At 8:40 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Lakers (575) and the Denver Nuggets (576) in Game One of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (49-35) has won three games in a row as well as seven of their last nine contests after their 110-106 upset victory at New Orleans as a 1-point underdog in the Play-In Tournament on Tuesday. Denver (57-25) won four of their last five games to close out the regular season with a 126-111 victory at Memphis as a 13.5-point favorite last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Lakers may be rusty with the three full days off since their game against the Pelicans — and they only made 41.7% of their shots in that game. But LeBron James and Anthony Davis should have fresh legs which will help them on the defensive end of the court. Los Angeles has played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total when playing with three or more days of rest. They stay on the road for the fourth straight game where they have played 4 of their last 6 games Under the Total after winning their two previous games on the road. They have also played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total after winning three or more games in a row. Denver comes into the postseason to defend their NBA title on a hot streak regarding their shooting. The Nuggets have shot at least 50.5% from the field in their last three games — and they have played five straight games where they nailed at least 48.9% of their shots. But Denver has then played 18 of their last 26 games Under the Total after making 50% or more of their shots in three straight games. They have also played 19 of their last 25 games Under the Total after making 47% or more of their shots in five straight contests. Additionally, the Nuggets have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a double-digit win on the road — and they have played 26 of their last 37 games Under the Total after a victory by 15 or more points. This will be the fifth game this season that Denver will be playing with three or more days of rest after their last contest — and they have played 3 of those first 4 games Under the Total. After playing their last two games on the road, the Nuggets return home — and they have played 15 of their last 18 games Under the Total after playing their two previous games on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Denver has won the last eight meetings between these two teams after the Nuggets’ 124-114 victory as a 1-point favorite in Los Angeles on March 2nd. The Lakers have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total when playing with triple revenge against their opponent. 25* NBA Saturday Night ABC-TV Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Lakers (575) and the Denver Nuggets (576). Best of luck for us — Frank. 

At 9:40 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Sacramento Kings (557) and the New Orleans Pelicans (558) in the Play-In Tournament. THE SITUATION: Sacramento (47-36) has won two games in a row after their 118-94 upset victory at home against Golden State as a 3-point underdog on Tuesday to advance to this final Play-In Tournament game. New Orleans (49-34) has lost two games in a row after their 110-106 upset loss at home against the Los Angeles Lakers as a 1-point favorite in their Play-In game on Tuesday. The winner of this game takes the eighth seed in the Western Conference playoffs and plays at Minnesota on Sunday; the loser’s season ends. 

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Kings scored at least 110 points for just the fourth time in their last 15 games on Tuesday. After posting historic efficiency numbers on offense last season, Sacramento is a different team right now after the injuries to Malik Monk and Kevin Huerter. Monk is the team’s third-leader scoring and offensive spark plug coming off the bench. Huerter is their best 3-point shooter who opens up space in the starting five for De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. But head coach Mike Brown has his team playing much better on the defensive end of the court — and they are also playing at a slower pace to compensate for their now very thin bench. For the season, the Kings rank 14th in the league by averaging 99.47 adjusted possessions per game — with Huerter missing the last 17 games and Monk out the last 11 contests. In their last 10 games, Sacramento’s pace has dropped to just 96.55 adjusted possessions per game which is the third-slowest in the NBA during that span. But while Sacramento ranks 14th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency this season, they have risen all the way up to fifth in that metric in their last ten games. The Kings have held their last five opponents to 45.7% shooting which has resulted in 106.2 Points-Per-Game — and that is -2.2% and -8.4 PPG below their season averages. Sacramento has played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 100 points in their last game — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 95 points in their last contest. They have also played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a double-digit win at home — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a win by 20 or more points. They go back on the road where they have played 14 of their last 22 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 11 of their last 16 road games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Furthermore, the Kings have played 18 of their last 25 road games Under the Total against teams winning 51-60% of their games — and they have played 17 of their last 26 games Under the Total in the second half of the season against teams with a winning record. They have also played 17 of their last 25 games Under the Total in April including seven of their nine games this month. New Orleans now has their own significant injury news to deal with after Zion Williamson injured his left calf late in the game on Tuesday which will keep him out for tonight’s contest. He led the way with 40 points in the loss to the Lakers — and the Pelicans will very much miss his scoring tonight. But Williamson is a liability on defense — New Orleans holds their opponents to -3.7 points per 100 adjusted possessions when he is off the court. Brandon Ingram is healthy again — but he does not appear to be close to 100% yet. He only played 25 minutes on Tuesday and was not on the court in crunch time in the fourth quarter. He scored only 11 points on 4 of 12 shooting — and he has averaged just 12 PPG in his two games back in action. As it is and even with Williamson, the Pelicans’ offense has slowed down in the half-court to close out the regular season. While they ranked 10th in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency in the half court during the regular season, they dropped to 18th by scoring only 97.3 points per 100 adjusted possessions in their final ten regular season games. New Orleans has played 10 of their last 15 games Under the Total after losing two games in a row at home — and they have played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total when playing with two days of rest. They have played 10 of their last 14 home games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. And in their last 24 games in the second half of the season against teams with a winning record, they have played 15 of these games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: The Pelicans beat the Kings in all five of their meetings this season after their 135-123 upset win in Sacramento as a 1-point underdog on April 11th. Sacramento has played 10 of their last 16 games Under the Total when avenging a loss by 10 or more points. 25* NBA Play-In Tournament Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Sacramento Kings (557) and the New Orleans Pelicans (558). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Orlando Magic (539) and the Milwaukee Bucks (540). THE SITUATION: Orlando (46-33) has lost two of their last three games after their 118-106 upset loss at Houston as a 3-point favorite last night. Milwaukee (48-31) snapped a four-game losing streak with their 104-91 victory against Boston as a 3.5-point favorite yesterday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bucks broke their string of upset losses by making 53.1% of their shots against the Celtics which was the best shooting effort in their last five games - albeit against a Boston squad playing without Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis defending the interior. But the bigger news was Giannis Antetokounmpo leaving the game in the third quarter with a left calf injury. While it does not look like a season-ender, Antetokounmpo will not take the court tonight. That leaves the Milwaukee offense guard heavy which is not a good look when facing this Magic defense that has outstanding defenders at the guard position. The Bucks raced out to a 63-43 halftime lead yesterday — and they have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after going into halftime with a 15-point or better lead. They went into halftime with a 61-50 lead against New York in their previous game — and they have played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total after owning two straight double-digit halftime leads. Milwaukee has played 14 of their last 21 games Under the Total after losing two of their last three games — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after losing three of their last four games. Head coach Doc Rivers will want his team to maintain their recent defensive intensity playing without Antetokounmpo. The Bucks have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 100 points in their last game — and they have played 12 of their last 19 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 95 points in their last contest. They have held their last five opponents to 111.6 Points-Per-Game which is -4.9 PPG below their season average. But the Bucks are only making 45.1% of their shots in their last five games which has resulted in 107.6 PP — and those marks are -3.7% and -11.9 PPG below their season average. Milwaukee has played 19 of their last 29 games Under the Total in the second half of the season. They have also played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total as an underdog of up to six points. Orlando allowed the Spurs to make 52.3% of their shots last night which was the third straight game where their opponent made at least 50% of their shots against them. The Magic have played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total after allowing their last three opponents to make at least 47% of their shots — and they have played 4 straight Unders after allowing three straight opponents to make 50% or more of their shots. They have played 6 straight Unders after an upset loss — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after an upset loss by double-digits. The Under is 19-12-1 in their 32 games playing without a day of rest. And while last night’s final score finished Over the 215.5-point total, Orlando has played 23 of their last 35 games on the road Under the Total after playing a game that finished Over the Total. Franz Wagner did not play in that game as he is nursing a right ankle injury that leaves him questionable tonight — and Gary Harris is out dealing with an injury. This team has slowed things down on offense by playing at the 27th slowest pace in the league since the All-Star break. Led by Jalen Suggs who is making the first or second All-Defensive team this year, Orlando ranks third in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. The Magic have played 17 of their last 26 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range — and Milwaukee has played 13 of their last 21 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: Both teams are still playing for playoff seeding — so the intensity will be high. These two teams last played on December 21st in the 118-114 victory by the Bucks in Milwaukee — and Orlando has played 15 of their last 23 games Under the Total when avenging a loss on the road. 25* NBA Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Orlando Magic (539) and the Milwaukee Bucks (540). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the San Antonio Spurs (515) and the Memphis Grizzlies (516). THE SITUATION: San Antonio (19-59) has lost three of their last four games after their 133-126 loss to Philadelphia as a 4.5-point underdog on Sunday. Memphis (27-51) had their three-game winning streak snapped in a 116-96 loss to Philadelphia as a 14-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Led by their rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs are still playing hard late in the season despite being out of the playoff race. They had covered six games in a row before the point spread loss to the surging 76ers with Joel Embiid back from injury. The biggest improvement for this San Antonio team has been on the defensive end of the court. In their last 15 games, the Spurs rank 10th in the NBA in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency which is a big jump from their 22nd ranking for the entire season. However, the offense has only improved to 25th in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency in their last 15 games from their 26th ranking overall — so credit goes to their defense for their improved competitiveness. San Antonio has played 19 of their last 26 games Under the Total after a loss at home. They have also played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in four of their last five games. One of the things holding the offense back has been the season-ending injury to Devin Vassell who was scoring 19.5 Points-Per-Game. They are only making 44.0% of their shots in their last five games resulting in 106.1 PPG — and those numbers are -2.0% and -6.2 PPG below their season averages. The Spurs have played 9 of their last 12 road games Under the Total with the Total set in the 210s. They have played 4 straight Unders when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points. Memphis allowed the Sixers to nail 51.9% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last five contests. The Grizzlies have still held their last five opponents to just 106.6 PPG which is -6.1 PPG below their season average. But this team is a M*A*S*H unit with a long list of injured players out for tonight’s game including Jaren Jackson, Desmond Bane, and Luke Kennard joining Ja Morant unable to take the court. Memphis is scoring only 102.6 PPG in their last five games which is -3.3 PPG below their season average. The Grizzlies have played 19 of their last 27 home games Under the Total after a loss at home — and they have played 14 of their last 19 home games Under the Total after a point spread loss. They have played 14 of their last 21 games Under the Total after scoring no more than 100 points in their last game. And in their last 16 games after winning two of their last three games, they have played 11 of these games Under the Total. Memphis stays at home where they have played 26 of their last 38 games Under the Total — and they have played 10 of their last 15 home games Under the Total with the Total set in the 210s.

FINAL TAKE: The Spurs have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total in the second half of the season against teams with a losing record — and the Grizzlies have played 24 of their last 36 home games Under the Total against teams with a losing record. 25* NBA Southwest Division Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the San Antonio Spurs (515) and the Memphis Grizzlies (516). 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 Purdue Boilermakers (675) and the Connecticut Huskies (676) in the National Championship Game. THE SITUATION: Purdue (34-4) has won 11 of their last 12 games after their 63-50 victory against North Carolina State as a 9.5-point favorite on Saturday. Connecticut (36-3) has won 12 games in a row after their 86-72 victory against Alabama as a 10-point favorite on Saturday. This game is being played on a neutral court at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Both of these teams are outstanding on the offensive end of the court — but I suspect the strength of their play on defense will dictate the flow of this game. Purdue ranks fourth in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing away from home. In their 12 games played on a neutral court, they are allowing -5.0 fewer points per adjusted possessions. They only made 40.0% of their shots on Saturday — but it was their defense that carried the day as they held the Wolfpack to just 36.8% shooting in their 13-point victory. The Boilermakers have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after playing a game where neither team scored more than 65 points. They have covered the point spread in all five of their games in the Big Dance — and they have played 21 of their last 30 games Under the Total after winning and covering the point spread in three or more games in a row. UConn ranks second in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing on a neutral court. They are giving up -10.7 fewer points per 100 adjusted possessions in their 11 games played on a neutral court. The Huskies have played 12 of their last 17 games Under the Total on the road after a win by 10 or more points. They have also played 15 of their last 22 games Under the Total on the road after a straight-up win — and they have played 22 of their last 34 road games Under the Total after a point spread victory. And while UConn has made at least 50% of their shots in their last two games, they have then played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after making 50% or more of their shots in two or more games in a row. Furthermore, the Huskies have played 14 of their last 19 games Under the Total after 15 games into the season against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: The Boilermakers have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total in the NCAA Tournament — and the Huskies have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total in the Big Dance. 25* CBB Total of the Year is with Under the Total in the game between the Purdue Boilermakers (675) and the Connecticut Huskies (676). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:40 PM ET on Friday, we will be Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (547) and the Dallas Mavericks (548). THE SITUATION: Golden State (42-34) has won six games in a row after their 133-110 victory at Houston as a 3-point favorite last night. Dallas (46-30) has won eight of their last nine games after their 109-92 win against Atlanta as an 11.5-point favorite yesterday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Warriors nailed 48.6% of their 3s last night en route to a 58.7% shooting percentage which is their best mark of the season. Expect a visit from the Regression Gods tonight — especially with both Andrew Wiggins and Jonathan Kuminga questionable with nagging knee injuries. As it is, Golden State has played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after scoring 130 or more points in their last game. They have also played 15 of their last 22 games Under the Total after a win on the road. The Warriors have covered the point spread in two straight games as well as five of their last six contests. They have then played 14 of their last 20 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in two or more games in a row — and they have played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. And while Golden State has outrebounded their last two opponents by at least ten boards, they have then played 14 of their last 18 games Under the Total after outrebounding two or more straight opponents by ten or more rebounds. This is their third game since Tuesday — and they have played 15 of their last 23 games Under the Total when playing for the third time in four days. Head coach Steve Kerr has his team amping up their intensity on the defensive end of the court as the postseason approaches. They have shaved off from than 7.0 points from their Adjusted Defensive Efficiency number to improve to fifth in the league in that metric. They have held their last five opponents to 42.7% shooting which has resulted in just 102.6 Points-Per-Game that they have allowed — and those numbers are -3.9% and 13.0 PPG below their season averages. But they are also scoring 114.0 PPG over those five games which is -4.0 PPG below their season averages. The Mavericks live-and-die by the 3-point shot. Golden State ranks sixth in the NBA in 3-point defense by holding their opponents to 35.7% shooting from behind the arc — and they are even better on the road by holding their home hosts to 34.9% shooting from 3. Dallas has played 8 of their last 9 home games Under the Total after a win on their home court. They have also played 19 of their last 26 home games Under the Total after winning six or seven of their last eight games. Additionally, the Mavericks have played 11 of their last 17 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 105 points in their last game — and they have played 16 of their last 24 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 95 points in their last contest. Head coach Jason Kidd has also overseen a dramatic transformation of the play of his team’s defense. The acquisitions of P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford at the trade deadline gave this team a much-needed wing defender and rim protector. Dallas ranks third in the league in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in their last ten games. They have not allowed their last six opponents to shoot better than 45.6% from the field — and their last nine opponents have not eclipsed 107 points with three of those foes held to 97 or fewer points. They have held their last five opponents to 42.0% shooting which has resulted in 101.0 PPG which is -5.4% and -14.8 PPG below their season averages. But the Mavs are scoring 114.6 PPG in their last five games which is -3.7 PPG below their season average — and now Luka Doncic is questionable to play this game without a day of rest given “right knee” issues. Dallas has played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total when playing without a day of rest. They have played 8 of their last 11 games at home Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: The Mavericks have played 18 of their last 27 games Under the Total in the second half of the season — and they have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total The Warriors have played 21 of their last 32 games Under the Total in the second half of the season — and they have played 14 of their last 20 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. 25* NBA Western Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (547) and the Dallas Mavericks (548). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Georgia Bulldogs (663) and the Seton Hall Pirates (664) in the Semifinals of the National Invitational Tournament. THE SITUATION: Georgia (20-16) has won four of their last five games after their 79-77 upset victory at Ohio State as a 9-point underdog last Tuesday. Seton Hall (23-12) has won five of their last six games after their 91-68 victory against UNLV as a 6-point favorite last Wednesday. This game is being played on a neutral court at the Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bulldogs shot 47.8% from the field against the Buckeyes which was the best shooting effort in their last ten games. Georgia ranked just tenth in the SEC and currently ranks 105th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. In their five games played on a neutral court, the Bulldogs are scoring -12.2 fewer points per 100 adjusted possessions. Georgia has played 10 of their last 11 games Under the Total after playing a game where 155 or more combined points were scored. Their game with Ohio State finished Over the 150-point Total — and they have played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total when coming off a game that finished Over the Total. They have also played 5 of their last 8 games Over the Total after winning three or more games in a row. And in their last 12 games with the Total set in the 140s, the Buckeyes have palled 8 of these games Under the Total. Seton Hall made 56.5% of their shots against the Runnin’ Rebels which was the best shooting effort in their last 19 contests. But the Pirates have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after making 55% or more of their shots in their last game. They have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after playing a game where 155 or more combined points were scored. They have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a win by 20 or more points on their home court. Seton Hall beat North Texas by a 72-58 score in their previous game in the NIT — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after winning two straight games at home by double-digits. They have played 7 straight games Under the Total after winning two games in a row where they covered as the favorite. Additionally, they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total when playing with five or six days of rest. On the road, the Pirates score -9.7 fewer points per 100 adjusted possessions.            

FINAL TAKE: Seton Hall has played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total when listed as the favorite or a pick ‘em. Georgia has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total on a neutral court with the Total set in the 140s — and they have played 11 of their last 14 games in tournament settings. 25* CBB NIT Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Georgia Bulldogs (663) and the Seton Hall Pirates (664). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:09 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Illinois Fighting Illini (651) and the Connecticut Huskies (652) in the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: Illinois (29-8) has won seven straight games after their 72-69 upset victory against Iowa State as a 1.5-point underdog on Thursday. Connecticut (34-3) has won ten games in a row with their 82-52 victory against San Diego State as a 12-point favorite on Thursday. This game is being played on a neutral court at TD Garden Arena in Boston, Massachusetts.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Fighting Illini played their best game on defense in their last five contests by holding the Cyclones to just 39.7% shooting from the field. But defense is not a staple for this Illinois team that ranks 98th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. When playing away from home, they are still allowing +5.4 more points per 100 adjusted possessions — and that is the 316th worst drop in efficiency when compared to a team’s defensive efficiency when playing at home. They rank 129th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in their 19 games away from home — and that is not simply a function of playing in hostile environments since they also rank 172nd in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in their eight games played on a neutral court. To make matters worse for head coach Brad Underwood, it is very difficult to prepare for Huskies’ head coach Dan Hurley’s complex offensive sets — especially with only one day to prepare. The Illini only made 42.1% of their shots against the tough Iowa State defense — and that was the worst shooting effort in their last five contests. The Fighting Illini are a powerhouse on that end of the court. They lead the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency in their last ten games — and they also lead the nation in that metric when playing away from home. They score +12.3 more points per 100 adjusted possessions when playing away from home which is the biggest jump in the nation. They make 47.6% of their shots including 36.4% of their 3-pointers resulting in 85.6 Points-Per-Game on the road which is +1.4 more PPG than their season average. But they allow their opponents to make 45.0% of their shots including 36.1% of their 3s resulting in 78.1 PPG which is +4.9 PPG above their season average. Illinois has played 22 of their last 28 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 17 of their last 23 games Over the Total after a point spread win. They have played 11 of their last 14 games Over the Total with the Total set in the 150s — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total when playing on a neutral court. UConn made 46.2% of their shots on Thursday which was the worst shooting effort in their last three games. The Huskies are scoring 82.7 PPG in this Big Dance despite only making 30.6% of their 3-pointers. They make 36.2% of their 3s on the season while ranking number in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. When playing on the road, they fall to second in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency, just behind the Illini. They outrebounded the Aztecs by a 50-29 margin — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after outrebounding their previous opponent by +20 or more boards. But the Huskies have played four straight Unders on the strength of their defense and they have not allowed more than 58 points in those four games. A few things about this Under trend. UConn has played 10 of their last 15 games Over the Total after not allowing more than 60 points in two or more games in a row — and they have played 14 of their last 22 games Over the Total after playing two or more Unders in a row. They have won all four of those games by at least 16 points — and they have played 11 of their last 17 games Over the Total after winning four or more games in a row by double-digits. They have played 4 of their last 6 games Over the Total against teams who score 84 or more PPG. On the road, they are also giving up +5.4 more points per 100 adjusted possessions than when they are at home. The Huskies have a great roster but they probably lack the player who can slow down the Illini’s Terrence Shannon.

FINAL TAKE: UConn attempts 24 shots from behind the arc per game — and Illinois has played 13 of their last 14 games Over the Total against teams who take at least 21 shots from 3-point range per game. The Fighting Illini have played 21 of their last 29 games Over the Total against winning teams — and they have played 15 of their last 19 games Over the Total after 15 games into the season against teams with a winning record. 25* CBB Elite Eight Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Illinois Fighting Illini (651) and the Connecticut Huskies (652). 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 Creighton Blue Jays (641) and the Tennessee Volunteers (642) in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: Creighton (25-9) has won five of their last six games after their 86-73 victory in double-overtime against Oregon as a 4-point favorite last Saturday. Tennessee (26-8) has won nine of their last 11 games after their 62-58 win against Texas as a 6.5-point favorite on Saturday. This game is being played at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bluejays only made 38.7% of their shots against the Ducks last weekend — but they did convert on 15 of their 39 shots (38.5%) of their shots from 3-point range (many of them in the second double overtime period to ruin our Oregon play). Creighton lives and dies by their 3-point shooting — they rank seventh in the nation by taking 48.7% of their shots from behind the arc. Their reliance on 3s could spell trouble when facing this stout Volunteers defense that ranks 28th in the nation by holding their opponents to just 30.9% of their 3-pointers. The Bluejays score -10.7 fewer points per 100 adjusted possessions when playing away from home — that discrepancy is the 352nd worst split in the nation. The problem for Creighton is they lack a Plan B if their 3s are not falling. They are dead last in the nation by forcing turnovers in 11.1% of their opponent’s possessions. They only rebound 26.2% of their missed shots, ranking 273rd in the nation. They are the only team left in the Big Dance that has a negative Shot Volume mark relative to what they surrender. But head coach Greg McDermott’s squad is a good defensive team that ranks 23rd in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Sacrificing offensive rebounding allows the Bluejays to get back on defense — and not going for turnovers limits the fouls they commit. They have the best defensive foul rate in the nation. They play great half-court defense by ranking 10th in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 46.2%. The focus on defense is to get their opponent off the 3-point line — they rank sixth in the nation with their opponents only taking  27.6% of their shots from behind the arc. Made 3s consist of only 25.1% of their opponent’s points which is the 336th lowest mark. Creighton has played 12 of their last 15 games on the road Under the Total after scoring 85 or more points in their last game. They have played 8 of their last 9 road games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Over the Total. Tennessee has played 7 straight games Under the Total after a straight-up victory where they did not cover the point spread. This Volunteers team was supposed to be different and not offensively challenged given the emergence of Dalton Knecht. But Knecht and Zakai Zeigler combined to miss 14 of their 16 shots from behind the arc. These primary scorers may be feeling the pressure to compensate for the massive funk that Santiago Vescovi is mired in right now. After scoring 12.9 Points-Per-Game and making 39% of his 3-pointers in the previous two seasons, he limped into this tournament with a 3.3 PPG scoring average in his last seven games while making only 23% of their shots including just 4 of 22 (18.1%) of his shots from behind the arc. In his two NCAA Tournament games, Vescovi has only scored eight combined points with a 33.3% shooting percentage with only two made 3s in his seven attempts. His struggles are impacting the flow of the offense — not only did Tennessee only make 33.8% of their shots against the Longhorns, but they had more turnovers than assists. Creighton will give the Vols the midrange — but Knecht only connects on 39% of his midrange jumpers. Tennessee will rely on its defense that held Texas without a 3-pointer for 24 straight minutes on Saturday. The Volunteers rank third in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Their 44.1% opponent’s effective field goal percentage ranks fourth in the nation — and they hold their opponents to 44.1% shooting inside the arc. Tennessee has played 30 of their last 44 road games Under the Total when playing with five or six days of rest.

FINAL TAKE: Tennessee has played 10 of their last 15 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 140s including all four of their games played on a neutral court. 25* CBB Sweet 16 Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Creighton Blue Jays (641) and the Tennessee Volunteers (642). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Cleveland Cavaliers (547) and the Charlotte Hornets (548). THE SITUATION: Cleveland (44-28) snapped a three-game losing streak with their 115-92 victory at home against Charlotte as an 11.5-point favorite on Monday. Charlotte (17-54) has lost five games in a row after that loss two days ago.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Cavaliers nailed 53.5% of their shots against the Hornets which was the best shooting effort in their last 18 games. Despite that performance, Cleveland is struggling to score points as they continue to play without the injured Donovan Mitchell. They have just a 5-7 record in the last 12 games with Mitchell as he nurses a fractured nose and a nagging leg injury. In their last five games, the Cavs are making 46.4% of their shots but playing at a slower pace — they are scoring only 100.4 Points-Per-Game in those five contests. They have held their last five opponents to 105.4 PPG. Cleveland has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread cover as a double-digit favorite. They have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a win by 20 or more points. Their victory on Monday eked Over the 206-point total in that game — and they have played 23 of their last 35 games Under the Total after playing a game on the road that finished Over the Total. They had failed to cover the point spread in four of their previous five games — and they have played 21 of their last 31 road games Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread in four or five of their last six games. Led by Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, the Cavaliers rank fourth in the league in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Cleveland has played 12 of their last 15 games on the road Under the Total — and they have played 8 straight road games Under the Total when favored by 6.5 to 12 points. Furthermore, the Cavs have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total as a double-digit favorite. They have played 15 of their last 19 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage no higher than .250. Charlotte has not scored more than 98 points in five straight games — and they have not cracked even 93 points in their last three games. With LaMelo Ball out with an injury and Terry Rozier shipped off to Miami at the trade deadline, the Hornets offense is relying on Mikal Bridges as their go-to scorer with rookie Brandon Miller the second option. In their last five games, Charlotte is making only 42.7% of their shots resulting in only 93.8 PPG. They return home after a four-game road trip having played 31 of their last 48 home games Under the Total after losing two games in a row — and they have 10 of their last 11 home games Under the Total after losing two or more games in a row on the road. The Hornets have played 13 of their last 18 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 7 straight home games Under the Total against an opponent with a winning percentage in the 60-70% range.

FINAL TAKE: Charlotte has played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total when avenging a loss by 20 or more points — and they have played 16 of 25 games Under the Total when avenging a loss by 20 or more points under head coach Steve Clifford. 25* NBA Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Cleveland Cavaliers (547) and the Charlotte Hornets (548). Best of luck for us — Frank.   

At 7:40 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Brooklyn Nets (517) and the Toronto Raptors (518). THE SITUATION: Brooklyn (26-45) has lost two games in a row after their 105-93 loss at New York as a 7.5-point underdog on Saturday. Toronto (23-48) has lost ten games in a row after their 112-109 loss at Washington as a 6-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Nets only made 44.7% of their shots against the Knicks on Saturday but it was still their best shooting effort in their last three games. They are scoring only 105.8 Points-Per-Game in their last five games — and they have failed to score more than 108 points in five of their last six contests. They have also failed to score more than 100 points in three of their last six games — so this team that is playing without the injured Cameron Johnson (amongst others) is quite capable of putting up a clunker. Brooklyn has held two of their last three opponents to 105 and 104 points so the effort on defense has been steady as of late. The Nets have played 27 of their last 44 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss. Additionally, they have played 7 of their last 9 games after failing to score more than 95 points in their last game — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after playing a game where no more than 205 combined points were scored. They have played 14 of their last 19 games Under the Total after losing two or more games on the road — and they have played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total after losing three or more games in a row. And while they have not covered the point spread in seven of their last nine games, they have then played 12 of their last 15 games on the road Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread in six or seven of their last eight games. Brooklyn continues their four-game road trip scoring only 109.1 PPG which is -2.0 PPG below their season average. The Nets have played 9 of their last 10 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage in the 25-40%. Toronto is M*A*S*H unit right now as they conduct their soft tank job — they are missing so many players headlined by Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, and R.J. Barrett. Gary Trent, Jr. is their go-to scorer right now. The 109 points they scored on Saturday were their most points in their last six games — they had not scored 104 in their previous five games including two clunkers where they scored only 98 and 89 points. They are only making 44.1% of their shots in their last five games resulting in 107.5 PPG. They have not shot better than 44.1% from the field in four of their last six games. The Raptors have held four of their last six opponents to 112 or fewer points. And while the Wizards’ 47.8% shooting effort on Saturday was the lowest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last five games, Toronto has played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total after allowing three or more straight opponents to make 47% or more of their shots from the field. The Raptors have played 17 of their last 24 home games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 6 straight Unders after losing five or more games in a row. They have failed to cover the point spread in five of their last six games — and they have played 26 of their last 37 home games Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread in four or five of their last six contests. They return home where they are scoring only 110.1 PPG which is -3.0 fewer PPG than their season average — but they are holding their guests to 114.5 PPG which is -3.6 PPG lower than their season average. Toronto has played 23 of their last 35 home games Under the Total — and they have played 6 of their last 7 home games Under the Total as an underdog getting 6.5 to 12 points. Furthermore, they have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total in March. They have played 9 of their last 13 opponents with a losing record Under the Total in the second half of the season.

FINAL TAKE: The Nets will remember their 121-93 loss in Toronto against the Raptors in their most recent meeting on February 22nd. Brooklyn has played 23 of their last 37 games Under the Total when playing with revenge — and they have played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total when avenging a loss on the road by 20 or more points. 25* NBA Atlantic Division Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Brooklyn Nets (517) and the Toronto Raptors (518). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Drake Bulldogs (745) and the Washington State Cougars (746) in the Round of 64 of the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: Drake (28-6) has won five straight games as well as 10 of their last 11 contests after upsetting Indiana State in the Missouri Valley Conference Championship Game as a 3-point underdog on March 10th. Washington State (24-9) has lost two of their last three games after their 58-52 loss to Colorado as a 2-point underdog in the Semifinals of the Pac-12 Tournament on Friday. This game is being played on a neutral court at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bulldogs nailed 51.7% of their shots in their upset victory against the Sycamores 11 days ago which was the best shooting effort in their last six games. With the extended layoff between games, their shooting may be rusty tonight — and they have played 8 of their last 13 games Under the Total after scoring 80 or more points in their last game. They also allowed Indiana State to make 52.5% of their shots in that game which was the worst defensive effort in their last five contests — so head coach Darian DeVries will likely have his team tighten up on that end of the court. Drake struggled on the defensive end of the court in hostile environments where they had an Adjusted Defensive Efficiency of 103.9 — but their Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in their seven games on neutral courts of 97.8 this season was in line with their 98.5 defensive efficiency clip when playing on their home court. The Bulldogs have played 4 of their last 6 games Under the Total after allowing 80 or more points in their last game — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after playing a game where 155 or more combined points were scored. And while they have played their last two games Over the Total, they have then played 5 straight Unders after playing two or more Overs in a row. Furthermore, Drake has covered the point spread in four straight games — and they have played 14 of their last 19 games Under the Total after playing two straight Unders and 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in three or more games in a row. Drake scores -2.7 fewer Points-Per-Game when playing away from home — and they do not engage the things to increase their scoring opportunities if their shots are not falling. They only pull down 24.1% of their missed shots, ranking 314th in the nation. They force turnovers in just 17.4% of their opponent’s possessions, ranking 142nd. They rank 186th in getting to the free-throw line. The Bulldogs have not gotten great point guard play from sophomore Conor Enright or freshman Coby Colby who split time — it is why DeVries has resorted to deploying his son, Tucker, as a point forward. But that may not be effective against the outstanding half-court defense of the Cougars. Drake can’t get mired into being too reliant on outside shooting where they do make 35.8% of their shots from behind the arc when on the road. Washington State ranks 51st in the nation by holding their opponents to a 31.6% shooting clip from behind the arc when playing away from home — and they rank 16th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing away from home. Myles Rice is their only player who has the skills to create Despite their loss to the Buffaloes last week, they held them to just 43.1% shooting. They surrender -3.1 fewer points per 100 adjusted possessions when playing away from home. But they also only score 69.7 PPG on the road which is -4.7 fewer PPG than their season average — and the -8.7 points per 100 adjusted possessions when playing on the road represents the 342nd worst drop in scoring efficiency when compared to their home numbers. Head coach Kyle Smith is going to slow this game to a crawl — the Cougars rank 315th in the nation with only 64.9 adjusted possessions per game. Washington State has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total on the road after a point spread loss. And while the Bulldogs make 47.9% of their shots, the Cougars have played 14 of their last 18 games Under the Total against teams who make at least 45% of their shots.                                                                                            

FINAL TAKE: This game shapes up to be a rock fight given the lack of scoring options for both teams. Washington State has played 14 of their last 19 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 5 straight Unders against teams winning 80% or more of their games. The Cougars are outscoring their opponents by +7.4 Points-Per-Game — and Drake has played 21 of their last 32 games Under the Total against teams who are outscoring their opponents by +4.0 or more PPG. 25* CBB NCAA Tournament Round of 64 Total of the Year is with Under the Total in the game between the Drake Bulldogs (745) and the Washington State Cougars (746). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:10 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Colorado State Rams (671) and the Virginia Cavaliers (672) in the First Four Round of the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: Colorado State (24-10) had their four-game winning streak snapped in a 74-61 loss to New Mexico as a 2.5-point underdog in the semifinals of the Mountain West Conference Tournament on Saturday. Virginia (23-10) had won two games in a row before their 73-65 upset loss in overtime to North Carolina State as a 2.5-point favorite in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament on Friday. This game is being played on a neutral court at the University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Cavaliers tend to get into rock fight contests — especially against teams unfamiliar with their brand of the pack line defense. Virginia ranks seventh in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They also like to slow the pace of the game to a crawl. They rank 352nd in the nation by averaging 19.7 seconds per possession — and they rank 362nd in the nation by averaging 59.9 adjusted possessions per game. Head coach Tony Bennett has had his team slow things down even more lately. In the Cav’s last three games, they have averaged 21.0, 21.5, and 22.6 seconds per possession. For some context, Air Force was the slowest team in the nation averaging 20.5 seconds per possession — so Bennett has his team going even slower than that. Virginia has played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss. And while this is their third game since Thursday, they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total when playing for the third time in the last seven days. On the road, the Cavaliers only make 40.5% of their shots resulting in 60.4 Points-Per-Game — and those marks are -2.9 % and -3.2 PPG below their season averages. Their lack of secondary scoring threats will present a problem for them tonight. They rank 225th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and they are scoring -4.8 fewer points per 100 adjusted possessions. Virginia has played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total against teams outside the ACC. They have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after 15 games into the season against teams with a winning record. Colorado State has played 8 straight Unders after winning four of their last five games. And while the Rams have only covered the point spread once in their last seven games, they have then played 4 straight Unders after failing to cover the point spread in four or more of their last five games. Colorado State is a good defensive team that ranked 38th in the nation and third in the Mountain West Conference in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They hold their opponents to 42.9% shooting away from home resulting in 69.7 PPG — and they give up -1.4 fewer points per 100 adjusted possessions when playing on the road. But the Rams’ 46.4% shooting percentage and 72.4 PPG scoring mark away from home are 2.4% and -4.4 PPG below their season averages. They score -4.6 fewer points per 100 adjusted possessions away from home. They rank 241st in the nation by making only 31.8% of their shots from behind the arc away from home — and their inability to make 3s will make solving the Virginia pack line defense very difficult. They are led by point guard Isaiah Stevens — but he has a difficult challenge tonight when he will be guarded by Reece Beekman who is a glove defensively. Colorado State has played 26 of their last 39 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 15 of their last 20 road games Under the Total against teams winning 60-80% of their games. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: Colorado State has played 12 of their last 18 games Under the Total when on a neutral court — and Virginia has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total on a neutral court with the Total set no higher than 129.5. 25* CBB First Four NCAA Tournament Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Colorado State Rams (671) and the Virginia Cavaliers (672). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:10 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves (565) and the Utah Jazz (566). THE SITUATION: Minnesota (46-21) has won two straight games after their 119-100 victory at Utah as an 8-point favorite on Saturday. Utah (29-38) has lost four of their last five games after that loss at home to the Timberwolves.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: With Minnesota playing without Karl-Anthony Towns for the rest of the season as he recovers from a torn meniscus, the initial take would be to consider Unders for the T-Wolves given the absence of his scoring prowess. But a contrarian position when the Timberwolves after playing a team with a terrible defense is prudent in this situation. Mike Conley has stepped up in the last two games to score 23 and 25 points in their last two games to offer complementary scoring to Anthony Edwards. He has nailed five 3-pointers in both of those games. As it is, the Timberwolves have played 25 of their last 36 road games Over the Total after a straight-up win on the road. They have played 14 of their last 19 games Over the Total after a point-spread victory. And they have played 20 of their last 28 games Over the Total after winning two games in a row. Minnesota remains an elite defensive club even without Towns — and they held their last two opponents to just 100 points. The T-Wolves have played 30 of their last 44 road games Over the Total after not allowing more than 105 points in their last game — and they have played 11 of their last 12 games Over the Total after not allowing more than 105 points in two or more games in a row. They stay on the road where they are making 48.3% of their shots resulting in 114.6 Points-Per-Game. Minnesota has played 29  of their last 44 road games Over the Total against teams with a losing record. Rudy Gobert is questionable for tonight’s contest with a left rib sprain — and if he does not play, he makes the Timberwolves interior defense much less formidable. Utah is fully embracing tanking for the rest of the season. The Jazz owes Oklahoma City their first-round draft pick if it falls outside the top ten. Not coincidentally, they have the worst defensive rating in their last 15 games. Utah has played 16 of their last 21 games Over the Total in March including five of their seven games this month. Jordan Clarkson remains out with a groin injury and Lauri Markkanen is questionable with a quad injury after missing extended time due to that injury. In their last five games, they have allowed their opponents to make 50.7% of their shots resulting in 125.0 PPG — and they have allowed their last five visitors to score 119.6 PPG when they are playing at home. The Jazz have played 21 of their last 31 games Over the Total after a loss at home — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a loss at home to a Northwest Division rival. They have also played 5 straight Overs after a double-digit loss at home.

FINAL TAKE: Minnesota has won the last four meetings with Utah after Saturday’s victory. The Jazz have played 27 of their last 40 road games Over the Total when avenging a loss at home to their opponent. They have also played 35 of their last 55 games when playing with double-revenge — and they have played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total when playing with triple-revenge. 25* NBA Northwest Division Total of the Month is with Over the Total in the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves (565) and the Utah Jazz (566). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Texas-El Paso Miners (631) and the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (632) in the Championship Game of the Conference USA Tournament. THE SITUATION: UTEP (18-15) has won five straight games after their 65-63 upset win against Sam Houston State as a 5-point underdog yesterday afternoon. Western Kentucky (21-11) has won two games in a row after their 85-54 victory against Middle Tennessee as a 6-point favorite in their semifinal contest yesterday. This game is being played on a neutral court at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: UTEP only made 43.7% of their shots yesterday — but they held the Bearkats to just 41.2% shooting while holding them to just 53 points. The Miners have played 5 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up win against a Conference USA opponent — and they have played 3 of their 4 games Under the Total after a win by six points or less this season. They have played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a point-spread victory. And in their last 9 games played with one day or less of rest, they have played 6 of these games Under the Total. UTEP only makes 41.3% of their shots on the road resulting in just 65.5 Points-Per-Game — and those numbers are -3.7% and -7.2 PPG below their season averages. They rank 324th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency on the road — and they are scoring -4.1 fewer points per 100 adjusted possessions on the road which is the 262nd worst drop in the country. But the Miners also rank 27th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing on the road — and they are giving up -1.6 fewer points per 100 adjusted possessions when playing away from home. A key dynamic for this contest is that UTEP leads the nation by forcing turnovers in 26.5% of their opponent’s possessions when playing on the road. The Hilltoppers play at the fastest pace in the nation — but the pressure the Miners present will slow down their attack. Western Kentucky ranks 262nd in the nation by turning the ball over in 18.2% of their possessions. UTEP has played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 12 of their last 16 games Under the Total as an underdog. They have also played 4 of their last games Under the Total as an underdog of six points or less on a neutral court — and they have played 5 of their last 6 tournament games Under the Total. Western Kentucky wants to build off their strong defensive effort yesterday after limiting the Blue Raiders to just 31.0% shooting in their 31-point victory. The Hilltoppers have played 14 of their last 19 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 13 of their last 18 games Under the Total after a win by double-digits. And while they made 11 of their 22 shots from behind the arc yesterday, they have then played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after making 50% or more of their 3-pointers. They have also played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after scoring 85 or more points in their last game. Western Kentucky has scored 85 or more points in their two tournament games this week — but they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after scoring 80 or more points in two or more games in a row. They have scored at least 79 points in five straight games — but they have then played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after scoring 75 or more points in four or more games in a row. The Hilltoppers’ fast pace makes Overs tempting when considering them but they only make 45.4% of their shots on the road resulting in 77.7 PPG — and those numbers are -1.4% and -3.0 PPG below their season averages. They are scoring -3.6 fewer points per 100 adjusted possessions when playing on the road. They are also giving up -4.9 fewer points per 100 adjusted possessions when playing away from home. Western Kentucky has played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total on a neutral court — and they have played 26 of their last 39 games Under the Total on a neutral court as a favorite of up to six points.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams split their two regular-season contests after Western Kentucky won on their home court by a 90-80 score on February 15th. The Miners have played 5 of their 6 opportunities to avenge an earlier loss this season Under the Total. They have also played 36 of their last 55 games Under the Total when playing with revenge from a double-digit loss on the road. 25* CBB Conference USA Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Texas-El Paso Miners (631) and the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (632). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Alabama A&M Bulldogs (306503) and the Texas Southern Tigers (306504) in the Semifinals of the Southwest Athletic Conference Tournament. THE SITUATION: Alabama A&M (12-21) has won three of their last four games after their 75-63 upset victory against Alcorn State as a 3-point underdog in the Quarterfinals of this tournament on Wednesday. Texas Southern (15-15) has won six of their last seven contests after their 72-62 victory as a 3-point favorite yesterday. This game is being played on a neutral court at the Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Alabama A&M has pulled off two straight upsets relying on their defense. After holding Southern University to 37.2% shooting last Saturday in their 66-56 victory, they limited Alcorn State to just a 37.0% field goal percentage in their upset victory on Wednesday. The Bulldogs rank fourth in the SWAC in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they lead the conference with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 44.7%. Alabama A&M has played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in two or more games in a row. They have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after winning two of their last three games — and they have played 6 straight road games Under the Total after winning two of their last three contest. But the Bulldogs rank only 356th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency when playing away from home. Granted, we are talking about a SWAC team in what is not one of the strongest conferences in the nation. But they rank just 10th in the SWAC on Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and they fall to 11th in that metric when playing on the road. They are making only 40.6% of their shots on the road including just 25.8% of their 3-pointers resulting in only 66.4 Points-Per-Game. They are scoring -7.2 fewer points per 100 adjusted possessions when playing away from home. But back to their defense which has held their last five opponents to 64.4 PPG from 39.7% shooting from the field — and those marks are -11.0 PPG and -2.7% below their season averages. They lead the SWAC by limiting their opponents to making only 41.7% of their shots inside the arc. SWAC opponents are making only 38.5% of their shots against them overall — and they have played 14 of their last 19 games Under the Total in conference play. Furthermore, Alabama A&M has played 42 of their last 69 games Under the Total as an underdog. Texas Southern comes off their best defensive game of the season after limiting Jackson State to a 32.3% shooting percentage yesterday. While I often think that is a mark screaming out for the Regression Gods, in this instance I suspect it is reflective of the tough defense this team has embraced under head coach Johnny Jones as they enter the postseason. That game finished Under the 140.5-point total — and the Tigers have played 10 of their last 15 games Under the Total after playing an Under in their previous game. Texas Southern is second in the SWAC in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they lead the conference in that metric when playing on the road. They also rank a very respectable 60th in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 48.2%. The Tigers have played 12 of their last 15 road games Under the Total after a win against a conference rival — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a double-digit win. They have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after winning two of their last three games — and they have played 14 of their last 18 road games Under the Total after winning two of their last three. On the road, Texas Southern holds their opponents to -7.7 fewer points per 100 adjusted possessions. But unfortunately for them, they also score -4.8 fewer points per 100 adjusted possessions. They only make 39.3% of their shots including 29.1% of their 3-pointers away from home resulting in just 65.8 PPG — and those marks are -2.1% and -4.4 PPG below their season averages. Their last five-game scoring numbers are up — but that comes from three games on their home court where they scored at least 79 points in each game while generating 84.0 PPG. But in their last three games away from home, they have not scored more than 77 points. The Tigers have played 24 of their last 35 road games Under the Total against teams with a losing record — and they have played 23 of their last 34 road games Under the Total in conference play.      

FINAL TAKE: Texas Southern won the only previous meeting between these teams this season in an 85-69 victory at home. The Bulldogs have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing with revenge from a loss on the road. 25* CBB Southwest Athletic Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Alabama A&M Bulldogs (306503) and the Texas Southern Tigers (306504). Best of luck for us — Frank. 

At 11:30 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the San Francisco Dons (873) and the Gonzaga Bulldogs (874) in the Semifinals of the West Coast Conference. THE SITUATION: San Francisco (23-9) snapped their two-game losing streak with a 72-51 victory against Portland as a 16-point favorite in the Quarterfinals of this tournament on Saturday. Gonzaga (24-6) has won eight straight games after their 70-57 upset victory at Saint Mary’s as a 3.5-point underdog on March 2nd. This game is being played on a neutral court at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Dons made 52.8% of their shots on Saturday which was the best shooting effort in their last three games. They stepped up their play on defense by holding the Pilots to just 32.7% shooting — and they have played 21 of their last 27 road games Under the Total after not allowing more than 55% of their shots in their last contest. Additionally, San Francisco has played 11 of their last 12 road games Under the Total after a win by 20 or more points against a West Coast Conference rival. They have played 12 of their last 15 road games Under the Total when playing with one day or less of rest. And they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after losing two of their last three games. They are making 45.7% of their shots on the road resulting in 71.5 Points-Per-Game — and those numbers are -3.3% and -8.4 PPG below their season averages. They are scoring -4.9 fewer points per 100 adjusted possessions when playing in those road games. But on the other end of the court, they are holding their opponents to just 42.2% shooting with a 32.2% clip from behind the arc resulting in 66.9 PPG. The Dons rank 33rd in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they improve to the eighth-best defense in the nation in that metric when playing away from home. They have an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 42.2% on the road ranking 21st in the nation — and they are giving up -8.0 fewer points per 100 adjusted possessions on the road. San Francisco has played 23 of their last 33 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. Gonzaga made 51.7% of their shots against the Gaels which was the worst shooting effort in their alt three games — but they have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after making at least 50% of their shots in two or more games in a row. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 60 points in their last game. They have won six straight games by 13 or more points — and they have then played 6 straight road games Under the Total after winning two or more games in a row by 10 or more points. And in their last 13 games on the road after winning four or more games in a row, they have then played 11 of these games Under the Total. The Bulldogs are scoring 80.3 PPG away from home with a 49.6% field goal percentage — but those numbers are still -5.3 PPG and -2.3% below their season averages. They hold their opponents to 42.7% shooting and 69.9 PPG on the road — and they are giving up -3.9 fewer points per 100 possessions on the road. They rank 19th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency on the road. Interestingly, head coach Mark Few has his team playing at a slower pace lately — they are averaging 1.3 fewer possessions per game in their last ten games. The Dons are outscoring their opponents by +12.3 PPG — and Gonzaga has played 7 straight Unders against teams who are outscoring their opponents by +12.0 more PPG.

FINAL TAKE: San Francisco has played 16 of their last 20 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games on a neutral court with the Total set in the 150s. Gonzaga has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on a neutral court with the Total set in the 150s. 25* CBB West Coast Conference Tournament Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the San Francisco Dons (873) and the Gonzaga Bulldogs (874). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Arizona Wildcats (727) and the USC Trojans (728). THE SITUATION: Arizona (88-65) has won four games in a row as well as 10 of their last 11 contests after their 88-65 victory as a 9.5-point favorite as a 9.5-point favorite on Thursday. USC (13-17) has won two games in a row after their 81-73 victory as a 9.5-point favorite on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Wildcats made 51.9% of their shots against the Bruins which was actually the worst shooting effort in their last three games. They are making 51.8% of their shots in their last five contests. Arizona ranks sixth in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and they are scoring 90.3 Points-Per-Game. They have scored 85 or more points in four straight games as well as nine of their last 11 contests. But they have also allowed 75 or more points in five of their last eight contests as well. They play at a very fast pace — they average only 15.1 seconds per possession which is the eighth quickest mark in the nation. The Wildcats have played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total on the road after a straight-up win against a Pac-12 rival — and they have played 6 straight games Over the Total after a double-digit win on the road. They have also played 8 of their last 9 road games Over the Total after a win on the road where they scored 85 or more points. Furthermore, they have played 14 of their last 19 road games Over the Total after winning four of their last five games. And while this is just their second game since February 28th, they have then played 7 of their last 8 road games Over the Total when playing for just the second time in seven days. They have also played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total when playing with just one day of rest. Arizona stays on the road where they rank third in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and they are scoring +4.0 more points per 100 adjusted possessions when playing away from home. But they are also giving up 80.6 PPG on the road — and the +8.6 points per 100 adjusted possessions they are giving up away from home represents the 342nd biggest jump in the nation. The Wildcats have played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total on the road — and they have played 19 of their last 28 road games when favored or a pick ‘em. They have also played 16 of their last 22 games Over the Total against teams with a losing record. USC has played 13 of their last 20 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record. The Trojans have scored 163 combined points in their last two games — and they are making 48.6% of their shots in their last five contests resulting in 77.8 PPG. But they have allowed three of their last five opponents to make at least 50% of their shots after the Sun Devils enjoyed a 50% shooting clip against them on Thursday. USC has played 23 of their last 34 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a victory against a Pac-12 rival. They have also played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total after winning two of their last three games.  They stay at home where they are scoring +3.4 more points per 100 adjusted possessions. But the Trojans rank 10th in the Pac-12 in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they have played 9 of their last 14 home games Over the Total on their home court. USC has also played 10 of their last 13 games Over the Total as an underdog — and they have played 6 of their last 7 home games Over the Total as a dog or as a pick ‘em.

FINAL TAKE: Arizona won the first meeting on January 17th by an 82-67 score as a 20.5-point favorite — and the Trojans have played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total when playing with revenge. They have also played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total when avenging a same-season loss on the road. 25* CBB Pac-12 Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Arizona Wildcats (727) and the USC Trojans (728). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Rhode Island Rams (613) and the Fordham Rams (614). THE SITUATION: Rhode Island (11-19) has lost seven games in a row after their 69-57 loss at home to George Mason as a 4-point underdog on Wednesday. Fordham (12-18) has lost two games in a row as well as six of their last eight contests after a 66-64 loss at Massachusetts as a 9.5-point underdog on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Rhode Island made only 29.4% of their shots on Wednesday in what was the worst shooting performance of their season. That game finished well Under the 142.5-point total — but these Rams have played 15 of their last 21 games Over the Total after playing an Under in their last game. They have played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total after losing five or more games in a row. And while they have not covered the point spread in six straight games, they have then played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after not covering the point spread in three or more games in a row. Rhode Island has let their last five opponents make 50.5% of their shots resulting in 84.0 Points-Per-Game. They go back on the road where they rank 337th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They are allowing their opponents to make 48.8% of their shots and 37.3% of their 3-pointers when on the road resulting in 81.9 PPG. They are surrendering +5.6 more points per 100 adjusted possessions on the road — but they are also scoring +1.2 more points per 100 adjusted possessions when away from home as well. They rank 35th in the nation by making 37.6% of their 3-pointers when away from home — and Fordham allows their guests to make 40.7% of their shots from behind the arc when playing at home, ranking 359th in the nation. Rhode Island has played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total — and they have played 4 of their last 5 road games Over the Total as an underdog getting 6.5 to 12 points. They have also played 5 straight road games Over the Total with the Total set in the 140s. Rhode Island should also get plenty of points from the charity stripe as they lead the Atlantic 10 in free throw rate — and Fordham is last in the conference in putting their opponent on the line. Fordham has played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss. And while they have covered the point spread in three of their last four games, they have then played 13 of their last 17 games Over the Total after covering the point spread in three of their last four games. Their loss against the Minutemen on Wednesday finished Under the 143-point Total — but they have then played 8 of their last 12 games Over the Total after playing an Under in their last game. Fordham ranks 10th in the Atlantic 10 in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they return home where they rank 222nd in the nation in that metric. They allow their opponents to guests to make 46.0% of their shots resulting in 73.7 PPG — and they are giving up +9.5 more points per 100 adjusted possessions on their home court. They are also scoring +3.6 more points per 100 adjusted possessions when playing at home. The hosting Rams have played 11 of their last 16 games Over the Total at home — and they have played 7 of their last 8 home games Over the Total when favored. Furthermore, they have played 4 straight Overs at home when playing 6.5 to 12 points.

FINAL TAKE: Fordham won the first meeting between these two teams by a 71-68 score as a 2.5-point underdog on January 24th — and Rhode Island has played 9 of their last 14 games Over the Total when playing with revenge. 25* CBB Atlantic 10 Conference Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Rhode Island Rams (613) and the Fordham Rams (614). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:30 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Utah State Aggies (713) and the San Jose State Spartans (714). THE SITUATION: Utah State (24-5) has won three games in a row and five of their last six after their 72-60 victory against Air Force as a 17.5-point favorite on Friday. San Jose State (9-21) has lost five games in a row after their 68-50 loss at UNLV as a 13.5-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Aggies rank 11th in the nation by making 57.5% of their shots inside the arc — and they lead the Mountain West Conference with an effective field goal percentage of 54.8%. Utah State has played 11 of their last 14 games Over the Total after a win in conference play — and they have played 22 of their last 33 games Over the Total after winning three or more games in a row. They have also played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total after a double-digit win — and they have played 8 straight Overs after a win at home by 10 or more points. Additionally, they have played 10 of their last 12 games Over the Total after allowing 60 or more points in their last game. They go back on the road where they are scoring 76.4 Points-Per-Game while giving up 72.5 PPG. They rank second in the MWC in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency but sit just eighth in the conference in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing on the road. They are scoring +2.6 points per 100 adjusted possessions when playing on the road — and they are giving up +8.5 points per 100 adjusted possessions when on the road in hostile environments. The Aggies have played 10 of their last 11 games Over the Total on the road — and they have played 14 of their last 16 road games Over the Total with the Total set in the 140s. They have also played 6 straight Overs on the road as the favorite or as a pick ‘em. San Jose State has played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss on the road — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a double-digit loss on the road. They have also played 4 straight Overs after a loss where they did not score more than 60 points — and they have played 12 of their last 16 games Over the Total after failing to score more than 55 points in their last game. And while their loss to the Runnin’ Rebels finished Under the 138.5-point total, they have then played 8 of their last 9 home games Over the Total after playing an Under in their last game. The Spartans return home where they are nailing 47.8% of their shots resulting in 76.1 PPG — and those marks represent a +6.2 PPG and a +3.1% bump over their season averages. But they are also allowing their guests to make 47.4% of their shots including 39.4% of their 3-pointers resulting in 76.9 PPG which is +2.2 PPG higher than their season defensive average. San Jose State scores +8.1 points per 100 adjusted possessions when at home which ranks 29th in the nation in the biggest jump. They also allow +4.6 more points per 100 adjusted possessions when playing at home, ranking 307th worst in the country. The Spartans have played 11 of their last 13 games Over the Total when at home — and they have played 6 of their last 7 home games Over the Total as an underdog or as a pick ‘em.

FINAL TAKE: San Jose State is one of the worst defensive teams in the nation as they rank 281st in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They also rank 331st in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 53.8% which does not bode well against a great shooting team like the Aggies. Utah State made 60% of their shots including a 6 of 12 mark from behind the arc en route to their 82-61 victory against the Spartans at home on January 30th — and San Jose State has played 12 of their last 16 games Over the Total when playing with revenge from a loss on the road. 25* CBB Mountain West Conference Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Utah State Aggies (713) and the San Jose State Spartans (714). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 2:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the UNC-Asheville Bulldogs (306581) and the Radford Highlanders (306582). THE SITUATION: UNC-Asheville (19-11) saw their five-game winning streak snapped in a 78-77 upset loss at home against Gardner-Webb as a 5.5-point favorite last Saturday. Radford (15-15) had their two-game winning streak end in a 58-57 upset loss at Charleston Southern as a 5.5-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Bulldogs made 50% of their shots in their loss last week which was actually the worst shooting effort in their last three games. UNC-Asheville has played 19 of their last 28 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss at home. They have also played 9 of their last 10 games Over the Total after an upset loss — and they have played 5 straight Overs after an upset loss to a Big South rival. And while that game with Gardner-Webb finished Over the 1553.5-point total, they have then played 9 of their last 14 games Over the Total after playing an Over in their last contest. The Bulldogs lead the Big South with an effective field goal percentage of 55.9% — and they rank 22nd in the nation by making 37.5% of their 3-pointers. They also rank 11th in the nation in getting to the free throw line. Now they go back on the road where they are scoring 75.9 Points-Per-Game -- fueled by the sixth-best free throw rate when playing in hostile environments. They also rank 47th in the nation by making 37.0% of their shots from behind the arc when on the road. But UNC-Asheville ranks 208th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they plummet to 307th in that nation in that metric when playing on the road in hostile environments. The adjusted +8.3 points per 100 possessions they allow in hostile environments represents the 339th worst spike in the country. They are giving up 78.8 PPG in those games. The Bulldogs have played 7 of their last 11 games Over the Total on the road — and they have played 6 of their last 8 road games Over the Total as an underdog or a pick ‘em. The Highlanders make 46.5% of their shots — and UNC-Asheville has played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total after 15 games into the season against teams making 45% or more of their shots. Radford made only 41.8% of their shots on Wednesday in what was the worst shooting effort in their last seven contests. They still rank third in the Big South in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and they are still making 49.3% of their shots in their last five games. More surprisingly, they held Charleston Southern to 35.9% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last eight contests. The Highlanders rank 312th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency while ranking last in the Big South in that category. Radford has played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a loss by three points or less — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss on the road. They have only covered the point spread twice in their last eight games — and they have played 8 straight Overs after failing to cover the point spread in six or seven of their last eight games. They return home where they are scoring 76.2 PPG on 49.5% shooting — and those marks are +3.4 PPG and +3.0% above their season average. The Highlanders rank 14th in the nation by making 41.2% of their shots from behind the arc when playing on their home court. But they also rank 323rd in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing at home — and the +5.4 adjusted points per 100 possessions they allow represents the 318th biggest jump when assessing home court play. Radford has played 5 of their last 7 home games Over the Total as a favorite of three points or less or as a pick ‘em. They have played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record. And while the Bulldogs average eight made 3s per game, the Highlanders have played 12 of their last 14 games Over the Total against teams who make eight or more 3s per game.

FINAL TAKE: Radford has played 11 of their last 14 games Over the Total with the Total set in the 140s — and they have played 8 of their last 9 home games Over the Total with the Total set in the 140s. They have also played 6 straight Overs when listed in the +/- 3-point range — and they have played 7 of their last 9 home games Over the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. UNC-Asheville has played 10 of their last 15 road games Over the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. They have also played 12 of their last 19 games Over the Total on the road with the Total set in the 140s. 25* CBB Big South Conference Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the UNC-Asheville Bulldogs (306581) and the Radford Highlanders (306582). 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 Old Dominion Monarchs (861) and the Georgia Southern Eagles (862). THE SITUATION: Old Dominion (7-23) has lost seven of their last eight games after their 89-64 loss at Appalachian State as a 14.5-point underdog on  Wednesday. Georgia Southern (7-23) has won two of their last three games after their 87-73 victory as a 1.5-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Old Dominion plays at a fast pace — they rank 57th in the nation in Adjusted Possessions per Game while ranking 46th in their Average Possession Length. They have been playing even quicker in conference play as they lead the Sun Belt with 72.5 Adjusted Possessions per Game while averaging 16.2 Seconds per Possession. The Monarchs have played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss on the road. They have also played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total on the after a straight-up loss — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games on the road Over the Total after a point spread loss. They stay on the road where they have played 9 of their last 12 games Over the Total — and they have played 7 of their last 9 road games Over the Total as an underdog or pick ‘em. Old Dominion ranks 214th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they drop to ranking 312th in the nation in that metric when playing in hostile environments. Furthermore, they rank 233rd in the nation in their drop in Adjusted Net Defensive Efficiency when playing in hostile environments. They are allowing their home hosts to make 46.3% of their shots resulting in 82.5 Points-Per-Game — and they are scoring 73.2 PPG in those road games. The Monarchs’ Adjusted Offensive Efficiency rises by 5.5 points when they are playing in hostile environments — and that bump ranks as the 38th biggest jump in the nation. Old Dominion has also played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total against teams winning 20-40% of their games. Georgia Southern played their best defensive game in their last nine contests by holding the Thundering Herd to 73 points. The Eagles rank 342nd in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. But by making 56.9% of their shots in that game on Wednesday, they made at least 50.9% of their shots for the third time in their last four games. Georgia Southern has scored at least 80 points in three of their last four games. They are making 48.2% of their shots in their last five contests resulting in 80.0 PPG. They have played 35 of their last 54 home games Over the Total after scoring at least 85 points in their last game. They have played 9 of their last 11 home games Over the Total after a win against a Sun Belt Conference rival — and they have played 10 of their last 12 games over the Total after a victory by ten or more points. They have also played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total when playing with one day of rest. They stay at home where they are making 47.1% of their shots including 41.0% of their 3-pointers resulting in 76.5 PPG. They are scoring +11.2 more points per 100 possessions when playing at home — and that rise in efficiency is the sixth largest for home courts in the nation. Georgia Southern has played 9 of their last 12 games Over the Total on their home court — and they have played 10 of their last 14 home games Over the Total as a favorite of up to six points or as a pick ‘em.   

FINAL TAKE: Old Dominion only makes 41.9% of their shots but they average 62 shot attempts per game. The Eagles have played 11 of their last 14 games Over the Total after 15 games into the season against teams who average at least 62 shots per game — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total against teams who are not making more than 42% of their shots. 25* CBB Sun Belt Conference Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Old Dominion Monarchs (861) and the Georgia Southern Eagles (862). 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 Towson Tigers (779) and the North Carolina A&T Aggies (780). THE SITUATION: Towson (17-12) has lost two of their last three games after their 72-56 loss to the College of Charleston as a 1.5-point underdog on Saturday. North Carolina A&T (7-22) has lost seven straight games after their 83-67 loss at Monmouth as an 11-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Tigers allowed the Cougars to nail 54.3% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last five games — and the 72 points they gave up was the most they had allowed in five straight contests. Towson still leads the Colonial Athletic Association in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they have still held their last five opponents to just 40.2% shooting from the field resulting in only 61.4 Points-Per-Game. The Tigers should tighten things up on defense tonight — they have played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a loss by double-digits and they have played 4 straight Unders after a loss by 15 or more points. But Towson can struggle to score points. They rank 227th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and they are just eighth in the conference in that category. They go back on the road where they are only making 38.4% of their shots resulting in just 62.3 PPG. The Tigers have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 5 of their last 6 road games Under the Total when favored by double-digits. UNC A&T only made 28.3% of their shots on Saturday — but that was only their second-lowest field goal percentage in their last five games in a span where they have not shot better than 38.2% from the field. In their last five games, the Aggies are making only 32.4% of their shots resulting in just 57.6 PPG. They are last in the Colonial Athletic Association and 323rd in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. The 67 points they scored was their highest total in their last nine contests. UNC A&T has then played 10 of their last 11 home games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 7 straight home games Under the Total after a double-digit loss. They have also played 10 of their last 12 games at home Under the Total after allowing 80 or more points in their last contest — and they have played 8 of their last 9 home games Under the Total after losing six or seven of their last eight contests. They return home where they are holding their opponents to 45.1% shooting resulting in 68.5 PPG — and those marks are -3.2% and -9.7 PPG lower than their season averages. The Aggies have played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total on their home court — and they have played 8 of their last 9 home games Under the Total as an underdog or pick ‘em.

FINAL TAKE: Neither of these teams can shoot the basketball. Towson ranks 314th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage (eFG) of 46.7% and UNC A&T ranks 355th with an eFG of 44.2%. The Tigers have played 16 of their last 22 road games Under the Total with the Total set in the 130s — and the Aggies have played 7 of their last 10 home games Under the Total with the Total set in the 130s. 25* CBB Colonial Athletic Association Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Towson Tigers (779) and the North Carolina A&T Aggies (780). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Pittsburgh Panthers (631) and the Clemson Tigers (632). THE SITUATION: Pittsburgh (18-9) has won six of their last seven games after their 79-64 victory at Virginia Tech as a 3-point favorite on Saturday. Clemson (19-8) has won five of their last six games with their 74-63 win against Florida State as a 10-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Panthers held the Hokies to just 40.7% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last five games. But Pittsburgh is vulnerable on the defensive end of the court — especially in the interior where they rank 13th in the ACC by allowing their opponents to make 53.3% of their 2-point shots. And in their true road games, they allow their home hosts to make 56.3% of their shots inside the arc, ranking 329th in the nation.  The Tigers' big man P.J. Hall should have a big night — he is scoring 18.7 Points-Per-Game while making more than 68% of his shots in the paint. Clemson ranks 38th in the nation by making 54.4% of their shots inside the arc. The Panthers have played 17 of their last 24 games Over the Total after a straight-up win at home — and they have played 13 of their last 18 games Over the Total after a double-digit win at home. They have also played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total after a win by 15 or more points on their home court. Additionally, while Pitt has covered the point spread in five of their last six games, they have then played 17 of their last 24 games Over the Total after covering the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. And while they have won eight of their last ten games, they have then played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total after winning at least eight of their last ten games. The Panthers rank just eighth in the ACC in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they have allowed their last five opponents to make 48.3% of their shots. But Pitt can put up points as they take advantage of most of their possessions and launch tons of 3s. They rank 18th in the nation by turning the ball over in just 14.2% of their possessions. They also rank 25th in the nation by taking 45.0% of their shots from behind the arc. On the road, they are scoring 72.9 PPG — and they rank 14th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency when playing in hostile environments. They are scoring +9.1 more points per 100 possessions when playing on the road when compared to their Adjusted Offensive Efficiency when playing at home. The Panthers have played 6 of their last 9 games on the road Over the Total. And while the Tigers hold their opponents to 41.4% shooting, Pitt has played 14 of their last 19 games Over the Total against teams who hold their opponents to no higher than 42% shooting from the field. Clemson held the Seminoles to just 36.9% shooting on Saturday on the heels of limiting Georgia Tech to a 30.2% field goal percentage last Wednesday — but they have then played 6 straight Overs after holding their last two opponents to no higher than 37% shooting. They only made 44.0% of their shots on Saturday which was the worst shooting effort in their last five contests. But the Tigers are still making 49.8% of their shots in their also five games — and they rank 18th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. Clemson has played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total after a straight-up win at home — and they have played 7 straight Overs after a double-digit win at home. They have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after winning four of their last five games. And while they have played two straight games Under the Total, they have then played 10 of their last 13 games Over the Total after playing two or more Unders in a row. They return home where they are allowing +1.9 more points per possession per 100 possessions in adjusted numbers — and that number ranks 245th in the largest home/road discrepancy. They are scoring 80.3 PPG at home — and they have played 12 of their last 19 home games over the Total with the Total set in the 140s. Additionally, Clemson has played 10 of their last 12 home games Over the Total in February. And while the Panthers are outscoring their opponents by +6.0 PPG, the Tigers have played 10 of their last 15 games Over the Total against teams outscoring their opponents by +4.0 or more PPG.

FINAL TAKE: Pittsburgh looks to avenge a 79-70 upset loss at home to Clemson as a 4.5-point underdog back on December 3rd — and they have played 5 of their last 6 opportunities for revenge Over the Total. The Panthers have also played 11 of their last 16 games Over the Total when playing with revenge from a loss at home to their opponent. 25* CBB ACC Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Pittsburgh Panthers (631) and the Clemson Tigers (632). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Coppin State Eagles (306639) and the Howard Bison (306640). THE SITUATION: Coppin State (2-22) has lost eight games in a row after their 68-66 loss to Norfolk State as a 12-point underdog on Saturday. Howard (12-15) has won three of their last four games after their 78-72 victory against Morgan State as a 10.5-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Eagles are far away from being one of the best teams in college basketball — and it starts with their offense where they rank last in Division I in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. They rank third to the bottom in Division I with their effective field goal percentage of 40.3. They only made 32.7% of their shots on Saturday in their narrow loss — and while I like to fade outlier shooting efforts like that in a team’s next game, that shooting performance was only tied for their sixth-lowest mark of the season. Coppin State has played 15 of their last 21 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss at home. They only scored 24 points in the first half on Saturday — and they have played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total after failing to score more than 25 points in the first half of their last game. They have also played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total after losing two or more games in a row. They go back on the road where the adjusted efficiency numbers project them to score -10.5 fewer points per 100 possessions than they do when playing at home. They are only making 36.0% of their shots away from home including 26.0% of their shots from behind the arc resulting in only 53.3 Points-Per-Game. Coppin State has played 10 of their last 15 games Under the Total on the road. Additionally, they have played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total as a double-digit underdog — and they have played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total on the road as an underdog getting 12.5 to 18 points. If there is one thing that the Eagles do well, it is force turnovers — they rank 16th in the nation by forcing turnovers in 21.9% of their opponent’s possessions. The Bison are vulnerable in this area since they turn the ball over in 21.3% of their possessions, ranking 350th in the nation. Taking away Howard’s scoring opportunities should keep the score of this game down. Coppin State also plays at a slow pace — their games average 66.4 adjusted possessions per game, ranking 264th in the nation. The Eagles have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage in the 40-49% range. Howard has played 14 of their last 19 games Under the Total after winning two of their last three games. And while they have played their last two games Under the Total, they have then played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after playing two or more Unders in a row. They stay at home where they hold their opponents to just 42.9% shooting including a 31.4% clip from behind the arc. And while the Bison are a good shooting team at home, they are going to lose possessions to this Eagles team because they turn the ball over in 22.4% of their possessions when playing at home, ranking 359th in the nation. Howard has played 5 of their last 7 home games Under the Total when favored or a pick ‘em. They have been favored by double-digits three previous times this season — and all three games finished Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: Howard won the first meeting between these two teams on January 29th by an 81-66 score — but Coppin State has played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total when playing with revenge. The Eagles have also played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total when avenging a loss where they gave up 75 or more points. 25* CBB Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Coppin State Eagles (306639) and the Howard Bison (306640). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:40 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Sacramento Kings (571) and the Los Angeles Clippers (572). THE SITUATION: Sacramento (32-23) has won two straight games after their 127-122 victory against San Antonio as a 10.5-point favorite on Thursday. Los Angeles (37-18) has won two of their last three games after their 101-95 victory as a 9-point favorite on Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Kings made 55.9% of their shots against the Spurs which was the best shooting effort in their last four contests. And while that final score cruised Over the 242-point total in that contest, Sacramento has then played 22 of their last 33 games on the road Under the Total after playing an Over in their last game. The Kings have only covered the point spread twice in their last seven games — and they have then played 11 of their last 13 road games Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread in four or five of their last six games. Sacramento ranks ninth in the league with an Adjusted Offensive Efficiency of 119.0 — but now they go back on the road where that metric drops to 114.6, ranking 15th in the NBA. Their 115.7 Points-Per-Game scoring average on the road is -2.9 PPG below their season average. But the Kings tighten things up on defense when playing in hostile environments. While they rank 27th in defensive efficiency in the half-court when playing at home, they improve to a 19th ranking in the half-court when on the road. And while they rank 27th in transition defense at home, they rise to a ranking of 17th when on the road. Overall, Sacramento ranks 10th in the NBA with an Adjusted Defensive Efficiency of 114.6 when on the road which is a big improvement versus their 118.1 mark at home which ranks 26th in the league. Their home hosts are making 47.8% of their shots resulting in 115.6 PPGG which is -0.9% and -2.4 PPG below their season averages. The Kings have played 24 of their last 35 road games Under the Total as an underdog. Los Angeles has played 8 straight Unders at home after a win by six points or less — and they have played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a straight-up win where they did not cover the point spread as a favorite. The Clippers have covered the point spread only once in their last six games (three games ago) — and they have played 8 straight Unders after failing to cover the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. They have also played 13 of their last 15 home games Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread in two or more games in a row. They return home where they hold their guests to just 110.5 PPG on 46.3% shooting — and they rank 11th in the NBA with an Adjusted Defensive Efficiency of 111.9 which is much better than their 116.4 mark when on the road, ranking 15th in the league. But while they lead the league with an Adjusted Offensive Efficiency of 119.6 when on the road, that number drops to 118.6 when at home which ranks just 10th in the league when measuring home court efficiency. The Kings are vulnerable to good 3-point shooting teams since they are last in the league by allowing their opponents to make 39.8% of their shots from behind the arc. But Los Angeles is not a prolific shooting team from distance since only 38.1% of their shots are from behind 3-point range, ranking 17th in the NBA. They may be without two of their best 3-point shooters as well with both Paul George and Norman Powell questionable with nagging injuries.

FINAL TAKE: The Clippers have played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total at home when favored by up to six points — and the Kings have played 19 of their last 26 road games Under the Total as an underdog of up to six points or as a pick ‘em. 25* NBA Pacific Division Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Sacramento Kings (571) and the Los Angeles Clippers (572). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Wright State Raiders (841) and the Oakland Grizzlies (842). THE SITUATION: Wright State (16-12) has won two games in a row as well as four of their last five contests after their 93-78 victory at Detroit Mercy as a 10.5-point favorite on Thursday.  Oakland (19-10) has won four games in a row as well as seven of their last eight contests after their 63-43 win at Robert Morris as a 4.5-point favorite on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Raiders nailed 53.3% of their shots on Thursday which was the fifth time in their last six games where they shot 50% or better from the field — and they have scored 85 or more points in four of their last five games. But they allowed the Titans to make 51.7% of their shots which was the third time in their last four games where their opponents made at least 50% of their shots. Wright State is an Over Machine because they shoot great and play at a fast pace but can’t stop anybody on the other end. The Raiders rank second in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 58.6% — and they rank in the top 11 in the nation in both 3-point and 2-point shooting. But they also rank 353rd in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and their opponents post a 56.6% effective field goal percentage against them, ranking 354th in the nation. Wright State ranks 28th in the nation by averaging only 15.9 seconds per possession — and they rank 31st in the nation by averaging 71.0 adjusted possessions per game. The Raiders have played 11 of their last 13 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a double-digit win. They have played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total after scoring 85 or more points in their last game — and they have played 12 of their last 13 games Over the Total after winning two of their last three contests. While this is their second game since last Saturday, they have also played 11 straight Overs when playing for the second time in eight days. They stay on the road where they average slightly more 73.2 adjusted possessions per game, ranking 17th in the nation. They make 51.8% of their shots on the road along with 41.0% of their 3-pointers (which leads the nation) resulting in 85.1 Points-Per-Game. But they allow their opponents to make 48.6% of their shots away from home resulting in 84.0 PPG. Wright State has played 11 of their last 12 road games Over the Total — and they have played 11 of their last 14 games Over the Total on the road as an underdog of six points or less or as a pick ‘em. Oakland only made 34.5% of their shots on Thursday which was their worst shooting of the season — but they also held the Colonials to just 28.3% shooting in what was the best defensive effort of their campaign. While that final score flew Under the 147-point total, the Grizzlies have then played 8 of their last 12 games Over the Total after playing an Under in their last game. They have played 11 of their last 14 home games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 8 of their last 9 home games Over the Total after a win by 15 or more points. They have played 15 of their last 18 home games Over the Total after winning four games in a row — and they have played 6 straight Overs at home after winning six or seven of their last eight games. They return home where they made 47.6% of their shots including 39.6% of their shots from behind the arc resulting in 82.2 PPG. They also average 69.2 adjusted possessions per game at home which is +1.9 possessions above their season average. But the Grizzlies defense takes a step back when they are playing at home. While Oakland ranks 146th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency and second in Horizon League play, those numbers drop to 253rd in the nation and eighth in the conference when they are playing at home. The collapse comes from their interior defense as they allow their guests to make 52.5% of their shots inside the arc, ranking 308th in the nation — and Wright State ranks ninth in the nation by making 56.4% of their 2-pointers when playing away from home. Oakland has played 16 of their last 23 home games Over the Total — and they have played 8 of their last 9 home games Over the Total in February.

FINAL TAKE: The Raiders want to avenge a 74-60 upset loss at home to Oakland back on February 10th in their worst shooting game of the season where they made only 33.8% of their shots including just 5 of their 28 (17.9%) shots from behind the arc. Wright State has played 10 of their last 13 games Over the Total when playing with revenge from a same-season loss. 25* CBB Horizon League Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Wright State Raiders (841) and the Oakland Grizzlies (842). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Pepperdine Waves (799) and the San Francisco Dons (800). THE SITUATION: Pepperdine (12-17) has won two games in a row after their 89-70 victory at Pacific as a 7.5-point favorite on Wednesday. San Francisco (21-7) had their six-game winning streak snapped in a 70-66 loss at Saint Mary’s as a 7.5-point underdog on Tuesday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Waves held Pacific to just 41.9% shooting on Wednesday which was the second-best defensive effort in their last eight games. But Pepperdine continues to struggle with their half-court defense as they rank 350th in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 55.2% — and they allow their opponents to make 54.1% of their shots inside the arc, ranking 327th. The Wave have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a double-digit victory. They have also played 11 of their last 13 games Over the Total after scoring 85 or more points in their last contest. They have averaged a whopping 90 points in their last two games with both those contests combining for 160 points — and they have played 7 straight Overs after playing two games in a row where 155 or more combined points were scored. They stay on the road where they allow their opponents to make 53.6% of their shots resulting in 84.4 Points-Per-Game. Pepperdine allows their opponents to nail 48.1% of their shots from behind the arc when playing away from home, ranking 362nd in the nation. Their opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 60.4% away from home ranks 362nd in the country. The Wave have played 17 of their last 22 road games Over the Total on the road — and they have played 10 of their last 15 road games Over the Total as a double-digit underdog. They should be able to generate offense against the Dons tonight by getting to the free-throw line. Pepperdine ranks second in the West Coast Conference in getting to the charity stripe — and San Francisco ranks 295th in the nation and ninth in the West Coast Conference in putting their opponents on the line. The Wave have played 16 of their last 23 games Over the Total against teams winning 60-80% of their games — and they have played 7 straight road games Over the Total after 15 games into the season against teams with a winning record. San Francisco has played 6 straight Overs at home after a loss by six points or less — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a point spread win. They have also played 12 of their last 17 games Over the Total after winning six or seven of their last eight games. The Dons are one of the best shooting teams in the nation — they rank 19th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 55.5%. Led by 6’9 Jonathan Mogbo, they should have their way inside against the weak interior defense of the Wave as they rank eighth in the nation by making 57.9% of their shots inside the arc. After playing their last two games on the road, San Francisco returns home where they make 52.1% of their shots resulting in 84.7 PPG. They also rank 50th in the nation by nailing a healthy 38.8% of their shots from behind the arc. The Dons have played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total on their home court — and they have played 5 of their last 7 home games Over the Total with the Total set in the 140s. They have also played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after 15 games into the season against teams with a losing record — and they have played 10 of their last 13 games Over the Total as a double-digit favorite.

FINAL TAKE: San Francisco won the first meeting between these two teams by an 80-74 score as a 9.5-point favorite on February 8th. Pepperdine has played 21 of their opportunities for revenge Over the Total — and they have played 18 of their last 27 games Over the Total when avenging a loss where they allowed 75 or more points. 25* CBB West Coast Conference Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Pepperdine Waves (799) and the San Francisco Dons (800). Best of luck for us — Frank.  

At 8:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Miami Heat (541) and the New Orleans Pelicans (542). THE SITUATION: Miami (30-25) returns to the court tonight for the first time since the All-Star break after winning four of their last five games with their 109-014 upset victory at Philadelphia as a 3-point underdog back on February 14th. New Orleans (34-22) has won four games in a row as well as eight of their last nine contests with their 127-105 win against Houston as a 7.5-point favorite last night.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Heat stepped up their play on defense heading into the break. They held their last five opponents to 46.4% shooting which resulted in just 102.0 Points-Per-Game — and those numbers are -8.4 PPG and -1.0% below their respective season averages. They have held eight straight opponents to no more than 110 points — and they have held six of those opponents to 104 or fewer points. But Miami continues to struggle on the other end of the court as they have not scored more than 110 points in 14 of their last 18 games. Injuries will likely hold them back in scoring tonight. Terry Rozier is out with a knee and Josh Richardson is out with a shoulder — and Tyler Herro is questionable with a foot issue. As it is, the Heat have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a straight-up win on the road — and they have played 26 of their last 39 games Under the Total after a win by six points or less. They have also played 15 of their last 21 games Under the Total after winning four or five of their last six games. Additionally, Miami has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total when playing for no more than the fourth time in the last ten days — and they have played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total when enjoying a rest advantage versus their opponent. The Heat have played four straight Unders — and they have played 13 of their last 18 games Under the Total after playing an Under in their last game. They have also played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total after playing two or more Unders in a row. On the road, they are scoring only 108.0 PPG — but they are allowing just 107.7 PPG. They have played 19 of their last 27 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 12 of their last 16 road games Under the Total as an underdog. Furthermore, they have played 24 of their last 36 road games Under the Total with Total set in the 210s. New Orleans has played 9 straight Undress at home after a double-digit victory — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a win at home by 20 or more points. They have also played 20 of their last 30 games Under the Total after a point spread win. The Pelicans made 52.1% of their shots last night after going into the All-Star break by making 56.2% against Washington — but they have then played 15 of their last 20 games Under the Total after making 50% or more of their shots in two straight games. Both those games finished Over the Total — but they have then played 6 straight Unders after playing two or more Overs in a row. They have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing no more than their third game in the last ten days. With Brandon Ingram questionable with an illness and Zion Williamson questionable with his nagging left foot issues, they may be without one or two of their best scorers. As it is, New Orleans has averaged 114.2 PPG in their last five games which is -2.4 PPG below their season average. The Pelicans' play on the other end of the court has been outstanding — they rank sixth in the league in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They have held five of their last seven opponents to no more than 106 points — and they have held three of their last four opponents to no more than 105 points with two of those teams only scoring 84 and 87 points. Their last five opponents have scored just 108.2 PPG which is -3.9 PPG below their season average.

FINAL TAKE: Both of these struggle to score in crunch time which may explain why the Heat have played 17 of their last 24 road games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range — and the Pelicans have played 7 of their last 8 home games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. 25* NBA Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Miami Heat (541) and the New Orleans Pelicans (542). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the UNC-Greensboro Spartans (747) and the Wofford Terriers (748). THE SITUATION: UNC-Greensboro (18-8) snapped their two-game losing streak with their 76-61 win at The Citadel as a 6-point favorite on Wednesday. Wofford (15-11) has won two in a row and three of their last four contests after their 73-60 upset win at Mercer as a 2-point underdog on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Spartans held the Bulldogs to just 39.1% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last six games. But UNC-Greensboro remains a below-average defensive team — they rank seventh in the Southern Conference in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. But what this team does well is shoot 3s — they rank eighth in the nation by making 39.0% of their shots from behind the arc. Even better, in their last ten contests, they are nailing 42.3% of their 3-pointers, ranking third in the country. The Spartans have played 15 of their last 18 games on the road Over the Total after a double-digit win on the road. They have also played 26 of their last 39 games on the road Over the Total after a win on the road. And while they have covered the point spread in two of their last three games, they have then played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total after covering the point spread in two of their last three contests. Their game against The Citadel finished Over the Total — and they have played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total after playing a game that finished Over the Total in their last contest. They stay on the road where they are making 37.9% of their 3-pointers to help them score 72.1 Points-Per-Game. UNC-Greensboro has played 28 of their last 42 road games Over the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. They have also played 10 of their last 14 games Over the Total when favored. Wofford has played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a win on the road against a conference rival — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a win by double-digits. They have also played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total after a point-spread victory. Furthermore, the Terriers have played 8 of their last 9 games at home Over the Total after winning two of their last three games. Wofford converted 10 of their 24 (41.7%) of their shots from behind the arc against the Bears on the heels of nailing 11 of their 26 (42.3%) — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after hitting 10 or more shots from behind the arc in two or more games in a row. And while the Terriers have not allowed more than 64 points in three straight games, they have then played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after not allowing more than 65 points in three or more games in a row. Despite these recent results, Wofford is not a great defensive team — they rank eighth in the Southern Conference in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Even worse for this matchup, they rank 329th in the nation by allowing their opponents to make 36.5% of their 3-pointers — and conference rivals are nailing 37.5% of their 3s. UNC-Greensboro makes 10 shots from distance per game from 25 shots from behind the arc on average. The Terriers have played 10 of their last 15 games Over the Total against teams who attempt 21 or more 3s per game — and they have played 8 of their last 12 games Over the Total against opponents who make eight or more shots from behind the arc per game. Wofford is a good shooting team as well — they rank 38th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 54.1%. They return home where they are making 50.1% of their shots including 37.9% of their 3s resulting in 82.5 PPG. The Terriers have played 15 of their last 20 games at home Over the Total — and they have played 9 of their last 10 games at home Over the Total with the Total set in the 140s. Furthermore, they have played 11 of their last 16 games Over the Total as an underdog — and they have played 20 of their last 29 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: The Spartans won the first meeting between these two teams by an 82-59 score as a 6-point home favorite back on January 20th — and Wofford has played 12 of their last 17 games Over the Total when playing with revenge from a loss on the road to their opponent. They have also played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total when attempting to avenge a loss on the road where they did not score more than 60 points. 25* CBB Southern Conference Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the UNC-Greensboro Spartans (747) and the Wofford Terriers (748). 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 Siena Saints (875) and the Saint Peter’s Peacocks (876). THE SITUATION: Siena (4-20) snapped their seven-game losing streak in a 68-63 victory at Manhattan as a 4.5-point underdog last Saturday. Saint Peter’s (11-11) has lost four games in a row after their 64-62 loss to Fairfield as a 3-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Saints only made 41.5% of their shots against the Jaspers — but it was still their best shooting effort in their last four games. They had not scored more than 61 points in their previous six games — and they only topped 52 points in five of those six contests. Siena is one of the worst-scoring teams in the country. They rank 359th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and they rank 353rd of the 362 teams in Division I with an effective field goal percentage of 44.4%. To make matters worse, they turn the ball over in 24.4% of their possessions, ranking second to last in the nation — so they do not even get a shot off in one of every four possessions. The Saints have played 5 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. And while their game with Manhattan finished far below the 139.5 point total, they have then played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after playing an Under in their last game. Additionally, they have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after losing three of their last four games. Siena stays on the road where they are only making 41.9% of their shots and 21.9% of their shots from behind the arc resulting in just 60.0 Points-Per-Game. The Saints have played 21 of their last 29 road games Under the Total as an underdog getting 6.5 to 9 points including five of these last six circumstances. Saint Peter’s made 41.8% of their shots against the Stags last week which was their best shooting performance in their last six contests — they had not made more than 38.3% of their shots in their previous five games. The Peacocks rank 323rd in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and they rank 355th with an effective field goal percentage of 44.1%. But this team can play defense — they rank 98th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency while ranking second in that metric in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Critical in this matchup, they rank 24th in the nation by forcing turnovers in 21.4% of their opponents’ possessions — so Siena is likely to struggle to score much more than even 50 points in this one. Saint Peter’s has played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a loss to a conference opponent. Furthermore, they have outshot their last two opponents by 11 and 14 attempts — and they played 19 of their last 21 games Under the Total after attempting at least 10 more shots from the field than their opponent in two straight games. They have played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total after losing two games in a row — and they have played 19 of their last 28 games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Under the Total in their last game. Uncharacteristically, they have allowed their last two opponents to make at least 50% of their shots from the field — but now they stay at home where they rank 28th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency on their home court while limiting their guests to only 63.7 PPG. But the Peacocks’ offense is even worse at home where they rank 359th in the nation in both Adjusted Offensive Efficiency and with their 42.0% effective field goal percentage. Saint Peter’s makes only 37.1% of their shots including 29.9% of their 3-pointers when playing at home resulting in just 65.2 PPG. The Peacocks have played 7 of their last 8 games at home Under the Total — and they have played 29 of their last 44 home games Under the Total when favored by 6.5 to 12 points.

FINAL TAKE: Both of these teams play at a slow pace. The Saints average 67.0 adjusted possessions per game which is below the 67.7 national average — and the 18.6 seconds per possession that average ranks 307th in the nation. The Peacocks rank 341st in the nation in both their 63.8 adjusted possessions per game and the 19.4 seconds per possession they average. These two teams played on January 28th when Saint Peter’s won by a 63-52 score as a 10-point favorite — and Siena has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total when attempting to avenge a loss. 25* CBB Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Siena Saints (875) and the Saint Peter’s Peacocks (876). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Idaho State Bengals (795) and the Eastern Washington Eagles (796). THE SITUATION: Idaho State (11-14) has won three games in a row after their 68-65 victory as a 4-point favorite on Saturday. Eastern Washington (16-8) has won three in a row and 12 of their last 13 contests after their 87-79 loss to Idaho as a 14.5-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Eagles are one of the best shooting teams in the country. They rank 10th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 56.4% — and they rank 19th in both 2-point and 3-point shooting. They should pour on the points tonight against a Bengals defense that ranks 273rd in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency and their opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 53.7% ranks 332nd in the nation. Eastern Washington has scored 78 or more points in three straight games along with 177 combined points in their last two contests. The Eagles have then played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total after scoring 80 or more points in their last game — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total after scoring 75 or more points in two straight games. Additionally, they have played 10 of their last 12 games Over the Total after a win at home against a Big Sky rival — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total after playing a game at home where both teams scored 75 or more points. Furthermore, they have played 15 of their last 22 games Over the Total after winning two or more games in a row — and they have played 7 straight home games Over the Total after winning four of their last five games. They stay at home where they make 55.0% of their shots including 39.7% of their shots from behind the arc resulting in 89.7 Points-Per-Game. Eastern Washington has played 19 of their last 27 games Over the Total on their home court — and they have played 10 of their last 13 home games Over the Total with the Total set in the 140s. Idaho State has played 21 of their last 27 games Over the Total after failing to cover the point spread in their last game. The Bengals had covered the point spread in their four previous contests — and they have played 10 of their last 12 games Over the Total after covering the point spread in two of their last three games. Idaho State goes back on the road where they have played 22 of their last 28 games Over the Total — and they have played 11 of their last 13 road games Over the Total in February. They have also played 21 of their last 27 road games Over the Total as an underdog or pick ‘em — and they have played 11 of their last 14 road games as an underdog of 6.5 to 12 points. They have played 12 of their last 15 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning record. The Bengals have also played 14 of their last 21 games Over the Total with the Total set in the 140s — and they have played four of their five games this season.

FINAL TAKE: This is a rematch of Eastern Washington’s 79-67 win on the road as a 5.5-point favorite on January 20th — and Idaho State has played 13 of their last 18 games Over the Total when attempting to avenge a loss on the road. 25* CBB Big Sky Total of the Month is with Over the Total in the game between the Idaho State Bengals (795) and the Eastern Washington Eagles (796). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 5:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Kennesaw State Owls (306605) and the Lipscomb Bisons (306606). THE SITUATION: Kennesaw State (13-11) has lost five games in a row after their 85-69 loss at Austin Peay as a 1-point favorite on Thursday. Lipscomb (15-10) has won two games in a row after their 90-88 win against Queens University as a 7.5-point favorite on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Owls scored their fewest points in 22 contests in their loss on Thursday. Kennesaw State has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after an upset loss against an Atlantic Sun rival — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a loss on the road. They have also played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after losing five or six of their last seven games. The Owls rank 320th in the Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they have given up at least 85 points in five straight games. Kennesaw State has played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total after allowing 80 or more points in their last game. Additionally, they have played 10 of their last 13 games Over the Total after allowing 75 or more points in two or more games in a row — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total after allowing 75 or more points in three straight games. They stay on the road where they are scoring 81.5 Points-Per-Game — but they are allowing their opponents to make 48.0% of their shots including 36.8% of their 3-pointers away from home which is resulting in 86.1 Points-Per-Game. Kennesaw State has played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total on the road — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total as an underdog. Lipscomb has scored 81 or more points in seven of their last nine games after nailing 52.2% of their shots on Thursday — and that was the fifth time in their last seven games that have shot 51.7% or better from the field. But the Bisons allowed the Royals to shoot 50% from the field as well which was the fifth time in their last seven games where their opponent shot 50% or better. In their last five games, their opponents are making 50.3% of their shots resulting in 81.4 PPG. Lipscomb has played 7 straight Overs after allowing 80 or more points in their last game — and they have played 5 straight Overs after playing at home where both teams scored at least 75 points. They have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a straight-up win at home — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. They have played 10 of their last 12 home games Over the Total after a game where 165 or more combined points were scored. On their home court, the Bisons are making 54.8% of their shots and 42.4% of their shots from behind the arc resulting in 91.9 PPG. But they are giving up 77.1 PPG when playing at home where they rank 358th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Furthermore, Lipscomb has played 11 of their last 15 games Over the Total when favored.

FINAL TAKE: The Total is approaching the 170 mark for good reasons — both of these teams struggled to play defense while Kennesaw State plays at one of the fastest paces in the nation. The Owls lead the nation by only averaging 14.0 seconds per possession. They rank sixth in the nation with 73.9 adjusted average possessions per game — and that mark rises to 76.3 adjusted possessions per game when away from home, ranking second in the nation. Lipscomb plays at above-average pace as well — so they will be happy to accommodate the fast pace given how good they are on offense. The Bisons rank 62nd in the nation by averaging 16.4 seconds per possession. They rank 108th in the nation with 69.0 adjusted possessions per game — and that mark rises to 70.6 adjusted possessions per game when they are playing at home. 25* CBB Atlantic Sun Conference Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Kennesaw State Owls (306605) and the Lipscomb Bisons (306606). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Ohio Bobcats (877) and the Kent State Golden Flashes (878). THE SITUATION: Ohio (9-10) had their two-game losing streak snapped in a 67-58 loss at Akron as an 8-point underdog on Tuesday. Kent State (10-9) has won two of their last three games after their 90-84 upset win at Bowling Green in overtime as a 1.5-point underdog on Tuesday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Bobcats only made 38.9% of their shots on Tuesday which was the worst shooting effort in their last eight games. Ohio still leads the Mid-American Conference with an effective field goal percentage of 54.4% in conference play — so they should shoot better tonight. The Bobcats have played 10 of their last 12 games Over the Total on the road after failing to cover the point spread. And while they have covered the point spread in two of their last three games, they have then played 16 of their last 24 games Over the Toal after covering the point spread in two of their last three games. It is usually the other end of the court where Ohio struggles — they rank 265th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. In conference play, their opponents are nailing 40.5% of their shots from behind the arc which is the worst mark in the Mid-American Conference. Now they face a Golden Flashes squad that ranks 30th in the nation by making 37.6% of their 3-pointers — and they lead the MAC by nailing 41.0% of their shots from behind the arc in conference play. Kent State takes 22 shots from 3-point land per game — and Ohio has played 12 of their last 16 games Over the Total against teams who average 21 or more shots from behind the arc per game. The Bobcats allow their opponents to make 45.3% of their shots resulting in 77.8 Points-Per-Game which is +6.5 PPG above their season average. Ohio has played 14 of their last 19 games Over the Total when playing on the road. Kent State held the Falcons to just 43.3% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last six games. The Golden Flashes have allowed at least 76 points in five straight games — and they have then played 16 of their last 22 home games Over the Total after allowing 75 or more points in two or more games in a row. They have played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after scoring 80 or more points in their last contest. Furthermore, while Kent State has only covered the point spread twice in their last six games, they have then played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after failing to cover the point spread in four or five of their last six games. They have also played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total when playing for just the second time in the last seven days. They return home where they are making 48.4% of their shots resulting in 84.2 PPG which is +5.7 PPG above their season average. The Golden Flashes have played 7 straight Overs when playing on their home court. They do allow their guests to make 47.4% of their shots resulting in 72.4 PPG which is +2.8 PPG above their season average. Kent State ranks 313th in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 53.4% — and that mark has risen to a 55.6% clip in conference play. The Golden Flashes have allowed their last five opponents to make 50.9% of their shots resulting in 80.6 PPG. Ohio shoots 45.7% from the field while taking 24 shots from behind the arc per game. Kent State has played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total against teams who make 45% or more of their shots — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total against teams who attempt 21 or more shots from behind the arc per game.

FINAL TAKE: Ohio has played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range — and the Golden Flashes have played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total with the Total set in the 140s. 25* CBB Mid-American Conference Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Ohio Bobcats (877) and the Kent State Golden Flashes (878). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Northern Colorado Bears (813) and the Eastern Washington Eagles (814). THE SITUATION: Northern Colorado (11-7) has won two straight games as well as seven of their last eight contests after their 90-61 win against Portland State as a 6.5-point favorite on Sunday. Eastern Washington (11-7) has won seven straight games after their 79-67 victory as a 5.5-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Bears have scored 77 or more points in eight straight games — and they have scored 83 or more points five times during that stretch. Northern Colorado has played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total after scoring 80 or more points in their last game — and they have played 21 of their last 29 games Over the Total after scoring 75 or more points in two or more games in a row. Additionally, the Bears have played 6 straight Overs after a win on the road against a Big Sky rival — and they have played 7 straight Overs after a win on the road after a victory on their home court. They have played 8 of their last 9 road games Over the Total after winning two of their last three games. And while their victory against the Vikings finished Under the 158.5-point total, they have then played 11 of their last 14 games Over the Total after playing an Under in their last game. The Bears can score points — but they struggle on the other end of the court as they rank 302nd in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They go back on the road where they rank 338th in the nation by allowing their opponents to nail 39.2% of their shots from behind the arc. Northern Colorado allows their opponents to make 39.2% of their shots when away from home resulting in 84.5 Points-Per-Game. They do rank 18th in the nation by making 56.5% of their shots inside the arc — and they have a 48.1% field goal percentage on the road resulting in 81.5 PPG. The Bears have played 7 of their last 8 road games Over the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 6 road games Over the Total as an underdog getting 6.5 to 9 points. Eastern Washington has scored at least 79 points in each of their seven-game winning streak. The Eagles have played 23 of their last 31 games Over the Total after a win against a Big Sky rival — and they have played 12 of their last 15 games Over the Total after a double-digit win. They have also played 18 of their last 23 games Over the Total after winning two or more games in a row against conference foes. They have covered the point spread in nine straight games — and they have then played 15 of their last 21 games Over the Total after covering the point spread in three or more games in a row. Eastern Washington ranks seventh in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 56.8%. They rank tenth in the nation by making 39.9% of their 3-pointers — and that mark rises to an incredible 54.5% clip behind the arc when playing at home which is the highest mark in the nation for home-court 3-point shooting. The Eagles make 56.8% of their shots at home resulting in 93.8 PPG. Eastern Washington has played 17 of their last 24 games Over the Total at home — and they have played 9 of their last 12 home games Over the Total when favored by 6.5 to 12 points. Northern Colorado averages eight made 3s per game — and the Eagles have played 13 of their last 17 games Over the Total against teams who make eight or more 3s per game. Eastern Washington averages nine made 3s per game — and the Bears have played 11 of their last 13 games Over the Total against teams who make eight or more 3s per game.

FINAL TAKE: Both of these teams play at a fast pace. The Eagles rank 61st in the nation by averaging 16.3 seconds per possession — and they rank 76th in the country with 70.1 adjusted possessions per game. Northern Colorado is even quicker as they rank 30th in the nation by averaging 15.7 seconds per possession — and they rank 52nd in the country by averaging 71.0 adjusted possessions per game. The Bears have played 29 of their last 43 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record. 25* CBB Big Sky Conference Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Northern Colorado Bears (813) and the Eastern Washington Eagles (814). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Chattanooga Mocs (695) and the Wofford Terriers (696). THE SITUATION: Chattanooga (12-7) has won two straight games as well as four of their last five after their 81-74 win at East Tennessee State as a pick ‘em on Sunday. Wofford (11-8) had their three-game winning streak snapped in an 82-59 loss at UNC-Greensboro as a 6-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Mocs scored at least 80 points for the eighth time this season with their victory over the weekend. Chattanooga has played 19 of their 27 games Over the Total after winning three of their last four games — and they have played 21 of their last 28 games on the road Over the Total when playing for the second time in seven days. This is a game against two teams who love to launch 3s — and both squads average 10 made 3s per game. The Mocs rank third in the nation by taking 50.7% of their shots from behind the arc. They are making 48.2% of their shots in their last five contests. They rank 82nd in the nation by making 35.2% of their 3-pointers away from home — they are scoring 77.2 Points-Per-Game overall on the road. But Chattanooga’s defense falters on the road — they are allowing their opponents to nail 45.4% of their shots away from home resulting in 80.1 PPG which is +9.6 PPG above their season average. The Mocs have played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total on the road — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total when favored on the road up to six points. They have also played 7 of their last 11 road games Over the Total with the Total set from 145 to 149.5. Wofford has played 16 of their last 20 games Over the Total against opponents who make at least 8 3-pointers per game. The Terriers have played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss on the road to a Southern Conference rival — and they have played 7 straight Overs after a point spread loss. They have played 14 of their last 17 home games Over the Total after a double-digit loss on the road — and they have played 21 of their last 30 games Over the Total after a loss by 20 or more points. Additionally, they have played 11 of their last 14 games Over the Total after allowing 80 or more points — and they have played 10 of their last 13 games Over the Total when playing for the second time in the last seven days. Wofford ranks 31st in the nation by taking 44.6% of their shots from behind the arc — and the Mocs have played 19 of their last 28 games Over the Total on the road against teams who average at least 8 or more 3s per game. The Terriers only made 37.7% of their shots on Saturday which was the worst shooting effort in their last six games and tied for the lowest shooting performance in their last 14 contests. They return home where they rank 41st in the nation by nailing 40.2% of their 3-pointers. They are nailing 49.2% of their shots at home resulting in 85.7 PPG which is +8.1 PPG above their season average. Wofford has played 13 of their last 16 games Over the Total at home — and they have played 8 straight home games Over the Total with the Total set in the 140s. Defense is an issue for the Terriers who have allowed their last five opponents to make 48.2% of their shots. They also rank 330th in the nation by allowing their opponents to make 36.9% of their 3-pointers — and their guests are nailing 37.3% of their shots from behind the arc when playing at home.

FINAL TAKE: Wofford has played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 9 of their last 10 games Over the Total as an underdog. 25* CBB Southern Conference Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Chattanooga Mocs (695) and the Wofford Terriers (696). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Pepperdine Wave (793) and the San Diego Toreros (794). THE SITUATION: Pepperdine (8-10) snapped their two-game with a 93-78 victory against Pacific as a 12.5-point favorite on Thursday. San Diego (10-8) has lost three games in a row after their 83-63 loss at home to San Francisco as a 10-point underdog on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Wave was never a good defensive team this season — and they are getting crushed on that end of the court now that conference play has started. Pepperdine has allowed at least 78 points in each of their last three games in conference action — and West Coast Conference opponents are nailing 51.5% of their shots resulting in 80.7 Points-Per-Game. The Wave ranks 252nd in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they rank 333rd in the nation with an opponent’s field goal percentage of 54.2%. Their biggest weakness is defending the perimeter as their opponents are making 37.1% of their shots from behind the arc, ranking 336th in the nation. Pepperdine has played 13 of their last 17 games Over the Total after allowing 75 or more points in their last game — and they have played 32 of their last 49 games Over the Total on the road after allowing 75 or more points in three straight contests. The Wave have also played 18 of their last 26 games Over the Total after a straight-up win at home — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a straight-up win at home where they scored 85 or more points. Pepperdine can score with points — Michael Ajayi leads the WCC in scoring while Houston Mallet has potential NBA talent. The Wave is making 45.6% of their shots in conference play resulting in a respectable 75.6 PPG. But now they go back on the road where their home hosts make 54.6% of their shots including 36.4% of their 3-pointers resulting in 85.3 PPG. Pepperdine has played 12 of their last 16 games Over the Total on the road. They have also played 14 of their last 19 games Over the Total in conference play. San Diego has played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total after a loss at home to a conference rival — and they have played 9 of their last 10 games Over the Total after a loss at home by double-digits. The Toreros have allowed their last three opponents to make 51.7% or more of their shots — and they have then played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total after allowing two straight opponents to make 50% or more of their shots. San Diego is not a great defensive team either — they rank 169th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency and they are perhaps now getting exposed in conference play. In their first three games against West Coast Conference rivals, they are allowing them to make 53.9% of their shots resulting in 88.3 PPG. The Toreros play in high-possession games as well — they rank 41st in the nation with 72.1 adjusted possessions per game. Their opponents only average 16.1 seconds per possession with the ball which is the sixth quickest in the nation. San Diego is scoring 73.4 PPG at home — and they should be able to make 3-pointers against this Waves perimeter defense since they rank 112th in the nation by making 35.1% of their shots from behind the arc. The Toreros have played 21 of their last 29 games Over the Total as an underdog — and they have played 11 of their last 17 home games Over the Total as a dog.

FINAL TAKE: San Diego won both meetings last season with both games seeing 165 and 181 combined points scored. Pepperdine has played 15 of their last 20 games Over the Total with the Total set in the 150s. 25* CBB West Coast Conference Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Pepperdine Wave (793) and the San Diego Toreros (794). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Washington State Cougars (871) and the Utah Utes (872). THE SITUATION: Washington State (9-2) has won seven of their last eight games after their 66-61 victory against Boise State as a 2.5-point favorite on December 21st. Utah (9-2) has won six games in a row with their 85-43 win against Bellarmine as a 20.5-point favorite on December 20th.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Cougars have played 18 of their last 22 games Under the Total after winning two of their last three games. They play stout defense for head coach Kyle Smith — they are holding their opponents to 37.3% shooting resulting in 62.5 Points-Per-Game. Washington State will slow this game down — they average 17.3 seconds per possession, ranking 179th in Adjusted Pace while their opponents take 18.0 seconds per possession, ranking 302nd in Adjusted Pace. The Cougars rank fifth in the nation in Opponent’s Effective Field Goal Percentage of 42.5% — and they rank in the top-19 in the country in opponent 3-point shooting and 2-point shooting. They also rank 21st in the nation by holding their opponents to pulling down only 23.7% of their missed shots. And their block rate of 15.5% of their opponent’s shot attempts ranks 12th in the country. Washington State has been a bit unlucky with their opponents’ free throws as well — their opponents have made 76.5% of their shots at the charity stripe, ranking 342nd in the nation. The Utes only make 71.3% of their free throws, so the Cougars should get some points back in that area tonight. Overall, Washington State ranks 35th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they rise to 24th in the nation in that metric when playing away from home with an Adjusted Defensive Efficiency mark of 93.8. But while the Cougars rank 89th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency, they drop to 197th in that category when away from home with a 101.6 efficiency mark. The 67.2 PPG they score away from home is a -10.2 net PPG drop from their overall average. Washington State has played 16 of their last 20 games Under the Total in December — and they have played 13 of their last 20 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 140s. Utah has played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a win at home. They have also played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a double-digit win at home — and they have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a win by 15 or more points. They rank 22nd in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — but they drop by -1.6 adjusted points per 100 possessions when playing at home where they rank 56th in the nation. But the Utes are holding their opponents to 37.8% shooting resulting in 63.2 PPG with their Adjusted Defensive Efficiency ranking 38th in the nation — and that ranking improving to 20th in the country with that mark lowering to 89.8. Utah ranks eighth in the nation in Opponent’s Free Throw Rate. The Utes have held their last three opponents to no better than 37.5% shooting — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after not allowing three straight opponents to shoot better than 40%.

FINAL TAKE: Utah has played 16 of their last 23 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and Washington State has played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total against teams winning 75% or more of their games. 25* CBB Pac-12 Total of the Month is with Under the Total in the game between the Washington State Cougars (871) and the Utah Utes (872). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:40 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Dallas Mavericks (593) and the Phoenix Suns (594). THE SITUATION: Dallas (17-12) snapped a three-game losing streak with a 144-119 victory against San Antonio as an 8-point favorite on Saturday. Phoenix (14-14) has lost four of their last five games after their 120-105 loss at Sacramento as a 3.5-point underdog on Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: It was just a few years ago when I was grappling with Golden State games on Christmas Day where the Total reached the rarified air of 230 or higher. Now four of the five games today have Totals set at 235 or higher. Some observers think this is a result of the ever-improving skill set of the players. It’s not. More 3-point shooting combined with more teams playing at a faster pace has contributed to the higher-scoring games — but the key ingredient for these big totals remains the lack of effort on defense. The nightcap tonight features two teams who consider defense an afterthought. Dallas ranks 23rd in the NBA in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they have allowed their last five opponents to make 50.8% of their shots resulting in 122.2 Points-Per-Game. Led by Luka Doncic who may be enjoying his best season yet in his career, the Mavericks are scoring 119.0 PPG themselves this season. They did hold the woeful Spurs to 44.9% shooting two days ago which was the best defensive effort in their last eight games. Dallas has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after scoring 130 or more points in their last game. They have also played 10 of their last 16 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 9 of their last 14 games Over the Total after a point spread victory. And in their last 8 games after a double-digit victory, the Mavericks have played 6 of these games Over the Total. Dallas is dealing with several injuries impacting their depth. Kyrie Irving has been out since December 8th with a foot injury. The team has been without rookie Derrick Lively II as well with an ankle injury — and his absence has taken away their best rim protector. He is listed as questionable to possibly return to action tonight (I like the Over even if he plays, FYI). Now the Mavericks go back on the road where they have played 10 of their last 15 games Over the Total — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total on the road when the Total is set at 230 or higher. Furthermore, Dallas has played 14 of their last 20 games Over the Total with the Total set at 230 or higher. Phoenix only made 44.3% of their shots on Friday which was the worst shooting effort in their last eight contests. The Suns have played 8 of their last 13 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss. And while their loss to the Kings finished far below the 244-point total, they have played 7 of their last 11 games Over the Total after playing a game that finished Under the Total in their previous contest. Now after playing their last two games on the road, Phoenix returns home where they are making 48.7 of their shots resulting in 116.9 PPG. The Suns have played 11 of their last 15 home games Over the Total — and they have played 10 of their last 13 home games Over the Total when favored. Phoenix is dealing with injuries as well. Bradley Beal is once again out with his back issues. Jusuf Nurkic is out for personal reasons as well leaving the team without their best rim protector. As it is, the Suns rank just 17 in the NBA in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency this season — and they have allowed their last five opponents to make 48.6% of their shots resulting in 118.4 PPG. Led by Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, this team is not doing much besides putting up scoring points while drastically underachieving their preseason expectations. Phoenix has played 14 of their last 20 games Over the Total when favored — and they have played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points.

FINAL TAKE: Dallas is allowing their opponents to make 48.6% of their shots —and the Suns have played 12 of their last 18 games Over the Total against teams with opponent field goal percentages of 46% or higher. And while Phoenix has a defensive field goal percentage of 46.3%, the Mavericks have played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total against teams who allow their opponents to make 46% or more of their shots. 25* NBA Total of the Month is with Over the Total in the game between the Dallas Mavericks (593) and the Phoenix Suns (594). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Lakers (533) and the San Antonio Spurs (534). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (16-10) won their fifth game in their last six contests with their 122-119 victory at San Antonio against the Spurs as a 3.5-point favorite on Wednesday. San Antonio (3-20) has lost 18 games in a row after that setback.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Lakers made 53.8% of their shots on Wednesday despite LeBron James taking the night off with his nagging left calf issue. James and Anthony Davis are listed as questionable tonight — but I suspect both will play tonight (and I was skeptical about James playing on Wednesday). James and Davis are listed as questionable for most games as a way to soft-play load management. With this game on national television (ESPN) in an opportunity to pad some stats, both stars have incentives to play. Perhaps this game against the lowly Spurs is an opportunity for Davis to get the night off (with James returning to action) — and that only helps our Over play since Davis is a Defensive Player of the Year candidate. The Lakers are clicking on offense with an attack that lives in transition and thrives at the rim. Los Angeles is second in the NBA in shot frequency at the rim where they are then making 70.2% of their shots — and they lead the NBA in transition possessions. In their last five games, the Lakers are nailing 50.2% of their shots which results in 121.8 Points-Per-Game. LA has made at least 53.4% of their shots in their last four contests — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after making 50% or more of their shots in three or more games in a row. They have played 23 of their last 30 games Over the Total after losing four or five of their last six contests. This is Los Angeles’ third game on the road since Tuesday — and they have played 12 of their last 14 road games Over the Total when playing for the third time in their last four games. They stay on the road where they are making 49.4% of their shots which results in 115.1 PPG — but they are allowing their home hosts to make 46.2% of their shots and 117.2 PPG. The Lakers have not engaged with as much urgency lately in games outside the In-Season Tournament on the defensive end of the court lately. Their last five opponents are making 44.1% of their shots from behind the arc -- and they rank 23rd in transition defense during that span. San Antonio has played 12 of their last 19 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss. The Spurs allowed the Lakers to score 62 points in the paint — they rank 26th in the league by allowing their opponents to make 67.9% of their shots within four feet. They also are turning the ball over too much as head coach Greg Popovich continues to audition second-year forward Jeremy Sochan as their point guard. San Antonio ranks 26th in the NBA by turning the ball over in 15.9% of their possessions — and those miscues will create more scoring opportunities for the Lakers in transition. The Spurs stay at home where they are making 36.4% of their shots from behind the arc as opposed to their 31.2% shooting from 3-point range when on the road. They raise their shooting percentage by +1.7% when playing at home with a 46.9% mark — and the 114.9 PPG scoring average at home is an improvement of +5.1 points versus their season average. But San Antonio also allowed 122.3 PPG at home which is a +0.9 rise over their season average as well. The Spurs have played 10 of their last 12 home games Over the Total — and they have played 32 of their last 48 home games Over the Total at home as an underdog. They have also played 10 of their last 14 games Over the Total as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points.

FINAL TAKE: San Antonio has played 30 of their last 48 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 4 of their 5 games Over the Total this season against teams winning 60-70% of their games. The Lakers have played 27 of their last 39 games Over the Total against teams with a losing record. Finally, the Spurs have played 41 of their last 68 games Over the Total when avenging a loss where their opponent scored 110 or more points. 25* NBA Friday ESPN Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Lakers (533) and the San Antonio Spurs (534). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:30 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Michigan Wolverines (855) and the Iowa Hawkeyes (856). THE SITUATION: Michigan (4-5) has lost three straight games as well as five of their last six contests after a 78-75 upset loss at home to Indiana as a 6.5-point favorite on Tuesday. Iowa (5-4) has lost two games in a row after their 90-65 loss at Iowa State as an 8-point underdog on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: After opening the season by playing good team defense, the play on that end of the court has fallen apart for the Wolverines. After the Hoosiers made 51.7 of their shots against them, Michigan has allowed four of their last six opponents to make at least 50.0% of their shots. Their last five opponents are making 48.0% of their shots which is resulting in 77.2 Points-Per-Game. The Wolverines rank 131st in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. The weakest link has been their perimeter defense as their opponents are nailing 39.2% of their shots from behind the arc, ranking 349th in the nation. Michigan has remained competitive in most of their games because of their balanced offensive attack. They rank 26th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency based on their balanced scoring attack — they rank 18th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 56.7%. They are making 49.1% of their shots including 37.0% of their shots from behind the arc to generate 81.2 PPG. The Wolverines have played 7 of their last 11 games Over the Total after losing two or more games in a row. They have failed to cover the point spread in three straight games — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after not covering the point spread in three or more games in a row. And while this is Michigan’s second game since last Saturday, they have played 28 of their latest 39 games Over the Total when playing for the second time in seven days. Iowa only made 38.6% of their shots against the Cyclones — and that was on the heels of their 38.5% shooting effort at Purdue in their previous game. The Cyclones have played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total after losing two of their last three games. And while Iowa State has not covered the point spread in three straight games, they have then played 11 of their last 14 games Over the Total after failing to cover the point spread in two or more games in a row. They return home where they are making 51.1% of their shots including 39.2% of their 3-pointers which is resulting in 99.7 PPG. Facing the porous Wolverines' defense may be just what the doctor ordered for this Hawkeyes team that ranks 18th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. But Iowa struggles on the other end of the court where they rank 147th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they have allowed their last five opponents to make 46.7% of their shots which has resulted in those five opponents to average 81.2 PPG. The Hawkeyes have played 16 of their last 21 home games Over the Total after a game where 155 or more combined points were scored. They have also played 16 of their last 21 home games Over the Total.

FINAL TAKE: Iowa has played 9 of their last 10 home games Over the Total in Big Ten play — and Michigan has played 30 of their last 42 road games Over the Total as an underdog getting 3.5 to 6 points. 25* CBB Big Ten Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Michigan Wolverines (855) and the Iowa Hawkeyes (856). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be Under the Total in the game between the Orlando Magic (569) and the Brooklyn Nets (570). THE SITUATION: Orlando (5-4) snapped their two-game losing streak with their 112-97 upset victory at home against Milwaukee as a 2-point underdog on Saturday. Brooklyn (5-5) has won two of their last three games after their 102-94 win against Washington as a 7-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Magic are playing outstanding defense after holding the Bucks to just 97 points. After ranking sixth in the NBA in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in their last 57 games last season, they currently rank tied for second in the league with an Adjusted Defensive Efficiency of 105.8. With two 6’10 big men in their starting rotation Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, Orlando has size that makes it difficult on their opponents. They have played 4 of their last 6 games Under the Total after an upset victory — and they have played 4 straight Unders after a point spread win. The Magic have covered the point spread in three of their last four games — and they have played 15 of their last 19 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in three of their last four contests. Orlando only ranks 21st in the league in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency with this roster probably needing more scoring. Injuries will not help their cause to night with point guard Markelle Fultz and forward Wendall Carter, Jr. out tonight — and shooting guard Gary Harris is questionable with a groin injury. He is the team’s best shooter who nailed 43% of his shots from behind the arc last year. The Magic are making only 45.0% of their shots on the road which is resulting in only 108.2 Points-Per-Game away from home. They have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total as an underdog. Brooklyn has played 30 of their last 48 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 19 of their last 26 games Under the Total at home after a win at home. The Nets are beginning to play better defense as they have held their last three opponents to no higher than a 43.6% shooting percentage after holding the Wizards to 37.5% shooting. Not having center Nic Claxton early on held the play of their defense back. In the two games he has played, the Nets are allowing just over 100 points per 100 possessions when he is on the court. Cam Johnson is another good defender for them who missed seven games in a row before getting back on the court for their last two contests. Brooklyn has played 21 of their last 30 games Under the Total after holding their previous opponent to 105 or fewer points — and they have played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a game where both teams did not score more than 105 points. And while the Nets have played three straight Unders, they have then played 18 of their las 27 games Under the Total after playing three straight Unders. Brooklyn will miss Cam Thomas tonight who is out with a left ankle injury. He is scoring 26.9 Points-Per-Game coming off the bench but has missed the last two games. Ben Simmons will also miss his fourth straight game with a hip injury — and while he does not score many points, he contributes with assists and rebounds on the offensive end of the court. In their last five games, they are making only 42.9% of their shots which is generating only 109.6 PPG — but they are holding their last five opponents to 43.4 shooting. The Nets have played 23 of their last 32 home games when favored by up to six points — and they have played 20 of their last 31 home games when listed in the +/- 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 4 of their last 5 meetings Under the Total — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when the game is at the Barclays Center. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Orlando Magic (569) and the Brooklyn Nets (570). Best of luck for us — Frank. 

At 8:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New Orleans Pelicans (571) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (572). THE SITUATION: New Orleans (4-3) has lost two games in a row after their 134-116 loss at Denver as a 6-point underdog on Monday. Minnesota (4-2) has won four of their last five games after their 114-109 upset loss against Boston as a 2.5-point underdog on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Pelicans played their worst defensive game of the season after allowing the Nuggets to make 53.7% of their shots which was the highest opponent's field goal percentage against them all season. New Orleans has become a very good defensive team under head coach Willie Green — they ranked sixth in the league in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency last season. That loss to the defending NBA champions came on the heels of a 123-105 loss to Atlanta on Saturday. New Orleans has played 30 of their last 45 games Under the Total after losing two games in a row — and they have played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total after losing two in a row by ten or more points. The Pelicans are dealing with several injuries to begin the season — and it gets even worse tonight. C.J. McCollum is dealing with a collapsed lung so he will not take the court. Herbert Jones is questionable with a sore right leg. And, of course, Zion Williamson is taking the game off for personal reasons — leaving Brandon Ingram as the primary scorer against the Timberwolves. New Orleans is a potent scoring team when teams have to address both Williamson and Ingram on the court together — especially with McCollum running the point. But this team lacks outside shooting to open up space for players to drive the lane — the torn meniscus injury of Trey Murphy III has impacted the efficiency of their offense. The Pelicans ranks tied for 22nd place with an Adjusted Offensive Efficiency of just 108.4 this season. They did make 50% of their shots on Monday which was the best shooting effort for them this season — but that was with Williamson on the court. New Orleans has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 43 of their last 69 road games Under the Total as an underdog. Minnesota followed up their handing Denver their first loss of the season by doing the same thing to the Celtics on Monday in a game where they nailed 51.8% of their shots — their second-best shooting effort of the season. The Timberwolves have played 10 of their last 11 games Under the Total after winning three games in a row. And while that game with the Nuggets finished Over the Total, they have then played 18 of their last 22 home games Under the Total after playing an Over in their last game. Minnesota is playing outstanding defense — they lead the league with an Adjusted Defensive Efficiency of 100.7. After holding the explosive Denver scoring attack to just 39.1% of their shots, the Timberwolves have limited five of their six opponents to no higher than 40.2% shooting. The great potential of this team on the defensive end of the court was demonstrated last year despite Karl-Anthony Towns being limited to just 29 games due to injury. The T-Wolves would have led the NBA in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency if the numbers they generated with  Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels, and Towns on the court together were extended to the entire season. On their home court, Minnesota has held their opponents to 39.3% shooting which has resulted in their guests scoring only 95.7 Points-Per-Game. The Timberwolves have played 30 of their last 48 home games Under the Total — and they have played 14 of their last 19 home games Under the Total when favored by 6.5 to 12 points.

FINAL TAKE:  Minnesota has played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total when hosting the Pelicans. 25* NBA Western Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the New Orleans Pelicans (571) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (572). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (519) and the Miami Heat (520) in Game Four of the NBA Finals. THE SITUATION: Denver (67-33) has won eight of their last nine games after their 109-94 victory on the road against the Heat as a 3.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Miami (58-47) has lost five of their last seven games to fall behind in this series by a 2-1 margin.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Head coach Michael Malone had his team’s attention after their upset loss at home in Game Two — and he got a much better effort on defense in Game Three. Denver limited the Heat to only 25 uncontested shots from beyond the arc after giving 30 uncontested 3-pointers in both Game One and Game Two. The Nuggets’ defense has been underrated for much of the season — especially when they are dialed in which they should continue to be tonight. They are holding Miami to just 41% shooting in this series — and the Heat’s Adjusted Offensive Efficiency of 111.1 in this series is far below the 118.3 Adjusted Offensive Efficiency they posted against Boston in the Eastern Conference Finals. Denver has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a win by 10 or more points — and they have played 13 of their last 19 games Under the Total after a win by 15 or more points. Additionally, the Nuggets have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a game where no more than 205 combined points were scored. And while Denver has made at least 50.2% of their shots in each game in this series, they have then played 21 of their last 30 games Under the Total after making 50% or more of their shots in two straight games. This is one of the rare games in the NBA Finals where the teams only get one day between games — and the Nuggets have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when playing with one day of rest. Miami has played 4 straight Unders when playing with one day of rest. The Heat need to slow the pace of play down — their Game Two victory was the only game in this series that had less than 90 possessions. Look for Hayward Highsmith to play more tonight to help with size and the physicality that Erik Spoelstra indicated his team lacked on Wednesday after they got outrebounded by a 58 to 33 margin. Denver pulled down 36.1% of their missed shots — so Miami needs to grab more defensive rebounds. But Highsmith is a liability on offense as he is just a career 33% shooter from behind the arc. The Heat have played 10 of their last 15 games Under the Total after a playoff loss in the last two postseasons. They have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a loss by 10 or more points. Furthermore, Miami has played 15 of their last 22 games Under the Total after not scoring more than 100 points in their last game — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after not scoring more than 95 points in their last contest. The Heat have also played 4 of their last 5 games at home Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: Miami has played 14 of their last 23 games Under the Total when avenging a loss at home. The Heat have also played 5 straight Unders after getting outrebounded by 20 or more boards in their last game — and they have played 19 of their last 26 home games Under the Total after getting outrebounded by 20 or more rebounds in their last contest. 25* NBA Friday Television Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (519) and the Miami Heat (520). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (517) and the Miami Heat (518) in Game Three of the NBA Finals. THE SITUATION: Denver (66-33) had their seven-game winning streak snapped in a 111-108 upset loss at home against the Heat as an 8-point favorite on Sunday. Miami (58-46) has won two of their last three games while evening this series at 1-1.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Nuggets lost Game Two despite making 52.0% of their shots from the field which was the best shooting effort in their last five games. But it is the play on defense that garnered most of head coach Michael Malone who described his team’s effort on Sunday as the “least disciplined” game that they played in the postseason. Miami’s 48.7% shooting percentage was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage that Denver allowed in their last five games. The Nuggets made 50.4% of their shots in Game One on Thursday — and they have played 20 of their last 29 games Under the Total after making 50% or more of their shots in two straight games. Despite these good shooting numbers, the Heat are frustrating Denver with the various zone defense looks. In the 37 possessions in this series when Miami has deployed a zone, the Nuggets have scored only 39 points. For comparison's sake, while Denver has an Adjusted Offensive Efficiency of 118.8 when playing at home in the postseason, their Adjusted Offensive Efficiency plummeted to just 105.4 in their two games at home against the Heat when playing against this zone defense. The Heat are also implementing a 21st-century version of the Jordan Rules against Nikola Jokic — the defensive scheme used by the Detroit Pistons to stymie the Michael Jordan Bulls’ teams. The idea is that the superstar is going to get his points no matter what — but if the star’s teammates are not contributing, then the efforts of the superstar alone will not be enough to win. Head coach Erik Spoelstra went big in Game Two by reinserting Kevin Love into the starting lineup to defend Aaron Gordon. This move allows Jimmy Butler to defend Jamal Murray in an attempt to “cut the head off the snake” in the words of Steve Kerr when analyzing Game Two. Jokic scored 41 points in Game Two — but he only assisted on four other baskets on 11 potential assists. In Game One, Jokic had 14 assists on 17 potential assists. Now the Nuggets go on the road where their scoring drops by 2.7 Points-Per-Game versus their season average. While Denver knows that they need their supporting cast to shoot more and get into a better rhythm, they are more comfortable scoring when playing at home. Miami has also been successful in slowing the pace that Denver prefers to play at. This series is averaging 89.75 adjusted possessions per game with the Nuggets not getting out in transition as much — a big drop from the 96.33 adjusted possessions per game that they were averaging in their first three playoff series this postseason. Miami has played 13 of their last 14 games Under the Total after winning their previous game by three points or less. They return home to play for the first time since May 27th — and they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total after being on the road for seven or more days. The Heat have also played 13 of their last 21 home games Under the Total as an underdog of up to three points. Miami has an Adjusted Defensive Efficiency of 106.7 when playing at home in these playoffs — as compared to their Adjusted Defensive Efficiency of 115.6 on the road this postseason. The Heat have played 7 of their last 10 games in the NBA Finals Under the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 7 playoff games Under the Total in a tied series. Denver has played 13 of their last 19 playoff games Under the Total when the series is tied.

FINAL TAKE: The Nuggets have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total when playing with revenge from an upset loss as a home favorite — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total when avenging a loss by three points or less. 25* NBA Wednesday Television Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (517) and the Miami Heat (518). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Miami Heat (515) and the Denver Nuggets (516) in Game Two of the NBA Finals. THE SITUATION: Miami (57-46) looks to rebound from their 104-93 loss on the road against the Nuggets as a 9-point underdog on Thursday. Denver (66-32) has won seven games in a row while taking a 1-0 lead in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Both of these teams should shoot better — especially from 3-point range. The Heat were ice cold in the first half on Thursday as they missed 13 of their last 17 shots from behind the arc while going into halftime with just 22 points. Miami was sluggish. We can blame their struggles in their adjustment to the high altitude in Denver. We can blame the team’s decision to sacrifice a good night’s sleep on Monday after they won their Game Seven in Boston against the Celtics. The conventional wisdom is that players recover faster if they stay over to get a good night’s sleep rather than get on an airplane and arrive in a new city that evening. But the decision sets up Miami better for Game Two since it provided them another ten hours in the altitude to help their acclimation. Sunday night’s game will be the team’s sixth day in Denver — so they should be fine. The Heat shot better in the second half — they made 15 of their 22 shots (68%) from 3-point range. While it may be too much to ask for Miami to make 39.0% of their 3-pointers in Game Two as they did in getting through the Eastern Conference side of the playoff bracket, they should be more effective than their 19 of 39 shooting (33%) from behind the arc on Thursday. And the Heat will be fully committed to being more aggressive in attacking the rim rather than settling for midrange jump shots — they only attempted two free throws as a team in Game One. Miami has played 6 straight second games in a playoff series Over the Total. They have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total when playing with two days' rest. The Heat have now played five straight Unders while not giving up more than 104 points in three straight games — but this situation sets up to be a higher-scoring contest. Miami have played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total after not allowing more than 105 points in two straight games and they have played 14 of their last 21 games Over the Total after playing two straight games where no more than 205 combined points were scored. Additionally, the Heat have played 41 of their last 64 games Over the Total after playing two straight Unders — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total after playing four or more Unders in a row. Miami has also played 10 of their last 14 games Over the Total on the road — and they have played 6 of their last 8 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher at home. Denver left plenty of points on the table themselves in Game One despite making 50.6% of their shots. They only scored 45 points in the second half while cruising to the victory. They only made 8 of their 27 shots (30%) from behind the arc. The Nuggets make 39.1% of their 3-pointers when playing at home in their Ball Arena. Denver has a significant size edge against the Heat — and it seems like they can take advantage of this whenever they please to do so. They opened Game One by scoring 18 of their first 24 points inside the paint. Aaron Gordon scored 12 points in the first quarter dominating over the smaller Gabe Vincent guarding him. Nikola Jokic only took one shot in the first quarter — but he assisted on six buckets. Denver went into the fourth quarter with a 21-point lead with Jokic scoring or assisting on 69 of their 84 points. In the end, Jokic scored 27 points on just 12 shots from the field. The Nuggets did not really need to lean on the Joker in Game One — but it does not look like Miami has an answer for him when Denver needs a basket. Denver is still rested after getting a ten-day break after completing their four-game sweep with the Los Angeles Lakers. The Nuggets have played 12 of their last 19 games Over the Total when playing for no more than the third time in ten days. Furthermore, Denver has played 33 of their last 52 home games Over the Total when favored by 6.5 to 12 points — and they have played 13 of their last 21 home games Over the Total with the Total set in the 210-219.5 point range.

FINAL TAKE: Miami has lost all three of their games with the Nuggets this season — and they have played 24 of their last 34 games Over the Total when playing with double revenge and they have played 12 of their last 16 games Over the Total when playing with triple revenge. 25* NBA Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Miami Heat (515) and the Denver Nuggets (516). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Miami Heat (509) and the Boston Celtics (510) in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Finals. THE SITUATION: Miami (56-45) has lost three games in a row in this series after their 104-103 loss at home to the Heat as a 2.5-point underdog on Saturday.  Boston (68-33) hosts this Game Seven after rallying from their 3-0 series deficit.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The oddsmakers have lowered the Total for this final contest by six points to account for the historical Game Seven slide in points scored. Even after that, the evidence is strong that this game will finish Under the Total. There were a combined 63 free throw attempts taken in Game Six — but that number should be lower tonight with the referees not wanting to decide the game by unnecessarily placing a key player into foul trouble. Miami only made 35.5% of their shots on Saturday — but that number was still propped up by them naming 14 of their 30 shots (47%) from behind the arc. While they should make more than 36% of their shots tonight, they may not reach their effective field goal percentage of 50.5% from Game Six given the likely regression in 3-point shooting. Jimmy Butler seems slowed by a bad ankle. After scoring 35 and 27 points in Games One and Two, he has only averaged 20.8 Points-Per-Game on 37% shooting in the last four games in this series. The Heat did get Gabe Vincent back on Saturday after he missed Game Five with his twisted ankle, but he missed 9 of 12 shots from inside the arc while showing little lift with his feet. Bam Adebayo has not scored more than 17 points since Game Two while averaging just 12.5 PPG after scoring 21 PPG in the first two games of this series. Kyle Lowry has gone MIA with just 27 combined points since halftime of Game Two. Miami has played 4 straight Unders after a straight-up loss — and they have played 14 of their last 22 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss at home where they covered the point spread as an underdog. They have played 22 of their last 35 games Under the Total after failing to score more than 105 points in their last contest. Furthermore, the Heat have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total in potential closeout playoff games. Boston only made 7 of their 35 shots (20%) of their 3-pointers on Saturday — but they did nail 27 of their 43 shots (62.8%) from inside the arc. So, like Miami, while the Celtics should make more 3s tonight, they may very well underperform their effective field goal percentage of 52.6% in that game. Boston has amped up their defensive intensity in the last three games facing the brink of elimination. They have held the Heat to just 43.0% shooting in the last three games which has resulted in only 99.7 PPG. The Celtics have played 8 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a straight-up win where they did not cover the point spread — and they have played 4 of their last 6 games after a win on the road where they did not cover the point spread. They have also played 20 of their last 29 games Under the Total after a win by six points or less. Furthermore, Boston has played 10 straight Unders in potential elimination games including all five this postseason. The Celtics have also played 8 of their last 11 Game Sevens Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: The tempo of this series has slowed dramatically. The first four games of this series averaged 96.5 adjusted possessions per game with Game Four seeing 94.3 adjusted possessions per game. Games Five and Six have then averaged just 88.8 adjusted possessions per game with Game Five seeing 84.4 adjusted possessions and Game Six totaling 89.4 adjusted possessions. With these teams tiring and more banged up than they were a week ago, expect another slow game with shaky shooting from both sides. 25* NBA Monday TNT Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Miami Heat (509) and the Boston Celtics (510). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Boston Celtics (501) and the Miami Heat (502) in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals. THE SITUATION: Boston (67-33) extended this series at least for another game with their 110-97 victory as an 8.5-point favorite on Thursday. Miami (56-44) still holds a 3-2 series lead.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Despite both teams shooting over 50% from the field, Game Five finished Under the Total. The tempo of this series is slowing. In victory, the Celtics only took 79 shots which were tied for their series low in Game Two — and they scored only 105 points in that game after making 47% of their shots. Boston made 16 of their 39 shots from behind the arc for a 41% shooting percentage. After shooting under 35% from 3-point range in Games One through Three, the Celtics have nailed more than 40% of their 3-pointers in the last two games. Look for the clip to drop tonight given the pressure of a Game Six — and Boston makes 37.6% of their 3-pointers on the road this season. The Celtics have played 15 of their last 22 games Under the Total on the road after winning two games in a row. Additionally, Boston has played 17 of their last 22 games Under the Total in expected close games where they are listed in the +/- 3-point range — and they have played 15 of their last 19 games on the road Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Furthermore, the Celtics have played 33 of their last 52 road games Under the Total when favored by up to three points. Miami is finding it difficult to score since Boston has amped up their defensive intensity in the face of potential elimination. The Heat have only attempted 78 shots in each of their last two games after averaging 86 shots per game in the first three games of this series with at least 81 shots in each of their three victories — so their tempo has slowed. The Celtics are doing a better job of moving Miami off the 3-point line as they have made only 17 of their 55 shots from behind the arc (31%) in the last two games after nailing 47 of 93 of their 3-pointers (51%) in the first three games of this series. Boston is also not fouling as much. After getting to the free throw line at least 19 times in the first four games of the series, the Heat only had 10 free throw attempts on Thursday. Miami scored only 97 points in Game Five despite making 51.3% of their shots. The Heat have played 14 of their last 20 games Under the Total after failing to score more than 100 points in their last game. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss. After Miami has allowed the Celtics to shoot 51.2% and 50.6% from the field in the last two games, the Heat should increase their defensive intensity in this critical Game Six.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total when playing in Miami. 25* NBA Saturday TNT Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Boston Celtics (501) and the Miami Heat (502). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Boston Celtics (545) and the Miami Heat (546) in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Finals. THE SITUATION: Boston (65-33) has lost five of their last seven games after their 128-102 upset loss on the road against the Heat as a 4.5-point favorite on Sunday. Miami (56-42) has won 10 of their last 12 games while taking a 3-0 lead in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Celtics embarrassed themselves (and everyone backing them as a road favorite in that contest) with that 26-point loss in a must-win game for them on Sunday. They allowed the Heat to nail 56.8% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last 60 games. It looks like the team quit on rookie head coach Joe Mazzulla — but they should play much harder tonight after Game Three’s humiliation. Boston has played 7 straight Unders when facing elimination in a playoff series. They have also played 5 of their last 8 games Under the Total when attempting to avenge a loss where they allowed 110 or more points. Additionally, the Celtics have played 6 of their last 8 road games Under the Total as an underdog of six points or less. They have also played 14 of their last 18 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range — and they have played 16 of their last 21 road games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Miami was on fire by nailing 19 of their 35 shots (54%) from behind the arc as they continued a miraculous turnaround with their long-range shooting after only making 34.4% of their 3-pointers in the regular season, the fourth-lowest mark in the league. The Heat made 56.8% of their shots on Sunday which was the best showing effort in their last 13 games. Miami has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a win at home by 20 or more points. The Heat dominated Game Three despite getting outrebounded by a 57 to 35 margin. Miami has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after getting outrebounded by 15 or more boards — and they have played 4 straight Unders after getting outrebounded by 20 or more boards in their last contest. Furthermore, the Heat have played 5 of their last 8 games Under the Total when holding a 3-0 series lead — and they have played 4 of their last 6 playoff games with the possibility of closing out the series.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when playing in Miami. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Boston Celtics (545) and the Miami Heat (546). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (543) and the Los Angeles Lakers (544) in Game Four of the Western Conference Finals. THE SITUATION: Denver (64-32) has won five games in a row after their 119-108 upset loss as a 5.5-point underdog on Saturday. Los Angeles (52-46) has lost four of their last five games to dig themselves into an 0-3 hole in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Lakers' obvious move tonight is for head coach Darvin Ham to reduce D’Angelo Russell’s playing time since he is scoring only 7 Points-Per-Game in this series while being a sieve on the defensive end of the court. This adjustment will help Los Angeles’ defensive efforts. As it is, the Lakers have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss at home. They have also played 17 of their last 24 games Under the Total at home when playing for no more than the sixth time in the last 14 days. Despite the Nuggets making 50% of their shots on Saturday, the Lakers still have the lowest Adjusted Defensive Efficiency of 101.6 in the playoffs when playing at home — and fewer minutes for Russell will only help those numbers. Denver has played 36 of their last 62 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 13 of their last 21 games Under the Total after a win on the road. The Nuggets have also played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a double-digit win. And in their last 5 games when playing with one day of rest, Denver has played 4 of these games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: Fatigue is becoming an issue for the Lakers with LeBron James and Anthony Davis playing tons of minutes and the bench shortening due to ineffective players like Russell. While I do not expect the effort for Los Angeles to drop off, they may try to slow the pace down simply to conserve energy for the fourth quarter after giving up a 13-0 run late in the game on Saturday. In the Lakers’ last 18 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher, the Under is 12-5-1. 25* NBA Western Conference Total of the Year is with Under the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (543) and the Los Angeles Lakers (544). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:30 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Philadelphia 76ers (509) and the Boston Celtics (510) in Game Seven of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (61-31) saw their two-game winning streak in this series snapped with a 95-86 loss at home to the Celtics as a 2.5-point favorite on Thursday. Boston (64-30) forced this climactic seventh game of this series with the victory.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Thoughtful handicapping of the over/under for this game needs to resolve why the total has dropped more than 10 points than the common 211.5-point number that Game Six closed at. The books typically drop the Total several points in Game Sevens — but the drop for this Game Seven is remarkable from a historical perspective. Something else is going on — especially when the public is hitting the Over for this game. The 76ers shot a season-low 36.1% from the field on Thursday. Was that an outlier effort — or was it a canary in the coal mine and harbinger as to what to expect moving forward in this series? I concluded it is the latter. The Celtics have had plenty of success against the Sixers in the Joel Embiid era. They had won 12 of their 17 games at home against Embiid going into Game Five including all six games in the postseason. But Philadelphia pulled off a 115-103 upset win with them making 50.6% of their shots. Frankly, the Celtics may have been simply overconfident in that game as their defensive effort was laughable in that game. They were embarrassingly bad at times defending the basic 76ers’ pick-and-roll play between James Harden and Joel Embiid. The tape offered head coach Joe Mazzula a great opportunity to seize an attentive audience to get back to fundamentals as to how they want to defend that play. In Game Six, Boston remained focused on defending Embiid after picks and dare Philly’s role players beat them. That defensive approach will continue in Game Seven given the stakes — and the onus will be on these players stepping on the road with the Celtics likely double-teaming Embiid and doing what they can to deny him the ball. It is telling that the 76ers have shot under 40% in their three losses in this series. More evidence that the low-scoring game in Game Six will carry over into Game Seven is that Philadelphia has played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after playing a game where no more than 190 combined points were scored. The 76ers have played 5 of their last 8 games Under the Total after losing to an Atlantic Division rival. Furthermore, Philadelphia has played 13 of their last 18 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 200s — and they have played 8 of their last 11 games on the road Under the Total with the Total set in the 200-209.5 point range. Boston has played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after beating an Atlantic Divisional rival in their last game — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a win on the road against a divisional opponent. They have played 22 of their last 32 games Under the Total when playing with two days of rest. Additionally, they have played 5 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a game where no more than 205 combined points were scored — and they have played 12 of their last 19 games Under the Total after a game where no more than 190 combined points were scored. The Celtics have also played 15 of their last 22 games Under the Total in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

FINAL TAKE: Boston has played 6 straight Unders in the Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown era when facing potential elimination in the playoffs. The Celtics have also played 7 of their last 10 Game Sevens Under the Total. Philadelphia has played 4 of their last 5 Game Sevens Under the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 8 playoff potential close-out games Under the Total including both close-out games this postseason. 25* NBA Atlantic Division Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Philadelphia 76ers (509) and the Boston Celtics (510). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (503) and the Los Angeles Lakers (504) in Game Six of their Western Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Golden State (50-44) snapped a two-game losing streak with a 121-106 win at home as a 7.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Los Angeles (51-43) still holds a 3-2 series lead.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Warriors nailed 51.1% of their shots on Wednesday which was the best shooting effort in their last 11 games. But now Golden State may be without Andrew Wiggins who is questionable with fractured cartilage in his ribs. Wiggins may still play because his defense against LeBron James is so important — but his offensive efforts will probably be limited. The Warriors have played 36 of their last 53 games Under the Total on the road after a double-digit victory against a Pacific Division rival. Golden State has also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on the road. Additionally, Golden State has played 19 of their last 28 games in the playoffs Under the Total when trailing in the series — and they have played 10 of their last 14 playoff games Under the Total when facing potential elimination. Los Angeles played their worst game on defense in their last 14 contests by allowing the Warriors to make 51.1% of their shots. The Lakers have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss. They return home where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total — and they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total against teams with a losing record on the road. Los Angeles has also played 5 of their last 8 games in the playoffs Under the Total when leading in the series.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 4 straight Unders when battling at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. 25* NBA Pacific Division Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (503) and the Los Angeles Lakers (504). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Phoenix Suns (547) and the Denver Nuggets (548) in Game Five of their Western Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Phoenix (51-40) evened this series at 2-2 with their 129-124 win at home as a 1.5-point favorite on Sunday. Denver (59-32) has lost the last two games in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Suns head coach Monty Williams has his team playing at a faster pace with Chris Paul sidelined with his groin injury. Paul tends to slow things down running the point in the half-court offense. With Devin Booker running the show, Phoenix is racing up and down the court with Booker averaging 36.8 Points-Per-Game in this series. Williams is also giving more minutes to T.J. Warren and Terrence Ross who are scorers but liabilities on defense. The result on Sunday was a scoring fest with 253 combined points scored. But despite these tactical adjustments, the books have remained steady with the Total remaining in the 227-228 range while letting the market make big decisions on where this series will go. Well, the market loves the Over tonight — but I think Game Five is the time to embrace our contrarian spirits and play the Under. Booker is making 62% of his shots including 51% of his shots from behind the arc. The Regression Gods will be making an appearance with him sooner or later since those numbers are unsustainable. A problem the Suns have is their lack of depth — made worse by the Paul injury — and the lack of help that Booker and Kevin Durant are getting from their healthy teammates. Deandre Ayton has scored only 12 combined points in the last two games — and his playing time has dropped to just 26 minutes per game. And while Booker and Durant have been fantastic, this is their third game in five days with them averaging about 42 minutes per game. To compound matters, they are playing in the high altitude in Denver. Their 56.8% shooting on Sunday was the best field goal percentage they have posted in their last seven games. They averaged 125 points in the two games in Phoenix — but they averaged a mere 97 PPG in the first two games in this series in Denver. The Suns allowed the Nuggets to make 56.2% of their shots on Sunday which was the worst defensive effort in their last 38 contests. Phoenix should play better on defense — and Williams might be compelled to rely on players like Torrey Craig and Josh Okogie instead of Warren, Ross, or Landry Shamet (who nailed five shots from behind the arc in Game Four) thinking his team can’t outrun and outgun Denver in their own building. The Suns have played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after winning two games in a row at home. They have also played 16 of their last 27 games Under the Total as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points. Denver had their best shooting game in their last six contests by making 56.2% of their shots — but they have played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total after shooting 55% or better in their last game. Head coach Michael Malone needs his group to tighten things up on defense after the Suns made 56.8% of their shots. That performance was the Nuggets’ worst defensive game in their last 76 contests in terms of opponent’s field goal percentage. They have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after allowing their last opponent to make 55% or more of their shots — and they have also played a decisive 44 of their last 65 games at home Under the Total after allowing their last opponent to shoot 55% or better from the field. While the Nuggets ranked 22nd in the league in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency on the road, back at home, they rank sixth in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency while allowing -3.4 fewer points per 100 possessions than they do on the road. Denver has played 7 of their last 10 home games Under the Total — and they have played 14 of their last 21 home games Under the Total when favored by up to six points. The Nuggets have only covered the point spread twice in their last six games — and they have then played 11 of their last 17 games Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread in four or five of their last six games. And while the last two games in this series have finished Over the Total, Denver has paled 12 of their last 17 games Under the Total after playing two straight Overs.

FINAL TAKE: The Nuggets have played 14 of their last 22 games Under the Total when playing with revenge. 25* NBA Playoff Semifinals Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Phoenix Suns (547) and the Denver Nuggets (548). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the New York Knicks (541) and the Miami Heat (542) in Game Four of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: New York (52-38) has lost two of their last three games after their 105-86 loss on the road to the Heat as a 4-point underdog on Saturday. Miami (51-41) has won five of their last six games while taking a 2-1 lead in this best-of-seven series.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Knicks could not hit the side of a barn on Saturday as they only made 34.1% of their shots which was the worst shooting effort in their last 79 games. Admittedly, New York is not an offensive juggernaut. But after missing 32 of their 42 shots from behind the arc, if the Knicks can simply match their 34.8% season clip from 3-point range, this game should finish Over the Total. That was the second-worst scoring result all season for New York as well. After scoring only 85 points against Brooklyn on November 9th, they responded by scoring 121, 135, and 118 points in their next three games. The Knicks did continue to play outstanding defense as they held the Heat to just 38.9% shooting — and that was the best defensive effort in their last five games. Realistically, the Knicks cannot expect to do much better than that on the defensive end of the court — and Miami still scored 105 points. New York has not covered the point spread in any of the three games in this series — and they have played 15 of their last 24 games Over the Total after failing to cover the point spread in three straight games. The Over is also 10-4-1 in their last 15 games against teams with a winning record. Miami’s 38.9% field goal percentage was the worst shooting performance in their last 43 games. They only made 7 of their 32 shots (21.9%) from behind the arc. After a subpar regular season in their 3-point shooting, the Heat regained their shooting touch from last season as they are nailing 39.2% of their 3-pointers in the playoffs, the second-best mark of all teams in the postseason. Jimmy Butler returned to the court and scored 26 points — so while he is listed as questionable again tonight, that seems to be merely a formality. By holding New York to 34.1% shooting, Miami enjoyed their best defensive game in terms of their opponent’s field goal percentage all season. But the Heat are allowing +3.7 more points per possession in this series when Butler is on the court — so his presence helps the Over. Miami has played 12 of their last 14 games Over the Total after a double-digit win. Additionally, they have played 13 of their last 16 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total after a point-spread victory. Furthermore, the Heat have played 9 of their last 10 games at home Over the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total when playing at home against teams with a winning record on the road.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 4 of their last 5 games against each other in Miami Over the Total despite Game Three finishing Under the Total. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the New York Knicks (541) and the Miami Heat (542). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:30 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (505) and the Sacramento Kings (506) in Game Seven of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Golden State (47-41) had won three games in a row in this series before their 118-89 upset loss to the Kings as a 6.5-point underdog on Friday. Sacramento (51-37) forced a climactic seventh game in this best-of-seven series with the victory.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Kings played one of their best defensive games of the season by holding the Warriors under 100 points. They limited Golden State to just 37.2% shooting which was a season-low for the reigning NBA champions. Head coach Mike Brown will implore his young team to maintain that type of effort on the defensive end of the court in this Game Seven. But Sacramento only made 40.4% of their shots on Friday in that elimination game — and I do not expect a significant improvement on that mark in this Game Seven with the pressure on this team that lacks deep playoff experience. As it is, the Kings have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a win on the road. They have also played 4 of their last 6 games Under the Total after pulling off an upset win on the road. They have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread win. Sacramento has also played 5 straight Unders when playing with one day of rest. The Warriors have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. They have also played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total when playing with one day of rest. And in their last 11 games after losing to a Pacific Division rival, they have played their next 7 games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: Golden State has played 12 of their last 19 games Under the Total when attempting to avenge an upset loss at home by double-digits. The Under is also 13-6-1 in the last 20 meetings between these two teams in Sacramento. 25* NBA 1st Round Playoff Total of the Year is with Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (505) and the Sacramento Kings (506). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (559) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (560) in Game Three of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Denver (55-29) has won three games in a row after their 122-113 victory at home against the Timberwolves as an 8.5-point favorite in Game Two on Wednesday. Minnesota (43-43) has lost three of their last four games after that loss.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Nuggets made 54.1% of their shots on Wednesday which was the best shooting effort in their last 15 games. And while they allowed the Timberwolves to make 50.6% of their shots, that was the worst defensive effort in their last four games. The Achilles’ heel of this team is the play of their defense — but head coach Mike Malone has this group playing better on that end of the court as of late. While Denver ranked 21st in the regular season in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency, they improved to 16th in that metric after the All-Star Break. While that is still the middle of the road, the market has been slow to adjust as the team trends I will cite indicates. The Nuggets held Minnesota to no more than 27 points in three of the four quarters in Game Two after limiting them to 80 points in Game One — and that was on the heels of only giving up 95 points to the up-tempo Sacramento team (albeit with their backups playing) in the final game of the regular season. Denver has played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a point spread win. And while they have covered the point spread in four of their last five games, they have then played 10 of their last 15 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in four of their last five games. The Nuggets took a 64-49 lead at halftime on Wednesday — and they have played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total after holding a halftime lead of 15 or more points. Denver goes back on the road where they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total on the road. Minnesota played their worst game on defense in 13 contests by allowing the Nuggets to make 54.1% of their shots in Game Two. The T-Wolves have been an improved defensive club that ranked 16th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency during the regular season but was ranked eighth in that metric after the All-Star Break. They clamped down on Oklahoma City in the final Play-In Tournament game to just 95 points — and they limited the Nuggets to just 109 points in Game One which was almost seven points before their season average. The bigger problem for this team is that there can experience scoring lulls on the other end of the court. They exploded for 40 points in the third quarter on Wednesday but only scored 73 points for the rest of the game. They have scored 107 or fewer points in four of their last eight games including those 80 points in Game One. Aaron Gordon is doing an outstanding job in slowing down Karl-Anthony Towns. Towns has scored only 21 combined points in this series on 8 of 27 shooting. He has committed nine turnovers and gotten to the free throws line only four times. Game Two flew Over the 222.5-point total — but Minnesota has played 16 of their last 19 home games Uner the Total after playing an Over in their last game. The T-Wolves return home where the Under has an 11-4-1 record in their last 16 games — and they have played 7 of their last 10 home games Under the Total against teams with a losing record on the road. Minnesota has played 11 of their last 17 home games Under the Total with the Total set in the 220s — and they have played 11 of their last 16 home games Under the Total as an underdog. Additionally, the T-Wolves have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams winning 60% or more of their games — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total in the Western Conference Quarterfinals.

FINAL TAKE: Minnesota has played 18 of their last 26 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. 25* NBA Northwest Division Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (559) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (560). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:08 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Florida Atlantic Owls (701) and the San Diego State Aztecs (702) in the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: Florida Atlantic (35-3) has won 11 games in a row after their 79-76 upset victory against Kansas State as a 1-point underdog last Saturday. San Diego State (31-6) has won eight games in a row after their 57-56 upset win against Creighton as a 2.5-point underdog on Sunday. This game is being played on a neutral court at NRG Stadium in Houston.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: FAU made 48.1% of their shots against the Wildcats which was the best shooting effort in their last six games. And they allowed Kansas State to nail 46.6% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last 12 contests. The Owls have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up win. They have also played 24 of their last 35 games Under the Total when playing with five or six days between contests. FAU is a good defensive team that ranks 30th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They hold their opponents to -1.4 fewer points per 100 possessions when they are playing on the road — and they rank 19th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in their last ten games away from home. But the Owls score -4.2 fewer points per 100 possessions when playing away from home as well. And they are very dependent on making 3-point shots with 44.0% of their shots from the field coming from behind the arc, ranking 35th in the nation. They are a similar but not quite as dynamic opponent as Alabama — and the Aztecs coaxed the Crimson Tide into missing 24 of their 27 shots from 3-point range in the Sweet Sixteen and a 32.4% field goal percentage overall. Alabama ranked 344th in the nation in terms of consistency from game to game going into that contest with San Diego State — and FAU is not much better with their consistency rating being 219th in the nation. The Aztecs usually have a strong defense — but this year’s team has taken things to another level. They have not allowed more than 64 points in eight straight games. The Bluejays made 40% of their shots against them which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage they have surrendered in eight games with their previous six opponents not making more than 38.6% of their shots against them. San Diego State is a physical team that plays elite-level defense. They will slow the pace to a crawl — using “math” to their advantage by limiting FAU’s scoring chances and letting the pressure of the moment kick in for this mid-major Cinderella. The Aztecs are loaded with experience with three seniors and two juniors in the starting lineup with depth on the bench. Despite their opponents attempting 40.1% of their shots from behind the arc, ranking 282nd in the nation, these shots are only falling at a 27.8% rate which is the second-best mark in the nation. In their last ten games on the road, not only does San Diego State hold their opponents to 22.2% shooting from behind the arc, they lead the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. The Owls average 10 made 3s per game — and the Aztecs have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total against teams who average eight or more made 3s per game. San Diego State not only plays with a deliberate pace on offense but their opponents take 18.5 seconds per possession, ranking as the 345th slowest in the nation. The Aztecs have played 19 of their last 26 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 8 straight Unders after a point spread victory. Furthermore, they have played 24 of their last 36 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 60 points in their last game — and they have played 18 of their last 25 games Under the Total after holding five or more straight opponents to no higher than 40% shooting from the field. But a concern for San Diego State is that their scoring fall by -5.5 points per 100 possessions when they are playing on the road. They have played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total against teams winning 60% or more of their games.

FINAL TAKE: FAU has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total. San Diego State has played 7 straight Unders on a neutral court with the Total set in the 130s. 25* CBB Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Florida Atlantic Owls (701) and the San Diego State Aztecs (702). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:30 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the UAB Blazers (665) and the North Texas Mean Green (666) in the Championship Game of the National Invitational Tournament. THE SITUATION: UAB (29-9) has won four in a row — and 12 of their last 13 contests — after their 88-86 win in overtime as a 4.5-point favorite on Tuesday. North Texas (30-7) has won four in a row — and seven of their last eight contests — with their 56-54 win against Wisconsin as a 1.5-point favorite on Tuesday. This game is being played on a neutral court at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: UAB has seen the Over go 30-14-1 in their last 45 games after a straight-up win — and they have played 31 of their last 44 games Over the Total on the road after winning five or six of their last seven games. They have played 18 of their last 25 games Over the Total after scoring 80 or more points in their last game — and they have played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total after allowing 80 or more points in their last contest. Additionally, with that game with the Wolverines finishing Over the 151-point Total, the Blazers have played 16 of their last 22 games Over the Total after playing a game that finished Over the Total — and they have played 11 of their last 14 games Over the Total after a game where 155 or more combined points were scored. UAB scores +1.1 points per 100 possessions when on the road versus when they are playing at home — but they are also giving up +3.1 points per 100 possessions when away from home as opposed to when they are playing at home. The Blazers have also played 15 of their last 23 games Over the Total against conference opponents. North Texas has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total after a point-spread win. They have also played 11 of their last 15 games Over the Total on the road after winning six or seven of their last eight games. The Mean Green have not allowed more than 59 points in their last four games — but they have then played 11 of their last 15 games Over the Total after not allowing more than 65 points four straight games. North Texas plays outstanding defense — and they combine those skills by playing at a crawl’s pace. But the Mean Green allows +3.5 more points per 100 possessions when playing away from home. They are also scoring +2.7 more points per 100 possessions in their last ten games on the road versus their season average on the road. They are playing smaller lineups and at a quicker pace in this tournament with 6’10 Abou Ousmane now away from the team. North Texas has played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total on the road when playing for just the second time in the last seven days — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total against teams winning 60% or more of their games.

FINAL TAKE: This is the fourth meeting between these two teams — with each game seeing a steady increase in scoring. North Texas won the first game between these teams on January 21st with a 63-52 victory. They then won the rematch on February 29th by an 82-79 score in double-overtime that had a 62-62 score after regulation. UAB avenged those two losses in the Conference USA Semifinals with a 76-69 victory on March 10th. That game was played on a neutral court where the Blazers have now played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total. 25* CBB NIT Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the UAB Blazers (665) and the North Texas Mean Green (666). 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 Dallas Mavericks (533) and the Philadelphia 76ers (534). THE SITUATION: Dallas (37-39) snapped their four-game losing streak with their 127-104 win at Indiana as a 6.5-point favorite on Monday. Philadelphia (49-26) has lost three in a row — and four of their last five — after a 116-111 loss at Denver as a 7-point underdog on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Mavericks stepped to make 56.6% of their shots against the Pacers which was the best shooting effort in their last 36 games. But Dallas has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after shooting 55% or better from the field in their last game. Despite that effort, the Mavericks are only scoring 113.9 points per 100 possessions in their last ten games, ranking 23rd in the league over that span. The acquisition of Kyrie Irving has not worked in generating a healthy and cohesive “big two” with Luka Doncic who recently conceded he is miserable right now. Dallas is too reliant on making 3s — they lead the NBA by attempting 48.6% of their shots from behind the arc. They make 37.2% of their 3s which ranks ninth in the league — but it comes at the expense of being last in the NBA in rebounding. The Mavericks pull down only 22.9% of their missed shots, the lowest mark in the league. Dallas has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 straight Unders after a point-spread win. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a win by 10 or more points. On the road, the Mavericks have played 4 straight Unders — and they have played 6 straight road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. They have also played 8 of their last 12 road games Under the Total when the total is set at 230 or higher. An encouraging development for head coach Jason Kidd’s team was the play of their defense as they held the Pacers to 41.9% shooting. The Mavs’ defense has been bad this year — but a better effort on that end can make a difference. Dallas is tied for the last spot in the Western Conference playoff race — they would lose out to Oklahoma City to qualify for the play-in game so this is an important contest. The Mavericks have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. Philadelphia will want to tighten things up on the defensive end of the court after allowing the Nuggets to make 50.6% of their shots, the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last five games. The 76ers have played 5 of their last 8 games Under the Total after losing two games in a row — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after losing four of their last five games. Philly has seen a dip in their 3-point shooting — they are making only 36.6% of their 3-pointers in their last ten games as opposed to their 38.6% shooting mark from behind the arc overall. But the Sixers are defending the perimeter better as of late as they rank second in the NBA by holding their opponents to hit just 32.1% of their 3-pointers in their last ten games. In their last ten games, Philly ranks fifth in the NBA in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Back at home, the 76ers have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total — and the Under is 4-0-1 in their last 5 home games against teams not winning at least 40% of their games on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Joel Embiid and James Harden are listed as questionable tonight with nagging injuries. While Embiid is an MVP candidate who excels at both ends of the court, Harden’s potential absence certainly helps our Under play. These two teams have played 5 of their last 6 games against each other Under the Total — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing in Philadelphia. 25* NBA Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Mavericks (533) and the Philadelphia 76ers (534). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 5:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Miami (FL) Hurricanes (655) and the Texas Longhorns (656) in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: Miami (FL) (28-7) has won five of their last six games after their 89-75 upset victory against Houston as an 8-point underdog on Friday. Texas (29-8) has won seven games in a row with their 83-71 victory against Xavier as a 4-point favorite on Friday. This game is being played on a neutral court at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Miami converted on 11 of their 25 (44%) shots from 3-point range en route to a 51.7% shooting percentage in that game which was the best effort in their last four games. But now they play a stout Longhorns defense that has played three opponents in this Big Dance that entered the game with a top-ten shooting percentage from behind the arc yet held those three foes to 18 of 60 (30%) shooting from 3-point range. The Hurricanes only made 30.2% of their shots in their opening game against Drake — so clunkers are in the repertoire. As it is, Miami has played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after scoring 85 or more points in their last game — and they have played 13 of their last 18 games Under the Total after a game where 155 or more combined points were scored. The Hurricanes have pulled off two straight upset wins after their 85-69 win against Indiana last Sunday — and they have played 9 of their last 11 games on the road Under the Total after scoring 75 or more points in two straight games. They have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in two games in a row — and they have played 9 of their last 11 games after two straight upset wins. Miami’s scoring drops by 3.8 points per 100 possessions when they play away from home. But the dirty little secret about this Hurricanes team is how much better their defense has been when playing on the road. Not only are they allowing 11.7 fewer points per 100 possessions when playing on the road in hostile environments or neutral courts, but they are also giving up -12.8 fewer points per 100 possessions in their last ten games on the road versus their defensive efficiency at home — and their Adjusted Defensive Efficiency on the road in their last ten games ranks 22nd in the nation. Two reasons for this improved play on defense: Miami is limiting their opponents to pulling down only 23.4% of their missed shots, ranking 24th in the nation, and their defensive foul rate ranks 11th in the nation in those last ten games. Texas has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 straight Unders after a point-spread win. And while they have covered the point spread in seven of their last eight games, they have then played 12 of their last 15 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in three of their last four games. There is some conventional wisdom out there that this Longhorns team wants to play at a fast pace — and that interim head coach Rodney Terry has pushed the pace more since taking over for Chris Beard. The numbers simply do not bare this out. Texas ranks 115th in the nation by averaging 68.5 adjusted possessions per game. In their last ten games, that number drops to 67.5 adjusted possessions per game. There were 72 mutual possessions on Friday against the Musketeers — but their two previous games in the Big Dance had 64 possessions apiece after playing three games in the Big 12 tournament where no more than 68 possessions were played. Does Miami want to push the pace? Maybe — but that will be difficult against a Longhorns’ defense that ranks third in the nation in transition defense. The Hurricanes have averaged 69.7 adjusted possessions in their last ten games on the road. But here are some numbers that scream out to me: Texas scores -7.2 fewer points per 100 possessions when playing on the road. They also hold their opponents to -3.7 fewer points per 100 possessions when playing away from home, ranking fourth best in the nation. And in their last ten games overall, the Longhorns boast the second-best defense in terms of Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in the nation.

FINAL TAKE: Texas has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams winning 60% or more of their games — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total on a neutral court. The Longhorns have also played 14 of their last 20 games Under the Total in the NCAA Tournament. Miami (FL) has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total in the Big Dance. 25* CBB Elite Eight Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Miami (FL) Hurricanes (655) and the Texas Longhorns (656). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:15 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Miami (FL) Hurricanes (643) and the Houston Cougars (644) in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: Miami (FL) (27-7) has won four of their last five games after their 85-69 upset win against Indiana as a 1.5-point underdog on Sunday. Houston (33-3) has won 15 of their last 16 games with their 81-64 victory against Auburn as a 5.5-point favorite on Saturday. This game is being played on a neutral court at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Hurricanes shot 48.6% of their shots against the Hoosiers in their best shooting effort in their last three games. They also pulled down 19 offensive rebounds which led to 29 second-chance points. That level of productivity is not likely to continue tonight against this Cougars team that holds their opponents to 27.9% shooting in the midrange. Miami (FL) has played 19 of their last 29 road games Under the Total after a straight-up win. They have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after scoring 85 or more points in their last game. And while that game finished Over the 145-point total installed for that game, they have then played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Over the Total. The Hurricanes do see their scoring drop by -5.5 points per 100 possessions when playing on the road. But while defense seems to be the weakness of head coach Larranaga’s team, they do give up -11.8 fewer points per 100 possessions when playing on the road on neutral courts or in hostile environments. And Larranaga has his team peaking on defense at this point of the season. Miami (FL) ranks 22nd in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in their last ten games on the road. The improvement is sharpest in defensive rebounding with their last ten opponents away from home rebounding only 24.7% of their missed shots, ranking 50th in the nation. Miami also ranks ninth in the nation in defensive foul rate in their last ten games on the road. Houston might have played their best 20 minutes of the season in the second half against Auburn by scoring a whopping 41 points against the stout Tigers’ defense. But the defense played a big role in that final 20 minutes as they held Auburn to just four baskets on 17% shooting from the field. The Cougars have played 19 of their last 28 games Under the Total after scoring 80 or more points in their last game. Houston is scoring -3.7 fewer points per 100 possessions on the road in their last ten games as compared to their season scoring efficiency away from home this season. It is the Cougars’ defense that leads the way for head coach Kelvin Sampson. Houston ranks fourth in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they lead the nation with an opponent’s field goal percentage of 36.1%. They lead the nation by blocking 16.8% of their opponent’s shots. Houston will also bring a slow pace to this game as they rank 342nd in the nation with only 63.3 adjusted possessions per game. The Under is a decisive 43-21-1 in their last 65 games against teams with a winning record in the Sampson era.

FINAL TAKE: The Cougars have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total on a neutral court laying 6.5 to 12 points — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total in the NCAA Tournament. The Hurricanes have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total on a neutral court — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total in the NCAA Tournament. 25* CBB Sweet Sixteen Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Miami (FL) Hurricanes (643) and the Houston Cougars (644). Best of luck for us — Frank.   

At 7:40 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Indiana Pacers (503) and the Toronto Raptors (504). THE SITUATION: Indiana (32-40) has lost three of their last four games after their 115-109 loss at Charlotte as a 2-point favorite on Monday. Toronto (35-37) had their three-game winning streak snapped in a 118-111 loss at Milwaukee as a 7.5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Pacers lost to the Hornets despite holding them to 45.6% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last ten games. But they only shot 45.1% from the field themselves which was the worst shooting performance in their last three games. Indiana has played 17 of their last 24 games Under the Total after an upset loss — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. They did get back rookie Benedict Mathurin for this contest who scored 18 points in the losing effort. But the team misses Tyrese Haliburton who has been out for five straight games with a knee injury — and he is questionable to play tonight. The offense has not suffered with Haliburton — the team is making 48.3% of their shots in their last five games which have generated 117.4 Points-Per-Game. Both of those marks are above their season averages of 115.8 PPG and a 46.6% field goal percentage. But the Pacers' defense has let their last five opponents make 50.5% of their shots which has resulted in them scoring 122.2 PPG, a 3.9 PPG bump above their season average. Indiana has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total on the road — and they have played 5 straight road games Over the Total against teams with a winning record at home. They have also played 4 straight Overs against teams with a losing record. And in their last 33 games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points, they have played 22 of these games Over the Total. Toronto only made 44.4% of their shots on Sunday which was the worst shooting effort in their last five games. Acquiring Jakob Poetl from San Antonio at the trade deadline has ignited their offensive attack that sorely needed another big man in the middle. They have made 49.7% of their shots in their last five games which have generated 119.6 PPG. But the defense for the Raptors remains an issue as they have allowed nine of their last 11 opponents to shoot 50% or better from the field. Their last five opponents have made 50.1% of their shots against them which is resulting in 113.6 PPG. Toronto has played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 15 of their last 22 games Over the Total after a point-spread victory. And while they have covered the point spread in five of their last seven games, the Raptors have then played 15 of their last 19 home games Over the Total after covering the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. They return home where they have played  6 of their last 8 games Over the Total — and they have played 9 of their last 13 home games Over the Total against teams not winning more than 40% of their games on the road. Furthermore, Toronto has played 10 of their last 12 home games Over the Total when favored by 6.5 to 12 points.

FINAL TAKE: Toronto will be looking to avenge a 122-114 upset loss at Indiana as a 1.5-point favorite on the road back on January 22nd — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total when playing with revenge from an upset loss as a road favorite. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Indiana Pacers (503) and the Toronto Raptors (504). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:45 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Farleigh Dickinson Knights (843) and the Florida Atlantic Owls (844) in the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: Farleigh Dickinson (21-15) has won five of their last six games after their 63-58 upset victory against Purdue as a 23-point underdog on Friday. Florida Atlantic (32-3) is on an eight-game winning streak after their 66-65 upset victory against Memphis as a 1.5-point underdog on Friday. This game is being played on a neutral court at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Part of the Knights' success in shocking the Boilermakers was holding them to 35.8% shooting — although Purdue’s 19.2% shooting percentage from behind the arc had something to do with some nervy Boilermakers’ shooters. Fairleigh Dickinson will continue to work hard on the defensive end of the court. The Knights have held their last four opponents to no better than 41.9% shooting and no more than 67 points — and these last four opponents have averaged just 59 Points-Per-Game. But while Fairleigh Dickinson’s hopes rely on their 3-point shooting, they only made 7 of their 23 (30.4%) shots from behind the arc and settled for a 38.7% shooting clip overall on Friday. The Knights have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point-spread victory. They have also played 6 straight games Under the Total on the road after winning three of their last four games. FAU beat Memphis with the Tigers making 43.1% of their shots which was actually the Owls’ worst defensive effort in their last four games. In their last ten games on the road, FAU ranks 10th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they hold their opponents to just 27.7% shooting from behind the arc which is the seventh lowest mark in the nation during that span. But the Owls also score -4.5 fewer points per 100 possessions when playing on the road on neutral courts or in hostile environments. The Under is 19-7-1 in FAU’s last 27 games on a neutral court — and they have played 7 straight Unders on a neutral court with the Total set in the 145-149.5 point range.

FINAL TAKE: Florida Atlantic has played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total against teams winning 51-60% of their games. 25* CBB Second Round NCAA Tournament Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Farleigh Dickinson Knights (843) and the Florida Atlantic Owls (844). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:25 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Drake Bulldogs (769) and the Miami (FL) Hurricanes (770) in the Round of 64 in the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: Drake (27-7) has won three in a row — and 13 of their last 14 contests — after their 77-51 victory against Bradley as a 2-point favorite in the Championship Game of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament on March 5th. Miami (FL) (25-7) had their two-game winning streak snapped in an 85-78 loss to Duke as a 2.5-point underdog in the Semifinals of the ACC Tournament last Friday. This game is being played on a neutral court at MVP Arena in Albany, New York.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Drake won all three of their games in their Arch Madness by at least 12 points while shooting 47.1% or better from the field in each game. But the Bulldogs have then played 8 straight games Under the Total on the road after winning at least three games in a row by double-digits. They have also played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after making 47% or more of their shots in three straight games. Drake has also played 5 straight games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 straight games Under the Total after a point-spread victory. And while they have covered the point spread in three straight games, they have then played 10 of their last 11 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in two or more games in a row. The Bulldogs’ efficiency on offense drops by -2.4 points per 100 possessions when they play away from home. Now they face an angry Hurricanes team that allowed Duke to nail 54.9% of their shots last week which was the worst defensive effort in their last five games. Miami (FL) lost Norchad Omier early in that game to an ankle injury — and his absence was felt in their interior defense. At 6’7, Omier and Jordan Miller are the two tallest players in their starting five lineup. While he helps their offensive efforts by scoring 13.6 Points-Per-Game this season, he is important for their frontcourt defense and keeping opponents off their offensive glass. Duke pulled down 36.0% of their missed shots with Omier missing most of that game. The Hurricanes tighten things up on that end of the court tonight as they have played 8 straight Unders after allowing 85 or more points in their last game — and they have played 9 of their last 10 games on the road Under the Total after slowing 85 or more points in their last game. Furthermore, Miami has played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a point spread loss — and they have played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Over the Total. According to their Adjusted Efficiency numbers, the Hurricanes allow  -10.9 fewer points per 100 possessions when playing away from home.

FINAL TAKE: Miami (FL) has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total played on a neutral court — and they have played 5 straight games in the NCAA Tournament Under the Total. Drake has played 4 straight games Under the Total played on a neutral court. 25* CBB First Round Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Drake Bulldogs (769) and the Miami (FL) Hurricanes (770). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:00 AM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Utah State Aggies (871) and the Boise State Broncos (872) in the Semifinals of the Mountain West Conference Tournament. THE SITUATION: Utah State (25-7) has won six games in a row after their 91-76 victory against New Mexico as a 3.5-point victory yesterday in the quarterfinals of this tournament. Boise State (24-8) has won two of their last three games after their 87-76 victory against UNLV as a 5.5-point favorite yesterday. This game is being played at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Aggies scored 91 points despite a 48.4% field goal percentage which was the lowest shooting mark in their last three games. Utah State ranks 13th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and that mark improves to 11th in the nation when they are playing away from home. The Aggies are fourth in the nation by nailing 39.5% of their 3-pointers — and they make 38.7% of their shots from behind the arc when playing away from home. Utah State has played 6 straight Overs after scoring 90 or more points in their last game. Additionally, the Over is 20-8-1 in their last 29 games after a straight-up win — and the Over is 13-5-1 in their last 19 games after a point-spread victory. The Over is 5-2-1 in the Aggies’ last 8 games against teams winning 60% or more of their games — and they have played 9 of their last 12 games Over the Total on a neutral court. Boise State has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 10 of their last 13 games Over the Total after a win against a conference rival. They have also played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a point-spread victory. The Broncos are a good offensive team that can keep up with the Aggies’ scoring. In their last ten games away from home, they rank 39th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. They make 37.0% of their 3-pointers in conference playing, ranking fourth in the Mountain West. And while the Aggies attempt 24 shots from behind the arc per game, Boise State has played 11 of their last 14 games Over the Total after 15 games into the season against teams who attempt 21 or more shots from downtown per contest. Despite their good defensive numbers, the Broncos tend to play higher or lower-scoring games based on their opponent. They have scored 80 or more points in three of their last eight games. They have given up 74 or more points in four of their last five games despite an Adjusted Defensive Efficiency that ranks 19th in the nation. Boise State has played 9 of their last 12 games Over the Total against teams winning 60% or more of their games. They have also played 26 of their last 37 games in the Mountain West Conference Tournament Over the Total.

FINAL TAKE: The Broncos will be looking to avenge an 86-73 loss at Utah State last Saturday — and they have played 15 of their last 19 games Over the Total when attempting to avenge a double-digit loss on the road. 25* CBB Mountain West Conference Tournament Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Utah State Aggies (871) and the Boise State Broncos (872). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the UAB Blazers (819) and the North Texas Mean Green (820) in the Semifinals of the Conference USA Tournament. THE SITUATION: UAB (24-8) has won seven games in a row with their 87-60 victory against Rice as a 14-point favorite on Thursday. North Texas (26-6) has won three in a row and 11 of their last 12 contests with their 74-46 victory against Louisiana Tech as a 9-point favorite yesterday. This game is being played on a neutral court at the Center at the Star in Frisco, Texas.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: This is a clash of styles with North Texas playing at one of the slowest paces in the nation while UAB ranks 39th in the nation with their games averaging 70.5 adjusted possessions per game. We bet numbers — and we are getting value with the Total in the 126 range. If the Blazers can successfully amp up the pace, we will win this one comfortably. But even if the Mean Green impose their will, I still think a rock fight finds its way over the number. North Texas is an outstanding defensive team — but their Adjusted Defensive Efficiency rises by 3.5 points per 100 possessions when they are playing away from home on neutral courts or hostile environments even after they stymied the Bulldogs to just 30.4% shooting yesterday. The Mean Green has played 5 straight Overs after not allowing more than 50 points in their last game. They have played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total on the road after a double-digit victory. Additionally, the Over is 5-2-1 in their last 8 games after both a straight-up win and a point-spread victory. North Texas forces turnovers -- but this aggressiveness can get them in trouble as they rank 344th in the nation in foul rate. And they are a solid offensive team that ranks third in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency in the conference and do not see much drop off when playing away from home. They have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total against teams winning 60% or more of their games. UAB ranks 42nd in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and they score 80.9 Points-Per-Game when on the road. They are scoring 84.0 PPG with a 47.4% field goal percentage in their last five games. They have played 12 of their last 17 games Over the Total after scoring 80 or more points in their last contest. They have also played 11 of their last 13 games Over the Total after a win by 10 or more points — and the Over is 13-3-1 in their last 17 games after a win by 20 or more points. Furthermore, the Over is 34-16-1 in their last 51 games after a straight-up win — and the Over is 19-7-1 in their last 27 games after a point-spread victory. The Blazers have also played 12 of their last 16 games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher.

FINAL TAKE: North Texas swept the two regular season games with neither seeing more than 124 combined points in regulation (the rematch in Denton on February 9th went to double overtime after a 62-62 score after 40 minutes — so the 82-79 final score is deceiving). But UAB has played 3 of their 4 games Over the Toal when attempting to avenge a loss on the road this season — and they have played 7 of their 8 games Over the Total when playing on a neutral court. 25* CBB Conference USA Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the UAB Blazers (819) and the North Texas Mean Green (820). Best of luck for us — Frank. 

At 9:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Stanford Cardinal (769) and the Arizona Wildcats (770) in the Quarterfinals of the Pac-12 Tournament. THE SITUATION: Stanford (14-18) won for the third time in their last four games with a 73-62 victory against Utah in a pick ‘em contest yesterday in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament. Arizona (25-6) comes into this event having lost two of their last three games after an 82-73 loss at UCLA as a 5-point underdog last Saturday. This game is being played on a neutral court at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Cardinal advanced despite making only 41.9% of their shots from the field against the Utes which was the worst shooting effort in their last eight games. They are still making 47.5% of their shots in their last five games. Stanford ranks 32nd in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and they rise to 10th in the nation in that metric in their last ten games. Their productivity does not decline when playing away from Palo Alto either — they rank 4th in the nation in their last ten games in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency when playing away from home. The Cardinal has played 5 straight Overs after a straight-up win — and they have played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total after a win by 10 or more points against a Pac-12 opponent. Furthermore, Stanford has played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a point spread win — and they have played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total when playing on the road against a point spread victory. They have also played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total when playing their third game in seven days. The Cardinal has played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total in March. Arizona only made 47.4% of their shots against the Bruins which was the lowest shooting percentage in their last four games. The Wildcats rank 5th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and they rank 5th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 56.5% with top-20 marks in both 3-point and 2-point shooting. When playing away from home, their Adjusted Offensive Efficiency improves to 3rd in the nation. Arizona also plays at a blistering pace as they average 72.7 adjusted possessions per game, ranking 6th in the nation — and that mark rises to 73.6 adjusted possessions per game when playing away from home. The Wildcats have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 4 straight Overs after a point spread loss. They have played 9 of their last 10 games Over the Total on the road when playing for the second time in the last seven days. They have also played 16 of their last 23 road games Over the Total against conference rivals. Furthermore, Arizona has played 9 straight games in March Over the Total — and they have played 4 straight Overs on a neutral court as a favorite laying 6.5 to 12 points.

FINAL TAKE: Stanford upset the Wildcats in their lone meeting this season back on February 11th as a 7.5-point home underdog  — and Arizona has played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total when avenging an upset loss on the road. 25* CBB Pac-12 Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Stanford Cardinal (769) and the Arizona Wildcats (770). 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 New Orleans Privateers (306559) and the Northwestern State Demons (306560) in the Semifinals of the Southland Conference Tournament. THE SITUATION: New Orleans (12-19) has won two in a row and six of their last seven after their 82-78 upset win against Southeast Louisiana as a 5-point underdog yesterday. Northwestern State (21-10) has won two of their last three games after an 81-64 win against Incarnate Word as a 10.5-point favorite last Wednesday. This game is being played on a neutral court at The Legacy Center in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Privateers advanced to the semifinals of the Southland Conference Tournament despite making only 44.6% of their shots which was the worst shooting effort in their last eight contests. New Orleans should shoot better tonight as they lead the conference with an effective field goal percentage of 55.0%. The Over is 46-22-1 in their last 69 games after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a win by six points or less. They have also played 13 of their last 19 games Over the Total after a point-spread win. And they have played 10 of their last 12 games Over the Total after winning two straight games against conference opponents. The Privateers will push the pace in this game. They rank 24th in the nation by averaging 71.4 adjusted possessions per game — and that mark rises to 72.9 adjusted possessions per game in their last ten games when playing away from home, ranking 14th in the nation. New Orleans has played 23 of their last 34 games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher — and they have played 13 of their last 19 games Over the Total as an underdog. The Over is also 25-7-1 in their last 33 games played on a neutral court — and the Privateers have played 18 of their last 23 conference tournament games Over the Total. Northwestern State has played 20 of their last 26 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 10 of their last 13 games Over the Total after a win against a conference rival in their previous game. They have all played 21 of their last 31 games Over the Total after a point-spread victory. The Demons rank second in the Southland Conference in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. Their attack is fueled by them pulling down 33.4% of their missed shots, ranking second in the conference. They should have success on the offensive glass tonight against this Privateers team that is last in the Southland Conference by allowing their opponents to rebound 34.4% of their missed shots. Northwestern State has played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total when playing on a neutral court — and the over is 6-1-1 in their last 8 games against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams split their two regular-season meetings with Northwestern State winning the first encounter on the road by an 88-65 score before New Orleans upset them on the road in the rematch on February 18th by a 68-65 score as a 10.5-point underdog. The Demons have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total when avenging an upset loss. 25* CBB Southland Conference Tournament Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the New Orleans Privateers (306559) and the Northwestern State Demons (306560). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the UT-Chattanooga Moccasins (867) and the Furman Paladins (868) in the Finals of the Southern Conference Tournament. THE SITUATION: UT-Chattanooga (18-16) has won three straight games after their 74-62 win against Wofford as a 4-point favorite yesterday. Furman (26-7) has won five games in a row after their 83-80 win in overtime against Western Carolina as a 12-point favorite on Sunday. This game is being played on a neutral court at Harrah’s Cherokee Center in Asheville, North Carolina.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Moccasins held Wofford to just 38.7% shooting yesterday — that was the fourth time in their last five games and the sixth in their last eight contests where they held their opponent to 42.6% or lower shooting from the floor. Chattanooga ranks second in the Southern Conference when playing on the road by holding their opponents to 48.8% shooting inside the arc. The Moccasins have played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a double-digit win against a conference opponent — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread win. Additionally, Chattanooga has played 14 of their last 17 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 150s. Furman only shot 39.0% from the field yesterday which was the worst shooting effort of the season for them. But while I often conclude that outlier efforts like that are aberrations — in this instance, I suspect it is nerves kicking for this Paladins team playing with the weight of expectations. This team has not made the NCAA Tournament since 1980 — and they lost the title game of the Southern Conference Tournament last year against this Chattanooga team so winning this game has been the goal for 365 days. Furman is a good defensive team that led the conference in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. It starts with the Paladins’ half-court defense as they rank second in the conference with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 48.5% while ranking second in the Southern Conference in both 2-point and 3-point defense. They have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after allowing 80 or more points per game — and they have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a game where 155 or more combined points were scored. Yesterday’s game flew Over the 149-point total because of overtime (the score was 72-72 after regulation time) — and Furman has played 8 straight road games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Over the Total. The Paladins have played 5 straight Unders against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: Furman swept the two games between these teams in the regular season with the last meeting being on February 1st with the Paladins winning by a 79-58 score. The Moccasins have played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total when playing with revenge — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total when avenging a double-digit loss. UT-Chattanooga has played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court — and Furman has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total on a neutral court. 25* CBB Southern Conference Tournament Total of the Year is with Under the Total in the game between the UT-Chattanooga Moccasins (867) and the Furman Paladins (868). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the Semifinals of the Northeast Conference Tournament between the St. Francis-PA Red Flash (306527) and the Farleigh Dickinson Knights (306528). THE SITUATION: St. Francis-PA (13-17) has won four of their last five games after their 83-69 win against Central Connecticut State as a 4.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Farleigh Dickinson (18-14) has won three of their last four games with their 83-75 win against St. Francis-NY as a 9-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Lots of Overs this week — I’m just following the numbers. The data points to the Over for this one — even before I then realize that these two teams are top-two statistical offenses in terms of Adjusted Efficiency in the Northeast Conference while registering two of the worst defensive metrics in the nation. St. Francis-PA ranks 356th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a point spread win — and they have played 19 of their last 27 games Over the Total after winning three of their last four games. And with their win against Central Connecticut State finishing Over, they have then played 19 of their last 28 games Over the Total after playing an Over in their previous game. After playing their last three games on the road, they go on the road where they have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after playing three or more games in a row at home. The Over is 9-3-1 in their last 13 games on the road — and the Over is 6-2-1 in their last 9 road games against teams with a winning record at home. The St. Francis-PA offense is bolstered by their 3-point shooting as they rank 38th in the nation by nailing 36.9% of their shots from behind the arc. Now they play a Knights team ranking 344th in the nation by allowing their opponents to make 37.7% of their shots from behind the arc. Farleigh Dickinson ranks 362nd in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — but they also lead the Northeast Conference in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. They have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. The Knights have scored 169 points in their last two games — and they have palled 10 of their last 12 games Over the Total after scoring at least 75 points in their last two games. They stay at home where the Over is 12-3-1 in their last 16 games — and they have played 5 straight home games Over the Total against teams with a losing record on the road. They have also played 19 of their last 25 games at home when it is just their second game in seven days.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams split their two regular-season meetings with St. Francis-PA winning the most recent game by an 82-72 score on February 23rd — and Farleigh Dickinson has played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total when playing with revenge. 25* CBB Northeast Conference Total of the Year with Over the Total in the Semifinals of the Northeast Conference Tournament between the St. Francis-PA Red Flash (306527) and the Farleigh Dickinson Knights (306528). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the South Carolina Upstate Spartans (306521) and the UNC-Asheville Bulldogs (306422) in the Semifinals of the Big South Conference Tournament. THE SITUATION: USC-Upstate (16-14) reached the semifinals of this tournament with their 77-76 upset win against Gardner-Webb as a 4-point underdog yesterday. UNC-Asheville (25-7) joined them in the semifinals of this tournament with their 75-66 win against Charleston Southern as a 9-point favorite on Friday. This game is being played on a neutral court at Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Spartans are a good shooting team — they rank second in the Big South with an effective field goal percentage of 52.7% based on the strength of their interior shooting. USC-Upstate ranks second in the conference by making 53.6% of their shots inside the arc. The Spartans have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 17 of their last 22 games Over the Total after a point-spread victory. USC-Upstate is playing their best basketball of the season now with three straight victories along with seven wins in their last eight games. They have then played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after winning two in a row against conference rivals — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total after winning five or six of their last seven contests. Betting Unders for these early tip-offs on neutral courts has been a fashionable play in the past — but we bet numbers rather than being a zombie simply for the situation. This Total is dropping — giving us more value on the Over. While these early tips can see groggy teams struggling to shoot — the Spartans bring energy by forcing turnovers. They rank 58th in the nation by forcing turnovers in 20.7% of their opponent’s possessions — and that mark improves to a 21.1% defensive turnover clip against conference opponents. They forced 17 turnovers representing 23.6% of Gardner-Webb’s possessions yesterday — and now the Bulldogs may be vulnerable in this area. UNC-Asheville ranks 313th in the nation by turning the ball over in 20.3% of their possessions — and they turn it over in 20.7% of their conference possessions. Forcing turnovers tends to create easier scoring opportunities in transition which is reinforced by the Spartans' effective 2-point shooting. USC-Upstate has played 21 of their last 29 games Over the Total against teams winning 60% or more of their games — and they have played 28 of their last 43 games Over the Total as an underdog. The Over is also 4-1-1 in their last 6 games played on a neutral court. UNC-Asheville only made 35.8% of their shots yesterday which was the worst shooting effort in their last 22 games. The Bulldogs should shoot much better today after that outlier effort. They rank 32nd in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 54.1%. They rank seventh in the nation with a 39.1% shooting percentage from behind the arc — and that number improves to 40.6% in conference play. UNC-Asheville has played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and the Over is 24-10-1 in their last 35 games after a point spread loss. They have also played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after winning five or more games in a row. The Bulldogs are going to get their share of points at the free throw line — they rank 12th in the nation in free throw rate. The downside to USC-Upstate’s pressure on the basketball is that they foul too much — they rank 354th in the nation in defensive free throw rate. The charity strip should help this game finish Over the Total.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams split their two regular-season meetings after USC-Upstate upset the Bulldogs by a 76-70 score as a 3-point home underdog on February  4th. UNC-Asheville has played 10 of their last 16 games Over the Total when avenging a loss on the road including three of their four opportunities this season. 25* CBB Big South Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the South Carolina Upstate Spartans (306521) and the UNC-Asheville Bulldogs (306422). Best of luck for us — Frank.  

At 11:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the New Mexico Lobos (867) and the Colorado State Rams (868). THE SITUATION: New Mexico (21-9) snapped a two-game losing streak with a 94-80 win against Fresno State as a 7-point favorite on Saturday. Colorado State (13-17) has lost two of their last three games after their 63-46 loss at San Jose State as a 2.5-point underdog on Tuesday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Lobos rank 20th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a game where they scored at least 90 points. The Over is also 3-0-1 in their last 4 games after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a win against a Mountain West Conference rival. New Mexico has covered the point spread in three straight games — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after covering the point spread in three straight games and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after covering the point spread in three straight contests. They go back on the road where they rank 14th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency when playing in hostile environments boosted by their 39.7% shooting percentage from behind the arc, ranking 9th in the nation. The Over is 4-0-1 in their last 5 games on the road. The Lobos rank 306th in the nation in defensive foul rate when playing on the road — and the Rams make 76.1% of their free throws on their home court. Colorado State held the Spartans to just 38.9% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last 11 games. But the Rams only shot 36.5% from the field in what was the worst shooting effort in their last 24 contests. They have played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total after playing a game where they did not score more than 50 points. And while they only scored 22 points in the first half of that game, they have then played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total after not scoring more than 25 points in the first half in their last game. The Over is also 10-3-1 in their last 14 games after a straight-up loss — and they have played 6 straight games Over the Total after a loss by 10 or more points in their last contest. And in their last 13 games after a point-spread loss, the Over is 10-2-1. While that game with San Jose State finished far below the 136.5-point total, Colorado State has played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total after playing an Under in their last contest. The Rams should approach their 80.4 Points-Per-Game scoring average when playing at home tonight. They rank 13th in the nation with a 56.4% shooting percentage inside the arc. The Lobos allow their opponents to convert on 50.7% of their shots inside the arc, ranking 205th in the nation — and their conference opponents have converted on 53.6% of their 2-pointers against them. Colored State ranks 21st in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency when playing on their home court — and they rank 17th in the nation by making 40.7% of their shots from behind the arc at home. The Rams have played 11 of their last 13 games Over the Total when playing at home — and they have 5 straight Overs at home against teams with a winning record on the road. Furthermore, Colorado State has played 4 of their last 5 home games Over the Total as an underdog or pick ‘em — and they have played 9 of their last 10 games Over the Total against teams winning 60% or more of their games.

FINAL TAKE: New Mexico won the first meeting between these two teams by an 88-69 score on December 28th — and the Rams have played all 3 of their games Over the Total when avenging a loss on the road this season. The Lobos have played 15 of their last 21 games Over the Total when favored — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total with the Total listed in the 150s. 25* CBB Mountain West Conference Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the New Mexico Lobos (867) and the Colorado State Rams (868). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Toledo Rockets (841) and the Ball State Cardinals (842). THE SITUATION: Toledo (24-6) rides a 14-game winning streak after a 99-65 victory as a 15-point favorite on Tuesday. Ball State (20-10) has lost three of their last four games after an 87-83 loss at Akron as a 9-point underdog on Tuesday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Rockets are nailing 54.4% of their shots in their last five games which helps them generate 92.8 Points-Per-Game in those contests. They have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a point spread victory. They have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a win by 20 or more points — and they have played 10 of their last 12 games Over the Total after winning seven or more games in a row. Toledo ranks 10th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — but they rank 275th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. On the road, they are scoring 81.5 PPG but allowing 77.7 PPG. The Rockets rank 2nd in the nation by making 40.1% of their shots — and that mark drops only slightly to a 39.0% clip when playing on the road, ranking 14th best in the nation. Toledo has played 14 of their last 20 road games Over the Total — and they have played 20 of their last 26 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher at home. Furthermore, the Rockets have played 22 of their last 33 games Over the Total with the Total set in the 150s — and they have played 25 of their last 35 games Over the Total against teams winning 60% or more of their games. Ball State has played 4 straight Overs after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a win against a conference rival. Additionally, the Cardinals have played 29 of their last 42 games Over the Total after allowing 75 or more points in their last game — and they have played 10 of their last 13 games Over the Total when playing for the third time in seven days. Ball State ranks 6th in the nation in getting to the free throw line — and they rank 23rd in the nation by making 37.7% of their shots from behind the arc. When playing at home, they make 48.4% of their shots which generates 80.4 PPG. They have played 5 straight Overs at home — and they have played 22 of their last 28 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. They have also played 19 of their last 25 home games with the Total set in the 150s. But the Cardinals have given up 77.4 PPG in their last five games — and now they host this Rockets’ team that is so good with their 3-point shooting having allowed their guests to nail 38.8% of their 3-pointers, ranking 349th in the nation. Ball State has played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total as an underdog — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: Ball State won the first meeting between these two teams by a 90-83 score on January 3rd — and Toledo has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total when attempting to avenge a loss. 25* CBB Mid-American Conference Total of the Year is with Over the Total in the game between the Toledo Rockets (841) and the Ball State Cardinals (842). Best of luck for us — Frank. 

At 7:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Lipscomb Bisons (306591) and the Kennesaw State Owls (306592) in the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament Semifinals. THE SITUATION: Lipscomb (20-12) has won four straight games and seven of their last nine after their 83-70 win against Stetson on Tuesday. Kennesaw State (24-8) has won three in a row and six of their last seven after their 67-66 victory against Queens-University of Charlotte as a 7-point favorite on Tuesday. The Owls are the host team at their Convocation Center in Kennesaw, Georgia.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Lipscomb made 47.6% of their shots on Tuesday which was the worst shooting effort in their last four contests. The Bisons rank 34th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 54.0% — and they are third in the Atlantic Sun with a 37.6% shooting clip from behind the arc, ranking third in the conference. Lipscomb has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 straight road games Over the Total after a win against a conference rival. Additionally, they have played 4 straight Overs after a point spread win — and they have played 7 straight overs when playing for the second time in the last three days. The Bisons are playing at a quicker pace than they were earlier in the season. While they are averaging 69.6 adjusted possessions per game, that mark has risen to 71.1 adjusted possessions per game in their last ten contests, ranking 31st in the nation. They are making 49.4% of their shots in their last five games which are generating 85.4 Points-Per-Game, a +8.8 PPG bump over their season average. But they are also allowing their opponents to make 45.2% of their shots in their last five games which is resulting in 79.6 PPG. On the road, the Bisons have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total — and they have played 4 of their last 5 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage at 60% or higher on their home court. They have played 8 of their last 11 road games Over the Total as an underdog of up to six points or as a pick ‘em — and they have played 8 of their last 12 road games Over the Total with the Total set in the 145-149.5-point range. Kennesaw State has seen the Over go 20-6-1 in their last 27 games after a straight-up win — and they have played 8 straight games Over the Total after a win at home against an Atlantic Sun rival. They have also played 6 straight Overs after a straight-up win where they did not cover the point spread as the favorite. The Owls will be vulnerable against the Bisons' 3-point shooting — they rank 10th in the conference by allowing their opponents to make 36.0% of their shots from behind the arc. But Kennesaw State can score — they rank 27th in the nation by making 57.2% of their shots inside the arc and rank 26th in getting to the free-throw line. On their home court, the Owls are making 48.6% of their shots which is generating 81.4 PPG which is +6.0 PPG above their season average. The Over is 20-7-1 in their last 28 games on their home court — and they have played 12 of their last 16 home games Over the Total when favored or as a pick ‘em.

FINAL TAKE: Kennesaw State won the first meeting between these two teams by an 85-72 score at home as a 4-point favorite — and they have played 5 straight Overs against teams with a winning record. 25* CBB Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Lipscomb Bisons (306591) and the Kennesaw State Owls (306592). Best of luck for us — Frank.  

At 8:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Southeast Louisiana Lions (306551) and the Houston Christian Huskies (306552). THE SITUATION: SE Louisiana (17-13) has won three games in a row after a 78-75 win in overtime as an 8-point favorite on Saturday. Houston Christian (10-20) had won two games in a row before a 68-64 loss at Nicholls State as an 11-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Lions only scored 22 points in the first half on Saturday while ending the game with a 42.3% shooting percentage which was the worst shooting effort in their last six games. They had nailed at least 50% of their shots in their previous three games — and they are still making 49.3% of their shots in their last five contests which is resulting in 78.4 Points-Per-Game. SE Louisiana has played 20 of their last 26 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after a win at home. The Over is 38-15-1 in their last 54 games after a point-spread win. Additionally, they have played 10 of their last 12 games Over the Total after not scoring more than 25 points in the first half of their last game — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after winning two games in a row against conference rivals. The Lions are not a good defensive team — they rank 317th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They are allowing their home hosts to 46.7% shooting when playing on the road which is resulting in them giving up 77.2 PPG. The Over is 19-7-1 in their last 27 road games — and the Over is 18-7-1 in their last 26 road games against teams with a winning record a home. Furthermore, SE Louisiana has played 12 of their last 16 games in conference play Over the Total — and they have played 18 of their last 27 games Over the Total when favored. Houston Christian only made 35.8% of their shots on Saturday which was the worst shooting effort in their last five contest. The Huskies have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss. Houston Christian returns home where they are making 51.3% of their shots which is generating 88.1 PPG, a +9.8 PPPG bump over their season average. They are 30th in the nation by making 39.6% of their shots from behind the arc — and now they host a Lions team that allows Southland Conference opponents to make a whopping 41.5% of their shots from downtown. But Houston Christian does not play a lick of defense — they rank dead last in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in the nation. They allow their opponents to make 37.3% of their 3-pointers and 58.5% of their shots inside the arc, ranking 336th and 306th in the nation respectively. They don’t force turnovers — and they rank 306th in the nation by allowing their opponents to pull down 31.4% of their missed shots. What the Huskies cannot do on defense, they make up for by playing at a fast pace. Their opponents average just 16.4 seconds per possession, the third fastest rate in the nation — and the 70.8 adjusted possessions per game in their contests is the 36th most in the nation. Houston Christian allows their guests to make 48.3% of their shots on their home court which is producing 88.1 PPG. The Over is 34-16-1 in their last 51 games at home — and they have played 11 of their last 12 games Over the Total on their home court. They have also played 22 of their last 28 home games Over the Total against teams with a losing record on the road. Furthermore, the Huskies have played 8 of their last 9 home games Over the Total as an underdog or as a pick ‘em — and they have played 5 straight Overs when listed in the +/- 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: Southeast Louisiana won the first meeting between these two teams by a 71-59 score as a 10-point home favorite on January 5th — but Houston Christian has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total when playing with revenge. 25* CBB Southland Conference Total of the Year is with Over the Total in the game between the Southeast Louisiana Lions (306551) and the Houston Christian Huskies (306552). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the UAB Blazers (763) and the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (764). THE SITUATION: UAB (21-8) has won four in a row and eight of their last nine contests after their 85-57 win against Rice as a 12-point favorite on Thursday. Western Kentucky (15-13) won for the fourth time in their last six games with a 76-66 victory against Louisiana Tech as a 4.5-point favorite on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Blazers held the Owls to host 32.3% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last 28 games. The Over is 27-9-1 in their last 37 games after a straight-up win — and the Over is 13-2-1 in their last 16 games after a win by 20 or more points. The Over is also 18-7-1 in their last 26 games after a point spread win — and they have played 9 of their last 10 games Over the Total after scoring 85 or more points in their last contest. Additionally, they have played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total after winning four or more games in a row. Now they go on the road where they are scoring 80.0 Points-Per-Game — and they have played 20 of their last 27 games Over the Total. They have also played 6 of their last 7 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better on their home court. Western Kentucky has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a point-spread victory. And while their game with the Bulldogs two days ago finished Under the 143.5-point total, they have then played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total after playing an Under in their last game. They stay at home where they are second in Conference USA by nailing 37.2% of their shots from behind the arc which is helping them score 78.5 PPG. The Hilltoppers have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total at home. They have also played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total against teams winning 60% or more of their games.

FINAL TAKE: UAB will have revenge on their mind after losing to Western Kentucky by an 80-78 score as a 10.5-point home favorite on January 11th. The Blazers should score more points in this rematch. They rank 7th in the nation by pulling down 37.1% of their missed shots. The Hilltoppers rank 271st in the nation by allowing their opponents to rebound 30.3% of their missed shots. UAB also nails 37.5% of their shots from behind the arc, ranking 22nd in the nation. Western Kentucky ranks 327th in the nation by allowing their opponents to make 37.0% of their shots from 3-point range, and that mark rises to a 38.4% clip when playing at home against Conference USA rivals. The Blazers have played 4 of their last 6 games Over the Total when avenging a loss. 25* CBB Conference USA Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the UAB Blazers (763) and the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (764). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 2:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between The Citadel Bulldogs (621) and the Mercer Bears (622). THE SITUATION: The Citadel (10-20) has lost two in a row and eight of their last nine contests with their 78-70 loss at East Tennessee State as a 7.5-point underdog on Wednesday. Mercer (12-18) has lost five games in a row after their 70-67 loss at Furman as a 13-point underdog on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Citadel allowed the Moccasins to nail 50.0% of their shots in what was the worst defensive effort in their last five games. The Bulldogs should tighten things up on the defensive end of the court in their final regular season game before the Southern Conference Tournament — they have played 18 of their last 25 games Under the Total after a loss on the road. They have also played 14 of their last 19 games Under the Total after losing two games in a row to a conference rival — and they have played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total after losing six or seven of their last eight contests. The Citadel’s bigger problems are with making baskets as they rank 287th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. They only make 43.3% of their shots on the road — and they don’t crash the offensive glass either as they rank 307th in the nation by pulling down only 20.6% of their missed shots. The Bulldogs have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 19 of their last 25 games Under the Total in February. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record. Mercer has seen the Under go 38-17-2 in their last 57 games after losing their previous game — and they have played ten of their last fourteen games Under the Total after losing their previous game. The Bears have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after losing their previous game by six points or less. The Under is also 4-0-1 in their last 5 games after a point-spread loss. And in their last 17 games when playing their second game in seven days, they have played 11 of these games Under the Total. Mercer also struggles to make baskets as they rank 10th in the Southern Conference and 288th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. The Bears are a solid defensive team that holds their guests to just 42.4% shooting when playing at home which results in them scoring 68.2 Points-Per-Game. The Under is 14-4-2 in their last 20 games on their home court — and the Under is 36-16-2 in Mercer’s last 54 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. The Bears have also played 11 of their last 12 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: Mercer won the first meeting between these two teams by a 74-65 score as a 2-point favorite on January 28th — and The Citadel has played 17 of their last 20 games Under the Total when attempting to avenge a same-season loss. 25* CBB Southern Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between The Citadel Bulldogs (621) and the Mercer Bears (622). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 11:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Abilene Christian Wildcats (893) and the Grand Canyon Anteaters (894). THE SITUATION: Abilene Christian (13-12) had their three-game winning streak snapped with a 77-62 loss to San Houston State as a 1.5-point underdog on Saturday. Grand Canyon (16-10) has lost two games in a row after their 77-76 upset loss to the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley as a 12-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Wildcats only made 38.9% of their shots last Saturday which was the worst shooting effort in their last six games. Abilene Christian has played 4 straight Overs after a straight-up win in their last game — and they have played 12 of their last 16 games Over the Total after a double-digit victory. The Wildcats have played six straight Overs — but not only have they then played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total after playing an Over in their last game but they have played 10 of their last 12 games Over the Total after playing three or more Overs in a row. Abilene Christian allowed Sam Houston State to nail 55.1% of their shots in the loss last week — and they have played 7 of their last 11 games Over the Total after allowing their last opponent to shoot 55% or better from the field including three of their four games Over the Total this season under those circumstances. The Wildcats are second-to-last in the Western Athletic Conference in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they are last in the conference with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 56.3%. Furthermore, they are last in the WAC in putting their conference opponents on the free throw line — and Grand Canyon leads the conference by making 74.7% of their shots in conference play. Abilene Christian goes back on the road where they allow their home hosts to nail 50.4% of their shots which results in 77.1 Points-Per-Game which is 7.5 PPG above their season average.  The Wildcats have played 21 of their last 30 games Over the Total on the road after winning two of their last three games. They have also played 13 of their last 15 games Over the Total in February. Grand Canyon has played 8 straight games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 6 straight Overs after a loss at home to a WAC rival. Furthermore, the Over is 35-16-4 in the Anteaters’ last 55 games after a point spread loss including 12 Overs in the last 15 games after not covering the point spread. And while that game finished above the 147.5-point total for that game, they have then played 14 of their last 16 games Over the Total after playing an Over in their previous game. Grand Canyon held UT Rio Grande Valley to just 37.7% shooting after holding Seattle to 36.4% shooting — but those were both their top two defensive efforts in their previous nine games. They stay at home where they are last in the WAC in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing on their home court. nit the Anteaters make 47.5% of their shots at home which generates 80.3 PPG. In conference play, they sport a 56.5% effective field goal percentage on their home court, ranking second in the WAC — and they are nailing 43.1% of their shots from behind the arc at home in conference play. They have played 19 of their last 26 games at home Over the Total including eleven of their last thirteen home games. The Over is also 16-4-1 in their last 21 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. Grand Canyon has also played 15 of their last 17 games Over the Total when favored.

FINAL TAKE: Abilene Christian will be looking to avenge a 75-73 loss at home to Grand Canyon as a 2.5-point underdog on January 26th. The Anteaters have played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total when playing with revenge — and they have played 4 straight Overs when avenging a loss at home to their opponent. 25* CBB Western Athletic Conference Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Abilene Christian Wildcats (893) and the Grand Canyon Anteaters (894). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 2:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Niagara Purple Eagles (839) and the Siena Saints (840). THE SITUATION: Niagara (12-9) has won three games in a row after their 76-73 victory against Canisius as a 4-point favorite on Friday. Siena (15-8) had won two games in a row before their 71-66 upset loss at Manhattan as a 5.5-point favorite on Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Purple Eagles have played 35 of their last 52 games Under the Total after a point spread loss — and they have played 13 of their last 17 road games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Niagara goes back on the road where they rank 48th in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 48.0% — and they rank in the top-64 in the nation in 3-point defense and inside the arc. And while the Purple Eagles rank 250th in the nation with an Adjusted Offensive Efficiency of 101.6, that mark plummets to 95.5 when playing on the road in hostile environments, ranking 306th in the nation. They only make 44.7% of their shots inside the arc in these true road games, ranking  307th in the nation. Niagara has played 23 of their last 35 games Under the Total on the road — including five of their last six games away from home. They have also played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total as an underdog getting 6.5 to 12 points. Siena allowed Manhattan to make 44.9% of their shots on Friday which was the worst defensive effort in their last six games. The Saints have the second-best Adjusted Defensive Efficiency mark in conference play in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Siena has played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a loss to a conference rival — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after an upset loss. They have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing for the second time in three days. They return home where they are making only 47.8% of their shots inside the arc, ranking 298th in the nation. The Saints have played their last 4 games at home Under the Total — and the Under is a decisive 30-12-2 in their last 44 games at home against teams with a winning percentage of 40% or less when playing on the road. Siena has also played 6 of their last 8 home games Under the Total with the Total set in the 130-134.5 point range.

FINAL TAKE: Both of these teams play at a slow pace. The Saints see 66.6 adjusted possessions per game, ranking 209th in the nation — and they average 19.0 seconds per possession, ranking 325th in the nation. Siena’s opponents average 16.9 seconds per possession which is the 45th quickest clip in the nation — but now they play a Purple Eagles team that averages 20.4 seconds per game, ranking 361st in the nation. Niagara averages 62.3 adjusted possessions per game, ranking 353rd in the nation. Both of these teams are going to crawl in this game. 25* CBB Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Niagara Purple Eagles (839) and the Siena Saints (840). 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 UNLV Runnin’ Rebels (637) and the Colorado State Rams (638). THE SITUATION: UNLV (14-7) has won two in a row after their 68-62 victory against Nevada as a 1-point favorite on Saturday. Colorado State (10-12) has lost three games in a row after their 80-59 loss at Boise State as an 8.5-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Rams only made 41.1 of their shots on Saturday which was the worst shooting effort in their last seven games. This is a surprise since Colorado State ranks 20th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 54.8% — and they are 13th in the nation by nailing 56.2% of their shots inside the arc. The Rams also allowed the Broncos to make 59.2% of their shots — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after allowing 80 or more points in their last contest. Additionally, the Over is 7-1-1 in Colorado State’s last 9 games after a straight-up win — and the Over is 7-1-1 in their last 9 games after a point spread victory. And while the Rams have lost four of their last five games, they have then played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total after losing four or five of their last six games. They return home where they are scoring 81.3 Points-Per-Game. Colorado State makes 41.3% of their shots from behind the arc on their home court, the 30th-best mark in the country. The Runnin’ Rebels are last in the Mountain West Conference by allowing their opponents to nail 41.5% of their 3-pointers. UNLV also ranks 246th in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 51.8%. The Over is 6-0-1 in the Rams’ last 7 games at home. Furthermore, Colorado State has played 6 straight Overs against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total with the Total set in the 140s. But the Rams rank 9th in the Mountain West in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — so they are going to give up their share of points. UNLV held the Wolf Pack to just 36.4% shooting on Saturday which was the best defensive effort in their last 12 contests. And while that final score flew Under the 140.5 point total for that game, the Runnin’ Rebels have then played 5 straight Overs after playing an Under in their last game. They have also played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 9 of their last 10 games Over the Total after a point-spread victory. Now UNLV goes back on the road where they have played 5 of their last 6 road games Over the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 6 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning record at home.

FINAL TAKE: Colorado State has seen three of their last five games go into overtime — including their 82-81 upset win in Las Vegas against the Runnin’ Rebels as a 5.5-point underdog on January 14th so perhaps we can catch a break with an extra five minutes in this one. We should not need the additional time — UNLV has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total when playing with revenge and they have played 6 straight Overs when avenging a loss by three points or less. 25* CBB Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels (637) and the Colorado State Rams (638). Best of luck for us — Frank. 

At 12:00 AM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the UC-Santa Barbara Gauchos (837) and the Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors (838). THE SITUATION: UC-Santa Barbara (16-3) has won three straight games after their 76-58 victory against CS-Bakersfield as a 17-point favorite on Saturday. Hawai’i (15-5) has won three of their last four contests with their 67-63 upset win at UC-Riverside as a 2.5-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Hawai’i pulled the upset against the Highlanders by making 45.3% of their shots which was the best shooting effort in their last five contests. The Rainbow Warriors have played 6 straight Unders after an upset win against a Big West Conference rival — and they have played 13 of their last 18 games Under the Total after beating a conference rival in their last contest. Additionally, Hawai’i has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread win — and they have played 9 of their last 11 home games Under the Total after a point spread victory. The Rainbow Warriors held UC-Riverside to just 31.9% to help earn this win. They rank 5th in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 43.0%. Hawai’i is outstanding in defending the perimeter as they rank 5th in the nation by holding their opponents to just 25.5% shooting from behind the arc. But they also make things very difficult for their opponents inside the arc as they are only hitting 44.2% of their 2-point shots, ranking 16th in the nation. The Rainbow Warriors return home where they rank 24th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Hawai’i has played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total on their home court — and they have played 9 of their last 13 home games Under the Total when favored by up to six points. UC-Santa Barbara comes off their worst defensive effort of the season after allowing the Roadrunners to nail 51.1% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage they have given up all year. The Gauchos survived by shooting 53.4% from the field themselves which was actually the lowest field goal percentage in their last three games. UC-Santa Barbara has played 31 of their last 45 games Under the Total after making 50% or more of their shots in two straight games. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total on the road after winning their last game. Furthermore, the Gauchos have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a point-spread win. And while their last game finished Over the Total, they have then played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after playing an Over in their last game. Now after playing their last two games at home, they go back on the road where their Adjusted Offensive Efficiency drops from ranking 62nd in the nation on their home court to a rough 227th ranking in their eight true road games. But while ranking 243rd in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing at home, they dramatically improve in their away games on the road or neutral courts by ranking 33rd in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. UC-Santa Barbara has played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 7 of their last 9 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. The Gauchos have held their last five opponents to just 41.8% shooting which has resulted in only 57.6 Points-Per-Game. UC-Santa Barbara is an excellent shooting team inside the arc where they rank 23rd in the nation by making 55.5% of their 2-pointers. But Hawai’i can pack inside the paint against this team and dare them to take 3s where they rank 347th in the nation by making only 27.0% of their 3-pointers when playing away from home.

FINAL TAKE: UC-Santa Barbara has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and the Rainbow Warriors have played 5 of their last 6 games at home Under the Total with the Total set no higher than 129.5. 25* CBB Big West Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the UC-Santa Barbara Gauchos (837) and the Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors (838). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the TCU Horned Frogs (691) and the West Virginia Mountaineers (692). THE SITUATION: TCU (14-3) snapped a two-game losing streak with an 82-68 win against Kansas State as a 4-point favorite on Saturday. West Virginia (10-7) has lost five games in a row after their 77-76 loss at Oklahoma as a 3.5-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Mountaineers are desperate for a victory after dropping their first five games in conference play. Three of these losses were on the road — and four of the losses were by seven points or less. Metrics guru Ken Pomeroy still ranks West Virginia ahead of the Horned Frogs with the Mountaineers ranked 24th in his rating system with TCU three spots behind at 27th. West Virginia is one of the best scoring teams in the nation — they rank 21st in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. They rank 57th in the nation by pulling down 33.0% of their missed shots — and they should get plenty of second-chance points against the Horned Frogs. TCU ranks 265th in the nation by allowing their opponents to rebound 30.9% of their missed shots — and they have been worse in conference play by allowing their Big 12 opponents to pull down 34.1% of their misses, ranking 9th in the conference. West Virginia has played 15 of their last 21 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 11 of their last 16 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. Additionally, the Mountaineers have played 11 of their last 12 games Over the Total after losing four or five of their last six games. They return home where they are scoring 80.0 Points-Per-Game — and they have played 6 of their last 9 home games Over the Total. They have also played 11 of their last 15 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. Head coach Bob Huggins' team is struggling due to the play of their defense — they rank 9th in the Big 12 in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They are giving their opponents too many shots at the charity stripe as they rank 337th in the nation in opponent free throw rate. The Mountaineers have allowed their last five opponents to score 77.0 PPG. West Virginia has played 39 of their last 54 games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total when favored. TCU only made 46.5% of their shots on Saturday which was the worst shooting effort in their last four games — but they allowed the Wildcats to make 43.1% of their shots which was the best defensive effort in their last four contests, so the short-term numbers point to a higher-scoring game tonight. The Horned Frogs have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a point-spread win. They have also played 8 straight Overs after winning at least eight of their last ten games. Head coach Jamie Dixon’s team should also get plenty of second-chance scoring opportunities tonight — they rank 27th in the nation by rebounding 35.1% of their missed shots. West Virginia is vulnerable on their defensive glass as they allow their opponents to rebound 28.7% of their missed shots, ranking 182nd in the nation. TCU goes back on the road where they are scoring 76.5 PPG. They have played 5 straight Overs on the road — and they have played 4 straight Overs against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher on their home court.

FINAL TAKE: The Horned Frogs have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total with the Total set in the 140s — and West Virginia has played 25 of their last 33 games Over the Total with the Total set in the 140s. 25* CBB Big 12 Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the TCU Horned Frogs (691) and the West Virginia Mountaineers (692). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Boston College Eagles (617) and the North Carolina Tar Heels (618). THE SITUATION: Boston College (8-10) has lost three games in a row after their 85-63 loss to Wake Forest as a 2.5-point underdog. North Carolina (12-6) has won three of their last four contests with their 80-59 victory at Louisville as a 13-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Tar Heels dominated the Cardinals on Saturday by holding them to just a 37.0% field goal percentage — the best defensive effort in their last 14 games. But North Carolina is not an elite defensive team this season. After ranking 35th in the nation last year in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in their trek to the national championship game, they have dropped to 58th in that metric this season. But the Tar Heels remain an outstanding offensive team that ranks 18th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. North Carolina has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a point spread victory. They have also played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a win of 20 or more points. They return home where they are making 48.1% of their shots which has resulted in 83.4 Points-Per-Game on their home court. The Tar Heels have covered the point spread in 4 straight games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. Boston College only made 38.2% of their shots on Saturday in their loss to the Demon Deacons — that was the worst shooting effort in their last nine games. But the Eagles' defense continues to struggle as they allowed Wake Forest to nail 52.3% of their shots — and that came on the heels of them allowing Miami (FL) to shoot 60.4% from the field in their previous game. Boston College has played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. They have also played 9 of their last 12 games Over the Total after a double-digit loss at home — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total after a loss by 20 or more points. They go back on the road where they allow their opponents to convert 49.5% of their shots. The Eagles have played 4 straight Overs on the road — and they have played 17 of their last 23 road games Over the Total as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: North Carolina is 8-0 at home this season — and Boston College has seen the Over go 33-16-2 in their last 51 road games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher at home. 25* CBB ACC Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Boston College (617) and the North Carolina Tar Heels (618). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Wednesday, whe will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Bradley Braves (707) and the Murray State Racers (708). THE SITUATION: Bradley (10-5) has won three of their last four games with their 79-45 victory against Illinois-Chicago as a 15-point favorite on Saturday. Murray State (8-6) snapped a two-game losing streak with their 78-61 win at Evansville as a 5-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Braves made 52.6% of their shots against the Flames which was the best shooting mark in their last seven games. Bradley has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a win by 20 or more points. They have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a point-spread victory. Furthermore, the Braves have played 4 straight games Under the Total after not allowing more than 50 points in their last game. This group is an outstanding defensive team that ranks 15th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Their stout defensive play starts from their interior defense which holds their opponents to 41.9% shooting inside the arc, ranking 7th in the nation. This spells trouble for the Tigers who get 53.7% of their points from 2-pointers, ranking 100th in the nation. In their four true road games, Bradley ranks 8th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. In their seven games away from home (including three games played on a neutral court), the Braves hold their opponents to 43.9% shooting which results in 65.3 Points-Per-Game. But Bradley only makes 39.4% of their shots away from home which is generating a mere 57.3 PPG. The Braves have played 5 straight Unders on the road — and they have played 5 straight Unders on the road against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher at home. Murray State has played 4 straight Unders after a point spread loss — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after losing two of their last three games. They return home where they holding their opponents to 61.6 PPG. The Racers have played 5 straight Unders on their home court — and they have 17 of their last 25 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage at 40% or less on the road. Murray State scores 70.2 PPG on their home court — and they rank 255th in the nation in Adjusted Efficiency Rate on offense in their five games at home.

FINAL TAKE: The Racers rank 33rd in the nation in 3-point defense by holding their opponents to 29.1% shooting from behind the arc — and Bradley ranks 59th in the nation by getting 36.2% of their points from 3-point shooting. 25* CBB Missouri Valley Conference Total of the Month is with Under the Total in the game between the Bradley Braves (707) and the Murray State Racers (708). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Seton Hall Pirates (627) and the Creighton Bluejays (628). THE SITUATION: Seton Hall (8-7) snapped a three-game losing streak with their 88-66 win against St. John’s as a 3-point favorite on Saturday. Creighton (8-6) has won two games in a row with their 80-65 win against DePaul as a 15.5-point favorite on Christmas Day.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Pirates nailed 54.1% of their shots against the Red Storm — that field goal percentage along with their 88 points represented their best offensive numbers of the season. But Seton Hall has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after scoring at least 85 points in their last contest. The Under is also 11-3-1 in their last 15 games after winning their previous game by 20 or more points. And while the Pirates have played two straight Overs, they have then played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after playing two more Overs in a row. They go back on the road where they are only making 42.6% of their shots which is resulting in them scoring 65.0 Points-Per-Game in those contests — -4.9 PPG before their season average. Seton Hall has played 14 of their last 19 games Under the Total on the road — and the Under is 13-5-1 in their last 19 road games against teams with a winning record at home. The Pirates are an outstanding defensive team in the first season under head coach Shaheen Holloway. Seton Hall ranks 29th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they rank 17th in the country by holding their opponents to 27.7% shooting from behind the arc. The Pirates like to get to the free throw line — they rank 6th in the nation in free throw rate. But now they play a Bluejays team that leads the nation in opponent free throw rate allowed. Creighton ranks 28th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They also limit their opponents to pulling down only 21.8% of their missed shots, ranking 7th best in the nation. The Bluejays were on a six-game losing streak before winning their last two games by double-digit wins at home against Big East Rivals. Both of those games coincided with the return of Ryan Kalkbrenner who missed three games to an injury last month. Creighton has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after winning their previous two games against conference opponents by 10 or more points. They have made at least 54.0% of their shots in their last two games after not shooting better than 46.3% in their previous six contests. The Bluejays have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after shooting 50% or better from the field in two straight games. They have scored 158 combined points in their last two contests — but they have then played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total after scoring at least 75 points in two straight games. And in their last 5 games when playing with at least seven games between contests, they have then played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when playing with seven or more days between games. They stay at home where they rank 22nd in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency on their home court. They hold their opponents to 40.7% shooting which is translating into their opponents scoring just 60.1 PPG. The Under is 21-10-1 in Creighton’s last 32 games at home — and the Under is 8-1-1 in their last 10 home games against teams with a winning percentage no higher than 40% on the road. They have also played 5 of their last 7 home games Under the Total when favored by 6.5 to 9 points. Additionally, the Bluejays have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 130s.

FINAL TAKE: Creighton has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and Seton Hall has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. 25* CBB Tuesday FS1-TV Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Seton Hall Pirates (627) and the Creighton Bluejays (628). 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 Arizona State Sun Devils (741) and the San Francisco Dons (742). THE SITUATION: Arizona State (11-1) has won nine straight games after their 91-67 victory against San Diego as a 12-point favorite on Sunday. San Francisco (9-4) has lost two of their last three games after their 68-63 upset loss at UT-Arlington as a 15-point favorite on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Sun Devils nailed 47.0% of their shots on Sunday which was the best shooting effort in their last six games. Arizona State has played 6 straight Unders after scoring at least 90 points in their last game. They have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 16 of their last 23 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Additionally, they have played 7 straight Unders after a win by double-digits at home — and they have played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a win by 20 or more points. The Sun Devils have also played 12 of their last 15 games Under the Total after winning two or more games in a row. They also allowed the Toreros to shoot 40.0% despite their opponent’s field goal percentage of 35.1%. Arizona State ranks 19th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they hold their opponents to 61.3 Points-Per-Game. The Sun Devils play outstanding half-court defense — they are 4th in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 40.4% while ranking 2nd in the country by limiting their opponents to making only 39.1% of their shots inside the arc. Now Arizona State goes back on the road where they make only 42.2% of their shots. They have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on the road. San Francisco has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. They only shot 38.2% from the field against the Mavericks in their last game — but they did nail 13 of their 31 (42%) shots from 3-point range. The Dons have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after making 13 more snots from behind the arc in their last contest. San Francisco is not likely to come close to replicating that effort tonight considering they only make 32.7% of their 3-pointers, ranking 206th in the nation. The Dons are going to struggle to score against the Sun Devils. Most of their scoring comes from inside the arc where they make 53.1% of their shots, ranking 80th in the nation — but that plays right into the heart of the Arizona State defense. San Francisco ranks just 173rd in the nation in offensive rebounding — and they do not get to the free throw line as they rank 180th in the free throw rate. The Dons do not draw a ton of fouls — their last two opponents to committed just 14 and 11 personal fouls. San Francisco has played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after not drawing 15 or more fouls in two straight games. They have also played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total when playing for the third time in the last seven days. They stay at home where they have played 4 straight Unders. They hold their guests to 41.2% shooting which results in 63.3 PPG. They also rank 38th in the nation in 3-point defense by limiting their opponents to a 29.0% shooting percentage from 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: Arizona State will be looking to avenge a 66-65 loss at home to the Dons as a 2.5-point underdog last season. The Sun Devils have played 14 of their last 17 games Under the Total when favored. 25* CBB Wednesday CBS-Sports Network Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Arizona State Sun Devils (741) and the San Francisco Dons (742). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Saturday, we will bhe playing Over the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (525) and the Washington Wizards (526). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (14-13) has lost two straight -- and four of their last five contests — after their 115-110 loss at Miami as a 7-point underdog on Thursday. Washington (11-15) has lost five in a row — and eight of their last nine contests — after a 121-111 loss at Indiana as a 4-point underdog last night.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Clippers have played 4 straight games Over the Total after a point spread loss. And while this is their fourth game since Monday, Los Angeles has played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total when playing for the fourth time in seven days. The Clippers have Kawhi Leonard back on the court and reunited with Paul George — yet the team is not playing hard on the defensive end of the court. In their last five games (with Leonard back for the last three), they are allowing their opponents to nail 49.3% of their shots which is translating into 119.2 Points-Per-Game. They complete their four-game road trip having played 6 straight games Over the Total on the road — and the Over is 7-1-1 in their last 9 home games against teams with a winning record a home. Los Angeles has also played 23 of their last 31 games Over the Total against teams with a losing record. Washington has allowed three straight opponents to make at least 50% of their shots after the Pacers made 50.6% of their shots last night. The Wizards have allowed their last three opponents to hit 48.7% of their shots which has resulted in them giving up 119.2 PPG during that span. The Over is 5-0-2 in their last 7 games after a straight-up loss — and the Over is 4-0-1 in their last 5 games after a point spread loss. They have also played 13 of their last 17 games Over the Total after losing four or five of their last six games. Washington has also played 35 of their last 51 games Over the Total when playing without a day of rest. They are undermanned right now with several injuries including Bradley Beal and Will Barton being out tonight. They return home where they have played 19 of their last 28 games Over the Total on their home court. Additionally, the Wizards have played 13 of their last 16 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 25 of their last 34 meetings Over the Total — and they have played 4 straight Overs when playing in Washington. 25* NBA Non-Conference Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (525) and the Washington Wizards (526). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Arizona State Sun Devils (709) and the SMU Mustangs (710). THE SITUATION: Arizona State (8-1) has won six games in a row after their 68-64 win against Stanford as a 5.5-point favorite on Sunday. SMU (3-5) has lost two games in a row after a 69-68 upset loss to Jackson State as a 13-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Sun Devils have played 15 of their last 21 games Under the Total after a straight-up win including four straight Unders going into this game. They have also played 11 of their last 12 games Under the Total after winning two games in a row. Arizona State has not allowed more than 65 points in seven straight games — and they have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 65 points in two straight games. They have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 65 points in three straight contests. Head coach Bobby Hurley has his team playing outstanding defense. They rank 16th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and only one of their opponents has made more than 39.7% of their shots against them. They rank 4th in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 38.9% — and the 24.4% shooting from behind the arc and the 40.2% shooting inside the arc by their opponents are both the 6th best cards in the nation. Their 5.8 blocks per game are 14th in the nation. On the road, they are holding their opponents to 36.8% shooting which is resulting in just 61.7 Points-Per-Game But Arizona State is making only 41.8% of their shots on the road which is translating into 69.0 PPG. They have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total on the road. The Sun Devils are not a good outside shooting team as they make only 29.0% of their 3-pointers, ranking 312th in the nation. They rely on getting to the charity stripe given their free-throw rate which is 28th in the nation — but the whistles from the referees are not always as accommodating when playing in a hostile environment for just the third time this season. Arizona State has played 20 of their last 28 games Under the Total with the number set in the 130s. SMU has played 5 straight Unders after a straight-up loss — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Mustangs can struggle to score points with only Zhuric Phelps and Zach Nutall averaging more than 9 PPG. SMU ranks 320th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 45.3%. They struggle with their shooting everywhere on the court — they rank 299th in the nation with a 29.5% shooting percentage behind the arc and 291st in the country with a 45.7% mark inside the arc. SMU is making only 40.0% of their shots which results in just 67.0 PPG. But the Mustangs are a solid defensive team that ranks 108th in the country in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They hold their guests to 39.4% shooting and 64.3 PPG when playing at home. They have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total at home — and they have played 17 of their last 26 home games Under the Total as an underdog getting up to six points.

FINAL TAKE: The Under is 27-8-1 in Arizona State’s last 36 games against teams not winning more than 40% of their games — and they have played 13 of their last 15 games Under the Total when favored. 25* CBB Wednesday ESPNU Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Arizona State Sun Devils (709) and the SMU Mustangs (710). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (525) and the Portland Trail Blazers (526). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (12-9) has won four of their last six games after their 114-100 upset win against Indiana as a 2-point underdog on Sunday. Portland (11-9) has lost five of their last six games after a 111-97 loss at Brooklyn as a 7.5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Clippers will be undermanned tonight with Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and John Wall all out due to various ailments. As it is, Los Angeles ranks 29th in the league in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. They are also 2nd in the NBA in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency (but playing without George does not help their cause on that end of the court). The Clippers have played 18 of their last 24 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a double-digit victory. They have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after an upset win at home — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a point spread win. They go back on the road where they have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total. They have also played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 210-219.5 point range. Portland is playing with Damian Lillard who is dealing with a calf injury. The Trail Blazers return home for one game after being on the road since November 20th. The Under is 16-7-1 in their last 24 home games after being on the road for seven or more days. The Under is 18-7-2 in Portland’s last 27 games at home — and the Under is 5-1-2 in their last 8 home games against teams with a losing record on the road.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total when playing against each other in Portland. 25* NBA Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (525) and the Portland Trail Blazers (526). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the UCLA Bruins (885) and the Illinois Fighting Illini (886). THE SITUATION: UCLA (3-0) has opened their season with three straight victories after an 86-56 win against Norfolk State as a 20.5-point favorite on Monday. Illinois (3-0) has won their first three contests after a 103-65 victory against Monmouth as a 28-point favorite on Monday. This game will be played on a neutral court at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for the Continental Tire Main Event tournament.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: This is the first true test for both these teams that have aspirations to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. The Bruins return Jaime Jaquez and Tyger Campbell from the group that finished 27-8 last season. But head coach Mick Cronin does replace Johnny Juzang and Jules Bernard who combined to score 28.4 Points-Per-Game last season. UCLA nailed 57.1% of their shots on Monday against Norfolk State which was the best shooting effort of their season. They allowed Norfolk State to make 47.3% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort of the year — so that end of the court will likely be an area of emphasis tonight for Cronin. The Bruins have played 4 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a game where they made at least 55% of their shots. They have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a double-digit win on the road — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a win by 20 or more points. They have also played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a point-spread victory. And while UCLA has scored at least 76 points in all three of their games, they have played 8 of their last 9 road games Under the Total after scoring at least 75 points in three straight contests. And in their last 19 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher, they have played 14 of these games Under the Total. Illinois replaces ten players from their team that finished 23-10 including their top five scorers headlined by Kofi Cockburn who departed early for the NBA. Head coach Brad Underwood hit the transfer window hard by bringing in Terrence Shannon, Jr. from Texas Tech and Matthew Mayer from Baylor. They have a talented point guard in Sky Clark but he is a freshman who will be tested for the first by an elite opponent. The Fighting Illini made 59.7% of their shots against Monmouth which was the best shooting effort of the season — but they allowed them to make 42.9% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort of the season after holding their first two opponents to just 35.0% and 31.2% shooting. Illinois has played 4 straight Unders against teams with a winning percentage over 60%.

FINAL TAKE: This is the first game away from home for both teams. Both of these teams are struggling to make their free throws with UCLA making only 67.5% of their shots from the charity stripe and Illinois only hitting 64.6% of their freebies. The Illini have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total on a neutral court — and they have played 20 of their last 28 games Under the Total on a neutral court with the Total set in the 140 to 144.5 point range. The Bruins have played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total on a neutral court with the Total set in the 140-144.5 point range. 25* CBB Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the UCLA Bruins (885) and the Illinois Fighting Illini (886). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bulls (535) and the Boston Celtics (536). THE SITUATION: Chicago (5-4) has won four of their last six games after a 106-88 win against Charlotte as a 4.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Boston (4-3) has lost three of their last four games after a 114-113 upset loss at Cleveland on Wednesday as a 1.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bulls are playing better defense this season led by Alex Caruso and Javonte Green. They held the Hornets to just 39.1% shooting after limiting Brooklyn to only 99 points in their previous game. Chicago has played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point-spread victory. And in their last 13 games after playing a game where no more than 195 combined points were scored, the Bulls have played 8 of those games Under the Total. They go back on the road where they have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total — and they have played 7 of their last 8 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. They have also played 6 straight Unders against teams with a winning record. Boston misses Robert Williams III who is out for a few months with an injury — but they are beginning to play better on defense. After holding Washington to 38.8% shooting, they limited the Cavaliers to just 42.0% shooting on Wednesday. Boston is still playing well in defending the rim even without Williams. They rank 4th in the NBA in preventing shots at the rim — and they are 9th in the league in opponent’s field goal percentage within four feet of the rim. The Celtics have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. They have also played 36 of their last 57 games Under the Total when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points.

FINAL TAKE: Boston will be looking to avenge a 120-102 loss at Chicago as a 5.5-point favorite on October 24th — and they have played 12 of their last 19 games Under the Total when playing with revenge from an upset loss on the road as the favorite. These two teams have played 6 of their last 8 meetings Under the Total. 25* NBA Friday ESPN Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bulls (535) and the Boston Celtics (536). 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 Brooklyn Nets (545) and the Milwaukee Bucks (546). THE SITUATION: Brooklyn (1-2) enters this game coming off a 134-124 loss at Memphis as a pick ‘em on Monday. Milwaukee (2-0) is unbeaten so far this season after a 125-105 win against Houston as a 13-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Nets nailed 54% of their shots on Monday against the Grizzlies which was the best shooting effort this season. But they allowed Memphis to make 50% of their shots which was the worst defensive performance of the new campaign. Brooklyn has been a disaster on defense this season allowing their first three opponents to score 123.0 Points-Per-Game on 49.3% shooting — but I think much of this is explained by the level of intensity Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving bring to that end of the floor. These two played harder on defense in the playoffs against Boston last spring — and I expect a similar effort tonight in this nationally-televised game. As it is, the Nets have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Furthermore,         Brooklyn has played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total after allowing at least 125 points in their last game — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after allowing 130 or more points in their last contest. And while they have allowed their three opponents to make 48.8% of their shots, they have then played 42 of their last 64 games Under the Total after allowing three straight opponents to shoot 47% or better from the field including ten of those last fifteen circumstances. What is perhaps more troubling for the Nets is their lack of efficiency on the offensive end of the court with their starting five. In the 73 possessions that Durant, Irving, Ben Simmons, Royce O’Neal, and Nic Clayton have been on the court together, they are scoring only 97.3 points per 100 possessions. As the Celtics exposed in the playoffs last year, this offense can be slow, stagnant, and predictable when Durant and Irving are playing “your turn, my turn” with the basketball. Adding Simmons and Claxton into the mix adds two players who do not present any scoring threat — making that starting five even easier to defend. Brooklyn has played 39 of their last 62 games Under the Total with the number set at 220 or higher. The Under is also 9-2-1 in their last 12 games against teams with a winning record. Milwaukee shot a season-high 56.5% from the field in their win against the Rockets. They have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a double-digit win. The Bucks have also played 4 straight Unders when playing with three or more days of rest. They stay at home where they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total on their home court. Milwaukee is playing without two of their best shooters with Khris Middleton and Pat Connaughton out with injuries. Their absences have allowed for Wes Matthews and Jelon Carter to play more minutes, who are more effective on the defensive end. The Bucks lead the NBA by allowing their opponents to score 97.9 points per 100 possessions. But the offense ranks 25th in Adjusted Net Efficiency despite playing two bottom-ten defenses in terms of efficiency. Head coach Mike Budenholzer has his team playing at a slower pace as they rank 26th in tempo this season after ranking 4th in that metric last year. Brooklyn ranks 24th in the league in pace.

FINAL TAKE: Simmons defended Giannis Antetokounmpo in an interesting matchup — he held the Greek Freak to just 6 of 21 shooting in the preseason (for what that is worth). The Under is 10-2-1 in their last 13 meetings against each other — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games in Milwaukee Under the Total. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Brooklyn Nets (545) and the Milwaukee Bucks (546). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:10 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (527) and the Boston Celtics (528) in Game Six of the NBA Finals. THE SITUATION: Golden State (68-35) can win the NBA Championship tonight after taking a 3-2 lead in this series with their 104-94 win at home against the Celtics as a 4-point favorite on Monday. Boston (65-40) returns home looking to stave off elimination after losing three of the last four games in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: I suspect the market has not adapted enough to the fundamental change that has occurred in this series. After holding the Celtics to just 97 and then 94 points in the last two games in this series, the Warriors have found the answers as to how to best deploy their defensive efforts. Golden State is playing tight and aggressive defense that is making things uncomfortable for both Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The Celtics lack a consistent third scoring option or reliable 3-point shooting to counter these tactics. Let’s remember that Golden State ranked second in the NBA by holding their opponents to just 107 points per 100 possessions in the regular season — despite not playing with Draymond Green for a long stretch. Game Three of this series had 216 combined points scored after Game Two only had 195 combined points scored. The Warriors have held Boston to no more 88, 94, and 97 points in three of their last four games. The lone exception was in Game Three when Boston scored 116 points — fueled by a 47 to 31 edge on the boards. Warriors’ head coach Steve Kerr immediately made his team’s effort on the boards a high priority. After pulling down 15 offensive rebounds in that Game Three, the Celtics have only managed 11 and then 8 offensive boards in the two games since after Kerr cajoled his team to tighten things up. The last two games in this series have had only 204 and 198 combined points scored — and Golden State has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after playing two straight games where no more than 205 combined points were scored. The Warriors’ energy level of defense should continue with the extra day of rest — they have played 20 of their last 27 games Under the Total when playing with two days of rest including seven of those last ten occasions. Golden State was called for 28 personal fouls on Monday with Boston being whistled for only 16 fouls — and the Warriors have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after being called for at least 10 more personal fouls than their opponent. Golden State is scoring only 105.2 points per game in this series with that average dropping to 103.7 PPG in the last three games. One of the dynamics that is contributing to this is the less of a role Jordan Poole is playing. Poole is a liability on defense which has compelled Kerr to give him less playing time. He is averaging just 17 minutes per game in the last two games after only being on the court for 14:17 minutes on Monday mostly to give Stephen Curry a spell. He did score 14 points in Game Five — but three of those points were that buzzer-beating 40-footer at the end of the third quarter. Golden State has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total as an underdog. Boston has played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after losing two games in a row — and they have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after not covering the point spread in two straight games. They have also played 8 of their last 13 games Under the Total after not scoring more than 95 points in their last game. Additionally, the Celtics have played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total when playing with two days of rest — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total when committing at least 10 fewer personal fouls than their opponent in their last game.

FINAL TAKE: Boston has played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total when playing with double-revenge from two straight losses by double-digits to their opponent. 25* NBA Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (527) and the Boston Celtics (528). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Miami Heat (505) and the Boston Celtics (506) in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals. THE SITUATION: Miami (63-35) has lost two straight and three of the last four games in this series after a 93-80 loss at home as a 3-point underdog on Wednesday. Boston (62-36) took a 3-2 lead in the series with the victory.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: After scoring only 82 points and shooting a season-low 33.3% from the field in their 20-point loss on the road in Game Four, Wednesday’s Game Five was the time that the Heat needed to step up. Instead, they made only 7 of their 45 shots (16%) from behind the arc and set a new standard in futility with their shooting for the season by making only 31.9% of their shots in scoring just 83 points in their seven-point loss. I don’t Miami is a fraud — my conclusion is that injuries have simply robbed the team of its offensive identity. Everything starts with Jimmy Butler — exemplified in Game One when he scored 41 points while getting to the free-throw line 18 times. The Heat scored 118 points against the top statistical defense in the NBA. And head coach Erik Spoelstra has his team shoot plenty of shots from behind the arc as they demonstrated by their dominant start to Game Three where they seized a 26-point lead in the second quarter. Then Butler re-injured the knee that has been nagging him for much of the season. Miami holds on to win Game Three — and Butler returns to the court to play in the last two games. But he is a shell of himself. In Game Four, he scores only 6 points on 3 of 14 shooting — and he is no drive in his game as he fails to get to the free-throw line even once. He was a bit better on Wednesday — but he still only got to three free throw line four times in scoring 13 points on 4 of 18 shooting. Since the injury, he has made only 7 of 32 shots for a 21.9% field goal percentage. Kyle Lowry was brought in during the offseason to be the second or third scoring option in the starting lineup — but he is far from 100% with the Hamstring that kept him earlier in the playoffs. He did not score in Game Five after scoring just 3 points in Game Four. Lowry has made only one shot in the last two games — and he has taken just 12 shots in those two contests. Tyler Herro won the Sixth Man of the Year Award by scoring 20.7 Points-Per-Game coming off the bench — but the Heat have been without their second-leading scorer since he injured his groin in Game Three. Even if he returns tonight, his effectiveness is in doubt since his injury usually puts players on the shelf for two to four weeks. Bam Adebayo has been fine — he scored 18 points on 8 of 15 shooting on Wednesday. But he is not a number one scoring option — and this clever Celtics team now knows to focus their energies on him. Miami has Victor Oladipo who can provide offense — but he scored only 3 points on 1 of 7 shooting coming off the bench in Game Five. Spoelstra cannot play Duncan Robinson because he is a liability on defense. That puts Max Strus in the starting line up who missed all nine of his shots from the field on Wednesday. Miami can’t flip a switch to make Butler or Lowry or Herro healthy again — and perhaps the flaw of this team is that they really need at least two of those guys performing well to complement Adebayo. Since Game Two of this series, the Heat are scoring 1.01 Points-Per-Possession — and they are scoring 0.84 Points-Per-Possession in the halfcourt. Granted, they should make more than the 13 of 39 clip-on uncontested shots from the field they endured in Game Five. But this is now a team that is likely to struggle to score even 90 points when playing on the road against the elite Boston defense. Miami has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. They have also played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher on their home court. Boston has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after not allowing their last opponent to shoot 35% or better from the field. The Celtics have also played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after playing a game where no more than 190 combined points were scored. Back at home, Boston has played 12 of their last 16 home games Under the Total when favored by 6.5 to 12 points.

FINAL TAKE: While Miami’s ability to score points is in doubt, their commitment to making things difficult for the Celtics on the other end of the court is not. They have held Boston to just 35% shooting from 3-point land — and the Celtics have not scored more than 103 points in each of the last three games of the series. Spoelstra will no longer be interested in pushing the pace in this series — this needs to be a slog for his team to have a chance. The Heat have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total as an underdog. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Miami Heat (505) and the Boston Celtics (506). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (567) and the Dallas Mavericks (568) in Game Four of the Western Conference Finals. THE SITUATION: Golden State (64-32) has won six of their last seven games after their 109-100 upset victory on the road against the Mavericks on Sunday. Dallas (60-38) has lost four of their last six games after falling behind 0-3 in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Warriors’ zone defense is stifling the Mavericks in this series. Dallas is making only 33.3% of their shots from behind the arc — but they continue to live-or-die by the 3 as they are attempting 52% of their shots from the field from distance. The Mavericks’ lack of size is hurting them in this series as well — they are only pulling down 18.2% of their missed shots. Golden State won the rebounding battle by a 47-33 margin on Sunday — and they have outrebounded Dallas by at least 13 boards in each of the games in this series. The Warriors have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after outrebounding their last two opponents by at least 10 boards. And while Golden State has covered the point spread in four straight contests, they have then played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in four straight games. They stay on the road where they have played 21 of their last 31 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. They have also played 4 straight Unders as an underdog. Dallas has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after an upset loss — and they have played 17 of their last 24 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Mavericks have also played 13 of their last 17 home games Under the Total after failing to score more than 105 points in their last game. They have played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total after losing four or five of their last six games. They have played 4 straight Unders after not covering the point spread in three straight games. Furthermore, Dallas has played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after getting outrebounded by at least five boards in three straight games. The Mavericks stay at home where the Under is 37-13-1 in their last 51 games —and they have played 20 of their last 27 home games when favored. They have also played 25 of their last 32 home games Under the Total when the Total is set in the 210-219.5 point range.

FINAL TAKE: Dallas has played 13 of their last 17 home games Under the Total when avenging a loss where their opponent scored at least 100 points — and they have played 23 of their last 35 games Under the Total when playing with double-revenge. 25* NBA Western Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (567) and the Dallas Mavericks (568). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Mavericks (527) and the Phoenix Suns (528) in Game Seven of their Western Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Dallas (59-35) forced a decisive Game Seven in this series with their 113-86 upset victory as a 2-point underdog on Thursday. Phoenix (71-23) has lost three of the last four games in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Dallas has steadily improved their defensive play in this series. After allowing the Suns to score 125 Points-Per-Game with a 1.32 Points-Per-Possession scoring rate, they have contained Phoenix to just 90 PPG with 1.05 PPG scoring rate in the last four games of this series. Granted, three of those four games were played in Dallas — but Phoenix scored 110 points in Game Five back at home with a 49.4% field goal percentage. The Suns average 115.5 PPG on their home court — so Dallas’ effort in Game Five was still pretty good. Phoenix began the playoffs by making at least 50% of their shots in their first eight games — including nailing at least 60% of their shots in two contests — while averaging 114.8 PPG during that span. The Mavericks have found a way to slow down Chris Paul who is only scoring 9.3 PPG in his last four games. Jalen Brunson has proven himself a gritty defender against Paul who is struggling against his physicality. Dallas has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 19 of their last 28 games Under the Total after a double-digit victory. The Mavs have also played 10 of their last 16 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 95 points in their last game. Dallas made 45.5% of their shots on Thursday which was the best shooting effort in their last four games. The Mavericks have been outrebounded by at least six rebounds in all six games in this series — and they have then played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total after getting outrebounded by at least five boards in three straight games. Dallas goes back on the road where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 200 to 209.5 point range. Phoenix has played 12 of their last 16 game Under the Total after an upset loss — and they have played 7 straight Unders after an upset loss as a road favorite. The Suns have also played 12 straight Unders after a loss on the road, in general. Additionally, Phoenix has played 12 of their last 15 games Under the Total when playing with two days of rest — and they have played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total after outrebounding their opponents by at least five boards in four straight games.

FINAL TAKE: Phoenix has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when avenging an upset loss as a road favorite. 25* NBA 2nd Round Western Conference Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Mavericks (527) and the Phoenix Suns (528). 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 Milwaukee Bucks (507) and the Boston Celtics (508) in Game Four of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (57-34) has lost two of the last three games in this series with their 116-108 upset loss at home against the Celtics as a 2-point favorite on Monday. Boston (57-33) has won seven of their last nine games while evening this series at 2-2.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Milwaukee went into the fourth quarter in Game Four with a seven-point lead — but they surrendered a whopping 43 points in the final 12 minutes to get outscored by 15 points in the loss. That was the worst defensive effort for the Bucks in their last nine games. Milwaukee still leads all teams in the playoffs in Defensive Efficiency. The first item on head coach Mike Budenholzer’s agenda is to tighten things up on defense again. The Bucks have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. They go back on the road where they have played 4 straight Unders — and they have played 10 of their last 15 road games Under the Total as an underdog of up to six points. Milwaukee misses Khris Middleton who remains out with a knee injury. Not only did he score 20.1 Points-Per-Game and 5.4 Assists-Per-Game in the regular season, but he is the team’s primary ball-handler which is critical for this team because he allows Giannis Antetokounmpo to exert less energy. Given the injury to Middleton, more is being asked of Jrue Holiday -- but he is more effective as a third scoring option rather than the primary complement to Antetokounmpo. Holiday is averaging 23 shot attempts per game in this series — but he is making only 33.6% of his shots and 30.9% of his shots from behind the arc. Brook Lopez becomes the de-facto third scoring option with Middleton out — but while he has scored 17 PPG in the playoffs when playing at home, he is only scoring 4.8 PPG on the road in the playoffs. Moving forward, Milwaukee has played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. The Under is also 9-2-1 in their last 12 games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Boston enjoyed their best shooting mark in their last five games with their 50% shooting clip on Monday. They got a huge effort from Al Horford who nailed 11 of his 14 shots from the field including 5 of 7 from behind the arc for 30 points. The Celtics’ 116 points was tied for the highest-scoring game in their last eight contests. But Boston has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 12 of their last 19 games Under the Total after an upset win. They return home where they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. After leading the NBA in Defensive Efficiency in the regular season, they are third in the playoffs in defense while giving up the second-fewest points in the paint. The Celtics have played 30 of their last 44 games Under the Total when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points. And in their last 13 games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, Boston has played 11 of these games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: Milwaukee has played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total when avenging a loss on their home court. These two teams have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing in Boston. 25* NBA 2nd Round Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (507) and the Boston Celtics (508). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Memphis Grizzlies (571) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (572) in Game Six of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Memphis (59-28) has won three of their last four games with their 111-109 win at against the Timberwolves as a 6.5-point favorite on Tuesday. Minnesota (49-39) hopes to stave off elimination tonight trailing 3-2 in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: This series has been trending to lower-scoring games. After Game One saw 247 combined points scored, the Total moved up from a closing number in the 238 range for the first game to a closing Total in the 240 range. Game Two saw only 220 combined points scored before Game Three saw the series-low of 199 points. Game Four’s final score upticked back to 237 combined points (thanks for a furious scoring pace in the final minute). Game Five’s final score dropped to 220. Memphis is finding success in this series by winning the battle on the boards. After outrebounding the Timberwolves by a 53-42 margin on Tuesday, the Grizzlies have outrebounded them by at least five boards in the last four games. Memphis has then played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total after outrebounding their last opponent by at least five rebounds in fouur straight games. The Grizzlies go back on the road where they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on the road when favored. Minnesota has played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a loss by three points or less. After exploding 130 points in Game One, the Timberwolves are averaging only 104.8 PPG in the last four games in this series on 42.5% shooting from the field. They have scored more than 109 points just once in these last four games — and they have not cleared 96 points twice in the last four. They return home where they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total as an underdog. And while the Grizzlies outrebound their opponents by +7.0 Rebounds-Per-Game, Minnesota has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total in the second half of the season against teams who outrebound their opponents by at least 5.0 Rebounds-Per-Game. The T-Wolves have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 5 of their last 7 meetings Under the Total — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total when playing at Minnesota. 25* NBA Round One Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Memphis Grizzlies (571) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (572). 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 Philadelphia 76ers (567) and the Toronto Raptors (568) in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (54-33) has suffered two straight upset losses after their 103-88 loss at home against the Raptors as a 7.5-point favorite on Monday. Toronto (50-37) trails in this series by a 3-2 margin.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The 76ers are not as potent on offense since Joel Embiid injured his right thumb on his shooting hand. Philadelphia had a 61.5% effective field goal percentage before the injury — but they have a collective 48.1% effective field goal percentage as a team ever since after making only 38.3% of their shots on Monday. Embiid still scored 20 points in the loss in Game Five — but he cannot carry the team on offense and his outside shot is now limited. He missed all four of his shots from behind the arc in Game Five and his diminished threat as an outside shooter disrupts the team’s spacing on the court. The 76ers’ route to victory tonight is to play better defense after allowing the Raptors to make 51.2% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last six games. They go back on the road where the Under is 5-2-1 in their last 8 games — and the Under is also 4-1-1 in their last 6 road games against teams with a winning record at home. Philadelphia has also played 7 of their last 10 games on the road Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Additionally, the Sixers have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total with the Total in the 200 to 209.5 point range. Toronto enjoyed the best shooting effort in their last 13 contests after nailing 51.2% of their shots. But the Raptors have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a double-digit victory as a road underdog in their last game. They have also played 30 of their last 39 games Under the Total after winning their last two games against Atlantic Division rivals. And while they have only covered the point spread in two of their last seven games, they have then played 10 of their last 11 home games Under the Total after not covering the point spread in four or five of their last six games. The Raptors will likely be without Fred VanVleet once again tonight. His absence helps Toronto on defense where he is a liability — but he is perhaps their most reliable scorer. They have played 18 of their last 26 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 7 of their last 9 meetings Under the Total when playing in Toronto. 25* NBA 1st Round Atlantic Division Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Philadelphia 76ers (567) and the Toronto Raptors (568). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bulls (553) and the Milwaukee Bucks (554) in Game Five of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Chicago (47-39) looks to stave off elimination tonight after losing by a 119-95 score at home to the Bucks as a 4.5-point underdog on Sunday. Milwaukee (54-32) has a 3-1 lead in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Chicago lost their second-best offensive player yesterday when Zack LaVine once again tested positive for COVID — he is out for tonight’s game. The Bulls will also be without Alex Caruso who is in the concussion protocol. Chicago will miss Caruso’s contributions on defense — but the net effect of losing both players is a net loss on the offensive end of the court. As it is, the Bulls are only scoring 94.2 points per 100 possessions in the playoffs which is the second-worst of all the teams in the first round of the playoffs. They are making just 39.8% of their shots in this series which is generating only 94.0 Points-Per-Game. Chicago has played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a loss at home to a Central Division rival. And while they have lost seven of their last nine games, they have then played 14 of their last 18 games Under the Total after losing five or six of their last seven contests. Now they go back on the road where they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total — and they have played 6 of their last 7 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. The Bulls have played 5 straight playoff games Under the Total. And in their last 20 games against division opponents, Chicago has played 16 of these contests Under the Total while scoring just 102.4 PPG in those 20 games — but allowing only 105.1 PPG. Milwaukee has played 10 of their last 11 home games Under the Total after a win by 20 or more points on the road. They return home where they have played 6 of their last 7 home games Under the Total against teams with a losing record on the road. The Bucks will continue to playing without Khris Middleton who scored 20.1 PPG and averaged 5.4 Assists-Per-Game. Milwaukee has stepped up to nail 43.2% of their 74 shots from behind the arc in their last two games. The Bucks shoot 36.4% from 3-point range at home — so the Regression Gods are likely to make a visit. Milwaukee made 52.3% of their shots on Sunday which was the best shooting mark in their last seven contests. The Under is 15-5-2 in the Bucks’ last 22 games in the playoffs when favored. They have also played 15 of their last 20 games Under the Total against Central Division rivals.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 6 straight Unders when playing in Milwaukee. Chicago has played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total on the road when avenging a 20-point loss at home — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing with revenge from a loss by 10 or more points. 25* NBA Central Division Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bulls (553) and the Milwaukee Bucks (554). Best of luck for us — Frank.