At 9:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Washington Huskies (745) and the Oregon State Beavers (746). THE SITUATION: Washington (3-12) had their two-game winning streak snapped on Sunday with their 77-62 upset loss at home to Washington State as a 1.5-point favorite. Oregon State (8-7) has lost their last two games with their 57-52 loss at UCLA as an 11.5-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Huskies made only 38.2% of their shots against the Cougars which was the worst shooting effort in their last four games. Washington has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a double-digit loss at home. They also have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after an upset loss to a conference rival. Additionally, the Huskies have played 5 straight games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 4 straight games Over the Total after a point spread loss. The defense for head coach Mike Hopkins’ team has been the bigger issue this season — the 77 points they allowed against Washington State was actually the fewest in their last nine games. The Cougars have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after allowing at least 75 points in two straight games. Over their last five games, Washington is scoring 74.6 PPG — but they are allowing 82.4 PPG with those five opponents making 46.9% of their shots. Now this team goes back on the road where they are 0-8 this season. They allow their home hosts to make 47.1% of their shots which translates into 82.7 PPG. Hopkins is a Jim Boeheim disciple with his using the 2-3 zone defense that he has made a staple at Syracuse. Defensive rebounding is a weakness with that scheme — and the Huskies are allowing their opponents to rebound 39.1% of their missed shots which is 304th worst in the nation. But the 2-3 zone is intended to force ill-advised outside shots — yet Washington is seeing their home hosts nail 39.7% of their 3-pointers which is 343rd in the nation. The Huskies have played 7 straight games Over the Total on the road — and they have played 7 straight road games Over the Total as an underdog. Oregon State should take advantage of both these vulnerabilities. The Beavers pull down a healthy 29.0% of their shots on the offensive glass — and they make 35.4% of their 3-pointers at home. Oregon State has also played 15 of their last 23 games Over the Total after a loss to a conference rival. Furthermore, the Beavers have played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total after failing to score at least 60 points in their last game — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after scoring no more than 55 points in their last contest. Oregon State did hold the Bruins to just 32.7% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last thirteen games. The Beavers return home where they are 7-4 while scoring 75.5 PPG. Oregon State has played 4 of their last 5 home games Over the Total — and they have played 8 of their last 12 home games Over the Total with the number set in the 140 to 144.5 point range. The Beavers have also played 9 of their last 13 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road. Furthermore, Oregon State has played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total against teams not winning more than 40% of their games. And in their last 18 games with the Total set in the 140s, the Beavers have played 13 of these games Over the Total.

FINAL TAKE: Washington has played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total against Pac-12 opponents. The Huskies allow 77.3 PPG — and Oregon State has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total against teams who allow at least 77 PPG. 25* CBB Pac-12 Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Washington Huskies (745) and the Oregon State Beavers (746). 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 Valparaiso Crusaders (863) and the Evansville Purple Aces (864). THE SITUATION: Valparaiso (6-10) saw their three-game winning streak snapped yesterday with their 70-52 loss at Evansville as a 1-point underdog. Evansville (7-8) ended a three-game losing streak with the victory.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Crusaders allowed the Purple Aces to nail 60.4% of their shots from the field which was their worst defensive effort of the season. Valparaiso holds their home hosts to just 42.6% shooting — so they should play better on the defensive end of the court. The Crusaders have played 12 of their last 14 games Under the Total after allowing their last opponent to make at least 55% of their shots. Valparaiso also made 47.5% of their shots in that game which was their best field goal percentage in their last nine contests. The Crusaders are 10th in the Missouri Valley Conference in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. While they score 67.9 PPG on the season with a 41.2% field goal percentage, they have averaged just 64.2 PPG along with a 38.9% field goal percentage in their last five games. Valparaiso's scoring average drops to 63.0 PPG along with a 40.8% shooting percentage in their nine road games. They have played 5 straight road games Under the Total — and they have played 6 straight road games Under the Total with a winning record at home. They also have played 6 straight road games Under the Total as an underdog. Additionally, the Crusaders have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a loss — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a loss by at least 15 points. They also have played 28 of their last 37 games Under the Total after a loss on the road where they did not score at least 60 points. Evansville enjoyed their best shooting effort of the season yesterday — and it was only the second time all season where they shot better than 48.9% of their shots. The Purple Aces make only 42.0% of their shots. Evansville has also allowed their last four opponents to make at least 47.5% of their shots — and they have played 10 of their last 15 games Under the Total after allowing their last three opponents to make at last 47% of their shots. The Purple Aces have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up win. And while this is their second game since January 17th, they have played 4 straight Unders when playing their second game in eight days. They stay at home where they hold their opponents to 62.2 PPG which is -6.1 PPG below their season average. Evansville has played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total at home — and they have played 10 of their last 12 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage at 40% or less on the road. The Purple Aces have also played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total as a favorite.

FINAL TAKE: Despite both these teams overachieving with their shooting yesterday, that result still finished below the 126.5 Total. There were only 59 possessions for both teams in that game. If the tempo is similar to that again tonight, this game should finish well below the number. Valparaiso has played 20 of their last 28 games Under the Total after when listed in the +/- 3-point range. 25* CBB Missouri Valley Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Valparaiso Crusaders (863) and the Evansville Purple Aces (864). 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 California Golden Bears (687) and the Arizona Wildcats (688). THE SITUATION: California (7-11) has lost three straight games with their 72-68 loss at Arizona State as a 9.5-point underdog on Thursday. Arizona (12-4) saw their three-game winning streak end on Thursday in a 73-64 loss to Stanford as a 9-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Golden Bears made only 39.3% of their shots which was their worst shooting effort in their last six games. Cal did get their leading scorer back in that game against the Sun Devils with Matt Bradley scoring 26 points with 10 rebounds. The Golden Bears have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total after a point spread victory. And while that game finished Over the 135 point total, Cal has then played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total after playing an Over. The Bears stay on the road where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total. Cal scores a healthy 73.4 PPG on 47.6% shooting on the road. But their defense has been a mess playing away from home — they have an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 56.4% with their opponents making 42.6% of their 3-pointers when they are playing on the road, ranking 298th and 333rd in the nation. The Golden Bears have played 4 straight road games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. Cal has also played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total with the number set in the 130s. Arizona has played 5 straight games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. The Wildcats have also played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total after an upset loss at home against a Pac-12 foe. Arizona made only 41.5% of their shots which was their lowest field goal percentage in their last five games. The Wildcats rank 16th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — so they should shoot better this afternoon. But this is a tired basketball team playing their second game in three days and fourth in the last nine days. Injuries are not helping matters — they lost a rotation player with Jemarl Baker’s season-ending injury and Bennedict Mathurin played 25 minutes off the bench while scoring 10 points after suffering a right ankle sprain on Monday. Fatigue will impact the Wildcats’ effort on defense and likely lead to them fouling more. Arizona allowed the Cardinal to shoot 49.1% from the field in what was their worst defensive effort in five games. The Wildcats have played 4 straight Overs when playing their second game in three days. They stay at home where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total as a favorite — and they have played 8 of their last 9 home games with the Total set in the 130s. They score 76.8 PPG at home — and in their last five games, Arizona is scoring 80.4 PPG on 48.4% shooting.

FINAL TAKE: The Wildcats have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total as a favorite. California has played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total as an underdog — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. 25* CBB Pac-12 Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the California Golden Bears (687) and the Arizona Wildcats (688). 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 Weber State Wildcats (755) and the Idaho Vandals (756). THE SITUATION: Weber State (7-4) had their four-game winning streak snapped on Saturday in their 77-72 loss at Southern Utah in a pick ‘em contest. Idaho (0-11) remained winless back on January 16th in their last game which ended in a 75-61 loss to Northern Colorado as an 8.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Wildcats made only 39.4% of their shots which was their lowest field goal percentage in their last eight games. Weber State can shoot the basketball (per usual) — this year, they rank 40th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 54.2%. They have played 14 of their last 19 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 setback. Additionally, the Wildcats have played 6 straight Overs after a loss by six points or less. Over their last five games, Weber State is scoring 90.2 PPG while nailing 53.3% of their shots. They stay on the road where they are allowing their home hosts to score 74.8 PPG. The Wildcats have 7 of their last 9 road games Over the Total against teams who are not winning more than 40% of their games at home. Weber State has also played a decisive 41 of their last 60 road games Over the Total when favored. Idaho has played 22 of their last 32 home games Over the Total after playing their last game at home as an underdog. The Vandals had made at least 50.9% of their shots in three straight games before running into Northern Colorado who held them to 54 points on 39.6% shooting in their first meeting on January 14th before making only 42% of their shots two days later the last time they were on the court. Idaho has played 14 of their last 19 games Over the Total after not scoring more than 65 points in two straight games. Head coach Zac Claus will likely want his team passing more after they dished out just 10 and 6 assists respectively in those last two games. The Vandals have played 11 of their last 17 games Over the Total after not assisting on more than 12 baskets in two straight games. Those two games finished Under the Total — but Idaho has played 8 of their last 13 games Over the Total after playing at least two straight Unders. Defense is an issue for this team — they have the nation’s 333rd worst Adjusted Defensive Efficiency number which worsens to a 334th mark in the nation when they are playing at home. Their visitors nail 44.2% of their shots from 3-point land when playing at home.

FINAL TAKE: Idaho has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record. Weber State has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against teams with a losing record — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total as a double-digit favorite. 25* CBB Big Sky Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Weber State Wildcats (755) and the Idaho Vandals (756). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Troy Trojans (837) and the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (838). THE SITUATION: Troy (6-7) has lost three games in a row with their 63-56 loss at Georgia Southern as a 6-point underdog on Saturday. Coastal Carolina (9-3) saw their two-game winning streak snapped on Saturday in their 71-68 loss a Georgia State as a 7-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Trojans made 48.9% of their shots against the Eagles which was much higher than the 37.7% shooting percentage they are saddled with in their ten road games. They are scoring only 56.8 PPG on the road. Troy has played 6 straight games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 7 straight games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Their game with Georgia Southern still finished Under the 128.5 point total — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after playing their last game Under the Total. The Trojans are playing better on defense as of late as they have held their last five opponents to just 40.3% shooting which is resulting in just 62.2 PPG. They stay on the road where they have played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total — and they have played 35 of their last 52 road games Under the Total as an underdog. Troy has also played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total as an underdog overall. Coastal Carolina has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a loss where they covered the point spread as an underdog. The Chanticleers have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread win. And while they have still won five of their last seven games, Coastal Carolina has then played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after winning five or six of their last seven games. This is a team that was playing at a faster pace in their soft non-conference schedule — six of their first eight games saw at least 75 possessions for both teams. The Chanticleers have not seen more than 72 possessions for both teams in their last four games. They started Sun Belt Conference play in their last five games — they are scoring 74.4 PPG with a 41.8% shooting percentage which is a big dropoff from their 87.1 PPG scoring average along with a 49.2% shooting percentage overall which includes those seven non-conference games. Additionally, Coastal Carolina has played 8 of their last 11 home games Under the Total with the number set in the 135 to 139.5 point range.

FINAL TAKE: The Under is 4-0-1 in the Chanticleers’ last 5 games against teams with a losing record. Troy has played 6 straight games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. 25* CBB Sun Belt Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Troy Trojans (837) and the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (838). 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 UCLA Bruins (763) and the California Golden Bears (764). THE SITUATION: UCLA (11-2) has won six games in a row with their 81-76 win against Washington on Saturday as a 14.5-point favorite. California (7-8) has won two of their last three games with their 72-63 win at Utah as a 12-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Bruins made only 41.4% of their shots against the Huskies in what was the worst shooting effort in their last six games. Mick Cronin has adapted his talent at UCLA to construct this team to be quite different than the grinding-defensive units he had at Cincinnati. This Bruins’ team ranks 10th in the nation adjusted offensive efficiency. They crash the offensive glass still by pulling down 33.3% of their missed shots (46th in the nation). They are also making 38.6% of their 3-pointers which is 29th in the country — and that mark has improved to a 44.6% clip in conference play. The Golden Bears struggle to defend the perimeter — they are allowing their opponents to make 40.4% of their 3-pointers, 334th in the nation. Yet Cronin’s team ranks 119th in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency after allowing Washington to make 51.7% of their shots. UCLA has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a win at home — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a win against a Pac-12 rival. Cronin lost one of his best players in Chris Smith to a season-ending injury — but he still has five other players averaging double-digits per game. The Bruins are scoring 79.8 PPG in their last five games on 47.1% shooting from the field. Now they go back on the road where they are scoring 79.4 PPG — but they are allowing 79.8 PPG. UCLA has played 4 straight road games Over the Total — and they have played 4 of their last 5 road games Over the Total against teams winning at least 60% of their games at home. The Bruins have also played 4 of their last 5 road games Over the Total when favored. California has played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total after a win against a conference opponent — and they have played 7 straight games Over the Total after an upset victory against a Pac-12 foe. The Golden Bears are playing with Matt Bradley — but head coach Mark Fox’s team has found an offensive rhythm without him. Not only have they won two of their last three games after he suffered his ankle injury but they scored 50 points in the second half in their upset victory against the Utes. Cal also held Utah to just 41.2% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last seven games. Yet the Golden Bears have allowed their last five opponents to make 47.6% of their shots for a 74.8 PPG scoring mark — and their Pac-12 opponents are making 48.6% of their shots against them. Cal ranks 10th in the conference in adjusted defensive efficiency. They return home where the Over is 18-7-1 in their last 26 games — and they have played 5 of their last 6 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. The Golden Bears have also played 6 straight games Over the Total as an underdog — and they have played 5 straight games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60%.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams played on December 6th with the Bruins winning at home by a 76-56 score as a 9-point favorite. California has played 16 of their last 22 games Over the Total when avenging a double-digit loss. 25* CBB Thursday ESPNU Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the UCLA Bruins (763) and the California Golden Bears (764). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 5:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the UAB Blazers (839) and the Charlotte 49ers (840). THE SITUATION: UAB (9-1) has won two games in a row with their 62-58 win against Southern Mississippi as a 13-point favorite on Saturday. Charlotte (5-5) has lost two of their last three games after their 75-72 loss to Belmont Abbey in a non-boarded game on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Blazers have played 10 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 straight games Under the Total after a win at home. Additionally, UAB has played 16 of their last 22 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 60 points in their last game — and they have played 6 straight games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Under the Total with that game skimming Under 131 total. The Blazers are limiting their opponents to just a 41.1% effective field goal percentage which is third-best in the nation. They are holding their opponents to just 57.0 PPG this season on 36.7% shooting from the field. Now UAB goes on the road for just the second time this season. They made only 39.3% of their shots against Southern Miss. The Blazers have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total on the road — and they have also played 37 of their last 56 road games Under the Total as a favorite of 6 points or less — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total as a favorite overall. Charlotte has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a loss at home. The 49ers stay at home where they are scoring 67.9 PPG on just 44.4% shooting. Charlotte has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total at home — and they have played 5 of their last 7 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. The 49ers have also played 7 of their last 8 home games Under the Total as an underdog. Additionally, Charlotte has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher.

FINAL TAKE: The 49ers have played 8 straight games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Expect a lower-scoring game. 25* CBB Friday ESPNU Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the UAB Blazers (839) and the Charlotte 49ers (840). 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 UNC-Greensboro Spartans (769) and the Samford Bulldogs (770). THE SITUATION: UNC-Greensboro (6-5) has lost two of their last three games after their 48-45 upset loss to Wofford last Saturday as a 4.5-point favorite. Samford (5-5) has lost two games in a row after their 73-68 loss at UT-Chattanooga as a 4.5-point underdog back on January 6th.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Bulldogs love to push the pace — they rank 9th in the nation with an adjusted tempo rate that produces 74.1 average possessions per game. The 71 possessions in their last game against the Moccasins are the lowest for them in any game all season. Four of their ten games have seen at least 80 possessions for both teams. Samford has played 21 of their last 27 games Over the Total after a loss to a Southern Conference rival — and they have played 18 of their last 21 games Over the Total after losing two of their last three games . They are scoring 84.9 PPG while making 48.1% of their shots — and they are allowing their opponents to score 77.7 PPG. They return home where they are making 51.8% of their shots en route to scoring 97.5 PPG. They are allowing their guests to score 76.5 PPG. The Bulldogs have played 7 of their last 8 home games Over the Total again teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road. They also have played 26 of their last 35 home games Over the Total as an underdog — and they have played 10 of their last 11 home games Over the Total as an underdog getting 6.5 to 9 points. UNC-Greensboro has played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total after a loss to a Southern Conference rival. They made only 34.5% of their shots which was the second-lowest field goal percentage in their last nine games. They also held Wofford to just a 29.6% field goal percentage which was by far their lowest opponent’s field goal percentage of the season. Not only has the Spartans played 14 of their last 17 games Over the Total after failing to score at least 60 points in their last game but they have played 11 of their last 14 games Over the Total after not scoring at least 50 points in their last game. They go back on the road where they are scoring 79.1 PPG while allowing their opponents to score 71.8 PPG. UNC-Greensboro is middle of the pack in averaging 71 possessions per game — but they are willing to engage with teams that like to play faster. The Spartans have played 8 straight games on the road Over the Total — and they have played 5 straight games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. UNC-Greensboro has also played 6 straight road games Over the Total when favored — and they have played 6 of their last 9 road games Over the Total when laying 6.5 to 9 points.

FINAL TAKE: Samford has played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 10 of their last 12 games Over the Total with the number set in the 150s. 25* CBB Southern Conference Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the UNC-Greensboro Spartans (769) and the Samford Bulldogs (770). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Boise State Broncos (689) and the Wyoming Cowboys (690). THE SITUATION: Boise State (10-1) has won ten games in a row with their 83-60 win at Wyoming on Monday as a 7-point favorite. Wyoming (7-3) has lost two games in a row.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Broncos’ held the Cowboys to just a 38.9% field goal percentage which was the best defensive effort in their last four games. Boise State has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after not allowing more than 60 points in their last game. The Broncos have also played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a point spread win. Furthermore, Boise State has played 4 straight games Over the Total after a win by at least 20 points — and they have played 6 straight games Over the Total when playing their second game in three days. The Broncos lead the Mountain West Conference by scoring 81.2 PPG. They have scored at least 80 points in their last two games — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after scoring at least 80 points in two straight games. In their last three games, Boise State is scoring 86.8 PPG while making 48.4% of their shots. They are also scoring 82.3 PPG in their six games away from home. Wyoming has played 16 of their last 21 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 14 of their last 17 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. The Cowboys have also played 4 straight games Over the Total after a double-digit loss at home. Their 38.9% shooting percentage was their second-lowest mark all season. Wyoming has allowed their last five opponents to make 49.8% of their shots which has translated into 80.8 PPG. They stay at home for this rematch where they are making 46.1% of their shots to average 81.7 PPG. The Over is 5-2-1 in the Cowboys’ last 8 home games — and they have played 12 of their last 16 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Wyoming has played 20 of their last 28 games Over the Total as an underdog — and Boise State has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total as a favorite. 25* CBB Wednesday CBS Sports Network Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Boise State Broncos (689) and the Wyoming Cowboys (690). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Charlotte Hornets (545) and the New Orleans Pelicans (546). THE SITUATION: Charlotte (3-5) snapped a three-game losing streak on Wednesday with their 102-94 upset win at Atlanta as a 5.5-point underdog. New Orleans (4-4) has lost two in a row with their 111-110 upset loss to Oklahoma City on Wednesday as an 8-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Pelicans nailed 49.4% of their shots on Wednesday which was their second-best mark all season. But they also allowed the Thunder to make 46.0% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last five games. First-year head coach Stan Van Gundy was livid with the effort of his team that allowed 27 fast break points. Expect a better effort on defense on getting back to the other end of the court tonight after this team has been upset twice in a row after a narrow 2-point loss to Indiana before their setback to OKC. New Orleans has played 12 of their last 16 games Under the Total after suffering two straight upset losses at home. The Pelicans have also played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a point spread setback. They also have played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total when playing with one day of rest. Van Gundy has made an immediate impact on the defensive improvement of this team — they are not fouling as much, they are crashing the defensive glass, and they are working harder in defending the perimeter. They have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 40% or lower. Charlotte played their best defensive game of the season on Wednesday with them holding the Hawks to just 37.5% shooting. Third-year head coach James Borrego hopes that effort will carry over tonight. The Hornets have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. Despite the win, Charlotte is struggling to score baskets. They are making only 42.5% of their shots in their last five games which has resulted in only 105.2 PPG. The Under is 7-2-1 in their last 10 games when playing with one day of rest — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total on the road when playing their fourth game in seven days.

FINAL TAKE: The Hornets have played 8 of their last 11 road games Under the Total as an underdog — and New Orleans has played 6 of their last 8 home games Under the Total as a favorite. 25* NBA Friday ESPN Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Charlotte Hornets (545) and the New Orleans Pelicans (546). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Washington State Cougars (761) and the California Golden Bears (762). THE SITUATION: Washington State (8-1) lost their first game of the season on Saturday in their 86-82 loss at home to Arizona as an 8-point underdog. California (5-6) has lost their last two games with their 73-64 loss at Oregon State on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: There are two unusual circumstances to this situation that make a mathematical projection for the total in question. First, the Golden Bears will be without their top two scorers in Matt Bradley and Grant Anticevich. Bradley played only 13 minutes on Saturday before injuring his ankle that will keep him out tonight. Anticevich is still recovering from an appendectomy from last month. Their absences remove 28.1 PPG combined from their lineup. And they will be playing a Cougars team that is allowing only 60.8 PPG on 34.2% shooting from the field. But Washington State has played a very soft strength of schedule that is largely responsible for those gaudy defensive numbers. Ken Pomeroy’s metrics calculate that the Cougars’ strength of schedule has been the 309th easiest in the nation. The number is in the high-120s — and dropping. I think it is too low for this Pac-12 clash. California has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a loss — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. Additionally, the Bears have played 16 of their last 22 home games Over the Total when playing their second game in seven days. Losing Bradley and Anticevich is a two-sided coin because Cal also loses their defensive contributions. As it is, the Golden Bears are allowing their Pac-12 opponents to score 74.4 PPG while making 48.7% of their shots in five games. If Washington State approaches those numbers, this game flies Over. They return home where the players asked to make up for the baskets Bradley and Anticevich would be making will feel more comfortable. This team did make 51.2% of the shots against the Beavers. California has played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total at home — and they have played 6 straight home games Over the Total as an underdog getting up to 6 points. Washington State has played 12 of their last 14 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss. They have also played 10 of their last 11 games Over the Total after winning four or five of their last six-game. Now they go on the road for the first time all season — and I suspect this will impact their defensive numbers. The Cougars have played 6 of their last 8 road games Over the Total after playing at least three straight games at home. Additionally, Washington State has played 4 straight games Over the Total on the road — and they have played 4 straight road games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage of over 60% at home (Cal is 4-1 at home).

FINAL TAKE: I value team trends for two reasons: (1) they can identify a personality of a team regarding how they respond to certain situations and (2) they can expose biases in how the market perceives certain teams. The latter is particularly in play here. The market tends to overestimate the value of the Washington State defense. That means a soft number for us — which is what I think were are experiencing tonight. Cal has played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. I think they find enough scoring from their remaining roster to push this game into the 130s. 25* CBB Pac-12 Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Washington State Cougars (761) and the California Golden Bears (762). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Wichita State Shockers (685) and the Houston Cougars (686). THE SITUATION: Wichita State (6-2) has won five games in a row after their 83-79 upset win at Ole Miss on Saturday as an 8-point underdog. Houston (8-1) rebounded from their first loss of the season at Tulsa by defeating SMU on the road on Sunday by a 74-60 score as a 2-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Shockers made 9 of their 20 shots from the behind the arc on Saturday against the Rebels despite going into that game with a 33% shooting percentage from downtown. Expect the Regression Gods to make an appearance tonight — especially against this Cougars team that is 13th in the nation by holding their opponents to just 24.5% shooting from 3-point land. Wichita State made 52% of their shots in that game in what was their best offensive performance of the season. But Wichita State has then played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total after an upset victory. The Shockers have also played 6 straight games Under the Total after a win on the road. And while Wichita State has scored at least 81 points in three straight games, they have then played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after scoring at least 75 points in their last two games. The Shockers allowed Mississippi to make 41.5% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage they allowed in their last four games. Wichita State holds their opponents to 38.9% shooting — and their last five opponents are shooting just 36.0%. Now 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 9 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. The Shockers have also played 9 of their last 10 road games Under the Total with the number set in the 135 to 139.5 range. Houston has played 13 of their last 18 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have also played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a double-digit win on the road. The Cougars made 39.1% of their shots which was actually their best shooting mark in their last three games. Houston has only had preseason American Athletic Conference Player of the Year for four games this season — and now Caleb Mills has decided to transfer. Head coach Kelvin Sampson’s team is now, more than ever, defined by their play on defense. They are seventh in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they rank seventh in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 42.0%. They hold their opponents to only 55.0 PPG on their home court on 36.2% shooting. The Under is 21-5-1 in their last 27 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Houston has also played 7 of their last 9 home games Under the Total as a favorite.

FINAL TAKE: The Cougars have played 12 of their last 13 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. 25* CBB American Athletic Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Wichita State Shockers (685) and the Houston Cougars (686). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New Orleans Pelicans (567) and the Phoenix Suns (568). THE SITUATION: New Orleans (2-1) has won two of their last three games with their 98-95 win at San Antonio as a 4.5-point favorite on Sunday. Phoenix (2-1) rebounded from their first loss in nine games going back to the bubble by avenging their loss to the Kings with a 116-110 win in Sacramento as a 3.5-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Suns made 48.9% of their shots which was the best shooting mark so far in their three games this season. But Phoenix has played 33 of their last 52 games Under the Total after scoring at least 115 points in their last game. The Suns saw the Kings make 47.4% of their shots which was their worst defensive effort of the young season as well. Phoenix has played of their last 9 games Under the Total after a win against a Pacific Division rival — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a double-digit win on the road. Now after playing their last two games on the road, the Suns return home where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total — and they have played 9 of their last 12 home games Under the Total when favored. New Orleans has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a point spread win. This game flew Under the 227.5 point total as well — and the Pelicans have played 25 of their last 37 games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Under the Total. New Orleans made only 38.3% of their shots which is concerning since they made only 39.7% of their shots in their previous game at Miami. They go back on the road where they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total. The Pelicans have also played 4 straight games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage at 60% or higher — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: New Orleans has seen only 204.7 combined points in their first three games — and Phoenix has seen only 211.0 combined points in their first three games. While matchups make fights, the Pelicans are clearly emphasizing defense under first-year head coach Stan Van Gundy and the Suns’ improvement in the bubble that seems to be carrying over was in part because of improved emphasis on their defensive play (particularly in the emergence of Mikal Bridges). Nice value here. 25* NBA TNT Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the New Orleans Pelicans (567) and the Phoenix Suns (568). 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 Memphis Grizzlies (541) and the Brooklyn Nets (542). THE SITUATION: Memphis (0-2) has lost their first two games of the season after their 122-112 upset loss to Atlanta as a 2-point favorite. Brooklyn (2-1) lost their first game of the season yesterday with their 106-104 upset loss at Charlotte as an 11.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Grizzlies have played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss. Memphis has also played 16 of their last 22 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a double-digit loss at home. Furthermore, the Grizzlies have played 20 of their last 25 games Under the Total after allowing at least 120 points in their last game. Memphis is throwing up a bunch of shots — they have launched 95 and 93 shots in their first two games. But the Grizzlies have played 19 of their last 27 games Under the Total after taking at least 90 shots in two straight games. Furthermore, Memphis has played 5 straight games Under the Total against teams with a winning  percentage over 60% — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total as an underdog. Brooklyn has made it point to play outstanding defense according to Kevin Durant. They have held their first three opponents to just 39.9% shooting — and these three foes have scored only 100.0 PPG against them. The Hornets shot 44.8% from the field which was the worst defensive performance for the Nets this season. Look for this Brooklyn team to tighten things up on defense. They have played 14 of their last 22 games Under the Total after a loss by three points or less — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Nets have also played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total when playing without rest. UPDATE: Head coach Steve Nash has announced that both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving will get the night off given load management after playing yesterday. With the team already missing Dinwiddie, that is plenty of scoring not available tonight. The team trends above capture the personality of this Nets’ team playing in the bubble without Durant and Irving last season — so the Under situation remains very good.

FINAL TAKE: Brooklyn suffered terrible news earlier today with the announcement that Spencer Dinwiddie will be out the season with a torn ACL that he suffered yesterday. Memphis has played 19 of their last 27 games Under the Total with the number set at 230 or higher. 25* NBA Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Memphis Grizzlies (541) and the Brooklyn Nets (542). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:30 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the UCLA Bruins (385) and the San Diego State Aztecs (386). THE SITUATION: UCLA (0-0) returns all five starters that were 19-12 before play was stopped in March due to COVID. San Diego State (30-2) lost three starters including All-American point guard Malachi Flynn who was drafted in the first round by Toronto from the group that was 30-2 before the stoppage.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: I am cautious in these early college basketball games — especially on the opening day during a pandemic. But with the Bruins returning five starters from last year’s team, I am more comfortable relying on the statistics from last year. UCLA was more-and-more beginning to look like Mick Cronin’s teams at Cincinnati who played hard-nosed defense while crashing the glass on offense at a moderate (at best) pace. While the Bruins ranked 100th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency, Cronin had his team playing as the 43rd best defensive team in adjusted efficiency in their final ten games. UCLA was not a great offensive team last season either — they ranked 206th in the nation with their 69.3 PPG scoring average while ranking 230th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 48.4%. They only made 32.2% of their 3-pointers as well which was 226th in the country. The Bruins were pulling down 34.5% of their missed shots which was 21st in the nation — but the Aztecs usually do a good job of protecting their defensive rim which is a foundation of the program that head coach Brian Dutcher has continued from being the long-time assistant here to Steve Fisher. San Diego State held their opponents to rebounding only 25.4% of their missed shot last year. UCLA has played 34 of their last 45 road games Under the Total with the number set in the 130-139.5 point range — and those numbers tightened to them playing 18 of their last 24 road games Under the Total with the number in the 130-134.5 point range. San Diego State has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total at home. Additionally, the Aztecs have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played a decisive 21 of their last 26 home games Under the Total as an underdog at home. Dutcher gets back his 6’10 sophomore rim protector Nathan Mensah this season after he only played 13 games last year before going on the shelf with a blood clot issue. San Diego State held their opponents to just 56.3 PPG when Mensah was healthy — and that number rose to 61.3 PPG after his injury.

FINAL TAKE: The California programs had the least amount of time to practice given state COVID restrictions. I think this dynamic will exacerbate the weaknesses for these California teams early in the season — and that means that the UCLA and San Diego State offensive attacks are likely to be a step or two behind. 25* CBB CBS Sports Network Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the UCLA Bruins (385) and the San Diego State Aztecs (386). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Miami Heat (709) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Lakers (710) in Game Five of the NBA Finals. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (67-23) took a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals on Tuesday with their 102-96 victory over the Heat. Miami (57-35) looks to keep their championship dreams alive in this must-win game for them. This game will be played on a neutral court in Orlando.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Heat were able to get Bam Adebayo back on the court in Game Four where he played over 33 minutes. With the two days of rest since that game, Adebayo should be able to at least match that amount of time on the court tonight. As I argued for Game Two last Friday (our NBA Total of the Year), playing without Adebayo would have a significant impact on a higher-scoring game. The highest two scoring games in this series were Games Two and Three which Adebayo did not play — 238 and 219 combined points were scored in those two games. Adebayo’s return to the court leads to lower scoring games. For starters, he is Miami’s best interior defender. Anthony Davis can almost score at will if he is being defended by Meyers Leonard or Kelly Olynyk. But Leonard and Olynyk are both capable outside shooters that Adebayo. Head coach Erik Spoelstra has his team play at a faster pace when Adebayo is not on the court. In all, Adebayo’s presence on the court tonight means better defense for the Heat along with a slower pace and less 3-point shooting. Miami has been outrebounded by seven boards in each of the four games in this series. The Heat have then played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after being outrebounded by at least five boards in three straight games. Miami has also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing with at least two days of rest. And in their last 6 playoff games when trailing in the series, the Heat have played 5 of these games Under the Total. Los Angeles has played 17 of their last 25 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 10 of their last 15 games Under the Total after a victory by 6 points or less. Additionally, the Lakers have played 11 of their last 17 games Under the Total after a straight-up win where they did not cover the point spread. Head coach Frank Vogel made a nice coaching adjustment on Tuesday by giving Anthony Davis the defensive assignment against Jimmy Butler. Not only does this make Butler’s job scoring at the rim more of a challenge but Davis was playing off Butler at the top of the key while seemingly daring him to take 3-pointers. Yet Butler only laughed three shots from downtown — missing all three attempts. Miami ended that game with a 42.7% field goal percentage which was tied for the lowest shooting mark in their last fourteen games. The Lakers have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after outrebounding their opponent by at least 5 boards in three straight games.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total. Expect another lower-scoring game. 25* NBA Friday Night O/U Special Feature with Under the Total in the game between the Miami Heat (709) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Lakers (710). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Miami Heat (703) and the Los Angeles Lakers (704) in Game Two of the NBA Finals. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (65-22) won the opening game of this series on Wednesday with their 116-98 victory over the Heat as a 4.5-point favorite. Miami (56-33) has lost two of their last three games — and they suffered two critical injuries in that game to Bam Adebayo and Goran Dragic that have an immediate impact on this series moving forward. This game will be played on a neutral court in Orlando.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Miami hit only 42.7% of their shots on Wednesday which was the lowest shooting mark in their last four games. They also made just 11 of their 36 shots from downtown for a low 31% mark. The team was simply overwhelmed in the 2nd quarter after racing out to an early 13-point lead. Adebayo only played 21 minutes while Dragic managed just 14:50 minutes before leaving the game to their injuries. The Lakers nailed 60% of their 3-pointers in the first half en route to 65 points. The Heat have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a double-digit loss — and they have played 17 of their last 24 games Over the Total after losing two of their last three games. Moving forward, the injuries to Adebayo and Dragic forces head coach Erik Spoelstra to make some significant changes. He is going to play more small-ball — which means a faster tempo, more 3-pointers but a reliance on players with defensive liabilities. Without Adebayo and Dragic on the court, Miami has seen the average possessions per game rise from a 97.4 average to 101 possessions per game. The Heat have their worst Defensive Rating when Dragic is not on the court. His absence means more minutes for Tyler Herro who can be lights out on offense but is a work in progress on the defensive end of the court. Adebayo claims he is going to try to play tonight. We’ll see. Spoelstra will have to give more minutes to Kelly Olynyk in his absence which is another player with defensive limitations when playing against a player like Anthony Davis. Spoelstra will likely embrace more small-ball lineups and even more 3-point shooting in the hopes that his team can replicate the 38% shooting from behind the arc they enjoyed during the first two rounds of the playoffs. The Heat have now allowed at least 113 points in their last three games — and they have played 9 straight games on the road Over the Total after allowing at least 110 points in three straight games. They also have played 28 of their last 42 games Over the Total with the Total set in the 210-219.5 point range. Los Angeles coasted to victory despite making only 45.2% of their shots which was the lowest mark in their last four games. The Lakers raced out to a 65-48 halftime lead while nailing 60% of their 3-pointers in the first 24 minutes of that game. That was the sixth time that LA has scored at least 60 points in the first half of their sixteen playoff games. They have played 10 of their last 13 games Over the Total after enjoying a 15-point lead at halftime. They also had a 10-point lead at halftime in their final game with Denver — and the Lakers have also played 9 of their last 12 games Over the Total after generating double-digit halftime leads in two straight games. And in their last 20 games after a victory by at least 15 points, they have played 13 of these games Over the Total. The Lakers have an Offensive Rating of 115.7 which is 2nd best of all playoff teams. Davis scored 34 points on Wednesday and should have his way inside with Adebayo out (or less than 100%). Los Angeles outrebounded the Heat by a 54 to 36 margin in Game One — and Miami has played 8 straight road games Over the Total after a game where they were outrebounded by at least 15 boards.

FINAL TAKE: The Heat have to shoot their way to victory tonight — and if they miss, that triggers the Lakers’ transition offense from which they entered this series averaging 23.3 PPG in transition with it representing 18.5% of their offense. Miami has lost all three meetings with LA this season — and they have played 19 of their last 28 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 (703) and the Los Angeles Lakers (704). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (711) and the Los Angeles Lakers (712) in Game Five of the Western Conference Finals. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (63-22) took a 3-1 lead in this series on Thursday with their 114-108 victory over the Nuggets as a 6-point favorite. Denver (55-36) once again finds themselves on the brink of elimination down 3-1 in this series. This game will be played on a neutral court in Orlando.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The referees responded from the criticism from LeBron James about not getting enough whistles as the Lakers got to the charity stripe 35 times from which they converted on 28 of those attempts. Look for the fewer fouls to be called in tonight’s game. The Lakers have played 15 of their last 21 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a win by 6 points or less. Denver made 50.6% of their shots in Game Four which was the third straight game where the Lakers allowed them to make at least 47.3% of their shots from the field. Los Angeles has then played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after allowing their last three opponents to make at least 47% of their shots. The Lakers have scored at least 105 points in eight straight games — but that is a strong indicator that this game will finish below the number. LA has played 48 of their last 76 games Under the Total after scoring at least 105 points in three straight games — and they have played 38 of their last 60 games Under the Total after scoring at least 105 points in four straight games. And in their last 47 games after scoring at least 105 points in five straight games, they have then played 30 of these games Under the Total. And while these two teams have seen 220 and 222 combined points scored in the last two games, the Lakers have then played 22 of their last 35 games Under the Total after playing two straight games where at least 215 combined points were scored. Denver has seen the Under go 3-1-1 in their last 5 games after a straight-up loss — and the Under is 7-2-2 in their last 11 games when playing with one day of rest. The Nuggets are certainly familiar with this situation of being on the brink of elimination. They must crave danger. The urgency of avoiding the abyss does motivate better efforts on the defensive end of the court for Denver. In Game Six and Seven of their series with Utah, the Nuggets held the Jazz to just 45.3% and 38.0% shooting which resulted in only 107 and 78 points in the final two games of that series. Then in Game Five, Six, and Seven in their series with the Clippers, Denver clamped down to hold Kawhi Leonard and company to 42%, 41%, and 37.8% shooting which translated into 105, 98, and 89 points. The Nuggets have played 5 of their last 7 playoff games Under the Total when facing elimination.

FINAL TAKE: These team trends are complemented by an empirical situational angle that has been 61% effective over the last five seasons. The Lakers have not covered the point spread in the last two games in this series — and in games involving two teams with a winning percentage in the 60 to 75% range, when one team has not covered the point spread in two straight games, these games have then finished Under the Total in 116 of these last 189 situations where these conditions applied. While Davis is one of the best defenders in the league, if he is not 100% (or does not play), that helps our Under play since he is so important to the Lakers offense — he is averaging 29 PPG in the postseason. 25* NBA Western Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (711) and the Los Angeles Lakers (712). 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 Los Angeles Lakers (707) and the Denver Nuggets (708) in Game Three of the Western Conference Finals. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (62-21) has now won six games in a row in dramatic fashion with Anthony Davis nailing a buzzer-beating 3-pointers to seal a 105-103 victory over the Nuggets on Sunday as a 5.5-point favorite. Denver (54-35) is now down 2-0 to the Lakers in this series. This game is being played on a neutral court in Orlando.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: An encouraging aspect that the Nuggets can take from Game Two of this series was their improved play on defense in the final 24 minutes of that game. Denver limited the Lakers to just 45 points in the second half while limiting them to scoring at just a 0.95 Points-Per-Possession rate. Los Angeles missed 15 of their 21 shots from behind that arc in the second half. The Nuggets have played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a loss by 6 points or less. Additionally, the Under is 3-0-1 in Denver’s last 4 games after a straight-up loss — and the Under is 4-1-1 in their last 6 games after a point spread setback. And while that game finished just below the closing total of 209, the Nuggets have played a decisive 55 of their last 93 games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Under the Total. Denver has covered the point spread in four of their last five games — and they have played 26 of their last 41 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in at least three of their last four games. Los Angeles has played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a win by 6 points or less — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a narrow win by no more than 3 points. The Lakers have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 11 of their last 17 games Under the Total after a victory where they did cover the point spread as the favorite. Furthermore, Los Angeles has played 10 of their last 15 games Under the Total after winning at least six games in a row. The Lakers have scored at least 105 points in each of their six victories in a row — but they have played 23 of their last 36 games Under the Total after scoring at least 105 points in three straight games. Additionally, LA has played 38 of their last 58 games Under the Total after scoring at least 105 points in four straight games — and they have played 30 of their last 45 games Under the Total after scoring at least 105 points in five straight games. This Lakers’ team remains relatively rested after taking care of Houston in five games in the Western Conference Semifinals — and they have played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total when not playing more than three games in the last ten days.

FINAL TAKE: The Nuggets have lost all four meetings between these two teams in 2020 — and they have played 4 of their last 6 games Under the Total when playing with triple revenge. 25* NBA Tuesday TNT Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Lakers (707) and the Denver Nuggets (708). 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 Denver Nuggets (729) and the Los Angeles Clippers (730) in Game Seven of their Western Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Denver (53-33) pulled off their second-straight upset victory on Sunday as they defeated the Clippers by a 111-98 score as a 9-point underdog to force this Game Seven. Los Angeles (56-20) has blown a lead of at least 15 points in the last two contests in this series. This game will be played on a neutral court in Orlando.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Apparently, it is the sense of imminent failure that motivates this Nuggets team to play harder on defense. Five of Denver’s seven victories this postseason have come in elimination games. They held the Clippers to just 41% shooting on Sunday in what was the best defensive effort in their last four games — this performance was highlighted by them getting a defensive stop in eleven straight possessions in the second half. The Nuggets also nailed 54.1% of their shots which was the best shooting effort in the last seven contests. Denver has seen the Under go 4-1-1 in their last 6 games are a double-digit win. The Under is also 3-0-1 in their last 4 games after a straight-up win — and the Under is 3-0-1 in their last 4 games are a point spread victory. And in their last 15 playoff games with the series tied, the Nuggets have played 11 of these games Under the Total. Los Angeles played their worst defensive game in their last fourteen contests after allowing Denver can 54.1% of their shots. Head coach Doc Rivers will likely shorten his bench tonight which means less time for Montrezl Harrell and Lou Williams who are offensive spark plugs off the bench but who have liabilities on the defensive end of the court. The Clippers have only covered the point spread once in the last five games in this series — and they have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total after only covering the point spread at least three of their last four games. Los Angeles has also played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total away from home after not covering the point spread in their last two games.

FINAL TAKE: The Clippers have played 23 of their last 33 games away from home Under the Total after suffering an upset loss — and they have also played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total after suffering an upset loss when favored by at least 7 points. 25* NBA Tuesday ESPN Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (729) and the Los Angeles Clippers (730). 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 Oklahoma City Thunder (731) and the Houston Rockets (732) in Game Seven of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Oklahoma City (47-31) forced a climactic seventh game in this series on Monday with their 104-100 upset win over the Rockets as a 4.5-point underdog. Houston (47-31) ha lost three of their last four games in this series. This game will be played on a neutral court in Orlando.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Rockets blew their opportunity to close out this series on Monday despite making 45.2% of their shots which was the best shooting effort in their last five contests. Houston has played 17 of their last 24 games Under the Total after an upset loss. The Rockets have also played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Furthermore, Houston has played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total when playing with one day of rest. The pressure of the playoffs tends to play a role in making all the 3s this team launches not fall quite as much. Every statistical moment is not the same — pressure plays a role in these games despite the protestations from the analytics community. It was their last Game Seven against Golden State back in the spring of 2018 where the Rockets missed twenty-seven straight 3-point shots. Houston has played 17 of their last 23 playoff games Under the Total when tied in the series including six straight Unders. They also have played 18 of their last 23 playoff games Under the Total with the opportunity to close out the series. Additionally, the Rockets have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when favored — and they have played 20 of their last 32 games Under the Total when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points. Oklahoma City has seen the Under go a decisive 48-21-1 in their last 70 games as an underdog. Additionally, the Thunder have played 13 of their last 18 games Under the Total after an upset victory — and they have played 28 of their last 45 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. This team has also played 18 of their last 26 games Under the Total after winning three of their last four games. Finding consistent scoring options for head coach Billy Donovan has been an issue outside of Chris Paul who scored 15 of his 28 points on Monday in the 4th quarter. Donovan is still starting Lu Dort alongside Steven Adams despite their liabilities on offense. When they are on the floor in this series the Thunder are scoring at just a 66.7 points per 100 possession rate — the Rockets are comfortable playing off both of them to pack the paint. But they are giving Donovan defense as Houston is scoring at just an 89.3 points per 100 possession rate when those two are on the court. I don’t see Donovan moving away from starting this combo tonight.

FINAL TAKE: The Rockets have played 16 of their last 22 games Under the Total away from home when looking to avenge an upset loss. 25* NBA 1st Round Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Oklahoma City Thunder (731) and the Houston Rockets (732). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the opening round of the Conference USA tournament between the Florida Atlantic Owls (675) and the Old Dominion Monarchs (676). THE SITUATION: FAU (16-15) has lost two straight games as well as six of their last seven contests with their 94-82 loss at Marshall as a 5.5-point favorite last Wednesday. Old Dominion (13-18) has lost three of their last five games with their 72-63 loss at UAB as a 2-point favorite on last Saturday. The Conference USA tournament is being played on a neutral court at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Owls allowed the Thundering Herd to nail 53.4% of their shots which was the second-worst defensive effort of their season (and worst over their last fourteen games). FAU has then played 19 of their last 26 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Additionally, the Owls have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss against a conference rival. Now FAU stays on the road where they are making just 40.1% of their shots which is resulting in only 65.6 PPG. The Under is 12-3-1 in their last 16 games played on a neutral court — and they have played 9 of their last 11 games on a neutral court as an underdog. The Owls have also played 15 of their last 20 games Under the Total when playing their second game in eight days. And in their last 10 games when listed in the +/- 3 point range, FAU has played 8 of these games Under the Total. Old Dominion allowed the Blazers to make 51.1% of their shots which was the highest field goal percentage in their last four games. The Monarchs did hold UAB to just four offensive rebounds in that contest — and they have then played 10 of their last 12 games on the road Under the Total after not allowing more than 5 offensive rebounds in their last game. Old Dominion is 7th in the nation by limiting its opponents to rebounding just 21.7% of their missed shots. The Monarchs stay on the road where they are making only 39.6% of their shots which results in just 60.2 PPG. Old Dominion is 339th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 43.1% when playing away from home. The Monarchs have played 39 of their last 51 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court — and they have also played 21 of their last 26 games when playing on a neutral court as the favorite. Old Dominion has also played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total in tournament action.

FINAL TAKE: The Monarchs are a strong defensive team that ranked 3rd in Conference USA in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they rank 57th in the nation Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing away from home. FAU has an effective field goal percentage of 46% when playing away from home which is just 279th in the country. 25* CBB Conference USA Total of the Year with Under the Total in the opening round of the Conference USA tournament between the Florida Atlantic Owls (675) and the Old Dominion Monarchs (676). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the Ohio Valley Conference championship game between the Murray State Racers (751) and the Belmont Bruins (752). THE SITUATION: Murray State (23-8) reached the finals of this tournament with their 73-61 win over Austin Peay as a 1-point favorite yesterday. Belmont (25-7) joined them yesterday as they won their eleventh straight game with their 60-50 win over Eastern Kentucky as a 13.5-point favorite. This game is being played on a neutral court in Evansville, Indiana.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Racers have played 9 straight games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 7 straight games Under the Total after a point spread victory. Murray State is playing excellent defense right now after holding the Governors to just 39.3% shooting. The Racers have held their last five opponents to just 39.6% shooting from the field which has resulted in only 61.0 PPG. Moving forward, Murray State has played 5 straight games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. And in their last 12 games as an underdog, the Racers have played 9 of these games Under the Total. Furthermore, they have played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 140 to 149.5 point range. Belmont has played 14 of their last 18 games Under the Total after a victory over a conference opponent. They also have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Bruins made only 33.8% of their shots in that game — but they held Eastern Kentucky to just 29.9% shooting to win the game handily. Belmont has then played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a game where neither team scored more than 60 points. The Bruins have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court — and they have played 5 straight games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court as the favorite.

FINAL TAKE: Expect a defensive struggle between the top two defenses in the Ohio Valley Conference in terms of Adjusted Efficiency. Murray State has played 7 of their last 8 games after fifteen games into the season Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and Belmont has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. 25* CBB Ohio Valley Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the Ohio Valley Conference championship game between the Murray State Racers (751) and the Belmont Bruins (752). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 5:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the Mountain West Conference tournament championship game between the Utah State Aggies (741) and the San Diego State Aztecs (742). THE SITUATION: Utah State (25-8) has won two straight games as well as eight of their last nine games with their 89-82 win over Wyoming as a 15-point favorite yesterday. San Diego State (30-1) has won their last four games after suffering their first loss of the season with their 81-68 win over Boise State yesterday. This game will be played on a neutral court at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Aggies outlasted the Cowboys by shooting 56.1% of their shots which was the best shooting effort in their last eleven games. Utah State has then played 15 of their last 21 games Under the Total on the road after a point spread win. The Aggies have also played 13 of their last 15 games Under the Total after allowing at least 80 points in their last game. And while yesterday’s game flew Over the 136 point Total, Utah State has played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a game that finished Over the Total. San Diego State has played 25 of their last 37 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. They also have played 9 of their last 10 road games Under the Total after a game where they scored at least 80 points. The Aztecs rank 10th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency this season. In their fifteen games away from home this year, San Diego State has held these opponents to just 39.9% shooting and only 60.9 PPG. The Aztecs have played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total that were played on a neutral court. San Diego State has also played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total in tournament action. And while Utah State makes 46.1% of their shots this season, the Aztecs have played 15 of their last 20 games Under the Total against teams who shoot at least 455 from the field. The Aggies are outscoring their opponents by +12.7 PPG — but San Diego State has played 10 of their last 11 games Under the Total on the road against teams who are outscoring their opponents by at least +8.0 PPG.

FINAL TAKE: Utah State hopes to avenge an 80-68 loss to San Diego State back on February 1st — and they have played 14 of their last 19 games Under the Total when motivated by revenge. The Aggies have also played 6 straight games Under the Total when avenging a double-digit loss on the road. Expect a lower scoring game between the top two defensive teams (in terms of Adjusted Efficiency) in the conference). 25* CBB Mountain West Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the Mountain West Conference tournament championship game between the Utah State Aggies (741) and the San Diego State Aztecs (742). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Virginia Commonwealth Rams (861) and the Davidson Wildcats (862). THE SITUATION: VCU (18-12) has lost six of their last seven games with their 80-77 loss at home to Duquesne on Wednesday as a 5.5-point favorite. Davidson (15-14) has lost their last two contests after their 80-63 loss at Richmond on Wednesday as a 5.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: VCU has seen the Under go 4-1-1 in their last 6 games after a straight-up loss — and the Under is 4-1-1 in their last 6 games after a point spread setback. They have also played 11 of their last 17 games Under the Total after a game where at least 155 combined points were scored

At 9:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Missouri-Kansas City Kangaroos (679) and the Utah Valley State Wolverines (680). THE SITUATION: UMKC (15-14) has won three games in a row with their 80-58 win over Chicago State last Saturday as a 20-point favorite. Utah Valley State (11-18) saw their two-game winning streak snapped last Wednesday in a 73-66 loss at Cal-Baptist where they were 6-point underdogs.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Kansas City has played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total after a point spread win — and they have played 24 of their last 33 road games Over the Total after a point spread loss. And while the Kangaroos have covered the point spread in four of their last five games, they have then played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after covering the point spread in four or five of their last six games. UMKC is hot with its shooting right now as they are making 48.5% of their shots over their last five contests. Now they go back on the road where they have played 9 of their last 12 games Over the Total. The Kangaroos have also played 8 of their last 10 games on the road Over the Total as an underdog. Utah Valley State made only 43.9% of their shots last week in their loss to Cal-Baptist — that was the worst shooting effort in their last six games. The Wolverines have then played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 11 of their last 16 games Over the Total after a loss on the road. And while Utah Valley State has lost five of their last seven games, they have then played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total after losing five or six of their last seven contests. Over their last five games, they are still making 49.8% of their shots which has resulted in them averaging 76.8 PPG. They have also allowed 75.0 PPG over those last five games. They return home where they are scoring 74.9 PPG while allowing their opponents to average 70.4 PPG. Hosting this Kangaroos team will help their shooting as UMKC is 285th in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 53.8% when they are playing on the road. Utah Valley State has played 7 of their last 10 home games Over the Total against teams with a losing record on the road. The Wolverines have also played 13 of their last 17 home games Over the Total as a favorite or pick ‘em.

FINAL TAKE: Utah Valley State makes only 30.3% of their shots from behind the arc — but the Kangaroos have played 14 of their last 17 games Ove the Total against opponents who do not shoot better than 31% from behind the 3-point line. 25* CBB Western Athletic Conference Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Missouri-Kansas City Kangaroos (679) and the Utah Valley State Wolverines (680). 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 Texas-San Antonio Road Runners (801) and the Old Dominion Monarchs (802). THE SITUATION: UTSA (13-16) snapped their two-game losing streak on Sunday with their 66-59 victory over UAB as a 3-point favorite. Old Dominion (12-17) also ended their two-game losing streak when they defeated Florida Atlantic on Sunday by an 85-80 score as a 5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: UTSA has played 15 of their last 20 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 10 of their last 12 games Over the Total after a victory at home against a conference rival. The Roadrunners have also played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a point spread victory. Additionally, UTSA has played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Toal after holding their last opponent to no more than 60 points — and they have played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total after losing two of their last three games. The Roadrunners held the Blazers to just 36.1% shooting — but now they go back on the road where they allow their home hosts to make 46.5% of their shots which results in them scoring 82.9 PPG. Defense is an issue for this team as they rank 290th in the Adjusted Defensive Efficiency along with just 11th in conference play. UTSA has played 7 straight games Over the Total on the road — and they have played 6 straight road games Over the Total against teams with a winning record at home. Furthermore, the Roadrunners have played 11 of their last 15 road games Over the Total as an underdog getting 3.5 to 6 points. UTSA is a solid offensive team that scores 77.8 PPG while averaging 65 shots per game along with 10 made 3-pointers per contest. Old Dominion has played 10 of their last 13 games Over the Total after fifteen games into the season against teams who score at least 77 PPG. The Monarchs have all played 10 of their last 11 games Over the Total after fifteen games into the season against teams who average at least 62 shots per game — and they have played 15 of their last 20 games after fifteen games into the season against teams who make at least 8 shots from behind the arc per game. Old Dominion committed only eight personal fouls in their win over the Owls on Sunday with FAU getting whistled for 19 personal fouls — and they have played 11 of their last 16 games Over the Total after being called for at least 10 personal fouls than their opponent in their last game. The Monarchs have also played 8 of their last 12 games Over the Total after playing at least three straight games against Conference USA foes. Now this team stays at home where they are 9-4 this season. Old Dominion has played 6 of their last 8 home games Over the Total against teams who are not winning more than 40% on the road. The Monarchs have also played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against teams who are winning 40-49% of their games this season.

FINAL TAKE: Old Dominion will be looking to avenge an 85-81 loss at home to UTSA back on February 6th — and the Monarchs have played 18 of their last 21 home games when playing with revenge. 25* CBB Conference USA Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Texas-San Antonio Road Runners (801) and the Old Dominion Monarchs (802). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Idaho State Bengals (865) and the Weber State Wildcats (866). THE SITUATION: Idaho State (6-20) has lost twelve straight games after their 89-76 loss at home to Portland State as a 4-point underdog last Thursday. Weber State (11-17) has lost three of their last four games after their 89-83 upset loss to Portland State as a 1-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Bengals have played 15 of their last 18 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total after a loss by double-digits. Idaho State has also played 7 straight games Over the Total after a point spread loss. Additionally, the Bengals have played 9 of their last 10 games Over the Total after losing at least two in a row — and they have played 18 of their last 22 games Over the Total after losing at least fifteen of their last twenty games. Now this team goes back on the road where they are allowing their home hosts to nail 50.7% of their shots which has produced 74.5 PPG. Idaho State has played 6 straight road games Over the Total — and they have played 19 of their last 26 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning record at home. Furthermore, the Bengals have played 12 of their last 13 games Over the Total as an underdog. Weber State has played 11 of their last 14 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and this includes them playing four straight Overs after a victory. Furthermore, the Wildcats have played 4 straight games Over the Total after a point spread loss — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total when playing with one day or less of rest. Weber State stays at home where they are scoring 80.8 PPG on 49.4% shooting from the field. The Wildcats have played 5 straight home games Over the Total — and they have played 6 of their last 8 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage no better than 40% on the road. Furthermore, the Over is 10-4-1 in Weber State’s last 15 games against teams with a winning percentage no better than 40% overall.

FINAL TAKE: Idaho State is just 318th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they are 347th in the country by allowing their opponents to make 56.0% of their shots inside the arc. The Bengals have a defensive field goal percentage of 48.3% — and the Wildcats have played 15 of their last 20 home games Over the Total after fifteen games into the season against teams with an opponent’s field goal percentage of 45% or higher. Weber State is 3rd in the Big Sky Conference with a 53.3% of their shots inside the arc — they should score plenty of 2-pointers against this Idaho State team. 25* CBB Big Sky Conference Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Idaho State Bengals (865) and the Weber State Wildcats (866). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:35 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Orlando Magic (559) and the San Antonio Spurs (560). THE SITUATION: Orlando (23-32) has won three straight games with their 136-125 win over Minnesota last night as an 8-point favorite. San Antonio (24-33) has lost their last two games with their 109-103 loss at home to Dallas as a 4-point underdog on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Over is 7-0-1 in the Magic’s last 8 games after a straight-up win — and the Over is also 7-0-1 in their last 8 games after a point spread victory. Additionally, Orlando has played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after scoring at least 125 points in their last five games. Head coach Steve Clifford has found a five-man combination that is finally jumpstarting what had been a stagnant offense. Markelle Fultz, Terrence Ross, Evan Fournier, Aaron Gordon, and Nikola Vucevic entered the week averaging 110.1 points per 100 possessions in the 177 minutes they have played together. In the three games the Magic have played since, Orlando has averaged 127 PPG while making 49.4%, 49.0% and then 54.1% of their shots. But the problem for that grouping is their defense as they had allowed their opponents to score at an 111.8 points per 100 possession clip in those 177 minutes entering last Monday’s game. The Magic have allowed their last three opponents to average 119.3 PPG with a field goal percentage of 47.0%. All three games this week finished Over the Total — and Orlando has played 15 of their last 19 games Over the Total after playing at least three straight Overs. In their last five games, the Magic are scoring 120.6 PPG on 47.4% shooting — and they are surrendering 118.1 PPG on 47.1% shooting. Now they go back on the road where the Over is 4-0-1 in their last 5 games — and the Over is also 4-0-1 in their last 5 road games as an underdog. Additionally, while this is Orlando’s sixth game in the last two weeks, they have played 15 of their last 19 road games Over the Total when playing no more than their sixth game in fourteen days. San Antonio held the Mavericks to just a 41.9% shooting percentage on Wednesday in that loss which was the best defensive effort in their last twelve games. The Over is 6-1-1 in the Spurs’ last 8 games after a straight-up loss — and the Over is 4-1-1 in their last 6 games after a point spread loss. Furthermore, San Antonio has played 11 of their last 13 games Over the Total after a loss by 6 points or less. And while San Antonio has lost and failed to cover the point spread in their last two contests, they have then played 13 of their last 16 games Over the Total after suffering two straight losses — and they have played 13 of their last 18 games Over the Total after not covering the point spread in two straight games. The Spurs defensive effort on Wednesday was a surprise because they have still allowed their last five opponents to make 48.8% of their shots which has resulted in 115.4 PPG. They stay at home for this game where they are scoring 113.3 PPG on 46.6% shooting while allowing their guests to score 112.4 PPG. San Antonio has played 4 of their last 5 home games Over the Total against teams who are not winning more than 40% of their games on the road — and they have played 14 of their last 20 home games Over the Total as a favorite. The Spurs have also played 13 of their last 18 games Over the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. And while San Antonio has launched at least 91 shots in three straight games, they have then played 11 of their last 14 games Over the Total after taking at least 90 shots in two straight contests.

FINAL TAKE: Orlando averages 89 shots per game this season (while taking at least 89 shots in seven straight contests) — and the Spurs have played 24 of their last 36 games Over the Total against teams that average at least 88 shots per game. The Spurs allow 114.5 PPG this season — and the Magic have played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total in the second half of the season against teams who allow at least 110 PPG. 25* NBA Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Orlando Magic (559) and the San Antonio Spurs (560). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Michigan State Spartans (705) and the Maryland Terrapins (706). THE SITUATION: Michigan State (19-9) has won two straight games with their 78-70 win at home over Iowa as a 9.5-point favorite on Tuesday. Maryland (23-5) has won ten of their last eleven contests with their 74-73 win at Minnesota as a 1-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Spartans have seen the Under go a decisive 39-16-3 in their last 58 games after a straight-up win — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a victory over a Big Ten rival. Michigan State has also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread win. Now Sparty goes back on the road where they are just 8-6 this season while making only 43.6% of their shots which is translating into just 70.2 PPG. Michigan State sees their effective field goal percentage of 53.9% drop to a 50.3% mark when they are playing away from their home at the Breslin Center in East Lansing — that ranks 91st in the nation. But the Spartans’ outstanding defense does travel as they hold their home hosts to just 38.7% shooting which results in only 67.6 PPG. The Under is 14-6-1 in their last 21 games on the road — and the Under is also 18-7-1 in their last 26 road games against teams with a winning record at home. Furthermore, the Under is 22-8-1 in Michigan State’s last 31 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. Additionally, in the Spartans’ last 13 games in expected close games where they are listed in the +/- 3-point range, Michigan State has seen 11 of these games finish Under the Total. Maryland allowed the Golden Gophers to make 45.6% of their shots on Wednesday which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last eight contests. The Terrapins have a bad habit of starting slowly which requires them to dig themselves out of big holes — they had to rally from a 16-point halftime deficit to defeat Minnesota. The Terrapins average only 33.4 points in the first half this season with that number dropping to 31.8 points in the first 20 minutes in conference games. They are making only 43% of their shots at home with an effective field goal percentage of 49.1% which ranks 243rd in the nation. Overall, their Adjusted Offensive Efficiency on the season ranks 35th in the nation — but that number plummets to 73rd in the country when they are playing on their home court in College Park. But Maryland holds their guests to just 36.7% shooting which results in a mere 59.8 PPG when they are playing at home. The Terrapins have played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total on their home court — and they have played 11 of their last 17 home games Under the Total with the number set in the 130s. Maryland has also played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: These are two of the best defensive teams in the nation with the Spartans and Terrapins ranking 13th and 12th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency respectively. Maryland holds their opponents to just 39.1% shooting — and Sparty has played 8 straight games Under the Total after fifteen games into the season against teams with an opponent’s field goal percentage of 42% or less. And while Michigan State out-rebounds their opponents by +7.6 RPG, the Terrapins have played 6 straight home games Under the Total against opponents who out-rebound their opponents by at least +7.0 RPG. 25* CBB Big Ten Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Michigan State Spartans (705) and the Maryland Terrapins (706). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Arizona Wildcats (651) and the USC Trojans (652). THE SITUATION: Arizona (19-8) saw their three-game winning streak snapped on Saturday with their 73-72 upset loss at home to Oregon as a 5.5-point favorite. USC (19-9) has lost their last two games with their 75-69 loss at Utah as a 1-point underdog last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Wildcats allowed the Ducks to shoot 42.6% from the field which was the best shooting effort from an opponent in their last four games. Arizona should tighten up on defense — they have played 5 of their last 8 games Under the Total after an upset loss as a home favorite. They have also played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a narrow loss by 6 points or less. The Wildcats rank 21st in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and that mark rises to them being the 5th best team in the nation when playing on the road in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Arizona holds their home hosts to just 39.8% shooting which is resulting in them allowing only 67.7 PPG in their eleven road games. The Wildcats make only 28.2% of their 3-pointers on the road which is 313rd in the nation — and their effective field goal percentage of 44.3% on the road ranks 318th. Arizona has played 4 of there last 5 road games Under the Total — and they have played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total against teams who are winning at least 60% of their games on their home court. Additionally, the Wildcats have played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total as the favorite. USC has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss. The Trojans have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a point spread loss — and they have played 8 of their last 9 home games Under the Total after a point spread defeat. USC allowed the Utes to make 48.2% of their shots on Sunday which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last six games. The Trojans have the 40th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and that ranking has improved to 31st best in the country in that metric over their last ten games. USC has held their last five opponents to just 37.6% shooting from the field and now they return home after playing their last two games on the road. The Trojans have played 13 of their last 15 games Under the Total after playing their last two games on the road. USC is 11-2 at home while holding their guests to scoring 64.5 PPG on 39.5% shooting from the field. But USC only makes 43.2% of their shots at home given their 47.5% shooting percentage inside the arc which is 285th in the nation. The Under is 39-18-1 in the Trojans’ last 58 home games — and they have played 7 storage home games Under the Total in February. Furthermore, the Trojans have played 20 of their last 28 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher.

FINAL TAKE: USC will be looking to avenge an 85-80 loss at Arizona back on February 6th. The Trojans have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total when playing with revenge from a loss on the road — and they have played 12 of their last 16 games Under the Total when avenging a loss where they allowed at least 75 points. 25* CBB Thursday ESPN Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Arizona Wildcats (651) and the USC Trojans (652). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Memphis Grizzlies (513) and the Houston Rockets (514). THE SITUATION: Memphis (28-29) has lost three straight games after their 124-97 loss at Los Angeles against the Clippers on Monday as an 11.5-point underdog. Houston (37-20) has won four straight games with their 123-112 win over New York on Monday as a 13.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Grizzlies have played 12 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a loss by at least 10 points — and this includes them playing four of these last five situations Under the Total. Memphis has also played 4 straight games Under the Total both after a straight-up loss and after a point spread setback. Furthermore, the Grizzlies have played 14 of their last 17 games Under the Total after allowing at least 120 points in their last game. Memphis has been playing short-handed with Jaren Jackson, Jr., Grayson Allen, and the recently acquired Justise Winslow all injured. They made only 41.6% of their shots on Monday which was the lowest shooting effort in their last five games. Brandon Clarke also suffered a hip injury in that game which will keep him out for a couple of weeks which further hampers the Grizzlies offensive attack. Memphis has had the fourth-worst offense since the trade deadline with the reason seeming to be that when they dealt away Jae Crowder and Solomon Hill, they lost their two most active shooters from behind the arc. With Kyle Anderson sliding into the starting lineup despite not being a long-range shooting threat, opposing defenses are more comfortable to pack the paint to thwart Ja Morant’s driving lanes while also providing more help in double-teaming Jonas Valanciunas’ post-ups. And it is not helping matters that Dillon Brooks is in the midst of a big shooting slump: over his last nine games, he is shooting only 28.5% from the field while making just 17.1% of his shots from behind the arc. Now the Grizzlies play their fourth straight game on the road — and they have played 6 straight games Under the Total after playing their last three games on the road. Memphis has also played 21 of their last 30 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. The Grizzlies are scoring 111.7 PPG on the road this year which is not very much when considering tonight’s Total is in the high-230s. Memphis has played 12 of their last 18 games Under the Total with the number set at 230 or higher. And while the Grizzlies are averaging 47.2% shooting this season while holding their opponents to a 45.5% field goal percentage, they are only making 45.4% of their shots over their last five games — but they are limiting their opponents to a 43.7% field goal percentage. Houston has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread win — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a double-digit victory. The Rockets have also played 17 of their last 24 games Under the Total after a game where at least 230 combined points were scored. With the trade of Clint Capela, this team has completely embraced small-ball with them launching even more 3-pointers than ever. But Houston has also played a bit better on the defensive end of the court as they rank 12th in the league in Defensive Rating in their ten games since the All-Star break as compared to their 15th ranking in that metric overall this season. Over their last five games, the Rockets are holding their opponents to 109.2 PPG which is -5.0 PPG below their season average. Houston has played 26 of their last 38 games Under the Total with the number set at 230 or higher.

FINAL TAKE: Russell Westbrook is listed as probable for tonight with his thumb injury but Eric Gordon is questionable with a knee injury — and his absence will impact the Rockets’ 3-point shooting. Houston will be looking to avenge a 121-110 upset loss in Memphis back on January 14th — and they have played 23 of their last 35 games when avenging a loss where they allowed at least 110 points. These two teams have played 7 of their last 10 meetings Under the Total — and they have played 27 of their last 39 encounters in Houston Under the Total. 25* NBA Wednesday ESPN2 Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Memphis Grizzlies (513) and the Houston Rockets (514). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (577) and the Toronto Raptors (578). THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (49-8) has won three straight games as well as eight of their last nine games with their 137-134 win at Washington last night as a 12.5-point favorite. Toronto (42-15) has won their last two games as well as seventeen of their last eighteen contests with their 127-81 victory Indiana on Sunday as a 5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Bucks have played 7 straight games Over the Total after a win on the road by 3 points or less. Milwaukee has also played 6 of their last 7 games after a straight-up win where they did not cover the point spread as a favorite. And the Bucks have played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total after a game where they allowed at least 130 points. Milwaukee made 57% of their shots against the Wizards which the third straight game that they made at least 50% of their shots since the All-Star break — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after making at least 50% of their shots in three straight games. The Bucks are shooting 49% from the field over their last five games which has generated 123.2 PPG. They stay on the road where they are making 47.9% of their shots which is resulting in 118.6 PPG. The Over is 19-7-1 in Milwaukee’s last 27 road games against teams with a winning record at home. The Raptors make 37.7% of their shots from behind the arc — and the Bucks have played 15 of their last 22 games Over the Total in the second half of the season against teams who make at least 36% of their shots from 3-point land. Toronto has played 5 of their last 7 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 on their home court. The Raptors have also played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total after a point spread win — and they have played 13 of their last 17 home games Over the Total after a point spread victory. And in their last 7 games after a double-digit win, Toronto has played 5 of these games Over the Total. The Raptors held the Pacers to just 32.6% shooting which was the best defensive effort of their season. They also made 51.1% of their shots in that game after nailing 52.5% of their shots in their previous game against Phoenix — and they have played 5 straight games Over the Total after shooting at least 50% from the field in two straight contests. They stay at home where they are 23-7 while making 47.5% of their shots which is producing 117.3 PPG. Toronto has won nine straight games at home while averaging 125.1 PPG in those contests on 51.9% shooting from the field and a 41.3% clip from behind the arc. The Raptors have played 5 of their last 7 home games Over the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 6 home games Over the Total with the number set at 230 or higher. Toronto has also played 9 of their last 13 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning record on the road — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total as an underdog. And while the Bucks average 91 shots per game in their up-tempo offense, the Raptors have played 8 of their last 12 games Over the Total in the second half of the season against teams who average at least 88 shots per game.

FINAL TAKE: The Raptors will not be at full strength with Norman Powell and Marc Gasol both out with injuries — and that will hurt them more on the defensive end of the court rather than with their scoring. These two teams last played back on November 2nd when the Bucks won on their home court by a 115-105 score. Toronto has played 21 of their last 30 games Over the Total when avenging a loss where they allowed at least 110 points. 25* NBA Tuesday TNT Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (577) and the Toronto Raptors (578). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys (877) and the Kansas Jayhawks (878). THE SITUATION: Oklahoma State (14-13) has won three of their last four games after their 83-66 win over Oklahoma on Saturday as a 1.5-point favorite. Kansas (24-3) has won twelve straight games with their 64-61 upset win at Baylor as a 1-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Cowboys have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the total after a straight-up win. Oklahoma State has also played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total after playing at least three straight games against fellow Big 12 opponents. Now this team goes back on the road where they have played 4 of their last 5 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. They also have played 6 of tiger last 9 road games as a double-digit underdog. The Cowboys will be challenged by the outstanding defense that this Jayhawks team plays. Kansas is limiting their opponents to averaging just 60.7 PPG — but Oklahoma State has played 11 of their last 14 games Over the Total after fifteen games into the season against opponents who do not allow more than 64 PPG. The Cowboys rank 98th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency this season — but they have the 46th best Adjusted Offensive Efficiency mark over their last ten games. Kansas has played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a narrow victory by 3 points or less — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a point spread victory. And while the Jayhawks victory over the Bears fell below the 131 point total, they have then played 15 of their last 21 home games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Under the Total. Kansas has also played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a game where both teams did not score more than 65 points. Kansas returns home where they are 12-1 this season while making 49.6% of their shots which is resulting in 78.7 PPG. The Jayhawks have the 9th best offense in the nation based on Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and they have the 2nd highest Adjusted Offensive Efficiency when playing on their home court. Kansas makes 58.3% of their shots inside the arc when playing at home which is the 11th best mark in the country. Oklahoma State is vulnerable on the defensive end of the court as they rank 9th in the Big 12 in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they allow their home hosts to shoot 50% of their shots inside the arc on the road which is the 138th worst mark in the nation. The Over is 19-6-1 in their last 26 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. Furthermore, the Jayhawks have played 5 of their last 6 home games Over the Total as a favorite — and they have played 18 of their last 28 home games Over the Total as a double-digit favorite. Kansas has also played 8 of their last 12 home games Over the Total with the number set in the 130 to 139.5 point range. And while the Cowboys hold their opponents to 40% shooting this season, the Jayhawks have played 9 of their last 11 home games Over the Total after fifteen games into the season against opponents who do not allow their opponents to shoot better than 40% from the field.

FINAL TAKE: Kansas won the first meeting between these two teams back on January 27th by a 65-50 score. Oklahoma State has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total when avenging a double-digit loss on their home court. 25* CBB Big Monday ESPN Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys (877) and the Kansas Jayhawks (878). 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 Stanford Cardinal (865) and the Washington State Cougars (866). THE SITUATION: Stanford (17-9) snapped a four-game losing streak with their 72-64 upset win at Washington as a 2.5-point underdog on Thursday. Washington State (14-13) has lost three straight games with their 66-57 upset loss to California as a 6.5-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Cardinal has seen the Under go 8-3-2 in their last 13 games after a straight-up win — and the Under is 3-1-1 in their last 5 games after a point spread victory. Stanford has also played 8 of their last 11 games after an upset loss. The Cardinal is one of the best defensive teams in the nation as they rank 6th in the country in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They also rank 7th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing on the road. They hold their hosts to just 42% shooting from inside the arc which helps them post an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 42.5% — both those numbers are 3rd best in the nation for teams playing on the road. The Under is 9-4-2 in Stanford’s last 15 games on the road — and the Under is also 9-4-1 in their last 14 road games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better when playing at home. Furthermore, the Under is 3-0-1 in the Cardinal’s last 4 road games as a favorite — and they have also seen the Under go 8-3-1 in their last 12 games as a favorite. Washington State has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Additionally, the Cougars have played 4 straight games Under the Total after losing two in a row — and they have played a decisive 36 of their last 51 games at home Under the Total after losing five or six of their last seven contests. They made only 29.8% of their shots against the Golden Bears after shooting just 28.6% from the field in their previous game against USC. Over their last five games, Washington State is shooting just 35.8% which has resulted in only 63.8 PPG. They stay at home where they are making just 40.9% of their shots while ranking 302nd in the nation with a 46.4% field goal percentage inside the arc. Overall, the Cougars have an effective field goal percentage of 46.6% when playing at home which is the 313th lowest mark in the nation. Moving forward, the Cougars have played 5 straight games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: To make matters worse, they may be without their point guard Isaac Bonton who is questionable with a leg injury. Boston leads the team in touches when he is on the court while ranking second in shots — so the Washington State offense will likely suffer if he is not able to play or if he is hindered with his leg. 25* CBB Sunday ESPNU Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Stanford Cardinal (865) and the Washington State Cougars (866). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between Southern Utah Thundercats (771) and the Weber State Wildcats (772). THE SITUATION: Southern Utah (14-12) has lost three straight games after their 68-66 loss at Northern Colorado as a 7-point underdog on Thursday. Weber State (10-16) has lost their last three games with their 77-63 loss at Montana State as a 5-point underdog last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Thunderbirds have played 7 of their last 10 games over the total after a loss on the road by 3 points or less. They also have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a point spread victory. Additionally, Southern Utah has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after losing three straight games to Big Sky opponents. Now the Thunderbirds go back on the road where they have played 5 of their last 7 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning record at home — and they have also played 4 of their last 5 road games Over the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Southern Utah has not made more than three shots from behind the arc in two straight games — but they have then played 22 of their last 30 games Over the Total after failing to make more than three shots from 3-point range in two straight games. They now face a Wildcats team that is 328th in the nation by allowing their opponents to nail 37.3% of their shots from downtown. Weber State allows their opponents to make 45.1% of their shots this season — and the Thunderbirds have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total against teams who allow their opponents to make at least 45% of their shots. Southern Utah has also played 10 of their last 14 games Over the Total against teams who are not winning more than 40% of their games. Weber State has played 10 of their last 12 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a point spread setback. The Wildcats have also played 6 straight games Over the Total after losing two straight games. They return home where they are 7-4 while making 49.4% of their shots which is generating 80.5 PPG. Weber State has played 7 of their last 9 home games Over the Total — and they have played 6 of their last 7 home games Over the Total as an underdog. The Wildcats’ play on the defensive end of the court has waned as of late. They have allowed their last five opponents to make 47.9% of their shots which has resulted in them averaging 71.0 PPG.

FINAL TAKE: Southern Utah will be looking to avenge a 75-65 upset loss at home to Weber State back on January 30th. The Thunderbirds have played 22 of their last 33 games Over the Total when avenging a loss where they allowed at least 75 points — and they have played 11 of their last 14 games Over the Total on the road when playing with revenge from a double-digit loss. 25* CBB Big Sky Conference Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between Southern Utah Thundercats (771) and the Weber State Wildcats (772). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Kansas State Wildcats (839) and the Texas Tech Red Raiders (840). THE SITUATION: Kansas State (9-16) has lost five straight games with their 68-57 loss at TCU on Saturday as a 3-point underdog. Texas Tech (16-9) saw their three-game winning streak snapped on Saturday with their 73-70 upset loss at Oklahoma State as a 3-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Wildcats held the Horned Frogs to just 44.2% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last four games. Kansas State has played 12 of their last 16 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss. The Wildcats stay on the road where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total — and they have played 4 of their last 5 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning record at home. Additionally, Kansas State has played 19 of their last 26 road games Over the Total as an underdog getting 9.5 to 12 points. The Wildcats have also played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total as an underdog overall. And in their last 15 games with the Total set at no higher than 129.5, Kansas State has played 12 of these games Over the Total. Texas Tech has splayed 20 of their last 28 games Over the Total after a loss by three points or less — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. The Red Raiders return home where they are 12-2 this season while making 48.1% of their shots which has generated 76.6 PPG. Texas Tech has played 6 straight home games Over the Total with the number set no higher than 129.5. They also have played 20 of their last 28 games Over the Total after fifteen games into the season against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: Kansas State will be looking to avenge a 77-63 loss at home to Texas Tech back on January 14th — and the Wildcats have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total when playing with revenge from a double-digit loss at home. 25* CBB Wednesday ESPN2 Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Kansas State Wildcats (839) and the Texas Tech Red Raiders (840). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Rider Broncs (857) and the Siena Saints (858). THE SITUATION: Rider (14-9) has won five of their last six games with their 73-58 victory over Niagara last Saturday as a 9-point favorite. Siena (11-10) has won four of their last five games with their 65-49 win over Fairfield as an 8-point favorite last Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Rider has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 7 of their last 8 road games Under the Total after a victory. The Broncs won that game over the Purple Eaters by making 54.5% of their shots which was the best shooting effort of their season. But now Rider goes back on the road where they are making just 42.3% of their shots. The Broncs have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total on the road. Rider is playing their best defense of the year at this point of the season after holding Niagara to just 33.3% shooting on Sunday. The Broncs have held their last five opponents to just 39% shooting which has resulted in just 64.6 PPG which is -6.0 PPG below their season average. Rider will be challenged to defend their defensive glass against this Saints team that leads the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference by pulling down 34.5% of their missed shots. The Broncs are 43rd in the nation by limiting their opponents to rebounding 24.5% of their missed shots. Rider has held their last two opponents to just 5 and 7 offensive rebounds in their last two games — and they have then played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 9 offensive rebounds in two straight games. And while Siena averages a +4.6 net Rebounding Per Game margin this year, the Broncs have played 11 of their last 17 games Under the Total after fifteen games into the season against teams who are outrebounding their opponents by at least +4.0 RPG. The Saints have played 22 of their last 32 games Under the Total after a point spread win. Siena has also played 8 straight games Under the Total after not allowing more than 50 points in their last game — and they have played 12 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a game where no more than 125 combined points were scored. The Saints stay at home where they have held their guests to just 41.2% shooting which has generated only 64.7 PPG. Siena has played 21 of their last 28 home games Under the Total against teams with a losing record on the road. Siena is also playing their best defense of the season after limiting the Stags to just 30.2% shooting last Friday. The Saints have limited their last five opponents to only 38% shooting which has resulted in just 63.2 PPG. Siena has covered the point spread in four of their last five games — and they have then played 9 straight games Under the Total after covering the point spread in four or five of their last six games.

FINAL TAKE: Siena will be looking to avenge an 85-77 loss at Rider back on January 5th — and they have played 12 of their last 16 games Under the Total when playing with revenge where they allowed at least 75 points. 25* CBB Friday ESPNU Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Rider Broncs (857) and the Siena Saints (858). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Cougars (651) and the Eastern Illinois Panthers (652). THE SITUATION: SIU-Edwardsville (6-19) snapped their four-game losing streak last Saturday with their 83-75 upset victory against Eastern Kentucky as a 2-point underdog. Eastern Illinois (12-12) snapped their three-game losing streak on Saturday with their 71-65 win over Morehead State as a 6-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL:

At 8:05 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (523) and the Boston Celtics (524). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (37-17) has lost two of their last three games with their 110-103 upset loss at Philadelphia as a 2-point favorite on Tuesday. Boston (37-16) saw their seven-game winning streak snapped on Tuesday with their 116-105 loss at Houston as a 2-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Clippers will be playing their third game in the last five days tonight before the All-Star break begins tomorrow — they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total when playing their third game in five days. Los Angeles stays on the road where they have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total. The Clippers have also played 9 of their last 11 road games Under the Total against teams who are winning at least 60% of their games on their home court. It is not often when Doc Rivers’ team is getting the points — and that usually means that ramp things up on the defensive end of the court. Los Angeles has played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total as an underdog. They also have played 24 of their last 32 road games as an underdog which includes them playing seven straight games on the road as a dog getting up to 6 points. Furthermore, the Clippers have played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total against opponents with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. And while the Celtics are shooting 46.3% from the field this season, Los Angeles has played 22 of their last 33 road games Under the Total against teams with a 46% or better field goal percentage. Boston has not covered the point spread in their last two games — and they have then played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread in their last two games. The Celtics return home where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total. Boston has also played 5 of their last 7 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. Additionally, the Celtics have played 21 of their last 29 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% overall.

FINAL TAKE: The Clippers won the last meeting between these two teams at home in the Staples Center with their 107-104 victory as a 7.5-point favorite on November 20th. Boston has played 4 of their last 6 games Under the Total when playing with same-season revenge on their minds. 25* NBA Pre-All Star Break Thursday TNT Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (523) and the Boston Celtics (524). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:35 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Boston Celtics (585) and the Houston Rockets (586). THE SITUATION: Boston (37-15) has won seven straight games after their 112-111 win at Oklahoma City as a 1.5-point favorite on Sunday. Houston (33-20) has lost their last two games with their 114-113 upset loss against Utah on Sunday as a 3-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Celtics have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after allowing at least 100 points in their last game. Boston has not covered the point spread in their last two games with their victory over the Thunder preceded by a 112-107 win at home against Atlanta. The Celtics have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread in two straight games — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after winning their last two games by 6 points or less. Boston stays on the road where they have played 16 of their last 23 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 7 of their last 10 road games Under the Total as an underdog getting no more than 6 points. Additionally, the Celtics have played 5 of their last 7 road games Under the Total with the Total set at 220 or higher. Houston has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after an upset loss as a home favorite. The Rockets have also played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a loss by 3 points or less. Houston has fully embraced small-ball which was cemented with the trade of their center Clint Capela last week. The Rockets are getting killed on the boards as they have been out-rebounded by 10 and 15 boards in their last two games — and they have then played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after being out-rebounded by at least 10 boards in two straight games. Houston has allowed their last four opponents shoot at least 47% from the field while scoring at least 110 points in all four games but they have then played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total after allowing at least their last three opponents to make at least 47% of their shots — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after allowing at least 110 points in four straight games. Small-ball has not resulted in an uptick of scoring (except for their upset win over the Lakers, unfortunately for us, when Eric Gordon and the rest of the team could not miss from 3-point land): they are making only 42.8% of their shots over their last five games for a 113.4 PPG scoring average which is well behind their 119.3 PPG/45.1% field goal percentage for the season. Houston has played 24 of their last 35 games Under the Total with the Total set at 230 or higher. And in their last 51 expected close games where they are listed in the +/- 3-point range, the Rockets have played 39 of these games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: Boston’s biggest weakness is the lack of interior defenders — but that will not be an issue against this Rockets team. The Celtics do a good job of defending the arc as they rank 7th in the league by holding their opponents to make just 34.5% of their shots behind the arc. These two teams have played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total — and they have played 11 of their last 14 meetings in Houston Under the Total. 25* NBA Pre-All Star Break TNT Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Boston Celtics (585) and the Houston Rockets (586). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Chicago Bulls (549) and the Philadelphia 76ers (550). THE SITUATION: Chicago (19-34) has lost four games in a row with their 125-119 loss at home to New Orleans on Thursday as a 6-point underdog. Philadelphia (32-21) snapped their four-game losing streak with their 119-107 win over Memphis as a 6.5-point favorite on Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Bulls are struggling on the defensive end of the court — they allowed the Pelicans to make 56.3% of their shots. Chicago allowed the Raptors to shoot 56% from the field in their previous game as well — they have allowed their last four opponents to shoot at least 51.4% and five of their last six opponents have shot at least 50% from the field. The Bulls have then played 14 of their last 16 games Over the Total after allowing their last two opponents to shoot at least 50% from the field — and they have played 5 straight games Over the Total after allowing their last two opponents to make at least 55%. Furthermore, Chicago has played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after allowing their last three opponents to make at least 50% of their shots. The Bulls have allowed their last five opponents to shoot 54.5% from the field which has generated 122/.2 PPG. But Chicago has also made 47.0% of their shots over that span which has resulted in them averaging 111.0 PPG in those last five games. The Bulls have played 6 straight games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have also played 5 straight games Over the Total after a point spread setback. Chicago has also played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total after losing at least three straight games in a row. They go back on the road where they have played 4 straight Overs — and they have played 10 of their last 14 road games Over the Total with the Total set in the 210 to 219.5 point range. The Bulls have also played 21 of their last 28 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning record at home. Philadelphia played their best defensive game in their last nine contests on Friday by holding then Grizzlies to just 40.9% shooting from the field. But the 76ers have still allowed their last five opponents to make 47.8% of their shots which has resulted in 119.8 PPG that they have allowed during that span. Philly has allowed their last five opponents to score at least 107 points — and they have then played 18 of their last 26 home games Over the Total after allowing their last three opponents to score at least 105 points. The Sixers stay at home where they are 23-2 while making 48.5% of their shots which has resulted in 111.7 PPG. Philadelphia has played 9 of their last 12 home games Over the Total — and they have played 7 of their last 8 home games Over the Total against teams with a losing record on the road. The 76ers have also played 8 of their last 9 home games Over the Total when favored — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total as a double-digit favorite.

FINAL TAKE: Chicago will be looking to avenge a 100-89 loss at Philadelphia back on January 17th — and they have played 27 of their last 41 games Over the Total when looking to avenge a same-season loss. These two teams have played 13 of their last 19 meetings Over the Total — and they have played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total when playing in Philadelphia. 25* NBA Pre-All Star Break Eastern Conference Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Chicago Bulls (549) and the Philadelphia 76ers (550). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Temple Owls (827) and the Memphis Tigers (828). THE SITUATION: Temple (11-10) snapped their four-game losing streak on Saturday with their 76-64 win at home against East Carolina as a 10.5-point favorite. Memphis (16-5) has won their last two games with their 70-63 win over UConn as a 5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Owls made 48.9% of their shots on Saturday in their victory over the Pirates which was the best shooting mark in their last ten games. But Temple has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. Now the Owls go back on the road where they are making only 36.4% of their shots which is translating into just 63.4 PPG. Temple ranks only 350th in the nation (out of 353 Division I teams) with an effective field goal percentage of 39.4% due mostly to their 37.7% shooting mark inside the arc which is also 350th in the nation — and they rank 310th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency when playing on the road. The Owls have played 26 of their last 36 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 9 of their last 10 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. Temple has also played 6 straight road games Under the Total with the number set in the 135 to 139.5 point range. The Owls are last in the American Athletic Conference overall in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — but they play strong defense for head coach Aaron McKie. Temple ranks 33rd in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency with that ranking improving to 24th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing on the road. Memphis has been outstanding on defense this season for head coach Penny Hardaway — they rank 10th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency based on their nation-leading opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 41.7%. The Tigers have played 16 of their last 21 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 straight home games Under the Total after a win over a conference opponent. Memphis has also played 14 of their last 17 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. But this team has struggled to score points as of late as they are making just 41.5% of their shots over their last five games which is has resulted in just 59.8 PPG. The Tigers stay at home where they are limiting their guests to only 34.2% shooting from the field which has translated into just 59.8 PPG. Memphis has the 3rd best Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing on their home court. They have played 15 of their last 22 home games Under the Total as the favorite.

FINAL TAKE: Memphis has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and Temple has played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. 25* CBB Wednesday CBS Sports Network Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Temple Owls (827) and the Memphis Tigers (828). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Colorado Buffaloes (819) and the USC Trojans (820). THE SITUATION: Colorado (16-5) saw their two-game winning streak snapped on Thursday with their 72-68 upset loss at UCLA as a 4.5-point favorite. USC (17-4) has won five of their last six contests with their 56-52 win over Utah as an 8-point favorite on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Buffaloes have played their last two games Over the Total — and they have then played 27 of their last 36 games Under the Total after playing at least two straight Overs. Colorado stays on the road where they are making only 38.9% of their shots which is resulting in just 65.6 PPG. The Buffaloes are making just 41.3% of their shots inside the arc on the road which is 338th in the nation. This difficulty in shooting 2-pointers has dragged their effective field goal percentage on the road to just a 44.2% mark on the road which is 300th in the country. Colorado has played 25 of their last 34 road games Under the Total — and they have played 20 of their last 26 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. But this Buffaloes teams does play excellent defense — they rank 18th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. And that ranking improves when only looking at how teams play on the road where Colorado ranks 13th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. USC has played 30 of their last 44 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have also played 4 straight games Under the Total after a point spread victory. Additionally, the Trojans have played 21 of their last 28 games Under the Total after a win against a Pac-12 rival — and they have played 12 of their last 16 games Under the Total after winning at least two in a row against conference opponents. USC has also played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 55 points in their last game. The Trojans stay at home where they have played 20 of their last 27 games Under the Total — and they have also played 8 of their last 9 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record after fifteen games into the season. USC also plays tough defense — they rank 28th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency while also ranking 2nd in the Pac-12 in that metric in conference play. They hold their visitors to just 38.7% shooting on their home court.

FINAL TAKE: Colorado out-rebounds their opponents by +6.1 RPG — but the Trojans have played 13 of their last 14 games Under the Total after fifteen games into the season against teams who out-rebound their opponents by at least +4.0 RPG. And while USC is outscoring their opponents by +6.3 PPG, the Buffaloes have played 6 straight games Under the Total after fifteen games into the season against teams who outscore their opponents by +4.0 PPG. 25* CBB FS1-TV Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Colorado Buffaloes (819) and the USC Trojans (820). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:35 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Philadelphia 76ers (525) and the Boston Celtics (526). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (31-18) saw their two-game winning streak snapped on Thursday with their 127-117 upset loss at Atlanta as a 6-point favorite. Boston (32-15) has won two straight games as well as five of their last six contests with their 119-104 win over Golden State as a 13.5-point favorite on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The 76ers allowed the Hawks to make 48.3% of their shots on Thursday which was the worst opponent’s field goal percentage in their last nine games. Philadelphia has played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after allowing at least 125 points in their last game. This is the Sixers just fourth game in the last ten days — and they have played 25 of their last 34 games when playing no more than their fourth game in the last ten days. Philly stays on the road where they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 6 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. Additionally, the 76ers have played 7 straight games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 6 straight games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. Boston nailed 47.7% of their shots on Thursday in what was their best shooting performance in their last four games. The Celtics have then played 4 straight games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a victory by at least 10 points. Boston has also played 4 straight games Under the Total after a point spread victory. The Celtics have scored at least 108 points in eight straight games — but they have then played 15 of their last 22 games Under the Total after scoring at least 105 points in three straight games. Boston has also played 19 of their last 27 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60%.

FINAL TAKE: The Celtics will have revenge on their minds as they have lost their last four encounters with the 76ers with their last meeting being on January 9th where Philly defeated them by a 109-90 score. Boston has played 10 of their last 15 games Under the Total when playing with revenge — and they have also played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total when attempting to avenge at least three straight losses to their opponent. 25* NBA Pre-All Star Break ABC-TV Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Philadelphia 76ers (525) and the Boston Celtics (526). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Connecticut Huskies (619) and the Memphis Tigers (620). THE SITUATION: UConn (11-9) snapped their four-game losing streak on Wednesday with their 78-63 win over Temple as a 4.5-point favorite. Memphis (15-5) ended their two-game losing streak on Wednesday when they defeated Central Florida in their gym by a 59-57 score as a 1.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Huskies have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. UConn has also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a win by at least 15 points. The Huskies managed that victory despite making just 35.5% of their shots. UConn has not shot better than 39.7% over their last three games — and they have played 10 of their last 15 games Under the Total after failing to shoot better than 40% in three straight games. Over their last five contests, the Huskies have a 39.5% field goal percentage. UConn is last in the American Athletic Conference with an effective field goal percentage of just 42.5% — and they are also last in the conference by making just 26.0% of their 3-point attempts. It gets even worse for the Huskies when they are playing on the road where they are scoring just 64.0 PPG. UConn’s Adjusted Offensive Efficiency is just 307th in the nation when playing on the road — and they are making only 24.2% of their 3-pointers in their true road games. But the good news for head coach Dan Hurley’s team is that they play very good defense on the road as they rank 20th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing on the road. UConn has played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total — and they have played 4 straight road games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. The Huskies have also played 6 straight road games Under the Total as an underdog getting no more than 6 points. Memphis has played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. The Tigers have also played 6 straight home games Under the Total after a narrow win by 6 points or less. Memphis averages 73.7 PPG this season but that mark has plummeted over their last five games to a mere 59.4 PPG scoring average with a 42.8% field goal percentage. But head coach Penny Hardaway can lean on the outstanding defensive this team played. The Tigers lead the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 41.8% fueled by their tough interior defense that is limiting their opponents to just 39.2% shooting inside the arc which is 2nd best in the country. Overall, Memphis ranks 15th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and that number improves to them being 7th in the nation in that metric when they are playing on their home court. The Tigers limit their guests to scoring just 60.9 PPG on 34.3% shooting. Memphis has played 4 of their last 5 games at home Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage no better than 40% on the road.

FINAL TAKE: The Tigers have played 4 straight games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total with the number set in the 130s. 25* CBB CBS-TV Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Connecticut Huskies (619) and the Memphis Tigers (620). 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 Northeastern Huskies (619) and the William & Mary Pride (620). THE SITUATION: Northeastern (11-10) has lost two of their last three games with their 76-74 loss to Delaware on Sunday as a 7.5-point favorite. William & Mary (15-7) has lost two of their last three games as well after their 70-58 loss to Towson State as a 5-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Huskies have played 26 of their last 38 games Over the Total after a narrow loss by 3 points or less — and this includes them playing 8 of their last 12 games Over the Total after a narrow loss by 3 points or less at home. This is an outstanding team in shooting the basketball that ranks 6th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 56.3%. Northeastern also ranks 4th in the nation by making 40.4% of their shots behind the arc. Those numbers do not fall off much when they are playing away from — they nail 37.7% of their 3-pointers on the road which is 26th best in the country which helps maintain their effective field goal percentage of 55% which is 11th best in the nation for teams playing on the road. The Huskies have played 14 of their last 20 games Over the Total on the road — and they have played 9 of their last 12 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning record on their home court. Northeastern should score plenty of points against this Pride defense that ranks 232nd in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. The Huskies average 72.7 PPG on the road — and they are scoring 76.8 PPG in their last five games while making 48.5% of their shots from the field. But Northeastern has allowed their last five opponents to also make 48.5% of their shots as well. William & Mary has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a straight-up win. And while that game finished Under the 137 point Total, the Pride have then played 11 of their last 12 home games Under the Total after a game that finished Under the Total. William & Mary should be able to keep up with the Huskies scoring as they rank 14th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 54.8%. The Pride will likely live inside against Northeastern — they rank 19th in the nation by making 54.7% of their 2-point shots while the Huskies rank 321st in the country by allowing their opponents to make 54.3% of their shots inside the arc. William & Mary is making 47.9% of their shots on their home court which has resulted in 76.7 PPG. The Pride have played 36 of their last 52 games Over the Total on their home court — and they have played 7 of their last 8 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. Additionally, William & Mary has played 23 of their last 34 home games Over the Total as the favorite — and they have played 10 of their last 12 home games Over the Total in expected close games where they are listed in the +/- 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: This is a rematch of William & Mary’s 66-64 upset victory over the Huskies back on January 4th. Northeastern shot just 43.5% from the field in that game while making just 6 of 19 (31.6%) of their shots from behind the arc in a game that saw only 65 respective possessions. The tempo should be quicker in this rematch (with the Huskies making more shots) — the Pride average 67.6 possessions per game while Northeastern averages 67.5 possessions in conference play. 25* CBB Colonial Athletic Association Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Northeastern Huskies (619) and the William & Mary Pride (620). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Cleveland Cavaliers (527) and the Detroit Pistons (528). THE SITUATION: Cleveland (12-34) has lost seven straight games after their 118-106 loss to Chicago on Saturday as a 1-point favorite. Detroit (17-30) has lost two straight games as well as three of their last four contests after their 121-111 loss to Brooklyn on Saturday as a 2.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Cavaliers have played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have also played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. Additionally, Cleveland has played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a double-digit loss — and they have played 4 straight games Over the Total after a double-digit loss at home. Defense has been a significant problem for this team under first-year head coach John Beilein. The Cavaliers have allowed their last five opponents to make 52.2% of their shots from the field. Cleveland now goes back on the road where their home hosts are making 49.5% of their shots which has translated into 115.4 PPG. The Cavaliers gave played 12 of their last 17 road games Over the Total. Cleveland has also played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage below 40%. Detroit has played 4 straight games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 4 straight games Over the Total after a point spread setback. The Pistons made only 41.3% of their shots on Friday which was the lowest field goal percentage for them in their last six contests. Detroit does expect to get Reggie Jackson back tonight as he is listed as probable despite his back issues. The Pistons stay at home where they are making 47.5% of their shots which has resulted in 111.9 PPG. Detroit is also allowing its visitors to score 112.1 PPG on 47.2% shooting from the field. The Pistons have played 19 of their last 26 home games Over the Total — and they have played 9 of their last 10 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road. Furthermore, Detroit has played 10 of their last 11 games Over the Total as a favorite.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 6 straight meetings Over the Total. Expect another high scoring game between these two teams. 25* NBA Central Division Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Cleveland Cavaliers (527) and the Detroit Pistons (528). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Boston Celtics (563) and the Orlando Magic (564). THE SITUATION: Boston (29-14) has won two straight games with their 119-95 win over Memphis on Wednesday as a 7-point favorite. Orlando (21-24) has lost three of their last four games after their 120-114 loss to Oklahoma City on Wednesday as a 2.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Magic played their worst defensive game of the season on Wednesday against the Thunder as they allowed them to make 60.5% of their shots. Orlando has played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after allowing their last opponent to make at least 60% of their shots. The Magic have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Furthermore, Orlando has played 24 of their last 35 games Under the Total after a narrow loss by 6 points or less including four of these last five situations. The Magic also nailed 47.8% of their shots against the Thunder which was tied for second-best in their last nineteen contests. Now Orlando returns home where they are holding their opponents to just 43.9% shooting from the field. The Magic have played 7 of their last 8 home games Under the Total — and they have played 9 of their last 12 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. Orlando has also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total as a favorite. Boston has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a double-digit victory. The Celtics now go on the road where they are scoring 108.5 PPG on 44.1% shooting from the field — and those numbers are a bit below their 112.5 PPG scoring average overall on 46.1% shooting. Boston will be undermanned tonight with Jayson Tatum out with a groin injury along with Enes Kanter who is dealing with a foot injury — and Jaylen Brown is questionable with the ankle injury that he has been dealing with all month. That means more playing time for Marcus Smart who is an outstanding defender but inconsistent on the offensive end of the court. The Celtics have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total — and Boston has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total when playing the Magic in Orlando. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Boston Celtics (563) and the Orlando Magic (564). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Connecticut Huskies (663) and the Houston Cougars (664). THE SITUATION: UConn (10-7) has lost two straight games as well as four of their last five contests with their 61-55 loss at Villanova on Saturday as a 9.5-point underdog. Houston (15-4) has won two straight games as well as eight of their last nine games after their 65-54 upset win at Wichita State on Saturday as a 4-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Huskies have played 12 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a point spread setback. UConn made 49% of their shots in their losing effort to the Wildcats in that game which was the best shooting effort in their last six contests. Yet the Huskies are only making 40.3% of their shots still over their last five games. They stay on the road where they are making just 41.8% of their shots which is resulting in just 64.7 PPG. UConn has played 7 of their last 10 games on the road Under the Total — and they have played 6 of their last 7 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. Houston has played 16 of their last 22 home games Under the Total after a double-digit win on the road. And while the Cougars have only allowed 25 and 20 points in the first half of their last two games, they have then played 26 of their last 38 games Under the Total at home after not allowing more than 30 points in the first half in at least two straight games. Houston returns home where they are holding their visitors to just 35.2% shooting from the field which is resulting in just 60.9 PPG. The Cougars are improving on the defensive end of the court as they have held their last five opponents to just 38.2% shooting. But Houston is not as dynamic on offense when playing on their home court this season. The Cougars are 13th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency while posting an effective field goal percentage of 49.5% — but when playing at home, their effective field goal percentage drops to 49.1% while their Adjusted Offensive Efficiency plummets to just 64th in the nation. Houston has played 5 of their last 7 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road.

FINAL TAKE: UConn has played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total — and they have played 7 straight road games Under the Total when getting the points as the underdog. 5* CBB Thursday ESPNU Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Connecticut Huskies (663) and the Houston Cougars (664). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:30 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the California Golden Bears (693) and the USC Trojans (694). THE SITUATION: California (8-8) has won two straight games with their 61-58 upset win at home against Washington on Saturday as a 6.5-point underdog. USC (13-3) has won seven of their last eight games after their 74-63 upset win at UCLA last Saturday as a 1-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Trojans shot 57.4% from the field in their upset win over the Bruins which was their best shooting effort of the season. USC also held UCLA to just 37.9% shooting with that defensive performance being more indicative of their level of play since they have held their last five opponents to just 37.3% shooting from the field. USC has played an eye-popping 15 of their last 17 games Under the Total after a game where they made 57% of their shots while holding their opponent to no better than 43% shooting from the field. Additionally, the Trojans have played 29 of their last 40 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. Now after playing their last three games on the road, USC returns home to make their Pac-12 debut in front of their home fans this season. The Trojans have played 7 of their last 8 home games Under the Total after playing their last three games on the road. The Under is 35-16-1 in USC’s last 52 games at home — and the Under is 21-8-1 in their last 30 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. And in their last 9 home games in conference play, the Trojans have played 8 of these games Under the Total. California has played 6 straight games Under the Total after a win over a Pac-12 opponent — and they have played 10 straight games on the road Under the Total after playing a game at home as an underdog. And while the Golden Bears have covered the point spread in their last two games, they have then played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in their last two games. Cal looks to build off their best defensive performance of the season as they held the Huskies to just 29.5% shooting from the field. But now the Golden Bears go back on the road where they are scoring just 56.0 PPG while making only 36.2% of their shots. Cal ranks 353rd in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of just 35.3% in their three true road games. And over their last five games, the Golden Bears are making just 39.6% of their shots. Cal has played 17 of their last 23 road games Under the Total. The Golden Bears have also played 35 of their last 55 games Under the Total as an underdog including the Under going 3-0-1 in their last 4 games when getting the points.

FINAL TAKE: Cal has played 19 of their last 26 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 20 of their last 27 road games Under the Total after fifteen games into the season against teams with a winning record. 25* CBB Pac-12 Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the California Golden Bears (693) and the USC Trojans (694). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Portland Trail Blazers (505) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (506). THE SITUATION: Portland (16-22) Portland (16-22) has won two of their last three games with their 101-99 upset win at Toronto as a 2.5-point underdog on Tuesday. Minnesota (14-22) saw their two-game winning streak on Tuesday with their 119-112 loss at Memphis as a 4.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Defense has been for the Trail Blazers this season but they stepped up on Tuesday by holding the Raptors to just 36.5% shooting from the field. With Rodney Hood on the shelf with an Achilles’ injury, his absence allows head coach Terry Stotts to deploy more defensive-friendly lineups. But missing Hood over the last month takes away from Portland’s offensive attack. They are scoring 3.4 PPG less over their last five games versus their 112.0 PPG season average. They are playing their fifth straight game on the road tonight — and they abbe played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when playing their fourth game on the road in the last seven days. The Trail Blazers have played 8 of their last 10 road games Under the Total — and they have played 7 straight road games Under the Total against teams with a losing record at home. Furthermore, Portland has played 6 straight road games Under the Total as a favorite. Minnesota will look to play better on the defensive end of the court tonight after surrendering 68 points in the second half including a whopping 37 points in the final 12 minutes in their loss to the Grizzlies. Head coach Ryan Saunders had his team playing much better defense as of late. While the Timberwolves rank 15th in the NBA in Defensive Rating, they are 3rd best in the league over their last five games even after their dismal second half effort on Tuesday. Minnesota has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after allowing at least 100 points in their last game. The T-Wolves return home where they are making only 41.2% of their shots which has translated into 108.5 PPG. Minnesota will likely be without their best offensive player tonight as well with Karl Anthony-Towns listed as questionable with his knee injury that has kept him out the last eleven games. Over their last five games with Anthony-Towns, the Timberwolves are scoring only 105.4 PPG on 44.9% shooting from the field — and their 26th Offensive Rating are a few notches below their 23rd ranking overall for the season. Minnesota has played 7 of their last 10 home games Under the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 6 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road. The Timberwolves have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Minnesota will be looking to avenge a 113-106 loss at Portland back on December 21st. The Timberwolves have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total when avenging a loss on the road to their opponent. 25* NBA Pre-All Star Break Northwest Division Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Portland Trail Blazers (505) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (506). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks (669) and the Austin Peay Governors (670). THE SITUATION: SE Missouri State (4-9) snapped their five-game losing streak on Sunday with their 74-59 win over Missouri Baptist. Austin Peay (6-7) has lost two of their last three games with their 78-48 loss at Georgia on Monday as a 13-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Governors shot just 26.6% from the field in their loss to the Bulldogs — but they have then played 10 of their last 13 games Over the Total after failing to make at least 33% of their shots in their last game. Austin Peay has also played 20 of their last 28 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and the Over is 18-7-1 in their last 26 games after a loss by at least 20 points. Additionally, the Governors have play 10 of their last 11 games Over the Total after failing to score at least 50 points in their last game. Austin Peay returns home where they are shooting 52.5% from the field which has translated into 90.6 PPG in their five games on their home court. The Governors have an effective field goal percentage of 59.2% at home which is the 27th best mark in the nation. Austin Peay has played 20 of their last 27 games Over the Total at home — and they have also played 16 of their last 21 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road. The Governors do struggle on the defensive end of the court as they have allowed five of their last six opponents make at least 50.7% of their shots. Over their last five games, Austin Peay is allowing 75.6 PPG with those five opponents shooting 51.3%. SE Missouri State has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after not allowing more than 60 points in their last game. And while the Redhawks have only covered the point spread once in their last five boarded games, they have then played 12 of their last 13 games Over the Total after failing to cover the point spread in four or five of their last six games. SE Missouri State opens conference play having played 25 of their last 36 games Over the Total against Ohio Valley foes. They have also played 10 of their last 14 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. The Redhawks are allowing their home hosts to make 47.3% of their shots — and they have also allowed their last five opponents to shoot 47.4% from the field.

FINAL TAKE: These are two teams that struggle on defense with SE Missouri State ranking 276th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency and Austin Peay ranking 321st in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. 25* CBB Ohio Valley Conference Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks (669) and the Austin Peay Governors (670). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 2:35 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (525) and the Philadelphia 76ers (526). THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (27-4) has won three straight games with their 117-89 win over Indiana on Sunday as an 8.5-point favorite. Philadelphia (22-10) snapped a three-game losing streak by winning their last two games after their 125-109 win over Detroit on Monday as a 6.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Bucks win over the Pacers did not reach the 220 point total — but they have played 9 of their last 14 games Over the Total after playing a game that finished below the number. Milwaukee shot just 42.3% from the field which was their second-lowest field goal percentage all season. The Bucks are still second in the NBA in Offensive Rating — and they lead the league in pace by averaging 105.2 possessions per contest. Milwaukee is scoring 119.8 PPG on the road while making a robust 48.1% of their shots. Their victory over the Pacers came on the heels of a 123-102 win in New York over the Knicks — and they have then played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after two straight double-digit wins while also playing 13 of their last 16 road games Over the Total after winning two straight games by 10 or more points. Milwaukee has also played 34 of their last 52 games Over the Total after two straight victories by at least 20 points. The Bucks will be without point guard Eric Bledsoe for the sixth straight game — and they will miss his ball-hawking defensive skills. Milwaukee is allowing their last five opponents (without Bledsoe) to make 42.9% of their shots which is a bit higher than their 41.4 opponent’s field goal percentage for the season. Now the Bucks go back on the road where the Over is 12-5-1 in their last 18 road games against teams who are winning at least 60% of their games on their home court. Milwaukee does a fantastic job of protecting the rim with either Brook or Robin Lopez on the floor with Giannis Antetokounmpo — but this does come at the expense of allowing their opponents to launch 3s. The Bucks’ opponents are taking 38.7% of their shots from behind the arc which is the third-highest mark in the league. Philadelphia is 9th in the NBA by making 36.3% of their 3-point shots. The 76ers are scoring 110.8 PPG on their home court on 47.8% shooting from the field. Philly has played 4 straight games Over the Total at home — and the Over is 11-4-1 in their last 16 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. The Sixers have also played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total at home as an underdog. But defense has been an issue for this team as they have allowed their last seven opponents to score at least 109 PPG. The Pistons were the second opponent in their last three games to nail at least 51.2% of their shots from the field. Philadelphia has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after allowing at least 105 points in three straight games.

FINAL TAKE: This is the first meeting between these two teams since their 128-122 scoring fest in Philadelphia back on April 4th that the Bucks won. These two teams have played 5 straight meetings Over the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 7 encounters in Philadelphia Over the Total. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (525) and the Philadelphia 76ers (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 Saint Mary’s Gaels (697) and the Arizona State Sun Devils (698). THE SITUATION: Saint Mary’s (9-2) enters this game coming off an 89-77 win at California as an 8-point favorite on Saturday. Arizona State (8-2) has won five games in a row with their 79-59 win over Georgia as a 5-point favorite on Saturday. This game will be playing a neutral court at the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Gaels have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a win on the road — and they have played 12 of their last 13 road games Under the Total after a win on the road where they scored at least 85 points. Saint Mary’s made 54.3% of their shots in their game against the Golden Bears which was their second-highest shooting percentage of the season. But the Gaels need to tighten things up on defense after allowing Cal to make 50% of their shots after Dayton made 53.8% of their shots in their previous game. Saint Mary’s has played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total on the road after allowing their last two opponents to make at least 50% of their shots. Additionally, the Gaels have played 17 of their last 23 games Under the Total on a neutral court as an underdog. And in their last 75 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%, the Under is 50-24-1. Arizona State has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 straight games Under the Total after a point spread victory. The Sun Devils have also played 7 straight games Under the Total after a win by at least 15 points. Arizona State made 49.3% of their shots which was their best shooting mark of the season. The Sun Devils have scored at least 77 points in three straight games — but they have then played 11 of their last 12 games Under the Total after scoring at least 75 points in two straight contests. But now this team travels from Tempe to play this game in Phoenix — and they are making just 43.6% of their shots on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Arizona State has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total when the favorite — and the Under is 23-9-1 in their last 33 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. 25* CBB Hall of Fame Showcase Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Saint Mary’s Gaels (697) and the Arizona State Sun Devils (698). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Oklahoma City Thunder (563) and the Denver Nuggets (564). THE SITUATION: Oklahoma City (11-13) saw their three-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday with their 94-93 loss at Sacramento as a 2-point underdog. Denver (15-8) ended their three-game losing streak on Thursday with their 114-99 win over Portland as an 8-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Thunder have played 14 of their last 18 games Under the Total after winning two of their last three games. Oklahoma City has also played 6 straight games Under the Total after a point spread win. Now this team stays on the road where they are making only 43.8% of their shots as compared to their 46.5% shooting mark overall. The Thunder have played 4 straight games Under the Total on the road. Oklahoma City has also played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on their home court. Denver made 47.7% of their shots on Thursday fueled by nailing 18 of their 36 shots from behind the arc — so they are likely to get a visit from the Regression Gods when it comes to their outside shooting. As it is, the Nuggets have played 5 straight games Under the Total after a point spread loss — and they have played 5 straight games Under the Total after a win by at least 10 points. Denver has also played 17 of their last 22 games Under the Total after losing three of their last four games. Now this team stays at home where they have played 24 of their last 32 games Under the Total — and they have played 11 of their last 14 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road. And in their last 14 games as a favorite laying 3.5 to 9.5 points, the Nuggets have played 11 of these games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 7 of their last 10 meetings Under the Total — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games played in Denver Under the Total. 25* NBA Northwest Division Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Oklahoma City Thunder (563) and the Denver Nuggets (564). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between New York Knicks (545) and the Sacramento Kings (546). THE SITUATION: New York (5-20) snapped their ten-game winning streak on Wednesday with their 124-122 win at Golden State as a 4.5-point underdog. Sacramento (11-13) has won their last three games with their 94-93 win over Oklahoma City on Wednesday as a 2-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Knicks have played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total after pulling off an upset win. New York has also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. Additionally, the Under is 13-4-1 in New York’s last 18 games when playing with one day of rest. This team has played better defense under interim head coach Mike Miller since management fired David Fizdale. The Knicks have held their last two opponents to 43.3% shooting. New York also made a surprising 47.8% of their shots on Wednesday which was the best shooting effort in their last seventeen contests. But this is not a strong offensive team — Marcus Morris is their leading scoring. They are still only making 39% of their shots over their last five games — and they are shooting just 41.7% when playing on the road. The Under is 38-18-1 in the Knicks’ last 57 games as an underdog. And in their last 4 games against teams with a losing record, the game finished Under the Total all 4 times. Sacramento has seen the Under go 21-9-1 in their last 31 games after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Kings stay at home where they ave played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total — and they have also played 16 of their last 23 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road. Furthermore, Sacramento has played 4 straight games Under the Total against teams with a losing record — and they have played 26 of their last 38 games Under the Total against teams from the Eastern Conference.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 4 straight games Under the Total — and they have also played 4 straight Unders when playing in Sacramento. 25* NBA Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between New York Knicks (545) and the Sacramento Kings (546). 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 Wisconsin Badgers (635) and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (636). THE SITUATION: Wisconsin (5-4) snapped their three-game losing streak on Saturday with their 84-64 win over Indiana as a 2-point underdog. Rutgers (6-3) has lost their last two games with their 77-65 loss at Michigan State as a 14-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Badgers have played 7 straight games Under the Total after an upset win as a home underdog — and they have played 27 of their last 32 games after an upset victory over a Big Ten rival. Wisconsin made 53.6% of their shots in that game which was their best shooting effort of the season. But this Badgers team has struggled to make baskets this season. They are 280th in the nation by making only 30.7% of their shots from behind the arc. Wisconsin is solid with a 52.9% shooting percentage inside the arc (75th in the nation) but they are facing a Scarlet Knights team that is 41st in the nation by limiting their opponents to just 43.1% shooting inside the arc. Now this team goes back on the road where they are scoring a mere 54.7 PPG on low 37% shooting. But Wisconsin is still playing solid defense on the road as they are holding their home hosts to just 63.7 PPG on 44.4% shooting. The Badgers have played 4 straight games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 4 straight road games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. Additionally, Wisconsin has played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have played 19 of their last 26 games Under the Total as an underdog. Rutgers has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss where they covered the point spread as an underdog. And while the Scarlet Knights have played four straight Overs, they have then played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after playing at least two straight Overs. Now this team returns home where they are holding their opponents to just 56.5 PPG while limiting them to making only 35.6% of their shots. Rutgers has played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total at home against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road. The Scarlet Knights have also played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: Rutgers is getting much of their offense from crashing the offensive glass — they are pulling down 33.7% of their missed shots which is 47th in the nation. But the Badgers are still doing a good job of protecting their defensive glass this season as they rank 22nd in the nation by holding their opponents to rebounding just 23.0% of their missed shots. 25* CBB Big Ten Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Wisconsin Badgers (635) and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (636). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (573) and the Philadelphia 76ers (574). THE SITUATION: Denver (14-7) has lost two straight games as well as four of their last five contests after their 105-102 upset loss at Brooklyn as a 4-point favorite on Sunday. Philadelphia (17-7) has won two straight games as well as six of their last seven games with their 110-104 win over Toronto as a 3-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Nuggets have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 23 of their last 33 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Denver has also played 5 straight games Under the Total after scoring at least 100 points in their last game. The Nuggets lead the NBA by allowing just 101.9 PPG. They stay on the road where they have played 5 straight games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. Denver has also played 7 straight games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Philadelphia has seen the Under go 6-1-1 in their last 8 games after a straight-up win — and the Under is 3-0-1 in their last 4 games after a point spread victory. The Under is also 8-3-1 in their last 12 games after scoring at least 100 points in their last game. They stay at home where they are holding their opponents to just 43.8% shooting from the field. The Under is 12-3-1 in the 76ers’ last 16 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. The Under is also 19-7-1 in Philadelphia’s last 27 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher.

FINAL TAKE: The 76ers will be looking to avenge a 100-97 loss at Denver back on November 8th — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total when playing with revenge from a loss on the road to their opponent. 25* NBA Tuesday TNT Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (573) and the Philadelphia 76ers (574). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Lakers (569) and the Utah Jazz (570). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (18-3) enters this game coming off a 105-96 upset win at Denver last night as a 2.5-point underdog. Utah (12-9) has lost two straight games as well as four of their last five contests after their 103-94 loss at Philadelphia as a 5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Lakers have played 5 straight games Under the Total — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread win. Los Angeles has also played 25 of their last 34 games Under the Total after scoring at least 100 points in their last game. Furthermore, the Lakers have seen the Under go 18-6-3 in their last 27 games when playing a game without a day of rest — and they have also played 7 of their last road games Under the Total after playing the previous day also away from home. Anthony Davis is an early contender for Defensive Player of the Year with him playing his best defensive basketball in his career. He has helped the Lakers hold their last five opponents to just 42% shooting from the field. Utah has played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a loss — and they have also played 22 of their last 27 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Now this team returns home where they are holding their visitors to just 42.1% shooting which is translating into just 103.4 PPG. The Jazz have played 5 of their last 6 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. Utah has also played 15 of their last 21 home games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. The Jazz have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. And in their last 10 games with the Total set in the 210 to 219.5 point range, Utah has played 8 of these games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 4 of their last 5 meetings Under the Total — and they have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total when playing in Utah. 25* NBA Western Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Lakers (569) and the Utah Jazz (570). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:30 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Michigan Wolverines (769) and the North Carolina Tar Heels (770) in the Semifinals of the Battle 4 Atlantic Tournament. THE SITUATION: Michigan (5-0) won their opening round game in this three-day tournament with their 83-76 win over Iowa State as a 2-point favorite. North Carolina (5-0) joined them in the Semifinals of this event with their 76-67 win over Alabama as a 10-point favorite yesterday. This game will be played on a neutral court in Nassau.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Wolverines have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. Michigan has also played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a game where at least 155 combined points were scored. The Wolverines made 10 3-pointers yesterday en route to a 57.7% shooting percentage from the field. That effort came on the heels of their 55.8% shooting mark at home against Houston-Baptist where they nailed 14 shots from behind the arc. This team is playing at a faster pace with the players having more of a green light to shoot under first-year head coach Juwan Howard. Howard is dialing up some nice schemes for this team — but this Wolverines group lacks a reliable go-to scorer. They are also settling for a bunch of lower percentage of 2-point shots. As it is, Michigan has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after making at least 55% of their shots in two straight games. The Wolverines have also played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after making at least 10 3-pointers in two straight games. Michigan will likely struggle to score while playing their worst offensive game of the season against this Tar Heels team that ranks 7th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. The Wolverines have played 22 of their last 30 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total on a neutral court. Michigan has also played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total when playing with one day or less of rest. North Carolina has played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total when playing with one day or less of rest. Additionally, the Tar Heels have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 straight games Under the Total after a point spread loss. North Carolina also pulled down 60 rebounds yesterday — and they have played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total after grabbing at least 51 boards in their last game. The Heels allowed the Crimson Tide to shoot 38.2% from the field which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage they have allowed all season. This is a team that has not scored more than 78 points this season which is uncharacteristic of recent Roy Williams teams in Chapel Hill. It is not surprising that the Tar Heels have struggled to find themselves on offense after they lost their top five scorers from last year’s team with three of those players drafted in the first round of the NBA. Williams has a star in freshman Chase Anthony — but he has a very tough assignment with the Wolverines’ Xavier Simpson likely getting the defensive assignment. The Wolverines also have an outstanding post defender in Jon Teste nicknamed the Big Sleep for his defensive abilities down on the block. Michigan ranks 27th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency.

FINAL TAKE: Norther Carolina has played 14 of their last 20 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total against teams outside the ACC. The Tar Heels have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court. 25* CBB Battle 4 Atlantic Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Michigan Wolverines (769) and the North Carolina Tar Heels (770). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:30 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Butler Bulldogs (673) and the Stanford Cardinal (674) in the championship game of the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City, Missouri. THE SITUATION: Butler (6-0) reached the finals of this two-day tournament with their 63-52 upset win over Missouri as a 2-point underdog. Stanford (7-0) comes off a 73-54 upset win over Oklahoma yesterday as a 4.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bulldogs have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up win. Butler pulled the upset over the Tigers in large measure by making 47.8% of their shots which was the highest shooting percentage for them all season. The Bulldogs have three starters along with two other significant contributors from last year’s team that finished 16-17 after losing in the first round of the NIT. Third-year head coach LaVall Jordan also added three new big men into his rotation this season. Butler is thriving on the defensive end of the court as they rank 26th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. The Bulldogs have not allowed more than 61 points in a game this season — and they have then played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 65 points in at least two straight games. Additionally, Butler has played 14 of their last 17 games Under the Total against teams outside the Big East — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Furthermore, the Bulldogs have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games on a neutral court as the favorite or as a pick ‘em. Stanford has played 6 of their last 8 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. The Cardinal pulled the upset over the Sooners despite making just 38.5% of their shots which was their worst shooting effort of the season. Not coincidentally, that was Stanford’s first game of the new season that they played away from home. The Cardinal has played 8 of their last 10 games on a neutral court Under the Total — and the Under is 20-8-1 in their last 29 games on a neutral court. Stanford has also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 55 points in their last game. The Cardinal is also played solid defense under fourth-year head coach Jerod Haase. They rank 30th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Stanford has played three straight Unders — and they have then played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after playing at least three straight games Under the Total. The Cardinal has also played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams outside the Pac-12.

FINAL TAKE: Stanford is living by the 3-point shot as they rank 8th in the nation by making 42.4% of their shots from downtown. But Butler ranks 5th in the nation by holding their opponents to just 23.0% shooting from the 3-point line. The Bulldogs have played 12 of their last 17 games Under the Total in November while the Cardinal has played 15 of their last 222 games Under the Total in November. 25* CBB Hall of Fame Classic Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Butler Bulldogs (673) and the Stanford Cardinal (674). 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 Oregon Ducks (819) and the Memphis Tigers (820). THE SITUATION: Oregon (2-0) has won their first two games this season after their 106-75 win over Boise State on Saturday as a 10.5-point favorite. Memphis (2-0) has also won their first two games of the new season with their 92-46 win over Illinois-Chicago on Friday as a 20-point favorite. This game will be played on a neutral court at the Moda Denver in Portland.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Ducks were on fire on Saturday as they shot 70% from the field to torch the Broncos. But Oregon has then played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after making at least 60% of their shots in their last game — and they have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after scoring at least 90 points in their last game. The Under is also 10-3-1 in the Ducks last 14 games after a straight-up win — and the Under is also 9-2-1 in their last 12 games after a point spread victory. Additionally, Oregon has played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a win at home by at least 20 points. The Ducks have played very good defense so far this season — they held Boise State to just 42.9% shooting from the field after limiting Fresno State to just 34.5% shooting in their opening game. This will be Oregon’s first game away from their home court this season — and they have played 8 of their last 9 road games Under the Total after playing two straight games at home. And while their win over the Broncos flew over the 136.5 total on Saturday, they have then played 7 straight games Under the Total on the road after playing a game that finished Over the Total. Furthermore, Oregon has played 17 of their last 24 games Under the Total with the number set in the 140s — and the Under is 8-3-1 in their last 12 games against teams outside the Pac-12. Memphis has played 7 straight games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 7 straight games Under the Total after a point spread win. The Tigers made 59.3% of their shots in their victory on Friday while holding the Flames to just a 24.% shooting mark. Memphis has then played 13 of their last 18 games Under the Total after a game where they shot at least 57% while holding their opponent to no better than 43% shooting. Their victory over Illinois-Chicago was preceded by a 97-64 win over South Carolina State where they held them to just 36.2% shooting — and they have played 17 of their last 22 road games Under the Total after winning their previous two games by at least 20 points. Freshman James Wiseman will likely play in this game with the court-ordered injunction still in effect that has blocked the NCAA’s decision to make him ineligible — the seven-footer had five blocks on Friday. Wiseman should be dominant on defense inside the paint against this Ducks team that lacks size. Moving forward, the Under is 6-0-1 in Oregon’s last 7 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%.

FINAL TAKE: Oregon has seen the Under go 8-3-1 in their last 12 games played on a neutral court — and they have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total when favored by 3.5 to 6 points. Memphis has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total on a neutral court with the Total set in the 145 to 149.5 point range. 25* CBB Phil Knight Invitational Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Oregon Ducks (819) and the Memphis Tigers (820). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:30 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Michigan State Spartans (689) and the Kentucky Wildcats (690). THE SITUATION: Michigan State (0-0) returns two starters from last year’s team that lost to Texas Tech in the Final Four. Kentucky (0-0) has one starter back from last year’s group that lost in overtime to Auburn in the Elite Eight. This game is the second contest in the two Champions Classic games being played on a neutral court at Madison Square Garden.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Spartans closed out last season having played 4 straight games Under the Total against teams outside the Big Ten. This Michigan State team will once again be led by a Player of the Year candidate in Cassius Winston. But this team lacks a reliable second scoring option given the injuries to Joshua Langford that will keep off the court until at least January at the earliest. It looks like Kyle Ahrens will be able to play tonight but he will not likely be close to 100% given the high angle sprain he is dealing with. The Spartans closed out last season playing 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Michigan State has also played 4 straight games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court — and they have also played 11 of their last 17 games played on a neutral court when favored or listed as a pick ‘em. Kentucky is led by sophomore Ashton Hagans who was the co-Defensive Player of the Year in the SEC last year. The Wildcats closed out last season playing 6 straight games Under the Total against teams outside the SEC. Kentucky has also played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Furthermore, the Wildcats closed out last season playing 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court — and they have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court as an underdog getting no more than 3 points.

FINAL TAKE: I am comfortable putting some stock in these team trends because they reflect the core personality of the respective head coaches in Tom Izzo and John Calipari. Lastly, because the Spartans out-rebounded their opponents by +8.8 RPG last season, the Under is also supported by an empirical angle that has been 86% effective over the last five seasons. In games played on a neutral court in the first ten games of the season with the Total set in the 130 to 139.5 point range, when one team out-rebounded their opponents by at least +4.0 RPG last season and has two starters back from that team, these games then finished Under the Total in 24 of these last 28 situations where these conditions applied. 25* CFB Champions Classic Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Michigan State Spartans (689) and the Kentucky Wildcats (690). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves (575) and the Brooklyn Nets (576). THE SITUATION: Minnesota (0-0) comes off a 36-46 campaign last year which was 11th best in the Western Conference. Brooklyn (0-0) made the playoffs last season with a 42-40 before losing the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs to Philadelphia.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Timberwolves needed to improve their defense after allowing 112.9 PPG last season. Getting forward Robert Covington back for an entire season will certainly help their interior defensive. The defensive stalwart came over in last year’s blockbuster Jimmy Butler deal but he missed 42 games last season with injuries. Minnesota also added an outstanding defensive player in guard Jarrett Culver with the sixth pick in the NBA draft after he was a key defensive cog for the stingy Texas Tech teams over the last two years. The T-Wolves are led by Karl-Anthony Towns who averaged 24.4 PPG but they need Andrew Wiggins or someone else to step up to be a reliable second scoring option. Minnesota closed out last season with 6 straight Unders when playing on the road. The Timberwolves have also played 4 straight games Under the Total against teams from the Atlantic Division. Brooklyn significantly upgraded their roster in the offseason with the additions of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving but they will have to wait until the 2020-21 season before seeing Durant make his debut given his torn ACL in the NBA Finals last June. The Nets did lose some scoring punch with the loss of DeAngelo Russell who joined Golden State in the offseason. Brooklyn also added an outstanding rim protector in center DeAndre Jordan. The Nets concluded their preseason schedule last Friday against Toronto — and they played 5 of their last 7 regular season games Under the Total when playing with at least three days of rest. Brooklyn has also played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total at home. And in their last 5 games played in the Barclays Center between these two teams, the game finished Under the Total 4 times.

FINAL TAKE: I am willing to upgrade this play to a 25* ranking because the team trends that remain relevant from last season are supported by an empirical situational angle specific to the opening games of the NBA regular season. In games between non-conference opponents who ended last season with a 40 to 49% winning percentage, these games finished Under the Total in 55 of these last 77 situations. 25* NBA Non-Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves (575) and the Brooklyn Nets (576). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:07 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (529) and the Toronto Raptors (530). THE SITUATION: Toronto (73-31) took a commanding 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals on Friday with their 105-92 upset victory over the Warriors. The Raptors host Game Five as they look to lift the NBA championship trophy with Golden State (70-32) looking to extend this series to a sixth game back home in the Oracle Center.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Raptors have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a double-digit victory. And while Toronto has covered the point spread in seven of their last eight games, they have then played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in five or six of their last seven games — and they have played 5 straight games Under the Total after covering the point spread in six or seven of their last eight contests. The Raptors have also played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total when playing with two days of rest. Toronto’s outstanding defense has been their calling card this postseason. They have held their playoff opponents to just 42.0% shooting from the field — and they have limited their last five opponents to just 42.8% shooting. The Raptors won Game Four despite making just 41.9% of their shots from the field in a shooting effort that I expected to see from them in Game Three where instead they shot a surprising 52.4% from the field. Now with the opportunity to close out this series and win the championship on their home court, I expect this Toronto team to be a bit nervy with their shooting. The Raptors have played 12 of their last 18 games Under the Total when leading in a playoff series — and they have played 4 of their last 6 games Under the Total in playoff games where they have the opportunity to close out the series. Golden State has played 13 of their last 18 games Under the Total when trailing in a playoff series — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total when facing elimination in the playoffs. The Warriors should play tough on the defensive end of the court with their season on the line. This is a team that usually plays better on defense when on the road — they have held their home hosts to just 43.8% shooting this season which is a few notches below the 44.4% opponent’s field goal percentage for the year overall. Golden State has seen the Under go 33-16-2 in their last 51 games after a straight-up loss. And while the Warriors suffered upset losses in their last two games at home as a favorite in this series, they have then played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after losing two in a row— and they have played 18 of their last 26 games Under the Total after suffering two straight upsets in a row. The team may decide to play Kevin Durant with it being an elimination game. While they certainly need his offensive skills after making only 44.2% of their shots over their last five games, it remains a question how effective he will be if not at 100% and rusty from all the time he has been away from the court. And don’t underestimate Durant’s importance on the defensive end of the court as he offers the Warriors a big body to potentially slow down Kawhi Leonard. If Durant plays, the Golden State offense tends to slow down in pace as well with him looking to generate one-on-one scoring chances. The other big update for this Warriors team was the surprise return of Kevon Looney who had previously been declared out for the remainder of this playoff series by the team. One of the reasons we had the Over in Game Four was that Looney’s absence likely ensured more playing time for Boogie Cousins who is helpful on offense but a liability on defense. Looney’s ability to take the court helps the Golden State defense while limiting their offensive capabilities in lieu of Cousins. Regardless of whether or not Durant plays, this Warriors team has played 6 of their last 9 road games Under the Total as a road dog getting no more than 6 points.

FINAL TAKE: Golden State has played 6 of their last 9 games when playing with revenge from two straight upset losses to their opponent. 25* NBA Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (529) and the Toronto Raptors (530). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:07 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Toronto Raptors (525) and the Golden State Warriors (526). THE SITUATION: Golden State (70-30) evened this series at 1-1 on Sunday with their 109-104 upset win at Toronto (71-31). The Warriors return home to the Oracle Center to host the third and fourth games of this series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Golden State vastly improved their efficiency in their half-court offense after scoring just 0.84 Points-Per-Possession in the half court in Game One of this series. The Warriors improved that mark to a 1.068 PPP rate in the half court in Game Two which was the most efficient mark that the Raptors have allowed in these playoffs. Regression is likely for this Golden State team — especially with all the injuries they are dealing with tonight. Klay Thompson claims that he will play tonight — but head coach Steve Kerr will not play him if he is experiencing pain with the pulled hamstring he suffered on Sunday. While Thompson’s ability to launch jump shots should not be affected by this injury, his movement will be — so he may have difficulty getting open if and when he does play tonight. Kevin Durant is still not ready to play in this series — and the Warriors lost Kevon Looney to a season-ending cartilage fracture injury on Sunday. DeMarcus Cousins played surprisingly well in Game Two but he is still not at 100% as he recovers from his torn quad — and he is still working back into game shape after missing over a month of play. Even Andre Iguodala is not at 100% as he is dealing with a sprained calf of his own. Golden State’s most reliable offensive threat remains Stephen Curry — but when the Raptors deployed the gimmick box-and-one defense in the late moments of the fourth quarter, the Warriors’ offense stalled to a near halt. While the Warriors will adjust to that gimmick defense, the reason why it worked is that Golden State simply lacks reliable scoring threats with all these injuries they have endured. Bettors who had the closing over/under number of 212.5 still cashed their Over tickets that looked like locks midway through the final quarter even with the ugly scoring drought suffered by both teams — and the Warriors have played 15 of their last 22 home games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Over the Total. Golden State has also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after pulling off an upset victory. Now the Warriors finally return to the Oracle Center for the first time since May 16th after playing their last four games on the road. Golden State has played 28 of their last 39 games Under the Total after playing at least three straight games on the road — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after playing their last four games on the road. Furthermore, the Warriors have played 13 of their last 19 games at home Under the Total — and they have also played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road. Toronto should play better on the defensive end of the court after allowing the Warriors to make 46.3% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last six games. The Raptors have played 14 of their last 21 games Under the Total after suffering an upset loss. Toronto has also played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Raptors also experienced problems on the offensive end of the court with them shooting just 37.2% of their shots from the field. Kawhi Leonard has seen his offensive productivity steadily decline as the postseason moves on. Leonard has been nursing a leg injury of his own and he seems to be tiring. He only had seven isolation plays on offense with a mere four post-up plays with his energy appearing to be limited. Now Toronto goes on the road where the Under is 8-2-1 in their last 11 games. The Raptors have also covered the point spread in five of shier last six games — and they have then played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. Additionally, the Raptors have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing with two days of rest.

FINAL TAKE: Golden State has played 4 of their last 5 playoff games Under the Total when the series is tied. Toronto has played 6 of their last 8 playoff games Under the Total when the series is tied. Expect a lower scoring game tonight. 25* NBA Wednesday Night O/U Special Feature with Under the Total in the game between the Toronto Raptors (525) and the Golden State Warriors (526). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:07 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (523) and the Toronto Raptors (524). THE SITUATION: Toronto (71-30) won the opening game of this series on Thursday with their 118-109 victory as a 2-point favorite. The Raptors have now won and covered the point spread in five straight games. Golden State (69-30) had their six-game winning streak snapped in that game.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Warriors shot just 43.6% from the field on Thursday which was the worst shooting effort in their last twenty-seven games. Golden State has seen the Over go 5-2-1 in their last 8 games after a point spread loss. Additionally, the Over is 5-1-1 in the Warriors’ last 7 games on the road — and the Over is also 5-1-1 in their last 7 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. Furthermore, Golden State has played 13 of their last 17 games Over the Total with the number set in the 210 to 219.5 point range — and they have also played 9 of their last 11 road games Over the Total with the number set in that range. Moving forward, the Warriors have played 10 of their last 11 games Over the Total in the second game of a playoff series. Golden State has also played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total in the NBA Finals. Toronto has played 5 of their last 7 second games of a playoff series Over the Total. The Raptors have also played 21 of their last 32 home games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 31 of their last 47 home games Over the Total after scoring at least 115 points in their last game. Additionally, Toronto has played 14 of their last 20 home games Over the Total after winning at least three straight games — and they have played 29 of their last 44 home games Over the Total after covering the point spread in four or five of their last six games. The Raptors have also played 5 of their last 7 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road. And in their last 25 games in expected close contests where they are listed in the +/- 3-point range, the game finished Over the Total 17 times.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 7 of their last 9 contests Over the Total — and they have also played five straight games Over the Total when playing in Toronto. 25* NBA Sunday Night O/U Special Feature with Over the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (523) and the Toronto Raptors (524). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:07 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (521) and the Toronto Raptors (522). THE SITUATION: Golden State (69-29) has won six straight games after they completed their four-game sweep over Portland by defeating them on the road by a 119-117 score as a 2.5-point favorite back on May 20th. Toronto (70-30) has won four straight games after rallying from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Milwaukee by a 4-2 margin with their 100-94 victory as a 1.5-point road favorite last Saturday. The Raptors host the opening two games of this series. Kevin Durant has been ruled out for this game — but the news I have been waiting for was the confirmation by the Warriors that DeMarcus Cousins will be considered active for tonight’s opening game.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: With the big break before the start of the NBA Finals, looking at team trends is helpful to assess how these two teams will respond to the extended time off. Golden State has played 3 of their last 4 games Over the Total when playing with at least three of rest. Toronto has played 10 of their last 14 games Over the Total when playing with at least three days of rest between contest. Additionally, the Raptors have played 20 of their last 31 home games Over the Total after a straight-up victory. Toronto has covered the point spread in their last four games — and not only have they played 28 of  their last 43 games at home Over the Total after covering the point spread in four or five of their last six contests but they have also played 11 of their last 16 games Over the Total after covering the point spread in four straight games. They held the Bucks to just 40% shooting on Saturday which was the lowest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last three games as their defensive wall against Giannis Antetokounmpo further frustrated that Milwaukee offense. But they will have to hope the chalkboard clean regarding their defensive schemes against this potent Warriors attack. The Raptors face a dilemma on defense as they want to have Danny Green get significant minutes to take advantage of his size in defending Stephen Curry who will torch smaller defenders like Kyle Lowry or Fred VanVleet — but Green is slow in switching off pick-and-rolls and he cannot be a liability with his outside shooting. Green has a great pedigree of nailing 3s in the NBA Finals given his time with San Antonio — but his cold shooting continues, he will have to be benched for VanVleet who has been on fire with his 3-point shooting but is a defensive liability. Furthermore, Toronto has played 16 of their last 24 games Over the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range which includes them playing five of their last seven games at home Over the Total in that point spread range. Golden State plays at a quicker pace without Durant on the court as they can replace quick ball movement with his one-on-one isolation skills that does drain time off the shot-clock. The Warriors have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 20 of their last 30 road games Over the Total after a game where they scored at least 115 points. Golden State shot just 46.5% from the field in their last game against the Blazers which was the lowest shooting effort in their last five games. The Warriors have not been as sharp on defense as teams of the past in this postseason as they are allowing the 9th most Points-Per-Possession in these playoffs. They certainly miss Durant’s defensive capabilities — and he would have been the primary ball defender on Kawhi Leonard. Moving forward, Golden State stays on the road for the third straight game where the Over is 4-1-1 in their last 5 contests. The Warriors have also played 12 of their last 16 games Over the Total with the number set in the 210 to 219.5 point range — and they have played 8 of their last 10 road games Over the Total with the number set in that range. Additionally, Golden State has played 6 of their last 8 games in the NBA Finals Over the Total. And with Cousins likely to play tonight, that puts the icing on the cake for this Over play (and the 25* rating) since the big man fills a hole on offense with his post-up and shooting skills while representing a liability on the defensive end of the court.

FINAL TAKE: Toronto swept the two games between these two teams in the regular season with the Raptors pulling the upset in the last meeting back on December 12th where they won by a 113-93 score on the road as an 8-point underdog. The Warriors have played 10 of their last 16 games Over the Total when playing with revenge from a loss by at least 20 points. These two teams have played 6 of their last 8 meetings Over the Total including four straight Overs when playing in Toronto. 25* NBA Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (521) and the Toronto Raptors (522). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (549) and the Toronto Raptors (550). THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (70-23) took a 2-0 lead in this series on Friday with their 125-103 victory as a 6-point favorite over Toronto (66-30). The Raptors host the third and fourth games of this series.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Milwaukee has played 10 of their last 14 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total when playing with one day of rest. This Bucks team has won and covered the point spread in six straight games. Milwaukee has then played 8 of their last 12 games Over the Total after winning at least five straight games — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total after covering the point spread in four straight contests. The Bucks have dominated the boards in this series as they have out-rebounded Toronto by 15 and 14 boards in the first two games of this series. Milwaukee has then played 28 of their last 39 games Over the Total after out-rebounding their last two foes by at least 10 rebounds. The Bucks have also held their last five opponents to just 38.1% shooting from the field — and they have played 11 of their last 17 games Over the Total after their last five opponents shot no better than 42% over that span. Now after playing their last three games on their home court, Milwaukee goes back on the road where they are scoring 116.8 PPG on 47% shooting from the field. The Bucks have played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total after playing their last three games at home. Milwaukee has also played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total on the road — and they have played 10 of their last 11 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning record on their home court. Furthermore, the Bucks have played 8 of their last 12 games Over the Total as an underdog. Toronto has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total when playing with one day of rest. And while they have failed to cover the point spread in four straight games as well as six of their last eight contests, the Raptors have then played 10 of their last 14 games Over the Total after they have failed to cover the point spread in six or seven of their last eight games. Toronto shot just 42.5% from the field on Friday — but they return home where they are scoring 113.8 PPG while making 47.4% of their shot attempts. The Raptors have played 14 of their last 21 games Over the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range — and this includes them playing three of these last four situations Over the Total when playing on their home court.

FINAL TAKE: Toronto has lost their last three encounters with the Bucks — and they have played 12 of their last 17 games Over the Total when playing with triple revenge. The Raptors have also played 34 of their last 54 games Over the Total when avenging a loss where their opponent scored at least 110 points. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Playoff Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (549) and the Toronto Raptors (550). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:35 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Toronto Raptors (545) and the Milwaukee Bucks (546). THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (69-23) won the opening game of this series on Wednesday with their 108-100 victory over Toronto (66-29). The Bucks host Game Two of this series.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Bucks won this game despite shooting just 39.8% from the field which was the lowest shooting mark in their last five games. The seven-day break they experienced after defeating the Celtics in five games resulted in some cold shooters for this Milwaukee team. The Bucks made only 11 of their 44 shots from behind the arc for a 25% shooting clip which was well below their 35.8% percentage when playing at home. Milwaukee scores a robust 119.0 PPG when playing at home given their up-tempo pace and their 47.8% field goal percentage. The Bucks have played 4 of their last 5 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road. Milwaukee should be primed for a better shooting effort tonight as they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total when playing with one day of rest. Additionally, the Bucks have played 7 of their last 11 games Over the Total after winning five games in a row (as they have after dropping Game One of their series with Boston. Milwaukee has also played 4 straight second games of a playoff series Over the Total. And while the Bucks have not allowed their last three opponents shoot better than 37.8% from the floor, they have then played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total after not allowing their last three opponents to make more than 42% of their shots in three straight games. Toronto entered the fourth quarter of Game One with 83 points but only Kyrie Lowery managed to score a field goal in those final 12 minutes of play with Kawhi Leonard showing signs of fatigue by missing all three of his field goal attempts during that span. The Raptors shot just 37% from the field which was the lowest shooting effort in their last six games. Toronto has played 19 of their last 30 games Over the Total as an underdog in the 3.5 to 9.5 range — and this includes them playing five of these last eight situations Over the Total. The Raptors have also played 6 of their last 8 games on the road Over the Total when an underdog getting 6.5 to 12 points. And in their last 6 playoff games in the second game of the series, Toronto played 4 of these games Over the Total.

FINAL TAKE: The Raptors have played 16 of their last 26 games Over the Total when playing with revenge from a loss where they allowed at least 100 points. And while Toronto has lost the last two games between these two teams, they have then played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total when looking to avenge at least two straight losses to their opponent. 25* NBA Friday Night O/U Special Feature with Over the Total in the game between the Toronto Raptors (545) and the Milwaukee Bucks (546). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Portland Trail Blazers (533) and the Golden State Warriors (534). THE SITUATION: Portland (61-33) advanced to the Western Conference Finals on Sunday with their 100-96 upset victory in Denver as a 5.5-point underdog. Golden State (65-29) reached the Western Conference Finals two days earlier on Friday when they upset Houston on the road by a 118-113 sore as a 7.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Warriors stepped up without Kevin Durant on Friday as they made 49.4% of their shots which was the best shooting effort in their last five games. But this team will miss Durant’s scoring ability as he will likely miss the first few games of this series. Stephen Curry was outstanding in the second half by scoring 33 points — but he did not score in a first half where Golden State got surprising scoring contributions from their reserves. Curry and Klay Thompson have been inconsistent in these playoffs. This team is making only 46.4% of their shots over their last five games which is far below their 49.0% field goal percentage for the season. The Warriors have played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a point spread win. Golden State has also played 17 of their last 25 home games Under the Total after a game where at least 225 combined points were scored. The Warriors return home where they have played 12 of their last 17 games Under the Total — and they have played 36 of their last 58 home games Under the Total when favored in the 6.5 to 12 point range. Additionally, Golden State has played 5 straight games Under the Total in the Western Conference Finals. The Warriors are making 38.3% of their shots from behind the arc — and Portland has played 41 of their last 68 games Under the Total against teams who shoot at least 36% from behind the arc. The Trail Blazers have stepped up their play on the defensive end of the court. They held the Nuggets to just 37.1% shooting on Sunday after limiting them to a 38.4% field goal percentage in Game Six of that series. Portland has held their last five opponents to a 42.9% field goal percentage which is a few clicks better than their 45.3% opponent’s field goal percentage for the season. But the Blazers are making only 42.4% of their shots over their last five games which is a bit below their 46.4% field goal percentage for the year. Portland will also likely be without their super sub, Rodney Hood, who has been downgraded to being doubtful given the knee injury he suffered in Sunday’s game. The Trail Blazers have also played 12 of their last 20 games Under the Total as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points.

FINAL TAKE: This is Golden State’s fourth game in the last ten days — and in games involving teams who have won five or six of their last seven games and is now playing just their fourth game (or less) in the last ten days, these games finished Under the Total in 435 of the last 764 situations where these conditions applied. 25* NBA Tuesday Night O/U Special Feature with Under the Total in the game between the Portland Trail Blazers (533) and the Golden State Warriors (534). 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 Golden State Warriors (519) and the Houston Rockets (520). THE SITUATION: Golden State (59-33) took a 3-2 lead in this series on Wednesday with their 104-99 victory at home over Houston (59-33) as a 6-point underdog. This series moves back to the Rockets’ Toyota Center tonight for Game Six with Houston looking to stave off elimination.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The calf injury that Kevin Durant suffered in the second half of this game that will keep him out the rest of this series is the most important intangible in handicapping this game. The Warriors will be looking to re-invent their Splash Brothers offense of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson circa the 2015-16 season before they signed Kevin Durant as a free agent. I do expect Golden State to attempt to play at a faster pace as their offense has tended to slow down to adapt to Durant’s isolation game in the half-court. But that all said, I do not expect the efficiency of the Warriors offense to significantly improve — especially without the luxury of having Durant that head coach Steve Kerr describes as the ultimate weapon. For starters, neither Curry nor Thompson are not in great form. Thomson’s series high is 27 points while he has only connected on thirteen shots from behind the arc in all five games. Curry has reached 30 points just once in this series while not nailing more than five 3-pointers in a game in this series while he seems to be slowed by a hyperextended left finger along with a right ankle issue. Furthermore, those pre-Durant Golden State teams had a better set of complementary offensive pieces (such as Harrison Barnes and a more productive Draymond Green on offense) than this current group that began the season banking on big contributions from DeMarcus Cousins. The Rockets have been doing a great job of defending Curry and Thompson in this series. Chris Paul remains a strong on-the-ball defender but what this Houston team has after him is a slew of guards with size whose length can mess with the Splash Brothers: James Harden is 6’5, Eric Gordon is 6’4, Austin Rivers is 6’4, Iman Shumpert is 6’5, Gerard Green is 6’7, and P.J. Tucker is 6’6. What head coach Mike D’Antoni chooses to do with Tucker will be particularly interesting since he has been relieved of being the primary defender on Durant for the Rockets. Frankly, Houston also has three more years of experience under their belts defending the Splash Brothers’ offense that a number of teams have copy-catted as they embraced up-tempo offensive systems that emphasize launching tons of 3s. And this Rockets team has steadily improved in their defensive play due to some important reconfigurations of their roster along with the continued work of their defensive guru in assistant coach Jeff Bzdelik. Houston boasted the second best Defensive Rating in the NBA over the last fifteen games of the regular season — and they have held their opponents in the playoffs to just 43.3% shooting from the field which has resulted in a -5.2 drop in points they are allowing per game from the 113.3 PPG they gave up in the regular season. Golden State typically plays harder on defense when they are away from home as well — they hold their home hosts to just 43.7% shooting as compared to the 44.4% overall mark this year. The Under is 10-2-1 in the Warriors’ last 13 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Golden State has only covered the point spread twice in their last eight games — and they have played 30 of their last 46 games Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread in six or seven of their last eight games. The Under is also 19-7-1 in the Warriors’ last 27 games when playing with one day of rest. The Under is 18-5-2 in Houston’s last 26 games when playing with just one day of rest. Houston has also seen the Under go 7-2-1 in their last 10 games after a straight-up loss. The Rockets have only reached their 117.7 PPG scoring average once in this series with it being evident that Chris Paul is not the same offensive player that he once was. Paul is making only 45% of his midrange jump shots in these playoffs — and the 58% shooting inside feet of the basket is a few notches below the 61% mark he enjoyed in last year’s Western Conference Finals. Houston returns home where the Under is 8-3-2 in their last 13 games — and the Under is 5-1-1 in their last 7 home games against teams with a winning record on the road.

FINAL TAKE: The Rockets have played 19 of their last 26 games Under the Total when looking to stave off elimination in a playoff series. They will dedicate their defensive energies in stopping Curry and Thompson to dare the Warriors to rely on their secondary scorers. The Under is 20-8-1 in the last 29 meetings between these two teams when playing in Houston. 25* NBA Second Round ESPN Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (519) and the Houston Rockets (520). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (501) and the Boston Celtics (502). THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (66-23) took a 2-1 lead in this series on Friday with their 123-116 upset win at Boston (54-35) as a 2-point underdog. The Celtics host the fourth game of this series tonight.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Bucks have played 19 of their last 28 games Over the Total on the road after a win by at least 20 points. Milwaukee has also played 17 of their last 22 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. Additionally, the Bucks have played 24 of their last 32 games Over the Total when playing with two days of rest. Now Milwaukee stays on the road where they have played 6 straight road games Over the Total — and they have played 7 straight road games Over the Total against a team with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. Boston has played 4 straight games Over the Total after a straight-up loss. Furthermore, the Celtics have played 30 of their last 45 home games Over the Total after allowing at least 120 points in their last game. And while Boston has lost the last two games in this series, they have then played 8 straight home games Over the Total after losing two of their last three contests. Additionally, the Celtics have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total when playing with two days of rest. And in their last 8 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road, Boston has played 7 of these games Over the Total.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have seen the Over go 18-7-1 in their last 26 games when playing in Boston. The Celtics have also played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total when avenging an upset loss as a home favorite. 25* NBA Monday Night O/U Special Feature with Over the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (501) and the Boston Celtics (502). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:35 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (589) and the Houston Rockets (590). THE SITUATION: Golden State (63-27) seized a 2-0 lead in this series on Tuesday with their 115-109 victory over Houston (57-32) as a 5.5-point favorite. The Rockets host the third and fourth games of this series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Houston has played 7 straight games Under the Total after a point spread loss. They have also played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total when playing with at least three days of rest between contests. They return home where the Under is 7-1-1 in their last 9 games — and they have also played 5 straight home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. The Rockets’ have more than an 0-2 deficit to be concerned about after James Harden got his eyes raked on Tuesday. While Harden will play, he indicates that he is still feeling the effects of that injury. Houston made 46.8% of their shots in Game Two which was actually the best field goal percentage in their last five games. The Rockets have been thriving in the last quarter of the regular season by significantly ramping up their play on the defensive end of the court. Over the last fifteen games of the regular season, Houston had the fourth best Defensive Rating in the NBA. In these playoffs, the Rockets are allowing only 101.1 PPG along with a 42.3% field goal percentage which is far below the 108.5 PPG they are allowing for the season along with an opponent’s field goal percentage of 46.3%. In their last five playoff games, Houston is holding their opponents to just 100.8 PPG on 41.3% shooting from the field. The Rockets have played a decisive 17 of their last 22 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. Golden State is not often the underdog — the two-time defending NBA champions usually tighten things up on the defensive end of the court when their victory is not a foregone conclusion (in their minds). The Warriors have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total when they were the underdog — and they have also played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points. Furthermore, Golden State has played 11 of their last 15 road games Under the Total as an underdog. The 46.8% shooting percentage that Houston executed on Tuesday was the highest field goal percentage that the Warriors had allowed in their last three games. When playing on the road, Golden State holds its home hosts to just a 43.6% field goal percentage.

FINAL TAKE: Houston has played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total when playing with revenge from a loss where they allowed at least 110 points. And despite the high Totals that typically are associated with these two high scoring teams, these two teams have played 9 of their last 11 meetings Under the Total. 25* NBA Second Round Saturday ABC-TV Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (589) and the Houston Rockets (590). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:35 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (587) and the Portland Trail Blazers (588). THE SITUATION: Portland (58-31) evened this series at 1-1 on Wednesday with their 97-90 upset victory over Denver (59-32) as a 4-point underdog. The Trail Blazers host the third and fourth of games of this series.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Nuggets pulled the upset over the Trail Blazers in the opening game of this series by nailing 40.4% of their 3-pointers en route to a 50.6% shooting percentage for that game. It was a much different story in Game Two as they made only 6 of their 29 shots from behind the arc for a dismal 20.7% shooting percentage from 3-point land. Their 34.7% field goal percentage in that game was their lowest mark of the entire season. Denver has played 25 of their last 43 games Over the Total after suffering an upset loss as a home favorite. The Nuggets have also played 10 of their last 14 games Over the Total after failing to score more than 90 points in their last game. Now after playing their last three games at home, Denver goes back on the road — and they have played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total after playing at least three straight games at home. The Nuggets score 107.4 PPG on the road — and they allowed 110.1 PPG in those contests. Denver has played 5 straight games Over the Total on the road — and they have played 5 straight road games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. Portland has played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total after an upset victory over a fellow Northwest Division rival — and this includes them play those last four situations Over the Total. The Over is also 21-8-2 in the Trail Blazers’ last 31 games when playing with one day of rest. Now Portland returns home where they are scoring 117.8 PPG on 47.7% shooting from the field. The Blazers pulled off their upset on Wednesday despite making only 42.4% of their shots. The Nuggets’ 34.7% field goal percentage in that game was the lowest opponent’s field goal percentage in Portland’s last 79 games. The Blazers allow their visitors to shoot 45% from the field which generates 109.3 PPG. The Over is 16-4-1 in Portland’s last 21 games at home — and the Over is also 12-3-1 in their last 16 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. The Blazers have also played 11 of their last 17 home games Over the Total with the number set in the 210 to 219.5 point range.

FINAL TAKE: Denver has played 10 of their last 15 games Over the Total when avenging an upset loss — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total when avenging an upset loss where they were home favorites. These two teams have played 5 of their last 6 meetings Over the Total — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games played in Portland Over the Total. 25* NBA Friday Late Show O/U Special Feature with Over the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (587) and the Portland Trail Blazers (588). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (585) and the Boston Celtics (586). THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (65-23) evened this series at 1-1 on Tuesday with their 123-102 victory over the Celtics. Boston (54-34) hosts Games Three and Four of this series.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Milwaukee has played 16 of their last 21 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a point spread victory. Furthermore, the Bucks have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a win by at least 10 points. They now go on the road where they have played 5 straight games Over the Total — and they have played 10 of their last 11 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning record at home. Additionally, Milwaukee has played 23 of their last 31 games Over the Total when playing with two days of rest. Boston has played 4 of the last 5 games Over the Total when playing with two days of rest. They have also played 20 of their last 28 games Over the Total after a loss by double-digits — and they have played 9 of their last 12 games Over the Total after a loss by at least 20 points. The Celtics shot just 39.5% from the field on Tuesday which was the lowest field goal percentage for them in their last five games. They return home where they are making 47% of their shots en route to 113.0 PPG. Boston has played 9 of their last 12 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning record on the road — and they have played 6 of their last 7 home games Over the Total with a winning percentage over 60% on the road. Furthermore, the Celtics have played 38 of their last 57 home games Over the Total with the Total set in the 210 to 219.5 point range.

FINAL TAKE: Boston has played 13 of their last 17 games Over the Total when looking to avenge a double-digit loss on the road. The Celtics have also played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total when playing with revenge from a loss by at least 20 points. Lastly, the Over is 16-5-1 in the last 22 meetings between these two teams in Boston. 25* NBA Friday Night O/U Special Feature with Over the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (585) and the Boston Celtics (586). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Toronto Raptors (581) and the Philadelphia 76ers (582). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (56-33) evened this series at 1-1 on Monday with their 94-89 upset victory at Toronto (63-26) as a 7.5-point underdog. The 76ers return home to host the third and fourth games of this series.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Philadelphia has played 15 of their last 21 games after a victory by 6 points or less. The 76ers have also played 5 of their last 7 games over the Total when playing with two days of rest — and that extra day of rest should help Joel Embiid be ready to play this game as he deals with knee injuries. Philadelphia held the Raptors to just a 36.3% shooting percentage on Monday which was the lowest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last 41 games. But the Sixers also shot just 39.5% from the field in that low-scoring game. Now Philly returns home where they are scoring 118.6 PPG on the strength of 48.5% shooting from the field. The 76ers have played 6 of their last 8 home games Over the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 7 home games Over the Total with the number set in the 210 to 219.5 point range. Toronto’s 36.3% field goal percentage was the worst shooting effort in their last 53 games. They also missed 27 shots from behind the arc on Monday — they should improve significantly on that resulting 27% mark from 3-point land tonight considering that they are making 36.6% of their shots from behind the arc on the road. The Raptors are averaging 113.2 PPG when playing on the road. The Over is 9-4-1 in their last 14 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. Toronto has also played 10 of their last 14 road games Over the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Furthermore, in Toronto’s last 18 games overall in expected close games where they are listed in the +/- 3-point range, the Raptors have played 13 of these games Over the Total. And in their last 13 games in the Eastern Conference Playoff Semifinals, Toronto has played 9 of these games Over the Total.

FINAL TAKE: Toronto has played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total on the road when avenging a loss — and they have played 16 of their last 21 games Over the Total when playing with revenge from a loss at home. These two teams have played 7 of their last 9 meetings in Toronto Over the Total. 25* NBA Atlantic Division Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Toronto Raptors (581) and the Philadelphia 76ers (582). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Portland Trail Blazers (577) and the Denver Nuggets (578). THE SITUATION: Denver (59-31) won the opening game of this series on Monday with their 121-113 victory over Portland (57-31). The Nuggets host Game Two of this series.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The silver lining for the Trail Blazers in Game One was that Enes Kanter was able to play despite a shoulder injury that had him questionable. Kanter played 33 minutes which allowed him to score 26 points while making 11 of his 14 shots. He is more of an offensive threat than Jusuf Nurkic who is out the season with an ankle injury. The problem for the Blazers with Kanter absorbing Nurkic’s minutes is that he is a liability on the defensive end of the court. Denver’s Nikola Jokic exploited him by scoring 37 points on 11 of 18 shooting while pulling down 9 rebounds. Kanter’s presence on both ends of the court has generated higher scoring games — and bettors have yet to catch up. Portland has played 27 of their last 44 games Over the Total after a game where at least 225 combined points were scored. The Blazers have also played 9 of their last 12 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and the Over is 5-2-1 in their last 8 games after a point spread loss. Furthermore, the Over is 21-7-2 in Portland’s last 30 games when playing with one day of rest. And while this the Blazers just second game in the last seven days after they dismissed Oklahoma City in five games, they have played 4 straight games when playing their second game in seven days. Portland has also played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total against fellow Northwest Division opponents. Denver has played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total against Northwest Division foes. They have also played 5 of their last 7 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 victory. The Nuggets increase their offensive proficiency when playing at home — they are scoring 113.2 PPG on 48.3% shooting from the field at the Pepsi Center as compared to their 110.4 PPG scoring overall on 46.6% shooting this season. Denver has also played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total when playing with one day of rest.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have now played 5 straight Overs — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total when playing in Denver. Expect another high scoring game between these two teams. 25* NBA Northwest Division Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Portland Trail Blazers (577) and the Denver Nuggets (578). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:35 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Houston Rockets (573) and the Golden State Warriors (574). THE SITUATION: Golden State (62-27) won the opening game of this series on Sunday with their 104-100 victory over Houston (57-31). The Warriors host the second game of this series.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Warriors have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. Golden State smoked this Rockets team who had been playing good defense by making 50.7% of their shots on Sunday. The Warriors have a 49.2% field goal percentage at home in the Oracle Center which has translated into 118.2 PPG. Over their last five games, Golden State is making 50% of their shots — and they are shooting 50.3% from the field so far in these playoffs. This shapes up to be a high-scoring game as the Warriors have played 8 of their last 9 second games to a new playoff series Over the Total. Golden State has also played 19 of their last 30 games Over the Total when leading in a playoff series — and this includes them playing three of these last four games Over the Total when leading in that playoff series. Houston should shoot better than the 41.9% field goal percentage they endured in the opening game of this series. The Rockets have played four straight games Under the Total — but they have then played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after playing four straight games Under the Total. Houston averages 110.2 PPG when playing on the road. The Rockets have also been out-rebounded by 13, 14, and 14 boards in each of their last three games — and they have played 9 of their last 14 games Over the Total after being out-rebounded in their last three games by at least 5.0 Rebounds-Per-Game. Houston has also played 14 of their last 21 second games in a new playoff series Over the Total — and this includes them playing four of these last five situations Over the Total.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have seen their last three games finish Under the Total — but the first game these two teams played in 2019 was in the Oracle Center where the Rockets won by a 135-134 score. After Game One finished Under the Total by more than 20 points, look for this game to finish Over the Total. 25* NBA Western Conference Total of the Month is with Over the Total in the game between the Houston Rockets (573) and the Golden State Warriors (574). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:35 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Portland Trail Blazers (563) and the Denver Nuggets (564). THE SITUATION: Portland (57-30) takes the court again for the first time since last Tuesday after they disposed of Oklahoma City in five games with their 118-115 win as a 3.5-point favorite. Denver (58-31) defeated San Antonio on Sunday by a 90-86 score as a 6.5-point favorite to win that series in seven games. The Nuggets host the first two games of this series.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Trail Blazers have played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total after a straight-up win where they failed to cover the point spread — and the Over is 11-5-1 in their last 17 games after a point spread loss. Portland launched 96 shots in that game after attempting 90 shots in Game Four of that series. The Blazers have then played 26 of their last 39 games Over the Total after attempting at least 90 shots in two straight games. Portland now goes back on the road where they are scoring 111.0 PPG while also allowing 111.0 PPG. The Trail Blazers have also played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Denver has played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total after scoring at least 90 points in their last game — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total after allowing at least 90 points in their last game. The Nuggets shot just 39.8% from the field in that game which was the lowest field goal percentage in their last twelve games. Denver survived because they limited the Spurs to shooting only 36.5% which was the best defensive effort in their last sixteen games. The Nuggets have also played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total when playing with one day of rest. Denver stays at home where they are scoring 113.0 PPG this season on 48.2% shooting from the field — and they are making 48.3% of their shots in the playoffs. The Nuggets have played 4 straight games Over the Total against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 6 of their last 8 encounters Over the Total when playing in Denver. 25* NBA Northwest Division Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Portland Trail Blazers (563) and the Denver Nuggets (564). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the match between the Philadelphia 76ers (553) and the Toronto Raptors (554). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (55-32) has won four straight games after they disposed of Brooklyn in five games culminating in a 122-100 victory at home on Tuesday as a 9.5-point favorite. Toronto (62-35) has won four straight games as well after taking care of Orlando in five games after their 115-96 victory at home over the Magic on Tuesday as an 11-point favorite. The Raptors host the first two games of this series.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The 76ers have played 17 of their last 24 games Over the Total after a victory by at least 20 points over a fellow Atlantic Division rival — and they have played 23 of their last 32 games Over the Total after winning their last two games against divisional foes. Philadelphia has covered the point spread in four straight games — and they have played 15 of their last 20 road games Over the Total after covering the point spread in four of their last five contests. The Sixers held the Nets to just 38.7% shooting from the field which was the best defensive effort in their last twenty games. Philadelphia did not let Brooklyn shoot better than 41.1% from the field in the last three games of that series — but they have then played a decisive 46 of their last 72 games Over the Total after not allowing their last three opponents to shoot better than 42% from the field. Furthermore, the Sixers controlled the boards in their series against the Nets as they out-rebounded them by at least 7 rebounds per game in all five games of that series. Philly has then played 13 of their last 17 games Over the Total after out-rebounding their last five opponents by at least 5.0 RPG. Moving forward, the 76ers have played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total when playing their second game in seven days. Toronto has played 10 of their last 13 games Over the Total when playing with at least three days of rest. The Raptors have played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total after a double-digit win — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games after covering the point spread as a double-digit favorite. Toronto has also played 18 of their last 26 games Over the Total after winning at least three straight games — and they have played 30 of their last 45 home games Over the Total after scoring at least 115 points in their last game. The Raptors also played very good defense in their opening series as well — they have not allowed their last seven opponents to shoot better than 42% from the field. But Toronto has played 16 of their last 21 games Over the Total after not allowing at least three straight opponents to make more than 42% of their shots.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 10 of their last 14 meetings Over the Total — and this includes them playing 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total when playing in Toronto. Expect these team trends to continue tonight in this opening game of this Eastern Conference Semifinals series. 25* NBA Atlantic Division Total of the Month with Over the Total in the match between the Philadelphia 76ers (553) and the Toronto Raptors (554). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:35 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (515) and the Golden State Warriors (516). THE SITUATION: Golden State (60-26) took a commanding 3-1 lead in this series on Monday with their 113-105 victory over the Clippers (49-37). The Warriors look to close out this series tonight.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Golden State has played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 11 of 15 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Warriors took 13 fewer free throws on Monday after attempting 16 fewer free throws than the Clippers in Game Three — and they have played 10 of their last 11 games Under the Total after attempting at least ten fewer free throws than their opponent in two straight games. Now Golden State returns home to the Oracle Center where they have played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total — and they have also played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. Los Angeles has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after losing their last two games at home. The Clippers go back on the road where they have played 17 of their last 25 games Under the Total. And in their last 23 road games against teams with a winning record on their home court, Los Angeles has played 16 of these games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: The Clippers have played 13 of their last 14 games Under the Total when avenging a loss at home their opponent. 25* NBA Pacific Division Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (515) and the Golden State Warriors (516). Best luck for us — Frank.

At 10:35 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Oklahoma City Thunder (503) and the Portland Trail Blazers (504). THE SITUATION: Portland (56-30) took a 3-1 lead in this series on Sunday with their 111-98 upset victory in Oklahoma City against the Thunder (50-36). The Trail Blazers return home with the opportunity to close out this series tonight.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Oklahoma City offense has stalled in their three losses where they have failed to score even 100 points. Paul George is showing signs of being less than 100% with injuries to both his shoulders. He is making only 37% of his shots in this series while shooting just 30.8% from behind the arc — he is simply not close to his outstanding form in February prior to the All-Star Break when he was making a case to being the league’s Most Valuable Player. Russell Westbrook is also struggling as he is making only 36.3% of his shots in this series while shooting only 30.4% from behind the arc. The Thunder have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss at home. Additionally, the Under is 4-1-1 in OKC’s last 6 games after a straight-up loss — and the Under is 5-1-1 in their last 7 games after a point spread loss. Additionally, the Thunder have played 16 of their last 19 games Under the Total as an underdog. And in their last 74 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home, the Under is 50-23-1. Portland has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a double-digit victory — and they have played 13 of their last 17 games after a win over a Northwest Division rival. The Trail Blazers have also played 5 of their last games Under the Total after a point spread win. Portland certainly deserves much of the credit for the strong defense they are playing in this series. The Blazers have held the Thunder to just  41.3% shooting percentage from the field along with a low 30.8% mark from behind the arc. The Trail Blazers have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: Oklahoma City has played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total when attempting to avenge a double-digit loss to their opponent. 25* NBA First Round Northwest Division Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Oklahoma City Thunder (503) and the Portland Trail Blazers (504). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:35 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Houston Rockets (575) and the Utah Jazz (576). THE SITUATION: Houston (50-35) took a commanding 3-0 lead in this series on Saturday night with their 104-101 upset win in Utah (50-35) as a 2-point underdog. The Jazz host Game Four looking to stave off elimination.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Rockets have played 12 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a pulling off an upset victory — and they have played 23 of their last 34 games after a victory by 6 points or less. That game finished below the 214.5 point Total — and Houston has played 13 of their last 17 road games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Under the Total. The Rockets are playing their best defense of the season. They have held their last five opponents to just a 41.7% shooting percentage. Houston has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after holding their last five opponents to no higher than a 42% field goal percentage. Now the Rockets go on the road where they have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total — and they have played 6 of their last 8 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. Furthermore, Houston has played an incredible 36 of their last 44 road games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range — and this includes them playing eleven of their last fourteen games Under the Total in that situation. Additionally, the Rockets have played 15 of their last 20 games Under the Total when attempting to close out a playoff series. Utah has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Over their last five games, this team is shooting only 43.3% from the field. The Jazz stay at home where they have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 7 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Utah has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total when playing with at least triple revenge. These two teams have also played 5 of their last 7 meetings Under the Total. 25* NBA Round One Western Conference Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Houston Rockets (575) and the Utah Jazz (576). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (561) and the Detroit Pistons (562). THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (62-22) took a commanding 2-0 lead in this series on Wednesday with their 120-99 victory over Detroit (41-43) as a 15.5-point favorite. The Pistons host Games Three and Four tonight.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Detroit has not been able to put up much of a fight without their best offensive option in Blake Griffin who is likely to miss the third game in this series. The Pistons made only 37.4% of their shots on Wednesday. Over their last five games, Detroit is scoring only 99.2 PPG while shooting 39.9% from the field as opposed to their 106.7 PPG scoring average for the season on 43.8% shooting. The Pistons have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a point spread loss — and the Under is 34-15-2 in their last 51 games after a double-digit loss. Detroit was also not competitive in the first game of this series which they lost by a 121-86 score. The Pistons have played 15 of their last 19 games Under the Total after losing their last two games by double-digits — and this includes them playing their last six games Under the Total after losing their last two games on the road by at least 10 points. Detroit should play better on defense back at home tonight after allowing the Bucks to make 52.2% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s shooting mark in their last seven contests. The Pistons hold their guests to just 46.0% shooting — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total on their home court. Additionally, the Under is 9-4-1 in Detroit’s last 14 home games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road. Milwaukee has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after winning their last two games by at least 10 points. Now the Bucks go on the road where they have played 48 of their last 77 games with the Total set in the 210 to 219.5 point range. Milwaukee has also played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total with the number set in the 210 to 219.5 point range overall. And in their last 16 games against fellow Central Division opponents, the Bucks have played 12 of these games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: The Pistons have played 19 of their last 27 games Under the Total when avenging a loss where they allowed at least 110 points. 25* NBA Central Division Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (561) and the Detroit Pistons (562). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Toronto Raptors (551) and the Orlando Magic (552). THE SITUATION: Toronto (59-25) evened this series at 1-1 on Tuesday with their 111-82 victory over the Magic (43-41) as a 10.5-point favorite. Game Three and Four of this series move to Orlando.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Raptors tightened up their 3-point defense — or the Regression Gods paid a visit to Toronto in Game Two as the Magic made only 9 of their 34 (26.5%) shots from behind the arc after nailing 14 of their 29 (48.3%) 3-pointers in their upset win in Game One. The deeper concern for Orlando is that their most reliable scorer, Nikola Vucevic, has been bottlenecked down low by the Toronto combination of Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka. Vucevic is averaging only 8.5 PPG in this series while shooting just 6 of 21 (28.6%) from the field. The Raptors are an outstanding defensive team that ranked 5th during the regular season in Defensive Rating. Toronto has held their last five opponents to just 101.6 PPG on 41.4% shooting from the field — as compared to the 108.0 PPG they are allowing for the season on 44.8% shooting. The Under is 3-0-1 in the Raptors’ last 4 games after a straight-up win — and the Under is 3-0-1 in Toronto’s last 4 games after a point spread victory. Additionally, while the Raptors have covered the point spread in seven of their last nine games, they have then played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. Furthermore, the Under is 3-1-1 in Toronto’s last 5 games on the road — and they have now played 5 straight games Under the Total in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. Orlando has played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a loss by at least 20 points. The Magic have all played 35 of their last 52 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 36 of the last 52 games Under the Total after a point spread setback. Head coach Steve Clifford will focus his team’s bounce-back from Game Two on the defensive end of the court where they ranked 8th in the NBA in Defensive Rating. Orlando has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 19 of their last 26 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 5 of their last 6 meetings Under the Total — and in their last 6 games played on Orlando, the game finished Under the Total all 6 times. 25* NBA First Round ESPN Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Toronto Raptors (551) and the Orlando Magic (552). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the San Antonio Spurs (533) and the Denver Nuggets (534). THE SITUATION: San Antonio (49-34) won the opening game of this series on Saturday with their 101-96 upset win over the Nuggets in the opening game of this series. Denver (54-29) hosts Game Two before the Spurs host Games Three and Four.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: San Antonio has played 5 straight 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 while the Spurs have won four straight games, they have then played 23 of their last 32 games Under the Total after winning at least three in a row. San Antonio found success by double-teaming Nikola Jokic in the post and forcing him to pass to open teammates who more often than not missed their open shot — the Nuggets made only 42% of their shots from the field. But the Spurs had their own difficulties on offense with their two leading scorers, LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan combining to score only 33 points on 12 of 36 combined shooting. San Antonio has played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 6 of their last 8 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. Additionally, the Spurs have played 5 straight games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. And in their last 11 games against Western Conference opponents, San Antonio has played 10 of these games Under the Total. Denver has played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 14 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. And while the Nuggets have lost three of their last four games, they have then played 14 of their last 18 games Under the Total after losing three of their last four. Denver should have better success containing the Spurs scorers who — outside of DeRozan and Aldridge — converted 28 of their 47 shots for a sizzling 60% shooting clip. The Nuggets hold their opponents to just a 44.9% shooting percentage on their home court. Denver has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total on their home court — and they have played 6 straight home games Under the Total against teams with a losing record on the road. Furthermore, the Nuggets have played 14 of their last 19 games Under the Total against fellow Western Conference opponents.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 5 straight games Under the Total. Expect these trends to continue tonight in Game Two of this series. 25* NBA-TV Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the San Antonio Spurs (533) and the Denver Nuggets (534). 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 Texas Tech Red Raiders (811) and the Virginia Cavaliers (812). THE SITUATION: Texas Tech (31-6) reached the National Championship game on Saturday with their 61-51 upset victory over Michigan State as a 2-point underdog. Virginia (34-3) joins them in this showdown with their 63-62 win over Auburn as a 6-point favorite. This game will be played in U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis as a neutral court.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: We know about the strong defenses both these teams play. Texas Tech leads the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency while Virginia ranks 5th in the nation in that metric. The question is whether the oddsmakers have installed the Total too low with it currently residing in the 118 range. While the Over might look for very tempting to many bettors, don’t take the bait. The Red Raiders allowed only 58.8 PPG this season while limiting their opponents to just 36.8% shooting from the field. Their five NCAA Tournament opponents are scoring at just a 0.85 Points-Per-Possession rate which is the lowest since mark in the Big Dance since 2006. What makes this Texas Tech defense so tough is their ability to seamlessly switch off as defenders to fight off picks with all five of their players on the court. The Red Raiders have played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total against teams outside the Big 12. Texas Tech has also played 20 of their last 28 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court — and they have also played 14 of their last 20 games Under the Total as a pick ‘em or underdog of 3 points or less when playing on a neutral court. Additionally, the Red Raiders have played 18 of their last 25 games in the postseason Under the Total — and this includes them playing five of their last six games in the Big Dance Under the Total. Virginia has played 8 of their last 9 road games against teams who do not allow more than 64 PPG. The Cavaliers are holding their opponents to just 55.5 PPG this season while limiting these foes to just 38.4% shooting from the field. Texas Tech has played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total against teams with an opponent’s field goal percentage of 39% or lower. On paper, Virginia has the third highest Adjusted Offensive Efficiency number in the nation. In practice, the Cavaliers have only matched or eclipsed that number once in their last six games this season (against Purdue). Virginia made 49% of their shots against Auburn which was actually their best shooting effort from the field in their last four games — yet they scored only 63 points. The Cavaliers have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a close win by 3 points or less — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Virginia has only scored 28 and 29 points in the first half of their last two contests — and they have then played 7 straight games on the road Under the Total after failing to score at least 30 points in the first half in two straight games. The Cavaliers have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total against teams outside the ACC — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court. Virginia has also played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: I would not be shocked if one of these teams gets hot with their shooting. However, I do not see both teams torching the nets — and it is much more likely that both teams will struggle to hit baskets with the pressure of winning a National Championship on the line. Both these teams complement their stout defenses with a slow deliberate pace on the offensive end of the court. The strong fundamental play here is with the Under. 25* College Basketball Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders (811) and the Virginia Cavaliers (812). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:49 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders (801) and the Michigan State Spartans (802). THE SITUATION: Texas Tech (30-6) reached the Final Four last Saturday with their 75-69 upset victory over Gonzaga as a 5-point underdog. Michigan State (32-6) joined them the next day when they upset Duke by a 68-67 score as a 2.5-point underdog. The Final Four takes place U.S. Bank Stadium on a neutral court in Minneapolis.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: In theory, the Red Raiders were facing their biggest defensive challenge of the season against a balanced and dynamic Bulldogs offense last week. In practice, Gonzaga scored at just a 0.97 Points-Per-Possession pace which was just the third time all season that the Bulldogs failed to score at least 1.0 PPG against their opponent. Yet even still, the 42.4% shooting clip that Gonzaga managed against Texas Tech was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage the latter had allowed in their last five games. The Red Raiders are holding their NCAA Tournaments to only 57 PPG. A key to their defense is the play of their rim protector, the 6’8, 250-lb Norense Odiase who is holding opponents to scoring at a minuscule 0.429 Points-Per-Possession in Post-Up plays which is in the 95th percentile in the nation this season. The issue for this Texas Tech team is that their offense tends to stall if Chris Mooney or Davide Moretti are not providing a scoring boost to complement Jarrett Culver. Mooney scored 17 points against Gonzaga but that was his highest scoring output in two months. Moretti made a whopping 62.5% of his 3-pointers in the two games in Anaheim after missing all seven of his 3-pointers in the first two games in the Big Dance. When neither of those players are contributing points, the Red Raiders offense becomes too one-dimensional as they rely on Culver to create shots in isolation. Texas Tech has played 19 of their last 27 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total in the NCAA Tournament. Furthermore, the Red Raiders have played 12 of their last 16 games Under the Total against teams outside the Big 12 — and they have played 13 of their last 19 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 130s. Texas Tech has also found more offense by scoring in transition — but they are now facing a Spartans team that did not allow Duke to score a single point in transition last Sunday. The Under is 28-10-1 in Michigan State’s last 39 games after a straight-up win — and the Under is 20-7-1 in their last 28 games after a point spread victory. Furthermore, the Spartans have only allowed 30 and 28 points in the first half of their last two games — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 30 points in their last game. Michigan State has held their opponents in the NCAA Tournament to just 61.3 PPG while limiting them to only 28.2% shooting from behind the arc. The Under is 19-7-1 in the Spartans’ last 27 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have also played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Furthermore, Michigan State has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total on a neutral court — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games in the NCAA Tournament.

FINAL TAKE: Texas Tech averages 18.3 seconds per possession which is the 267th slowest in the nation. With the Red Raiders boasting the top Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in the nation and Sparty not far behind by ranking 9th in the nation in that metric. Points should be hard to come by in this contest. 25* CBB Final Four Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders (801) and the Michigan State Spartans (802). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:35 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Portland Trail Blazers (555) and the Denver Nuggets (556). THE SITUATION: Portland (50-28) enters this game coming off a 116-89 win over Memphis on Wednesday as a 9.5-point favorite. Denver (52-26) comes off a 113-85 win over San Antonio on Wednesday as a 5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Trail Blazers have played 5 straight games Under the Total after a double-digit victory. The Under is also 3-0-1 in Portland’s last 4 games after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. The Trail Blazers are playing tough on the defensive end of the court as of late as they have held their last five opponents to just a 43.0% field goal percentage. Portland needs to lean on their defense given the injuries to C.J. McCollum and Jusuf Turkic who takes away a big-time scoring and a beast on the offensive glass for them. The Blazers go back on the road where the Under is 5-1-1 in their last 7 games — and they have played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. Denver (52-26) has played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a point spread win. The Nuggets have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a double-digit victory. Denver is struggling to score points as of late. They are scoring just 101.0 PPG over their last five games on 44.3% shooting from the field which is far below their 110.8 PPG scoring average for the season allowing with a 46.6% field goal percentage. The Nuggets stay at home where they have played 5 straight games Under the Total. Denver has also played 22 of their last 34 games Under the Total as a favorite laying 3.5 to 9.5 points. Furthermore, the Nuggets have played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total against Western Conference opponents — and in their last 6 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%, Denver has played all 6 games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: Portland has lost their last five encounters with the Nuggets with the last result being a 116-113 loss in Denver back on January 13th. The previous result was a narrow 113-112 loss at home back on November 30th — and the Trail Blazers have played 10 of their last 11 games Under the Total when looking to avenge to straight losses that were decided by 3 points or less. 25* NBA Friday ESPN Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Portland Trail Blazers (555) and the Denver Nuggets (556). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:30 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Texas Longhorns (711) and the TCU Horned Frogs (712). THE SITUATION: Texas (19-16) reached the Semifinals of the NIT last Wednesday with their 68-55 win over Colorado as a 5-point favorite. TCU (23-13) joins them in the NIT Semifinals care of their 71-58 won over Creighton as a 3.5-point favorite last Tuesday. The way meet in the Madison Square Garden where the Semifinals and Finals of this event take place.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Longhorns held the Buffaloes to just 32.7% shooting in their win on Thursday. This is a strong defensive unit for head coach Shaka Smart — they rank 35th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. The Under is 38-17-1 in Texas’ last 56 games after a straight-up win — and they have played 8 of their last 10 road games Under the Total after a straight-up victory. And while they held Colorado to just 19 first-half points — and they have then played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 25 points in the first half of their last game. Now the Longhorns go on the road after playing their last three games — and they shoot just 41.5% from the field away from home. Over their last five games, Texas is shooting only 40.2% from the field. They have played 27 of their last 40 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total on a neutral court with the Total set in the 135 to 139.5 point range. TCU is also playing their first game away from home in their last four contests. The Horned Frogs have played 31 of their last 43 games Under the Total after playing their last two games at home. And while their victory over the Bluejays was preceded by an 88-72 win over Nebraska, TCU has then played 12 of their last 19 games Under the Total after winning their last two games at home by double-digits. Head coach Jamie Dixon’s squad is also very good on the defensive end of the court as they rank 33rd in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency after holding Creighton to just 36.2% shooting. The Horned Frogs have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court with the Total set in the 135 to 139.5 point range. And in their last 87 games in expected close contests where they are listed in the +/- 3-point range, TCU has played 53 of these games Under the Total — and this includes them playing five of these last seven situations.

FINAL TAKE: The Horned Frogs have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and the Longhorns have played 4 straight games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Texas is looking to avenge a 69-56 upset loss at home laying 7 points to TCU back on March 9th — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when avenging an upset loss. These two teams have played 10 of their last 12 meetings Under the Total — expect another low scoring game between these two teams in the third meeting between these Big 12 opponents this season. 25* CBB NIT Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Texas Longhorns (711) and the TCU Horned Frogs (712). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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