20 games after a win on the road. San Jose has struggled away from home where they have lost 14 of their last 17 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home ice. The Sharks have also lost 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning record. 25* NHL 1st Round Pacific Division Playoff Game of the Year with the money-line on the Anaheim Ducks (64) versus the San Jose Sharks (63). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:35 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Portland Trail Blazers (508) minus the points versus the New Orleans Pelicans (507). Portland (49-33) snapped their four-game losing streak on Wednesday with their 102-93 win over Utah as a 2-point favorite. The Trail Blazers should build off their momentum as they are 38-16-4 ATS in their last 58 games after a straight-up win — and they are 23-9-1 ATS in their last 33 games after scoring at least 100 points in their last game. Portland has also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games when playing with two days of rest. They have been very tough at home where they are 20-6-1 ATS in their last 27 games — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. And in their last 17 games against teams with a winning record, the Trail Blazers have covered the point spread 14 times.

New Orleans (48-34) enters the NBA Playoffs on fire with five straight wins after their 122-98 victory over San Antonio as a 4-point favorite on Wednesday. The Pelicans made 59.1% of their shots in that game which was their best offensive performance of the season. But now this team enters unchartered waters by entering the postseason — and a letdown looks likely. New Orleans has failed to cover the point spread in 31 of their last 45 games after a win on their home court by at least 20 points which includes failing to cover the point spread in seven of these last nine situations. The Pelicans have also failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 29 road games off a double-digit win against Southwest Division rivals. Additionally, New Orleans has failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 28 games after winning five or six of their last seven games. And in their last 8 trips to Portland, the Pelicans have failed to cover the point spread 6 times. 25* NBA Saturday Night Special Feature with the Portland Trail Blazers (508) minus the points versus the New Orleans Pelicans (507). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:05 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Golden State Warriors (502) minus the points versus the San Antonio Spurs (501). Golden State (58-24) limps into the playoffs having lost three of their last four games after a listless 119-79 loss in Utah on Tuesday as an 8.5-point favorite. With the team missing Stephen Curry indefinitely, some NBA insiders consider Oklahoma City or Utah an easier first round opponent than the defending NBA Champions. That is absurd. Maintaining focus and intensity has been the biggest issues for the reigning champions — but the beginning of the NBA Playoffs should be enough to inspire this team that remain the most talented overall team in the league with Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green still in the mix. The Warriors have covered the point spread in 24 of their last 32 games in the opening round of the NBA Playoffs — and this includes covering the point spread in seven of their last nine games in Round One of the playoffs. Golden State shot only 34.9% from the field on Tuesday which was their worst offensive effort of the season. Expect a strong effort from this team as they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after a loss by at least 15 points — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after a double-digit loss on the road. The Warriors will also be looking to avenge an 89-75 loss to the Spurs in San Antonio back on March 19th — and they have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 33 games when avenging a loss on the road. to their opponents.

San Antonio (47-35) played their worst defensive game of the season on Wednesday when they allowed the Pelicans to shoot 59.1% from the field in their 122-98 loss in New Orleans as a 4-point underdog. That effort is much more concerning for head coach Gregg Popovich when considering that the Spurs were still playing for positioning in the Western Conference playoff seeding fight. That loss dropped San Antonio down to 7th and an unappealing matchup with the defending champs as opposed to other possible matchups with Portland or Oklahoma City. Unfortunately for Popovich, his team has not proven to be as resilient as the Warriors when coming off a bad loss. The Spurs have failed to cover the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games after a loss by at least 20 points on the road. And while they entered halftime with a 61-43 deficit, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after trailing by at least 15 points to begin the second-half of their last game. The team begins the playoffs without Kawhi Leonard who does not appear likely to return at all this season with his quad injury. San Antonio has failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 19 road games with the Total set in the 200 to 209.5 point range. The Spurs have also failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight road games against teams with a winning record at home. 25* NBA 1st Round ABC-TV Playoff Game of the Year on the Golden State Warriors (502) minus the points versus the San Antonio Spurs (501). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Minnesota Wild (53) and the Winnipeg Jets (54). Winnipeg (53-20-10) took Game One of this series on Wednesday with their 3-2 victory in a game where they scored two goals in the 3rd period to rally from a 2-1 deficit. The Jets entered that 3rd period with a 1-0 score before both teams found the back of the net two times. Expect the scoring to continue in this important game for the Wild that wants to avoid falling behind by an 0-2 deficit in this series. Winnipeg has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total against opponents that did not score more than two goals in their last game. The Jets are scoring 3.9 Goals-Per-Game at home in the Bell MTS Place this season — and they are averaging 4.0 Goals-Per-Game over their last five contests. Winnipeg peppered the Wild’s goalie Devan Dubnyk with 40 shots on Wednesday. They remain undermanned with their depth at the blue-line with Toby Enstrom and Dmitry Kulikov out with injuries. The Jets have won six straight games — and this will be their fourth game on home ice. Winnipeg has played 14 of their last 20 games Over the Total after winning their last two games at home. The Jets have also played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total when playing their fourth game at home in a row.

Minnesota (45-27-11) needs to put pressure on the Jets’ goalie Connor Hellebuyck after only peppering him with 20 shots on Wednesday. The Wild should see their top line of Eric Staal, Jason Zucker and Nino Niederreiter be more aggressive tonight after they failed to generate a combined point in Game One. The trio combined for only four shots on net and just two legitimate scoring opportunities in that game. Minnesota has played 9 of their last 12 games Over the Total after a loss to a Central Division rival. The Wild have also played 13 of their last 20 games Over the Total after a loss on the road. And in their last 17 road games after a game where they allowed at least two goals in the 3rd period. Considering that Minnesota is allowing 3.5 Goals-Per-Game when on the road, they have to enter this game thinking they need to score at least three goals on Hellebuyck to win this game. Lastly, these two teams have played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total when playing in Winnipeg. 25* NHL 1st Round Central Division Playoff Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between Minnesota Wild (53) and the Winnipeg Jets (54). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Toronto Maple Leafs (11) and the Boston Bruins (12). Boston (50-20-9) is limping into the playoffs having lost four of their last five games after their 4-2 loss in Florida. The Bruins have played 16 of their last 23 games Under the Total after allowing at least four goals in their last game. Boston has also played 6 straight home games Under the Total after a loss at home by at least two goals. The good news for this team is that they will be healthier for the playoffs with both Rick Nash and Sean Kuraly practicing with the team this week and listed as probable to play tonight after they were out for that recent losing stretch. With a core group of Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and Zeno Chara, the Bruins still have the leadership team that led them to a Stanley Cup win in 2013. Expect this team to be prepared to grind out a lower scoring game in this opening salvo. Their offense is struggling as they are scoring only 2.4 Goals-Per-Game over their last five contests. Goalie Tuukka Rask has been solid this season with a 2.36 Goals-Against-Average and a .917 save percentage — but he has a very good resume in the playoffs which included raising the Cup as the starting goalie in that 2013 campaign. In 53 career starts in the playoffs, Rask has a 2.12 GAA along with a .928 save percentage. Rask also likes playing against the Maple Leafs as he enjoys a 2.14 GAA with a .925 save percentage in 25 career starts in the regular season against them. Moving forward, the Under is 18-6-3 in Boston’s last 27 games against fellow Atlantic Division opponents. The Under is 33-16-6 in the Bruins’ last 55 games against teams with a winning record. And in their last 7 home games with the Total set at 6 or higher, Boston has played 5 of these games Under the Total.

Toronto (49-26-5) enters the playoffs having four of their last six games with their 4-2 win over Montreal. Head coach Mike Babcock perhaps got this team to overachieve last season by making the playoffs with such a young roster. Some critics have suggested this year’s team has not been as dynamic on offense when considering their great young talent led buy Auston Matthews. However, Babcock has been molding his team to be able to be comfortable playing in the harder-hitting games that typically are required to advance deep into the playoffs. The Maple Leafs have played 10 of their last 13 opening games to a new playoff series Under there Total. Toronto has also seen the Under go 11-5-1 in their last 17 games after not allowing more than two goals in their last game. Goalie Frederik Anderson has been solid again this season with a 2.81 GAA and a .917 save percentage although those numbers are not as good as what he posted last year when he carried this team at times. But Anderson loves playing against the Bruins against whom he has a 2.09 GAA along with a .935 save percentage in eleven career starts. The veteran also has plenty of playoff experience with a 2.45 GAA and .915 save percentage in thirty-two postseason starts. The Maple Leafs have now allowed more than two goals in their last three regular season games. They have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after not allowing more than two goals in two straight games — and they have played 5 straight games Under the Total after not allowing more than two goals in three straight contests. Lastly, in their last 8 trips to Boston, Toronto has played 6 of these games Under the Total. 25* NHL 1st Round Atlantic Division Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Toronto Maple Leafs (11) and the Boston Bruins (12). 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 Philadelphia Flyers (5) and the Pittsburgh Penguins (6). Philadelphia (42-26-14) enters the playoffs having won four of their last five games with their 5-0 shutout over the Rangers last Saturday. Head coach Dave Hakstol tipped his hand by starting Brian Elliott in goal for their last two games after he missed 25 games through April 3rd — so he has to be pleased with that shutout to end the regular season. Elliott only made five starts after the All-Star Break but he was outstanding with a 1.94 Goals-Against-Average and a .918 save percentage. The Flyers have a good core of young players — but after their dynamic top line featuring Sean Couturier and Claude Giroux, the scoring prowess of their forwards drops off considerably. Philadelphia has only seven players who registered at least 30 points during the regular season. Expect the Flyers to play with more caution on the road in this opening game of the playoffs. They have played 5 of their last 7 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home ice. The Under is also 5-1-1 in Philly’s last 7 games in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.

Pittsburgh (47-29-6) has also won four of their last five games with their 4-0 shutout win over Ottawa last Friday. The Flyers have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams that did not allow more than two goals in their last game. These Penguins are considered to be not more than average with their blue-line — but I find those assessments undervaluing a group that helped the Penguins win the Stanley Cup for the second straight season. Pittsburgh has Kris Letang back to lead their defense after he missed all of the postseason last year with a herniated disc in his neck. But it was two years ago in the Pens’ first Cup run where Letang raised his level of play to establish that he was a top tier number one blue-liner. He is joined this year with many of the players that manned the blue-line in Brian Doumolin, Justin Schultz and Olli Maatta. I am loving that Game One of this series has a Total listed at 6 — let’s attack that number which is quite high for a playoff game. Head coach Mike Sullivan had his forwards help on defense in the playoffs last year to compensate for the absence of Letang which resulted in plenty of Unders — and I do not see him deviating from that winning formula. The Penguins were outscored this season in 5-on-5 play so I do not see Sullivan being too anxious in getting into a high scoring affair with the Flyers. Instead, Pittsburgh should be able to take advantage of their Power Play opportunities to grind out low-scoring games. The Penguins led the NHL with a Power Play Unit that converted on 26.2% of their chances. They also scored on 5 of their 13 Power Play chances in their four games against a Flyers’ team that ranked 29th in the NHL with a Power Play Kill Unit that was successful only 75.8% of the time. Pittsburgh also has a battle-tested net minder in Matt Murray who enjoys a 1.95 Goals-Against-Average with a .928 save percentage in 32 playoff games. Lastly, the Under is supported by two strong empirical situational angles. First, in games in the month of April with the Total set at 6 or higher, when the home team has won at least three of their last four games, the game finished Under the Total in 47 of these last 67 (70%) situations where these conditions applied since 1996. Second, in games involving a home team coming off a shutout win now facing a team did not allow more than one goal, these games finished Under the Total in 227 of the last 381 situations where these conditions applied since 1996. 25* NHL First Round Metropolitan Division Playoffs Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Flyers (5) and the Pittsburgh Penguins (6). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Phoenix Suns (507) and the Dallas Mavericks (508). Phoenix (20-61) has lost two straight games after their 117-100 loss to Golden State on Sunday as a 12.5-point underdog. The Suns allowed the Warriors to make 52.2% of their shots which was their worst defensive effort in their last three games. Phoenix has then played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 7 straight games Under the Total after a double-digit loss at home. Additionally, the Suns gave played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after allowing at least 100 points in their last game. Now this team goes back on the road where they have played 5 straight games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on their home court. And in their last 16 games against teams with a winning percentage below 40%, Phoenix has played 14 of these games Under the Total.

Dallas (24-57) has lost three straight games with their 109-97 loss in Philadelphia on Sunday as a 13.5-point underdog. The Mavericks allows the 76ers to make 50.5% of their shots in that game which was their worst defensive effort in their last nine games. Dallas has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss. The Mavericks have also played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record. Dallas returns home where they have played 22 of their last 32 home games Under the Total with the number set in the 200 to 209.5 point range. The Mavs will be looking to avenge a 102-88 loss to the Suns in Phoenix back on January 31st — and they have played 18 of their last 28 games Under the Total when attempting to avenge a double-digit loss on the road. Lastly, in the last 16 meetings between these two teams in Dallas, the game finished Under the Total 13 times. 25* NBA Western Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Phoenix Suns (507) and the Dallas Mavericks (508). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Portland Trail Blazers (715) plus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (716). Portland (48-32) has lost three straight games with their 116-105 loss in San Antonio on Saturday. The Trail Blazers have should bounce-back with a strong effort as they remain motivated to hold on to the 3rd seed in the Western Conference playoff race. Portland 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 6 of their last 8 games after a double-digit setback. Additionally, the Trail Blazers have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a point spread loss. Portland has dropped four of their last six games with this three-game losing streak — but they usually play very well in the face of such a bad spell. The Trail Blazers have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after losing four or five of their last six games — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after losing at least three straight games. Furthermore, Portland is 17-5-1 ATS in their last 23 games after allowing at least 100 points in their last game. Now this team stays on the road where they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning record. And in their last 21 games against teams with a winning record overall, the Trail Blazers are 15-5-1 ATS.

Denver (45-35) has won five games in a row after they crushed the Clippers in Los Angeles on Saturday with their 134-115 victory as a 4-point favorite. The Nuggets shot 62.4% from the field in what was their best field goal percentage in their last 64 games. But the pressure remains very much on this team who are tied with the Timberwolves for 8th place in the Western Conference playoff race. Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a game where they shot at least 55% from the field. The Nuggets have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up win — and they have all failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a double-digit victory. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 29 of their last 43 games after a win on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last contest. Furthermore, while Denver has won seven of their last nine games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games after winning two straight contests — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after winning six or seven of their last eight games. The Nuggets remain without their top scorer Gary Harris who is out indefinitely with a knee injury. Denver returns home to the Pepsi Center where they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games. 25* NBA Northwest Division Game of the Year with the Portland Trail Blazers (715) plus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (716). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Miami Heat (708) plus the points versus the Oklahoma City Thunder (707). Oklahoma City (46-34) needs a victory tonight to clinch a spot in the Western Conference playoffs — but I expect this task to be much easier said than done for this group that continually underachieves relative to their talent. The Thunder enter this game feeling pretty good about themselves after their 108-102 upset win in Houston on Saturday as a 4-point underdog. We had the Under in that game with the Rockets playing without Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson — and a letdown is likely from Oklahoma City with the pressure on to win this game with them just one-game up on Minnesota and Denver who are tied for 8th place in the Western Conference race. The Thunder have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after an upset win as a road underdog. Oklahoma City has also 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 8 of their last 11 games after a point spread victory. The Thunder have won two of their last three games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 21 of their last 26 games after winning two of their last three games. They have also played three straight Unders — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games on the road after playing at least thee straight games that finished Under the Total. Offensive efficiency remains an issue for this team as they have not shot better than 44% from the field in eight straight games. The Thunder are just 2-5-1 ATS in their last 8 games against teams with a winning record. And in their last 21 games as a road favorite, Oklahoma City has failed to cover the point spread in 14 times. 

Miami (46-37) had won four of their last five games before they were crushed in Madison Square Garden on Friday by a 122-98 score despite being a 7.5-point favorite. The Heat shot just 39.8% from the field in that game which was their worst shooting effort in their last ten games. They also allowed the Knicks to make 50.6% of their shots which was their worst defensive effort in their last eleven games. Miami has clinched their spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs but they are still playing to secure their most advantageous seeding position. Expect the Heat to play much better tonight as they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after an upset loss by at least 15 points. Miami has also covered the point spread in 27 of their last 39 games after an upset loss which includes them covering the spread in eight of their last eleven games in that situation. The Heat have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a loss on the road by at least 20 points — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a double-digit loss. Furthermore, while Miami has failed to cover the point spread in five of their last seven games, they have then rebounded to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 18 games after failing to cover the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. This Heat team plays up and down to their competition — and they play much better on their home court where their nine players that average double-digits in Points-Per-Game tend to play better. Miami is a decisive 35-17-1 ATS in their last 53 games against teams with a winning record. The Heat have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games on their home court. And in the last 14 games with the Total set in the 210 to 219.5 point range, Miami has covered the point spread in 10 of these games. Lastly, the Heat are looking to avenge a 105-99 loss to the Thunder back on March 23rd — and they have covered the point spread in 34 of their last 54 games when playing with same-season revenge. 25* NBA Non-Conference Game of the Month with the Miami Heat (708) plus the points versus the Oklahoma City Thunder (707). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Golden State Warriors (513) minus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (514). Phoenix (20-60) has lost sixteen of their last seventeen games as well as twenty-six of their last twenty-eight games which is why they are a double-digit underdog even on their home court tonight. Usually taking that many points in the NBA is too good to pass up — but the smart play tonight is to swallow hard and lay the points with a motivated road favorite. As it is, the Suns have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games as an underdog getting at least 12.5 points. This is an injury riddled unit playing with a bunch of second and third-tier players  as they try their best to look like they are not trying their best to earn the most ping-point balls for the upcoming NBA lottery for the top pick in the 2018 draft. Starters Tyson Chandler and Elfrid Payton have been out indefinitely with starters Devin Booker and TJ Warren missing the last 10 games and 9 games respectively. Defensive stalwart Alan Williams is also out. The followers players are listed as questionable for tonight: Josh Jackson, Marquese Chris, Troy Daniels. In their 122-103 loss at home to New Orleans on Friday, Jackson and Chris were in the starting lineup with Tyler Ulis, Dragon Bender and Daniel House. Feelin’ better about laying 12 or so points yet? This is not a team likely to respond with an inspiring effort after that loss as they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a double-digit loss at home. Phoenix has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games on their home court — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road. The Suns have also failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 home games with the number set in the 210 to 219.5 point range. And in their last 13 games against teams with a winning record, Phoenix has failed to cover the point spread in 10 times.

Golden State (57-23) should be very motivated to get back to playing good basketball after suffering their second straight upset loss yesterday in their 126-120 loss to New Orleans as a 6-point favorite. That loss came on the heels of their 126-106 upset loss at Indiana back on Thursday. The Warriors need to play harder on defense after seeing the Pacers make 53.8% of their shots followed up by the Pelicans shooting 56.3% from the field. That was their worst defensive effort in their last 29 games going back to January 30th where they allowed the Jazz to make 58.2% of their shots in Utah. Golden State has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after an upset loss as a home favorite. The Warriors have also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games after a loss by 6 points or less. Additionally, Golden State has covered the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games after losing two straight games. And while both those losses went Over the Total, the Warriors have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after playing at least two straight Overs. Golden State is a bit undermanned right now with Stephen Curry out through the first round of the playoffs along with Andre Iguodala and Patrick McCaw nursing injuries — but Shaun Livingston is listing as probable with his knee. This team needs to get into rhythm with the knowledge they will be playing the at least their first playoff series without Curry. Kevin Durant is doing his part as he is scoring 28.0 PPG with an 8.2 Rebounding Per Game and 5.8 Assists Per Game average over his last six games since returning from his March Madness injury. The Warriors have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 26 games in the month of April. And in their last 5 road games against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on their home court, Golden State has covered the point spread all 5 times. 25* NBA Pacific Division Game of the Year with the Golden State Warriors (513) minus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (514). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Boston Celtics (510) minus the points versus the Chicago Bulls (509). Boston (53-25) will be playing their first game since getting the official news that they will be without Kyrie Irving for the entire NBA playoffs with his knee injury. So while Celtics are pretty much locked-in to at the 2nd seed for the Eastern Conference playoffs, head coach Brad Stevens will want his team to start building confidence and momentum with the group that will be enlisted to make this year’s playoff run. As it is, Boston will be looking to get back to playing good basketball after losing their second game in a row with their 96-78 loss in Toronto on Wednesday as a 7-point underdog. The Celtics shot only 33.3% from the field which was the worst offensive effort in their last 65 games going all the way back to November 16th against Golden State. Boston should bounce-back with a strong effort as they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 23 of their last 32 games after a loss on the road. Additionally, the Celtics are 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a double-digit loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after a point spread loss. Boston returns home where they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games. The Celtics have also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games against fellow Eastern Conference opponents. 

Chicago (27-51) had been on a seven-game losing streak but now they find themselves on a three-game winning streak after their 120-114 win over Charlotte on Tuesday as a 5.5-point underdog. The Bulls tried to tank that game with head coach Fred Holberg did have his star rookie Lauri Markkanen play at all in the 4th quarter of that game — yet they still pulled the upset. Chicago has failed to cover the point spread in 14 of the last 19 games after scoring at least 100 points in their last game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after allowing at least 100 points in their last contest. Now the Bulls go back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 road games against teams with a winning record at home. This team is severely undermanned at this point of the season with Kris Dunn and Zach Levine out the season with injuries and big man Noah Vonleh questionable with a calf injury. They were already lacking in talent even at full strength — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Game of the Month with the Boston Celtics (510) minus the points versus the Chicago Bulls (509). 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 Golden State Warriors (701) and the Indiana Pacers (702). Golden State (57-21) has won three straight games with their 111-107 upset victory at Oklahoma City on Tuesday as a 4.5-point underdog. The Warriors flexed their muscles on defense by holding the Thunder to just a 37.6% field goal percentage. This Golden State team is still playing without Stephen Curry but they do have their other Big Three players in Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green back healthy and on the court. The results have been lower scoring games with the team seeming to emphasize defense as they prepare for the playoffs. They have held their last five opponents to just 103.6 PPG as compared to their 107 PPG they allow for the season. The Warriors are also scoring just 105.6 PPG over those last five games which is far below the 113.9 PPG scoring average for the year. Golden State has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 18 of their last 27 games Under the Total after a win on the road. Additionally, the Warriors have played 21 of their last 28 games Under the Total Under the Total after allowing at least 100 points in their last game. Now Golden State stays on the road where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 6 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. The Warriors have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total against fellow Eastern Conference opponents. They will be looking to avenge a 92-81 loss at home to the Pacers just back on March 27th — and they have played 13 of their last 18 games Under the Total when playing with revenge from a loss in the Oracle Center.

Indiana (46-32) saw their five-game winning stream snapped on Tuesday with their 107-104 loss in Denver as a 4.5-point underdog. The Pacers have played 16 of their last 21 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have also played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total after a loss on the road. Additionally, Indiana has played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a point spread win. And in their last 29 games after allowing at least 100 points in their last game, the Under is 21-6-1. Now this team returns home where they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total — and they have played 6 straight home games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road. The Pacers have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total against Western Conference opponents. Lastly, in their last 8 opportunities to host the Warriors, the game finished Under the Total 6 times. 25* NBA Non-Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (701) and the Indiana Pacers (702). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Miami Heat (706) minus the points versus the Atlanta Hawks (705). Miami (41-36) needs a win tonight to clinch their spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs after they blew their opportunity to accomplish that task on Saturday with their 110-109 loss in overtime to Brooklyn as an 8.5-point favorite. The Heat have then covered the point spread in 12 of their last 14 games after an upset loss as a home favorite. Miami has also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after a straight-up loss — and they are 11-4-1 ATS in their last 16 games after a point spread loss. The Heat are also 11-3-3 ATS in their last 17 games after scoring at least 100 points in that game. Hassan Whiteside was very upset after that game with head coach Erik Spoelstra because he only played 20 minutes in that game (although he is returning from an injury so his conditioning is an issue). Whiteside was fined for his profanity-laden tirade but he was not suspended and will play tonight. Miami stays at home where they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games on their home court — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. Additionally, the Heat are 4-1-2 ATS in their last 7 games against fellow Southeast Division opponents. Miami will not be taking this Hawks team lightly after losing to them by a 110-104 score in their last meeting back on December 18th — and they have covered the point spread in 34 of their last 53 games when avenging a same-season loss.

Atlanta (22-55) snapped their five-game losing streak on Sunday with their 94-88 win over Orlando as a 1.5-point favorite. The Hawks held the Magic to just a 34.4% shooting percentage in that game which was their best defensive performance this season. Atlanta has played their last two games Under the Total — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 23 games after playing their last two games Under the Total. This Hawks roster was already one of the weakest in the NBA — but with starters Dennis Schroeder and Kent Bazemore out the season with injuries, their lineup is really thin at this point. They are 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games against teams with a winning record. Atlanta is also just 0-3-1 in their last 4 games on the road — and they are 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. 25* NBA Southeast Division Game of the Year with the Miami Heat (706) minus the points versus the Atlanta Hawks (705). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:20 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Michigan Wolverines (601) plus the points versus the Villanova Wildcats (602). I have joked that they may cancel the game on Monday since it seems as if Villanova has already been coronated as National Champion after easily winning what many dubbed the de-facto championship game against Kansas. If the Wildcats come close to going 13 of 26 from behind the arc against the Wolverines in the first-half like they did against the Jayhawks, then they will be crowned champion. Then again, if Maryland-Baltimore County goes 13 of 26 from downtown, they would likely defeat even this Villanova team. Successful handicapping over the long-term is about maintaining perspective — so here are some things to keep in mind. The Wildcats 3-point shooting quickly regressed back to their mean in the second-half as they made only 5 of their 14 (35.7%) shots from 3-point land. And while Kansas and Michigan hold their opponents to just a 33.3% and 33.0% shooting percentage from the 3-point line, this Wolverines team does a much better job in contesting these shots. Michigan (33-7) ranks 5th in the nation with their opponents taking only 29.8% of their shots from the field from downtown which is far lower than Kansas’ 39.1% 3-point attempt to field goal attempt ratio. The Jayhawks simply did not execute on defense in the opening moments of that game — and that combined with Villanova’s Omari Spellman exposing Kansas big man Udoka Azubuike out on the perimeter. It will be much harder to do that against Michigan who have already played three wars against a Purdue team that has a similar offensive profile as this Wildcats team. Mo Wagner is much more mobile than Azubuike which will help his defensive assignment against Spellman. So while Villanova will cover the point spread if they shoot 50% from 3-point land, there is simply plenty of reasons to conclude that was an outlier performance. Remember, while the Wildcats scored at a 1.34 Points-Per-Possession rate on Saturday, it remains Michigan who had the most explosive offensive effort in this tournament when they scored at a 1.38 PPP rate against Texas A&M in the Sweet 16. And if the Wolverines approach making 50% of their 3-point shots, they will most likely be cutting down the nets. The potential Villanova emotional letdown is compounded by playing an outstanding defensive team with the Wolverines now ranking 3rd in the nation in Adjusted Efficiency — and defense is more consistent than 3-point shooting from game-to-game. Michigan is an eye-popping 14-3-3 ATS in their last 19 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. They swept a Michigan State team that many had also coronated as the inevitable National Champion — and that Purdue team they played three times with a healthy Isaac Haas that I thought might have been the best team in the country. John Beilein’s complicated offense is very difficult to prepare for with a short turnaround in tournament action. And while the Wolverines have not been an underdog since the Big Ten Tournament when the oddsmakers expected the Spartans and Boilermakers to defeat them, they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games as an underdog. Furthermore, I have seen at least one advanced analytics projection site that project this to be a 2-point game based off the metrics since January between these two teams based on their numbers against Quadrant 1 and 2 opponents. We are certainly getting the value with the underdog tonight.

Villanova (35-4) is an outstanding shooting basketball team — but they certainly have their share of flaws. Lost in their offensive display on Saturday was that they allowed Kansas to score at a 1.11 Points-Per-Possession rate. Defense is a concern for this team. They rank 14th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — but they do not play elite defense. That efficiency mark of 94.4 jumped to a solid but spectacular 105.7 mark against Big East opponents. This lack of a lockdown defense combines with a style of play on offense that can tend to be too dependent on making 3s. Villanova is just average at offensive rebounding (149th in the nation) while ranking 289th in the nation in free throw rate. The Wildcats are outstanding in protecting the basketball so they take almost full advantage of each possession but they do not have a reliable backup plan if there shots are not falling outside of the fact that 47.5% of their shots are from behind the arc. Furthermore, Villanova is not deep as they only go seven deep in their rotation. And the Wildcats are not tall with their biggest player being the 6’8 Omari Spellman. Villanova has coved the point spread in all 5 games in the NCAA Tournament as the favorite — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games after covering the point spread in at least three straight games as the favorite. And while the Wolverines hold their opponents to just 62.9 PPG, the Wildcats have failed to cover the point spread in their last 3 games against teams that do not allow more than 64 PPG. Expect a close game where having the points will be valuable. 25* CBB National Championship Game A-List Special with the Michigan Wolverines (601) plus the points versus the Villanova Wildcats (602). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:20 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Michigan Wolverines (601) and the Villanova (602). Villanova (35-4) made 13 of their 26 shots from behind the arc in the first-half on Saturday en route to their 95-79 win over Kansas. The memories of the Wildcats’ explosive first-half while making 55.4% of their shots and scoring 95 points against the Jayhawks will compel many bettors take expect another high scoring game and take the Over. The Wildcats 3-point shooting quickly regressed back to their mean in the second-half as they made only 5 of their 14 (35.7%) shots from 3-point land. And while Kansas and Michigan hold their opponents to just a 33.3% and 33.0% shooting percentage from the 3-point line, this Wolverines team does a much better job in contesting these shots. Michigan ranks 5th in the nation with their opponents taking only 29.8% of their shots from the field from downtown which is far lower than Kansas’ 39.1% 3-point attempt to field goal attempt ratio. The Jayhawks simply did not execute on defense in the opening moments of that game — and that combined with Villanova’s Omari Spellman exposing Kansas big man Udoka Azubuike out on the perimeter. It will be much harder to do that against Michigan who have already played three wars against a Purdue team that has a similar offensive profile as this Wildcats team. Mo Wagner is much more mobile than Azubuike which will help his defensive assignment against Spellman. So while Villanova will cover the point spread if they shoot 50% from 3-point land, there is simply plenty of reasons to conclude that was an outlier performance. I expect both teams to be nervy in this game given the pressure of the moment. Both of these teams also sacrifice offensive rebounding for getting back on defense — so the tempo of this game can quickly become a slower, half-court affair. The Wolverines only rebound 25.6% of their missed shots which is 270th in the nation. And while Villanova ranks 149th in the nation with a healthier 29.4% offensive rebound rate, that number dropped significantly to a 25.2% mark in Big East play. The Wildcats have covered all five of their games in the NCAA Tournament as the favorite — and they have played 8 of their last 13 games Under the Total after covering at least three straight games as the favorite. Villanova has also played 7 of their last 14 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court with the number set in the 145 to 149.5 point range. Additionally, the Wildcats have played 14 of their last 21 games Under the Total when playing with one day or less between games. And while the Wolverines hold their opponents to just 62.9 PPG, Villanova has played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after 15 games into the season against teams that do not allow more than 64 PPG.

Michigan (33-7) is now ranked 3rd in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency after their 69-57 win over Loyola-Chicago on Saturday. They held the Ramblers to just a 43.1% shooting mark while limiting them to making only 1 of their 10 shots from behind the arc. The Wolverines raised their level of play in January when Xavier Simpson finally earned the starting point guard job. Simpson is an outstanding defender who has stymied some of the best offensive guards in the nation — he will make things difficult for the Wildcats’ Jalen Brunson. It is defense that has gotten this Michigan team to the National Championship Game. They made only 42.4% of their shots against the Ramblers — and that was the fourth time in this NCAA Tourney in their five games where they did not shoot better than 44.7% from the field. Head coach John Beilein will try to slow the pace of this game. The Wolverines rank 324th in the nation by averaging only 64.8 possessions per game as compared to the 68.3 national average for possessions. Michigan also ranks 309th in the nation with a patient offense that averages 18.7 seconds per possession which is 1.5 seconds slower than the national average. This slower pace translates into the NCAA Tournament where the Wolverines have now played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total. Michigan has also played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court as an underdog or pick ‘em. Additionally, the Wolverines have played 8 of their last 12 games on a neutral court Under the Total with the number set in the 140 to 149.5 point range. And in their last 11 games when playing their second game in three days, Michigan has played 8 of these games Under the Total. 25* College Basketball Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Michigan Wolverines (601) and the Villanova (602). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:49 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Kansas Jayhawks (813) plus the points versus the Villanova Wildcats (814). Villanova (34-4) has covered the point spread in all four games as the favorite so far in the NCAA Tournament after their 71-59 win over Texas Tech on Sunday as a 6-point favorite. But Red Raiders’ head coach Chris Beard may have discovered a flaw in the Wildcats’ offense as they host just 33.3% from the field while making only 4 of their 24 (16.7%) of their shots from behind the arc. Villanova head coach Jay Wright admitted as much this week — and Kansas’ Bill Self will certainly steal elements from that Texas Tech defensive plan. As it is, the Wildcats have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after covering the point spread in at least three straight games as the favorite. Villanova may very well win this game but I am expecting a very close game between these two heavyweights. The Wildcats have some weaknesses which will make it difficult for them to cover a 5-point or so point spread against elite competition. They are too dependent on shooting 3s which account for 47.1% of their field goal attempts — and they will be facing a Jayhawks’ team that holds their opponents to making just 32.7% of their 3-point attempts. Villanova does not do much in generating possessions if their 3s are not falling. They only pulled down 25.2% of their missed shots in Big East play while only forcing turnovers in 17.5% of their Big East opponent’s possessions. The Wildcats do not get to the free throw line either as they own an anemic 29.8% free throw attempt to field goal attempt ratio with that ranking 281st in the nation. On defense, this Villanova team ranks 14th in the nation in Adjusted Efficiency at 94.6 — but that number was a much higher 105.7 in conference action. The Wildcats defense has struggled against playmaking guards — and Kansas has two of those. With their tallest rotational player being the 6’8 Omari Spellman and only going 6 or 7 deep in their rotation, this team has vulnerabilities. Furthermore, this basketball program has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games in the Semifinals in tournament action.

Kansas (31-7) proved their toughness last Sunday by defeating a bigger Duke team by an 85-81 score in overtime as a 3.5-point underdog. The Jayhawks won that game despite making only 43.5% of their shots which was their worst offensive performance in their last seven games. Kansas played very good on defense by holding the Blue Devils to just a 42.9% field goal percentage. But the Jayhawks were most impressive by their effort on the boards as they actually ourebounded that bigger Duke team by a 47-32 margin — including holding them to only 10 offensive rebounds at just a 25% offensive rebounding rate despite them being the top offensive rebounding team in the nation. Malik Newman has taken his game to another level in this tournament — he scored 32 points against Duke including all 13 points in overtime as he put his team on his back. What is impressive about this Kansas team is that they are in Final Four despite their season-long best player not yet excelling in this Big Dance. Devonte’ Graham is averaging just 16 PPG while making only 34% of his shots — but it would not be a surprise if he enjoyed a breakout game against the Wildcats. With Graham and Newman, the Jayhawks have two dynamic guards who can wreak havoc against the Villanova defense that has struggled against similar guards. Kansas has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread win. And while they have won their last three games by just 4 points, they have then covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 road games after winning their last two games by no more than 6 points. Additionally, they are 9-2-1 ATS in their last 12 games under head coach Bill Self who remains a bit underrated. Self may be the best in the business when designing plays of offense after a timeout. Furthermore, he is a master tactician when afforded ample time to prepare. It is telling that his teams are 30-5 straight-up in the first game of a new week in the NCAA Tournament but then just 17-13 in the second game of the week with just one day to prepare. With his move to a four-guard lineup this year (in part out of necessity when big man Billy Preston was denied eligibility by the NCAA), these Jayhawks happen to be in a better position to defend the small ball approach championed by Jay Wright. Expect a very close game that Kansas has a good chance to win outright. 25* College Basketball Underdog of the Year with the Kansas Jayhawks (813) plus the points versus the Villanova Wildcats (814). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:49 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Kansas Jayhawks (813) and the Villanova Wildcats (814). This is an interesting clash between two teams that love to attempt 3-point shots. Kansas (31-7) is attempting more 3-pointers than ever under Bill Self with 41.4% of their field goal attempts coming from behind the arc which is 80th in the nation. Jay Wright has been having his team take advantage of the 3-point shot for years now — this year’s Wildcats are attempting 47.1% of their shots from 3-point land which is 14th most in the nation. This importance on the 3-point shot extends to the defensive end of the court where both teams emphasize defending against these shots. The Jayhawks hold their opponents to just a 32.7% shooting mark from inside the arc while Villanova limits their opponents to just a 32.2% field goal percentage from 3-point land. I see these similar styles clashing to produce a lower scoring game between these two heavyweights that will be feeling the pressure of the Final Four. Kansas made only 43.5% of their shots on Sunday in their 85-81 win in overtime over Duke as a 3.5-point underdog. The Jayhawks have then played 18 of their last 26 road games Under the Total after a game where they scored at least 85 points. Kansas made 13 shots from 3-point land against the Blue Devils after making 10 shots from behind the arc in their previous game against Clemson — but they have then played 8 of their last 9 road games Under the Total after making at least 10 shots from behind the arc in each of their last two games. Additionally, while the Wildcats outscore their opponents by +16.4 PPG, the Jayhawks have played 23 of their last 34 games Under the Total after 15 games into the season against teams that outscore their opponents by at least +8.0 PPG.

Villanova (34-4) reached the Final Four with their 71-59 win over Texas Tech as a 6-point favorite last Sunday. The Wildcats held the Red Raiders to just a 33.3% shooting percentage in that victory. Villanova has raised their level of play on the defensive end of the court in this Big Dance as they have held their four opponents to scoring at just a 0.99 Points-Per-Possession rate. But concerns exist for the Wildcats on the offensive end of the court after they also made only 33.3% of their shots. Jay Wright credited the Red Raiders’ scouting and schemes to stymie their 3-point offensive attack. They made only 4 of their 24 (16.7%) shots from the 3-point line — and Kansas should be replicating those schemes with a week to prepare for this contest. Villanova has covered the point spread in all four of their NCAA Tournament games as the favorite — and they have then covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after covering the point as the favorite in three straight games. 25* CBB Final Four Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Kansas Jayhawks (813) and the Villanova Wildcats (814). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:09 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Michigan Wolverines (812) minus the points versus the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers (811). Loyola-Chicago (32-5) pulled off their fourth straight upset victory in the NCAA Tournament with their 78-62 win over Kansas State last Saturday. The Ramblers were lights out from the field by making 57.4% of their shots which was tied for their best shooting performance in their last nine games. They also held the Wildcats to just a 34.8% field goal percentage which was their best defensive effort in their last four contests. While this Cinderella with Sister Jean has been a great story for the sports media, the bubble will likely burst in a big way for this team on Saturday under the pressure and focus all week of the Final Four. This is a team that is not used to this type of scrutiny and attention. They also have not played a team all season as skilled as these Wolverines. Even in getting to the Final Four, Loyola-Chicago has had a fortuitous draw. In their four wins over Miami (FL), Tennessee, Nevada and Kansas State, the highest-ranked team according to Ken Pomeroy’s metrics were the Volunteers at 13th in the nation. Their best non-conference opponent was Florida that currently ranks 20th in the nation by Pomeroy. For comparison’s sake, Michigan has played six games against teams that Pomeroy ranks in his Top-Nine: Michigan State (twice), Purdue (three times) and North Carolina. As it is, the Ramblers have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 22 games after an upset win by double-digits. And while they made 55.8% of their shots in their previous game against Nevada, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after making at least 55% of their shots in two straight contests. Furthermore, Loyola-Chicago has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games when playing with five or six days of rest.

Michigan (32-7) reached the Final Four with their 58-54 win over Florida State last Saturday. The Wolverines defense continued to flex their muscles in that game as they held the Seminoles to just a 31.4% field goal percentage. Michigan has held five of their last seven opponents to a field goal percentage of 38.1% or less. Moving forward, the X-Factor in this game may very well be Moritz Wagner who has not enjoyed a great NCAA Tournament so far in this event. The 6’11 stretch forward makes 39.6% of his 3-point shots presents a defensive nightmare for this Ramblers team. Loyola’s 6’9 Cameron Krutwig is probably not mobile enough to handle Wagner out on the perimeter. When the Ramblers’ switch on pick-and-rolls, Wagner should have significant matchup advantages. Even a big team like Tennessee did not run even one pick-and-roll against this team in this tournament — so Loyola-Chicago may be in for a rude awakening. Krutwig averages only 20 minutes per game — and his substitute is only 6’6 making their size issues even more of an issue. The Ramblers allow their opponents to shoot 61% at the rim with 1/3 of opponent’s points coming from this spot on the court. John Beilein will likely have his team prepared to either take 3s or drive it to the hole to take advantage of Loyola’s shaky defense inside. The Ramblers also turn the ball over in 18.9% of their possessions which is 215th in the nation — and the Wolverines force turnovers at a solid 19.4% rate. Lastly, Michigan’s improvement this season began when Xavier Simpson earned the starting point guard role because he is an elite defender. Simpson has given fits to elite scoring guards like Purdue’s Carson Edwards and Houston’s Rob Gray. Loyola’s offense centers around their point guard Clayton Custer — they lost three of their five games this season when he was injured. But if — and when — Simpson puts his clamps down on Custer, this Ramblers’ offense will likely sputter. In the end, the Wolverines simply have more playmakers on the court. Lastly, Beilein’s team is 13-3-1 ATS in their last 17 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. 25* CBB Loyola-Chicago/Michigan Special Feature with the Michigan Wolverines (812) minus the points versus the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers (811). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the New Orleans Pelicans (505) plus the point versus the Cleveland Cavaliers (506). Cleveland (45-30) has won six of their last seven games with their 118-115 upset win in Charlotte on March 28th. The Cavaliers have then failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 19 games after a win on the road. Cleveland has also failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games after winning five or six of their last seven contests. This team will still likely be without Kevin Love who is still dealing with the concussion protocol from getting knocked in the head earlier this week. The Cavaliers return home where they are just 16-37-2 ATS in their last 55 games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Furthermore, Cleveland has failed to cover the point spread in 23 of their last 31 home games when the favorite. Additionally, the Cavs have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games against teams with a winning record. And in their last 25 games against teams from the Western Conference, Cleveland has failed to cover the point spread in 18 times. This team will be looking to avenge a 123-101 loss to the Pelicans back on October 28th — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 24 of their last 37 games when playing with revenge from a loss where they allowed at least 110 points.

New Orleans (43-32) has lost two straight games after their 107-103 loss to Portland on Tuesday as a 2-point underdog. The Pelicans have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after scoring at least 100 points in their last contest. And while they have allowed at least 107 points in three straight games, they have then covered the point spread in 18 of their last 24 games after allowing at least 105 points in three straight games. Point guard Rajon Rondo is questionable for this contest with a wrist injury but they still have Jrue Holliday to handle those responsibilities. They go back on the road where they are 21-16 this season — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games contests. New Orleans has also covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games on the road against Eastern Conference opponents. Lastly, the Pelicans have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after losing their last two games. 25* NBA Friday ESPN Game of the Month with the New Orleans Pelicans (505) plus the point versus the Cleveland Cavaliers (506). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Illinois-Chicago Flames (781) and the Northern Colorado Bears (782). Northern Colorado (25-12) reached the Championship Game of the College Insider Tournament on Wednesday with their 99-80 win over Sam Houston State as a 10.5-point favorite. The Bears made 59% of their shots in that game — they are torching the nets to close out the season by making 52.7% of their shots over their last five games. They are scoring 89.9 PPG on their home court this season while making 49.9% of their shots. Northern Colorado has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games on their home court Over the Total after a point spread victory. Additionally, not only have the Bears played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total after scoring 80 points in their last game but they have also played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after scoring at least 90 points in their last contest. Northern Colorado made 17 of their 30 (56.7%) shots from behind the arc on Wednesday — and they have played 9 of their last 10 games Over the Total after making at least 13 shots from behind the arc in their last contest. Furthermore, the Over is 10-2-1 in their last 13 games on their home court — and they have played 7 of their last 9 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. The Bears have also played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total against teams outside the Big Sky Conference.

Illinois-Chicago (20-15) reached the Finals of the CIT with their 67-51 upset win at Liberty on Wednesday as a 4.5-point underdog. The Flames are finding their offense late in the season as the are shooting 46.6% from the field over their last five games which is a notch or so higher than their 45.2% season field goal percentage. Illinois-Chicago has played 10 of their last 15 games Over the Total after an upset win. They have also played 10 of their last 13 games Over the Total after a double-digit win on the road. Furthermore, this team has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a straight-up win. The Flames have also played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a point spread victory. Additionally, Illinois-Chicago has played 8 of their last 9 road games Over the Total after winning three of their last four contests. Lastly, the Flames have played 9 of their last 13 road games Over the Total with the number set in the 150 to 159.5 point range. 25* CBB CIT Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Illinois-Chicago Flames (781) and the Northern Colorado Bears (782). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Utah Utes (712) plus the points versus the Penn State Nittany Lions (711). Penn State (25-13) was on fire from behind the 3-point line on Tuesday as they nailed 11 of their 20 shots from downtown en route to their 75-60 blowout win over Mississippi State as a 2.5-point favorite. But such a strong effort might have set up the Nittany Lions for a letdown in this Championship Game — especially with them laying a handful of points. Penn State has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games after a victory by at least 15 points. The Nittany Lions went into halftime with a 42-23 lead as those first 20 minutes of the game being the most important moments of that contest. However, Penn State has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after leading by at least 15 points at halftime of their last game. Additionally, the Nittany Lions have failed to cover the point spread in 33 of their last 55 games after making at least 50% of their shots from behind the arc in their last game — and this includes five of these last eight situations. Furthermore, Penn State has covered the point spread in three straight games as well as six of their last seven contests. But the Nittany Lions have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after covering the point spread in three straight contests. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 25 of their last 37 games after covering the point spread in six or seven of their last eight games including five of these last six situations.

Utah (23-11) enters the NIT Championship Game playing their best basketball of the season after pulling off their second straight upset on Tuesday in their 69-64 upset win over Western Kentucky. The Utes have won four straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after winning four of their last five games. Utah has also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after an upset victory. Additionally, the Utes have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games after a straight-up win which includes a 3-0-1 ATS mark in their last four contests. This team plays at a slow pace which should help this championship be a close contest. They had only 66 possessions on Tuesday which also helped keep their personal fouls down after seeing only 62 possessions in their Quarterfinals contest with Saint Mary’s (despite that game going to overtime). Fewer possessions has helped Utah keeps their personal fouls down — they were whistled for just 12 fouls against the Hilltoppers after committing 15 fouls against the Gaels. Utah has then covered the point spread in a decisive 48 of their last 70 games after not committing more than 15 personal fouls in their last two games which includes covering the point spread in fourteen of these last seventeen along with five of these last seven situations. Head coach Larry Krystkowiak’s team is also 6-2-2 ATS in their last 10 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. 25* CBB NIT Game of the Year on Utah Utes (712) plus the points versus the Penn State Nittany Lions (711). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:35 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Mavericks (515) and the Los Angeles Lakers (516). Los Angeles (32-41) was eliminated from the Western Conference playoffs 112-106 loss in Detroit on Monday as a 4.5-point favorite. The Lakers have then played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after allowing at least 100 points in their last game. Los Angeles is a bit of M*A*S*H unit right now with their leading scoring Brandon Ingram out along with Josh Hart and now Isaiah Thomas who has is dealing with a hip injury like Ingram. Now after playing their last four games on the road, the Lakers return home where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total. LA has also played 5 of their last 6 home games Under the Total against teams with a losing record on the road. Additionally, the Lakers have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record.

Dallas (23-51) snapped their five-game losing streak with their 103-97 upset win at Sacramento last night as 3-point underdogs. The Mavericks have then played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when playing without a day of rest. Furthermore, Dallas has played 33 of their last 47 games Under the Total after an upset win — and this includes them playing eighteen of their last twenty-six games Under the Total after an upset win on the road. The Mavs have also played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total after a narrow win by 6 points or less — and the Under is a decisive 43-22-1 in their last 65 games after a straight-up win. Dallas is also dealing with a host of injuries with Wesley Matthews and Jose Barrea joining Seth Curry as being unavailable for this team. The Mavericks have played 28 of their last 42 games Under the Total when the Total is set in the 210 to 219.5 point range — and this includes them playing ten of their last fifteen games Under the Total when on the road with the over/under within this 210 to 219.5 point range. Dallas has played 13 of their last 19 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record. Lastly, the Mavericks are looking to avenge a 124-102 loss to the Lakers in the Staples Center back on February 23rd. Dallas has played 26 of their last 39 games Under the Total when playing with revenge from a double-digit loss — and they have played 15 of their last 222 games when avenging a loss on the road. 25* NBA Western Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Mavericks (515) and the Los Angeles Lakers (516). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Liberty Flames (724) minus the points versus the Illinois-Chicago Flames (723). Illinois-Chicago (19-15) reached the Semifinals of the College Insider Tournament with their 83-81 upset win at Austin Peay last Wednesday as a 4-point underdog. The Flames nailed 10 of their 23 (43.5%) shots from 3-point land to help them pull the upset. That came on the heels of their 84-61 win over St. Francis-PA where they made 10 of 24 (41.7%) shots from 3-point land. Illinois-Chicago has then failed to cover the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games after making at least 10 shots from behind the arc in two straight games. They are only shooting 34.9% from 3-point land when on the road — so the Regression Gods may be making an appearance for this team tonight. Furthering that thought, while the Flames have scored at least 83 points in their last games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their 10 games after scoring at least 80 points in their last two contests. Additionally, while Illinois-Chicago has scored at least 75 points in their last four games, they have then failed to cover the point spread 9 of their last 12 games after scoring at least 75 points in three straight games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after scoring at least 75 points in four straight games. Now this team stays on the road where they are being outscored by -3.8 PPG. They were fortunate to see Austin Peay miss 14 of their 16 shots from behind the arc — but Liberty was 2nd in the Big South by making 38.8% of their 3-pointers this season. Illinois-Chicago has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 16 road games with the Total set in the 140 to 149.5 point range. Another concern for this team — made more worrisome when they are playing in hostile environment — is their looseness with the basketball as they ranked 312th in the nation by turning the ball over in 20.8% of their possessions. This is another area that Liberty can take advantage of as they forced turnovers in 19.1% of their opponent’s possessions in conference play. This also helps illuminate why Illinois-Chicago is just 2-8-1 ATS in their last 11 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. 

Liberty (22-14) reached the Semifinals with their 84-71 win over Central Michigan on Saturday as a 3.5-point favorite. These Flames shot a red hot 56.1% from the field including making 11 of their 25 (44%) shots from downtown — so they should offer more of a challenge to Illinois-Chicago that Austin Peay did on the offensive end of the court. Liberty has covered the point spread in 4 straight boarded games after a point spread win. Now these Flames stay at home for their third straight game. They are 12-6 on their home court with an average winning margin of +12.8 PPG. Liberty thrives on defense on their home court where they limit their visitors to scoring just 59.4 PPG on low 39.2% shooting. Over their last five games, these Flames have held their opponents to just 38.3% shooting while making a healthy 49.2% of their shots. Liberty’s defense is buoyed by outstanding defensive rebounding as they rank 2nd in the nation by limiting their opponents to pull down only 20.2% of their missed shots. Liberty has covered the point spread in 4 straight games on their home court. Additionally, this Flames team has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against non-conference opponents — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning record. 25* CBB CIT Semifinals Game of the Year with the Liberty Flames (724) minus the points versus the Illinois-Chicago Flames (723). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:30 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Mississippi State Bulldogs (779) and the Penn State Nittany Lions (780). Mississippi State (25-11) reached the Semifinals of the NIT with their 79-56 upset win at Louisville as a 6-point underdog last Tuesday. The Bulldogs held the Cardinals to just a 35% field goal percentage in that game. This Mississippi State plays very good defense — they rank 31st in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency. Their last five opponents are shooting just 40.1% from the field. The Bulldogs have played 20 of their last 28 games Under the Total after a win by at least 20 points. Mississippi State has also played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total after winning three straight games — and they have played a decisive 36 of their last 56 games on the road Under the Total after winning three straight games. Additionally, while the Bulldogs have played their last two games on the road as an underdog, they have then played 18 of their last 25 games Under the Total after playing two straight games on the road as a dog. Furthermore, Mississippi State has played 4 straight games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60%.

Penn State (24-13) has also won three straight games with their 85-80 upset win at Marquette last Tuesday. The Nittany Lions made 53.4% of their shots in that game which was their best shooting effort in their last ten contests. They also allowed the Golden Eagles to make 45.9% of their shots which was actually the highest opponent’s field goal percentage they have allowed in their last three games. Penn State has the 19th best defense in the nation when measured by Adjusted Efficiency. They will need to lean on their defense tonight considering that they are making only 40.1% of their shots over their last five games. Expect this game to be more of a defensive struggle as they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a game where at least 155 combined points were scored. The Nittany Lions have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total when playing with five or six days of rest. Additionally, Penn State has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total against teams outside the Big Ten. 25* CBB NIT Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Mississippi State Bulldogs (779) and the Penn State Nittany Lions (780). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Miami Heat (770) minus the points versus the Cleveland Cavaliers (769). Miami (39-25) return home after losing their last two games on the road with a 113-107 loss in Indiana on Sunday as a 3-point underdog. The Heat have rebounded to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a straight-up loss — and they are 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 games after a point spread setback. Additionally, Miami is 6-1-2 ATS in their last 9 games after scoring at least 100 points in their last game. The Heat have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after losing their last two games on the road. Miami has also covered the point spread in 18 of their last 23 games after winning two of their last three games. This team remains with Hassan Whiteside who has missed the last eight games with a hip injury. This Heat is balanced with a good bench who do not rely on just one or two guys outside their star point guard Goran Dragic. The team expects to see head coach Erik Spoelstra back after he took a hiatus for the birth of his child. The Heat return home where they are 22-13 while covering the point spread in 6 straight games. Additionally, Miami is 15-3-3- ATS in their last 21 games against teams with a winning record.

Cleveland (44-29) has won five straight games with their 121-114 win at Brooklyn on Sunday as a 6.5-point favorite. The Cavaliers have then failed to cover the point spread in 25 of their last 36 games after a point spread win. Cleveland has also failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 18 games after winning five or six of their last seven contests. This team is playing better now that Kevin Love is back — but they will be without Kyle Korver who is away dealing with a death in his family. Yet the Cavaliers have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 23 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 15 road games again teams with a winning record at home. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 29 road games with the Total set in the 220 to 229.5 point range. Furthermore, Cleveland has failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 22 games against teams with a winning record. This team has just not been reliable as a favorite — they have failed to cover the point spread in 40 of their last 55 games as a favorite while also failed to cover the point spread in seventeen of their last twenty-four games as a favorite when playing on the road. Lastly, the Cavaliers have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 trips to Miami to face the Heat. 25* NBA Tuesday TNT Game of the Month with the Miami Heat (770) minus the points versus the Cleveland Cavaliers (769). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the San Francisco Dons (742) minus the points versus the North Texas Mean Green (741). North Texas (18-17) reached the Finals of this Best-of-Three College Basketball Invitational tournament with their blowout 90-68 win over Jacksonville State. We had the Mean Green in that game — and it was very nice to see them make a season-high 61.5% of their shots in that contest. But this is a team that shoots only 42.6% of their shots away from home — and they will be playing a Dons’ team that place tough on the defensive end of the court by holding their visitors to just a 41.9% field goal percentage. As it is, North Texas has failed to cover the point spread in 33 of their last 48 games after a game where they made at least 50% of their shots — and this includes failing to cover the point spread in six of their last seven games after nailing at least half their shots in their last contest. This is an improving young team under first-year head coach Grant McCasland. They had previously blown out Mercer on their home court by a 97-67 score in their previous game in this tournament. But the Mean Green have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after registering two straight blowout wins by at least 20 points. The offense has exploded for them to score at least 90 points in three straight games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 27 road games after scoring at least 75 points in three straight contests. Quick first-half efforts have helped this team as they have raced out to score 57 and 47 points in the first 20 minutes of their last two contests — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after scoring at least 40 first-half points in two straight games. Playing in a hostile environments has been an issue for this team — and they turn the ball over in 18.5% of their possessions in Conference USA play which was 12th in that conference. Furthermore, the Mean Green have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 22 games after playing their their last two games on their home court.

San Francisco (21-15) has won three straight games with their 65-62 win over Campbell on Thursday as a 9.5-point favorite. The Dons have then covered the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games after a victory where they failed to cover the point spread as the favorite. All three of San Francisco’s most recent wins have been by 5 points or less — and they have then covered the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games after winning three straight games by 6 points or less. And while they have only covered the point spread once in their last six games, they have then covered the point spread in 3 straight games after failing to cover the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. The Dons entered the season with expectations that they would be in the top tier of the West Coast Conference but they started slow in conference play. They found themselves 4-7 in the conference after losing a pair of road games at Saint Mary’s and at Gonzaga. But this San Francisco team has since won nine of their last twelve games including a big win at home against the Gaels in a rematch in February. With the second and potentially third games of these finals scheduled to be played in Denton in North Texas’ gym, the Dons need to win this opening contest to have a reasonable chance of winning this championship. 25* CBB CBI Game of the Year with the San Francisco Dons (742) minus the points versus the North Texas Mean Green (741). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the money-line on the San Jose Sharks (63) versus the Chicago Blackhawks (64). San Jose (43-23-6) has won seven straight games with their 5-1 win over Calgary on Saturday. The Sharks have then won 6 straight games after a win on their home ice any at least two goals — and they have won 13 of their last 15 games after a win at home by at least five goals. San Jose has also won 4 straight games after scoring at least five goals in their last contest — and they have won 7 of their last 10 games after allowing no more than two goals in their last game. The Sharks are looking to make another deep playoff run with an aging core of veterans — they are motivated to improve their playoff positioning in the remaining weeks of the regular season. They got 37 saves on Saturday from their goalie Martin Jones who has stepped up his play as of late. In 10 starts this month, Jones has a sparkling 2.12 Goals-Against-Average along with a .925 save percentage. San Jose has won a decisive 30 of their last 42 road games against teams with a losing record at home. The Sharks have also won 38 of their last 54 games against teams with a losing record. And in their last 8 games against fellow Western Conference opponents, San Jose has won all 8 contests.

Chicago (31-36-8) has been eliminated from the Western Conference playoffs this season. They did snap a five-game losing streak on Saturday with their 3-1 win in New York over the Islanders — but they have then lost 4 straight games after a victory. The Blackhawks have also lost 10 of their last 13 games after a win on the road. And in their last 6 games after allowing two goals or less in their last contest, Chicago has lost 5 of these games. Their best player, Jonathan Toews, will not play tonight as he is dealing with an upper-body injury. It has been confirmed that Anton Forsberg will be between the pipes after he stopped 30 shots in that win on Saturday. But that was Forsberg’s first solid performance in a very long time. Forsberg has a rough 3.28 GAA along with a .898 save percentage in nine games (seven starts) this month. The Blackhawks have lost 4 of their last 5 games at home — and they have also lost 6 of their last 7 games at home against teams with a winning record on the road. Lastly, while Chicago is looking to avenge a 7-2 loss to the Sharks back on March 1st, they have lost 16 of their last 25 games when attempting to avenge a loss where they allowed at least four goals. 25* NHL Western Conference Game of the Month with the money-line on the San Jose Sharks (63) versus the Chicago Blackhawks (64). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:35 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Anaheim Ducks (9) and the Edmonton Oilers (10). Edmonton (34-36-4) has won three straight games with their 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings last night. Goalie Cam Talbot stopped 27 of the 29 shots he faced to earn the win. This was a great Under situation save for the possibility that backup goalie Al Montoya would be between the pipes tonight given that Talbot played last night. Montoya cannot be trusted with Unders. However, my sources have informed me that Montoya is unavailable this evening (and the Oilers are calling up a backup goaltender from their minor league team) — so it will be Talbot playing again tonight. Voila, we have a great situation for us now. Talbot struggled earlier in the season — and his step back this season from an outstanding 2016-17 campaign is one of the reasons why this Edmonton team will not be in the playoffs this season. But Talbot has found his form this month with a 2.19 Goals-Against-Average and a .936 save percentage. And he has a solid 2.49 GAA with a .912 save percentage when playing without rest so that is not a concern for me. The Oilers have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a victory — and they have played 10 of their last 13 home games Under the Total after a win by one goal or less. Edmonton has also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after allowing two goals or less in their last contest. Over their last five games, the Oilers are allowing only 2.4 Goals-Per-Game. Edmonton stays at home where the Under is 6-2-1 in their last 9 games. And in their last 6 games against teams with a winning record, the Under is 3-1-2.

Anaheim (38-24-6) saw their four-game winning streak snapped on Friday with their 3-2 loss in overtime at Winnipeg. The Ducks have then played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after scoring two goals or less in their last game. Anaheim may be without their captain and top-line center in Ryan Getzlaf tonight as he is questionable with a stomach virus. That means the team will be leaning even more on goalie John Gibson who has been of fire as of late. Since the All-Star Break, Gibson has a 1.80 GAA along with a .942 save percentage with three shutouts in 17 starts. He also enjoys a 1.45 GAA in his three starts against the Oilers this season. Anaheim will be looking to avenge a 6-5 loss to Edmonton back on February 25th — and they have played 7 of their last 8 road games Under the Total when avenging a loss where they allowed at least five goals. The Ducks have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total on the road. They also have played 15 of their last 21 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record. And in their last 37 games against fellow Western Conference foes, the Under is 26-10-1. 25* NHL Pacific Division Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Anaheim Ducks (9) and the Edmonton Oilers (10). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 5:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Duke Blue Devils (721) minus the points versus the Kansas Jayhawks (722). Kansas (30-7) reached the Elite Eight with their 80-76 win over Clemson on Friday. But now this Jayhawks team gets exposed against a superior opponent with more talent and a more reliable system of play in the Blue Devils. These Jayhawks are not one of Bill Self’s better teams. They lost five games in Big 12 conference play but continued their regular season title streak in large part due to the injury of Texas Tech’s Keenan Evans which triggered the Red Raiders’ four-game losing streak. Kansas’ problems start on defense where they ranked just 46th in the nation in Adjusted Efficiency which is the first time they were outside the Top-24 going back to at least 2002 (kenpom’s data does not go farther back). They were 6th in the Big 12 with Adjusted Defensive Efficiency of 108.9 which projects that opponents would score at a 1.09 Points-Per-Possession rate. They only outscored conference opponents by +0.04 PPP. Even worse, because this team plays with four guards, they face a matchup nightmare when encountering a team with multiple big men. Hello, Duke with Marvin Bagley III and Wendell Carter. It is simply a matchup nightmare that 6’8 Svi Mykhailiuk and his 205-lb frame will be required to play defense against either the 6’11 Bagley at 234 lbs or Carter at 6’10 and 259 lbs. The Jayhawks were 7th in the Big 12 by allowing their opponents to make 51.2% of their shots inside the arc. Kansas is likely to get destroyed on the boards as well as they allow their opponents to make 31.5% of their missed shots which is 295th in the nation. The Blue Devils rebound 39.2% of their missed shots which is the top mark in the country. Furthermore, the Jayhawks do not specialize in getting more scoring opportunities in offensive rebounding nor forcing turnovers — and they are awful at getting to the free throw line with a free throw rate which is 329th in the nation. When they do get to the charity stripe, they made only 69% of these shots in Big 12 play (12th in the conference) — and they have a severe liability there with Udoku Azubuike who shoots a mere 41.1% from the line. The Blue Devils do a fine job of defending inside the arc — they hold opponents to just a 45.3% shooting mark with their 2-point shots (17th in the nation) and that mark lowered to a 44.1% mark against ACC foes. To win this game, the Jayhawks will have to make a bunch of 3s — and they do take 41.0% of the field goal attempts from behind the arc. But Duke defends the perimeter quite well using that 2-3 zone which pushes those 3-point attempts farther back — they ranked 20th in the nation with an opponent’s 3-point field goal percentage of 31.9%. I just don’t think the Jayhawks have enough diversity in their scoring options outside 3-point shooting. As it is, this team is due for a letdown. They have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after a win by 6 points or less — and after their 4-point win over Seton Hall in the Round of 32, they have failed to cover the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games after winning two straight by 6 points or less. Furthermore, Kansas has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games if they have won at least twelve of their previous fifteen games (12-3 in their last 15) — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after winning at least four straight games.

Duke (29-7) has won five of their last six games after they survived the grinder with Syracuse on Friday by that 69-65 score. The Jayhawks do not typically play a zone defense — so we will hopefully be spared from watching Grayson Allen take jump shots that would be long 3-point attempts in the NBA. The Blue Devils have more NBA talent on their squad — and they rank in the Top-9 in the nation in Adjusted Offensive and Defensive Efficiency. Mike Krzyzewski’s move to a 2-3 zone did in conference play did wonders for this team’s ability to slow down opponents on offense. They are more than capable from behind the arc with their 37.7% shooting clip (50th in the nation) while ranking 15th in the nation with their 56.0% mark inside the arc. They did not cover the 11-point spread against the Orange — but they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after a point spread loss. They also have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 22 games after a victory where they did not cover the point spread as the favorite. Additionally, Duke has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when playing their second game in three days. They have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games against teams outside the ACC. Lastly, the Blue Devils have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games in the NCAA Tournament. 25* College Basketball Game of the Year with the Duke Blue Devils (721) minus the points versus the Kansas Jayhawks (722). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 2:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders (719) and the Villanova Wildcats (720). Texas Tech (27-9) has won five of their last six games with their 78-65 upset win over Purdue on Friday. The Red Raiders made 47.5% of their shots in that game which was actually the best offensive performance in their last five contests. They also held the Boilermakers to just a 44.8% shooting percentage which sounds pretty good (especially against an offensive powerhouse like Purdue) — yet that was their highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last six contests. Texas Tech is a defense-first team that likes to play at a slower pace. They average 66.7 possessions per game which is the 247th fewest in the nation. Chris Beard’s team is 3rd in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. While they are facing a Michigan team that scores 87.0 PPG, they have played 10 of their last 16 games Under the Total after 15 games into the season against teams that score at least 84.0 PPG. The Red Raiders have also played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total in Tournament action — and they have played 6 straight games Under the Total with the Total in the 140 to 149.5 point range. And in the last 42 games on the road with no more than one day of rest, they have played 28 of these games Under the Total.

Villanova (33-4) has won eight straight games with their 90-78 win over West Virginia on Friday. The Wildcats held the Mountaineers to just a 38.6% field goal percentage in their victory. Villanova has played 13 of their last 20 games Under the Total when playing with no more than one day of rest. The Wildcats made 23 of their 27 (85.2%) of their free throws against a West Virginia team that commits a ton of fouls as a by-product of their defensive pressure. Villanova has played 19 of their last 25 games on the road Under the Total after a game where they made at least 78% of their free throws. There were 76 possessions in that game with West Virginia which may persuade many bettors into expecting another Over with Jay Wright’s offensive juggernaut that has put up amazing shooting numbers over the years. But in Villanova’s previous ten NCAA Tournament games, the average number of possessions was 63.8 which is far below this year’s average throughout all of Division One College Basketball of 68.3. The Wildcats made 13 of their 24 (54.2%) of their 3-point shots against West Virginia but those shots may be harder to come by against this Red Raiders’ defense that holds their opponents to just a 32.8% shooting percentage from behind the arc. 25* CBB Elite Eight Total of the Year with Texas Tech Red Raiders (719) and the Villanova Wildcats (720). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:49 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Michigan Wolverines (516) minus the points versus the Florida State Seminoles (515). Florida State (23-11) pulled off their second straight upset victory on Thursday when they stunned Gonzaga by a 75-60 score as a 6-point underdog. We had the Bulldogs in that game — and we were very disappointed to discover the news that Gonzaga’s star sophomore Killian Tillie was unable to play in that game due to an injury he suffered in practice. That was a fortunate set of circumstances for the Bulldogs — but their bubble looks ready to burst tonight against a very balanced Wolverines team that can match them with their depth. As it is, the Seminoles have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after winning two straight games as an underdog. Florida State has also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up win. I think the Seminoles’ head coach Leonard Hamilton is very underrated — I was very impressed with his tactics and demeanor in the second-half of their upset win over Xavier last Sunday. The strength of this team is their depth — they played ten players on Thursday who logged in at least ten minutes. But Michigan matches that depth. Lets ignore their blowout win over Texas A&M on Thursday given their big lead. In their buzzer-beating win over Houston last Saturday, the Wolverines had eight players log in at least 10 minutes with a ninth player in Jaaron Simmons being a fifth-year senior who was the best player for Ohio last year who still grabs a few minutes a game as the third point guard in their rotation. The Seminoles simply do not do enough things well to compete against an elite unit like these Wolverines. Their defense was mediocre at best in the ACC where they ranked 13th in Adjusted Efficiency. They allowed ACC foes to make a whopping 40.4% of their 3-point shots which was 14th in the conference. On offense, they made only 33.0% of their 3-pointers which was 13th in the ACC. Florida State generates much of their points from drawing fouls as they led the ACC in free throw rate. But John Beilein teams generally do not commit many personal fouls. This year’s Michigan team is fouling more than in previous seasons — but they are still only averaging 16 personal fouls per game. The Seminoles have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 14 road games after 15 games into the season against teams that did not commit more than 17 personal fouls per game. Furthermore, Florida State has failed to cover the point spread in 20 of their last 28 road games after 15 games into the season against teams with a winning record. And in their last 10 games played on a neutral court with the Total set in the 140 to 144.5 point range, the Seminoles have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of these contests.

Michigan (31-7) had the best offensive performance for any team in this NCAA Tournament on Thursday with their 99-72 victory over Texas A&M as a 2.5-point favorite. The Wolverines scored at a 1.38 Points-Per-Possession rate against an Aggies team now ranks as the best best defense in the nation in terms of Adjusted Efficiency. Michigan shot 61.9% from the field while seeing 8 different players make 3-pointers en route to their 14 of 24 (58.3%) shooting mark from behind the arc. This is a big area of advantage for the Wolverines in this game. So too is their ability to score in transition given their diversity of scorers including agile big men like Mo Wagner and Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman who can nail 3-pointers. Most opponents do not want to play at a pace that is fast against the Wolverines given these strengths. (Purdue was happy to do so which created two epic games before Michigan finally defeated them in the Big Ten Tournament Championship Game by 9 points). The Wolverines are in transition in just 16.5% of their possessions this season — but their scoring efficiency is in the 97th percentile in those situations. They torched Texas A&M in transition with 15 first-half points which helped them seize their 52-28 halftime lead. And while Florida State likes to play fast, they allow their opponents to see their possessions in transition in 20.2% of their possessions which is 318th in the nation. I just don’t think the Seminoles have enough scoring firepower — especially with their mediocre 3-point shooting — to keep up. But Florida State’s game is not in the half court either. They do crash the boards — but the Wolverines were 2nd in the Big Ten by holding their opponents to pull down just 24.3% of their missed shots. Moving forward, the Wolverines have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after scoring at least 90 points in their last game. They have also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games on the road when playing with one day of rest. 25* CBB Elite Eight A-List Special with the Michigan Wolverines (516) minus the points versus the Florida State Seminoles (515). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:07 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers (513) plus (or minus if the point spread moves before tip off) the points versus the Kansas State Wildcats (514). The similarities between these two teams just begins with the notion that neither of these 11th seeded and 9th seeded teams in the South Region were expected to reach the Elite Eight. Both of these teams are extremely well coached groups that emphasize defense first while playing at a slow pace. Neither team emphasizes rebounding although the Ramblers do a much better job in protecting their offensive glass. The Wildcats create more scoring opportunities by forcing turnovers — but the Ramblers counter that by being very good with their 3-point shooting. Loyola-Chicago (31-5) has the edge in this matchup. Three of their losses were without junior point guard Clayton Cluster available — so they are actually 31-2 when he is healthy and on the court. With five upperclassmen in their rotation, the Rambers are an experienced group. And this Loyola-Chicago team just has more reliable ways to generate offense. The Ramblers are 15th in the nation with a 39.9% shooting percentage from behind the arc — and they also make 56.6% of their shots inside the arc (12th in the nation) with an intricate set of patient but effective maneuvers that helped them put on a shooting clinic in the second-half of their 68-68 victory over Nevada on Thursday. Loyola-Chicago has pulled off three straight upset victories in this tournament — but they have then covered the point spread in 6 straight games after an upset victory. Additionally, the Ramblers have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against teams outside the Missouri Valley Conference — and they are 20-7-1 ATS in their last 28 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Loyola-Chicago has covered the point spread in 5 straight games on a neutral court. And in their last 8 games as an underdog, Loyola-Chicago has covered the point spread 7 times.

Kansas State (25-11) has won five of their last six games with their upset win over Kentucky on Thursday by a 61-58 score as a 5-point underdog. We had Kansas State in that game as I thought they matched up well with a long Kentucky team that would be facing the pressure of high expectations. But I think the limitations of this Wildcats team rears its ugly head in this contest. They were just 7th in the Big 12 in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. They only make 34.5% of their shots from behind the arc (202nd in the nation). And while they are reliable inside the arc with a 53.8% shooting percentage with their 2-point shots, they will be facing a Ramblers’ defense that limits their opponents to just a 46.9% of their shots inside the arc (56th in the nation). Interior defense is a surprising concern for this team as well — they allowed Big 12 opponents to make 52.7% of their missed shots (9th in the conference). I think this is were Loyola-Chicago wins the game. And all of this is compounded by the fact that Kansas State is still not getting much production of their best interior player in 6’10 Dean Wade. He was only able to play 8 minutes against Kentucky — and his team not only needs his 16 PPG but also his defensive presence down low. The Wildcats have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when playing their second game in three days. Kansas State looks due for a letdown as well as they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight games after winning at least three straight games. Additionally, the Wildcats have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games against non-conference opponents. And in their last 13 games played on a neutral court as a favorite or pick ‘em, Kansas State has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of these games. 25* CBB Elite Eight Underdog of the Year with the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers (513) plus (or minus if the point spread moves before tip off) the points versus the Kansas State Wildcats (514). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 2:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Liberty Flames (518) minus the points versus the Central Michigan Chippewas (517). Liberty (21-14) has won four of their last five games after their 65-52 win over North Carolina A&T way back on March 12th as a 12-point favorite. The Flames will benefit from the extra time off as they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 boarded games when playing with at least seven days of rest. Liberty has also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 boarded games after a point spread win. The Flames went into halftime with a low-scoring 23-21 lead in that game — and they have covered the point spread in 5 straight boarded games after failing to score at least 25 points in the first half of their last game. Liberty gets to host this game on their home court where they are 11-6 this season with an average winning margin of +12.8 PPG. They hold their visitors to scoring just 58.7 PPG on a low 38.8% field goal percentage at home. The Flames have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games on their home court — and they have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. Liberty does an outstanding job of protecting their defensive glass — they are second in the nation by rebounding 80.1% of opponent’s missing shots. This will frustrate the Chippewas who led the Mid-American Conference in offensive rebounding. Additionally, Liberty has held their last five opponents to just a 35.3% field goal percentage. Furthermore, the Flames have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 boarded games as the favorite.

Central Michigan (21-14) has won five of their last six games with their 98-94 win at Wofford last Friday as a 5.5-point underdog. The Chippewas allowed the Terriers to make 54% of their shots in their win which is a concern for this team after Fort Wayne enjoyed a 55% field goal percentage in their opening game of the College Insider Tournament. Central Michigan was able to pull that game out by pulling down 32.4% of their missed shots while making 17 of their 38 (44.7%) of their 3-pointers. The Chippewas are likely to see their bubble burst in this tournament after pulling off two upsets in a row to reach the Quarterfinals. They have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after registering two or more upset victories in a row. Now Central Michigan stays on the road for their third straight game in this tournament. The Chippewas have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after winning two straight games on the road. Central Michigan is being outscored when they play on the road — and they are only making 43.1% of their shots away from home. The Chippewas have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 17 road games with the Total set in the 140 to 144.5 point range. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 35 of their last 54 road games after allowing at least 85 points in their last game. Lastly, Central Michigan has not committed more than 11 turnovers in four straight games — but that mark will be challenged against this Flames team that forced turnovers in 19.1% in Big South play. The Chippewas have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games after not committing more than 11 turnovers in at least four straight games. 25* CBB College Insider Tournament Game of the Year with the Liberty Flames (518) minus the points versus the Central Michigan Chippewas (517). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:57 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Texas Tech Red Raiders (873) plus the point(s) versus the Purdue Boilermakers (874). Purdue (30-6) has won seven of their last eight games with their 76-73 win over Butler as a 4-point favorite on Sunday. The Boilermakers won that game despite being without their anchor in the middle in Isaac Haas who suffered a broken elbow in their previous game against Cal-State Fullerton. His presence was missed in the middle as the Bulldogs made 60% of their shots inside the arc. Purdue does have a capable backup at center in another seven-footer in Matt Haarms — but the problem is that he cannot log a ton of minutes. He played 29 minutes against Butler which meant that the Boilermakers which left them very vulnerable inside the arc for those remaining 11 minutes. Depth is now a significant issue for this team that was riding high using four perimeter players surrounding their two seven-footers that head coach Matt Painter rotated between. As it is, Purdue has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 11 games after a straight-up loss. The Boilermakers have also failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after a straight-up win where they failed to cover the point spread — and they are 2-8-1 ATS in their last 11 games after a point spread win. I have two other concerns for this team. First, they are now even more dependent on their 3-point shooting after losing a player in Haas who was leading the nation in post-up points. Purdue takes over 40% of their shots from behind the arc — and while they have made 43% of these shots so far in the Big Dance, they are now facing a Red Raiders team that holds their opponents to just a 32.7% shooting mark behind the arc (41st in the nation). Second, the Boilermakers do not protect their defensive glass as opponents pull down 27.9% of their missed shots (137th in the nation). Texas Tech crashes the glass as they pull down 33.2% of their misses (45th in the nation). Purdue has failed to cover the point spread in four of their last five games — and they have then failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after failing to cover the point spread in three of their last four games. And in their last 8 games when playing on a neutral court as a favorite or pick ‘e, the Boilermakers have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of these contests.

Texas Tech (26-9) has won four of their last five games with their 69-66 win over Florida on Saturday as a 1.5-point favorite. The Red Raiders won that game despite shooting only 44.5% from the field which was their worst field goal percentage in their last five games. Texas Tech is making only 32% of their shots from behind the arc in the Big Dance — but they should see more of those shots fall moving forward given their 36.4% shooting percentage from 3-point land this season. The Red Raiders have covered the point spread in 23 of their last 34 games after winning two straight games. Texas Tech has also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a point spread victory. This Red Raiders team plays outstanding defense — they rank 4th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Their first two tournament opponents are scoring at just a 0.93 Points-Per-Possession rate while making only 43% of their shots inside the arc. Texas Tech is led by a dynamic guard in Keenan Evans who is averaging 16.0 PPG — just in the second half — of their two tournament games so far. Remember, the Red Raiders were in the driver’s seat to win the Big 12 regular season crown until Evans suffered a toe injury that kept him out for seven games. Texas Tech lost four straight games and went 2-5 overall without the services of Evans. Now with Evans healthy again, this team remains significantly undervalued — especially as an underdog against an opponent with their own significant injury. Lastly, the Red Raiders have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games against teams outside the Big 12. 25* CBB Sweet 16 Underdog of the Year with the Texas Tech Red Raiders (873) plus the point(s) versus the Purdue Boilermakers (874). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:07 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Clemson Tigers (877) and the Kansas Jayhawks (878). Clemson (25-9) reached the Sweet 16 with their 84-53 upset win over Auburn on Sunday. The Tigers flexed their muscles on defense by holding the Tigers to just a 25.8% shooting percentage in what was their best defensive effort of the season. Clemson should be able to maintain this level of defensive intensity — they rank 7th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency and have held their first two NCAA Tournament opponents to 32% shooting. The Tigers have then played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 60 points in their last game. Additionally, Clemson has covered the point spread in four straight games — and they have then played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in two straight games while playing 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in at least three straight games. It is on offense where the Tigers are likely to receive a visit from the Regression Gods after they made 51.6% of their shots in their first two games in the Big Dance including nailing 16 of their 40 (40%) shots from behind the arc. Clemson is not a strong offensive team — they ranked 11th in the ACC in Adjusted Efficiency. The Tigers shooting inside the arc has been the biggest surprise as they made 46 of their 80 (57.5%) 2-point shots after making only 46.2% of their shots inside the arc in ACC play which ranked 10th in the conference. The season-ending injury to their best player in 6’9 Donte Grantham has really hurt the offensive effectiveness of this team. With Grantham on the court, Clemson was making 56.6% of their shots inside the arc — but without him, they see that number drop to just a 45.4% slip for their 2-pointers. They were scoring 77 PPG before Grantham’s injury but that number dropped to a 68 PPG clip for this team before they began the Big Dance. The Tigers benefited from playing New Mexico State and an Auburn team that suffered their own challenging season-ending injury in Anfernee McLemore who their best post defender. Moving forward, the Tigers have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total in non-conference play.

Kansas (29-7) has won five straight games after they defeated Seton Hall by an 83-79 score as a 4.5-point favorite. The Jayhawks have then played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up win where they failed to cover the point spread — and the Under is 6-2-1 in their last 9 games after a point spread loss. Kansas’ rim protector Udoka Azubuike was only able to play 22 minutes in that win over the Pirates — but they did hold Seton Hall to a 45% field goal percentage. With the extra days to rest and rehab his knee, Azubuike should be able to impose his presence of the defensive end of the court tonight. And while the Jayhawks have scored at least 76 points in five straight games, they have then played 8 of their last 10 road games Under the Total after scoring at least 75 points in five straight games. Lastly, Kansas has played 29 of their last 40 games in the NCAA Tournament Under the Total. 25* CBB Sweet Sixteen Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Clemson Tigers (877) and the Kansas Jayhawks (878). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:57 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Gonzaga Bulldogs (820) minus the points versus the Florida State Seminoles (819). Gonzaga (32-4) has won sixteen games in a row after they outlasted Ohio State on Sunday with their 90-84 win as a 4-point favorite. The Bulldogs won that game despite their experienced veterans not playing particularly well in that game. Sophomore Rui Hachimura and freshman Zach Norvell combined to score 53 points in that game despite not being in the rotation for Mark Few for this team last year that made their run to the National Championship Game. Look for the Gonzaga veterans to play better tonight. The Bulldogs have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 25 games after winning at least ten straight games. Gonzaga has also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after allowing at least 80 points in their last game. This is an outstanding team on both ends of the court as they rank 14th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency and 12th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They have enjoyed good starts in each of their last three games as they entered halftime with leads of 11, 9 and 9 points in each of their last three games. The Bulldogs have covered the point spread in 21 of their last 31 games after owning halftime leads of at least 5 points in each of their last three games. Gonzaga has also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games played on a neutral court as a favorite or pick ‘em — including covering the point spread in three straight games when favored on a neutral court by 6 points or less.

Florida State (22-11) has won two straight games since losing to Louisville in the ACC Tournament with their 75-70 upset win over Xavier on Sunday. The Seminoles were trailing by 12 points with 10:42 left in that game but embarked on a furious rally that included them outscoring the Musketeers by an 18-4 mark in the final 5:30 of that game to steal that victory. Frankly, a questionable foul on JP Macura late in that game which fouled him out played a big role in that game as it took away Xavier’s second best player. While that was a frustrating moment for those of us invested in the Musketeers, it is a reminder that Florida State was pretty fortunate during that comeback. This is a team that has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games after a win by 6 points or less. While the Seminoles are tough by making 54.1% of their shots inside the arc (41st in the nation), they are too many things that this team struggles with that makes this a tough matchup against a very balanced Bulldogs team. Florida State was 13th in the ACC in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They also allowed their opponents to pull down 29.8% of their missed shots (231st in the nation) — and this Gonzaga team crashes the glass to pull down 33.1% of their missed shots (47th in the nation). Furthermore, Gonzaga made only 33% of their shots from behind the arc in conference play which was 13th in the ACC. Not surprisingly, the Seminoles have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. And in their last 7 games in the NCAA Tournament, Florida State has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of these games. 25* CBB Thursday Night Special Feature with the Gonzaga Bulldogs (820) minus the points versus the Florida State Seminoles (819). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Michigan Wolverines (818) minus the points versus the Texas A&M Aggies (817). Michigan (30-7) has won eleven straight games with their 64-63 buzzer-beating win over Houston last Saturday as a 3.5-point favorite. The Wolverines on the game despite making only 35.6% of their shots in that game which was their worst offensive performance of the season. Michigan also made only 8 of their 30 shots from behind the arc (26.7%) which was far below the 37.3% mark they enjoyed from 3-point range in Big Ten play. Given the Wolverines credit for doing what was necessary to win their two games played in Wichita despite not playing at their best. Don’t be surprised if this team plays much better tonight — they face an opponent in these Aggies that match up very well against them. As it is, Michigan has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after a straight-up win. The Wolverines have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a point spread loss. This is a good pairing for this Michigan team because Texas A&M does a great job in taking away second chances for their opponents on offense with their outstanding frontline. But the Wolverines sacrifice offensive rebounding with getting back on defense. However, Michigan does commit themselves to protecting their defensive glass: they are 3rd in the nation by holding their opponents to just 8.0 PPG in Second-Chance Opportunities — and that mark has dropped to just 7.0 PPG on Second-Chance-Opportunities in the NCAA Tournament. The Wolverines are 12-3-1 ATS in their last 16 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they are 15-5-1 ATS in their last 21 games played on a neutral court.

Texas A&M (22-12) has won five of their last six games with their 86-65 upset win over North Carolina on Sunday as a 7-point underdog. The Aggies enjoyed a true outlier performance in playing probably their best game of the season to pull off this blowout upset victory. For starters, they made 51.7% of their shots which was their best offensive effort in their last five games while also nailing 10 of their 24 shots (41.7%) from behind the arc. Texas A&M only made 30.6% of their 3-point shots in SEC play. They also held the Tar Heels to just a 33.3% shooting percentage while limiting them to scoring at just a 0.84 Points-Per-Possession rate which was their third worst offensive performance of the season. North Carolina lives off second-chance opportunities but they only pulled down 17% of their missed shots against the Aggies frontcourt. Expect a big letdown from this team now as they are just 7-22-1 ATS in their last 30 games after a win by at least 20 points. Texas A&M has also failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their lat 14 games after scoring at least 85 points in their last game. Additionally, the Aggies have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 road games after winning five or six of their last seven contests. And while Texas A&M has allowed only 28 and 27 points in the first-half of their last two games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight games after not allowing more than 30 points in the first-half in two straight games. The vulnerability of this team is in their backcourt where injuries and suspensions have left them to a freshman in T.J. Starks who started the year fifth on their depth chart. Starks has steadily improved this season — and played quite well against the Tar Heels — but he remains the Achilles’ heel for this team. He has turned the ball over 11 times in his two NCAA Tourney games. He faces a stiff challenge in being defended by the Wolverines’ Zavier Simpson who has been a shutdown defender against elite point guards all season. Michigan faces turnovers in 19.3% of their opponent’s possessions (116th in the nation) while the Aggies turn the ball over in 19.2% of their possessions (231st in the nation) with their question marks with their ball handlers. Lastly, Texas A&M has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games played on a neutral court with the Total set in the 130 to 139.5 point range. 25* CBB NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Game of the Year with the Michigan Wolverines (818) minus the points versus the Texas A&M Aggies (817). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Saint Mary’s Gaels (768) minus the points versus the Utah Utes (767). Saint Mary’s (30-5) has won six of their last seven games after defeating Washington on Monday as an 11-point favorite to advance to the Quarterfinals of the NIT. The Gaels are tough to beat when they get their offense going as they have in this tournament. They made 56.4% of their shots in their win over the Huskies on the heels of making 59.3% of their shots in their 89-45 blowout win over Southeastern Louisiana in the opening round of the NIT last Tuesday. Saint Mary’s have then covered the point spread in a decisive 49 of their last 67 home games after scoring at least 85 points in their last game — and they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games after scoring at least 85 points their last two games. The Gaels have the luxury of staying at home for this contest which will be their last game on their home court this season before the Semifinals are played in Madison Square Garden. This is the third straight game that Saint Mary’s was the home favorite in this tournament — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 home games after playing their last two games at home as the favorite. The Gaels are 18-1 on their home court this season with an average winning margin of +17.8 PPG. Saint Mary’s makes 51.1% of their shots at home while limiting their opponents to just 60.9 PPG on low 41.7% shooting. Additionally, the Gaels have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 17 opportunities to play a team from the Pac-12.

Utah (21-11) reached the Semifinals with their easy 95-71 win over LSU on Monday as a 5-point favorite. The Utes shot 57.9% from the field which was their best offensive performance of the season — so a letdown is very likely for this team at least on the offensive end of the court. Utah has has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after scoring at least 90 points in their last game. And while the Utes raced out to a 47-30 halftime score, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games after scoring at least 45 points in the first half of their last game. Utah has been very good at home this season where they enjoyed a 15-3 record in the higher altitude in Salt Lake City — but they are just 6-8 on the road with an average losing margin of -4.2 PPG. The Utes make only 44.0% of their shots away from home which provides another reason why they are not likely to come close to matching the 57.9% they enjoyed against LSU. Utah has failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 23 road games as an underdog getting 6.5 to 9 points. And in their 4 games against teams from the West Coast Conference, the Utes have failed to cover the point spread in all 4 games. Together, these team trends produce our specific 119-42 ATS combined angle for this situation. 25* CBB NIT Quarterfinals Game of the Year with the Saint Mary’s Gaels (768) minus the points versus the Utah Utes (767). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the North Texas Mean Green (778) plus (or minus) the points versus the Jacksonville State Gamecocks (777). North Texas (17-17) is playing its best basketball of the season in March as they followed up a 13-point win at South Dakota in the opening round of the College Basketball Invitational with their 96-67 blowout win over Mercer as a 3-point underdog on Monday. Sophomore Roosevelt Smart has continued his breakout season by averaging 32.5 PPG in this tournament but he is being joined by junior guard Jordan Duffey who is finding his own rhythm with this team after scoring 31 points while nailing 6 shots from behind the arc in that win over the Tigers. First-year head coach Grant McCasland deserves a tremendous amount of credit for continuing to lead his team to improvement this season. He inherited a Mean Green team that was 8-22 overall while winning only two of their eighteen conference games. But this North Texas team was 8-10 in Conference USA this season including the suffering of three tough losses in a 6-point loss at Middle Tennessee along with an overtime loss at home to Western Kentucky and a 2-point loss to Marshall. McCarsland pulled off a similar feat last season when he led Arkansas State to a 20-12 mark after they were just 11-20 in the previous season. This Mean Green team is very motivated to continue to build momentum for next season. They have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after winning two of their last three games. UNT has also covered the point spread in 13 of their last 19 games after playing a game as an underdog. The Mean Green opened as a small favorite in this game — but the line movement has them a small dog now in many spots. Regardless, North Texas has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games at home in expected home games where they are listed in the +/- 3-point range. Additionally, the Mean Green has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games against teams outside Conference USA.

Jacksonville State (23-12) reached the Quarterfinals of the College Basketball Invitational with their 80-59 win at Central Arkansas as a 2-point favorite on Monday. The Gamecocks may be due for a letdown now as they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a double-digit win on the road. This is a challenging situation as it is for this team who played that game on Monday while their campus was hit by a tornado. This is the third straight game on the road for this team in this tournament — and they have not played a home game since closing out their Ohio Valley Conference regular season by hosting Belmont way back on February 22nd. Jacksonville State has failed to cove the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after winning at least two straight games — and this includes failing to cover the point spread in three straight games after winning two straight on the road. 25* CBB CBI Semifinals Game of the Year with the North Texas Mean Green (778) plus (or minus) the points versus the Jacksonville State Gamecocks (777). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Mississippi State Bulldogs (667) and the Louisville Cardinals (668). Mississippi State (24-11) has won two straight games — as well as three of their last four games — with their 78-77 upset win at Baylor on Sunday as a 5.5-point underdog. The Bulldogs have then played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a point spread win. Mississippi State has also played a decisive 10 of their last 11 games Over the Total after a game where both teams scored at least 75 points. The Bulldogs stay on the road where they have played 6 of their last 8 road games Over the Total — and they have also played 6 of their last 8 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning record on their home court.

Louisville (22-13) reached the NIT Quarterfinals with their 84-68 win over Middle Tennessee on Sunday as a 4.5-point favorite. The Cardinals have then seen the Over go 20-5-2 in their last 27 games after a straight-up win — and the Over is also 19-6-1 in their last 26 games after a point spread victory. Louisville has also played 10 of their last 13 games Over the Total after a win on their home court. Additionally, the Cardinals have covered the point spread in five of their last seven games — and they have then played 9 of their last 10 games Over the Total after covering the point spread in four or five of their last six games. 25* CBB NIT Quarterfinals Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Mississippi State Bulldogs (667) and the Louisville Cardinals (668). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the money-line on the Columbus Blue Jackets (53) versus the New York Rangers (54). Columbus (40-28-1) is one of the hottest teams in the NHL right now as they have won seven straight games with their 5-4 win at Boston last night. The Blue Jackets have won 4 of their last 5 games after scoring at least five goals in their last game. Columbus has also won 4 of their last 5 games when playing their third game in four days. And in their last 11 games when having won seven straight games, the Blue Jackets have won in 10 of those contests. They return to their Sergei Bobrovsky between the pipes tonight after backup Joonas Korpisalo got the start last night. Bobrovsky has a nice 2.35 Goals-Against-Average in the month of March with a .926 save percentage. Columbus has won 4 straight games against teams with a winning record. The Blue Jackets have also won 6 straight games against fellow Eastern Conference opponents.

New York (32-32-3) saw their two-game winning streak snapped on Friday with their 4-3 loss at St. Louis. That was the fifth straight games the Rangers had played where at least seven combined goals were scored — and they have then lost 6 of their last 7 home games after playing at least four straight games where at least seven combined goals were scored. New York has also lost 6 straight games against an opponent that scored at least five goals in their last contest. This team is in a rebuild after deciding to be sellers at the trade deadline in what has been a lost season. They do turn back to goalie Henrik Lundqvist tonight as he will be making his first start since March 10th with the team giving an extended audition to rookie goaltender Alexandar Georgiev. Lundqvist is not as effective when rusty as he has a 3.68 GAA with a .891 save percentage in his ten starts (eleven games) played with at least three days between appearances on the ice. The Rangers have lost 16 of their last 21 games against teams with a winning record. And in their last 11 games against Eastern Conference opponents, New York has lost 9 of these contests. 25* NHL Metropolitan Division Game of the Month with the money-line on the Columbus Blue Jackets (53) versus the New York Rangers (54). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 11:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Washington Huskies (621) and the St. Mary’s Gaels (622). St. Mary’s (29-5) reached the second round of the NIT last Tuesday with their 89-45 win over Southeastern Louisiana as a 14.5-point favorite. The Gaels torched the Lions by making 59.3% of their shots which was the best offensive effort in their last eight games. This game shapes up to be more of a defensive struggle. St. Mary’s has played 13 of their last 18 games Under the Total after a win by at least 20 points — and they have played 7 straight games Under the Total after a win by at least 30 points. Additionally, the Gaels have paled 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a win at home — and they have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a point spread. Furthermore, this team has played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after scoring at least 80 points in their last game — and they have played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 50 points in their last game. St. Mary’s gets to host this second round game where they are holding their opponents to just 59.8 PPG on 40.9% shooting. The Gaels have played 14 of their last 16 games Under the Total on their home court. And in their last 5 games against non-conference opponents, St. Mary’s has played 4 of these games Under the Total.

Washington (21-12) advanced to the second round of the NIT with their 77-74 upset win over Boise State as a 2-point last Wednesday. The Huskies held the Broncos to just a 35.4% shooting percentage as they continued to play well on that end of the court leading the Pac-12 in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. But Washington was 10th in the conference in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency so they will need to lean on their defensive play to stay competitive in this game. They make only 43.2% of their shots on the road. The Huskies have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a point spread win. Washington has also played 20 of their last 26 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 14 of their last 17 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. Lastly, the Huskies have played 19 of their last 26 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. 25* CBB NIT Second Round Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Washington Huskies (621) and the St. Mary’s Gaels (622). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Utah Utes (620) minus the points versus the LSU Tigers (619). Utah (20-11) has won 2 of their last three games after their 69-59 win over Cal-Davis in the first round of the NIT last Wednesday as a 12-point favorite. The Utes are then 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 games after an ATS loss. Utah gets to host this Second Round game where they are 14-3 with an average winning margin of +12.5 PPG this season. This Utah team plays very good defense — they are holding their visitors to just a 47.1% shooting percentage. They host a Tigers team that was last in the SEC in offensive rebounding with a 25.1% rate that was last in the conference. That is a good thing since the Utes were 10th in the Pac-12 in defensive rebounding. LSU was 12th in the SEC on free throw rate while only making 33.4% of their missed shots (8th in the SEC). What the Tigers do best on offense is make shots inside the arc as they were 3rd in the SEC by making 52.3% of their 2-point shots. But Utah ranked 2nd in the nation by holding their opponents to just a 47.1% shooting percentage inside the arc. The Utes are 10-4-3 ATS in their last 17 games — and they are 41-14-2 ATS in their last 57 home games against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road.

LSU (18-14) has won two of their last three games with their 84-76 win over UL-Lafayette as a 3.5-point favorite last Wednesday in their opening game in the NIT. That was an emotional game for this Tigers team that is punching down by establishing a feud with their in-state neighbors. Don’t be surprised if this team experiences a letdown as they have failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 31 games after a win on their home court. LSU is also just 1-4-2 ATS in their last 7 games after a straight-up win — and they are 7-19-3 ATS in their last 29 games after a point spread victory. And while the Tigers have scored at least 78 points in three straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 10 road games after scoring at least 75 points in two straight games. LSU goes on the road where they are just 4-10 with an average losing margin of -8.3 PPG. The Tigers make only 44% of their shots away from home which is far below their 47.7% field goal percentage for the season — but the bigger concern is on the other of the court as they allow their home hosts to make 48.5% of their shots. LSU was 11th in the SEC in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Lastly, they are just 0-6-2 ATS in their last 8 games on the road. 25* CBB NIT Second Round Game of the Year on the Utah Utes (620) minus the points versus the LSU Tigers (619). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:40 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the West Virginia Mountaineers (722) minus the points versus the Marshall Thundering Herd (721). Marshall (25-10) upset Western Kentucky last week to win the Conference USA Tournament — and they pulled that feat off again on Friday when they upset Wichita State despite being a 13.5-point underdog with their 81-75 victory. Dan D’Antoni and his up-tempo system that seeks to maximize offensive efficiency — like what his brother Mike does as the head coach of the Houston Rockets — has received much adulation over the last two days. But the Thundering Herd look primed for a big letdown now. Somehow, this amazing “system” has never helped his brother reach even the NBA Finals with any of the various teams he has coached. And somehow, the Thundering Herd had lost ten times this year before finding magic in these last two games. But Marshall has then failed to cover the point spread in 27 of their last 39 games after winning at least four straight games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 18 games after winning at least five straight contests. Additionally, that victory over the Hilltoppers was another close call by just one point — and the Thundering Herd have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after winning their last two contests by 6 points or less. Frankly, this is now a bad matchup for Marshall as they are playing another team that excels in the efficiency formula for success. The Thundering Herd shoot 45.4% of their shots from behind the arc despite making only 35.7% of those shots. They thrive inside the arc where they make 56.0% of their 2-point shots which is 19th best in the nation. But the Mountaineers hold their opponents to just a 45.7% of their shots inside the arc (29th in the nation). Furthermore, Marshall sacrifices rebounding for the fast pace they want on both ends of the court. The Mountaineers are vulnerable to teams that pound the offensive glass (not Marshall) — but they pull down 36.7% of their missed shots which is 4th best in the nation. The Thundering Herd are 308th in the nation by allowing their opponents to rebound 32.0% of their misses — and they have been out-rebounded by 15 and 10 boards in their last two games. Marshall has then failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 21 games after being out-rebounded by double-digits in two straight games. 

West Virginia (25-10) struggles in their half-court offense — so they will be thrilled to engage in fast up-and-down game where they can find better scoring opportunities in transition. The Mountaineers facilitate their fast break by forcing turnovers — they rank 2nd in the country by forcing turnovers in 23.4% of their opponent’s possessions. West Virginia has won three of their last four games with their 85-68 win over Murray State on Friday as a 10-point favorite. That game finished above the 145.5 point total in that contest — and they have then covered the spread in 9 of their last 13 games after a game that finished Over the Total. The Mountaineers committed only 8 turnovers against the Racers as they continue to maximize their shot volume by protecting the basketball and crashing the boards for second-chance points. They have not committed more than 11 turnovers in three straight games — and they have then covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games after not committing more than 11 turnovers in two straight contests. Moving forward, West Virginia has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Lastly, Bob Huggins has been very reliable with this team in the NCAA Tournament vis-a-vis point spread expectations. Not only are the Mountaineers 17-8-2 ATS in their last 27 games in the Big Dance but they have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games in this Round of 32 where opponents have only a day to prepare. 25* CBB NCAA Tournament Second Round Game of the Year with the West Virginia Mountaineers (722) minus the points versus the Marshall Thundering Herd (721). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 2:40 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Michigan State Spartans (716) minus the points versus the Syracuse Orange (715). Syracuse (22-13) pulled off their second straight upset victory in this NCAA Tournament with their 57-52 win over TCU on Friday as a 4.5-point underdog. The bubble is about to burst for the Orange this afternoon. They have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after winning two straight games as an underdog — and this includes failing to cover the point spread in three of the last four of those situations. Syracuse has also failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games after a point spread win. And in their last 12 games after winning two straight games, the Orange have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of these games

At 6:10 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers (531) and the Tennessee Volunteers (532). Tennessee (28-8) played perhaps their best defensive game of the season on Thursday in their 73-47 win over Wright State. The Volunteers held the Raiders to just a 31.7% shooting percentage which was their best defensive performance of the season. Expect another outstanding defensive effort from Rick Barnes’ team as they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after allowing 50 or less points in their last game. Tennessee has also played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a win by at least 20 points. This Vols team boasts the nation’s 5th best statistical defense in terms of Adjusted Efficiency. They should slow down this Ramblers’ juggernaut. Tennessee can be exploited on the offensive glass — they allow their opponents to rebound 31.3% of their missed shots which is 288th in the nation. But this Loyola-Chicago team sacrifices offensive rebounding to get back on defense — they only rebound 22.2% of their missed shots which is 332nd lowest in the nation. Of course, the Ramblers’ commitment to getting back on defense will frustrate the Volunteers who love to get their offense going on the fast break. Tennessee struggles in their half-court offense — they make only 47.2% of their shots inside the arc (282nd in the nation). Tennessee has played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. And in their last 12 games with the Total set in the 130 to 139.5 point range, the Volunteers have played 9 of these games Under the Total.

Loyola-Chicago (29-5) reached the Round of 32 with their 64-62 win over Miami (FL) has a 1.5-point underdog on Thursday. The Ramblers eked that game out by making 47.3% from the field which was their best offensive effort in their last five games. But they also allowed the Hurricanes to make 51% of their shots which as their worst defensive effort in their last twenty-six contests. Expect Loyola-Chicago to play much better on defense this afternoon. This team ranks 27th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Tennessee makes over 38% of their 3-point shots — but the Ramblers rank 44th in the nation by holding their opponents to just a 32.7% shooting mark from behind the arc. Loyola-Chicago has played 6 straight games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have also played 4 straight games Under the Total after a point spread victory. And with that game with the Hurricanes finishing below the 133 point total, the Ramblers have played 12 of their last 16 games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Under the Total. Loyola’s previous game resulted in a 65-49 victory over Illinois State in the Finals of the Missouri Valley Conference Championship Game — and they have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 65 points in their last two games. The Ramblers have also played 12 of their last 16 games Under the Total after not scoring more than 65 points in two straight contests. Loyola-Chicago’s offense stems primarily from good shooting — they are 8th in the nation in effective field goal percentage while ranking 14th in the nation with a 40.0% shooting mark from downtown. But the Volunteers rank 12th in the nation in their opponent’s eFG while limiting their opponents to just a 31.5% shooting mark from behind the arc which is 14th best in the country. Lastly, the Ramblers have played 5 straight games Under the Total on a neutral court — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total as an underdog. 25* CBB NCAA Tournament Round Two Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers (531) and the Tennessee Volunteers (532). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:40 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the TCU Horned Frogs (876) minus the points versus the Syracuse Orange (875). TCU (21-11) enters the Big Dance on a two-game losing streak after they were upset by Kansas State as a 3-point favorite last Thursday in the Big 12 Tournament. Head coach Jamie Dixon should have his team ready to bounce-back as the Horned Frogs have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after an upset loss — and they have covered the point spread in 22 of their last 31 games on the road after an upset loss. Furthermore, TCU has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a loss to a conference rival. The Horned Frogs are also 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after a point spread setback. Much will be made about TCU’s ability to handle the Syracuse 2-3 matchup zone — but Dixon has plenty of experience matching wits with Jim Boeheim given his long tenure at Pitt. Dixon’s teams won fifteen of their twenty-one games against Syracuse over his tenure. Dixon’s teams always are well-schooled in making extra passes that serve to expose the holes that zone defenses inevitably leave. This Horned Frogs team is 7th in the nation in assisted field goal rate. It is telling that TCU won both their games this season against a Baylor team that also deploys a similar zone defense scheme. The Syracuse zone also leaves a very soft spot down low for offenses to crash the glass. I noted in Wednesday’s Report on the Orange to defeat Arizona State that this year’s Syracuse team was actually doing a better job in protecting their defensive glass. Yet this Orange team is still allowing their opponents to pull down 29.1% of their missed shots which is 203rd in the nation. These Horned Frogs can exploit that weakness as they rank 20th in the nation by rebounding 34.5% of their missed shots. TCU should overwhelm the Syracuse defense — they rank 8th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. The Horned Frogs have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games played on a neutral court. They also have covered the point spread in 5 of the last 6 games when playing on a neutral court as a favorite or pick ‘em — and they have also covered the point spread in 4 straight games on a neutral court with the Total set in the 130 to 139.5 point range.

Syracuse (21-13) found a way to outlast Arizona State on Wednesday in their 60-56 upset win over the Sun Devils. I thought coaching would play a huge role in that game with Boeheim having a huge advantage over debutante Bobby Hurley who was coaching his first game in the Big Dance. Boeheim holds no such advantage in this chess match with Dixon. I expect a letdown now from the Orange as they have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games after a point spread win. Offense is the biggest problem for this Syracuse team after they finished second-to-last in the ACC in both field goal percentage and 3-point shooting. The Orange made only 40.8% of their shots on Wednesday — and they are making just 38.1% of their shots over their last five games. Syracuse is also making only 39.4% of their shots on the road. The Orange scored only 59 points in their last game against North Carolina — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games after failing to score more than 60 points in their last two games. Syracuse does like to clean up their messes by crashing the boards — they pull down 34.8% of their missed shots this season. But this TCU team limits their opponents to rebounding only 25.9% of their missed shots so these second chance opportunities will be harder to come by tonight. Lastly, fatigue may play a role in slowing down the Orange tonight. The Syracuse bench is thin — and Boeheim leans very heavily on Tyus Battle, Frank Howard and Oshae Brissett who all averaged more than 39 Minutes Per Game this season. Playing with just a one day turnaround does not make things easier for that trio that is carrying this team. 25* CBB NCAA Tournament First Round Game of the Year on TCU Horned Frogs (876) minus the points versus the Syracuse Orange (875). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:50 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Montana Grizzlies (733) plus the points versus the Michigan Wolverines (734). Michigan (28-7) has won nine games in a row — culminating with upset wins over Michigan State and Purdue on consecutive days to win the Big Ten Tournament back on March 4th. John Beilein is one of the best coaches in College Basketball — but this Wolverines team is not nearly as reliable when being asked to cover double-digit point spreads against feisty rivals. For starters, an emotional letdown should be expected for this team after playing underdog in those final two games to win the Big Ten Tournament. As it is, Michigan has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after registering two straight upset losses. The long layoff is an issue for this team that led the Big Ten by averaging 24.8 shots from behind the arc per game while generating 43% of their offense from 3-point land. Playing on an unfamiliar neutral court for the first time in eleven days may mess with the accuracy of their long jump shots. The Wolverines have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games when playing with at least seven days between games. Now this team has the burden of the pressure of expectations against a potential Cinderella opponent. Remember, this team almost was upset by Iowa in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament where the Hawkeyes were able to rally back to force overtime. The Achilles’ heel for the Wolverines is their free throw shooting — they rank 329th in the nation by making only 65.7% of their shots from the charity stripe. Compounding this problem is that two of their key ball handlers in point guard Xavier Simpson and wing Charles Matthews make only 51.9% and 56.1% of their free throws. They made only 18 of their 32 (56.2%) of their free throws in that Iowa game — and this provides a blue print for Montana to keep their game close with the Wolverines. The other problem for Michigan against the Hawkeyes was that their two starting big men in Moritz Wagner and Muhammad-Ali Abdur Rahman both fouled out in that game — and the interior depth for this team gets thin pretty quickly. The Wolverines avoided foul troubles against the Spartans and Boilermakers as they committed ten less personal fouls and five less personal fouls respectively in those games. But Michigan has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after committing at least five less personal fouls than their opponents in two straight games. Montana predicates their game on drawing fouls and winning the free throw battle — so this is a real area of vulnerability for the Wolverines. Furthermore, Michigan committed only 5 turnovers in their 75-66 win over Purdue in the Big Ten Championship Game — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after not committing more than 5 turnovers. Beilein-coached teams always do a great job in protecting the basketball — but they cannot expect to replicate their microscopic 7.8% turnover rate which was about half of their still outstanding rate for the season.

Montana (26-7) does an outstanding job in forcing turnovers — they rank 30th in the nation by forcing turnovers in 21.2% of their missed shots. The Grizzlies also rank 33rd in the nation by pulling down 32.3% of their missed shots — so this is a double-digit underdog that does little things to generate more scoring opportunities. Montana has won 19 of their last 21 games en route to winning both the Big Sky regular season as well as the Big Sky Tournament after they crushed their in-state rival Montana State by an 82-65 score as a 4.5-point favorite. Look for them to build off their momentum as they are 13-3-1 ATS in their last 17 games after a point spread win. The Grizzlies averaged a robust 86 PPG in their three conference tournament games — and they have then covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after a game that finished Over the Total. They also have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after playing three straight Overs. This Montana team is tough to beat when their offense gets going because they are so good on the defensive end of the court. They rank 38th in the nation by limiting their opponents to just a 46.1% shooting percentage inside the arc — and that opponent’s field goal percentage for 2-point shots dropped to a 44.0% mark in conference play. The Grizzlies also make it tough for their opponents to launch 3-point shots as they ranked 28th in the nation with their opponents taking only 32.3% of their shots inside from 3-point land. In conference play, opponents made only 33.0% of their 3-point shots. On offense, Montana will attack Wagner and Rahkman down low as they make 51.9% of their shots inside the arc (ranking 97th in the nation) while seeing that number rise to a 52.7% mark in conference play. The Grizzlies get to the free throw line as they ranked 46th in the nation with a Free Throw Attempt to Field Goal Attempt ratio of 38.9% — and that ratio rose to a 40.6% mark in Big Sky play. Montana made a healthy 72.6% of the free throws in conference play. But perhaps the most important metric in handicapping this game is that the Grizzlies rank 318th in the nation with an opponent’s FTA/FGA ratio of 41.3% — they will be very comfortable putting Michigan on the free throw line to expose their problems on the charity stripe. I don’t see the Wolverines covering a double-digit point spread if their FTA/FGA ratio approaches the 32/62 splits that they endured in that Iowa game. Lastly, Montana has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games against teams with a winning record — and they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games against teams outside the Big Sky. 25* CBB NCAA Tournament First Round Underdog of the Year with the Montana Grizzlies (733) plus the points versus the Michigan Wolverines (734). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:40 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Wright State Raiders (737) and the Tennessee Volunteers (738). I used to like taking Unders for these early tournament games on neutral courts in the Conference Tournaments — but too many bettors started latching on to that angle to squash much of the value in these investments. I had no early Unders for the Conference Tournaments (and I might have had an Over?) — but I do like the convergence of factors for this game to be lower scoring than expected between two teams with stout defenses but who can experience scoring droughts. And this game will tip off 11:40 AM local time in Dallas which may contribute to a groggy start for both teams. Wright State (25-9) is a defense-first team that ranked 30th in the nation by allowing only 65.7 PPG. Led by 6’9 freshman Loudon Love and 6’11 Parker Ernsthausen make it very tough for opposing teams to score inside — the Raiders’ ranked 26th in the nation by limiting their opponents to making just 45.6% of their shots inside the arc with that number dropping to just a 44.3% mark in Horizon League play. This strength compels them to play at a slow pace where they are quite content to grind out low-scoring games. This Wright State team has a low effective field goal percentage of 49.0% ranking 254th in the nation — and they make only 34.0% of their shots from behind the arc which ranks 221st in the nation. Only Grant Benzinger makes more than 36% of his shots from 3-point land This team plays as if the first team to 65 points wins — they averaged only 64 PPG in their nine losses this year. They won the Horizon League Tournament with their 74-57 win over Cleveland State — and they have then played 7 straight games Under the Total after a win by at least 15 points. And while that game finished Over the 126.5 point total, the Raiders have then played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after playing an Over. They limited the Vikings to only 4 offensive rebounds in that game to continue their strong protection of their defensive glass as they ranked 38th in the nation by limiting their opponents to pulling down just 25.0% of their missed shots. Wright State has then played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 5 offensive rebounds in their last game. And in their last 10 games against teams outside the Horizon League, Wright State has played 7 of these games Under the Total.

Tennessee (25-8) ranks 4th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. This Volunteers’ team boasts athleticism and length which helps them to be strong in all facets on defense including closing off transitions, forcing turnovers while boasting on-the-ball skills that led to them ranking in the 96th percentile in half-court defense. They limited SEC opponents to scoring at just a 1.01 Points-Per-Possession rate. But this Tennessee team can struggle on offense. They have five players who make at least 38% of their 3-pointers — but because they lack a guard who can create his own shot or who is proficient in creating scoring opportunities for others, this team can become too reliant on jump shots. They rank just 290th in the nation by making only 47.0% of their 2-point shots. In five of their last eight regular season games against SEC foes, the Volunteers scored at a rate lower than 0.97 PPP. Tennessee enters the Big Dance coming off a 77-72 upset loss to Kentucky in the SEC Championship Game as a 2-point favorite where they shot just 37.1% from the field. The Volunteers have then played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Tennessee has played their last two games Over the Total — but they have then played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after playing at least two straight Overs. Additionally, the Volunteers have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Furthermore, Tennessee has played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total with the number set in the 130 to 139.5 point range. And in their last 5 games against SEC foes, the Vols have played all 5 of these games Under the Total. 25* CBB NCAA Tournament First Round Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Wright State Raiders (737) and the Tennessee Volunteers (738). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Washington Huskies (625) and the Boise State Broncos (626). Washington (20-12) enters the NIT having lost two straight games after losing to Oregon State in the Pac-12 Tournament by a 69-66 score last Wednesday as a 2.5-point underdog. The Huskies made only 38.3% of their shots in that game but did hold the Beavers to a 39.3% shooting percentage. Washington has then played 20 of their last 24 games Under the Total after a loss to a conference rival. The Huskies have also played 20 of their last 26 games Under the Total — and they have played 20 of their last 26 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Washington was the lower seed in this game — but a conflict with the Boise State basketball arena tonight means that the Huskies will be hosting this game. The Huskies have played 8 of their last 11 home games Under the Total. Washington has also played 19 of their last 26 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. And while this team has played their last two games Under the Total, they have then played 17 of their last 21 games Under the Total after playing at least two straight games Under the Total.

Boise State (23-8) has lost two of their last three games with their 78-75 upset loss to Utah State last Thursday as an 8-point favorite. The Broncos went to halftime with a 40-32 lead — and they have then played 6 straight games Under the Total after scoring at least 40 points in the first-half of their last game. Boise State made 14 of their 18 free throw attempts (78%) in that game — and they have then played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total after a game where they made at least 78% of their free throw attempts. The Broncos have to accept that they will be on the road for this game (despite being the lower seed) — and they have seen the Under go 12-3-1 in their last road games which includes playing seven straight Unders against teams with a winning record at home. Boise State has also played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total against teams outside the Mountain West Conference. And in their last 16 games with the Total set in the 140 got 149.5 point range, the Broncos have played 12 of these games Under the Total. 25* CBB NIT First Round Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Washington Huskies (625) and the Boise State Broncos (626). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Colgate Raiders (633) and the San Francisco Dons (634). San Francisco (18-15) has lost two of their last three games after their 88-60 loss to Gonzaga as a 13-point underdog back on March 5th. The Dons played their worst defensive game of the season by watching the Bulldogs make 53.3% of their shots in that game. Expect a strong defensive effort from San Francisco tonight as they have played 6 straight games Under the Total after allowing at least 80 points in their last game. The Dons have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a loss by at least 20 points — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss. San Francisco hosts this game where they hold their visitors to just a 42.6% shooting percentage — but they only make 42.8% of their shots as well. The Dons have played 5 of their last 6 home games Under the Total — and they have also seen the Under go 11-4-1 in their last 16 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. And in their last 8 home games with the Total set in the 130 to 139.5 point range, the game finished Under the Total 7 times.

Colgate (19-13) saw their five-game losing streak snapped last Wednesday with their rough 83-54 loss at Bucknell as an 8.5-point underdog. The Raiders made only 32.7% of their shots in that game — and that came on the heels of making only 32.1% of their shots in their previous game. Over their last five games, this team is shooting only 40.3% from the field. But the bigger problem for Colgate was that Bucknell made 51.7% of their shots which was their worst defensive effort in their last four contests. The Raiders have then played 7 of their last 10 boarded games Under the Total after a straight-up loss. Additionally, Colgate has played 4 of their last 5 boarded games Under the Total on the road — and they have played a decisive 17 of their last 19 road boarded games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. Furthermore, the Raiders have played 5 straight games Under the Total against non-conference opponents. And in their last 25 games as an underdog, Colgate has played 18 of these boarded games Under the Total. 25* CBB CBI First Round Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Colgate Raiders (633) and the San Francisco Dons (634). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Syracuse Orange (612) plus the points versus the Arizona State Sun Devils (611). Arizona State (20-11) opened as a 1-point favorite in this game and now find themselves a 2-point favorite in most locations. The deeper analytics suggest that point spread is right in line for this matchup — but those metrics are valuing their earlier season success that simply might have been predicated on outlier performances. After twelve games into the season which included their wins over Kansas and Xavier, the Sun Devils were making almost 60% of their shots inside the arc while nailing 50% of their 3-point shots. Their 59.2% effective field goal percentage was simply unsustainable — only last year’s UCLA team had an eFG at that mark over the last ten seasons of college basketball. So, the Regression Gods were due to make a visit for this team. Furthermore, head coach Bob Hurley’s small-ball formula simply got exposed in Pac-12 Conference play. They only shot better than 50% from the field twice against conference opponents. Their Adjusted Offensive Efficiency that ranks 17th in the nation for the season is contrasted with a subpar Adjusted Offensive Efficiency that was merely 7th in the Pac-12 (with that number ranking 121st in the nation if extended to the entire season). They made only 33.7% of their shots from behind the arc in Pac-12 play while shooting under 50% of their shots inside the arc. So I take their full-season metrics with a big grain of salt. They limp into the Big Dance having lost five of six with their 97-85 upset loss to Colorado last Wednesday — and they have only covered the point spread once in their last six contests. I don’t think the blank slate of the NCAA Tournament helps this team. They have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after a loss to a conference rival — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 11 road games after failing to cover the point spread in two of their last three games. Their declining effectiveness in shooting the basketball is not a good compliment to mediocre defensive play — they were 10th in the Pac-12 by allowing opponents to make 52.7% of their shots inside the arc. These factors explain why Arizona State is just 1-7-2 ATS in their last 10 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. And in their last 36 games played on a neutral court, the Sun Devils have failed to cover the point spread 26 times.

Syracuse (20-13) has a similar team to this Arizona State in many regards. Both teams sport great guard play but with limited depth which has placed a strain on the starters. But while the Sun Devils’ offensive prowess has declined, the Orange’s patented play behind their 2-3 zone defense consistently gets better as the season wears on as the players become more adept in its execution. Syracuse ranks 11th in the nation Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Their record is middling — but they do benefit from a very tough strength of schedule. Frankly, Jim Boeheim gives his team a huge edge in this game against an opponent that has already been exposed and who has matchup issues. The Sun Devils’ effort has been called into question on the boards and in their perimeter defense. Look for Syracuse militant execution of ball-screen after ball-screen to wear down their defense. Arizona State has a nice freshman in Remy Martin that offers them energy on offense but with the drawback of being a terrible liability on defense (at one point in the Pac-12 season, opponents were scoring at a 1.19 Points-Per-Possession against them with Martin on the floor). The Sun Devils struggled when opponents slowed the game down, created shots inside the arc while pounding the offensive glass — and these are all things the Orange can execute. Syracuse is 12th in the nation by rebounding 35.2% of their missed shots — and the Sun Devils were 9th in the Pac-12 by allowing their opponents to rebound 30.3% of their missed shots. Furthermore, a weakness of the 2-3 zone is that requires the defense to sacrifice some defensive rebounding in guarding the perimeter (although this Orange team has been better in this regard this season) — yet the Sun Devils do not crash the glass as they were 10th in the Pac-12 by rebounding only 26.2% of their missed shots. Breaking this game illuminated to me just what a bad matchup this is for a Sun Devils team that has to face this tricky 2-3 zone on a short turnaround from the release of the bracket. Boeheim’s teams have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 NCAA Tournament games — and they have covered the point spread in 29 of their last 41 games as an underdog getting 6 or less points on a neutral court. Like almost every other team in this tournament (including all four 16 seeds), if Arizona State makes at least 50% of their 3-pointers, they will likely win the game. More often than not, I see the Sun Devils losing this game straight-up (but race to take the points for some insurance!). 25* CBB NCAA Tournament First Four Game of the Year with the Syracuse Orange (612) plus the points versus the Arizona State Sun Devils (611). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (554) minus the points versus the Boston College Eagles (553). Western Kentucky (24-10) had their NCAA Tournament dreams ruined on Saturday in their 67-66 upset loss to Marshall as a 6-point favorite in the Conference USA Championship Game. The Hilltoppers made only 35.5% of their shots in that game which was their worst offensive effort for the entire season. That was a surprising performance for a team that led Conference USA in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. Look for Western Kentucky to bounce-back against this Eagles team that was 14th of the 15 teams in the ACC in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. The Hilltoppers have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after an upset loss. Western Kentucky has also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after a point spread loss. Getting to host this game will help this Hilltoppers team as they are 13-3 on their home court with an average winning margin of +13.3 PPG. Western Kentucky makes 50% of their shots on their home court — and that shooting prowess has helped them cover the point spread in 8 of their last 14 home games against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road. This is a good team led by a Virginia transfer in Darius Thompson who came over as a graduate transfer this season. The Hilltoppers defeated Purdue on a neutral court back in November. Western Kentucky has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games against non-conference opponents. And in their last 6 games in Tournament play, the Hilltoppers have covered the point spread 5 times.

Boston College (19-15) lost in the ACC Tournament to Clemson last Thursday by a 90-82 score as a 5-point underdog. The Eagles allowed 87 points in their previous game which was a four-point victory over NC State — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after allowing at least 80 points in two straight games. Additionally, while Boston College has scored at least 76 points in five straight games, they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 14 games after scoring at least 75 points in five straight contests. Now this team goes on the road where they have an awful 4-36 record straight-up in the first four seasons under head coach Jim Christian when playing in hostile environments. The Eagles have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 19 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 18 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. One of the problems for BC when playing away from home is shooting 3s as they are making a mere 30.9% of their shots from behind the arc on the road which is far below their 36.2% mark for the season. That will make things difficult to score points against this Hilltoppers’ interior defense that led Conference USA with an opponent’s field goal percentage inside the arc of 46.7%. The Eagles have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against non-conference opponents. And in their last 12 games in Tournament action, Boston College has failed to cover the point spread 9 times. Together, these team trends produce our specific 104-34 ATS combined angle for this situation. 25* CBB NIT First Round Game of the Year with the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (554) minus the points versus the Boston College Eagles (553).. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:40 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Long Island Blackbirds (543) and the Radford Highlanders (544). Redford (22-12) earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament with their 55-52 win over Liberty last Sunday to win the Big South Conference Tournament. The Highlanders got it done by playing outstanding defense. They have held their last five opponents to just a 39.2% shooting percentage which is a bit lower than their 42.8% opponent’s field goal percentage for the season. Radford has then played 4 straight boarded games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 6 boarded games Under the Total after a win over a conference rival. Additionally, the Highlanders have played 6 of their last 7 boarded games Under the Total after not allowing more than 55 points in their last game. Radford’s win over Liberty occurred despite the Flames making 43.9% of their shots which was the best shooting percentage of their last seven opponents. The Highlanders shot 36.2% from the field which sounds low — but it was actually their best field goal percentage over their last three games. Scoring is an issue for this Radford team that makes only 41.2% of their shots away from home. They are making only 39.6% of their shots over their last five games. The Highlanders scored only 61 points in their previous game — and they have then played 5 of the last 6 games Under the Total after failing to score more than 65 points in two straight games. They only had 7 assists in their win over Liberty — and they have played 5 straight boarded games Under the Total after failing to generate at least 9 team assists in their last game. Long Island loves to shoot 3s as they average 23 shots from behind the 3-point line — but head coach Mike Jones coached teams have played 9 of their last 11 boarded games Under the Total against opponents who attempt at least 21 shots from behind the arc per game. Redford was 2nd in the Big South in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they led the conference by holding their opponents to just a 47.1% shooting percentage inside the arc.

Long Island (18-16) earned an automatic bid to the Big Dance with their 71-61 win at Wagner last Tuesday. The Blackbirds have then played 5 of their last 7 boarded games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 of their last 9 boarded games Under the Total after a double-digit victory. Additionally, Long Island has played 5 of their last 6 boarded games Under the Total after winning at least two in a row. Over their last five contests, the Blackbirds defense has improved significantly as they have held those opponents to just a 35.5% field goal percentage. The Seahawks made only 30% of their shots despite having the advantage of playing on their home court in that Big South Tournament Championship Game. But Long Island was on fire wit their shooting as they made 53.2% of their shots — but they are not likely to come close to that figure in this game when considering that was tied for the best field goal percentage over their last fourteen games. Moving forward, the Highlanders have played 5 of their last 6 boarded. games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court. And in their last 6 boarded games with the Total set in the 130 to 139.5 point range, the Blackbirds have played 4 of these games Under the Total. 25* CBB NCAA Tournament First Four Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Long Island Blackbirds (543) and the Radford Highlanders (544). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:30 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Cincinnati Bearcats (828) minus the points versus the Houston Cougars (827). Cincinnati (29-4) has won six games in a row with their 70-60 win over Memphis yesterday as a 17-point favorite. The Bearcats have then covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a straight-up win where they failed to cover the point spread as the favorite — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a point spread loss. Additionally, Cincinnati has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after winning at least two straight games against conference rivals. The Bearcats get it done with defense as they are 2nd in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Cincinnati has not allowed more than 61 points in four straight games — and they have then covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after not allowing more than 65 points in each of their last four games. This is expected to be another low-scoring game with the total in the 128 point range. The Bearcats have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games with the Total set no higher than 130. Cincinnati will also be looking to avenge a 67-62 upset loss to the Cougars back on February 15th — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games when playing with revenge.

Houston (26-6) has won five straight games with their 77-74 upset victory over Wichita State yesterday as a 2.5-point underdog. The Cougars have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a narrow win by 3 points or less against a conference rival. Additionally, Houston has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after winning at least five straight games in a row. The Cougars have covered the point spread in two straight contests — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 22 games after covering the point spread in two straight games. And while Houston has played three straight games that finished Over the Total, they have then failed to cover the point spread 4 of their last 5 games after playing at least three straight games Over the Total. Together, these team trends produce our specific 70-27 ATS combined angle for this situation. 25* CBB American Athletic Conference Game of the Year with the Cincinnati Bearcats (828) minus the points versus the Houston Cougars (827). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the USC Trojans (543) plus the points versus the Arizona Wildcats (544). USC (23-10) has won six of their last seven games with their 74-54 win over Oregon yesterday as a 3-point favorite over the Ducks. Look for the Trojans to build off that momentum tonight and keep this game very close (if they do not pull the outright upset). They have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games after winning three of their last four contests. Additionally, USC typically plays well on neutral courts as they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 11 games on a neutral court — and they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 22 games on a neutral court with the Total set in the 140 to 149.5 point range. Additionally, the Trojans have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. USC will be additionally motivated with revenge on their minds after losing to the Wildcats by an 81-67 score in Tuscon. The Trojans have covered then point spread in 6 of their last 9 games when avenging a loss on the road. 

Arizona (26-7) has won four straight games — as well as six of their last seven contests — with their 78-67 win over UCLA as a 6.5-point favorite yesterday. But the Wildcats are just 4-9-1 ATS in their last 14 games after a point spread win. Arizona had won their previous two games by comfortable margins as well with their 83-67 win over Colorado on Thursday and a 66-54 win over California in their last game of the regular season. But the Wildcats have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games after winning three straight games by double-digits. Arizona has also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after winning straight games against conference rivals. The Wildcats committed only 6 turnovers yesterday in their win over the Bruins — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after not committing more than 8 turnovers in their last game. One of the reasons why Arizona is finding success right now is because they are dominating their opponents at the free throw line. They had 10 more attempts at the charity stripe yesterday after taking 16 more attempts against Colorado and 11 more free throw attempts against Cal. But the Wildcats have failed to cover the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games after playing three straight games where they attempted more than 10 free throws than their opponent. They are unlikely to see this advantage again tonight against this Trojans team that does not let their opponents get to the free throw line too often. USC is 2nd in the Pac-12 with an opponent’s Free Throw Attempt to Field Goal Attempt ratio of 27.3% — and that number drops to just a 26.7% for the season which is ranked 32nd best in the nation. Arizona is just 5-13-1 ATS in their last 19 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. And in their last 16 games played on a neutral court as a favorite or pick ‘em, the Wildcats have failed to cover the point spread 10 times. 25* CBB Pac-12 Game of the Year with the USC Trojans (543) plus the points versus the Arizona Wildcats (544). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Kansas Jayhawks (532) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the West Virginia Mountaineers (531). West Virginia (24-9) opened as a small underdog for this Big 12 Tournament Championship Game but betting action has moved the Mountaineers to a small favorite in this game. Perhaps bettors expect West Virginia to dominate down low against this Jayhawks team missing 7’0 Udoka Azubuike with a knee injury. More on that below. But this Mountaineers team has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 Tournament Championship Games. They enter this year’s Finals coming off their 66-63 win over Texas Tech as a 2-point favorite yesterday. West Virginia has then failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread win. The Mountaineers have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a close win by 3 points or less against a conference rival. And while West Virginia has won five of their last six games (and six of their last eight games), they have then failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 road games after winning six or seven of their last eight games. The Mountaineers will be motivated by the fact that they lost their two previous meetings with the Jayhawks this season — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last opportunities to avenge a loss to their opponent. The fact is that West Virginia does not match up very well with this Kansas team. “Press Virginia” is 2nd in the nation in forcing turnovers — but the Jayhawks are 2nd in the Big 12 by turning the ball over in just 16.7% of their possessions. This year’s Kansas team is 20th in the nation by making 39.8% of their 3-point attempts — and they led the Big 12 with 42.7% of their field goal attempts being from behind the arc. The Mountaineers are 8th in the Big 12 by allowing their opponents to make 38.0% of their 3-point attempts. It will be hard for West Virginia to keep up in the scoring department considering that they are making only 41.3% of their shots on the road.

Kansas (26-7) reached the Big 12 Championship Game with their 83-67 win over Kansas State as a 7-point favorite — but they will not be resting on their laurels from that achievement. The Jayhawks saw their 13-point halftime lead almost evaporate in the second-half before showing the resolve to pull away. The Wildcats were able to take advantage of Kansas’ interior defense that was missing Azubuike. But Bill Self has had a day to make adjustments to the second-half defensive struggles for this team. Kansas has players with size to play down low in Azubuike’s absence. While this Mountaineers team is bulky and physical but they do not have regular rotation players taller than 6’8. The Jayhawks have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games when playing with one day or less of rest. Kansas has covered the point spread in two straight games as well as five of their last seven contests — and they have then covered the point spread in 12 of their last 15 road games after covering the point spread in their last two games. Additionally, the Jayhawks have covered the point spread in 6 straight road games after covering the point spread in four or five of their last six contests. Lastly, Kansas has covered the point spread in 6 straight games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. 25* CBB Big 12 Game of the Year with the Kansas Jayhawks (532) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the West Virginia Mountaineers (531). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Nevada Wolf Pack (874) minus the points versus the San Diego State Aztecs (873). Nevada (27-6) has won seven of their last eight games with their 79-74 win over UNLV yesterday as a 5-point favorite. The Wolf Pack showed their resolve in that game as they went into the locker room at halftime down 8 points — and then they saw the Runnin’ Rebels make their first two baskets in the second-half. But this resilient Nevada team made 10 of their first 12 shots in the second-half — including five 3-pointers — to take re-establish their momentum to win the game. The Wolf Pack shot just 44.3% from the field in that game which was their worst offensive effort in their last three games. This is a dynamic offensive team that ranks 9th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and they also rank 10th in the nation by making 40.3% of their 3-point shots. They will be very motivated tonight as they look to avenge a 79-74 loss to the Aztecs at San Diego State just last Saturday. Nevada has been very reliable in revenge situations as they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 opportunities to avenge a loss — and they have also covered the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games when avenging a loss on the road. Furthermore, the Wolf Pack have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games when playing with revenge from a loss where they allowed at least 75 points. Nevada plays well in these tournament situations — they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games when playing with one day or less of rest and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games when playing on a neutral court as a favorite or pick ‘em. This team certainly will feel comfortable shooting in the Thomas & Mack Center after their offensive display in the second-half yesterday. Furthermore, the Wolf Pack have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 27 games after fifteen games into the season against teams with a winning percentage in the 60-80% range.

San Diego State (20-10) has won seven straight games with their 64-52 win over Fresno State yesterday as a 3.5-point favorite. The Aztecs have now covered the point spread in three straight games — but hey have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after covering the point spread in at least three straight contests. Furthermore, this San Diego State was the favorite in these last three games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 17 games after covering the point spread in three straight games as the favorite. Furthermore, the Aztecs have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 20 games after a game where no more than 125 combined points were scored — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after a contest where both teams did not score more than 65 points. Scoring can be an issue for San Diego State as they make only 42.8% of their shots on the road. They only had 8 team assists yesterday in their win over the Bulldogs — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight road games after a game where they did not have more than 9 assists as a team. 25* CBB Mountain West Conference Game of the Year with the Nevada Wolf Pack (874) minus the points versus the San Diego State Aztecs (873). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Mississippi State Bulldogs (849) and the Tennessee Volunteers (850). Mississippi State (22-10) reached the Quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament yesterday with their 80-77 win over LSU as a 3-point favorite. The Bulldogs shot lights out in that game by making 58.3% of their shots which was not only their best field goal percentage over their last six games but also their third best offensive effort of the season. But Mississippi State has then played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after shooting at least 55% from the field in their last game. The Bulldogs have also played 30 of their last 46 road games Under the Total when playing with one day or rest between games. Additionally, Mississippi State has played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total when an underdog or a pick ‘em. And while the Volunteers are outscoring their opponents by +8.1 PPG this season, the Bulldogs have played 5 straight games Under the Total against opponents that outscore their opponents by at least +8.0 PPG.

Tennessee (23-7) has won four straight games with their 66-61 win over Georgia last Saturday as an 8.5-point favorite. Despite holding the Bulldogs to just a 42.3% shooting percentage, that was actually the Volunteers highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last four games. Tennessee has not allowed more than 65 points in each of their last four games — and they have then played 12 of their last 14 road games Under the Total after not allowing more than 65 points in four straight contests. Additionally, the Volunteers have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a point spread setback. Furthermore, Tennessee has played 7 straight road games Under the Total after winning two straight games against SEC rivals. Moving forward, the Volunteers have played 19 of their last 26 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Lastly, in their last 10 games with the Total set in the 130 to 139.5 point range, Tennessee has played 8 of these games Under the Total. 25* CBB SEC Tournament Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Mississippi State Bulldogs (849) and the Tennessee Volunteers (850). Best of luck for us — Frank.